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

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Game You Play (Rixon Raiders #2) by L.A. Cotton

My Rating: 4 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Rixon Raiders #2.
Synopsis:
The Raiders are back...

Cocky football players, school rivalry, and the girls who get in their way!

Felicity Giles has a list.

Lose her virginity.
Meet her knight-in-shining-armor and fall in love.
Have the best senior year a girl can have.
The only problem? Her knight isn’t a saint, he’s a villain, and she’s pretty sure he’ll destroy her before ever handing over a piece of his heart.

Jason Ford has a plan.

Win State and go down as one of the most successful Quarterbacks in Rixon Raider history.
Head off to college and pursue his dream of being drafted to the NFL.
Avoid the girl under his skin. Felicity Giles, his stepsister’s best friend and perpetual pain in his ass.

She’s annoying as hell.
Quirky.
She’s a game to him, nothing more.

Until his arch rival comes after him and the few people he cares about ... and Felicity gets caught in the crossfire.



And suddenly hating her feels a whole lot like falling in love.




THE GAME YOU PLAY BLOG TOUR



๐—–๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ธ๐˜† ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น ๐—ฝ๐—น๐—ฎ๐˜†๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€, ๐˜€๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—น ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—ฟ๐˜†, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐—น๐˜€ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ผ ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ฟ ๐˜„๐—ฎ๐˜†. ๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐˜† ... ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ฅ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ!!


Welcome to the blog tour for The Game You Play by L A Cotton.





๐—š๐—ฒ๐˜ ๐—ฌ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—–๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐˜† ๐—ก๐—ผ๐˜„:


Amazon US: http://geni.us/s0o8N


Amazon UK: http://geni.us/3B0Kc


iBooks: http://geni.us/Ga5Z


Kobo: http://geni.us/4UJHWG


Nook: http://geni.us/Rz4Uc






Audio: Coming Soon!!!









We hated Jason on the first book and things don’t change on the second one.


He is still being a bully, but now his target is Felicity. 


He can’t get her out of his head so he keeps punishing her for it. But the more he pushed her away, the more he realizes how irresistible she is, and now he is not sure he will be able to walk away.


Everything started with a checklist, a stupid list she made to make sure she enjoyed her senior year, and one decision that started a chain of events that are now out of her hands. 


Jason can see her now, she is not invisible anymore, and what comes with being seen by him, might be more than what she can handle. 


She doesn’t know how to live on the wild side, and she is certain he will rip her heart out… but she can’t help herself… the ride is sure going to be fun!


Will Jason accept he is more than football and trust someone other than himself?

Can Felicity take a change on a dark eyed player?

I liked the book, but was a little disappointed, we have read books like this, were the guy is a bully and then falls for her and there wasn't anything that made is more special for me. 

Than being said, it is a good story, just nothing remarkable.


















I did hate him.




I hated that he made me feel so alive, so desired.




I hated the way he knew exactly how to kiss me, touch me, to get me to fall at his feet.




But most of all I hated how I didn’t hate him, not even a little bit.




“Relax,” he said as if he knew I was all up in my head. “If it makes you feel any better, I hate you too.” His thumb brushed my neck slowly before he chased his touch with his lips. “I hate how I can’t stop thinking about you.” Kiss. “I hate that you say the most ridiculous things.” Kiss. “But most of all I hate that Thatcher and his goon had their hands on you. I hate...” His lips touched my skin again as my heart crashed against my rib cage.




This wasn’t the plan.




He wasn’t supposed to say all of this, to feed the small part of me dreaming of a different time and place. A time and place where Felicity Giles could ever end up with a guy like Jason Ford.




I waited for his words, greedy for more. But they never came, replaced with hot kisses as he dragged his tongue up and down the hollow of my throat. Disappointment flooded my chest but deep down, I wasn’t surprised. Jason would never admit the truth. That there was something between us. That this was more than just sex. And for as much as it hurt, maybe it was better this way.




His hands were all over me now, his mouth the same.




“Jason,” I said, gently tugging his hair. “Slow down.”




He lifted his face, brow arched. I took advantage of the moment, pushing my hands against his chest to move him back. Then I fumbled around to find the recline handle and pulled.




“What the fuck?” he grunted, and I stifled a giggle. Jason needed control. He needed to hold all the power. But this time, I wanted to be in the driving seat.




I wanted to drive him wild.




“What game are you playing, Giles?” he asked, his hands gripping my hips as I gently rocked above him. We both groaned, and another thrill shot through me. He was at my mercy now.




With my newfound confidence, I hooked my hands into the waistband of my leggings and pushed them down over my hips. It was no easy feat getting them off, but I managed. If Jason noticed my clumsy striptease, he didn’t comment, his hooded gaze too busy eating up every inch of my bare skin.




“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he whispered.




Yeah, fuck. His words were like a poisoned arrow through my heart.




As if he noticed my hesitation, challenge glinted in his eye. He was ready to pounce, to take back the power and flip this whole thing on me. But I wasn’t backing down. I wasn’t just a pawn in his game.




I was the goddamn queen.




And this queen wanted her king to kneel at her feet.







Monday, September 16, 2019

Back in Bliss (Nights in Bliss, Colorado #9) by Sophie Oak / Lexi Blake

BackinBliss eBook highres
My Rating: 5 Stars

Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Nights in Bliss, Colorado #9.
Synopsis:
Logan Green is back in Bliss, but only for a few weeks to help out at the sheriff’s office.

Everything changes when Seth Stark strolls into town with Georgia Dawson on his arm.

Seth’s arrival is anything but a happy accident. He always dreamed of a big house on the river

and a wife he could share with his best friend, Logan. After building a software empire, his only goal has been to make that dream come true. He just needed the perfect woman.

Georgia is still haunted by the dark, troubled man who saved her life. She can’t get Logan out of

her head. Her boss brought her to Bliss to help him decorate his new summer home, but when

Logan Green walks through the door she discovers Seth has something different in mind.

Seth has a plan for their mutual happily ever after, but he never dreamed that coming home

would put all their lives in danger.

Re-released in a second edition with new content.





Download your copy today!



Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BackBliss



Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JoVYxX



Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2NBJ9pj

BIB - BT banner





We finally get Logan and Seth's story and how they found the missing piece in their love story. We also learn a little bit more of what happened to Logan that day that changed his life, a moment that changed him forever, and he doesn't know if he can ever come back from it.

Georgia was a brat, we met her before and we know how she loves to play dumb and play with the men in her life. That is all she knows, because hiding behind her city girl mean persona is easier than accepting that she is sad, unhappy and alone, that's all she knows.

In comes prince charming Seth, who gives her a purpose, makes her feel like she is more than just a burden, and he has a lot of plans for her.
Playing them like chess pieces, he designs a foolproof plan, to get everything he has ever dreamed of. 

But coming back home is not as easy as he thought it would be, he is in the dark about a lot of things regarding his best friend, and he finds out that achieving his HEA might not be as easy as he thought it would be.

Logan has been hiding, he hasn't lived since the incident, he has been trapped inside that room for months and bratty Georgia and stubborn Seth are trying to push him out of it.

As always, a Bliss story would't be complete without some crazy action, guns, knives and a high body count.

A must read!



 

BIB - AN



Excerpt: 

“Holy shit.” Logan practically beamed at the thing that looked like it could eat her. “Seth! Seth, get in here!” He went to the door and yelled for Seth again. Seth ran in, his eyes wide and his body covered only in a towel. A little towel. A tiny white towel that contrasted with his tan skin and had been wrapped over ridiculously muscled hips. He had those notches, the ones she’d always been sure some artist Photoshopped onto male models because no one could be that perfect. His dark hair was wet, curling above his shoulders. Moisture clung to his every muscle and, holy hell, he had a lot of them. They hid underneath his perfectly tailored suits. Georgia forgot about the crazy-ass creature that had come straight out of some danger-in-the-wild documentary and watched the two gorgeous predators who had invaded her room. She pulled the covers up to her neck, aware that she didn’t look anything like they did. “Maurice.” Seth took a step forward. “Wow. How the hell long do moose live, man? It’s totally Maurice. You can see where Hiram tried to take him down. There’s a scar on his nose.” Logan moved in, too, and she could see the easy way the two men related. For a moment she saw the kids they had been, friends forever. God, she’d never had a friend like that. Logan opened the window and she heard a loud chuffing noise. “He kicked Hiram in the groin. It was a damn lucky thing the man already had three kids because I heard nothing worked the same after. Hey, boy. You remember me?” Another huff and she was about to believe the thing knew how to communicate. Seth looked over at her, his eyes glinting. “We don’t get a ton of moose around here. Maurice is a legend. The people of Bliss say that if he shows up at your place, you’re blessed. Meant to be here. He’s the welcoming committee.” Logan laughed. “What no one will tell you is he’s a total snack whore. If you leave a Snickers bar on the porch, he will show up lickety-split. When Laura finally got comfy, I snuck some chocolate onto her porch so she would feel welcome.” “I’m glad she stayed. I heard she got married,” Seth said. Logan nodded. “Got a kid now. That’s why I’m here. Her husbands need some paternity leave. I heard it’s a girl.” Their shared history was right there, a palpable thing between them. It was almost as though she could reach out and touch it, feel the warmth of it. Logan and Seth felt like a family. What was she doing here? Once again, like most of her life, she was the outsider. Even among her brothers, she’d felt it. Chase and Ben had each other. Mark and Dare had been tight. And she and Win had been so far apart in age that they couldn’t connect on a brother-sister level. She’d been alone. The only child whose mother wasn’t up to snuff. The only one without money when the tide had turned. Logan looked down at her, his eyes softening. “Georgia, I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean a word of what I said. To either of you.” She nodded, feeling awkward. They were here in her bedroom. It was a bit surreal. She turned her attention back to the moose. “So it’s not something that’s going to attack?” She kept the blanket around her neck. Yeah, that was another way she was different. She wasn’t gorgeously perfect like them. She’d tried the whole diet thing, and she wasn’t cut out for it. “Maurice is a sweetie, but I won’t lie. The first time I saw him, I peed my own damned pants and ran screaming for my mommas,” Logan said on a laugh. He reached a hand out, pressing it against the screen, his eyes misting like he was reaching for his past. “He won’t hurt you. He wants to say hello. And he probably smelled the bacon. Shit. My bacon.” Logan turned and took off at a dead run for the kitchen. Seth touched the screen, too. “Hey, Maurice. Thanks for the welcome.” When he turned back to Georgia, he sported the sweetest smile. He jumped onto her bed, not a hint of self-consciousness on his face as he settled in beside her. “How did you sleep? My bed’s better, by the way. It’s huge. Built for three.” “Good for you and whatever mรฉnage you choose to invite. Could you go away so I can get dressed?” Last night seemed like a dream, and more than a little like a nightmare. God, what had she been thinking? Seth wanted her to tempt Logan into a mรฉnage? He was insane. She was insane for not immediately walking out of the cabin and hoofing it to Malibu and the safety of Win’s minicastle where she could make like Rapunzel. She would barricade herself in and then keep her hair cut because she was done with men. He smiled, an intimate thing that threatened to curl her toes. “I thought we settled that last night.” She sighed and wished she was strong enough to not look at that towel, praying it would flop open and she would get a good view of what Seth had down under. Maybe it was small. Like tiny. Did it matter? He was the sweetest man she’d ever met. He was kind and good. She wasn’t about to reject him because he had a small penis. It wasn’t like sex was all that awesome anyway. Logan had a big penis. She’d felt it rubbing against her when he’d kissed her like there was no tomorrow. She thought about Logan’s penis a lot. More than a lot. Nope. She wasn’t going to reject anyone based on penis size. She was going to reject them because she wasn’t about to get her heart broken again. 







About Lexi Blake

Blake_Lexi_2New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.




Connect with Lexi









Stay up to date with Lexi by joining her mailing list: 


Thursday, September 12, 2019

Intermission (Love Triangle Duet #2) by Lisa Suzanne

My Rating: 3 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Love Triangle Duet #2
Synopsis:

I’m in love with two men.

I’m torn and need to choose which man from my past I want as a permanent part of my future. My heart leads me one way as my brain pushes me toward the other.

I want them both, but each of them holds a secret that will change everything. Can I overcome the betrayal with a simple intermission, or am I better off alone?  






















I’m torn apart too, because I liked the characters, the first book was full of drama, sex and deceit and this second book bored me a little bit. 

Don’t get me wrong, I loved the HEA, they deserved every second of it…well maybe only he did. But I needed a little more, Chase gave up!!

Yeah okay the flowers were a nice gesture and all, but he kept going about his love for her and, and he just let her go. He was all: “I don’t like to lose” and he just did!

Will there be a new book? That would completely change my mind about this one, but if this is the end, then yeah, it just didn’t work for me. My inner reader wanted /needed more.

Gavin and his songs are everything anyone could ever want in life, he is our dream guy, and I can’t believe it took her that long to decide!

I was kind of pissed at her again, for how blind she was to not notice her best friend’s feelings  when they were young, he is still the same guy she knew, but now he is hotter? Give me a break!

I’m undecided about the book :/













Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited







Also Available


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited






Author Bio


Lisa Suzanne is a romance author who resides in Arizona with her husband and two kids. She’s a former high school English teacher and college composition instructor. When she's not chasing her toddler or cuddling her newborn, she can be found working on her latest book or watching reruns of Friends.



Author Links




Saturday, September 7, 2019

Abandon (Seaside Pictures #3.6) by Rachel Van Dyken

My Rating: 4 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Seaside Pictures #3.6
Synopsis:
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Seaside Pictures series… 

It’s not every day you're slapped on stage by two different women you've been dating for the last year. 

I know what you're thinking. What sort of ballsy woman gets on stage and slaps a rockstar? Does nobody have self-control anymore? It may have been the talk of the Grammy's. 

Oh, yeah, forgot to mention that. I, Ty Cuban, was taken down by two psychotic women in front of the entire world. Lucky for us the audience thought it was part of the breakup song my band and I had just finished performing. I was thirty-three, hardly ready to settle down. 

Except now it's getting forced on me. Seaside, Oregon. My band mates were more than happy to settle down, dig their roots into the sand, and start popping out kids. Meanwhile I was still enjoying life. 

Until now. Until my forced hiatus teaching freaking guitar lessons at the local studio for the next two months. Part of my punishment, do something for the community while I think deep thoughts about all my life choices. 

Sixty days of hell. 

It doesn't help that the other volunteer is a past flame that literally looks at me as if I've sold my soul to the devil. She has the voice of an angel and looks to kill—I would know, because she looks ready to kill me every second of every day. I broke her heart when we were on tour together a decade ago. 

I'm ready to put the past behind us. She's ready to run me over with her car then stand on top of it and strum her guitar with glee. 

Sixty days. I can do anything for sixty days. Including making the sexy Von Abigail fall for me all over again. This time for good. 

Damn, maybe there’s something in the water. 


**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.** 






We are beyond excited to be sharing this release from Rachel Van Dyken with you today by participating in the blog tour. ABANDON is part of her Seaside Pictures series and it is releasing as part of 1001 Dark Nights. It just went live! Check out the buy links and book trailer from the title below. Click here to grab your copy now. 


Purchase your copy of ABANDON today!

Amazon Universal: mybook.to/AbandonRVD






This book has everything, bad boys rock stars, two ex lovers with incredible and volatile chemistry and a lot of secrets.

Ty has had a hard time since she left him, he only had her and she broke his heart and left him alone. He went on a spiral, drugs, alcohol, women, and now that he is getting better he is finally feeling the pain. 
What could be worse than remembering the good and the bad times with your perfect girl? Having her right there day after day.

Abi had to leave, she has regretted that decision every day since she broke his heart, but her fears got a hold of her and she wasn't ready to suffer that kind of pain. 
In her mind, Ty only cared about himself and she was tired of being left behind. 

Ty had no idea why she left, but in his mind she did it because he wasn't important  to her.

What happens when the secrets are uncovered and they both learn that things were nos as black and white as they thought? 
Can you fall back in love with someone that broke your heart? What if you never really stop loving them?

Ty has to decide if he is ready to open his heart again to her, to trust her one more time, or if his fear will forever be his only company.

Is Abby strong enough to handle the possibility o heartbreak? or will she run again?








Purchase your copy of ABANDON today!

Amazon Universal: mybook.to/AbandonRVD





BOOK TRAILER



 



About RACHEL VAN DYKEN:
Rachel Van Dyken is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. When she’s not writing about hot hunks for her Regency romance or New Adult fiction books, Rachel is dreaming up new hunks. (The more hunks, the merrier!) While Rachel writes a lot, she also makes sure she enjoys the finer things in life—like The Bachelor and strong coffee. Rachel lives in Idaho with her husband, son, and two boxers. Connect With Her: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Twitter | Bookbub

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Truth About Cowboys (Texas Heat #1) by Lisa Renee Jones

TTAC_eBook_1600My Rating: 4 Stars
Sex Scenes: Yes.
Series: Yes, Texas Heat #1
Synopsis:

I had my life figured out.

Engaged to a successful man.

About to make partner at my firm.

Bought a high-rise apartment in downtown Dallas.

And then, poof, it’s all gone. Now, like in some cheesy romantic comedy, my car has broken down in the pouring rain on my way to “find myself” in The Middle of Nowhere, Texas. Cue hot guy coming to my rescue and changing my tire. This is the part where we flirt and have a meet-cute, right? That’s how it works in romance novels, and I should know—after all, I’m coming to Texas to write my own cowboy romance. But nope. This sexy cowboy lights into me about not being prepared for the country roads and how inappropriate my high-heeled boots are.

Little did I know, Jason Jenks would tilt my world into a new dimension with his sinful smirk and his bad attitude. Every time I turn around, he’s there to reluctantly save the day. And every time, I think there may be something to that spark we ignite. But there’s a reason the majority of country songs are about broken hearts. The closer I get to this man, the closer I get to learning the truth about cowboys.


TTAC- RB banner














Fun and sexy love story, between two people who seem so different there is no way they can coexist.

Jessica is running away, her pride is wounded and she needs a place to hide. The little cottage seems like the perfect spot to work on herself and her book and stay away from men altogether. 

Unlucky for her, she hasn’t met the owner yet… or has she?

Jason values his privacy, and he won’t have any outsiders come here and ruin everything he’s work for, even if he can’t seem to resist her.

Hilarious moments between this two, made the story a success. She was clumsy, cute and also strong, and that made her a perfect female lead in my opinion. She didn’t let him walk all over her; she was not going to be pushed away by his fears.

Jason’s past broke him and he hadn’t been able to heal himself till now, they are both escaping reality and their pasts, it will be up to them to choose to let go of the fear and open their hearts again to love.





“Lisa Renee Jones does wildly sexy alpha heroes like no one else!”- Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author 


The Truth About Cowboys, a steamy, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, is available now!



While I was off pitching in the big leagues, my family was back in the small town of Sweetwater, Texas, running the family ranch. Then tragedy hit and I discovered there were secrets that my family kept, problems they hid. I went home, left behind the money, women, and fame. I took over the ranch and took care of my grandmother. I took over hiding the secrets. Then she came to town. A smart-mouthed, clumsy, too-smart-and-too-pretty-for-my-own-good city girl hiding out to write a book. She's right here, on my property, in the cottage my grandmother rented her without my permission, and she sees too much. She knows too much. 

Now suddenly my world is spinning, and she's shoving a baseball back in my hand while baking cookies with my grandmother. She's the devil and an angel all in one fiery little package. I decide I'll wait her out. She'll go back to the city. Only suddenly I don't want her to leave, and everything I’ve settled for in my life isn't enough. I want to play ball and I want her, but there's that secret that won't let go, but neither will she.

TTAC- AN


Download your copy today!






Google Play: http://bit.ly/2H9CZY4

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2JqJNCl





About Lisa Renee Jones

LRJNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with. 



In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, Lisa has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.



Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.





Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com



Connect with Lisa Renee Jones








Stay up to date with Lisa by joining her mailing list today: http://bit.ly/2zhl8K3