Book: Dangerous
Author: Jax (Jacquelyn Frank)
Publisher: eKensington
Date Published: September 5th, 2013
ASIN: B00CA6YYI6
Author Info: Website|Facebook|Twitter
***Review Copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley for my Honest review. My opinion is my own and is in no way influenced by the manner in which the books I review are received***
3 1/2 - 4 out of 5 Stars

A body that won't quit
Clothes that are barely there
Eyes that openly invite him to take what he wants

Devon Candler is nothing like the helpless, vulnerable woman Liam expected when he agreed to provide security for her secluded Catskill Mountain estate. Yet her life is at risk. Her enemies monsters. Her secrets devastating.

Liam Nash is a trained killer who takes no prisoners, fears no man. But to him this woman is seductively, devastatingly. . .

Dangerous.

Purchase: Amazon|B&N
 I'm going to do this review a little differently in order to try and show as many of the things I did and didn't like about this book as I can.
  •   I really liked the chemistry between Liam and Devon, it was magnetic and explosive, and I was practically begging for them to actually finish the deed by the time it was done. There was just so much of a build up for them to come together, and boy were there so many hot and steamy moments! The characters are very likeable, and you'll want to see more of the secondary characters as well.
  •   I didn't like that the author took so little time at the ending to close everything up, especially after taking so long to draw Liam and Devon into a relationship. While the relationship was almost to the point of being over-developed the ending was in desperate need of a little more details.
  Keep in mind that I still really liked the book, it just could have used a little more something at the end for me. Jax is a very talented author and I will definitely read more books by her. I'm actually hoping that she makes this book into a series. The world building that was done was pretty unique and interesting enough to start a whole slew of books and I'd love to know more about the Morphates and their future in the world. All in all, it was a really good read, but I think reading it will make you want more. Hopefully the author will oblige.
Book: Against the Ropes
Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date Published: September 3rd,2013

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an underground mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Trouble is, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless.

All sleek muscle and restrained power, the man they call Torment plays to win at any cost. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when to use a soft touch and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…
 Purchase: Amazon|B&N
 
About the Author:

Recovering lawyer, karate practitioner, and caffeine addict, Sarah Castille worked and traveled abroad before trading her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home near the Canadian Rockies. Her steamy, contemporary romantic tales feature blazingly hot alpha heroes tormented or tattooed for your reading pleasure.

 
 
 
Elysian Fields
Sentinels of New Orleans Series
Book Three
Suzanne Johnson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Date of Publication: August 13, 2013
ISBN: 978-0765333193
ASIN: B00CQY7TOI
Number of pages: 352
Word Count: approx. 102,000
Cover Artist: Cliff Nielsen
Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository
The mer feud has been settled, but life in South Louisiana still has more twists and turns than the muddy Mississippi. New Orleanians are under attack from a copycat killer mimicking the crimes of a 1918 serial murderer known as the Axeman of New Orleans.

Thanks to a tip from the undead pirate Jean Lafitte, DJ Jaco knows the attacks aren't random--an unknown necromancer has resurrected the original Axeman of New Orleans, and his ultimate target is a certain blonde wizard.

Namely, DJ. Fighting off an undead serial killer as troubles pile up around her isn't easy. Jake Warin's loup-garou nature is spiraling downward, enigmatic neighbor Quince Randolph is acting weirder than ever, the Elders are insisting on lessons in elven magic from the world's most annoying wizard, and former partner Alex

Warin just turned up on DJ's to-do list. Not to mention big maneuvers are afoot in the halls of preternatural power.

Suddenly, moving to the Beyond as Jean Lafitte's pirate wench? It could be DJ's best option.

Excerpt:


 By midafternoon, I was out of ideas and full of nervous energy that finally sent me out of doors, catching up on yard work I’d neglected all season, raking the small, crunchy leaves from the live oaks into piles a kid would love to play in.

 “Need help?”

 I ignored the voice and counted to ten, hoping it would go away. Instead, Quince Randolph knelt next to a tall pyramid of leaves I’d erected and took the lid off the big green trash can he’d brought with him. He began scooping up armfuls and piling them in the can. “You should compost this down. It would make a good mulch for flowerbeds. Plus you need more color in your landscaping.”

 “Whatever.” I didn’t know what mulch was, didn’t care enough to ask, and had such a brown thumb that flowers never survived my gardening efforts.

Rand wore a chocolate-brown sweater almost the same color as mine, with jeans in a similar wash. With our comparable shades of long blond hair, we resembled grown-up Bobbsey Twins, except he was prettier. Freddie and Flossie do New Orleans.

“Are you here for any particular reason?”

 He squinted up at me against the soft afternoon sunlight. “I just want to get to know you better.”

 Uh- huh. “Tell me what you are, and then we’ll know each other better. I’m betting elf or faery.” I was kind of betting elf— it might explain his interest in me although, thankfully, he’d never shown any inclination to plunder my brain.

 He grinned. “Go to dinner with me and I might tell you.”

 I noted the return of his peridot earrings. Big liar. Super-big cheater. “Where’s Eugenie? You know, your girlfriend?”

 A flash of irritation spoiled his perfect features a half second before he answered. “Working. Can we—”

 What ever he planned to ask, my answer would be no, but he didn’t get a chance because a clomping noise reached us from the direction of Prytania Street. Rand and I both were stricken speechless at the sight of Jean Lafitte sitting like royalty in the back of a gold and white French Quarter tourist carriage. It was being pulled by a light- gray mule wearing a hat festooned with fake flowers and driven by a smiling guy who had no idea how many daggers his undead pirate passenger had hidden on him.

 The ornate carriage rolled to a stop, and the mule flicked an ear at the passing traffic. Those animals pulled tourists around the French Quarter all day, and it would take more than an impatient Toyota driver to rattle one of them. The carriages were also ridiculously expensive if one commissioned a ride outside the Quarter.

 Then again, Jean Lafitte was loaded. The driver probably had a reason to smile.

 Jean exited the carriage with extraordinary grace for such a large man. He was tall, powerfully built, black-haired, cobalt-eyed, a shameless flirt, and talked with a raspy French accent that made me swoon even though he was technically dead. In other words, I had a bit of a problem with Jean Lafitte and my own common sense being present at the same time.

 Jean said a few words to the carriage driver, then turned to prop his hands on his hips in a broad pirate-like stance, giving Rand a disapproving visual once-over. The mule backed up a
 few awkward steps before pulling the carriage into my driveway.

 God help me, I hoped Alex didn’t get home in time to see this. I’d never hear the end of it.

 “Do you wish me to rid you of this intruder, Jolie?”





About the Author:
On Aug. 28, 2005, Suzanne Johnson loaded two dogs, a cat, a friend, and her mom into a car and fled New Orleans in the hours before Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Four years later, she began weaving her experiences and love for her city into the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series, beginning with Royal Street (2012), continuing with River Road (2012), and now with Elysian Fields (August 2013).

She grew up in rural Alabama, halfway between the Bear Bryant Museum and Elvis’ birthplace, and lived in New Orleans for fifteen years—which means she has a highly refined sense of the absurd and an ingrained love of SEC football and fried gator on a stick.

She can be found online at her website or her daily blog, Preternatura. As Susannah Sandlin, she writes the best-selling Penton Vampire Legacy paranormal romance series and the recent standalone, Storm Force.


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County Girls by Tressa Messenger

Adult Contemporary Romance Marissa left town as soon as high school ended, carrying with her deep dark secrets that she never intended to divulge, but once she went back home after twenty years for her high school reunion she knew that was exactly where she wanted to be. Once back in her home town in North Carolina it all comes rushing back to her, both good and bad, even the uncontrollable desire for her first love, who happened to be her best friend’s husband. Marissa and her three best friends could never have imagined the events that would take place once these once inseparable County girls are back together again or the hot nights that are sure to come.

Buy on Smashwords | Amazon | Paperback

About the Author:

I am a small town girl with big dreams. I grew up in a small coastal community called Pamlico County in the town of Reelsboro North Carolina. Growing up in such a rural area there wasn't much to do, so I developed a wide fantasy finding solace in writing poetry and songs. After high school I left my little secure coastal town to discover other parts of the country. It was a sad and lonely time, but also a fun and exciting time in my life. I had too many emotions to process so I started to put it all down on paper. That became the start of my first novel, which I have yet to finish. My first complete novel entitled Protector was a dream come true, although I found out during the process, at 31 years old, I am dyslexic. Reading was always a struggle throughout my life and finding out why has really made a difference in me and my writing. It was such a wonderful and daunting process but I have succeeded in doing something I never thought I would do. I have 3 novels published, Protect, Protect Me and Too Close To Home and 2 more on the way. Writing is such a passion of mine and will continue to be whether I become successful with it or not. I currently live out side of my home town with my husband and daughter.

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A Wicked Kind of Dark Robert Duncan no longer believes in magic. A mysterious call about a blood moon, however, leads him back to the magical world of his childhood and to Luthien, the beautiful girl with flame-coloured hair, who he loved and lost. As Robert unravels the secrets of his childhood, darkness enters his life and an ancient evil awakens. To have any chance of defeating the dark forces that would destroy two worlds, Robert must find Luthien before the rise of the blood moon. He must, once more, believe in magic … A Wicked Kind of Dark mixes vast and spectacular fantasy landscapes with gritty urban reality. A must-read for people of all ages who believe in the power of imagination, and the importance of never losing touch with your inner child.
 
Author Jonathan K. Benton Jonathan Benton always wanted to write books, having won first place in a short story competition when he was ten. Inspired by writes such as Ray Bradbury and Stephen King, Jonathan first discovered the crossover genre of literary/fantasy while reading Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes. Jonathan grew up in New Zealand, dreaming of travelling to London and finally making the pilgrimage in his mid-twenties. Returning from England, he settled in Australia, the country he now calls home, and decided to take his writing seriously.
BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 9/22/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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 Wicked Heat by Nicola Marsh
Competitors by day, lovers by night…

Allegra Wilks has had the worst month of her personal and professional life. To save her company, she must go on her would-be honeymoon and land the luxury eco-island resort’s lucrative advertising account. But when a lingerie mishap leads her into the arms of a wickedly distracting Australian, Allegra’s tempted to skip the trip and explore the most sensual kiss she’s ever experienced. Too bad their chance encounter at the airport is just that.

Having recently lost his company to his former best friend’s shady business tactics, Jett Halcott is headed to a South Pacific resort to secure an advertising account that will resurrect his reputation and career. Realizing the tantalizing Allegra Wilks is on his flight, Jett envisions a week filled with business and pleasure. But Jett doesn’t know Allegra’s fighting for the same account, or that there’s more at stake than his heart.
Purchase: Amazon
Excerpt:

“You should do that more often,” he said, reaching out to trace her bottom lip with his fingertip. “You’re beautiful, but when you smile? Wow.”

 Uncomfortable with his overt compliments, Allegra sat there and let a guy she’d just met touch her lips with a slow, sensual caress. His fingertip traced her bottom lip in a butterfly-soft sweep that left her breathless.

 Their eyes locked as he lowered his hand, and what she saw made her wish she could ditch Palm Bay and travel to Australia.

Blatant lust. Strong. Sexy. Seductive. His eyes deepened to an incredible green that matched a favorite jade pendant she wore often. He wanted her, and in this crazy moment, the feeling was entirely mutual.

 He raised his beer to his lips and took a long swig, his heat-filled stare never leaving hers.

Damn, she had no idea what to do in this situation. Make a joke to diffuse the tension? Acknowledge it? Flirt?

 She hated feeling out of control, had instigated steps her entire life to avoid it. Yet in a loaded thirty seconds, Jett had made her damp with just one look and made her flounder.

 “Is the blatant charm an Aussie thing or is it just you?”

 Thankfully, he blinked, and broke the scorching stare that made her want to grab a napkin off the bar and fan herself. “It’s me.” He leaned in close. “Time you fessed up.”

 Yikes. Was her reaction to him that easy to read?

 “To what?”

 His lips almost brushed her ear. “You’re battling an incredible urge to drag me into the nearest janitor’s closet and ravish me.”

 She laughed at his outrageousness. “Sorry. I don’t do sex in cleaning closets. Too many hazardous chemicals.”

 “Yeah, those pheromones can be killer.”

 She loved his quick wit and for the second time in as many minutes, wished she’d met him at a different place, different time.

 “Pity.” He reverted to a smoldering stare that had her wishing she’d ordered a vodka shot chaser. “Sex in confined spaces can be fun.”

 “I’ll take your word for it.” Heat crept into her cheeks and she signaled the waiter for a glass of water. To douse herself with.

 “Not the answer I was hoping for,” he said, shifting his barstool closer so their thighs brushed. “Would’ve been better if you’d said, ‘Sounds good, Jett, let’s go try.’”

 She cleared her throat and gratefully accepted the water from the waiter, drinking it all and wishing she could run the cool beaded exterior across her forehead. “How did we get onto this crazy topic?”

 “Started with you wanting to ravish me.” He clinked his beer bottle to her empty glass. “Seriously. There’s no need to hold back. I can take whatever you want to dish out.”


About the Author:

USA TODAY bestselling author Nicola Marsh writes flirty fiction with flair for adults and riveting, eerie stories for young adults.
 
Based in Melbourne, she has published 40 books and sold over 4 million copies worldwide. She writes contemporary romances for Harlequin Mills & Boon, Entangled Publishing and is self-published. Her first indie release, Crazy Love, was a 2012 ARRA (Australian Romance Readers Award) finalist. BANISH, a thriller with Harlequin Teen Australia, is her young adult debut (August 2013), closely followed by the release of a paranormal YA series starting with Scion of the Sun (Month9Books, November 2013)
 
She's also a Waldenbooks and Bookscan bestseller, a National Readers' Choice Award winner, a multi-finalist for awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, RBY (RWAus Romantic Book of the Year), HOLT Medallion, Booksellers' Best Award, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and has won several CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Awards. 
 
A physiotherapist for thirteen years, she now adores writing full time, chasing after her two little heroes, barracking loudly for her North Melbourne Kangaroos footy team and her favourite, curling up with a good book!
 
She also loves interacting with readers.   She blogs, tweets incessantly, chatters on Facebook and answers emails.
BB&B (Bought, Borrowed and Bagged) is a weekly meme hosted by Talk Supe where we share the books that we have bought, borrowed or bagged (won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, on going events and any news we want to share with our followers.
Click the pictures for the Amazon link or the title for the Goodreads link.

Bagged:

From Netgalley:

Darkness Rises (Immortal Guardians #4) by Dianne Duvall, Fatal Strike (McClouds and Friends #10) by Shannon McKenna, and The Demon's Desire (Hearts of the Fallen #2) by Kendra Leigh Castle - I'm really excited about all three of these books because they are all by authors that I've read before and loved, so I can't wait to get started on these :)

Blog News:

 Hey all! Just wanted to let you all know that I'm still around, I've just been really busy! Kids are back in school, and the little ones have been busy with soccer practice which means this mom has been busy carting kids back and forth. To top it off I'm over 5 months pregnant right now :) So my normal reading time ,which is at night when the kids are asleep, has been taken up with, well sleep lol! I'm exhausted!!! I expect things to settle down in about a month or so, well until Baby #4 makes it's appearance in January :) Hope all is well and Happy Reading!!!