Dark, Erotica

RAW – Belle Aurora

Posted on April 1, 2014March 8, 2014 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

***Author Note: This is not a love story. This is a story of love gone wrong.***

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

5 out of 5 stars!

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My Review

This was the first book I had read of Belle Aurora, but it certainly wont be the last. Since turning to the ‘dark side’ of romance, I had seen many rave about Raw, about Twitch and especially about a certain scene about Twitch that killed them. Of course I had to download Raw, I had never read a book about a stalker and about a heroine falling for said stalker. I needed to know how this would all go down and what the hell made her fall for her stalker.

Once I read of the synopsis and once download, I was opening up the ebook and divulging into the world of Twtich and Lexi, following their every move, their every thought and feelings, and my god, this is such a fucking brilliant book to read if you have yet to.

Twitch and Lexi didnt have the greatest upbringings, Twitch espeically, and years later, Lexi is content in her life, she is helping young people in need, something she never really had growing up. And Twitch, not having a stable upbringing, has turned into a big man – he has money, is the strong and quiet type and he is stalking Lexi from afar.

Although Lexi knows she has a stalker, she doesnt fear him, she feels safe around him and there is no need for her to fear him because he never approaches her, never talks to her, just watches her. We later find out who Twitch is to her and why he has been stalking her for so long.

This is not your typical love story, oh hell no. Twitch may be quiet, but he is fearsome, rich, demanding, definitely an alpha male who likes his women to submit to him, broken but most of you, you cant help for fall in love with the guy, despite feeling some uncomfortableness at some of the things he does. When he finally confronts Lexi, they begin an unconventional relationship and even yourself will be like “what the hell is happening?!” because so much is happening between them and although Twitch is certain he will never love anyone, you can see him slowly caring for Lexi, letting her know that she is his and no one will ever have her apart from him.

There are scenes in which Twitch will shock you, especially near the end where you are screaming at him because he is being the biggest wanker imaginable to Lexi, yet in a way, you will understand why he is acting this way, but you still habour feelings of wanting to hit him so hard for everything he is saying and has done to Lexi that you hate to love him, and love to hate him at the same time.

He is definitely a broken man, but you can see him really trying with Lexi – to love her like she deserves it. And that is why I sobbed so hard at the ending. I am not going to spoil it for you, but my heart hurt, my head hurt and tears streamed down my face at what I was reading. I just hope to god Belle will write a second book because I need to know what is going to happen next.

Lexi is strong headed, shes caring and loves the kids she helps to keep safe. As I;ve mentioned her past isnt the greatest and she doesnt want kids to suffer the way she did. She’s known about her stalker for months yet shes not afraid. He’s given her nothing to be frightened about but now shes been saved by him, she is in two minds over him – but when things progress she is shocked to find she actually likes the things Twitch makes her do, makes her feel. Twitch is someone who doesnt give a damn what people think of them, yet Lexi is.

Their relationship is one that is domineering, sexy as hell, passionate yet polar opposites yet they work. Despite the reasoning that Twitch wants to break her down, everything he does makes her want him even more and in the end, he ends up feeling the same about her. Wanting, needing her in his life – needing to love her although he doesnt want to love. He does. She loves him. They arent about rainbows and glitter, their relationship is hard and unconventional, but as I said, it works for them being together. They need to be together.

The ending, with Lexi, made me cry. You can see the pain, the sorrow, the sadness, but the love is still there. Still implemented in her heart, in her being and I felt, perhaps, the same as Lexi over Twitch, and dear god, my heart and chest were killing me. Despite being characters, I love feeling that bond with them and I really did with Lexi at the end.

There is so much that happens in this book that its a roller-coaster of amazingness. I couldnt put it down and I was completely sucked into the madness that is Lexi and Twitch. Of their lives and their fucked up relationship. IF you are looking for a different book to branch into then RAW should be on your list. I am so happy I picked it up and got to know their characters and Belle’s writing because I need more of her books in my life!

Two Roads – L.M Augustine

Posted on September 5, 2013September 3, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

The only person poetry-loving Cali Monroe hates more than herself is Logan Waters, the geeky kid who lives in the dorm building next to hers.

Ever since Cali’s parents told her she would amount to nothing, she has felt entirely inadequate. Friendless and alone, she takes on the mean girl role in hopes it will make her feel better–and Logan serves as the perfect target. He infuriates her with his obnoxiously long lashes, his all too perfect dimpled smile, and his complete lack of personality outside of his intelligence. It doesn’t hurt that he’s part of the reason her brother is dead, either. So Cali hates him, and he returns the favor. Thus, their prank-filled, insult-driven rivalry is born, and torturing Logan quickly becomes the highlight of her life.

But when Cali’s parents set them up on a blind date, she begins to realize Logan might not be as boring as she always thought. He shares her love of poetry, takes a sadistic pleasure in making fun of crepes, and he makes her blush when he calls her smile pretty.

And hey, maybe those long lashes of his aren’t that obnoxious after all…

Two Roads is New Adult Romance about finding love, standing out, and learning to embrace who you are. It contains some language and mild sexual content.

4 / 5 Stars

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My Review

*I’d like to thank L.M for an EArc copy of Two Roads in exchange for an honest review*

Since Click To Subscribe, which can I say I ABSOLUTELY LOVED, was released, I have been highly anticipating L.M’s next book, Two Roads. I was lucky enough to dedicate a week on my blog to L.M which ended in a teaser from Two Roads. It was small enough to make me excited for this book.

When I saw Two Roads in my inbox, I quickly finished my book just so I could demolish his book and become engrossed in Logan and Cali’s hatred for one another, the fun and awesome pranks they play on each other and the pain they both feel for Cali’s deceased brother.

It is L.M’s first venture into the NA genre and one that he obviously should not worry about because he nailed it to a T. I literally devoured the whole book in a day and constantly tweeted my love for it….and how I always seemed to be crying. Seriously, even at parts that weren’t even sad I was crying. But as I say, if a book makes me cry, then it’s a great one and Two Roads definitely should be on your TBR list. So just go on put it on their now, because you will regret not reading it otherwise.

You will giggle, smile, cry, swoon, shout at your kindle for the two of them to just get together and also draw your own conclusion on some of the things happening throughout the book – I know I certainly did. L.M’s writing really is fresh – he adds in humour, fun nerdy words and a romance mixed in with great pranks, emotional scenes and he makes you feel and become a part of the story. You care about Logan and Cali.

Cali hasn’t been herself for over four years, not since her brother’s death. Her parents aren’t supportive in her career choice and want her to work for them so she has a love/hate relationship with them. When she gets to college, she spots the one guy she has hated for years – her best friends brother Logan. That is where the pranks begin

My heart went out to Cali. Once an outgoing girl, she is now pretending to be someone she is not, someone who ‘sleeps around’ and acts like a complete bitch, but it’s a façade she’s hiding behind to stop the pain and grief and guilt she is constantly feeling about her brother’s death. The only thing that makes her happy is reading/writing poetry, and of course Logan; but only when she is pulling amazing pranks on him. That is when she also feels alive.

I really enjoyed her journey. Her journey with finding her true self, finding love, finding forgiveness, and most of all letting go of all the guilt she had locked inside. There was this one scene that cut me deep and all the floodgates opened. It’s where you see her accept everything in her life, see her forgive and embrace herself, her true self, with no hiding anymore. You feel proud of her for getting this far and for Logan being there throughout it all.

Now Logan. Geeky maths boy who wears geeky math tops and drinks cold hot chocolate. For a maths boy, he is kind of a ladies man, and I know I would be swooning after him – well I was throughout the book. He was Cali’s brother’s best friend and he, just as much as Cali, suffered with pain, grief and guilt over his death, but he too, learnt to keep it locked away and act like he is now fine. When Cali first gives him crap, he seems this as an opportunity to keep an eye on her so he retaliates and shows how much he ‘hates’ her too.

He’s a secret poetry lover and when he and Cali are put together on a blind date, that’s when they begin to talk, no pranks, just talk and he finds out that Cali loves poetry too. There is this convention that month and Cali is umming and ahhing about going, so he does whatever he can to make her go with him. Pulling pranks, texting her constantly until she goes with him.

That weekend is what changes everything for the both of them.

Logan is really sweet. He’s caring and lovely and so freaking funny with the pranks and the texts to Cali. No matter how much he ‘hated’ Cali, it was clear to see just how much he loved her and would do anything to make her happy – the pranks obviously did. But he wanted her to stop the anger, let go of the guilt she felt and be herself, and that’s why he wanted to keep her in eyesight and in his life, even If it meant doing to pranks on her.

Despite the ‘hate’, the romance was sweet and you really root for both of them to get together, so when Logan told Cali what he did, you just want to hug the crap out of him and be like “I KNEW IT LOGAN, I BLOODY KNEW YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.” Ohhh what an utter babe he was.

I really liked seeing both Cali and Logan happy in the end. Although it was inevitable how the ending would happen, it was a great journey to get to where they go to!

I loved the theme of poetry. I admit, I am never going to be one for poetry, but L.M actually made me interested in it, in the poems mentioned and used in Two Roads. Made me understand about poetry and the meanings that are and could be behind the words. So I’m still not a fan, but thank you L.M for highlighting the importance of poetry in Two Roads, I loved how it brought Logan and Cali together.

I also loved all the pranks that Cali and Logan devised up for each other, they were pure entertaining and funny and you could see just how much Cali needed to do this to Logan. And despite the one prank that went waaay too far and actually hurt them both in what Cali did, the rest of them were funny and childish and exactly what awesome pranks should be. Something tells me L.M is a master in pranks…. Remind me never to get on the wrong side of him 😉

So if you are looking for a book full of pranks, poetry, two people who hate each other but secretly love each other but can’t admit it due to the past then Two Roads is definitely a book worth reading. You should really invest your time reading it, because you won’t be disappointed at all!

Colleen Hoover, New Adult

Losing Hope (#2) – Colleen Hoover

Posted on July 13, 2013July 6, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

5 /5 Stars

My review of HOPELESS

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My Review

If you’ve read my Hopeless review, you will know how much I adored that book. Like seriously? It’s on my favourites list and Holder is definitely a book boyfriend. When Colleen said she was writing a book in Holders POV and his story, well that book was going on my TBR list asap. Hopeless is pure amazing and I knew Losing Hope would be too.

I was not disappointed at all. Thank to NetGalley, I downloaded my copy and in two days, Losing Hope was read. It was devoured. I was sucked in and entranced by every word, every page and every feeling and thought Holder was telling us.

The fact that Losing Hope is NOT a retell of Hopeless…well I just love it. Yes there are certain scenes that are told in Holder’s POV but this is HIS story. His story from losing his sister, to finding Sky to finding Hope along the way. HIS story of how he began to live, how he fell in love, how he learnt to forgive and breathe again.

I had seen tweets that Losing Hope was more emotional than Hopeless and they were not wrong. A few pages in and I had to hold back the tears as I was in public. I ugly cried throughout the book, I felt every single emotion from Holder; I wanted to climb into my kindle and hug the shit out of him. I wanted to be there for him, be Sky and let him fall in love with me. Help him through everything he was going through.

If you have yet to fall in love with Holder in Hopeless, by god, you will completely and madly and totally in love with him in Losing Hope. He literally has my heart now. (I say this a lot. But it’s fine. It’s not cheating if they are from different books.) Daniel, Holder’s best friend also has a piece of my heart. He is utterly brilliant!

Colleen has written an AMAZING book in Losing Hope. She has you sucked in from the first page, she has you laughing, crying – ugly crying that is -, wanting to know everything about Holder. You feel. You feel everything in the book. There is no getting out of it and you won’t want to either because you will cherish all these feels.

We knew Holder was intense in Hopeless, but hes really intense in Losing Hope. But you can kind of understand why. I loved that you could see the story through Holder’s eyes. Experience his story and his feelings when that certain event happened. If you thought you knew Holder in Hopeless, you are mistaken. You won’t truly know him until you read Losing Hope.

Holder will completely surprise you. He did with me and there are certain scenes where I felt for him. My heart ached for him and although I understood why he did it, I wanted him to forgive himself, let himself love and this is why he and Sky were so perfect together. They were right together because they balanced each other out. They knew what they other needed without exchanging words. They knew each other well enough to know what the other was feelings.

“I live you Sky…I live you so much”

Just the littlest things they did meant so much to one another and I love this kind of love. It’s the purest form and they both definitely love one another so much that they can’t live without each other.

Holder is angry, hes confused, hes scared and he can’t forgive himself for losing both his girls but you watch him slowly fall in love, slowly learn to forgive himself and his sister, learn that he can breathe again and that Sky is the end game for him. She’s everything to him and he can’t and will never lose her again. It would kill him.

We see him relationship with his sister, Les, with his mum and of course Sky. We see different sides to him, sides you will fall in love with, sides you will want to smack his head but you will understand why, why he acted that way, why he did that certain thing. And in the end you will sob your heart out, be madly in love with Holder and love the journey he has been through in the last 13 months, see how far hes come, especially with Sky.

NOW to Daniel, Holder’s best friend. I cannot tell you how hilarious this dude is. The first time he is mentioned, I wanted to kiss him because the things he says are just so freaking funny. He is an awesome best friend to Holder, protecting him and sticking up for him, even wanting to get into fights for him. You know he will always have your back. The banter between him and Holder had me in stitches and you can really see the bromance between the two. It was lush to see that Holder had someone who cared for him and would do anything for him.

The ending was perfect. You see the closure that Sky and of course Holder needed. The closure to breathe again, to learn to love and forgive and let go of the grief that was held up inside of him. You see he and Sky come along way, a life where they are both in love with each other, a life where they are the end game and are happy together – happy to have finally found each other again.

Although it would be totally lush to have a book beyond Hopeless and losing Hope, I love the fact that it ended like that. Where Holder learnt to forgive and he and Sky are off to start the rest of their lives together. The way it should be.

If you have get to read Hopeless, please do get it. It is easily one of my favourites and I cannot recommend it enough. You will love Sky and Holder. Then go and buy Losing Hope and fall even more in love with Holder and his story this time. There are a lot of surprises and twists in losing Hope that aren’t in Hopeless and you will feel every emotion, and cry your eyes out. Remember what I said….if a book makes you cry, it’s a bloody, damn great one!

Book Tours, New Adult, Rachel Brookes

BOOK TOUR: Just Breathe – Rachel Brookes

Posted on July 8, 2013April 5, 2014 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

For Savannah Rae, living life without her parents was unimaginable. But being blamed for her first love’s suicide? That destroyed every part of who she was.

Gone were the days of innocence, happiness, and dreams. Now her days simply meant attempting to survive. In her mind, her only means for that was replacing her grief with men, booze and the fast life. And for five years, it worked.

When an opportunity to leave the nightmares of her past in Australia opens up, she takes it. Los Angeles beckons – with hopes of late nights, new beginnings, and the promise of a string of endless men to distract her, she can’t wait to dive in.

One thing she didn’t count on was meeting her match.

In the eyes of outsiders, Tate Connors has it all; the ultimate LA bachelor who is content with his lifestyle of wild nights, women and one night stands. He’s Mr. Unpredictable with looks that could destroy any woman with one glance.

The craziness of Los Angeles throws them into the chaotic path of each other. Savannah becomes the perfect game, and Tate becomes the ultimate prey. Lines are crossed, emotions are smashed, and the idea of who they truly are begins to be tangled.

However, one thing will become clear.

They are more alike than either one could ever have imagined

5 /5 stars

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My Review

“Yes, I don’t own you, Savannah, but you know what? You fucking own me. You have since the first time I met you…”

I’ve known Rachel for a few months now, and I have been utterly peeing my pants over wanting to read Just Breathe, I even made her send me small teasers – okay, that’s a lie, she voluntarily sent me teasers in a DM during the countdown to me getting an ARC of Just Breathe. I’m such a lucky girly! I got more Tate 😉

I’m not sure if I should be telling you this but blah…a few days before I got my ARC, Rachel sent me the prologue and chapter 1 and 2 to tide me over until I got the little gem in my inbox. LIKE WHATTTT, I need more. But I didn’t get anything more. I was and still am under the Tate Connors effect and dear god, all you will too when you read Just Breathe. It’s hard to resist.

As a debut novel, Ms. Brookes has written a cracker of a book. Seriously, it is amazing, and if you haven’t yet downloaded it, I’d get right on it!! From the prologue you will become hooked. You may cry – I sure as hell did and you will swoon because the prologue is just so sweet. It pours with love and Rachel does a brilliant job of making you feel the emotions of the characters involved, especially Sav and Tate.

Rachel’s writing flows, the plot flows and once you start, you will neeeeed to get to the end, to see what happens. If there is a cliff-hanger or if it ends perfectly so book two will carry off from there? If you follow me on twitter, you will know from my posts how much I was loving this book, how much I was loving the characters and how every time I was reading in public, it was like Rachel knew I was surrounded by people so a sex scene had to come alone and get me all hot and bothered.

But because I love Rachel, I could let that go and just focus on the beauty of all the characters, the way they all love each other and of course, the love between Tate and Sav.

Savannah ‘Sav’ Rae hasn’t had the best life; it’s been hard to say the least. Losing her parents at a young age, and then being blamed for the suicide of her ex-boyfriend can turn anyone’s life upside down and so because of this tragedy so doesn’t want to give her heart away again, so she rebels, she becomes a player, she drinks away the pain and uses guys. That’s who Sav is now and it’s how she copes. But when an opportunity to leave Australia and start afresh in LA calls, she jumps at the chance to leave everything behind.

Tate Connors is the ultimate playboy. The ultimate bachelor who is completely content with his ways; booze, girls and wild nights. With one glance of those blue eyes and he can have girls dropping their panties in an instant. Then one spot of Sav and he knows shes a challenge. He wants her and it seems that from the looks of things, she wants him too.

But there’s more to them than meets the eye. What started as a challenge has turned into more, for both of them and with emotions and lines being crossed and tangled, one this is clear, they are more alike than either of them imagined.

Uhh Tate. The blue eyed sex-on-a-plate guy, who you would literally just want to devour, even if it was just for one night. You would definitely get a fix of him and one look and you will be under the Tate Connor’s effect and drop your panties and mumble incoherent words while he smoulders you with his eyes. NO, I am not overreacting, just you wait and see. Tate will surprise you throughout the book. He surprised me a hell of a lot and I loved that about him. He really is unpredictable. One minute hes douche then the next hes all lovely. Much like Sav, hes a broken man, his past still haunts him but he drinks and sleeps around as a persona, to hide away the pain. That is until Sav walks into his life. Once a to him, she switches him upside down until he doesn’t know what the hell he is doing, apart from wanting to be with Sav.

Despite his playboy nature at the beginning, you really do see Tate blossom. You see his protective side, his possessive side, his sweet side, his sexy side but also his vulnerable side, a painful side where we learn about his past too. We see him journey, from playboy to falling in love and it was so nice to see Tate find someone he could love so much and who reciprocated the feelings. He is a jealous boy and at times I wanted to smack him around the head because he was being a silly fool but he got there in the end and you just fall in love with him. Here is to book two and seeing how he and Sav progress with their relationship. DO NOT hurt my boy Rachel, or I will hunt you down in Aussieland and force you to change the book…but you already know this as I have told you I will do this!

Sav is such an awesome character too. Despite her past and her pain, she is strong. She has to be, she can’t let it get to her, so the drink and the partying and the guys become the norm for her.

She is the female equivalent of Tate and when she spots him, she notices all the moves he does, because she does them too. She sleeps with guys then leaves but something about Tate makes her insides fuzzy and she feels. She doesn’t want to though and not feeling helps her with to not deal with her past and the pain.

Despite her being a strong, independent character, you slowly watch Sav break – in a good way – and watch her develop feelings – for her best friends and for Tate. They scare her as she has never really had a girlfriend before and she doesn’t want to love after being told shes the reason her ex killed himself. But it was refreshing to see this side to her. The side where she was vulnerable to love and how her strong persona cracked a bit when a certain event happen on a day where it was such a big night for her.

Despite all this, Sav can really hold her own against everyone, especially Tate and I loved their bickering and banter and their fights. It all added into the sexual tension and the need for one another when they were resisting. But of course, with two gorgeous people wanting to jump one another, it was inevitable that it was going to happen sooner or later.

Tate and Sav have this connection. Like this super sexy and magnetic connection. It’s instant, the moment their eyes meet and you can see they are both affected by one another. Their sexual tension was just holy hell. Their chemistry was electric and you could literally feel it when you read about the two of them together. The banter they gave each other was hysterical, the cute moments were adorable and they were both just made for one another. They had both been dealt the same shitty cards in their life that together, they knew what the other was going through and could begin to help one another out. I loved Sav and Tate together.

I absolutely adore all the secondary characters. Seriously they are the bomb. The bond they have is just unbreakable. They are there for each other; they love one another unconditionally and have each other’s backs. I love friendship groups like this, who can just relax and make fun of each other and banter like hell. Tanzi, Jack, Lucas are just all brilliant and they welcome Sav with open arms.

Now, I can’t forget my love – Mr Davenport. He is swoon worthy and had me from the get go. I went a bit mad to Rachel over him when I first read him because he is bleeding awesome. This line from him just confirmed how bloody brilliant he is and I knew that my love for him would jus grow throughout the book and it did. Simon Baker is my Mr. Davenport.

“For the last fucking time, please call me Simon. You make me sound like some kind of pimp when you call me Mr. Davenport”

Can you see how much I love this guy?! Just remember, I have dibs on him. Yupp, I really do.

Now, after my swooooooning, I have to talk about the sex. C’mon, would you expect anything less from me? No? That’s better. You all know I love sex in books, and by god, Rachel got me all hot and bothered with the sex scenes between Tate and Sav. There a quite a lot and by god, you literally lap them up. Rachel knows how to write a sex scene that is intense and steamy and wants you just want to fan yourself and then search for your own Tate to jump on. They sizzle, burn, pop and where they have sex is just another thing. I love water hahaahha 😉

As I’ve said, Just Breathe is an amazing book. Its full of banter and angst and heartache but its filled with love and friendship and it was a great book to snuggle up in bed with and read on the way to work…baring in mind most of the sex scenes occurred on the way to work.

I would highly recommend Rachel’s book to you lovely lot, you will not be disappointed. I just wish book two was out now so I can carry on Tate and Sav’s journey.

Hurry up Aussie 😉

Abbi Glines, New Adult

Twisted Perfection (#1) – Abbi Glines

Posted on July 1, 2013July 1, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

5+ stars

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My Review

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You are mine, Della Sloane. I will take care of you. Nothing is taking you away from me. Nothing.”

RIGHT OKAY!! Before I begin my gushing, GET TWISTED PERFECTION NOW! Seriously, this is definitely a 5+ book, I would give it the world because I was completely hooked. I read it within hours and only put it down to pee. Yupp, you wanted to know that really.

I love Abbi Glines. The Too Far series were the first books I had read by Ms. Glines and I was hooked. I would recommend reading this after Never Too Far and definitely before Forever Too Far as some of the storyline entwines in FTF.

Twisted Perfection is my favourite book out of the Rosemary bunch. As you will see in my review, I LOVE Woods. Like completely adore his character. He is not what you expect him to be and after reading NTF, he took a slice of my heart but now, hes got it all.

Abbi surely knows how to write a book where you just cant put it down. She makes you feel. Yes, feel all these emotions throughout her book and this book is deeper and darker than the Too Far series, but that is what I loved about it. There was so much in this book, emotional and mental issues, trying to be free, trying to find yourself, trying to do what is best, demons…. You will laugh, you will sob, you will swoon, fan yourself, become irritated and shout advice and abuse at characters through your kindle. I cant express enough that Twisted Perfection is twisted perfection.

You become addicted to the story, flicking pages until you are at the end and looking at your clock thinking “Where has the time gone”. You will read this book in a sitting, not wanting to put it down and wanting to know how the ending will happen. Will there be a cliffhanger so I’ll panic until the next book? Will it all end happily? Read it and find out for yourself.

We first meet Woods in Fallen Too Far. He had an interest in Blaire and I wasn’t his biggest fan as I wanted her with Rush. But then in Never Too Far I completely loved him. His friendship to Blaire was just so cute, he was there for her through everything and he won me over. NOW, now I am so flaming happy he got his own books, because, and I’m sorry, but I love him more than Rush. Yupp, you read that right. He won my heart. He’s embedded in my heart. No word of a lie.

He is a hunky, sexy, possessive, loveable guy who you just want to have sex with and then want him to make you his everything – like Della is to him. He’s thoughtful, always putting everyone’s needs before his own, especially Della’s when he finds out that not is all it seems with her, he wants to help her out, wants to help her move forward and move on from her past. He loves her with everything.

We know Woods works in the Country Club for his dad so he can take over the business one day, but this poses a major problem along the way. He craves the freedom that Della has and he craves her too but hes stuck and struggles. He wants to take over the business but he doesn’t want the path that is being chosen for him and he wants Della but if he wants the club he can’t have her. What is a boy meant to do?

At certain points I was shaking my head at Woods, hoping and praying he would see the light and tell his dad to stuff it, stuff everything – to not be a puppet anymore and have his life dictated anymore. It really is a big decision because really, this is all he knows, working hard to be the owner of the club, but when Della strolls into his life, she switches everything upside down and makes him really think about what he wants.

He’s never really known love. His family don’t extradite love and the only love hes known is his grandparents. He doesn’t think he can love. Enter Della…

Della stole my heart too. She had gone through so much and still is and I commend her strength and her will to live, to find herself in the world, to carry on and power through every scenario thrown her way. She has been sheltered all her life, shes naive and innocent to the world around her yet she craves to find herself, find where she fits in and it took her a lot of courage to do things alone, to travel alone and try to forget about her past. But despite that, there are certain things that trigger memories from her childhood and that is the scary part of being her. She zones out, gets trapped in her mind and memories come flooding back.

It was pretty freaking scary to see Della introvert into herself when her past floods back and it pretty much scared the crap out of Woods too, who witnessed it more than once. This should bring her down, but she powers through it, her strength grows with every obstacle in her way and trust me, with Woods’ dad trying to get her away from his son, she faced a hell of a lot with that one.

Della is caring and innocent and she craves intimacy. After that one night with Woods, it opened her up. She wanted more, she wanted everything offered to her and she wanted everything Woods would give her. She boasted confidence but inside she was just a scared little girl. When she tells Woods about her past, I was so grateful that he was there for her, wanting to help her through it and let’s just hope everything works out in the second installment in some ways.

The chemistry between Della and Woods is instant. From the first meeting you can see the attraction to one another. And even after four months apart when Della rolls up at Rosemary, the attraction is still there, probably even stronger than before. Woods has been thinking about that night and their one night stand was obviously so much more to both of them as they are taken aback when they see each other. But there is a dilemma; Woods is to be engaged to another girl in order to take over from his father. He doesn’t love the girl and all he wants is Della. But this is his life; it’s all hes known despite not wanting to follow his father’s commands anymore. It’s hard enough seeing Della everyday and knowing he can’t have her…its killing him.

Della throws Woods completely. What he thought he wanted, he no longer knows. He doesn’t know what to do, all he knows is he wants Della and shes been embedded in his head from that one night they shared.

The sex they have, Jesus Woods, you are such a dirty talker, I loved it! Dirty talk to me anytime baby 😉 He really is a man; he knows the right things to say and definitely knows what to do. DAMN Woods. The sex intensifies their connection and attraction to each other and only makes their love for each other grow stronger. From what we know about Woods, I reallllly wasn’t expecting this, but I LOVED it, I loved being shocked by him and his sexy ways.

There are POVS from both Woods and Della. You all know how much I love the POVS because we get to delve deep into the heads of both characters and that is exactly what happened with these two. We got to learn more about them, their pasts, their presents, their fears, their love, and their feelings. Everything about each other that the other was thinking. God, it truly made me love each of them more and more.

Twisted Perfection really is different from the Too Far series. It delves deeper into emotional and mental issues, darker pasts and fears. You watch two people who are seemingly lost, find one another, help one another and find love together. They find their purpose in their life.

There is no relationship cliff-hanger but there is a small one to do with Woods. It will be awesome to see how their relationship progresses throughout this small matter and how they survive with what is going to happen. When they finally sort their shit out, it turns around but the love these two have, they can jump through any hoops and obstacles thrown there way. God knows there are a lot in this book and it only made they stronger and more in love with each other. You know they will stay together no matter what.

So hurry up Abbi, I neeeed book two now and I neeeeeed to love Woods and Della even more than I do now. Woods has stolen my heart, and hes in my head and by god, I need him in my bed 😉

Emma Hart, New Adult, Promotional Events

BOOK BLITZ: Playing for Keeps (#2) – Emma Hart

Posted on June 27, 2013June 26, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Today is The Book Lovers stop on the Playing For Keeps Book Blitz and I shall be giving you my review of this awesome book!

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Synopsis

She’s in love with him.
He’s trying not to love her.
One night changes everything.

Aston Banks never meant to get close to Megan Harper – not even for that one night. Haunted by a childhood he refuses to face, he knew she could break through every wall he’d ever built and tear them down without even realizing she was doing it.

Betraying Braden by starting a relationship with Aston wasn’t on Megan’s to-do list, but the second she sees a glimpse of someone other than the arrogant ass she’s come to know, she can’t walk away.

Aston’s childhood is worse than Megan ever guessed, but as he tries and fails to push her away, it’s clear her love is stronger than the demons that cling to him every day. And now, because of it, he finally has to deal with what he’s buried deep down.

What he doesn’t want to face. What he’s fought against for so long.

And they have to do it all without Braden finding out.

Keeping a relationship secret has never been harder.

5 / 5 stars

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My Review

There is only so many times I can tell you I love Emma Hart – I’m sure she loves hearing it though. She is the best, no joke and if you don’t know of her, don’t speak to her, you are missing out big time. And I mean BIG time.

I want to thank her again for the acknowledgment in Playing for Keeps (my second from her YAY). Oh I have tears in my eyes. Emma is the sweetest person ever!! So thank you for the Beta and the Blogger acknowledgments, you won’t understand how much it means to me ❤

I got to Beta read this book and then I reread it again because seriously? I cannot get enough of Megan and Aston. I was SUPER excited to know they were getting their own book as I loved Megan in The Love Game and I love Astons mouth – the things he says, although I wouldn’t mind his mouth on mine 😉

Emma’s books are like a drug to me. I get hooked onto each and every one of them. I love how she seems to release one every month…it keeps my fix at bay. As I’ve mentioned in every other review of her books, she exudes every emotion in her books. The banter banter between characters, the sexual tension, the tears, laughter, anger, heartbreak…..she conveys it all brilliantly, and by gosh, Playing For Keeps has it all…and your heart will just break for Aston and your heart will then fit back together when you see Megan help him through everything.

As I’ve said so much love for Miss Emma Hart!!

We first meet Aston and Megan in the first book. Megan is Braden’s best friend. They have grown up together and have gone to the same school together. Braden is highly protective of Megan and knows no guy is ever going to be good enough for her, especially his frat house. They are all man-whores and Aston is no exception.

But Megan is harbouring feelings for Aston, and although Aston only wants her for the night, he knows that he won’t be able to let her go after. She is the only girl who he wants to be with but he can’t. He can’t because of his past and because of Braden, but Megan isn’t going anywhere. She can’t walk away now and so thus begins a secret relationship.

Banter the same way they always have around the others but when alone, it’s just them. Them together and they can show their true feelings for one another.

Learning all about Aston’s past, he tries to push Megan away but shes not going anywhere. Keeping their relationship a secret is harder when all Megan wants to do it help Aston through his past and that in turn proves how much she loves him and he her, for letting her in. But when they aren’t so careful and the secret is spilled, how does everyone especially Braden react?

Firstly Aston is not the guy you think he is. Although hes the playboy of the house, seemingly taking a girl back after every weekend party, there is a side to him that no one has ever seen. He keeps it hidden and locked away and he has a front, the front that he shows the guys. He has a potty mouth and I absolutely loved the banter he gives everyone, especially with Megan. But it’s just not him. He has demons that no one apart from his Grampa knows about. His frat house don’t even know his major!! That proves how much he keeps to himself and puts on this playboy front to hide from himself.

Aston has been through so much pain during his life, especially in his younger years. My heart was breaking for him, it was breaking for him and the pain he faced at such a young age had me crying when he would think about what was said to him and when he told Megan about it. It killed me to think how much he went through but he got out and although he still carries his past with him, he has people around him whom love him, even if he doesn’t think hes worthy of it so he tries to laugh it off or push them away.

You really will fall in love with Aston; there is no doubt about it. The potty mouthed playboy shows such a different side. You see him falling in love with Megan, become protective and possessive and jealous over her, but at the same time he tries to push her away, even though he doesn’t want to. It’s hard for him to let someone in, let them know about his past but Megan is there for him, helping him through everything, trying to make him see that it’s over now, that hes loved, hes safe and he has everyone around him who cares for him.

You know how much I loved Megan in The Love Game and my love for her only grew throughout the book. She’s an awesome character. She can banter, shoot sarcastic comments your way and generally keep up with you, but shes always caring and sweet and protective and is completely in love with Aston. She just wants him but is scared about what Braden will think of their relationship, so much so they hide it. But when Aston’s past comes back to haunt him and she finds out about it, she wants to do whatever she can to help and support Aston through his past demons.

She’s loving and I just want her to be my best friend. She is always there for you and the way she was with Aston’s Grampa was so touching. She helped to bring them together even more, to talk about their pasts with the one person they loved/hated. She brought their family dynamic closer, and eventually helped them both with Aston’s demons. No matter how much Aston tried to push her away, she couldn’t and wouldn’t walk away or let him go, she was in too deep with him. He was and is what Braden and Maddie are…the end game.

YES, for those of you who have read the first chapter of Playing For Keeps (The link is below) you will see that sex starts in the first chapter! Yessss, what a way to open the book. Aston and Megans chemistry is instant and they are drawn to each other like magnets no matter how much they shouldn’t be. That first encounter was it. Aston was hooked, as was Megan.

Playing For Keeps really is a book about fighting your past and looking to your future, finding love even when you weren’t looking for it and showing your true self – not hiding behind a persona. Emma has extracted this story with grace and it’s a beautiful book to read, so go and read it!

If you haven’t read The Love Game yet, go and get your Braden and Maddie fix, fall in love with them then come back and get your Megan and Aston fix in Playing for Keeps. You will definitely have a masssssive crush on Braden, Aston and Megan by the end of the books 😉

Here’s to hope that book three is about Kyle or Kay! They are an utter babes and deserve all the happiest that everyone else has 😀

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GIVEWAAAAAAAY!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Link to Chapter One of Playing for Keeps on my website:

http://www.emmahartbooks.com/2013/06/playing-for-keeps-chapter-one-earc.html

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BOOK PLAYLIST HTML code:

THE LOVE GAME PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iTunes
Smashwords

PLAYING FOR KEEPS PURCHASE LINKS

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SOCIAL LINKS

Site: www.emmahartbooks.com

Facebook: facebook.com/EmmaHartBooks

Twitter: @EmmaHartAuthor

Erotica, Tessa Bailey

Officer Off Limits – Tessa Bailey

Posted on June 23, 2013June 22, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?

5 / 5 stars

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My Review

Since reading Protecting What’s His, I have been grabbing my sides (and clenching my legs ;)) to read the next two books from Tessa Bailey. I couldn’t resist anymore and I couldn’t stop thinking about them so Officer Off Limits was the next book I literally devoured.

As I mentioned in my review for Protecting what’s His, I couldn’t put it down. Ms. Bailey engrosses you within the story, rooting for both hero and heroine, making you fall in love with them and mentally telling them what to do, as well as picturing yourself having sex with the hero….yes, we all do it, don’t be shy now.

I read the majority of books on the bus and trains to and from work, so I have so many different facial expresses but when sex scenes appear, they get me highly strung…seriously people, don’t read sexy books in public places, you will want to jump the next boy/girl who sits beside you. Don’t worry that didn’t happen but the book will be on your mind all day until you can get your hands back on your kindle to finish it. THAT is the type of book I love, the one where the story plays all day in your mind and you just need to know the ending. It surely didn’t take me long to read 😉

After her fiancé called off their wedding just weeks before the big day and her dad, whom she hasn’t seen in years decidedly has a heart-attack, Story Brooks decides to visit her dad in New York while examining why she isn’t broken up about her engagement.

While she’s there, she meets her father’s partner, Daniel Chase. Playboy Daniel was recruited by Story’s dad when he was younger and her dad has been his mentor throughout the years. Never thinking himself good enough for love, he jumps from bed to bed never staying long enough for anything serious, until he spots Story. Her blasé attitude only makes him want her even more but when he finds out she’s his mentors daughter, he’s forbidden from pursuing her.

But the chemistry between Daniel and Story is just too strong and despite the warning, they cant stay away from each other. Story learns about Daniels troubled past and helps him learn to love, whereas Story wants a rebound yet does she really? When everyone finds out the real reason for the cancellation of the wedding, can Story and Daniel’s relationship survive?

I’m going to start with Daniel. HAHA but of course, who wouldn’t. You all know me by now, such a book boyfriend whore so I HAVE to start with the guys first 😉 But yes, DANIEL CHASE! I pretty much love him (as I do with other BBF I’ve written about). He is primal and possessive and raw but he doesn’t think highly of himself. He doesn’t think hes worthy of love because of his past and being thrown around the system and that one event that changed him and shaped him into what is now his career. Because of this self-doubt, he whores himself around because he thinks hes not worthy of being loved, or even loving. Oh baby, you are sorely mistaken about that.

He is great at his job, been with plenty of women so he pretty much knows the way around a woman’s body but when he spots Story, hes taken aback. She is something different altogether and it’s a damn shame she is off limits, but does that stop him? Fuck no. He wants her, want to get to know her and he knows there is something between them, something more than a quick fuck. He’s hooked from the get go and now it’s time to prove that this is more than a rebound, that it’s something real.

I loved Story. She is a kindergarten teacher and when her fiancé breaks off their engagement she just has this blasé attitude towards it. Like she didn’t give a shit that they were no more, she just ordered cake and champagne to go. THAT made me laugh so much. She’s strong willed and feisty and spunky and she can give amazing banter back but shes caring and sweet and wants to see the best in people. I suppose that is from being a teacher. You can see that she does take after her dad though; you will see why when you read it.

Tessa surely makes her heroines strong and feisty and I love her for it! Her characters aren’t pathetic, they have pasts but they power through them, coming out in love and happy in the end. They can give as good as the hero’s can and can make their own decisions upon what he right and wrong. You watch Story and Daniel fall in love over the few weeks they spend together, and you can see that they really do deserve one another. This was no rebound, this was their forever.

I’ve mentioned this in Protecting What’s His review but TESSA, where the hell do you have the ideas for these sex scenes? Jesus woman, you are killing me every single time. I need a Daniel to recreate them. Tessa has me squirming and I need to jump someone. The sex is just raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw and throw me against a wall and take me sex and the things that man can do in 60 seconds? WAAAH I want. The sexual chemistry and all the sex really intensified their connection and brought out another side to Story, which I loved as it brought her sexy shell out.

You totally wouldn’t mind Daniel in your bed; seriously, you will be fanning yourself and this one scene? Oh Oh Ohhhhhhhhh yes please. 😉

Tessa Bailey has really done it again. She brings feisty, caring heroines, possessive and dirty mouthed alpha males, humour, sarcasm, hot sex scenes and a great plot within this book which I can tell you is hard to not read once you’ve read one book by her.

If this review doesn’t get your butt over to Amazon and pressing the 1-click button, I’ll leave you with these two quotes…..

“Do you feel that gorgeous? I keep my cock hot and hard for you. Only you. Any time you want it, you just crawl right onto my lap and take what you need.”

And

“Fuck yeah. Bite me gorgeous. Mark up my whole body. I want everyone to know who I belong to. Who I get hard for. Just you, Story. Just you.”

*dies*

Romance

Kept – Elle Field

Posted on June 17, 2013June 16, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

“Did she really just say that? I am fifteen again, except the reality is I am experiencing full parental horror, aged twenty-five. I want to die.”

Life hasn’t quite worked out how Arielle Lockley imagined it would. Becoming the next Coco Chanel was always her childhood dream, but she’s spent the past four years living a dizzying whirl of glitzy parties, luxurious holidays and daily shopping sprees – all paid for by boyfriend Piers – and not doing anything to make her Coco dreams happen.

When the recession hits, it’s not just the economy that takes a tumble and Arielle finds herself living back with her parents, on bad terms with Piers, and having a CV that’s as welcome as a pair of knock-off Jimmy Choos. And maybe it’s the location, but she’s also finding unwelcome thoughts of her childhood sweetheart are popping into her head…

What’s a girl to do? Can Arielle figure out what it is she now wants to do with her life and move on, or will she be doomed to spend the rest of her life dwelling over her worst mistakes, stuck listening to her parents’ embarrassing dinner table talk each night?

4.5 / 5 Hearts

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My Review

I’d like to thank Elle Field for sending me a copy Of Kept in return for an honest review.

Kept is the debut novel for Elle Field and I have to say, I was completely entranced by her book. Albeit, it took me a while to get into it, but when I did, I couldn’t put it down. I loved how Elle set the events of the story, letting us know what was happening before going back to explain how Arielle come to be in the position is in currently in.

I haven’t really read a romance book in a while; New Adult has taken over my life, so it was refreshing to read Kept, read the romance entwined within the book, instead of feeling my panicky self with all the angst that is wrapped up within NA. It was a breath of fresh air and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of Kept.

Ms Field has a way to keep you captivated, wanting to know more about Arielle’s life, wanting to know who she picks, how her life ended up that way and what she is going to do about it. You feel like you go on a journey with Arielle too, by the way she has so much drama and so much pain that she still has harboured inside from her younger years. She’s lost, she had dreams but she never pursued them. It’s a great chick-lit to read, you will laugh, tear up, root for Arielle, ponder over which guy she should be with all the while taking each step with her along the way.

We first see Arielle on the train. She has no money, no train ticket and just a weekend bag. She’s been kicked out of her house by her boyfriend Piers. She then takes us back to the beginning, how she met Piers, how they came to be, what shes been doing the past four years right up to that very moment on the train.

Throughout the book, you see the past and present of Arielle. How to came to where she is now, how it shaped her into someone she didn’t want to be. She had dreams, which took a backburner. She changed but now it’s all about getting her dreams back, she just needs to figure out what she wants to do, and how to go about it.

Piers, her boyfriend, dotted on Arielle but after a bad day, he loses it and kicks her ‘lazy’ ass out. The only place she has to go is her parents house and she doesn’t even want to step foot back in New Forest, it holds too many memories.

But after some guidance, from Piers, her parents and a special fairy godmother, she is trying to get her life back on track, trying to show everyone and herself she can pursue her dreams and make them a reality. Baring in mind she hits some bumps along the way, bumps from her past and it makes her head all fuzzy but in her heart, she knows the right guy is waiting for her, she just needs to sort herself out first.

So what does Arielle do? You’ll have to find out yourself.

I really loved the character of Arielle. Albeit she is a pain in the ass at the start and she is spoilt when you are taken back into the past four years of her relationship with Piers. She see that although she started off strong and spunky and independent when she first met Piers, over time she became a former figure of herself, spending Piers money, buying expensive clothes and holiday and not even bothering to thank him. This is the tipping point for Piers after a stressful day and he kicks her out. You see her vulnerable side break through, with no money, nowhere to really go and with no jobs under her belt, shes lost.

BUT over time, she begins to think about her future, having to work through her past and present, with some advice from her best friend Ob. She has to fight her past, working through her demons from her old teenager boyfriend Noah, who broke her heart. She goes on a journey, transforming herself into someone that everyone can be proud of. She overcomes her past, figures out her present and how to stand on her own two feet without anyone’s help and it made me so proud of her to do this, without anyone’s contributions. In the end she turns back into the independent woman that everyone knew she was, she just lost her way.

What can I say about Piers? I realllllly liked him. He is a gentleman, makes a lot of money and truly loved and cared for Arielle. How they met will have you giggling and what he says to her will make your heart melt. She really is everything to him and he just wants to care for her. BUT, and this is a big BUT, he is one of the reasons that Arielle has never worked during those four years. Because he tells her he will provide for her.

I’m kind of conflicted over him when he kicked her out, because it was his idea for her not to work (If I was told not to work, I would FIND work and not spend his money) and then he calls her selfish and lazy for not having a job. Bit hypercritical don’t you think? But then I can see his point of view, as she became selfish and ungrateful by his generosity. I don’t blame him for needing some time apart from Arielle. She wasn’t the girl he fell in love with.

Despite all this, he still loved her and wanted her back. The time did all the difference to him and to Arielle and he was always there to support her from afar. I think this is why I was rooting for him till the very end.

The supporting characters are brilliant. I completely loved Ob and I do hope that he will have his own book. I’d love for him to find love, seeing as he is married to his job. He made me laugh, he gave some good advice and you can always find him down the pub 😉 Even though he and Arielle haven’t talked for years, it was like they were never apart and that is why I love friendships like this. Arielle and Ob definitely are the best friends despite years apart.

I think my favourite scene is when Arielle is redesigning the shop. That is all I’m going to say but she proves her worth, proves she can do it and proves that with a bit of spunk you can achieve anything you put your mind to. This is one of the reasons I was so proud of her. She took something that was empty and transformed it into something that was popular around New Forest. It was something she loved and was good at. She found her worth.

Kept is a great chick-lit novel. You will be laughing, swooning, rooting for Arielle and end up so proud of her. It was refreshing to read something other than NA and if you need a book to get over the angst, then Kept is definitely the book for you. It has everything to keep you entertained and hooked and Elle Field, I will definitely be checking out more of your books when they are written!

Erotica, Tessa Bailey

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

Posted on June 15, 2013June 22, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

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 ;).

Music, Romance

Sound Bites: A Rock & Roll Love Story – Rachel K. Burke

Posted on May 23, 2013May 19, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it’s too late.

Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way

4 / 5 Stars

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My Review

*I’d like to thank Rachel K. Burke for sending me a review copy in return for an honest opinion*

After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend betraying her, Renee Evans flees LA and her dream job as a music journalist and returns back home to Boston.

Upon her return home and moving into her new flat, she meets her neighbour Dylan Cavallari. Dylan is mysterious, he’s gorgeous and an aspiring musician who lives in the flat above Renee. To Renee he is the typical womanizer and someone who she shouldn’t get involved with but she can’t help it. Despite a misunderstanding when they first meet, Renee and Dylan become friends fast, and over due course, they fall for each other.

But when all seems great for the pair, Renee’s ex comes back; begging for her back and his appearance threatens to drive her and Dylan apart. Can they figure it out or is it too late for them? In order to move on, Renee must face her past to save her relationship with Dylan.

Rachel K. Burke emailed me asking me if I would like a review copy of Sound Bites and after reading the synopsis, I emailed back, jumping at the chance. It sounded like a great book and one that I especially love reading. Hot musicians? Oh hells yes, give me some of that.

Ms. Burke’s writing style made the book flow from scene to scene. It was hard to put it down once I started, engrossed with every scene and every word on the page. She makes you care for the characters as they develop throughout the book, watching them grow up, go through their own problems and insecurities and watching them all care for one another throughout the different scenes that occurred.

As you all should know by now, my emotions tend to range when reading great books. It’s much the same with this one, I was smiling, frustration, panicky, laughing but I didn’t kindle throw as I was reading on my phone. I might have thrown my phone down though haha and shook my head over what was happening but that’s the sign that a book gets to me!

To briefly outline the book, 24 year old Renee went to LA with her best friend for college, but after walking in on her best friend Justine and her boyfriend, David getting down and dirty, she leaves sunny LA and heads back home to Boston to escape the pain of what she just saw.

Moving into a small building complex, one day she crashes into a hottie, quite literally crashes as she reverses into his car. Hes a bit of a douche with an attitude but she gets over it as she knows she probably won’t see him again. Oh uh, she does. Apparently he lives in the building complex.

As a diehard music fan, one night she hears someone playing an acoustic version of her favourite Jeff Buckley song so she goes out to investigate who the culprit is. What she doesn’t count on is the guy behind the door being the douche from outside.

Over time, the two of them become friends over their shared interest in music. Despite Dylan being confident and cocky, he sure is shy and nervous to play his music in front of people, preferring to confine his talent to his flat. But Renee knows awesomeness when she hears it and so she tries to persuade Dylan to join her friend’s band and after weeks of rehearsals, Dylan pushes through his nervousness and performs…in front of people…for the first time. This makes Renee so proud of him and her feelings for him become even stronger.

Throughout the weeks between hanging out and Dylan gigging, a big gig in New York arrives and Dylan asks Renee to go with him. Sharing a room, Renee tries to gauge a reaction from Dylan but nothing is working. She doesn’t know his feelings until she meets a guy and spends the night talking to him, which pisses Dylan off whom in turns storms off. When returning to the hotel, Dylan spills his guts about wanting to be with Renee, whom reciprocates the feelings, and they end up together.

Spending the days and nights together, their little love nest progresses to love and they decided to rent a house and have put a deposit down when Renee’s lease on her apartment is up but one night screws up everything they had going and their relationship is broken. It’s now up to Renee to face her past and look into her future before even attempting to try and win back Dylan’s heart. Can she do this or is it too late for them?

I think at some point in our life we can all relate to Renee’s character. She’s been heartbroken, had to give up her dream job, had to move back to her home town and then end up in a job she doesn’t want to be in. Renee could be deemed as stuck-up, strong, a music whore and although she was heartbroken, she just got up and dealt with it which takes courage to not let it stew in your mind. Despite her hot-headedness, she was a great character apart from when she began to get insecurities about her relationship with Dylan. I felt so sad for her to go from this strong woman to this woman who was questioning everything.

Dylan even picked up on that, and it tore me about how she was feeling as he did nothing to make her feel this way. But I suppose there is a point in ones relationship where it all gets to you and the love you feel for that person is so consuming that you wonder if it’s just you? Even though it’s obvious they love you too.

She could be immature and childish in parts and I got frustrated but then I thought about it and to be completely honest with you, I would be acting this way too if it was me. I got frustrated because she was pushing Dylan too far but in the end, I reckon that would be me too. Pushing him to succeed in something that he obviously loves and pushing him to get over his fear and become something amazing. She does grow up, she faces so much in this book from finding love to finding forgiveness and its all thanks to the power of music.

When we are first introduced to Dylan, he is a bit of a douche – but to be fair to him, you would be giving attitude if someone reversed into your van. But there is something about Dylan that you just cant help but love. It’s the mystery about him, the way he loves music (much like Renee) but doesn’t show anyone due to his intense bout of stage fright. He is confidence and cocky and attidtudy in his ‘real life’ but throw him on stage in front of people and make him sing? No way, he would pass out before he played the first chord.

I loved his growth of confidence throughout the book. Thanks to a massive push from Renee, he grow as a character comfortable enough to stand on stage and sing; relish in the audiences reaction to his songs and voice. I was so proud of him for building up the courage to do this as I knew that it took a lot for him to broadcast his talent. He finally got over his stage fright and began to love singing to the audiences, even if he still was petrified each time the crowd got bigger, he carried on. I think Renee was his rock, that he kind of needed her there at the beginning to push him into singing and calm him down, make him know she was proud of him.

Despite the mystery, we get to see a loveable side to Dylan, a side which is cute and sweet. You really do see the connection between the two of them and you can see just how much they love each other. When Renee suggests going back to her own flat to sleep, Dylan is having none of it and after Renee hints at moving in together, Dylan asks her and its all flowers and hearts for them. The perfect couple. I loved this side of Dylan. The confident, in love guy who would do anything for Renee.

When the shit hits the fan and there is a massive misunderstanding, we never really see Dylan’s side but we know he is hurting. He’s been betrayed – or so he thinks – by the one person he loved and trusted the most and he doesn’t know what to do. Music is now his therapy while he heals.

Music is basically what brings Renee and Dylan and will it bring them back together? You will have to wait and see what happens. Renee needs to forgive before getting to her present and when a surprise happens, she now needs to see Dylan and let him know exactly what is going on.

I reallllly loved the ending; it was a great way to end Sound Bites. You see both characters grow-up and go through a journey, together and alone. You see the characters forgive, characters love, characters bond, and characters get their happily ever after.

My favourite scene has to be when they tell each other their feelings. I’m a sucker for a sappy love spillage and you could see just how much Dylan was hurting over Renee going out with that guy after his show. You could see that he felt the same way and it hurt him to think of Renee with anyone other than him. The way he acted just tore my heart open and it was so great to see him – someone who is closed up – express himself and tell her his feelings. I loved it!

All in all thank you for sending me your book Rachel, I really enjoyed every second of it and hello Dylan, you can be a new book boyfriend for me. Everyone grab your copy of Sound Bites and be like me in turning the pages at lightning speed because you cannot put it down!

Synopsis

My Review

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GIVEWAAAAAAAY!!!

Link to Chapter One of Playing for Keeps on my website:

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