Every dog has its day… That’s the saying right? Well, I’m the top dog. Everyday. That’s the way it’s always been and the way it’ll always be. I run things on the field and off the field. Caston Sinclair: Team captain. Pussy whisperer. The guy your girlfriend thinks about when you’re on top of her. I hold the power in my hands. Well, the glove that is. I walk on the pitcher’s mound every night and I walk off a legend. Untouchable. Unbeatable. Bulletproof. Things were going exactly as I planned… Or so I thought. Until her. 4’11″. Tanned legs, fire in her eyes and an attitude to match. She was a game changer… After all, anything is possible, it’s the Off Season.
YAY, R. Holmes second book is finally here!!! Omg, I’ve been stalking the author since I’ve read Scorched, which I absolutely adored – if you haven’t read it yet, go get it now! – so when I got this treat on my e-reader I devoured it like a starving woman! Off Season is the perfect feel-good, low angst, short and smutty read! I love how Caston transformed right before our eyes from a playboy player into a true loving family man, and fell in love with him, right along with Eryn. Eryn was absolutely amazing, a strong single mother, knows how to protect herself from the types of ‘player’, but after seeing that Caston is much more than he first appeared to be, she starts to let go of her hang ups and welcome him into their lives, because come on, who could resist seeing the way Caston treated her little boy?! It was a beautiful and sexy romance story, in which the author proved yet again how amazingly she writes, creates and develops these characters that even in a short story, like this, we get deeply involved and our feelings reflect what they’re feeling. That is a proof of some gifted writing! My only wish was that it would have been a bit longer, and with an epilogue that gave us a look further into their future! I’m greedy like that, because I wanted even more Caston and Eryn!!! <3 <3 <3 <3
Nothing has ever felt so good in my life. Nothing. Not a homerun. Not winning any championship. I’d give up baseball tomorrow if it meant I got to spend the next thirty years with this perfect angel.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
R. Holmes is from a tiny itty bitty town in southern Louisiana where everyone knows everyone. Land of alligators, boudin balls and Mardi Gras. She spends her days being a savvy business woman/super mom and her nights writing sexy alpha men with hearts just as big as their egos. She plans on writing until her fingers fall off but really hopes to have to never write a biography again. Connect with her via Facebook, Instagram (@RHolmesAuthor) and twitter!
Jodi Ellen Malpas is the New York Times and Sunday Times (UK) bestselling author of two romantic trilogies: This Man and One Night.Now, Jodi Ellen Malpas is back with her long-awaited next novel—and her first stand-alone story—THE PROTECTOR (Forever; September 6, 2016; $15.99).
People think they have Camille Logan nailed: rich kid, daddy’s girl, beautiful, and spoiled.But Camille knows that support from her ultra-wealthy and overbearing father comes with a price tag not worth paying for.She wants a life without his strings.Out on her own, she’s made a few mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press.Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father’s questionable business dealings.She has no choice but to play ball when he hires an ex-SAS sniper to protect her at all costs.
Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell.He had been distracted from duty once before and the consequences were devastating, both personally and professionally.He vowed to never let that happen again.Being the bodyguard to socialite model Camille is exactly the kind of low pressure job he needs.But he quickly comes to discover that Camille isn’t what he expected.She’s warm and emotionally generous, and she slowly succeeds in drawing him out of his tough exterior.Jake’s past haunts him.Camille’s presence settles him.But he can’t have both.
Jake Sharp is every woman’s fantasy man because ‘Mysterious, dark and dangerous’ fits him to a t. That is until you really now what his happening behind that handsome and appealing package…
“Where’s the billboard?”
I swallow. “Huh?”
“The billboard.” Her eyes dart, genuinely looking around.
“What billboard?”
“The one he’s just fallen out of?”
But looks can be so deceiving, and being that panty melting magnetism he hides a world of pain, guilt and suffering. Five years prior something horrible happened, destroying his world, and his causing a chain of events, that altered his existence forever. An existence where alcohol, anonymous sex and his job are his coping mechanisms, and which allow him to barely survive, much less live. But his job in security and protection really is his lifeline. Without that distraction, he would just drown in a sea of pain. And its only this prospect that makes him a accept to take on the job as shadow of the spoiled and frivolous daughter of a billionaire. Or so he thought…
Camille as always tried to escape this preconceived image of daddy’s spoiler and wealthy girl, and takes her independence and struggle to fight her own battles very seriously, so when a treat against her life, doe to her father’s business, comes up and she his forced to deal with a shadow, a ever present bodyguard in her life, let’s just say she is less than pleased.
To make matters worse that protector had to be an handsome and sexy devil, which causes her body to react in most unwelcoming ways, so in addition to fighting this theft of her privacy and independence, she also has to fight her body and the attraction to Jake. Talk about an impossible mission!
But this struggle against this attractions isn’t one sided, Jake has to fight at every turn against these feeling and magnetism that Camille has woken in him, and let’s just say he also isn’t a happy camper.
Camille, however, is costing me lots of thoughts. Inappropriate thoughts. Painful thoughts. Annoying thoughts.
I can behave as professionally as I like, but my cock and all other vital organs aren’t playing along. Resistance is key. Being sensible is paramount.
All the pushing and dodging away is hard to keep up on both ends, specially given that they’re together and in contact 24/7, even more so when they start to unveil the other’s true personality, and what they both hide behind their well put together facade. When they do, they are even more attracted than they were together, because they complement each other perfectly.
My eyes are heavy, and my heart is full of hope.
Hope that I never encounter Sebastian Peters again. And hope that Jake Sharp stays with me forever to ensure it. To protect me from him. From everything.
I’ve never felt so certain or so desperate in my life. I want him—this cryptic, unfathomable man. I want him with every fiber of my being.
Of course with this new discoveries, their already epic attraction, that was set to explode at some point, took only a small physical touch to break through in a way, that there was no more coming back for them. They were completely lost to each other, and nothing else existed.
I’ve never felt a connection so intense that I can physically feel it. It’s no distraction. It’s no means to an end. It’s tangible. It’s pulling at every one of my muscles and stabbing at every inch of my naked skin. I’ve never felt so absorbed by a woman that she makes me want to sacrifice my soul in her honor.
I’ve never felt this. Never.
Many words are trying to wrestle their way into my twisted mind, but only one is making it through.
Mine.
And it was an hold no barriers explosion! One of vulcanic proportions, that will surely leave you weak kneed and panting. That’s how crazy HOT they are together!
From that point forward there was no more denying their true feelings, and they gave in to all the lust and passion in the most delicious and steamy ways, with some scorching sex scenes and interactions. We could literally feel the sparks flying when they were together – it was enough to be in the same room. Jake really let it all show and his possessive, protective, OTT Alpha couldn’t have shone more through. And I loved every second of that, how he wasn’t afraid to show how crazy he was when it came to Camille.
“Does it swallow you up like it does me?” he asks quietly, unmoving above me. “Does it consume you so much you think you might never break free?” He rises to his elbows, taking his time, until he’s gazing down at me, looking almost confused. His handsome face is clear, his gorgeous eyes twinkling. “Tell me you feel the same. Tell me I’m not alone.”
Yes, he did get on my nerves in the beginning, with his arrogance, cockiness (specially in the regards of his sexual past and confidence) and asshole and standoffish attitude towards Cami. But when he gave in, OMG! he made me fall in love with him along with Camille. I loved his brand of crazy obsessed with her. They had these fantastic steamy moments, where he made me fan myself with his possessiveness and dirty talk, but also had the most amazing tender and loving moments, where he showed her how precious she was to him, that had me swooning… WOW!!!
“You calm me, regardless of the fact that you’ve actually made my life the most chaotic it’s ever been. You’ve found me, despite the fact that I never wanted to be found.” I grab her hands and squeeze, desperate for her to understand the depth of impact she’s had on me. She looks stunned but calm. “You’re the missing piece I wasn’t looking for, angel. And now I’m scared of being incomplete again. I’m so scared of being without you.”
Doesn’t that just make you melt? I couldn’t get enough of these moments, where he truly showed her what she meant to his, that she really was his angel. That she saved him from the darkness and despair.
And of course that this ‘perfect imperfection’ of Jake isn’t surprising, given that we are talking about a story written by Jodi Ellen Malpas! She is, after all the creator of the Lord of the Manor, Jesse, and who could forget that character? I certainly never will! And after reading this story I have to say that Jake is close to that unforgettableness, given some personality similarities, like the crazy possessiveness and obsession (not quite on Jesse’s level, LOL) as with their unquestionable love for their ‘angels’.
Like I mentioned before I enjoyed this story immensely and loved all the characters – specially Jake and Camille – and the pace and development of the side plot and the unveiling of the mysteries. I would have rated it higher if not for that nerve touching details on Jake that I referred before, and for the lack of true epilogue. I wanted more about their future, and what happened to them further along, specially given that it’s a standalone.
Nonetheless I LOVED this story, which was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and JEM sure did not disappoint! After this I can only count down the days and be on the look out for her next release, because I have no doubt that from her creative hands it will certainly be something delicious – specially the Hero!!! <3
“Home.”
“Where’s home?”
“Where do you want it to be?” He looks across at me, keeping his face blank, waiting for my reply.
“You’re my home now,” I tell him. “Wherever you are, that’s my home.”
“What is your thing?” “You.” That’s easy. “You are my thing.”
ARC Kindly provided by the author via Forever in exchange for an honest review
British talent Jodi Ellen Malpas sold hundreds of thousands of e-books of her passionately erotic trilogy This Man before landing a major US publishing deal and sailing straight to the top of the New York Times bestsellers chart in a few short months. Success quickly followed in the UK, with thousands of readers falling head-over-heels for the devastatingly handsome Lord of the Manor Jesse Ward and his feisty counterpart, Ava O’Shea, as all three books became major Sunday Times bestsellers. This was followed by further success with her second series One Night, which introduced the irresistibly enigmatic M.
Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse and, mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.
New York Times Bestselling author Kristen Proby brings readers a glimpse back into her sexy as sin The Boudreaux Series. EASY FOR KEEPS is a Contemporary Erotic Romance novella in The Boudreaux Series, brought to you by 1001 Dark Nights. Grab your copy of this sexy novella today!
Adam Spencer loves women. All women. Every shape and size, regardless of hair or eye color, religion or race, he simply enjoys them all. Meeting more than his fair share as the manager and head bartender of The Odyssey, a hot spot in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Adam’s comfortable with his lifestyle, and sees no reason to change it. A wife and kids, plus the white picket fence are not in the cards for this confirmed bachelor. Until a beautiful woman, and her sweet princess, literally knock him on his ass.
Sarah Cox has just moved to New Orleans, having accepted a position as a social worker specializing in at-risk women and children. It’s a demanding, sometimes dangerous job, but Sarah is no shy wallflower. She can handle just about anything that comes at her, even the attentions of one sexy Adam Spencer. Just because he’s charmed her daughter, making her think of magical kingdoms with happily ever after, doesn’t mean that Sarah believes in fairy tales. But the more time she spends with the enchanting man, the more he begins to sway her into believing in forever.
Even so, when Sarah’s job becomes more dangerous than any of them bargained for, will she be ripped from Adam’s life forever?
I love this place. I’ve worked at The Odyssey most of my life. First, for Callie’s dad, and then for her after he passed last year. And now that we’re planning to expand the space, Callie asked me to be her partner. The paperwork was finalized last week, and the expansion is moving forward.
It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time. I don’t just work here, I’m part owner and able to leave at a moment’s notice if the notion struck me.
Not that I ever have, or would, do that. But it was an option.
Now strings are attached, and I’ve never been a strings kind of guy. In fact, at the first mention of commitment, I’m a run-in-the-other-direction kind of guy.
And I make no apologies for it. The women I’m with know the score. I keep my life simple.
This is work, I remind myself. I’ve had a soft spot for The Odyssey for a long time, so attaching myself permanently is a good move.
It’s not a woman.
“You didn’t go home with her,” Callie says as she comes out of her office, surprising me.
“I thought you went home,” I reply instead of answering her question. “Didn’t I see Declan earlier?”
Declan is a popular New Orleans musician and Callie’s husband.
“You did,” she replies with a soft smile. “But I had some work to do here, and sometimes I just like to stay until closing.”
“We’re bar people,” I reply with a smile and walk behind the bar to pull out a bottle of water.
“So, why didn’t you give that pretty thing a ride on your desk?” Callie asks in the nonjudgmental way that only she can. She’s my best friend for a reason.
“Wasn’t feeling it,” I reply with a shrug, then grin. “Literally.”
“Harhar,” she replies, but her smile is bright. “I haven’t heard many women stories lately.”
“You enjoy my conquest stories?” I ask, not believing her. “You always cover your ears and tell me to shut it.”
“Well, some of them are just gross. Like the time you had sex in the back of a cab. That’s just not sanitary, Adam.”
“Sex isn’t supposed to be sanitary, Cal. If you’re worried about sanitation, you aren’t doing it right.”
And don’t forget to grab the first three books in the Boudreaux Series!
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.
Bo and Nyx met in the previous book, Beyond the Darkness. They were immediately draw to each other, but none of them knew how to really deal with this attraction.
Bo is a half demon, the result of demon raping his mother. He was raised by his loving human mother, but he’s full of self loathing of his demon part, because in his mind it puts him close to his father’s nature, whom he hates. The moment he sees Nyx, his world view shifts and she becomes the center of it, even if she does see it. For the first time in his life he is overwhelmed with new feelings. He is such a strong and wonderful character, I admit I was surprised to love him so much considering his manwhoring past (pet peeve of mine), but we really feel that Nyx completely changed his reality and that his promiscuous past really was a consequence of his restless demon nature. And one he truly and deeply regrets.
“If I could go back and change how I was before I met you, I would. But I can’t. Sex and fighting are the only things that keep my demon at bay in this realm. Until you.”
As a reader, even with the occasional small OW drama and misunderstandings, we feel his shame, and never once doubt his loyalty to Nyx. I adored that he was celibate from the very moment he met Nyx, even fighting his very nature and his coping mechanisms, which reinforced his feelings and love for her, even more. And didn’t have to fight hard because Nyx, even only her presence, calmed his demon.
“I never imagined someone like you existed, Nyx. And definitely not for me. I feel like I’ve been living in a haze until I met you.”
Nyx is a half demigod, half fae princess, who’s searching for her own place in the world, since she was always controlled by their selfish and uncaring parents. This quest brings her to Bo’s supernatural club, were she meets her fate, even if she doesn’t realize it at the time.
She is strong and sassy, but also one of the most selfless characters I have ever read, she truly puts everyone else’s needs in front of her own, even if it means putting her own life is at risk. Something that Bo’s is not allowing, only if he’s there to protect her every step of the way.
Bo’s protective and possessive side are just part of reason for her attraction to him. What he doesn’t realize is that she is just drawn to his half demon as she is to his human one.
Throughout this book’s journey, they both discern that they can’t deny those strong feelings, and that the things they fear are going to be rejected by the other, are in fact part of their allure to the other.
“I know I’m not good enough for you so I get your fears because I have them too. I’m terrified you’ll wake up one day and realize you can do so much better than me.”
Bo’s possessive and primal demon side is only more enhanced, complemented by Nyx’s sweet and innocent nature. I adored how incredibly devoted he was to her, showing us his sweet side, within all that alpha hotness.
Once their magnetism combusts and they give in, it translates in some steamy, off the charts sex scenes, where we can really feel Bo’s demon nature uncontrollable necessity to claim her as his mate.
But all he wanted to do was keep her safe. Claim her. Make her his forever.
And Nyx, even though innocent, doesn’t lack passion, and her chaotic demigod side sure spices things up! 😉
When they finally embrace the love and feelings they have for each other and realize that they are the strongest together and balance one another, they find out that their natures are the perfect counterpart to the other, that they truly complete as ONE.
The adventure side and all the fantastic secondary characters augment even more the appeal of this story and makes us want to dig into the side characters own story, to find out more about them, especially Ian and Rory, Bo’s half brother.
Katie Reus creates these magical paranormal worlds with exciting and amazing characters that always leave us wanting more and more, and are without a doubt one of the best PNR books I have ever read, therefore an auto-read for me. I can’t wait to dive in Into the Darkness!
“I don’t know if it’ll matter to you, but I want to get married. I’m half human and I want the symbolism.” Being mated mattered to him as well but he needed the marriage too. He needed it all from Nyx.
Her blue eyes brightened. “I’ve seen a lot of human movies,” she whispered. “I think you’re supposed to be on one knee.”
He was on the ground before she’d finished—and so was she.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley from CrushStar Multimedia LLC for an honest review.
R. Holmes is from a tiny itty bitty town in southern Louisiana where everyone knows everyone. Land of alligators, boudin balls and Mardi Gras. She spends her days being a savvy business woman/super mom and her nights writing sexy alpha men with hearts just as big as their egos. She plans on writing until her fingers fall off but really hopes to have to never write a biography again. Connect with her via Facebook, Instagram (@RHolmesAuthor) and twitter!
