Heart of a Hero (The Triple Towers #1)

Author: James Cox

Length: novella

Genres: M/M romance, dystopian, BDSM

TBR Reviewer: Amanda

Rating: 4 Stars – Recommended read

Heat: 4 – Smoking Hot

Kallen is praised as a hero - he has stopped a war, killed a spy, and now has a coveted spot in the Triple Towers, the only echelon of safety and luxury left in a dry, desert world. But there is more to the story than anyone wants to hear, except for Lorn, whose brother is the dead "spy" and who knows that Kallen's story cannot be true. Together they search for the truth against all odd and regardless of personal danger.

I struggled to rate this book - the ending was pretty abrupt, but with it as the start of a series, that can be overlooked. I enjoyed the interaction between the two men, especially once Kallen got over being afraid of Lorn. Mr. Cox does a fantastic job of creating characters that can be cared about, and my heart wanted good things for them both. The one-liners punctuated the story well. Just as the characters dug in, BOOM!, the spy was revealed. I will certainly seek out the next book to see where the characters go from here.

Mr. Cox is giving away an ecopy of his new book. The TBR Pile will be giving away a book from our Prize List. To ENTER: COMMENT BELOW ON IF YOU'VE EVER READ A JAMES COX BOOK AND WHY YOU WANT TO READ HEART OF A HERO!

Low Pressure

By Sandra Brown

Genre: Romantic Suspense,

Length: Novel (Hard Cover)

TBR Reviewer: Christine K.

Rating: 5 Stars - A Must Read

Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy

Romantic suspense – I don’t read the genre often and I’m very picky when I do. It’s just because it’s all been done before. So the fact that I read this book until the wee hours of the morning should speak volumes.

Sandra Brown has written yet another book in a genre I shy away from and once again, she has captivated me. I love Sandra Brown. Not in a creepy, stalker way though. I love her mind for creating such intricate story's with characters that I always fall for.

Bellamy lost her sister at 12, murdered during a tornado but there’s one thing about that day she never told anyone – there are gaps in her memory. She writes a book, which ignites all sorts of terrifying events. Bad cops, stalkers, killers, liars and her sister’s sexy ex-boyfriend, Dent.

Low Pressure unravels like a braid of blood red hair, tugged on by strong characters. Whether you like the genre or not, Ms. Brown has a tendency to pull even the reluctant read in. Read this book!

The Cowboy and the Barista

By S.C. Wynne

Genre: Contemporary, Gay

TBR Reviewer: Bella Star

Rating: 3 Stars – A Good Read

Heat: 3 /5 – Blush worthy

This was a cute short story. Our sexy main guy opens up a coffee shop in a small town. His first day is free and the ‘penny pinchers’ stop by. However, one of his customer’s is a hot cowboy. Asher isn't admitting he’s gay but there’s strong sexual attraction between them.

It’s a quick read. The plot isn't overly complicated and nothing ground breaking happens to really pull a reader in but it is very well written for a fast, easy romance. I really liked the chemistry between him and his sexy cowboy Asher. I think this is good if you’re in the mood for something sweet and hot.

An Ice Cold Grave

By Charlaine Harris

Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Romantic Suspense

Length: Novel (Hard Cover)

TBR Reviewer: Christine K.

Rating: 5 stars - A Must read


Heat: 3/5 - Blush Worthy

It is currently 3am and I just finished reading An Ice Cold Grave by Charlene Harris. This was so freaking fabulous and creepy and intense. It’s a must read! Harper can feel/find the dead. She’s hired to find a missing boy with her sexy assistant Toliver. Instead of one, she finds eight bodies. Now the killed is after her and there’s a whole town full of suspects.

I love True Blood which is based on a Charlene Harris’s series but I've never read anything by her. This was a great pick. It’s part of a series but I read it as stand alone with no issues. The characters were fantastic, good romance, amazing plot.

I will admit, I did not guess the right killer but she/he was on my short list of suspects. This was an excellent read that I highly recommend it. Now, I need to sleep before I pass out atop my computer.

5 shiny stars for An Ice Cold Grave.

Abandon by Carla Neggers

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Length: Novel (Hard Cover)

Tbr Reviewer: Christine K.

Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read

Mac and Rook are both agents. They have a few dates before Rook dumps her. He doesn't want their budding romance to interfere with their jobs. However their investigations collide and they face death with the romance.

I liked the book. Mac and Rook didn't connect in the way that really drew me. They just didn't fit together, their personalities, their romance, it all felt forced. Some passages were a bit long winded with the descriptions. We find out who the bad guy is right away and the story is catching him. There are sub-plots but nothing really stuck out as a book I’d read again.

Abandon was good but was wasn't climactic. It left me wanted more. If you can find this book on sale I say pick it up.

Karma Bites

Erin M. Leaf

Length: Short

Genre: M/M, BDSM

TBR Reviewer: Bella Star

Rating: 5 Stars – A Must Read

Heat: 4/5 Smoking Hot


Have you ever started a book and halfway through the first page you just know this is going to be a great read. Karma Bites was that kind of book! Boyd has a crazy cousin named Coco who is determined to date him, horrible perfume and scary boobs galore! The very idea gives Boyd the willies so he calls on his best friend, Harrison, to pretend to be his boyfriend. Meanwhile his dad thinks he’s really gay and Boyd starts a kiss with Harrison that surprises them all.

I could not, COULD NOT put this book down. It was short but had a complete story arch with fantastic, well developed characters. Poor Boyd. Poor Harrison. That kissing scene was an absolute blast. Boyd’s dad was so freaking funny. I loved him!

Karma Bites is a sexy short story that shouldn't be missed!

Title: The Seer's Lover
Author: Kat de Falla
Length :  384
Genres: Paranormal Romance
TBR Reviewer:  Victoria
Rating: 3 stars - A Good Read
Heat: 2/5 - Flirty

Calise (Cally) has always been able to tell evil people from good, though she didn't quite realize there were literal demons and angels around until one night at the pharmacy that she runs. That encounter sends her into a whole new paranormal world where she meets Lucas, a full-blooded seer who's been battling demons his entire life.

This book definitely had its ups and downs for me. I enjoyed the world building, though I felt there was some definite info dumps in various places. The demons were suitably creepy and surprisingly enough, the angels weren't exactly, erm, saints at all times.

Cally/Lucas made a good team, though I got a little tired of both of them and their various issues. I get the tragedy that formed Lucas and his determination not to hook up with another person, but toward the end it's like, move on already. Cally ... at least she knows she's not crazy. I was cheering for the couple though, both in romance and in their battle against evil all the way. I just couldn't fully embrace the story (and I got a little tired of the preaching tone at times).

The ending though was great. I was happy that Lucas and Cally both got to put their demons (literally and figuratively) to rest. I'm glad I read this. Thanks to the author for sending this to review!

Rise To power Book 1: Search for Pride

Author : Destiny Blaine

Genre: Paranormal Romance,

Length: 143

TBR Reviewer: Shyla

Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read!

Heat :  5/5 - Orgasmic

Rise to Power is a sexy story with a unique twist. Ms. Blaine has a real knack for incorporating animal instincts into shifters. I completely believed the characters were part animal and part human. Ariela and Jagger are lion shifters who knew they were mates from the time they were children. Happy and successful they are putting together a Vegas show made to attract more people like them to begin a pride of their own.  After losing their parents at a young age, they've become the only family they have left. Ariela is a sensual, witty heroine in the midst of her heat. Her insatiable need for satisfaction is taxing on Jagger, and herself. What she doesn't know is just how special she truly is.

Jagger is a hard working, handsome, and thoughtful hero. Easy to like, I fell in love with the way he loved Ariela, unconditionally. He accepted her for who and what she was, and always rose to the occasion to be what she needed. His major flaw was his blindness to situations happening around them. It drove me nuts, but made him seem even more realistic. I like my leads to have flaws that lead to life lessons, and boy did his ever. While i enjoyed the story, i did wish the plot had been a little more fleshed out. For this reason i gave it a four out of five. 

Imaginative and sexy this unusual shifter will have you reaching for a glass of water, and ready for the next book in the series. 

Title: Playing it Close

Author: Kat Latham

Length:357

Genre: Contemporary Romance

TBR Reviewer: Shyla

Rating: 5 Stars - A Must Read

Heat : 3/5 - Blush Worthy

Playing it Close is a fabulous contemporary read set in England with a sassy heroine I fell in love with immediately, and a brawny male with a sensitive heart. Okay, I’ll just come out and admit I’m a huge fan of the BBC and all things British. So for me, this book was a dream come true. Steeped in English culture, and language it places you in a world different from our everyday. So don’t let the setting throw you off.

Tessy is a woman who’s had her life turned upside down by a traumatic event in her life.  In turn she responds by finding herself. When you have nothing else to lose, becoming the person you always wanted to be becomes so much more attainable. Stripped down and forced to reevaluate everything under a microscope her commitment to truly living is inspiring! I loved watching her grow, come into her own, and reflect on her past mistakes, because she used them to move forward. Intelligent, independent, and unique, Tess is a fascinating woman you can totally connect with. Ms. Latham did a brilliant job with character development in this book.

The hero, Liam is as masculine as you can get. No, really, he’s a professional Rugby player for crying out loud. Despite his muscular physique, he has a sensitive side I couldn't get enough of. Even when he screwed up, which he does. I don’t want to say too much and ruin the twists, so I’ll simply say you’ll be kept guessing, in a good way, though at times you’ll want to clobber him! The realism Ms. Latham brings to the story makes it easy to get lost in her world. I was sucked in from the first page, and I enjoyed riding the roller coaster with these two. Humorous, sexy, and real, this story will fulfill all your romance wants.

Cold Sweat

Author: J.S. Marlo

Length or wordcount: 169 pages

Genres: contemporary romantic suspense

TBR Reviewer: Amanda

Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read

Heat: 2/5 - –Flirty

Hope Craig, better known as Quest, is seventeen, deaf, and training for the Olympic Biathlon team when two men accost her on the trail and kidnap her. The reasons are extremely convoluted and as her mother, Army Colonel Amelia Matheson and local sheriff Richmond Morgan look for her, they find several cases coming together. However, they have a past that is also complicating the investigation. At the end, who needs saving?

I really enjoyed this story of past lovers overcoming hurts and mistakes. I especially appreciated Quest's determination not to let her deafness stop her from reaching her goals and the way she worked to save herself and the sheriff. Although I guessed at some of the plot twists, several of them still surprised me and I never would have expected how all the threads eventually fit together. This is a wonderful read for romantic suspense fans and those who like books about second chances.

Giveaway: Ms. Marlo is giving away an Ecopy of her book. The TBR Pile is giving away a book from our Prize List. TO ENTER: Comment below if you've read the author before and why you want to read Cold Sweat!