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Sometimes to find love, you must first learn forgiveness.
A dozen years, two thousand miles, and a law degree after high school, Rafi continues to harbor resentment toward Isaac , his childhood bully turned NBA star. When Isaac appears at Rafi's favorite restaurant acting like a long-lost friend, Rafi bluntly dismisses him. Isaac is tenacious and he has his heart set on the grown-up version of the boy he always wanted. The way Isaac sees it, he and Rafi are perfect for each other, if only he could sink the most important shot of his life: his one shot at forgiveness. |
 Vampire, paranormal, Romance - novella TBR reviewer: Nat Review  Aimee was lucky to save a vampire's life by killing another. Now Brenda is her best friend and they'll spend Christmas with her vampire 'family'. This is where she meets the real saint Nic. The plot isn't something new but it had good characters. This was interesting and different. This was quick and fast paced read could be compared to Twilight, a much more adult version, and even has some scenes that resemble it. I didn't enjoy how the Christmas theme was approached. It lacked a family involvement in such a family oriented holiday and I thought that really put a damper on the plot. It's a fun read before bed with some unexpected moments and likable characters. A light read for the holiday. Purchase Here Review  I like what Ms. Kirk did with her female lead right out of the box. Mia was driven, intelligent, and on her way to truly being someone to be admired. It’s been much too long since I saw a heroine painted in such a successful light, so mad props for that. With Mia’s insane schedule it’s understandable that she wouldn’t have the time or energy for romance, but then the twist arrives. His name is Jordan and with his dark looks, talented tongue ( in more ways than one :Wink: ) he’s sexy as sin and hell on the heart. Jordan is more than the boss’s son; he’s Miia’s ex-flame. If you don’t know how messy the mixture of romance and work place can be, consider yourself lucky and forewarned. This story had all the makings of a great book: strong characters, good background, and plenty of road blocks to keep you wondering if the couple will ever reach their happy ever after. I liked where I thought It was headed, but then there was a crash when it ended abruptly. Lose ends were left untied, the reconciliation was rushed and the characters were robbed of their true potential. Ms. Kirk has some serious skills. But I don’t think this successfully show cases them. I’d definitely read another one of her books. Purchase here Review  When Sasha is mugged in a back alley, volunteer EMT David comes to the rescue. She visits the fire station to thank him and it is instant passion between the two. However they both have some issues to get through before they can admit their love to each other and feel secure in their relationship. The base plot has good potential and both Sasha´s and David´s personal issues and history make them interesting. Sasha seems to have made peace with the harsh world she was brought up in. She is just what David needs to realize that he can also come to peace with his past. I was looking forward to seeing the relationship between the two main characters grow, handling and overcoming the hurdles. It is a fairly short story and so I was surprised by how long it took me to get through it. Even though both the main characters were likeable and the side characters even more so, the story never engaged me. I think the main reason for that was that the storyline was very jumpy and strayed from the main plot. The deeper moments where one could have connected with the characters were hastily passed by. Also the point of view shifted a lot from main characters, to side characters and back. The book could also have benefited from one more round of editing (there were some switched names). I am of course all for hot sex scenes in a romance book, but I also enjoy a heartwarming scene between the two people falling in love. It seemed like all those scenes disappeared in desperate and hurried sex. I never actually felt the characters go from in lust to in love and my only clue to this happening was them saying so to each other. What I really liked in this book was the side characters, especially Pete and Danny. I would love to read more about them and hope that Ms Moore would like to share their stories too. Purchase Here M/M, Contemporary - Novel TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf BlurbPerfection isn’t everything, although it’s everything Leo wants. His desire to become the perfect chef may keep him at the top of his class, but it drives his friends and family crazy while keeping love and passion on the back burner.That is until he meets Dock, owner and chef of the new and popular restaurant, The Birches. Although Dock isn’t a trained chef, Leo finds the food he cooks delectable and the man behind the food irresistible. The lessons taught at the hands of an untrained cook may be just what this uptight chef needs to let go. Review Leo is barely keeping it together and to try to combat that he pulls the strings of his control even harder. Just when he thinks that he’s got control, everything snaps in the form of Dock a small town restaurant cook and owner. Dock completely turns the cooking student’s world upside down but will it be enough to teach Leo what perfection really means. Warning: Unsafe sexual practices. This was frustrating on so many levels, I’m literally wanting to cry that I couldn’t give this a higher rating. The author is completely capable of a five star. The characters are well rounded and imperfect which was a nice change of pace and the plot itself, while not untried, was anything but stale. The writing style was so simple but utterly lovely. So why didn’t it get a higher rating? First there is the fact that they just started to get to know each other and don’t really know enough about each other but bam they are having unsafe sex. It threw me out of the story which is such a freaking shame as I mentioned above that I do love the author’s writing style. I kept thinking, um if Dock is that experienced let’s hope he wrapped it up with the other men or otherwise the sex better be to DIE FOR. There just wasn’t enough character emotional build-up to really try risking this kind of sex scene. Secondly, you never get a true feel for what Dock feels for Leo other than one uttered sentence of him not understanding why he can’t just leave Leo alone. Due to this, I’m not really sure if the story is happy ever after or happy ever for now, which left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. Altogether, I’ll be reading this author again if I don’t go and buy a book by him in the next few days then I’ll be surprised but I’d never in a million years suggest this for a first time m/m reader. Purchase here+Giveaway  Mystery, romance - Novel TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf BlurbReid Ramsay is still in love with Caroline Cunningham. As they work together searching for Reid's brother, Reid and Caro finding themselves attempting to rebuild the life they once shared together. But their future remains uncertain. Before they can find the happiness they seek, each must work through the emotional baggage of the past and test the theory they desperately hope rings true. Review  When you love someone so deeply does that feeling ever really go away? Even when you can’t be with that person when love maybe just isn’t enough, does it still continue to grow and if that person called you out of the blue some years later needing help, would you go? For Caroline the answer is yes because for Reid she’d go through hell it’s self to help him and she might have to. This book isn’t going to be for everyone because the real beauty of the story is the back plot otherwise this might be too simple for some. While I liked the main plot and thought the author did a good job of holding up the suspense and mystery it didn’t compare to the secondary message that she was pushing. It’s a sweet romance that really goes in-depth about love. It makes you think about, can your first love be the person that’s actually your forever love. Can love really conquer all or is love sometimes just not enough and if it isn’t is there away for someone to learn how to build the blocks to make it so. Everything about this book pulled me in and kept me interested. The small community and the details put into the town life to these characters even the secondary ones. For those willing to read between the lines this is a romance sure to leave an impression. ExcerptCaroline jolted awake when the phone rang, loud and insistent, beside her bed. Telephone calls at night always scared her, too often portents of bad news, illness or death. Hands shaking, blinking sleep from her eyes, she snatched up the receiver, breathless. “Hello?” “I need you. Will you come home?” His voice hit her like a fist in the stomach, sucked the air from her lungs, and caused her heart to beat an erratic rhythm. She thought she should have forgotten the sound of his voice, the deep, low rumble that streamed into her ears; she'd tried hard enough in the last five years but clearly she'd failed. He didn't identify himself but he didn't need to – she would have known his voice anywhere, anytime, anyplace. At fifteen, she embroidered his name on her heart with blood red stitches. Another woman would search for the courage to hang up or tell him he dialed a wrong number but Caroline wouldn't do that. She couldn’t. She still loved him and that knowledge destroyed every defense she'd built. It smashed through them all and left her vulnerable. “What’s wrong?” “Just come, Caroline. If you still love me... “ “I do.” She interrupted him, saying it before he had to ask. Long ago, a wise woman told her that love never dies and it was true. If anything in her life held meaning, it was that. “Then you’re coming?” “I’ll come today.” “I’ll see you then. You know where to go, don’t you?” “Yes, Reid, I do and I’ll be there.” He said nothing and she thought he'd hung up the phone but just before she put down the receiver, she heard him whisper. “I love you, Caro.” His tender words caught her hard and strangled her throat with unshed tears. Her bedside alarm clock read 2:15 in big, green numerals but she knew she wouldn't sleep again so she got up, made the bed with stiff, neat corners, and fixed coffee. After she drank the first cup, she packed a single suitcase. Online, she bought her plane ticket and before daylight streaked the sky, she called a taxi and rode to the airport. In rapid sequence, she checked her bag and boarded the flight, her mind already back there, with him. Not accustomed to moving with such swiftness, Caroline felt like she hadn't breathed from the moment she answered the phone until she was in the air, winging eastward back toward Neosho. Her hometown. And his. Purchase HereContestMs. Murphy is giving away an ecopy to one luck winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 18th.
 Paranormal, Romance - novella TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf BlurbCharlene Peters is in love with Jesse Carson, a man she met online. Through the internet their relationship grows as they agree to meet in person. Jesse is falling hard, yet he has no idea she is hiding a dark secret about her life— the previous life she lived before. Charlene now must save the condemned souls from attempting the same thing she did one year ago or she will never see her family from her past life again. There is only one thing that will break the curse put upon her—to find her soul-mate. Can Charlene get a second chance at living a human life? Review It’s human nature to hold a part of you back but perhaps it’s more than human nature. Charlene Peters is half demon, it’s a secret but are you suppose to keep secrets from the ones you love? Jesse Carson knows that Charlene is keeping something from him but will he be able to handle the truth once faced with it. I struggled with how to review this because the honest truth is that I’m not sure that it warrants three stars. There are some really good points such as the plot is rather unique and interesting and the writing style itself distinctive with a poetic feel. The potential is really there, visible and almost touchable and that‘s why I ended up giving this a three star. The problem with the book lays in the fact that the characters weren’t fully developed and the layout of the plot was choppy. There was too much to the plot to try to pack into such a small read. The potential for greatness is there though and I could easily see why the publishers picked up this book but it feels more like a roughed draft. I'm hoping the author has another book in the series in the works because I have faith that Ms. Cronkhite will iron out the problems in which case this book will become a must read to keep up. Purchase here+Giveaway  Science Fiction, Thriller, Suspense - Novel TBR reviewer: Kim BlurbNysa is an up and coming DNA retrieval expert well known in the scientific community for her advances in the technology used in the field. After being recruited to work on a secret project by an extraordinarily wealthy and mysterious benefactor, Nysa is moved to a hidden lab outside Denver, Colorado. Isolated from the world and forbidden from contact with anyone outside the facility, she is unaware of the strange occurrences that begin to plague the planet. Her fiance Alastair becomes concerned about her welfare and, with the help of his father, begins a frantic search for her. They soon come to realize that their quest is producing more questions than answers, and some very unsettling questions at that. Only one person, the silent man financing the operation, knows the true nature of the experiment. Although unaware of his true identity, Alastair comes to realize his foe will stop at nothing to see the experiment through to its completion. Review This is a story about a woman (Nysa) who is at the top of her field in DNA retrieval at UCLA. She is head hunted by a strange gentleman for a project she knows nothing about but will pay top dollar for her services. She agrees, on the understanding she must have no contact with the outside world for the duration of the project, and tell no one where she is going. When a series of natural disasters prompts her boyfriend (Alistair) to try and find her, the project and his search suddenly are not quite what they seem. This was a great book. I enjoyed the fact that the chapters were short, it meant that I could read it quickly in short bursts. As it happened I found it extremely hard to put down. The basic plot (which I can't divulge as it would give too much away) is a good one, and had me gripped to the end.The characters were solid and although the story played out with only three main characters, I didn't feel the story suffered. The ending was as sudden as it was shocking, so be prepared for that. It was satisfying though and tied up any loose ends. It did, however, need work on the editing. All in all a brave subject to tackle, that the author has done justice with and I hope he has more in the pipe line. ExcerptThis was to be his last day on Earth. He stood at the Zion Gate in Jerusalem, facing south, watching the shadows stretch out before him as the sun rose in the eastern sky. The glare of the sun off the windshield of a slow-moving taxi cab caused him to squint. His black overcoat hung open and swirled in the wind gusting through the narrow streets. His brand new black and white pinstriped suit was still stiff with starch and his gold watch glistened in the morning light. The freshly pressed black shirt and tie complemented his suit perfectly. He’d had his shoes polished this very morning and could almost see his reflection. His dark brown hair was tossed about by the wind. His eyes drifted over the old bullet holes still scarring the ancient wall around the Zion Gate. The brown stones used to construct the wall had held up remarkably well over the years since it had first been assembled. He looked down at the Star of David built into the road leading into the tunnel. His wandering eyes finally found what they’d been searching for. He stared intently at the building in the distance, the powerful gaze of his blue eyes focused only on that ancient monument. Ahead of him, atop Mount Zion, stood the Dormition Church and beside it, on the second floor, the Cenacle. That was the room where his seemingly timeless journey had started, and after waiting what seemed an eternity, this was where he wanted to be for the end. It wasn’t quite as he remembered it, but that had been so long ago. He found it remarkable how the landscape changed over time. Buildings he had believed would stand forever were torn down, although in this case the church had been rebuilt. He held his sign loosely, content with the message he was trying to spread, his ego demanding the attention. People in long coats scurried around him, trying desperately to get home or to work before the storm moved in. The day had begun sunny yet brisk, but a severe thunderstorm was expected for later that morning. The cold didn’t bother him on this day; he was at peace. Finally, everything he had been waiting for was about to unfold. He absentmindedly ran his right thumb over the scar running from behind his right ear and down across his throat and watched as the clouds he exhaled evaporated into the cold dawn air. He became lost in his memories, drawn backward to that fateful day. An eternity had passed since he had received that wound. It was his last mark of humanity. Everything since then had been a curse. He could hardly believe it was all about to finally end. Drawn back to the here and now, he realized that not many people would make eye contact with him. Many would stare at him and then glance down at their shoes the minute he looked back. Strange that they would treat him like a vagrant on the street, rambling on to himself about the end of the world. They didn’t know. They didn’t want to know. They all wanted to think he was crazy, but he knew he was right. He had been planning for so long, saving for so long, wanting for so long. Now all of his hard work would pay off. His perseverance and enormous expense would come to fruition. Now, on this day. He didn’t speak. His sign said it all. The end is now. Purchase hereContestMr. Collins is giving away an ecopy to one luck winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 16th.  Christmas, Romance - Novella TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf BlurbTo Dr. Aidan Keegan, who has lost a wife and child in a careless accident and seen his career as a heart surgeon come to a blistering halt, Christmas marks the end of a year of loneliness and the beginning of another. Aidan fears not even the delicate stirrings of longing and desire, his young receptionist Liya Emerson incites within him, can thaw the ice around his shattered heart. Hoping to get away and clear her mind of Dr. Keegan, Liya finds herself up in the mountains at an isolated cabin belonging to none other than Aidan. Determined to break through the layers around his heart, Liya offers herself for three passionate days, without a promise of the future. But will Aidan be able to see beyond his own pain to the love Liya has to offer and realize that their passion doesn’t have to last for one Christmas only? Review  Liya Emerson has known loss but she chooses to live life and not let it pass her by. Dr. Aidan Keegan has known more loss than most and can’t seem to move out of the past. Can Liya help Aidan to let go and move forward or is three nights of passion all they will ever know. Warning: Age Gap of more than ten years. This was amazingly well written with tons of emotional pull. The passion of the characters kept me entranced. Aidan is truly a wounded soul that’s barely making it but right from the start you see the potential through Liya’s eyes. Liya has been through so much and yet she still looks at life with joy, add to that her caring disposition and it’s no surprise that as a reader we love her. I personally don’t like an age gap over ten and so it was hard for me to really believe that these characters had any true connection other than that they had both experienced loss in their lives. However, that’s my personal feelings and I put them aside but I felt the need to voice them for other readers such as myself. I also felt that this was too heavy on the angst for a holiday read, especially a short one at 97 pages. Despite those complaints, I found that I did enjoy the book. The author gave intense descriptions and really brought me into the book. I don’t recommend it for a light holiday read but I do recommend it for a good read on the emotional rollercoaster. Purchase Here Fantasy - Novel TBR reviewer: Mark BlurbCecilia Orchard lives alone. She writes fantasy and mystery stories to escape a humdrum data entry job that barely pays for her apartment, food, and bus fare. Then a handsome police detective arrives with news that she is the prime suspect in the murder of her grandfather whom she never knew existed. If inheriting a fortune from a man she doesn't know isn't madness enough, Cecilia finds herself the owner of a powerful genie that could make all her dreams come true, but what are her dreams and is she willing to make the wish? Review Aspiring writer, Cecilia Orchard is having a very strange week. First she discovers that she is sole heir to the Billionaire estate of a Grandfather she never knew she had, then she discovers that she is the prime suspect in his murder. And if that's not all, she is also the proud new owner of her Grandfather's Genie who lives in a pocket watch! Whatever happened to her life being simple? This was a bit of a strange read. It sounded like something that might be a bit quirky and different, which is why I decided to pick it up, but I can honestly say that my end impressions were a disappointing. It reads a little like a Detective story, a traditional whodunnit, but with paranormal and other-worldly influences thrown into the mix but that was not my problem. My problem was that the main characters that we are supposed to care about, read like caricatures of themselves and just felt a bit too two-dimensional and under-developed for my liking. The romance aspect of Clockwork Genie felt a bit clumsily done and never really came together. Cecilia is an interesting character in and of herself but those around her were mostly just vacuous. The culprit of the crime was obvious very early on and not just that, when you thought the book had come to a fairly tidy conclusion then the story continued on with, what I felt, an unnecessary slant added merely to boost the word count! One of the most important factors in writing fiction is creating believable characters and if you get that wrong, then everything else pretty much falls flat. This is Broden's first full-length novel but, to my mind, it never really quite gelled and that is a crying shame as this had so much potential that it never quite managed to live up to. I really wanted to like this but the whole thing just didn't seem to tick any of my boxes. Genies are an under-used concept that don't appear very often in modern-day fiction so this book was always going to get off to a good start by breaking the mold as it were. But unfortunately, this particular tale just couldn't hold the pace and ended up falling at the very first hurdle. Purchase Here+Giveaway  Erotica, Anthology - Novel TBR reviewer: Luta Wolf BlurbHandcuffs and neckties and belts, oh my! Many may fantasize about being bound while their lover has his or her wicked way with them, but when faced with the opportunity, would you trust your partner enough to relinquish all control? Or would you prefer to be the one in charge? Or are you among the ranks of the undecided? Join the ladies of the Sextet for a look at both sides of the coin, and discover what it means to be the recipient of intensely provocative sensual delights, or to be the lady who knows how to tie a man down and take him to heights of ecstasy beyond his imagination. Then try, if you will, to decide which you would prefer. Just remember, there is no right or wrong here; there is only trust. When it comes to passion and love, you should never underestimate the power of restraint. Review  Six erotic passion filled stories about letting go and trusting your partner enough to catch you. Each stories has the characters letting go and finding a pentacle they never imagined reaching. Trust by Elizabeth Raines Angie isn’t sure if she has the ability to let go and trust but she knows that if she keeps letting the stress of the job get to her then it might ruin the best thing to ever happen to her, Noah. This was so well written that it never once felt like a short and I loved the characters. Noah is such a partner and never once in his frustration does he really get angry and Angie is a Type A personality but she is an easy character to relate to. Oh and when the story steams up, it really steams up. Highly recommended. A Delicate Procedure by Cheryl Brooks Aiden has a hard time letting go and there is only one woman he trust enough to teach him: his neighbor and the woman that used to baby-sit him, Trish. Is this only a one time deal or can it possibly build into more? I’m not usually a big fan of age gap but the author did such an amazing job with the character connection that you believe that they Have to be together to be complete. Neither one can seem to loosen up and really enjoy themselves unless it’s with each other and this is shown with amazing detail. Not to mention it was packed full of fun and excitement. Believe It or Knot by Bethany Michaels Hannah has been crushing on her boss, Marcus for awhile now and has finally built up the nerve to make her move. Once entangled Marcus can’t help but wonder what he’s gotten himself into. This was just incredibly hot. There was so much detail, background information, and amazing characters that you immediately fall into the story and once again it never felt like a short but instead like an actual book. I loved Hannah from the get go with all her spunk and intelligence and I came to love Marcus just as much, once I realized why he’d been holding back. Though I admit to having a few moments of wanting to smack Marcus upside his head. All together, I have to highly recommend this story, it’s fun, exciting, and hot all the way through. Lines of Communication by Annie Morgan Rebecca knows how to hold a grudge and doesn’t know if she has the ability to forgive and let go. For lifelong happiness she’s willing to give it a try. The author has tension down to a fine art. The hairs on my arm are still standing up. Even though I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen, I still found myself on the edge of my seat and excited about getting to the next page. When it all came to a point, the pages practically burst into flames it was that hot. You can’t help but like Rebecca, she’s a woman making it in a business that few do. She has to be strong and hold her own. I fell equally in love with Cam who is determined to get Rebecca any way he has to. Really, all's fair in love and war. String Theory by Mellanie Szereto Andromeda isn’t the type of woman to take charge but if that’s what it takes to gain the attention of her co-worker Gunnar then she’s determined to turn into that type of woman. Will Gunnar like her take charge ways or will she be more than he can handle? If I was forced to pick then I’d have to say this was my favorite and honestly in this group of stories, that’s saying a lot. This just fit the bill, there is just something about a woman finding her inner vixen and having her wicked way with the man. Gunnar’s inner dialogue had me jumping from laughter to panting. This story was just a blast on so many levels. Tangled Metal and Emotions by Niki Hayes When two dominants come head to heads it’s a toss of the coin as to who will come out on top. This story was fast paced, fun, and well written. The plot was full of friction between Lindsey and Craig, not only was it a blast to watch but incredibly hot as well. I have to admit though that there were times I really wanted to beat down Craig for being a little too domineering. Lindsey with her take charge ways, brings him down to size very nicely. This story is highly recommended! Read excerpt and purchase hereContestMs Raines is giving away an ecopy to one lucky winner! Comment below to enter. Contest ends December 13th.
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