Tag: danger

Posted in Erotica, Tessa Bailey

His Risk To Take – Tessa Bailey

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

17828181Synopsis

The greater the risk, the hotter the reward…

Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation on the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control—until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he’ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler.

Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy’s avoiding, but when she walks into O’Hanlon’s Pub and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her—risks be damned. But there’s a connection between Ruby’s shadowed past and a case Troy’s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

4.5 / 5 stars

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My Review

So now you’ve read my reviews of Protecting What’s His and Officer Off Limits, it was definitely time to read His Risk To Take (I went a little backwards as this is the second book and OOL is the third, but psssssh, if you give me sexy police officers and hot sex, I will read whatever book I get my hands on first).

I’m just gonna reiterate what I’ve said in the past two reviews. Tessa is awesome. She really draws you in, makes you care for every character (apart from the baddies, whom you just want to pummel with a pole – but then that’s making you care about whats happening so..). You laugh, cry, get all hot and bothered and root for the main characters to be together, you jouney together and alone.

Much like Protecting What’s His and Officer Off Limits, I couldn’t put the book down. Sex scenes on public transport, being all hot and bothered in work, wanting to jump the next guy I saw. I was also crazy public transport woman, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This series is a brilliant read and all the things I’ve felt along the way just add to the amazingness of them.

Let’s start with Officer Troy….uh I just quiver thinking about what you can do with that pool stick hahah. But he is one sexy officer! Hes protective and possessive and such an alpha male but he also had a vulnerable side. A side that although he kind of hides, it’s there. There from his past that’s why he transferred to New York.

He was adventurous but when a fatal accident happens to him which makes him fear now, fear that he too will lose someone again if he gets close to them. He feels guilty for something that wasn’t his fault and he can’t let it go. Once so free, hes now reserved, playing by the books and not taking risks. That is until Ruby walks into his life.

Ruby. Seriously, she is awesome! She’s a BAMF and a pool hustler. She really knows how to hustle but she only does it to survive. To pay her rent and bills and she’s trying to turn her life around, open her own business after college and leave her past behind her. Leave what she knows behind her and start afresh. After all, it was her father and his ‘best friend’ who got her into hustling and now she does it alone, hoping to god she doesn’t get beaten up by the men she hustles. But if she did, shes strong enough to know how to beat the crap into them.

She’s independent, strong willed, spunky, sarcastic and has a smart mouth that gets her into trouble a lot with Troy…which leads to hot sex. Yes, I would run my mouth too for the things that man can do. But she’s also pretty vulnerable at times, and you see her caring side for her best friend near the end and here about her cleaning him up throughout their lives too. Despite her strength, shes still a young woman who wants to feel loved and wanted and there are times when her barrier wavers a bit especially when her relationship hits a blip and also when shes in danger. Against everything, it was nice to see her walls cave in and learn to trust, as she doesn’t trust easily at all.

I think she is my favourite heroine out of the three books. She is just pure awesomesauce. She can hold her own and as I’ve mentioned before, all of the heroines are strong females and it just makes me so happy that they are needy or pathetic and can definitely bite back!

Ruby turns Troy’s life upside down. He’s fallen pretty fast and after finding out about her history and how shes linked to the investigation he’s on, hes shit scared that hes going to lose her too. He can’t have that guilt on his head again, having one persons death on his conscious, even if it wasn’t his fault, is enough for him to follow and feel for himself. If he lost Ruby, he would have no clue what he would do. Thank god Ruby is a strong female who can look after herself, its what shes been doing all her life.

Although all three books follow the same kind of plot, with the action being towards the end, His Risk To Take is such a different book. The heroine is more spunky, the hero more vulnerable and perhaps more afraid, it was a turn of events and it made me love this book so much. I love the hustler and the cop being together. It’s fun and you would never see that happening, but it works. It works because you see another side to them both, a side that they want to show to each other, a side that they want to change for the better. Ruby wants to change her life, open her own business and Troy wants to not feel guilty anymore. They both help each other out.

The sex scenes…well. As always, Tessa makes me shitting hot as! You will be quacking haha. Just read the pool table scene…..FOOKING HELL. Troy….what a man, what a man. A man we all want in our beds…along with Daniel and Derek…..in the same bed. WOOOOW, what a combo that would be…and such a goddamn good motherfucking time.  You wouldn’t be walking for a while haha, anyway on a tangent here, the sex is just wow, and it proves how strong their connection is, even after a few days. I really believe things like this happen, and thank god Tessa has written books where you fall after a few days, because it really can happen…in my eyes anyway.

How many times can I commend Tessa Bailey for these books? Well, a lot!! Strong female characters, dominating alpha males with potty mouths with an awesome storyline and copious amounts of hot sex. What is there not to love?

So now I have reviewed all three books, seriously what in the world are you waiting for? I’ve given you  sexy quotes, told you all about the amazing couples and a brief outline of the story, so go to Amazon, click those 1-click buttons and enjoy these books like I definitely did 😉

Posted in Teaser Tuesday, Tessa Bailey

Teaser Tuesday: His Risk To Take – Tessa Bailey

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers.

My Teaser

“I like it. Having your marks on me.”
His cock swelled against the front of his pants, begging for the stroke of her hand.

52%, Loc 1085, His Risk To Take – Tessa Bailey

Posted in Erotica, Tessa Bailey

Protecting What’s His (#1) – Tessa Bailey

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

17413427Synopsis

She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come…

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

4 /5 stars

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My Reviews

Ginger Peet needs to get her and her 17 year old sister Willia away from their druggy mother. Well, you could say mother but they hardly see her. She has never cared enough for them and also brought men and drugs back whenever she bothered to return. Ginger has practically raised Willa and done everything she could for them to survive.

Spotting her chance to get away from this hell hole, she spots a purse next to her mother full of money. Money that could give her and her sister a second chance and a new life. Deciding to take the money, she and her sister fly out of Nashville and head towards Chicago.

What she doesn’t expect when she gets there is a pretty hot cop. A hot cop who is her neighbour and wants her. Although their first meeting doesn’t go as planned, they both want each other but what happens when he find out about Ginger and her past?

One thing you could say about hot cop Derek is that he doesn’t take no for an answer.

Protecting What’s His is the first book I had read by Tessa Bailey but it certainly won’t be the last as I will HAVE to read her other two books asap!! I had seen someone reading this on Twitter and I was intrigued (They were tweeting dirty talk). So searching it on Goodreads, and reading some of the reviews, it was an instant 1-Click. An alpha male with an extremely dirty mouth? Oh hell yes, I am so reading that! Love me some dirty.

I started it late-ish the other night, went to bed and then it was finished by the time I got home from work. I blitzed through it because I didn’t and couldn’t put it down. I read it on the way to work (sex scenes included and I was then highly strung), on my lunch break and back home again. I couldn’t concentrate for wanting to finish Derek and Ginger’s story. I was obsessed.

Ms. Bailey dragged me into the story. Her writing captivated me. I was laughing, swooning, fanning myself, rooting for everyone, panicking, loving the connection between Ginger and Derek, loving the banter between Ginger and Willa, and also on edge during the last part of the book. I was gasping and hoping that everything would be okay, eagerly wanting to know I was turning the pages at lightning speed. Tears did spring to my eyes more than once.

It’s more than just a sexy book, it had everything in it for you to enjoy!

Ginger is a brilliant character. She’s strong and comes across as confident and comfortable in her sexuality, but deep down she is scared. Scared that she will turn out to be just like her mother and she’s completely vulnerable. All her life she has had to savage to keep her and Willa alive and fed. She’s done everything to survive and this is her chance to start over and start again away from the town that was dragging her down.

She has a guard up which makes her feisty and she doesn’t like to let anyone in in fear of being let down or left behind. The only person that matters is Willa. Being with Derek though, its petrifying to her and she doesn’t want a relationship, she wants it physical but over the course of the book, you see Ginger transform. Albeit it took a while for her barriers to fall but she gets there in the end, and it was lush seeing her happy and carefree. You see her fall in love, deal with pain and heartbreak, be jealous, have amazing sex and end up in a dangerous situation. She’s a strong girl who will give as good as she gets and I just loved her.

Derek! Oh Derek is one sexy, dominating, protective and possessive alpha cop. Uh he made my insides all gooey. I couldn’t get enough of him. He is a bit douchebaggy in the beginning but you can kind of see why that is and Ginger didn’t help but then he pushed her buttons too. Over the course of the book, you see Derek doesn’t like anyone, especially Ginger saying no. He has a verrrry dirty potty mouth that you can’t help but get sucked into and want him to say everything to you. He likes to be in control and you can certainly tell. But then you see his caring side too, his loving side appear.

He can’t get enough of Ginger, needing and wanting her to be his everything. You see different sides to Derek; possessiveness, dominant, caring, loving and scared. You see him there for Ginger, wanting to protect her from her pain and her past. He saves her from a dangerous situation and its touching that he loves her so much. He also has insecurities much like Ginger, but they both know what to do to make them go away and prove just how much they love each other when the other doubts themselves

I loved Willa, the secondary character and Gingers sister. My Jesus, the comments she comes out with could give me a run for my money but you see her grow up and blossom. At first we meet her she is this grungy teenager but over the course of the book, she comes out of her shell – she still has the comments, don’t worry – and we see her fall in love and have a boyfriend in the form of Evan. We don’t see much of him, but what we do, he is pretty awesome and someone who can see straight through Willa. It was great to see Willa happy and with someone who truly loved her.

NOW onto the sex scenes and dirty talk. The things that man says had me quaking, dear god. His mouth is dirty and I loved it! I love it when a man tells you exactly what hes going to do and what he wants. All men should do this, instant turn on! Haha. Derek and Ginger had passion and their connection was pure. It was steamy and hot and raw and it was everything you want from sex, especially with an alpha male like Derek.

I enjoyed the alternative POV’s. Love it when an author does this. You can easily distinguish Ginger and Derek’s voices which is great. I loved knowing reading about their feelings for each other and their personal lives and their insecurities and how much they both wanted one another. Getting inside their heads was the best and the alternating views were perfect.

I can’t tell you what my favourite scene because it’s near the end, but it’s in the motel room, in the shower.  So I’m just going to give you some of my favourite quotes to tide you over before you read it 😉

“There’s nothing in you past that could keep me away from you.”
“Tighten those pretty thighs around my waist. I’m going to give it to you rough.”
“Wake up you little cock tease”
“Look at me. You own me. I’m owned.”
“The longer it takes me to get between your thighs, the rougher I’m going to be when I finally get there. Understand?”
“Do you feel that, baby? That’s your man moving inside you.”

So there you have it. You all must take a chance on Protecting What’s His because it will turn you into a gooey mess inside and you will also love the story too! I’m going to be reading Officer Off Limits and His Risk To Take by Tessa Bailey soon and I’m pretty sure I will be a mess once again when I read more dominant alpha males ;).

Posted in New Adult, Romance

ARC: Levitiating las Vegas – Jennifer Echols

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

16037924Synopsis

Nothing up her sleeves…or so she’s been led to believe.

Showgirl Holly Starr is sick and tired of assisting her dad, a celebrity magician, in his Las Vegas casino magic show. As soon as he keeps his promise to her and shares the secrets to his tricks, she can break out on her own. But can she really make it? For years Holly has taken medication to stave off crazy hallucinations that she can levitate objects. Just when she thinks she’s ready to make a career and a life for herself, her medicine—and her luck—run out.

Elijah Brown suffers from a similar delusion—that he can read minds—and he’s out of medicine too. Determined to save himself and his old flame Holly, he kidnaps her and takes her straight to the source, a town high in the Rockies where their medicine is made. What they discover there leads them to suspect their powers are not imaginary after all…and neither is the intense attraction they feel for each other.

They make a pact to stick together as they return to Vegas to confront the people who kept them in the dark so long. But soon they’re pitting their powers against each other in a dangerous world where the nightlife is seductive, domination is addictive, the sex is beyond belief…and falling in love is murder.

2/5 stars
Release date: 7th May 2013add-to-goodreads-button3
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My Review

*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publishers for approving me for a EArc copy of Levitating Las Vegas in return for an honest opinion*

What if you had been lied to for seven years? Told you had a mental illness, forced to take tablets everyday and told never to tell anyone? That is exactly what Molly and Elijah were told to do at just 14 years old.

At 21, Holly Starr is fed up of assisting her dad, a celebrity magician at his casino show. She wants to break free and be the stay of her own show, if only he would spill his tricks to her. For years she had taken medication to keep the crazy hallucinations away that she can levitate objects but what happens when she thinks shes ready to make a life and career for herself? And what happens when shes taken off her medication and finds out shes been lied to about her illness for seven years.

Elijah Brown is also on the same medication as Holly. Suffering from a similar delusion – he can read minds and when he runs out of medicine, he believes he’s going crazy. Finding out that his old flame Holly has MAD too, and shes about to run out of medicine, he believes the only way to save them both, is to kidnap her and take her to where they make the medicine. But on the way, what they find out and discover is that they may very well have powers that have been hidden from them for seven years…and that their feelings for one another had never gone away.

But having these powers leads them into dangerous territories and as they plan to stick together and confront everyone who kept them from their powers and each other for so long can only lead them into the hands of the people who want them; want to pit them against each other in a dangerous world where dominance, sex and falling in love can lead to disastrous consequences.

I was so excited when I got approved to read Levitating Las Vegas. Ever since I had read the synopsis, I added it to my TBR list and willed the days until it was released. When I found it on Edelwiess, I took a chance, requested it and got approved.

But, and this is a big but, because I LOVE Jennifer Echols books, I was disappointed in it. I loved the concept of two teenagers having powers, only to be told they didn’t and had to take this tablet every day and tell no one about their illness, until they are taken off it and realize everything they had been told was a lie and they did have powers.

I just felt that it dragged all the way up until the last 20% where my attention spiked because there was a ‘battle’ and secrets came out from some of the characters, where I was uhming and ahhing about them. I willed myself to want to like it, I wanted to, desperately and I powered through. But books normally take me 1-2 days to read, this took me nearly a week. (add in the fact I was ill too, but I still read a couple of pages) – I just suppose it wasn’t the book for me in the end.

I had a love/hate relationship with Holly and Elijah. You can pretty much tell they are the done deal for one another, even in their teens as the book begins seven years in the past when they are 14. But once their parents find out they are going on a date to their school prom, they stop them immediately and tell them to never see each other again. That is where everything starts for them and that is when they ‘discover’ their power, only to have their parents tell them they have MAD.

Fast forward seven years and they haven’t seen each other, even though they both work at the casino. As ive mentioned, Eljiah finds out Holly has MAD too and after running out of pills, he asks Holly for one. This starts the back and forth relationship these two didn’t have in high school, thus starting it now. To me, there wasn’t really any romance linked with these two, although to them, they are the real deal. They are just dangerous to one another as they could and most probably at some point manipulate each other with their powers, but they don’t want to. They want to just be normal, as they can be, together, but of course, it’s going to be hard, as Elijah can hear her thoughts and she can strangle, push him away, and move him etc with her mind.

The two of them really did have a turbulent relationship and the powers did not help that at all. One minute they were fine together, the next they were fighting and storming off (well, Holly was). They were all over the place and i suppose can you really blame them? They really liked each other in school but were forced to stay away, then they get together 7 years later, only for her parents to want her to stay away again, add in their powers and you do get a messed up relationship, where their love is powerful but their powers are dangerous. Its a lot to handle I’d expect for both of them, seeing as neither had been in a relationship, nor less, intimate with anyone else in that time span. But one thing that I do know about these two, was that they would go to hell and earth to save one another.

The Rez is mentioned throughout the book, but its not until the last 20% that you finally get to see exactly what it is. You do get brief outlines as to what goes on there and why you should never want to be a part of that ‘crowd’ as they use your powers against you and your loved one, as you get to see in the final parts of the book. It’s not a good or nice place to end up.

I did enjoy all the powers, that being said. The mind readers, the mind changers and the levitators. I liked how all the characters involved at something different and how they used them, even if some used it for the wrong reasons, Holly and Elijah wanted to use theirs for the good, not to be sucked in by the danger of the Rez, who will do anything to have they both and pit their powers against one another. They know they have to stand strong but what happens when one of them is taken?

Although I wasn’t a big fan of Elijah (Or Holly), the one thing is did do near the end proved just how much he loved Holly that he was willing to sacrifice something so big for her, so she would be let go and they couldn’t manipulate his mind-reading power and hers. Although it wasn’t her fault she was acting that way, she was being controlled, I really did feel for him doing what he did, just to save her.

So yeah, I’m going to say that what Elijah did was my favourite part of the book. Although I cant tell you what he did, as it will be a big spoiler, but if you want to find out, read the book when it comes out on May 7th.

I’m giving it a 2. I winced as I wrote that. A two because the last 20% I liked and because the concept of the story was a good one, but it just needed more for me. I’m sure other people may very well love this book, but it took every inch to try and keep my attention, plus, I’m not sure if there is a second book, but there needs to be because there are a few things that were left unsaid and need to be rectified, such as WHAT was going to happen right at the end. It seemed to just be left hanging.

I DO love Jennifer Echols books, Just a Rush is one of my favourites, but Levitating Las Vegas, I’m sorry, but it’s not for me. I’m not saying this to put you off, because this is my opinion of the book, and as we all know, we all have very different tastes, so if you are looking forward to this book, don’t beat it down and never read it because of me, because you may very well love it.

Posted in Guest Reviews, YA

GUEST REVIEW: Storm (The Elemental Series #1) – Brigid Kemmerer

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

10401084Synopsis

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys all the ones she doesn’t want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

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Review by Natasha Bowyer

Storm is the first full length novel in the Brigid Kemmerer’s Elemental series, and boy is it so much more than it says on the front cover. A fact which I truly love.

When The Book Lover’s requested guest book reviews, it was the first book I thought of; why? Because it is just so ridiculously awesome I struggle to put it into words. It was the last book that I had to read three times in a row (without taking a break) and it was the last book I read which I thought about for a long time after.

I picked up the novel thinking it was going to be a quick paranormal romance that I could just whizz through in a couple of sittings, oh how wrong could I be. Firstly it is not paranormal; it is something far more fundamental then that and has a subject matter which leaves you with a small voice in the back of your mind weighing up the odds of whether it could actually happen. I am talking basics – Earth, Wind, Fire and Water i.e. the Elements.  Secondly the quality of writing far outweighs it from other books in the similar YA/NA category. It is fast, it is deep, it is gritty, it touches on subjects that push the boundaries on what is normally considered safe for the genre and target audience, the dialogue is sharp and witty, it uses adult language (good grief teenagers who swear who would have thought of such a thing?!) And it has sarcasm by the bucket load – bet you’d never guess I am huge fan of sarcasm.

More importantly than all the above it is a romance that is so painfully realistic in its portrayal that by the end of the novel you can’t help but sit there and grin like a lunatic as you find out just how it is going to end.

I am not going to deny that the serious smattering of outrageously hot guys did little deter me from the major book crush that developed during my obsessive reading of the novel. The Merrick brothers have well and truly won me over and I live in vain hope that one day I may get stuck in a storm with at least one of them, my preference would be for Chris our leading man in this series instalment.

Told from two points of view this is the tale of Chris and Becca and oh my is it a good one.

Becca Chandler has problems, and they are evident from the first page, the reader does not know that shape or form that they take but finding our main protagonist at a self defense class can only be an opening to a major plot line – which as it turns out ends on the heart rate inducing side of the drama scale.

Becca’s problems only get worse when she interrupts Chris Merrick being beaten up by a couple of menacing youths. Making a split second decision she steps in to help and manages to save Chris from the pummelling and gets him home to his house where we are introduced to the rest of the parentless Merrick brothers, First there is hot but grouchy Michael, then there is hot but short tempered Gabriel, and then hot and kind Nick – do you see where I am going with this?! They all think Becca knows something, which she doesn’t and well neither do we. These boys are paranoid, mistrustful and outright rude and bad mannered which adds the suspense and mystery that Kemmerer starts to build from the very first pages.  The Merrick’s have a secret one that has torn through their family and they don’t want anyone knowing about it.

From the moment we glimpse inside Chris’ head it is acutely clear that Chris has a thing for Becca – or Becky as he likes to call her just to wind her up – and it is in this fact alone that Brigid Kemmerer completely had me over a drooling barrel of chrushness. She completely gets writing from a guy’s perspective, and from being inside Chris’ mind you get to see all the thoughts and feelings which he has but does not show on the surface. What he says and what he does are two completely different things, as the reader in the know you can’t help but enjoy the privileged position that you are in.  At the point in the novel where Chris thinks he has lost in the battle for Becca’s attentions you can’t help but feel the pain of the guy, it  is all there in his thoughts but you watch him acting out with the cool indifference of a teenager and it makes it all the more poignant.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, because I truly can’t ask you enough to read it for yourself, you won’t regret, it but let me just give you a little low down without any spoilers.

There is an amazing support cast, not only the (hot) brothers, but Becca’s best friend Quinn plays a role, there is the arrival of the mysterious and aloof boy with the tattoo’s – Hunter who takes an instant liking to Becca much to Chris’ concern, there is Becca’s Dad who pitches up at a strange time and then there are the baddies who are quite frankly menacing.

The story line itself is complex and clever. Becca has a rep and you feel you kind of know why but it is never spelt out for you. Everyone talks about her but she just ignores it and carries on with everything. When you find out exactly what happened to start the rumour mill churning it makes you have to re-read it just to make sure you got it right the first time, especially when it becomes clear that it is going to happen again.

It is a story about family bonds and that even the most dysfunctional family have emotions that tie them together one way or another.

It is a story about regret and remorse and how you live with it.

It is a story about facing your demons and defeating them.

And most importantly it is about accepting someone into your life and setting out to save them no matter what the cost.

Read it. You won’t be sorry you did.

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Natasha has a book out in the Fall under the name ‘Anna Bloom’ which is titled ‘The Uni File – Year One: The Art of Letting Go.’
The synopsis of the book goes as follows:

“Lilah McCannon is determined to prevent history from repeating itself.  Already well on her way to reliving her mother’s life as a bored upper class housewife—privileged, yet still somehow pathetic—Lilah shocks her parents and her fiancé with an abrupt change in course:  enrolment at Roehampton University.  Although it’s not quite the institution she would have hoped for, it is the only one to accept a desperate application from a young woman in the throes of a mid-twenties breakdown.

Lilah’s diary the “Uni File” follows Lilah’s pursuits throughout the academic year and chronicles her search for independence and identity, her connection with young and charismatic roommates, and her attempts to abide by a set of self-imposed rules, each of which is broken in one hilarious fashion after the next.

When Lilah catches the eye of the lead singer of a popular local band, he forces her hand on her “No Boys” rule.  Romance and true soul searching ensue, as do a string of comically embarrassing episodes and poignant encounters with family, friends and fellow students as Lilah studies “The Art of Letting Go.”

You can find Natasha at:-
http://annabloomwrites.com/
Twitter – @Annabloombooks

Posted in M. Leighton, New Adult

Up to Me (The Bad Boys #2) – M. Leighton

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

16093188Synopsis

Happily ever after doesn’t come easy. But for love, it’s always worth the fight.

Olivia finds bliss unlike any she’s ever known in Cash’s arms. He sets her skin on fire and melts her heart right inside her chest. Unfortunately, their happily ever after is short-lived when a shadow from Cash’s past threatens to turn their world upside down.

Dangerous people from his father’s world have discovered that Cash holds information that could put them away for a very long time. And they’re willing to do anything—and hurt anybody—to get it back. Giving it up means Cash must choose between the life of his father and the life of Olivia.

Having nearly overcome her wariness of bad boys, Olivia’s trust is shaken when this new threat arises. Now she finds that Cash is not only a danger to her heart, but his family has associations that are a danger to her life as well. She soon discovers that there are some situations in life where trust is a girl’s only option. And this is one of them. If she’s to live, she must trust Cash with her life. But to Olivia, that’s much, much easier than letting go and trusting him with her heart.

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My Review

Olivia and Cash have finally found bliss like no other with each other. They are finally with the person who sets their world alight at every corner. But their happily-ever-after is threatened abruptly when people from Cash’s past begin to turn his world upside and they will do anything – even if it means killing – to stop the information Cash has from getting out.

Giving up the information is a hard bargain and it means that Cash must choose between his father’s life and Olivia’s life. He will do whatever it takes to keep them both safe, but he needs Olivia to trust him if it means she can be protected and kept alive. Can Olivia trust Cash? Even when she is utterly scared of the situation at hand? Especially when her life is now also in danger? Trusting Cash with her life is easy; it’s just trusting him with her heart that’s the hard part.

It’s really hard to write a review for Up To Me because so much of it is spoilers! So I’m going to have to be very careful in what I say about this book so if anyone who hasn’t read it yet, won’t go into the book knowing too much about the plot. It does start off from where Down To You finishes so if you haven’t read that, what are you waiting for?

A lot happens in this book. There is more action, more suspense and steamier sex scenes. But that is all I’m going to say because I’ll be a spoiler review and I really want you to go into the book not knowing a hell of a lot about what it’s about.

Cash is still his sexy self. Even more so in this book because you see his character develop even more throughout his chapters. He’s even more determined to keep Olivia safe and his feelings for her shine with every page. Being a ‘bad boy’ and never staying with one girl, it was great to see how much he cared for Olivia and how much it scared him too. He’s just as vulnerable as the next guy when threats are targeted at him and people he loves and I really liked seeing so much emotion from him. It proves how strong his feelings are for Olivia and just how he will do anything to be with her.

The sexiness of Cash throughout the book to me stems from him being in danger – yes, I’m a girl who likes a guy who will protect her at any cost – and taking reins on the plans of putting away the dangerous people from his father’s past in order to keep everyone safe. Even when trying to protect everyone, he’s still the same old Cash we all fell in love with in book one, the one who knows how to swoon Olivia and knows how to work her body in the bedroom. The sex scenes, Jesus Christ, I need to find someone who will re-in-act those scenes with me! They were hot and steamy and you could feel the sexual tension pouring from the pages when those two were together. I’d also like a bottle of Jack Daniels and Cash ASAP please!

With Olivia, she’s obviously had to grow up a lot since book one, even though it continues straight away but with everything that has happened in the first few pages, it was obvious that although she totally loved Cash, she was utterly scared shitless about everything that was happening and going to happen in her and Cash’s life. They were in danger and she was petrified to lose Cash. And although she had mental battles, she knew she’d never leave Cash and their relationship just grew stronger and stronger towards the end of this book. It did start off a little rocky, with Olivia seemingly pulling away from Cash and when she didn’t listen to Gavin in the middle – STUPID GIRL! But Olivia went through a lot in this book and with both alternating views, I loved how much they were both scared to be without one another and would do anything to be with each other in the end.

Uhhh Gavin! Can I have him and Cash in my bed please? Gavin is Cash’s partner at the club but he also has a dark past. He used to be a mercenary and his character makes him out to be a sexy, hot, dangerous and mysterious bad boy. He’s one you should definitely stay away from but holy hell, since when do any of us listen?! I’d have him in a heartbeat. Despite his past, he’s cheeky and funny and his banter with everyone, especially Cash is great to read. You can see that they truly are best friends and he will do anything for Cash. I hope down the line, he gets his own book, because I’d love to know more about him.

I do have to say that there is a MAJOR surprise in this book. One I was not expecting at all but by god, it was a bloody good one! I’m so not going to say what it is, but you will be going ‘HOLY SHIT’ when it’s revealed.

Up To Me is a sexy and exciting follow up to Down To You which includes sexy times, action, twists, bad guys and banter. I cannot wait for book three to be out and I know who it is about…but I’m not going to say as you have to read Up To Me to find out. But from the epilogue, I am definitely curious about what is going to happen. DEFINITELY read Down To You and Up To Me. You will not be disappointed and you too, will fall for Cash Davenport. YUMMY!

Posted in Jade C. Jamison, New Adult

Got the Life (A Nicki Sosebee Novel #1) – Jade C. Jamison

Posted on by Z. Elizabeth

13111146Synopsis

Nicki Sosebee wants her first headline, but she doesn’t want it to read “Reporter found dead.”

Nicki Sosebee has been working low-paying jobs ever since she finished school, but now that she’s older, she wants more. She’s a novice reporter trying to learn the ropes. Just as she’s getting her career goals on track, though, her love life gets worse and worse. Sure, she has no problems picking up good-looking guys for brief flings, but relationships? Out of the question. Maybe it’s because Sean, her gorgeous best friend, just can’t see her as more than a buddy. So when Sean encourages her as she pursues her first headline-producing story, Nicki realizes that her life’s pretty sweet…if only she can live long enough to see tomorrow’s front page.

Warning: Not for the faint of heart! This book contains explicit sex and naughty language. Proceed with caution…if you dare.

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My Review

Why do all bad boys have to be so fucking cute?

Nicki Sosebee is a freelance court reporter for her local newspaper and there’s one court case coming up that has caught her attention. But could playing investigative reporter be more trouble than its worth?

Nicki works three jobs to help pay her bills; reporter, waitress at the local pizzeria and a door to door saleswomen selling make-up. One night working a shift at the pizzeria, she picks up a hunky tattooed male in the name of Carlos, who is in town ‘for business.’ Hooking up with him is no trouble at all; it keeps her mind off to best friend Sean – whom she has feelings for but when Carlos leaves, her mind is stuck on Sean once again.

Retrieving some details about the upcoming court case, digging into the story is proving a dangerous move and now it’s up to Sean to save her before something dreadful happens to her.

I instantly liked Nicki. I could kind of relate to her in a way – not with the sleeping around – but with her having no idea what she wants to do, even if she is in her late twenties where most people are normally happily settled down and in a stable job. But with her delving into this story, it would put her higher up on the radar, especially if the story became front page news 😉 I do wonder if it does?! With the sleeping around, I think it kind of helps her keep her mind of Sean, for a while at least, but she also seems so like a commitment-phobe, maybe as she’s hoping that one day Sean will decide he wants more from her. I will just have to see what happens in this department.

The character of Sean drew me in the moment he was mentioned. He was described to a Tee and he sounds absolutely gorgeous – especially as he owns a motorbike repair shop. A guy who gets his hands dirty? Oh yes please. He was an alpha male type, jealous and protective of Nicki, even if Nicki could hold her ground – which you do see a lot. He’s also a proud friend, which I loved and even though things do happened in the book, they always get their friendship back on track. It seems that although Sean is best friends with Nicki, he may, slightly have some sort of feelings for her; just he doesn’t know how to act upon them in fear of losing her for good? They only really got over the incident between them 8 years ago.

Lastly, LOOK AT THAT COVER! Oh gosh, I just want to run my hands over his fiiiiine abs! haha. If the cover doesn’t entice you to read this book as well, I don’t know what you are after!

This is book one in the Nicki Sosebee series, and I am now going to read book two, Dead, to continue her story and what happens with Sean. Will they, won’t they? And Jesse! What is going to happen there? Dead awaits me…