#BookReview A Love Thing Anthology by Laura Kaye & More!

For today, I’ve included a short little review about an excellent anthology! Almost all of these books have been featured on my blog and they are all on my Goodreads! But, I did want to include a little info about this fabulous collection if you were looking for a romance anthology!

 

This anthology has taken me forever to read, but boy was it worth it!

A Love Thing has an excellent collection of sexy reads for those romance readers who want a great selection! There’s cute romances, sexy reads and steamy affairs that will set your heart on fire! Each story definitely brings the heat!

My ratings were as followed (in no particular order);

The Prince and the Player by Tia Louise – 2.5 stars
Masterings her Senses by Laura Kaye – 5 stars
The Pawn by Skye Warren – 3 stars
Willing Victim by Cara McKenna – 5 stars
Spin by C.D. Reiss – 4 stars
Filthy Wicked Love by Lili Valente – 4 stars
Diamonds by K.A. Linde – 5 stars
A Week in New York by Louise Bay – 5 stars
Assumption by Aurora Rose Reynolds – 3 stars
Personal Geography by Tamsen Parker – 5 stars

I’ve put a review on each individual book from this collection, so if you’re eager to find out my thoughts then venture to each individual review (keep your eyes out on my blog, they’ll be coming or they’ve already appeared!).

As for my overall review – this anthology is seriously worth every penny! There’s a wide selection of books that are uber sexy and you are bound to like at least one! I have found a few new fave authors in this collection that I will be definitely looking out for!

Five out of five stars!

 

Here are just some of my reviews for the book in this collection:

#BookReview Assumption by Aurora Rose Reynolds

#BookReview A Week In New York by Louise Bay

#BookReview Spin by C.D. Reiss

#BookReview Mastering Her Senses by Laura Kaye

Quick Review – Personal Geography by Tamsen Parker

#BookReview Willing Victim by Cara McKenna

#BookReview The Pawn by Skye Warren

 

If you enjoyed this review, give me a shout out on Twitter @ReviewAlholic or give me a like on Facebook @BriarsReviews

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#BookReview Diamonds by K.A. Linde

 

Oh. Hot. Damn.

This book is ridiculously sexy, super hot, and HAS A FREAKING CLIFFHANGER THAT KILLED ME.

I’ve been putting off reading this book (it’s in A Love Thing anthology that I bought months ago), mainly because the device I was reading it on kept dying before I could open the app. I finally put enough charge on it to get to this story, and it was the best one so far!

Diamonds is a tale of a young high-schooler falling for for an older (30-something) year old man. Right off the bat we have a juicy story that is all about forbidden love!

This book gets hot and steamy – R-rated steamy. It’s a mix of dominance, crazy hot sex, and sexual exploration. Throw in a romantic story line, an evil step-brother and the rich and famous and you’ve got yourself a home run!

I did really enjoy this book. It was the perfect mix of drama and sexiness that it somehow worked. Was it slightly creepy? Yeah, the age gap was a little much, BUT…I simply wrapped my mind around her being a tiny bit older (like, college age) and I was able to accept that this book can be just as sexy. It does cross the line a little bit, which is where readers might step back from this story, but it’s still awesome! I 100% want more K.A. Linde in my life now as soon as possible!

The one interesting part of this story was it felt like a YA story/author (due to the way Bryna’s mind was working in the book) but with a Fifty Shades of Grey-esque plot line thrown in. Honestly, it’s the Fifty Shades of Grey book I wanted in my life, because it’s WAY better and seems way more realistic. It was so addicting I finished it in a couple hours and I’m now clammering for the next book. Seriously. I need this book. If K.A. Linde wants, I’ll read every single book she has on catalogue just to get this next book.

Overall, this book is HOT HOT HOT! If you’re looking for a forbidden love with lots of angst, this is the book for you!

Five out of five stars!

 

Check out this book on:

Kobo

Chapters/Cole/Indigo #1 / Chapters/Coles/Indigo #2

Barnes & Nobles

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

 

Find out more about K.A. Linde on:

http://www.kalinde.com/

Goodreads – K.A. Linde

Twitter – @authorkalinde

 

If you enjoyed this review, give me a shout out on my Twitter @ReviewAlholic or give me a shout out on my Facebook page @BriarsReviews or comment below!

And if you liked this book or review, check out another book you might enjoy! #BookReview A Week In New York by Louise Bay

#BookReview A Cinderella for the Greek by Julia James

 

A Cinderella for the Greek by Julia James was an interesting take on the classic tale “Cinderella”.

This book didn’t sit well with me even though I really wanted to like it. The story itself is a classic that I love (who doesn’t love a Cinderella/Princess tale?) but what lies within the story is what bothered me. The big problem with this book for me is the comments about Ellen (our Cinderella’s) weight. She isn’t as thin as her step sister Chloe, and our male counterpart Max points that out a few times. The comments weren’t healthy criticism’s either, but he gets over her “ugliness” to be able to fall in love with her. It’s that part of the story that turns my thoughts sour on this book. Everything else within the novel is quite lovely – the tale, the romance, the plot lines – it’s all great but that little part. At first, Max does not describe Ellen as beautiful, but slowly he begins to love the way she looks. It felt kind of silly in my mind, since the description of her sounded to be nice (but comparing her to the thin step-sister…).

I liked that Max wasn’t forceful as many male leads are these days. He’s caring and tries his best (even if at times it seems a little forced). I liked that he was interested in Ellen’s charity and that he seemed to be overall a good guy. The other characters (like the Evil Step-Mother and Evil Step-Sister) were perfectly evil in every way. The plot line followed the narrative it should have as well.

I felt this book got a lot better once it moved forward and continued to grow the relationship between Max and Ellen. That adds an extra star in for me as a reader. I think there was lots of potential here, to be honest! I’d like to read more by Julia James because I’m sure she has gotten better as her writing has continued.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! It is a really good book, it’s just not for me! It is a lovely Harlequin Romance that should definitely be picked up if you love an ooey, gooey romance or a retelling of Cinderella!

Two out of five stars.

 

Find this book on:

Goodreads

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

 

If you enjoyed this review or book, why not check out another you might enjoy? #BookReview Always Been You by Sadie Allen

Give me a shout out on Twitter with your recommended reads! I’d love to hear them! @ReviewAlholic

 

 

 

Photo via Goodreads.

 

#BookReview Tempting Faith by Susan Mallery

 

This novel by Susan Mallery seems to be a hidden treasure! Most of Susan Mallery’s books have thousands of reviews on them, and this one has barely been touched on most platforms!

Tempting Faith is an absolutely adorable story about Faith and Cort. Faith runs a sanctuary for large cats (which is the BEST job I’ve ever heard in any book I’ve ever read) and Cort is an ex-agent who has memory loss about his last mission. These two fall for each other over the length of the novel, all the while Cort is protecting Faith and her sanctuary from some evil men who want her super cute, white tiger cubs.

This book is super sweet and hits all of my musts for romances. Sexy characters, awesome side characters (who doesn’t want a giant cat as their house cat?) and a demanding plot. Sure, Faith and Cort had some moments where they complained a fair bit about how their lives weren’t fair, but they were still fun characters! I think they were meant for each other, in some strange way. I did think some decisions were changed rather rapidly, and without explanation, but I liked how it all turned out.

I think this book is more of a binge-worthy book. It’s fast paced and relatively short. I’d definitely recommend this book if you like romance or a unique spin on the genre! I haven’t read many books regarding big cats and taking care of them, so I really liked that aspect of it! That being said, it’s not very complex so if you want a big, demanding plot full of mystery and expansive plots then this book won’t be for you!

Overall, I loved this book! I want to read more by Susan Mallery and I’m glad I found this book first. It’s a hidden gem that most readers don’t seem to realize exists!

Five out of five stars!

 

Find this book on Goodreads.

Purchase this book on: Amazon.com or Amazon.ca.

Find out more about this author on the Goodreads Author Page for Susan Mallery. Or on her website, http://www.susanmallery.com/ , or on Twitter @SusanMallery.

 

If you read this review, give me a shout out on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

And if you liked this review, check out another you might enjoy! #BookReview Saving the CEO by Jenny Holiday

#BookReview The Gaucho’s Lady by Genevieve Turner

 

The Guacho’s Lady was the cutest, sweetest, most adorable historical romance I’ve read this year!

I won’t lie, when I first started this book I was a little wary. Historical romances have been hit or miss for me, but somehow Genevieve Turner craved a beautifully written tale that really had me hooked. Seriously, I couldn’t put the book down. I had to for about twenty minutes to drive home and it was absolute torture! I managed to find time to binge the rest of this super cute book so I didn’t have to wait to know how my new fave characters ended up.

So, onto the good part!

This is a historical romance following Eliana and Juan. Juan is a Gaucho, who Eliana enlists to help “kidnap” her and whisk her away from a potentially horrible marriage. As she runs away from her Father and this wicked husband-to-be, the pair begin to grow on each other. Juan has his own difficult past, with a deceased wife and child that are haunting his thoughts. The pure, innocent Eliana has her eyes open to a new world with Juan! And, of course, there’s a little bit of an adventure along the way!

I would highly recommend this book if you love romance books that aren’t just purely romance (but are mostly romance). The world building and little side adventures that happen along the way were a nice touch! Juan and Eliana’s romantic story is a little typical (fearless hero with a tragic back story and a pure, innocent lady who needs to be shown the world) but it worked so well! Seeing both characters change and grow within the story made that trope turn into a fabulous plot point instead of a ‘con’.

Another nice point about this book is that it talks about Argentina. I don’t know about other readers, but that’s not a setting I read about very often! While it’s a small little thing to notice about a book, I like it when books open up new worlds and introduce us to other cultures. I don’t know if the book is wildly accurate, but it may open some readers up to learning more!

To sum of some of the ‘touchy’ points for some readers, here’s an attempted spoiler free list:
1. Marriage of convenience
2. Death of wife/unborn child (don’t worry, it’s not graphic or described – it’s just in passing, but it’s still sad)
3. Super, sheltered, innocent virgin

To me, those points weren’t necessarily a bad part – but I’ve seen many readers out there who despise those tropes. So, if you’re one of those readers, you’ve been warned!

If I had to list the best parts of this book, it would be as followed:
1. A man who knows consent! OMG Juan cares about his lady and wants to only have sexy time when they both want it AND wants to consider her feelings. Do you know how nice that is to see in literature?! 10 stars for that alone!
2. Headstrong, ‘feminist’ woman. She knows what she wants and doesn’t necessarily want to be submissive. I like that she had her own mind and was willing to learn, change and adapt.

My two cons are as followed:
1. The word “mound”. Yes, an entire word is one of my two cons. That’s my version of “moist”. Is it a con for the story? No. But I just don’t like the sound of it. What can I say? I’m picky.
2. Juan teaching Eliana the ways of ‘sexy time’ was a little cheesey. I understand why it happened and it was cute and silly, but I found it to be just past the amount of cheese I wanted. It also didn’t take away from the story, but for me…well, I don’t know what would have been better.

My overall opinion on this book is that it’s amazing! It was fun, cute and absolutely lovely! I love a good romance story that whisks me away to another world and has a lovely, fulfilled ending. If I get the chance, I absolutely am picking up more stories by Genevieve Turner.

I 100% recommend this book to those who love romance, historical romances, light-hearted and fun stories (even though there is some “darker” content suggested), and who want a bingable story.

Five out of five stars!!

I do owe a GIANT thank you to the author Emma Barry who recommended this book to me and gave me the opportunity to read it. Without her, I wouldn’t have realized how amazing this book was!

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Kobo

Barnes & Nobles

Coles/Indigo/Chapters

 

Check out the author, Genevieve Turner, on:

Goodreads – Author Page

Twitter – @GenTurner5

 

Leave me a comment below, give me a shout out on Twitter – @reviewalholic or tell me on Facebook – Briar’s Reviews to let me know if you read this review and what I should read next!

#BookReview Three Months to Forever by Hudson Lin

 

I have instantly found a new author to binge read! Hudson Lin has created one fantastic novel that has blown my mind!

Three Months to Forever is a short yet sweet novel about two impressive men falling in love in in Hong Kong. Add in the fact that Canada is also a big part of this book, and you have me instantly hooked! Hudson Lin really did these communities justice with this book, since it is beautifully crafted and respects the cultures.

If I had to compare it, I’d say it was a beautiful Romeo and Juliet -esque story with a splash of Fifty Shades of Grey (but way better, of course). It is R rated though, due to the incredibly sexy scenes Hudson depicts throughout the book. I did find the dominance aspect of the book to be a little repetitive (since it seems to be in every book these days), but that didn’t make me want to put the book down.

One major part of this book was the relationship between Sai and his parents. I think the book managed to pull this relationship off and explain the subtleties in an understanding tone. I felt like I understood how Sai felt, even if I hadn’t experienced a similar relationship before. I also really liked that there was some ethical issues being discussed. Bringing light to some of the darker sides of business within a romance novel was a nice change within this genre!

It’s a fast paced book and follows a very typical narrative, but it still felt so different and real. It’s rare to find a good book that opens itself up to so many different communities AND that’s a good read. I’d highly recommend it, especially if you love romance! It’s high tier reading, and it’s not too long so you can easily binge it.

This book is worth every single penny! I want more by Hudson Lin ASAP and I want more readers to be picking up this author’s book! What a gem! This book deserves all of the stars!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this book from the author Hudson Lin in exchange for an honest review.

 

Find out more about this book and Hudson Lin on:

Goodreads – Three Months to Forever

http://www.hudsonlin.com/

Twitter – @hudsonlinwrites

Amazon.com – Three Months to Forever

Amazon.ca – Three Months to Forever

 

Are you going to read this book? Do you have another suggestion for a book you want to be featured on this blog? Give me a shout out on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Once Upon an Ever After by Angela N. Blount

This memoir about Angeli and her long distance Southern boyfriend Vincent is an amazing read. I wasn’t sure about how much sense it would make to me, considering that this is a side novel to the original Once Upon a Road Trip (that I hadn’t read). Surprisingly, this novel was easy to follow and I didn’t need to read the first book (but I would really like to now!).

Kooky best friends, sneaking out to stay together and relationship woes are all featured in this book, and portray what a real relationship looks like: not perfection. This memoir made me fall in love with this love story, and felt very real and not fake (like some fiction novels make love and relationships out to be).

I would love to hear more about Anjeli and Vincent! The story telling is wonderful and doesn’t make you question what’s going on. It seemed very real and not forced. It was a believable story.

If anything, the author could have included more “action”, or situations the characters went through. I felt cheated for more interaction between Vincent, Anjeli and her family and friends. The story seemed a bit to short for me, but still great (since this isn’t the main novel about Vincent and Anjeli, and more of a set of side stories).

I did like this novel! But I wanted a bit more out of it. Overall, it was a good read I would recommend to others!

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Also I loved that my copy was signed! I love signed copies!

 

What book has made you swoon lately? Comment below!
Check out another review you might enjoy: #BookReview – Apocalypse the Memoir by CS Oliver

Give me a shoutout on twitter using the hashtags #BriarsReviews #OnceUponAnEverAfter  @ReviewAlholic