Bounty (Colorado Mountain #7) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68

4.5 Stars I've missed the mighty mountain men of Colorado and so stoked to be back in Carnal to visit with some of my all-time favorite Alpha-hunks. Mostly, I couldn't wait to unravel the enigmatic character that has haunted me for so long… Deke Hightower. Since introduced in Sweet Dreams, I was fascinated by his imposing presence and wanted to dig deep into his soul. I discovered he’s a man whose sparse words spoke volumes. It took a gypsy chick, Justice Lonesome, to peel away the layers and bring his character to life. Their journey consumed me ~ from a chance encounter to a friendship turned undeniable love ~ I was happily absorbed in Jussy and Deke's world. I loved how fate brought this couple together...twice. First time in Wyoming, while Justice was hanging out in a biker bar contemplating her unfulfilled life, longing for simplicity. Her world changed after spending a few moments with the gorgeous guy standing by a chain link fence. The stranger named Deke connected with her ‘poet's soul'. With a promise to meet again broken, Deke became an impassioned memory, which inspired Justice to compose and record a song that defined her life altering experience. It was Deke's song. And it was a hit. Years later, after the recent passing of her father, Jussy decided to build a home in Carnal. Lo and behold, her contractor is none other than Deke, the man who rocked her world and stood her up. Thing is, he didn't recognize her at first. YIKES!! Poor Justice, I sympathized with all the hurt she felt. Top it off, he acted downright rude. Jussy being a cool chick took all his gruffness in stride and was determined to become his friend. It took time, but Deke finally remembered Jus and explained the heart breaking reason why he never showed. Jussy, Deke's boho gypsy princess and famous singer-songwriter, was the most down to earth heroine. I liked the strength, sincerity and compassion her character embodied. I dug how deeply she connected with everyone who touched her life, bringing out their best, especially those most guarded. She was a woman of means, who had the world at her fingertips, but took nothing for granted ~ especially Deke’s affections. But what I absolutely adored was the way she immediately understood Deke, recognized his needs, and loved him unconditionally. After reading Bounty, I was moved to write a ballad professing all of Deke's hotness. Broody, rugged, and a beast in bed...I was totally into his intense sexiness. Deke was a headstrong man who lived a simple life. Reserved and set in his ways, it took time for me to warm up to his character. But when I saw all the pain he shouldered, I got where this “travelin’ man” was coming from. Hurt from his past gave him good reason to deny his desire for Justice. Regardless, I wanted him to let go of his hang-ups to see the real woman behind all the money and fame. One terrifying night for Justice caused Deke to put his feelings into perspective, and everything between them shifted. He could no longer fight the attraction, Jus meant the world to him. Determined to give her peace, love, comfort… anything his gypsy princess needed. That’s the moment I saw the fiercely protective and loving side of Deke come to life, and he won me over. When he beautifully opened up his heart, and gave all of himself to Jussy, I was a goner… and fell deeply in love with the caring, overly affectionate man he became. Both free-spirited wanderlusts, they were perfect together. I loved that their journey was a slow burn filled with discovery, love, laughter and passion. Gah! Ashley is a master when it comes to writing sizzling sex scenes that makes me all tingly inside. One of the most sensual moments, and there were several, was when Jus finally confessed the meaning behind her song ~ how meeting Deke long ago affected her. His reaction was phenomenal. Once again, I was spoiled with the bounty KA brings to all her tales - dynamic characters, scorching passion, a very detailed and emotional plot - the gifts were endless. It can be enjoyed as a standalone, but I recommend experiencing all of these hot romances. I loved that this read was reminiscent of Ashley's earlier works within the series, where secondary characters were more intimately involved in the story line. Practically all of the Colorado Series gang, and some from different series, came into play. Overjoyed that Krystal, who I adore, had a notable presence in the story. Jussy brought out a different side of Krys and she absolutely shined! There were some moments of angst, and during one particular heart palpitating scene, I was scared out of my mind! Seriously, my heart was in my mouth, tears filling my eyes! I would have liked a longer epilogue, seeing more into Jus and Deke’s future ~ I'm a very greedy reader when it comes to KA’s tales, never wanting to let go of her characters or their stories. Nevertheless, the ending was heartwarming as well as bittersweet. Bounty was an exceptionally written, powerful story of destined love that touched my heart. A final note ~ Bounty included an incredible playlist of songs that enhanced this couple’s journey. (Jus crooning “Time in a Bottle” brought me to tears). But, it was this tune that was playing in the background of my mind, as I was fully absorbed within Deke and Justice's world... “Lightning strikes...Maybe once...Maybe twice”. And it did, for the Gypsy that was Justice Lonesome.  ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review

Walk Through Fire (Chaos #4) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68

Once finishing my first read (Yes, I confess, I needed to savor this one several times) I had to step back, catch my breath and process all the feels. This one totally did me in above and beyond any…and I mean ANY of Kristen Ashley’s tales. I was completely destroyed throughout most of this story courtesy of Millie. For personal reasons, I connected with her character, her heartache and all that she had suffered; she just touched me more than any other heroine I’ve encountered.  There was so much to take in – the raw passion, the love, the hurt, the correlation between the beauty of this couple’s second chance and the pain endured during years of separation... I was an emotional wreck. Cried ugly tears and sniffled my way through boxes of tissues before the broken pieces of my soul were placed back together. Walk Through Fire was amazing and worth every damn tear I shed. Walk Through Fire is the fourth installment in my absolute favorite biker series – CHAOS. This time, it’s the enigmatic Logan “High” Judd’s turn to rip off his mask and tell his story. In past novels, High struck me as both mysterious and troublesome.  I didn’t know what to expect from his character and honestly, when meeting him in Motorcycle Man I didn’t care for him. He was at odds with MY Tack, bucking heads and creating tension within the club. It left a bad taste in my mouth. So going in, I braced myself for the intensity and edginess of his character, and it took me some time to warm up to him. I have to admit, there were parts of this story where I had a difficult time with High’s character. There were times I saw the ugliness in the callous way he treated Millie (mind you, it was when they first reunited and before they had a chance to sort their heads out). I get why he was angry, cold hearted and hurtful. Millie unexpectedly and inexplicably tossed Logan out of her life twenty years ago, but he and his brothers were beyond harsh. (Hop, you pissed me off, brother, and I am still holding a grudge).   But then, I reached a turning point when realizing High was trapped within the confines of his own hell.  Losing Millie destroyed him, turning him into a bitter man, who’ll do anything to numb his heartache. Meeting Millie again, after all these years apart, he was desperate to guard himself from further hurt.  Seeing his pain chipped away all the resentment I held and he had my sympathies. The story itself frequently flashes back to the past, showing their beginnings as well as the three years they were together. Their love was beyond beautiful and I absolutely adored the younger, carefree Logan that gave his heart entirely to Millie. She was his world and losing her broke him, so I totally get why he was unpleasant. Once all hell breaks loose and Millie FINALLY explains why she pushed Logan away, (excruciatingly intense scene) I saw his tender side emerged, causing me fall deeper in love with him. Beneath all the sexy ruggedness, lies a passionate man who is forgiving, loving and compassionate.  Working through my moods swinging from raging anger to swooning over all the magnificence that was High, I have to say all along, he was one sizzling sonnavabitch. Every time he spoke … ”Hear?”   I freaking melted. I love a sexy bad boy and just thinking about all his hotness gets me all riled up.   Millicent Cross… her life tore me to shreds and made my heart hurt. In the flashbacks, we see a young, vivacious girl who’s head over heels in love with the quintessential biker bad boy. They worked hard to build a life together, planning their dreams and finding comfort within the club. Until one day, it all fell apart. Here’s the thing that pains me about Millie - of her own volition, she walked away from true love, shattered Logan’s heart into smithereens, while sentencing herself to a hopeless life filled with loneliness. She suffered silently. With out revealing any spoilers, Millie had her reasons – and when discovering them, I was a goner and sobbed. But my head and heart were conflicted. In the back of my mind I wanted to scream at Millie and knock some sense into her shouting NO! How could you do such thing? Logan’s hot, sweet and sexy, just talk to him! However, my heart understood exactly why she chose to walk through fire for her man. Millie loves Logan so completely, that when realizing she could not give him everything, she sacrificed herself to give him a chance to have it all. As foolish as it may sound to purposely break two hearts, her actions where undeniably selfless and in the end, she gave Logan the greatest gift. Her strength was immeasurable and her devotion to Logan was absolute as she carried the burden of blame for years. Understanding aside, it was hard for me to rationalize Millie’s decision; I was crushed and decimated in seeing her anguish. Ashley penned Millie’s character in such a way that I actually felt her emptiness echoing inside me, slicing through my heart, leaving me aching. KA proved once again the power she holds over my emotions. Once the truth came pouring out, two decades worth of anger, bitterness, resentment and pain were transformed into steamy passion. Millie and High embraced the mistakes of the past and love they share in hopes of moving on to heal one another.  It was one hell of a roller coaster ride feeling every emotion these characters experienced - from moments of laughter and levity, to gut wrenching confessions, I held on tight and enjoyed the ride.   Of course I relished all the drama. The angst involved with Benito causing problems for club, Elvira and the Old Ladies meddling in everyone’s affairs, family issues complicating Logan and Millie’s lives…so many nail biting moments and I savored all the craziness. The epilogue was shorter than what I am used to, but it was sweet regardless and laid groundwork for what may come in the next installment (cross fingers it will be Hound’s story). What I loved most of all were the flashbacks to not only the beginning if this couples’ relationship, but the earlier days of Chaos before Tack took the helm. Seeing wee little Tabby and Rush (so adorable) and finally meeting Black, the brother Chaos tragically lost. I was all weepy eyed getting to know him briefly only to mourn him. Another soul touching romance gifted from Kristen Ashley’s beautiful imagination.  Walk Through Fire was a story of sacrifice, forgiveness, redemption and the everlasting power of love. A story about strong heroine who walk through the fires of hell for her man, and a hero who worked tirelessly to mend the broken heart of his one true love despite his own pain.  As far as awarding stars to this read, there aren’t enough stars in the sky. Thank you, Kristen, for voicing Millie’s story so eloquently and bringing to life the heartache involved with her circumstances. This was not an easy story for me to read, but the experience was incredible. ARC received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Nuts (Hudson Valley #1) Alice Clayton @alice_clayton

4.5 stars Nuts was the perfect light-hearted feel good romantic comedy and once again, Alice Clayton had me in hysterics. Reminiscent of Wallbanger, Leo and Roxie’s love story was hilarious and swoon worthy sexy. Clayton has fast become one of my ‘must read’ authors. With a unique writing style, she has the knack of luring me into each story, showcasing her insane sense of humor and scripting couples with extreme sexually charged chemistry.   What happens when you pair a spunky, sarcastic chef who has a flare for the dramatics with a bearded and ripped hunk of a farmer who’s witty and sinfully sexy? An orgasmic explosion laced with fun, food, a heavy dose of laughter and plenty of sexual innuendos. I fell in love with farmer Leo and I devoured this read.  “You drive me crazy, Sugar Snap,” Roxie Callahan, a personal chef to the rich and famous in L.A., made one ill-fated mistake that caused her to loose almost all of her clients. (Fans of the Red Head series brace your selves for a Grace and Jack Hamilton cameo). Adding to her list of woes, there’s pressure from her kooky mom to return home and run the family diner for the summer. The quaint little town of Bailey Falls, Upstate New York, holds bad memories for Roxie and she rebels against putting her life on hold for her mom’s fanciful whim. Cornered, she has no choice but to give in. Soon enough she becomes reacquainted with old friends, as well as meeting the insanely hot farm-boy…Leo Maxwell. Their attraction is instantaneous as Roxie hysterically stumbles and fumbles over his nuts ;) and catching his attention.  Feeling a little lonely and sexually frustrated, she decides that some no-strings-attached summer lovin’ with the amorous agriculturalist will lighten her mood. Besides, Roxie has no intentions of staying in the town she once escaped. As the season ends, it’s back to her quasi-life in L.A. hmmm… Her sights are set on Leo and he’s all in, not wanting anything too serious as well.  I love the way Leo and Roxie’s passion unfolds. Sparks fly, tensions build, and sexually electricity ignites between these two as Leo is seriously one spicy, dirty talking dude.  “That fucking honey scent that’s all over your skin, it’s driving me crazy,” he murmured, his breath hot on my skin. “I can’t keep my hands off you—it’s like they have a mind of their own.” Roxie was interesting and highly entertaining. Feisty, comical, stubborn, yet she lacked self-confidence and had some misguided views that kept her away from home for years. I liked seeing the way she grew more confident, making friends and bonding with some real nutty characters. She blossomed and became more comfortable in her own skin without losing her funny, sarcastic edge. And hooking up with Leo strengthened her ties to her hometown. Being inside Roxie’s crazy head was amusing – she had me in stitches.   And then there was Leo… “Are those nuts in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?” The uber-sexy, somewhat aloof man with a hipster beard and rock-hard abs. Leo comes from big time money and despite a wealthy upbringing, he’s the most down to earth guy. I loved all things Leo. Possessing an air of mystery, I was curious as to what triggered him to walk away from such an affluent lifestyle. Behind his playfully witty banter, Leo had some relationship hang-ups that needed to be dealt with - a bit gun-shy when it came to hooking up with Roxie (with good reason). I wanted a deeper insight into his thoughts, feelings and background. I felt we just skimmed the surface of his character, leaving me wanting more. Regardless, Leo is sweet, rugged yet refined and oh so hot. I adored his flirtatious ways, which were amusing and arousing.   All in all, NUTS was a refreshingly fun, low angst read. Clayton brought to life yet another endearing couple whose chemistry detonated with some off the charts deliciously steamy scenes. Their first time together was explosive. Holy WOW! Leo is by far the sexiest farm boy I’ve ever come across. He was incredible and I loved watching their relationship blossom as trust in one another built. This author has the gift writing tales with just the right mix of laughter, romance and passion. A sweet love story chock full of clever witticisms, comically sexual innuendos and quirky characters. However, the ending did leave me wanting more insight into their lives and future together. I do hope to see Leo and Roxie in the next installment,  titled Cream, featuring Oscar (the grouchy but sexy and tatted dairy farmer) and Natalie (Roxie’s BFF). Arc received in exchange for an honest review

Ride Steady (Chaos #3) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68

Advance copy received in exchange for an honest review Euphoric feelings consumed me as I queued Ride Steady on my kindle, knowing I’m about to visit a world I dearly missed…On a forecourt off Broadway sits RIDE and the brothers of the Chaos Motorcycle Club. It’s home to my FAVORITE bikers. This time, it’s Joker’s story. He, as well as Carissa, took my hand and led me on a profound journey chock-full of everything I cherish from a Kristen Ashley novel. Heart-racing drama. Hardship and despair. Love of family, brother-hood and sister-hood. Hope and healing. And most importantly…undying desire and passion. No one pens a story like this author. She has the power to bring me to an entirely different level. Ride Steady was one of those reads I could not put down, grabbing me from the first word, then rocking my world with an overwhelmingly emotional epilogue. It was an absolutely remarkable experience. Carson Steele… In the prologue we see a young Carson and let me tell you, his suffering made my heart bleed. Treated terribly by an abusive bastard of a father, very little joy cut through the darkness that suffocated his life. The only gentleness that touched his world were a handful of friends, a concerned teacher, observing a lovingly playful father and son in the shadows of a mechanic’s garage and a lovely young girl - who fueled Carson with hope and whose light served as a means of escape from his horrors. For years, Carson worshiped Carissa from afar and believing he was unworthy of her beauty completely destroyed me. When deciding to free himself from his father’s tyranny, Carson sees Carissa one last time, and she foretold the unimaginable – a future filled with hope. How I desperately hoped Carson would find exactly what he deserved – he made my heart ache. His childhood left him emotionally scarred and feeling worthless and me a blubbering, tearful mess.  Joker… Working hard to turn his life around, Chaos eventually became his family. With Tack as their leader, they took Joker on as one of their own, offering brotherhood, freedom and the beginnings of a ‘beautiful life’. However, Joker held his cards close and remained mysterious. I freaking love a damaged, broken hot guy and Joker was seriously emotionally wrecked. He’s a fighter, a survivor, but the demons of his past still haunt his gorgeous steel gray eyes.  And on a chance encounter, on Interstate 25, this badass biker finds himself facing beauty from his past…Carissa. Butterfly… The once cheerleader and homecoming queen, now recently divorced (from a major dirt bag son-of-a-bitch ass that I freaking loathed) and new mom to the super adorable Travis, finds herself in a bind. Life has not been kind to Carissa and she too pulled on my heartstrings. Stranded, all alone and overcome with insecurities, I just wanted to embrace her and make all her woes disappear. Her life takes a turn when she encounters the uber-sexy bad boy biker who saves the day…Joker.  I simply loved Carissa. She was beyond sweet and her character radiated an aura of gentleness, compassion and kindness. She loves to a fault and is funny in a cute, quirky kinda way. I adored her courage and optimism despite the constant blows she’s endured.  Her character, for me, possessed a hint of innocence – especially when entering the world of Chaos MC, where she is lovingly welcomed. I adored her tenacity. Carissa wanted Joker and was determined to insert herself into his life, not allowing him to freeze her out. Their scorching romance was amazingly moving and their back and forth chit-chat was hysterical. Joker is a supreme bad ass with an icy cold exterior freezing out all from seeing his inner turmoil. But once Carrie and baby Travis broke down his walls, I fell in love with his tenderness. How he loved her and their off the charts passion, had me swooning and melting. I fell deep for all things Joker – his grittiness, his passion, and his torments – he was the perfectly shattered hero I wanted to see healed. As with all of KA Alpha’s – Joker’s edgy side remained raw, unbelievably sexual, dominant and demanding. And that’s exactly what I crave from her men. They never loose their sense of command and control. What touched me the most was the blossoming relationship between Joker and Travis. It was so endearing witnessing an insanely sexy man take-on such a sweet, loving little boy. Their moments together swelled my heart with joy. I’m completed hooked on Kristen Ashley’s writing style and the way she tells a love story, it’s become an obsession. Ride Steady was THE PERFECT fix for my addiction. And HOLY SHIT! KA kicked my Alpha fix up a notch with an EPIC, all-out badass fest. One thing I look forward to (aside from her hot sex scenes, gorgeous macho men, and HOT sex scenes) is seeing some of my old loves pop into a new story. I was elated…they were crawling all over this read and it was scrumptious. Needless to say, my man Tack was heavily involved in this story (YIPPIE)!! No spoilers as to what other dudes made cameo appearances, but I will say that a certain character, that I’ve hungered to see join forces with the Chaos crew, finally came into play. I was in total Alpha-heaven and bubbling with delight. Ride Steady was a brilliant 5-star read for me. Page after page, I fell hopelessly in love with this story as Joker, Carissa and Travis burrowed their way deep with in my heart. I never wanted the ride to end. It could be read as a standalone, but honestly, it would be a disservice not to read the series in its entirety. With great sadness, I had to say goodbye to my Chaos loves, but not for long! The Chaos saga continues with High’s story – Walk Through Fire.