This week at Smexy…

A review – Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews (urban fantasy)
A review – Lead by Kylie Scott (contemporary)
B+ review – Between the Sheets by Molly O’Keefe (contemporary)
B review – Looking for Trouble by Victoria Dahl (contemporary)
B review – Two Week Seduction by Kathy Lyon (erotic)
B review – Rogue with a Brogue by Suzanne Enoch (historical)
B- review – Deceptive Innocence by Kyra Davis (contemporary)
C+ review – Falling for the Pirate by Amber Lin (historical)
C review – Falling for Max by Shannon Stacey (contemporary)
D review – Fast Track by Julie Garwood (suspense)

Tori’s Mini Reviews
Smexy’s Top Ten

News from Mandi:  I DNF’d My Beautiful Enemy by Sherry Thomas and I’m bummed. I wanted to like this one – first of all I usually love this author’s voice. And she sets up a warrior in China yet English lady heroine – and the hero is some sort of spy. It all sounds very intriguing until you start reading and 100 pages in you still have no idea what is going on. There is a missing tablet, the heroine has a deadly nemesis, there is lost love, flashbacks. Whaaaat? So I gave up.

Dangerous Territory by Emmy Curtis is a novella that kicks off her new military romance series. This one was okay – I’ll be reviewing soon. The military aspect was done well – it was exciting and suspenseful. The romance didn’t work that well for me. I needed much more sexual tension – a reason to be having a sex in a cave while waiting rescue. The sex scenes were not…sexy/dirty enough. But I’m interested to see how the first full length goes. I’m always looking for military romance.

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh is a very well done rock star book (It’s up on NetGalley for reviewers – releases in September). You really feel that the hero is a rock star – it has good atmosphere that way. The heroine is awesome – and when things get tough she fights for the relationship. It’s fun – and she sets up another couple very well. Going to be a fun series.

Truly by Ruthie Knox was soooo good. Originally releases as a serial, it’s now coming out next week as a full length book. The hero is a super grumpy beekeeper (former chef) in NYC. The heroine recently broke up from her NFL boyfriend, and is lost in NYC with no money or anything. The romance, the city, the food scenes – SO well done. Highly rec this one. Review coming.

This week I plan to read A Seal’s Mission by Rachel Kall, Lead by Kylie Scott (I know! I really need to get my butt in gear), Unbroken by Maisey Yates and One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy 

News from Tori: So I skipped last week because I over indulged a wee bit (apparently I was finger dancing and shouting to the world I was going to unleash my nina arms of fury), so I didn’t wake up Sat till well after 11am. So, this week I’m doing it on Friday night. YAY! Responsible adult *points at myself* right here.

Virgin by Radhika Sanghani. DNF. I will be discussing my reasons more in a DNF post running next week but let me just say that I don’t believe I was the target age for this book.

Lay It Down by Cara McKenna. An intriguing suspense romance that builds an interesting on going mystery with a gritty sexy romance. McKenna writes a wonderful hero per usual. I did feel the story took a little too long to get up and running and I was dismayed a litle by the supernatural aspects. Regardless, it’s still another winner by McKenna and I look forward to the next in the series.

Laura Drake’s Sweet On You is a bittersweet contemporary set in the world of professional bull riding. Drake does a fine job of building a romance between a battle scarred heroine and a soon to retire bull rider. Review to come.

No Limits by Lori Foster. A new MMA series that gives a good attempt but fell flat for me with her NA feeling heroine. Enjoyable overall with a cast of rambunctious secondary characters but not what I have come to expect from Foster. Review to come.

Fever Pitch by Heidi Cullinan. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! A sweet and emotional love story between two gay men who try to build a relationship amongst the trials and tribulations of collage. My review will post in OCT issue of RT Book Reviews Magazine.

Sal by Megan O’Brien. An MC romance suspense that was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense. Steamy hot chemistry between h/H and I enjoyed their conflict but I thought the mystery’s resolution was weak.

Heroes are my Weakness by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Darker and more serious than what she normally writes, there seemed to be a struggle with the new one in regards to the storyline and character makeups that made the read uncomfortable.  Review to come.

The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher. A fantasy mash up that gives readers a little of everything when an ancient evil comes to a small town for reckoning. My first time reading Belcher but it won’t be my last. I was impressed with the convoluted storyline, dynamic characters, and smooth presentation. My review will post in OCT issue of RT Book Reviews Magazine.

Nero by Sarah Brianne.I feel like I just read a YA version of 50 Shades. I enjoyed the mafia storyline but had issues with the leads, romance, and some aspects of the storyline. Mainly, the bullying and the extent to which it goes. Will I read the next one? Oh, I’m sure I will. lol

I’m not a fan of serials but Dakota Cassidy’s Fangs of Anarchy is only five parts and kept me hooked to the very end. Sexy and funny with an action packed storyline. I do hope she chooses to go full length and build an actual series from this.

I am currently reading Downfall by Rob Thurman and Mandi has told me I NEED to read Ruthie Knox’s Truly which should download on my kindle tomorrow.