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ARC Review: Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling

Oct 28, 2021

Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling

Pages: 300
Publish date: October 26th 2021
Publisher: Dangerous Press
ASIN: B098TPMV86
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

He arrives all dressed in black. Diamond cufflinks. A watch on his tanned wrist that cost more than we would ever see in a lifetime of work. He carries a single red rose for my mother. Months later, Tiernan Morelli lays red roses on my mother’s grave. That same day, he tells me that he is my new guardian. I should have known from the very start that he had more in common with the thorns than the rose. Now I know the truth: I’m a pawn in his dangerous game of revenge. I was too young and naive. Now it’s too late to save myself from his clutches. Now I belong to him.

Dangerous Temptation:

I received an earc of Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling from Valentine PR & Literary Management in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Trigger and content warnings for Dangerous Temptation include; death of parents, criminal activities, gun violence, age gap, taboo romance, child abuse off the page and more.

This book wasn’t what I was expecting it to be. And that isn’t a bad thing. I knew what I was going into, but I was also surprised by it. I read the novella that gives us an insight into both Tiernan Morelli and Bianca Belcante – do you haven’t read Bad Dreams before picking Dangerous Temptation up, I highly recommend it. It’s a few chapters if that.

Dangerous Temptation follows Bianca Belcante the bastard child and member of the Constantine family. After the death of her mother, she and her brother have been taken in by Tiernan Morelli. Who has not only been cast aside by his family but is the black sheep. But he still does their bidding.

Photo by Julia Nastogadka on Unsplash

There is major tension between Bianca and Tiernan from the start, like off the page. It’s all times of tension from hate to lust, to even disgust. It’s an interesting combo and I really did enjoy it. It wasn’t what I was expecting from these two, I actually don’t know what I was expecting.

Bianca is kinda that typical innocent protagonist, but she had this spark about her that I loved. She didn’t care about what Tiernan had to say. She did what she wanted to do. What she believed in. But Tiernan also intrigued her a lot. And she couldn’t help but get want to get to know him. I absolutely adore how much she cared and looked after her brother. She had a shit home life, for the most part. Their mother didn’t care too much about them. Right from the start, the reader is able to see how much she cares for him.

Tiernan is rough around the edges and more. I wish we got to know him a little more, but I felt that even during his chapters, we still don’t know the real him. Dangerous Temptation I felt gave us these little hints here and there and everything is going to be explore much more in book two. Tiernan is dark and twisty and I wanted to know more about him as the book went on.

Photo by sanjoy saha on Unsplash

The romance was very up and down for me throughout Dangerous Temptation. I wanted to love it, but I just couldn’t. But I also feel that it wasn’t the main focus of the book. Yes, we see the tension between Bianca and Tiernan, but we don’t get to see them really know each other. There are some fantastic scenes here and that, that was brilliant and I loved seeing them both break down. But I was left hanging for more. I’m intrigued to see what happens between the two in the next book.

This duet isn’t going to be for everyone. I’m just going to put it out there. As I mentioned before there are a lot of trigger warnings and it does include a taboo romance. So please be aware of this before you jump in. I think it’s about a 13 year age gap, which is pretty decent. And as I said because of this Dangerous Temptation won’t be for everyone.

If you didn’t know already, I love Giana’s Fallen Men Series, you can check out my review for the series here, as well as my review of Inked in Lies and Dead Man Walking. So I was really excited to try something new from Giana. While I didn’t love this one, I still enjoyed it.

In saying this, I did feel that it fell a little flat at times. While there are things going on throughout the book, I also felt that not much happened after the last few chapters, and while the cliffhanger is intense. I wanted a little more during the book. I also felt that we didn’t get to know more about Bianca’s daily life. It would have been great to see more of her interactions at school and with her new friends. I liked that we got these awesome interactions when Bianca was at home with her brother and Tiernan’s men. But I wanted a little more here.

Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash

Dangerous Temptation is set in the same world as the Cinderella series by k Webster, Lessons in Sin by Pam Godwin and more. You can check out the whole world here. I haven’t read any other books in the world and while I wasn’t confused by the family feud, I am intrigued and might end up and reading some of the other books.

Overall, Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling really did catch my eye. It’s pushed me a little out of my comfort zone and I didn’t hate it. I’m intrigued to see what is going to happen next. The ending was a major cliffhanger and that makes me both nervous and excited. Dangerous Temptation will not be for everyone and that is absolutely okay, but if you like things a little on the dark side and taboo, then this book is for you.

And there we go. Have you checked out Dangerous Temptation by Giana Darling yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on picking it up? What are some of your favourite dark and taboo romances? Let’s Chat.

Also don’t forget to check out my interview with Giana that I did last year. I had a great time and it was fantastic getting to know Giana more. If you don’t follow me on social media you can now, you can check me out on Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok.

Some Good and Some Bad | Mini ARC Reviews

Oct 7, 2021

Today I thought I would share my thoughts on some romance arcs that I have received recently. I’ve been in a massive romance mood all year and it’s pretty much all I’ve been reading. And with that comes many ups and downs. And these three books today were on that trend. So let’s get right into it.

Vows of a Mobster by Eva Winners

Pages: 474
Publish date: September 7th 2021
Publisher: Winners Publishing LLC
ASIN: B094DSCF9W
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

The truth is never what it seems. Neither are the people, regardless of who they are.

I knew the past would come back to haunt me. It was only a matter of time before my world came crashing down.

The only thing I didn’t expect was Mateo. The head of the Italian mafia. We were never meant to cross paths; our worlds were vastly different.

His green gaze captured me, his touch burning through my defences. The words he whispered melted away all the years of loneliness. But the secret I kept could get me killed. If he spared me, his rivals wouldn’t. As my secrets unravel, it could cost me everything and everyone I loved.

Vows of a Mobster:

I received an earc of Vows of a Mobster by Eva Winners via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this one. I had some good things about floating around and it sounded like my type of book. However, I was very disappointed. Vows of a Mobster by Eva Winners follows single mum, Brianna as she tries to do everything she can for a daughter, so when her best friend gets her a job at a family business she feels like she is going somewhere. But then she meets Mateo, and let’s just say things get very intense from there. Not only is he an alpha male, but he is the head of his family and his Italian Mafia.

Vows of a Mobster started strong, I was really into it. Brianna and Mateo were hot. I was feeling pretty okay with how fast the romance was moving, and then we get to about 50% off the book and it just derailed. So many things were added to this book and the plot that I couldn’t get keep up. I seriously didn’t know what was going on at times. Not only that there was also a lot of plot holes that appeared and were never really filled.

I wanted to like this book so much, but it just wasn’t for me. There are a few things that I did enjoy though. I loved Brianna’s relationship not only with her daughter but with her best friends. Marissa and Daphne were just fantastic and they would all do anything – and I mean anything for each other.

Overall, Vows of a Mobster by Eva Winners just wasn’t for me. There were major plot holes, it felt like there were thousands of things going on at once and the romance was just okay. I had heard such great things about this one, that it did let me down. In saying that, this book might be just what you are looking for. It has high stakes, a hot couple and will keep you on your toes.

Sacred Embrace (Lightbringer Trilogy #1) by A.J. Ryder

Pages: 319
Publish date: September 10th 2021
Publisher: by Scarlet Lantern Publishing
ASIN: B09CZCS3CY
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

There is no escaping Hell…at least, not without a little Divine intervention.

Desperate to escape the life into which she had been born, Filia, Lucifer’s daughter and heir, jumps at the chance to redeem and cleanse herself of her sins. To do this, she must perform selfless good deeds, and she does so under the watchful protection of four angels and a fallen angel on his own road to redemption.

Love blossoms unexpectedly even as Filia is hunted like an animal by demons determined to return her to her father’s side. Will the unconventional love Filia shares with her angelic guardians be enough to keep the infernal darkness at bay, or will they be torn asunder?

Sacred Embrace:

I received an arc of Sacred Embrace (Lightbringer Trilogy #1) by A.J. Ryder from Scarlet Lantern Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I wasn’t expecting to like this book Sacred Embrace. I just wasn’t. But it was good. This is a reverse harem paranormal romance that follows Filia, Lucifer’s daughter on a rough journey. While being Lucifer’s daughter, she wants to do good. And to redeem herself she must perform selfless good deeds. With the help of four Angels and one fall Angel, it’s going to be a tough ride as her father is determined to bring her back to hell.

This book wasn’t what I thought it was going to be and that is a good thing. I was surprised with how much I started it from the start. Fila was such an interesting protagonist and I enjoyed her right from the start. She was sassy and determined and she just took everything in. There were times where I just wanted to get him a big hug – because gosh did she need it.

Her men, her Angel’s were always there for her. I liked how the romance slowly built up. That was interesting. And I can’t wait to see where it goes. I will say that the names in this are a little hard to wrap my head around at first, but as soon as I figured out who was who, It was much easier.

I also just want to warn everyone else because I wasn’t expecting this to happen. There’s a big – and I mean big time jump so be prepared for that.

Overall, I had a great time reading Sacred Embrace. I was surprised by how good it was and how much I liked reading it. I’m excited for the next book that is for sure. This book won’t be for everyone and that is fine.

A Moment for Us (Willow Creek Valley #3) by Corinne Michaels

Pages: 385
Publish date: October 5th 2021
Publisher: by BAAE Inc.
ISBN: 9781942834557
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

I was totally over Joshua Parkerson.

Sure, I had a teenage crush on him way back when—and everyone knew it—but he never saw me as anything but his little brother’s friend, the girl who got tongue-tied any time he walked into a room.

I had long ago accepted the fact that his strong arms would never hold me, his lush lips would never claim mine, and his blue eyes would never see me as anything more than who I used to be.

But now he’s back in Willow Creek Valley, and there’s a brand-new spark between us—even he can’t fight it. Our chemistry is explosive, and every time we’re together, I swear I can feel the earth shake.

It doesn’t mean anything… how could it? I’m over him.

Until I see that little pink plus sign and the earth stops turning completely.

Now I want it all again, a life with him. But Joshua built walls around his heart for a reason, and his secrets haunt him.

How can I show him that the ghosts of his past don’t have to define our new family’s future?

A Moment for Us:

I received an earc of A Moment for Us by Corinne Michaels via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

As soon as I read the synopsis for this one, I knew that I had to pick it up. I love surprise pregnancies, childhood friends to lovers/long time crush. It just makes for some fantastic angst and this has that for sure. A Moment for Us follows Delia as she tries to get over her long time crush on Joshua, but just when she thought she would get there. He kisses her. A few kisses turn into something more, and then there is the pink plus sign staring back at Delia. They have been thrown into this new life that they both have to navigate.

I wanted to love this book. I had so many elements of everything that I loved, but it did fall short. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. Because I did. It just wasn’t what I wanted or expected from it. The romance was okay. I liked it and yes it was angsty. But I was waiting for something more. I didn’t feel like I saw them connect enough and fall for one another. Everything kind of just jumped around too much for me.

I did feel that I missed a few things – and that is my fault as I haven’t read the rest of the books in the series. So that is all on me. But I also felt that meant I didn’t feel the connection between Delia and Josh right away. I’m not sure if they both appear together in the other books in the series. But it didn’t have a great base here.

There is also a lot going on in A Moment for Us. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good read. But I felt that at times it was just a little too much. From the long time crush, the surprise pregnancy to Josh’s past. And then everything that happens to them both. I just didn’t feel that it was complete.

Overall, A Moment for Us was a good read. The romance was angsty but also very sweet. I loved that we get to see both Delia and Josh break down each other’s walls. And the sense of family is massive here and I loved that. I’m not sure if I am going to go back and read the rest of the series, but maybe one day.

And there we go, those are three arcs that I have read recently. As I said at the start, there have been many ups and down’s in my reading. Some good and some bad. And this is a great example of it.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Are you planning on reading them any time soon? What have you read recently? Let’s Chat!

Series Review: Academy Of Stardom by Bea Paige

Sep 16, 2021

I hadn’t heard about the Academy of Stardom series before I joined TikTok. But as soon as I saw it, I knew that I had to read it. I love dance movies, but I haven’t read many if any dance books, and I didn’t know what I was missing. This series won’t be for everyone. It’s dark, it includes a reverse harem and there are many triggers and content warnings that you will need to be aware of. But if you don’t mind them, then I suggest you give this series a go.

As I said this series does include dark themes and a reverse harem, to add to this it is 18+. The Academy of Stardom series follows Pen as she begins her time at a new dance school. What she didn’t expect to see was the boys – the men that changed her life, but also tore it to shreds. Now back together, Pen has to decide if she will forgive, if they can forgive her and if they can love each other again.

There will also be small spoilers from the series in this review. I tried to keep these at a minimum, but as I am talking about the whole series, it did become a little hard. So there might be a few here.

Content and Trigger Warnings: Abuse on and off the page, death, gun violence, sexual assault, drug and alcohol use, violence and dubious activities.

I didn’t know what to expect from the Academy of Stardom series. I hadn’t heard of the book or author before I picked it up. But I kept seeing it all over TikTok and I knew that I needed to give it a go. I’ve been slowly trying different romances and that makes me really excited. And this series took me by surprise. While I didn’t love and it’s not my favourite reverse harem that I have read, it’s still such a great series and not something that I have seen before.

As I said the first book in the series Freestyle begins with the protagonist’s, Penelope or Pen, audition for a chance at a new life, at a dance school. What she doesn’t expect to see are the men that not only changed her life for the better but also ruined her. It was a really interesting contrast; Pen’s reaction to seeing Xeno, York, Zayn and Dax again – she couldn’t decide if she loved them or hate them – and that made everything much more interesting. And they couldn’t decide how they felt either.

Pen and her men have a messy past and this is truly a love to hate to love romance and it was done so well. You could feel the tension with all of them. From the hatred and hurt that they all felt, to the love that they had. Freestyle is more about setting up not only the world but the characters and their relationships. While there is a lot that happens, it’s built on some fantastic characters development. Flashbacks play a great deal in the first book, and it leads to the reader not only knowing Pen and her men, but also knowing what broke them apart.

Photo by Henrique Junior on Unsplash

I really enjoyed Pen as the protagonist. She was really easy to get along with and I just felt like I could read about her life for ages. There were times where I just wanted to give her a hug and then there were other times where I wanted to make her see what was happening. Pen went through a lot before this series even started. And gosh, is it thrown about here.

Xeno, York, Zayn and Dax are all very different from one another and I really enjoyed that. I have found that sometimes when I read reverse harems I get confused on who is who. But I didn’t feel that here. At the start, it took me a while to understand who was who, but it honestly didn’t take long and wasn’t a big deal. I loved that they all not only had different personalities. But they danced differently too. It just made everything that more exciting. I don’t really know who exactly my favourite is, but I do have a soft spot for Dax that is for sure.

The romance is a true love to hate to love romance. There is so much angst and angry between Pen and the boys and it’s true hate at times. So much so I could feel it. But you can also see much they love each other, it’s why they hated each other so much. But once they let go of all the hate, the lies, the secrets. It was hot and very spicy. I’ve been reading more and more reverse harems over the last few months. Some I haven’t liked, some I loved. And this one I really did enjoy. Pen had such a different relationship with each of them. And this made for such interesting dynamics. Things weren’t just hot when they have sexy time, but when they dance – damn.

Photo by Markus Gjengaar on Unsplash

As I said this series is dark. And while the first book is the tamest of them all, it’s in Lyrical, book two that things start to heat up. And I don’t mean just with the group. Things start to get much messier and much more dangerous. And as each book goes on things get darker. It’s not one of the darkest books I read, but it deals with some pretty heavy things. Including mafia and gang ties. I wasn’t expecting certain things that happened in the book, but that made it so much more interesting. I didn’t know what to expect.

A great way that Pen and her men’s past is explored is through flashbacks. Normally I’m not a massive fan of them. I feel that it can take away from the story being told and I don’t feel as connected. However, I didn’t feel like that in the Academy of Stardom series. Nearly all of the flashbacks had their purpose. They mattered. And while I didn’t love all of them, I can see why they were used.

The writing and dance terminology was a little up and down for me. I know the basics of dance, but I did feel like it took me a while to understand what was happening during the dance scenes. There were times where I had to re-read a sentence a few times to understand how the body was moving. One thing that Bea Paige did very well is that she knows how to write emotions. There were quite a few times throughout the whole book, but especially Finale, that really got to me.

Photo by Charly Pn on Unsplash

Overall, I had a great time reading the Academy of Stardom series. It’s hot, spicy and full of lots of tension. It’s a great reverse harem and no one gets left behind. Academy of Stardom is a great mix of dark and light. There are some pretty horrible things that happened throughout the book, but there are also some pretty amazing things. Pen was a fantastic protagonist, and her men are just as great. If you are looking for a new and exciting series to start that is intriguing, different and spicy – then pick this one up for sure.

Have you read the Academy of Stardom series by Bea Paige? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? What are some romance books that you have read recently and loved?