All I Want - Tamara Lush

All I Want by Tamara Lush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm really enjoying this series from Tamara Lush, this is the second Paradise Beach book that I've read in the last few days and I don't think that it will be the last. While the first book focused on Damian and Kate who fall in love after reconnecting years after they knew each other at high school, this second book is about Damian's brother Max and Kate's best friend Lauren.
Max is a workaholic who owns a real estate business in New York. Lauren is a social media influencer. After an accident at Paradise Beach, Lauren finds that she has to stay there for a while and as they spend more time together she and Max fall for one another.
This is quite a fun, lighthearted series. Having said that, despite it being lighter, it does at least touch on some more weightier issues. Lauren is dealing with (or it might be more accurate to say not dealing with) having an addict for a parent and how that has made her who she is. It also talks about the way social media projects lies and that much of it is fake. The combination of this fairly easy read, with something a little deeper, makes for a very interesting and entertaining read.
This is a romance and there's plenty of that. Max is a sweetheart and Lauren lovely, they work well together. I think that one of the things that I like about this series so far is that although they all have issues to deal with, the conflict doesn't feel contrived or over the top, as can happen in this type of book. The characters don't spend pages battling with their feelings or not really understanding what they are beginning to feel for the other person, even if they don't know how they feel. Somehow it's all much more natural than some other books.
I really enjoyed Lauren and Max's book and I suspect that we will see more of them in future books. Kate and to a much lesser extent Damian appeared in this one. All in all this a great series that I'm really enjoying.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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All I know - Tamara Lush

All I Know by Tamara Lush
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In many ways, this is a very American story, I'm not sure that it could take place anywhere else. Not because of the characters so much, but the things that happen to them. Firstly our two main characters Kate and Damien have known each other (and been in love with each other since high school). After rumours and gossip that more than a kiss happened between them back then, Kate kept her distance, leaving for college and Nate joined the marines. I can't imagine anything like this happening back when I was at school, of course, there were rumours and of far worse than this, but no one would have cared.
The other thing that makes this a very American story is that after getting together, Kate and Damien decide to get married as she is sick and doesn't have health insurance and can't afford her medicine. I'm not going to make a comment on the politics of this, but I think it's fair to say 'only in America.'
The romance is quite sweet, although there's certainly plenty of chemistry there, Kate and Damien don't fall into bed together the instant that they get together. Instead, they actually go out together and do things before getting there. In fact, other than the getting married so quickly, this is quite a believable romance. They are reluctant to admit to each other how they feel, but I think that just adds to it. This is quite a sweet story and they clearly really care for one another.
What I really liked about this is that although there is a happily ever after here, there's still room for plenty more to come and I believe that they are going to get another story further in this series.
I really enjoyed this book and it made me keen to read more in the Paradise Beach series, probably a good thing as I have book 2 ready to go soon.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Debt - Jackie Ashenden

The Debt by Jackie Ashenden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The thing about a good romance is that even though you ultimately know where it's going to end up, it's the getting there that is so enjoyable. The Debt certainly was a good romance and I enjoyed every second of it.
I have to admit that I like a damaged hero and Ash is certainly damaged. Not only has he got a face marred by knife scars from his youth, streetfighting, but rejection from his father and a fallout with his half brother has left him emotionally damaged. Ellie has her own issues with the loss of her mother at a young age and a father who is at best emotionally stunted (actually, he's an arsehole, if the truth be told). But when they come together, the passion between them helps them move beyond their past.
I really loved the chemistry between these two. It was easy to see how drawn to one another they were. Ash tried hard to be ruthless and uncaring, but underneath his bravado, he was clearly nothing of the sort. I also really liked how they were both able to bring out the best in each other.
This was quite a quick read, but one that I really enjoyed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Magnetic - Anya J Cosgrove

Who said life was a fairy tale? Because I’d gladly slice that jerk’s head off. 

I’m Vicky, though that’s not really my name.

I never expected to end up half-naked in the woods with my guts hanging out. I didn’t plan to stumble upon the most powerful shifter clan in North America and three of the sexiest men I’ve ever laid eyes on.

Dominic, the fun and reckless new wolf. 

Sam, the hot doctor with glacial-blue eyes.

And Gabriel, the intense, secretive alpha who wants nothing to do with me.

My real name is a one-way ticket back to hell, and my secrets need to stay buried like the girl I used to be.

Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Red Riding Hood—I can be all three.  I can use my powers to earn a place in their werewolf town, away from the bite of my past mistakes. I can use them—and their bodies—to survive.

The only thing I can’t do is fall for them. 

My Review

Having read and loved the bloody hearts trilogy, I couldn't wait to read Anya J Cosgroves next book, magnetic. This is set in the same world and features Vicky, who was a minor character in that series. I was interested to see how Vicky's character would develop, as to be perfectly honest, I wasn't that keen on her. Fortunately, I wasn't disappointed, either in the way that this story was told or Vicky herself.

There's a lot going on in this book, with the story of Vicky's past coming out alongside her present situation with the three werewolves that she finds herself living with. Seeing things from Vicky's point of view certainly helped me to relate to and sympathise with her. 

This is a reverse harem romance, so there are not one, but three male leads. That said, they, all being different, have different roles to play and we see more of Sam and Dom than we do Gabriel. In fact, most of the action takes place between Vicky, Dom and Sam until later in the book.

If I had to find a small fault with this story, it would be that for me, it was all over a little bit too quickly. That's partly because I greedily read it all as soon as I could, but also because I think I'd been a bit spoilt with the last books being a trilogy. Even so, this was a really enjoyable read. I think that there might be more to come from this small community of werewolves and certainly hopefully from this world. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more books from Anya. 

Buy Links (kindle unlimited):

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2wrwzgP

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Ic23wY

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2WE7Kxe

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2HLPVnB

Teaser: attached

Author Bio:

Anya J Cosgrove lives in Québec with her husband, her beautiful son, and two mischievous cats. She works as a veterinarian by day. She’s a travel and Disney junkie and is passionate about her favourite paranormal series. What would Buffy do? Kick ass!

Social Media Links :

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Website:http://www.anyajcosgrove.com/

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Steal My Heart - Aimee O'Brian

Steal My Heart
Aimee O’Brian
Published by: Tule Publishing
Publication date: August 5th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

When a fantasy turns into a cold reality
Lexanne Harris had a plan down to the last sexy detail. Never did she think her attempt to spice up her love life with her boyfriend would involve her in a burglary with a sexier than sin thief whose emerald eyes and serious between the sheets skills are impossible to forget. As a police detective she is expected to stand on the side of the law and fight for justice. But what happens when the lines of justice blur and what’s wrong becomes way too tempting?
The situation might be challenging but Lexanne is determined to get assigned to the case, recover the jewels and catch the culprit.
The question is: What will she do with her sexy cat burglar when she catches him?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:
Having lived in both California and Texas, Aimee O’Brian now resides in the beautiful wine country. With her three children grown and experiencing their own adventures, she and her husband are free to explore the world. When she’s not reading, writing, or planting even more perennials in her garden, she can be found stomping through ancient ruins and getting lost in museums.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

My Review

This is quite a short little romance, but don't let that fool you into thinking that there's nothing here, far from it. I will admit that I read this in pretty much one sitting, but sometimes so instant satisfaction is just what I'm looking for.

What is a little unusual about this one, is that we only really get things from the point of Lexanne, in fact she doesn't even know who her mysterious lover is until a few chapters into the book. In many ways, the idea of accidentally having sex with someone, thinking it was someone else could be quite creepy. Fortunately, the mystery man is quite the gentleman and clearly doesn't fully realise that she thinks that he's someone else. It also helps that the man she had intended to sleep with is a creep of the highest order.

Although our couple do meet each other and get together, when they know who each other are, there isn't really a lot of time for them to get to know one another. It doesn't really matter, the chemistry is there and the connection between them doesn't come across as forced or contrived.

Steal My Heart is a fun romance, ultimately satisfying and exactly what I was in the mood for.

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Wylde Fire - Sarah Robinson

Wylde Fire by Sarah Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a three and a half stars rounded up to five stars read. This is the story of Sam Wylde, Tennessee whiskey producer who is out to prove that he is more than his family. Holly Glen has had a crush on him since high school, ten years previously, but Sam never even knew she existed. When they get thrown into one another's paths again they soon find a way that they can help each other and it quickly turns into something far more than a fake relationship.
I really liked both Sam and Holly in this story. Sam is a caring, genuine type of guy and although he's had previous heartache it's not something that completely defines him. Holly is feisty and despite the fact that she has been in love with Sam from afar for years, she isn't a pushover, which is something I always like in this kind of book.
Overall I really enjoyed the romance and I'd be keen to find out more about the other characters in the book. I assume that Sam's business partners will also get their own stories. There were a couple of small things that stopped me from giving this a higher rating. Firstly there were a couple of times that information was repeated unnecessarily. Not just that the author keeps telling us something, but a whole paragraph reproduced almost word for word. There were two examples that I spotted, one being the fact that the distillery was surrounded by a lot of land. When it happened it threw me out of the flow of the story for a second, which was annoying. The other thing that I wasn't completely on board with was that somethings either were glossed over or happened too fast. For example, there was a pretty major event for Holly that wasn't really even mentioned until it was touched on in passing in the epilogue. For me, it would just have added a bit more to the story with things like this actually being part of the book.
I did really enjoy this read and I'd been keen to read the next two when they come out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Fire God Tour - Michele Sims

About the Book

Title: The Fire God Tour Author: Michele Sims Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense Miles
Moore is obsessed with fire. He can’t help it—it’s in his genes. He’s also the famous performer Ari, an international hip-hop sensation. There are some negatives that come with fame—death threats and life on the road among them—but there’s also a lot of good: fast cars, fast women, international travel, and more money than he can handle. When Bella Wahlberg joins his team as the chief of marketing, she seems like the antithesis of what he’s looking for, so much so that Miles dubs her Belsa the Ice Queen. It would be unprofessional for them to get together, but more than that, she’s unavailable—and deathly afraid of fire. But as they prepare for The Fire God Tour, Miles can tell something is changing. Is he ready to commit himself to one woman? Can fire and ice come together?    

Author Bio

Michele Sims is the creator of the Moore Family Saga and the Fire God Series. She loves writing hot love stories and women's fiction with multidimensional characters in multigenerational families. She is the recipient of the 2018 RSJ Aspiring Author Award and first runner up in the Introvert Press Poetry Contest for February 2018. She is a member of the LRWA, in Charleston, SC and the From The Heart Romance Writers’ online group. She lives in South Carolina with her husband who has been her soulmate and greatest cheerleader. She is the proud mother of two adult sons and the auntie to many loved ones. When she's not writing, she's trying to remember the importance of exercise, travelling, listening to different genres of music, and observing the wonders of life on this marvellous planet.  

My Review

Links

Amazon Autor Page 

 Email: michelesims2122@gmail.com 

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 Purchase Act I. Seed on Fire and Act II. Playing with Fire.