Book Reviews Archives - Page 21 of 114

Book Review: Inked In Lies by Giana Darling

Aug 5, 2020

Inked in Lies (The Fallen Men #5) by Giana Darling

Pages: 474
Publish date: July 31st 2020
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9781774440087
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

He moved in next door.
Handsome as sin, older in a way that meant forbidden.
He had tattoos on his hands and wickedness tucked in his grin.
I was a goner as girl to a man they called Casanova for a reason. He would never love me, at least not the way I needed him to.
I tried to move on. But I couldn’t turn my back on him or The Fallen MC.
So when they needed me most, I offered the only thing of value I could use to help them.
My body.
And when helping them meant putting my life on the line, Nova had to decide just how much he was willing to do to get me out alive.

Inked in Lies:

As soon as I finished the last book in this series a couple of months ago, Inked In Lies jumped up high on my most anticipated list. And you know what, I’m not disappointed. There was some aspect that I didn’t particularly like, but overall I really enjoyed reading Inked In Lies. You can check out my series review of the rest of The Fallen Men Series now.

Inked In Lies by Giana Darling follows Lila and Nova as they grow up, go through heartbreak, death, and falling in and out of love. When Nova, known as Johnathon move in across the road from Lila and her family both of their lives change forever. Through the years Lila and Nova grow closer together and both go through heartbreak. But they also drift apart. And when trouble falls upon The Fallen Men things are about to get even more dangerous.

Photo by Yousef Espanioly on Unsplash

Lila was such a fantastic female protagonist. I loved getting to know more and more about her. The reader knows both protagonists pretty well. But we get to see their stories now. Lila was a real pleasure to read, I loved that she didn’t take anything from anyone and just did what she wanted to. I liked that she was strong and even though she had been through hell she made a life for her own. One of the things that I loved most about Lila in Inked In Lies is the fact that we get to see her grow, her character arc was fantastic.

Nova was interesting that is for sure. There were times where I loved him and times where I wanted to wring this neck. The reader is able to see that Nova is holding his feelings back for Lila and while it does this, he does hurt her. But we also know that he also cares about her so much. From the previous books, we already have this image of Nova, but it goes into his life at a deeper level. Nova is a charmer for sure. Darling is able to write him in a way that he isn’t always a pain in the ass.

The romance had many ups and downs. For the most part, I loved Lila and Nova together. I loved that we get to see them from the start. We get to see them meet each other, know each, care for one another. And then we get to see Lila fall in love. But we also see her go through heartbreak, most of it to do with Nova. Lila and Nova are pretty fantastic together. The interactions between these two were pretty great. The dynamics between the two were just so good.

Photo by Lucas Lenzi on Unsplash

I normally don’t love when books time jump, but I think it played it’s part so well in Inked In Lies. The reader is not only able to see the progression in Lila and Nova’s relationship but also see how their lives played out. Giana Darling was able to write the time jumps well. I do wish at the start of each time jump we were told a little about what time we were jumping to. A year or even how many years passed. After reading a little bit, I was able to make that distinction.

One of the things that made me smile in Inked In Lies was seeing Nova’s family. They just squeezed my heart. And I wish that we were able to see more of them. I adored how much they supported not only Nova and their boys. But Lila and her brother Dane as well.

I also wish we got to see more to do with tattooing. I love my tattoo’s and I was expecting to see more of it throughout the book and it wasn’t all there.

Another thing that I loved is that we got to see so many characters that we know and love from previous books in the series. But that means we also have to go through the heartbreak again. Oh gosh, that did hurt. I loved that we got to see The Fallen Men in action. Both when they were younger and when we know them from the current books. I can’t wait to see what happens next with these bad boys.

Photo by Stas Svechnikov on Unsplash

Overall, I loved reading Inked In Lies by Giana Darling. It was a great addition to The Fallen Men series. Lila and Nova were fantastic together. I love seeing their relationship build slowly over the years. At times it was messy and complicated. But the reader can see right from the start how much they care for one another. It’s the most different from the other ones in the series but that was a nice change in pace. I can’t wait to see whose book is next. Things are started to heat up and I can’t wait for more.

Have you read Inked In Lies by Giana Darling yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading this series? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander

Jul 30, 2020

A Widow’s Guide to Scandal (The Sons of Neptune #1) by Hallie Alexander

Pages: 269
Publish date: July 22nd 2020
Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing
ASIN: B08C95LHMK
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Henrietta Smith was fifteen when she stole a kiss from Marcus Hardwicke. Over a decade later, she’s still waiting to be kissed back…

Henrietta learned the hard way that when you get what you pay for you might end up with a British soldier quartering in your home threatening your friends, an enormous dog tracking mud through your house and stealing the chickens, and Marcus Hardwicke disrupting your uncomplicated life by trying to improve it. And to think she just wanted her roof fixed.

Marcus, wickedly handsome carpenter and rebel rogue, fell off Henrietta’s leaking roof. He can’t leave until his broken ankle heals, giving him plenty of time to consider his past mistakes, including Henrietta’s indelible kiss from a lifetime ago. But Henrietta could lose more than her home if she doesn’t encrypt British secrets, and the latest puts Marcus in the crosshairs.

A Widow’s Guide to Scandal:

I received an earc of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about books.

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. there weren’t any reviews about it, and I hadn’t heard about the book or author before. However, the synopsis grabbed me from the start. I was intrigued and I can never say no to a historical romance. But let me tell you I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the characters, the romance and the story and I can’t wait to read more.

After the loss of her husband, Henrietta Smith is struggling in a world run by men. But she doesn’t want that to stop her. Life at the moment isn’t easy, but Henrietta will get through it. When she requires some help to fix a leaking roof, Marcus Hardwicke is too the rescue. But then he needs some assistance himself when he falls through her roof and breaks his leg. Now Henrietta must deal with a British soldier’s threats, new and old friends and Marcus Hardwicke.

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

Henrietta was such a delight of a protagonist in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal. From the start, she was easy to get along with. I loved how strong Henrietta was and that was presented throughout the whole book. But we also get to see the horrors that she also had to go through. I liked how Hallie Alexandra dealt with it in the book. It didn’t take over the plot. And it also made Henrietta who she was. And while Henrietta does have a more serious side, Marus, his friends and even her reading group, bring out a different side to her and I love that. She is funny and witty and that just makes the reading the book such a good experience.

Marcus was also such an interesting male protagonist. He was funny and was able to ease the tension throughout the novel. Like Henrietta, Marcus was easy to get along with. I liked that he had to depend on Henrietta after breaking his leg. It just made everything that much better. Marcus was also quite funny and that made for some fantastic conversations. Another thing that made me enjoy Marcus as a protagonist was that the reader can see from the start how much he cares for Henrietta and that was just fantastic to see.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

The romance in A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was absolutely adorable and I can’t wait to see more of this from Hallie Alexander. It was slow-burning but very sweet and made me smile – a lot. Marcus and Henrietta both tried to stay away from each other, but they were both able to connect with one another in different ways. At times Henrietta struggled with her feelings with Marcus. She has a hard past and she didn’t want to let herself fall for me. But the connection between them was too strong. It was a second chance, friends to lovers and I adored that.

I have said this before but I haven’t read many historical romances set during, before or even after the American Revelation. I’ve only ever read a few historical romance books set in the states and this has to be one of my favourites. It was really interesting and I can’t wait to see more of it in the next books in the series.

The writing style of A Widow’s Guide to Scandal was something that I enjoyed a lot. I did struggle with the first few chapters, but as soon as I got into the story it was totally fine. I do find that sometimes it takes me a few chapters to get into historical romance, especially if I don’t know the world I’m jumping into. Hallie Alexander is great at creating emotions and character arcs.

Photo by Austin Neill on Unsplash

Overall, I loved reading A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander. It includes not only a fantastic romance but also great characters. Henrietta was such a pleasure of a protagonist. I loved knowing about her life and I loved getting to know her more. Marcus was a character and he added another dimension to the novel that lifted it. This is a fantastic debut and I can’t wait to read more from Hallie Alexander.

Have you read A Widow’s Guide to Scandal by Hallie Alexander yet? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Heat, Flying High and Birthday Girl | Mini Romance Reviews

Jul 16, 2020

Today I thought I would share some mini-reviews of recent romance books that I have read. Two are 2020 releases while the last one is new to me author that I picked up for the first time. Let’s get into it.

High Heat (Hotshots #2) by Annabeth Albert

Pages: 336
Publish date: July 27, 2020
Publisher: Carina Press
ISBN: 9781488057069
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Smoke jumping is Garrick Nelson’s life. Nothing, not severe injuries nor the brutal physical therapy that follows, is going to stop him from getting back with his crew. But when a lost dog shows up on his front porch, he can’t turn her away, and he can’t take care of her on his own. Thankfully, help comes in the form of his new sexy, dog-loving neighbour. As they work together, trying to re-home their little princess, Garrick can’t resist his growing attraction for the other man, even though he knows this guy isn’t the staying type.

Rain Fisher doesn’t take anything too seriously. He dances through life, one adventure at a time, never settling in one place for too long. When his hot, conveniently buff, neighbour shows up on his doorstep, dog in tow, Rain’s determined to not just save the adorable puppy, but her reluctant owner as well. He never expects their flirtation might tempt him into stay put once and for all…

High Heat:

I received an earc of High Heat by Annabeth Albert from Carina Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about a book.

I was looking forward to High Heat. I enjoyed book one in the series as well as Annabeth Albert’s previous book. But this one just wasn’t for me. From the start, I wasn’t clicking with the characters or the story. Which I found strange. I enjoyed Garrick in the first book and I was so looking forward to getting to know him more. But as soon as I was in his perspective, it fell flat to me.

Both Garrick and Rain were both interesting characters, but that is what they felt like; characters. I love when an author can make me see their characters as real people, but I didn’t feel that here. They were entertaining and I liked getting to know them. But they were just on the page.

Garrick is this tough guy that wants to get to the job he was going before the accident. But he can’t and it takes him a long time to realise that. I enjoyed seeing this. You all know me I love seeing different types of disabilities in books, and I really liked the way that Annabeth Albert explored it here. Garrett wasn’t only dealing with the physical pain of his injury, but also the mental. I think that Albert had a great balance of this.

Rain was such a character – he did make me laugh several times. But then there were times where I felt that his personality took over the story in High Heat instead of helping it. If that makes any sense at all.

Overall, I was disappointed with High Heat by Annabeth Albert. I was really looking forward to Garrett’s story, but I was disappointed with the outcome. The romance was something that I liked, but I felt the characters were a little flat. I enjoyed the representation of disability and the many aspects that come with it. But the plot didn’t grab me. I might continue with the series – I will just have to wait and see.

Classified (The Elite #3) by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank

Pages: 226
Publish date: 21 June 2020
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9798653162893
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

MATEO MORGAN
CALL SIGN: SOLO

GRANT HUGHES
CALL SIGN: PANTHER

In the heat of the hot California sun, tempers flare and desires ignite as Solo and Panther try to resist their attraction while fighting to be number one.
With passion this intense, the question remains:
Who’s gonna come out on top?

Classified:

I read the first two books in The Elite Series earlier this year and enjoyed them a lot. And with the second book finishing on a cliff hanger, I knew I needed to read book three as soon as it came out. I enjoyed it and felt like it was the perfect ending to this series.

The romance in Classified really brings the heat and I love it, Morgan and Grant and just so adorable together and I loved that the reader gets to see a different side of them in this book. The first two books in this series are about them understanding their feelings for one another and letting things go. But Classified explores their relationship more.

I did feel that the cliffhanger from book two was a little letdown. I didn’t feel that there was enough tension at that moment. It’s later in the novel that the tension is brought to the forefront. But I would have liked to see more of it from the getgo.

Both Morgan and Grant are great characters and I really enjoyed seeing them explore their relationship more. But they also had their moments. Miscommunication and insecurities are one of the main force of turmoil in this novel. And while I normally don’t like this, it did work well her.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Classified by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank. It was a great conclusion to the series and brought together some great moments. I loved Morgan and Grant together, and the ending had me smiling so much. This is a great little series that is great for someone that loves military romances but wants something a little different.

Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas

Pages: 416
Publish date: April 15, 2018
Publisher: Penelope Douglas LLC
ISBN: 9781976333088
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

JORDAN

He took me in when I had nowhere else to go. He doesn’t use me, hurt me, or forget about me. And he listens to me, protects me, and sees me. I can feel his eyes on me over the breakfast table, and my heart pumps so hard when I hear him pull in the driveway after work.

I have to stop this. It can’t happen.

My sister once told me there are no good men, and if you find one, he’s probably unavailable. Only Pike Lawson isn’t the unavailable one.
I am.

PIKE

I took her in because I thought I was helping. As the days go by, though, it’s becoming anything but easy. I have to stop my mind from drifting to her and stop holding my breath every time I bump into her in the house. I can’t touch her, and I shouldn’t want to.

But we’re not free to give into this. She’s nineteen, and I’m thirty-eight.

And her boyfriend’s father.

Unfortunately, they both just moved into my house.

Birthday Girl:

Penelope Douglas has been on my to-read list for a few years now. But I didn’t know where to start. After hearing pretty great things about Birthday Girl, I thought it was a perfect choice. And I’m really glad that I decided with this one. While it wasn’t my favourite book I’ve ever read, I did enjoy reading it.

Both protagonist were such a pleasure to read and I loved getting to know both of them throughout Birthday Girl. At times I felt that their characters felt a little flat. But it wasn’t the whole book. Jordan was interesting and I liked getting to know her. I loved her growth as well.

Pike was a really interesting character. I didn’t particularly love him, but I didn’t hate him, just indifferent. I liked knowing about him and knowing his feelings. But I didn’t care too much. At times I felt that he was just annoying.

I enjoy reading age-gap romances and there is one here for sure. The romance had a great built-up I enjoyed seeing that a lot. It’s a slow burn one for sure, so that is not your thing, then this isn’t for you. But I did enjoy seeing the relationship build between Jordan and Pike. It went from nothing to something quite sweet. In saying this, I did feel that the book ended before the reader gets to see Jordan and Pike together. It’s a big book and I felt like as soon as anything happened – the book ended.

Talking about age-gap romance. I like how it was handle here. A big deal wasn’t made, but it was also not overlooked. It was a great balance and that was perfect.

Overall I enjoyed reading Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas. It was a great romance novel that I would recommend to others, especially those looking for age-gap romances. Jordan and Pike were great together, even though I wished I saw more of them together. I will need to pick up something from Penelope Douglas again for sure.