Wait for Me by Tia Louise ~ Sarah A’s Review

Dear Taron,
I should have told you this before…

Dear Taron,
Is there a time-limit on forgiveness?
If there is, I haven’t reached it… 

Dear Taron,
I still love you… 

Taron Rhodes was my brother’s best friend.

He was sexy as sin.
But he was more than that…
He was ponytail-pulling, ice down your shirt teasing, throw you in the lake screaming…
Strong, tanned arms and bright green eyes over a heart-stopping, naughty grin…
Did I mention his tight end? 

I gave him my first real kiss, my heart, my everything.
I said I’d wait for him…

I’m still waiting, because Taron Rhodes is still the man of my dreams,
And I have a secret that has his bright green eyes.

Noel LaGrange stole my heart when she was only eighteen—pushing me off a flatbed and calling me a city slicker.
Her brother Sawyer would kick my ass if he knew how many times we made out that summer, how close we got.

Everything changed when Sawyer and I joined the military.
We were honorably discharged, but I didn’t go to her.
Instead, I went back to the city… where no amount of money, no amount of pills can heal this wound.
Only her whiskey eyes and dark hair, her slim arms and her sweet scent, give me hope.
I broke her heart just as surely as I broke mine, but I’m going back to make it right.
If she’s still waiting…

(WAIT FOR ME is a STAND-ALONE small-town, second-chance romance with a guaranteed HEA. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)

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As a whole, I liked Wait for Me well enough. What I take a look back at the pieces the book ebbed and flowed for me. There were parts I couldn’t read fast enough and others that I felt like I was trudging through. I’m can’t quite put my finger on exactly why the pacing was off for me, but it didn’t seem quite to have the magic I expect from Tia Louise’s writing. All in all, I did love this story; it just didn’t quite live up to the expectations I’d built up for it.

I freaking loved Taron from the first time I met him. He seemed to have just the perfect mix of vulnerability, humor, and chivalry to call to me. And though there were moments I found him exceedingly frustrating, he continued to cement a place for himself in my heart.

It took me longer to connect with Noel, and that may be part of the reason I felt I had a hard time staying in the story. She was a lovely person, but it seemed like she was unreachable in a lot of ways. Slowly, I started seeing more and more of what was behind her shiny exterior, and I began to love her more. I learned to love her more as time went on and was happy that she and Taron found each other.

My reticence about Wait for Me is definitely a me, not the book, thing. I was anticipating the book starting much differently than it did, and my preconceived notions hindered my ability to love the story for what it was. I know, had a started reading with a clearer mind, I would have absolutely loved it, and it saddens me that I won’t ever get to experience and appreciate the story like it should have been.

Tia Louise is the USA Today best-selling, award-winning author of When We Touch, the “Bright Lights,” “One to Hold,” and “Dirty Players” series, and co-author of the #4 Amazon bestseller The Last Guy.

After being a teacher, a book editor, a journalist, and finally a magazine editor, she started writing love stories and never stopped.

Louise lives in the Midwest with her trophy husband, two teenage geniuses, and one grumpy cat.

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Miles Ahead by Willow Aster ~ Sarah A’s Review

Nice guys finish last.

At least that’s how I feel when I watch my ex-girlfriend marry someone else. 

But when I’m showing a prime piece of real estate and in walks the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, I don’t really think about nice or my ex or anything but how to get to know her better.

Cort Sellers has baggage of her own—secrets she’s not ready to reveal, and a career that puts her whole life on display—but the more I get to know her, the more I’m willing to do anything it takes to win her heart.

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I’m going to be straight up with you. I read 5,331 Miles when it first came out and loved it, but I’ve read SO many books between that one and this, I didn’t remember Miles at all. Thankfully Miles Ahead is written in such a way that I didn’t feel like I was missing anything but not rereading 5,331 Miles first. It may be a spinoff novella, but it is easily read as a standalone.

As someone who has experienced the ‘when you know, you know’ phenomenon, I loved Miles and Cort’s love story. They had an immediate connection and despite both of their best efforts to ignore it, protect themselves from heartache, and wait for better timing; each of them couldn’t resist the pull of the other. That kind of connection always feels special to me, and it was no different in Miles Ahead. I also deeply appreciate the social relevance it held. Miles Ahead touched on an issue that is forefront in today’s society and incredibly important to talk about.

I am disappointed that Miles Ahead is only a novella. I feel like there was so much more story to tell, and I was left wanting, not in a good way, for more Miles and Cort. The entire timeline was highly accelerated, and it seemed like there were some parts of the book weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been. There were also a few minor continuity and editing errors that, while they didn’t detract from the story, just bugged me.

We spent a lifetime chasing firefly dreams

Jaxson and I devised a life list when we were kids in Holmes Chapel. Just a few things on that list:

*Climb the Eiffel Tower.
*Visit every zoo in the world.
*Eat peanut butter every day.

But all the promises he made dissolved into dust, so when he comes around years later wanting to go live out our list, I want no part of it…or him. The universe seems to agree with me because everything we try is a disaster.

The heart though—it’s a tricky beast; I’m just not sure mine is strong enough to survive Jaxson one more time.

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Willow Aster is the author of True Love Story, In the Fields, Maybe Maby, Fade to Red, and the upcoming release, Whore. Willow loves nothing more than writing the day away—anywhere will do. Her husband and two children graciously put up with her endless daydreaming and make fun of her for reading while cooking.

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Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward ~ Sarah A’s Review

 

I’d never forgotten him—a man I’d yet to meet.

Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldn’t have been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break.

Until one day it did.

Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one—one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing.

Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person.

Only Griff didn’t want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more—more Griff, in the flesh—so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love.

But what I found could change everything.

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This book made me cry my own tears. I’m not a fan of crying, especially over a book, but there was a tiny moment at the end of Dirty Letters that was so touching, so emotionally wrought that I couldn’t help but tear up. Dirty Letters, like all of Ms. Keeland and Ms. Ward’s works, was quite a bit heavier than the title or blurb indicated. It’s one of the things I love most about their work, and I look forward to seeing how they turn such seemingly light storylines into these heavy-hitting love stories.

I was immediately drawn to Luca, she was sad and vulnerable, and all of the things she’d endured in her life made her an incredibly sympathetic character. Watching her slowly, steadily, painstakingly face the hardest parts of her life was incredibly rewarding. Seeing her find someone willing and able to stand by her side to help her fight against her fears was beautiful. Griffin hadn’t lived a storybook life himself, but he had used the scars of his past mold him into a strong, level-headed, supportive partner. Luca couldn’t have found someone more suited for her had she written him herself.

The childhood pen pal concept was utterly novel to me. I wasn’t sure how it would play out, but I was taken aback by just how deep and emotional the book was before the main characters had ever met in real life. There was a certain anonymity and cushion of safety in those handwritten, snail-mail letters that allowed Luca and Griffin to open up to one another in a way they probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Watching their relationship play out in such an unusual way was fascinating, and I think this may be a new favorite trope for me.

Dirty Letters was a surprisingly emotional experience for me. At every turn, there was another blow coming at the characters, whether through a relived experience or a situation they didn’t see coming. Luca and Griffin navigated some very tricky paths, with the help of perhaps the most endearing psychiatrist I’ve ever read, with nothing more than the love they shared to guide them. It was beautiful to see how they each sacrificed and reached far beyond their comfort zones to ensure there was room in their lives for one another.
PS – I just heard that McDonald’s is bringing back their Furby Happy Meal toy for a limited time, in case you find yourself wanting one after this book. LOL!

 

Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over 1.5 million books sold, she is a twenty-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels.

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 Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. With more than a million books sold, her titles have appeared in over fifty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in fourteen languages. She lives in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

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Hollywood Prince by Natasha Madison ~ Sarah A’s Review

Behind the “lights, camera, action” of Hollywood lies a world of deception, love, and seduction. 

Are you ready for Hollywood Royalty?

Carter
A blonde, a brunette, a redhead…he can have his pick of them all on any given night and he knows it. They wait, hoping he looks up and gives them his signature smirk, choosing them over the others because that’s his game.

Except now he’s signed the contract of a lifetime, one with a pesky little clause that says his zipper must stay up and his playboy image has got to tamp down. It’ll be fine—a piece of cake, even—he can do this and he’s almost convinced himself of that … and then she walks in the room.

The new PR girl whom they’ve hired to change his image, she’s the star of all his dreams, but there’s one tiny little problem … she can’t stand him and all of his player ways.

He knows he only has thirty days to show her why they call him Hollywood’s Prince. He’s up for the challenge, so game on.

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This is a hard review for me to write, not because I didn’t like the story, quite the opposite. I loved Erin and Carter’s journey.  It’s the writing I have an issue with.  It’s taken me several books to come to the conclusion that Natasha Madison’s writing style doesn’t work for me; which is highly unfortunate because I love the stories once I wade through the extraneous stuff.

Erin and Carter’s relationship was adorable.  I really loved their meet-cute and all the incorrect assumptions they made about one another.  I also was obsessed with how easily they fell into a place of familiarity and comfort with each other.  There is something to be said for your soul recognizing its home and permitting you to open up all the most vulnerable places of you to that person.  That’s exactly what felt like was happening with Erin and Carter.  Their hearts recognized each other and after that, everything was out of their hands.

The connection between Erin and Carter seemed to develop very naturally.  They went from a tense professional relationship to a deep and steadfast friendship, that grew into a very intense and meaningful committed relationship.  The trust and camaraderie they’d established in the early days of their relationship gave them an incredibly solid foundation to build, and rebuild, their relationship on.  And, when they put that trust and respect through the wringer, it was that foundation that gave them a place to regroup and rise from the ashes.

My only wish for this book is in the writing, and I know it’s a me thing.  I found the descriptions tedious and overwrought.  There are several passages – mostly toward the beginning of the book – that feel clunky and in need of polishing.  Finally, I think there is too much emphasis on name branding throughout this entire series, and I found it distasteful.

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four-inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

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Order by Kindle Alexander ~ Sarah A’s Review

Assistant District Attorney Alec Pierce wants a future with the sexy, tough-talking biker who came to his rescue six months ago. But when evidence capable of destroying his future comes to light, Alec sets a plan in motion to keep the man he loves from a district attorney bent on vengeance.

Will Alec’s efforts pay off or will he destroy them both in the process?

As a Disciples of Havoc member, Keyes Dixon rides the line between society’s moral code and that of his brothers. He straddles two worlds… One owns him and the other seduces him with the promise of a future. But when a rush to judgment has him swerving to miss the roadblocks suddenly in his lane, he’ll have to choose between the club that demands his loyalty and the gorgeous assistant district attorney who deserves his commitment.

Can Keyes escape his circumstances to take a chance on a future he wants?

Six months into what started as a one-night stand, both men must navigate their developing feelings as they remain bound by differing oaths that threaten to drive them apart. Not only does their future hang in the balance of opposing forces, but an unexpected strike of the gavel could send them on a collision course neither is prepared for.

Will havoc continue to determine their lives or is their love strong enough to bring order?

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I rode the struggle bus HARD with this book.  I loved the first book in the series, Havoc, but had an exceedingly difficult time connecting with this one.  Admittedly, I’m not in the best headspace, but that hasn’t detracted from other books I’ve read recently, so it’s not just that.

I felt like the beginning dragged, badly, and was repetitive. I could only handle Key struggling with his relationship so many times before I was ready to throw in the towel.  And Alec, for as understanding as he was, and as much as he had gleaned about Keyes’ childhood from police reports, seemed to be too pushy for the delicate nature of Keyes’ situation.  When they were together, and neither of them was overthinking things, I thought their relationship was beautiful, there just seemed to be a lot of unnecessary and tedious strife.

Kindle Alexander’s books usually keep me captivated from moment one, and I can’t put them down, devouring every word like they’re oxygen.  However, I found myself skimming scenes and skipping ahead to get to the meat of the story with Order.  When the story was moving forward it was excellent; it felt like there was a lot of filler in this book, for me, though.  I wish some of the fat had been trimmed in favor of keeping the story engaging and forward moving.  When books start getting stagnant, I check out, and unfortunately, that is what happened with this book.

Order could have been quite an excellent story, but as published, it just felt overstuffed with extraneous material, which diluted the primary storyline and spoiled the reading experience for me.

**2 STARS

Keyes Dixon’s life is challenging enough as a full patch member of the Disciples of Havoc Motorcycle Club but being a gay biker leaves him traveling down one tough road. With an abusive past and his vow to the club cementing his future, he doesn’t believe in love and steers clear of commitment. But a midnight ride leads to a chance meeting with a sexy pretty-boy in a wicked hot sports car that has him going down quicker than a Harley on ice.

Cocky Assistant District Attorney Alec Pierce lives in the shadow of his politically connected family. A life of privilege doesn’t equal a life of love, a fact made obvious at every family gathering. Driven yet lonely, Alec yields to his family’s demands for his career path, hoping for the acceptance he craves. Until he meets a gorgeous biker who tips the scales in the favor of truth…and he can no longer live a lie.

Can two men from completely different worlds…and sides of the law…find common ground, or will all their desires only wreak Havoc?

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Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an overactive imagination, maybe women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen-year-old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle e-reader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event, I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fanfiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love, and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting http://www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

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NEW RELEASE!! Heart of the Devil by Meghan March ~ Sarah A’s Review

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes the stunning conclusion to the Forge Trilogy. In this final volume, ruthless billionaire Jericho Forge faces his toughest challenge. To emerge victorious, he’ll have to give up the one thing he’s never offered a woman—his heart.

It started as a game. She was nothing but my pawn.

But I was quick to see the error in my ways, and now she is everything I never knew I needed.

The value of a woman like India Baptiste is beyond measure.

But the problem with being a man like me? I’ve already screwed this up, and there’s no guarantee India will take me on for one last bet.

I’ll do whatever I have to do. Drop to my knees and offer her the only thing I have left. The one thing that’s only ever been hers—the heart of the devil.

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I’ve been so invested in the Forge trilogy when this book hit my Kindle on release day; I devoured the entire thing before lunch.  It was a high-octane finish to an intense and tangled series.  Jericho and India both suffered greatly in this book and had myriad revelations to reconcile before they were able to find solid ground on which to rebuild their lives.

Heart of the Devil jumps right in where Luck of the Devil left off, while I’d remembered what had happened, I forgot the urgency of the situation and my heart was pounding by the end of the second page.  I could feel Indy’s panic as surely as it was my own.  Even while I was reading both perspectives and knew exactly what was going on, the starkness of her emotions overrode any security I had about Jericho throughout the entirety of the book

India and Jericho’s relationship was put to the test in Heart of the Devil, and it served to make both characters face the depths of their feelings.  I loved the vulnerability they finally showed one another, since they’d both shown themselves to be impenetrable to even those closest to them.  Each needed the strength of the other to finally release everything they’d pent up through their lives.  It was quite interesting to realize how shockingly similar, yet strikingly different their pasts were, it was quite the juxtaposition, and I loved every part of discovering what made Jericho and Indy who they were.

The action of Heart of the Devil was insane.  I was sure of the direction the book was headed and BAM! shocking reveal, time and again I was utterly taken aback by what seemed to be happening and what was actually happening.  The entire Forge trilogy was rife with red herrings, I finally quit speculating as to what was going to happen and just buckled myself in for the wild ride Ms. March took us on.

Heart of the Devil is the third and final book in Meghan March’s Forge trilogy.  This series is one story told in three volumes and must be read in its entirety.  Heart of the Devil is written in dual first-person perspective, narrated by India and Jericho.

“You can put that man in a suit, but he’ll never be tame.”

One look at Jericho Forge and I knew the rumors were true. He was a predator, and he had set his sights on me.

I knew better than to bet more than I could afford to lose that night. I knew better than to bet myself. But desperation leads to bad decisions, and I thought there was no way I could lose.

I was wrong. 

Now I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.

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New York Times bestselling author Meghan March continues the story of ruthless, calculating billionaire Jericho Forge in Luck of the Devil. 

My poker face has always been one of my greatest assets, along with my grit and determination. I was beholden to no one. Asked permission for nothing.

Then Jericho Forge took my life by storm.

I traded my freedom for something infinitely more precious, but I didn’t realize he was holding an unbeatable hand.

Now, all I have to do is survive the high-stakes game that is my life—with my heart intact.

But not falling in love with Forge? That will take the luck of the devil. 

Luck of the Devil is the second book of the Forge Trilogy, and should be read following Deal with the Devil. The Forge Trilogy concludes in Heart of the Devil.

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Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

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5,331 Miles by Willow Aster ~ Sarah A’s Review

We spent a lifetime chasing firefly dreams

Jaxson and I devised a life list when we were kids in Holmes Chapel. Just a few things on that list:

*Climb the Eiffel Tower.
*Visit every zoo in the world.
*Eat peanut butter every day.

But all the promises he made dissolved into dust, so when he comes around years later wanting to go live out our list, I want no part of it…or him. The universe seems to agree with me because everything we try is a disaster.

The heart though—it’s a tricky beast; I’m just not sure mine is strong enough to survive Jaxson one more time.

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5,331 Miles didn’t come together until the last minute, and because of that format, it was hard to know if I liked the characters – or could forgive them – until the book was almost complete.  The way Willow Aster contrasted her timelines and made the past and present weave together was interesting, often frustrating, but the only way to tell this story and make me still love both Mirabelle and Jaxson.

For a good portion of 5,331 Miles, I found Mirabelle (Mira, Bells) frustrating as all get out.  I didn’t understand why she was so angry with Jaxson or why, when he was doing everything he could to prove his love and devotion to her, she refused to forgive him.  When I finally knew all of the things he’d done to her, all the things she’d been through, it was hard to see how she could put it all in the past.  I was exceedingly happy she took the time she needed to heal and find herself before she made any rash decisions about her future.  I don’t think she – or the readers – had any idea how much pain she’d been carrying around until she had space and safety to sift through all that emotional baggage.

I loved Jaxson from the off, then, little by little, he got more and more infuriating to me.  He’d been an awful friend for a long time while Bells desperately needed unconditional love and support, and it was hard to reconcile that self-absorbed teenager with the kind and loving man we knew him to be in the present.  As much as I appreciated how hard he tried to prove he’d changed from that awful boy, I felt like Jaxson was attempting to erase the past rather than make amends for it and it was a little frustrating.  I wish he would have done more to show her he knew how wrong he was in those actions from their past.

5,331 Miles was a much deeper story than I had anticipated.  Even into the final chapters of the book, it didn’t occur to me all of the trauma Mirabelle had encountered in her short life.  When it was all laid out, my heart broke for her.  Jaxson had done wonders to prove his love to her, but she had to work on herself before she could even think about loving another person.  Though 5,331 Miles was chock-full of romantic gestures, the most beautiful part of the story was when Mira took the time to let herself heal.  This was a beautiful book, and I am quite happy to have read and experienced Mirabelle and Jaxson’s tumultuous love story.

It was there all the time,
A love so pure, and so alive,
Went to hell and still survived
5,331 Miles

I grab a sweater before the song has finished playing and rush out of my flat, Winston’s ears flapping as he runs next to me. I open the door to my building and Jaxson is there in the parking lot, leaning against a car.

He doesn’t smile when he sees me. He looks like a tragic figure, devastatingly handsome and stoic; he puts his hands in his pockets and watches me get closer and closer.

When I’ve almost reached him, the car next to him starts and I gasp. It’s my dad. He smirks and gives me a brisk wave before backing up, not waiting around to see what happens.

I stop when my feet bump into Jaxson’s. He reaches out and wipes a tear from my cheek.

“Jaxson.” It comes out as a sob, and I lean my head onto his chest.

His arms circle around me, making me instantly feel better. Home. One of his hands moves to my hair and he gives it a soft tug, forcing me to look up at him.

“I don’t care where we are. I just want to be where you are,” he says. “Do you believe me yet? And does it matter?”

Tears fall down both of my cheeks and his thumbs catch them. “It matters,” I tell him. “It means everything.”

“You say the word and I will move heaven and earth to be with you. Nothing will come between us.”

And this time, for maybe the first time since my tenth birthday, I believe him.

“I’m done running,” I say.

His mouth crashes into mine, claiming what I’ve held back from him for so long.  

“Come inside,” I whisper against his lips.

Willow Aster is the author of True Love Story, In the Fields, Maybe Maby, Fade to Red, and the upcoming release, Whore. Willow loves nothing more than writing the day away—anywhere will do. Her husband and two children graciously put up with her endless daydreaming and make fun of her for reading while cooking.

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Hollywood Princess by Natasha Madison ~ Sarah A’s Review

Behind the “lights, camera, action” of Hollywood lies a world of deception, love, and seduction.

Are you ready for Hollywood Royalty?

Kellie

An Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, a Grammy—she has them all.
She’s the most sought-after woman in Hollywood.
Even if her rise to fame was a fluke, you can’t deny the camera loves her.
The problem is so does everyone else, and she’s about to leave on the biggest concert tour of her life. 
Headlining for the first time in five years.

Around the world in ninety days. Should be a piece of cake.
Until her new security detail walks in the room and she’s looking into the eyes of the only man who didn’t fall for her charm.

It’s only a matter of time till he falls for Hollywood’s Princess.

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I struggled with reading this book, and I’m struggling with writing a review for it too.  It wasn’t that I don’t love the love story; it was the rest of the book that fell flat to me.  There were several places where it felt like the plot had been going in one way, then the author decided to change direction and tried to force earlier details into the new narrative.  It made the experience of reading awkward.

I loved the glimpse of Kellie and Brian’s story we got in Hollywood Playboy and was so looking forward to this book.  Thankfully, their connection and relationship building was the high points of the novel, so I didn’t feel let down on it.  They were adorable together, and the care and affection they had for one another were evident from the beginning.  As much as I appreciated that things progressed slowly between them, I did some of the situations they were put in a little tedious and repetitive.

The suspense element of the book fell flat for me.  It often felt forgotten in favor of adding more scenes to cause tension between Brian and Kellie, which seemed a poor decision.  While I was able to figure out who the bad guy was pretty soon off, I felt like the payoff of how they figured out who was behind the stalking never happened.  Brian kept talking about how one element was going to be the key to discovering who was sending the items, but then we never found out why – or how – that item came into play.

If this book was just about Brian and Kellie, and their love story it would have been fantastic.  They were adorable together, and I believed in them.  When they were together and just being themselves, the story flowed nicely, and I felt completely invested in the book.  Kellie and Brian had terrific chemistry, and in a world as superficial as the one they lived in, it felt like it was built on something more substantial than their impossibly good looks.

At the beginning of chapter twenty-five, there is a considerable editing error.  I’m not sure what happened, I can only guess that a section got highlighted and deleted, but once sentence skips ahead to a completely different setting and situation.  There were also a handful of other editorial issues that need to be addressed.  I also found the name dropping, obsession with brand-names, and excessive descriptions of items tedious and unnecessary.

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four-inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

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The Saint by LP Lovell ~ Sarah A’s Review

Check out this gorgeous cover for The Saint by LP Lovell! Add it to your TBR today!

*Please note: This is not a romance. The Saint is a dark suspense.*

My life was simple; God, business and myself, in that order.

Then I met an angel, and everything changed.

Only an angel can save the damned.

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I’m having a hard time deciding how I feel about The Saint.  It was an intense and bizarre story.  For the most part, I was completely intrigued with every turn of events, but I felt unsettled, unsatisfied with the ending and that left me frustrated.  Honestly, if the current blurb had been the one I had read when I decided to read The Saint, I might have passed this one over.

The Saint is billed as a suspense, but I didn’t feel like it really lived up to that genre.  I never had the feeling that something ominous was looming on the horizon.  Never had any desire to try to figure out who was behind anything, because we knew who was behind everything, almost as soon as it happened.  The Saint felt like the first three-quarters of a dark romance, with none of the payoff of a satisfying conclusion.  To me, it felt like the book started as a romance, then the author wasn’t sure how to redeem the anti-hero, so she cut the ending short, called it a suspense novel, then hoped her loyal readers would take it at face value.  The Saint could have been a phenomenal story had Ms. Lovell clung to Saint’s ominous persona and fleshed out the relationship with him and Eden, all while he was keeping his secrets. It would have kept with the tenor of the story and given the reader some sense of closure regarding the story.

“You’re acting crazy…crazier than normal. Why would you employ Eden?”

“So we can watch her.” There’s no we about it. 

He snorts. “Two weeks ago you wanted me to kill her. Now you’re giving her a job. I see the way you look at her.”

Anger starts to bubble like lava, just waiting to spill over and destroy everything in its path. “And how is that?”

“Like she interests you. And nothing interests you aside from money.”

So he sees it. “My interest in her is money because she threatens it. Her brother threatens it.” The lies pour so easily from my lips with enough plausibility to fool my brother — he who knows me so well — the only one who would notice my attentions slipping.

“You aren’t focused.”

“I’m fine!” I instantly regret the slight loss of control, the snap in my voice because it proves an element of truth in his words. Pushing to my feet, I move to the bar and pour a half glass of whiskey before knocking back a full gulp and slamming the glass on the bar. I walk straight past him and yank the door open with a heavy groan of old hinges. I storm from the room, right into Eden. We collide, and she staggers back, dropping the tray of glasses in her hand. The crash can be heard over the music. 

She drops to her knees immediately, scrambling to pick up the glass. “I’m sorry,” she says, glancing up at me through long lashes. My cock twitches, my lungs shrink, and my pulse hammers out a staccato rhythm against my eardrums. She’s on her knees before me. Worshipping me, praying at my altar. The thought makes my cock painfully hard, and I can’t…think. A breath hisses through her lips, and she snatches her gaze away, lifting her hand. Blood pours from her finger, cascading down her hand so hypnotically. I drop to a crouch, grabbing her wrist and tugging her closer. The soft jazz music swells around us, and I know there’s a room full of people, but all I see is her…and her blood. So red, so vibrant. Our eyes meet, and I hold my breath, fighting the torrent of images flashing through my mind. Wings. Flames. Blood tears. Blood, blood, blood. Wings of crimson. An angel on her knees, a sacrificial offering. For me. To me. And she looks so good in blood, the crimson against that pristine, pale skin. No!

Shoving to my feet, I stagger away from her. “Clean that up,” I grunt before hurrying away. 

She tempts the very darkest parts of me to the surface. Which is precisely why she should be dead, a little voice pops up in my mind. It would be so easy, her existence washed from this planet and thus my mind, as bleach washes germs away. I would feel cleansed. Fixed. Right. But if an angel is the voice of your conscience, encouraging good, then this…craving must surely be the work of the devil. Burning, burning, burning. 

She tests me with her simple innocence and naivety, and how truly damned does that make me — that I should crave the destruction of something pure? She plays to my weaknesses, and that troubles me in ways I cannot fathom. This is what He wants, to watch me lose control, to watch me struggle for Him. 

I need to get out of this club. 

l’ve never run from anyone, but I’m fleeing from the monster she entices from deep inside me. I should never have offered her a job here. I keep walking, moving through the club and straight out of the front door, racing towards the salvation that I sorely need

I’m a priest, a messenger of God, a good man. At least that’s what I would have them all believe.

She’s a lost lamb, cast adrift from her flock and seeking shelter from the wolves snapping at her heels. She’s looking for salvation, protection, forgiveness for her sins. I’m not the man to give it to her. But for the first time in my life, I want to be.

Little does she know…

For even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

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Lauren Lovell is an indie author from England. She suffers from a total lack of brain to mouth filter and is the friend you have to explain before you introduce her to anyone, and apologize for afterwards.
She’s a self-confessed shameless pervert, who may be suffering from slight peen envy. 

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NEW RELEASE!! Luck of the Devil by Meghan March ~ Sarah A’s Review

New York Times bestselling author Meghan March continues the story of ruthless, calculating billionaire Jericho Forge in Luck of the Devil. 

My poker face has always been one of my greatest assets, along with my grit and determination. I was beholden to no one. Asked permission for nothing.

Then Jericho Forge took my life by storm.

I traded my freedom for something infinitely more precious, but I didn’t realize he was holding an unbeatable hand.

Now, all I have to do is survive the high-stakes game that is my life—with my heart intact.

But not falling in love with Forge? That will take the luck of the devil. 

Luck of the Devil is the second book of the Forge Trilogy, and should be read following Deal with the Devil. The Forge Trilogy concludes in Heart of the Devil.

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Luck of the Devil was a great follow-up to Deal with the Devil.  Meghan March ramped-up the intensity of this book, ever so subtly, but with so much hinging on every decision it seemed every step, every choice, every breath the characters took could irrevocably destroy or reinforce the futures they were striving toward.  While I’ve loved each story I’ve read by Ms. March, the Forge trilogy is quickly becoming my favorite.

Throughout Deal with the Devil and for a good part of Luck of the Devil India and Jericho were building a house of cards that could so easily fall and destroy them both, with all the secrets and half-truths they’d been telling.  Once they both realized there was something powerful and rare growing between them, I was exceedingly happy to see them begin to open up, to share their lives and thoughts, to quit hiding behind their secrets.

Jericho and India are both forces to be reckoned with by themselves, once they decided to work together, they were completely unstoppable.  I have no doubt anyone who is working against either or both of them will rue the day they decided to make that choice.  The strength they both show to the world was only complemented by the vulnerability they were beginning to reveal to one another.  Their dynamic was so passionate and consuming; I can’t wait to see how their love story will play out in Heart of the Devil, because I’m sure it’s going to be quite a ride.

Luck of the Devil is the second book in Meghan March’s Forge trilogy.  These series is a continuous tale told in three parts and must be read in order.  There were a few guest appearances from characters in her other novels, but it is not necessary to have read those books to understand what is going on in this one.  Luck of the Devil is written in dual first-person perspective, narrated by India and Jericho.

“You can put that man in a suit, but he’ll never be tame.”

One look at Jericho Forge and I knew the rumors were true. He was a predator, and he had set his sights on me.

I knew better than to bet more than I could afford to lose that night. I knew better than to bet myself. But desperation leads to bad decisions, and I thought there was no way I could lose.

I was wrong. 

Now I have no choice but to make a deal with the devil.

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Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

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