I loved this book! It’s so frigging fun and refreshingly different with lots of witty, snarktastic humor. Yes, Drew Evan...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
I loved this book! It’s so frigging fun and refreshingly different with lots of witty, snarktastic humor. Yes, Drew Evans is an egotistical manslut, but he’s also hilarious and highly entertaining. I enjoyed being inside his cocky head for a few hours. (Double entendre, anyone?)
I was originally going to rate this 4 ½ stars because I wanted an epilogue, but Emma Chase posted a couple of extra scenes on her website, including an amusing glimpse into Kate and Drew’s life together, so 5 satisfied stars! Brava, Ms. Chase!(less)
I adore everything Julie James writes and this was another winner! With intelligent characters, witty dialogue, snappy b...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
I adore everything Julie James writes and this was another winner! With intelligent characters, witty dialogue, snappy banter, sarcastic, sexy quips, and sizzling chemistry, her books never fail to please. And she’s definitely turned up the heat with steamier love scenes! Cade was such a yowza, yummy hero, and he and Brooke made an appealing, enjoyable couple.
I just wish she wrote more and faster, but without sacrificing the quality that marks every single one of her books; so I guess Ms. James needs a clone.(less)
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and singe my Kindle stories and this is definitely the latter. Whew!
And the premise is one of my favorites...seemingly stodgy, stuffy, rich, straitlaced Darcy-esque hero and free-spirited, quirky, flamboyant, provocative heroine clash, battle, and then inevitably end up lusting and scorching up the sheets...and pretty much any stable surface.
But Sarah Mayberry has penned an insightful, affecting story and given depth to Martin’s and Violet’s characters that dispels clichés and stereotypes. And talk about a swoonalicious, husband-worthy hero! I absolutely loved Martin! *sigh*
Her Best Worst Mistake is a sequel/spin-off of Hot Island Nights that takes place during the same time period, and I enjoyed this much more having read Hot Island Nights first.
It’s a sexy, fun, super steamy, and emotionally gratifying romance with a memorable H/h. 5 stars!
This is my favorite in the fun, ridiculously zany, wild ride Rock Chick series so far. V...more4 ½-5 stars – Chick lit/Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
This is my favorite in the fun, ridiculously zany, wild ride Rock Chick series so far. Vance is another yummy, KAmazing alpha hero, and he and Jules were smokin’ hot together!
I liked Jules and found her far less irritating than previous Rock Chicks, Indy, Jet, and Roxie, but she definitely had numerous aggravating moments. Her inner Rottweiler, constant threats about breaking up with Vance, and routinely bragging about being such a kickass “The Law” mamma jamma were really annoying. As far as I’m concerned, Vance has the patience of a saint.
The love triangle went a bit too far for my taste, so I’m knocking off half a star for that and some Jules irritation. Otherwise, it’s a highly entertaining read with some emotional moments that made me tear up a few times. 4 ½-5 stars!
Although his hair isn’t quite long enough, this is definitely my Vance Ouray Crowe.
I bumped this from a low 4.5 to a higher 4.5 (closer to 5 stars) af...more4 ½ stars – Chick lit/Romantic Suspense
*****Edited from original rating/review*****
I bumped this from a low 4.5 to a higher 4.5 (closer to 5 stars) after finishing Rock Chick Regret, loving the series, and realizing how much I enjoyed Hank and Roxie together! (less)
Femdom isn’t my preference in erotica. (I usually like my doms to be hot alpha males.) But having the story tol...more4 ½ stars – Contemporary Erotic Novella
Femdom isn’t my preference in erotica. (I usually like my doms to be hot alpha males.) But having the story told from the insecure, flawed, average hero Wyle’s POV and getting insight into his dominatrix/mistress fantasies was hilarious and highly entertaining. There’s one angtsy scene ensuing from a misunderstanding, but otherwise it’s flippant and funny as hell at times. (At least it was to me.) The Femdom/BDSM element is on the light side as well and mostly involves fantasy role-playing.
This is the second story I’ve read by this author and I enjoy her writing style. It’s a great erotic novella, especially for a freebie.
Here are a couple of examples of the hero’s sarcastic, self-deprecating humor.
(view spoiler)[“Do you want to come in for coffee?” she rushed out in a whoosh of a breath. Coffee. Coffee meaning sex, right? My dick perked up, well-versed in the coffee-sex synonymy. That’s what coffee means, but did she know that? She was awfully young, no matter her few years of working after college or her fancy new job title.
“Yes,” I breathed. It was a scary proposition. A girl like her, practically slumming with me. It could be something bad. That would explain why she’d wanted me. I’d be desperate enough to do it. But I had a suspicion that if she wanted me to shove food in her orifices while chanting satanic rituals, I’d ask if she preferred bananas or zucchini. That’s how much I wanted to fuck her.(hide spoiler)]
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The U...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The Ugly:
•Yes, it’s an editing nightmare that at times made me want to whip out my red pen and go crazy with correcting remarks. •There is way too much (and occurring too often) inane detail, especially about the heroine’s wardrobe, outfits, hair, makeup, getting ready, routine, etc. I understand that her self-esteem and makeover were a significant component to the story, but I still think an easy 50+ pages of random “stuff” could have been trimmed. •It was annoying to me how the heroine constantly answered the hero with “Sorry?”, and also how she repeated Tate’s name over and over again like Kate Winslet’s Rose continually said “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack” all throughout Titanic.
BUT, despite those annoyances, here’s why I still rated it 5 stars.
The Good:
•The story has a frenetic hodgepodge of themes: chick lit self-discovery, steamy contemporary romance, small town drama, family angst, crazy exes, serial killer suspense...you name it. But amazingly enough, it works. I was sucked in and thoroughly entertained. •The hero is an ex-football star, ex-cop, bounty hunting, bar-owning, tattooed badass, uber alpha biker. He’s growly, sometimes mean, often pissed off, possessive, and fond of saying (or perhaps I should say grunting) “Babe” and “Ace” to communicate a wealth of things, rather than expressing or explaining himself. There were times I wanted Lauren to smack him and send his ass packing to the curb. But DAYUM! Tate is f’n HOT! •The heroine is insecure, funny, flawed, sweet, sometimes cranky and bitchy, caring, and most of all, genuine and endearing. Laurie is easy to identify with because she’s so real. I could see myself laughing over manis and martinis with her. •Cute scenes with Buster the cat, aka, Princess Fancy Pants. •Tender, heartbreaking moments with Tate’s son, Jonas. *sigh* •An unforgettable, quirky cast of secondary characters. •Great dialogue, snappy banter, humor, and emotion. It made me laugh out loud at times and tear up in others. •And oh yeah, the steamy romance between Tate and Laurie is truly addictive.
So it’s not perfect, but I still loved it and will definitely read more by this author!
I had a hard time casting my perfect Tate, mainly because he’s so impossibly gruff, badass, and smokin’ hot. But I think Hugh Jackman could portray him fairly convincingly, especially if he acted all Wolverine broody, growly, alpha badass and got some sexy tats. He particularly looks the part in these pictures. YUMMY!
Addendum after further Internet exploration for the perfect Tate:
This is Tate in all his beautiful, badass, bounty hunter glory. *sigh*
I found out about this from its Goodreads Choice Award nomination and then noticed that several...more**spoiler alert** 5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance
I found out about this from its Goodreads Choice Award nomination and then noticed that several of my GR friends had rated it 5 stars. I didn’t read any reviews before reading (other than glimpses here and there that I couldn’t avoid) because I didn’t want any spoilers. So I’m not sure if the author intended it to be somewhat Twilight-esque or not, and/or if other readers thought there were comparisons between them like I did? I couldn’t help but feel like this read as a dark, erotic, and intriguing BDSM twist on Twilight, sans vampires. I mean, there just seemed to be so many similarities to me. Or maybe seeing The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn movie three times has influenced and/or warped my thinking? Hmmm...that’s definitely a possibility.
Anyway, here are some of my random observations/thoughts. Coincidences?
•Heroine is Anastasia “Ana” Steele (vs. Isabella “Bella” Swan). •Ana’s first person POV narrative read like a YA book, particularly for the beginning 15%-25% or so, and her insecurity and inner dialogue and the overall tone of the story reminded me of Bella in Twilight, even though Ana is 21 and turns 22 during the story. •Ana is a plain, mousy, bookish, awkward, klutzy, shy, clumsy, naïve nerd, misfit, and virtual loner and reads classic literature for fun. •She has pale skin and blushes profusely...at just about everything. •She has two left feet, trips easily, and can’t dance. •Hero Christian Grey is “heart-stoppingly beautiful” and “dazzling”, has gorgeous, messy copper colored hair that’s always in sexy, mussed disarray, and has a “crooked, dazzling smile”. •He’s remarkably handsome, rich, autocratic, domineering, enigmatic, controlling, stern, gruff, brooding, jealous, mercurial, possessive, and outright stalkerish. •She’s a brunette and he prefers brunettes, even though he’s surrounded by tall, leggy, stunning blondes. •She was never picked for team sports like volleyball...hmmm, that’s familiar. •She talks in her sleep and in doing so reveals her feelings about Christian. •It takes place in the Pacific Northwest (Vancouver and Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon) and her mom lives in sunny Georgia (vs. Florida). •Ana has a close male friend, Jose, whom she loves like a brother but he has unrequited romantic feelings for her. Their dads are also close friends. Hmmm...Jose...Jacob? •She drives a beat up Beetle (not truck) that used to belong to her friend Jose’s mom and he does the maintenance and repairs for her. •Christian saves her when she’s almost run over by a cyclist. •He saves her from unwanted advances outside a bar when she’s drunk by stalking tracking her down. •He warns her, more than once, that she should stay away from him...for her own good...and that he’s not the right man for her. •He always says he wishes he knew what she was thinking. •She has vying suitors, even though she’s an awkward, shy, and insecure girl. •She doesn’t understand or believe what Christian sees in her, even though he insists that he finds her beautiful and irresistible and it’s quite obvious that he’s totally infatuated/obsessed with her. •He buys her extravagant gifts. •He buys her a car. •He has a black Audi SUV, not silver Volvo, but its close. (Audi is apparently his motor brand of choice.) •He expertly plays the piano...melancholy classical of course. •She has a flighty, whimsical mother. •She has a serious, taciturn, yet loving father. •He’s adopted. •His adoptive father is a handsome blonde named Carrick...ahem...not Carlisle. •His adoptive brother is an easygoing hunk with curly blond hair. •His adoptive sister Mia, whom he shows fond affection for, is exuberant and enthusiastic in befriending Ana and encouraging Ana’s and Christian’s relationship.
I’m not saying the author plagiarized the Twilight series, so don’t get your panties in a twist if you disagree with me that there are similarities between them. (And notice I rated it 5 stars, so obviously I think it’s a great read.)
Overall I found Fifty Shades of Grey really intense and addictive, but I would have enjoyed the story even more had it been told from third person POV because I really, really wanted insight into Christian’s “fifty shades of f*cked-up” psyche! I immediately started reading the second book, Fifty Shades Darker, but then realized the third book, Fifty Shades Freed, isn’t out until January. Eeks! I imagine that I’ll be anxiously awaiting its release. 5 stars!
Now I’m off to read reviews to see what my GR friends think about this!
*Addendum: I’ve since learned (after reading some reviews) that this was originally written as a Twilight fanfiction story, so I guess my powers of observation are keen and my thinking is appropriately warped. LOL!*
Oh, how I love Julia Quinn’s witty, winsome writing! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors for feel-good, sw...more4 ½ stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Oh, how I love Julia Quinn’s witty, winsome writing! She’s one of my absolute favorite authors for feel-good, sweet romances that put a huge smile on my face and lift my spirits. The musicale scene in the first chapter had me laughing so hard that I had tears streaming down my face and that part alone was worth 5 stars. This actually has a bit of angst as well, but it’s tempered with Julia’s engaging, heartwarming style.
Another enchanting, romantic winner from the incomparable Ms. Quinn! And I can’t wait for Hugh to find his HEA, hopefully in the next Smythe-Smith tale.
I really enjoyed this, and it’s definitely an improvement over the last couple of books in the series. Nolan and Eve w...more4 ½ stars – Contemporary Romance
I really enjoyed this, and it’s definitely an improvement over the last couple of books in the series. Nolan and Eve were a lot of fun together and their romance was engaging and steamy. I loved the snappy dialogue and funny banter between all the characters. Nolan and Eve’s Oktoberfest outing was fantastic...one of the best date scenes that I’ve read.
Nolan was such a sweet, goofy, playful, easygoing, charming, fun-loving, and all around nice guy and an almost too good to be true hero. He was also extremely patient, insightful, and understanding when it came to Eve and there were countless times I thought it was amazing that he not only put up with and accepted her grumpy, snippy demeanor but actually found it adorable and endearing. Eve was insecure, crabby, sarcastic, surly, and often times outright bitchy, but I found her internal contemplation, constant worrying, and cranky-pants personality genuine and pretty damn funny at times.
Other than being dissatisfied with the abrupt ending and lack of an epilogue, Jacked Up was a highly enjoyable read. This is when I wish there were half star ratings on GR because this isn’t a 5 star read but it’s better than a 4...so solid 4 ½ stars.
This quote pretty much sums up opposites attract Nolan and Eve.
He was a glass half full kind of person and she was…what? The glass is going to break before you can even pour kind of person. Yikes.
A+mazing! Another dark, seductive installment in the addictive Lords of Deliverance series and perhaps the best yet. Thana...more5 stars – Paranormal Romance
A+mazing! Another dark, seductive installment in the addictive Lords of Deliverance series and perhaps the best yet. Thanatos, the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, is a dangerous warrior who’s bearing of violence mixed with vulnerable longing makes for one lethally sexy hero. Larissa Ione has delivered once again! Big 5 stars!(less)
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wicke...more5 stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wickedly splendid read and a smashing good time! A Week to Be Wicked is one of the most engaging, refreshing, witty, banterific, and all around pleasing historical romances that I’ve read in quite a while and definitely so far this year.
Colin is a handsome, flirtatious, affable, generous, funny, sweet, and utterly lovable scoundrel whose tormented past and insecurity make you want to hold him tight, heal his wounded soul, and never let go. And spunky, awkward, bespectacled, bluestocking, spinster geologist Minerva, who prefers spending her time unearthing rare rocks and minerals and making scientific discoveries to people, might appear his polar opposite, but together they prove that magnets indeed attract.
Colin, with his good-natured, roguish charm, endearing wit, and underlying tortured soul, reminded me of one of my favorite romantic heroes, Leo Hathaway, Lord Ramsay from Lisa Kleypas’s masterful Married By Morning, and that’s high praise indeed!
It’s a highly enjoyable, gratifying read for historical romance fans! Big 5 stars!
One of my favorite scenes/passages:
(view spoiler)[A hint of sensual frustration roughened his voice. “And I will curse the gods along with them, Min. Some wild monsoon raged through me as I looked at you just now. It’s left me rearranged inside, and I don’t have a map.”
“I will insist you be man enough to take it. I won’t have you making light of my feelings, or making light of yourself—as if you’re not worthy of them. Because you are worthy, Colin. You’re a generous, good-hearted person, and you deserve to be loved. Deeply, truly, well, and often.”
He looked utterly bewildered. Well, what did he expect, after the power he’d given her? He couldn’t compare a woman to a torrentially beautiful monsoon, and then look surprised that he’d gotten wet. “You reckless man.” She laid a touch to his cheek. “You really should be more careful with those compliments.”(hide spoiler)]
I’m an avid Julie James fangirl and I love her snappy, clever, banterific dialogue and snarky humor. Practice Makes Perf...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
I’m an avid Julie James fangirl and I love her snappy, clever, banterific dialogue and snarky humor. Practice Makes Perfect, Something About You, and A Lot Like Love were some of my favorite reads of last year, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting Kyle’s story.
Although I didn’t enjoy About That Night as much as the previous books in the FBI/US Attorney series, it’s still an entertaining, satisfying read. The romance between sexy computer genius Kyle Rhodes, aka “Smug Dimples,” “Twitter Terrorist”, and Sawyer from Lost lookalike, and sassy law geek, “counselor”, “Meth Lab” Rylann, aka “Prosecutrix Pierce” and “brunette bombshell”, was highly amusing and steamy. These two ignited some serious sparks! I would have liked a bit more to the ending and an epilogue, but overall I really enjoyed it! 5 stars!
And who would have figured cyber geek Kyle for such a bedroom bad boy and smokin’ hot dirty talker?!?! Yowza!
This scene cracked me up.
“I don’t mind hot and spicy. Actually find that appealing in a girl.” He cocked his head, thinking this over. “And chicken wings.” Rylann turned her head and stared at him. “Did you really just compare me to chicken wings?” “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Chicken wings are the bomb.”
Oh my! I loooved gruff, growly, possessive, sexy, fiercely protective, and surprisingly funny alpha thunderbird Tiago Black Eagle soooo much!!!! Thea Harrison is going strong with this amazing series, and she’s two for two for me in terms of 5-star winners, especially when it comes to her powerful, dominating, mega yummy heroes!
Although I didn’t enjoy the overall story as much as Dragon Bound, Tiago and Niniane were fantastic characters and really great together. Their romance was sweet, playful, passionate, amusing, erotic, touching, and off the charts smokin’ hot! Tiago’s fascinating combination of ferociousness and tenderness, brute strength and gentle care, violent power and worshipful regard, stormy gruffness and hidden sensitivity, and wild sexuality and smoldering sensuality make him an unforgettable, devastatingly sexy, and utterly swoon-worthy hero. And it sure didn’t hurt that Niniane compared him visually to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson! YOWZA!
I’m absolutely loving this series, and I’m looking forward to Rune’s book, Serpent's Kiss, coming out in Oct’11. But when is yummy Graydon going to get his book?!?!
These are my favorite Niniane “Tricks” lines:
Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of regret. All they were good for was saying whoop-whoop-whoop and smacking each other over the head.
All of Dragos’s sentinels were mean and barbaric and sexy. Even that weird harpy-bitch Aryal, who she might have a teensy girl crush on. You know, in a totally hetero kind of way.
This passage is classic Tiago:
“Wait,” he said. When the policewoman paused and looked an inquiry at him, he rubbed the back of his neck and glared at the carpet as he tried to navigate in his head the foreign concepts involved in female frippery. “She likes pretty clothes. And lipstick, she likes lipstick and dangly earrings and things like that, with all the colors matching. And chocolate—could you buy her a box of chocolates? Maybe some of the stuff could be gift wrapped.” Rogers’s gaze softened. Tiago’s face darkened as the policewoman gave him a kind smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. She asked, “Anything else?” He scowled as he thought. What was all the stuff that Dragos’s mate got when she was convalescing? Well, aside from the diamond ring and shit. “Froufrou magazines,” he muttered. “You know, the girly stuff.” “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go shopping for her yourself?” His gaze jerked up to meet Rogers’s, and he shook his head. Unless it involved the word semiautomatic somewhere, he wouldn’t have the first clue. “I’m not leaving her,” he said. “You’ll have to do it. I’m sure what you pick out will be fine. I just want you to make sure it’s nice.”
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some gorgeous Tiago (Dwayne Johnson) eye candy:
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! This time the author endorsements and reader hype are more than justified! I haven’t been this blown away...more5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! This time the author endorsements and reader hype are more than justified! I haven’t been this blown away by a paranormal romance debut or as energized and jazzed about a new PNR series in a long time. Not since diving into the addictive worlds of J.R. Ward’s bold, unbeatable Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lara Adrian’s mesmerizing Midnight Breed, Larissa Ione’s distinctive, dark Demonica, and Nalini Singh’s unique Psy-Changeling have I gotten such a thrill from discovering a new paranormal romance series. Dragon Bound, the first book in Thea Harrison’s innovative, compelling Elder Races, gave me the same kind of high. I absolutely loved it!
Paranormal romance was my first foray into the vast world of romance after devouring the Twilight Saga and jonesing for more mature (and hotter!) fare and therefore will always have a special place in my heart. But after reading so many and finding blissful escape in other romance sub-genres that I love, I find I’m much more selective about PNR. I’m ecstatic that I’ve found a new series that’s got me excited about paranormal romance once again!
Dragon shifter Dragos is one of the most ancient and powerful Wyr in the world and his rule over New York City is absolute. Nobody defies him, so he’s enraged and enchanted that a slip of a woman like Pia Giovanni would dare to steal from his prized treasure. Half-breed Pia was raised to closely guard her half-Wyr nature from other wyrkind, even if that means becoming a thief to protect her secrets from her ex-boyfriend’s threats of blackmail. The last thing she needs is to anger and arouse the fiercest Wyr predator in existence, but that’s exactly what happens when Pia invades a dragon’s private hoard. In exchange for a pardon and her very life, Dragos makes Pia a bargain she can’t refuse, and she finds herself thrust into the mysterious, dangerous world of magic she’s fought so desperately to avoid. If only she could resist the smoldering attraction that burns hotter than dragonfire between her and Dragos!
Dragos...Be still my predator lovin' heart! YUM! He’s a hot, dangerous, possessive, dominating alpha hero used to getting anything and anyone he wants and always having everything his way, and he’s completely undone by his unfamiliar feelings for Pia. It was hilarious to witness his attempts to tame and gentle his beastly side for Pia, and sexy-as-all-get-out when he let the beast loose in their lovemaking. YOWZA! I loved Dragos and Pia together, and they had such funny, sexy banter and explosive chemistry. Pia’s resistance to Dragos annoyed me at times because I would have rolled over and begged for him, but her spunk was also charming.
One of the things that impressed me the most is how the author created such an imaginative, complex alternate modern society with so many fascinating varieties of magical beings (shifters, raptors, fae, elves, witches, goblins) and yet managed to avoid bogging down the story with too many heavy details and excessive world-building. There is an amazing cast of secondary characters that has me very eager for future books in the series.
With a hotter-than-hell, possessive alpha hero, a quirky, feisty heroine, fast-paced action, clever dialogue, sexy banter, snarky humor, scorching sexual tension, strong, intriguing secondary characters, and steamy love scenes, Dragon Bound has everything I crave in a romance. It kept me thoroughly entertained!
I highly recommend this for fans of Ward, Ione, Singh, Cole, Showalter, and Feehan, and anyone who enjoys an excellent paranormal romance. I can’t wait for Storm's Heart to see what’s in store next for this thrilling series. Big 5 stars!
A few of my favorite lines:
Oh my God, not only is he older than the Grand Canyon, but he’s like the pope and the Fae King and the president of the United States all rolled up into one. To some ancient cultures he had been a god. He was going to hurt her so bad before he killed her so dead, and all she could think of was how hot his kiss had been in the dream and how delicate the touch of his finger was as it traced down her body.
For God’s sake. The male was injured and here she was ogling him like a pervert in a porn store.
He rested his cheek against her head and rubbed her back. “I am cursed with a terminal case of curiosity,” he said. “I am jealous, selfish, acquisitive, territorial and possessive. I have a terrible temper, and I know I can be a cruel son of a bitch.” He cocked his head. “I used to eat people, you know.”
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