Review: Echo by A. Zavarelli

 The Blurb:

 

 How far would you go to save someone you love? Would you give up your body? Your mind? Your heart?

I did and it cost me everything.

He says he owns me. And it’s true.

I’ve signed over complete control of my body and life for six months to a man I don’t know. Five years he’s been planning this. They say revenge is a dish best served cold. But my blackmailer serves it up white hot. He’s addicted to my innocence, and I’m addicted to him.

He likes to hurt me. I love to let him. He brings me to life. He sets me free. He makes my heart feel things it shouldn’t.

But he also scares me. He holds the fate of my brother’s life in his hands. A life behind bars for crimes I know he didn’t commit. My blackmailer can’t give up his revenge on my family, and I can’t be with him if he doesn’t. But I’m nothing more than a butterfly caught in his net. Do I really have a choice?

 

First of all, I dug right into this because I absolutely LOVED Zavarelli’s Boston Underworld series. That series was AMAZEBALLS. So I went in expecting to absolutely love this one as well.

Wellll….I didn’t hate it. The premise was complex and there was a helluva lot to follow when it came to relevant people, places, and things. The protagonist, Brighton, is 16 years old and depressed because her brother is about to go to prison for a hit and run that killed some people. At his going away party, she meets a nameless Ryland who is clearly older than her, and though she has no idea who he is or his relationship to her brother, she knows he’s one sexy sonofabitch. Fair. Ryland comes onto her, then makes sort of a weird “to be continued” exit.



Fast forward to 5 years later. Brighton begins conveniently interning for a billion-dollar tech corporation, courtesy of some random girl she met in the park. Okay. Random girl even invites Brighton to come live with her in her swanky loft apartment in downtown San Francisco. I mean, I gotta get out more apparently.



Lo and behold, Mr. Nameless is none other than Ryland Bennett, CEO of the company and swoon-worthy creeper that she met when she was 16. He doesn’t appear to remember her, though. S’okay, girlfriend. We’ve all been there?

But Brighton can’t let go of her obsession with Ryland. Until she is met with a rather random distraction-someone is trying to blackmail her in exchange for evidence that could get her brother out of prison. What does the blackmailer want? Only for her to be his sex slave for the next 6 months.


Pictured above: potential blackmailer, in my mind.

Hey, I don’t have an older brother…but this is one of those scenarios where I feel like the older brother would have absolutely, without a doubt, said NO NO NO to this. And as the younger sis, I’d be leaning heavily towards OK OK OK. But anyways, as you might’ve guessed, that’s not what Brighton does. Girl jumps right in.

So she begins sleeping with this stranger, who keeps her blindfolded at all times at the beginning. Dude’s into heavy BDSM, and (fortunately, I guess?) for Brighton, she digs it. From there, things get really complicated. The plot is set up to be more of a suspense, I think, and in that regard there is a lot of potential. But what lost me was the point where Brighton begins putting some of the pieces together and still forges on. There were several places where I think it would have been more believable for Brighton to walk away. Instead, she falls in love with her captor, who the book makes no bones about illustrating as fucking psychotic. But that's okay, because Brighton knows that somewhere, deep down, he's :::sniffle:::more than a monster. Ugh.



The ending at least explains how everyone knows each other, and the reasons for the blackmail, etc. Ends on a cliffy. I was intrigued enough to start checking out the sequel, but admittedly not enough to finish it.

Review: Bound by Steel by Connie Lafortune

The Blurb:

Lyra Harper

I was driving home to spend the holidays with my family.
But I lost control of my vehicle on an icy mountain road.
I slammed into a tree on the edge of Lake Lucerne.
I barely remember writing my name on the frosted windowpane.
The darkness had swallowed me whole.
I spiraled toward oblivion.
When I awoke from the gloom
I found myself in an old log cabin
With the devil’s eyes piercing fiercely into mine.

Ryker Steel

Up until four days ago, my life was tedious and tiresome.
Until, I rescued a dainty girl with golden hair and hazel eyes.
She looks just like the one I’m trying to forget.
Now my life has turned upside down and inside out.
You see, I inadvertently revealed my true identity.
Now, she can never leave.
We will live in hell, until we take our last breaths, together.
Lyra was the one who insisted on playing the game.
But I have a gut feeling, I will be the one to lose…

Writer was generously provided with ARC in exchange for my honest review:

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. The blurb made me wonder if Ryker was a serial killer or something. I’m weird, I like the bad boys but get a little squeamish at times with dub-con. Still, I proceeded onward because from the reviews it didn’t seem like a dub-con.

I’m so glad I did. Damn. Ryker is one of those sexy alphas that seems to lack a conscience, even if you know that eventually there will be a reason for why he is the way he is. He’s a bit of a dick here and there, but if I’m honest I like them to be a little dickish (hmm, perhaps there is something wrong with me after all).


Why do I have a thing for sociopaths, you ask? That’s why.

I really liked the chemistry between Lyra and Riker. The sex was hot. And there was a LOT of it.


That dirty talk, tho!

I got a little hung up on the fact that girl has a BOYFRIEND out there, but hey, to each their own. I’ve never been trapped with a sexy DEA agent in the middle of nowhere before, so I guess I can’t judge (I mean, I did. I judged).

Fun fact: I had no idea what an apadravya was…welp, now I do. All I can say is…that doesn’t look medically sound. And also to Google and my phone provider: it is exactly what it looks like. Sorry.



The mystery surrounding Ryker is slow-building and delicious. Lafortune keeps the angst up to defcon 5 throughout which I lurrrrrved (angst junkie here).

All in all, a steamy suspenseful read! I will definitely check out more of the author’s books!

Review: 93% Chance I Don't Hate You by L. Taylor and Amy H. Lynn

The Blurb:

Ashton Lewis doesn’t have a care in the world. His only sources of stress are passing mixed media art classes and setting up a tattoo parlor one day. But when the one-night-stand-only lifestyle no longer appeals to him, Ashton decides it’s time to settle down. A drunken mistake and a poorly chosen pseudonym later, Ashton finds himself on a blind date with his classmate, Carter Redford, the stuck up rich girl whom Ashton is pretty sure hates him.

College junior Carter Redford has been groomed to take over the family business since before she could talk. Heiress to a major entertainment journalism company, almost every aspect of her life is controlled by her overbearing parents, from the clothes she wears, to who her friends are, and eventually, the man she marries.

While this is not ideal for Carter, she is ready to sacrifice her own happiness if it is what her family needs. That is, until one day, when her best friend Jackson convinces her to try blind dating. More specifically, to use an app called Blinder.

Expecting someone business minded and type A, Carter is astonished to learn that her blind date is with none other than her fellow student - Ashton Lewis. Though he is gorgeous and a talented artist, Carter is hardly pleased with his “devil may care” attitude, and would rather take her chances on the man her parents have picked out for her than a laid back slacker. But when Carter’s curiosity gets the best of her, and Ashton manages to pull her into his unstructured lifestyle, Carter may not be able to resist the rushes of freedom and rebellion he encourages.

A laugh out loud romantic drama, 93% Chance I Don’t Hate You is a novel about overcoming prejudices, standing up for oneself, and learning how to live life on one’s own terms.

 

ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for my honest review:

This book was so nice and sweet, a far cry from my usual dark romance addiction. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, and I guess it seemed almost unusual to me that nothing godawful happened to either one of the main characters. Not sure how to feel about that, but that probably says more about me than the book.



Ashton is an artist and a player, pining for something real and different from his typical fuckboy ways now that he's ready to be a grown up. Signing up for the dating app Blinder, he gets matched with Carter, who is ready to try something different from what her rich parents have imagined for her (i.e. marry her off to another rich dude to create a convenient business relationship). This is some straight up k-drama shit right here (yessss). But hey, when your parents call you “darling” and you call them “mother” and “father” what do you expect?



The interactions between Ash and Carter are sweet and witty, but lacked the kind of raw passion that I craved, not to mention the smut.



Despite struggling to personally relate to Carter, I understood her reservations. It’s hard to stand up to family sometimes. Or take a gamble on someone who has a different philosophy of life than yours. And most of us don't also have our rich parents entrusting us to make sound life decisions that could affect the family business empire if we screw up.

To the nuts and bolts:

The pacing is good and the dialogue is mostly how people would speak to one another in real life. The story is mostly focused on Carter’s struggles to overcome the pressures of her life and make a decision that is best for her own happiness. In that regard, very well done. As to the actual romance, I would have liked to see more, but it’s still a solid hearts and flowers story!

Review: Deviant by Natasha Knight

The Blurb:

Julien

I'm a hit man, an assassin. A deviant by all accounts. I never pretended to be the good guy.

She was the opposite.

But the minute she pulled the curtains of her window back and saw my face, watched me screwing the blonde who happened to be my next mark, she sealed her own fate. There could be no witnesses, ever.

I let it go on a few days though. Never closed the curtains, gave her one hell of a show. I liked it, liked seeing her get all hot and bothered. Her face so innocent, so…corruptible. And all that time she was watching, she had no idea I'd seen her, that I was watching her too.

But all good things must come to an end.

Imagine my surprise when I turned up to take care of her only to find two goons breaking down her door, weapons in hand.

Turned out she had a price on her head. Her stepbrother wanted her and he wanted her alive. I'd never been one to pass up an opportunity to collect the kind of money he was offering, especially if I could have some fun while I was at it.

It just never occurred to me she’d be anything more than my next mark.

Mia

Curiosity killed the kitten.

I'll never forget the look in his eyes when he said those words.

When I watched them from the window, I didn't suspect for a moment that he'd seen me, that he was watching me back. Not while he was doing what he was doing to the woman on her knees before him.

But then she turned up dead, and he turned up in my hotel room, waiting for me in the dark.

I didn't think for one second him being there that night would save my life. I'd been on the run for two years, but my stepbrother had finally caught up with me. Or his two thugs had.

Finding out I had a quarter-of-a-million dollar bounty on my head convinced Julien I was more valuable alive than dead. But to collect it would mean returning me to my stepbrother, who had sworn to make me pay for what I'd done.

Julien was cruel. He was merciless. He scared the crap out of me. But there was something else, something he never wanted me to see. Inside, he was broken, like me.

My stepbrother was wrong if he thought I'd let him get his hands on me ever again. I had no intention of allowing that to happen, even if it meant I'd have to sleep with the devil to survive.

And I had no doubt Julien was the devil.

* Please note: This standalone dark romantic suspense is complete at 68,500 words. No cliffhanger, only a badass Alpha male who doesn't seem like much of a hero at the start, who uses strong language, and likes dirty, kinky sex. Some readers may find him offensive.

 

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

Having been so taken with Salvatore, I dove right into another Natasha Knight book. Deviant has an interesting naughty premise, which is really all I need to justify anything.



The first half of the book was intriguing. Julien, a mercenary, is working a contract (and by working I mean nailing) when he notices Mia spying on him from another hotel room. Amused, he draws things out a little longer than planned, knowing he’ll eventually have to kill her for seeing his face.

But Mia has her own set of problems, and Julien is not the only guy that wants her dead. I found it a little odd that Julien elects to save her life rather than just take the opportunity to kill her with the other guys that came for her, but hey, I don’t have a penis.



Julien is a dom to the extreme. He doesn’t just like being in control, he enjoys hurting Mia and making her afraid of him, which I didn’t dig. And I was struggling to believe Mia would enjoy it either, given how scared she was of him. There were parts where Julien straight up victimizes her, which I found pretty upsetting given that Mia has already been victimized in the past and he KNOWS that.



I am also noticing a HEAVY theme for Knight’s works when it comes to uh…backdoor play. Nothing in the positive or negative column there, just an observation. But I will say this: after some of the stuff Julien does to her, there is NO way girl is sitting down normally for a long ass (teehee, get it?) time.



All in all, not my favorite, but so far I’ve only got Salvatore to compare it to. That said, Knight comes up with some damn good premises and I’ll continue to check out more of her titles.

Review: Salvatore: a Dark Mafia Romance by Natasha Knight

The Blurb:

 
Lucia

It all started with a contract signed by him, then by me, while our families watched. While my father sat silent, a man defeated, giving his daughter to the Benedetti monsters.

I obeyed. I played my part. I signed my name and gave away my life. I became their living, breathing trophy, a constant symbol of their power over us.

That was five years ago.

Then came the time for him to claim me. For Salvatore Benedetti to own me.

I had vowed vengeance. I had learned hate. And yet, nothing could have prepared me for the man who now ruled my life.

I expected a monster, one I would destroy. But nothing is ever black or white. No one is either good or evil. For all his darkness, I saw his light. For all his evil, I saw his good. As much as he made me hate him, a passion hotter than the fires of hell burned inside me.

I was his, and he was mine.

My very own monster.

Salvatore

I owned the DeMarco Mafia Princess. She belonged to me now. We had won, and they had lost. And what better way to teach a lesson than to take from them that which is most precious? Most beloved?

I was the boy who would be king. Next in line to rule the Benedetti Family. Lucia DeMarco was the spoils of war. Mine to do with as I pleased.

It was my duty to break her. To make her life a living hell. My soul was dark, I was hell bound. And there was no way out, not for either of us. Because the Benedetti family never lost, and in our wake, we left destruction. It’s how it had always been. How I believed it would always be.

Until Lucia.

Author’s Note: Salvatore and Lucia’s story is a steamy standalone romance with a happily-ever-after. No cliffhanger and no cheating. It is intended for mature readers. 

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

Whew! Where to begin with this one…

This was one of those books that, whilst reading, I had to periodically stop and ask myself if I was right in the head because it was just….so…hot.



Salvatore Benedetti is the son of a mob boss, expected to carry out one of his father’s elaborate punishments on a rival crime family. The punishment? “Gifting” their rival’s daughter to his son. The beginning takes place when Lucia is only 16 years old, being inspected in front of both families to ensure her virginity is still intact before forcing her to sign a contract acknowledging that Salvatore will own her one day. P.S. this is not a love at first sight story, guys.



Lucia is repeatedly humiliated at the behest of Salvatore’s father. We get a glimpse of what goes on in his mind, though, and we see that it isn’t what he wants and he feels guilt and shame over it. I think at this juncture, if he didn’t, I might not have stuck it out with this story.

But he did. And the more time the two spent together, the more the tension builds.



I really liked this one. Read it in a single 3 hour sitting. Lucia is so headstrong and stubborn with Salvatore and I really admired that. Salvatore attempts to straight up bully her at first, and she continues to resist. In fact, I give an entire half star just for this scene:



That being said, let’s talk for a minute about the cons:

In a lot of ways, this book could be potentially triggering for those that have experienced trauma (sexual, emotional, or physical). Salvatore is not a nice guy at first. He’s reluctant to be the full-on douche that his father is, but that doesn’t mean he’s a prince. There were some parts towards the beginning that I felt were straight up abusive.



BUT what I liked about this story was the inner dialogue we get from Salvatore. He didn’t want to be a monster. He had the balls to admit to himself when he was behaving like one, and he worked to alter his behavior as the story progressed. These two don’t share a traditional romance, by any means. But they grow to care for one another and we eventually get the HEA.

I can’t wait to read Dominic’s story!

Review: The Elusive Highlander by Ju Ephraime

The Blurb:

 
A WARRIOR TOO ELUSIVE TO CAPTURE
He is a Scottish Laird who live in a world of Druid magic and ancient customs, hand fasted to the sister of his rival clan, MacDougall. Alasdair thought he was doing the right thing trying to bring peace to the region. But he is murdered on the eve of his wedding. Not willing to accept his death, his mother, a Druid princess, performs a geas to keep him alive. But something went awry because, as the last word of the geas was spoken, Alasdair is trapped in time where he wanders the earth for centuries. The only one who can bring him back home is his betrothed. He has given up on ever finding her until she walks into his office in twentieth century Manhattan.
A WOMAN TOO STRONG WILLED TO TAME
Coira Ainsley is a happy-go-lucky young woman living in twentieth century Manhattan. Her job as a travel agent took her all over. She love the work she did and is excellent at it. That was until she follows her client into his office and finds herself in fourteenth century at Inveraray Keep in the Highlands of Scotland. At first, Coira thinks a prank is being played on her until she saw the giant, wearing nothing but a kilt and a studded leather strap across his massive chest approaching her. Not one given to swooning, Coira finds herself welcoming the darkness that come over her as she loses consciousness, without learning that the naked giant is her betrothed from another time… another place. Will she give in and accept what has been pre-destined or will she fight to get back to the life she knows and loves?

 

ARC generously provided by author in exchange for my honest review:

Whew! Haven't picked up a good old-fashioned bodice ripper in some time. This one did not disappoint. Coira finds herself suddenly transported to a castle in 14th century Scotland. The Laird is Alasdair, who she just had a business meeting with in present-day Manhattan. This magical dilemma has Coira out of sorts, understandably (no matter how hot the Laird is).

Ephraime is true to the historical elements of the period, even in dialect. And I’m a sucker for men with accents.


Among other things.

Swoon-worthy historical romance, with a lot of devotion to the details of the era. As a slow burn junkie, I must also add that I loved that we had to wait for Coira to adjust to her circumstances before she develops the connection with Alasdair. The sexual tension was so good and so maddening!



If you like steamy historical romance, this book is definitely for you!

Review: Sex and Sushi by Tassa DeSalada

The Blurb:

 These highly detailed, short, to-the-point, stories are narratives of one couple's actual sex sessions as written by the woman. They're written by the wife for her husband to learn what goes thru her head when they're having sex. The stories are a form of communication between the couple. In honest and painstaking detail, the wife shares her thoughts, actions, comments, conversations, and sexy feelings, before, during, and after their sex sessions. It's Mummy Porn at its sizzling best. They're laugh-out-loud sexy funny - not in a funny joke way, but in a sexy, OMG, I'm-too-red-in-the-face, way. This is where the reader finds herself fully immersed in the stories. The stories engulf the reader in such a way that the reader becomes fully heated and aroused. This super-racy book is too hot to read in one sitting. It's a steamy, hot, dirty, naughty bundle of erotic sexcapades of real-life taboo sex sessions between a happily married, adventurous couple who both love pussy and anal sex with each other. That might seem odd in today's society, but these stories are first-hand descriptions of mind-blowing sex at its finest. The sultry thoughts that fill the woman's head during foreplay, sex, orgasm, and post-orgasm are beautifully illustrated in these stories. This is the complete must-read unabridged version. Well, there's no abridged version, everything's in here. The abridged version would be one empty page. You want the full version. Read the book for some great entertainment.

 

ARC generously provided by author in exchange for my honest review:

This is a book about sex. And sushi. Mostly sex. Sometimes sushi.



I thought I had an idea what I was getting into. Then I read the introduction. Okay, I think to myself. "She likes to f*ck her husband." Got it. Understood. Let’s do this. Then we get to Chapter One.



This is the most sex I’ve read in a book in quite some time. What’s more, there is a very different vibe to it, as other readers have noted. It’s very intimate, as though we’re reading something we shouldn’t. I feel like I’ve just read the author’s journal. I’ll never actually know this woman, and yet I know about this. Huh.

As a piece of erotica, I’d say this book would also have quite a bit of appeal with the voyeur crowd. Stylistically, it’s not a passionate bodice ripper, nor is it a heated connection taking place after a sloooow burn. This is an established married couple getting it on like bunnies, with graphic descriptions that leave very little to the imagination. And for a snippet, we’ve essentially been invited to watch.


Should I...should I look now?

The “dickie meets pussy” thing was the only bit that was a little unsettling to me. Reminded me too much of those friends with kids we all know that constantly refer to themselves in the third person. “Mommy needs a nap! Daddy needs a snack! Dickie needs pussy!”

All in all, gotta say this was different, raw, and empowering. It's a quick read that is to the point, and DAMN. Hope my sex life is that exciting in 25 years!


Get that dickie!