If we were having coffee I’d get something off my chest right here, right now. I am Scandalicious…Licious. I have spent over a year getting my brand out there and correcting the spelling of my seemingly unique name that I love more than sugar and sunshine. I craft reviews that are unique to my life situation, my somewhat unfiltered point of view and my sweet and sweary disposition. It has come to my attention that another blog started up a few months ago and goes by the name Scandalous. She’s gonna crush me with spell check and autocorrect every fucking time! Now, I know I don’t own the rights to the word Scandal or anything like that but there is room for potential confusion, especially since we are now turning up on the same blog tours. I wish this blogger all the best, it’s a big world out there, full of wonderful books to talk about. All I ask is, if you are a reader, author, publisher, pr person please remember I’m Licious…Scandalicious. Scandal + Delicious = SCANDALICIOUS. Moving on…

If we were having coffee I’d share with you my thoughts on a book, ‘cause you know, that’s what I do. Recently, I’ve gotten some notes from you guys asking about Prior Engagement. It was featured in my Currently Reading section and I also participated in a blog tour for it. I know it’s $.99 right now, I’ve seen it all over the internet but I have to be honest with you, I didn’t love it. If I had to rate it, I’d give it 2 stars. On the surface, the story has great potential. The characters are likable and well developed for the most part. I had a fair amount of trouble with the back and forth with the heroine – one minute she was very strong and the next she was very weak. I realize she was in the throes of some pretty shitty abuse but I felt the back and forth went on too long. I could’ve looked past all of that if the POV switches had not been so confusing for me. If you add it all up, I probably read the book three times because I had to keep going back to figure out who was talking. This pulled me out of the story thus making it difficult for me to finish it – which I did. Also, it should be noted, I went back and read it a second time just to see if I was mistaken but I ran into the difficulty again. I try so hard to find something fun to share in my reviews but sadly, I just couldn’t make it happen with this one. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If we were having coffee I’d share this cover reveal with you! Vivien Sparx is releasing the 5th book in her series, Her Master’s Kiss. L, of T&L fame, and I are reviewing all 5 books in this series for you next week. Take a look:

At the first opening on the left, Renee paused in the doorway and watched three young women arranged on their knees around a tall man who was standing in the middle of the room. The man was naked, his body darkly tanned. There were whorls of thick grey curly hair across his chest. The three women were all young and all wearing collars. They were arranged around him and taking turns to pleasure him with their mouths. As each girl took her turn, the other two kissed each other and their hands roamed freely across one another’s naked bodies. Renee leaned against the wall and watched with dark fascination. One of the women caught a glimpse of her and turned, smiling. Renee waved uncertainly. The submissive girl winked to her and then turned back to the glistening hard shaft that was before her. She seemed to make a great display of her talented mouth, knowing Renee was watching in the background.
Beyond the final door on the right side of the corridor was a room with three wide wooden benches. They were made of rough unfinished timber, each one painted black and each one a squat, solid piece. Renee lingered in the doorway long enough to see that there was a woman on her hands and knees, chained on top of one of the benches.

Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Vivien-Sparx/e/B008D0E92Y/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/vivien.sparx

If we were having coffee I’d give you a big fat tease. I am working with some pretty awesome people right now to bring you guys something I think you will love. You will certainly recognize the names of some of the people involved – you’ve seen them here on the blog for a while now. You know I’m always looking for ways to share my love of books and I think we are on to something fun with this one. We’ve been working on the logistics of this COOL thing for a while and damn man, technology is my kryptonite…I’m certain it hates me. Good thing I surround myself with super smart and sometimes nerdy people. Smooches nerds, you know who you are! Stay tuned, we hope to have a little something new for you very VERY soon.

If we were having coffee I’d ask you this question…Are certain names quiver killers for you in books? Does seeing a particular name in a book, pull you out of the story? I’ll go first…In the Education of Sebastian series, the heroine’s nickname is Caro…BrotherScandal’s first wife for 18 of the longest months in the history of months, went by the name Caro. Until that book I’d never seen anyone use that nickname. I had no idea the violent reaction I’d have to it until I read it. I mean, it’s still a great book, don’t let my crazy hold you back – it’s just the name stirred up a whole host of hostility I thought I’d put to bed ages ago! How about you…got any quiver killer names? Does it freak you out when your kid’s name is used in a sex dungeon? Do tell…

If we were having coffee I’d congratulate some winners…

Jennifer S won a digital copy of Nina Lane’s Allure

and

Liezels won a digital copy of Dangerous To Know

Your information has been forwarded to the people in charge of getting these books out, I hope you are enjoying them. Let me know your thoughts!

If we were having coffee I’d share Linnik’s Latest List with you…

 Missing Hart, Hart Family #5               Ella Fox              5/25

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17610795-missing-hart

More than Friends, More Than # 1      Jess Dee             5/28

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17327344-more-than-friends

Seal of Honor, Hornet # 1                Tonya Burrows     5/28

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16129270-seal-of-honor

Jet, Marked Men # 2                       Jay Crownover     5/28

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17204860-jet

The Forever of Ella & Micha, The Secret #2 Jessica Sorensen 5/28

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16055475-the-forever-of-ella-and-micha

This Is Who I Am, Masters of the Shadowlands #7 Cherise Sinclair 5/28

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15755234-this-is-who-i-am

Beauty from Surrender, Beauty # 2    Georgia Cates      5/30

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17314410-beauty-from-surrender

Strong Enough Alexis Alexander 5/31

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17181895-strong-enough

Safe Word                                    Teresa Mummert   6/1

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17788420-safe-word

If we were having coffee I’d ask what you have planned for the weekend. Here in the States, it’s a long weekend so there will be some BBQ action going on at my house. Will you be reading anything? I have a couple of BETA projects I get to work on and I’m also reading Going Under and Fire Inside. I’d like to see the new Star Trek movie because a) it’s Star Trek…duh, and b) ummmm, hello Chris Pine. What ever you have going on make sure it’s at least a little bit scandalicious and a whole lot of fun. Oh, and be on the look out for the big surprise – fingers crossed it all goes as planned.

Title: Bad Mouth

Author: Angela McCallister

Publisher: Entangled

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC provided for blog tour 

After her ex-husband’s obsession with vampires, Valerie Craig is on a mission to stop transformations. Of all vampires, Kade Rollins is the worst of the worst, but when multiple murders plague Seattle, Val is forced to enlist his aid. Kade’s crude wit and seductive nature attract her like no other, but she can’t ignore his violence toward his human servants, no matter her yearning to forget.

She’s torn when she learns Kade may be behind the murders. Val’s worked hard to protect humans from vampires, but the truth surrounding the murders could ignite a bloody battle between their races, one humans are sure to lose. Someone is pulling strings to build a vampire army and spark the war—setting Kade up to kick it off. But if she trusts the vampire prince, she risks her job, her integrity, and her heart if he betrays her as all the men in her life have.

Paranormal Romance is not an easy genre to pull off. It’s so much more than just supernatural elements, it has to feel real and believable. What a happy surprise this book turned out to be. Well done Angela McCallister, you did a great job with your world building and fleshing out characters that feel very human, even though they are not. I love when real life social conflicts mesh so easily with paranormal. At it’s core, Bad Mouth is a love story but more than that, it’s about two people with deep seated prejudices, justifiable prejudices, hard earned prejudices they have to learn to set aside so they can work together to solve a mystery. This mystery, if left unresolved, could have far reaching effects that could impact all of humanity, vampire and human alike. And really, humanity is kinda’ in the shitter as it is…it’s good to see people figure out how to get along. And it should be noted, Kade and Val end up getting along real nice. Scandaliciously nice. I keep telling you guys that don’t read paranormal that the guys have more durable bodies – Kade is no joke.

So, Bad Mouth – what’s with that title you ask? Well, Kade Rollins had me at hello baby (Jerry Maguire but you didn’t need me to say that did you?). Kade is this extremely powerful vampire with a penchant for inappropriate dirty talk.  Winner, winner chicken dinner! Just when you think he’s gonna be all sweet, he pulls out a pussy comment that will make you laugh out loud. He’s not being funny, he just has a broken filter, or maybe he’s lived so long he just doesn’t give a fuck to use a filter anymore. Either way, it’s a win for the reader. I want to point out here how McCallister portrays the many sides of Kade. He is a vampire living in a human world so for the most part he appears human, it’s only when he is threatened or battle ready that his vampire nature physically changes him into a warrior of sorts. She does a great job describing this transformation and again, the changes are strongly rooted in humanity so it never once pulls you out of the story.

You will feel the chemistry between Kade and Val just as much as they do…you won’t fight it as hard as they will but you’ll feel it. Val has just as many reasons to dislike vampires as Kade has to dislike humans. Going in to this pairing, there is zero love lost but on the other side of this mess, true love is found (yes, I realize that sounds like a cheesy cliche, sue me!) The mystery is full of twists and turns and secrets that will bite you in the ass. Ancient vampires and powerful, stubborn modern day women are a clash just waiting to happen. Deciphering who can be trusted is a lot of fun but you know I’m a sucker for a good mystery. (man, I’m killing the puns right now, bite me sucker – all accidental by the way!) Right now it appears this is a stand alone, so the good news is, no nasty cliffhanger! I have to say, it would be a shame to waste all of McCallister’s excellent world building on just one book. She has a cast of secondary characters that have stories begging to be told.

 Purchase Links

Amazon |Barnes and Noble | iTunes

Angela is giving away one author-signed paranormal book bundle and one $50 Amazon/Barnes and Noble gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Angela McCallister is a US Navy Sailor and author of Paranormal Romance repped by the fabulous Nalini Akolekar. Spoiled by the gorgeous weather of Southern California, she spends her days reading and writing whenever she’s lucky enough to be away from work. In fact, she’s never to be found without a book hidden somewhere on her person. Over the past two years, her writing has finaled in multiple RWA writing competitions, and her debut Paranormal Romance, BAD MOUTH, won MERWA’s 2012 Everything But The Kitchen Sink Competition.

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Title: Painted Faces

Author: L.H. Cosway

Come forth with an open mind, for an unconventional tale of love..

Dublin native Freda Wilson considers herself to be an acquired taste. She has a habit of making offensive jokes and speaking her mind too often. She doesn’t have the best track record with first impressions, which is why she gets a surprise when her new neighbour Nicholas takes a shine to her.

Nicholas is darkly handsome, funny and magnetic, and Freda feels like her black and white existence is plunged into a rainbow of colour when she’s around him. When he walks into a room he lights it up, with his quick wit and charisma. He is a travelling cabaret performer, but Freda doesn’t know exactly what that entails until the curtains pull back on his opening night.

She is gob-smacked and entirely intrigued to see him take to the stage in drag. Later on, Nicholas asks her if she would like to become his show assistant. Excited by the idea, she jumps at the chance. Soon she finds herself immersed in a world of wigs, make-up and high heels, surrounded by pretty men and the temptation of falling for her incredibly beautiful employer.

In this story of passion and sexual discovery, Nicholas and Freda will contend with jealousy, emotional highs and lows, and the kind of love that only comes around once in a lifetime.

While trolling through book sites a number of months ago, because I am always looking for anything off the beaten path, I stumbled upon Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway.  I wish I could remember which site I found this on because I would sing your praises for bringing such an amazing book to my attention!  Honestly, I can only stand to read so many erotic/romantic novels about the extremely hot, rich, damaged billionaire who finds the young doe eyed virgin he can dominate.  Therefore, I am always on the look-out for something indie and something a little different.  Well, different is definitely what you will get in this little gem of a book!

So let’s just address the big white elephant that comes along with this story.  Nicholas is a gorgeous dark haired, blue eyed, nicely muscled, immaculately dressed man with a fantastic smile and eyes that sparkle.  Let’s also not overlook that he has a dirty mouth and he loves to use it.  Absolutely swoon worthy, Nicholas is all man!  Except when he is on stage dressed in drag.  Say what???  Well then…that might be a mood killer for you, but trust me, it works!  There is a reason for his love of women’s clothing and it is addressed right from the get go.  Nicholas is a caberet performer.  He also just happens to be a man who likes to dress in women’s clothing while he is performing.  He wears the makeup, the wigs, the pretty clothes and the Louboutin’s.  If it makes you feel any better, he does not ‘tuck’, put on a fake female voice or stuff a bra.  As Nicholas would say

“I like to be a man in the bedroom but a woman on the stage”

Nicholas and Freda meet when he moves in next door.  Sparks ignite and a close friendship develops.  Nicholas is immediately drawn to Freda.  Freda is his light, and quite simply she shines for him.  Freda has an abrasive personality, a vulgar sense of humor, a habit of swearing and low self-esteem.  She uses her snarky banter to hide behind the shy scared girl that she is.

“I might not have a boyfriend but I have cupcakes, and those tasty bastards haven’t let me down yet”

Nicholas has Freda in his sights from their first meeting.  He blatantly flirts with her, openly propositions her regularly with his dirty little mouth and there is plenty of sexual tension.  Freda is attracted to Nicholas, the whole package, drag queen and all.  A potential love connection should be simple, no?  Of course not!  But come along for the ride…there are gay friends, high maintenance friends, promiscuous friends, and a stalker ex-boyfriend.   Throw in that Nicholas is a serial shagger (doesn’t that sound better than womanizer?), he is damaged, and Freda’s low self-esteem leaves her feeling unworthy of Nicholas and what does that leave you with?  A beautiful heartbreaking mess!

But most importantly,

“We all paint on a face to show the world.  For some of us, that’s quite literal”

 I will preface this review by saying that L.H. Cosway just schooled me on the fact that a hero doesn’t need to be a badass tattooed biker or a pierced rock star, a multi-millionaire or a buff professional athlete, a commanding military man or even an alpha FBI agent. But that he could simply and uniquely just be a DRAG QUEEN! Yup! I said it… a drag queen, ya’ll! I swooned and drooled for Nicholas (aka Vivica) the drag queen! It’s official; my ideal hero no longer knows any boundaries.

Freda (aka Fred) is a hardworking, witty, insecure and often doesn’t hesitate to display her extreme crude sense of humor. Nicholas is Fred’s charming, super good looking but highly damaged neighbor. Yes, these two are a match made in FuckedUplandia! Nicholas wastes no time in pursuing Fred. He tells her the first day they meet that he wants to fuck her. Did I mention that Nicholas has a dirty mouth? I mean very dirty! Make no mistake, despite Nicholas candid and straight up approach the attraction between the two of them is instant. Fred’s insecurities coupled with her doubts surrounding Nicholas’s sexuality and her societal views of what defines masculinity; cause her to be apprehensive to jump into anything too quickly. Nicholas has some serious dark issues that transpire through the story and provide you with a clear understanding, why the drag queen lifestyle is such a huge part of his persona.

We all paint on a face to show the world,” Nicholas replies philosophically. “For some of us, that’s quite literal.

No doubt, you will question what society deems the ideal man after you read this story. I love how Nicholas owns his uniqueness and opens Fred eyes to a whole new world of possibilities. In addition, the book deals with a lot of issues surrounding abuse and drug addiction but despite the heavy themes, LHC crafts a beautifully balanced witty romantic story between these two characters.

Fred: “You have sex on the brain twenty-four seven Viv. I think you might need therapy.’

Nicholas: “Don’t get me wrong I’m no Russell Brand, but I do have quite an avid interest in shagging. I always put a raincoat on the little fella before heading into a storm.

I am pretty sure if you are the adventurous out of the box reader you will love and embrace Fred and Nicholas as much as I did. Even the secondary characters are well developed and super loveable and witty. Yes, ladies I dare you to walk on the wild side and love a drag queen.

T’s Pro

• This story is phenomenally written and all characters are well developed and endearing!  The subject matter might cause you to shy away but keep an open mind, it will be so worth it! And Nicholas, I dare you not to fall completely in love with him, drag queen and all!

L’s Pro

• I loved the shit out of this book.  To steal a line from Linnik’s handbook, anyone who dare say anything against the book may just get a voodoo doll made in her liking…lol!  This book encompasses all the characteristics of a great indie story.

T’s Con

• I have not one!  C’mon, I gave it 5 stars!  I loved this book and I wouldn’t change a damn thing!  Read. It!!!

L’s Con

• Absolutely nothing!

Title: Rock With Me

Author: Kristen Proby

Series: With Me in Seattle #4

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 4 stars

Source: self purchase

Front Man Leo Nash from the world-famous rock band, Nash, is the last person on earth Samantha Williams would trust. She’s already learned about loving a celebrity the hard way and isn’t signing up for another lesson.

Every time Sam gives Leo attitude, he wants to knock that chip off her fragile little shoulder. What the hell did he ever do to her, anyway? He’s not used to women treating him like he’s poisonous, and he isn’t about to let her run away every time he gets close. He’s had enough of people running away to last him a lifetime…when this one runs, he gives chase. But, catching Sam isn’t as hard as he thought.

The sexual attraction between them is so thick, Sam can practically hold it in her hand. There’s no way she can deny herself the promise of pleasure being with Leo would provide.

But, pleasure always comes with pain and when secrets are revealed and trust is challenged, who will run and who will chase?

Well, what a certain Rock Chick has done for Denver, Kristen Proby has done for Seattle. Geez, what is in the water over there with all of the sexy beautiful people?!!? And now I want to move there. Let’s get right to this. Leo is Meg’s brother…you remember Meg, she’s with my favorite, favorite Montgomery, Will. Well, Leo is the sexy, tattooed, pierced lead singer of a wildly famous rock band. Leo is basically sex on legs, with his sexy star tattoos that hit the V of his hips in all the right ways…you know the V, right…mmmmmmTheV. Sorry, I needed a minute there. Anyway, this fella with the lickable tattoos is completely swoonworthy. I absolutely adore characters that blow nasty stereotypes out of the water. Yes, Leo comes from the foster care system, he is covered in tats and piercings and he has a cocky persona that proceeds him but, BUT he is a gentleman to his core. It’s a thing of beauty, really. Because of his surface, you instinctively want to put Leo in an aloof, almost self destructive category but that label couldn’t be farther from the Leo truth. He is an awesome hero. He has a protective streak 10 miles wide, he’s sweet and caring and gentle and kind. Make no mistake, he’s insanely possessive and can fuck like a maniac but he also makes love like a man…a man deeply and completely in love.

Sam is Luke’s sister. You know Luke, of Luke and Natalie. Sam is the one that was so fucking nasty to dear sweet Nat…you remember her, right? Sam was not my favorite character, in fact, she’s still my least favorite heroine of this bunch but at least I don’t hate her now. Three cheers for redeemable characters friends! Three fucking cheers! She’s got issues, first off she will forever be Luke’s sister couple that with running in the Montgomery crowd and to say she has an inferiority complex would be a gigantic understatement. Old girl’s got some baggage and being with a celebrity is the last thing on her agenda. Oh and speaking of baggage, how exactly does one make it into her 30s without ever having sex in some sort of a missionary position – I mean damn. Not gonna lie, I’m giving her slow golf claps for that accomplishment. Like I said, Leo is a really good guy and he is up for the challenge of breaking down the walls she’s constructed around her heart.

Rock With Me weaves all of the characters we’ve met from the previous book (I love that) and introduces a few new characters, mainly members of Leo’s band. We also get a tease of Caleb’s story, which is coming up next in Safe With Me. Rock With Me is full of delicious and scandalicious sex that will shred your panties Leo styles. It also develops and details the history of our main characters lives in painstaking detail that will make you see both of them in a new light…a better light than when you started this book. You will feel them grow as individuals and together as a couple…Sam, I think has a lot more growing to do than Leo but he’s always up for the challenge.

On a funny, personal note, I have to share what happened while I was reading this book. As you’ve probably figured out, I live in the south, the bible belt really and painfully close to a seminary campus. Needless to say, there is a lot of Southern Baptist religion going on all around me. My kid’s orthodontist practice is very, VERY religious. (not sure how God and braces go together but who am I to judge) The music they pipe in is a rather creepy variation of Kid’s Bop Christian pop and the commercials are always about praying. Anyway, I’m sitting in the office reading about Leo spanking Sam’s ass while he’s giving it to her good doggie style after eating her out and making her come all over his face and I realized I said, out loud, “oh sweet jesus” just as a moment of silent prayer ended. And I may have fanned myself with my Kindle, don’t judge me – as I did that I looked up and all eyes were on me, especially this one older lady, in the corner who was also reading on her Kindle with a giant smile on her face. She gave me a knowing nod that made me wonder what she had going on on her e-reader! All I could do was belly laugh and get back to my sexy book!

With Me in Seattle Series

Come Away With Me

Under the Mistletoe With Me – 1.5

Fight With Me

Play With Me

Rock With Me

Safe With Me

Tied With Me

Breathe With Me

Title: Tangled

Author: Emma Chase

Publisher: Omnific Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 5 stars

Source: ARC provided by publisher

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything – or anyone – derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

This is one of those times when I really love doing what I do. You all know I make zero dollars running this blog. Zero. I get paid in awesome books and great friendships. Getting the chance to share a book like this with you makes all of my blog time worth it. When Tangled landed in my in box the blurb caught my attention so quickly I knew I needed to clear my schedule and read that bitch. Best. Decision. I’ve. Made. In. Weeks! So much goodness going on in this book, I’m not even sure where to begin. First off, you know I love getting into the head of a sexy man. Sexy man POV is the best POV. Well, we are all up in Drew’s business and he holds nothing back from us. Drew is not just sexy, and smart, and confident…he’s funny, really fucking funny. Watching his hamster run on the wheels in his brain made me literally laugh out loud throughout most of this book. And, AND any guy that quotes The Breakfast Club…well, stick a fork in me ladies, amIright?!!?

Borrowing some peer pressure from The Breakfast Club, I goad, “Come on, Claire – just answer a simple question.”

And don’t get me started on the Paula Deen reference…that one caught me completely off guard and made me snarf my tea. Also, Drew is really close to his family. He likes to complain about them, I mean, don’t we all…it’s what we do with family – but he really loves them. Especially his mother. You get little glimpses of her and they make you understand why Drew is the awesome guy he is behind his manwhore-ish ways. Toss in his sister Alexandra and his sweet niece Mackenzie and seriously, all that estrogen can’t fail.

 My mother looks at me with glittering, hopeful eyes. The way Paula Deen looks at a tub of lard, imagining the delicacy just waiting to be made.

Fuck me I love a funny guy. It should also be noted, this really does read like you’re in a guy’s brain. It’s genius, pure comedic genius.

 Every healthy man in the world wakes up with a stiffy…A chance to begin the day with your best dick forward.

So, let’s talk Kate. Kate is no pushover. She’s strong, smart, sassy and stubborn, god she’s stubborn and that’s okay, you won’t hate her…you’ll adore her. She makes Drew earn it, his charm and smooth lines don’t make a dent with her. Seriously, things happen that leave Drew with the “flu” and as he “recovers” and gets back on track, a lesser woman would’ve forgiven him much easier than Kate did. Drew turns on the full on woo and Kate is not impressed. Gotta love that.

So here’s a question for you…are you a heroine cheerleader or a hero apologist? I’m going to be completely honest with you, you might want me to turn in my girl card after you read this but here goes…I’m a HUGE hero apologist. Big time, unabashedly and painfully obvious hero apologist. I swear, I kick myself for constantly making excuses for the hero when he fucks up…and he almost always fucks up. Why do I do that? What does that say about me? Stop right there, I don’t want to know the answer to that. I know I’m not alone. Don’t get me wrong, I love how strong Kate is in this story, she’s completely correct with her assessment of the situation and I support her completely…but…BUT, I couldn’t, for the life of me, and I swear to god I tried, but I couldn’t hate on Drew for what he did. I immediately started apologizing for him, yelling things like, “of course that’s what he said…of course he reacted that way…can’t you see he’s hurting girl…you had to know he’d be a dick, he’s so vulnerable right now and it’s freaking him the fuck out…” No joke, My Guy heard me talking to myself, he thought I was on a Skype call or something the way I was having a full on conversation with myself, all defending Drew and his jackassery. Yep, that’s me – the crazy self talker hero apologist. I have a feeling I’m not alone in my club.

We get to watch the relationship between Drew and Kate blossom. Drew’s personal development is a thing of beauty to experience. Watching that man use his powers for good instead of slutty evil is poetry in motion. The good news is, Drew never,ever, even with a huge kickass case of the “flu”, loses his sense of humor. You know how I love a funny guy well…

 “God! Oh God!”

I smile as I pick up the pace, “God’s not the one fucking you, baby.”

Sure, I’m in love, but this is still me here.

“Drew…Drew…yes…Drew!”

Much better.

Emma Chase’s Tangled is total stop, drop and roll reading. It goes fast so take a little time today to gobble this one up. You won’t be sorry you did. Oh and the sex…completely and utterly scandalicious.

Emma Chase

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Title: Play With Me

Author: Kristen Proby

Series: With Me In Seattle #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

Source: Self Purchase

Will Montgomery is a successful professional football player and seemingly has it all. He’s not used to being told no, and certainly doesn’t take no for an answer. So when he turns his charms on his sister’s sexy rocker-chick friend Meg, he’s not only turned down, but met with open hostility, piquing his curiosity and libido. He’s determined to show her that he’s not the arrogant jock she thinks he is, and to get her into his bed.

Megan McBride is not impressed with Will Montgomery, his fat contract, fancy car, or his arrogant public persona. She doesn’t have time for a relationship, and if she’s learned anything in life, it’s that loving means losing, so she guards her heart ferociously. But she can’t deny the overwhelming attraction to the sexy, tattooed athlete, and when Will starts breaking down her defenses and grabs hold of her heart, will she be able to admit her feelings for him, or will her troubled past cause her to lose the first man she’s ever truly loved?

What can I say? Will Montgomery is my favorite. For me, he’s perfect. And, I know you guys are going to rail me on this one but here goes…he’s a good guy. A really good guy. As much as I love a bad boy and you know I love a bad, broken, tattooed, scarred, and dark – there is something to be said about a good guy. Especially a good guy like Will who can burn up the fucking sheets. Yep, Will Montgomery just landed his tall drink of water fine ass on my Fictional Freebie List, ‘cause hot damn he is yummy. He’s a professional athlete, a quarterback no less, who takes care of his long and lean body and has just the right amount of cocky confidence to own the room when he enters it. That is no small task given the room full of brothers he’s surrounded by. Seriously, the Montgomery men and their friends should be illegal they are so fucking hot. And did I mention he’s tall…god I love tall men. (and before you stick your foot in your mouth and say something mean about good guys being boring, My Guy is a good guy…a very good guy and it’s why I love him so much…he’s cheeky, travels outside the lines, is loud, in your face and intense to the nth degree but at the end of the day, My Guy, much like Will, is a very good guy. Oh, and My Guy can burn up the sheets, too…just sayin’)

Now Megan McBride she’s pretty awesome, too. She comes from a home life that was less than satisfying (Breakfast Club reference) and has the guilt trip laying mother from hell. Her commitment issues are hard earned but her will to better herself trumps everything. She’s a freaking nurse on a children’s cancer ward in a hospital…come on now, she’s a saint. That has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world. Meg is so smart, and strong. She has so much love to give but is terrified of giving her heart away. She’s right to be guarded, she’s had a really shitty life when it comes to love. Good thing those Montgomery peeps are so fucking awesome. Geez, I want to move to Seattle so I can BBQ with them, just to soak in the pretty!

I love how Meg is strong enough to call Will on his shit, even when she feels the pangs of insecurity that must go with dating a famous celebrity like he is. That’s a really refreshing thing about this book, Meg and Will handle each other with a level of maturity that doesn’t make me want to stab myself in the eyeballs. I love how they communicate.

I think it’s safe to say, Kristen Proby’s With Me In Seattle series has turned into an auto buy, stop drop and roll series for me. Her stories are sweet, smoking hot, and scandalicious with enough angst to get your blood going but not so much that you feel all emo and/or stabby while reading it. Her characters have flaws and insecurities but they handle their shit in a mature way. I love how we get all of the past family of characters coupled with a nice dose of newbies that we know are going to keep the series moving along. Rock With Me is up next. I got to meet Leo in this book and I’m crazy excited to see what Ms. Proby does with his fine rock star ass.

With Me In Seattle Series

Come Away With Me

Under the Mistletoe with Me

Fight With Me

Play With Me

Rock With Me

Safe With Me

Tied With Me

Breathe With Me

Happy Friday. Yet another week has flown by. It’s gonna be a short one today friends, I’m off to be a proper lady who lunches at the country club and bless my heart, I need to go make myself presentable. No worries, I’ll be sure to wow the luncheon ladies with my knowledge of smutty books and porn while sprinkling liberal doses of the f-bomb every chance I get. Shock and awe my friends, it’s how I roll. (I really don’t fit in around my ‘hood but I always have a good time!)

Anyway, if we were having coffee, I’d share an Outside Your Comfort Zone Book Review with you. Today’s review comes from Petra, I’m sure you’ve seen her in the comments section – she’s fun at parties. (and Bianca B, I got your note, check your email later today, I’m sending you a list of books for you to pick from!)

The Midnight Room

by: Ronica Black

Sub-genre: F/F

This going to be a tough review to write because I’m still not sure how I feel about this one and I had to let it marinate a little bit before I got started. It did create a lot of discussion between my husband and I so that was fun.

Scandal was kind enough to offer me a ton of choices for my Outside Your Comfort Zone Reading Challenge.  So, I read through all the Goodreads reviews and the one that got me feeling a little anxious (that Beetlejuice reference was for you Scandal) was The Midnight Room by Ronica Black. My choices were books that had F/F relationships. It’s not outside my comfort zone, but it’s a subject that I don’t run across often and if you do it’s usually the supporting cast to a standard hetero couple romance.  But, I still wanted some sexy time, and I get all hot and bothered with the M/M couple and they have some hot sex scenes so I figured this was the book for me.  Yeah, it was the title that pulled me in first.  Because, really, how can a Midnight Room be anything but smoking hot??  Here is the publishers blurb:

Lillian Gray thinks she’s got it all under control. Work, sobriety, church visits, and aching over her ex take up most of her time. But her long-time friends insist on seeing her and continuously invite her to the local lesbian bar The Griffin. Lillian agrees to go, unknowingly placing herself in the path of someone who will shake up her carefully controlled world for good.

Personal fitness trainer Audrey McCarthy is a heartbreaker. Love is the last thing on her mind despite the concern from her married friends. So when she collides with Lillian Gray in the “midnight room” one night at The Griffin, she’s left shocked, breathless, and hopelessly smitten. But Lillian isn’t willing to let go of the past or admit her feelings, especially for a heartbreaker like Audrey McCarthy who seems unwilling to change her gallivanting ways.

Can repeated trips to the midnight room change them both?

It sounds good doesn’t it? From the description it’s got drama, probably some misunderstandings with ex’s, supportive friends, a bad girl and a mysterious “midnight room” that sounds like some kind of sexual playground, right? How can this not be good? If you’re anything like me, the first thing you want to know is what is this thing called a Midnight Room and how do I get there? Well, the midnight room is this clubs version of an adult 5 Minutes in Heaven.  Substitute a closet for the red velvet décor of the Midnight Room and you’ve pictured it.  Lesbians that frequent the bar The Griffin can put their names in a hat, two women are chosen at random and spend 15 quality minutes in the room.  There isn’t supposed to be any sex going on but of course it just means you only have 15 minutes to get your partner off rather than taking your time and who doesn’t want that?

The problem I have with the story isn’t the concept of the room…. I’m going to stop here and mention safe sex people… it should always be the priority and there’s none happening here, just lots of random hookups.  The main character is Lillian.  She just broken up with her longtime partner Holly and isn’t handling it well. Her friends finally get her out to the bar with them and one of them decides the best way to get her to move on is to set her up with the local bad girl/player Audrey, who will sleep with just about anyone and only once. She’s sexy, she knows everyone wants her and she’s decided that she wants Lillian, but only as a fuck buddy.  This has good choices written all over it.

Have I mentioned that Lillian is a couples therapist but was unable to see that her relationship was in major trouble? Audrey is a personal trainer who has absolutely no respect for her body if you take into account all the unsafe sex she’s having. In the beginning, Lillian comes across as this devout, shy, responsible woman and Audrey is portrayed as a woman who is confident, in control at all times and knows what she wants. It’s like Black built the characters and said fuck it.  From the moment the two step into the Midnight Room, Lillian decides to take control of Audrey, Audrey lets her and then gets clingy when Lillian says it was only a onetime thing. I know, I was scratching my head too…I seriously had to re-read that part, because these were not the women she just described.

The rest of the story is a constant push and pull between Lillian and Audrey. Lillian wants her, sleeps with her, then pushes her away, disgusted with herself and telling her she can’t do this. Audrey is one big ball of angst the entire time, sleeping her way through the disappointment of not getting Lillian.  Know when Lillian finally decides that she definitely wants Audrey?  When she finds out that Audrey has self-confidence issues from her childhood and Lillian feels that she can help her through them.

Finally, in about a page and a half, Audrey confronts and semi-reconciles with her mother, the source of the self-confidence issues, chooses to stop sleeping with every woman she can and reins in her semi-serious alcoholism. Lillian confronts her ex, who she has been pining for the last 2 years, decides she is in love with Audrey and they return to the Midnight Room to spend some quality sexy time together.

Was the story bad? No. It was conflicted.  Was it sexy? It had kind of hot, but quick, sexy scenes but overall, meh. I didn’t really like either of the characters because I felt like they relied too much of stereotypes of lesbian relationships: jumping from relationship to relationship, butch women sporting male clothing, cologne and car choices. Yes, some stereotypes have a basis in reality, and I saw a number of things I’ve seen friends do that were in this story, but to rely on all of them…lazy. And what is it with women that we have to poke at any negative, hurtful thing that happens to us like picking at a hang nail?  We are not happy unless we’re in pain, missing skin and bloody. Both of these women hold on to every single miss-step the other has made until you just want to tell both of them to move on, nothing to see here.

I was kind of disappointed with my choice.  I hoped that the F/F sexy time was a hot as the M/M sexy time. I might read another F/F based story, if I ran across one, but I probably won’t look for more of them. Overall, I gave it a 2 star. It wasn’t quite a DNF but I did have to force myself to finish it.

Thanks for letting me do this Scandal. It was fun and I probably would not have seen or picked up this book on my own.

Excellent review and thanks so much for sharing it with us Petra. You rock. And if you’ve read something from the Outside Your Comfort Zone Reading Challenge, don’t forget to let me know what you think so I can share it with the class!

If we were having coffee I’d ask you this question, it’s a question that has been discussed a lot lately…What is the kinkiest thing you’ve ever read? Not necessarily a whole book but a scene in a book. Is it pegging? Tie ups? Anal? Group sex? I’ll go first. Now, just like you guys, I’ve read some crazy stuff. The pegging stuff was new to me but I’ve learned there is a fetish for just about everything so no judgements, I swear. I’ve read about candy canes shoved up vags and eaten one bite at a time. I’ve read about foursomes that contorted themselves in ways I’m not entirely sure were physically possible. Shit, I’ve read some paranormal porn and you know the bodies are more durable in the paranormal realm but I have to say Tiffany Reisz wins hands down. She writes the most mind blowing stuff and for some reason, as kinky as it is, and as far away from my reality as it is, I find it completely normal. That has to be a testament to her mad writing skills. So far, the kinkiest thing I’ve read is the blood play scene between Nora and Soren. First off, I didn’t even realize that is a thing. Holy shit. Secondly, he cuts her fucking clit…during sex…Mind. Blown. The crazy thing for me is, because it was consensual, I was okay with it. My mind was fucking blown and I really didn’t feel the need to grab My Guy and reenact the scene in any way, shape, or form but looking back, reading it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. Should I be worried about what that says about me? Should I have not shared that with the class? Whatever. I laid it out there, now you tell me about your kinkiest read.

If we were having coffee I’d ask you what you are reading this weekend and next week. I’m reading Emma Chase’s Tangled, Kristen Ashley’s Fire Inside (you betcha baby!) and then I’m moving on to a little Kitty French action. What’s in the top spot on your TBR pile? Other than reading, do you have any plans? Are they scandalicious? As I mentioned at the top, I have a luncheon today and then a fancy dinner party tomorrow night – I get to dress up nice and wear some sexy shoes – I can’t wait. There will even be some dancing. Whatever you have going on, be sure to belly laugh at least twice, it’s good for the soul.

Title: Lost For You

Author: BJ Harvey

Series: Lost #2

Expected Release Date: July 23, 2013

What would you do if you were told that everything you had ever believed in and everything you had ever known, was a lie? 

Elle’s life is altered forever after an unexpected phone call and an unwelcome visitor. Trying to put her life back together, Brax’s last words continue to echo through her mind. Why she is being followed and why is she suddenly in danger? The fact that Brax knew about it all and still left her alone, breaks her fragile heart all over again. 

Brax will never forgive himself for leaving Elle at a time when she needed him the most, even if he believed it was the only way to protect her. As he makes his way back to her life, he is determined to win her back, regain her trust and help rebuild her for the second time. His return proves he is the same man, yet Elle sees in his eyes a haunted look she knows all too well. 

When a confession leaves Elle reeling, her entire life unravels around her. She begins to understand that the people she trusts the most have put her in grave danger and the people who have been protecting her actually want to cause her harm.

Elle soon discovers that the old adage is true, you have to become lost before you can be found.

Her whole body starts to shake, so I pull her close to me again. Her shoulders are slumped over and she grabs my shirt, gripping so tight that her knuckles are almost white with strain. Once the shaking subsides I shift back, placing my fingers under her chin so that her eyes meet mine. Her eyes are red and puffy, like she’s been crying for days.

I’ve never seen her like this. So low, so broken, so shut down.

“Baby, let me look after you. We’ll talk about everything tomorrow. I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but tonight I want to get you out of these wet clothes, wrap you up in my arms and comfort you. Will you let me do that, hon? I need you to let me help you.”

Unable to form words, Elle slowly nods, never once dropping her gaze. I strip her wet tank top off her, wrapping her towel around her chest as I pull her off the counter, carefully placing her feet on the kitchen floor. I yank her shorts down her still wet legs until she’s standing naked and exposed in front of me.

There is nothing sexual about this moment.

I take her hand and lead her into our bedroom, walking over to her drawers and pulling out a new top and pajama pants for her. I kneel down in front of her, lifting her feet one at a time as I put her legs into the pants and pull them back up to her waist. Not once has she lifted her head. She appears mesmerized by my every move.

Leading her over to the bed, I sit down on the edge and pull her into my lap as I hold the tank top in front of her. She puts her arms inside the top and I pull it the rest of the way down her body. I grab the towel and start drying her hair. I’m taking my time, wanting her to feel cherished and adored, hoping she’ll see the sincerity in my actions and not just my words, I wrap my arms around her and carry her into our bed.

“I’ll just be a minute, sweetheart,” I murmur, placing a tender kiss her forehead. I make my way into the bathroom, stripping off my wet clothes and wrapping a towel around my waist. Walking back into the bedroom, I grab a pair of boxers from the closet and put them on before crawling into bed beside her.

I move my arm around her shoulders and pull her tight into my side. She still hasn’t said a single word since I arrived. I start tracing shapes on her arm as I hold my lips to her forehead. She lays her head on my shoulder, moving one of her legs across mine as her heat cloaks me.

This is where I’m meant to be.

Where I hope Elle wants me to stay.

Lost Series

Lost in Distraction

Lost For You

Having always loved reading, and having been befriended and inspired by some awesome self published authors and book lovers alike, I decided to start writing my first novel, Lost in Distraction in December 2012. It was a conscious decision that started with a song, then the prologue and then catapulted from there. I love music too, like REALLY love music, if there isn’t music playing, something is wrong. Out and Proud Vampire Diaries fan as well. I’m also a wife, mother, full-time university student and I do contract work for myself from home.

Author Links:

Blog:  http://bjharveyauthor.blogspot.co.nz/

GR link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17731531-untitled

GR Author Profile: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6886702.B_J_Harvey

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BJ-Harvey/471226826268697?fref=ts

Lost In Distraction Purchase Links

Amazon US
http://www.amazon.com/Lost-in-Distraction-ebook/dp/B00C6ZQ8XA/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1368592692&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+in+distraction

Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-in-Distraction-ebook/dp/B00C6ZQ8XA/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1368592692&sr=8-1&keywords=lost+in+distraction

B&N
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lost-in-distraction-bj-harvey/1115078252?ean=2940044427341

Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303053

Kobo
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Lost-in-Distraction/book-P3dedD7qm0Gmy0Q1IQHdAQ/page1.html?s=8VdTAU6zPkqzG7SXAEn3_w&r=2

Monster

by Ben Burgess Jr.

Tormented while growing up for being dark-skinned, and the son of a womanizer who deserts his family regularly, Ken Ferguson longed for that feeling of being loved. Ken promised himself that he wouldn’t be a manipulating, deceitful man like his father, but after being cheated on and dumped by the girl he thought he would one day marry, he begins his transformation. Fueled by anger, and tired of being the “nice guy,” Ken drowns himself in one-night stands, threesomes, affairs with married women, and sleeping with one conquest after another. He adopts the philosophy of having no commitment and no attachments, but meets his match with Ashley, a girl that makes him want to stop his promiscuous ways. But Ashley turns out to do even more damage to his ego and his heart, wounding him deeply. With his philosophy reinforced, Ken spirals out of control and becomes a MONSTER. Sleeping with and mistreating random women he meets at bars and clubs, Ken uses sex to forget about his insecurities, his anger, and his sadness. Will Ken learn to let go of his heartbreaks, or will he be consumed by them and continue to be a MONSTER?

After reading the synopsis, you may be left with the impression that Ken is a complete ass but I think that is a rather harsh depiction of the goings on in Monster.  I actually found myself empathetic to Ken’s plight for most of the story.  He has been raised in a home with a philandering father who has little interest in his son and his comings and goings send Ken’s brilliant mother into bouts of depression.  Ken despises everything his father represents which is ironic since it is exactly what Ken becomes.

Ken is a good guy.  He is a kind, smart, hard-working 21 year old with a core group of supportive friends.  He works to put money in his pocket and put himself through university where he is double majoring in business and physiology.  What Ken lacks unfortunately is confidence and self-esteem which is a big old bull’s eye for the verbally and emotionally abusive.  When his cheating girlfriend delivers her insulting kiss off rant she imparts the final blow by telling him he is weak.  Ken picks himself up from his heartbreak and decides it is time for a change.

Ken studies and executes the art of seduction perfectly and his initial transformation begins with his new found man whoring ways.  Anytime his conscious rears its ugly head he berates himself for being ‘weak’.  Each conquest has something new to offer and teach and he uses that knowledge to make himself more appealing.  He becomes whatever type of guy the next girl needs, he listens and pays attention (we all like a man who listens to us, don’t we?) and he is a sweet talker.  But let’s be honest here because no amount of sweet nothings would get him very far if it wasn’t for his exemplary skills in the bedroom, bathroom, couch, backseat of the car…you get the idea!  And still, I can’t hold any of Ken’s transgressions against him.  He is using the women just as easily as they are using him and he is straight up honest that he does not want a relationship.

Anytime Ken takes a chance with his heart, it is ripped out and stomped on with little wrong doing on his part.  This further fuels Ken’s resolution to carry on with the mindless fucking without commitment or feelings as he continues to find self-worth with materialistic possessions.  Somewhere along the line Ben Burgess Jr. masterfully flips the switch and suddenly I am no longer sympathetic to Ken’s actions but suddenly having the big WTF are you thinking??? thoughts.  Ken’s actions start to hurt those that are nearest and dearest to him.  Lies and omission of facts find the light of day and like a domino effect, everything comes tumbling down.  Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom to reflect on where you have gone so horribly wrong and search for redemption from the monster you have become.  Good people do bad things, it is where you go from there that defines you as a person.  In the end, what I respect most about Ken is his honesty.  He knows what he has done, he makes no excuses, he is remorseful and he owns it.

Monster…grrrrrrrr…nope, not quite so literally! Lordy, lordy…after the first chapter of this book…I thought I had fallen into a Tyler Perry movie without the humor of Madea, of course. Before you throw stones at me for stating the obvious; the book does hit all the beats of setting the apparent struggles that would occur in such an environment. Despite these things, Ken is a determined considerate hardworking young man, trying to make a better life for himself.

Ken faces the plight of what a lot of us do in varying ways. For some us, it may have been body issues, freckles, a physical disability, a speech impediment or even a learning disability of some sort. For Ken, being a very dark skinned African American boy did not bode well for him during his childhood, which puts a wrench in his self-esteem. Couple this with a mother that suffers from depression and a philandering father; Ken was bound to be the poster child of a dysfunctional upbringing.

You find out early on that Ken gets his heart broken by his cheating-ass girlfriend who leaves him…get this…for the neighborhood bad boy drug dealer! Needless to say this spins Ken into a protective stance and he builds a 50-foot wall around his heart. But like for any viral young blooded man the need for sex is strong and he does what he has to get what he wants, no strings attached. I really appreciate his upfront attitude with his many conquests. The sex is down right real and raw. Ladies be warned; the romantic explicit component is definitely missing.

At varying moments as the story progresses you will definitely be challenged with sympathizing with Ken as he tries to work through his issues. BB Jr. does a great job and takes you on a bumpy steamy ride through playerville and there are a few WTF moments for sure. The story is great and I can’t help but wonder if this was a slightly exaggerated personal memoir of BB Jr. Do tell us please, inquiring minds would like to know.

T’s Pro

• It was a nice change to see the reversal of roles with a male using sex to validate himself.  So often it is a female that is painted in this light.  It runs deeper than just some guy fucking his way through the area code though, and no matter how many women Ken uses to try and fill that painful void, nothing will alleviate his heartache until he takes the time to heal himself.

L’s Pro

• This story is a fresh unique perspective that fits so well into the romance genre and is a great start for an author starting out.

T’s Con

• Not so much a con as a warning.  There is a lot of sex in this book.  A LOT!  It is graphic and at times impersonal but always consensual.  I wouldn’t say it was gratuitous but essential in the development and insight into Ken’s psyche.

L’s Con

• There is potentially a really great story here but unfortunately a few too many grammatical tense errors that kept pulling me out of the story. I really hope that BB Jr. seeks some additional editing help before the book gains some popularity.

Title: Allure

Author: Nina Lane

Series: Spiral of Bliss #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

Source: Blog tour: Literati Literature Lovers (follow the tour here)

“We both want this so badly. I can feel it resonating between us like the hot pull of our first attraction, tangible and intense.”

After lies and betrayal almost destroy their marriage, Dean and Olivia West reignite their blissful passion. The medieval history professor and his lovely wife are determined to fix their mistakes, and Liv’s unexpected pregnancy intensifies their desire to fall madly in love all over again.

Then a family crisis forces Dean back into a feud with his parents and siblings, dredging up guilt over a painful family secret. Dean fights to shield Liv from the hostility, but for the first time, Liv resists her white knight’s defense. Her newfound resolve clashes with Dean’s desperate need to protect her.

Liv and Dean have battled obstacles together before, but bitter family conflicts now endanger their fragile intimacy. And when Dean’s career is suddenly threatened, he and Liv must struggle with events that could damage them in ways they had never imagined.

“When someone asks who I am, what am I supposed to say?”

“You say, ‘Hi, I’m Liv, Dean’s very hot and sexy lady.’”

…”Seriously.”

“Paramour?”

“No”

“Cuddle bunny?”

“God, no”

…”Girlfriend.” I rested my forehead against his chest. “I guess.”

“Not the best word, but it’ll do in public.”…”in private, you can just be my beauty.”

Ahhhh, that Dean, he’s a sweetheart. He is a wonderful man, and after the life he’s lived, in his “perfect” family, he doesn’t even see how broken he really is. Seriously, Liv had a shit life, filled with abuse and…well, shit and she’s easily better adjusted than the super educated, well bred Dean. It’s heartbreaking, really. That’s what this book does to you – it breaks your freaking heart. At every turn, every fork in the road, serious fucking heartbreak.

Allure picks up right where Arouse leaves us. Dean and Liv are in the throes of saving their marriage. Things change, people change, needs and wants change…the one constant is the love these two share but honestly, they are testing the whole love conquers all concept in a big freaking way.

Just like Arouse, Allure cuts right to the bone…Nina Lane creates these characters that feel so real and the situations they find themselves in ring so true to life, it’s gut wrenching on multiple levels. Dean just wants to protect Liv. Liv just wants to be strong and independent. You can imagine, these two things clash…and when they do, well – it’s a good thing they love each other so deeply. Love may not conquer all but it sure does help you down the right path.

In Allure, we also get a fair amount of insight into Dean’s family dynamic. A lot of his personality is explained just by meeting his mother…toss his dad, brother, sister and ex into the mix and hot damn, it’s amazing Dean can function in society as well as he can! Dean is a bit of a control freak. He controls things with sex which makes for great reading but isn’t always the best thing in a relationship. Geez, the horn dog in me can’t believe I just typed that!

I have to say, Liv is one of my favorite heroines of all time. She is so strong and smart and loyal. I simply adore her. I want Liv to be my best friend. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention The Happy Booker. The Happy Booker MUST survive – the store’s name alone is one of the best book store names in literary history. I feel like I need to set up some sort of trust fund to support this small business! Allure moves our story forward quite a bit but leaves us with some questions to ponder while we wait for the next installment. Nothing terribly cliffhanger-y, just enough to keep us wanting more. Nina Lane has a way of reaching in and twisting your heart into an unrecognizable mess…you will cry…you will feel bereft…you will be sad…you will feel regret, you will feel love that is palpable, you will cheer and you will feel happiness. The range of emotions will make your head spin and that’s alright, that’s how life is supposed to be.

Spiral of Bliss

Arouse

Allure

Awaken – Summer 2013

(1) digital copy (EPub or Mobi) of Allure by Nina Lane. Open internationally.

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Purchase Links

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