BOOK BLITZ: Passion Rising

Title: Passion Rising
Series: Original Sin #4
Authors: JA Huss & Johnathan McClain
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: May 8, 2018 

Blurb

Old demons are back.

Maddie’s dealing with the fallout of her choices. Safety and happiness are relative, elusive things she’s desperate to have. But they will forever remain out of reach until the demons of her past are laid to rest.

Tyler’s mistakes resurface to haunt him and he’s just beginning to understand that money can’t fix a broken relationship. He must open his heart and search for answers he’d rather not find.

She wants peace in a world made of chaos.

He wants to rid himself of a lifetime of guilt.

They’re soul mates, but that’s no guarantee.

They’ll need to rely on each other to find their happily ever after.

Because the fight never ends—it just gets easier with someone at your side.

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excerpt

MADDIE

It strikes me suddenly that I’m not the only one who will notice how fucking good Tyler looks now that he’s all clean-shaven and you can really see that ridiculously fortunate bone structure he has. And I’m a little embarrassed about the fact that I just got all possessive and shit. I’m about to say something to that effect, either make a joke or play it off, but before I can, Tyler grabs me around the waist, pulls me to him and whispers, “That was so fucking hot,” just as the doors to another elevator pop open.

He walks me backwards into the car and frantically pushes the “door close” button before anyone else can step in. He’s got me pressed against the mirrored glass and his

hands are between my denim-covered thighs, cupping my pussy. He kisses my neck and the feel of his lips, without any rough hair to brush and scratch against mine, feels so good that I can barely stand it. I didn’t realize his kiss was so soft. The skin of his mouth feels new. Like, I was just starting to get accustomed to the way his kisses felt, and suddenly it’s a whole new experience. New, but familiar. The same way it was when I met him.

It’s how this whole moment feels. Back in the Mandarin where we were on Halloween when we found out who we are. A concept which, I realize in this moment, might be true in more ways than one. It’s been barely two months since we turned each other’s lives upside down. Except that’s not quite fair. Or accurate. Our lives were already upside down. We’ve turned them back right side up. Yeah, we disrupted each other’s worlds, but we did so in the most magnificent way. And it’s starting to feel like that disruption is going to result in a life that actually feels... settled.

I realize that life with Tyler Morgan will never be boring. That much seems incredibly evident. But life is unpredictable no matter what we do to try to put rules in place to keep it from feeling that way. At least with Tyler the unpredictability doesn’t seem scary. With him, as much as is possible, the unpredictability feels safe.

TYLER

Just like the beard was keeping me at a distance from the people I would see walking down the street, it was keeping me at a distance from her when we were alone together. It was an unrealized blockade impeding my ability to be as close to her as I want to be. There is no such impediment now, and I am engulfing myself inside her.

The feel of my cheeks nuzzled in between hers makes this moment seem so...sweet. It’s nice. I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s just kind of...pure. That’s how I feel. That’s what I think.

I also feel like one good rimming deserves another.

So, moving my head in tiny circles around her ass, just like she did to me a couple of days ago, I get off on the whining noises she makes, and I work two fingers inside her pussy to help everybody along. With my other hand I begin fisting my cock. I’m trying to go slowly so that I don’t fucking come right here all over the Mandarin’s nice carpet. I already burned down one of their condos, I don’t want to fuck up one of their suites too.

New-look Tyler is considerate like that. But as slowly as I’m trying to go, she’s making it tough because of the way she’s rotating her ass and hips around.

And suddenly, I don’t want to be behind her. I mean, I love the view from here and I love the way she tastes, but I want to see her. I want to look at her face and have her look at mine. Yeah. I want her to look at me. I want her to see me.

So I pull away, flop down on my back on the bed beside her, and summon to her with my index finger to come over. She does, smiling as she mounts me. She takes my two fingers that were just inside her and puts them in her mouth. And I remember the first time I saw her do that. I told her, “You’re going to fucking kill me.” But she didn’t. She didn’t. It was exactly the opposite. She fucking saved me. And so now, with her astride me, I sit up, take her face in my hands, look her square in the eyes, and tell her, “I fucking love you.”

She closes her own eyes with a shy smile and whispers, “I fucking love you.”

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 about the authors

Two accomplished writers come together to create unforgettable sexy romance. JA Huss is the New York Times bestselling author of 321 and has been on the USA Today bestsellers list eighteen times. Johnathan McClain is a veteran actor and writer whose work, either performed or written, is probably airing on at least one of the channels on your television right now. You can contact them on their website www.hussmcclain.com or find them at their social links below.

Joint Facebook Group 

JA Huss:  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Johnathan McClain:  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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BOOK REVIEW: Thief

Thief
Boston Underworld 5
Author: A. Zavarelli
Pub Date: Feb 22, 2018

Synopsis:

Tanaka

I’m a good girl.

I live by a code that can’t be bent or broken. It is my duty to my family to stay innocent and pure. To marry an Italian man. The stars are already aligned.

But Nikolai Kozlov re-writes my destiny with five simple words.

You belong to me now.

He's Russian mafiya. A thief. A skilled liar with no moral boundaries. He is everything I have been taught to hate. A man who stands for nothing. A man who takes what he wants without a second thought.

And what he wanted was me.

He thinks he controls my fate, but what he doesn’t know is, sometimes it’s the good girls you have to watch out for.

Nikolai

I’m a dangerous man.

I live by a code. The Vory code. It is my duty to my family to protect the brotherhood. To destroy anyone who threatens what we stand for, including her.

She’s a dancer. A beautiful little doll. My prisoner, and my new favorite puppet. This mafia princess thinks she has me under her spell, but in the end, she is simply collateral.

It’s a shame to destroy precious things.

But this is what bad men do.

My Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an intense, beautiful and difficult read all in one.  These are lovers who go through emotional upheaval just to be together.

This book was exquisite!  The author really pulled on my heartstrings leaving me teary eyed. 

Tanaka’s pain, was my pain.  Her triumph, mine.  I did not want this book to end.  It was so poignant.

This book held my heart hostage within its pages, stealing, grabbing and clenching my heart until all I could do was feel.  Feel Tanaka’s loss, her suffering, torment and longing.  Feel Nikolai’s anger, his need for revenge, his fealty towards his brothers, the desperation he feels when he must make an impossible choice and the passion he undeniably feels for Tanaka.

These characters were so well written and fleshed out in my opinion.  With real trials and tribulations.  Everything about this book just worked for me and it will go down as one of the best I’ve read to date.

This is not the first book I read by A. Zavarelli but, it is the book that cements this author, her previous books and her future works a guaranteed spot on my TBR list.

REVIEW & TOUR: El Malo

El Malo
by K. Webster
Pub Date: April 30, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Mexican Mafia, Romance

Synopsis

Javier Estrada is the king of Mexico.
Evil. Twisted. Psychopathic.
A cruel madman with a killer smile.
And he is my boss.

My duty is to blend in, clean his home, and not make a peep.
I’ve done my job well for years.
Imbedded myself so deep in his world, he’s never going to get me out.

But I am this king’s worst nightmare.
Bad men like him took everything away from me.
I will never forget.
He will pay for the sins of many.
I’ll just bide my time—watching, waiting, calculating—until the time is right.

When I strike, he won’t know what hit him.
The monster who rules Mexico with an iron fist may not bow to anyone…
But I’m not just anyone.

He will bow to me.

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My Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

At 10 years old Rosa Delgado witnessed the murder of her mother and since then, her life has never been the same.  She lives for vengeance.  Vengeance against men like those who killed her mother.  Her current target is the sexy and powerful cartel King, Javier Estrada.  She insinuates herself into his life and home by becoming the head maid at his mansion estate.  She eventually tries to seduce Javier in hopes of gaining his trust.  But, as her feelings change, she must ask herself if she is the seducer or the seduced?

Javier Estrada, leader of El Malo demands loyalty.  Loyalty from his crew and from his staff.  When he succumbs to Rosa he expects that same fealty and he will give it in return.  He knows she is hiding secrets.  Secrets that may very well tear them apart.  But he is lead like moth to flame.  How will Javier respond to Rosa’s deception?

This book will consume you and make your heart beat faster.  It shocking and full of twists and turns I did not see coming.  It is fast paced, well written and told in dual POV.

If you have a trigger, this book will trip it.  If you have a button, this book will definitely

push it.  This not an easy story it is dirty, ugly, beautiful and hard.  It is also a sexy, bloodthirsty, twisted, engrossing and gripping read that will take you on a journey to hell and back while simultaneously making you love every minute of it.

I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning.  I was completely invested, turning the pages like they were on fire.

This book was HOT!  K Webster is brilliant.  She knows how to write a compelling, angsty and sexy story.  She had my heart in my throat with this raw, gripping, carnal, dark and dangerous read.

I also believe this author colored out of the lines in this novel by giving us a heroine just as dark as her counterpart.  A Queen for all intents and purposes suitable to stand and rule at the side of her King as El Malo.  It is not very often an author will go dark with her heroine but to me, she did it masterfully.

Rosa was a strong character who has been defending herself and the one’s she cares about from harm her whole life.  I love how with Javier, she was able to let go and feel safe and as result, just be a woman feeling a woman’s wants and needs.

I loved Javier! What is it about a bad man that just pulls you in and makes you keep coming back for more?    He was brutal, unforgiving, demanding, possessive and protective all wrapped up in a sexy EL MALO package.

I would have like to read more of Rosa’s and Javier’s pasts.  Rosa from after her mother died leading up to how and when she heard of Javier and subsequent job as his head maid.  For Javier, I would have loved to know more about from when his mother died until he hired Rosa.  I believe these are key factors in who they have become.  Would love to read a prequel.

This is a novel not to be missed and definitely worthy of 5-STAR status.  I recommend this to anyone who loves a dark themed, button-pushing, trigger-tripping books that lead to a HEA.

I received this book as an ARC.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Author

K Webster is the author of dozens romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers. Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

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RELEASE BLITZ: Bane

Bane
Author: LJ Shen
Pub Date: May 6, 2018
Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Synopsis: 

Bane

Naked surfer. Habitual pothead. A con, a liar, a thief and a fraud.

Last I heard, he was extorting the rich and screwing their wives for a living.

Which is why I’m more than a little surprised to find him at my threshold, looking for my friendship, my services, and most puzzling of all—looking humbled.

Thing is, I’m on a boycott. Literally—I cut boys from my life. Permanently.

Problem is, Bane is not a boy, he is all man, and I’m falling, crashing, drowning in his sweet, perfect lies.

Jesse Carter

Hot as hell, cold as ice.

I wasn’t aware of her existence until a fat, juicy deal landed in my lap.

She’s a part of it, a little plaything to kill some time.

She is collateral, a means to an end, and a side-bonus for striking a deal with her oil tycoon stepdad.

More than anything, Jesse Carter is a tough nut to crack.

Little does she know, I have the f****** teeth for it.

Bane, the highly-anticipated next standalone in the Sinners of Saint Series

by L.J. Shen is LIVE

Download today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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About LJ Shen

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

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BOOK REVIEW: Peep Show

Peep Show

Author: Isabella Starling

Pub Date: Jan 22, 2018

Synopsis: 

She's stripping.
I'm watching.
She's playing.
I'm watching.
She's mine, I'm coming...

Bebe Hall is a heartbreaker. She's the it girl of the moment, a partygirl nobody can stop in her path of self destruction. Bebe Hall isn't the star of her own story.

She's the star of mine.

My name is Miles O'Reilly. I'm a photographer. An agoraphobic. A millionaire. A womanizer. I'm confined to my apartment. I don't leave. Ever.

But when she sees me with my latest online conquest in the window of my apartment, my attention shifts to Bebe.

And once I see something I want, I don't give up until it's mine.

Forever.

Peep Show is a 90,000 word novel with themes of voyeurism and dark scenes that may be upsetting to readers. If you are brave enough, come meet Miles. He's been waiting for you.

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Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

“I had to forget, and drinking, dancing and partying, was the only way I could do it”

Bebe is an IT girl who has lost one of her best friends and has yet to come to terms.  She’s also unsure of who she is without her friend.  As result, she uses sex, alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms.  She does not want to go back to the unsure and unnoticed girl she once was.

Miles is an obsessive agoraphobic.  He had a very bad upbringing and now, he does not leave his home and experiences life through other people.

She is spiralling and destructive.

He is obsessive and agoraphobic.

They notice each other one night when Bebe spies on Miles through her window and sees him having sex with another woman.  They saw in each other a kindred spirit.

Can an IT girl and an agoraphobic man ever make a life together? Or, will their destructive ways destroy any chance of true happiness together?

From reading some of the many reviews on the Goodreads platform, there are a great many opinions on this book that stem from outright love to not liking this book.  I believe that weather they are negative or positive reviews that this shows how well the author has written this book.  The basis of this book is mental health and addiction.  Two topics that are very much misunderstood and hard to understand unless you have lived through it.

I didn’t like these characters or the choices they made, but I don’t have to.  The story is made to be read this way.  We are meant to see their struggle and mistakes and how they rise above.  To remember that people may do awful things that we do not understand but they are human regardless and deserve our support to overcome not our condemnation.

I don’t think I’ve ever met two characters so broken and so dependent on their crutches to survive.  It was truly heartbreaking to see them destroy each other and themselves.

I believe that in their own way, they helped each other heal and overcome.  Bebe learned that she deserved more and Miles learned to actually live life.  Together, they were hot as hell.

This book was told in dual POV.  The pace was good but did lag toward the end.  I was hoping their growth, secrets and hurdles would come to light sooner and be tamed if not overcome.

I believe that Bebe needed more than his help.  She needed an intervention with a psychologist.  She was also an alcoholic and drug abuser and would have gone through something hellish while abstaining.  These issues do not resolve on the spot and some mention of that or the struggle for recovery was warranted.

This was a dark read full of triggers, bad decisions and questionable actions.  It was well written, intriguing and kept my attention.   I would not hesitate to read another book from this author.

BOOK REVIEW: Dark Desires

Dark Desires 

Pure/Dark Ones #3

Author: Aja James

Pub Date: April 5, 2018

Synopsis 

Ryu Takamura is the Dark Ones’ Assassin. He has never missed his target…until now. Until her.

Ava Monroe is a talented geneticist who holds the key to the vampire race’s future…and perhaps her own as well.

Their attraction is explosive from the first. She would do anything to have him. He would sacrifice all to protect her.

But will their love triumph over seemingly impossible odds as they battle enemies new and old? Especially the demons from Ryu’s past? And deep within his heart?

My Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐

At 30, Ava Monroe is one of the forefront experts in regenerative stem cell science. She is on her way from New York city to Tokyo to provide her expertise on a project that is on the brink of fruition.

Ryu Takamura is a Dark One and an assassin in Jade’s guard. He is on a mission to destroy, by any means, the research that is leading toward creating a new an unknown breed of Dark One.

Ava and Ryu meet on the plane to Tokyo and have an instant and overwhelming attraction to each other. Ryu ignores this however because he feels that desiring someone shows weakness. This ignorance only lasts so long and he finds himself ever more drawn to Ava. But, the stakes grow higher as Ava and her group of scientists get closer to a discovery.

Will Ryu be able to save Ava while simultaneously destroying everything she’s ever worked for?

I don’t know why I’m always so surprised at the fact that Aja has written another terrific book. She has yet to let me down. I was consumed and absorbed as always in this installment. The scenery and the story she weaves is magical.

I was giggling at Ava’s lack of verbal filter. She is awkward and Ryu is so reserved. They were absolutely cute together. But don’t be fooled, the chemistry between them is crackling. So much so, that this book oozes sensuality.

I fell hard for Ryu. Between his selfish mother who treated him poorly and how he lets his guard down enough to tell Ava she was his first kiss? Swoon! My heart fell at his feet.

There is never a dull moment. Always a compelling story. I love how this author writes such strong, alpha male characters and then shows us their vulnerability. It is written so beautifully and it never gets old.

Recommended to anyone who likes a well-written, fast-paced romance with originality.

I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.