(R) Undone by Shannon Richard

Paige Morrison is the round peg trying to fit in the square hole that is Mirabelle, Florida.  After losing her job, her boyfriend, and her home in Philadelphia, she is forced to move back in with her parents.  After a series of unfortunate events, Paige meets Brendan.  He helps her find a job (even if it is in a funeral home), new friends, and even a new boyfriend - himself.

Brendan realizes very quickly that Paige is the only woman for him and he wants her to marry him.  Together, they weather the storm that is Mirabelle's gossiping women.  When a man attacks Paige, the tongues of Mirabelle's gossip blog begin to wag, blaming Paige for what happened.  Brendan wants to protect her from their harsh words but when the post is placed on her office door, she not only finds out what they said but also some skeletons from Brendan's closet.

When another tragedy strikes, Brendan again wishes to protect the woman he loves.  But how can he protect her from the heartbreak within her own family?

I really liked this book - to a point.  I felt like the author tried to condense too much into a book.  She dragged out the problems within their relationship much longer than I thought was necessary.  I feel that more time could have been better spent on the attack and aftermath rather than adding another problem onto the plates of Brendan and Paige.  I feel the family problem could have been better done as a standalone novella rather than in the book.  It felt rushed.  But despite that, I really fell in love with Brendan and Paige.  Their love was fresh and vibrant and you supported them through everything.  The way Brendan stands by Paige, no matter what, just goes to show that his love for her runs deep in his veins.  It was a joy to read them falling in love and I look forward to seeing more of Paige and Brendan in this series.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Rebecca's Lost Journals by Lisa Renee Jones

There is always a back story.... *SPOILERS*

Rebecca is lost in her life.  She wants to work in the art world but can never seem to find the right moment to pursue her passion.  Then she meets Mark who owns an art gallery in town.  Her asks her if she wants to work for him and she agrees, deciding it is time for her to go after what she wants.  There's just one problem - she wants Mark.  And she knows Mark wants her.  But not in any ordinary relationship.  Mark is a Dom and he wants her to be his submissive.

In this grouping of novellas, we get to see inside Rebecca's mind as she is presented with his contract.  She wants Mark to have a relationship with her and yet she knows he won't have a "normal" relationship.  If she wants him, she will have to give into his contract.  When she begins her submissive, she feels free.  She loves how attentive Mark is to her; the way he seems to know what she needs before she needs it.  He pushes her boundaries; sometimes, she feels, too much.  Can her feelings for Mark change into what he wants or should she move on and try to have a normal relationship with someone else?

This book is written in journal form so there is no "normal" flow to this book.  But what I really love about this book is just how much you feel for Rebecca.  You feel her confusion, her elation, her heartache, and her love.  Through her journal, we get to know Rebecca deepest thoughts.  You know her feelings for Mark are genuine and yet we can also see how Mark pushes Rebecca almost too far.  It was nice to see a heroine who realizes the man is not enough for her and even though she loves him, she decides they are better off apart.  It might hurt her but she knows that Mark will never love her in the way she loves him.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) His Secrets by Lisa Renee Jones

Chris Merit, a Dom on the run from his demons, is in Paris with Sara.  She is a balm to his soul and he hopes that she can stop his past from attacking him as they hide away, painting and making love each night.  But the past never stays away for long.  Receiving a phone call from his friend Tristan, he finds out someone from his past is in trouble - Amber.  Chris, being the man he is, rushes to her rescue.  Chris feels guilty since he is the one who got Amber into the mess she was in so he feels it's his duty to get her out.  But once Sara realizes just now deep Chris' demons go, will she stay or flee?  When she sees how dark his world truly is, will she turn to him or from him?

This book is a novella in the AMAZING Inside Out series.  Since this book is written in Chris' POV, you really get to see how his mind works and just how much he loves Sara.  He wants to become a better man for her - not just a Dom, but as a lover and a partner.  But when his secrets threaten their relationship, when you see just how deep his feelings for Sara go and how this is a man who wants to change for her.  This novella will stick with you long after you finish reading it and gives us a deeper clues into the man, and Dom, that dominates the series.  I look forward to reading more of Ms. Jones' series now that I have a better understanding of Chris Merit.

In order to understand these characters, I do not recommend this book be read as a stand-alone novella.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Lantern Lake by Lily Everett

Cooper Haynes has arrived to Sanctuary Island to stand next to his best friend Miles' at his wedding.  He is bound and determined not to fall prey to what Miles' considers the island's romantic allure, causing everyone who comes there to fall in love.  Why?  Because the woman he loved, the woman who broke his heart, is also across the aisle as a bridesmaid.  His ex, Vivian Banks.  Cooper is still attracted to Vivian and decides to use the opportunity to use and lose Vivian the way she did him all those years ago.

Vivian's life has been turned upside down since she made the regretful decision to follow her family's wishes instead of her heart's.  When she sees Cooper, all of those feelings come rushing back.  She has a feeling that Cooper will try to make her fall in love with him all over again, although she wonders if she ever stopped, and decides to give herself one more night of pleasure in Cooper's arms and hopes that she can watch him walk away with her heart still intact.

This is the third and final installment of Ms. Everett's Billionaire Bachelors series.  And she has saved the best for last!  This bulk of the book takes place after Miles' wedding which was a nice change from the first two books in the series.  I felt like she had the most character development in this one.  You start off feeling sorry for Miles' broken heart.  You feel his anger at Vivian and you really want to hate her, knowing how she led Miles on only to leave him waiting at the courthouse to get married without even a reason as to why she left.

And yet, by the middle of the book, you are cheering for them to get back together!  When you find out why Vivian left and how badly she had yearned for Cooper after all these years, you realize the place they both need to be is by each other's side.  Cooper has spent those years apart chasing death and "living life to the fullest" while Vivian has fallen farther down than she could ever imagine.  Coming to Sanctuary Island was a new beginning for her and after seeing Cooper, she realizes she wants a new beginning with him as well.

This final book really is the best, not only in terms of characters, but also in tugging at your heartstrings.  So many novellas that come out don't come close to developing characters the way Ms. Everett does.  If you are looking for a quick, romantic read, you cannot do better than Lily Everett!!

(Book One - Billionaire Bachelors Series, The Fireside Inn)

(Book Two - Billionaire Bachelors Series, Bonfire Beach)


An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Bonfire Beach by Lily Everett

Zane's story is Book Two in the Billionaire Batchelors series by Lily Everett and it has made me love this author even more!  Zane is quintessential billionaire playboy, used to getting whatever he wants, regardless of the price.  If its thrilling, he wants to do it.  After overcoming a childhood tragedy, Zane has always lived life to the fullest.  But will meeting Felicity on Sanctuary Island make him realize that love can be as thrilling as any thing else in life?

Felicity has always been the responsible one.  One huge mistake when she was young made her realize just how responsible she needs to be if she wants to succeed.  When she is paired off with Zane in planning the wedding and reception for his friend Miles' wedding, she immediately is wary of billionaire playboy who is her exact opposite.

Their chemistry is immediate and their characters compliment each other perfectly.  I love how the author really showed how good these two were together and grew as a couple.  When you find out about Zane's large secret, the way Felicity handles it just shows how perfect she is for them.  But when they reach a bump in the road and Felicity pulls away, Zane fights against his feelings for her.  He has never been one to settle down but once he realizes Felicity is the one he wants by his side,  the way he wins he back took my breath away.

I am growing to love this author more and more with every book that I read by her.  She manages to still give characters great chemistry that we can watch grow in only a novella.  Not every author can do that.  I look forward to reading more from her!!

(Book One - Billionaire Bachelors Series, The Fireside Inn)

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(E) His to Possess by Opal Carew

Jessica wants to start over - new job in a new city - to escape the broken heart she left in her hometown.  She never expected that a brief encounter, and a ride to a career fair, would lead to a one night stand with a hot billionaire.  When she receives a job offer weeks later, she is shocked to learn that her new boss is the same man she slept with.  Worried about mixing business with pleasure, she is relieved when he tells her that their relationship will be dictated by her and he will abide by her wishes.

Dane Rainer wants Jessica back in his bed, despite what he tells her.  Although he is a man of his word, neither of them can deny the attraction they hold for each other.  Knowing Jessica is still broken hearted over the man she left behind, they agree to move forward on a purely physical relationship.  But when Jessica's ex walks in, everyone is shocked to see that Jessica's "Storm" is actually Dane's prodigal brother, Rave.

This book held SUCH promise for me!  The beginning was phenomenal.  Filled with hot sex and great dialogue, I was eager to see how the author would sort out the love triangle between Jessica and the two brothers.  Both men want Jessica happy more than anything else, despite the fact that they both admit they are in love with her.  Dane, wanting to repair the relationship with his brother, pushes Jessica away and back into the arms of his brother.  However, he realizes that his own happiness is just as important as his relationship with his brother.

And then the book goes downhill for me.  Maybe it was because I felt like the book couldn't find its identity.  Its marketed as a D/s book but with only one line at the beginning of the book and two sexual scenes where being tied up (amongst other things in the later scene!) is used.  I felt like it was just a run-of-the-mill erotica book with some bondage thrown in.  Dane's line of wanting Jessica to be in a full-on Dom/sub relationship really held no bearing in the book.  I kept waiting for further scenes to increase in the Dominating aspect of sex but it was never there.  Until the end, where things just got plain WEIRD.

Maybe it was because they were brothers.  Maybe it was because suddenly, Jessica is into full on Dom gear with swings and being strapped into a leather contraption.  I don't know.  But when Dane and Rave both have M/F/M sex with Jessica, I was just confused.  Like I said, maybe it was because they were brothers and that just seems sick to me (I have nothing against M/F/M in books - I'd just like to point that out).

And then there was the actual ending.  Rave has spent all this time saying he's in love with Jessica and then suddenly he's not.  He has this sudden epiphany that he was, what?  In love with being in love?  Get serious.  Rave was supposed to be this bad boy who fell in love - not some softie who just shakes his head and lets Jessica go.

This book held such promise for me!  The beginning was great.  But the end... it just fell way too short for me.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(E) The Education of Victoria by Angela Meadows

An open letter to the author...

I would first like to direct your attention to the definition of the word, plot (as defined by dictionary.com):  "Also called a storyline.  The plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story."

Now, I have read a great many books in my time and there are only two books that, until now, I have not finished once I began.  The first was Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge and the other was Consequences by Aleatha Romig.  You now have the distinction of being added to that list.  Why, you may ask?  I refer you back to my opening statement, the definition of the word "plot" - of which your book does NOT have one!

If I wanted to spend my time reading about nothing but sex, give me something that makes me want to push forward in the book; that makes me want to turn each and every page.  Give me characters that I relate to and that I want to see succeed.  Even Fifty Shades of Grey had a plot, despite the countless pages of sex that was within it.  We wanted to see how Ana and Christian achieved being in a relationship together despite his massive faults.  We wanted to see the characters grow because we knew that underneath it all, they loved each other.  Your characters were just a bunch of silly young girls who had a bunch of random sex with each other (by the way, I get the whole "you need to figure out how to please yourself before you please a man" part but why throw in all the F/F sex if they're figuring out how to please a man?).  You didn't give us a likable character in Victoria, who seemed nothing but a silly, air-headed aristocratic daughter who wanted things handed to her.  You didn't even give us a love interest for crying out loud!!

I even skipped to the end of the book, hoping against hope that there was something that would keep me reading.  "Just maybe she'll have achieved something - a love interest perhaps or even finding a dark secret about the school that she and the other girls need to figure out."  But, alas, I did not.  Next time you write a book, give us characters we want to cheer for and give us an actual PLOT to keep us interested.

Thank you.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.