Control (Trojans MC #1) by Sam Crescent

☆☆☆☆

Published
January 4, 2015
Publisher
Evernight Publishing
Genre
Contemporary Romance
Word Count
41,430
Pages
160
Author’s Page
https://samcrescent.com/

Holly watched her parents struggle and even though she loves them she wants something different, outside of the Trojan MC. Duke on the other hand, wants Holly, she belongs to him and they both know it.

I am coming into this review with mixed emotions and I think some of those are because I have been struggling to put my thoughts together when it comes to Control. I like the story line that takes place outside the bedroom and I discovered the first mom that would serve as a great poster child for why some parents need to be licensed to be parents. Matthew is genuinely lucky to have his dad, granted MC life with the choices they make are not exactly a shining example of a good parent but Duke loving his son and being there emotionally and physically are clear signs of a good parent.

I don’t like the Dawg crew, their cowards that abuse women and children, that need to be locked in their kennels, stuffed in their dog house then barricaded in their kennel. The Dawg crew is mentioned several times and when they finally turned up, they just sucked.

I did like Control but I am not sure if I will ever read it again so to error on the side of not ever reading it again, I am only going with a 4-star rating. I can always change it in the future if I do read the story again.

Heat
Control has steamy and tasteful bedroom scenes that don’t take up most of the entire book or destroy the whole plot of the story. But then again there is a bedroom scene about every 2 to 3 chapters (Duke is a bit of a horn dog), not a big deal if one is cool with a lot of hot steamy sex fogging up the tablet or burning up the pages of a book.

Book Cover
I usually don’t do this (I prefer sharing a quote or 2) but there is a point to it and needs to be shared. Below is the description of the Trojan MC emblem from Control.

Their insignia was of a horse with two Glocks pointing toward each other.

Now, please, look at the cover, does the Trojan MC emblem on the cover match that description from the book. I know that the publishing company chose the cover design but seems like they didn’t bother reading it or they just totally disregarded AND disrespected the book and the author when designing the emblem and adding it to the cover.

Blurb Rating
As I was prepping this review, I read the blurb (Which I copied from BookStrand) again then I had to go back to Amazon and Barns & Noble because I just had a WOW moment because both site sensor my reviews for inappropriate language, even if I am sharing quotes, something I no longer do on those book store sites (talk about total violation of freedom of speech/writing). So, imagine my surprise when I spot the word ‘fuck’ in the blurb when Amazon and B&N won’t even publish my review if that word is in there. Don’t get me wrong I totally applaud the author for posting the blurb and thank her for sharing the hypocrisy of both book stores.

Book’s Blurb
Duke has wanted Holly for a long time but she was too young, too innocent, and he was married. Now, she’s older and he has waited long enough. She is going to be his.

Holly grew up in the MC life. Her father was once president of the Trojans MC before he handed the gavel over to Duke. She refuses to become part of the life like her mother has. Being an old lady is the last thing she wants to become.

He has bided his time and now he will not let her go. Holly is his to control, to fuck, to love. He’ll do everything in his power to claim his woman but what will happen when Holly finds out the truth about the club?

When his ex-wife tries to hurt her, Duke will have to make a choice. Can he kill the mother of his child or will he protect the woman who owns his heart?

Be Warned: anal play, public exhibition, spanking

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
SMASHWORDS (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 
KOBO 
BARNS & NOBLE 

A Stranger She Has Always Known by Emma Anderson

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
March 4, 2014
Publisher
Siren Publishing
Genre
Erotica Paranormal Romance
Word Count
37,447
Pages
130

I have read A Stranger She Has Always Known several times and I am so excited to write this review. It’s a great story and Jasmine is an awesome character with a craptastic mother and a perv for a step brother.

I really liked how Jasmine rolled with the punches when she learn her best friend’s (Luc) secret and that his brother, Dominic, is her mate. She was pretty calm when she learns her mother and step brother are so determined to get their hands on her inheritance that they are willing to kill her for it. I think Luc and Dominic’s over protectiveness is hilarious up until it becomes a serious life and death matter. I think my very favorite part was when Jasmine wiped the floor with Catherine the delusional, that was an epic moment in the book.

I think my only complaint is about the name ‘Simon’. To me a Simon is a person with glasses and pocket protector and a sweet disposition, so, you can imagine the horror of learning that one can actually be a horrible, evil piece of butt fudge. There are very few to no edits so I won’t complain about those, especially after reading the story so many times.

Heat
The genre claims A Stranger She Has Always Known is erotica however after reading the story several times I think that the term is an over exaggeration of the steaminess of this story. The first bedroom scene takes place several chapters into the book and is not the main theme of this story. In addition, all bedroom scenes were fairly vague and short.

Book Cover
I am not sure why there was a need to have the female model in her underwear. It seems like false advertising, especially since this book is fairly tame in comparison so some of the books that I have read from Siren Publishing. Since it is customary for the publishing companies to chose the cover, I have to wonder what they were thinking when thinking half naked models were appropriate for this particular story, I can’t help but wonder if they actually read the story. I feel bad for the author as she probably had very little choice is the cover design of her own story.

Blurb Rating
The blurb is pretty accurate and a great selling point for A Stranger She Has Always Known, however, there a couple of grammatical errors that should be looked.

Book’s Blurb
After inheriting her grandmother’s estate, Jasmine Carmichael becomes a well sought-after person, for many different reasons. Her mother and stepbrother are after her money, and neither will stop until they get what they want, while her best friend’s brother wants her in his bed. The idea both intrigues and scares her at the same time.

Dominic Richards has spent the last 17 years ignoring his brother’s best friend, only to discover that she’s his mate. Now he has a fight on his hands. He needs to find a way to get to know Jasmine, so when she’s threatened he sees the perfect opportunity.

If only life were that simple. Developing a relationship can be difficult at the best of times, but for Jasmine and Dominic, they have the added pressure of the danger surrounding Jasmine. Will she be given a chance to see what the future holds for her and Dominic, or will her family succeed in killing her first?

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 

Forgotten & Remembered: The Duke’s Late Wife (Love’s Second Chance #1) by Bree Wolf

☆☆☆☆

Published
November 22, 2015
Publisher
Bree Wolf
Genre
Regency Romance
Pages
324
Author’s Page
https://www.breewolf.com/

Rosabel loves her cousins and wishes that her uncle and aunt cared for her even just a little bit. When her uncle informs her, she is to be married to a Duke that she has never met. When she figures out that the only reason Graham married her was to provide a mother for his daughter, she is shocked but after meeting the little girl, who desperately misses her only living parent, Rosabel becomes determined to be the mother the girl desperately needs. Rosabel though a shy woman not willing to makes waves grows in to her maturity and strength in such a gradual way to make it believable. She willing to do anything for that little girl including going to the wall with her husband, Graham.

Graham struggles with his loyalty to his wife and his friend and his growing feelings for his new wife as well as his fear of her rejecting him. Again the author did a great job of making the progression of the character believable and 3 dimensional.

Forgotten & Remembered is a well written regency romance with no editing issues that I noticed. I enjoyed reading the story and look forward to reading other stories in the series. I am also glad to have found this book for the potential future reading choice of my 12-year-old granddaughter. All of the positives of this story make it easy to give Forgotten & Remembered a 4-star rating.

Book Cover
In the process of getting the publishing details for this review and journaling for Forgotten & Remembered I discovered that there are 3 (Amazon and Goodreads) different covers for this book. The one on this review is the one that came with my version of Forgotten & Remembered. I am not a fan of this cover and that is all I plan to say on the subject of the many covers.

Blurb Rating
I purchased this book back in 2016 and since then they have changed the blurb on Amazon. I don’t care for the beginning of either blurb but the nuts and bolts of both blurbs are decent.

Book’s Blurb
One night, they found themselves under some mistletoe.
Now, he owes her a kiss. And she is determined to claim it.

HIS HEART TORN in two, Graham Astor, Duke of Kensington, mourns his wife. As he distances himself from everything that reminds him of happier days lost forever, he comes to realize that there is one thing he cannot run from.

Graham needs a new wife, if only for the sake of his daughter.

DISILLUSIONED WITH LOVE, Rosabel only wishes to not remain a burden to her uncle’s family much longer. After seeing her parents’ love turn against them, Rosabel dreams of an independent life as a governess.

But then a stranger asks for her hand in marriage, and to her utter shock her uncle instantly agrees.
Will Rosabel find love after all? Or will the memory of Graham’s late wife keep him from finding happiness?

***This is not a tale of love at first sight. This is a story of two wounded people, who need to find the strength to face their fears and overcome them in order to find their happily-ever-after. A story filled with drama, joy, emotional turmoil as well as a touch of mystery, that will make you laugh and cry and scream at the characters. A clean Regency Romance with some sizzle!

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

My Best Friend’s Triplet Brothers by Rebel Bloom

☆☆

Published
April 10, 2022
Publisher
Rebel Bloom
Genre
Contemporary Reverse Harem
Pages
216

Sara is on a 2-week vacation to participate in her best friend, Macy’s wedding. She is also recovering from a break up with a two-timing twitter pated twat waffle jerk named Milo. Throw in Macy’s triplet brothers trying to woo her.

The main character spent more time hiding or getting boinked that there really wasn’t a whole lot of substance in between, this is what can happen when reading a story from a first-person point of view. Everything is one dimensional, including the characters, and becomes so boring and it make reading the story tedious (I always wanted to use that word in a sentence). Throw in the edits I found and it becomes an okay story with no real plot and a whole lot of blah blah blah. Unfortunately this story was not worth the $2.99 I spent on it.

Book Cover
I stared at the cover for nearly 30 minutes, trying to decide what I think of it. 30 minutes! A cover should be fit the story… Well, there are triplets and a woman, great that part fits the story line. The rest of the cover is blah, I am not even sure why I bothered exploring the idea of purchasing My Best Friend’s Triplet Brothers.

Blurb Rating
The blurb is rather long and wordy, then again, I am pretty sure it was the reason I spent $2.99 on this book.

Book’s Blurb
Walking into the wrong room and catching one of my best friend’s triplet brothers in the shower was going to cost me EVERYTHING.

Especially since it was her wedding… and I was the maid of honor.

I should have turned around.
Friends never sleep with their friends’ brothers. It’s code.
Instead, Warren gave me pleasure like I’ve never experienced.
Then his brothers joined in on the fun.

Growing up, the triplets always tormented me.
I was the nerdy, awkward girl they teased.
They were arrogant jerks that made my life hell.
Naturally, I wanted nothing to do with them.

But when they touched me, my skin felt like it was on fire.
Every word they whispered in my ear was intoxicating.
I craved them more than I feared the consequences.

Now, it’s only a matter of time until my dark past comes knocking at the door,
and all of my dirty little secrets are revealed.

The Strickland Brothers may have my heart,
but do they love me enough to pick up its broken pieces?
Can I save my friendship and her wedding before it’s too late?

18+ Only. Standalone contemporary reverse harem romance with a HEA.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

His Wolf’s Choice by Mary Goldberger

☆☆☆

Published
August 16, 2019
Publisher
Mary Goldberger
Genre
Paranormal Romance
Pages
387
Author’s Page
https://www.facebook.com/GoldbergerMary/

Daya left home to go to school and get away from her uncle’s closed minded and narcistic pack members. She missed her Uncle Jordan but she was done with packs then she had a class with Professor Kala. She suspected her professor was a wolf shifter and when she went to the professor home for a study group she was disappointed to confirm her suspicions. Then she learns that not all packs are like her uncle’s.

I really like most of the characters in His Wolf’s Choice, they are thought out and well developed and it’s hard to choose favorite character even the not so good characters, and believe me, they are definitely worthy of intense dislike and contempt. I notice the same thing last year when I read another book by Mary Goldberger. The difference between Second Love and His Wolf’s Choice is that Mary kept better track of all her characters in this book.

I truly like the story line, there is so much potential and originally I was going to give the story 2 stars because the version of His Wolf’s Choice that I have has a huge number of edits and when I went to the books page on Amazon to get some information for this review I noticed there was an updated version of His Wolf’s Choice. I downloaded that updated version and compared some of the edits I saw from my original version to this updated version and I noticed that the last few chapters where Kala’s name changed to Kaya was fixed and this is great and some of the punctuation errors were also fixed and that is great. Because the author is trying to improve the story, I am giving His Wolf’s Choice 3 stars, however there were still edits needed and from what I read in the updated version there were still edits needed and there are some holes that need to be filled in so that chapters don’t feel like they are incomplete or something is missing. I honestly, think that the author could use a really good group of proof readers to go through her stories with a fine-tooth comb and give her honest feed back to help her with all of that.

Heat
There isn’t really any heat to His Wolf’s Choice but I think that is because according to Amazon the reading age is 16 to 18 years of age. I think because there are bedroom scenes that are practically non graphic but still have sexual innuendo that the age line should be 18 and up. That is the mom and Grandma in me coming out, especially now that my granddaughter has seen that I have a blog.

Book Cover
The cover is interesting and probably the biggest reason I even gave this book a chance, I am glad I did. On a personal not I am grateful that this cover is tame into comparison to some of the others on my blog because when my granddaughter discovered I had a blog she asked my WHY I had a blog with a bunch of “hoochie men” on it and I had to explain that they were book covers. Of course she tells her mom and then I am asking where my 12 year old granddaughter learned the word “hoochie” while she and my daughter laugh hysterically. Oh well that’s life lol.

Blurb Rating
The book blurb is short and subtle which is interesting, I do think it needs some editing in the punctuation department. For example: who is the “he” referring to? If “he” is part of the story then maybe his name should be in the blurb… Just a thought.

Book’s Blurb
Daya moved on with her life after her mate broke their bond. Being human, she was deemed unworthy for someone like him. So, why did the man who walked in her professor’s class stirred something inside her even when she discovered the truth?

Her smell enticed him the second he walked into the room…his wolf growled in contentment. Who was this woman…and why did she call to his wolf? **

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

Finding a Home by A. B. Lee

☆☆☆☆

Published
May 9, 2014
Publisher
A. B. Lee
Genre
Paranormal Romance
Pages
110

I bet Anna probably felt a bit like a yoyo, with Nicks whole go away, no wait come back moment. I think it was admirable that he wanted to honor his deal with the other Alpha but seriously, I think he should have manned up and told Anna the truth before he dismissed her. Who knows it could have made for a better, longer more 3-dimensional storyline. Unfortunately, we shall never know because for what ever reason the author pulled the book off Amazon and I am not sure why. Yes, Finding a Home needs some edits but the story line is strong with the potential to be stronger and longer and the characters were likable, well, except for the douchebag bad guys.

Heat
There is some heat in both the woods and the bedroom but it wasn’t anything like steam coming off my tablet.

Book Cover
Purple and black are two of my favorite colors.

Blurb Rating
The blurb does sell the book.

Book’s Blurb
Anna knew to stay away from anything supernatural. Covering her Fae scent with a spell and a ton of chemicals she’d gone undetected in a town full of shifters, and then someone tried to kill the Alpha’s sister. Anna was a healer, it was her gift and she couldn’t turn her back on the young She-Wolf as she lay dying. Coming to the attention of the Alpha wasn’t in her game plan. Now she had, she needed to move on.

Nick wasn’t best pleased to find a Fae in his town that he hadn’t known about. He was even less pleased to find out that she was his mate, especially as he was to blood bond with the Alpha’s daughter from another pack to secure an alliance against Boden, an Alpha determined to be King. Joining the two packs was the only way to secure their future.

Nick was determined to put his pack first. No matter what the cost, but war was coming and everyone was about to get caught up in it. And Boden had an ace up his sleeve that nobody had seen coming.

Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly (More Desire, Oklahoma #2) by Leah Brooke

☆☆☆☆

Published
December 13, 2013
Publisher
Siren Publishing
Genre
Erotic Consensual BDSM Romance
Word Count
33,577
Pages
107
Author’s Page
https://leahbrooke.net/

Kelly and Blade have been trying to have a baby with unsuccessful result until recently, but complications arise that put mom and baby in jeopardy. Blade doesn’t that Kelly can handle their life style anymore and just like in the beginning of their relationship (see book 2 of the original series) he makes decisions and choices without even comminating with her. I guess some people never learn, lol.

I felt like Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly was a more detailed book then Desire for Three: Winning Back Jesse. Not only was Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly longer it also included several other characters from the original series, Desire, Oklahoma which was nice. The addition of other main characters fills out the story line, making it a well-rounded story that covers a lot ground as well as maintains continuity between Blade’s Desire and Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly.

Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly was basically well written, I didn’t find any editing issues as I read which I was excited about, although, my husband might beg to differ because I was up late reading this story. I lost track of time because there were no edits to act as speed bumps to slow down the progress of my reading, kind of like this review (it’s currently 1:27 am). The continuity between this book and its predecessor is fantastic, plus, I like the story line which makes giving Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly 4 stars an easy decision.

Heat
Given the story line the bedroom scenes were reasonably muted but picked a bit near the end but still not a steamy as one would expect from a Leah Brooke story.

Book Cover
I am a big fan of continuity when come to series and apparently that includes book covers (who knew? Not me, until now). After looking at the cover for Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly then looking at the cover for Blade’s Desire I felt like the covers lack continuity but that falls on the publishers for using dissimilar models for the cover of Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly. Now on the flip side of that I do like the cover for Blade’s Desire: Adoring Kelly better then the cover for its predecessor Blade’s Desire which was bland and unappealing.

Blurb Rating
Blurbs are a great thing when not being used to tell practically the whole story before the reader actually dives into the actually story, just saying, less is more.

Book’s Blurb
Kelly Royal has learned the pleasure of submitting under her husband’s gentle, but firm, hand, but Blade’s interest in dominating her seems to be gone forever. Going into labor a month early scared the hell out of her, and despite Blade’s efforts, he couldn’t hide his own fear—especially when things go terribly wrong.

Unable to forget the image of her pale and unmoving form in the hospital bed, Blade can’t even imagine taking her back into his playroom, and as soon as he brings her home from the hospital, he empties the room, vowing to never dominate her again. His fragile wife has been through enough, and he can’t imagine taking her the way he did before.

Kelly, though, has other plans. She wants her husband back, and frustrated that he thwarts her attempts to take her the way he did before, she takes matters into her own hands.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 

Blade’s Desire (Desire, Oklahoma #2) by Leah Brooke

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
December 18, 2008
Publisher
Siren Publishing
Genre
Erotic Contemporary Romance, Consensual BDSM
Word Count
58,000
Pages
204
Author’s Page
https://leahbrooke.net/

Kelly and Blade’s story actually begins Desire For Three as a background story but continues on in Blade’s Desire with Kelly wanting to move past her traumatic past. She knows she wants Blade but she doesn’t know how much Blade wants her and leads to some crossed wires in communication. Now that I am thinking about it the miscommunication is a result of some BDSM rule breaking. After reading a number of books with BDSM in the relationships, isn’t absolute honesty mandatory in such relationships? Seems to me that both Blade and Kelly should have been more open it would have saved Kelly a lot of heartache and Blade from making a complete mess of things as he made an ass of himself, lol.

Overall, Blade’s Desire is a well written and has many steamy fourplay and sex scenes and very few to no edits and a great story line but I do wish that there was more to the none bedroom storylines, like Simon going after Kelly. Even though I had something kind of negative to say I still feel that Blade’s Desire deserves 5 stars especially since this is not the first time I have been sucked into the story.

Heat
Blade’s Desire has steam rising off my tablet hot, once Kelly gets up the courage to go for it.

Book Cover
Honestly, I probably would have skipped over Blade’s Desire completely because the cover looked unappealing, if I had not already read Desire For Three.

Blurb Rating
The blurb is interesting and gives just enough information to give a taste of the story.

Book’s Blurb
Newcomer to Desire, Oklahoma, Kelly Jones wants to get over her past. Physically and mentally abused, she wants a new start. Falling in love with a self-proclaimed Dom, Kelly wonders if she isn’t in over her head.

But she underestimates Blade Royal’s patience.

Little by little she falls under his spell and soon her body burns with a need she knows only he can fulfill. Her body demands relief so she makes a bargain that has her putting her trust and her body in Blade’s hands for the next six weeks.

Kelly fights to hide her love from him, not knowing he’s already determined to make her his own. Blade knows she has hidden passions that are a perfect match for his own.

He only has to show them to her.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 

Lion’s Love (Confessions of a Mail Order Bride Book 1) by Kate Kent

☆☆

Published
August 6, 2015
Publisher
Lil Black Dress Press
Genre
Paranormal Romance
Pages
73
Author’s Page
https://katekent.com/

Sherry’s co-worker goes behind her back and put her on a dating site, thought the thought behind it is malicious the outcome is positive. Usually when I try to give a small glimpse to what I have read I try my readers something of what I got from the story without giving anything away in the story but I feel like I didn’t succeed in that first sentence so I apologize. The story was so short the only the I could do was be as vague as possible, especially when the blurb pretty much gives the story away.

What there is of Lion’s Love is well written but way to short for the slow burn romance that it is. Most of the communication between the main characters is done through online chatting and barely even touched on and then skips straight to them meeting in person, the mating and the wedding with little to nothing in between. The really sad thing is there is a whole background story that starts with a arson fire that the author barely touched on almost like an afterthought, I wonder if it ties into the other books in the series.

I am going to give Lion’s Love 2 stars because what there is written well and I didn’t see any edits, but the story itself lacked substance and felt incomplete and disappointing.

Book Cover
I like the lion on the cover.

Blurb Rating
I think the blurb is almost as long as the story it self or at least long enough to be cliff notes to the whole story.

Book’s Blurb
Hungry lion meets shy BBW for a roaring good time!
All she’s ever wanted is to find the love of her life. BBW Sherry Cole dreams about the day she will find her true mate, marry and have kids but her natural shyness and a birthmark have eroded her confidence.

Some of her co-workers are mean girls who decide it would be fun to play with Sherry’s love life and they take matters into their own hands signing her up for the ‘Luscious Lads and Ladies Marriage Mates’ site. Luscious Lads and Ladies is a new marriage match site with a twist. All the men on the site are shifters from the rowdy town of Shifter Villages looking for their mate and all the women are looking for shifters in the town to mate with.

When Sherry finds out what her co-workers have done she is in shock. Will she use the opportunity to grab a chance at happiness or let the opportunity slip through her fingers?

Lion’s Love is a BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance. This is a standalone novella and the first story in the Confessions of a Mail Order Bride series. These paranormal romances can be read in any order. The story includes strong sexual themes and language.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

Desire for Three: Winning Back Jesse (More Desire, Oklahoma #1) by Leah Brooke

☆☆☆

Published
August 9, 2013
Publisher
Siren-BookStrand, Inc.
Genre
Erotic Cowboy Menage a Trois Romance
Word Count
20,754
Pages
65
Author’s Page
https://leahbrooke.net/

Desire for Three: Winning Back Jesse is kind of like a fast pit stop to say to a friend because they are on the way to your actual destination. Jesse was insecure about the relationship to begin with after Clay and Rio threw her the curb in the original story so naturally, they should have saw Jesse running from a mile away. It really was very short and not much of a plot, woman confronts men, storms off and sneaks out window, men freak out and chase woman then bring her home, where they all talk then have steaming hot sex. Some of that sounds very cavemanish but there it is in a 65 page nut shell.

Was it worth the money and time? Well, it was nice to make a quick pit stop to visit old friends but it was not a long enough visit and more time would have been nice.

Book Cover
The is no other way to say this then THE COVER SUCKS. The female model clearly looks very young and what woman in her 40’s dresses like a 16-year-old, whose parents don’t pay attention to her, unless she is a cougar, which Jesse is not. She looks even younger than the female model Desire For Three. The publishers clearly didn’t read the story or they would use age-appropriate models, that fit the story line, for covers.

Blurb Rating
The blurb makes Desire for Three: Winning Back Jesse seem longer than it really is and thankfully doesn’t give away too many details even if it does give away the ending.

Book’s Blurb
Living in Desire, Oklahoma, and married to two incredible men, Jesse Erickson felt her world was perfect, until she walks through the door of her home one day and has her world turned upside down.

Shocked to the core, and with her world crumbling around her, she runs, too shaken to cope.

Clay and Rio Erickson hate keeping secrets from Jesse, but didn’t have a choice

They certainly hadn’t expected their wife to assume the worst and run.

With the help of a friend, they find her, only to face the horror of almost losing her again.

Scared and shaken, they get her home, still reeling from the thought of losing her. Determined to show her the power of their love won’t be easy, but they know just how to get their wife’s undivided attention.

Allowing their dominant sides to rule, they will plow through her insecurities once and for all.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 

Desire for Three (Desire, Oklahoma #1) by Leah Brooke

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
November 14, 2008
Publisher
Siren Publishing
Genre
Erotic Cowboy Ménage a Trois Romance
Word Count
66,500
Pages
228
Author’s Page
https://www.leahbrooke.net/

I am one of those readers who reads every book in a series over again before reading the latest books in a series. It works very well if the series is one of your favorites and as it happens the Desire, Oklahoma series is one of my favorites and it’s always nice to revisit likable characters.

I am standing by my original review but changing the rating to 5 stars because I have read Desire for Three so many times that it is fair to say it is one of my favorites to read every time a new book came out. I am a bit behind in reading the series and looking forward to revisiting the books I have read as well as the new additions. To add this this series the is a series called More Desire, Oklahoma that basically revisits couples from the Desire, Oklahoma series that I will be reading as well. This will be fun.

Original Review
☆☆☆
Posted 6/7/2015
Jesse finally visits her sister and brother-in-law, but she is not the same woman they remember. Her bad marriage had a profound impact and now she is closed up tight. Jake and Nat are concerned so when Clay and Rio take an interest, Nat decides to help them out there by helping her sister.

I have to say if my version of Desire for Three were a paperback it would be dead and in need of being replaced so thank you to the tech gurus for e-readers and e-reading apps. You would think that reading a book once would be enough but nope not happening with this one. I really enjoy books that have more going on than just sex or just the boring blah-blah of talking heads. Now please don’t get me wrong the sex scenes were rocking the bed hot but there was more to this book than that despite the title. I mean who doesn’t love a little miscommunication, blood and guts violence with their book porn.

I really felt for Jesse and Kelly being abused, either by neglect, verbal or physical is no joke and I really like how this author gives Jesse the back bone to stand strong to help herself and her friend Kelly. I also really like how Jesse refused to be a victim of her circumstances, that takes courage, I know women who after so long just can’t escape being the victim and it breaks my heart to watch, even as they try put up that brave tough as nails persona for the outside world. I could really see the fight Jesse had with it, thankfully no one bought it.

There were no stand out quotes but my favorite part was when Jesse kicked the jerk holding her at knife point in the nuts, hot damn that was classic and well written. I do wish that there weren’t as many errors but maybe when Leah gets a chance, she will find them and fix them so I can change the rating that I am going to give Desire for Three.

Book Cover
The cover is rather naughty but then Desire for Three is rather naughty so there you have it. My only issue is that the female model does not fit the description of Jesse who is nearly forty and the mother of a grown son. It would be nice to have publishers actually create covers that fit the story lines.

Blurb Rating
The blurb is well written and is the reason I purchased Desire for Three in 2015.

Book’s Blurb
With her fortieth birthday approaching and a bad marriage behind her, Jessica Tyler wants a fresh start. Marriage left her an emotionless shell and she vows never to get involved with a man again. Giving in to her sister, Jesse agrees to visit her in Desire, Oklahoma. But Desire is a small town unlike any other. Dom/sub and menage relationships are the norm in a town where ranchers and cowboys adore and protect their women in ways that leave Jesse…fascinated. She’s first intrigued, then alarmed when two gorgeous over-protective brothers, Clay and Rio Erickson, rush to claim her for their own. Yanked from her protective shell, threatened by her ex, Jesse is determined to stay strong, even as her two formidable lovers are intent on possessing her. Will her independence be smothered or will love give her the strength to change all three of their lives forever?”

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)
BOOKSTRAND 

Alpha’s Fated Mate by Subhan Ahmed

☆☆☆☆

Published
January 18, 2022
Publisher
Subhan Ahmed
Genre
Paranormal Romance
Pages
464

Sam ran away from the abusive situation, she had been in since she was 12, before it could escalate in to an even worse situation. While on the run to mother’s pack she is rescued by Alpha Matthew.

The storyline for Alpha’s Fated Mate is pretty cool and the characters are likeable, well except for Uncle Lou and his cronies, who really need to be exterminated like the rodents they are. There were also 2 girls, Carrie and Marina, mentioned near the beginning of the story that I thought would create hate and starts fights later in the story but they just dropped off the map so to speak, I thought it odd that they were even brought into the story if they weren’t going to be part off it, especially after their reaction upon seeing Sam. I guess there was enough trouble with Uncle Lou and his perverted son to make those characters superfluous (Sorry, I always wanted to use that word in a sentence) to the storyline.

Down to the rating, there were a few edits but nothing that looked like a tongue twister on steroids gumming up the works and it is possible that I might read Alpha’s Fated Mate again in the future but it’s hard to say today. With that I am going to say 4 stars with that chance to change it in the future if I read it again in the future. I really liked the story and the characters. I think my favorite part of the story would be when Sam goes with Matthew to save who she can save. If I say more then that I will give away the whole story… not happening because I really want you to read it for yourselves.

Book Cover
The first thing I ask myself when I look at the cover is… will it match the story line? After reading Alpha’s Fated Mate the answer in no it does not. First and foremost are the characters, Samantha is 18 and Matthew is 20 and clearly the models on the cover look much older then 18 and 20. Secondly the cover looks more like it belongs on a contemporary romance not a paranormal romance.

Blurb Rating
The blurb for Alpha’s Fated Mate is ok, is not really a blurb it is more like a teaser or a preview. Ok is well okay but it could be better with a little more thought and creativity and teasers and previews are for virtual book tours.

Book’s Blurb
Samantha “Sam” Leilani Madison had barely escaped her abusive Uncle Lou and his demented son, Ralph. Trying to stay hidden, she ran for weeks until one afternoon, starving and dehydrated, she found a small stream where she stopped for a drink when suddenly she heard a twig snap. Her head snapped in the direction of the sound she saw two red eyes watching her. Rogue! Suddenly a large black wolf jumped over her head and killed the rogue, then the most magnificent man she had ever seen stepped out from behind a tree, and the scent that filled her nose, left her lightheaded. Mine!

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

Alpha And Omega ( Alpha & Omega #.50) by Patricia Briggs

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
October 20, 2008
Publisher
Berkley
Genre
Paranormal
Pages
81
Author’s Page
https://www.patriciabriggs.com/

When I picked up Alpha and Omega again, I was surprised because honestly, I thought I had gotten my fill of this book but apparently not. My original review for the most part still stands however my rating does not. For me to keep coming back to this story and reading it through without skipping a page or noticing what ever edits I noticed in the past speaks volumes to the greatness of the story and it truly does deserve 5 stars and a reposting of the review to a more current date. I strongly recommend Alpha and Omega and although it is a sweet romance and basically a clean read (i.e. no graphic sex) there is still some abuse, violence and action and discussions of rape.

Original Review
Posted on August 2, 2016
☆☆☆☆

Anna is an Omega wolf but has no clue what that is or what means thanks to her douche bag Alpha and his equally douchey cronies. It is because of them that she lives in fear and near starvation. When she finally gets up the nerve to call The Marrok, the Alpha of Alpha’s, he sends her to meet his son, Charles, at the airport. When Charles tells her that she is his mate she will do whatever she can to protect him but as for those things that mates do, she tells him she doesn’t like sex.

Alpha And Omega isn’t a very long read but it does cover a fairly large amount of ground when it comes to Anna and Charles making one eager to read the next story in the series that is a spin-off of the Mercy Thompson series (which I have plans to dive into as some point). I think my favorite part is when Anna and Charles are in the restaurant and he is telling her she is his mate and her response is ‘I don’t like sex’ but then who could blame her.

Alpha And Omega is one of those stories that just gets better with every reading and I think I have read it almost twice a year since I purchased it. Although this year’s reading was just as riveting as always the deaths in this story were rather painful this time so thankfully those are near the end of the story. The fact that this is one of my favorites and I have read it several times had me excited to give Alpha And Omega the five-star rating I was planning to give so imagine my disappointment after counting the edits that I found forcing me to give the story a 4-star rating. All the same thank you Patricia Briggs for creating an amazing world of shape shifters and other paranormal creatures.

Quote
“If Leo survives tonight, I shall be very surprised. If I survive you, I’ll be equally surprised.” -Charles

Book’s Blurb
Anna, four years a werewolf, raped, beaten, half-starved and handed from one male to another, places a call from Chicago to the wilds of Montana. She reaches the Marrok, North America’s werewolf ruler, telling him she’s seen a boy, one reported missing and possibly injured. He was in a cage her pack’s Alpha keeps for confining new werewolves.

The Marrok says that his enforcer is flying from Montana to O’Hare. Anna meets the plane, and, Charles, enforcer, as well as the Marrok’s oldest son, insists on staying with her. He has seen she is not the Submissive she thinks she is. Charles is a supreme Alpha, and she is his antithesis, a rare Omega; her very presence lowers tension, calms and soothes. Despite centuries as a Solitary, Charles would wed young Anna. His brother wolf, he says, has already taken her as his mate.

There are, as investigation and confrontation reveal, reasons both for the capture of the boy and for what has been done to Anna. It’s a surprisingly tender story.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

Daddy Biker Bear (Bears of Forest Heights #1) by Roxie Ray

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
August 3, 2021
Publisher
Roxie Ray
Genre
Paranormal Romance
Pages
199
Author’s Page
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoxieRay/

Zo goes to spend a Summer with her aunt and meets Grizz, an alpha beat shifter/biker with more charm than brains and maturity. I say this because if he had, had the brains to use and the maturity to go with it he would have started asking questions instead being a first-class dick when Zo first came to him. Considering she found with his dick in a slut was her first clue that she was beating a dead horse and did what any self-respecting female would do. However, I am surprised that she didn’t demand a DNA test just prove he was the king of the jackasses, then again there is the whole slut on his dick when he learns she is pregnant thing.

I think the author did a great job writing Daddy Biker Bear, she was very focused on feelings and worked on what would be believable. I could almost sense the guilt Grizz was feeling coming off my tablet as I read his side of the story. My only really complaint if you could call it that was the 2 or 3 edits, I found in the process of reading the story, even with those I can see my self reading this book again, in fact in the last week or so of working on this review I have gotten sucked into reading huge section of the story again for that I loan I want to give it 5 stars. I look forward to reading other books in the series and hope her continuity between storylines measures up to her talent in writing this book.

Heat
I wish I could say the Daddy Biker Bear will have you jumping your man or visiting with you BOB but that is not to be. Don’t get me wrong there are bedroom scenes but nothings to get excited about.

Quotes
It feels like it has been a while since I have shared quotes from a book but some of the ones in this book are share worthy.

“I don’t know if you remember or not, but I tried to tell you. Almost ten years ago! If I remember correctly, you basically called me a whore who couldn’t keep her legs shut and kicked me out of your life while another woman was literally on your dick! Given our final conversation, you can’t really blame me for wanting to keep my boy a secret.”—Zo

Book Cover
The cover is pretty cool, I know it is the spirit of the bear but it really looks like there is a bear riding on the back of the motorcycle.

Blurb Rating
I usually bulk at long blurbs because they give away so much of the story but the blurb for Daddy Biker Bear is well worded to give me just enough to spark my curiosity enough to want to purchase this book.

Book’s Blurb
I trusted a shifter with my virginity. Until he got me pregnant. Then he rejected me as his mate.

I was young and naive when I fell hard for bad boy Grizz, a shifter who was hot enough to melt my good girl heart. Big mistake. Because when good girls are naughty, they end up pregnant.

Now I’m back in Forest Heights to care for my aunt with my son Rainer—the son I’ve been raising on my own for nine years because gruff, tough Grizz didn’t believe our baby was possible.

But Rainer is living proof that shifters and humans can have babies, and now he’s showing signs of growing up to be just like his daddy. When Grizz realizes Rainer is his, he says he wants to get to know him. And the problem is, I’ll do anything for my son.

Except open my heart to Grizz again. I won’t be rejected twice. And it’s far too dangerous, especially when a rival biker gang has their sights set on his patch of turf…

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)

The Troublesome Mail Order Bride by Cia Leah

☆☆☆☆☆

Published
April 7, 2014
Publisher
Cia Leah
Genre
Western Contemporary Romance
Pages
64

I pulled the original review back when I was looking to do better and honestly after reading the first review, I am really glad I did. It gave me a chance to revisit The Troublesome Mail Order Bride, it is still a great story.

The blurb gives so much away that I will just stick to my thoughts on The Troublesome Mail Order Bride so I don’t give away even more. I really like Shannon; she is hilarious and will keep Wyatt on his toes for life and I think Wyatt needs that. I also thought Shann’s siblings were a hoot and then sum especially when they drag Wyatt’s brother into the mix, I really hope there will be more stories related to this book.

Yes, the story is very short, I read it in about 2 hours with no interruptions, so it is a great book for catching up your reading count for any challenges you may be participating in.

I am going to stand by my previous rating of 5 stars, even though I did find some quote marks in the wrong places, because I have read this book before and really enjoyed it and I most definitely will be revisiting it again in the future.

Original Review
Posted on 5/10/2014
☆☆☆☆☆
Short book so it will be a short review. I almost put this book down but I am sure glad I didn’t, I spent most of my time with this book laughing and I look forward to reading it again in the future.

Blurb Rating
In this case I have to say less is more because the blurb for The Troublesome Mail Order Bride is basically told the whole story which is already pretty short, that said after reading the story and reading the blurb again I am left wondering why I purchased the book when I could get the story from the blurb.

Book’s Blurb
Novella length western romance.

Wyatt Larken found the mail order bride he thought would make his life complete. He wanted a woman who would settle down with him on the ranch, love him, bear his children, and live a quiet life. On the day his mail order bride was to arrive, the stage was held up by the Dooby Gang and the stagedriver left her stranded with the outlaws, hightailing it back to town.

Wyatt couldn’t believe the stagedriver when he told him Shannon was giving the outlaws a piece of her mind, citing the Ten Commandments to them, giving him time to get away. When Wyatt went after her, he found her walking back to town and she was in no mood to get wed that day.

Little did he realize that the quiet life he imagined was fraught with danger from the Dooby Gang. When his new wife’s sisters and brothers arrived to protect her and bring down the outlaw gang, he’d never seen a family like hers and found that trouble followed Shannon and her family.

Purchase Links
AMAZON (Affiliate Link)