The Temptation of Lila and Ethan by Jessica Sorensen

4 beautifully broken stars

DAMAGED, CRUSHED, BROKEN, SHATTERED - the souls of Lila and Ethan

A sad story about two broken souls.  I felt so sorry for these two.  I liked Ethan's character - A LOT.  I was put off by Lila's addiction, BUT my heart ached for her and she managed to turn my feelings towards her around by the end of the story. She proved to have inner strength and was accepting of Ethan’s help.  Ethan, despite his personal issues and hang-ups, was persistent in helping Lila. I fell in love with his character - and of course he’s a hottie. 

I would have liked to see more interaction between Lila and her parents...telling them off, as well as some retribution to the ass who abused her.  The act was criminal and left unresolved.  I hope to read more about this couple.

Sorenson has a unique writing style which taps into the reader’s emotions only to set them off on a whirlwind journey. The issues are dark and taboo, but the way her stories are written, beauty is created from ugliness. It’s almost magical to experience. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Fantastical by Kristen Ashley

Noctorno “Tor” Hawthorne, hot prince and bad ass warrior saves poor Cora Goode (Cora the Exquisite) from the vickrant’s talons sent by the evil witch Minerva. A lonely girl from Seattle that mysteriously finds herself in a world straight out of a disney cartoon movie and involved in a curse! Tor and Cora are two halves of a whole, souls parted that are destined to be together, their love story was written in the heavens. They become part of Minerva plot to cause chaos throughout the lands. Fantastical is a lovely romance story with a major steam factor (oh yeah... these two are hot together). I adored Tor, he’s handsome, valiant, courageous and funny. 

This story ends in a CLIFFY! Leaving me craving to find out what is in store for their world....kingdoms unite, the players and battle fields are set and the witches are pooling their powers together...I can not wait to see what happens next!

Wildest Dreams by Kristen Ashley

4.5 Sizzling Stars

I love my wee Finnie and Frey ( Frey can only be described as a mid evil Tack Allen LOL).

This was my first KA paranormal read and I was hooked from the get go. Elves and dragons and Frey...OH MY. He is one hell of a hot piece of royal ass. I love it when a tough, gorgeous scary dude gets all romantic and unleashes all his alpha macho goodness. 

This book sets up a chain of events that continue throughout the series....pay attention to events and names. 

“It was behind anything I could have wished it to be. You are, my wee Finnie, beyond my wildest dreams”.

DROOL...

off to the next!!

The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

4.5 Sizzling Stars

DAX!!! OMG how I hated you on one page and then fell in love with you on the next! 

Dax was a tough one to get through to - to the heart of him. He was an interesting character, total bad ass alpha...rough, tough, gentle, kind, stubborn, SAVAGE....beautiful. (Loved how he whispers to her as things get hot and heavy) BUT there are elements in this book which are not easy to deal with. With KA’s magical writing skills, I was able to handle them and this was a freaking fantastic novel. 

Oh Circe, I loved your gifted talents (fields of blooming flowers) Other Circe - my heart ached for you.

I am not one to read paranormal stories, but this series changed that for me. It’s like Lord of the Rings meets kink - I love it! 

Can’t wait for Fantastical...

The Edge of Always by JA Redmerski

ARC provided by J.A. Redmerski in exchange for an honest review

4 out of 5 drama filled stars

Truth be told, I was a little apprehensive about reading "THE EDGE OF ALWAYS”.  "THE EDGE OF NEVER" was such a profound, emotionally driven tale, I wasn’t sure if continuing Andrew and Camryn’s story would hold the same level of excellence.  In the end, I am delighted to see the road these two have travelled.  

Andrew

  

Camryn

The story flowed quite nicely, alternating from each of their POV’s, but was a bit slow paced.  It started off sweet, portraying their lives after Andrew’s recovery, somewhat settling down, and on the road to bliss.  But, as fate plays a hand, heartbreak falls onto their path. 

 

Cam becomes devastated, leaving Andrew determined to heal her the only way he knows how…. Road trip!

Their journey to healing Cam and Andrew dealing with his own demons was a lovely story, but it did not hold the angst element as the first installment.  However, I liked the way Cam’s character grew, the way she matured, learned from her mistakes, sought closure and dealt with her misfortunes.  I loved the strength of Andrew’s persona.  Dealing with his own hardships, Andrew looked deep within his soul to find the courage needed to be Cam’s rock.  As always, it is Andrew’s love and fearlessness that heals Camryn’s broken spirit.  These two compliment each other, and they are a perfect couple in every way.  And most importantly...Andrew is HAWT!

“You’re everything to me, and I want you to stay strong and not let your  fear of the past taint the path to our future."

“Our story is over, but our journey isn’t, because we’ll always live on the edge until the day we die."

In conclusion, this is a story about unconditional love, finding inner strength, self-discovery, facing fears, and learning to command one’s destiny.  Like Orpheus and Eurydice, Andrew and Cam’s story is a “tragic tale of true love”. They are “two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl” that are destined to be together. They are indestructible.  

I highly recommend “Edge of Always" and it was a good read, even though I would have preferred the story to hold a tad more excitement and intensity. I was really happy to see their HEA and a possibility of a spin-off series.