Make Me, Sir by Cherise Sinclair

(Masters of the Shadowlands, book 5)

Her job is to make his life miserable. His job is to make her submit. Whose heart will surrender first?

Across the country, rebellious BDSM submissives are being systemically kidnapped, one from each club. When her friend falls prey to the slavers, FBI victim specialist Gabrielle volunteers to be bait in a club not yet hit: the Shadowlands.

She finds that being a bratty sub comes naturally, especially when she gets to twit the appallingly conservative Master of the trainees. But she soon discovers he’s not as stuffy as she’d thought. Or as mean. She’d expected punishment, even humiliation, but she sure never expected to fall in love with a damned lawyer.

Courtesy of a prima donna ex-wife, Marcus loathes disobedient submissives. When the club owner insists he admit an incredibly bratty trainee, he’s furious. But as he comes to know Gabrielle and sees the alluring sweetness beneath the sass, he starts to fall for her.

Unfortunately, Marcus isn’t the only one who believes the feisty redhead is a prize worth capturing. And in the world of the slaver, such treasure is worth a hefty fee.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, strong BDSM theme and elements, violence.

I took a vacation away from the Shadowlands, but holy tits…I am so glad I came back. The first three books in this series were pretty great, but the main characters in the fourth book just killed all my momentum to read all six books in a row. I needed a break from the whips and chains and St. Andrews crosses at Club Shadowlands. Well, my little sex kittens, let me tell you something: Make Me, Sir brought me back to the Shadowlands – and it brought me back in a wonderful, vagina tingling way.

Make Me, Sir is my favorite of the Shadowlands books by far, not just because of the main characters, but also due to the plot line. Gabi worked her way right up next to the likes of Jessica and Kari (my two favorite subs from the books thus far) and Master Marcus…I mean…Christ on a cracker, he is just nice piece of fuckleberry pie. He’s smart, he’s strong, he’s a Dom, AND he has a nice, southern gentleman drawl?! I’ll take a slice of that, please. Actually, just give me the whole damn pie. I would let him chase me around the Capture Gardens any day.

I’ve really come to enjoy Cherise Sinclair’s BDSM novels, but the plot line in Make Me, Sir took my like to a whole new level. With the additional suspense and mystery of the sex trafficking ring, it added more depth to this novel and kept me intrigued and guessing from the first page right up until the very last line. I loved that we got a few moments from Jessica’s POV, and it delved a little deeper into the status of her and Z’s relationship. If you love the other couples from the previous Shadowlands books, no worries, they’re all here! AND one of my favorite aspects of Club Shadowlands is back in this book….THE CAPTURE GARDENS!! I wish I could explain why this concept is so ridiculously hot, but I don’t want to keep you here all night ;)

Make Me, Sir is a horribly sexy read that I would absolutely recommend reading…in the privacy of your home. (Trust me on this one!) The steamy scenes, not just between Marcus and Gabi, will leave your lady bits tingling and make you wish you had a Master Marcus of your own. If you like novels centered around BDSM activity, you need to read the Shadowlands series; I have yet to find a BDSM novel or series that compare to these books. 

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

The Story of Rachel by K.D. McLean

Rachel Collins is praying. And not for world peace. Thirty six years old and single, her prayer is self-centered. “Kill me now, Lord,” she pleads during her latest attempt to meet Mr. Right via the internet.

She’s not hoping for a billionaire or even a millionaire, just a guy who can strike a spark to her tinder! Is she asking too much? She’s a great gal! Just ask her parents! She might be a bit naïve about some things, but capable enough – she’s a correspondent for a major magazine, after all. So there!

On assignment she meets Michael, 42 years old, also a writer. The attraction is immediate and intense. Rachel, who sees vanilla only as a baking ingredient, enchants him. Michael can whip up some pretty hot delights himself, outside of the kitchen. He introduces a curious Rachel to powerful experiences of sensuality. Her Ladylike sense of propriety engages in a running battle with her now sparked Tinderbox desires.

Michael is an excellent cook and knows how to turn up the heat. Sampling the flavors offered, Rachel experiences humorous hiccups. On a date, Michael ramps up the risqué, resulting in a memorable skirt swirling salsa dance. Rachel’s “What the hell, I ain’t getting any younger” attitude spurs Michael to take her to the exclusive, adults only club, Pandora’s. Here, Rachel witnesses even more variations of earthly delights, and begins a lifelong friendship with another guest.

Michael is a realist, convinced that within 90 days, his affair with Rachel will be but another painful memory of loss. He is neither willing nor able to yell ‘Geronimo’ and fall for her. He can’t, and that’s that.

Maybe he should just get a damn dog.

**I was gifted a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**

I’m kind of surprised that more people haven’t written books that involve the pitfalls and amusement of online dating. (Hell, maybe they have and I just don’t know about them). While I personally have never gotten involved in a dating site, my best friend has – and I seriously can’t thank her enough for the hilariousness that she has brought into my life with this online dating. She sends me some of the messages and pictures she gets, and it just kills me. (I won’t name which site, but it’s free so…I think that should tell you enough). Why am I talking about this? Well, because Rachel’s online dating experience seems to be just about level with my best friend’s – brutal, disappointing, yet pretty damn entertaining.

The Story of Rachel is a mix of BDSM, romance, and a dash of humor. Rachel and Michael’s relationship isn’t all rainbows and unicorns and dancing vaginas – it seems to fall the way most BDSM relationships do; man and woman meet, he introduces her to the world of D/s, the woman wants a relationship but the man has some sort of emotional holdback, the woman gives an ultimatum and/or leaves, then after a week-ish the man finally realizes this chick is the bee’s knees and gets over his shit. Not that I don’t enjoy that type of plot line, but it just seems to be getting slightly repetitive. I will say this though, I liked Rachel’s character a hell of a lot more than the shy, 20-something, virgin that numerous authors have used as their main female character in BDSM novels.

Rachel’s sense of humor was refreshing and pretty funny, and I think maybe I enjoyed her and Michael’s relationship because it didn’t ever feel immature. She wasn’t whiny or needy – this is a chick that knows what she wants and knows what she deserves; she’s a strong woman who has her shit together and I dig that. I can’t say that Michael is going in my book boyfriend category (I mean, I am in my mid 20’s and he’s almost old enough to be my dad) but that doesn’t mean I didn’t like him and Rachel together. The only real complaint I have involves Rachel’s inner monologue; her Ladylike and her Tinderbox. This reminded me so much of Ana’s “inner goddess” in Fifty Shades, which bugged the crap out of me. This is what I picture when authors use little characters to play out their thoughts: 

Ahh, Lizzie McGuire takes me back....ANY WHO....

I gave The Story of Rachel 3 stars because while most of the humor was funny, some of it felt contrived or forced. And while I did like Rachel and Michael as a couple, I had a bit of a hard time connecting with his character – maybe it was his age, I don’t know. All in all, I did enjoy The Story of Rachel, and if you’re looking for a book mixed with romance, humor, and a twinge of BDSM, I think you’ll like it too! 

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

Sins & Needles Blog Tour

*I was gifted an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Synopsis & My Review:

Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents’ latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.

**The Artists Trilogy is a dark and sexy contemporary ride about three flawed individuals caught in a world where it’s so easy to justify the bad things we do. This is a pure adult read (Not YA or NA). **

"This was a high contrast world and I lived a high contrast life." - Ellie

Sweet Jesus – This book took a toll on me. If my emotions were a person, they would be the person drinking straight from the bottle of Jack; because really, who has time for a chaser or a mixer when you feel like you could cry, scream, and throw things all at the same time?! My emotions don’t.

Sins & Needles is a story about deception, manipulation, justification, and redemption. Ellie Watt grew up being used as a pawn in her parents’ schemes and con jobs, and as if it was in her DNA, she followed in their footsteps and decided to make her living conning men out of money. That is, until she cons the wrong man, and is forced to run back to the only place where she can ditch her alter egos and con lifestyle, and just be Ellie Watt – no schemes, no cons, no games. The only place she can attempt to go legit; Palm Valley. Her plans of making a decent living screech to a halt when she runs into Camden McQueen, her former best friend, and finds out he runs a tattoo business. Correction: a very successful tattoo business. While Ellie sees nothing but dollar signs and sets her plan in motion to con Camden, he devises a plan of his own – one that leaves Ellie with no choice but to agree to his terms, regardless of how dangerous they may be.

You know why I loved this book so much?? Well, one reason I loved this book so much…because it was something foreign to me. This story line was brilliant, and took me to a place I knew nothing about – con artists, fake identities, drug cartels, mafia relations; this story made me experience things I have never come close to being involved with in reality. Sure, it’s nice to be able to relate to the story line and the characters, but every so often you need a book that is purely alien to everything you know; a book that takes you out of your comfort zone. Sins & Needles is that book. The characters were extremely well written, albeit incredibly frustrating at times! Ellie damn near broke my heart when she went through with her plan to con Camden, and Camden kind of scared the hell out of me after he caught her. I mean, this line gave me fucking chills: “I own you, Ellie Watt.”

Sins & Needles by far exceeded my expectations, and I will definitely be waiting on pins and needles until the sequel is released. (See what I did there? Huh? Yeeeeah, you see what I did there). This book will take you on a roller coaster of a journey that will rip you apart, put you back together…and then rip you apart all over again. But it’s worth it; hot damn, it’s soooo worth it!

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble (not available yet)

A Beautiful Lie by T.E. Sivec

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Playing with Fire series, book 1)

He saw her first, but his friend made the move.

She settled for the safer choice, but her heart knew the truth.

They love, they crave, they lie.

Garrett McCarthy, Annabelle Parker, and Milo Roberts were as close as friends could get. They shared in each other’s joy during graduations, promotions, and engagements. They consoled one another through heartache and loss.

When one of the friend’s life is cut short, it’s up to the two left behind to pick up the pieces and find out the truth – no matter the cost. As they slowly start to uncover the nature of his deception, and the very powerful people behind it, they begin to question everyone and everything, including themselves.

Everyone has secrets – some do it for love while others do it for power. Those secrets can change perceptions, alter reality, and sometimes destroy lives.

What do you do when you find out your whole life has been a lie?

Tara Sivec never ceases to amaze me. I fell in love with her writing after reading the Chocolate Lovers series, and was as giddy as a kid in a candy store when I found out she was writing another novel. That being said, I was a little nervous when I found out it wasn’t going to be anything like her previous books – I mean, the woman is freaking hilarious, how could I read something of hers and not want it to be funny?! Well, let me tell y’all something; this book doesn’t need funny and not once did I think to myself, “Man, I really wish this had some of her inappropriately hysterical humor in it.” You know why? Because it’s absolutely fucking perfect.

The story of Garrett, Parker, and Milo is one fueled by secrets, deceit, and guilt, then lit on fire with passion, what if’s, and so much sexual tension I wanted to jump into the story, smack both of them and yell, “JUST DO IT ALREADY, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST PUT YOUR P IN HER V!!”Now, as much as I clearly wanted both of them to give into their desires and push their consciences aside, I feel like the sexual build up was absolutely necessary in this novel. They are both wrestling with a huge cloud of guilt; how could he betray his deceased best friend by sleeping with his former fiancée? How could she be disloyal to him and sleep with his best friend since childhood? It’s this constant tug of war between their heads and their hearts that kind of rips you apart a little.

Oh, and when they do finally give in to each other…holy mother of God; it’s everything I wanted it to be and so much more! If every author gave me a scene like that after a lot of sexual tension and word foreplay, I would never, ever complain about having to wait for shit to go down. It was that good!

The characters were easy to love, and the storyline and writing were both flawless; just when you think you have it all figured out, Tara unveils a new layer of deception that you probably never even saw coming. I know I didn’t. My heart broke for not only Parker, but Garrett as well; as more and more of the pieces started to fall into place, you could feel him questioning just how much of his friendship with Milo was real. How could he not have seen past his façade to see the monster that he really was? It’s the mother load of deceptions that will leave you slack jawed…or wanting to punch him in his stupid face. Yeah; definitely wanting to punch him in the face.  

A Beautiful Lie just reiterates why Tara Sivec is absolutely one of my favorite authors. Her writing sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the very last word of the very last page. Well, actually longer than that considering I thought about this book for days after I finished it. She effortlessly transitioned from the humorous brilliance we were all used to, to something…well…beautiful. While I don’t normally love stories written in third person, I understand why Tara did it. We needed to see exactly how both of them reacted not only to certain situations, but to each other. We needed to feel the chemistry and the want between these two, and I think it worked impeccably. This torrid love story coupled with the air of mystery, and a healthy dose of angst left me absolutely, 100 percent satisfied. 

And in case you're interested, here are my casting picks for Garrett and Parker:

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

Laced in Malice by Riley Gray

(Laced series, book 1)

Behind the creepy castle like exterior of Birchtree Academy is the sound of gossip, backstabbing, and malice. When Zara’s dad takes on the new principal job at the elite boarding school, Zara knows she’ll be an outsider. She dreams of true love and marriage instead of possible frenemies and secrets. Definitely not Birtchtree material.

In the cusp of everything are the twins. Oliver and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Nixon are renowned for their different – yet equally effective – methods of torture. And both have their eyes set on goody, goody Zara. Oliver wants to date her and Lizzie wants to befriend her.

At first, Zara is caught in the Nixons spell, but it’s not long until cracks begin to show through their dazzling façade. An anonymous email account, which targets students with their own secrets, has focused its energy on Zara using weapons only the Nixons could have provided. But have they turned on her? Is there a hidden agenda behind Lizzie’s interest in Zara? It’ll take four months, three warnings, two released sex tapes, and one dead body for Zara to finally learn the truth. And the truth can either destroy the boy she’s fallen for – and his twin sister – or save them both.

*This review does contain spoilers; although, they aren’t really spoilers if you’ve seen Cruel Intentions. Regardless, check yourself before you wreck yourself.*

It’s kind of hard for me to review this book – I love the story line, I really do, but it’s too familiar. Cruel Intentions has been one of my favorite movies since the day I first saw it, and I knew after reading the synopsis for Laced in Malice that it would be a similar plot; I just didn’t realize how alike it would be. Sure, there are a few tweaks but overall, it just seemed to me that this book was Cruel Intentions in book format.  

Here’s a brief rundown for you: Zara’s father accepts the position of principal at a prestigious boarding school, which she is will now be attending. Before she arrived on campus, she gave an interview to the school magazine that explained her stance on abstaining from sex until marriage, and she prided herself on the fact that she was still a virgin. Enter the Nixon twins: Lizzie and Oliver. Lizzie seems picture perfect on the outside, and immediately befriends Zara, while her twin brother, Oliver, continually tries to charm the pants of Zara – literally. It soon becomes clear the twins have ulterior motives for their actions with Zara, and everyone can see that…except her.

Now yes, there are a few differences between Laced in Malice and Cruel Intentions, but not many. When I started this book, I was hoping for a similar idea with a different direction, but (and this is just my opinion) what I got was a knockoff of a movie. I just wish the author had put more original concepts in this story, and then maybe I would have been able to enjoy it a little more. I just don’t like reading a book feeling like I’ve already seen the movie, when in fact; it’s a book that’s not even supposed to tie to a movie.

Here are a few examples of the similarities to support my opinion:

(The character names in Laced in Malice are Zara, Oliver, and Lizzie; in Cruel Intentions, they are Annette, Sebastian, and Kathryn)

1. The characters are essentially the same: Zara and Annette are both virgins who did an interview with a magazine pledging their vow of abstinence, and the importance of love and marriage before sex. Oliver and Sebastian are both womanizing, man whores that sleep with pretty much anyone, and then try to convince the virgin on campus that sex isn’t that big of a deal. Lizzie and Kathryn are both essentially the ringleaders; they have ridiculous control over their brothers, pretend to have a tremendous amount of faith in God, and on the outside they look like the model student.

2. Journals: Sebastian keeps a journal, Oliver keeps journals. Sebastian ends up giving his journal to Annette to read, hoping it will explain why he did what he did. Oliver ends up giving his journals to Zara to read, hoping it will explain why he did what he did. The notes that accompany the journals are awfully similar as well, but I don’t really feel like typing out both of them. Just know…they’re similar.

3. The hypocrite speech: Sebastian and Oliver both give a nice little speech where they call Annette and Zara hypocrites. They’re not identical, but pretty freaking close. Check out the comparison:

Sebastian to Annette: “You spend all your time preaching about waiting for love. Well here it is. Right in front you, and you’re going to turn your back on it. So I guess we’re just fucked. I’ll move on. But you’re going to have to live the rest of your life knowing that you’ve turned your back on love. And that makes you a hypocrite. Have a nice life.”

Oliver to Zara: “You’re a hypocrite, you know. You go on and on about waiting to find someone and love and intimacy and then when you finally find what you say you’ve been looking for, you run the other way. You did this to me, Zara. You made me fall for you and now I’m not good enough? You know what, screw you.”

4. The escalator scene: Anyone who has seen Cruel Intentions knows exactly what scene I’m talking about. It’s quite possibly the best…and most memorable…scene of the entire movie. It gives me chills every time. I love it. And that scene is duplicated almost exactly in Laced in Malice, even the dialogue is the same!

Cruel Intentions: Annette says, “I’m impressed,” to which Sebastian replies, “Well, I’m in love.”

Laced in Malice: Zara says, “Well, I’m impressed at least,” to which Oliver replies, “Well, I’m in love. With you.”

That scene was what irked me more than anything. How are you going to copy the dialogue and just add a few extra words?! Gaaaah, it drove me nuts! It was after that when I started to get really annoyed with the unoriginality; luckily I only had about 4% of the book left.

Ultimately, I gave it three stars because the book itself was very well written and Riley Gray obviously has talent as an author. I wish I could rate it higher, I really do, but the fact that it seems to just be a knockoff of Cruel Intentions bummed me out. You can’t top that movie, or even match it content wise, in my opinion. It appears Riley may be veering from the movie plot in the next book of the series, which would be pleasing; regardless, I’ll still read the sequel and hopefully I can produce a more positive review the second time around.   

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters

“Who gives a damn about their reputation? Oh, that would be me! Especially since mine has gone straight to Hell in the span of thirty minutes.”

Maysie Ardin is soaking up the summer before her junior year of college, shopping, hanging by the pool, and shopping some more. But when her black belt in spending lands her in trouble with her parents, she is forced to take a second job at a local bar to dig herself out of a deep financial pit.

She thought she’d be miserable. But then Maysie didn’t count on Jordan Levitt, the hot, pierced and tattooed, drum playing bartender who also happens to be very interested in her. And the feelings are totally mutual.

It had the makings of the perfect romantic set up. Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy has girlfriend? Okay, maybe not.

But attraction is a hard thing to ignore and soon Jordan and Maysie find themselves in the middle of a gossip induced firestorm. Maysie has to learn whether she can set aside her fear of public disapproval in order to be with the one she wants. Or will she let the opinions of others dictate her life and her heart?

**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

“His voice was like liquid caramel. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with him. I wanted no holds barred, throw-me-against-a-wall-and-pound-me-within-an-inch-of-my-life sex.” – Maysie

Maysie gets a little too swipe-happy with her credit card so after she racked up a $3,500 bill and royally pissed off her parents, she gets a serving job at Barton’s, a local bar, to earn more money and pay back her parents. Enter Jordan; the tattooed, pierced, bad boy-ish bartender. They are instantly attracted to each other, except there’s one little problem: Jordan has a girlfriend. And his girlfriend isn’t just anybody. After this new revelation, Maysie finds herself battling what her heart and her head are telling her to do; which will she let win?

You know those people who care more about what people think about them than how they actually feel? The people who will do things they don’t want to do, date people they don’t want to date, steer clear of confrontation at all costs because God forbid someone say something bad about them? The people who care more about their reputation than their character?

Well, you do now; Maysie is one of those people. She lives to please her constantly disapproving parents, keep her sorority sisters happy, and make sure her reputation stays intact. She lives in constant fear that someone will think badly of her. I gotta tell ya, it was a bit exhausting at times and there were several times I just wanted to reach through my Nook and smack her; the girl didn’t even necessarily like being in a sorority but stayed anyway because to her, it was a good way to meet people. I guess so? (I can’t speak firsthand, I was never in a sorority; I dropped out of rush week the second day when I found myself rolling my eyes at 90 percent of everything involved. Well, that and I didn’t want to stay away from the 3 B’s: boys, bars, and booze. Who wants to spend their first week on campus sober and surrounded by all girls? Not me.)

I was really torn on how I felt about Jordan. I ended up loving him, but really?! The dude says he’s crazy about Maysie, yet refuses to break up with Olivia?! That deserves a dick punch. I understand they’ve been together for a long time, but he gives perfectly good explanations as to why they aren’t good together anymore; so whyyyy is he still with her? Homeboy, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Pick a chick. He did manage to make it back into my good graces though, and ultimately I think he and Maysie are pretty damn great together. These are two people who, for the most part, really did try to do the right thing but failed miserably.

Bad Rep isn’t just an angst-driven romance – it’s about accepting the fact that you can’t please everyone. No one wants to be the source of whispers and rumors, but at some point you just have to tone it out. Live for you, do what makes you happy, and if somebody doesn’t like it…well…fuck ‘em. Throw in some incredibly panty-tingling sex scenes, bitchy sorority sisters, douchebag fraternity brothers, and a handful of genuinely great friends and you have the makings of a pretty great read.

Purchase on Amazon Kindle 

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde

(Avoiding series, book 2)

Lexi has finally given up her once destructive relationships and moved onto bigger and better things with a sexy new man in town. Just when she is starting to figure it out with him, her world is tilted once again with a phone call from none other than Ramsey Bridges. A year after his entrance into her life, Ramsey is trying to make amends and does the one thing she never expects – invites her to Jack’s wedding.

The wedding she had evaded at all costs. But no matter what she does, Lexi can’t seem to escape her past with Jack. But does she really want to?

Despite the explosive chemistry between Lexi and Ramsey, she is skeptical about trusting him after everything that has happened. When things are amiss with him, she starts questioning his motives. Can Ramsey be the one to remove Jack from Lexi’s life permanently or should she move on with her blossoming new life?

“There was no reason to lie for him…not anymore.” – Lexi

Everything changed. And there was no way in hell I could have ever seen it coming.

After reading Avoiding Commitment, I was 100 percent planted on Team Jack. I didn’t care that he was a huge dick and refused to give Lexi a real relationship; when they were together, it was almost like I could feel the steam rising off my Nook. I felt the sexual tension in every way possible. As dysfunctional as they might be, they just fit together. I wanted them together. I wanted Jack to pull his head out of his ass, kick Bekah’s bitch ass to the curb, and ravage Lexi right there in his office.

Not anymore.

K.A. Linde made me abandon ship on Team Jack and take a lifeboat over to Team Ramsey.

That’s right, y’all; I am in love with Ramsey. While reading Avoiding Commitment, I thought to myself several times, “Ramsey seems like a nice guy” but I never actually wanted him and Lexi together. I was so firmly rooting for Jack and Lexi that I didn’t want to even entertain the idea of her being with anyone else; even someone as mysteriously intriguing as Ramsey. All that changed after Avoiding Responsibility.

I fell for Ramsey Bridges…HARD. The little things he did for Lexi showed just how much he absolutely adored her, and it made my heart smile. And the scene in the kitchen at Ramsey’s house?! CHRIST ON A CRACKER. I needed a cigarette after that; it was that fucking hot. It was at that moment that I realized I was riding shotgun with Ramsey at the wheel, and Jack was in my rearview mirror, standing in the dust. How in the hell K.A. Linde managed to completely rip me away from Jack and throw me into the waiting arms of Ramsey, I’ll never know. But one thing I do know is that she’s good. Damn good.

Now don’t get me wrong, Ramsey and Lexi’s relationship isn’t all rainbows and unicorns; they have their fair share of shitstorms but it’s nothing that seems unfixable. They seem to perfectly balance each other out and the ending was like a breath of fresh air; just plain perfection.

Avoiding Responsibility gave me so much more than I thought it would. I never expected to love this new path K.A. Linde decided to take me on, but I did. I loved it. Sure, all the characters still pissed me off from time to time and they all deserved a nice punch in their suckholes on several occasions, but the frustration level (for me) wasn't nearly as high as it was in Avoiding Commitment. I absolutely can’t get enough of this series, and thankfully it’s not over yet. I can only imagine what K.A. Linde has up her sleeve for the third book; I’m already mentally preparing myself…

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

Troubles and Treats by Tara Sivec

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Chocolate Lovers series, book 3)

Drew and Jenny have spent years being the envy of their friends with their out of control sex lives – well, not really. Mostly it makes their friends want to throw up in their mouths a little.

With two little kids and two busy lives, for the first time, Drew and Jenny aren’t on the same page in the bedroom. Drew will stop at nothing to get his previously amorous wife back in the sack and Jenny will do anything for a full night of sleep.

Carter and Claire, and Jim and Liz are their usual (un)helpful selves and are full of advice for the disconnected duo, wanting nothing more than to help restore order to the usually happy couple’s lives.

In the third installment of the Chocolate Lovers Series, will Drew and Jenny find the spark that’s been missing in their marriage, or will the trouble they’re having cause a stickier situation than the time Jenny poured honey all over Drew and he fused himself to a tree?

*WARNING: This review does contain some colorful language. Because it's necessary. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.*

I have one word; HOW?! How in the holy hell does Tara Sivec continue to put out books that have me crying from laughter?! I can come up with only one logical explanation; I’ve said it before and you better believe I’ll say it again – Tara Sivec is an actual genius. She’s the kind of genius that talks about sexually curious ghosts, killer cats, and vibrator races.  If just those three things alone don’t make you want to read Troubles and Treats, then you should probably rethink your life decisions. Seriously.

I don’t think it’s any secret that I absolutely love all three of Tara’s books, however, I have a slight confession: I was a little nervous about this one. Don’t y’all throw your vibrators at me in anger just yet!! I was only nervous because I absolutely loved Claire and Carter in the first two books, and although I thought Drew was pretty damn hilarious, I never really felt much of anything for Jenny. I was worried that I wouldn’t connect with the couple the way I did with Claire and Carter, because let’s face it, the bar was set pretty high. Well, guess who ended up eating a nice, big piece of crow pie. This girl right here. (I don’t know if crow pie is a real thing, but you know what I mean…eating crow…eating your words…I think it’s a real kind of pie. Whatever, I give up.)

I love Drew and Jenny; love, love, love them! In the first two books of the series, here is basically what I knew about Drew and Jenny – he’s funny as shit and wears hilarious t-shirts, and she’s…well…she just gets a little confused sometimes; bless her heart. In Troubles and Treats, you get a more in-depth look into not only their relationship, but them as individuals. Jenny isn’t really as dumb as I thought she was in the first two books – and she’s actually pretty damn funny herself. Drew (maybe I should start referring to him as Meat Fairy) was funny as ever; between thinking his wife is faking an injury for workman’s comp to almost calling his own son a “cock blocking asshole,” his chapters had me laughing like an escapee from an insane asylum. Maybe I should have learned from the past two books in this series that unless I want people to stare at me like I’m a lunatic, I should probably read Tara’s books in the privacy of my own home. Not at my desk at work. Or in the waiting room at the dentist’s office.

I could probably list 264 reasons why I loved Troubles and Treats but considering it is finals week, I don’t have that kind of time. Or honestly, I’d probably just end up typing the entire freaking book and putting a headline above it that says “HERE IS WHAT I LOVED ABOUT TROUBLES AND TREATS”…and then I’m taking away from Tara’s book sales…and probably doing something illegal…and just being an all-around asshole. Well, I like to pride myself on not being an asshole (most of the time) and I would never do that to anyone, so y’all are going to have to just go buy the book yourselves.

I gave Troubles and Treats 5 vibrating, battery-charged stars, because once again Tara Sivec has made me cry from laughter. The Chocolate Series is by far one of the best trilogies I have ever read. EVER. Do y’all know how serious that statement is? Buy Troubles and Treats and read it right this second, if you know what’s good for you. Well, if what’s good for you is some vulgar language, sex, and ridiculous humor, that is. Seriously though, Troubles and Treats is just plain amazeballs; Tara Sivec and the Chocolate Lovers Series earn a STANDING O from me!!! And that’s O for ovation, not orgasm, you dirty birds ;)

PS – Yo, Tara! If you’re ever in the great state of Kansas, holla atcha girl!! I'll either take you out for drinks or to a KU basketball game; those are the only things to offer here :)

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble

Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde

(Avoiding series, book 1)

Jack and Lexi never had a typical relationship. After 2 years without speaking, she receives a phone call that changes everything. He unexpectedly asks her to convince the new girl, Bekah, that he’s ready to commit. Jack is calling now after everything they had been through because there is another woman. She can’t believe it. Follow Lexi in this heart wrenching drama as she relives her past relationship, or lack thereof, with Jack, and not just in her own mind, but to his fiancé-to-be. Throw in Bekah’s hot brother who always seems to be in the right place at the right time, a past with more secrets to unravel than you can even imagine, and you get a recipe for disaster. Find out what happens to Lexi as she travels to Atlanta to get the closure she so desperately desires from Jack, and how the bumps of life seem to keep getting in the way.

“We both know what we are. We cheated on other people, and that was what defined us. That was what defined our connection for quite some time.” – Lexi

OH. SWEET. MOSES. This book…it just…I can’t even…

My world got rocked. Hard.

You know that couple that isn’t really ever a couple? They flirt, they stand just a little too close to each other all the time, they sneak glances at each other when they don’t think anyone is paying attention…but people are paying attention, they radiate beams of built up sexual tension; it’s the same “couple” that can go from love to hate to love faster than you can blink a fucking eye; they can go years without talking and yet when they see each other, they are like two sexually-charged magnets – drawn together. They fight like cats and dogs, and then make up like rabbits. They should be together…but they shouldn’t. They complete each other…but they rip each other apart. They don’t know how to live with – or without – each other. They’re the definition of dysfunction. They are the couple that people love to hate, or hate to love.

Jack and Lexi are that couple. And I hate to love them.

Their relationship is volatile, deceitful, unrestrained, and yet I think…no, I know…I’m on Team Jack. Don’t get me wrong, Ramsey seems sweet, sexy, and stable – but the masochist in me keeps getting drawn back to Jack. Is he a dick? Yeah. Did I call him a son of a bitch a couple times while reading this? Sure did. Were there moments that I wanted to punch him in the mouth? Fuck yes. But there is just something about him that makes me hate him and love him at the same time. I want to rip his head off and rip his clothes off at the same. It’s all very confusing!

The emotions that these characters evoked were intense, to say the least. I think I wanted to punch every single person in the face at least once. Jack and Lexi’s relationship frustrated me, upset me, excited me, and gutted me. The sexual tension between them dripped off the pages and if girls could get blue balls, I would have had a pretty severe case of them! Oh, and one of my favorite scenes??  The tunnel at his birthday party. SWEET JESUS, THAT WAS HOT. I mean…holy shit! I had to stop reading for a minute to compose myself because for me, that was one of the most intense scenes in the whole book. Within just those 10 pages, I went from getting hot and bothered to feeling like I got punched in the stomach. It was heart wrenching.

Avoiding Commitment is by far one of the best books I’ve read not only this year, but ever. In my whole damn life. The writing is almost flawless and the ending left me counting down the days until Avoiding Responsibility’s release date. I need more of this twisted love story in my life. If you want a book with some panty-dropping sex scenes, and more angst than should ever be allowed within one story, buy this book and buy it now! Oh, and while you’re at it, you might as well buy Avoiding Responsibility at the same time, because I can guarantee that as soon as you read the words “The End”, you’ll be dying to know what happens next...

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble (only available as nook book)

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

(Gabriel's Inferno series, book 2)

Professor Gabriel Emerson has embarked on a passionate, yet clandestine affair with his former student, Julia Mitchell. Sequestered on a romantic holiday in Italy, he tutors her in the sensual delights of the body and the raptures of sex. But when they return, their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover. When Gabriel is confronted by the university administration, will he succumb to Dante’s fate? Or will he fight to keep Julia, his Beatrice, forever? In Gabriel’s Rapture, the brilliant sequel to the wildly successful debut novel, Gabriel’s Inferno, Sylvain Reynard weaves an exquisite love story that will touch the reader’s mind, body, and soul, forever.

This just didn’t do it for me. I am clearly in the minority with my opinion, but nonetheless, I had a hard time finishing this one. I read Gabriel’s Inferno months ago, and actually liked it so I figured I’d have to like the sequel, right? Wrong. Now, before y’all start telling me I suck and throwing your e-readers at me, let me say this; there were some redeeming qualities in this book. It wasn’t awful. But it wasn’t great either. The best word to describe it, IMO, is “mehhh…”

Gabriel grated on me a lot more in Rapture than he did in Inferno. Sure, he was condescending and arrogant and kind of dick-ish in Inferno, but I feel like his pretentiousness was taken to a whole other level in Rapture. Some of the wording was just a bit much, and his proclamations of love to Julia resulted in some pretty severe eye rolling on my part. I understand that’s his personality, but for some reason it just annoyed me this time around. I was back and forth on my feelings towards Julia. She had her moments where she was a strong character, other times she seemed like a bit of a doormat. The only character I really found myself drawn to was Paul; all the others, I could pretty much take or leave.

I’ve taken a couple art history classes in college, so I did enjoy the parts that referenced Botticelli and other artists. In all honesty, those parts were kind of the saving grace of this book for me. I didn’t find myself horribly invested in Gabriel and Julia’s relationship, and even though I knew it was useless, I found myself wishing over and over again that Julia would choose Paul.

Who knows, I might try and read this again in the future. Maybe I have just read too many books with alpha males recently, and it’s starting to wear on me. Maybe if I would have read it at a different time my opinion would have been vastly different. I doubt it…but maybe. For now though, unfortunately, I can’t chalk this up as a good read for me.

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

Purchase from Barnes and Noble