This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

First Impressions
Let Me Love You was a type of grab where I have been seeing this book all over the place and I really wanted to give this one a go as I had heard some amazing things about this book and most especially this author. So I instantly grabbed up the audio from Hoopla, and the moment that I started listening, I was so drawn into it. I literally didn’t want to put this one down and I was so caught up in the story and the romance and the writing was so fascinating and the minute that you pick up this one you will then be able to see why it’s such a big book and why so many rave about it. I am definitely seeing it and if you are looking for a well-done quality written romance with diversity then you can’t go wrong with Let Me Love You and I adored the way that this couple comes together and this is my first rapper romance and I am telling you I NEED more in my life.

Summary
The gist of the story is our heroine, Jo Walker, is a single mother and just working on pursuing her career in art and raising her daughter, and just trying to find peace in her life. Her ex is causing her issues and practically abandoned them for his own for his career pursuits, And then she meets the infamous Rap legend “Big South” when she is doing a delivery for her boss and instantly there is a connection but Jo is determined to resist his charms because she can figure out what type he is, a true playboy and she has no interest in that. But Everett has never met a woman like Jo before and is determined to prove to her that he isn’t what she imagines and that he will fight for her and what she deserves. But as Everett and Jo explore their newfound relationship, there are other conflicts that want to bring them down, and only together will they find their path to their HEA…

What I Loved
This was a truly magical romance and I had so much fun with it. From beginning to end these two had me laughing all over the place and it was just delightful. I adored their chemistry and it was so well balanced within the story. We also see the charm of them being both single parents and how well they connect to each other. I really loved that there was this feeling of a fairytale ending for Jo. We see how they are such an unlikely pair but end up complimenting each other so well. I adored both characters and seeing them learning from each other and building a level of trust and intimacy was such a treat. And I absolutely adored Jo’s little girl and how she was so drawn to Everett. I felt like the author placed their child aspects into the story that doesn’t detract from the romance itself. There is plenty of steam and chemistry, I had heard that the steam was super hot, and I would say it’s a moderate level of steam but they are very well written and I felt like they were placed within the story that build the connection on the right level. I also enjoyed seeing the rap culture be such a strong part of this book and seeing how well it was implemented here. I was very impressed by how well done the author handled the various aspects of Black culture and had a level of authenticity and reliability to it. There is a strong vibe of emotion and connection between our two characters and I just wanted them to find their HEA because they both deserved it and the finale was beyond satisfying!

What I Struggled With
Nothing—I loved everything about this book except some minor aspects of the narration.

The Narration
This is a dual narration and boy was it splendid. They both did a fantastic job really portraying the level of emotion and characteristics of the personalities so well. I did have issues with how they handled the sex scenes, just the yells and grunts were strange haha However I felt like they did a good job with handling the culture and the music portrayal very well.

Overall View
I found Let Me Love You to be a winner of a read and is making it to my top lists of the year! This story was beyond incredible and delivered on heart, soul, and the magical growth of intimacy and love that tugged at my heartstring in such a phenomenal way.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

It was about that moment. Me being fully present in that moment. The only one of its kind we’d ever have. Our first kiss. Our beginning. The beginning of us which was the beginning of everything.

First Impressions
The Time In Between is the last and the finale in the Magdalene trilogy and I can’t believe that I am done with the series and part of me is so sad but another part of me is glad to have worked through some backlogged books of one of my favorite authors. I have really loved how this author has developed this trilogy and what we get in this story. I knew that there would be part to this one that might be tough in some aspects but I also knew that it would deliver in every way and yep KA definitely delivered a truly superb read and it flew by and this is probably one of her biggest books too at over 700 pages (according to Amazon and other purchasing sites) and I will say that I love the length of her classic KA books because this is where we really get more focus on relationship building, couple page time and just lots of HEA and I love that since most romances don’t have this and it’s more unique to this author as she tends to not drag out conflicts at least for the inner aspects of the relationship. The Time in Between is such a heartfelt novel and will touch you in ways that you probably don’t expect.

He said there’d come a time when Coert Yeager realized he’d been a fool and then the world would stop spinning, that’s how fast he’d run back to her.

Summary
Coert Yeager and Cady Moreland have a painful past. They once met and fell in love when they were young, Cady was caught up with bad people and Coert was working undercover, but in the end they weren’t strong enough at the time to have their HEA at the time of their painful parting. They both moved on, Coert became a sheriff in Magdalene and had a daughter,. Then Cady found her family and now it’s her turn to find her love and embrace the after the time of the time in between them being separated. But Coert is bitter at the loss of losing her, but with Cady buying a lighthouse and refurbishing it, she will find her way to reconnect with Coert and his precious daughter. And Coert and Cady will have to realize that while their past is painful, they both built lives and families since their separation, and now it’s time to embrace their happy ever after….

“Now you know that I wasn’t happy because I didn’t have you,” she told him. “But I was taken care of and I was loved and there were a lot of really good times and you left me to that. You left me with Patrick. It wasn’t your choice and it wasn’t the way it should be, but it was the way it was and what came of that is beautiful. And you got your job and this Jake person and Mickey, and you got Janie. We both suffered but neither of us stopped living our lives and we got so much out of them, so, so much. And now we have each other. So we have it all. If we believe that we can have it all. And I believe. Now, are you with me on that?” “I’m with you, Cady,” he told her quietly. “Good, because I’m going to have to get angry if you slip back there again.”

What I Loved
The Time in Between was such a superb novel and one of the most heartfelt romances I have read in a while. Kristen Ashley has the capability of just winning me over so quickly and I adored the journey that I am led with on this one here. One of my favorite aspects is seeing the heroine fighting so fiercely for their relationship (which as much as I love a hero fighting for the heroine, a heroine fighting for her man —is swoon-worthy) and you see how her family is with her every step of the way and how much her late husband wanted this for her to reconnect with her brother and the man she never stopped loving. It was so interesting to see how driven she was to find her way back to Coert and he was fighting it and it was pretty funny at times because you can just see how much he wants to go alpha and throw her over his shoulder and take her back to his home and have his wicked way with her, but stands firm (for a while) and seeing how our heroine just lives her life and finds her way back to Coert in these little moments that will just strike you deep. We do get to see some flashbacks of seeing them meet and their first Christmas together and I really loved these snippets and how the majority of the story was seeing them reconnecting with each other. It was charming to see how his daughter Janie and Cady bonded, it was so adorable, and the way that Cady’s family just takes to Coert was so good. They are protective of her as she helped raise them but they view her as a sister and it was so endearing the way that they stand by her side in her journey with Coert. I absolutely got a kick out of seeing so much happy couple page time and a “splice of life” type of feeling you get with this book (which is typical of KA especially in her longer reads). And the steam in this book is off the charts which is no surprise, she always handles the spicey times so well.

The only time she ever belonged to anything, to anyone, was when she belonged to you.

What I Struggled With
Nothing…..everything was just right!

Overall View
The Time In Between is a delicious finale that is a powerhouse of an emotionally satisfying read. It’s a romance that will make you believe in the forever type of love, it has a sense of majesty, deep layers, and a taste of home and family to bring your emotions to the surface in a memorable way!

Now I think I understand why you’re prettier when you look at Daddy. Because what’s inside is coming out.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

First Impressions
Taken by the Sinner was an incredible read and I will be honest I was so scared for this one here. I had heard that the second book was better but surprise SURPRISE this one was so amazing! I couldn’t put this book down at all and stayed up all night reading it because I was so caught up in the story. And this book is especially good for romance readers that really love the classic feeling of mafia romance especially if you are fans of Cora Reilly and such. It does have the step-sibling trope in it, BUT their parents get married when they are both adults and there’s a bit of an age gap but not the type of age gap that bothered me at all as it just wasn’t a huge one and the hero still felt like he was written young and it didn’t have any type of icky factor that bothered me.

I need to keep the only weakness I have right by my side and protect it with my life. If Tess falls, I fall. If she dies, I die.

Summary
Our story starts off with our heroine, Tess, who is going to school to be a professional photographer. And then she learns that her mother is marrying the grandfather of the Greek Mafia and that the Mafia King is going to be her stepbrother. Tess has no interest in being part of the mafia world but when she meets Nikolas she realizes that she might not have a choice in the matter. Nikolas has to rule with an iron fist so he doesn’t appear weak and be taken out and with him having the Sicilians threatening his territory he has to appear to be strong and ruthless. When his father marries he doesn’t;t expect to be so attracted to his step-sister who is so contrary to him and even though she fears his brutality, there is a chemistry between them and before he realizes it, he wants to make Tess the queen of the Greek Mafia. But there are enemies that could destroy everything that they hold dear…

You can do anything you want to, little dreamer. As long as you do it by my side.

What I Loved
Taken by a Sinner is the first book in the series and I had such a BLAST with this book! It had everything I expected and more. I had heard mixed things about this book and honestly, I was mostly just looking for a good page-turner, and while it definitely was at that, it also was such a fascinating mafia romance and had the authenticity feel to it that I was expecting and more. Not sure if Greece has a Mafia though haha So if you can overlook that detail then it will probably work in that area. I really enjoyed seeing this story come to life though and these characters just pulled at my senses in such a fabulous way. I was so invested in their relationship and I especially loved our heroine. She fears the hero with good reason of course, but she stands her ground on how she wants to live her life and I really admired her courage in being willing to stand up to Nikolas and we see how much the hero loves that she does stand up to him and stands her ground when so many just obey his commands. I also loved the interaction with the sister and her husband, I just adored them and I am curious to see if they have a book in her previous series (maybe?) The plot was engaging and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. I never knew where this book would go and I found it so refreshing to have a mafia romance that had me so tense all the way through. And if you like romantic suspense and don’t mind the darker edge, then I definitely think that this book and series will work for you.

It’s you and me from here on out. Together we’ll rule, and together we’ll fall

What I Struggled With
I truly enjoyed this one and I did struggle with a scene in the book that was really heartbreaking but I don’t want to say what it is but yeah I didn’t care for that part.

Overall View
Taken by a Sinner is such an intense, edgy dark romance that will keep you thirsty in anticipating, it contains a fiery hot romance to curl your toes and turn up the A/C just to keep cool! It’s a satisfying read that will stoke your sense in the best of ways!

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

First Impressions
Now with this book, this is the one that I was super stoked for as it had much better reviews than the first book did. And it also had the type of set up that would have drawn me into the story way more. And unfortunately it didn’t quite meet up with my expectations. It just didn’t quite engage me into the story as much as the first book so it threw me off for a loop there and I really wanted to enjoy this book more. I mean I was hoping for a superb five star of a read and this only makes it to a four star but it was still a solid win for me. I am not sure if I was just expecting more of if it happened to be the writing itself, I was hoping that this book would be more. its still a solid mafia romance and I do think that this set up will appeal to readers more than the first book did as the set up of the romance is much more appealing and has less angst. Although there is plenty of angst, it just tends to be outside of the relationship (which granted normally would be my cup of tea haha) I don’t know maybe I was just in a weird mood when I read these, who knows haha But I can say that I am really liking the voice of this author and she has me intrigued to try more of her books.

“Because you make me feel.” Christ, do you make me feel. My hands frame her face, my eyes burning intensely into hers. “Because I can touch you.” I tilt my head. “I. Can. Touch. You. Kiara.”

Summary
In Owned by a Sinner we have a story about our heroine whose father has had a heart attack but she has been kept secret from the mafia because her father knows what the mafia is and as his daughter, she would be forced into that lifestyle and would have zero freedom and wants her free to live her own life separate from the world of the mafia and all the dangers that are connected to it. But then she gets a job at a firm and it pays really well but what her father doesn’t convey to her is that its run by the head of the Irish Mafia….Liam Byrne. Liam is the head of the mafia and is having issues with his brother. After a long trip he comes home to find that his stepbrother is being abusive towards one of his employees but as he has no proof, he takes her under his wing. Lima has always had an aversion to touching other but she is the first person that he doesn’t have an aversion with. He soon gets to have the sparkle and light return to Kiara but what will happen when the truth of Kiara’s heritage is revealed?

The princess I never knew existed and the only woman I want. She’s mine. Especially now that I have a right to claim her.

What I Loved
Owned by a Sinner was a fantastic addition to the series and I am so fascinated by what this author has created with these five different mafia’s and the brotherhood that seems to be forming between all of the heads. Their friendship is so endearing and I just love seeing male bonds of friendship happen especially in a romance series. The romance that builds between the two here is so captivating and I was so drawn into their romance once it actually started to happen. The villain of the story (the stepbrother) is a piece of work and my heart broke for Kiara and what he was doing to her —basically psychologically terrorism is happening to her and you just want to help her out but she is in a tough spot. I really admired her tenacity and how she fights back when it really matters. You really see how she has the will to fight when its needed but she does have a more gentle sweet nature and I adored how the hero just is so protective over her.

“I loved you long before you came into my life. When you bumped into me, my body recognized yours. When you looked for safety in my arms, my heart knew you were the one.” My heart. There’s so much emotion building between us, his eyes a color of blue I’ve never seen before. “Mine. Always have been. Always will be.”

What I Struggled With
I really struggled with the pacing at first, it just didn’t pull me into the story as book one had done and took some adjusting—but first-time readers shouldn’t struggle

Overall View
I found Owned by a Sinner to be a delectable mafia romance that possessed all the elements of a solid mafia romance that will work for dark romance fans. Its a story of emotional journeys, highly portrayed steam and a connecting love story that a most satisfying HEA.

“I promise, if I steal, it will be to steal her heart. If I cheat, it’s to cheat death so I can stay with her longer. If I fight, it will be to protect her.” Then I add my own twist, “If she cries, it will be tears of happiness. If she’s in pain, it will be because she’s giving birth to our children.”

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

“The only payment I’ll accept is your body, heart, and soul.” Never before in my life have I wanted a woman the way I want Winter Hemsley. I want to own her fiery temper. I want to possess her wild spirit. I want to dominate her body, forcing her to submit to me… and only me.

First Impressions
I was really curious to try out other books by this author as I really had a blast with her Sinners series. And I was still in a page turning mafia mode, so I decided to grab up on Merciless Saints and i can tell you that I absolutely adored it so deeply. This book was so different than anything else that I could have expected from this author. It definitely had a different feel to a romance that your typical mafia romance as it definitely had a more assassin vibe to the story. I found it so intriguing the world building that is built within this story and it definitely is dark and bloody haha so make sure you can handle darker themes with the hero and heroine both being trained assassins. It really has an intense feel to the story that will satisfy suspense fans.

I’m going to claim the payment she owes me once we’re on the island. She will warm my bed during the nights, and in return, I’ll kill her enemies. I will own her body, her broken heart, her unwavering spirit. I’ll help her take her rightful place in her family’s business while satisfying my craving for her.

Summary
Winter is viewed as the “blood princess” and not just because her father is the kingpin of working with blood diamonds in Africa but because she witnessed her mother murdered in front of her eyes and vowed ever since to protect her family which is where the St. Monarch’s Academy comes in. She is now eighteen and she has learned everything that she can, but now she wants the more advanced training and she knows that she will learn from the best at St. Monarch’s Acadey where the most elite of assassins and mafia families alike come together, with no bloodshed to learn how to fight and kill and be the best in the world. There is an instant attraction between Winter and the King of assassins: Damien, who instantly know what is between them is real even knowing that they could be enemies one day, But when the worst happens and they have to rely on each other for survival, they are determined to conquer their enemies and become king and queen but it will come at a price, will the cost be worth it to them both?

“If the marriage is consummated, I won’t stand for a parade of other women through my house.” Ahhh… my princess is possessive. I don’t think she knows what she just gave away with that request. It tells me she cares enough to not want to share me.

What I Loved
Merciless Saints was such a unique story that I had so much fun reading and I just couldn’t seem to get enough. This book completely kicks booty and was so wild and entertaining and I never knew where it was going to go. This is a story that will lead you on a merry chase and you will be more than happy to be along for the adventure, I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book but I will be honest this story completely blew my expectations out of the water. It had a level of intensity and emotion that I wasn’t ready for. I am telling you to get a box of tissues for this one here because you are going to NEED them and I am not saying that lightly. Whew does this author know to evoke such intense emotion. The romance that builds between our characters is a bit of frenemies. They both are attracted to each other but they are enemies in a way as they could be contracted to kill each other down the road. But we definitely see how their attraction is the real thing and is what will get through the rough stuff is their deep connection. It gets pretty brutal and violent at times, but there are also these small sweet moments that make it all worth it.

“Treat me like your king, and I will make you a queen.” Her eyes search mine for the truth of my words, and when she finds it, she pushes up on her toes, pressing her mouth to mine. Submit to me, and I will burn the world down for you.

What I Struggled With
There is this moment that I struggled with concerning the heroine, where she takes an action that I felt was so unnecessary and just left a bad taste in my mouth.

Overall View
Merciless Saints is a wild and intense story that will grapple with the reader and deliver in its intense levels of emotion and plot building, its a story that will stun you completely in ways that you least expect and more!

See Me After Class is a story that I had heard some great things about so I decided to pick it up as I have been wanting to try out more of this author and wow I had no clue that this had an Austenesque retelling and I LOVED every part of that aspect. I just love a well-done "Pride and Prejudice" retelling and Meghan Quinn really knocked this one out of the park. I will say that my only issue with the story and the biggest issue that kept this one from a five-star is the pacing. For some reason, I had a hard time really getting into this one but I am glad that I stuck with this one as it eventually made it worth it once the "relationship" really go going. It was a bit more slow-building so it takes a while but I enjoyed seeing their chemistry build with each other and the whole grumpy hero totally worked for me and it definitely knows how to grovel, so well, that I think the heroine was too harsh on him. But I do wish there was more of a HEA, it just had more of an HFN feel to it. This was not a perfect book and not my favorite from this author, but I had a fun time, and the laughs, especially in the second half was perfection! I am intrigued by the side characters and seeing their stories in the rest of the series.

Scandalous Prince is a story that I have been meaning to get to for quite a while now. I had a blast with book one which was also my first book by this author. I have been meaning to return to this series but I knew that it would be wildly angsty and crazy and wanted to be in the right mood. I definitely was in the correct mood for this book here. I actually had a blast with this story and seeing how this story developed, it was so different from the first book. This has a mix of mistaken identity with marriage of convenience. We see a hero who has had to hide his identity from everyone and to save the life of the woman he loved, he had to take on his other identity and in doing so leads him and Violet to a marriage of convenience. It has such a strong mafia feeling to it, and you see how crafty this author pens this story and I was having so fun with how well it was developed here. This author really handled it so well and it had some deep layers that I loved. I really enjoyed seeing this pair find their way to their HEA here. I was hooked within the story and I was charmed by the group of characters here and loving this family even the crazy wild moments. You definitely have to let go of preconceived notions with these books, they are bananas at times, but I really love this writing style as it can be refreshing to read a story that will push your boundaries or expectations a bit more. I had a blast with this book and definitely eager to see how she develops the other books and these characters.

Tragic I have had this book on my TBR for the LONGEST time, its been a book I have been meaning to get to. I am not sure why I stopped reading this series but I did decide that when it comes to this author, audiobooks are the best way to go. I knew that this book would be heartfelt and very emotional. I mean just looking at the cover, you know that this pair won't have an easy road and I did enjoy seeing this author develop this story with a mix of some fun tropes. What we have with Tragic is a set of tropes includingL Fling, Accidental Pregnancy, Grumpy Sunshine, Next Door Neighbor, and Enemies to Lovers. So I really had a fun time in seeing this author develop this story and the way that these characters come together. These two really have some fun angst, and most of it comes down to our hero who is reclusive and grumpy. He hides his pain by being a grump and broody and it's delightful seeing our heroine stand up to him and the sexual tension between them is superb. I really liked the way that this author wrote their tension while also building on the emotional tension that builds between them.

Spoiler

I loved how she implemented the pregnancy as it blew me away. Those who have read the book know what I mean by that but I never expected this trope to happen and I loved that.

I also really liked seeing a family heal of their past hurts and I need the brothers story which is book two in her Gypsy Tin series so very excited to grab that one up there.

I wish that I could say that I loved this, but unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointing read for me. I came into the story with higher expectations and I do wish that I had read reviews first before reading in so I knew what I was getting with this one. Basically it's beauty and the beast retelling smut. Its also a shorter book as a novella. It's technically a romance, but I just didn't feel the intimacy, lots of hot smexy times though but I was hoping for more relationship stuff in this book. I think it could have happened if the story had been a novel but I do think the author wrote what she intended to write. This will work for many readers, it's just not really my cup of tea. I need the romance, the intimacy, and the relationship-building aspects. I thought it was a solidly written story just didn't deliver what I was expecting from the way readers on Bookstagram were raving about this book. But the retelling aspects were beautifully done and I think this story had some amazing potential. But if you are aware of what you are going into, and smut is what you are wanting, then this book will work for you. And I will be looking at this author's more full length work and see if I can get hooked more into her books, as I did enjoy the writing style that she implements in her storytelling.