Review: Fidelity (Infidelity, #5), by Aleatha Romig

Fidelity by Aleatha Romig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aleatha Romig is one of my all-time favorite authors. She has a way of pulling me into her stories and keeping me utterly captivated from start to finish. I am addicted to her special brand of antiheroes. Nobody can craft a guy that you love to hate and hate to love quite like her.

It goes without saying that I devoured every word of the ‘Infidelity’ series. I loved the taboo and twisted circumstances that surrounded Nox and Charli throughout this series. They were nothing, if not complicated.

That being said, this series was not my favorite of Ms. Romig’s series. While I love the way she takes the time out to develop her characters and the storyline, at times that meant that the story seemed to move at a snail’s pace. There were several times when I found myself questioning the necessity of some of the redundant details while reading this series. Book 4, in particular, seemed to have several slow spots for me.

The fifth, and final, book in the series, ‘Fidelity’ ties up all of the loose ends. I wasn’t left with any lingering questions. I also felt quite satisfied with the way everything worked out, which was a far cry from how unsettled I felt at the end of the last book.

As expected, Nox and Charli, aka Alex, are a huge part of this book. However, I found myself equally intrigued with Oren and Adelaide’s story. Some of the supporting characters seemed to become a more important part of the story this time around, giving way to some new questions. I wonder if any of them will get their own spin-off books.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Fidelity’. It was a fantastic conclusion to a great series. As much as I enjoyed this series, I have to say that I’m glad to take a break from the Montagues, Fitzgeralds, Demetris and Spencers. It was nice to see things eventually work themselves out, but it was definitely exhausting.

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Review: Smoldering, by Tiffany Aleman

Smoldering by Tiffany Aleman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had this audiobook sitting on my Audible shelf for a long time. Finally, I decided to give it a shot as a way to recuperate from the book hangover I was suffering from after finishing K. A. Linde’s ‘Avoiding’ series. ‘Smoldering’ ended up being a good choice for that purpose.

The heroine, Kelsey, is a young lady from a very wealthy family. The daughter of a prominent politician, she is little more than a prop for her parents’ social image. Always yearning to please them, she has allowed herself to be controlled by her parents.

On the day of her wedding, she finally has a long overdue epiphany. She’s standing at the altar, in the midst of marrying a man that she hates, when she realizes that her parents will never truly love her. Trying to please them or make them proud is a pointless endeavor.

For once, she decides to make a decision based upon her happiness. Knowing the fallout will be tremendous, she musters up the courage to take a stand. She leaves her groom standing at the altar and doesn’t look back.

Despite being disowned by her parents, she knows that she has done the right thing. Cut off completely, she moves with her best friend and makes ends meet by working as a waitress. Her life is a far cry from the opulence of her past, but she is happy for the first time in her life.

When she meets Riley Jackson, a local military man, things are finally going right for her. The two have a whirlwind romance and fall in love quickly. Theirs was definitely a case of insta-love.

Just as their relationship begins to get more serious, Kelsey’s past and present collide. What ensues is a clusterf*ck of epic proportions. Betrayal. Hurt. More betrayal. It gets really ugly, really quick.

While I love angst and usually live for the emotional pain a great story can evoke, this story left me feeling a little irritated. With the way Riley was so quick to dismiss Kelsey, and the way he acted almost immediately afterwards, I just couldn’t believe that he really cared all that much for her in the first place. I just didn’t buy it.

Then, after all of Riley’s insensitive actions, he barely even mutters an apology before Kelsey takes him back. Seriously? To make matters worse, she actually assumes a large part of the blame because she had never told him about her ex…even though she didn’t lie and it never really came up.

I absolutely hate it when the heroine turns into some sort of weak, pushover that takes on the blame for the hero’s bad behavior. Ugh! Kelsey needed to grow a damn spine and send Riley packing for good. He didn’t even grovel. Nope. I was not happy at all.

Overall, it ended up being just an “okay” book for me. It started out strong, but then everything hit the fan and there was no coming back for me. Once everything was kind of “resolved” and the characters got their HEA, it seemed to drag on and on also. Maybe I was just irritated because their HEA was not a HEA for me…but the last 45 minutes of this audiobook seemed unnecessary to me.

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Review: Dirty Ugly Toy, by K. Webster

Dirty Ugly Toy by K. Webster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you follow my reviews, you know that I love dark, twisted stories. Based on the title alone, I knew that this story would be right up my alley. K. Webster never fails to deliver just the type of mindf*ck that I love and this book was no exception.

‘Dirty Ugly Toy’ begins with a scene that immediately had me questioning exactly what kind of a sick individual Braxton Kennedy really was. He has finished with one of his “toys”. She is bound, gagged and it is time to make her disappear from Braxton’s presence forever.

Once he’s disposed of his last toy, Braxton goes on the hunt for another one. He has particular tastes. He wants the filthiest, most drug-addicted and desperate woman on the streets to act out his depraved fantasies with. He will pretty her up, just to break her down again.

Jessica turned to prostitution in order to feed her heroin addiction. She will do anything for her next fix. Self-respect left her long ago. The woman she used to be would not recognize herself now.

When Jessica, aka “Bunny”, is picked up by Braxton, she cannot resist the lure of the $500,000 that he promises for 6 months of her time. She would do anything for that kind of money and all the heroin that it would buy. Without reading the fine print, she signs his contract and becomes Braxton’s new toy.

From the start, Jessica proved to be a challenge for Braxton. She challenged him in ways that he had never been challenged before. She was anything but submissive, even as he did his best to humiliate and degrade her.

Braxton behaves in a reprehensible manner. He was a really hard character to like because his behavior was so damn cruel and deplorable at times. It was clear that he was one seriously messed up individual, but I couldn’t excuse his callous treatment of Jessica. Regardless of his “mommy issues”, his treatment of her was despicable.

That being said, the story was actually not as dark as I had anticipated. There were a few scenes with violence, but Braxton’s cruelty was most pronounced in the emotional abuse he subjected Jessica to. The flashbacks from her past were the source of the darkest content and not her BDSM relationship with Braxton, which ended up being pretty tame.

Overall, this was a great story. It was dark-ish, but I would’ve liked for it to be a little darker. There was plenty of twists and turns to hold my attention throughout this book. If you like dark stories with a bit of mystery/suspense, then this is a good choice.

On the other hand, I should say that I was not overly impressed with the Audible narration for this book. The narrators’ voices just didn’t appeal to me at all. This is one that I’d recommend reading vs. listening to. It took me quite a while to get into the story because the voice of the narrator was so off-putting.

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Review: Undo Me (The Good Ol’ Boys, #3), by M. Robinson

Undo Me by M. Robinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third book in ‘The Good Ol’ Boys’ series, ‘Undo Me’ is the story of Dylan and Aubrey. These two had one of the most tragic and complicated stories that I’ve ever read. Never have I wanted a couple to get their HEA so badly. As I listened to their story, I hurt for them. They deserved some happiness after everything they went through.

While reading ‘Complicate Me’, I was sure that I had figured things out between Dylan and Aubrey. In fact, I wasn’t even sure that I wanted to read this book because I was so sure that I already knew how things would play out. I was so wrong. ‘Undo Me’ was so much more than I expected.

Of all the “Good Ol’ Boys”, Dylan was the one that I felt least connected to at the onset of this book. He was kind of just the player in the background in the first two books. He was dating Aubrey…then he wasn’t. He went from the dedicated boyfriend to a manwhore, seemingly overnight, without any explanation. I didn’t know why, but it was off-putting to me.

My questions were answered in this third book. Finally, I know what events led up to the downfall of Dylan and Aubrey. Now that I know, I can say that my perception was completely inaccurate.

I had expected this book to be the “shallowest” of the series. However, I was greatly mistaken. This book was the most emotional and dealt with the “heaviest” content in the series to this point. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you’ve read the first two books in the series, you already know that abuse is going to be addressed. It doesn’t stop there. This book will gut you.

This book would’ve been a 5-star book for me, if it weren’t for the fact that it got so far-fetched toward the end. Don’t get me wrong. It was a great story. However, some of the events toward the very end were a bit too convenient and far-fetched for me.

Overall, it was a deeply emotional read. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for something angsty and touching. Keep your tissues handy, but rest assured that things will work out eventually. It doesn’t come easy for this couple, but they get there in the end.

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Review: Shatter Me (The Jaded, #1), by Alex Grayson

Shatter Me by Alex Grayson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story was upsetting, raw and gritty. I personally love darker stories, but the harrowing account of abuse that Bailey survived was difficult to read about. One particularly graphic scene toward the end required me to take a “time out”, which almost never happens for me.

Essentially, this is a story about a young woman, Bailey, that is on the run from her abusive husband. With little more than the clothes on her back, she moves from town to town, picking up whatever work she can in order to keep her moving. She’s learned the risk of staying in one place too long the hard way. It’s a mistake she doesn’t plan to make again.

When Bailey finds herself in a small town in Ohio, she is immediately welcomed by the town’s friendly residents. Making friends with the waitress she met almost immediately upon her arrival, she is soon hooked up with a job and a place to stay. For the first time in her life, Bailey begins to feel like she might have found a place to fit, where somebody actually cares about her.

After a childhood filled with neglect and abuse while her druggie parents turned a blind eye, and a horrifying marriage, Bailey has some serious self-worth issues. When her new boss, Jaxon, and a variety of other townsfolk take an active interest in her, Bailey is overwhelmed with the support and sense of security she feels. Although she continues to look over her shoulder, she allows herself a bit of a reprieve. She begins to explore her feelings for Jax, even though she doubts she will ever be able to have a “normal” relationship with any man.

If Bailey’s husband, Steven, was the epitome of a monster, then Jax was the quintessential knight in shining armor. Quickly sensing Bailey’s troubled past, Jax steps into the role of protector. If you love a strong Alpha-male, Jax is your guy.

Although his actions were a bit over-the-top and there was a strong “insta-love” vibe, I absolutely loved his character. As the story unfolds, there are events in Jax’s past that explain many of his early actions that seemed over-zealous at the time. He has his own ghosts that haunt him and Bailey’s situation brought it back to the surface.

As a heroine, Bailey was someone that I both pitied and admired. If anyone had ever been dealt a bad hand in life, it was her. She had never known anything other than abuse in her life. She endured things that nobody should ever have to, both as a child and as an adult. Yet, she was strong and resilient. She showed such courage and fight, despite everything that she’d endured.

While I was very much absorbed in Bailey’s story, there were some things that drove me crazy with this book. There were many times that I found myself skimming, because I was overwhelmed with unnecessary details that didn’t add value. It was very frustrating to be on the edge of my seat wondering when Bailey’s psycho husband was going to pop out of the shadows, only to have the suspense derailed by detailed descriptions of every room in a house that went on for pages, etc. I really didn’t need to know the color of the decor or detailed descriptions of what everyone was wearing, so on and so forth. All of the unnecessary details were distracting and took away from the story.

I also had some reservations about the way things played out toward the end. I guess that it is “technically” a HEA, but I wasn’t left feeling very happy. Bailey and Jax get a future together, but that is where the happy ends. I’ll just say that it didn’t work out so well for everybody else and I was left feeling gutted.

Despite my reservations, I thought this was a great story. It was heartbreaking and difficult to read, but all of the best books make you feel things, whether you want to or not. This book will definitely elicit an emotional response.

That being said, take the disclaimer seriously. There are graphic descriptions of abuse, physical, psychological and sexual, contained in this book. There is an abundance of dark material in this book. Although it isn’t gratuitous, in my opinion, it is definitely not for the faint of heart.

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Review: The Silent Waters (Elements, #3), by Brittainy C. Cherry

The Silent Waters by Brittainy C. Cherry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’ve now read several of Brittainy C. Cherry’s books and she never ceases to amaze me with how emotional and heartfelt her stories are. I know that when I pick up one of her books I am going to be a mess before it is over. She breaks my heart into tiny pieces and then slowly puts me back together from the wreckage. It’s a very love/hate relationship that I have with her work.

‘The Silent Waters’ was no exception. I fell in love with the characters and the beautiful, yet tragic, story. It made me fall in love. It gutted me. It broke my heart. It gave me hope. This is one book that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride.

We first meet Maggie as a young girl. Her father has remarried and she moves into her new home with her new family. Early on, she attaches herself to her slightly older step-brother and his best-friend, Brooks. She is the cute little girl that tags along everywhere that they go, crushing on Brooks and planning their wedding.

Initially, Brooks is irritated by Maggie and her girlish crush, until they kiss one day. From that point forward, the two are inseparable. Brooks and Maggie are the quintessential picture of childhood love.

On the day that Maggie and Brooks are supposed to have their “wedding” in the forest Brooks is late. A ten year-old Maggie goes into the forest that day, but is never the same again. What happened in the forest leaves her traumatized and her fear imprisons her.

The events of that day will have a ripple effect on everyone in Maggie’s life. Guilt and “what-ifs” slowly eat away at the people Maggie cares about the most, damaging relationships and fostering resentment. Yet, Brooks’ dedication to her is steadfast.

Over the years, life takes different characters down different paths. The dynamics of relationships change. Some grow stronger, some fade away. Old ghosts still linger, until the truth comes out so many years later.

I am being intentionally vague, because I don’t want to spoil this beautiful story for anyone. This is a book that should be experienced. It is sentimental and emotional, but so worth it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartfelt, well-developed, slow-burn romance. This story is fantastic!

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Review: Empire (Cartel, #3), by Lili St. Germain

Empire by Lili St. Germain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! This book blew me away! I am still trying to wrap my mind around everything that transpired between the covers of this book. It was brilliant, dark, gory…and I loved every damn minute!

After finishing ‘The Gypsy Brothers’ series, I was not ready to let go of the characters that I had grown to love or those that I had grown to hate. I wanted more. I needed answers.

Dornan, especially, was intriguing. How did he get to be such a sadistic, deranged killer? What happens to a person to turn them into that kind of monster? Lili St. Germain did a spectacular job of providing brief glimpses of Dornan’s conscience, hinting at some underlying humanity, while not taking away from the fact that he was a really bad guy. Despite the fact that he was a brutal murderer, there was something about him that called to me.

Beginning the ‘Cartel’ series, I tried to distance myself from Mariana and John. After all, I knew how things were going to work out in the end. That was a given, if you read ‘The Gypsy Brothers’ first.

This is not a story with a happy ending. It is tragic. It is raw. It is absolutely heartbreaking. I knew this at the onset, but I couldn’t help but be devastated when it all came to pass, just as I knew it would.

The final book in the ‘Cartel’ series, ‘Empire’ illustrates Dornan’s descent into madness. While we were introduced to Dornan’s dark side in ‘Kingpin’, this book submerses us in his darkness. There is no coming back for him and Mariana must face the fact that the man she loves doesn’t exist any longer.

Even knowing how things would end, I found myself wanted Dornan to redeem himself. I wanted something…anything…to make it alright. I was devastated as I watched him literally transform into the cold, depraved killer that I knew from ‘The Gypsy Brothers’. It was inevitable, but it still crushed me.

After everything, I was still taken aback by Dornan’s vulnerability. Although he became a monster, embracing his darkness at the expense of his humanity, there was still a small part of him that was tender and loving. I was mesmerized by his thoughts and contradictory actions. He definitely had more than his fair share of daddy issues and his desire to please his father ruined his world.

If you’re a fan of dark romance/erotica, then I highly recommend that your read ‘The Gypsy Brothers’ series, followed by the ‘Cartel’ series. These books are not for everyone, as they contain plentiful and graphic accounts of abuse of every variety. However, if you like raw, gritty, dark stories then you can’t go wrong with these series. I am blown away by the disturbing, twisted content that Lili St. Germain produces. Take the disclaimers seriously…and buckle up! This story will rip your heart out and leave you rocking yourself in a corner.

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A Touching Mystery/Romance

When I’m Gone: A Novel by Emily Bleeker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up this audiobook with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. This is the second book that I’ve read by this author and I have to say that I enjoyed this book quite a bit. As expected, it was a very sentimental read. However, it wasn’t the depressing tearjerker that I had imagined it would be.

Luke Richardson has just buried his wife, Natalie. He is now a single father, trying his best to hold it all together when he really just wants to curl into a ball and hide. His pain was palpable.

Natalie was the focal-point of his life and the glue that held everything together. Even in death, she manages to keep Luke and her family on track. She’s written letters, each to be delivered on specific dates, offering guidance and encouragement to Luke.

At first, the letters serve as the push that Luke needs to keep going through the motions. However, as time passes, the letters become both a blessing and a curse. He can’t let go if he’s hanging on to his past.

Over the course of the book, it becomes clear that Natalie had some pretty big secrets of her own. Little by little the truth comes out, causing Luke to question everything he thought he knew about the woman he loved. Appearances can be deceiving and everything was not as it seemed on the surface.

Meanwhile, Luke’s relationship with Natalie’s best friend, Annie, takes on a life of it’s own. What was first friendship and support between two grieving individuals, soon becomes more. Yet, Annie’s life is not without it’s own set of complications.

Although this was a sentimental story with some emotional moments, it felt mostly like a mystery novel. I wouldn’t say that it felt suspenseful, but it certainly kept you wondering exactly what Natalie had been up to. As much as I enjoyed the love story, this one was all about figuring out Natalie’s secret for me.

All in all, I thought this was a great story. I listened to the Audible version and the narration was good. It is a standalone and won’t leave you with any lingering questions. If you’re looking for a nice, sweet, story with a big mystery, this is a wonderful choice.

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Wonderfully Painful

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Phenomenal!

This book will make you fall in love, rip your heart out and force you to reconsider your preconceived ideas about abuse. This is the most moving book that I’ve read in a LONG time. It was absolutely addicting, but so difficult at times. I don’t cry very often, but this one had me crying big, fat tears.

It’s been a couple of days since I finished ‘It Ends With Us’ and I’m still thinking about Lily’s story. It’s one that’ll hang with you. In so many ways, her story gutted me. Yet, it was also inspiring.

Lily grows up in an abusive household. After watching her mother suffer for years at the hand of her father, she tells herself that she’ll never allow any man to treat her that way. She grows into a strong and independent woman, leaving behind the horrors of her childhood…Or so she thinks.

Despite everything she’s promised herself, Lily finds herself in an abusive relationship. The behavior and cycle is so insidious that you almost can’t believe what is happening. Ms. Hoover manages to weave the violence into a relationship that is otherwise seemingly perfect. It is so skillfully written that you won’t want to believe what you’ve read.

I found myself making excuses for the abuser. I didn’t want to believe that he wouldn’t change. For the first time, I could understand why women make excuses for abusers. I can only imagine how strong that pull must be in reality if I felt so strongly about a fictional character.

I am in awe of Lily. Her strength and conviction blew me away. I don’t think I would’ve been strong enough to do what she did. She was an amazing character.

This was a beautiful and heartbreaking book. I recommend it to everyone. It is a must read.

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Review: It Ain’t Me, Babe (Hades Hangmen, #1), by Tillie Cole

It Ain’t Me, Babe by Tillie Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story! It was unlike anything I had ever read before and nothing like I expected. It was better!

Aside from the MC club turf wars, violence, partying and promiscuity that we all expect when reading a biker story, this book focused largely on the story of Mae. After escaping the brutality of a religious cult, just barely, Mae finds safe haven with an outlaw MC Club. The story follows her adjustment to life in the outside world and the progression of her relationship with the club’s President, Styx.

Both Mae and Styx have secretly pined for the other since a chance encounter when they were children. Each of them heal the other and bring one another to life. Their story was beautiful.

While the book does end in a manner that makes it clear that there will be more to follow, it did not leave off in a stressful or frustrating cliffhanger situation. It can easily be read as a stand-alone. I will definitely be reading the next book(s) in this series and will probably re-read this one as well. It will be added to my favorites list for sure!

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