Ember

From Amazon: What if you knew when someone was going to die? For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven. Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind. But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding.

What I Thought: Apparently I have a thing for adolescent-ish angels. I really really loved this book. Very original storyline, steamy tension, and a hot Hero. I'm thinking I should just make it a policy to read whatever Jessica writes. Ember can see a person's death whenever they touch her, and so she's spent a lifetime avoiding human touch from anyone. Until she meets Asher who she can touch without sensing anything about him.

There's of course an angsty love triangle here with drool worthy boys-but it's a REALLY good one and the author does a great job of keeping you in the dark on which one of these guys is really the "good guy". Ember is a strong heroine, and you want to root for her.

The author has since edited this story to make a more "New Adult" version with more amped up sex scenes. I read the original Young Adult version first-but then went back and re-read the New Adult version so I could drool over these guys again. Does that make me a Cougar? Whatever-they're HOT!

My Rating:

Soul Stripper

From Amazon: It's called Sin City for a reason. Nowhere else are the temptations so great, the sex so good, and the demons so bad. . .

By day, Monica is a barista in a local café. It doesn't pay a lot but it puts her up close and personal with her sexy boss, Drew. Unfortunately that's as far as a succubus can go unless she wants to take his soul. Monica needs mind blowing sex to sustain her and she finds her victims every night at a local strip club where she's an exotic dancer. But when her powers begin to diminish and her fellow succubi start turning up dead, all bets are off. Monica realizes she's the one immortal who has a chance in hell of making things right. . .

What I Thought: I hadn't heard of this author before, I picked up this book out of cover love. LOVE it when that works out. Here's the thing, I went into it with possibly mediocre expectations at best as lately I've been in a bit of a book funk and nothing is holding my attention for longer than a sex scene or too. I've been angsting over wanting to read something with sex, AND grit- and POOF Katana Collins delivered in spades.

Um..she had me at hello..
Chap 1 Line 1 "The smell of coffee always turns me on."
ME TOO!!
Monica and I are kindred spirits, well except for the whole stripper succubus thing.
Monica is a Succubus who tries to stay below the radar which is hard since she's also a fallen angel. When Succubi start turning up dead around her and her own powers start to diminish she realizes she's going to have to take matters into her own hands.
There is no shortage of Alpha Wattage Male in this book either, and they all want their piece of Monica.
Jules-the angel (literally)
Drew- the boss
Lucien-the stripclub owner and Resident Archdemon
Wills-the dreamy ex
Can you kind of figure out what's going on? Yes. Ok. I could. It didn't take away from the story at all though and that's why I'm giving it 5 stars.
The Heroine is strong, the guys are hot, and the sex is sizzling. I can't wait for the next book!

My Rating: 

4 Chicks

The Reluctant Dom

From Amazon: [Menage and More: Erotic Consensual BDSM Menage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, public exhibition, spanking, flogging, whipping, sex toys, HEA for M/F] 

Love hurts...if you're lucky. 

Kaden's dying, but before he goes he has one problem to solve--he must ask his oldest and dearest friend, Seth, to take over as Dom and Master to his beloved wife, Leah. 

Seth has always seen himself as the perpetual screwup and Kaden as the strong and steady one, so his friend's request rocks his world. He also knows there's no way he can refuse Kaden this. 

Now Seth finds himself immersed in a role he's far from comfortable with--inflicting physical pain to provide emotional comfort to the woman he's secretly loved for years. Can he deal with his crushing grief over the impending loss of his oldest friend and still learn the skills he must master in time to become The Reluctant Dom? 

What I Thought: If you are a BDSM Erotica fan-You probably already familiar with Tymber know you are going to LOVE this book. If you are not sure how you feel about this genre, you will be a fan after reading this book. I go back and forth on my feelings about the BDSM genre because of (the book that shall not be named but it starts with the number 50) and the recent explosion of these in the market. When it's done well, and written with respect to the lifestyle, with a great plot and characters like Tymber has done here, I feel like celebrating.

(No I don't live in the BDSM lifestyle)

This is really more the story of a lifelong friendship between two men and the woman they both love. I think at first, I wasn't sure I was going to like this book or that it would even be believable- but once I got about 20 pages or so in, it totally hooked me.

I loved that Seth, while dealing with the grief of finding out his best friend is dying, is also willing to do whatever Kaden asks of him to bring them comfort. He's literally thrown into this lifestyle and through him the reader is able to learn all the ins and outs of a 27/7 D/s relationship.  This book is a shining example of the ultimate act of selflessness one could ever commit. 

Poly relationships can be difficult to understand for most of us vanilla mainstreamers, but this love story between 3 people illustrates it beautifully.  At turns I laughed and cried with these characters who are so well developed and written with such care. This was the first book I have read by Tymber, but she is well known in the industry and I will definitely seek out more by her in the future.

My Rating: 

5 Chicks

Gwynneth Ever After

From Amazon: Gwyn Jacobs doesn’t believe in fairy tales. Ever since her ex-husband walked out four years before, leaving her with three small children, Gwyn has been mother, father, and bread-winner all rolled into one. Her own scarred heart aside, she refuses to open up her children’s lives to the possibility of another heartbreak — so she has an unbending policy of no dating and no unattached men in their lives.

Until her very own fairy tale falls into her lap…and the hero won’t take no for an answer.

What I thought: This is an incredibly sweet, contemporary romance, heavier on the build-up, milder on the sex. If you've read the reviews here the last week you'll understand why I added that last bit. 

This book kind of reminds me of the movie Notting Hill, but in reverse and with kids.

Gwyn is a 35 year old single mother of 3 who doesn't have time to worry about a man in her life. By happenstance she meets Gareth Connor, British Actor, who's visiting his family in Canada for a few weeks. She's completely swept off her feet by him, of course who wouldn't be, um hello...and can't understand why he would be interested in her. He finds her honesty and the fact that she's down to earth and real the most attractive thing about her. 

It's a simple story, that works well. I really liked the fact that Gwynn is very independent and not at all whiny in my head, which could have easily happened in this type of story. The romance between them unfolds quickly but in a very believable, fairy tale come true kind of way and I'm always a sucker for a good HEA!

I think fans of Kristan Higgins, Sheryl Woods, or Debbie Macomber will probably find a new author to add to their must read list in Linda Poitevin.

I was given a copy of this EBook in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 

4 Chicks

Spy Games: Birthday Games

From Amazon: What do you give the spy who has everything for his thirty-fifth birthday? A menage, of course. Secret Agent Jake Anderson can't believe his good fortune. He's always had the hots for his best friend's blonde bombshell wife, but Kate is also his partner and he knows better than to cross the line unless Chase gives the word. But all lines are erased for a night of sinful pleasure with his best friends, and even better, Jake gets to be in charge. Since Jake loves nothing more than missions that end in gun fights and car explosions, he's gearing up for one smokin' hot birthday party. 

Birthday Games is a short, erotic story featuring Chase and Kate Sanders and of course, Jake Anderson, spies from the Spy Games series by Mia Downing. This sexy, hot read gives eager readers a glimpse of what happens between books 1 and 2. There is nothing revealed that you won't learn eventually, but sometimes having advanced knowledge is half of the fun! 

Story contains: Explicit language, smokin' hot, kinky sex between consenting adults. Expect to enjoy light BDSM, spanking, m/f/m action, birthday cake and more!

Approx. 76 pages 

What I Thought: This is actually book 1.5 between Trained for Seduction and Lethal Limits.  A sexy little novella to help give you some backstory between Jake and Kate. After the mission in Trained for Seduction, Chase, Jake and Kate could use a little fun...and um W.O.W. they do get it in these spicy little novella. It's short, but packs a seriously hot punch that will leave you breathless. You get more of a glimpse into Jake's feelings here and where the series is headed with the next book. I'm so happy the author did this because it gives us a look at the hero's frame of mind before we head into the next story. You don't have to have read the first book to enjoy this novella, but you will want to!! 

My Rating:

Spy Games Lethal Limits

From Amazon: (Book 2 of the Spy Games Series) Secret Agent Jake Anderson would rather have the measles than love his best friend's wife. So when she gives him a mission--to find his own woman to love--he knows just the woman to target. Exotic beauty Tia Richards--his new partner--is wild, twisted, and has no limits when it comes to adventure, in bed and out. She's perfect for him. Now he just has to get Tia and his heart to agree. 

Sexy spy Tia Richards has a problem, and the solution is Jake. The last time they hooked up, he left her bound and begging, unfulfilled, so close to finally getting the fireworks she deserves. But Jake loves his former partner, and Tia refuses to be second best. Will she listen to the ache in her heart that whispers she has what it takes to be first in Jake's life, or will lethal limits separate them forever?

Contains: Explicit language, really hot sex that tries to be vanilla and goes kinky, role play, anal sex, very light BDSM, light bondage, horses, a card shark spy hero, and his twisted and wild heroine.

What I Thought: I loved Jake from Trained for Seduction so was so glad when he got his own story. He's an alpha with a softness in him that is swoon worthy and Tia is kick ass heroine with grit and I so love that about her.

These are two wounded people who are made for each other but it takes them some time to figure that out and it's such a great ride getting to see them fall for each other. They both work as spies, so trust is something that they have to work really hard to get to, especially for these two.

We still get to see pieces of Kate and Chase from Trained for Seduction, which is great because I missed them. 

There is one hot scene after another which is always a plus in my world, but it's balanced with great character development and storytelling.

 This is book 2 in a series, but both are stand alone, and you don't need to read them in order.

My Rating:

Spy Games: Trained For Seduction

From Amazon: Emma Walters didn't choose to be a spy, but when her crazy father was caught selling bombs to the wrong people, she was given a choice--become a spy or rot in jail. Her exciting new life as agent Kate Wells becomes more so when she discovers her new boss is the agent--undercover and investigating her father at the time--who took her to third base. Emma is already half in love with the dark and dangerous Chase Sanders. Kate wants nothing more than for him to finish what he started, but he's the devil incarnate. And one doesn't make deals or fall in love with the devil.

If someone had told Chase he'd fall in love with a certain virgin when he was on his last mission, he would have shot them dead, sniper style. She was nothing more than collateral damage, damn it. But watching the sexy new spy morph into a bombshell killing machine is too much to bear. So when the powers that be command him to train her in the art of seduction for her first--and possibly last--mission, he's scared witless. Making love to Kate means preparing her for sex with another man.

Somehow, Chase has to find a way to get Kate in--and out--of her mission without dying. And without falling in love.

This book is an erotic romance. It contains graphic language, explicit, smokin' hot sex, a really sexy menage, lots of juicy conflict, some suspense, a dark and dangerous spy boss and a spunky bombshell heroine.

What I Thought: 

Emma is an innocent genius who is unknowingly given as a birthday gift to a dangerous undercover agent (Chase) for his birthday. She freaks and leaves him unconscious in her hotel room, but is unable to forget the way those few stolen moments with him made her feel. 
Flash forward a year- Emma (now going by Kate) is now an agent herself (it was either that or jail) and her partner is none other than Jake, Chase's best friend and subordinate. Kate soon learns that Jake is to be her partner in a dangerous mission assigned by Chase.
In the meantime, however is the fact that Kate still remains a virgin and the fact that she has been assigned to be a seductress isn't lost on her. 
Chase never expected to fall for an innocent virgin that he knew for such a short time but there it is. Seeing her grow into the strong woman she's becoming is a huge turn on that he just can't walk away from--
Even though this mission means he will have to share her.
This book is HOT. While you would think Kate would come off as meek and shy because of her innocence, she is anything but and I really loved that about her. The author does a great job of writing a heroine who is able to take charge of her own sexuality despite her inexperience. The hero's are drool worthy, Chase and Jake have a strong friendship and sharing Kate tests it's boundaries in a way they haven't ever had to deal with. 
This is the first book in a series that you will not want to miss!

My Rating: