Review: Southern Fried Blues by Jamie Farrell (@TheJamieFarrell)

Rating: 5/5 Stars

The blurb:

A Yankee Lady Stuck in the South
Divorced wasn’t a label Anna Martin ever wanted. Now she’s a thousand miles from home, underemployed, and lonely, but she’s squeezing this lemon life gave her and turning it into lemon meringue pie. Never again will she let any man—especially another military man—get in the way of her career.

A Southern Gentleman Military Officer
Jackson Davis believes in family, football, and Uncle Sam. He treats ladies right, takes his uniform seriously, and he loves his dog, but he doesn’t reckon he’s built for true love. After all, if a man good as his daddy couldn’t do it right, what chance does Jackson have?

One Undeniable Attraction
These two vulnerable souls are as different as cornbread and ketchup, but they fit together like sweet butter on hot biscuits. Short-term, they’re exactly what the other needs. But when their hearts get involved, they’re both gonna end up with a big ol’ case of Southern Fried Blues.

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I loved this book so much I hardly know where to start. I don’t want to spoil the book for you guys, but at the same time, the story was so good that I want to tell you all about it.

Jamie Farrell contacted me herself about reviewing this book after she read my post on Kelsey Browning’s book, Personal Assets. She thought that if I liked one, I’d like the other. She couldn’t have been more right!

Paranormal romance has always been my ‘thing’, but I’m fixin’ to convert to these adorable southern-set contemporary romances.

Okay, back to Southern Fried Blues. Right from the start, you can’t help but adore Anna. She loves her husband, she’s funny and quirky, and she’s a romantic. And about 5 minutes later, you can feel her heart break. Farrell gets you in the gut right at the beginning and you’re hooked from then on.  Seriously, I had a hard time putting this book down to go to sleep at night. I felt that I either needed to keep reading because I was excited for Anna, or because I was sick for her. There are no lulls in this sweet southern romance. And Jackson… ohhh, Jackson. His “might could”s and “Anna Grace”s had me grinning at my kobo until the wee hours of the morning until the last page was done. This Canadian girl has never really understood the fascination with southern men, until now. Adorable.

Anna had put her own life off for a long time to follow her military husband around the country. She loved him dearly, and wanted to support him no matter what. When he makes a complete fool of her, their marriage (and her beloved labelmaker) at a friend’s wedding, she finds she has only two choices. Go crawling back to her parents’ house, or stay right where she is and finish something for herself. She decides that she will never fall for another military man. That her life changes for no one.

Enter: Jackson Davis – not just any other military man. After a bad day, Anna rushes out to her car to find that she has parked over an ant-hill. Not just any ant-hill. Fire ants. A sweet, southern gentleman comes to her reluctant rescue and Anna feels the heat …and it’s not just the fire ants. Jackson and Anna have both declared that they aren’t the marrying kind, so they should just be able to enjoy each other and move on when they need to, right? Neither one should falter and start dreaming of forever, right? With Jackson being in the Air Force and Anna swearing off of a future with a military man, this will never work.

Or will it?

Jamie Farrell’s contemporary, humourous romance will get you hook, line and sinker. You will feel everything right along with the characters. I laughed, I cried (really!) and I ached for Jackson and Anna. I loved their story so much, and I absolutely can not wait for another book from this talented author. I urge you not to miss out on Southern Fried Blues. It’s a book I see myself going back to again and again when I need a mental vacation. Well done, Jamie Farrell, and thank you!

 

Review: Tall, Dark, and Vampire by Sara Humphreys (@authorsara)

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The blurb:
She always knew Fate was cruel…

The last person Olivia Hollingsworth expected to see at her Greenwich Village vampire club was her one true love, Doug Paxton—whom she believed to be dead for centuries. Olivia thought she had moved on, but when Doug reappears, her heart knows she’d rather die than lose him again.

But this is beyond the pale…

Ever since Doug can remember, a red-haired siren has haunted his dreams. He never thought she could be real until he goes to investigate a murder at Olivia’s night club. However, as the bodies keep piling up at her feet, he must fight to prove her innocence—even if it costs him his life…

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Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m a sucker for a good vamp book (no pun intended). It didn’t take me long get caught up in Sara Humphreys’s well-spun tale. I’m always reading books about a human woman who falls for a supernatural something-or-other, or two supes, never a female supe who’s drawn to a human. It was a refreshing spin on my favourite kind of read: sexy and dangerous, but still light and fun.

I love a strong female lead, and I look forward to the day when this isn’t a “thing we have to mention”. Sara Humphreys is helping that idea along. Olivia is a kick-ass heroine! It was so easy to like her, and identify with her situation even though it was completely out of this world. That’s how good Humphreys is.

‘Tall, Dark, and Vampire’ has it all. It’s funny, it has lots of action and the love scenes are on fire. I liked the mythology elements that came into play in this story. Lovers of the paranormal romance genre have heard many of the terms before, but they haven’t gone hand-in-hand like they do in Humphreys’s underground world.

I’m clearing a space on my virtual bookshelf for the rest of this series, right between Laurell K. Hamilton and Charlaine Harris. I’ve also learned there’s a shapeshifter series by Humphreys. This, I’ve gotta read!

I can’t wait for the next installment of the ‘Dead in the City’ series.

Review: Fearless by Tawny Weber (@TawnyWeber)

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Here’s the blurb from the back cover:

“Promising career: check

Amazing apartment: check

The best of friends: check

Sex life: MIA

There’s just one thing missing from Gia Renyard’s life: sexual adventure. And the one man she’d like to have it with is her hot co-worker, Luke Monroe. If only company rules didn’t prohibit her from asking him out. So Gia comes up with a plan: make herself over into a fantasy seductress, follow Luke to a convention in Sin City, and have her way with him for one erotic weekend. The man will never even know who did him.

Everything is going according to plan—until Gia discovers that Luke is perfect for her outside the bedroom too. And suddenly she’s no longer content to let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas…”

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I was really excited to have the opportunity to review an upcoming installment of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Red Hot Reads.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Cosmo, but I remember loving the magazine when I was in my early to mid twenties. I think this book suits that age group really well. It read as being a little young for me, but I still enjoyed the story and can respect the literary elements.

I immediately loved Gia, and I loved her idea of becoming “Vanna” to fulfill a fantasy. I was a little sad that she felt that she had to be someone else to get Luke’s attention, but it fits with the story and the “Girlz” plan perfectly. The book is fast paced, and I would have liked a little more time between the plan and Gia’s arrival in Vegas. I’m not sure what I would have liked to read… maybe something about her experiences shopping for the trip, since she claimed to have a decent bag of tricks.

The sex scenes are definitely hot without being raunchy, and anyone who likes just a little kink will surely appreciate them. I enjoyed the chemistry between Vanna/Gia and Luke throughout the book as well as the relationship between all of the girls. It sounds like a group of friends I would have loved to have when I was away at school.

This book would be an ideal read for a young woman. I’m not sure that the Girlz Guide series is for me, but I have no doubt in my mind that Cosmo’s readers will gobble it right up.

Dog Collar Crime by Adrienne Giordano (@AdriennGiordano)

Rating: 4/5 Stars

It’s every young woman’s worst nightmare. Lucie Rizzo has lost her job and is forced to move back home to her parents’. The Rizzos aren’t your run of the mill family. Lucie’s dad is Joe Rizzo, incarcerated mob boss.

Going back home isn’t all bad, though. Lucie has managed to get herself a set of regular dog-walking clients, and developed a line of high-end dog accessories. Not to mention, home is where Frankie is. Her on-again, off-again man, and her biggest cheerleader.

When her clients are the victims of several dog-jackings, Lucie starts to wonder what kind of connection there is. As she starts to put the pieces of this puzzle together, she sees a picture that she isn’t too fond of. Can Lucie keep the dogs, and herself, safe? Will all of this ruin her chances with Frankie?

This was my first dip into Romantic Mystery (again with losing my genre virginity to Giordano!) and I wasn’t too sure what to expect. I’ve loved other books by this author, so I was pretty confident that I’d breeze through it. It was a great read! I wondered if romantic mystery might be a little too ‘damsel in distress’ for my liking, but as it turns out, Lucie is my kind of gal. She doesn’t want her man to fix things for her, and I have a lot of respect for that.

I had the bad guy pegged pretty early on, but it didn’t take away from the story for me. I enjoyed unraveling the mystery and getting swept up in the love scenes right along with Lucie. The personalities of the dogs in the book were really cute too. If you love animals, a little detective work and some steamy love scenes (without being graphic) you will really enjoy this book.

Review: Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning (@KelseyBrowning)

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Cameron Wright has come back home to Shelbyville to live out his dream of owning a car restoration business.

Allie Shelby is a sex therapist whose clients are encouraging her to practise what she preaches.

In their high school days, these two had nothing in common. Now, even less so. Yet, when they bump into each other one day, the sparks begin to fly. Allie puts forth a proposition to Cameron which he accepts, but before long, he’s mentally violating the terms of the agreement.

As their relationship develops, Allie’s business runs into trouble. Cameron wants to help her, but any help Allie has been offered in the past comes with a price…

I was barely half way through this book when I was ready to pack my bags and move to Shelbyville. Kelsey Browning’s debut novel is a smash hit in my eyes. The story is captivating, the characters are lovable (really, I’m moving there) and the love scenes are red hot. I could picture everything in my head as I read the book. Right down to the Cameron’s grimy garage and Allie’s art-stuffed office space.

I even contacted Browning begging for more books. Please tell me this is a series! (It is, YAY!) I can’t wait for more of Shelbyville, or anything else by Kelsey Browning. Don’t miss this red hot read. It’s a perfect vacation when you have to stay right where you are.

Impulse by Moira Rogers

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Sera Sinclaire is a shifter. Specifically, a coyote. A very submissive coyote. In the past, she’s had issues fighting the pull that shapeshifter magic has on her. She’s starting to come around, to able to hold her own and take charge, but she has pushed so many people away in the process.

Cue: Julio Mendoza – one seriously sexy, dominant alpha wolf.

When a large piece of Sera’s past comes back to haunt her, instinct drives Julio to hide and protect her. Sera loosens up once they’re out of town and Julio finally feels like some of the weight has been lifted off of his broad, delicious shoulders.

Is it just the pull of  dominant/submissive shapeshifter magic, or is it something more? Could they ever make an interspecies relationship work with all of the taboos placed on such things by the Conclave and the shapeshifter community? Many a shifter would stop at nothing to prevent Julio and Sera from being happy together, even the Mendozas themselves.

From the blurb: “Her submission can heal him. His dominance can free her.”

You had me at hello! 

I can’t say enough good things about these ladies and this series. Southern Arcana was my first dip into paranormal romance. I mean, I’d read  and loved the Sookie Stackhouse novels, but when it comes to sex scenes, Southern Arcana takes the dirty cake.

The characters are deep, often troubled, and easy to love (or hate – depending on who we’re talking about). I really enjoyed the way the writing team played the intense aspects of Julio and Sera’s developing relationship off of the seemingly carefree flirtatious parts. It was a relationship rollercoaster ride that I’d line up for again and again.

The romance and action are always intense in the Southern Arcana books, and Impulse was certainly no exception. I found myself looking at how many pages were left and wondering how Rogers would take care of so many things in such a short number of pages. As always, I put the book down feeling incredibly satisfied. 

Maybe not as satisfied as Sera. She is one lucky bitch.

 

TMI by Patty Blount

 

Rating: 3/5 stars

 

I was given an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Meg and Bailey are both seventeen years old, and they are best friends. They talk about their plans for the future, or lack thereof, and they keep each other’s secrets. That is, until Bailey starts to ditch Meg for a boy she met online. It’s classic teenage girl in high school drama.

Meg has a solid plan for the future, and that plan doesn’t include any distractions. It certainly doesn’t include Chase, the handsome, slightly older jock with the most amazing green eyes that Meg has ever seen.

When things between her and Bailey start to go south, Chase is there for Meg. She’s trying desperately to ignore (or at least suppress) her feelings for Chase, but as things get worse between Megan and her best friend, the bond between her and Chase gets stronger.

Chase and Meg are both worried about Bailey. She appears to fall harder for the faceless Ryder West with every passing day, and she has never met him. She has shared some personal details with him online, and her friends are justified in worrying about her well-being. Bailey sees them as interfering, and that they just don’t want her to be happy.

When Ryder tells the girls things about themselves and each other that he couldn’t have known without inside information, Meg starts to worry and Bailey starts to get really angry. The girls begin to very publicly share secrets about each other that could get them in trouble and hurt others.

Will their friendship be saved? Will Meg let herself fall for Chase and take a chance at deviating from ‘The Plan’? Who is Ryder West?
The blurb about this book on its Goodreads profile is a little bit misleading. It seems like the book will be quite suspenseful and mysterious, centering around the discovery of Ryder West’s identity. What I got from this book was that there was a little too much going for such a short read.  When I was reading the book, I was much more interested in Meg’s past, and why she didn’t want a relationship with Chase than I was in who Ryder really was and whether or not Meg and Bailey would patch things up.

I think that many teenaged girls would eat this book right up, and that it’s a good cautionary tale about the dangers of sharing too much information online. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a great book either. I think there were too many sub-plots for a book this short, and as I mentioned earlier, if the main plot was unveiling the mystery behind Ryder West, then either I missed the point, or less of the book should have been devoted to developing a relationship between Meg and Chase. I think if the book had been marketed a little differently, perhaps just using the first three lines of the blurb, I may have felt differently about it.

All in all, I would recommend this book to young teens as it’s relatable, and teaches a good lesson. I wouldn’t recommend it to adults who enjoy the YA genre, as it’s just a bit too young as compared to others that I have read and really enjoyed.

Entwined With You by Sylvia Day

Rating: 4/5 Stars

We come back to Eva Trammel and Gideon Cross after the murder of her abuser. Eva and Gideon are both in emotional agony at having to be separated. Not only that, but they’re keeping a big secret, and it would destroy them both if the news got out.

Speaking of news, this installment has a really annoying reporter who keeps popping in and out. She feels like a tabloid reporter to me; I found her repulsive. She’s got it out for Cross in a big way, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get the story she wants, whether it’s true or not.

While Gideon and Eva try to maintain the public perception that they’re unattached, Eva gets a call from her rockstar ex-boyfriend, asking her to make a very public appearance with him. She accepts, reluctantly, unwilling to lead him on but also afraid of upsetting Gideon.

I’m not entirely sure where Gideon and Eva’s relationship will go after this book. I’m interested to see what happens with the sub-plots planted in the last half of Entwined With You too. I know a few readers who were frustrated with this installment, frustrated with Eva specifically. I like Eva in this book. I feel like she has a good head on her shoulders, and that she won’t bend easily just to please Gideon. She knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to push for it, but she’s also smart about making the big decisions.

I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. They were quick, intense reads, and great for an escape. That being said, I was a little disappointed with this one. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed the book, but it took me a lot longer to read this one than the previous two. I think part of it was that I didn’t find the suspense that I felt in the first two installments. I didn’t have that need to keep reading and find out what was going to happen. I missed the thrills of danger that the first two provided; not sure if that says something about me, or about the book, but I digress. I did enjoy the character development here, and the different dynamics that came up in the relationship between Eva and Gideon. I also enjoyed the small glimpses into the troubles of other characters, and I’m very interested to see where the next books take them.

One thing I always enjoy about Day’s books is her ability to tell a really good story and pair it with steamy scenes. You really do go through the whole range of emotions when you read her stuff. If you enjoyed Bared to You and Reflected in You, there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll like Entwined With You as well. As far as book boyfriends go, Gideon Cross is definitely in my Top Five. Don’t expect to feel resolve at the end of this book, but don’t expect a cliffhanger either. It’s a tricky one.

Opposing Forces (Private Protectors #6) by Adrienne Giordano

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received an Advanced Review Copy (ARC) of Giordano’s Opposing Forces last week. First things first, I can’t believe I didn’t know about this author/series until now! I haven’t read much romantic suspense that didn’t involve supernaturals as yet, and I’m so glad I had the chance to read this book. It was a great introduction to this genre.

Jillian Murdoch happily works in pharmaceutical distribution. She works hard, and she’s careful – a go-getter.

Jackson Lynx is VP of Taylor Security, and he’s a recovering addict. Ever the ‘Boy Scout’, he always has a plan. His current plan is to stay out of trouble and away from temptation, including women. He has been eyeing Jillian for months, and there’s only a few weeks left until his one year of sobriety anniversary… no problem, right?

Wrong. One evening, Jillian returns to her office to pick up her forgotten camera and witnesses a strange, late-night delivery. Shortly afterwards, someone breaks into her place and steals very specific items. That weekend, after their shared yoga class, Jillian approaches Jackson for help with a home security system. This one seemingly simple request starts an avalanche of events and emotions. These two try to ignore the chemistry between them at first, but as they start to uncover something big beneath the day-to-day operations at Jillian’s office, they find comfort in being near one another.

Lynx can’t get himself together. He can’t figure out if this is the one time that it’s okay not to stick to the plan, or if he needs to walk away. But as Jillian gets herself in deeper with what’s going on at work, things get more dangerous. He needs to keep her close, keep her safe.

Jillian knows that Lynx is a recovering addict, and she has some addiction-related baggage. She’s incredibly drawn to him, superhero complex and all, but she just can’t get involved with an addict. She can’t face that disappointment. But that smile…

At one point I had to put the book down to get some sleep and I left it in an awkward place. I thought I was going to be going back to the introduction of a second story line at a pretty high point in the first, and I was worried about it. I was loving the story and the character development and I was nervous that this second story was going to be too much and take away from the real “meat and potatoes” of Jackson and Jillian. Luckily, the worry was all for naught. It simply picked up with Jackson’s new crisis having been averted, and dove right back in to the original plot line. The only problem I had with the book was that this particular thing left me hanging. I don’t feel like this ‘flash in the pan’ crisis added to the story, and not knowing what happened kind of felt like a loose thread. Maybe if it hadn’t felt like such a huge deal at the time, the lack of details wouldn’t have bothered me.

I am kicking myself for not having read the other books in this series. The story is fast paced, and the action and suspense aren’t the only elements that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The relationship development between Jackson and Jillian is not only intense and heated, but it’s believable. They both have their hang-ups and learn quickly how to push each others buttons. They go back and forth between being cautious and being passionate.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got 5 other Adrienne Giordano books to track down and read!

Beyond Control by Kit Rocha

 

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Another very satisfying read from Kit Rocha.

We return to Sector Four after the elimination of Wilson Trent. Dallas has got some unfinished business to deal with, and this time Lex finds herself right in the middle of it all.

I love the world these authors have created. Sector Four is the perfect combination of dark, dangerous, and delicious. And much like the O’Kane men, it’s dirty. Gritty. Exciting. Erotic.

In this installment, we get a deeper look into Dallas and Lex as individuals, as well as their on-again/off-again relationship. We still get to see Jasper (*swoon*) and Noelle, Bren, Ace, Rachel, Six and the rest of the gang, as well as some new faces. As tension mounts on the business side of Dallas O’Kane’s life, his personal life starts to crumble. Lex opens up to him, trusts him to catch her, and is taken aback when he lets her fall… hard. Lex is broken. So beautifully broken that my heart aches for her.

Can Dallas help her pick up the pieces again? What will become of the king of Sector Four? Can Dallas and Lex find a balance? A happy medium of give and take when it comes to the control they both crave?

Beyond Control is so much more than an erotic romance. It has action, suspense, heartache and of course, lots of dirty sex. Kit Rocha’s writing will transport you to Sector Four. I get so wrapped up in these gorgeously written characters and their world that I have a hard time getting out …not that I ever really want to leave!