This was very different than Dianna Hardy's other novels. I am used to a fairly dark paranormal feel from her, and this was much more light and airy (I know it sounds weird, but that's what it was). The paranormal aspect was possibly there - depending on what your definition of magic and fate are. Meredith doesn't really believe in either one, but finds her life caught up in it just the same. This is a story of her finding herself and remembering who she really is and wants to be.

There are several female characters that we grow close to along the way, all fighting their own battles. It looks like their stories will be told in the next book(s). I love how their lives were so important to the telling of Meredith's story. Nothing would have turned out the way it did without them, and Meredith would have been a very different person. I can't wait to read more about them.

Jamie was just a tad lacking in depth for me. While everyone else seemed to have some deep buried secret clouding their lives, he swept in like a ray of saving sunshine to make things better. While it did make him stand out from the other characters, it wasn't always in the best way. How could he ever hope to understand what everyone was dealing with when he wasn't dealing with much himself. That small piece of his history aside, he was quite the dreamy hero. Calling him a "poetic soul" is a perfect description. Somehow the right words always seem to find him at just the right times.

Meredith and Jamie struggle a little - like most people do. But their romance was actually very very sweet and classic. It wasn't super exciting or overy dramatic - it was just very real, and sometimes that's the best kind there is.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/#sthash.KEHKTqF0.dpuf

Unfortunately, the storyline for this one fell a little short for me. I get that some people can't trust their family members for a variety of reasons. But the steps Lex feels he needs to take because of it seemed a little extreme. At least they served to bring Jacinta back into his life, even if that wasn't his actual intent. For a good chunk of the story, he's kind of a jerk.

How does it still get three stars then? Well, Jacinta really saved the day. She was beyond amazing as a character. I loved her attitude, her flaws, and her snarky come-backs - even the ones she doesn't get a chance to do more than think about. The way she related to Lex's family, especially his grandmother, was perfect. She showed him so much about how to live - he really didn't deserve to have such a great girl.

The ending of the story also made up for some of its downfalls. I loved that Lex finally got his head out of his ass - a little too late for me to like him a lot, but at least he did it. His way of showing that he had done it was perfect, too. I just wish I had liked him a lot earlier in the book - I felt like I shouldn't bee rooting for him.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-undercover-in-ceos-bed-by.html#sthash.I2k7OtQI.dpuf

The third book in the Red Ridge Pack series picks up right after the second one. If you haven't read the series, it's about a pack of werewolves with a bit of drama at the moment. The alpha has found out he has an elder son who happens to be mated to a human (not normal), and his other son is mated to a half-breed. Things seem to be falling apart and they find out another pack has plans to take advantage of their momentary weakness and attack them for their territory. This other pack attacks in a sneaky way - sending a few of its members, pretending to be friends, to mess with the heads of the leaders.

Luke is one of these leaders, and he can't get the visiting werewolf (Scarlett) out of his head. She's a knock-out and she seems to like him too. But Scarlett may just be playing the game her pack sent her to play. Theirs is a very interesting relationship full of lies and deceit at first. This book had a lot of political intrigue between the alpha's two sons that Luke kept getting caught up in. Scarlett and Luke were both incredibly dynamic characters, and while we didn't see a whole lot of development from our previous books leads, they were there for the ride and were pivotal in moving the story forward. I love it when a book can keep characters from previous parts active in the storyline - we've grown to love them and want to see more.

There is a lot going on in this one, with lots of crisises averted just for new ones to pop back up. With an ending that was very much a cliffhanger, we can only wait to see what will happen in the next book.

This was such a fun story! I loved both characters - especially shy Nicole. Both her and her brother's friend, Jason, are finally deciding to admit to each other that they've been crushing on each other for years. This is their last chance to see what might happen.

Jason was the perfect guy! I love the sweet way he treated Nicole and it really allowed her to be herself - even if she was a little shy at first. Even though labeled as an erotic romance, there is plenty of story packed into the pages. The way they related to each other and discussed things really made it all seem more real.

This is a perfect story to pick up and read in one sitting.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-just-one-night-by-caridad-pineiro.html#sthash.fm8jD5Ik.dpuf

Wow! I'm so excited that this is the first book in a series because it was amazing. We just got these nifty new "Hot Pick" buttons, and I'm definitely giving it to this one. Arif al Najimi was absolutely everything a hero should be. He was also exotic, an animal lover and ecologist, and saved Aly's life a couple times. While his views of women sometimes seems a little off, it really helped make him just a little too overprotective, but in the best possible way.

Aly was the traditional pretty and intelligent girl that didn't trust in her own beauty. But this time there was a very good reason why. And her reason why tied into so many other things in the story so beautifully that the whole back story was about as seamless as you could get. I loved how she kept running off and driving Arif al Najimi crazy trying to keep an eye on her.

Watching Aly and Arif al Najimi hunt for turtle nests and try to find out why they were dying off was a great story. There was a lot more action than what seems possible in a turtle nest hunt. There were even several times I found myself getting excited right along with them at a new next found. The side characters served to boost the story and enhance the personalities of the characters in just the right way. I don't think I could really find something I didn't like about this one.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-her-royal-protector-johari-crown.html#sthash.thBI74uE.dpuf

The last book in the Curse of the Phoenix series really brough it all together with a fantastic ending. Osiris has finally admitted (at least to himself) that Sadie is something special and different - but when she heats up, literally, with fire coursing through her body he has no clue what is going on. Their relationship goes through several stages as they try to find a cure to whatever has happened, but Osiris may still be too arrogant and make a mistake that could lose her forever.

Each of the phoenixes has had a very unique and special touch to their character and their happily ever afters. In my opinion, each one got a little better throughout the whole series. Sadie's ending is epic in many ways. Osiris was still too much of a jerk for me to really like him a whole lot though. He's an arrogant man, that thinks that because he is a god, he has the right to do whatever he wants.

This was a very good series - lots of fun with some great characters.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-curse-of-phoenix-series-by.html#sthash.zMsmjBF1.dpuf

The thing I like most about this series is that even though the stories are short, they jump right into the action and carry you along right until the very end. Arabella is a fiesty voodoo priestess, or at least she was. Something went wrong with a spell one day and she ended up serving as one of Osiris's phoenixes until she learns her lesson. While serving as a phoenix may sound glamorous, it's actually quite the opposite. Having to die over and over again in the place of others wears thin quickly. Then one day Ari saves Greyson and everything changes. Ari is willing to risk her soul to try and help him fight his inner demons (which are pretty nasty), but she is only given a week to do it.

Now, Greyson is ex-military, and has carried around guilt from his time in the service for years. When Ari shows up and tries to show him that he has nothing to be guilty about, he runs the opposite way at first, not realizing just how much he needs her. As Ari tries to help Greyson, she realizes that she needs his help as well, and fast. Osiris has given her a time frame to save Greyson and it's quickly approaching when she finds out that everything she knew about her past was wrong. Facing this will push both of them to their emotional limits.

I really liked Ari in the first book of the series, The Last Rising, and was excited to see her starring in her own. I've become attached to the characters and I really hope to see a third book come out.

The Last Rising:
This book was a great quick read. Ice has been doing penance for Osiris for two millennia for a crime that she doesn't understand, and she's getting really sick and tired of it. Her last trip ended in a fiery plane crash after saving a man named Turner, and to her amazement her next assignment puts her right back into Turner's life. Ice is determined not to let Turner into her heart, but finds it becomes harder and harder to deny their attraction is just physical. Turner is determined to prove to Ice that he is the right guy for her.

The characters had a surprising amount of growth and development for such a short book, and it was great to watch has Ice and Turner each taught the other important lessons on life and love. The book ends with quite a twist that I had no idea was coming and set me up to read the next book, The Last Awakening.

The Last Awakening:
The thing I like most about this series is that even though the stories are short, they jump right into the action and carry you along right until the very end. Arabella is a fiesty voodoo priestess, or at least she was. Something went wrong with a spell one day and she ended up serving as one of Osiris's phoenixes until she learns her lesson. While serving as a phoenix may sound glamorous, it's actually quite the opposite. Having to die over and over again in the place of others wears thin quickly. Then one day Ari saves Greyson and everything changes. Ari is willing to risk her soul to try and help him fight his inner demons (which are pretty nasty), but she is only given a week to do it.

Now, Greyson is ex-military, and has carried around guilt from his time in the service for years. When Ari shows up and tries to show him that he has nothing to be guilty about, he runs the opposite way at first, not realizing just how much he needs her. As Ari tries to help Greyson, she realizes that she needs his help as well, and fast. Osiris has given her a time frame to save Greyson and it's quickly approaching when she finds out that everything she knew about her past was wrong. Facing this will push both of them to their emotional limits.

I really liked Ari in the first book of the series, The Last Rising, and was excited to see her starring in her own. I've become attached to the characters and couldn’t wait to read the third book.

The Last Beginning:
The last book in the Curse of the Phoenix series really brough it all together with a fantastic ending. Osiris has finally admitted (at least to himself) that Sadie is something special and different - but when she heats up, literally, with fire coursing through her body he has no clue what is going on. Their relationship goes through several stages as they try to find a cure to whatever has happened, but Osiris may still be too arrogant and make a mistake that could lose her forever.

Each of the phoenixes has had a very unique and special touch to their character and their happily ever afters. In my opinion, each one got a little better throughout the whole series. Sadie's ending is epic in many ways. Osiris was still too much of a jerk for me to really like him a whole lot though. He's an arrogant man, that thinks that because he is a god, he has the right to do whatever he wants.

This was a very good series - lots of fun with some great characters.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-curse-of-phoenix-series-by.html#sthash.zMsmjBF1.dpuf

This series started off a little slow - but each book has gotten better (just check out the reviews going from 2 - 4 rating). The characters in Hollywood Scandal are really what made this one work so well for me. She had an amazing attitude and was incredibly intelligent. She seems to have the ablility to put anyone in their place when they decided to verbally spar with her. Those very traits are what attracts Alex to her - Alex, the brutally honest lawyer who just doesn't know what to do with the amazing and beautiful woman. The way these two characters played off of each other was absolutely brilliant.

Now toss in a couple really great side characters and an actor that thinks he owns the world and you have a great well-rounded cast. I just wish the actor would have gotten a little worse than he did in the long run. There is also the persisting problem of leaks out of Seacliffe Medical - causing all sorts of problems throughout all three books so far. I think I know who it is and want to shake them all so bad because they can't figure it out.

This series really seems to be growing on me and going someplace interesting. I wish more of the characters from previous books had a small part in the current ones. I love when that happens.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/06/review-hollywood-scandal-seacliffe.html#sthash.cgLqL95B.dpuf

The Suburban Strange is going to be a fantastic series - the first book has me hooked to Celia's life and I NEED to know what happens next. The first book follows her first year at Suburban High and her adjustment to living as a member of the elite clique The Rosary. It's the first time she's felt included and important and she hopes to make a whole new life for herself.

She does that and then some. Learning about the Kind and Unkind and finding out it's all true and part of her life. It's not just part of her life, it's threatening to take her life. When the time comes for the curse to find her she needs to make a very tough choice.

Celia's group, The Rosary, seemed to have the potential to be a bad influence at first. But you quickly discover that they are true friends for her. They introduce her to music, art, and literature that blows her mind (in a good way). There is actually a playlist in the back of the book that I will be checking out this weekend. Her cultural horizons expands as does her self-confidence. Now they aren't perfect by any means, but they were amazing friends throughout the story. She has a couple other friends outside this close knit group and they all play very important roles in the story as well - sometimes even more important than The Rosary.

The story itself unfolds in a way that makes you keep reading. There was no "down time" just times where it slowed down to an easy jog so you could catch your breathe. I did figure out who the bad guy was early on, and it made me want to scream at Celia a few times for not seeing things that seemed obvious to a reader. Nathan Kotecki isn't afrad to shock you a little or make you feel. There are a lot of highs and some very deep lows in the story that only made it more enjoyable and easy to fall in love with all the characters.

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-suburban-strange-suburban.html#sthash.OC8HHYs1.dpuf