Empi Baryeh's Blog, page 5

Review: Princess of Estoria by Delaney Diamond | #RoyalBrides

Blurb
Inspired by current events.

Angela Lipscomb is flattered when Prince Andres of Estoria expresses interest in her, but she’s not looking for love. Not with a demanding career that takes all of her time and vivid memories of the pain caused by a broken heart. But their attraction is too strong to resist, and soon she’s convinced that an international fling couldn’t possibly hurt…could it?

Prince Andres is incapable of taking no for an answer. The playboy prince has set his sights on Angela, and neither the vastness of the ocean nor the distance of continents will keep him away. But when reality steps in, he’s forced to make a tough decision. Can their relationship work? Or are they better off apart?

MY REVIEW
Angela meets Andres at the wedding of her best friend (Dahlia, heroine from Princess of Zamibia). It's clear from the first meet that the attraction is mutual. After a romantic evening together, Andres wasn't ready to let go. Angela on the other hand had her reasons for not wanting to date such a public person. Andres took the necessary actions to quell her fears. He was the kind of alpha male I like. I loved Andres! He did do/say one stupid romance hero thing, but it's romance so...

The story dealt with racism, which is a relevant topic at the moment. It got enough page space without overshadowing the romance, which was great. I was also satisfied with how it was wrapped up.

Overall, this was a fairly standard royal romance plot. The trick was in the execution. Ms Diamond's writing shone through in this story and made reading it a delight.

If you like royal and/or billionaire romance and/or alpha male heroes, then you'll definitely enjoy this book. Read it.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

View all my reviews on Goodreads

Spotlight: Crashers by Lindy Hudis | #Crashers

Title: CrashersAuthor: Lindy S. HudisGenre: Crime ThrillerRelease Date: September 9th, 2019#CrashersHosted by Words Turn Me On



Enter the world of Crashers! A riveting story of love, desperation and greed. 
Fraudulent car accidents is a multi-million dollar racket, involving unscrupulous medical providers, personal injury attorneys, and the cooperating passengers involved in the elaborate network—and who also receive a portion of the illegal proceeds. Such is the fate of newly engaged, Nathan and Shari, whose joy is tempered by the dark cloud of mounting debt. 
GRAB A COPY https://books2read.com/u/mBgKgv










Chapter 1
For KXXX TV and KXXX AM Radio News, this is Katie Carlson with your mid-morning eye-in-the-sky traffic report, and it’s an easy one: It’s messed up EVERYWHERE! So far, the 405 South is backed up all the way to the 101. So, if you are going into Hollywood this morning, you are going to be late for that audition. Also, there is an injury crash on the Eastbound 10. So, if you are heading into downtown LA, you might want to bring a magazine or get some knitting done. If you are going to LAX, forget it, call mom back east and tell her you will be driving out instead. Just Kidding! Any way, this is Katie Carlson with the Los Angeles mid-morning traffic report. Enjoy your commute everybody, NOT!
* * *
As the blare of the clock radio on the night table jolted her awake, Shari Barnes rubbed her eyes, blew her long brown hair out of her face, and snuggled into Nathan Townsend’s chest. She curled her body around his middle and took a deep whiff of his salty, masculine neck.
But she couldn’t ignore the voice on the radio.
“Monday morning traffic,” she sighed.
Nathan matched the sigh and put his arms around her. “At least you don’t have to drive over the hill.”
“Yeah, I would just die if I had to drive into Beverly Hills every day to work in a beautiful office.” Shari giggled and disappeared under their thick blue comforter for a few more moments of sleepy-headed bliss. She felt Nathan stretch up, and a moment later the radio shut off. Then he slid down next to her in the single bed they shared in their Studio City apartment, a few blocks north of Ventura Boulevard. The constant drone and rumble of another L.A. morning came clearly through the open window: cars honking, rock music blaring, the frantic scurrying sounds of the film shoot a few blocks away. Shari ran her bare feet up the inside of Nathan’s thigh.
He jumped. “Shit, your feet are cold.” He pushed her legs off of him.
“What time is it?” she murmured between kisses.
“Um, seven.” He nuzzled her neck and she felt him becoming erect against her.
“No time for that!” She threw off the covers. “Gotta be at work on time for once; gotta get my ass out of bed.”
“There’s a snake in the bed?” Nathan grabbed her with both hands and gave her belly gentle nips.
“Yeah, of the one-eyed variety.” Shari leaped to the floor and padded naked into the bathroom. She turned the hot water in the shower to high and stepped in, filling the small bathroom with steam.
She had just poured a green drop of shampoo into her palm and was running her hands together when the flimsy yellow and white shower curtain flew back and Nathan grinned in at her. She smiled back, surprised by neither his arrival nor the partial hard-on that preceded him.
“Mind if we join you?” he asked.
“There’s enough shampoo for everybody,” Shari said as she rubbed her hands across her scalp.
He stepped into the stall, pulled the curtain closed and began to lather her hair for her. She put her hands on his back, feeling the taut muscles and the water streaming there, but did not reach down between them. It took him about five seconds to realize it and hold her away.
“You okay?”
“Fine….”
“Don’t lie; I can always tell when you have something on your mind.”
“You know me better than I know me,” she said.
“You know it.” He pushed her wet hair over her shoulders. “Come on, give.”
“I was thinking maybe I should get a second job.”
“You’re worrying about money again?”
“Well, I have to shoot my student thesis film this year or I won’t graduate. But where am I going to get the money I need?”
“How much do you need?”
“At least five figures.”

5 STARS!
“Now we are perfectly posed to raise the question this thriller centers on: When bad things happen to good people, how fragile is the line between morality and survival? Is a little unprovable insurance fraud a victimless crime, or the gate to unfathomable legions of dark decay? Against the fast paced, infamous Hollywood backdrop you won't be able to believe what is happening all while a tiny voice is zinging nagging questions at you about what you would do in their shoes. Add in sex, drugs, owners of houses of ill repute, the profession that has earned every filthy stereotype with less faith than you would offer the sleaziest used car salesman (attorneys at law, of course), a young cop eager to make a name with a personal vendetta, and all the innocent (and not so innocent) bystanders, plenty of surprising plot twists, this is a book you won't be able to put down.” - Backstage Blogs








Lindy S. Hudis is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her "Hollywood" story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. She is also the author of an erotic short story series, "The S&M Club" and "The Mile High Club". Her short film “The Lesson” was screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival and Cine-Nights in 2000. She is also an actress, having appeared in the television daytime drama "Sunset Beach". She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.
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#BookReview: The Rebel King by Kennedy Ryan | #AllTheKingsMen #KennedyRyan

Ambition. Revenge. Love.

Raised to resist. Bred to fight. Survival is in my blood and surrender is never an option.

Though surrender is what Maxim Cade demanded of my body and heart, I had other plans. We were fast-burning fascination and combustible chemistry, but the man I trusted with everything was a trickster. A thief who stole my love. If what we had was a lie, why did it feel so real? The man I swore to hate will have it all, and wants me at his side. But power is a game, and we're the pawns and players.

Facing insurmountable odds, will we win the world, or will we lose it all?

MY REVIEW
The Rebel King is the concluding part of Kennedy Ryan's All The King's Men duet. This part of the story tests Maxim and Lennix's love as tragedy strikes. At this point, I should say, "yes, yes, yes!" because I KNEW that (tragedy) would happen. As mentioned in my review of The Kingmaker, I'd expect it to be the cliffhanger...

I love heroes who are in no doubt about their love for the heroine, and Maxim Cade is all that! I thoroughly enjoyed this story, which made me laugh and tear up and sigh. Maxim Cade is a hero that will stay with me for a while.

#BookReview: Path to Passion (The Astacios book 2) by Nana Prah

BLURB
The man who broke her heart…

Is the man she now needs more than ever!

Heir to his family’s global empire, branding genius Miguel Astacio turns everything into marketing gold. Only his best friend’s sister seems immune to his magic touch. Until Tanya Carrington comes to him to save her floundering nightclub. Miguel is ready to rectify past mistakes. But will his supreme sacrifice win the heart of the woman he loves?

MY REVIEW
Path to Passion is not quite a second chance romance as the main characters never dated. However, it is clear from the start that they liked each other back in college and neither got over their falling out. 

Recently divorced Tanya only wants Miguel's marketing expertise to save her fledgling business she inherited after the divorce. The fact that he's grown into an even better man than the one she knew all those years ago doesn't help. As they work together, falling back in love is inevitable. 

The heroine wasn't exactly what I expected from Nana Prah. Yes, she was competent and stubborn, but she did some typical romance heroine things that made me roll me eyes. I got frustrated with her as she kept going back to the same fears and arguments. It felt repetitive (like, are back to this? Really?), though intellectually I understood her issues.  

I liked Miguel's honesty, owning up to who he was back in college and who he is now. His reason for breaking her heart in the past is explained satisfactorily. 

The romance was sweet, their passion sizzled, and I was happy to root for their happy ending. 

This  is book 2 in the Astacios series, and it was really nice to see the main characters from book 1 here. The hero of book 3 also makes an appearance, and I look forward to his story.

#BookReview: Twisted by Stanley Umezulike

BLURB

The fate of a family hangs in the balance.

The Obi family live a charmed life, the picture of success and love. But when their only son Emeka marries a woman his parents deem unworthy, the ties that bind begin to unravel.

Wealthy, happy and successful, Emeka’s world changes when he sets his eyes on Anita, a beautiful teacher who captures his heart. Though his family disapproves, Emeka is determined to make her his wife. But after what was supposed to be a brief introductory ceremony, his perfect world begins to collapse around him.

Determined to build a happy life with his new bride, Emeka keeps his family at a distance. But he soon finds himself immersed in desperate schemes of his overbearing parents, which gets out of hand when he uncovers a secret that threatens to tear the family apart.

Now, the Obi family members are in danger of losing everything they hold dear. The unimaginable is happening and series of events have already begun to push them into the darkest tunnels of their lives. Will they be able to weather this storm or will they be swept away by the tide?


MY REVIEW
As the title goes, Twisted is a story that shines a light on the evil that can lurk within a person and the consequences of the same. It's taken me a while to write this review, because I didn't know how to write it without sounding like I completely hated it. I'll outline what worked and what didn't, then you can make your decision.
The story starts with an intriguing prologue, which kept me interested wondering how present-day events fit into that. The pacing is even, so there were no boring stretches. The pertinent plot issues are resolved, leaving no serious loose ends. I found the hero to be unsympathetic, especially after some action he took for which he showed no remorse. Things work out too nicely for him, and he doesn't grow significantly over the course of the story.
The portrayal of women left a lot to be desired. With the exception of one, the women came off as victims. I wish the author had given more strength and depth to them. Thinking back on  it, though, I wonder if perhaps this is a reflection of the society depicted by this work of fiction. If that was the objective, then ok... 
The final thing I'll say is that, I feel the story should have come with some content warning, as there are a few scenes that could be triggering for some readers.
I should mention that this is not a romance novel. It has romantic elements and there is an HEA, but it's more of a family drama than a traditional romance story. This is my first time reading this author, and I'm open to reading more of his work..

#BookReview: From Enemy's Daughter to Expectant Bride by Olivia Gates

BLURB

Revenge and love collide in this Billionaires of Black Castle novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Olivia Gates

Rafael Salazar came back to Rio to destroy the man who stole his childhood. Then he spies the beauty across the ballroom…and passion overwhelms him. Even after the shock of discovering who she really is, he vows to make her his.

Eliana Ferreira has never met a man like Rafael—powerful, irresistible, unstoppable. She knows something dark drives the self-made billionaire, yet she can't deny him anything…until she discovers his terrible purpose. She is expecting his baby and is days away from becoming his bride, but will his revenge tear them apart forever?


MY REVIEW

I love Olivia Gates' and the high stakes plots of her novels. The premise of this story promised the same, although it turned out not to be what I expected.

This book is filled with passion pretty much from chapter one, even though sex doesn't happen until about 70 percent into the story. And it doesn't stop (I see some of you 1-clicking).

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but it could have been so much more...

Cover Reveal: Queen Move by Kennedy Ryan | #QueenMove #CoverCelebration #KennedyRyan #HonMagPR

QUEEN MOVE BY KENNEDY RYANQueen Move, an all-new beautiful and unforgettable second chance romance from RITA® Award-winning and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kennedy Ryan, is coming May 26th and we have the stunning cover! 
The boy who always felt like mine is now the man I can't have… Dig a little and you'll find photos of me in the bathtub with Ezra Stern.Get your mind out of the gutter. We were six months old.
**QUEEN MOVE WILL HAVE THE SPECIAL PRE-ORDER AND RELEASE WEEK PRICE OF $3.99. AFTER THAT, THE PRICE WILL INCREASE.**

PREORDER TODAY!AMAZON | APPLE BOOKS | AMAZON WORLDWIDE | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY
ADD TO GOODREADS | BE NOTIFIED FIRST WHEN QUEEN MOVE IS LIVECover Designed by Asha Hossain Design
Photography by Sophia Barrett Studios
Model: Lashae DennieENTER TO WINCover Celebration Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a $50 gift card and a signed paperback of Queen Move.CLICK HEREABOUT KENNEDY RYANWall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller and RITA® Award Winning author, Kennedy Ryan, writes about women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always worked with charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys raising Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine and Frolic, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta Autism families, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.
CONNECT WITH KENNEDY RYANWEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | READER GROUP | AMAZON | PINTEREST | BOOK + MAIN
NEVER MISS A RELEASEBOOKBUB | TEXT ALERTS | MAILING LIST
CONNECT WITH BLUE BOX PRESSWEBSITE

Book Review: Be My Valentine: Volume Two | #ValentineRomance #Antho #SweetRomance

Life is beautiful especially when you're in love.
Dive into these hand-picked contemporary romance novellas and fall in love this Valentine's Day.Featured storiesThe Curse of Valentine by Glory AbahShe will be loved by Zee MonodeeWhen Love Happens by Rosemary OkaforUntil Morning by Mukami NgariDisclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book, and this review is given voluntarily

MY REVIEWBe My Valentine: Volume Two is a good collection of sweet romance novellas that will appeal to readers who like something a little different.
                          BLURB                                                                      REVIEW
THE CURSE OF VALENTINE by Glory Abah
Jane fell in love in January, to a man she glimpses every evening after work on the way home. Not bold enough to talk to him, she’s content with just staring at her daily fix from afar.
Until one stupid February day when he approaches, starts a conversation and she bolts.
Because February is the worst month in the history of months. And she’s cursed. Cursed to be dumped and left broken-hearted on Valentine Day.
Can she break the curse of Valentine and keep the man she loves? A young woman who believes she's cursed at love panics when her crush takes the bold step of asking her out a week before Valentine's Day. To Jane, this is a disaster waiting to happen. The premise of this story was interesting, leading to a journey of self-acceptance by the heroine. I liked the setting, which depicted scenes very similar to life in Ghana. The story is told entirely from the heroine's POV and I found myself wishing there had been a portion in the hero's POV. There were a few places where I rolled my eyes, especially towards the end when confessions were being made. But, it's the stuff of romance novels... In all, this was a fun read. I liked Glory Abah's voice and will most likely check out her other books (4 stars)
SHE WILL BE LOVED by Zee Monodee
This Valentine’s Day, the music scene’s hottest artist, DJ Den, is set to perform his worldwide smash hit in Mauritius. Jaeden Kang—the man from Shetland behind the stage name—is looking forward to a break and some inspiration before his tour gobbles him up again.
Tanzanian medical doctor Zenobia Hashemi is visiting her brother on the island when her path crosses that of Jaeden and they’re off to a rocky start.
Neither of them ‘does’ love … but life has other plans for them during this trip! I enjoyed reading this story about two people who didn't expect to find love, but found it in each other. The beginning was a little bogged down with details of the setting. If you like that sort of thing, then you'll most certainly enjoy 'seeing' Mauritius through Zenobia and Jaeden's eyes. The characters were strong and well-defined; the plot, solid. However, what I enjoyed most about this story was the writing (as the highlights on my kindle will attest). Zee Monodee definitely knew what she was doing with this short story.
This story features characters from Unravelling His Mark, so it was a nice bonus to get a glimpse of the characters from that book here.
(5 stars)

WHEN LOVE HAPPENS by Rosemary Okafor
Morgan is ruthless and plays dirty to protect his billion-dollar conglomerate. However, he holds a dark secret that could destroy him if exposed. His relationships with women are about pleasure alone until one weekend with the beautiful Eno leaves him ready to risk everything for her.
Eno was a young journalist when she witnessed Morgan murder his wife. Six years later, she’s ready to do anything to make him pay for his crime. Until she falls for his charms. Now she’s torn between destroying the proud billionaire and allowing herself to fall in-love with him.
I love stories where the hero/heroine is accused of a crime and looks guilty. The story combines that with a hate-to-love plot. I found the romance enjoyable. Eno is a good combination of fiery and sweet; she and Morgan proved to be well-matched. A jealous love interest and another sub-plot added some suspense and intrigue. There a couple of loose ends that weren't fully tied for me, but they didn't affect the romance, so I won't sweat it. Overall, I found this to be a good story. (4 stars)


UNTIL MORNING by Mukami Ngari
Following a devastating relationship breakup, Zawadi is out on a girls’ night out with friends when she meets a sexy stranger with a deep soulful voice created for baby-making music, the handsome face and hot body of a potential cult leader and who rides a motorbike like a speed demon. He becomes her first one-night stand.
Soon she discovers the sexy stranger is her new investor, Gerald. Things deteriorate when he pretends he’s never met her and then she discovers his unfathomable secret.
Will love win this Valentine season? Until Morning was the surprise read of this set. The story drew me in from the onset with a heroine who owns her own business and is looking for financing (can someone say, girlpower). Things take an interesting turn when she meets the investor. I thoroughly I enjoyed this story. It was different. I particularly enjoyed how the author handled a flashback scene. There was one thing I thought a little odd (but I can't say, because...spoilers), but most readers will probably not notice it. Ms Ngari has a lovely writing voice - definitely an author I want to read again. (5 stars)

Book Review: An Outlandish Bid by EJ Brock | #DistinguishedGentlemenSeries

LIEUTENANT TAYLOR has spent his life haunted by the tragic loss of his mother. His babysitter, Mama Peaches, stepped in and filled the void. As loving and maternal as Peaches was, he never got over not being able to fix his mother. Subconsciously driven by the fact that he couldn’t save her, he has spent the last twenty years buying and fixing old houses. With more money than he can spend, he moves from Southlake Park to New York City, in search of a topnotch Investment Banker.

OCTAVIA WASHINGTON is a much sought-after Investment Banker. She has cultivated a semi-symbiotic workaholic relationship with Lieutenant. So much so that they are both unsuccessful in their personal love lives. Lieutenant’s nerves are rattled when he gets a call from Peaches about participating in a bachelor auction. He does not want to be sold like fresh meat, but he feels obligated. So, he comes up with a scheme in the name of Ms. Octavia Washington.

Will they be able to pull the wool over Mama Peaches’ eyes? Or will the wool finally be pulled off of their own...


My Review
After suffering a trauma in his childhood, Lieutenant (his name, not a title) is wary of noise, and stick to a strict routine. His investment banker appears to be the only one who can tolerate his 'brand' of weird. However, their relationship has remained business only. 


This is where the plot unravels for me. There was a  lot of focus on secondary characters and their POVs, telling us how meant-to-be LT and Octavia are. I'd have liked to see more of this directly from the main characters. This made it hard to connect to the hero and heroine. Their romance also doesn't really begin until the last 3rd or so of the book. Another thing that was never resolved for me what why LT moves to NY. As it says in the blurb "he moves from Southlake Park to New York City, in search of a topnotch Investment Banker" whon we learn is Octavia, but I wasn't sold on his reason.

Unlike the stories in the series I've read so far, most of this story happens before the bachelor auction, which only serves as a catalyst for their HEA. 

Try a sample and decide whether you want the whole cake.

Book Review: The Alpha Bid by Ty Young | #DistinguishedGentlemenSeries

LIEUTENANT TAYLOR has spent his life haunted by the tragic loss of his mother. His babysitter, Mama Peaches, stepped in and filled the void. As loving and maternal as Peaches was, he never got over not being able to fix his mother. Subconsciously driven by the fact that he couldn’t save her, he has spent the last twenty years buying and fixing old houses. With more money than he can spend, he moves from Southlake Park to New York City, in search of a topnotch Investment Banker.

OCTAVIA WASHINGTON is a much sought-after Investment Banker. She has cultivated a semi-symbiotic workaholic relationship with Lieutenant. So much so that they are both unsuccessful in their personal love lives. Lieutenant’s nerves are rattled when he gets a call from Peaches about participating in a bachelor auction. He does not want to be sold like fresh meat, but he feels obligated. So, he comes up with a scheme in the name of Ms. Octavia Washington.

Will they be able to pull the wool over Mama Peaches’ eyes? Or will the wool finally be pulled off of their own...


My Review
After suffering a trauma in his childhood, Lieutenant (his name, not a title) is wary of noise, and stick to a strict routine. His investment banker appears to be the only one who can tolerate his 'brand' of weird. However, their relationship has remained business only. 

This story had the makings of a great romance--the tortured hero who shows strength and owns up to his weakness, the perfect woman right under his nose that he can't see etc. Given how long they've known each other and how important they they have become to each other, it isn't a surprise that others see what they can't. 

This is where the plot unravels for me. There was a  lot of focus on secondary characters and their POVs, telling us how meant-to-be LT and Octavia are. I'd have liked to see more of this directly from the main characters. This made it hard to connect to the hero and heroine. Their romance also doesn't really begin until the last 3rd or so of the book. Another thing that was never resolved for me what why LT moves to NY. As it says in the blurb "he moves from Southlake Park to New York City, in search of a topnotch Investment Banker" whon we learn is Octavia, but I wasn't sold on his reason.

Unlike the stories in the series I've read so far, most of this story happens before the bachelor auction, which only serves as a catalyst for their HEA. 

Try a sample and decide whether you want the whole cake.