ARC Review: Loving the Secret Billionaire by Adriana Anders

Series:	Love at Last #1
Pub. Date:	April 19, 2018
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	113 pgs
Source:	Author

Loving the Secret Billionaire is the first installment in Adriana Anders' Love at Last novella series. I am a fan of Anders' writing style and having been reading the Blank Canvas series, but I wasn't able to connect with this story. The writing style was fine - I just got caught up in the pitfalls of a novella and wanted more information.

ARC Review: Small Town Siren by Lexi Blake

Series:	Texas Sirens #1
Re-Relase Date:	Jan. 9, 2018
Publisher:	DLZ Entertainment
Length:	322 pgs
Source:	Inkslingr PR

This is a book sure to make all my smutty followers happy, because it was ooh la la steamy. Or given that we are operating in Texas for this series... I should get my southern on and say it was just plain HAWT.

We meet Abigail Moore as a teenager in small town Texas, where she has quite the reputation for being a wild child. Unfortunately, Abby's reputation was undeserved and her life was made difficult by a snooty old woman, mother to her childhood boyfriend. Jump ahead 20 years and Abby is returning to help her ailing mother, and she finds that not much has changed with the snooty old folks of Willow Fork. I felt so sorry for Abby and the way she was treated as a teenager, however I wished she had a little more backbone as an adult. Otherwise, I really liked Abby as a heroine. She was fun, but also responsible. I admired the fact that she built a life for herself after she was run out of town at such a young age.

Audiobook Review: Fire in His Blood by Ruby Dixon

Series:	Fireblood Dragon #1
Pub. Date:	June 20, 2017
Publisher:	Forever Romance
Narrators:	Noelle Bridges Jeremy York
Length:	11 hrs 27 min
Source:	Publisher

Ruby Dixon is a new-to-me author but one that I have been hearing about quite often, usually in reference to her Ice Planet Barbarians series. So I was looking forward to a little dragony alpha action, and this hero did not disappoint.

I liked the world-building for this series. We are operating in a post-apocalyptic Dallas, but not too far past the catastrophic event. About seven years ago, a big whole ripped in the sky and dragons came through. Most of them went crazy and started scorching the earth and killing off humanity. So now those who are left are eking out a meager existence behind makeshift forts with militia men and dictatorial mayors. The populace either has to obey the rules, or risk their safety on the outside. Neither is a good option.

ARC Review: Nauti Angel by Lora Leigh

Series:	Nauti #9
Pub. Date:	Nov. 7, 2017
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	349 pages
Source:	NetGalley

I was a big fan of the early Nauti books, but it has been a long time since I read them. I thought I would try to jump back into the series with the latest installment, Nauti Angel, and I ended up having a hard time with it. I couldn't remember quite what happened in those earlier books, and I have obviously missed what has been happening with the Mackays over the last few books of this spinoff series. 

Our heroine is a rough and tumble kickass mercenary chick, at only 23 years old. She has been taught to fight and survive since she was 3 years old, and she can allegedly remember everything back to her first birthday and first steps. While I like a good kickass heroine, that memory thing was a bit of a stretch for me. Nevertheless, Angel (f/k/a Beth) was a good heroine. She was tough, but caring. Capable and sure of her self, but that surety often came across in humorous ways. She also had a lot of vulnerability from her past that she tried to hide and stuff down so no one would see it. So overall I found her to be relatable and engaging, and I was glad our hero was around to break down her walls.

Dual ARC Review: Holding on Tighter by Shayla Black

Series:	Wicked Lovers #12
Pub. Date:	Feb. 7, 2017
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	368 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Welcome readers! Both Julie and I read this book so this is going to be our first ever dual review... two for one if you will. Interestingly, we both rated the book exactly the same, and we had similar thoughts on the characters and plot. Maybe we can do more of these in the future and we might have some fun with the format - make things a little crazy and fun next time.

ARC Review: Stealing His Thunder by Sparrow Beckett

Series:	Masters of Adrenaline #1
Pub. Date:	June 21, 2016
Publisher:	Berkley Intermix
Length:	217 pages
Source:	NetGalley

The Masters of Adrenaline series is an erotic romance where Fast and Furious meets Gone in 60 Seconds. As long as you don't mind the criminal element, this one will be a hit with some of my smutty fans and followers because it was H-O-T hot. 

What can I say about Fox Larson?  Mmmm... well let's start with his red gold locks, man bun and multitude of tattoos. Now pair that with an expensive suit, a nice house, a garage full of expensive cars, and a dominant personality. Sounds yummy right? I have to admit that Fox was pretty steamy. He was also the head of an family auto theft syndicate. He would be your Dom/Vin Diesel character in Fast and Furious. He was seriously bossy in a delightfully yummy way and, profession aside, I probably would let him boss me around too. But I just couldn't get behind all the car theft. He tried to justify it by saying they weren't hurting anyone - but I just don't buy that argument. This wasn't the scenario of the "good" bad boy... Fox and gang weren't out to help law enforcement or anything like Brian and Dom in F&F. This was just straight up stealing cars for profit. It wasn't sexy for me.

Addison Kennedy is a smart and sassy girl with lots of potential for a bright future. She is on scholarship to get her graduate degree in Electrical Engineering, and she has some real talent. But... she would rather be stealing cars. I honestly had a harder time with her character than Fox. I just couldn't relate to her as a professional female who spent a whack on my education, I can't imagine throwing it all away for the thrill that she got from boosting a car. Addison was also somewhat immature and I didn't like how she handled a rough patch in the relationship with Fox... I want my characters communicating instead of playing games. (Do I sound like an old lady or nerdy bird yet?)

It's been a while since I've read anything in the BDSM trope, and this author did a good job with the steamy sexytime. The focus was more on the sex than the emotion, and those parts were well-written and definitely fogged my kindle a time or two. Fox and Addison's chemistry was off the charts, even if they weren't good about the whole adult communication thing. I would have loved some more character development there... a little more backstory or inner monologue may have drawn me in enough to get past the criminal aspect. 

I really thought that I would like this series more when I read the blurb... I love the Fast and Furious movies so I didn't think this would be a far stretch. But apparently I need some kind of redeeming aspects to support the illegal acts. Who knew? Don't get me wrong... I think the author's writing was good and most of the characters were interesting, and I had no qualms with the pacing or plot. I just couldn't get in the right head space to accept the premise. This surprised me given my love for mobsters and hit men... but thieves, not so much.

I voluntarily reviewed  a gratuitous copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

Series Saturday ARC Review: Ruled by Elle Kennedy

Series:	Outlaws #3
Pub. Date:	Nov 1, 2016
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	368 pages
Source:	NetGalley

The Outlaws series is an uber-erotic adventure in post-apocalyptic America that pits Outlaws (free people) against the Global Council (government officials and residents). Unfortunately this third installment, Ruled, didn't tickle my fancy quite as much as the earlier books. However, it is sure to be a hit with my smutty friends who love a book with over-the-top smexytime with some danger thrown in. 

Advisory: this is a MFM/MMF menage situation with two alpha males, an alpha female, fun piercings, and lots of time between the sheets, on the ground, against the wall, on a futon, etc.

ARC Review: Dark Fancy by Sabrina York

Series:	Noble Passions #1
Pub. Date:	June 29, 2016
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	160 pages
Source:	NetGalley

'Scuse me while I fan myself. Wawaweewa! This book was gnaw-tee! Naughty naughty naughty. Having read Sabrina York's Untamed Highlanders series, I wasn't quite expecting to delve into a saucy bit of historical erotica. I may have not started reading it on my lunch break if I would have known ahead of time. Awkward!

Series Saturday Audiobook Review: The Player by Kresley Cole

Series:	Game Maker #3
Pub. Date:	June 22, 2016
Publisher:	Valkyrie Press
Narrator:	Kimberly Alexis
Length:	8 hrs 11 min

I got hooked on this series when The Professional originally came out as a serial. Kresley Cole knows how to write a good broody bad boy hero. I picked up the second two books of the series in audio because I wanted to hear those delicious Russian accents... and Kimberly Alexis was able to pull those off splendidly. 

ARC Review: Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones

Series:	Dirty Money #1
Pub. Date:	Aug. 9, 2016
Publisher:	St. Martin's Griffin
Length:	304 pages
Source:	NetGalley

This series calls to mind a modern-day Dallas with all the secrets, lies, betrayals and backstabbing that is occurring in the Brandon family. The Brandon men are all headstrong obstinate bulldozers, and the mother is sneaky and conniving. In Dirty Money, a maverick is pitted against the rest of the family to clean up the family conglomerate, Brandon Enterprises.

ARC Review: Into the Blue by Chanel Cleeton

Series:	Wild Aces #2
Pub. Date:	July 5, 2016
Publisher:	Berkley Publishing
Length:	320 pages
Source:	NetGalley

With this second installment of the Wild Aces series,  I do believe Chanel Cleeton has made her way onto my auto-buy list. Having suffered from burn out in the contemporary romance genre this year, I'm so happy to have found another author whose stories pull emotion from the reader with engaging plots, realistic situations and captivating characters. And can I get an amen for mature heroines?!? We need more over-30 heroines in the romance genre these days... the new adult trend is giving me a complex!

ARC Review and Giveaway: Addicted by Elle Kennedy

Series:	Outlaws #2
Pub. Date:	June 28, 2016
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	368 pages
Source:	Publisher

Elle Kennedy's post-apocalyptic series continues to steam up our e-readers with this second installment featuring a friends-to-lovers trope with hero, Lennox and his best friend and gal pal, Jamie. 

Guest Review: Trapped in His World by Stella Noir and Roxy Sinclaire

Series:  Dark Romance #1

Pub. Date:  Jan. 20, 2016

Publisher:  Stella Noir

Pages:  75

Format:  eARC

Source:  Roxy Sinclair

She may have the body of a curvaceous bomb shell but Navia Watson is sorely lacking in the self confidence department. Not only is she shy and quiet, she is also struggling to find a job.While her best friend Chloe is off for a week enjoying her honeymoon, Navia has agreed to temporarily fill her secretarial position for Chloe's boss, Jason Black, to earn extra cash while she continues her job search. She learns very quickly not to disobey the boss...

Navia is a well rounded character-likes, dislikes, family, and insecurities. My peeve was how often she flip flops on her feelings for Jason...A LOT! She has the hots for him but doesn't like how he treats her sexually. A few pages later she changes her mind and decides she can handle the roughness. It's definitely psychological to read their sexual interactions. Jason is one dimensional for me. He makes me think of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when he's with Navia. One minute he's sweet and charming, almost like the perfect gentleman yet each time he loses control he gets darker and darker with her. He doesn't get really personal until the tail end of the story when he's grasping at straws to keep her from leaving him but is it enough to make her stay?

The general story is well written and enjoyable, the language flowed smoothly, and there are decent character interactions. Overall, I like Navia and Jason, however, I will admit the sex scenes aren't my cup of tea. 

Warning: this is a dark novella that does contain questionable consensual scenes that could trigger a reaction in someone. 

Bambi Unbridled received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Reviewed by Julie H. for Bambi Unbridled

Julie is a transplanted military brat that now calls the Midwest home with her own romantic hero, daughter and two furbabies. While she toils the day away in a medical office, she would really rather be reading! Julie loves historical romance, steampunk, romantic suspense, military romance (duh!), paranormal and urban fantasy.  She loves a kickass take-charge heroine, lots of action, and the all-important HEA. Julie can get down with an alpha male, but she does not discount a nerdy hero with a sexy brain.

Julie and Bambi met at the RT Convention where they found themselves standing in many lines, sharing their similar reading interests, and fangirling over attending authors.

Guest Review: Burning Desire by Ravyn Rayne

Series:  Federal Agent Chronicles #1

Pub. Date:  May 6, 2015

Publisher:  Blushing Books

Pages:  77

Format:  ARC

Source:  Author

Someone is kidnapping little girls in the Brook Haven neighborhood. In an attempt to catch a kidnapper, FBI agent Kai and her supervisor Joel set up house and pretend to be married to each other. They are both aware of their attraction to the other but haven't acted upon it...until now.

Series Saturday Audiobook Review: Seduction in Session by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake

Series:  Perfect Gentlemen

Pub. Date:  Jan. 5, 2016

Publisher:  Penguin Audio / Berkley

Narrator:  Kaleo Griffith

Length:  13 hrs 50 min

Format:  Audiobook

The Perfect Gentlemen are back with my favorite hero of the group. I think. At least until the next book. Or we find out that Maddox isn't dead. Shayla and Lexi were being very mean about this at the RT Convention and would not give us any hints!

ARC Review: Didn't I Warn You by Amber A. Bardan

My Rating:  
Sultry Scale:

I was pleasantly surprised by this dark romantic read from new-to-me author, Amber Bardan. I can tell that she is one of those authors who will be able to get in my head... particularly with the inner monologue of the heroine. Her witty one liners and ridiculous thoughts mirror things running through my own head.  I will say up front that this is not a dark dark read... its more gray than dark in my opinion.  So those who don't like the super dark stuff will be happy... but I think those who *do* like the super dark stuff will not be disappointed because the story is good.

ARC Review: Dirtiest Secret by J. Kenner

Dirtiest Secret 
by J. Kenner
Series:  S.I.N. #1
Pub. Date:  April 19, 2016
Publisher:  Bantam
Pages:  320
Format:  eARC
Source:  NetGalley

My Rating:  
Sultry Scale:

It was wrong for us to be together, but it was even harder to be apart. 

The memory of Dallas Sykes burns inside of me. 

Everyone knows him as a notorious playboy, a man for whom women and money are no object. But to me, he’s still the one man I desperately crave—yet the one I can never have. 

Dallas knows me better than anyone else. We bear the same scars, the same darkness in our past. I thought I could move on by staying away, but now that we’re drawn together once more, I can’t fight the force of our attraction or the temptation to make him mine. 

We’ve tried to maintain control, not letting ourselves give in to desire. And for so long we’ve told ourselves no—but now it’s finally time to say yes. 

Dirtiest Secret is intended for mature audiences. 

Oy. I don't know how to review this one. It's dark and twisty and not what I was expecting from J. Kenner. I can deal with the dark and twisty, but I think the taboo of this one threw me off a bit. Don't get me wrong, the writing was good and engaging... but the taboo had me questioning whether I liked the subject matter or lot.