Disturbing His Peace (The Academy #3) by Tessa Bailey

Title: Disturbing His Peace (The Academy #3)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: April 24^th, 2018

Publisher: Avon

Blurb:

Danika Silva can’t stand Lt. Greer Burns. Her roommate’s older brother may be sexy as hell, but he’s also a cold, unfeeling robot. She just wants to graduate and forget about her scowling superior. But when a dangerous mistake lands Danika on probation—under Greer’s watch—she’s forced to interact with the big, hulking jerk. Call him daily to check in? Done. Ride shotgun in his cruiser every night? Done. Try not to climb into his giant, muscular lap and kiss him? Umm…

Greer doesn’t let anything—or anyone—distract him from the job. Except lately, all he can think about is Danika. He’s wanted the beautiful, cocky recruit since the moment he saw her. But she’s reckless and unpredictable, and Greer is painfully aware of what can happen when an officer doesn’t follow the rules. Probation seemed like a good idea, but now Danika’s scent is in his car and he’s replayed her voicemails twenty times. Christ, he’s a goner.

Danika’s melting Greer’s stone-cold exterior one ride-along at a time. Being together could have serious consequences… but breaking a few rules never hurt anybody, right?

Review:  I guess it’s no surprise that after gushing profusely about the first two books in the Academy series that I would be about to do the same thing for the third installment, Disturbing His Peace.  Do authors know which two characters in a series are the most anticipated?  Do they do this on purpose?  Could they be that cruel?

Yes, they could.

Tessa Bailey is the cruelest of them all, putting off the romantic relationship between Danika and Greer until her final book, making us all suffer through those little scenes in the first two novels until we were foaming at the mouth for Greer to finally get what was coming to him with that tight butt and domineering personality.  I was beyond ready to read about Danika rocking his world and turning his well-ordered life upside down and I was not the least bit disappointed by this novel.

One word: Spanking.

Should I end my review there?  I won’t.  But I could and you’d probably get the gist of my excitement and hopefully hop right on your computer and pre-order Disturbing His Peace at your earliest convenience.  For those of you who might take a little more time to convince, feel free to continue reading.

I love, love, love strong women. This should be obvious from the type of novels I read, but if it wasn’t… there it is.  Danika is top of her class at the police academy, strong-willed, dependable, and she could probably wrestle most men and win, which I think is incredibly impressive.  She’s an awesome example of the sort of female we should all strive to be: cool, calm, and confident… and funny.  Really, really funny.

Greer is in my top five of favorite male characters ever.  Of course that top five list is really like forty guys, but top forty doesn’t sound nearly as impressive.  There’s a lot of ties on the list.  Twelve guys tied just for first place!  But man, Greer is something else.  He’s rigid and a perfectionist and there’s something about him that makes you want to mess up all the papers on his desk and watch him go mad.

He has a place for everything and everything is in its place.  Except Danika.  She won’t fit into the little box he has set out for her and that frustrates him to no end until finally the frustration builds into an explosion of passion and lust.  It’s writing at its finest.  It’s perfection, just like Greer.  I read and reread portions of this novel until I thought my head was going to boil from the heat.

I loved watching Greer battle his personal demons and seeing such a strong man learn to accept support from Danika.  There’s something immensely attractive about a man discovering how to ask for help.  He was such a treat to experience and I implore everyone reading this review to put this novel on their To Read shelf.  And while you’re waiting, get to reading Indecent Exposure and Disorderly Conduct.  (Click the links to experience those wonderfully obsessive reviews).

I am devastated that this series has come to its end with Disturbing His Peace.  But with Tessa Bailey pumping out books like nobody’s business I know I won’t have to be upset for very long.  Soon another novel will come and take the place of Most Loved on my bookshelf, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart.  Get to pre-ordering.  Right now!

Head Coach (Hellion's Angels #2) by Lia Riley

Title: Head Coach (Hellion’s Angels #2)

Author: Lia Riley

Publication Date: November 21, 2017

Publisher: HarperCollins

My best friend is currently living with us which can make reading and reviewing a little more difficult than usual because she’s feeding my Netflix addiction.  We’ve watching Back Off, Haters, Grey’s Anatomy, Mindhunter, and Stranger Things since she’s arrived here.  (Obviously we haven’t gotten all the way through Grey’s).

Still, when I sat down to write this review she told me she would write it for me, despite not having read Head Coach by Lia Riley.  Here are her words on the novel: “This book was saucy with a side of sexy.  Much sex was had.  It was a very fun time for everyone involved.”  Is she wrong?  No, surprisingly.  There was much sex and Neve and Tor’s relationship was very saucy with a side of sexy.

I loved the build-up of the love-hate relationship between Neve, a sports reporter, and Tor Gunnar, the stoic head coach of the Hellion’s.  She’s the biggest thorn in his side, always gunning for the best story and asking the questions Tor hopes that no one asks.  He has reason not to want to be around her, but for some reason he finds himself drawn to her strength, her tenacity, and her beauty.

Neve throws everything she has into her work.  She isn’t looking to complicate her life with a relationship right now, especially not one with the moody Tor Gunnar whose personality is less than stellar and who clearly despises her.  Certainly not him.  It doesn’t matter that he makes her gut clench and her chest ache just from being close to her.

There’s more than a spark between these two.  There’s an explosion.  A forbidden splash of heat across the pages.  Their relationship was really wonderfully done.  I thought there could have been a little more drama, but that’s a subjective opinion obviously.  I’d love it if my characters had off-the-wall explosions every other page, but that’s not realistic and it can get a little old.  There’s probably just enough drama in here to keep the average reader more than pleased.

I like Lia Riley’s habit of putting strong women with strong men, but adding just a little bit of weakness between them to draw you in.  I want to see them both struggling with past demons, working through their damage to come out stronger together and that’s how her characters work.  Her novels are easy, enjoyable reads that have you reading so quickly that you don’t even realize you’re half way to the end until it’s over.  The perfect read for a Sunday afternoon.

Head Coach comes out November 21^st, but if you’re looking for something to read before then you can always check out Mister Hockey, her first novel in the Hellion’s Angel series, featuring Neve’s sister Breezy and the hot hockey captain, Jed West.  My review of Mister Hockey can be found here.  

Follow by Tessa Bailey

Title: Follow

Author: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: TODAY

Blurb:

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it.

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior’s motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship…

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York’s financial scene…and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he’s exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane…and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They’re strong enough to overcome a little betrayal…aren’t they?

Review:

Wowza.  Wow, wow, wow.  WOW.  Did I say wow?  Tessa Bailey’s Follow came out of nowhere for me.  There I was still recovering from her last novel Indecent Exposure (review can be found here) when all of a sudden I received an email asking if I wanted to read and review her upcoming novel Follow.  Uh, yes, sign me up immediately.

I didn’t even read a blurb about Follow before picking it up.  I just instantly downloaded it and began reading.  I was drawn in by the idea of mob threats, and deception, and family before everything.  It was intriguing from the get-go.  There was only a brief moment where the speed with which the characters moved had me wondering whether this story was going to seem like someone’s wet dream fantasy rather than a romance novel, but that was quickly overtaken with the hilarity of the dialogue and the passion between the characters.

Teresa is a relatable woman.  Sure, she works at an illegal gambling den, she’s got a history with the mob, and she’s working one last job to save her brother… but other than those things she’s totally relatable.  It was so refreshing to have a female character who knows she’s attractive and isn’t afraid to use that to her advantage.  Too often I feel like female protagonists are forced to do the whole “I’m attractive but I don’t know it” song and dance.  How exhausting.  Teresa don’t play that game.

Will is drop dead gorgeous, of course.  And rich.  Oh, and he loves his dog.  I would be rolling my eyes at his perfection, but he was just too damn likeable.  His personality eventually won me over and his attraction for Teresa was the cherry on top.

I love their relationship.  Tessa Bailey’s characters always have the hottest sex, but Will and Teresa take it to another level.  There is some incredibly sexy role-playing but what is even sexier is Will’s dedication to ensuring that Teresa is always okay.  That their relationship is unaffected by the dangerous nature of their role play.  His checking up on her was without a doubt the most amazing part of the novel.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a male character do that and it made me realize that maybe I’ve been expecting too little from my men.

Overall, fabulous read.  Just fabulous.  It had action.  It had passionate sex scene after passionate sex scene.  It had draaammmmaaa.  It had… everything, basically.  Nothing was lacking from this book.  It had me reeling time and time again.  When Tessa Bailey’s name comes across my computer screen I put down whatever I’m doing and I start reading.  Immediately.  You will, too.

Third Son's a Charm by Shana Galen

Title: Third Son’s a Charm

Author: Shana Galen

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Publication Date: November 7, 2017

Blurb: Fiercely loyal to his friends and comrades, Ewan Mostyn is the toughest in a group of younger sons of nobility who met as soldiers and are now trying desperately to settle back into peaceful Society. Ewan trusts his brawn more than his brains, but when he's offered a job watching the Duke of Ridlington's stubbornly independent daughter, he finds both are challenged.

Lady Lorraine wants none of her father's high-handed ways, and she'll do everything in her power to avoid her distressingly attractive bodyguard―until she lands herself in real trouble. Lorraine begins to see Ewan's protectiveness in a new light, and she can only hope that her stoic guardian will do for her what he's always done―fight for what he wants.

Review: Third Son’s a Charm by Shana Galen is a breath of fresh air among regency novels.  I love regency novels, but I have found lately that they’ve been getting a little stale.  We’ve always got the young woman who’s unacceptable by societal standards and the rake who wants her.  Don’t get me wrong though, I love that plotline, but I was looking for something a little more exciting.

Enter Lorraine and Ewan.  Lorraine was quite an interesting character.  She was both innocent and daring, bold and reserved.  I never knew what she was going to say when she opened her mouth.   She was a delightful person, if not a bit dense at times but really… who isn’t?  Throughout the novel she became more confident in herself and in being herself.

Ewan was the star of the show though.  He was everything you want your male protagonist to be and more.  I love handsome rakes who have everything going for them, but for once it was nice to get a guy whose only fault isn’t that he finds it hard to express his feelings.  Rakes are always clever, intelligent men who know how to charm their way into or out of any situation they’d like.  That’s not Ewan.

Ewan’s entire life he’s been shamed for his lack of intelligence.  He’s told over and over again that his only redeeming quality is his large size and people expect very little from him other than brute strength in bad situations.  He’s a man with a learning disability, a slight stutter, and low self-esteem.  When have you ever read a romance novel with a man like that?

It was such an amazing treat to get to know Ewan. I loved delving deeper into Ewan’s past and watching the effect that Lorraine had on his belief in himself and his confidence in his own brain.  He was a brilliant character that brought forth a lot of emotion from myself (and I’m sure he’ll do the same for other readers).

I think people will be excited to read about the relationship between Lorraine and Ewan.  They were complete opposites who filled voids in one another that they each didn’t know they even had.  I loved watching the barriers between them break down… and I loved watching Lorraine get a little smarter with each interaction with Ewan.

Pre-order this book if you’re looking mix up your regency collection or even looking to start it. You’re going to want to read it over and over again.

Soft Limits by Brianna Hale

Title: Soft Limits

Author: Brianna Hale

Publisher: Carina Press

Publication Date: October 30^th, 2017

Blurb:  Graduate student Evie Bell spends her days ghostwriting memoirs and her nights playing out her most intimate sexual fantasies by penning fan fiction. When a famous stage actor bursts into her life, she's drawn to his dark, sensual presence, despite herself.

He calls me chérie, ma princesse, minette.

In Paris, Frederic takes Evie firmly in hand, leading her down a sensual path neither of them could have imagined, and pushing them both dangerously near their limits.

I call him Daddy.

Evie is wary—fearing Frederic is a villain both onstage and off—but again and again, Frederic draws her in. Yet the closer they become, the more Frederic holds back, wanting to protect Evie from his despicable truth. He isn’t the man she believes him to be, and his secret may very well destroy them.

Review:  As is becoming a habit with my reviews, this is the first novel I’ve read by Brianna Hale and one of the first romance novel I’ve read of its kind.  Period.  I didn’t read the blurb before scooping up this book, so I wrongly thought that this would be your average, every day romance.  I was horribly, wonderfully wrong on that front.

Soft Limits is a Daddy BDSM romance with an eighteen year difference in age between Evie and Frederic.  Two new experiences in my reading repertoire.  I want to let you readers know right off the bat what you’re getting into because if you go into this expecting a light romantic read you’re going to be really surprised when Frederic comes out dressed like a neurotic priest (slight spoiler here, ladies).  I don’t want any of you being blind-sided by the erotic nature.

Soft Limits is a contemporary novel, but the way Brianna Hale writes had me wondering if I’d fallen straight into a dirty version of Pride and Prejudice.  The whole thing screamed 1800s England, so I was incredibly confused when they referenced things like Instagram and electric cars.  The writing style was to die for though and I truly enjoyed the way Ms. Hale weaves her stories and draws in the reader through her character’s dialogue.

Evie is a wonderful character who really resonated with me in some ways, but in other ways she was a total foreign concept to me.  She was quirky and odd, but also strong and empowering.  A walking contradiction, to say the least.  I’m sure every woman can commiserate with the internal battle we face between wanting to be strong feminists, but also longing to be cared for and trying to come to terms with the battle within us.

Frederic is… well, he’s Frederic.  He’s dangerous, intriguing, warm, and welcoming.  He understands boundaries, but knows when to push them.  He’s the ultimate male protagonist.  The one you’ve been searching for.  Sexy, domineering, loving, and tortured by a secret that will ruin him.

The whole novel was honestly amazing.  I started off thinking that the Daddy Dom thing would be awful strange, given that it’s not exactly something I’ve sought out before… or even thought of before, but as I read it my opinion began changing.  By the end I found myself slack-jawed and totally wrecked for other novels.  Quite a delightful read in the dirtiest, dirtiest way.

The book comes out October 30^th and if you’re a fan of some darker BDSM then I suggest you check it out. Only 2.99!

So Over You (Chicago Rebels series) by Kate Meader

Title: So Over You

Author: Kate Meader

Release Date: December 19, 2017

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Blurb: Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels...

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won silver at the Games, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then... let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice...

Review:  Holy %&$#.  If I could end my review of So Over You by Kate Meader with those words (and symbols) I would, but I feel I owe it to you to describe what an outstanding novel this was. 

First off, I didn’t read the first novel in the series because I didn’t even know there was one until I read the blurb and saw “second entry”.  Whoops.  All that means is that I’ve got more reading to do.  This book was so amazing that I have no doubt that the ones about her sisters and other members of the hockey team will be equally as spectacular.

The only part of the book that I didn’t like was the cover because I didn’t feel that it accurately encompassed what I was about to fall into.  I went into this read reluctantly thinking I was about to read a so-so sports novel and was just hoping that it wasn’t a complete waste of my time.  Oh my god.  I need to stop judging books by their covers because my life would be so much worse if I’d never read So Over You.

Maybe I’ve got a thing for Russian men?  I’ve found that some of my favorite books involve Russian men.  Vadim is definitely in my “Top Ten Hottest Men Ever” list.  Whether it was his accent (that I picked up on throughout the entire novel), his penchant for speaking Russian, or that internal dialogue of his… long, drawn out sigh.  He is something else.  Whenever he opened up that beautiful mouth of his and spoke dirty I found myself whispering, “Holy shit” out loud in my empty living room.

Isobel was a wonderful protagonist.  She was strong and confident and a star on the ice, but she also had those insecurities we all like to see within our characters.  I really enjoyed learning more about her and getting to watch her work her way out of the dark and into Vadim’s arms.  The best part was that she gave as much as she got… and what a treat that was.

And the two of them together?  Some of the best scenes I’ve ever read.  There wasn’t a spark… there was a full out forest fire happening between those pages.  I kept expecting the book to turn to ash in my hands.

The way Kate Meader writes is like a song and it was a song that I wanted to go on forever and ever.  I finished the book right before bed and Vadim hummed through my dreams all night.  If you’re going to pick this book as your next read (please do!) then make sure that you’re alone, that you’ve got wine nearby, and that you’ve got all night to get it done.  You will not be able to put it down.

P.S. Did I mention the next book is actually a male/male novel about their team manager?  Somebody needs to come and pick me up off the floor.

Pre-order your copy from your local independent bookstore or get it for your Kindle here.

Bad For Her (A Bad Boys Gone Good Novel) by Christi Barth

Title: Bad For Her

Author: Christi Barth

Release Date: October 3, 2017

Publisher: HarperCollins

Blurb: Doctor Mollie Vickers loves the tight-knit community of her tiny Oregon town. But she’s not a fan of the limited dating options. Sleep with a guy who tried to copy off her in junior high? Pass. Mollie’s sex life is flat-lining… until a deliciously handsome man she’s never seen before stops to help her fix a flat tire.

As an ex-mobster, Rafe Maguire’s no saint. But he’s trying to turn over a new leaf. Although he probably shouldn’t kiss the hot doctor on the side of the highway. Or suggest a no-strings fling with a woman he has no business pursuing. Rafe’s life is too complicated for love—his new WITSEC-provided identity doesn’t fit him at all and there’s a U.S. Marshal watching his every move. He can’t tell Mollie the truth… but their chemistry is scorching and being good doesn’t mean he can’t be a little bad.

Mollie can’t resist the guy who looks rough, talks tough, and is loyal to the bone. But it’s obvious Rafe is keeping secrets. When the truth comes out, Mollie must decide if she could ever love an ex-mobster… or if this bad boy has truly gone good.

Review: Ex-mobsters, witness protection, and a hint of danger… I expected Bad For Her by Christi Barth to be a fast-paced, crime-filled suspense novel with a hint of danger and a lot of sex.  What I got was something completely different.  Bad For Her is slower-paced, overwhelmingly hilarious, filled with adorable family moments, and… well, yeah, some hot sex.

I absolutely loved the characters in this novel which takes place in a small Oregon town.  Usually too many quirky characters feels forced, but somehow the author gives each character their own spin so that they’re entertaining and loveable rather than stale and overdone.  This is obviously the first in a series so I’m excited to delve further into the lives of these wonderful characters and see what other secrets they’re hiding.

Let’s talk about Rafe.  Serious, sexy, incredibly hot Rafe whose life in the mob has left him overly confident and wonderfully fit.  The confidence wasn’t annoying, however, and neither were his muscles and those romantic moves of his.  I about died and went to heaven every time he made an advance on Mollie.

Mollie is smart, attractive, witty and kind.  She’s a fantastic woman and the best part about her is that she seemed so real.  She had so much charm and love to give to those around her.  She’s the sort of woman you want to be your friend and that’s the sort of person I like reading about.  Nothing worse than a character you want nothing to do with, it makes it so much harder to get into the novel.

Together the two of them have unbelievable chemistry.  It certainly got my blood pumping a few times and then there were a couple times that had my blood boiling and those moments were even better.  Woosh.  If you pick up this novel make sure you have a cold glass of water—or better yet a beer—nearby to quench that thirst you’ll develop.  In the end though it’s clear that the relationship between them isn’t just heat in the bedroom… there’s a real relationship developing there and it’s a great thing to get to watch it happen.  You find yourself more eager for them to finally admit their feelings than for another bedroom scene.

This is the perfect read for those who aren’t just looking for hot sex, but who also don’t want a soft, happy read with implied sex, if you know what I mean.  It’s a great compromise.

You can purchase the novel at your local independent bookstore or a Kindle edition here.