{Review} The V Card by Lauren Blakely

Title: The V Card
Author: Lauren Blakely, Lili Valente
Release Date: December 13, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy

A brand new sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy from bestselling authors Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente!

When you think about how easy it is to lose keys, phones, sunglasses and your dignity on social media, you might figure it'd be a cinch for me to ditch my V Card. You'd be wrong.

At 25, I run a successful business, live in a fantastic apartment, and have fabulous friends to go out with any night of the week. And yet I'm still a card-carrying member of a club I don't want to belong to anymore. Good thing I know just the man for the deflowering job—my brother’s business partner and best friend. Graham Campbell is charming, smart, and, I’m told, oh-so-skilled in the sack. As long as I keep my eyes on the prize, there’s no way this pluck-the-flower project could possibly complicate matters.

Work and pleasure. As the CEO of a fast-growing company, I've been enjoying both to the fullest. What do I do when the board throws me for an unexpected loop so I can keep my business in my hands? I enlist the help of my best friend's little sister since she holds a big stake in the company. But then I learn there's another big stake she wants.

The one between my legs.

I can do this. Seven nights to teach her everything I know in the bedroom. There's no way I'll fall for her, even though she’s earning top grades in every single sinfully sexy lesson. And turns out I’m learning something too.

The trouble is I don’t have the answer key to what to do when I fall hard for her.

And that throws a whole new hitch in my plans.

What We Liked

♥ Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente team up.

♥ Virgin heroine trope.

♥ Brothers best friend trope, in which the h recruits her brothers best friend to take her v-card and teach her bedroom skills for 1 week. The rule: no falling in love.

♥ Bisexual (secondary character) rep.

♥ The blatant sexual innuendos has us rolling on the floor laughing.

♥ The friendship between the H and h and how it bloomed into romantic feelings/relationship.

What We Didn't

• Evil exes. Okay not that evil but it's a non-ableist alternative for cr*zy.
• Speaking of ableism, an ableist remark was used, not to mention in the same sentence as a Fight Club sentence.
• The word "luscious" *insert cry laughing emoji* WHYYY
• There was some secret-sharing that was not theirs to share without permission.

The Gals

CJ // Smart and successful. She's optimistic and funny. Though she's (was) inexperienced in the bedroom before Graham, doesn't mean she doesn't know how to drive a hard bargain/negotiation.

Luna // Graham's spunky, food truck owning bisexual BFF. We loved her personality, attitude, vibe, humor, all of it.

The Guys

Graham // Leave it to him to somehow slide innuendos while talking business. Does not like excessive emoji usage, like a typical older (even though he's not that old) dude-bro. RIP to his short-lived sex sabbatical once he and CJ start exercising some bedroom skills.

Lust Factor

   

{Review} Wrapped In My Wife by Alexa Riley

Title: Wrapped In My Wife
Author: Alexa Riley
Release Date: April 11, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Novella

Emily’s been a wife and a mom as a full-time job. But when her twin boys go to kindergarten she finds herself with too much time on her hands.

Dylan built his construction business with his wife by his side, until she had their boys and decided to stay at home. The past few years he’s been working hard to build the perfect life for her, but he’s ready to slow down.

When Emily takes a job at the local library she’s not prepared for a creepy new boss. She misses her family, but she’s determined to make it work. But little does she know her husband is on the prowl, and nobody gets in the way of what still belongs to only him.

Warning: This sugary sweet husband and wife romance is everything your heart desires! It’s safe, sexy, and over the top! Put a ring on it and dive in!

What We Liked

♥ The story centers around the H and h who've been married for 7 years and are childhood sweethearts. We love that it starts in the middle of their relationship instead of the beginning. It's a perspective that is not done very often and it was fun and refreshing to read about this couple years into their marriage.

♥ Opening scene sexy time. Bow-chicka-wow-wow (sorry we had to!)

♥ Tag team to take down a sexual harasser.

♥ Sexy time at the office *wink wink* We hope you have something to fan yourself with the various sexy times that goes on.

♥ Not 1, but TWO epilogues! Very much needed and satisfying, so big thanks to Alexa Riley for that treat.

What We Didn't

• The H has a habit of being overprotective, but he went far: surveillance at his wife's new job and spying through the windows. Okay, since the h's new boss is a pig, it was understandable but still alarming behavior nonetheless.

• Their kids don't make much appearances, nor was there much memories/nostalgia when the characters thought about or mentioned them. Hell, we don't even learn their names until the epilogues. It felt like they were just filler or after thoughts.

• Sexual harassing bosses/authority in power. Luckily the powers that be, he gets taken care of.

The Gals

Emily // Smol cinnamon roll compared to her brute of a hubby, but a strong mama bear when it comes to her family.

Nancy // Emily's cool and fashionable friend and coworker. They compliment each other in their friendship/working relationship.

Daisy // Dylan and Emily's youngest and only daughter. She's whip smart, and while appears girly, she can kick your ass.

The Guys

Dylan // The brute hunky of a husband of Emily's. He may be a bit overprotective and overbearing when it comes to Emily, but you can tell that he loves and cherishes her. Despite their differences, he and Emily fit each other well in numerous ways.

Michael // Dylan's friend who's equally protective of his wife as Dylan is of Emily. He and Dylan together... what they plot together... they're trouble.

Mark // The pig of a boss at the library Emily works at. All I'm sayin is, he got what he deserved.

Lust At First Page

"I only wanted to eat your pussy. I swear I was just going to get you off, but once I tasted how sweet you were I knew I wouldn't be able to stop. Goddamn, you're tight this morning."
I wrap my legs around his waist. "You think I would have let you stop there."

--Alexa Riley, Wrapped In My Wife (Loc 52-53)

Lust Factor

   

{Review} Heiress: A Reverse Harem Mermaid Romance by Daisy Daniels

Title: Heiress: A Reverse Harem Mermaid Romance
Author: Daisy Daniels
Release Date: January 16, 2018
Genre: Adult Fantasy, Erotic Romance, Menage

I was destined to save the Pacific the moment I was born. I was a miracle, and I was expected to repeat my parent's success and save the entire ocean from a curse thousands of years old. Then I met the man I was meant to sire a child with, and I fell in love. Until I met my other prince...and another.

Now I'm in love with three princes, and I can only choose one. The kingdom rests on my choice. But I can't choose.

Disclaimer: This novel contains very graphic descriptions of sex. You've been warned!

What we liked

♥ Mermaids and mermen

♥ It's an adult, erotic take on the Little Mermaid

♥ Reverse harem. Daphne is one lucky mermaid to have the love of three sexy mermen.

♥ Sexytimes with all the princes/mermen. Oh, to be in this mermen sandwich...

♥ Threesomes and foursomes. Hot and takes a bit of suspension of disbelief (mermaids not withstanding).

♥ Bait and switch with an unlikely ally

♥ The princess/future queen rescues the princes

♥ A glimpse of life underwater as a mermaid and the transition of trading the mermaid tales for human legs and life on land. Not to mention how mermaids procreate.

♥ Mermaid sex/menage. At least we kinda know how that works.

♥ Happily Ever After

What we didn't

• The fact that the only way to save the Pacific Ocean was for Daphne to produce an heir. First we put that on human females, now on mermaids? Please stop.
• We didn't feel the instalove
• DP-ing the h at the same time -- especially for her very first time ever having sex? Ouch. Usually one pushes in one hole, then the other guy pushes in the other hole after before going at it, but to each their own.
• We missed much of the action after the rescue mission
• Thanks for putting all that stress on us near the end. We were about to throw the book (our kindle) if the characters didn't get an HEA. Crisis averted, but that was still quite scary.

The princes

Castor. The poor guy had missed some of the fun while being in the clutches of evil, but he's got a kind heart and stamina too. (They all do, tbh). Wish he was more present.

Griffin. A sweetheart haunted by dark inner demons and a power that connects him to his dark past he'd rather forget. He can get down and dirty in bed. However, we can't believe he went in her butt dry, no lube of any kind.

Leander. He's ballsy and went straight for the dirty talk and p*ssy upon meeting the h. What a first impression. He's also got a cool power too.

King Triton. Okay, he might not be a prince but the King of the ocean and also father of Daphne.

The princess (+ sourceresses)

Daphne. Although she has the fate of saving the ocean on her shoulders, she's one lucky mermaid (solely for the mermen she has in her bed). She's so secretly attracted to Alistra

Alistra. The sourceress of the Shadow Sea. Badass, rough exterior and attitude, but not as bad as her sister. We can't wait for her story.

Selene. Alistra's (evil) sister and gatekeeper between underwater and land. She's a sneaky bitch. Watch out for her. We would've thought she'd be the equivalent to the sea witch, but she's not.

The Sea Witch. She's not the villainess we've come to know her as. In this story, she's the half healer, half mermaid in the kingdom who spared their lives at literally the last minute. Not all heroes wear capes.

Lust factor

3.5 flames

{Review} Their Secret by Cassandra Dee and Katie Ford

Title: Their Secret
Authors: Cassandra Dee, Katie Ford
Release Date: January 29, 2018
Genre: Adult, Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, Menage

Therapy has never felt this good.

When the brat comes into my office for couples counseling, my jaw hits the floor. Mona's curvy, feisty, with a wiggle to her walk and a shy smile. She's here with the gorgeous man of the house to solve their so-called "issues." But I know the truth -- the brat has something up her sleeve.

Even better, Mona's pregnant with twins now ... from TWO different fathers!

Hold your horses because we're about to get filthy. Your friends are gonna die when they find out you're reading steamy MMF scenes. :) But it's not a problem right? Because with our books, it's always time to indulge. :) This is a safe story with no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. Love you all and be sure to keep a spare pair of panties on hand!

What we liked

♥ It's a step- taboo

♥ Menage between younger woman and two older male friends

♥ The step-daughter is attracted to her step-dad just as much as he is to her

♥ Their new family psychiatrist is attracted to the step-daughter... and to the step-dad, who happens to be friends with since college

♥ Power play between the two alphas

♥ M/M sex between the two friends was hot

♥ Sexytime in the middle of their second therapy session in front of their psychiatrist

♥ M/F/M/ and M/M/F *fans self*

♥ Features more short stories, so be forewarned that the first story ends before the halfway mark

What we didn't

• Even though the step-daughter was 18 and therefore legal, she was still in high school, so it made their situation a bit hard to fully get ino
• Some of the dirty talk was cringe-worthy and pretty much ruined the moment(s)
• While we found the M/M scenes hot, it was essentially a gay fetishization written by cis/straight women for the same audience
• Grown men saying "boobies" -- I'm sorry, I thought these guys said they're in their 40s -- What are you doing calling them boobies?
• Too much "growling" when they're talking. Should've used other words like gruff or something.
• A lot of telling, not enough showing. This created a disconnect with the story and characters for readers
• We noticed an inconsistancy in dick sizes of the two male heroes
• Like the dirty talk, some word choices were also cringe-worthy, which took away from the sexytimes
• Much of the writing was a turn-off

The guys

Gray. The hot billionaire step-dad who finds his step-daughter attractive couple of years after his estranged wife ran off on him. He was pretty alpha when it came to dealing with his step-daughter, but Mason just might give him a run for his money.

Mason. The sexy as hell family psychiatrist and friend of Gray's. His attraction and trysts with Gray and the step-daughter, his patients, do pose ethical issues. Their predicament turned him on and he wasn't afraid to show it. He had balls -- literally and metaphorically. Bonus: he can deep throat a 10 inch.

The gals

Mona. The lucky step-daughter in the middle of a hot older alpha male sandwich. Okay it's hotter than it sounds. She may be innocent, but she's persistent AF when it comes to her desires for Gray. And Mason.

Lydia. Mona's only and closest friend. She was a good friend, albeit naive. I wonder what happened to her and if she ended up following her football playing boyfriend to a university she probably didn't have a chance to get into.

Kathy. Mona's absentee and Gray's estranged wife. She's such a typical gold digger and made us roll our eyes.

Lust factor

2.5 flames

{ARC Review} Burned by Christina Phillips

** I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review, however it does not influence my review, nor was I monetarily compensated **

Title: Burned
Author: Christina Phillips
Release Date: April 16, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, MC Romance

Ty...

Ten years ago I offered her everything, and she threw it back in my face. When she walked, I vowed no other woman would ever screw with my head the way she did. I moved on. Now I'm the V.P. of the Bastards, run my own nightclub, and nameless sex keeps me sane. No commitment or ties, just the way I like it.

Now she's back, for one week only, gorgeous, successful, and I can't keep away. She offers a long goodbye, a way to heal our fractured past. She burned me so bad––there's no way I should even want to be near her. But the more she gives, the more I need. Until I discover the real reason she left, and my whole damn world implodes...

TW: Reference to rape; reference to miscarriage

What we liked

♥ MC (motorcycle club) romance

♥ Second chance romance trope

♥ The H and h don't waste any time going at it once they unexpectedly reunited

♥ Sweet and hot read that kept us on our toes. We read it in one sitting.

♥ Strong characters but also softies on the inside if only for each other

What we didn't

• There were no trigger/content warnings beforehand. We hope the author/publisher includes those before the final copies are out.
• There wasn't much appearances/inclusion of the H's MC brothers in the story. It didn't feel all that much like a MC and it was easy to forget the H was even in a MC sometimes. We wish we had more time to get to know them and a feel of their friendship/brotherhood.

The guys

Ty. The VP of the Viking Bastards MC. We're pleasantly surprised and relieved he wasn't an alphahole towards the h, Jas, once they reunited after 10 years. He truly cared about her and no amount of time apart was going to change that. He even moved across the country for her, leaving his chapter for a new chapter.

Zach and Gage. Ty's closest friends and MC brothers.

Jett. Ty's dad and the president of the Viking Bastards MC. He was more understanding than we expected a club president would be.

The badass ladies

Jas. Strong badass in the courtroom and out of it. She went through so much and she held as strong as one could and made a life for herself. We're proud of you, Jas.

Angie. Ty's tough as nails mom. It took a while for Jas and us to warm up to her the way she viewed and treated Jas and her mom.

Amelia. Gage's old lady. Sweet, excitable romantic with good work ethic. We like her.

Grace. She's Zach's old lady. She wasn't in the story much, mostly mentioned.

Lust factor

4 flames

{Review} Forbidden Daddy by Kira Blakely

Title: Forbidden Daddy
Series: Forbidden #1
Author: Kira Blakely
Release Date: October 28, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

A gold letter, wrapped in diamonds, addressed to me.

"You are cordially invited to Mystique Island."

My roommate says it'll be the perfect way to forget my stupid ex.

And finally lose my virginity.

A masquerade ball. You don't have to fool around... but everyone else will be.

This is where I unmask my forbidden daddy.

He spanks me when I'm bad. He fills me when I'm good.

And his eyes...

His warm blue eyes are kind of familiar.

They remind me of the most handsome daddy I've ever known:

My ex's dad.

But he can't be.

And even if he is, I don't want to stop.

I can't stop, Daddy...

Welcome to Blakely After Dark. This is a naughty quick read for mature audiences only. Happily ever after's are guaranteed!

What we liked

♥ If you've been following us long enough, you know how much we despise cheating. So, we were relieved that the cheating didn't happen in real-time nor was it rehashed with play-by-plays. Thank you, Kira.

♥ A secret sex society on an island in the Caribbeans. Sexcapades in the beautiful Caribbeans sounds like heaven.

♥ Mysterious/secret identities at the masquerade on the island.

♥ Public sex, threesomes, voyeurism, and bare sex aplenty on the island. *fans self*

♥ Age difference romance.

♥ Once everyone arrived on the island, the H and h found each other rather quickly and went straight to the sex. Out in the open on the beach. What a way to lose your v-card.

♥ The twist of the h getting involved and hooking up with her ex-boyfriends father.

♥ The way the h called the H "daddy" out of nowhere while in the throes was funny, but it turned him on.

♥ Daddy kink, for those interested.

♥ The H took it better than expected when their identities were revealed, especially the way he found out. We were surprised and relieved.

What we didn't

• Cheaters and f*ckboys. Boy, bye.
• Shitty so-called best friends can go too.

The guys

Nicholas // The sexy dad is more alpha than expected; it was hot when he claimed Heather. We dig it. His maturity and authority are also turn-on's.

Jake // The cheater ex-boyfriend of Heather's and son of of Nicholas. We don't need to waste our time on him. He's a whiny f*ckboy.

The gals

Heather // 21 year old virgin lucky enough to get invited to the secret sex club island thing and lose her v-card to Nicholas--her ex's sexy father.

Becky // Heather's wild and outspoken BFF with sage advice in the sex department. Too bad she turned out to be a shitty friend.

Lust factor

4 flames

{Review} Taking Her Turn by Alexa Riley

Title: Taking Her Turn
Author: Alexa Riley
Release Date: February 26, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Novella

Kingsley and Mina are newlyweds and everything in their life is perfect. Everything except one little thing.

Kingsley loves his wife so much that it drives him crazy. He’s too big, too strong, too obsessed with her. So much so that he has to hold back. He ties her down to keep himself in control and won’t allow himself to let go.

Mina loves her husband, but she knows he’s keeping part of him away from her. He’s broken his tightly held control only once and it was the best night of her life. Now she’s got a plan be the one on top, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

Warning: Find out what happens when an alpha unleashes a shot of pure, hot dominance. Spoiler alert...it’s filthy.

What We Liked

♥ The dedication: "To Britney, bitch"

♥ The main characters are already married before the story began, so we learn about how they met and got together through their memories. It was different this way, and that just made it interesting.

♥ A bit of bondage. Although one of the bondage scenes was more for grounding the H's control than kink, it was still kind of hot. It was even hotter when it was the h who used it on the H.

♥ Mina takes control of her king when he doesn't give her what she wants. Get it, girl. Show him who's boos.

♥ Warehouse office sex. Kinky.

♥ Sex so rough, the bed frame and cuff restraints break. Oh yeah, it was rough and it was so good.

What we didn't

• We love AR's quick and dirty quickie reads, but we wanted more. It was way too fun and hot to be that short. (We're not sorry that we keep complaining about this for every AR novella)
• "I don't share my wife with anyone. Not even herself." Cue eyeroll. I mean, the not sharing her with anyone is fine, but, like, herself? The f*ck? But it was just for a sex session, so whatever.

The guys

Kingsley // The big bear of a guy who is hard-working, gruff and overprotective. He also underestimates his woman. Don't be afraid to let go with her, big guy. Trust us, it's hot to your woman (and us readers).

The gals

Mina // She may seem like an angel or a fairy, but she's a mothf*ckin queen who takes what she wants. And she's a daring little minx to boot. We can see why Kingsley is drawn to her and how she can bring him to his knees...in several ways. ;)

Lust Factor

4 flames

{ARC Review} On the Line by Liz Lincoln

** I received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review, however it does not influence my review, nor was I monetarily compensated **

Title: On the Line
Series: Milwaukee Dragons #1
Author: Liz Lincoln
Release Date: April 17, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance

Is this man: A) a super-hot NFL player, B) the guy you’re sexting, or C) your new boss?

If you’re Carrie Herron, the answer is all of the above. First Carrie starts exchanging steamy text messages with the sexy single dad she meets in line at the grocery store. Then she lands a job—and a bedroom—as the live-in nanny for the daughter of the Milwaukee Dragons’ newest star. But when Carrie shows up for work and realizes that they’re actually the same guy, she has no choice but to try to keep things professional. After all, Seth Chamberlain is her boss now. Her chiseled, charismatic, oh-so-tempting boss. . . .

After getting traded from Houston to Milwaukee, Seth’s having a tough time keeping his head in the game, let alone setting up his daughter in a brand-new city. So if the only nanny his daughter will tolerate while he’s on the road is the gorgeous, cosplay-loving redhead he’s had his eye on, well, so be it. Surely he can resist Carrie until football season is over. But with her knowing glances and kissable lips driving him wild, Seth must decide whether he’s ready to put everything on the line.

What we liked

♥ The flirtationship between the MC's. It was funny and cute.

♥ Even though we don't understand football (and by default, football jokes), we did enjoy some of the football banter between the guys.

♥ Awkward guy-you're-sexting-turns-out-to-be-your-potential-employer trope

♥ The h, who is the new nanny, and the H's daughter share an interest in comic books. We love that she was reading Ms. Marvel.

♥ Comic convention and cosplaying

♥ Every time the H called the h "Darlin" in his southern accent. *Swoon*

♥ The teasing and close calls before finally some sexy times just past the halfway point in the book. We love that slow-burn.

♥ Collarbone kisses. We're suckers for those.

♥ The way the h learned/explained about football helped us understand football a bit without confusing us. Thanks, girl.

♥ The fact that it was more heavily centered around family than football, and the romance didn't overshadow it either.

♥ It accurately depicted the struggles of uprooting your life (family, friends, job) to a different state and starting new and over.

What we didn't

• The whole attraction/libido spike while in the grocery store scene, discussing menstruation and maxi pads did not flow well (no pun intended).
• Whenever line of thinking went something like "he smells male" (yes, that is an actual line in the book) . . .Umm, what? What does that even mean? How does "male" even smell like? Sweat? Cologne? Sandalwood? Couldn't you just say some sort of manly scent instead?
• A bunch of "beautiful women" caught the H's eye but looked away quickly because he was "only interested in a woman he couldn't have but can't stop thinking about" aka the h. Then the one time he brings the h to the club with him and his buddies, and all of a sudden he "couldn't help stare" at the leggy woman talking to his teammate?? Oh, but it's okay because the H takes the h home and they have sex for the first time.

The guys

Seth // Professional football player and devoted dad. Kind of resembles Thor, but he favors Iron Man. Uses football metaphors to gravel and win Carrie (the h) back.

Marcus // The tall, dark, and handsome football player on Seth's team. He seems cool and enjoys ruffling Seth's feathers, which brought us laughs.

Lem // Another one of Seth's teammates and old college buddy. He's a good friend, teammate and husband of Sarah.

The gals

Carrie // Science and comic book nerd, who cosplays. She's a teacher who works/gets along well with kids. She's also the hot new nanny to Seth's daughter.

Maddie // She's Seth's 12 year old daughter. She's into comics, cosplaying and has a Funko Pop! collection. A pretty cool and smart preteen, and is accurately portrayed as a typical 12 year old. We remember those times. Wish we had a cool Funk Pop! collection, though.

Sarah // Wife of Lem, Seth's teammate and old college buddy. She's kind of a supermom, watching her kids and helps Seth's daughter. 

Jessa // Holy hell, she wasn't even present in the book (nor in Maddie or Seth's lives for that matter), but she was terrible. How could anyone treat their daughter the way Jessa did?

Lust factor

3.5 flames

{Review} Be Mine... Or Else by Alexa Riley

Title: Be Mine.. Or Else
Author: Alexa Riley
Release Date: February 14, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Novelette

Dove Rosetta is crushing hard on the hot guy she ran in to at the coffee shop. His big build, sharp suits and dark eyes have her flustered, and as luck would have it, they meet by chance every day. She might be innocent, but her thoughts aren’t, and she’s ready for him to make a move.

Beau Heart has been watching her for weeks. It's no accident that he sees Dove every day and he’s tired of playing it cool. He’s done with gentle and patient. He's grumpy, and now it’s time for dirty and fast.

Warning: This Valentine’s story is filled with alpha possessiveness and rough need. Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who claim. Get ready!

What we liked

♥ It's fast-paced; it teases just enough until we get to the sweetness.

♥ A sweet Valentine's Day love story.

♥ The h losing her virginity goes easier, quicker than anyone else's experiences. If only losing your virginity was actually as real as her experience.

♥ If this wasn't an Alexa Riley novel[ette], we'd have been weary about their first time (and every time after) having sex without any protection or talk about how he was clean.

♥ Puppies!!

♥ The H has had his eye on the h for a while before he finally let's his feelings and intentions be known and does something about it.

♥ Nothing but a pair of converse on underneath the wedding dress. That's our kind of girl.

♥ Back of the limo sex. Bonus points for it being on the way to their Valentine's Day date.

♥ The cute little family they created together.

What we didn't

• The H's stalkerish behavior.
• Their first date at his house? Classy. So romantic.
• The mystery of "B" who sends flowers to two different women misunderstanding was predictable.
• The word "slit" used to describe her...nether regions. People may be uncomfortable with "nether regions" as well, so I guess we're even.
• The title of the book sounds threatening and unsexy-like. Yes, we're judge-y about book titles as much as we are about book covers.
• (Loc 1108) was cringey.

The guys

Beau // He's a beau (see what we did there?). Your boy Beau is a smooth talker: "I'll pick you up at work." Uhh, thanks for asking? Did you just ask her on a date? We must've missed that. Luckily he's actually a lot smoother than that in the rest of the story. So don't write him off just yet.

John // Undercover spy for Beau. He seems like a loyal, well-mannered guy. He's quite likable in our opinion. He's helpful, quiet, a little rough around the edges, and respectful to his significant other.

Beau's dad // It was a pleasant surprise that his lady friend brought this stone-hard man down to earth and changed him for the better.

The gals

Dove // A fitting name for our pure h.

Tia // Dove's BFF and (former) roomie. We wish she was in it more, but since this was a short read, we understand that you can't cram everyone in while focusing on the MC's romance. We just like her that much.

Sue // Dove's older and ever-observant coworker (or was it her boss?). She was pretty cool and funny.

Katie // She's a loyal employee. We feel she's underappreciated and deserves better.

Lust factor

4 flames

{Review} Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Moonlight Sins
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: January 30, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers the unforgettable story of a woman whose new life has just begun—but may end in murder...

Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent... her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia...

TW: suspected suicide; murder; mention of incest

What We Liked

♥ The old family curse, secrets and hauntings surrounding the de Vincents

♥ Murder mysteries (both solved & unsloved)

♥ Slow burn relationship and delayed gratification, much to the characters annoyance

♥ Louisiana setting and the authentic NOLA experience

♥ This was a lot more suspenseful than we expected. The creep factor was on-point.

♥ A handy in the hallway... where anyone can walk by/through and see. Kinky.

♥ The whole roof scene on the roof with Maddie and the revelations was the only plot twist we didn't see coming. We screamed.

♥ It was different than JLA's other adult books, but we liked this take. We've read her YA suspense, so we knew she could pull it off in an Adult contemporary.

What We Didn't

• Some of the flirtatious banter felt a bit stilted and forced in the first half of the book, so it took a while for us to get on board for this ship, but we totally love the main characters together!
• A lot of suspect things were predictable (save for the roof scene near the end, of course).
• Incest? WTF. Luckily we didn't witness play by plays but still... Gross. How do we scrub this info from our minds? Blech.
• Seriously fucked up family, maybe not in the way the de Vincent's first thought, but in a number of other ways.
• We are still not sure who killed the father. It might've been subtly implied and we didn't catch it. TELL US.
• The MC's f*cking on the floor of his late fathers bedroom? Creepy. And kinda gross, tbh. Maybe that's just us.
• Like mysteries goes, some questions were left unanswered and unsolved.
• [spoiler] death near the end was murky and confusing.
• How Gabe's storyline--and him, in general--just dropped off the face of the earth. After that bombshell, and no mention about it again? *Sigh* At least his book is up next, so we're not left hanging too long.

The guys

Lucian // Nickname: Lucifer. His superpower is the ability to make everything sound sexual (according to him). He wasn't as much of an alphahole as I expected he would be (thank God), which was a good thing.

Dev // Nickname: Devil. He's strictly stoic, eerily indifferent and apathetic with very little sense of humor. We get the feeling that anything dark and twisted would make him crack a smile. Anyway, he's intense, intimidating and a complete ass. We wonder what or who would be able to bring his walls down.

Gabe // Nickname: Demon. He's sweeter and friendlier than the brothers, but don't let that fool you. We can't wait for his book, because we're curious about him and the woman from his past and the bombshell.

Stefan // Uncle de Vincent. Also Senator. We didn't think much about him other than that we were not sure whether to trust him or not, and when we noticed he wasn't mentioned much in the last half of the book. Whatever happened to him?

Daniel // There was something about him that didn't seem right at first, but we didn't know just how much wasn't right about him. He wasn't intelligent nor right. In a lot of ways. What in the hell was Madeline even thinking?

The gals

Julia // We liked how strong and driven she was.

Anna // Julia's friend and (former) coworker. She was in and mentioned only once in the story, but she was a good and fun friend. Wish she was at least talked to on the phone/texts with Julia, or even thought of after Julia left.

Sabrina // Entitled ice queen. Perfect for Dev. Good luck to the both of them.

Madeline // The forgotten de Vincent sister. Holy shit there was a whole lot of mystery about her and when it was revealed, we wished that we never knew. We need a (dozen) showers to scrub this info about her away.

Lust Factor

4 flames