Amy Noelle--Code Red

Contemporary Romance--chick lit

After getting hurt in college by a gorgeous man, Nicole Magette vowed never to risk losing her heart again. Now she lives a structured and satisfying life. Her work is easy, her friends are her family, and the only consistent men in her life are her two cats, Winchester and Huntington Peabody the Third. She doesn't date, and she hooks up only with losers—men she has absolutely no risk of falling for. But if she finds herself in danger, she has her old fail-safe in place—the Code Red.

In college, she and her four best friends came up with the system as a way to keep away the good-looking bastards that might worm their way past their carefully constructed walls. Seven years later, three of her friends have succumbed to their last Code Reds and are happily married. Now it’s just Nicole and her closest friend, Jen, who are still on their own, and Nic is just fine with that.

That is, until Joshua Daniels is transferred to Nicole’s office from New York and assigned to work with her on a special project. He's everything she's avoided and everything she claims she doesn't want, so why can’t she get him out of her mind? He's persistent, dangerously handsome, and sexy as sin. In other words, he’s her worst nightmare. She turns to her friends to help her resist Josh’s considerable charms and the inescapable draw she feels every time she gets near him. Can the Code Red save her this time, or will Josh send her perfectly balanced life into chaos?

 

 

 

{3 stars}

 

ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley.

 

 

The synopsis says it all, Nicole has been burned so many times she invented this "code red" system to keep from getting her heart broken. But that can only get you so far until you realize that will be a lonely existence and you have to take a chance on the guy in front of you. (Even though he triggers all her "code red" warning bells, and scares you silly) This was a little more vanilla than I usually read. But this is a simple romance, without much more than emotional drama and a decent book for a first time author. Not my usual brand of romance, but still a good read.

 

Kristen Ashley--Golden Trail (The Burg #3)

Contemporary Adult Romance

Tanner Layne and Raquel Merrick fell in love young, hard and fast and both of them knew a beautiful life they thought would be forever.

Until Rocky left Layne, no explanation, no going back.

Layne escapes The ‘Burg only to come back years later because his ex-wife has hooked herself to the town jerk and Layne needs to make sure his sons get raised right. Layne manages to avoid Rocky but when Layne gets three bullets drilled into him while investigating a dirty cop, he can’t do that because Rocky stops avoiding Layne. They make a deal to work together to expose the dirty cop but they have no idea the strength of their enduring attraction or the sheer evil at work in The ‘Burg.

As Tanner Layne and Raquel Merrick play their game and dance around the pull that draws them together, Layne has to discover the dark secrets buried so deep in Rocky’s heart she doesn’t even know they’re there at the same time untangle a sinister web of crime so abhorrent it has to be stopped... at all costs.

And to do it, Layne has to enlist everyone, including his ex-CIA mentor, Rocky’s detective brother, the town’s unpredictable informant and Layne’s two teenage sons all the while stopping Rocky from doing something crazy and keeping their game secret so Layne won't get himself dead.

{4 stars}

*spoiler alert*
I'm still on the fence with this one. I hated the endearment "sweetcheeks", it annoyed me to no end. So in my mind I switched it to just "sweets" while reading. There were parts where I felt the dialogue was cruel, referring to Gabby as a "fat bitch" and Jasper referring to a girl as "big as a boat". Not what I typically see out of Kristen Ashley. The secret that made Roc leave Layne wasn't as much of an impact as I would have liked, and it fell flat after the big reveal. The Youth Group case was the more emotional ride for me. And honestly, my 2 favorite characters were Layne's sons, Jasper and Tripp. They started out rough, all typical teenage attitude and drama. But they stepped up and really became impressive characters. They played a very important role in the Youth Group case and the story as a whole. I was pleased that they had their (although teenage) HEA at the end. I bumped my rating back up to 4 stars solely because KA has a remarkable way of giving us our HEA and tying everything together in her epilogues that leave us with all our questions answered. I really like that. Not my favorite of this series, but you can't love them all right?? Moving on to Mike's story....

Sophie Oak--Back in Bliss (Nights in Bliss Colorado #9)

Erotic Adult Contemporary Romance

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 Dom who saved her life. She can’t get Logan out of her head. Her boss brought her to Bliss to help him outfit 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.

[Siren Ménage Everlasting: Erotic Consensual BDSM Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/F/M, spanking, sex toys, HEA)

{5 stars}
Logan Green is back in Bliss, he isn't exactly happy about it. In Bliss he has to face his past and his demons, even the demons he sees in the mirror. And we finally find out what really happened in that office a year ago.....

Logan's story is a long time coming. If you are a Sophie Oak fan, then you know his history in this series and the hard path we have taken with him. He is our favorite son. And we have all been waiting for his HEA. Sophie Oak does not disappoint (as usual), she gives us exactly what we are looking for with just the right amount of humor (Max is up to mischief again) and smoking HOT bedrooms. I discovered Sophie Oak about a year ago when I sat and read the first four Texas Sirens series books in one weekend. (I felt a little dehydrated after that one...LOL). I fell in love with her writing style immediately. Her books are not for the timid reader, they are "in your face", dream worthy, HOT erotic stories that have a true path and storyline. And though I appreciate the erotic content, I am totally in love with the residents of Bliss. They make you laugh, charm you, and you find yourself routing for their HEA. Love every one of them! Her 2 series, switch back and forth, the characters moving from Colorado to Texas and back. So you really have to start at the beginning of Texas Sirens to fully fall in love with all of them.

Kristen Ashley--At Peace (The Burg #2)

Contemporary Adult Romance

Violet Winters once had it all but lost it when her husband was murdered by a criminal madman. During a cold winter night Violet has to leave her warm bed to tell her neighbor to turn the music down. And that’s when she meets sinister, scarred, scarily attractive security specialist, Joe Callahan.

She wants to deny it, but Violet can’t beat back the hunger she feels for Joe so she gives in again and again. Feeling it himself, Joe feeds Vi’s hunger, breaking his own rules to keep her in his bed.

Even though Violet had only one man in her life, she’s sure Joe is giving her the signals and Vi decides she’s ready to take a second chance at life and, maybe, love. But Violet doesn’t know the dark secrets in Joe’s past, secrets so soul-wrenching, they’ve drained him dry. With nothing left to give, Joe’s determined to live his life alone and he breaks Violet’s heart.

Crushed by Joe’s betrayal, Violet comes to terms with the fact that, no matter what signals he gave, Joe was not theirs to win. But Violet’s husband’s murderer is obsessed with her and heartbreak again haunts the door of the Winters home. When it does Joe is forced to face the knowledge that he can’t fight Violet’s pull, she’s under his skin and filled him full to bursting.

Joe needs to win her back and put his life on the line to keep Violet safe. But, having had it all once, can Violet endure losing Joe?

{5 stars}
At peace....perfect title for this book.

I have been working my way thru the Kristen Ashley library for some time, and I have to say they are all wonderful in their own individual ways. KA has a way with humor that I find the perfect balance to the romance and even the life threatening drama. At Peace was a more emotional read for me. I cried with them, laughed with them, and was happy with them when everything came together.

Vi and Joe have a lot of heartache and baggage in their lives, both have had tremendous losses and are just trying to make it thru life without any more. Luckily they wound up being next door neighbors. Joe is a hard as nails, stubborn alpha male who doesn't take no for an answer once he finally decides he wants something. Vi is strong, but emotional (in a good way) and just the balance Joe needs. Most of the book is really about them discovering each other and finding ways to fit their lives together. And both of them need to find peace in their lives. Usually I would get bored with the "normal", but I found this time, it was beautiful. Joe, Violet, Kate, and Keira are great characters. They draw you in, and you become attached and need to know they have their happy ending. For me, it was an emotional ride, but a great ride......loved it.

Andrea Smith-Diamond Girl (G-Man #1)

Adult Contemporary Romance
The fall of 2011 finds thirty-five year old Samantha Dennison sending her only child off to college and generally feeling F-R-U-M-P-Y. Her loveless marriage to 'the mannequin' has become intolerable; her daughter and best friend have both advised 'Sammie' to get a life of her own. Her husband has his own agenda which does not include her.

Sammie finally heeds their advice and starts with a Kickboxing/Pilates class; ultimately, learning to pole dance. From there, she is well on her way to finally carving out a secret life and identity all of her own. The thrill of the dance and sexuality she discovers within herself is a potent mixture. She gets a part-time job as a dancer in an Indianapolis Gentleman's Club called Jewels. She becomes the dancer known as 'Diamond' and very quickly catches the attention of a 'bad-boy' biker named 'Slate.'

Slate is the ultimate 'alpha' male; however there is a problem: he simply wants it to be about exclusive sex; Sammie wants and needs more from Slate. Sammie is certain that she has embarked on a dangerous, cougar-type relationship with the twenty-something biker and 'prospect' member of the notorious Outlaw Motorcycle Club. She soon finds out that she is totally out of her league with Slate and the dangerous people he associates with in Indianapolis during the summer of 2012. Something big is brewing in Indy; it ain't about race cars either.

'Diamond Girl' will keep the reader on the edge of their seat from beginning to end; this book has it all: passion, erotica, romance, danger and possibly more . . . much more.

{3.5 stars}
This book turned out to be quite different than I expected. From the synopsis, it read like it would be just another bad-boy-biker story. But it turned out to have a few more twists and turns to it, throwing the storyline in a direction that you don't quite see coming. Sammie "Diamond"s husband is an ass of epic proportions, and Sammie has no idea just what damage he has been causing. Slate doesn't seem like the typical biker bad boy when he keeps warning Diamond to leave the club life for her own safety. Despite the errors in this book, and the cheesy descriptives, I found that I really enjoyed Slate and Diamond's story. It wasn't pretty, it was raw, sexual and in the end nice. It just didn't make sense to me at times how Sammie went from suburban housewife to pole dancer. But once you learn Slate's real story, and the story as a whole, it makes sense. Happy I took the chance and finished the book.

Tessa Bailey--Protecting What's HIs (Line of Duty #1)

Adult contemporary romance

She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come...

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

{4 stars}
I really liked this story. It wasn't an over-the-top erotic or alpha dominating story. It was just a story of a girl escaping from a terrible situation, raising her sister, and doing the best she could to make a life for them. They run to Chicago, and in walks their neighbor Derek. He is a very hot, dominating man who knows what he wants even if Ginger doesn't. Throw in a little life or death action and you have a really nice story. The characters are great, charming, and I became attached to them instantly. The story is well written, passion and/or emotion in all the right places, and a smooth running storyline. If this is Tessa Bailey's first book, she did a really good job. I look forward to more of this series. (especially if all her male leads are this HOT)