All Romance Reviews

DEFENSELESS by Corinne Michaels: Book Tour & Review

January 25, 2016 by Pepper Leave a Comment

My life is a secret.
His life is dangerous.
We’re both stubborn, calculating, and controlling.
Mark Dixon doesn’t know what he’s getting into. He doesn’t know his games could cost us our lives. I have to do what is necessary to keep us alive, and that means guarding my heart.
But I know I’m defenseless against him, and in the end, he’ll force me to surrender.

PURCHASE HERE: AMAZON / AMAZON UK / iBOOKS / KOBO / B&N

MICHELLE’S REVIEW

Ah!!! Mark!!! I am SUCH a Mark lover. Team Twilight- whatever you want to call me- I love me some Mark.

I was so excited to get Mark’s story but what I was not expecting was to fall in love with his love interest, Charlie, the way that I did.

***Side note: I love Corinne’s books. I think her heroes are just the right amount of alpha that turn you on without making you think you might need a restraining order at some point. So I’m not surprised that I totally fell in love with Mark. And I have always liked the heroines that Corinne writes. Catherine (from BELOVED/BEHOLDEN) and Natalie (from CONSOLATION/CONVICTION) are strong women. They show their strength in different ways but they always portrayed themselves as strong in the face of adversity- especially Natalie.***

But Charlie- You guys. Charlie. She is strong on a WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL.

I mean yes- part of it is just her being a bad ass in a man’s world and feeling like she needs to assert herself. But we are talking about a woman that is the only kind of woman that can match Mark.

We know Mark as fun loving and all around funny guy. We know he would lay down his life for the people he loves and that he’s a great friend. But we also know he likes to pretend his online minister’s license makes him a chosen child of God.

The story itself is wildly creative. I would definitely say this would qualify as a romantic suspense because I was on the edge of my seat almost the entire time.

If you are a fan of Corinne’s books, you will not be disappointed. AND she didn’t even give us a gut wrenching cliffhanger this time!!!

This book could actually be read as a standalone. You might learn a few things about how the story ends for the characters in BELOVED/BEHOLDEN and CONSOLATION/CONVICTION but not in a way that would ruin those stories if you wanted to go back and read them.

This is a top January read for me and 5 stars for sure. Corinne has really outdone herself and I think if you love a good military romance- you will fall in love with this one.

Also Mark’s muse is Chris Hemsworth. So there’s that. Enjoy and you’re welcome.

AUTHOR INFO

Corinne Michaels is an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. She’s happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness.

Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn’t ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha Navy SEALs are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart.

CONTACT CORINNE: GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST

Filed Under: Book Tour, Michelle, Reviews

BOILING POINT by Tessa Bailey: Book Release & Review

January 25, 2016 by Pepper Leave a Comment

Falling for a con man is the most dangerous game of all…

Con artist Austin Shaw’s been in disguise so long he’s not sure where his fake identities end and he begins. Now that he’s been strong-armed into working for a specialized undercover unit working with the Chicago police—criminals with unique “skills”—the last thing he needs is to risk his iron control. Especially when it comes to a certain stunningly sexy hacker who tempts him with every look of disdain.

Polly Banks will never, ever trust a con man. On the trail of a ruthless crook who destroyed the only family she’s ever known, Polly is unnerved by the shadow who follows her every move. The one who makes her pulse pound and breath short with lust. Austin. He’s infuriating, enigmatic, and pure sex appeal, and she’s determined to resist him.

But an untrustworthy man of disguise can become anyone he wants…including a man that Polly must trust if she’s to escape their dangerous game alive.

PURCHASE LINKS: AMAZON / B&N / iBOOKS / KOBO / ENTANGLED

MICHELLE’S REVIEW

Tessa. Bailey. Damn.

If you have not experienced sex written by Tessa Bailey, you haven’t lived. I spent most of this book reading with my thighs clenched together so I didn’t orgasm on the spot. READ AN EXCERPT HERE!!

Austin and Polly’s story was everything I never knew I wanted and needed.

There was a element of suspense in this book that just elevated it to a whole new level. But even without that - this was a great book.

As we’ve come to expect from Tessa- the chemistry between her characters is off the chart. But Polly and Austin take it just beyond anything I was expecting. First off- there’s some sort of hate that brews between these two that makes sex super hot. But there’s also this obvious reverence and affection, especially on Austin’s part. We really see that manifest itself in the way he offers himself to Polly.

It’s rare for an alpha style male to really give up control to a woman but Austin’s past sins make him crave control in a way that only Polly can really satisfy. And let me tell you - that makes for some of the hottest sex scenes I have ever read. Aroused is an understatement for what I was feeling throughout this book.

It’s no surprise that I am a fan of Tessa’s work. While this book is part of a series- I believe it can stand on its own. So if you have never encountered the steamy writing of Tessa Bailey- feel free to start here. And fans of Tessa- Austin and Polly’s story will not disappoint you.

AUTHOR INFO

Thank you for your interest in my books! I’m Tessa and I live in the crazy, loud, overcrowded borough of Brooklyn, New York. I love it here. This city is a constant source of inspiration, which is why I’ve decided to set my most recent books in the Line of Duty Series here.

I moved to New York when I was eighteen, the day after I graduated high school. Threw my suitcase in the back of a Chevrolet Cavalier and drove across the country to find my adventure. I’m still finding it, little by little.

Thank you for being a part of it.

CONTACT TESSA: GOODREADS / WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER

Filed Under: Book Release, Michelle, Reviews

CUNNING by Aleatha Romig: Book Tour & Review

January 25, 2016 by Pepper Leave a Comment

“He owns you. Whatever he tells you to do you do”.

One year. No future. A past that won’t go away.

Lennox “Nox” Demetri broke his own rule by making a deal. It may not have been directly with the devil, but that doesn’t mean Satan himself isn’t watching. Was it fate that brought Charli into his life and his bed? What will happen when rules are broken and secrets are revealed?

“New rules…my rules.”

Alex “Charli” Collins found pleasure with Nox like she’d never known. That was before she knew his last name. Now that Infidelity is involved and the rules have changed, what will result when real life and fantasy collide?

Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, the depth of this new, epic dark romance reaches new levels and will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next.

Have you been Aleatha’d?

CUNNING is a full-length novel, 360 pages, and the second of five books in the INFIDELITY series.

Infidelity - it isn’t what you think.

PURCHASE HERE: AMAZON / B&N / iBOOKS / KOBO

MICHELLE’S REVIEW

***NOTE*** This is not a standalone so if you have not read BETRAYAL, you need to start there.

OMG- this. This book. This book is classic Aleatha. It’s that feeling of “WHAT?? WAIT. WHAT???” that is so uniquely Aleatha that made this book so demanding of my attention.

For one thing, you cannot skim this book. Every word is basically an important detail and if you miss a thing you’ll probably end up totally lost in the end. That’s what Aleatha does best. She weaves these stories that you have to commit to but the journey is so captivating you can’t take your attention away from it.

While BETRAYAL was more of an appetizer of what was to come, CUNNING is starting to get into the meat of the story. We’re learning a lot more about Alex’s mother and how she came to be the person we have all come to hate. What’s interesting is that I am unsure if Aleatha is trying to create sympathy for her- because I still have none.

We also start to learn more about what is going on behind the scenes. But in classic Aleatha fashion- for every answer you get, you come out with 3 more questions!

We also get a lof of time with Nox and Alex in a way that dives deeper than their week on the beach. They are discovering each other and feeding into the addiction that they cause in one another. Some of their time together is undeniably sexy and some of it is sweet. Much of it is heartbreaking and almost all of it leads to more questions.

CUNNING was a bit more fast paced for me than BETRAYAL was but a large part of that is BETRAYAL gave us a lot of background into what brings Alex to where she is today. This book also spends a little time going back and forth between past and present in an effort to give us more perspective into what is happening behind the scenes.

I cannot wait to see what the next three books bring us. I know that while I might get some questions answered- I will come out with about 100 more before this all ends! I cannot wait to see where Aleatha takes us next.

BETRAYAL - Book #1 in the INFIDELITY series

Read Michelle’s review HERE

One week. No future. No past. No more.

Alexandria Collins has one week to live carefree—no ghosts of her past or pressures of her future haunting her. Reinventing herself as “Charli,” she is knocked off her feet by a sexy, mysterious man who brings her pleasure like she never imagined. With her heart at stake, she forgets that decisions made in the dark of night reappear in the bright light of day.

“Some of my tastes are unique. They aren’t for everyone. I understand that.”

Lennox “Nox” Demetri is wealthy, confident, and decisive—he knows what he wants. From the first time he sees Charli at an exclusive resort, he knows he wants her. Although he is usually the one to make the rules, together they agree on one:

One week. No more.

When betrayal comes from those closest to Alexandria, she must decide how far she is willing to go to survive. Choices are not always easy, especially when they involve the heart, body, and soul. After all, Infidelity is a business, and some rules are meant to be broken.

“Is it really cheating if you’re doing it to yourself?”

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a sexy, new dominant hero who knows what he wants, and a strong-willed heroine who has plans of her own. With classic Aleatha Romig twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions, this new epic dark romance will have readers swooning one minute and screaming the next. Have you been Aleatha’d?

BETRAYAL is a full-length novel and the first of five in the INFIDELITY series.

PURCHASE: AMAZON / AMAZON UK / B&N / iBOOKS / KOBO

AUTHOR INFO

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of nearly thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These standalone thrillers continue Aleatha’s twisted style with an increase in heat. In the fall of 2015, Aleatha will move head first into the world of dark romance with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Browne & Miller Literary Associates.

NEWSLETTER WEBSITE FACEBOOK AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE GOODREADS INSTAGRAM TWITTER TSU PINTEREST

Filed Under: Book Sale, Book Tour, Michelle, Reviews