Delighted Reader

Dangerous Deputy by Talya Bosco

Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published by Loose-ID 
Published on January 20, 2014 
Pages: 65 
Format: eBook 
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Rating:  

This is a short story of a cop who likes the heroine but is asked to look after her by her brother-in-law. Julia is trying to make a new life for herself after her divorce and boldly asks to role play with the hero, Dennis when he stops her for a supposed traffic infraction. Well, neither of them are that great at role playing, but it opens the door for a weekend of passions until she learns he was put up to it. Not listening to his side of the story is where it gets murky.

There’s some hot sex scenes, some misunderstandings, and in-laws you really don’t want to have. The blurb says it all mostly. It was a fun read, but know that it is short and can be read in less than an hour.

Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh 
Series: Psy-Changling, book #13 
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Shifters 
Published by Berkley 
Published on June 3, 2014 
Pages: 448 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Rating:  

The Delight

With each new book, Nalini Singh takes us into the Psy-Changeling world and weaves a web of intrigue, acceptance, sexy love and the reality of our actions in the world we read about and live in. Going from cold to an infernor takes skill and Nalini Singh has them all. This book rocked my 2014 reading experience and I want to read it again.

 

 

After Heart of Obsidian, I didn’t think Nalini Singh could do much better. Seriously, that book knocked me out. But here comes Shield of Winter, a story of two Psy’s who know Silence is broken, but feel they are broken deeper than that. A society is falling from which it brought itself by instituting Silence in hopes of saving their race from insanity only to drive them back into insanity by ignoring their true core. Now Silence is falling, dark voids forming in the Psy-Net. But who holds the key to saving the Psy-Net?

Vasic is a broken hero. Conditioned by Silence to be a killing machine, he really isn’t unfeeling. He remembers each and every life he has taken under command, under the Silence that was forced upon him early in life. He is utterly cold on the outside, but inside he is a hot rolling mess of emotions, guilt and the feeling he must right all the wrongs he has committed. He feels his life has little value from what he can protect. At any moment he is ready to die.

When sent to protect an E class Psy and bring her into the fold, he determines that it is his ultimate mission to protect Ivy at all costs. But the E classification has almost been eliminated because E involves emotions. Ivy almost didn’t make it through her reconditioning to remove what they thought was wrong from her. Her parents, while Silent, also loved their daughter in their own way and took her from society so she could quietly heal amongst others that weren’t totally Silent themselves.

But now Ivy has a mission to possibly be one of a few Psy who might be able to save the Psy culture. Together Vasic and Ivy along with others, set forth to heal a dark void that could destroy all the Psy. Along the way, we see the slow growing of love between these two. Both virgins, and both untrained on what love entails. There is a sweetness to their love, almost a purity as it grew. Vasic thinking he has nothing to give and Ivy knowing she has too much love to hold back. Throw in Judd giving sexual advice to Vasic and I was charmed by the sweetness that instantly turned in to erotic hotness.

I often wondered what the relationship between Vasic and Aden was through the other books, and you get a closer, intimate look into how their relationship works. Aden is the character I want next to find a happy ending. He is one strong dude that needs to find love *nods*.

We get to see old favorites…Sasha, Lucas, Judd, Aden, Krychek, Sahara…and many more. You get to see Sasha find her calling as a Cardinal E Psy along with Lucas fighting tooth and nail to protect her, even from herself at times.

There are great battles, harsh conditions, internal fights, redemption, saving life and so much more to this book. Nalini Singh takes a gray world, one devoid of emotions and gives it life in beautiful colors. While some words seem too technical, she weaves those words into a tapestry of beauty that makes us realize nothing is as cold or black and white as it seems.

Blind Faith Series: Sin Brothers #3 
Genres: Romantic Suspense 
Published by Forever 
Published on May 6, 2014 
Format: eBook 
Amazon | B&N | ARe | Goodreads
Rating:  

The Delight

Whooosh! What a ride along with the Dean brothers. Once again Rebecca Zanetti has knocked this series out of the park with a rush of adrenaline, erotic scenes to keep your engine running and a bite of sizzle to make sure you are conscious.

 

Blind Faith picks up where Sweet Revenge left off. Nate believes he has a child, a child he created with the one woman he has always loved, Audrey. Audrey though is the daughter of Dr. Madison, the evil behavioral doctor that has experimented with all the soldier test subjects. A short love affair between these two five years ago ended when the experiment did and Audrey felt it was the best for Nate without asking him. When Nate and his brothers broke out they set a series of explosions, but Nate didn’t know Audrey was in the infirmary. Years of recovery has been her lot. Along with loving the one man she can never have. But she was the one woman who conceived through all the tests they did on the super soldiers. And now she is marked for many things to come.

Now years later, Nate and his brothers are looking for the codes to deactivate the kill chips in their spines as well as a way to end the Commander and his experiments. And don’t forget their brother Jory is thought to be dead…and alive. Unsure which one it really is. One way into the facility is Audrey who is still working for the Commander through an US Senator from Wyoming, but also Nate wants his child. Infiltrating in could be deadly, but doing nothing is definitely deadly.

These two have a lot to hash out about the past and the future. She gave him her heart and while she retracted it to support her evil mother and the commander, she never really took it back. Nate never really stops loving Audrey no matter how much she trampled on his heart. Misunderstandings abound between these two, but revenge was never really a factor for either of them when they were together. What I loved is how the two didn’t live in the past. Yes, they had history that left its mark on each of them, but they couldn’t deny they still cared. Nate wanted to save her from the sadistic pair while she is hiding her own mission in staying with them. The two came together over and over as the last time, but it was never to be the last time.

The underlining mission to save Jory and find the codes for the chips are what keeps me coming back. With each book in the series I find a new favorite brother to love. Nate elevated himself to new heights with being an adult and not lowering himself to revenge against the woman he loves. This series needs to be read in order as each book builds on the last and you won’t understand what is happening if you jump around.

Nate supports Audrey out of love even if he doesn’t understand her course of action. Audrey supports Nate, but she has an agenda to save both him and her mother. A secret Dr. Madison and the Commander harbor could break them or make them. A fast action story, where you never know who to trust and not trust that left me breathless in waiting for the next book…in March 2015!

Hell For Leather by Julie Ann Walker 
Series: Black Knights, Inc. #6 
Genres: Romantic Suspense 
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Published on May 6, 2014 
Pages: 384 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Rating:  

The Delight

While I love all of the Knights, it was good to see Ghost (from the first book) again. Me loves Ollie and I got my fix of his one line cracks that kept me laughing from scene to scene. Add in a softie biker bar owner babe with at Texan who’s heart is bigger than he thinks. Need a ride? This one is scenic, sexy and keeps your heart running from beginning to end.

 

Hell for Leather is one spunky ride of a story. Delilah Fairchild owns the local bar the Black Knights often frequent. In the last book she became familiar with what the Knights do vs what the world thinks they do. The Knights work directly for the President, taking care of missions, while the world thinks they make highly customized motorcycles.

Delilah has been lusting after the gravely voiced Bryan “Mac” McMillan, who isn’t falling for her charms the way she would like. When Delilah goes on a road trip with the uncle who raised her, she never expects him to go missing and no real way to find out where he is. Rushing back to Chicago, she enlists the help of the Knights, but especially Mac to help her find him. Never one to let a damsel in distress be distressed, Mac takes on her case and they open a can of worms bigger than what a missing persons report should show.

Now the tension between these two is so thick. They both desire each other, and Delilah is ready to act, but Mac was burned by a fickled lady once and he plans to return to his Texas roots once he saves up enough money. While his body is saying yes to Delilah, he brain respects her to much to offer her a one night stand. Passion pushes them both through out the book. While the love scenes are hot, this isn’t chocked full of them.

The Knights, Inc. series is mostly a romantic suspense thriller that doesn’t always take itself seriously.

 

Put it all together, add a pinch of I-haven’t-been-laid-in-way-too-long, and what did you come up with? A big ol’ dollop of yeehaw, cowgirl with a side of wanna take a ride?

 

OR

Well, the characters uncover a plot thicker than molasses and everyone of the government big wigs want in on the mission. One particular group sends in an operative that puts another Knight on edge the entire story. The mystery grows bigger with each scene and the tension builds between multiple characters.

Then throw in some little bit of Ollie…my favorite bachelor Knight who adores 80s and 90s classic bands and couture and you have a story that was a fun ride from beginning to end.

Sinful Surrender by Elisabeth Naughton 
Series: Aegis Security #0.6 
Genres: Romantic Suspense 
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Published on May 1, 2014 
Pages: 99 
Format: eBook 
Amazon | Goodreads
Rating:  

The Delight

Getting an intro into the Aegis Security that makes me want to find out more about everything. Sexy good times on and off the slopes with a little thrill of who done it!

Songwriter Grace Ryder is taking a much needed break in Vail to hide away from her stalker, but also to finish writing two songs she is under contract for.  Alone in the bar, she keeps seeing a guy around the resort that is drawing her interest. A few drinks in, she approaches him with a line that hooked him and made me snort. Jumping feet first she seduces him back to her room for a night full of lusty sex. But big brother has sent an Aegis operative to watch her. Brian Walker’s one job is to watch her, keep her safe, but don’t get involved. Oops!

The stalker has followed her to Vail and now the cat’s out of the bag on who her secret lover is. This is a very quick romp between two people who needed each other. Big brothers isn’t too happy, but who cares! Ski slopes, sex everywhere, a stalker on the loose and big brother breathing down their necks…this was a fun escape into another world!

Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh 
Series: Psy-Changling, book #13 
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Shifters 
Published by Berkley 
Published on June 3, 2014 
Pages: 448 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Rating:  

The Delight

With each new book, Nalini Singh takes us into the Psy-Changeling world and weaves a web of intrigue, acceptance, sexy love and the reality of our actions in the world we read about and live in. Going from cold to an infernor takes skill and Nalini Singh has them all. This book rocked my 2014 reading experience and I want to read it again.

 

 

After Heart of Obsidian, I didn’t think Nalini Singh could do much better. Seriously, that book knocked me out. But here comes Shield of Winter, a story of two Psy’s who know Silence is broken, but feel they are broken deeper than that. A society is falling from which it brought itself by instituting Silence in hopes of saving their race from insanity only to drive them back into insanity by ignoring their true core. Now Silence is falling, dark voids forming in the Psy-Net. But who holds the key to saving the Psy-Net?

Vasic is a broken hero. Conditioned by Silence to be a killing machine, he really isn’t unfeeling. He remembers each and every life he has taken under command, under the Silence that was forced upon him early in life. He is utterly cold on the outside, but inside he is a hot rolling mess of emotions, guilt and the feeling he must right all the wrongs he has committed. He feels his life has little value from what he can protect. At any moment he is ready to die.

When sent to protect an E class Psy and bring her into the fold, he determines that it is his ultimate mission to protect Ivy at all costs. But the E classification has almost been eliminated because E involves emotions. Ivy almost didn’t make it through her reconditioning to remove what they thought was wrong from her. Her parents, while Silent, also loved their daughter in their own way and took her from society so she could quietly heal amongst others that weren’t totally Silent themselves.

But now Ivy has a mission to possibly be one of a few Psy who might be able to save the Psy culture. Together Vasic and Ivy along with others, set forth to heal a dark void that could destroy all the Psy. Along the way, we see the slow growing of love between these two. Both virgins, and both untrained on what love entails. There is a sweetness to their love, almost a purity as it grew. Vasic thinking he has nothing to give and Ivy knowing she has too much love to hold back. Throw in Judd giving sexual advice to Vasic and I was charmed by the sweetness that instantly turned in to erotic hotness.

I often wondered what the relationship between Vasic and Aden was through the other books, and you get a closer, intimate look into how their relationship works. Aden is the character I want next to find a happy ending. He is one strong dude that needs to find love *nods*.

We get to see old favorites…Sasha, Lucas, Judd, Aden, Krychek, Sahara…and many more. You get to see Sasha find her calling as a Cardinal E Psy along with Lucas fighting tooth and nail to protect her, even from herself at times.

There are great battles, harsh conditions, internal fights, redemption, saving life and so much more to this book. Nalini Singh takes a gray world, one devoid of emotions and gives it life in beautiful colors. While some words seem too technical, she weaves those words into a tapestry of beauty that makes us realize nothing is as cold or black and white as it seems.

Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler 
Series: X-Ops, book #1 
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Shifters 
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Published on May 6, 2014 
Pages: 352 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Rating:  

Her Perfect Mate by Paige Tyler is a new series about X-Ops heros and heroines with a twist on paranormal shifters. Twist you ask? Well, usually a shifter (an asset) is paired with a human. The human is mostly in charge of protecting the shifter, but do help out on missions and must work as a team. The shifter is all about the mission. While the two should be comfortable with each other, they are expected not to involve themselves in romancing each other.

When Special Forces Captain Landon Donovan is pulled at the peak of a mission, he can’t be anything but a little upset. To be sent home to report to a unit he has never heard of seems like a demotion or reprimand at best. To work for the Department of Covert Affairs isn’t his dream job. So when he see’s his new partner but can’t really beat her at fighting, he becomes a little intrigued. How could this feminine little thing take him on and be an agent?

Feline shifter Ivy Halliwell doesn’t want a new partner. Her first partner felt like they should have sex and almost rapes her. Her second partner doesn’t respect her or any shifter and gets himself killed. Not feeling any love from that corner, she doesn’t want to waste her time on a partner’s IQ is lower than his body size. When Landon tries to beat her in a wrestling match, she easily anticipates his every move.

From the beginning Landon takes on Ivy’s shifting abilities like it is nothing new. Not that he didn’t have questions, it just settled easily with him and he didn’t blow it out of proportion. He played slight tricks or adorable flirting with her like bringing her a ball of yarn at one meeting. It all just came way to easy to him. Not that I wanted him to be an ass about it, but when the world has no knowledge of the paranormal, you think they would question it more. Landon though does recognize that her abilities improve the teams ability to their job, which is where I think he centered his reaction to the news.

During training, you see their chemistry develop and grow. When a jealous shifter takes on Landon, he doesn’t back down, nor does he give quarter. We meet several other operatives in the DCA that allow us to see future stories in this believable world.

With a possible dirty higher up, an outside forces threatening the DCA, the action is fast and furious. Landon’s special forces team get involved and the secret is out between them on what Ivy can do. All of them find themselves slightly in lust with Ivy. But better allies cannot be found.

There were two things that kind of bugged me about the plot though. One, Ivy has feline abilities, but doesn’t totally shift into anything. She can get her claws out, use her night vision, hear better, but she never fully shifts into anything. This stumped me for most of the book as I kept expecting her to shift. The second thing that bugged me is Ivy seemed to mess up a lot and go with her instinct or gut which really wasn’t so good. She ended up in a few messes that Landon had to save her from. I was hoping for more of a strong heroine who knew when to stand down or do the right thing.

This story suffered a little from the first book syndrome of introducing a new world and have to tell us everything so we can move on in the series. It wasn’t totally bad, but I suspect each book after this one will get better. I ended up adoring Landon and Ivy and can’t wait to meet more characters in this new world the author as created.

The Delight

A nerdy hero, looking for long-term relationship signs up with a dating agency only to show the heroine being nerdy doesn’t mean you are bad in bed. The lusty love scenes left me breathless wanting to grab up my own geeky man!

When given a chance to read Searching for Perfect by Jennifer Probst, I jumped. I loved her book, The Marriage Bargain and couldn’t wait to have a chance to read some of her other works. But I do have to admit I never read the premise of the book and when I saw the cover, I did a big *sigh*. Thinking it was a New Adult romance, I struggled to make myself actually pick up the book. HUGE MISTAKE! This book is not New Adult at all. So do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

When geeky Ned decides he wants a wife, kids, basically a love life, he turns to speed dating and totally screws it up. He tried to prepare…skin bronzer (turned orange), worked to late (wore his lab coat stained with coffee), long hair (his brother said chicks dig long rocker hair), coke bottle glasses (because nothing is being stuck in his eyes). Not that appearance is everything, but Ned blurts out whatever comes to mind and often at the advice of his older brother Connor. Oh, he’s a aerospace engineer as well (think rocket scientist) who adores golf.

Kennedy is part owner of Kinnections, a match making agency. Fighting an abusive childhood filled with weight gain and loss, Kennedy has built herself into a confident well balanced woman (if only in her own mind). She plans to just set Ned straight on his rudeness, but finds her diamond in the rough. Now she only has to remake this nerd into a catchable date. Never mind that with each step in the process she falls a little more under his spell.

OMG!!! I fell so in love with Ned turned Nate! Nate has his heart in such a good place. His mother left his father when he was eight. So you would think he would have a bad attitude about women. Nope, Connor got all that. Nate actually wants to try find a woman to share his life with. He’s not a virgin, but he is inept at social interaction. He can quote Cosmo, but also references erotica and he totally knows how to work a woman’s body.

Part of his study to understand women included a range of erotic novels and how to manuals to guarantee  perfect sexual stamina and performance. ~Nate

His heart is in the right place. He believes in his brother who practically raised him even though he is a total dickwad. Putting up with all the torture Kennedy puts him through to chance the outside, I almost came through the book to smack three women when they used shock therapy on him. I am not a fan of golf, but Man, Nate makes me want to get out there and try it, clear my mind and just live in the moment.

Kennedy hit home with me at the heart. Overweight as a teen, led to some abuse from bullies that I can remember even if mine wasn’t to the degree hers was. While she turned her weight around into a healthier lifestyle, she denies herself the simple joys of living. (Maybe I should deny myself some of those simple joys more often). Every day is a battle, not looking into mirrors and never taking relationships seriously as she coaches her clients into long term relationships.

“Golf is good. Anything else?”

 

He pulled back his shoulders. “Books.”

 

She scribbled something. “Reading is a definite plus. What were the last three books you read?”

 

“The Kama Sultra. The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty. Fifty Shades of Gray.”

 

The pen stilled. Her mouth opened, and her tongue slid over her lower lip. Ah yes, he’d finally elicited a feminine reaction. He tamped the flood of satisfaction. She was his matmaker, intent on finding him his soul-mate. No reason to muddy the waters by crushing on her like a schoolboy. Still, he enjoyed the dilation of her pupils as she processed his statement.

What grabbed me was Nate saw her. He saw the beauty she is, was and will always be on the inside as well as the outside. He saw her. There are some scenes where he forces her to see herself for more than her outer shell that broke my heart but also built me up to what a good man should be. When he admits to her he loves her, I almost broke down and cried. I highlighted that part and I so want to share it, but really I want to save it for you to read. It will break and mend you heart wanting your man to say this to you.

And Nate went on to fill all my sexual fantasies for Kennedy…I mean I needed a cold shower after he was done.

While I went in not expecting to like this book, I came out adoring this book as one of the best books I have read this year. I recommend everyone read this romance. It is deeper than the surface, but not overblown with too much darkness. It has funny parts, sexy parts and deeply emotional parts that will leave you breathless in the end.

The Delight

With the bad guys and Beryl still lose, a dark force threatening Kellan and Mac, and a mating denial, this is one octane flowing book that keeps you on the edge. Adrenaline rush from beginning to end!

After finishing up Primal Law, I found myself on another road trip and looking for a good book to listen to.Scrolling through my huge list of audio books, I jumped on the chance to get into the Alpha Pack world again. I ended up listening to over half of this book then switching to the book to finish it. Now I can’t wait to jump into book 3!

In Primal Law we left our hero Aric having been captured by the bad guys wanting to torture, test on and rape paranormal creatures. Alpha Pack is hunting them down to get him back, but also possibly a teammate they thought perished in the first scene of Primal Law, Micah. With very few leads, Jax is feeling guilty for choosing to save his mate, Kira, over saving Aric. So Aric is in a bad place being tortured by his step-sister Beryl, who was also Jax’s first love turned enemy who set them up. During Aric’s captivity he scents Micah, but with silver bars on his cage, there is no way to save either one of themselves without Alpha Pack coming from them.

Rowan Chase doesn’t believe her younger brother, Micah, is dead. An empty casket and too many questions plague the LAPD officer and dream walker. On information she receives from her contact, she heads out to Wyoming to find him, only to find Alpha Pack’s headquarters. While they come clean with her on who and what they are, she is determined to save her brother.

When the mission goes off without a hitch, Micah is back in the Alpha Pack fold, but has long way to recover. Sparks fly between Aric and Rowan, with their first love scene happening in their dreams. Aric’s supernatural power is fire, so when his temperature starts rising, they are concerned but don’t realize at first what is happening. Slowly they figure out the Rowan is Aric’s mate and the suspense starts to roll in as Aric won’t tell Rowan and force her to choose him.

With the bad guys and Beryl still lose, a dark force threatening Kellan and Mac, and a mating denial, this is one octane flowing book that keeps you on the edge. Rowan feels the pull to Aric. Aric feels unworthy of love after what Beryl has done to them all. Guilt flows all around in this book, but so does the fun times that balance it quite nicely.

So here is what I don’t like unfortunately. We still don’t know who is actually running the whole Alpha Pack. Nick replaced Terry after the massacre in the first book. But we don’t really know who Nick reports too. There was some mention of someone who contacted Rowan, but other than that, we are clueless where they get intel or who they report too. At least in this book, they didn’t keep running into traps.

Second, I am tired of these alphas denying their mates the choice of if they want to mate. Aric takes it upon himself to decide and almost dies. Jax wasn’t much better in the first book. I can only hope the next book the alpha gets a clue. It was all ok for them to have sex, just not take it where nature wanted it to go.

Now the side story of Kellan and Mac is driving me crazy. I can’t tell if they are mates or if they are just good friends. Kellan has some bad things going on that make me want to come in and protect him.

While I wanted to love Aric, I just couldn’t. He wasn’t a bad guy, he just wasn’t my dreamy hero type. Rowan was more cop than woman it seems from the start. She doesn’t really know she is a dream walker until she discusses the whole paranormal thing with Nick and realizes both Micah and she shared a similar supernatural power. She feels the pull to Aric, admits it, and accepts the world pretty easily. But in the end she really cares for her little brother and would do anything to protect him.

Alpha Pack is a guilty pleasure, but also one I note too many problems with. I love the alpha men and want all their stories, I just want some more common sense about missions and love to smack them upside the head. I am continuing with the series because I have so many unanswered questions still. I just hope we can grow into hierarchy that explains what is going on. The action is as much of the excitement as the romance, so I need it to grow some.

Already confused...guess I should have read book 1 first.

This is the best book I have read in 2014 hands down. I needed this kind of boost. To laugh. To cry. To love. To get aroused. To just plain hit on every emotion in me unlike the Psy usually are. I can't wait for everyone to get his book on release day!

Glad to be back in the Psy-Changling World.

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Theirs to Cherish by Shayla Black 
Series: Wicked Lovers, book #8 
Genres: BDSM, M/F/M, Romantic Suspense 
Published by Berkley, Heat 
Published on March 4, 2014 
Pages: 400 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | ARe | Goodreads 
Rating:  

Theirs to Cherish by Shayla Black is the eighth installment in the Wicked Lovers series. This series has been hit or miss with me as I find the men at times very overbearing even if they are Doms. This one throws two Doms and one submissive at you who is on the run.

The Story…

Callie Ward is on the run for the murder of her father and sister when she was at the tender age of sixteen. On the run from both the law and the guys who really committed the murder. Always one step ahead, but that is all about to end after the fours years she has felt safe inside the walls of Club Dominion.

Sean Kirkpatrick is a young Dom who has collared Callie when Master Mitchell Thorpe (owner of Club Dominion) has passed her over. Sean has been sent in to by the FBI to watch Callie, but not to arrest her. He suspects there is more going on that what they have told him, but as months go by, he falls under her spell. But he can’t break down the walls she has placed around her emotions and past to protect herself.

Master Mitchell Thorpe is drawn to Callie, but won’t fall under her spell completely having been burned enough by an ex-wife and horrible father. He pushes Callie away, but figures out who she is, protecting her from everyone…except Sean.

The Characters…

Callie is in her 20s and has found a family within Club Dominions walls, but she can never truly submit. Realizing her time is up, she goes on the run, inciting a race against time for the two men to find her…and punish her from running. Callie in a way is very innocent and naive about relationships, but very mature and street ready to hide from all those that would harm her. She really is submissive, but I am not sure she totally is right for two men as her sassy side will keep her tush warmed almost constantly.

Sean is a young FBI agent who is good at his job. He is new to the BDSM world. I wouldn’t say un-knowledgable, but he still has a lot to learn. Loving Callie is easy for him and he has ingenious ways of getting to her when Thorpe separates them. Loyal and protective, he is a good match for Callie.

Mitchell is older, and thinks he is too old for Callie. He holds his heart close and doesn’t want to have it broken again. He started Club Dominion after a successful business career, but a dismal marriage. He feels broken, like he can’t offer a woman what she needs because his heart is stone. He can dominate, but he doesn’t form relationships until he protects Callie even after what he knows.

The BDSM…

Having two Doms is tough. Double the punishments, double the pleasure. Sean came across weak at times, but it was also part of his cover. In the months he has collared Callie, he never has sex with her. He wanted her to open up to him and withheld the act until he got what he wanted.

Thorpe has her once in the club in his bed, but he walks away. You get the feeling he won’t let himself fall, but he also doesn’t want anyone to have her.

When Callie runs, these two go after her and torment her body with pleasure but also punishments that after I while I kind of want to smack the shit of these two over. I guess I don’t believe in her being punished for running. I don’t believe she should be punished for having an opinion. While they like her sassy side, it felt like she got in trouble for that sassy side.

There isn’t much talk about limits, likes, wants, needs. It just happens as the story goes along. Thorpe does what he thinks is right or basically what he wants. Sean does everything to make Callie happy and Callie does anything these men want.

My Thoughts…

I enjoyed the intrigue portion of Theirs to Cherish, but felt the love scenes were a little much. Two dominant males who aren’t friends come together to love one woman, to dominate her. It just felt off and not natural.

The BDSM felt forced, and Callie was a little sappy. She fell in love with these two very easily, but then she also struggled with loving two men, one of which she was unsure could love her back.

I wanted to love this story, but some of the weaknesses of a menage relationship with two dominants pushed it past the point of total enjoyment.

Should two men in a menage relationship be friends? 
Are two Dominants, one to many or two too many? 
Does adding in a race to stay alive make the a story better?

What a Woman Wants by Judi Fennell 
Series: Manley Maids, book #1 
Genres: Contemporary Romance 
Published by Berkley 
Published on March 4, 2014 
Pages: 336 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 

Manley Maids just got the “Man” in Manley. When the Manley brothers get together for a friendly, but high stakes game of poker, their sister joins in and wins the pot. Mac’s wager was to clean their houses for a month or they have to work for Manley Maids for a month…good thing Mac wins! First up to work for Manley Maids is Sean. Thus starts What a Woman Wants by Judi Fennell.

Pinning all his hopes on obtaining a mansion below market value has Sean Manley in a Manley Maids uniform, cleaning and fixing up the place upon the death of the matriarch. He just needs to close the deal and open the bed and breakfast resort that will make him rich. Just one problem. A long lost granddaughter shows up making him re-evaluate what needs to be done.

Livvy Carolla has lived all of her life being unwanted. So when her biological kicks the bucket and leaves the estate to her, she moves in with all of her “family”. Make that her farm animals and dogs. Each one had a name and personality that left me confused and scratching from having animals in the mansion. Imagine Sean’s surprise when Livvy arrives with a load of animals…and a thunderstorm on the way. They take up residence in the house and basically start about destroying it.

But Livvy’s grandmother didn’t go out with a hitch. She set up a scavenger hunt for Livvy to find out about her roots. If she completes the hunt within the set time period, she inherits it all. If not, then it is open to Sean to buy. The key part is Livvy doesn’t know who Sean is, nor about his disability through the majority of the story. So this leaves Sean with a conundrum in letting Livvy know who he is, helping her or even trying thwart her to get what he wants.

Sean really does redeem himself through the story. He falls in love and battles his need to prove he can make it big. He has to make tough choices. Livvy shows him there is more than money in life, but I just never really got into her character. It felt pushy at times. I understood her life wasn’t the easiest. She had no one who loved her or looked after her, so she kept Sean at a distance at times. She made her own business, but those animals just got on my nerves unlike how Sean grew to love them.

These two click and click often ::wink:: if you get my drift. It is more sweet than sexy. Sugary than hot. But they do it a lot.

In the end I loved Sean, but never really grew to like Livvy much. Now I look forward to the other Manley Maids finding their loves and cleaning houses!

Unwound by Lorelei James 
Series: Mastered, book #2 
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance 
Published by Penguin Group 
Published on March 25, 2014 
Pages: 384 
Format: eARC 
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads 
Rating:  

The Delight

I fell in love with the backbone that Amery grew in this story and the fact that Ronin has to face his own mortality. These two learn to grow and evolve into more than just a couple in a bed.

In Bound, Lorelei James wove a story of Ronin and Amery. Sexual tension during a class, draws these two together through events that drew Amery deep into Ronin’s spell. While she bared her soul to him and accepted his darker side, Ronin holds his past close to his chest. At the end of Bound, Amery has learned who Ronin really is and breaks off with him for what she feels was lies.

Falling deeper into underground fighting, Ronin starts a road of destruction that leads him to Amery’s doorstep one night, extremely injured. While Amery still cares, she won’t let him walk all over her any more. Determined to show her he can’t live without her, he bends very little over a long while. Knowing if he loses Amery, he loses everything, he tries to open up to her and let her in.

While Japanese rope bondage was a big part of the first book, it takes a slightly lighter role in Unwound. Martial arts fighting becomes a big focus and just how far Ronin has pushed his body and how the body is pushing back. Ronin must take a less active role in professional fighting and he starts to continue to withdraw and keep Amery out. While she supports him, she doesn’t take everything he says as law. She confronts him and pushes him to let her in. She won’t go back to what they had when they started.

What I loved about Unwound over Bound is we get both sides of the story this time. Going inside Ronin’s mind was probably more interesting to me than Amery’s. He is a complex man who didn’t really have a childhood. He doesn’t want his family’s business, but he has tons of money. He has thrown himself into discipline, fighting and bondage. And Amery throws out the discipline while at the same time harnessing it for the bondage.

What I also loved about this two part books was the bondage. There wasn’t any real BDSM with the pain, submissive tendencies. This was bondage and culture. Amery allows herself to be submerged deeper into the culture within the Japanese bondage that was interesting to learn and delve into. And I loved how Ronin truly worshiped Amery wanting to protect her, but at the same time she evoked deep passion that often times spilled too far over.

The secondary characters also made this much more enjoyable. I am hoping we find out what happens to Ronin’s sister and his second in command. Or Amery’s employee. Or the new partners Ronin has taken on. They all made me want to get to know them more. Please let there be more books in this series!

The story is sizzling sexy! Darkly, passionate…and just darn so much more that I could imagine when I finished Bound. The story comes full circle and trust is grown from where it was torn. A must read!