One Night Promised by Jodi Ellen Malpas @JodiEllenMalpas

4.5 Stars Arc received in exchange for an honest review  M… He is Mysterious…riddled with secrets yet to be disclosed. He is Mercurial…prone to mood swings and extraordinarily broody, in a sexy way. He is Mesmerizing…a fascinating man who is passionate, charming and above all, a proper gentleman.   M is an enigma. “One Night Promised” treated me to a mere glimpse of his multifaceted personality. Jodi Ellen Malpas is a masterful writer. A temptress who presented a tale that gently and beautifully lured me into the minds and lives of her characters. Like a slow seductive dance, Malpas held my hand and gradually led me into a world where my emotions were twirled and my mind was twisted from a plot filled with questions, intrigue and angst. This installment laid the foundation for what I believe will be an epic romance.. M is a character in his own right and should not be judged, paralleled or compared to any other. Also, be patient. M and Livy’s story is not fast paced.  Written from Livy’s point of view, it is extremely detailed. I entered this series with an open mind and embraced this new cast of characters. If you are a fan of JEM, or new to her work, trust this author to lead you on a compelling journey. Livy is a sassy and stubborn barista/waitress with a painful past. M is a sexy, insanely wealthy “gentleman”. On a chance encounter they meet as Livy serves M a terrible cup of coffee. (His reaction was hysterical). There’s an immediate attraction between the two that is undeniable. Both fight against the allure…but eventually, they succumb to their desire. Oh, how I savored the build up and the chase. M was delicious as he fought his attraction...  “I need to force myself to stay away from you”... “Because you seem like a sweet girl who should get more from a man than the best fuck of you life."        M.                                                                          And so it begins. The unassuming girl falls for the enigmatic man. Both consumed by lust, a proposition is made and accepted. One night together – 24 (non consecutive) hours of passion, tenderness and off the charts sizzling sex.  A promise to worship Livy in every way. M’s incredible as he sensually feeds Livy’s body with insurmountable pleasures.  Livy is a likeable female lead. There were times she grated on my nerves as she fought M’s temptations and towards the very end she managed to MAJORLY piss me off. But overall, she was endearing. I fell in love with her family. Livy’s grandmother, Nan and George, a delightfully comical pair, had me in stiches with all their crazy antics. Sidekicks Gregory and Sylvie were funny, lovable characters as well. I have to admit, it took me some time to warm up to M. As the story developed, I began to somewhat understand him. Not really pleased with some of his actions, but I got him. What I most enjoyed were his sexy, charismatic and quirky ways. He’s a true romantic and smoking hot in the bedroom. But mostly, M was a total head-trip. There must be justifiable reasons for all his quirks, fears, secrets and obsessive compulsions - and have a gut feeling the revelations will overwhelm me. I am looking forward to digging deeper into his persona.  As always, JEM's readers need to pay close attention to the story’s details. As a writer, she is incredibly clever and extremely sneaky in dropping unsuspecting hints within the storyline.  Certainly was a crafty way of keeping my attention and drawing me further into the world she created. Expect the unexpected in “One Night Promised”, for perception is not necessarily reality.   A good start to what promises to be a great series.  Be warned - as I suspected, the ending is one hell of a cliffhanger. Nail-bitting AGNST. And thus begins my excruciatingly painful wait for “One Night Denied”. TRIPLES with EMMA

Blurred: A Connections Novella by Kim Karr @authorkimkarr

Arc received from author in exchange for an honest review   4.5 Stars Finally… The Story I’ve longed for… The lying, cheating bastard that is Ben Covington – the man most have come to resent in the Connections Series, tells his story. Alas, an insight into the dysfunctional mind of a character that both frazzled my emotions and caused great angst. Why was I anticipating his story? Because deep down, I believed there was hope for him – that there was more to his persona. I wanted to believe that Karr’s giftedness could change how I felt about the man who claimed to love Dahlia, yet destroyed all love’s beauty by surrendering to lustful temptations, lies and deceits. And as suspected, placing my trust in this author’s hands had me walking away pleased. Now, it wasn’t easy for me to come to terms with Ben’s character. After reading “Torn” I wanted to gut him like a fish and fillet his balls. But something nagged at me – A teeny-tiny part of my heart wanted to reach out to him. I can’t imagine why since I found his actions truly deplorable. Nevertheless, I took the plunge, put my apprehension aside and dove head first into Ben’s world.  And what I discovered surprised me. He forced me to understand his pain, his turmoil.  I was sorrowful for how he single handedly destroyed all the good in his life. Convinced that he loved Dahlia, but somehow lost his way and regrets the pain he had caused.  That things happen for a reason and his temptation may be his salvation. His losses pulled on my heartstrings. In “Blurred”, we see all the fractured pieces of his drunken life; His struggle to crawl up from rock bottom; His quest for closure and redemption; His willingness to turn his life around to be a better man; To earn the affections from his seductress, Bell. It was admirable. I learned that I don’t have to love a character to enjoy their story, but simply appreciate their strife and path to betterment. I did not walk into this story adoring Ben. However, I connected with his blurred and broken soul and now wholeheartedly believe that he is worthy of a second chance. Kim Karr has done the impossible. The “bad guy” she created morphed into a character that does deserve a chance to achieve a “happily ever after” in my opinion. This was no small feat; Ben still behaved like an ass throughout most of this story. He needs to work hard to win me (and Bell) over in “Frayed”. Nonetheless, all the struggles I experienced reading his tale were well worth it.  I realize “Blurred” will be difficult for some readers. My advice, if you are a fan of the series, place trust in Karr’s vision and the path she will set forth for her characters. The journey will begin with a blur, but will end with clarity into the heart and soul of Ben. For me, the experience was gratifying. Another great read from the imagination of Kim Karr. Looking forward to the next installment…the story of Bell and Ben in “Frayed”. Amazon