Maryse's Book Blog - Page 1186 of 1846 - Following my heart, one book at a time...

Five Suddenly Sunday Surprises…

November 15, 2015 By Maryse 71 Comments

<— BREAKING NEWS UPDATE!!! DARK READ Just went live!! Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

OMG this sounds crazy, I can’t even choose a part of the blurb I wanna highlight, ’cause the 2nd part of the blurb is WAY different than the first part… so I say this blurb must be read for THAT jolt!!

“Erika

I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession. His name is Michael Crist.

My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He’s handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.

But I noticed him. I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away. Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.

Because he’s finally noticed me.

Michael

Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika. My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college. In my city. Unprotected. The opportunity is too good to be true, as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.

We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.”

Eeeeeeeep!!!!!!!!!

Just a few great looking books that popped up on my radar this morning, and I thought I’d post ’em in case any of these strike your fancy. Three super sales and two new book releases,. And the first (that one there to the left) one had me one-clicking within seconds of reading that blurb.

P.S. I’m reading one right now (Tangled <— from last year!) that I’m loving, and I’m feeling, and it’s right up our alley (story-wise, writing-wise, “new adult” character-wise). She’s in love with her best friend, but HIS best friend is a bully. He hates her. But us getting to know him? WOW. It’s intense. I haven’t skimmed a thing. Not even the “steamy scenes”. It’s gonna hurt, I just know it. It already hurts, and I’m halfway through. —->

Okay so… we’ve got teens raised in a cult, teens running away to Vegas to get married, new adults heading to L.A. to becomes stars, a love-at-first-sight married couple that sounds so tragic and heartbreaking, and a savage man that she’s been hired to “culture”.

The Family by Marissa Kennerson <— SHE’S BEEN RAISED IN A CULT ALERT! And she’s seventeen now, and scheduled to marry the head of the cult, and thinks this is a good thing… until she meets a boy her own age. “Adam—their Father, prophet, and savior—announces that Twig will be his new bride, and she is overjoyed and honored. But when an injury forces her to leave the Family compound, Twig finds that the world outside is not as toxic as she was made to believe. And then she meets Leo, an American boy…” Plus! It’s on sale today. I one clicked this one. I just love stories that explore this kind of life…
My Soul To Keep (Soul Series Book 1) by Kennedy Ryan <— JUST RELEASED! MUSICIANS IN L.A. ALERT! She’s trying to make her way… and meets him. Oh oh. “I’m finally making my way, making my mark. I can’t afford to fall for one of music’s brightest stars. Not now. Music is all I have left, and I’m holding on tight with both hands. I won’t let go, not even for Rhyson Gray…”
Me Without You by Kelly Rimmer <— TEARJERKER FOR THOSE THAT LOVED THE NOTEBOOK & ME BEFORE YOU ALERT (or so it says in the intro to the blurb…) and it’s on sale today! “My Lilah, who gave me so much, and yet kept from me a secret that she knew would break my heart. My name is Callum Roberts, and this is our story.“
Fall Into Place (Taking the Fall) by Alexa Riley <— JUST RELEASED! Young love, Vegas weddings and Russian sniper “runaway” daughters. Sounds like sweet intensity!
Uncivilized by Sawyer Bennett <— SAVAGE MAN WON’T BE TAMED ALERT! I read this one a year or so ago! He’s been raised in the wild and now a grown man, has just been discovered. “Dr. Moira Reed is an anthropologist who has been hired to help me transition back into modern society. It’s her job to smooth away my rough edges… to teach me how to navigate properly through this new life of mine. She wants to tame me. She’ll never win…“

Reader Favorites – Paige’s Top Favorite Books List:

November 14, 2015 By Maryse 9 Comments

It’s time for a reader favorite’s list and today, Paige is up!She’s been with us since 2014 and is a HUGE Colleen Hoover fan!

Wanna see what other books are her absolute favorites? She has thirteen favorites she wants to share with us! So many that we absolutely LOVED, and a few that I’ve never heard of but that sound so profound.

She didn’t give us personal details as to why these are her favorites but these little bits from the blurbs make it obvious. And I’ve read and loved so many of ’em, that I included links to my own reviews next to those I’ve read. 😀

1. Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan <— “When she’s a young girl, Eva meets the reason for her existence. Deuce West is the sexy, biker bad-ass of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. Like Eva, he was born and raised in the club—but that’s where the similarities end. Their first meeting is innocent, but as Eva matures into a woman, their chance reunions evolve into a fit of lust and love…” (Maryse’s Book Review)

2. Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover <— She did comment about this one in a past post! “That book bowled me over and I had a book hangover for weeks. I still get misty eyed when I think about it. There was no one in that book I didn’t like which led to it being such a beautifully heartbreaking book.” and “i have a love affair with Maybe Someday. That book blew me away…” (Maryse’s Book Review)

3. The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman Trilogy Book 1) by Paulina Simons <— “Their world is turned upside down when Hitler’s armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad. Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him.” (Maryse’s Book Review)

4. Seduction and Snacks (Chocolate Lovers #1) by Tara Sivec <— “With Carter’s undisguised shock at suddenly finding out he has a four-year-old son and Claire’s panic that her stretch marks and slim to none bedroom experience will send the man of her dreams heading for the hills, the pair will do whatever they can to get their happily ever after…” (Maryse’s Book Review)

5. Wallbanger (The Cocktail Series Book 1) by Alice Clayton <— “When the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. Their late-night hallway encounter has…well…mixed results.” (Maryse’s Book Review)

6. Redeeming Love: A Novel by Francine Rivers <— “Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside. Then she meets Michael Hosea, a man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything. Michael obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw…”

7. Poughkeepsie (The Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series Book 1) by Debra Anastasia <— “He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him-just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless…” (Maryse’s Book Review)

8. Addicted to You (Addicted Series) by Becca and Krista Ritchie <— “Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own. Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.” (Maryse’s Book Review)

9. Beyond Shame (Beyond, Book 1) by Kit Rocha <— “The sectors surrounding Eden house the corrupt, the criminal-men like Jasper McCray, bootlegger and cage fighter. Jas clawed his way up from nothing to stand at the right hand of Sector Four’s ruthless leader, and he’ll defend the O’Kane gang with his life. But no fight ever prepared him for the exiled City girl who falls at his feet…” (Maryse’s Book Review)

10. The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning <— “Adam Black is Trouble with a capital T. Immortal, arrogant, and intensely sensual, he is the consummate seducer, free to roam across time and continents in pursuit of his insatiable desires. That is, until a curse strips him of his immortality and makes him invisible, a cruel fate for so irresistible a man. With his very life at stake, Adam’s only hope for survival is in the hands of the one woman who can actually see him…”

11. The Red Tent: A Novel by Anita Diamont <— “Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah’s voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood-the world of the red tent…”

12. The Giver (Giver Quartet, Book 1) by Lois Lowry <— “The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.”

13. My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok <— “Asher Lev, the religious boy with an overwhelming need to draw, to paint, to render the world he knows and the pain he feels, on canvas for everyone to see. A loner, Asher has an extroardinary God-given gift that possesses a spirit all its own. It is this force that must learn to master…”

Friday Finds! 20 of the Latest Bargain e-Books & Reader Recommendations – November 13th 2015

November 13, 2015 By Maryse 78 Comments

Happy Friday the 13th!! It’s kind of like we have a two Halloweens back to back. Well okay… no ’cause I doubt anyone will be going trick or treating or dressing up today, but!! I bet a bunch will be indulging in the scary movies or books today, so you know I couldn’t help myself. I had to find us just a couple of “scary” finds for the list.

And for those that aren’t into the scary stuff… there are PLENTY that are right up our love story alley! 😀

ALSO!! I just want to say YAY and you guys are AWESOME to both of our fellow readers, Tessa and Grey, because we just found out they are participating in the “NaNaWriMo” writing competition!

Tessa: I just do Nanowrimo for the challenge.

fabi: I can’t even imagine entering a writing challenge. That’s really pretty awesome Tessa. You should share with us… I did a bit of research on NanoWriMo today. Apparently, its a group move to write a novel in one month. November. It’s seems like an awesome opportunity for writers to colab and communicate. I know several of the authors I follow on Twitter are participating. —Tessa still blows my mind.—

bev: So, Tessa & Grey are the two of you authors and not telling us?

Grey: Well… I write, therefore I’m an author, I guess *sheepish grin* … This is my 3rd year in a row doing NaNaWriMo, I’ve won both years so far, nervous about this year, but hopefully I’ll be able to pull it out *heads out of the gutter, naughties*. But I will say, it’s unbelievably hard, *oh, did I mention, my work is definitely intended for mature audiences haha!*! Anyway… 50k words in 30 days… Even to someone as verbose as myself, it’s…intense!

fabi: Grey! *thud* *dies* Seriously woman?! You just now think to tell us you’re an author? Are you going to share your work with us? *eyes bugging out* *dying, dying, dying* You’ve WON NaNoWriMo two years in a row!!! — that’s it, I can’t talk to you anymore, I’m completely tongue tied and star struck.

Cheryl: Grey-congrats on your writing success!

bev: Tessa and Grey (who WON NanoWriMo the last two years!!!) ugh ugh ugh dying dying dying Here I’ve been talking to them without even knowing. *drops face on desk*

Amy: Grey, really?!? You won two years in a row? (note to self: look up Nanow- however it’s spelled) That is amazing, Grey! I am so excited for you and Tessa and what you two are doing this month with writing.

P.S. Let me know if I’m missing any or if you loved any (from this list or elsewhere).

P.P.S. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem! Amazon offers various free Kindle apps and a free Kindle Cloud reader for any and ALL of us to use. You can either use the free Kindle App for your smartphone, tablet, AND your desktop computer (just like you’re using a Kindle, but right through your web browser <— No need to download anything! )

EBOOK BARGAINS & READER RECOMMENDATIONS (NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order).

Cruel & Beautiful by A.M. Hargrove & Terri E. Laine <— JUST RELEASED HOCKEY PLAYER MED STUDENT & HIS COLLEGE STUDENT BLIND DATE (sounds like it will be ANGSTY!!) They go on a blind date and… “he shows her just what a future with him would hold. Only life has other plans. The unthinkable happens and everything begins to shatter. Both in too deep, they will have to fight the cruel and hang onto the beautiful.”
Tethered Bond (Holly Woods Files, #3) by Emma Hart <— JUST RELEASED!
Finn Beckett: Rockers of Steel by MJ Fields <— JUST RELEASED!!! ROCK STAR ALERT AT ROCK BOTTOM BUT THAT SEES THE LIGHT and then… “Hours before my dream comes to fruition, though, I run into a girl, one f’ing girl, and I am back on the path of destruction” OH NO!!!
Ride Trilogy Book 2: MMA Fighter New Adult Romance by Jayne Blue <— JUST RELEASED MMA FIGHTER ALERT! “…the second book in a steamy MMA fighter romance series with a possessive alpha male and a young heroine fighting for her life.”
Twisted Perception (Flawed Book 2) by T.L Smith <— JUST RELEASED!! She runs a male escort service…? “I’m a trafficker. I traffic gorgeous young men for my clients. The lonely old women whose husbands are more than likely off cheating on them. You’re not going to like me; I’m not going to lie. I’m a bitch, a manipulator, the type of girl your mother warned you about…”
Thunder Rolls: Episode 8 (Rising Storm) by Dee Davis <— JUST RELEASED!!
Quiet Lies by R.L. Griffin <— JUST RELEASED PSYCH THRILLER ALERT!! “I hate myself most days. I hate that I feel for him as much as I loathe who I’ve become with him. This story is hard to hear. You know what the worst part is? You’ll see part of you in me. You’ll hate that. You won’t tell anyone. My story is about cracks. A description or telling of how cracks in a marriage, a life, a personality, a heart and a mind begin and continue for years without anyone knowing.“
The Truth About Love by Emma Nichols <— JUST RELEASED! MARRIAGE TROUBLES ALERT! “Nina and Shane are already married and have a special needs baby. Life isn’t the fairy tale she imagined. Their happily ever after has never seemed so far away. Then one October, everything falls apart…“
Paper Dolls (Falling Paper, #1) by Ketley Allison <— JUST RELEASED! SHE’S ANGRY & HER ROOMMATE PROVIDES THE PERFECT UNDERGROUND LURE... “…all Scarlet wants to do is to rebel against the life that betrayed her and her roommate provides the perfect lure… Scarlet awakens when she enters the New York City underground, where vice and fortunes thrive.“
Voyeur by Christine Alvarez <— JUST RELEASED M/M ROMANCE! HE HATES HIS FATHER... “I’ve turned into a monster – sitting in the shadows of another’s pleasure, lurking just out of sight, getting off as a silent spectator. This is who I have become. This is who you left to run your company. This is who is sitting at your desk…” but someone knows he can be happy again. “He has so much faith in me – too much faith in me. He cannot see what I won’t show him and I’m scared if I do, he will run…”
Pointe of Breaking by Sarah J. Pepper & Amy Daws <— FAMOUS BALLERINA AND HER VERY SCANDALOUS AFFAIR… “Our scandalous rendezvous is plastered all over NYC’s tabloids. Because of my status in Manhattan, now I’ve dragged her into the limelight. My ex will stop at nothing to tear us apart.”
The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith <— MIND BLOWING SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN ALERT!! My friend Sali is going CRAZY for this author!! She says: “If you’re in a psy fy-ish sort of mood, take a little look at this author!!! Don’t know who they are … Make/female etc lol but OMG the character development & world building is MIND BLOWING!!!!! The Last Hour of Ghan was also amazing!!!! Anyway. Just thought I would share the psyfy/distopian love with U lol… absolutely blew me away!!! Seriously Maryse….. There is something really special in this authors writing & I don’t say that lightly “
Heat by R. Lee Smith <— SUPER DARK READ BY SAME AUTHOR ALERT! It’s back on the list ’cause I HAVE heard of this author dueto THIS book that I’ve had by her for a few years now that has been SO OFTEN recommended, and is still being recommended today! In fact… Chrissy is my latest adamant recommendation for this one! “Heat by r Lee Smith is sooo good and cannot find anything like it. It is a long book and it is not for everyone! but I loved it. I seriously could not put it down. I wonder because of the way it ended if there will be a second book? R Lee Smith is an amazing author I am reading a book now by him called The The last hour of Gann, not alot of sexual content like Heat by a great story. “
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories by Stephen King <— STEPHEN KING LATEST RELEASE ALERT! JUST RELEASED a few days ago and I MISSED IT! A collection of his short stories (many are new!) and it sounds typical Stephen King awesomeness! “There are thrilling connections between stories; themes of morality, the afterlife, guilt, what we would do differently if we could see into the future or correct the mistakes of the past. “Afterlife” is about a man who died of colon cancer and keeps reliving the same life, repeating his mistakes over and over again. Several stories feature characters at the end of life, revisiting their crimes and misdemeanors. Other stories address what happens when someone discovers that he has supernatural powers—the columnist who kills people by writing their obituaries in “Obits;” the old judge in “The Dune” who, as a boy, canoed to a deserted island and saw names written in the sand, the names of people who then died in freak accidents. In “Morality,” King looks at how a marriage and two lives fall apart after the wife and husband enter into what seems, at first, a devil’s pact they can win.“
After We Fall: A dark, gripping psychological thriller by Emma Kavanagh <— PSYCH THRILLER ALERT! Sounds pretty crazy! “Four people, who have never met but are permanently linked by these disasters, will be forced to reveal the closely guarded secrets that unlock the answers to these questions. But once the truth is exposed, it may cause even more destruction.”
The Rockstar Series Box Set by Anne Mercier <— ROCK STAR ALERT! Athena HIGHLY recommends this series! “…hands down my all time favorite.. There are 4 books and 1 novella in the series so far and the next book should be released any time this month.. The series I’m gushing about is the Rockstar Series by the ever talented Anne Mercier.. Gaaaahhhhh when I found this series lets just say I read that book in a day and was left wanting more, which luckily I was not left wanting more for too long.. You learn about the alpha bad boys of the band Falling Down and can I say if they were a real band I would def be a groupie. The series starts with Jesse Kingston front man for the band reuniting with Luciano Russo famous academy award winner actress wanting to follow her real dream and be a rockstar herself.. This series has some tears, feels and laughs.. You will fall in love with each character and I can’t wait for the next book to come out..”
Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock <— SHE’S ON THE RUN TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN ALERT! Sounds fantastic!! “A mother fleeing unspeakable danger to keep her children safe… Two young girls guarding secrets in a “cross my heart and hope to die” pledge… A father desperate to be reunited with his family…“
Evolve Series Box Set by S.E. Hall <— THE WHOLE SERIES bundled!
Bridge of Scarlet Leaves by Kristina Mcmorris <— SOUNDS INTENSE and it’s a WARTIME HISTORICAL ALERT! It’s also listed as a psych-thriller and it’s only $2.51 today! “When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.“
WITHER (THE WITHERED SERIES Book 1) by Amy Miles <— Amy is enjoying this one and describes it in her signature *snort-worthiness* LOL!! “Holy moly!!! There is no easing into the story with Wither…it starts off with a bang while we are still trying to get to know the h, but it’s working and I like it! Wham, bam, screw you ma’am. That about sums up the opening scene for me. Except there is no actual screwing. And the wham-bam is literal. But not in the sexy time sense. I’m pretty darn eloquent, right? *snort*“
The Queen (The Original Sinners Book 8) by Tiffany Reisz <— This one made Grey cry!! “I just finished The Queen by Tiffany Reisz…. and I’m crying. Yeah… talk about a sap, I need Manny and a blankie fort and a glass of wine stat… yes, I realize that it is 10am, and a Wednesday, but it’s a holiday here in the US and I’m off today… and… it’s the end of the Original Sinners series, and… and… and. I’m sad girls …Major book hangover.”

And for AUDIOBOOK LVERS

For those going on a road trip soon, or maybe you’ve got some projects that require both hands this weekend but still allows you to “listen”… check out the free audible trial + 2 free ebooks deal —>

Michelle says: “My new attempt to listen to one book and read another is getting me through more books with my work schedule. My commuting goes faster with an audiobook playing too.”

AND! Here’s the fun-tool again! —> Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as AUDIOBOOKS AT A BARGAIN-PRICE!<—Audiobooks for ebook super-sale prices. I’m thrilled with that, and what’s fun is you can flip flop from reading it, to listening to it without losing your spot… This thing is so cool (Amazon calls it “Matchmaker“)! It’s an Amazon feature, that scans your Kindle books and will list all of the ones you have that are also available as an audiobook at a discounted price (not normal audiobook prices). This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL! (This is the “Whispersync” thingie).

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah <— MichelleF loved this one! “I also listened to the Nightingale audio book a few months ago. It’s beautifully written and quite moving. The story really demonstrates how crucial women were during WWII and showcases their enduring strength and bravery.”
The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre <— Cheryl is listening to this one! “I started listening to The Girl in 6E and I’m so amazed at how different this is from anything else Alessandra Torre has written. It’s very erotic and eerie and disturbing. I put off starting it waiting for book 3 to be released, although her website says books 1 & 2 do not have CH and are considered standalones. I think listening gives an added edge because the romance has basically been nil to non-existent so far. Can’t wait to see where this goes with the next two books. “
That Boy by Jillian Dodd <— Cheryl found us this super deal and loves it! “I recommend listening to That Boy. Hearing it makes it so much more funny!!”
Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock <— the Kindle version is on super-sale today, and the audio version is super cheap too!

PRE-ORDERS (next few days…!!!):

Emeralds (All That Glitters Book 3) by K.A. Linde – November 16th 2015
Crush (The Tainted Love Duet Book 2) by Kim Karr – November 16th 2015
Appealed by Emma Chase – November 17th 2015
Some Sort of Crazy (Natalie and Miles): A Happy Crazy Love Novel by Melanie Harlow – November 17th 2015
To the Stars: A Thatch Novel by Molly McAdams – November 17th 2015
Monster Prick (An Older Brother’s Best Friend Romance) by Kendall Ryan – November 17th 2015
Some Sort of Crazy (Natalie and Miles): A Happy Crazy Love Novel by Melanie Harlow – November 17th 2015
Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan – November 17th 2015
Pia Does Hollywood (Elder Races) by Thea Harrison – November 17th 2015
Tricky Twenty-Two: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich – November 17th 2015
Evan Arden: The Complete Boxed Set by Shay Savage – November 18th 2015 for the whole bundle and I LOVED THEM!!!
Command (Storm MC #7) by Nina Levine – November 18th 2015
Hearts of Blue by L.H. Cosway <— November 19th 2015
Endure (Evolve Series #4) by S.E. Hall <— November 24th 2015
Defenseless by Corinne Michaels – January 19th 2016
Enshrine by Chelle Bliss – January 26th 2016

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Courtney Lane – Breaking Insanity Series Reading Order

November 12, 2015 By Maryse 1 Comment

Ohhh sounds like an exciting psych-thriller!! Maybe even a dark read? I’m hearing it’s AWESOME!

Elissa: Breaking Insanity Series by Courtney Lane is a dark, erotic, thriller! Two of the three books are out already. The final is Dec. 3. I have to tell you though my favorite Dark Read is The Sect by the same author. If you are looking for something new Courtney has it covered.

Lise: For your next dark-twisted-mind-f**k read: ‘A Sordid Love’ by Courtney Lane

Ela: Oh Maryse there cannot be a list like this without mentioning a new arrival to dark, erotica Courtney Lane! The Sordid Promise is a crazy, dark, did I say dark? Erotic romance. You will be blown away!!

Marit: Oh my, this is interesting. She’s a loner and he is HOT and scary!!! I have read the warnings about this book, but I had to click it Have somebody read it?

Michelle: Just read The Sordid Promise by Courtney Lane….LOVED IT!!!!!! seriously had me going, dark-ish, great twist, love story with an ending BUT there will be a book 2.

Ela: Oh and The Starkest Truth (Breaking Insanity #2) by Courtney … Sequel to the Sordid Promise, which I loved and didn’t think it needed a sequel but alas there is one.

About book #1:

When physical pain allows you to escape your reality; what do you do when the pain is no longer strong enough to quiet the emotional ache?

Diouana “Nikki” returned to her hometown six months ago to tend to her sick mother. She thought she’d left her “baggage” behind her on the opposite coast, only to find that it never left her side. As her self-destructive thoughts begin to consume her, her mother — realizing Nikki’s torment — pushes Nikki to complete her last wishes.

Eric Brenton, Nikki’s new neighbor, lives in a dark, chaotic world that is easily hidden behind his model good looks and cocky demeanor. Unapologetic about his dirtier intentions, he sets his sights on Nikki with an offer to help her. But his help comes with very unorthodox conditions and a huge price.

And Eric…comes with an extensive black box warning label.

Book Review – Walk Through Fire by Kristen Ashley

November 11, 2015 By Maryse 19 Comments

Walk Through Fire (Chaos)
Sweet second chance romance of a lifetime, my friends!! This is pure K.A. infuriating alpha, family frustrations, MC rules and full-on sweetness!! But at first, it temps us with it’s angsty unrequited love “intro” that I adore!!! And the intro lasted just enough for me to feel that they couldn’t stand each other. I was in!! And many in our crew were too!

LisaM: I read Walk Through Fire & I think you can read it as as stand alone but it’s so much better reading the whole series as you really get the full effect knowing all the characters. I fell in love with all the characters in the series and it’s so nice to read about them & catch up with them so to speak!! Love KA!!! She’s an awesone author!!! Loved every single book of hers that I have read!!

Niki: I am almost finished with Walk through Fire!!! It’s long but every time I pick it up it sucks me back in!!! Definitely classic KA!! I haven’t been into some of her newer books but this series is awesome!!

Stephanie: So I stuck it out and finished Walk Through Fire and I’m so glad I did. Once you get through about 30% of book, it really picks up. Very rough at the beginning but if Millie can forgive the way High treats her during that time then I guess I can, although he was very bad. Tack is till my number 1.

Robyn: I’m reading Walk Through Fire and oh gosh, that KA has me again! She’s pure gold!

Ela: READING WALK THROUGH FIRE AND OH GOD THE FEELS! MY HEART IS BREAKING AND MY EYES ARE SWEATING BIG! I’M ALREADY DREADING THE ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That said… it wasn’t always true love between and this book.

At first… I loved it!!! I mean… how can I resist a book where she sees him after all of these years, her heart practically stops, and she decides she’s going to let him know she still loves him… and “why” it ended? I could not resist this!

…he needed to know.

So I was going to find him.

Then I was going to tell him.

It was the longing from afar, the second guessing, the building up the nerve and the approach. Oh and he responded alright. But he did NOT take it well at all.

Oh he took it, alright. It was HOT, steamy, dominating, aggressive. An almost… ugly connection, but the flame between them burned so bright, it could not be denied. And then, to her shock (and to our shock) he treated her like a club “b**ch” and threw her away.

But even in my wildest imaginings, my worst nightmares, what he did next was not something I’d ever expect.

Not from Logan.

Not from the man who had my heart.

Oh and HE DID!!!! *gasp* Of all the *&%$@#*!!!!!!! What. The. Heck!!! (<— I actually said another word here but let’s pretend I was polite the whole time I was reading). 😉

I threw it at him.

He took it.

Now he was done.

And that’s when the push pull started, and the fun “old lady” meddling started, and the biker ‘tude started. Oh the women saw Millie like she was (emotionally distraught), but the men were 100% on Low’s side in this one. Half a book of pure emotional frustration, and if you’re into a slow burn, this one surely smolders. ‘Cause they… are forced into close quarters time and time again, and both can’t stand the sight of the other. FUN TIMES!

So what’s it about?

Mille and Low (Logan) were once the love of each other’s lives. Early twenties, college students, he was just integrating with the Chaos MC and she had her whole career ahead of her. They were SO in love. In fact they stayed together for a few years, and even though they were both very young, she was pretty much considered his “Old Lady”. That is… until she walked out on him… and essentially destroyed him.

Years later, both in their 40’s she’s back in town, single, living her perfect life, in her perfect house, with her perfect career. Everything is just perfect, but without Low, she’s miserable. She’s been single and miserable this entire time?

Since Logan Judd, I had not had a boyfriend.

I had not had a lover.

Not in twenty years.

He was it for me and those pictures showed why.

I met my perfect man at age eighteen and I had him for three years.

Then I sent him away.

Could I right those wrongs?

Should I?

You obliterated him.

I had.

And I’d done the same to myself.

*gasp*!!!! WHAT THE HECK MILLIE??!!! What was all that about?

And that’s what Logan once wanted to know… but right now, he couldn’t give two f**ks. Yep. I said it. 😉 At first, he’s full on furious, and wants nothing to do with her. Eventually though, the truth comes out and what a punch to the gut it is for everyone. You and me, too!

SO good. And you know… Logan’s life went on without her. So… there’s all that fun drama potential to be had!

But then… you know, the middle of the book? Things settled. And then I was all… ehhh…. long… longer… longest. Sweet, sure… romantic, absolutely, lots of interaction. The kind that makes everyone seem real, but just the day to day living stuff. Lots of conversation and back and forth and detail (signature KA start telling). Good. Yes… good! But I was finding myself in skim mode.

And then partway into the second half of the book I was HOOKED again. Hilarious…

“Whose woman are you?” Justine asked Elvira a question that I had.

“I don’t belong to a biker. I belong to a cop. But I been adopted,” Elvira explained.

…endearing,

“You’ve fallen in love,” she declared.

He had.

Twenty-three years ago.

bossy!!!

“Millie, I come home, you greet me.” These words were firm.

These words were a demand.

“You’re being bossy.” My words were a warning.

“I come home, you greet me,” he repeated.

“The annoying kind,” I went on.

“I get home, babe, you greet me.

” I stiffened. Because I got it.

exciting and scary!!

I felt it prudent not to relax quite yet because this guy was clearly f**king loco.

I would have no idea how right I was.

I was so into it. Even more than the first half, because it was REAL. Raw. Honest. Exasperating. And heartwarming. Family drama at it’s most dramatic… and then the bad guys kicked in. ‘Cause you know… it’s an outlaw motorcycle club (although I dunno how “outlaw” Chaos is anymore, but just go with it). 😉 *sigh* I LOVED it. It felt like I was back in 2011 and re-discovering Kristen Ashley all over again.

I absolutely recommend this if you’re into the MC books and especially if you love Kristen Ashley.

“You hooked your star to an outlaw, baby…”

Yes, it’s over 600 pages, and I think it could stand to loose about 200 of those, but overall, I enjoyed it big time! So many amazing, perfectly details dramatic moments that took my breath away. Things you’d never even think about… and there they were. Making it all SO real.

4 stars! 4.5 stars for the most of the first half and most of the second half, and 3.5 star for the middle.

One of my favorite lines in the book (one of MANY) but don’t read this next part if you haven’t read the book. Just ’cause I just wanna immortalize it ’cause I love it. ‘Kay? ‘Kay. Look away. LOOK. AWAY. Tee hee!!!!

Look away…

“…whatever you were thinkin’ starin’ at the snow, stop it. We lost each other. Now we’re found. And nothin’ else matters.”

*sigh* 😀