Category Archives: romance reviews

HOTSHOT by Julie Garwood

HOTSHOT by Julie Garwood
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.

REVIEW:

This book was filled with intrigue, danger, lust and love. A nice combination that was well written and kept you turning the pages right from the beginning. The romance was tender with just enough heat to keep me satisfied and the dynamics of all the players was believable and nicely done. It was clear that this is book one in what is sure to be a fun series and I am anxious to read the rest. I enjoyed this read very much.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Buy links:
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Colton by Blood (The Coltons of Wyoming) by Melissa Cutler

Colton by Blood (The Coltons of Wyoming) by Melissa Cutler
Publication Date: August 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Rising romantic suspense star Melissa Cutler reveals more secrets from the Coltons of Wyoming… An unsolved murder haunts those who live and work at Dead River Ranch. When called to care for the ailing Colton patriarch, Dr. Levi Colton must face the father who never claimed him. He’s not looking for distraction, but he finds it in Kate McCord, the irresistible pastry chef. Beneath her sweet smile are scars from her own tragedy—and a determination for justice.

As a wildfire forces them together with an unknown killer, Levi and Kate must confront an attraction that flares hotter than flames. They edge closer to the truth, discovering that the secret that links their pasts could lead them straight into the killer’s trap.

REVIEW:

I loved Colton by Blood! It is the second book in the Colton series written by different Harlequin authors. I haven’t read the other books in the series, but requested this one because I read Tempted Into Danger by Melissa Cutler and loved it. She is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine after reading my second book written by her. She definitely knows how to write sexy heroes. I loved the hot Dr. Levi Colton. Both Levi and Kate have been through a lot and are portrayed in a way that really makes the reader feel for them. Their story is fast paced, emotional and full of passion. I will be going back to read the first book in the Colton series by another author and look forward to reading what happens next in the series. I am also putting Melissa Cutler on my must buy list. She writes great romantic suspense books.

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

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Perfect Fling (Serendipity’s Finest) by Carly Phillips

Perfect Fling (Serendipity’s Finest) by Carly Phillips
Series: Serendipity’s Finest #5
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Erin … The Good Girl
Assistant District Attorney, Erin Marsden,is Serendipity’s quintessential good girl. The only daughter of the ex-police chief, she has never made a misstep, content with her quiet, predictable life … or so she thinks. Until Cole Sanders returns to town with heated interest in his eyes and shadows in his past.

Cole … The Bad Boy
After seven years of deep under cover work in New York City, Cole returns to Serendipity to help his aging father and to find his moral compass once more. Not to get involved with wholesome Erin Marsden. Even as a rebellious teen, he knew a girl like Erin was off limits and that hasn’t changed. But neither one of them can resist their off-the-charts chemistry and a one night stand brings complications neither Erin nor Cole expected.

The Attraction … Off the Charts!
Then Erin’s current case plunges her into a killer’s crosshairs. With more at stake than anyone knows, Erin succumbs to Cole’s take-charge attitude. As a bodyguard, he’s the best. As a lover, he’s even better. But there’s more than the matter of Erin’s safety at stake. And Cole must forgive the sins of his past and prove to himself – and to Erin – that he’s capable of the love and the forever she – and their baby – desperately need.

REVIEW:

I loved Perfect Fling! Perfect Fling is part of the Serendipity series. I didn’t read the books in the series before this book, but I am going to go back and read them now because I loved this book. Carly Phillips creates characters that the reader can not help but feel and connect with. I loved Cole and Erin as well as all the secondary characters in Serendipity. Cole is the town bad boy and Erin is the Assistant District Attorney in Serendipity. There story held my attention from beginning to end. This addition to the series is a passionate romance with a great plot filled with action and danger, great characters and some humor. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and I recommend this book and this series for romance lovers.

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

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Complete Me: A Novel by J. Kenner

Complete Me: A Novel by J. Kenner
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4 Stars

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes the third novel in the erotic, fast-paced trilogy including Release Me and Claim Me. This sexy, emotionally charged romance continues the story of Damien Stark, the powerful multimillionaire who’s never had to take “no” for an answer, and Nikki Fairchild, the Southern belle who only says “yes” on her own terms.

Our desire runs deep. But our secrets cut close.

Beautiful, strong, and commanding, Damien Stark fills a void in me that no other man can touch. His fierce cravings push me beyond the brink of bliss—and unleash a wild passion that utterly consumes us both.

Yet beneath his need for dominance, he carries the wounds of a painful past. Haunted by a legacy of dark secrets and broken trust, he seeks release in our shared ecstasy, the heat between us burning stronger each day.

Our attraction is undeniable, our obsession inevitable. Yet not even Damien can run from his ghosts, or shield us from the dangers yet to come.

*Complete Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

REVIEW:

Complete Me is the final book in the Stark Trilogy. The Stark Trilogy is the erotic love story between sexy billionaire, Damien Stark and Nikki Fairchild. Damien is a sexy alpha dominant. Nikki captures and holds his attention and with personal demons of her own she finds comfort with a man like Damien. Their story is intense, full of passion, danger and emotion. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. This final book is a great ending and conclusion for the trilogy. I loved it!

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

Buy Links:
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Additional Information About The Stark Trilogy:
Click on the image below to take you to J. Kenner’s website. The website has all the buy links as book information.http://juliekenner.com/stark-trilogy

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OUTSIDE THE LINES by Kimberly Kincaid

OUTSIDE THE LINES by Kimberly Kincaid
Publication Date: July 30, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
As an ivy-league ER doctor who eats double shifts for breakfast (and lunch…and dinner), Blake Fisher has little appetite for anything other than work. Being on the staff at Brenstville Hospital means taking care of people, a need Blake understands all too well from losing his brother to cystic fibrosis eight years ago. When he’s asked to coordinate a carnival fundraiser for the cause, he jumps at the chance to help others with the disease…until it lands him side by side with the one woman he never thought he’d see again: his ex-fiancée.

Streetwise and rough around the edges, Jules Shaw is no stranger to earning a living through hard work. But when her job as the restaurant manager of Mac’s Diner puts her shoulder to really broad shoulder with Blake Fisher, she nearly balks. She’d rather dodge and deflect than admit the real reason she broke things off, but the catering contract for the carnival means big business for Mac’s, and feeding people is Jules’s lifeblood.

As Blake and Jules join reluctant forces, they quickly rediscover the spark between them. But the possibility of a future together hinges on coming clean about the past, with potentially devastating consequences. Can Blake and Jules overcome their drastically different backgrounds and learn to love again, or will they always be outside the lines?

REVIEW:
I was looking forward to Jule’s story and I was very pleased with the results. Jules has such a fun and plucky personality that I really related to and Blake just made me want to curl up in his arms. It was an enjoyable light romance with just the right amount of heat and it hit all the right spots. I’m still smiling.

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

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Buy link:
Amazon (99 Cents)

Vixen in Vegas Cover Reveal

Add to your shelf!
Blurb:

It was supposed to be a week of simply being, of living in the moment, and enjoying every minute while it lasted. Of course, that kind of intoxication can have lingering effects. For Sin, she found herself wanting to break all the rules, to extend her time with the stranger who stole her heart. Vegas was just the right kind of place to take such a gamble. Meeting up with BE at the gondolas was a risk. Love went against everything they had promised, but the best things in life can’t be planned.

Soon Alysin will be tested. 

After guarding her heart for so long, she finally let a man in and discovered that the worst things in life happened when she least expected them. When she walked in on BE with another woman and overheard their heated conversation, she suddenly remembered there was a reason she made these rules. 

Will broken rules lead to broken hearts or will she realize that though love was a gamble, she was all in?


Author Links
Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Bio:

What made her decide to be an erotica author?

Simple.

How else was she going to parlay her two favorite past times into a career?

Emma is single and loving it. Like her first character, Alysin, Sin for short, she doesn’t believe in settling or in settling down. She loves to indulge in her passions whenever the mood strikes and enjoys keeping all of life’s cliche moments spicy.

Known for her sense of humor, Emma surrounds herself with friends whose antics often become the source of book fodder. Her ideal situation would be to explore the Caribbean while writing. She pursues that dream daily.

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SHARPSHOOTER (Shadow Agents) by Cynthia Eden

SHARPSHOOTER (Shadow Agents) by Cynthia Eden
PUBLICATION DATE: (Paperback) July 23, 2013, (eBook) August 1, 2013
REVIEWED BY: Reading In Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

Two years ago Gunner Ortez saved Sydney Sloan’s life on a mission gone wrong. And ever since then, he’s been watching her back. Now a hostage-rescue mission is about to blow the Elite Ops agents’ lives apart once again.

Working side by side back in the jungles of Peru, the heat between Sydney and Gunner is hotter than ever—and so are the threats to their lives. With the danger escalating, Sydney knows Gunner is her only hope at successfully completing their assignment. But the ex-SEAL who arouses passion she’d only dreamed about also poses the greatest risk to the secret she carries in her heartand in her belly.

REVIEW:

This is book three in the Shadow Agent’s Miniseries. I was looking forward to Gunner and Sydney’s story and I was not disappointed. The Shadow Agent team is a close knit unit with all their different personalities meshing together. The action was well written and this book had my stomach knotted! Their desire for each other built with each book and finally came together in a most satisfying way. I sure hope there is a book 4 coming!

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

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Buy Links – Publication Dates: (Paperback) July 23, 2013, (eBook) August 1, 2013
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Let Love In (The Love Series) by Melissa Collins

Let Love In (The Love Series) by Melissa Collins
Publication Date: May 16, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change? That’s exactly what happened to Madeleine Becker when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can’t get hurt if she doesn’t fall in love. That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy’s pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy’s inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past. Together they find out what happens when they let love in.

REVIEW:
I loved Let Love In! This is Melissa Collins debut book that is self published and I was blown away by it! Let Love In is a steamy romance that is well written, has a great plot and great characters. It is a love story about two people who have experienced loss and connect because of it. This story took me on an emotional ride. I laughed and I cried. I was pulled into the story and really felt for the characters and connected with them. Madeline lost her family at a young age and has walls up to protect herself. She meets Reid and recognizes him as someone who has experienced pain and has the same walls. Reid is a smoking hot guy who is use to getting any girl he wants. He has never met anyone that brings out emotions in him the way Madeline does. I loved their story and can not wait for next book to read what happens next. There is a cliffhanger ending, but not the kind of cliffhanger that left me upset that the story was abruptly cut off. I loved everything about Let Love In and highly recommend it!

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

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The Right Temptation by Diane Escalera

The Right Temptation by Diane Escalera
Publication Date: June 21, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 3.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Can a childhood crush mature into the real thing?

Kayla Martinez has recently landed an RN position at a prestigious hospital in her hometown. The new job is everything she’s hoped for, especially when one hot specimen shows up in the ER. She hasn’t seen her childhood crush in years, and considering how much hotter he’s gotten over time, she almost ends up needing resuscitation.

The last thing Nico LaCosta needs is a broken arm. Now his pal’s kid sister wants to soothe his pain, but he’d rather keep his distance so her big brother doesn’t break his other arm. Kayla’s no child anymore, though. She’s one hot-blooded woman, determined to remind him of a mind-blowing kiss back when they were teenagers. Leave it to Kayla to drop by his house unannounced and play Nurse Seductive. A guy has to follow the buddy code, or face the consequences. Still, sometimes giving in to temptation is worth it…

CONTENT WARNING: Racy Language, Hot Sex, Lusty Latin Lovers

A Lyrical Press Contemporary Romance

REVIEW:

I enjoyed this sexy little romance novella! Great summer read for lounging on a hot summer day. Diane Escalera writes hot streamy romances! Nico and Kayla had great chemistry and passion. Kayla reconnects with an old crush when he comes into her ER with a broken arm. Nico takes some convincing. I really enjoyed their story and look forward to the next story. I recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick steamy romance this summer.

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

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Ebook Giveaway on Facebook July 1, 2013!

AUTHOR BIO:

Diane Escalera

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, I relocated to South Florida, a sultry paradise I instantly fell in love with. Unlike most authors, I didn’t know I was destined to write. In fact, I worked in banking for many years, but deep down knew that it wasn’t my dream job.

At the young age of thirty-five, my sister died of an illness. I realized the same thing could happen to me. There are no guarantees. I couldn’t waste another moment doing something I didn’t love.

Writing was one of my greatest joys when I was growing up. While still working at the bank, I decided to enroll in an intensive course where I learned everything I could about the craft. It didn’t take long before I left the bank to pursue a writing career.

Still living in South Florida, I’m married, have two children and a super cute Dachshund I can’t get enough of. I feel truly blessed to be able to share my stories. I only wish I could have shared them with my sister.

www.DianeEscalera.com
www.Facebook.com/DianeEscaleraOfficial
www.Twitter.com/DianeEscalera

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Officer and the Secret by Jeanette Murray

Officer and the Secret (Semper Fidelis. Always Faithful.) by Jeanette Murray
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

If There’s One Thing He Hates, It’s a Secret…

Coming home after a rough deployment, Captain Dwayne Robertson wants some stability in his life, and finds it in the friendship he’s forged with Veronica Gibson while he was away. But her past is a well-guarded mystery, and Dwayne doesn’t know if he can deal with a woman who has something to hide…

And She’s Filled with Them…

Veronica Gibson doesn’t want anyone to know about her bizarre upbringing. She’s finally escaped her missionary parents and would be enjoying her independence if she didn’t feel so insecure about fitting in. She can easily envision a glorious future with Dwayne—but can she build a new life on a web of lies?

REVIEW:

I loved The Officer and the Secret! It is the third book of the Semper Fi Series, but can be read as a stand alone. I really want to read the first two books in the series now so I can read how the other couples got together though. I loved Dwayne even though I wanted to smack him at times. He is a sexy marine home from deployment and suffering from PTSD. Veronica has been sheltered her whole life and is just coming out of shell. They have great chemistry together and Veronica really seems to be the person to help Dwayne with his PTSD. Their story is a steamy romance that held my interest from beginning to end and had me laughing and smiling. The Officer and the Secret has a great plot and characters! This is the first book I have read by Jeannette Murray and will not be the last. I recommend this book for romance lovers that love a military hero!

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

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