5 Smooches

Synopsis

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

Review

“I feel like you and the past have been chasing me down ever since you walked in to that shop, Salem. What are you going to do if I decide to let you catch me?”

Rowdy is the fifth book in the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover and in many ways it takes me back to the first book, Rule. Rowdy and Salem have a deep history and that history both taints and enhances all that they come to have. Despite being a couple years older than him Salem and Rowdy were best friends as kids but that is where it stopped. Feeling trapped in her small consecutive town with her preacher father who was full of judgment for his non perfect daughter, Salem quickly got out as soon as she graduated leaving orphan Rowdy there alone with just her all to perfect sister, Poppy. Rowdy desired all that Poppy stood for and soon they too become close but in the end all that Rowdy left their town with was a broken heart and the clothes on his back.

“I’ve heard you say my name in a lot of ways, Salem. Gotta say hearing you say it in bed when I’m about to eat you is probably my favorite to date.”

When Nash calls and offers Salem a job at the new shop (per Phil’s request) she cannot say no to reconnecting to the one friend she was sad to lose when she left home. But seeing him her feelings for grown up Rowdy are very very grown up! Oh yeah! These two and their tangled past broke my heart at times. You could see that they wanted each other but damn why must they fight so hard. Salem is so into him but just can’t get past his past with her sister and for him Salem reminds him of all those who have left him. Can these two get past these hooks up and all their other issues to find peace with themselves and their pasts?

“You always made me really happy, Rowdy. I’m sort of infatuated with all the different ways you make me happy now that we’re all grown up.”

This book was oh so steamy and had me wiggling in my chair reading it! I knew that Rowdy would get me all riled up and I do love when I am right. But then again which of the Marked Men has not been sexy as hell! Once Rowdy lets loose there is no turning back and I LOVED this sexy man!

“”I always thought it was the firsts that matter, but now I know that it’s the lasts that stay with you.”

This book is a great New Adult novel with an erotic feel. The characters are young and fun and you get peeks into the lives of all the couples from previous books which is a nice little thrill for me and a bit of story into what Asa’s book will be like (come on April I am dying over here) Overall I was extremely pleased with this book and look forward to reading it again!

~miranda

3.5 Smooches

Synopsis

Welcome back to The Core. ALICE includes all four installments of Alice’s story: Enticed, Seduced, Exposed, and Elevated!

The most exclusive, anything-goes, all-night dance club is alive with music, drinks, and unrivaled passion. As The Core’s top matchmaker, Alice is gunning for a promotion. One she’s got locked down as long as nothing disrupts her dance-floor dominating routine. But when the sexy mechanic Evan walks into her work and shakes her confidence in her matchmaking abilities, Alice can’t resist his good looks or his passionate ways. He sweeps her off her feet, enticing her with the adrenaline of his bike and the intensity of his attraction to her.

But Alice knows she can’t get close to anyone from The Core. And after learning the secrets in Evan’s past that drive his irresistible, never-hold-back personality, she’s not sure she can let him go without falling back on the dangerous patterns that haunt her own drug-addicted history. Admitting his part in the devastating loss of his brother nearly rips Evan apart.

Those pills locked in a drawer in her office grow more tempting with each passing day.

Now it’s Alice’s turn to let go of her fears and elevate herself to a new level… one filled with passion, confidence, and—she hopes—Evan’s reckless love.

Alice’s tale unfolds in this collection from The Core with a hot, emotional story that will tantalize new readers of the series and fans of The Core: Andee alike.

Review

Going into this new set of stories by Nola and Emily I was expecting it to be heavy on the sex and light on the romance. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that original matchmaker and all around awesome Core girl, Alice, does indeed have a nice backstory and romance.

The first set of stories while incredibly sexy was more about self discovery and sexual awakening. The Core: Alice on the other hand is more about Alice discovering who she is and what she is capable of and learning that although her decisions in the past have not always been the best she does deserve to find love and a real life,

Evan is a friend of the boss, Derek, and from the beginning he is only interested in Alice. This is scary as hell for her and while she clearly wants him she is too devoted to her job and staying clean to give into him.

Overall, This was a fast and super sexy read and while I liked the first set of stories The Core: Andee I thought The Core: Alice was much better! I look forward to seeing what these author have in-store for us next!

~miranda

5 Smooches!

Synopsis

Dark desires…Deadly secrets…Devious deceptions…Nothing is exactly as it seems in INSIDIOUS, the new erotic thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author ALEATHA ROMIG!


When a powerful man is willing to risk everything for his own satisfaction, only one woman can beat him at his own game: his wife. Or so she thinks…

“Let’s start with you calling me Stewart. Formalities seem unnecessary.”

Stewart Harrington is rich, gorgeous, and one of the most powerful men in Miami. He always gets what he wants. Anything is available to him for the right price.

Even me.

Being the wife of a mogul comes with all the perks, but being Mrs. Stewart Harrington comes with a few special requirements. I’ve learned to keep a part of myself locked away as my husband watches me submit to his needs. But the more he demands of me, the more beguiled he becomes and that’s to my advantage. So I keep fulfilling his fantasies and following his rules because he doesn’t know that what he’s playing is really my game. And winning is everything, right?


INSIDIOUS is a stand-alone novel and the first Tales from the Dark Side title by ALEATHA ROMIG.

**Due to the dark and explicit nature of this book, it is recommended for mature audiences only. **

Review

All I can say is, is that Aleatha Romig has done it again.  I didn’t know if she would be able to get me obsessed and turning the pages of Insidious like I did with the Consequences Series.  I should have known better than to question The Queen of Dark and Twisty Tales!  She totally knocked my socks off this time!

Insidious:

Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects

 At the beginning of this book I was so very very confused and I believe that is exactly how Mrs. Romig wanted it.  I was turning the pages frantically; ignoring my real life.  My fictional people needed me and I needed to know what the hell was going on.

Victoria was in trouble from the time she was born it sounds like and things just keep getting more terrible for her.  She signs a contract.  A contract that will change her life for several years and not for the better.

The one with a contract to buy me, make me – as Stewart had so eloquently called it – his whore.

Victoria decides that she is no longer abiding by any contracts or deals.  She is going to take care of number one; herself.  She is done being anyone’s whore.

“You will fucking understand what I’m about to say and then you will confirm your understanding with a nod.  That’s the way we do things, isn’t it, Mr. Harrington?”

(OMG I LOVED THAT PART)

I cannot even begin to explain how crazy this book was.  It was dark and sexy and twisty all over the place and I loved every stinking second of it.  Aleatha’s books always make my stomach clench and my mind race and Insidious was no different.  What was different was the incredible sexy time all through this one.  Whew, it was hot!  Even though Stewart was what women would probably consider a douche-bag, like Victoria, he charmed me and completely turned me. THE. HELL. ON.

“Will you do that for me?  Will you wear only the dress and shoes?  Will you let me go down on you and make you scream my name?  Will you wash my face in your juices?”

Lord mercy he is a crazy egomaniac older man and I could have eaten him up with a spoon.  I do not know how Aleatha manages to make me love and crave these completely insane men, but she is absolutely fabulous at it!

And Victoria is as equally enthralling  as Mr. Stewart Harrington.  She is strong and determined and I really do love an alpha female in my books!

No, I was a fucking widow – a black widow – I wouldn’t go back without a fight.

I also had another favorite character but I feel like he is a spoiler so I will keep him to myself and let you figure it out all on your own!

So, this one is a complete full-length novel that Victoria and I both consider a Happily-Ever-After, even if it was of her own making.

“You fucking smell like freedom, like sunshine and wind on the goddamned beach.”

~Amie

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