Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Blog Tour (Excerpt + Review): The Don by Serena Akeryod

 

Blood stains my hands, my soul, my heart, yet I’ll shed more to keep her safe.

The Oath Duet, an all-new must-read wicked and dark mafia romance from Serena Akeroyd, is now available!

The Don

A chance meeting brings Jen MacNeill into my life—the woman born to reign at my side.

She just doesn’t know it yet. 

How could my Lady be anything other than a silken promise taunting me with every breath she takes?

A new Don reigns over Manhattan.

But though I won the war, peace isn’t easily brokered. 

Over a decade of avenging my father’s death, I made many enemies. 

To each and every one, Jen’s a target. 

But I’ll paint NYC red before I let them harm her.

I just never imagined I’d be in the line of fire first…  

A heart broken by grief can feel no guilt or shame with the brutality in which vengeance is delivered.

This is the first part of ‘The Oath’ duet in The Valentini Family series.

Review 

Luciu is a dream. Dangerous and filthy rich mafia don who can kill for his women. Jennifer is someone with a dark past, who has learned not to trust anyone, but she is one strong lady. Both of these characters come from a past that is darker than black, which has shaped them into the people they are. This is their story. 

This book is super smutty and will surely make you swoon. However, before getting into the book, you should be well aware of the fact that it is a mafia novel which means there is violence and some triggers. The thing that sets this book apart is the detailed mafia world that Serena Akeryod has been able to build. The history of the mafia is super detailed and helps the reader delve deeper into the story. It keeps you gripped till the end. 

Another thing that I found was super commendable about this novel was the way the author has handled the characters. The protagonists are so layered, complex, and well written, that by the end of the story you will connect to both at a very deep level. 

However, I was a little confused at how exactly the characters met at first. But then as the story developed it didn’t really matter. 

Would love to recommend this book to all the mafia romance lovers. My rating for this book is 4 out of 5 stars.

Grab your copy today! 

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TAfh0p

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/thedonv

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3eRligI


Pre-order The Lady, Book 2

Releasing September 2nd 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iM6ktp

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/theladyv

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3iJtP6h

Watch the trailer for THE DON here→ https://bit.ly/3zDH9QH


Excerpt

I stared out onto the city, well aware that even if it were daylight, no one would be able to see in here. It made me feel our isolation more, and I loved it. 

Wanted it. 

Craved more. 

Needed like I’d never needed before. 

Then, everything changed. 

It was quite accidental. 

A sharp turn around a bend had us jostling into each other. Nothing crazy. But our hands slipped, and the edge of mine brushed against his crotch. 

He had a hard-on. 

He had a hard-on, yet he wasn’t pawing at me. Wasn’t treating me like I was a whore. Was holding me as if I were the opposite, in fact. 

His control was lust-inducing. 

His arousal was inspiring. 

And I wanted both. 

I wanted his control ruptured. 

His arousal burned off.

On me. 

I turned my face to the side, letting my lips press against his throat. His pulse bobbed as a result and as I let my tongue dart out to play, he groaned, and I felt the soft vibrations. Encouraged, I sucked down, nipping and teasing as I made my way up, soft kisses dancing against the line of his jaw where I could feel the slight bumps of stubble that would begin to grow soon. 

Finally, I found his mouth. Reaching up with my free hand, I encouraged him to tilt his head downward so our lips could meet. 

A whimper escaped me when they did. 

It felt as if I’d been waiting a lifetime for this moment, for the meeting of our mouths, for this kiss. Time stopped still, everything in me freezing as my body processed the rightness of the connection between us.

About Serena

I’m a romance bookaholic and I won’t touch a book unless I know there’s a happy ending. This addiction is what made me craft stories that suit my voracious need for raunchy romance.  I love twists and unexpected turns, and my novels all contain sexy guys, dark humor, and hot AF love scenes.

I write MF, Menage, and Reverse Harem (also known as Why Choose romance,) in both contemporary and paranormal. Some of my stories are darker than others, but I can promise you one thing, you will always get the happy ending your heart needs!


Connect with Serena

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3l2SaUO

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TWLNGG

Amazon: https://amzn.to/38a13bq

Join her reader group: https://bit.ly/32cbyHe

Website: http://www.serenaakeroyd.com

Stay up to date with Serena by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/3mMYWhI

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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Blog Tour (Excerpt + Review) : Cross (Dark Kings series #3) by Shantel Tessier

 

“Shantel takes us back to the gritty, addictive world of the Dark Kings and it’s as steamy, twisted, and captivating as the first two books in this amazing series.”--Siobhan Davis. USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Cross, an all-new dark standalone romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Shantel Tessier, is available now!

CROSS

Have you ever stood next to a fire and felt the heat of it on your skin? Stared into the flames and thought how amazing it would be to be that free? It changes directions with the wind, destroying everything in its wake.

That's what she felt like.

Alexa was a wildfire that torched everything she touched, and I couldn't wait to be consumed by her.

She was off-limits. Even though I promised to stay away, I couldn't resist. She was the spark I had been missing in my life. The fire I craved.

I knew from an early age I was destined to burn in hell, but she was born to walk through fire.

ALEXA

I was single-minded, focused, and independent. Just how my mother raised me. I didn't have time for anything other than myself and work.

Funny how everything can change in an instant when you least expect it.

A King entered my life. What was supposed to be one night ended up being too many to count.

He was afraid that I'd see his darkness, but I couldn't get enough of him.

After all, a fire burns the brightest in the dark of night. And it only takes one match to cause total devastation.

Cross is the third standalone in The Dark Kings Series. You are introduced to the Kings in Code of Silence: A Dark Mafia Romance.

Review

An intense plot with intense characters and an amazing dark romance. Shantel Tessier is an amazing writer and has literally become one of my favorites when it comes to dark romance. She has the ability to write complex characters and then carry them off well.

With this book, I met the most twisted, complex, and dark character I have ever read about. Cross is not for the faint of heart, he is brutal, fierce, and messed up. What he is today is a result of his past and he is unapologetic about who he is and what he does. He doesn't care about what people would think or how to please others. He is someone that you would love and fear at the same time.

Alexa on the other hand, is somewhat a very mild character. She is strong, independent, and has been in very messed up relationships. She sort of is a milder version of Cross and way too naive sometimes. But she is lovable.

Coming to the story, some things that I loved about it was the cast of characters and how complex they are. Secondly the romance between Cross and Alexa. Thirdly, the manner in which the entire story unfolds. Something that I found a little odd was, one that every character seems to have green eyes (just an observation, this doesn't affect my rating), the other thing was the manner in which the suspense was handled in the story. For me, the ending wasn't satisfactory. It sort of felt too rushed and somehow everything unfolded in a very haphazard manner.

However, I read the entire book in a day, which just shows how good everything in this book is. I loved the book and would love to recommend it to all the dark romance lovers out there.

My rating for this book is 4 out of 5 stars.

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/crossst

Add CROSS to Goodreads→ https://bit.ly/3tWsJI4

Excerpt

She slides in, and I make my way to the driver’s side. Starting it up, I look over at her. “Where to?” I meant it more as a “where do you live?” but what I wanted to say and the words that actually came out were two very different things. 

She looks over at me. “Wherever you want to go.”

That’s an open invitation if I’ve ever heard one. Obviously, she doesn’t want me at her house, or she would have suggested that. “Kingdom?”I question, unable to keep my eyes from dropping to her legs as she runs her hands over her jeans. Her nails are kept short and painted black. She wears a silver banded ring on her right hand. It’s plain yet dainty at the same time. 

“I don’t gamble,” she states. 

My eyes meet hers. “Neither do I.”

What I have planned for her is much more intimate. I mean, if she’s into a crowd watching, then that’s fine too. I’m not shy. 

She laughs, leaning her head back against the headrest, and smiles softly at me. Her green eyes drop to my jeans, and I refrain from groaning at the thoughts that run through my mind. My hand in her hair while she’s bent over the center console with her lips wrapped around my cock …“Kingdom it is.” Not wanting to waste another second, I take off, getting the hell out of here. 

We don’t say much during the twenty-minute drive back to the Strip. I keep checking on her to make sure she hasn’t passed out, and every time, she’s looking out the window. 

I pull up around the back of tower one, where the Kings and I have a private entrance. Parking the car, I help her out and up the fifteen stairs that lead to a set of black doors. 

Her drunk eyes take in the white marble floor and black circle with the gold K in the middle when we enter the building. Lifting her head, she notices the mirrored ceiling and chandelier hanging in the entrance. 

Nigel stands behind his black marble desk in the corner. Nigel is our right-hand man. He’s more of a father to us than our actual fathers ever were. Guess it didn’t take him and Titan very long to bury Kenneth. He looks up and smiles at us. “Good evening, Cross. Alexa. It’s good to see you again.” I’m not sure how he knows her other than maybe he met her at Titan’s wedding. 

“You too, Nigel,” she tells him as I scan my key card for our private elevator. Only a King has access to it. Other than him, of course. It opens immediately, and we step inside. I have to refrain from ripping her clothes off right here and now. Just a few more minutes and she’s all mine. 

It comes to a stop on the Royal level to the suite that the Kings share. But no one will be here tonight. Titan hasn’t stayed one night here since he married Emilee. Grave stays at his house with April, and Bones rarely sleeps. I’m sure he’s at Glass—one of the many businesses he owns that we all pretend we don’t know about. 

Stepping into our suite, I turn to face her. “Would you like a drink?”

She places her hands on my chest, gripping my shirt. “I think I’ve had enough.”

My hands go to her hips, and I yank her to me. The thought crosses my mind that this is a mistake. That she’s off-limits to me. I try to think of my best friend and how it would affect him. “I made a promise not to touch you,” I rush out, hoping she pushes me away. 

She surprises me by smiling, and it’s anything but innocent. Her pretty green eyes drop to my lips before returning to mine. “I can keep a secret.” Then her lips are on mine.

Connect with Shantel

Join Shantel’s Sinful Side Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3d02WHc
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Monday, August 23, 2021

Blog Tour (Excerpt + Review) : Vicious Prince by Sienna Snow

I'm not a good man.

I'm the darkness, the danger, the enforcer behind the empire.

No one sees me unless I want them to.

Vicious Prince, an all-new dark standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Sienna Snow, is available now!

I'm not a good man.
I'm the darkness, the danger, the enforcer behind the empire.
No one sees me unless I want them to.

Then one day, she found me, showing me a life beyond the shadows of the streets. Until one wrong turn and our fairytale shattered, leaving me back in darkness. In a place I can only reach her by destroying her world.

So, I wait.

But waiting isn't something she is willing to do. She's forging a new life without me, in the path of our enemies.

Now the monster in me is forced out of the shadows, ready to fight for what belongs to me.

She will learn that protecting her is my mission and a life without me isn't an option.

Review

This is my first book where the protagonists are of Indian origin. This was a surprise and man I loved it. Vicious prince takes us through a tumultuous ride, that is, Kiran and Jayna's relationship. External forces want to pull them apart but they will fight to get back to each other. The intensity between the two characters was amazing and beautiful.

One of the most commendable things about this book was the character, Jayna. She is one strong lady. Fighting her way to get her footing in the misogynistic world, she wants to set her own empire up. The manner in which she fights soo many delusions that people have about women, one of them being that women are weak, is handled commendably.

Another thing that I appreciated about the story was the fact that the author gave time to the protagonists to build their relationship. Things were true to reality and how fragile relationships can be. I loved how the relationship was more about being equal partners.

The romance was hot and intense. The story kept me hooked till the end. And the writing in this book is amazing. It's simple and easy to follow.

All in all, I would recommend this book to all romance lovers.
 I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Download your copy today!

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3hLCkyL

Excerpt

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror along a wall of the home gym. One half of my body was nothing like it had been. I was no longer the pretty boy with the baby face my brothers loved to rag on me about until I punched them.
Now I was a reconstructed puzzle of skin, pins, and bone.
A work of modern medicine.
I touched the not-quite-normal left ear reconstructed from pieces of rib, cartilage, and skin. Then, I traced along the jagged scars that ran from my temple, over my eye, my cheek, and down my jaw. The physical changes only gave a glimpse of what I’d become after the accident.
I’d lived in my head for so long. In the chaos of the crash and the aftermath. In the pain.
God, there had been so much pain. I’d been on the verge of madness. First, just surviving and then trying to learn basic things like eating without looking like a fucking toddler. After that had come the rehab when I’d begged for my brothers just to kill me and finish the job the wreck hadn’t done. But the hardest part had been the mental toll. I’d become a shell of the man I’d been.
I’d lost my way.
When an enforcer had no strength, he had nothing. He was worthless. To his brothers and especially his wife. Locking myself up with my painkillers had been the only solution. Or so I’d convinced myself. I’d turned into a raging addict and the worst version of myself.
“I’m going to tell her that I was fucked up in the head after the accident, that I was worthless to her and everyone, that I believed it was better she thought I was dead than for her to live with what I had become, that it was my shortcoming, not hers, for the decisions I made. That I was a coward and afraid she wouldn’t be able to look at the monster I’d become.”
“It’s good to hear you sounding like the old Kir again. No bullshit. Owns his part and is willing to accept the consequences.”
“Yeah, I’m finally doing what everyone wanted me to do. I’m getting my head out of my ass.”
“She’s going to give you hell.”
“I expect nothing less.”
“When are you going to do it?”
“Tonight. Jayna is heading to her mom’s after work, according to the itinerary she gave her security. I thought I’d go over there. That way, if she freaks out, her mom can handle it.”
“Monica is going to kick your ass too.”
My mother-in-law was one of the kindest people I knew, and she’d endured hell with her ex-husband. Now that she’d created a new life, she’d found her voice and had no problem using it, just like her daughter.
“I know.”
“And what will you do if Jayna can’t accept your apology?”
“I’ll work my ass off to win her back.”
“Does this also mean you’re coming back and finally doing your job like you’re supposed to?”
“I have been doing my job, asshole.”
“Yeah, behind a desk. Like a pussy. We need you out and about. Fewer idiots to deal with if they know you’ll come to collect. You’re the boogeyman of the King brothers. They don’t call you the vicious prince for nothing.”


About Sienna

Inspired by her years working in corporate America, Sienna loves to serve up stories woven around confident and successful women who know what they want and how to get it, both in – and out – of the bedroom.
Her heroines are fresh, well-educated, and often find love and romance through atypical circumstances. Sienna treats her readers to enticing slices of hot romance infused with empowerment and indulgent satisfaction.
Sienna loves the life of travel and adventure. She plans to visit even the farthest corners of the world and delight in experiencing the variety of cultures along the way. When she isn’t writing or traveling, Sienna is working on her “happily ever after” with her husband and children.

Connect with Sienna

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Monday, August 2, 2021

Blog Tour (Excerpt + Review) : Fallen Angel (Book 2 in the Sinners and angels duet) by Tessa James

 

I barely made it out alive, and even then, I lost the life I knew.

Fallen Angel, the highly-anticipated conclusion to the Sinners and Angels Duet, an all-new dark romance duet from Tessa James, is available now!

I was sure my plan would work. That I’d be able to disappear without a trace and leave the past behind me. But when a note appears and reminds me that I cannot run from this kind of evil, I’m forced to figure out how to end this once and for all.

Dragging Claire into this mess with me was never part of the plan, but she’s proven herself time and time again. I’m not sure I can do this without her. I’m not sure I even want to try.

Darkness lingers in both of us and threatens to take hold. I just have to stop it before it drags us down with it—her most of all.

Review

Fallen Angels is the second book in the Sinners and Angels duet. You can read my thoughts about the first book in this duet here.

I have mixed feelings about the second book in the series.  Even though it is a dark romance novel, a huge part of it is suspense. I felt that the story sort of lacked consistency and an element of suspense. I expected the novel to be heavy on the 'who dun it' sort of vibe and keep me guessing throughout. I wanted to have a feeling where situations in the story would make me want to predict the next situation. But nothing happened. 

Coming to the romance part. I didn't really connect with the romance in the book. It was not exactly swoon-worthy or something that would pull at your heartstrings. The book was heavy on smut but not romance. Feelings between the two protagonists were missing. Their relationship hardly evolved throughout the book. This was true even for the characters. They too hardly evolved throughout the span of the second book.

However, there were few things that I loved about fallen angels. To start with, fight scenes were commendably written. Writing as a whole, was super easy to follow and one thing that kept me engaged. The story flowed smoothly from the first book to the second.

All in all, it was an okay read for me. I felt the first book was better than the second. Hence my rating for this book is 3 out of 5 stars. 

Download your copy today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3557wSp
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/fallenangeltj
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/3BKGNcF

Start the duet with Tortured Sinner!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3uUxmmy
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/torturedsinner
Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/3y9GTZi


Excerpt from Tortured Sinner, Book 1

Something visceral convinced my legs to move, to go after this girl who I don’t know. It wasn’t a creepy stalker kind of thing. But more of a she just got here and might get lost thing. A strange rush of protectiveness washed over me when I saw her leave the building and venture out into the world. I already got her to hate me, and that alone might be all the protection she needs, but what if something else happens? Why is my brain telling me it’s my responsibility? 

If I just confirm she makes it to wherever she’s going, maybe that will be enough. 

I keep a natural pace while maintaining some distance between us, completely walking in the direction away from where I really should be going. I glance down at my watch, verifying that my little detour won’t set me back too much.

The girl's chocolate brown hair falls down her mid-back, gently swaying with each step she takes. Her arms are crossed over her chest like she might be cold. Or that she's using it as some kind of barrier from the outside world.

That train of thought makes my protective urges rise even more. I don’t know her name, and yet I have an innate need to shield her from any danger. 

What the fuck is wrong with me?

About Tessa
Tessa James is the author of dark contemporary romance. She adores writing broken characters you won’t help but fall for on their journey to find themselves and fight for what they love. Her stories are for the hopelessly romantic who enjoy grit, angst, and passion.

When she’s not writing, you’ll find her consuming way too much coffee, making endless to-do lists, and spending time with her daughter and cats in small-town Ohio.

Connect with Tessa
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3pn7iiK
Instagram: https://bit.ly/34Opc4x
Join her Facebook reader group: https://bit.ly/3pAGjAa
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3zfyzrN

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Review : Sacaran Nights (Book one in the masque duology) by Rachel Emma Shaw

There are a few books, which just by reading the synopsis, you know that you are going to love every bit of it. Scaran Nights was one such b...

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