The Marriage Merger (Marriage to a Billionaire #4) by Jennifer Probst

Her sisters have found wedded bliss with their wealthy,wonderful dream men, but not Julietta Conte. She’s stayed on terra firma as top executive of the family’s corporation, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Work is her passion, and her trendy Milan apartment her sanctuary . . . until Sawyer Wells, a masculine masterpiece in a suit, lures her out of hiding with an irresistible offer: an exclusive partnership with his international chain of boutique hotels.

Julietta’s been burned before—and trusting her brother-in-law’s friend, whose powerful gaze alone has her rethinking the best use of a conference room, is the riskiest proposition. But with a once-in-a-career chance to take the bakery global, will she mix stone-cold business with red-hot seduction?

Grace's Review

3.0 - 3.5 Stars

As a fan of the previous books in the series, I was really excited and curious about the fourth book, which pairs Julietta Conte and Sawyer Wells! Julietta is head of the family business, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Sawyer has big plans for the chain of hotels he's opening and offers Julietta a huge merger deal. When they first meet, boy, is the attraction instant! Business shouldn't mix with pleasure, right?

I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Julietta is fierce, independent, and business savvy. Sawyer is a truly giving person with a damaged past. There are reasons why he needs to be in charge and in control.

In the end I liked The Marriage Merger, but it was really difficult for me to rate. I think the reason why is the first half of the book was too slow and uninteresting for me. Right away Sawyer senses submissive qualities in Julietta and doesn't waste time trying to pursue her. Their first encounter in the bedroom was a whopper! Although it was steamy, I got easily bored. This particular scene was really, really long, and I kept checking to see how many pages was left in the chapter...not good. I LOVED the second half more! I'm pretty sure it all has to do with Mama Conte doing what she does best. If you've been following the series, you know what that is! As for Julietta and Sawyer, we get to see all their emotions play out wonderfully. Both find each other a challenge. Sawyer feels Julietta deserves better, so there's lots of angst while they sort out issues.

Jennifer Probst is really great at bringing the beautiful Italian setting surrounding Milan to life in the story. Her writing left me with a “wish-I-was-there” feeling. Really, I wanted to climb into the Conte household and share a meal with them! Yum! I also found the story of how Sawyer met Mama Conte to be really touching. The addition of the secondary character, Wolfe, was both unexpected and genius! I loved Wolfe! I was craving more of him by the end.

Although not my favorite, The Marriage Merger is a solid installment. I have enjoyed the Marriage to a Billionaire books very much. Jennifer Probst ends this series in a satisfying full circle, which I truly appreciated. If you're looking for something romantic, seductive, with the right amount of angst and humor, give this whole series a try. The Marriage Merger can be read as a standalone.

***A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.***

A Brutal Tenderness (Terrible Love #2) by Marata Eros

There are two sides to every story. In this dark and sexy companion novel to the New York Times bestseller A Terrible Love, experience the sizzling passion and pulse-pounding suspense through FBI agent Cas Steele’s eyes as he hunts down a psychopath...and falls for the killer’s prey.

Cas has been charged with an unsavory task: manipulate the hauntingly beautiful Jewell MacLeod—a woman he has every reason to hate—and slowly gain her trust in order to use her as bait to lure in a killer. But as the killer draws closer, Cas realizes that he can’t deny the scorching chemistry that ignites between him and Jewell, even if giving into his physical desire for her means jeopardizing his mission...and opening himself up to the possibility of a real and terrible love...

Holly's Review

I need to begin by telling you all that I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

This is yet another book written as a companion to the first book from the Hero's POV, and I am seriously loving these kinds of books! I mean really, who hasn't read a book and wondered at least once what was going on in the other persons head? 

If you read book one, A Terrible Love, you absolutely have to read this one! There is SOOOOO much more to this story that you have no idea about only hearing it from Jess/Jewell's POV!! Getting into Cas's head is so emotional I found myself aching for him even more than I ever did for the Heroine. This story begins at pretty much the same time as the first one but the story is so different since Cas and Jewell don't even really meet until she is away at college. Even though their lives have intertwined LONG before that, before they ever knew. I was also really surprised to learn in this book that almost nobody was who they appeared to be!! Cryptic, I know, but I really can't say more without major spoilers, and since I would NEVER do that to you all I will just say....READ THESE BOOKS!

I don't want to give too much away for anyone who has not read these books but I will say this is a wonderful story with a bit of everything. Drama, suspense, love and smokin' hot sex with a bad boy!

I have never read anything by this author before but you better believe I will be from now on!

****This book was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley

Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield

What boundaries would you cross for love?

That's the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician to learn about her daughter's death and finds herself falling for him. A touching love story that will have you equally tantalized and in tears, Jane's Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it's too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no age.

Jane's Melody may not be suitable for younger readers due to sexual content.

Grace's Review

***** 5 Amazing, Emotional, Romantic, Bright Shiny, Beautiful Stars!!! (Spoiler-free review)

I've been spoiled lately. I've been reading some really fantastic books. Then I encounter this precious gem of a story a few days ago. I had seen someone recommend Jane's Melody to another. I had never heard of this story or this author before. I was curious, looked it up, and took the plunge. Best. Decision. Ever!

I'm not going to delve too much into the plot. Jane is grieving the loss of her daughter when Caleb enters her life. Caleb is a young, aspiring, guitar-playing musician who writes his own music. 

“He tasted as sweet as any forbidden fruit could.” 

Despite the age difference between Jane and Caleb, this story is written more from the angle of two gorgeous souls merging into one. It's about two lives connecting at just the right moment. It deals with grief, the effects of alcoholism, true friendship, and being able to live in the moment fearlessly. And finding LOVE again! I can't even begin to tell you how romantic Jane's Melody is! The banter between Jane and Caleb is so playful and delightful. I think I pretty much loved whatever came out of Caleb's mouth, whether he was talking or singing. He is simply one word...irresistible! My gosh, this also had some of the most beautiful, tender love scenes I've ever read!

Ryan Winfield sure knows how to write a moving, un-put-downable story! His writing flows seamlessly and is absolutely lovely to read. I ended up highlighting several passages while I was reading.

“She could see endless pools of thought swirling in the depths of his green irises, and she suddenly felt as if she'd known him in another life—as if she'd been here waiting in this world for him to arrive, to find her purpose in his gaze.” 

Thank you, Ryan Winfield, for this beautiful story! It made me smile and cry huge, wet tears. It made me think about how I want to live my own life. Thank you for a sweet ending with no cliffhanger. If stories were stars in the sky, Jane's Melody would be a bright, shiny one! I highly recommend it. One of my most favorite reads ever!

Losing Hope (Hopeless #2) by Colleen Hoover

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

Holly's Review

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!! I MEAN ABSOLUTELY HEART WRENCHING, MAKE YOU UGLY CRY, AMAZING!!

Colleen Hoover does this to me with every one of the fan-fucking-tastic books that she writes, and I can't devour them fast enough!!

You know, even though I have read Hopeless (and needless to say ugly cried my eyes out there too) and knew the story it still wrecked me all over again!!

I love when a really good author writes a phenomenal story from the other persons POV - It is simply amazing! It's one thing to feel this story unfold with Sky in Hopeless, that was heartbreaking enough, but to now feel it unfold with Holder, who knew things all along that were just destroying him inside, OMG, I am getting teary just thinking about it again! 

Amazing Story Telling, did I say that already!! :)

Holder is just this incredible guy that is carrying so much baggage around with him you just ache for him. I loved the letters to Les and being with him while he worked his way through all of his guilt and anger and sadness. When you read Hopeless you are so caught up in the pain that Sky has you never really think about Holder since he was there to help her through it! But seriously, how can you not love and feel for a guy who says shit like this...

“I wonder if it's possible for people to fall in love with a person one characteristic at a time, or if you fall for the entire person at once.”

Right???

Oh, and I have to add that I LOVED the sweet little piece of Will and Layken that was slightly hidden in there!! Totally loved that!!!

Ok, for you newbies, you CANNOT read this without reading Hopeless first and if you haven't read Hopeless, well, I can't imagine what the hell you are waiting for!! GO GET IT!! 

I am not kidding when I say Collen Hoover stole my heart with Slammed and she has been an auto-buy for me ever since and I have not given even one of her books less than 5 stars!! YES!! THEY ROCK THAT HARD!!!


*****Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to Netgalley for providing me this ARC(Even though my hard copy has already been pre-ordered!!)

Uncharted (On the Island #1.5) by Tracey Garvis Graves

Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island

When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all. 

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind. 

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago. 

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined. 

Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 2013

Holly's Review

I can honestly say that On The Island is one of my all time favorite books! So when I heard there was going to be a companion novella of course I was all over it!! I absolutely wanted to spend more time with Anna and TJ! My only complaint.... It's a novella and I wanted more, more, more!! I seem to channel my inner stalker/voyeur when it comes to these people because I want to be with them every second and absorb everything they are doing! Probably not healthy, but there it is! :)

I am a little ashamed to say that at first it took me a minute to remember who Owen Sparks was, but after a few minutes it all came rushing back and I was hooked! I couldn't put this book down. 

This book is Owen telling his story to Anna and TJ - I don't want to reveal too much for anyone who has not read OTI. But really, if you haven't read On The Island, what could you possibly be waiting for?

Anyway, Owen comes to Anna and TJ in this installment to tell them his story, and hope they can forgive him! Owen leaves behind his life as a successful business man to try to find meaning in life through solitude on a deserted island! His story is crazy proof that one simple decision we make in life can sometimes have a life altering affect on people we don't even know. The universe is a crazy, amazing place and we can't control the paths life takes sometimes.

I can't recommend these books enough, when I finished OTI I found myself an auto-buy author in Tracy Garvis-Graves and if you have read this one or On The Island, do it now. You'll thank me :)

Grace's Review

Takes you back “On the Island”...Amazing!

Wow! I just spent a few exhilarating hours reading Uncharted, and Tracey Garvis-Graves has done it again! Owen Sparks's experience on the island was so different than Anna and T.J.'s experience. It felt both good and strange to be transported back to this place that T.J. describes as “beautifully deceiving”, because isn't that what this little uncharted, uninhabited island really is? Lots of questions from “On the Island” will be answered through Owen's riveting and incredible story! Loved!

Reunited In Danger by Joya Fields, Review & Giveaway!!

Keely Allen’s life goes into a tailspin when her adoptive father is viciously attacked. And the detective who offers to help her? None other than the sexy, love ’em and leave ’em man who once broke her heart. Homicide Detective Logan North carries a haunting secret that has always kept his emotions on lock-down  But when he is forced to work alongside his former lover, the heat is still there between them, burning hotter than ever. Logan is determined to keep the luscious and tempting Keely at a distance...but he made a vow not to leave until all are safe. On their race to solve the tangled web of crime, drug deals, and human trafficking, dangers abound—both to their lives…and to their hearts.

Grace's Review

A sweet reigniting of passion swirled into a highly intense story! 4.5 Stars!

When I first found out about Reunited in Danger, I was anticipating the day when I would be able to read it. I really enjoyed getting to know Keely and Logan. They've known each other since childhood, and it has been 10 years since their painful heartbreak. Now Logan, an ex-Marine turned homicide detective, is back in Keely's life to find out who attacked her father. Keely, a social worker, wants to solve the mystery with him. He has a wild temper that needs taming. She's been harboring a secret. It's a dangerous road uncovering clues and weeding out suspects, but working together just might reignite the passion they once shared. 

Joya Fields is really good at keeping the reader out of the loop until at just the right moment. Once all the pieces start to fit together, watch out! My stomach was in knots as everything unfolded with all the action and danger. As a huge fan of her stories, I know Joya Fields can combine endearing romance with amazing suspense, and that is exactly what I got with Reunited in Danger.

For fans of second-chance romances, and for those who crave a fast-paced, highly intense plot, this story will get your heart racing on many levels. I enjoyed it so much that I read it twice!

*** A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review. ***

Reunited in Danger buy-links:

Amazon

Kobo

Barnes and Noble

Joya Fields Bio:

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and is nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award.

     Joya has taught arts and crafts, worked in public relations, helped her children raise prize-winning 4-H livestock, competed in three marathons, and even spent a year as a Baltimore Colts cheerleader. She loves hanging with her high school sweetheart/husband of over twenty years, two very supportive children, and a pug who follows her everywhere.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Surviving Raine (Surviving Raine #1) by Shay Savage

As the captain of a schooner catering to the elite on the Caribbean Seas, Sebastian Stark does his best to avoid any human encounters. Interacting with people isn’t his thing, and he prefers the company of a bottle of vodka, a shot glass, and maybe a whore. There’s no doubt he’s hiding from a checkered past, but he does well keeping everything to himself…

…until the night his schooner capsizes, and he’s stuck on a life raft with one of the passengers.

Raine’s young, she’s cute, and Bastian would probably be into her if he wasn’t suffering from alcohol withdrawal. As the days pass, DTs, starvation, and dehydration become the norm. Even the most closed person starts to open up when he thinks he’s going to die, but when she realizes their traumatic pasts are connected, it’s no longer the elements that have Bastian concerned.

He has no idea how he’s going to Survive Raine.

Holly's Review

I really loved this book!

I don't think I can put it much simpler than that! Every freakin' thing about it! I am even ok with the fact that there is more to come because it wasn't necessarily a cliffy, a little, but not really, ya know? I really want to spend more time with Bastian and Raine but I feel pretty good about where we left off, if that makes sense :)

Ok, here is the thing, Bastian is a mean fucker, seriously, a total meanie! A lot!! But he can be totally awesome too, holy shit I can see why Raine falls in love with him anyway!

Hang on, getting ahead of myself here...

Bastian Stark is the captain of The Oblation, a charter ship that takes out what Bastian refers to as rich, society types on vacation cruises. He has no use for them, well actually people in general! He is an alcoholic with a kind of horrific past, a uniquely horrific past and really an all around dick! So when The Oblation goes down and he is stranded in a life raft with a girl he thinks is some rich bitch on vacation, you can imagine he is not happy. I loved Raine, she was tough, smart and never took any shit from Bastian. She gets him and is exactly what she needs, even if he doesn't know it!

They don't know each other, he hates people, is an alcoholic about to go through serious withdrawal and all they have is each other. Sound awesome yet?? :) Honestly, when I read the synopsis for this book it sounded ok but this book was anything but ok! They story sucks you in from the very beginning. The first half is spent in a life raft and the second half on an island but there is always so much going on you just devour the story. 

I cannot say enough about the amazing journey these to take of self discovery, acceptance and love. There is never a dull moment and I promise you won't be able to put this book down.

"Every time I look at you it's like my chest gets crushed, and I just want to stare at you and hold on to you and tell you everything is going to be all right. I don't know what it is Raine. I don't understand what you're doing to me."

"I love you too, Bastian." 

Did I mention that I loved this book?? I hope y'all do too!!

Escape from Paradise by Gwendolyn Field

When college sophomore Angela Birch sneaks from Texas to Mexico for Spring Break, she believes the worst that can happen is her parents finding out.

Wrong.

The worst is falling for the ruse of handsome, alluring Fernando. One spontaneous choice whisks Angela across the world to the pseudo paradise of Spain’s Mediterranean Riviera where she has another choice to make: live cooperatively as one of billionaire Marco Ruiz’s slaves, or die.

* * *

Colin Douglas’s future was seized and choked when deliberate tragedy struck his Scottish family at the age of sixteen. He spent his remaining youthful years infiltrating the U.K.’s crime world, seeking power, control, and revenge, all leading to a position as an undercover agent. With nothing to lose, Colin accepts the seemingly impossible job of rescuing America’s famous missing girl, Angela Birch. Colin knows that to enter a snake lair, one must become a snake. It turns out to be a mission which will put his desire for control to the ultimate test, and make him wish for things he never knew he wanted.


*AUTHOR'S NOTE* Escape from Paradise is a work of fiction intended for adult readers, containing graphic sexual scenarios and strong language.

Holly's Review

You know those amazing books where you basically read it in one sitting because you can't stand to be away from it for more than a few minutes at a time. The kind where you are still thinking about the characters two days later and you have to track down and friend the author on Facebook so that you can tell her how fucking awesome her book was and how much you loved it??? 

Yeah, that was me and this book!!

This wonderful story is not a wonderful story! Ok, I know that doesn't make sense but what I mean is this is a story of kidnapping, rape, murder, human slavery....get it?? Not pretty, but amazing none the less!

This is the story of two people, Angela and Colin. Angela is your basic fun loving, beautiful college girl who is feeling slightly guilty about lying to her parents to go off to Mexico with her girlfriends for vacation. Can you see how this is all gonna go really, really wrong from here?

Angela meets a cute guy in a bar and slips away from her friends to have a little fun with him in his car. Never does she imagine she will be raped and kidnapped. She soon finds herself in Marco's self proclaimed paradise where she is to become one of the house/sex slaves for the enjoyment of this powerful man and his friends and associates.

Angela quickly learns that she needs to learn to adapt or continue to face awful punishments. 

Everything I thought I knew about myself and life, all my views shifted and changed that day. Ideas of privacy and entitlement and freedom slipped away. The meanings of strength and weakness morphed and failed to matter anymore. All that mattered was survival with minimal pain. ~Angela 

After 2 years Angela assumes that everyone thinks she is dead but her parents have never given up hope. 

Enter Colin.

Colin has a rough background as his parents were murdered when he was in college and his younger brother was taken as a slave. The police gave up but Colin hardened and searched in ways the law could not and found his brother 7 years later. Broken and drugged out of his mind, a shell of the boy he was. After this Colin works 'off the book/black ops' for MI6 which is how they come to enlist Colin to go in and find Angela.

Colin has ties to the ugly side of life that he made while searching for his brother and soon secures himself an invite to Marco's 'Paradise'- where he finds Angela! Now the hard part. Get them both out alive. 

Angela knows that Colin is different than the other patrons and takes a liking to him. She doesn't know he is there to save her and the other slaves who have become her friends warn her not to get her heart involved. So guess what?? Yeah, you got it, they fall for each other! 

That is all I am going to give you. That should have sufficiently peeked your interest so GO GET THIS BOOK!!!! If you can handle the darker side of it I promise you will love Colin and Angela's story!!

Entwined with You (Crossfire #3) by Sylvia Day

The worldwide phenomenon continues as Eva and Gideon face the demons of their pasts, and accept the consequences of their obsessive desires… 

From the moment I first met Gideon Cross, I recognized something in him that I needed. Something I couldn’t resist. I saw the dangerous and damaged soul inside–so much like my own. I was drawn to it. I needed him as surely as I needed my heart to beat.

No one knows how much he risked for me. How much I’d been threatened, or just how dark and desperate the shadow of our pasts would become.

Entwined by our secrets, we tried to defy the odds. We made our own rules and surrendered completely to the exquisite power of possession…

Holly's Review

Let me just start by saying I love everything about Gideon Cross!!!

“Honestly, Gideon Cross had been designed to fuck a woman right out of her mind.” 

However, this installment of this great series, that was only supposed to be a trilogy, was just meh for me. It just didn't feel like it had a huge amount of substance. Let me try to explain without giving spoilers if you have not read books one and two yet. We come off of book 2 with something pretty substantial happening to Gideon and Eva, enough to break them but they hang in there. Now, I expected us to move forward but this felt like a whole book full of standing still! Oh and massive amounts of smokin' hot sex!! That part of the book did not disappoint AT ALL!! But that even tended to get a little repetitive at times! Yeah, I said it! :)

“My domineering lover made no apologies for his caveman tendencies.” 

All of this whining aside, I am still madly in love with Eva and Gideon as well as Cary and whoever he may be loving at any given time and the whole Crossfire cast! I will happily and eagerly devour he next two installments of this series and enjoy every minute! 

“If souls could be mated with wishes, ours would be inextricably entwined.”