Reviews Published Professional Reader Challenge Participant 80% 2016 NetGalley Challenge 50 Book Reviews

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Lost Love (Cowboys & Angels #1) by Kelly Elliott

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Cowboys & Angels #1.
Subject: A story about life and second chances
Synopsis
Moving back home to my parents’ cattle ranch in Texas was the last thing I thought I’d be doing. 

But, here I stand … in front of my high school girlfriend. A beautiful, confident woman has replaced the young girl I once knew and loved. Hell. I’m still in love with her.

Yep. Paxton Monroe was my first love and the one girl in town who now hated my guts. So much so, Paxton swore her revenge on me if it took her until the day she died. The last words she spoke to me were a vow to cut my dick off and shove it down my throat. 

The fight between my heart, my head, and last, but certainly not least, my dick starts tonight. Because all I can think about is how I want to be buried so deep inside Paxton she won’t remember how I broke her heart, or how I left her when she needed me the most. 

But who will win? My heart is too broken to listen to my head. And my dick, yeah it’s not listening to anything or anyone. Not until it gets what it wants and what it wants is Paxton Monroe. 


Lost Love is book one in the Cowboys and Angels Series. 





I’m in love with Kelly Elliot’s books! She always knocks it out of the park and this was no exception. 

My heart went through a great deal of emotional states while reading this. Pax and Steed’s story was just the right kind of heartbreaking book to keep you entranced by it and make you cry with the overwhelming emotions it ignited.

Pax was a sweet woman, she had an awful thing happen to her in the past and now her life was the result of that, she wasn’t happy; she didn’t even remember how that felt like. Still she wasn’t prepared to see him again, Steed came back into her life like a hurricane and there was no way of ignoring him or the effect he had on her.

Steed character was just wow! He was all man and a great father; I couldn’t even imagine how he could be capable of doing what he did before leaving his childhood home. But he had come really far, he was ready to get the life he deserved and there was only one way of getting that, and that was Pax.

The back and forward between them was fun to read and at the same time it was truly brutal to see how deeply they had hurt each other.  Nevertheless we get to see how sometimes love can overcome it all, and you might gain so much more from granting forgiveness, even when some things seem too hard to let go.

My favorite touching moments where the ones they shared with Chloe, I bursted into tears so many times I stop counting. Their hearts where so big, they had a great capacity for love and they filled them with love for each other. 

Pax took a big role onto her shoulders I know how hard this could be since I had an amazing stepmom. This aspect of the story made the characters more real, it was not just a romance story, it was a story about life and real hardships. 


I was overwhelmed when I finished reading and that’s how I know it was a good book, the type that leaves a mark on you and stays forever in your heart.






Amazon US Paperback -  http://amzn.to/2qGgpzO
Amazon AU – https://goo.gl/bcQkjY
Amazon CA - https://goo.gl/gxKoJk
iBooks UK - https://goo.gl/oHhkHg
iBooks AU - https://goo.gl/s1AS67
Barnes and Noble – https://goo.gl/pVwF6s





ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 
Kelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author. Since finishing her bestselling Wanted series, Kelly continues to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots and giving readers stories rich with hot protective men, strong women and beautiful surroundings.
Her bestselling works include, Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Unconditional Love, to name just a few.
Kelly has been passionate about writing since she was fifteen. After years of filling journals with stories, she finally followed her dream and published her first novel, Wanted, in November of 2012.
Kelly lives in central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups. When she’s not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is down to earth and very in touch with her readers, both on social media and at signings.
To find out more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her website.


FACEBOOK | TWITTER| GOODREADS | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE



EXCERPT
“Whatcha doing?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin as I spun around and clutched at my chest.
“Jesus, Amelia! Why would you sneak up on me like that?”
She tried to hide her smile and failed. Lifting her brows, she glanced past my shoulder. “Were you watching Steed and Chloe?”
My cheeks heated. “What? No! Are they here? I haven’t seen them. Why would you say that?”
When her eyes moved back to mine, I knew she saw right through my blunder of lies. “Uh-huh. I know I was little when you and Steed dated, so we really don’t know each other all that well.” She smiled. “But I can already tell you’re a terrible liar, Paxton.”
I dropped my head then peeked up at her. “I wasn’t spying.”
Amelia held up her hands. “I didn’t say you were.”
Chewing on my lip, I sighed. “Okay. I was spying. I’m lost, Amelia.”
With a soft sympathetic grin, she glanced at her brother. “So is he, Paxton. His eyes are so sad. Earlier this morning we all had breakfast together as a family and both Mom and I noticed it.”
“The family was all together?” I asked.
She nodded with a grin. “The boys have been working the ranch the last two days so they’re all staying at the house. It’s been nice having Steed home again. Dad’s thrilled he’s back and digging deeper into the business side of the ranch. The idea of having another son run day-to-day operations has him all kinds of happy.”
Guilt hit me square in the chest. It was my fault he left. I told him to leave.
He left his family and stayed away because of me.
“I’m so sorry he left town,” I said.
“Paxton, you didn’t keep him away all those years. That was his decision. A poor one, but his nonetheless.”
I shrugged. Turning, I glanced back at Steed and Chloe. “He’s such a good father.”
The sadness in my voice caused Amelia to put her hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze.



Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Honor (Bad Boy Homecoming #4) by Kennedy Layne

My Rating: 4 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Bad Boy Homecoming #4.
Subject: The hard choice between love or Honor.
Synopsis
A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new romantic suspense from USA Today Bestselling Author Kennedy Layne.
Derek Spencer hadn't even bothered to RSVP to his Catfish Creek's high school reunion. He'd been too busy fighting a war in Afghanistan in his capacity as a Marine and wouldn't even be in the States during the event. Unfortunately, one emergency phone call from his mother changed everything.
Tessa Daniels had been voted most likely to do everything back in high school. She somehow didn't think that included acquiring her very own stalker at the relatively young age of twenty-eight. It had stopped being simply annoying after someone broke into her house, invading her privacy. Now, she was actually in fear for her life.
Derek's mother feels terrible that her son has spent almost every waking hour at the hospital, watching over his recovering father. She sets out--and succeeds--in arranging for Derek and Tessa to attend their high school reunion together. Neither one of them expected sparks to fly or memories of long-lost crushes to emerge, but they are not only faced with their newfound passion...they must also confront the person trying to extinguish their chance to rekindle the flames of past desires.

Add HONOR to your Goodreads list here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34730766-honor














Finished the third book, yes I have been reading them all in weird order, but they still work out great so no problems there! lol

This time we get Derek and Tessa's story and I have to say it really hit home. I have a few friends at the Marine Corps and I can say for a fact that their lives are similar to Derek's. Living to serve your country is an honourable thing, but that leaves them with little space for anything else. They are unable to create real bonds with people because sooner or later they will be moving on to the next post. 

Clearly similar to what Derek's though at first, he figured he could just have this week and then move on, but life is funny like that and he was blindsided by the attraction they both felt. Everything was intensified by her stalker, which brought out the alpha male inside of him and now there was no turning him off.

I think he knew he was done for since their first kiss, but his obligations with his country were weighting on him, he has an extremely hard and life changing choice to make.

Tessa was sweet and hardworking, she has a great life and she is happy, until things start to get weird and scary, and Derek might be just what she needs. 
I'm sure she had no doubts when it came to him, she was sure he was leaving so that might have made her think twice before falling for him, but she was head over hills the second he picked her up for their date.

I loved the fact that this time around the characters knew each other from before but they never really had a relationship, it's a brand new story that starts out of a fate encounter. 

Another two lives changes by the reunion! 


I'm off to the next one!





Get your hands on HONOR now!
✦Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2o88utD


About Kennedy Layne
Kennedy Layne is a USA Today bestselling author. She draws inspiration for her military romantic suspense novels in part from her not-so-secret second life as a wife of a retired Marine Master Sergeant. He doubles as her critique partner, beta reader, and military consultant. They live in the Midwest with their teenage son and menagerie of pets. The loyal dogs and mischievous cats appreciate her writing days as much as she does, usually curled up in front of the fireplace. She loves hearing from readers--find out how to connect with her at www.kennedylayne.com



Find out more about the other four books in the BAD BOY HOMECOMING series on the website here: http://badboyhomecoming.com/




DROPOUT by Carrie Ann Ryan

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2neDZOo





TROUBLE by Avery Flynn

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2nesjKQ
PROM QUEEN by Katee Robert
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2nJk8dh 
ROCK STAR by Stacey Kennedy
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2o89fT9




































Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Rock Star (Bad Boy Homecoming #5) by Stacey Kennedy

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Bad Boy Homecoming #5.
Subject: Different time, same place but just the same intensity and feelings.

Synopsis:
A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new erotic romance from USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy.

Veterinarian, Rae Evans expects to attend a dreadful ten-year high school reunion. Instead, she’s confronted by a past she’s never gotten over. The love of her life, Travis Walker, has returned to Catfish Creek, and the now-famous rock star wants only three things: Her. Naked. And screaming his name.

Fresh off his last world tour, Travis has returned to town to get a dose of reality. With fame casting a superficial cloud over Travis’s life, he’s scrambling to stay afloat. He needs an anchor, and Rae is that for him. But as he finds himself, he’s determined to remind Rae of the heat that once burned between them.

Before they know it, their one hot night is three, and soon, just like ten years ago, Travis holds the strings to Rae’s heart. But Rae’s not that young girl who watched her high school sweetheart race off to become famous. She’s a woman who knows what she wants and realizes when a man needs her. She just has to decide if she should put the past on repeat, or walk away from it forever.
































Another Stacy Kennedy's bad boy that just rocked our world.

We all have been in that moment in our lives where we look back and think that maybe that one single choice we made changed the course of our lives, for better or for worse. We remember how things were, how we were and how that changed and we look at ourselves today remembering that young naive version with longing. 

In this book the main characters are faced with the one that got away; and as we advance inside the story we get to see the hard choice they made and how that affected them, like they could never have anticipated. 

High school love is supposed to be just that, but in this story we get to be witnesses of how wrong that statement can be. 
There's no timeline for love, it can happen at any time in our lives. Sometimes we think we found it and we are wrong; but other times after years go by and you cross paths again, you realize that nothing has changed. The feelings are still as strong as they were and even though you are strangers, you are still the same people you were before, only more.

I enjoyed the connection between Travis and Rae. They complemented each other perfectly, I understood then why he needed Rae now. Travis is lost, he doesn't know who he is anymore and there's only one way to get back, and that is the love of his life.

Rae was so stubborn at times that I just wanted to scream at her. She was used to being the strong one in the relationship with Travis; she was the one with the cool head, no rush decisions and no complications. But now things had changed and she couldn't find a way of being cool and distant with this unbelievable hot rock star that came knocking on her door.

A beautiful story. I'm of to the others in the series!!!!




               






Author Info
Stacey Kennedy is the USA Today bestselling author of the Dirty Little Secrets and Club Sin series. She writes deeply emotional romances about powerful men and the wild women who tame them. When she’s not writing sensual stories, she spends her time in southwestern Ontario with her real life hero, her husband, their two young children, and her other babies: a mini labradoodle named Jax and a chocolate labrador named Murphy. Stacey is a proud chocolate, television show, Urban Barn, and wine addict. She likes her heroes in her books like she likes her coffee…strong and hot!

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS 





Rafflecopter Giveaway (for a ROCK STAR Mug filled with a $50 Amazon Gift Card) a Rafflecopter giveaway OR, Link to Rafflecopter Page: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/890fc94d10/








Excerpt 
Travis Walker made women’s panties disappear. 

On most nights, anyway. 

Tonight, sitting on a wooden stool set upon the stage at Catfish Creek High School’s conference center, only one woman was on his mind. His fingers strummed over the strings of the guitar, mouth rested near the microphone, and after he sang the final two lines of the chorus—I wanna kiss you under the moonlight. And love you ‘til the sun comes up—the applause from the crowd reopened his eyes.

Sparkling string lights and masquerade masks hung from the ceiling above him, reminding him that he wasn’t surrounded by thousands of his typical screaming and wild fans. In his Texas hometown, he stared out at teachers, old friends, and classmates, all dressed in formal wear and masquerade masks. 

From his seat in the spotlight, he recalled playing for smaller crowds on this very stage back in high school. Those had been some of the happiest days of his life. Now, fresh off his last world tour, he realized he loved that scene, too. The energy of a smaller crowd, who knew him personally, and a larger crowd, who thought they were in love with him, was so different he couldn’t compare the two, but admittedly, he missed the intimacy that came from a smaller venue. 

Done with his song, and with the crowd quieting, he slid the guitar strap over his head and handed the instrument back to a member of the band that’d been hired to play at Catfish Creek High School’s ten-year reunion. When he jumped off the stage, he sighed in relief, finding that all the cell phones pointed in his direction were now put away, and the flashing lights were gone. 

That’s when he set his focus on what mattered tonight: finding her. Rae Evans—the muse behind the song he sang tonight, Moonlight. 

He scanned the crowd overtop the decorated tables with their gold chairs, but the beauty had escaped him somehow. He recognized Annie Flowers, the librarian, who gave him a little wave, and Christopher Christianson, the principal, who was grabbing a drink from the bar. Travis could have sworn he spotted Rae entering the masquerade ball when he began his song. Desperation now clawed at his chest. 

Determined to find her, he moved farther into the crowd, just as his cell vibrated in his pocket. Knowing exactly who it’d be, and that he couldn’t ignore the call, he reached for his phone and then frowned at the text from his manager, Scott Price. 
Awesome job. The video is already up on YouTube. Fans are loving it. The mask was a nice touch. Don’t miss your flight in the a.m. 

Travis shifted the black masquerade mask around his eyes, and the muscles along his shoulders tightened with the reminder of the weight they carried; of the need for him to always be on point, and the fact that nothing, not even his high school reunion, was sacred anymore. 

Life had changed dramatically since the last time Travis stepped foot in the conference center. But he didn’t want to think about the shit weighing on him, so he fired off a response—I’ll be on it—then tucked his cell phone back into his pocket. 

He had tonight to fix everything that was wrong with his life, and he wouldn’t waste it. 
In the eyes of his manager, Travis had come to the reunion to put on a show and to look real to his fans. But Travis hadn’t come for the publicity; he had come for one very good reason: to find his anchor—the woman who stopped his world from spinning wildly out of control. 

Lately, in a sea of chaos, he’d finally stopped drowning and saw a way back to the happiness he once had. That happiness had started with Rae, and surely, she was his way to find himself again. 

One touch. One taste. He wanted to remember what that happiness felt like. 

Again, he searched the crowd, ignoring the way some men glowered at him, and some women batted their lashes. Rae. That’s whom he’d come here to see tonight. Only her. 
The band behind him started playing another ballad, and that’s when he found her, staring right at him from across the room. She wore a sleek, black, strapless gown around her slender figure with matching long, black gloves. 

His muscles surged with adrenaline, and he went to move toward her when a hard voice came from behind him. 

“Karly wants you to play another song.” 

Travis slowly glanced over his shoulder to find the biggest asshole in Catfish Creek High School history, Jason, a blond-haired, slender, one-time big shot. Rae was best friends with Kate, and Kate had loved—and later married and divorced—the dipshit behind him.
Times had changed. 

Travis didn’t owe Jason anything now, and he certainly didn’t owe the reunion’s event planner, Karly, shit. “You can tell Karly that I told her I’d play one song, and that’s exactly what I did. Bother me again, and we’ll have a problem.”  

Jason didn’t make a move or say a word in rebuttal. Once a coward, always a coward. 
Refocused on the only person who mattered tonight, and pulled by the energy only Rae conjured, Travis stretched out his fingers, shedding his frustrations as he moved with purpose through the crowd. Her pretty, hazel eyes surrounded by dark makeup followed his every move, and she yanked him forward with a simple look. 

She’d always been a pretty girl, but she’d grown into a blindingly beautiful and stunning woman. Her gown fit her like a glove. A gold filigree mask somehow made the creaminess of her skin appear richer. She wore her shoulder-length, brown hair in big waves framing her round face. 

Tonight, she didn’t look so fresh-faced and innocent. She looked sexy as hell, and just the sight of her again caused Travis’s cock to swell eagerly.   

While he’d talked to her through email, text, and the occasional late-night, drunk phone call every birthday and Christmas over the last ten years, he hadn’t seen her. Not since that day on his parents’ porch. Sure, he’d kept an eye on her through the Catfish Creek Chronicle when they featured her for her charity work, and also on the website for the vet clinic she owned. But after he’d walked the path that led away from her, he’d never found his way back. Life got busy. New friends were found. Fame overtook him.  
Now, he was…home. 

When he finally reached her, the air between them felt charged. “Rae,” he said. 
Her eyes warmed. Dark, red-painted lips curved. “Travis.” 

Christ, he remembered how those lips tasted. How she tasted—every goddamn inch of her. 
Beneath her mask, those pretty eyes now turned a little suspicious. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the reunion?” 

Perhaps he should have called, but… “I wanted to surprise you.” Because there were important reasons he returned to his hometown, ones that he didn’t want her to know about. Yet.  

It all began with an article in the Catfish Creek Chronicle.

Dr. Rae Evans feels she’s done what was needed to help the animals in Catfish Creek, and she’s ready to begin a new journey. She’s looking to open another clinic in one of the neighboring towns.

At twenty-eight years old, she’d achieved what she hoped to do by thirty, and that article reminded him of the guy he used to be when she’d first made those plans. He wasn’t the same man who left Catfish Creek all those years ago, and he didn’t know when exactly he lost himself. While Rae had likely found all the happiness she wanted in her success, he simply wanted to find his way back to the carefree guy he once was.  
To do that, he had to come back to the place where he was the happiest. He had to come back to her. “But to tell you why I wanted to surprise you, I need to tell you a story.” He offered his hand. “How about we dance, and I’ll share it.” 
For a second, he thought she might refuse him. She simply stared at his hand. 
When her eyes met his again, and she slowly slid her palm into his, the tightening in his chest eased. He closed his fingers around hers and sensed her soften, making him smile. 
Reliving that infectious energy she carried, he led her into the middle of the dance floor, then he spun her around and pulled her to him, nice and close, sliding his hand across her lower back.
 She laughed softly, eyes twinkling behind her mask. “You’ve still got the moves, I see.” 
“My moves will never fail me.” He grinned. 




Prom Queen (Bad Boy Homecoming #3) by Katee Robert

My Rating: 5 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Bad Boy Homecoming #3.
Subject: Letting go of your past mistakes and embracing happiness.

Synopsis:
A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new erotic romance from NYT Bestselling Author Katee Robert.

Jake Davis had it all in high school—a scholarship to his college of choice, a promising football career, and the gorgeous prom queen for a girlfriend. And then he lost it all when he was injured right after graduation. Ten years later, he’s mostly made his peace with that, and now runs a company that provides women with dates for special events. Imagine his surprise when he discovers that the ex who left him in the dust needs a fake boyfriend for their high school reunion…

Jessica Jackson used to be the mean girl to end all mean girls. But life didn’t turn out like she’d thought it would, and now she’s twenty-eight, single, and works as an insurance agent to A-listers instead of being the A-lister like she’d always dreamed. She can’t go back to her home town and admit just how thoroughly she’s failed, so she lets her friends set her up with a fake date for the reunion.

The second Jessica realizes that her fake date is Jake, she tries to call the whole thing off. The problem is the chemistry between them is even hotter now than it was when they were teenagers. Against her better judgment she lets herself get drawn into Jake’s arms again—and into his bed. But time doesn’t heal all wounds—sometimes, it actually makes them worse—and if Jessica and Jake can’t learn to forgive each other, their second chance might not last the weekend. 













Second book I read on this series and they keep getting better!

This is Jake and Jessica's story and like the last book they had something happen in the past that destroyed their relationship, but the Reunion has put them back in the same path and there's no way they can avoid each other now.

Jake's motives weren't pure at first, he acted as if he wanted revenge, but after he sees her everything changes, he realises that she is not the same girl he once knew, and he also knows there is no way he can stay away from her.

Jessica appeared to be a mean girl back in the day, and we definitely don't like her type, but as the story develops we understand that maybe she was acting out because she was hurting. She is a different person now and she is scared to death of facing all the people she wronged, although the one thing that scares her the most might be unavoidable for her.

Getting in touch with old feelings is a hard thing to do, and it's worse if those feelings were never quite gone to begin with. 


We get to see these two characters get reacquainted and find out that true love withstands time and there are a few things it can't forgive.


The reunion will reveal all of their secrets, and once their facades are dropped they will have to make the choice of running or going all in.

Amazing!






Trouble (Bad Boy Homecoming #2) by Avery Flynn

My Rating: 5  Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Bad Boy Homecoming #2.
Subject: we all need a little trouble.
Synopsis
A high school reunion is about to get down and dirty and a whole lot more complicated in this new romance from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn. 

Brains and a badass attitude. That’s all troublemaker Leah Camacho took with her when she left Catfish Creek. She’d promised herself she’d never go back, but when the invite to her tenth high school reunion arrived along with the chance to show everyone who doubted her what a success she’s made of herself, she couldn’t resist. However, when she discovers a 15-carat, stolen diamond in her rental car’s glove box, there’s only one man she can turn to for help—the same sexy, stubborn domineering man who’d smashed her heart all those years ago. 

Sheriff Drew Jackson knew a long time ago that Leah Camacho was nothing but trouble and has sworn to never get caught up in her again—no matter how damn sexy she is or how badly he’d failed to forget her. But, when the woman who test drove his heart right into a concrete wall rolls into Catfish Creek with some serious bad guys on her tail, it’s up to him to keep her safe—even if that means guarding her hot bod 24/7 without giving into temptation or losing his mind. 













Another bad boy from the reunion, although Drew doesn't seem nothing bad at all. He is the nice guy, the sheriff and seems to always do whats expected of him.

Then we meet Leah, his nemesis and she bring out the dirty and sexy guy that he has in him, when she is around trouble follows and he can't help to get captured under her spell.

The story was really fun, it had some great action moments, and some off the charts sexy scenes as well. I loved the main characters, they seemed perfect for each other, their little quirks made them a super fun and sexy combination and they seemed to bring out the best in each other.

Opposite attracts was the main theme in this book, and we get to see them try to fight it for a long time until there's nothing to do but surrender to the lust and love they share.

A runner when things get complicated and a guy trapped in a loop he can't seem to get off make this story an amazing roller coaster of emotions. Leah needs to let go of the past, learn to forgive and trust people again and Drew has to figure out what makes him happy instead of trying to please everyone else.

  
A beautiful story!










Find out more about the other four books in the BAD BOY HOMECOMING series on the website here: http://badboyhomecoming.com/




DROPOUT by Carrie Ann Ryan

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2neDZOo





HONOUR by Kennedy Layne

Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2o88utD
PROM QUEEN by Katee Robert
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2nJk8dh 
ROCK STAR by Stacey Kennedy
Barnes & Noble http://bit.ly/2o89fT9