Review, Excerpt & Giveaway! Trust, Temptations #3 by Ella Frank

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TRUST – verb: to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another. 

Up until now, Logan Mitchell has never had much of a reason to trust anyone. 

Having struggled with a self-identity crisis throughout college, he’s spent the years since then creating a sophisticated facade to present to the world. 

It’s an armor he thought was impenetrable—until he met Tate Morrison. 

The gorgeous, headstrong bartender he’d sat across from only months ago has taken a tight hold of his heart, and Logan is discovering that it’s time to let go. 

It’s time to let someone inside. 

After years of placing his dreams on hold for his family, Tate has finally chosen to do what makes him happy and follow his heart. 

The one thing he never would’ve imagined was that it would lead him into the arms of a man—and not just any man—the striking, never-takes-no-for-an-answer Logan Mitchell. 

Tate has fallen hard, and as his world is turned on its axis and they move forward together, he finds his life becoming more entwined with the confident, successful lawyer. 

Even though neither man expected the other, it’s time to trust in their relationship—but not everything comes so easily…

“What’s wrong with my hair? Are you saying I need to cut it?” 

“No, I’m fucking not,” Logan said as he fingered the curls by Tate’s ear. “And you know it.” 

“What would you do if I did shave my head?” 

“Kill you? And likely get away with it since I have connections to a very reputable law firm.” 

Tate chuckled and shoved Logan until he was on his back beside him. “Be serious.” 

Logan turned his head on the pillow and ran his eyes over Tate’s full head of hair. Then he returned his gaze to the eyes watching him. “I would quite possibly cry. For days.” 

“Over my hair? It does grow back, you know.” 

“Yeah, but not for months,” he grumbled. “Can you please stop talking so calmly about this? You’re making me nervous.” 

Tate shifted until his long, lean body was stretched out above him, and Logan widened his legs to allow him to settle in between. 

“Don’t worry,” Tate assured him as he lowered his head to kiss the corner of his mouth. He then moved those teasing lips to Logan’s ear and whispered, “I like your hands in it too much to cut it off.” 

Logan threaded his fingers through the thick waves and asked, “Like this?” 

With a groan, Tate rocked his hips against him, and Logan twisted his fingers tighter. 

“Exactly like that.” 

“Good,” he said as he wound his legs around Tate’s. “Because this way, I can have a tight hold on you when you’re trying to distract me. I’m onto you, Mr. Morrison. Don’t try to use your body against me.” 

He almost lost his willpower when Tate, the cocky fucker, placed his hands on either side of his head and rubbed their erections together. 

“You don’t want me to use my body on you?” 

“Fuck you,” Logan said, knowing full well that, if he didn’t change the subject or get Tate the hell off him, he was going to roll him over and cease talking altogether. 

Usually he’d love nothing more, but right now, he wanted to know why Tate had reacted so strongly to his question from last night—well, early morning . 

“We need to talk.”

And we’re reached the end (maybe) of Logan and Tate’s story. It’s been a wild ride. We’ve seen them meet, fall in love, fall apart and fall together again. 

We’ve seen Logan change from the guy who didn’t even know the meaning of the word commitment to the perfect (for Tate) boyfriend.

If I have to be completely honest, I’d admit that I was a little bit afraid to read this book. Why? Because Logan and Tate’s love story is not conventional. These guys are not perfect, far from it. Them finding each other and, later on, falling unknowingly almost in a relationship neither expected is an intricate story.

First of all, they’ll have to discover who they really are and what they want because, apparently, what they always thought they knew as truth was only a pretense. 

Tate is a sweet, caring, honest, dependable man who’s trying to put his life back on track after a failed marriage and working really hard to make his dream come true.

He has a strong will and, despite not having a very supporting family, he allows no one derail him from his path.

But one night he meets arrogant, overconfident and all around annoying Logan and both their lives will forever change.

He’s a damn good lawyer who started from scratch and made it big time. He’s determined and he knows how to get what he wants. And he’s a little bit of a man slut. Well … at least until he meets Tate.

For being her first try at M/M Romance let me tell you that Ella did a wonderful job. The story is captivating, intriguing and the writing is flawless. Just when you think you have it all figured out, something happens and the story takes a whole new turn.These books are like a drug, you won’t be able to put them down. 

Trust was the perfect ending. At least perfect for these characters. Exactly what I was hoping and more.

I don’t know what else to say except, READ IT!!

I highly recommend this series. It has become one of my favorites, one I re-read each and every time with the same pleasure and never get bored of it.

I really hope Ella will decide to write more about Logan and Tate in the future but, even if she doesn’t, there are no loose ends, no situations left unsolved. Simply perfect.

Happy reading!!

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite and Temptation Series. 

The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became and avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back. 

Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Hillsboro, Portland with her husband.

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Diana's Reviews! Finding Nathan, The Love Lies Bleeding Series #2 by H.J. Harley

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BRAND NEW CONTENT

The long-awaited honeymoon is over for leading man Nathan Harper and his feisty bride, Jordie. As they settle into their new home, Nathan feels confident enough with this fresh start to share with his wife the struggles of rediscovering himself. Now more than ever Jordie needs to be strong when Nathan gives her his journal and lets her see the darkest months of her life through his eyes. Will what he remembers make her wish she could forget?

Finding Nathan, the second book in The Love Lies Bleeding Series is more like an epilogue to the first one. The story picks up after Jordan and Nathan’s wedding. After they return from their honeymoon, they have to adjust to their new life as a family.

With the birth of little Nathan, their second child, things begin to finally go back to normal. This is when Nathan decides to show Jordie the journal he kept while he struggled with his memory loss. 

What Jordan doesn’t expect is her insecurities to emerge more and more with every page she reads but I liked very much her character because she is strong and determined and because she fights for those she loves. 

The writing style was good and there’s plenty of humor and funny situations that will keep you entertained throughout the book, besides the other characters who play an important role in the story. However, I didn’t like the fact that the author chose to focus only on the relationship between Jordan and Nathan and not on how they evolve as a family with two kids. I really would have liked to see the parent side of them more often.

All in all, I think those who have enjoyed reading Finding Jordie will love this book, mainly because now they are able to see the story through Nathan’s eyes. I cannot wait to read the next novel in the series!

HJ grew up in Bricktown New Jersey, less than an hour away from New York City. As a teenager and early twenties, she loved hanging out in the glamor of NYC. She was a "City Brat" so it was pretty difficult for her to pack her stuff and three cats in 2005, for a life changing road trip, moving to California. She's travelled around the country until she met her better half in 2005. 

After serving twelve years in the Air Force, the man of her dreams ended his military career and they moved to Georgia in 2007. Since then, they've settled down in Leesburg GA, and had their first child. 

No place has ever come close to replacing the magic of New York City for HJ. So when it was decided to try this romance writing gig out, naturally her first book 'Finding Jordie' would be set there. 

HJ enjoys reading, and spending time with her family. Reality TV is a guilty pleasure and she's a sucker for romantic comedies and Robert Pattinson. HJ is a pro at goofing off, She talks with her hands, (She's Italian!) She drinks way too much coffee, and gets too little sleep. Oh, and she has a thing for Jackie-O sized sunglasses. HJ's has five furry kids and most importantly, one beautiful daughter. HJ is always striving to be the best Mom possible.

HJ's very passionate about the things she loves, that's why she was outraged when they cancelled SMASH and Southland! It should be considered a small miracle if you ever get to see a serious or pic of her posing all nice and pretty...She's not that girl. She's a spontaneous goof and believes the best things in life come naturally. Yes, that includes random no make-up selfies during a 2:00a.m. writing marathon.

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Happy Release Day! Excerpt, Review & Giveaway! Hard to be Good, Hard Ink #3.5 by Laura Kaye

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Hard Ink Tattoo owner Jeremy Rixey has taken on his brother’s stateside fight against the forces that nearly killed Nick and his Special Forces team a year before. Now, Jeremy’s whole world has been turned upside down—not the least of which by a brilliant, quiet blond man who tempts Jeremy to settle down for the first time ever. Recent kidnapping victim Charlie Merritt has always been better with computers than people, so when he’s drawn into the SF team’s investigation of his army colonel father’s corruption, he’s surprised to find acceptance and friendship—especially since his father never accepted who Charlie was. Even more surprising is the heated tension Charlie feels with sexy, tattooed Jeremy, Charlie’s opposite in almost every way. With tragedy and chaos all around them, temptation flashes hot, and Jeremy and Charlie can’t help but wonder why they’re trying so hard to be good... 

“You should be inside celebrating,” Jeremy said, his voice a raw scrape. “You and Marz did an amazing thing this morning.” An hour ago, Marz and Charlie had cracked open a heavily encrypted microchip that contained a wealth of information that not only seemed likely to help the team clear its name, but proved that Charlie’s father hadn’t been dirty, like they’d all thought. “And I’m so happy for you about your dad.”

A wounded darkness passed through Charlie’s gaze, but he finally nodded. “Didn’t feel right without you there.” Pink filtered into his cheeks, and damn if that wasn’t as cute as it was sexy. Jeremy wasn’t sure anything had ever made him blush.

“I’m just not—” Jeremy shrugged and looked down at Charlie’s chest again. Having seen the guy dress more than once, he knew that shirt covered lean muscle that ran from strong shoulders down to his narrow hips. Jeremy fisted his hands against the urge to burrow them under the hem of the tee. After weeks of looking, and wanting, he was dying to touch. Jeremy found Charlie hard to read though, and hadn’t wanted to do anything to scare him off. “—very good company right now. I’m sorry if that—”

Charlie nudged Jeremy’s chin up with his hand, his fingers just barely touching Jer’s stubble-covered skin. But then his thumb landed softly against his lips.

Jeremy’s heartbeat kicked up and his lips fell open. Slowly, oh so tentatively, Charlie stroked the soft pad of his thumb back and forth across them.

“Charlie,” Jeremy whispered as arousal surged through his body, spiking his pulse, tensing his muscles, hardening his dick.

Uncertainty poured off Charlie as the man’s hand trembled where it touched him, but those blue eyes absolutely blazed desire. No way was Jeremy imagining that.

“You’re always good company, to me,” Charlie said in a low voice, his gaze dropping to Jeremy’s lips. Charlie leaned in closer, and closer still, and Jeremy could hardly believe the other man was the one to initiate this. But he was fucking thrilled.

Jeremy swallowed, his lips anticipating that first soft brush. Charlie was so close his shaky breath caressed Jeremy’s lips. His pace was maddening but so damn sexy Jer could barely breathe. And then Charlie’s eyelids fluttered closed and he was right there…

I fell in love with this series from the first book. 

Hard Ink it’s the story of a group of ex-soldiers who have been falsely accused of something they didn’t do and who are now trying to find out the truth behind the events of the day that ruined all their lives.

Jeremy Rixey is Nick’s brother and a tattoo artist. But he is also a computer whiz and he puts his knowledge to good use trying to help his brother and his friends.

He has never denied nor hidden who he is and has no intention of ever doing so but, what he wants this time. he may never get.

Charlie Merritt has been through hell and back at the hands of the same organization who has killed his father and had ruined Nick and his friend’s reputations.

After being rescued, he is now putting his computer knowledge to good use with his sister by his side.

He wasn’t expecting to meet Jeremy and he wasn’t expecting to feel the way he does.

What can he offer to someone like him? They are so different and he’s not ready for the kind of commitment the other man deserves.

Jer and Charlie’s story will melt your heart. There’s so much going on between them and their connection is so strong so intense. You won’t be able to stop reading.

Then, there is an incredible amount of funny scenes that blend perfectly even in the most serious situations. 

Laura’s writing style is really good and you’ll be hooked from the beginning. Keep in mind that the book cannot be read as a standalone. I suggest you start from Hard as It Gets otherwise it won’t make much sense.

What else can I say? This has become one of my favorite series and I highly recommend it. In these books you’ll find a little bit of everything. Action, romance, drama, mystery, suspense, humor (lots of that) and hot, sexy, tattooed men. What more could you ask? Go for it!

Happy Reading!!

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day. 

     

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Mikky's Reviews! The Contradiction of Solitude by A. Meredith Walters

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You may notice me, but you will never know me.

I prefer it that way.

I am the daughter of a monster.

Born from blood and lies.

Dead before I have truly lived.

But Elian tells me that I'm different. 

He tells me that I'm beautiful.

That I'm an enigma wrapped in irresistibly complicated skin.

Elian says that he loves me.

These words terrify me.

I can't trust love.

Or hope.

Or truth.

Because I fear the beast inside.

It threatens to drown Elian and his sweet, unconditional love.

It's a beast that will destroy everything.

*This is a psychological thriller and very different than my previous books*

"The truth is the ugly side no one wants to see."

I have absolutely no idea where or how to begin. I think it’s the first time I found myself unable to find the words to described the book I’ve just read.

Meredith Walters is one of my favorite authors and I’ll always say yes to her novels. She has yet to disappoint me and I’ve read all of her books bar one.

The Contradiction of Solitude was a complete surprise, though. It is so different from what she has written before.

Her inclination for dark stories is well known but this one blew me away. 

First of all, I’ll give you a warning. This is a psychological thriller and not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking for a fairytale or a HEA, you’re way out of your league with this one. 

This book will mess you up and you won’t be able to disconnect long after you’re done with it. You’ll either hate it or love it. There’s no way in between.

The characters are very complex and hard to understand. Victims of their pasts, connected by a gruesome secret, Lay and Elian’s relationship is toxic and threatens to destroy the last remaining shreds of their soul.

Everything is a lie and everything is truth. Nothing is what it seems and the game is not over yet. Far from it. New players, new rules, new stories to be written, new stars to be set free.

Caught is a web of deception, Elian seeks absolution from a mistake he didn’t really made. 

Layna is running from her past, running far and fast but the monsters are already there. The darkness is part of her soul and has always been. She craves it and she craves the joy only pain can give her.

They’re completely wrong for each other but there’s something more that will always pull them together.

I know this review doesn’t make sense. You will have to read it yourself and find out what Layna and Elian’s story is. I highly recommend it.

I stand in awe, Meredith. With this book you managed to throw me into a bottomless pit of despair and sadness from which I’m trying to crawl my way out while keeping a strong hold on my sanity because I can’t help but wonder how much truth is behind your words. All the stories we hear, all the things we see… How many Laynas and Elians are out there? How well do we really know someone? How many stories are left untold and how many mysteries unsolved? How many stars have a name?

You never cease to amaze me. Never stop writing.

Happy Reading!!

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal romance including The Find You in the Dark and Bad Rep series as well Reclaiming the Sand, and the Twisted Love series (Lead Me Not out in 2014 and Follow Me Back coming in 2015) from Gallery Books.

A. Meredith spent ten years as a counselor for at risk teens and children. First working at a Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault program and then later a program for children with severe emotional and mental health issues. Her former clients and their stories continue to influence every aspect of her writing.

When not writing (or being tortured with all manner of beauty products at the hand of her very imaginative and extremely girly daughter), she is eating chocolate, watching reality television that could rot your brain and reading a smutty novel or two.

A. Meredith is represented by Michelle Johnson with the Inklings Literary Agency.

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Review! What Happens Tomorrow by Elle Michaels

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No one knows what happens tomorrow...

When Brooke Adams suffers the unimaginable, she knows her heart will never be whole again. Faced with the choice of giving in to her grief, or fighting to regain a resemblance to the life she once knew, she chooses to fight.

Not ready to give up, Brooke starts a new life where no one knows her past. As she slowly puts the pieces of her life back together, Brooke meets her neighbor, Tyler Reynolds. Soon, he becomes her friend, her rock...

and her complicated constant.

Despite her best efforts, she finds herself falling for him, but what will happen if Tyler learns the truth about her past and realizes just how deep the damage is?

The risk might be too much...

There is a reason why I often refuse to review an author’s debut novel because I know there is always room for improvement and you can’t really decide said author’s worth by the first book. Thing that might happen if the review is not carefully written.

Instead of giving you my usual rant about what I didn’t liked and what I think could have been better described, I’m going to tell you only what I liked.

This book is about a woman who has suffered an immense loss and who’s trying really hard to get on

with her life.

I think it was the first time when my heart really hurt for a character in a book. I am aware it’s just a story but this could be anyone’s reality.

I am a mother and I tried to picture myself in Brooke’s place. A young woman who has lost, in one second, her husband - the love of her life, and her sweet, innocent baby girl.

How can you move on from like this? How can others pretend that you just get over it?

Healing doesn’t occur over night, if ever. 

Brooke has to deal with the pain and also with her family’s constant hovering which, at times, made her also feel guilty for causing them worry and, by doing so, only adding another burden on her bruised and battered soul.

I have dealt with loss myself, not like her but still, and I didn’t blamed her for packing her bags and moving far away from them. There are times when dealing with your hurt by yourself is the best choice.

Moving away also meant a new beginning for Brooke in a place where no one knows her and where she doesn’t get stared at with pity every time she steps out.

And moving away meant finding two friends who will, once again, change her life and show her that taking chances doesn’t always end up badly.

This isn’t an easy read. At least it wasn’t for me. I found myself crying every once in a while and it made me realize that I am so, so very lucky to have my husband and my baby by my side where I can touch them and hold them in my arms. It is not something I take for granted and I don’t even want to imagine what my life would be like without them. Once again a book has reminded me that I have to cherish every second I get to spend with my loved ones because you never know What Happens Tomorrow.

You should definitely give it a chance.

Elle, thank you for this book. In this case, I’m glad I accepted to give it a try and I cannot wait to read your next novel. You have an amazing talent, lady.

Happy Reading!!

Elle Michaels is a professional in the tech sector, residing with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Having spent years acting in and directing stage productions, she dreamed of writing a screenplay, but at the suggestion of a friend, she decided to write a novel instead.

She has always had a passion for reading and romance. There is nothing she loves more than to get lost in a sexy romance story.

When not working or writing, she can be found spending time with the love of her life, her two young children and Yorkshire Terrier.

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Review! Return To Me, Covington Cove #1 by Kelly Moran

Release Date: March 3rd 2015

With every beat of the heart comes a memory of what could have been…

Ten years ago, Cole Covington was just another rich kid who got everything he wanted—including young and trusting Mia Galdon. Then one night everything changed, and two hearts were shattered. Cole buried his guilt in the military, where love was just part of the past. Now Cole has come back home, emotionally damaged, guarded, and unprepared for what’s waiting for him…

At the urging of Cole’s sister, Mia has returned to the Covington family’s coastal home in Wilmington as a private nurse to help Cole recover. With her uncertain personal life at a crossroad, Mia doesn’t have the luxury of saying no to the job. And she soon finds out that the attraction is still alive. So are memories of betrayal. But Mia will discover more than the power of resilience. She’ll discover a secret Cole has held for years, one that will force them to confront the past and give new meaning to letting go, forgiveness, and a future worth fighting for.

My Review...

**I was given an ARC from the publisher for an honest review**

What can I say? I loved this book. Return To Me is the story of a boy and a girl who loved and lost each other, of a man and a woman trying to find closure and forgiveness.

Cole and Mia met when they were just teenagers and, even if they had different life styles, they fell in love only to be ripped apart when they were ready to start a life together.

Fast forward ten years.

Mia has never forgotten him and never forgiven him either, but now her life revolves around her younger sister who needs special care and all the love she can give her.

Cole has never forgiven himself. Not only for letting Mia go but for what had happened to his brother too.

He’s chosen the army as an escape and now he’s trapped in a nightmare and wishes he had been the one to die.

If you’re familiar with Kelly’s books, you know that she writes beautifully. What I like the most is the fact that her stories are so “real”. The focus is not on how beautiful the characters are or how rich or what they wear or drive. 

Instead, we get to learn their story. We see them interact, make mistakes, laugh, cry, love, suffer and be happy. 

From the beginning, I was so caught up in the novel that it was difficult to put it down. 

In many books, the story is lost among all those details you realize, in the end, they were completely useless. To be honest, I could do without knowing the guy drives a high speed vehicle and likes a certain color of ties or that their showers are so sophisticated and they have to pull various levers for this and that.

Boring.

There are no such things in Kelly’s books. Or, even if it happens to stumble upon something like that, it’s only there to complete the story.

Return To Me is full of emotion. All the time while reading I could feel Mia and Cole’s sadness, their pain. My heart broke for them over and over again because they were nothing more than the victims of circumstances and of a high society that forgives nothing.

I don’t know what else I could say and not get into too many details. Just trust me and put this book on pre-order. It’s so worth it.

Thank you, Kelly and Berkley, for this opportunity!

Kelly Moran is a romance author of enchanting ever-afters. She is the winner of the 2013 Catherine Award, a RT Magazine Readers Choice Finalist, and a 2014 Award of Excellence Finalist through RWA, plus she earned one of the 10 Best Reads of 2013 by USA TODAY's HEA. 

Kelly's been known to say that she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there's always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself. Her interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet caffeine junkie and chocoholic, but don't tell anyone. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband, three sons, and her black lab. Most of her family lives in the Carolinas, so she spends a lot of time there as well. Visit her website for up-to-date book news and where to follow.

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