ARC Review: Fighting Attraction

I am absolutely in love with Sarah Castille's Redemption series. She's actually my new favorite MMA romance author. Check out my thoughts below on her newest release.

Title: Fighting Attraction
Series: Redemption, #4
Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Pages: 368
Buy Links: Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle) | BN (Print) | BN (Nook) | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | iBooks Google Play

Blurb:

My sweet, sexy Penny has a dark side. Just like me.
I will have her. And then I will lose her, and suffer a lifetime of regret.

Rampage. Everyone loves him. He is Redemption's top heavyweight fighter and the biggest gossip in the gym. But he isn't the teddy bear everyone thinks he is. He's hiding a dark secret-and he hates himself for it.

Twice a week, Rampage transforms into Master Jack, a notorious dom only the most hard-core submissives will play with. How can he-a Southern gentleman, bred to respect and protect women-want to dominate them?

But Penny Worthington wants him. Beneath her pearls, kitten heels, and prim British exterior beats a tortured heart...Master Jack is the only one who can set her free.

Such a painfully amazing read!!!

Don't you just love it when you can relate to the characters of a book? Or maybe you want to be that character in real life? These were the kinds of feelings that I had when reading Sarah's new release. I couldn't put it down! It was one of my absolute favorite reads of 2017. 

Penny was British - love her already! She was prim and proper, but she hid a dark secret. She had a certain kind of release that she sought and she only got it from one source, until Rampage came along. 

It had been a while since I read the last Redemption book, so I couldn't remember Rampage all that well. However, I think I liked not remembering him from previous books because I was able to look at him with fresh eyes. He was all kinds of intense! He was friends with everybody and was loved by everybody. And then he had a "dark" secret that he was ashamed of? Oh my, give him to me!

Penny and Jack's inner struggles were like a push and pull situation. Someone would push the other, usually Jack, and then Penny would pull away and retreat to her comfortable source of release.

I'd read a lot of intense novels before, but somehow, this was intense in a different kind of way because I wanted to have what they had. I wanted to be Penny. I wanted to meet my Jack. It gave me all the feels, basically.

One sure way to check if I liked a book was to see how many scenes I'd highlighted. I pretty much highlighted half of this book! I loved so many scenes, I couldn't choose just one to share here!

Of course, there was the camaraderie among the Redemption fighters. I just loved it all!

Blade Saw: "Maybe they'd (Cora and Penny) be interested in a threesome."

Rampage: Don't hit him. Don't hit him. Don't hit him. *hits Blade Saw*

Blade Saw: "What the fuck?"

Rampage: "Slipped."

Blade Saw: "You think I don't know you, but I do. What's the worst that can happen? You ask her out and she says no. You move on. Look at me. I fell for Sandy. Got dumped. Got back together with her. Got dumped. Fell for Jess. Got dumped. Not much of my heart left, but I'm still standing and taking shit from you."

Now I definitely can't wait for Blade Saw's book!

Ok, here's one more just for giggles.

Ray (Predator): "Who did you go out with and not tell me about?"

Penny: "If I didn't tell you, I might have a reason."
Ray: "Why? Did someone hurt you? Someone hurts you, and I'll rip off his balls and stuff them down his throat."

Get this book, and get all the Redemption books! You wouldn't regret it!

Check out my review of the other books below.

Book 1 - Against the Ropes

Book 2 - In Your Corner

Book 3 - Full Contact

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ARC Review: Nico

I loved Sarah Castille's Redemption series, so when I received notice to review the first book in a new series, I jumped at the chance. Check out my review below.

Title: Nico
Series: Ruin and Revenge
Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: December 6, 2016
Pages: 368
Buy Links: Amazon | Amazon UK | BN | Chapters Indigo | Book Depository | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

Blurb:

Las Vegas Mafia boss, Nico Toscani, is used to getting what he wants, whether it is having the City of Sin under his rule or a beautiful woman in his bed. But when he meets his match in the gorgeous, headstrong Mia Cordano, the daughter of a rival crime lord, all bets are off. . .

Sexy computer hacker, Mia, struggles to break free of her ruthless father’s Mafia ties…but she can’t resist the powerful and seductive Nico, who will stop at nothing to possess her. With their families locked in a brutal war for control of the city, Mia and Nico enter into a forbidden game. Will they surrender to the passion that burns between them―and risk tearing apart their families? Or will Nico be forced to betray the only woman who sets his blood on fire?

The chemistry was so hot!

I don't think I've read a mafia romance before this one, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The mob vibe was definitely there. There was no romanticizing Nico. He was a capo, which meant his hands weren't clean, but his intentions were good. 

I liked that he wasn't into dealing drugs or prostitution or whatever kind of bad stuff that would attract the FBI. He tried to stay straight, even when he did have illegitimate businesses as well. His loyal crew was proof that he was someone trustworthy.

Mia: "I'm not his woman."

Big Joe: "I don't mean any disrespect, ma'am, and I don't have a woman of my own, so I could be wrong. But since I'm supposed to sit outside your place all night to make sure you're safe under pain of death, I think you are."

Mia was a badass mafia princess. She hated pink and preferred the punk rock fashion style. For some reason, Nico found this style very interesting. Mia was also a hacker. Reading about her work was exhilarating, though I wished there would have been more detail in her process. 

Together, Nico and Mia had an explosive time together. There was an underlying danger because they were from rival families, but their attraction was stronger than spite. 

One of my favorite scenes was the "sexytimes countdown." Definitely something to look forward to!

I liked the book enough to look forward to the next book in this series. Check this out if you're into a gritty kind of romance centered around the mafia world.

Here's one more little teaser for you:

Mia: "So you know your tools. Am I supposed to be impressed?"

Nico: *laughs out loud* "I can only hope. Nothing has worked so far. I also have some familiarity with fixing up old cars. Among other things."

Mia: "Fixing to steal them? Like you stole me?"

Nico: "You wound me, bella. I give you my word I mean you no harm."

Mia: "The word of a mob boss."

Nico: "My word as a man."

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Review: Full Contact

Title: Full Contact
Series: Redemption, #3
Author: Sarah Castille
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: April 7, 2015
Pages: 304
Buy Link: Amazon

Blurb:

Ray wraps his arms around me and holds me tight as if something terrible has happened and he doesn't want to let me go.

Full Contact. This is how Ray speaks when his emotions overwhelm him. I melt into his stillness. His body is hot and hard, his breath warm on my neck. He smells of leather and sweat, sex and sin. Nothing can tear me away.

When you can't resist the one person who could destroy you...

Sia O'Donnell can't help but push the limits. She secretly attends every underground MMA fight featuring The Predator, the undisputed champion. When he stalks his prey in the ring, Sia is mesmerized. He is dominant and dangerous and every instinct tells her to run.

Every beautiful thing Ray "The Predator" touches he knows he'll eventually destroy. Soft, sweet and innocent, Sia is the light to Ray's darkness-and completely irresistible. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he knows he's going to have to put his dark past behind him to win her body and soul.

ARC Review

You are my light, Sia. I'm lost without you.

Have I mentioned how much I love the sexy, silent type? Ray was that type. As the blurb stated, Ray was someone who acted, instead of speaking. Something about it made him more genuine than the most charming guy in the world who always knew the right thing to say. Ray was silent and strong, and exactly what Sia needed.

I enjoyed the humor that was injected in random parts of this book. One of my faves was when Sia was telling Ray about potato chips being her vice and Ray insisting that she was his. Wasn't that the cutest thing ever? *swoon*

Sia: Surveillance isn't a date.
Ray: I'll bring potato chips.
Sia: Chips?
Ray: You said they were your vice. We'll chill in my vehicle. You'll have your vice. I'll have mine.

I also liked the moments, the ones when Ray would actually speak, that revealed Ray's deepest feelings for Sia. I loved that he was so open and vulnerable, completely uncharacteristic of his Predator persona ;)

Sia: What kind of woman am I?
Ray: The kind that can bring a man to his knees.

My favorite thing about Ray was that he talked like a bloody caveman! Clearly, he never learned to speak in full sentences at school, but that's what I loved about him! He was utterly adorable!

Ray grunts as he wanders through my apartment.
Ray: Checking your place out.
Sia: Usually people wait for an invitation. They don't wander at will.
Ray: They aren't me. Getting to know you. Will report back in a minute.

Did I mention Ray was also very demanding? If you've read the first book of this series - Against the Ropes - you know how badass Torment was. However, being the Predator apparently meant that Ray was also fearless, more specifically of Torment. Ray walked into Torment's office without an invitation, or a knock. Obviously, he wasn't afraid of Torment's temper. Therefore, I conclude, that Ray was a real man ;)

I also loved how the author really differentiated Ray from the Predator. There were times when Sia was face-to-face with the Predator himself. She was a bit afraid, but she didn't back down. Well, I'd like to be that strong one day.

Last, but not least, I thought you should know: Ray said he was afraid of his mom.

If this review wasn't enough for you to go and buy the book, then there must be something wrong with you. Thanks for reading ;)

Arianne

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Author Interview: Rough Justice

Hi everyone! When I saw that I had the same name as the main character of this book, I just had to interview the author. She's one of my favorite authors and I was glad to be able to chat with her about her new release! Enjoy!

Author Interview

1. What inspired the story of this book?

The hubs and I were on a motorcycle trip from London, England to Oslo, Norway. We had to cross the ferry from Harwich to Ebsjerg and we hung out with an eclectic group of bikers along the way, who shared all sorts of fantastic stories with us. I got quite a few of my characters from that trip!

2. How did you decide on the character names?

My heroine is a tough, kick-ass biker chick but she hides a soft, girly side. I wanted her name to reflect her softer side, and I've always loved the name Arianne (my second daughter's middle name is Arianne). Also, I know a blogger with the prettiest name... **winks**

My hero needed a tough, take-no-prisoners name but I wanted it to be slightly different. "Jagger" suited him very well.

3. Why have you chosen a motorcycle gang and not billionaires, tattoo artists, etc?

My hubs has motorcycles and we've done a lot of road trips where we hung out in biker bars and met interesting characters so it was something I was familiar with. Also, I could test out moves in real life on the bike!

4. Did you have a say on the cover of Rough Justice?

Not too much. St. Martin's sent me a draft. I loved it. End of story!

5. How many books do you have planned for this series?

So far there are three books in the series: Rough Justice (Arianne and Jagger), Beyond the Cut (Cade and Dawn), and Sinner's Steel (Zane and Evie).

I swear, I'm already in love with the character names. Zane is also one of my favorite male names! It's just so sexy! ;) Thanks for stopping by, Sarah!

Title: Rough Justice

Series: Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club, #1

Author: Sarah Castille

Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks

Release Date: February 3, 2015

Pages: 385

Buy Links: Amazon | BN | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

Blurb:

IT TAKES A GOOD, STRONG WOMAN

Raised in a motorcycle gang, tough, beautiful Arianne Wilder has always dreamed of a normal life. But no sooner does she escape her father’s domineering grasp than she wakes up to find herself in a rival gang’s clubhouse—at the mercy of the dangerously sexy Jagger Knight.

TO TAME A MAN WHO’S HELL ON WHEELS.

The alpha leader of the notorious Sinner’s Tribe, Jagger Knight is all muscle, all biker, and all man. But somewhere inside this hard, tattooed outlaw, Arianne senses a kindred spirit—and she can’t ignore their tempestuous attraction. Can she beat him at his own game in a revved-up blaze of glory? Or will their passion spark a war that’s the end of the road for them both?

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha males and the women who tame them. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and travelled abroad before trading in her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home in shadow of the Rocky Mountains.

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