Vi Keeland, for me, is one of those authors who I know is famous and has already published a lot of books but I have yet to read her work. I bought three of her novels (Egomaniac, Playboy Pilot, and Beautiful Mistake) sometime last year and they have been patiently sitting quietly in my phone's reading app. 

However, with the new year, a surge of energy came to me that made me want to catch up on my reading that I missed out on in 2017. I decided to start off with good ol' contemporary romance, and as I was scrolling through my digital library, I came across my small collection of Vi Keeland's work. Hot man on the cover? Hell, yes. 

Basically, I had no expectations when I swiped my ebook copy of Beautiful Mistake open, but a few pages in and I knew Vi Keeland would forever be one of my favourite authors. 

A sexy new standalone from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Vi Keeland

The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.

He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.

When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.

You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.

He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done.

Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.

Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy.

Oops. My mistake.

Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.

I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?

That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.

Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant.

I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.

Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.

This was going to be interesting…

Confession: I pictured Theo James as Caine and it worked for me.

As I said, I had no expectations when I started reading Beautiful Mistake. But only after a few pages, when Rachel and Caine crossed paths, I was instantly hooked. I'm a sucker for witty banter and the way Vi Keeland wrote the exchange between the two, I was a goner. I couldn't keep the goofy grin off of my face because the dialogue and even Rachel's internal monologue was hilarious. 

I'm not going to lie -- I didn't know what the story was about because I didn't even bother to read the book's blurb until after I was done. But honestly, I never would've guessed that it would go the way it did, based on the book's synopsis alone.

Honestly, the synopsis doesn't give much away about the plot, aside from our female protagonist is the Teaching Assistant of our male lead. Spoiler alert: the storyline is so much more complicated than that. 

I did not expect the author to go the route that she did. I mean, I had my suspicions that Caine and Rachel share a deeper connection than that of a romantic nature, but it still blew me away when the dots have been connected. 

I love that the author gives us glimpses into different timelines that give the story more depth. We get to see our characters in a different setting, at different moments in their lives. We get to see them vulnerable and in a generally bad place, but despite all that, they managed to become who they are at the present time. 

I know what I'm saying doesn't make much sense, but needless to say, the plot twist was so good that I don't want to spoil it for anyone. 

We've already established that I'm in love with Vi Keeland's writing style. Now, we have to talk about Rachel and Caine. The chemistry and sexual tension between them was so palpable, it's frustrating. Like, get to it already! And boy when they finally caved in, oh my goodness. The author has a gift of making you laugh one second and turning you on the next. Caine is such a strong and intense character that you know when he gives his full attention to you, you'd melt into a big, horny puddle. But more than being completely sexy, he also carries a lot of guilt and regret which stops him from being truly happy. He tends to consider himself responsible for a lot of things and people, and when things go bad, he instantly blames himself. 

It's not uncommon for male leads in novels to be dark and broken, but Caine stands out in a way because he doesn't want whatever messed up past he has to consume him and in turn hurt Rachel. Same goes with Rachel who has been through a lot at such a young age and yet she flourished because she wants to help and be an inspiration to others. The two leads complement each other a lot and seeing how they went from Teaching Assistant and Professor to lovers is exciting.

Beautiful Mistake is wonderfully written. I loved the arc of the story and how it all came back full circle. This novel offers hope and wisdom while showering us with sexy innuendos and humorous conversations. 

There's no doubt that I would read more of Vi Keeland's work, and I have no doubt in my mind that I would love those as well. I strongly recommend that you add Beautiful Mistake to your reading list.

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over ninety Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

To save her father from prison, geeky graphic artist Arabella Blume agrees to sell herself to Aurélien Sauvage, a young French billionaire whose life is shrouded in mystery and strange and conflicting rumors. 

When she’s immediately whisked away to a remote island, Arabella braces herself for all kinds of torture. But instead, her new life is more perplexing than terrifying. 

During the day, the staff pampers her like a princess. 

But as for the nights – 

They’ve become her most precious and shameful secret. 

When all is silent and dark, Arabella succumbs to the dangerously addictive passion of her master. Night after night, he listens to her, he talks to her, he makes her laugh, he makes her forget – and later on, he fucks her. 

He fucks her long and hard, he fucks her until she passes out, he fucks her so, so beautifully, and Aurélien promises to cherish her forever – for as long as she doesn’t break his rules. 

Never talk about me to anyone. 

And she doesn’t. 

Never kiss me. 

And she doesn’t. 

And the most imperative, my beauty – never, ever try to look at me in the light. 

But Arabella does. 

She doesn’t mean to, but it happens, and that’s when Arabella realizes all along she’s been making love to an animal. 

A man with a beautiful face, sapphire eyes, and a lethally powerful body, but at the same time a beast with terrifying horns, claws, and fangs – 

Oh my God. 

La bête Sauvage. 

It’s what the islanders have been whispering about – something they’ve always known but never told her, something she thought she understood but didn’t, something that may change the way she sees him – 

Aurélien. 

Her owner. 

Her lover. 

And he seems to know this, too, as the beast – her beast – asks quietly, 

Do I frighten you now, ma belle? 

Do I disgust you? 

Do you want me still? 

Arabella Blume, like most of Marian's heroines, is a kind-hearted person who loves her father purely. She also has a stubborn streak and refuses to cave in to her desires and emotions as much as she can. But unlike most of the female protagonists in the author's books, Arabella has a temper and a potty mouth, and she isn't ashamed of it one bit. She's also quite confident with her body and isn't afraid to claim what she wants -- in other words, she can be aggressive (much to my delight). 

Aurélien Sauvage also has a heart of gold, he just doesn't acknowledge it because of his "situation". He believes that he doesn't deserve to have someone by his side because it would only cause them harm. He's rich and powerful - figuratively and literally - but he's also lonely and trapped in the "beast". However, he's not afraid to take the leap and love someone. In fact, love is what he craves to give and receive - also unlike Ms. Tee's seemingly love-allergic heroes in other books. But he's insecure and afraid, and with good reason. But will he be Aurélien the man or will he let the beast take over forever? 

Confession time! I haven't watched the new Beauty and the Beast movie yet. Also, I haven't watched the original animation. Lastly, I haven't even read the book where they based the film on. But, in spite of this, I am familiar with the story and its ending - I mean, she's one of my generation's Disney princesses so knowing her is embedded in my DNA. The only difference that I can say from this situation is I at least won't struggle to compare this story to the original one. For me, this IS an original story and one that I liked a lot.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead

The story starts off by showing us how it all started. How Aurélien came to be something else, how the island of St. Marianne became a home cherished by many people, and how unconditional love is an important factor in this story. I love how detailed the author was when describing the island, specifically the mansion where the Sauvage family lived. It made me feel as though I was there, seeing what the newcomers saw and experiencing what they experienced and felt. We are easily transported to a place of opulence and beauty, but one with mysteries and sadness too. 

One of the things I liked about this story is how the modern world and "fairy tale land" seemingly blended to create a unique set up for our characters. I also like how the characters can go from 1600-era to knowing Game of Thrones - it serves as a reminder that these people, no matter how disconnected they seem from the world, are still living in the same time and space we are (as far as fictional stories go, of course). 

This story doesn't try hard to be a replica of Beauty and the Beast. It's a completely different interpretation that readers who aren't familiar with the movie won't have a hard time absorbing the story, while those who are fans of the tale will find subtle similarities here and there. 

As usual, Marian Tee managed to deliver a book that is well-written. The humor is there, and the steamy scenes are heart-racing. As I was nearing the end of the book, I had a lot of questions that have yet to be answered. And so I know that there will be following installments to this story. 

Let me point one thing out, though. When reading a Marian Tee book, I already expect to shed some (translation: a lot) tears. So going in Savage, Broken, Beautiful, I figured that I'd be crying for sure. To my surprise, this book is relatively lighter than other works of the same author. I mean sure there's some violence, but all-in-all, I found that it wasn't emotionally exhausting as her other novels. Does that make it less good? No. Do I expect more heart-wrenching moments when the second (and hopefully third) book comes out? Maybe. But only because I know Marian's not afraid to put her characters through shit to make the happily ever after so much more worth it. 

This was a great read and I would recommend it to others. I honestly can't wait for other surprises from the very talented author, Marian Tee. 

I won't sugar coat what I have to say about this book -- Enigma is an erotica. It's romantic, yes, but it's a collection of different role-playing sex scenes a loving husband and wife take part in. 

Caution: This is not a read for the faint of heart. *wink*

Title: Enigma (The Enigma Trilogy, Book 1)

Author: Vanessa Liebe

Book Type: Fiction

Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, Marital Heat

Published By: Red Sage Publishing

Publication Date: October 1, 2016

Source: Given by Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32324953-enigma

SYNOPSIS:

Mark and Lucy Fuller have a great marriage, or so they think. But there is always room for improvement and there is one side to their marriage that they have never discussed or indulged in and that is their fantasies. When Lucy is referred to a new club where they can enact their fantasies, albeit only be intimate with one another, they become members and discover a whole new side to their marriage with some interesting and positive results.

READER ALERT:

Mark had no idea being kidnapped by his wife could be so arousing or that she could spank so well. Caution! When you read about Mark and Lucy’s sexual fantasies you may need that cold shower. Join them on a wet, wild and deliciously sensual ride and dare to wonder about your own.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Red Sage

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

REVIEW:

Let me start off by saying that I'm no newbie when it comes to erotic romance novels. I have read hot stories, and I've also enjoyed the filthy, question your sanity kind. Enigma is still on the decent side. Author Vanessa Liebe managed to find the perfect balance between sweet, sexy, naughty, and dirty. 

The chapters of the book are basically the different scenes they engage in. Honestly, I found a few that I wanted to try for myself. I think the part that resonated with me the most is that Mark and Lucy are just a normal happily married couple. They love each other, they respect one another, and they still have sex. But Vanessa Liebe addressed a matter that I believe married couples should be aware of: you need to spice things up to make your relationship better. 

For wives, this is not an obligation. Don't think going above and beyond to keep your husband's interest in you is insulting or degrading. Exploring these desires is very much for you too. You become more in tune with what you want, what turns you on, and how to enjoy the foreplay and sexual act. You form a deeper understanding of what pleasures your partner and what makes them tick. 

I liked this book a lot. It almost reminds me of short sex stories written by Lexi Maxxwell. Enigma is only about 80-90 pages long so it doesn't get boring. There's not much to say about it except it's honest. We all have certain fantasies that we wish to fulfill, but we might think that our current circumstances won't make it possible. Well here's to never saying never. 

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vanessa Liebe is the author of fun, sexy erotic romance, and erotica, both contemporary and historical. She mostly writes in the Fantasy and Paranormal categories as she likes a man with bite. 

Vanessa is married with three children and resides in Hampshire, South East England. When not house training her children, reading or writing, she likes to sit in the garden with a glass of rose wine.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Blog: https://vanessaliebe.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009945581362 ; https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.liebe.author

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/author_vanessa 

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13740310.Vanessa_Liebe

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MAFIA STORYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!! Ever since I came across author J.J. McAvoy's Ruthless People series, I knew right away that organized crimes mixed with romance is and will forever be one of my favorite book genres. So when an opportunity to read and review Where the Sun Hides by authors Bethany-Kris and London Miller came up, I grabbed it with both my hands and feet. Was I left satisfied? A big fat effin' YES, and then some.

Title: Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal, #1)

Author: Bethany-Kris and London Miller

Publication Date: June 6, 2016

Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Organized Crime

Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29500183-where-the-sun-hides

SYNOPSIS:

In places where the sun can hide, the darkest betrayals are made.

Violet Gallucci and Kazimir Markovic have grown up in the same city, but on opposite sides of the game they call life—Violet, an Italian principessa della mafia, and Kaz, a Russian Bratva heir. Lines have been drawn, and they know not to cross them.

Their paths crossed once, a long time ago, but when they meet again, the territory and rules set out by their families that have kept them separated seem to bleed away.

She’s more than her last name …

He’s more than a Russian …

But secrets from the past—and the people determined to keep them hidden—have other plans for Violet and Kaz.

Rival families.

One city.

Star-crossed lovers.

They should be enemies.

It could mean war.

This is just the beginning …

From authors Bethany-Kris (The Chicago War) and London Miller (Volkov Bratva) comes a thrilling, sexy new series—Seasons of Betrayal. Where the Russians and Italians clash in culture, mafia … and love.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Where the Sun Hides (Seasons of Betrayal, #1)

Amazon (#FREE with #KindleUnlimited)

REVIEW:

Where the Sun Hides is not the first book written by either Bethany-Kris or London Miller I've read, but I believe it's the first one I've read them write together (that is if there are others). I've read and reviewed London Miller's Volkov Bratva series -- which if you take a look at my review, you'd know that it was awesome -- and I've started reading The Chicago War series by Bethany-Kris. These two authors write amazing organized crime/romance stories separately, but together they are fantastic. I honestly believe that Where the Sun Hides is better than the other two mafia stories/series I mentioned earlier -- it was that good!

This heart-racing--in more ways than one--novel will take you in a world full of danger and destruction, and romance and redemption. While I was reading the blurb of this book, Romeo and Juliet came to mind. Two people from rival families discover that they are meant to be together and tries to fight against all odds. But we all know how Romeo and Juliet ended right? It's not without its fair share of pain, heartache, and DEATH.

I don't know why and how Bethany-Kris and London are so in-the-know with the politics or the goings-on of the mob life--Russian Bratva and Italian Mafia--but after reading this book, I even felt like I AM part of the mob. I felt tougher like I have people who would kill for me and would want to kill me. I think that's when you know you've found a kickass book when the lines between reality and fiction have started to blur.

I liked how this book didn't sugar coat the harshness of the crime life. It's definitely not all rainbows and butterflies, but the people who are part of these two organizations aren't just ruthless and heartless for no reason. Yes, there is a lot of power play, but you also see the biggest differences between the Italians and the Russians. One of which being Italians care for family, while Russians care for business among all else.

Can I just say that at first I was thoroughly annoyed with Violet and her two friends? I mean, for three women who grew up in "their world" and who knew the rules, they had to break them without thinking about the possible consequences, meaning bloodshed. I can never relate to such selfish actions as I tend to always think about what the ripples of my decisions would be and who it would affect.

Anyway, I don't want to give much away because I'm still too excited about this. But I cannot wait for the following installments, and I cannot wait to see more violence, romance, and drama.

If you guys didn't get it just yet, PICK UP A COPY, RIGHT NOW. I promise you, you will love it!

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to three young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a hubby calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something … when she can find the time.

To keep up-to-date with new releases from Bethany-Kris, sign up to her New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD

Website: http://www.bethanykris.com/

Blog: http://bethanykris.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bethanykris

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethanykriswrites?_rdr=p

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277744.Bethany_Kris

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bethanykris/

Mailing List: http://facebook.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=38574ace51a0f7a1f9a116c4c&id=e941fcdc12

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Bethany-Kris/e/B00FF78PVO/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1459491155&sr=8-2-ent

With a degree in Creative Writing, London Miller has turned pen to paper, creating riveting fictional worlds where the bad guys are sometimes the good guys. Her debut novel, In the Beginning, is the first in the Volkov Bratva Series. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two puppies, where she drinks far too much Sprite, and spends her nights writing.

Website: http://www.londonmillerauthor.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LMAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7246705.London_Miller

Newsletter: http://londonmillerauthor.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=d05591a9a188b02c7432c92cb&id=4f5496a51e

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/London-Miller/e/B00G71HF2W/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1459487359&sr=8-1

TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

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I was debating with myself whether or not to pick Artificial by Jadah McCoy up because I've never been a fan of novels written in a different time -- past or future. But the blurb got me curious enough that I did end up reading and reviewing this book. Did I like it? Did I not? What were the strong points? What were the weak ones? Would I recommend it? Let's answer all these questions.

Title: Artificial 

Author: Jadah McCoy 

Published by: Curiosity Quills Press

Publication Date: April 4th 2016

Genres: New Adult, Science Fiction

Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28682101-artificial

SYNOPSIS:

She struggles to feel human.

In 2256, the only remnants of civilization on Earth’s first colonized planet, Kepler, are the plant-covered buildings and the nocturnal, genetically spliced bug-people nesting within them: the Cull. During the day, Syl leaves her home in the sewers beneath Elite City to scavenge for food, but at night the Cull come looking for a meal of their own. Syl thought gene splicing died with the Android War a century ago. She thought the bugs could be exterminated, Elite city rebuilt, and the population replenished. She’s wrong.

Whoever engineered the Cull isn’t done playing God. Syl is abducted and tortured in horrific experiments which result in her own DNA being spliced, slowly turning her into one of the bugs. Now she must find a cure and stop the person responsible before every remaining man, woman, and child on Kepler is transformed into the abomination they fear.

He struggles not to.

For Bastion, being an android in the sex industry isn’t so bad. Clubbing beneath the streets of New Elite by day and seducing the rich by night isn’t an altogether undesirable occupation. But every day a new android cadaver appears in the slum gutters, and each caved in metal skull and heap of mangled wires whittles away at him.

Glitches—androids with empathy—are being murdered, their models discontinued and strung up as a warning. Show emotion, you die. Good thing Bastion can keep a secret, or he would be the next body lining the street.

He can almost live with hiding his emotions. That is, until a girl shows up in the slums—a human girl, who claims she was an experiment. And in New Elite, being a human is even worse than being a Glitch. Now Bastion must help the girl escape before he becomes victim to his too-human emotions, one way or another.

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

REVIEW:

Syl is a strong female lead who does not hesitate to kick a** and will fight for what she believes is right. Because of this, I liked her a lot. Actually, almost all characters were interesting and held a good amount of mystery. However, I found little to no character development as the story progressed.

The story was interesting. I'm not sure how unique the plot is as again, I don't really read dystopian books even the Divergent trilogy, but it works for me. It did take a while before I found myself immersed in that world, but even then I can't consider myself "lost" in it. I guess Artificial as a whole is neither a hit nor a miss to me. It was good with the potential of being great but for some reason, it lacked in one way or another. It never really struck me as something I would love or would be inclined to read again. I don't know if the reason for this is my inexperience in reading this genre, but I just felt disconnected. Like I was a person looking in through a window instead of taking part in the action.

So will I recommend it? Yes, I will. Because as a whole, Artificial is still an entertaining read. You'll be introduced to a new world filled with danger and action and will get to know characters that will bring the story to life. I'd also like to point out that the author's writing style is good because of her seamless storytelling abilities.

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jadah currently lives in Nashville, TN and works in law. When not babysitting attorneys, she can be found juicing her brain for creative ideas or fantasizing about her next trip out of the country (or about Tom Hiddleston as Loki - it’s always a toss up when she fantasizes).

She grew up in rural Arkansas, yet can still write good and sometimes even wears shoes! She did date her first cousin for a while but they decided against marriage for the sake of the gene pool.

Her true loves are elephants, cursing, and sangria - in that order. If you find an elephant that curses like a sailor whilst drinking sangria, you’re dangerously close to becoming her next romantic victim - er, partner.

She cut her writing teeth on badly written, hormone-driven fanfiction (be glad that’s out of her system), and her one true dream is to have wildly erotic fanfiction with dubious grammar written about her own novels. Please make her dreams come true.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: https://jadahmccoy.wordpress.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14903289.Jadah_McCoy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jadah-McCoy-Author-1570450153179469/

TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

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Have I read the first three installments of the Sinful Serenade series? No, no I have not. Do I regret anything about reading Play Your Heart Out by Crystal Kaswell? Yes, yes I do. But before you start thinking of me as a horrible book reviewer, I only meant that I regret not knowing about this band series first and not reading the other three books in the series. On that note, here's my review of Play Your Heart Out.

Title: Play Your Heart Out (Sinful Serenade #4) 

Author: Crystal Kaswell 

Publication Date: May 24th 2016

Genres: New Adult, Romance

Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29515206-play-your-heart-out

SYNOPSIS: 

He parties like a rockstar.

She's there to make sure no one finds out...

Jess James has her eye on the prize. She is finding the money to pay for law school. Period. She is starting a new life on her own. Period. And she's absolutely staying in Los Angeles, three thousand miles away from the people who expect her to lie for them. It doesn't matter how lonely she gets on her own, how exhausted she is from working overtime as a cocktail waitress, or how deep the knife wound in her back cuts. She is going to be a lawyer, whatever it takes.

Only she doesn't have what it takes. She can barely afford to pay her rent.

Sinful Serenade bassist Pete Steele has enough to pay Jess's rent and buy her a small island in the Caribbean. The famous, talented rock star has everything... except the one thing his manager wants. Pete rose to fame as a devoted boyfriend. Doesn't matter that his ex slept with his best friend, he needs to stop screwing his way through Los Angeles to keep his reputation clean. Pete works hard, and parties harder... and the sweet, blond waitress is exactly the girl he needs on his arm if he wants to keep the record company happy.

Their arrangement is simple: he pays her tuition, she plays his girlfriend. They'll lie to the world, but not to each other. Especially not when they're alone, in his bed, him figuring out exactly which buttons to push to get her moaning his name.

Jess is good at keeping up appearances. She can play the enigmatic rock star's girlfriend. But Pete shouldn't play games with a girl who's been broken before...

REVIEW:

Going into the world of Sinful Serenade, I admit that I had a lot of reservations. I have read a few other novels with a similar plot outline--bad boy rock star, good girl falls in love with him, they struggle, they end up together, blah blah blah. So you can say that I was preparing myself mentally to not roll my eyes at cliche lines and scenes. 

"If you thought this book is unoriginal, then why did you want to review it?" you might be thinking. I have a simple answer for this: the author was obviously doing something right to get people hooked on this world, and I wanted to see it for myself. 

There are three things I'm absolutely certain as I'm writing this review: first, Crystal Kaswell is a talented and passionate author. The way she wrote Play Your Heart Out, (and her other books too, I'm sure) with such seamless story telling, colorful dialogues, and vivid descriptions prove that this is not her first rodeo. Her ability to effectively spin a story, add deep layers to its plot, and create complex and relatable characters is a testament to her years of experience, hard work, and colorful imagination. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not reviewing the author. I just wanted to show you why and how Play Your Heart Out exceeded my expectations and broke all my premature assumptions. 

Now I don't know how Pete was in the first three parts of the Sinful Serenade series, but the Pete in this book is a hard-headed man-whore who is in the road to self-destruction -- career-wise and in life. But I think for me, what sets this guy apart from all the other bad boy rock stars is he used to be a good guy who wanted a long and happy relationship but got hurt big time. So he's not who or what he is just because, there's a reason behind it making him relatable to some people who got hurt by their exes. Now Jess, she also got hurt. But because of the strength she possesses, she decided to push through in life. She's intelligent, career-minded, and goal-oriented, which should help her do what she has to do easily, but doesn't really. Jess and Pete's chemistry is great, their verbal exchanges colorful, and their pain and sadness real. 

I don't want to say too much about the book, only that it's amazing and you should read it ...  but not before parts 1-3, because you won't get the whole Sinful Serenade experience...like me. 

Check this out you guys.

RATING:

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon

Purchase book 1

Purchase book 2

Purchase book 3

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Crystal Kaswell writes steamy new adult and erotic romance books. She loves when flawed characters fall head over heels for each other. Especially if they fall into bed first. She loves police procedurals, tea, and The Hunger Games series. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.crystalkaswell.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrystalKaswell

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8379758.Crystal_Kaswell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crystalkaswellwriter/?fref=ts

TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

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I've always had a thing for romance mixed with suspense and/or action--the different layers brought together in one heart-pounding story *sigh*, can it get any better than that?

The problem I find myself having with this fascination of mine though, is it's hard to satiate. It's not at all easy to look for a book that will make me properly swoon, laugh, sad, and nervous. I guess that's why I wanted to give Deep Dark by Laura Griffin a shot. I've read so many good reviews about it, so I thought it can't hurt to try. Was it any good? It was mind-numbingly fantastic!

Title: Deep Dark (Tracers #10)

Author: Laura Griffin

Release Date: May 24, 2016

Published by: Pocket Books

Source: ARC Given by Tour Organizer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25814336-deep-dark

SYNOPSIS:

A gripping new romantic thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin...

The moment detective Reed Novak steps onto the crime scene, he knows the case is going to rock his world. A beautiful young woman murdered at home. No sign of forced entry. No motive. She’s obviously not the killer’s first victim, and Reed’s instincts tell him she won’t be his last. Reed’s first clue comes via a mysterious text that links to a dating profile, but even more intriguing than the clue is the person who sent it.

As a white-hat hacker in the Delphi Center’s cyber investigation unit, Laney Knox sneaks into some of the deepest, darkest corners of the Internet looking for predators. Laney would prefer to stay away from Austin PD’s most recent murder case, but she can’t ignore the chilling similarities between that crime and her own brutal attack years ago. Laney offers to help the sexy lead detective, but he wants more from her than just a promising tip—Reed wants her trust. Laney resists, but as their relationship deepens she’s tempted to reveal the closely guarded secrets that could make her a key witness…or the killer’s next victim.

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/03/deep-dark-tracers-10-by-laura-griffin.html 

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/46965-tracers

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Kobo

CHARACTER BACKGROUND:

Reed Novak has been in the police force for 17 years and he has seen, heard, and learn of things that made him the jaded person that he is today. His work is his life and that's a testament to his ended marriage and closed-off persona. He interrogates people in and out of the job and trusting others does not come easily to him. That's why he's drawn to this young, petite, guarded woman who believes in making the world a better place one hack at a time. She makes him want to believe in different things; even things that may go against everything he believes in.

Laney Knox is one of the best at what she does. She takes down all kinds of criminals through hacking anything and everything; nothing is impossible with her skills--only now she's faced with an enemy that is playing with her and the people she's helping. The case that she's caught in brings back a lot of haunting memories, memories that she prefer to not think about anymore. Memories of a night that forever changed the way she lived and saw the world. But being around Reed makes her feel something she's never felt in a long time...safe. so she's willing to put her life--and heart--on the line to catch the bad guy causing mayhem in their city.

REVIEW:

I'm kind of ashamed to say that Deep Dark is the first book penned by Laura Griffin I've read. I tried checking Goodreads to see what else she's written, and to say that I was surprised to see the number of books she's written is an understatement. But at the same time, it made sense to me. Deep Dark, which apparently is the 10th installment of the Tracers series, has a certain flawlessness to it. Like whoever wrote this and came up with the storyline has obviously been doing it for quite some time. And Laura has produced a number of well-loved novels.

The story's pace was perfect, scenes weren't cut short or excessively lengthened for no reason; the setting descriptions were enough to paint a clear picture of what's happening and where it's happening, which is important in this case because we're brought to crime scenes, laboratories, and other locations and scenarios that require clear details; and most of the characters have layers that we all get a glimpse of because the story is told from multiple POVs--which I prefer 100%--giving the entire story more depth and color.

I am a huge fan of crime show dramas like Bones, Castle, Criminal Minds and the like, so I knew what I was looking for in a book that boasts of suspense and crime. These are some of the things that must be noted when discussing murder: cause of death, motive, murder weapon, point of entry. I don't know if everything stated in Deep Dark is indeed possible, but Laura Griffin sure had me believing EVERYTHING she wrote. The point of entry alone had the cops baffled, and even I was starting to think about all the possibilites. I cannot tell you how many times I talked to veronica (you'd get to know her once you read the book) to look at certain places and maybe this or that is what happened. But no-o-oh, Laura had something else in mind and it's so much more awesome--and plausible--than my assumptions.

You know what, Deep Dark has me so excited and there are so many things I'd like to tell you guys, but I can't without risking spoilers and possible lawsuits. But I will tell ya'll this, Deep Dark--or maybe even the entire series Laura Griffin wrote--can be turned into a TV show, in my opinion. The entire book was well-written, there is an air of danger in almost every page that even made me look if my bedroom door is closed, the characters were all realistic and relatable, and the chemistry between Laney and Reed is explosive. Not much to be said about the sex, but it's totally okay because it's not necessary to make the book better...it already is excellent.

SUMMARY:

What else can I say? Hmm, I will be reading the next installment of the Tracers series and quite possibly the first 9 as well, just so I'll know if Laura is consistent with the quality of her writing, because let's admit it, there are authors who'll write a masterpiece one day and provide total garbage the next. But I highly doubt that this is the case with Ms. Griffin since again, I've been reading a lot of positive reviews.

Do pick Deep Dark by Laura Griffin up you guys. I promise you, YOU. WILL. NOT. REGRET. IT. AT. ALL. It's romantic, mind-boggling, and nerve-wracking. It'll make you feel safe one second and let you know that you're still in danger the next. It's such an amazing read, one that will put you on the edge of your seat (or bed, your choice), and make you hold your breath. Two thumbs-up to Laura and all who made this book possible. Cheers.

RATING: 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author LAURA GRIFFIN started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of romantic suspense. She is a two-time RITA Award winner as well as the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award. Laura currently lives in Austin, where she is working on her next book.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website:  http://www.lauragriffin.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Laura-Griffin/206501652717671

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/Laura_Griff

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/84181.Laura_Griffin

TOUR ORGANIZED BY:

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