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CONTEST: Love at High Tide by Christi Barth

7/26/2013

Love at High Tide
Author: Christi Barth
Genre: Romance
Page Count: 178
TBR Reviewer: Jessica
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat:2 - Flirty.

Love at High Tide is a light hearted fun story that makes for a perfect summer poolside read. Darcy is a cultural anthropologist fresh out of grad school but on the fence about what career path she's ready to take next. Trying to get away from it all and looking to relax and figure out her next move, Darcy decides to spend a few days at the beach with her best friend Trina. During an almost drowning, Darcy finds herself rescued by super hot cop, Cooper. Cooper is also on a break from his career in law enforcement, still recuperating from an injury he received in the line of duty, the same incident that claimed his partner. Sparks fly, but with their futures uncertain, the fate of their relationship is up in the air.

This was a very light read, full of quirky humor and some steamy romance. The romance aspect of the story was slightly overshadowed by the mystery of the plot. Rather than sit on the beach everyday, as the best friends had intended, Darcy's eccentric friend, Trina, drags her along as she tries her hand at private investigation, where she insists on spying on another beach goer, convinced he's a criminal. This story line allows for some seriously funny dialogue, clever banter between characters and some added mystery and action.

The writing in this book is clever and smart. While the book is relatively PG, light on the steam and heat, it's heavy on the humor, fun and is definitely one sexy beach read.

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Giveaway: Ms. Barth is generously giving away an Ecopy of Love at High Tide. The TBR Pile is giving away a book from our prize list. To ENTER: Comment below on why you want to read Love at High Tide!

REVIEW: Chance by Ella Grey

7/26/2013

Chance
Author: Ella Grey
Genre: Erotica
TBR Reviewer: Jessica
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy.

Chance is a short steamy story about setting aside inhibitions and taking a chance. Shy, demure librarian, Jessica Tennyson is all about routine. She sticks to her G rated, boring routine every single day but one. On the 26th of each month she meets her best friend Christina at their favorite restaurant where they eat, drink and then go dancing. It's Jessica's one night of fun each month before it's back to business as usual the next day. Sexy waiter Ben Worthington has caught on to Jessica's mundane schedule so he knows exactly when to expect her. One night when Christina fails to meet Jessica for dinner, Ben is determined to reap the benefits of Jessica's solo night out and show Jessica
how to live a little.

For such a fast story, Chance is a definite page turner. Both Jessica and Ben are immediately likeable and the alternating points of view give you insight into their mutual attraction... an attraction that's
obviously been growing for quite some time unbeknownst to the other. The authors writing is pitch perfect, incredibly well developed, well paced and descriptive. The banter between characters is witty and sexy. For a twenty page book, honestly I can hardly believe it myself, this was a really fun read. Perfect when you need a fast, romantic, steamy fix!

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REVIEW: Eternal Hearts by Tamsin Baker

7/26/2013

Eternal Hearts (Third Bite #1) by Tamsin Baker
Genre: paranormal historical menage romance (M/M/F)
Length: 71 pgs.
TBR Reviewer: Amanda
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat: 4 - An Erotic Ride.

Vampire pairs are incomplete - each needs a third (or possibly a fourth) or eventually the pair sicken and die. For five hundred years, off and on, Nathaniel and Michael have been lovers, leaving each other whenever the ache for their missing third becomes too much. When Michael returns to Nathaniel in
London after almost a year apart, though, he seems determined to stick this time. Not long after their reunion, they stumble across their third, a human woman, and have to begin the process of wooing her.

The setting allowed for an interesting setup - Lady Margaret Tonnington is a widow after sixteen
years in a miserable marriage and sixteen years as a dutiful daughter. Her life plans do NOT include another man, much less two, so the vampires certainly had their work cut out for them. Although this series has some of the fated love/insta-love cliché embedded in it, I think the author did a good job of
still allowing for the three to have to make the choice to be together. Of course, Margaret's strong personality and determination to make her own decisions for once made for an interesting dilemma, especially when her vampire suitors have the opportunity to turn her. I really liked the surprise in the
epilogue, as well. A lot happens in this story for the short amount of pages it is told within.

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REVIEW: Wings and Rites by A.C. Ellas

7/26/2013

Wings and Rites (The Dark Servant #10)
by A.C. Ellas
Genre: dark fantasy, m/m romance, BDSM
Length: 128 pgs.
TBR Reviewer: Amanda
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat: 5 - Orgasmic.

As Rak and Jisten grow closer and are now bonded, with the full approval of both their deities, they face disapproval from friends and family that do not understand Rak's past or the nature of their bond. The prophecy is still at risk and both men are still trying to keep the prince safe, but forces constantly
seem to conspire against them.

I really enjoyed this installment of the series. I was less of the dark actions as so many of the past events have been, and poor Rak seems to finally be finding some happy moments. Jisten is still fairly insecure, but in their lovemaking seems to be getting stronger emotionally and I can see how he is growing through his love of and receiving love from Rak. And, oh, yes! One of the villains finally got his comeuppance! It's about time that one of the bad guys exited stage left! It was nice to see all of Rak's time being spent with Jisten rather than being forced to do things against his will, and the scenes that take place in the Valer village are a good change from the time spent in the palace or the Sun Temple.

This book gives the reader of the series a much needed breather from the intensely difficult scenes of many of the past books without sacrificing movement in the plot. Of course, as difficult as protecting the prince has been in the past, I predict that future installments will have some nearly insurmountable obstacles for Rak and Jisten to fight again! I also feel that along the series the writing has improved.

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REVIEW: Exposed to You by Andra Lake

7/26/2013

Exposed To You
Author: Andra Lake
Genre: Romance, Erotica
Page Count: 360
TBR Reviewer: Jessica
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat: 4 - An Erotic Ride.

Exposed To You is an erotic romance about recent college graduate, Amy Claire. Unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, Amy reluctantly responds to a personal ad for a modeling job for which she meets the physical requirements. What she doesn't realize is that this is no ordinary job. Dallon King, wealthy CEO and entrepreneur, has a secret hobby of photographing the woman he engages
in kinky sex acts in. Deciding after one trial session that this is not her style, Amy declines the job offer and vows never to think of Dallon again. Dallon refuses to let Amy go, and becomes determined to convince her to let him be more than just her photographer.

My feelings on this story are very mixed. My initial feeling was that this was an incredibly well written
captivating story. I found the characters to be extremely well developed. I found Amy to be well thought out and I liked her immediately. Dallon is much more secretive and while there's a lot we don't know about him yet, he's still an intriguing character, for sure. My criticism of the book is that it's
incredibly Fifty Shades-esqe. To be clear, I love that sort of dominant/submissive story line. But in a day where so many books are being produced with that same plot line, the author really has to offer up something that sets their book apart from the rest. Sure this story has originality to it. But is it enough?

Sexy, dominant millionaire meets poor, sweet, docile younger woman. He longs to control her in the bedroom, but can't quite keep that alpha persona from trampling over every other aspect of her life. Heard it all before? I do think it's worth the read. If you haven't read many Dom/Sub romances or you have, but love them so much you don't mind more of the same, then this is your book. Personally, I was hoping for that extra something that set this book apart from the others. However, it's a cliffhanger. A good one at that. So maybe that extra something I long for is still coming. Some of the sex scenes pushed my comfort level to it's maximum... ok, I thought one scene in particular went too far. I might be more vanilla then most and that shouldn't scare you off.

Exposed to You is exactly what you'd expect it to be and that's both good and bad. Had this been my very first book of this genre, I'd consider it a fantastic five star read. Since I've traveled down this road before, I wasn't as blown away as I could have been. Does that mean you won't be? Certainly not. It's a great story line by an incredibly talented author.

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REVIEW: Perfect Stranger by Kerri M. Patterson

7/22/2013

Perfect Stranger by Kerri M Patterson
Genre - Romance
Length - Novel
TBR Reviewer - Daniella
Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read.
Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy.

Chloe is on her honeymoon in Brazil, alone, after her husband-to-be left her at the altar. Little does she know the chaos waiting for her when she helps a man who has been kidnapped and locked in a car trunk. The man, a dangerously handsome Special Forces soldier named Jericho, was taken by hostiles during a
recon mission. Chloe finds herself drawn to Jericho and straight into a whole lot of trouble. Now they have to help each other survive and make their way back home.

This is an action-packed romance, a light and quick read. The two main characters are not very complicated, but in no way flat and two dimensional. The attraction between the two is very well written. Unfortunately, the action scenes towards the end of the book feel a bit repetitive and the meetings with
the bad guys are kept very light and non-traumatic. It does make some sense, in a book like this, to avoid major emotional (and physical) damage to the main characters and get a quick happy ending. It kind of works if one keeps in mind the genre, but there isn´t enough tension and detail and feels like a short summary of any action movie out there. It is a perfect summer read though, and it did a good job in letting me escape into another world and entertain me for a little while.

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REVIEW: Not Your Average Joe by Nell Carson

7/22/2013

Not Your Average Joe
Author: Nell Carson
Page count: 159
TBR Reviewer: Victoria
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 3 Stars - A Good Read.
Heat: 2- Flirty.

Jennifer is a worker in a food-production factory (like for a supermarket) when she receives a new trainee, a trainee who is definitely more than he seems, and she recognizes that straight off the bat not only because she’s good at seeing through his disguise but because she’s known Jared Brickman in the
biblical sense, and has the young son to prove it. Now she must decide whether or not to face the man who humiliated her after unknowingly impregnating her and tell him the truth, even as she gets to know him as an adult. All set against the backdrop of Jared taking part in an Undercover Boss-like
setting, a fictional show called Average Joe.

Overall, I sincerely liked this book. I’m a fan of Undercover Boss anyway, so I liked the basic premise. What I didn’t expect was the truly enjoy Jared and Jennifer. They both came across as incredibly realistic to me. Jennifer isn’t a standard poor secretary falling for the boss, which makes a nice change, just
like Jared isn’t your uber-alpha out to seduce his secretary.

No, Jennifer has a real job in a real factory and she’s not ashamed of that, nor should she be. Not only is she a single mom, but she’s working on finishing her law degree. Jared doesn’t want to be a boss, knows his sister is far more qualified to be the boss, but is trying to please his father (a nearly impossible task). Jennifer and Jared challenge each other even as their feelings grow, despite the inherent dishonesty in Jared’s pretense to be, well, an Average Joe, for about half the book.

There was a nice little subplot with the plant manager (and I thoroughly approved of how that plot got resolved) being a real piece of work, and we got a nice look at the secondary characters without being overwhelmed by them.

All in all, a pretty clean, smooth read. I’ll definitely keep Ms. Carson’s work in mind in the future.

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REVIEW: Calling for a Miracle by Lydia Michaels

7/22/2013

Lydia Michaels
Title: Calling for a Miracle
Series: The Order of Vampyres
Genre: Paranormal Contemporary
Length:345 pages
Rating: 5 Stars - A Must Read.
Heat: 3 - Blush Worthy.

I have adored Lydia Michaels from the very first time I read her book. Her pacing is fluid and her
descriptions are poetry in motion. From the moment you begin to read you are sucked into her world, and never let go until the very end. Her knack for mixing modern with old world is impressive and interesting. I’ve never seen vampires done this way, and with every new story it just keeps getting
better!

The heroine Larissa is a beautiful, broken woman struggling to find peace, freedom and herself. Forced to stay in a marriage with a cruel husband she flees from the Amish country side into the regular world they refer to as English. I admired the bravery she shows while remaining real. Ms. Michaels did a stellar job of wrapping her vulnerability in strength. The scars she has broke my heart. But the journey of
healing soothed the ache. Bishop is a man weary of titles, positions and responsibility. A founding father of the Order he brought his people from across the sea, promising a new life he works hard to continue delivering. The five-hundred year plus man is knocked on his ass, when he’s called while on assignment to bring the woman he discovers is his mate back to her husband. Conflict of interest is too light a word for this heavy situation. This man is self-assured , suave, gentle, and oh-so-romantic. Any man that can care for his woman and walk her through her fears, and heal wounds deserves to be commended. Its odd to say but you will fall in love with this Amish, Vampire, Bishop.

While the love story is the central part there is much more going on in the wings. I’d love to tell you all
of it, but I recommend you read it instead. This book has it all , adventure, romance, character growth, danger, and amazing faith. She doesn’t shy away from talking about God, but she doesn’t cram it down your throat either. I’d call this well-written, carefully thought out, a master piece, a must read.

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CONTEST: Handsome Hero Wanted by James Cox

7/14/2013

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Handsome Hero Wanted by James Cox
Genre: m/m/m/m/m/m, m/m, Menage, BDSM, Science Fiction, Erotica
Length: Novella
TBR Reviewer: Bella Star
Rating: 5 stars - A Must Read.
Heat: 5 - Orgasmic.

There are a total of 5 men in a harem. A cat like man, a dog like man, a reptile like man, a human hottie and a guy with two dicks that has lightning on his skin when he orgasms. What a group! This wasn’t anything to be taken seriously. It was a fun, sex filled adventure. The human, Drayton, has to take a job on another planet for money for his space ship. From there he meets a king, and all these men whom he gets
to interact with. This book was rich with sexual fantasies. There was some BDSM, rimming, orgies and 6 men in one scene. I wasn’t sure how that was going to work as that a lot of parts to place but the author did a great job with it. It was very hot and easy to follow.

I really liked this book. The ending was great. It’s not what you expect but it’s still a happy ending and I found that wonderful. It was so different from the usually story plots I’ve read. This is the first time I read this author and I’m looking forward to more books from him.

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Giveaway: James Cox is generously giving away two copies of his Ebook The Outlaw's Lover and two copies of his Ebook The Virus Maker. To ENTER: Comment on why you want to read Handsome Hero Wanted!

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REVIEW: For a Dragon's Touch by Charlie Richards

7/14/2013

For A Dragon's Touch (Highland Dragons #1) by Charlie Richards
Genre: M/M historical paranormal romance
Length: 105 pgs.
TBR Reviewer: Amanda
Rating: 4 Stars - Recommended Read.
Heat: 4 - An Erotic Ride.

Ian MacGree's father and clan chief sends him to investigate rumors of a dragon that is preventing one of the far-away clans from sending their tithes. Ian goes joyfully, knowing that the longer he is away, the longer it will be before he is forced to marry his betrothed, a woman from another clan. Once he reaches the village, he finds another man also following the rumors, and together they both seek out the truth. Unbeknownst to Ian, though, his companion is himself a dragon, one of a group of shape shifting dragons, and is there to return the young dragon that is risking the secrecy of them all. Roark learns that Ian is an asda, one that can bond with a dragon, and does his best to get Ian to choose Roark and the dragons over his duty to his clan.

This is a great story for anyone who likes both shape shifters and men in kilts! The concept of a
society of dragon shifters that lives near but separate from the humans is not new, but is handled well in this story. The attraction between the two men is quick, but is given time to grow and is tested when Ian leaves for home and again when he is in danger. I thought it was a great beginning to a series.

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