He Sees You When You’re Sleeping by Atta Hensley

3 Stars

Why choose between naughty or nice in this steamy, suspenseful Christmas-themed stalker romance that’s perfect for dark romance readers seeking a spicy, festive read.

It’s the night before Christmas and I’m alone in the house…

Popular jewelry influencer Chloe Hallman is steeling herself to spend another holiday on her own. Instead, she finds herself drawn to two different guys… a smoldering hot fan of her secret, seductive online persona, and a sexy fireman named Jack who looks out for her in their NYC neighborhood.

She has no idea that I know her better than she knows herself. Her deepest secrets, her darkest desires—she's careful, but I’ve been watching, never leaving footprints in the snow outside her home.

Jack was the first responder to the accident that stole a beautiful young woman's family two Christmases ago, and he's been quietly guarding her ever since. When Jack uncovers Chloe’s secret account, his obsession only grows. Both he and Chloe are drawn to the darkness that mirrors their own.

She’s my Christmas wish come true. And I'm hers. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Will Chloe’s Christmas be a tale of fiery passion...or a dangerous game with a man whose love knows no bounds?

I liked this but not loved it. There was humor throughout the book with the stalking. The other man drama was just meh. I am still questioning how Jack finds Chloe when Chloe was in danger. I liked it enough to check out book 2.

Book 1 Naughty or Nice

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Hook Up by Kristen Callihan

2 Stars

The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone and above all…no falling in love.

Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is most definitely not on her to-do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?

Football has been good to Drew—two National Championships and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turn him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.

That is…until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives. Anna wants it to remain a hook up, but Drew sees the possibility of something great. Now it’s up to him to persuade her. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.

As the saying goes, All’s fair in love and football… Game on.

The book had a pacing issue which made me hate it. It took forever to get to the plot and the HEA. It just didn’t work for me.

Book 1 Game On

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Ice Cold Player by Nikki Hall

4 Stars

A deal with the devil...

Gavin

Anyone but her. Eva Adams—the entitled, picture-perfect cheer princess. Incapable of empathy, patently manipulative, and absolutely beautiful. I can’t afford her drama—I just want to play my last year of hockey without being kicked out of TU, but there she is on my first day back. Crying. In a weak moment, I make her an offer. An agreement I never thought she’d take. Except she surprises me, and now I’m faced with a dilemma. Protect my secrets…or win the girl.

Eva

Anyone but him. Gavin King—the rebellious, coffee-slinging hockey god. Arrogant, irreverent, and way hotter than he has any right to be. Despite the lady tingles, I’d be happy to spend my last year at TU without seeing his face—or his tattoos—again. It should be easy. I have cheer, I have my friends, and I have nowhere to live. To my eternal frustration, he offers me a solution…for a price. When I take the deal, I can’t help wondering what else I’ll give him before the end.

I loved this college hockey book. The characters were interesting, and I loved the plot. The way Gavin and Eva interacted made for a fun read. You will have so much empathy for Eva with a family like hers who needs enemies. Can’t wait to read future books in the series. Best character is Henry the duck.

Book 1 Beyond the Ice

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Lights Out by Navessa Allen

4 Stars

I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.

Trauma nurse Alyssa Cappellucci doesn’t need any more kinks. She likes the one she’s landed on just fine. To her, nothing could top the masked men she follows online. Unless one of those men was shirtless, heavily tattooed, and waiting for her in her bedroom. She dreams about being hunted by one in particular, of him chasing her down and doing deliciously dark things to her willing body. She never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become her new reality.

I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.

Joshua Hammond has an infamous father—the kind of man that true-crime podcasts love talking about. He’s spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans to drool over, but one follower has caught his eye: Aly. After reading a comment begging him to break into her house wearing a mask, he decides to take her up on her offer.

Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone else. Someone with far more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. As Josh turns from predator to protector and the stakes heighten, he must ask himself how far he’s willing to go for the woman he’s obsessed with.

I caved to all the Instagram reviews and I am happy about it. I loved this book so much. It is a dark romance that is more like a grey romance. The Joshua is such a teddy bear character that you just love him even though he is stalking Alyssa. He only stalks cause he doesn’t know any other way to get close to her. I enjoyed Josh’s interactions with Alyssa before and after the reveal of his identity. The way he interacts with her cat is so sweet and amusing. I just really enjoyed this book.

Book 1 Into Darkness

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Chase Lovett Wants Me by Helena Hunting

4 Stars

A fluffy, insta-love, laugh out loud, college hockey romance. Chase Lovett. Star of my (unrequited) fantasies. Hottest guy on campus. Hockey god.

Too bad he has no idea who I am. Literally, I’m so invisible to him that he once sat on me in class.

No thanks to a fire in the dorms, he just became my accidental roommate.

Did I mention the hotel room our university moved us to has only one bed?

Not ideal.

Worse, I accidentally left “My Precious” fantasy fandom underwear hanging to dry in our shower.

My actual nightmare.

My name is Cammie Lovelock and this might just be the worst, best thing that’s ever happened to me.

This was a solid book that fits with the authors other books. I loved the fanfic aspect of Cammie's life. Cammie and Chase are the most adorable of couples. It was a quick and easy read.

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Plays Well with Others by Lauren Blakely

3 Stars

Dating lessons from my football-playing best friend? Sign me up!
So I'm throwing myself a breakup party, a glittery fete where I envision I'll lift a glass and celebrate being free and single again.
What I actually do: Drink too much champagne and blurt out to my best guy friend that I’d really like to get back on the horse.
But what I truly don’t expect is Carter’s answer – he volunteers as tribute.
With his sinful brown eyes and too-good-to-be-true body it’d be no hardship for me to say yes, though I certainly don’t want him to feel obligated to, um, service me, just because my failed, loveless marriage was a s-e-x desert.
But since the charming and confident pro football star owes five public dates to his dating app sponsor, we make a deal to help each other out.
Pretty soon, our public how to date lessons turn into, ahem, very private ones. And I’m a star student, graduating quickly from flirty banter and lingering looks to toe-curling, sheet-grabbing, mind-blowing hours of physical education.
The problem? Turns out learning to date again feels a lot like the real thing. Can our friendship withstand all these late-night bedroom sessions?
Especially since I’m suddenly longing for my best friend and there’s nothing fake about my feelings…

This was a cute friend to lovers book. Carter is super sweet, and Rachel is on the rebound after a cheating ex. He is obligated to go on dates and so to help his BFF get back out there he agrees to date her so she can get used to dating. The problem is they catch feelings for each other. It was a pretty solid read.

Book 2 How to Date

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