A Nix Review - How Beauty Loved the Beast by Jax Garren (4 Stars)

It’s all been leading to this.

 Jolie Benoit has become a skilled agent of the Underlight, relying on her savvy to complete assignments while Sergeant Wesley Haukon was out of commission. But an unexpected clue to the Order of Ananke’s diabolical scheme rattles Jolie, and she turns to Hauk for comfort.

 It’s been years since Hauk took comfort from the touch of another person, though his love for Jolie is deep and powerful. Uncomfortable in his skin, scarred by a terrible fire, he is unable to give in to the pleasures that Jolie so desperately wants to grant him.
 Meanwhile, the Order is lurking in the shadows—and when they strike, the blow is swift and terrible. Hauk and Jolie scramble to fight for their community, but with the future of the Underlight threatened, no one is safe. And Hauk will never be the same…

This is the book I’ve been waiting for, the book it’s all been leading up to and there was good points and bad points to it. Was I satisfied with the culmination of the love story? Yes, I absolutely was. I was so worried about how this would play out, whether or not Ms Garren would stick to the fairytale or not, but I also couldn’t decide what I wanted. Needless to say the way the ending was sold to us readers was so clever I couldn’t do anything but love it. But was I satisfied with the ending of the subplot? To be honest, I was so confused with it all that, by this book, I honestly got to the point where I was skipping through those scenes to get to the good stuff.

This review could run the risk of containing lots of spoilers for the previous two books, and I really would like to avoid that, so I’m going to try to be careful. Hauk is his usual lovely, tortured self but, in this one, he has to deal with his issues regarding his personal body issues as his relationship with Jolie progresses. I can never imagine what someone with scarring so extreme would go through but I truly wanted him to be able to accept her feelings for him and become comfortable with her. I applaud the author for the sensitivity and thoroughness she addressed this storyline with; my heart ached for him with every self doubt that showed in his actions and words.

Jolie was fricking awesome again. The woman is strong, sensitive, feisty and truly lovely. I adored the way she is with literally everyone in this book and she certainly redeems herself in the eyes of a lot of other characters in the book. I did feel she became more of a three dimensional character during the course of this book because she became more than just a ditzy showgirl with some fizz.  Of course, it is her interaction with Hauk that made me adore her the most as she is determined to make him accept her love.

Overall, is this what I expected? No. Is what I wanted? In terms of their romance, I couldn’t have wanted anything more. I loved this world, and will be reading more from this author, but look at it more as a romance as those were the scenes that truly kept me reading from start to finish.  

Cover's Up : Vampires need not...apply? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

This is book 4 in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal romance Accidentally Yours series.


 Impending apocalypse. Check.

 Leaders of the gods' army captured. Check. Check.

 Three slightly ticked off women now charged with saving the world while the gods fall apart, the good vampires go on holiday, the bad guys are popping up everywhere. Check. Check. Check.

 Help is on the way. Check?
 

Meet Dr. Antonio Acero, a world-renowned physicist whose life is about to take a turn for the worst. And the bizarre. While on vacation in southern Mexico, Antonio discovers an ancient Mayan tablet. Local legends say it contains magical properties, properties that could put his stalling research on the map.

 But is this really his lucky break?


 When Antonio attempts to put the tablet to use, he'll discover that Fate has other plans. And her name is Ixtab.

Oooh, this one looks goooood :) 

Book Blast and Giveaway : Back To You by Natalie-Nicole Bates

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Natalie is giving away a $20.00 gift card on the tour. Enter the Rafflecopter

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On the surface, Lynsey Reznor seems to have it all. She is beautiful, brilliant, and a successful true-crime writer who has been living the past decade in Miami. But what Lynsey lacks is what she needs the most—a family.


After the death of her mother, and yet another failed relationship, Lynsey makes an impulsive decision to return to her hometown of Unity. But Unity will present its own bittersweet memories, most notably, her first love, Nick Lincoln.


Twenty years ago, Nick broke teenager Lynsey’s heart when he decided to marry another. He had his own private reasons—reasons he never explained to Lynsey. Now she is back, along with a chance to reclaim her love. But Lynsey wants answers from him that he may never be able to give out of duty and guilt.

Available at Amazon:  Single Title | Collection (Additional Bonus Stories: Remember the Stars and Antique Charming)

About the Author:

Natalie-Nicole Bates is a book reviewer and author.

Her passions in life include books and hockey along with Victorian and Edwardian era photography and antique poison bottles. Natalie contributes her uncharacteristic love of hockey to being born in Russia.

She currently resides in the UK where she is working on her next book and adding to her collection of 19^th century post-mortem photos.

Connect with Natalie:

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Natalie Nicole-Bates' BACK TO YOU Book Blast Schedule

May 20:

Close Encounters with the Night Kind

http://closeencounterswiththenightkind.blogspot.com/

Scorching Book Reviews

http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Darker Passions

http://darkerpassions.net/

May 21:

Musings From An Addicted Reader

http://musingsfromanaddictedreader.blogspot.com/

Toot's Book Reviews

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

May 22:

Book Lovin' Mamas

http://booklovinmamas.blogspot.com//

Deal Sharing Aunt

http://www.dealsharingaunt.blogspot.com/

Riverina Romantics

http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com/

May 23:

United by Books

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

Offbeat Vagabond

http://offbeatvagabond.blogspot.com/

Sassy Book Lovers

http://sassybooklovers.blogspot.com/

Reading Between The Wines

http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/

May 24:

Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

Books-n-Kisses

http://www.books-n-kisses.com/

May 25:

Page Flipperz

http://pageflipperz.blogspot.com/

Froggarita's Bookcase

http://www.froggaritasbookcase.com/

May 26:

Reader Girls

http://www.readergirlsblog.com/

Buffy's Ramblings

http://buffy-kennedy.blogspot.com/

A Nix Review - Rocky Mountain Rebel by Vivian Arend (5 Stars)

The best type of growing up involves getting down and dirty

 Vicki Hansol made different choices than her less-than-reputable mom and sister, yet her fiery temper has left her branded with the same town-bad-girl label. When she desperately needs a change of scenery, her get-out-of-town-free ticket arrives—and requires she face down one of her deepest fears.

 Easy going Joel Coleman has nothing to complain about, but he’s never really done anything to brag about either. The youngest member of the Six Pack Ranch is looking to make some changes in his life that include stepping out from under his twin brother’s shadow.

 So when the bold beauty with the smart mouth approaches him with a proposition, Joel is intrigued. Her request for him to teach her to ride soon takes on a whole new meaning. All that passion in his arms, his bed, in the barn…hell, anywhere he can get it? Bring it on. 

But tangling the sheets leads to unanticipated complications, and by the time the dust settles, everything family means is going to be challenged.

 Caution: Saddle up for some youthful vigor applied with great enthusiasm. Ropes, rails and raunchy sex—there’s more places to get dirty around the ranch than first meets the eye.

I love, love, love this series and I think it’s getting better with each book.  In this one, we have a reformed bad-boy taking up with the girl that the town thinks is the bad-girl to try to rectify both of their reputations. What they find is something more precious, but will it be enough for each of them to forget the self-imposed deadline they put on their tryst?

I’m not sure what I felt overall for Vicki but they were all good feelings to have for a heroine. I pitied her upbringing and undeserved reputation but mostly I was impressed by her resilience and strength. She had had the unfortunate label of easy because of her Mother and Sister’s habits of slipping in and out of men’s beds whether they are available or not. When she approached Joel it is simply to get him to teach her about horses but their side deal allows her to figure out what she has been missing from relationships whilst trying to restore her image.  Her innocence and joy at the little things he does are so sweet but I have to say thing I enjoyed the most was the fact that, even though she could have easily gone the other way, she loved discovering her sexuality and wasn’t afraid to experiment. She should have realized much sooner that she was falling for the lovely Joel as her trust in him shone through their scenes and made their romance that more real to me.

Joel is a hero that wants out of his old-life. He is tired of being one of the wild twins and wants to become a person in his own right. The deal that Vicki offers him gives him a girlfriend of his own which he thinks will show everyone that he is capable of settling down in some semblance of normality. Of course, he doesn’t quite anticipate the amount of trouble that Vicki inadvertently brings his way and, once he has discovered just how unfair her reputation truly is, the protective part of him won’t allow him to walk away from the deal. I loved him. The way he takes care of her when she has been hit, the way he never questions her innocence, the way he takes it upon herself to try to give her the things he thinks every girl should have when they are wooed...it all made me swoon.  He was such a good man I couldn’t help but adore him.

The sex was not only hot but quite amusing. The warning in the blurb calls it “youthful vigor” and I couldn’t have put it better myself. They get caught in compromising positions by most of the family, they fool around whilst camping and they break a bed… Oh to be that young and full of energy again J It was ridiculously hot and adventurous but it did serve to remind me how young these two actually were.  There were points in the book where I wondered if they were too young to be thinking of forever.

Overall, this is a fantastic edition to the series. Hot cowboy men, sassy women and some fantastic barn action make this book one of my favorites.  It didn’t hurt that it featured cameo’s from some of the other couples too J This is one hot read….. 

Cover's Up : This is Who I Am by Cherise Sinclair

When trying to save a woman from slavers, Sam screwed up. Royally. Now Linda wants nothing to do with him. Or with BDSM. She won’t even admit she’s a masochist. As a dominant and sadist, he can give her what she needs, and when an opportunity arises, he slips into her life, intending to make amends. She’s everything he knew she would be…except for her bullheaded determination to be ‘normal’.

 Now the horrible time is past, Linda just wants to return to her small conservative town, pick up her quiet life, and be normal. But how can someone who likes pain be ‘normal’? To her dismay, when someone spray-paints her home with obscenities, Sam shows up to rescue her. Again. Doesn’t he understand that the last thing she needs in her life is a sadist? He’s amused by her objections. But his dry sense of humor can’t disguise that he’s tough as nails and dominant and stubborn. He’s not going to let her drive him off this time. Soon she realizes she wants him to stay.

 When he takes her to the Shadowlands, she feels as if she’s found a home…until she hears a voice from out of her nightmares.

I am SO FREAKING EXCITED. Get this one next week... 

Top Picks : 19th - 25th May

The Top Picks is a post that we do here on a Sunday which highlights the books released in the forthcoming week that we like the look of. These could be books we've been lucky enough to read, books from authors we love or just books we like the blurb of. We can't hope to find all the books released, so feel free to add any thing we've missed in the comments section.

This week, my bank balance has made a huge sigh of relief as there actually isn't that many releases that took my fancy. The ones that have include Cowboys, Shifters and Vampires. I fully recommend the dreamy Joel from Rocky Mountain Rebel... this series seems to be getting better with each book!

The releases are...

The best type of growing up involves getting down and dirty

Vicki Hansol made different choices than her less-than-reputable mom and sister, yet her fiery temper has left her branded with the same town-bad-girl label. When she desperately needs a change of scenery, her get-out-of-town-free ticket arrives—and requires she face down one of her deepest fears.

Easygoing Joel Coleman has nothing to complain about, but he’s never really done anything to brag about either. The youngest member of the Six Pack Ranch is looking to make some changes in his life that include stepping out from under his twin brother’s shadow.

So when the bold beauty with the smart mouth approaches him with a proposition, Joel is intrigued. Her request for him to teach her to ride soon takes on a whole new meaning. All that passion in his arms, his bed, in the barn…hell, anywhere he can get it? Bring it on.

But tangling the sheets leads to unanticipated complications, and by the time the dust settles, everything family means is going to be challenged.

Caution: Saddle up for some youthful vigor applied with great enthusiasm. Ropes, rails and raunchy sex—there’s more places to get dirty around the ranch than first meets the eye.

Bear shifter Ryland Snow just wants peace. The peace and quiet afforded him at his woodsy retreat, the Ursa Fishing Lodge. As owner of the lodge, Ryland enjoys the tranquil life he’s created among his fellow shifters. He lives to maintain a safe haven for them, away from meddlesome human eyes.

When his rock star brother arrives, bringing trouble in the form of a possible hitman, Ryland is incensed. He’s been cleaning up Soren’s messes as long as he can remember, and is tired of his brother’s lecherous exploits.

Things go from bad to worse when Lia Goodblood stumbles upon Ryland and his lodge. Yes, the reclusive erotica author is easy on the eyes, but the human woman is more trouble than she’s worth. To say nothing of her bizarre fear of furry creatures.

Ryland determines to rid himself of her presence. But when he learns she’s on the run from a crazed fan, Ryland’s protective bear instincts flare. And the bear won’t be denied.

After her ex-husband’s obsession with vampires, Valerie Craig is on a mission to stop transformations. Of all vampires, Kade Rollins is the worst of the worst, but when multiple murders plague Seattle, Val is forced to enlist his aid. Kade’s crude wit and seductive nature attract her like no other, but she can’t ignore his violence toward his human servants, no matter her yearning to forget.

She’s torn when she learns Kade may be behind the murders. Val's worked hard to protect humans from vampires, but the truth surrounding the murders could ignite a bloody battle between their races, one humans are sure to lose. Someone is pulling strings to build a vampire army and spark the war—setting Kade up to kick it off. But if she trusts the vampire prince, she risks her job, her integrity, and her heart if he betrays her as all the men in her life have.

Only blood can break your heart.

Children of Night, Book 4

New Year’s Eve, 1999. The world is braced for Y2K, but that’s not the only ticking time bomb in Conrad’s life. Damian wouldn’t be the first vampire to find a way to die, but Conrad is determined he will not be one of them.

Present day. Damian struggles to trust that fate could possibly be kind enough to give him a love as perfect as Conrad’s. Conrad balances on the keen edge of his own fear that one more slip of his formidable control could drive his lover away—permanently.

Julie learns the hard way it’s not just interspecies relationships that seldom work out. Even between vampires, love is not a smooth course.

Meanwhile, intrigue and conflict within the nest continue to grow, fueled in no small part by Georgia’s slipping hold on a deadly secret. Marc works to consolidate his position as leader of the ferals—and discovers that being a walking anomaly has certain advantages. Including some that are totally unexpected.

Product Warnings

Contains more love triangles, more power struggles, more tears and teeth gnashing, and even more graphic scenes of manlove between moody, domestically inclined vampires than in previous editions. Definitely not recommended for anyone suffering from ALSSD (Auld Lang Syne Sensitivity Disorder) or with aversions to ballrooms, evening clothes, sarcasm, or close-quarter stiletto combat.

Julie Fraser, Hollywood's newest "it" girl, arrives on the red carpet to more than just the flashes of the paparazzi's cameras. A sniper's shots leave her bleeding and in the line of fire. Her life would be over if it weren't for the bodyguard who comes to the rescue—taking a bullet in the process.

Troy Mills, a P.I. working undercover, couldn't stand by and watch an innocent woman die, but now he's torn. How can he tell her that he's not a bodyguard, but a P.I.? A P.I. hired to prove that Julie is sleeping with the movie producer he's pretending to protect.

When a second attempt is made on Julie's life, Troy realizes that keeping her safe is more important than any supposed affair. And in order to keep her safe, he'll have to keep her close. But desire and danger are hot on Julie's heels. Who could have guessed that protecting an A-list actress would not only put Troy's life in jeopardy, but his heart as well?

A Nix Review - Hold Me Down Hard by Cathryn Fox (3 Stars)

When Eden Carver, Iowa farm girl turned NY actress, decides to seduce the sexy cop next door, she begins to wonder if she’s bitten off more than she can chew.　


The last thing Officer Jay Bennett wants is to cross a line with the sweet and innocent country girl—no matter how much he’d like to help himself to a nibble. Not only are they in the friendship zone, a naïve girl like Eden doesn’t belong in his dangerous world.　


But when she asks him to help her rehearse lines, and things go from simmer to boil, he finds himself doing the one thing he swore he’d never do.He knows he needs to walk away from temptation, but when sweet little Eden bites back, it tilts his world on its axis.Because biting back changes everything.   

So, this was a very short novella that took me just over half an hour to read. It isn’t something to read if you want a fully fleshed out story as it is literally a snippet, more a beginning of their tale. I wanted something more, something more substantial but what I got was a seriously hot little novella with a lot of sex and not much else.

I enjoyed the premise well enough. The plot that she wrote to get him in her bed was hilarious, pure cheese factor, and I did enjoy the fact that she knew what she wanted from a lover.  He was a dreamy, slightly dark hero, who was afraid that his edges were too rough for her. Together, did I believe in them as a couple? A little bit. I thought they could complement each other but to be honest the only thing that I can comment on is there compatibility in bed. That I liked.

This story is one giant sex scene with little bits of plot thrown in as filler. This isn’t a bad thing; it is just what it is. The sex itself is very well written and very dirty; it was certainly something that left you needing a cold shower.  The heroine like very hot, dirty sex and the hero was more than happy to oblige. The scenes were scorching hot....if you like it smutty, this may be one for you.

This was a very short and sexy novella that is pure heat. If you want something to get you in the mood or you just need a short fix of smut, this is truly one you should try.

Authors After Dark 2013 : BA Tortuga Talks Romance

Hi, I’m BA and my boys touch, or Don’t Fence Me In. ;-)

*grins*

One of the things about meeting people is that the first thing they ask me is what I do for a living (it’s not often that folks ask where I’m from, just what part of Texas), and I tell them, I write romance.

“Oh? What kind of romance?” they ask.

That’s where it gets tricky.

You see, I write people falling in love. Sometimes it’s a girl falling in love with a girl. Sometimes it’s a boy falling in love with a girl. Sometimes it’s a boy falling in love with a boy. Sometimes it’s a boy and a boy and a girl falling in love with each other.  Sometimes it’s even more complicated than that. Sometimes it’s cowboys, sometimes it’s shifters. 

Buy Links

Wendy doesn’t need any help to get rid of her evil ex. As a cop, she can handle anything life throws at her. In fact, she’s sure of it, even when trying to capture the ex alone puts her friends in danger. Too bad local werewolf alpha Brett has different ideas. He doesn’t care if Wendy wants to be a lone wolf. He has to protect all the werewolves in his town. Including her. Especially her.

 Wendy finds Brett irritating, overbearing and sexy beyond belief. Brett thinks Wendy is trouble with a capital T, and hotter than the dog days of summer. Butting heads can be fun, but there are other ways to rub against each other. Intimate, lusty ways. These two sexy shapeshifters are playing to win.

Periodically I write rednecks. Ecoterrorists. Vampires. Pirates. Southerners. Italians. Hell, y’all. I write whoever is strong enough to beat the living shit out of the other characters trying to take over my brain.

Let me tell y’all, folks wander off with glazed eyes when I try to explain that.

So I tell them, I’m pretty easy (no comments from the Peanut Gallery on that fact, please), but if there are folks falling in love in my books, they touch.

Yep, my boys touch.

And if my boy is straight? He has friends that touch. My girls touch. Boys touch girls. People spent a shitload of time touching each other – mostly in the good way.

Buy Links

Country hat act Markus Kane is pretty skeptical when one of his oldest industry friends calls and asks him to do a joint tour. He and Seb haven’t seen each other in years, not since Markus quit drinking. Maybe not since he and Sebastian Longchamps almost lost their careers to the fact that they couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

 Sebastian is a country-fried Cajun rocker, and he’s been missing Markus ever since they broke up all those years ago. His label thinks he and Markus are a match made in ticket-sales heaven, but Seb knows better. He knows that it won’t take even the tiniest effort for Markus to break his heart all over again, and this time around he has way more to lose.

 Time has changed both men, though, and while Markus and Seb try to fight their addictions, the big music industry machine has plans for them that don’t include the quiet life. Can Markus convince Sebastian that there are things more important in life than adrenaline and control? And can Sebastian make Markus understand that all he really wants is his music and his man?

I’m not going to look at you and say, I’m a m/m writer, or a m/m/f writer or a m/f writer. I’m not going to say I’m just a paranormal writer or a western writer or a contemporary writer. I’m going to tell you that right now I’m finishing up a m/m western in the Roughstock universe and I’m ¾ through a m/m/f featuring werekitties in Las Vegas and I’m working on an angsty m/m western and a post-apocalyptic western and a m/f contemporary and I have a m/m/m/m historical in edits…

I’m a romance writer. I want hot sex, some fighting, a little growling, and tight jeans. The rest is details.

Nummy details, but details just the same.

Please come visit me at http://www.batortuga.com to see alllllll my assorted details.

BA Tortuga

Because Sometimes Fistfights are Foreplay.

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****************

Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy's Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she's not doing that, she's writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing porn sites in the name of research. BA's personal saviors include her partner, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.

Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but is feeling the Colorado mountains calling. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.