5 Smooches

Synopsis

From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes the third book in the bestselling Eagle Elite Series…

“As burns this saint, so burns my soul. I enter alive, and I will have to get out dead.”

Chase Winter let the love of his life slip through his fingers and into the hands of his best friend and mafia boss of the Abandanato family. Now that he’s been given a second chance to right a wrong–he refuses to let his own selfishness stand in the way. The only problem? He’s not fully in possession of his heart, so when Mil De Lange, the girl who’s innocence he stole, and heir to the worst of the worst mafia families in the US, asks him for a favor. He actually says yes, not realizing that that one yes has the power to destroy them all.

Mil’s been in love with Chase as long as she can remember, but as the years went by, the love turned to hate, and now that he’s agreed to help her, she’s wondering if she made a fatal error. Because Chase isn’t a teenager anymore. He’s a hot blooded male, bent on owning every part of her body and soul, and willing to kill anyone in his path who dares stand in the way.
It’s time for secrets to finally be revealed…but make no mistake, it’s going to take a lot of bloodshed for those truths to be discovered.

You’ve never read a New Adult Mafia story like this before…loyalties will be tested, lovers reunited, and friendships obliterated. Welcome to the Family. Blood in–No out.

Review

“Because every damn road had eventually led me to her, my wife. Going back? Hell no. Not a chance. Because life is about one thing. Love. And Mil? She was mine.” – Chase

Entice is Book 3 in the Eagle Elite series by Rachel Van Dyken. Honestly in my opinion this was most definitely the best yet. This might be because it is the first without a gut wrenching love triangle since it is a well known fact that love triangles give me severe anxiety.  Entice was so full of drama, love and action it had everything I knew it would and so much more.

“Holy hell, I was going to end up on Dateline. I was going to end up strangling my bride – in bed, and not Fifty Shades-style. Shit.” – Chase

I have been in love with Chase since I first read Elite but at the same time I tried not to get too attached to him because it was so obvious that Trace was meant for Nixon and there would be no happy outcome for Chase in their story. This book was all about Chase finding out what true love really means and how his feelings for Trace were nothing like the feelings he develops for Mil. In Entice, Chase comes into his own and we get to see sweet Chase, sexy Chase and witty Chase but more than anything we get to see Protective in Love Chase. Is there anything sexier than a man willing to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves.

“It was like his mouth was coaxing the life out of me, beckoning my soul, and I was powerless to stop the flood of emotion he demanded I give. But how could I forget? That’s how it had always been with Chase. He was like an addiction,”  – Mil

Mil was a slow build for me. I like her from when I met her in Elect but I didn’t love her till Entice. Mil has loved Chase since he took her virginity when she was a young teen. Even though she hates him for leaving after and not saving her then, deep down she loves him and always will. When Mil suddenly becomes the boss of a Mob Family on the verge of extinction she needs constant protection and a bankroll to save herself and the family. This is where things get hard because the only way she sees that she can have this is to have Chase a prominent member of another family marry her. She knows he will protect her and help her grow into the boss she is meant to be. It doesn’t take long to see that their one year fake marriage is going to be so much more.

“Chase will always have a special place in my heart, but he doesn’t own it – you do.” ~Trace

This story has alternating POVs from many characters including Trace and Nixon. I loved that I got to have more of them since they got their HEA. Since the story being told this time is not theirs I really feel like I had the time to really see more of their personalities and how they interact as a couple. Trace loves Nixon with all her heart and all she wants is her forever with him but Nixon is wildly protective and worries about if she really wants in this life for the rest of her life.

““You’re a romantic sex god with mafia mojo.” – Trace

I knew Rachel would tell a story that would pull me in from the beginning but I was not expecting to love this one so much more than the first two (and I really loved those). There is something about Chase and Mil that just feels special. Entice was sexier and funnier than the first two books. The wit in this book was right on and I  found that it was just what was needed to break up the non stop action and drama that comes with a story about young people (20ish) running some of the most well know mafia families.

 “This was it for me, everything I’d always needed and wanted, found in the one girl I never realized I was missing.” – Chase

Even though you could read this story as a standalone since it does follow a new couple I highly recommend you read Elite and Elect first. Not only will they give you a much needed backstory about what is happening, you also get a lot of insight into why Chase acts the way he does. To truly understand Chase’s love for Mil and how deep it runs, I feel like you need to see him fall in love with Trace first. This series is awesome and unlike any other New Adult series I have read! Bravo Rachel I cannot wait for Elicit!

~miranda

A copy of this book was provided for an honest review!

3 Smooches

Synopsis

Two ballroom superstars from different corners of the world. Former best friends now sworn bitter rivals.

Salomé
The dance I choreographed won an Emmy—but someone else claimed it.
The man I loved just got engaged—but another woman is wearing his ring.
I’m the reigning world champion ballroom dancer—but I’m not “TV material.”
I’m too curvy.
I’m too short.
I’m too real.
Fuck Hollywood.
I’m no longer hiding behind the wings. I’m no longer letting people steal my life.
I’m ready for my turn in the spotlight—no matter what the consequences.

Vika
I left my country, my home, my language, my heart.
For a chance to have a life in America—live without prejudice and pain.
For freedom, I’ve given my heart and soul.
Love now means nothing to me but success and security.
Until I met him—the long haired rock and roll drummer with a boyish grin.
True love and acceptance will destroy everything I’ve worked for.
I’m ready for my chance for happiness – no matter what the consequences.

Review

If you are a fan of the show “Dancing with the Stars”, then this is the book for you! “Waltz on the Wild Side” is pretty much a behind the scenes play by play of the ballroom dancing competition. The book alternates POV between Salome and Vika, former best friends and now bitter rivals. After years of competing in the ballroom circuit, they now go head to head on network television. Salome has always been the underdog of the dance world. Too short and too heavy, she is constantly overlooked despite her talent. Ever since coming to America from Ukraine, Vika has had to fight to get to the top and she has not always followed the rules to get there. Her marriage to a man more than twice her age has been amazing for her career but she isn’t happy. During a season of “Dancing Under the Stars”, both of their lives will change forever.

This book started slowly for me. The main focus of the story is the two girls and the male characters really take a secondary role. Both Salome and Vika are pretty flawed and I had an especially hard time with Vika, although, she does redeem herself a bit in the end. I felt a real lack of romance and by about the 60% mark there wasn’t much in sight. In spite of the slow start, the story does pick up and there is enough drama to keep the pages turning. This is definitely not a steamy romance but more of a chick-lit, tongue-in-cheek look at the ballroom dance/reality show world.

Dana

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Synopsis

Thrust into a reality that should be myth, Honor does what she has to do to survive. Some things are easy to say goodbye to. Others things, like her very being, are not so easy to let go of. And when she does, what then? What will she become? As Honor fights to remain unaltered when everything around her, including her, has been, she is met with adversaries and champions. Ryder, Christian, Nealon—they all have a goal. Only Honor doesn’t know if their goals coincide with hers, or Superior August’s and the UDK society. One thing she does know: the world isn’t big enough for all of them.

Review

Hope. Defiance. Right vs Wrong. Reaching potential. Losing control. Giving up. Submitting. The second installment of the Anything But…series, Unremarkable, is riddled with good vs bad. It’s filled with people doing what they perceive is the right thing, and yet are thwarted and end up doing the wrong. The relationships between the characters are strained, they are coming to a head, they appear to be self-destructing. The one thing that Honor has learned and kept with her from Isaac, is that she should always do what she knows is right. Her sense of right and wrong are tested, drastically, and you can’t help but feel for her. In the situations that are thrust upon her, it’s hard to imagine her taking different action. Superior August is a mad man, a psycho with a Frankenstein complex and he pushes Honor to extremes. Little by little he strips away everything that has ever meant anything to her, thus leaving a killing machine. Deep down, Honor knows what is right and what is wrong. I’m anxious to see how the good in her and the good in all the characters will prevail and rise up against the villain, Superior August.

This book has you preparing for war. The rise of the ‘lesser’ beings, both the UDs and UDKs promises to be an eventful one. More stand-up characters are introduced, thus enriching to story even more. The fight for right is so strong, it tears at your heart, making you want to strangle the characters into doing your bidding. To me, that’s the mark of a great novel; one that you can picture yourself infiltrating and joining forces with the heroes. This series is so much fun. It is different to what I’m used to reading, however not so different from what I am used to watching on TV and movies. I love villain vs hero movies. I love right vs wrong and Lindy has created a world so rich in these unmistakable truths that you feel as though you are living it.

I will say, there are some scenes that will make you scream out in protest and disbelief, but don’t let that stop you! I can’t wait for more Honor and her transformation.

5 BRILLIANT smooches

~Nicole

**Congratulations to Lindy for having this series, the Anything But series, picked up by a publisher! On that note, Ordinary is not available at this time for e-book purchase. As soon as it is, we will load a link so you can buy.

Synposis

Synopsis

Loneliness suffocates the heart. Acceptance breaks down walls.
As a Lost Girl to the Forsaken Motorcycle Club, Nicole Whelan knows how to party. She’s not cut-out for relationships and her life is way too complicated for anything more than casual encounters. But one night when she falls into Duke’s bed at the clubhouse, he sees something in her that he can’t let go of—no matter how many times she tries to run.
Having been left to raise her teenage brother, Jeremy, she’s already got her hands full and isn’t looking for anymore complications. But Duke’s just watched his best friend fall for the only girl he couldn’t have, and then almost lose her so shortly after, shaking him to his core. Faced with his own loneliness, he’s more determined than ever to break down Nic’s walls and show her that he can be good for her; but he’s got a bad track record and she’s got a bad temper. Changing his ways isn’t easy when he’s not sure what he’s even changing for.
The violence and turmoil are at an all-time high, and Forsaken is in a vulnerable place when a twist of fate breathes new life into the club. It’s a much-needed beacon of hope for the embattled biker family, even if everyone’s not exactly on board. With Duke and Nic’s relationship already on shaky ground, and something even more important at stake, the Forsaken Motorcycle Club will fight like hell to keep their family together and whole.

Love is never more precious than when it’s new.

Review

Another home run by JC Emery, Thrash is a wonderful story about love and acceptance. Set in the background of the turmoil surrounding getting Alex protection, unfolds the story of Nicole and Duke. Nic is what is referred to as a Lost Girl. Someone who is in the club, but doesn’t have an Old Man. However, this isn’t really right. Nic’s father is Forsaken and she has been around the Club for pretty much her whole life. She did open herself up to being branded a Lost Girl since she loves to party, but I got a sense throughout the story and her relationships with the Club members, that the title doesn’t belong to her.

Nic is beautiful and struggling. Struggling to keep her seventeen year old brother on the right track. Struggling to keep food in the house. Struggling even with her car and her house is falling apart. She has a lot of pride and ambition, but she is at a point in her life where she needs to accept help.

In walks Duke. He has been a part of her life for a long, long time. Nic liked him even all the way back in high school, but they never took things very far. They would flirt, but nothing serious. The beginning of Thrash sparks the beginning of Duke and Nic. He has always wanted her, and yet never made a real move. She has always wanted to explore him, and still held herself back. There is no more holding back.

Their relationship is explosive and a little dysfunctional. Communication is key to any relationship and they struggle with this a bit. Nic is too proud to admit she needs help, with pretty much everything in her life, and Duke is embarrassed that  Forsaken hasn’t taken care of one of it’s own. He is strong willed, but so is she. Fireworks are inevitable.

I loved how Thrash, the second book in the series, is generally in the same time frame as the first, Ride. Ride is the story of Ryan and Alex and it’s very intense. Duke and Nic’s story is more emotional, and about finally letting your heart open to what you really want. Letting love in, it’s cheesy to say about an MC book, but there it is. Duke and Nic just finally needed to let go of the angst and admit they want each other, for better or for worse.

Thrash is HOT and sexy. I cannot wait for more of the Forsaken crew.

5 big ol’ smacking smooches!

~Nicole

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Synopsis

Death comes in Armani. Salvation comes in leather.
Principessa to the Mancuso crime family, Alexandra knows a thing or two about living outside the bounds of the law. Suffocated by the future her father has laid out for her, she makes a choice she can’t take back, changing the entire trajectory of her life.
Thrust into the dark and dangerous world of the Forsaken Motorcycle Club for her own protection, Alex finds herself faced with the last thing she needs right now: the man of her dreams. He’s sex in leather, the devil incarnate, and one hell of a kisser. But he’s also off-limits. Ryan Stone can be her friend, but he’s forbidden to be her lover.
Third-generation Forsaken, Ryan knows nothing other than life on two wheels, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He enjoys the many privileges that come with the patch, and the only laws he recognizes are the ones set-forth by his club. That is, until who he wants more than anything isn’t allowed on the back of his bike —or in his bed. Balancing his desire for her body, and need to keep her safe, Ryan tries to keep Alex at a distance. Finally having made a choice for herself, she’s done hearing the word “no” and will push boundaries even Ryan himself doesn’t dare cross.
Love is never more tempting than when it’s forbidden.

Review

JC Emery takes you on a ride through the dangerous relationships surrounding Mafia and MC life. The parallels made between the two lives are quite astonishing. I guess I never matched those together in my mind. Alexandra Mancuso is a Principessa: a mafia princess darling. At the beginning of Ride, her life dramatically changes due to her innocence. She did one thing wrong, she talked about family business to a stranger. This leads her to finding her true self, her true love and her true life.

Ryan Stone is a total jackass, a dickhead. He is very rough around the edges. He only ever does what he wants, without any real regard for feelings and consequences. But when he meets Alex in person, after hearing all about her for years, he is struck. Struck by her beauty, and her innocence and the wild streak he senses just below the surface.  He has a hard time coming to realize that she has him by the balls. He fights it until the very, very end. Even then, he doesn’t want to admit just how much she means to him.

Ride is a wonderful story about finding your place in the world and leaning on those that truly love you, that truly have your back no matter what. Alex’s sheltered life she led with her Mafia father primed her for a life of obedience. Ryan’s abandonment by his mother and subsequent life with his step-mom and his father led him to value true love, but keep it at a distance. Conflicted is a good word to describe them. They both know what they want, each other, on such a visceral level, and yet they do everything to fuck it up. Finally though, at the very end, Alex makes her move and Ryan can’t resist once danger hits her between the eyes.

This is a must read MC series!

4.5 FANTASTIC smooches!

~Nicole

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