Review: Breathe Deep (St. Hawk's Medical #3) by Willa Okati

A golden-hearted mountain man. A nursing tech with a secret. Life and death are on the line—and they’re running out of time.

Shepherd knows what people think of him. He’s too big, too tall and too broad not to be scary. But though he looks like a grizzly bear, he’s all teddy on the inside. He’s dreamed of finding someone to love. Someone who can help him break through his shyness and who he can shower with all the affection in his heart.

Kit knows what people think of him. That he’s young, good-looking, and kissed by luck. He survived leukemia as a teenager, and he thought he had his entire life ahead of him. But now, the cancer might be recurring—deny it though he might—and Kit’s world has come crashing down. He needs someone like Shepherd. Someone kind and caring, who’s strong enough to lean on.

Kit’s falling fast for the big mountain man—but he hasn’t told Shepherd the truth. He’s afraid that knowing he may be sick will be more than Shepherd can handle. And now, after delaying treatment, he thinks he may be running out of time.

Secrets can be life or death—and when it comes to telling the truth, they can make all the difference.

I so loved the blurb for this story. I mean, hello? Golden hearted mountain man and nursing tech with a secret? The potential for some delicious hurt/comfort lovin’? Yes, please, sign me up.

For the most part, the story delivered. Shepherd is a big, shy man with a heart of gold. He’s kind of uncomfortable in social situations, but it mostly comes across as just plain charming. Plus, his name is Shepherd and that is super cute for his description. Kit is a nurse tech who works in the geriatrics ward at St. Hawk’s. His goal is to get his bachelor’s degree so he’s a busy guy. He’s also a cancer survivor.

The guys have a meet-cute at the beginning that doesn’t really go anywhere but then meet up again later when Kit heads into Sheperd’s specialty shop to get a treat for a patient. Kit is the perfect caregiver character that way. I could totally buy into his personality and his profession, it was an effortless read. The second meeting has the whole awkward yet charming thing going on. It comes out that Shepherd has the caregiver gene in him too and reading about these two guys who really just need to find their matches to love all over was very sweet.

So, like I said, this had everything going on, for the most part. My problem was in a couple of huge plot points that were entirely too convenient but didn’t make much sense. Some semi spoilery stuff coming, just so you know. Kit is having symptoms very similar to those the first time he was diagnosed with cancer at 15. He ignores the signs though because he’s afraid they may be true. He’s a nurse tech, he works in a hospital and he’s ignoring symptoms that have the potential to kill him. He has ALL the information he needs, more than most other people ever could and he ignores it all. It was frustrating to read and I didn’t really get why he didn’t do something. I wanted something more profound from someone with so few excuses.

Extra spoilery parts ahead . . . Shepherd, what the actual fuck? All book long he’s a giver and selfless. Then when Kit finally gets his shit together and tells him the truth Shepherd walks away????? Your dude could be dying and you bail? No, sorry, not good enough, not buying it. I know he had to wrap his brain around the news but then TELL KIT THAT. Poor Kit can only assume he’s just been dumped and that sucked. Perspective and priorities boys, that’s all I ask.

Of course it all worked out but I wasn’t ready to forgive Shepherd for his dumbassery or Kit for his so I was happy for them but still irritated. I should have felt better and happier about the whole outcome, but dammit, those points were annoying and not strong enough to warrant the frustration.

Check out more about Breathe Deep over on Goodreads.


**a copy of this story was provided for an honest review**

Review: Texas Wedding (Texas #7) by R.J. Scott

Sometimes Riley and Jack have to be the ones to fight other people's battles and stand up for what is right.

Faced with the life changing prospect of a yes vote from SCOTUS on the issue of same sex marriage, Riley and Jack realise they have decisions to make. Add in some distressing family news and the very real possibility that old secrets may resurface, and this last book in the Texas series pulls together as many threads as the boys can manage to handle.

But through all the ups and the downs, children, family events, laughter, and tears, there is nothing as special as the forever love between these two men.








I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S OVERRRRRRRRR!  *cries*

I’M GONNA MISS THEM SO BADDDDDDDD!

What am I gonna do without my Jack and Riley?  Why do they have to go away?  They can’t leave me!  They’re like family to me now.  How will I go on without them?

*reads author note at the end of the book*  *sobs in relief*

Whew!  Thank goodness Ms. Scott can’t let go of her (my) boys.  I was on the verge of a meltdown!

When I first picked up book one in this series, The Heart of Texas, way back a bazillion years ago (ok, in 2013) I was looking for some cowboy lovin’.  When I saw it was set in my hometown of Dallas, Texas I thought, “score!”.  I love anything set in my hometown.  I wish there were more books set there.  Dallas is an amazing city with a great nightlife and many diverse cultures and the State Fair of Texas.  Can’t forget about that.  

But I digress.

When I first read The Heart of Texas I fell in love.  I loved the over-the-top, soap opera-y plot.  I loved the enemies-to-lovers trope and I loved the humor and all the drama.  But most of all I loved Jack Campbell and Riley Hayes.  Who became Jack and Riley Campbell-Hayes.  Or as I like to call them, Jiley.  OK, not really.  I call them the Campbell-Hayeseseses.

Skip ahead to this final book in the Texas series and I find myself still head over heels for these two enigmatic men.  Jack, the gruff cowboy with a Texas twang and dust on his boots, and Riley, the Golden Boy with a heart the size of Texas.  (seeing a theme here?)  They’ve been through so much throughout this series and yet they are still as much in love with each other as ever.  

This series is like coming home to me.  I never had a doubt when I picked up any book in the series that I would not like it.  No, they aren’t literary masterpieces but they are a great comfort to me.  I love all the drama that goes on in these pages.  I love the family dynamics.  I love watching both Jack and Riley grow as individuals and as a family.  I just flat out love everything about them.  

I thought about telling you what goes on in these stories but I think I’ll let you discover them for yourselves.  I’ll just say, this is a great comfort series about a cowboy and the het-boy who loves him.

And if you’re still undecided, a little visual aid to help tip you over the edge.





Or how 'bout this?




OK, enough drooling.  GO READ THIS SERIES!

Copy provided by the author for a fair and honest review.

Check it out on Goodreads!

 



Review: Let the Wrong Light In by Avon Gale

Avery Hextall, a junior architect at a prestigious firm, is thrilled when his design is chosen for a new performing-arts center—even if it means working closely with his insufferably uptight project manager, Malin Lacroix. When a chance encounter in the boss’s office proves that Lacroix is anything but cold, Avery is determined to learn more about the real man beneath the aloof veneer.

Despite their growing attraction and their increasingly kinky encounters, the enigmatic Malin remains as emotionally distant as ever. Worse, Avery’s friends are convinced Malin thinks of Avery as a dirty secret and nothing more—a secret that might destroy both of their careers.

But the real secret is a single moment in time that haunts Malin and keeps him from committing to the life he wants with Avery. In order to move on, Avery must help Malin come to terms with the tragedy in his past before they can work on building a future together.







Avery

Avery

Avery

Welcome to my favorite characters list. Were I good with words, I'd write you a poem or maybe a song. Alas, I am not, so you'll have to settle for a gif.





Avery will not be for everyone. He's stubborn, kind of all over the place, impulsive, charismatic, extroverted, loyal, self-deprecating, hates to disappoint others and is endearingly insecure. 


Avery has never understood the idea of wanting to be by yourself if you could hang out with people you like. If they're not available, then you take a nap.

In short, if you like this guy...




You should like Avery.

Now, will you like this story? Maybe.

I'll tell you why I really liked it.

Avery is a junior architect at Ratcliff and Roberts. His boss is the enigmatic Malin Lacroix. Can we have an awesome name break moment? Because Lacroix. Every time I read it I heard it in my head all French and nasally and dramatic. Like there should be people clapping or maybe horns announcing or something. I may have even growled it a couple times. Anyway. Where was I? Right. Avery. Malin.

Their relationship, initially, is dysfunctional, somewhat acrimonious and hella lopsided. And kinky. Like crazy stupid kinky. It's not safe or sane and it's marginally consensual. They never have a conversation. There are no safewords. Neither have any experience with kink. And they are engaging in some dangerous edge play. Somehow they only really fuck up once, but with all the fun stuff comes the aftercare which isn't as sexy but essential. You can't just smack someone around and call yourself a dominant. Annnddddd this is where the wheels started to come off the track.

Thankfully, Avery has many good friends (who are all hilarious and charming in their own right) who help him to see how toxic this relationship is. He takes a break, has a sex filled weekend with a girl who's probably not named Allison, plays a boat load of Candy Crush Saga and watches an inordinate amount of girl on girl Spice channel porn, but he cannot stop thinking about Malin. Cannot stop wanting Malin and what Malin gives to him. He's never felt these masochistic urges before and he's not ready to give up on Malin despite his iciness.




THIS was when I really started to fall for Avery. He went to Malin, set some boundaries and stopped trying to be something he's not and lets the chips fall where they may. And the ice man began to thaw a little as I knew he would. They still have work to do, but it gets better.

Avery's is the only perspective that we get, but Gale did an excellent job of interspersing sly insights into Malin which Avery is largely oblivious to but led me to believe that he's a lot more attached to Avery than he likes to let on.

Malin has suffered through his fair share of tragedies and misfortune, but essentially he's an introvert to Avery's extrovert. I'm not an easy sell when it comes to opposites attract relationships. I think you have to have some common ground, but I think these two will make it because they intrinsically understand one another, eventually. And they both benefit from the relationship which is another check mark on my list of things I look for to make a successful relationship. It's a long road and that's what made it a rewarding experience for me. The story isn't overly dramatic but it has an honesty to it that spoke to me.

The kink tapers off into mostly biting and D/s after they get back together. As long as we're talking about the kink... some people will object to their initial play. It's rough and ill-advised and unsafe, BUT who ever said people make smart decisions when it comes to sex?




They're both inexperienced and mistakes are made. *shrugs* I like characters that are imperfect. Plus, I have to give them credit for doing some research and being more conscientious after they reunite.

This book was not perfect. Avery reads very immature and some are excessively repeated. I was shocked to find out he was 31, but he made me laugh and he's kind of a mess and he reminded me of Stiles and he likes naps. Ok, I kinda have a crush on him. Whatever. Sue me. 

The dialogue was sharp and witty. The secondary characters enriched the story. The character development was layered and any writer who can make me want to cyber hug a fictional character warrants my attention. I will be back to read your writes, Ms. Gale. 

An engaging, well paced and all around promising debut from this author.



No review copy was provided. *sad face* I just felt like reviewing it.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Building Bonds (Kiss of Leather, #1) by Morticia Knight

Kyle’s a natural sub who builds dungeon furniture, yet has no interest in BDSM. It takes a hunky Dom to show him just what he’s been missing.

After Kyle’s partner of five years leaves him for another man on the night of their housewarming party, the shy, early-thirties carpenter needs to do a major reassessment of his life in addition to raising some serious cash. With no one to help him pay the lease on his Los Angeles condo, he worries how he’ll survive. His best friend sets up a meeting with one of the Doms and partners at Kiss of Leather, a gay BDSM club being built as a premier destination for those who want the best of the best.

Master Gavin not only wants the best—he demands it. When he meets Kyle, he assumes that part of the builder’s reticence to share anything personal with him must be due to his experiences with an abusive former Master. Not one to back down from a challenge, Gavin determines to break through the walls surrounding the beautiful man he can’t get out of his mind. He’s hopeful that once he convinces Kyle to sign an initial contract, Kyle might be the first sub to open up his heart.

Misunderstandings and accusations almost destroy everything between them before they have a real chance to begin. However, the true obstacle becomes not only whether Kyle will embrace BDSM as a lifestyle, but also whether he can handle a full-time D/s relationship with a big, bad, scary Dom who’s as sexy as hell.


The blurb and cover hooked me. I thought I signed up for a sexy treat because good IR MM is hard to find, and good IR BDSM is even harder. This is my second dance with this author. I'm still unfamiliar with her work, style, etc. The first story I've read impressed me.

This...


This was a miss for me. I can say "it's me, not you" (But I don't think it is.) Building Bonds read like a beginner's manual. This was not BDSM 101. It was remedial BDSM. I'm not trying to drag it out like this book dragged out everything. It's 54K but I thought it was 545K, it felt like forever. And it ended at 92%.

Kyle is vanilla. He's a 32 year old carpenter who has no inkling of joining the lifestyle. He makes BDSM furniture and is told repeatedly he's a natural submissive. So he meets Gavin, the Dom. And through a misunderstanding that lasted a little too long (and normally misunderstandings don't bug me but it stuck in my craw), Kyle is sorta of coerced into a relationship.

Consent is a big thing, yes? And Kyle could be argued as curious...but he didn't seem that way to me. He jerked off more to Denzel Washington movies (kept repeating that ad nauseam) than BDSM porn. He thought of it as something dirty. I'm not even delving too deeply into that because I'll be here all day.

Kyle keeps being told to the reader over and over, he's a natural sub. He overacts his submissiveness to the point where I don't know how he made it to 32 years of life unscathed. Kyle was a Goober, TSTL.

An entire pack of Kyles.
Some readers might like him playing into that stereotype. It works for some readers, I'm not one of them. I thought I was going to get to read a novel about a man curious about the lifestyle who gets shown through Gavin and they scene many times. Didn't get that, instead there was an abundance of details and mechanics, so that the relationship, IMO, suffered. We get one long scene at 70% , a summary of the rest of the necessary relationship building, a quick scene where hesitant Kyle is suddenly into heavier things tacked on and then the end.

Because we get too much details about every little thing that when you take a step back adds nothing to the grand scale of the main characters' relationship. I know how a contract works, must I read about each page of a 12 pg contract? I know what safe words are, must I go through the entire system over and over again? I'm not Kyle. He wasn't interesting enough to be in his head. The story gets bogged down by too much minutiae that it made the characters read like caricatures. I cared for neither one of the men. The concept was a good one. The execution is my main concern.

There were things that are most certainly my things. And I was so bored that I could care less about my things (a pity):

CBT - the author gives overly detailed description that it dulls the scene & not even with both main characters which could have helped with the flatness of Kyle. Meh.

Piercings - a nipple and Prince showed up. Did I shout to the sky? Nope, I yawned.

Rough Sex - I couldn't tell you what happened. Bleh. I can ALWAYS tell you what happened.

Cock Cage - Meh eh...Meh. WTF? I had to question my priorities when a penis plug and chastity device mention did nothing to me. I actually wondered about everything else but the story at hand. This is was the final nail in the coffin.

Electrowand - Hot but too late to save the paltry and uneven pacing.



If I look closer at my notes, I could rate this a 1. It's one of those types of books. It said the right things, it used the right items...but I'm not new to the scene. Stereotype fiction Doms don't do it for me like Gavin. I disliked the way he talked, the way he acted. He made my skin crawl. He's not abusive Dom but...there's something about him. Too formal, I felt like he was posturing instead being a real human being. The "big bad Dom" from the blurb should have been my warning. And everyone knew Kyle was a natural submissive. *rolls eyes* Was it on his forehead? Oh, it must have been because Gavin told him. *smh* Or the shyness? Kyle's gooberness was laid on hella thick. It was annoying. And how did Gavin get all this money? The missteps will irk me, so I'm quitting now.

But there is hope. I wouldn't necessarily suggest this to seasoned BDSM reader, enter at your own risk. But if you're new to the genre or hesitant to read kink, this book might work for you.

This the first of the series, it looks like it will feature Gavin's friends. Eh, I'm on the fence with continuing. I'll read a sample, if it's anything like this...you fill in the blank.

I'm looking to drop remedial BDSM, do you have a hall pass?
Because I'm cutting class, if not.

For more information on Goodreads or Booklikes!

Review: Taxis and TARDIS by N.R. Walker

Brent is a jock, Logan a geek, these men are a world apart. But if opposites attract, maybe it’s the differences between them that make it worth the fight.

Brent Kelly is a laid-back tradesman whose only concerns are drinks with friends and which man to bed next. In need of a new accountant to sort out his nightmarish shoebox of tax receipts, he’s referred to Logan Willis.

He doesn’t expect to be intrigued by the science fiction-loving, geeky guy with dark-rimmed glasses and a TARDIS-blue shirt. So his fascination with the soft-spoken Englishman surprises him, and their mutual attraction is completely unexpected. He most certainly never expects to fall in love.

One a jock and the other a geek, both men know the differences between them are vast and could cause problems. But in this opposites-attract erotic drama, maybe it’s the differences between them that make staying together worth the fight.


Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 

*hugs Kindle*

*twirls*

I was so charmed by this sweet and light love story. It was simply delightful.

Brent had to go see his new accountant and he was expecting him to be some old, stuffy dude. Instead, he got Logan. Big, jock, manly-man Brent turned into a fumbling mess during their first meeting and it was adorable. So cute I think I SQUEED out loud.

Brent was totally taken with Logan and really didn't know how to handle it, but he knew he wanted Logan, no matter how different they were. They were so compatible and had a serious attraction to one another.

There wasn't any angst between them and I liked that about their story. It was easy. They enjoyed each other's company and each other's dicks. Simple. Easy.

But...

There was a weird issue that came out of nowhere towards the end. It really threw me for a loop and I don't think it fit with the story at all. Not only the story, but I didn't get that kind of vibe from the characters either. I didn't think they would let something so silly change them.

Still, I loved Taxes and TARDIS. I read it in one sitting with a huge smile on my face.

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Burn (Bad Angels #2) by Belinda McBride

Falling isn’t so bad, it’s the landing that hurts.
Following an auto accident, Rex Clark lays near death in the rocky wilderness of the Trinity Alps. Just when it appears that things can’t get worse, she shows up. Anahita…the succubus. She’s been his frequent companion, and the bane of Rion’s existence, for well over a century. But it seems that this time she’s come to help.
From the frozen villages of the Inuit to the cities of America, Dr. Noemi Gastineau has seen it all. When a fallen angel shows up at the reservation clinic with an injured Sidhe, Noemi takes everything in stride. Yet within hours, she’s swept into an enchanted world she never imagined existed.
So why are the men so temptingly familiar? And why is she suddenly so afraid?
A fallen angel, a Sidhe, a human and a succubus. Never mind the demons, these four are about to catch fire! The question is…who will survive the burn?




CLIFFHANGER ALERT!

I didn't read the previous book and I probably should have, but I didn't so what's done is done. If, however, you're considering reading this series I would suggest you start with book one.



In this book Rex is a Sidhe who's been viciously attacked by some possessed teens and, essentially, left for dead. Anahita is the succubus who's been feeding off him and his ginger haired, fallen angel lover, Orion, for over a century. She senses Rex's predicament and alerts Rion. Once Rion arrives and recognizes the dire state of his immortal but not indestructible mate he takes him to a clinic where they meet Noemi and the attraction and adventure begins.

Another confession, I have an enormously hard time rating things of this sort. It took me years to finally admit that Empire Strikes Back was actually my favorite of the trilogy. I have an annoying habit of needing to see the whole picture prior to committing to one. Call me fickle. I call me discerning.

Here's what I know. Burn held my attention. I liked the pacing, the characters, the plot and all the paranormal aspects being folded into contemporary society. I'm definitely going to read the next installment. After that, that heart rating you see up there could very change . Think of it as a place holder, if you will.

If you're looking for an up tempo urban fantasy this could be for you.


A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Review: Love Me Harder by Remmy Duchene

Life hasn’t been perfect for Mathew Chance. Between not knowing who his parents are, and being bounced from foster home to foster home, he’s had to work for everything in his life. But lately, he seems to be overdoing it. With two jobs that barely give him time to breath, love is the last thing on his mind. He doesn’t know whether to bless fate or curse it for shoving Asher Mulgrew right into his path.

Wealthy divorce lawyer Asher Mulgrew has it all worked out. From a successful practice to a supportive sister and a fantastic niece, life is good. But he’s lonely. Though he’s not actively searching for a man, he isn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth when he meets bartender, Mathew Chance. Mathew has a wall built around his heart and Asher isn’t sure he can break through even if he wants to.
 




This is one of those stories I'm finding very difficult to review. It fell into that three heart band for me, of books that I can't say I actively dislike, but that I can't quite find myself enthused about either.

The story as a premise was great. The execution didn't quite carry through for me though. What I felt this book needed more than anything was another edit. One that would correct some simple grammatical issues, but that would also tighten the story. Some moments were great, but then the story would fall a bit flat with the next sentence. Sometimes I had to re-read the sentences to get the meaning.

For example: "The sad part was that she hadn't even ask for the house..." Shouldn't this be asked?

Another moment that had me pondering was this interaction between him and his law clerk: "I'm retiring, Dahlia. This is your two weeks notice." ... okaaaay.....two weeks?? He's a divorce lawyer, he can seriously shut down his practice in a fortnight? I'm no expert, I could be completely and utterly wrong. Maybe it's a case of things working different stateside, but it felt off to me. Enough for me to spend too much time thinking about it, when I should have been reading. I mean, I have to give a months notice (and be given a months notice), and I work part time as a TA in a primary school.... It was little bits like this that threw me from the story long enough that it became a disjointed read for me.

All in all, I liked the characters created, I liked the storyline, I just wanted it more polished. The love between the characters was there, the story arc was there... it just didn't quite come together for me. Really I feel as though the publishers/editors could have done a more thorough job and the finished article would have been a completely different read. Of course, as ever, this is only my opinion. There is a sweet story there, and it's not - by far - the worst editing I've read... but it was all a bit meh in the end and meh is too easily forgotten. I will certainly be looking for more from this author, I've not given up on him yet. I wanted to like this more than I did and that gives me hope I'll enjoy the next read more. 
For more information check out Goodreads
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen

A Resilient Love Story

Successful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain. He’s able to piece his life back together, but instead of embracing it, he merely exists, using isolation and punishing physical exertion to keep the world at bay.

High school teacher Kai Daniels has a heart for at-risk kids—he was one himself, and a teenage brush with the law and some troubled years behind bars left him scarred inside and out. With courage, hard work, and the support of friends, he’s built a fulfilling life that leaves no time for a relationship.

An intense encounter with Kai at a gay club ignites a spark in Jeremy that he thought was extinguished forever, but he’s unwilling to destroy the fragile peace he’s managed to create, and he leaves Kai humiliated and disappointed. Things should have ended there, but a bizarre occurrence brings the two together in a way neither of them expected.



I seriously thought the first chapter of this book was going to kill me. It says in the blurb "A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain," and boy did it - but it also left me adrift on a sea of pain.
 Pain for Jeremy.

So much pain.

How I made it through the chapter in one piece I'm not entirely sure.We see Jeremy cut down to a mere existence from someone who has everything he wants. And it's hard to read, so hard. I grieved with him and felt the impossibility of moving on. Part of me wanted to crawl into his existence with him.

Except, if you are alive you owe it to yourself to live, not just exist.

Kai is perhaps the exact opposite of Jeremy. Where Jeremy has led a fairly privileged life, Kai is only where he is for virtue of having someone help him make the right decisions as a teen and to get him off the path he was travelling. He gives this back to the community in which he lives. He wants to help. Kai is so full of life. He gives and gives, without being a pushover. Where Jeremy felt closed in, shut up, curled around himself, Kai felt open and alive.

This book is so well written, every emotion is magnified a million times. I cried and I laughed and I loved with these characters. The characters were given time. They were given the right to make errors, to react to situations in a human way, and I really liked this. It is often the case in books that pain and angst and difficult times are dealt with easily - which is great for a bit of escapism. This book offered the escapism though, but with something else. It offered real emotions, not just  words on a page.

It offered a cast of characters rich in personality and character. Fully rounded.

It offered time.

It offered pain and happiness.

It offered hope - not just for the characters, but for the reader too.

Writing a review that doesn't come with a deck load of spoilers is hard for some books, and this is one of them. I would recommend it to everyone, just have tissues at hand!!


Find out more at Goodreads.
A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Blue Paramour (The Blue Ridge Saga #1) by Louise Ligon and Hunter Maine

When Brayden, a devastatingly handsome heir to a prominent Southern family, is caught in a compromising position with his handsome male lover, Jackson, life as he knows it comes crashing down. Exiled from the only home he’s ever known and separated from his love, Brayden is ordered to live in Boston where he is expected to become a true man and a proper successor.

But life will show him that things don’t always go as planned…

When Brayden encounters the mysterious and powerful, Vincent Gallaud, he instead embarks on an unforgettable adventure with his newfound king in the tantalizing world of New York City, forsaking everything he has ever known. Taking him on an unexpected journey that teaches him lessons Daddy would never approve.

Back home, Jackson has no choice but to consent to marry Brayden’s greatest adversary and twin sister, Annabelle Steed. Consumed with greed and longing for revenge, Annabelle will stop at nothing to destroy Brayden’s life and rob him of his birthright, Blue Ridge.

But everything comes at a price.



The drama! Blue Paramour was a drama surrounding love - a forbidden love, at that -, enemies, family expectations, and cultural expectations of the south. There was so much I loved about this fist book in The Blue Ridge Saga series. It was a story I could really sink my teeth into.

Brayden and his twin sister, Annabelle, lived on their family plantation where they're friends with their neighbor Jackson. They played together and got into trouble together and grew up together. While growing up, Brayden and Jackson became closer then they had expected. They keep things light and to themselves until Jackson was to be engaged to Annabelle. Then, Jackson couldn't keep his true feelings to himself and had to confess all his undying love to Brayden. *sigh & swoon*

Too bad they weren't the only ones who heard all of Jackson's confessions. Things quickly took a wrong turn and Brayden found himself being shipped away from the plantation to New York to keep away from Jackson.

Jackson was so darn lovable. He knew the risks, he knew what was expected of him and he still went after Brayden anyway. He still told him how he felt and tried to make things work. Of course, his hasty confessions led to a horrible fallout with Brayden's family, but it was sweet and romantic nonetheless.

I can't say the same for Brayden as he had some reservations about being so open. But Brayden was young and scared of his family. With good reason! His mother and father showed some love toward him, but Brayden's grandfather and sister were ruthless! Honestly, he was lucky that being sent away was all that happened to him.

So they were caught and now had to suffer the ramifications. Jackson was engaged to Annabelle and I really can't think of a more horrible punishment. She's selfish, arrogant, vindictive, and everything she does is mean-spirited. Unfortunately, during this time in the south people like Jackson didn't get much choice over who they were to marry. It was for the family, after all. But Annabelle? She was pleased as punch at getting what she wanted. Ugh. She really was an insufferable bitch.

But Brayden's experience while away wasn't all that bad and he met some interesting characters along the way. Namely, Vincent. Vincent taught Brayden to be a man that gets what he wants. Brayden really found himself and made huge character growth. I admired his strength and determination. Oh, and I loved Vincent. He's a great character and I do wonder if he'll make another appearance in the series. I don't know if it'd be a good thing or a bad thing. Hmm.

I loved Blue Paramour. I ate up the drama like candy and am so ready for another helping. The story ends with a big cliffhanger and I'm on pins and needles waiting for The Bitch Annabelle to get what she deserves to see what happens next.


A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.