Harlequin

Review: All Fired Up by Lori Foster

Posted by

0


This series was wonderful. I’m so happy I rediscovered Lori’s books.

I love the way she writes her characters. The men are protective without smothering. The women are strong but know when to ask for help. It’s the perfect balance. I wish more romances were written like this.

This story actually tugged on my heart a bit. Mitch finding his half brothers and being welcomed into their lives was hard for him. But they broke him down. He wasn’t used to being able to rely on anyone so they was a hard lesson. And finding Charlotte made that a little bit easier.

Charlotte has always been like a sister and daughter to the Crews. When she meets Mitch she’s instantly drawn to him. When she finds out that he’s part of the family, her heart realizes that she should probably let him bond with his brothers and step back. But that pesky heart doesn’t agree with that.

This book had everything I liked in a romance, sweet love, tension, family and a bit of excitement. If you’re looking for a romance like this, then I highly recommend to grab this series.

~Melpomene

click the pic to buy

Quick Review: The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz

Posted by

3

Holy cannoli!! What a wild ride! Creepy and twisted and oddly addicting. Tiffany knows how to wield the pen and create fantastical stories that grab you from the very first page. From the moment I opened this book, I was sucked in and couldn’t put it down. I found myself talking out loud, and often, in order to make heads or tails about what happened. And I should pat myself on the back, because I was right!! Well, my first gut feeling was right. The more I read, the more I changed my mind, but I kept coming back to my original thought. Yay, me!

Allison goes back to house she grew up in, only to confront her past ghosts. Something happened that made her leave and she is determined to find out what really happened. She meets up with all her past family and finds out that there were more secrets than she ever imagined. But she will stop at nothing to uncover what really happened.

This book made me uncomfortable, and not because it’s made up, but because it’s probably real. While the story itself is made up, the finer points I’m sure happened. Sick and twisted, but forgiving and hopeful. That is all I will say. I want you to go in this with an open and clear mind.

The Lucky Ones is a standalone that will keep you engaged and guessing till the very end. I hope you love it as much as I did! Plus it has a character, from another book, that many may get excited about. I know I did. And it made me love this book even more.

~Melpomene

Buy The Lucky Ones http://amzn.to/2DsIu0x

Review: Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins

Posted by

0

Kristan Higgins knows how to write the sweet women’s fiction/chick lit/romance. It’s not my usual type of book, but I love Kristan’s books so I had to read this. And I’m so glad I did.

This story is about family and friendship. While there is romance, that’s not what the story is about. From the first page, I was sucked in. I stayed up late and woke up early, because I needed to see how Nora was going to handle everything that life has thrown at her.

Nora finds herself back at her hometown, trying to move forward, but every day she’s reminded of the past. I liked her attitude. She has this spunk about her. I want to be her friend. She is determined to live the life she wants and if she has to beat in a few heads along the way, she will. She doesn’t give up on the ones she loves.

While she plans on only staying for the summer, before she goes back to Boston for work, the more time she spends on the island, the more time these people get their hooks into her. Sometimes she gets hurt by those hooks, but she’s strong enough to take it.

Like I said, this was more about friendship and family. She struggled with making her family open up to her, but she wasn’t giving up. She loved them and wanted it in return. My heart felt for her. Especially with her niece. With a mom in jail, she is very bitter and doesn’t open up. But I appreciated how much Nora worked at her. But honestly, Nora was easy to love. She has a good heart and has plenty of room in it for those around her. Since the romance was more of a side story, it wasn’t overpowering and very smooth.

If you’re looking for a sweet standalone that will make your heart happy, then this book is for you.

~Melpomene

Buy Now That You Mention It http://amzn.to/2zEsAwU

Review: Silent in the Grave (Lady Julia Grey #1) by Deanna Raybourn

Posted by

0

silent-graveI don’t know what it is but I truly love these Victorian mysteries. Perhaps it is because the ones I’ve read so far have been with ladies set as the main characters.

This one is no exception. Here we have Lady Grey trying to solve the mystery of what might have been her husband’s murder. She is determined to become the strong independent woman that she has always imagined she should be. It’s not always an easy thing to reconcile the person you imagine yourself to be with the person that shows themselves to the rest of the world. Especially when you have a dominate (albeit handsome) detective by your side. Add to that being a widow that should be in mourning in Victorian England…well, it certainly can add many complications to your life.

I was also happy when the mystery was solved. Raybourn did a really nice job of allowing the reader (and the lead characters as well) imagine several different scenario. I even imagined a few that I believe Raybourn was clever enough to desire me to conjure up so I could feel superior that I figured it all out on my own….alas, I was not….The ending was believable, but not any of the ones I imagined. Even better, I didn’t find it drop down jaw unbelievable either….I didn’t feel like she pulled the rug out from under me and went for something totally outrageous just for the drama factor. I really appreciate that from an author. Sometimes, I am often left to feel insulted…instead, Raybourn has made me delighted to follow Ms Grey into her next great adventure….

Until next time…
Urania xx

Buy it now Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

Review: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Posted by

0

01 nowhere “The only way to break free is to understand the past so you don’t continue to follow in their footsteps.”

Oh my gosh!! Katie McGarry has done it again! I love MC series and Katie’s books. So when you combine them, this is a match in my book nerd heaven.

SYNPOSIS
Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she’s curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn’t mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They’re the good guys. They protect people. They’re…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club’s most respected member—is in town, he’s gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it’s his shot at his dream. What he doesn’t count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

This is a story about being proud of where you come from. It’s about love and forgiveness and being true to yourself. Emily has been told ties all her life, but she never knew it, until she came back and was thrust into her biological father’s world. Now she is slowly unraveling the lies and falling more in love this life and these people who she’s been told to fear.

Oz made a mistake and has been put a babysitting duty, of the leader’s daughter. He knows she’s bad news and wants her to go home as soon as possible. But the longer he stays near her, she brings out feelings that he has no right to feel. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t deny that this MC princess is going to be his downfall, if he doesn’t get a hold of himself.

In true Katie McGarry form, this book is perfect for mid teens. There is no over the top sexiness. There was a fair amount of tension, but nothing explicit. Oz and Emily try and fight their attraction, but sometimes the heart doesn’t work with what we want.

“I thought your job was to prevent me from learning the truth…”

“No. My job is to love you.”

This book was full of excitement and had an emotional story line that will tug at your heartstrings a bit. I found myself even tearing up a bit at the end. You fall in love with these characters and don’t want any harm to befall them. But sometimes life isn’t perfect. So if you find people who love you, except their love and hold on tight.

~Melpomene

BuyNowhere but Here (Thunder Road)

Review: As Long As You Love Me, by Ann Aguirre

Posted by

0

01asWOW! I did NOT expect to feel this way, while reading a book. I couldn’t put it down. I was wiping my eyes a few times also. Beautiful NA story the you’re sure to love.

When Lauren left college, to return home, she never told anyone the real reason. Not even her best friend. Watching her struggle with day to day things that never seem to bother us, gave me a glimpse into a world I never knew existed.

Her struggles seemed to affect her living a full life. But when she starts to hang around Rob, he seems to get her and be able to help her. And while he is helping her, she seems to be able to help him realize his full potential and give him the confidence he needs to get his life in order.

The main character, Rob, was so well written. He is NOTHING like your typical hero. In fact, he seriously was twisting my heart. No one treated him like a guy who could do anything. They saw him for what he looked like and not what he can do. His low self esteem had me wishing I could reach in and hug him. It also had me wishing I could reach in and smack a few people as well.

“I’m the one they sleep with before they meet Mr. Right. Anyone who ends up with me, She’ll just be settling.”

See?!?! That boy needs a big hug!!!

But the more they hang out, the more they realize that they’re perfect for each other. I was rooting for them, the whole time. I needed them to move past their struggles and learn how to deal and be confident in each other.

Very well done, Ms. Aguirre!! I am really enjoying this trilogy and can’t wait to read the next book.

~Melpomene

Buy As Long As You Love Me

Grab the first book: I Want It That Way
See my review HERE.

Preorder book 3 The Shape of My Heart
Release date: November 25, 2014

Review: The Beautiful Ashes, by Jeaniene Frost

Posted by

0

01bea I love Jeaniene Frost. Let me just start out by saying that. I loved her Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones were one of the funnest paranormal series I’ve ever read. I hated to see them end. But when I heard that she was writing a new adult paranormal series, I was super excited, and slightly nervous, to read it. I was so used to adult romances by her, I wasn’t sure how I’d take a NA. But she did it flawlessly.

Synopsis via Goodreads
In a world of shadows, anything is possible. Except escaping your fate.

Ever since she was a child, Ivy has been gripped by visions of strange realms just beyond her own. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is trapped in a parallel realm. And the one person who believes her is the dangerously attractive guy who’s bound by an ancient legacy to betray her.

Adrian might have turned his back on those who raised him, but that doesn’t mean he can change his fate…no matter how strong a pull he feels toward Ivy. Together they search for the powerful relic that can save her sister, but Adrian knows what Ivy doesn’t: that every step brings Ivy closer to the truth about her own destiny, and a war that could doom the world. Sooner or later, it will be Ivy on one side and Adrian on the other. And nothing but ashes in between…

The story starts out with a bang. If the first chapter doesn’t grab you, I’m not sure what will.

When we first see 20 yr old Ivy, she is searching for her sister, after the death of her parents, a few days earlier. She has been dealing with hallucinations and is trying to decide what is real and what is not. So searching has been quite difficult, when you never know when visions will pop up and show you a world that seems true, and yet isn’t. Right off the bat she finds herself in a world of trouble, and meeting someone who is destined to be her enemy. Since she has no one to help her, Ivy finds herself going with him, even though she doesn’t trust him.

Adrian wants nothing to do with his “family”. He has chosen a different path. He doesn’t want to believe is his fate, when it comes to Ivy, but he knows you can’t stop fate. It’s going to happen anyways. But when he saves her and finds out who she really is, he has no other choice but to help her. Then he finds himself growing to like her, even though he shouldn’t.

“Nothing but Dark magic had ever felt so powerful, and when I touch you, it’s a thousand times worse. You’re the light I can never have…and I’m the darkness you’ll never succumb to.”

This book had the feel of the Fever series, by Karen Marie Moning, but with a NA atmosphere. Demons, glamour, mystical relics, that sort of thing. But Ivy is your typical 20 yr old and has typical 20 yr old feelings about a very hot Adrian. I was glad to feel the tension, but not have it thrust in my face the whole time. As they go through the many challenges together, they grow slowly closer to each other. Ivy learns about her past and how she is very important for the future. She has powers that only she can, because of her lineage. Adrian learns that it isn’t easy to fight what fate already has destined for you. But, with Ivy, I think he can get past it to prove himself worthy.

I am super excited for this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next!!

~Melpomene

Buy The Beautiful Ashes (A Broken Destiny Novel)

Review: The Way You Look Tonight by Bella Andre

Posted by

0

IMG_9668.PNG
3.5 stars
This well-written, fun romance delivered witty dialogue and likable characters. It also delivered spicy bedroom scenes – so many that it kind of took away from the storyline. I really enjoyed Brooke and Rafe, and Rafe’s siblings. I would have loved to read more about them. I also would have enjoyed more conversation between Brooke and Rafe, and more home-improvement scenes by Rafe and friends. Brooke and Rafe are excited to see each other at their lake houses – after 15 years apart. Rafe’s siblings come to help him move back in to the family lake house that needs more TLC than one person can give. Fun plot, right?!

The story was SO good that I’m not sure why Andre didn’t give us more of it. Though the spiciness was a fun part of the story, I would have gladly traded a few scenes for conversation and character building.

If you’re looking for a well-written, quick, hot romance, this is it. If you want something more like the Sullivans’ stories, this is in a little different vein.

-Calliope

buy THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT

Review: The Saint, by Tiffany Reisz

Posted by

0

01saint I love The Original Sinners series. I really do. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about them, but they totally grew on me. And after the first four books, I was totally satisfied with how it ended. As if you don’t know, I love saucy books. So when Tiffany said that she was going to write about Nora’s time, before she was a Domme, I wasn’t all that interested. I’ll admit, I was worried there would be no sauce, or maybe just light sauce. Silly me. This is Tiffany Reisz we’re talking about!! I don’t think she could write a light sauce book, if her life depended on it.

Synopsis
In the beginning, there was him.

Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn’t want to break. She’s sick of her mother’s zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she’ll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Søren Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they’re apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can’t be right.

But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets.

Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.

Now if you read the first four books, you’ll know some of what happens in this book already. But there is sooo much we never knew.

Let me start out by saying that Tiffany is a genius. This book showed us why Nora needed Søren so much and why she immediately was drawn to him. In all honesty, she broke my heart. Her feelings of not being wanted, made me so very sad. I think part of me needed to read this book. I could never wrap my head around how they could together, with such a large age difference, or even how they connected when she was a teenager. Part of me thought that was just weird. But after this, I realized, it was just right.

“Have you ever had a dream feel so real that upon waking you thought you were still asleep? He took her hand in his.

“Once or twice.”

“I felt like that the moment I saw you, Little One. I dreamed you once. I think I’m still dreaming.”

While this book gave a lot of insight, it packed a lot of emotion as well. I was on the verge of tears the entire book. But I didn’t understand why. There was one part of the story that she kept coming back to and just made it worse. By the end of the book I was a wreck. I don’t remember crying in her other books as much as I did in this one. She kept us on the edge of our seats the whole time.

And now, of course, I’m am dying for the next one. There are quite a few more stories that Nora needs to share with us.

~Melpomene

Buy The Saint: The Original Sinners Book 5

Get caught up with the Red Years

The Siren: The Original Sinners Book 1

The Angel: The Original Sinners Book 2

The Prince: The Original Sinners Book 3

The Mistress: The Original Sinners Book 4

Review: Until We Touch by Susan Mallery

Posted by

2

20140625-230335-83015752.jpg
I fell in love with Fool’s Gold a while back, and the Score crew was a big reason why. Until We Touch focuses big time on Score – especially on cutie Larissa. She will do anything for an animal or a person in need… And Score partner Jack McGarry will always come running to help.

I’m not a huge animal person, but Larissa is, and her compulsion to rescue animals totally worked. If you love fur babies, you’ll sympathize and have some tender I-heart-animal moments. And if you don’t, you’ll just appreciate Larissa’s generous heart — like I did. In this book, Larissa helps plenty of animals, but she also makes a big difference in the life of a young adult… And reels in Jack for assistance.

So. The love story. It’s a slow build-up, then some good fireworks, then some bad fireworks. The awesome thing about loving someone is that it’s about the actions, not the feelings. Larissa and Jack already act like they love each other! It’s only when the words and feelings are brought to the surface that trouble arises.

I liked that Larissa was a little naive here. It fits her personality and brought me back to “stupid things I did while in my 20s” – hah! And I liked that Jack was wonderful except for the time he was a completely big jerk and I could’ve just pushed him with two open palms and said WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!

The best part about a perfect hero who makes a gigantic stupid mistake is watching him make up for it. The apologies were worth the anguish, they really were.

As for the updates on other characters: Taryn’s wedding planning was enjoyable, and I liked the fun closure to Sam’s love life. Mayor Marsha brought upheaval and some new guests to town… and the local businesses were thriving. Read it. You’ll see – and love it – for yourself.

By the way, I read Until We Touch on the beach. My daughter looked at me from the edge of the ocean, rolled her eyes, and said, “There’s mom, crying again over a book.”

Yup. You betchya. Tears of sadness, tears of joy. That’s a successful read.

-Calliope

buy UNTIL WE TOUCH