Hello readers, we hope you are all well, and reading plenty of gripping stories, of course! Wow – I have to say I was shocked myself when writing this post up, due to the amount of reads that Tina and myself have reviewed over this past month! From Christmas and Valentine’s box sets, to full length novels, and through to short story serials, we really do have more than a mixed bag here!
With many of our ratings now being 5* I am convinced the writing is getting better and better! And, we haven’t even finished with March yet – making for a brilliant year of reading!
Here are our latest reviews, covering our many genres; romance, paranormal, sci-fi, erotica, historical, drama, dark reads, crime and thrillers. We hope you enjoy them just as much as we have. And, with Easter just around the corner – why not treat yourself to a read or two?
(Please click on the titles for our full review posts.)
Love to all our readers, Caroline & Tina ❤
Naughty List by The Naughty Literati’s, erotica, romance (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: The Naughty Literati are a group of authors who’ve come together to showcase their epic talents in stories filled with powerful eroticism and satisfying romance. Our tales range from heartwarming and sweet to scorching hot erotic; medieval to futuristic; humans to aliens and shape-shifters; vanilla committed couples to kinky ménage fun. Keep an eye out for more of our steamy boxed sets coming soon. Thank you for joining us on this naughty journey!
The Nightwind’s Visit by Charlotte Boyett-Compo: Be careful what you wish for. The NightWind hears every whisper, every sigh, every need and he’s coming to grant your every wicked, wanton desire.
Dear Santa…I Want a Man for Christmas by Marianne Stephens: Frustrated with untrustworthy men, Melissa orders a man doll. When delivery guy, Nick, shows up, she has second thoughts about how to satisfy her needs.
Prelude to a Most Unusual Marriage by Katherine Kingston: Guilty secrets torment widowed Elizabeth Fitzhugh. A Christmas visit to the Earl of Chisenholm offers redemption, if she can find the courage to grasp it.
No Gentleman by Francesca Hawley: Librarian Abby Kelly comes west finding a roguish shapeshifter who desires her. Will Goldwolf is no gentleman, but Abby discovers he’s just what she wants.
Jewel’s Menage Christmas by Berengaria Brown: The excitement has left Jewel, Donovan, and Oscar’s relationship. Jewel plans to spice things up, but will Donovan and Oscar rise to the challenge?
Tune Me Up by Lainey-Jo Charles: Jason catches Dani having an intimate moment with a recording of him singing to her, and is ready to move them from friends to forever.
On the Eighteenth of January, ’78 or, A Night at Valley Forge by Regina Kammer: During the infamous winter of ‘77-‘78 at Valley Forge, two soldiers fanboy over their charismatic leader, General George Washington.
The Christmas Leopard by Lynne Connolly: Two gorgeous Italian hunks save art restorer Sandi when she accidentally summons an ancient evil from a mosaic. Their methods are unconventional—and scorching hot!
Christmas Bad Girl by Trinity Blacio: She only had one wish this Christmas. To find the one man who was strong enough to master her in bed and out.
How the Alien Stole Christmas by Belle Scarlett: On board a deep space station Christmas Trent learns her sexy cyber lover, who may not be human, wants to steal her for his own.
Merry Christmas, Kitten by Nicole Austin: Sirena Petra wants one thing for Christmas—an orgasm. And sex toy expert Kenyon Fort has exactly what the lion shifter needs to find more than just her happy place.
Viking in Tartan by Suz deMello: Medieval romance from the Highland Vampires series. A Viking raider brings change to little Clan Kilbirnie, especially to the chieftain’s daughter, Rhona.
Holdin’ On by Alexa Silver: Rock star Max is terminally ill. When Aislin falls into his life, rocking his world, everything changes. Is she his Christmas miracle?
Naughty Hearts (boxed set) by the Naughty Literati, erotic/dark fantasy, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: Twelve Naughty Valentine’s Short Reads including Contemporary, Dark Fantasy, Menage, M/M, M/M/F, M/F/M, New Adult, Paranormal, Shape-shifter, Steampunk & Time Travel from Amazon bestselling authors.
Naughty Balls by Suz deMello: Two college basketball players find themselves alone on V-Day evening. M/F)
Love Potion #69 by Alexa Silver: When Keith and Jenna accidentally fall under the spell of one of her Valentine’s Day love potions, lust is in the air!
My Valentine Lovers by Nicole Austin: All I want for Valentine’s Day is to get barbed by a feline shifter and act out a few of my naughty twin fantasies getting me hot and bothered.
Valentime by Belle Scarlett: Valerie buys a South Carolina plantation and discovers a Valentine addressed to her from a previous owner who bids her to return to him in 1865.
Delia’s Heartthrob by Regina Kammer: Gadzooks! Valentine’s Day is fast approaching – what’s a scientist to do? Edward knows naught of romance. Can steam power prevail over chocolates to win Delia’s heart?
Two Into One Goes Great by Lynne Connolly: A booker at a top model agency learns she’s anything but ordinary when two sexy photographers point their lenses—and more—at her.
Under the Hood by Lainey-Jo Charles: How do you choose between an online crush you’ve never met and a secret crush that you have? Maybe you don’t have to…
Buy Me a Rose by Francesca Hawley: Jessica and Nathaniel Whitewolf celebrate their thirtieth anniversary as True Mates but they’ve lost their bond. Now a hot couples’ retreat will get it back.
Chocolate-Coated Reunion by Berengaria Brown: Jake refuses to talk to Matt after he was very late on Christmas Eve. Matt’s determined to reconnect with Jake on Valentine’s Day.
Cupid’s Curious Case by Marianne Stephens: Alan’s last job as Cupid 84 involves neighbor Amy and a special box of candy. Both secretly desire the other. Can they find true love?
Fifty Shades of Valentine’s Day by Katherine Kingston: Dumped on Valentine’s Day! Melissa only thinks the day can’t get any worse. Until she damages her hot neighbor’s car, and he demands unexpected compensation.
The Reaper’s Valentine by Charlotte Boyett-Compo: Sometimes a Reaper has to do what a Reaper does. It would be wise for a life-mate to remember that!
Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #2 & #3) (short story series) by Tim O’Rourke, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: When the entire population of Shade go missing, investigative reporter Mila Watson knows this could be the big break she has been waiting for. Setting off into the mountains to the village of Shade, Mila soon learns that the village isn’t as deserted as she first believed it to be and that creatures lurk in the shades…
For readers 16+
Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #2)
Werewolves of Shade (Beautiful Immortals #3)
Deception/Escape/Penance (Dark Alpha #3, #4 & #5) (short story series) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com billionaires who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.
Deception (Dark Alpha #3) blurb: Jak has a plan to free Arianna without the witch’s help… but the best laid plans of wolves and men rarely turn out as they hope.
Escape (Dark Alpha #4) blurb: With Arianna’s family looking for her, Jak’s plan to flee the state just got a lot more complicated. But before he can worry about that, he has to break her free of Mace’s hold.
Penance (Dark Alpha #5) blurb: Jak’s plan is a dangerous one… but will he even get the chance to carry it out?
Is love stronger than magic? Or will breaking an unbreakable bond destroy them both?
Willow (Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives #9) by Christina Phillips, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: Meet the Housewives of Sydney. They are wealthy, elegant, poised, and constantly in the public eye. But what goes on behind closed doors, in the private homes and parties where the cameras and paparazzi aren’t welcome? Delve into the most personal details of their relationships, their friendships and their lives. The only question is: can you handle the heat?
Willow has loved Seb for as long as she can remember, but he has a past that she can’t handle, so she’s never done anything about it. But to not have him in her life is unthinkable, so she holds on to him the only way she can – through friendship. Now his writing career is taking off, and Willow finds herself increasingly jealous of his groupies and increasingly unable to keep her feelings to herself.
An unexpected visit leads to an unanticipated kiss – and Seb and Willow end up in her bed. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Willow, but can she trust that Seb wants more than a bit of afternoon delight – and can she trust herself to let go of the past in order to gain a future?
Love Bites: A Collection of Short Stories by Valeria Kogan, contemporary romance, dark read (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: Love Bites is the provocative debut collection of short stories by Valeria Kogan. From heartbreak to redemption, Love Bites provides a spellbinding interpretation of love and friendship, glamour and guilt, secrets and deceit.
Each story provides a captivating insight into the world of love; its profound impact and effect; and how women relate to their partners.
This cleverly constructed collection of short stories will leave you tantalized and yearning for more. Love Bites is a must-read for every modern woman, reader of romance and romantic enthusiast.
Kissed at Midnight by Samantha Holt, historical romance (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: August Avery, a renowned civil engineer, has found himself the sole custodian of his cousin’s six month old daughter and he needs assistance—fast. He understands how to build railways, to construct bridges and to save the railway tycoons thousands of pounds. He doesn’t understand, however, how to care for a child.
When Ivy Davis turns up at his door looking for work, he believes his prayers are answered. If only the exotic, exuberant young woman did not prove to be such a distraction from his busy workload.
Unsure if she is even up to the task of looking after a baby, Ivy finds herself swayed by the handsome and slightly desperate August into working for him. With her singing career failing before it even started and no other talents, she decides looking after a young child cannot be so hard, surely?
But the child may turn out to be the least of her worries. Her handsome, brooding master seems to keep her awake more than the baby. Add to that her desire to achieve her dreams of singing on stage and the machinations of the indomitable Mrs. Pepperwhite who sees her as competition for August’s hand, Ivy finds this simple job growing harder by the day—as does her desire for her master…
Devil in Duke’s Clothing by Nina Mason, erotic historical romance, (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: Maggie York, a convent-raised foundling, knows the Duke of Dunwoody’s sexual tastes are a shade or two darker than normal, but marries him anyway—partly because she has no other prospects and partly because, try as she might, she can’t seem to exorcize her desire for the dashing ducal devil. Two years ago, she watched him swive and spank her lady’s maid, luring her from the garden of innocence into the orchard of fleshly delights–and she’s been hungry for more ever since.
Robert Armstrong, the duke, is a Roman Catholic whose extreme devotions as a child warped his desires as a man. He’s also a slave to the times in which he lives–and to his king. Everything he is, everything he holds dear, depends on staying in Charles II’s good graces. Unfortunately, Maggie isn’t the bride the king selected for him. Now, to make amends, the duke must choose between the lesser of two evils: whore his wife or be reduced to a penniless commoner.
Whose interests will Robert choose to serve, his own, the king’s, or the woman he loves?
Cautious Surrender (Unearthly World, book IV) by C.L. Scholey, sci-fi erotic romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: Adan went from a living hell on Earth, only to be thrown into a new purgatory. The Zargonnii vessel she’d thought was her savior is blown to bits in an alien war attack. A wormhole sends Adan and her warrior protector to an unknown world. Her only hope of surviving the ungodly planet is in the hands of Blu, whom she loves. Unfortunately, Blu has another agenda.
Blu’s body burns for the little human female, but his entire adult life has one purpose, to father a son and create a family. If he mates with Adan and makes it back home, he’ll need to keep her close to his side, protecting her from his dangerous life. Human females only produce female offspring in Blu’s world. If they survive this planet, Blu has to decide if he’s willing to give up one dream for another.
Three Rules by Marie Drake, dark mystery drama, romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: Hope Wellman has a childhood full of horrific memories, a bone chilling recurring nightmare, and a persistent paranoid sense of being followed that she would rather keep repressed. Is evil reaching from beyond the grave to capture the tattered remnants of her soul once and for all, is it only a machination of her disturbed mind, or is there something happening more sinister than even she can imagine?
Attending the funeral of her abuser is the first step in putting her life back together. She struggles with the fact she never told anyone what happened to her, and that the grave they are mourning over is empty. She’d find it a lot easier to move on and believe in the future if he were in the box, ready to be covered with dirt. She fears the last thread of her sanity has snapped when she sees Lucas everywhere she turns, and can’t escape a recurring nightmare. Is her tormentor alive, or is she imagining it? Is her dream triggered by past fears or is it a prediction of the future?
The Color of Happiness by K.P. Gazelle, young adult contemporary drama, romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Book Blurb: Faith Lane is the girl who has everything. At least, that’s what everyone thinks when they see her rocking a killer dress while laughing with her best friend, Tiffany. But Faith’s life is far from flawless. Her peers torment her relentlessly, and her parents expect her to be the epitome of perfection. Criticized and pressured at school and home, Faith retreats into silent acceptance and finds an escape in her passion of dancing. Then she meets Alex – quirky, forever with a pass, and concealing a mysterious secret of his own. And through his encouragement, Faith starts believing in her gift for dance and gains courage to stand up for herself. But will she be able to keep her footing when the events of one night consume her with the need to jump off the rocky cliffs near her coastal home? And what has pushed her to the edge of reason?
Her Gaze (short story) by Angel A., romantic suspense (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: At that moment, Gabe knew he had fallen for her. The first time he laid eyes on Sofy he knew that she was for him and he was hers. However, she was already taken by a dangerous man. A man that would kill before letting her go. But Gabe was willing to put his life in harm’s way to be with the woman he was in love with.
This suspenseful and sexy short story is full of excitement. It gives joy to the imagination and makes the heart beat a little faster.
In Expert Hands by Lily Harlem, erotic BDSM romance (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: Imogen White has it all—a high-flying career, a prestigious London home and friends she knows will fight her corner. She’s going up, and she’s in control, she’s also got the hots for one very important, very sexy client.
Kane Ward is a self-made billionaire whose determination to be the best of the best has left him alone. He has everything money can buy, yachts, jets, and villas in all four corners of the globe, but even he can’t buy time to suit his needs.
And his needs are very specific, his desires a particular shade of kink and his tastes anything but vanilla. So when he sets his sights on Imogen it’s a given that things are going to get dark, that pleasure will be laced with pain and determining his success will be measured by her blushes and gasps and cries of delight. But Imogen doesn’t need to worry, she’s in expert hands and her every fantasy is about to come true—and then some she’d never imagined even in her wildest dreams.
Fallen (Coyote Moon #1) by Ann Simko, action thriller, crime, sci-fi paranormal (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: Dr. Dakota Thomas isn’t prepared for the gunshot victim who rolls through his emergency room doors. Michael Ricco looks like a young Marine in a world of trouble, his dog tags, however tell a different story.
How could the military have no record of him? Why was he shot in the back in the middle of the desert, and why were thirteen people murdered to keep his secret? More than that, how could he have a birth date of 1898?
In a world where genetic experimentation pushes the boundaries of what someone would do to live a little longer, the question may be, how many will die in order to keep one person alive?
Yesterday by Sheila Norton, period/historical drama (1960’s), mystery, crime, romance (reviewed by Caroline)
Blurb: During the riots between the Mods and Rockers in the early Sixties, teenager Cathy finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the events which follow will haunt her for the rest of her life. Forty years later she’s forced to revisit her past, deal with her unhappy memories and try to find out exactly what did happen back in 1964.
Love the Way You Lie by Skye Warren, dark, erotic romance (reviewed by Tina)
Blurb: A dark romance about the lies that lead us down…
I’ll do anything to get safe, even if that means working at the scariest club in town.
I’ll do anything to stay hidden, even if it means taking off my clothes for strangers.
I’ll do anything to be free. Except give him up. When he looks at me, I forget why I can’t have him. He’s beautiful and scarred. His body fits mine, filling the places where I’m hollow, rough where I am soft.
He’s the one man who wants to help, but he has his own agenda. He has questions I can’t answer. What are you afraid of?
You.
A young and geeky college girl wins a trip to Rome and while visiting the ancient ruins, she gets transported two thousand years back by a mysterious magic artifact. She is immediately seized by the city guards and brought before the most notorious emperor Rome had ever known. She’s in for a big surprise and some hot, steamy, action beyond her wildest dreams.
Our heroine meets a mysterious witch who agrees to help her go back to ancient Rome. However the locket’s magic effects last for a limited time and she comes back to the 21st century when it expires. Will she be able to solve the mystery of the locket and stay in ancient Rome for good? Will she break and tell her secret when the emperor ties her up in heavy chains and ‘interrogates’ her in the dungeon?
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