Savage Promises by Deborah Garland

2.5 Stars

She’s the wrong bride, but he’ll make her the perfect wife.

She was my secret obsession.

My best friend’s younger sister.

But with our families at each other’s throats,

I turned my back on the only woman I ever cared about.

And I regretted the loss of her fiery spirit

every day of my life.

I learned to live with the pain and emptiness,

vowing never to fall in love or marry another.

But Lennox didn’t disappear.

She was right there.

Gorgeous. Successful. Ice cold.

So close. But out of my reach.

Years later our world is very different.

With so many enemies, Irish blood must stay pure.

Putting chains on my wrists,

to marry my worst enemy’s daughter.

But not Lennox.

Her sister.

Now Lennox hates me all over again.

But underneath, I see profound sadness.

The hidden desire for me that she never let go of.

And I’ll drag hell to my doorstep to marry the woman I want.

Lennox was always mine.

I will not let her slip through my fingers again.

Considering I am not a fan of mafia books in general this one wasn’t bad. I didn’t like it and won’t read another in the series. What I loved was the pining between them. They very much wanted to be together but because of the nature of the families they couldn’t. She had to help him with planning a wedding to her sister. You could see how much this hurt her and there was a lot of emotions there. That was about all I liked. The entire family knew who he wanted to be with instead tried to marry him off to the minor sister. That is a whole other issue. Add in the cheating. Yes it was between the main characters but he was engaged when they got together and that is a hard pass to me.

Book 2 Quinlan Empire

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A Not so Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn

3 Stars

How did you two meet?

The quintessential question asked to every couple. And the answer is usually some bubbly, lovey dovey tale of being struck in the bum by Cupid’s arrow.

My meet cute (well not so meet cute) is slightly different. I was trolling a wealthy neighborhood in Beverly Hills, searching for someone to take me as their bride, you know, to make my arch nemesis jealous who consequently just fired me.

He was stomping around the block like some sort of gorgeous ogre, mumbling about a business deal gone wrong and attempting to finagle his way out of it.

And that's when we bumped into each other.

There were no sparks.

Not even a hint of blossoming love.

But next thing I knew, I was scarfing down free chips and guac, listening to this man lay out all of his problems which led to his big ask . . . he wanted me to be his Vivian Ward, you know, from Pretty Woman--minus the frisky behavior.

We're talking about living in a mansion, intimate double dates, and pretending we were head over heels in love . . . and engaged. Can you imagine?

The absolute audacity.

But people do crazy things when they’re desperate. And I reeked of desperation. So, I struck up a deal.

My one big mistake, though . . . big . . . HUGE? I accidentally fell for the incomparable Huxley Cane.

I struggled with this book because I didn’t like the characters. Lottie was selfish and she constantly picked fights with Huxley. She was relying on him for so much and yet was fighting with him over everything. She acted like a teenager and never really got better. If this was my first book by Quinn I probably would skip the author. There are better books out there. I did love the narrators. They did an excellent job bringing the story to life.

Book 1 Cane Brothers

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Shattered Truths by Evelyn Flood

4 Stars

We did this.

Our mate is broken. Trapped behind glass walls where we can't reach her, and our pack is trying to hold together the shattered pieces of what might have been in the midst of the wreckage Brett Rivers left behind.

She's coming back. We won't stop fighting.

But if we're ever going to have a chance of saving Kenny, we need to step up and be the alphas we should have been from the start.

Even if these small parts of her are all we ever get.

I was still so angry while reading this book. Not so much with the pack but with the people who refused to let things play out and see if Kennedy would get better. I knew someone was making it difficult for them but when it came out I was surprised. I liked how their HEA came about.

Book 2 All These Broken Parts

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No Matter the Cost by Anna Hackett

4 Stars

Bastian

I came from nothing and became known as the Reaper. The most feared CIA assassin in the business. Then I retired, faked my death, and now spend my time running my casino.

But there’s one part of my past I can’t let go—the tiny female assassin who’s vowed to kill me.

We were mentored by the same man, a man we both considered a father, but there’s nothing brotherly about what I feel for

Lark.

Now, we’re enemies and she won’t rest until I’m dead.

I won’t rest until she’s mine.

Lark

I have one mission—kill Bastian Thorne.

I lost everything when my parents were murdered. Until a grizzled CIA agent took me in and molded me into a deadly assassin.

Then Bastian executed him.

My plan: infiltrate Bastian’s luxurious life and take him down. But he proves hard to kill and forces me to face an ugly, tangled truth.

Secrets from my past collide with my blood-drenched present. I find myself in the sights of a dangerous killer. One with twisted reasons for wanting me dead.

Now, the only man I can trust is my enemy.

But I know getting close to Bastian is the biggest risk of all.

I really enjoyed this book. Lark may have been trying to kill Bastian but she had reasons and they were good reasons. Just like Bastian’s reasons for what he did were justifiable. I enjoyed how kickass Lark was and how much Bastian let her spread her wings. He just wanted to be her support and that is what happens. When the ending came about it was not a surprise how things played out but I enjoyed reading it.

 

Book 2 Unsanctioned

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Jagged Lies by Evelyn Flood

4 Stars

Six months ago, I had my life all figured out.

I was going to be free of this horrible town, away from the small-minded, perfect people who judged me at first glance without bothering to look again.

Nothing has changed.

And yet everything has changed.

The alphas that once acted as my shield now look at me with hatred in their eyes.

They say it’s my fault.

All of it is my fault.

But when fate decides I haven’t suffered enough, she slaps me across the face with a mating bond none of us wanted.

All of us are drowning in our pain. If we’re not careful, none of us will survive.

Not that I care.

I’m dying anyway.

I can’t believe it took me so long to read this duology. I loved the heartbreak in book one. I questioned so many things about the alphas and why they didn’t make an effort to talk with Kennedy. They just decided she was horrid and walked away. When they do finally start to realize something wasn’t right and started question I might have been super mad at all of them. When she reveals to them everything she went through my heart broke for her. She went through it and then lost them, her only family. The ending was just so much and I was glad book 2 was out and I could jump into it immediately.

Book 1 All These Broken Parts

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An Accidental Nest by Letty Frame

3 Stars

A surprise heat shouldn’t lead to two little pink lines…

As a successful Omega, I take pride in my work. With my upcoming heat edging closer, I had everything organized. Well, I did—until a company restructure sends me scrambling at the last minute, and fate lands me in the hands of Uri Rothschild, our COO… and my new scent match.

One scorching moment, one unexpected heat flare-up, and now I’m pregnant—with my boss’s baby.

Before I can even tell Uri the news, Opus Media’s Chief Security Officer, Sterling Carter, intercepts me, assuming I have ulterior motives. Turns out, he’s one of my new mates too… along with Paxton, the CEO, and Oscar, the CFO.

Four powerful men, all driven by the instinct to protect me and our baby, could unravel everything I’ve worked for. They want to build a future together, but I’ve spent my entire life proving I’m more than just my Omega instincts.

They’re willing to give me everything—but can I let go of the life I built to embrace the one created by our Accidental Nest?

I enjoyed reading this but it was too long. Things could have been cut to make it a better book. I also shouted at them several times that they all needed therapy. Sterling was my least favorite and he needed a wake up call and a redemption arc to make up for everything he put Emmaline through. Uri was a dick but he had reasons for it. I did like how they all came together in the end.

Book 1 Tying the Knot

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Second Shot by Violet James

3.5 Stars

Liam never got over Grace. Is this his second shot to finally get the girl?

Grace Knight thought nothing her tech billionaire twin brother did could surprise her anymore—until the day he bought a professional hockey team and moved it to Austin, Texas. Even more shocking? He just signed Liam O’Conner, the league’s star center…and the only guy Grace ever truly loved.

Liam O’Conner doesn’t care that Texas isn’t exactly a hockey hotbed. After a brutal divorce, all he wants is a fresh start for himself and his eight-year-old daughter. But his new life gets complicated fast when he discovers two things: the team owner is his old rival, and the team owner’s sister—his teenage best friend, his first love, and the woman who got away—is now his daughter’s third grade teacher.

Grace has no intention of getting involved with Liam again. He’s her brother’s player, her student’s dad, and the same man who shattered her heart years ago. He’s completely off-limits.

Except Liam can’t make himself care about limits. The spark he always felt with Grace is still there, stronger than ever before. When she starts to let her guard down and allow him into her life—and into her bed—Liam knows this is their chance to finally get it right.

But old mistakes and messy circumstances stand in their way. Can Liam convince Grace to risk her heart one more time? Or will the past steal their second shot at happily ever after?

I enjoyed Grace and Liam’s journey to HEA. His kid was amazing. I loved that her brother bought the team specifically to bring them back together. I will try the next one in the series.

Book 1 Austin Sting

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