This week at Smexy…

B review – Kairos by Mary Calmes (contemporary mm/helyce)
B- review – Earl Interrupted by Amanda Forester (historical/tori)
B- review – When A Warrior Woos A Lass by Julie Johnstone (historical/sheena)
C+ review – These Wounds Run Deep by Ember Leigh (contemporary/tori)
C review – Cake a Midnight by Jessie L. Star (contemporary na/kini)
C+ review – Man Card by Sarina Bowen & Tanya Eby (contemporary/kini)

Guest Post: Santino Hassell and a Character Interview *Giveaway*
Smexy’s Top Ten
Cover Reveal: Fighting for Everything by Laura Kaye
Guest Post: The Preacher’s Son by J.A. Rock and Lisa Henry

News From Tori: I picked up the 1st in Andie J. Christopher’s Heavens Sinners MC Series-Biker Bitch. Honestly, I expected the usual overly sexualized MC romance with a vague romantic conflict and the beginnings of a long-reaching arc. Color me surprised when I found a well-developed storyline, complicated romance, and interesting characters. The heroine has come home after running away and is reopening the local winery. The head of the local MC is an old crush. Man, do the sparks fly. I’ll definitely be reading more in this series. A prime example of noting judging a book by its cover. 0_o

Judgement Road by Christine Feehan is the first in her Torpedo Ink series which spins off the Sea Haven series. I have a love-hate relationship with Feehan and this is really the only series of hers I can tolerate. An MC made of former Russian assassins,  these damaged men and women struggle to find their normal while hiring themselves out as vigilante-style mercenaries. The Hero is muy alpha and very dangerous but Feehan balances him with a strong heroine who knows when to bend and when to stand up for herself.  Review to come.

Into The Darker Half by Adalind Hargrove-An urban fantasy based on a Hag whose half-demon heritage causes major problems. An interesting premise and plotline, the book, unfortunately, has a purpose but the lack of world building and a series of events that make no sense leaves the reader lost. Review will post in Jan. mini reviews.

Will I finally get to read Blood Fury by J.R Ward this weekend? Tune in next week and see.

News from Mandi: I wasn’t impressed with Relay by Layla Reyne. An m/m romance featuring two Olympic swimmers, their antics out of the pool were immature and took away from the romance. Some characters were way over the top as well. It will be in my mini-reviews coming this week.

Down by Contact by Santino Hassell is a nice addition to his Barons m/m nfl series. I didn’t like it quite as much as book one, but it’s still super sexy and I enjoyed the time the main characters spent at the community center. Review coming this week.

Myth Manifestation by Lisa Shearin is the fifth book in her urban fantasy series, but the first I’ve read. It was actually easy to follow along in terms of world building- but there were a ton of characters and they were hard to keep track of. I liked the heroine a lot. Review to come in mini-reviews this week.

I’ve just started Zero Hour by Megan Erickson – the start of her new hacker series. I’ll report back!

News from Kini: I finished Twice in a Lifetime by Jodie Griffin and I enjoyed it, but it didn’t wow me. More of a review to be posted soon.

I haven’t read any books that have really wowed me this year yet. So I had been seeing a lot of 5 star reviews for Down by Contact by Santino Hassell. I didn’t love it as much as everyone else did. But it was still a good read. I keep talking about this and clearly can’t move on, but I’m having a hard time letting go of the fact that “laying pipe” was used more than once as a euphemism for sex.

I started Tempest by Beverly Jenkins, pubs 1/30. Mail-order bride- um hello, I may need more of this trope in my life. Full review to be posted closer to review date.

I spent some significant time in the car last weekend and finished listening to JL Berg The Choices I Made. It was fairly unremarkable and I barely remember what happened in it.

I also listened to Going for the Goal by Sara Rider. The third and final book in her The Perfect Play series. Gillian is a kick-ass sports agent of Nick, our hockey playing hero. The had a good story, but the conflict centered on some blackmail type stuff and that is one of my least favorite conflicts ever, so I couldn’t love it as much as I want.

I have approximately 1 million reviews due between now and end of February, but I just started the new Rogue Acts anthology and Molly O’Keefe’s  story was amazing. I hope to finish that this weekend.