WHEN YOU STAYED
Series:

was never meant to stay in Rose Ridge.

My father was the president of a notorious motorcycle club, so if something rattled him enough to request that I go, I should have listened.

In my defense, at the time, it seemed more terrifying to give up the only dream I ever had than to leave like everyone else.

I should have known that chasing that dream would lead back to the club, because everything in this town eventually did.

I wasn’t expecting to see a familiar face, glaring as usual, amidst the chaos surrounding the Stone Riders. For years, I had endured scowls, glares, and scoffs from Ford Ryan. However, there was something new and different about his heated stare, and even that oddly protective touch.

Something dangerous and addictive.

I should have left when I had the chance, because my proximity to Ford and the club meant I was close to danger. Even worse would be discovering exactly why Ford chose to stay when, out of all of us, he had every reason not to.

AMAZON

I was only ever falling for her. And I was fucking tired of it.

I love a next gen spinoff, but this one just hit especially good. And suffice it to say, I’m wholly obsessed with this new series from one of my favorites! A next gen MC series? Say less!

Now if there’s one thing about me, it’s that I am a sucker for the male yearning trope. And the way that Ford yearns for Royce? It’s on a whole different level. The man has been obsessed with her since they were young. But she also happens to be his best friend’s ex.

I didn’t care how long it was going to take, I knew that one day we’d be here. With you in my arms, and me confessing how fucking insane I am for you.”

Royce is the daughter of Killian from Where We Belong. I love the overprotective father Killian in this book. But I also wanted to throttle him for the way he goes about doing it at multiple parts. Royce is the MC princess. She’s a free spirit and as fierce as her parents. She also had the biggest crush on Ford when they were kids, but Ford has never treated her as anything more than an inconvenience he has to tolerate. The secret mutual pining was as amazing as it was frustrating, because what do you mean they went for years without this conversation. It did make their coming together that much more satisfying. But I swear, I also wanted to throttle Royce for some choices she made as well.

Ford is rough and gruff but he doesn’t play around when it comes to Royce. And when he finally has the chance, he’s not about to blow it. And oh my god, the mouth on this man. Delicious.

We fuck once, and it’s as good as havin’ a fucking ring on your finger, Rose. You’re mine for always. I won’t ever share you with another.”

See what I mean? This man breathes for Royce. And who doesn’t love a man obsessed? I know I sure do.

Much like the previous series, there is a story arc that continues throughout the books. So while we do get a HEA for Royce and Ford and one piece of the puzzle is figured out, there are still plenty of questions left for the next book.

The threat against the club still exists and there are plenty of appetizing plot twists that are thrown in that we will see reveal themselves in the next books. All I will say without spoiling anything is that the set up for the next books couples is utterly DELICIOUS.

I loved Royce and Ford’s much deserved HEA and their slow but inevitable journey to each other.

I might not know how to tell you everything, Royce, but one thing that has never changed is that I have stayed. Even when you weren’t mine. Even when you were just a dream. When it didn’t make any sense, when it cost me a future. I stayed right the fuck here. I might not always know how to explain shit, baby, but I’d never leave you. I know you better than anyone else, and if you tried to run, I’d find you. Because you’re mine, Royce. You’re always going to be mine.”

If you enjoyed Ashley’s Stone Riders series, you will absolutely love this one! I can’t recommend it enough for any of my fellow MC romance lovers out there.

BOUND BY LIES
Series:

From Amazon bestselling author Lylah James comes a new dark, arranged-marriage romance about a mafia princess and the cruel man who did everything to ruin her in an effort to make her…his.

For the longest time, I had been a pawn between two empires built on blood.
I had been promised to Matteo, who was supposed to be my future.

But it was his brother who ruined me.

Adrian Salvatore—reckless, merciless, carved from sin and evil. The brother no one dared to control. The one who looked at me like I was always meant to be…his.

He stole my first kiss beneath the moonlight, right there at my engagement party.
And he never stopped.
Not when I begged.
Not when I threatened.

Until one night…

One mistake. One unforgivable moment that shattered everything I was raised to protect. My modesty, my virtue, my family’s honor.

Somehow I found myself bound to Adrian in ways I never wanted.

But he didn’t believe in love.
Everything he had ever done was driven by vengeance.

Adrian wasn’t going to protect me.
Instead, he had promised to break me.

Somewhere between the hate and fear became a reckless obsession.
And with that obsession came more destruction.
We were both damned, but only one of us would survive the monster we’d become.

BOUND BY LIES is book one in the dark and twisted FATAL ALLIANCES series. Please read the author’s note at the beginning of the book.

AMAZON

Inside, I burned and withered. Outside, I was the flawless pawn. Perfect wife. Perfect lie. Perfect illusion.

Did I finish this book or did it finish me? Because what do you MEAN with this cliffhanger? I AM NOT OK!!!

Our story was forged from shattered bones and built on splintered spines; our pages soaked in blood and stained with death, cursed from the first sentence by a fate neither of us would ever outrun.

Dark mafia romance fans, gather round, because if this book isn’t on your radar, you are seriously missing out.

Now let me tell you something. I love and I mean LOVE this genre. But as of late, stories that truly stick with me are few and hard to come by. Everything sort of feels generic, repetitive and with glorified shock value. Like a whole lot of meh. So for a story to have this level of a chokehold on me? That deserves 4 stars for that alone. But I digress. Let’s talk about this book.

This is book one in the Fatal Alliances series and it is not a standalone. That cliffhanger will hit you with the force of a two by four and I’m still licking my wounds. But the pain is so worth it because I DEVOURED this story.

Do you like your MMCs mean, villainous, and absolutely pitch black? Meet Adrian Salvatore. This man will have you hating him when you’re not lusting after him. And yes, it’s absolutely toxic, but man did I love him as much as I loved to hate him.
Do you like your FMCs fierce, to give as good as they get, and with a spine of steel? Meet Serafina Morelli. She is the Morelli mafia princes and promised to a Salvatore brother to unite the two families. But unbeknownst to her, the brother she’s not engaged has bigger plans, and suddenly she finds herself in the crosshairs of his dangerous game of revenge. Her world turned upside down, she’s suddenly drowning in lies and deadly secrets.

This wasn’t love. It wasn’t even affection. It was something else entirely. It was dark and feral. Obsessive and violent. A desperate need to feel something… anything… besides the horror and the fear and the hatred that consumed us both.

To say that Serafina and Adrian were absolutely toxic together is an understatement. I absolutely hated Adrian for the way he treated her. But I also loved the way she fights against his binds. This is a woman who doesn’t just take her fate lying down.

There is so much to both of their stories that we just scratch the surface with this book. We get a small snippet of understanding of what is driving Adrian. And the more I read, the more I began to understand him. Did I still judge him? Absolutely. But I also loved peeling back all of his many layers.

This was dark and deliciously twisty. Full of secrets and an electric chemistry that is as toxic as it is all consuming.

I have been rocking myself in a corner since I finished and will remain there until I get my hands on book two.

View all my reviews

VICIOUS REIGN
Series:

Kirill Baronov is the heir to a bratva empire built on sin and lies. And I’m going to ruin him.

My mother left when I was just a girl. It broke something in me that never healed.

Eighteen years later, I learn she didn’t abandon me. She was taken by the Baronovs—the most powerful crime family in New York.

I’ll do anything to find out what happened to her.

With a fake name and a pretty smile, I walk into their exclusive club and convince Kirill to hire me.

He doesn’t know I’m here for answers. For revenge.

Seducing him was part of the plan. His obsession with me wasn’t.

He claims me as his. Kills to keep me safe.

And with every forbidden touch, I forget I’m supposed to hate him.

But secrets don’t stay buried forever.

And when mine surface, love won’t be enough to save me.

Tropes Include:
– Bratva Romance
– Hacker Heroine
– Forced Marriage
– Secret Identity
– Boss/Employee
– Abduction
– Touch Her & D!e
– Possessive MMC

Vicious Reign can be read as a complete standalone. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

AMAZON

It’s like she’s crawled under my skin and set fire to every nerve ending.

Oh the way this book hit the spot for me, in ways I didn’t even know I needed. This was absolutely my favorite in this series so far! And if you’re a fan of sexy dark mafia romance with a badass FMC, you’re going to want to add this to your TBR expeditiously.

She’s not just someone I’m fucking. She’s mine in a way I don’t fully understand but can’t deny.

Our FMC, Dinara Potapova, is a Belov Syndicate hacker extraordinaire. And if you’ve read Brutal Reign, then you’re already familiar with Pavel Belov. And if you haven’t read it yet, change that immediately. But I digress.

Dinara leaves Moscow for New York to attend the renowned Manhattan Tech Institute. Or at least, on the surface. But unbeknownst to Pavel and her father, Dinara takes on a new name as Evelina Panova and poses a stripper for an audition in one of New York’s high end clubs. To what end? To weave her way into the inner circle of Velour’s owners; the Belovs. Who also happen to be New York’s ruthless Bratva. But where she’s hoping to skate under the radar, she immediately catches the attention of Kirill Belov and boy do the sparks fly here.

When I tell you that this was absolute trope candy to me, I mean it was UTTERLY DELICIOUS. We’re talking forced arranged marriage here and I was gobbling it up with a spoon.

Tell me who this p*ssy belongs to.”
Silence. She presses her lips together stubbornly. “Dinara.” I withdraw my hand completely. “Answer me or I walk out of here right now.”
“You already know the answer,” she says, breathless.
“Say it anyway.”
“You.”
“And who am I to you?”
Her eyes flash with defiance as her body trembles with need. “You’re an asshole who drugged me and forced me into marriage.”
I lean down to her ear. “Try again. Who. Am. I.”
She turns her face away. “Kirill.”
“Keep going.”
“My…” She swallows hard. “My husband.”

I am UNWELL. Unwell I tell you.

Kirill is possessive and so intense in the best ways possible. This man’s obsession begins the second he lays eyes on “Evelina”. And let me tell you, that stripper audition definitely makes an impression. So much so that he refuses to let any other man see her that way and hires her as a server instead. But he can’t seem to stay away from her.

And Dinara has every reason to hate Kirill and his family. After all, she thinks that his family knows the truth behind her mother’s disappearance all those years ago. The disappearance that isn’t what she once thought and is not determined to get to the bottom of. But the longer she spends time in Kirill’s presence, the more difficult it becomes to ignore the pull between them.

I loved Kirill’s possessiveness. There’s just something about a jealous and obsessed fictional man that just hits. And Kirill was everything I had hoped he would be and so much more. Dinara was the perfect match for him in all ways. SHe’s ruthless and vicious in her own right and I loved the way she fought her own battles. She was fierce and gave as good as she got.

The tension and chemistry was SIZZLING. The story was a non stop thrill ride and I couldn’t put it down. I binge read it from cover to cover. For all my fellow lovers of dark mafia romance, I cannot recommend this one enough!

Welcome to Guardian Protection Agency—a sizzling series of interconnected standalones featuring alpha bodyguards and the women who bring them to their knees.

I once made the mistake of falling for a client, and it nearly cost me my career.
Jaded and disgraced, I used my attitude as armor so it could never happen again.

Until I was assigned to protect Lofton Beck.

Hollywood’s golden girl had a stalker on her tail—and two dead bodyguards.

She was a nightmare from the start. Didn’t follow orders. Had no concept of boundaries. Worst of all, she was so damn gorgeous I couldn’t build my walls strong enough to keep her out.

As the threats escalated, we were forced into hiding at her family’s farm. Keeping my distance became impossible with her sleeping in the room next door.

Somewhere between our early mornings together and the quiet moments when the world disappeared, it became clear her stalker wasn’t the most dangerous part of the assignment.

Protecting her was never the problem.
Falling for her could cost me everything.

AMAZON

There was nothing professional about this. Not even a little. But dear God, it felt incredible.

Devon is the one character whose book I didn’t even know I wanted, but now that I have it, It’s one of the most deserved HEAs that I could have asked for. And if you don’t know who Devon Grant is, do yourself a favor and read The Fall Up and The Spiral Down. First, they’re phenomenal books. But also, it will give you a good snippet into Devon’s origin story. And it was a hot mess. Hence me having no idea that I wanted his book. But man oh man did he win me over in this book!!!

Fuck me. Fuck my life. And fuck good deeds that led to an ungodly beautiful woman kissing me. I might have been the first man in all of history to say that last part. I didn’t suspect many men would’ve gone into full panic mode after a kiss from Lofton Beck. Honest to God, I didn’t know I had a panic mode before her lips touched mine.

The last thing Devon is looking for is to return to being a bodyguard for a famous client. The first time he did, it ended in disaster. And now his assignment is to protect the beautiful actress, Lofton Beck, who is in the crosshairs of a dangerous stalker who has recently turned lethally violent. She needs to hide and Devon is assigned to ensure nothing gets to her. But the woman will also be the end of him because the instant hit of attraction that sizzles between them is unwanted at best and dangerous at worse. So what’s an elite bodyguard to do? Be a complete and total a*hole to her, obviously.

The man who could clear a room, read a threat, and talk me off a ledge without breaking a sweat stood at the foot of my bed with absolutely no idea what to do with his hands.

I love a confident FMC, and Lofton won me over immediately. I loved the way that she relentlessly pursues Devon but not in a brash or overly zealous way. Just a woman who knows what she wants and also understands her own appeal. And Devon, poor Devon, didn’t stand a chance.

I dragged in a breath that did nothing to quell the storm brewing inside me as I stared at the woman who I had no doubt was going to ruin me. “Jesus Christ,” I breathed. It wasn’t a prayer. But it was definitely a surrender.

This is a romantic suspense that was the perfect balance of action and romance. I love the way that Aly weaves both together so seamlessly that tone just amplifies the other. I also love the way she packs an emotional punch that never fails to hit all the feels. And I’m not sure whose story did that more; Devon or Lofton’s. The pacing was fantastic, the chemistry was sizzling, and the character development was so satisfying that I couldn’t get enough.

I was hoping that Aly would write more in this series and she seriously delivered with this book. It may have been my favorite in this series and I hope she continues because I need more!

If you’re looking for a bodyguard romance that has suspense, a little splash of hate to love, and one heck of an emotional punch, then do yourself a favor and read this one immediately!

LOVE OVERBOARD

From USA Today, #1 Amazon, and BookTok bestselling author Kandi Steiner comes a sizzling, second-chance romance set on the high seas—perfect for fans of Below Deck and readers who crave angsty, high-stakes love stories.

Ember Reed is finally living her dream: chief stew on a Mediterranean superyacht, sun-kissed days at sea, and the star of Close Quarters, the hottest new reality TV show. But just as she finds her stride, the producers throw her a curveball—by hiring the one man who nearly sank her.

Finn Pearson was the one that got away. The boy who kissed her like they had forever, then left without a word. But now he’s the chef in her new crew, and the cameras are watching their every move, innocent, or not.

Even on a superyacht, there’s nowhere to hide from the past. Every stolen glance, every whispered argument, every lingering memory threatens to ignite what never fully burned out. And as the tension spills into their day jobs, even the dinner service is spiralling into disaster.

They’ve crashed before… but could eight weeks at sea be their second chance to get it right? Or will it be the storm that finally sinks them for good?

————————————————-

TROPES:

• second chance
• reality tv
• forced proximity
• forbidden
• high stakes
• angsty
• Below Deck vibes

AMAZON

One touch, one look, one breath from him had me ready to risk it all.

There’s just something about angst written by Kandi Steiner that just hits different. And boy did this one hit. Hit in all the feels.

If cutting him out meant bleeding for a while, I’d take the pain.

Picture this. You’ve worked for your dream for years and finally landed a dream job as a chief stew on a reality TV show. But now you’re stuck on the boat with your ex that you never got over who is working on the boat as the chef. Oh and you’re also stuck rooming with his girlfriend. Sounds messy, right? Oh but it was. DELICIOUSLY messy.

The tension between Finn and Ember is absolutely palpable the second these two see each other again. Their romance was fast and fiery> it burned hot and then it fell apart in the most painful way. It may have been two years, but it becomes very clear than neither is over the other and time didn’t heal wounds. Ember’s anger and pain over how they fell apart felt like a living thing between them. Even though her own ambition was as much to blame for their end as Finn’s choices. But Ember didn’t know all the why’s of it, so I don’t blame her for the anger she carries. With each fiery fight they have on the boat, more details about their past revealed, you get to understand each of them in a way that you can’t help but root for them all while knowing it will end in disaster.

I loved the way the story is written primarily in Ember’s POV, but you also get to get a preview during the cast production interviews. You get to understand each of the secondary characters that much better. The pacing was perfect, the angst was angsting, and the romance once it finally lights up…is sizzling.

Sit that pretty c*nt on my face. Let me taste you, love. I want to drown in your next orgasm before I fuck you into your third.

If you’re looking for an agnsty second chance romance with reality TV drama and all the feels, look no further. Because this one hit every spot I didn’t even know I had!

THE WOMAN FROM NOWHERE

After a heartbreaking betrayal, Mabel Adams reinvents herself for the fourth time. Regardless of the alarming reputation of the deceptively sleepy town of Misted Pines, she decides to move all the way across the country to start yet again.

Mabel has a one-night stand with a mountain man who rocks her world in bed but doesn’t tell her his name.

The next day, after receiving a threatening note from her neighbors, she discovers she’s living next to an extremist cult where the women go in and are never seen again.

After serving, former Navy SEAL Hutch Hutchison is living a peaceful life on his patch in the mountains outside Misted Pines. He’s been burned so many times by women, he’s happy to train his guard dogs, play his guitar, live remote, and most of all, quiet.

Until he hooks up with a beautiful woman who lives just down the way. And then he discovers she’s been threatened by the cult next door.

Hutch’s protective instinct sparks, and he decides his next mission is to keep Mabel safe at all costs.

But there’s something even hinkier about that cult than Hutch or local law enforcement expect.

As Hutch executes the riskiest mission of his life—keeping Mabel safe at the same time keeping both of their hearts intact—Hutch and the Sheriff’s Department try to unravel the mystery of The Lion and The Lamb before it’s too late.

Because Mabel is in their crosshairs.

And Hutch is not about to allow her to disappear.

AMAZON

I knew it from the first song I heard him sing. He was the biggest risk I ever took. But he was the only risk that was worth anything.

You can’t see me right now but just know that I am giddily clapping my hands and kicking my feet because OMG this book hit the spot just right. But then again, I haven’t met a KA book that didn’t. But this one in particular just did it for me. Maybe it was that I was in exactly the right mood for me. Maybe because it was one of those addictive swoony romances. Or maybe it was a combo of both. Whatever the case may be, I came for the vibes and I stayed for the story. And I loved every part about it!

Are you always this much of a dick?” I demanded.
He stepped away from me but didn’t lose eye contact. “Nope,” he said casually. “It only comes out when I got a woman on my hands with more sass than sense.”

What’s a girl to do when her one night stand not only ghosts her but turns out to be your new dog trainer? And you need said dog trainer after you get a dog for protection because you have some super kooky neighbors who may or may not be a cult living next to your property and judging you by leaving oddly threatening notes on your door. Well, if you’re Mabel, you buckle up for the ride is what you do. Oh and you also adopt a sweet husky named Tonks who also loves to be bossed around by your grumpy one night stand turned dog trainer.

Quiet,” Hutch ordered a still-howling Tonks with so much authority in his tone, even I was thinking I wouldn’t utter a word for the next two days. For sure Tonks shut up and sat down.

Oh and said one night stand is also retired SEAL. So there’s that. YUM. But I digress.

Ranger Emmett “Hutch” Hutchison is a mouthful in every sense of the word. *wagges eye brows*. He’s also your typical KA tortured MMC and I loved the hell out of him. He’s all loe wolf until he finds out that the one night stand he can’t seem to get out of his mind is in danger. And then he’s all growly, overly protective, manly intensity and OMG I was obsessed.

This is a man who has been through it and his heart can’t take any more so he’s given up on relationships. They’re just not meant to be for him and his history.

Mabel comes with a story of her own and this poor woman has been through it herself. But instead of letting it take over, she’s allowed it to bloom her into her new self. She was such a well rounded, even keeled, self assured FMC and I absolutely adored her. She’s take charge and doesn’t stand for any non sense. But she also allows her vulnerability to shine through in spite of what she’s been through. I couldn’t think of a better match for Hutch.

There is an underlying element of suspense that is weaved into the romance but the romance was primary. I adored it. I binge read it in one day and never wanted it to end. And while I love a bit of drama with a third act breakup, this one had none of that. Just two people slowly healing each other and their relationship growing and evolving organically in the best of ways.

If you’re looking for a swoony and steamy romance with a grumpy MMC and sunshine FMC with a splash of suspense, look no further! I can’t wait for more in this series!

For more information on Kristen Ashley, visit: https://www.kristenashley.net/

Connect with Kristen Ashley
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/44hqxyI
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3U1PKYY
Instagram: https://bit.ly/49MgbIi
TikTok: https://bit.ly/49LMg2L
Bluesky: https://bit.ly/3ZKTHW5
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/4aKmmxM
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3UbHWE3
BookBub: https://bit.ly/3vUbQoz

GREEN EYED DEVIL

Allegra Agosti is dead.
She died five years ago, while her husband watched.

But now she’s back.

Alive, unrecognizable, and colder than the girl she used to be. The girl who loved too deeply. Trusted too fully. Broke too easily.
And Enzo Agosti… He is not the man she remembers.

His reputation precedes him. Beautiful. Lethal. Amoral. As do his conquests: every week he has a new stunning model on his arm.

So why, then, when he sees Allegra again, he looks at her like she is the answer to all his prayers?

Their marriage was once tragic obsession dressed as love. Now it’s longing sharpened into a weapon.

And no matter how much time passes, some things never change:

Allegra is the only person Enzo has ever loved.

But Enzo is the one person Allegra has vowed to kill.

Revenge is a dish best served cold. But every time Allegra and Enzo come together, they burn hotter than ever.

They circle each other with old hunger and new wounds—too angry to forgive, too bound to let go.

Yet only one outcome is possible: either she kills him first, or he teaches her how to love him again.

Green Eyed Devil is a DARK enemies to lovers romance. Parts were previously published in Morally Decadent.

AMAZON

Wretched is the one who loves but can never be loved back.

I first discovered Veronica’s writing with her Morally Questionable series (and loved Morally Corrupt. I have no idea why I never finished the series but when I saw that she’s revamping the books, I saw it as my sign. And one binge read later, here we are.

Now this is one of those books where you will need to fully suspend your disbelief and go on vibes only. Because if you can’t, this book is not for your, friend, and you will not enjoy it. However, if you like morally grey mafia men, dark themes and even darker details, with a splash of unrequited (or is it?) love, this is definitely a good time.

I devoured the first 65% of this book. I mean I binge read it until the break of dawn and I don’t remember the last time I did that. That deserves a star of its own. But I digress. The story starts in the present, where we meet our FMC, who everyone thinks is dead, including her husband.

Allegra Agosti died five years ago. They didn’t just kill my body—they killed my heart, my spirit, my hope. Now I am a shell with a purpose… And no one can stop me.

After that, we spend the majority of the story in the past. We get to see how everything comes to pass; Allegra’s fateful meeting with Enzo and the absolute madness that her life becomes.

Now if you know me, then you know how much I love my fictional red flags. So is it any wonder that I fell head over heels over the emotionally constipated, quick to jealous rages, manipulative adonis that was Enzo Agosti? I think not.

Allegra and Enzo’s story is as toxic as it comes. Its obsession drenched in dark possession. And for everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) that Allegra goes through, she never loses her spark or her backbone. This is a woman who gives as good as she gets, whether it’s her husband, his toxic family, or her own. Now I will say that this book suffered from one too many villains. Like literally 85% of the secondary characters in this story are the literal scum of the earth. It didn’t need all that and at times it was almost too much and began to take away from the story. It became a distraction and a game of how much one person can go through and survive. I mean, remember when I told you to suspend your disbelief? This is why.

Both of the characters had many layers and the more that the onion was peeled back, the more I fell for Enzo. By the end of the book, I understood exactly why he was the way he was even when I wanted to hate him in parts of the book for the way he treats Allegra in the effort to keep her at arm’s length. I enjoyed Allegra’s character too, as well as her growth through the years.

The story spans over several years; from the time that they meet to 5 years later when she “dies”. The story is fast paced and action packed. And although it did feel too much was thrown in, it was still incredibly entertaining and kept me reading into the night. Though I did regret that decision after reading two of the most excruciatingly graphic torture scenes that I fear may live rent free in my head for the foreseeable future. But it’s a dark romance, so I didn’t exactly expect fluffy kittens and rainbow. However, I am slightly traumatized, not going to lie.

Anyways, this was an entertain, gritty and dark read that I definitely enjoyed. Was it perfect? No. But it hit the spot and it brought me out of my slump. So 4 stars for the vibes.

BURNING BLOOD

The second book in the Darkest Destiny Trilogy by New York Times Bestseller, Pepper Winters.

Lucien has three goals.
Escape Cinderkeep.
Ignore his feelings for Rook.
And drown in a sea of his enemies’ blood.

Rook only has one goal.
Stay alive.

But if she gives him what he wants…one of them will die.
And if one dies…the other follows.


Dark. Obsessive. Fated.
Perfect for readers who love morally grey villains, forced proximity, touch-her-and-die energy, and romance that becomes elemental.

Tropes:
Fated Mates
Elemental Magic
High Stakes
Secrets & Lies
The Burn is REAL
Power Play
Corruption
Soul Bonds
Modern to Epic Fantasy
Morally grey antihero
Touch-her-and-die energy

AMAZON

We were both driven to a disastrous edge. An edge that promised total destruction if we didn’t stop. But we couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop.

After the painful cliffhanger in book one, I was pretty sure I was ready to sell my soul for my next hit of this trilogy. And if you’ve ever read a Pepper Winters book, then you already know how masterfully she can suck you into her dark prose.

At the end of Darkest Trilogy, we were left with more questions than answers. And I’m sorry to inform you, but it’s ten fold with this book. I may have the shakes after finishing it.

We get one step closer to the mystery of who Rook and Lucien really are. Why does Rook suffer debilitating headaches? Why is she the only one who can calm the raging fiery storm that brews inside Lucien. What does Lucien’s blood really do? And how do they fit together within their destinies. Those are all things we get one step closer to learning but only graze the surface.

Herein also lies the rub of my review. Because I did find myself struggling to finish. The pacing felt slow and a touch repetitive in parts. It took me about 5 days to finish and I found losing interest from the 20%-70% mark. Now, my mood could also have a lot to do with this so take this with a grain of salt. Because once I got to the 70% mark, the plot thickens, and I was absolutely riveted to the pages.
We finally get a taste of the action that I’ve been craving, only to be hit with another cliffhanger that I swear felt even harder than the first.

So here I am, yet again, shaking until I can get my hands on the conclusion.

HUNT THE VILLAIN
Series:

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes a standalone dark MM mafia rivals romance set in the world of Legacy of Gods.

I’m hunting a monster

The first time I met Yulian Dimitriev, it was hate at first sight.
He’s brash, chaotic, and a violence-junkie.
In short, everything I disregard.
As heirs to two notorious mafia organizations, we were shoved together in an unorthodox setting.
The more I learn about Yulian, the deeper my loathing seeps.
Until I truly see the person within, and something forbidden sparks between us.
But our coexistence is cut short when tragedy strikes.
Yulian and I go back to our respective, parallel worlds that shouldn’t cross.
But they do.
And once again, I’m dragged into the orbit of a man I shouldn’t want.
Two men can’t be together in our world.
But Yulian blurs every limit I thought existed until everything is in jeopardy.
Our hearts included.

Tropes:

• Grumpy x Chaotic Sunshine
• Mafia Romance
• Enemies to Lovers
• Second Chance Tension
• Pining / Longing
• Mutual Obsession
• Bi Awakening

Hunt the Villain is a male x male dark college romance. This book can be read as a standalone, but for a better understanding of the world, it’s recommended to read Kiss the Villain first.

AMAZON

“Go ahead and kiss me. You know you want to.”
“I fucking despise you sometimes.”
“And the rest of the time?”
“I want to kill you.” My lips crash to his

Look, I don’t know what sort of book crack Rina pours into these books, but I hope she never stops. I thought I loved Nico and Brandon’s book, but then I met Yulian. And who knew someone can possibly get more feral and unhinged than Nikolai. But Yulian was an absolute masterpiece of manic chaos and obsession and I fell head over ovaries for this man.

Remember what I said before. One way or another, I always get what I want, Mishka.”

Where Yulian is manic chaos, Vaughn is controlled anger. This man is as calculated and masterful as his father. And when your father is THE Kirill Morozov, well, that’s some big shoes to fill. But Vaughn quickly shows that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

We finally understand and get to see where these two first cross paths and how they end back in each other’s orbit. And now that scene that hooked us all (Vaughn with his chain around Yulian) finally gets its origin story and boy was I here for it.

Yulian is obsession with laser focused intent. When he sets his eyes on Vaughn, he’ll stop at nothing to bring him back in his world. Rivaling mafia families? Doesn’t matter. Vaughn has a girlfriend? Well, let’s just say he deals with that one in a very Yulian way.

The banter and sexual tension between these two was on a whole other level. I couldn’t get enough of their angry lusting. And oh how much of that angry lusting! It was delicious. And then an obsessed Vaughn? GAH!

A universe where he belongs to someone else doesn’t fucking exist.

I read this book in whisper sync, with both audio and the kindle version. And trust me, if you want an experience for your ears, you need to experience this full cast audio book. And Teddy Hamilton as Yulian was an experience not to be missed.

I devoured this book and while it’s a THICK story, it read faster than I hoped because I didn’t want it to end. The chemistry was out of this world. The emotions were perfection. And the story, a non stop thrill ride. And the preview for the next book? I’m gagged.

RIGHT YOUR WRONGS

What happens when the youngest, most successful coach in the NHL comes face-to-face with the woman he never got over — only to find out she’s married to his new General Manager?

Everything I’ve spent my life building is suddenly at risk.

I loved Ariana Ridley long before the world knew my name. Before the NHL. Before the pressure of being one of the youngest coaches in the league. Before I learned how to survive by locking my heart down tight.

Leaving her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done — and the one choice I never made peace with.

Now she’s back.
And she belongs to another man.

My new General Manager.

I tell myself I can handle it. Discipline is my job. Control is my strength. I know how to keep my distance — how to respect the lines that should never be crossed.

But every glance drags the past to the surface. Every quiet moment reminds me the love I buried never died.

I see the cracks she tries to hide, the fear she’s learned to live with, and the way she still looks at me like I’m the one place she can breathe.

I want to protect her.
I want to fight for her.
And I want things I have no right to want.

Because if I cross that line, I don’t just risk my career — I risk shattering the woman I never stopped loving.

Some choices haunt us forever.
Some loves never let go.

And trying to right my wrongs might just ruin us both.

AMAZON

If a heart was tied to a person, mine was inextricably bound to her—and it stopped beating the day I left her behind.

Kandi Steiner definitely left the best for last. And considering I have absolutely loved this entire series, that’s saying something. But this book? Oh the emotional damage of it all. Coach McCabe finally gets his much awaited HEA and what a hard earner HEA it was. My heart strings are still recovering.

He looked like a man who knew exactly who he was. And worse—like a man who still knew exactly how to undo me.

Now there is nothing better than male yearning in my book. And Shane wears his yearning on his sleeve.

Now let me set the scene for you. Imagine you meet the love of your life in college. You fall hard and fast. But then everything in both of your lives is turned upside down and he leaves. He’s never forgotten about you or gotten over you in the twenty years that you’ve been apart. And when you suddenly find yourself back in his orbit, he doesn’t play games or pretend he doesn’t know you. Oh no. His love for you shines through his eyes in ever blink. But there’s one problem; you’re married, and your husband is the new General Manager of the hockey team he coaches. Sounds utterly heart wrenching and delicious, right? That’s because it really was.

I’d failed her back then. I wouldn’t fail her again. That girl was still everything to me. And I’d be damned if I’d be the man who walked away from her twice.

You know what I hate? When the reason for the couple parting when they’re young is some long winded miscommunication trope where one leaves for the supposed good of the other without saying anything or talking about it. The fallout between Shane and Ariana was painful but it was real. Both of them talk about it and try their hardest. This was the most perfectly painful right person, wrong time type of scenario. First, Shane’s life falls apart and then both their youthful inexperience does.

When Ari ends back in Shane’s orbit, he doesn’t steamroll her to get what he wants. He watches her every move and his ability to see her doesn’t seem to fade. It doesn’t take him long to clock into things and when he does, he’s determined to do everything in his power. And while yes, this technically has a little cheating, I can’t imagine a man who deserved it more than Ari’s husband. There’s no gray area there. I hated it from the second he appeared on the page.

But enough about that man. Lets talk about Shane, because this man stole my whole heart.

She could run from the moment, from the intensity, from me. But I would never run from her again. And I didn’t care what I risked in the process.

Imagine a man who doesn’t mince words, doesn’t hide his feelings, doesn’t play games, and has been yearning for the FMC for as long as they’ve been apart. He’s a professional hockey coach, sexy as sin, and with a dirty mouth that I couldn’t get enough of.

I want to live here, Ariana. I want to die here. You were made for me. You and this perfect fucking cunt.”.

I adored this book. I couldn’t get enough of this story. I loved every word, every page, every chapter. And I binged it from cover to cover.

If you love a second chance romance with one of the most satisfying HEAs, then you need this book in your life!