Between Love and Loathing by Shain Rose

3 Stars

Fake dating my enemy so I can design my dream bakery should be easy … as long as I don't fall in love with him.

Dominic Hardy might be an award-winning architectural engineer with fancy degrees and considerable accolades, but he doesn’t know a thing about baking.

He doesn’t even like sugar.

So when my late stepfather’s will states that Dominic Hardy is set to inherit the Pacific Coast Resort he’d painstakingly designed, as long as my bakery can be plopped in the middle of it, it’s no surprise he balks.

And my jaw drops when another stipulation requires us to mutually approve plans for my bakery’s design.

His stuffy taste will never mix with my whimsical vibe.

But then Dominic comes to me with a proposal I can’t refuse. He’ll give me everything I want in my bakery as long as I agree to one thing:

Fake date him for five months.

Keep his ex away by pretending we’re in love.

Smile and stare into his piercing green eyes at a gala or two.

Maybe share a kiss.

Nothing extreme.

Five months of acting in love when I really loathe him and his filthy mouth.

Even when he’s using it on me.

This should be a cakewalk.

Except there’s a fine line between love and loathing, and I think I’ve made the colossal mistake of blurring it.

I need to stop bing reading or going into sequels with high hopes because this one fell short for me. This book was ruined by Dominic. He was a dick from the beginning by making assumptions about Clara that were wrong and that attitude continued well into their relationship. There was no redemption for him by the end of the book either. Clara was also a very weak willed woman. At least with her it is somewhat understandable because of how her mom and sister were with her but she just caved unless it helped someone else. She does end up standing up for herself more but it was never enough. She should have thrown Dominic to the curb and made him crawl back. Still love the writing style and world building this author does so I will look for another book from her.

Book 2 Hardy Billionaires

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Cursed Demon by Brogan Thomas

3 Stars

She enjoyed life as a demon’s pet. Until the cries of an innocent tore her world asunder…

Emma Case is freaking out. Being surrounded by monsters is risky enough without breaking the rules, but when the soft-hearted girl hears a pup in distress, she can’t resist trespassing on forbidden ground. And after discovering the unfortunate creature is a wolf-shifter, she’s stunned when the child’s pack accuses her of the crime and abducts her for interrogation.

Tortured for information she doesn’t have, Emma pleads desperately for her handsome tormenter to believe her. Yet as the naïve young woman tumbles deeper into the realm of supernatural intrigue, she unexpectedly manifests frightening powers she has no idea how to control.

Will Emma’s hidden heritage prove a blessing or a bane?

Cursed Demon is the second standalone book in the character-driven Creatures of the Otherworld urban fantasy series. If you like sassy heroines, laugh-out-loud humour, and white-knuckle thrills, then you’ll love Brogan Thomas’s action-packed tale.

I loved book one but this one wasn’t as good. This is the brother from book one and he was a dick in book one and he’s a dick in this book. FMC deserved so much more than him and his bull. I noticed with book one there’s no real conclusion to the story and book two continues that which left me wanting. I still enjoyed the overall story and will try the next one.

Book 2 Creatures of the Otherworld

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Vanished in Atlanta by Andi Lynn

2 Stars

Timur

My father was invincible, larger than life, also cold and distant. As the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva you can’t expect much more. Growing up as the second son I lived in the shadows of my brother only imagining I’ll be one of his Brigadiers until Sylvester Levi made a move for power killing them all. I’ve spent the last ten years growing the Atlanta Bratva into the organization it is today. I run my men with an iron fist all while keeping an eye on the Levi family to find my way to pay back the pain I’ve felt. The time for waiting is over, it’s time to settle the score!

Carrabelle

I’ve been the good daughter. Never going against my family even when it means spending the rest of my life with a man that I don’t even know. Well, that was the plan, until the god of a man storms his way into my life. I’ve fought him and my growing feelings for as long as I could. I’m just praying I can stop the war that’s brewing between the families. All while trying to figure out what one is supposed to do when your greatest temptation won’t let you go. Do you give in to the temptation or continue to fight the growing inferno?

Loved the writing style of this author but felt the story was rushed. The story needed to be expanded with more backstory and time for the Carrabelle and Timur to come together. I will check out other books by this author.

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Game Plan by Tonya Clark

4 Stars

Emma’s day couldn’t get any worse. All she wants to do is get home...maybe she just needs to get out of the hotel room and calm her nerves a little.

Lucas is married to his team. Being the coach of the top MLS team requires a lot of time, which leaves very little for anything else...until one night out celebrating.

I loved this short story. The meet cute was adorable and I loved how they were connected. The writing style was easy to read, and I can’t wait to read the next book.

Book 2 Storm

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Vixen by Lux Miller

2 Stars

Darkness rises... empires fall. Who will still stand at the end of it all?

Stolen from a life I can't remember and trapped in a world I wish I could forget. At the beck and call of a monster. I wait for the chance to free myself of his tyranny and take back what's mine. They say every man has skeletons in the closet and when I discover his; I go from prey to hunter as I bring them out to play.

Ashes... ashes... we all fall down.

NOT A ROMANCE AT ALL…you are warned. It is a very dark and has no HEA book. Description definitely doesn’t match the actual book. If you have triggers be warned the entire book is SA. There isn’t a single instant of consent in this book. The writing style was good so I will probably check out other books by this author but not this one.

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My Stuffed Valentine by Rozy Mack

 

2.5 Stars

For a single mom who long since gave up on finding the right person to love me, Valentine’s Day is another painful reminder of my loneliness. Sure, I love my little miss with all my heart, but a woman has needs.

When a stuffed gift from my bestie turns into my very own life-sized monster vowing to worship me with his love and devotion, I have to decide to let my heart lead or listen to the doubt screaming in my head that this can’t be real.

He’s big, covered in fur, and purrs on demand. Oh, and his tail. Let’s not forget the special delight it brings behind closed doors.

Cursed by Cupid, my surprise Valentine monster asks me to help break the chains of the past so we can move to the future. Together. Maybe I’ll find love after all.

Short and spicy but it needed to not be so short to be a complete story. It was a cute concept and I think I would have liked it better if it was expanded more with better world and character development. As it stands now it’s just meh.

Book 1 Guardians of Cupid

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