Over the next week or two, the Smexy Reviewers will be posting their picks for the best books to read this summer. May is here to kick it off.
Looking for a tortured hero, a journalist trying to get her groove back, a psycho bent on revenge, and a whole lot of action? Cindy Gerard’s BOI series is romantic suspense at its finest – they are all good reads! I especially recommend the first: Show Now Mercy. It’s a book I still re-read now and then.
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For a little more super in my hero, with a historical twist I turn to the Blades of the Rose series by Zoe Archer. Warrior and Stranger are my absolute favorites- I’ve reread each of them. (all 4 are great though!) How can you say no to an English soldier having to wear a Mongolian loin cloth and fight as part of a tournament? Pair him with a kickass heroine, a lot of running around the desert, and some seriously disturbing bad guys and you’ve got a phenomenal series.
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Speaking of super and heroes, I recommend every book Jennifer Estep has ever written – both adult and YA. I adore her. My sentimental favorite will always be her first – Karma Girl. About a regular girl who gets jilted by a superhero, makes it her life’s work to unmask supers, then falls for one herself…
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For angry sex, a heroine who can cook an unforgettable meal (or brain a guy) with her frying pan without apology, hitmen, mobsters, a wedding, and much more you need one of my top 10 all time favorite books: Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer. Trust me on this one – it’s hilarious, fun, sexy, and a really good time. The authors manage to make a ridiculous plot work – and I love them for it.
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When you need it smoking hot, fast, and with a big dirty beast of a man, grab Carrie Lofty’s novella A Little More Scandal. The writing is beyond superb, the story stands alone, and at just over 80pgs it’s a fast read too.
Want to check out the only contemporary romance I’ve given an A to in the last two years? Read Tamara Morgan’s The World is a Stage. Set in Washington state, and featuring an actress and a washed up Scottish games athlete, it is a really funny read. My review is here.
For something dark, sometimes depressing, and never bright and cheery I strongly recommend Stacia Kane’s Downside series. You must begin with book 1, and you’re probably going to hate the drug addict heroine. She’s hard to like. The thing is, the story and writing is so incredible, so interesting – it isn’t a problem for me. Really glad Mandi and Tori made me give it a try.
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Want to read about characters stranded out in the wilderness battling bad guys, guns, and more? I have two suggestions: Meg Cabot’s She Went All The Way is light, funny, and set in Alaska. The second is Cherry Adair’s Kiss & Tell set in Northern California mountains featuring a ‘mountain man’ who’s really a super dark ops guy with a full on lair and a virginal young lady who comes from a family of overbearing (military) men… it’s dirty, it’s ridiculous, it’s still fun to reread.
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Sometimes a series hits its stride mid-way. That is how Meljean Brook’s Guardian series was for me. I disliked book 3 (where I started), but then book 4 (Demon Bound), and even more so in book 5 (Demon Forged) I really fell in love. I mean intense “holy crap y’all NEED to read this ASAP” love. I suggest starting the series with #4 – you can read a primer to the series on her site, and it’s really well written so that you can jump right in. I’m saving books 6 & 7 for this summer myself!
Because a good romance should offer tender moments and fun too, you need to read Tessa Dare’s Spindle Cove series. Dare balances funny with unforgettable scenes and dialogue, and is writing some of the best light, humorous, totally enjoyable historical fiction out there – and that’s saying a lot.
That makes ten – and with many of them being series reads it could translate into so much more… and of course I always recommend (just about everything) by Jim Butcher, Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Courtney Milan, Julia Quinn, Suzanne Enoch, and Sophie Kinsella. Happy Summer reading!
I looove Kane, Gerard and Dare. You know, I still need to read the first two of the Spindle Cove series! So behind! Ack! That’s on my summer reading list!
Great picks!
I still need to read Spindle Cove too *hides* (I WILL. I swears)
Love Gerard – perfect summer reading.
I also need to read Karma Girl, Carrie Lofty and the new Tamara Morgan. All on my Kindle waiting for me… LOL
Yup, I can see myself reading some of those :)
You didn’t like the third Guardians book? I loved that one (every time Ethan said “I recon” my panties just came off and went screaming into the sunset), as well as all that came after. The first two book were not the best, though, book one was slow and all over the place, and I didn’t like the second heroine. But this series is fantastic, my all-time favorite, in fact. And I usually recommend reading it in order, no even skipping the first two books, just be patient and stay with it. Did you see that Michael’s book finally has a title and a release date? Where were you yesterday when I needed you to celebrate? Seriously, people need to read these books.
I so need to check out Zoe’s series! This summer would be a perfect time =)
I have not yet read any Cindy Gerard books, nor Zoe Archer. You recommend way too many books May! How will I ever find enough time to read them all!