REVIEW ~Last Light by M. Pierce~

Title: Last Light

Author: M. Pierce

Series: Night Owl #2

Release Date: October 28, 2014

My Rating: 3 Stars

Tensions rise, secrets grow bigger, and passions run deeper—and hotter—in Last Light, the second novel of the Night Owl Trilogy from bestselling author M. Pierce.

Matt Sky is missing. After a solo ascent of Longs Peak that left only a large blood stain, tatters of climbing clothing, and the tracks of an animal in the snow, he is presumed dead.

Hannah Catalano is guarding a secret: she knows Matt is alive. After Matt's memorial service, she lingers on the East Coast with his family, but it soon becomes clear that his brothers' motives are less than gracious. Nate Sky is bent on tracking down the author of Night Owl, a book that charts the last days of Matt's life with uncanny and scandalous accuracy, and which appeared only after his death. Seth Sky is bent on getting Hannah into his bed.

Hidden away in the woods, Matt and Hannah strive desperately to maintain their ruse and their relationship—but their web of lies only tightens as Matt struggles with the consequences of his decision, and Hannah tries to escape Nate's libel suit and fend off Seth's advances...until Hannah is put in danger, and Matt must make a life or death choice.

I've come to the conclusion I have no earthly idea how I truly feel about this series. I love. I don't want to love. I have a strange and strong dislike for some aspects of it. And I'm always left feeling like I got hit by a semi. The fact that this book was yet again one of those books that was hard for me to put down should indicate my love for it. Unless you're inside my head experiencing the very tumultuous feelings. Then you're probably as utterly perplexed as I still am. A month after reading this book and I still can't pinpoint how I feel. 

I will say this, I think I've nailed down part of my problem. I definitely do not like Matt. There is one of his many personalities that I love to pieces, but he doesn't show that character enough for me to give him the benefit of the doubt anymore. So why did I continue reading once I found that I have a strange disdain for the lead character? Simple. The other lead, Hannah. I love her story. I know their stories are intertwined, yet I can oddly separate them in my mind. I am enthralled in her story. As for Matt, I though he was just crazy going into this book, and then, well, he straight towards Bonkersville. He can't just dedicate himself to Hannah. If it's not his writing taking priority, it's another woman, or his brother. He can't let anything be just theirs. Which may be why I don't care for him too much. He doesn't give me any confidence that this series will end well with a happy ending. Yes, I'm a must-hate happy ending person. I don't read books to have it end in devastation. I do like hard journeys though. That's what I'm hoping for the third book in this series to put forth. A journey well worth the work and effort for the bliss waiting at the end. But I have a sinking feeling it's not going that way. 

It's almost like the movie The Lake House. They're trying to get to one another, but Hannah is firmly planted in reality whereas Matt is treading the deep ocean in fantasy land where everything revolves around him. I will say his obsession with Hannah is endearing. And when they can just be together, I like those times best. Yet, at every turn Matt has another secrets, or ludicrous idea that ruins everything. I can't even blame Hannah for some of her actions in this book. She was trying to escape her one-way ticket to Bonkersville and made some very choice mistakes. However, Matt, oh the unending list of choice mistakes, or just intentional screwing with everyone.

So my end result for this book, I love it as a book, but not as a romance. It is erotic. There's sexy, steamy, hotter than hell scenes. However, the love and relationship just isn't there. Matt's version of a relationship is two high speed trains driving head on into one another. While Hannah is just trying to stay afloat int he crazy world she's willingly chased him into. This book did command my attention and I did devour it, which is why I do recommend it if you're in the mood for an extremely well-written, yet peculiar book. But if you're a lovey-dovey person, wanting a sweet romance this is not it. I'll absolutely be waiting to read the conclusion to see how this crazy train ends. I'm sure it will capture my attention just like it's predecessors. I just hope it surprises me as to the fate of these two individuals that I want to find a true HEA so badly. 

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Links to Buy:

THE NIGHT OWL SERIES

(click on the title to go to Amazon)

Meet M. Pierce:

M. Pierce is the bestselling author of Night Owl, book one in the erotic Night Owl Trilogy. The author lives in Colorado and owns a rabbit named Laurence.

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COVER REVEAL ~Dirty Ties by Pam Godwin~

Title: Dirty Ties

Author: Pam Godwin

Release Date: January 12, 2015

Revenge.

I race to finance it.

I evade to protect it.

I kill to attain it.

I planned everything.

Except her.

The alluring, curvaceous blonde at the finish line.

With sapphire eyes that cheat and lie.

Whose powerful family murdered mine.

I hate her.

I want her.

I know she’s hiding something.

But so am I.

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Meet Pam:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.

Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

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BLOG TOUR + GIVEAWAY ~First Debt by Pepper Winters~

Title: First Debt

Author: Pepper Winters

Series: Indebted #2

Release Date: November 14, 2014

Rating: 5+ STARS!

“You say I’ll never own you. If I win—you willingly give me that right. You sign not only the debt agreement, but another—one that makes me your master until your last breath is taken. You do that, and I’ll give you this.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Stolen, taken, and bound not by monsters but by an agreement written over six hundred years ago, she has no way out.

She belongs to Jethro as much as she denies it.

Jethro Hawk’s patience is running out. His inheritance gift tests, challenges, and surprises him—and not in good ways. He hasn’t leashed her but he thinks he might’ve found a way to bind her forever.

Debts are mounting. Payment waiting.

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So where do I begin with this book? First off, props to Ms. Winters for NEVER giving a reader what they expect, but always what they need. Secondly, I FRIGGING LOVE THIS BOOK. There are just no words. I had to go back and read what I wrote about book 1, Debt Inheritance. And sure enough a couple of my premonitions came true. Not that I nailed it right on the head, because no one can every do that with this author. However, the turnabouts came to head in this book. 

First Debt picks up right where Debt Inheritance last left us. Nila is running for her freedom and her life, quite literally. Jethro is running to steal both of those things from her. As strong-willed as these two individuals are, there is no escaping their demons. In this book Nila will learn more about the debts to be repaid. In the midst of her history lessons, she also fights her attraction to her captor, Jethro. Once again, this man has no redeeming qualities. Yet, be that as it may, I'm drawn to him as deeply as Nila is. She may cower, and eclipse that drugging feeling he evokes in her with her lies of trying to escape, but it's useless. She may want free, but I have a feeling her soul is tied to Jethro's for eternity. He could let her go and I'm not sure she would get very far. That ache would turn up, and shes walk willingly back into his sadistic arms. Whereas, the same can be said for him. He may feel tortured by the depth of her emotions for him, and his urge to claim her as his own, but he keeps coming back. He'd like you to believe it's out of duty and obligation, but deep down she's his addiction. 

You've never truly understood a love/hate relationship until you've read the tale of Jethro and Nila. The only problem is, will they break free of the ties that bind before their time has run out? Now, you're thinking, but I thought he was her captor? What is suffocating and holding him captive? The life he's been bred into. He wasn't meant for it. Jethro is a horse of a different color. He was born with a haunted soul, but he was always meant to be saved, I think. And that savior is Nila. I saw glimpses of it when they were together in the last third of the book. Just passing moments of their ability to be the couple I want them to be. Not whole, or fixed. Just them. Without the weight of the debts, or family obligations. 

I cannot begin to tell you how enamored I am with this series. I'm just dying to find out what happens to my favorite twisted couple. They've breached the boundaries of emotions and I'm sure things are just bound to get a hell of a lot messier in Second Debt. Once again, Pepper Winters, you've captured my heart in the minds of your characters and I'll be waiting oh so patiently for another glimpse into their world. I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to experience that special thrill while reading. 

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

INDEBTED SERIES

Title: Debt Inheritance

Author: Pepper Winters

Series: Indebted #1

Release Date: August 18, 2014

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

“I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her—nothing is out of bounds—she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.

A modern day Dark Erotic Romance

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Meet Pepper:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex... her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:

Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)

Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)

Twisted Together (Monsters in the Dark #3)

Her Grey Romance books include:

Destroyed

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RELEASE DAY + REVIEW ~Game for Tonight by Karen Erickson~

Title: Game for Tonight

Author: Karen Erickson

Series: Game For It #3

Release Date: November 17, 2014

My Rating: 5 Stars!

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

She'll teach him the art of seduction one play at a time...

Publicist Aubrey Cooper never should have crossed the line. After all, pro football player Flynn Foley is her client. But something about this mouth-wateringly-hot, clean-cut athlete makes Aubrey imagine all kinds of X-rated fantasies. And it only takes one game-changing play―and one night―to turn the tables from strictly business to very, very personal…

Flynn has maintained a no-sexy-distractions policy for his entire pro career. Aubrey is exactly the kind of distraction he was trying to avoid, and she's the one he can't resist. When the media catches wind of their naughty little liaison, however, Aubrey's boss steps in to make them an official couple. What Flynn doesn't know is that Aubrey is forced to fake the relationship―or lose her job. Now Aubrey must hide the truth…even as she begins to fall for Flynn.

Aubrey cracked open her eyes, studying him like he’d lost his mind. Which he sort of had—over her. He kissed her again before she could say a word, losing himself in her sweet lips, the soft little moans sounding low in her throat.

He liked sex. And he liked the woman in his arms plenty. So much, that he’d kept her at arm’s length for months for fear of falling hard for her and ruining his concentration. Besides, he wasn’t much of a rule breaker, damn it. If it was against company policy to date a fellow employee, then he wasn’t going to do it.

But screw it. He felt as if everything was uncertain right now, up in the air, unconfirmed. Walsh wasn’t talking—at least he wasn’t talking enough. The conversation they’d had before Aubrey had interrupted them had been full of nothing but a bunch of crap. Coach had acted downright evasive.

The vibe he was getting from his coach? He didn’t like it. At all.

He was tired of worrying about things that were out of his control. What was the big deal if he kissed Aubrey anyway? Maybe he could work her out of his system. Maybe kissing her wouldn’t be all that special and he could walk away from this.

Ha. Tell that to his overheated, turned-inside-out body. Flynn broke away from Aubrey’s lips to catch some air, though really, he wanted to look at her, memorize this moment when he’d first kissed Aubrey. Even in the dim light, he could see her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed. She opened her eyes, the dazed look in them sending an arrow of arousal shooting straight through him, making his cock twitch. Pride suffused him. He put that look on her face.

“Flynn.” She pursed her lips, exhaling softly, the sound shaky. “What in the world was that?”

He smiled. She was a bundle of nerves, his publicist. Always running around, a little manic, a lot frantic, riding his ass to do this, do that. She’d been harder on Hamilton, but that crazy guy needed someone to rein him in most of the time.

“I thought it was a kiss? Unless I’m doing it wrong…” A chuckle escaped him, and he hoped she was in on the joke.

“No. You were definitely not doing it wrong.” She blew out a trembling breath, her gaze cautious. “I just want to make sure we’re both on the same page.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page.” Leaning in, he nuzzled her cheek with his, kissing a soft path along her fragrant skin until his mouth was on hers once more. “A shame you didn’t recognize it.”

She smiled against his lips, her fingers tightening in his hair. “I just thought…”

“Thinking gets you nowhere,” he whispered just before he took the kiss deeper, his tongue thrusting, his mouth devouring. She was a thinker, which meant she set her brain to smoking more often than not. And he wanted her feeling, not thinking or worrying.

He gripped her hips with both hands and pulled her in, wanting her as close as he could get her. This…thing between them had been brewing for a while, torturing him. She’d been by his side almost constantly the past few months, guiding his career, carefully preserving his image.

Every time he was with her, the scent of her hair drove him wild. The way he caught her looking at him, her gaze hungry, her lips damp, echoed an answering call deep within him.

Ohhh this is a FANTASTIC one! I sincerely do NOT want this series to end. It combines two of my all time favorite things - hot men and football. But Game for Tonight offered so much more. Flynn is a good guy. He just is. He has the perfect makings of a guy you would want to be with. He has his pride, but can share his feelings too. And let's not forget he can have a dirty mouth when the situation warrants it. Aubrey, she's his equal. A perfect compliment to his good guy image, is a good girl. One with loyalties, and ethics. And who also has no trouble burning up those sheets with her aforementioned good guy. These two are polished and demure on the outside, but when they close the doors they can get down and dirty in a hurry (unintentional rhyme).

Flynn and Aubrey together made this a gripping read. I just love them. I can't even pinpoint one specific thing, but they mix the ultimate perfect blend of sexy and sweet. When their hands are forced into keeping up the appearances of their one-night stand and turning it into a relationship a lot more is on the line than Flynn realizes. Although, let's be real here - Aubrey may  feel guilty, but I swear from the very beginning the feelings were there to justify a relationship on both of their ends. So while she should have told him the truth, I don't think it demeans their relationship at all throughout the book.

I will be completely honest, I thought I wasn't going to like the one aspect of Flynn's love life that was brought to attention before their first encounter. I won't ruin it for you, but it had the potential to be a no-go for me. Only for the fact that things could get real awkward. HOWEVER, my dear, genius, Karen Erickson handled it beautifully, and I think realistically.Making this book a no holds bar a must read for me. I loved every bit of it. I got to see my favorite couples from the past two books. Mix that in with Flynn and Aubrey being a sickeningly adorable couple. I just couldn't handle my joy while reading this book. As much as I don't want this series to end, Flynn and Aubrey were they way to end it. They gave me the utmost warm and fuzzies when "The End" came.

Happy Reading!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Links to Buy:

THE GAME FOR IT SERIES

Game For Marriage 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Game For Trouble 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Meet Karen:

USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson writes what she loves to read – sexy contemporary romance. Published since 2006, she’s a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She's also known as NYT and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy.



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