Samantha Young – Valentine (An On Dublin Street Novella)

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Book Boyfriends do the BEST, MOST ROMANTIC Valentine’s Day!  From each hot husband (and fiancé) in the On Dublin Street Series ensues a romantic Valentine’s Day.  Braden, Adam, Cameron, Nate, Marco, and Cole each get their own story.  Having them all in one book was brilliant.  While all the married couples have kids, that didn’t stop each of them from having a fiery holiday.

I couldn’t help but compare my favorite characters.  I’m awarding the Best Valentine Line to Nate Sawyer

“Everyday is Valentine’s Day with you.”

New book in the series, available November 3, 2015

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See Related Posts:

Samantha Young – Echoes of Scotland Street

Samantha Young – Moonlight on Nightingale Way

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Ana Mederios – The Raven Room – Cover Reveal

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This book is intensely sexual and substantially intriguing.  There’s no denying that the book is delightfully erotic, but the fact that it engages the reader on an intellectual level as well makes it truly special.  I couldn’t stop thinking about the book after I finished it.

Julian is a character with a lot of layers and the authors peels them away in such a manner that it makes it very difficult to put the book down.  Julian is a child psychologist and his insight into sex from such a background is enlightening.

“If I showed you a video of a lion and a lioness mating, the chances of you getting wet are much higher than me getting a hard on.   Alas, one the many beautiful things about female sexuality.  I’m deeply envious.”

“You’re the one changing your own existence, Meredith.  I’m just the man who’ll make sure you get home safely.”

“We all fuck people for the strangest reason.  At least you’re aware of yours.”

Meredith starts out as the perfect lover – fun, passionate, and carefree.  Contrary to her selfish nature, later she proves to also be caring  and considerate without jealousy.  She’s also equally as perceptive as Julian.

“You’re ashamed of who you are.  The day you embrace yourself, you’ll be strong.  Until then you’re weak.”

The other characters lead to the mystery involved in the story.  I’m looking forward to reading the next in the series to see how it continues to play out.

As an added bonus, the story takes place in Chicago.  The author included a few notable landmarks but more importantly captured the essence of a Chicago winter.

This book will be published on November 3, 2015.

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Lorraine Loveit – Hard Ball 3rd Quarter: A Contested Possession (Playing the Game #3)

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Finally, a book where the submissive shows some backbone and starts to stand up for herself.  It’s okay to say NO.  It’s okay to use your safe word.  Neither scenario permanently destroys the nature of the D/s relationship.

The tides start to turn in this 3rd book in the series.  Brendon begins to warm up a bit.  In fact, his warmer moments were extremely hot!

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Susie starts to speak up for herself, which is fantastic.  She starts to level the playing field between her and Brendon – pun intended.

Brendon continues to have huge jealousy issues that makes him blind to the important thing in front of him.

See Related Posts about the Playing the Game Series:

Lorraine Loveit – Bounce Down

Lorraine Loveit – Getting Tackled

Lorraine Loveit – Full Time

Lorraine Loveit – Time On

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Emma Chase – Overruled (The Legal Briefs Series)

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Crazy-topsy-turvey emotional roller coaster!  Honestly, in the beginning I literally hated the main male character.  Many times the book made me think that he had lost his everliving mind.  I got so angry that I actually had to put the book down during the first evening of reading.  I desperately wanted someone to smack him.  On a few occasions the grandmother threatens to shoot him.  I was a bit disappointed when she held back on her instinct.

Did I hate the book?  ABSOLUTELY NOT!  It was great!  I highly recommend reading it.  Any romance book that can stir up that much emotion in a reader, is a good book.

How did I get past my negative feelings for Stanton?

First, I loved how strong the female characters are in this book.  Both Jenny and Sophia were excellent compliments to Stanton’s arrogance and idiocy.

Second, despite his numerous missteps, Stanton was a very sincere father to his daughter Presley.

Third, Emma Chase’s writing is funny and highly entertaining.

Fourth, (I’m a bit ashamed to admit) I read the epilogue before reading the second half of the book.  I couldn’t help myself.  I’m an HEA junkie and Stanton’s antics were stressing me out.  I realize the error of my ways and thoroughly admit that my actions warrant punishment.

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Fifth, Stanton does redeem himself.  He grovels well.

I looking forward to reading the next in the series: Sustained.

See Related Post:

Emma Chase – Tied

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Jon Wilde – His Undeniable Desire (The Undeniable #1)

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There’s no way to tame a bad boy – you’ll always get burned.  But if you have a taste for bad boys, it’s best to find one that had his run and has already been reformed.

This book starts out with heartbreak.  As a reader you see it coming as clearly as if you were watching a scary movie and the killer is hiding behind a closed door.  I could feel myself wanting to shield my eyes and peer through the small slits between my fingers.

The parallel story telling about young twenty somethings trying to date brings the reader to a state of demoralization.  This is a terrible place for a romance reader that loves a happily-ever-after, but it truly makes for an outstanding emotional rebound.

I like how the author points out how in MMA fighting, the key to winning is finding that one moment of opportunity and taking advantage.  This theme is also true in both love and life, which is reflected in the love story.

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C.D. Taylor – A Fighting Chance (Chances Are #3)

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The summer heat in Texas isn’t half as hot as the steamy scenes in this book.  C.D. Taylor nailed it with the third installment of the Chances Are Series.

Tyler is an ex-marine with a body for sin and a mind to get what he wants.  He has a great sense of what is important to him and stands by his convictions.  He’s hot and honorable all at the same time.

Tiffani is a woman with a complicated past that bleeds into a complicated present.  She hasn’t always made the best decisions in the past,  but with the right influences she can open her heart and secure a future.

When Tyler and Tiffani meet, it is an instant inferno of passion.  Both feel the incredible connection and know that the thing between them is more than a singular romp.

If you had the pleasure of reading the first two books in the series, Emily and Jake make a well-incorporated appearance in this book.  No worries if you didn’t read the others in the series, A Fighting Chance can also be read as a stand alone.

See Related Post:

C.D. Taylor – Left to Chance

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Christina Lauren – Dark Wild Night (Wild Seasons #3)

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It’s terrifying to cross the line between friendship and lovers.  This book captures that fear and temptation masterfully.  The longing looks.  The innuendos.  The flirtation.

Oliver owns a comic book store and Lola is a comic book artist and writer.  Sounds like a perfect match, yes?  They have that perfect connection where their mutual friends think they communicate in their own language.  They can enjoy a silence between themselves and not feel awkward.  They have a shared nerdy sensibility that allows them to relate so well together.

My favorite moment is when Oliver decides that he wants to propose to Lola.  It has nothing to do with how she looks or feels in bed, but how her mind works to fight for her comic book.

I have physical proof that this book is fabulous.  It’s been 24 hours since I finished the book and I still can feel the pain and happiness for these characters in my chest and gut.

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See Related Post:

Christina Lauren – “Dirty Rowdy Thing”

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L.T. Kelly – Kissing Cassie

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Not all romance novels have to break sacrements in order to stir up scintillating taboo passion.  In Kissing Cassie, Cassie is in the final stages of a bad marriage: they hardly converse, don’t do anything together, and don’t engage in sex.  Even the last ditch effort of a romantic get-away doesn’t reignite their relationship.  But when Cassie literally falls into the arms of a gorgeous Hollywood actor, Jared, she doesn’t break her vows and sleep with him.

The pace of this book is extraordinary.  The kindness, respect, and patience that Jared and Cassie show each other is the root of what makes their passion hot.

This book is full of surprises that left me saying, “Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.”  That is something that I rarely find in romance books, but is a treasure.

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Eliza Madison – Service With a Smolder

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Holy Hot Steamy Read!  It sizzles like bacon in a skillet.  Strip teases and sex up against the glass window of a Chicago high rise . . .

sorry, I had to pause and fan myself while I was recalling those scenes.

And to top it off, the story involves a couple that truly compliment each other.  Nina is a medical student and Kam is a recovered transplant patient.  While Kam has some body issues of his own, he is able to give Nina the confidence to deal with her own body issues.  Kam is having a hard time getting his career back on track, but Nina gathers strength from him in order to confront her asshole boss.  Likewise, Nina provides Kam his first step in opening up his feelings about his tragedy.

See Related Post:

Eliza Madison – Fast, Fresh, and Hot

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Olivia Cunning – Insider (Exodus End World Tour #1)

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Olivia Cunning produces another OUTSTANDING ROCK STAR BOOK!  Her books are so great that I think the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences needs to add a new category just for for her.  It could be The Best Ficticious Band or The Ficiticious Band Most Wished to be Real.  Hey, I wish all hot book boyfriends could come to life (to my life).

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As much as I love, love, love her other series, I had my doubts about this book before I read this one.  Could she actually start another series about a new band that could compare to Sinners and Sole Regret?  Answer – YES!  I fell in love with these band members just as quickly.  Exodus End has the sexy as hell rock star qualities and the comradery as the other bands, but there is a strength in their connection based on getting through some internal strife.

Logan is more than just the player that he wants everyone to believe.  His jealousy is attractive in an ironic sort of way.  His patience for Tori’s inexperience is astonishing.  But most of all, his affection for Tori’s sister is incredibly endearing.

Tori’s recurrent reality checks with Logan makes her one the most likable rockstar girlfriend.

Once again, Olivia Cunning has a way of writing sex and humor in such a way that you can’t book the down.  One of my favorite lines is between Tori and her co-worker Julian:

Tori – “What else am I supposed to sleep in?”

Julian – “Nothing.  The wet spot.  A puddle of your own vomit.  Anything would be preferable to pajamas.”

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I love that amidst this highly sex-charged environment that the power of a kiss isn’t lost.

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I can’t wait to read the next in the series, coming in 2016.

BONUS: The reader gets a taste of Sinners and Sole Regret.  Since Reagan is in Exodus End, Trey makes an appearance. Shade weaves his way into the story line as well.

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