Tuesday, October 25, 2016

ARC Review: Pull Me Close

I've enjoyed every single Sidney Halston book I've read so far, so when I saw she had a new release up for review on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. Check out my review below!

Title: Pull Me Close
Series: Panic, #1
Author: Sidney Halston
Publisher: Loveswept
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Pages: 247
Buy Links: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo

Blurb:

Welcome to Panic, a sultry Miami nightclub where bodies and hearts move to a beat that doesn’t stop at sunrise—the setting for “a magnificent story full of deep emotion” (Sawyer Bennett).
 
Katherine: I thought I could enjoy a night out like a normal person. I thought I could handle the flashing lights, the pulsing music, the crowded dance floor. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After having an anxiety attack and passing out during my sister’s engagement party at Panic, I wake up in the arms of the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. Nick Moreno’s no gentleman. But he might just be the man I need to help me take control of my life.
 
Nick: When I hear there’s some random girl passed out in the back room of my family’s South Beach nightclub, I’m pissed. My dad’s already behind bars and we can’t afford any more bad press. But after giving her a lift—literally—back to her apartment, I stop seeing Katherine Wilson as some random girl. She’s gorgeous, vulnerable, and braver than she knows. And when we kiss, all I want to do is pull her close and promise that she’ll always be safe in my arms.


Emotionally charged from beginning to end!

This book literally started with a panic...attack. Right then, I knew this book was something I would love. Nico was such a jerk in the beginning that I wanted to smack him a hundred times over. He had a bad experience with drugs, and so he assumed everyone acting strange were high on some sort of illegal substance. 

Poor Katherine was just another junkie to Nico. I wanted to yell at him that she wasn't high. I empathized with her throughout the whole book...because I knew just what it was like to have anxiety. I might not have panic attacks like Katherine, but anxiety attacks could be just as exhausting. I knew what it was like to be afraid and to feel so weak because of a mental illness.

Katherine was such an admirable character because she fought for a life she used to have, where she went out with friends and had fun instead of holing up in her apartment in fear of dying if she left the safety of her home. Nico was a jerk, but when he opened his eyes, he was able to understand and even became supportive...up to a certain point. This book wouldn't be so interesting if there wasn't any conflict ;) I would say, however, that I was fangirling for most of the book, totally in love with the characters. And then, towards the end, I was literally crying for a while...

I was so thankful that the author wrote this book and I hope it would somehow educate people that anxiety and other mental disorders were not something people chose to have, just like cancer or any other disease. 

Anyway, I loved the irony that the club Nico co-owned with his brother Matt was named Panic. By the way, Matt was such a lovely character! He was so fun to read. Now I can't wait to read the rest of the series! Pull Me Close is a must-read, but be forewarned that this book was so emotional and might affect empaths more than others.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

ARC Review: Cowboy Karma

I've met Mia Hopkins a few times, but this would be my first time reading one of her books. Check out my thoughts below!

Title: Cowboy Karma
Series: Cowboy Cocktail, #4
Author: Mia Hopkins
Publisher: Little Stone Press
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Pages: 101
Buy Links: Amazon

Blurb:

Who needs luck when you can get Lucky?

When Harmony Santos’s boyfriend dumps her on her birthday, she doesn’t get mad. She gets lucky…with a mysterious cowboy whose bedroom eyes and rough edges bring out her inner bad girl. But when their one-night rodeo turns into more than a rebound, Harmony worries her heart hasn’t healed enough to take on someone new—even if that someone is as sweet as he is sexy. 

Tie-down roper Lucky Garcia can’t believe his good fortune. A shot at national finals and now this—his longtime crush, in his arms at last. The more time he spends with Harmony, the harder he falls for her. But financial demands and family responsibilities take him further and further away from her—as does his secret fear she hasn’t quite gotten over her dickhead ex. 

Behind closed doors, Lucky and Harmony are filthy perfection. But when reality comes knocking, the star-crossed lovers must decide: walk away intact, or risk it all for a chance at happiness. 

Get ready for rope tricks, spanking, self-pleasure, and a smoking-hot cowboy who puts the big D in Dominant.


Easy bedtime read...until you get to the sexy parts, then it gets intense...

Lucky and Harmony reunited on the dance floor and the sexual tension was thick. Lucky was described as the hottest sex on a stick, to be fair, and Harmony needed a bit of a distraction.

Their chemistry was fiery and I loved reading their sexy scenes. There was a time when they dipped their toes in a bit of BDSM, and though the safe words were cliche, I still liked it. It was sweet and full of passion, that was for sure. 

One of my favorite things were Lucky's way of communication. Since English wasn't his first language, it was so adorable how he would try to clarify things with Harmony. I literally tweeted the author as I read because I just had to share the joy of reading the conversation between the two.

Lucky: "Just to be clear, that's it? That's it between you two?"
Harmony: "That's it."
Lucky: "So."
Harmony: "So."
Lucky: "Back to this 'you and me' idea."
Harmony: "What about it?"
Lucky: "I think we should look into it a little more."

This book was short, but it had a lot of heart. So, if you want an easy, light read, with a sprinkle of spice, this would be the book for you. 

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

ARC Review: Bound to Submit

Laura Kaye is one of my absolute favorite authors for a reason... When she releases new books and offers them for review, I'm always at the front of the line to sign up. Check out my review below of her latest new release.

Title: Bound to Submit
Series: Blasphemy, #1
Author: Laura Kaye
Self-Published
Release Date: October 11, 2016
Pages: 154
Buy Links: Amazon Paperback | Kindle
BN | iBooks | Kobo

Blurb:

From the ruins of an abandoned church comes Baltimore’s hottest and most exclusive BDSM club. Twelve Masters. Infinite fantasies. Welcome to Blasphemy…

He thinks he caused her pain, but she knows he’s the only one who can heal her…

Kenna Sloane lost her career and her arm in the Marines, and now she feels like she’s losing herself. Submission is the only thing that ever freed her from pain and made her feel secure, and Kenna needs to serve again. Bad. The only problem is the Dom she wants once refused her submission and broke her heart, but, scarred on the inside and out, she’s not looking for love this time. She’s not even sure she’s capable.

Griffin Hudson is haunted by the mistakes that cost him the only woman he ever loved. Now she’s back at his BDSM club, Blasphemy, and more beautiful than ever, and she’s asking for his help with the pain he knows he caused. Even though he’s scared to hurt her again, he can’t refuse her, because he’d give anything to earn a second chance. And this time, he’ll hold on forever.


Intricately hot and emotional!

Master Griffin and Kenna Sloane both had something to feel guilty about. Together, they faced their fears and battled their demons, and it was so beautiful. I was crying towards the end of this book and the damn tears just wouldn't stop!

Kenna felt self-conscious about her arm; she felt like people would be put off by it, but the one opinion she really cared about was Griffin's. His reaction to her insecurities was so passionate that I was overwhelmed with admiration for his character.

"Are you under the impression that your amputation in any way detracts from my attraction to you? Because if you are, I'm telling you right fucking now that you're the most beautiful woman I've ever known in my whole goddamned life and nothing--nothing--could ever change that."

The way that Griffin embraced all of Kenna, even as she thought she was incomplete or undeserving, was so inspiring. His feelings for her helped him show Kenna that he wasn't going anywhere.

Kenna: "It can't exactly cut me, Griffin."
Griffin: "That's not fucking funny, Kenna."

There was one really intense scene that brought so much tears in my eyes. I just couldn't wait for you all to read it. It was so amazing and heart wrenching at the same time. Especially when Griffin had to text '911' to one of the other Doms. Just brilliant how they were all there for each other whenever assistance was needed.

One of my favorite parts was finding out Griffin drove an Audi A7. What a sexy car for a sexy man. Can every sexy man just drive an Audi, please?

There were two things I wanted to mention though. First, it seemed that in any BDSM situation that took place in someone's personal abode, there was always a wash cloth in the bathroom for someone to use. I mean, I don't even own a wash cloth. How do these characters just always happen to have a wash cloth at the ready? (lol)

Second, the ending felt a bit incomplete. There was one scene I was hoping to see, but when I saw "the end" and didn't read about the scene, I was a bit disappointed. Well, I guess when Griffin thought "it was private", I guess that meant the reader couldn't read about it either. Darn it! 

Overall, though, this book was so good. I have always devoured Laura's books and this was no different. I would highly recommend it.