Book Review: Slade by Victoria Ashley

Slade

Series: Walk of Shame # 1

Author: Victoria Ashley

Pages 156

Release Date June 3rd, 2014

Review by Rene

5 STARS

I loved this book! Slade is a sexy, arrogant, sex crazed alpha male who is used to getting what ever and who ever he wants. That all changes when he meets Aspen. She hates him and that drives him wild! Their sexual banter is epic! This is a must read!!! This book is hot hot hot! If you are looking for a great book with tons of steamy sex, hot tattooed men and romance? This is your type of book!!! Come meet the boys at Walk Of Shame, you won't be the same!!!!

Walk of Shame

"All I know is that you don't come to Walk of Shame unless you're looking to fulfill your darkest, wildest fantasies. This place is dirty. The boys are dirty; addictive."

Aspen Raines 

Aspen is in town for a few days and is rooming with her long time friend Cale. When she arrives in town, her and her friend Kayla decided to stop by Walk of Shame. There Aspen meets Slade. He is sexy, cocky, arrogant and yet she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame. "After setting eyes on the sexiest asshole I have ever seen, I have a feeling I'm going to need help if I'm going to be in the same house with him for the next week." Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, Slade and Cale are roommates! She cannot stand him, but yet she is beyond attracted to him!

Slade Merrick

Slade is a dark, sexy, brooding, sexaholic!!! He is a man that is haunted by his past and now works at Walk of Shame to escape his demons. Slade uses sex as a deterrent, but the one thing he was not expecting was Aspen. She turns his world upside down.

My name is Slade Merrick and I’m a f*cking sex addict . . . 

I’ve been told it’s a problem. But I see it as a passion; something that I’m good at. And who the f*ck stops something that they’re good at?

They want me to seek help; get my c*ck in check. Don't judge my lifestyle. You’re no better than me. Just admit it, you like to f*ck too. Sex is what I do best; my own personal high, so I embrace it instead of being ashamed.

When I'm not f*cking, I'm slinging drinks at Walk Of Shame or stripping my way into your bed; another thing I'm good at. Every woman’s darkest fantasy brought to life.

So, am I stopping? F*ck no. Sex is beautiful, raw and erotic and I get off knowing I can have it with anyone I want . . . with the exception of her.

Aspen. 

She walks into the club swaying those hips, instantly drawing my c*ck to attention. She’s pure perfection. That is, until she opens that mouth, drawing me in and for the first time in forever I want something more than sex. I want her and she hates it.

Things get dirty. Dirty is what I like; it’s how I live. But . . . she’s playing a game she can never win.

***Author's note*** Due to strong language and a very high amount of dirty, sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. This is #1 in the Walk Of Shame series of novellas that will all be STANDALONE reads. If you're not into, cocky bad boys with filthy mouths and even filthier sex, then this series is not for you. If you are . . . then, come meet the dirty boys of Walk Of Shame.

Placing my hands in front of me, I grip the sink and lean over. I feel my breathing pick up as the emotions swarm through me; awakening the madness that I keep buried deep. I have an urge to put my fist through this mirror to stop the pain, but I wont. My hands are already scarred up enough. Anger and rage only douse the pain, but doesn't stop it.

As much as I hate to admit it, he's so damn beautiful; dangerously beautiful.

He turns away and walks out into the open, but stops to stand in the pouring rain. I watch as he runs his hands over his face, the rain pouring over his head and arms while soaking his jeans. His bare chest is moving up and down as if hes trying to fight some deep emotions and with each move, his muscles flex, making me very aware of his sex appeal. It's confusing. I don't know if I want to hug him, slap him, or fuck him. All I know is that I definitely want to do something to him.

The fucking devil in disguise, looking to taint my soul and consume my every fucking thought.

She's different than the other girls. She's more than just a fuck. She's addictive, but the right kind of addiction. I have a very addictive personality and she may be the thing I need to feed it.

 Victoria Ashley grew up in Rockford, IL and has had a passion for reading for as long as she can remember. After finding a reading app where it allowed readers to upload their own stories, she gave it a shot and writing became her passion.

She lives for a good romance book with tattooed bad boys that are just highly misunderstood and is not afraid to be caught crying during a good read. When she's not reading or writing about bad boys, you can find her watching her favorite shows such as Sons Of Anarchy, Dexter and True Blood.

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Book Review: Desert Son by Mark Kendrick

Desert Sons by Mark Kendrick

340 pages

Published June 24th 2001 

Meet Carter, recent college graduate, who's dabbled in binge drinking as would be expected of any college student, but more often than not he's the designated driver, he's the responsible one. Then you realise he's actually telling you about himself and this leads up to the accident where he looses both his parents and he survives. I appreciated the depth author went into where Carter's character was concerned.

At times I found Carter to be a confused and sad character. He questions himself, his existence even his ability to love. He goes through the motions of laying his parents to rest and then wonders how he should mourn them? ?? I was like WTH you sob dude! 

After the funeral he heads West to "find" himself, on his travels he meets up with Brenda and now it becomes "their" journey.

The ending was a bit of a surprise and is not quite what I expected. When you're given a second chance in life, take it and LIVE it! 

To sum it up.....Desert Son was a bit like fishing :D you bait, cast and wait. You get a nibble then the fish starts to  tease you, nibble, let go, nibble, let go and then all of a sudden BAM! You've got it! Hook line and sinker! You reel it in and feel satisfied with yourself! And that my friends is exactly what this book did! 

★★★★

Goodreads Description:

Scott Faraday is 16, gregarious, talented, never been in a relationship, and is out to only a select few. Ryan St. Charles is 17, hot-tempered, has already has been in a long relationship, yet is barely out to himself. Behind Ryan's carefully fashioned façade is emotional scarring from a past he's never been able to reconcile. When he comes to live with his uncle in Yucca Valley, CA, he meets Scott. An unlikely pair, the boys form a tentative friendship. When Scott starts to suspect that Ryan might be gay, he plans his coming out to him. The result is that he transforms their friendship into his first real relationship. Then, Ryan's hidden past comes into view. Scott is not at all prepared for what he discovers: suicide attempts, past abuse, and loads of denial.

Tightly focused on their new relationship, Desert Sons follows these two teenagers as they plunge headlong through a summer that will forever change them both.

Review written by Heidi

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Book Review: Goodbye Secrets by Jacquelyn Ayres (#2 The Lost & Found Series)

Goodbye Secrets

Author: Jacquelyn Ayres

Pages: 408

Published: February 26th, 2014

Review by Rene

I ABSO-BLOODY-FUCKING-LUTELY LOVED this book!!!!! Goodbye Secrets continues right where Goodbye Caution left off. And believe me when I say you MUST read Goodbye Caution to understand everything!!!! This is not a stand alone! Book one was great but book two was beyond all of my expectations!! My head is still spinning!! Be prepared for a total book hangover!

This book reveals many many secrets. Some will have you laughing your ass off, others will have you in tears. Either way you will be completely entertained. Becca and her Inner Sybils will keep you in hysterics! The love triangle continues and the drama heats up when so many secrets are revealed. Lives will change, hearts will be broken, as well as your own. Be prepared for one hell of a roller coaster ride!!!

Horny Sybecca is shaking her ass; she's sporting the British flag on her underwear.

You are my heart. You are my soul. I love you with every fiber of my being. You...only you.

My James, your stalkerish capabilities never cease to amaze me! I'm a bit turned on by it!

You are the author of your life. Only you can control the drama, mystery, suspense, love, patience, tolerance and characters you allow in your story to complement you.

What if your life wasn’t exactly as you thought it was? What if there were secrets you kept—from yourself?

Becca Campbell has no idea her world is about to be turned upside down when she and Grayson return to New Hampshire.

Pieces start flying into place, answering the questions of the puzzle she calls her life. Things finally add up—it all makes sense. All that was lost is now found.

But will she be able to move forward, knowing the truth?

I am a Domestic Engineer (born and raised in NJ) whose sole responsibility is to guide three young impressionable kids into becoming phenomenal adults. This challenging, yet rewarding work requires a lot of love (coffee), patience (wine) and determination (periodic exorcisms). I work all of this magic in the beautiful state of New Hampshire.

Before becoming a Domestic Goddess (not really), I spent over a decade working in the medical field where I wore more hats than the Queen.

I have had a love for the written word and the great escape it provides since I was a little girl. When I wasn't reading about people and the places they lived, I was creating my own characters and adventures. Finally, I have been putting a pen to paper allowing my characters to come to life. When I don't have a pen and paper in hand, you can often find me laughing at the conversations my characters are having in my head.

  

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Goodbye Uncertainty Review Coming Soon!!!

New Release Book Review: Ledger by Kemmie Michaels

Ledger

Author: Kemmie Michaels

Release Date: May 20th, 2014

Pages:306

Reviewed by: Sandra Long

This was my first time to read Kemmie Michaels' work and I was so pleasantly surprised by the quality that I am puzzled how an avid reader like myself  has not seen and read her work before.  She has a very special talent for story telling. This author puts words together in a way that kept me reading way past my bedtime and completely forgetting to break for dinner, in fact, I did not stop until I finished this book.  There was so much suspense and romance that every page kept my interest and I wanted to see what was on the next page.

Ledger is a very intriguing character. He is a bartender but obviously more sophisticated and intelligent than what we would expect in a bartender or other working class man. There is a mysterious air about him. We keep thinking he is really a doctor or lawyer or some other professional career person in hiding from a past he wants to forget.

Ledger is immediately smitten by a beautiful young lady named Camille "Cam" Foster, who is brought into the bar one night by a regular. The first time they meet Ledger senses a sadness in Cam that he wants to abolish. He seems to have found a kindred spirit and he calls her Dove for most of the book but will not tell her why or why he has a tattoo that says FREEDOM.   They almost immediately begin a relationship that is totally on fire sexually but both keep holding back on exposing their past emotional issues that still influence their lives and who they are today.

We learn before Ledger does that Cam has spent the last 2 years living with a wealthy older man who took a beautiful young woman out of school, shaped her into what he wanted her to be by spending money on clothing, make-up, training in how to act in social situations with the rich and famous. Her boyfriend, Garrett Masters, is a doctor but more than that, he is in the social circle of the towns leading citizens and many of them are in his hip pocket because he knows their secrets and uses them whenever he wants, as blackmail, to get his way. Cam has no hope of getting a restraining order or any help from the police. He even has influence in the work place and Cam's only job skill is knowing how to dress, look and act in social situations.   This helped her get a job in an up-scale clothing store advising and assisting wealthy customers in wardrobe shopping. But even there, Garrett found her and caused problems. He begins stalking her, threatening her, causing problems for Ledger by using his connections with city agencies like having the health inspectors shut down and fine his places of business, having the city take his parking lot through imminent domain as being necessary for street repair crews that are suddenly assigned to make unnecessary repairs to his street. How far will this man go to destroy Cam's friends and relationships and get her back in his control ?

Cam has a  best friend, Shelby, who rescued her from Garrett's clutches and has been supporting her until she could get a job, and Ledger has a best friend, Mason, another bartender who becomes a love interest for Shelby, but it will take all of them and more to protect her from Garrett.

As the story develops, Cam and Ledger's steamy hot relationship starts turning into emotional love. Ledger wants more and more to protect her but it eventually becomes seemingly impossible when Cam disappears. Garrett's obsession with Cam drives him over the edge. We learn she is not his first virtual prisoner but she seems to be the one he will not let go. His mental illness comes to the surface but still  no one seems to want to help find or protect Cam .

This story is about fictional people but this story has been real in many lives. Young women, especially beautiful ones who have grown up poor or middle class, catch the eye of a wealthy older man who thinks his money can buy him whatever he wants. These young women are flattered by the attention and they love the expensive gifts and being introduced to a lifestyle of designer clothes, lavish homes, gala parties, socializing with wealthy people.  They enter these relationships with their eyes wide open and then they realize that to maintain this lifestyle they have to give up who they are and leave their families, friends, education, occupation, anything to do with their past lives. Sometimes these men allow them to walk away and just move on to the next young  beauty.  But some men, like Garrett, become so obsessed with the "ownership" of the woman, that giving them up is seen as rebellion and a humiliation of them and they will not let go. At first the control is financial as these women usually have no means of supporting themselves so they are tied to the man financially. If that no longer works, the verbal and emotional abuse  surface and can be quickly followed by physical abuse.

In this novel Cam had a small but very strong support system. In real like this may or may not be true and these young women may escape the relationship in one piece or in a body bag.  When Cam disappears we wonder which she will be. This author weaves a story that is full of suspense and enough sweet romance to please the most romantic reader as well as enough hot steamy sex to satisfy all you lovers of erotica that gets your blood pumping and your heart pounding.  I definitely give Ledger 2 thumbs up and a 5 star rating. I will definitely be recommending this book and author Kemmie Michaels to my reader friends.

 

 

Ledger sees the defeat in her eyes the moment she sits at the bar, devastated and beautiful. The emptiness in her gaze he understands to his core, and he's instantly compelled to help this brown-haired beauty fight the source of her pain. Determined and intense, he needs to use his strength to help her find her own. Cam Foster, in that instant, becomes the dove he wants to free from her cage. From the first night, he needs her.


Cruelly, the past refuses to let her go. The lingering manipulation holds her in that cage as the control she lived under continues to crush the woman she wants to become. Even though Ledger offers her heated passion and a safe haven, she can't find her way out.


Desire and danger fight to pull her life in two directions…but those forces may crumble as Ledger fights harder than any barrier he and his dove face. 

 

Book Review: Safe & Sound by T.S. Krupa

Safe & Sound
By TS Krupa
Published December 31,st 2013

Pages 313
Review by Rene

I could not put this book down! I was hooked after the first few pages. My eyes burned from trying to stay up all hours just to read it. Through the tears I pushed myself to continue to read it. 

Jill and Jay were meant to spend their entire life together, then tragically Jay was taken from her. This is an amazing written story on her journey after his death. How does one survive after loosing the man of your dreams so horrifically? Where do you find the strength to get out of bed in the morning? Where do you find the desire to move on? 

This story is not only about a loss of a loved one, its about a person overcoming grief and finding herself. Learning that letting your heart heal will open doors to new love. You will fall in love with Jill, she will become a friend to you, and you will go through every experience side by side. What is a good book with out a little thrill....do not miss out on this amazing story filled with so many emotions: sadness, anger, anxiety, fear, obsession, and love. 

When Jill met Jay Greenfield she knew she had found her forever love. She was a kindergarten teacher, he was a high-powered attorney and their lives were perfect. But when a tragic accident takes Jay’s life, this young bride is left to pick up the pieces. 

Jill finds herself a young widow facing multiple decisions she thought she had a lifetime to decide. With support from her childhood best friends, Lanie and Stella, Jill attempts to piece her life back together. With nightmares plaguing her dreams and the struggles of constant grief over Jay’s passing, Stella and Lanie keep near constant vigilance over her. 

In the process of settling the estate, Jill learns that her husband was not quite the man she thought he was. She finds herself transported to the small beach town of Oak Island, North Carolina. But the fairy tale ending she envisioned no longer exists. She must face the reality that Jay is gone as she finds herself having a chance at love one more time. 

Safe and Sound follows a yearlong journey of love, loss, friendship, and conquering the unexpected

"Peace my love," I whispered and tilted the canister into the wind, which wisked around and carried the ashes over the water.

"How do you pick up the pieces when your future was stolen from you but you still have your whole life ahead of you?"

"One year ago today was the worst day of my entire life. I lost my best friend and the man I loved, the man I promised to love until death. It shattered me. I wasn't able to cope and I carried that with me for a year. But I am a stronger person today than I was then, and I'm finding a way to move on."

T.S. Krupa was born in New Haven, CT. She was raised in a blended Polish-American household. She has one younger sister who currently lives abroad with her husband and daughter. T.S. Krupa earned her Bachelor's degree at Franklin Pierce University, Master's at Texas Tech University and will earn her Doctorate of Education from North Carolina State University in 2014. She played field hockey at Franklin Pierce University for four years and is in her sixth year of coaching a local club team. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and dog.

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New Release: Something Like Normal By Monica James

Title: Something Like Normal (Book 1 in the Something Like Normal series)

Author: Monica James

Genre: Adult Contemporary

Release Date: May 13th 2014

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Synopsis

Mia Lee has a secret… 

A secret she’s kept hidden since she was eight years old, however, Mia will no longer allow that secret to define her. 

An irrevocable decision has left Mia Lee a fugitive and on the run—a circumstance that should leave her weak and scared, yet Mia has never felt so alive.

Under the pseudonym of Paige Cassidy, Mia is ready to live the life she’s never had, and she’s determined not to allow her tainted past dictate her promising future. 

Paige is on a Greyhound bus heading from L.A. to South Boston, Virginia, to start a new life. A life that includes finding her mother, who abandoned her at age three. But what she finds, is four people, who will change her life forever.

Yet no one can outrun their past…

Especially one filled with bitter memories, which refuse to remain hidden. 

Excerpt

It feels effortless. And it feels right.

We stay hugging for a few moments, and as I nestle closer to his chest, surrounded by his smell, I know that I’m in trouble. I have feelings for someone who is going to be really, really hard to say goodbye to when the time comes. But when did this happen? When was the exact moment my world got tipped on its axis, and shaken up beyond repair?

I should have stopped it, but who am I to stand in the way of something that was inevitable?

The sound of Quinn’s heart beating steadily against my ear is comforting, and if I close my eyes really tight, I can pretend that I’m just a normal girl, being wrapped up in the arms of her normal…boyfriend?  But make believe is for dreamers, and I’m a realist. I will enjoy the here and now because I don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Purchase Links for Something Like Normal

AMAZON US ~ AMAZON UK ~ AMAZON AU ~ AMAZON CA ~ B&N

Playlist

http://open.spotify.com/user/1292356879/playlist/0yojPR7EfPCWhB45DC0EZy

About the Author

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy, running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. 

She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers, and her inspiration comes from every day life. She is an Amazon best selling author in both the US and UK.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals.

She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

FACEBOOK ~ TWITTER ~ GOODREADS

20 fun facts about Monica

What is your favorite word? Yes

What is your least favorite word? No

What turns you on? Good hair 

What turns you off? White sneakers

What sound or noise do you love? A cat’s meow

What sound or noise do you hate? Traffic

What is your favorite curse word? F#ck! 

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Ballerina  

What profession would you not like to do? Deep sea diving 

What are you reading right now? Beautiful Stranger by Christina Lauren 

What book(s) do you urge readers to read? Dr. Seuss 

What inspires you? Life

What is your favorite indulgence? Smooth Strawberry Licorice  

What is your favorite movie? Harry Potter

What is your favorite piece of clothing? White slouchie beanie 

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate

What is something you like to collect? Books 

What item must you have with you at all times? Lip gloss 

What city could you get lost in for hours to explore? Los Angeles 

What is one thing about you that would surprise us? I am terrified of Air Blown Inflatable Characters

Giveaway

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Book Review: Goodbye Caution by Jacquelyn Ayres (#1 Lost & Found Series)

Goodbye Caution (Lost & Found Series #1)

Jacquelyn Ayres

Pages 482

Published November 26th, 2013

Goodbye Caution is such an amazing story that is about a young woman named Becca Campbell who is trying to create  a stable life for herself and her daughter.

Becca is the proud owner of a B&B. She is also the mother of a beautiful 10 year old daughter Morgan. Like most women she is a true believer of waiting for the perfect prince charming, who looks like Christian Gray,  to come along. Unfortunately not everything in life starts as planned, Becca was abused by her ex husband, who has been MIA for the last few years and has since been declared dead. She also suffers from PTSD because of the years of abuse that she has endured. 

Greyson James is the nephew of Hazel, who comes to visit his aunt for a few weeks. Greyson is the epitome of sexy and being from England he also has a very sexy British accent among many other great qualities. 

How can you not love a sexy man who wants to come in and swoop you away? Rich, caring and very easy on the eyes!

This book is not one that you can afford to miss! The is thrill, drama, sexy banter, love triangles, kidnapping, and so much more! I cannot say anymore without giving it away. 

Becca Campbell is a mother, friend, and widow to a war hero (may he rot in hell). She just wants to raise her daughter right and keep her bed-and-breakfast afloat in this economy. Her traumatic past leaves her with no desire for a relationship—until Grayson James walks through her door. He’s not the type of man you can easily say “no” to. Becca can’t quite understand the pull she feels toward him. But then his controlling nature starts to push her away—and into Ray McNeil’s comforting arms. Which is right where Ray has always wanted her.

Who will Becca choose?

Will she finally give in to her feelings for Ray, or continue the tumultuous relationship with Grayson? Only one thing is certain—either choice will mean saying goodbye to caution. 

Warning: This book contains some disturbing situations, dubious consent, strong language and violence.

10% of the proceeds from this book will be donated to YWCAUSA.org to help abused women and children.

Princess Sybil is singing, "I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream." Submissive Sybil walks out in her panties and gray tie, asking him to sign the fucking contract.

God, if I wanted to sleep with someone that looks like a ten year old boy, I would've been a gay pedophile. I love a woman with curves. A little extra healthy meat on the bones-something to grab on too.

Wow. That was so intense...with our clothes on! I may go into cardiac arrest when we actually have sex.

Throw caution to the wind, darling, because this is the real thing. It's love at first sight. It does exist.

I am a Domestic Engineer (born and raised in NJ) whose sole responsibility is to guide three young impressionable kids into becoming phenomenal adults. This challenging, yet rewarding work requires a lot of love (coffee), patience (wine) and determination (periodic exorcisms). I work all of this magic in the beautiful state of New Hampshire.

Before becoming a Domestic Goddess (not really), I spent over a decade working in the medical field where I wore more hats than the Queen.

I have had a love for the written word and the great escape it provides since I was a little girl. When I wasn't reading about people and the places they lived, I was creating my own characters and adventures. Finally, I have been putting a pen to paper allowing my characters to come to life. When I don't have a pen and paper in hand, you can often find me laughing at the conversations my characters are having in my head.

  

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Book 2 Goodbye Secrets Review Coming Soon