The Iron Tiara by Beth Flynn @AuthorBethFlynn

I was held hostage, trapped within the confines of my Kindle, mesmerized by the world Beth Flynn created in The Iron Tiara. She has a magical way of stringing words together, delivering an epic tale filled with such dynamic and memorable characters, it’s all consuming. Anthony Bear and Christy Chapman’s journey was not what I had envisioned as the spin-off to The Nine Minutes series, (I was hoping for Mimi's story) but thrilled to have experienced it just the same. Once again, Flynn overwhelmed me with another heart stopping, savagely brutal yet emotionally touching romance so gripping; I could barely tear myself away from this read.     Admittedly, I went back to Nine Minutes and re-familiarize myself with this couple and their situation, as they played a minor role in Grizz and Ginny’s story. Although this is a standalone novel, some characters involved and the events that unfold do run parallel to the trilogy. If you have not experienced the brutal beauty of The Nine Minutes Series, I do recommend reading to appreciate this story. Anthony Bear fascinated me. As the story begins, I met the adorable little boy struggling to take his place within a newfound family, learning about his Native American culture from his uncle, the tribes' chief. In a blink of an eye, gone was the sweet child and in his place – a ruthless murdering loan shark capable of kidnapping the innocent daughter of one of his debtors, Christy, for ransom. Anthony lacked compassion, void of any emotions except for anger and bitterness, and had zero regards for anyone other than a handful of friends, his sister, and eventually his woman Christy. His cruelty rivaled that of Grizz, as Anthony was truly heartless and so gruesome at times, his actions had me cringing.  Shockingly, I was drawn to this ultimate Alpha bad boy like a moth to a flame. It was his relationship with Christy (at first combative then tender, self-sacrificing, fiercely protective, and loving) that had me falling for this black-hearted anti-hero. How a man so cold was capable of such deep, pure, and devoted love astounded me. I cannot rationalize my affections for his character other than the mystical powers held within Flynn’s prose. A testament to this author’s writing talents as she had me falling in love with such a vicious dark soul.   At first glance, the princess and her captor seemed worlds apart. Bear ruling one of Florida’s most notorious criminal biker clubs as Christy came from a prominent and wealthy family. As I’ve come to learn, they are not all that different. Soul mates of sorts, they belonged together, both holding tight to their secrets and sins that slowly unraveled as the bonds of love, trust, and understanding blossomed between them. Christy surprised me, as she was nothing like Anthony (and I) judged her to be. Generous to a fault and compassionate to those she loved, Christy was the absolute opposite of the perceived spoiled little rich girl persona. But hidden behind all her feistiness lived a broken woman riddled with fears and sorrow. Learning all she survived, all the heartaches from her past, utterly shattered me. It was under Anthony’s protective and gentle care, unlike his brutal nature, which brought Christy’s character to life. Exceptionally well-written and filled with nail biting plot twists, The Iron Tiara was an intense read. A long and descriptive story that traversed decades, I savored every moment of Anthony and Christy’s journey – from anguish and pain, to their joys and love, it was a wild ride. My only wish was to make a greater connection with their characters; to crawl inside their minds and experience their world first hand, as opposed to witnessing the story unfold from the third person point of view. Regardless, this was an amazing story and must read for fans and lovers of MC romances. ➜ US Amazon: http://amzn.to/2udRULb ➜ UK Amazon: http://amzn.to/2uUkvlA ➜ CA Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sXhkrL ➜ AU Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tSd7dA ➜Nook: http://bit.ly/2ueDXNj ➜ Kobo: http://bit.ly/2t7MmlW I voluntary reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this publication. TRIPLES with EMMA

The Farthest Edge (Honey #2) by Kristen Ashley @KristenAshley68 @InkSlingerPR

5 Stars

Explosive best describes this second standalone in The Honey Series. Every facet of Branch and Evangeline’s journey in The Farthest Edge ignited, from their fiery sexual chemistry to their erotic playtime, and I felt as if my heart was going to explode all over the place. My emotions became so entwined within the pages of their love story it consumed me. All their joys, heartbreaking sorrows and passion had me reeling, tumbling over the edge right along side them.

“Ready to slip over the edge with me, baby?”

Hellz yeah, I was ready. Intrigued by these two characters when first introduced in The Deep End, I was more than willing to jump into this novel. It’s erotica at its very best; brimming with scene after salacious scene of heart thumping, body clenching kinkery. Loved every minute of their sexy time. However, there’s so much more substance to this read than the BDSM element and sizzling hot sex. It has all the old school vintage KA romance feels laced throughout its gripping plot, lifting this story to an entirely different level.

“He breathed, he did not exist.”

Branch Dillinger is a ghost of a man haunted by demons and focused on revenge. My heart ached seeing all of his pain. Buried under a tremendous amount of guilt, he’s stone cold and detached. No commitments. No emotional ties. Just looking for a quick release with a temporary club Domme and then moving on. Everything changes when Evangeline Brooks (Angie) falls into his life, turning his world upside down. This feisty woman is determined to break through his glacial demeanor in hopes of soothing his ravaged soul.

Evangeline is such a lovable heroine ~ a spirited, down to earth girly girl who’s sassy yet sweet. She’s also broken, barely surviving the horrors from her previous D/s relationship. It is her temporary ‘no strings attached’ arrangement with Branch that eventually brings her back to life. Under Branch’s care, she blossoms and finds herself again.

What I adored most about Angie was her persistent faith in their connection and her extraordinary strength. Despite the pains of her past, Angie trustingly gives all of herself to Branch. She understands his desires as her sub, as well as his needs as her man, and guides their relationship with care. She becomes strong enough to fight for their relationship. And the love she has for Branch is powerful enough to push him to the edge, giving him reason to stay and to finally exist.

I can’t begin to explain my love for this ex-military badass. I dislike comparing heroes since each is unique, but I saw hints of past loves within his personality namely Deacon, Raid and (strangely enough) Sam Cooper. It was so easy to fall for Branch as he embodied everything I love when it comes to a KA hero. The fact that he sexually submits to Angie does not, in any way, minimize his Alpha male tendencies. He’s dominating, gritty, has an outrageous carnal appetite and extremely protective as well possessive. I loved his gentle side, tending to Angie's needs knowing her traumatic past, gaining her trust and heart. But what truly drew me in, aside from all his sexiness, was his agony.

Branch’s heartache affected me in an unforgettable way. There’s one particular scene towards the end where Branch unleashes all his sorrows that totally annihilated me. I was a wreck and honestly, it’s one of the most achingly beautiful, tearful moments ever scripted. I love when characters, especially from this author, are so completely shattered their healing seems impossible. I want to feel their pain because I know for certain Ashley’s words and her couples will guide me through the gloominess to a place filled with love and beauty. KA has a magical way of bringing me joy through her writing. And when the road is paved with intense sorrow, as it is in this read, I appreciate the overwhelming feeling of bliss so much more. Both Angie and Branch suffered great betrayals in their past and it was beautiful seeing how their love healed. The way they comfort one another, establish trust and fall in love truly made this a touching story.

An enticing BDSM romance bursting with beauty, passion and raw emotions, The Farthest Edge is pure KA gold. If you’re hesitant because this book may seem vastly different from Ashley’s norm, don’t be. Everything I needed to lose myself within a great story was here, just with a heavy dose of kink. The familiar world building descriptive writing style, a captivating plot, dynamic characters, strong Alpha hero, powerful and breathtaking moments – I was in heaven, happily lost in Branch and Angie’s journey.  Another stunning novel from The Queen. I’m not sure what other bees will be buzzing in the future at The Honey, but I do hope to see more from Aryas and Gerbil.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, St. Martin's Press.

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Sweet Surrender by Nina Lane @NinaLaneAuthor

5 Sugary Sweet Stars I’ll never get my fill of Nina Lane’s eloquent writing style and her swoon-worthy heroes totally own me. Whether they are a loving professor, a badass biker, or the rulers of a candy empire, these perfectly flawed and devastatingly sexy men are forever branded within my heart. My latest obsession…Tyler Stone, the wickedly sensual black sheep of his family. Tyler and Kate’s journey to true love told in Sweet Surrender was yet another memorable romantic tale brimming with such beauty, I was easily lost within the pages of the fantastical world Lane created. I simply adored Tyler and the way his character developed. On the surface, he was the quintessential spoiled trust-fund guy whose priorities were women and parties. But as the story progressed, he revealed there was so much more than to his playboy persona. Misunderstood and overshadowed by his successful siblings, Tyler divorced himself from the family business, and lived a carefree lifestyle. It all came to a crashing halt when one bad decision forced Tyler to become accountable and atone for his mistakes by working at Sugar Rush’s corporate library. Clueless on how to get the job done, he used his overly sexy charms (that I instantly fell for) to finagle a deal with the very reserved, prim and proper Kate Darling, the company’s executive assistant. In exchange for helping Tyler, Kate will get some much-needed lessons on how to become more alluring. Kate was a likeable, strong willed heroine who lacked confidence when it came to dating. She was bright, paid attention to details, focused on her career, but deep down she saw herself as nothing more than practical and undesirable. However under Tyler’s tutelage, Kate found herself and blossomed into a self-assured woman. In Tyler’s eyes, she was an attractive little minx from the moment they first met. She just needed his passion to help guide her to a more comfortable place sexually. And the incredibly sexy, dirty-talking Tyler was all too willing to show her the way with all his scorching hot lessons. Kate was a positive force and the perfect match for sweet Tyler. She whole-heartedly believed he was more than just a simple playboy. Under Kate’s loving care Tyler discovered his own self-worth. She grounded him, gave him purpose while feeding him reasons to shed his wild ways. I loved his transformation. Gone was the Lothario and in his place was the tender-loving, responsible Tyler Stone - a man deserving of Kate’s affections and a true hero I fell in love with. Tyler and Kate have become my favorite couple within this series. Their instant connection was powerful and I savored every moment of their fiery sexual chemistry. Sweet Surrender is the perfect choice for when your in the mood for a truly feel good, heartwarming and flirty romance. Thank you, Nina for another amazing reading experience. I voluntary reviewed an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

Mister Romance (Masters of Love #1) by Leisa Rayven @LeisaRayven

4 Stars

WOW! This certainly was one heck of a slow burning, all consuming romance and true to Rayven’s style, an exceptionally well-written tale filled with loads and LOADS of relationship angst. Honestly, the sexual tension was so thick I savored this steamy read from beginning to end. Sparks ignited when Eden Tate, the ambitious and opportunistic reporter looking for her big break, wormed her unwelcomed way into the life and heart of New York’s most infamous male escort – the mysterious Max Riley – aka the overly sexy Mister Romance.

It’s so easy for me to fall in love with Leisa Rayven’s leading men and Max was no exception. A perfectly flawed, lovable book boyfriend that had me gushing over his oh-so-dreamy charismatic ways and witty sense of humor from the very moment I met him. Totally charmed by his off the charts sexiness and tortured soul, Max pulled on my heartstrings and made this entire story for me. His character intrigued me. A man with so many secrets and a past that controlled his current situation, Max held his cards close, slowly unraveled bits and pieces of himself throughout the story leaving me wanting more. In every sense he was a true romantic hero that possessed a beautiful and sincere heart.

I like a sharp-witted, sassy and strong willed heroine who holds her own and Eden certainly had all of those qualities. She was fiercely tenacious, determined to reveal and report Mister Romance’s salacious story to better her career. But hidden beneath her driven character was a vulnerable girl with her own painful past, which tainted her views on relationships. To her core she was a doubter and at times, I found her to be a little too cynical. With a solid disbelief in true love and quick to distrust Max at almost every turn, Eden was exceedingly skeptical, and it was a challenging to connect with her character for part of this read. However, as she opened her heart and mind to the possibilities and promise of all that was Max, I warmed up to the softer side of Eden and walked away for this story liking the heroine she grew to be.

All in all Mister Romance was an enjoyably fun read with just the right mix of passion, intrigue, sexual tension and heart pounding angst. With laugh out loud shenanigans, witty banter, tender moments and steamy passion this story captivated me from the first page. I always relish loosing myself within the pages of Rayven’s tales, getting to know her characters and their experiences. Can’t wait to devour her next romance!

 I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this publication

Twist (Dive Bar #2) by Kylie Scott

4 Stars Here’s to a second round at the Dive Bar with some pretty loony characters, another adorable couple and a fun-filled spin on Kylie Scott’s friends-turned-lovers romance, Twist. A blossoming online relationship with the dreamy and outrageously gorgeous Eric Collins caused Alex Parks to impulsively step outside her comfort zone and travel cross-country to finally meet the swoon-worthy man behind the keyboard. As she entered the Dive Bar unannounced and smack in the middle of his birthday celebration, the huge surprise was on Alex when discovering the man she strongly connected with through emails was not pretty boy Eric, but his brawny and bearded brother Joe. Poor Alex. Already dealing with trust issues, she was far from thrilled about being played and embarrassingly caught off guard.  Did not blame her one bit for ticked off BIG time over the deception. However all that was Joe ~ his magnetism, his patience and immeasurable tenderness, made him irresistible. From their awkwardly comical beginnings, to their hysterical banter and scorching sexual chemistry, Twist was a passionate and enjoyable love story. Alex is everything I adore when it comes to this author’s heroines. Intelligent and sassy, she’s a witty chick who’s quirky yet a bit vulnerable. Her inner monologues, which were very entertaining, had me laughing out loud. “When it came to Joe Collins, my pussy was a wanton whore. And seriously, who could blame it? His body was one big beautiful playground. There wasn’t an inch of him I didn’t want to explore.” She had a headstrong stubborn side, giving Joe a tough time when it came to understanding the reasons behind his duplicity, which added some push and pull drama within the story line. I savored the build up of sexual tension between this couple, as it made their journey to love even more exciting and the chemistry between them explosively hot. Alex was the perfect woman for Joe. She was a positive force, persistent in encouraging him to pursue his dreams and helped boost his self-confidence. Sweet Joe. The gentle lumber sexual, who was patient, kind, and downright sexy. A rugged sex-god who cuddles – what more can a heroine wish for? Once my guard was down, due to complete and utter exhaustion, Joe had cuddled me. It was terrible, disgusting. Fingers caressing me, lips pressing soft kisses to my shoulder and the back of my neck. Normally I’d never allow it, but it felt so good. I adored the way he tended to Alex and his determination to prove that despite his deliberate misrepresentation, his online exchanges were his truths. He worked hard to regain her trust and eventually, to earn Alex’s heart. Aside from using his brother’s identity, Joe was a sincere and compassionate guy who went above and beyond for his friends and family. I loved that about him the most. Joe had me in the palm of his hand, adoring everything about his character, up until nearly the end. Somewhere along the way, Joe lost just a tiny piece of my heart with some of his actions and choices he made. In his defense, there were some intense, tear-jerking events that totally threw me for a loop and utterly devastated me. The tragedy absolutely messed with Joe’s mindset and I fully understood his pain. But, his missteps affected the dynamics of their relationship as well as my feelings towards his character. Regardless, in the end I walked away from this read liking Joe for all his big hearted, caring ways. Twist was another well-written, steamy romance from Scott that I truly enjoyed and hope you do as well. A good choice for when you are in the mood for a humorous contemporary romance with just the right amount of relationship angst and emotional drama. Joe and Alex’s romance captivated me, as well as the story lines involving the secondary characters. Looking forward to revisiting Coeur D'alene, Idaho in Eric’s story – Chaser.  I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this publication