Category Archives: romance reviews

DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid

DRAWING THE LINE by Kimberly Kincaid
PUBLISHED: April 24, 2013
REVIEW BY: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
RATED: 4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious…or so tough to protect.

Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.

As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?

REVIEW:
This was a delightful read. I enjoyed Serenity’s personality as both honest and real. Dedicated to her business yes, but still a caring and fun person. Now Jason, he may be trying to keep it all professional policy business, but we aren’t fooled. There is real attraction between them. This short novel was a very fun read that hit my wants. Likeable people, action/suspense, romance and steamy sex. It even had a killer recipe included.

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

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BARE IT ALL by Lori Foster

BARE IT ALL by Lori Foster
PUBLISH DATE: April 30, 2013
REVIEW BY: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
As the person responsible for taking down a brutal human trafficker, Alice Appleton fears retaliation at every turn. No one knows about her past, which is exactly how she prefers it…until the sexy cop next door comes knocking.

Detective Reese Bareden thinks he knows what makes women tick, but his ever-elusive neighbor keeps him guessing like no other. Is his goal to unmask Alice’s secrets? Or protect her from a dangerous new threat? One thing is certain: their chemistry is a time bomb waiting to explode. And with no one to trust but each other, Reese and Alice are soon drawn into a deadly maze of corruption, intrigue and desire—and into the line of fire….

REVIEW:
This is the second book in the Undercover Series and she has these cops figured out! Outwardly Reese is all tough and dedicated yet inside he is tender and caring. Lori does a great job of blending the two sides of him. Reserved and guarded Alice also hides a side of herself. One that longs for closeness and love. I really liked her character and how she faced the demons of her past and moved forward to embrace life. The disparate group of people that pulled together to combat the evil drug lord worked well together and I ended up caring for each one of them. I hope they appear in future books.

I truly enjoyed this book with all the action and tension meshed with the friendships and romance. It had it all nestled nicely in uniform. Lori Foster is now on my favorite list!

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

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HIS RISK TO TAKE by Tessa Bailey

HIS RISK TO TAKE by Tessa Bailey
PUBLISH DATE: May 13, 2013
REVIEW BY: Reading in Pajamas/Donna
RATED: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Homicide cop Troy Bennett had a reputation with the Chicago PD for being fearless and in control—until the night his daredevil partner is killed during a raid. From that moment on, he swears he’ll never again be responsible for the loss of a loved one. To escape his demons, Troy transfers to the NYPD, bringing him up close and personal with Ruby Elliott, a beautiful, street-savvy pool hustler. Reckless and stubbornly independent, Ruby embodies everything Troy’s avoiding, but when she walks into the pub he’s at with his new coworkers and blows his carefully laid plans to hell, Troy knows he has to have her—risks be damned. But there’s a connection between Ruby’s shadowed past and a case Troy’s working involving a notorious Brooklyn felon, throwing her safety into jeopardy. Confronted with his biggest fear, will Troy push Ruby away to keep her safe or fight to keep her in his arms where she belongs?

REVIEW:
I just love a dominant man in uniform and Troy fit that bill in spades! Ruby is street smart and strong willed without being witchy about it. I like that. The two of them had an easy banter that truly added to the romance and the author did a good job of weaving all this into the danger they faced from one of the city’s crime bosses. This added a nice gritty edge to the story. I really enjoyed this novella. It was fast paced, full of action, romance and smoking hot sex.

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

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

Talking Dirty with the CEO by Jackie Ashenden

Talking Dirty with the CEO by Jackie Ashenden
Publication Date: May 13, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas – Cori
Rated: 3.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Gadget journalist Christie St. John is more geek than chic. But when research for an article she has to write on online dating leads to the bed of the hottest guy she’s ever met, she knows that if the geek is to keep the hottie CEO, she’s going to have to come out of her digital shell.

Tech mogul Joseph Ashton never expected an Internet blind date to end in the best sex of his life. Yet as the chemistry between him and Christie burns out of control, he can’t help but think this woman is out for his money like all the rest. She claims she wants his heart instead – but that’s the one thing he can never give.

REVIEW:

This book was so much fun to read! Romance that starts in a chat room by chance turns into something more. Steamy romance between a funny geek and a hot CEO. I loved it! As a geeky girl myself it was fun for me to read about. I loved the banter between the characters and it had me laughing out loud. I’d classify the story as a light hearted, fun romance! I highly recommend this book to readers looking for a good romance story.

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

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Losing Me, Finding You (A New Adult Biker Erotic Romance) by C.M. Stunich

Losing Me, Finding You (A New Adult Biker Erotic Romance) by C.M. Stunich
Publication Date: April 19, 2013
Review by: Reading In Pajamas – Cori
Rating: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
‘Losing Me, Finding You’, a New Adult/Biker/Contemporary Romance Erotica Novel Recommended for Ages 18 and Up

Twenty-one year old Amy Cross’s idea of a hot Saturday night is curling up with her favorite book boyfriend and secretly sneaking a bottle of her mother’s wine. That is, until she meets Austin Sparks, the biker boy with a past that burns like fire and a gaze she can’t look away from. Without knowing what she’s doing or why she’s doing it, Amy ends up on the road with Austin traveling from one city to another while learning things she’s only ever read about in romance novels.

At first it seems like Austin is Amy’s fantasy come true, but as their journey progresses, she starts to sense that Austin is running away from something. Amy knows that she’ll do whatever it takes to help him find himself. What she doesn’t expect is that she’ll lose herself in the process and how good it will feel to be free.

LOSING ME, FINDING YOU EXCERPT:

“Austin,” I whisper as he steps forward and uses the weight of his body to get me right where he wants me. I want to keep kissing forever, tasting sultry Southern boy and good manners and a filthy f****** mouth, but I think he has other plans.
“If you don’t want this,” he whispers as he grazes my ear with his white, white teeth. “Then you better tell me now because once I get started, I ain’t gonna be able to stop.”
How unfair, I think because really, there is no way that I can speak with scalding kisses being pressed to the side of my neck and my shoulder. Instead, another sound escapes my lips, bursting out into the air like a sigh of relief. Finally, I think. After all these years of reading about bad boys and alpha males and delicious men with ridiculous names, it’s my turn. Mine. Mine. Sorry, Horse; Sorry, Kellan Kyle; Sorry, Ty McCabe; Sorry, Travis Maddox; Sorry, Gideon Cross. But I’m breaking up with all of you.
“That’s what I thought.”
Austin Sparks crushes me against the pool table with his hips, the roughness of his jeans rubbing against the smoothness of my thighs as he pushes up my skirt with his warm hands.
“Get ready for this, beautiful.”
And then he’s spinning me around, so suddenly that my mouth opens wide and my cheek (my unbruised one, thankfully) slams into the felt of the pool table.

REVIEW:

I’ll admit it! I bought this book because of the hot cover! I love the cover! The book lived up to the cover though. I loved it! Sexy bad boy biker meets a good girl that gets her romance and sex ideas from books. These two can’t be more different and it was a fun story to follow. I loved that Amy carried books around and referred to her book boyfriends. Austin made me want to smack him a few times, but ultimately became the hero for the story. Plus I enjoy when characters cause me to experience emotions. The sex scenes were smoking hot! I’d recommend this to any readers looking for an erotic biker romance. I can not wait fo the next book!

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Claim Me: A Novel by J. Kenner

Claim Me: A Novel by J. Kenner
Publication Date: April 23, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas – Cori
Rating: 4.5 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes the second novel in the erotic, fast-paced trilogy that started with Release 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.

For Damien, our obsession is a game. For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real.

Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.

I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.

But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.

Claim Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

REVIEW:

Mmmmmmm Stark! Damien Stark steams up the pages of this book! Claim Me picks up where Release Me left off and continues the sexy love story between Damien Stark and Nikki Fairchild. J. Kenner, the author, weaves a great love story between these two that keeps the reader fascinated and had me turning the pages until the end. Stark had me fanning myself to cool down on occasion. I highly recommend this book and this series. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book to see what happens next!

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

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Matt Bomer as Damien Stark

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A Taste of You (The Epicurean Book 1) by Sorcha Grace

A Taste of You (The Epicurean Book 1) by Sorcha Grace
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars
Reading in Pajamas – Cori

Description:
For lovers of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes a deliciously sexy romance with a culinary twist!

She didn’t know how hungry she was…Beautiful and talented Catherine Kelly is intent on starting over as a food photographer in Chicago. With her painful past buried over 2000 miles away, she’s focused on her career and is hungry for little else. Until she meets William Lambourne, a wealthy bachelor with arresting blue-grey eyes filled with enough tragedy to match her own. William urges Catherine to step out from behind her camera and fully taste all that life has to offer, stirring an appetite in her she never knew she possessed – and it’s one only he can satisfy.

He couldn’t wait to feed her…A gourmand who takes great pleasure in food and in women, William Lambourne is rich, powerful, and gorgeous — and as talented in the kitchen as he is in the bedroom. Longing for a woman to truly savor, William finds his match in Catherine. From the moment he meets her, he is determined to discover the perfect recipe to unlock Cat’s resolve, awaken her senses, and make her his own.

Theirs is a meal worth savoring…William is as mysterious as he is passionate, but as Catherine begins to fall for the stormy-eyed billionaire, she knows she must reveal her own dark secrets. But first, William must win Cat’s heart to ensure their pasts don’t undo them.

Book 1 in The Epicurean series, A Taste of You will leave you ravenous for more of Cat and William’s story!

Review:
Wow! Smoking hot romance! I loved this book. William and Cat have instant chemistry when they stumble into each other. Neither of them is looking for a relationship, but they are unable to deny their passion. This is the first book that will be published in this series and it will continued in the next book, but it does not have an ending that leaves you angry that it was cut off. I could not put this book down. Scorching romance! Sorcha Grace is a great storyteller and I can not wait for her next book. I’m adding her to my must read list!

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

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MIDNIGHT SECRETS by Ella Grace

MIDNIGHT SECRETS by Ella Grace
Publication Date April 30, 2013
REVIEW: Reading In Pajamas/Donna
RATING: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
On a hot southern night, with a storm on the horizon, a family is shattered. Three beautiful daughters—Savannah, Samantha, and Sabrina Wilde—go on with their lives, each significantly changed, as they bear the memory of the murder-suicide that killed their parents. For years, they have stayed away from Midnight, Alabama. Until Midnight calls them home.

Savannah is the first one back, when a grueling case in Nashville leads the young prosecutor to seek shelter in the quiet of the once grand Wilde mansion. But when she finds letters casting doubt on her family’s dark, shameful past, she realizes that peace in Midnight is a shallow façade and sinister secrets lurk beneath the surface. Zach Tanner, once the town’s bad boy, is now the new police chief and still has a wild hold over her. Zach can feel it, too, but he hurt Savannah once. As teenagers, they broke every rule together. Now it’s his job to keep her safe, even though he isn’t sure who her enemies are—or which ones might be his own.

REVIEW:
I like that instead of a short prologue; the early years were part of the story. You come to care about them and the difficulties they face. Their young romance was tender and sweet. Separated for 10 years they have found strength in their careers and find themselves together again. The mystery and suspense wove nicely with the reawakening love and steamy passion they share. Even though some parts seemed a little slow and drawn-out, it set up the groundwork for future books on the sisters. I really enjoyed the story and look forward to the other sisters returning home.

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

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EXTREME LOVE by Abby Niles

EXTREME LOVE by Abby Niles
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Reading in Pajamas – Donna
Rated: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

New body. New clothes. New men.

Used to the average Joe, Caitlyn Moore is overwhelmed when the supremely masculine Dante Jones walks into her life and expresses an interest in her. At first she pushes him away, refusing to encourage the attention of a cage fighter. Then she learns Dante has a love ‘em and leave ‘em reputation. What better way to fine-tune her non-existent flirting skills than with a male who won’t stick around? But Dante has no intention of being a practice dummy; he’s out for all or nothing. Now Caitlyn must accept Dante’s violent career and all—or let him go.

Dante “Inferno” Jones has one goal: win the Welterweight Championship. At a time when focus is crucial, the last thing he needs is a distraction. Yet Caitlyn Moore becomes a challenge he can’t resist. When the light-hearted pursuit shifts to a battle to win her heart, his focus is shot. Faced with losing the biggest match of his career, Dante must decide if his extreme life also has room for Extreme Love.

REVIEW:
Caitlyn is a real woman and not a tiny slip of a girl so I was able to relate to her dealing with self-image issues and burgeoning self-confidence. Then there is Dante…A masculine, strong-willed and determined professional fighter. She is so attracted to him but has a hard time with his good looks and fame, not to mention his violent profession isn’t something she thinks she can handle. She tries to hold him at arms length, but he is stubborn enough to go after what he wants….her. He was able to break through her personal barriers and get her to realize how beautiful and strong she is, inside and out. He is also a strong and tender hearted person, so as fate would have it, they are a perfect match. There was great romance, steamy sex, perfect bad-guy, tension and great friends. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Abby Niles’ books.

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

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