REVIEW: Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) – Kristen Ashley

Released: April 23rd, 2011

Lauren Grahame has spent her whole life thinking something special was going to happen. She didn’t know what it was, she just knew it would one day be hers. But she learned the hard way that special wasn’t on offer.

So, after divorcing her cheating husband, Lauren searched for nothing special and she thought she found it when she landed a job as a waitress in a biker bar in Carnal. It was perfect: a nothing job in a nowhere bar in Nowheresville.

Then Tatum Jackson walked in. Part-owner of the bar, he took one look at high-class Lauren and wanted nothing to do with her. And he made this known, loudly.

Tate’s angry insults seared in her brain, Lauren decides the feeling is mutual and she doesn’t want anything to do with the gloriously handsome Tate Jackson. The clash of the bartender and barmaid begins but, even though Tate makes his change of mind clear (in biker-speak, a language Lauren is not fluent in), Lauren is intent on going her own way.

Until a serial killer hits Carnal and Lauren finds out Tate isn’t a bartender, he’s a bounty hunter. He stakes his claim for Lauren before he goes on the hunt for a killer but Laurie doesn’t speak biker nor does she understand bounty hunters and Tate comes back from the hunt to find his old lady has moved on.

Life throws curveball after curveball at Laurie and Tate. As secrets are revealed, women are brutally murdered, and Lauren tries to find her inner biker babe.

"You live with a storm cloud, you learn to find the bright side."

Another fucking amazing book from the Colorado Mountain series. Seriously, these mountain dudes really know how to work it. Tate is fucking awesome (mostly because he fucks up then grovels, and also 'cause he's hot) and God, Lauren is such a sweetheart with her naivety and friendliness. 

We start off with Lauren who takes off when she finds out that her douche of an now-ex-husband was cheating on her with her fucking best friend. I know, total douchewaffle. She wanders around for a while until she settles into a little town called Carnal. Finding a job as a waitress at Bubba's, she had to sass Krystal into letting her in. Then she met another douche, as if her husband wasn't enough.

None other than Tatum Jackson.

Christ, he really was a prick. I wanted to punch him straight through the face when I heard what he said about Lauren. I mean, come on, man, nobody – and I mean nobody – should say that to a woman. Fuck, but he did. And thus begins the tale of a sweet, sweet love-hate relationship between the two.

But Lauren… well, let's just say her ex-husband had fucked with her mind. Like really bad. But Tate's working on it.

"Special doesn't exist. So the best you can do is find real. I found real, Brad, and I like it."

Basically her and Brad's relationship is the gif above. Sick it to him, Laurie!

And Tate, wow, he has a way with words. Yes, he may seem really crude (which I love my men like) but he's got a way of making you feel really special.

"I'm gonna piss you off 'cause I can be a dick. That's who I am. And you're gonna piss me off 'cause, babe, you got attitude. That's who you are. And that's who we're comin' out to be together. And I'm all right with that because, with what I had before, even when you're a bitch, I like it. But when you're not, it's a sweetness like I've never tasted."

I think I just barfed in my mouth over how cute this shit is. I mean, really? Can you be any more realistic and romantic? Realistic and romantic don't fit together unless it's put together by Tate Jackson. Goddamn man.

The serial killer also adds to the intensity of the whole situation and the last few chapters were crazy. As in crazy crazy. You would not expect that person, wow. Definitely worth reading!

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

     

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Jagged (Colorado Mountain #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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REVIEW: The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) – Kristen Ashley

Released: April 18th, 2011

Love is the greatest gamble of all . . . 

Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can't even remember how she takes her coffee, Nina wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a gorgeous man at her rental cabin, Nina's cold, lonely adventure suddenly heats up.

The owner of the house, Holden "Max" Maxwell is surprised by the beautiful woman who turns up at his door. But when Nina becomes ill, Max spends days nursing her back to health. A private man with a broken heart, Max finds himself drawn to the strong-willed woman. Soon it becomes impossible for Nina and Max to deny their growing attraction to one another. Yet even as these two wounded lovebirds think about taking a chance on a relationship, a dangerous secret from Max's past emerges-and threatens to end their love for good.

"Thank you for showing me it was worth taking a gamble again, darling."

Kristen Ashley is the ultimate creator of badass, dirty mouthed alpha males. Hones to God, all her men are so addictive, smoking hot, and completely badass and possessive. In The Gamble, we get Max who's gone through so much in so little time. And also Nina, very high class, very sweet, and very confused. Together, they have the kind of chemistry that would suck the air right out of the room (in a definite good way).

Sweet mama, I wouldn't have read this series if it wasn't for my best friend (God bless you, woman). When I read the blurb, I thought it was just going to be an "ehh, okay" kind of book instead of a "wow, okay" kind of book. But I was wrong. So wow, okay.

Like every other of Kristen's books, this one is written from Nina's point of view and we see her as an introduction to the novel with her car being stuck in a ditch and her reservations for lodgings being cancelled by none other than Max himself.

But loved, loved, loved Nina's character! She's very independent, smart, and she sticks up for herself. Like other Ashley heroines, she's also a little lost somewhere and so, with the help of Max, she finds herself again.

I. Fucking. Love. Her. She knows just the right things to say.

"We girls, we're tough, darling. Soft on the outside but, deep down, we're tough. DOesn't feel like it now but none of this is going to beat you."

But then when she holds grudges, it's hi-lar-i-ous! Definitely don't wanna get on her bad side.

"Maybe plot how I'll drug and kidnap my father, drive him to the next state and dump him outside a Police Station with a note pinned to him saying that he killed JFK and was there to confess."

In comes Max with his suave ways. He was a dick at first, like most guys are, but then he became the possessive male who came to love Nina in all of her cute high-maintenanced ways. God, when he gets angry but like a good kind of angry (?), it's so hot!

"Not a big fan of my woman running herself down, not even doin' it as a joke. You got an unbelievably pretty face, fantastic fuckin' eyes and a spectacular body."

Um, I think my underwear just flew out the window? Holy. Shit.

Although Max can be annoying at times when he thinks with his dick, but the outcome? WOO-HOO!!! Like really, can you do me? Okay, moving on. Seriously. Okay. Um.

THE ENDING. Yes, let's talk about the ending. Wow, the ending. Did not expect that. Really was surprised. I think the Colorado Mountain series all have a bit of a mystery/action in them which makes it all the more intense and exciting to read. READ IT!!!

MY RATING:

4 – 4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

     

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Gamble (Colorado Mountain #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain #3) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Breathe (Colorado Mountain #4) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Jagged (Colorado Mountain #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

♕ Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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REVIEW: Raw – Belle Aurora

Released: January 2nd, 2014

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

"We're all addicted to something that takes away the pain."

**COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

This twisted novel was one of the most exhilarating, frustrating, goddamn awesome reads I've had this year. The characters all left such a huge impact on me from the main roles to the supporting ones. Each and every one of them was vital to the development of the story. This is a story that absolutely did NOT disappoint. I look forward to more work by Belle Aurora (and possibly a sequel to that horrifying cliffy). Seriously though.

I jsut. The ending killed me okay. IT MURDERED ME. CHOPPED ME UP TO PIECES. 

My first thought after the book ended:

Yes, I was that close to throwing my book (iPad) away after reading that one tiny part. And then it turned into this (which included me rolling in my tears)

Sweet Jesus, this book ruined my life. In a good way. 

I think Belle Aurora's trying to compete with J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins. The SPOILER ALERT character deaths END OF SPOILER tore me APART. Like to pieces. 

Anyway, let's move on to the characters. Wow. Lexi is sweet. She's independent, hard-working and super caring. I remember how much she loved Michael, how she's always so thoughtful and considerate of him. Very motherly. 

Then there's the connection between Lexi and Twitch (yes they call him Twitch). 

He's a raging fire. And I'm a fragile moth fluttering into the flame. Sooner or later, I'm going to get burned. I know this.

AAAAH ALL THE FEELS ARE FLOODING INSIDE ME.

We've also got Twitch who's a mysterious man. Goddamn. He's sexy, gritty, powerful, mm-mm, alpha male too! My kind of man.

There's something about Twitch. He's just… raw. Everything about him is raw. And gritty. And unbound.

Amen to that, sister.

Honest to God, this story was so fucking intense. Like, really intense. It was sort of a dark romance I guess, definitely not as dark as Pepper Winters' (because those are terrifying but fantastic) but this one is equally as awesome!

One teensy problem was the rush in the "I love you" department. However, really fucking good backup with the sexual and emotional chemistry.

Thus, I loved it. And I've been recommending it to everyone I know and now it's also you guys. READ IT!!!

Puh-lease, write a sequel for this! 

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Raw ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

 

Belle Aurora is twenty six years old and was born in the land down under. 

At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown’s Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.

Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love. 

Humorous romance novels.

Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.

Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February this year Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.

With words.

With writing.

With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.

Friend-Zoned is the first in the Friend-Zoned series. Keep an eye out for this cheeky author.

Check her out in these sites:

Facebook | Twitter

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REVIEW: The Saint (The Original Sinners #5) – Tiffany Reisz

Released: June 24th, 2014

In the beginning, there was him.

Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn't want to break. She's sick of her mother's zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she'll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Søren Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they're apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can't be right.

But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets.

Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.

"It begins with a whimper but ends in a bang."

**COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

Never have I ever felt so much pain and happiness and frustration all at the same time when reading a book until Tiffany Reisz came along. The Original Series has continued to wow me over and over again and it was no different with The Saint. The emotional connection between Eleanor and Søren is uncontainable and undeniable. They have a wonderful relationship where aside from love and friendship, they've also got the fights that will crack you up. Really, you will never be disappointed with this series.

That's about the extent I can go before I go into full-blown fangirl mode. Here it goes…

OKAY HOLY SHIT WOW HOLY SHITTTTT. Oh my God, this book was just as good as the previous two. Eleanor really is the shit. My God, I love her character to bits. I couldn't stop laughing with her. 

I mean honestly this kid. When she refused to go to church (by claiming that she's turned buddhist and atheist), her mom had to convince her by telling her that they had a new handsome priest. Didn't work. The priest had a really expensive motorcycle? Sign her up.

"I'm coming. But I'm doing it for the Ducati, not for God."

Sometimes I wonder what I would do if I had a daughter like her. Sweet mama I love this kid so much. She was like fifteen at that time. Wow.

Honestly, I highlighted so many quotes from this book that it's impossible to fit into this review. Really. Just read the book. I'd probably highlight the whole book if I could.

In this story, we get the introduction to Eleanor Schreiber before she became the infamous, notorious Nora Sutherlin (we even find out where she gets that name from!). This is a story about a child who felt unwanted and trapped, and was saved both emotionally and physically by this hot goddamn priest, Søren.

I mean seriously, descriptions of Søren? Lord Almighty, take me now.

His voice, rich and resonant, echoed out to the very edges of the church and back again. His words wrapped around her like a golden cord binding her to him. The sanctuary brightened with each word he spoke as if the sun itself drew closer to hear his voice.

How do you not fall in love with a man who has a description of his voice like that? ONLY HIS VOICE MAN. Imagine the rest of him. Wow. He's like some kind of Greek god. Hell, he'll probably define a Greek god.

Then Søren's also just so wow. WOW. Like honestly, WOW. He's so fucking sweet and thoughtful and oh my God, I'm in love with him.

"Because there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, Eleanor. Nothing I wouldn't do to help you and nothing I wouldn't do to save you. Nothing."

 and…

"You're not fine, Eleanor. You're risking hypothermia and whatever you think of me right now, I'm not worth hurting yourself over."

Seriously? SERIOUSLY???

This man is utter perfection.

But really, Nora/Eleanor is my favorite heroine. EVER. Ever. Ever. EVER.

"What are you doing over here? Shouldn't you be all snuggled up in bed with Jesus?"

I can go on and on about this book and it would never be sufficient enough to describe it. Buy it. Read it. LOVE IT.

MY RATING:

5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

    

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Siren (The Original Sinners #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Angel (The Original Sinners #2) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Prince (The Original Sinners #3) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Mistress (The Original Sinners #4) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Saint (The Original Sinners #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

 

Tiffany Reisz is the author of the internationally bestselling and award-winning Original Sinners series for Mira Books (Harlequin/Mills & Boon). Tiffany's books inhabit a sexy shadowy world where romance, erotica and literature meet and do immoral and possibly illegal things to each other. She describes her genre as "literary friction," a term she stole from her main character, who gets in trouble almost as often as the author herself.

She lives in Portland, Oregon. If she couldn't write, she would die.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Just because I love this book so much, I'm giving it two of my own teasers!