Secrets of Betrayal (Secrets #4) by L.K. Shaw

Blurb:

*this book contains dark elements that may be difficult for some readers*

Betray (verb): to deliver to an enemy by treachery

Sold to a sex trafficker by her drug-dealing boyfriend, Phebe Lawson possessed first-hand knowledge of the secrets of betrayal. She’d given up all hope. Her life no longer held any meaning. She would have wished for death to come and take her away, except, she knew wishes were wasted on people like her. Until the day he entered her life. He was a beacon of light in the bleakness she called existence. His arrival sparked a longing inside her that, maybe, hope wasn’t a useless emotion after all. 


Heal (verb): to make sound or whole

Donovan Jeffries was the charming one. The flirty, social Dom of the local BDSM club, Eden. He thought he’d found the perfect submissive. Until she betrayed him with another. He closed himself off, vowing to never give his heart to another woman. Until the day she entered his life. Her despair touched a part of his soul he’d thought forever lost, and he would move heaven and earth to piece all her broken parts back together.

My review:

Wow! Smart, emotionally challenging read with a heart-warming ending. This story tore me up and rebuilt me right along with the heroine. I loved that they each needed healing and were able to provide that for each other. Well done Ms. Shaw.

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The Accidental Mermaid (Accidentally Paranormal Series Book 16) by Dakota Cassidy

The Accidental Mermaid (Accidentally Paranormal Series Book 16)

by Dakota Cassidy

Blurb:

Esther Williams Sanchez is busy living her life the way she’s always done. Spending time with her pets, working as a divorce mediator, and enjoying her newly renovated cottage on the beach. 

She’s also decided it’s high time she learn how to swim to prepare for an upcoming cruise. It’s time to let go of a horrible past experience and take some lessons. 
So at thirty-two, Esther enrolls in the only class at the Y with a spot left. A Mommy and Me class—which seems quite tame, considering her oldest classmate aside from her is three-years-old. 

Learn to swim with a bunch of babies and toddlers? Easy-squeezy, right? Er, no. As Esther leaves the pool after her very first lesson, she sprouts a magnificent tail and fins. Oh, and hair the color of a rainbow. Lots and lots of luscious hair. 

Lucky for her, the OOPS girls are on site, and as they set about finding out how this happened to Esther, they run into a hunky Australian merman named Tucker Pearson who happens to be the key to Esther’s problem. But Tucker has problems of his own, and they include being kicked out of his family’s bottled water company, booted from his pod, and accused of embezzling over a million bucks. 

Oh, and killing someone… OOPS, here we go again! 

My review:

I’ll admit I had no idea how the author was going to make this work but she did and gave us giggles along the way. The Accidental Mermaid is sweet, snarky, tongue in cheek fun. From our accidental mermaids name Esther Williams Sanchez to the fact she is afraid to swim to the unfortunate location of her accidental turning this book had me snickering into my tea. I thoroughly enjoyed.

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Christmas at Butterfly Cove (Butterfly Cove #3) by Sarah Bennett

Blurb:

All she wants for Christmas…

When talented artist Nee Sutherland returns to Butterfly Cove for her sister’s wedding, it’s only a matter of time before she has to face her own bridegroom – Luke Spenser – the man she impulsively married, then left in the middle of the night.

Nee hasn’t picked up her paintbrushes in months, a part of her is broken. She knows Luke might never forgive her, leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life – but could coming home for Christmas be the best decision she’s ever made?

Maybe all she needs is a little Christmas miracle… 

My review:

Christmas at Butterfly Cove is a heartwarming tale of second chances. Nee Sutherland about broke my heart. Luckily Luke Spenser has the tenacity of a bulldog and the heart of a lion. Speaking of bulldogs I think Tigger (a brindle bulldog puppy) may have been the perfect comedic relief. Each of the Butterfly Cove books alone is enough to get your heart going but I think this is my favorite to date. Pour yourself a glass of wine, grab some tissues and spend Christmas at Butterfly Cove. You will be glad you did.

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A Little Harmless Scandal by Melissa Schroeder

Blurb:

Wanting two men isn't the smart thing to do, but falling for both of them might just ruin all their lives. 

Adam Fullerton and Mick McGrath have been a couple for over five years but they always knew something was missing. They have brought more than one woman into their bed, but none of them had enticed them into a more permanent relationship. That is, until the meet photographer Serenity Jones. 

Serenity lives a simple life, one far from her childhood as a star of one of most popular sitcoms on TV. She'd been the poster child for an out of control teen and had more than one deranged fan. She got herself clean, changed her name, and disappeared. She avoids anything that might attract the tabloids and that definitely includes the Mick and Adam. Even knowing that, she allows them to tempt her into a night of pleasure. 

After that night, none of them are ready to walk away. But soon, Serenity's former life comes back to haunt her as tabloids catch whiff of her new relationship. As the scandal erupts around them, the threesome must learn to stand together, or lose the fragile new relationship. 

**Warning: This book includes two hot bisexual men, one very interested woman, and lots of smexy scenes including all three of them. Also has much Hawaiian scenery, a trip to Rough 'n Ready (and a scene with Micah Ross), along with a scenes so hot, it will melt your e-reader and curl your toes. As any Harmless Addict will tell you, ice water and towels are recommended while reading.  

My review:

m/m/f

HOT!!! A Little Harmless Scandal is a smoking hot ménage love story set in paradise.  Mick and Adam have been together as lovers for 5 years and friends even longer. They are yin and yang. Adam is dark and dreamy but a realist who plans. Mick is light and sweet and always smiling who charges in full steam ahead, not so much with the planning. With them both being bisexual it has meant that there was a piece missing in their lives. Upon meeting Serenity Jones their next door neighbor they feel like she may just be what the doctor ordered.

When these three get together it is a combination of sweet and fiery hot. I found myself rooting for the three of them to turn into something lasting. Serenity stole my heart from the very beginning and I am sure that these three will steal your heart as well.

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Magic, New Mexico: Reaching Reva (Kindle Worlds Novella) by CJ CADE

Blurb:

They're stuck on the wrong planet at the wrong time…with each other. They could use some magic.

Aurelian Reva'la A'Qen must choose a life path to follow, or one will be chosen for her. Simple enough – except her dream man doesn’t want her at his side. When Reva hears Aurelian Military Commander T'Van A'Ralle laughing at her with his friends, she's devastated. On impulse, she enters the mysterious new jump device…and is ripped away from her world.

Van soon learns that he was all too hasty in his dismissal of Reva. With an unknown assassin in pursuit, she displays courage and heart. Van discovers his feelings for the fiery strawberry blonde run deeper than he ever dreamed possible.

Can Van convince the woman he scorned to give him another chance, before the assassin eliminates any hope of their returning to the future, together?

My review:

What a fun side trip to Magic, New Mexico. Van has been the bright spot in Reva’s otherwise crummy life. When she overhears him putting her down it almost breaks her. She has to go. When she and Van end up back in time in Magic, New Mexico a place they’ve never heard of they are just lucky the locals know of alien life forms. So now Reva has to deal with being stranded in a different place and time she has to deal with Van being there too. Maybe he will get his head out of his ass and realize just how special she is and what they could be together.

It doesn’t matter what planet you are from men are going to make dumb mistakes. Watching Van grovel was a total hoot. This story made me smile.

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Drop Dead Gorgeous (Bite Nights #2) by Juliet Lyons

Blurb:

SWIPE RIGHT FOR MR. BITE

Mila Hart’s first experience with the hot new vampire dating site is a complete disaster. Turns out, her date is wanted for murder! But things turn around when she’s rescued by dashing vampire cop Vincent Ferrer. Dangerous and drop dead gorgeous, he’s just the vampire hottie Mila was hoping for.

Haunted by his past, Vincent can’t risk falling in love again, even if Mila charms him more than anyone he’s ever met. But when the killer from Mila’s first date seeks her out, Vincent is the only one who can protect her. Protecting his heart is a different story...

Bite Nite Series:

Dating the Undead (Book 1)

Drop Dead Gorgeous (Book 2)

That Killer Smile (Book 3)

My review:

Drop Dead Gorgeous is the second in the series but can be read standalone just fine. Mila has a history of failed dating experiences so figures to shake things up by giving V-Date a try. Her world is more than shaken up it explodes! She is rescued by the hottest guy she has ever seen who turns out to be a cop who happens to be a vampire.

I really enjoyed the interplay between Vincent and his cop buddies. Mila was cute and funny. Vincent had issues but wasn’t angsty about it.  I really want Cat and Ronans story. Overall a fun, sexy, sweet read with a neat twist at the end.

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Hot Pursuit (Black Knights Inc. #11) by Julie Ann Walker

Blurb:

He puts the hot...

Christian Watson, a former SAS officer and current BKI operator, never thought he would return to England after a terrible turn of events forced him to abandon his homeland. But now he's back on British soil where old enemies are determined to do him in. Fighting for his life is pretty much SOP for Christian. Doing it with the beautiful, bossy Emily Scott in tow is another matter entirely.

In hot pursuit.

Emily lost her coveted job at the CIA because of a colleague turned rogue, and now she has just one rule when it comes to men: they're for recreational purposes only. But when she and Christian are thrust into very close quarters while evading two mysterious men who want Christian dead, she can't help but question all her ideas about love and life lived on the edge. Battling the bad guys is hard enough, battling her feelings for Christian just might prove impossible.

My review

Hot Pursuit picks up right where Fuel for Fire left off. Our intrepid heroes are struggling to get back to the good ol USA but hiding out in not so Jolly Ol England has them running again. All this running has put some things in perspective for former SAS officer Christian Watson. He has always wanted smart mouthed office manager Emily Scott but she has never given him an inkling that she was interested. It takes his cohorts to convince him that her snark is her way of flirting. Running for your lives is probably not the best time to hit on a lady but when  has Christian ever do anything the easy way.

This is a high energy, laugh out loud love story that will leave you with a smile and looking forward to the next installment.

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