Alpha King’s Runaway Mate by Elara Haze

2 Stars

I spent a night with the alpha king

Then he rejected me and said “You’ll never be my mate.”

The night I was supposed to be presented to an alpha like a good little omega, I ran.

I wanted nothing to do with him, nothing to do with the bond.

So I slipped away into the gardens… and straight into the arms of a gorgeous, mysterious guard.

His dark eyes and scars screamed of danger, but I let myself have one forbidden night.

But the next morning, our bond snapped into place.

But it turns out, he wasn't a guard. He was Magnus Ashfjord, The Alpha King.

The ruler of over a hundred wolf packs.

And the man my pack once betrayed.

So when he found out, he rejected me.

And I did what I had to—I ran.

For three years, I’ve built a life without him.

Until fate rips us back together.

Because when I see Magnus again, with another woman around his arm, I want to tear her throat out.

My wolf snaps. I thought our bond had died, but it's stronger than ever.

And when I go into heat, there's only one king that can satisfy my needs.

But this time, I won’t let him break my heart…

There was so much repetitiveness in this book. I started skimming the story to finish the story. I liked the king and he tries so hard to make up with his mate but she was just awful. I struggled so much with her character and why she did what she did. Overall, I would skip this one.

Book 19 Forbidden Alpha Kings

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Claimed for Their Pleasure by LV Lane

2.75 Stars

For as long as I can remember, Brandon has been my obsession. But the shifter warrior had far higher standing in the clan and barely noticed me.

Until one day he did, and everyone assumed we would wed.

Then war arrived and brought a forgotten Alpha back into my life.

Gage, the mysterious warrior I found injured in the woods. Son of a clan king, he is also our enemy.

I can’t deny that I want Gage.

But I want Brandon too.

Then I revealed ...

Now both men want me.

Once again, war is coming, only this time ... it is over me.

I struggled with reading this one because the pacing was just off. Add in me bing reading all of them I didn’t need a recap of book 1 which is several chapters in this book. Once the book picked up about halfway through I enjoyed the reading. Brandon and Gage working together to please Jessa even though they sort of want to kill each other was a fun read.

Book 2 Coveted by the Barbarian

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Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

4 Stars

He is a hulking winged beast, complete with claws and fangs, and she is trapped alone with him in a dark tower. She should be terrified of him, so why does he turn her on?

Princess Candra must remain locked inside a tower for seven long years in order to protect her people from their goddess’s wrath. Seven years without a friend—or a lover—by her side. And locked inside the tower with her? A fearsome winged Fellian warrior, Nemeth.

He’s terrifying, cruel, and disturbingly magnetic . . . and the only other living being in the tower. Candra is torn between wanting to kill him for his supplies or having her way with him.
After all, seven years is a long time to be alone.

 

I really enjoyed this enemy to lovers story. Candra was a bit of a dick through half ish of the book until she started to fall for her enemy. Nemeth was awesome and even though she was his enemy he was willing to help her. I loved the interaction between the two of them and the ending was amazing.

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Falling Stars by Lex Martin

4 Stars

Falling for the guy who broke my heart years ago wasn’t on my to-do list when I snuck into his condo.

Maverick Walker was my best friend, my safe place—the boy I trusted with my whole heart—until one reckless kiss in high school ruined everything. Now, he’s an NFL football player, and I’m a struggling small-town hairstylist, newly single and expecting a baby. With my ex gone and someone vandalizing my business, my life feels like it’s crumbling beneath me.

When my best friend Paige suggests hiding out in Maverick’s swanky condo to regroup while he’s recovering from an injury in New York, it seems like a lifeline.

Except he comes home. Unexpectedly. When I’m half-dressed.

Now I’m stuck in his orbit again, unprepared for the way he still makes my heart race. Maverick is charming, ridiculously hot, and as off-limits as ever. But I have bigger problems than his smoldering smile—like figuring out who’s targeting me and why they won’t stop.

As the threats escalate, so do Maverick’s protective instincts. But with his life in New York and mine in Texas, our worlds couldn’t be further apart. And yet, with danger closing in, his arms are the only safe haven I have left.

But how do I let him protect me without risking my heart again—when loving him feels as out of reach as a falling star?

I really loved Maverick and Baylee’s romance. The friends to lovers is always hard to write well because of having to balance the romance and the friendship. This book balances out nicely. I loved how in Maverick was from the beginning of the book after his accident. He kept getting her things for her kid even though he didn’t have too. Baylee makes a hard decision for them when she breaks up with him cause she doesn’t want him to be forced to pick between her and his love of football so she takes herself out of the equation. You know what he is going to pick but how he tells her was amazing and I loved it. The mystery part of who is doing the vandalism was interesting choice. How they are caught was heart breaking. I did want more on that but it wasn’t vital to the story. Can’t wait for the next book.

Book 2 Wild at Heart

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Hero She Deserves by Anna Hackett

3 Stars

When he goes to investigate a blaring smoke alarm, the last thing he expects to find is Hollywood’s hottest actress…naked.

Deputy Sheriff Sawyer Lane likes the pace of life on Maui. After years as a Navy SEAL and in Ghost Ops, he likes that no one shoots at him. Coming to the island saved him. He still can’t sleep, but he’ll take the sun, sand, and solitude.

Then Oscar-winning actress Hollis Stanton rents the house next to his and torpedoes his solitude. When she sets her coffee machine on fire, he meant to help, not see every glorious inch of her from her russet-red hair to her red-painted toenails.

Soon, they’re running into each other everywhere, and it doesn’t take all of Sawyer’s finely-honed skills to know she’s in trouble and hiding from something. Or someone.

Hollis Stanton usually loves her life—movie roles she enjoys, an Oscar on her mantel, financial security. She’s come a long way from the poor, gangly redhead in hand-me-down clothes. But one stupid party held by a powerful movie producer changes everything.

She accidentally overhears something she shouldn’t have.

Now, someone is following her, breaking into her house, and crashing into her car. Her plan is to lay low in Hawaii. What wasn’t in her plan is the big, muscular, and rugged deputy sheriff next door. Nor is their scorching attraction.

When danger closes in, Hollis realizes Sawyer is the real deal—a hero with scars, who helps those in need.

A hero who will do anything to protect her.

I think this was my least favorite book from all of her books. Normally with series this author includes other characters from previous books but in this one it was just the couple. Which if I liked both of them might not have been bad but I really didn’t like FMC. I also had so many questions on how they kept finding Hollis. Add in some too stupid to live moments it just led to me not loving the book.

Book 4 Unbroken Heroes

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Traded for Their Pleasure by LV Lane

3 Stars

My husband conned two barbarians out of ten chickens.

Now they’re at my door demanding recompense.

I’m sick of my husband’s nonsense and nefarious trading ways.

Enough is enough, I’m set to leave him tomorrow.

Only the barbarians demand a trade for their ten lost chickens.

My scoundrel of a husband has just offered me.

Where I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book this one worked better for me. I liked how MMCs were with Megan. She had a crappy husband who when caught defrauding the barbarians gives her to them so he can get away. They take him up on it because they want her. Even though she was traded to them against her will they took it slow and made sure she was happy. The story just worked for me.

Book 3 Coveted by the Barbarian

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Bottles and Blades by Elise Faber

 

4 Stars

I fell in love with a billionaire. I just didn’t know it. Jean-Michel Dubois is the owner of the professional hockey team, the Oakland Eagles, and established the world-renowned Oak Ridge Vineyards.

And…he’s fallen for me.

Me. The boring woman who spends her time studying, baking cookies, and nannying for an adorable little girl.

A relationship between us makes no sense—I’ve tried to make him see that.

But he’s a successful businessman for a reason.

He's ruthless and goes after what he wants.

And he’s decided…That’s me.

I loved seeing how this book played out. The age gap between Jean-Michel and Tiffany was large but it worked. I loved how Tiffany got on with Jean-Michel’s daughter. One thing I wanted more on was what happened with the ex-wife. It was a big part of the book but seemed by the end it was swept under for the relationship.

Book 1 Eagles Hockey: Oak Ridge Vineyards

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Cover Reveal: Lex Martin

 

#PreOrderHere

https://geni.us/BurningSkiesEbook

 

What you will find inside…

🔥Enemies to Lovers

🔥Small Town

🔥Romantic Suspense

🔥Forbidden Romance

🔥Cowboy Romance

🔥Firefighter + Teacher

 

Crossing a line has never felt this good.

I’m what you’d call a good girl—at least that’s what my family thinks. But I’m tired of living by everyone else’s rules. So when I sneak into a scandalous, masked costume party and spot Beau Walker—my longtime crush and family’s sworn enemy—I do something bold: I throw caution to the wind and cross the one line that's utterly forbidden.

Hidden by shadows and masks, we lose ourselves in the hottest night of my life. Until I accidentally moan his name, and everything comes crashing to a halt.

Beau says things I can’t forget, and my fantasy of him shatters along with my heart.

But when a series of fires at the high school where I teach becomes suspiciously frequent, I’m forced to see the one firefighter I wish I could forget.

And when our long-simmering tension finally ignites, the heat between us lights up the sky—and reveals a danger neither of us saw coming.

Burning Skies is an enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance that features a scorchingly hot firefighter and the little sister of his long-time nemesis. If you enjoy cowboy families, old vendettas, and small towns brimming with secrets, this one is for you!

✨INFLUENCERS: Sign up to review here: https://bit.ly/burningskiessignup

Sable Peak by Devney Perry

Vera Gallagher is chasing constant. For four years, her life was anything but normal. And the years before that she refuses to even remember. Dwelling on the past only hurts. Life is fragile, a lesson her mother taught her well. She’s determined not to waste a moment of her newfound freedom.

Maybe some would consider her crush on Mateo Eden wasted time. Maybe some would call her a fool for loving a man who hasn’t once dropped a crumb of interest her way. Still, to Vera, it’s Mateo or nothing.

He’s handsome. Charming. Witty. And he loves his family the way Vera loves—with her whole heart.

Maybe he’ll never notice her. Maybe she’s too damaged, too broken, to find that normal life she craves. Maybe her secrets will always keep them apart. But Vera will love him anyway. Whether Mateo realizes it or not.

Vera and Mateo make such a cute couple and I loved the family were happy for them. However, Vera needed to get so much therapy after everything she had been through to work through her issues and she never did. This led to all the problems in the relationship.

Book 6 The Edens

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Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates

3 Stars

Tourists may flock to Rustler Mountain, Oregon for its Wild West reenactments, but for locals, the feuds between the outlaws and the lawmen are still very much alive in this new series from New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates - ideal for fans of Lyla Sage, Elsie Silver, Jennifer Ryan and Robyn Carr.

 

Every year, thousands of people come through Rustler for the rodeo, historic home tours, old-fashioned candy making demonstrations, sharpshooter shows—and to see the site of the 1800s shootout in which notorious outlaw Austin Wilder was killed by Sheriff Lee Talbot. Now Millie Talbot, the sheriff’s descendant, wants to bring back the town’s Gold Rush Days. But she needs the current Austin Wilder’s support to make her dream a reality. . .

 

The Wilders are rumored to be as true to their last name as their ancestors. Nonetheless, Austin is agreeable to helping Millie. But he wants something in return. Austin is working to clear his family name by writing the true history of his outlaw ancestors and Millie might just hold the key.

 

When Millie wrangles Austin into helping plan Gold Rush Days, he figures it’s a chance to get to the truth of the past. . . . But when sparks start to fly between this bad boy and good girl, will either of them come out of it unscathed?

 

Who doesn’t love a librarian with a cowboy. I loved these two finding their HEA and getting the town to get over their prejudice. The world and characters are well developed. I am invested in reading more from the Wilders.

Book 1 Rustler Mountain

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Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

4 Stars

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

This book took the miscommunication trope to the nth degree. They both wanted the fake relationship to be real but thought the other didn’t. Jacob didn’t feel like he could ask cause of his anxiety. While Briana thought he was still in love with his ex. It didn’t help that they both had crappy ex partners and that played into the miscommunication. This is the biggest drama in the book and once they figure it all out they were just so cute.

Book 2 Part of Your World

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Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson

3 Stars

Keyanna “Key” MacKay is used to secrets. Raised by a single father who never divulged his past, it’s only after his death that she finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. But repeating her father’s mistakes and being rescued by a gorgeous, angry Scotsman—who thinks she’s an idiot—is definitely the last thing she expects.

 

Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore—a lass with captivating eyes and the last name he’s been taught not to trust. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family; the strange powers she begins to develop; and the fierce determination she brings to every obstacle in her path. Things he shouldn’t care about, and someone he definitely doesn’t find wildly attractive.

 

When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after—and that she might also be the key to uncovering his. Up against time, mystery, and a centuries old curse, they’ll quickly discover that magic might not only be in fairy tales, and that love can be a real loch-mess.

Writing was fine and so was the story. The secret dragged on way too long and it irritated me. I wanted more back story for both Lach and Key. There is so much left out that I wanted to know more about.

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Always the one for me by Carrie Ann Ryan

3 Stars

It took two days for me to know Kendall was the one for me.

And it took two years for me to realize I had to leave in order to protect her.

When I walked away, I told myself it was for the best. But now we work together, and every time we’re in the same room, we end up fighting. If we didn’t, we’d end up naked. Or worse–spilling heartbreaking secrets.

If she knew the truth, she’d either walk away for good or convince me to take a second chance. The first thing would break me, and the second would break her. I can’t let either of those things happen…

This book frustrated me from beginning to end. Should Evan have been more open with Kendall…yes but how does she not get the trauma when she knew he lost his two best friends. The arguing just frustrated me. I did love the narrators. They did an excellent job bringing the characters to life.

Book 2 The Wilder Brothers

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Loaded Laces by Elise Faber

4 Stars

A decade ago she broke me.

Now she’s back…with a kid in tow.

Belle Harrison dumped me right before I got my first big contract, breaking my heart and sending me straight into a life of singlehood.

Once bitten and twice shy, and all that.

Of course that was before she showed up after a decade, asking questions in the locker room after a game.

Questions that make me rethink everything I thought I knew.

And remind me why I never wanted to let her go in the first place.

And why I won’t ever let her go ever again.

I loved seeing this second chance romance between Belle and West. Seeing them come together was so sweet and amazing. They both needed time to grow and change before coming back together.

Book 3 Eagles Hockey

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Duke’s Inconvenient Bride by Jayne Rivers

3 Stars

A jilted duke. A shy wallflower. A marriage of convenience that neither of them wants.

 

When Lady Emma Carlisle’s twin sister jilts the wealthy and influential Duke of Ashford, their distraught parents pressure shy Lady Emma to marry the duke in her sister’s place, dashing her hopes of a love match.

 

Lady Emma is determined to make the best of the situation, but her new husband is cold, aloof, and wants nothing to do with her. In his quieter moments, she catches glimpses of a thoughtful and intelligent man she’d like to know better, if only he weren’t determined to keep her at a distance.

 

Lady Emma is willing to offer the duke her heart, but she knows there’s every chance he’ll break it. After all, why would the handsomest man in the ton fall for his second best bride?

 

If you love the glamor of Bridgerton or the drama of Downton Abbey, then The Duke's Inconvenient Bride is your next must-read book.

This was an ok historical romance. It wasn’t the best or the worst. The drama with the sister irritated me. Add in the duke being an idiot. It was just an ok read.

Book 1 Unconventional Brides

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Safe Haven by Jarica James

3 Stars

Who knew that two words could shatter every hope and dream Briar had for her future.

You’re pregnant.

Most omegas dream of this, but the only thing Briar can think about is that awful night. While she suffers alone, her attacker gets to flaunt his perfect life in her face.

Until his assistant finds out her secret.

Now she finds herself being exiled from not only her dream job, but her home and city. The betrayal cuts so much deeper when her family is the one to put the final nail in the coffin that was her life.

Her brother, and only ally left, calls on his best friend. She knows no pack will want her, she’s carrying another alpha’s baby, she’s damaged goods. To her relief, the pack agrees.

But when she tries to get them to drop her off at the omega shelter, they refuse. Instead they offer her a temporary place to stay while she decides what to do next. The problem is that with each passing day she spends with the pack, she gets more attached.

When she agrees to be their date to a charity event, she didn’t expect it to change their lives. Secrets are revealed and when her attacker crosses her path again, she quickly realizes that her happy ending may be ripped away for good.

Will her new pack claim her as their own, or will she be forced to live a life she never wanted?

This was a hard book to read just because Briar got put through the ringer. I loved the pack with her so much. They were so sweet and wanted her to be happy and healthy. They bend over backwards to keep her safe when the laws are against her. Her brother was also awesome who was willing to go to bat for her and keep her safe.

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Art of Marrying Your Enemy by Alina Jacobs

 

3 Stars

Forget the summer I turned pretty…that was the summer I got hips, acne, and utterly humiliated by Aaron Richmond.

This summer? This is the summer I had to marry the bastard.

When I walk down the aisle towards my enemy, all to save the Coleman family fortune, I shouldn’t give in to my wounded inner 14-year old-self. I should smile, blink up at him prettily, and declare to have and to hate…

Err...hold.

Too bad I’m Granny Madge’s namesake.

As soon as I begrudgingly say, I do, I toss three tiers of wedding cake on my new husband, kick him in the balls, and down a whole bottle of champagne.

He retaliates by dropping me face-first in his foyer after carrying me over the marital threshold.

I respond in a mature manner by eating a bag of chips in his bed and letting my cat puke on his pillow.

Yeah, this is totally how I’d always fantasized about becoming Mrs. Richmond during my teenage infatuation.

That obsession? Gone.

Never to return.

Not even when he takes off his shirt and his hair is slightly messy over his forehead…

In fact, I loudly declare that I am dryer than my mom’s spelt muffins.

Suddenly that six-five muscular body is hovering over me—the deep voice purring in my ear…

“This will go easier for you if you aren’t.”

Gulp.

We’re not married like that.

There’s a dangerous glint in his eye when he drops the 530 page marriage contract on the table, turns to page 280 and informs me that we have to consummate the marriage or the whole thing is null and void.

“You should have read the contract, Coleman.”

Damn him he’s right.

Because if I’d known I’d have to sleep with my husband, I never would have married him.

Daisy was a doormat throughout the story and she never grew a backbone. She was never a priority even after Aaron realized his feelings. This type of book needs to have a redemption and a strong character development and these were missing. It also missed on being labeled a romantic comedy when there was so much trauma and discord between characters.

Book 2 The Richmond Brothers

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High Sticking by Marie M

4 Stars

Ariella Contreras doesn't need distractions.

She’s fought too hard for her independence to let tradition, family expectations, or a man derail her career. So when a tall, cowboy-hat-wearing Texan in too-tight Wranglers approaches her at a bar and begs her to be his fake date to dodge an ex? She should’ve trusted her gut and told him to get lost.

Because the guy she'd never see again?

Yeah, he's Dalton Langley—the star player on the hockey team she's been hired to be the strength and conditioning coach for. Oh, and he's her new boss's son.

Thanks to a dumb team policy, her job is under scrutiny, and walking away from the "girlfriend" charade isn’t an option. What was supposed to be one night of fake dating quickly spirals into something neither of them saw coming. Lines blur, emotions get tangled, and walking away might hurt like a High Stick to the Heart.

I loved this book so much. All of the characters make the book enjoyable to read. I loved Ariella’s cousin Graciella. The interaction between them made me laugh so much throughout the story. I loved the interaction between Ariella and Dalton. Overall, it was a cute romance that kept me entertained.

Book 1 A Scoring Chance

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Crimson River by Devney Perry

3 Stars

Lyla Eden has spent the last few years watching her siblings fall in love. Meanwhile, she’s married to her job. It’s on her hundredth consecutive workday that her sister stages an intervention, kicking Lyla out of her own coffee shop. With nothing else to do, Lyla sets out on her favorite hiking trail.

It’s there that she spots a man washing blood from his hands in a stream. One moment she’s staring at the jagged scar on his face. The next, his hand is around her throat. But by some miracle, he lets her go.

Shaken to her core, Lyla reports the incident to the local police. Two days later, Vance Sutter arrives in town, armed with endless questions and a tarnished badge.

Vance may be ruggedly handsome but he’s as mysterious as the man he’s hunting. And he’ll be gone from Quincy in a blink. Yet Lyla’s crush is impossible to stop.

No matter how hard Vance tries to ignore it, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. And avoiding Lyla is not an option. After years of chasing dead ends, she’s his only lead to closing the case that haunts his career. So together, they’ll retrace her steps.

To find the scarred man she met beside a crimson river.

I wanted to like this book because I liked Lyla in the other books. The serial killer plot was a lot and the ending was meh. I did like the love between Lyla and Vance.

Book 5 The Edens

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