Lovely Trigger by RK Lilley

5 Amazing Stars

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review

Tristan

  

Met you through Mr. Cavendish. You were a mysterious, sexy, arrogant, larger than life character with a humongous ego to match…  Had the feeling you held secrets and I was itching to know your story. 

In Bad Things, you proved your arrogance.  You were such a dawg. A manwhore. And I knew you were trouble from the very beginning.  You’re just another playa, stringing along a beautiful girl, setting her up for heartache.

You hit Rock Bottom and I was gutted.  Your life was tail spinning, spiraling out of control. Tristan, you filleted my heart and tore me to shreds. How could you?? I was totally frustrated and MAJORLY pissed off when you abandoned all sense of reason and surrendered to the demons that haunted you. For such a powerful man, your weaknesses took hold, the ghosts from your past held their victory, and you lost the one shinning light that graced your existence.  You did a fine job of setting yourself up for a future laced deep emotional darkness.  I could smack the shit outta you.

But, all the while, I adored you.  You magically put a spell over me using your sex appeal and charisma. I did not stand a chance.

And now…BEHOLD! The powerful force that is Tristan pieces himself together and from feebleness comes strength. Like the phoenix rising from cinders, Tristan is reborn.  Now clean and sober, he is placing the broken pieces of his shattered life back together, save one – Danika.  Losing her left Tristan incomplete and empty.  Living without his love for over six years, is not a life worth living.  And now he is determined to get her back, no matter how long it takes.

 Even if I couldn’t be her husband, I longed to have her in my life.  In any capacity.  I’d take literally anything. I wouldn’t be happy with less than everything, but I’d take what I could get. Crumbs, scraps, tastes of what she once felt for me, as a salve for what I still felt in abundance for her. 

“Because that’s how love works.  It doesn’t die, even when you don’t feed it.  That’s just the way it is.  I wouldn’t change it, even if I could.  Loving her has become a part of who I am.”

Lovely Trigger, the long anticipated final installment to the Tristan and Danika Series, is a tale of hope, redemption, forgiveness and an undying love that burns within the hearts of two broken souls. Trust me, these two are quite dysfunctional.

I was immediately sucked into the Tristan and Danika's saga. I became obsessively addicted to the drama that surrounded their lives, passions, heartaches and desires. Their erotic tale was so filled with angst, I loved every nail biting, heart stopping, soul gutting moment. RK Lilley set me on a roller-coaster ride that left me whirling and twisted my emotions as if being swept away by a violent tornado. This series was sizzling. 

 Metaphorically speaking, I define Tristan and Danika’s relationship as magnetic. Two poles: one side drawing them together, their attraction is undeniable and the bond is everlasting.  On the flip side: the circumstances that evolve around their lives exert a force so powerful, like similar poles of a magnet, repelling and totally annihilating each other to the point of devastation.

To fully appreciate the true beauty of their tumultuous love story, one needs to understand Tristan’s pain. A darkness consumes his soul, the demons that torture him affects Danika and becomes the root of her pain as well. These demons are the catalyst for all the heartache, which plagued this couple. The turmoil with in him wreaks havoc in their lives. Tristan’s actions causes him to do the unforgivable - utterly destroying Danika’s life.  He infuriated me to no end with his lack of control. 

 BUT, as much as I wanted to be angry with Tristan and rip his head off because of all the hurtful shit he pulled, he always held my heart.  Here lies his beauty.  Despite how his selfish actions caused Danika ‘’s anguish, he truly loved her.  And his love was so strong, it gave him the fortitude to turn his life around.  It gave him the courage to clean up his act and pull Danika from the depths of despair.  This was no easy task, for Danika removed herself from his life for years. However long it took to pave his way back into her life, he would serve his penance because he can no longer live with out his woman. 

Danika is empty, joyless.  Tristan decimated and destroyed her life, leaving her body and soul barren.  Her existence was dismal. Closing herself off, building impenetrable walls around her heart, Danika barely manages to survive.  Her focus is her career and little else. And yes, her heart still belongs to Tristan and thoughts of him dominate her mind. For several painful years, Danika was nothing more than an empty shell. Until one unguarded moment, she succumbs to unbridled passion, and gifts herself the pleasure of all things Tristan. She devours him. Feelings of love and longing take control, and needless to say these two create heat that will melt your panties off. It’s just the crack in her armor that Tristan prayed for in his quest to regain Danika. 

But make no mistake; Danika is not so easily persuaded to fall back into Tristan’s life, regardless of the fact that she is constantly jumping into his bed (or whenever public place they decided to screw).  She has not forgotten the tragedies bestowed upon her during his downfall.

As much as she hates how Tristan ruined her life, she adores him to no end.  No man will own her heart for Tristan is her soul mate as much as he is her destroyer.  Her love for him runs so deep, she alone carries the burden of truth as to the events which occurred that ill fated night, when all Danika treasured was violently ripped away.  She is incapable of disclosing the truth for fear of destroying him further… eventually, all is revealed.  And Tristan’s reaction is anything but predicable. When discovering how his poison leaked and turned Danika’s world upside down, he persevered and worked harder to solidify their relationship. Tristan became was unwavering and in full control of their destiny.  FINALLY, Tristan manned-up.

“Oh Danika,” he said softly. I started shaking my head vehemently. “Tell me, sweetheart.  Whatever it is, I’ll fix it.”I closed my eyes, my face crumbling. “Oh sweetheart,” he said, softer now, closer now. “I feel so lost.”He took my hands in his. “Not anymore.  I’m right here.  I’ve got you.” “There is this hollow place inside of me, where my faith in you used to be. I am so full of fear, and I do not know how to let myself trust you again. I don’t have the strength to do this.  Not again.” “I’ve got enough for both of us.”  He moved closer, wrapping me in his arms. “It’s about time I got a turn letting you lean on me.”    

Of course, there were some bitches that tried to derail their relationship all I can say to them is…. 

Tristan’s character fascinated me from the moment he was first introduce in the “Up in the Air” series. I was totally intrigued by how his persona morphed from a selfish, self-centered man – to a selfless man so desperate to repair the two lives he destroyed. It was remarkable.  He atoned for his sins by walking through hell, through the fire and made it to the other side.  Setting a new and better course for his life, he was redeemed and unwavering in his need to bring Danika healing and peace. As much as she tried to fight the pull towards Tristan, he never gave up.  And she had no choice but to give in. They were meant to be together. And he gave everything to assure their future would be filled with bliss. That’s where Tristan won me over.  That and the fact that he’s an unbelievably sexy dirty talking bastard – it was impossible for me NOT to love him. 

It was official.  We’d been through hell, but here we were, in our own little slice of heaven.  

Lovely Trigger was a bittersweet experience for me.  I had an unhealthy obsession of wanting to see their “happily ever after”.  But part of me never, ever wanted to let them go. Tristan and Danika’s journey, laced in gut wrenching pain, ended magnificently. RK is one of my favorite writers.  The masterful way she portrayed the love story of Tristan and Danika was amazing.  So happy to see them reach their well deserved happily ever after.  Now, the wait begins for Mr. Beautiful. 

Transcendence by Shay Savage

 5 BRILLIANT STARS

ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review

As a lover of the romance genre, I have read my fair share of novels.  Some were amazing. Others were not so terrific, and a select few have become favorites near and dear to my heart. But NEVER have I EVER encountered a story that stirred such a vast array of emotions like “Transcendence”.  It is difficult to translate this experience into words, for it touched my soul in a way no other read has. This is a story of innocence. A story of true love and all the beauty that love radiates when a man and a woman, who are literally worlds apart, unite and conquer all the barriers that lie between them. It was simply beautiful witnessing the life and love of Ehd and Beh. It warmed my heart, filled me with awe, and their story is a must read for true lovers of romance.

It is a testament to the talents and abilities of an author when their words hold such power, that a reader has no choice but to become so emotionally involved and captivated. Shay Savage possesses that magic and her tale managed to make me laugh, bring streams of tears pouring out of my eyes and fill my heart with joy. How this was accomplished with very little dialogue is beyond me. But, it happened, and I was hooked - for Beh and Ehd’s journey totally consumed me. Letting go of these characters was a difficult feat. And I can say with certainty that “Transcendence” is a definite re-read. Hoh! How I truly loved visiting Ehd and his cave.

 

 

We are introduced into this strange new world through the thoughts & experiences of our hero,Ehd, a prehistoric cave man, who is a lonely soul. Having lost his entire family & tribe, Ehd faces a cruel world on his own and is on the brink of giving up. Finding reasons to survive becomes more difficult each day.

But thankfully, Ehd manages to push himself forward, despite his miserable solitary existence. His efforts are rewarded when a lovely girl literally falls into his life and turns his world inside down.

Elizabeth, (known as “Beh” by the beloved Ehd), is propelled from her own time, transported into the past and has no way of returning home. She is terrified when finding herself trapped in a hole and in a strange environment. Ehd comes to her rescue.  This strange girl quickly fascinates him.  She is different – wearing peculiar clothing, making weird noises with her mouth, and constantly crying. Ehd’s Alpha side dominates and he quickly steps in as her protector.  She gives him purpose, a reason to fight and persevere. Beh is a gift, which Ehd cherishes, and he instantly claims her as his mate. He finds himself doing anything and everything to give her comfort, security and most importantly… stop her incessant need to talk.

Yup, Ehd is a typical Alpha-Male with the add touch of being gentle, kind and endearing. It was so easy to fall in love with his character.

Beh becomes his priority as well as the center of his universe. But, making Beh his mate is an insurmountable challenge. Firstly, they have difficulties communicating, for Ehd does not speak. The concept of language is unknown to him with the exception of ‘name sounds’. Ehd finds it hard to grasp Beh’s frame of mind and he is at a loss in trying to understand her.  Additionally, seeing her in distress wears on him. Beh is troubled, and he does not know why she is so troubled. Her constant dishearten state causes him great pain, shakes his confidence, and leads Ehd to believe himself an unworthy mate. 

Ehd becomes heartbroken and fears she will leave him and solitude is no longer an option now that he has seen Beh’s light. As his uncertainties grow, Ehd’s determination becomes stronger, as does the need to provide Beh comfort and affection. And through patience, they discover new ways to interact and express themselves. A connection develops, Ehd’s becomes more confident in his abilities and the bond between the couple grows stronger. As their relationship blossoms, Ehd realizes his happiness begins and ends with Beh. It is here when the Ehd’s character entered into my heart.

        

Ehd’s persona totally captivated me. My heart ached for Ehd during his darkest hour - when he felt despair, hopeless and weak. I cried when he all but gave up on life. I was euphoric when Ehd finally found hope and love in all that was Beh. There were times when I laughed hysterically at his crazy antics and thoughts swirling in his mind…

See…he is absolutely adorable.

Beh was a lovable character as well.  Overcoming the problems of communication, she adapted to the strange world Ehd had opened up to her. They became a team – helping, supporting and teaching one another.  Her struggles were eased through his patience and tenderness. And it is through his strength, that Beh became strong enough to perform the ultimate sacrifice - deciding to remain in a world so foreign from her own and to spend her life with Ehd. Her reward was Ehd’s everlasting devotion.

For me, Ehd is THE PERFECT storybook Alpha and holds a special place in my heart.  Why? Because he is a man who places his woman’s happiness before his own. He is a man, who loves so deeply, and believes a life without his mate is not a life worth living.

He would cease to exist without his Beh, his soul mate.  Seeing the world through eyes of an innocent man who utters only two words, “luff” (love) and “khizz” (kiss) was amazing. Within their small cave, they shared a love so powerful and everlasting. They developed trust, built a family, suffered through hardships and shared passion.  For me, it was the perfect romantic story – simply magnificent.

Before Beh, I hadn’t thought about the loneliness in such a way. Maybe I just ignored how I felt when I would lie awake and look out into the darkness of my cave, listening to nothing except the crackling of the fire and the wind outside. I only remember feeling empty inside.  Now that Beh is beside me, like she has been for the first part of the spring season, I feel warm and full.

“Transcendence” is an exceptionally poignant love story about a simple man, whose sole purpose was to love, provide, comfort and protect his mate. All the joy Ehd received throughout his life came from Beh, the family they created and the life they shared. There are no words to express how much I cherished their story. From the imagination of Shay Savage came brilliantly written tale demonstrating that love is the most powerful force – for it is eternal, never-ending and can transcend all obstacles.

 

Transcendence

Rare and Precious Things by Raine Miller

Arc provided by author in exchange for an honest review

4 out of 5 Stars

Mr. Blackstone is back and he is as charming and sexy as ever.  The continuing love story of Ethan and Brynne is a scorching hot read filled with romance, angst, passion and answers to questions that left me dangling at the end of “Eyes Wide Open”.

Ethan, being a true Alpha, holds nothing back in “Rare and Precious Things”.  From a fairytale wedding night, to a beautiful honeymoon, Ethan proves to be the most romantic husband every woman dreams of.

As a soon to be dad, Ethan shows Brynne his sweet, gentle side.  How he constantly tends to her every need while still the ever-persistent dirty talker, is adorable. All that, and oozing even more sensuality than ever before, is all Brynne needs to help her through one of the most bitter-sweet times of her life.  Still mourning the violent passing of her father, as well as being kidnapped by a crazed lunatic, should have Brynne spinning out of control.  But it is Ethan’s love and looking forward to the life and family they are building together, which keeps her grounded. It is here where her character grows stronger, thanks to Ethan’s support. In exchange, Brynne eases the darkness that threatens to consume Ethan.  These two broken souls heal one another.

There are some nefarious characters, which re-enter their lives and try to disrupt Byrnne and Ethan’s happiness.  They mainly focus on Byrnne and the ugliness she had suffered in the past. But, with her husband’s assistance, she becomes stronger, more powerful and more in control of her emotions.  Her faith in their love and marriage gives her the courage to move forward.

However, Ethan is facing a more difficult time handling the ghosts from his past. His nightmares are becoming worse and more frequent.  The burden of carrying so much guilt, for events that were out of his control, is becoming too much for Ethan to bear. It is   Brynne’s love that helps him to cope with all the darkness that consumes his soul, and she becomes his salvation.

In the hours of the darkest kind, Brynne has ever been my light. My lover who saw inside my battered soul and freed me.

My beautiful girl let me know, and showed me, yet again, what a rarity I possessed in her love, as she had from the very first. Rare.

Brynne’s love was something rare—a gift. A precious gift I’d been given, by some divine twist of fate that had brought her into my world…and changed everything about me.  About how I saw things, about what I dreamed for the future, about my capacity to move beyond the shadows of my past. Brynne’s love changed absolutely everything. 

Of course there is drama.  A heartless mother-in-law, friends from the past that serve as a reminder of all his guilt and a few highly intense moments, are just some of the bumps in the road these happy honeymooners face.  But, all’s well that ends well for Ethan and Brynne and their future together.  So happy to see this couple grow and support one another.  Their love is strong and their passion is all consuming.  Ethan is more erotic than ever. And if you want to know if the baby is a boy or a girl, I highly recommend you to pick up a copy of “Rare and Precious Things” today. 

Rare and Precious Things (Blackstone Affair)