Review: Convicted by Dee Tenorio

Convicted by Dee Tenorio
Publisher: Entangled: Ignite
Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense
ISBN: 9781633750401
Release Date: August 18, 2014
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Dee Tenorio Reading Order

The only thing more dangerous than passion is the truth.

Former Marine and new Sheriff’s Deputy Cade Evigan is hanging onto his damaged soul—and his personal code—by a thread. His current mission? Weed out a violent motorcycle crew from a small mountain town. The problem? Katrina Killian, a woman standing firmly on the other side of the law, smack in the middle of the gang he’s there to destroy. She may get under his skin, but the sultry biker has criminal written all over her. So why can't he see her like any other convict?

For two years, Katrina has been a DEA agent hiding in plain sight amidst a pack of killers, working to put an end to the gang that has terrorized her hometown. The last thing she needs is to fall in love with a man who could blow her cover—and her heart—to pieces, but Cade’s become an addiction she can’t break. Unable to risk either of their lives with the truth, she plays both ends against the middle to keep him safe. But lies can only last so long, and Katrina’s time has just run out…

Convicted is a sexy, gritty, exciting story that’ll keep you reading late into the night. Dee Tenorio keeps the danger – and the fantastic one-liners – coming fast and hard in this engaging romantic suspense.

Katrina is one of my favorite Dee Tenorio heroines, and (given my love for Ms. Tenorio’s characters) that’s saying something. She’s an alpha female whose strength and sassiness I admired and enjoyed, but it’s her hidden vulnerabilities and big heart which really sealed the deal. Katrina goes through a hell of a lot as an undercover DEA agent and I wanted to see her succeed not only in saving the town but in finding the happiness she so deserves. Cade is every bit her equal and he too hides his pain well, but his personality is a case of still waters that run deep. He and Katrina complement one another, but there’s also plenty of friction to keep things interesting and unpredictable. The sparks that fly between the two of them from the start just get hotter and hotter as the story goes on, and I loved watching how their relationship developed.

Romance aside, the fight to save the town of Marketta from the violent, drug-running motorcycle club keeps the action in Convicted moving at a quick clip. Ms. Tenorio keeps you guessing as to how Cade and Katrina (especially Katrina) will make it out alive. I loved that I was every bit as invested in the suspense side of the story as I was the romance.

Convicted has a kick-ass hero and heroine, an insanely hot romance, sharp dialogue, and an intense plot – what’s not to love? I devoured Katrina and Cade’s book and I look forward to revisiting their story again and again.


Note: Convicted was previously published and has been revised and expanded.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher 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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Waiting on Wednesday: Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

Gail Carriger's books are always incredibly fun to read and her quirkiness shines in the Finishing School series. I finished Etiquette & Espionage and Curtsies & Conspiracies not too long ago, and I have to say this is the most entertaining series I've read this year! I can't wait to see what Sophronia and her friends get up to in Waistcoats & Weaponry. Steampunk inventions, espionage, werewolves, adventures, and more - what else could a reader want? :)

And just FYI, the audiobook editions of this series (narrated by Moira Quirk) are fantastic.

Title: Waistcoats & Weaponry
Series: Finishing School, Book 3
Author: Gail Carriger
Genre: YA Steampunk
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 4, 2014
Gail Carriger Reading Order

Book Description (from Goodreads):
Class is back in session...

Sophronia continues her second year at finishing school in style--with a steel-bladed fan secreted in the folds of her ball gown, of course. Such a fashionable choice of weapon comes in handy when Sophronia, her best friend Dimity, sweet sootie Soap, and the charming Lord Felix Mersey stowaway on a train to return their classmate Sidheag to her werewolf pack in Scotland. No one suspected what--or who--they would find aboard that suspiciously empty train. Sophronia uncovers a plot that threatens to throw all of London into chaos and she must decide where her loyalties lie, once and for all.

Gather your poison, steel tipped quill, and the rest of your school supplies and join Mademoiselle Geraldine's proper young killing machines in the third rousing installment in the New York Times bestselling Finishing School Series by steampunk author, Gail Carriger.

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Review: Hillbilly Rockstar by Lorelei James

Hillbilly Rockstar by Lorelei James
Series: Blacktop Cowboys, Book 6
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780451413970
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

She’s protecting his body and guarding her heart...

Country music star Devin McClain understands there’s a downside to life in the public eye, but the laidback Wyoming cowboy has never imagined he’d attract crazed fans who would do anything to garner his attention. When veiled threats become real, he agrees to hire a discreet security detail. But Devin is shocked when that bodyguard is a hard-bodied woman. He’s even more stunned to be attracted to the steely-eyed stunner.

Former soldier Liberty Masterson’s return to civilian life has been fraught with challenges until she lands a job with a prestigious security firm. But when she agrees to provide personal protection during a cross-country tour, she doesn’t realize she has signed up to masquerade as the playboy star’s girlfriend. Though she’s more comfortable in combat boots than high heels, she has no choice but to appear to be the sexy groupie Devin prefers.

Living in close quarters causes the chemistry between them to ignite, and Devin realizes he wants to turn their charade of a romance into reality. Although Liberty surrenders to his every whim behind closed doors, she fears the sexy country star doesn’t see the real her; and Devin can’t help but worry when the tour ends that there might not be enough between them to build something that won’t fade away...

Get ready for a rockin’ good time with Hillbilly Rockstar! Lorelei James kicks up the heat with this sultry romance and keeps things lively thanks to her two endearing, heart-headed leads.

Liberty is a tough-as-nails veteran who’s an intriguing mix of strength and vulnerability. I loved how kick-ass she was and admired her intelligence, and the way Devin gets under her skin and into her heart made the pages of Hillbilly Rockstar fly by. And speaking of Devin…man, he’s just about every woman’s fantasy come true. Who could resist a charismatic, gorgeous musician with a good heart? Thankfully, Ms. James doesn’t make Devin perfect. His pride and resistance to admitting he needs protection leads him to be a bit of a jerk to Liberty in the beginning of the story. But not only does she call him on it, Devin does a complete one-eighty once he gets to know Liberty. The two of them have excellent chemistry and there’s a sense of realism to their relationship thanks to the ups and downs their burgeoning romance faces. It isn’t smooth sailing when a protective, traditional (for lack of a better word) guy like Devin has a female bodyguard. But every bump in the road is worth it in the end.

Though Devin and Liberty’s relationship is the center of Hillbilly Rockstar, the threats against Devin and the not-always-glamorous life of a musician on tour round out the story and were just as entertaining as the romance. In addition, we get to see Liberty and Devin’s friends and family, many of whom are past Blacktop Cowboys heroes and heroines. While Hillbilly Rockstar can be read as a standalone, fans of the series will undoubtedly love the opportunity to catch up with some of their past favorite characters. I’ve been reading this series out of order, but after finishing Hillbilly Rockstar I definitely want to catch up on the characters whose books I’ve missed.

Hillbilly Rockstar delights from beginning to end thanks to the story’s appealing leads and Ms. James’s lively prose. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Liberty and Devin and I can’t wait to read more Blacktop Cowboy books.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher 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: Guarded by Mary Behre

Guarded by Mary Behre
Series: Tidewater, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romantic Suspense with Paranormal Elements
ISBN: 9780425268629
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

She’s given up on finding love…
Veterinarian Shelley Morgan has always preferred animals to humans, and not simply because she can communicate with them psychically. Unlike most people she’s known, animals have never broken her heart. But after six months in her new town, some of her favorite four-legged companions begin disappearing from the local zoo. Determined to track down the animals and their thief, the telepathic vet decides to investigate, unknowingly delving into a deadly mystery…

He’s ready to make her heart go wild…
Although his bear-like physique has been an advantage in the Tidewater Police Department, Dev Jones’s size often intimidates people. Only Shelley has seen past his massive build to the intelligent man inside, but that was years ago. So when she contacts him requesting his help to solve a series of animal kidnappings, he’s eager to reconnect with her. But the thefts escalate to murder and all the evidence points to Shelley as the killer, and Dev faces a devastating choice: forsake his career or risk losing the woman he’s grown to love…

Guarded is a stellar romantic thriller! Mary Behre’s second Tidewater novel was so engaging that I didn’t want to put it down for a moment.

Shelley is a veterinarian gifted with the ability to communicate with animals. A blessing for her, since she’s been left time and again by the people she’s loved and now only lets animals into her heart. But when Shelley learns that someone has been kidnapping animals from the local zoo, she digs into her past and contacts Dev Jones. Dev has always been in the friend zone where Shelley is concerned, but all that changes when they meet again. It’s easy to like both Shelley and Dev; they both have big hearts and are protective by nature. Their past history paves the way for a smooth friends-to-lovers transition and the ensuing romantic storyline was wonderful to watch unfold. Their biggest problem is Shelley’s unwillingness to trust others to stay, but Ms. Behre does an excellent job of showing exactly why Shelley is so wary.

The mystery of who is kidnapping wild animals and why adds intrigue to Guarded. I loved the twists and turns the story took, and I eagerly followed Shelley and Dev as they unraveled the mystery. With numerous lives on the line, multiple suspects, and a killer who’s setting Shelley up to take the fall, there’s ample danger to be found in Guarded. Shelley does have a propensity for jumping into dangerous situations without thinking things all the way through – something that detracted from the story a touch – but aside from that I pretty much loved everything about this book.

Some books are simply a joy to read, and Guarded was such a story for me. Mary Behre is definitely a romantic suspense author to watch, and I can’t wait to go back and read the first Tidewater novel, Spirited.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher 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: Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos

Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9780425243824
Source: Publisher
Blue Ribbon Rating: 3 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link

Thirty-nine-year-old single mom Chloe Parker thinks she was born in the wrong century. An avid Austenite who runs a failing antique letterpress business and has a lust for all things Regency England, Chloe jumps at the chance to enter a Jane Austen-inspired reality TV show with a lucrative cash prize. Chloe’s sure she’ll win, as she knows all about Jane Austen. Then she travels to England and learns that the show is, in fact, a reality DATING show set in the nineteenth century. Chloe will have to compete against other younger women to win a proposal from the handsome Mr. Wrightman, the show’s version of Mr. Darcy. It’s time for Chloe to strap on her bonnet and prepare to fight down and dirty to win her man – Austen-style.

How many of us have read a Jane Austen novel and/or watched the film adaptation and wished we could be there in her heroines’ stead? Well, as Chloe finds out, nineteenth century living ain’t all balls and witty repartee. The pratfalls of a modern woman trying to survive not just Regency England but a reality dating show on top of it brings big laughs to DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY. I can definitely say that author Karen Doornebos cured me of my desire to time travel to the nineteenth century…and that isn’t a bad thing. The things I learned in DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY concerning the day-to-day practicalities of Regency-era living were incredibly interesting. Surprisingly, the facts Ms. Doornebos weaves into her story were my favorite parts of the book. It’s not that Chloe wasn’t a great heroine, because she was definitely relatable – excepting the fact that she seemed to be a bit willfully blind at times. Rather, I simply liked the uniqueness that the reality show competition brings to DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY.

A dash of romance rounds out DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY, but Ms. Doornebos will keep readers guessing as to who Chloe’s hero is. There are two Mr. Wrightmans, but which is the right one? As one might expect from the title, neither man is Fitzwilliam Darcy. Yet there are shades of other Austen heroes – and rakes – in each man. The romance plotline of DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY did make me wish the book were a bit longer, as this storyline felt like it was never fully resolved. Still, Austen fans are sure to be tickled by some of what Chloe goes through in the lively DEFINITELY NOT MR. DARCY.


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher 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: One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy

One Night of Sin by Elle Kennedy
Series: After Hours, Book 1
Publisher: Entangled: Brazen
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781633750487
Release Date: August 4, 2014
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Elle Kennedy Reading Order

When it comes to sex, good girl Skyler Thompson always plays it safe, choosing stable and sedate over wild and thrilling. She doesn’t do one-night-stands, but one look at sinfully sexy Gage Holt and she’s willing to reconsider. He makes her want to be bad for once in her life, and she’s prepared to take what she wants.

Danger follows former MMA fighter Gage Holt like a shadow. Despite his successes as part owner of Sin, an exclusive nightclub in Boston, Gage can’t risk getting involved with a woman, especially one as sweet as Skyler. Still, he can’t resist a taste—and it’s so damn good he has to see her again.

As addicted as he is to her, Gage knows there’s no future for him and Skyler—not with his past lurking in the dark corners of an MMA cage. But Skyler’s tougher than she looks, and she’s ready to fight for her man.

One Night of Sin is fast and furious and oh-so-dirty. I devoured this first After Hours story in one sitting – it’s just that addictive.

Skyler is a good girl who’s sick of being good and wants to take a walk on the wild side. What I loved about her is that she knows what she wants and goes after it, but she never loses her sweet, caring nature. She comes into her own in One Night of Sin after hooking up with Gage, a former MMA fighter who’s as closed off as she is open. Gage is a hot as hell hero who does his best to protect those he loves, even at great cost to himself. He’s not quite sure how he falls into a relationship with Skyler, but she brings out the best in him. The two of them complement one another perfectly, and I found myself grinning more often than not while watching them fall in love. Skyler and Gage are a flat-out adorable couple, which may sound odd since they’re also sexy as sin together, but it fits. Elle Kennedy has blended sweetness and steam like a master in this story and I couldn’t be more delighted. It isn’t all smooth sailing for Gage and Skyler, but every bit of their journey is entertaining to watch unfold.

One Night of Sin is my idea of a great summer read; it’s bright, fun, heartfelt, and hot. Gage and Skyler are endearing protagonists and I hope to see more of them in future After Hours tales. And speaking of future stories, the bits and pieces we’re teased with concerning Gage and Skyler’s friends have me incredibly intrigued. So much so that I’m already on the edge of my seat, waiting to return to Ms. Kennedy’s world of Sin!


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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Friday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written for Wit and Sin and Romance Junkies. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- The Sweetest Summer (Bayberry Island, Book 2) by Susan Donovan (available 8/5/14)
- Shelter Me (Second Chance Ranch, Book 1) by Catherine Mann (available 8/5/14)
- The Man Plan (The Graysons, Book 2) by Tracy Anne Warren (available 8/5/14)

All other new reviews:
- Love is a Battlefield (DreamMakers, Book 2) by Vivian Arend and Elle Kennedy
- Rise of the Gryphon (Belador, Book 4) by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- Straddling the Line (Play-by-Play, Book 8 ) by Jaci Burton
- Fast Track (Buchanan-Renard, Book 12) by Julie Garwood
- Since You’ve Been Gone (Welcome to Paradise, Book 4) by Elle Kennedy
- The Inheritance by Olivia Mayfield
- Wedding Wishes by Dee Tenorio

Upcoming reviews:
- Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
- Skies of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 3) by Zoë Archer
- The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Highland Pleasures, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
- The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, Book 6) by Jennifer Ashley
- Wild Man (Dream Man, Book 2) by Kristen Ashley
- Make You Remember (Dumont Bachelors, Book 2) by Macy Beckett
- Guarded (Tidewater, Book 2) by Mary Behre
- Down for the Count (Dare Me, Book 1) by Christine Bell
- Down and Dirty (Dare Me, Book 2) by Christine Bell
- Bolted (Promise Harbor Wedding, Book 2) by Meg Benjamin
- Evernight (Darkest London, Book 5) by Kristen Callihan
- What a Duke Dares (Sons of Sin, Book 3) by Anna Campbell
- The Professional: Part 2 by Kresley Cole
- The Professional: Part 3 by Kresley Cole
- How to Ravish a Rake (How to Series, Book 3) by Vicky Dreiling
- Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards
- Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef, Book 2) by Louisa Edwards
- Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, Book 3) by Louisa Edwards
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Cowboy Take Me Away (Rainbow Valley, Book 1) by Jane Graves
- His Game, Her Rules by Charlene Groome
- Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke
- One Taste of Scandal (Redcakes, Book 2) by Heather Hiestand
- Beauty Bites (Biting Love, Book 6) by Mary Hughes
- Hillbilly Rockstar (Blacktop Cowboys, Book 6) by Lorelei James
- The Volatile Amazon (Alliance of the Amazons, Book 4) by Sandy James
- Breathe (In Vino Veritas, Book 2) by Lauren Jameson
- Linger (In Vino Veritas, Book 3) by Lauren Jameson
- When the Rogue Returns (The Duke’s Men, Book 2) by Sabrina Jeffries
- How the Scoundrel Seduces (The Duke’s Men, Book 3) by Sabrina Jeffries
- Alias Hook by Lisa Jensen
- The Sweetheart Secret (Sweetheart Sisters, Book 3) by Shirley Jump
- Archer (Hard Body, Book 1) by Debra Kayn
- One Night of Sin (After Hours, Book 1) by Elle Kennedy
- Caught Up in You (Loving on the Edge, Book 4) by Roni Loren
- Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk, Book 1) by Bec McMaster
- All Fired Up (Hot in the Kitchen, Book 2) by Kate Meader
- Keeping Secrets in Seattle by Brooke Moss
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- Soul Sucker by Kate Pearce
- Dare to Love (Dare to Love, Book 1) by Carly Phillips
- The Fifth Favor by Shelby Reed
- Laugh (Burnside, Book 2) by Mary Ann Rivers
- Festive in Death (In Death, Book 39) by J.D. Robb
- Dark Witch (The Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
- Nights of Steel (The Ether Chronicles, Book 4) by Nico Rosso
- Secrets of a Gentleman Escort by Bronwyn Scott
- It’s In His Kiss (Lucky Harbor, Book 10) by Jill Shalvis
- He’s So Fine (Lucky Harbor, Book 11) by Jill Shalvis
- Archangel’s Legion (Guild Hunter, Book 6) by Nalini Singh
- Rock Addiction (Schoolboy Choir, Book 1) by Nalini Singh
- Convicted by Dee Tenorio
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- Easy by Tammara Webber
- The Accidental Abduction by Darcie Wilde
- Takeover by Anna Zabo

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