Review ~ Craved by an Alpha ~ Felicity Heaton

Craved by an Alpha
Eternal Mates #5
Release Date: January 27, 2015
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Having turned his back on his snow leapord pride, Cavanaugh has been counting the days until he's free of a role he never wanted--one that separated him from his fated female and stands between him and the future he craves with her.

Just days from the night he will finally be free to be with the low-ranking beauty who stole his heart, she walks back into his life and threatens to destroy everything he's worked towards in the five long years they've been apart.

Eloise has traveled across continents searching for the male who was once her best friend and so much more to her, but was now her pride's true alpha. Desperate to fulfil a promise to her kin to save them from the tyrant he left in charge, she convinces Cavanaugh to return to his pride, but as they journey to Bhutan, doubts bloom and old feelings resurface, tearing her between duty and her deepest desires and impossible dreams.

Will Eloise be able to resist the burning need that Cavanaugh reignites in her and remember her place in the pride? And can Cavanaugh find a way to save his kin and claim the future he craves with the woman he loves?

Heaton takes us on another exciting journey as eternal mates attempt to find their way together.

Cavanaugh and Eloise's story is one of hurt feelings, intense passion, denial, and years spent apart desperately wanting the forever they'd always desired. Pride law, however, was against them. These two fought their way back to one another. It was a dangerous journey but one they were each strong enough to withstand.

Cavanaugh is one tenacious guy. He decided he wanted something and determinedly set about getting it. Were his methods the right way to go about things? Perhaps not. He made mistakes and Eloise and his pride suffered because of them. But you have to admore a guy who'll stick to his guns in order to achieve his goals.

Eloise is another fine example of a Heaton heroine. She's fierty, can take care of herself, and is willing to do what she must to save her pride, even at the risk of hurting herself. She may have caved to pride rules a little too easily by she maintained her dignity.

Craved by an Alpha is a novella, rather than a full length novel. The fewer number of pages meant we weren't witness to some revelations and confessions. I don't think this hurt the story, though, even if I'd have preferred seeing them. We still got our dose of danger and action. Heaton is excellent at choreographing fight scenes as well as depicting a climb up a sheer cliff wall. No matter which world the couple is inhabiting, Heaton takes us there. And the steamy scenes...well, they're steamy! ;) I'm happy with this installment and look forward to the next in the series.

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged ~ #59

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged is a weekly meme, hosted by TalkSupe, where I share with you the books I have bought, borrowed, or bagged (gifted or won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, and any other bookishness I want to share. :)

***

I hope y'all had a great week! My hubs and I celebrated our 20th anniversary this week - so it's been a *big* week! My kids are now on Spring Break and they're all excited about that. We don't have too much planned since my younger daughter has Winter Guard rehearsals and a competition, but they're happy to be able to sleep late!  

I did pick up a couple of freebies this week. Winterborne was a one-click after I read Lorna @Rabid Reads' review. I snatched up Hardcore after reading great reviews of the serial from Michelle @Because Reading. I also had a bigger purchase, which I'd pre-ordered. If y'all were following me last summer, you know I read and adored CD Reiss' Submission Series. So it was a no-brainer that I'd pre-order Coda. I'm eager to read it!

Here's what was added to my ereader library this week:

BOUGHT
*Freebies*

*My ONE $2.99 Buy*

Bagged


I received Say My Name for review.



Last Week's Reviews

Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis
Fight With Me by Kristen Proby

Upcoming Reviews

All Night Long by Madelynne Ellis
Bite Me by CC Wood
The Gamble by Kristen Ashley
Spend the Night Volumes 2 & 3 by Elizabeth Lee

Release Blitz & Giveaway ~ Coda ~ CD Reiss

Will Jonathan and Monica get their happily ever after?

Find out in CD Reiss’s newest release!

Coda is NOW AVAILABLE!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1AOmNxF

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1wR1kJ0

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1FgI478

Nook: http://bit.ly/1EkPwju

Google: http://bit.ly/1LvqUXl

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1LsmYVo

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.

Excerpt

FROM CODA (RATED NC-17)

“You know what, Monica, you don’t even know yourself. Look at you. I haven’t seen you this relaxed in months. The only time you let your worry go is when you give me control. And your worry is what keeps you from being honest.”

I swallowed. Blinked. A torrent of wetness welled behind my eyes, “I don’t want to break the scene.”

“Stay still. Stay naked. Speak your mind.”

“I almost died with you a hundred times. That recovery room, they had you in this induced coma and you looked dead. There were bags of blood. Bags, hanging over you and you were all opened up. And, I’m sorry, I haven’t said this because you’re the one who went through it.” I swallowed a gallon of tears. “I don’t want to see you like that again. But I think about it all the time. I dream about it. I see it when I close my eyes. I want you to live, so I do what I think is going to make you happy and I always get it wrong. Stay or go. I give you attention or none. It’s always wrong.”

“What about your happiness?”

“It doesn’t matter. Not as much as yours. It’s not life or death.”

“It is, Monica. It is.”

I shook my head. “You can’t convince me of that. We can do this hurtful honesty thing all day. You’re the priority and I’m okay with that. Deal with it.”

He nodded, looking down for a blink, then up at me. He reached for my wrists.

“These go behind your back.”

I did as instructed.

“Now, get on your knees.”

I bent them. With my hands behind my back, it was hard to balance.

“Do you need some help?” he asked.

“Yes.”

I thought he’d take me gently by the elbow, but dragged me down. He was right. I was relaxed, totally submitting and trusting him, loving every bit of discomfort he dished out.

“Spread your knees apart.”

I did, too slowly for him. He kicked them wide.

“Do you remember your safeword?” He asked, unbuckling his belt.

“Yes.” A tingling rush went down my spine with the promise of his dominance and the way it made me forget how fragile he really was.

His cock was out in the next second. “Open. Your. Mouth.”

The Complete Submission Series

Eight book bundle of the Submission Series…

ONLY $9.99

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1akAleP

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1wp5gRo

iBooks: http://bit.ly/18djx8T

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1DXdDG1

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1Arm1Lj

About the Author

CD Reiss is a USA Today and Amazon bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere, but it did embed TV story structure in her head well enough for her to take a big risk on a TV series structured erotic series called Songs of Submission. It’s about a kinky billionaire hung up on his ex-wife, an ingenue singer with a wisecracking mouth; art, music and sin in the city of Los Angeles.

Critics have dubbed the books “poetic,” “literary,” and “hauntingly atmospheric,” which is flattering enough for her to put it in a bio, but embarrassing enough for her not to tell her husband, or he might think she’s some sort of braggart who’s too good to give the toilets a once-over every couple of weeks or chop a cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

Stalk Her: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Instagram

GIVEAWAY

Paperback of Coda

$75 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#2015HW Review ~ Fight With Me ~ Kristen Proby

Fight with Me
With Me in Seattle Series #2
Release Date: January 4, 2013
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased from B&N
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Jules Montgomery is too busy and content with her life to worry about a man, especially one Nate McKenna. If growing up with four brothers has taught her anything, she knows to stay away from sexy men with tattoos and motorcycles. That goes double if he's your boss. During the one incredible night they shared, he violated the no fraternization policy... among other things, and it won't happen again. Jules won't risk her career for mind-blowing sex, no matter how much her body and her damn heart keep arguing with her.

Nate McKenna could give a shit about the no fraternizing policy. He wants Jules and he'll have her. The rules could bend around them, or be damned. He's not a man to be taken lightly, and Jules Montgomery is about to find out just how he responds to being pushed aside after the best night of sex he's ever had. She can fight all she wants, but he'll have her in his bed in the end.

I met Jules Montgomery, Natalie's best friend, in Come Away With Me, and was really excited that her book was next. Jules is smart, sassy, foul-mouthed and fun. She loves with everything in her. She doesn't, however, let any man get close. Unfortunately, she didn't stick to that rule the night she went home with Nate McKenna.

Nate is an intelligent, powerful businessman. He's also HOT with a capital H, with his sexy hair and story gray eyes, and he fills out a suit quite nicely. Oh, and he happens to be Jules' boss.

The chemistry between Jules and Nate is undeniable - but Jules certainly tried. With the pull between them though, it was a forgone conclusion they wouldn't be able to fight it.

There were obstacles, however. Jules doesn't like to risk her heart, she has never put it on the line. And then, of course, there's the no-fraternization policy at work. While I liked that these two had hurdles to jump, they did seem to resolve rather quickly. I was happy where they ended up though. I liked getting to know Jules' older brothers, whom star in the subsequent books. 

There were some nitpicky things that bothered me, like the overuse of certain descriptive words, and maybe even Jules' potty mouth. It could be just my mood, though. Also I felt like we got to know more about Nate than Jules. I wanted to know why Jules was relationship-phobic and what made her tick.  Overall, I liked Fight with Me and am eager to read further into the series.

That's What HE Said ~ #21

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies @Chapter Break. Here's the deal: every Thursday, post a line from your book boyfriend to his heroine. Keep in mind, these are direct quotes from dialog in the books. The quote doesn't have to be romantic - just something our hunky hero said to his lucky lady. Be sure to link up over at Chapter Break as well.

My pick this week for That's What He Said is from:

Fight With Me by Kristen Proby

The setup for this quote is that Jules is introducing Nate to her family. Nate has just informed Jules' dad that he's her boss. This is Nate's response when Jules' dad asks what is going on between him and his daughter.

***

"A mutually respectful and loving relationship, sir."

#ShelfLove Review ~ Come Undone ~ Madelynne Ellis

Come Undone
Rock Hard #1
Release Date: August 29, 2013
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, 
Source: Purchased on Amazon
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Goodreads

Synopsis
On stage he's dynamite. Off stage he rocks her world.

When red-hot, Goth-metal band, Black Halo, split live on stage, fate throws Daniella Fosbrook into the path of sexy vocalist Xane Geist. Initially, Xane's only looking for a ride home, but Dani tempts him in a way a thousand other women haven't. Determined to explore their heady chemistry and avoid hashing things out with the band, Xane whisks Dani off to Monaco for a steamy weekend.

There, Dani tries her best to hang onto her heart and some clothing, while Xane soon loses both. However, Xane isn't being entirely honest about the reason for the band's demise. When the truth comes out, can Dani accept the facts, or will everything come undone?

Come Undone was a fine introduction to the band Black Halo and the characters inhabiting their world. It's centered on Xane and Dani though.

Danielle 'Dani' Fosbrook is a huge Black Halo fan and an even bigger fan of their front man, Xane Geist. She and her friend, Ginny, are present at the concert where the band apparently calls it quits and thanks to the careless actions of someone, Dani and Ginny find themselves backstage. It's here that Xane literally walks into Dani and sets the stage for Come Undone.

Dani seems a little shy and naive--especially when it comes to men. (<--There's a really good reason for this.) But as she's built a sort of relationship with Xane, if only in her head, she's not about to deny him anything. Dani is strong though. She doesn't take any guff from Xane. She does genuinely care about him as a person, though, and that appeals to Xane.

Xane was understandably pissed off when we first meet him. I did find him to be a bit of a narcissistic wanker but at the same time, I understood his woes. By the end, I did have a better understanding of him--and his desire for respect. In Dani, he finds someone who doesn't just want a piece of him--the rock star. She wants to know him and his feelings. This is something he craves desperately.

Both Dani and Xane have family issues and have suffered terribly in their childhoods. This gave them a connection even if they don't know it at first. They are each hiding things from their not-so-distant pasts and I liked how some of these issues were introduced. Ms. Ellis did well at discussing the pressures and problems associated with prejudices, societal perceptions of things such as sexual orientation, religion, and addictions, in my opinion. And I'm certain it'll be further explored as the series continues.

Ms. Ellis also incorporated a lot of smoking sexy times. There is definitely chemistry between Dani and Xane. I did wish for a bit more bonding between them--more development of the feelings that blossom between them but then, the sex plays a big roll in the plot--and I know their relationship will probably flourish--eventually. The story is told in dual POV and it enabled me to get acquainted with both MCs more easily. I wish Dani's past had been fleshed out a bit more. Much could be done with it but I felt it was used mostly as a vehicle to explain her prejudices. 

I found Come Undone to be a compelling read, despite my few issues, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Teaser Tuesday ~ #60

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

***

Bite Me
Bitten #1

Synopsis
I had the perfect life; an awesome job in advertising, a gorgeous high rise apartment, and a flirtation with the guy down the hall. Then it all came crashing down. Two months later I was a cocktail waitress living in a tiny one bedroom apartment. I had also developed a serious 'men suck' attitude.

That all changed the night I met the beautiful and enigmatic Conner Savage. But there was just one little problem...he said he was a vampire. Figures a man that hot would be batshit crazy. Or so I thought. It didn't take me long to realize that Conner wasn't a nut job and that I was addicted to him.

With every moment we spent together he drew me deeper into his world and the supernatural culture in which he lived.

Now I had a choice: the vampire I craved or a normal life. Couldn't be easier, right?

***Teaser***

"I wondered what the fuck Parker had hit me with. Whatever it was, I really wanted to turn it up on its highest setting, shove it up his ass, and let him have it."

New Release Blitz & Giveaway ~ Awakening ~ Laura Greenwood

Title: Awakening 

Series: Alventia (#1) 

Author: Laura Greenwood

Genre: Fantasy/Fairy Tale Retelling

Goodreads - Amazon

Blurb

Take a journey to an alternate world where not everything is what it seems. 

In an effort to have a child, the Queen makes a deal with the Dark King, but she soon discovers that the deal has dire consequences for her beloved Sleeping Beauty. In an effort to help, the Queen?s mother alters the curse so that Keira will sleep for 100 years, but there is a catch; if Keira awakens before then she may still be doomed.



After sleeping for over 90 years, Keira is awoken by Philip, the son of the Dark King and the one she was intended for. Despite sharing his father's bloodline, Philip refuses to be like his father and won't make Keira do anything that she isn't ready for.



Supported by a powerful witch and her brother, Hansel and Gretel, Philip and Keira have to make a choice, one that will define Keira's destiny. Changing their lives forever.

About the Author:

Laura has loved books and reading for about as long as she can remember, and has been writing reviews at trips down imagination road for the past couple of years. Laura has a degree in business and French (and is counted as fluent) but since finishing has decided to work in catering, currently working two jobs! She is also a Brownie Guide Leader and loves to bake!

You can tweet Laura at @lauramg_tdir or follow her on facebook at her Author page, Laura Greenwood, or her blog page, trips down imagination road.

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