Book-A-Holic Anon

4.5I have to admit I was looking forward to reading this one at the end of the previous book. We knew who the main pair was just because of the heat we witnessed but I can say we got more than expected in this one. Sophie is keeping a big secret from the Hanovers but it is a secret that isn't hers to share and it puts her in a bind when she starts to want something with Beck. She knows he doesn't like secrets and can't blame him for his feelings but also knows she can't spill it no matter how much she wants to. She's such a hard person to get to know and watching her get flustered around Beck was funny as hell. She's got a smart mouth but behind this tough girl exterior you have someone that desperately wants somewhere to belong and a family that really loves her. She has a sad back story and hearing about how her aunt and uncle treated her as a child made me feel for her. I understood her motivations and really loved how she worked so hard to protect and defend the Hanover brothers even as they didn't completely trust her. Watching her develop a friendship with Leah and Malory was heartwarming as you understood how badly she needs to be loved and feel like she belongs.Beck was something else. He always needs to be the one who makes things right and can make sense out of things that make no sense. Unfortunately his father left a trail of things that don't add up and he feels driven to figure it out in order to make it right. He tries so hard to ignore his attraction to Sophie but as we all know in romanceland this never ever works. He works to get her to trust him but at the same time really has trouble letting her in and trusting her with his own inner secrets and issues. I loved watching him work so hard to ignore his feelings and the level of denial he's willing to go to was just funny at times. The interplay with his brothers will have you rolling on the floor especially after the bathroom scene. I almost spit out the drink I had when I read the scene and loved noone was willing to let it go. He did frustrate me at times with his attitude but I did understand it even when I wanted to slap some sense in to him. He needed to grovel a bit more at the end I think but his gesture meant the world to her and it leaves us in a very intriguing place.I left this book desperately wanting the next one as dear lord I need to know who the FBI agent really is (I have a theory) and need to know what is under the freaking concrete slab already. The next book should prove to be interesting as there are some bombshells dropped in this one that made me wish we could dig up Charlie and kill him all over again. The man was truly evil and deserves to be in a truly deep circle of hell for all the pain he caused so many people.Special thanks to Penguin/Berkeley and NetGalley.com for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. I am beyond ready for the next one so feel free to send that to me ASAP. ;-)

I have to start this off by saying I adore Heather and I'm so happy I had a chance to fall in love with both of her amazing heroes and the heroines who hold their hearts.Colin and Brynn have always butted heads and snipped at one another but as we all know in romanceland this just means they are fighting an attraction that they feel isn't appropriate or needed. When Colin is pushed to go over and check on Brynn by his wonderfully sneaky grandma he discovers Brynn in the midst of a medical emergency. He's thankfully able to get her to the hospital in time but this shakes him to the core. You see he's started to realize there is something there and maybe just maybe he should pursue it. Almost losing her before he's had a chance to explore this growing need for her just makes him determined to find out exactly what they have. He's got major scars from his ex-wife and the fact that his idiotic sisters treat him like crap but he knows that there is something about Brynn that calls to him in a way even his ex couldn't manage. I adored his willingness to take Brynn in while she recuperated (yeah I know he was sort of ummmmm forced in to it by the manipulation of some clever friends/family) and the fact their relationship has to have a slow build to consummation because of her health. He just made me sigh as he shows her through his actions how much she means to him and the fact that he accepts her for her and not her wealth just took it over the top. His acceptance of her past was another part that you just can't help but adore as that could've caused a wedge between them but.. *sigh*Brynn knows she's lucky to have been found in time but she's still a bit dodgy about getting involved with anyone no matter what her mind and heart are telling her. She's still grieving in her own way for her killed-in-action husband. They had an amazing love story that was cut off way too quickly at such a young age so you understand why she's still clinging to that memory. I loved how she worked through this grief and shared it with Colin so he would know what was holding her back initially. She's a very strong character and you feel the love that she shared with both men and the fact that Colin is not a secondary love but is the love of her adult life. I also liked how her past linked with Colin in a way neither of them knew. She's a very lucky woman and stands up for what she loves and believes in. Her calling out his sisters for their behavior towards him for his treatment of the ex-wife was priceless and if it were possible I would definitely want to give her a huge high five as man oh man did they need to be bitch-slapped. Her also putting the final nail in the coffin of the ex-wife was another OH YEAH moment that you just have to read. She's smart, sneaky and even though she tried to hide how much Colin meant to her initially it did just come off the page.This is a couple that deserves every bit of happiness they get and I cannot thank Heather enough for being so generous in letting me read this one early. I adored it and like I asked her yesterday.... WHEN DO WE GET MORE MORE MORE??? Huh Huh Huh...

I swear to god this story will make you cry and yet leave you happy at the way it ends. I really cannot wait to see more by this author as for such a short story it has such an amazing amount of angst and heart you just can't help but want more.I'm going to keep this review short in order to not give away the full story but it is such an amazing glimpse at two people with major issues in their lives - one at a crossroads where she thinks she should be happy and one thinking he'll never be able to have happiness for himself.Carrie pretends to be completely happy in her life but deep in her heart she knows she's missing something important. She's happy to be a librarian, friend to a small group of people and loving daughter but recently her thoughts have been increasingly drawn to finding something… she isn't sure what but she does find herself wondering what is missing in her life. I mean she shouldn't complain but there is just this emptiness she can't quite put her finger on. She impulsively answers an ad for a regular Wednesday only date for just kissing in a public place and finds more than she ever thought possible.Brian is kept a bit of a mystery in the beginning but is also at a point in his life where something has to give. He puts the ad out there in the paper and has a had a couple of Wednesday meeting with people who have answered the ad but as he asked for they have led to nothing more than just kissing with no strings or other entanglements. When he meets Carrie we get an amazing story of a man who is so far beyond incredible you can't help but want to pull him to you and smother him with love and affection. He's just that kind of guy even when he is pushing her away he is calling to something deep in her soul that just won't let this incredible man go.Ok… I'm promising myself to stop here because you really just need to read this to understand why myself and others have fallen in love with Ms. Rivers and why you should as well. I mean I want a longer story from her because this one just took my breath away at the amount of heart is contained in so few pages. I can't imagine how much more we might see from her in a longer format.Thanks to NetGalley.com and Random House/Loveswept for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. Please revisit my site on Friday, July 19th for a visit from Mary Ann Rivers.

3.5Darcy is not having a great day. Her friend has talked her in to going in to the water and she ends up swallowing more than she really wants to. The only good part of it is running in to a handsome man who saves her. She's trying to decide what path her life should take and also working hard at keeping her friend from getting herself killed in the latest career attempt. What follows is a fun time watching Trina and Darcy avoid getting caught by the bad guy as Trina tries to be a private eye while Darcy tries to get more time with the amazing man she was washed in to. Darcy has her issues to work through with her family and her attempts to do what will get her validation from them versus what could get her happiness for herself. She struggles with this over the entire story and yet it didn't detract from it because she is surprisingly honest with herself about the whole thing. There is no real woe is me thing going on but instead it is an attraction that may be more than she expected to have in her life.Coop is at a major crossroads in his life. He is a cop but had a bit of a crisis when his partner was killed by a stupid act. He was injured in this but the worst blow to his self-confidence was being unable to join the Secret Service. When he gets to rescue Darcy he's glad for more than one reason, she intrigues him and as he spends more time around her he finds himself wanting more of her. He knows that this is a week-long fling but is he really willing to let her go at the end of the week to follow the "dream" opportunity? He was a wonderful hero for being so patient with the distractions that keep him from spending as much private time with her as he would like but he also really did listen to her amazingly silly friend. I adored his interactions with them and especially appreciated that he really did listen even if it didn't seem like he was.This was a fun read and would be perfect for a beach or poolside distraction. Thanks to Carina Press and NetGalley.com for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

3.5

I have to thank Jessica from Entangled for putting this on my radar and then being generous enough to give me a copy to read/review with no expectations for how I would feel about it. This was a fun read with heart, heat and angst plus a hero that really gets under your skin.Ashton's dream is crumbling around her and her partners. The restaurant she's always wanted is not getting enough traffic to pay the bills and her own temper may have just put the final nail in the coffin. What she doesn't count on is a reality cooking show seeing the melt-down and offering her a last minute spot on the show which could give her restaurant the publicity it desperately needs to survive. She goes to the set and runs in to the hottest celebrity chef out there but not only does she realize this contest offers more than just publicity it also puts her in close contact with a man she shouldn't crave but can't resist. She's got a lot of issues caused by a demanding, cold father who happens to be one of the most respected restaurant critics and also has a tendency to bottle her emotions up until they explode out of her and get directed at everyone but the one man she needs to finally stand up to. I felt for her as she tries to deny what she is feeling for Ty and keep the lid on what she wants to say to her father. I have to say one of my favorite moments was her finally standing up for herself and loved that Ty stood beside her when this all comes to a boil.Ty was such a strong hero with an amazing heart. Sure he's got all the trappings that being one of the hottest celebrity chefs entails but the whole dating the latest model or being at the latest hot spot is wearing him down. He misses being able to cook and actually have a private life with hopes of finding a woman who will complete him. When he meets Ashton there is an amazing instant attraction and connection but when he realizes she's a contestant on the show he is judging he knows it can't go anywhere. He still ends up pursuing her and we get some hot sexy times as they both manage to sneak time with each other. When things blow up due to a conniving eliminated contestant we get to see that this relationship means more to both of them than they were ever willing to tell each other. I loved watching him come to terms with issues she has and supporting her even when she makes it incredibly difficult to do so. He's such a strong character and I adored that.Thanks again to Entangled Edge and Jessica for sharing this with me as I will be keeping my eye out for more by this author.

3.5I got to meet Jody at the insanity that was the RT Convention in Kansas City. I know her time there had to have been as crazy as mine but she was a nice person to meet and I really was happy to get an email from her shortly after we both arrived home. She was nice enough to give me the chance to read Florida Heat with the hope of a review and didn't expect me to be anything less than honest with my thoughts.What would you do if the life you thought you were living had a major secret behind it? What if the man you pledged your life, loyalty and love to had done something horrible that resulted in your losing faith in him and trust in many others? This is what Maggie is dealing with from the moment we step in to this book. She's attacked at home and has a scar to remind her of the attack every time she looks in the mirror. She's moved from Texas to Florida to get a new, fresh start but instead ends up running in to the man who played a part in what happened to her. She also runs in to a good man that helps her heal and inspires feelings in her even her ex-husband didn't do. She's wary, scarred and smart but also does a couple of really stupid things in this story that had me ready to scream in frustration with her. I understood where she was coming from but at the same time did want to grab her by the shoulders and shake some sense in to her.Trent is living a nice life in Florida where he has a really gorgeous ranch and fun in the form of racing boats. The one thing he is missing is a woman to share his life with but he's been burned in the past so isn't really looking. When he meets Maggie he is instantly attracted to the mysterious person behind the scar. He doesn't push her in to revealing her past at any pace more than what she's willing to go at but her personality and the way she moves just calls to him in a way no one has in a long time. He spends time with her getting to know her and finds that what he sees at her core is something that he wants to keep with him forever provided she'll trust in him. When he finds out what is happening and what happened in her past he does step a bit over the line (good way though) with his actions but they are truly what she needs even if she doesn't want to trust that they are. I'd love to have someone like him in my life as he does seem to truly cherish those he cares for and is incredibly caring/sexy.My one quibble with this title was the rushed I Love Yous but with the page length it is understandable and the nice epilogue helped make the quick ILYs balance out with a peek at a longer courtship than what the main story gave us. It was a nice read with a great hero.Thanks again Jody and I hope to run in to you at another convention one day… Maybe RT in New Orleans?? ;-)

When Laurelin first approached me to read her new book I was in the middle of recovering from the RT Convention in Kansas City which was then followed a month later by going to the Lori Foster Reader and Author's Get Together. So you can imagine that my time has been a bit full with packing, recovering, cataloguing the hundreds (yes hundreds) of books from both conventions that have made their way in to my library. The good news is she didn't expect it to be done and reviewed in a week but almost made me panic this past week when she mentioned I was up to bat for her soon. The even better news?? I had read it but just hadn't managed to sit down and write up what you are reading now. I'm definitely thankful she asked me to read/review this title as it was very well done and the issues both main characters have are interesting to say the least.Alayna is at a crossroads in her life where she's happy working at the club but is being pressured by her brother to put the soon to be granted MBA to better use than just working at a club. She loves what she does and knows that unless the new owner has different plans she might just be getting her chance to become a manager at the place she thinks of as home. She's very shy about getting involved with any man other than for a purely sexual, non-feeling arrangement but when she serves a man at the bar she's incredibly drawn to his sexuality and amazing looks. She knows this is dangerous as her past has made her aware that she is a bit obsessive when it comes to anyone she's severely drawn to but something about him calls to her. She later finds out he's the bar's new owner and he wants to propose a purely superficial relationship but with some spectacular sex. As much as she knows this isn't a good idea for her… she's forced to make a decision that could either be the best one she's ever made or a failure of epic proportions.Hudson is the man every woman wants to catch but are you sure he's really what you want? He's rich but is also damaged in that he believes he will never love someone so uses women purely for sex and nothing more. He's also drawn to Alayna and knows he will have her but also needs to use her to get his mother and friend of the family off his back by pretending to have a new girlfriend that he is madly in love with. He believes that this charade will help free him from the arranged marriage their families want but isn't thinking of anything other than this single goal. His family is a bit (being nice) messed up but I liked his dad and his sister even though the family dynamic was so off-kilter. He's obsessive as well and as you find out what drives him he turns out to not only be a bit scary but very compelling.Both characters are very messed up and have unhealthy views of relationships and boundaries but for these two maybe this combination will work for the best. They may just heal each other and build an amazing relationship but we will need to continue with the next one in this series to see is this the beginning of a major transformation in their lives or will they both succumb to the madness that has been their lives up to this point. I know I will keep an eye out for more by Laurelin as I found myself drawn to the characters she gave us and the insights they provide on obsession and the associated behaviors.Thanks again to her for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed it!

Ok… I'm going to admit something that anyone who follows my blog already knows - I'm a huge huge huge Ruthie Knox fan girl.Ahhhhh that feels better to finally get that out in the open… LMAOPlease read the other books in this series before you read this one. Tony and Amber play a part in every story and this is an amazingly heart-wrenching read that hits very close to the heart of any married or long-term couple. Have tissues available and make sure you won't have to be any where until you have a chance to recuperate from this read.Amber should be happy. She knows she should be happy but she is having trouble living up to the facade she believes people expect of her. I mean she loves her kids and her husband but something is wrong that is shaking her to the core. She wonders does her husband really love her or is this the way it ends with mad lust/love dying to being just two ships that pass sometime during the week but really seem to have no soul deep connection. You feel her pain coming off the page as she struggles with what the economy and life has done to her self-worth and marriage. When Tony leaves her behind at the resort for some "her" time she's lost without any idea how to get her self back and starts to really look at if she's willing to deal with living a half-life back home or not.Tony is in pain wanting nothing more than to make Amber happy. He's been working himself to the bone to try to have it all. The amazing company, home, marriage and all the trappings of success while feeling like he's trapped in a never-ending downslope. The economy has severely impacted his construction firm and losing the help of his brother seems to be throwing the final nail in the coffin. He leaves Amber at the resort in hopes that she'll return to him healed and happy but is forced to realize that maybe he needs to be there with her to save the stagnant pool their marriage has become. This is a man who is deeply in love with his wife but is so caught up in wanting to give her everything he has lost sight of what maybe is all she ever needed...I'm going to stop here as you need to read this wonderful story (wiping tears as I write this) and blubber like most of us that have been lucky enough to read this early. I cannot stress enough that Ruthie has captured the essence of a marriage at a crossroads where both parties have to decide on what the path forward will be - stay married or divorce?Ok enough blubbering and say many thanks to NetGalley.com and the wonderful people at Loveswept who were nice enough to give me a chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. This was an amazingly heart wrenching wallop to read and I really cannot stress enough that you have tissues available.I'd really love it if you would share your thoughts once you read this amazing story as I found it immensely real and true to life.

I adored this pairing in the Holloway series and just want to tell HelenKay to keep em coming!Andie has moved to this nice sleepy town to get away from the big city and be back to her childhood roots. She wasn't raised here but she was raised in a small town and out where nature was her best friend. She's lost her way a bit and has some major self-confidence and image issues but mainly she gets hung up on her age versus the man who catches her eye. I loved how she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in but at the same time I felt for both of them as her own insecurities kept them from letting something good happen for both of them. She's smart, independent, strong and worthy of everything that he sees in her but needs to see it herself. I felt for her as you find out more about her exes and the way she believed them over everything else even as she knew they were worthless.Travis is a lucky man in many ways other than finding his one true partner. When he meets Andie he is instantly smitten but is frustrated with the roadblocks she keeps putting up against him. He does some really stupid things that bring him a bit (just a little) of grief from those he considers family but after saying some really stupid (true but timing was horrible) things in a very public forum he's convinced she's never going to be his. Add to this issue his own problems with his lack of biological family and we get some angst and tension that I was happy to see worked through. I liked how his adoptive family rally around him and support him no matter what he does and is willing to push him when he needs it. It was nice to see them all interact and show him his true worth. This is a good man who didn't deserve what he dealt with when he was younger and I hope we get to see more surrounding the mystery man in future stories.This was a really sweet read that I am happy to recommend to anyone that wants to see a strong woman learn that she really is beautiful and a man that gets to understand what he really wanted can be summed up in one woman.Special thanks to Morgan from Carina Press for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I have to say this was a fun read that made me laugh a few times with the things that both of the main pair said/did.Christie is used to everyone not having high opinions of her. She doesn't fit in to the typical female mold and her own family doesn't know what to do with her so why should she think that she'll ever find a man that will accept her for who she is nerd and all. She's surprised when she starts to talk to another online gamer and even more surprised when she agrees to meet him face to face. This surprise turns in to a massive case of lust when she sets her eyes on this gorgeous hunk of a man but their first encounter leads her to panic and run. She's understandably shocked when she finds out his real identity but as they spend time together she wants more than he believes he is able to ever give. He helps her overcome her issues but can she reach through to him?Joseph is an incredibly brilliant man but he has one major issue. He's notoriously bad about remembering anything if he gets in a zone working on something that catches his attention. He's always felt like he hurts those around him with his ADHD and OCD tendencies but in reality people who know him and truly love him have learned how to cope with this behavior. Joseph is shocked when he meets a woman that not only gives him the best sex he has ever had in his life but that he finds himself able to focus on her without a burning need to crawl out of his skin. He's willing to work on helping her realize how amazing she is and that she deserves more than her family has ever given her but he isn't quite as willing to believe that he won't hurt her by his own tendency to forget things that are important to others when he gets distracted by some new shiny. I liked this in the humor and real feelings that were invoked as both of the main pair work through issues they've had since childhood but it does start a bit slow so please hang in there. The relationship was deeper than I originally thought so that was a wonderful thing. Thanks to NetGalley.com and Entangled Publishing for giving me the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I have to admit to struggling a bit between rating this a 4 or a 3.5 star read mainly because I really did enjoy it but I sort of wish the pair had more page time once they both opened up to one another.Chase is definitely a Dom and knows what he wants but what he wants is sharing a room with him at a leather convention and has his sight set on conquering another Master. While Chase did get a night of amazing sex with him it just isn't enough especially since it was only vanilla while what he craves is to see him on his knees serving his Master. Chase is also still dealing with the bad breakup with his ex who also happens to be there but he gets an amazing chance for closure at this event and I must say I adored seeing him care for the man who is not only his best friend but might also be his true other half. He really has to work hard to open up and I have to say I liked that he really didn't jump in to anything but at the same time it did make parts of the book drag. I also truly loved how we got to see exactly what he was feeling during those moments we were in his headspace as it did make the pacing seem realistic.Derek is definitely a submissive who adores pain. He loves to be used by the Dom he is scening with but has always had his eyes on Chase. He gives in to his lust with Chase by having a single night of scorching vanilla sex but knows what he really wants from Chase is to be mastered. He's also aware of the fact that Chase is still struggling with the end of his last relationship and isn't willing to be the rebound guy for someone he truly cares about. He's open about what he wants and needs from his partners and while he wants to play with a lot of partners we see that what he really craves is something that only a single man can give him. He struggles with his feelings for Chase while still being open to playing around but when he is forced to look inwardly realizes the only reason why the times he's had at the convention were perfect were when Chase was in the room and acting as his center. He's afraid to lose something so important to him but thankfully we get to see that he is willing to take a risk to get what will hopefully be the one thing he truly needed.The buildup to their relationship is a bit slow at times but because we do get to see both sides struggle with their feelings and pasts I think it did work. I really have to thank Sarah at Riptide again because she put L.A. on my radar as an author and now the staff at Riptide Publishing are awesome resources to feed my new addiction via NetGalley.com. Thanks to both Riptide and NetGalley.com for a chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. The two men were angsty goodness so I greatly appreciated it.

3.5

3.5This is a really nice conclusion to the series where the last of the trio finds her match in a man she's convinced could never really want her.Tess is used to being the party planner but never the person who is anything else. She's been overlooked most of her life by men and has convinced herself that this is all she will ever be and not to expect anything more. She's also normally a doormat when it comes to other people and takes on more than she should be responsible for. It took a bit for her to come out of her shell and realize what she was letting others do to her but when she does she comes out swinging at everyone who she has allowed to hold her down. I liked her strength and especially liked who she becomes as the book moves on. Jeremy has been quietly attempting to get Tess to notice him as more than just a man she works with but he just can't seem to tell if she is interested in him at all. He finally decides to make a move on the woman who has been torturing him for months but knows if he lets her in on exactly what he wants from her (everything) she'll find a way to shut this down before it even has a chance to start. He's amazingly supportive of her but when she says something that reminds him of his past and the way other women have treated him he breaks. Even with what happens late in the book you know he is truly a good man who always follows through on a promise even while dying a bit inside as he does what is right. I liked his strength and willingness to work within the boundaries Tess sets on their relationship while still working on getting her to change her mind. He's so sexy and sweet but has a quiet strength in everything he does and it shows to everyone who pays attention.This was a nice read with a touch of heat but we also get to see a bit of the other two couples as this takes place during the same time frame. I'm glad we got this and wouldn't mind a later book to show the three couples down the road. Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. I have enjoyed the series and will keep an eye out for more by Kate Davies.

4.5I have to say this was a steamy quick read with a main pair that sizzle when they are near one another and a hero that really needs to learn his own true value.Lila just wants to win this last competition in culinary school so she can pay off some student loans and have a better starting point post-graduation. The night before the final round she's at a party and ends up spending time with the school's resident golden boy who she's secretly crushed on for years. They've been jockeying back and forth for supremacy of their class but the sparks that are flying tonight are of a sexual nature and not a competitive one. They have a hot interlude in which they share their plans for the competition tomorrow but Lila ducks out in the morning before he's even woken up and then falls apart the next day as they compete. She's angry at him for stealing her idea but she struggles on as a caterer and still works to pursue her dream of making it as a chef one day. She's strong but doubts her own worth at times just because of the money struggle and I liked how once she realized what was going on between her and the hero she really did fight for what was right even at what seemed to be the expense of her happiness. She's a bit hard on him at first but you can understand why and when the truth really comes out about why he took her idea and ran with it I wanted to cheer because this is a couple who really do balance one another and dear lord the chemistry was off the charts.Jackson has always seemed to live a charmed life. I mean he is the heir apparent to a restaurant family that seems to have the golden touch. He's shocked when he runs in to Lila at a party and ends up spending a rather steamy night with her. In the morning when she disappears before he even wakes up he's shocked but when she shows up for the competition and doesn't prepare what he expected her to he gets angry. He tries to find her again but she doesn't show up for graduation and he has to do a bit of sleuthing to find the woman that intrigues him more than she should. When he finally finds her at a catering company he talks his buddy in to hiring the firm just so he can try to see what happened but what he doesn't count on is the incredible spark that flies between them. He does a lot of stupid things to push this connection away and not fully explore it but as he comes up with a deal that will help him maybe finally find something for his father to be proud of he has to give in. He's a very misunderstood person who reacts out of hurt and lets his past experiences with his father and others cloud his judgement of Lila but she does the same at every turn as well. They both have such mountains of hurt to overcome and learn to trust one another but when push comes to shove at the climactic scene near the end you wonder has he truly learned anything at all or will he let his own self-doubts and past hurts drive away the one person who really understands him?Very hot read with some incredible descriptions of food that will make you want to run to the nearest restaurant to have some incredible food. I found myself wanting to indulge many times as I was reading this so make sure to read it on a full stomach. Thanks to NetGalley.com and Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this from Alyssa Day and I cannot thank her enough. I'm definitely going to need to grab all of the new series her short story introduces because the world intrigues me. I also enjoyed the other stories in the anthology which should keep fans of those authors happy with views of the worlds they do best.Devil's Due - Lora Leigh - 4 starsInteresting story of the dealer of death, Devil, and his mate, Katie, dealing with not only finding their mate but also people who want her dead. There is little to no real tension between the two of them as far as sexual. I mean they do fight the attraction in some respects but there isn't a drawn out issue with will they end up together… actually it is more the situation that drives them apart a bit rather than denial or fighting the pull of the mating instinct. I enjoyed the little prequel as to how she was rescued as a child and also how they both fill something that is missing in each other. This is a good pair that will be equals in most ways which you can't always say about all the Breed pairings...Curse of the Black Swan - Alyssa Day - 4.5 starsI enjoyed this story of two lonely people finding love in each other when they had both written off ever finding someone. We have a fire demon that keeps his nature secret from his fellow firefighters because everyone knows that fire demons are insane and evil. We have a woman doomed to spend every third night as a swan singing in a fountain to satisfy a family curse and if she ever meets her soulmate she'll have a daughter who will be doomed to the same fate. I enjoyed the pacing of this one and the world that we see where things are not always as they seem but humans and Fae exist in a bit of an uneasy half-world. This has interested me in grabbing the full length story so I can read more of this world.Salvage - Meljean Brook - 4 starsWhat if the husband who ran from you for years washes up on shore at the brink of death from a bullet wound? How would you cope with asking for a divorce while you still acknowledge that you want him with all your soul but you need the closeness that he can't seem to provide? This is what we see in this well done short story. They really do love one another but due to something her father said when they were first married he has always felt like he had to be out at sea to provide her with everything she deserved but he missed that all she needed was him. While he has been out at sea he's been missing the amazing woman his wife has become, she's built a business from the ground up and is standing on her own. They both do truly love one another and when his recent salvage find brings an insane man to kidnap and force them to reacquire the salvaged treasure they realize exactly what they mean to one another and what drove them apart was a series of misunderstandings. We are left with a couple that is in such a strong place that you can't help but cheer their reunion.Ecstasy Under the Moon - Lucy Monroe - 3.5 starsThis was a story of two cultures and how individuals look beyond the distrust that they have for one another to build a union that bodes well for the rest of the reconciliation process that is in progress. Our hero is such an amazingly patient man with his heroine and watching how he works to earn both her trust and her family's respect was beautiful to see. I loved how she slowly came out of her shell and I really adored how she didn't completely judge him just based on his species but felt comfortable enough around him to override her well-deserved fears. She's been damaged and the cost to her and her people was grave but his ability to be patient with her made it possible for there to be a happy ending and shows how love can heal deep wounds.