Carries Book Reviews

The Dirty Players Duet
Tia Louise
Publication date: December 2nd 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

TWO COMPLETE NOVELS – One limited edition boxed set

BOOK #1: THE PRINCE & THE PLAYER

Let the games begin…

Runaway Zelda Wilder will do whatever it takes to secure a better life for her and her sister Ava. Crown Prince Rowan Westringham Tate will do whatever it takes to preserve his small country.

MacCallum Lockwood Tate will do whatever it takes to steal Zelda’s heart…

When Zelda is hired to run a con on the brooding future king, she falls instead for his sexy younger brother, “playboy prince” Cal.

Cal is determined to hold his beautiful player, but it’s too late. Zelda is in over her head with some very dangerous men. Shots are fired and time is running out for the prince to save his player…

BOOK #2: A PLAYER FOR A PRINCESS

From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, the game continues…

Zelda Wilder is on the run from the ruthless assassins who’ve decided she knows too much to live.

Reformed playboy MacCallum Lockwood Tate isn’t about to let the sexy player who stole his heart get away—if only he could decide whether he wants to save her or spank her for her dangerous choices.

All of the players’ skills are tested in this plot to capture a killer and save a princess.

Cinderella meets Ocean’s Eleven in this CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE DUET, featuring secrets, lies, royal high jinks, scams and double-crosses; breathless, swooning lust, cocky princes, dominant alpha future-kings, and crafty courtiers, who are not always what they seem.

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EXCERPT:

THE PRINCE & THE PLAYER

Zelda Wilder

We’ve been walking since we got our drinks, and now we’re at the back entrance to the casino. He leads me out the ornate doors onto a long terrace overlooking the sea. The moon is just rising, touching the water with silvery tips. It’s gorgeous.

“You hate every movie,” he says.

“I do not. I just have a low tolerance for crap.”

Cal sits on the stone railing in front of me, and his warm hands cover the exposed skin on my hips as he pulls me close to his body.

“Where did you acquire such a refined taste in film?” He leans forward to kiss the side of my neck, and that little fish in my middle is flipping all over the place.

“Cal…” Setting my drink down, I push against his shoulders.

He only tightens his hold. “I’m not letting you go, so stop struggling. Now answer my question.”

My entire body is on fire. “My parents loved classic films. It’s where Ava…” Shit! “I mean, um… It’s why Ava and I became friends.”

“You have parents in common?” Another burning kiss.

“Our parents were a lot alike.”

“Interesting,” he murmurs, moving higher into my hair. My knees go liquid, and I almost collapse. “You smell delicious.”

His kisses travel to my jaw. Somehow I manage to bend my elbows and push myself out of his arms.

“Seriously, Cal, we’re not doing this.”

“Why the devil not? We did a damn good job of it last night.”

“I’d had too much champagne last night.”

His hazel eyes flash. “I’m calling bullshit on that, Miss Benedict, you were not drunk last night.”

I start to walk away, but he’s right behind me, catching my arm. “Wait. I’m sorry. Don’t go. Let’s talk some more.”

It’s a mistake. I know it with every fiber of my being, but I don’t leave. “It’s really beautiful here. I love the water.”

“We can walk down to the shore and look for ghost crabs,” he says, sliding my hair off my cheek with his finger. “If you twist your ankle, I’ll carry you this time.”

“Cal—” My argument is lost in his mouth covering mine.

He kisses me the way he always does, passionate and consuming. Our lips part, his tongue finds mine, and my core floods with heat. Warm hands slide over my bare back,

dipping lower, into the back of my dress. I push my fingers into his hair and pull him closer to me. Oh, god, I should stop this, but I want it so much.

“I love this dress,” he murmurs against my cheek, and pleasure snakes up my thighs along with his fingers.

He’s lifting my skirt, making his way to the center. I hold my breath, waiting for him to discover…

“Fuck me,” he hisses, and our eyes lock. That naughty grin splits his cheeks. “Somebody forgot her panties tonight.”

Laughter explodes from my lips, and I drop my forehead against his shoulder. “Oh my god,” I groan as his finger slides over my clit, making me jump. “Oh, god, Cal.” I’m not arguing anymore, I’m begging.

“You don’t have to beg, beautiful, I’ll make you come.” Husky words, lost in our mouths as he kisses me again, deeper, taking what he wants. It’s what we both want.

Author Bio:

The “Queen of Hot Romance,” Tia Louise is the Award-Winning, International Bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD series.

From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to picking up USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning “Favorite Erotica Author” (2015) and the “Lady Boner Award” (2014) (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.

A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations…

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Falling Out of Focus
Brynn Myers
Publication date: January 24th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

I was drowning, but all I needed to do was breathe.

It was 5:45pm when I decided my future. By 9:43 I was well on my way to making it all come true. At 11:16 I took the first step to make it a reality. At 11:17 I fell and found peace.

When a dream of dying actually becomes a chance to live. All you have to do is fall.

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Author Bio:

Brynn Myers is an urban fantasy/paranormal romance author. After considering writing a hobby for years, she finally turned her passion and talent into a career. She came into the paranormal genre later than most but has always loved fairy-tales and all things magical. Using that love, she creates charmed worlds by writing stories involving passionate, strong willed characters with something to discover.

Brynn lives with her family in the Brevard County, Florida area.

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A Cold Tomorrow by Mae Clair
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Katie Lynch was on her way home one evening when she came upon a car off the side of the road and stopped to try to see if anyone needed help. Coming across Jerome in a bit of a trance only speaking the word “cold” Katie knew she needed to get help in case he’d been injured. When a police officer comes along Katie is relieved and leaves her neighbor to be taken care of by the officer.

The next day Katie calls the local sheriff’s office to speak to her friend, Officer Ryan Flynn to check on Jerome’s condition. Finding he’d never been admitted to the hospital and there never had been an officer “Brown” in the department leads the pair on a bit of a mystery to find just what Katie had come across that night. Along with multiple reports of strange lights in the sky and the officers of Point Pleasant find mutilated animals this small town is again in the middle of a mystery.

A Cold Tomorrow is the second book in the Point Pleasant series by Mae Clair. The story takes place in again in the small town of Point Pleasant, WV where fifteen years before there had been a major bridge collapse with massive loss of life with rumors of the accident having a supernatural cause. The town is full of different mysteries and sightings such as their famous creature the Mothman along with rumors of UFOs and mysterious men in black.

This second installment picks up shortly after the end of the first but the main characters have changed in this second installment of the series. Those we met in the first book are still involved and you do find out more about what is going on with them but this time the main character is Katie who had found out what had happened to her missing sister in the first book along with Ryan, the brother of the main male character in the first.

This series has a great mix of elements built into it, there’s the mystery/thriller aspect but with a mix of supernatural and paranormal thrown into the mix but you also have a bit of a romantic suspense. The book expands the story this time to include UFO sightings and the mysterious men in black that cover up these sightings all the while continuing on the story of the creature known as the Mothman in which we learn more of what exactly this creature is.

Overall, a great series best described as a supernatural thriller with a bit of romance in the mix. Also based a bit on real life events as far as the town’s bridge collapse that had happened fifteen years prior.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Completely Yours by Erin Nicholas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zach Ashley doesn’t see himself as a hero but he spends every day of his life trying his best to save others as a paramedic. When Zach gets called to the scene of a huge accident at the comic con site the last thing he expected was to meet the girl of his dreams dressed in a costume when Zach is completely against gaming.

Kiera Connelly is a quiet graphic designer that is perfectly happy to spend all of her time locked in her room either helping design the virtual world of the game she plays or playing along with her online friends. With her friends injured in the accident and no where to turn she finds herself being saved by a real life knight when Zach offers to care for her and finds that the two share and undeniable attraction even with them being so different.

Completely Yours is the first book of the Opposites Attract series with of course two main characters that couldn’t be anymore opposite of one another. Zach is the outgoing, need to be in control and help whomever he can type while Kiera is more the push others away and run when things get tough type. The two have instant chemistry though and through their time together they come to find that they have more in common than once thought.

The story begins with a huge accident which was enough to grab my attention and drag me into this story rather quickly. I also loved that the characters in this story had time to grow together and seemed to make each other better people than they were. Zach having the issues with his family needed Kiera just as much as she needed him to learn to trust making this one feel good story.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Coming Home Boxed Set
Meli Raine
Publication date: July 28th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Suspense

When a mysterious job offer brings Carrie Myerson back to the town where her father was set up for a federal crime, she returns—to face a past more dangerous than she ever imagined.

And a love more passionate than she ever dreamed.

Drug crimes, kidnappings, set-ups and betrayal all unfold as Carrie and her ex-boyfriend, local police officer Mark Paulson, untangle the complicated web of deceit at the heart of her past.

Nothing is what it seems.

Including Mark.

This boxed set includes all three books in the Coming Home series:

Return

Revenge

Reunion

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99¢ for a limited time only!

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EXCERPT:

It’s him. Mark. My ex-boyfriend.

I can’t look. I just…can’t. Too many memories are in that face. That rugged, handsome face. My heart jumps up like an excited puppy, wagging in my chest, eager to be acknowledged and touched. The rest of me shoves it down.

Officer Mark Paulson stands in front of me in uniform, soaking wet, his hat making the rain fall in streaks in front of him. The curtain of water catches my eye. It’s easier to watch it than to stare at him. If I did stare, though, I know what I would see.

Broad shoulders under that crisp black uniform shirt. A thin scar running under his jaw, where he was knifed in a fight when he did a tour in Afghanistan. Wet, blonde hair I used to love to stroke. Gentle hands that once cupped my face. Eyes that could draw me in with a hot breath. The tender taste of lips meant only for me.

He speaks, pulling me out of the memory. Stop it, Carrie, I think. Stop with the dreams you destroyed.

“You okay?” he asks, looking around swiftly. He’s worried. That’s really touching. It’s nice to know he cares. Three years is long enough for him to stop hating me, right?

And I know he hates me.

He has to. I disappeared one day and never said goodbye to him. When you do that to someone, they tend to really resent it. Especially if they love you.

“I’m, uh…” My voice fails me as I watch the water fall in sheets down his cap. “My tire blew.”

He thumps his hand on the car door. “She’s still around, huh?” I know he means the car, but it feels like a dig. Like he’s cutting into me for leaving.

Like he’s still hurt.

If he’s still hurt, that means the feelings haven’t faded, and if his feelings are still that strong, then mine make more sense. I thought when I left town I would shed so much damage and hurt. Because leaving town meant I could leave behind so much pain.

But leaving Mark? That meant the pain came with me.

I start to shiver. It’s not from the cold and the rain. Those arms. The rain drops gather and ripple down his taut muscles, dotted with a sprinkling of dark hair. I remember when I was in those arms.

I remember every single time he touched me.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author Meli Raine writes romantic suspense with hot bikers, intense undercover DEA agents, bad boys turned good, and Special Ops heroes — and the women who love them. Her books include the Breaking Away series (Finding Allie, Chasing Allie, Keeping Allie), the Coming Home series (Return, Revenge, Reunion) and the Harmless series (A Harmless Little Game, A Harmless Little Ruse, A Harmless Little Plan).

Meli rode her first motorcycle when she was five years old, but she played in the ocean long before that. She lives in New England with her family.

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