Sunk ~ Renea Porter

The darkness claws at Raine Sims, bringing her farther in.

There was no escaping it and no one to bring her out of it. The burden of loss weighs heavily on her, reminding her every day that there are no guarantees in life. Every day is a struggle every day she puts on a façade just to get through. She’s already lost her husband to divorce and now her child in death… It’s all too much to grasp.

But a chance encounter with Sly Wilkes is all it takes to come completely undone.

Sly Wilkes is always in control, in every situation, including in the bedroom. He’s mysterious, and Raine has definitely piqued his interest. However getting to know her isn’t all that easy. Raine’s guarded and believes she deserves to feel the pain and the darkness that surrounds her.

Will Sly be able to help Raine see she deserves more?Or Will the pain forever remain?

Sly and Raine have an instant connection from the first time they see each other. Something draws themselves to each other and later on in the book we realize they both suffered their own painful pasts. Sly’s is a littler father back than Raine’s most recent sadness and tragedy, but together they make it work.

It takes a little surprise of their own to really get down to Sly’s sad past, but once he comes to grips with his own hang-ups, these two are able to work it out. Raine is a very smart and calm character; sweet and understanding. Sly’s alpha/dominate side is super hot and I wish we could have seen more of his kink. Don’t get me wrong, the sex was hot, but would have liked more.

What I enjoyed about this book was that Sly and Raine were very straight forward with each other (with the one exception that Raine didn’t tell Sly her ex-husband works for his company, but that led us to some fun in the broom closet::wink wink::).

It was refreshing from all the angst and lack of communication that most characters go through. There weren’t a lot of twists or mystery, but was a sweet read. Definitely enjoyable. 

Rage: Fire and Steel Motorcycle Club Romance (Fire and Steel MC #1) ~ Kaylee Song

Death. That's all Fire and Steel M.C. brings Layla. A trail of death and destruction that leave her completely ravaged. She moved a thousand miles to escape the brutality and vengeance of the club, but she was forged in the club and never as free as she believed...

When her brother is murdered death brings her right back into the clutches of the M.C. and under the watchful of Cullen "Rage" McFadden, her first love.

Can she resist the temptation he represents, or will he drag her down into his world one more time?

Layla has to come home to Pittsburgh and its under the saddest of circumstances. Her brother, Beast, has been killed and she is returning for his funeral. While there and grieving, she is told by the MC's new Prez, Bones (because her father was also killed, while serving as Prez, no less), her Uncle Mick and Cullen (Rage) that she is not leaving. Even if it's not the place where she wants to be, its the only place she wants to be.

Rage wants one thing, Revenge. His best friend, his brother-in-arms has been killed and he wants blood. As thoughtful and methodical as Cullen is, he has this Rage, Anger, and Demon inside him, ready to avenge Beast's death. His guilt, his promise and his love for Layla makes him want to keep her safe, but she is his biggest distraction.

Layla and Rage are electric. You can feel their sexual tension in the first instant they are in the same room. These two never fell out of love for each other, but they both had to work through their own fear and resentment to get back to each other. Layla hates the club for what happened to her father, mother and now her brother. Yet, the club is in her blood and it is all she has....besides Rage.

Props to Kaylee Song, who was able to write a strong female character that stood up to the scariest of men. Also, for writing about a man who in no way could be considered romantic, yet was super sweet in certain scenes. You knew Rage loved every part of Layla.

The whole time reading, I knew something was up with the new Prez, Bones. I just had a funny feeling about him. Beast (Layla's brother Sean) felt something too, but Layla and the rest of the club realize it too late.

The Story of Lansing Lotte (Legendary Rock Stars #2) ~ L.B. Dunbar

I get it. I’ve heard the jokes. My name sounds like some medieval character who was a hero. Hell, my best friend’s named Arturo King. Ring any medieval bells? But this is my story and I’m no hero. I also get the jokes. Lancelot is a play on the words lance and lot, and a lance refers to a sword, which is a euphemism for dick. What does a man do with his dick? He fucks. A lot. So if my name is Lansing Lotte, I must be “fucking lot.” Get it? Fucking a lot? Which I’m not saying I don’t, that’s not the point. Another reference to something sexual. Get my point? Huh, I made a punny. But again this is my story, and I haven’t done anything funny. In fact, I’ve killed three women, and only one of them I loved. Yeah, that’s right? Not laughing now. It’s not funny. And I’m definitely no fucking hero.

This is one emotional roller coaster!! Starting off with the MAJOR cliffy from the Legend of Arturo King, The Story of Lansing Lotte jumps right in where we left off. Guinie is in mourning, Lansing is still hoping for his one chance and Elaine completely takes advantage of a drunken Lansing, when he drinks himself into a stupor over Arturo’s accident and missing body.

Guinie is a mess and starts to latch on to Lansing. She knows he’s wanted her for a long time, but does she really care about him, or is she just lonely and lost?

Lansing, being the “hero” that he doesn’t want to admit, saves “3A” and her daughter Fleur from a fire in his building, and their once innocent flirting takes to new heights when he moves them in with him. Lila and Fleur are everything that Lansing needs, but doesn’t know it.

Sightings of Arturo are starting to happen, Ana is pushing Guinevere to move on from Arturo, no one can get in touch with Mure Lin, we are introduced to Perk’s new girl, Hollister, ::spoiler alert:: and Elaine is pregnant from the one night with Lansing. Whew!! Talk about a mouth full (that has two meanings hehehe)! 

I love the spin on the classic King Author, Lancelot and Guinevere love triangle, but I am so happy that L.B. Dunbar makes a happy ending for Lansing here. After he got his head out of his ass and realized all the chaos surrounding him, he finally put a stop to it. Lansing may have saved Lila and Fleur from the fire, but they saved Lasing from the drama and fire that he was in. 

Falling for His Best Friend (Out of Uniform #2) ~ Katee Robert

Avery Yeung’s biological clock just went off early. Thanks to her family’s medical history, she’s running out of time to get knocked up. And the only guy within donating distance? Her overprotective—and irritatingly hot—best friend. So clearly she needs an anonymous donor…

Anonymous donor? Over Sheriff Drew Flannery’s dead body. While daddyhood will never be in the cards for a man with his past, Drew won’t let Avery shop for a “popsicle pop.” He’ll do what’s right for his best friend by doing his best friend. But only if they do it properly.

But there’s nothing “proper” about it. Between the bed, the kitchen counter, and against his squad car, Avery and Drew are having the hottest sex ever. They can’t get enough of it—or each other. And without knowing it, they’ve crossed the one line that could ruin their friendship forever…

Drew and Avery finally!!! In the first two stories, I was waiting for these two to hook up.  I mean they are perfect for each other, so when Avery comes up with her plan to get pregnant, I was like “Oh Yay! Hot Sex between the Besties!” Then when Avery said she was going to get a donor, I was like “Say What?!” I know Drew is not going to let that fly.

Drew with his Alpha Male, Stubborn, Sherriff self needed to pull his head out of his ass a couple times, but Avery was pretty stubborn too. For Drew to offer to be the baby daddy, why wouldn’t you just jump his bones?!

“Avery, shut up and listen to me. If we’re going to do this – and we are – we’re going to do this right. And then he kissed her.”

Total swoon and panty melt. The chemistry is off the charts and Drew definitely scored points when he tried to help Avery with her grandparents. I would have slapped her grandfather through the book if I could. So happy her father was supportive, but I felt terrible for her sister Alexis. Alexis will work it out in her own time, but I think she does respect and understand Avery’s decision, but it still hurts.

Kuddos to Bri and Ryan for stepping in and setting their friends straight, when Drew was starting to fill his own self fulfilling prophecy. He thought he was going to be just like his father and he almost was. So glad Ryan put him in his place and Bri helped Drew with his master plan.

I really enjoyed Katee Robert’s stories. They are sexy-sweet and hits you right in the feels. Definitely what I needed.

Two of Hearts ~ Christina Lee

A gripping standalone adult contemporary romance about finding yourself while taking a second chance at your first love…

Dakota Nakos was always the resilient, strong-willed achiever. But when her father dies and she’s entrusted with the family’s casino, she feels vulnerable, scared, and more than a little emotional —not exactly the best time to see an old lover she’s never really gotten over.

Dakota once meant the world to Shane Garrity. Then suddenly he left town to train as a U.S. Marshal, and their love for each other crashed into a memory. Now he’s come home for her father’s funeral, and one look at the girl he left behind stirs up both memories and regrets, and reignites a fire he feared he’d lost forever.

Dakota may be the same driven girl she always was, but she’s also changed in ways neither could have anticipated. She’s not just a young woman searching for own identity in the Native American community in which she was raised, but one questioning her new life outside her father’s shadow. Above all she wonders if Shane can push past her weakened defenses to rekindle what they once had, or whether the intense blaze between them will ultimately reduce her heart to ashes.

After Dakota’s father is stabbed to death after leaving the town’s bakery, Shane comes back in to town for the funeral. While there, he realizes a piece of him has been missing this whole time….Dakota. He wasn't man enough back in college to fight for and keep her, but he is more than willing and able now.

Dakota is drawn to Shane. Their sparks fly and her smarts and stubbornness are a major turn on for Shane. She can’t get Shane out of her head, and after a while stops trying to not fall for him all over again. Slowly her walls are coming down, while Shane tries to protect Dakota and her family. Dakota and her mom have been threatened to sell the Casino Dakota’s father left them and Shane is not having any of that. 

This was a good mix of romance, murder mystery/suspense and it delves into a little of the Native American culture. Their ethics and ways of life are what Dakota, Shane and her family live by, but someone of their culture is not abiding by the same credo…… Can’t tell you who. You’ll just have to read.