eARC Book review: Hot Response (Boston Fire #4) by Shannon Stacey

eARC Provided by publisher through Netgalley
Available May 1st 2018


Gavin Boudreau lives for the job, but he also believes in “work hard, play harder.” As the youngest guy in Ladder 37, he figures he’s got plenty of time before settling down becomes a priority. Soft, pretty women who aren’t looking for promises are exactly his type, and he’s comfortable with that. Working with a gorgeous EMT isn’t going to change who he is.

The last thing Cait Tasker needs in her personal life is a firefighter whose challenges on-scene have been a thorn in her side from minute one. Her plate’s too full for a man anyway. Back in her childhood home to help her family cope with an unexpected tragedy, she’s got enough to handle without throwing a hot, testosterone-laden fireman into the mix.

As long days on the job lead to long nights together, Gavin and Cait will discover how far temptation can take them—and what happens when the one you thought was all wrong for you turns out to be the person you can’t live without.

Gavin is the youngest guy in his fire house. He's just doing his thing and living his life thinking he's got plenty of time to be single. Then he has a run in with EMT Cait Tasker. Cait has moved back home with her mom and step brother to help out since her step father passed away. Throwing all in with helping her mom and step brother cope she doesn't have time for a man. The sparks fly though whenever Cait and Gavin are in the vicinity of each other. I fell right into this book. I loved both Cait and Gavin. The guys from the firehouse and Cait's partner were awesome secondary characters. Gavin and Cait try to navigate their relationship at the same time dealing with busy dangerous careers and Cait's troubled family. It not always easy but it is interesting. The author drew me into this couple and got me invested in what happened with them. Of course with all the drama there was also plenty of laughs to make it a well rounded romance. I can't wait to read the next installment. 

Find out more about Shannon Stacey and this series here www.shannonstacey.com

eARC Book review: The Last King (The Kings #1) by Katee Robert

Available now.
eARC Provided by publisher through Netgalley

Ultra wealthy and super powerful, the King family is like royalty in Texas. But who will keep the throne? New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert introduces a red-hot new series.

THE MAN SHE HATES TO LOVE

Beckett King just inherited his father's fortune, his company-and all his enemies. If he's going to stay on top, he needs someone he can trust beside him. And though they've been rivals for years, there's no one he trusts more than Samara Mallick.

The rebel. That's how Samara has always thought of Beckett. And he's absolutely living up to his unpredictable ways when he strides into her office and asks for help. She can't help wondering if it's a legit request or just a ploy to get her into bed. Not that she'd mind either one. After all, she likes to live on the edge too.

But soon the threats to the King empire are mounting, and the two find family secrets darker than they ever imagined and dangerous enough to get them both killed.

Beckett King hasn't gotten along with his dad since his mother passed away as a young boy. They made it work as adults the best they could. When his father died in a car accident presumably drunk something seemed off. Samara Mallick works for a rival company owned by the his aunt who had a grudge against Beckett's dad since a falling out with her families years ago. The two clash over contracts they both go after but although they should be enemies theirs some series sizzle between them. As that attraction grows there are threats against Beckett that seem to be escalating. While Beckett and Samara draw closer Samara has to wrestle with her past demons and growing feelings for Beckett. Honestly i likes this well enough but it didn't really click for me. I couldn't get into it until the very end and i like the Frank and Journey angle more than Samara and Beckett. Frank and Journey are the next book. I can't really pinpoint what the problem was.  Frank and Journey and Anderson all secondary characters are what interested me most and make me want to try the next book. We'll see.

Find out more about Katee Roberts and this series here www.kateerobert.com

eARC Book review: Ruff Around the Edges (The Dogfather #5) by Roxanne St. Claire

Available April 12, 2018
eARC Provided by author

The Dogfather is a contemporary romance series from New York Times bestselling author Roxanne St. Claire celebrating what she loves most: hot guys, great dogs, big families...and true love. And a portion of the proceeds from every book in the series will be donated to the Alaqua Animal Refuge in the author's home state of Florida! 

U.S Army Night Stalker Major Aidan Kilcannon leaves Afghanistan after his best friend, Charlie, is killed in action. Aidan's only consolation is the knowledge that he's now solely responsible for Charlie's dog, Ruff, a rambunctious boxer they'd found in a bombed-out hospital in Kabul. With the help of Aidan's father, the Dogfather himself, they transport Ruff back to the States. He arrives shortly after Aidan, and both dog and man are suffering from loss, trauma, and sudden change. Aidan is certain his only hope is the comfort and love he gets from Ruff, and that this dog will help him adjust to the staggeringly difficult transition from battlefield to Bitter Bark.

But the day Ruff arrives, Daniel Kilcannon informs his son that Rebecca Spencer, Charlie's younger sister, has a hard and fast claim on Ruff and she intends to honor her brother's wishes. Aidan has to relinquish the dog to her, no matter how impossible that is. 

Beck Spencer is in Bitter Bark temporarily to help the only living relatives she has left. After losing her parents as a child, and her brother six months ago, she, too, hopes that Ruff will offer the solace and companionship she needs. But when Ruff finally shows up at her door, the man holding the leash is obviously determined to talk her out of keeping the dog. In fact, Aidan uses every persuasive power he has to convince Beck to give up Ruff...and he's as wild and unpredictable as the dog they both want.

Everything gets complicated by Ruff, who has his own idea of who should be his master, making it impossible for Beck to win him over. But she'll do anything to succeed, even work closely with maddeningly sexy and relentlessly determined Aidan Kilcannon, who has some skills she desperately needs to save her uncle's local pizza business.

With an uneasy truce, a restless dog, and an attraction that bubbles like one of Slice of Heaven's award-winning pizzas, Aidan and Beck soon realize they can help each other heal. But as they fall deeply in love and discover the true meaning of family and home, they’ll have to face the pains of their past if they have any chance of a future.


Aidan Kilcannon has been away from home for a long time. He and his best friend served in the military together until a combat injury ends his best friends life. Now Aidan is back home and he's hell bent on honoring his best friends final wishes for the beloved stray dog, Ruff he found in Afghanistan Aidan had Ruff shipped home. It took a lot of work and money to do it but it's all he has left of his best friend, Charlie. He's got one problem. Charlie's baby sister has a letter that her brother wrote her saying he wanted her to have the dog. Beck is so excited to have her brother's dog. It's all she has left of him now that he's gone. She butts heads with Aidan over the dog but she's determined.  The dog isn't the only issue these two are dealing with. There's a lot of loss mentioned in this book as the two main characters both have had signmificant loss in their lives.  It was great to see these two figure out the dog ownership problem and help each other heal. The Kilcannon family is a delight as they have been in every book and Roxanne St Claire does a wonderful job making you feel like a part of all that. There's just so much to like about this book and the series on the whole. At the end of this book is a sneak peek at the next book in the series which of course makes you want to read it now! Going to have to wait a while. 

Find out more about this series and Roxanne St Claire here www.roxannestclaire.com

eARC Book review: Jagged (Whiskey Sharp #2) by Lauren Dane

Available now!
eARC Provided by publisher through Netgalley

Vicktor Orlov took one look at the wary gaze and slow-to-trust personality of the deliciously sexy and fascinating Rachel Dolan and knew he wanted more than just a casual friendship. But as a natural protector, he also knew bossiness and overprotective maneuvering would push her away rather than draw her close. He’ll use every tool in his easygoing arsenal to convince her to take a chance on them.

Rachel’s flourishing new career as a tattoo artist has brought color back into a life previously damaged by a series of bad choices and violence. She knows she can trust Vic—it’s herself she’s not sure of. She doesn’t want to be caged or controlled. Doesn’t want to be protected so much she has no ability to make her own choices.

And damn if the man doesn’t know it.

When Vic finally drops all pretenses of “just friends” and focuses all his careful affection and irresistible seduction on her, Rachel knows she’s falling hard for the laid-back pretty-boy Russian she discovers has a relentlessly steel spine when it comes to her.

And she can’t resist.

Vic and Rachel are introduced in the first book in this series and given enough page time to give a good sense about who they might be. I was kind of excited to see where the author would go with these characters. Rachel is former Secret Service which ended when she was abducted by a killer and held and tortured. There is some deep issues in her life in regards to that but she's slowly pushing through and getting better with getting on with her life. Vic, along with his family has been helping a lot with that. Rachel and her sister Maybe own a house together and share parents, particularly their dad who make their lives miserable by insisting Rachel is is harms way living around her sister and Vic's family. This is explained in book one and is more focused in this book. I love how Rachel slowly opens up to Vic and he gives her the time she needs to do that. You can watch her get her power back as the story moves a long. Vic opens up to her in return and watching the two develop as a couple was interesting to see.  I can't say which character i like best so far as they are all quite interesting in different ways. There is one more book in this series and a excerpt can be found for that at the end of this book. Of course i read it and am hooked in for book three in this series coming in June.  I have not read a lot of Lauren Dane but this series has definitely pulled me in to finding more from this author.

Find out more from Lauren Dane and this series here www.laurendane.com

eARC Book review: From Best Friend to Daddy (Return to Stonerock) by Jules Bennett

Available April 1st, 2018
eARC Provided by author through Publisher

From “just one night”

...to bonded for life

Kate McCoy calculates everything. She has every detail in her life organized to perfection—until the fateful night she steps into Gray Gallagher’s arms. “One time only,” she vows about getting romantic with Gray, her longtime protector and her closest friend. But this time, perfect Kate has miscalculated: the woman who plans everything is unexpectedly expecting. And the heart she has so carefully sheltered starts seeing her cherished friend in a very different light…

This is one of those read in one sitting books. The kind you enjoy when you just want something easy but good. Kate is a planner. She plans everything. That's her home business. She helps other people plan and organize. Gray has been her best friend for years. Somewhere along the way and in the course of time their love for each other became more without them realizing it. Past experiences made them wary of commitment of the marriage and permanence kind. Until they give in to their attraction and things go a little sideways from there. I love Kate and Gray. Likable characters throughout the story. You know you're getting a HEA and even in the shorter amount of pages feel like you get a full story. Perfect for that one rainy evening in. 

Find out more about Jules Bennett and this series here www.julesbennett.com