Tag: Adult (Page 16 of 46)

BOOK REVIEW: A Matter of Temptation (Unforgettable Love #1) by Stacy Reid

BOOK REVIEW: A Matter of Temptation (Unforgettable Love #1) by Stacy ReidA Matter of Temptation (Unforgettable Love #1)
by Stacy Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Miss Wilhelmina “Mina” Crawford is desperate. Having been ruined in the eyes of society years ago for one foolish, starry-eyed mistake, she spends her days secreted away at her family’s crumbling estate, helping her brother manage the land but not able to truly live life the way she’s always dreamed. When her brother admits to just how dire their finances have gotten, she takes it upon herself to procure employment…but the only one who will even consider the scandalous idea of a female secretary is the brilliant, ruthless, and infuriating Earl of Creswick.

Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick, needs help if he wants to finally pass the reform bill he’s been championing for years and secure the vote for England’s most vulnerable constituents. Too bad help comes in the form of a woman with breathtaking nerve, fiery red hair, and a sense of humor to match.

Now temptation―disguised as a lovely, clever-mouthed devil―lives and works under Simon’s very roof. And Mina finally feels as though she’s truly living life to her wildest dreams. But even the most incendiary of kisses can’t incinerate Mina’s past…or the shocking secret that could ruin them both.

Review:

A Matter of Temptation was a forced proximity historical romance that was laced with laughter and love!  With fabulous banter, a wonderful storyline and characters that were so easy to like, this was another huge win from Stacy Reid.  If you’re a fan of historical romance, you definitely need her books in your life!

“Most men would have been appalled.”
“I am not most men.” His quiet voice held a sardonic note. “And allow me to say: you are not most women.”

Miss Wilhelmina “Mina” Crawford felt like she had to right her wrongs from the past.  She had eloped, and now she wasn’t able to help her family financially by marrying someone.  So watching her fix her twin brother’s issue was so much fun.  I absolutely loved how Mina gained employment working for Simon Loughton, the Earl of Creswick….but I won’t say how.  Other than it had me cheering for Mina every step of the way!  And from that first meeting, it was glaringly obvious that there were sparks between them!  Working with him was already pushing the envelope.  Nothing more than that could ever develop between them.

Yet when his gaze met hers, his eyes gleamed with an expression Mina dearly wished she could interpret. A sharp sensation wrenched in the vicinity of her heart and Mina had to quickly look away.

Mina was so easy to love!  I loved how bold, quick witted and insightful she was!  It was so wonderful watching how passionate she was about her work and I loved seeing how happy she was with what she was able to accomplish.  As Mina worked side by side with Simon, she seemed to read him so well.  And established the beginnings of a wonderful friendship.  So when there was some perilous action within the pages, I loved how it changed the trajectory of Mina and Simon.  Not only did it show that she could be brave and fierce, but how Simon reacted will warm readers’ hearts!

He reached out and touched her cheek. “I love laughing with you.”
Such simple words, yet they slammed into her heart with the force of a hammer, for it sounded like he’d never had reason to laugh before.

Simon thought he could maintain distance from Mina, so I loved how he told her not to smile.  As if that would work lol.  His efforts were futile!  Especially when he spent so much time with her, loved how hard she worked, and respected how clever she was.  All the while thinking she was too pretty.  So from the moment he had the scene with the puppy, I was a goner.  Simon made me cry happy tears, he was such a good and kind man.  Who also has a dirty mouth too.  Yet Simon was to marry someone that went along with his station and reputation.  His grandmother even had contenders picked out.  And with the work he was doing, his image was everything.

When he kissed her, it was with such aching softness that her chest squeezed.

As they worked together, they couldn’t help falling for the other.  Simon tried everything to ignore his need for Mina, but his desire ran too deep for her. So I loved watching them connect and become even more entwined with one another.  And some of my favorite moments involved the bucket list.  Kissing.  Confessions.  Gambling.  But at the same time, the world was separating them.  Because of who they both were and what was expected of them.  I wasn’t sure how they could make it work, especially with Mina’s past, but I kept my fingers crossed!

“Don’t you know who I am?”
“The Earl of Creswick,” she whispered.
“I will be the shelter for the storm over our heads, Mina, you need not fear what I might lose. What I know I cannot lose is you.”

A Matter of Temptation was a fabulous, swoon worthy and steamy historical romance!  And within these pages there was also politics showing the inequality of social and gender issues back then.  I loved how that added to the story.  I can’t wait to read whatever Stacy Reid releases next!

BOOK REVIEW: The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley

BOOK REVIEW: The Roommate Pact by Allison AshleyThe Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.

The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…

Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham’s injured in a serious rock climbing accident—and he needs Claire’s help to heal. She’ll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health…even if it means moving in to Graham’s bed and putting up with his little dog, who hates her. But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping “for now” from turning into “forever” isn’t as easy as they’d planned.

Review:

The Roommate Pact was a friends to lovers romance that was sweet and will have you smiling from that first page to the last!  ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott had a pact that if they weren’t married by the time they were 40, they would tie the knot!  Yet one night while drinking, Claire tried to change the rules to being hookup buddies.  While there were sparks, and a scorching hot kiss that seemed to be fueled by a plethora of emotions, both of their lives were turned upside down when Graham was in an accident.  And Claire found herself taking care of him.  We got to alternate between the two of them as this heartwarming story unfolded in an emotional and touching way that will have romance lovers falling in love.

“Thinking about marrying me now, aren’t you?” he called after her.
She didn’t miss a beat.
“Not a chance.”

Claire and Graham’s friendship felt like it ran deep.  And it left me wanting to read the previous story about their friends in Would You Rather, just so I could catch more glances of them.  But within their friendship was the most fabulous of banter.  So I loved how Graham teased Claire, and how that would make her flustered.  She tried her best to deny his charm.  But even her bestie thought she should hook up with him, while waiting for Mr. Right.  Why not?  The attraction was there, the tension between them was there and their first kiss turned passionate quickly and was so hot.  It left me desperately wanting more. 

Her gaze started at his collarbone and slowly, slowly traveled down his torso.  Heat followed in the wake of her gaze, which felt more like a caress then a perusal.
Fuck.
What would she do if he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her across his lap?

But there were also emotional moments laced into the story.  Watching Graham get hurt.  Claire’s reaction.  Graham’s struggle with his long road to recovery.  Claire dealing with her fears from the past.  It hurt.  My throat felt tight and I tried to keep the tears out of my eyes.  And that all led to them slowly opening up about their pasts, telling each other things that they held close to their hearts.  Through it all, Graham was still charming and sexy as hell.  And the tension building between them felt like a scorching inferno.  The shampoo scene?!  Hot!  Yet keep in mind the intimate scenes were almost a fade to black.

“What did you do all day?”
“The usual.  Worked out, watched TV, sat outside.”
Wrote you an email.

This story was the perfect mixture of fun with some angst mixed in!  One of my favorite things was the letters.  I’m not saying what they are about, but I laughed and smiled so much!  It felt like each letter stole a little piece of my heart.  They were deep, honest and made me want to shout at someone that they deserved so much more than they thought they did!  Also I absolutely loved Graham’s little dog Gertie!  I loved watching Claire struggle with Gertie’s feisty self!

“Would it bother you to never kiss me again?”
Graham’s chin dipped but his gave lifted to hers, his eyes dark and conflicted. “I think it’s best I don’t answer that.”

With tragic backstories, jaded hearts and a fight for true love, The Roommate Pact had it all!  These pages had a man who was book boyfriend worthy, a woman you’ll want to be besties with while you shake a little sense into her, and friends and a little dog that will warm your heart!  This was my first book by Allison Ashley, and I can’t wait to read more by her!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Burning Justice (K-9 Special Ops #2) by Tee O’Fallon

BOOK REVIEW: Burning Justice (K-9 Special Ops #2) by Tee O’FallonBurning Justice (K-9 Special Ops #2)
by Tee O'Fallon
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Some cases are hot enough to kill.

After narrowly surviving a childhood fire that killed two of his friends, ATF Special Agent Brett Tanner knows what it's like to get too close to the flame. The trauma only spurs him and his K-9 partner to track down the arsonists targeting a Colorado town. This latest warehouse blaze looks suspicious as hell...and there's a body. Now it's murder.

Fiercely independent insurance investigator Gemma Scott has been burned enough times to know she doesn't need anyone—especially a handsome agent with an agenda. Teaming up with the hardened and determined ATF agent means not just trusting her instincts...it also means trusting him.

Now they're racing against an arsonist with a lethal agenda—one who's willing to burn and kill to hide the evidence. But the killer is only part of a larger mystery. And the searing attraction between Gemma and Brett adds fuel to an already dangerously lethal fire. One that will smoke out a killer...along with Brett's darkest secret.

Review:

Burning Justice was an action packed, romantic suspense that was a lot of fun to read. With characters that were easy to adore, a dog that will melt your heart, a storyline that will keep you guessing and some steamy scenes, I devoured this book so quickly! Fans of romance and romantic suspense definitely need to have this one on their tbr!

Gemma’s eyes gleamed with the same energy thrumming through his veins.
Because they now had a prime suspect.

Gemma Scott worked for the National Insurance Crime Bureau and ended up on the same case as Bret Tanner, an ATF special agent. While Gemma had been burned in the past while partnering on a case, working with Bret seemed inevitable. Not only did they both have the same gut feeling, but it looked like they were after an arsonist who had no problem murdering too. I loved that Gemma was brilliant, confident and how self-sufficient she was. She was a woman so many others could look up to. Yet Gemma wasn’t too happy with herself that she was attracted to Bret. Truly I couldn’t fault her, I was too lol!

His dark blue gaze met hers and held it. How she wished she could read his mind at that moment.

Bret Tanner was broody, smart, kind, and utterly sexy. He had no problem telling Gemma how much he appreciated her and what she did for their case! And while they were such a fabulous team, it hurt that Bret thought so low of himself. I didn’t understand where it came from. And once we figured it out, oh my heart, it was horrific. Bret was beyond tortured from his past and struggled with PTSD. My heart broke for him. So I was grateful that he had Blaze in his life! He was his K-9 therapy dog who was absolutely incredible! Blaze could be hilarious, heartfelt and was so easy to love! How could you not love a dog that enjoys watching Animal Planet lol?!

“Good job, partner.” When he removed his hand, the warm imprint of his long fingers on her bare skin sent a shiver of awareness through her, this one stronger than what she’d felt in Hicks’s office. Along with a surge of happiness.

Their attraction to each other couldn’t be denied. So while their first time kissing turned incredibly hot *fans face*, they needed to focus on their case. Not get emotionally involved with one another. And definitely not be kissing or more. As we alternated between Gemma and Bret, I loved watching them put the clues together. We got to witness events unfold that led to people’s stories that felt so real. And were heart wrenching to listen to. The trauma Bret and Gemma came upon in their fields could be so consuming. Yet as the clocked kept ticking by, we watched as they tried to solve the case with chases, attacks and life and death battles swirling around them!

They were being targeted, and if they didn’t get a solid lead to follow and fast, sooner or later…
The perpetrator would find his mark.

I have to say that I typically don’t read romantic suspense, but I previously gave Tough Justice a try and was hooked by Tee O’Fallon’s writing! Her characters found their way so easily into my heart and her storylines keep you turning that page until you reach the last one! I fell for another one of her books, and I loved catching up with Deck and Tori from Tough Justice! We got to see a new aspect of their relationship, and I was so over the moon happy! Burning Justice’s ending will leave readers with a smile on their face! And I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

“Sit,” Brett said, pointing an admonishing finger at his dog. “We do not eat other people’s pets for breakfast. Understood?”
Woof.

PS I adored that Gemma had a pet that I have never read someone else having! The name was so cute!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros

BOOK REVIEW: In the Likely Event by Rebecca YarrosIn the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful.

Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now.

Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.

Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.

Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.

He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

Review:

“Did you ever think about me?” she questioned, her voice dropping to a whisper.
I clenched my jaw, fighting off the urge to tell her the truth. Every fucking day.

In the Likely Event was a story that will easily pull on one’s heart. It was emotional, steamy, and impossible to put down. The dual time line was brilliantly done and the characters were beautifully flawed and leapt from the pages. But make sure you have a Kleenex near you, I already had tears by the 6th chapter, and there was still many more to come. This romance story was gritty, brimmed with emotions, had off the charts chemistry and became an instant favorite!

Ten years had passed since we’d met on a very different tarmac, and the sight of her still left me speechless.

In the Likely Event alternated between the past and the present.  I loved how I never wanted to leave either time line. They both pulled me in and left me desperately needing to know what happened next! We started in the present, with Nate being stationed in Afghanistan. And he was tasked with protecting Izzy’s life. From there we jumped 10 years into the past, with the most fabulous of meet cutes that played out like I was watching a movie. Izzy found herself sitting next to Nate on a plane, and she was a nervous basket case. Whereas Nate was calm, collected and so easy for her to talk to. They clicked right away, but then disaster struck and their plane went down. It was emotional, scary and horrific isn’t a strong enough word to describe what Izzy and Nate went through together. As the tale unfolded, I loved seeing how their friendship evolved over the years and how much heart was packed into their story!

“She’ll be safer with me.”
“Because you’re in love with her?” Torres questioned.
I shook my head. “Because Jenkins isn’t willing to die for her.”

Nate was a man who would put his life on the line for Izzy. But we saw over the years how he didn’t get a choice at times, that duty called and he had to keep moving ahead. So in the past chapters I fell so easily in love with him. And the present chapters my heart bled for him. The horrors he battled. The situations he was put in. The things that haunted him. Nate was strong, brave, protective and I loved when he even showed a little bit of jealousy. Yet he never seemed to be able to hold on long enough to what he wanted most, which was Izzy.

I looked down at the device and huffed a sarcastic laugh. “So this is what it takes to get your phone number? A girl has to haul herself into a war zone?”
“Izzy,” he whispered, stepping back and putting a few feet of distance between us.

We learned why Izzy got into politics, why she was overseas, but I had so many questions. Why was there anger and pain? Where did it all go wrong between them? So as we got to know the both of them, I loved what a multifaceted person Izzy was.  She was so easy to love. Her family life, friendships, and work, all showed us what a kind, hardworking woman she was.  Yet it seemed like the bright spots in her life were her sister, and Nate. The moments Nate would appear in Izzy’s life, it gave me chills and so many happy tears!

“Don’t, Izzy.” He shook his head. “I have one weakness on this entire planet, and you’re feet away when you’re supposed to be halfway round the globe.” That mask he wore like armor fell away, and the pain in his eyes was enough to make me suck in a sharp breath.

As we alternated between Nate and Izzy, it was impossible to ignore that fate kept trying to push them together.  In those past chapters, they had the highest of highs. But there was always that knot in the back of my throat, I continually had to keep the tears at bay. Because life wasn’t fair. They were pulled apart as much as they were pushed together. And their timing never seemed to work. So it was beautiful seeing that after all of these years, they still had a connection. There was still that pull. Not only from a deep, beautiful friendship. But also one that felt like it was laced with love. So the fire that raged between them was scorching hot.  Their moments together were seductive. And while assumptions were made, we watched as answers were given and got to see that loyalty ran through both of their blood.

“Say it again.” His jaw flexed, and his hand gripped my hip.
“I want you, Nathaniel,” I whispered, leaning up to kiss him. “So take me.”

I cried more times than I could count and I fell completely in love with this love story. I’m still in shock over one thing. My heart is still struggling to process it. But I know that I will be reading this book many times in the future and I’m keeping my fingers that that hurts a little less next time. This story ended with a beautiful epilogue that was set years in the future, so I closed this book with happy tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.  This military romance, with forced proximity, owned me!  And was yet another Rebecca Yarros book that I fell hard for.  I can’t wait to see what she releases next!

PS I loved the JLA Half-Blood reference! I loved the highlighting of the books! And the call sign?! Oh my heart!

BOOK REVIEW: Runaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1) by Melanie Harlow

BOOK REVIEW: Runaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1) by Melanie HarlowRunaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1)
by Melanie Harlow
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Yes, I’m a single dad who needs a nanny for the summer.

But hire the stranded runaway bride who shows up on my doorstep in a wedding gown with no references, no skills, and no experience?

No one is that desperate.

Except within twenty-four hours, down-on-her-luck Veronica Sutton manages to charm my kids, my family, and half the population of Cherry Tree Harbor into believing she’s perfect for the job.

And for me.

It’s not that I can’t see the appeal–those baby blue eyes? The endless legs? That mouth made for trouble? But I’ve got enough on my plate, raising two kids on my own and keeping the family business alive. I don’t have the time or the inclination to fall for an outspoken city girl.

So I should have kept my hands to myself.

Holding her in my arms was a big mistake. Even worse? Spending the night together. She ignites a possessive fire in me that I’m finding hard to snuff out.

But the most unforgivable? Growing attached to the sound of her laugh, the scent of her skin, and the way her body wraps around mine in the dark.

At the end of the summer, she’ll be gone.

And if I’m not careful, she might run away with my heart.

Review:

Runaway Love was a heartwarming romance that was sexy, sweet and so much fun! If you love adult romance that is steamy, set in an adorable small town, and has the grumpy sunshine trope, then this book is for you! The story was smile inducing and I’m looking forward to reading many more of Melanie Harlow’s books!

We’d never really stood a chance.

Veronica Sutton discovered on her wedding day that her fiancé had cheated on her, so she ended their relationship with a bang! After being lost and unsure of where to go in life, since her fiancé paid for and owned everything she had, she found herself in a diner. It reminded me so much of the very first episode of Friends where Rachel walked into the coffee shop in her wedding dress. In this story, Veronica walked into the diner in her wedding dress and discovered all of the small town charm within those walls. Veronica was so easy to talk to and be friends with, and the towns people helped her find a lead on a job. To be a nanny for Austin, a single dad. And I have to say that the picture those first few chapters created felt like a movie was playing out in my head! I was completely hooked!

“Like this?” The kids imitated her pose, and I felt like a total pervert for fantasizing about having sex with her while she was giving my children a yoga lesson.
“You are a terrible person,” I muttered to myself. But I kept watching.

While Veronica was a ray of sunshine, Austin was the storm clouds. I loved Austin! He was such an amazing dad, had the kindest of souls, and was also so lonely. His kids were his whole world, and he never seemed to do anything for just him. Even his job, which was working for his dad, was because he felt like he owed his dad. For helping him out when he was younger and had two babies to take care of alone. So Austin definitely put his dreams aside, to help those he loved instead. There were other sides to Austin we got to discover, and he cracked me up! I loved all of his dirty thoughts about Veronica. But Austin tried to restrain himself. He wanted to have a strictly platonic working relationship with Veronica. He the boss, her the employee. Except Veronica was way too charismatic for that, and it was impossible for him not to soften to her over time.

I sighed contentedly, my eyes drifting closed, surprised at how comfortable and easy this felt. Wasn’t this kind of intimacy supposed to take more time?

The story alternated between Veronica and Austin, and I loved both of their voices. Veronica was kind, generous and made his kids so happy. Whereas Austin was more serious and always so careful in life. He definitely held himself back and never put his needs first. But Austin was sexy as hell. And when he was forward, oh my heart, I swooned. Just from the first time they kissed, it was hot and intense. And while I knew they wanted to have boundaries, I was cheering for more. They were playing such a dangerous game and I was counting down until that line was crossed! And when it was crossed, their moments together were steamy and so seductive! Even if they were stating it could never happen again, I wanted to whisper to them who are you kidding! Because it felt like they were meant to be together. Yet it is one thing to be physical, and a whole other level for being deeply intimate with someone. And while they seemed to be starting to form a friendship, Austin had such reservations because of his past. So I had tears in my eyes while the fabulous angst between them played out.

I repeated the words I’d said to Morgan.
It’s not like that with us. It’s casual. Temporary. Just for fun. We are not dating, and there are no feelings involved.
And when my heart tried to argue, I repeated them again.
And again.
And again.

Towards the end of this story, I had happy tears while laughing. And then even more happy tears in the epilogue! Runaway Love was heartwarming, emotional, sweet and sexy. And while I’m not usually one for kids in a story, from the moment Adelaide and Owen tried to give Veronica insight into how their dad ticks, they had me in the palm of their hands! Austin’s kids were so open, honest and hilarious without meaning to. And I adored Austin’s family too. Xander his brother, their dad and sister. They loved one another so deeply! And they were so welcoming and kind to Veronica. I fell in love with this story, the small town, Austin’s family, and Austin and Veronica. So I’m definitely counting down until each sibling gets their own story. Up next is Xander and I can’t wait!

PS When she said that they were an Aries and Virgo and would never work, muahahaha that’s what my husband and I are and we’ve been together forever!

PPS This book made me want to try a Pioneer Woman cookbook, and I just borrowed one from my library!

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