+Giveaway

Western Romance - novel
TBR reviewer: Brutally Honest

I reviewed the first book in this series, Zakia and the Cowboy. Absolutely loved that book, five stars. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the series. This is Samantha and Blake’s book which are great characters in the first.

Samantha (Sam) is one armed, ex military with a dark past. Blake is an honest, gentlemanly cop. Together they make the pages burn with passion. Covert Mission is their search for true love with twists and turns battled along the way. 

There were a lot of issues in this tale that prevented the shiny five star rating. First was the karaoke scene. It felt jammed in there, rushed and added absolutely nothing to the story. This scene felt as if Ms. Nelson added it simply for word count. There were a lot of domestic scenes which built the relationship between Blake and Sam nicely. These were separated by hot, well written sex scenes. The problem was the pace. It was so dull and rather lack luster. If I wasn’t reviewing this for TBR I would have skipped past them like a boring movie to get to the good parts. This strange jumpy pace continued through to the court scene.  This was abrupt and rushed. When we finally get to the action it’s 60 pages in! This left me at wondering if this would be a 3 or 4, rating wise.  

Once Ray (The bad guy) escapes prison and Sam gets into an accident which leaves her with no memory things get interesting. Here is where the pace picks up and the story gets really good. The ending was a little too convenient and the twists weren’t really big surprises. Still there were hot cowboys and great characters. That’s one thing that Ms. Nelson really nailed, the characters. Sam was wonderfully witty and Blake a sweetheart. The sex was really well done too. Overall, the pace and plot needed work. So, the big question, would I recommend this? Yes. It’s still a very sweet read and the characters are wonderfully written.

“Enjoying the party?” he asked.

“Yes. There’s certainly a good turn-out.” The band struck up a waltz to slow things down and he rose to his feet, holding out a hand. She knew that being held in his arms was dangerous, but without a doubt, it would be delightful, too. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her to the makeshift dance floor.
 
Dancing with Blake had every one of her hormones on full alert. His moves were sure and masterful, leading her around with no trouble to follow his steps. She felt as if she glided on air, her feet barely touching the floor. When the next song proved even slower, he held her so close she could feel every beat of his heart as it thundered in her ear. Blake was a good head taller than she was, her cheek coming to rest against his chest as they danced. All her life she’d hated being short, until she’d found the perfect fit in Blake’s arms. With him, she felt petite and cherished. 

She became aware of his hardened length pressed against her belly and her nipples beaded in
response. It had been such a long, long time since she’d been intimate with a man. Fear of seeing the disgust, or worse, pity, in their eyes when they looked upon her naked body for the first time, had kept her celibate since her accident. In truth, until meeting Blake, her desire had lain dormant, like a closed door to her very soul. 
 
Now, she was all woman, with a woman’s wants and needs the like of which she’d never experienced. Her awakening due to the man holding her gently yet firmly against his heart, maybe it was time to start living again—to feel the flush of heated skin against skin as they succumbed to their attraction for each other. He was interested. She knew that. Had known since that first day on the ranch when they’d all arrived to help Luke protect his wife, Zakia, from a crazed stalker.

“Sam?” His husky baritone sounded in her ear.

“Yes?” 

“The… uh… dance is over.” He chuckled. “Intermission. As much as I enjoy holding you, maybe we could sit for a spell?”        

“Oh! Okay.” She’d been so lost in thought, she hadn’t been aware of anything except Blake’s
body against hers. “Want me to walk in front?” she teased.

He grinned. “Please do. Being this close to you has an obvious effect on my
libido.”
 
“Yeah, I noticed,” she said, allowing her hand to trail down over the ridge in his jeans as she turned to start walking back to their table.“Tease!”

Ms. Nelson is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends January 4th.

Erotica, Christmas, Anthology
TBR Reviewer: Shyla

Once again I had the privilege of reviewing another Sextet by the fantastic authors:  Elizabeth Raines, Cheryl Brooks, Mellanie Szereto, Bethany Michaels, and Niki Hayes. As always the ladies bring the heat, and provide variety, presenting a story for ever yromance reader. 

Home for Christmas by  Elizabeth Raines
Janynie , Steve and Matt have been best friends since they were children. When both men admit to being head over heels for her, she’s forced to choose one or the other; but not before one incredible night of passion, decadence, and self-discovery. Who will Jaynie chose? Can the three musketeers survive this new test? This really opens your eyes to the
possibilities that are out there right under your nose!

 Elizabeth Raines approached this threesome from a completely different angle! I loved the background, build up and realistic feel of this ménage. I found the hopping from the past to the present to be a bit disconcerting. But overall I found it to be a good read. 

Angel on Broadway by Cheryl Brooks
Ariel is a widow still reeling from the loss of her husband five years previous. Living a half life she’s shocked when she forms an instant connection with a drummer during a set in a bar. When the drummer whose name is Nico tracks her down after she flees, Ariel discovers she knows him and his cousin Alexei from her past. They were both a part of the music scene at the same time as her husband Todd. She can’t pin-point what makes them special but they make her feel alive in a way she hasn’t’ experienced since Todd passed. Does she dare take the next step and listen to her instincts?

This story mixed two of my favorite things, music and romance! With its setting steeped in the music scene in Nashville, Angel on Broadway is a contemporary tale with a twist.  Ms. Brooks added just a dash of the otherworldly aspect in, along with amusing banter, and amazing sex.  I was a fan of the concept. This, however, thew threw me off: The main character Ariel went from suffering from severe depression due to the tragic loss of her husband to coveting two men too fast. 

Ariel still wasn’t ready to let go of her husband after five years, so it’s a hard pill for me to swallow when she finds herself ready to move on in one night. For me that abrupt change of gears kept me from being able to immerse myself in the story and enjoy the journey the characters took, but admittedly that could just be me. There are plenty of other reasons for a reader to enjoy with this one.

Thrice Upon Yuletide by Bethany Michaels 
Stephen, Anna, and Phillip have an arrangement that is scandalous to most people in their time. Friends since they were young the three can’t imagine life without one another. So, the two men who were once both brothers in arms in the military agree to share the brunette beauty. Though an inheritance leads to marriage between Anna and Stephen it changes nothing in this polyamourous relationship.

When whispers began to circulate about their odd relationship, Phillip takes it upon himself to protect the two people he loves most in the world. If Stephan and Anna become social pariahs it would be a death blow to their social standing, and wealth. Phillip believes he’s doing the right thing by cutting ties with his lovers, and getting engaged to someone else; but can he really marry a woman he doesn’t love?

Ménage meets historical in this saucy short.There’s something extra naughty about their open foreplay in the time of the buttoned up Victorian Era.  It made the story feel that more erotic to me. Of course some say the forbidden fruit is always the sweetest. ;)  Ms. Michaels is a master of character development. I really felt the camaraderie between the male heroes and their love for the heroine was a bright beacon that shone through the ups and downs that the three went through.  Thrice Upon Yuletide is a hidden jewel I highly recommend. Especially to those who love a good historical. 

A Little Elfin Magic by Mellanie Szereto 
Close since they were children Noelle, Chris, and Nick have always had each other’s back. But we learn very quickly part of the reason Noelle is so easily coerced is her well hidden desire for the two men.  They ask her to step in and be Ms. Claus at a gift give away. Chris and Nick assure her the event it strictly PG rated, and she agrees to play the role with one condition. They need to be elves. That means, tights, curly shoes, pointy hats, the works. Things take an erotic turn when she promises to take care of their penis’s after their imprisonment in tights. This lands her in a situation that excites and terrifies. Will living out her fantasies ruin their life long friendship?

Once again Ms. Szereto has delivered another fabulous story full of humor, heat and kink. I laughed aloud at the ridiculous situations Nick and Chris manage to land their best friend Noelle in. No really! The boys still owe her for the time she ended up doing a show girl style dance for a bachelor party at a retirement home. Where does Ms. Szereto come up with this stuff! This story is a must read and perfect for the holiday season. If I knew Santa was delivering these kind of elves I might have gotten in line at the mall. ;) Even if kink isn’t your thing, this is a nice intro into the world of more than vanilla. 

Two Kisses Under the Mistletoe by Niki Hayes 
Julie left town after her senior year with a broken heart, and never looked back. With the exception of her beloved grandmother’s funeral she hasn’t set foot back in Irish Hills until now. Ten years later the tenant Julie has been renting too has moved out after getting married and she’s brought back to deal with her past. It was no secret Julie’s ex John hurt her badly. When you base a character on someone and decapitate them, it makes one hell of a statement. Julie writes under a pseudonym but everyone knows there’s no such thing as privacy in a small town. Being back in town brings back good memories, and a run in with her best friend Keith leads to an explosive rendezvous under the mistletoe. Julie realizes she has more reasons to stay then she thought. An equally satisfying encounter with her ex John opens her eyes further, and possibly her heart.

 This is the perfect read for the season. Full of love, loss, and forgiveness, Two Kisses Under The Mistletoe gets you in the mood for the holidays and delivers enough passion to get you past what I refer to as the Christmas Crazy.  The sex was yummy, and the message behind it warmed my heart.  Ms. Hayes wrote a fantastic short. 

Ms. Raines is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends January 1st.

Erotica
TBR reviewer: B.H.

There is very little in background details, they were skimmed over as if they didn’t matter to the author which left me at a loss. There was so much promise, if only Ms. Milton had fleshed the story out. Chapter one ends abruptly and we’re thrust into the next morning. No details, no flow, nothing that made me invest in the story. There’s nothing on the background of the  characters. Does she know Jake without the mask? Or is he just a hot body?

Then there’s the scene with the vibrator standing up against the pillow. As soon as a woman goes down on it, it’ll shift, move, slip and that’s double for when the item is vibrating. How did she manage to keep it upright for her pleasure? Research, research, research or it’s a male writer who was a little clueless to this fact. 

On a side note, when a novel or novella is written in first POV it’s a priority to watch the use of ‘I’. The repetition was an annoyance. I noticed that with many words: perfect twice in one sentence, night used twice in another sentence. It stumbled the already uneven flow.
 
Eventually this gets untangled but the entire beginning hinders an otherwise interesting plot. What really threw me was Abby, her character was flat and one dimensional. The good part is that there was no telling and an interesting plot idea. I’ll keep Ms. Milton on my list to read again in the future to see if she polishes her writing skills.

Erotica, Sci Fi - Novella
TBR reviewer: B.H.

Cum To Me sounded like such a unique and sexy idea. A woman (Clone) that hurtles through space every time she has an orgasm. Fantastic and brilliant twist. This one time she meets three drool worthy clones that bare the same tattoo as her. Apparently, they’re supposed to be together. Only they can give her children. As I said wonderful idea. The main issue was details and the rushing. Ms. Masters gave no surrounding details and several scenes felt so
rushed I almost wondered if I was reading a plot outline. 

The dialogue between the characters were stiff, it felt very unreal the way they talked ‘casually’ with each other. There is so much potential within Ms. Master’s grasp but she absolutely needs to flesh out her stories.
 
Pelly is a good character, innocence blended with curiosity of the sexual kind. The 3 hot clones were entertaining. I found the orgasm traveling to be really worth reading this. Did I mention hot?! That said, I’d recommend Cum to Me. It was a fast treat with giggles and squirms. 

I’ve read several of Ms. Masters books. She could be a top-notch author with those fabulous plots if she only worked on fleshing the manuscript out. I really hope she grows and reaches that Plato. 

+Giveaway

Historical, Romance -
TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf

  
For the history buffs out there (I’m including myself in this sentence) this book was a bit like reading a unedited story. It was completely and utterly lacking in accuracy to the time table and country it was set it. This set more with England history than the Scottish Highlands. The clothing, back-ground, and language were completely off.
 
However if you aren’t interested in historical accuracy or even perhaps able to pretend this took place in England than the books is worth the read for the mystery and vivid details. The characters themselves are pretty good too. Despite the time in which the story took place, Airin is full of spunk and determination. I admit to having a soft spot for Deryll as well. I got emotionally attached to them as the author really put a lot of work into making them interesting and well rounded. As far as mysteries went, while not completely unpredictable it was fun and entertaining. That pretty much describes the book to a T. It’s fun and entertaining, just not very accurate.

"Pray, tell me," he drawled, "have you come to bed me or murder me?" His eyes lit with wicked laughter. "Do not fear. I am prepared for either."
 
Fury swept through her. "I am no murderess!"
 
"Then bed me, it is."
 
Her cheeks flushed hot as he strode toward her.
 
She retreated another step. "W-what are you doing here?"
 
He stopped so close, she was forced to angle her head up to meet his gaze.
 
"Do you not have business elsewhere?" She winced at the squeak in her voice.
 
"Aye," he replied distractedly.
 
"What sort of business?"
 
Deryll reached behind her and lifted her braid over her shoulder. "The kind that does not
concern you."
 
"What sort of business does not concern me? Sir Gewain is-"
 
Deryll's head snapped up. "Nothing I cannot handle," he finished.
 
The heat in her cheeks spread through her belly as, gaze glued to hers, he lifted the end of her braid to his nose and breathed deeply. Airin's heart pounded. Hands, calloused and brown from years in the sun, held the braid as if it were a fragile flower. He breathed deeply again, as though to inhale her very essence.
 
"Is there any battle you cannot handle?" she asked.
 
Deryll shifted his gaze to her face. "I am a man, Airin. No man is invincible."
 
Her girlhood hero was invincible. The hero who always saved his lady from all harm, who knew when to bestow a kiss, and never pressed her into an uncomfortable situation. This man was anything but those things.
 
Deryll's gaze dropped to her mouth. Would he kiss her?
 
"You may come out now, Cerdwin," he said.
 
Airin blinked, and he raised a brow. The maid stepped from behind the door. "Forgive me, my lord. I did not mean to eavesdrop." She edged toward the hallway.
 
Airin shot her a glare, then looked back at Deryll. "You knew all along she was there."
 
"Course he did." Cerdwin backed across the threshold. "'Tis why he has not bedded you."
 
Airin riveted her gaze onto the maid in time to see the door close behind her. She narrowed her eyes on Deryll. "Step aside."
 
"You do not wish to be bedded?"
 
She rolled her eyes and reached to shove him aside. Her palm connected with the hard muscle of his chest. As if made of stone, he didn't move.
 
Airin yanked her hand back. "Do you intend to force me?" she demanded.
 
Both his brows rose. "Is that what you wish?"
 
"You are mad."
 
"That is no answer."
 
"What I wish is of no consequence."
 
"Not so," he replied.
 
"Indeed?"
 
"I fulfilled your condition," he
said. "We have a bargain."
 
Her gaze rested on the scar running down
his cheek. She fisted her hands at her sides. "Why you?"
 
He looked
genuinely surprised, then laughed. "Who were you expecting?"
 
"Not
you." What was wrong with her? She had turned into a shrew.
 
"Anyone
but me?" he asked.

Ms. Scott is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 30th.

+Giveaway

Paranormal, Romance - novella
TBR reviewer: Christine

After reading the excerpt I couldn't help but rub my hands together in anticipation! A shifter, Luz, that can’t shift is returning home to deal with the man she left behind. Kalyx, who should have been named ‘sex on legs’, is a shifter who learned to shift late. Did I mention he borders on feral and likes to growl. Can you say hot?! He has always been in love with Luz, even
after she fled from their pack. Now, he intends to find a way to make her his and never leave her side again.

The beginning is usually shaky ground in books, for me. Either the author grabs my attention or they stumbled into a story. Ms Colt did a wonderful job introduction Luz. Our non-shifting shifter is a successful, strong but in no way over her first love.  

Kalyx has always felt like a disappointment to his father especially with the shifting late in life. He’s determined to have Luz even if it means losing his title in the wolf pack.  I absolutely loved Luz’s sister, Ivy. She was sassy and really brought scenes to a new height. Did I mention how much I loved Kalyx. Holy crap, the man had me dreaming of shifters!
 
The scene changes were very jerky, there was no even flow to keep the story going. At the beginning the family seemed very disjointed, no one had any emotion showing for the other as you’d think a pack family would. I also noticed a lack in surrounding details. What did their home look like? Rooms? Various scenes were left completely to the imagination; I really wish Ms. Colt had painted the picture of their surroundings with words as she did with her characters. 
                 
Overall I really enjoyed Wolf In Waiting. If Ms. Colt had taken some time, flesh out the story more, it would have certainly attained 5 stars. This had such a rush to it that in some scenes, it hindered Ms. Colts talent such as the ending. 

As is, Wolf in Waiting was without a doubt a novella I’ll be recommending and a solid 4 stars.

A sane person would close the window and head back to bed, but the passion he aroused refused to be denied. She would deal with the consequences of tonight tomorrow after the smoldering fire had been extinguished. The smell of dark spice increased and her center responded with a flow of liquid running down the inside of her thighs as her center pulsed. Her walls contracted with every breath she took. Her sensitive body begged for relief and in a blink she went from the hunted to the hunter. A smirk graced her full lips as she slowly
unbuttoned the silk shift irritating her overly sensitive skin.

Lingerie had always been a guilty secret, and she knew from past experience he loved to watch her take it off. She shoved the offending material off her shoulders to the floor and ran her fingers up her flat stomach to cup her full breasts and begin a rough massage. Her long fingers elicited moans, pinching and pulling, the erotic site set his eyes aglow with passion.

"Like that, don't you?" she teased, a husky chuckle spilling forth when he nodded.

"Good."

In need of more stimulation she untied the bows of her panties one by one and lifted a leg onto the sill to bare her slick center. More moisture streamed down her thighs as his growl of admiration made her spread her lips to reveal the pink petal inside. Past the point of a staged performance she cried out as she buried two fingers deep inside and went to work. Hard, sure pumps had her hips snapping forward. She forced her eyes to remain open as she rubbed her swollen clit in circles, and her pussy rippled as an orgasm roared through her body.

Her mouth opened in a silent scream echoed aloud by his hearty howl of approval. Coming down from her high, she was grateful for the click of the light in the room beside her own, chasing him off into the night. Her head rested against the coolness of the window and she knew the concept of being over Kalyx Hunter was nothing more than a carefully constructed lie.

Ms. Colt is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 28th.

+Giveaway

Urban Fantasy, Comedy - novel
TBR reviewer: Kim

This is a story about a Grim Reaper, Mal, who is trying to chase a demon serial killer. He is nursing a broken leg, in love with a succubus who used to be his partner and to top it all, his boss, Death has just woken up after many years asleep. Some Reapers have all the luck!

This was a little difficult to get into at first, and hard to wrap my head around the idea that there was one Death but many Reapers. This was somewhat helped by having 'Grim Reaper Myths Dispelled' at the beginning of some of the chapters. Once I did get into it though, I really enjoyed it. The characters were colorful and different and larger than life! The story went along at a fair clip and there was plenty of action. I liked the fact that it was tackling a long held belief and turning it on its head! This is the second 'Reaper' story and I think it would help to have read the first as there are many references to events in the previous book that at times left me a bit confused. That being said, I still recommend it but with the caveat of reading the first, which I would very much like to now!

Part way across the room, a very large and very drunk demon stepped into their way. His gaze ran the length of Xyla’s body, pausing on all the bits Mal tended to pause on, too.
“H-hey, cutie,” he said, attracting the attention of  half the bar with the volume. “Buy you a drink?”

“I’m flattered,” Mal  said, batting his eyelashes. “But we have elsewhere to be.”

The bar  roared with laughter as the demon frowned, trying to work out what just  happened. His eyes widened as it struck him. “I meant her, not you!”

“Really? Well now I’m just embarrassed.”
   
“You wanna watch your mouth,  human.”
 
 “Or what? You’ll start a fight?” Mal gestured about the bar. “In  Earl’s?”
   
“I don’t give a damn where we are, I’ll rip yer head off and use  it as a bowling ball!”

Mal scratched his neck. “You wouldn’t get many  strikes.”
   
“Huh?”

“Heads aren’t round enough, you see. You wouldn’t  be able to accura—”

His attempt at neutralisation via sarcasm ended  abruptly as the demon swung a large fist at his face. It came too quick for him  to dodge, so he closed his eyes and tried to think painless thoughts. The blow  never came. He opened one eye tentatively to see the demon’s fist held fast in  Xyla’s hand. She cocked her head as he struggled to pull free.

“Did you  just throw a punch at my boyfriend?” The demon screeched as she squeezed,  and Mal winced at the sound of grating bones.

“Well?” she asked again,  the picture of calm. “Hurry up. We have places to be.”

“N-no, I mean yes!  I mean...” He paused. “Can I have my hand back, miss?”

“Not until you  apologise.” She squeezed again.

The mountain of a demon babbled a number  of apologies, in several languages, and Xyla let go. “There’s a good  boy.” She turned back to an amused Mal and held out her hand. “Shall we?”

“We shall.” He took her hand, and they walked over to a bemused Earl. “So I’m  your boyfriend, am I?”

“Yup.”

“Do I get a choice in the  matter?”

“Nuh uh.”

He feigned a sigh. “I guess I’ll just have to  go along with it, then.”

She grinned. “You know, most men would chastise  me for stepping into that fight.”
   
“Meh. Most men are stupid. Also, most  men’s girlfriends aren’t millennia old demons capable of head-butting their way  through a bank vault.”
   
“You put it so lyrically, Mal.”

He dropped  into a short bow and hoped that she wasn’t paying too much attention to his  thoughts. Boyfriend? Booya! If he was anywhere else, and had two working  legs, he’d have danced a jig.

Mr. Slade is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 26th.

Just because you grow up doesn´t mean Santa is not keeping an eye on you. I enjoyed these 10 Holiday themed stories about men and women who definitely made both the nice
and naughty list. 

The proposal by London Saint James

Grace is having one of those days where nothing seems to go right. She oversleeps, her bitch of a boss is in a bad mood and things just seem to tumble downhill as the day goes on. That is until she gets a proposal she just can´t refuse from co-worker Dravin. We have all had those days where everything seems to go wrong. I just wish that my bad days ended as orgasmic as Grace´s.  This story feels like such a teaser, setting up a nice and hot mood between Grace and Dravin. At the end I just feel like I want more, more, more.
 
Chasing Miss Kringle by C.R. Moss

Jack Vorst is not feeling the holiday spirit, and has stopped Believing in his own happiness and love. He spends all his time immersed in his work as a PI. The firm he works for handles not only regular bail jumpers, but paranormal occurrences too. When Jack meets beautiful and mysterious Kristina Cristkindle, the feelings he had long since forgotten resurface. This was a sweet read where Jack finally found the person to make him feel something again and Kristina found someone who liked her for who she is and not just for what she can do. The mystery in the story is of course only a mystery to Jack. The reader definitely knows what is going on from the start. An overall sweet read with some good hot elements.
 
Snow Angel by Jezebel Jorge

Up and coming romance novelist Minerva Madison has lost her inspiration to write. She has been signed on for two more books and is feeling the pressure from both her publisher and fans. When she lands her car in a pile of snow on Christmas Eve she is rescued by a gorgeous Good Samaritan named Brian Carson. Two strangers meet and have one night together. Still I can feel that connection and tenderness between them.  My one complaint about this story is that it was full of spelling mistakes. Take those out and this is a steamy and romantic Holiday story. 
 
Naughty & Nice by Lila Shaw

We all know that Santa has a workshop where toys for kids are made. What few people know though is that the workshop also has a Succubus/Incubus department to cater the needs of the adults on Santa´s nice list. Succubus Chrissy is sent to a remote and isolated island where Captain Marcus Torino and Lieutenant David Ramsey are stationed on a secret spy mission. Chrissy is sent there to deliver a sexy Christmas present to the one of the two men who is on Santa´s nice list. I think this extra department of Santa´s is a fun idea. With a
succubus as a main character one can only expect lots and lots of sex and this story doesn´t fail to deliver that.  The twist in the end was interesting, although it made me a little confused
about  the characters involved. What I am certain of, being on Santa´s naughty list is not such a bad thing.
 
Making the naughty list by Seleste Delaney


When Daisy was a teenager she was rescued from a life on the streets and got an employment with Santa himself.  A job with many perks including an insane retirement package. She is given a special mission from Santa that sends her to a club in a sparkly cocktail dress, high heels and no underwear. The only thing she knows is that she is looking for Gage Thomas, who needs help getting off the naughty list. When she finds Gage she is entranced by the man, but seems to end up with more questions than answers. I really liked this story. It had just the right mix of good and likeable characters, romance, hot sex and a little mystery. There are some side characters that seem to be important, but never really
make it into the story. It´s not really a big thing and didn´t disturb the story that much, but it still sort of left me hanging.

 
A very naughty Christmas by Carolyn Rosewood


Nita has had a tough year. Not only did she find out that her husband has been living a double life with another family, she also lost her job. When she gets lost in a snow storm she sees a house where she hopes to find a phone and some directions.  Never could she know that she would find so much more. She is invited in by the house´s two residents Alex and Cameron, two very attractive, willing and caring men. Lucky for Nita she doesn´t have to chose between the two, as they come as a two for one package deal. This was one of the more erotic stories of the bunch. Even though the story is mainly focused on sex I still feel the deeper connection between Nita and the guys. The story and the relationship between
the characters are based on some strange coincidences and it walks a very fine line between creepy stalker and sweet devoted guys.

Promises by Xondra Day

 Leda James really hates the holiday season. Having no nice childhood memories of the Holidays it is just a stressful time. She just doesn´t do the family thing and declines an invitation to spend Christmas with her very nice and very handsome employee at the bakery, Joey, and his family. She has long tried to ignore her attraction to Joey, but when they are snowed in together, they just can´t resist the temptation of each other. Now it is up to Joey to show Leda that the Christmas Holidays can indeed be a wonderful, happy and sexy
time. This was a decent short story and I am glad that Joey and Leda got caught in the snow storm so they could share some time together.
 
Santa´s little helper by Kelly Yeakle

Miranda Wilson is a spoiled party girl and her father has had enough. If she wants to keep her trust fund she has to find a job, prove that she can be responsible and make something of herself. However, having no experience at all makes it hard to find a job, especially so
close to the Holidays. Luckily Craig Davis, owner of a department store, takes pity on her and gives her a job as a helper in Santa´s photo booth. When Craig and Miranda give in to their mutual attraction, Miranda has to prove not only that she can be responsible and keep a job, she also needs to show Craig that she can be serious in a relationship and plan for a
future. I liked the building romance between Miranda and Craig. Even though Miranda is pretty spoiled and a little naïve, she isn´t mean or stupid, so she is quite likeable to start with. A light and engaging story that really makes me root for Miranda.

Mistletoe Masquerade by Alaska Angelini

Jeanie is tired of being the shy and insecure girl. An invitation to a Holiday Masquerade party from a secret admirer gives Jeanie just the chance she has been waiting for. With the security of hiding behind a mask she gets a chance to reinvent herself and let go of her inhibitions. It turns out that she has not only one, but two secret admirers, Jared and Edward.  The story starts down one path, doesn´t really follow through and then takes a turn and starts down another one. After this rocky start the story gets going and the heat level rises. It ends with sweet and naughty satisfaction.
 
Letter to Santa by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

It all starts with a Christmas wish and a letter to Santa. Elise doesn´t want to be alone for Christmas and hopes that a letter to Santa will help her. When the door bell rings on Christmas Eve and Elise opens the door to a man resonating with sex appeal she is certain he is her Christmas present. When she invites Nicholas in her house and in her bed she never expected to find a man that she wants to keep for more than just the Holidays. The erotic part of the story took off very quickly. The rest of the story and explanations came later. 
This is something that I normally do not like, but the author managed to catch my attention, throw me into the story and I definitely bought it. It is nice to know that a Christmas wish and some good karma can give you what you need.

+Giveaway

Romance - novel
TBR reviewer: B.H.

This was a dark tale with a spark of light known as James.

 James is a golden character. He finds Cara after she’s been mistreated at the phyciatic hospital and is the only one who cares. His heart was big and I really liked him.

Cara is complicated to say the least and in a horrid situation. She was abused by her neighboor, mistreated by her parents, and throughout the book every man seemed to be out to hurt her. She pulled at my heart strings and more than once I shed tears for such a strong character. Ms. Barrett did an amazing job writing her.
 
These two eventually develop into a relationship and it’s pure love. Of course, with Cara’s messed up luck she’d brutalized by a person she never thought to fear. Come Back To Me was an emotional rollercoaster. I couldn’t stop reading and really hoped Cara and James would find some semblance of a happy ending.

Now for the 4 star rating instead of five. Two characters – Micah and Jerry. They were well written. The entire sequence with them was very well done but why the hell did Cara get involved with Micah? It made no sense. So what if this guy looks like her love James. She goes and becomes his submissive play thing. This just did not work for me and really twisted Cara’s character and gave the book a sour note.

The ending is a bit rushed where she and James reunite. I thought there would be more of an overflow of emotion or a cheerful squeal from the heart but that didn’t happen.  I still very much enjoyed this book.

 Cara didn't know whether to dance, laugh, sing or simply yell at the top of her lungs, “James Mackie just fucked my brains out!”She did none of those things. Instead, she turned towards him. He slept on his back, his breathing quiet, even, peaceful. Unable to resist, Cara put her lips on him. She started at his forehead, kissing her way down his face, over his closed eyes,
kissing the tip of his nose, paying special attention to his soft and sensual lips, trailing light butterfly kisses along the firm line of his jaw, rubbing her lips over his delightful, rough, day-old beard. 

Cara could tell he was awake now because the corners of his mouth turned up. He managed to keep his eyes closed as she continued her ministrations, nibbling lightly on the tendons of his neck and the muscles of his shoulder. She knew he had come fully awake when the sheet began to tent above his groin, as she nibbled and licked her way down to his small, hard bud of a nipple and pressed her warm mouth against it, tugging on it with her teeth and rolling it with her tongue, while her fingers explored other regions. James had a body to die for.
And he knew exactly how to use it.

When they'd walked back to her apartment, Cara had no idea she would respond to him
the way she had. She'd surprised herself.  Somehow, without even realizing it, over the past two years it seemed as if she'd healed. She'd just needed the right person to bring it to her attention, a person like James, only James.

Head spinning, she found herself flipped on her back, his grinning face looming over her. Cara laughed.

“Are you too sore?” he asked, concern evident in his low voice, “because I want to fuck
you right now. But we can wait awhile. There are other ways.” He slid his erection along the inside of her thigh, spreading her legs.

Cara opened her legs wider and wrapped her calves around his, inviting him in. “I'm sore,” she replied with a smile. “In a good way.”

Ms. Barrett is giving away a paperback copy to one lucky winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 23rd.

+Giveaway

Paranormal, Erotica - Novel
TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf

Damien Walker has just hired a sexy new bartender, and landed himself trouble, with a capital 'T'.

Teresa's on the run, but from something more sinister than human law. She's a demon on
the lam from Hell, trying to hide away in this sleepy town. A job in Damien's bar seems the perfect cover. He doesn't ask questions and he's great eye-candy too. What could be better?

But Teresa isn't the only one with a secret identity and a past they'd rather not remember. Damien knows exactly who and what she is because he's hunted demons before and old habits die hard.

What's a Nephilim bounty hunter to do when one white-hot little devil walks into his bar and turns his quiet life upside down? She's a complication he could do without. She's also irresistible.

So she wants to cause him trouble? That's nothing compared to what he can do to her.

When Teresa walks into Damien’s bar, he knows exactly what she is because once upon a time, it was his job to take her kind out. He has every intention of sending her on her way but Teresa is determined to have one night of passion first. It’s just sex right? How could it hurt?
 
It has a demon, that’s a woman and she exudes sexuality. How can you not like this book? The answer is you won't just like it but you'll love it. I especially love how Damien is this complete alpha bad-ass that knows he is being ensnared in Teresa’s web but like Mr. Praying Mantis he figures it might just be worth it anyways. Teresa herself is a fully rounded character. She's used to getting her way but she doesn't get her way with Damien and that makes obtaining him all the more sweet.
 
This is hot and steamy but plot driven as well, I never felt like the story took a back seat to the sex but instead was balanced by it. It was a tad too fast but this might just be me not wanting to leave these characters so quickly. The visual details and character connection were so well written. This is a highly recommended read for those demon lovers out there.

He strolled toward her, moving slowly like a large cat. It was easy to imagine him as a panther. Dark, deadly, striking when least expected. The fact he was drop-dead gorgeous only enhanced the image. There was no way to stop her traitorous body from responding to his sultry moves. Her pussy was suddenly wet and her tank top felt way too tight. Images of fucking him silly on one of the tables in the bar flitted through her mind.

Instead of walking around behind the bar, he sat at the closest table and put his chin in his hands, still studying her face. “Before I tell you how I know, tell me why you’re hiding.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way, Damien. I took a chance coming in here tonight, trusting humans. I get to choose how much to reveal and when, not you.”

He stood up so quickly the chair fell backwards. “Who the hell do you think you are? I’ve known demons, Teresa. They don’t take the kind of risks you did tonight. You don’t seem stupid so that only leaves careless.”

His words stung but there was truth in them. She was careless. Had been for as long as she could remember, but it hurt to hear someone say it out loud. 

“My customers are loyal to me and they lied tonight for my sake, not yours.” He took
several strides toward her, his dark eyes flashing. “But don’t think for one minute I’m going to let you throw people around my bar every night. Sooner or later those same customers will begin asking questions. And when that happens, I’ll be minus one business and you’ll be back where you belong.”

Men fell at her feet and begged her to stay. They didn’t cross a room, full of righteous indignation, and lecture her. How dare he?

“Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”

“The person who owns this bar, that’s who. You want to work here, you follow my rules.”

“I make the rules, Damien. I don’t follow them.”

“You’ll follow mine or you can leave right now. The choice is yours.”

He’d reached the other side of the counter now. Lust and anger rolled off him in waves. The combination was intoxicating, but he was only a man. Forcing her breathing to slow down, she weighed her options again. There were only two choices. Play along for now, or find another place to hide. Damien was one of the sexiest men she’d ever met. The fact he wanted her to leave made her more determined to win him over.

Lowering her eyes, she also toned down her voice. “I made a mistake, Damien. It won’t
happen again.”

“You’re damn right it won’t because I want you gone. Tonight.”

As a demon, she’d never met a man she couldn’t persuade to do her bidding. She seduced mortals into signing away their souls using her body and her looks, and no man had ever dismissed her from his life as Damien was doing now. A bar owner in a one-horse town should be no challenge at all for her. What was so different about him? Why was he immune to her charms?

“You don’t mean that.” She held his gaze steady.

 He faltered for just a second, breaking eye contact. “Stop that shit, Teresa. I know what you’re trying to do.”

Was that all it would take for him to let her stay, to seduce him? That shouldn’t be a problem. The sudden realization he wasn’t immune to her powers of seduction gave Teresa such a thrill she decided to change tactics. Why argue with him about who made the rules when all she had to do was get him into bed?

Ms. Rosewood is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner. To enter comment below.