*REVIEW* – The Archer, by Ruby Rodrigo

#Steamy #DarkFantasyRomance #FantasyRomance #EnemiestoLovers #ForcedProximity

Blurb

Aslin joined the Tirian army disguised as her younger brother, intent on saving his life. Skilled with a bow and fluent in Almanian, she quickly earned the trust of her fellow soldiers, all the while keeping her identity hidden. When a covert operation goes horribly wrong, Aslin finds herself a bound captive in an Almanian fortress. Nothing about her imprisonment is what she expected, least of all her captor Ero, an enigmatic captain of the Almanian army. They both have secrets to keep and weapons to wield, but they have one thing in common: an undeniable, magnetic attraction.

Aslin will do whatever it takes to keep herself alive.
Ero will do whatever it takes to keep Aslin.

The Archer is a dark fantasy romance with explicit sexual scenes. It is for mature readers only. There are scenes of rough sex, reluctance, and violent combat. This is a standalone work with a happy ending.

My Review

A Joy to Read – 5 stars

What a great find this book was! This dark fantasy romance is a fabulous read and contains one of my favourite tropes, enemies to lovers. It’s also got plenty of steam, forced proximity, a strong and determined heroine and an alpha to to die for. It manages to be both sweet and sizzling at the same time.

Aslin, masquerading as a male soldier – an archer, is captured whilst on manoeuvrers and finds herself strung up in the enemy’s dungeon awaiting rough questioning and possibly worse. Her ruse is soon discovered by Ero, the army’s captain, who cuts her down and installs her in a locked room in his fortress whilst he decides what to do with her. He will not mistreat a woman, even an enemy and cannot understand why his adversaries are allowing women to fight. I loved Ero – he comes across as an honourable man,  a man who likes to take charge; a true alpha. As for Aslin, she is a complex, being brave, stubborn and kick-ass when she needs to be.

I enjoyed how they are immediately drawn to one another and how their attraction swiftly grows and develops over the course of the narrative. There are some steamy and explicit scenes and these are beautifully written, as is the rest of the book. The plot contains plenty of passion and adventure for both hero and heroine as they navigate their relationship and unfolding events. They discover much about each other, including a number of secrets and unexpected revelations before their HEA is achieved. The worldbuilding held my interest without overpowering the central romance and thrust of the narrative. My interest was also piqued by a number of side characters whom I hope to see in any future books the author decides to release.

If you like enemies to lovers romances within the fantasy genre this steamy read is one I recommend.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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*REVIEW* – Broken Limits (The Limit Book 3), by Marissa Farrar and S. R. Jones

#RomanticSuspense #ReverseHarem #WhyChoose #DarkRomance

Blurb

It’s all fun and games…until someone gets hurt.

It was meant to be a game. A way of surviving and gaining some money, but somewhere along the line emotions got involved, and I lost all perspective.

They did too. No matter what they might like to pretend, those four troubled men got as swept up in the dangerous allure as I did. They pushed me to my limits and beyond, but I pushed them, too.
One of them couldn’t take it though, and our pact fell apart.

I ran. I ran fast and far but instead of running to safety, I raced straight into the arms of danger.
Who will save me now?

Are they missing me? Do my broken, messed up men think about me as much as I think about them?
My new captor thinks he holds all the cards, but my time on the island has taught me how to play his depraved games, and I will fight with all I have.

My Review

Action packed and emotionally intense conclusion – 5 stars!

Following on from the absolute doozy of an ending in the previous book, I was itching to find out what was in store for Honor and her men. I was not disappointed – Broken Limits is an action-packed and emotionally intense read which kept me on the edge of my seat. To gain maximum enjoyment from the read however, I recommend reading the previous books first.

In this, the final instalment in the trilogy, Honor finds herself held captive. She hopes that her men will realise she is missing and that they are able to rescue her before her old nemesis manages to enact whatever nefarious plan he has in mind for her. Throughout the series I have enjoyed how Honor’s character has grown in strength and it is this strength that is put to the test during the shocking events that play out.

I have also enjoyed the emotional journeys Honor’s men, Asher, Brody, Wilder and Rafferty, have gone on as they come to realise just what Honor means to them. In this book I just loved how they step up to the challenge of her disappearance, whilst grappling with a gamut of emotions and soul searching, including guilt, fear, and anxiety.

The plot is suspenseful and fast-paced, with scenes of violence, non-consent and references to abuse and I was itching for a HEA. It also contains a number of twists, as Honor’s past and that of her men converge before it reaches its satisfying conclusion.

Highly recommended for fans of the genre.

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*REVIEW* – RENT GIRL: A DARK MAFIA/CARTEL INTERRACIAL CAPTIVITY ROMANCE, BY NENIA CAMPBELL

#darkromance #interracial #mafiaromance #suspense #captiveromance

Blurb

(He was the one thing she couldn’t run from.)

Beatrice Arsenault has spent the last ten years running. She’s changed her looks and changed her name and lives her life off the books or under the table, constantly looking over her shoulder for the one person she knows is looking back.

(She’s the one thing he could never leave.)

Dominic Xiang is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of hardened criminals. He runs an empire of vice and blood, which he rules with an iron fist. But when he met Beatrice ten years ago, he had just enough of a heart left to break.

(If they don’t bury the past, they’ll bury each other.)

Now he’s found her again, and she’s dancing on the edge of his knife. Whether it cuts her ties or ends her life is all up to him . . .

My Review

Dark, intense and more than a little crazy! 5 stars

Rent Girl by Nenia Campbell is an unapologetic dark read containing Dominic Xiang, a hot but crazy villain with few if ANY redeeming qualities, and Beatrice Arsenault, a troubled heroine whom he sets his sights on. He is the LAST person she needs to be with but unfortunately for her, as soon as he notices her there is no escape. The phrase you can run but you can’t hide certainly came to mind when I read this book!

I love the dark romance genre which allows the writer and reader to delve deep into the psyche of bad men such as Dominic. His world is not a pretty one and this book contains scenes of violence, murder and abuse, not to mention morally questionable behaviour towards the heroine. Although I was shocked at some scenes and at times felt that Beatrice would be better off without Dominic, the author slowly but surely turned it round and as the story progressed my dark heart started cheering this complex couple on. I was SO immersed in the interplay between the couple and the wider characters and plot that I read it in little more than a day.

The book has two timelines, one after the couple first meet and the other ten years later when Beatrice’s luck runs out and Dominic, intent on revenge, finds her once again. Dual timelines do not always work for me, but I found it done really well here and it helped illustrate how the dynamics between the couple changed over time and how they grew as characters.

Beatrice finds herself held captive and consumed by Dominic for much of the read and is revolted by his world. The author does an excellent job of showing us just how deep this revulsion goes. I loved how despite being powerless she stood up to him as much as she could. I enjoyed her character growth and Dominic’s realisation that perhaps she means more to him than he thought.

Just how far will Dominic go when it comes to punishing Beatrice for her deceit? Has he ANY capacity for forgiveness, love, or redemption? Will Beatrice ever be more than the rent girl/whore she sees herself? Can she love a monster? What will happen to her once he grows tired of her, especially given how he deals with his enemies and those who get in his way… These questions and more buzzed around my head during the read.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as the book approached its finale, and I was a quivering mess as various chickens came home to roost for the couple. I loved the ending. It was just perfect.

Recommended for fans of the genre.

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ARC REVIEW – Her Wicked Scot (The Highland Warrior Chronicles Book 4), Christina Phillips

#HistoricalRomance #EnemiestoLovers #HighlandRomance #MarriageofConvenience

Blurb

A warrior rumored to have no heart. An ice princess, who has vowed never to love again. A forced marriage that could break them both…

Sent into Pictland to discover the identity of a desperate assassin, Ewan MacKinnon fights his fascination with the aloof princess, Briana. Although he wants nothing more than to take her into his arms, he won’t taint her with the curse that has blighted him all his life.

After her first disastrous marriage, Briana is determined to dedicate her life in service to Pictland and her beloved goddess. But her goddess is elusive, sending only visions of a splintered future–a future that is tied irrevocably to the one man she fears could shatter her heart forever. The enemy of her people, Scots warrior Ewan MacKinnon.

Coerced into a marriage of convenience, Briana and Ewan battle both duty and desire as political intrigue tightens its noose around them. But with the assassin edging ever closer they must forsake the shackles of their past and risk their fragile love for a chance of surviving an ultimate betrayal.

My Review

Delicious Enemies to Lovers Historical Romance with a hint of magic! 5 stars

Christina Phillips weaves a delicious enemies-to-lovers romance full of passion, political powerplay and danger in Her Wicked Scot, number 4 in her Highland Warrior Chronicles.

Highland warrior Ewan MacKinnon and Pictish princess Brianna are unexpectedly thrown together by the political machinations of their time. Scarred by past events in their lives they both have their own internal battles to overcome before they have any chance of their union leading to a HEA. I loved how their relationship unfolds and also how the author portrays the danger swirling around them, a danger that Brianna, touched by the goddess, perceives in visions, visions which she struggles to comprehend but which tie her to Ewan, the enemy of her people. The path to their future is not an easy one.

I enjoyed the undeniable attraction the couple have for each other, illustrated in their words and actions, not to mention the passionate scenes they enjoy together. I particularly loved how protective Ewan is of Brianna and how she, although mistrustful, slowly places her faith in him. The way the author portrays their growing feelings for each other is both realistic and moving. Yet trust is fragile as events and the actions of others test them at critical moments in the story.

Just who is the real Ewan MacKinnon? Can Brianna trust him or will he betray her and her heart? As for Ewan, can he protect Brianna from danger, even if he feels the greatest danger is himself? Just what is the meaning of the goddess’ visions?

I was glued to my Kindle throughout as the story unfolded, enjoying reading about how Brianna and Ewan grew both as individuals and as a couple, against the wider political issues at play. The book can certainly be read as a standalone, as each book in the series feature a different couple, but I feel the reader will gain more from reading the series in order. I am very much looking forward to future books in the series.

Please note, a copy of the book was given to me by the author and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

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