2016 Audiobook Challenge - Quarter One Wrap-up

I've had so much fun participating in the yearly audiobook challenges organized by The Book Nympho and Hot Listens, that of course I had to do it again in 2016! Given my better-than-expected performance last year, I chose to challenge myself with the next level up this year. So, in 2016, I am aiming for...

My Precious (I had my earbuds surgically implanted):  30-50 audiobooks

I'd like to challenge myself this year to listen to more paranormal and YA. When I first started getting into audiobooks, those were the only two genres I listened to. In fact, I still remember what my very first audiobook was - Evermore by Alyson Noel. Since then, though, I've sort of fallen into a romance rut. Not that I don't enjoy my romance audiobooks - obviously I do, otherwise I wouldn't listen to so many of them. But, I would like to branch out this year to rediscover my first loves.

Thanks to several long road trips for various reasons in the first quarter of 2016, I'm off to an awesome start. I've listened to 10 audiobooks, so if I stay on this course, I'll more than achieve my goal.

1. Ride Steady (Chaos #3), by Kristen Ashley
2. Beneath This Mask (Beneath #1), by Meghan March
3. Screwed (Screwed #1), by Kendall Ryan
4. Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changeling #3), by Nalini Singh
5. Fading (Fading #1), by E.K. Blair
6. Forever With Me (With Me In Seattle #8), by Kristen Proby
7. Appealed (The Legal Briefs #3), by Emma Chase
8. Seducing Lauren (Love Under the Big Sky #2), by Kristen Proby
9. Love Hurts (Caged Love #1), by Mandi Beck
10. Master of the Mountain (Mountain Masters & Dark Haven #1), by Cherise Sinclair
11. Cocky Bastard, by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Dare Me

I'm so pleased to participate in the blog tour for Rebecca Shea's DARE ME. Read on for my review and an excerpt that I promise will grab you. Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a Kindle Fire!

Dare Me, by Rebecca Shea
Publish Date: March 28, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) Five coworkers.
Four drinks.
Three glances.
Two fleeting smiles.
One dare.

A dare that will change my life.

That’s all it takes to send me plummeting into the arms of the mysterious Holt Hamilton. Behind his crystal blue eyes is a secret, one that screams danger but calls to me anyway.

My name is Saige Phillips.

I never walk away from a dare.

I knew from the very first chapter of Dare Me that I was going to love this book. It has all the components that I need for a fantastic story - a forbidden romance, a hunky alpha male, and a secret that could tear them apart.

Dare Me started with a bang, and it never let up. Thirteen-year-old Saige went through a horrible tragedy, and ten years later, she's still dealing with the repercussions. And who could blame her? After what she saw, I don't know how anyone could come back from that. And, the repercussions are still hitting her hard, despite the success she's had professionally. I really loved Saige and her gumption. She's exactly the kind of heroine I love to read about and root for.

And then there's Holt. The owner of the company she works for. A multi-millionaire. And a man who has a lot more going on behind scenes than what he lets on. This man was seriously sexy and surprisingly sweet. Based on his internal musings and actions toward Saige, I guessed at his secret long before it came out, but honestly that was okay. It just made the anticipation of that moment all the more nail-biting.

At around 75%, I was so nervous, because I knew that when Holt's backstory came out, it would destroy what he and Saige had built. Rebecca Shea did a fantastic job with the build-up to that moment. And, then the aftermath was very emotional and had me in tears with all the feels.

I really loved this emotionally-charged book. Dare Me grabbed me from the very first chapter, and the ending was absolutely perfect.

Those fucking legs.

They were the first thing I noticed when I met Saige. Her legs go on for miles. I thought I was hiring a midwestern farm girl; however, she is anything but. She's been a bit of a mystery to me—all of her social media accounts are locked down, and no online photos. She’s almost as good at being as invisible as I am, except I paid someone a lot of money to keep me off the Internet. I hired her sight unseen and only because of her last name. Thankfully, her credentials matched exactly what I was looking for, which made it easier on me and less likely for HR to question my motives.

And then I met her. Her and her long dark hair and those fucking endless legs. She left me speechless. Everything about her was nothing I had expected. Tall and lean. Dark and fair. Kind and ambitious. Mysterious and perfect. Exquisite. She is perfection.

I stand outside Bar 51 and take a deep, cleansing breath. “What the fuck are you doing, Hamilton?” I run my hands through my hair. I cannot go out for drinks with her. I know I shouldn’t, but fuck if I could tell her no.

“Mr. Hamilton?” The sound of my name pulls me from my thoughts, and I turn around to find Saige and our other employees huddled together. “You waiting on someone?” Isaiah Gutierrez asks me. I look past him to see Saige standing arm in arm with Rowan Hansen.

“Uh, no. Was just getting some fresh air before I head home.” I turn my attention back to Isaiah. “You guys headed out?”

“Yeah, it’s that time.” He gives a short laugh. His eyes are bloodshot and glossy.

“Well, I hope you all enjoyed your evening,” I tell Isaiah, but I turn my attention back to Saige as I shrug my suit coat on.

The group of them begins to chat and laugh before they disperse. Saige gives me a small wave as she starts to walk away, her arm still looped through Rowan’s. Part of me wants to rip her away from him, and the other part of me is happy she’s found a friend that she can trust—a very gay friend, thankfully.

Rowan helps her keep her balance as they walk down the street, and I smile as she giggles. I catch her look over her shoulder at me one last time before they turn the corner and disappear, but not before I memorize the look of want in her eyes.

Rebecca Shea is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Unbreakable series (Unbreakable, Undone, and Unforgiven) and the Bound and Broken series (Broken by Lies and Bound by Lies). She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family. From the time Rebecca could read she has had a passion for books. Rebecca spends her days working and her nights writing, bringing stories to life. Born and raised in Minnesota, Rebecca moved to Arizona in 1999 to escape the bitter winters. When not working or writing, she can be found on the sidelines of her sons’ football games, or watching her daughter at ballet class. Rebecca is fueled by insane amounts of coffee, margaritas, Laffy Taffy (except the banana ones), and happily ever afters.

Learn more about Rebecca --> Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Sinful Love (Sinful Nights #4)

The Sinful Nights series is coming to a close with SINFUL LOVE. Take a look at my review, check out the excerpt from SINFUL LOVE and enter the giveaway for a signed set of the Sinful Nights series!

Sinful Love (Sinful Nights #4), by Lauren Blakely
Publish Date: March 28, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Intense. Devoted. Protective. 

Michael Sloan is all of the above, with a hard tough edge to boot. He's not the guy he used to be. Years ago, before all the s&%t went down, he was laidback, carefree, and even happy-go-lucky.

Life changed him. Hardened him. 

There's one woman though who can break down his walls. Someone who knew him then. Who can reach inside to that heart he protects fiercely...because she's the only one he ever gave it to. When they collide, it's tender and savage, gentle and rough, and makes them both hungry for more of this electric, once-in-a-blue moon kind of sexual chemistry. But it's a battle of wills between Michael and the woman he loves, with words and emotions held close to the vest. 

She doesn't believe she can ever move on from her own heartbreak, but when Michael makes her feel for the first time in years, it's both thrilling and scares the hell out of her, setting off all her flight instincts. He's determined not to lose her again, but he'll have to learn to let her in if he ever wants to fully heal from the past... 

The problem is, she knows something about the night his family shattered. She has the missing puzzle piece...but neither one of them realizes it. 

YET.

Sinful Love is an incredible conclusion to Lauren Blakely's Sinful Nights series. Not only does big brother Michael finally get his happily ever after with the girl that got away, but we finally - FINALLY - get the entire picture surrounding the murder of Michael, Ryan, Colin and Shannon's father.

It feels like we've been leading up to this moment for such a long time. We've been getting bits and pieces of the puzzle, a little at a time, in each of the four siblings' books. And, now we have the chance to see how all these pieces fit together. It, obviously, doesn't happen until the very end. Of course Lauren Blakely wouldn't give us that satisfaction until the very end. As it should be.

But, alongside the big reveal, is a fantastic second-chance love story as Michael gets an unexpected opportunity to see the girl who got away 18 years ago.

Michael met Annalise when they were just kids. When you're only 16, even true love can keep you apart if you happen to live on separate continents. College and life and problems happened to both of them, and when a chance meeting happened 8 years later, Annalise had moved on. But, fate intervened once again, and 10 years after that, Michael and Annalise find themselves face-to-face once more, this time while both of them are available.

Lauren Blakely is wonderful at creating this awesome sexual tension between two people. It was off the charts in Sinful Love. Michael has never stopped loving Annalise, and he's afraid that, if he opens up fully to her again, she will completely destroy his heart this time. So, he holds back for awhile. Meanwhile, Annalise is dealing with feelings of guilt for wanting Michael a mere two years after her husband died. So, instead, these two dance around each other and the feelings that are obviously still there for quite awhile.

Thankfully, the relationship drama is very low in Sinful Love. There's plenty of other drama created as we race toward the arrest of all those involved in Michael's father's murder, so that meant that the angst quotient was dialed down. There was still lots going on, and just because there was very little relationship game playing, that doesn't mean that there wasn't some super sexy times. I mean, come on. This is Lauren Blakely. This was a ridiculously hot book.

I'm so sad this series has come to a close. It's been so exciting and sexy. I can't wait to see what's coming next!

A rush of heat flooded him at those three words. He wanted to be the only one for her, even if he was only able to have her for a small moment in time. He would take what he could get, and he would savor it. She was here right now, with him and no one else.

“You have no idea how glad I am that I’m the one you thought of, Annalise,” he whispered.

A smile tugged at her lips.

Then, he went for it. Just fucking let it all out. A hope, a wish, a what if question. “Do you ever wonder what would have happened that day if you weren’t engaged? If you’d never have met him?”

She shook her head. “No. I don’t think about it. I don’t have to wonder,” she said, her tone steady and certain as she looked straight at him, the rest of the restaurant fading into a blur. “Because I know what would have happened.”

His hands shook and his heart stuttered as he rasped out, “What would have happened?”

She leaned in closer, placing a hand on his cheek. “I’d have stolen you. Taken you away from the army. Brought you home with me to Paris. Kept you all for myself for all the years and made up for lost time,” she said, and his heart beat furiously, slamming against his chest, loving those words.

“Stop saying those things,” he whispered, shaking his head.

“What things?”

“Things that make this harder for me.”

“Why is it hard for you?”
He drew a breath. “Because you say things like that and it makes me want to steal you away. Maybe this is my only chance.”

“What if it is?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? What if this night, this trip, these hours were all they’d have? He didn’t know if he could risk putting any more of his heart on the line for her. One thing was certain—his original notion that one touch and she’d be out of his system was well and truly gone. “Then we make the most of it.” 

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With nine New York Times bestsellers,her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller List more than three dozen times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love and Fighting Fire. She recently released BIG ROCK, a sexy standalone romantic comedy that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. In the late spring, she’ll release MISTER O, another standalone romantic comedy.

Links:
Website: http://www.laurenblakely.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenBlakelyBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurenBlakely3
Lauren Blakely Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860216.Lauren_Blakely

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RELEASE DAY: Heartbreaker

Heartbreaker by Melody Grace Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: March 28th

"A must read second chance love story!"

- Claire Contreras, NYT Bestselling Author

Synopsis:

They say that time heals a broken heart, but you try moving on when your ex is the most famous man on the planet.

Every time I walk down the street, there he is on magazine covers and billboards plastered with his gorgeous face: Finn McKay. Now he’s a drop-dead sexy rock star, but when I knew him, he was just the boy from the wrong side of the tracks - and the first guy I ever loved. He broke my heart into a hundred pieces when he skipped town without saying goodbye – but now he’s back.

And he wants me.

I’m determined not to make the same mistakes twice, but the chemistry with Finn was always way too hot to ignore. He was the guy who had me sneaking out my bedroom window for just one more kiss, and breaking curfew parked by the riverbanks, steaming up his windows in the backseat of his car. The past five years have been good to him, real good, and between his dirty mind and that ‘I know how to make you scream’ smile, he’s breaking through my defenses all over again.

Maybe one last wild fling for old time’s sake is what I need to finally move on. But what happens when Finn wants more than my body? This time he wants everything.

Purchase Links

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About Melody Grace

Melody Grace is the New York Times bestselling author of the Beachwood Bay series. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach lover, after spending her life with her nose in a book, she decided it was time she wrote one herself. She loves steamy romance novels, happily-ever-afters, and lusting after fictional menfolk. She lives in LA with her two kittens, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers.
 
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BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Walk The Edge (Thunder Road #2)

I am so in love with Katie McGarry's Thunder Road series. Both Nowhere But Here and now WALK THE EDGE have gripped me like a book hasn't done in such a long time. Read on for my review, and then enter to win one of three finished copies (US Only) in the Walk The Edge blog tour, organized by Irish Banana Tours!

Walk The Edge (Thunder Road #2), by Katie McGarry
Publish Date: March 29, 2016
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) One moment of recklessness will change their worlds.

Smart. Responsible. That's seventeen-year-old Breanna's role in her large family, and heaven forbid she put a toe out of line. Until one night of shockingly un-Breanna-like behavior puts her into a vicious cyber-bully's line of fire—and brings fellow senior Thomas "Razor" Turner into her life.

Razor lives for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, and good girls like Breanna just don't belong. But when he learns she's being blackmailed over a compromising picture of the two of them—a picture that turns one unexpected and beautiful moment into ugliness—he knows it's time to step outside the rules.

And so they make a pact: he'll help her track down her blackmailer, and in return she'll help him seek answers to the mystery that's haunted him—one that not even his club brothers have been willing to discuss. But the more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. And suddenly they're both walking the edge of discovering who they really are, what they want, and where they're going from here.

After finishing Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road #1), I thought no one could top it. As it turns out, Katie herself did. She welcomes us back to Thunder Road and the Reign of Terror MC in Walk The Edge, a story that I found so compelling, I couldn't put it down until I finished it. 

Razor was very much on the periphery in Nowhere But Here. It's his nature - he's quiet and broody and chooses to observe rather than engage with those around him. Despite his membership in the Reign of Terror, he still relies on himself more than anyone else. 

Maybe that's one of the reasons why he related to Breanna so well. She's exactly the same - child number 5 of 9, she's the one most often overlooked. At school, she just tries to keep her head down and not stand out, despite her unique ability to solve riddles and codes. Although both she and Razor are constantly surrounded by people, they are still very much on islands by themselves.

Everyone says the same thing: Breanna's smart, she's quiet. On the inside, I'm not at all quiet. Most of the time, I'm screaming.

Both Breanna and Razor caused my heart to break time and time again. For Breanna, I felt so angry on her behalf. Her family treated her terribly. They either took advantage of her, or ignored her, or flat out verbally and emotionally abused her on purpose. I could feel her clawing need to escape the suffocating confines of her life. It's no wonder that, after getting over her initial trepidation toward Razor and the Terrors, that she would find a strange sense of belonging in their version of "family." Interesting that the non-blood ties in the club are stronger than the blood ties Breanna shares with her entire family. 

For Razor's part, he pulled on my heartstrings as he tried desperately to understand the circumstances surrounding his mother's death and the role, if any, that the Terror - and his father specifically - played in it. Although I fell in love with the club in book 1, I was pretty furious with them in Walk The Edge. Couldn't they understand that there are some things that are even bigger than the club? Like, and 18-year-old boy's need for closure in regards to his mother's death? The fact that they refused him answers infuriated both him and me. 

Razor's and Breanna's relationship looks wrong on paper, but when you dig deeper, you see that these two are exactly what the other needed. Razor gave Breanna his attention, his loyalty and his protection. She gave him the benefit of the doubt and help when no one else would. They worked so well together - both on the puzzle surrounding Razor's mom's death and on the mystery of who was blackmailing Breanna with compromising pictures that could be posted to a Facebook-like site. Their love was so incredibly sweet and heartfelt - it was my favorite part of the book.

"And you're the person this entire town has trashed, a person belonging to the group I've been raised to believe is evil, and you're the only person who is able to make me feel as if every part of me is beautiful."

I open my mouth, hoping that doing so will force the right words. That I can explain how being near her makes everything that's impossible about me seem possible.

We saw a lot more of Chevy and Violet in Walk The Edge, so I'm presuming their story will take place in book 3. I can't imagine liking the third book in this series more than this one. Of course, I've heard that before, and you know what happened here. 

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram | Pinterest

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COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: Right

Jana Aston's foray into the publishing world resulted in legions of fans and the little tag, "New York Times Bestselling Author." Not too shabby. I loved Wrong so much - it was one of my favorite books of 2015. We're now just weeks away from the follow-up, RIGHT. And today I get to show you the cover and blurb. 

Right, by Jana Aston
Publish Date: April 6, 2016
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance

(Synopsis) My childhood was perfect.
I’ve led a charmed life, and I’m not going to blow it now by picking the wrong guy.

I’ve got my sights set on my brother’s best friend. He’s known my family for years. He’s reliable and kind and handsome.

Sure, he’s been avoiding me since I was six.

I’m a bit aggressive for him, maybe.

But he’s the one… right?

Jana Aston is the New York Times bestselling author of WRONG. She quit her super boring day job to whip up another book & is hoping that was not a stupid idea.

In her defense, it was really boring.

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1M3KNIk
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1JBnr5E
Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/1XqEqkJ
Website: http://www.janaaston.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bzY1_1
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14250598.Jana_Aston

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TOP TEN TUESDAY

It's been too long since I've done a Top Ten Tuesday post! Well, I'm back, and today I'm listing...

The Top Ten Books I Really Love...

But Feel Like I Haven't Talked About Enough

1. Strong Signal (Cyberlove #1), by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell - I've loved everything Megan Erickson has written, but I don't know. There was something extra special about Strong Signal. Part of it was Santino Hassell's role in it coming to fruition. But, honestly, this was just a damn good book with some amazing characters.

2. Ride Steady (Chaos #3), by Kristen Ashley - This whole series is amazing, but Joker was just the most incredible guy I've ever met in a book. And I've met A LOT of book boys. He is a MAN. And the way he takes care of his woman and his friends and his club was just the best thing ever.

3. Half-Blood (Covenant #1), by Jennifer L. Armentrout - It's been a long time since I read this book for the first time. With the Titans spin-off series now in full swing, it's good to remember where it all began.

4. Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy #1), by J.R. Ward - I can't say enough about the start of this spin-off series. It was kinda magical. The brothers were extra awesome, and the team of new recruits was fresh and exciting. There was tons of action and super swoony love scenes.

5. The Great Hunt (The Great Hunt #1), by Wendy Higgins - This book just came out, but I read it last year, and I still can't get it out of my head. This was such a fantastic fairy tale retelling about a princess and a monster and the land's unlikely savior. If you haven't read this one yet, you really need to.

6. Sustained (The Legal Briefs #2), by Emma Chase - I adore Emma Chase's books. I always laugh and fall so much in love with the characters. There was something extra special about grumpy Jake. He fell in love with a woman and six children. SO sweet. And the audio version was fantastic.

7.  Need Me (Broke and Beautiful #2), by Tessa Bailey - Hot nerds are the wave of the future, and none of them are hotter than stodgy professor Ben Dawson. I was delighted to find that underneath his tweed jacket and sexy glasses was one hell of a dirty talker, and Honey Perribow brought out the best in him. I think I could read this book over and over and over.

8. Mayhem (Mayhem #1), by Jamie Shaw - Mayhem was Jamie Shaw's first published book, and OMG, more people need to read this book! It was sweet and sexy and had Adam Freaking Everest in it. If you're a fan of rock star book (and even if you're not), you really should check out this new author and her awesome series.

9. Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires #1), by Chloe Neill - This book has been out for seven years, and it's been about four years since I read it. This series will wrap up this year, and it's such a bitter sweet thing. It's such a smart and exciting series. The characters grow and change, and the love - GAH. The love is EPIC.

10. The Naturals (The Naturals #1), by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - This YA book was unlike anything I'd ever read before. A group of brilliant teenagers work with the FBI to help them solve cold cases - how awesome is that?

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: All Chained Up (Devil's Rock #1)

I absolutely love Sophie Jordan. She has written about dragons, college co-eds, tortured heiresses and brave princesses. So, the broody convict is a new one. A new AWESOME one. I'm so excited to kick off the All Chained Up blog tour, organized by Irish Banana Tours. Check out my review, and enter to win one of three finished copies All Chained Up.

All Chained Up (Devil's Rock #1), by Sophie Jordan
Publish Date: March 29, 2016
Publisher: Avon Books
Format: Digital ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Some men come with a built-in warning label. Knox Callaghan is one of them. Danger radiates from every lean, muscled inch of him, and his deep blue eyes seem to see right through to Briar Davis’s most secret fantasies. But there’s one major problem: Briar is a nurse volunteering at the local prison, and Knox is an inmate who should be off-limits in every way.

Knox feels it too—a shocking animal magnetism that drives him to risk his own life to protect Briar’s. Paroled at last, he tries to resist her. She’s too innocent, too sweet, and she has no idea what Knox is capable of. But a single touch can lead to a kiss—and a taste . . . until the only crime is denying what feels so right . . .

I honestly didn't know how even Sophie Jordan could pull off a prison romance. I should've had more faith.

All Chained Up was rather dark and sad at times. If ever there was a noble reason for going to prison, it was Knox's. I was hoping that would be the case. When you learn the hero of a story is a criminal in prison, you have to wonder how you could love him and want him to come out on top. Again - should've had more faith in Sophie.

Knox did exactly what he was convicted of and sentenced for. And he feels horrible about it to a certain degree. He and his brother were convicted together for the parts they played in their crime, and I think one of the biggest regrets that Knox has is that his younger brother now has a record because of something that was Knox's idea in the first place.

As a result, Knox is weighed down HEAVILY by some serious guilt and self-loathing. He's willing to do his time, but doesn't want anyone to be tainted by what he feels is a worthless existence. That is, until Briar crosses his path in the prison's health center. She's the first thing he's dared to want in a long time, and I think it's because she's a light in his otherwise dark existence.

Briar is a bit of a contradiction. She's very mousy and timid. She has no desire whatsoever to work in a prison, but sort of felt pressured into doing it. When faced with a half-naked Knox, she can barely touch him for how affected she is by his very commanding presence. She makes no effort to hide her dislike of the environment and the men she has to work on.

But when an event puts Knox back in her path under a different situation, we see a very different Briar. Who knew that under that doormat exterior lay a wild sex kitten who is woman enough to handle a convicted criminal? Not only that, but she is capable of bringing it when confronted by her very opinionated and protective sister. It's almost like Briar was a different person in the first part of the book from who she was in the second part.

I loved part two Briar the best. This was a woman who was driven to overcome her fears - and she had A LOT of them. Between the fear of becoming like her mother (which is not a good thing), and the fear of working in a dangerous environment with dangerous people, and then later the fear of not being able to hold on to the one good and exciting thing she found in the most unlikely of places.

All Chained Up was a great start to this new series. I applaud Sophie Jordan for working with a new crop of "bad boys." From what I can tell from the introduction of the side characters and the lead in to book two, the rest of the series will be no less exciting and intriguing.

Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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REVIEW: Out of Frame (In Focus #3)

Out of Frame (In Focus #3), by Megan Erickson
Publish Date: March 15, 2016
Publisher: Intermix
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: new adult contemporary m/m romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Perpetually shy, Quinn Mathers is content to remain in the shadow of his brash best friend Jess Hartman. But before their college graduation, he and Jess have planned one last hurrah: a spring break Caribbean cruise. 

And it won’t be just any cruise. On board are members of the reality show Trip League, which follows young twenty-somethings on adventures around the world. Since the show’s beginning, Quinn has been fascinated by J. R. Butler, with his amazing body, warm eyes, and killer grin. Unfortunately, he’s straight—or so the world thinks.

At nineteen, J. R. signed a contract to play straight for the show, and there’s no way to get out of it now. Yet with each passing day, Quinn and J. R. find it harder to keep their hands off each other and to keep out of the camera’s frame. But when the lens finally focuses on them, J. R. must decide if he’s willing to risk his career by admitting his bisexuality, and Quinn must determine if he's bold enough to stand in the spotlight with the man of his dreams...

If there's one thing I've come to expect from Megan Erickson is that she will put her epic genius to work to bring you the full spectrum of feels in her books. While reading Out of Frame, I laughed, I was angry and frustrated, and I totally swooned. 

Out of Frame is her third book in the angsty m/m In Focus series, and I have to say, this one was a bit of a departure from the first two in the series. The first two dealt with some pretty serious problems and as a result, the tone was pretty heavy and deep. Out of Frame is markedly lighter. It seems like I laughed a lot more while reading it, and I didn't feel despair at all for what either guy was going through. 

Despite the lack of intense drama, that doesn't mean that there weren't hurdles for Quinn and J.R. to overcome. They meet on a reality show cruise. Quinn is desperate to cut the apron strings with his stifling parents. J.R. is sick of his role as the "straight bad boy" on his reality show, and wants nothing more than to just be who he is for once - a nice gay man who loves acting and has an intense desire to take care of his parents and his sick brother. But, his agent thinks that coming out publicly will harm his ability to get roles beyond the reality show. 

"My skin is tight, and I want to scream. I want to scream until I'm hoarse that this isn't who I am. That I'm so much more than the J.R. Butler they edit me to be on TV."

Quinn came along at the wrong time, and I get why J.R. was feeling so backed into a corner. He finally found someone he wanted to be with, but if he wanted to keep on making the kind of money his family needs, he had to keep pretending to be straight. It really was an impossible situation. I loved how J.R. tried to steal moments with Quinn where and when he could. Those moments were sweet and poignant and so, SO hot. 

I also like how J.R. is up front with Quinn about why they have to sneak around. They were very honest with each other about their situations and their feelings, and that's so refreshing. I hate when couples play games and hide things from one another. Quinn and J.R. had enough to deal with - at least they were up front about it all.

Since we first met Quinn in book two, as he's BFFs with Colin's sister, AND since Riley is good friends with Landry, there is a point in the book where we do catch up with both previous couples - Colin and Riley and Justin and Landry. I LOVE that Megan Erickson gives us those moments in her books. 

In Out of Frame, we're introduced to Levi, who will be the subject of the next In Focus book, and I can't wait to see what's in store for him and what awesome feels Megan Erickson will subject us to next. 

EXCERPT REVEAL: Ride Hard (Raven Riders MC #1)

I seriously CAN NOT WAIT for Ride Hard. I realize this is like the best kind of torture, but you really should check out this excerpt. You won't be sorry.

Ride Hard (Raven Riders MC #1), by Laura Kaye
Publish Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Avon
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

These are the Raven Riders . . .

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before . . .

So much better out here,” Haven said, the night air cool against the tingling warmth of her skin. Although she was pretty sure that not all of the heat burning through her insides was from the alcohol—her unusual flirtatiousness and closeness to Dare over the past half hour had made her desperate with a heat that had nothing to do with her drinking game.

She walked to the railing and leaned against it, chuckling a little at herself for needing the support it offered. She felt so damn free, and it was a heady, exhilarating thing.

“What’s funny?” Dare asked, settling a hip against the railing right beside her. Arms crossed, jaw ticking with tension, dark eyes blazing, he was staring at her like he wanted to reprimand her or devour her. Oddly, neither alarmed her the way she would’ve expected it to.

Haven shook her head, leaning it back and letting her gaze float over the night sky. Blurry points of light swam in the moonlit heavens. It was beautiful and peaceful despite the pounding bass beat of music thumping from inside the clubhouse. “Not funny, just good. Happy, you know? Being able to do something a little . . . scary, but knowing I’d be safe doing it.” When Dare’s gaze narrowed, she shrugged. “I don’t know.”

A long moment passed before Dare finally spoke. “You are safe here, Haven. Never doubt it.”

Peering up at him, she nodded, all kinds of words sitting on the tip of her tongue, challenging her to let them fly. “It’s weird feeling safe—or at least safer—after a lifetime of not. It makes me want to try things I could never let myself try before. It makes me . . .” She shook her head and dipped her chin.

Dare stepped closer, his thighs coming up against her hip. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. The contact combined with the command in the gesture lanced white-hot desire through her veins. “Makes you what?”

“Want to feel alive,” she whispered, her heart suddenly racing in her chest.

Dare’s jaw ticked again as his gaze swept over her face. She didn’t think she was imagining the raw emotion pouring off of him and wrapping around her, but she wasn’t sure if she was reading that emotion right or projecting her own desire onto him.

“Do you feel alive, Dare?” she asked, the alcohol flowing through her and the night spinning around her like she was walking through a dream.

“Jesus,” he bit out.

The rough desperation in his voice made her wet between her legs. “Just once,” she whispered, not sure what she was asking him for.

But he seemed to know. Because his hand was suddenly tangled in her hair and his mouth was suddenly on hers, claiming, probing, tasting. Haven moaned and parted her lips, inviting him deeper.

Dare jerked back from her, his fingers rubbing roughly over his lips. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

On instinct, Haven’s body pursued his, pinning his back to the railing. “Please don’t stop,” she said as her hands gripped his shoulders. She had the strongest urge to climb him, to wrap her legs around him, to grind against the hard bulge pressing electrically against her belly.

“Please,” she whispered, tilting her mouth toward his. “I liked it.”

Dare’s hand cupped the back of her head. “You’re killing me.”

“Dare,” she said, her body restless against his.

In a move that sent the world spinning, he flipped them around so that she was the one pinned against the railing. He pushed his legs between hers and leaned down over her, forcing her to arch her back, to yield, to open to him.“Tell me what you want from me. Say the words,” he said, his eyes absolutely on fire.

Her heart was a runaway train in her chest, frantic and picking up speed. The thought of giving voice to her desires was terrifying and thrilling and dizzying all at once.

“I want your mouth,” she said. The words sounded odder out loud than they had in her head, but they were more accurate than asking him to kiss her—because her mouth wasn’t the only place she wanted his.

“Jesus,” he rasped again, his mouth coming down on hers once more.

The whimper she released was part relief, part anticipation. It had been so long since she’d kissed someone that she felt a little uncertain, but Dare’s intensity barely allowed her the capacity to worry about it. He was like a dark storm bearing down on her, relentless, magnetic, all-consuming.

Rough callouses from his hands scratched against her cheeks as he guided her. Hard breaths spilled over her lips, and the wet slide of his tongue tasted like whiskey and desire and man. Her hands found the soft length of his hair, and her breasts pushed against the hard plane of his chest.

Then her lips were freed as his mouth slid over her skin—exploring her cheek, her jaw, her ear, her neck. He hiked her up to sit on the wide railing, the move surprising a gasp out of her, especially as he crowded the space between her legs, pushing himself closer, bringing his erection against the place between her legs craving friction, hardness, so much more of him. Maybe even all of him.

One strong arm wrapped around her back and held her steady, while the other hand stroked her hair, her face, her breast. The soft groans and breathy grunts spilling out of him were delicious and thrilling, and bolstered her confidence that she wasn’t the only one losing herself in this moment, in these touches. She almost couldn’t believe this was happening, and part of her was certain she must be dreaming. Because Haven Randall didn’t have beautiful things in her life. At least, never before.

And, did you hear the other awesome news from Laura Kaye? If you're a fan of her Hearts in Darkness series, you don't want to miss this. When you pre-order Ride Hard, you will get an exclusive short story all about Caden and Makenna's wedding!

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink and upcoming Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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RELEASE DAY REVIEW: 1001 Dark Nights Bundle Four

1001 Dark Nights Bundle 4
Publish Date: March 15, 2016
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Format: ARC, provided by InkslingerPR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors Carrie Ann Ryan, Heather Graham, Kristen Proby, and Cherise Sinclair, and introducing K. L. Grayson and Mari Carr… 

Six Dark Tales. Six Sensual Stories. Six Page Turners.

WICKED WOLF by Carrie Ann Ryan: Gina Eaton has always known fate can be tricky, but when she finds the one man that could be her mate, she might throw caution to the wind. Quinn Weston puts his whole being into two things: the safety of his Pack and his son. When the two Alphas put Gina and Quinn together to find a way to ensure their treaties remain strong, fate has a plan of its own.

WHEN IRISH EYES ARE HAUNTING by Heather Graham: Devin Lyle and Craig Rockwell are back, this time to a haunted castle in Ireland where a banshee may have gone wild—or maybe there's a much more rational explanation—one that involves a disgruntled heir, murder, and mayhem.

EASY WITH YOU by Kristen Proby: With a murderer terrorizing the Tulane University campus, Asher Smith finds himself toe-to-toe with the one woman that haunts his dreams. Lila Bailey has fought for every good thing in her life during every day of her thirty-one years. Aside from that one night with an impossible to deny stranger a year ago, Lila is the epitome of responsible. When some of her female students are viciously murdered, Lila’s shaken to the core. But when Lila becomes the target, can Asher save her in time?

MASTER OF FREEDOM by Cherise Sinclair: Detective Atticus Ware needs a woman to give her heart as well as her body. When Virginia Cunningham is invited to observe BDSM classes on a wilderness camping trip, she’s shocked—her fiancé had insisted BDSM was a fabrication to sell books. But when Atticus lures her into participating, she learns submission under the hands of a powerful Dom is beyond anything she’d imagined.

LIVE WITHOUT REGRET by K.L. Grayson: L.O.V.E. How can those four letters cause so much pain? Everyone talks about how great love is, with all the flowers and the butterflies, but that wasn’t my experience at all. Love wasn’t something I wanted or even needed. But then Connor Jackson came into my life.

OFF LIMITS by Mari Carr: According to the bro code, enacted by Evan Sparks and Logan Grady years ago, sisters are out. However, Lacy Sparks isn’t about to let a silly boyhood pact stand between her and the man she’s wanted for nearly twenty years. She’s waited long enough. Logan thinks she’s too sweet to give him what he needs. He’s about to learn as far as Lacy’s concerned, in bed or out, nothing is off-limits.

Every Dark Nights tale is breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic.

I've read a few novelllas in the 1001 Dark Nights series here and there, if they were part of a series I was already following. But, until now, I've never read one of the bundles in its entirety, regardless of whether I knew the authors or the series. Now having done so, I can tell you one thing. My wallet will never be the same. 

Why you ask? Although I was familiar with the names of all six authors in this bundle, I had only read books by two of them in the past (Kristen Proby and Cherise Sinclair). And, I was only completely caught up on one of the series in which these novellas take place (Kristen Proby's With Me In Seattle series). So, every other story and every other author was new to me. I loved what I read so much, that I've now bought four new books and three new audiobooks so that I can start these series at the beginning and catch up on what I missed. 

This bundle has a little bit for everyone. Wicked Wolf was a wonderful paranormal shifter romance novella. When Irish Eyes Are Haunting was a paranormal ghosty story with more of the focus on the mystery than on the romance. Easy With You and Live Without Regret were both awesome contemporary romance stories with strong alpha males - a cop and a tattoo artist. And speaking of alpha males, Master of Freedom and Off Limits were both hot and sexy BDSM stories with men that will melt your panties off. 

Although I had never read most of these series before, that didn't diminish my enjoyment of each story by itself. Each novella, with the exception of When Irish Eyes are Haunting, follows a couple that hasn't been introduced in its series yet (although, in most cases, you'll know at least one character already). I was able to pick up on the settings and backstories fairly quickly in all of them. 

As for the standouts among the bunch, of course I loved Easy With You. I'm a huge fan of Kristen Proby, and have read all the With Me In Seattle books and the Boudreaux books. This is a fantastic way to cross over the series. Asher was Matt's partner (introduced in Tied With Me - With Me In Seattle #6), and after moving to New Orleans meets Lila, who is Kate's BFF (introduced in Easy Love - Boudreaux #1). 

I'm really into shifter books right now, so I loved Wicked Wolf. Although I was very able to keep up with Quinn and Gina's story, it's clear that a lot has already happened in this series and in this world - as this is the 8th installment in this series, that's to be expected. Luckily I was able to pick up An Alpha's Path (Redwood Pack #1) for only $0.99 and added the Audible narration for $1.99. #winning

Although I've read the first three books in Cherise Sinclair's Masters of Shadowlands series, I haven't delved into her Mountain Masters & Dark Haven series - until now, that is. Master of Freedom is the 5th book in that series, and it was by far the longest book in this bundle. At over 230 pages, it was double the size of most of the others, so it really read like a full-length novel. I thoroughly enjoyed Atticus and Gin's story, too, and was fascinated by the other couples that were introduced. This is another series that I'm really excited to go back and start at the beginning. 

If you are a fan of romance, I HIGHLY recommend you purchase one of the 1001 Dark Nights bundles and read it from cover to cover. Don't worry if you aren't familiar with an author or a series - I found this was a fantastic way to expose me to authors that I may not have tried otherwise. 

Carrie Ann Ryan:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.

Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.

Visit Carrie Ann’s website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Heather Graham:
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham has always been an avid reader, from classics to sci-fi, mystery, horror, thriller, romance, and all kinds of non-fiction. She’s fairly certain that her mom’s deliciously crazy family–arriving in the US a bit before her birth from Ireland–gave her the love of storytelling. She started out in theater and commercials, but once her children began to arrive, she stayed home and gave writing a try. She’s incredibly grateful to be doing what she’s doing for a living. Heather belongs to MWA, RWA, Sisters in Crime, HWA, and ITW, and has the recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, a Silver Bullet for charitable works, and this year, she will receive the Thriller Master title from ITW. She has over 200 novels in print, and has been published in 22 languages.

Visit Heather Graham’s website and follow her onFacebook and Twitter.

Kristen Proby:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Visit Kristen Proby’swebsite and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Cherise Sinclair:
Having to wear glasses in elementary school can scar a person for life.

Dubbed a nerd at an early age, Cherise Sinclair has been trying to live up to the stereotype ever since. And what better way than being an author?

Known for writing deeply emotional stories, theUSA Today Bestselling Author has penned sixteen erotic romance novels, most with a BDSM theme. (Please do not mention the phrase mommy porn in her presence.) Her awards range from a National Leather Award to a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nomination to a GoodReads BDSM group award for best author of the year.

Cherise lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband. Their two fledglings have left the nest recently to try their wings and hopefully will fly high and strong. The “ascendant erotica queen” (Rolling Stone Magazine) now spends her days writing with occasional supervision from a sadistic calico cat.

Visit Cherise Sinclair’s website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

K.L. Grayson:
K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

Find K.L. Grayson on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Mari Carr:
Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. Too many years later, her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends and she has nearly eighty published works.

Virginia native and high school librarian by day, Mari Carr is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller of contemporary erotic romance novels. Join her newsletter so you don’t miss new releases and for exclusive subscriber-only content.

Find Mari on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.