Review: Don't Walk Away by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy

Don’t Walk Away by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy
Series: DreamMakers, Book 3
Publisher: Vivian Arend
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 21, 2015
Source: NetGalley
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

He wants to rock her world—in bed and out of it
For former Army Ranger Dean Colter, sexual escapades and wild flirtations are the norm—but it wasn’t always that way. Years ago, the DreamMakers co-owner was a one-woman kind of guy until he tore Emma Lee’s heart apart. Yet he’s never forgotten her, and when Emma waltzes back into his life, a second chance is suddenly within his reach…and he’ll be damned if he’ll screw up again.

She wants her world to stop spinning apart
Emma’s no longer the naïve girl she used to be. Now a successful designer in the fashion world, she refuses to let Dean’s killer smile and sweet-talking ways distract her from her goals. But being the target of Dean’s full-out seduction isn’t easy to resist, even as the dynasty she’s built teeters toward disaster. This time she might the one who breaks both their hearts when she has to walk away.

Don’t Walk Away is the perfect mix of sweetness and spice. Emma and Dean’s story has all the raw passion I’ve come to expect from Elle Kennedy and Vivian Arend, and it’s wrapped up in a truly sweet reunion romance. Add in the incredibly fun supporting cast of characters and it’s easy to see why I devoured this book in one sitting.

They say the bigger they are the harder they fall, and that’s definitely true for “Manwhore of the Year” Dean. The final member of the original DreamMakers trio enjoys sleeping his way through San Francisco and claims he has no desire to change his naughty ways. Seeing Emma again changes all that. She’s his first and only love and though it’s been eleven years, Dean quickly falls head over heels for the woman Emma has become. But it’ll take more than charm and boatloads of sex appeal for Dean to regain Emma’s trust. He broke her heart when they were younger and though Emma can forgive him once she knows his reasons, trusting him with her heart again isn’t so easy. Dean has to put all his DreamMakers skills to use to win her over and it’s an absolute blast to watch. Emma and Dean have such bright chemistry and they’re both so genuinely likeable that it’s impossible not to be swept away by their love story. I do wish we’d gotten to see a bit more of their shared past, but as it stands Emma and Dean’s romance is a satisfying combination of dirty good fun and genuine emotion.

Don’t Walk Away is the final story in the DreamMakers trilogy, but I’ve got my fingers crossed so hard they hurt that there are related books to come. Mses. Arend and Kennedy leave some pretty big teasers for their awesome supporting characters, and I just might cry if Suz and Gillian don’t get books of their own. While I keep my hopes up, I’ll definitely enjoy re-reading all three DreamMakers books. All Fired Up, Love is a Battlefield, and Don’t Walk Away are a blast to read. Hot as hell former Army Rangers heroes who make dreams come true, smart, sassy heroines you’d love to have as friends, red-hot romances… What’s not to love?


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Love is a Battlefield by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy

Love is a Battlefield by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy
Series: DreamMakers, Book 2
Publisher: Vivian Arend
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 22, 2014
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

He’s ready to admit she’s all grown up…

After two tours of duty, former Army Ranger Jack Hunter is back in the US, working to keep DreamMakers a brilliant success. Now that his best friend’s little sister is home from college, it’s time to retire his hands-off policy and take action. He wants Pepper Wilson in his bed, but seducing the feisty redhead could be dangerous for more than one reason.

She’s ready to push all his buttons…

Pepper is tired of being bossed around by everyone in her life, especially arrogant, annoying, overbearing Jack Hunter. While she can’t deny the man is out-of-this-world gorgeous, his alpha routine is getting old. His steely determination proves a match for her own, though, and the attraction simmering between them ignites into fiery passion.

But can their wild sexual exploration turn into more without someone getting burned?

Love is a Battlefield is h-o-t HOT! This second installment to the sexy DreamMakers series is even better than the (admittedly fantastic) first. I absolutely loved Pepper and Jack’s story and I can’t wait to read it again!

Jack is my favorite kind of alpha hero. He’s a take-charge former soldier who knows his way around a woman’s body like you wouldn’t believe, plus he’s got a great sense of humor and a good heart. How could you not love him? Pepper is a bright, energetic young woman with a quick mouth and a caring heart – the kind of woman I’d love to have as a friend if she were real, and the perfect match for Jack. Her loving but overprotective family treats her like she’s still a child, but Pepper is definitely grown up and determined to make her own way in the world. The last thing she needs his her brother’s best friend being an “alpha-hole” while she tries to do so.

Yet despite Jack’s bossiness, Pepper can’t deny her attraction to the hot-as-hell man she knows almost as well as she does herself. Their crackling chemistry makes Love is a Battlefield wildly entertaining. And when these two stop circling each other and hit the sheets (among other places)… Well, my advice is to turn up the A/C, because these two are hot enough to melt a glacier or five. Add in a dash of intrigue thanks to a stalker plotline, a healthy dose of realistic jealousy from an old flame, and a wealth of laughter and fun with Jack and Pepper’s friends and family and you’ve got one well-rounded story. I flat-out loved this fast-paced, engaging book and I hated whenever I had to put it down.

Love is a Battlefield is deliciously wicked good fun from beginning to end. Authors Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy continue to knock it out of the park with the DreamMakers series and I cannot wait to read Dean’s book, Don’t Walk Away.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: All Fired Up by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy

All Fired Up by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy
Series: DreamMakers, Book 1
Publisher: Vivian Arend
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 22, 2014
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

He’s ready to lead the way

Parker Wilson never thought he’d go from battle-hardened soldier to romance expert, but after his stint in the Rangers, that’s exactly what happened. As the owner of DreamMakers Inc., he helps other men win in the love department, using every resource available to plan the perfect date. When a routine recon turns into an unexpected night of passion, Parker’s mission becomes more personal—and he won’t give up until Lynn Davidson is all his.

She’s more than willing to follow

Lynn is a goner from the moment she lays eyes on the delectable Parker. She’s just ditched her boring almost-boyfriend and is tired of sticking to the straight and narrow. It’s time to walk on the wild side, and what better way than in the arms of the most irresistible man she’s ever met? But when their red-hot affair is threatened, it’ll take a team effort to make their dreams come true.

All Fired Up is a deliciously sexy read you won’t want to put down. Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy have kicked off their DreamMakers series with an erotic, fun adventure and I can’t wait to read more.

Former Army Rangers Parker, Dean, and Jack aren’t your usual ex-soldier heroes. Yes, they’re badass and sexy, but rather than go the traditional romance hero route for these two, Mses. Arend and Kennedy have given things a unique twist by having them use their skills to help others in the romance department. What should be a routine assignment – doing recon to find out what a client’s girlfriend likes in order to set up a dream date – gets tangled quickly when (1) the guys learn the client’s a jerk, (2) they discover their subject is no longer dating said jerk, and (3) Parker falls for the woman. Parker is a winning combination of tough guy and romantic – he’s pretty much a dream hero who can make a girl swoon. Lynn is a smart, wonderfully likeable heroine who’s ready to explore her naughty side now that she’s free of her self-imposed restraints. She and Parker have incredible chemistry and it’s easy to become invested in their red-hot romance. Their story moves at a quick clip, buoyed by sparkling dialogue and quality characters you just have to love.

As I previously mentioned, All Fired Up is the first book in the DreamMakers series and Mses. Arend and Kennedy will definitely have you wanting Dean and Jack’s books. There were some point of view shifts that pulled me out of the story a couple of times, but aside from that All Fired Up was a breezy, engaging read. I’m a longtime fan of Elle Kennedy’s work and her signature humor and heat are wonderfully displayed in this book. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Vivian Arend’s work before now, but I’ll definitely be looking into her backlist.

All Fired Up is an energetic, romantic read with a healthy dose of dirty good fun. I adored Parker and Lynn’s story and cannot wait to read Dean and Jack’s books, Love is a Battlefield and Don’t Walk Away.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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