Runaway Heiress (A Dare to Defy Novel) by Syrie James

Blurb: Brainy and college-educated, American heiress Alexandra Atherton will do anything to avoid marriage to the English peer her mother has chosen for her—even abandon the life of privilege she's always known. But as her escape goes horribly wrong, Alexandra must invent a new identity to gain the help of a handsome stranger.

Thomas Carlyle, the Earl of Longford, sweeps in and out of London disguised as a humble artist, earning just enough to keep his ancestral Cornwall estate afloat. When Alexandra crashes into his life, she awakens feelings and desires that he vows will stay buried. Despite himself, he needs this beautiful newcomer, for his sisters have run off another governess.

Alexandra is surprised to find she thrives in her new position at Longford's home. But as she grows closer to Thomas and his sisters, and her relationship with the emotionally guarded earl unleashes their hidden passions, the truth Alexandra's been forced to hide may end up coming between her and the only man she's ever loved.

Review:  I know that I’ve mentioned multiple times how much I love runaway heiress/hidden identity novels, but oh-my-gosh I love them and I want to scream it from the rooftops.  Runaway Heiress by Syrie James is no exception to that rule.  In fact, it’s even better because both the hero and the heroine are operating under a case of hidden identity.  That might be the first time I’ve read a runaway heiress story with that unique of a premise.

Sometimes in historical romance novels the women are timid and naïve, a consequence of the time period obviously, but I do so prefer brave heroines who know what they want—or don’t want—and reach out and take it.  Alexandra is that heroine.  Not to mention she’s amazing with the children she’s tasked to educate and that made me adore her even more! I found the fact that she was an American heiress to be a unique twist on what can sometimes come off as a been there-done that a million times story.

Thomas Carlyle was an interesting hero.  For one, I don’t recall ever reading about a hero in a historical romance wearing glasses—alright, so they’re fake, but still!  That’s sexy.  Maybe I’m biased because I wear glasses and want everyone to think they’re sexy.  I don’t know.  Let’s move on.  Watching Thomas move from indifferent to his sisters to actually enjoying being in their company was something special.  I positively adore children in romance novels because they bring such humor to the storyline.

Runaway Heiress has drama.  So, if that’s your thing: perfect!  There’s attempted kidnappings, there’s—obviously—mistake identities, there’s making out in dark hallways, there’s beautiful paintings, and there’s big, decrepit manors.  All in all, it’s a wonderful read that I was sorry to see end.  I eagerly await the rest of this series!  You can purchase Runaway Heiress now.

Pucked (Pucked #1) by Helena Hunting

I’ve never been into dating athletes.  Most of my ex-boyfriends have been artists in one way or another, but then I met my current husband who is an avid water polo player and did myself a romance cliché.  The nerd married the jock.  Insert gasps here.  But I, like many other women, don’t mind reading about hot, buff men once in a while… if I have to, you know?  Hockey romances are my absolute favorite, so one-clicking Pucked was no hardship.

Blurb: With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star.  So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters of his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs.  When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the fact to match.

Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants.  Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night.  But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant—too quirky—gifts.  Suddenly he’s too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like.  The problem is that the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be a part of the game.

Review:  I think my favorite part about sports romances is that they focus so little on the actual sport.  I much prefer focusing on the hot men, big dicks, and huge biceps.  And Pucked gives you that and so much more.  It should properly be classified as a sports comedy romance because it was really a hoot and a half.  I read this book while babysitting (after the kids had gone to bed of course) and had to stifle some major laughs to keep from waking up the kiddos.

Pucked is quirky with a capital Q so if that isn’t your thing I’d steer clear.  Both characters struggle with a strong case of word vomit and some major relationship awkwardness which I found to be absolutely adorable given that Alex is supposed to be some sort of sex God, but he’s really just a nerd in a buff dude’s body.  Best of both worlds!

Violet reminded me a lot of myself with her ill-timed jokes and inability to shut up when she needed to most.  I liked her willingness to express her emotions, her strength, her desire to stand up for herself, and the way she was confident in herself.  Sometimes her words and actions had me cringing, but that only made Violet a more real, more fabulous character in my eyes.

Alex is a wonderfully strange man.  The things that came out of his mouth sometimes were utterly bewildering but then they were also hot as hell.  I’ve never read a romance novel with a man who asked permission nearly every step of the way and you’d think that it would be a little dramatic, but oh my god, it wasn’t.  It was so freaking sexy.  Alex was so real that he didn’t seem completely unattainable.  He seemed like someone you could find in a bar down the street.

Helena Hunting has a very interesting way of writing that puts you directly into the character’s minds.  It felt a little like stream of consciousness and took a small bit of time to get used to, but once I did I was totally engrossed in the read.

I started reading Pucked because it was first up on my Kindle and I wanted to read something that wouldn’t be too much trouble to put down if my babysitting parents came home and I had to pause my read for the drive home.  I ended up reading the entire thing before they got home.  I didn’t expect to love a random one-click for my Kindle as much as I did, but I’m so, so, so glad that I gave it a chance.  It was a beautiful thing, this book.  You can pick up Pucked here!

Disclosure: Pucked is no longer free on Kindle, but I think it is totally worth a purchase.  I’ll be scooping up the rest of the series ASAP.  Also, the Instagram user who recommended this book is @tweezyreads.  She is always sharing free or very cheap one-clicks, so if you’re looking for someone to follow I’d check out her IG!

Think of Me Demon (War of the Myths #2) by Miranda Grant

This book had a totally different feel to it than Elemental Claim, the first book in the War of the Myth series.  That book was all hunting, chasing, fighting, and traveling to multiple locations.  A real world-builder.  In Think of Me Demon (War of the Myth #2) the world shrinks to one castle housing a family of demons and one telepath being held against his will.  A smaller cast and a quieter plotline, but no less exciting than the first of the books.

Blurb: Matakyli is a demon warrior princess and one of the guardians to the backdoor of Niflhel. Her death could lead to the dead escaping, potentially bringing about the annihilation of the Seven Planes. So when a prophecy claims that she will die by the hands of an ancient vampire, she and her brothers do all they can to change her fate. But there's only one solution.

For her to live, her lifemate has to die.

Only Galvanor isn’t willing to be led like a lamb to slaughter. He's still suffering from his last visit to hell and isn't keen on returning, especially not for another woman. But it's in Matakyli's nature to play with fire and enjoy the heat of its flames. As she digs into the secrets he wants to keep buried, Matakyli discovers a soul worth saving. But is his worth the cost of her own?

Review: When I first saw the cover to Think of Me Demon I had two thoughts.  First, I wasn’t certain that I’d ever read a story featuring a demon before. And not like Gena Showalter’s Lord of the Underworld series demons (let’s be honest, they’re not really demons), but like… an honest to gosh “evil” demon.  Matakyli and Galvanor are only in each other’s presence because her family kidnapped him to murder him, after all.  The second thought was that I’d never read a story where the heroine had red skin.  Intriguing right off the bat.

I enjoyed reading about Matakyli, a bad-ass demon with a shitty Harry Potter-esque prophecy hanging over her head. I don’t think I’d be so cool about my death being predicted but she doesn’t let it hold her back from slicing and dicing her enemies.  A formidable heroine to say the least.  I’ve been reading a lot of romance novels lately with shy, hesitant heroines, so this was a delightful change of pace.

Galvanor though… man, he was really what makes Think of Me Demon stand out.  I won’t give away too much because Romantically Inclined Reviews is spoiler-free (to the best of my ability) but Galvanor isn’t anything like the heroes in other novels.  He has suffered greatly in his life which makes his ability to form romantic relationships incredibly difficult.  But still, despite the pain that has maintained a hold on him all these years, he’s not nearly as weak as he thinks.  I’ve never wanted to hug a hero so much.

Neither Galvanor nor Matakyli, despite all their differences, can keep their attraction under wraps and it’s evident in the way their chemistry jumps right off the page.  Matakyli was a patient, understanding heroine who could murder a man with her bare hands and Galvanor was a troubled, intelligent hero full of secrets and inner strength.  Definitely a match made in heaven.

Think of Me Demon was an incredibly unique tale.  I can honestly say that I’ve never experienced a character like Galvanor in a romance novel, so if you’re looking to shake up your world (and love supernatural/paranormal romances) I would definitely recommend you pick up this series.  My review for Elemental Claim can be found here and you can begin purchasing the series here.

Captivated by Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield

Sweet Lord Almighty.  This book is heaven.  This book is perfection.  This book is thigh-quakingly good.  The minute I read the description for Captivated on Tessa Bailey’s Facebook page I knew I had to have it, so I did what I rarely do and I one-clicked the heck out of it.  And then I forgot about it for a little bit until low-and-behold last night the beautiful masterpiece simply downloaded itself onto my Kindle and I thought, “Yes, this is what my life has been leading up to.”

Then I binge read it today while the baby I nanny napped and a little while the baby was awake and trapped in her jumperoo, and maybe a little while the baby snacked on some string cheese, and the last twenty pages while bouncing the baby on my lap.  Addicted.  Couldn’t put it down.

Read the description and see if you feel that same tingle of ‘yep, this is a must-buy, must-read’ that I did: Secret aspiring comedian Autumn Reynolds is a girl gone...not wild exactly. More like lazy. Since her boyfriend abandoned her in New York City for a bunch of improv groupies she’s had two priorities; sucking the nitrous out of whipped cream cans and making sex comics about her mysterious landlord.

Blake hates people—and sunlight—with good reason. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself lusting after his upstairs tenant, a sunny, Australian people pleaser down on her luck. Turns out his ability to terrify with a single scowl comes with an advantage. Autumn seems to like it. A lot. As evidenced by the prisoner-captive comic Blake was never meant to see.

As they embark on a three-date arrangement the rules are clear; filthy, ground breaking sex, no feelings or commitment required. When chemistry is this strong, though, attachment follows. As Blake and Autumn attempt to negotiate their New York romance, their prior histories and secret dreams come to the foreground. How long can these polar opposites remain Captivated, when all signs point to disaster?

Review:  I didn’t even realize at the time of downloading that Captivated is a work by Tessa Bailey (a favorite author of mine) and Eve Dangerfield (a familiar name, yet I haven’t read anything by her before).  The two couldn’t have created a more perfect novel together.  There was absolutely none of the ‘who wrote this part?  Whose idea was this scene’ shit that sometimes happens when two authors collaborate.  There was nothing but harmony between the covers of this book.

So, the most wonderful surprise is that the description doesn’t tell you mention the insane amount of kink between these pages.  There’s a stalking fetish, a prisoner fetish, some nice pleasant dominance, some voyeurism, exhibitionism… and more.  If you are a fan of vanilla sex then I implore you to look elsewhere for your reading, although if you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey and/or Even Dangerfield then I have to assume you’re not really one for vanilla anything.

Autumn is such a wonderfully quirky character without being too over the top about it.  Every time she opened her mouth I found myself laughing.  And I can’t even imagine how hard it must be to create a character who longs to be a stand-up comedian and have that come across via the writing, but both authors did a wonderful job with it.  Autumn is the embodiment of all women who wave the feminist flag but like a little choking in their sex life every so often.  She makes women who have that secret kink feel normal about it, rather than ashamed.  A very special character.

And Blake.  Well, I’m not even sure what to say about him.  Perfecto.  A big, hulking mass of man who is down to tie up a girl but still wants to take her out to dinner and make her feel loved.  I mean, what’s better than that?  He’s the kind of hero that will carry over into your dreams and make you never want to wake up.  Thee alpha male we all dream about.  Totally swoon-worthy.

These two authors need to collaborate more often because it was the most flawless blending of story-telling that I’ve ever come across.  It’ll be a while before this book leaves my brain and the second it does I’m going to read it again…and again…and again, because Tessa Bailey and Eve Dangerfield have created something incredible.  Pick up your copy today and you will absolutely not be sorry you did.

The One You Can't Forget (The Ones Who Got Away) by Roni Loren

It takes a very special author to be able to write a romance novel that revolves around a school shooting, especially with what’s been happening in The United States in the past few months, years, and decades.  Most authors wouldn’t touch this subject with a ten foot pole but not only does Roni Loren touch the subject, she treats it with the respect it deserves.  She weaves a story of survivors without exaggerating the circumstances or making the subject into a spectacle.  It’s quite the feat.

Blurb:  Most days Rebecca Lindt feels like an imposter.  The world admires her as a survivor.  But that impression would crumble if people knew her secret.  She didn’t deserve to be the one who got away.  But nothing can change the past, so she’s thrown herself into her work.  She can’t dwell if she never slows down.

Wes Garrett is trying to get back on his feet after losing his dream restaurant, his money, and half his damn mind in a vicious divorce.  But when he intervenes in a mugging and saves Rebecca—the attorney who helped his ex ruin him—his simple life gets complicated.

Their attraction is inconvenient and neither wants more than a fling.  But when Rebecca’s secret is put at risk, both discover they could lose everything, including what they never realized they needed: each other.

Review:  I don’t know that I loved The One You Can’t Forget as much as the first novel in the series The Ones Who Got Away, but that’s less about this novel and more about how utterly amazing the first book was and how connected I felt to the characters.  The One You Can’t Forget is equally as incredibly written and devastating to my emotions as the first.  You just cannot go wrong with Roni Loren.

Rebecca is a special breed of woman.  I was pleased that we were given yet another incredibly strong heroine, and even more delighted to discover that Loren gave her a dark secret she’s still suffering from today.  It made her experience all the more realistic, to not have this heroine comes out of this dark experience a perfectly healthy, well-adjusted individual.  I won’t spoil the secret (because I’m spoiler-free y’all), but you’ll probably get a good feel for what it might be just a little ways into the story.

This book had a different feel to it because rather than having two survivors of the Long Acre school shooting you have one survivor—Rebecca.  But Wes is a survivor of his damaged past.  He was really a great counterpart to the perfectionist Rebecca and his opposite personality was exactly what she needed to finally feel safe and able to open herself up to others.  I loved that he wasn’t perfect himself, but together they had a delightful chemistry that went beyond the bedroom.

Honestly, this series is something special.  I’ve never read anything quite like it before and I don’t know that anyone else could do it quite as well as Roni Loren (so no one even try!).  If you like your romance novels fluffy and just skimming the surface of dark emotions, The One You Can’t Forget is not for you.  Don’t get me wrong.  There’s a time and a place for all types of romance novels, including the fluffiest of fluff, but this series delves deep into raw human emotions and the after effects that school shootings can have on individuals for the rest of their lives, it’s not a book you should prepare to take lightly.

Check out my review for the first book (The Ones Who Got Away) and then make your way to order it and preorder The One You Can’t Forget, which comes out June 5, 2018.  You will not regret this purchase.