Quickie Review-May Contain Spoilers

The Shameless Hour was a story, I will be honest, I wasn't too excited for. Bella hasn't been my favorite character. I just don't relate to her character at all. And I will be honest in that this book wasn't my favorite from the series. Now I am picky about heroines that are very explorative when it comes to sexual experiences. Even in her vulnerable moments, I struggled with Bella and how she treats the hero. We have a virgin hero here and I really adored him so deeply. He has convictions and stands by them and Bella tended to demean those convictions at times and really put him down all the time. And while she realizes how wrong she is in the end, not much of a grovel, so she isn't fully redeemed and the heroine is the reason why the rating is so low. The conflict that we see in the story is interesting. It was more how the heroine reacted to it that rubbed me the wrong way. Hero was so steady and valiant. And while the ending was satisfying and delivered so happy feels, it wasn't quite as satisfying because the heroine just didn't become redeemed. This is basically a story of the heroine abusing the hero and it is shrugged off as okay because she is a feminist so his feelings and the emotional abuse don't matter. 

 Quickie Review-May Contain Spoilers, Fair Warning Upon Reading This Review

Control Me was a book that I was eager for, especially after seeing their interactions in the first book of the series. But I will be honest in that the heroine was super annoying. I really wanted to love her but she just came out as being almost harassing the hero sexually and it just rubbed me the wrong way at times. I really enjoyed the plot of the story and I did feel like the PTSD aspects of this was done mostly well. There were some elements to it that could have been implemented a bit better. I had really high hopes for this one as the other books in the series I have really loved, but it just fell flat for me. But I did enjoy how the conflict became resolved in the end. Loved how our hero is connected to her previous series with the training academy. 

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

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥.5
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.25


First Impressions
Queen of Thorns is the second book in the "Fausti Family" series and this is book two of our beautiful couple here. This book picks off of the last scene we saw in "Man of Honor" so its been 3 years since Brando and Scarlett have seen each other. Brando was forced to let her go when knowing that their time wasn't when they were 18. That they both had to mature and live life and prove themselves for personal growth but also for the future of what they could be and the potential that they could have. The three years have been hard on both of them. Brando knowing that he is giving Scarlett what she needs to thrive as a professional dancer. But also Brando because he has some things he needs to prove to himself before he can come for Scarlett. I really loved seeing their reunion and what they were able to accomplish as they come together. Their reunion and reconnecting will be packed with ups and down and their love will be tested...

First Line
Looking up at the sky, I thought about that night, and not for the first time.

Summary
In Queen of Thorns, our story begins with Brando where its been three years since they saw each other and he was forced to let her go so that his Scarlett could shine for the world. We see how he has been working hard to keep himself busy and distracted through it all. But now its time for him to come to her. When he comes to visit with some of her other family, they are forced to face up to the past, the pain that they have both been in, and learning to connect with the people that they are now. Their journey is just beginning though and relearning each other isn't an easy road, and there are dangers happening that are slowly coming into their visions and their relationship will be tested internally as the value of trust and communication will be challenged. But can Danto and Scarlett find their connection and strength to persevere through the struggles?

What I Loved
Queen of Thorns was a story that had me highly entertained. I absolutely was hooked so quickly into the story. Now that I have adjusted to this author's writing style, this time around it definitely went more smoothly and I couldn't put this one down. I loved the way that this author developed this reconnection. Especially the first half of the story was pure magical with some glimpses of some suspense that get thrown into the mix. Their reunion was epic and just right and I will admit that I was laughing all over the place. Scarlett definitely doesn't make it easy for him (shoe-throwing scene anyone? LOL) and I absolutely adored that their connection was stronger than ever. Seeing the loss and what it has done to both of them was so heart-wrenching to witness. But what heals the wounds is seeing them find each other again and learning what it takes to fight for their relationship. They have some internal struggles that they need to work through. And the ending was a mix of feelings. I really adored the hero more than ever, especially in the final act. Brando is quickly working his way to the top of my book-boyfriend's shelf. His devotion to Scarlett and how quick on his feet he is is brilliant and how he helps save her from her mother's manipulations I literally was cheering him on. I really am crossing my fingers that in the next book, we see some justice against the mother because what she does to her daughter should be criminal.

What I Struggled With
The inner relationship angst in the second half of the story before the wedding. I really didn't understand this portion of the story to be honest. It just felt unnecessary and kinda came out of the blue and was suddenly there and I wish that there had been better build up for it.

Overall View
I found Queen of Thorns to be a satisfying installment to the cliffhanger that we received in the first book. It's a story that captures the intensity of their bond, a slighter building of their sensual connection, and delivers on the feels from beginning to end!

Favorite Quote(s)
Her art touched heart and soul, made a lasting impression that seemed to brand bone.

“I love you so much that it fucking breaks me, Scarlett—it rips open my heart and sends my soul straight to yours.”

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Blue Collar Hero, Ballerina Dancer
Themes: Danger elements, Heart/Touching/Feels
Tropes: Epic Love

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict

Song This Book Inspires
Writing's on the Wall by Jackie Evancho
Making Love out of Nothing at All

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes, you need to read in order

Steam/Spice Explanations

Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments. 

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

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.5


First Impressions
Man of Honor was a story that completely blew me out of the water and I honestly doubt I will be able to articulate myself properly on how much I loved this book here or how much it deeply touched me. This is a book I have been trying to pick up all year and quite frankly I am glad I waited for the right time so that I could be in the proper headspace for this one. This author writes with a certain writing style that is vastly different from most authors and can take some getting used to. I really admired the way that she was able to layer this story. Man of Honor is just the beginning of this epic romance between Brando and Scarlett. Its a story that is slowly build over the years and I love seeing a couple grow over years that span the series. And Man of Honor was brilliantly mastered and one of the best written beginnings of a mafia romance I have ever read.

First Line
The ballerina twirled on one foot like a girl inside of a beautiful msuic box.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Brando Fausti
-Stoic and Intense
-Alpha Male
-Protective yet Possessive

The Heroine: Scarlett
-Ballerina Dancer
-Kind
-Psychic Talents

Summary
When Brando sees Scarlett dancing when she is just fifteen, he is entranced. They meet on a snow filled night when Scarlett tried to protect her brother when a secret psycic ability rushed out to protect him. But she runs into one of her brother's best friends, Brando who is just a little older than she is. In that moment, they both fell hard for each other. But Brando knew it was not the time for them. Now its been 3 years, and Scarlett is still recovering from the death of her brother, and is now 18 years old. Brando is determined to have his chance with Scarlett even knowing she has the world at her feet with her dancing talent. As Scarlett and Brando explore what a relationship could mean for them both, there are also sacrifices that they will need to make if they want to have a future together...

What I Loved
Man of Honor was a story that touched me so deeply. Its a story that blew me away and kept me up all night thinking about. Its been 24 hours since I read it and I am still humbled by this story and that talent of this author. I can't even express what this author has done for me or what this story delivered for me. From the very beginning, you see their intense bond that is created immediately. The talent of this author to absolutely pull you into this story with her lyrical talent of showcasing this beautiful love story was brilliant and magnetic. Bella Di Corte has a writing style that is unlike any other author you have read. And if you like audiobooks, the narration sounds very good as well. But this is not a series or a book to rush into, this is a book that you want to take your time with. This won't be a quick read, but its a story that will be worth the journey, every single step of the way.

This story of Brando and Scarlett was so touching and poignant. One of my favorite aspects of this story was the atmosphere of the setting that is written. Its obvious that this author does her research, because with each setting, its so vividly portrayed, that you can literally feel that setting shine upon your face. Its so well written in that regard. Now the romance is very slow. Its a slow burn but a slow burn that you need to take your tiime with at a steady pace so that you can gain the full impact of. The relationship that they build together is so intimate. And the bedroom scenes were my favorite. I know some readers have struggled with the spice in this book. This book doesn't have spice per say. But its fade to black and honestly the BEST fade to black that I ever have had the opportunity to read. Its so sensual and the dialogue between these two keeps you captivated within these intimate moments between them.

The story between these two is rough in the third act at times, and might put some readers off but I think its important to keep in mind that there is a reason that they are going through what they are going through. That this is them building their foundation but that they will be tested and their connected will be pushed in ways that will challenge their inner strength and wills.

What I Struggled With
I will be honest, I didn't really struggle with anything. But the ending was a bit sad and does end with a cliffhanger. And some of the actions here in the third act did put me off a bit to keep it from a full five star.

Overall View
Man of Honor is a story of poetic like love, writing that will deliver deep heart, sensual intimacy and a couple that will make you believe in the power of love....

Favorite Quote(s)
“My heart has been yours, consciously, since that night out in the snow. Given or not.” I spread my hands. “Yours. Tonight, I give you all of me.”

Brando was older than me in so many ways. But in the eyes of the world, we were both still young. Still, our love seemed older than the two of us together and it demanded that we learn. There was no true escape for either of us.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Character Types: Dancer/Ballerina, Protective Alpha Male
Themes: Slow Burn, Fade To Black, Heart/Feels/Touching, Tear Jerker, Lyrical Writing
Tropes: Instant Love Connection, Epic Love

Book Perspective
Duo Pov

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict

Song This Book Inspires
Endless Love

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes, please read these in order.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments. 

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

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Anything But a Gentleman is the seventh installment in the "Rescued from Ruin" series and in this one we get a bad boy type of hero. And I was all in for this one. And this author immediately pulled me from the first page, I was so hooked and literally kept me up late reading, that is how delectable this story was. I do think the writing style of Elisa Braden is my catnip and is ruining me for all other historical romance authors haha I am not sure why I was sleeping on this author, but I am all in for her and will always support her if her stories are anything like this here. I really adored this one and moments in which we see our couples come together. And this story does feature two couples. We have our primary couple, and then a side couple involving Augusta's sister and Reaver's best friend.

First Line
"I keep it? The whole lot." Thick, dark grime upon the boy's face failed to mask his skepticism.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Sebastian Reaver
-Alpha Self Made Hero
-Connected to Aristocracy
-Bad Boy and Grumpy

The Heroine: Augusta Widmore
-A genteel lady
-Protective of her baby sister
-Feisty, hardworking and strong willed

Summary
Augusta has come to London to help protect her sister. Her sister became pregnant and she is determined to bring the father to heel so her child isn't born a bastard. So she knows that Reaver holds the notes for the gambling debts and needs to attain those to issue some justice of her own. But what she doesn't count on is entangling herself with Reaver or that he would be so exasperating or a will to match her own. But what starts out as some healthy competition turns into something more when Reaver offers her a solution, become his mistress for 6 weeks and he will hand over the notes or leave. So she is determined to do whatever it takes and before Reaver realizes it, this tiring woman is controlling his life, furnishing a home he never lives in and even housing a pickpocket and he is falling hard for this strong woman who has a heart to match his own...

What I Loved
This book *sigh* I feel like I am really getting into the Elisa Brade vibe and these books are just like catnip for me. I absolutely adored everything about this one here. It was delectable, sexy and so much heart was being conveyed here. I loved the moments that we see with this couple and their chemistry was so well built. And this is what I love and miss in modern age historicals. And this is why I am really wanting to explore more indie authors. (so if you know of authors like this one here who write this type of historical please send me to them). Anything But a Gentleman is a story of a grumpy heroine and a feisty heroine who calls his bluff haha their bantering is delectable and I couldn't get enough of seeing them build a relationship together. And the heart felt moments between these two just delivered so much for me. I couldn't get enough nor could I put this one down. This author has such a beautiful talent in easily sweeping you up in a story and its done so well. In fact, once I finish with her backlist, I am going to do a reread of these books especially the earlier books.

What I Struggled With
Honestly??? Nothing haha It was perfect in every way for me

Overall View
Anything but a Gentleman was brililantly mastered, with charm and elegance and soul touching romance to leave you breathless and eager for more!

Favorite Quote(s)
Loving someone meant standing in stinging rain and bellowing wind, knowing how much it hurt and doing it anyway. Because the one who needed shelter mattered more.

Perhaps he did, because when he returned to earth, he felt as though he’d been reassembled into a new form. Broken into pieces and remade by Augusta’s gentle, callused hands.

Book Details (also on my shelves)
Sub Genre: Historical Romance, Regency Era
Character Types: Bad Boy, Gambler, Self Made Hero
Themes: London Underground, Laughs, Gambling Hell
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Grumpy Sunshine

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict

Recommendation For Reading Order
I do recommend reading in order if you can, but can be read as a standalone if needed

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes. 

 Quickie Review

So The Reaper was a delightful installment and I really had a blast with this one here. The Reaper is a story I was really looking forward to because the dynamic of the couple I was really excited for. This is definitely what I love to see in a dark romance and I feel like we don't see this dynamic too oftne. I was also pleasantly surprised to seeing that the heroine has been the one pining after the hero. She has been in love with him for years and been watching him from the distance. She is more sheltered and was raised as a Christian but she also yearns for more in her life. And wants to be what she needs to be to be with Devon. Devon is the true leader of the group and is the heart of them all. He is going through some things emotionally and it's starting to make him crack beneath the surface. And being in a relationship with his little raven is what really makes him want to fight. There were moments of this story that just dug deep on an emotional level. I truly wasn't expecting it. As the first book was completely different from this one. So this author really developed a story that I wasn't expecting. The relationship between these two was full of heart and spice. So well-balanced and I really respected that it wasn't all about the sex. The author was able to deeply layer it. It felt like it had more balance than the first book did in that regard. The only issue I had with this book was the heroine. So the heroine is gentle, and kind but reserved. And there was this rhetoric throughout the story of her changing because she had to be so tough. Who said that just because you have a gentle sweet nature you aren't strong? Eventually, the heroine learns to accept who she is and not force herself into someone that she isn't but it did get a bit annoying at times. I am not sure if this was intentional by the author or it just evolved like this but I did enjoy seeing how our heroine turns out in the end and it delivered so many happy feels for me in the end. And the villain and how that is resolved SHOCKED me and tore me apart but it was brilliantly done and I am really happy with the hero and how it comes to a sweet satisfying conclusion where the plot of this was involved.

Rating=4.25 Stars! 

 

Eh....Not what I was hoping for. But not a huge fan of the series. Too much spice and not enough relationship aspects. I need more balance. These books need a bit longer lengths I think to add more depth to the relationship building elements. And the narration is okay but not good. It wasn't a bad story. It definitely had such great promise and I really enjoyed the "snow white" elements to this one here. But to be honest, I would have hoped for so much more in this one here. But I think this series just hasn't worked for me, as much as I want to love this author more, I think some of her books just have a writing style not for me or it could be these books in audio. I will probably try the last in physically and see if I enjoy it more.

 

 So I barely managed to get my hands on this book before these books were banned. (Not sure how I will finish the series, I am crossing my fingers that this author will place them on her site for her supporters to have access to or I might need to wait years as if you look around readers are selling them for like $500 and yeah I am not paying that much for these books).

I Do, Babe was a brilliantly mastered novella. I had so much love for this one. This is my favorite couple if I had to choose. I just love this pair. They are so strong together. And their connection is beautiful. In this one, we see their wedding and the events leading up to right before. I absolutely love the way that this is built. And the deep emotion that is conveyed was beautiful. There is something about Mae and Knox that strikes deep to the heart and I could never forget these two or their connection. And as soon as these books are available, I will be buying them in print. 

Review soon to come 

Quickie Review-May Contain Spoilers, Fair Warning Upon Reading This Review

This was absolutely a delightful read. I really went into this one blind and color me surprise when this was a family feud type of romance. It was quite interesting seeing this type of setup. It also had some aspects of Cinderella too it in some ways with the heroine working all the time and doing all the chores. So in that respect it definitely had connection to it. I found the story between these two to be sweet and dramatic and had some dynamic conflicts. My biggest issue with this one is the romantic connection could have been a bit stronger and also the conflict on the family feud didn't really feel that resolved to me. So I would have liked to see more focus on that being resolved. And in this one we also see two stories, as it features two siblings and each of them finding their HEA with their next door neighbors whom they have a feud with it. I did respect how the disability aspect of the story was handled. The hero had suffered severe burns and the author really build his background on this very well. And while this one was far from perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed it and eager to try more of this author. She is fun to read for a Amish read.