SEX SAYS BY MAX MONROE-ARC REVIEW

Lola:

My name is Lola Sexton, and I’m a sex addict.
Okay…that’s a lie.
Truth is, I’m a serial dater turned dating and relationship columnist for The San Francisco Times. My readers call me Sex. Sex Says.
I love my job.
I love my life.
And I hate Reed Luca.
**

Reed

My name is Reed Luca, and I’m a liar.
Ironically, that’s the truth.
I’m 31, and my occupation is…well, complicated.
My favorite kind of woman comes in all shapes and sizes, but always has a big brain.
I’ve never hated anything.
Lola Sexton hates me.
Luckily, it’s a thin line between love and hate, and with my help, pretty Lola will only be able to straddle that line for so long.

Enemies to lovers can really work. The idea that people meet and instantly strike sparks of hatred is, in some ways, more believable than when people meet and fall immediately in love. But, in order for the enemies to lovers to work, I have to be able to believe that they will like one another, I need to like the characters.

Reed and Lola were enemies. And, it is pretty clear the reasons they have to dislike one another. I liked Lola, yes she was quirky, and it felt a little forced at times to me, but that is the writing style, the over the top quirky, so I can look past that.

The issue is Reed. You meet him when he is bragging about his past while admitting that lying and playing with people is his favorite way to pass the time. I need to like the hero, I need to want him to show her why he is great. Unfortunately, I never got to the point where I liked him. At all.

He stood up for her at a cost to himself, still a no. I wanted this to make me like him, and I see the evolution of his character, but at that point, I think I was too far gone to have this make me really be able to connect with him. And I think that was the issue, he rubbed me the wrong way enough that I was never able to make the transition to liking him.

He went for the meaningful gesture, still a no.

So, this is my first book by this author and while I am not a fan of this, I can say it is well written. The pacing was decent and the evolution of the story was well done. I can even say that the characters were consistent and I believed them. But, this was definitely not a great read for me.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

AMERICAN QUEEN SIGNED PAPERBACK AND AMERICAN PRINCE EBOOK BY SIERRA SIMONE-GIVEAWAY

Win a signed copy of American Queen and an eBook copy of American Prince by Sierra Simone

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HOLDING ON TIGHTER BY SHAYLA BLACK-REVIEW

Jolie Quinn is a woman in charge. Her no-nonsense attitude has made her a rising star in the fashion world and her brand a household name among the Dallas elite. Nothing will stop her from achieving her goals—not even the gorgeous British security contractor who seems just as interested in seeing her personal assets as he is in protecting her professional ones.

After a tragedy left him broken, Heath Powell made a rule of staying unattached. But Jolie challenges him in a way he can’t ignore, and he isn’t used to backing down from a confrontation—especially when the reward for winning could feel so good. As passion blazes between them, the stubborn, confident beauty arouses more than his desire. She touches his heart.

When a mysterious enemy threatens Jolie and her company, Heath is the only person Jolie can trust to help. But working with him to save her business might put her dangerously at risk of falling in love…

For me, a 5 star read is one you are still thinking about the next day. It's one that you can't put down, or if you do it is only because you have fallen asleep. It's one where you feel you have gotten to know the characters in the book, and have come to care about them.

I want to know what happens after the epilogue for Jolie and Heath. I loved their chemistry and their attraction to one another was amazing. I loved that she went after what she wanted. I also really liked the fact that they were both fairly sure of who they were and what they wanted.

Heath has a one-night-only rule. He doesn't break it. And then he meets Jolie...and he struggles with the rule. And then he breaks it (not really a spoiler as it would be tough for them to develop much of a relationship if he held to the rule)and the internal dialog is great. You get to know him, how he thinks, and what he wants.

I loved that Jolie was not only strong, but was able to recognize when others had her best interest at heart. I appreciated this a lot. Often, strong women are depicted as unable to recognize this and that becomes the issue of the relationship. In this, they each respected the other for who they were...and they loved one another for who they were. I liked this a lot.

And, he is intense. And this is great. This is not my first book by Shayla Black, but I have not read all of the books in this series. That said, you don't need to have read them for you to be able to enjoy this entry into the series.

I recommend this book. Highly.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

JACK OF HEARTS BY SANDRA OWENS- REVIEW

Alex Gentry doesn’t scare easily. Working as an undercover FBI agent in the biker bar he and his brothers co-own, he hangs with deadly criminals in order to gather information. Danger is just part of the family business. But one thing has him terrified: his attraction to Madison Parker.

Madison is the cousin of Ramon Alonzo, son and second in command to a notorious drug lord Alex is trying to bust. Alex has befriended Ramon as part of his cover, and Madison has unknowingly become his informant. Falling for her could risk this case—and both their lives.

All Madison wants is to get her new bookstore business off the ground, and for her creepy cousin Ramon—to whom she’s unfortunately indebted—to leave her alone. If she could only stop fantasizing about his mysterious new friend, Alex…

As the Alonzo cartel investigation heats up, so does their relationship. But will the secrets they’re keeping tear them apart—or get them both killed?

I picked this one up and put it down a couple of times.  And, unfortunately, it just didn;t work for me.

Alex and Madison had chemistry, they had passion, and I liked them as a couple...the issue was I just didn't believe the situations they found themselves in...and I never believed he would sneak into her window on a continual basis, as an example.  I don't want to get into specifics about what didn't work for me, as that will spoil it for others.  But I didn't believe the story which made it tough to invest in it.

This is my first book by the author, and I am interested in reading others, even though this was more of a miss than a hit for me.

Buy This Book!

Amazon

FLOW BY KENNEDY RYAN-RELEASE BLITZ

Flow, the prequel to GRIP, by Kennedy Ryan is now live and TOTALLY FREE!

And pre-order GRIP, the riveting full-length conclusion, while it's only 99c! Goes up to regular price $3.99 on release day, March 2!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY for a $50 GIFT CARD! www.facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor

"Flow is the intro to an epic love song. It's that first beat that has you stopping in your tacks and turning up the volume. The perfect cadence to a must-read prelude. 5 on top of the world stars!" -Mandi Beck, Bestselling Author of the Caged Love series and Stoned.

Blurb:

In 8 years, Marlon James will be one of the brightest rising stars in the music industry. Bristol Gray will be his tough, no-nonsense manager. But when they first meet, she’s a college student finding her way in the world, and he’s an artist determined to make his way in it. From completely different worlds, all the things that should separate them only draw them closer. It’s a beautiful beginning, but where will the story end?

I enjoy books about music so the blurb of this caught my eye.  I'm also a sucker for books that have the hero falling for a friend's sister-in this case her twin.  Flow was a good introduction novella for the characters in you'll meet later in Grip.

I wanted to hug Bristol.  She's trying to find her place, trying to reconnect with her brother-who doesn't even pick her up at the airport after not seeing her for years.  However, the person he sends in his place? Instant chemistry.  I mean, instant, no matter how much she fights that initial reaction.

Marlon-Grip-was a different type of hero for me.  There were parts of him I liked and parts that I really wasn't a fan of, but I chalked some of that up to his age.  I did like his connection with Bristol, but I had a hard time with him.

This book is definitely necessary to read before reading Grip.  The instant spark and connection helped me learn these characters and set up Grip nicely.

GRAB IT NOW FOR FREE! 

 Available on WATTPAD: http://w.tt/2kUo8Yk

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lAhSSC 

iBooks: http://apple.co/2mkAG88 

Nook: http://bit.ly/2lNxZyo

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lvKqOQ

"Ryan continues her streak of amazingly accessible and authentic romantic fiction. Grip is a bold and unapologetic look at interracial romance and does not shy away from any of the ideals and prejudices that most of us are too polite to acknowledge - head on- amidst one of the sexiest, and provocative true love romances Ryan has penned to date. Break out the fans folks, Grip is aptly titled and sure to make you need a grip! -- Sheena, Smexy Books

FLOW is the prequel chronicling the week of magical days and nights

that will haunt Grip & Bristol for years to come.

GRIP is the full-length conclusion of their story available March 2 here: http://kennedyryanwrites.com/grip/

Don't miss out on preordering GRIP - only 99c until release day when it goes up to $3.99!

PREORDER NOW: http://amzn.to/2lKfZVt

Blurb:

Resisting an irresistible force wears you down and turns you out. I know. I’ve been doing it for years. I may not have a musical gift of my own, but I’ve got a nose for talent and an eye for the extraordinary. And Marlon James – Grip to his fans – is nothing short of extraordinary. Years ago, we strung together a few magical nights, but I keep those memories in a locked drawer and I’ve thrown away the key. All that’s left is friendship and work. He’s on the verge of unimaginable fame, all his dreams poised to come true. I manage his career, but I can’t seem to manage my heart. It’s wild, reckless, disobedient. And it remembers all the things I want to forget.

About the Author:

Kennedy loves to write about herself in third person. She loves Diet Coke…though she’s always trying to quit. She adores her husband…who she’ll never quit. She loves her son, who is the most special boy on the planet. And she’s devoted to supporting and serving families living with Autism. And she writes love stories! For updates, new releases, giveaways and other adventures, subscribe to her newsletter: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/j9u8i3

You can learn more at: Facebook | Book Group | Bookbub | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Google +| Pinterest | Amazon