One Insatiable by Tia Louise

Genre - Paranormal Romance / instalove
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 301 pages

One wounded panther, one restless lynx, one insatiable hunger.

Koa "Stitch" Raiden is picking up what's left of his broken life.
Exiled from his black panther clan, he's running from Princeton to Seattle when a ley line draws him to Woodland Creek...

Mercy Quinlan is a whip-smart lynx and the youngest in her wealthy shifter clan.
She's tough and independent and dreams of escaping her alpha sister's control and living life on her own terms.

When a lone black panther shows up in her hometown, Mercy is intrigued. He's just passing through, which makes him perfect... Along with his broad shoulders, defined muscles, and sexy fighter moves.

Koa is aware Mercy is watching him. What he doesn't know is when the sexy little vixen who sneaks through his window each night is threatened, he'll face the forces of hell to save her life and bring her back...

I really enjoyed the connection between Koa and Mercy. In their animal forms, they met... as humans they merged... and it was all so lovely!

For the most part, the paranormal elements were pretty straightforward. There were some original components, which made this story stand apart from the rest, but the plot was a bit wonky. It was like the author was trying to set up the mystery surrounding the characters, to make readers discover answers. However, when the answers came, I was left feeling like I was missing something.

So there's Hades/Hayden. He was a mystery. For most of this book, I couldn't understand his importance. When it was all revealed, it happened so quickly that I still don't know how to feel. I had sympathy for his character, even though he was set up to be the bad guy. I guess I'm truly a sucker for bad boys!

There wasn't much depth to either Mercy or Koa, but it didn't stop me from liking them. I felt their yearning for each other and I think the author did a great job depicting how deep their bond was.

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Hard Mated by Jennifer Ashley

Genre - Paranormal Romance / forced proximity
POV - Dual 3rd person
Heat - 3 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 200 pages

Spike, a wildcat Shifter and the champion fighter of Shiftertown, is stunned when Myka, the best friend of a dying human woman, announces that Spike has fathered a cub. What's more, the mother is giving the boy to Spike to protect and raise.

Myka is not sure that a wild fighter named Spike is the best man to bring up the cute little jaguar cub. She goes to Shiftertown to check out Spike, and finds that the man behind the name is a lonely Shifter who's lost most of his family and is a fierce caretaker to those he has left.

Spike is torn between the cub and his duties as tracker to the Shiftertown leader, and begs Myka, the only person who understands, to help him. He starts to like the sassy Myka, a horse trainer who's not afraid of working with animals, even if they're wildcats who turn into humans.

When Spike's job puts his cub and Myka in danger, Spike is forced to choose between those to whom he's pledged his loyalty and his need to protect the woman and cub he's come to love.

As an intro to the Shifters Unbound series, this book was great. There was action and connection and a unique setting for shifters. I wasn't a fan of how shifters were treated, but as this was a novella in the series, I'm hoping the other books will give me more insight. And yes, I'll be getting to those because I fell in love with these characters. Spike was so much more than he appeared and after Myka gave herself the chance to get to know him, she discovered his greatness too. I'm also intrigued by all of the side characters who popped up throughout this story and I'm looking forward to getting to know them.

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The Virgin Blood Bundle: Complete Series by Alexa Riley

Genre - Paranormal Romance / fated mates
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 306 pages

Welcome to the Virgin Blood Bundle!

This book includes all four stories from our Virgin Blood Series! Bitten by the Beast, Bitten by the Virgin, Twice Bitten, and Bitten by the King are all together with EPILOGUES! That’s right! Check-in on your favorite vamps with brand new sexy, epilogues!

Warning: This bundle is everything you’ve been dying for and more. Roll around with your old faves and get that feeling all over again! Can’t get enough of our Virgin Blood? We can’t either! Make sure you listen to Mated to the Reaper for FREE on the Read Me Romance podcast.

I really enjoyed the unique lives of these vampires. They didn't go out sucking blood. They lived for two hundred years unless they found their mates, then they'd live forever. And they definitely found their mates in these books. It was instalove, it was sexy, it was lovely. There were bits of suspense mixed in, but for the most part, these stories were dirty and light and fun. I really need to know more about the Grim Reaper!

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Reasonable Doubt: Volume 1

My cock has an appetite.

A huge and very particular appetite: Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a fucking liar... (Although, that's a story for another day.)

As a high profile lawyer, I don't have time to waste on relationships, so I fulfill my needs by anonymously chatting and sleeping with women I meet online.

My rules are simple: One dinner. One night. No repeats.

This is only casual sex. Nothing more. Nothing less.

At least it was , until "Alyssa"...

She was supposed to be a 27 year old lawyer, a book hoarder, and completely unattractive. She was supposed to be someone I shared law advice with late at night, someone I could trust with details of my weekly escapades.

But then she came into my firm for an interview—a college-intern interview, and everything fucking changed...

Reasonable Doubt: Volume 2

She lied to me...
She betrayed the one rule that I'm most adamant about: Honesty. Complete and utter fucking honesty.
I really wish she was someone else—someone who didn't have the ability to make me feel, someone I could easily discard like the hundreds of women before her.
She isn't.
I'm drawn to her like I've never been drawn to a woman before—completely captivated by the very sight of her. But unfortunately, with my past slowly re-surfacing for all of the world to see, I'll have to find a way to let her go.
She can never be mine.

Reasonable Doubt: Volume 3

I hate him…

I hate that I fell in love with him, I hate that he didn’t love me back, and I hate the fact that I just made a life-altering decision just so I could get the hell away from him.

He’d always said that he was unchangeable, heartless, and cold…

I really should’ve believed him…

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I originally read this series years ago, and what I've realized... Andrew is still the same dick I remember.

Reasonable Doubt is a series that had me questioning my own stance of what’s good for me. From the start, we know that Andrew has been through something. Something that causes him nightmares. Something that has him reluctant to form connections. Something that prompted him to create the whole ‘One dinner. One night. No repeats’ mandate he follows. Aubrey is the woman who changes it all. There are lies. There are secrets. Hot sex on top of hot sex on top of hot sex. There’s also doubts and insecurities and flaws and fights. Andrew and Aubrey were vulnerable humans. They hurt. They felt deeply. They made dumb mistakes.

They also grew. Together and apart, they learned from their silly errors. They became better people for each other.

I only wish there was more to them as a couple. The truth comes out, there's a five second conversation, and there's an epilogue. Ah well, at least they ended up happy together.

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Tragic by JA Huss

Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s camera.

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.

In Tragic we meet Rook and Ronin. Rook’s a damaged girl who is more bent than broken. Running from a tragic past, she finds new hope and new beginnings with a new family. Elise is the mama bear who recognizes Rook’s pain and takes her in under her wing. Antoine is the papa bear who recognizes Rook’s beauty and offers her a chance to come out of her shell. And Ronin… well he’s the guy who’s all heart. The guy who gets her to try again. The guy who makes her feel warm, and good, and safe. The guy who makes her smile.

Based on first impressions, I decided to hold judgment on Rook. I felt like there was a lot more to her than had been revealed already. So when I get that story, I'll have my say. So far, it's Ronin who's making me keep reading. He's just so darned sweet!

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Manic by JA Huss

TRAGIC is over and Rook is ready for the future—Spencer Shrike and the STURGIS contract!

It’s three months of body art modeling! That means three months of Spencer Shrike’s paintbrush all over her body, three months in front of Antoine’s camera, and three months of twenty-four-hour filming for Spencer’s Biker Channel reality show.

Wait a minute… what reality show? Maybe she should’ve read that STURGIS contract a little closer? ;)

Sure, Rook’s bank account is overflowing, but Ronin is angry, Clare is trying to escape rehab, Antoine is a worried mess, and Elise is just trying to hold everyone together. Rook’s new family is about to fall apart before she even gets the chance to enjoy it.

Add in a mysterious man from her past, a road trip to the famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and a final show in front of the entire world where all her goods are on display, and you’ve got Manic.

Manic is where all the magic happens. Spencer and Ford are both Ronin’s worst enemies… and his best friends. While Spencer is a master at body art, capturing Rook in such stunning and beautiful masterpieces, Ford is the man behind the camera. He captures all of Rook’s vulnerabilities and her strengths. And Ronin… he’s the magic, baby. He makes everything alright. And while I could have done without the back and forth between Rook and Ronin in this book, her constant doubts and push and pull, I guess it was necessary. She’s young, and despite how the author tries to capture her in ways to make her appear older, with the experience of a more mature individual, she’s still very young. Anyway, everyone helps Rook confront her recent past and it was wrapped up pretty quickly. I’m wondering if there will be any fallout in the book to come.

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Panic by JA Huss

Rook is chasing her dream—film school and a chance at a life beyond the one she ran from six months ago. But before she can become the girl she wants to be, she must deal with the girl she left behind.

Ronin is also chasing his dream—a family of his own and a life away from erotic modeling. And he too, has a past he’s trying to forget. A past that makes Rook question everything about their life together.

Lies, secrets, and shocking truths will rock the foundation Rook and Ronin have built. Can they put the past behind them and move forward together? Or is this just another too good to be true relationship that will crash and burn in the end?

While I was really sick of Rook's back and forth, push and pull, immature thoughts, and just about everything else about her, by the end, I was her friend. She finally stood up for herself and for her person. Ronin finally got the woman he deserved. I only wish there was more to the story. The end felt very unfinished, but knowing there are other books (spinoffs), I'm looking forward to getting some closure.

I love Spencer and wouldn't mind reading more about him and Ford... that man's mind... I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to get a peek inside.