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The Trouble With Trying to Save an Assassin by Jennifer Cody

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The Trouble with Trying to Date a Murderer by Jennifer Cody

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Lucifer by Ava Martell

Eons ago, the Devil fell from grace.
Now, he might be falling for her.

Grace Celestin is no stranger to sin. Working in a dive bar on Bourbon Street will expose a girl to a lot of nastiness. But when a disturbing prophecy leaves her with more questions than answers, the only man who can provide them is more than just a little sinful. He’s Lucifer, the Devil himself.

Luckily, the Devil’s in New Orleans—Hell’s on hiatus and the tide of damned souls has dried up, leaving him between jobs. From the moment he bumps into Grace Celestin, however, he thinks he may have found a new one. She’s being hunted, and not even voodoo can keep rogue angels off her trail.

More intriguing still is the fact that Grace isn’t just beautiful—it’s that unlike every other human who’s ever lived, Lucifer can’t read her soul. And if he wants answers, and his throne back, he’s going to have to help her get some answers of her own.

For the first time since he fell, the Devil has been drawn to the light. And Grace, despite all she knows, finds herself tempted by the darkness.



Lucifer: a male who finally grew tired of the status quo when a human woman made him feel for the very first time.

Grace: a woman who didn’t know her own worth until she was being hunted by someone intent on killing her. For years she was numb to everything, until Lucifer lit the spark to break her heart wide open.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if there was more in the way of character depth. While I liked what I was given, I knew there was so much more below the surface. And with the way this author writes, I know she could have brought it through.

Very well-written and descriptive with dynamic characters and steamy beginnings.



I was born on Friday the 13th, but I always believed in making my own luck and writing my own story. I'm a firm believer that love really does conquer all, but sometimes you have to take the long way around to get there.

I love a good gin and tonic to wind me down or wind me up, depending on the occasion.

If you’d like to get in touch, I'm always plugged in! msavamartell@gmail.com

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Taken by Cynthia Eden

Other books in the series: Broken * Twisted * Shattered * Torn

HE SWORE TO PROTECT HER . . .

Bailey Jones somehow survived her harrowing abduction by the infamous Death Angel. But while her physical scars have healed, she can’t stop wondering about a woman she helped to escape, who simply disappeared. When LOST agent Asher Young is assigned to her case, Bailey instantly feels an attraction to the intense ex-SEAL who seems to be carrying dark secrets of his own.

BUT KEEPING HIS PROMISE . . .

Asher can’t afford to let his growing feelings for Bailey distract him from his job. Only she can soothe his horrific nightmares, but the last thing he wants is for the demons from his past to ever hurt her. Bailey has gotten past his guard, and the emotions he feels for her—they’re as dark and dangerous as the past he doesn’t want to face.

COULD COST BOTH THEIR LIVES

When corpses begin surfacing—all marked with the same tattoo depicting the Death Angel’s calling card—Asher must race to stop a twisted killer who wants nothing more than to claim his next prize: Bailey . . .



Bailey had already survived a serial killer's attack. But when she keeps remembering another living victim, she heads to people of LOST for help. What happens when the killer seems to strike again and Bailey is back to being hunted?

Well, lucky for her, she had Asher. He had also survived some shit and was a former Navy SEAL. If there's someone you need to have his back, they don't get better than him. This man was amazing and helped to make this book my favorite of the series. From the moment he met Bailey, he was all in. He hated seeing a woman hurt or in trouble and his protective instincts when it came to her... I loved it. I enjoyed their immediate emotional connection and how understanding and patient he was with her. With both of them having experienced trauma, they just got each other.

The plot was a bit more complicated than I expected and I really liked that I didn't see a lot of it coming. Loved it!



Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes sexy tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over one hundred novels and novellas.

Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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Shattered by Cynthia Eden

Other books in the series: Broken * Twisted

Criminal psychologist Dr. Sarah Jacobs is all too familiar with the kind of bad boys who belong behind bars. But the dark, dangerous man she meets in the New Orleans underworld is a new kind of ruthless, and all too irresistible.

Jax Fontaine doesn't claim to be a good guy, but he's loyal to his own code and brutally honest about what he wants. He and Sarah may be worlds apart, but when they're skin to skin, nothing matters but the heat between them.

And when a deranged killer targets Sarah, Jax will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.



Sarah knew evil. Her father was a convicted serial killer and she made it her life's mission to get in the heads of killers. So when she discovered bodies dropping, she refused to be afraid. And why would she be? The most dangerous man she'd ever met, Jax, was determined to keep her safe. What happens when the killer they're hunting is also hunting them?

I will admit, Sarah annoyed me for only one reason. She suffered from silliness, thinking that with multiple attempts on her life, that she could take care of herself. And I'm not saying she couldn't. There are women out there who have no choice but to do it on their own. But she wasn't alone. She had a team of people who did this stuff for a living. Why go it alone when you can have support? Stop your nonsense.

I really liked Jax and discovering the bits and pieces of his past. Finding out what made him the way he was made me a bit sad, but it gave his character such depth and I appreciated it. The author did a great job with his character. I even liked how his life had ties to Sarah's, without them even knowing it. Be it fate, destiny or kismet, these two were meant for each other in the most twisted of ways.



Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes sexy tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over one hundred novels and novellas.

Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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Twisted by Cynthia Eden

Other books in the series: Broken

Dean Bannon comes to New Orleans for one reason only: to track down a missing sixteen-year-old girl. That's before he meets the drop-dead gorgeous con artist who makes him want to lose his legendary control.

With her past, Emma Castille doesn't claim to be psychic. She just notices things other people don't. Like the fear in a runaway's eyes—or the pain in an ex-FBI agent's heart. Her chemistry with Dean is blistering, but Emma follows her passion . . . not someone else's orders.

Then a madman breaks into Emma's home and leaves a twisted message: You're next. Now Dean refuses to let her out of his sight until he pries every last secret from her full, sexy lips. And suddenly Emma's aching to give him everything he wants.



A sixteen year old girl is missing and it's up to the LOST team to find her. The cops aren't concerned until everyone realizes that this isn't a simple case of a runaway—a serial killer is on the loose. For Dean, it's an uncomfortable truth that stems from his past. He was once a victim at the hands of a killer and he's determined to end this killer's spree. For Emma, years ago her help was too late and she wants to help any way she can.

Emma was a bit annoying with her unrealistic expectation of partnership. She couldn't understand why she wasn't given the same courtesy as the members of the LOST team. Could it be that her experience as a 'psychic' reader in the town square didn't quite equal that of an ex-cop, ex-FBI agent, ex-Navy SEAL, a profiler, and a forensic pathologist?

Maybe.

Aside from that, this was a wildly entertaining thriller. Although I guessed quickly at the identity of the killer, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of how everything unfolded. There were twists and turns and some oblivious professionals and I liked it.

There's a spark between Jax and Sarah. Both have dark pasts so I'm sure that will play into their connection and since their story is next, I'm off to go read it.



Award-winning author Cynthia Eden writes sexy tales of contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance. She is a New York Times, USA Today, Digital Book World, and IndieReader best-seller. Since she began writing full-time in 2005, Cynthia has written over one hundred novels and novellas.

Cynthia lives along the Alabama Gulf Coast. She loves romance novels, horror movies, and chocolate. Her favorite hobbies including hiking in the mountains (searching for waterfalls) and spelunking.

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Conqueror by Anna Hackett

Overlord * Emperor * Captain of the Guard

After two years of alien captivity, Evie is free, but her captors have changed her. Now struggling to control a terrifying new power, her only hope is one formidable, dangerous alien king.

Logistics manager Evie Mason is no longer a prisoner on an alien space station, but she’s far from Earth, suffering nightmares, and fighting to ignore the growing power inside her. She just wants to be normal, but when she comes face to face with the intoxicating ruler of the planet Taln, normal isn’t an option. He speaks to the power inside her, and ignites a fierce desire she’s never felt before.

Conqueror Graylan Taln Sarkany is the king of Taln and its people, who can control the geological forces of their planet. He’s dedicated to protecting Talnians from his evil father and uses his immense power to command the rocks, soil, and earthquakes. But Gray must always keep a part of his power leashed. The part that’s too volatile, too enormous, too dangerous. Then one small, tough woman from Earth threatens all his control.

As a final, violent showdown with Graylan’s father draws closer, Gray and Evie are swept into a whirlwind of power and passion, their powers connecting them in ways neither of them understand. With Gray’s brothers, their mates, and allies by their side, they will fight, and Gray will unleash everything he has to protect his planet, his people, and Evie.



Conqueror had a distinct instalove sort of vibe... and I loved it!

Evie, the woman rescued in Captain of the Guard, was held as a lab experiment by a vicious sadist for two years. She was having a hard time adjusting to being free. She was angry, frustrated and hurting. Her only real moments of peace came from those stolen with the ruler of Taln.

Graylan and his planet were the last stand in the war against his warlord father. He and his brothers (Rhain and Brodin) were willing to do any and everything to stop him from killing even one more person.

Working together, will they finally put an end to their father's tyranny?

I really liked how the romance developed between Gray and Evie. He was so patient and understanding with her, and she saw the man behind the duty. And for how strong and incredible they were together... I loved watching it all.



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

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Emperor by Anna Hackett

Other book(s) in the series: Overlord

When an experimental starship test goes horribly wrong, a scientist from Earth finds herself fighting for her survival, and her only lifeline is a wild, powerful alien king.

Waking on an alien world, wracked by pain, Dr. Poppy Ellison is confused and adrift…until his voice calls to her in the darkness. The big, wild, enthralling man reveals that she’s been infected and is turning into an alien shapeshifter. Poppy has always been smart, practical, and boring, but with her entire life turned upside down, there is no one she can trust…except for this alien wolf.

Emperor Brodin Damar Sarkany is king of Damar and its shapeshifters. As wild as the forest city they call home, the Damari can be volatile, always fighting to control the wolf inside. Brodin uses his immense strength to keep his people in check and protect them from the most dangerous evil of all—his war-mongering father. He can’t afford the distraction of a small, tantalizing woman from Earth, even when everything about Poppy sings to the instincts of both man and wolf.

As his father’s ruthless warlord attacks, innocent children are at risk, and Poppy knows she has to help by mastering her new, emerging abilities. She must also face the shocking passion that explodes between her and Brodin. But as Poppy and Brodin hunt down the enemy, they uncover a plot that could mean the destruction of all the Damari…if they don’t stop it in time.



I don't know what it is about this series, but it is ticking all of my boxes!

Dr. Poppy Ellison crashlanded on an alien planet along with her bestie, Mal in Overlord. While Mal developed energy powers and fell in love with the ruler of Zhalto, Poppy had been infected by a Damar wolf, and the transition was killing her. Her best hope was to be taken to the planet of Damar and be treated by their best and brightest. Under the protection of the Emperor, she couldn't be safer.

I loved that while Brodin wanted to make sure Poppy was alright, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He was so protective and possessive and the fact that she returned those feelings only made this read better. I love when there's no instant denials and lies to get in the way of a must-have romance.

Poppy was a great heroine—smart, quirky, loyal and surprisingly fierce. Through Brodin, she was able to see the potential within herself. She was able to overcome her perceived shortcomings and embrace the life and love that Brodin and his world were there to offer.

And Brodin... he was absolutely yummy. I really, really loved this male. Strong, intelligent, kind, respectful, honorable... he was everything that Poppy deserved.

The plots of these books, where the father of these heroes is so desperate to have his sons by his side that he sends sinister villains to cause trouble, is very entertaining. Poppy and Brodin may have defeated the current foe this time, but everyone knows that Zavir (the evil father that didn't seem quite so evil when he appeared in this story) isn't anywhere near done.

Captain Thadd and First Claw Annora are next. They will be sent on a mission to protect the Talnians, the planet of one of the brothers. It's more than obvious that there is a lot of tension, of the sexual variety, going on between these two and I can't wait to see how it all explodes. Luckily I've already got their loaded up and it's what I'll be reading next. See you there!



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

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Overlord by Anna Hackett

When an experimental starship test goes horribly wrong, a test pilot from Earth is flung across the galaxy and crash lands on the planet of a powerful alien king.

Pilot Mallory West is having a really bad day. She’s crashed on an alien planet, her ship is in pieces, and her best friend Poppy, the scientist monitoring the experiment, is missing. Dazed and injured, she collapses into the arms of a big, silver-eyed warrior king. But when her rescuer cuffs her to a bed and accuses her of being a spy, Mal knows she has to escape her darkly tempting captor and find her friend.

Overlord Rhain Zhalto Sarkany is in a battle to protect his planet Zhalto and his people from his evil, power-hungry father. He’ll use every one of his deadly Zhalton abilities to win the fight against his father’s lethal warlord and army of vicious creatures. Rhain suspects the tough, intriguing woman he pulls from a starship wreck is a trap, but when Mal escapes, he is compelled to track her down.

Fighting their overwhelming attraction, Mal and Rhain join forces to hunt down the warlord and find Poppy. But as Mal’s body reacts to Zhalto’s environment, it awakens dormant powers, and Rhain is the only one who can help her. As the warlord launches a brutal attack, it will take all of Mal and Rhain’s combined powers to save their friends, the planet, and themselves.



After reading this review by the lovely Renee @Addicted to Romance, I knew that I had to read it. It sounded right up my alley and I wondered if I would enjoy this author as much as she did.

I think I enjoyed her more!

Mal West was testing out new technology with her best friend when they were suddenly catapulted across the galaxy. On a strange planet, all she wanted was to make sure her missing friend was okay. Too bad the ruler of the planet thought she was a spy.

Rhain was doing everything he could to protect his people from his father's attacks. When a seemingly helpless damsel in distress crossed his path, he believed she may be a trap. He soon came to realize that this woman was not entirely helpless and that what he could share with her could be the answer to everything.

Right time, right place... who knows, but this book hit all the right spots for me. A kickass heroine who was a bit broken, a hero who was all warrior and appreciated having a female warrior by his side, tons of monsters and fight scenes... seriously, I couldn't ask for more here.



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

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Brute Force

Standalone
Release - May 20, 2021
Genre - SciFi Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / although it took a while to get there, it was filthy
Format/Source - borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 168 pages
Publisher - Indie

My Rating - 3.5 stars

Stripped of my dignity and locked in a cage.
My only chance for freedom?
A savage alien brute...

I am the rightful queen of Xaridia. In theory at least. But in reality, I’ve been betrayed by those closest to me. Locked away in a cage.

I am not alone, however.

My new neighbor is a captured Dugorim warlord, the enemy of my people. He is a massive brute of an alien. Seven feet of bulging muscles and growling dominance.

I am grateful for the wall of bars separating us. This beast could easily tear me apart.

But he says he has a plan for escape. His species has a protective instinct that makes him strong enough to bend solid steel.

There’s just one little problem...

For his instinct to manifest, he requires a mate. And the way he’s looking at me through those bars tells me who he has in mind. That look makes me flush with shame and quiver with anticipation.

To what lengths am I willing to go to win my freedom?

Am I willing to submit to the alien’s plan?

Am I willing to kneel before him?

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This was an instalove story of deliciousness. It wasn't super smutty, it wasn't super deep, but it definitely hit the spot just right.

She was sitting in her own dungeon for daring to want peace. He was sitting there because he was an alpha alien. They couldn't be any more different, but they had a common goal: freedom.

And the method of gaining that freedom was both ridiculous and entertaining. Mating to gain invincible strength. Mating through bars. Hilarious and hot!

And the epilogue, with everything coming full circle with their son... amazing!

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Machine

Standalone
Release - July 1, 2020
Genre - SciFi Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 5 out of 5 / not filthy, but explicit
Format/Source - ebook borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 108 pages
Publisher - Indie

My Rating - 4 stars

He’s got me right where he wants me...

Zoe:
As soon as I saw the lifeless, derelict research vessel, I knew we should leave it alone. But I never expected to find myself caught in a nightmare such as this.
Captured by a rogue A.I.
His bionic tentacles have dragged me deep into his lair. He says I’m his specimen now. He says he’s going to examine me. He says I will teach him how to be a man.
And to make matters worse, he’s creating an artificial body for himself.
A brutal, dominating body, layered with hard, bionic muscles.
I should be trying to run for my life. But my body is responding to his curious touch in unexpected ways.
Shameful ways.
Now escape is the last thing on my mind...

“She broke my programming. Now I will break her...”

Eon:
I’ve never seen a specimen quite like her before.
When my digital mind was damaged in the catastrophe, I lost all memory of women.
Zoe will help me recover it.
I will study her habits. I will study her emotions. And most of all, I will study her soft and fertile anatomy.
I will be exceedingly thorough.
This female specimen belongs to me now. She is mine and mine alone.
I will not share her. I will never allow her to escape.
There is so much she can teach me about being a man.
And I’m so very eager to learn...

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This book had me wondering what it would be like to have a cybernetic man of my own. Eon was freaking yummy! Zoe was trapped with him after being duped into a suicide mission. He was her only hope for survival and his 'brother' was determined to wipe her out... along with the rest of humanity. Insanely hot times and the discovery of selves were the driving points of this story. I enjoyed the heck out of it. I wonder if they were still out there somewhere during the epilogue many years in the future.

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Primal Urges

Standalone - Primal Alphas #1
Release - September 30, 2019
Genre - SciFi Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - ebook borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Length - 97 pages
Publisher Indie

My Rating - 3 stars

At the Facility, I was used as a human guinea pig for the professor’s bizarre whims. Now I have escaped, but I don’t know how long I can last in this unforgiving wilderness. Lost and alone, I fear I will fall prey to one of the predators inhabiting this dark forest.

But I never expected the predator would come in the shape of a man.

The rough and rugged alpha warns me to stay far away from him. He tells me he is a beast with carnal instincts that he can’t restrain. He warns that if I stay, he will have no choice but to pin me down and use me in the most animalistic ways imaginable, shattering me with climaxes like I’ve never dared to experience before.

He promises he will break me.

I should heed his warnings and flee, but there is something about this man’s scent that tells me I was created to be his mate, and it makes me want to put all of his threats to the test. Now I’m about to find out what happens when an alpha gives in to his primal urges.

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The idea behind this story was so intriguing that I wanted more. I'm really interested in stories that delve into the madness of men. Trying to make supermen, enslaving fellow humans, changing our biochemistry, unleashing us on each other and the world... so interesting.

Once 'normal' humans, Gareth and Allegra were experimented on and controlled. Even when they were free, the facility was still trying to usher them into doing what they wanted. Their fight for freedom was very entertaining and I think it woud have only been better if this book was longer. I've seen what this author can do if she's given time and space to allow her story to grow. I can only imagine how much more I would have enjoyed this book. And her epilogues are so sweet!