Texas Reader - Featured

Pepper Winters - The Boy and his Ribbon (The Ribbon Duet #1)

5/6/2018

“What do you do when you meet your soul mate? No wait…that’s too easy. What do you do when you meet your soul mate and have to spend a lifetime loving him in secret?
I’ll tell you what you do.
You lie.”

REN

Ren was eight when he learned that love doesn’t exist—that the one person who was supposed to adore him only cared how much he was worth.
His mother sold him and for two years, he lived in terror.
But then…he ran.
He thought he’d run on his own. Turned out, he took something of theirs by accident and it became the one thing he never wanted and the only thing he ever needed.

DELLA

I was young when I fell in love with him, when he switched from my world to my everything.
My parents bought him for cheap labour, just like they had with many other kids, and he had the scars to prove it.
At the start, he hated me, and I could understand why.
For years he was my worst enemy, fiercest protector, and dearest friend.
But by the end…he loved me.
The only problem was, he loved me in an entirely different way to the way I loved him.
And slowly, my secret drove us apart.

Review
5 stars

The cover caught my eye.
The synopsis caught my attention
But the story captured my heart.

Like a long winding road, their journey winds thru seasons, heartache, love, and impossible dreams.

Tiffany Reisz - The Chateau (Original Sinners #9)

4/3/2018

Release Date June 5, 2018

As the Jack-of-All-Wicked-Trades for a secretive French military intelligence agency, 24-year-old Lieutenant Kingsley Boissonneault has done it all—spied, lied, and killed under orders. But his latest assignment is quite out of the ordinary. His commanding officer's nephew has disappeared inside a sex cult, and Kingsley has been tasked with bringing him home to safety.

The cult’s holy book is "Story of O," the infamous French novel of extreme sado-masochism. Their château is a looking-glass world where women reign and men are their willing slaves. Or are they willing? It’s Kingsley’s mission to find out.

Once inside the château, however, Kingsley quickly falls under the erotic spell cast by the enigmatic Madame, a woman of wisdom, power, and beauty. She offers Kingsley the one thing he’s always wanted. But the price? Giving up forever the only person he’s ever loved.

Review
5+ stars

arc provided by author via netgalley for honest review.

The Chateau takes us back to a time BEFORE Kingsley built his empire.

A time he spent with another sadist, who taught him about a few things he needed to learn about his own sadist.

I always wondered where Kingsley came up with the idea for his kinky empire, and this is the story of that idea. But also the story of how Kingsley was found again by his true love, his blonde sadist. The Chateau is a beautiful, sexy, love affair with a world few understand. Madame may teach Kingsley a thing or two about pain, but also about games. And how a true sadist mind games can help you clear your mind and make the decisions your heart desires.

For all the original sinners, you will love this story. It really was an insight into Kingsley that we yet haven't had the chance to see.

Callie Hart - Dirty (Dirty Nasty Freaks #1)

3/30/2018

DIRTY by Callie Hart

Release Date: March 30th

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Cover Designer: Callie Hart

NOW AVAILABLE!

FREE IN KU!

(( LINKS COMING SOON))

Add to Goodreads

BLURB

Face of an angel.

Body of a god.

And a mouth so dirty he could make the devil blush…

Fix Marcosa’s time can be bought with money, but he isn’t selling sex. Murderers, rapists, criminals: if you’re on the wrong side of Fix’s moral code, you’re in trouble. The kind of trouble that winds up getting you killed. As a hitman for hire, Fix is no stranger to violence. He’s merciless. Relentless. A true savage, down to the roots of his very soul. You can beg. You can plead. You can pray, but it won’t do you any good. Once the tall, dark stranger arrives at your doorstep, it’s already too late to repent.

Sera Lafferty’s no stranger to heartbreak. With an abusive father and a dependant sister, her life has been one of sacrifice and compromise. As soon as she sets eyes on Felix ‘Fix’ Marcosa, she recognizes the darkness in him and makes a vow: she will not get involved. But trapped inside a motel room with the sexiest man to ever walk the earth? Throw in some tequila and the storm to end all storms, and Sera finds herself worshipping at the altar of Marcosa.

She knows she made a mistake.

She knows she needs to run.

But when she witnesses the assassin at work first hand, she knows it’s far too late. Thrown into the back of his sleek black ride, Sera finds herself trapped, and in more way than one. Fix is deadly. He’s demanding, he’s dirty, and he’s determined to claim her for his own.

About the Author

Callie Hart is a USA Today bestselling author of dark romance novels. She is an obsessive romantic who loves throwing a dark twist into her stories. Her characters are imperfect, flawed individuals who dictate when she eats, sleeps and breathes. She loves to travel, and often pens her books when she's on the road, drawing inspiration from her often unique and wild surroundings.

If she's not writing, you'll undoubtedly find her with her nose buried deep in a book, or binge watching Game of Thrones.

Connect w/ Callie

Twitter: @_callie_hart

Subscribe to Callie’s newsletter

Join Callie's Facebook Group, Deviant Divant Divas

Review
5+ stars

**ARC provided by author for honest review

WOW, how do i do this without a spoiler........

Have you ever ridden one of those old wooden roller coasters that seem to take forever to get to the top of the first hill because of the anticipation? But once you cross the high point it's a mouth hanging open, full scream wild ride. That's Dirty.

Fix is an enigma, with secrets and history to rival Sera's. But once they clash, the Gods can hear them come together. I had no idea where this story was taking me, I just hung on for the ride and enjoyed every moment. Even the brick wall Callie through up at the end.......

If you love Zeth & Sloan, you will love Fix & Sera without a doubt. I can't wait to see where Callie takes us with this series!!

Amy Harmon - The Smallest Part (Law of Moses #3)

3/9/2018

“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
- Unknown

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.
This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.

Review
5 stars

I've been in love with Amy Harmon since Making Faces.

Harmon has a way of making you FEEL the emotion, she puts you right in the middle like you are a shadow following the characters. Keeping pace with them, crying with them, and ultimately rejoicing when the find their HEA.

The story flashes back and forth between when Mercedes and Noah are growing up as best friends to the life they have now and how everyone got to the "here". And we see how Noah meets Moses at Montlake.

Mercedes made a choice. A choice to keep her feelings to herself and let one of her best friends have the love of her life. I can't begin to understand Cora. Or why she took Noah from Mercedes. But fate has a way of making things right in the end, it just takes a while to get to that point.

Another wonderful addition to the Harmon library.

Lexi Blake (Sophie Oak) - Small Town Siren (Texas Sirens #1)

1/21/2018

Re-released in a second edition with a prologue and three new chapters.

Two cowboys looking for love…

Jack Barnes and Sam Fleetwood met in foster care. Over the years, they’ve become best friends and partners. They share a business as cattle ranchers and a house. There’s only one thing missing: a woman to share. The men are sure they’ve found that woman when Abigail Moore arrives in their small town, Willow Fork, TX.

A woman trying to find her place in the world…

Abby left her hometown twenty years before under a cloud of scandal. She’s raised a daughter, forged a new life for herself, and is ready for the next phase when she meets the handsome cowboys.

One small town that’s ready to explode…

They’re a dream come true—Jack is the sexy Dom, and Sam the playful lover. It’s everything she’s ever fantasized about. There’s only one problem. She’s still not welcome in Willow Fork, and someone is willing to kill to keep her away.

Review
5 stars

**series is for open minded readers only**

I had read the original version of this series back in 2011. And at that time I was so obsessed with it I read the whole series back to back over a long weekend (no sleep). So I am always apprehensive when an author "updates" a favorite. It sometimes seems like they just want to generate more sales. But this time, I AM WRONG. It was wonderful,

Even though I am familiar with the characters, this seemed like a whole new story. Or maybe I just read it so long ago I forgot the details. Either way, I really enjoyed visiting with them again. Can't wait to read the rest of the updated series.

Amy Harmon - The Law of Moses

11/24/2017

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.

And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all...a love story.

Review
5 stars

"Nobody told me that resisting would feel like trying to breathe through a straw. Futile. Impossible. Unrealistic"

Emotional rollercoaster. Broken, Beautiful, cracked Moses. Just trying to live in a world no one can understand. The things that reside in his head are a swirl of visions and fireworks, color and fire.

No one can save him, and he's too young to understand what is happening in his mind until he meets the best friend that saves his mind and helps him become human. But his friend is not HER, and fate has a way of bringing you back to where you are needed the most.

An epic read for me, read until i fell asleep and woke up to read until finished (delaying Thanksgiving dinner). I couldn't walk away from them until i knew. Until I knew how the story ended, good or bad, I was compelled by Harmon's writing to finish. She has a way of pulling you into the story where you become submerged in the characters, you visualize the words. It becomes a dream in your head......

Callie Hart - Mr. North

11/16/2017

Mr. North by Callie Hart

Release Date: November 16th

Available NOW

99¢ FOR A LIMITED TIME

FREE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED:

BUY LINKS COMING SOON

ADD to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36448096-mr-north

SYNOPSIS

Law student Beth Dreymon is out of money and struggling hard. If she wants to finish her degree, she’s going to have to earn some money and fast. When she learns of an exciting opportunity—playing chess with New York’s most elusive billionaire—the offer sounds too good to be true. Reassured the offer is legit, Beth gets her game face on and prepares to geek out...

Only, when she steps foot into Raphael North’s luxurious penthouse, the rulebook goes flying out of the floor-to-ceiling windows. North is beautiful and damaged—a terrible temptation—and he has his sights set on winning Beth over. He’s just a job, though. A job Beth needs in order to make ends meet. If she plans on making her life in New York work, she needs to keep her eye on the prize. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, however, and it isn’t long before Beth finds herself entangled in Raphael’s world of dark desire.

Captor.

Curator.

Lover.

Enigma.

Beth should run from the devastatingly attractive blue-eyed devil, but Mr North has other ideas…and he’s about to make his next move.

EXCERPT

Raphael North stands on the other side of the abnormally thick glass. He’s dressed in a plain dark blue t-shirt, and a pair of washed out blue jeans. His feet are completely bare. His hair is even darker than it was in his picture, if that’s at all possible. Almost curly, too. It’s then that I realize it’s wet—he must have just gotten out of the shower. There are small dark patches on his t-shirt where water has obviously soaked through the material.

He turns those startling vivid green eyes on me and I’m breathless all over again. It feels like I’m tumbling over some steep cliff face, a weightless sensation turning my stomach over as I fall. Inside, I’m back to wanting to flee the building. Externally, I’m praying to deities of faiths and religions all over the world that I don’t look like I’m about to slump in an unconscious mess on the floor right in front of him. My top lip begins to twitch—something that only happens when I’m really, really anxious. Without thinking, I press my fingertips to my mouth, as if I can put a halt to the twitching by touch alone. A strange look passes over Raphael’s face. A slight movement at the corner of his mouth. I can’t decide if it’s displeasure or amusement. Either way, the reaction is fleeting, barely noticeable at all, and then his face is a blank mask again. He places his hand on a curved silver handle on the other side of the door, and then pulls it toward him, opening it. There are no barriers now. Nothing standing between myself and a man whispered and gossiped about by an entire city. Screw that, an entire nation. I’m in an enviable position right now, but I’d gladly thank the universe if the ground opened up and swallowed me whole.

The first words Raphael North speaks to me will haunt me until the day I die. He angles his head ever so slightly to one side, then says, “Your toenail polish is chipped, Ms. Dreymon.”

Lord have mercy. His voice is deep but soft. It has no hard edges, but at the same time his tone is overflowing with self-confidence and command.

“I’m sorry, I…wasn’t aware of your no-shoe policy.”

About the Author

Callie Hart is a USA Today bestselling author of dark romance novels. She is an obsessive romantic who loves throwing a dark twist into her stories. Her characters are imperfect, flawed individuals who dictate when she eats, sleeps and breathes. She loves to travel, and often pens her books when she's on the road, drawing inspiration from her often unique and wild surroundings.

If she's not writing, you'll undoubtedly find her with her nose buried deep in a book, or binge watching Game of Thrones.

Connect w/ Callie:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/calliehartauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/callie-hart

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2yDmr46

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7771953.Callie_Hart

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calliehartauthor/

Twitter: @_callie_hart

Subscribe to Callie’s Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/IzhzL

Review
5 stars

Well....... where do I begin

At first I found the storyline interesting, even though I was a little leary of the "billionaire boy" being to much like Fifty Shades. But the BDSM takes a back seat to the real story that happens and I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING. AT ALL

I do feel like there are a few holes in the story, places we moved to quickly thru, places where I wanted to stay and explore the character development. But as a whole I was very happy with everything as it came together in the end.

***ARC provided for honest review

Darynda Jones - The Trouble with Twelfth Grave (Charley Davidson #12)

11/9/2017

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series.

Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidently trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes, can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?

Review
4.5 stars

Another great chapter in the Charley Davidson series.

This series is taking a stronger turn toward the "paranormal" theme of the base storyline, but it's still just as funny as always. This installment picks up with from the "god glass" incident and increases from there. I did get a little confused during the prophecy books, but after i got thru that I was happily moving along until WHAM! A "what have you done" cliffhanger!! No fair!!

This series is just impossible to put down.

Tiffany Reisz - Michael's Wings (The Original Sinners #6.3)

10/21/2017

Griffin has just popped the question—yes, that question—and Michael doesn’t have an answer. He flees town for New Orleans to see his confidante and sometime-Domme, Mistress Nora. Will a weekend of beignets and beatings help him untangle his knotted-up heart?

Thus begins Michael's Wings, the eponymous novella that kicks off the latest entry in Tiffany Reisz's LAMBDA Literary Award-winning* Original Sinners series.

This companion collection to fan-favorite The Angel also contains six previously-published stories starring Mistress Nora's favorite angel and Griffin—his master, his true love, and the sexy-as-hell bane of Michael's existence.

*The King (LAMBDA Literary Award 2015 Winner — Best Gay Erotica)

Review
5+ stars

If you are a fan of the Original Sinners series, then this is a must read for you. In this installment we get a bunch of short stories that revolve around Griffin and Michael. And oh, how I have missed them. We also get Nora, Soren, and Kingsley making appearances along the way. Lot's of hot sex for the featured couple and a lot of "relationship" problems to work out. Loved it!!!

***ARC provided by netgalley

Penelope Douglas - Hideaway (Devils Night #2)

10/16/2017

BANKS

Buried in the shadows of the city, there’s a hotel called The Pope. Ailing, empty, and dark, it sits abandoned and surrounded by a forgotten mystery.

But you think it’s true, don’t you, Kai Mori? The story about the hidden twelfth floor. The mystery of the dark guest who never checked in and never checks out. You think I can help you find that secret hideaway and get to him, don’t you?

You and your friends can try to scare me. You can try to push me. Because even though I struggle to hide everything I feel when you look at me—and have ever since I was a girl—I think maybe what you seek is so much closer than you’ll ever realize.

I will never betray him.

So sit tight.

On Devil’s Night, the hunt will be coming to you.

KAI

You have no idea what I seek, Little One. You don’t know what I had to become to survive three years in prison for a crime I would gladly commit again.

No one can know what I’ve turned into.

I want that hotel, I want to find him, and I want this over.

I want my life back.

But the more I’m around you, the more I realize this new me is exactly who I was meant to be.

So come on, kid. Don’t chicken out. My house is on the hill. So many ways in, and good luck finding your way out.

I’ve seen your hideaway. Time to see mine.

*Hideaway is a romantic suspense suitable for ages 18+. While the romance is a stand-alone, the plot is a continuation of events that began in CORRUPT (Devil's Night, #1). It is strongly recommended that you have read Corrupt prior to reading this.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yRPIZB
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2yDkCUo
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2xSasC4
Amazon AUS: http://amzn.to/2wt7bGa
KOBO: http://bit.ly/2fHnCrq
B&N: http://bit.ly/2xdSivx
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xOQBnU
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2fK7Box
Pinterest Storyboard: http://bit.ly/2hpxYQw

Review
4.5 stars

First, If you haven't read Corrupt, then you will be lost. Corrupt is a must to fully understand the dynamic of The Horsemen.

Since Corrupt came out 2 years ago I felt that I had to go back and re-read/skim it to bring the group back to memory. And I'm glad I did. It helped me "feel" the story again.

In Corrupt we are focused on Michael and Rika, and now we move to Kai and Banks. And what a strange twisted story. Their history is so complicated it's hard to describe, but what wasn't hard to follow was Damon's hatred for everyone. He is hell bent on revenge and they don't even see him coming until it's almost too late. Layered, complicated, fascinating. This series just keeps getting better, looking foward to the next 2 in this series. Read the "sneak peek" about the next one and it looks like Damon's story is going to be one violent fueled ride.........