Cream of the Crop (Hudson Valley #2) Alice Clayton @alice_clayton

That’s why I fell for Oscar the Grouch. I can’t resist a hero who praises a great big ass. Cream of the Crop is the second installment in the Hudson Valley Series and can be read as a stand-alone novel. But then, you’d miss all the crazy hijinks in Clayton’s Nuts, where the main characters, Oscar and Natalie, first appeared. This was a sweet and steamy ‘opposites attract’ romantic comedy that had me chuckling and swooning. A buoyantly funny story filled with a dynamic cast of characters, sizzling passion and a touch of drama. Everything I love whenever reading one of Clayton’s tales.  And Oscar…Sigh…He was delectable. Natalie Grayson ~ buxom, sassy, stylish and overly confident businesswoman is a Manhattan gal through and through, and a girl after my own heart. I liked her snarky and bold demeanor, despite her size, which she worked to her advantage. She was no wallflower and a little stubborn at times, but seeing her past experiences, I understood where her character was coming from. She certainly was one heck of a self-assured quick-witted heroine. However, that entire self-confident attitude went straight out the window as her undying love of cheese forced Natalie to cross paths with the hot and hunky diary farmer named Oscar Mendoza. Seeing him at the local farmers market each week became an obsession, and this boisterously ballsy city girl became all frenzied as she hysterically lost her cool whenever they met. So began the slow burn cat and mouse chase as this couple comically yet feverishly collided. Oh man, did I adore Oscar. He brought broodiness to a whole different level. Tall, dark, tatted and surrounded by a hint of mystery, this diary farmer was sweet as he was sexy. He was an enigma at first, being the furthest thing from chatty, as his end of their conversations had been barely more than monosyllabic. It took some time to unravel and get to the heart of him, but in the end, Oscar was loveable. There were times I felt he was too laid back when drama and obstacles befell this couple. They had a fair share of troubles to overcome. I prefer the type of hero who is dominant and assertive when it comes to claiming the heart of his woman, and Oscar was a little too relaxed at times. Nevertheless, he managed to win me over in the end. I enjoyed Natalie and Oscar’s story ~ an all around entertainingly fun and witty read filled with loads of hotness. Loved revisiting the characters from Nuts, namely sexy Leo, as well as loony Roxie, Chad and the rest of the Bailey Falls gang. I recommend this lighthearted read and series to Alice Clayton fans and lovers of romantic comedies. ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

ALWAYS (Spiral of Bliss #5) by Nina Lane @NinaLaneAuthor

Perfection. Nina Lane penned an exquisite ending to her heartfelt romantic series. Professor Dean West, I fell in love with you all over again. I was delighted and honored to receive the ARC for Always. I followed this couples’ journey from the beginning, and with each tale, my love and adoration for these characters flourished. Their love, their missteps, their pain, their growth, everything they endured, touched me in an unforgettable way. This is without a doubt one of my all time favorite series and there are not enough stars in the sky to award my beloved Dean, his beauty Olivia, and this read. Once finishing Always, I found myself at a loss. Unable to find the words that can fully explain how my heart felt as I stepped inside their truly incredible love story. I can try, but my words will never do their profound beauty justice. I. Was. Floored. Overwhelmed. Astounded by this bittersweet, emotionally driven finale. It is here where they face an unexpected, life-altering obstacle. Liv continues to strengthen her resolve to push herself and her family forward, as Dean struggles with the fact that some situations are beyond his control. He cannot slay all the dragons, but will do anything and everything for the love of his life. Dean West ~ the bravest and most valiant knight, whose kinks and flaws in his armor made him THE PERFECT hero. My love for his character is immeasurable. The professor was just as swoon worthy, commanding and sexier than ever. All his passion, his vulnerability, his devotion, the fathomless love for his beauty, scorched my soul. I just wanted to crawl inside this story and wrap my arms around him. Olivia ~ one of the most gentle, soft-spoken heroines ever, and I absolutely adored her. Just like a butterfly, her transformation was remarkable ~ from the insecure timid girl I first met in Arouse, to an admirable woman of strength ~ she left me in awe. Liv and Dean's journey was an epic love story that will be forever seared deep within my soul. I cherished every moment of their passion (these two, as always, are HOT); sniffled my way through their heartaches; giggled in their moments of levity; and those quirky jokes and drawings made me smile. As I made my way through each book within this series, Nina Lane held my heart in the palm of her hand, causing it to sing with joy over the triumphs or weep with sorrow in their moments of darkness. It was an absolutely incredible experience. I was filled with bliss seeing their continuing tale, but mourning the end of their journey. My only consolation is to revisit the quaint town of Mirror Lake whenever I feel these characters calling. If you love sizzling romances laced with passion, that will twirl your emotions, I highly recommend this series. And as always, I’m looking forward to Lane’s next magical romance.

Wicked Heart (Starcrossed #3) by Leisa Rayven @LeisaRayven

 

4.5 Stars

Years ago I saw a magazine article that claimed everyone should have their heart broken at least once in order to become a better person…Whoever wrote that article can go fuck themselves.

Reading Bad Romeo and Broken Juliette left me craving more. I’ve become happily addicted to the way Leisa Rayven pens her dramatic romances, which are jam-packed with loads of angst and passion. I couldn’t wait to jump into Liam and Elissa’s world and in the end Wicked Heart wrecked me. Chockfull of high anxiety and sexual tension, my head was spinning. Felt utterly shattered right along side the main characters when seeing all their heartache. Devouring this read in one sitting, I was instantaneously engrossed as my emotions were seesawing from all the intensity. I enjoyed this couples’ journey, regardless of how it played with my heart, and highly recommend it to fans that appreciate second chance romances.

Wicked Hearts can be read as a stand-alone, however Elissa Holt was first introduced in Bad Romeo as Ethan’s quirky yet lovable sister. Involved in the theater world, she became one of the best stage managers in New York. But six years ago, before she excelled in her career, a chance encounter in Times Square led her to Liam Quinn, the outrageously handsome contractor-slash-amateur actor that stole and eventually broke her heart. Now after all this time, still pining for the love she had inexplicably lost, super-star Liam returns to the stage, with his fiancé in tow, and working with poor Lissa.

He said he loved me. That he missed me. That some actors might fall for their leading ladies, but he never would. And I believed him.

The first part of the story captivated me with their relationship beginnings. Seeing their blossoming friendship and getting to know the overly sweet, charismatic Liam, I found myself totally smitten. He was so easy to love at first and I adored how their relationship grew into something more. Tender, affectionate and kind, I was enamored by all things Liam. The most perfect romantic hero…until he callously shattered Lissa’s heart.

For most of the story, curiosity got the better of me trying to rationalize the reasons why Liam ended their relationship so terribly. The moment he broke Elissa’s heart, I felt her devastation deeply and I resented him. With Liam’s return, now a famous celebrity and engaged to his long time leading lady, Lissa had my sympathies in her struggle to work with them while dealing with feelings of supposed unrequited love.  I was obsessed with unraveling all of his secrets and deceits, hoping I could once again fall for him.  Despite the reasons for leaving her behind, (which vexed me), Liam managed to finally win back my affections. It was his determination and undying love for Lissa that won me over. And I absolutely adored the sweet romantic hero he became...again.

Believe me, it took a long while, but I couldn’t help but fall for all his sexiness. Trust me, these two had me so frustrated at times, between Liam and his secrets and Lissa’s extreme friendliness toward both him and Angel (his fiancé), I wanted to scream. But I loved them both and all the turmoil. Not to mention their chemistry was scorching hot. I don’t want to give too much of the story line away, but for those who may have any concerns, I feel it’s important to note that this is by no means a love triangle.

I relished all the anxiety and sexual tension that consumed their story and loved the way this author wreaked havoc on my emotions, twisting me in knots. As far as the ending, I found it to be a bit rushed, leaving me wanting more insight into their lives together. Nevertheless, Leisa Rayven told a remarkable story of broken hearts, of healing, and of fated love that was laced with both deep passion and lighthearted humor. If you crave an angst filled romance with a swoon worthy hero, a spirited heroine, and the kooky cast of secondary characters, Wicked Heart is the perfect read.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

Dirty (Dive Bar #1) by Kylie Scott

I’m a huge fan of the Stage Dive motley crew and was excited to hear about this new spin-off series. There’s always a good time to be had whenever reading one of Kylie Scotts’ stories. I look forward to her lighthearted, enjoyable reads that are filled with swoon worthy heroes, sassy chicks, outrageous antics and steamy moments. In Dirty, we got to know Vaughan Hewson and the girl who literally fell into his life, Lydia Green. Together, this loony couple and a new cast of crazy characters made for a fun and flirty romance. Poor sweet Lydia ~ All set to marry her prince charming only to find out (mere minutes before the nuptials) that the relationship with her fiancé was great big sham. To avoid making the biggest mistake of her life, she makes a break for it by seeking refuge in a stranger’s home and hiding in a bathtub. Not the best of plans, but that’s how Lydia rolls…she’s insanely impulsive. It all works out as she finds the homeowner to be one hell of a broody, sexy man that lucky for her, is kind enough to deal with all the craziness. “The guy stood tall, looming over me with his hands on hips. Tattoos covered his arms to his wrists. Still, he had a whole lot of sinew on show. Definitely not the kind of man you’d want to mess with. Dude could probably snap me in half in a second. I bet he was a tattoo model, or a biker, or a pirate, or something. Something a lot hot and more than a little scary.” The fallout from her almost wedding was a spectacle. She’s now homeless and jobless.  Her life is in absolute shambles and Lydia still managed to make me giggle as she tries to sort herself out. She’s a little quirky, flakey and a whole lot of nuts… I absolutely adored her. Her character may have lacked self-confidence, being plus size and all, but she was the perfect girl for Vaughan and a likable heroine. He only saw the best in all that was Lydia… and her voluptuous rack. “Crap. It’s your first night at work and I’m putting all my drama on you again.” He hung his head. “Yeah, you are.” “I’m so sorry.” Such a long and gusty exhalation. The man had big lungs. Also, bad friends, namely me. “Vaughan?” “On the plus side, when you get worked up your tits start heaving up and down with each breath. Magnificent. Honestly, I can’t get enough of it.” Finding himself lost and broke after the dissolution of his band, Vaughan’s back home and working in his sister’s bar. The poor dude went from a rocker to temporary bartender, who’s struggling to get his career back on track. Vaughan has no intention to stick around the small town he grew up in; too many memories from the past haunt him. To top all of this off, he has to deal with the lunatic woman that broke into his house. Turns out, Lydia was the perfect distraction from his troubles, even though she turned his already muddled life upside down. All the chaos that surrounded her was exactly what he needed to help not only in lifting his spirits, but also in discovering the importance of love and family. I really liked Vaughan’s character - He was the perfect combination of edgy, sexy and sweet especially when it came to Lydia’s needs. There were times he was stubborn and I wanted to bop him over the head, but I grew to love him regardless, seeing how affectionate he was with Lydia.  All in all, this was a good introduction into what I think will be a fun new series. I found it less steamy than Scott’s previous books, but these two kept me laughing with their often insane back and forth banter. There’s a hint of drama involving some of the secondary characters that I’m hoping will conclude in future installments. Oh! And so happy to see more of my favorite Stage Dive rocker… Mal. He’s as wacky as ever. Love him. I really enjoyed Lydia and Vaughan’s journey from friendship to love and it’s a good read if you are in the mood for a faced paced, upbeat and comical insta-romance. ARC received in exchange for an honest review  TRIPLES with EMMA