Showing posts with label Series Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Series Reviews. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

Series Review - Sexy Nerd Boys by K.M. Neuhold


Title: Worth the Wait
Series: Sexy Nerd Boys #1
Author: K.M. Neuhold
Release Date: October 6, 2015


Abby: 

I have issues. Like, serious, major issues. And, the last thing I want or need is a man in my life to make things more complicated. Unfortunately for me my roommates drop dead gorgeous brother seems hell bent on seducing me. And, what’s worse is that he’s kind of the perfect guy. Resisting him just might kill me. 

Ethan: 

I don’t do relationships. I prefer to keep things casual, and I’m always up front with women so that no one ever gets hurt. But, my sister’s new roommate…yeah I might have a small obsession. Or, maybe I should say a TARDIS obsession because there’s a 100% chance that it’s bigger on the inside. What the hell is a guy supposed to do though when he meets a woman who is not only beautiful but also feisty, fun, and way into nerd culture? I may be doomed. 

**This is a New Adult romance novel containing some themes of domestic abuse, non-consensual sex, and explicit sex scenes. Recommended for 17+





Holy cow, this book was...delicious.

Hot and dramatic and flirty and swoony—this book was just a deliciously addictive read for me. There is a lot packed into a fairly short book, which is something I would probably normally complain about, but it worked for me in this book. It didn't feel forced in or gratuitous, and the story didn't feel weighed down or “woe is me” because of it. On the contrary, Abby was a smart, strong, kick-ass, lovable character. A little sharp sometimes—lashing out like a wounded animal—but overall, brave and hopeful. I adored her spunk and her determination to make her life better. I was so freaking proud of her by the time I turned the last page. 

I have a thing for reformed man-whores. I also love nerds. So , it should come as no surprise that I loved Ethan who is this die-hard nerd disguised as legendary man-whore. I loved him hard and dirty. Like, crazy loved. While Abby was weighed down with more (and arguably heavier) baggage, Ethan was toting around his fair share, and it was just as damaging to him. He had valid reasons for not wanting to be in a relationship, and it was a beautiful and heartbreaking thing to watch his world go sideways when as he realized that maybe love is real and maybe not all relationships are damaging. He's nearly perfect—as a friend, as a brother, and as the man who opened Abby's heart. He's funny and nerdy, easygoing and strong. Oh, and he's a dead sexy, naughty, dirty talker. JAYSUS, this book was so much hotter than I was expecting. 

I was completely sucked into this book from start to finish. It touched on a whole bunch of heavy/sensitive subjects, but the book itself didn't seem to feel the weight of them. The writing is smart, the story is strong, and the characters are wholly lovable. The ending was perfectly happy and satisfying—if a bit short. However, this is the start of a series and I'm hoping for more updates on Abby and Ethan as the series goes on, as well as more sexy nerds. I'm positively giddy about more sexy nerds. I'm so happy I discovered this series and cannot wait for more! 
~ Review by Shelly


Title: Naughty Angel
Series: Sexy Nerd Boys #2
Author: K.M. Neuhold
Release Date: February 2, 2016


Asher: 

When most people first set eyes on me they assume I’m a delinquent, a thug, or at the very least that I’m in a band. But, looks can be deceiving. I never thought I’d get sick of random hook ups with more than willing college co-eds, but that scene is getting old. And, I really never expected to fall for an adorable, sexy, shy…virgin. But, sometimes things don’t turn out how you expect.

Eve: 

Super virgin…that’s me. I’ve never kissed a boy, heck I’ve never even been on a date before. How I ended up catching the eye of a sexy, tattooed playboy at my very first college party I’ll never know. He’s way out of my league…but maybe it’s finally my chance to let loose a little and find out who I really am. That’s what college is for, right?

**Each book in this series can be read as a stand alone novel
*** Recommended for readers 17+ due to strong language and sexual situations





K.M. Neuhold is doing amazing (*cough* sexy *cough*) things for nerds.

I mean, I already love nerds, so this series is pretty much a sure thing for me. But Ms. Neuhold isn’t writing typical nerds—or maybe it's that they aren't *just* nerds. For instance, Asher looks every inch the bad boy—tatted and pierced, with the reputation to match. He's not wearing his nerdiness on his sleeve (um, well, not exactly), so the fact that he's some kind of goofy genius is a surprise. An awesome surprise. He's funny, smart and kind, and I loved him fiercely. I want an Asher, actually. He's nearly perfect.

Eve was over-the-top innocent and sheltered and yet, this character who could have easily come off as annoying or unrealistic was actually charming and fun. I loved her character. She's naive, but brave and feisty. For someone raised so sheltered, she was amazingly open-minded and lovable. I loved how she learned and grew and became this strong, independent woman. 

I loved the two of them together. They shouldn't work, but they work so incredibly well. I loved the banter and the tenderness and, of course, how they steamed up my Kindle. I was sometimes frustrated (and sad) that Asher's friends didn't seem to know or trust him as much as Eve did. It might have been nice to see at least one person in his corner—but I loved how his friends embraced Eve, and how easily she became part of their tribe.

I felt like the underlying message sometimes was a little heavy-handed in this one. It's a good message and it makes for a thrilling, gripping read, but I feel like it maybe needed to be balanced out a bit. However, please note, I was completely sucked into this book regardless of that opinion. It's an easy read, and I tore through it in less than 24 hours. I adored Asher and Eve together and continue to be wholly invested in this series (excited for Hadley and Ravi's story, but hoping there's a Dex story down the road because I've got a pretty huge secondary character crush on that guy). 

This book works great as a standalone; I don’t think you’ll feel cheated out of anything if you pick this one up first—but, as usual in a series of standalones, I think the reader experience is that much better and more rewarding after having read the first one. I loved the update on Abby and Ethan, and cannot wait for more in this fun and sexy series! Now, if you excuse me—I'm going to go try to buy an Asher off the internet. *Swoon* 
~ Review by Shelly




I am a romance junkie. I love writing contemporary and new adult romance. I also love reading romance, sci fi, fantasy, and horror. I'm obsessed with strong female characters and nerd culture. When I'm not writing I'm spending time with my husband and our many pets.



Monday, 28 March 2016

Review + Series Reviews - True Peril by Veronica Forand


Title: True Peril 
Series: True Lies #3
Author: Veronica Forand
Release Date: March 7, 2016


She's this assassin's toughest assignment ever...

Socialite Trista Patterson has turned her back on her life of privilege and dedicated herself to helping others. Her mission to protect the world’s children often takes her into the bleak and violent underbelly of third world countries. When a kidnapping attempt goes wrong, Trista quickly finds herself running for her life…and married to a man she just met…as she’s placed at the top of the Cartel’s most wanted list.

Some days no good deed goes unpunished.

Dane O’Brien has spent his life in the shadows. Once a lethal assassin he grew tired of losing his soul with every hit, trading his gun and missions for a conference table and office politics as an undercover operative for the CIA. But when visiting his humanitarian sister turns deadly, Dane finds himself swearing to protect her beautiful and passionate friend Trista no matter the cost…even if it means stepping back into the world he swore never to return to. Although falling for the tough-hearted Trista is easy, keeping her alive is hard.






True-ly outstanding!

“You’re killing me,” he growled.
“No problem,” she murmured with her lips against his kin. “I’m really good at mouth to mouth resuscitation.”

Trista Patterson was used to being left behind so when Dane O’Brien seemed to be doing the opposite, she was curious. Could this man, despite their unusual start, be the man who stuck around for the long haul? Well, as long as she wasn’t murdered or anything….

Dane was not going to fall under the spell of a woman. Simon had fallen before him, and Simon’s brother, Henry before him. So what if they were all so sickeningly happy. He and his new ‘wife’ could enjoy each other for the short term, stay alive and then move on when the time was right. He wasn’t going to fall in love. Not going to happen!

Yah, I laughed too. This series excels at bringing together polar opposites in pairings that seemed heaven-made…eventually. Eve (formerly Trista) is trying to get used to her new name and the turn her life has taken. With danger stalking their every step, and even “friends” getting in on the action, her heart is in mortal danger. Especially when Dane doesn’t seem to treasure it as much as she hoped.

There is drama and angst among guns and criminals, but the danger to their lives is nothing compared to the danger they face from each other. Misunderstandings and twists and turns are going to have the whole crew debating their chosen professions once again.

Full of life and love, these characters and their stories are firmly on my favorite reads of 2016 list! 
~ Review by Diane


ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE TRUE LIES SERIES

#1 Untrue Colors
Release Date: March 10, 2015


She’s on the run…

Brilliant art appraiser Alex Northrop’s ex used stolen art to fund his nefarious activities. Now he wants her dead. But it isn’t just herself she’s worried about – if he discovers who she really is, he’ll kill her family.

Professor Henry Chilton is shocked to find a beautiful stranger passed out in his bed, and even more so when she reveals a priceless painting is a forgery – the painting he’d planned to use to fund a woman’s shelter. She’s mysterious and frightened, and he is determined to discover why.

Alex's knowledge of art is undeniable—just as Henry’s attraction to her is irresistible. But in order to help him recover the real painting, Alex isn't just risking exposure...she's risking her life. 



An entertaining whirlwind…

Hang on to your hats, folks, as this ride whips along at a fast pace! Alex Northrop is on the run, and we are taken along with her as she fears for her life. Her experiences did not prepare her for life underground but she is resourceful and quick on her feet. She has to be as the bad guy is a villain in the true sense of the word, threatening not only her but anyone she cares for. 

Circumstance has her stumbling into Henry Chilton’s life, and into his bed, in an unlikely pairing. High society or Goth girl, Henry is intrigued as they soon become partners in business and also survival.

The plot is complicated and each page turns reveals even more to the story. Alex is surrounded by mystery, but Henry sees underneath the surface to the true woman beneath. Pink hair and Goth clothes may not automatically bring to mind a comfort with high-end art or their accompanying social gatherings, but Alex can’t hide her knowledge of both. She has to use her intelligence to evade her pursuers and figure out a way to keep herself and her new friend safe. 

Her concern for those around her is just one part of her personality that you can’t help but like. Henry can’t resist her despite all the questions he has. The unroyal royal is a handsome, all-around good guy who Alex can’t resist. Neither can I, actually. He’s nice, incredibly so; the care he takes with his family and strangers in need putting firmly him on the ‘nice guy’ list. Of course, being sexy doesn’t hurt, either. There are hidden depths to this mind-mannered professor that, luckily, we get to see more of as the story races along.

This story is romantic and suspenseful, opening up an intriguing world of art and espionage. There is love and violence in equal measure so turn the light on and grab that glass of wine. Survival is a bumpy ride! 
~ Review by Diane

#2 True Deceptions
Release Date: October 19, 2015


Temptation. Seduction. Pleasure. It's all part of the game...and she's the worst player yet.

After his partner was murdered, Simon Dunn was done with MI6. But the cold, violent world of British intelligence never lets anyone go free. Now Simon has been blackmailed into a new job...with a beautiful new partner who's going to get them both killed.

Robotics expert Cassie Watson is a newbie field agent with as much sophistication as...well, a pacifist, vegan computer nerd. Now she's abruptly thrust into the cutthroat world of espionage with a partner who is as cold as he is brutally-and brutishly-handsome.

But when their mission is betrayed from the inside, Cassie will be forced to place her life in the hands of the one man who's anything but trustworthy...



Funny and deadly… a lethal combination!

This is the second in the series, and could be a stand-alone but you don’t want to miss one page of the epic-ness that is this series. That includes everything Simon. So stop, go read the first book. You will thank me.

And when you come back to this one, you will be glad you did. Simon is a complex character with many facets to his personality. We learned a lot about him already but he is not finished revealing the many different sides he hides from the world. From the kitchen to the bedroom to the world-stage arms trade, he is a chameleon, comfortable in whatever the situation may be. Cassie, however, seems to bring out traits he never knew he had. And didn’t want!

A more unlikely spy or agent I couldn’t imagine…

“Why the he** are you here? You obviously don’t like violence, and you have the seductive ability of a Teletubby.”

What Cassie was, though, was super smart and beyond endearing. Forced into a job as a field agent, she was clumsy and uncertain but, at the same time, honest about her strengths and weaknesses. An expert in her field, she was a guppy thrown into a shark tank with Simon as her only protector. She didn’t want to be in this situation but she had to muddle through and so would Simon… even if it did kill them. And that’s a definite possibility…

Whether it is navigating a meal, their sleeping arrangements or each other, there are smiles and gasps galore in this totally engrossing sirens-and-spies story. Seriously, I started reading and everything else just fell away. I didn’t lift my head for two hours and even then I didn’t want to leave this dangerous but completely mesmerizing world. Henry and Alex were back in action as well and they seemed to be even more fun the second time around…

The bad and good guys blurred in this heart-in-your-throat thrill ride with Simon solidly in a class of his own. He is a bruised and battered hero but that makes him only more swoonworthy. He and Cassie clash and duet with sarcastic humor and a protectiveness building on both sides as they unite to protect the innocent and save themselves.

A series that I am “all in” with and don’t want to leave! 
~ Review by Diane



A Golden Pen winner in romantic suspense and a triple finalist in the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, Veronica Forand is an attorney and a novelist. She's lived in Boston, London, Paris, Geneva, and Washington, DC and currently resides near Philadelphia. An avid traveler, she loves to roam across continents with her husband and kids in pursuit of skiing, scuba diving, and finding the perfect piece of chocolate.

Read more about her upcoming releases and appearances at http://veronicaforand.com/



Tuesday, 22 March 2016

Review - Sometimes, Forever by Len Webster


Title: Sometimes, Forever
Series: Sometimes Moments #2
Author: Len Webster
Release Date: March 22, 2016


One job ad,
One lavender delivery,
One out of the blue laugh…
Would change his life forever.

Cooper Hepburn is tired of the suburbs. Tired of his mother’s constant nagging for him to settle down, tired of his sisters and tired of his boring career. The last thing Cooper wants is to get married and have children. He needs an escape from suburbs living, and coming across a job ad at a lavender farm in the middle of country Victoria is his answer. Deciding to let fate take control, Cooper applies, hoping the small tourist town of Daylesford is the change he seeks.

Little does Cooper know that one delivery to The Spencer-Reid will change his life in a single moment.

The very moment he meets the beautiful hotel owner.

Peyton Spencer.

The woman that would become so much more than just his sometimes. 

*This is not a standalone. Sometimes, Forever is the sequel to the bestselling novel, Sometimes Moments.







Sometimes, Forever is told through Cooper Hepburn's POV; “Lavender Boy” and how he met his “Sometimes Forever” Peyton Spencer... Not only was it amazingly beautiful, but it was also real, raw, emotional and so, so swoonworthy!

We get a bit of what brought Cooper into Peyton's life, a bit of his family, but also the moment he knew Peyton was his forever. It may feel like it's the same story as Sometimes Moments but it's not, believe me! It's so much more than I expected.

Getting to see how Cooper helped Peyton open up was just beautiful! I loved seeing their friendship blossom, and how Cooper helped her to see that it was possible for her to love again. Seeing Cooper's love for her was just breathtaking! Yes, they both had issues, especially Peyton, but Cooper accepts her and helps her to see that it's okay! 

And, let me say, the words right before each chapter just had me sighing and swooning and falling more in love with Cooper. Ms. Webster, Thank You for such an amazing and beautiful story of friendship, love, loss, forgiveness, living and loving again! 

Peyton and Cooper have captured my heart and will forever hold a piece of it! 
~ Review by Kara


ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE SOMETIMES MOMENTS SERIES

#1 SOMETIMES MOMENTS



One blink, 
One breath of air, 
One moment in time ... 
Could change your life forever. 

Growing up, Peyton Spencer fell in love with the boy across the road, Callum Reid. As the years went by, it only made sense that they would wind up being completely and utterly infatuated with each other. That was, until the morning Peyton wakes up to find Callum packing up and leaving the small town they lived in. Left heartbroken and with no explanation, Peyton spends the next four years of her life without him, ensuring they never cross paths again. 

At seventeen and months after Callum leaves her, Peyton buries her parents—feeling more alone than ever before. Now at twenty-one, she’s inherited the family hotel, The Spencer-Dayle. Just when she thinks life couldn’t get more complicated, the one person that shattered her heart, soul and belief returns. For Peyton, his return opens up all her old wounds and resurfaces the memories she’s tried to forget. 

He’s not the same boy she once fell in love with. He’s guarded and keeps secrets close to him. Peyton knows her life will begin to unravel.Untold truths will finally come to light. Whether or not Peyton wants to hear it, the truth will undoubtedly break her heart all over again.






Oh, this story right here had me crying like a baby. I had no idea how much this was going to affect me and I'm just at a loss for words, and still in tears! 

Peyton Spencer has loved her best friend, Callum Reid, since she can remember, but she never acted on it. Until one night, when she got the green light from Callum... The only thing is, just when she thought her HEA was going to begin, it actually ended. 

Callum has loved Peyton since he can remember too, yet due to a secret he keeps from her, he leaves and breaks her heart. I cannot express how pissed off I was at him for doing that to her!! And, to be honest, I wanted to sucker punch him for being such an ass...But then, I discovered his reasoning—and it literally sucker punched me instead!

Now, the ending itself to me was beautiful and had me pumping my fist saying “Oh My Goodness” and “No Freaking Way!!!!” And, at that moment, I felt lighter and I felt like there was hope after all! 

I'm not going to give away more about this heart-wrenching story, just know that you will be smiling, crying, laughing, cussing and crying some more!! This affected me even more because someone dear to me is going through something similar. Have lots of Kleenex next to you because you will cry your eyes out. Amazing.
~ Review by Kara




Len Webster is a romance-loving Melburnian with dreams of finding her version of ‘The One.’ But until that moment happens, she writes. Having just graduated with her BBusCom from Monash University, Len is now busy writing her next romance about how a boy met a girl, and how they fell completely and hopelessly in love. She is also not a certified explorer, but she’s working on it.