4 Smooches

Synopsis

Zoe
I’m not interested. I’m not interested in his blue-green ocean colored eyes, his lean muscular body, or that crooked smile that can be so infuriating. I have more important things to worry about, like how to keep myself in college and my sixteen year old brother fed and sheltered. We all know life is hard, some of us just learn that lesson younger than others, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up. I intend to succeed and make sure my brother has the opportunities he deserves, and no privileged jerk is going to distract me.

Landon
I don’t date. Don’t get me wrong, I’m far from celibate, but my condition makes carrying on any kind of normal relationship impossible. My life revolves around In Safe Hands or ISH, the underground hacker group I work with to track down and take care of predators and sex offenders who beat the system. I’m satisfied with my life until the day I meet the smart mouthed, compassionate, determined woman who opens my eyes to possibilities I never thought existed.

This is book one in a series of standalone novels.

Review

Landon is the first standalone in the new In Safe Hand’s series by S.M. Shade. I have read many of her previous books and I always enjoy her stories. The highlight of Landon for me was the heroine, Zoe. She left her evangelical parents as soon as she could and has been surviving on her own until her gay brother gets kicked out at just 15. Even though she is struggling to survive while in college she never hesitates to take him in. She is admirable and strong. When Landon comes on too strong when she meets him at the club she doesn’t do what so many women in romance novels do, which is fall for the overly sexualized one liner. Instead she high tails it out of there and grabs a cab home. She never expect to walk into a job interview for a house keeping position only to find him as her new boss. But he is full of secrets and not ready to share.

‘He completely devastates me with just one kiss, and the smug grin on his lips when we break apart says he knows exactly how he affected me.’

Overall, this was a good start to a sexy and suspenseful new series. I really enjoyed these two characters and I am very much intrigued by the other characters who have been introduced to us, especially Justus. I did find a few parts rushed and the story got a bit darker than I was expecting but neither hindered my ability to thoroughly enjoy the book. Landon was all alpha male, just like I like them! Him and Zoe meshed wonderfully and together they sparked.

~miranda

5 Smooches

Synopsis

There’s no way I’ll fall for Wyatt Hennington.

He can keep his Southern drawl, irresistible smile, and those pick-up lines all to himself. I made the mistake of sleeping with him not once, but twice. I’m not stupid enough to give him round three, especially after he left me in the middle of the night so I could see myself out. I vow to return to Philadelphia and forget him.

It proves easier said than done.

When the doctor informs me I’m the winner of door prize number two, I put my life on hold and head back to Bell Buckle. Three months and if we can’t make this work, I’m gone.

The problem is—when the cards are stacked against us, and I can’t bring myself to leave him, I’ll finally know if he truly loves me or if all my fears were real . . .

Review

“You’re going to destroy me, Wyatt.”

WOW! I finished this book early this morning and am forcing myself to sit and write the review when honestly I probably need more time to reflect on the beautiful story I just read. First, let me explain that I have not read Say You’ll Stay even though I was hopeful I would have the time before this one. Sadly, I was not able to squeeze it in and instead opted to read this one as a complete standalone, though I do have every intention of going back asap and reading it. I want to let others who might be considering reading this as a standalone know that while the characters from the other book are heavily in this story I had zero problem following along and never felt like I was missing something. This book was beautiful, fun, touching, heart wrenching and simply just amazing. I fell hard for Wyatt from the start and even at his worst I couldn’t help but be head over heels for him.

‘I should have told her I love her. I should’ve done so many fucking things. But I failed.’

After a night of passion months ago in which Angie woke up alone and dismissed she returns home to Philadelphia. She knows when to turn in the towel and it was clear that her time with him was just meant to be between the sheets. Both two months have passed and she when she finds out that she is pregnant with his child she returns to Bell Buckle to give this thing with him a fair shot. But can two people in their late thirties change their lone wolf ways and actually succeed at a relationship?

‘It’s not a test of love when things are good. It’s how you handle things when times are bad.’

I have so many emotions to sort through I am not even sure where to start so I guess I’ll just start at the beginning. The first half or more of this book was sweet, swoony and fun. Wyatt and Angie are thrown together because of the pregnancy but from the start it is clear that there is more there. It is impossible not to love Wyatt. He is romantic and protective and goes out of his way to may Angie happy. He knows he is asking a lot of her to leave her business and comfortable life in the city to move to the country but he is determined to make her want just that and he is not afraid to pull out all the stops in his pursuit. Now the last bit of the book is what shook all I thought I knew for a loop. It was beautiful while being emotionally draining. I am not one known to cry actual tears while reading. I tend to get emotional but I don’t cry so imagine my surprise when I realize I am full on bawling. It was hard and these two strong and loving people are tested in the worst way possible and yet I loved every second of it. Corinne’s writing was gripping and emotional and she blew me away. I knew I loved her books and this one has just completely cemented her as a favorite writer for me.

~miranda

4 Smooches

Synopsis

The last place Vaughn Westbrook expected to find himself was at a charity gala. But the dark path he’s walked since his discharge from the military led him into the upper echelons of society—where he hunts for the man behind a human trafficking ring.

Carissa Hastings lived a sheltered life in the lap of luxury. Forced to participate in a bachelorette auction, her parents expect the man of their choice to win a date with her.

Vaughn’s winning bid on Carissa was a tactical move, but logic is thrown out the window when he meets the innocent beauty.
Vaughn sold his soul long ago. There’s no way he’s going to let Carissa do the same.

Review

Rochelle Paige is one of my go to authors when I want something fun, sexy and suspenseful. Sell Your Soul hit all those marks and then some. I have read all the books in this steamy novella series and Sell Your Soul might just be my favorite yet. When Vaughn encounters Carissa at a bachelorette auction in which he is investigating a human trafficker he knows his whole outlook is changed for the beautiful and innocent Carissa.

‘No matter how much I wanted her, no matter how fucking delicious she tasted when I’d kissed her — I needed to remember that Carissa Hastings wasn’t for the likes of me.’

For me what Rochelle excels at is mixing in suspense with your typical sexy read making for something unique and different. Her men are alpha and her women are sassy. I had so much fun reading this story and am looking forward to more from  Rochelle in the future.

~miranda