My TBR List Review *February* ~ Once Bitten, Twice Shy ~ C.C. Wood #COYER #MyTBRL #ShelfLove #TravelingtotheTerminus

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. 



Once Bitten, Twice Shy by C.C. Wood
Bitten #2
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Purchased on Nook
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #COYER, #ShelfLove, #TravelingtotheTerminus
Goodreads

Synopsis
I used to think my life was boring. I resigned myself to the rut I was stuck in. Then my entire existence was turned upside down.

In the last six months, I've learned things that would get me committed to an asylum if I repeated them. First, I was kidnapped by vampires. Yes, vampires. Sounds crazy, right? My best friend, Donna, became one of the fanged after that little adventure and hooked up with a hot, Scottish vampire named Conner. They're even planning a wedding.

Secondly, I learned not all vampires are evil. In fact, some of them are downright sexy.

Alexander Dimitriades has it all. He's tall, dark, and handsome and manages to give me tingles in all the right places and also make me laugh. Unfortunately, to be with him, I would have to give up my humanity and I like being human. Then, there's the fact that the whole drinking blood thing gives me the heebie jeebies.

To make matters worse, there are plans in motion to change the place vampires hold in the human world. And I'm caught in the middle, between the vampire I'm falling in love with and a group that wants to create a vampire dictatorship, with humans as slaves.

Now, all I want is my calm, normal life back. As my friend, Ricki, likes to say, "Be careful what you wish for because it might come and bite you on the ass." I hate it when she's right.

*This work contains BDSM elements/themes, spanking, bondage, anal play, and a bossy, persistent Greek vampire.

I don't know why I put off reading more of this series. This was an exciting second installment and I had to scratch my head over why I took so long to pick it up. Time, I suppose. But I plan to read more - dare I say finish? - this series soon!

Highlights

• Lex & Ivie
  I enjoyed the romance between these two even if Ivie made me want to shake her at times. The differences between them due to length of living made for entertaining interplay. Since the story is told from Ivie's POV I felt I got to know her better and I liked being witness to her learning more about herself as she fell for Lex. I enjoyed the way Lex took care of Ivie - letting her get used to him and their bond slowly, not wanting to scare her off. He was gentle with her even when he wanted to strangle her.
• Secondary Cast
  Getting to spend time with Donna and Connor, from book #1, as well as their friends made for a more entertaining read. It also gave me glimpses into who they next couples might be.
• Plot
  Although Wood is focusing on a different couple in each book, their stories are all bound together with an overarching plot involving vampire politics. Wood is slowly disseminating the machinations behind what's brewing with the vampires and she incorporates it well with her world building using vampire history and a Dallas setting

This installment was exciting, entertaining, and steamy. BDSM is mentioned in the synopsis but don't let that scare you away. It's barely an element, the smexy scenes are more just your typical smokin' hot sexy vamp sex scenes, and the plot doesn't revolve around BDSM in any way. I really am anxious to read the next installment as I think it may involve a werewolf and his witch. *wink*

Review ~ The Farthest Edge ~ Kristen Ashley #2017NewRelease

The Farthest Edge by Kristen Ashley
Honey Series #2
Release Date: June 6, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Erotic Romance, BDSM
Source: Purchased on Kindle
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease, #COYER (summer)
Goodreads

Synopsis
Step into the Honey Club, where every sensual boundary will be tested in search of the ultimate pleasure...

Branch doesn't exist. Living off the grid, he's looking for a way to forget his past and the guilt that plagues him. But no woman has ever been able to bring him to the edge he craves.

After a traumatic experience of her own, Evangeline stepped away from the decadent world of the Honey Club. But when she gets Branch's offer - to play without boundaries or commitments - it's too tempting for her to refuse.

As their passion ignites, Evangeline and Branch push each other to their farthest limit, fulfilling their darkest desires while falling harder and deeper than they ever imagined.

I don't typically read the teaser for the next book in a series that are sometimes included at the end of a book. It's too much for me to handle knowing that little bit but having to wait. :/ But I couldn't help myself when I got to the end of The Deep End - I just *had* to know who starred in the next story. And to say I was thrilled and overly eager for The Farthest Edge once I knew would be a huge understatement.

When we met Branch Dillinger in The Deep End, I was instantly intrigued. He was an enigma - certainly dangerous if you got on the wrong side of him or a friend of his, but also loyal and seemingly...redeemable. He was someone you could tell, from the small page time he received, who'd endured and suffered...carried a lot of secrets and guilt...and he was someone I was dying to see his layers peeled back.

Evangeline Brooks was a character we were only told about. A Domme at the Honey, she had the unthinkable happen to her with her sub. Just knowing what happened and how that would affect her, I was eager to really get to know her but also to see how KA would pull her back from the edge.

Branch and Evangeline were made for each other. Oh, that's not to say anything was easy for them (although Branch might argue that with me) but their broken pieces were such that in helping each other put themselves back together, they also found connecting pieces which fit them together quite nicely. Learning of all Branch had been through made me ache for him. Evangeline, while living a good life minus the one incident, had a difficult time overcoming that one incident considering her position and the trust that was violated. Witnessing Branch and Evangeline work at mending themselves and each other was riveting.

I have to admit that The Farthest Edge was much easier to take than The Deep End. I don't know if it's because I was familiar with KA's version of the D/s lifestyle at this point or if it was because Evangeline was more relatable as a character. It might be a combination of both those things but whatever it was, I found The Farthest Edge to be a KA read that I was completely immersed in and finished in no time. I loved it!

There was no teaser for the next book, sadly. I have my top three desired candidates for the next installment but KA is keeping me guessing this time. I'm keen for the next story though.

#OctobeRecFest New Release Review #6 ~ Taken ~ Jennifer Dawson #2017NewRelease #TravelingtotheTerminus

Taken by Jennifer Dawson
Undone Series #4
Release Date: October 24, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease, #OctobeRecFest, #TravelingtotheTerminus
Recommended by: Kimberly @Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Goodreads

Synopsis
Brandon Townsend III

Rich, beautiful and entitled, once upon a time he was king of the trust fund babies. He took anything and anyone he wanted, until one day, he walked away without explanation. Now, he's an untouchable mystery, one I'm determined to crack. And I'm not talking about anything mundane like his bed. No, I want something far more valuable.

I want into this head.

Veronica Westwood has blown into my life creating chaos in her wake, and I don't know quite what to do with her. Rich, beautiful and entitled, she represents everything I've sworn off in life, and her being unexpectedly clever doesn't change that. Instincts warn me to stay away, and that's just what I intend to do, no matter her attempts to wear me down. I'm good at saying no, or at least I was until I met her. I don't understand it, but she's like a weakness, and a man like me can't have weakness.

I simply won't allow it.

The Undone Series is one I've enjoyed immensely. Getting to know all these characters as well as seeing how they incorporate a BDSM lifestyle with their everyday life has been fascinating and a pleasure. The series wouldn't have been complete without having Brandon's story.

Brandon is a character whose story I was anxious to get. He's a bit of an enigma but I'd so delighted in seeing him on occasion in the previous installments - always doing his part to ensure the happiness of his friends but never letting anyone get too close to him. Needless to say I was eager to see him fall and find his own bit of happiness.

Brandon is from a wealthy Chicago family - a trust fund baby who left that life to find his own way. He shuns that life and the people who inhabit it, having made friends who know the real him. But in deference to his parents, he attends one social engagement a quarter, which is where he is cornered by Veronica.

Veronica is also from an old-money Chicago family. She knew of Brandon so when she decides to blow up her life by walking away from the expectations of her family, she knows he'll be the one to understand her. In her determination to earn a job under him, she finds Brandon understands her on an even deeper level than she imagined.

Veronica was the perfect yang to Brandon's yin. They challenged each other, snarked at one another, and Veronica couldn't have asked for a better guide as she began her exploration of the domination she desired and Brandon was eager to deliver. Their chemistry was visceral. However, I'd have liked a bit more on-page time where they built on that chemistry. It happened - it just wasn't all on-page and I felt that because of the trust needed in this sort of relationship, the building of that foundation of trust is something I'd have liked to witness. It's an element I appreciated in the previous installments so I felt its absence in this one.

Overall though, I was pleased. Seeing Brandon meet his match as well as watching Veronica learn more about herself and make friends who were real and that she could be real around was heartwarming. Getting to spend time with Michael and Layla, Leo and Jillian, and Chad and Ruby was also a pleasure. Mostly though, I appreciated that Brandon, and Veronica too, found the happiness they deserved.

#OctobeRecFest Review #2 ~ The Angel ~ Tiffany Reisz #ShelfLove #TravelingtotheTerminus

The Angel by Tiffany Reisz
The Original Sinners #2
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Genre: Adult, Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance, BDSM
Source: Puchased paperback
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #OctobeRecFest, #ShelfLove
Recommended by: Lexxie @unConventional Bookviews, among others
Goodreads

Synopsis
No safe word can protect the heart
Infamous erotica author and accomplished dominatrix Nora Sutherlin is doing something utterly out of character: hiding. While her longtime lover, Soren - whose fetishes, if exposed, would be his ruin - is under scrutiny pending a major promotion, Nora's lying low and away from temptation in the lap of luxury.

Her host, the wealthy and uninhibited Griffin Fiske, is thrilled to have Nora stay at his country estate, especially once he meets her traveling companion. Young, inexperienced and angelically beautiful, Michael has become Nora's protege, and this summer with Griffin is going to be his training, where the hazing never ends.

But while her flesh is willing, Nora's mind is wandering. To thoughts of Soren, her master, under investigation by a journalist with an ax to grind. And to another man from Nora's past, whose hold on her is less bruising, but whose secrets are no less painful. It's a summer that will prove the old adage: love hurts.

I've been ruminating on The Angel for several days now and I still can't quite come up with the words to articulate how I feel about it... But here it goes...

That The Angel is superbly written, well that goes without saying. That it's the most provocative book (and series) I've ever read is also near the top of the list. Reisz created in Nora, Soren, Michael, Griffin, Wes, and Kingsley, characters that burrowed under my skin...that will never leave me...characters that I'm tied up in knots over. *grins* Just the way they'd like me.

I'm one of those readers who is always looking for the deeper meaning. Whether the author intends it or not, stories and characters speak to me - in a well-written story anyway - and I figure they have something to teach me. I'm barely scratching the surface with this series so I eagerly await the lessons to come but here's what I think was the message in The Angel.

In all Soren does for Nora, in his seemingly omnipotent way, what he does for Michael and Griffin, even what he did for Suzanne...they each learned more about themselves, things everyone needs to know about themselves, and about the true nature of love - to experience the true nature of love.

Reisz's style, how she reveals important events from the character's pasts and how those events impacted who they are now...it's marvelous. The Angel, and The Original Sinners series, is not for everyone. The BDSM element is an integral part of these characters' stories. And yes, it made me uncomfortable at times. But that's another wonder of Reisz's writing...she made me think, wonder, and puzzle over these characters even as she made me flinch.

It may sound odd but this is a beautifully written, beautiful story. And I'm keen to continue with it.

New Release Review ~ The Deep End ~ Kristen Ashley (@KristenAshley69) #2017NewRelease

The Deep End by Kristen Ashley
Honey Series #1
Release Date: March 7, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Erotic Romance, BDSM
Source: Purchased on Kindle (pre-ordered in 2016)
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2017NewRelease
Goodreads

Synopsis
Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are pleasure slaves committed to fulfilling a woman's every desire. At the elite Honey club, no boundary will be left untested, and one's darkest desires will become a sensual reality.

Olivier isn't sure what he's gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him craves the lifestyle offered by this secret, exclusive club.

When Amelie invites Olivier to surrender, she pushes him to explore his deepest desires as a submissive. As they grow closer and find themselves falling harder than either of them anticipated, the truth about Olivier's past could threaten the budding relationship they both long for.

Gripping and seductive, The Deep End is the first book in a sensational new series from bestselling author Kristen Ashley.

Y'all are well aware of my love and adoration for KA. I'm always singing her praises - and I'm about to again. Y'all also know I never hesitate in recommending a KA book. But with The Deep End I have to warn y'all - it deals with the BDSM lifestyle and won't be for everyone. It was, however, for me. :)

I was at a KA signing when she announced she was working on something new - going in a different direction for her. She was excited yet nervous. This new direction being erotica. But this is KA so I held my nerves in check. I didn't know she'd be going in this direction - that being BDSM - but I was confident with KA taking me there. I don't claim to understand BDSM or those who live the lifestyle. I also can't deny being fascinated. I think this is mostly due to the fact that I think people involved in this lifestyle have this whole other level of trust in their relationships. But I digress...

The Deep End is a story revolving around Amelie and Olivier and the rocky road hey travel down in trying to have a relationship that satisfies them both on all levels. But since this is also the first story in a new series, it also introduces many of the players that will inhabit this series as well as a new setting: Phoenix. Quickly, I want to say I already adore and/or am captivated by many of the secondary characters and am more than eager for the next installment.

On to Amelie and Olivier... Amelie is a Domme. Yep. She's confident, intelligent, caring, and in charge. But that doesn't mean she wants a sub who rolls over and bares his tummy in submission. Oh no. She craves a challenge. Unfortunately, men like that are rare. 

Enter Olivier. Olly is all alpha and KA gives good alpha. But in the sexual arena, he craves a woman who will take control. In Amelie, he gets exactly that. But these two have some hurdles to make it over. Amelie longs for the whole package - not just a club relationship but one outside as well with marriage and children. She's been burned in the past though so she's unsure of where she and Olly are heading. Olly is alpha, as I said, so he has some issues outside the playroom/bedroom with his woman already having "more" than he could ever provide monetarily. He's also a member of Honey under dubious circumstances and that secret could break what he's trying to build.

As this is KA, there's also a strand of suspense and it was really well done. But for the most part, this is one HOT erotic romance where Amelie and Olivier enjoy their kink.

I have to admit that it took me some time getting into Amelie and Olivier's story. I thought on that and decided this was because it's not familiar. These aren't characters or a locale I'm familiar with. And then there's the BDSM. But KA took me by the hand and led me there. By 40% I was hooked! I was loathe to put it down, flipping through pages quickly needing to know what came next. And so, I'm a believer. Yes, this was a different KA but it's still KA. And I put my trust in her knowing she'd deliver the goods. She did as she always does. Bring on book #2!

New Release Review ~ Derision ~ Trisha Wolfe

Derision by Trisha Wolfe
Release Date: May 21, 2016
Genre: Adult, Erotic Romance
Source: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease, #CleanSweep
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis
*Dark erotic standalone that may have triggers

Here at Lark and Gannet, you'll work directly under the partners, being groomed by the most powerful, all-male partnership to handle an exclusive clientele. While within The Firm, your level of training goes deeper, requiring more...varied tasks, which you're obligated to perform to your Master's pleasing.

Are you nervous? You should be. Chase Larking has chosen you to be his submissive.

Alexis Wilde, will you submit?

All I wanted was to save my brother. Something my parents failed to do--and then, I failed him also. As an introvert, getting ahead in the cutthroat law firm required a level of ego stroking I didn't possess, and that meant my talents were overlooked. Until Chase Larkin noticed me.

My erotic fantasy come to life, Chase is all powerful, all man, all dominant. In one night, he changed my life irrevocably. Now I'm ruined, destined to crave him forever. His scent. His taste. His brutal touch...

If I never followed him to his office that night, then none of this would've happened. A stalker on the prowl. Our lives in jeapardy. And only a moment--one pivotal moment--to decide our fate. His life or mine.

*This is a full length, standalone dark romance with an antihero that may trigger uncomfortable feelings for the reader.

Wowza! TWolfe took a small departure from her dark romantic thrillers and went more towards pure erotic romance with this one but with Derision she still delivered a tight story with a suspense element. And it was riveting!

The way TWolfe intertwined The Firm with the firm was clever. When hiring Lark and Gannet for representation, no one would ever suspect all that goes on within or that the partners in the law firm are also partners in a wholly different kind of venture - The Firm. TWolfe did well in describing both - I was accompanying Alexis along the hallways of both.

Alexis is a paralegal at Lark and Gannet. She's hardworking, quiet, keeps to herself...meek, even. A true submissive. She's worked at the firm for a year now and other than performing her job, she's done little else with anyone at the firm. She has kept a close eye on Chase Lark though. In fact, he seemingly takes up some significant space in her mind.

Chase likes rules and order. He keeps all things in his life structured. So despite the fact that Alexis is being groomed for him, at his directive, he's not ready for the chaos she will bring into his life. However, a power play among the partners forces the issue.

I liked both Alexis and Chase. I could identify with Alexis and I felt her emotions acutely when others said hurtful things about her. Chase is unapologetic about who he is, and that's an attractive quality. Seeing how they mesh, how their personalities work together, and the power shift between them was fascinating. The relationship between Alexis and Chase, although it developed quickly, felt genuine. It is HOT - their chemistry is off the charts - and I loved the dynamics between them. I felt the intensity between them happened a bit fast but then these two knew a lot about the other going in - we just weren't privy to them gaining this knowledge. So despite my delight in the budding feelings, I wished for a bit more time for the development. That being said, they are clearly meant to be together...they fit perfectly. The suspense element was well done and even though I had my suspicions, I was only partly right. TWolfe managed to shock me with the reveal even if I thought things wrapped up a little too neatly.

TWolfe is proving to be a masterful storyteller. Her style makes for a smooth pace and concise execution. And her stories are captivating. Derision was her first foray into straight erotic romance and she delivered a gripping story along with smoking-hot sexy times - a *must* for me. I'd also like to not that while Derision does deal with a D/s relationship, no flogging, whipping, etc., occurred. ;) TWolfe writes complex characters in stories with depth and provocative topics - and she always delivers on the emotion.

Trisha, what's next??

New Release Review ~ With Visions of Red #2 ~ Trisha Wolfe

With Visions of Red #2
Release Date: July 15, 2015
Genre: Adult, Dark Romance, Erotica, Thriller
Source: I received an eARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased my own copy once it released.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Synopsis
The UNSUB has made contact.

After a rapid string of grisly murders shakes the usually peaceful city of Arlington, Virginia, the sadistic killings of young women lull into a deceptive calm. Agent Sadie Bonds knows the terror isn't over; serial killers don't stop until caught.

And this sadist has targeted the profiler, revealing pieces of her dark past and weaving her secrets into each gruesome crime scene. Is the killer someone from Sadie's past, her present? Or is he part of a fated future she brought on herself? The answer lies withing the riddle of the copycat killings, ones mimicked after the infamous Blood Countess.

As tension brews in the department awaiting the UNSUB's next move, Sadie's more on edge--her deviant cravings for the possible perpetrator have ratcheted out of control. She needs the feel of Colton's ropes binding her, sheltering her from stark reality.

Only Colton Reed has his own twisted secrets that threaten to unravel not only Sadie as they come to light, but the UNSUB's carefully constructed web now entangling both the profiler and her sexy bondage rigger.

Is Sadie too close to this case to be objective, or is the UNSUB closer to her than she ever imagined...

This second installment was every bit as suspenseful as its predecessor. With the UNSUB silent for the moment, with the exception of text messages, new details revealed about Sadie and Colton, questionable behavior from characters, and an addition to the cast, the question of the identity of the UNSUB is every bit as muddled - at least for me - as it was. 

I thrilled at learning a little more about Sadie and as these details where revealed I realized I didn't know her as well as I thought. The revelations about Colton were heartbreaking but I so appreciated getting some clarity about this enigma of a man.

Sadie and Colton make great strides in deepening their bond. The alternating POV once again added so much depth to the characters. Getting glimpses into their thinking enabled me to understand where they were coming from - and where they were headed - in relation to each other.

The tension created with the addition of Detective Carson to the task force along with Detective Quinn's odd behavior have me twisted in knots over what is going on and what's coming next. The UNSUB is getting brazen - well more so - in his actions and I'm worried for Sadie and Colton. As for who he is? Well, I have a few theories. We'll see if my theories pan out. I kinda feel like I might be off-base.

The only thing I missed in this installment was the profiling/procedural element. As I reflect, it was there but it wasn't as focal as it was in book one. However, I still couldn't put this down - I was enthralled. Ms. Wolfe continues to lead me down a dark, twisty path. How long do I have to wait for all the answers, Ms. Wolfe?!?

Review ~ With Visions of Red ~ Trisha Wolfe

With Visions of Red
Broken Bonds #1
Release Date: May 7, 2015
Genre: Adult, Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romance
Source: Purchased on Kindle from Amazon
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Criminal profiler Sadie Bonds knows blood. Her affair with the gruesome, dark world of killers began long before she started applying her analytical skills to investigate gory crime scenes. She gets inside the killers' heads, breaks them down, relates to them on an arcane level. She prefers it this way--because it's safer to ally herself with the villain than the victim. At least, that's how she's coped ever since she was abducted and tortured as a teen.

She will never be a victim again.

Now, she's honed her skills in order to bring justice to these ritualistic offenders. Working alongside her colleagues, armed with sharp wit and a SIG, Sadie always catches her sadist. Until one ruthless serial killer gets inside Sadie's head, turning the tables. He knows her secrets. Her obsessions. The darkest, most deviant part of her soul.

When she meets Colton Reed, dangerous stakes are raised as he threatens to unravel her control and reveal her darkest fantasies. The sexy-as-sin bondage rigger at an exclusive BDSM club pushes her boundaries, forcing her to acknowledge that side of herself she fears. Plunged into a realm of torture and suffering, pain and pleasure, Sadie balances on the razor-sharp edge of two intersecting worlds threatening to swallow her.

Passion and lust ignite. Dark and light battle. This explosive first installment of the Broken Bonds series sets the exhilarating pace for a cat and mouse game where no one knows who's really pulling the strings.

I knew Trisha Wolfe could do dark and gritty - but she took it to a whole new level in With Visions of Red.

I think I'd compare With Visions of Red to Silence of the Lambs - if Hannibal Lector had been into medieval torture and killing rather than cannibalism and Agent Starling had spent time in captivity and subjected to kink.

Sadie Bonds is a criminal profiler, a profession she has a personal connection with. Her latest case - that of a possible serial killer - is pushing her buttons. And that's how she find herself face-to-face with Colton Reed.

Colton is rather enigmatic. He works in a BDSM club as shibari expert. He has set his sights on Sadie. As he gets her to open up, they forge a tenuous bond. A bond that is tested by Sadie's latest case.

Wolfe deftly set the stage with vivid and graphic descriptions of crime scenes and details of a police procedural. Then she weaves in these compelling characters with dark pasts. The profiler element fascinated me. Getting into a killer's head, having the scenes tied to medieval history...well, it was quite a combination. The personal ties between Sadie and the crimes as well as the mysterious nature of Colton had me gripping my kindle and flipping through the pages. To say I'm eager for the next installment would be an understatement. I'm almost quivering in excitement, and maybe a little apprehension, over what comes next for Sadie, the UNSUB, and Colton.

Cover Reveal ~ With Visions of Red ~ Trisha Wolfe

It is my pleasure to be a part of the cover reveal for Trisha Wolfe's With Visions of Red.

I think the cover is rather startling. What do y'all think?

With Visions of Red (Broken Bonds, #1)

RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2015

Goodreads

SYNOPSIS
Told from multiple points of view, this is a mature dark romance intended for adult readers.

Criminal profiler Sadie Bonds knows blood. Her affair with the gruesome, dark world of killers began long before she started applying her analytical skills to investigate gory crime scenes. She gets inside the killers’ heads, breaks them down, relates to them on an arcane level. She prefers it this way—because it’s safer to ally herself with the villain than the victim. At least, that’s how she’s coped ever since she was abducted and tortured as a teen.

She will never be a victim again.

Now, she’s honed her skills in order to bring justice to these ritualistic offenders. 

Working alongside her colleagues, armed with sharp wit and a SIG, Sadie always catches her sadist. Until one ruthless serial killer gets inside Sadie’s head, turning the tables. He knows her secrets. Her obsessions. The darkest, most deviant part of her soul.

When she meets Colton Reed, dangerous stakes are raised as he threatens to unravel her control and reveal her darkest fantasies. The sexy-as-sin bondage rigger at an exclusive BDSM club pushes her boundaries, forcing her to acknowledge that side of herself she fears. Plunged into a realm of torture and suffering, pain and pleasure, Sadie balances on the razor-sharp edge of two intersecting worlds threatening to swallow her.

Passion and lust ignite. Dark and light battle. This explosive first installment of the Broken Bonds series sets the exhilarating pace for a cat and mouse game where no one knows who’s really pulling the strings.

From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

For more information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit: www.trishawolfe.com.

To be the first to hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1rXTKI7.

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Review ~ Coda ~ CD Reiss

Coda

The Songs of Submission Series #9

Release Date: March 18, 2015

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

Source: Purchased on B&N

Rating: 5 Bookworms

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Blurb

Did you want a pat little ending about Jonathan and I riding off into the sunset? Did you want flowers and stars? Man, I wish it was all soft filters and violins. I wish we could fight about who cleaned the bathroom or who was cooking dinner. But I knew I was never destined for simple contentment.

I almost committed murder for him. I almost tore us apart to save him. How do you get back on the horse after that? Because, I promise you, nothing is the same. Nothing.

I’ve earned our happily ever after. Now I have to survive it.

To have this extra installment in Monica and Jonathan's story is a gift. Their story couldn't end with sunshine and rainbows - their story was never those things. But through all the anxiety, the tragedy, the triumphs and celebrations, 'the end' is exactly the end for them.

I liked getting this glimpse into life for Monica and Jonathan following the events in ____. What they each experienced, both individually and as a couple leaves me speechless. Even though they love each other enough to move mountains for the other, they're each living with fear, worry, and anxiety of what they stand to lose. They are each so much more cognizant of that now. Because of the fear, they're each holding back to a certain degree. What I enjoyed most was watching as they realized this and each took the necessary steps to ease and soothe those fears so that they committed and submitted completely to one another.

Coda wrecked me and then filled me with hope...much like Jonathan does with Monica -- destroying her, then soothing her, loving her. I don't think I realized until just now how similar the experiences were. Monica and Jonathan's story has been real, raw, complicated, and beautiful. I've loved being along with them on their journey. And I'm worn out, sated, and blissful over their end.

**#COYER Reviews ~ White Collared: Mercy & Greed ~ Shelly Bell**

I'm posting my reviews of White Collared Part One: Mercy and White Collared Part Two: Greed, the first two in the White Collared Serial today. My reviews of the final two installments will post tomorrow. :)

***

White Collared Part One: Mercy by Shelly Bell

The first sexy installment in Shelly Bell's four-part serialized erotic thriller about a young law student who must go undercover at a sex club to prove her client is not guilty of murder.

Driven by ambition...

Third-year law student Kate Martin outran her tragic past to become an intern for her idol and secret crush, the powerful attorney Nicholas Trenton. She is thrilled when Nick assigns her to represent his best friend and client, millionaire Jaxon Deveroux...the prime suspect in his submissive wife Alyssa's murder.

Seduced by desire...

Kate knows they have only a few days to find the real killer, and since signs point to a member of the BDSM community, she volunteers to go undercover as Jaxon's submissive at Benediction - the private sex club where he is a member - to covertly investigate Alyssa's last few months. For years, Kate has kept her dark fantasies a secret...but a chance to explore them with sexy, dominant Jaxon is just too tempting to pass up.

I one-clicked this serial because Braine @Talk Supe loved it so much and I have to commend her for the recommendation. :) This first installment of White Collared grabbed me at page one and didn't let go. I'm choosing to read this serial in the same way I'd watch a movie or t.v. show - eh, some of the things maybe wouldn't happen in real life but they make for some great drama. 

Kate Martin is an ambitious, third year law student with a scary past she's hiding from. As an intern at a prestigious law firm, she's working for the man who's served as her inspiration while in law school. She keeps a tight rein on everything in her life - she wants control. When Nicholas Trenton requests she join him in litigating a high profile case, she would never have imagined what she was about to become a part of.

Nick is a brilliant civil attorney who is now representing his best friend, Jaxon Deveroux, in a criminal case - the murder of his wife, Alyssa. The case seems cut and dry, but when Jaxon's sexual proclivities are made known, the case become very complicated. And Kate is asked to step way out of her comfort zone in order to gather evidence.

Between the haunting memory flashbacks, the present danger Kate is putting herself in, and the sparks flying between Kate, Nick, and Jaxon, Marcy was a gripping read. Ms. Bell gave the right amount of information on everyone to keep me wondering what was going on. And I can't wait to find out!

*****

In the second installment of Shelly Bell's four-part serialized erotic thriller, law student Kate Martin enters a world of dark secrets and seductive fantasies at the exclusive sex club Benediction.

Restrained by duty...
Reeling from a threatening phone call and frightened that her past will be revealed, Kate turns to the one man she can still trust: Nick. She can't deny her attraction to him, yet she craves the passionate connection she has with Jaxon.

Bound by passion...
Undercover at Benediction, Jaxon introduces Kate to the sensual pleasures found in exhibitionism and voyeurism. While they mingle with the club's patrons, Jaxon and Kate unearth clues about his wife Alyssa's last days that could lead them to her killer. But as she investigates further, Kate is shocked to learn of a cold case that is eerily similar to Alyssa's murder...and when the evidence ties Jaxon to yet another death, Kate begins to question everything she knows about her enigmatic lover.

Omigosh! This installment was even more thrilling!

As Kate and Nick continue to work on Jaxon's case, she and Jaxon attend Benediction, the sex club he and Alyssa belonged to, in order to do some undercover investigating. Jaxon and Kate do manage to find some leads. But the leads make Kate question what she thinks she knows.

Kate finds herself in so much danger. She and Jaxon are keeping their physical relationship under wraps as it could affect both his case and her career. Kate is also dealing with someone threatening her. She fears her secrets are close to being revealed. And she's in danger of losing her heart to a man...

Ms. Bell gives little hints but I can't put all the pieces together yet. The more information I'm given, the more confused I get. The suspense in the story is fantastic. The steam factor is as well. And all the elements - mystery, suspense, and steam are keeping me on edge!