REVIEW: All You Need (Need You #3)

All You Need (Need You #3), by Lorelei James
Publish Date: April 4, 2017
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS

(Synopsis) PR agent Annika Lund can spin any disaster into a win. But revamping the reputation of a notorious Swedish hockey player will take every trick in her arsenal, especially when his agent insists that convincing everyone he’s no longer a playboy is top priority. And that it requires a sham relationship—with Annika playing the part of loving girlfriend.

On fire in the rink and in the bedroom, Axl Hammerquist couldn’t care less about being anyone’s golden boy. So when his agent forces him to play nice with a new publicist, he takes satisfaction in being as much of a pain as possible. But the more time he spends getting to know Annika, the more Axl starts to think that being Mr. Nice Guy might be worth it if it gets him the girl...

My favorite so far in Lorelei James' Need You series, All You Need was a fun and sexy enemies to friends to lovers story that checked all my boxes.

We met Swedish D-man Axl in book two, and it was obvious he was fond of the ladies. VERY fond of them. His continued fondness has created a bit of a PR nightmare for him and his agent, so they hire PR guru Annika Lund, sister to Brady (from book one) and Walker (from book two), to spruce up his image. After her first attempts fall flat, Axl's agent suggests an extreme measure - have Annika pretend she's his girlfriend. 

There's a lot of deception in All You Need. Axl and Annika lie to the entire world about their relationship. Axl lies to his teammates and to Annika about his ability to speak English. And all this lying made a really good story. I found myself holding my breath through most of the book, waiting for those moments when the truth would come out and wondering how Axl and Annika would handle it. 

I loved the natural progression of their relationship. Axl and Annika truly don't like each other in the beginning. He thinks she's shallow and she thinks he's a pig. But, when they're forced to spend time together and converse, they both discover that there's a lot more depth to both of them than what meets the eye. I liked that they formed a friendship first. Certainly there was a physical attraction there from the beginning. But, their physical relationship didn't start until they had a degree of trust in each other. So, that was perfect.

Very little goes smoothly for these two, which just sort of makes it even better. Their entire relationship is complicated and inconvenient. Which just makes their times together and their inevitable HEA that much sweeter. I liked that we saw some more from Brady and Walker and got to catch up on where they are in their relationships. We also got a lead-in to Jensen's story, and based on what I read, it sounds like it's going to be amazing. Judging by how each book in this series has just gotten better and better, I have no doubts. 

REVIEW & EXCERPT: STRUNG UP (Blacktop Cowboys #7.5)

Welcome to my stop on the STRUNG UP blog tour! Check out my review and an excerpt from this awesome Blacktop Cowboys novella!

Strung Up (Blacktop Cowboys #7.5), by Lorelei James
Publish Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts
Format: ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult m/m contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Rancher Creston Grant retreats from the world after he loses the love of his life... Can his former flame, rodeo cowboy Breck Christianson prove he's a changed man who can give Cres a second chance at love?

There’s few things that get my blood pumping more than a hot cowboy in love. But two hot cowboys in love? Explosive.

Cres and Breck had one hot weekend together years before, but Cres knew the score going into the affair and bailed before Breck could ask him to. The rodeo world is violently homophobic, and if Breck wanted to keep on chasing his titles, he’d have to continue playing the straight stud.

Cres, on the other hand, was not interested in hiding, so when he found Mick and fell in love, he thought that was it. He’d found his happily ever after. Even if Mick was just like Breck and wanted to hide who Cres was to him, telling his family that they were simply roommates. But, when Mick was killed in a car accident, Cres’ world was rocked nonetheless.

Two years later, Cres is still having trouble getting over Mick’s death. Meanwhile, Breck’s secret has come out, and he was shunned out of the rodeo circuit. They meet again by chance at an event sponsored by Cres’ sister-in-law’s rodeo school. And now there’s nothing holding them back except themselves.

Breck was always a loudmouthed jerk. We’ve met him in previous books, and he’s never seemed like a good guy. Funny how perspective can change things. Once his behavior was explained, I could understand his actions better. Doesn’t mean he wasn’t still a jerk, but I now got that that wasn’t who he was deep down.

I can’t imagine having to or wanting to hide a part of who you are. That must take a toll on a person. It seemed to suck the life from Breck, and from what Cres says, Mick as well. For the first time in their lives, when Breck and Cres are together, they finally feel passion. Like real, out-of-control, overflowing PASSION. And it scares the heck out of both of them.

Of course, that means some really good reading for us. Cres and Breck are nothing short of combustible together. But, Breck’s fear of commitment to a man and Cres’ fear of loving another only to lose him too get in the way of the real feelings.

I loved these two guys so much. I wish they had their own full-length novel. I would’ve loved more from them. I wanted to know more about how Mick’s closeted life affected Cres. I wanted to see more of Cres’ interaction with his family. I wanted more of Breck’s job at the rodeo school. And of course I wanted more Cres and Breck sexy times.

But, this novella was still fantastic. Lorelei James packs a lot of story on not a lot of pages. It was a quick and satisfying read, and it set the stage nicely for the next novel in the Blacktop Cowboys series. I’m looking forward to catching up with Cres and Breck in that one.

Staring into the flames, I brooded about my uncertain future. I didn’t trust my ambivalence toward teaching because I was a master at self-sabotage. Maybe I considered this teaching experiment a failure so I had an excuse not to sign on for the next session. Then I could stick with the “I’m a ramblin’ man” warning I’d given Cres and return to the blacktop.

But I didn’t want to go back on the road. Facing miles of empty highway day after day…I knew firsthand it was as lonely as it sounded.

Loneliness hadn’t been an issue since I’d rolled into the Grade A complex. I spent my days surrounded by students and staff and my nights wrapped up in Cres.

Sexy, funny, sweet Cres.

I’d been such a fool to think I could work him out of my system. The more time we spent together the more I wanted. Yet Cres hadn’t mentioned extending our time.

Maybe because you’ve done a bang-up job convincing him of your “itchy feet.”

Only because he’d been so insistent about never getting into another serious relationship, and I didn’t want to be the pathetic hanger-on, trying to convince him that I was worth the risk to his heart, because I wasn’t sure I was.

There was some confidence. I’d gotten my mo-jo back in the arena, but I didn’t have the same certainty with Cres unless I was fucking him.
Why did this have to be so f*cked up? Why couldn’t I just tell him my feelings had changed and I needed more than “just sex?”

Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary erotic western romances set in the modern day Wild West and also contemporary erotic romances. Lorelei’s books have been nominated for and won the Romantic Times Reviewer’s choice Award, as well as the CAPA Award. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota with her family…and a whole closet full of cow girl boots.

From Lorelei: “Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.”

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REVIEW: Just What I Needed (Need You #2)

Just What I Needed (Need You #2), by Lorelei James
Publish Date: August 2, 2016
Publisher: Signet
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) Trinity Carlson might be having the worst day ever. And that was before she started drinking in a dive bar, right across from her ex and his new girlfriend. So when she finally decides enough is enough, she grabs hold of a hot, blond stranger and gives him the kiss of his life.

Walker Lund never expected that a chance at love would hit him right on the mouth. Since the moment his brother decided to settle down, Walker has been dodging his family’s hopes that he’ll do the same. He’s never been interested in following in anyone’s footsteps. But when he discovers his sexy assailant has given him a fake name and number he suddenly finds himself in the mood for a little hot pursuit...

Just What I Needed is the perfect book to read after you come home from a long and hard day of work. After a day like that I don't want angst and suspense and stress. I want a book that elicits swoony sighs and big smiles. I save books with a low drama factor for the hard days, and Just What I Needed fits that bill perfectly. 

Trinity Carlson is a wonderful breath of fresh air. She's quirky and awkward and spontaneous. She says whatever pops into her head, regardless of whether it's socially acceptable or not. She's artistic and insecure and totally not the typical girl that Walker Lund usually pairs up with. 

Perhaps that's why they worked so well together - opposites attract and all that. Walker is a business owner and the self-proclaimed black sheep of the Lund clan. He's an introvert and a fixer of both buildings and people. On paper, Trinity should annoy the crap out of him. No one is more shocked than he when what he starts to feel for her is anything but annoyance. 

For sure, Walker and Trinity have quite a few hurdles to overcome on their way to their HEA. First was a case of mistaken identity. After that, both of them had to come to terms with each other's family, strange work schedules, and deep-seated hangups. Since all the best HEAs don't come easily, there were definitely ups and downs, which just made their story better.

Just What I Needed was a sweet and easy read. The sexual tension between Walker and Trinity was so well done and very thick through most of the book. This isn't a very sexually explicit book, but it didn't make it any less sexy. 

I'm so glad that Lorelei James made the Lund family so large, because that brings with it the promise of many more books in the Need You series. 

REVIEW: Caged (Mastered #4)

Caged (Mastered #4), by Lorelei James
Publish Date: July 14, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher.
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) In order to survive a life of tragedy, Deacon McConnell embraced his roughest edges and learned to fight on the streets. Then a life-changing jujitsu seminar led by Sensei Ronin Black led Deacon to become a professional fighter. With his muscular physique and his body covered in tattoos and scars, the MMA fighter defines mean, both on and off the mat.

But everything changes when innocent Molly Calloway signs up for his kickboxing class. Molly is Deacon’s opposite in every way: She’s kind, sweet, thoughtful, and educated. After a heated argument between them turns into a passionate encounter, Deacon realizes Molly is eager to experience more, and she looks to him to take her to the darker edge of lust....

The last thing either of them expects is how deeply their lives will be thrown upside down by the passion they find together.

I love Lorelei James' Mastered series. Every book so far has been a winner, including CAGED. Molly and Deacon have been dancing around each other since book 1, so I've been looking forward to this one for a long time.  

So, let's face it - Deacon isn't the romantic sort of guy. He's a big, hard MMA fighter who lacks a brain-to-mouth filter and scares the pants off all the people in the classes he teaches at Black Arts. You'd figure his ideal woman to be some bad ass fighter. So, the fact that it was meek, mousy Molly who caught his eye is unexpected. 

We could tell in previous books that Deacon and Molly had some sort of pull toward each other, but it's always seemed pretty volatile. Are you surprised? I mean, it's Deacon. Of course it's volatile. And, he's not the most tactful guy around. But, honestly, Deacon surprised me in Caged. More than once. After a disastrous first date that never really happened, Molly had all but written him off, even though she still thought about him all the time. Tried to forget her attraction by dating other guys. But, once Deacon decides something, he gives it singular focus. And, Deacon has decided that He. Wants. Molly. 

A focused Deacon is a thing of beauty. He might not have the pretty words or the grand romantic gestures, but when this guy throws his heart into the ring, he is literally all in. He wines and dines Molly in his own way, and because she knows that and because she likes him just the way he is, it doesn't take long before Deacon wins her back over. 

Learning about one another means learning about their pasts and their families, and that's a touchy subject for both Molly and Deacon. Neither of them had rosy, happy childhoods - especially Molly. And when a relative of hers dies, and Molly has to go home to deal with the funeral and her awful family. And Deacon really comes through for her. He's an unexpected hero, and I love that about him. 

Except, Deacon's not quite as forthcoming about details from his side as Molly was. He carries this big secret with him through all his dates with Molly, through all his training sessions with Maddox, through his fights in the ring, and it starts to wear on him as his feelings for her grow. You know how secrets always have a way of coming out when you don't want them to? 

One thing is for sure - the Molly in Caged is nothing like the Molly from Bound. In the time that has passed, she has found her inner strength, and that was due in large part to Deacon. At first it was because of his self-defense classes. And, then it was because of his love and support. But, I love the development in her character. And, Deacon has kind of met her in the middle. He was always on the opposite end of the spectrum. He was this unapproachable, mean, scary dude, and Molly brought out the softer side of him. 

Not that Deacon ever went soft. Geez - he's a total caveman. His protectiveness knows no bounds when he's in love. And he can really tear it up between the sheets. But, being in love, opens him up in new ways. He starts being a real friend to his friends. He asks for help when he needs it. He admits when he's wrong. Again - the character development is stellar. 

There's lots of time spent with the couples from the previous books - Ronin and Amery and Knox and Shiori. Knox and Deacon are besties and Ronin is sort of his mentor, so we see lots of them. We also see much more of Maddox, whom we were introduced to in the last book. I can't wait for his story - I just know it will be a good one. 

Every book in this series has been a winner for me. The strong, alpha men of Black Arts blow me away every time, and Caged was no different. I can't wait for more.  

REVIEW: Unraveled (Mastered #3)

Unraveled (Mastered #3), by Lorelei James
To Be Published March 3, 2015
Publisher: NAL Trade
Format: e-ARC, provided by NetGalley
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Shiori Hirano and Knox Lofgren are left to run the martial arts program at Black Arts while Ronin Black travels. On the surface, the two highest ranked belts appear to cooperate—but in private, they butt heads constantly, despite the undeniable attraction between them. Soon their power exchanges start to make for a sweltering dynamic in the bedroom…

At first Knox is shocked to be living out his submissive desires, but Shiori sets out to prove that embracing his true sexual nature doesn’t make him a weak man. But even while their sexual relationship grants him a power and fulfillment he finds surprising, there’s no training regimen for the fight that comes with loving a strong woman…

Ever since Shiori Hirano came on to the scene at the end of Bound, it seemed that she and Knox were heading for a reckoning of some sort. I've always said that passion is passion whether it manifests as lust or anger (and one usually morphs into the other). Shiori and Knox were constantly at each others' throats both literally and figuratively from the very beginning. But, you always got the impression that there was something more there. Turns out, you would be right. Unraveled finally tells their story.

While Ronin's talent may have been with the ropes, Shiori's is with the whip. She's a dominatrix, and she's looking for a new place to play in Colorado. Knox knows there's something about her. With Ronin on vacation, Knox is running the dojo, so he is having to work around Shiori closer than ever before. There are moments when things between them are... different. But, Shiori is Ronin's sister, and he thinks he is way too manly to ever play submissive to her domme. 

For once, this story is about the female MC showing the male MC who he really is. Sorta. The thing is, Knox pretty much already knows who he is. He is a crazy amazing martial artist. He's a smart businessman. He spends his spare time doling out pain to those who want it at Ronin's club. But, Shiori thinks he's missing something, and when she confronts him about it, he doesn't take it well.

I really liked Shiori's way of handling Knox. She knows he has a lot of pride. They did a lot of talking about their roles in their relationship, which is nice for a change. In relationships like theirs, conversation is important, but especially for these two. Outside of the bedroom, Shiori and Knox work together. Knox is technically her boss. 

I don't know many couples that could handle the constant role reversal that these two have. At work, Knox is in charge. At home, it's Shiori. I would get whiplash and wonder if I would ever forget where I was and what I was supposed to be doing. Hence, the necessity for all the conversation. But, even all that conversation can't handle all the contingencies. They run into some bumps in the road when things with Ronin's side MMA business start to involve Shiori in some personal ways. The woman who is always in control suddenly feels very out of control, and her actions reflect that. 

Honestly, it was nice seeing Shiori out of her element for a change. Ronin and Shiori are very similar in a lot of ways. They are very in control of their feelings and their actions, until they meet someone who very unexpectedly turns their worlds upside down. For Ronin, that was Amery. For Shiori, it's Knox. Shiori and Knox are explosive, and I loved every minute of watching them discover how great they were together.

At its core, Unraveled is a really fantastic love story. It's a story about discovering who you are, and about realizing it's okay to be more than one thing. And, it's a story about control and knowing when to give it up. Groundwork was laid for future stories in this series, and I'm completely on board for whatever Lorelei James has planned next.   

REVIEW: Unwound (Mastered #2)

Unwound (Mastered #2), by Lorelei James
To Be Published March 25, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Romance/NAL
Format: e-book, provided by NetGalley
Genre:  adult erotic contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) When sensei Ronin Black first encounters Amery Hardwick, the fire in her eyes ignites a sexual spark a thousand times better than the primal rush he used to get from mixed martial arts matches. She accepts his darker edges and admits to him that her desires aren’t as wholesome as he believed. And before long Ronin is grappling with emotions he’s never felt before….

Yet despite demanding Amery bare her body and soul to him, Ronin holds a part of himself back. When she learns Ronin’s secret and walks out, his life begins to unravel.  To regain her trust he must let go of his pride and prove to her that it’s more than passion binding them together. But after their private pleasures are made public, Ronin is unsure if he’s the right man for Amery. Can they face the consequences together? Or will their differences rip them apart?

Unwound was different from Bound. Whereas Bound focused on the art of the binding that Ronin performed on Amery, in Unwound, that aspect of their relationship took a backseat.

Ronin is getting older and is having a very hard time coming to terms with that fact. His fighting days are likely over and he needs to shift his focus to more of the management side of things. But, how is he supposed to relieve his stress now, when throwing punches is the only way he's ever done that in the past?

Ronin was awesome in Unwound. It was easy to see the difficulty he had in coming to terms with his limitations. It's not something he's ever had to worry about before. And he really struggles. It was such a dichotomy from what we already know of this strong man. He has only ever allowed the outside world to see him as extremely capable, strong and intelligent. Even his best of friends and Amery, the woman he loves, only ever saw him completely in control. So, it was incredibly refreshing to see how Ronin had to come to a place where accepting help from others did not equate to weakness. He came a very long way over the course of the book.

Amery, however, made me absolutely stabby. She spent most of the book turning her judging gaze on Ronin and calling him out for his lies and secrets that spilled out at the end of Bound. And, yet, in Unwound, Amery kept just as many secrets as Ronin did. Where Ronin made real efforts to change in order to keep Amery in his life, she seemed more interested in watching him wallow and apologize repeatedly than in truly making forward strides in their relationship.

Luckily, Ronin is still the strong, amazing man we were introduced to in Bound, and when he calls her out, that is when the book took a really awesome turn. The end was incredible, and I closed the book feeling very satisfied.

Although the binding wasn't as much of a part of Unwound as it was in Bound, it was still there, and I loved those moments as much as I did in the previous book. I also really loved the glimpse into the business end of MMA fighting - it was a unique perspective.

I'm hoping this isn't the end of this series, even if it is the end of Ronin's and Amery's story. There are still plenty of other intriguing characters that I want to know more about (Knox! Shiori! Blue!). Please, Lorelei, write more!!

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Bound (The Mastered Series #1)

Bound (The Mastered Series #1), by Lorelei James
Published February 4, 2014
Publisher: NAL Trade
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre:  adult erotic romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) In the new Mastered series by New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James, a woman’s desire to shatter her inhibitions leaves her unprepared for where that erotic journey will take her….

Former small-town girl Amery Hardwick is living her dream as a graphic designer in Denver, Colorado. She’s focused on building her business, which leaves little time for dating—not that she needs a romantic entanglement to fulfill her. When her friend signs up for a self-defense class as part of her recovery after an attack, Amery joins her for support. That’s where she meets him.

Ronin Black, owner of the dojo, is so drawn to Amery that he takes over her training—in public and in private. The enigmatic Ronin pushes Amery’s boundaries from the start, and with each new tryst, Amery becomes addicted to the pleasure and to him. But when Amery senses Ronin is hiding something, she questions her total trust in him, despite the undeniable thrill of his possession….

Bound took me by surprise.

I figured it was going to be your typical BDSM book. I approached it with some measure of trepidation, because many BDSM books don't appeal to me. It's the submissive part of the relationship I always have the biggest problem with. But, I wanted to try Bound because it's by Lorelei James, and from what I've read by her, she masters super strong characters.

Surprise number one - Bound is NOT a BDSM book. Surprise number two - there isn't a single cowboy in this book.

Bound is about art and secrets and how the past has the power to strengthen or destroy you.

Amery is the owner of a freelance graphic design business who is trying to remake herself in Denver. After enrolling in a self-defense class, she meets Ronin Black, eighth-degree black belt and super sexy owner of the dojo where her class is held. Ronin makes Amery feel things she never thought possible. He makes her want to bare her life, her soul and her body for him, and yet, she doesn't get the same openness in return. It's clear Ronin cares deeply for her, yet he keeps a lot of secrets.

Ronin spent a lot of time in Japan, and while there learned the Japanese art of Kinbaku and Shibari, both of which use ropes and scarves to bind a person, sometimes for sexual pleasure. It's treated as a form of art - a thing of beauty. In this way, it's very different from what we westerners think of as "bondage." It's not whips and chains and handcuffs. It's colorful scarves and soft touches and something to be admired. How amazingly fascinating and refreshing!

Ronin is a master at these arts and for awhile, Amery is his canvas. They both grow and learn so much about themselves during the course of their relationship. Despite the fact that Ronin kept that part of him a secret from Amery for awhile, in the spirit of continually trying to broaden her horizons and break out of the stifling mold in which her parents put her, she opens herself up to this new and exciting thing with him.

I loved reading about the binding. I even Googled a few of them so I could see what they looked like. It was such a new and interesting approach to the same old BDSM genre. And even cooler is that it came from Lorelei James. I've only known her for her sexy cowboy series. What a wonderful surprise!

The chemistry between Amery and Ronin was awesome. I loved how they cared for each other and seemed to want to meet each others' needs, no matter what they were. It was sweet and sexy and I was rooting for them the entire time.

But, Ronin - GAH. His inability to open up and share... well, anything of substance, really... was infuriating. And, Amery's constant acceptance of that equally frustrated me. I could see a mile away that there was going to come a point when the proverbial shit was going to hit the fan and create a colossal mess. And, when that happened, I was very torn. I was cheering Amery on for finally growing a backbone, and yet, my heart was breaking for both of them.

Despite my frustration with him, Lorelei James' development of Ronin Black made it impossible to not love him. I love that he's not your typical young stud (he's 38). Well, young - no (at least, not comparatively speaking). Stud? Hell yes. Ronin Black may not swagger, wear chaps or don a 10-gallon hat, but that's okay. Because hot is hot. And, Ronin Black is H-O-T. He's enigmatic and intense and strong. He's all things that embody sexy.

Bound is told from Amery's POV, except for the last chapter, which is all Ronin. There is a bit of a cliffhanger ending, but it fit well with the story and the events that unfolded in the last few chapters. Thank goodness we don't have to wait long for the follow-up to their story!

About the Author

Lorelei James is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of contemporary erotic western romances set in the modern day Wild West and also contemporary erotic romances. Lorelei's books have been nominated for and won the Romantic Times Reviewer's choice Award, as well as the CAPA Award. Lorelei lives in western South Dakota with her family...and a whole closet full of cow girl boots.

Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I'm a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I'm not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.

Giveaway

One winner in the US will win a print copy of Bound, by Lorelei James.

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