NEW REVIEW: Door of Bruises by Sierra Simone

 

  DOOR OF BRUISES (Thornchapel #4) by Sierra Simone 

Release Date: November 30th   

  Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53627576-door-of-bruises   

    

OUR REVIEW:

   Door of Bruises is a truly perfect way to end this four part series. It carries forward that atmospheric, moody tone of the three previous novels and fills in the spaces between the periods with melancholy--which of course I loved. Imagine broody characters matching the broody British autumn countryside. Imagine tweeds and tea and rain and fires in the fireplace. Imagine characters whose hearts are full to bursting with love for each other and yet so heart heavy with heartbreak or a feeling of impending doom and you have just a sliver of the mood and tone of this brilliant novel, all set to the backdrop of closing an open door--and all the intrigue that comes with that.

Auden, Poe, Saint, Rebecca, Delphine, and Beckett have significant roles in this novel but all told, this is really Auden's shining moment. We go behind his smirks and arrogance and really see his tender heart and all the burdens he feels he must shoulder to protect and care for his friends and loves. He's exactly as self aware as I'd hoped he'd be and it just made me that much more enamored with him, even if I wanted to sometimes shake him. Actually, at some point almost all of them made me want to shake them and then evacuate them far, far away from Thornchapel. Because seriously. SERIOUSLY. The heartbreak and danger and hardship and ughhhhhh could've been avoided if they were cowardly, selfish characters who ran away from problems but noooooo, they had to be noble and good and thoughtful (and all the reasons why I truly love them) and stay and try to resolve all the things that that estate and their family histories brought upon them. And just you wait to see how things were resolved. O.O 

OMG. The way Sierra Simone makes us work for that HEA is sadistic and I foresee that many fans will LOVE it and some will either not love it or want an epilogue to the epilogue. I land somewhere in the middle. I definitely appreciated what she did with these characters and I don't know how else she could've ended it but I still had many many questions--not necessarily a bad thing at all, just something that had me powering down my kindle and staring at the wall for a long time before I could move, LOL. 

As always, I'm enamored with all the things Sierra Simone does with her character and world building. She creates worlds that are vivid and imaginative and characters whose diversity in background, ethnicity, shapes, and sizes are more representative than many modern romance novelists. It's for all these reasons and more that I'll never hesitate to grab any and everything she writes.

  AVAILABLE NOW!! 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/34YNrfL 

Amazon INTL: mybook.to/doorofbruises 

Apple Books: sierrasim.one/applebruises 

Nook: sierrasim.one/nookbruises 

Kobo: sierrasim.one/kobobruises   

  START THE SERIES TODAY WITH A LESSON IN THORNS (Thornchapel #1) 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2OgiJGp 

Amazon INTL: mybook.to/ALIT 

B&N: http://bit.ly/2UO1VsN Apple Books: https://apple.co/2HJxKiI         

  Blurb: Twelve years ago, our fates were sealed with a kiss. We are all, for better or worse, doomed to love each other until death do us part. My heart belongs to Proserpina and St. Sebastian—even if he no longer wants it. Even if she has left it behind to follow him. Delphine’s fled back home, and Becket’s holy calling is in peril. And now only Rebecca and I remain at Thornchapel to face the unknown. The door is open. The door that shouldn’t exist; the door that people have died to close. I don’t feel like the lord of the manor...I don’t feel like a king or a wild god. I am a friend and a boyfriend and a brother—and a failure at being all of these things. But the door doesn’t care about my guilt. It only cares about the sacrifice I’ll make to close it. As the bruising dark of Samhain approaches, so does the fate of our circle, of Thornchapel and the village and the valley beyond it. And I must don the crown, because one thing is still true, even if I must face it alone. Here at Thornchapel, the kings must go to the door. Here at Thornchapel, all kings must die.  

  

      

  About the Author: Sierra Simone is a USA Today Bestselling former librarian (who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk.) She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.

 

  Connect w/Sierra Simone: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sierra-Simone-497450453680395/?fref=ts Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SierraSimonesLambs Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSierraSimone Amazon : http://amzn.to/1PDR4K4 Goodreads : http://bit.ly/1oo9WEh Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/thesierrasimone/ Website: http://authorsierrasimone.com/ Subscribe to Sierra's newsletter: sierrasim.one/getmyemails    

REVIEW: Sparrow by L.J. Shen

OUR REVIEW:

Admittedly, I've had this novel on my Kindle for years and I've always meant to read it and somehow it continued to slip further down the list until it evaded my scrutiny. And thennnnnn, Leigh Shen wrote The Hunter and I knew that Sparrow was going to be one of my very next reads.

So here's the thing, when you've been reading a writer for years but you haven't read her early works, you never know if they're going to be up to the level of writing that you're used to. Right? I mean, maybe the first few novels were just mediocre as the writer found her voice. It's possible. I've come across a few instances of that. I'm happy to report that Sparrow doesn't belong in that category. While there are a few typos and maybe a few little things that weren't quite up to par, over all it was a really solid read. The characters of Troy and Sparrow were just as fun as all of Shen's characters are: mouthy badasses, who tear it up in the streets and the sheets. There's innocence and disdain and enemies and lovers and as per usual, when it comes to her novels, some really messed up scenarios that you just completely inhale because they're entertaining and so far removed from our normal lives that you just can't seem to stop reading. If that makes any sense?

Needless to say, but I'm gonna anyway, I'll be reading the other two early novels of hers that I've yet to read as I hungrily await the rest of the Boston Belles. After reading Sparrow, I'm really eager to get the goods on Sam. That's got to be a fascinating story.

BUY IT HERE:https://amzn.to/2Et6ZiW

SYNOPSIS:

Troy Brennan

Every Southie in Boston knows that name. The son of a dead mobster. The heart-throb with steel-blue eyes. "The Fixer" who can make or break you in this city.

Oh, and my new husband.

Sparrow Raynes

That's me. No one seemed to remember my name up until he barged into my life.
But then he caged me.
Kidnapped me.
And killed every chance I had to run away from the place where we grew up.
Put simply, Troy Brennan clipped my wings.

I have dreams, big ones, but I doubt he'll ever let me chase them. I have no idea why he decided to take me as his wife. But I do know this: pissing off this man will not do me any good. At all.

REVIEW: The Pearl by Tiffany Reisz

OUR REVIEW:

The Godwicks Series is such a fun escape and The Pearl is a perfect addition to this erotic series. This particular novel focuses on the pairing of Regan and Arthur ....and a certain figurehead and his meddling ways. 

This novel wastes no time getting into the thick of the story of Regan and Arthur and their forced pairing. I really enjoyed the roles each of them took on in the relationship and as the pages turned, their back stories and chemistry had me inhaling this novel in a matter of hours. In addition to their eroticism and love story, I enjoyed the continuation of using art as a unifying thread between all three novels. I also enjoyed Arthur's commentary on his parents and siblings and am hoping that there might be one more Godwick that has a magical story to tell. 

In the mood for a read that is erotic, romantic, and magical? The Pearl will hit all those for you and then some.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3hs138u

SYNOPSIS: 

When Lord Arthur Godwick learns his younger brother is up to his bollocks in debt to Regan Ferry, owner of The Pearl Hotel, he agrees to work off the tab...in her bed. Soon the handsome but troubled Arthur discovers he's a pawn in an erotic game of revenge--and nothing, including his lover, is what it seems.

REVIEW: Man in Love by Laurelin Paige

 

 

  MAN IN LOVE (Man in Charge Duet #2) by Laurelin Paige 

Release Date: November 24th   

  Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53519079-man-in-love   

  START THE DUET TODAY!! Man in Charge, Book #1 https://laurelinpaige.com/man-in-charge   MAN ON TOP #0.5 AVAILABLE NOW AND FREE!! https://geni.us/ManonTop  

    

  AVAILABLE NOW!! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nLd2k7 Apple Books: https://geni.us/ManLoveApple Kobo: https://geni.us/ManLoveKobo Nook: https://geni.us/ManLoveNook Google Play: https://geni.us/ManLoveGoogle       

OUR REVIEW:

Man in Love picks up exactly where Man in Charge leaves off--so if you haven't read the first one, pick that one up first. 

Like many Laurelin Paige duets, this novel comes with the drama and excitement. For many of the first chapters, it felt like these poor characters could not escape the people and situations intent on keeping them apart. Between Tessa's situation with her boss and her deception and Scott's situation with his family expectations, it felt like they'd have a steep hill to climb to get to their HEA. 

But never fear, Laurelin Paige only makes her characters (and readers, lol) suffer for a little while before she offers relief through all sorts of fun sexcapades and other things. So sure, the situation felt bleak for a hot minute but that was immediately followed up by several hotttttt minutes and a solution that made for an especially happy happily ever after.

A final note, that I think I failed to point out in my review of book one, but Paige pointed out in her acknowledgements--she quotes her editor Erica Russikoff about how this duet may not be considered light as it is a "duet about social status, debilitating disease, and ethnic prejudice". And those points are things that feel more liked features that made this novel more than the typical CEO romance. It made it interesting and I really like that the characters aren't the same as every other character in every other romance. 

  Blurb: Scott Sebastian is a liar. Fitting, since I'm a liar too. Yet there's no place for me in his glittering world of half-truths. With all our secrets in the open, I should stop trying. What I've learned should send me running far away. I can’t keep pining for a man in love if I’m not the woman he’s in love with. But it's not that easy to escape the Sebastians. I already knew they owned this city. Now I'll find out if they also own their son.       About the Author: With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She's also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn't do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

 

  Connect w/Laurelin: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurelinPaige/ Amazon: http://amzn.to/2knJOrx Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/laurelin-paige Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallaurelinpaige/ Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/HudsonPierce/ Website: http://www.laurelinpaige.com Never miss an update! Subscribe to Laurelin’s mailing list: Newsletter: http://bit.ly/LaurelinNews   

REVIEW: Duke I'd Like to F-- Anthology

   

  DUKE I’D LIKE TO F… Release Date: November 17th   

  Add to Goodreads: bit.ly/GRDukeIdLiketoF  

    

OUR REVIEW:

 You guys, I've been on an historical romance kick and lemme tell you, it's the best escape ever. So when I saw that two of my faves, Sierra Simone and Adriana Herrera, were in a new anthology of all historical romance, there was no way that I was going pass it up. And now that I've read it, let me tell you that YOU SHOULD NOT pass it up either. This anthology is off the charts hot--with swoony dukes, interesting storylines, and clever heroines. Each story is unique and fully developed but easy to read in between all of the other obligations of the day. And I LOVE that I now have new writers to add to my growing list of favorite new writers. I cannot wait to try out reads from Joanna Shupe, Eva Leigh, and Nicola Davidson.

AVAILABLE NOW! 

Amazon: bit.ly/AmazonDuke 

Amazon INTL: mybook.to/DukeIdLiketoF 

Apple Books: bit.ly/AppleDuke 

Nook: bit.ly/NookDuke 

Kobo: bit.ly/KoboDukeIdLiketoF 

Google Play: bit.ly/PlayDuke 

     

  Blurb: He’s got big duke energy… The Chasing of Eleanor Vane - Sierra Simone Ajax Dartham, the Duke of Jarrell, has a problem. And that problem is his future niece-in-law. When the clever and capable Lady Eleanor Vane—understandably—runs off into the night rather than marry his horrible nephew, the Duke has a choice. Should he catch Eleanor and return her to her fate—or make Eleanor his own instead? My Dirty Duke - Joanna Shupe Violet knows that her father's best friend, the Duke of Ravensthorpe, is the most powerful man in all of London with a reputation for sin. But nothing can stop Violet from wanting to shed her wallflower ways and fulfill her darkest, most forbidden desires...even if it means seducing a man twice her age. An Education In Pleasure - Eva Leigh As a governess to the Duke of Tarrington, Cecilia Holme resigns herself to a passionless life. Except now the old duke is dead and Owen, the new duke, is very tempting—and much younger. Is the chance to give Owen an education in pleasure too enticing to refuse? Duke For Hire - Nicola Davidson As her fiery clergyman father chases away all suitors, Miss Ada Blair is resigned to spinsterhood. Yet while she can’t wed, bedding might be another matter. One man meets all her requirements for a discreet and expert pleasure tutor—Jasper Muir, Duke of Gilroy—but he insists on a very wicked contract… The Duke Makes Me Feel... - Adriana Herrera Dukes and their demands are nothing new for Marena Baine-Torres. Her newfound success has her little apothecary teeming with ill-mannered aristocrats. But as tiresome as they are, she needs the business. When the unflappable Duke of Linley storms into her shop and makes her an offer she’d be a fool to refuse, Marena soon finds herself on the adventure of a lifetime with a man who is as infuriating as he is intriguing. 

    

REVIEW: Little Lies by H. Harding

“H. Hunting pens a heartbreaking tale that leaves readers absolutely breathless from beginning to end. One of her best books yet!”
- Stacey Lynn, author

Little Lies, an all-new, angsty and emotional new adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting is out now!

OUR REVIEW:

I absolutely inhaled this novel; I couldn't seem to stop reading it--only putting it down to work (and picking it back up as soon as I had a break). Little Lies is the first, I hope, in a series about the children of the characters in the All In series. This novel features the tortured love story of Lavender and Kodiak and I was helpless against their angsty story. 

I'll be honest--I really wasn't expecting the level of angst that these two characters were in. Having read many of Helena Hunting's previous novels, I was thinking I'd have a lot of laughs and romance and while those things were definitely present, the deep and painful history of Lavender and Kodiak were front and center in this novel. I liked this different tone. I liked the mix of history/back story and more serious story line for these particular characters; I found myself absorbed by what was happening and not at all impatient by the slow burn of it all. Lavender and Kodiak's character development separately and together were paced exactly as they needed to be and it made their eventual collision into grown up love that much more satisfactory when it happened.

Additionally, seeing all the other siblings and cousins and friends (children of the other characters featured in the All In series) was delightful. They added a richness and levity to the novel that has me imagining hook ups and storylines for them all--and I am so here for it all. 

This New Adult romance is exactly what I didn't know I needed and am so glad that I read and I think it'll be the perfect read for you all over this holiday season. Happy reading!

I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me.
I never loved you.
I turned my words into swords.
And I cut her down.
Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.
I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.
Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.
Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.
I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.
But I don’t want to save her anymore.
I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gn18sL
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/littlelies
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3aWyq0C
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Add LITTLE LIES to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2IUtW0y

Excerpt

The front door swings open, and the never-ending nightmare that is this day smacks me in the face like a long-expired sausage. Kodiak stands in the doorway wearing only a pair of swim shorts, wet hair sticking out all over the place, water dripping on the damn floor. But God, is he ever glorious. Muscle layered over muscle, thick biceps flexing as he holds the doorjamb, a mischievous grin popping the dimple in his left cheek.
My heart seizes and gallops. I miss this version of him: the one that smiles and doesn’t hate me.
He ruins everything a moment later by bellowing, “Who’s fucking in the driveway?”
His gaze moves to Dylan, who looks as horrified as I feel, but as it shifts to me, his smile drops and my stomach tightens.
“You should really go,” I tell Dylan.
“I’ll see you around.” He disappears into his car and barely has the door closed before he’s backing out of the driveway and screeching down the street.
I adjust my backpack on my shoulder and head for the house, steeling my spine and my nerves because Kodiak is still standing in the middle of the doorway, his face a mask of indifference. I try to brush by him, but he stays where he is, making it impossible.
I sigh, exhausted beyond belief. I just want to go upstairs and have a good, cathartic cry. I try to mirror his apathy. “Can you move so I can get into my house?”
His brow furrows as his eyes move over my face. He lifts his hand, like maybe he’s thinking about touching me. There’s no way I can handle that. I jerk back and swat his hand away. “What are you doing?”
“Your lip is bleeding.”
“Don’t act like you actually give a shit, Kodiak.”
“Tell me what happened.” His voice is low and soft, and for whatever reason, that makes me even angrier, so I lash out, wanting to wound him the way he keeps wounding me.
“You, Kodiak. You happened, and you ruined my goddamn life. Now get the hell out of my way.” I elbow past him, almost tripping over several sets of running shoes.
I head straight for my bedroom and lock the door behind me. I slide down the wall until my butt hits the floor and close my eyes, taking deep breaths.
I imagined the concern in his voice.
I imagined the pain that sat heavy behind his eyes.
We see what we want to, not the truth, especially when it hurts.

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2mloUim
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5
Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/2kN5yCD
Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/
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H. Hunting

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3huH3ly

REVIEW: Bodyguard by C.D. Reiss

OUR REVIEW:

I love how C.D. Reiss just switches things up. Her series are addictive but her stand-alones, which also find a way to connect to each other or to other works, are just as addictive and yet give that immediate sense of satisfaction. You're not waiting for the next book in the series so much as you're just waiting for whatever she does next.

In the case of Bodyguard, we get an up close look at an up and coming choreographer who is dealing with a stalker.  The focus isn't so much on all of the history leading up to Emily's current situation, though you definitely get an understanding of it, it's more focused on how small her world has become once her ex turned stalker. You get a sense of how trapped and oppressive her existence currently is--due to her fear and how her security team keeps tabs on her--and how unfortunate that is. All signs point to the potential for her life to be so much bigger and she's just accepted a smaller life so that she can be safe. And truly how sucky is that? That people can't live their lives because of the fear that they will be hurt by someone who obviously has lost touch with reality and isn't safe.

Enter Carter--former LAPD and current security specialist, now bodyguard to Emily. Nothing about their interactions are small or innocuous. They are chemistry and sass and banter from the second they meet on the page. He's private and broody and gives the perfect non-answer answers. And then you get to know him more (as does Emily) and he's all those things but also tender, funny, and so protective. You begin to understand why he's the way he is and it all makes sense and yet you want him to live a little.

As the story goes on, you'll probably flying through their romance very quickly (is there another way to read a CD Reiss novel, really?!) because Emily and Carter are just so engaging to read. Bodyguard is a sexy, fast paced escapist romance and the perfect read for this summer day.

BUY IT HERE:https://amzn.to/31sndlA

SYNOPSIS:

As a world-class dancer at the height of her career, Emily enjoys all the perks of fame—the parties, the glamour, the tours—but they’ve also attracted the attention of a dangerous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on getting her back.

Enter Carter Kincaid, a bodyguard so crushingly sexy he takes her breath away.

Carter’s the best in the business, and Emily is—professionally speaking—off-limits. But when it comes to stirring his desires, she’s making all the right moves. What’s happening between them is so hot it could get both of them burned. As Emily’s past gets closer, Carter is willing to break every rule of the job to save her. But letting Emily into his life also means letting her in on the secrets of his own past. For these two, falling in love could be the greatest risk of all.

REVIEW: Lead Me Back by CD Reiss

OUR REVIEW:

From the time that they met until the very last page, Lead Me Back held me in its thrall. It was the best balance of Hollywood and not-Hollywood, of humor and pathos, of romance and plot. Justin was not at all what I expected or expected to like, at all, and Kayla was exactly the type of girl I love—so between the two of them, I was completely hooked. Their individual stories were interesting and the path to their HEA was dynamic and addicting and really hard to put down.

Add to that Reiss’s mix of pared down prose with these really romantic swoony moments that are almost immediately followed with these really punchy spare lines and it all just flowed. And I absolutely cannot leave out the fact that she always has secondary characters I would love to see more of—the friends, the attorney, the family—which would selfishly give me another glance at Kayla and Justin. 

As I frequently am with my favorite authors, I hated to see this one end and I’m eagerly awaiting what new thing she’s writing next. 

BUY IT:https://amzn.to/2Ql0a5w

SYNOPSIS:

Cutting all ties, Kayla Montgomery drives cross-country to Los Angeles. New start. New life. And an unexpected new job: assistant to Justin Beckett.

The Justin Beckett.

The boy band rebel with the cocky attitude and dreamy bed head who casts a spell over his fans and tests the patience of his handlers.

Now at the peak of Mount Adulthood, he has to build a clean-cut, movie star image. It’s in his contract. No partying. No attitude. No groupies.

To tie it together, he needs a normal girl.

Suddenly, Kayla’s swept up in Justin’s glamorous world, and his arms. But the most dizzying thing is Justin himself. Sweet, generous, reliable, and as eager to shed his past as Kayla is hers.

About that…

Those ties she thought she’d cut? They’ve followed her across the country with her secrets in tow, and they’re about to test Kayla’s courage, Justin’s loyalty, and a love that wasn’t part of the deal.

NEW RELEASE: Little Lies by H. Hunting

"H. Hunting delivers what must be the most beautifully written, and certainly emotional New Adult books of the year.”
- LJ Shen, USA Today bestselling author

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting, comes a beautifully written and emotional new adult romance, Little Lies, available now!

I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me.
I never loved you.
I turned my words into swords.
And I cut her down.
Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.
I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.
Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.
Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.
I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.
But I don’t want to save her anymore.
I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gn18sL
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/littlelies
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3aWyq0C
Audible: https://adbl.co/32HTPIe

Add LITTLE LIES to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2IUtW0y

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2mloUim
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5
Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/2kN5yCD
Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

Never miss an update! Subscribe to Helena's mailing list:
http://bit.ly/HelenaHuntingNews

H. Hunting
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/3huH3ly

The Priest by Tiffany Reisz

 

OUR REVIEW:

Listen, y'all. 

I.

Was.

NOT.

Prepared.

I thought I was. I wasn't. 

Tiffany Reisz got with me with the title and I went into The Priest thinking I knew what was going on and I really didn't. 

First of all the opening scene had my full attention. It absolutely grabbed me and insisted that this not be a slow read for me. I picked this book up every chance I had--using it as a reward to motivate me to get work done so that I could continue to read. 

The story of Cyrus and his investigation to the suicide of a priest was such a nice pairing to the story of Soren and Nora. The contrasts and parallels that were made as the mystery deepened and then was solved just enhanced every aspect of my reading. Cyrus had some funny and poignant observations and was a good foil for Nora and Soren. And, Nora was a good influence (!) on Cyrus. I really enjoyed the pairing of the storyline and characters. 

And I return to where I started--I wasn't prepared for the emotional feelings I had, especially near the end. I'm not sure if it only what was happening between these characters or that I have no idea if or when we'll see a continuation of the story of our Original Sinners. All I know is that I've spent the last few weeks in their world (reading The King, The Queen, and now The Priest) and I don't want them to be over yet. *sad face*

Truly a fantastic read from start to finish and one, I hope, that is opening the door for new characters and books in this series.

PS-As a New Orleanian, I'm HERE for these characters being in New Orleans and Tiffany Reisz doing New Orleans right!

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/2FP3oMF

SYNOPSIS:

Tiffany Reisz’s USA Today bestselling Original Sinners series returns with the long-awaited sequel to "The Queen."

When a New Orleans parish priest is found dead of an apparent suicide, the police see no reason to investigate. Private detective Cyrus Tremont knows a cover-up when he sees it, however. A former cop, he’s seen it all...or so he thought.

Clues point him in the direction of Nora Sutherlin, an erotic romance writer who moonlights as a dominatrix. Together, they form an unlikely bond built on their shared need for justice.

As Cyrus is drawn deeper into Nora’s underground world of pleasure and pain, what lines will he cross to discover the truth about the priest? And what will he and Nora do with the truth once they find it?

"The Priest" is the beginning of a new era for Reisz’s Original Sinners series, and the perfect jumping-on point for new readers.

REVIEW: How Not to Fall by Emily Foster

OUR REVIEW:

It's been a while since I've read a novel that reminds be about how much fun it is to read New Adult fiction. How Not to Fall had so many great elements:

• the whole rush of being in college and stressed and young 
• a smart and funny and talented heroine (I absolutely LOVED her confidence)
• a smart and funny and infuriating hero (I loved him and then I wanted so much to hate him)
• their sex-mance--because it was romance through sex and sex through romance
• the intensity of the last part of the book

There were many, many things to enjoy about all of the things I've listed but primarily, I think, I enjoyed reading this novel because I enjoyed falling in love with Annie falling in love. I loved how wonderfully open and confident she was; it's not that she wasn't afraid of the outcomes of things, it was that she was either confident in her ability to be successful in whatever she tried and/or she was unwilling to live with the regret of not trying for what she wanted and I just feel like there's so much wisdom in her approach (and one I hope I'm giving to my daughters). I also appreciated that Foster didn't make Annie absolutely perfect, she was by no means perfect, but in her less than stellar moments, her honesty and her struggles were so real and open. Anyway, I'm rambling but my first sentence stands--Annie's exploration of her "thing" with Charles was funny and fun and sweet and naive and vulnerable and compelling. I really liked the way Emily Foster approached it, even if I had my doubts that Annie and Charles had even close to reasonable expectations for how things would end...I mean it's a romance so naturally there has to be a conflict of some sort, right?

I don't want to ruin this review with a deep dive into Charles, or Charles and Annie together, because I feel like I'd go in a hundred different directions and I'd end up in the same place which is basically this: As much as I liked him, I also found him frustrating. As much as I appreciated where he was coming from, I was perplexed. As much as I adored his adoration of Annie, I wanted to open his eyes and heart and brain even wider so that he could really see more than what he saw. Basically, I had a complicated and conflicted reaction to Charles. What I didn't have a complicated and conflicted reaction to was the sexual education he gave to Annie. Damn. We should all have experiences like this. Sex positive, consensual, sensual, and powerful. I don't think I've had nearly the experiences Annie has had and I don't mind saying that I'm jealous. I'm absolutely jealous of a fictional character's sexual awakening. 

I probably should've mentioned earlier that this ends in a cliffhanger of sorts, or maybe it's more accurate to say that it ends with an ending that will leave you wanting. I happen to like the ending but I know it's not for everyone and luckily there is a second book for those who want to know what happens next for Annie and Charles. Strangely, I haven't decided if I want to know; there's a large part of me that wants to leave them where they are or imagine my own ending for them but because I'm a curious cat, I'll probably capitulate and read it.  

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Synopsis:
In her witty and breathtakingly sexy novel, Emily Foster introduces a story of lust, friendship, and other unpredictable experiments. . .

Data, research, scientific formulae--Annabelle Coffey is completely at ease with all of them. Men, not so much. But that's all going to change after she asks Dr. Charles Douglas, the postdoctoral fellow in her lab, to have sex with her. Charles is not only beautiful, he is also adorably awkward, British, brilliant, and nice. What are the odds he'd turn her down?

Very high, as it happens. Something to do with that whole student/teacher/ethics thing. But in a few weeks, Annie will graduate. As soon as she does, the unlikely friendship that's developing between them can turn physical--just until Annie leaves for graduate school. Yet nothing could have prepared either Annie or Charles for chemistry like this, or for what happens when a simple exercise in mutual pleasure turns into something as exhilarating and infernally complicated as love.