I was chatting with Iby about the upcoming Hidden Legacy novel, Ruby Fever and we agreed that Ilona Andrews writes the very best action scenes in the fantasy genre. Here is one of my favorites. A brilliant red light pulsed above the grass and spat Arland and Lord Soren onto the lawn, an Archivarian between them, smack in the middle of the clashing Draziri. Their armor smoked. Arland roared, baring his fangs. Helen roared from the porch, her daggers held wide by her side. The Drazirir fell Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday- Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley
I remember discovering Kristen Ashley in 2012. I picked up Rock Chick and laughed and laughed, and then devoured this author's backlist. Contemporary, Fantasy... it didn't matter. I just kept going and going until I'd read everything. Looking back I know that so much of her stuff is problematic, and she tends to describe everything in such detail, from the curtains to the throw pillows to the shoes the female main character is wearing. It didn't matter to me at the time though. I haven't read Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: A Deal with the Devil by Elizabeth O’Roark
This scene was one of the most hilarious from my favorite read in April. The banter with this book was - chef’s kiss - incredible. The author spun a masterpiece out of a highly unbelievable set-up: a lowly assistant/writer who is paid to temp for a hot plastic surgeon, and they fall in love. This book is funny, with a great pining hero and some insane sexual tension. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves contemporary romances with some steam. (Fun fact: the entire Smexy team cannot get Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: The Favor by Suzanne Wright
There is something about a growly alpha hero who convinces a likable heroine to enter into a marriage of convenience that just does it for me. Suzanne Wright’s The Favor does this trope extremely well. Vienna is a spunky, smart survivor who works as a highly competent executive assistant for her boss, Dane. Dane needs a wife to claim an inheritance and convinces Vienna to be his wife. In this scene, someone is trying to sour the relationship between Dane and Vienna by sending some misleading Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: Trashed by Mia Hopkins
Last week’s Scenic Sunday highlighted scenes from Thirsty and this week, I’m taking a look back at Trashed, the 2nd book in the Eastside Brewery series. Trashed focuses on the middle Rosas brother, Eddie, who we meet briefly at the end of Thirsty. If the main theme of Sal’s story was about redemption and reinvention, then Eddie’s story is all about rebirth and rejection - that is, rejection of what’s in the past and instead, choosing to look forward. I highlighted the hell out of this book Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: Thirsty by Mia Hopkins
In anticipation of the upcoming release of the 3rd Eastside Brewery book, Tanked on April 26th, I thought it would be fun to revisit the first 2 books in the series for our Scenic Sundays. First up is Thirsty, which I originally read in 2019 and then again earlier this month to refresh my memory of the series before I read Tanked. I loved this book 3 years ago and I love this book now. Tender and heartbreaking, it’s a story about second chances and redemption, about learning to forgive Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday- Lead by Kylie Scott
I remember reading this series back when it was new and shiny and falling in love with Kylie Scott and her words. I know everyone tends to remember Mal, the drummer for Stage Dive, especially since he has such a big, slightly manic, fun personality. But it is the troubled Jimmy, the lead singer with addiction problems who can't seem to get his life together, who I fell for the hardest in this series. He meets Lena when she is hired to be his assistant/babysitter/person who keeps him out of Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday- Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews
If I had to pick an all-time favorite author, it would probably be the writing duo who make up Ilona Andrews. I've read everything they've ever written and always crave more. They write the best dialogue, the best action scenes and their world-building is top-notch. While The Edge series was my intro into their writing, Kate Daniels is right up there on my comfort reread shelf. Magic Breaks is book seven in the series, but I will always remember Curran going into Mishmar to rescue Kate and Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday: Going Nowhere Fast by Kati Wilde
I first read this book in 2017 and have recommended this book approximately 5,000 times…give or take a few. It’s hands down my favorite contemporary grovel novel I’ve EVER read and until I read this book, I was laboring under the misconception that I didn’t care for enemies-to-lovers as a trope. Not only is that a big bold-faced lie, enemies-to-lovers is actually one of my all time favorite tropes in romance and this book was the first time I realized that. Aspen and Bram are like oil and Continue Reading
Scenic Sunday- Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
This is one of my very favorite historical romances. I reread this book so often I think I've memorized whole chapters. This is the scene that leads to Callie and Ralston having smex for the first time. I also love the scene immediately after when Callie is furiously cleaning the library and Ralston comes to ask for her hand in marriage and she says no... which is like ten pages so you'll just have to go read it for yourself. 😊 This book is also getting a new cover for its paperback Continue Reading