Review: Beneath The Surface

Beneath The Surface by M.A. Stacie

Description:

Kyran Reese is a man in control. Driven when it comes to work, focused when it comes to play. From his office to the chalk circle of Metro’s bare-knuckle boxing ring, his only thought is to win. That thirst heightens when Dale Porter enters his life. His brother’s assistant should be off-limits, but her witty comments and sarcastic comebacks have him desperate to get her between the sheets. After receiving an unexpected left hook, Kyran gets exactly what he wants, though he makes the rules very clear.

When Dale agrees to Kyran’s relationship stipulation of no labels, she’s sucked into a whirlwind of lust, money, and underground boxing. The agreement to keep their lust away from the office is discarded when rules are molded to suit their ever-increasing attraction. Dale fights her growing affection, trying to hide it even when the world around them spirals out of control. All too soon she realizes she can’t hide her true feelings any longer.

Kyran begins to wonder if he’s finally met his match, and with his family falling apart before his eyes, he turns to the two things he knows will keep him sane: boxing and Dale. Those crutches can’t last forever, and when Kyran finds it harder to function he is left with a decision he never thought he’d have to make.

Could playing to win mean playing for keeps?

My Thoughts:

Wow. Sometimes you think you have the characters in a book figured out and then you realize you don't! In this book it seems everyone has something going on beneath the surface that they don't want the rest of the world to know about. In the end hiding these facts will cause the world that they have carefully built around themselves to crumble leaving them to pick of the pieces and see if they can continue on or finally face what is causing them problems to begin with.

Kyran Reese has everything in order. He is in control of his company, his emotions, and his life. Then he meets Dale Porter. In one short conversation everything becomes chaos. His is suddenly lost for the first time that he can recall and begins to depend upon fighting more than ever. When things with his brother, Taylor, explode in his face he sees his well built walls crumble. 

Dale Porter is a strong woman but there is even somethings she can't handle. When both Reese brother's begin to cling to her more than ever she reaches a point that even she must walk away from. Walk away isn't quite what she does, she runs. 

Will Kyran finally fight for something other than a stress relief? Will Dale run and never look back? I can't tell you! I don't want to give away the entire story, but this one will leave you at points saying wow I didn't see that coming. 

There is a book 2 to this series, but the author hasn't said when it will be released.  I will tell you that this book does not end in a cliff hanger, but does leave several unanswered questions. I for one want to know what is going on with Taylor at the end! I'm hoping book 2 is about him! :) 

This book will not leave you disappointed. It kept my attention and left me happy in the end. Go check it out!

Rating:  ©©©©

Review: The Surrender Series (All 3 Books at once)

    
The Surrender Series (Forbidden Surrender, Secret surrender, Beautiful Surrender)

Descriptions:
   Forbidden Surrender
The minute I saw Vincent Sorenson, I knew he was trouble. Billionaire. Bad boy. And dangerously sexy. He was everything I craved, and nothing I needed. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t just avoid him. The higher ups at my company decided they needed his business, and I was on the team to bring him in. Vincent Sorenson didn’t seem as interested in business as he was in me, but I knew that was a door better left unopened. If I got involved with him, it would only unearth the pain I spent years trying to bury. 

I thought I had it under control, but I seriously underestimated Vincent’s seductive charm and silver-tongue. I would soon find out how delicious it would feel to let myself fall into this forbidden surrender.
   Secret Surrender

"What gives you a thrill Kristen?"

I knew that giving in to Vincent Sorenson was a risk, but it was one I was willing to take. I had hidden my heart for so long and for the first time in a long time, Vincent was close to breaking down the walls.

When a trip to Vincent's exclusive private island revealed the real Vincent underneath the layers of suave nonchalance, I thought we were close to the start of something special.

Just when things were looking up for us, I would discover the one secret that Vincent never intended for me to find.

   Beautiful Surrender
The conclusion to the Surrender Series by Priscilla West.

No one is who they seem to be.

I let Vincent into my heart because he seemed so different from everyone in my conservative world of wealth management. I thought we shared something special, but Vincent has been playing me this entire time.

As our relationship reaches a crisis point, a man from my past returns looking for a second chance. Is my ex really looking for redemption or is his goal something more sinister?

I try my best to hold it all together, until I discover a revelation that will change everything.

My Thoughts:

Okay, so I had to do something different this time. The fact is, I had my hands on all 3 books and couldn't stop to write a review over one when I knew I had the next there waiting for me! Books 1 and 2 leave you hanging and you don't want to wait to read the next!! I really loved this series.  The books keep your attention and make it difficult to want to do anything else! :)

Vincent is your typical Billionaire with more money than he knows what to do with. However, that doesn't cause him to lose sight of the important things in life. By the end of the book you forget how arrogant he was at first and can't help but fall in love with him. He has such a kind heart and will sometimes shock you about how he reacts to events in the story.

Kristen knows it is wrong to like Vincent. She has worked so hard to climb the corporate ladder and can't let charming Vincent ruin it for her.  However, she is beyond surprised that when she requests that they keep their relationship hidden Vincent goes out of his way to honor her wishes. Between jet setting to various tropical paradise locations and trying to get to know one another Kristen isn't sure if the relationship is worth the work. 

When Kristen's past shows up with a bang will their relationship survive or will it go down like a ship in a storm with no hope of saving it.  You have to read all three books to the end and even when it is the final page you will be wishing for just a little more!! 

Rating:  ©©©©

Review: Claimed

                                                                   Claimed by Stacey Kennedy

Description:
Presley Flynn is ripe to experience her secret fantasies . . . and Dmitri Pratt wants nothing more than to fulfill them. Once inside the elite Club Sin in Las Vegas, Presley is nervous but excited—and determined to surrender to her every desire. Dmitri is her Master, and his touch is like fire. With each careful, calculated caress, he unleashes her wildest inhibitions, giving her unimagined pleasure.

Presley is different than the other submissives Dmitri has mastered. The BDSM lifestyle is new to her, and so are the games they play at Club Sin. From the start, Presley stirs emotions in Dmitri far beyond the raw purity between a dom and the perfect sub. For the ecstasy they share goes beyond the dungeon, igniting a passion that claims the very depths of the heart.







My Thoughts:
Okay, so in case you didn't realize it this is a BDSM book and is also Book 1 of a series. Now that we have that out of the way, I can't wait for Book 2! 

Presley is a lost submissive that has finally decided to give in to her desires and give BDSM a chance. After reading about it for quite awhile she thinks she knows exactly how things work and how she will feel. Boy is she ever wrong!!

Dmitri is your typical Dom. Calm, cool, collected, and always in control. When Presley enters into his office and turns his world upside down he isn't sure what is going on.  He has never delt with feelings like these and cannot decide what to do with them.

Together these two are explosive and you never know if it will be too much for either of them to handle. When the pasts come back to cause waves with their futures will they have in in them with such a young relationship to make it through or will the past ruin them for good? 

This book will keep you reading until the final page and then have you screaming that you want more!!! :)  On a good note, Book 2 comes out on February 10th, so not long to wait!!  

Rating:  ©©©©

Review: Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game

 Don't Hate the Player....Hate the Game by Katie Ashley

Description:
For Noah Sullivan being the best friend to a douchebag and player like Jake Nelson has never been easy. It's been a rocky road since kindergarten when Jake duct taped Noah to his chair before recess. With just six weeks to high school graduation, Jake accidentally blows his drunken ass up on his grandfather's tractor, and Noah finds himself immersed not only in a whirlwind of grief, but on a quest to find a mystery girl from Jake's past. 

While cleaning out Jake's room, Noah and Jake's dad make a startling discovery. Instead of the obligatory porn collection or pot stash, they find a ring, but not just any ring. Its half a carat of commitment in a platinum setting-proving even man whores have taste. After Jake's mom pleads with Noah to find the girl who meant so much to Jake, Noah begins a modern day Grail quest to track the girl down. 

Since Jake was a notorious player with a legendary collection of trophy panties, Noah finds himself in over his head. There are the usual suspects like Avery, the Ice Princess Jake dated for appearances, or Presley, the school mattress Jake dated for convenience. But the trail begins to point to the most unlikely of suspects: Maddie, the Valedictorian and choir girl who was trying to help the unmotivated jock graduate--the girl who also has surprisingly caught Noah's eye and meddled with his heart. 

Hanging out with Maddie shows Noah a different side of Jake--one that was deeply human and surprisingly douche-free. And the more he tries to solve the mystery of the ring and of Jake, the more Noah starts to discover about himself and of love.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book in awhile that I have read that was a stand alone. Lately I have been reading lots of series books and felt the need for a break and a somewhat quick read. I choose this one because I have ready several of Katie Ashley's other books and really enjoyed them so figured I would enjoy this one as well.  What I wasn't prepared for was all the emotions involved in this story. I was shedding tears and reaching for the Kleenex before I hit chapter 2.  I haven't had such an emotional involvement in a book in a long time.  I was really shedding tears from the beginning of the book until the final pages.

Noah Sullivan is what you would expect from a seventeen year old High School Senior. All about hanging with his friends, living life to the fullest, and not thinking about the future anymore than just graduation and getting to college.  Maddie Parker has been the invisible good girl of Noah's class. Working to achieve Valedictorian status, do all the good things she was supposed to do, and always obey the rules.  When a tragic event hurls these two together suddenly life takes on a whole new meaning.

This book kept me reading from page 1 to the end. I was never sure what was going to come of Maddie and Noah and in between crying about events I was laughing at the crazy stuff that was said by them.  Oh I must mention that Noah is definitely on my good list because he drives a Jeep. :)  LOL  

This book will make you remember your High School years, even if you weren't into the parties and such, just the whole how you waited your whole life to grow up and suddenly you are and now what?!  Sometimes life doesn't go as you plan and you have to regroup and adjust, just like the characters in this book had to.

I honestly loved this book, despite the fact that I cried over it! How she could write it without constantly crying is beyond me! The title makes sense after you read it, but at first glance it doesn't give the impression of the book it actually is.  

Please, go read this book! It will touch your heart, but make sure the Kleenex is close by because you will need it!!

Rating:  ©©©©

Cover Reveal for Permanent Lines by Ashley Wilcox

So today is the cover reveal for Ashley Wilcox's newest book, Permanent Lines.  It is about Merrick Drake, Kayla Reynolds best friend from Running from Forever. AKA the hot bar tender! :)  Anyway, now that you are done swooning over him I can say that Ashley allowed me to Beta read this book for her and it is SOOO good!!  Like couldn't put it down good! Today she is doing the cover reveal for the book and it is definately worthy of Merrick.  Sooo....here it is!



What do you think? :)  Well, the book doesn't come out until January 13th, so you will just have to wait until the new year to have some private time with Merrick.  In the mean time I will keep you busy with other fantastic books!!

Review: Rage

Rage by Michelle Pace and Tammy Coons

Description: 
Phillip Kersey finds himself and his hotheaded girlfriend, Stephanie, at a crossroads. He's the singer of the chart-topping rock band, Fury, and they're forever in the studio laying down tracks for their third album. Steph's photography career has exploded. She's always on location and out of his grasp. Tired of Skype dates and stolen weekends, Phillip makes plans to whisk her off to Ireland so he can pop the question. 

When Steph returns to the U.K. for the birth of their friends' baby, Phillip finally gets his chance. He's down on one knee when tragedy strikes. Aching hearts cause tempers to flair chaotically out of control. Phillip feels pushed aside and vanishes. Assumptions and accusations follow, and the public fallout between them becomes the stuff of legend. 

When fate brings both Fury and Stephanie to a remote Brazilian paradise, the former lovers have no choice but to face each other head on. Will their wildfire chemistry burn down the wall between them, or will the tumultuous pair simply go up in flames?

My Thoughts:
When I posted my review of Fury back in June, I had no idea that there was going to be a book 2. I was so excited when I found out and then the authors gave me an ARC because I had reviewed Fury I was floored.  It has taken me longer than I wanted to do this review, but the book is awesome!

Fury leaves off with us having witnessed the birth of Cheyenne's baby and wondering what is going on with Stephanie and Phillip.  That's exactly where Rage starts us.  Love it when a series flows together so smoothly.  

I fell in love with this band all over again and with the female roles too.  However, I will admit that I was ready to reach into the book and smack some sense into the characters!! Sometimes people can be so stupid!! LOL  

This story keeps you on your toes wondering when things are going to change. You always have a feeling that something is going to happen, but it never happens the way you expect.  One thing that I took away from this book is how much you should value a good relationship and communication is key to a successful one.  Not only in just this story, but in real life.  Stories that you can actually take away good advice are hard to come by and should be cherished when they are found.  It doesn't help that this story makes it apparent that sometimes men are just dumb! LOL  :)  

I felt this story had a better ending than Fury did. It wasn't rushed and still left you with a HEA ending. I had tears in my eyes at the ending, but I think that it was still leftover hormones! The little things still tear me up! 

Again as I said in my previous review the band is British. It still cracks me up to read how they speak because some things are so different than how we Americans speak. I can almost hear them speak with their accents as I read and that in my opinion is the making of a good book.  I know I wasn't specific about any parts of this story, but I really hate to ruin the story for you readers. It only took me about a day and a half to read this, which makes it a pretty quick read...especially considering I have my 3 kiddos taking up a lot of my day!


Please, read this book!! But read Fury first because it gives you the introduction to all the characters and the story line continues in Rage. I have no idea as to if they are writing another book for this series, but I can tell you that if they do I will be reading it!

Rating:  ©©©©

I'm back!!

Hello blog readers!! I am back! Pregnancy is over, baby is big and healthy, and I am ready to start posting reviews for everything I have been reading!! I have TONS of books to write reviews on, but no promises as to how fast I can get them out to you. However, I have one ready to go so thats a good sign, right? :)  I have missed being on here and hope that now and in the upcoming year I can give many reviews and help you find new things to read.  If you haven't already, please go like my blog page on Facebook too!  Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/BarefootAndReading

Thanks for sticking with me and being patient with all my life changes! I hope I can help you with all your future reading!