INFLAMED TOUCH & De Luca Crime Family 3-5 by EC Land-review

INFLAMED TOUCH  and the De Luca Crime Family 3-5 by EC Land-review

INFLAMED TOUCH
De Luca Crime Family #5
by EC Land
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, dark, crime, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 7, 2023

Broken hearts heal with time, but it never forgets the pain.

Diego

I broke her heart years ago. But there’s a reason for it. One I try not to think about. I put the past behind me and I don’t look back. That is until I get a call from her asking for help.

Now I’m back and there’s unfinished business to settle. It becomes a game of push and pull, trust and betrayal.

Questions are asked and I refuse to answer. I’ll do what I came here for and hope to win her over or I might just have to sacrifice everything all over again . . . for her

••••••

REVIEW: INFLAMED TOUCH is the fifth instalment in EC Land’s contemporary, adult DE LUCA CRIME FAMILY dark, erotic, romance series. This is thirty-two year old, De Luca enforcer Diego Fernandez, and twenty-eight year old, grade school teacher Nadia Reed’s story line. INFLAMED TOUCH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order, or at the very least book four, FIERY AFFECTION for back story and cohesion.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Diego and Nadia) INFLAMED TOUCH focuses on the rebuilding romance and relationship between Diego and Nadia, and the protection of Nadia and her sixteen year old nephew Jay. Years earlier, Diego Fernandez left the small town of Enders Ridge, including the woman he once loved. His family in shambles, and the town dying a slow death, forced Diego to start anew but he never expected a call for help from our story line heroine. Nadia Reed’s young nephew is in trouble, and the trouble has landed at Nadia’s front door. Enders Ridge is overrun with gangs, underworld crime and corrupt politicians, and Nadia believes she is capable of saving the town, one troubled teen at a time. What ensues is the second chance relationship between Diego and Nadia, and the potential fall-out as the problems in Enders Ridge are bigger than anyone could have imagined.

The world building focuses on the corruption that is destroying Enders Ridge. From mobsters, to Mafia, to the Lowlanders and the El Cabeza Gang, Enders Ridge has become a safe haven for illegal activities, and our heroine is hoping to save everyone involved.

The relationship between Diego and Nadia is one of second chances. A perceived betrayal pulled our couple apart, but Diego could no longer remain in the town that was destroying his life, and Nadia refused to leave her family behind. Their reconnection is angry and intense but Diego is making no promises for a future together. Nadia is naïve and blind to the problems destroying Enders Ridge, and with it comes the determination to make everything right. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, powerful and struggling secondary and supporting characters . We are introduced to Nadia’s problematic nephew Jay; her ex boyfriend Riff; the local Irish mob, several members of numerous gang bangers, as well as the return of Theo and Nicolo. The requisite evil has many faces.

INFLAMED TOUCH is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, forgiveness and love, struggle and acceptance. The premise is gritty, edgy and tragic; the romance is provocative and impassioned; the characters are desperate, animated and dynamic. INFLAMED TOUCH ends on a happily ever after-for now. The overarching conflict has yet to be resolved.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Frozen Kiss
Heated Caress

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

______

SIMMERING EMBRACE
(DeLuca Crime Family 3)
by EC Land
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, dark, crime, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 24, 2023

To get what I want, I’ll do whatever it takes.

Leo

Being head of the De Lucas is not all sunshine and rainbows. I must make decisions, some of them harder than others, and I don’t regret any of them. I learned a long time ago never to do that.

When the family name is threatened and what we claim is put at risk, I’ll take matters into my own hands. What I don’t expect is what comes next.

••••••

REVIEW: SIMMERING EMBRACE is the third instalment in EC Land’s contemporary, adult DELUCA CRIME FAMILY dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is head of the DeLuca Crime Family Leonardo DeLuca, and twenty-three year old, Mafia princess Scarlett Russo’s story line. SIMMERING EMBRACE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Leo and Scarlett) SIMMERING EMBRACE follows in the wake of threats against the DeLuca family. Leonardo DeLuca wants to take down the person in charge, but Scarlett Russo is an enigma; very little is known about the Mafia princess, and her whereabouts are currently unknown until a deep dive sends Leo to New York, to a small dive bar where he will come face to face with Scarlett Russo, a young woman who may or may not be connected to her criminal family. Scarlett has been targeted; a stalker threatening our heroine but Scarlett is unaware that the bigger danger may be the man she has let into her heart. A prisoner of Leonardo DeLuca, Scarlett must come to terms with the probability of her life forfeited for the family in exchange for power and control. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Leo and Scarlett, and the potential fall-out when Scarlett discovers she is a pawn, bait to be used for the greater gain.

The relationship between Leo and Scarlett is an enemies to lovers; a forced proximity; captive and captor, wherein our hero will fall for a woman who could break his heart. Scarlett Russo doesn’t trust anyone including every member of her extended family but Scarlett was about to face betrayal from the men her in life. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters include Theo ‘Frozen’ De Luca, and Blake Bandoni (Frozen Kiss), Christian Bandoni, and Mia De Luca (Heated Kiss), as well as assassin for hire Wilder, mob security Nicolo and Diego, as well as Scarlett’s brothers Jeremiah and Micah, and Eddie. The requisite evil has many faces.

SIMMERING EMBRACE is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, desperation and distance, acceptance and love. The premise is gritty and dramatic; the romance is provocative and intense; the characters are powerful, desperate and determined.

Copy supplied for review

______

FIERY AFFECTION
(DeLuca Crime Family )
by EC Land
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, dark, crime, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 25, 2023

Things aren’t always what they seem.
Nicolo
Doing a favor asked of me, I didn’t know what I would uncover. And I didn’t think I’d want her . . . but I do. She doesn’t know who I am, and I can’t tell her without bringing war to my family.
Not after what I discovered.
My loyalty is to the De Luca Crime Family and always will be, but there’s something about her
that draws me in, and I can’t let it go. I must protect her from what’s to come.

•••••••

REVIEW: FIERY AFFECTION is the fourth instalment in EC Land’s contemporary, adult DE LUCA CRIME FAMILY dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is thirty-four year old, De Luca enforcer Nicolo Abruzzi, twenty-three year old bartender/photographer Avah Morgan’s story line. FIERY AFFECTION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary..

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Avah and Nicolo) FIERY AFFECTION follows in the wake of a possible stalker. Avah Morgan have been receiving anonymous gifts and notes, and without her knowledge her friends have tasked Nicolo Abruzzi with her protection but all does not go according to plan as Avah refuses to listen to Nicolo Abruzzi, suspecting he is part of the local Mafia, something of which she wants nothing to do. Avah Morgan is a little bit TSTL, and struggling to accept her life is in danger, is constantly placing herself in the direct line of fire. As Nicolo and his ‘associates’ begin to search for the truth, connections to her father’s past, the Lowlanders and the El Cabeza Gang, begin to form a pattern. What ensues is the quick and highly sexual relationship between Nicolo and Avah, and the potential fall-out as, once again, Avah refuses to accept she is the target of some powerful men.

The relationship between Avah and Nicolo begins when Nicolo finds himself at the bar where Avah works. Avah is in trouble but refuses to accept the danger is darker than Nicolo warns but in an effort to prove she is independent and old enough to be on her own, Avah finds herself struggling to survive. Nicolo Abruzzi doesn’t do relationships but he is desperate to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love. Having to claim Avah as his own, Nicolo must not only face the wrath of her father, but the people taking aim at our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Theo and Blake (Frozen Kiss), Mia and Christian (Heated Caress) and Scarlett De Luca (Simmering Embrace), as well as Avah’s bosses Rhett, and Gregory. The requisite evil has many faces.

FIERY AFFECTION is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, obsession and madness, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is gritty and intriguing; the romance is limited to $ex and protection; the characters are dangerous and dark.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Download the FREE prequel

❤️Frozen Valentine (De Luca Crime Family Prequel)❤️

https://BookHip.com/QHDRDBC

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E.C. Land grew up in the country and has it deep in her bones. As she grew up, if she wasn’t out on the ball field or playing in the woods, she had her nose stuck in a book. Now she writes romantic suspense stories, specializing in MC (motorcycle club) romance. She plans to broaden her writing horizons in the near future and move into other forms of romantic suspense. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband, three kids, and fur babies. 

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Carnal Vows / Savage Intent by Jordan Marie-review tour

Carnal Vows / Savage Intent (Kingdom of Sin 1 & 2) by Jordan Marie-review tour

CARNAL VOWS
(Kingdom of Sin 1)
by Jordan Marie
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark, erotic, Mafia romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK:Release Date April 15, 2023

I’ll cheat death to claim her.
She belongs to me.
I owe everything to Emilia’s father. I’d do anything for the man.
When he asked me to marry his daughter, I thought he was insane.
I was only going to protect her. That was my job.
Yet, one innocent kiss changed everything.
Now, it’s not about what her father wants.
It’s all about her.

When enemies try to take her and the life we could have away, they will learn why they call me the devil. I’ll show them no mercy. Emilia is mine and God help anyone who tries to come between us.

•••••

REVIEW: CARNAL VOWS is the first instalment in Jordan Marie’s contemporary, adult KINGDOM OF SIN erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Mafia princess Emilia Korslova, and Niko Petrova’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Emilia and Niko) with a couple of additional first person, following several time lines, CARNAL VOWS follows in the wake of Mafia consigliere Maxwell Korslova making preparations for his only daughter’s future. Several years earlier Maxwell Korslova contracted with Niko Petrova to marry his daughter Emilia but our heroine was barely a teen, and Niko struggled with the aga difference between himself and the woman he would grow to love. Maxwell Korslova didn’t trust many men in his life but Niko was the only man he could trust with his only child. As the years pass, Niko came in and out of Emilia’s life without ever getting up close and personal, until her twentieth birthday when Niko would claim Emilia as his own but all was not well in the Korslova family, someone else was eyeing Emilia for himself, and Niko’s past refused to let go. What ensues is the slow building romance and relationship between Emilia and Niko, and the potential fall-out as an assassin takes aim at the men Emilia loves.

Niko Petrova was keeping his distance from the woman who was too young to claim. Maxwell Korslova make preparations for the what if or why, and Niko was the man Maxwell trusted, a man he loved like a son. Emilia Korslova struggled with the contract her father make between himself and Niko Petrova. Emilia didn’t have a choice but there were others ‘creeping’ around the periphery of the family, others who were determined to claim Emilia as their own. A lack of maturity follows Emilia throughout the story but we meet the heroine when she is only fourteen years old, and she will be protected from the outside world for the next fix years.

The relationship between Emilia and Niko begins as a contract; an arranged marriage to protect a young woman who had lost so much as a child but Niko was involved with someone else, someone who was refusing to walk way without a fight. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, dynamic and powerful secondary and supporting characters including Emilia’s personal protector Victorio; head of the American Italian Mafia Antonio De Luca; Niko’s best friend and attorney Callan, and Emilia’s best friend Zoe. A relationship between Zoe and Callan develops parallel to Emilia and Niko’s relationship-Zoe and Callan’s story is found in the prequel novella PURE TEMPTATION. The requisite evil has many faces.

CARNAL VOWS is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, obsession and murder, family, relationships, friendships and love. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the romance is seductive but struggles with difference in ages, experience and our hero waiting until Emilia is twenty years old. The characters are energetic but desperate and determined.

_______

SAVAGE INTENT
(Kingdom of Sin 2)
by Jordan Marie
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark, erotic, Mafia romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 14, 2023

Melina gave me her body and ran away.She can run, but she can’t hide.

I needed to lose myself in a woman.It was just supposed to be one night.She gave more than either of us bargained for.I claimed her innocence and she disappeared.

She has no idea the lengths I will go to find her.I won’t allow her to get away again.

I’ll track her down. Nothing will keep me from her.I don’t care what I must do.Even if I have to declare war to keep her, Melina will be mine.

••••••

REVIEW: SAVAGE INTENT is the second instalment in Jordan Marie’s contemporary adult KINGDOM OF SIN dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is head of the American Italian Mafia Antonio De Luca, and twenty year old, Greek Mafia daughter Melina Stratakis’s story line. SAVAGE INTENT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. SAVAGE INTENT runs parallel to, and crosses over with the events of CARNAL VOWS (1), and Zoe and Callan’s novella PURE TEMPTATION .5.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Melina and Antonio) SAVAGE INTENT follows in the wake of a one night stand in which Melina Stratakis ghosted Antonio DeLuca. Melina is a prisoner of her abusive father, head of the Greek Mafia, Dracos Stratakis, made even more difficult by her father’s control of her six older brothers. One night of freedom found Melina in bed with the head of the American Italian Mafia Antonio De Luca but Antonio has no idea as to the true identity of our story line heroine. With the help of his men, Antonio will discover, the woman he knows only as Lina, has been sold to an Irish mobster, a man whose intent is to sell Melina for sexual services but Antonio isn’t about to stand by and watch the woman with whom he will fall in love, marry someone else. As Antonio and his men, along with the help of Melina’s brother Marco, attempt a rescue of our story line heroine, Antonio has invoked the ire of the powerful Greek Mafia. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Melina and Antonio, and the potential fall-out as Melina, once again, finds herself a prisoner by the people she was born to hate.

The relationship between Melina and Antonio is aggressive and intense. Antonio is quick to claim Melina as his own, and wants a wedding as soon as possible. Melina is hoping to wait having been dumped from the proverbial frying pan into the fire but more attempts to extricate Melina force Antonio to marry the woman with whom he is falling in love. Antonio is all about the exhibitionism, and he and Melina are often on full display in front of his men. the $ex scenes are provocative.

There is large ensemble cast of interesting and intriguing secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Melina’s father Dracos Stratakis, all six of Melina’s brothers but four will eventually side with our story line hero: Marco and his fiance Helena, Sebastian, Gio and Elias; as well as the return of Niko and Emilia, and Emilia’s former bodyguard Victorio. Marco and Helen’s story line is next.

SAVAGE INTENT is a dark, gritty and heart breaking tale of dysfunctional family power and control, betrayal and vengeance, abuse and murder, acceptance and love. The premise is captivating; the romance is seductive; the characters are powerful, dynamic and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

I’m just a simple small town country girl, haunted by Alpha Men who talk in my head 24 hours a day.

I knew I wanted to write when it became clear I couldn’t be happy with just viewing other people’s stories. I always wanted to rewrite them.

Like why did Jack have to die? Why couldn’t Rose move her butt over? Because that was a huge piece of wood she was on, people.

Happy Endings should be fought for, but they should always happen. Mine might take some curves and twists, but they eventually get there.

Having published over fifty stories, it always feels surreal that this is my life. Hitting USA Today had me crying for days, but nothing is more special than hearing from readers that they loved one of my books.

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Beast in My Bedroom/Diamond Heart by BB Hamel-review

Beast in My Bedroom/Diamond Heart (Atlas Organization 3-4) by BB Hamel-review

BEAST IN MY BEDROOM
Atlas Organization 3
by BB Hamel
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark, erotic, Mafia, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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Release Date: April 28, 2023

He’s everything I don’t want . . . but my new bossy Greek mafia husband is going to make a real wife out of me.

My rock bottom is a dirty martini in a high-class bar, ten canceled credit cards, and nothing but the clothes on my back.

I managed to escape my abusive husband, but a snooty hipster bartender is about to get me arrested for being unable to pay for a drink.

That’s when Evander Kazan saves me. He’s massive, rippling with muscles, covered in dark tattoos, and looking for danger.

He buys me dinner and gives me an offer: marry him, and he’ll make sure my ex-husband never gets near me again.

This is crazy. I barely know Evander. But there’s something in the way he looks at me, and I’m desperate for any hope.

He’s darkness incarnate. Brooding, angry, brimming with restrained passion.

And after one night of sin in the gangster’s penthouse suite, I’m ready to take a chance.

He says he’ll teach me how to please him. I think he’s everything I hate. But if safety is sleeping in his bed then I’ll deal with his massive body close to mine.

Because war is coming to Evander’s family, and my ex will stop at nothing to bring us both down.

••••••

REVIEW: BEAST IN MY BEDROOM by BB Hamel is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, Greek Mafia, dark, erotic, romance story line focusing on Lord Evander Kazan, head of the Kazan Greek Mafia in Chicago, and twenty-three year old, Camille Lanaro Conti.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Evander and Camille) BEAST IN MY BEDROOM follows the forbidden relationship between Lord Evander Kazan, head of the Kazan Greek Mafia in Chicago, and twenty-three year old, Camille Lanaro Conti. Camille Conti is on the run from her abusive husband but when she is unable to pay her tab at a local hotel, Evander Kazan steps in to help. Realizing Camille is running from something or someone, Evander offers one night together, a night that will end with Evander offering marriage in an effort to protect them both but Camille is still married, and her husband has criminal connections, connections that are about to place Evander in a war with the Italian mob. What ensues is the building but struggling relationship between Camille and Evander, and the potential fall-out when their time together comes to a close.

Evander Kazan ascended the Greek Mafia throne by force, a force that shattered his dysfunctional family but Evander and his mother were betrayed by the people at the top, and our hero is determined to destroy anyone who gets in his way. Camille Conti was sold to the Italian mob, forced into an abusive marriage, a marriage from which she is struggling to get away but Camille is desperate, with no money and no place to hide, and accepts Evander’s offer, an offer with conditions by which Camille refuses to abide. Camille is often TSTL (too stupid to live) knowing she is a target of both the Greek and Italian mobs but our heroine is determined to prove she can make it on her own, something that continues to place her and Evander in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Evander and Camille is a marriage of convenience between warring factions of the Chicago Crime families. Camille’s life is in jeopardy but her place of refuge is both a prison and a sentence when she finds herself in constant peril from both outside and from within. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative.

We are introduced to Evander’s right hand man Lycus; Evander’s sister Helen, and their mother Dimitra, Aunt Anissa and cousin Sophia, as well as Camille’s friend and co-worker Ophelia. The requisite evil has many faces including several members of the Greek, and Italian mobs.

BEAST IN MY BEDROOM is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, abuse and corruption, acceptance and love. The fast paced premise is intriguing and riveting; the romance is seductive; the characters are broken, desperate and determined.

Reading Order and previous Reviews

Beautiful Corruption
Ruined with a Promise

Reviewed by Sandy

________________

DIAMOND HEART
(Atlas Organization 4)
by BB Hamel
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark, erotic, Mafia, romance

ebook only 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 17, 2023

My super-controlling boss saved my life. Now I’m his fake wife… and I owe him everything.Gareth Kane is the definition of bosshole: intense, picky, critical, stupidly handsome, and an overall pain in my behind.Too bad I need this job. My BFF moved away, my parents got into swinging (don’t ask), I’m drowning in student loans, and my apartment burned to the ground.

Hello, rock. I’m bottom.

But to make it even worse, I walk in on Gareth discussing some very illegal plans with a bunch of gangsters, and he says the only thing that’ll keep me alive: Don’t worry about Fiona. She’s my new wife.Sorry, what now? I would’ve remembered marrying a psychopath like Gareth.
After the shock wears off, he makes me an offer. We pretend to be married, he protects me from his crazy gangster clients, and I play the part to make sure they never find out he’s lying.

It’s a lose-lose situation, but I like being alive more than being dead, so I’m going with it.My new husband is a neat freak, insists on treating me like his actual bride, and loves to tease me mercilessly.He’s also gorgeous, sensual, caring, and makes sure I’m always looked after.I hate him, right up until I realize I don’t.

And then? Well, not all fake marriages stay fake for long.

••••••

REVIEW: DIAMOND HEART is the fourth instalment in BB Hamel’s contemporary, adult ATLAS ORGANIZATION dark, erotic, romance series focusing on four former college friends: Evander, Carmine, Ford and Gareth. This is thirty-five year old, billionaire attorney Gareth Kane, and legal assistant Fiona Kelleher’s story line. DIAMOND HEART can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from omniscient dual first person perspectives (Gareth and Fiona) DIAMOND HEART follows the building but fake relationship between billionaire attorney Gareth Kane, and his legal assistant Fiona Kelleher. Gareth Kane is hoping to work for Mafia boss Orin Crowley but a clandestine meeting with the Crowley Family, and threats against Fiona’s life, forced Gareth to claim his legal assistant as his new wife. Hoping to keep up the pretense, Gareth finds himself in a dilemma, a dilemma of marriage, a wife, a new job, and the possibility of losing everything when their secret is revealed. What ensues is the building relationship between Gareth and Fiona, and the potential fall-out when their time together comes to a close.

Gareth Kane never expected to fall for his legal assistant but a forced proximity aka marriage of convenience meant Gareth and Fiona were always together. A new job meant a new move across the county, and Gareth didn’t see a future with our story line heroine. In an effort to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love, Gareth is forced to push Fiona away, breaking both of their hearts in the process.

The relationship between Fiona and Gareth begins as employee and boss but quickly turns into a marriage of convenience. Gareth struggles between head and heart knowing he was placing Fiona in the direct line of fire but the heart wanted something it had never expected. Fiona was quickly falling for Gareth Kane but Gareth’s new job was dangerous, and the people he worked for, deadly and dark. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters include all of the previous story line couples aka Atlas Organization members, as well as Orin Crowley, and his sons.

DIAMOND HEART is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, acceptance and forgiveness, happiness and love. The fast paced premise is captivating, dramatic and edgy; the romance is impulsive and intimate; the characters are sassy, desperate and determined.

Copies supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Broken (Billion Heirs) by Helen Hardt & Vanessa Vale -review tour

Broken (Billion Heirs 3) by Helen Hardt & Vanessa Vale -review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 17, 2023

Two lost souls. A past that collides with the present. And secrets. So many secrets…
Unlike his two half brothers, Chance Bridger was raised on the family ranch with the father who left them billions. Still, he hated the man. He’s tried to escape his past, but that’s impossible, especially when it comes back to haunt him in the form of his first and only love.

Special Agent Avery Marsh left Bayfield at eighteen and never looked back, until a field assignment lands her back in her hometown fifteen years later. She’s taken care not to look into Chance Bridger, or even think about him. It would only lead to more heartache, and she’s had enough of that for one lifetime.

When the two former lovers cross paths, time melts away and their passion is still as intense as ever. But one is a murder suspect, and the other has a secret that could change everything.

The thrilling conclusion of The Billion Heirs!

•••••

REVIEW:The Billion Heirs series has returned with Broken, the final installment in this gripping series. As always I recommend reading a series in order, this one included, while Broken can be read as a standalone, the series in total makes much more sense.

Chance, Miles and Austin are strangers to one another until they find out they share a father in Jonathan Briger. After he dies, the new brothers learn that to inherit they must live together in Montana for a period of a year. Each brother has their own reasons for staying, and each book gives us their story. We’ve watched as Austin and Miles found what they were looking for, now it’s time for Chance.

Chance is the youngest of the brothers, and was also no stranger to Jonathan Briger. He technically was raised by the man, if what he did could be called child rearing. Their relationship was rocky at best. The only thing that got Chance through life was Avery Marsh. Or at least she was before she up and left him.

Broken is a second chance (no pun intended) romance filled with love, lies and secrets. When Avery returns to Bayfield for the first time in fifteen years, it’s not for fun, she’s here as a FBI agent investigating a death on Chance’s property. But being back is bringing long buried feelings to the surface, feelings that Chance can never know about. Things that Chance can never know about. As Avery digs into the case and secrets become known, the chemistry between the pair flair back to life. Can they let go of the past and move on to a better future? What happens when the case is over, will Avery stay and rebuild or run again?

These authors never disappoint! Broken was the perfect ending to an amazing series. Chance and Avery are a lovely pair that bring mystery and love to life. The brothers become just that through the series, brothers and family.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Scarred
Flawed

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sarah

About Helen Hardt

Follow: GoodreadsWebsite / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest

#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.

About Vanessa Vale

Follow:  Website /Facebook / Twitter /Pinterest /Instagram /

Who doesn’t love the romance of the old West? USA Today Bestselling author Vanessa Vale takes the sensual appeal of rugged cowboys a step further with her bestselling books set in the Montana Territory. They are much more than just sexy historical westerns. They’re deliciously naughty reads that sometimes push the boundaries of fantasy. It’s pure escapism with quite a few very hot, very alpha cowboys. When she’s not writing, Vanessa savors the insanity of raising two boys, is figuring out how many meals she can make with a pressure cooker, and teaches a pretty mean karate class. She considers herself to be remarkably normal, exceedingly introverted and fairly vanilla, which does not explain her steamy stories and her fascination with cowboys, preferably more than one at a time. She lives in the Wild Wild West where there’s an endless source of ‘research’ material.

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House of Wyn (The Harem Project 3) by Crea Reitan-Review tour

House of Wyn (The Harem Project 3) by Crea Reitan-Review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 24, 2022

Monsters were real. And they were evil.

My husband had me convinced that we were ridding the world of those monsters. The horrors that prey on the innocent. The darkness that shouldn’t exist.

But then I saw that the true monster was my husband, and I ran.

I was brought to a safe house called The Harem Project. Here I found it in the five men of the House of Wyn. Five men who weren’t men at all. They threw a wrench in my contract but for some reason, I still agreed.

I’m finally learning to be happy. Learning the truth of what’s living in the open if I were only to properly look. Learning the truth about ORKA and the kind of man my ex-husband is. Learning that sometimes it takes five men to make you whole.

As it turned out, I didn’t run far enough. My ex found me and he wasn’t about to let me live. Now I’m in a cage with the promise of death looming over me.

My name is Jennings.

I’m human.

And I’m praying to whatever is out there that my new husbands can find me before my ex feeds me to something ORKA has been torturing for years. I hear it screaming down the hall and I swear, I can already feel it sucking on my soul.

This is a polyamorous story with content not suitable for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.

•••••

REVIEW: The house of Wyn is a continuation in the Harem series, I’ve not read the previous two but I don’t think I missed anything. 

Jennings works with ORKA (an organisation which deals with monsters!) 

She never thought she’d meet let alone work with monsters (although she deals with dead ones!) But her life revolves around her work now, she married the man who rescued her one night, and now it’s all she knows. But slowly Jennings discovers things around her that have her unsettled…..

Things come to a head when her husband tells her that they torture the monsters to learn more about their kind! 

The house of Wyn is full of monsters, so Jennings does wonder if she’s left the frying pan and jumped onto the fire! Surely it’s not safe being around them? But the more Jennings interacts with the men of Wyn, the more she’s drawn to them…. All of them! 

Lieke/Loyal/Meir/Ansel/Liev are the house of Wyn, they’ve been together for a while, but always searching for the last one to complete their family. And when Lieke first meets her, he’s struck by how he feels about, how protective he feels for the human female who’s come looking for sanctuary. But he’s going to have to go slow, he feels she’s scared and will need time to adjust. 

Once they realise that Jennings is the one for them, nothing is going to keep them from claiming her. 

But love isn’t always easy, so when her husband comes looking for her, she’s going to have be strong, and her new husbands will have a fight on their hands to keep her…..

I’m definitely interested in popping back to visit book one and two in the series. 

A read I’d highly recommend. This author is becoming a favourite of mine, her works are just full of crazy/likeable/unstable characters. Her worlds are full of #whychoose themes. The men/monsters/demons aren’t always nice, but the ones that are, well they are just so protective and dominant ? 

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie ?

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills-review tour

Princess and the Player (Strangers in Love 2) by Ilsa Madden-Mills-review tour

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Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/392Sim1

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 8, 2022

Level-headed Francesca Lane never thought she’d miss her own wedding. But when her fiancé betrays her, she puts on her wedding dress and ditches the altar for a masquerade ball—at a sex club.

There, she meets NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask as he celebrates his birthday. For one night, Francesca and Tuck indulge in a wickedly incognito affair. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off.

Unfortunately, Francesca soon realizes her prince is the wealthy jock who lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. His hobbies include parties and supermodels—or so the tabloids say. Another shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs, so she vows to keep Tuck from recognizing her, not that she’s his type anyway.

But fate has a teeny-tiny trick up her sleeve… a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?

•••••

REVIEW: PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is the second instalment in Ilsa Madden-Mills’ contemporary, adult STRANGERS IN LOVE erotic, romance series. This is thirty-five year old, NFL running back Tuck Avery, and thirty year old, tattooist/artist Francesca Lane’s story line. PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Tuck and Francesca) PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER follows the building romance and relationship between thirty-five year old, NFL running back Tuck Avery, and thirty year old, tattooist/artist Francesca Lane. After catching her fiance with another woman, Francesca found herself without a direction in life. At her best friend Cecelia’s insistence , Francesca visits an exclusive $ex club where her one-night stand ends with a surprise pregnancy but more surprising is the identity of the father, the man with whom Francesca will fall in love. Enter NFL running back Tuck Avery, an embittered man who struggles with the demons from the past.The loss of her job, the news of her pregnancy, and Tuck’s pronouncement about never wanting to be a father, sends Francesca into a spiral where uncovering her own broken past reveals the heart breaking truth about the parents she never knew. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Tuck and Francesca, and the potential fall-out when Tuck’s demons continue to control his life going forward.

Francesca Lane grew up in the foster care system, and life wasn’t always easy but our heroine has made a family of her own, with the friends that have supported her with kindness and love.Tuck Avery struggles to move on from his past, and it is his past that continues to haunt and control every action in his life. With issues of trust, Tuck manages to keep everyone at a distance including the woman with whom he will fall in love.

The relationship between Tuck and Francesca begins as a one-night stand at an exclusive $ex club where anonymity is always assured but a surprise pregnancy, and an unsure future threatens our heroine’s sense of security, and any possibility of her own happily ever after. Tuck Avery’s football career is struggling, and his own future unsure but the announcement of a baby reinforces his issues of trust, and his struggle with family and love. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Francesca’s best friend Cece, and their friends Brogan and Darden, as well as her ex fiance Edward, former boss Danny, and former foster brother Levi; Tuck’s teammate and friend Jasper, as well as several women that come in and out of the players lives.

PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is a story of family, friendships, and relationships; trust and understanding; betrayal and acceptance; love and happily ever after. The premise is captivating and emotional; the romance is seductive and heart breaking; the characters are broken but struggling to move on.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one BEAUTY AND THE BALLER

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Fourteen of her Eighteen novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Not My Romeo #1; The Revenge Pact #1; Dear Ava, Fake Fiancée, I Dare You, and I Promise You #2; I Hate You #5; Not My Match, I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females.

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Stroking Pride (Sons of Satan) by Crea Reitan-Review Tour

Stroking Pride (Sons of Satan) by Crea Reitan-Review Tour

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Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3M6D1jy

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 25, 2022

Pride can kill you… but stroking it is beautiful.

I’m one client away from making seven figures this year. Just one. Why am I suddenly surrounded by people with such a lack of pride?! Deciding I need to step away and come at it with fresh eyes another day, I leave my office.

And step into death at the hands of a psychopath. It turns out this crazy man is a son of Satan and he’s chosen me to be his queen. Without his queen, his circle of Hell is falling into ruin and chaos because he and his brothers have been cursed and it’s up to a woman to save his ass. But really, this is what karma gives me to work with?! No wonder Pride is a shitstorm.

No. If I’m going to be queen, I’m going to do it with demons worth my time, and those responsible for my death – yes, it was apparently a group effort, a fucking bet they made between them – are just not cut out for the job.

The prideful circle of Hell is falling further into bedlam and it’s up to me to master its magic that my dear Price of Pride cannot touch. No sweat. I got this.

••••

REVIEW: Part of a series from multiple authors, this one is from Crea Reitan. Another why choose themed story from this author.

This one has our FMC dying!

Then being pursued by a group of demons determined to make her theirs!

Being a good lawyer and making money does sound a little prideful. And when

If you thought you knew anything about Hell, Crea will make you see differently. This Circle belongs to Malak (and he’s losing control of his magic, needs a mate to restore it, or he’s going to lose his throne!

This book has a few funny moments. The way Annuka looks at life was definitely a different way and it did make her a little less likeable until I got to know her, but her reasons for her behaviour does make more sense the more you read.

And how does one react to being killed by one of the demons she’s suppose to be with? Well Annuka handles it pretty well, she certainly won’t make it easy for the group of demons who want to make her theirs! She’s a strong willed individual and won’t be anyone’s doormat, it’s going to be a partnership or nothing!

Malak and the group of demons that want to claim Annuka (well this is a why choose book ?) are all different and bring something unique to this story. A little more interaction or thoughts from Malak might have been nice (but that’s my personal opinion)

So can Malak and his demons claim Annuka? It’s going to take a lot of persuasion (they get off on the wrong foot and continually get it wrong!) can they really all share one Queen without jealousy raising its ugly head?

You don’t need to read any of the other books in this series, you won’t wonder where or who fits in the timeline.

I really enjoy Crea’s work, she put lots of thought into each book, and there isn’t one book that copied another, all are unique. Plenty of action and drama.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B. ?

Crea lives in upstate New York with her dog and husband. She has been writing since grade school, when her second grade teacher had her class keep writing journals. She has a habit of creating secondary, and often time tertiary, characters that take over her stories. All of her RH relationships end up being heavily polyamorous – meaning it’s not just all the men for one woman. There’s also some M/M action going on. When she can’t fall asleep at night, she thinks up new scenes for her characters to act out. This, of course, is how most of her meant-to-be-thrown-away characters tend to end up front and center – and utterly swoon-worthy! Don’t ask her how many book boyfriends she has…

When not writing, Crea is an avid reader. Her TBR pile is several hundred books high (don’t even look at her kindle wish list or the unread books on her tablet). Sometimes, she enjoys crafting; sometimes, exploring nature; sometimes, traveling. Mostly, she enjoys putting her characters on paper and breathing life into them. Oh, and sleeping. Crea loves to sleep!

Author Links:

Facebook Group / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Website /

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Siege by Robert DeSimone Jr-Review & Guest Post

SIEGE by Robert DeSimone Jr-Review & Guest Post

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 14, 2022

Year 2096. Earth is at war with a reptile-like alien race known as Architects who have invaded the planet alongside their android armies. Rain Tessio and his brother Jax are drafted into the war and assigned to an isolated military supply depot called The Krag. Their sleepy assignment soon turns into a full-scale conflict when a small Architect army surrounds The Krag. To make matters worse, when one member of the unit is mysteriously killed, they discover that the killer is one of their own.

••••••

REVIEW:  SIEGE by Robert Desimone Jr is a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi thriller set in the year 2096.

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic violence, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from third person perspective SIEGE focuses on Unit 27 Romeo, a group of 19 nineteen humans conscripted to protect an isolated military supply depot called The Krag. With very little experience between them, and hundreds if not thousands of androids surrounding the depot, the rag tag team of unskilled and non-miliary fighters are forced to defend something they know nothing about. One by one, each member of Unit 27 Romeo is plucked off and killed, and some begin to suspect a killer from within. A war between the humans and the aliens reveals a secret hidden deep within the Earth’s surface, a secret that may threaten the existence of the rest of humanity.

SIEGE is a quick read; a story focusing on an alien invasion of Earth wherein the inhabitants of Earth are struggling to survive, struggling against an enemy who themselves are battling to thrive. The fast paced premise is dramatic, imaginative and tragic ; the characters are energetic, ill-fated but determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The Many Sides of Morality in Siege by Robert DeSimone Jr.

Probably the most important part of writing any story for me is having likeable characters you can get attached to. To know their histories, wants, fears, etc. One important theme that goes into most of my stories is morality. As something of a goody-two-shoes since I can remember, I love exploring the idea of morality in my characters. And it is the main theme I try to (and hopefully) convey in the science fiction/mystery novella Siege.

What’s interesting about morality is that it is completely subjective based on the individual and/or the culture. Some say that there are universal truths regarding morality including not killing or stealing, however, if you consulted a Viking raider from the 9th century, he may disagree based on the norms of his culture. Regardless, when I wrote the characters of Siege, I installed some of my own ideas on right and wrong.

The four aspects of morality I explored was separated into four characters: Rain, the serial killer, Sofia, and Binder. Rain, as the de facto protagonist, is a character who has a strict black-and-white sense of right and wrong and generally follows the universal truths of morality. After finding the alien infant Crocadelia, he spends a great deal of time making sure she is safe and fed despite some of his teammates voting to have her killed. In this instance, his teammates argued that because she was the same species as their enemy and because she may one day, far in the future, be a threat, she should be killed, but Rain chooses to advocate for her life because she has done nothing wrong and is an innocent regardless of her species. To him the decision is easy: she’s innocent so she must be protected. Nothing else matters.

Rain’s biggest moral dilemma, perhaps, is the perceived temptation of the beautiful electrical engineer Sofia. Because Rain has a girlfriend named Annabelle back home, the question is: will Rain betray Annabelle in favor of Sofia or will he stay loyal? While I present this dilemma to the reader as if it is a possibility, Rain never actually considers betraying Annabelle. He simply admits to himself that he’s attracted to Sofia and that’s as far as he’ll ever take it. Because he has a cookie-cutter sense of right and wrong, he sees everything in black and white and would never betray someone he made a promise to. And he would never delve into the world of grays to satisfy his lust because that’s not in his moral programming.

Sofia, on the other hand, represents the gray area of morality. Partway through the story, it is revealed that Sofia is afflicted with a disease that will kill her by her mid-fifties and there is no cure in sight. Because her life will be cut almost in half, in her I explored morality mixed with mortality. She has a clock that is constantly ticking in the back of her mind, which is further exacerbated by the threat of being killed at any point during the siege, which leads her to make decisions she may not normally make if she were completely healthy. While she is empathetic, caring, and very protective (especially towards Crocadelia), she is more than willing to steal Rain away from Annabelle because she feels she may not have the time a healthy person would have to find a partner she truly loves.

The serial killer lurking within the walls of The Krag represents amorality. After the serial killer’s childhood and upbringing is explored, it is revealed he suffered trauma, lacked a mother figure, had a non-existent social life, and murdered his first person at a young age. Due to this, he grew up without morality being a factor in his life. Morality, in a practical sense, serves as a buffer to keep people from engaging in horrible

Immorality was explored, mainly in the character of Binder, but also in a few other minor characters as well. Binder is presented as a selfish person with little sympathy towards anyone but himself. This is shown in his treatment of Osman, one of his subordinates. He also has no empathy towards the animals he paralyzed during his time as a research assistant. He remarked that he preferred paralyzing the test subjects from their necks rather than their backs because it was more convenient for him. It didn’t matter to him that he would cause extra suffering to the animal who would no longer have use to any of its limbs.

I enjoyed being able to explore these themes in Siege. When writing the immoral and amoral characters in Siege, I tried to present them as cautionary tales to those who have no regard for others because I can’t imagine one can have a fulfilling life without empathy towards others and no moral code whatsoever. Consequences usually follow bad deeds.

And while these are my opinions on morality, others may find that people who do the right thing simply use morality as  the excuse for being a coward. Another may not think animal experimentation is an immoral act, rather a practical one to obtain data. What importance do you think morality plays in a story or life for that matter?

 

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Robert DeSimone Jr. was born in Long Beach, CA on June 9th, 1987. He is the second of six children. His first job was as a computer technician before he began working various jobs in the fire service including as an EMT, fire cadet, and finally fire inspector.

Robert published his first short story in 2021. His favorite book is Blood Meridian or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy. He spends much of his free time building his business as a writer and spending time with his wife and two dogs.

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