Aestas Book Blog

Book Review — The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry

March 10, 2017 by Aestas · 29 Comments

One old farmhouse brought them together.
It could also tear them apart.

Oh my goodness, this was such a gorgeous book!! It’s such a thrill to discover a new author whose writing you love and reading this book was like experiencing old-school indie romance heaven! Pure gold! It was about an Alpha sheriff who, while grouchy at times, was also incredibly protective, possessive, and swoony who then fell for a single mom with a little daughter who moved into his town to start their lives over. My heart was racing for so much of the story!! I loved these characters. I cared for them. The romance was hot and heart-warming, the writing was strong, and there was even some intense suspense that kept me glued to the page. Oh, and the epilogue brought all the feels! I went into this book blind, I’d never heard of this author before, and I LOVED it!!

You know that feeling you get when you start a book and you just know deep down that it’s going to be a winner? I could feel it with this book. Two pages in and I was completely hooked and connected to the story. The writing was so smooth and compelling. I actually remember that I literally could not stop smiling while I was reading the first few chapters not because the story was funny, but just from the joy of reading such a genuinely good book.

Those of you who have been following my blog since the beginning will understand what I mean when I say that reading this book was like being transported back to 2012! Devney Perry was a completely new-to-me author and when I read it, the book didn’t even have any reviews or anything to look at, but now that I’ve read this, I can’t wait to read everything she writes next! She has a whole series of interconnected standalones planned and I’m so excited for the rest of them!

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, THIS story starts out with the heroine, Georgia, who moves to a very small, remote town in the hopes of giving her and her young daughter a fresh start in life. They’d suffered heartbreaking losses and, after having been gifted a farmhouse, she took it to be the perfect opportunity to begin anew. However, she didn’t count on Jess Cleary, the grouchy, yet incredibly gorgeous, local sheriff to throw her world off its axis.

Turns out, he had a good (if not misguided) reason for being so grouchy with her. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll let you discover for yourself when you read the book. But he did mean well and what I loved most was that, once he realized the error of his ways, he did everything in his power to make amends, set things right between them, and show her what a good man he was. But he wasn’t satisfied there, something about this woman kept pulling him in and, even though her heart was guarded, he then made it his mission to convince her that they belonged together.

Actually, here, I’ll just show you the blurb:

One old farmhouse brought them together. It could also tear them apart.

Gigi has just uprooted her whole world to start a new life. The unexpected gift of a farmhouse in small-town Montana is just what she and her daughter need to escape big-city loneliness. The last thing she needs is attitude from the town’s sheriff, the most perfectly attractive and ruggedly handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on—and a complete jerk.

Jess knows all about women like Gigi. Beautiful. Sexy. Scheming. She’s stolen his sanctuary, the farmhouse that should have been his. But along with a face full of freckles, she’s got a sharp wit and a backbone of steel—something he doesn’t discover until after making a complete fool of himself. If he can earn back her trust and win her heart, he might just find the home he’s always needed.

Jess was such a fantastic hero! Protective, possessive, with a no-bullshit attitude. Certainly a little overbearing at times, but just soft, kind-hearted, and swoony enough to make you love him. There’s just something about a big powerful man who turns into a total sweetheart when caring for the child of the woman he’s falling in love with that is UTTERLY HEART MELTING!!!! Despite him being hot tempered, it was crystal clear that everything he did came from a good place and there was no doubt that he’d lay down his life for his two girls without a moment’s thought.

Seriously. THE SWOOOOOOON.

Around eight o’clock, he announced it was time for him to be heading home. [My daughter] and I walked him to his truck, where he knelt to say good-bye to my girl. He caught her chin between his thumb and the side of his index finger.
“I had fun getting to know you tonight, Rowen.”
She gave him a wide, beaming smile and turned to me. “He’s like a prince from my movies. Can he be your boyfriend, Mommy?”

Georgia was a wonderful heroine too! A loving mother, a strong woman, and very level headed and reasonable (which is such a welcome quality in a romance heroine). She sometimes came off as insecure but that was rooted in her past. Once burned, twice shy. She and Jess butted heads a lot — with him being such a bossy alpha and her being a strong woman who wasn’t about to be bossed around by anyone. He had a helluva lot of moments that made me a little ragey and go ‘Oh my God! He did NOT just say that?!?!’ but the fun thing was that once he explained himself, he actually usually made a lot of sense so it amused me to no end to watch him and Georgia work things out between them. I really enjoyed seeing them bicker and then make up and I loved that there was really no stupid drama. They had disagreements (like every couple) but I could always see where both of them were coming from.

“You’re going,” he finally said, breaking the heated moment. “Even if that means I have to pick you up and carry you to my truck.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I hissed.
“Try me.”
My hands fisted on my hips. “I’m not going.”
He jumped up the steps and came back into my space, forcing me backward. Then he bend down so his nose was centimeters from my own.
I was expecting him to order me again or actually pick me up and carry me away. So his voice, gentle and soft, caught me off guard.
“Georgia, give me a chance to show you that I’m not the asshole I’ve been this week. Please?”

Her heart was guarded with good reason, having been through a very bad experience with her daughter’s father, but Jess broke down all of her walls by showing her what it was life to be loved by a man who would stand by her side no matter what. I loved the way they compromised and complimented each other as they fell in love.

Their romance was heart-warming, incredibly sweet, and once they got serious, things also got HOT and steamy! But I really appreciated that their relationship grew at a such believable rate — no insta-love, and yet not too slow a burn. The characters felt very real and even though they were each flawed, they were consistently written and their flaws made a lot of sense for who they were. I keep saying this but I was so impressed with the writing.

“You know, I want to take care of you too. If you’ll let me,” I said.
He let out a long frustrated sigh. “You do, Georgia. Every day. Creating a warm place for me to come to every night. Letting me unload after work. Pushing back when I’m an asshole. Arguing with me. Calling me ‘honey.’ Being my girl. All those things are what I need and how you take care of me. And if you’d get gotta your head, stop doubting me, you’d see that I’ve been letting you take care of me all along.”

There’s more than romance in this book too and while I’m often not a fan of side stories, I actually loved the ones in this book. There were occasional slow spots in the story but I never once lost interest. For a small town though, they sure had a lot of drama and with a recent string of crimes throwing their usually peaceful life into chaos and danger, Jess’ job because considerably more intense. And as the book went on, these suspenseful elements really built to a point that kept my heart pounding — and this provided a great contrast to the warmth and heart of the romance.

This story had a lot of feels!! I teared up a few times and swooooooned endlessly. It had all the elements I loved — an alpha hero, a strong heroine, an adorable kid, a suspenseful element, strong sexy romance, a dash of mystery, and the epilogue (which is one of my favorite things in romance books) WAS GOLD!!!!! All. The. Feels.

As you can probably tell, I was so impressed with this book. It had everything I could want in a romance and the writing was amazing. For me, writing style is so important. I actually value it more highly than whether I like the storyline. But with this book, everything about it was gorgeous. The cover was stunning and completely captured my interest, the title was unique and intriguing, then from the first few pages, the writing drew me right into the story, the characters captured my heart, and then the romance brought in just the right amount of the emotional depth to fully round this story into a memorable book that is easily one of my top recommendations of the year! I LOVED IT!

Rating: 5 stars! Contemporary Adult Romance. Can standalone.

________________________

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Book Review — Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas

March 9, 2017 by Aestas · 11 Comments

A couple of times in your life, it happens like that. You meet a stranger, and all you know is that you need to know everything about him.

Buy SUGAR DADDY (Kindle)
Buy SUGAR DADDY (Paperback)

So… I’ve had this book on my reading list since 2011. Over 5 years!! The reason I never read it prior to now was that, based on everything I’d heard about it, I really didn’t think I’d like this story. But I was going over some of the older books on my eReader and, on a whim, I randomly started reading this… and was so curious to see how this story would end that I actually read straight through to the end. To be honest, I’ve heard both criticisms and praise for this book and I actually agree with both sides. For me personally, I did have issues and frustrations with this book, and it’s not a top favorite, but I enjoyed it and the writing was strong so I figured I’d share!!

I’m usually not a fan of love triangles. I prefer when it’s crystal clear all along exactly who the hero of the book I’m reading is. However, in this book, there are two main guys in the heroine’s life — the sweet boy she grew up next door to in her trailer park who always knew he’d have to leave her, and the man she meets years later who teaches her to love again — but when the boy from her childhood reappears, she has to make a choice. It’s a bit of a roller coaster, and I usually do have pretty strong feelings about who she should choose but I have to admit I was pretty torn here. Up until the verrry end, I wasn’t sure who I wanted her to end up with.

Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted most at the worst possible time.

The other thing I was wary of was the whole Sugar Daddy thing. Not judging at all, but it just kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I will say though that there was a good twist to the story with regards to that and also I wanted to reassure you that it has nothing to do with anything sexual. But even still, the title just makes me cringe.

I found this book to be leaning a little more towards Women’s Fiction than Romance — or even more of a coming of age story — and I kind of feel like I would have preferred more of a focus on the Romance. However AS a coming of age story with a romance in it, I have to admit that it’s a really well done novel! And I mean, the romance is definitely there and I certainly had strong feelings for both men in her life. But I wish the romance(s) been more developed.

I’ve read both good and bad critiques of this book and to be honest, I can agree with both of them. This author (and series) has a lot of passionate fans and I can totally understand where they’re coming from. There’s an addictive quality to this author’s writing and she makes you care for her characters. On the other hand, one person said she skimmed parts of the book and yes, I did that too (for me, as a romance reader, I found that I wanted to skim the non-romantic parts). Another said that if the heroine ended up with ****** then there should have been more build up with ****** and I also agree to a certain extent. But others say that they loved the struggles the heroine got through and all the heartache and love, and yes, I also agree that those elements were very well done.

See, there are definite feels…

I felt his fingers clench in my hair, tugging until my head tilted back. “Christ,” he whispered. “You want to make this as hard as possible, don’t you? I can’t stay, and I can’t take you with me. And you want to know if I’m sorry for anything.” I felt the hot strikes of his breath on my cheek. His arms wrapped around me, stifling all movement. His heart pounded against [me]. “I’d sell my soul to have you. In my whole life, you’ll always be what I wanted most. But I’ve got nothing to give you. And I won’t stay here and turn into my father…”

This is the first standalone in a series of standalones. From what I’ve heard, the next two are actually considerably better than this one, however I usually prefer to start reading series at the beginning (which is why I read this one) and also I’d like to warn you that the blurb for the second standalone (Blue-Eyed Devil) is really spoilery for this book — so beware — but many readers told me they loved it! And I’ve also heard that the third standalone Smooth-Talking Stranger is a great read and that both of those are more strongly romance focused which makes me happy.

So I wasn’t really planning on reviewing this book at all. But I wanted to just get my thoughts down because I really have to give credit to any book that keeps me hooked on the story like this one did. This isn’t a top recommendation, but as I said above, I did enjoy reading it and the writing was very strong so I felt the need to share that.

As for rating, I’d give the story 3.5 stars, but the writing 4.5 stars.
So that would round the final rating to 4 stars.

Buy SUGAR DADDY (Kindle)
Buy SUGAR DADDY (Paperback)

________________________

Series of standalones.

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LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF March 7, 2017

March 7, 2017 by Aestas · 10 Comments

TOP RECOMMENDATION: The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry (Read my Review)
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! OH MY GOSH!! I just finished this book by a completely new-to-me author and IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! It was like pure old-school indie romance heaven! The hero is an ALPHA sheriff who is grouchy at times but also incredibly protective, possessive, and SWOOOOOONY! And the heroine is a SINGLE MOM of a gorgeous little daughter who move into his town to start their lives over. MY HEART WAS RACING for so much of the story!! I LOVED these characters. I CARED for them! The romance was HOT, the writing was STRONG, and there was even some intense suspense thrown in as well that kept me glued to the page. I went into this book blind, I’d never heard of this author before, but I LOVED IT!! Oh, and the epilogue has ALL THE FEELS!!! It’s brand new too so be sure to grab a copy!!

NEW REVIEW: Sugar Daddy: A Novel by Lisa Kleypass (Read my Review)
I’ve had this book on my reading list since 2011! Based on everything I’d heard about it, I really didn’t think I’d like this story. But on a whim, I randomly started it today… and was so curious to see how it would end that I read straight through to the end. There are two main guys in the heroine’s life — the sweet boy she grew up next door to in her trailer park who always knew he’d have to leave her, and the man she meets years later who teaches her to love again — and when the boy from her childhood reappears, she has to make a choice. It’s a bit of a roller coaster, and until the very end, I wasn’t sure who I wanted her to end up with. To be honest, I did have issues and frustrations with this book, and it’s not a top favorite, but I enjoyed it and the writing was strong so I figured I’d share! As for my rating, I’d probably give 3.5 stars for the story, 4.5 stars for the writing, rounding out to 4 stars overall. I have heard that the next two standalones are better, but the blurb for the second gives major spoilers for this book so be careful!

NEW REVIEW: The Deep End by Kristen Ashley (Read my Review)
If you’re looking for something VERY DIFFERENT, check out this book! Holy hell, it was HOT HOT HOT! Wildly sensual and certainly boundary pushing, but oh-so addictive! I’ve loved Kristen Ashley’s book for years now and yet this one showed a whole new side of her writing. It was INTENSELY EROTIC in a way that was sexy but definitely made me uncomfortable at times, however it had a beautiful love story at its heart. Please be VERY OPEN MINDED when you read this book. When I first saw the blurb, I was wary because an ‘alpha submissive’ isn’t the kind of hero I’d usually choose to read about but he was ALPHA!! Olivier was heart-meltingly sweet, deeply protective, incredibly loyal and I fell completely in love with him. I will warn though that this book certainly will not be for every reader!

OFFICIAL TRAILER: CONFESS TV SHOW!! Based on the amazing novel Confess by Colleen Hoover (read my review) — the paperback is on sale (52% OFF) and you can pre-order the special edition tv show tie-in paperback!

LATEST BOOKWORM NEWS:

The Gamble by Kristen Ashley (review) just got a new paperback cover!! It’s favorite and can standalone!! — “Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can’t even remember how she takes her coffee, she wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a gorgeous man at her rental cabin, her cold, lonely adventure suddenly heats up. The owner of the house, Holden “Max” Maxwell is surprised by the beautiful woman who turns up at his door. But when she becomes ill, he spends days nursing her back to health. A private man with a broken heart, he finds himself drawn to the strong-willed woman. Soon it becomes impossible for them to deny their growing attraction to one another…” — I pre-ordered it!

Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley (review) also has a gorgeous new paperback cover!! It’s favorite and like all the other books in this series, it can standalone!! — “After leaving her cheating husband, she moves to Carnal, Colorado, and gets a job as a waitress in a biker bar called Bubba’s. It’s a nothing job in a nowhere joint… until Tatum Jackson walks in. Lauren has never seen a man with such good looks, muscles, and attitude. But when he insults her, she doesn’t want anything to do with him. Too bad for her he’s also the bar’s part owner and bartender… When the rough-around-the-edges Tate meets the high-class Lauren, he thinks she won’t fit in at Bubba’s. Yet there’s more to her than meets the eye, and he soon sets his mind on claiming her as his own. Before long, the desire burning between them is heating up the cold mountain air. But when violence strikes the town, he must reveal a dark secret to her…” — I pre-ordered a copy!

Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley (review) just got a new paperback cover!! It’s favorite and can standalone!! — “Since birth, she has had nothing but bad luck. Orphaned at an early age, she had a rough childhood and a boyfriend who was murdered. Now she’s determined to change her luck and her life. But first she’s got to make good on a promise: to pick up Ty Walker from prison. One look at the gorgeous ex-convict and Lexie knows she’s in trouble-and already thinking about taking a walk on the wild side… For five years, Ty was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Now he wants revenge on the people who framed him. Yet when he sees her, he suddenly has other desires on his mind….” — I pre-ordered a copy!

Boys South of the Mason Dixon by Abbi Glines was just announced! — “The only thing hotter than the weather South of the Mason Dixon line are the boys. Worn, faded blue jeans, slow Southern drawls, and those naughty moments in the back of pickup trucks a girl never forgets. Welcome to the world of the Sutton boys. Five brothers who fight, party, drink a little too much, but more importantly, they love their momma. Nothing can tear them apart… until the girl next door wins more than one of their hearts.”

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry (One old farmhouse brought them together. It could also tear them apart.)
The Deep End by Kristen Ashley (unique erotic BDSM Alpha romance, can standalone)
Devil You Know by LA Fiore (second chance romance, can standalone)
Riot by Tillie Cole (dark gritty forbidden romance, standalone in Scarred Souls series)
Blush for Me by Kristen Proby (she falls for a sexy guy on her flight, standalone in Fusion series)
Every Little Thing by Samantha Young (small town romance, standalone in Hart’s Boardwalk series)
American Prince by Sierra Simone (political romance, sequel to American Queen)
Catching Carly by Emma Hart (best friend’s brother romantic comedy, standalone in Barley Cross series)
Irresistible In Love by Bella Andre & Jennifer Skully (he falls for his ex-wife’s sister, standalone in The Maverick Billionaires series)
Coastal Elite by Kate Canterbary (beach house romance with a Navy SEAL hero, standalone)
What I Need by J. Daniels (roommates romance with brother’s friend, standalone in Alabama Summer series)
All Of Me by Callie Harper (second chance romance with a firefighter hero)
Dirty Doctor: A Novella by Whitney G. (sexy doctors romance standalone)
Kept From You by Nashoda Rose (sexy second chance romance, standalone in Tear Assunder series)
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop (dark fantasy/paranormal, A Novel of the Others series)
Brighter Than the Sun by Maya Banks (action packed romantic suspense, KGI Series)
Ashwin by Kit Rocha (post-apocalyptic romance, can standalone)
Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs (urban fantasy in Mercy Thompson series)
So Screwed by Melissa Marino (she falls for a sexy bartender, can standalone)
Private Reserve by Cathryn Fox (second chance romance and he has a dark side, standalone novella)
Edge of Power by Megan Crane (Viking Dystopian Romance)
Live Wire by Casey Quinn (romantic suspense, can standalone)
Close Enough To Touch by Colleen Oakley (a woman who allergic to humans and a single dad, standalone)
Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson (Women’s Fiction standalone)
The Great Pursuit by Wendy Higgins (YA fantasy, Eurona series)
Dangerous Games by Danielle Steel (thrilling drama standalone)
Hot Stuff by Carly Phillips (sports romance, standalone in Hot Zone series)
Hot Number by Carly Phillips (sports romance, standalone in Hot Zone series)
Hot Item by Carly Phillips (sports romance, standalone in Hot Zone series)
Hot Property by Carly Phillips (sports romance, standalone in Hot Zone series)
The Coppersmith Farmhouse by Devney Perry (One old farmhouse brought them together. It could also tear them apart.)
Devil You Know by LA Fiore (second chance romance, can standalone)

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Book Review — The Deep End by Kristen Ashley

March 5, 2017 by Aestas · 23 Comments

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one’s deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

Holy hell, this book was HOT! Passionate, wildly sensual, and boundary pushing, but oh-so addictive! I have loved everything Kristen Ashley has written for years, and even though I absolutely adore her usual style, it was thrilling to see that this book had some very different elements than her usual! It was INTENSELY EROTIC in a way that was incredibly sexy but definitely made me uncomfortable at times, however it had a very beautiful love story at its heart. Please be VERY OPEN MINDED when you read this book. When I first saw the blurb, I was wary because an ‘alpha submissive’ isn’t the kind of hero I’d usually choose to read about but let me assure you that he really was ALPHA!! Olivier was heart-meltingly sweet, deeply protective, incredibly loyal and I fell completely in love with him. Not to mention that Amelie was perfect for him. I loved him. I loved them. I loved this book!

I’d like to think of myself as a pretty open-minded non-judgemental person (and reader). I have a few hard limits but generally my stance is that as long as the characters are consenting and happy, I don’t really judge their kinks. That being said, I also know what I like and I tend to seek that out in the books I read. I love ALPHA heroes — the kind that Kristen Ashley is famous for writing — and when I saw that this hero was an ‘alpha-sub’, I was both intrigued and wary. Would he really be a believable Alpha? Would I like him? Fall for him? How could he be both an Alpha and a sub — weren’t those kind of contradictory? Bear in mind that I’m not hugely versed in the BDSM world so this isn’t my specialty or anything. I just know what I know from various books and even then, I had yet to encounter an alpha-sub hero. However, what I did know was that Kristen Ashley has never let me down so if she felt this was a story worth writing, then I absolutely was on board to read it.

Here’s the blurb…

Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman’s every desire…

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one’s deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…

I went into this book completely blind. I didn’t know anything other than the blurb. And let me tell you… from the very first MOMENT that Amelie and Olivier met, MY HEART DID NOT STOP RACING!!!!

He was colossal.
A mighty beast.
A magnificent beast.
Exquisite.
…
She was on the verge of speaking when he did.
His direct gaze appreciative, an arrogant smile curving his full lips, he asked, “How you doin’, sweetheart?”

This was a real private message that I sent to a friend of mine while I was reading:

“OMG. OMG. OMG. SHE DID IT!!!! She literally wrote an alpha sub. Seriously. HE IS EVERYTHING!!!!!!! The cheekiness. The cockiness. The submission. The undeniable power and manliness. All these things you’d think would be contradictory but actually they’re just making him UNBELIEVABLY HOT!!!!!”

It made me positively giddy with joy to read such a complex hero! I loved the way he cheekily toed the line between Alpha man and submissive. His actions showing submission just as much as they reinforced his alpha nature.

“Am I amusing you?” she whispered…
His face set hard and his two words were so firm, the boulders again came tumbling.
“Absolutely not.”
“Then can you explain your humor?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Sure. You are un-fucking-believably beautiful. You’re also un-fucking-believably hot. But I wouldn’t guess with the acres that make all of you, every inch of it so damned sweet, you’re a walking wet dream, that when you get riled you’re also un-fucking-believably cute. And there is no way in fuck five minutes ago, you told me a gorgeous redhead was gonna lead me to a room and make me her pony, I would be cool with that. But standing here with you, I’m totally fuckin’ cool with that.”
It took a great deal, and she expended every bit of effort she needed to accomplish it, but at his final two points, Amelie didn’t blink.
Instead, she decided to finish this part up.
Immediately.
“I must confirm you have no boundaries or rules.”
“Got no rules or boundaries, babe.”

In fact, in some ways, you could argue that Olivier is in fact one of the most Alpha males that KA has ever written because if you take an Alpha and strip him of everything that would classically make him an Alpha — put him in a position of absolute submission — for him to STILL radiate that kind of undeniable power, possession, love, loyalty and protectiveness even in submission, almost makes him the strongest alpha of all.

He dipped close. “And Leigh-Leigh, I’m an alpha-sub and operative part of that in every sense… is alpha. No way I’m gonna leave any woman, much less one who means something to me, alone with a visibly ticked-off dude.” He shook his head when she opened her mouth. “It’s just not gonna happen.” He grinned again. “Now I get you can take care of yourself, at least verbally, though I know for certain you swing a mean bat. But I don’t give a fuck. I understand where you were and where you needed me to be in these halls when dealing with that fucker. But that’s the way it is.”
He gathered her closer and summed it up succinctly.
“Paddle my balls on Friday, but that’s the way it is.”

Amelie was also a fantastically strong heroine. Despite the fact that she was a Domme, I think it’s really important to remember that she was also a woman. She was more than her sexuality (an important theme within this book) and while she loved and craved the sexual connection that she and Olivier shared in their play, she was also simply a woman falling deeply in love with a man who made her heart race.

It was the best kiss of her life, lying under, holding close, and connected intimately with a man whose last name she didn’t know.

I think one of my favorite things within this book was the very clear distinction between Amelie and Olivier inside and outside of the erotic scenes they engaged in. They performed roles within their play, but they were also people outside of it and that distinction was so perfectly portrayed in this book.

Olly was Olivier, her alpha-sub, she his Mistress.
But when not in the scene it was different.
It was Olly, the alpha, and Leigh, his woman.

This is easily the most erotic book Kristen Ashley has written but the important thing that I cannot stress enough is that even though there are incredibly detailed sex scenes (that literally go on for pages) each and every sexual encounter that Olivier and Amelie share serves a purpose in building their relationship. There is literally no ‘sex for sex’s sake’ in this book — every single scene drives the story forward by either solidifying their bond or building trust between them that allows them to fall in love with each other outside of just their encounters in the Club.

I also really loved Olivier’s struggle within this story. He wanted Amelie’s world and everything she could offer him, but he had his own reservations and it wasn’t easy for him to surrender despite how deeply he craved it. I loved the way she pushed him just far enough to bring him deeper into her world but never enough to break him. And, more than anything, I loved that he was intensely tuned into everything she was doing — and I don’t just mean physically. He wasn’t just the blind recipient. He completely understood what she was doing and he craved it all the more.

Before she could even make eye contact, he kissed her… She melted into him and gave him his kiss, giving herself something even better.
Getting that kiss.
When he lifted his head, his eyes flashed and his lips tipped up in a grin.
“Now you can bring on the Mistress if you want, gorgeous.”
Amelie felt her own lips tip up. “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you fuckin’ love it.”

And seriously THE FEEEEEEEEELS!!!

Fucking hell, she did it for him.
Christ.
She was perfect.  And Olly knew in that moment that he’d do anything for her.
For as long as he had her.
Which he hoped like fuck was a very long time.

I really hope that whoever reads this book can see past the sex into the absolutely stunning love story that Amelie and Olly shared. The sex is absolutely HOT as hell. It’s erotic. Intense. WILD. But that alone wouldn’t be enough to make this book what it was. What made this book so special was AMELIE AND OLLY. It was them. The people. They were the heart and soul of the story and their romance was what I fell in love with.

“Something funny?” she asked.
“You’re cute when you’re bossy.”
She opened her mouth but he lifted his chin in a “shut up” gesture and kept going before she could get a word in.
“Cute but hot. When you’re workin’ me, it’s just hot, Amelie. So don’t get pissy.”

I’ve said this countless times before, but if you read KA enough, you’ll notice that she has almost her own dialect of English. It’s her own unique writing style that sets her apart from everyone else. It’s not only the dialogue, but her very descriptions that captures the actions and emotions of her characters in a way that puts you right there with them on every page.

In fact, I think what makes KA’s writing so amazing is her understanding of subtleties — how she gets, on such a deep level, how important even the tiniest difference in a breath, a look, a jaw clench, or touch is, and she isn’t afraid to take the time to describe a scene to you in every possible detail such that you end up feeling completely attune to the characters — and perfectly in sync with their thoughts, feelings, emotions, and experiences.

I do not think this book will be for every reader. In order to appreciate this book, I think you either have to have a very open mind or already be a fan of this subgenre. I will reassure you by saying that there is no cheating, no sharing, no stupidity, everything they did was fully consensual, and they were exclusive with each other, but some of the things they did may be shocking to some readers or even make them a little uncomfortable so I’d just like to urge every reader to be as non-judgemental as possible when reading. The way I looked at it was that, no matter how I personally felt about what they did, this was their love story, not mine, so as long as they were having a good time (which they clearly were), then I was happy. I just trusted KA, allowed myself to be a little scandalized, didn’t judge anything, and enjoyed the hell out of this book.

“You’re of course aware I should do something about you being so audaciously cheeky.”
Another darkness crossed his face. “What?”
“I shouldn’t allow you to be so cheeky with me.”
“Cheeky?”
“Impudent,” she explained.
The look fled. “You mean, in uppity, hot-chick speak, a wise-ass.”
Amelie couldn’t help it, she laughed softly.
“She’s got a pretty laugh, too, to go with that pretty accent,” he murmured and she saw his eyes on her lips… “Just sayin’, Mistress,” he stated her title like it was a nickname, something forbidden at the same time immensely alluring, “you don’t want me to be a wise-ass, best not invite me back to your barn. Think it’s a part of me you can’t get rid of by paddling my ass.”

This book is a full standalone — complete with epilogue — but it’s also the start of a new series of standalones. The next book will be about a different couple and I absolutely cannot wait to read it!

I’ve read and loved over 40 Kristen Ashley books. I adore her writing style, I always fall in love with her characters, and her stories never fail to make my heart race, but I was beyond thrilled to see her explore this new territory and deliver such a beautiful love story. This is Kristen Ashley as you’ve never read her before — and I loved every word!

Rating: 5 stars!! Erotic Contemporary Romance. Can standalone.

NOTE: this book releases tomorrow at midnight so be sure to pre-order an eBook so that your copy downloads automatically for you the moment it’s released. You also have the option of getting a paperback (it’s GORGEOUS, I have one) but if you’re going to do that, pre-order your print copy now to lock in the special 45% OFF sale pricing!

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Series of standalones.

Purchase

Book Review — Cole by Tijan

March 1, 2017 by Aestas · 12 Comments

He drew a deep breath, his eyes growing soft. “I’m going to do everything you want me to do. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. If you want me to hold you, I’ll never let you go… Anything you want, I’ll do.” He carried me to the bed and laid me down. His arms never let me go. He bent over me… His forehead rested against mine, so softly, matching his voice, “Except leave. That’s the only thing I won’t do.”

Buy COLE (Kindle)
Buy COLE (Paperback)

What an awesome book! I was in the mood for something a little different than my usual and this one caught my attention. Once I started reading, I just couldn’t put it down. As the leader of a secretive underground world, Cole was a dark, dangerous, mysterious, and completely intriguing hero who Addison had begun to fall madly in love with — even to the point where she was willing to risk her life to be with him. This book was romantic and thrilling, with both a passionate love story and a whole lot of action-packed suspense. I read it in one sitting and loved it!!

To give a little background, Addison, the heroine, began the story still reeling from the devastating loss of her beloved husband in a car accident. She was stuck at a standstill in life — afraid to move away from the house in which they had planned to build their future together for fear of betraying her late husband’s memory but also subconsciously understanding that she eventually would have to move forward with her life. But when her best friend convinced her to rent an exclusive luxury condo, she began to take the first steps towards living again.

And is where the book’s blurb comes into play…

I shouldn’t have remembered him.

He was just a guy who walked through a restaurant. I didn’t know his name. We never made eye contact. There was no connection between us at all.

But I could feel him.

The tingle down my spine. The command in his presence. The snap of tension in the air around him. That was the first time I saw him, and I was captivated.

The second time was different.

He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed.

That was just the beginning.

He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name… Cole Mauricio.

I could feel a definite spark to this story. It was intriguing, tantalizing, it drew you in and there were no good stopping points. I loved the writing style — it flowed smoothly and I easily got lost in words. The romance was both passionate and slow building, but I loved the pacing and really appreciated the way the story was never rushed and yet was constantly developing and moving forward as it revealed more pieces of the mystery that was Cole Mauricio.

His eyes grew hooded. “There are things about my life I can’t share. I’d like to to, but I’m in a position where I can’t. Not until I trust you.”
“You can’t tell me where you live?”
“No.”
“You’re unbelievable. You want to have sex with me, but you won’t tell me where you live?”
… “I really do want to.”
“You have a job you can’t tell me about. You live somewhere you can’t tell me about… What am I supposed to do with that?”
“I was hoping you’d give me time. I can tell you; I just can’t do it now.”
…
“My life I can’t talk about, but this — you coming to me — is like a breath of oxygen. I can breathe again.” He dropped his mouth, lingering on my shoulder. “Something pure among so much tainted.”

Cole and Addison’s relationship was surrounded by danger due to the fact that he had enemies everywhere who wouldn’t hesitate to exploit any weakness he showed. But despite the risks, he couldn’t stay away from her. Their romance was passionate, intense, and they both could feel even from the start that they had something serious growing between them. I loved the progression of their relationship and how strong, capable Addison was. She was no damsel in distress and even though she didn’t know all his secrets, they supported each other in a really wonderful way as a team.

“I’m not scared of who you are. I’m not scared of what you can do. I’m not scared of what it meant to be at your side. I’m only scared of how much I can’t be without you. That terrified me, all the way to the bone. But I’m still here. I can’t walk away from you.”

He did everything in his power to shelter her from the ugliness of his life but eventually the danger did catch up to them. Remember that this is a Mafia romance so there’s definitely a suspenseful and action-packed element to the story as well complete with gunfights, shocking betrayals, kidnappings, and secrets that are brought into the light.

“Who is Cole Mauricio?”
“He’s the head of the Mauricio family.”
My mouth dried up. “What does that mean?”
Then I heard [his] response, and my world was pulled out from under my feet.
“Mafia. He’s not in the mafia, Addison. He IS the mafia.”

This book can be read as a complete standalone and Cole and Addison’s story is wrapped up in a beautiful epilogue at the end. If you’re looking for an edgier romance that’s equally sexy and suspenseful, definitely try this one!

Rating: 4-4.5 stars. Contemporary Adult Romance. Can standalone.

Buy COLE (Kindle)
Buy COLE (Paperback)

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF FEBRUARY 27, 2017

February 27, 2017 by Aestas · 8 Comments

TOP RECOMMENDATION: If You Were Mine by Melanie Harlow (Read my Review)
SQUEEEE!!!!! AWW!!! This was such a great book! It was FUN, SEXY, and LIGHT-HEARTED, but also has DEEP FEELS!!! The hero is a tortured Alpha with a painful past. The heroine is tired of being judged for being single and tells her friend she’s bringing a date to her wedding when, in fact, she doesn’t have one. So she hires the hero to act as her pretend boyfriend . It was supposed to be just one night. No emotions, just business. But they both felt drawn to each other and what started as a fake relationship turned into something real…. AHHHH!!!! I looooved all the ROMANCE and HEALING!!! This poor hero is genuinely broken and it was both heart-breaking and heart-warming to watch them find a way to make things work. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! It was released this week so definitely grab a copy!!!

TOP RECOMMENDATION: Cole by Tijan (Read my Review)
WOOHOOOO!!! I was in the mood for something a little different than my usual today and this one caught my attention. The hero is DARK, DANGEROUS, MYSTERIOUS, and totally intriguing. He’s the leader of a underground world and the heroine is falling madly in love with him… willing to risk everything to be with him. This book is ROMANTIC and THRILLING!! There’s both a passionate love story and a whole lot of action-packed suspense! — “He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed… He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him.”

BOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven was announced!! I LOVE HER BOOKS! It can standalone! — “Max Riley is the man of your dreams. Or at least he will be, for a price. As his alter-ego Mister Romance, he’s a drop-dead gorgeous escort who makes romantic fantasies come to life. No sex, just swoon-worthy dates to die for, and the cream of New York’s socialites can’t get enough. Whether they want a dominating billionaire, bad boy with a heart of gold, hot geek, sexy biker, or best friend who loves them from afar, Max can make it all happen, but he’s careful to keep his real identity a secret… Enter investigative journalist Eden Tate. Having caught wind of the urban legend of Mister Romance from a lovestruck client, she’s determined to publish a scathing expose [so] he challenges her to give him three dates. If she doesn’t fall in love with him, she can run her story with his blessing…”

The House Mate by Kendall Ryan was just announced! This can standalone! — “He’s nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company, and he’s conquered the professional world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life. His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot. The last thing he has time for is the recently single, too gorgeous for her own good young woman he hires to take care of his little girl. She’s a distraction he doesn’t need, and besides, there’s no way she’d be interested. But you know what they say about assumptions?” — First 2 standalones: The Room Mate and The Play Mate

Ain’t He Precious by Juliette Poe was just announced! NOTE: This author is Sawyer Bennett writing under a new pen name! Can standalone! — “Eleven years ago, she graduated Harvard Law, turned down a job offer from one of the most prestigious law firms in Boston, and headed home to Whynot to open her own firm. Not only did she leave behind the big city, but she also left her boyfriend of three years. And just so we’re clear… that would be me. So what am I doing in Whynot at this very moment? It seems she needs help with a legal case and for some insane reason, she called on me for assistance…”

Raw Need by Cherrie Lynn was just announced! This can standalone! And OMG – this blurb!! — “He’s [a rock star who] has done everything he set out to do. This life—and an escape through music—was supposed to be everything he’s ever wanted, but after meeting her, he’s no longer sure… Soon after her husband’s death, she learned she was pregnant. With grief and uncertainty her only companions, she was only able to find an escape through music; specifically his hypnotic voice… After meeting the sexy lead singer of her favorite band, she can hardly believe he’s interested in her. But he also has a painful connection to her unborn child — his brother is responsible for her husband’s death.” *GASP* (Standalone in Larson Brothers series)

Ride Wild by Laura Kaye was just announced! This can standalone! — “Wild with grief over the death of his wife, he merely lives for his two sons. Nothing holds his interest anymore—not even riding his bike or his membership in the Motorcycle Club. But that all changes when he hires a new babysitter… Recently freed from a bad situation by the [Club], she’s determined to bury the past. When he offers her a nanny position, she accepts, needing the security and time to figure out what she wants from life. She adores his sweet boys, but never expected the attraction to their brooding, sexy father.” — (Standalone in the Raven Riders series)