review :: Heights of Desire by Mara White

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Oh, mamacita... This book, you guys!!! This. Book! I felt like I was one bad mamma jamma playing with fire and I loved it! So sinful, so delicious, so naughty yet nice. It had the perfect mix of fear and recklessness, the right blend of heart and steam. My mouth waters just thinking about the follow up... You can't leave me like this, Mara! I NEED!!! 

First of all, how delicious is this cover?! I LOVE! So scorching hot without being tacky; it got me pumped up to read the book immediately, pushing it straight to the top of my (loooong) TBR list! If you give me an older woman meets younger man premise with a steam factor of 10000+, you can be darn sure I'm gonna jump on it faster than Jaylee jumped on Kate... *wink*

Truthfully, it took me a while to get into the story at first because it felt kind of rushed to me, like they met one second and were shoving their tongues down each other's mouths the next. I didn't feel like I "knew" them well enough to be invested in their story yet. BUT... Boy, I was in for a shock because I did not even remotely imagine what laid ahead! I really didn't really know what to expect other than knowing the book portrayed the story of Kate Champion, a married 42 year old mother of 2 precious girls and Jaylee Inoa, a 23 year old latino who meet by chance and can't deny the inexplicable pull that draws them together almost right off the bat. Crazy, right!? Can you imagine?! Fanning myself!

It does occur to me that it’s absolutely ridiculous that I’m holding his hand. I have no idea what I’d say if my husband walked around the corner or even a friend for that matter. What would I do, introduce him? I don’t even know him. Oh this is the kid from the thug-ground that I’ve been thinking about incessantly for a week. I can’t stop because I think he’s invaded every cell in my body. And now, I’m holding his hand – why you ask? Well, because I’m fucking crazy.

I quickly shook off this uneasy feeling and became more and more invested in the story without realizing it. Faster than I could blink, 11 p.m. came around, then midnight... then 1 a.m... 2 a.m... I simply couldn't put it down! Isn't that what you want from a book?! To be so swallowed into the story that you need the next page like your next breath? LOL, dramatic but true, right?! That's what Kate and Jaylee's story awoke in me. Like a typical affair, the lies start to stumble out of Kate's mouth and she's stuck in this web that keeps growing bigger and bigger.

“Jaylee babysits, Carmen. He’s a friend of Stephani’s. She recommended him for days that she has classes and can’t watch the girls,” I stumble through yet another lie.

I loved Jaylee's naivety behind his rough exterior. This is a man who is in love for the first time with a woman twice his age, who lives on the wrong side of town with his grandma, mama and sister, basically supporting them all, who associates with the wrong crowd but still thinks a good life for him, Kate and her two daughters is possible. He believes in it so hard that you find yourself believing in it and praying for it to happen just as much as he does! He's a sweetie and has no inhibitions to introduce Kate to his family for who she is, frosty reception from mama Janet and sister Janinie be damned!

“Kate, qué gusto. Jaylee nos ha contado mucho de tí,” she gushes.
What could he possibly have told them? My age? That I’m married with children? Oh, God I feel sick. I’m a bad person.
“Bella y profesional,” she says and squeezes my hands in hers.

I love that they spoke in Spanish and that I understood it all, being Portuguese and a bit "latina" myself, hehe. His grandma is so nice and Jaylee is so proud to introduce the woman he loves to his family! Swoooon! I love this small but cozy and loving family vibe, away from all the cold glitz glam and money Kate is used to.

I reach out and squeeze Jaylee’s thigh. I’m honored that he’s brought me here, that he has enough confidence in our relationship to make it public to the people that matter most. He puts his hand on top of mine and drinks me in with his golden eyes. My heart surges in response.

Just one more sweet and sugar tidbit for you guys... Mamá Gladys and Jaylee are so sweet together, sigh. He has a heart so big and warm that instantly made me root for him and Kate extra hard.

“Mamá, no te dijé que era la mujer más bella?” he says. It’s Gladys that he calls Mamá. (...) “No te creas, Mamá, esa se va a quedar conmigo pa’ siempre, ya tu verás.”

"Didn't I tell you she was the most beautiful woman? She's gonna stay with me forever"... Sigh!!! Jaylee, you have my heart! BUT YOU GUYS! Hello! Can I have your attention, please?! The sex in this book is caliente!!! Muy, muy caliente! Well, yeah, so I DO enjoy this "forbidden fruit" kinda thing, shoot me! *wink* But to be fair, I really needed the book to be more than just "oh, we're not supposed to be together but we can't resist each other and we're gonna hump like bunnies until her husband finds out". I needed more emotional depth than that, and Mara sure stepped up and delivered! The way Jaylee looks at Kate like she holds all the power and gorgeousness in the world...

“Jaylee, open your eyes.”
His eyes pop open and he looks deeply into me with a devotion that is humbling. I pull him to me again and gently guide him inside of me. He closes his eyes and moans. He rocks his hips softly and pushes himself deeper. His mouth goes to my neck, my breasts.

But then...

But no matter how hard I try to pretend otherwise, the mood has definitely changed. My arousal is heightened by the other man’s presence. I feel slutty and lascivious and the performer inside me, whom I never knew existed, is more than obliging to put on a show. (...) I assume Jaylee will come in my mouth but when he stiffens again, he withdraws himself completely and I quickly realize that he’s aiming for something more dramatic due to our newfound audience. Jaylee wants a money shot.

And THAT is just a small teaser! Phew, it is hot in here or what?! I need several cold showers! Teehee! While this book is heavy on the steam and the love, it's also heavy on the drama and suspense. I found myself hanging by a small thread at times, fearing what blow Mara was gonna deliver next. I'm not much of a mystery/drama/thriller kinda girl at all, but I loved the twists in this book. You just know that someone like Jaylee won't have things delivered to him on a silver platter, and it's heartwarming to see what great lengths and heights Kate is willing to go to just to be with Jaylee. Oh, and that twist plus Robert's malicious ways... That sneaky, vile snake! But not to end this review on a bad note...

Instead, I wrap my spent body around his and whisper, “I belong to you” into his ear. He holds me tightly, ferociously, and remains inside me long after he’s softened and his desire has abated.

Deep sigh... This book is so exceptional in its own unique little way and Ms. White genuinely did so good! It started a little shakily for me but when it picked up, dang, it picked up! One of my favorite reads of 2014 without a doubt and I'll be pining for the next book like a drop of water in the desert! Don't leave me hanging, Mara... *pouty face*!

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 4.5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Very steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, dark, erotica

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 280 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: To be continued...

SEQUEL :: Yes }

review :: Pieces of You and Me by Pamela Ann

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Another sinful, sexy and delicious read by Pamela Ann! Can she do any wrong?! I die for her books and her swoon worthy alpha males! 

Pamela, Pamela, Pamela... How I love thee! I wish I could put into words what makes Pamela Ann's books so special to me, but it's like lightning in a bottle. Her books get to me every time because it's like she knows what I'm craving in my heroes: supreme alpha males with OTT possessive tendencies that make my panties combust... and Mr. Greyson was no exception. Holy freaking cow, can I get a sexy fireman up in here?!?! One that looks like Greyson, by any chance? Teehee!

Like I have previously stated in some of my Goodreads reviews, Pamela's writing is one of my favorite kinds of writing. She writes real, raw, intense, gripping and passionate stories that hit the spot every single time. Pun intended, mind you! Her books always deliver on the delicious and toe-curling steam, over the charts drama and angst (which I live and breathe for!) and super sexy, holy-freaking-cow-get-naked-with-me-now heroes. Bass Cole? Carter Mason? Greyson Edwards? Wait... Wait. Oh my. You don't know who I'm talking about? WHAT?! *gasp* omg, go read the Torn series and Pieces of You & Me like, right NOW! Good grief, women! What's wrong with y'all? LOL

As I was saying... Pamela struck gold with me with this book also because I've been on a real "hero and heroine seemingly hate each other BUT secretly love each other and can't wait to get into each other's pants" kinda kick. Ya feel me? It's such a great setup for a fab romance, is it not? And let me tell you, Pamela more than delivered on the sexual tension and angst. Boy, did she ever! But here's the deal: Olivia Taylor and Greyson Edwards were each other's first love, first kiss... Swoon! Aren't third grade Liv and Grey the cutest, most precious babies? Sigh!

“You’re mine now, Olivia Taylor.”

And he was mine.

Glancing down at my lucky charm bracelet that I’d made last week, I pulled it off my wrist and handed it to him. “Here, keep it safe. I’ll always come back to you.”

"Are we forever, Liv?"

"Forever, Grey," I promised.

Until, one day, they weren't. And thus, they hated each other's guts fervently.  

Olivia Taylor…

Had been…

My first crush.

My first kiss.

My first love.

My first heartbreak.

Things fell apart during fourth grade and it hadn’t stopped since.  

Yep! Olivia can't stand Grey, and Grey can't stand Olivia. On the outside, that is. Because we know better, don't we girls? Teehee! So, what happened? I'll let you figure that out by yourselves. But do know one thing: the sexual tension in this book is off the charts! Phew! Miss Pamela Ann makes us wait long and good before some sexy time ensues, mainly because I neglected to mention one thing... Olivia has a boyfriend. Oops? His name is Liam and he lives in Australia, where Olivia plans to relocate to real soon. Oh, and also? Liv is forced to live in the same house as Grey. Gosh! This love triangle is soooo up my alley it's ridiculous! Did I mention that Pamela just knows what I crave in a book?! Squeeeee!!!

“So, how was Australia? I heard that you slept your way around all summer long. I’m curious; do you prefer American or Aussie dicks? Or are they all the same? A dick is a dick, right?” I heard him snort, which angered me even more.

“Yes, they’re all juicy, Grey.”

“Mine is oozing, Liv. Keep that in mind, will ya? Might come handy to you if you need to get a workout done.”

Aaaaaah, dead! I love this banter between them! I live for these kind of books, you guys, you don't even know. The sexual innuendos, the flirting between those two who are supposed to hate each other... Stick a fork in me, I'm done! It doesn't help that Greyson has an available posse of women at his beck and call, which drives Olivia mad. I wonder why... *wink* A self proclaimed ladies man and a feisty woman with balls of steel screams the perfect combination, if you ask me! Especially when Grey's not too pleased to see Olivia gather some interest from his friends... 

My eyes flashed back, not backing down. “You’re breaking codes here, bro. You know better than to fuck with me.”

Gavin stood up, pulling his sleeves up. “Who gives a fuck about what happened in third grade! We’ve all moved on! If you want to take this out somewhere, I’ll be more than happy to take you there.”

Oh, and let's not forget Liv...

Eyes wide as saucers, I watched as they both kissed while Grey kept his eyes glued to me, taking in my reaction. When their kiss deepened, I snapped out of my trance and immediately ran upstairs to my bedroom. My body shook with rage. With anger that wanted to cause pain. With endless loathing. And with jealousy… Grey meant nothing to me and yet, for some strange reason, I was jealous. Maybe it was just all the tension and stress from it all that I might be imagining it… yeah, that was probably it.

Oh, honey, you really are clueless... But Liv does love Liam, just not as much as (I know) she loves Greyson. It's hard being in a long distance relationship and I know that firsthand, so I could relate to Olivia. That doesn't mean she didn't get on my nerves a hell of a lot! She could very well be one of the most indecisive and irritating heroines of Pamela's, but that didn't deter me from enjoying the book unlike some people. I tolerate her and I do love her and Greyson together. And when they do get together... oh, man, it's explosive! But Liv is so scared, it broke my heart at times.

“I don’t know,” he sighed before lifting his head to the sky as if the stars held the answers. “This thing I feel for you…” He shook his head, not finishing his sentence.

This thing he felt for me… no. No. Just fucking no. Don’t even go there. We couldn’t. Fuck no. “Tell me you hate me,” I demanded, gazing at his face, begging. Desperate because my body would be volunteering any day now.

With his face still directed to the Heavens, he whispered to it, “I hate you… so much.”

Tempted to read this rollercoaster ride? You better be! This is the perfect book for you if you love crazy, sexy, make-no-apologies-for-who-I-am alpha males, a semi love triangle, a ton of thick sexual tension, blurred lines (did you just sing the song? I know you did!) mixing love and hate, mouthwatering steamy scenes and an awesome story that only Pamela Ann can weave so perfectly. The only reason I'm giving this 4.5 stars instead of 5 is the ending... I feel it happened only so it could provide some sort of cliffhanger and the book could've been a standalone, only longer. But that's it! Go buy this book immediately! And while you're at it, make sure to check out the Torn series if you haven't already! Deeeelish!

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 4.5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, erotica

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 211 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: To be continued...

SEQUEL :: Yes }

review :: Kiss the Sky by Krista and Becca Ritchie

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Move over, every single author on the planet! Krista and Becca Ritchie have latched onto my defenseless, unprepared, battered but content heart and these uber talented ladies are here to stay! "Kiss the Sky" was absolutely breathtaking, emotional, bullshit free, refreshing, honest, beautiful, endearing and, most of all, PERFECT! Seriously, I don't wanna throw this word around so it loses its meaning, but this book is sheer perfection. I kid you not.

But anyway... Let's get down to business. You absolutely must read the first 3 books of the series (2 full books and a novella, to be precise) about Loren and Lily who, by the way, are so amazing in this book!!!! You can just feel the love and adoration and absolute passion emanating from these two. It's totally swoon worthy and sickeningly sweet in the best possible way. The only way I can accurately describe their relationship is by saying they're the most dysfunctional but functional couple I have ever met. Doesn't make any sense? I know. Lily and Lo are, without a doubt, up at the top of my favorite book couples, ever. Their love is on a league of its own. Just a recap: Lily is a sex addict and Loren is an alcoholic. Both in recovery in this book, btw. Help yourselves to my review here.

“You do realize that Lily loves Loren more than anyone else on the planet? If they were both given the ultimatum of oxygen or each other, I’m fairly certain they’d choose to suffocate.”

DYING!!!! But anyway. This book is about characters we meet in the first 3 books, actually, and it's told in dual POV's: Lily's sister slash "ice queen", tougher than nails, smarter than anyone ever, sophisticated lady and owner of Calloway Couture, Ms. Rose Calloway and the ever sassy, smartass, inhibited, brutally honest, careless but careful, Mr. Connor Cobalt. I've gotta be honest with y'all, I wasn't feeling this book at first. I even put it down once yesterday before picking it back up today, which rarely happens unless I give up on a book. Don't get me wrong, I love Rose and Connor, but I wasn't all that excited about reading this book in the first place because I'm not a fan of series about different characters. I just wanted Lily and Loren's story to continue forever, ya know? But of course, Krista and Becca had different plans for me and they gave me a story so deep, so fulfilling, so enthralling that it felt like this book was a slap to my face to punish me for my stupidity and preconceived notions. Thank you, ladies! *wink*

So, here are the kicks: Calloway Couture is under fire because the scandal broke that Lily is a sex addict. Suddenly, in the middle of it, the sisters are proposed with their own reality show, "Princesses of Philly", in order to attempt to clear the Calloway name. The show features Rose, Lily, Daisy, Ryke, Loren, Connor... and Scott, the producer and Rose's ex-boyfriend. Can you scream awkward?! 'Cause I can. Holy mother friggin' cow, I say. There is sooooo much going on in this book. The focus shifts between Lily and Loren, Rose and Connor (and Scott, ew), Daisy and Ryke... it makes my head spin, you guys. But in a good way! Also? Rose is a virgin. Also? Connor absolutely doesn't believe in love. Yep. A good more than half of the book revolves around the struggle between Connor and Rose, each other's demons and it is so amazing. So, so amazing. This creates drama because Scott, being the producer, twists everything around to make himself look good (the disgusting, vile snake!). Connor feels as if he's slowly losing Rose because of what burdens him, and it slays me. Rose's steely and unshakable confidence cracks under the thought Connor will never feel love for her. Heartbreaking, you guys.

“I’m not asking you to love me,” I tell her. “I think we’re both smart enough to choose oxygen.” I don’t see how love could benefit me.

Her eyes fall and her lips downturn. After a full minute of silence, she says, “I’d choose to die if it meant my sisters could live. You think it’s stupid, but sometimes love is worth every foolish choice you make.” She hops off the counter.

There's a scene in the bathroom (read it and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about) that solidifies what I love about these anticipation novels. They're so deep and so much more real than others, in a way. Your senses are in overdrive and you feel everything, every single word and every single action. Right? This scene in particular touched me, mainly because of Rose's naivety and Connor's "no bullshit" attitude. It's just so refreshing. But the insecurities are never far behind. Sigh.

“You’re not a pit stop. You’re my finish line. There’s no one after you.” I kiss her powerfully, my tongue parting her lips, and she responds. But not as much as I hoped. So I break apart and add, “I want you for eternity, not for a brief moment in time.”

I don’t understand why every time I speak it sounds like an empty pickup line.

The desperation is palpable, especially in a guy who is always so confident and cocky that nothing ever gets to him (at the surface, at least). But trust me, you guys. Connor simply does not believe in love or his worthiness of being loved. Kinda reminds me of a certain Mr. Grey, does it not?

“I never worry,” he says. “I do believe in love. When I was a child I thought it wasn’t real, but I’ve come to see that it does exist for some people. Just not me.” 

Right. He can’t love anyone. He’s too analytical, I suppose. I’ve come to accept it, but there’s a part of me that wants so badly to be his first love the way he’s mine.

But, fear not, because even if he doesn't admit he loves her, we all know he does. Deeply so. Am I right, ladies?! Sweet, rational, beautiful Connor...

“It wasn’t fair to the other people I was with, but you’ve been the most fascinating person to me. And no one could really compare in my mind.”

You guys, no word of a lie, I wanna give you every single line of this book. It's so fresh and unique and so awesome to be inside Connor and Rose's mind, so very stimulating too. I'm in love with this book!!!! Good grief, I'm pathetic, LOL. This book literally blindsided me because I genuinely didn't expect to fall so deeply in love with both Rose and Connor, in addition to Lily and Loren! This is such a fantastic book that everyone has to read. Yep, people, I ain't giving y'all a choice here, so read this now!

“One day,” he breathes, “we’re going to look back and recount all that we’ve done together. And we’re going to think, goddamn we were only twenty-four.”

My eyes well. “We’re the responsible pair.”

“The ones who clean everyone’s messes.”

“The ones everyone turns to,” I add.

Do you ever just find yourself reading a book and, somewhere along the way, totally out of the freaking blue, you get this overwhelming feeling of "Whoa, man. Wait a second. I have never ever read anything quite like this before! What is happening? What sort of spell did the author cast on me?! Help!" No? Is it just me? If you've never felt anything like this before, I genuinely pity you and I hope the literary Gods solve this problem immediately, because gosh darn, this feeling is glorious. I feel like I'm a part of this big dysfunctional family. I feel like I'm BFF's with Lo, Lily, Rose, Connor, Daisy, Ryke... Gosh! This is me, deep sighing and feeling my eyes roll back in utter delight and contentment. In a literary world where every book seems to blend into one and every story you read seems to be an exact replica of the previous one, it's so amazing to find that book which is the equivalent one person dressed in a neon yellow top and pink wellies in between tons of people wearing black. Do you feel me?! Aaaaah!

“Kiss the sky with me,” Connor whispers, a beautiful smile pulling his lips, “and don’t ever comedown.”

Thank you sooo much, girls. You guys are writing these series that fulfill a craving so deep within me which had been unknown to me until now. It fills my heart with such joy and hope to find someone who loves me as deeply as Loren loves Lily and Connor worships Rose. That's what life's all about in the end, isn't it? I can't wait for the next books, namely Daisy and Ryke's book "Hothouse Flower" in March 2014 and my loves Lily and Loren's next two books, "Thrive" and "Addicted After All" due Spring 2014... Squeeeee!!!! I'm so, so, so, so excited! *sobbing* Ta-ta, people! If y'all need me I'll be rereading a bit of the first Addicted books. Yep!

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, erotica, drama

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 407 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: Series Continuation }

review :: Night Owl by M. Pierce

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Sometimes there's so much hype around a certain book and I'm so strongly compelled to read it that I drop everything I'm doing to start it. Most of the time, that hype has served me well and I've discovered amazing books through it. This time... not so much. 

Writing reviews that don't involve squealing and yelling and fangirling over a book are hard for me to write because that's my standard definition. I'm a fangirl, a squealer, an enthusiastic book reader, but I just couldn't get into Night Owl. I finished, but I skimmed through most of the book because I couldn't connect with the characters or the story itself. Everything people said about it rang true as far as the steaminess of the book went. It was very graphic and very hot, but it sadly made me feel that the sex was as deep as the book went. Again, my opinion.

Matt Sky and Hannah Catalano start the book as Skype correspondents who are introduced as writing partners. They've never met in person and Matt is in a relationship with a girl named Bethany. Mess alert number one. Funny fact: Matt is actually a famous writer under the name of M. Pierce. Clever, huh? *giggle* but the thing is, no one knows who M. Pierce really is. Weird, right? Matt writes under total anonymity but is one of the most famous authors in the world. He has a really dark past and some serious issues with privacy. He was a real douche throughout most of the book, really. This usually doesn't stop me from liking a book, seeing as half of the books I've read lately have jerks in them (but lovable ones, though). Just think about Kristen Ashley and all her jerk heroes I loved! But now I just couldn't find anything about Matt to be lovable or endearing, because he was simply a jerk. Come to think of it, everyone in this book seemed quite jerky-ish, expect poor Hannah. I just wanted to rescue her from all the cuckoo bananas people in her life!!!

You guys, here's the sad thing: they had just met, he had his big privacy issues but, out of absolutely nowhere, he's all like "what are you wearing?" and "touch yourself". Um, excuse me?! Plus, he has a girlfriend?! It all felt so rushed and not at all believable. Plus, he went off on her big time because the poor girl had a picture attached to her e-mail account and he happened to be totally attracted to her. I'm not kidding! And also because Hannah made the outrageous (sense my sarcasm, people) mistake of actually telling him about some tiny problems in her life. Lord have mercy.

Night.Owl: Let's get one thing straight Hannah. I'm not sure what you think it means that you helped me get off with your rudimentary descriptive skills, so let me clarify. It means nothing. It definitely does not mean you can now assault me with your life story.
Little.Bird: It's news to me. God, I'm SO SORRY that I decided to tell you I'd be gone for a few days. We WERE telling a story together basically every day, but since you haven't replied to my last post, I guess that's off.
Night.Owl: It's not off. Don't get all hyperbolic on me Hannah. However, let's pause and consider the distance between 1.) telling me you're going to be MIA for a few days, and 2.) forcing your name AND picture on me.

Mhm-hm! See what I mean?! Douche! And don't get to comfy, because he gets worse. Let's analyze the excessive use of the word slut. Now, I don't care how liberal you are or how open minded you may be, but there are very firm lines that are plain to see and that people can cross everyday. To me, addressing to the woman you "supposedly" love as "my slut" is derogatory and demeaning on so many levels. I just don't understand why anyone, least of all Hannah, agrees to such terminology in reference to herself. Ugh.

She fell across the quilt with a muffled cry.
"You asked for this, you slut," I snarled. I couldn't help myself; I shucked off my shoes and shirt and crawled over Hannah's quivering form. 

AND...

She was no longer my Hannah, my little bird, my slut.

Oh, sure, Matt. Call her your little bird in one breath and your slut the next. Total synonyms. So delightful! NOT. This book made my skin crawl so many times. To be honest, I'd chalk this one up on the category of all sex & no content. At first I thought the sex scenes in this book would be awesome and help me get through it but it got to a point where I felt so revolted that nothing was salvageable for me. Some of the sex scenes in this book are so unrealistic, too. I mean... seriously? A guy calls you to come downstairs to your garden - your PARENTS' garden, mind you! - and coerces you into having sex with him for the first time in his car. Whaaaat?! This was way too much for me. At one point I just wanted to yell "BYE, SEE YOU NEVER" and be done with it.

I finished this fairly quickly, nothing grabbed at me to read more carefully and in the end I was just happy to be rid of Matt Sky. The epilogue has a pretty dark twist (which book doesn't, these days? Cliffhanger madness...) but I don't care enough to even read the next book. MESS.

I definitely feel like the odd one out saying all these things, because everyone adored this book. I think the only other time I didn't like a book everyone else raved about was when I read the Slammed and Hopeless books by Colleen Hoover and felt beyond underwhelmed. I usually go right with the flow on everyone's must haves but these times I just didn't feel it. At. All.

BUT... There were some positives. Lemme tell you that for a debut novel, the writing is great! M. Pierce is truly a very good writer and I'd love to check out her next releases, even if I won't be reading any more from the Night Owl trilogy. One serving of Matt Sky is enough for me and my feminism! LOL

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 2.5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Very steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, suspense, erotica

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 270 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: Yes }

review :: Jagged by Kristen Ashley

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

In case you hadn't noticed before, Kristen Ashley is the queen of life. Yes, she has indeed transcended book world royalty. Why? People... Do y'all even need an explanation? Simply read her books and you'll understand! I've said it before but I'll say it again: the Colorado Mountain series is EVERYTHING!!! See these abundant exclamation points? They flew outta me and I was powerless to stop them, because Kristen's books are just. that. good!

First of all, here's a little fun fact: when I read the blurb with the name of the characters and I saw the name Ham, I was like... oh. Okay. Wait, what? You mean... THIS? I was so confused and kinda turned off, I'll admit haha. I mean, imagine being out and about with your man and you have to call him over for something when suddenly you find yourself yelling 'Haaaam!' very loudly. Well, if I was passing you by I would think you're seriously craving ham so much that you have to yell for it in the middle of the street. Know what I'm sayin'? But then I saw his name was Graham so I kinda understood after that and it didn't bother me anymore, LOL. 

So, what's the deal? In a nutshell, Zara Cinders and Graham Reece were casual lovers... except to Zara, their relationship was anything but casual. Yep, she knew Ham was the love of her life but thought she was only a fling to him. You must also take into account the fact that Ham is one of those men who doesn't lay roots anywhere, he's always moving from one place to the other and him and Zara never really had a monogamous relationship (mostly on Ham's end), but rather they were together whenever the mood struck. And if you're a lady, y'all know how much that must sting, doesn't it?

BUT... Lemme just chime in for a sec because the thing is, us women always think men are these arctic creatures that can't possibly ever care about us as deeply as we care about them. Right?! Well, we gotta give our men a little credit. They may not be as awesomely attuned to their feelings as we are (but who is, ladies?! hehe) but they're no dummies either... at least not entirely. They do feel deeply for us, ache for us, even if they don't always show it physically. Zara, like I said, was very insecure so she started seeing Greg who seemed the safer option and wasn't unpredictable like Ham. In other words, she settled. And Ham, sadly, let her. But while it may have seemed that Ham was more than ready to let Zara run off into Greg's arms, we girls know better than that, don't we?!

“Didn’t want to do it, hated fuckin’ doin’ it, hated losin’ you for three years, but I did it. For you. For you to have him. So that means for him to have you. I wasn’t in the place to give you what you needed then but if I was, you made it plain, I coulda made things not so fuckin’ easy for him. I didn’t. Now you’re mine. He needs to back the fuck off.”

Swooooon! Don't you just love Kristen's possessive alpha males? I wanna see those hands up in the air! Hehe. Anyway... just some context for you guys: there's a reason why Ham lays it thick and can be somewhat of an ass at times. He's been screwed over (pun intended, I think) more than once by various women and that made him closed off for women, he's a bag 'em and leave 'em kinda guy, but his scars run deep.

“Christ. Proof I need standing right there. All that pretty. Shiny. Looks sweet. Tastes sweeter. So goddamned good, you fuck up, put your trust in that sweet, then she sinks her fangs in you and releases the venom. Only one woman I know not filled with poison, knew her own goddamned mind, her shit was fucked up but she didn’t make it anyone’s problem but her own, and I let her walk away from me, too. The difference with her and you, babe, is that I regret lettin’ her do it. I drove here thinkin’ the same about you. Glad to know right off, I was wrong.”

Ouch, right? You know Kristen Ashley can slay you deep from within, and Ham not only delivered that blow to Zara but I became collateral damage too. That hurt! But they were both reeling and Ham does realize his mistake once he sees Zara's life circle the drain. She was flat broke, living in a trashy apartment, had to close down her shop, was going through a divorce... I mean, talk about bad luck! But fear not, because Ham came to the rescue! Yay! He swooped in and took her to his house, though not without much kicking and screaming. Then Ham and Zara's real love story begins (or continues...).

Lots of things happen in this book, mostly regarding Zara's horrible family. I don't want to spoil you, but of course there's some big drama ahead very much à la Kristen Ashley. There's a healthy dose of angst which is my personal favorite and some bits of heartache, but the love and the fluff and the serious hotness and steaminess plus the adorable foul mouth in Ham more than makes up for it. If I had to establish a top 3 Colorado Mountain books, this one would rank at the 3rd spot behind Sweet Dreams and Lady Luck... but it's amazing nonetheless! I'd say 4.5 stars because it wasn't as thrilling as my top 2 books in the series, BUT... I don't know. I'm torn. I can't truly give less than 5 stars to anything Kristen Ashley writes, now can I? Hehe!

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 4.5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Very steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, suspense, erotica

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 400 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: No }

review :: Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Gosh, Ty Walker, come and take me! Right. About. Now. Holy hell! Oh and hey, Lexie, why don't you come be my BFF? *sigh* Seriously, you guys, this book is the bomb. These characters are the bomb. The Colorado Mountain series is the absolute bomb. Bomb, ya feel me? 5 million stars. Billion. Trillion. And, by the way, how gorgeous, stunning, breathtaking are the Colorado Mountain series new book covers? The graphic designer in me is rejoicing. Call me crazy, but when a book has a gorg cover, I'm that much more pumped to read it. Oh, and fair warning: this review contains too many quotes, because the book is just that good I couldn't narrow them down. See what I mean?! OK.

I have a confession to make: I'm in love with Kristen Ashley. Yep, head over heels in love with her and her books. There is absolutely no other author in the world like her, no other books that make me feel the way hers do. Every single one of them. To put it simply, if she writes it, I'll read it. I even feel jittery writing this review because I absolutely need to continue reading Breathe like, yesterday. But I also need to let these feelings out so here I am. Let's get started! 

Basically, Tyrell (Ty) Walker spent 5 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. In those 5 bitter years, he has formed a plan of vengeance towards those who framed him. Where does Lexie fit in this scenario, you ask? Well, she's been asked to pick him up from prison when he gets released. At first, Ty is very monosyllabic (or non-syllabic, sometimes, sigh) but you kinda understand why. She picks him up from prison and thus, unbeknownst to both of them, their fates are sealed and Team Walker is formed. Fate's an amazing thing, wouldn't you say? What Lexie didn't know was that Ty had big, mammoth plans for her. Won't spoil you, but when he said the words, I was like... uh, what? Lemme just check what century were in and I'll get back at ya. I was shocked but also giddy, because I darn right loved the direction Kristen was taking me in. Yes, I did.

What I've found with the Colorado Mountain series is that Kristen Ashley's MO is pretty much the same but still unique: the hero is moody, downright rude and sometimes pure cruel; the heroine, on the other hand, is an innocent-ish woman, sweet, untainted with a heart of gold. This combination of bad and good, wrong and right gets me every time. I swear. I'm like a glutton for punishment because when Ty strikes... oh boy, he strikes hard, and gosh darn it if I don't feel it deep in my bones. Ty is kinda like Tate from Sweet Dreams (review to come). Kristen Ashley's heroes sometimes don't measure the sharp tongue they've got on them, and you can't help but cringe. This next scene was blow after blow after blow to the gut, all because Ty opened up and closed off again after a hot kiss. I felt like I was Lexie and I was breathless for a moment or two.

His blank but still beautiful eyes leveled on mine. “Never promised I’d be nice.”
“You’d been being nice,” I reminded him.
“Yeah,” he affirmed then said, “Mistake. Told you in Vegas, been in chains five years, don’t need anything chaining me.”
Blow two.
“I’m not chaining you,” I told him, my voice trembling.
“Woman, you’re pussy and never met pussy that didn’t come with a chain. Some of them are heavier than others. Don’t wanna find out how heavy yours is.”
Another blow. That one savage.

Draaaah-ma! Angst! I live and breathe for it, I admit. But... Wanna know why Ty's words hurt me extra bad? Because Lexie is literally a ray of sunshine. For me, personally, one of my favorite KA heroines of all time, along with Laurie from Sweet Dreams. She is that girl who is so full of rainbows and enthusiasm and happiness that you can't help but be swallowed and infected by her light. Lexie is a fixer, someone who thrives on making people feel good, much like Laurie. She's so sweet and kind that you instantly feel protective of her and her feelings, and Ty was deliberately crushing her spirit because she was getting under his skin. Yep, Ty is nothing if not emotionally unattached and unavailable. Figures. But he saw he hurt Lexie when the spark behind her eyes vanished... and then the story truly kick-started.

Garlic.
She was cooking.
He climbed the stairs, rounded the railing and saw her in the kitchen.
She didn’t know he was there. She had her iPod earphones in and was standing at the back counter doing something.
She was wearing a tight yellow tank and her army green short-shorts.
She was not swaying, kitchen dancing or singing.
And that was when he knew that Lexie, who could throw bright even when she was asleep, had shut out the light.
Fuck.
Fuck!

From here on out, when faced with the prospect of changing Lexie because of his cowardliness, Ty accepted the changes in their relationship for what they were and he started to open his eyes to the fact he had fallen hard for Lexie, but there were tons of demons to beat in the meantime. What you gotta know, though, is that Ty has enemies. Big enemies. Just FYI, he was made to take the fall for a crime he didn't commit because he is a man of color. That, right there, made my heart squeeze so tight in my chest that I had the instant urge to cuddle Ty close to my chest and kiss his handsome face all day long until he hurt no more, so I kinda understand his detachment. What I also understand is Kristen gave him the perfect heroine, the perfect woman to have by his side. They fit each other like a glove and I. Loved. It. Can we talk about the fact he calls her mama? It was so adorable and swoon worthy! Every character in Kristen Ashley's books seems to have their own pet name and I'm all for it.

How does that saying go? When it's bad it's horrible, but when it's good it's holy cakeballs amazing? Yeah, I totally made that up, but know what I'm sayin'? When Ty and Lexie got that sweet thing going, I could practically feel my heart grow some legs and running across my chest in total adoration. I swear, no one does sour but then sweet like Kristen, absolutely nobody. And when it's sweet... boy, it's blinding. It's amazing. It's every single thing. I literally found myself deep sighing at my tablet with a goofy grin on my face, just like Lexie. What is this, Kristen Ashley, and what have you done to me!?!? {and please don't ever stop, heh...}

“Took my back,” he whispered and I tried to move to lift my head but his fingers tightened on my neck and I stayed were I was. “On the move, rushin’, outta breath to cover me.”
“Ty –”
“I love you, Lexie.”
My heart skipped and warmth flooded through me.
“Ty –”
His hand gave me a squeeze and he cut me off, whispering, “Love you, baby.”
His hand moved then, sifting then fisting in my hair, I lifted my head and he guided it to his mouth where he kissed me, hard, wet and very deep.

And, pssst! This book, like basically every Kristen Ashley book, had its fair share of sass, attitude, and just plain FUN! Yes, you do get a giggle or a million with this story. It's just such a feel good book amidst the angst and drama. So refreshing!

So I bought Ty and I black tees that said on the front, “Team Walker” in big white letters and in smaller lettered italics with quotes under it, “We never admit defeat”. On the back of Ty’s it said, “Mr. Humongo” and on the back of mine it said, “Mr. Humongo’s Mama”.
I freaking loved them.
Ty would take one look at them and think I was a total goof.

This story is everything I wanted it to be, expected it to be and so much more. It's long, yes, but it's so worth it. So, so worth it. There's the drama that comes with the Colorado Mountain series - meaning some kidnaps, some crime, things along those lines - that people who are used to reading Kristen Ashley's novels are familiar with. But, most of all, this is a story about a love so deep it goes beyond society's preconceived idea about ex-cons, about race equality, about starting over and accepting that our Lady Luck is always willing to smile at us, even when we think she's not paying attention. Yep! Lady Luck sure did tend to Ty and Lexie's wishes, gave them all they deserve and so much more. And heads up: you get the sweetest epilogue, very much à la Kristen Ashley. Seriously, what can't this woman write flawlessly?! Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Until the next book, that is... Ta-ta!

“This is it, Team Walker, you and me. We want somethin’, we find a way to get it. We hit a rough patch, we find a way to get over it. We face a challenge, we find a way to beat it. It’s good, we savor it. What I’m sayin’ is, this team is a winner. We never forget to celebrate the victories and we get a lotta those because we never admit defeat.”

---

{ RATING :: 5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Very steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, suspense, erotica

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 624 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: No }