Archives for February 7, 2018

* Review * HEADMASTER by Tara Sue Me

February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Headmaster by Tara Sue Me
Series: Lessons from the Rack
Published by Berkley on January 16, 2018
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The New York Times bestselling author of the Submissive novels delivers a scintillating new erotic romance, where two instructors redefine the phrase “teacher’s pet” . . . .

Lennox MacLure, owner of the RACK Academy, has sworn off the Dominant/submissive lifestyle. Years ago, his submissive, Winnie, died in a car accident following a heated argument for which he blames himself. Guilt-ridden and emotionally closed off, Lennox sees the academy as both his punishment and penance for her death.

Mariela, a dance instructor and a natural submissive, was Winnie’s best friend and longs to help Lennox move past his grief. She’s accepted that he will never see her as anything more than a friend, but she still wants to help him acknowledge what he needs. Mariela comes up with a plan of seduction, guaranteed to unleash the Dominant he’s willfully buried—but the passion they unleash could prove to be stronger than they are ready to handle.

A tantalizing power play! Getting to know the people behind the dominant and submissive is a beautiful thing in this series by Tara Sue Me. We not only get to see two sides of the lifestyle, but we also get a steamy read! I enjoyed the characters, the storyline was bittersweet and packed a good bit of feeling into it and it was fun to catch up some with the couple from the first book in the series. Looking forward to seeing who’s up next!

Lennox MacLure might own the RACK Academy that is an in-demand dominant/submissive training facility, but he stopped living the lifestyle himself several years ago when his submissive Winnie died in a car accident following an argument the two of them had. He enjoys bringing fulfillment to others in making sure there is a safe place for them to learn, but he can’t bring himself to trust himself with someone’s wellbeing in his hands anymore.

Dance instructor Mariela was Winnie’s best friend and has been crushing on Lennox since even before Winnie met him and started a relationship, but he only sees her as an employee and friend. She’d give anything to bring to life the man that used to exude such confidence and power when he entered the room. She knows at this point that Lennox will never want her for anything more than she already is to him … but if she could just help him live his complete life again, she’d step aside and be satisfied knowing he was happy again. Will the plan she’s come up with bring the dominant out of him again or will it backfire and send him reeling deeper than ever?

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* Review * A WEEK TO BE WILD by JC Harroway

February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

A Week to be Wild by JC Harroway
Published by Harlequin Dare on February 1, 2018
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A daring game of temptation

She’ll play his game—but only by her rules!

Alex Lancaster is an adrenaline junkie. He’s also a sexy British billionaire who should come with his own warning signs. When Libby insists she’s done with men who live on the edge, Alex coaxes her out of her comfort zone—professionally and very, very personally. Libby’s taking a high-stakes gamble, but the payoff could win her everything…

A tantalizing kick-off to the new Harlequin Dare line! I’ve been anxiously awaiting the new ultra sexy line to see what it would be like, and I left fairly happy! It was a slow start with a little fear that it was going to be too laid back and not enough substance, but once the hero and heroine started to let their armor down and show their true selves, the plot developed well and left me liking them both and pulling for their happily-ever-after ending. Looking forward to seeing more from the line!

New Yorker Libby Noble likes her life on the stable side. She lived the wild and crazy lifestyle once upon a time and it didn’t work out all that well for her, so now she’s concentrating on furthering her career with a trip to London to speak at a conference.

Billionaire Alex Lancaster enjoys life in the fast lane and always gets what he wants. Libby doesn’t know that he’s had his eye on her work for awhile and planned this little foray for her so he could request her assistance on a project that’s near and dear to his heart. When instant attraction sizzles between them, he’s more than happy to sweeten the pot with a fling!

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* Review * OUT OF THE DARKNESS by Heather Graham

February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

Out of the Darkness by Heather Graham
Series: The Finnegan Connection
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on February 1, 2018
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A love rekindled…or a deadly reunion?

Even after a decade, Sarah Hampton is haunted by the night that nearly ended in a bloody massacre and destroyed her high school romance with handsome Tyler Grant. Now the horror has returned. It’s a reckoning from the events of that terrifying night—and a love they never let go. Only this time Tyler must protect Sarah from the killer hiding in the darkness…or lose her forever.

One night of terror changed their lives forever … and with one new crime, it’s all chasing after them again! A decade after a tragic event sent them all into their own downward spiral, a group of friends are reunited and begin to put the pieces together of that night and figure out who is coming for them now. The characters and underlying plot are very intriguing and keep you reading to see what’s going to happen next. It was fairly loosely written and could have been tweaked into a tighter story, but overall an interesting read!

Writer Sarah Hampton feels the past is coming back to haunt her when memories of a long-ago night are dredged up and relived over and over again with the friends and family that were there with her when youthful innocence was stolen and dreams were shattered.

Private investigator Tyler Grant can’t deny the feelings he still has for Sarah as soon as he catches sight of her. His high school sweetheart, the one he thought he would share his future with until that night destroyed everything. Now the horror they lived is back and they’re all in danger!

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* Review * THE ART OF RUNNING IN HEELS by Rachel Gibson

February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

The Art of Running in Heels by Rachel Gibson
Published by Avon on December 26, 2017
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Running in five-inch stilettos is an art form

Leaving your fiancé at the altar on live television is a disaster. Lexie Kowalsky thought she was ready to get married in front of millions of people, but at the last minute she fled the set of television’s hottest reality show, Gettin’ Hitched. Wearing a poofy white dress and a pair of five-inch sparkly shoes, Lexie hopped a float plane for Sandspit, Canada. She figured no one would find her there. But she was wrong.

Sharing her flight was the Seattle Chinooks biggest star, Sean Knox. Lexie wasn’t just a reality-show runaway, she was his pain in the butt coach’s daughter. She was chaos and temptation and definitely off limits, but getting her luscious body out of that wedding gown, he couldn’t resist getting her in his bed for one amazing night.

Then a photo of Sean and Lexi breaks the internet—and suddenly they’re both swept up in a crazy plan to spin the whole story. But you can’t run from love—

Sassy & fun! I could have done with a little more concentration of actual hockey, but the people were a treat regardless. It was easy to connect with Lexie & Sean and his mother, she was an unexpected delight! Lots of drama, laughter and some steamy chemistry to round it all out!

Leaving a groom standing at the alter seems to run in the family! Alexis Kowalsky can’t seem to get out of the mess she got herself into, so she feels like she has no other choice than to just run! In her wedding dress, in heels, in full tv makeup! This reality show idea of hers was quite the blunder!

Seattle Chinooks hockey player has no idea who Lexie is at first … and when he does figure it out, he doesn’t pony up their connection. She’s clueless to the fact that he’s on her father’s hockey team, so when things get heated between them while in Canada, she goes with the flow … but man does that come back to bite them when a picture hits the tabloids!

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* Review * FREE AGENT by Catherine Gayle

February 7, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FREE AGENT by Catherine Gayle

Free Agent by Catherine Gayle
Series: Portland Storm
Published by Night Shift Publishing on February 8, 2018
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Can you fall in love when you’ve never loved yourself?

Universally misjudged, Blake Kozlow doesn’t let society get under his skin. After all, those misunderstandings have never affected his career. As a center for the Portland Storm, he’s lived his life as a Free Agent—particularly with women. But when he meets a gorgeous, curvy special education teacher, Blake realizes he’s finally met the one person who truly understands him.

Beatriz Castillo knows exactly what she wants—to teach her students that nothing can hold them back. A few years ago, her health was spiraling out of control, but Bea took her life back. Now, she uses her vivacious personality to prove to everyone, especially her students, that anything is possible.

Perpetually impulsive and spontaneous, Blake turns on the charm. But Bea’s unprepared to be on the receiving end of such brazen attention. As they grow closer and their attraction intensifies, their inner demons threaten everything. They’ve both always lived on the fringes of life. But moving forward will require Bea and Blake to step into the spotlight—together.

They’re like oil and water … but they work! It’s always fun to return to the Portland Storm series. It’s filled with a rugged group of down-to-earth hockey players and the families that love them. In this book, we get hot shot, mouthy Blake Kozlow’s story. He’s notorious for shooting off his mouth and saying things that people just can’t believe he actually said … but beneath it all, he’s truly a good guy. The characters were both easy to get drawn into, and the plot was enjoyable.

Blake Kozlow has never met a woman he didn’t love, and Bea Castillo is no exception! He turns on all of his best moves to try to win her over, but whatever he did to make her mad previously seems to be sticking around because she’s not giving an inch!

Special education teacher Beatriz Castillo really liked Koz when she was first introduced to him … until he put his foot in his mouth and said something that pushed all of her internal buttons and sent her on the run. She has issues that she’s dealing with all on her own, so the last thing she needs is some hockey player that thinks he’s God’s gift pretending to like her!

Filed Under: Book Reviews