4.5 stars

Book Review — Bad For You by J. Daniels

January 25, 2018 by Aestas · 6 Comments

“You’ll never feel alone again. I promise.”

If you’re a fan of tortured bad boy heroes with hearts of gold who fall head over heels for their one true love, then you are going to absolutely adore this book!!! I read this book in one sitting and loved the story, loved the writing, and loved the romance. This is definitely a new favorite!

He didn’t seem to mind a lot of things, like listening to me talk and talk about anything and everything, putting my problems on him in between waiting tables, my stresses, my fears, needing a person to vent to and him being the only person I ever wanted to vent to because of the way he listened and looked at me.
No one had ever seemed so interested in what I had to say before. Like what I was saying meant everything to them. Like it was a privilege just to listen.

Sean and Shay had a history. They were coworkers who’d grown to be friends. Their chemistry was strong, but when she wanted more, he’d turned her down. Hurt by his rejection, she thought it was over between them before it had even begun. But she couldn’t be more wrong. He’d wanted her just as badly but didn’t think he was worthy.

Treat me like garbage. Be a complete dick to me. That I could understand. But Christ, anything else was confusing as hell.

OMG. For reals. This hero. HE WAS AMAZING!! Brooding, broken, gruff and mysterious, he’d been genuinely soul-crushed by not only his scarring childhood, but also everything that came after. Nobody had ever taught him right from wrong and each time he tried to do the right thing, life beat him down and it had broken his spirit and sense of self worth. He genuinely believed that he was worthy of nothing and no one. He was used to the world showing him no mercy so he didn’t know how to handle it when anyone showed him kindness. Which is where Shay came in.

She murmured, “You never had a chance.”
“What?” I turned back.
Her eyes were glassy.
“You were born into hate. Children are supposed to be born into love. It’s unconditional, and you never had that,” she said. “What chance did you have? There was no one protecting you. It’s a miracle you are who you are.”

When a family emergency suddenly placed her two younger brothers in her care for a couple weeks, it was to her great shock that the person who stepped up to help her was Sean. The same Sean who she’d mistakenly thought didn’t want anything to do with her.

She was literally the most selfless person you can imagine. She was self-sacrificial to a fault and often took blame on her own shoulders that wasn’t warranted, which did annoy me a bit and I wished she’d be a little more selfish honestly — nobody’s that much of a saint! — but her heart was in such a good place. And I loved how she never gave up on her mission to help him heal, find happiness, and feel worth of finding love and having a family.

“You’re a good man,” I blurted out.
It was the first thought that entered my head. It was sometimes the only thought that filled it.
Hearing me, his expression softened.
“You deserve an amazing life,” I continued, my voice gentled. “I feel like everyone sees that but you… Don’t you see how loved you are?”

I loved the way we got to see Sean’s softer side underneath his growly grouchy outward demeanor as he selflessly helped her with her brothers and repeatedly went out of his way to help make her life easier even before he ever dreamed of actually being a romantic part of her life. He’d made mistakes in his past but it was unquestionably clear that he was hell bent on turning a new leaf and making amends. There’s something just absolutely adorable about a grouchy, heart-broken, sexy, strong, tattooed bad boy. And my favorite thing about him was how considerate and aware he was of everything going on with her life. I promise it’s impossible not to fall in love with him.

He lifted his chin in greeting. “Your coffee sucks.”
“Uh, thanks.” I made a mental note about Sean disliking coconut-mocha coffee. Not sure why, but I did. “What are you doing here?”
“Saw on the calendar they had stuff goin’ on this mornin’,” he began, glancing at my brothers. “Figured you’d have trouble doin’ both, so I’m here.”
“You’re helping me out again?”
“It ain’t a big deal.”
I stood a little taller, staring back at him and disbelieving the words he’d just uttered, even though I’d heard them loud and clear.
He was helping me out again.
Sean had taken the time to glance over that calendar yesterday when I was merely pointing out a day’s worth of activities, and after doing so, came to the conclusion he’d help without me asking, knowing his help would make my life easier.
He was right. This wasn’t a big deal. This was a huge deal.

And seriously THE FREAKING FEEEEEEEEELS!!!! I don’t want to go into too much detail but there are little kids involved in this story just… just… holy feels!!!! Pure sweetness!!!

There were a few moments like I said where I felt that the heroine was too self-deprecating, but in general I really loved them as a couple. There are some really freaking GOOD people in this book. And if one of them stumbled, the others helped picked them up and had their back. That kind of support was just so heart-warming to read about because nobody is perfect and sometimes you just need someone else’s help to deal with life.

“You’ll never feel alone again. I promise.”

The story is told in alternating POVs and first person. It can be read as a complete standalone, but it is also interconnected with the 2 previous Dirty Deeds standalones (see below). I’ve read them all and enjoyed them all. However, you absolutely can read this book alone without the others and you won’t be confused at all.

All in all this was a fantastic read!! It’s certainly a new favorite and a very well-written book I’d highly recommend to fans of sexy romance with lots of feels and sweetness!!

Rating: 4.5 stars. Contemporary Adult Romance, can standalone.

________________________

Series of standalones.

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My Review

Book Review — Seek by Mia Sheridan

January 22, 2018 by Aestas · 6 Comments

“Why are you here?” I practically whispered.
A breath gusted from his mouth and he moved back, his hand dropping slowly as if he were forcing himself to stop touching me. “Because I can’t live without you.”

HOLY BOOK ADDICTION!! I inhaled this book in one sitting. I literally didn’t put it down for a single minute! It was an addictive, adrenaline-fueled, fast-paced romance with a sexy, brooding, and totally badass hero and a unique story with an unexpected twist!! I love it when books surprise like that. The writing was strong, the story was unique, the romance was hot, and I’d highly recommend this to anyone looking for a great new read!

So, I’m going to post the blurb first here because, if you love unique storylines as much as I do, you’ll understand immediately why I was so intrigued by this story and why I dropped everything else to read it…

Wealthy socialite Olivia Barton never imagined her fiancé would disappear on what was supposed to be a routine business trip. She’s even more heartbroken and confused when a hired private investigator tracks him half a world away, to a seaside town in Colombia. But the country has recently been ravaged by a massive earthquake and deadly tsunami, shutting down outside communication and making travel all but impossible. Still, Olivia is determined to make it to Colombia to find the answers she so desperately seeks. What she needs is a guide–a mercenary.

The man named Thomas arrives in shadows, an unmistakable air of danger about him, promising to help lead her through the ruined, crime-infested country. But when Thomas and Olivia find themselves fighting an undeniable attraction, danger takes on a whole new meaning. Then again, in the lush jungles of South America, all the rules are different and Thomas and Olivia are about to discover that sometimes the thing you seek, isn’t necessarily the thing you find…

Given my intense aversion to cheating and triangles though, I naturally was concerned about both those things and without any spoilers, I’ll just say that if you’re worried about either of those things, don’t be. Just trust me. This book didn’t break any of my ‘book rules’ even though I was wary at first that it might.

This story hits the ground running and honestly doesn’t stop it’s full-throttle adventure until the very end. There’s a mix of exciting adventure tinged with danger, there’s mystery over not knowing anything about Thomas or what the hell had happened to her fiance, there’s an intensely angsty and forbidden love brewing, and the story took a surprising direction that really pleased me!

Thomas and Olivia couldn’t have been more opposite on paper. She’d lived a sheltered and privileged life, while he’d lived a hard and violent one that had shaped him into the resourceful and dangerous man he’d become. Which was why he was the perfect person for the job of guiding her through a foreign, disaster ridden and crime infested jungle.

“Nice to meet you.”
His eyes tilted in my direction but he didn’t respond to my nicety. “By the way, you’ll be traveling as my wife if anyone asks.”
My brows came together. “Your wife? Don’t be silly.”
“I’m never silly.”
We looked at each other, his wintery eyes spearing me. I believed it. “Why?”
“Just not my style.” But was that… bemusement I’d glimpsed in his expression before he turned away?
“I meany, why do I have to pretend to be your wife?”
“Safest that way. I can protect you if other men know you’re mine.”

We get alternate POVs in this book — both in first person — and I really liked seeing into both of their sides of the story because there was a lot that Thomas especially was hiding. It’s a bit of a shorter read (245 pages) and I actually thought the length worked really well for this particular story because because there was no unnecessary drama, the story constantly moved forward, and yet gave enough time to connect you to the characters.

Oooooh and there’s a little cameo treat near the end of the book for any long-time Mia Sheridan fans! Don’t worry if you haven’t read any of her other books though. This is a COMPLETE STANDALONE and is not part of any series.

If you’re looking for an action-packed romance, this is definitely a top recommendation!

Rating: 4.5 stars! Contemporary Adult Romance, standalone.

Book Review — Sex, Not Love by Vi Keeland

January 14, 2018 by Aestas · 14 Comments

“Life isn’t about the big win.
It’s about the person you call first to tell that you’ve won.”

OH MY FREAKING SWOOOOOOON!! I absolutely ADORED this book!!

It was so ROMANTIC and delightfully UNEXPECTED! I’m not going to lie, given the nature of its title, I made certain assumptions about the story but it honestly surprised me over and over again with where the story led and I seriously loved that about it!! This hero was PURE SWOON in every way and he was hiding a big, heart-breaking, life changing secret. The heroine was a strong, unconventional single mom. Together, you just knew they were perfect for each other but they had a lot of hurdles to make it over before they could truly find their happily-ever-after. This book was equal parts SEXY AND HOT but also HEART-FELT AND EMOTIONAL!! It was well-written, completely addictive and I highly, highly recommend it to anyone looking for a FANTASTIC new book to read!!

My relationship with Hunter Delucia started backwards.

We met at a wedding—him sitting on the groom’s side, me sitting on the bride’s. Stealing glances at each other throughout the night, there was no denying an intense, mutual attraction.

I caught the bouquet; he caught the garter. Hunter held me tightly while we danced and suggested we explore the chemistry sparking between us. His blunt, dirty mouth should’ve turned me off. But for some crazy reason, it had the opposite effect on me.

We ended up back in my hotel room. The next morning, I headed home to New York leaving him behind in California with the wrong number.

I thought about him often, but after my last relationship, I’d sworn off of charming, cocky, gorgeous-as-sin men. A year later, Hunter and I met again at the birth of our friends’ baby. Our attraction hadn’t dulled one bit. After a whirlwind trip, he demanded a real phone number this time. So I left him with my mother’s—she could scare away any man with her talks of babies and marriage—and flew back home.

I’d thought it was funny, until the following week when he rang the bell at Mom’s house for Sunday night dinner. The crazy, gorgeous man had won over my mother and taken an eight-week assignment in my city. He proposed we spend that time screwing each other out of our systems.

Eight weeks of mind-blowing sex with no strings attached? What did I have to lose?

Nothing, I thought.
It’s just sex, not love.
But you know what they say about the best laid plans…

This book had me smiling from the very first page.

Hunter Delucia was a cocky, unabashed, confident-bordering-on-arrogant guy but with such a sweet and charming side that you knew he was one of the good guys deep down. He was smart, successful, unabashedly forward, and totally aware of all his assets so it made for quite an interesting combination.

When the doors slid closed, the elevator suddenly seemed very small. It didn’t help that he hadn’t bothered to turn around when we started to move. He faced me, standing very close. My body definitely took note of the proximity.
“Don’t you have any elevator etiquette?” I asked. “Turn around and stare at the numbers like a normal person.”
“Why would I waste my time looking at that when the view is so much nicer facing this direction?”
“I’m not sleeping with you, you know.”
“Why not?”
… “I don’t know you.”
Hunter slipped his hands into his pockets. “Hunter Delucia, age twenty-nine, single, never been married, no kids. Went to Berkley for undergraduate and grad school. Degree in architectural engineering. Grew up next to Derek, been friend since we were in the carriage. He’ll vouch for me as a decent guy. Own a home [with] no mortgage. I also built it myself and have lots of trees on my property — that should get me extra points, by the way. Last doctor’s appointment was a month ago — clean as a whistle. And, most importantly…” He took a step closer to me; our bodies were practically touching. “I think you’re extremely sexy. There’s some insane chemistry here, and I think we should explore it.”

Natalia was a really different type of character. I’m not going to give too many details but she had become the legal guardian of a teenager who wasn’t related to her by blood in any way and she was trying to balance her life carefully to both bring stability into their lives while being very wary of the men she trusted.

“He’s… well, I’m not sure what to make of him, to be honest. He’s lewd, forward, persistent… sexy as hell.”
“Gorgeous, financially sound, confident, sexy as hell,” she added.
I sighed. “Yeah. All those. But there’s something about him… something I can’t put my finger on, that makes him feel as forbidden as Mr. Westbrook did in high school.”

Much to my delight, this book had oodles of fun, flirty banter and light-hearted flirting, but underneath it all was quite a lot of emotional depth which in my opinion was what grounded this story.

The way he looked into my eyes made me feel like he could see right into me. It scared me to feel so open, so vulnerable, but at the same time, it was beautiful and made me feel safe. I finally realized why I’d been so terrified. It wasn’t because I was afraid to fall for him—it was because I’d already started to.

Not gonna lie though, even though there was undeniably some crazy hot sex, for a book of this title, it was surprisingly much more about love than sex. But for those of you who love a scorching hot romance, don’t worry — you’ll get it in spades! There’s just a fair bit of a slow burn to get there… and to me that was perfect and worked very well for this story because the timeline really made their growing love for each other that much more believable.

“What?”
“I take it you really do like this stuff?”
I spoke with a full mouth. “It’s better than sex.”
“Then you haven’t been fucked properly.”
Mid-swallow, I choked on the oatmeal, sputtering and gasping.

One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing Hunter become so protective of the teen she was raising. It’s a special and beautiful thing when a guy gives his heart to the children of the woman he’s falling in love with but in this specific case it really felt like an extra level of special.

And whatever I’d guessed or assumed about Hunter’s past through the flashbacks was all wrong. The truth was surprising and heartbreaking and completely explained his complete aversion to committed relationships. But I absolutely loved the way they handled it together and honestly from the moment I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down!

I can always count on Vi Keeland to deliver a fun, sexy, swoon-filled, and addictive romance with just enough emotional depth to tug all my heart-strings and this book is easily a new Top Favorite!!

Rating: 4.5 stars!! Contemporary Adult Romance Standalone.

Book Review — The Ones Who Got Away by Roni Loren

January 5, 2018 by Aestas · 7 Comments

“I know you don’t need a protector. But if you’re with me, you’re getting one,” he said, his voice coming out rough. “I’m never going to be that guy who left you vulnerable again. I can’t offer much these days, but I can promise you that. I’ve got your back, Livvy. I can keep you safe.”

Just a few days into 2018 and I’ve already found a new favorite! I remember being intrigued by the storyline of this book from the first time I read its blurb and I’m so glad I decided to read it because Roni Loren was a new-to-me author and I loved her writing style and already can’t wait to read her next book!

This book checked off a lot of my boxes. The hero and heroine had once been high school sweethearts who’d kept their relationship a secret. His family was wealthy and judgmental and she was the daughter of their gardener, and while neither of them cared in the least bit about what kind of families they came from, they were scared of what would happen if his father found out that his son was falling in love with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

But any plans they would have made to bring their relationship into the open were brutally cut short when their lives were torn apart by tragic school shooting on their prom night.

More than a decade after this horrific event, they were reunited and suddenly forced to face everything they’d left behind, including the intensity of the feelings they still had for each other — feelings that had never truly faded. And with this reunion came a second chance at the life and love that had been stolen from them so many years ago.

He’d wanted to reach for her. He’d wanted to fix things. Apologize. Do something to take that haunted look out of her eyes. Do something to show her how goddamned sorry he was.

This story was equal parts sexy, swoony, emotional, and healing! I genuinely cared for these characters, I believed the romance and loved how strongly I could feel that this couple truly belonged together.

“Everything that we were before that night got erased.” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Gone. Just like that.”
“Not everything, Liv,” he said softly, lifting his hand like he was going to reach for her but then lowering it to his side again. “They can’t take everything.”

As with any story that deals with a school shooting, this story had a very strong emotional undercurrent. Both the event and the memories had left deep scars on the survivors and you could really feel that heaviness right from the beginning of the book. However, what really made me just ‘know’ that this book was a winner was that moment when the hero and heroine first saw each other after all the years of separation. There was this heightened sense of pain, longing, desire all mixed in together in a way that made my heart race. When a book gives me those kind of spine tingles from the start, it almost always turns out to be a favorite.

Her words cut off, her voice dying a quick death, as Finn got closer and some of the studio lights caught him in their glare. The man approaching was nothing like the boy she’d known. The bulky football muscles had streamlined into a harder, leaner package. The month face was now dusted with scruff, and the look in his deep-green eyes help no trace of boyish innocence. A thousand things were in those eyes.

After the shooting, they’d each coped in similar ways — throwing themselves wholeheartedly into their careers. Liv had become something of a workaholic while Finn had left his high school football days behind and gone into professional protector mode by becoming a cop. However, his latest mission was an undercover operation that had immersed him in a brutal world he was still attempting to shake from his life when he was reunited with Liv.

“I’m back in the town that thinks I’m a hero when I wasn’t, talking to some reporter about stuff I wish I could forget, and standing here with the girl I almost got killed — and I still don’t know what to say to her.”

To balance out the heaviness of their past, there was a lot of fun, flirty banter that often made me smile for pages on end. And for those of you who love a little spice and steam in your romance, I think you’ll be very pleased with this book. While I strongly appreciated the initial slow burn of this romance, I also loved that the heat was dialed all the way up at all the right times to really convey a well-written sexy romance with a lighter side as well.

She choke-laughed and pressed her hand over her mouth.
“I mean, really? I slip up and say something I shouldn’t, and you go with ‘erect’ in the next sentence?” he teased. “Way to make it weird.”
“Hey, ‘erect’ is a perfectly proper word. I can’t help it if your mind was in the gutter.”
“I’ve been celibate for two years. Assume it’s always there. I’ve set up shop and built a little gutter town. We’re about to elect a mayor.”

The story is told from both Liv and Finn’s POVs but in third person. The story takes place in present day and I found the timeline very easy to follow. Also, the story is not only about the hero and heroine, but also about a close group of the heroine’s friends who had bonded after the shooting and kept touch over the years.

This book is the first standalone in a series of standalones. The next one is available for preorder and it’s about another of the friends and I’m guessing there’ll be more coming about the rest of the friends as well. I like all the characters and am definitely looking forward to seeing them all get the happily ever afters they deserve.

Overall, I’d definitely say that I loved this book and really enjoyed the read. There were a few parts here and there that felt a little flat or were longer than necessary. But most of the book was beautiful, sexy, and full of feels.

“You protected me.”
He shrugged, still keeping hold of her other hand. “That’s my job.”
She pinned him with a look. “No, it’s not. You’re not on duty right now. I wouldn’t expect or want you to take a bullet for me.”
… “I know you don’t need a protector. But if you’re with me, you’re getting one,” he said, his voice coming out rough. “I’m never going to be that guy who left you vulnerable again. I can’t offer much these days, but I can promise you that. I’ve got your back, Livvy. I can keep you safe.”

I’m so glad that I read this book! It was a well-written, well-balanced romance and Roni Loren is new favorite author for me! If you’re looking for something new to read, I’d definitely recommend checking out this book!

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

________________________

Series of standalones.

Purchase

Book Review — Roomies by Christina Lauren

December 1, 2017 by Aestas · 8 Comments

“I’ve never met anyone who loved my playing enough to want to put a ring on it.”

What a delightfully wonderful book!! A sweet, heart-warming, and romantic story that hit all the right notes and instantly pulled me in as soon as I started reading.

Truthfully, I’d been in a bit of a book funk for a few days, unable to find a book I really connected with, but as soon as I started reading this, I instantly fell in love with the story and the characters as they unexpectedly tumbled into a pretend marriage of convenience that slowly but surely turned to true love as they began to fall for each other.

The writing was so strong. This book is genuinely well-written and I highlighted many passages. The overall mood was definitely light-hearted but, while it did have a bit of a slower start, as the story built, so did the angst and by the time I’d reached the second half, I was flipping pages so fast. Their banter kept me smiling and their unlikely romance made me swoon. They were definitely one of those couples who you want to root for and hope they make it.

Manhattan — particularly musical theater — is a beast for single women. Calvin was a safe but fun little diversion. I never planned on getting nearly murdered in front of him, let alone actually speaking to him.

So it’s about this young woman who, for months, has been mesmerized by the music played by a handsome young Irishman in the subway. She goes out of her way each day to pass by him and just listen but doesn’t have the courage to go up and meet him. Something about the way he plays though draws her in and, from afar, her crush deepens. Until the night when they finally met. For a fleeting moment. There was a connection. A few words exchanged, and then she was off. But mere minutes later, he saved her life when a mugger caught her off-guard and threw her onto the subway tracks.

And yet her savior still remained a complete mystery to her, unwilling to reveal too much of himself. And she soon found out the reason why. When a major theatrical production she was working on lost its lead performer, she suggested her unknown but incredibly talented mysterious subway musician as a replacement and although he wowed the producers with his musical skill, there truth behind his secrecy finally came out…

“Aye, I’m flattered. I…” A pause. “I’m dyin’ to say yes.”
“So say yes!” Richard sings.
On the other end of the line, Calvin growls. “It’s just that, ah…”
And, in this instant, I know.
I know.
I know.
I know why he’s hesitating, because it’s got to be the same reason he didn’t want to get too involved with the police the night of my accident.
“I’m not exactly here legally, y’see.”

Then someone suggested — almost jokingly — that she could always marry him. It was a crazy idea, one she didn’t take seriously at first, but the more she thought about it, the more open to the idea she became. And that was how their unlikely pretend-but-real marriage came about before they shared even a kiss…

I swallow a lump of air and push the words out in a rush: “I was thinking thatwecouldgetmarried.”
Calvin sits back, surprised.
I look at the other tables, a little unsettled. Is he going to find this not just bizarre but outright immoral?
He puts down his fork. “Aye, why not. It’s only Holy Matrimony.” He tilts his head back and laughs delightedly. “Surely you’re only joking?”

It was supposed to be temporary marriage of convenience. But that connection they sparked on the moment they first met slowly deepened and everything changed as they begin to really fall in love with each other…

“I’ve never done this before. I just know I’m falling for the girl I married.”

It might sound weird to say this given how completely different the storylines are but I actually was getting some definite Twilight-y vibes off the ‘feeling’ in this book. Just that kind of breathless anticipation and engagement in the story and the mysterious hero with secrets who saves her and yet still stays in the shadows… I kind of loved getting that feeling off the story and I mean, it’s a huge deal for anyone to get married. But marrying a stranger who you’ve been secretly crushing on for months without him knowing is a recipe for some serious unrequited love and angsty fun.

I try to remind myself that this isn’t real — and it certainly isn’t forever — but every time he rolls over in the middle of the night and wakes me up with his hands and his weight over me, it feels more real. Every time he brings me a cup of coffee with his crazy bed head and pillow lines on his face, it feels more real. Every time he holds my jacket for me to slip into before we leave the apartment, and kisses my cheek, it feels more real… How could I possibly not fall in love with that?

Everything about their relationship happened backwards. They went on a first date, then got married before their first kiss, then became lovers before truly becoming close friends. And yet their unconventional love story worked for them. I really got the feeling with these characters that they’d been taken down roads they never intended. She perpetually felt like a secondary character in her own life story. And he’d done so many things right but ultimately just hadn’t had the opportunity yet to really find his place in the world. Until she fell into his life.

“Is the plan that I come home with you tonight?”
Heat spreads up my neck and over my cheeks. “I think so.”
“You have a couch?”
I nod.
“Your bedroom door lock?”
I pull back, looking at him. “Do I need it to lock?”
He shakes his head quickly. “Of course not. I want you to feel safe.”
“You must think I’m a maniac.”
His grin charges something to life inside me. “Well, aren’t you? I think that’s why I like you, Holland Bakker McLoughlin. That and your freckles.”
… “You think I’m taking your name?”
“I’m sure of it.”
My jaw drops through a grin. “I married a caveman.”

As their lives began to take unexpected turns with his rise to fame and his past secrets being revealed, things got more complicated between them and yet I was so invested in their story that I couldn’t read fast enough. They each did make some mistakes to be sure but I mostly found them to be understandable ones. Hindsight is 20-20 but in the heat of the moment mistakes can happen. But to me, it’s how you deal with the aftermath that defines a person. My heart raced. The pages flew by. And it was all worth it because the ending was beautiful!

With a little nod, Calvin bends, eyes closed, and strums the first, brilliant note.
I feel the collective intake of breath, the way bodies behind me in the shadows shift forward now to see, not only hear. I see the way Michael’s eyebrows seem pinned high on his forehead, the way sullen Richard has released his arms from their omnipresent cross and tucked his hands more easily in his pockets, rocking back on his heels.
I see Calvin impress the entire fucking theater, and clay a hand over my mouth. Is it weird that in this second I see my street musical up there and want to scream? Is it weird that I sense how much this means to him, even if I don’t now anything else about him?
I want to dance across the stage, I am so proud.

There were only two complaints I had about this book. The first was that there were a few slower non-romancy parts to the book that weren’t quite as engaging. And I sometimes found the heroine’s insecurities annoying but ultimately everything really did balance out by the end and looking back on the book, I have only good feelings towards it. And while I did wish for an epilogue, their story ended on a high with heart-warming emotions and a genuine full circle to their love story.

His smile straightens. “I don’t like to think of you playing a side part in your story.”
I bite my lips, struggling not to look away. I’m not entirely sure what to say.
“You’ve suddenly become a very large part of mine,” he says quietly. “And I yours. No? Why not make it epic?”

If you’re looking for a well-written, sexy, fun, angsty romance with strong characters and an absorbing story, definitely grab a copy of this! I loved it and would highly recommend it!

Rating: 4.5 stars. Contemporary Romance Standalone.

Note: This book releases in a few days but if you pre-order a copy, it won’t be charged til release and will automatically download to your eReader the moment it goes live so you don’t accidentally forget about it!

Book Review — Cuffed by K. Bromberg

October 22, 2017 by Aestas · 9 Comments

“It seems I have forgotten my handcuffs.”
“Oh, am I under arrest?”
“Definitely.”
“What’s the charge?”
“Making me want you. Every minute of every goddamn day.”

OMG. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! Total honesty here, I had this book pegged wrong. Now, that’s probably my fault because I actually didn’t read the blurb before I started the book. I’d read enough K. Bromberg books over the years to know I enjoyed her writing style so when this book came along I just dove right in having only seen the title and cover. Honestly, I kind of expected it to be more of a light hearted storyline (not even sure why) but HOLY FEELS!! Yes, it was hot and sexy and had some great banter but the emotional depth took me by surprise in the best of ways and I absolutely LOVED IT!!! You guys know how much I adore emotional love stories so this has definitely become a new TOP FAVORITE!!

So even though I never read the blurb first, I’m going to share it here to give you an idea of what the story is actually about. Pro tip: reading blurbs actually helps. Who knew?! lol. Kidding. I usually always read them.

“I hate you. I never want to see you again.”

Grant Malone is not the reason I moved back to Sunnyville—at least that’s what I tell myself. Yet, those parting words I said to him back in third grade, ring in my ears every time a townsperson brings up one of the Malone boys. I thought time had healed my wounds. I was wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for how I felt when I finally saw him again.

Twenty years does a lot to turn a boy into a man. One who hits all my buttons—sexy, funny, attractive, and a police officer. But Grant is off limits because he knows too much about my past.

But I’m drawn to him. That damn uniform of his doesn’t hurt either. It’ll be my downfall. I know it.

What’s one night of sex going to hurt… right?

***

I’ve always loved Emmy Reeves.

That’s why I’m shocked to see her all these years later. The shy girl I once knew is all grown up.

Adventurous and full of life, she owns my heart now, just as much as she did back then. Convincing her of that is a whole different story.

I’ll give her the one night she asks for – like that’s a hardship – but when it comes to letting her walk away after, she has another thing coming. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go this time without a fight.

Okay. If you love protective heroes — like the kind of man who will risk his life to save others and go far out of his way to ensure the safety of anyone he loves or who needs his help — then you are going to fall head over heals in love with Grant Malone. Like seriously. This guy is like the very definition of an ALPHA PROTECTIVE HERO. Pure swoon material. He’s a hero’s hero and also of course a sexy police officer and he will straight up steal your heart.

The only girl I’ve ever really loved is the only one it seems I’ll ever really want.
I’m more determined than ever to prove it to her.
Her rules don’t matter.
Her past doesn’t matter. It’s her her.
It’s just the now.
And it’s about damn time.

The heroine is strong and feisty. Her past was incredibly traumatic and the scars left over are ones she’s tried to put behind her for years. But seeing Grant again brings everything she’s tried so hard to bury back to the surface and forces her to face truth she’s spent her whole adult life running away from.

“There’s this look she gets in her eyes. It’s like she’s perfectly fine. She’s funny and outgoing and God is she feisty… but every so often, there’s this sadness, this uncertainty that flashes in her eyes, and it fucks me up. I don’t know how to make it go away.”
“You always did want to save people.”

But he’s kind, patient, persistent, and determined not to give up on the only girl who’s ever owned his heart. He understands her pain and wants to help her through it. And he’s willing to wait as long as she needs.

“I saved—“ I saved you once, and I’ll save you again in a goddamn heartbeat without thinking twice.

I’ve said this about a million times so far but for reals, second chance romances are just my favorite types of love stories. I love all the emotions that come with them. I love the depth. The heart-break. The intensity. The healing. The love that lasts throughout the separation. Something about them — no matter how many I read — just gets to me every single time.

She’s always been there in my mind. Sure, it’s been a long ass time since third grade, but in some sort of way, I knew I’d see her again. She isn’t someone I could easily forget.

But this book isn’t all serious, there are some genuinely fun moment too…

“To what do I owe this pleasure? I know I’m a law-abiding citizen, so I’m not in any trouble, unless you like to use those handcuffs for other purposes.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
The woman is hilarious. “A real man never kisses and tells,” I say with a wink.
“But he does spank and flog,” she comes right back without batting an eyelash, making me choke on air.
“Jesus.”

Oh and also, this is the first standalone in a new series of standalones — each one features one of the brothers of this hero and I can’t wait to read the next ones. You get to meet Grant’s whole family in this book and I promise you’ll fall in love with all of them! This book does have an epilogue though so you can read it fully alone.

This book really took me by surprise in the best of ways. If you’re looking for a well written romance with a strong heroine, a swoony hero, an emotionally charged and sexy love story that’s full of feels, this is definitely the book you should read next!

Rating: 4.5 stars! Contemporary Adult Romance, can standalone

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