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Book Review: Betting On Him by Kelly Collins | Blog Tour

Oct 25, 2018

Betting On Him by Kelly Collins

Pages: 268
Publish date: October 15, 2018
Publisher: –
ASIN: B07GFHHY8X
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

He’s a gangster going straight. She’s a waitress going bankrupt. Will their gamble on a marriage of convenience pay off in true love?

Alex Wilde desperately wants to be free of the family’s mob business. But when his infamous father is murdered, the family attorney makes a suggestion he can’t ignore: find a bride before the funeral or they’ll force a wedding with a nice Russian gangster girl. When he meets a feisty cocktail waitress, he thinks he’s found his way out.

Faye Tandy is desperately in debt and hard-pressed to find help. Alex’s offer of a phony marriage for a ton of cash couldn’t come at a better time and she’s happy to help him exit the criminal world. The fact that he’s tall, dark, and handsome is an attractive bonus. But when she discovers the Russians have a contract out on her head, she wonders if divorced and bankrupt would be a better choice than rich and dead…

As Faye’s fake feelings for Alex turn real, she’s terrified her trip to the altar might be her last. Will Alex and Faye’s throw of the dice succeed or will they lose the lawless game of love?

Betting On Him :

I received an e-arc of Betting on Him by Kelly Collins in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I just picked this book on a whim. The plot sounded intriguing and I felt like picking up a book that was a little different to my normal read. And I am pretty glad that I did, while it’s not the best romance book out there, I still had so much fun reading it and just enjoyed it.

Betting On Him follows Faye Tandy as she tries to find her way out of debt, not get kicked out of her apartment and complete school. Family drama isn’t something that Alex Wilde wants to get caught up in. But it’s time for him to lead when his mob father is killed. Both Faye and Alex are intrigued by one another when they meet at the bar where she works. Then he makes an offer that she cannot resist. Faye is now in the criminal world of family war, death, and money.

Faye was a really fun protagonist. She wasn’t quiet and ‘innocent’ in a sense that a lot of other romance protagonist are. She could very easily stand up for herself and most of the time didn’t take shit from anyone. But then there are things that she is oblivious too and I really liked that contrast. Faye was also easy to get along with. Getting married to a person that she knows nothing about for money is a little bit out there. But gosh it makes for an interesting read.

Alex was an interesting male protagonist in Betting On Him. He is from a world that is all about revenge and death but is still able to mostly have a positive view about things. He wants to make his father’s business legit, but then he does some things that contradict that. It’s a little bit of a mess. Alex doesn’t believe in a lot of things and that really does play with who he is. For the most part, I did really enjoy Alex as a protagonist and as a love interest. But then there were times where I just hated him. Alex does a lot of things without thinking, and not only that, he lets his belief that love is bad, get in the way.

I really enjoyed the romance between Faye and Alex in Betting On Him. At times, things moved really fast, but then when I got to think about it, the book was set over a good time frame. Being in a fake marriage isn’t something I read a lot. But I really enjoyed Faye and Alex getting to know each other. From the start, the chemistry was there. But getting to know more about each other took time and I liked that.

I didn’t know what to expect from Betting On Him when I started reading, I knew that there were parts that I thought were going to be ridiculous. But Kelly Collins does it in a way that it works. Betting On Him is one of those books that you kind of just have to go with it. Things get a little crazy at times but it’s still a good read. There were things that happened, that made me laugh, but I would also read more in this series.

Overall, Betting On Him is a great read. It’s not the best romance novel out there, but I loved falling into this world of mob mosses and despection. Betting On Him explores Faye and Alex as they try and navigate their fake marriage into something that has more substance. There is revenge, exploitation, and suspense involved. It’s a great romance book to just pick up and have a good time reading.

About the Author

International bestselling author of more than thirty novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Kelly lives in Colorado at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her husband of twenty-eight years, their two dogs, and a bird that hates her. She has three amazing children, whom she loves to pieces.

Book Review: Strong by Kylie Scott | Blog Tour

Oct 5, 2018

Strong (Stage Dive 4.5 by Kylie Scott

Pages: 210
Publish date: September 25th, 2018
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
ASIN: B0778GBK4F
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare.

As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line.

Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them.

Strong:

I received an e-arc of Strong by Kylie Scott from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the books.

Strong is set a few years after the final Stage Dive book and follows Martha as she is grappling with life and trying to find her place. Martha has come back home and things are tense to say the less. When readers last saw Martha she was starting to get her relationship back on track with her brother, but her life was still in upheaval. Martha has had her sights on Sam for years now, but now being back everything is coming out in the open.

I’ve never been a fan of Martha, I disliked her for a lot of the series and thought she needed a good wake up call. At the end of the series, I did warm a little more up to get, and it made me want to know more about her. But Martha is a very hard character to get along with. Throughout Strong, the reader is able to see Martha’s walls break down a little and find her place.

Sam, on the other hand, I loved since the moment he appeared. He was always there for everyone, whenever they needed him to be. And that really put a smile on my face. He not only cared about his job but the people as well. There were hints here and there regarding his feelings for Martha, and I liked that.

Because Strong is a novella, the romance does move fast. In saying that Martha and Sam have known each other for a very long time, and it was more about admitting they have feelings for one another. Sam is the only one that has any power of Martha if you can say that. She doesn’t want to believe it, but Sam breaks down her walls and sees her as a human, as a woman. The reader is able to see that Martha and Sam care for one another and they both deserve their happy endings.

Overall, Strong by Kylie Scott was a great novella. It was fantastic being in the Stage Dive world again and seeing all the characters that I love. Strong explores the notion of family and love. It explores letting go and letting yourself be seen by someone else. If you are a fan of the Stage Dive series and Kylie Scott’s other works, then you will love this.

About the Author

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today, best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie.

Book Review: Fighting For What’s His by Laura Kaye

Sep 10, 2018

Fighting For What’s His by Laura Kaye

Pages: 242
Publish date: September 10th, 2018
Publisher: –
ASIN: B07CYT37YG
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – iBooks

Resisting her only makes him want her more…

Private investigator Billy Parrish is good at three things—fighting, investigating, and sex. MMA training with the other vets in the Warrior Fight Club keeps his war-borne demons at bay—mostly, and one night stands ensure no one gets too close. But then his best friend from the Army Rangers calls in a favor.

Shayna Curtis is new to town and full of hope for the future. With a new job starting, she’s grateful when her brother arranges a place for her to stay while she apartment hunts. But she never expected her roommate to be so brooding. Or so sexy.

Billy can’t wait for Shay to leave—because the longer she’s there, the more he wants her in his bed. To stay. He can’t have her—that much he knows. But when fight club stops taking off the edge, Billy lets down his guard…and starts fighting for what’s his.

Fighting For What’s His:

I received an e-arc of Fighting for What’s His by Laura Kaye from Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’ve read quite a few Laura Kaye books now and most I have really enjoyed. They are easy reads that I can just quickly pick up and just relax. Fighting for What’s His was just the same. While it does deal with heavier issues, it’s still a quick, fun, romantic read.

Fighting for What’s His follows protagonist Shayna as she moves into her brothers best friends place as she finds her place in a new city. But her new roommate also happens to be someone who she has crushed on for quite some time. Billy still haunted by his past is trying to move on with his life. It’s all about fighting, investigating, and sex, but when Shayna moves in, he is taken off guard. Starting off with a bang Shay and Billy are in for a ride, and things are about to get heated.

I really enjoyed Shayna as a protagonist in Fighting for What’s His. She was really easy to get along with and I was able to fall into her voice nicely. From the start, the reader is able to see that. Shay has been through a lot and this is her time to get away and really take time for herself. I really enjoyed how passionate Shay was about her career and doing what she loves. I liked that Laura Kaye shows the struggles that she had to go through, but also the highs that made it all worthwhile. It was a nice contrast and added more depth to the novel.

Shay also makes a range of friends throughout Fighting for What’s His and that was so great to see. Normally in romance novels the female protagonist already has friends, but as she has moved to another town, she has to start all over.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve loved reading more and more romance books with military-related characters. I don’t know why I love it so much, but it just adds another layer to the novels and makes it that more interesting. Billy is an ex-ranger. Still trying to find his footing in the ‘normal’ world, he becomes a private investigator while also attending the Warrior Fight Club. And while he has all these things to distract him, the war still haunts him and does play around with his life. Throughout most of Fighting for What’s His, I really enjoyed Billy, but there were times where I just wanted to scream at him. He has poor communication skills that really affected his relationship with Shay.

The romance in Fighting for What’s His was okay. I didn’t actually love it that much. I think that Shay and Billy are a great couple and had heaps of chemistry. But I think the novel lacked to show the progress. There was a big part of the middle of the novel, where not much happened. It was like they had heaps of chemistry at the start and then they were saying they loved each other. The connecting part for me lacked depth and substance.

One of my favourite things about this series so far is how it deals with mental illness. PTSD plays a huge role with people that have fought in a battle and I really enjoy about Laura Kaye represents it. Both novels so far, explore mental health in different ways and on different levels. But it’s done in a way where romance doesn’t ‘fix’ the mental illness, but helps assist with striving to be in a better place. In Fighting for What’s His we get to see two different ways that mental health has effect people. Billy because of the horrors of the life he leads as an ex-ranger and then Shay with the guilt of her brother’s death.

The notion of family was a huge theme in Fighting for What’s His. Although not in the book much, I really enjoyed Shya’s relationship with her brother. The reader is able to tell from the start that Shay really cares about him and what he thinks of her. His opinions matter and that she wants to make him proud. I do wish that Laura Kaye did focus more on Shay’s realtionship with other members of her family, but it was only really spoken off.

Overall I enjoyed Fighting for What’s His. Is it my favourite book? No, not even close. But it was a really enjoyable read. The romance is firey and was fun to read. Shay and Billy are both great characters that were able to capture me from the start. Fighting for What’s His explores the notion of believing in yourself, letting go and letting people in. It’s a novel that explores family, friendship and mental health. If you are looking for a quick, but impactful romance read then this one is for you.

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in contemporary and erotic romance and romantic suspense, including the Blasphemy, Hard Ink, and Raven Riders series. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. Laura also writes historical fiction as the NYT bestselling author, Laura Kamoie. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Have you read Fighting for What’s His by Laura Kaye? What did you think? Are you planning on reading it? Have you read anything else by Laura Kaye? Let’s Chat!