Category Archives: romance reviews

Review: Axel (Corps Security 1) by Harper Sloan

Axel (Corps Security 1) by Harper Sloan

Publication Date: July 7, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

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Note from the author–This book is intended for a mature reading audience and isn’t suitable for younger readers. Brash language, sexual hotness, delectable alpha males, some violence and adult situations are all over this book–you have been warned! **wink**

Fate hasn’t always been friends with Isabelle West. In fact, fate has been a downright bitch.

Isabelle has learned the hard way how hard life can be when fate isn’t by your side. It can hand you dreams on silver platters, but it can snatch them right back and hand you nightmares. One thing Isabelle knew for sure fate was consistent with was taking away everything she ever loved.

For the last two years Isabelle has been slowly clearing the clouds of her past. Happiness is finally on the horizon. She has a thriving business, great friends, and her life back. All she has to do is jump over the last hurdle…her ex-husband.

When problems start causing her to fear her new life, and memories that are better left forgotten start rushing to the surface the last thing she needs is a ghost from her past to come knocking on her door.

Axel never thought he would look into the eyes of Isabelle West again, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to now. He’s carried his anger for so long he isn’t sure he can just turn it off, but when he is faced with protecting her and an unexpected desire to have her again, life gets a little more complicated.

How will Axel and Isabelle deal when all their cards are put on the table and everything they thought was true blows up in their faces?

Cori 5 Stars

I somehow completely missed this book when it came out. I saw that Cage, the second book in the series, was releasing and went to buy the first book because Cage sounded awesome, only to realize I already had it on my Kindle waiting for me to read. I loved Axel! I read it from start to finish, losing sleep last night. This is a great love story about overcoming tragedy and finding happiness. Lots of danger, suspense, hot ex-marines and smoking hot romance. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read the second book, Cage, today. I loved Greg Cage in Axel and I’m so happy he’s getting his own story.

BUY LINKS ($2.99):
Kindle | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

TEASER:

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✦Corps Security Series by Harper Sloan✦
✦#1: Axel ➢ Kindle (Free) http://amzn.to/21ELsbq
✦#2: Cage ➢ Kindle $3.99 http://amzn.to/1VRw04Q
✦#3: Beck ➢ Kindle $3.99 http://amzn.to/21ELu2R
✦#3.5: Uncaged ➢ Kindle $2.99 http://amzn.to/21ELvDZ
✦#4: Cooper ➢ Kindle $3.99 http://amzn.to/21ELgc0
✦#5: Locke ➢ Kindle $3.99 http://amzn.to/21ELcZR

Review: So Tough to Tame by Victoria Dahl

So Tough to Tame by Victoria Dahl
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Tough to tame, but not too tough to love…

Charlie Allington is supposed to be on the fast track to the top—a small-town girl who was making it big in her career. Instead, she’s reeling from a scandal that’s pretty much burned all her bridges. Now, out of options, she needs a place to lick her wounds and figure out her future. True, working at a ski resort in rugged Jackson Hole, Wyoming, isn’t her dream job. But if there’s one perk to coming back, it’s a certain sexy hometown boy who knows how to make a girl feel welcome.

Cowboy Walker Pearce never expected a grown-up Charlie to be temptation in tight jeans. She’s smart and successful—way out of league for a man like him. But he’s not about to let that, or his secrets, get in the way of their blazing-hot attraction. Yet when passion turns to something more, will the truth—about both of them—send her out of his life for good…or into his arms forever?

REVIEW:

Absolutely amazing from the first page to the last. This book is a fantastic combination of chemistry, humor, mystery and smoking’ hot sex! Victoria Dahl sex scenes always nearly light my hair on fire and this book does not disappoint. So Tough to Handle can be read as a stand alone, but it is such an amazing series.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

BUY LINKS:
Kindle | Amazon Paperback | B&N | Kobo

READING ORDER:

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THE JACKSON SERIES
• Jackson Hole #1 – Close Enough to Touch (August 28, 2012) http://amzn.to/17O4Hgy
• Jackson Hole #1.1 – Be Mine anthology, “Too Fast to Fall” (January 22, 2013) http://amzn.to/1eucuqI
• Jackson Hole #1.2 – “Strong Enough to Love” (March 1, 2013) http://amzn.to/1dU2rNb
• Jackson Hole #2 – Too Hot to Handle (April 1, 2013) http://amzn.to/13xNAC2
• Jackson Hole #3 – So Tough to Tame (September 24, 2013) http://amzn.to/13xIq9b

Review: Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery

Just One Kiss by Susan Mallery
Publication Date: May 28, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

He won’t hesitate to put his life on the line…but will he ever risk his heart?

Falling for Justice Garrett was a high point in Patience McGraw’s otherwise awkward adolescence. Even after he disappeared, Patience never forgot the boy who captured her heart. Now he’s back in Fool’s Gold, California, and her passion for him is as strong as ever. But how can she trust that he won’t abandon her again—and her daughter, too?

When bodyguard Justice Garrett was a young man, witness protection brought him to this idyllic town and he never forgot its warmth, or the sweet beauty of his childhood friend. He’s returned to open a defense academy, and the Patience he once knew is all grown up. He can’t resist her smile, or her curves. But Justice’s past doesn’t make him husband, or father, material.

Patience and Justice think they’ll succumb to just one kiss… Then one more… Okay, just one night together. But they might learn that falling in love is beyond anyone’s control.

If you’re a fan of Fool’s Gold, you’ll love Ana Raquel and Greg’s delicious romance, featured in Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold Cookbook, along with her favorite recipes from the land of happy endings.

REVIEW:

Love, passion, family, friends, community and mystery were all captured in Just One Kiss. I love how Susan Mallery makes you feel like you are part of her books. Just the right amount of everything. All of her books can be read as a stand alone, but every one of the books in this series is amazing.

Buy Links:
Kindle | Amazon (Paperback) | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

READING ORDER

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Fools Gold Book 1: Chasing Perfect (May 2010) http://amzn.to/14Ayv05

Fools Gold Book 2: Almost Perfect (July 2010) http://amzn.to/13sOrE1

A Fools Gold Novella: Sister of the Bride (August 2010) http://amzn.to/17ZblXh

Fools Gold Book 3: Finding Perfect (September 2010) http://amzn.to/13sP3cO

Fools Gold Book 4: Only Mine (August 2011) http://amzn.to/17ZbYzW

Fools Gold Book 5: Only Yours (September 2011) http://amzn.to/13sPQdW

Fools Gold Book 6: Only His (October 2011) http://amzn.to/1aftWg6

A Fools Gold Novella: Only Us (November 2011) http://amzn.to/17NlB0V

A Fools Gold Novella: Almost Summer (May 2012) http://amzn.to/14Ayj0L

Fools Gold Book 7: Summer Days (June 2012) http://amzn.to/1aVrcqT

Fools Gold Book 8: Summer Nights (July 2012) http://amzn.to/14ABi9z

Fools Gold Book 9: All Summer Long (August 2012) http://amzn.to/14ABu8M

Fools Gold Book 9.5: A Fool’s Gold Christmas (October 2012) http://amzn.to/14twlVi

A Fools Gold Novella: Halfway There (May 2013) http://amzn.to/15Holky

Fools Gold Book 10: Just One Kiss (June 2013) http://amzn.to/19ulaK8

Fools Gold Book 11: Two of a Kind (July 2013) http://amzn.to/13sTdBC

Fools Gold Book 12: Three Little Words (August 2013) http://amzn.to/1epKN2t

Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold Cookbook (September 2013) http://amzn.to/1afwYkn

Fools Gold Book 12.5: Christmas on 4th Street (October 2013) http://amzn.to/1afx1wH

Review: All Out of Love (Cupid, Texas Series, Book 2) by Lori Wilde

All Out of Love (Cupid, Texas Series, Book 2) by Lori Wilde
Publication Date: June 25, 2013
Reviewed By: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

From bestselling romance author Lori Wilde comes All Out of Love, the sizzling second book in her Cupid, Texas, series, set in a town where every wish for love comes true.

Millie Greenway and her friends have tried for years to keep the Cupid legend alive in their hometown, but she’s not getting much help from her granddaughters. Lace Bettingfield knows the legend is bogus. As a teen, she left a letter at the Cupid statue and got nothing in return but humiliation. But now the guy she dreamed of is back in town, Lace begins to wonder if the tale might just prove to be true.

All Out of Love features the humor and heartfelt emotion that fans have come to expect from the author of The First Love Cookie Club and A Cowboy for Christmas.

REVIEW:

All Out of Love was a very cute love story. Lori Wilde has a way of making you feel like you know the characters in all of her books. I was rooting for Pierce through out the book. I could feel his love for Lace from the beginning. This book can be read as a stand alone, but it’s such a great series that I would recommend reading both of the books in the Cupid, Texas Series.

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BUY LINKS:
Kindle | Amazon Paperback | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE CUPID, TEXAS SERIES:

Book 1: Love at First Sight (Cupid, Texas Series, Book 1) By Lori Wilde
Publication Date: May 28, 2013

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BUY LINKS:
Kindle | Amazon Paperback B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Review: Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy #1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Publication Date: September 10, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She’s an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She’s perfect…

Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she becomes a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.

Then she meets her soulmate. But he doesn’t want her.

When it comes to girls, twenty-five-year-old Leo Tate has one rule: never fall in love. His gym and his brother are all he cares about…until he meets Nora. He resists the pull of their attraction, hung up on their six year age difference.

As they struggle to stay away from each other, secrets will be revealed, tempers will flare, and hearts will be broken.

Welcome to Briarcrest Academy…where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things.

REVIEW

I loved this book! It drew me in from the first chapter and I couldn’t put it down until I turned the last page, other than to send teasers to my Facebook page. I loved the characters. Their story was an emotional roller coaster ride for me. Everyone sees Nora as the perfect, innocent, rich girl, but she has scars and things she hides from the world. When Leo meets Nora they have an instant connection. Their story makes the reader believe in soul mates and destiny. A beautiful love story with hot and steamy romance. Loved it and can not wait to find out who will star in the next Briarcrest Academy book.

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

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About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Ilsa Madden-Mills is a loving wife and mother, a loyal friend, and a teacher. When all that is done, she writes. Obsessively.

She graduated summa cum laude with a master’s in English from an esteemed university in the South where she now resides. She spends her days with two small kids, a neurotic cat, and her Viking husband. She collects magnets and rarely cooks except to bake her own pretzels.

When she’s not typing away at a story, you can find her drinking too much Diet Coke, jamming out to Pink, or checking on her carefully maintained chocolate stash.

She loves to hear from from fans and fellow authors.

Connect with Ilsa Madden-Mills
Facebook | Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest

Teasers (From Author’s Website)

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Review: Always on My Mind (A Lucky Harbor Novel) by Jill Shalvis

Always on My Mind (A Lucky Harbor Novel) by Jill Shalvis
Series: A Lucky Harbor Novel (Book 8)
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Reviewed By: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

There’s nothing like the real thing.

After dropping out of pastry school and messing up her big break on a reality cooking show, Leah Sullivan needs to accomplish something in her life. But when she returns home to Lucky Harbor, she finds herself distracted by her best friend, Jack Harper. In an effort to cheer up Jack’s ailing mother, Dee, Leah tells a little fib – that she and Jack are more than just friends. Soon pretending to be hot-and-heavy with this hunky firefighter feels too real to handle…

No-strings attachments suit Jack just fine – perfect for keeping the risk of heartbreak away. But as Jack and Leah break every one of their “just friends” rules, he longs to turn their pretend relationship into something permanent. Do best friends know too much about each other to risk falling in love? Or will Jack and Leah discover something new about each other in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

REVIEW:

In a word….amazing! This book can be read as a stand alone, but it is a fantastic series. I would recommend reading them in order to get the back story on characters occasionally mentioned In this book. Jill Shalvis never disappoints, but she may have outdone herself with Always on My Mind. Leah and Jack nearly set my hair on fire more than once. I found myself biting my lip with anticipation of what was going to happen next. Between the laugh out loud parts and the scorching sex I could not put this book down or turn the pages nearly fast enough.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy links:
*Prices may change. These were the prices on 8/29/13.
Amazon Paperback ($4.80) | Amazon Kindle ($5.69) | B&N (Paperback $8.00/ Nook $5.99) | iTunes ($5.99)

READING ORDER:

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Book 1 ~ Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis (October 1, 2010) http://amzn.to/15Am1ZJ
Book 2 ~ The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis (April 1, 2011) http://amzn.to/14272te
Book 3 ~ Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis (November 22, 2011) http://amzn.to/17lHlCG
Book 4 ~ Lucky In Love by Jill Shalvis (May 22, 2012) http://amzn.to/17lMZXj
Book 5 ~ At Last by Jill Shalvis (June 26, 2012) http://amzn.to/17lMZXj
Book 6 ~ Forever and a Day by Jill Shalvis (July 31, 2012) http://amzn.to/15myUCs
Novella ~ Under The Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis (December 4, 2012) http://amzn.to/1dtKsh4
Book 7 ~ It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis (May 28, 2013) http://amzn.to/15iOwhh
Book 8 ~ Always On My Mind by Jill Shalvis (September 24, 2013) http://amzn.to/17lzPtk

Connect With Jill

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Jill on Twitter
Jill on Facebook
Jill on Goodreads

Review: Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille

Against the Ropes by Sarah Castille
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Reviewed By: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an elite mixed martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club’s owner, she’s the one feeling breathless.

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…

REVIEW

I absolutly loved this book.The passion was amazing between Mac and Max, the sexual tension sizzled from the first page. I could not read this book fast enough…needing to know what happened next. I had not read Sarah Castille before and was pleasantly surprised. Loved the characters and the story line. I’m rating it 5 stars…only because I can’t give it 6.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy links:
Kindle | Amazon Paperback | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Review: Blue By You by Rachel Gibson

Blue By You by Rachel Gibson
Publication Date: September 3, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Dawn
Rated: 3 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Rachel Gibson, the New York Times bestselling author of Crazy On You and Rescue Me, once again shows that there’s nothing quite like a man in uniform!

They say you never forget your first time, but there’s nothing Blue Butler and Kasper Pennington would rather forget than their brief but fiery teenage love affair. Yeah, it was hot while it lasted, but then he went off to join the Marines, leaving Blue in New Orleans. She’s tried to block him from her mind for good, but nothing can really erase the feeling she had when she was with him.

And now he’s got the nerve to return—leaner, meaner, and strong enough to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. Blue’s a successful businesswoman now, with no time to figure out what went wrong all those years ago. But Kasper knows she’s the one woman for him … and now he’s got to prove it to her all over again.

REVIEW:

Not one of my favorite Rachel Gibson books. As a novella the book was fast paced and the plot lacked depth. I think Rachel Gibson could have made this a full length book and added more characters and more of a story line. Blue and Kasper were young lovers that reunited after many years apart. The sex was good….but the book was very predictable. I’m rating this 3 stars, only because you could feel the passion and because the book was fast paced enough to be read in one sitting.

*Review copy provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy links:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Shooting Scars (TAT #2) by Karina Halle

Shooting Scars by Karina Halle
Publication Date: August 20, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When Ellie Watt made the ultimate sacrifice for Camden McQueen, she never thought it would be easy. But walking away with her ex-lover, Javier Bernal, in order to ensure Camden’s safety has brought a whole new set of dangers. With Javier’s plans for Ellie growing more secretive by the moment, Ellie must find a way to stay ahead of the game before her past swallows her whole.

Meanwhile, Camden’s new life is short-lived. Fueled by revenge and pursued by authorities, he teams up with an unlikely partner in order to save Ellie. But as Camden toes the line between love and retribution, he realizes that in order to get back the woman he loves, he may have to lose himself in the process. He might just turn into the very man he’s hunting.

Told in dual POV from Camden and Ellie.

REVIEW:

I started this book and then had to go back and read the first book and the novella to fully understand the story. I recommend reading the series in order.This one was difficult for me to review. The characters are intense and I kept thinking that they would be redeemed, but that wasn’t what the story was about. This is a love triangle about three messed up people and there is no clear choice on who should end up together. That said I really enjoyed the stories and will be reading the next one when it comes out. I love characters that really make me feel and think. If you are looking for something intense, I recommend this series. Shooting Scars has a great plot with lots of twists and turns. You’ll be thinking about the story long after you put it down.

*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

BURN (Breathless Trilogy Book 3) by Maya Banks

BURN (Breathless Trilogy Book 3) by Maya Banks
PUBLICATION DATE: September 3, 2013
REVIEWED BY: Reading In Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Ash, Jace, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Ash, it’s the woman who changes everything he’s ever known about dominance and desire…

When it comes to sex, Ash McIntyre has always explored his wilder side—extreme and uncompromising. He demands control. And he prefers women who want it like that. Even the women he’s shared with his best friend, Jace.

But Jace is involved with a woman he has no intention of sharing. And now even Gabe has settled into a relationship with a woman who gives him everything he needs, leaving Ash feeling restless and unfulfilled.

Then Ash meets Josie, who seems immune to his charms and his wealth. Intrigued, he begins a relentless pursuit, determined she won’t be the one who got away. He never imagined the one woman to tell him no would be the only woman who’d ever drive him to the edge of desire.

REVIEW:

I was so anxious for Ash’s story and was not disappointed at all. His intensity was softened by his caring treatment of Josie. In that I mean it held a softer BDSM quality that I found appealing. The storyline had the intrigue and danger that I like, but it did not overshadow the romance or the lighter girlfriend fun. A well written closure to this series. This set of books will stay on my keeper shelf.

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Buy links:
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes