Showing posts with label Enemies to Lovers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Enemies to Lovers. Show all posts

Today's flashback is the Broken Love series by B.B. Reid. It's how I found and fell in love with this author's writing and I've never regretted it. Please note that I didn't actually finish this series. Books 4 (Breaking Love) and 5 (Fearless) are still unread. Have you read this series? Should I read the last two books?
I rated each book with 5 stars and here were my thoughts...

I don't believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming.
I believe in fear.
He taught me how to be afraid.
We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he's been my tormentor and I've been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid.
Now he's back and wants more than just my tears. You see...he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge...and he knows just how to get it.

What happens when she’s had enough?
Lake Monroe has given in to her childhood tormentor too many times. She knows it, he knows it, and even their enemies know it. When he returned after being found guilty of a crime he didn't commit—a crime he thought she set him up for, he returned darker than ever, demanding her body and her submission. To survive him, she knew she had to give in to fear once more or suffer the deadly consequences...
But Lake experienced what it was like to submit to the dark and demanding boy who invaded her dreams. Now she’ll experience what it’s like to fight him.
What happens when he wants more?
Keiran Masters has a past that is both shocking and dark. Once enslaved, he now has demons he can’t escape—demons that have followed him for ten years, demons he blames his beautiful obsession for. He promised to make her pay. He promised to make her break...
But after Keiran had conquered her body and tasted her submission, he found a new addiction instead—one he has no intention of giving up.

KEENAN
It’s been four years since I ran away—from home, my brother, and my maybe father. I created a life free of expectations while pretending I wasn’t being hunted by all of the above. I managed to stay under the radar all this time… or so I thought. When big brother shows up and saves my ass, I’m forced to face everything I left behind, including her.
SHELDON
It’s been four years since I became another statistic. I made a lot of mistakes when it came to Keenan Masters. The first was loving him at all. He took something from me the night he left, and when I told him I still loved him, he told me he’d always hate me. After that, I learned how to be okay… until he came back. Gone was the boy who always knew how to make me laugh, and in his place was a cold, arrogant monster.
I rated each book with 5 stars and here were my thoughts...

Fear Me
I don't believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming.
I believe in fear.
He taught me how to be afraid.
We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he's been my tormentor and I've been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid.
Now he's back and wants more than just my tears. You see...he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge...and he knows just how to get it.
Keiran is the most "different" 18yo I have ever read. I can't even classify this as young adult despite the fact that the characters are in high school! Although Lake pissed me off with her weakness, this book still deserves a 5-star rating for Keiran alone.


Fear You
What happens when she’s had enough?
Lake Monroe has given in to her childhood tormentor too many times. She knows it, he knows it, and even their enemies know it. When he returned after being found guilty of a crime he didn't commit—a crime he thought she set him up for, he returned darker than ever, demanding her body and her submission. To survive him, she knew she had to give in to fear once more or suffer the deadly consequences...
But Lake experienced what it was like to submit to the dark and demanding boy who invaded her dreams. Now she’ll experience what it’s like to fight him.
What happens when he wants more?
Keiran Masters has a past that is both shocking and dark. Once enslaved, he now has demons he can’t escape—demons that have followed him for ten years, demons he blames his beautiful obsession for. He promised to make her pay. He promised to make her break...
But after Keiran had conquered her body and tasted her submission, he found a new addiction instead—one he has no intention of giving up.
Lake is still an idiot. This book didn't make me like her any more than the last one. But I fell in love with Keiran. Thank you for the dual POV. I just wish there was more to their HEA. Hopefully I will get to see them in Fear Us.


Fear Us
KEENAN
It’s been four years since I ran away—from home, my brother, and my maybe father. I created a life free of expectations while pretending I wasn’t being hunted by all of the above. I managed to stay under the radar all this time… or so I thought. When big brother shows up and saves my ass, I’m forced to face everything I left behind, including her.
SHELDON
It’s been four years since I became another statistic. I made a lot of mistakes when it came to Keenan Masters. The first was loving him at all. He took something from me the night he left, and when I told him I still loved him, he told me he’d always hate me. After that, I learned how to be okay… until he came back. Gone was the boy who always knew how to make me laugh, and in his place was a cold, arrogant monster.
Damn there is just so much hating going on in this series!! Keenan really shook things up in this book. While he didn't go "Keiran" on anybody completely, the similarities between these brothers are hard to miss.
I only had one problem with this book and it relates to one piece:
“It was then that I remembered a paternity test had never been taken even when the question arose. Could John really be his father? With his death, Keenan would never know.”
Ummmmm... Excuse me if I'm wrong but... Stupid line. When Keenan needed a lung transplant, they ran DNA and established that John wasn't his father. Were we supposed to forget that because it didn't happen in this particular book? And regardless of John's passing, a DNA test would still be able to be performed. It just wouldn't be warranted in this instance.
Anxiously awaiting Willow and Dash's story and the answers to all of the questions at the end.
I only had one problem with this book and it relates to one piece:
“It was then that I remembered a paternity test had never been taken even when the question arose. Could John really be his father? With his death, Keenan would never know.”
Ummmmm... Excuse me if I'm wrong but... Stupid line. When Keenan needed a lung transplant, they ran DNA and established that John wasn't his father. Were we supposed to forget that because it didn't happen in this particular book? And regardless of John's passing, a DNA test would still be able to be performed. It just wouldn't be warranted in this instance.
Anxiously awaiting Willow and Dash's story and the answers to all of the questions at the end.

“A dragon without its rider is a tragedy.
A rider without their dragon is dead.”
A rider without their dragon is dead.”


Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Part of a series - The Empyrean #1
Genre/Trope - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Heroine 1st person
Heat - descriptive, slow build
Source - ebook from the library
Length - 664 pages
Genre/Trope - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Heroine 1st person
Heat - descriptive, slow build
Source - ebook from the library
Length - 664 pages
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die
Find it here: Goodreads

My Two Cents
My Rating - ★★★1/2
What can I say that hasn't already been said? Social media went crazy blasting this book, which is why I finally gave in to the hype. Did this book live up to expectations? Kinda sorta. And rather than highlight what has already been extolled about this book, I'm going to get into what I want to happen in the next one for this series.
The Continent is home to two kingdoms—and we've been at war for four hundred years.
You see that right there? Please elaborate. Why did I read over 600 pages that didn't tell me why these kingdoms were at war. Nothing explained why this academy existed. What was the need for the factions, such as riders, scribes, healers and infantry? What sparked the conflict? Who was the leader of the other side? Seems like they've been fighting over 400 years for something no one even remembers. KMT!!
There is nothing more sacred than the Archives. Even temples can be rebuilt, but books cannot be rewritten.
You don't say. Yet we're now realizing that the truth has been a hidden secret for who knows how long. Facts are missing from your so-called history and it took practically the entire book to realize that. Seriously? Forget foreshadowing. The author basically screamed that something wasn't right from the beginning. And then we had to wade through the nonsense for the characters (I'm looking at you, Vi) to catch up. That ending only prompts more questions!!
One generation to change the text. One generation chooses to teach that text. The next grows, and the lie becomes history.
PREACH!!
“I would rather lose this entire war than live without you, and if that means I have to prove myself over and over, then I'll do it. You gave me your heart, and I'm keeping it.”
Okay, so I'm not a huge fan of the romance in this book, only because it didn't really get a chance to shine. That was mostly due to Violet and her antics, however, I did appreciate the way the author allowed her to be free with her thoughts and feelings. Was it annoying that for half the book she kept believing he was going to kill her when all he did was help her? Did I get frustrated that she was so oblivious and a bit ungrateful towards Xander? When Xander's truths came out, was I more sympathetic towards him than towards Vi? Yes. The answer to all of these questions is yes. I'm putting a bit of faith in this author that she will pull off a better dynamic between these characters in the next book. Give Xander a voice please, not a diluted mishmash of personality as seen through the eyes of a naive scribe-forced-to-turn-into-a-rider.
I'm sure there are so many other things I need clarification on, but I'll wait to see what the next book brings me. In the end, I enjoyed myself while reading Fourth Wing. I've never tried this author before and it was an exciting experience. I love dragons and war and I'm looking forward to what's to come for these characters that I've started to adore.
The Author

She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. She’s the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.
Visit her website at www.RebeccaYarros.com for more.

She was my Astrid, my Hunter, my assassin, and I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to remind her just how mine she was.
────── ♔ ──────

Superbia by Colette Rhodes
My Rating - ★★★★
Standalone - Shades of Sin #2
Release - March 7, 2023
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 294 pages
Standalone - Shades of Sin #2
Release - March 7, 2023
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 294 pages
Other book(s) in the series: Luxuria
Astrid is the kind of Hunter that all Hunters aspire to be.
Lethal. Focused. Ambidextrous.
In contrast to her disgraced sister, Astrid has done everything right. And now, she’s coming to realize that everything she’s ever known is wrong.
Soren wants to be the kind of Shade that all Shades aspire to be.
Brave. Decisive. Powerful.
But his disgraced sister is determined to ruin him, and now there’s a deadly Hunter in his realm, smelling like the most delicious thing he’d ever taste.
And the king wants them to work together.
Can they hold the enemy line with each other? Or will the thin line between love and hate be their undoing?
After falling positively in love with Ophelia and Allerick, I knew that I had to continue the series. So here I am, at the end of this book, and I can safely conclude that this series is a must-read. If you’re down with some monster loving, you NEED to read these books!
Astrid and Soren hated each other, and for good reason. She was a Hunter, known for killing tons of Shades. And as the Shade’s Captain of the Guard, Soren was sworn to protect the citizens of his world, so of course he would take offense from her actions. But all of that hate was hiding something else…
In the last book, Astrid finally figured out that everything she knew or had come to believe about the fight she waged against Shades was wrong. She abandoned her false life, took other ex-Hunters with her, and prepared to start a new life in a new world. Too bad she was surrounded by the very people she once hunted. She doesn’t fit and apart from her sister and her new ex-hunter friends, no one has made her feel welcome.
Soren knows he should hate Astrid, but she keeps doing things that show him how much she’s changing. How can he keep his hate game strong when she keeps giving him so much to love?
I really enjoyed the acrimonious nature of this relationship. These characters sniped and growled and fought so hard against the inevitable. Astrid had finally found her person, the one who would understand her even when she couldn’t truly articulate herself. The one person who would always have her back. And Soren found the same.
While reading the acknowledgments, I found out that the author intends to write seven books for this series and that they tackle the seven deadly sins. Book one, Luxuria, was lust and Superbia is all about pride. This fact has given me a new appreciation for what I’ve read so far and I’m really excited to continue this series.
Colette Rhodes is a huge fan of paranormal romance and reverse harem books. They're what she loves to read and what she loves to write. #WhyChoose, right?
Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Contact her here:
Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author
Facebook: Colette Rhodes
Lethal. Focused. Ambidextrous.
In contrast to her disgraced sister, Astrid has done everything right. And now, she’s coming to realize that everything she’s ever known is wrong.
Soren wants to be the kind of Shade that all Shades aspire to be.
Brave. Decisive. Powerful.
But his disgraced sister is determined to ruin him, and now there’s a deadly Hunter in his realm, smelling like the most delicious thing he’d ever taste.
And the king wants them to work together.
Can they hold the enemy line with each other? Or will the thin line between love and hate be their undoing?
Find Superbia here: Goodreads * Amazon

My Two Cents
After falling positively in love with Ophelia and Allerick, I knew that I had to continue the series. So here I am, at the end of this book, and I can safely conclude that this series is a must-read. If you’re down with some monster loving, you NEED to read these books!
Astrid and Soren hated each other, and for good reason. She was a Hunter, known for killing tons of Shades. And as the Shade’s Captain of the Guard, Soren was sworn to protect the citizens of his world, so of course he would take offense from her actions. But all of that hate was hiding something else…
In the last book, Astrid finally figured out that everything she knew or had come to believe about the fight she waged against Shades was wrong. She abandoned her false life, took other ex-Hunters with her, and prepared to start a new life in a new world. Too bad she was surrounded by the very people she once hunted. She doesn’t fit and apart from her sister and her new ex-hunter friends, no one has made her feel welcome.
Soren knows he should hate Astrid, but she keeps doing things that show him how much she’s changing. How can he keep his hate game strong when she keeps giving him so much to love?
I really enjoyed the acrimonious nature of this relationship. These characters sniped and growled and fought so hard against the inevitable. Astrid had finally found her person, the one who would understand her even when she couldn’t truly articulate herself. The one person who would always have her back. And Soren found the same.
While reading the acknowledgments, I found out that the author intends to write seven books for this series and that they tackle the seven deadly sins. Book one, Luxuria, was lust and Superbia is all about pride. This fact has given me a new appreciation for what I’ve read so far and I’m really excited to continue this series.
The Author

Colette studied both History and Ancient History at university and loves including both historical facts and ancient mythology in her work.
When she's not writing, you'll find her spending time with her husband and daughter in beautiful New Zealand.
Contact her here:
Website: coletterhodes.com
Instagram: @coletterhodes_author
Facebook: Colette Rhodes

Why would I want to stay in my lane when everyone else's lane is a whole lot more fun?
────── ♔ ──────

I'll Just Date Myself by Lani Lynn Vale
My Rating - ★★★★
Standalone - Gator Bait MC #7
Release - June 27, 2023
Genre/Trope - Contemporary romance with suspense elements / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - 300 pages
Standalone - Gator Bait MC #7
Release - June 27, 2023
Genre/Trope - Contemporary romance with suspense elements / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - 300 pages
Other books in the series: Nobody Cares Unless You're Pretty * Good Trouble * Cute But Psycho * Annoyed at First Sight * The Voices Are Back * Special Kind of Twisted
Normally when you say, “I have a stalker,” you think bad thoughts. That wasn’t the kind of stalker Folsom was when it came to Kobe Sano. Folsom liked to call herself a “guardian angel in disguise.”
The first time he catches her attention, he’s been assigned to hunt her down and throw away the key. All she did was steal someone else’s child. Well, embryo, that is. What Kobe doesn’t know, though, is the man that hired him is up to no good, and she has no other choice but to run without looking back.
From that moment on, she spends the rest of her spare time running away from him while also digging into every nook and cranny of his personal life, finding every weakness he has and utilizing it any way she needs to keep herself one step ahead of him.
Only one day, when she goes to do her usual snooping, she finds out that not only is her favorite person in trouble, but he’s also in need of her help.
Too bad it takes her years to find that help.
Her next step is to break him out of the pokey prison-break style.
If she knew he’d go without question, she very well might have.
***
It didn’t take a genius to know when someone was stalking you. The signs were all there, and they eventually pointed right at Folsom.
When he figures it out, he plans to confront her and maybe address the silent sexual tension that’s been brewing between them for the last few years.
However, right when he’s ready to admit to himself that she might be the one—daughter who intimidates the hell out of him or not—she up and disappears for a year.
In that year, he spends every waking moment searching for her.
And eventually he finds her, confronts her, and is hit in the face with the secrets she’s kept from him for years.
One of which is a big one.
The daughter that she protects with everything she has—the one that he’s come to love with all his heart, just like her mom—is the very abducted child from his one and only unsolved case.
Find I'll Just Date Myself here: Goodreads * Amazon

My Two Cents
After being told that I'd be due for a surprise because the main character was given an overhaul, I didn't know what to expect. Would I even like the new and improved Folsom?
Well, let me tell you...
I DID!!
Folsom was sweet, kind and generous. She also had a knack for being all up in your business and you not even knowing it. She'd help you in ways you didn't even know you needed. She would do anything for her daughter and for those she chose to love.
She was also a woman of mystery. While she was very blunt, she wasn't very forthcoming about her circumstances. And I liked it! It gave her character an air of intrigue that kept me guessing. Even at the end of the book, I'm still wondering if I got her full story.
Kobe was a man who I struggled to get to know in the previous books. It seemed like even the men he served time with had a hard time really knowing this guy. But Folsom found a way and I loved how her meddling created an atmosphere in which they could truly connect.
There are hit men, weird contracts, missing persons, and an easy kind of 'oops I felt into it' love.
I'm still a bit broken hearted over what Kobe had to go through to get his happy ending, but it was a sweet ending and I'm so glad these two unknowns found such happiness with each other.
The Author
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com for more information!

Admitting to someone that you loved them made you vulnerable.
Admitting to Davis that you loved him made you crazy.
Admitting to Davis that you loved him made you crazy.
────── ♔ ──────

Special Kind of Twisted by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Gator Bait MC #6
Release - May 23, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / a few descriptive scenes
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - 248 pages
Release - May 23, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / a few descriptive scenes
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - 248 pages
Other books in the series: Nobody Cares Unless You're Pretty * Good Trouble * Cute But Psycho * Annoyed at First Sight * The Voices Are Back
He had a way of pulling everyone into his darkness. Then, to make matters worse, he convinced you that you liked it there.
Kyle Davis—ex professional baseball player and current felon—loved Sara, his best friend. Strictly platonically, of course. He’d do absolutely anything for her, even put up with Greer, Sara’s other best friend.
What she was not was Kyle’s best friend. Or any friend at all, to be honest.
In fact, they couldn’t stand to be in the same room with each other, let alone breathe the same air for any length of time.
Then something happens, forcing the two of them to work together to keep Sara blissfully unaware of the danger Greer’s in.
They come up with a plan. Sara doesn’t need to know.
What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
The funny thing is, Sara knows all. Sara also knows the two of them are destined to be with each other.
She only has to convince them of it first.
My Two Cents
4 "Bickering is their love language" stars
I've been very interested in learning more about Kyle Davis for what seems like forever and I'm so glad I finally got my hands on his story! He's so busy protecting everyone else, I wanted to see him get a bit of that security himself. And I can't imagine a better life partner for him than Greer.
At first glance, they seemed like oil and water. Aside from sharing a best friend in Sara, they had nothing in common.
A ton of stolen glances and moments later, Greer seems to be in danger and Kyle's protective instincts kick in for someone who he always believed was his enemy. I loved the forced proximity aspect of this story and how it made these two finally acknowledge how deeply they cared for each other. I also absolutely adored how them becoming something more than frenemies didn't detract from what they had already built as a relationship. Just because she was his girlfriend didn't make her immune to pranks and deliberate attempts to stir up her temper.
I'm in love with the way the characters in this series love each other. And although Greer was new to the circle, she fit in just right and I was so excited for these fictional people.
I don't know who the next story in the series is about. I'm determined to enter each book as blindly as possible. It's been a great strategy so far, however, if it's not about Sara and the delicious sheriff, Sunny... could it be about the mysterious Folsom and the equally mysterious Kobe? I'll definitely be staying tuned to find out!
The Author
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com for more information!

Sara Beatreaux is not my problem.
Normally, I wouldn't care.
I shouldn't care.
But I do.
Normally, I wouldn't care.
I shouldn't care.
But I do.
────── ♔ ──────

Scarred by Emily McIntire
Standalone - Never After #2
Release - January 4, 2022
Genre - Dark Romance / enemies to lovers / vengeance / retelling / royals
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 348 pages
Release - January 4, 2022
Genre - Dark Romance / enemies to lovers / vengeance / retelling / royals
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 348 pages
She doesn't belong to him...she belongs to the crown.
Prince Tristan Faasa was never destined for the throne. That was always his brother, Michael. The same brother responsible for both Tristan's tormented childhood and the scar that mars his face. When their father dies, Michael is set to assume the throne, and Tristan is set to steal it. The leader of a secret rebellion, Tristan will stop at nothing to end his brother's reign. But when Michael's new betrothed, Lady Sara Beatreaux arrives, Tristan finds himself in the middle of a new kind of war. The kind that begs the question of what's more important, the crown or the woman about to wear it.
Sara has one plan. Marry the King and eradicate the Faasa line, even at the risk of her own peril. But she never expects the Scarred Prince. He's dangerous. Forbidden. And one of the men she's been sent to kill. But the line between hatred and passion has never seemed so thin, and as secrets come to light, Sara grows unsure of whom she can trust—torn between vengeance and the villain she was never supposed to love.
Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon

My Two Cents
3.5 "Burn it all down" stars
Not quite a retelling, but it did have a lot in common with The Lion King. A scarred prince, some nefarious goings on, and a love story. I guess a villain deserves a happy ending too!
When his father dies, Tristan is alone in the world. His brother has the throne, the council is corrupt, and their people are starving. Tristan is determined to change things. His goals are dangerous, but he seems to laugh in the face of danger. << see what I did there?
When Sara's father dies, she vows revenge. She means to kill every member of the Faasa family, hopefully bringing back prosperity to her beloved lands. While her family schemed for her to be chosen as the King's future wife, she plotted and planned. And when she finally meets her future family, it's easy for her to imagine them all dying from her blades.
But then she gets to know Tristan, the outcast, the man in the shadows. He's nothing like what she thought he was and everything she needed in her life. With her conviction waning, can she find a new passion with him?
"The truth is, I am yours. Wholly. Inexplicably. Painfully. Unconditionally." He moves my hand until the dagger presses against his throat. "And if you need to sacrifice my soul so you're able to live with yours, then do it."
While I enjoyed this story, I wish someone had warned me that it was a slow build on the filth. I loved Tristan's obsessive, possessive self and his dirty mouth, but I wanted more. I know I'm greedy, but so much of this book was about these two fighting against their growing feelings that I wanted to spend time with them as a couple.
And yes, the author does offer an epilogue, but I would have to sign up for the newsletter and I'm not about to do that. No offense, but I'm on a newsletter cleanse. So I'm here, at the end of the book, happy that this couple gets to actually be a couple, but hopelessly wanting more. I'm good with all of the murder-y mayhem that happened, I was gleeful whenever Tristan's madness appeared, I'll never look at hash the same way again, and I liked everything in between. I'll be checking out the next book in the series for sure.
The Author

Find more information at https://www.emilymcintire.com

She's the marrow.
She's my marrow.
Kyrie didn't start as a killer—she was made.
And I helped make her.
She's my marrow.
Kyrie didn't start as a killer—she was made.
And I helped make her.
────── ♔ ──────

Marrow by Trisha Wolfe & Brynne Weaver
Standalone
Release - March 23, 2023
Genre - Dark Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - approx. 300 pages
Release - March 23, 2023
Genre - Dark Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by the author
Length - approx. 300 pages
Two rival serial killers. One common enemy.
Forensic anthropologist Dr. Jack Sorensen is the perfect serial killer. In the bright lights of his public persona he’s a respected scientist, a leader in the field of human decomposition. But in his shadowed secret life he’s a ruthless and elusive killer, unseen by the authorities who have failed to follow his faint trail of destruction. Beautifully cold, brilliant and cruel, Jack wants nothing more than to keep his life captured in his vise-like grip of control. And Jack Sorensen never makes mistakes…
…until he underestimates Dr. Kyrie Roth.
Wildlife biologist Kyrie is the enemy Jack never noticed, another murderer in his midst. A killer with equal cunning and stealth as the great Jack Sorensen, she knows all his darkest secrets, even the pieces of a past he might have forgotten. Kyrie has created the perfect habitat for her favorite research subject, but she’s finally had enough of being bitten by the beast that lives at Jack’s core. Pushed past her breaking point, Kyrie has decided to do whatever it takes to make Jack suffer. But when Kyrie’s traumatic past descends on her broken oasis, the only person who can help Kyrie banish her painful shadows might just be her greatest enemy.
History can’t always be left to decay in a cold grave. Time has a way of thawing secrets, leaving them to shine as bright as bleached bones in the sun. Can Jack and Kyrie set aside their battle and survive a world built to hunt them?
Or will they kill each other first?
***Marrow is a dark romance intended for an adult audience. For complete CWs, see Brynne's website***
My Two Cents
5 "Welcome to Thunderdome" stars
🎵She's a very kinky girl
The kind you don't take home to mother...🎵
Don't even ask me why Super Freak enters my mind when it comes to Kyrie, but it does.
Surviving a serial killer made her change. She saw the world in a whole new light and had to adapt.
There were bad people out there, she had first-hand knowledge of them, and she chose to take them out.
Jack was a seemingly different kind of monster and he liked things a certain way.
He was a dominant hunter who didn't like someone else in his territory.
But nothing he did would make her leave.
Let the games begin!
He pushed her away. She found new ways to torment him.
She was broken. He was emotionless.
Together... they were magical!
These authors delivered a story that gripped me from the start, had me laughing and cringing my way merrily through, and left me with a huge smile on my face at the end.
The Author

USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up imaginary worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her imaginary worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
and

She can relate nearly anything you say to a line from the movie Hot Fuzz. She has been trying unsuccessfully for years to convince her husband that they should acquire a pet mink to add to their menagerie of animals (what could possibly go wrong with that plan?!).
Brynne has been everything from an archaeologist to a waitress, a deep-sea core analyst to an advertising account executive. For the last several years, she has been working in the field of neuroscience clinical research. Brynne has been writing since childhood and has published a non-fiction book under her real name, but she won’t tell you what it is unless you provide a live, fully trained velociraptor.
When not busy at her day job or writing, Brynne can be found working with her husband and their son on their family farm in Nova Scotia, Canada, or enjoying her other passions which include riding horses, reading, and spending time with family and friends around a raclette and a bottle of wine.

Have fun. Party hard. Spend the night in our loved ones' arms.
I couldn't ask for a better life.
Hell, I couldn't even dream one. - Cassius
I couldn't ask for a better life.
Hell, I couldn't even dream one. - Cassius
────── ♔ ──────

Annoyed At First Sight by Lani Lynn Vale
Release - February 28, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by Uplifting Authors Services
Length - 244 pages
Publisher - Indie
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format - eARC provided by Uplifting Authors Services
Length - 244 pages
Publisher - Indie
The first time Cassius Ulysses Costas met Alice Paradis, she was in a string bikini and filling up a long line of boats that were there just to see her. She was eighteen and every man’s wet dream.
Even his.
For the longest time, he went out of his way to stay as far away from her as he could get without actually taking his eyes off of her. For years, he was the better person. He played his hand close, and not a single person would know just how obsessed he was with her.
Then he goes to prison and comes out a man that couldn’t care less about anyone or anything, least of all what someone thought of him and his actions. But not one second while he was behind bars did he forget about Alice.
He tries to stay away. For a few long months, he fights his every instinct to make her his. But, as if the universe is conspiring against him, Alice is thrown into his path time after time, instance after instance.
And his resolve is waning. Fast.
In one last ditch effort to stay away, he walks away, hoping making her mad enough will force her to do the work for him.
However, when Alice is attacked, it isn’t Cassius’s harsh words she remembers, but the way he makes her feel safe.
Soon, the very last thing he’ll do is let her walk away. He did the right thing, and that didn’t work out. Now, it’s time for him to embrace the wrong.

My Two Cents
4 "Someone to Love" stars
After losing most of his family too soon, Cassius swore off making a romantic connection. You can't lose what you don't have, right? Aside from his brothers of the MC, he didn't need anyone. So why was he still so enchanted by Alice?
She was impossible to resist and not even his stint in prison made him forget her.
And he wasn't the only one trying to fight the pull. Alice believed he hated her and thought it best to save herself from a broken heart. Too bad she found it so hard to stay away.
Add in some terrible circumstances and there was no one she'd rather turn to than Cassius. There was no more hiding and no more denying what they shared.
I'm in love with all of the characters from this series. These stories have some strange turns, a few surprises, and I'm excited to see what's next.

The Author
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com for more information!

Kon was the only thing that made sense anymore
────── ♔ ──────

Darkest Night by Alessa Thorn
Standalone - Mercenaries and Magic #1
Release - October 6, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Primarily Dual 3rd person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / frequent
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 230 pages
Publisher - Thornstar Publishing Pty Ltd
Release - October 6, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Primarily Dual 3rd person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / frequent
Format - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 230 pages
Publisher - Thornstar Publishing Pty Ltd
Three years ago, Kon seduced a mysterious woman and stole a magical artifact from her. He thought their paths would never cross again. He had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
Found as a bloody child in a forest, and raised by one of the most ruthless and calculating mercenaries dirty money can buy, Athena Edgeworth isn't the kind of person you betray and get to walk away unscathed.
It was the perfect rivalry waiting to happen.
Both know they should end their dangerous game once and for all, but they are addicted to the thrill of the chase...and to each other.
When they get a common enemy hunting them, they will have to put their vicious rivalry aside and work together.
Kon's only ever wanted revenge, but Athena Edgeworth's dark heart might be the prize he's always been searching for. And she's not about to let him have it without a fight.
My Two Cents
4.25 "Damaged and Deadly" stars
I really freaking enjoyed this book!
Kon: as a small boy, he witnessed the murder of his parents and spent his whole life searching for the man who needs killing.
Athena: as a small girl, she was found bloody and alone in a forest and she's spent her whole life fascinated with living on the edge.
On a mission, Kon steals from Athena and starts the hottest cat-and-mouse game I've ever read!
I loved the love/hate relationship that Kon and Athena shared. It was obvious from the start that these two were hot for each other. That they had finally met their match. And I had a blast watching them catch all of the feelings.
There's plenty of action and heat, a bunch of intriguing side characters, and a plot that seems to lead into the books to come. This was such a solid story and I'm excited to read the rest of the series.

My Two Cents

Alessa Thorn believes that all monsters and villains deserve their happy endings. She prefers her clothes black, eyeliner winged and books full of hot romance. She thinks heroes are boring, so her first series 'The Court of the Underworld' centers around dark gods, monsters and villains from her favorite Greek Myths.
Find out more about this author at https://alessathornauthor.com

I wanted to do just about anything he was willing to do with me.
────── ♔ ──────

Cute But Psycho by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone - Gator Bait MC #3
Release - January 17, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies-to-lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC from Uplifting Author Services
Length - 241 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - January 17, 2023
Genre - Contemporary Romance / enemies-to-lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - eARC from Uplifting Author Services
Length - 241 pages
Publisher - Indie
Etienne LaFayette hits the ground running the moment he breathes free air after being paroled from a maximum-security prison in Texas.
He claws his life back from his brother-in-law who’d taken over his business during the years he’d spent as an inmate at Huntsville Penitentiary. Though it is hard, he puts his life back together in Accident, Florida.
There, he hires new employees, joins a motorcycle club, and becomes wildly successful overnight.
Seems like the perfect life, right?
Wrong.
Because one of his first clients is a beautiful, curly-haired woman that reels him in from the moment he first lays eyes on her. Only, before he can work his charm, she forms an opinion of him based solely on the person that he chose to work at his side, day in and day out. That opinion? Utter disgust.
***
Matilda Deveraux has been dealt blow after blow her entire life.
First with the death of her mom. Then living with a stepfamily that despises her.
Her entire life she’s been known as different. The “weird girl that creeps everyone out.”
It’s not her fault that she’s different, yet everyone, including Etienne’s assistant, treats her like she’s a menace to society.
Like she would be better off in a loony bin than gracing the streets of Accident, Florida.
After years of abuse from everyone around her, the last thing she needs is to be around a man that would have that horrible woman around him twenty-four seven.
As a result, she forms an opinion—something that people do to her all the time—and treats him accordingly.
Only, it turns out that Etienne isn’t who she thought he was.
He’s much, much worse. But only in the best of ways.
My Two Cents
4 "Kick 'em to the curb" stars
Matilda was a doormat her whole life and she was just about done. Done with letting people take advantage of her. Done with allowing people to walk all over her. Just done. If only her family would get the memo.
The attraction between Etienne and Mattie was instantaneous, however, his assistant was a problem. She lived to make Mattie miserable and she refused to associate with someone who associated with someone so hateful. Good for her!
When the problem is solved, will Mattie get out of her own way and give Etienne a chance?
I really enjoyed this story. The brotherhood that exists between the men of this series is so special. I love the way they interact with each other. Matilda had her quirks, but she fit and I think she was great for Etienne. He deserved a happy ending and she gave him an amazing one.
The Author
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Visit https://lanilynnvale.com for more information!

They'd never been enemies, but definitely rivals.
Now she was his love.
Now she was his love.
────── ♔ ──────

Captain of the Guard by Anna Hackett
Standalone - Galactic Kings #3
Release - May 17, 2022
Genre - SciFi Romance
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 255 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - May 17, 2022
Genre - SciFi Romance
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Length - 255 pages
Publisher - Indie
Other books in the series:
Overlord * Emperor
An alien warrior and a fierce shapeshifter who drive each other crazy must work together to save an entire planet from a terrifying evil.
First Claw Annora Rahl is tough, fierce, and loyal. She stands at her emperor’s side to protect the wolf shapeshifters of the planet Damar, and she isn’t afraid to use her claws. Stopping an evil king from a neighboring planet, who’s intent on enslaving all the planets in their system, is her top priority. She won’t fail her family, her people, or her emperor. Even if it means joining forces with an infuriating rival warrior…one who she isn’t sure if she wants to kill or kiss.
Captain Thadd Naveri is strong, unyielding, and dedicated. As captain of the guard for the overlord of the planet Zhalto, he lets nothing threaten his king or his people. He’s still recovering from his capture and torture by the enemy, but he readily accepts a top-secret mission into enemy territory. He’s less than pleased to share that mission with Annora—the one woman in the galaxy who fills him with scalding hot anger…and burning desire.
To save their allies on the planet Taln, Thadd and Annora must sneak into the enemy’s most feared science labs. As they fight side by side, they are forced to face their overwhelming attraction. But as the enemy closes in, it is a race against time to save not only Taln but themselves.
My Two Cents
4.5 "Bicker and Banter to Love" stars
This is my favorite book of the series so far!
Thadd was this fierce warrior, a protector of all, who was a bit broken after being taken and experimented on. There's just something so special about a broken hero.
Annora was equally as fierce as Thadd, just as protective, and a force of nature. I loved how strong and loyal she was.
It was like reading an enemies-to-lovers romance, but without the true hate. It was obvious from previous books that something was sparking between these two and I was here for when it imploded. They were hot!!
There is still so much of the underlying plot to be explored. Zavir, the father of the kings, is out there, plotting ways to bring them to their knees. Luckily, I've already got Conqueror downloaded so I can discover what will happen next.
The Author

Anna Hackett is a USA Today bestselling romance author who’s passionate about fast-paced, emotion-filled romantic suspense and science-fiction romance. She loves writing about people overcoming unbeatable odds and achieving seemingly impossible goals. Some of her bestselling series include Norcross Security, Team 52, Galactic Gladiators, and Eon Warriors.
Anna lives in Australia with her real-life hero and their two little boys. For more information on Anna and her books visit: www.annahackett.com

So many times I've tried to imagine we weren't meant to be enemies, even when we were. I wanted to forget we were a vampire and a demon, hunter and prey. I wished we were just a man and a woman, trying to come to terms with one another. Probably ourselves too. Now, suddenly, I realize how precious this moment is. Because I'm not trying. That's all we are.
────── ♔ ──────

A Queen of Broken Realms by Brynne Weaver
The Shadow Realm #3
Release - October 27, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies-to-lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / several descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 379 pages
Publisher - Indie
Release - October 27, 2022
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies-to-lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5 / several descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 379 pages
Publisher - Indie
Other books in the series: A Shadow in the Reaping * A Heart of Bitter Poison
Lu promised herself she would never go back to the Shadow Realm, but the fates have other plans. Ashen has forfeited his rule to crown Lu the Queen of the Reapers, and now she has the power to remake the realm of the demons, to bring back merciful justice to the land where souls suffer in eternal servitude and violence lurks in the twilight fog. But not everyone is on board with the new change in leadership to a vampire queen, and following the torture and trauma of her last visit to the Shadow Realm, Lu isn’t thrilled about it either.
Trouble is, there are worse creatures than the dangerous demons whose flaming eyes follow her through their realm of darkness.
Lu’s enemies aren’t just lurking in the shadows. They’re beating down her door.
When Lu and Ashen are attacked in the Shadow Realm, the secret goals of the Nephilim begin to surface like creatures of the deep, dragging everyone’s ancient history with them as they rise. And if the Nephilim succeed, they will seize the ultimate power to rebuild the realms to their own design. Their reach and might is greater than anyone anticipated. And unless Lu can conquer not only her own fears but the distrust that immortals hold against one another, the Nephilim will win the new war.
Secrets have sharp edges in the Shadow Realm. Love can be a lethal poison. And Lu must never forget…
No betrayal is worse than when it’s delivered by the hand of someone you love.

My Two Cents
4.5 "A few endings... and new beginnings" stars
With A Queen of Broken Realms, Brynne Weaver delivered a book full of action, chaos, blood and guts mayhem, and so much love. Seriously, love was virtually overflowing from the pages of this book!
Who knew that such a perilous story would also make me laugh? I laughed so freaking much and at the most inappropriate times, but that was the kind of humor these characters had. Finding joy amidst the darkness. Having a smile through the madness. And I loved every moment that this demon full of rage and his lover found happiness.
"Your touch reminds me that there are better things than rage." - Ashen
In the end, everyone is where they are meant to be. Honestly, I don't want to give you much more than that because this is a story you need to experience yourself. And while I'm still left in confusion as to why Ashen gave up his kingdom (yes, yes... I get it... he's broken and feels undeserving... but STILL c'mon!!), my bafflement means nothing. Because this story was amazing. Each person that mattered was incredible. Ashen is still my favorite, but Lu is right up there because she was beautifully vulnerable in this book. So real!
So yeah, start from book one and read on. The discovery of The Shadow Realm does not disappoint!
Quick Peek
I take off my clothes, setting them on a dry patch of stone when I'm done. Ashen places his on mine and I nearly choke on my own spit.
"What?" he asks, confusion thick in his voice as I cough. It's impossible to look hot in a bikini when you hack up a lung, by the way, but I still make a valiant effort.
"It's just...I mean...I've seen you naked—"
"Obviously—" "And I've seen you with tailored suits, and armor, and then those snakeskin wings, I mean those are really f*cking hot. Seriously. I like the wings. But why," I say, my voice almost pained as I wave my hand in his direction and try not to cough. "Why is it you look even hotter in swim trunks? Your audacity knows no bounds, Ashen."
And oh my God, no sooner do the words leave my mouth than the demon blushes. Impossibly, he's even sexier than he was just two seconds ago. I cross my arms beneath my boobs and cock a hip and give him a chastising arch of my brow like this is a problem. Frankly, it is. Those low-slung black swim trunks with their subtle diamond pattern in thin lines of charcoal gray, the expanse of muscle and radiant skin and lines upon lines of black tattoos, they are a problem. A big problem. Because I'm about ready to jump him in what will shortly be a public location full of off-season human tourists looking to make the most of this instagrammable location.
The Author

She can relate nearly anything you say to a line from the movie Hot Fuzz. She has been trying unsuccessfully for years to convince her husband that they should acquire a pet mink to add to their menagerie of animals (what could possibly go wrong with that plan?!).
Brynne has been everything from an archaeologist to a waitress, a deep-sea core analyst to an advertising account executive. For the last several years, she has been working in the field of neuroscience clinical research. Brynne has been writing since childhood and has published a non-fiction book under her real name, but she won’t tell you what it is unless you provide a live, fully trained velociraptor.
When not busy at her day job or writing, Brynne can be found working with her husband and their son on their family farm in Nova Scotia, Canada, or enjoying her other passions which include riding horses, reading, and spending time with family and friends around a raclette and a bottle of wine.
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