Category Archives: romance reviews

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

20130408-194917.jpg

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.

20130407-115132.jpg

Maya Banks – Fever (THE BREATHLESS TRILOGY)

Maya Banks – Fever (THE BREATHLESS TRILOGY)
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Book Description
Jace, Ash, and Gabe: three of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. They’re accustomed to getting anything they want. Anything at all. For Jace, it’s a woman whose allure takes him completely by surprise…

Jace Crestwell, Ash McIntyre, and Gabe Hamilton have been best friends and successful business partners for years. They’re powerful, they’re imposing, they’re irresistibly sexy, and Jace and Ash share everything—including their women.

When they meet Bethany, Jace begins to feel things he’s never experienced before: jealousy, and a powerful obsession that threatens him, overwhelms him—and excites him beyond control.

Jace isn’t sharing Bethany—with anyone. He’s determined to be the only man in her life, and it’s jeopardizing a lifelong friendship with Ash. Bethany will be his and his alone. Even if it means turning his back on his best friend.

Review:
This is the 2nd book in The Breathless Trilogy. Maya Banks always delivers steamy romance with great characters and she definitely delivered in this book. Jace Crestwell is a powerful, alpha male who for the first time, falls instantly for a woman he doesn’t feel the need to share with his best friend, Ash McIntyre. Since Maya Banks introduced Jace in her book, Rush, I have been looking forward to his story. He raised his sister after losing their parents and built a powerful empire with his two best friends. Jace is a very masculine, alpha male, but is also deeply compassionate and protective of those he loves. He is determined to protect Bethany and make her completely his.
I am calling this a sexy Cinderella love story! It gave me everything I look for in a great story! Loved it and can not wait for Ash’s story!

Reading In Pajamas – Cori

20130406-131120.jpg

HELL ON WHEELS by Karen Leabo

HELL ON WHEELS by Karen Leabo
Release Date April 8, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Stiff, by-the-book meteorologist Victoria Driscoll and devil-may-care, adventurer and photojournalist Roan Cullen find themselves teamed up to chase tornados. As the storms heat up, so does their desire.

REVIEW:
I appreciated Karen Leabo’s smooth writing style and the portrayal of the character’s emotional journey. The storm chasing plot was well written and added a great exciting edge to the story. It was a nice light romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reading in Pajamas
Donna

20130405-213310.jpg

In Flight (Up In The Air #1) R.K. Lilley

In Flight (Up In The Air #1) R.K. Lilley
Rating: 4 Stars

Book Description
Publication Date: October 20, 2012
When reserved flight attendant Bianca gets one look at billionaire hotel owner James Cavendish, she loses all of her hard-won composure. For a girl who can easily juggle a tray of champagne flutes at 35,000 feet in three inch heels, she finds herself shockingly weak-kneed from their first encounter. The normally unruffled Bianca can’t seem to look away from his electrifying turquoise gaze. They hold a challenge, and a promise, that she finds impossible to resist, and she is a girl who is used to saying no and meaning it.

Bianca is accustomed to dealing with supermodels and movie stars in her job as a first class flight attendant, but James Cavendish puts them all to shame in the looks department. If only it were just his looks that she found so irresistible about the intimidating man, Bianca could have ignored his attentions. But what tempts her like never before is the dominant pull he seems to have over her from the moment they meet, and the promise of pleasure, and pain, that she reads in his eyes.

This book is intended for ages 18 and up.

Review:
If you are a fan of Christian Grey and Gideon Cross, you will love hot, sexy, alpha, James Cavendish! I couldn’t put this book down! The characters had a lot of back story and depth. Lots of scorching romance between James and Bianca. I loved the secondary characters as well. This is a trilogy series that will hold your interest from start to finish! I’ve also decided I’m flying the wrong airlines because none of these adventures ever happen to me on planes.

Reading In Pajamas – Cori

20130405-092911.jpg

NAUTIER AND WILDER by Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton

NAUTIER AND WILDER by Lora Leigh and Jaci Burton
Release date: April 2, 2013
Rating: 4 Stars

NAUTIE SIREN
Description:
Lora Leigh takes into the life of Dawg’s sister Piper. Being the alpha males they are, Dawg and his cousins smother Piper in protectiveness. It doesn’t help that sparks flare between her and Dawg’s co-worker, Jedediah. He’s as alpha as the others. Feeling overwhelmed by testosterone, she sneaks off to New York hoping to show her designer fashions. Alas, as with all McKays, trouble finds her causing Jed to come to the rescue.
REVIEW:
What can I say, I’m a sucker for the Nauti Boys. I love that this alpha male doesn’t try to smother her independence but still has her back. Lots of suspense, action and of course HEAT! I was a bit put off by the level of overbearing males, but it put a nice counter-point to Jed’s behavior. Overall I liked it.

RIDING TO SUNSET
Description:
Jaci Burton give us an almost “passing of the torch” to the new generation of the Wild Riders. An undercover special ops team. It revolves around General Lee’s search for his missing sister and the needed protection of his niece, Elena. In comes Jed Templeton to secretly protect her. Of course they are instantly attracted to each other. What doesn’t help is that Elena has no idea she even has an uncle, nor that Jed is more than he seems.
REVIEW:
I love the camaraderie of the Wild Riders and the chemistry between the main characters. The action and romance were well placed and I loved the twist in the storyline. I’Ve always loved the Wild Riders series and this is a good addition.

Even if you’ve not read either series, these novellas will be a great introduction.

Reviewed by: Donna DeBoard – Reading In Pajamas

20130404-220049.jpg

Kristen Ashley – Own The Wind: A Chaos Novel – 4.5 Stars

20130328-110824.jpg

Book Description
Release date: Ebook: April 2, 2013 and Paperback: June 25, 2013 | Series: Chaos

Too hot to handle . . .

Tabitha Allen grew up in the thick of Chaos-the Chaos Motorcycle Club, that is. Her father is Chaos’ leader, and the club has always had her back. But one rider was different from the start. When Tabby was running wild, Shy Cage was there. When tragedy tore her life apart, he helped her piece it back together. And now, Tabby’s thinking about much more than friendship . . .

Tabby is everything Shy’s ever wanted, but everything he thinks he can’t have. She’s beautiful, smart, and as his friend’s daughter, untouchable. Shy never expected more than friendship, so when Tabby indicates she wants more-much more-he feels like the luckiest man alive. But even lucky men can crash and burn . . .

Review:
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Wow! Hot, alpha, motorcycle men and lots of romance! I loved this story! I recently read Kristen Ashley’s Dream Man Series and could not put them down. Read them all back to back! Then went back and found her Rock Chick series and devoured those! Her men are hot, protective alpha males. I love them all! The Dream Man series ends with Motorcycle Man and this book picks up after it. Tabby is the daughter of the leader of Chaos and Shy is a member. Shy starts off always pulling Tabby out of trouble. There relationship leads to friendship and then love. Shy lets Tabby be herself and heals her broken heart after a tragedy. These two bring out the best in each other. Loved it and can not wait for the next one!

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

Jennifer Apodaca – The Baby Bargain – 5 Stars

20130312-185828.jpg

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

THE PROPOSITION (The Plus One Chronicles, Book 1) by Jennifer Lyon

THE PROPOSITION (The Plus One Chronicles, Book 1) by Jennifer Lyon
Publication Date: February 26, 2013
Reviewed by: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Rich, sexy and volatile, Sloane Michaels has a dark agenda that keeps his heart on ice. His extreme wealth gives him the control he craves and his skills as an ex UFC fighter the tools he’ll need to extract his ultimate revenge. But when the woman he never believed he’d see again crosses his path, Sloane is caught between the vengeance he needs and a sexual conquest he craves.

Kat Thayne has been in survival mode for six years, hiding behind the sweet creations for her bakery. But when a random carjacking brings her face-to-face with her darkest fears and hottest fantasy, Kat is forced out of hiding and offered a dangerously passionate proposition. One she knows she isn’t strong enough to refuse.

REVIEW:
Loved it! I’ve missed Jennifer Lyon! I loved her Winged Slayer Hunter series. This book is part of a new series she started that will be 3 books. The ending left me really wanting the next book! Sloane is a hot alpha hero that is an ex UFC fighter and he now owns a chain of gyms. I thought Kat was a great female character. She is learning to protect herself after surviving an attack in her past. She doesn’t want to be dependent on a man. These two have smoking hot chemistry when they come together! This is a super steamy romance with a great plot. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a sexy romance book. I can’t wait for the next book!

20130301-070427.jpg

Lauren Dane – Lush

3 1/2 stars
This is the 3rd book in series. I think the series needs to read in order to understand the other characters. I liked the book, but not my favorite. I’ve read all of Lauren Dane’s books and this one was good but not her best. Lots of character conflict. I thought Mary could have given a little more without focusing soooo much on her career as a chef. While they characters had some chemistry I thought it just seemed forced. It was a fun little contemporary romance read though.
I downloaded this book for review from netgalley.com

– Reading in Pajamas

This is the 3rd DELICIOUS Novel and features Mary and Damien…

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel—in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She’s got everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were all in high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon get much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long it’s Damien who wants more of Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to the celebrity news and he’s got a very big job ahead of him—proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

20130226-094200.jpg