Review: The Pact by Karina Halle

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

Beautiful, funny and an ambitious businesswoman (with one hell of an ass), Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he’s known her.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.

Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Three best friends, one previous relationship and one pact that changed everything. 
Linden, James and Stephanie are best friends.  After dating failures Linden proposes a back-up plan to Stephanie.

“If neither of us are in a serious relationship by the time we are both thirty.” He says, looking so dead in the eye that I can’t help but hold my breath, “then we agree to marry each other. Agree?”
I find my voice. “Agree.”

Linden and Stephanie are attracted to each other, however because Stephanie had dated James in the past, a relationship is off limits.   

“Although I worked with Linden, I only really go to know him through James and well, once you know your boyfriend’s best friend, they stay in that box.  Even now, with years between me and James’s demise, pursuing Linden would be wrong.”


Linden continues his ‘player’ persona to avoid his feels for Stephanie. While in their twenties, they both continue to date other people, some more seriously than others.

Linden is the first one to take a chance on a relationship with Stephanie. He proposes giving up his current girlfriend for her. 

“I’d give her up for you,” I tell her, staring at her relentlessly until she’s forced to meet my eyes again, if just for a second. “I’d give up everything for you.”

It’s Stephanie’s 30^th birthday and takes a chance and breaks up with her current boyfriend, Aaron.  Luckily it was an easy break-up. After a snag, Linden and Stephanie secretly get together.  They keep it a secret from James, in order not to hurt his feelings and lose his friendship.

James comes clean to Linden that he is still in love with Stephanie.  Feeling guilty, Linden breaks up with Stephanie.  James soon discovers that Linden and Stephanie had been sleeping together and ends his friendship with Linden.  I hope you’re not confused?  It’s a tangled mess.

There is a poignant moment when Stephanie goes to visit her Mother for consoling, after her break-up with Linden.

“Life leaves scars. Sometimes you don’t see them until later. Sometimes you don’t know where they’ve come from. Sometimes they fade before your eyes. But the world leaves its mark on us.”


Now that all three are no longer friends, Linden takes off to New York.  Tragedy strikes and brings them back together.  James reveals his jealous truth to both Stephanie and Linden but will be enough to bring them back together? 

“The Pact” revolves around three separate friendships that were almost destroyed by jealousy and the need for approval. What they learned is that“Maybe that’s what all friendships need to do-evolve, adapt and change. Just like life.”

Review: Taming the Storm by Samantha Towle

Lyla Summers hates men. Okay, maybe hate is a strong word … Lyla intensely dislikes men.Her father has let her down her whole life. Her brother betrayed her in the worst way possible. And her past relationship experiences with men have been less than great.

Lyla is focussing all her energy into her band, Vintage, so when they receive an offer to sign with TMS Records, it seems that things are finally turning around for her. The last thing she wants is a man getting in the way.

Tom Carter loves women. Okay, love might be pushing it … Tom enjoys screwing lots of women.

When tragedy befalls his best friend, Tom finds himself making a promise to the big man upstairs – he’ll change his ways, if he saves the woman his best friend loves.

Tom’s prayer is answered. Now he has to change. Which means no sleeping around.

After Vintage’s manager breaks her leg skiing, Tom steps in as tour manager, and Lyla finds herself on tour with the man whore of rock.

Put one perpetually horny Tom and one sex resistant Lyla together, equals a recipe for disaster. Or so you’d think…

But an unexpected friendship is formed. A closeness neither of them expected. Putting one chastity belt and one lamp that is in desperate need of rubbing, to the test.

Will the sex storm that is Tom Carter, finally find himself tamed by the rock chick with a hardened heart, or will he go back to his womanizing ways…? 

Lyla, lead singer, goes on tour and do to an unfortunate accident her band needs a new manager.  It's none other then Tom Carter.  This was a fun, sexy, emotional story. Yes emotional, I cried. And it appears to be the end of the mighty storm series. I really enjoyed the series and all the hot alpha males. Samantha Towle kept me on the edge of my seat wanting more. 5 stars and two thumbs up!

Book Review: Poisoned Apple by Katherine McIntyre

Snow White’s a goth and Prince Charming’s a jerk.

On Neve’s eighteenth birthday, her stepmother kicks her out. A group of diner rats offer her refuge—including Brendan, who offers his couch for her to crash on. But the more time she spends with him, the more he confuses her. One second, he’s kissing her. The next he’s pushing her away.

Believing her life has reached rock bottom, Neve struggles to ditch her “damaged girl” label. But when she uncovers the truth about her life, she’s rocked to her very foundation. Will Neve be able to hold on to the good things coming her way, or will her bad luck poison everything?





1-Click on AmazonPoisoned Apple

Neve lives at home with her stepmother after her father left them for another man. On Neve's eighteenth birthday, her stepmother throws her out.  Neve has no where to go. She's a loner.  She blames herself for the lose of her parents.

"At her core, she always wondered, always questioned if the reason her mother died and her father had run away had been because she was a terrible person. That her fate in life had always been to be saddled with this bitch of a stepmother."
  
Neve finds a diner that's open all night. At the diner she befriends a group of guys. Some of the group stays the night to give her company. The next morning Brendan offers her his couch to crash on until she finds a place or he'll kick her out in a week. 

Brendan comes with his own baggage.  He had recently split up with a mooching ex-girlfriend. He does his best not to get close to Neve.

As Neve tries to make a fresh start, she runs into her so-called uncle Nate. It's not a happy reunion, Nate is the bearer of bad news. The meeting leaves Neve feeling hollow inside. Neve's life continues in a downward spiral.. She struggles with continual rejection.

"The ache couldn't be filled by some happy relationship, not when damaged girl brought more misery on everything and everyone around her."

In the end the truth is revealed. At first Neve tries to drink away her sorrows. After the failed attempt, it's Brendan who returns to her to be at her side.

In this novella we struggle along with Neve in her quest to make a fresh start. She has blamed herself for so long, it's all she knows. It was an unfortunate decision made by others that has devalued Neve's self worth.  The truth shall set her free. Once the truth was revealed and she stopped feeling sorry for herself, she was able to begin living. We all have baggage, however it is sometimes given to us with the best of intentions, but with the worst consequences. 

Book Review: Beautiful Oblivion (The Maddox Brothers, #1) by Jamie McGuire

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.
Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.
Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.
As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.



1-Click on Amazon Beautiful Oblivion: A Novel

"Beautiful Oblivian" is the first installment in the Maddox Brothers series.  This installment takes place during the same time period as "Beautiful Disaster". This is Cami and Trenton's story.

Camille "Cami" Camlin is a part time college student who works a Red Door, a local college bar.  Trent is tattoo artist who still lives at home with his father. Cami is first approached by Trent at the bar while she's working. She didn't want anything to do with Trent because of his reputation.

"Everyone knew Trenton Maddox was bad news, but that never seemed to stop women form trying to tame him. Watching him since grade school, I promised myself that I would never be a notch on his headboard."

This was not Cami's only reason for staying away from Trent, she had a long distance relationship with T.J.  Cami and T.J. have been dating six months.  They had a wonder first three months together.  The second three months Cami rarely heard from T.J. because he was on a critical assignment. When T.J. cancels a trip for the second time on Cami, it leaves an opening for Trent to start sneaking his way into Cami's life.

Trent was previously in a car accident that changed his life.  The woman who was driving did not make it.  We later find out that she was his first serious relationship. He drops out of college and moves home with his Dad. It may also be what spurs him to go after the Cami, who he has been in love with since he was a child. 

As the story progresses Cami is now working a second job as a receptionist at the same tattoo shop where Trent works. Cami took a second job to help her brother, Coby, pay his bills, while he cleans up from steroids. Trent continually tries to seduce Cami into a relationship. He protects her from her abusive father. Defends her when her brothers attack.  Cami continues to only want friendship because she's dating T.J. but also because she's hiding a secret. She continually warns Trent about that she has a secret that will destroy their relationship.  Trent doesn't care.  

Cami is struggles to decided which of the two men she really loves.  It's a love triangle that's even more complicated then it seems once you discover the truth.  After a trip to California she's made her decision but still struggles with the secret she continues to hide.

During a Valentine's day argument we discover why it took so long for Trent to act on his feeling towards Cami. It provides a prospective of the Maddox brothers that can be easily missed if you only judge them by their actions.
 
"We've already lost the first woman we ever loved. The thought of going through that again scares the shit out of us."

In the end there is a college building fire that drives both Trent and Cami further together and a car accident that cements their relationship.

"I know you don't believe me, but I really have loved you since we were kids," he said quietly. "And now I get to love you 'til we're old."
My stomach fluttered. No one else had ever loved me as much as he did. "Promise?"

As for the BIG T.J. secret I really didn't see that coming. Awkward!  But it works out at the end.

The story is filled with a lot of angst and turmoil  It made it painful to put down for a second. Cami's family life was very difficult to accept.  I wanted to slap her brothers for worrying about keeping the family peace. As for T.J., he wasn't really there.  He was mostly background noise.  His only relevance was that he didn't want to let Cami go and his secret. Maybe it was good that Cami was dating T.J. at the time.  It allowed Trent and Cami's relationship to develop from a friendship. Over all I enjoyed this book. I recommend reading "Beautiful Disaster" first, it will help in following along with the line and fills in a few blanks.

"The poppies"
"They're pretty, they're significant."
"You've said that, But you haven't told me why they're significant."
"The Wizard of Oz. They make you forget."

Review: King (Impossible #7) by Julia Sykes

My father gave me to him as a bargaining chip, as though I was nothing more than flesh to be traded. I hate him for that, and I hate the man who took me: Javier Santiago, a member of the violent Latin Kings.

Even though I don’t want to belong to him, he is fiercely possessive of me. And when his ownership is threatened, his enemies aren’t the only ones to suffer. He says my freedom is the price for my safety. I think he just wants to keep me all for himself.









1 Click on Amazon King (An Impossible Novel) (Impossible #7)

Javier Santiago is a FBI agent undercover as a member of the Latin Kings.  Charlotte Carter is a college student who is attempting to live a normal life.  She wants to escape her horrible past as the daughter of a criminal.  Unfortunately for Charlotte her past catches up to her and her father drags her back into his criminal underworld.  Charlotte's father gives her to the Latin Kings as a bargaining chip to keep her brother, Derek, inline.  

"If he doesn't want his sister to suffer, he'll do whatever you want," Jonas spoke before Derek could respond. "That's why she's part of the deal. You get her and a new territory. I'll give you my family in exchange for being welcomed into yours."

The deal is accepted and it's Javier who takes ownership of Charlotte.  Charlotte is not aware that Javier is a FBI agent.  She struggles with being captive in Javier's apartment. Javier does offer Charlotte an opportunity to freedom that would also guarantee her safety. Charlotte accepts Javier's offer.  

Charlotte struggles with her new situation.  All she wanted was to be normal. She maintained a certain weight, she kept up her appearance and was obsessed with joining a sorority. Charlotte develops feelings for Javier and begins re-evaluating her perspective on life. 

"I'm not supposed to be with someone like him.  I'm supposed to join the best sorority at Hudson and end up with some clean-cut frat boy with a Business major." As I said it out loud, I realized how shallow and ugly that reasoning was."
  
Charlotte had been promised that in a few months she no longer have to stay with Javier.  As time went on Charlotte fell in love with Javier and did not want to end their relationship.  She became dependent on Javier. It all crumbles when a fellow FBI agents, Vaughn, comes to visit Javier and Charlotte. He brings news about Charlotte's father and a raid.  The agent also wants to bring Charlotte back to her brother.  Charlotte doesn't want to leave and declares her love for Javier. After the agent leaves Javier is left to admit to the truth. 

"I've corrupted you with my perversions. I stole you away from your life and molded you into what I wanted."

Javier begins backing out of the relationship and Charlotte doesn't want to let him go. In order to get Javier out of his assignment Charlotte contacts Vaughn and with the help of Clara Peterson, a police officer and Dominatrix, a plan is Formed. Unfortunately the plan goes bad.  Charlotte and Clara are in danger and it's up-to Javier to come to the rescue.

Although this can be read as a stand alone, I don't recommend it.  There would be to many wholes in the story.  The story spends a lot of time with Charlotte in Javier's apartment. At first I was annoyed with Charlotte's being self-centered. As the story develops you begin to understand why she was working so hard to be accepted.  She needed a sense family because she came from a abusive home.  Javier also needed a family, after losing his in a messy divorce. Javier gave Charlotte a family. This is not my favorite in the series. I had difficulty accepting Charlotte. She seemed to willing to bend to whomever to find a family, a home.  

Book Review: Angel (Lucifer's Legion MC #3) by Kelli Maine

On the run, Luc gets word from LLMC that the cartel has agreed to return Angel to them instead of killing her, but they need a replacement.

If Luc hands over Lilith, trained and ready to be delivered to the cartel, the club will forgive him his betrayal and welcome him back into the fold.

Luc must decide where his loyalty lies—with the club that saved his life and Angel who almost broke his resolve to never keep anyone for himself, or with Lilith, the crazy bitch who got inside his head and knows him better than anyone ever has.






1-Click on Amazon Angel: Lucifer's Legion Motorcycle Club #3

Angel is the continuation of the Lucifer's Legion MC series. Luc brings Amber, and her alter-personality Lilith, to an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere. Luc has plans for Amber/Lilith to become a trainer.  Luc begins breaking Lilith however his plans change when he receives a phone call from Butch. Butch informs Luc that the cartel will be returning Angel in exchange for Lilith.   

In this third installment further information of what had happened to Amber and how Lilith was created is revealed. It's dark and unforgiving. Luc struggles slightly with his decision to give up Lilith. He has an opportunity, with Lilith's help, to go into business for himself. If he did, he would leave his club, be on the run and wouldn't have Angel.  In the end we find out his decision. There is also a shocking turn of events.  I was stunned! To say this series is dark is an understatement.  It's Dark, Dangerous and unforgiving!

"Know how long I waited for the devil to up? she says giggling. "and now here you are." Angel by Kelli Maine

Book Review: Dec the Holls by Jasinda Wilder

A week before Christmas, and all through office not a soul is stirring, not even a mouse. Holly is working overtime, cold and lonely and broke. Across the hall, Declan is lonely too, and thinking this Christmas is going to be a joke. Then one blustery night Holly’s car won’t start and Declan is there to help with a little love in his heart. 

Open this gift from bestselling author Jasinda Wilder to find out if a single mother of two can let herself fall in love with her sexy-as-hell workaholic boss. 

Dec the Holls is short, sweet story about two lonely people finding each other. Declan owns his own company and as usual is working late. Holly works for Declan's company and is also working late. After she leaving work Holly discovers that her car won't start and she had left her purse at her desk. It's a cold winters night and not a creature was stirring except her boss who comes to the rescue. 

Holly doesn't want to start a relationship with Declan because it could effect her job. She has children to think bout. Declan discovers that Holly is just as lonely as he is when he hears her daughters Christmas wish.  

"what I really want for Christmas is a friend for Mommy."

There's a happy holiday ending and their New Year's is a blast. 

The books I fell in love with in 2014

1. (Three-Way Tie) 

The Saint by Tiffany Reisz                                                       

In the beginning, there was him. 
Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn't want to break. She's sick of her mother's zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she'll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Søren Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they're apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can't be right. 
But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets. Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.



The King by Tiffany Reisz

Cunning. Sex. Pure nerve. Only this unholy threesome can raise him to his rightful place as a ruler of Manhattan's kink kingdom.
Bouncing from bed to bed on the Upper East Side, Kingsley Edge is brilliant, beautiful and utterly debauched. No carnal act or chemical compound can relieve his self-destructive heartache—only Søren, the one person he loves without limit or regret. A man he can never have, but in whose hands Kingsley is reborn to attain even greater heights of sin.
Kingsley's plan to open the ultimate BDSM club—a dungeon playground for New York's A-list—becomes his obsession. His expertise in domination can't subdue the one man who wants to stop him. The enigmatic Reverend Fuller won't rest until King's dream is destroyed, and so the battle lines are set; it's one man's sacred mission against another's…

 The Will by Kristen Ashley

Early in her life, Josephine Malone learned the hard way that there was only one person she could love and trust: her grandmother, Lydia Malone. Out of necessity, unconsciously and very successfully, Josephine donned a disguise to keep all others at bay. She led a globetrotting lifestyle on the fringes of the fashion and music elite, but she kept herself distant.
While Josephine was trotting the globe, retired boxer Jake Spear was living in the same small town as Lydia. There was nothing disguised about Jake. Including the fact he made a habit of making very bad decisions about who to give his love.
But for Josephine and Jake, there was one person who adored them. One person who knew how to lead them to happiness. And one person who was intent on doing it.
Even if she had to do it as her final wish on this earth.





 2.  Take by Ella Frank                                                                                

TAKE – verb: to reach for and hold in one’s hands or get into one’s possession, power or control.
Logan Mitchell is a man who’s always been more than happy to take what he wants. It’s a philosophy that’s proven lucrative in both his business and personal life, and never was it more apparent than the night he laid eyes on Tate Morrison. After pulling out all the stops and convincing the sexy bartender to give him a try—he’s hooked.
Now, Logan finds himself in a predicament that demands more from him than a smart-ass answer and his innate ability to walk away when things get too deep.
He has a choice to make, and it’ll force him to do something he’s never done before—take a chance.
Tate Morrison knows all about taking a chance. He took the biggest one of his life the night he showed up at Logan’s apartment to explore his unexpected reaction to the man.
Ever since then, he’s thought about little else.
At first he was convinced his attraction was based solely on his body’s curiosity. But the more time he spends with the silver-tongued lawyer, the more Tate realizes that their physical chemistry is only the beginning.
He’s starting to catch a glimpse of what life with Logan would be like, and it’s one full of excitement and satisfaction—a far cry from what he had in the past with his soon to be ex-wife.
Each man will face their fears as they begin to understand the true meaning of give and take. Their feelings for one another will be tested, as will their very beliefs. But now that they’ve found love where they least expected it, will they be brave enough to reach out and take it?



3. Black Lies by Alessandra Torre

Brant:
Became a tech billionaire by his twentieth birthday. Has been in a relationship with me for 3 years.
Has proposed 4 times. Been rejected 4 times.

Lee:
Cuts grass when he’s not banging housewives. Good with his hands, his mouth, and his cock. Has been pursued relentlessly by me for almost 2 years, whether he knows it or not.
Go ahead. Judge me. You have no idea what my love entails.
If you think you’ve heard this story before, trust me – you haven’t.








4. Reaper's Stand by Joanna Wylde                                                  

 As Reapers Motorcycle Club president, Reese “Picnic” Hayes has given his entire life to the club. After losing his wife, he knew he’d never love another woman. And with two daughters to raise and a club to manage, that was just fine with him. These days, Reese keeps his relationships free and easy—he definitely doesn’t want to waste his time on a glorified cleaning lady like London Armstrong.
Too bad he’s completely obsessed with her.
Besides running her own business, London’s got her junkie cousin’s daughter to look after—a more reckless than average eighteen-year-old. Sure she’s attracted to the Reapers’ president, but she’s not stupid. Reese Hayes is a criminal and a thug. But when her young cousin gets caught up with a ruthless drug cartel, Reese might be the only man who can help her. Now London has to make the hardest decision of her life—how far will she go to save her family?




5. Vanquish by Pam Godwin

Her life is like a prison cell.
A self-made, to-hell-with-the-free-world existence that locks from the inside.
Stop judging. Her agoraphobia doesn’t define her. It simply keeps her safe.
He belongs in a prison cell.
The 6x8, make-me-your-bitch variety that locks from the outside.
But he’s free. To hunt. To take. To break.
And he just found a sexy new toy.
Capturing her is the easy part. Her fucked-up mind, however, makes him question everything he does next.
But he’s a determined bastard. If all goes his way, this will hurt like hell.




Mini-Series

Hansel (1-4)

One boy. Mother calls him Hansel.
One girl. Mother named her Gretel.
Locked in little rooms, in the mountainside mansion of a crazy woman.
Until he saws a hole into the wall dividing them.
Then at least, they have each other’s hands.

It doesn’t end well at Mother’s house.
Everything gets…broken.

Ten years later, they meet again in an exclusive Vegas sex club.
Whips.
Chains.
And most of all, a mask.
What happens to love when it gets twisted?

Fairy tales are cautionary tales, remember?

Book Review: Nobody's Lost (Rescue Me Saga #5) by Kallypso Masters

Ryder Wilson returned from serving multiple deployments but can't leave the hell of combat behind him. Frustrated and ashamed of his inability to function in the world as well as the veterans he served with, he retreated, choosing to engage only with those he trusted. When retired Master Sergeant Adam Montague sends him on a mission to protect his sister from some unknown danger, Ryder's days of hiding out may be over. Can he fulfill his mission without failing again?
Megan Gallagher has two big-brother Marines bent on protecting her from the evils of the world, but she's tougher than they think. When her older brother sends Ryder, one of his recon Marines, to her doorstep in the wee hours one night following a break-in, she realizes he needs rescuing more than she does. A friendship forms quickly, but unexpected passions run hot and complicate her resolve never to have a romantic relationship, much less marriage. So why are her body and her heart betraying her every time he comes near? Can these two wounded people lower their defenses long enough to allow love to grow?


1-click on Amazon Nobody's Lost (Rescue Me Saga #5)

Nobody's Lost is the fifth installment of the Rescue Me Sage. This is, unexpectedly, Ryder and Megan's story.  Ryder served along side Adam Montague in Fallujah.  During a mission they had come under attack and lost a soldier. Just like the rest of his team, Ryder felt responsible. When he returned to the States he found a place to hide out from the world.  He continued to suffer from nightmares and was overwhelmed in big cities. All that changed one night when Adam called Ryder and asked him to check on his sister, Megan.

When Ryder arrived at Megan's home he found out that she had been robbed while she was out.  Her computer was stolen. The house had excellent security and someone figured out how to break it.  It became Ryder's missiong to protect Megan.  Soon it became Megan's mission to save Ryder.

During their time together they begin a relationship of trust and friendship.  They are both mutually attracted to each other.  It's Megan who takes the first step and implies she wants more.  Ryder has a difficult time excepting that he's good enough for Megan because he suffers from PTSD.  However he's not the only suffering.

"You aren't the only one here who's damaged goods, Ryder.  Know what? I can't have babies.  I chose the coward's way out rather than suffer, so certain I would never meet someone I wanted to make babies with."

Megan leaves Ryder. "But if you need to hide out here alone, so be it." After she leaves Ryder decides he can no longer live his life hiding and chooses to come to terms with his issues.  

"My life had come subsistent living,  I kept people at arm's length or farther and shunned joy..and love.  I met someone I think ould help become whole again.  My prayer is that she will accept my imperfections."
  
In the end we discover what happened to Megan's computer and why it was taken. Ryder find his way home and Megan finally loses what she has been waiting for so long to give.  

I really enjoyed this story. I found myself crying and wanting to hug Ryder. Ryder had gone off the grid and he thought he was lost.  What he didn't know was that his friends were never far, although in a scary, intrusive way.  Megan also was dealing with her inadequacies but had the courage to go after what she wanted.  At the we find two strong individuals who are stronger together. Although we expect plenty of BDSM in Kallypso Master's books I appreciated how it played a very small part in this story. Nobody's Lost was centered around healing and new beginning.  

"The two spouts represent our separate lives and the handle our joining together as one." -Nobody's Lost by Kallypso Masters.

Book Review: Exposed by Jessica Love

“Exposed” is a short, erotic suspense novel. After her husband suggests visiting a club where public sex and the erotic are common, Jessica explores sex with strangers in sex clubs where menage and other erotica taboos are acceptable behavior.
But there is more to Jessica than just sex. After she defends in court a girl accused of importing drugs, Jessica becomes the target of someone who wants her dead.
Eventually, the themes of this contemporary suspense, romance and sex novel come together when Jessica learns who she really is, finds her attackers and gets her revenge. “Exposed” describes how Jessica became the directing force of her own life, how she leaves condemnation behind, and separates sex and romance.
In her own words:
"You don't think we've met? We have, more than once. I sat next to you once at the airport, and you asked me what time it was. I hoped you wanted to strike up a conversation. We sat at tables next to each other at that coffee shop on the corner, where the atmosphere and coffee both have character.
Remember when I caught you staring at me when I came out of the court house? Or was it the exquisite old building where I practice law? You were embarrassed, but I didn’t mind at all. In fact, you made me smile.
Maybe we met at one of the “special clubs” I enjoy in Seattle, or Portland, or Vancouver or San Francisco, Denver or Las Vegas. You know, clubs where clothing is optional and anything goes, with friends or with strangers. I admit I like that, but “no” always means “NO.”
I’ve been told I am as cold as the antarctic, or as hot as a black sand beach in the Caribbean; it’s said I am either indifferent, or too passionately engaged. These are labels and don’t really matter to me any more. I’ve been called a slut, a force, a lawyer, a nymphomaniac. You decide which one was the insult if you'd like, I don’t really care.
This book is about who I am and why I’m that way. I describe a few events in a story you will think explains everything. It does not, but will give you an idea of how I grew up, how I discovered sex, what I like about men and what I don’t, how close I came to being murdered and how that led to my discovery of who I really am.
Sometimes, when explanations fail, story is all we have. And though my story may be very different from yours, you and I are very much alike in that place where we hide our desire."

1-Click on Amazon  Exposed (Exposed Series Book 1)

Exposed is written as a autobiography of a woman who must find her place.  It's not a love story but a story of discovery and acceptance. 

"I'm writing this because I've been asked so often why I'm not married, why I do what I do, how I started and what does it "mean" even though that last question is pretty meaningless." 
  
Jessica Love, our protagonist and narrator, begins her story with early life events. In high school she learns an unfortunate lesson and her grandmother is there to provide solace. We are introduced to the reoccurring phrase that shaped who Jessica would become.

"Everything passes, everything weary, everything breaks.." 

Jessica shares two experiences that give us a glimpse of what makes her tick. What some may say are her perversions. 

Jessica graduates college as a lawyer and marries Mark who is also a lawyer.  They seem to marry because it was expected of them and not because they truly love each other.  Their lives became routine. Mark suggests a club that caters to different sexual proclivities.  They attend and enjoy the exhibitionism.  Soon they take it a step further that initiates the destruction of their marriage. Jessica's eventually moves on with her life to only find her freedom being taken from her. Although, Jessica gives us hints of possible future events I continue to be surprised when they occur.  I feel for Jessica and her plight to find her place.  When in France she meets her great uncle and aunt who furnish her with the ending of the phrase that has shaped her life.

"Everything passes, everything weary, everything breaks everything must find its place."
  
Jessica returns home and moves forward to take back her life. In the end Jessica Love explains that some may judge her but she has simply made different decision.  

Jessica is a strong character that has to learn to accept herself. She has different tastes and finds herself taking on the world from an early age. From the beginning she attends high school and college parties allowing herself sexual gratification that many find taboo, labeling her as a slut. She deviates temporarily when she marries however that does not last long. Her proclivities are used against her and inadvertently take away her freedom.  In the end she finds herself with her grandmother's help.  Her grandmother early on makes a statement that sums up Jessica's challenges, "These Americans, obsessed by what they fear, fearing their own obsessions,". I enjoyed that this is not a love story, it's an exploration and acceptance of a different lifestyle.  

Book Review: Insidious (Tales From The Dark Side #1) by Aleatha Romig

When a powerful man is willing to risk everything for his own satisfaction, only one woman can beat him at his own game: his wife. Or so she thinks…
“Let’s start with you calling me Stewart. Formalities seem unnecessary.”
Stewart Harrington is rich, gorgeous, and one of the most powerful men in Miami. He always gets what he wants. Anything is available to him for the right price.
Even me.
Being the wife of a mogul comes with all the perks, but being Mrs. Stewart Harrington comes with a few special requirements. I’ve learned to keep a part of myself locked away as my husband watches me submit to his needs. But the more he demands of me, the more beguiled he becomes and that’s to my advantage. So I keep fulfilling his fantasies and following his rules because he doesn’t know that what he’s playing is really my game. And winning is everything, right?

This story begins with the wrong twin surviving and it spells a life of disaster. Victoria is offered a contract by Stewart Harrington which will save her step-father's life (Randall) and provide for her siblings.  Victoria accepts the contact and marries Stewart.  A year later she is forced to take part in his fantasies.  At that time Victoria begin to devise a plan to rid herself of her husband.  She accomplishes her plan.

"With each minute, the blackness inside of me grew and illuminated my cold, dead heart.  Though I'd been called death all my life, it wasn't until Stewart's eye's closed for the final time that I'd truly done it, and I'd never felt more alive."
  
The story doesn't end here. After Stewart's death Victoria finds out she's in danger.  There are 'friends' that want her to continue her contract.  They feel Stewart still owed them.  At this point there are several players involved who want to continue Victoria's contract, Parker Craven, Brody Phillips and Travis Daniels. At end two die.

"The reality struck: I was death, slow and indious. I killed everything around me."

This is a long story with too many components.  After Stewart's death and the revelations of Victoria's father the story jump the shark. Not to say a story should be believable (this is fiction of course) but I'm always looking for some resemblance of real life. This story is far from it.  I totally agree that this is a tale from the dark side. The ending is twisted!  It's also a cliff hanger that you can easily draw your own conclusions.

 

 

Book Review: 'Til Death ('Til Death, #1) by Bella Jewel

They say there's a fine line between love and hate.
There is.
I married a douchebag.
I didn't know it at the time.
He came in like a handsome stranger and blew me off my feet.
I fell madly in love, like the naive girl I am.
Then he left me high and dry.
Turns out, I was nothing more than a business plan for billionaire playboy, Marcus Tandem.
He needed to be married in order to obtain his grandfathers business, and I was the poor victim in his path.
I believed in what we had, until the truth reared its ugly head.
I never meant anything to Marcus. Not a damned thing.
With my world spinning on its axis, the girl I once was has long since died.
Instead he left me as this empty, emotionless shell.
I may have made a vow before God to love and cherish him ‘Til Death do we part, but it’s time for me to give back to Marcus, exactly what he gave me.
He has to pay.
And pay he will.

Marcus has just inherited his Grandfather's business with the stipulation that he needs to find a wife in 12 months. Not only does he need to find a wife, she must love him and stay its him for 2 years or he will lose the business.  Marcus is cold, heartless and a player.

Katia is a personal assistant working for a really bad boss. She's underpaid and over worked. When Katia is not working she's taking care of her mother. Her mother's health is poor from a botched surgery. She has not time for dating.

One night out with her friends she decides to find a guy for a one night-stand. She literally runs into Marcus finding  her one night stand.  The next morning she leaves before Marcus wakes up. She knows she can't stick around because Marcus is dangerous.

"A man like Marcus is dangerous for me. I don't have the time or patience to fall for someone like him. He'll destroy me. Crush me. Take my life in his hands and twist it until there's nothing but a pathetic, dangling string left."

At the beginning the book flips back and forth from current to the past. In the past we discover how their relationship developed.

In the present Katia long lost father appears Marcus's door. Katia recognizes Pierre right away. Pierre learns for the first time he has a daughter. Marcus warns Katia that Pierre is a dangerous man and
while doing so he also reveals he is also.

In the past Marcus spells out his feels or non-feelings for Katia right after they eloped.

"She's the right choice; I know that. And even though she doesn't know what she means to me, or what she doesn't mean to me, I know that I'm the right choice for her. At least that's what she thinks."

I the present after having some fun together Marcus finds himself developing feels for Katia.

"For a moment, just a moment, I let my guard down. I let myself open up and when I did, I felt fear. For her. For my wife. I felt a genuine fear that something happened to her. It's not an emotion that I've experienced in my life, and it's nothing I want to experience again. I can't let her in. This isn't how It's meant to go."


When Katia receives a visit at work and Marcus's extracurricular activities are revealed. Katia runs to her Father for answers. Unfortunately her father only collaborates the information she had received. Katia also meets her three brothers for the first time.

An envelope is left for Katia at work.  What's in the envelope? It destroys Katia.

I really enjoy Bella Jewel's books. This is another good dark erotic read. The past provides an understanding of how the relationship develops. Marcus is dark, hard, and unemotional.  He's only out for himself.  He even rationalized taking Katia as his wife, even though he doesn't love her, he feels she's benefiting from his wealth.  The story is a roller coaster ride.  At the end
Katia is forced off.  I can't wait for the next installment.

Book Review: Cadence (Deception, #2) by Key Dukey and D.H. Sidebottom

Cadence
Cade.
He had her love. Her devotion. He destroyed her with it!
Years I loved Faye Avery from a distance, watched my brother have something he didn’t deserve. She was always too good for him. Dante had a need for control and that grew with him from childhood, infecting her to bend to his whim.
When Dante abandoned her, the girl who put his future and needs before her own, I rediscovered the girl who lost herself to the heartache. She blossomed and flourished in the light of the love she deserved - until he robbed me of her. Breaking her down, dimming the essence of the woman she had become.
Dante had a darkness inside him that led him down a path of depravity. He was too far gone. He functioned on corruption, humiliation, power and retribution, and all for something that never happened.
What he forgets is this! I not only wear his face, I carry the darkness inside of me too, and my wrath will coat him with it so thick he will drown under the rain of my reckoning.
He wants Star, a memory of a girl he used to know. He stole Faye, a woman who owns my heart and is the cadence in mine.
I will find him.
I will take her from him.
And then I will kill him.

The conclusion of the Deception series brings us back to Cade planning to take back Faye (aka Star). Cade and his crew find Dante's lair and make plans on rescuing Faye and elimating Dante.  They receive assistance from Blue in breaking into the security. It doesn't go as planned however they leave with Faye. Faye is hiding her secrets from Cade.  She does reveal to him that she's pregnant. Faye fears that Dante will reveal her secrets so she returns to Dante to try and destroy what he holds over her. We soon discover who has betrayed Faye and Dante. There are twists and turns that don't allow you to put the book down.

In the end reflecting back on the story it's Faye who unintentionally pits two twins against each other. One twin who is "broken beyond repair. He functioned on depravity, humiliation, power and retribution for something that never even happened." and the other who also has a dark side as an underground fighter and hungry for revenge. In the end only one can survive. I enjoyed the dark twisted plot. I don't think there is actually a happy ending but only an ending to the obsession.