Review: Pressing Adalyn (Pretending #1)

Title: Pressing Adalyn
Author: Jenn Hype
Type: Novel -Series
Length: 184 (Kindle)
Publisher: All The Hype
Publication Date: September 9, 2015
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance

Blurb

To say I’m lacking a life plan would be a gross understatement. Yeah, I ‘survived’ something horrific and still managed to graduate college, but it did me little good. Here I am three years later with no life plan, no money and no goals, moving to a big city to live with my best friend in hopes of putting my self-destructive behavior behind me and getting my life back on track.

Stacy and I met in college. She’s the quintessential good-time girl, which means she just barely has her crap together herself. If I manage to survive living with her without getting arrested or seriously embarrassing myself, then I’ll consider that a step in the right direction.

No steps in any direction have even been made before Ian enters the picture, throwing me even further off course with all his sexy charm and annoying persistence. I’ve never had a guy so incapable of taking a hint. I don’t care if he’s Stacy’s best friend and one of the city’s most eligible bachelors. Doesn’t make a difference to me that he’s a walking contradiction; his gorgeous face and unrelenting kindness won’t do him any good when it comes to me.

Even if I wanted Ian - which I don’t - I’m nowhere near ready for a serious relationship, and I swore off casual sex when I moved in with Stacy. So no matter how deliciously tempting he is, I’m not going to give in to Ian.

Really I’m not.

Review

In Deep Like!

Adalyn is on the mend. She’s just a sweetie … you know hard colorful exterior with a soft interior. In the beginning, I experienced a real love/hate relationship with this character. Lets face it, if you read the book Adalyn and Stacy are real potty mouths and not of the usual sort. These two characters even had me giving an “Oh my” every other page, but that tough exterior portrayed by the leading lady was just that, a hard shell that helped her cope with the tragedy of her past. Trust me it is a doozy and worth finishing the story.

Foul mouthed, snarky and with a general bad attitude Adalyn’s plan almost worked. Her illusion of an ill tempered harpy worked to keep everyone away except dear sweet Ian. Who honestly is the most patient leading male I've ever read. Ian is the quintessential good looking good guy. He isn't the extra cocky alpha male I’m used to reading about but he exudes a different type of strength that complimented the female lead’s intense in your face attitude. Ian is Adalyn’s ‘Clark Kent’ and every young woman deserves at least one in her life.

Even though Superman it alot, that does't mean that he didn't have his own brand of swoon worthy swag. For those angst lovers like myself the author didn't forget us. So, there are ex-lover face-offs and a minion like sibling that help to move the story forward.

~~ARC gracious provided by the author via Story Cartel~~

Review: Hold Me Down (The Deacons of Bourbon Street) - Book 3

Title: Hold Me Down
Author: Jackie Ashenden
Type: Novel 

Length: 199 pages (Kindle)
Publisher: Random House - Loveswept
Publication Date: December 8, 2015
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance


Blurb

When the biker who broke her heart rides into town, a woman must choose between passion and duty. Jackie Ashenden ups the ante in a seductive series co-written with Megan Crane, Rachael Johns, and Maisey Yates.

Leonidas “Blue” Delacroix might be the prodigal son of New Orleans aristocrats, but the Deacons of Bourbon Street are his real family. And with their patriarch murdered, Blue wants nothing more than to unleash hell on the motorcycle club’s enemies—even if it means taking up arms against the girl who used to be his best friend. She’s done quite a bit of growing up, and suddenly their chemistry is red-hot. But where’s the line between ruthless seduction and sweet temptation?

For Alice Day, loyalty is everything. When Blue skipped town, she had no choice but to adopt a new family: their rivals, the Graveyard Ministry. Seeing him again reawakens old feelings . . . and fiery fantasies. Alice could never forget the scent of leather on his skin—just as she could never forgive the sting of his betrayal. But while the Ministry has treated her like one of their own, Blue is part of her soul. And as their liaisons hit the boiling point, Alice trusts her heart with the deadliest choice of her life.

Review

Smokin' Hot

For starters I'm a little biased because there is a special place in my heart for books set in Louisiana. I am so glad that I had the privilege to read installment of the Deacons of Bourbon Street because it's edgy, sexy and hard to put down.

Leon ‘Blue' Delacroix has returned to New Orleans after being exiled by Priest, his murdered MC president . Blue has been waiting patiently in order to return to his old stomping grounds. He had only two things on his agenda 1) reestablish the Deacons' dominance in their former territory 2) revenge. But fate has away of changing all things. Blue is domineering, a bit aggressive and super sexy. He owned his role as leading male in this installment of the series and he helped to keep my eyes glued to the pages. I always love a leading male character who is cocky and sure of himself. Blue has all of the alpha male characteristics in spades and as the reader I just couldn't get enough of him. 

Alice ‘Red’ Day is as strong of a character as the leading male in this tale. Alice isn't simpering and constantly in need of saving. Her character is in your face and often wondered if she carried her own set of balls around with her. Strong willed and compassionate, Red will do what is needed to keep the ones she loves safe. Beautiful, capable and independent Alice was still lacking what she most desired … a family.

The chemistry between both Blue and Red leaps right off the pages and it was a pleasure to go on the angsty ride with both. Face it, with 10 years of misunderstanding between them tempers will flare, aggression will be displayed and pent up sexual frustration will be resolved. 

The story is fluid and it is easy to connect with previous characters.

~~ARC was graciously provided by the publisher via Netgalley.~~

Review: The Club: Ethan (Book 1 of The Club Series)

Title: The Club: Ethan (The Club # 1)
Author: Jenna Elliot
Type: Novella
Length: 178 pages (Kindle)
Publisher: ImaJinn Books, Inc.
Publication Date: January 31, 2015
Genres: New Adult Romance

Blurb

Her name was Mia. Rich girl, law school drop-out, smart, crazy sexy, and in over her head with me from the moment I rescued her on the side of a South Florida road.

She’s going to require some delicate handling on my part. Maybe that’s what challenges me about her. Her innocence.

She’ll play my games. They all do. I train them, and they love what I give back. I need them, too, but only the sex; it keeps the nightmares away. I’m addicted to the game, to the action, to the control.

I’m good at what I do. I own a piece of Command Performance, one of South Beach’s hottest sex clubs.

But no one owns a piece of me.

Not even Mia. Not yet.

Jenna Elliot has been writing since she was a baby gator at the University of Florida. What started as sweet romances soon turned into steamy new adult novels. When she's not writing—or researching (wink!)—Jenna enjoys spending time with her adopted Basset Hound and cat, Sherlock and Watson, cooking new recipes from Pinterest, and binge watching Netflix. Her life goals include being a contestant on a game show, writing a book (check!), and conquering her resting bitch face. Jenna is a lover, not a fighter.

Review

In Deep Like!

Quite. Simply. WOW. One of the most smoking hot books I've read. It's 1:30 am, just finished and now have Prince's ''Sexy MF' playing in my head. Ethan is one of the most lust worthy male leads I've read this year and it's all due to the excellent writing of the author. 

Ethan takes hold of the reader's attention from the very beginning. His character is the typical tall, dark and handsome but this is where the typical ends. His character is tortured, broken but not brooding, dominating yet sensitive, cocky and arrogant. He is chalked full of all the characteristics I love in a leading male character.

Mia is sweet and naive. Her plight? Well, she rich with trust fund intact, a bit sheltered, two unloving parents (controlling father who use the purse strings to control her and a spineless mother) and a parent approved ex fiancee. After one wild romp on the side of the highway with Ethan, Mia begins to discover who she is as a person. Also, for the first time she is finding her voice ... her ability to stand up for herself. With Ethan beautiful Mia is finding out what it feels like to be wanted, desired and cared for. 

The chemistry between the two main characters was excellent and it was very easy to get into their story. As the reader, I didn't get any of the ‘in love’ vibe from Ethan (got plenty of in lust, in control, in deep like and most definitely willing to try this possibility of love) but Mia was definitely in deep after one road side romp. Then again, who better to pair up with an emotionally detached leading male than the girl who has grown up with emotionally detached parents.

What the story lacked was sufficient background information about both characters or didn't include that much interaction with other characters in the leading characters lives. Would have loved for Ethan to meet Mia’s folks, her ex or any interaction with ‘high society’ folks. Would have loved for Mia to have direct interactions with some of Ethan’s previous ‘pets’, fellow soldiers, or business partners.

The Club: Ethan is a good introduction to the series and I hope that the readers will see more of Mia and Ethan in future installments.

~~ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.~~