alpha

Tempted and Taken- Rhenna Morgan

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

The sexy “nerd”: Morgan has introduced a different fantasy man in each of her Men of Haven books, and we finally come to the one that is geared to my specific fantasies. Although, Knox is more of a computer whiz than brainy geek (Rhenna, I’d still like a true Star Wars-obsessed nerd/history buff in a future book), he was still completely swoon-worthy. But, what really surprised me is how much I enjoyed the heroine. Let’s get into it!

The Story-

Darya is working to start a new life for herself, and she is determined that Knox Torren will be part of it. The computer whiz hacker has skills she can only dream of, but if she were to be mentored by him, she could start her own business and really be independent. Knox is suspicious of the mysterious woman who reached out to him with a “business proposal”. When he finally meets her, he has to know more. But, everything doesn’t add up with “JJ”.

My Thoughts-

If you read the previous Men of Haven books and hoped for a little more heat, you will be pleasantly surprised, because this is HOT! Personally, the full-on anal was a tad more than I wanted, but I know everyone has their preferences. While I loved the character of Knox as I expected to, I was surprised to like Darya so much. She is so straight-forward with her emotions and desires: a fully- confident woman who goes after what she wants when she decides. At the same time, she is not stuck up or off-putting. The new Russian characters are intriguing, and I cannot wait to see more from them in the future. 

Bottom Line-

If you, like me, adore the Men of Haven books, you are gonna love this one too. This is my fave contemporary series, and each book is like a piece of chocolate that I savor. I’m going back in for another piece (Beckett), but my bag is empty until sometime next year. 😦 Seriously, if you like contemporary at all, read this entire series. 5 stars

The White Lily- Juliette Cross

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

thewhitelily

The imaginative Vampire Blood series has just gotten better. This clever Snow White retelling is (so far) my favorite book of the series. Brenna and Friedrich are so hot together, and there are twists you will definitely not see coming.

 

The Story-

Brennalyn Snow is a school-teacher and has adopted 7 children. She is also a secret supporter of the underground “Black Lily” movement. While trying to gain information about the local vampire duke’s loyalties, she unknowingly stumbles into his weekly selection of women who wish to be bleeders for the duke. Friedrich was intrigued by Brennalyn from the moment he met her, but her secrets make him want to know the woman behind the teacher facade in a way that surprises even him.

 

My Thoughts-

This story does an excellent job on building on the background from the previous books, but also deepening the world so that we have a greater grasp of the ramifications of the evil we’ve been introduced to. Again, the fairytale component is dealt with a light hand, never on the nose or what you’d expect. Cross is exceptionally good at adding the appropriate level of darkness and danger to her plots. Although you know it has to have a HEA, it is, at times, very difficult to figure out how exactly that will happen.

As someone who has struggled with infertility, I connected with Brennalyn and loved the emphasis on her personhood as a woman and how it is not inherently connected to being a natural mother. And, can we talk a minute about Friedrich? His character brings Cross’s sexy level to a new stratosphere. But, it is totally appropriate to the story and doesn’t feel forced or shoehorned in.

 

The Bottom Line-

If you like paranormal, historical, or fairytale retellings, I wholeheartedly recommend this series. It continues to get better, more dangerous, and more suspenseful, book by book. I cannot wait to read the final book in the series, but will be sad when it is over. 5 stars

 

Payback- Christina Phillips

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

Payback

After reading the first book in the Viking Bastards MC series, “Hooked”, I knew I would be coming back for more. This second installment did not disappoint, but it did surprise me.

The Story-
Amelia comes from a family that was involved with a rival MC of the Viking Bastards. There was enough bad blood that she wants revenge, and the only way to do it is to go undercover as a bartender at Odin’s. She doesn’t expect her mark, Gage, to be anything like the sexy, protective guy she immediately has the feels for.

My Thoughts-
This second book is definitely darker than the first one, but has all the heat and pace that this author is so good at. Toward the end, it raised my eyebrows and had me wondering about how far she was willing to go to raise the conflict stakes in the story. I’m still not sure if she crossed that line or not, but I will say that it made me think… which fun Viking MC romance/eroticas don’t tend to make me do. The characters are well-rounded
(with a great alpha hero) with intricate motivations, and the book reads incredibly fast. I only sort of hope that the next book in this series leans back in the “fun romp with a bad boy” direction.

The Bottom Line-
If you like alpha males and MCs, this is probably your thing. If you want a quick, hot read with some emotional depth and a dose of darkness, this is right up your alley. If you want fun, hot sexytimes without the angst, I suggest the first book in this series. All that being said, I will be back for the next Viking Bastard! 3 3/4 stars

Buy it Now: Amazon