Tag: #contemporaryromance

Book Review: Brothers In Blue : Marc by Jeanne St. James

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Another HOT book about a Bryson brother from Manning Grove!

BROTHERS IN BLUE: MARC (Brothers in Blue #2) by Jeanne St. James has the second Bryson brother having to train the new police recruit who just happens to be female. For an alpha male like Marc, who also happens to still believe there should not be any female officers, being made her FTO (field training officer) by his brother the chief seems like a sick joke.

Leah Grant is determined to be a police officer just like her deceased father. She has fought all the stereotypes and risen to the top of her training class to have no one, but Max offer her a job. Manning Grove is very small town to her old home of Philly, but she is determined to make it, even with the chauvinist beliefs of her FTO.

As Marc and Leah train and ride together, their chemistry starts to override their common sense. They try to keep their work life separate from their increasing attraction, but Marc wants her in his bed as much as Leah wants to prove she is as capable as any male officer. The taboo of trainer and trainee does not stop these two, but they do keep it out of work hours.

These two have explosive chemistry in bed and are so perfect for each other. There are explicit sex scenes that are well written and have a surprising appearance of nipple rings and other sex toys. I also loved that Leah stayed at Marc’s parents’ house when she moved to town so that we continue to be involved with the whole family from Max’s story in Book #1. This romance can be read as a standalone because of its own HEA, but the family ties and small town life carry over.

I love that Ms. St. James has made each of these books in this series unique so far. I appreciate that they are not both the same premise with new names inserted. I am looking forward to what happens with the last Bryson boy, if he ever comes home!

Written for and posted first on the Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Twisted Irish by Sara Brookes

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

I am completely surprised by how much I loved this hero and heroine. I was not sure what to expect with a biker club BDSM contemporary romance, but Ms. Brookes has written a romance that delivers!

TWISTED IRISH (Sinner & Saints Book 4) by Sara Brookes opens at the Riding Irish Biker Club’s Valentine’s Day cookout on Oahu. Olivia Woo is invited by her boss from the tech company she works for, who also happens to be the president of the club. She is always chasing excitement, danger and chaos in her computer simulations and real life. Secretly she runs simulations of BDSM sex. She is not sure if it is right or wrong, but she wants to find someone to help her explore her fantasies. Looking for a place to evade all the men she is being introduced to at the cookout, she finds the club’s secret basement dungeon.

Jon Swagger has worked hard to keep his darker side in check since leaving the Marines. He has been afraid that no one will ever understand his killer past and has only had casual sexual encounters, but the rest of the club is finding love and he finds that he wants that for himself. He is a DOM and designed the dungeon and a very special chair that plays an intriguing part in this story. When he sees the blue haired vixen, he is immediately drawn to her. When he catches her in his dungeon, he wants to give Olivia the sexual experience of her life. What neither of them expects is that they are exactly what each of them needs.

This is a short book that is full of empathy, exploration and love between the H/h. It does make references to previous situations from previous books in the series, but not enough to confuse or detract from this story. The sex scenes are well written and extremely explicit, sexy and hot. This story is well worth the read for a fast romance and romantic introduction to BDSM.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: When It Hits You by Nicki Elson

when it hits you

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

WHEN IT HITS YOU by Nicki Elson is listed as Book 1 in the ‘It’ Series, but it was a previously released book with a different title. It is more of a Chick Lit book with a small amount of romance in the last 40 pages of the story, than Contemporary romances like books two and three in this series.

Lyssa Bates is a 26 year old financial analyst who has chosen her vibrator over her boyfriend when given that final ultimatum, the vibrator or me. She has decided her vibrator has everything she needs for now. As her love life takes a new turn, so does her work life. She is assigned to work on a major corporate account with the hottie, Hayden from estates.

Hayden King is a rising star in the investment company and this new opportunity is very important to him. He is also a man who believes in dating several woman and not committing to one, until if ever he meets the ‘one’. At first, Lyssa finds him conceited and overbearing, but as they work together for long hours, she begins to realize there is a difference between what you see and how Hayden really is.

I enjoyed Lyssa and Hayden and the banter that went on between the two, but to be honest I went into this thinking I was getting a Contemporary romance. The story ended that way, but was pure Chick Lit in the majority of the story. The dialogue was crisp and entertaining. It was interesting to learn why Lyssa and Hayden each behaved the way they did, also. Good story, but not what I was looking for in this series.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Claiming Dane by Pauline Allan

claiming dane

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

CLAIMING DANE (A Hot Southern Nights Novel) by Pauline Allen is a well written romance that takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. The hot Dom from Gilded Lily gets his story told as he fights for forgiveness and redemption in the arms of a big, powerful ex-Marine and his cute little daughter. The story can be read as a standalone even with the ties to Gilded Lily.

Tony Moretti is ready to stop running from his demons and face his family at his brother’s annual memorial. He gave up his destructive lifestyle, but he hasn’t found anything to fill up the emptiness inside his soul that he tries to fill with meaningless sex. When he stops at a hotel on his way home, he isn’t prepared for the gorgeous and shy owner. Something about this man, his love for his daughter and his family of friends pulls at Tony to stay, but his demons may be more than Dane can handle.

Dane McNeil has been to war, lost friends and come back to find his small daughter in a drug house, hungry and dirty. He will do anything to protect her now. He has built up his own security company and has rebuilt a historic hotel that he runs with the help of his best friends. When a dark, handsome doctor shows up and needs a room, he knows he will probably regret it, but he puts his heart on the line for a chance for more than a night of meaningless sex.

When Tony’s secret past becomes known, Dane feels as though he can no longer trust him and wants him to leave, but Tony has already left because he is afraid his darkness will destroy the first person he has ever loved.

This is a well written romance with a plot that pulls you into the story and developed characters that are realistic and make you want to keep reading. There is explicit M/M sex that is never gratuitous and is handled openly by the secondary characters. Dane’s daughter, Caroline is too cute and precious. She is a wonderful addition to the story. An enjoyable M/M romance read.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.com.

Book Review: Christmas Surprise on MacLean Mountain by Randi Alexander

 

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

Not only is this the most emotional Christmas novella I have read this year, it is one of my favorite contemporary romance novellas of this year! CHRISTMAS SURPRISE ON MacLEAN MOUNTAIN by Randi Alexander is a lot of emotion packed into a very few pages.

Doctor Booker MacLean gets a call three days before Christmas from his estranged wife for a meeting. He hardens his heart for what he expects to come, but he is completely unprepared for he finds.

Sybil MacLean knows she made a horrible mistake in not trusting her husband over rumors and leaving seven months ago. She wants him back, but she wants his forgiveness and love, not just acceptance due to her secret.

This is a powerful story of a man raised to be logical and unemotional in his decisions. His pride could be the end of the happiness and love her truly wants. It is also a story of forgiveness and understanding of differences. Ms. Alexander’s usual stories are hot and steamy. This novella has no sex and yet is not really sweet because it is so emotionally charged with real feelings and emotions that make the H/h come to life. This HEA had me in tears, in a good way.

A beautiful Christmas story good for the whole year!

Book Review: An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

AN AMISH FAMILY CHRISTMAS (The Charmed Amish Life #4) by Shelley Shepard Gray is the last book in The Charmed Amish series, but it can be read as a standalone. When you get to the last chapter wrap-up though, you are going to want to go back and read them all. Ms. Gray’s writing about an Amish family is entertaining and heartwarming, but she also portrays her characters with all the good and bad characteristics of all humans.

Levi Kinsinger has returned to Charm still trying to deal with the death of his father and wanting to find and fit into his place in his family’s business and home. He decides to live on his own because he can’t face the memories in his family home and meets the young widow across the street when she locks herself and her young daughter accidently out of their home. Friendship grows and Levi begins to have feelings for this mother and daughter, but there are secrets to be learned that may change those feelings.

Julia Kemp has been living a lie and running from her past. Having had an abusive fiancé and being pregnant out of wedlock sent her on the run to start over away from her life and family. It has been very difficult, but she has survived and raised her daughter on her own pretending to be a widow in the Amish community in Charm. Levi has made her want to reveal her secret and hope for a better life. Her past is starting to catch up with her and it is time to decide if she will run again or fight for her future.

Levi and Julia are fully developed characters and not just Amish caricatures. That is what I love about all of Ms. Gray’s characters. The plot is realistic and emotional. This is a fast read that will leave you with your HEA and a Kinsinger home full of family and love on Christmas day.