King of Spades by Alta Hensley

We first met Nick Hudson and Lyriope Bailey in Silver Bells, a short story featured in Meet Me Under the Mistletoe. King of Spades is their story and expands on their dark and dirty entanglement as Lyriope navigates the dangerous world of Bishop's Landing. Lyriope happens to be the illegitimate daughter of Bryant Morelli and this secret has made her an unwilling pawn in the running feud between the Constantine and Morelli families. As with most books, I like focusing on the romance and chemistry between the characters and the sexual tension between Lyriope and Nick was so palpable and electric that it had me wanting more. Much of the book was a huge tease because Nick was playing games with Lyriope. While I did find them titillating, I was also frustrated by it because of the subsequent sex scenes that we got. They were sexy and taboo but not something that I personally enjoy reading.

"Nothing about what I'll expect from you will be simple. Nothing about me or our situation is ordinary."

If you like your anti-heroes possessive, dirty, dark, dangerous, and a little bit crazy then Nick Hudson definitely has that in spades. I was certainly surprised by him and the lengths he would go to keep Lyriope. As for Lyriope, she was incredibly stubborn, prideful, and defiant. Her attraction to Nick forever changes her world as she is thrust into his deviant mind games with no way out. In many ways, Nick is the Mad Hatter and Lyriope is Alice in Wonderland. This is simply the beginning for these two and I can't wait to see how the story unfolds, especially because Lyriope's "contract" with Nick is still in play. Nick is dirty and unapologetic about his mind games and while Lyriope is innocent in many ways, there is no denying that she is his perfect match because these two burned up the pages.

"He's the villain. He's the monster in the story. He's not my knight in shining armor."

In the end, I enjoyed reading Lyriope and Nick's story and will be highly anticipating Queen of Hearts. The book ends with a cliffhanger and Lyriope is between crossroads—choosing to stay in the safety of Nick's arms or freedom. Although she is fiercely attracted to him, Lyriope is also independent and prefers solving her own problems. Fans of the Midnight Dynasty world will enjoy this surprising addition to the Morelli side of the family. Although Lyriope and Nick's story can be read separately and is a standalone series, I highly recommend reading Lucian's (The Monster and the Doll), Leo's (Beast of Bishop's Landing), and Tiernan's (Dangerous Temptation) books for additional context.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Behind Closed Doors by Skye Warren

Skye Warren goes back to her Rochester series in Behind Closed Doors by focusing on Marjorie Dunn—a character we met in Beau and Jane's story. She was the kind innkeeper who took care of Paige and while I didn't think much of her before because she was a side character, I was pleasantly surprised and heartbroken to read about her past/backstory. Just like the synopsis states, Marjorie has been hiding in plain sight and keeping secrets of her own all this time. No one knows where Marjorie came from and there is a reason for that. I loved how the author made an unassuming character into so much more because Marjorie is my favorite type of heroine—sweet, passionate, loving, and forgiving. Marjorie's ordinary life is shaken when she meets Sam Brewer, another secretive person with a hidden agenda. After hiding for so long, Marjorie is afraid of people discovering her secrets and past.

"Every move she makes shifts the space around us. It pulls my heart towards her."

My favorite part about this book was the push and pull between Marjorie and Sam. At first, I wasn't sold on their relationship because he purposely sought her out and wanted to uncover her secrets. But then, he grew on me. I knew that Sam wasn't a bad person. He was starting to question everything, especially his handler and what he wanted in life. Despite his attempts at being distant and cold, Sam was similarly attracted to Marjorie. Sparks were definitely flying between these two and their chemistry burned up the pages. And when Marjorie finds out the truth behind Sam's true intentions at her inn, my heart broke for her because she was already in love with him.

"It feels like goodbye, and that hurts more than the cold or the fear. Goodbye always hurts the most."

In the end, Marjorie and Sam's story was action-packed, steamy, angsty at times, and truly expanded the world that Skye Warren has created. I'm really curious about "Ellen" and I wonder if she will have her own story down the road. Since I didn't read Emily and Mateo's story on Radish, I'm hoping that their book will be released at a later date because I remember them having a lot of chemistry and history. I'm glad to know that they're a couple now! I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that that Marjorie and Emily Rochester were close friends. In any case, fans of Skye Warren and the Rochester series will really enjoy this short side story because it features some of the characters we previously met. I highly recommend this book to those who like the forced proximity and opposites attract romance tropes where the hero is considered the "enemy" but he ends up falling for the heroine and becoming her protector.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Gilded Cage by Dani Wyatt

Gilded Cage is Dani Wyatt's take on high fantasy and erotic romance and it was incredibly steamy, angsty, and romantic. Calliope and Rian met and fell in love with each other but outside forces wanted to keep them apart. As a result, a curse was placed on them—forcing them to forever be separate and apart. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book because it adds further tension and drama to their relationship as they pine for each other. Like most of Dani Wyatt's books, the sex and chemistry between Calliope and Rian simply burned up the pages. I don't typically read interspecies relationships but I thought this was done incredibly well because I didn't mind the fact that Rian was part orc most of the time because of the curse. It made for some incredibly sexy scenes, especially when they were finally reunited.

“You are greedy for me, dirty songbird. It only makes me love you more, the way you want me as I want you.”

In the end, I simply adored this book because it was short, sweet, and dirty. Rian absolutely loves Calliope and if you're into stories where the hero is completely obsessed with his heroine, I highly recommend this book and the author's other stories because you will not be disappointed. I loved how there was also a "Beauty and the Beast" vibe to this story because Rian is cursed and forced to assume the appearance of an orc. In addition, the threat of war between Calliope and Rian's kingdoms was always present. The curse simply exacerbated it. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to those who love the love at first sight and 'enemies' to lovers tropes with a hero and heroine who were simply fated to be with each other.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Cover Reveal: Power Play by Amelia Wilde

Amelia Wilde has revealed the cover for Power Play!

Releasing: June 7, 2022

Cover Design: Book Beautiful

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a playboy wants a one-night stand... No strings attached.

Gabriel Hill dates someone new every night. Glamorous parties and smoke-filled clubs. He has no interest in the prim little baker. Until he finds out she's connected to his family's downfall.

He wants information. Revenge. And worst of all, he wants Elise Bettencourt in his bed. Again and again and again.

There's no future between them.

A woman who's fought to build a new life for herself.

And the man who will bring it all down.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35LAPgq

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3pOz4pJ

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 Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/35YeITR

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.

Connect with Amelia

Website: https://awilderomance.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14671616.Amelia_Wilde

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amelia-Wilde/e/B01C38CNJ2

Facebook: facebook.com/awilderomance

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Gold Lust by Aleatha Romig

Gold Lust is the continuation of Van and Julia's story as outside forces who seek to destroy their "snow globe" and relationship start to close in. Aleatha Romig has crafted a story that is suspenseful, romantic, dramatic, shocking, and full of secrets. To say that I was speechless would be an understatement, especially with that nail-biting cliffhanger. I'm shocked, frustrated, and dying to read the next book. While I did feel like the romance suffered a bit because of the antagonists' machinations, Julia and Van's passion and understanding for each other continues to shine through. This has always been my favorite part about their love story and I hope that Aleatha will give us more of that and what we got in Red Sin. I wanted to see more of Donovan's possessive and dominant side because Julia clearly finds it irresistible.

"Julia encompossed the pinnacle of everything I desired. She was the sun, and I was the snow."

The book immediately picks up where Green Envy last left off and Julia has been "kidnapped" by none other than Van's estranged brother, Phillip. What followed was a tense situation for Van as he races to save Julia from those who seek to harm her and in extension—him. I actually really enjoyed this part of the story because there were so many twists and turns as Julia and Van struggled to find their happily ever after while circumstances prevented them from being truly oblivious and happy. Throughout the book, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. It wasn't until the end that we're hit with a shocking revelation. While Van and Julia were blissfully unaware of their situation, a second "antagonist" was working behind the scenes to interrupt their happily ever after.

"I love him the way I found him, or he found me."

In the end, I really enjoyed Gold Lust even though I did feel like it was "filler" in preparation for Black Knight—the final book in the series. Everything has been building up to this point and it's time for the antagonists to finally take off their masks. One thing I have always liked about this series was that the story often moves back and forth between the past and present as we get snippets of Van's previous life. There's no denying that he was more selfish, callous, and cruel in those scenes. His obsession with Madison ruined his family's relationships but the blame can't be placed solely on him. I hated Madison for manipulating Van and how passive she was when it came to her relationships. She clearly didn't deserve him and I'm so glad that Julia came into his life and made it better. Fans of Aleatha Romig will adore this series because it has all of the tropes we've all come to know and love about this author. Julia and Van were always meant to be together and despite several malevolent forces at play, I doubt that it will be strong enough to break their "snow globe."

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆