Unbeautifully (Undeniable #2) by Madeline Sheehan

Warning: This is not a story about fate or destiny. This is a story about pain, sorrow, and suffering. This is an impulsive whirlwind romance between two lovers that are not meant to be together. Theirs is not a world with sunshine and roses. Instead, their love blossoms in a secret world full of crime, violence, and death. Their story is about what can be born from nightmares. 

Danielle “Danny” West is the daughter of Deuce West, President of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. A sweet and beautiful girl, she loses her way, searching for things that are always out of her reach. Erik “Ripper” Jacobs is the Sergeant of Arms in the Hell’s Horsemen. Once a man who always had a smile on his face, his life takes a turn for the worst when a tragedy befalls him, leaving him scarred and broken. During a midsummer night, Danny and Ripper’s paths cross, forever changing their lives. Hastily, their lust turns to love until another tragedy forces them apart. On a journey that is marred with ugliness and chaos, Danny and Ripper must discover if their unforeseen connection can find the beauty in their world. 

This is Danny and Ripper’s story. 

Everything has beauty. Even the ugly. Especially the ugly.
Because without ugly, there would be no beauty.

Holly's Review

OH! MY! FUCKING! GOD! I DEVOURED THIS BOOK AND THIS BITCH TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY LOVED IT!!!! I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS SERIES! PLEASE MADELINE, WRITE FASTER!!

Review coming as soon as I can get my shit sorted and reel it in!!!

Alright, here goes, even though I really don't know where to start! I am having such book hangover after reading this it's like I wish I could just wipe my memory so I can experience it all over again! That's the very thing I love most about these books and these characters is that when I live in their world for awhile it's ok to love the savage and carnal nature that is their lives!

HOLY FUCK! I just can't even begin to express how much I want to crawl into this world and live. Seriously, I honestly don't think I'd last a minute with the Hell's Horseman, but hey, a girl can dream right??

You know I didn't think there was any way that I could love any of the characters the way I did Duece and Eva but this book not only gave us a lot more Duece and Eva along with Danny and Rippers story but we got a just enough info about some of the other members(with upcoming stories I might add *jumping up and down*)to REALLY leave us hungry for more!! I literally squealed when I read there was going to be 5 books in all!!

Danny and Ripper begin there wonderfully beautiful fucked up story when Ripper picks Danny up from her senior prom and they end up having crazy amazing drunk sex all night! I know right....I'll give you a second to digest that....ok, good? Now things can't just work out cause what kind of shitty story would that be? This book, entire series I imagine, is so drama filled that when you finish each book you are so blissfully exhausted you might need to smoke a cigarette....if you get my drift!! Yeah, shit totally gets real, like a bunch of times!! OMG! I FUCKING LOVE THIS BOOK!! DID I SAY THAT ALREADY!!

Now I could go on and on and review the whole story, but I have read a million AWESOME reviews and really if you don't know what these stories are about or haven't read them then you really need to get your shit together and GET THESE FUCKING BOOKS RIGHT NOW!!! BTW, THIS SERIES MAKES ME CUSS LIKE A BAD ASS BIKER BITCH!! I LOVE IT!!

Here is how I see Danny waiting for Ripper to come and fuck her on his bike! Enjoy Bitches, and remember to REEL IT IN!

Thessa's Review

Five Stars

“I wanna rip you the fuck open,” he said, breathing harder as his thrusts became brutal. “I want all of me inside all of you, not just my fuckin’ cock, baby, but all of me. All of you.”
“Yes,” she whimpered. “I want all of you.” 

FUCK. ME. That shit was fucking awesome.

Just. Fucking. Awesome. 

I’m such a happy girl right now. Just like Deuce and Eva’s story in book one, I devoured this story of Ripper and Danny. This story isn’t pretty; no candy, chocolate-covered hearts nor flowers made any appearances. This author writes stories that are truly raw, unapologetic and just downright addictive. 

Ours was the furthest thing from a picture-perfect romance; it was more of a car crash, a metal-bending, blood-splattered disaster that left no survivors, only bad memories and heartache.
But it was ours.
And because it was ours…I wouldn’t change a thing. 

When I finished Undeniable, I was left with the thought that Deuce’s daughter, Danny, was going to end up with ZZ. So when I read the blurb and found out that it was Danny and Ripper’s story, I was a little confused, but still very intrigued. 

Ripper and Danny: What an unlikely pairing. After Frankie carved him up in book one, Ripper is horribly scarred, dangerous and teetering on the edge of going completely crazy. You do not want to be on his bad side. As for Danny, she’s beautiful, bright, and a future full of potential. Deuce wanted more for her; never to live a biker’s life. So, how did Ripper and Danny end up together?

Ripper had been walking around life pissed off, not giving a shit about anything, until he’d made the mistake of fucking a girl he’d never given a second thought to before and everything had changed. Suddenly he cared about what was going to happen next… 

The way this story was told was nothing short of creative. We start off where book one ended: At a barbeque with Deuce, Eva, Cage, Danny, ZZ and the rest of the MC. In the first chapter, we see ZZ proposing marriage to Danny, while Ripper just watches in horror, waiting to hear her response. Then immediately, we are taken back three years prior to where Ripper and Danny’s story began. 

It was the night of Danny’s senior prom. Danny’s home life with Deuce and Eva has been a miserable one ever since the night Frankie took Eva; Deuce and Eva were never the same. Everything was strained between the two and Danny was feeling the effects of it. All she wanted was to leave her prom. It was Ripper who picked her up. It was Ripper who helped her forget. Nothing was ever the same between them ever again.

“But I ain’t never wanted pussy like I want yours and…Danny, I ain’t gonna touch another bitch, don’t even wanna. Fuck, baby, since that night at the lake, I haven’t done shit but jerk myself off, thinking of you.”

The relationship between Ripper and Danny is passionate and intense. You can’t help but be immersed in it. The drama surrounding them made it even fiercer. There’s the club, Deuce, who will immediately put a hit out on Ripper if he ever found out about them, Ripper’s feeling of being undeserving of Danny, and so many other factors that can force them apart. 

We existed in a world where words weren’t needed. Everything I needed to know, everything he was feeling, I could already see on his face and feel through his touch. 

I love immersing myself in this world that Madeline created. All this. This crazy-ass world, with its crazy ass characters, that are all beautiful and dangerously flawed, is what makes reading so enjoyable. The balance between heartache and happiness was just executed flawlessly. I love Ripper’s possessiveness and raw power, but it was his vulnerabilities that made him so lovable and beautiful. He and Danny are a perfect match. 

I was glad to see more of Eva and Deuce’s story connected with Danny and Ripper’s. I’m also ecstatic to hear that there will be THREE more books to this series:
- Cage & Tegan, 
- Hawk, Dorothy & Jase (This has insane drama written all over it!)
- ZZ’s 
I anxiously await for all of these. CAN. NOT. WAIT. 

Friend-Zoned (Friend-Zoned #1) by Belle Aurora

Nikolai Leokov never thought he'd fall in love with the only girl he's ever befriended. 

Valentina Tomic has issues with commitment after the ultimate betrayal. 

When Tina decides to make broody Nik's day better, she never thought she would end up friends with the hard man. 

Nik has never had a woman be so affectionate to him without expecting something in return. 

Nik and Tina cordially invite you to read Friend-zoned. 

A story of friendship, humour and love.

Thessa's Review

4.5 Stars

I want to protect her from everything that’s bad in the world. I want her to need me. But we’re friends. And friends don’t do shit like that. 

I love, Love, LOVE friends to lover type stories, and this story is as awesome as it gets. This was so freaking cute! I had such a toothache from smiling so much. OMG, this story has everything: Strong Alpha Hero, a loveable-non-annoying heroine, a wonderful cast of supporting characters (whom I can easily see myself being friends with, too), tons of humor, and just the right amount of drama. So good!

“So we can be friends, right?”
(Wait, what?)
I stare at her, a frown forming at my mouth.
(Did I…? Did I just get Friend-zoned?)
I look over again to see Tina nodding vigorously and smiling brightly.
Wow, this has never happened to me before. 

Nik didn’t know what to do when Valentina (Tina), just waltz into his life. At first, he didn’t know if she was going to be a typical woman; only wanting him for his money and connections. He was pretty sure that’s what she wanted. Until she friend-zoned him. So here they were, a new friendship formed. 

Tina was all about being Nik’s friend. Yes, he’s sexy and smart, but she wasn’t ready for that type of relationship, yet. Being a friend to Nik would be enough for now. 

“You’re pussy whipped.”
I claim, “I can’t be pussy whipped. I haven’t even had the pussy to be whipped!”
(Take that, Ghost! Oh, wait…)
He chuckles, “That’s even worse, bro.”
(Fuck me, it totally is.) 

Nik has never had a woman friend before. What is he suppose to do with her? He didn’t expect the hurricane that is Tina. All the little things she does for him completely leave him dumbfounded. Slowly, he starts to see something in Tina; something that he didn’t even know he was looking for. Suddenly, he wants to make their relationship more, but is too afraid to ruin what they currently have. Can they make the jump?

“You’re it. The one. The start. The finish. You are how my story ends.” ~Nik 

OMG! Nik totally made me swoon. His slow transformation was so much fun to read, and Tina…I just loved her character. She never came off as fake or annoying. She was a breath of fresh air. Nik never stood a chance. As for the supporting characters, I LOVED each and every one of them, especially Asher (a.k.a. Ghost) and Nat. I cannot wait to read their story next!

Eyes Wide Open (Blackstone Affair #3) by Raine Miller

The third part in The Blackstone Affair series: A love on the brink of being destroyed. The fight of a lifetime to keep it alive.

Big surprises are on the horizon for Ethan and Brynne as they struggle to adjust to what life has thrown at them. Demons from the past are threatening to destroy the passionate bond they’ve forged despite their vow that nothing will ever keep them apart. A truly devastating loss coupled with the promise of a new hope opens their eyes to what is most important, but is it possible for the lovers to move on from the painful histories that continue to haunt them? A stalker is still lurking in the shadows, plotting evil amidst the distraction of the 2012 Olympic games in London. Brynne and Ethan are on the cusp of losing everything as the stakes rise. Will they yield to circumstances beyond their control or will they give every ounce of fight they have left to save each other and win the ultimate prize of a life together?

Eyes Wide Open is a passion-wrought story that shows us what pure love can achieve when tested and what the heart can accomplish despite danger and adversity.

Ethan and Brynn have had an emotional, sexy, roller coaster of a story! The conclusion of their wild, and did I mention SEXY ride was fantastic!

I really enjoyed this story, all three books, in fact, but this one really sucked me in! I don't know, maybe it was the mood I was in, but Ethan Blackstone rates right up there as one of the yummiest dirty talkers I have had the pleasure of enjoying!

In this final installment all kinds of shit happens!! Between all of the REALLY HOT SEX SCENES, there is seriously never a dull moment, I was a little exhausted at the end and loving it!!

There were a lot of things that I loved about this book - to name a few..

~The story is told from both the hero and heroine POV - I love this!
~Ethan is British...enough said!
~I love all of the British-isms!
~The sex was H.O.T!!
~I love that I laughed out loud one minute and my heart would be breaking in the next!
~Oh, and did I mention DIRTY TALKER?!?!?

Brynn and Ethan both have some serious demons but I was in awe of the love and devotion between these two. It seems as though there is nothing that they cannot overcome, and there is a lot of shit to overcome but Brynn is one tough and damaged chick and Ethan is an amazing broken man and they could not be more perfect for each other, they are exactly what the other needs to heal!!!

"Ethan possessed a skill set that combined hot, bad-boy sex god with mannerly, romantic gentleman; something so rare and captivating, I didn’t have a chance of resisting the pull." 

So, if you are new to this series, or like me you were patiently waiting for this book, I promise you won't be disappointed! It is bloody wonderful!

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

Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay

I live in a world without magic or miracles. A place where there are no clairvoyants or shapeshifters, no angels or superhuman boys to save you. A place where people die and music disintegrates and things suck. I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.

Full of rage and without a purpose, former pianist Nastya Kashnikov wants two things: to get through high school without anyone discovering her past and to make the boy who took everything from her pay.

All 17 year-old Josh Bennett wants is to build furniture and be left alone, and everyone allows it because it’s easier to pretend he doesn’t exist. When your name is synonymous with death, everyone tends to give you your space.

Everyone except Nastya, a hot mess of a girl who starts showing up and won’t go away until she’s insinuated herself into every aspect of his life. The more he gets to know her, the more of a mystery she becomes. As their relationship intensifies and the unanswered questions begin to pile up, he starts to wonder if he may ever learn the secrets she’s been hiding or if he even wants to.

The Sea of Tranquility is a slow-building, character-driven romance about a lonely boy, an emotionally fragile girl, and the miracle of second chances.

Please Note: This book contains mature content including profanity, drug/alcohol use, and sexual situations/language.

Thessa's Review

4.5-4.75 Stars

“I just wanted one person who would look at me and not want to see someone else.”
“Who looks at you like that?” I lift my head up and lower my hands so I can see her face, and I can’t imagine anyone looking at this girl and wanting to see anything but her.
“Everyone who loves me.”
“Who is it they want to see?”
“A dead girl.” 

I want to start off by saying two things:

One: I’m an idiot. I’m an idiot because this has been sitting in my Kindle since September 28, 2012. That’s almost 7.5 months of just sitting there; waiting to be read. Yes, I’ve seen all the rave reviews, but it wasn’t until yesterday that I decided to finally give it a go. 

Two: Thank you, God, for FINALLY leading me to this book. I’mFINALLY out of my book funk. For the last week and half, I’ve picked up at least six to seven books and was unable to get into any of them. I was beyond frustrated. Thanks to this incredible story, I finally feel normal again, alive. 

Running away is her thing. Hiding is mine. 

This story is amazing. I have to admit it was kinda hard to first get into, but something about it kept my interest. I wanted to find out who Nastya is and who she was. What happened to her? Why is she the way she is? Why does she no longer speak? As we start to get to know Nastya, we are also introduced to Josh. He is also an enigma that I wanted solved. This is what kept my interest. What draws these two damaged people together? 

I’ve come to expect us, too. I expect her. I expect her here. I expect her at home. I expect her in my life.
And it’s terrifying. 

I really can’t go into the story because there isn’t anything I could really say to sum up the complication that is this story. Just know that this far from a typical. Nastya and Josh’s relationship is not predictable, it’s not hearts, flowers and roses; it’s far from it. These two are broken. All they want is to be alone, to disappear and to go through life unnoticed. However, they slowly and reluctantly intertwine into each other’s lives. Ultimately they find a home, a sense of belonging, when they’re with each other. 

Maybe if I can solve him and he can solve me, we can explain each other. Maybe that’s what I need. Someone to explain me. 

This was such an emotional story. Nastya and Josh are just….sigh I don’t know. I don’t know how to adequately describe them. I love them together. The scenes where they were just together is what made them so real and beautiful as a couple. When they’re apart, something just feels missing; they are incomplete without each other. I don’t know. I feel like I’m just jabbering because this story has made a mess out of me. Thank God for that, you know? I feel more alive because of it. I just wish there was an epilogue.

Before I go, I have to just say that as much as I love Josh, I love Drew, too. Drew is Josh’s best friend and a well-reputed manwhore (or is he?). At first I wasn’t sure what to feel about him. What is his role in this story? Then as the story goes on, the more I fell in love him. He’s such a smart-ass. He’s funny as hell and all around wonderful guy. This is a fairly emotionally charged story and if it wasn’t for Drew, I think I would’ve drowned in the seriousness of it all. Drew’s humor and loyalty just made him that awesome...True story. LOVED him. LOVED this story. 

"What did you see when you died?"
"Your garage." 
Le sigh... =)

Summer in Napa by Marina Adair

Six months ago, New York restaurant owner Alexis “Lexi” Moreau walked in on her husband, Jeff, and their sous chef mixing business with pleasure. Now, Lexi is back in her hometown of St. Helena, California, rebuilding her life and hoping to turn her grandmother’s patisserie into the bistro of her dreams. All she needs is luck, lots of hard work, and a way to avoid the thirty blind dates her matchmaking grandmother arranged. Enter Marco DeLuca — Jeff’s handsome, commitment-phobe best friend who has always had his sights set on Lexi. In high school, Marco convinced himself that Lexi was off-limits. And she still is, especially since Marco’s family’s wine business all depends on a deal with Jeff. But a fake summer romance is the perfect way for Lexi to distract the would-be suitors her grandmother has set up for her. A perfect way for Marco to realize she’s the only one that ever mattered. And a perfect way to fall deliciously in love.

Grace's Review

A perfect pairing just like great food and fine wine!

Marina Adair has done it again with book 2 of the St. Helena Vineyard series! Summer in Napa is as charming, witty, and fun as the first book, only this time Adair sets out to create the perfect romantic pairing with two long-time, good friends. 

Marco DeLuca is the DeLuca brother we get to know all about in this story. Marco has always loved women and living the single life. So when his friend, Lexi Moreau, moves back into town things are shaken up a bit. He's always considered her off-limits, and still does, even after her divorce from his best friend. However, the lines of friendship start to blur as Marco and Lexi embark on a little summer “fauxmance”. 

I adored Lexi! She's back in her hometown of St. Helena to move on with her life and build her dream bistro. It's her time to make a name for herself and shine. There's so much intricate details that go on that involve family, friends, and small-town traditions. One thing is for sure, this story is so delicious, not only in the slow build of the intense romance between Marco and Lexi, which I very much appreciated, but also, Lexi is a chef, and the food she creates just makes my mouth water! Really, try not to read this on an empty stomach.

From the food, beautiful wineries, to the local pride, Marina Adair continues to feature the distinct allure of the Napa Valley region. That is one of my favorite aspects of this series! I have gone on several day trips to Napa to fall in love with its charm. I'm pretty sure that is why I absolutely adore this series so much. I see so much of the Napa charm in this story. Another aspect I love is that Adair has a way of creating secondary characters that are as rich and lively as the main ones and puts them in many engaging situations. If you've read book 1, then you will know exactly what I mean when I say...the grandmothers are back!!!

If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers stories with slow-burning true romance, then you must check out Summer in Napa. I truly enjoy Adair's writing and her sense of humor. She even teases us with possible future couple pairings. I can't wait for the next DeLuca brother to fall in love in the next book, Autumn in the Vineyard!