And my love for Jasinda and all things WILDER was born.

Cover reveal:

Teaser Synopsis:

The post Cover Reveal and Teaser: Falling Into Us by Jasinda Wilder (Falling book 2) appeared first on BookCrack.

Officially the SOT book tour is over, but now that we’ve had a chance to read all five books we’re back on track (couldn’t resist Donna *wink*), recommending this new kind of sexy contemporary series that reportedly started as a twitter chat or social media something among authors about-of all things- the intrigue and excitement of strangers meeting on a train, first impressions in romance, and the everlasting allure of love on the rails.

According to Ruthie, one of Bc’s FAV authors, this chat went on to become five distinct, steamy Strangers on a Train novellas (Samhain, Ebook only) written by some of the hottest names in romance: Meg Maguire (a.k.a. Cara McKenna – CURIO series), Samantha Hunter (YOURS FOR THE NIGHT/HQ Blaze), Donna Cummings, Serena Bell, and last but not least, Ruthie Knox (ABOUT LAST NIGHT -review- and HOW TO MISBEHAVE).

While the stand alone novellas can be read in any order they share the same theme and we think they will have you asking yourself the same question: Just what is it about romance on the rails…

Here’s a Quick Look at each of the novellas and our take on the smexy series STRANGERS ON A TRAIN:

Thank You for Riding by Meg Maguire

Truth be told Caitlin’s relieved her somewhat forbidden fizzling relationship with her co-worker is over even if it did mean enduring being unceremoniously dumped between the copier and a dead ficus tree. Still, the night of the office Christmas party? That stung. The only good part- she was able to ditch the lame party in time to catch the last subway home.

But nothing seems to go according to plan that night, only this time it appears to be to her benefit: instead of a lonely, chilly ride home Caitlin gets an unexpected holiday treat in the form of a somewhat familiar face-the handsome stranger she couldn’t help ogling last week at the blood drive. The chance meeting leads to a delightful encounter of sorts…

At the end of the line, neither Caitlin or Mark can seem to let their playful banter and obvious attraction go to waste, but soon their flirtations cause them to face the very real prospect of spending a cold winter night locked in the unheated subway station. Keeping one another warm quickly becomes more than just an enjoyable form of rebound therapy and this sweet and swoony impromptu first date begins to look like the first of many more to come.

Our Take:

LOVED IT! I think Meg Maguire/Cara McKenna could make me read a TV Guide at this point. She is so good at giving her hero and heroine baggage that somehow never weighs me as the reader or the story down and her heroine’s inner dialogue is part of what hooks me every time. This one is just the right amount of dorky, fun and relatable:

“If anyone could use a sound ravishing it was Caitlin. Her lady-business hadn’t been manhandled in ages, not even by herself. Unsually she liked a good manhandling as a matter of maintenance, but nothing sounded so seductive lately as a nice, long sleep.

Pathetic.”

or

“What if he never wants to see you again after you show him you’re tacky enough to make out with him in a subway station?

Fuck you rational brain, I thought we were feminists.”

Oh, and when she gets into her hero’s head? Things like dinner and dishes have no chance in hell of getting done at my home. This book manages to be snarky, witty, sexy and sweet and somehow manages to take a few chance meetings between two subway riders and make the whole crazy scenario work. It’s just brilliant how a short story like this can make you feel the entire roller coaster of attraction and lust in just a few short chapters. This was definitely one of my favorites in the series.

FAVE Quote/Snippet:

“The weight of Mark’s hand found her waist, strong and sure, exactly how she hoped the heft of his body might feel one night in the not-so-distant future, the confident push of his thighs spreading hers.

She wondered a dozen things in a single breath. How he’d sound and what he might say, if he’d order or flatter or plead, of if he’d simply moan and pant, abandoned by words. If he’d be as giving and thorough as she suspected, and how desperate or greedy he might have grown when his turn came…”

As the ad copy says: Warning! Contains dorky, harmless flirtation that heats up into some spicy third-base action. OMG who knew 3rd base could be so naughty and sweet at the same time!

4.75 STARS for Smexy

5 STARS for Love it or Leave it . This is a 5 because even though it leaves you with an “open” HEA it’s the kind where it’s the dawning of a new day (literally) and you feel an inner fan girl YAY with where it leaves you. Annd, you’ll get why I feel the need to explain my 5 STARS when you get to the last book BIG BOY by my other fave in this bunch, by Ruthie Knox.)

Buy the Strangers on a Train stories at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Tight Quarters by Samantha Hunter

Brenna Burke has worked hard to overcome the long list of phobias that have threatened to cripple her after her entrapment during a horrific car accident years ago, all except one-claustrophobia. With her dream job of being a travel writer hanging in the balance Brenna’s decided to force herself to deal with it head on and boarded a train for a weekend trip through scenic New York State for her job interview…only to find an unexpected roommate to add to her list of anxiety producing troubles.

At first, recovering and forced to retire NYPD detective Reid Cooper isn’t happy about the mix-up or his attraction to the petite, sexy roommate he’s been saddled with thanks to a double booking. Still recovering from a gunshot wound and contemplating his future, Reid knows something about conquering fear and while he’s got to solve the problem of the shared berth, he comes to like Brenna’s can-do attitude underneath what he quickly recognizes as her rising panic at sharing her room with a stranger.

Without much breathing room, Brenna and Reid embark on an up-close-and-unavoidably-personal weekend with unexpected results. The first being that in Reid’s presence Brenna finds she feels blissfully normal…nearly unafraid of anything; the other that after one night of passion, both Reid and Brenna begin thinking beyond a weekend fling. But when Brenna’s last phobia seizes her at the worst possible time, it could make her miss the last boarding call for happily ever after, after all…

Our Take:

Okay, confession time. I loved the premise of this story from the get-go. Past trauma/stress  in the form of a cop who’s been shot and a heroine who’s overcome a terrible accident and is dealing with phobias as a result…it’s romanticizing some really tough life experiences, but I am a sucker for it. Why? Because real life can be so damn hard. Secretly, I love when I can just turn that off (and my rational brain) for a while and actually suspend my disbelief (and this being a story about sharing a train car with a handsome stranger AND them having such issues does require this; I admit it). Well, I kinda love that. This story, while it requires you to just let that all go, works.

And you know what? I know a thing or two about health/life issues making big dreams seem nearly unattainable, so I liked Brenna and her determination to over come it all and totally loved the way alpha ex-cop Reid Cooper made her feel strong. Normal. Without him being over the top or Mr. Bossypants. And another bonus: there’s some vulnerability there in Reid and he and Brenna are catching each other on the upswing of personal growth after a dark time in their lives.

If you’ve ever suffered a significant trauma or loss, then you know – normal can feel so good. And even better, finding acceptance and perceived strength reflected back at you after something like that,  it’s like winning the lottery.

So while this is a sweet and sexy story with a “tortured” hero and heroine, I found myself smitten. Maybe part of what I enjoyed most was that silent dynamic between Brenna and Reid and I just connected with it more than expected.

Then again… there’s just something so energizing, comforting, and sexy about a strong man who can give you that boost just by standing beside you without even touching you or saying a word. Maybe that’s what clicked for me with TIGHT QUARTERS.

…And then when Brenna’s phobia rears its ugly head and jeopardizes their HEA?

GAH! I just had to have my happy ending and  gobbled this one up with a tiny, guilty smile.

FAVE Quote/Snippet:

“As the roar of panic settled, she laid back down, breathing evenly. Suddenly, she became aware of his breathing, too. Another unfamiliar sound. How long since she’d heard another person sleeping in the same room at night?

Reid was less than ten feet away, crunched into the small pullout bed on the other side of the berth. He’d obviously come in after she was asleep, and the thought make her feel curiously vulnerable.

Still, it was a comfort, strangely, knowing he was there. The easy rhythm of his breath soothed her, and she relaxed. She was starting to ease back into sleep when her peace was splintered again.

“I’m hit, I’m down,” Reid called out loudly, and Brenna heard the even pace of his breathing speed up. He groaned and mumbled something else. Sounds of thrashing, obviously having a nightmare.

“I’m hit,” he said again, more loudly.

A nightmare about being shot.”  -copyright Samantha Hunter, Tight Quarters

While Brenna’s not sure what to do exactly, her heart breaks for Reid, and soon her need to comfort him has them both feeling much better.

*Happy sigh*

Yeah, TIGHT QUARTERS was swoony and satisfying.

Smexyness: 4.25 STARS

Love it or Leave it: 4.5 STARS

Buy the Strangers on a Train stories at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ticket Home by Serena Bell

When Amy Moreland left Seattle, the last thing she expected was to see her workaholic ex-boyfriend again. Ever. So, naturally encountering her ex on the Connecticut-to-New York City commute on the other side of the country is the surprise of Amy’s life. Even more surprising, Jeff seems hell-bent on winning her back. Too bad his damn cell phone keeps ringing, a constant, painful reminder of how he’d failed to put her first in their relationship.

Things aren’t quite going according to plan for Jeff Havers, besides he can’t help that his phone keeps interrupting his carefully composed apology speech. He knows that Amy’s hurt but having her sic the Metro North security team on him? Maybe things really are beyond repair. But once Jeff talks his way out of the handcuffs he’s more determined than ever and focuses on coaxing Amy to talk with him about the fears that drove her away in the first place.

As the train commute provides them the time and space to revisit the landscape of their lost life together, sparks fly and remembered passion starts to reignite what was once between them. Despite their rekindled desire old wounds still feel fresh and threaten any chance to pursue what really matters–a ticket back home to each other.

Our Take:

Whew. I’m gonna put it right out there – this one snuck up on me.

In turns I found myself antsy, frustrated, and touched by the internal struggle Amy faces when Jeff begins pursuing her on her daily commute. For those of you who want a “cute meet” you need to look elsewhere. This is a story about redemption without the major drama. It’s about a couple putting together the puzzle pieces of their lost love and realizing that *maybe* it won’t ever fit again; and if it does, the picture isn’t going to look like they initially had hoped.

But, for all the past strife between these two, this is a couple who love one another deeper than it seems on the surface and who never really had a chance to talk things out.  Issues like Jeff’s workaholic obsession with growing his company and Amy’s fear of depending on a man aren’t as blatantly obvious as they should have been six months ago at the break up and things that were a deal-breaker for one partner weren’t exactly shared or communicated in a way that the other understood. In her eyes, Amy’s been second best and in Jeff’s eyes she bolted when she thought she had a better offer to work in New York. She felt neglected; he abandoned. There have been misunderstandings and insecurities that have gone unattended. When Jeff shows up to rectify that, I must admit, my feminist side got its back up. I understood why Amy made the choices she did. I was glad Jeff was making the effort, but did that mean she had to compromise her ideals and go home with him for there to be a HEA?

And holy hell, this is only a novella!

As you can tell, somehow, author Serena Bell told this love story in such a way that before I knew it I was sucked in and invested in wanting these two to grow and get past their stuff in order to make things work for the future. And damn it if I didn’t identify with Jeff and his workaholic ways! Was I satisfied with the ending? I can’t say full on yes or no; but what I can tell you is with and complex characters and smexy scenes like SEX ON THE STAIRS,  I’ll be reading more of Serena Bell’s work in the future.

FAVE Quote/Snippet:

“She made a little noise, somewhere between a hum and a whimper, and the sound burrowed into him and took up residence as an ache. 

“We should go to the bedroom.” It would be a better venue for the kind of life-changing, mind-altering, –f*ck that, ragingly possessive–sex he wanted to have with her. He wanted her to know everything. His desperation, his fear, his determination, What she did to him, how she made him feel. “I didn’t get off the train with you so we could do this somewhere else half-assed–”

But he couldn’t finish, because she reached up and locked her hands behind his neck, drew him down and ate his mouth like a starving woman. Nibbled, bit, licked, devoured him, sucking the breath out of his lungs. And he kissed back, wanting to pour himself into her. To make her believe what he believed. That this could work. Was working.” 

-copyright, Serena Bell, Ticket Home 

Smexyness: 4.25 STARS

Love it or Leave it: 4.25 STARS

Buy the Strangers on a Train stories at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Back on Track by Donna Cummings

A wine tour isn’t enough to take Matt Kearns’s mind off his baseball slump—until sexy, funny Allie Whittaker plops into the adjacent seat and offers to play a whimsical game. She knows exactly who he is. But he doesn’t need to know that. Instead, Allie decides to tell him three things about herself. One of them, she says, is a lie. It’s up to him to figure out which one…

Allie Whittaker is in a slump, a dating slump, but that’s not exactly what’s on her mind when she spies gorgeous baseball pro Matt Kearns on the train and decides to chat him up. -It’s the fact that he’s turned her fledgling marking company and the cover of her charity calendar down more than once. In fact, he wouldn’t even talk to her. Now that she has his attention should she tell the truth or keep playing the game…

The last place fans would expect Matt is a Napa Valley wine tour so when Allie chats him up with no apparent recognition of his celebrity status he finds he can’t resist playing along until their mutual attraction is something neither wants to hide.

Soon a simple train ride becomes an afternoon getaway filled with laughs, lies, truths and plenty of desire. When their playful charade becomes difficult to manage and Allie lets slip one truth too many…they both realize they were already playing for keeps.

Our Take:

Okay, like I recently told Donna, this one is HARD to summarize without just giving away the entire plot! Whew. What may sound a bit disjointed in my summary makes TOTAL sense in the context of this smart, cute-smexy romance- PROMISE!

BACK ON TRACK has been a BIG hit with all the Bc ladies that love them a jock/athlete hero. I must admit that’s NOT my go to hero (outside of a Jaci Burton erotic romance) and this one does have a bit more of a romantic comedy feel to it than the rest of the five novellas. Having said that, I know it will be just the right tone for a lot of contemporary romance lovers out there. It’s a light-hearted treat that had me saying, “Who wouldn’t want to have a sexy meet-up like this?” And, when I read all the books I could see how this one plays as the perfect beach read romance in the series/future anthology. Don’t let the lower smexy rating fool you, this one has smexy elements, for sure!

P.S. Just do yourself a favor and be sure to keep in mind they are playing a “lying game” of sorts and she’s pretending NOT to know he’s a famous baseball player and he’s pretending NOT to be, well, HIMSELF and therefore as the “game” continues Matt obviously knows Allie hasn’t actually dated, well, HIM.

JUST TRUST US. It’s cute.

 FAVE Quote/Snippet:

“Matt set down his fork. “I want to hear more about you and Matt Kearns. 

Allie nearly choaked on the roast chicken she ‘d just put in her mouth. 

“I’m starting to think you have a crush on him, ” she said as innocently as she could. “Or you’re a stalker.”

It was his turn to choke. He dabbed at his mouth with the linen napkin. “I’m trying to figure out what was wrong with the man if he let you get away.”

-Back on Track, copyright Donna Cummings

Smexyness 3.5 STARS

Love it or Leave it 4 STARS

Buy the Strangers on a Train stories at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Big Boy by Ruthie Knox

He’ll be any man she wants–except himself.

When Mandy joined an online dating service she had kept her expectations low. All she’d wanted was a distraction from life as a newly single mother and full-time professor. All work and no play has made for a whole lot of loneliness. Mandy doesn’t want romance to complicate her life, but unexpectedly the monthly role-playing dates with her online suitor quickly led to meeting the stranger on a train—each date a different time period—and they’ve become the erotic escape she desperately needs. -Not only that, but the monthly dates with her mysterious stranger begin to provide a soul connection she never expected

When a chance encounter has them meeting in the light of day Mandy is surprised to find she wants to know the real man behind the disguise, so to speak, and quickly finds herself trying to draw her lover out of the shadows and into her real life. But Mandy isn’t the only one with a complicated life and she has one heck of a fight on her hands when it comes to convincing the man she loves that taking a chance on what started out as fantasy is worth the risk…

Our Take:

Okay, so we have already established here and here, OH, and here and here that I am the resident sucker for all things Ruthie Knox and Cara McKenna/a.k.a. Meg Maguire (Thank You For Riding above). That’s why they are opening and closing this post.

But know this, this book is different, even for Ruthie. Does she like to take the “ordinary” not that role-playing to the extent tht Many and her mystery man do it is to say, well, ordinary, but does Ruthie like to take the “ordinary” and give it facelift? You bet. This is no exception. But what I expected going into BIG BOY and what I got was much more satisfying and deeply layered than I’d anticipated.

And that’s part of the beauty of Ruthie Knox’s romances. They look one way at the onset, quickly have you, as she’s put it, join the heroine in wanting to “climb the hero like a tree”, and then also tugs on your heartstrings a bit with the hero and heroine’s backstory.

I wanted Mandy to find out who her hero was IRL (in real life) and yet, I didn’t. I wanted him to be normal and stable, and yet, when I didn’t know I must admit it added to the tension. And when I got to find out all about both the main characters I just wanted to keep reading and felt unsettled that I couldn’t continue the journey with them.

Damn smexy novellas and their limited word count! LOL

And, of course, the smexy games/dialogue during their super secret HOT meet ups —> HAWWWT.

FAVE Quote:

“For a while, he gave me exactly what I needed. Only, when I wasn’t paying attention, I started needing something different.”

FAVE Snippet:

“…I want to order him around. Maybe it will be payback for the way he made me feel at the party, I’m not sure. …It turns out not to matter…He stalks towards me with a leer on his lips.

Angry and not faking it.

The sight makes my toes curl inside my sensible black boots. He’s normally so poised. I’ve never witnessed him lose control except during sex, when he’s balancing on the knife’s edge of an orgasm, his face lit with pleasurable agony.

This is different. He’s just plain pissed off about something and incapable of hiding it. I’m seeing the real ***, undisguised. I’m embarrassed to say how instantaneously, shamefully wet that makes me. Just the way his mouth twists up with the force of his fury. The furrow between his brows. God.

…He’s never been so rough before…I’m not afraid of him, far from it…and this ribbon of violence, twisting through the air between us…

So inexplicably, primally exciting. He doesn’t say a word, and that’s not like him either.

…Tonight, it’s just his grimy palm on the pale white of my bare breast. His hard c*ck grinding in the soft space between my thighs as he crushes me against the seat. 

He brings his mouth close. That’s when he hesitates. One breath, his lips hovering. Two.

“It’s okay,” I whisper. More than okay. I crave his dark, physical truth from him. His passion. His need. “I want you.”

He crushes his lips to mine, ravenous.

…I hold on tight and think, This wasn’t part of the deal. He’s a catastrophe tonight, a broken man.

I take him in. I want to put him back together…”

excerpt from Big Boy, copyright Ruthie Knox

4.75 STARS for Smexyness (and this scene above is just yum.)

4.75-5  STARS for Love it or Leave it

The only thing keeping me from a 5 all the way around is that I felt kinda satisfied but stranded at the end of BIG BOY. There’s so much going on beneath the surface of these two characters and maybe it hit a little close to home for me as far as their personal baggage and how it impacts romance and I just wanted more of a HEA. Don’t get me wrong, Ruthie delivers a HFN in spades, but I just found myself conflicted at the end with how the HEA left me. Maybe because I felt there was so much more to the story and I felt cheated that it was only a novella. Or maybe I just resented their realities. Not sure, but regardless, Oh how I love the way Ruthie has me wanting to climb her heroes like a tree by the time she’s done, every damn time.  :)

**happy sigh**

Strangers On a Train series review:

4.25 STARS for smexyness (overall)

4.5 STARS for Love it or Leave it (over all)

Buy the Strangers on a Train stories at Samhain | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

These five sexy new novellas aim to please: from handsome hunks on the run and sexy role playing strangers to strong silent types and sizzling sex at high speeds there’s something for everyone in the new Samhain series Strangers On a Train. We were TOTALLY ALL aboard for this one.

Happy Reading! xo

Tina and the Bc Gals

The post Mini-Reviews: Strangers On A Train Series There’s Something For Everyone! appeared first on BookCrack.

Beyond Shame is the first dystopian adult effort by writing duo, Kit Rocha, who previously released quite a few titles under the pen name Moira Rogers.

Somewhere in the future solar flares have destroyed most of civilization, leaving Eden, were the only righteous remain, and six sectors, which are full of criminals, gangs, sex-crazed maniacs and basically all the fun people. Noelle is booted from Eden after one too many high jinx and literally falls into the arms Jasper (Jas), an O’Kane gang member from Sector Four. She’s taken in by the gang, in particular Jas and Lex, the leader of the gang’s women.

The O’Kane gang rule Sector Four and specializes in liquor distribution and oh yeah huge sex parties. They are led by Dallas O’Kane and will do whatever’s necessary to protect the sector and each other. I love the O’Kane men because they are the ultimate alpha males, complete with huge sexual appetites, stealth fighting skills, tattoos and leather clad, muscular bodies. Plus, they’ll do whatever it takes to keep their women happy. For Jas that means being willing to sacrifice his own happiness for Noelle. While the O’Kane women undoubtedly appreciate their men’s dominant edge, they don’t hesitate to keep the men in line.

He was riveted, locked on to the sight not only of Noelle but of Lex too. The abandoned, honest pleasure.

This was a message, all right, but it wasn’t a fuck you, or even a look at what you lost, dumbass. It was a declaration, of independence and self-possession. Noelle’s power, the spark of will that had always lurked inside her, in flames on the stage.

And she was beautiful.

Noelle must overcome her strict, unhappy upbringing in the sterile Eden, where sex is taboo and affection of any kind has been deemed low class.  She takes an immediate liking to Jas, who helps her work past the shame she equates with sexuality. Jas’s selflessness, even when the way he goes about it seems horribly misguided, makes him irresistible. For Jas, Noelle is it, but he needs to be sure she’s making the choice to stay in Sector Four of her own free will.

If he had a shot, he had to try. And if Noelle Cunningham wanted a grand gesture, she’d get the grandest fucking gesture he could find.

There is a lot of steamy group sex in this one. A lot. Kit Rocha also includes a prevalent D/s (dominance and submission) theme that they make no apologies about. The new (to me anyway) dystopian erotic romance, well-developed characters and crush-worthy alpha males is enough for me to push this book on anyone who will listen, but I was genuinely pleased with how Kit Rocha approached various sexual scenarios. There’s something for just about everyone—group sex, voyeurism, F/F and one scene that will change the way you think about tattoos forever.

Jas wants Noelle to embrace her sexual desires and build a relationship based on trust and communication before he even entertains his wants. Like I said—crush worthy.

“Are you going to teach me about make-up sex?”
He shook his head. “I’m going to show you what it means to be mine, with nothing held back.” 

I would like to know more about this post-flare world and how the other sectors come into play. The O’Kane’s will be back for three more installments as of now, including Beyond Control, so we shall see. Be sure to check back next week for my review of Book 2 Beyond Control.

5  stars for Smexyness

5  stars for Love it or Leave it

Have you read any dystopian adult fiction you’d recommend? Is the post-apocalyptic trend going to carry over into adult? Let me know what you think! Comment below:

Happy Reading xo,

~Kelley

Kelley is a writer, excessive coffee drinker, and book addict. She can be reached at @kstoklos. 

The post Review: Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha appeared first on BookCrack.

Here’s the set up:

Do you believe in love at first phone call?

Cohen Rodriquez, Deo’s hilarious, über responsible best friend in LENGTHS got dumped by his longtime girl because he’s ‘not impulsive enough,’ and he’s burned up.

But maybe, just maybe, she’s more right than he wants to admit. So he starts to date.
A lot.
But no one really feels like the one. And the more girls he dates, the more Cohen’s convinced she isn’t really out there.

Luckily he has Maren—the girl with the sexy voice who always cracks the best jokes. They’ve been talking daily for a year…on the phone. What started as all work soon blooms into friendship. Then she asks him.

Do you want to meet?

He’s scared out of his mind to ruin the one easy, fun relationship he has going for him. But he takes the plunge, and things are just fine, totally easy and comfortable.

Except that they both sense it’s not strictly platonic…there is an undeniable attraction and absolute raw chemistry between them…and every time they’re in the same room, that attraction gets deeper and harder to ignore.

Maren could be the best thing that’s ever happened to Cohen… Or she could send his carefully compartmentalized life into a tailspin.

Cohen has to decide if he’s ready to let go of his comfortable fantasy and embrace the one girl who might be able to change his luck in love.

Cohen Rodriguez is dreamy. He’s a Mexican-Jew who’s close to his family and always tries to do the responsible thing, but isn’t afraid to take charge at certain times if you know what I mean. He’s also funny:

Fave Quotes:

“It’s your birthday. Spread your legs so I can lick you into a happy one… you think so because I haven’t stuck my tongue in you. Yet. Now trust me. And. Spread. Your. Legs. Now. Please.” –Cohen.

 

“Have you ever had a date so bad, it makes you contemplate a lobotomy?” –Cohen

I love him. When I was reading I kept thinking that Cohen was someone you could actually meet in real life and wouldn’t have to justify his alpha male tendencies. (I still love those guys, let’s not kid ourselves.) His Mexican/Jewish heritage was a refreshing twist, and his tight-knit family read very realistic. The Rodriguez clan is not perfect, but they love each other. I want to be invited over for Sunday dinner.

Cohen has been making work calls to Maren for more than a year. Although they usually talk about area rugs and spread sheets the spark between them has always kinda been there. Neither is in the position to do anything about until Maren finally suggests they meet. I really liked that Campbell and Reinhardt make you wait a bit to see these two get together, but the suspense doesn’t drag on too long. When they’re finally face-to-face, it quickly becomes apparent that the chemistry they thought they had is even more intense. Or rather, it gets smexy and it gets smexy fast.

“You were just a voice on the phone a few hours ago. And now I’m eating eggs in your kitchen and wearing your shirt to bed.” – Maren

Also in Cohen’s kitchen, eating eggs:

“I think I like the way you picture me,” I say, not moving my hand when he comes to cup mine. “If you knew what I was picturing right now,” he says, rough and low. “I guarantee you’d kick me out.”

Maren is another character that I kept thinking I could hang out with in real life. She’s confident and hardworking, but she has some vulnerabilities Cohen wants to help her overcome. She’s been taking care of her alcoholic father for way too long, and as a result has had to put her carefree 20s on the backburner. I also loved that even though Cohen couldn’t resist trying to solve Maren’s problems for her, it never felt like he was bullying her. Plus, she definitely calls him on his caveman-ish behavior.

The smexyness between these two is great. They care about each other a great deal and accept who the other one is, no questions asked. Let the sexy times commence.

Cohen’s mouth finds mine and devours it. His lips are strong and entirely in control. He kisses the way he is, like he’s sure he’s going to give me what I want, and he does. – Maren

I didn’t read LENGTHS before this book and understood everything, but you can believe it has been added to my TBR. For those who have read the first part of this series, Deo and Whit are in DEPTHS quite a bit, and I can already tell I’m going to like them, too. Our thanks to authors Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt for the ARC we received in exchange for a fair review.

4 STARS for Smexyness.

5 STARS for Love it or Leave it.

Both books are available on ebook and paperback at Amazon, B&N , and  Kobo .

Happy Reading xo,

~Kelley

Kelley is a writer, excessive coffee drinker, and book addict. She can be reached at @kstoklos. 

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Her guest post on what makes ODS’s Braden Carmichael so dang HOT is still one of our most traffic’d pages. Seriously! (Psst. You can read it here.)

What did surprise me about DLR is it’s a bit “darker” than book one. But even more surprising is that I think I might even love book 2 more than one even though her hero Cameron struck me as a major douche at first.

And I do mean major. Complete judgmental prick, he was. Full of preconceived notions. But then again, after ODS I thought Jo was just a beautiful, gold digger who only dated older, wealthy men. So, I was full of them, too. Once I got a glimpse inside her head Jo quickly surpassed my expectations.

Here’s the set up:

Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she’s about to meet someone who will make her lose control….

It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she’s been making decisions based on what’s best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may—or may not—fly.

But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new bartender at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try.

Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo’s, and their blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets …even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

At only twenty-four, Jo has had to drop out of school and work hard to provide for her younger teenage brother Cole and her abusive, alcoholic mother. Somehow she’s kept it all together and kept her family’s struggles a secret. She knows what her BFF Jocelyn and Braden (from ODS) and everyone else thinks of her, but she knows what she thinks are her assets and she makes them work for her. No excuses.

Does she only date older, more mature, wealthy sugar-daddy types? You bet. But she’s also strong, independent and knows what she needs and wants out of life and from a man. Jo tells us she’s been hurt before by men her age who are more selfish, needy, and undependable and she likes the security and companionship she has with her current boyfriend, lottery winner, Malcolm. In fact, he’s so sweet, laid-back, and things are going so well she thinks that despite his 39 years to her 24, she may have already found “the one.” I’ve gotta admit, while Cam is so butterfly inducing I also kinda liked that Malcolm wasn’t a bad guy.

Cam’s GF, not so much. But I digress.

Malcolm, and the way Samantha Young chooses to handle Jo’s relationship with him, was one of the many things that surprised and delighted me about this romance. When bartender/graphic designer Cameron McCabe walks into Jo’s life, it’s clear that her relationship with Malcolm is in jeopardy. Jo feels an attraction and a burning hatred for Cam that she’s never felt before. She has butterflies when she sees him and can’t help but push back when he challenges her to see herself the way HE sees her and not the “fake” Jo that he sees when she’s with Malcolm. It’s eye opening.

Best of all, Young avoids cliches (for the most part) when it comes to dealing with the falling in/out of love and the “triangle”.  It totally floored me that at first Cam comes at Jo hard, throwing her “arm-candy” ways in her face and I just wanted to pummel him. So did she! In time, when Cam becomes her co-worker and neighbor we come to realize that he cares and he actually sees a side of her that no one else sees and that’s why he’s such a douche-nozzle always challenging her and baiting her to step outside her comfort zone. Of course, unbeknownst to Jo, Mr. Sexy-pants-button pusher has his own abandonment issues…

When life comes at Jo hard once more the life she’s so carefully hidden becomes Cam’s secret to bare as well and his demeanor changes. He’s still frustrated, but he’s there for her in ways no one else in her life has ever been. Soon it’s clear that they are falling for each other, and holy hell is the chemistry between these two HOT! But what to do about their current lovers? What about Jo’s secrets? And Cameron clearly can’t help Jo in ways that Malcom can and what if she’s just a passing fancy? What would happen to Cole and her mother? Can she afford to put her own needs and wants first when she never has before?

I’m telling you, there’s so much more to Jo AND Cam than I’d initially thought and I really loved getting to know them.One of the best parts, much like in ODS, was getting to  watch Jo grow and her hero made me a believer, too. Cam definitely won me over, hook, line, and sinker, but like I mentioned on Goodreads, I STILL couldn’t help wondering if I was just being fan-girly in my all out desire to read more of Young’s New Adult/Contemporary romance books.

With some time to reflect, hands down this is one of my favorite reads so far in 2013. (Read our top ten FAVES of 2012 here.)

Top Five Reasons I LOVED Down London Road:

Reason #1:

I love that Samantha Young writes heroines in such a refreshingly honest and powerful way. I didn’t care for Jo in book one and damn it if I didn’t totally love her by the end of this one. I even came to really feel compassion for Jo and understand her logic, even if it was self-defeating. It made her growth in this story even more rewarding.

Quote:

“I didn’t know if I was unhappy, I didn’t know if I was happy, though. I supposed it didn’t matter as long as the end result was that Cole was happy. Our mum was pretty rubbish at being a mum — and fourteen years ago I’d promised myself to watch out for my baby brother. As long as he grew up with self-worth and I had the means to get him whatever he needed to start out right in life, that was all that mattered.”

Jo, much like Joss in book one, doesn’t set out to be a martyr and she definitely doesn’t want to depend on Cameron who is an infuriatingly strong, sexy, irrepressible, and OPINIONATED man. He’s not rich or laid back like Malcolm. He’s the opposite of safe in terms of helping provide for her family (or so she thinks), even if he is the most supportive man she’s ever allowed so close. I loved the way Cam, like Braden did in ODS, calls Johanna on her sh–stuff AND makes her a very satisfied woman in all the ways that matter.

Reason #2:

Her heroes. Look-out. Major swoon. Are they flawed? Abso-friggin-lutely and yet you love their Scottish rogue ways. I wanted to do the happy clap in scenes where Cameron just took the situation in hand BUT then also managed to help Johanna help herself. True hero. And the smexy? Intimate, raw, funny and swoony all at the same time.

Quote:

“Are we really doing this?” I whispered against his mouth. His hands squeezed my waist, and I looked up into his eyes. They were almost navy with scorching heat. “We’re really doing this. No backing out.” His lips skimmed my jaw until his mouth stopped at my ear. “I’m going to f*ck you so hard, sink so deep inside of you, you’ll never work me out from under your skin. Never.”

-Did I mention he’s awesome with her kid brother and takes her home to meet his parents? Oh, yeah, he’s a keeper.

Reason #3

As a YA and Adult romance author Samantha Young has a way with dialogue and relationships that they ring true. They can be silly in one moment and then have such depth the next, all while keeping the teenage dialogue/scenes and parental drama spot on. I liked the way Cam and Cole developed a friendship and the way Jo talked to Braden’s kid (teen) sister Hannah. Those scenes added layers outside of Jo’s dark, family drama and provided ODS fans a glimpse at what the ODS gang were up to. *happy sigh*

Reason #4

She made me change my mind. I didn’t really like either the hero or heroine out the gate and yet very quickly I wanted to know what they were thinking and found myself hooked. The tension is delicious and their issues are dramatic, yet relatable. I felt this story in my gut in a – MUST HAVE MY HEA kind of way. Hard.

Reason #5

Did I mention the tension and build up to the smexy time?

I returned to this book recently in preparation for its release and realized that GASP I really do LOVE it even more than ON DUBLIN STREET. And man did I enjoy that book! It was one of my top ten of 2012.

One thing I love most is the fact that we get to see the progression of not only Johanna and Cam’s relationship but Braden and Joss’s as well. There was an element or two that felt kinda out of step drama wise for me ( this is IMHO because friends who love drama and major shake ups ate this spoilery plot point up) but overall I thought it worked and it helped bring closure.

One things for certain, Samantha Young I truly hope there’s more to come after DOWN LONDON ROAD. Can we PUH-LEASE have Ellie’s book next, but not have her quite so sweet and innocent? She’s the perfect next heroine and if anyone can make her perky character have a more complex, emotional or even darker side it’s YOU. Our thanks to Samantha Young/Penguin Books and NetGalley for sending Bc the ARC for review.

4.75 STARS for Smexyness

5 STARS for Love it or Leave it

Purchase Links

Amazon.com

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