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

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

June 14, 2024

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

“I wonder what disgusts you more, the fact that I’m a demon, or the fact that when I touch you, it doesn’t matter.”

Each book in the Demonica series is a whole story with a beginning and an ending, however the plot of each book relies significantly on the prior books in the series. As is common in paranormal romance series, there is a couple who is the focus of each individual book in the series, however there are plot lines and character development which make it useful to read the books in their published order.


Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione


Rating -
Standalone - Demonica #1
Release - July 1, 2008
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - explicit
Source - library ebook
Length - 353 pages

In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life . . .

She's a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure-but fears it will always be denied her. Until Tayla Mancuso lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable-and let Tayla possess him, body and soul.


Eidolon was the reason why I was able to love this story. I adored this male so much. He was a brilliant doctor on the verge of devolving into a beast and he was terrified of his eventual transformation. The bond he shared with his brothers was so sweet and I'm excited to see more of it in the books to come. While I'm glad that Tayla came through for him in the end, I wish I could have cared more that she was the reason why he was able to find true happiness.

And yet, no matter how much I truly detested this heroine, I also kinda liked her feistiness. Take away the garbage that came out of her mouth 90% of the time and her delusions that she was stronger and smarter than everyone (she wasn't) and she wasn't half bad. I only wished that she clued into the truth about demons earlier, saving me from reading such prejudiced gibberish. A know-it-all who knew nothing, she was a tough pill to swallow. However, all of the characters and all of the side plots kept things interesting, effectively distracted me from some of her nonsense and that's because this author sure knows how to write.

I've got the next book loaded up and I can't wait to figure out more about Shade and this curse he's so scared of.


Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award.

She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case.

She lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

Visit https://www.larissaione.com for more information.

Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

June 05, 2024

Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

He was breathtakingly cocky, with his leading man face and broad shoulders, but she'd never been so absorbed by a male. Not a real one, anyway.
Broken-doll Daniela... wanted. Him. A vampire.


In Untouchable, Kresley Cole delivers a breathtaking tale of a brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time...and a Valkyrie aching to be touched.

In Tempt Me Eternally, Gena Showalter puts a daring spin on a tale of huntress and hunted...and concocts a sensual chemistry that is positively explosive.


Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter

Deep Kiss of Winter includes:


Untouchable by Kresley Cole


Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden -- the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together, can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter


Aleaha Love can be anyone -- literally. With only skin-to-skin contact, she can change her appearance, assume any identity. Her newest identity switch has made her an AIR (alien investigation and removal) agent and sends her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. Only she becomes the captured. Breean, a golden-skinned commander known for his iron will who is at once dangerous and soul-shatteringly seductive, threatens her new life. Because for the first time, Aleaha only wants to be herself.


For Untouchable:


Rating -
Standalone - Immortals After Dark #7
Genre - Paranormal Romance / fated mates
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat - explicit
Length - 270 pages

Part Valkyrie part Fey, she couldn't be touched without being burned, she couldn't touch someone without freezing them, and she had blooded a vampire, making her his Bride. How was this going to work?

Well, for most of the book, Murdoch was a jerk. He was deliberately obtuse and made me laugh. Daniela was a fool and it was a lot of fun watching these two fall all over themselves in an effort to avoid falling for each other. They were doomed from the start!

When they finally let each other in, it was quick and dirty and so sweet. With each other, they had finally found their missing piece and I was actually really happy about that.

Is there a story for the other Estonians, such as Rurik? If I'm going to have to wait forever and a day for Nix's book, I'm hoping to get stories about characters I care about and Rurik seemed like a loyal, worthwhile and damaged fellow.


For Tempt Me Eternally


Rating -
Standalone - Alien Huntress #3.5
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat - explicit
Length - 161 pages

Annnnnddd... once again, here I am, picking up a book several books into a series. To sum it up, this story gave me enough to spark my curiosity for the rest of the series. I adored Breean, sorta liked Aleaha, and enjoyed pretty much everything that happened here. I only wish I knew more about the world these characters inhabit. There are aliens, creatures, humans, etc. I need more info so I will keep reading.

Btw, I loved seeing the quick reference to Kresley Cole's Immortals series. Hey there Nix!

Review // Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

May 13, 2024

Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

The highly anticipated third installment of the steamy Artefacts of Ouranos series journeys deeper into the glittering fae world as Lor puts both her life and her heart on the line in this enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance.

Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon


Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli

Fate of the Sun King by Nisha J. Tuli


Book 3 of the Artefacts of Ouranos series
Rating - 1/2
Release - June 4, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Multiple 1st person
Heat - descriptive
Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 556 pages
Previous books in the series - Trial of the Sun Queen and Rule of the Aurora King

With the Heart Crown now in her possession, Lor must navigate the dangers of being an heir on the run, knowing more than one power-hungry ruler is after her blood. When she returns to Aphelion to unlock her magic and recover her family's legacy, it becomes clearer than ever that all that’s gold doesn’t sparkle. No stranger to battles, she continues to fight her attraction to the Aurora Prince, understanding this might be the one she finally loses.

As the past mixes with the present, Lor uncovers the truth about the Artefacts and their role in shaping her destiny. Now, her future hangs in the balance, leaving her closer than ever to getting everything she's ever wanted... or losing it all forever.



Seriously Nisha?! You're gonna do me like that???!!!

The entire entourage is hiding in plain sight and I was anxious for them. Who would find them first — Nadir's dad or the equally awful Sun King? While I waited to find out, I learned so much more about the history of the realms, the diabolical schemes of those in power, and what must happen to make things right. I think I know, but I need more details to be sure. Book four needs to appear in my hands pronto.

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed getting other perspectives for this story. I could finally root for these characters, understanding their motives and emotions. All I wanted was for Lor to finally see Nadir and when she finally did, when she finally accepted that her anger wasn't truly with him, when she recognized everything they could be together, I was delirious with hope and happiness. All I want is to see this couple triumph over it all, knowing they are end game.

This was my favourite book of the series so far, even though it practically killed me in the end. While I'm tired of the heroines of fantasy books being the 'greatest person of all time', I do believe Lor and her siblings deserve all of the blessings that seem to be in store for them. They've suffered more than anyone should have to, especially when their suffering was due to their ancestor's transgressions. But it seems that there is so much more to the story and I'm loving how complicated everything is getting.

Kudos to the author for keeping all of these facts straight, tempting me with juicy morsels, leaving me begging for more. I'm sitting here absolutely devastated and excited for the next book.



Nisha J. Tuli is the bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen—the first in the Artefacts of Ouranos series—which became a BookTok hit thanks to her amazing fans. The originally self-published series was acquired by Forever Publishing and Orbit UK in 2023, and will soon be published in 15 other languages around the world.

She's also the author of Heart of Night and Fire, a South Asian-inspired fantasy romance and the first in a four-book series. Look for her rom-com debut in 2025 with NSFW (Not Suitable for Work), a workplace rivals to lovers rom-com publishing with Forever.

Nisha lives in Canada, where she spends most of her time reading and writing while enjoying travel, food, and camping with her partner, two kids, and their fluffy Samoyed, Mora.

Visit https://nishajtuli.com for more information.

The Nightborn Duet by Carissa Broadbent

May 10, 2024

The Nightborn Duet by Carissa Broadbent

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The Serpent & The Wings of Night/The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King of the Crowns of Nyaxia series


The Serpent & The Wings of Night by Carissa BroadbentThe adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.





The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King by Carissa BroadbentIn the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power – and the devastating love that could be her downfall.



Rating -

After sooo many people recommended this series to me, I finally took the plunge... and I enjoyed it!

Everyone and their mama knows that I'm picky about heroines and Oraya had plenty for me to pick apart. But for every moment she irked me, she made me so proud of her too. She was the human daughter of the vampire king and her whole life was lived in terror. Constantly looking over her shoulder, trusting no one, and always on the brink of having to defend herself. When she joins the Kejari, she goes in with one goal — win at all costs. It was the start of a horrifying adventure and a journey toward her true path. She annoyed me to no end, but I was excited to see her triumph.

Raihn was hard to like in the beginning but this male quickly grew on me. He did a lot of the unexpected and I didn't doubt for one minute how much he truly valued Oraya. I loved whenever they got the chance to fight together. It was them against the world... until it wasn't. Raihn did some things that were hard to forgive and boy did Oraya make him work for it.

When I got to the end I found myself wishing for more. Raihn and Oraya had fought for most of this story and I wanted to spend more time with them as a couple. I can only hope to see more of them in the books to come.

My personal notes on the book:
* am I the only one tired of the whole "the heroine is the most beautiful, strongest, powerful person on Earth and the hero worships at her feet" trope? What is wrong with them being on equal footing?
* the amount of times Oraya said she won the Kejari when she only won because Raihn gave her the win.
* will all of the side characters get a story? Oops, just checked and saw that The Songbird & the Heart of Stone is about Mische.


Carissa BroadbentPER THE AUTHOR:

I’ve been freaking out teachers and parents with mercilessly grim tales since I was roughly nine years old. Since then, my stories have gotten (slightly) less depressing and (hopefully a lot?) more readable. Today, I write fantasy novels with a heaping dose of badass ladies and a big pinch of romance. My books include the Crowns of Nyaxia series, the War of Lost Hearts series, and hopefully many more to come!

I live with my husband, one very well behaved rabbit, one very poorly behaved rabbit, and one perpetually skeptical cat in the extremely underrated state of Rhode Island.

You can find me around the internet on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Visit carissabroadbentbooks.com for more information.

Review // Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

March 13, 2024

Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

"You're fascinated with my knot."
"I really am."


Find it here: Goodreads * Amazon

The exclusive print edition of a Yonder original story


Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon

Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon


Rating -
Standalone
Release - July 2, 2024
Genre - Fantasy Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - Heroine 1st person
Heat - explicit to filthy
Source - eARC from NetGalley
Length - 536 pages

In order to protect her kingdom from the wrath of a vengeful goddess, Princess Candra must remain locked inside a tower for seven years. Seven long years without a friend―or a lover―by her side. And shut inside the tower with her? A Fellian, the enemy of her people, a fearsome warrior race complete with wings and claws and fangs. Nemeth is terrifying, cruel, and disturbingly magnetic. Candra should kill him for his supplies, but she’s desperate for his company…and his touch.

As time inside the unchanging tower rolls on, Candra uncovers the man behind the stony facade. And when their tenure hits an unexpected snag, Candra and Nemeth are forced to make a difficult choice. They’ll need to face an outside world they no longer recognize, one that threatens their lives and their surprising love.

Bound to the Shadow Prince by Ruby Dixon


After many, many years of a tentative truce, two kingdoms were on the brink of war. The only thing that has kept the people blessed is the seven years committed to the tower. One person from each faction must sacrifice these years to calm the goddess. Two people prepared to be shut off from the rest of the world, their people, their freedom.

Princess Candra was not prepared. As a last minute fill-in, this spoiled brat had no idea what she was in for. There was no one to dress her, bathe her, prepare her meals, or generally make her life easier. She had to do everything herself, including preparing and administering her medicine. Girl was absolutely clueless and provided me with endless fun, at her expense.

So there Candra was, with a chronic blood illness, trapped in a tower with one of the enemy. However, Nemeth was far from the bad guy. He took care of her, shared his supplies with her, and made her fall helplessly in love with him. And when I thought that was all for this story... the author gifted me with so much more.

There was danger and intrigue, honor and betrayal, tons of love and sexy times.

If you weren't a fan of this author before reading this book, you'll be one after.



Ruby Dixon is an author of Science Fiction Romance. She likes fated mates, baby-filled epilogues, and cinnamon roll heroes. She also likes to write biographies of herself in the third person, because it feels more important that way.

Ruby also loves coffee and dirty books and will probably be a cat lady at some point. :)

Visit http://www.rubydixon.com for more information.