This week at Smexy…

B review – The Kraken King 1-3 byMeljean Brook (steampunk)
B review – Nobody by Sarah Anderson (contemporary)
B review – Island Peril by Jill Sorenson (romantic suspense)
B review – Risky Game by Tracy Solheim (contemporary romance)
B- review – On the Surface by Kate Willoughby (contemporary)
C+ review – Flying by Megan Hart (erotic)
C+ review – Beyond the Veil by Pippa DaCosta (urban fantasy)
C review – Dreams of Lilacs by Lynn Kurland (historical)

Smexy’s Top Ten

News From Mandi: Real life needs to stop interfering with my reading time darn it! Why is it that everything at school happens in the last month and a half? Darn it kids! :)

I read (and also reviewed above) Flying by Megan Hart and On the Surface by Kate Willoughby. I recommend both with some reservations. Glad I read them both.

Twisted Miracles by AJ Larrieu kicks off a new urban fantasy series. It starts strong but lags a bit halfway through. The heroine is a strong telekentic who must come to terms with her powers and some guilt for what her power did to others in the past. There is romance although it takes a bit of a back seat to other things in this book. I’ll be reviewing next week.

I just finished It Happened One Wedding by Julie James. Super cute – smart, funny, sexy. It’s what you’ve come to expect from this author and she delivers. Love their banter. Love the maid of honor/best man relationship. Great supporting characters. Review coming this week.

Going to sneak in a read of Indecent….Exposure by Jane O’Reilly today. I’ve heard good things. And then onto How to Say Goodbye by Amber Lin.

Also next week I’ll be introducing a new reviewer to the Smexy family. Yay!

News for Tori: Not much happening at Casa Benson. It’s been wet and rainy here; making me tired and lazy. Coffee seems to have declared war with me. I can drink 2 cups before my stomach becomes a burning ball of excruciating pain. I can’t even begin to tell you the sad I’m feeling over this. Happy Mothers Day! Here’s hoping for at least a card.

Reading wise, it’s been entertaining.

I picked up Sarah Anderson’s Nobody due to the high reviews and the fact fellow Smexy blogger Helyce liked it a lot. While I enjoyed the hero and the storyline-a tortured hero who nobody really sees-I found the heroine was  judgemental, prone to jump to conclusions, and rude. When heroine does something I find reprehensible to teach him a lesson about trusting her-I tossed the book aside and called it quits.

Fellow Smexy blogger Mandi loved On The Surface by Kate Willoughbly. She said it was cute and sexy and I agree. The H/h had a wonderful banter together and the inclusion of the hockey information wasn’t overwhelming and I liked how the hero’s tragedy wasn’t used to manipulate the reader.

Every once in a while I get the urge to read Harlequin style romance so I picked up Michelle Reid’s The Sheikh’s Chosen Wife. Lots of drama, emo dialogue, tragic misunderstandings, and hot smexy scenes made for an quick satisfying abet predictable read.

I have a new series to glom. The Fallen by Keri Lake was a freebie I grabbed on Amazon and ZOMG it blew me away. Funny thing is it had all the elements I normally hate-angels, religious theme, torture, brutal S&M, lots of riddle me this dialogue, and a somewhat douchy hero. But it all works in here. The plot lines and set up are unbelievably well done-Lake doesn’t spare the drama or horror- and the zingers she lobs at the reader will leave you wanting more and more. A kick arse heroine just seals it. If you like dark erotic pnr, check this one out but be forewarned, it’s not for the faint of heart.

I re read Sandra Brown’s Fat Tuesday and was pleased to see I liked it just as much as the other 50 times I’ve read. A romance suspense with corrupt politicians, for hire killers, a cop who won’t rest until justice is served and a heroine who strives to break the chains of her birth. Dramatic and dark, Fat Tuesday remains a favorite re read for me.

I picked up a few free biker MC romance novellas last week. Some worked and some left me rolling my eyes. Hearts on Fire by Kristin Fletcher is an insta love romance that has the heroine depressed and sobbing ¾ of the book after a one night stand with a biker who claims her in all the right ways doesn’t claim her the next morning. Angels from Hell by A.L. Summers was boring.It was more a rom com that happened to feature a man in a MC. Open Road by Evelyn Glass is the 2nd novella in her Padre Knight series. I liked it okay but frankly I hate love triangles and heroines who invent problems to make their life more difficult. I doubt I’ll read book three. Ride for Two by A. L Summers wasn’t bad, it just felt was incomplete. It features a single event in the H/h life. Not much build up and it ends on a cliffie.

Love and Shenanigans by Zara Keane is a cute lightweight contemporary that brings together two people who discover they are still married and they are granted a second chance at love. Humorous and fast paced, I enjoyed this small town Irish romance. Review to come.

Red at Night by Katie McGarry just reinforces my love for her and her nevels. She has such a lovely engaging voice that speaks so well for her characters. Though only novella, it’s full bodied storyline and richly developed protagonists made it feel as if I read a full novel.

Want a fast cracky read? Ava Lore’s Hard Rock Arrangement (The Lonely Kings, #1) is a rockstar romance that deals with a young lady whose need for a job brings her to the attention of The Lonely King band. Soon she finds herself babysitting the out of control lead guitarist and pretending to be his girlfriend. It’s all great except she’s falling for the guitarist’s older brother.  A fast paced super sexy humorous read that I think fits in right between Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series and Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour series. Our heroine, Rebecca is fabulous in her role. There are some minor editing issues but for $.99, I can forgive those. Be forewarned though, this is the first in the series and while the lust levels are high, the actual romance is still up in the air.

Super excited when the book fairy sent me Vipers Run by Stephanie Tyler. I liked but didn’t love. I think Tyler had too many plot lines going on. Review to come.

Willing Captive by Bella Aurora surprised me. I expected something darker but in reality, it’s a humorous sexy thriller  with some serious plot twists.

I have a love/hate relationship with Lynda Chance’s characters. Rule’s Obsession contains the usual uber alpha hero but luckily this is combated by a strong heroine. I liked aspects (hot, hot HOT sex scenes) but was put out by the hero’s attitude.

Blue Notes by Carrie Lofty is a somber abet sensual NA that examines love, lust, and secrets in the sultry heat of New Orleans. Review to come.

Point of No Return by Stacey Lynn (Nordic Lord MC, #1) offers readers the violence, grit, anger, and chaos that seems to be missing from the avalanche of MC roms that are flooding the market. Lies, betrayal, and pain is the base this world is built upon. Fans of Joanna Wylde and Madeline Sheehan will enjoy.

I’ll be reading parts 4-6 of Meljean Brooks serial-The Kraken King- this weekend along with Airbound by Christine Feehan.