Tag: 4.5 Stars

REVIEW – Viking/Fantasy Romance \\ Stolen by the Wolves – Lyx Robinson

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Stolen by the Wolves
(Viking Omegaverse #1)

by Lyx Robinson

This is a new-to-me author, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Definitely not an utterly captivating, well researched and brilliantly written historical fantasy, set amidst the Viking occupation of Alba. Make that doubly surprised when one considers this is a debut novel. Clearly the author has taken the time and effort to practice and hone her craft before publishing, since the quality of her storytelling was outstanding. I actually feel as though the title, Stolen by the Wolves, doesn’t do justice to this richly woven tale. To me that title is reminiscent of those mass produced, generic and bland PNR stories, which is about as far from the truth as one can get.


I adore omegaverse stories but, if we’re being totally honest here, they aren’t generally the most literary of stories. However this was a class above, the world building quickly drew me in and this felt much more like reading viking fantasy. All the classic omegaverse elements appeared to be contained within the tale, though we didn’t get to see nesting and knotting as this is a slow-burn romance. And that is the only time I could use the word “slow” about the story, with it’s well-paced, intricate and engaging plot.


Not only do we get to know the two main protagonists, we also see them grow as characters. Thankfully both Tamsin and Thrain were eminently likeable individuals, adding to the sheer pleasure to be found when reading this opening episode of their story. They were real and imperfect in that can’t-get-enough-of-them way. This was backed up with a good supporting cast. I would have liked a little more depth in some of these secondary characters, though that didn’t spoil my enjoyment in any way.


The exposition was perfectly balanced, enough so that the world building was solidly achieved but without unnecessary information dumps disrupting the flow and pace of the story. As the first part of a potential six part series, there is a good amount of character building and scene setting performed. However this was achieved whilst still providing a powerful read that has totally hooked me in. So much so that I have pre-ordered this book and will be buying the rest of the series too. 

Photo by Maycon Marmo

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57046173-stolen-by-the-wolves
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WJMH3R9

Once the wolves of Dublin take control, who knows what they plan to do with us? They are savages. And we are at their mercy.
It is the year 870. Hordes of Vikings sweep through the green lands of Northumbria and Ireland, raiding and pillaging. Soon, no kingdom will be safe from their bloodlust.
Tamsin has always been safe behind the walls of her sanctuary. Safe enough to yearn for a glimpse of the world beyond. But with the Viking threat looming, even her secretive kingdom must open its gates to invite allies.
And she gets far more than a glimpse.
The three lords of Dublin are on the hunt for women of her kind. Thrain Mordsson, youngest of the three and bent on a personal vendetta, doesn’t take much stock in the ancient prophecies. He marches into battle for the glory rather than the spoils.
Until he finds himself standing right in front of a fiery-haired princess. And the touch of her hand wakes an ancient magic in them both, one that neither could’ve anticipated.
The wolves plan to besiege her sanctuary and steal her fabled kinswomen for themselves. But the legends state that to harm these women would anger the gods. And now that Thrain has earned Tamsin’s trust, now that he has tasted her in the darkness of her godhouse, his loyalties begin to splinter.
All he knows is that he must protect her from the coming storm at any cost.

This is the first tome of Thrain & Tamsin’s story. In this new omegaverse series, kingdoms break apart and ancient magic is rediscovered. If you like your romance with a plotty medieval backdrop like Kushiel’s Dart or Game of Thrones, you’ll love this series.
STOLEN BY THE WOLVES is a fantasy non-shifter omegaverse romance that is based loosely on real historical events. It is the first of a 6-book series, slow-burn with eventual Reverse Harem romance. This novel contains some non-consensual situations, though they are not between the hero & heroine. The Viking Alphas revere their Omegas, and while they live in a cruel and unforgiving world, they do their utmost to keep their Omegas from harm.

// REVIEW \\ Protecting His Brat

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Protecting His Brat
by Sorcha Black

You’ve been warned by the title that this features a brat, and what a brat Deen was. However there was just something so sweet and cute, so helpless kitten about her personality, that it was only too easy to fall in love with her. Protecting His Brat is quite simply one heck of an amazing book, a well written mix of all things naughty but fun. The dynamic between Deen and Blue just made me melt whilst their journey to a HEA gave me all the feels, the story had me giggling one minute and sobbing my heart out the next.


There are so many aspects of the story that probably shouldn’t work, but somehow Sorcha Black rewrote the rules so that they did. Then again she took what could have been a fairly lightweight and kitsch trope and created a book with charm, wit and great characterisation. Aberdeen was so incredibly blinkered and naïve, yet not once did she irritate or annoy me. In fact I rather enjoyed her cheekiness and the way that she teased Blue, because there wasn’t a mean or selfish bone in her body. She used all her feminine wiles, which admittedly was mainly puppy dog eyes and teasing bratiness, to push at and pursue Blue, careening haphazardly through all his barriers and defences. Blue was all tall, dark and moody but once he succumbed to Deen’s charm(s) there was no way I could resist him in all his manly, Daddy-Dom swoon-iness.


Even the sex scenes were threaded with gentle touches of humour, as well as being rough, dirty, naughty and incredibly hot. For a very innocent little thing, Deen definitely had a very vivid imagination, along with either no sense of self preservation or an incredibly adventurous streak! The imbued sense of fun was used incredibly well to contrast with the more serious moments, adding depth in all the right places. There was also wonderful foreshadowing throughout, though my initial guess as to the attempted kidnappings was waaaaaay off the mark – turns out it wasn’t her “real” family trying to get her back!


My only problem with the book is that it didn’t last forever – I don’t think I’m ready to let go of Blue and Deen quite yet. Please Ms Black, may we have some more?

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre – Contemporary BDSM Romance
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57102313-protecting-his-brat

Synopsis
Aberdeen
It’s ridiculous, but at almost twenty-two, Mother still controls what I wear and what I read. So, when my childhood bodyguard retires, of course Mother chooses his replacement without consulting me. I need someone to protect me from the kidnappers who always seem to be lurking, but huge, quiet, Mr. Köhler, with his jaw like stone and mashed nose, is not what I have in mind.
The man seems like he’s going to be dull, but the first time I get sassy with him, his intensity steals my breath.
Teasing him is the most fun I’ve ever had.

Blue
Before I can stop her, the bratty little tease I’m protecting gets under my skin…and that’s before she starts calling me Daddy. Although she tests my patience and self-control, I can’t bring myself to resign.
As the danger escalates, I’ll do anything to keep Miss Kincaid safe…but keeping her safe from me is the most difficult assignment I’ve ever had.

// REVIEW \\ An Alpha’s Grace

Louise H2 Comments

An Alpha’s Grace
(Omegas of the New South #3)
by Sharilyn Skye

An obviously broken Omega, an Alpha whose damage is carefully hidden, a claiming without choice and consent, yet against all odds this unlikely pairing works.


Sharilyn Skye blew me away with her impeccable characterisation, intricate story weaving and ability to demonstrate substantive character growth whilst retaining an air of credibility throughout. Characterised by powerful writing and insightful moments, An Alpha’s Grace took me on an amazing, tumultuous and heart-warming journey, an exploration into the healing power of love. This is a rich and unique story, where the sizzling heat of desire and warmth of adoration is carefully balance against the darkness of despair. I found myself quickly drawn into this tale, unable to put it down and rooting for Grace and Darrian to succeed in finding their HEA.


First impressions of Darrian were that he was a very put together, suave and in-control Alpha, dare I say a metro-alpha? Grace herself was very clearly a shell of a woman, terrified, over-whelmed and so very afraid. Holding on to sanity by the very tips of her ragged fingernails. Yet as the story progressed we discover that these two seemingly diametrically opposite characters are more alike than could ever have been guessed at.


I felt Graces pain, her confusion, her soul adrift on a sea she did not understand and had no clue how to navigate. Darrian had turned his pain into a finely crafted shell, one that hid the true man inside, hid the Alpha even from himself. It takes a soul shattering moment of inattention to turn this mild mannered man into the Alpha Grace actually needs him to be. Personally would have liked that event event to have played out a little longer, for the tension to have been built higher and the emotions to have been more fully explored. However I fully appreciated it for the pivotal moment it was, the one that finally, truly bonded this pair together. Earlier in the book Darrian felt almost beta-like, he himself references his behavior as akin to that of an omega. Don’t worry though he was always the man, and Alpha, Grace needed.


The book totally reads as a stand alone, and I can say this because I haven’t had the pleasure of reading books #1 and #2 yet. I will be adding those to my TBR. Would my appreciation of the subtle nuances have been greater, would I have had a deeper understanding of some aspects of the story, and the world, had I read those two books? Without a doubt I would, and I look forward to re-reading this once have read the first two.


There were parts of this where my personal preference would have been for something a little different. The, at times, slightly narrated feel of the prose would have had more impact for me personally had it focused more on emotion and feelings BUT – personal preference. And the sheer magnificence of how the author convinced me not only of Grace’s mental state at the beginning but also of the bond she developed with Darrian and her progress back to “normality” fully deserves praise and recognition. Many authors have failed to convince me of the connection between the hero and heroine, Sharilyn Skye managed it with a heroine who was barely above catatonic, almost non-functioning. Yet, where others would have fallen, the author had a credible explanation at each turn.

I’m happy to say that this book can very definitely be chalked up as a win. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre ~~ PNR/Omegaverse

Goodreads ~~ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56794526-an-alpha-s-grace

Grace had no past and no future.
Darrian was more broken than anyone knew.

Together they work to fix the damage that life has dealt. But Grace is a valuable commodity, and once she heals enough for her dynamic to emerge, the traffickers that stole her life will stop at nothing to get her back. When Grace’s connection to Atlanta’s brightest star and most eligible bachelor becomes public knowledge, the pressure mounts. Darrian will do anything for Grace, including drop the mask of civility he’s worn for over a decade. To save them both, he must embrace himself.

An Alpha’s Grace is a Dark Dystopian Omegaverse Romance that contains content that may be triggering for some readers. If such material offends you, please do not purchase.

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// REVIEW \\ Mister Baby Daddy

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Mister Baby Daddy
(Bad Boys In Love #3)
by Cassie-Ann L. Miller

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Hence forth this shall be know as “The book which pulled me out of a reading slump.”

I seem to have spent the few weeks struggling to stick with a book, and even when I have it hasn’t touched my heart and soul in the way that a great book did. Mister Baby Daddy took that poor reading streak, stomped all over it and tore it into tiny pieces with it’s great writing, amazing characters and emotional depth. Even though there is nothing particularly ground breaking or new within the plot, the quality of writing, the sheer amount of feels this book gave me, along with how much I found myself caring for both Walker and Penny, made it a wonderful read.

Whilst I wouldn’t class this as a rom-com, the author does thread humour throughout the story. She balances some very sad and difficult situations with moments of levity and fun. And did I mention just how great Penny and Walker are? It would be easy to become frustrated with the pair, but I couldn’t because the author created two very “real” people who I simply fell in love with.

It was great to catch glimpses of previous couples, and we got to know just a little bit more about Jessa, our next heroine. Based on this series so far I am really, really, REALLY looking forward to reading her and Eli’s story.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre- Friends-to-Lovers Contemporary Romance

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53571712-mister-baby-daddy

All my life, I’ve been in love with my best friend. All my life I’ve waited for him to notice.
I’m done waiting. I’m moving on with my life…I’m having a baby.
I really need to get over Walker Kingston.
My lifelong infatuation with my best friend is sort of embarrassing. The tall, broody hunk of farmer has always been my fierce protector, my constant hero, my knight in flanneled armor. But to him, I’ve never been more than a friend, the girl he saves from trouble in the middle of the night.
This whole damsel-in-distress thing is getting kind of old. I’m tired of being a burden on Walker. I’m ready to stand on my own feet.
I may never win his love but I’m ready to focus on the other things I want in my life. And what I want most? A baby.
I’ve practically got one foot inside the sperm bank when the overprotective farmer intercepts my plan. Now he says he will father my child.
Nope. Nuh-uh. Absolutely not.
I’m trying to get over the guy. So letting him be my baby daddy is low-key dysfunctional. But Walker insists it won’t affect our friendship. Plus, he has all these amazing qualities that make his offer super hard to resist. He’s strong and charming and fine as hell. And he’s the only person I really trust.
Okay. Fine. Grab the specimen cup. Off to the fertility clinic we go.
Except nothing ever goes to plan.
Now I need rescuing–again. And Walker has made it his mission to take care of my every need–again. And when the ever-grumpy cowboy introduces me to his soft, nurturing side, I’m a goner.
Well, damn. How the hell am I supposed to get over the man now?

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// REVIEW \\ Radical by Colleen Cowley

Louise H3 Comments

Radical
(Clandestine Magic, #2)
by Colleen Cowley

description

This started a little slowly, but I think it needed to because once it picked up steam it went supersonic. The plot twists – oh yeah, they totally took me by surprise and yet I can see how there was some foreshadowing of them. There was just SO MUCH going on with Plan A’s and Plan B’s and even Plan C’s and D’s. However all those plans were useless when… well you’ll have to read it and find out but OMG talk about bluffs, double bluffs and triple bluffs.


Before I go any further I need to tell you that this is NOT a stand alone book. You need to read Subversive first, as well as being aware that this ends on a cliffhanger. I have absolutely no idea where the author plans to take us next. Though based on this and Subversive it’s going to be one heck of a ride!


The discoveries made, the secrets revealed, the implication of the vows and of using magic, there is just so much packed into these pages. However Colleen Cowley does it all in a way that allows you to keep pace of every startling revelation. I continued to adore both Peter and Beatrix, I also felt that we got to know some of the supporting characters in more depth too. The conversation towards the end between Rosemary and Beatrix was so full of emotion – I may have required a tissue or two for that, and I most certainly needed them for some of those ends scenes between Peter and Bea.


This book crosses the genres and I hugely recommend giving the series a try, hopefully you will love it as much as I am.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre- Fantasy/ Alternative Reality

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55359252-radical

Women have no ability to cast spells. That’s what wizards have said for generations—and it’s a lie.
In this second book of the Clandestine Magic trilogy, Beatrix Harper wants to expose that lie to protect her sister’s life. Her desperate plan: Train tens of thousands of women in secret, then shock the nation with a display of their magic. She thinks it will work—if only she can keep the details from her town’s wizard, Peter Blackwell.
But that’s nearly impossible thanks to their unwanted magical connection. Peter, meanwhile, fears that his own desperate goal—to counter the terrible weapon he should never have invented—is doomed to fail.
Their plans are about to collide. Disastrously.

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// REVIEW \\ Daddy P.I. 2.0 by E.J. Frost

Louise H5 Comments

Daddy P.I. 2.0
(Daddy P.I. Casefiles #2)
by E.J. Frost

Where to start? This is a long book but never felt looooonnnnnggg, I was shocked when I got to the end! It picks up a few months on from where Daddy PI 1.0 finished, and whilst you could at a push read this standalone, I do recommend reading book #1 first for maximum enjoyment – plus that is a damn good read too. It’s obvious there will be a Daddy PI 3.0, since there are a few loose ends in this. However for those who hate cliffhangers, think of this more like Star Trek films. You’ve got a complete story/adventure within the book, but those characters have more stories to tell.


Flog and spank me if I’m wrong, but to me this had quite a different feel to the first book. In that one Emily and Logan were a new couple, just embarking on their relationship, plus for most of it they were on a BDSM holiday cruise. As a result that story had quite a light, playful feel to it, especially since a lot of their scenes involved role play. In Daddy PI #2 things felt more serious, especially their time spent in scenes. I enjoyed how this made the seriousness of their relationship, the depth of it, more emphasised.


It’s as though EJ Frost has read my reviews, looked at everything I disliked in BDSM stories – particularly around Doms – and wrote the antithesis of that here. In this book we have a Dom that CAN’T mind read, that doesn’t know his sub better than she knows herself, that isn’t perfect and intent on constantly pushing her beyond her limits “for her own good”. Logan makes mistakes and – gasp – apologises for them. He shows his emotions. He asks for help. He DOES know and understand his sub, because he doesn’t just talk about needing to communicate, he actually does it. He talks AND listens to his sub. He even has Dom friends who challenge his decisions, rather than a coterie of yes men. The pièce de résistance was when he asked Emily if she wished to add a piece of equipment to her list of hard limits list in case her punishment with/on it had left her scared of using it again.


Emily didn’t ever feel like she was pretending to be a little. She isn’t playing at it, she is living and breathing it. I never once doubted her, nor did I ever find it creepy because whilst she has a child-like joy of life, she also has a very adult sexuality about her.


There were a couple of times when I wanted to immediately shout “unfair” to Emily being punished for not following Logan’s rules. Not when she had been provoked and her insecurities deliberately triggered. However as those scenes unfolded it became very clear how it was much more about Emily feeling the slate had been wiped clean, along with knowing Logan’s boundaries would hold firm, than it ever was about Logan’s disappointment or anger. I loved how EJ Frost subtly wove so much of the psychology of Domination and submission into the thoughts, words and actions of both main characters.


Not once did I feel as though discipline or play scenes were dropped into the book for their salacious appeal or to satisfy the reader, as much as to demonstrate how it connected Logan and Emily on a subterranean-ly deep level. Don’t get me wrong, those scenes were scorching hot to read, but it’s not often a sex scene adds depth, meaning and texture to the story in the way they did in this book.


I highly recommend this book to all DD/lg and romance fans.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre- DD/lg erotic romance
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53465741-daddy-p-i-2-0

A movie star. A stalker. And a Daddy Dom to the rescue.
P.I. James Logan has finally found his perfect submissive in little Emily Martin. He wants nothing more than to enjoy spoiling his babygirl as she adjusts to life with him in New York City. But nothing’s easy when you’re a Daddy.
Logan’s best client, adult movie star Rick Errol, has a stalker, and what starts as an online trolling quickly escalates into attacks that could cost Rick his liberty and his life.
Hunting Rick’s stalker is hard enough, but a Daddy’s work is never done. When Logan’s former flame claims he’s the father of her baby, Logan has to fight for Emily’s trust all over again.
The need to protect those he loves is written on Logan’s heart and soul, but can he protect them all, or will he have to make a terrible choice?

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Review //\\ Sacrificed to the Sea by Cari Silverwood

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Sacrificed to the Sea
by Cari Silverwood

Due to a complete and utter stuff up by Amazon, this book had to be unpublished and republished. How they made the decision that it belonged in Math text book categories I’m not sure, but when the author asked them to rectify the issue it took repeated emails until they did remove it from Math – and put it into the Religious category instead!

Hats of to Amazon – they really do take the biscuit at times.

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As delightfully dark and depraved as Mesmer.


I only have one dissatisfaction with this book and it’s that Ms Silverwood didn’t make it over 500 pages! I adored Raffaela, Wolfgang and all the things siren, kinky and dark, so much so I would happily have stayed in this world. What you will get, by reading Sacrificed to the Sea is a wonderful story. One that is sprinkled with kink and covered in darkness to provide a rich and tasty tale of immorality and perversion.


Given that the story contains a siren/mermaid, it had a very “real world” feel to it, which added in to the darkness of the story. In fact this felt very similar too, whilst being absolutely nothing like, Mesmer . To me it was fresh, different, captivating and amazing. It had emotions aplenty, an intriguing plot and was so hot you could fry eggs on it. I found myself sinking (pun intended) into the pages of this book from the very first paragraph, swept overboard by a ravening storm of epic proportions.


Whilst it didn’t have the humour that has been prevalent in recent work by the author, (nor required it) this was full of irony. It also carried quite an emotional impact, yanking at my heartstrings more than once. Raffaela’s loneliness and Wolfgang’s sense of loss both had me blinking back tears. The pain of having to sacrifice everything to get their heart’s desire, of doing that and still not being able to achieve their dreams…. oh boy did that stab me in the heart.

An eternity seemed to have passed since she’d truly conversed with a man. Loneliness had whittled away at her soul.

Some of you may (snigger) be shocked by a certain scene between Raffaela, Wolfgang and a firearm… it certainly takes kinky improvisation to a whole new level. It also epitomised the wild and feral connection this pair shared. And just how damn dirty the sex is! Not that one would expect anything different from Ms Silverwood , the crazy, filthy smut is why we’re here after all. Well that and those very unexpected plot twists that she throws in, that make you go “oh” that part was foreshadowing and smack your head.

“Tell me,” she said to distract herself. “What did you do that was so wrong?”
“I cannot say. I will not. But it was terrible. I lost sight of my humanity. Not sure I ever had any.”
She shook her head in disbelief.
“Sometimes…” Wolfgang lifted her hand and pretended to count her fingers, pressing each one upward, stroking them. “I think you may be more human than I am.”

Falling in that grey area of whether it is a long novella or a short novel, this is a fairly quick read but one that will stay with you way past reading the last lines. Whether out of shock or amazement depends on your tolerances but I certainly loved every single word of it.


This quote – there were tears!

He blew a last kiss into the wind. “Find the edge of the world for me, find dragons and whales. Pet the seals in Antarctica. Swaying palms, coral reefs. Everything I cannot see.”
His imagination went elsewhere for a while as he stood there, pants soaked, waves shushing against him.
This was the hardest thing he had ever done, and that was saying something. Such suffering and pain he had, once upon a time, seen and caused, and yet this was the hardest ever.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Genre – Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55357638-sacrificed-to-the-sea

A Dark Tale of Vengeance.
Wolfgang’s lover has been dragged into the sea by something that should not exist.
Stalking the beaches with night-vision goggles yields the answer to the mystery – a mermaid. He traps her and plans to dissect and kill her. Conflicted by unexpected morals, he releases her into his pool then leans on the glass to watch her swim. The undulations of her naked body fascinate him. When he takes her in his arms and she shifts to human form, revenge slips away…
Raffaela is the captive of a man who evokes a passion she thought lost to loneliness centuries ago. Can this truly be love? Yet nothing is what it seems to be. Wolfgang is not an innocent. He has done bad things. Many. Bad. Things.
When the Ravening calls and her craving to kill returns, which of them will prove to be the real monster?

Review //\\ One More Thing by Lilliana Anderson

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One More Thing (47 Things #2)
by Lilliana Anderson

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How much did I love this book? Reading until 2.30am in the morning, that’s how much!


Despite this being sub-titled as 47 Things #2 it CAN be read stand alone. I know that because I haven’t read 47 Things. I don’t know if my heart and soul could stand it, I cried enough at this book – even though we were getting a forever love story. Jude, Sarah, Ty and Tyler made me laugh, smile and sob. They made my soul ache with a longing for something that would never be and my heart sing with joy at them finding their always.

The man in my arms made everything better. The moment he stepped into my life, he started shining a light on all my darkest moments. He could brighten any bad mood and he loved me in all the best ways.

Listening to Sarah’s struggles, her pain and loneliness, and then reading Tyler’s journal extracts, lord that didn’t just break my heart, it shattered it into a million tiny shards. Thank goodness there was the awkward, bumbling, geeky Jude there to glue it back together.

I would give anything for the chance to have grown complacent with Tyler. Anything. I think that was part of what made life without him hard. I missed everything we never got to have. I missed it every moment of every day.

I did miss having Jude’s voice in the book, it meant I didn’t connect to him at the same level as I did Sarah. However I still felt I knew him and I still really, really, REALLY loved the book.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

One More Thing by Lilliana Anderson

Genre – Contemporary Romance
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35626261-one-more-thing
I never asked to slip on a piece of gum then fall in love with a man who would die before the ink was dry on our marriage certificate.
But that’s what fate had in store for me. It broke me. I vowed I’d never fall in love again.
Five years later, fate had one more thing planned. It wanted to play around in my life again. Its tool? Another blasted stick of gum. Same place, only this time, it was Jude Baker, a university lecturer, who slipped on the gum.
Despite being a pacifist, Jude wasn’t particularly happy about having gum stuck to his shoe and made his distaste abundantly clear.
But that stick of gum was the catalyst to a series of events where our paths would continue to cross. There would be a broken nose, a fractured hand, a cat on a lead and a crashed corporate Christmas party that would align our hearts and make me realise that I wanted to be happy again.
But there would also be tears. Many, many tears. Because falling in love was never easy, especially when you were still in love with another man.

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Review //\\ Bound to Submit

Louise H5 Comments

Bound to Submit by Laura Kaye

I’ve found me a new author and I couldn’t be happier!


This had been sat on my kindle for well over 2 years, at some point I’d picked it up as a freebie. I’m not sure why this caught my eye over all the hundreds of other books on there, but it did. What I do know is that it didn’t take long for me to be totally hooked on Kenna and Griffin’s story.


Second chance seems to be a trope I can’t resist, so this already had an advantage, but it doesn’t automatically guarantee a books success for me. Something about this just spoke to me and touched my heart – I even shed a tear or two at this one. It was refreshing that the split wasn’t the result of a stupid misunderstanding, nor was it a big secret that was kept for half the book. Griffin fully owned the mistake he made and then realised a few weeks too late.


Several different topics were covered in this, though most of them tied back to Kenna’s loss and the guilt she felt as a survivor. I really liked that there was no being “cured” of her problems by love, though she, and Griffin both underwent personal growth through the book. Whilst I liked Griffin, especially as he wasn’t too arrogant or overbearing and he was very caring and solicitous of Kenna, she was the character who held my attention and made me fall in love with this book. Her story was touching and the journey she takes captured my heart.


The BDSM aspects focus mainly around bondage and suspension with ropes, and the scenes were all private. There were also some “D/s” sex scenes, where there were no toys used but there was a power exchange involved. I found them well written and hot. I would recommend the book to those who enjoy BDSM romances and I will read more work by the author.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Bound to Submit by Laura Kaye

Genre – BDSM Romance
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30628898-bound-to-submit

From the ruins of an abandoned church comes Baltimore’s hottest and most exclusive BDSM club. Twelve Masters. Infinite fantasies. Welcome to Blasphemy…
He thinks he caused her pain, but she knows he’s the only one who can heal her…
Kenna Sloane lost her career and her arm in the Marines, and now she feels like she’s losing herself. Submission is the only thing that ever freed her from pain and made her feel secure, and Kenna needs to serve again. Bad. The only problem is the Dom she wants once refused her submission and broke her heart, but, scarred on the inside and out, she’s not looking for love this time. She’s not even sure she’s capable.
Griffin Hudson is haunted by the mistakes that cost him the only woman he ever loved. Now she’s back at his BDSM club, Blasphemy, and more beautiful than ever, and she’s asking for his help with the pain he knows he caused. Even though he’s scared to hurt her again, he can’t refuse her, because he’d give anything to earn a second chance. And this time, he’ll hold on forever.

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Review //\\ Professional Development

Louise HLeave a comment
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Professional Development (Benchmarks #1) by Kate Canterbary

The book starts commences with Tara’s point of view, and I quickly found myself detesting, loathing, Drew with an absolute passion. Oh my word I wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled. Condescending, bullish and down right rude. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Kate Canterbary would have me loving him by the end, and I wasn’t wrong. Between his penchant for providing arm porn and his tight ass in grey pinstripes, he needs a health warning label. Tara deserves a medal for the amount of self restraint she demonstrated, is it wrong to want to be her BFF since she’s a fictional character?


Novella’s are not often a format I bother with, they often leave me with a feeling that things just weren’t quite developed enough. Not enough depth to the protagonists, not enough plot, not enough heat, not enough believability. We’ve all seen facsimiles of the Mona Lisa, but there’s nothing quite like standing in the Louvre gazing upon the genuine article. That’s how I view novella’s, they’re the reproductions, the lacklustre images that don’t do the real thing (ie novels) justice.


Apart from that once in a blue moon moment, when all the stars align perfectly and a great author produces that exception to the rule, an amazing novella. That is exactly what Ms Canterbary has achieved with the masterpiece that is Professional Development. I quickly came to adore both main characters and totally believed in the strength of their feelings for one another. I swooned with delight when the walls finally tumbled down and grinned like a loon over those final scenes of the book.


Bravo Ms Canterbary, this is a truly wonderful story.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Contemporary Romance Novella

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50315164-professional-development

Tara Treloff and Drew Larsen hate each other. They really hate each other.
This would be fine except for the issue of them sharing a job title
…and an office
…and now a five-hour-long drive to a conference their boss has made mandatory to resolve their issues.
And they would’ve been able to muddle through all of those matters but a major snowstorm is heading their way
…and there’s only one bed.

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