Category: 2: Jessie's Reviews

Review: Ruthless King by Lana Sky

26/12/2020

Title: Ruthless King
(#1 of Mice and Men)

Author: Lana Sky

Genre: Dark Romance, Suspense

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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*A Dark Mafia Romance in the War of Roses Universe*

After a decade spent claiming a throne for himself in the seething violence of the criminal underbelly, all Donatello Vanici craves now is peace.

Only a union forged between his heir and the most powerful mafiya family in existence could ever be strong enough to end the bloodshed for good, but the Stepanov head resists his overtures at every turn...

Until tragedy strikes, and forces Donatello’s hand.

Haunted by a past that dogs her every thought, Willow Stepanov will do anything for the man who adopted her—until a chance encounter with the enemy lands her right in the middle of a dangerous power struggle and a war that grows more violent and vicious each day.

But it's not just her future her captor holds hostage.

He is a man with nothing left to lose—while she may just lose everything.

Her life, her family, and her heart…

I was excited to return to Mischa and Ellen's world. I loved the War of Roses series. In this duet, we follow Willow, Mischa and Ellen's adopted daughter. It seems the past has come back and won't let go. Willow has to face a man who abandoned her despite his promises to keep her safe. Donatello has been haunted by his past and consumed by the actions he took all those years ago. So when someone he thought was dead and gone returns, how will he react? Will Willow forgive the man who betrayed her?

While this story didn't grab my attention as quickly as the War of Roses did, it was still an interesting story and I loved seeing Mischa and Ellen once more. It was about half way through the story that I became more interested and captivated by the story. It seems someone wants there to be a war and blood is spilled. It pushes both Mischa and Don to take drastic action. I have to admit, Willow still seems naive in her actions. Rather than speaking to Mischa, she takes risks and places herself in danger. By the end, it seems that Don will live up to his title. I look forward to seeing just how far Don will take this and who will survive this upcoming war.

About the Author . . .

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Release Blitz & Review: Silver Lining by Skye Warren

15/12/2020

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Title: Silver Lining
(#3 of The Diamond Trilogy)

Author: Skye Warren

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark, Suspense, Erotic

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ 1/2

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Elijah North has survived starvation and torture. Now he faces his darkest challenge: the possibility of life without Holly Frank. The woman he loves hangs in the balance. The family he found mourns in the distance. And the future he built crumbles in the wind.

SILVER LINING is the final book in Elijah and Holly's story!

This final book is fast paced and packed with action and emotion. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the direction the story was going in but as I neared the end, I realised that this was the right path. There is a sense of foreboding and dread right from the first page. Time is running out for Holly and Elijah. No matter where they run, they (whoever they are) will come for them. Question is what will happen to them? Within this story, I couldn't help but think of how people say that certain people come into our lives to teach us something important. And there are others that change us irrevocably. This is what happens to Holly. Her meeting with Elijah and subsequent connection changes her and life cannot return to what it used to be. In the same way, Elijah has been changed by Holly. Their love is strong and they will stop at nothing to save each other. It is endearing. I loved that multiple characters had their own chapters. I hope we get to see more of two individuals in particular.

About the Author . . .

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance such as the Endgame trilogy. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

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Also in the series . . .

Title: Diamond in the Rough
(#1 of The Diamond Trilogy)

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Title: Gold Mine
(#2 of The Diamond Trilogy)

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Goodreads

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Release Blitz & Review: Blame it on the Champagne by Fiona Cole

15/12/2020

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Title: Blame It on the Champagne

Author: Fiona Cole

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Billionaire, Enemies-to-Lovers

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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There's only one thing to do when you wake up, married to your brand new boss, whom you hate but can't resist: You blame the champagne.

I blame the bubbles for my wild night with a masked stranger.

Who cares if it's nothing this good girl would normally do--with a man that turns out to be my horrible boss?

Who cares that I'm promised to someone else?

I blame the alcohol for agreeing to marry him.

As long as my new husband keeps his mouth shut, I can survive five years of our little arrangement. It's too late for anything else.

But our impromptu wedding leads to so much more than I bargained for. His dirty promises warm me. His kisses make me lightheaded. His respect slips past my best defenses. The hate turns to friendship, and makes me dream of more. He's like the most dangerous kind of champagne.

That's why I blame him for making me fall in love with him.

But when I find out our marriage was nothing more than revenge, what's to blame for my broken heart?

I really enjoyed this story. I wondered how the union would take place. Whether it would be a result of a drunken night or something else. And I also wondered how everything would implode when the truth was revealed. It didn't happen the way I imagined but it was well done.

Vera and Nicholas were great protagonists. Vera is a spitfire with moxie who isn't afraid to stand up to Nicholas. I do have to say I felt sorry for her and her situation. She deserved better from her father and it was disappointing to see his priorities were not centered around the well being of his daughter. Nicholas or Nico is a dirty man who knows how to charm and please the ladies. It is interesting that he is so hard on Vera, suspecting her of lying when he has his own secrets. Ones that are possibly more damaging than Vera's. He seems hypocritical in that respect. But he does seem to suffer guilt and remorse which redeems him. Not to mention all the sweet and thoughtful things he does. Yes he pushes Vera but it is because he loves her fiery nature. But he is always respectful. I think I liked this the most about him. He might be dominating but is always respectful and never forceful. Nico gives Vera the choice.

There were great supportive characters in this story too. Grandpa Charlie was so sweet and wonderful. But Nova and Raelynn were the stand outs. They are fantastic friends to each other and Vera. We should all be so lucky to have such fiery and supportive companions. I cannot wait to see their stories. Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

About the Author . . .

Fiona Cole is a military wife and a stay at home mom with degrees in biology and chemistry. As much as she loved science, she decided to postpone her career to stay at home with her two little girls, and immersed herself in the world of books until finally deciding to write her own.

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Review: Heartless by Jade West

9/12/2020

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Title: Heartless
(#1 of Starcrossed Lovers Trilogy)

Author: Jade West

Genre: Dark Romance, Erotic

Rating: ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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In a single moment, she becomes my obsession...

Elaine Constantine will be mine.
And her destruction is only my beginning.

I’ve known all my life that the Constantines deserved to be wiped from the face of the earth, only a smoking crater left where their mansion once stood. That’s my plan until I see her, the woman in gold with the sinful curves and the blonde curls. My will to dominate her runs as deep as the hate I have for her last name.

No matter how beautifully she bends beneath my hands, I'll leave her shattered, a broken toy for her cruel family.

This story is gritty, dark, haunting and twisted. There were elements that reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. Two families that despise each other and yet Lucian and Elaine are drawn to each other. They should hate each other and yet they crave one another. Maybe it is because they don't quite fit in within their respective families. Whatever it is, they two of them become obsessed with each other. This is especially difficult for Lucian to accept because he doesn't want to focus his attention on her and yet he can't seem to focus on anything else.

I must say, I felt sympathy for Elaine. It seems as though she has had a difficult past and no one was there to support her or believe in her. It is no surprise then that she went into a downward spiral. Elaine just wants to be accepted and loved but she isn't getting that from her family. Well except Harriet. She is a sweetheart. But it seems that there are many dark secrets in the Constantine family. Be warned, this isn't the end of Lucian and Elaine's story and there will be more to come. I wonder what secrets will be revealed in book 2...

About the Author . . .

Jade West is a USA Today Bestselling Author who adores creating imaginary worlds and bringing them to life in her words.

Jade is as dirty as you'd expect from her novels, and talking smut makes her smile.

She lives in rural Herefordshire, in the UK, and enjoys a wide variety of unusual experiences in her very unusual lifestyle.

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