Toxic by Kim Karr

Blurb

The New York Times bestselling author of the Connections novels turns up the heat in a sexy new romance about money, power, danger, and passion…

Sometimes you have to wonder if your life is just too good to be true.

Is it real or just an illusion?

Does the man lying beside you really love you like he says he does?

If the answer is yes, you’re meant to live happily ever after.

If the answer is no, you’re living my life…

and nothing will ever be the same.

I know I should walk away, but I can't.

I’ll take whatever I can get for as long as it lasts.

I know when it’s over…

I’ll never find another man like him. 

My Review

TOXIC!

Jeremy and Phoebe have just that, a toxic relationship. 

From the start their relationship is based on lies, omissions and mistrust..... 

and as the story progresses, trust, jealousy and secrets threaten to derail them for good.

I was intrigued in the very beginning, Jeremy and Phoebe couldn't be more different. Her being the daughter of a very wealthy family and he the son of a working class single mother. 

Unfortunately for me it turned out to be a bit too chaotic and the back and forth ping ponging of their relationship gave me whiplash. 

I felt as if I was watching an episode of Ron and Sam from The Jersey Shore!

Ok, maybe that is a tad harsh of a comparison!

Their chemistry was explosive, from the moment they met. They couldn't take their hands off each other! 

Literally. 

All the time. 

Anywhere. 

Everywhere.

This story has a lot of sex, hurt feelings, wrong impressions, strong bonds between friends and love.

There's also many characters, with their lives all intermingling. 

Again, for me, even the friends was a bit too much.

I know I'm in the minority here, so please don't let my opinion deter you from reading this book. I do love Kim Karr and have enjoyed her other stories. 

This one was just ok for me, but might be exactly what you're looking for.

Toxic relationship. Crazy lust. Second chances.

AMAZON

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Easy Silence by Beth Rinyu

Blurb

They say you never forget your first love. 

No matter how many more come along or how much time goes by, there will always be that one person who will be forever embedded deep inside your heart and soul. 

For me, that was Jaxson Callahan.

We were complete opposites. I was a senator’s daughter. 

My parents were always too busy keeping up appearances on the political scene to show me love, so instead they bought my affection.

He was the son of a woman who allowed men to use and abuse her as well as him, just for her next fix. 

We became each other’s solace during that summer we met, creating a lifetime of memories in three short months. I provided him with a sense of hope that there was more than just the harsh reality of the life he had grown accustomed to, and he showed me a genuine love that I had been yearning for my entire life. We vowed to be together forever. I loved him and he loved me…. and nothing would keep us apart.

Nothing except the secrets that were hiding in that small seaside town.

Secrets that altered our destiny. We were never given any warning as we watched our future shake, crumble and disappear altogether, leaving us with nothing but memories of a bittersweet past.

Life can be beautiful. 

Life can be kind.

And, life can be heartless…..because nothing about our situation was fair.

  Review

Hidden secrets and lies, some too much to bear. 

Hearts are broken, tears are shed and lives are forever changed. 

I can count on Beth to write sweet and ooey gooey stories, and this doesn't disappoint. 

At times it had a little bit of an 'after school special' feel about it, right before the carpet gets pulled out from under you!

Her heroine, Samantha is smart and sweet, yet strong and resilient. She seems like your typical popular girl. Rich, beautiful and has her life all laid out in front of her presented on a silver platter.

Her hero, Jaxson is a bad boy. He's rough around the edges and has a chip on his shoulder. 

He is the epitome of broken. 

He's lived a tough life and seen things that no child should bare witness to.

"Sometimes even the strongest feelings in our hearts can't silence the demons in our head."

This story is sweet and sad with the addition to fun and light moments. It's not a dark read per say, but it does have more somber and darker elements.

There's a mysterious, angsty feel going on throughout and you just know something is about to happen... 

and then it does and you're left with your mouth hanging open.

But wait.. that's not it.. there's more!! 

You're gonna need tissues for this ending.. trust me on that!

In typical Beth Rinyu fashion, you'll be crying.. but I never said they'd be happy tears, did I?

That ooey gooey I talked about earlier?? She tosses that right out the window!!

Bravo Beth for shocking the hell out of me with this one!

"The past doesn't have to control the present and the future."

This story will have you contemplating life, and death. Your loved ones and your happiness.

AMAZON

Flawed Love by Bella Jewel

BLURB

Rainer Torrence is everything I could have wanted in my life and more.

He became my best friend when I was Thirteen years old.

From then on, we were inseparable. He was my first love and my first heartbreak.

But I always thought it was forever.

Until his Father died and things went bad.

Then suddenly, he disappeared.

Ten years and I didn’t see or hear from him.

Then came the call I’d be praying for– he was back in town.

Only the man I remembered is not him.

This man is quiet, deadly, and so incredibly beautiful.

He also doesn’t remember me.

He looks into my eyes, and he sees nothing.

Nothing.

So, I let him believe I’m just a girl that walked into his bar.

I let him believe I’m just a friend.

I let him use me on the cold, dark nights.

I let him believe that I am as emotionless about our relationship as he is.

I just let the secret go on and on.

But all secrets have an end, don’t they?

REVIEW

I loved it!!!

Ok, let me start off by saying, this was my first ever read by Bella Jewel. 

I always get Bella Jewel, Belle Aurora and Aurora Rose Reynolds mixed up! It's crazy, but I do. I always think, yeah, I've read her books before.. but when I looked into it, no, no I haven't!!

WHY? Why have I not read any of her work yet? This ends now!!

Or should I say, this begins now!!!

Best friends, tragedy, hurt, loss, secrets and sex!

What would you do if your one true love just up and disappeared? The only boy you opened your heart to, who protected and cared for you. 

That was Rainer for Amalie.

Amalie was insecure, young and inexperienced. You could call her an ugly duckling.. or was that just her perception of herself?

Rainer was a brooding bad boy. He was gorgeous. And he was her best friend.

One day he was gone, never to be heard from again.

I devoured this book! I started it this morning and was finished by mid afternoon! There was sadness, love, pain and heart ache. As well as some sexy hotness and oh so yummy Rainer. I mean, dayum!

Where had he been? What had happened and why didn't he recognize his best friend?

Ugh, the angst!

I don't always enjoy books that go from past to present, I just want to get to the good stuff and know what's happening!!! BUT, I  really did here. 

I enjoyed the supporting characters as well and am anxious to not only read on about Raide, but also backtrack and read about Max and Belle in Flawed Heart!

(I'm ass-backwards, I know)

AMAZON

Insider by Olivia Cunning

 Toni wants to be an insider.

Logan just wants inside her.

She’s finally ready to rock...

Toni Nichols set aside her dreams to raise her little sister, but now she's reaching for the stars as the creator of a revolutionary interactive biography about Exodus End. She’s on tour with the rock band to immerse herself in their world, but how will she ever gain the trust of four veteran superstars who've been burned by the media before? Nobody said this was going to be easy. Then again, good things can come in hard packages.

He's always ready to roll…

Adrenaline junkie Logan Schmidt lives for the rush of playing his bass guitar before thousands of screaming fans. When he's not performing onstage or in the bedroom, he's looking for his next thrill in extreme sports. So why does a sweet, innocent journalist get his heart pumping and capture his full attention? Is Toni the real deal or just digging up dirt on his band? Logan’s eager to rock Toni’s world and roll her in the sack, but when she starts to get too close to his heart, she takes her insider look to a place he may never be willing to go.

I was SO excited to read this book and beyond thrilled to receive an advanced copy!

We first learned of the Exodus End band in the Sinners books. When Olivia announced she was writing more books, I about fell out of my chair!!

Toni is a shy, reclusive and very naive young woman. She's extremely smart and talented, but lacks experience in many fields.

When she's thrust onto a tour bus with hot and delicious rockstars, her entire world changes.

Logan is the blonde, ladies-man, hottie bass player of the band. He has an immediate attraction to Toni and an undeniable connection.

For me, I just didn't understand Toni. Her thoughts and actions just didn't add up. Also, one of the things I liked most was also one of the things I didn't like! I'm a weirdo, I know.

I felt like this was a huge recap of all the characters from both series'. Most everyone was there and discussed. Now, while I enjoyed revisiting with everyone, I felt as though there was too much of everyone else!

Getting to Toni and Logan's relationship, I think it progressed extremely fast and was just a bit silly at times.
There were moments of angst and sadness along with the trademark Cunning sexiness.. but overall, for me, it wasn't what I had hoped.

Unfortunately maybe I was a little too excited and had extremely high hopes.
 Regardless... I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the world of Exodus End and am definitely going to be anxiously twiddling my thumbs while I wait for the next installment.

AMAZON

Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

Armed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude. 

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn't let her die, but he also couldn't risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move. 

Maybe it's because he saved her life, or maybe it's because he's completely different from everything she's left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone. 

And River isn't the kind of guy she'd want to catch. 

This was a cute and sweet story, as well as a suspenseful one. A bit of a 'wrong side of the tracks' tale.

What would you do for family? How far will you go to protect the ones you love?

These characters know a little something about that!

Strong sense of family values and love.

There was drama, mystery, laughter and sadness.  There was also a lot of history.

I was born in Europe and have traveled to many countries.. unfortunately though, I have never made it to Ireland! SO.. I loved getting a touch of that through this book! Miss Tucker made me feel like I was there.. if only for a couple hours!

I LOVE the Irish speak also, the use of Ma and Da! Birds! ;)

This was my first read in the Burying Water series and yes, they are all standalones. 

And although the characters from previous books were present in this one, I don't feel as though I missed anything, because everything flowed very nicely together. 

I am curious now though, and just might have to backtrack and read book 1! 

AMAZON

Beneath the Cape—The Superhero Anthology by Angela McPherson, Cheryl McIntyre, Christine Zolendz, D. Nichole King, Laura Thalassa, Lynn Vroman, Magan Vernon, Sunniva Dee

Beneath the Cape—The Superhero Anthology

Created with the sole purpose of benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project.

Only available July 1st - October 1st.

Superheroes.

Save the world and protect mankind.

But what’s beneath the cape? Behind the mask? Under the steel-plated façade?

Eight bestselling New Adult romance authors have come together to bring you seven stories about superheroes and what it takes to win their hearts. From the skies, to the cities, to the ocean, our superheroes face death, fight villains, conquer evil and—

Find love.

The world is full of heroes. Every-day men and women who risk their lives for the sake of others—for life, liberty, freedom, and justice. Often these men and women are wounded—physically or mentally—in the line of duty. Therefore, we have created this anthology with the sole purpose of benefitting theWounded Warrior Project.

Because heroes should never be forgotten.

Reading Anthologies are a great way to discover new authors. 6 of these authors are new to me, and I am so excited to read more from them!!

Each of these stories are completely different. 

Heroes come in many different shapes and forms and in these stories you get several varieties.

heroes ~ shifters ~ ghosts

In all honesty I had no clue what I was getting myself into! 

Christine Zolendz is one of my favorite authors. She said she was writing a story for an anthology raising money for Wounded Warriors and I didn't hear or read any further. 

Sign me up, I said!

So when I started the first story and it was about actual villains vs superheros, 

I thought... oh.. duh....I get it... CAPE! hee hee

BLURB

Reaping Angels by Laura Thalassa:
The Executioner’s touch can kill.
Angel’s can heal.
A villain and a hero. One who stood for death, and the other for life. Mortal enemies until the impossible happened. 
A touch. 
A kiss. 
And now, a manhunt.

REVIEW

This was my first read by Laura Thalassa and I loved it! This was the first in line and was about superheroes and villains! 

It was cute and too funny, sexy and so entertaining! 

I really loved it!

BLURB

Cat Love by Sunniva Dee:

A sexy thriller about the animal in all of us. 

Aidan uses his superpower to stabilize minds at the Hollyreed Specialist Hospital. Ulani uses hers to chase rats on rooftops. Until she’s caught and deposited in Aidan’s care. 

At the hospital, Aidan finds Ulani's room empty—save for a cat, whose fur retracts in favor of silky skin and a vamp-gorgeous femme fatale. 

Aidan’s obsession with Ulani grows, while patients go missing.

Making the couple use their powers to bring criminals to justice.

REVIEW

This was my first time reading anything from Sunniva Dee.

This story has a bit of a mysterious touch to it and it also ends on a cliffy! 

I liked how her human form resembled her feline form. Slinking and sashaying around!

BLURB

Gypsy Love by Angela McPherson & Lynn Vroman:
For two hundred years, Adrian vowed to seek revenge against the Gypsy woman who bound his spirit for eternity. 
Until her.
The one man Mia wants only exists in dreams. 
Until he doesn’t. 
The curse may be broken, but not without a price. 
One love must end for another to begin.

REVIEW

OMG this was my favorite!!! It is also my first read by both these authors.

I thought it was sunny, sexy, and EMOTIONAL! I cried!!!!

I absolutely loved it!!! I can not wait to read more!!!!

Although I was literally bawling on the last word, I was happy and satisfied. BUT, lucky for me, there's another 2 books to continue the story! I can't wait!

BLURB

The Only Difference by Magan Vernon:
The Only Difference between a hero and a villain is what they do with their power. 
Leonel "Short Stack" Garcia-Shapiro's life changed the night he decided to stop one of his fraternity brothers from taking advantage of a girl. Now he can't stop thinking of that girl and how he can save her.

REVIEW

This story was a very quick one and more of an everyday hero rather than an actual cape wearing one. 

BLURB

Heroes by Christine Zolendz:
Kelly Black can’t believe she’ll be the new teaching assistant to Alexander Masters. The Alexander Masters—the head of the entire biology department. As soon as they begin to work together sparks fly and danger swirls around them.

REVIEW

At first, this story started off pretty funny and with a student/teacher type feel. Then came the moment their electrifying chemistry hit and all the action happened!

BLURB

Breaking Through by D. Nichole King:
Two years after her brother Nate died during a Navy operation, aquator Nautia Olson’s nightmares began, and her ability to manipulate water became erratic. Anger, fear, joy, desire—they all trigger disaster.
Now, the Navy wants her for a top-secret mission, but Captain Riley Barton has his reservations. He’s read her file. He knows the damage she’s capable of, and yet—
If he can harness her ability—break through her walls—
She’ll be unstoppable.

REVIEW

Breaking Through had me really intrigued! I was enjoying the easy going story with a hint of mystery and was really getting into it when I was hit with a cliffy!!! All i can say is... give me more please! I need to know what happens!!

BLURB

Villain by Cheryl McIntyre:

How can you tell a hero from a villain?

If you’re Ember Willis and the villain is Lanely Frost, you can’t.

How can you tell a superhero from a delusional young woman?

If you’re Lanely Frost and the woman is Ember Willis, you don’t care.

For both, finding the balance between right and wrong and love and lust are not the only battles they’ll face.

REVIEW

I enjoyed this read very much. I loved the funny, easy going banter between the two. Their chemistry was hot and it was an awesome little story.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON US

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