A sexy cowgirl gives a rugged Texas loner the ride of his life in USA Today bestselling author Tina Leonard’s seductive new series.

Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.

Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.

Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard

*Was given a copy in exchange for an honest review

Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard was a fun read. I have to admit that I thought some of the writing was a little tongue in cheek about how TEXAS boys were portrayed but I was born and raised here and can laugh at the way we are at times.

This is the first book I have read by Tina Leonard and I enjoyed it.  Ms. Leonard writes about strong confident women and the men who love them even though at times I wanted to shake Ava and Trace. Man, were they as stubborn as mules sometimes. I found all the characters very independent and strong willed ,  to say the least, and brought a new little twist to the romance scene.  All the secondary characters held leading roles at times and it was fun to get to know the community of HELL, TEXAS.

Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard receives 4 out of 5 Platypires!!!

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Book Two in the time travel, fantasy romance trilogy, Highland Secrets!

She’s always been a dutiful daughter…

Janet MacLeod has spent the last ten years dedicated to her clan, acting as the Lady of the castle—at the cost of her own happiness.

She aches every time she looks at her brothers, both happy with their wives, and wants nothing more than a 
love of her own. 

He’s a broken soldier…

Xander, a former Fae Warrior, sacrificed his wings and magic to live in the Human

Realm and became a traitor to his people.

When he finds Janet forlorn on the beach, Xander gives her a ring he’s had since childhood, not realizing it’ll reveal her as his fated mate.

The ring’s magic activates the Faery Stones, and Janet is sucked into the Fae Realm. Her life is in immediate danger, for the Fae sense—and seek to destroy—any human who dares step into their world.

Xander is the only one who can retrieve her, but he too, wears a target.

Can he rescue his soul-mate and return with her to the Human Realm or will temptation of great magic and the rebirth of his wings force him to abandon their destiny? Duncan promises to help Claire get home, even though his desire to have her wars with his vow.

Torn between familiarity of the present and what she wants in the past, can Claire help Duncan find his brother and get back to the future? Will she even want to?

THE FAE RING by C.A. Czarek

I have to admit that I think I have a major crush on C.A. Czarek.  I bought THE FAE RING the moment it went live and did not even wait until the tour started to read it.  THE FAE RING is the second book in the Highland Secrets Series but is a standalone. Czarek explains all you need to know from the first book in the series, THE TARTAN MP3 PLAYER, as needed.  I really enjoyed THE FAE RING.

So I am really not a paranormal, fairy, fantasy kind of gal. I really try to avoid the fantasy genre because normally I do not understand most of it but Czarek makes it enjoyable and really at this point I will read anything she puts in front of me.  Janet and Xander’s love begins as a magical connection but moves from magic and make believe to something that is true and real.  Czarek makes me forget that I am reading about an unreal world and makes it so believable and real.

Janet is the little sister that stepped up to take care of her brothers, father and homestead after her mother died. She now does not really know her place since both of her brothers have found their true loves. Xander is trying to find his “home” in the human realm and finds it with Janet. However, lots happens and well, you just have to read it.

The FAE RING is well written, a couple of steamy scenes and lots of fighting and drama. A definite read that I will always recommend.

THE FAE RING by C. A. Czarek receives 4 out if 5 Platypires!!!

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Sometimes you reach a point where you just can’t take any more – a breaking point some call it. The day I watched my husband murder the woman who was pregnant with his child, my point didn’t just break, it exploded like a magazine firing through the barrel of a fully-automatic AK-47. Literally. I am no longer his American Princess, nor am I his slave. Now, I’m a murderer in hiding. My name was Bryleigh Carter Oliveira and that was my story.

Translucent is one woman's story of breaking free, starting over, and learning to trust again through willful submission.

TRANSLUCENT by ERIN NOELLE

*was gifted a copy in return for a honest review

Erin Noelle has done it again!!! TRANSLUCENT is a great but be warned …super Cliffhanger at the end and is intended for mature audiences. I hate Cliffhangers, especially if the book is good.  We meet Blake after she has suffered a huge abusive relationship.  She is a survivor but the aftermath of what she has been through has left her existing instead of living. That is until she meets Madden. Madden makes her want to live and feel again.  However, I am jumping ahead.

I am such a fan girl of Erin Noelle and I really get excited when she has a new book coming out but Mafia Princess is not really my thing but I thought if Erin wrote it, I am reading it. I am so glad I did.  Erin gives us bits and pieces of Ish and Blake’s life through flash backs and let me tell you, they are brutal. I found myself reading faster to get through it and I swear my heart would race when I saw a flashback was coming.  Ish terrified me.  Then we have Madden. Madden is a perfect. He is older than Blake but it works. Madden can be a little possessive but Blake needs someone like him.  I love Madden.

TRANSLUCENT is well written and I bonded with Blake immediately. The only thing I did not like was that it was written to be a cliffhanger and I told you earlier that I do not like them very much. I always want to get to the end of the story. As a reader, I used to love them but as a reviewer, I read so much, I think I get scared that I will miss the rest of the story and I do not want to miss the end of Blake and Madden’s story.

TRANSLUCENT by Erin Noelle receives 4 out of 5 Platypires!!!

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Lust, Love, and Letting Go 

Cameron Sterling has sworn off women. Enigmatic and moody, all he cares about is his career…until he meets Lilly Amsel. A honey-haired fashion model with a killer body, she knocks him right off the fast track. Their undeniable physical attraction is white hot, their desire for one another an unstoppable force of nature. 

They unleash years of pent-up carnal frustration on one another, leading to some mind-blowing sex. It also brings something unexpected into their lives: love with no limitations. But can their relationship survive their past demons? Cam has been alone for so long, he’s forgotten how to open his heart. Lilly keeps memories of her abusive childhood at bay with an addiction to prescription meds. 

And then there’s the big problem: Lilly is already involved with a wealthy, powerful older man who controls her emotionally and financially and has no desire to share her. When he finds out about her trysts with another man, he deploys his thugs, sending Cam and Lilly on the run, fighting for their lives—and their love

Beautiful Lies by Gina Whitney
*was gifted a copy in exchange for a honest review

BEAUTIFUL LIES by Gina Whitney is a crazy, intense read. I think this is one of those books that you either LOVE IT or you LIKE it. I was on the like side. Cam Sterling is an ALPHA male not looking for love and Lilly Amsel is a beautiful woman hiding from the world and herself. Lilly is SO broken. It was just sad. I wanted to fix her and then Cam comes along and saves the day, kind of.

Honest, that is what left me with the feeling of Like instead of LOVE. I just was never super fond of Cam and Lilly was almost too broken. I have to admit though, there are a lot of drug issues and I do not like that. I thought I knew what I was getting into but I could not understand Lilly’s intense need to hide from the world and herself. I think I needed more back story.

Here is what I loved. Gina Whitney has a great writing style and was very intense and knows how to build up all the anticipation. I was just left wanting more than what she gave me. The back and forth between Cam and Lilly and both trying to protect each other was also great. I was just left at the end not feeling that the story was complete. I will defiantly read more by Gina Whitney.

BEAUTIFUL LIES by Gina Whitney receives 3 out of 5 Platypires!!!
TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Sex v. Love—a battle in the courtroom and the bedroom!

Hotshot litigator Elise Carroll doesn’t have time for romance—she wants to make partner at her Philadelphia law firm. Despite her mother’s urging, Elise avoids settling down by keeping her relationships short and sexy. Her idea of a perfect date? Beer and pretzels at a Phillies game. 

When Jack “Blackjack” McIntyre—Philly’s super-sexy new judge—falls for Elise in court, she’s horrified. He “claims” to be in love with her—but that can’t possibly be true. He doesn’t give up trying to wine and dine her, though, so she devises a new scheme. Like all men, surely he’ll leave after a short and sexy fling.

Only problem—Blackjack refuses to sleep with her! They compromise—she’ll go on his romantic dates if he’ll alternate them with her “just sex” dates. Their contract works surprisingly well—until Elise can no longer find the line between love and sex.

Can Elise get her life back where she wants it—in a partner’s office? Or will Jack McIntyre use his superpowers to win their contest of wits?

BLACKJACK and MOONLIGHT by Magdalen Braden
*was given a copy in exchange for a honest review

BLACKJACK and MOONLIGHT by Magdalen Braden is a cute and sassy contemporary romance.  This is the first novel I have read by Magdalen Braden and it was beautifully written.  Does Love at first sight truly exist? Jack seems to think so but he has to convince Elise.

It took me a good few chapters into BLACKJACK and MOONLIGHT to decide that I kind of like Jack and Elise.  Jack had an old soul and Elise was your “I CAN DO IT” modern girl that thought Jack was silly. I kind of agreed with her for awhile. I mean really who falls in love at really not even at first sight but at the sound of someone’s voice. It could happen…..maybe.

I liked BLACKJACK and MOONLIGHT. I would not say love but I did enjoy the story and it was well written. What kept me from loving it was really how easy these two just kind of fell into each other. Lots of drama and denying of feelings but still could not go without each other. The whole court room, lawyer, judge and all the legal talk was fun and for a quick read is worth picking up.

All in all BLACKJACK AND MOONLIGHT receives 3 out of 5 Platypires.

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Ali has been hiding in an attic since civilisation collapsed eight weeks ago.

When the plague hit, her neighbours turned into mindless, hungry, homicidal maniacs.

Daniel has been a loner his entire life. Then the world empties and he realises that being alone isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Finn is a former cop who is desperate for companionship, and willing to do anything it takes to protect the survivors around him.

When the three cross paths they band together; sparks fly, romance blooms in the wasteland and Ali, Daniel and Finn bend to their very human needs in the ruins of civilisation.

Lust, love and trust all come under fire in Flesh as the three band together to survive, hunted through the suburban wastelands.

NOTE: This story is rated "Hot" (4 out of 5 flames) and contains M/F/M and F/M pairings

Six months since the zombie plague struck, former librarian Roslyn Stewart has been holed up in a school with eight other survivors. But now the shelves in the school canteen are bare. The stranger at the gate has supplies that will ensure the group’s ongoing survival, but at a cost. He wants a woman.

Nick is a man with a plan. He’ll treat Roslyn like a Queen, devoting the rest of his life to protecting and providing for her. In exchange, of course, for sexual favours. It’s the deal of the century given the state of the world. But Roslyn doesn’t see it that way. The first chance she gets she attacks the ex-army man and attempts to escape, forcing Nick to contain her. And so begins his awkward courtship of the woman, with her chained to the bed for security reasons.

Chained like a dog and forced to spend her every waking moment with a creep, albeit a good looking one, Ros is determined to escape. When circumstances force them to band together against a common enemy their very survival depends on their ability to learn to trust each other. An uneasy partnership develops, but can a relationship with such a difficult beginning ever have a future?

The hotly anticipated sequel to Flesh, Skin is set in the same universe with a different set of characters.

NOTE: This story is rated "Hot" (4 out of 5 flames) and contains F/M pairings

FLESH (BOOK 1 FLESH) by Kylie Scott

SKIN (BOOK 2 FLESH) by Kylie Scott

*I was gifted a copy of Flesh by a friend that insisted that I read it then had to BUY Skin because it was just that good

FLESH and SKIN by Kylie Scott are two separate standalone books but can be considered companion novels. I thought about writing two separate reviews but in the end both reviews would have sounded the same so I thought, “What the heck!!!” and combined them.

  

You need to know something about me before we go any further. I DO NOT LIKE, READ or WATCH anything ZOMBIE related. I mean I have nightmares and I hide my eyes and cry. NO, I DO NOT LIKE OR WATCH THE WALKING DEAD. So, when I say, I love these books it means I LOVE THEM and yes, I had a nightmare or two but was so worth it. The only reason that I even picked FLESH up was because it was gifted to me from a member of Kylie’s Fan Group…I LOVED LICK!!!

FLESH and SKIN  are not about ZOMBIES but love stories that just happen to happen while trying to survive a Zombie apocalypse.  FLESH has fewer “INFECTED” in it than SKIN does but Zombies do make appearances in both these books. However, the story line and Sexy scenes out weigh all the moaning and groaning of the infected.

In FLESH, we meet Ali, Dan and Finn.  Lots of surviving and lots of sexy time and yes there is a three- way,  love triangle and I loved every minute of it. In SKIN, we meet Nick and Roslyn. Oh, how I love Ros. She is a spit fire and Nick has his hands full.  

I know it is silly but I cannot tell you again how much I enjoyed these two books. No, I will not be reading more Zombie book unless Kylie Scott writes them. I am really not that brave but both of these two get 5 out of 5 Platypires and I even bought the paperbacks to put on my shelf.

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jay Crownover returns with a heart-stopping new series… Welcome to the Point.

There’s a difference between a bad boy and a boy who’s bad . . . meet Shane Baxter.

Sexy, dark, and dangerous, Bax isn’t just from the wrong side of the tracks, he is the wrong side of the tracks. A criminal, a thug, and a brawler, he’s the master of bad choices, until one such choice landed him in prison for five years. Now Bax is out and looking for answers, and he doesn’t care what he has to do or who he has to hurt to get them. But there’s a new player in the game, and she’s much too innocent, much too soft…and standing directly in his way.

Dovie Pryce knows all about living a hard life and the tough choices that come with it. She’s always tried to be good, tried to help others, and tried not to let the darkness pull her down. But the streets are fighting back, things have gone from bad to worse, and the only person who can help her is the scariest, sexiest, most complicated ex-con The Point has ever produced.

Bax terrifies her, awakening feelings she never thought she’d have for a guy like him. But it doesn’t take Dovie long to realize . . . some boys are just better when they’re bad.

BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD by Jay Crownover

*was given a copy by the author in exchange for a honest review

BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD by Jay Crownover is the first book in her brand new series called WELCOME TO THE POINT.  Jay is best known for her Marked Men series which, in my opinion, is a brilliant series of fun sexiness centered around a group of friends, their tattoos and the women in their lives.  The Marked Man series is about good men that look bad, the WELCOME TO THE POINT series is about bad men that are BAD!!!

We first meet Shane Baxter, aka Bax , as he is getting coldcocked  upside the head. … SEE BAD GUY…NOT GOOD GUY.  Bax  has just come out of prison and is searching for his best friend, Race, that may or may not have had  something to do with Bax’s incarceration.  Race is nowhere to be found but Bax does find Race’s sister, Dovie Pryce.  So the story is set up. You have Bax and Dovie.

BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD is a love story but it is not a typical love story. There are so many elements; the POINT, the car, the underground crime and fighting, death, carnage, sex, love of family, and love of two total opposites. I had so many emotions reading this book. At one point I was ugly crying, begging what I thought was going to happen not to happen.  Jay Crownover does not disappoint.

BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD is beautifully written and takes you on a journey to a place of real ugliness but if you look around the beauty of a hard life shines through.  The Point comes to life and is really its own character as you watch Bax and Dovie navigate through the city. Life is Hard. Bax is harder but Dovie might just make life sweeter.

BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD by Jay Crownover receives 5 out of 5 Platypires.
 It is a must have now kind of read and you will not regret for one moment reading this book.

Texas Hugs and Happy Reading!!!!

Eight years ago, Garrett Finnegan’s world shattered the day Mia vanished from his life. He’s been struggling to pick up the pieces ever since. Haunted by memories and ghosts of the past, he chooses a solitary existence rather than risk his heart again. 

Mia Emerson has made one wrong decision after another but none worse than walking away from the boy who stole her heart so long ago. When her new life is turned upside down, she finds herself returning to her roots and the hometown she left behind. Maybe now she can find a way to heal from the devastating mistakes of her past.

When a chance encounter brings these former lovers together, passion reignites in a way neither is prepared for. Can Garrett move beyond his anger and find a way to forgive? Will Mia’s insecurities and fears cause her to once again flee the life she’s destined to live?

Garrett and Mia will soon discover that they must journey into the past to find their way home.

READY FOR YOU by J.L. Berg

*was given a copy in exchange for an honest review

READY FOR YOU by J.L. Berg is a second chance at first love. READY FOR YOU is the third book in the READY Series by J.L. Berg with the focus being on Garrett Finnegan, who is Claire’s brother, and his high school sweetheart, Mia.  This is a complete stand alone novel and is a GREAT read.

I really enjoyed the story even if it was a tad bit predictable. I so loved Garrett.  I was really able to connect to him and see and understand all his emotions. Garrett had to learn to forgive and I love that J.L. Berg just does not jump from hate in one chapter to forgiveness in the next.

I also enjoyed Mia’s journey.  Mia had a lot of growing up to do and made some really hard choices that expose her insecurities within herself that leads to lots of “what ifs” and guilt. Mia has to learn to forgive herself and learn to let go of things she has no control of.

J.L. Berg knows how to write a great story that I always seem to enjoy. I would highly recommend READY FOR YOU and J.L. Berg is one of those authors who has earned her spot in the “just buy it” category for me.

READY FOR YOU by J.L. Berg receives 4 out of 5 Platypires!!!

TEXAS HUGS and HAPPY READING!!!

Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.

Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed.

Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.

Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries

The Only Boy by Jordon Locke

*was given a copy in exchange for a honest review

I was so excited when I found out that I was given the opportunity to review THE ONLY BOY by Jordon Locke. I loved the blurp and thought the premise of a society with no men was different and something that I have not read in awhile. 

THE ONLY BOY is a light and face paced read but it was so fast that I had to go back and read chapters over, thinking I missed something.  The changing of POV between Mary and Taylor, although I liked it, was confusing at times.

I half to admit that I really thought I was going to like the book and I did like the first half but something happens at about midway and I was just lost and did not get it.  I just could not connect with Mary nor Taylor. I am really sorry to say this but I got bored and skipped to the end. I just could not take it anymore.

I really feel this book has a great deal of potential. I also think a younger audience might like it more but some scenes would need to be removed. This is just my opinion.

THE ONLY BOY by Jordon Locke receives 3 out of 5 Platypires!

TEXAS HUGS AND HAPPY READING!!!!