Own by Sienna Snow is the conclusion to Sophia Morelli and Damon Pierce's story. Their book is part of a much larger world within the Midnight Dynasty universe and contains characters from different stories. Overall, I'd say that I enjoyed Sophia and Damon's passionate and turbulent relationship even though he had a lot to grovel for after the events in Defy. Not only did he break Sophia's heart but he almost destroyed their relationship because of his own inner demons. I much preferred his mysterious, confidant, and dominant personality in Claim instead of this conflicted man who made a lot of mistakes where Sophia was concerned. But in many ways, he was in love with her and wanted what he thought was best for her. Sophia was a lot more likeable in this book because she learned how to survive without Damon and became more assured of herself. I did think that she forgave Damon way too easily but I understood why because the man was certainly persistent.
"I wanted him, needed him, and he'd broken my heart, shattered it into pieces. I refused to live through it again."
In the end, I enjoyed this book and thought that Sophia and Damon's story was consistent to the stories of past characters from this world. I am interested in Lizzy's book and who she might end up with because we're given a brief glimpse of this supposed "man" during Sophia's fashion show. In many ways, also liked that Sophia and Damon had a chance to mature and learned how to let go of their past. While I admit that I was frustrated with these two in the previous book, Damon and Sophia were able to redeem themselves in this one and I was glad to see that they were able to obtain their own happiness in the end. Fans of the Midnight Dynasty universe and opposites attract romance with BDSM elements will be sure to enjoy this one because it features a dominant and possessive hero who is helplessly in love when it comes to his independent, defiant, and sassy heroine.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*
Sweet Captivity was my first book by Julia Sykes and I was pleasantly surprised by her writing and story. I liked that it made me uncomfortable because just like Samantha, the heroine of this story, I was wary of Andrés and disgusted by his actions. Not only was he was unpredictable and possessive, Andrés was a dangerous man who wanted to make Samantha his in every way. I commend the author for trying to redeem this anti-hero because there were times where I hated him. I appreciated the addition of his POV because without it, I would not have accepted his romance with Samantha so easily. Nevertheless, the book was still difficult to read because it focuses on the captive and captor trope with the hero trying to "tame" his heroine. I wasn't completely convinced of their relationship until the very end because Andrés spent most of the book trying to mold Samantha into his perfect pet. It wasn't until he made the decision to let her go because he couldn't protect her that he finally earned my respect.
"She might have driven me close to madness with her defiance, but her sweet contrition had threatened to shatter me."
In the end, the relationship between Samantha and Andrés has been a fascinating and riveting ride. I experienced a range of emotions while reading this book—shock, anger, sadness, and pity. While it wasn't my favorite, I still enjoyed it the nonetheless. I felt incredibly sorry for Samantha because her situation wasn't something a normal person would ever go through. I would even argue that she experienced Stockholm Syndrome while she was under captivity because she ended up falling in love with Andrés. I am also curious about the fate of Valentina, Andrés' younger sister, who had been sold by Cristian to another man. We were given a brief glimpse of her situation and relationship with Adrian, someone she fell in love with, in Stealing Beauty. Fans of dark/captive romance will be sure to enjoy this book because it features steamy scenes with BDSM elements and the opposites attract trope.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*
Amelia Wilde has revealed the cover for Dearly Beloved
Releasing: December 30, 2023
Jacob Chambers has two redeeming qualities: he’s breathtakingly sexy, and he’s sensationally rich.
Neither one makes up for the fact that he’s a monster.
As penance for his past, he’ll be the young, beautiful Catherine Bettencourt’s fake fiancé until she can access her trust fund and leave him behind.
She doesn’t need to know how he punishes himself for his shortcomings. He’ll never tell her how he suffers in silence.
Catherine Bettencourt doesn’t want a wedding, thank you very much. Becoming a rich man’s wife can be a deadly affair.
But when scandal threatens the only man who has ever protected her, the choice is clear.
She’ll walk down the aisle with him. She’ll take him as her husband, for richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health.
She’ll never fall in love with Jacob Chambers. Til death do them part.
Dearly Beloved (Wedded Bliss Duet #1) by USA Today bestselling author Amelia Wilde is a spicy, heartbreaking, age-gap love story, coming December 30th!
🤜👉🍑anaI play...could be him OR her...might be both....😏
Meet Amelia
Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of dangerous contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.
Sienna Snow has revealed the gorgeous cover for Own!
Releasing: January 4, 2024
Damon Pierce is a man haunted by his own darkness and knows he's dangerous to the woman he loves. This is why he must stay away. He needs to focus on his buildings. On success. On things he can control. Sophia Morelli is never going to be a sweet little submissive. Her rebellious nature runs too strong and deep. Which means she'll never back down without a fight. She'll confront his demons, even if it means finally facing her own. OWN is the breathtaking, scorching conclusion to the Violent Delights Trilogy. Find out what happens when desire burns hotter than fire.
Inspired by her years working in corporate America, Sienna loves to serve up stories woven around confident and successful women who know what they want and how to get it, both in—and out—of the bedroom. Her heroines are fresh, well-educated, and often find love and romance through atypical circumstances. Sienna treats her readers to enticing slices of hot romance infused with empowerment and indulgent satisfaction. Sienna loves the life of travel and adventure. She plans to visit even the farthest corners of the world and delight in experiencing the variety of cultures along the way. When she isn't writing or traveling, Sienna is working on her "happily ever after" with her husband and children.
Sweet Captivity (Dual POV Edition) by Julia Sykes is now live!
No man has ever touched me, but when I'm captured by scarred criminal kingpin Andrés Moreno, everything changes.
I'm a hacker with the FBI, a shy geek. When I'm hiding behind my screen, I'm a safe distance from everyone; isolated, powerful.
Until Andrés captures me and changes everything.
His scars go deeper than the wicked furrows carved into his flesh, his pain reflected in the dark demands he imposes upon me.
His obsession is twisted and wrong, but maybe I'm twisted, too.
Do I want to be rescued from him? Or is he the one who truly needs saving?
One-click this dark romance for a possessive antihero, a nerdy hacker FBI agent, kidnapping, enemies-to-lovers vibes, and deliciously deviant steamy scenes!
Note: This dual POV edition of Sweet Captivity contains brand new bonus material!
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Julia Sykes is a USA Today bestselling author of edgy, emotional romance. When she's not writing, she's usually reading. Other than reading, her obsessions include iced coffee, unicorns, charcuterie, aged Manchego cheese (or any cheese, really), fancy dresses, and Roman empresses. An American expat, Julia now lives in her adopted, beloved home of York, England. Most days, you can find her wandering the cobbled streets and daydreaming about her next novel.
Midnight Sin by Alina Sullivan takes inspiration from the fairy tale classic, Cinderella, and was my first book by the author. I was intrigued by the story and thought that Alina Sullivan had a lot of potential and was impressed with her writing, especially since this was her debut release. While I enjoyed the smut, I felt that Rina and Damien could have benefited from further character development and tension between the two. I wasn't completely convinced of their chemistry and relationship because everything was happening too fast. I would have been more invested in their romance if I had further context or background knowledge about who they were as individuals such as their dreams, motivations, aspirations, and etc. The characters also made questionable decisions that frustrated me. I did not understand why Rina accepted her fate so easily and allowed her stepmother and stepsisters to torment her when she was old enough to leave. Damien similarly allowed his father to dictate his life and engagement when he was in his 30s. It would have been more believable if Rina and Damien were younger.
"In this forbidden love, we had found solace and comfort, and now, it seemed, we were destined to build a future together."
In the end, I enjoyed this book and thought that Rina and Damien were really cute together. Although I wanted more from these two, I was content with what we got. The intimate scenes were sexy and there was a slight hint of the ddlg kink as well, which surprised me. I wish we got more of that because I can see the author excelling in this particular sub-genre. I also felt as though the antagonists got off easy and many moments were left "off the book"—meaning we didn't get to know what really happened, which left me disappointed. Rina and Damien's story does end in a happy note but we're also left with questions as to what happened to Tatiana, Rina's best friend. It looks like Alina Sullivan will be writing a book for her in the future called Year of Sin. Fans of Cinderella retellings and instalove romance will most certainly enjoy this one.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*
Kisses Like Rain, an arranged marriage, enemies to lovers romance, and the highly anticipated fourth book in the dark mafia Corsican Crime Lord Series from USA Today Charmaine Pauls, is available now!
Angelo Russo came like a storm into my life and left destruction in his trail. The man who hates me beyond measure is the man who put a ring on my finger and gave me his name. My husband is my worst enemy.
There’s nothing left to salvage from the wreckage of our lives. He married me to destroy me, and he did an outstanding job. He took my innocence and my virtue. I gave him my love and my hate. And just when I think there’s nothing else to give, I realize how wrong I am. What Angelo wants most is the promise of life I carry inside my body. When he’s taken that last piece of me, he’ll crush me with a smile on his beautiful face and wipe my existence from his memory forever.
Note: Kisses Like Rain is the 4th and final book in the Corsican Crime Lord series and concludes Sabella and Angelo’s story. You must read Love Like Poison (Book 1), Hate Like Honey (Book 2), and Tears Like Acid (Book 3) first. The story contains scenes not recommended for sensitive readers. Reader discretion is advised.
Kisses Like Rain, an arranged marriage, enemies to lovers romance, and the highly anticipated fourth book in the dark mafia Corsican Crime Lord Series from USA Today Charmaine Pauls, is available now!
Angelo Russo came like a storm into my life and left destruction in his trail. The man who hates me beyond measure is the man who put a ring on my finger and gave me his name. My husband is my worst enemy.
There’s nothing left to salvage from the wreckage of our lives. He married me to destroy me, and he did an outstanding job. He took my innocence and my virtue. I gave him my love and my hate. And just when I think there’s nothing else to give, I realize how wrong I am. What Angelo wants most is the promise of life I carry inside my body. When he’s taken that last piece of me, he’ll crush me with a smile on his beautiful face and wipe my existence from his memory forever.
Note: Kisses Like Rain is the 4th and final book in the Corsican Crime Lord series and concludes Sabella and Angelo’s story. You must read Love Like Poison (Book 1), Hate Like Honey (Book 2), and Tears Like Acid (Book 3) first. The story contains scenes not recommended for sensitive readers. Reader discretion is advised.
Sealed With A Kiss by Willow Winters and Amelia Wilde packs an emotional punch and will leave readers satisfied with the angsty romance between Graham Maxwell and Madelyn Cunnigham. I never saw this writing duo coming and I completely devoured this book. Graham and Madelyn's story was a unique and refreshing take on the landlord/tenant with benefits and damsel in distress tropes. Graham was Madelyn's hero and knight in shining armor—even if it did take him a while to realize that. Their relationship was incredibly sexy, heartbreaking at times, but also forbidden because it wasn't considered normal by any standards. While I would have preferred more character development for Graham and Madelyn, I was still invested in them and their relationship. I also found Madelyn to be a relatable and endearing character because despite her bad situation, she was a hopeless romantic and had an optimistic outlook on life. Graham was intriguing, handsome, and mysterious, a combination that was deadly for Madelyn. Their first encounter with each other was electric—you could feel the tension and chemistry between them.
“I think I've loved you since the first moment I saw you, my little temptress.”
In the end, I enjoyed this steamy billionaire romance between two people who were always destined to be with each other. While their relationship started out unconventional, it didn't take long for it become more. There was also the taboo/forbidden aspect, which had the potential to be yikes but it just somehow worked for Maddie and Graham because they both wanted it and had been attracted to each other since the beginning. No cheating whatsoever, unless you count Maddie's ex-fiancé being the scumbag who cheated. Thankfully with him out of the way, Graham was more than happy to take his place. I really love their relationship, especially how angsty it got. This book also takes place in the world of Tell Me You Want Me, Suzette and Adrian's story, which really surprised me. Fans of Willow Winters and Amelia Wilde will love this book and I highly recommend Graham and Maddie's story to anyone who is looking for an angsty and sexy unique take on the strangers with benefits trope between a heroine who wears her heart on her sleeve and a workaholic hero who comes to the realization that he cannot live without her.
*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*