Category Archives: 5 Stars

Connected (Connections #1) by Kim Karr

Connected (Connections #1) by Kim Karr
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Reviewed by Reading in Pajamas – Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

In the bestselling tradition of Jamie McGuire and S.C. Stephens…

In Dahlia London’s world, happily ever after is a far cry from reality. Her soul has been left completely shattered by tragedy. But a surprising reunion with someone from her past is about to give her a reason to love again…

When rock star River Wilde comes back into Dahlia’s life, their super-charged connection runs deeper than either of them ever expected. The more time they spend together, the more intense their relationship becomes, and Dahlia believes at last she has found her soul mate.

But as old bonds fade and Dahlia’s grief begins to lift, her guilt and confusion remain. River desperately wants to be the one who mends what’s been broken—but with a past that refuses to stay buried, is it possible for their future to begin?

REVIEW:

I was blown away by this book! I devoured the whole book today after a reader on my review page said, River Wilde was her favorite book boyfriend. I was not disappointed! River Wilde is definitely hot book boyfriend material! This was an amazing love story, that brought two people together twice that were meant to be together. Kim Karr, the writer, weaves this love story of tragedy, destiny and romance. River and Dahlia’s love story left me believing in fate and destiny. It made me feel and took me on an emotional roller coaster ride. I recommend not reading any spoilers about this story. Just pick it up, read it and enjoy the ride. I can not wait for the the next book!

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Buy Links:
Amazon|B&N|iTunes/ iBooks

Moon: 10 (New Species) by Laurann Dohner – 5 Stars

Moon: 10 (New Species) by Laurann Dohner
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Review by: Reading In Pajamas – Cori
Rating: 5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Book 10 in the New Species series. While each NS book is a standalone, the greatest enjoyment will come from reading them in series order.

Dr. Joyce Yards has never met anyone as irresistible as 466. Their therapy sessions are growing hotter, his raw sexual hunger becoming aggressive, and he refuses to discuss anything except the possibility of getting her naked. Joy understands the dire consequences if she indulges her passion. It will break her heart but she must walk away.

Moon has been drugged, his memory shattered, and he’s now little more than feral, a dangerous threat to everyone. In their need for help, the NSO doctors turn to the only female Moon ever cared about—the one who left him behind two years ago.

Moon isn’t the same male Joy once knew. There are no rules now. If sex tames the wild beast and triggers his fractured memories, allowing him moments of lucidity, then Joy will give him everything, body and soul. She’ll do whatever it takes to save him—even at the cost of her own life.

A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

REVIEW:
I loved this book! I’ve always loved Moon because he has been the playful and loyal New Species in most of this series that the reader loves to read about. After Moon is drugged, that all changes and he becomes a threat to all his friends. His story was an emotional roller coaster for me. My heart was breaking for him. It brought me to tears on more than one occasion. There was also lots of light hearted, humorous moments between Moon and his best friend, Harley. This made me really want to see what Laurann Dohner has in store for Harley. This story was packed full of romance, sexy love scenes and action from start to finish. I could not put this book down! You know you are going to get some hot romance with a cover like this one! Laurann Dohner always delivers hot romance! I highly recommend this book and this series. I can not wait for the next book in the series!

*Review copy provided by Ellora’s Cave in exchange for an honest review.

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The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe

The Sweetest Dark by Shana Abe
Release date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars
Reading In Pajamas – Cori

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
For fans of Lauren Kate and Libba Bray, The Sweetest Dark is filled with thrilling romance, exciting adventure, and ancient magic. Shana Abé brilliantly captures the drama of post-Victorian England, while unfolding a passionate love story that defies time.

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.”

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

REVIEW:
In one word, beautiful! The writing and language were beautiful. The story was beautiful. I’ve never read a book with such beautiful and breathtaking writing. I’m using beautiful a lot, but it is really the only way to describe this book! It took me a while after I read this book, to write this review because I didn’t think beautiful was sufficient in describing the story Shana Abe created. She transported the reader into Lora’s life.

The Sweetest Dark is a new young adult series that takes place in the Drakon world. The Dakon series is her adult series. I haven’t read these books and you don’t have to read them before this book for the story to be understood. I plan on reading the series after reading this book though! The Sweetest Dark can be read by adults and young adults.

I enjoyed all the characters in the book and their interactions with each other. I love dragons and this book is a great depiction of dragon shifters. Great fantasy book! I highly recommend this book and can not wait for the next one!

“Those nights, in the sweetest dark, we shared our dreams.”

*Review copy received in exchange for an honest review.

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Breaking Her Rules (Red Stone Security Series) By Katie Reus

Breaking Her Rules (Red Stone Security Series) By Katie Reus
Publication Date: March 31, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars

Description:

Iris Tarango is a small-town girl from the wrong side of the tracks; she’s also a decorated former Marine who fought hard to become one of Red Stone Security’s most respected agents. But her perfectly ordered life is turned upside down when she’s assigned to guard the sexy, dominating tycoon she shares a secret history with. The instant Iris walks back into the billionaire’s diamond-studded orbit, the wild attraction flares between them…and her reputation, objectivity, and heart are in trouble.

After an attempt on his life, business magnate Wyatt Christiansen calls in major favors to hire Iris as his bodyguard. He knows she’s the best, though he has another motive too. He sees this as his final chance to win her heart. But when danger spins out of control, all Wyatt can think of is getting Iris out of harm’s way—even if it means losing her love in the end.

Unfortunately, the killer seems to know their every move. If Wyatt and Iris don’t figure out who put out the hit, they’ll lose more than their chance at happiness together.

Review:

I loved Breaking Her Rules, the 6th book in the Red Stone Series. These books can be read on their own, but I always like to read them in order if it is part of a series.

Iris Tarango and Wyatt Christiansen grew up together. He had an alcoholic for a father and she had a single mom with issues with men. This contributes to who they are. Wyatt has been in love with Iris since he was fifteen and when Wyatt finds himself needing security protection he requests Red Stone Security in the hopes of spending more time with Iris and winning her heart. They both find themselves in danger and protecting each other. I was worried that a female heroine would not give me the male alpha I prefer to read about. That was not the case with this story. Wyatt is an ultra, protective hero. Loved him!

I highly recommend this romantic suspense story. Katie Reus is the ultimate storyteller. I always find myself unable to put down her books. Lots of action, suspense, danger and steamy romance. Everything I love to read in a great story.

Reading in Pajamas – Cori

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THRILL RIDE (BLACK KNIGHTS INC.) by Julie Ann Walker

THRILL RIDE (BLACK KNIGHTS INC.) by Julie Ann Walker
Published April 2, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux is as Cajun as they come—spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But would he actually betray his country? Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren’t sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team—especially his partner, Vanessa—is to run…

Rock might think he can outmaneuver them all, but he hasn’t counted on how stubborn Vanessa Cordero can be. And she refuses to cut him loose. Sure, her partner has his secrets, but there’s no one in the world she’drather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good because she and Rock are about to get very tight…

REVIEW:
I like that Vanessa pushes past her limited experience to bring him back. A small part of me thinks she cried too much, but it also showed how human she was. Rock is a strong sexy cajun! The action and suspense kept me riveted…I couldn’t put it down. I also love the humor and easy banter of the team. The sexual tension was great and worth the wait for them to finally get together. I love the BKI series and this one delivers.

Reading in Pajamas – Donna

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Robin Covington – His Southern Temptation (The Boys are Back in Town, #2) – 5 Stars

Robin Covington – His Southern Temptation (The Boys are Back in Town, #2)
Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Rating: 5 Stars

Book Description:
Some women are bad. Some women are a bad idea. The best ones are both…

As a Black Ops assassin, “Lucky” Landon has had more than his fair share of close calls. Now he’s turned in his sniper rifle for the simple life of his small hometown. So the last thing he ever expected was to end up at gunpoint. Or that the woman holding the gun would be his best friend’s little sister and Lucky’s on-again/off-again lover.

Taylor Elliott is Trouble, and she likes it that way. And seeing Lucky again? Well, he’s been her dirty little secret for the past few years and everyone knows that secrets in a small town are almost impossible to keep. But Taylor has bigger problems on her plate. Like the local mob boss who wants her dead.

And right now the only thing standing between Trouble and disaster is a hottie named Lucky…

Review:
Loved it! Drew me in during the first chapter, and held my interest until the end. This story had everything I look for in a great story! A love story with steamy romance, action, danger and humor. Lucky is a sexy Black Ops assassin who is ready to settle down and he is making it his mission to convince Taylor, who he has been secretly hooking up with the over the years whenever they run into each other, that they belong together. They have amazing chemistry and made me laugh out loud. I was rooting for Lucky and Taylor!

This is the first book I’ve read by Robin Covington and she is now on my favorites list. I’m buying the first book in this series and anything else she has written. Can not wait for the next book!

Reading in Pajamas – Cori

*Review copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Jennifer Apodaca – The Baby Bargain – 5 Stars

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Book Description
Publication Date: March 11, 2013
Seeing Adam Waters is the last thing veterinarian Megan Young expects. Ex-Marine. Ex-boyfriend. And still extremely dangerous territory. But Adam doesn’t know the secret Megan has been keeping from him. The secret that was created three years ago, after their last night together…
Adam returns to Raven’s Cove to sell his home in a final break with the town and memories that haunt him. The problem is that his attraction to Megan is as blazing hot as it ever was. But when a vicious smear campaign against Megan turns ugly, Adam learns the truth he never knew—he has a son.
Now the only way Megan can protect her child is to strike a bargain with Adam. And it’s a bargain that looks a lot like blackmail…

Review:
Rating: 5 Stars
So heartwarming it brought tears to my eyes! I usually stay away from books with “baby” in the title because they are not usually stories I enjoy. I love Jennifer Lyon’s books so I figured I would like anything written by her other writing name, Jennifer Apodaca. I was not disappointed, I loved this story! Adam is a ex-marine who never thought he would be a good husband or father so he left Megan behind. Megan never contacts him when she finds out she’s pregnant because she is scared of rejection. They seem to heal each other in this story. Their scorching chemistry keeps bringing them together. This book provides lots of romance! I couldn’t put this book down and read it in one afternoon. I am adding Jennifer Apodaca to my must read author list!

Reading In Pajamas

Jamie McGuire – Beautiful Disaster

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Description
Release date: August 14, 2012
The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.
Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Review:
Rating: 5 Stars
This book was a whirlwind of emotions for me! I loved it, then I wanted to scream and throw it the characters frustrated me so much, and then I loved it again! The title completely fits this story. Abby and Travis are a Beautiful Disaster! They ultimately belong together. It just takes a while and obstacles to get them to their happy ending. I rated this book 5 stars because any story that can cause as many emotions in me as this one deserves it! I can’t wait for the next book that is told from Travis’s point of view, Walking Disaster.

Lara Adrian -Edge of Dawn – 5 stars

Lara Adrian – Edge of Dawn
Release Date – February 26, 2013
Rating – 5 Stars

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In this pulse-pounding and thrillingly sensual novel, New York Times bestselling author Lara Adrian returns to the mesmerizing world of the Midnight Breed, following new characters into a dark future where an uneasy peace can unravel into war–and a great betrayal can mask an all-consuming love.

Twenty years after the terror of First Dawn–when mankind learned that vampires lived secretly among them–the threat of violence reigns as the two species struggle to coexist. The only group preserving the fragile harmony is the Order, an elite cadre of Breed warriors dedicated to protecting humans and vampires alike. And in this precarious world of torn loyalties and shattered trust, Mira, a fiery squad captain, finds that every fight bears an intensely personal cost.

Raised among the Order, Mira has always believed in the warrior’s code of swift–and even lethal–justice. But the one thing she desires more than the Order’s hard-won acceptance is Kellan Archer, a sexy but troubled Breed fighter. In love with him since childhood, Mira once broke through his tough exterior during an unexpected night of rapture, but the next day he mysteriously disappeared, never to return.

Kellan didn’t think he would ever see Mira again–or have to confront the truth of why he left”. After abandoning the Order years ago, he now leads a band of human rebels intent on carrying out their own vigilante rule of law. Yet a high-profile kidnapping assignment brings him face-to-face with the past he sought to avoid, and the striking woman he has tried desperately to forget. And as tensions mount and the risk of bloodshed grows, Kellan and Mira must take sides–between the competing missions that dominate their lives, and the electrifying passion that claims their hearts.

Review:
I love Lara Adrian’s Breeds. Edge of Dawn is set in the future where Mira and Kellan are all grown up. Mira loved Kellan since she was a child. I really loved reading about the original breed’s children. Mira is now a captain In the order and she is out for revenge against the rebels who she believes took the love of her life. Lara Adrian’s breed world is amazing and I highly recommend this book.

Reading in Pajamas
Book provided for review by netgalley

Cynthia Eden – Die For Me – A Novel of The Valentine Killer

Die For Me
Release Date: February 5, 2013

Description
She thought her fiancé was the perfect man—until he turned out to be the perfect killer…

Katherine Cole is running for her life, desperate to escape the Valentine Killer—so-called because he stabs his victims through the heart and leaves them holding a telltale single red rose. Still he tracks her to New Orleans and begins carving a bloody path to her door. But this time, Katherine refuses to run any farther. This time, she’ll do anything to stop the madman she once loved, even trust the sexy cop promising to keep her safe…

Detective Dane Black never lets his emotions interfere with his job, even as the Valentine Killer surfaces in New Orleans to stalk his prey. But when Dane agrees to protect the killer’s ex-fiancée, Katherine Cole, he can’t ignore the passion kindling between them. After a single unforgettable night binds them body and soul, Dane knows he won’t rest until Katherine is safe in his arms—and the Valentine Killer is dead. Dark and intensely sexy, this romantic suspense novel from USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Eden is sure to leave readers breathless.

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Review:
5 Stars
I am never disappointed when I read anything Cynthia Eden writes! Loved the suspense in this new book. Who doesn’t love a hot and protective cop? I read this straight through. Couldn’t put it down because I had to read what would happen next!

Reading in Pajamas