A Little Bit like Desire (South Haven #2) ~ Brooke Blaine

What if you had everything in the world you wanted...except the man you never knew you needed? 

Shaw Jennings, the seductive, enigmatic owner of Body Electric Tattoo works hard and plays even harder. He’s built a life he’s proud of, and though that doesn’t include a significant other, he’s got plenty of sexy men to keep his bed warm at night. None of them have ever made Shaw sit up and take notice for long, though. But that all changes when a famous rock star walks through his door. 

Trent Knox had the world in the palm of his hand as the lead singer of TBD, one of the biggest rock bands in history…until the day he walked away. A getaway to South Haven Island seems like the perfect place for Trent to find himself again and reignite his passion for music. But what he never expects is to find his muse in a six-five, tatted-up badass whose sinful smile he can’t get out of his mind. 

The only problem? Trent’s a notorious womanizer, and Shaw isn’t interested in being someone’s experiment—muse or otherwise. But in a town as small as this one, Shaw is finding it more and more difficult to keep the persistent rocker at arm’s length. 

As the tension between them builds, maybe it’s time to finally give in and get carried away with something a little bit like...desire. 

I absolutely loved Shaw and Trent's story. There was the perfect amount of angst that makes it feel more like a real relationship. Sure they both had their fears and hangups, but they were honest with each other. They supported each other in whatever decision the other made and that was before they really knew what to call each other. 

Don't get me wrong, there was some time before they jumped into some fun, but there wasn't an ex storming back in to their lives messing everything up. That had a a getting to know you period, a few drunk evenings and talks, that definitely cleared the air. They had their own issues, like most people do and they worked on it. 

I wish there were more Shawes out there. Holy hotness batman! He is just so delicious. He's straight forward, honest and supportive. The best book boyfriend, even if he didn't think he could have a relationship. 

Trent is all sorts of messed up, but he doesn't burden anyone with it. He turns on his performer switch to ensure others feel comfortable and are happy, even if it makes him unhappy. He's selfless and sexy. A great match for Shaw.

Shaw and Trent are super hot together and I just love their non-relationship-ish. I was so excited for them to get to know each other and explore their feelings. This was wonderfully written. I just love these men from South Haven!

Savage Things (Chaos & Ruin #2) ~ Callie Hart

Zeth

At the eye of a violent storm, everything is calm. It’s only when the storm shifts that your life explodes into chaos.

The $#*& is finally about to hit the fan for Zeth. After months of blissful quiet, the wolves are at his door, teeth bared and snarling, baying for blood, and the sinister elements of the Seattle underground are closing in tight. In other words, things are about to get bad. Real fucking bad.

Zeth Mayfair isn’t your average criminal, though.

If the New York mob wants his allegiance, they’re gonna have to force him to submit. If the cops want his ass in chains, they’re gonna have to catch him first.

He’ll kill the wolves. He’ll ride out the storm. He’ll make his enemies suffer. Zeth Mayfair is about to crown himself ruler of the city, and fuck anyone who dares to take on the king.

They will obey, or they will fall.

The choice is theirs.

Sloane

Death is a bitch.

Sloane Romera sees death every day, looks it square in the eye, and she does not flinch. When Mason Reeves brings his little sister into St. Peter’s emergency room, a dark cloud hangs over the kid—one Sloane recognizes all too well. Millie is gravely ill, but it's not too late. Sloane's determined to do everything in her power to help her, regardless of the cost, regardless of how many rules she must break in the process.

Mason’s struck a deal with the devil, though. A deal that has painted a huge target on Sloane’s back. There’s every chance she’ll be dead by morning, and the man she loves might not be able to save her this time.

If there’s one thing Sloane knows, it’s that you can’t cheat death. When the Grim Reaper demands a life, a life must be given. Bargaining won’t work. Begging is futile.

A life for a life.

The debt must be paid in full.

OMG! Why, oh why do I do this to myself?! It’s because I love Zeth Motherfucking Mayfair!!! Gah Callie Hart does it again with another fabulous installment in the Chaos and Ruin series. I just can’t get enough of Zeth and Sloane. And Michael too!

I know Zeth is supposed to be the asshole of all assholes, but he keeps surprising me and I can’t stop loving him. He is a changed man since the first book of the Blood and Roses Series, but I love him even more. He is the Alpha Male personified, but he has his sweet spot for Sloane. Only for Sloane. Always.

Sloane is one bad ass bitch. To be able to work as a doctor, face death, destruction and pain every day, but still want to help others….that takes a special person. On top of that, she’s not afraid of Zeth. Well, she may be afraid of how he’ll react to things and afraid that someone may try to take him from her (kill him), but she’s not afraid to stand up to him. That takes some balls. Balls that some of the men that come in to contact with Zeth just don’t have.

"I know my life changed irrevocably when I met him. That change is burned deep inside my very being - in my mind, in my heart and in my soul." ~ Sloane

Mason....The twists that are happening with this kid, I just can’t even. The burden he bears by taking care of his sister Millie, coupled with the guilt he must feel….Well, I wouldn’t want to be those shoulders. I am hoping he starts to see clearer and not blame himself. I hope that he can find peace in where his life is at. My heart breaks for this kid, but if he pulls out of this mess, he will be that much stronger. He will be a force to be reckoned with.

I could read about these characters forever. And don’t even get me started on Michael. There are some things going on with him that I’m dying to know what they are, but he’s such a closed book. I need more. I cannot wait to read more about them. Zeth, Sloane and Michael are more of a family than they realize. Their love for each other is overwhelming and powerful. I hope, for Mason’s sake, he’s brought in to their fold. They all are going to need each other’s support.

I absolutely loved Savage Things. I cannot wait for the next one and for that matter; I hope I’m not waiting too long. Hint, hint. Callie Hart is definitely a go-to author of mine and Zeth and Sloane will always have a place in my heart. #ZMFM

Neighbor Dearest ~ Penelope Ward

After getting dumped, the last thing I needed was to move next door to someone who reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, Elec.

Damien was a hotter version of my ex.

The neighbor I’d dubbed “Angry Artist” also had two massive dogs that kept me up with their barking.

He wanted nothing to do with me. Or so I thought until one night I heard laughter coming through an apparent hole in my bedroom wall.

Damien had been listening to all of my phone sessions with my therapist.

The sexy artist next door now knew all of my deepest secrets and insecurities.

We got to talking.

He set me straight with tips to get over my breakup.

He became a good friend, but Damien made it clear that he couldn’t be anything more.

Problem was, I was falling hard for him anyway. And as much as he pushed me away, I knew he felt the same…because his heartbeat didn’t lie.

I thought my heart had been broken by Elec, but it was alive and beating harder than ever for Damien.

I just hoped he wouldn’t shatter it for good.

Damien! The sexy and brooding, jerk of a neighbor. I was so angry with him, before I even knew him. He lets his dog bark at all hours in the morning and then he listened to Chelsea’s therapy appointments through a hole in the wall!! Granted, he was a 100% correct that her phone therapy sessions were a sham, it was super embarrassing for him to listen in to all Chelsea’s insecurities. I felt shy and insecure after all that and I wasn’t in the book.

That being said, the more Chelsea and Damien hung out, the more we could see that he really is a good guy. He’s an amazing artist and ends up coming through for Chelsea at one of her shows, when another artist cancels at the last minute. Not only does Chelsea start to fall for Damien, Damien’s dogs, Dudley and Drewfus, completely fall for Chelsea.

I think Damien is falling for Chelsea as well, but he won’t let himself truly realize it. He’s fighting against something he promised himself he couldn’t have. His secrets that he’s keeping from Chelsea are really holding them back from becoming more. Chelsea realizes she really can’t have what she wants with Damien, so she decides to move. It’s time for her to move on and hope that they can still remain friends.

I was really hoping that Damien would pull his head out of his a*$ and go after Chelsea. Gah! So frustrating, but when we find out why Damien’s been holding back, it completely makes sense. Not that I agree with it, but Damien’s intentions were always good. There’s a lot that can go wrong, but I still think these two would be perfect together.

I really loved Damien and Chelsea’s story. I liked getting a glimpse in to each of their families and to watch their friendship grow. They are truly two great people and their love could be great as well. There was happiness and sadness, some hot sex and an ending that left me emotional. Well done Penelope. Well done.

Deep Redemption (Hades Hangmen Book 4) ~ Tillie Cole

ONLY THROUGH BLOOD CAN THE DEEPEST REDEMPTION BE FOUND…

He was born to ascend.

He was destined to lead.

He was never meant to fail.

Prophet Cain lies broken and defeated on the floor of his cell. A cell he has been thrown into by the one person who was supposed to stand by his side until the end. His flesh and blood, his only companion. His beloved twin brother.

Cain has sacrificed everything for his people. He left the safety and security of his life of study to infiltrate the infamous Hades Hangmen. He lived with them, rode with them, and then betrayed them. All in the name of a faith he can now feel slipping away from him. Like everything else he once held dear…

But then his isolation is broken. Another prisoner is brought to the cell next to his. A woman fighting her own demons and fears. A woman who Cain understands needs him, as he needs her.

As the connection between them grows, so does Cain’s resolve. He will right the wrongs he has done. He will atone for the evil acts carried out in his name. He will save the one he loves…

… Even if the battle takes him to the gates of hell itself.

Holy Hell! This book…..I just can’t. In an effort to not say too much, I may blab on and make no sense, but once you read Deep Redemption, you will understand. The emotion, the angst, the tension, the suspense…..this book made me feel all of this times 10.

Cain/Rider, man did I hate him, but I don’t think I hated him as much as he hated himself. His self loathing was so powerful, he felt he deserved all that came at him. He welcomed it. Until he hears Harmony’s voice.

Harmony is a strong, fierce and loyal woman. She loves wholeheartedly. There is no half way with her. Willing to continue on and make sacrifices some would not even consider, she continues to stand up for what she believes in. She is an inspiration.

Their story, along with the Hangmen and the New Order completely captured my attention. I did not want this book to stop. The twists in this book are some that I was not expecting. I need more!!

Paradise Found: Cain (Paradise Stories Book 2) ~ L.B. Dunbar

“I hate that I love you,” she said. “You left me.”

“I lost you, there’s a difference. Now that I found you, I intend to keep you.”

Lost.

I’d tasted the sweetest fruit of temptation, and I wanted another bite. I had promised myself before, but once wasn’t enough. The savory flavor of her lingered long after I’d lost her. Contending with the pressure to return to the fight, in order to prove myself to my father and the world, I had to let her go.

Found.

It has been a year. Sofie Vincentia and I had played a dangerous game. For one night, we pretended, only to discover our farce was real. I’d lost her, but I hadn’t stopped searching, hoping for her return. I was used to getting what I wanted, so when she didn’t come to me, I had to go after her. This would be the greatest fight of my life.

This is a great follow up to Paradise Fought: Abel. We got a glimpse of Cain and the burdens he bears in Abel’s story, but in Paradise Found: Cain, we really see the demons he fights. His father, the man he killed, Abel, Sofie… all of them contribute to his burdens.

I really enjoy LB’s writing. The way she is able to take biblical references and turn them in to a modern romance is really impressive. I got hooked right in to the story line and fell for these characters.

The push and pull between Sofie and Cain made me want to throw my kindle. They both want each other, but through a series of misunderstandings and some legal documents, Sofie is super reserved and Cain is ready to do anything to have her back. He feels like he lost her once and never wants to lose her again. Sofie, feels that Cain left her once, what’s stopping him from doing it again. Gah!

I really liked Cain and Sofie. Even though, Cain is supposed to be a snake, I mean he is the Cobra, he has a romantic side and is completely in love with Sofie. Sofie is tougher than she gives herself credit for. I don’t know if I would have been able to hold off this sexy fighter the way she did.  Sigh.

All the Rage ~ T.M. Frazier

They call me Rage.

My real name is like a shadow, always close behind, but never quite able to catch up.

I fly under the radar because no one ever suspects I’m capable of the kind of brutal violence I commit each and every day.

You see, I’m a girl. I’m nineteen.

And I'm a killer.

This life is all I know. It’s all I want to know. It keeps the s**t buried that I need kept buried. It allows me to live without thinking too much.

Without dwelling on the past.

Until him.

It all changes when an ordinary boy becomes my next target.

And my first love.

I have to choose.

The only life I’ve ever known has to die, or he does.

Either way, I’ll be the one pulling the trigger...

All the Rage is a STANDALONE.

So I have to say, I am partial to King and Bear, but I do love me some Goon!!! Yes, All the Rage can be read as a standalone, but I liked the King and Bear references. I love these two characters that T.M. has created. Yes, we get to see a part of Rage in Lawless and Soulless, but Nolan is new and super sexy.

Rage is a bad ass chick! She’s unique and hard core, yet super hot! No one ever knows what hits them. She had a really hard time dealing with her “anger issues” when she was younger, so she was thought of as odd and different. While learning how to disguise it, she still had it bubbling inside her.

Nolan, the sexy “ex-hockey” player we meet has a broken leg and broken spirit. He’s angry at the world, but after a near death experience, he’s re-thinking his approach. A gorgeous blonde with bright blue eyes has kind of influenced some more positive thinking (wink wink).

Rage and Nolan are super hot and scary in their own ways. While they may not know each other’s secrets at first, they both feel this connection….this pull that they can’t ignore. While Nolan may understand it more, Rage realizes that Nolan is the first man she ever really “felt” something for…and that scares the shit out of her. 

T.M. wrote another fabulous book that I couldn’t put down. There was one scene where I was like, no that's not going to happen and then I was like, Uh, WTF?! There were some twists in there too that I was not expecting!!

I loved Rage and Nolan, but they couldn’t overcome my love for King. T.M.’s writing is well thought out, suspenseful and it pulls you right in to the story. She is definitely one of my favs!