Your Rhythm by Katia Rose

Blurb: You know what they say: save a snare, bang a drummer.  Kay Fischer is well aware of what they say, and she intends to ignore it.  After her first step into the world of music journalism ended with a screw-up so royal it deserved a crown, Kay’s been struggling to re-stack the building blocks of her career.  Salvation comes in the form of Sherbrooke Station, the latest alt-rock craze to grace Montreal’s legendary music scene.

A front page feature on the band everyone’s talking about seems like a foolproof shot at success, even after Kay meets their drummer.  Matt Pearson might have a smile sexy enough to be the eighth deadly sin and a passion for music so powerful it makes her heart ache, but Kay’s got things under control.

She’s a professional, goddammit, and a professional would not get tongue-tied over a source, even a source who’s a six-foot, tattooed rock god with an affinity for tight jeans.  A professional would not find herself opening her door at an hour long past midnight to pull said source inside and lead them to her bed.  No, that’s not at all what a professional would do.

Review:  I was never one of those girls who fawned over musicians.  In fact, I didn’t listen to music, outside of the car radio, until I was in high school.  Although, I’ll admit to having a hit clip, which, for those of you who don’t remember, was a tiny clip you stuck to your belt and you could purchase these little flashdrive things that would play thirty seconds of a song.  I had one clip and it played thirty seconds of Bye, Bye, Bye by N’Sync.

My husband played the violin as a child though, so I suppose I married a musician.

Anyways, the long and short of that rambling story is that I don’t usually seek out romance novels featuring musicians, but I really love Katia Rose’s writing style and couldn’t resist picking up her newest release Your Rhythm.  Her writing is so incredible that it holds you captive no matter the subject.

Kay Fischer is exactly the type of heroine so many readers look for.  She’s smart, capable, independent, and she’ll take whatever shit someone throws at her and throw it right back ten times harder.  Who doesn’t love a woman like that?  I was intensely frustrated by the bullshit her previous job pulled on her and genuinely worried throughout the book about her propensity for getting herself into more trouble.  She came across through Katia Rose’s writing as a genuine, caring individual with a little bit of every woman in her.

Matt Pearson wasn’t a chore to read about.  He was sexy and charming, injecting just the right amount of comedy into a sometimes tense story.  I loved the way he pushed Kay to accept her feelings while also respecting the boundaries she set.  Nothing sexier than a man who listens.

One of the best parts of Your Rhythm however was the way that Katia Rose was able to inject the reader right into Canada, Montreal, and the surrounding locations.  Her writing is so wonderfully descriptive that you can picture every scene as though you’re right there experiencing it right along with the characters. 

Anyone with an affinity for musicians, especially of the rock variety, will fall in love with Your Rhythm and the members of Sherbrooke Station.  It’s out now, so grab your copy ASAP for only 1.99!

Wicked and the Wallflower (Bareknuckle Bastards #1) by Sarah MacLean

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

I thought I’d been reading a lot of good books lately, but Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah MacLean has me realizing they were all trash!  Just kidding, of course.  But seriously, I’ve read Sarah MacLean’s work before and even that pales in comparison to the insanely amazing, spell-binding novel that is Wicked and the Wallflower.

Blurb:  When a mysterious stranger finds his way into her bedchamber and offers his help in landing a husband, Lady Felicity Faircloth agrees to his suspicious terms—on one condition.  She’s seen enough to the world to believe in passion, and won’t accept a marriage without it.

Bastard son of a duke and king of London’s dark streets, Devil has spent a lifetime wielding power and seizing opportunity, and the spinster wallflower is everything he needs to exact a revenge years in the making.  All he must do is turn the plain little mouse in an irresistible temptress, set his trap, and destroy his enemy.

But there’s nothing plain about Felicity Faircloth, who quickly decides she’d rather have Devil than another.  Soon, Devil’s carefully laid plans are in chaos and he must choose between everything he’s ever wanted…and the only thing he’s ever desired.

Review: I get so unbelievably excited when I read a historical romance novel where the woman is the aggressor.  So often they play the innocent, doe-eyed female bending to their hero’s desires.  But here we have Felicity Faircloth, a woman who is happier exploring the underbelly of London than conversing with her upperclass peers.  She was a most refreshing heroine.

And can we talk about Sarah MacLean’s writing?  Because it’s amazing.  The vocabulary she uses, the way her characters converse so naturally with one another, the banter… it’s honestly like poetry, but better because I’m not exactly a fan of poetry.  I could just read her character’s dialogue forever.

And the plot is amazing!  It’s the first book in the Bareknuckle Bastards series so much of the book was setting up the background but wow, what a dark, twisted story we have the pleasure of reading about.  It was so spectacular, so unique.  I am obsessed.  The thought of having to wait to find out what happens to the rest of the Bareknuckle Bastards is utter torture.

The chemistry between Devil and Felicity is so intense that I actually had to stop reading a couple times to catch my breath.  Reading about their love for one another was like experiencing it for myself.  This is a book you will reread over and over again simply to re-experience the earth shattering sensation of their romance.  Could two characters be more different, yet so similar?  So utterly perfect for one another?  Probably not.  There were times I was questioning who was the really wicked one?  Because Felicity was no innocent flower waiting to be discovered.  She took what she wanted.  Demanded it.

Any fan of historical romances will enjoy Wicked and the Wallflower, but know what you’re getting into.  It’s not a light and fluffy tale of love with a hint of scandal.  It’s something else entirely.  You’ll sink into it and not realize you’re drowning until it’s too late, there’s no coming back from this book.  It’s out June 19^th and trust me… you’re going to want to get your hands on this.

I Am Justice (Band of Sisters) by Diana Muñoz Stewart

I Am Justice by Diana Munoz Stewart is a heart-pounding thriller that, when you finish, will have you wondering what the ever-loving fudge you just read.  Stewart takes romantic suspense to a whole new level with this intriguing about a family of vigilantes determined to take down a Middle Eastern sex-trafficking ring.

There’s murder.  There’s mayhem.  There’s betrayal and secret spies.  There’s even a good amount of really hot sex.  So, basically, you have everything you need for a good time.  I won’t lie though, I Am Justice is not a happy-go-lucky read, nor will your breeze through it.  This is the book you’re going to want to take you time with.

Blurb: Justice Parish takes down bad guys.  Rescued from the streets by the world-renowned Parisk family, she joined their covert sisterhood of vigilante assassins.  Her next target: a sex-trafficking ring in the Middle East.  She just needs to get close enough to take them down…

Sandesh Ross left Special Forces to found a humanitarian group to aid war-torn countries.  But saving the world isn’t cheap.  Enter Parish Industries and limitless funding, with one catch—their hot, prickly “PR Specialist”, Justice Parish.  Their chemistry is instant and off-the-charts.  But when Justice is injured and her cover blown, Sandesh has to figure out if he can reconcile their missions.  With danger dogging their every move, their white-hot passion can change the world—if it doesn’t destroy them first.

Review:  I Am Justice sort of reminded me of Christy Reece’s Last Chance Rescue series about a secret group of mercenaries who make it their goal to find victims when other avenues have failed (and occasionally allow those victims to become members of the collective themselves).  It’s really a superb series if you don’t mind a little anxiety now and again.  I Am Justice takes it to another level though by bringing in the Parish family, who rescues young women—and occasionally a boy—by adopting them and then training them to be vigilante assassins to rid the world of evil doers.

Justice Parish, our heroine, is one bad ass lady.  After being rescued by the Parish family she turned herself into a strong woman capable of poisoning a man with nary a blink.  Even better,  I was so relieved to discover that, while battle hardened, she’s open to flirting and teasing with handsome men, actually one handsome man in particular.  Okay, so she’s still a little brooding, no big deal, who wouldn’t be with what the Parish family deals with? She was quite a dynamic, interesting character that you probably haven’t seen before.

I absolutely loved the flip on the romance trope with the hero, Sandesh Ross, being the peace-seeker rather than the war-seeking aggressor of the pair.  He runs a humanitarian non-profit that also wants to save the world, just in a less murder-y way.  He was all alpha in the very best ways.

I won’t recommend this story for everyone.  Yes, it has it’s wonderful moments of romance, rescuing, and witty banter, but it’s also anxiety-producing and I think I might have developed some reader-PTSD from some of the more traumatic scenes. But for those who love their books fast-paced and dangerous, you will adore I Am Justice.

The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick

Last week I was lucky enough to finally meet my idol, Jayne Ann Krentz at a book signing event at Anderson’s Bookshop.  As a bonus I also got to meet Christina Dodd and Susan Elizabeth Phillips!  I waited for months for this event and promised myself that, as an experienced blogger, I would be cool, calm, and collected when I met Jayne.  Well, that didn’t happen.  I talked so much and rambled on about my obsessive love for her for what felt like ages.  I could meet Chris Pratt on the street and not fangirl half as hard as I did with Jayne.  (Insert face palm here).

Is it even fair for me to review Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle books when I’m so freaking obsessed with her? Probably not, but I don’t care because everyone needs to hear about this insanely amazing work of fiction.

The Other Lady Vanishes is the second book in her new series under the Amanda Quick penname is set in 1930s California (the first book is called The Girl Who Knew Too Much).  I am over the moon about this new time period, given that most historical romance novels take place in the Regency or Victorian eras.  It’s such a wonderfully unique twist on the subgenre and I’m learning so much new lingo and so many interesting facts.  Did you know how easy it was to commit someone to a sanitarium back in the day?  And how about the prevalence of LSD?  Or how many people thought other people were government spies?  Man, it sounds like a freaking fantastic time.  Yay for learning!

Blurb: After escaping from a private sanitarium, Adelaide Blake arrives in Burning Cove, California, desperate to start over.

Working at an herbal tea shop puts her on the radar of those who frequent the seaside resort town: Hollywood movers and shakers always in need of hangover cures and tonics. One such customer is Jake Truett, a recently widowed businessman in town for a therapeutic rest. But unbeknownst to Adelaide, his exhaustion is just a cover.

In Burning Cove, no one is who they seem. Behind facades of glamour and power hide drug dealers, gangsters, and grifters. Into this make-believe world comes psychic to the stars Madame Zolanda. Adelaide and Jake know better than to fall for her kind of con. But when the medium becomes a victim of her own dire prediction and is killed, they'll be drawn into a murky world of duplicity and misdirection.

Neither Adelaide or Jake can predict that in the shadowy underground they'll find connections to the woman Adelaide used to be--and uncover the specter of a killer who's been real all along...

Review: Funny enough this is not the first book Jayne Ann Krentz has written about a young woman escaping an asylum where she’s been held against her will.  She wrote the book Light In Shadow which is an amazing read about a brave young woman who can hear voices in the walls of rooms where violent acts have occurred.  It’s absolutely fabulous.  But this is the first of its kind under her Amanda Quick penname.

The Other Lady Vanishes is your typical Amanda Quick novel in that it’s absolutely spectacular from start to finish.  I have no clue how she, time and time again, comes up with these dynamic characters, crazy mysteries, and batshit crazy bad guys.  I read this book in a day and I don’t regret the time I spent whatsoever.  Her heroes are awesome because even while they’re, most often, macho alpha men, they’re still romantics at heart with all the sappy thoughts and actions we want from our book boyfriends.

If you’re looking for something to shake up your otherwise somewhat predictable reading list then I one hundred percent recommend this incredible change of pace read.  Get ready to fall down a pit of old Hollywood glitz and glamour with The Other Lady Vanishes.

Devil Side by Lacey Dailey

Blurb: Unable to continue living on the path her father created for her, Gigi Moretti does something she’s never done before. She takes a risk. When musician Maxwell Mitchell waltzes into an old diner in the early morning up to his elbows in secrets, he offers Gigi the perfect escape from the future she’s never wanted. It takes an over the top demand from her father and a shocking revelation from her fake fiancé to get her to pack her bags and ride shotgun on Max’s spontaneous tour across the country.

As she and Max grow closer, Gigi learns what it’s like to throw out her overbearing workload and be an actual 21-year-old. She quits her job, eats too many Cheetos, tosses out her pink wardrobe, and takes a job as Max’s manager. Despite the unknown, she’s happy. She has a job she enjoys, she’s making plans for a future she’s actually excited about, and she’s living with a boyfriend who adores her.

Everything is perfect. And then she meets Aiden. And it all changes.

Review: Normally I read the blurb of a book before I read the book.  Sometimes this backfires on me because the blurb gets me so anxious or worked up that I can’t bring myself to actually read the darn book.  In this case, I didn’t bother looking up the blurb (mostly out of laziness) which meant that I went into Devil Side by Lacey Dailey completely blind.  Probably for the best because now that I’ve read the blurb above (which I shortened slightly because I felt it gave away a little too much) I might have been too nervous to actually start.

Devil Side has a little bit of everything good in it.  There’s a hot musician.  A quirky girl.  Overly controlling parents.  Crazy friends.  And, to even it all out, a butt load of personal problems.  Something for everyone!

I found Author Lacey Dailey’s writing style to be rather unique, though it’s hard to explain why.  It was fast-paced without feeling rushed, realistic without being boring, and funny in just the right ways.  Each character truly got their own unique voice and personality, something that I feel can fall short in novels sometimes.

Gigi was a dynamic character.  At first I wasn’t sure I was going to like her all that much (a little too brooding for my current tastes) but once she started opening up and becoming her true self—and I started to understand her better—I enjoyed her much more.  I will admit that her unwillingness to stand up to her parents drove me a tiny bit insane, but I’ve never had to suffer through that, so I probably won’t relate as much as some readers will.  As the book went on she really stepped out of her shell, put aside the Gigi her parents wanted her to be, and became her own wonderful person.

It was really easy to see why Gigi was so drawn to Max. He’s an incredibly personable character with such a carefree attitude towards life that I actually felt calmer while I read his chapters (for the most part hint hint).  Reading about a hero who is so upbeat is kind of rare in romance these days (at least the ones I read) which made Max all the more irresistible.

Their relationship progresses the way you would expect it to for two young people who have never truly been in a relationship before.  There’s a lot of head over heels moments, passionate internal monologues, and too-cute-for-life scene between them, but honestly it’s not so over the top that you’re going to roll your eyes every two seconds.

This book is… different.  It’s probably going to be unlike anything else you read.  Those who follow my blogging know that I do spoiler-free reviews (at least of main plot points) and there’s really no way to accurately describe the huge plot twist in this book without spoiling it… so I’ll just say that there is a big plot twist and leave you wondering what it could be.  If you need a shake up from the typical romance novel then you should give DevilSide a try.

The Gunslinger's Vow (Runaway Brides #1) by Amy Sandas

Until this book I'd never read a Western I particularly enjoyed.  I’m just not that into them, I suppose.  So imagine my surprise when I found a novel that brings together everything I love about regency romance and the rugged good looks of a successful bounty hunter and it’s a western!  My reaction was something like “oh shit, this is really good.”  The Gunslinger’s Vow by Amy Sandas is a whirlwind of a story full of adventure and the tantalizing lure of revenge.

Blurb:  Alexandra Brighton spent the lats give years in Boston, erasing all evidence of the wild frontier girl she used to be.  Before she settles, she’s determined to visit her childhoos home one final time.  But when she finds herself stranded far from civilization, she has no choice but to trust her safety to the tall, dark, and decidedly dangerous bounty hunter, Malcom Kincaid.

Now that Malcolm finally has the location of his brother’s killer, he has no interest in wasting time protecting a pampered Eastern lady.  But something about Alexandra speaks to the heart he long thought frozen—and her slow transformation from proper miss to wild-eyed beauty leaves him shaken.  By the time they reach Montana, Malcolm must decide if seeking justice for past wrongs is worth losing future with the woman he never expected to need…

Review:  I think I’m obsessed with cowboys, or more accurately I think I’m obsessed with bounty hunters.  Malcom Kincaid to be exact.  Haven’t I mentioned time and time again that I’m sick of brooding men?  I lied.  I so lied.  Give me brooding, give me surly, give me men bent on revenge.  I don’t care as long as they’re as delicious as Kincaid.  I love a man with talent, too, and Malcolm Kincaid is very good at his job as a bounty hunter.  It’s my absolutely favorite when strong men fall victim to feminine wiles and boy does Malcom make a handsome victim.

Watching Alexandra transform from socialite to the girl she used to be, wild and free on the Montana plains.  Kincaid expected her to be this uppity woman weakened by years in the elegant upper class of Boston, but she proved him wrong, so wrong.  Nothing better than watching a man eat his words.  Alexandra was a powerful force of a heroine.  She was spunky, and courageous, and intelligent; everything you want your female character to be.  I would like to take some lessons from her in regards to how to live my life.

I loved Alex and Kincaid together.  They were the perfect pair if you enjoy the ‘opposites attract’ trope, which I positively love.  Kincaid’s surliness was combated by Alex’s kindness and chatty nature.  Alex’s penchant for getting into trouble was constantly being resolved by the quick-with-the-draw Kincaid.  Both of them found what they so desperately needed from one another: understanding.  I would read a thousand books starring these two if it were possible.

The Gunslinger’s Vow will strike a pleasant chord with those who like their men a little worse for the wear and their women strong and capable. The writing is superb, there’s action every other chapter, and the romance is fabulous… many times over.  It's out June 5th, so pre-order your copy today by clicking here.  I’ll be looking into more works by Amy Sandas, ASAP.

Doppelbanger by Heather M. Orgeron

Doppelbanger is an intriguing title, but I was surprised to find that it actually had very little to do with the plot other than one random comment near the beginning of the book. I was somewhat looking forward to a book where the main character just slept with a bunch of guys who all looked alike… but it’s fine (sigh). Really, it’s fine. The book was an entertaining read nonetheless.

Doppelbanger was my first read by Heather M. Orgeron and it took me a little while to realize that perhaps there was a first book in the series I should have read. I didn’t need to read the first book in order to follow along though and neither will you should you choose to read this romantic comedy full of embarrassing moments, foul language, and sex on ships. It was positively scandalous.

This book was hilarious at times, but there were others times that I found myself momentarily stunned by the main character Gina who was so far outside the norm for a heroine. She is crass and unapologetic with questionable behavior and occasionally questionable morals. I think that many people would find themselves shocked by such a character—I was briefly, but eventually I got to know Gina better and she grew on me. She’s an interesting woman who loves sex and doesn’t give a shit what other people think of her. A unique character for sure who, throughout the book, survived things that would have embarrassed me enough to crawl into a hole and die, but she took it in stride.

Compared to Gina, her counterpart Jeffrey was one boring puppy. But I think the novel needed someone more grounded and “normal” to keep things from getting too crazy. Single father stories always get to me, and I especially love it when the guy is suffering from some major internal conflict (re: dead wife). There were so many times I wanted to reach through the pages and whap him on the head, but then there were times that I was extremely pleased that he was such a dunce because it obviously made for good reading.

The child characters were entertaining though, as a nanny, I found myself positively horrified at their language and behavior. Though, even though I’d never let my kids speak and act that way, it certainly made for good reading. They were a main part of the comedy portion of romantic comedy. I found myself laughing out loud a couple times.

The sex was intense between Gina and Jeffrey. Blush-worthy stuff. But there was so much comedic relief that you never felt all that overwhelmed by the passion. There was definitely some love-hate chemistry at the beginning which made for some whoa-moments in the bedroom, but eventually they realized they did sort of like each other and new sort of passion developed between them. They were quite a pair!

This book will not be for everyone, but for those who love wild characters, a lot of swearing, and some cringe-worthy moments for their characters it’ll press just the right buttons.  Doppelbanger is out today!  Click here to purchase for a mere $2.99!