BOOK REVIEW ~ FORSAKING TRUTH BY LYDIA MICHAELS

Title: Forsaking Truth ( McCullough Mountain, Book Five)
Author: Lydia Michaels
Publisher: Secret Cravings
Release Date: May 5, 2014

Genre: Romance, M/M


ARC provided by author for an honest review







Book Blurb



When Luke McCullough’s athletic potential is diminished by a field injury, his pride pays the price. Returned to Center County a broken man, the long road to recovery seems dreary and overshadowed by opportunities lost, until he meets Tristan Hughes.

Tristan came to Center County to escape his past and start anew, but nothing prepared him for Luke. Intrigued, Tristan cautiously gets to know this powerful man, only to fall head over heels for the vulnerable soul hiding behind all that intensity and drive.

Luke has never been interested in men, so when he can’t get Tristan out of his head he doubles his efforts to fight the inevitable. Stolen glances lead to heated encounters, followed by punishing regret, but Luke’s inability to face the truth of who he really is may cost him the only happiness he’s ever known.

Book Review


I cannot get enough of this series.

I fell in love with the McCullough family with book one, Sacred Waters. Lydia Michaels has created an Irish family you cannot help but want to be a part of, and more importantly, married into, lol.

This large family has had its ups and downs over the years and its share of emotional turmoil. But Luke's story has its own unique circumstances and Michaels does a superb job at writing a heart-wrenching tale of two men who struggle coming to terms in their romantic relationship.

Luke McCullough was born to be a professional football star when an injury took him out of the game--permanently. He returns to Center County feeling like an utter failure. Now working at his father's lumber yard, he tries to find his way in a world that doesn't fit right. He is bitter about the future now denied him and feels about as useless as tits on a bull (Luke's own words from Forsaking Truth). In a nutshell, Luke is his own worst enemy.

Tristan Hughes moves to Center County and moves in with a relative to the McCullough's and accepts an entry position at the local lumberyard. This is where both Tristan and Luke meet and where friendship turns into something...more.

Forsaking Truth flashes to scenes previously seen in earlier books, but are told from Luke's perspective. So a lot gets explained on the hows and whys of Luke's burly behavior. He is coming to terms with sexual feelings toward another man--something that has never plagued him before. He has had relationships with  only women at this point. But there is no denying the attraction he feels with Tristan. Luke finally feels like those odd pieces of his life are falling into place. He feels accepted for who he is and most importantly, he feels a love that is all encompassing.

But there are bumps along the way as Forsaking Truth covers five years. Five years of fights, hurt feelings, and denial.  Both Tristan and Luke have to work through some serious issues. The major one being Luke's unwillingness to come out to his parents.

There were a few things I felt was missing in this story and I had wished to have seen more conversation between Finn and Luke. They are twins and I felt their relationship was sort of skimmed over.

Also, there is not enough interaction with Mama McCullough. I seriously love this woman. She is a secondary character that has wormed her way into my heart. She makes me laugh out loud and giggle like a little girl.

However, Michaels does provide a very touching and emotional scene with Luke and his parents.

Be prepared for a more serious subject matter with Forsaking Truth. It's not as humorous as previous books, but I didn't expect it to be. Luke is a quiet and private person, so unlike the other Chatty Cathys in the McCullough Clan. But the romance, the heat, and the sizzling sexual chemistry is still strong and very present.

A great addition to the McCullough Series.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT ~ TORNADO ALLIE BY SHELLY BELL

Tornado Allie

Author: Shelly Bell

Releasing Jan 21st, 2014

Blurb

Since beating cancer, television news producer Allie Schwartz has been on a mission to tackle everything on her bucket list. First task—seeing a live tornado. When her best friend’s older brother, sexy storm-chasing tour guide Drake Roberts, offers to help with the naughty items from her list, she agrees to a one night stand and hands him the sexual reins.
Contractually forbidden from fraternizing with the guests and worried his sexual dominance would offend her, Drake has reluctantly kept his hands off the courageous Allie for five torturous days. But after experiencing his own brush with death and learning she works for the television station where he’s been hired as the new meteorologist, he can’t keep his attraction a secret any longer. So when he accidentally reads her naughty list, he withholds the fact they’ll soon be co-workers and seizes the opportunity to fulfill her fantasies. All but one. Because if he has his way, they’ll last longer than one night…

Buy Links

Amazon / All Romance / Loose Id

Click here to follow Shelly Bell's Book Tour

Author Info


A sucker for a happy ending, Shelly Bell writes sensual romance often with a bit of kink and action-filled erotic thrillers with high-emotional stakes for her alpha heroes and kiss-ass heroines.
She began writing upon the insistence of her husband who dragged her to the store and bought her a laptop. When she’s not working her day job, taking care of her family, or writing, you’ll find her reading the latest smutty romance.
She currently writes for Avon Red Impulse, Loose Id, and Soul Mate Publishing.

Author Links:

Website / Blog / Facebook / Goodreads /Twitter

Excerpt

“What are we doing up here?” Allie asked as Drake led her outside to the hotel rooftop, his fingers entwined with hers.

He hadn’t let go of her for a second since the panty-melting kiss, and if it weren’t for the room of onlookers, she had a feeling he would’ve taken her right there on top of the bar. While she wasn’t into exhibitionism, she probably wouldn’t have stopped him. Luckily for her, Drake had hung on to his self-control.

She peered over the edge and down at the vacant courtyard. The storms had passed, leaving behind a clear night sky lit by a full moon and the brightest stars she’d ever seen. Other than the faint sound of crickets chirping, their breaths, and the hammering of her heart, it was completely silent.

“Let’s talk more about your list,” he murmured, cradling her face in his large palms.

“Do we have to? Couldn’t we just…do it?”

“Oh no doubt about it, we’ll work our way down your list tonight, which is why I brought you up here.” He wrapped an arm around her waist, retrieved her list from his pocket, and leaned their backs against the ledge. “Number three. Public sex. Tell me what you imagined when you wrote this.”

“I didn’t imagine anything.”

He shot her a look of disbelief.

“Fine.” She buried her face on his chest. “I don’t mean I want to have sex while other people watch. It’s the idea of doing it out in the open where we could get caught that excites me.” She paused, waiting for him to respond. She couldn’t look at him and when he didn’t speak, she wrenched her hand away and pushed off the wall to head to the stairs. “You think I’m perverted, don’t you? Forget the list. It was silly and I—”

He nabbed the back of her jean skirt and yanked her into the hard plane of his chest, then twisted her around. Without giving her a chance to protest, he kissed her hard, easing her fear she’d offended him with her naughty list. The moment she relaxed in his arms, he receded from the kiss, leaving her breathless.

With his thumb, he caressed the skin under her ear. “I think it’s fucking hot. Maybe it makes you perverted, but honey, you’re my kind of perverted. There’s nothing wrong with consenting adults having sex, even if the sex is considered unconventional by society’s standards. It’s not as if we’re breaking any laws.”

“Actually, public sex is illegal.”

His hands slid down her spine to rest right above her skirt. He leaned in, nipping her earlobe before he whispered, “I think it’s worth the risk, don’t you?”

Her heart galloped at the thought of him taking her in the open, underneath the stars, where anyone could walk through the door. “Here? Now?”

“No time like the present. We’ve only got ten hours to get through your list.”

Despite her fear of getting caught, her nipples tightened, and her pussy quivered. “We couldn’t possibly do everything on my list. I mean, how would you, you know, recover to do it all?”

“Do you doubt me?”

“The guys I’ve been with were good with once a night.”

He squeezed her ass. “Then you’ve been with the wrong guys. If you were mine, I’d make love to you every chance I got, so whenever we were apart, you’d still feel me inside you.”

“Oh,” she said shivering, unable to formulate words. Her panties dampened. “Wow. I’m a little nervous.”

He looked surprised. “Of me?”

“I forget how to speak when I’m with you.”

A devilish grin and the wicked intent sparkling in his eyes was all the warning he gave before slowly backed her up to the wall. “Good thing you won’t need it tonight. Except to say ‘yes’ and ‘more.’”

“And if I want you to stop?” Her body betrayed her arousal, as she stood on her tiptoes and shamelessly ground her pussy against the erection confined by his jeans.

He chuckled, bracing her hips and preventing her from moving against him. “Use your safe word.”

A low growl of frustration emitted from her chest. Less talk, more action. “What word?”

He brushed his hands up and down her arms, reassuring her. “Your safe word. Choose a word you don’t normally say in conversation, but something you’ll remember. The second you use it, I’ll stop whatever it is we’re doing and we’ll talk about it.”

An image instantly sprung to her mind. “Banana. I can’t stand them.” 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “If you change your mind—” 

“I won’t.” She clutched his shirt in her fists. “I want to know what it’s like to let someone else take control in the bedroom. Someone who actually knows how to pleasure me.” She batted her eyelashes. “You up for the challenge?

“It’s not a challenge.” He whispered in her ear. “It’s an invitation. One I’ve already accepted. Are you ready?”

More than ready. “Yes.”

He licked the shell of her ear and blew warm air over it, giving her chills despite the eighty-degree evening. “Then strip.”

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ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ A MILLION DIRTY SECRETS BY CL PARKER

Title: A Million Dirty Secrets 
Author: CL Parker
Release Date: August 27, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

Delaine Talbot has a secret. When a matter of life and death threatens to tear apart her family, Delaine makes the ultimate sacrifice. She auctions herself off at Chicago’s most exclusive erotic club. Now she belongs to Noah Crawford, a wealthy mogul who introduces her to a seductive feast of the senses, awakening desires she only dreamed about.  
 
Noah doesn’t know why Delaine sold her body for a cool two mil. But it’s the perfect business arrangement. The inexperienced beauty will learn to satisfy his every sensual need, yet never touch his heart. Almost immediately their relationship generates heat—in more ways than one. When they fight, they take no prisoners. When they love, they show no mercy. When they’re together, they never want to leave each other’s arms. But soon, their intense, physical bond will take an unexpected turn—evolving into something neither has bargained for: the promise of a lasting love.

Book Review 

A Million Dirty Secrets is a rare gem--highly erotic, humorous, and heart breaking all in one book. 
Parker tells the story of Delaine Talbot, a young woman whose mother is dying, and the length she goes to to make sure her mother has a heart operation that she desperately needs to live. 

She sells herself to the highest bidder at a very private, very elite, sex slave auction. 

Noah Crawford, heir and co-owner to the Scarlet Lotus foundation, has been disillusioned and hurt by love. The one woman he planned to marry cheated on him with his best friend. His bitterness leads him down a path he never thought he would roam. After hearing about a sex slave auction, Crawford thinks this is the answer to the painful hurt caused by his ex-girlfriend. He will purchase someone who will be  his beck-and-call-girl (Pretty Woman reference noted, lol) and who will not run into the arms of another man. Ever. 

His own Million Dollar Baby. 

But when Delaine is bought by Noah, both come to realize that their air-tight plans were nothing but an impractical solution...especially when it comes to matters of the heart. 

If you are looking for something sweet with a side of occasional hot and steamy--look elsewhere. Parker delivers steamy sexy times in droves. But this is about a sex slave, no? Did I mention that Delaine is a virgin? So, yeah...expect sex.

And lots of it. 

But beneath the multiple layers of eroticism, Parker builds a story with surprising results. Just as Delaine sees that there is more to Noah than just a huge...er...bank account, the reader gets a personal peek with a back and forth point of view: Delaine and Noah. And things aren't always as they seem. 

Both Delaine and Noah have met their match and as they work through a highly unique situation, come to realize the mistakes they made along the way. Love and loyalty cannot be bought. Money doesn't always solve everything. 

Sex and making love are two totally different things when the heart or hearts become involved.

And if you look a little closer, the one that was meant to be with you, has been right there all along. 

But can two people from two entirely different backgrounds come together and stay together, when they both have been keeping their own dirty little secret? 

Well...you're gonna have to wait until the next book to find out, just like me. 

Can't. Wait. 

ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ WICKED BEAT BY OLIVIA CUNNING

Title: Wicked Beat (Sinners, Book Five)

Author: Olivia Cunning

Expected Release Date: August 6, 2013  

ARC provided by NetGalley 

From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners’ new front of house soundboard operator, drummer Eric Sticks knows he has to make Rebekah his. Unfortunately, she’s too busy trying to seduce guitarist Trey Mills to pay him much attention. Rebekah never planned to fall for the tall, goofy drummer with the weird sense of humor and a heart the size of the galaxy. But Eric makes her laugh and his constant attention makes her feel sexy and irresistible–exactly what she needs after the things her last lover said to her. A woman who gives as much as she takes, Rebekah makes Eric feel like a total stud–exactly what he needs after surviving a decade of watching the incredibly talented members of Sinners from the wings.

Book Review 

Wicked Beat is the final installment in Olivia Cunning's series--Sinners On Tour--and I am sad to see its end. 

I have loved the rock-n-roller coaster ride that Cunning created with her very sexy rockers and addictive characters.

Eric Stixx, the often misunderstood drummer, finally gets his HEA with a heroine that fits him like a glove. I absolutely adored Rebekah. She is sassy, gets Eric's warped humor, and has such a heartbreaking past, you can't help but like her. She is Eric's perfect match. 

Throughout the Sinners Series, Eric's character has been a bit superficial...he's been the jokester, the one always watching from the sidelines...but as the series moves along, Olivia shows the reader a vulnerable side of Eric that tore at my heartstrings. For example, his relationship with Jace in the book, Hot Ticket, is expanded upon and the two become closer. 

And now in Wicked Beat, we get to see exactly why Eric chose his voyeuristic tendencies and how his past shaped the man he became. 

On top of all the emotional turmoil Cunning immerses the reader in, she gives us what she is extremely talented doing--extremely erotic and unique sexual situations that make for extremely aroused readers praying for their own rock god. You never know what to expect with Cunning's wicked imagination--but you can expect to be well satisfied in the end. 

SEXY SNIPPETS ~ TIE ME BY OLIVIA CUNNING

Tuesdays have never been so sexy!

Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky over at RBtW's blog post  so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

His heart is tied to his past…
When Sole Regret’s rhythm guitarist, Kellen Jamison, vowed to be faithful to his fiancée and love her forever, he meant it. He never expected to lose her to cancer so early in life. He’s certain he’ll never love again, but destiny has another plan for him.

Her heart is tied to her work…
Grammy-winning classical composer and piano virtuoso, Dawn O’Reilly, is overwhelmed with music-writing deadlines, a fickle muse, and high-expectations. She doesn’t have time to find love, but chance seeks to interfere with her carefully devised plans.

They’re bound to become entangled...
From the instant Kellen hears Dawn’s latest musical composition, his spirits rise. The stirring melody and the remarkable woman responsible for its creation are impossible to resist. His attraction is undeniable; her passion unquenchable. Kellen teaches Dawn there’s freedom in bondage, while her sensuality drives him to unleash his tightly controlled self-restraint. Will the ropes Kellen uses to secure Dawn’s body be the force that binds them together or ultimately sever all ties between them?

"I should have known you'd be stubborn," Kellan said.

"I'm trying." 

"That's the problem, baby. You're trying. Just feel me, Dawn. Feel my rhythm. Our rhythm. Do you hear it?"

She heard the sounds of flesh moving inside slick flesh. The creak of the bed. Her breathing and his. The pounding of the surf outside her window. She could even hear the pulse throbbing in her ears if she concentrated hard enough.

He placed his lips against her mound and hummed her melody. She exploded like a supernova. Her core tightened as waves of ecstasy ripped through her body. Fluids gushed from her clenching pussy. Stunned, she lifted her head to gape at Kellan, but the pleasure was too intense, so her head dropped back on the bed and she squeezed her eyes shut as she continued to ride the waves of bliss shattering her.

"Fuck, yes," Kellan said in a sexy growl. His fingers slipped free of her body so he could lick her freely flowing cum like a starving man.

Olivia, dahling...We must talk. I mean, how the hell can you make me swoon so damn easily with two tiny words: Our rhythm. 

GAH

And now I know why Kellan is such a kick-ass rhythm guitarist. It's in his jeans...er...genes. 

This may not be a full length novel (dammit, lol), but Olivia packs it full of emotions, sexual frustration, and hot piano sex, you forget you're reading a novella. 

Did I mention how much I love this woman? 

Now it's your turn to show me your smexy!

BOOK REVIEW ~ WESTERN TIES: COMPASS BROTHERS BY MARI CARR AND JAYNE RYLON

Title: Western Ties  (Compass Brothers, Book Four)

Author: Mari Carr & Jayne Rylon

Release Date: March 6, 2012

Autographed paperback received from author

How strong are the ties that bind?

Leah Hollister’s sex life needs a swift kick in the pants. Small-town Compton Pass, though, isn’t the place to explore her need for bondage. When she gets an invitation to a BDSM party out in LA, she wastes no time booking a flight. Her plan to play anonymously is shot to hell when she runs into high-school crush Sawyer Compton—and he lays immediate claim to her.

Sawyer Compton commands total control, in and out of the bedroom. He never thought Leah could handle his darker urges, but one look at the white bracelet that marks her as a sub ripe for the picking, and he knows exactly how this night is going to end. With Leah in his bed.

Leah didn’t expect to enjoy the comfort Sawyer’s familiarity brings, even as his touch takes her to unimaginable heights of pleasure. When bad news from home sends him reeling, she’s more than prepared to offer him anything he needs: her body, her friendship. Even her heart—if Sawyer can loosen the reins over his own to accept her love.

Warning: Invest in tissues. Lots and lots of tissues. Between spicy, set-the-sheets-on-fire bondage romps and the last Compass brother coming home, you'll need them.

Book Review

I am trying to recover from a sob fest after reading Western Ties. Besides being an extremely hot erotic read, Western Ties sucker punches you in your core.  

Sawyer and Leah are a passionate couple, no doubt. Sawyer has always known his sexual tastes have been on the bit on the extreme side. He needs that control, that dominance, over his lovers and knows how to bring a woman begging for release. When he finds his old friend, Leah, at a BDSM party in LA, his dominant side wins out--He will have her. There is simply no other choice. 

Leah has always felt something had been missing with her sex life. Despite dating a few losers in the past, the big "O" remained  elusive. Her mind has always been busy taking over during sex, leaving her unfulfilled. When she hears about a weekend play party from a friend, she takes a flight out to LA, hoping to find a man to give her what she's been missing. Instead, she finds Sawyer, her friend from her home town and the man she secretly crushed on as a teen. 

One night of explosive sex leaves Sawyer wanting more. He doesn't want their connection to end, but feels he has nothing else to offer Leah except sex. But when Sawyer learns that his father is dying, everything changes as they both return to Compton Pass. 

Now back to how Western Ties hits you where you feel it:

The entire Compton family is faced with the looming death of their father, J.D. A man who is admired by the entire town. A man who loved fiercely, lived with no regrets, and raised his sons to be great men. When J.D. succumbs to pancreatic cancer, the family reach out to each other to remember the good times, to support each other--and ultimately, to heal. 

There is a delicate balance of smoldering sexual connection between Leah and Sawyer and a true friendship. I believe in order to have an everlasting kind of love, you need to truly care and like the person  you are with. Rylon and Carr show this throughout the book, giving the reader more than just smoking hot sexy times. 

Both Sawyer and Leah grew up together and developed a friendship over time. They have always been close, but just took different paths in their lives. That chance meeting in L.A. has them reconnecting and discovering things about the other they never knew.

Sawyer comes to realize that the woman he has needed in his life has always been there hiding in the shadows. He sees the girl he always thought as different as someone he cannot live without. He just doesn't think he can be the man that Leah needs.

Leah embraces her sexual nature and freedom she never experienced with past lovers, but realizes that she needs more from Sawyer. A perfect balance of lust and love, sex and friendship, commitment and constancy. Can Sawyer be the man she needs? 

I love how these two individuals come together, inside and outside the bedroom. Rylon and Carr do a superb job of making Western Ties a complex, yet fulfilling story with all the bells and whistles: romance, family ties, loss and grief.

I highly advise a box or four of Kleenex handy as you read this emotionally charged read. You'll need it.  

BOOK REVIEW ~ ENTWINED WITH YOU BY SYLVIA DAY

Title: Entwined With You (Crossfire, Book Three)

Author: Sylvia Day

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Reviewer purchased own copy of paperback for review

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

Book Review

I fell in love with Gideon Cross from the beginning. He was dark, damaged, and dominating--a lethal and highly sexual combination. 

Entwined With You, the third book in this addictive series, is engrossing and shows how both Gideon and Eva have grown as a couple and how their obsessive and possessive natures have entwined them together forever. 

From this point on, if you haven't read this series, and you are planning on reading--you might want to skip it. It has spoilers. There's no way I can NOT have a spoiler during this review. You have been warned.

In Reflected In You, Gideon has done the unthinkable. His desire to protect the love of his life, Eva, has him murdering the man responsible for ruining Eva's life. And distancing himself from Eva as well. 

Eva understands the steps that let to their 'break-up' with Gideon's confession. In order to deceive the police, Gideon and Eva's relationship must seem to have been severed. But that is truly not the case. Their love is still as strong, and still as obsessive.

There is a lot happening in Entwined With You to keep the reader hooked until the last page. Even with all the smexy times, Eva and Gideon have time to keep their relationship on the brink of a major catastrophe. While the lovers continue to meet in secret--shit keeps happening in an attempt to keep them apart. A jilted reporter (Deanna Johnson) is hell bent on destroying Gideon Cross. The police have turned to someone else as a possible suspect in Nathan's murder, which means someone knows of Gideon's guilt. And Brett, the sexy rock star returns to try to win back Eva's heart. 

And Corrine--that conniving socialite, refuses to release her claws of a man who doesn't want her. 

What I loved about Entwined With You is the vulnerability we get to see from Gideon. He still struggles with nightmares about his horrific past, unable to sleep a full night with the woman he loves. Eva is determined to reach out to him and break through and help alleviate some of his pain and fears. There is a heart wrenching scene between the two as Eva takes the first step in breaching through Gideon's walls. It made me fall a little more in love with this already very sexy man. 

Entwined With You proves to be a stellar installment in this series and there is (thank god) more to come. 

BOOK REVIEW ~ BLUSH BY LAUREN JAMESON

Title: Blush (In Vino Veritas, Book One)

Author: Lauren Jameson

Release Date: May 7, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

Madeline Stone is determined to heal from her tragic past, one difficult step at a time…and she doesn’t need any distractions. Then she meets a mysterious and captivating stranger—and over a glass of outrageously expensive wine, her world turns upside down. Try as she might to banish the wealthy business mogul from her thoughts, Madeline can’t fight Alex’s staggering appeal or his enticing offer of intimate discovery.

Alex doesn’t date—at least, not in the traditional sense. Still, he wants Madeline …and his sexual intensity provides her with a much-needed escape. They embark on a tumultuous erotic affair, one that takes them to the pinnacle of obsession and desire. But underneath each explosive encounter lie dangerous secrets waiting to consume them both.…

Book Review

Madeline Stone is trying to find a little courage to hit the blackjack tables and check off the item off her bucket list. Her life has been turned upside down since the night she and her sister were in an auto accident--fatally killing her sister and leaving Madeline overwhelmed with guilt and grief. She leaves her hometown, moving to Paradise, Nevada, and is currently under the care of a psychiatrist to help with her often debilitating anxiety. Her bucket list was contrived to help her step outside her protective bubble and learn to live again.  

Alex Fraser is the sexy owner of a Las Vegas casino and spots Madeline at the bar. He is intrigued by her telling blush and her innocent nature. But being a Dom, she should be off limits to him. He didn't do relationships. However, he cannot seem to stop himself and he sits down beside her to offer her a drink. 

Their conversation at this point is awkward--and I almost want to stop reading at this point. I don't feel a connection to these characters at all. Their dialogue was dry and lacked a spark to whet my appetite. 
But I trudged along and continued reading...

Madeline leaves the casino after winning a hand at blackjack, thinking that Alex has set it up for her to win against the house. It sparks her anger and she almost decides to confront him. But decides against it, thinking she will never see the sexy billionaire again. 

For me, Madeline's overwhelming interest in this stranger seemed to happen too fast. But I can understand seeing a man and thinking--"Oh, my!" And thus begins a running visual of some very vivid fantasies in your head. But for Madeline, who has been such a recluse and has anxiety, I felt their first meeting was a little out of character for someone like her.

As the story line continued, I did fall for Maddie and Alex and their connection became more believable. Both are hiding secrets, afraid to open up to each other. With Madeline, she refuses to tell Alex about how the death of her sister has affected her life. And with Alex, he refuses to tell her that he has a young daughter. 

But for their relationship to work, trust has to be established. And secrets could destroy their fragile foundation. 

The BDSM lifestyle is one that Madeline knows little about, but the freedom she gets when Alex takes control becomes addictive. Her anxiety lessens the closer she becomes to this man and wants to mean more than just a sexual partner. But can Alex commit to her in a serious relationship when he has never done so in the past?

Alex is fighting a losing game. No matter how he tries to stay away from Madeline, he always seems to come back to her. He sees something in her that compels him to want more. But his past has a way of rearing its ugly head and the secrets that Madeline is hiding from him has him walking away. For Alex, trust means everything. And Madeline has made it quite clear she cannot share her secret. 

Overall, Blush in an entertaining read with just a few small parts that felt a little forced and overdone. But I loved how Madeline learned to find herself and embrace her sexuality with Alex. For those readers who enjoy a walk on the kinky side, Blush should fulfill their every fantasy. 

LUSTING FOR COVERS ~ DRAWN TOGETHER BY LAUREN DANE

Lusting for Covers is a weekly meme, held on Sunday, that allows bloggers to share their current cover obsession with fellow book lovers.

This meme is hosted by TBQ @ TBQ's Book Palace.

To view complete instructions on how to participate, as well as grab the HTML code for the graphic, see this page first!

Once you are ready to join the fun, please fill out Mister Linky over at  TBQ's blog post along with your name/blog name and the direct link to your Lusting for Covers for this week!

Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…



The Brown Siblings is one of my favorites from Lauren Dane. Very emotional. Very Sexy. And I can never get enough of this family.

I am so excited that Raven is finally getting her own story--and Jonah sounds very delish. Love the purple hues in this cover, along with the eye-catching tatts. This cover screams urban heat to me for some reason. Maybe it's the cement walls in the backdrop? I dunno--but I can't wait to get my greedy hands on it.

What about you? What cover are you lusting over this week? 

SEXY SNIPPETS ~ TANGLED BY EMMA CHASE

Tuesdays have never been so sexy!

Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky over at RBtW's blog post so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

Title: Tangled (Tangled, Book One)

Author: Emma Chase

Release Date: May 20, 2013

I've kissed hundreds of girls. No--make that thousands. I only really remember a handful of them. But this kiss? This is one I won't forget any time soon.She tastes...Jesus, I've never done drugs, but I imagine this is what that first snort of cocaine feels like, that first shot of heroine. Goddamn addictive.Our lips clash and move over one another, angry and wet.I can't stop touching her. My hands are everywhere: her face, her hair, down her back, grasping at her hips. Pulling her closer, desperate to feel more of her--wanting her to feel exactly what she's doing to me.Needing air, I rip my mouth from hers and attack her neck. I feast on her, like a starving man. And that's exactly what I am--ravenous--for her. I inhale as I lick, suck, and nibble my way from her jaw to her ear. She's whimpering incoherently, but I get the idea. The sound of her voice, wild and sexy makes me groan. And her scent. Sweet Christ, she smells like...flowers and sugar. Like one of those decorative confectionery roses on the top of a cake.Fucking delicious. 

This is my first Emma Chase novel--but certainly won't be my last.
Tangled is written from the hero's point of view. And Drew Evans is a feast to be devoured in one sitting. I loved and adored him. From the prologue, I was hooked. He was funny, sarcastic, sexy, and loved women. He was doomed at the beginning when he met and fell for Katherine. His story is hysterical laugh until you pee yourself silly. I want more of him. 

Now.

Thank god there is a book two in my future.

Now it's your turn to show me your sexy ~ 

BOOK REVIEW ~ PLAYING THE PART BY ROBIN COVINGTON

Title: Playing The Part 

Author: Robin Covington

Expected Release Date: June 10, 2013

ARC provided by author for honest review

After publicly self-destructing over a heartbreak a year ago, bestselling romance writer Piper James is now making nice with her publisher by agreeing to teach Hollywood's favorite action star how to act like he's in love. Only playboy Mick Blackwell has no clue what love looks like. When a seductive heat ignites between Piper and Mick, she jumps at the chance for a bit of fun between the sheets, but with two stipulations: she's kept out of the public eye and things end when she returns to New York. Only Mick keeps changing the rules on her. Tempted by America's favorite bad boy, Piper is wondering how far she's willing to bend...

Book Review

I have to admit that the beginning of this book had me almost stopping. The introduction of Mick wasn't one that I particularly liked. He came across as cocky, a player, and I didn't like him all that much. 

That being said, I stuck with it--and glad that I did. I ended up falling ass over tea kettle for Mick Blackwell.  

Covington does a superb job showing this well known actor (Mick) as one thing to the outside world, and then showing us the real Mick that no one else sees. 

That is, until he gets involved with famous romance author Piper James. 

Piper has been in the spotlight before. She loved it, thrived in it, and  was ultimately betrayed by it. 

After a bitter breakup with her fiance, Alfonso, Piper loathes the media and the spotlight. Her publishing house wants her to make amends by assisting Mick Blackwell on how to convince movie goers that he is in "love" with his leading lady in the movie Regan's Gift. 

A movie that Piper James has written and is now being adapted into a screenplay. 

Their attraction is instantaneous and a little off putting for me as a reader. I like a slow-buildup. But that isn't what happens between Piper and Mick. 

But there is a difference to how Mick is left feeling after sleeping with Piper. Usually a hit-'em then quit 'em kind of guy, Mick is left stunned and perplexed when he can't seem to get enough of Piper...even out of bed.

But Piper has laid down the rules--their "relationship" will only last until after the filming is done.

Mick comes to realize that some rules are made to be broken and he is determined to show Piper just how good they can be together.

But Mick's playboy lifestyle ways in the past could ultimately destroy any chance of a future for these two when Mick is caught on camera with his naked co-star from Regan's Gift.

And Mick is left with a choice--let her go or fight for the woman he loves and prove he worth taking a chance on. 

Playing The Part is a highly-charged read filled to the brim with steamy, sexual chemistry and a sweet-as-pie climax that makes you swoon at the knees. 

SEXY SNIPPETS ~ PLAYING THE PART BY ROBIN COVINGTON

Tuesdays have never been so sexy!

Sexy Snippets is a weekly feature hosted by Reading Between the Wines for the 18+ crowd. To join in just grab the button, post a sexy paragraph or two from your current read and share the author & title so other participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like. Then add your post to the linky over at RBtW;s blog so everyone can follow along. Have a sexy good time!

Piper grabbed his shoulders to steady herself, and he spoke in a voice tight with need. "Piper, open up." His hands shook a little when he pulled her thong down her thighs and off her body. Her scent made his mouth water, and he eagerly opened her wider, leaning in until he could reach out and taste her.It was heaven."Mick." She groaned his name and thumped her head against the back of the couch. Her thighs shook in his grip, and he shifted her so one leg draped over his shoulder. She was exquisite--so open and giving in her response. 

 Just--WOW. Amazingly hot. Wasn't too sure how I would like this at the beginning of the story. But I'm warming up to it. 

Now it's your turn to show me your Sexy Snippet!  

BOOK REVIEW ~ SOUL STRIPPER BY KATANA COLLINS

Title: Soul Stripper (Soul Stripper, Book One)

Author: Katana Collins

Release Date: May 25, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

By day, Monica is a barista in a local Las Vegas cafe. It doesn’t pay a lot, but it puts her up close and personal with her sexy boss, Drew. Unfortunately, that’s as far as a succubus can go unless she wants to take his soul.

Monica needs mind blowing sex to sustain her, and she finds her victims every night at a local strip club where she’s an exotic dancer. But when her powers begin to diminish and her fellow succubi start turning up dead, all bets are off. Monica realizes she’s the one immortal who has a chance in hell of making things right…

Book Review 

I had no idea what to expect when I started reading Soul Stripper. Not.One.Clue. I had seen some reviews; some good, some not so great. I decided not to read them. I didn't want to be swayed my true feelings on the book. 

Although, if you are looking for a HEA in the first of a series, you may want to stop right now. There is no HEA. 

But Katana Harper has done a great job at leaving the readier hanging and wanting more. I definitely want more. 

I would first classify Soul Stripper as a paranormal erotic read with a bit of an Urban Fantasy feel. The pacing is a bit slow at first with world building, but by the middle of the book, the speed picked up and I wanted to know who the hell was trying to kill our heroine. 

Monica is a succubus, but she didn't start out that way. She started out wearing white, an angel who fell for the wrong man, er...demon. Her wings were stripped and now she was sucking out the souls of the not so fortunate humans to avoid eternal damnation in the hot box. 

But she has morals. And part of her angelic soul stops her at draining those who are bound for heaven. Instead, she seeks out those who are already on the highway to hell. 

During the day, she works at a coffee house, with her sexy boss Drew. Drew asked her out once, when she first started working there, but she couldn't bring herself to go there. His soul was too pure. And she has feelings for the man. 

At night, she strips for the sleezy men that patron the club. And drains the last week of their pitiful lives. It's barely enough to sustain her, but she refuses to do it any other way. And because she is known for her moralities, there is a bounty on her head. 

Someone wants her dead. And Monica is slowly losing her succubus powers. Her friends rally by her side, protecting her, while trying to find out who is sending her threatening messages. And a man from Monica's past shows up wanting to reconnect. Monica is finding it difficult to trust those close to her...even Drew, who she cares deeply for could be the one wanting her dead. 

Katana Collins gives the reader a cast of interesting secondary characters. And does it in a way that even you don't know which way to turn and figure out who the bad guy is. I love it when an author does that! 

You have the sexy detective, Damien, who makes my knees knock together and whimper out loud. He has his own secrets about what he is, and it ain't human. 

Lucien, the big bad demon who is the head honcho in Las Vegas, and Monica's boss. 

Drew, who seems to always smell like coffee, has a panty-dropping grin, and can't seem to keep his hands off Monica. 

Wills, GQ Brit guy who is a snazzy dresser and likes it a bit rough. 

George, a male succubus who has a thing for fashion as well as men.

Julian, the angel who still is in love with Monica, even after her "fall" from grace. 

Kayce, the sexy bff, who has a secretive job and is also a succubus. 

There is a lot to like about Soul Stripper: A well developed story line, hot sex, funny dialogue, a great supportive cast of characters and a cliffie to make your hair stand up on end.