Vows of Blood & Betrayal by E.L. Blue

VOWS OF BLOOD & BETRAYAL is an age gap forced proximity mafia romance full of intense moments. The romance ignites early and reluctantly on both parts. Anthony is immediately embroiled in a mafia war on several fronts and we witness the lengths the family goes through to protect its own.

What I particularly liked about the book was the details about some of the rituals and traditions of the mafia family. The interactions between the enemies in the boardroom, the battle area, the warehouses, etc. made the story feel tense and authentic. I knew when I chose to read this advance copy that it ends on something of a cliffhanger, but the author still leaves the reader satisfied with the temporary conclusion.

The Billionaire’s Second Chance by Chloe Horne

I enjoyed this second chance romance because of how Alex went out of his way to make sure he created a business with a place for Sophia out of his pining for her. The usual road locks stem from misunderstandings, secrets, and lack of trust in oneself and the other person, but the author wrote a compelling romantic story to work through all that and get our HEA.

I did get my own copy of the book after being provided an early copy to read and comment on. 

Dark Desires by K.C. Crowne

<strong>Good story</strong/>

I wanted to read DARK DESIRES because I like the arranged marriage mafia romances with the guy having to marry a woman that is a close relative to the woman that really turned his head.

It’s overall a good story. I found the FBI connection a little weak, and it does come to a conclusion although there are some unresolved issues for secondary characters.

The Rebel of Copper Creek by RC Ryan

THE REBEL OF COPPER CREEK is a wholesome contemporary western with a single window and her two young boys trying to live on her late husband’s ranch with no ranching experience. 

Griff has had his own trials in life and when they meet, neither of them are looking for a relationship. However several sinister turns of events bring out the protector in Griff I liked the whole story especially how Griff took to the young boys who lost their father.

Tempted By Eden by Jade May

There is a lot about this story that is done very well and a lot that is a matter of personal preference. For instead of feeling intimate when it should have, it felt weird. Combine that with the fact a single mom of a four year old boy is never home and it just didn’t hit me right.

The Broken Billionaire by Zoe Dod

I didn’t read the first two books of the series, but we get caught up with the interwoven story line easily. I liked the unrequited/second chance love trope that this story follows. I liked the characters enough to want to read the next book. The suspense story like kept my attention more than the steamy parts of the story - I though those a little stilted.

I’m Not Your Wife by Alina Rain

I found I’M NOT YOUR WIFE to be engrossing from the very start. It’s full of suspense, betrayal, psychological abuse all wrapped around soul mate type of love. I was reading an advance copy of the book and found it to be refreshing and entertaining in a dark way.

The Beast of Brooklyn by Marie Rae

This is a really good story. The guy who will never fall in love falls first. Things get hot early on, but what kept my interest was the inevitable betrayal, the jealousy that drove normal people to do things they normally wouldn’t do, and how all the threads of the story came together do climactically in the end.

As an advance reader, I can say if you love the alpha boss, feisty employee romance, you’ll enjoy this.

Claimed by the Billionaire by Blaire Lennox

Short and descriptive, CLAIMED BY THE BILLIONAIRE kept my interest with a dark, possessive vibe and consuming instalove. There is not much time to delve deeply into building the personal relationship, but there is time for steamy, intense encounters that speak clearly for themselves.

I read an early copy of the book so you can have an idea about what you’d be reading. If you like to be immersed in a couple but don’t have much time to read, you’ll enjoy this book.

Savage Bratva King by Vivy Skys

The story has many familiar elements or warring organized crime bosses, kidnapped members of the rival family, and being held captive in a gilded cage by a man who guards his heart.

But the story gets high marks on family dynamics, jealousy and betrayal so I really enjoyed it.

Guardian of Talon Mountain by Delta James

This is a high intensity suspense story with an intriguing plot. It has something of an instalove element.

I don’t find fault with the overall story, but with the inordinate amount of repetition. The same metaphors, descriptive elements, and even the exact same response to every proposed mission: he says she’ll stay behind, she argues about how useful she is, he caves and pairs her with himself or his sister.

As an early reader of this book I’d say I see the good in it but started to get annoyed with some of these other issues and it distracted from my enjoyment of the story.

Porcelain Lies by Lisa Lovell

I knew there would be a cliffhanger, but I don’t have to like it. PORCELAIN LIES has it all - betrayal, jealousy, murder, secret lives, explosive reveals, and families torn apart. You’ll enjoy it.

Billionaire’s Marriage Deal by Joy Carlyle

I was in a real book slump before picking up BILLIONAIRE’S MARRIAGE DEAL. This is the first book in months I read right through without putting it down.

I liked the second chance Roman e, but the real attraction is the characters. They are memorable and I just had to see what happened to them.

Tormented Oath by Demi Ryder

I liked a lot about TORMENTED OATH - the long time pink g of unrequited love, the reunification with secrets and loyalty issues, and the obsession and possessiveness Stefano had over Ava. 

But about half way through, the book lost some of its polish. There was a lot of repetition (especially the “Monster of Chicago” references). There were missing pieces of the story that had me scrolling back to see if I missed something.

Breathtaking by Bella Matthews

Second chances, pining, accidental baby, royalty, and a touch of mafia? What more could a romance lover ask for? BREATHTAKING has the steamy, protective, and tender hero and smart, strong, yet conflicted heroine. How they navigate what is clearly a years long unrequited romance is why we read romances.

The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori

I don’t know why I had this book in my list so long without reading it, because it checks all the boxes as far as what I enjoy in a romance. The pull between Nico and Elena starts early and is smoking hot. The obstacles keeping them apart seem insurmountable yet they can’t help themselves. It is not only a satisfying story, but it is also very well written.

Dangerous Deception by Ajme Williams

DANGEROUS DECEPTION is full of action with rival mafias, kidnapping, entrapment, arranged marriage, mourning past loves and unraveling dangerous betrayals. The romance rings true and is steamy. Raeffelle and Adelina find themselves in a match they did not expect to enjoy.

The Choice by Eve Marian

I haven’t read the other books in the series and the worked just fine reading THE CHOICE. Ryan is the brother that seemed to be the most idealistic and while in control of his emotions, it seems like he feels things more deeply than his brothers.

Laura is a strong woman with a troubled background and feelings of not being good enough for someone like Ryan, but he doesn’t give up. Things get very tough, trust is tested, and what a twist at the end!

Perfect Praise by Grace Pearce

What makes PERFECT PRAISE so special for me is how many layers there are to the MMC, Locke.  He is so different from how he seems and from how he wants people to see him. What had me hooked, though was the ways he showed us himself through his devotion to those he loved.

The Friend Situation by Lyra Parrish

THE FRIEND SITUATION started strong and I really enjoyed the whole story surrounding how Weston and Carlee met, kept their friendship “secret” and didn’t quite fool everyone.

It ran a little long, though. I guess about half way through I started hoping for a little conflict to make it interesting, but they got along well, and each source of potential conflict just fell by the wayside.