Ivan (Gideon’s Riders, #3) by Kit Rocha

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Reviewed by Tabatha 

This series just keeps getting better and better!

Ivan was an exciting and sizzling tale of forbidden love, and I enjoyed every moment of it from start to finish. But how could I not when a soldier, whom has pledged his very life to the Rios family, falls helplessly in love with the much coveted Rios princess when his duty forbids it?
 

Now I will caution that this is definitely one of those slow to burn types of love stories, but I do promise you that these two burn bright once they give in to the temptation. Their love story kind of made me think of all of the regency books I've read with the girl being expected to marry for the benefit of the family. I honestly think that's why I enjoyed it so much, being the regency nut that I am, but this world is very far removed from that time period in every other aspect and that made me like it even more!

Now Ivan has always been the quiet and lethal man fully dedicated to overcoming the ghosts of the past, even when it wasn't his wrongs that needed to be overcome. He's lived an incredibly rough life, but he's found a home with the Riders where he can serve Gideon and his family. He never expected to find love, but he deserves it more than I think any of the Riders.

And poor Maricela...I truly felt for her. She is being pulled in all different directions by her family and her political duty to the people. It is all taking a far greater toll on her than she allows anyone to realize, that is until Ivan becomes her bodyguard. He notices the real weight she carries and what a burden it is on her, and decides to make it his mission to help her reclaim a bit of happiness for herself. It's truly sweet the way he tries to show her a bit of freedom to be herself.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think you guys might as well if you love this world like I do. I also can't wait for more of the riders to on fall in love, because I think they deserve that happiness before they sacrifice themselves for duty and honor for the Rios family. 

*I received a review copy from the authors in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Kit, please head over to their website.

 

http://www.kitrocha.com

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Beyond Forever (O'Kane for Life #2) by Kit Rocha

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

 If you've read the Beyond series, then you totally understand why this novella is so awesome. But if you haven't...well you need to do that before you even attempt to read this one, because you are going to be far too lost to enjoy how amazing it is. :)

So with that said, Beyond Forever was everything I was expecting and so much more. We all love our King and Queen, so it was so much fun to go back in time to see where they started. This book showed Dallas in a more vulnerable light as he tried to make his way to the top, but it was Lex who really helped guide his way and support him throughout. She even had some creative ways to go about that and I had a grin on my face the entire time knowing just how Dallas was going to react. Overall, this was one great addition to the O'Kane for Life series, and I cannot wait to catch more glimpses into the lives of my favorite characters in the future. 

*I received a review copy from the authors in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Kit, please head over to their website.

 

http://www.kitrocha.com

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Hot and Badgered (The Honey Badgers #1)

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

After only reading the first chapter, I can with absolute certainty tell you that I will definitely be reading the rest of Hot and Badgered. I'm a huge Shelly Laurenston fan anyway, but this opening chapter was action packed all while being totally hilarious and a bit sexy too. So in other words, a complete package and I'm so eager to get my hands on the full book! I mean... hello...it has honey badgers!!! What could go wrong? So stay tuned for my full review as soon as I can get my hands on the whole book!
 

*I received a review snippet copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Shelly, please head over to her website.

 

http://www.shellylaurenston.com/

Defending Their Mate: Part One (The Last Pack #2 part 1) by Moira Rogers

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

Whew, was this a steamy one, guys! I'm telling you that this series is the perfect combination of sizzling heat and suspense, and I just can't get enough of it! I think breaking it up into parts actually might have been the best idea for these authors, because I honestly think you'd likely spontaneously combust reading it all at once! No joke!

We met Grace in the previous books in this series, and to say that she presented a challenge for the pack is a gross understatement. Her wolf is untamed from years of not really knowing who and what she was until her capture by a rival pack. That pack found out just how feral she really was and weren't up to the challenge of mating her, but Mac and Connor want nothing more than to soothe the ache that has been building within her. Each of them bring something different to the table, but they also balance one another out as well making them all together the perfect trio in my mind. Unfortunately, the guys don't seem to be on the same page right now. So here's to hoping that changes in the subsequent books, because I'd love to see a bit of m/m and m/m/f action going on between these three. What can I say? I love it when everyone loves on one another!

One thing does stand in their way though beyond their personal issues, and that is the fact that Grace herself isn't so sure if they can handle her. Not to mention the fact that other members of the pack are starting to appeal to her as well now that the mating heat has started. This could prove to be interesting, so I guess we shall see what happens in the next installment!

*I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Moria, please head over to their website.

 

http://www.moirarogers.com

Amazon

The Hang Up (First Impressions #2) by Tawna Fenske

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

I'm a big Tawna Fenske fan if you haven't noticed yet, and The Hang Up is another one of her adorably quirky romances filled with witty dialogue and fun characters you can't help but love.

Miriam is a force of nature in her buttoned up and perfectly coordinated life. She's successful in running her own PR firm, but unfortunately that leaves her with very little time in the romance department. This all changes when faced with Jason Sanders outside her house. At first she believes the man to be homeless, but then she quickly finds out that appearances can be deceiving with a little help from her cat. Little does she know just how true that can be when she is also sitting across from him in her conference room and he's the new CEO of her largest account.

Jason has put his social life on hold to help his sister with his sick nephew. He even gave up his successful business to make sure they are closer to his doctors, so romance just isn't in the cards when his plate is already overflowing. As the new CEO, a job which fits him about as well as an uncomfortable suit, he's expected to bring his magic to an already struggling company with the help of the sexy girl from down the street. You know...the one he hasn't been able to get his mind off since their encounter.

Sparks fly instantly with these two and the chemistry is undeniable. It was entertaining to see them both break free of their shells, and I loved the way it was an opposites attract type situation. Overall, I think anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy will love this book. It had just the right amount of light-hearted, sexy romance with laugh out loud moments to make it a thoroughly enjoyable read.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Tawna, please head over to her website.

 

http://www.tawnafenske.com

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Buns (Hudson Valley #3) by Alice Clayton

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

Buns is the third book in the Hudson Valley series by Alice Clayton, and I just simply adore the entire cast of characters in this series so I'm always excited when I get to visit again!  Clayton is fast becoming one of my favorite authors for quirky and emotional romances, and Buns is a perfect example of why I enjoy her writing so much. I seriously couldn't put this one down, guys, and read the entire book in one sitting.  So if you haven't read her before, you are totally missing out and I highly suggest you fix that immediately!

Now Clara Morgan is a character we've seen mentioned in the previous two books in this series, but we finally get to have her story in Buns. (Don't worry though, because you'll still get to catch all of your favorite characters from the previous books in this one too!)  Clara is the epitome of efficiency and bossiness all wrapped up in one tough and snarky package... so in other words she's pretty darn awesome! She works as a re-branding expert and is sent to Bryant Mountain House to give it a new feel without breaking too much tradition. She just didn't expect the wall of delectable muscle that is Archie Bryant to get in her way.

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to stay in a resort like the one in Dirty Dancing? That's the way I picture Bryant Mountain House, but on a much larger scale. The hotel resort is a character all of its own in Buns, and I would love to spending an amazing weekend there, you know...if it weren't fictional and all. Now Dirty Dancing may have had the super hot Johnny, but I'm thinking that Bryant Mountain House's Archie is vastly more appealing. Archie is the son and future owner of Bryant Mountain House who has been groomed since birth to run this grand hotel. He isn't all that pleased with Clara's presence and sparks definitely fly when these two are in the same room for a multitude of reasons. It was pretty entertaining, if I do say so myself, and these two are so perfectly matched!

Buns is one of those books I could read again and again. The chemistry is off the charts, the plot is engaging, and it's just overall so well-written that you just can't help but enjoy every moment. So take a leap off of a balcony (read the book and you'll know what I mean) and give Buns a try. I promise you'll love it!

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Alice, please head over to her website.

 

http://www.aliceclayton.com/

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Love on Tap by Meg Benjamin

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Reviewed by Tabatha

 

This was my first read from Meg Benjamin and it certainly won't be the last. Now I've always been a sucker for books that combine anything brewing with romance being a bit of a beer nerd myself, so I was especially happy when I came across this book and found out the heroine was the actual brew master of the story! Female brewers are few and far between, so that aspect made the story even more exciting and interesting for me.

Love on Tap is a sweet story about a gastro pub owner, Wyatt, in desperate need of something to put his mark on the ever-growing brew pub scene in Colorado before he is run out of business. After a conversation about a lone barrel of the legendary Zoria being for sale, Wyatt sets off on a mission to obtain it before his competition can even catch wind of it.

When he meets the mysterious Bec Dempsey, things go far from smoothly. At first she denies him the sale, but then she changes her mind and decides on a few hoops he'll need to jump through if he stands a chance at obtaining her most prized possession...well, her only one. Unfortunately, her circumstances are such that she is in dire need to sell her Zoria so she can get her brewery back on its feet after her partner disappeared and her brother...well her brother is a whole different set of issues altogether.

With each new task Wyatt is sent on, it becomes clear that Bec has dug a hole for herself with her suppliers that she might not be able to recover from. With his help though, she at least stands a slim chance, but what she wasn't expecting was to fall for him. Love on Tap had the perfect amount of story to steam and the chemistry between Wyatt and Bec was there from the start. I do think they rushed into the "I love you" part a bit too fast given their circumstances, but there were still plenty of cute moments to be had between them. I will admit that some aspects of the story were a tad on the predictable side, but I did overall enjoy the story enough to recommend it.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

If you'd like to check out more about this or other books by Meg, please head over to her website.

 

http://www.MegBenjamin.com

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble