Need I say more?

Up By Five, Erin Nicholas

I must say I was so eager to read this book, and now that I am finished I am totally and wholeheartedly disappointed. I am sad to see the end of this fun series about the Bradfords.

Up By Five was the perfect ending to this series and was great to finally see a HEA for Cody.

After years of one night stands, Alpha hot firefighter Cody finally begins to see something more than just a beautiful woman, and this woman has worked beside him for 2 years. Gabriella is no regular woman, she’s one of the guys, but after her apartment burns down and she is forced out in the middle of the night wearing a skimpy tank top and short shorts, Cody notices that she has suddenly grown breasts! So the humor ensues, Gabby does her best to maintain her emotional distance, and the more she succeeds the harder he falls. As with every Erin Nicholas book, you can count on some steamy, hot sex and some humorous bantering back and forth.

Oh, if you’ve followed the series, you’ll love the hospital scene when Conner brings in a huge stuffed bunny to Sara Gordon, proclaiming that her new baby “looks a lot like me!”

Looking forward to the next series that Nicholas will create, and hope it’s soon!

Indulging in Irelyn by Dawna Raver WOW!!

Indulging in Irelyn by Dawna Raver

What a great book, as this was my introduction to Raver’s work, I can’t wait for her next book, and sequel to this Being Zolt.

I loved this book and the chemistry between Alpha Zolt and Irelyn is sizzing hot! Both characters have their own inner demons, but they also have some very real demons working diligently to destroy them both individually and collectively. These storyline are part of what keeps you up at night turning each page as quickly as you can read, and forcing you to go to work the next day in a daze contemplating what twist and turn has taken place.

So, the sex is steamy and the storyline is somewhat sordid; Marcus: WHO DOES THAT??? Anyway, you’ll have to read it to understand what I mean. The book is a must read. I also liked the fact that Raver is a good writer, the story was woven so well, there was not one missing word, phrase or detail that left me wondering what was missing.

Only complaint is that the book ends with a HUGE cliffhanger, and I hate to hang off a cliff! Although this does tend to add to the excitement of the next and prayerfully final book in this riveting series.

TRUST by Sherri Hayes

TRUST, by Sherri Hayes

This last book of the Finding Anna series, and I am relieved that it is finally over. Completed. I am not a fan of series books. I hate unfinished stories, and most of the time the next chapter/book is months away from release.

This series is a very hard read. It contains torture, extreme sexual abuse and captivity.

Each book chronicles how a 17-year-old was kidnapped and taken for a slave to repay her father’s gambling debts. It takes you to many dark places and the details are explicit and shocking. The book is not for the faint of heart, and it is doubtful that you can read about Anna’s abuse and not become physically ill and angry, just imagining that a human being could treat another like that.

Stephan is certainly the hero in the book, but he is also controlling, which at first makes you angry, but then you realize that he does it to help Anna cope. As the final book progresses you see that he is just as obsessed with her as she is with him. Hard to separate the love from the obsession with these two as their emotions are so intertwined.

Personally, I was hoping for a HEA that included Brianna not having/wanting/needing to address her husband as “Sir,” full redemption and children, but based on the story, I don’t think those things are possible for Brianna (Anna) or Stephan for a very long time.

Nick and Lilac by Marian Tee

 

CONTAINS SPOILERS

This was a hard read for me. Lilac has suffered abuse from a boyfriend and has spent her short life trying to move past the feelings of shame and humiliation.Same is true for Nick. This book details how each of them suffers and ultimately survives.

When sexy playboy & Greek billionaire Nick Christakos notices her he is immediately intrigued because she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. She is secretly attracted to him because of how nice he is to her, but she is not ready to have any sort of relation ship with a man, especially one who has one-night standed every girl on campus.

Nick is not sure what to do with this plain and gorgeous girl, and consequently spends a lot of time strategizing how to be her friend, with the ulterior motive of getting her into his bed as soon as he can.

Nick has his own demons and he battles them throughout the book and Lilac is there to comfort him and accept him. Something he is not able to do for himself. Sadly, Nick wants to bed her, but refuses to love her, but won’t allow anyone else to love her either, including his twin ( you gotta read it to believe it!) He is still in love with his ex. I was rooting for Jason (twin) to win the girl.

I love these two complex characters, and the thought that they are so different would they ever have the chance to be happy, alone or together.

Marian Tee weaves a tight which leaves you breathless for the next page. A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Penance by Ann Mayburn



I was expecting lots of hot sex, after all it is an Ann Mayburn novel, I was blown away by the emotional rollercoaster that took me for a ride throughout this book. Penance is such a just title for this book. A story where inner loathing and suicidal thoughts meets understanding, unconditional love and finally, forgiveness and acceptance of self.


This book is not for the faint of heart. Michelle and Wyatt deal with serious issues of PSTD and mental illness. Mayburn takes great care to position these characters as heroes, not victims. She also shows the struggle in which they work, both together and separately, to heal. This serves to give hope to all of us that no matter our issues we are worthy of being loved and giving love.

Oh, and there was a lot of hot sex.