Showing posts with label Larissa Ione. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Larissa Ione. Show all posts
Sharpest Edge, The Kidnapping of Roan Sinclair, Her Guardian Angel, and The Night Cap
August 28, 2024
Hello and Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is off to a great start!
I'm sharing four books I read and quite enjoyed and maybe you'll find something here to read too!
Sharpest Edge by Alessa Thorn
Contemporary Romance with magical elements; multiple pov 3rd person; forced proximity; explicit heat
Kon and Athena's revenge on the shady organisation Aurora has painted targets on all of their backs. Now the Edgeworth's dark and bloody past is catching up with them, and there's no way to escape unscathed...
Izabella Silversmith, hacker and budding magician, won't walk away from the family that rescued her from hell, and with her power now rising thanks to Kon's tutoring, she's got more to lose than ever. Iz is determined to see the fight through to the end, even if her secret feelings for Silas are burning her up inside.
Silas wants to get the bastards that are hunting them and put an end to his nightmares once and for all. He needs to keep his eyes on the prize, something easier said than done when he's forced to live with Izabella, the only woman he's ever wanted and will never be good enough for.
Silas and Izabella will have to deal with the darkest parts of their pasts if they are going to have a future, and with invisible forces massing against them, the whole of the Edgeworth Crew is going to have to draw together to defeat what's coming.
Rating - 
1/2
So many things about this story worked well for me. It had a heavy tone, but it was punctuated with light and humor, gaining several of my smiles. Both protagonists shared a vulnerability they weren't afraid to face. Their pasts shaped them, creating such strong and meaningful characters I couldn't help but want to learn more about.
I'm a sucker for found family and what these people created was something anyone would love to be a part of. There's an ease and comfort with them and yet they live most of their lives on the edge. Silas and Iz deserved every moment of happiness they could get with each other and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again in the next book.
P.S. Anyone else not surprised, yet equally intrigued by who Leo really is?
1/2So many things about this story worked well for me. It had a heavy tone, but it was punctuated with light and humor, gaining several of my smiles. Both protagonists shared a vulnerability they weren't afraid to face. Their pasts shaped them, creating such strong and meaningful characters I couldn't help but want to learn more about.
I'm a sucker for found family and what these people created was something anyone would love to be a part of. There's an ease and comfort with them and yet they live most of their lives on the edge. Silas and Iz deserved every moment of happiness they could get with each other and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again in the next book.
P.S. Anyone else not surprised, yet equally intrigued by who Leo really is?
The Kidnapping of Roan Sinclair by Ashlyn Drewek
Contemporary Romance with dark elements; dual 1st person pov; captive; explicit heat
Roan Sinclair’s life is perfect, just ask anyone. Except, he doesn’t want it. Dedicated to his music, he dreams of a life free from his parents’ expectations. But those dreams are gone the minute he’s kidnapped by a group of merciless Russians.
Determined to make it out alive, Roan vows to do whatever is necessary to secure his freedom, even if that means seducing his tall, dark, and broody captor. But it’s not going to be easy…
In the criminal underworld, falling in love with another man is a death sentence, which means if they’re caught, they’re both dead.
Rating - 1/2
Man, Sasha's self-hatred almost got the best of him.
Men kidnap Roan, his father refuses to negotiate, Sasha and Roan form a strange bond, bad things happen to Roan, Sasha goes ballistic, and they get to be together.
That's the simplified version. Seriously, things went from pretty light and easy with a bit of robbery, a bit of kidnapping, some roughing up of the victim, some slurs, but nothing too dark. Then Roan gets hurt and Sasha loses his mind. Murder rampage and everything kind of lost and I enjoyed it.
Just saying.
I really liked this story, even when Sasha gave me whiplash due to his back and forth. I know there's another book out there, but I'm good with where these characters left things.
1/2Man, Sasha's self-hatred almost got the best of him.
Men kidnap Roan, his father refuses to negotiate, Sasha and Roan form a strange bond, bad things happen to Roan, Sasha goes ballistic, and they get to be together.
That's the simplified version. Seriously, things went from pretty light and easy with a bit of robbery, a bit of kidnapping, some roughing up of the victim, some slurs, but nothing too dark. Then Roan gets hurt and Sasha loses his mind. Murder rampage and everything kind of lost and I enjoyed it.
Just saying.
I really liked this story, even when Sasha gave me whiplash due to his back and forth. I know there's another book out there, but I'm good with where these characters left things.
Her Guardian Angel by Larissa Ione
Paranormal Romance; dual 3rd person pov; forced proximity; descriptive heat
After a difficult childhood and a turbulent stint in the military, Declan Burke finally got his act together. Now he’s a battle-hardened professional bodyguard who takes his job at McKay-Taggart seriously and his playtime – and his playmates – just as seriously. One thing he never does, however, is mix business with pleasure. But when the mysterious, gorgeous Suzanne D’Angelo needs his protection from a stalker, his desire for her burns out of control, tempting him to break all the rules…even as he’s drawn into a dark, dangerous world he didn’t know existed.
Suzanne is an earthbound angel on her critical first mission: protecting Declan from an emerging supernatural threat at all costs. To keep him close, she hires him as her bodyguard. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that she’s in over her head, defenseless against this devastatingly sexy human who makes her crave his forbidden touch.
Together they’ll have to draw on every ounce of their collective training to resist each other as the enemy closes in, but soon it becomes apparent that nothing could have prepared them for the menace to their lives…or their hearts.
Rating - 1/2
I loved pretty much everything about this book. I laughed so hard when Declan broke down his desire for every bit of Suzanne. He totally objectified her, but she did the same to him and it was very hot. Honestly, these two were burning up the pages and I just enjoyed the ride.
Declan is Suzanne's primori and while we don't know why he merits an angel's protection, we know that he'll be protected. What better way to do that then to hire him as a bodyguard, so while he thinks he's guarding Suzanne, she's doing whatever it takes to keep him safe. And when the truth comes out, Declan took it like a champ (while making me laugh). I was thrilled that these two found a way to be together and find some happiness.
There were obviously some tie-ins to the overall Demonica universe and we got to hear from Azagoth and Lilli (what was that about?), Hawkyn, and get glimpses of past and future characters. I'm so upset about what happened to Cipher and am looking forward to reading his book to see what's next for him.
1/2I loved pretty much everything about this book. I laughed so hard when Declan broke down his desire for every bit of Suzanne. He totally objectified her, but she did the same to him and it was very hot. Honestly, these two were burning up the pages and I just enjoyed the ride.
Declan is Suzanne's primori and while we don't know why he merits an angel's protection, we know that he'll be protected. What better way to do that then to hire him as a bodyguard, so while he thinks he's guarding Suzanne, she's doing whatever it takes to keep him safe. And when the truth comes out, Declan took it like a champ (while making me laugh). I was thrilled that these two found a way to be together and find some happiness.
There were obviously some tie-ins to the overall Demonica universe and we got to hear from Azagoth and Lilli (what was that about?), Hawkyn, and get glimpses of past and future characters. I'm so upset about what happened to Cipher and am looking forward to reading his book to see what's next for him.
The Night Cap by Octavia Jensen
Contemporary Romance; dual 1st person pov; workplace; explicit heat
Come out to the bar, they said.
It'll be fun, they said.
But waking up in a stranger's apartment with nothing but a snarky note to guide me isn't actually all that fun.
It is enough to make me curious though, and enough to make me want to go back.
When I find out that the tall, rugged, tattooed, grumpy bar owner not only took care of me when I got too drunk to go home but also let me crash at his place and cuddle his equally-grumpy dog, I know I need to make it happen again.
And again.
And maybe one more time, just to be safe.
They say opposites attract, after all... and I'm definitely attracted.
Rating -
I've never tried this author before, but after reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to give this book a shot. And I liked it. I really did. While I found the blurb a bit misleading (Who is they? And I thought the notes left by Harvey were kinda dope), it wasn't hard to immediately get sucked into the story.
Both characters were messed up, but they somehow worked together really well. At least when Harvey would get out of his own way. And when they came together... *heh heh* ... it was great. I'll definitely be trying this author again.
I've never tried this author before, but after reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to give this book a shot. And I liked it. I really did. While I found the blurb a bit misleading (Who is they? And I thought the notes left by Harvey were kinda dope), it wasn't hard to immediately get sucked into the story.
Both characters were messed up, but they somehow worked together really well. At least when Harvey would get out of his own way. And when they came together... *heh heh* ... it was great. I'll definitely be trying this author again.
Each book in the 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.
Hades
Standalone - Demonica #13 / Demonica Underworld #2
Rating -
1/2Genre - Paranormal Romance / forbidden
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat - descriptive
Source - library ebook
Length - 155 pages
A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It’s easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice — bestowing or mercy — on the beautiful female who could be his salvation…or his undoing.
Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected.
Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected.
So many books in and I'm still amazed at how the author describes her characters. The males are insanely hot hunks and the females are incredibly beautiful sirens. Hades, blue mohawk and all, sounded delish and Cat, with her barely-there clothing, seemed to be his match. At least physically. Too bad having a conversation and getting to know each other was impossible. That is until Cat makes a huge mistake and Hades has to be the one to help her out.
I loved the details given for Sheol-gra, such as the Inner Sanctum, the many halls and grounds that made up the different tiers of life in this realm, and everything in between. I definitely wouldn't want to live there, even as a soul, and I'm happy that there's a place suitable for even the good demons. That was a seriously nice touch.
This forbidden romance was surprisingly sweet and I was so happy to see Hades get some happiness in his life.
Base Instincts
Standalone - Demonica #13.5
Rating -
Genre - Paranormal / LGBTQ+ / instalove
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat - explicit
Source - library ebook
Length - 154 pages
As a Seminus demon, Raze’s life literally depends on having sex with females. The problem is that he doesn’t desire females, and it’s physically impossible for him to be with males. Thankfully, he and his best friend, Fayle, have an arrangement that keeps him alive . . . if lonely. He finds some solace in his work as a medic at Thirst, a vampire club known for its rough clientele. But his carefully structured world turns upside down when he meets a mysterious male who makes him want what he can never have.
Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.
Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.
Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.
Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.
I didn't know where this story was going to end up, but because Raze was a seminus demon, who needed a female to orgasm, I knew that there was more to Slake than met the eye.
I kept thinking maybe Slake was transgender, but the truth was a bit more complicated and I loved how it solved the problem of how these two, who were drawn to each other from the start, could be together. Raze was a sweetheart who put up with the worst qualities of his friend Fayle in order to survive. Slake saw himself as a villain and nothing could be further from the truth. Yeah, he could kill with the best of them, but he had made the most with what he had. All I know is that these two were great together, in the short time I spent with them, and I wish them the best.
Oh and I can't be the only one who thought Fayle deserved far more than she got. She was such a wicked person, but she was right about something... she was a demon so what did we expect?
Z
Standalone - Demonica #14 / Demonica Underworld #3
Rating -
1/2Genre - Paranormal Romance / second chance
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat - explicit
Source - library ebook
Length - 127 pages
Zhubaal, fallen angel assistant to the Grim Reaper, has spent decades searching for the angel he loved and lost nearly a century ago. Not even her death can keep him from trying to find her, not when he knows she’s been given a second chance at life in a new body. But as time passes, he’s losing hope, and he wonders how much longer he can hold to the oath he swore to her so long ago…
As an emim, the wingless offspring of two fallen angels, Vex has always felt like a second-class citizen. But if she manages to secure a deal with the Grim Reaper — by any means necessary — she will have earned her place in the world. The only obstacle in the way of her plan is a sexy hardass called Z, who seems determined to thwart her at every turn. Soon it becomes clear that they have a powerful connection rooted in the past…but can any vow stand the test of time?
As an emim, the wingless offspring of two fallen angels, Vex has always felt like a second-class citizen. But if she manages to secure a deal with the Grim Reaper — by any means necessary — she will have earned her place in the world. The only obstacle in the way of her plan is a sexy hardass called Z, who seems determined to thwart her at every turn. Soon it becomes clear that they have a powerful connection rooted in the past…but can any vow stand the test of time?
This story made me laugh and I know that wasn't the intention, but Zhubaal couldn't get out of his own way and Vex was hilarious.
Once upon a time, Z was a warrior angel with his best friend, Laura. They did everything together and made a vow to be everything to each other. Then she fell and she died and Z has been looking for her ever since. Surely no matter who or what she was reborn as, she'd remember him and all they shared, right?
No.
Vex was absolutely nothing like Laura and Z couldn't get past it. She felt so much for him, some of which are her old feelings coming to the surface, but she just wants him to accept her as she is. Is that too much to ask?
I loved the interaction between these two. Vex knew how to push Z's buttons and it was fun to watch.
Razr
Standalone - Demonica #15 / Demonica Underworld #4
Rating -
Genre - Paranormal Romance / enemies to lovers
POV - dual 3rd person
Heat -
Source - library ebook
Length - 152 pages
A fallen angel with a secret.
An otherworldly elf with an insatiable hunger she doesn't understand.
A cursed gem.
Meet mortal enemies Razr and Jedda...and the priceless diamond that threatens to destroy them both even as it bonds them together with sizzling passion.
Welcome back to the Demonica Underworld, where enemies find love...if they're strong enough to survive.
An otherworldly elf with an insatiable hunger she doesn't understand.
A cursed gem.
Meet mortal enemies Razr and Jedda...and the priceless diamond that threatens to destroy them both even as it bonds them together with sizzling passion.
Welcome back to the Demonica Underworld, where enemies find love...if they're strong enough to survive.
I freaking loved the new realm introduced in this book. We got elves!!
So I found out that Razr isn't actually a fallen angel. He's an angel being punished for a lapse in duty. His powers are mostly bound, he has to put up with torture on a regular basis, and he's not welcome in Heaven until he fixes his mistake.
Sounds easy compared to his fallen brethren who have less of a chance to make it back home.
Too bad Jedda isn't about to make things easy. She and her sisters stole the gems that Razr and his team were protecting and taking the gem back would kill her. Oh and there's a vicious fallen angel who also wants a piece of her.
I really didn't know where this story was going, but I enjoyed all of it. It's a novella so it all wrapped up quickly and my only complaint was that I didn't get to spend more time with this couple.
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.
“Moonbeams and sunshine, the clouds and the seas, all part of the many worlds I want you to see. Fear not the unknown, nor the depths of the night, for nothing can harm you when I hold you tight.” — the only kindness Revenant had ever known
Revenant by Larissa Ione
Standalone - Lords of Deliverance #6 / Demonica #11
Rating -
1/2Genre - Paranormal Romance / instant connection
POV - primarily dual 3rd person
Heat - descriptive
Source - library ebook
Length - 368 pages
HELL HATH NO FURY . . .
For five thousand years, Revenant believed he was alone in the world, a fallen angel beyond any redemption. Now he finds he has a twin brother who had all the light and love Revenant was denied. Caught in a tug of war between Heaven and Hell, he must weigh his thirst for revenge against his desire for a mysterious female named Blaspheme—a female whose very origins could deliver him into salvation . . . or destruction.
LIKE AN ANGEL SCORNED
Blaspheme has a deadly secret: she's the forbidden offspring of an angel and a fallen angel. Hunted by both heavenly and satanic forces, she has survived only by laying low and trusting no one. When Revenant claims he can save them both, how can she possibly believe him? But the powerful angel is persistence incarnate and for Blaspheme, there's no place she can hide in Heaven or Hell where he won't find her.
For five thousand years, Revenant believed he was alone in the world, a fallen angel beyond any redemption. Now he finds he has a twin brother who had all the light and love Revenant was denied. Caught in a tug of war between Heaven and Hell, he must weigh his thirst for revenge against his desire for a mysterious female named Blaspheme—a female whose very origins could deliver him into salvation . . . or destruction.
LIKE AN ANGEL SCORNED
Blaspheme has a deadly secret: she's the forbidden offspring of an angel and a fallen angel. Hunted by both heavenly and satanic forces, she has survived only by laying low and trusting no one. When Revenant claims he can save them both, how can she possibly believe him? But the powerful angel is persistence incarnate and for Blaspheme, there's no place she can hide in Heaven or Hell where he won't find her.
This beautiful male just about broke my heart. For thousands of years, Revenant believed the worst about himself. When the truth of who he really is, that he's an actual heavenly angel, is revealed to both him and Reaver, he finds himself in crisis—about his identity, his past, and his future. The author did an incredible job of showing his inner conflict and getting me to fall in love with a bad guy who really ain't that bad.
Blaspheme was a mystery and it was fun trying to figure out the truth. I knew she was hiding behind the False Angel identity, but was she truly an abomination? And what would happen when Rev finally learned her truth?
What I loved the most about this story was how these two defended each other. They made mistakes, tons of them, but they were willing to fall on a sword to save the other.
I only wish that parts of this story weren't so vague. Was that intentional? Well, we've got one thousand years to figure out how to truly defeat Satan and I'm excited to see what the author will do with that.
Previous books in the series:
Pleasure Unbound * Desire Unchained * Passion Unleashed * Ecstasy Unveiled * Sin Undone * Eternal Rider * Immortal Rider * Lethal Rider * Rogue Rider * Reaver
Pleasure Unbound * Desire Unchained * Passion Unleashed * Ecstasy Unveiled * Sin Undone * Eternal Rider * Immortal Rider * Lethal Rider * Rogue Rider * Reaver
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.
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