ARC Review: Southern Nights and Secrets

I met Robin Covington at the RWA Conference last July. I'd previously read her books before and I really enjoyed them. So, when I saw that her new release was up on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. Check out my thoughts below!

Title: Southern Nights and Secrets
Series: The Boys Are Back In Town, #4
Author: Robin Covington
Publisher: Entangled: Indulgence
Release Date: September 19, 2016
Pages: 208
Buy Links: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

Blurb:

Being a doctor is everything to me, but I’m not going to let bureaucrats tell me how to practice medicine. It’s about saving lives no matter what, screw them and their paperwork.

When the one woman I could never forget, Ginger Crawford, shows up as my boss all bets are off. The heat between us is tough to ignore but I have to if I want a future at this hospital. It isn’t easy. Every time we argue, I want her even more.

But I’ve got secrets she can never know, and she’s always going to be way too good for me. So it’s best if she hates me…at least that’s what I keep telling myself.

I love, love, love this book! From the very beginning, it was action-packed, and frankly, that was how you properly start a story. Well done, Ms. Covington!

"These are people. Patients. Not outcomes."

Dr. Beckett Sutherland... Gee, where to start? Oh, let's start with the cover. One thing I noticed was the model's lips. How appropriate were those lips to represent Dr. Sutherland? So sexy. Anyway, Beck was a complicated character, but he had the biggest heart. It might not have been obvious, however, because he chose to hide his true self. He didn't think his actions were enough to atone for his mistakes when he hadn't a choice as a kid. 

"Dr. Sutherland. Didn't your mama ever tell you that you get more flies with honey than vinegar?"

"My mama didn't stick around long enough to teach me shit, and you know my tongue can be mighty sweet when I want it to be."

Virginia, aka Ginger, was a force to be reckoned with. Being the daughter of a NAVY Seal, she learned many skills including the ability to shut off her emotions most of the time. To be honest, I found that very admirable. Her character was fiery when she wasn't hiding behind a mask. She was a firecracker when Beck was able to push her boundaries. Their chemistry was explosive!

Ginger had always spent a ridiculous amount of money on underwear that barely covered the fun parts.

Who could resists Beck's charms? He had the ability to even charm some men, but I bet that had something to do with his pure heart rather than him actually trying. I'd say he was probably one of my favorite book boyfriends this year. 

The serpent in the Garden of Good and Evil had nothing on Beckett.

The cameos of the other boys from this series made me want to read the previous books. Where had I been living? A rock?! I totally missed out!

Want some more? Check out the sexy snippet below by clicking on the button... if you dare. 

He moved forward, his arms raised and his hands placed flat against the door.

"Gin, baby, let me in," he whispered against her ear, his warm breath brushing the tendrils of her hair against the skin of her neck. She arched her neck involuntarily, her silent plea answered by the fleeting brush of his lips against her lobe. She shivered, her keys almost slipping from her fingers.

Fuck, she wanted him. Beckett didn't have to wear her down like the waves crashing against the shore, his power was like the undertow, swirling around her, playfully enticing her farther out into the water. The harder she fought against the pull, the more seductive his movements became. Take this move--she should have expected him to show up at her door, but she didn't. It didn't fit in her ordered plan for her world, and the surprise delighted her inner romantic who refused to see that being swept off your feet usually led to a painful crash. She couldn't let him in no matter how much she wanted to.

Virginia braced her trembling hand and inserted the key into the lock, twisting until the tumbler gave way and she released the keys to grab the doorknob.

Beckett's hand closing over hers halted her movement and prevented her escape. Or was she planning to invite him in? She had no idea.

All she knew was that her blood was hot, her sex was wet, and her heart rattled against her chest like it was trying to escape.

"Let me in." His voice was deeper, rougher, and accompanied by a tender scrape of his teeth along her shoulder, lingering on the spot where it sloped upward into the exposed skin of her neck.

She let out a long, shuddering breath.

"If you let me in I will fuck you until you cannot move. I know how to make you feel good, and I promise you will feel the pleasure a week from now." He huffed out a breath caught between a laugh and a moan against her flesh. "You know I can fucking do it."

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Review: Daring the Player

Title: Daring the Player
Series: Dare to Love (Kindle Worlds Novella)
Author: Robin Covington
Publisher: Kindle Worlds
Release Date: January 19, 2015
Pages: 111
Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:

She’s nothing but trouble…and he can’t resist. 

Raised by a pro football legend, Miami Thunder wide receiver Rep Grissom has a career most would envy. A toxic marriage with a party girl almost put him on the sidelines, but now he keeps his head down and makes the moves on the field that leave younger players in his dust. Now all he has to do is maintain the status quo and he’s guaranteed a lucrative new contract at an age when most guys are retiring. 

Lola Corbin is used to leaving all the big boys in her rearview mirror. The lead singer in the worlds biggest rock band she fills up arenas and closes down the clubs but with the group on the brink of breaking apart her future is uncertain. Years spent on the road has left her with nothing at home except platinum records on the walls, an empty fridge and a cold bed. For the first time, she’s looking for something and someone beyond the spotlight. 

When Lola’s first night in her condo ends with Rep breaking up a fight he realizes that temptation has moved in next door. Lola doesn’t usually go for the strong and serious types, but the more she sees of her neighbor, the more she wants. When a thank you dinner turns into dancing and a hot tryst in the back of the club their attraction cannot be denied. But when Lola-induced trouble results in a front-page-career-ending spectacle the player must decide if he’s going to be as daring with his heart as he is on the field. 

Review

I loved the openness of the characters in this book. Somehow, deep inside, they knew that they could trust each other and they didn't have to play games. Lola and Rep didn't sugar coat how they felt for each other, and it's quite refreshing to read. It made life much easier, I think.

I wished the book could have been longer, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. There's that cliche of making the big gesture, and this one is definitely a winner. I would recommend this book if you want a love story with a little bit of steam and a whole lot of honesty.

Note: The blurb of this book seems like a complete back story of the characters.

One of my favorite bits of the book:

As far as he could tell, she only left the condo when he was at the stadium and in spite of his nightly knocking at her door, she refused to see him. She was hurt, you couldn't be that kind of mad unless you cared a lot and he held onto that thought like it was a life raft and he was lost at sea.

Other places to find Robin: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Newsletter

Arianne

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