This week at Smexy…

B+ review – Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie Mcguire (contemporary)
B+ review – Night’s End by Yasmine Galenorn (urban fantasy)
B review – The Red Bikini by Lauren Christopher (contemporary)
B review – Cold Hard Secret by Sierra Dean (urban fantasy)
B review – Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner (historical)
B review – Cop a Feel by Robyn Peterman (contemporary)
B review – Losing Control by Jen Frederick (erotic)
C review – She’s Going Home by Isabelle Flynn (contemporary)
C- review – Vipers Run by Stephanie Tyler (suspense)
D+ review – Straddling the Line by Jaci Burton (contemporary)
D review – Running Wild by S.E. Jakes (m/m)

Smexy’s Top Ten

News from Mandi: I started the week by DNFing The Gentleman Jewel Thief by Jessica Peterman. I didn’t make it too far in, but it didn’t work for me. The way the characters talked seemed too – over the top. Not realistic.

Shadow’s Passion by Molle McGregor is a novella that introduces a new paranormal series. There are shadows, and assassins and hot sex. But it was too short to believe in their HEA. This one was just okay for me. Review coming.

Wicked Designs by Lauren Smith is a historical that started out super cute with the heroine being kidnapped by the hero and some of his friends for revenge on her uncle who owes them money. The heroine was feisty and stubborn…but things fall apart later in the book. I was disappointed. Review coming.

Road of No Return by KA Merikan also starts out well. A m/m motorcycle club book about a hero who knows he is gay but has never been in a gay relationship (just gets divorced from his wife) and a tattoo artist new in town. These two hit it off quick (and it’s hot) but after awhile there seemed to be a lot of sex. Especially for a man who has to keep his gay lifestyle secret from his motorcycle club. And I really didn’t like the end. Review coming.

FINALLY something worth recommending! Fanning the Flames by Victoria Dahl. Novella. Super hot. Loved the heroine. Loved the hero. Made me giggle. Can’t wait for this new series.

I also read Veiled Target by Robin Bielman. I liked this one – a paranormal romance involving a wolf shifter hero and a heroine who is suppose to eliminate him. They don’t get a long well. Once they do they have hot sex and fun banter. I gave it three stars on Goodreads – it has a rocky start (I initially didn’t like the heroine) and I really wish we got more of a look into the hero’s wolfen clan. But otherwise it’s a good read. Review coming.

Next up is Falling for the Pirate by Amber Lin. Looking forward to it.

News From Tori: I adore Kristan Higgins and her Blue Heron series. Small town romances are often hilarious and In Your Dreams keeps that trend going strong. Higgins builds a sweet and sexy romance that blends wonderfully against a backdrop of gossipy well meaning friends and some external issues that strive to keep our lovers apart. Review to come.

His by Jenika Snow. A dark erotica where the ‘hero’ builds a fictional relationship with the heroine and kidnaps her, effectively taking her from one prison only to put her in another. A titillating story that fails to engage because the characters and storyline staying depressingly one dimensional and stereotypical.

Fast Track by Julie Garwood has convinced me that I and Garwood will be breaking up. An unbalanced romance combined with a subpar mystery and cardboard under utilized hero left me feeling rather ambivalent to the story overall. Review to come.

Ella Frank’s Take combines even more steamy romance, deliciously explicit love scenes, and heartbreaking emotional discovery between two men who struggle to define their relationship to family, friends, and themselves. I can’t WAIT for book three. Review to come.

Lead by Kylie Scott was as wonderful as I had hoped it would be and then some. A delightfully fresh heroine and suitably grumbly hero match wits in this hopeful romance. It overflows with love, laughter, a wee bit of angst, some mild embarrassment, and of course, plenty of Mal. Review to come.

Road of No Return by K.A. Merikan. DNF. Review to come.

Rush Me by Allison Parr. I enjoyed the storyline-opposites attract trope. I loved the integration of football and publishing and there were some wonderful secondary characters who enriched the storyline. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the main characters. Rachel and Ryan were so ugly to one another and the reasons for their fights were often ridiculous. It had a lot of potential but I think Parr goes too far in showing us just how opposite these two are and it leaves you wondering how on earth they can even like each other much less fall in love.

The Good Girl by Maru Kubica. DNF. Review to come.

This weekend I’m reading Molly O’Keefe’s Between the Sheets and Takedown by Cat Grant.