4.5 Amore vincit omnia - Stars
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"Amore vincit omnia.
Love really doesn conquer all."

Wow... I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did. This is a new release and I rarely jump on new releases right away, especially if I don't know the author -but dang, I'm so happy I did. When reading the blurb I was sooo intrigued that I couldn't resist but 1-clicking this .99cent goody! It it didn't disappoint!!

Cord, is pure alpha - he's protective, strong, fearless, sexy and extremely good in the sack ;) His filthy mouth really got me going -no joke. He knows how to turn a woman on and make her feel all mushy and stuff, while he devours her. He's intense; everything he does or says has intensity and that's what I liked about him.

"Cord kissed the way he did most things, with intensity."

"There was nothing simple about Cord. There never had been."

"... there was no power on on earth stronger than the one between two people who were on the cusp of becoming lovers."

Oooh, and the lover he was *fans*. Damn he had stamina, lucky Saylor!!! But Cord was more than just a hot protective no-bs kind of guy; no, he was served a crappy card in life. He and his brothers. He grew up literally in the dumps with an abusive father and drug addicted mom. The only kind of love he knew came from fists...and that's it. His and his brother's childhood was tainted by his upbringing... his last name was like a curse...a curse that made it impossible to achieve anything or to become someone.

"...'those Gentry boys' and everything the curse of our last name entailed. All the men in our line went rotten at some point and everyone in Emblem just knew we would follow suit."

"A set of fraternal triplets born to depraved family, they were rough, sexy and wild as wolves. Together they compromised a powerful triumvirate which rules the youth of Emblem."

But Cord soon experiences love... not just the one from his brothers but from the very same girl he screwed over years ago. She made him see life in a different perspective. She gave him hope. She made him feel worthy.

"But what really hammered me were the small glances of uncertain affection she gave me as I'd hoped that for once I had a right to do something decent."

Yeah this book was great and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was way more than just 'boy meets girls, falls in love...'. The story around the Gentry boys was touching and very much real and I felt for them. I felt their struggle to fit into society; their sorrow which followed their name like the pest, especially there was so much more to the boys than anyone knew -besides Saylor. The story had depths, that's for sure and I Cora did a great job combining the Gentry boys story with the developing love story between Saylor and Cord. I can't wait to read about the over two brothers, Chase and Creed. I highly recommend this book!!
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Jason Luke delivers and masterclass in love and romance in this one of the most beautiful books I have read so far this year.
The author takes you on a passionate and poignant journey with two characters that will take your breath away.
Blake and Connie just make my heart melt- Blake has a depth to him that had me querying how and when he was going to wake up and see all the good that surrounded him, I feared that his darkness was going to allow Connie to slip right through his fingers.
Connie on the other hand has her own issues to deal with and a violent past that she is trying hard to continue to elude.
But the connection between the two of them left me breathless and part of that was because I wanted them both to have a happiness that they so deserved.
I felt that Jason Luke gave me a gloriously descriptive, powerfully emotive, sensual love story that was as rich as it was enriching and I do feel as if I have been well and truly schooled in the true meaning love.
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Eagles Honor: Banished is the second book I have read by Sandra Schwab, the first being Devils Return (Allens Miscellany #4).  Once again this author played my emotions like the proverbial violin and at several points during the read I was moved to tears.

Romances set in the time of the Roman Empire are few and far between and I jumped at the chance to read and review it. I am fascinated by this time period, in particular the dichotomy between the civilized nature of the Romans and their assumed right to rule over others, be they slaves or their enemies, a right which can sometimes manifest itself in acts of great cruelty. I enjoyed how Ms Schwab takes the reader on a journey of forbidden love in this novel and at the same time explores these aspects of Roman life in the capital Rome and on the fringes of the Empire.

The heroine Lia is a pleasure slave and dancer in the home of Titus, a wily Roman. It is there she meets the Centurion Marcus, a guest of Titus, when she is instructed to entertain him. Marcus has recently returned to Rome after spending time in the legions. Their ensuing love affair sets off a chain of events that will change their lives forever as Marcus vows to make Lia his, unaware of the malicious plot of others. I loved how Marcus courts her mind and her body, focusing on her wellbeing and pleasure, this woman whose sole existence has hitherto been to serve others. It is a romantic and page turning read with many sensual and erotic scenes, but don't be fooled, Ms Schwab makes the couple work incredibly hard for their HEA!

Lia, bred to be a slave, knows no other life other than to obey and is an expert at masking her true feelings. I just loved how Marcus makes her feel like a woman of worth. Marcus is a true man of honour, disliking the often heartless and cruel excesses of Rome and has no love of many of its values. Yet the fates do not smile kindly on a love affair between a Roman Centurion from a distinguished family and a mere plaything, and the couple face the repercussions of their actions as a plot to discredit Marcus unravels. Honour is important to Marcus and he has to fight hard to balance his allegiance to Rome, his family honour and his love for Lia.

The story is first and foremost a romance but it also explores the themes of family and friendship  I hugely enjoyed the character of Alaric in particular, and also how the author depicted life amongst the Roman military. Ms Schwab has clearly carried out a great deal of research into the time period and this added to my enjoyment of the read.

Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance. A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
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Joanne Bischof is an author I discovered this year and I am so glad I did. Her series, The Cadence of Grace, has touched my heart, pulled at my emotions, and taught me so much about love and forgiveness. In Be Still My Soul, Gideon and Lonnie are forced to marry when Lonnie's father believes Gideon took liberties. The book is about their love growing for each other and Gideon growing up and learning to be a responsible man. In Though My Heart is Torn, we find out that Gideon has another wife besides Lonnie and he is forced to annul his marriage with Lonnie to be with Cassie. At the end of that book, Cassie realizes that she will never hold Gideon's heart and she lets him go to be with Lonnie.

As I began My Hope is Found, I wondered what the book would hold. I knew I would find tears, pain, and suffering. But I knew that within the pain, I would find love, happiness, and unspeakable joy.
I started the book knowing that I wanted Gideon and Lonnie to be together. I have loved their relationship throughout the series and it broke my heart when they had to separate. But what I didn't expect was to fall in love with Toby, another man vying for Lonnie's attention, as well.
Lonnie is determined to forget about Gideon since she can't have him. Part of her forgetting involves accepting a proposal from Toby. But what Lonnie doesn't expect is for Gideon to come back, a free man, and steal her heart again. Lonnie must choose between two wonderful men. They don't make it easy either, both bowing and scraping to do whatever she wants or needs. I don't know how Lonnie ever made any choice because both of these men are truly some of the best heroes that were ever written.

Throughout this book we find the characters needing to trust God and rely on him to give them the desires of their heart. Your heart will ache as you read this book. Your heartstrings will be pulled in several directions and don't be surprised if tears fall while you read this. I honestly love when books touch me so much that they make me cry and this book definitely did that to me.
I highly, highly, highly recommend The Cadence of Grace series by Joanne Bischof. They are definitely some of my favorite reads from this year!

I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Waterbrook Publishers through the program Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any compensation for this review nor was I required to write a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.

Leah B.
Must Love Books
mustlovereading.wordpress.com
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Gemma Brocato nailed it on so many levels in this book. She addresses some serious issues, ranging from alcoholism to abandonment, with a grace and lightness of spirit that deepens the love story without ever weighing it down. I fell in love with Malin and Gunnar, and enjoyed the fact that they are both business owners. These are three-dimensional characters who are witty and smart and face challenges that readers will sympathize with, whether its a problem at work or a difficult family member. The love scenes are hot and her writing is so evocative, I could smell the flower arrangements from the pages! Lovely and smart.
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Gah! How I absolutely adored this series starter! Walker was such an enigma, with Sienna barely breaking the surface to this often stoic man who stifled his smiles and who seemed to both want to pull Sienna in and push her away. She chipped and prodded and I guess her perseverance paid off, because Walker was a hell of a guy to fall in love with. Was he perfect? Nope, but there was just something about him that was so damned appealing that I got why Sienna couldn't really bring herself to walk away from him, even when she should have time and again. Speaking of the rebel Landry, she was such a revelation her. She was different from her twin Camilla, although she proved to also have a bit of that rebellious streak within her in Swink, the fifth and final Landry Family novel, but she still had that innate goodness and desire to make the lives of people better and easier within her that the rest of her family had, no matter how much she saw herself as being somewhat of the odd duck in their close-knit clan.

I love how this first book not only gave readers an absolutely wonderful love story that had both angst and humor, but that it also introduced us to other characters that will be recurring as the series moves forward. My curiosity was piqued several times by Walker's two brothers plus his protective sister. Then there was his cousin and Peck more than embraced the spotlight, not that he was an attention hog. It had more to do with his being a genuinely good guy who, at times, did the silliest things. Yet, even with a stellar supporting cast of quirky characters, this was still Sienna and Walker's story to tell, and it was one that had me smiling most of the time, but also managed to have my heart clenching painfully in my chest when they had to confront Walker's past (and that was a doozy of a past!). Coming from as well loved a series as the Landry Family, this spin-off had HUGE shoes to fill; Adriana Locke, however, equipped her Gibson Boys with their own sturdy boots, allowing them to stand on their own, and proudly so. I'm highly recommending you check out Crank, which is one of my 2017 favorite reads. Five-plus stars.
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The Once and Future Prince is a story for those who can appreciate and admire writing and story-telling talent.

Olivia Gates uses words beautifully to paint pictures and to bring to the mind's eye so many wonderful metaphors, that at times it seemed poetic. The imagery that she's created has been woven through the entire book, and is captivating and sensual.

 At the start, we were introduced to a young Leandro and Phoebe. Their relationship began with an all consuming desire. But, they were both so insecure: he for the crown, and she for her standing in his world, that they allowed those insecurities to tear them apart. Their growth could have ended there, and they could have remained static characters, but then this book wouldn't have been nearly as fantastic as it is.

There is a scene in the when they were flying over Castaldini after Leandro's eight years of exile. It was so apparent that he loved his country, and coming back was emotional for him. The depth of his pain was so subtly written that it took me by surprise when I wept while visualizing him looking out of the plane window. This was brilliantly done, especially since I never expected that benign scene to touch me as it did.

Olivia Gates exercised patience and restraint in getting them back together in a fully physical way. This book is rare in the sense that she allowed us to live in their world while they nurtured their relationship. So often in romance, the real relationship doesn't begin until the book is almost over. In this book, she allowed us to savor the build-up of their love for a great portion, giving us large doses of Leandro and Phoebe. That was wonderful and satisfying.

Another thing I noticed and really enjoyed about this relationship was the laughter, and the light-hearted banter that she incorporated into their dynamic. Often times, especially in 'Royal' literature, the interactions are formal, almost stuffy. In this case she's infused a breath of fresh air into their otherwise ancient world. That made it much easier to believe their love and gave us a reprieve from the intensity of their desire.

When they finally do consummate their desire, you won't be disappointed. In true Gates fashion, their love is expressed physically, passionately, and repeatedly.

This was beautifully written. I can't recommend enough that your read about the world that Olivia Gates has created in The Castaldini Crown Trilogy.
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There Kendra Highley goes, making a bigger fan out of me more than I already am. Its no secret that I love, emphasis on the L-O-V-E, Ben Fisher Franklin from Finding Perfect. Hes dreamy and nerdy and all levels of I want one! This story felt as effortless as Faith on pointe, and I fell head-over-heels in love with this not-so-bad boy. Better watch out, Ben!

Faith Gladwell was an experienced ballerina and so over her boyfriend, Cameron. I didn't like him at all, but I also felt sorry for hima tiny bit. Not enough so that I wanted her to go back to him, but I did say an inward awe when she mentioned the look on his face. Nevertheless, I was wholeheartedly on Faiths side. She was the good girl that didn't want to come off as glacial when it came to relationships, and I got her. No one wants to be perceived as heartless, and I understood her desire to prove Cameron wrong, even if it might have been a rash decision on her part. But what a good decision it was!

Kyle Sawyerboy, you're seriously giving Ben Fisher Franklin a run for his money! Bad boy romances are addictive. They have a fairytale-like quality, while staying clear of reality. Translation: bad boys with hearts of gold are good in theory, but their actual existence is questionable. Kyle put up the faade of being a bad boy, but he wasnt. He acted the part only when he needed it to keep the walls around him to make it through high school. I liked the real Kyle so much. I swooned at his shyness, his gentlemanly behavior, and when he called Faith lovelyI cant even. I wish I could articulate just how much I adored Kyle, but Im not sure its possible for one review.

Their romance was adorable. Faith didn't know what to expect out of Kyle, since she had only heard rumors of his delinquent behavior. He flummoxed her, kept her guessing. Im glad this book was told in dual perspectives because he would have had me just as confused. Everything she had known about Kyle was thrown away with the dreadful plants their last landscaper had planted, and her new opinions and infatuation was allowed to flourish with the Azaleas he planted in her backyard. This is a romance that you want to last for all of eternity it was so precious and pure. Each kiss and glance, every unsure word and hesitant compliment made me fall more in love with their love.

I continue to love all of Kendra C. Highleys contemporary YA more and more. I didn't think it was possible to not love a story more than the next and still make room in my heart for these characters. The Bad Boy Bargain glides across the page and is as effortless as breathing. I cant wait to pick up more of Highleys work because I need it in my life.

*ARC from Entangled
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*I received a free copy to read & review for Wicked Reads*
I love the Infidelity Series, and was very excited to read Oren's story. I will just say that I thought I knew Oren, man was I wrong!
This is not a love story, it has romantic elements, but it's not a romance book.
This is the story of respect, ambition, loyalty, and betrayal.
This is the tale of Oren Demitri's rise and fall in the Costello family.

I really don't know how to review this. It's a beautiful, but heart-breaking story about a young man and the choices he made in his life. The choice to fall in love with a mafia princess. The choice to be more than his father.
We see the young, naive man start his life - full of hope. We see the husband struggle to maintain a balance between home and family. We learn the consequences of every single choice Oren makes.

I loved this story, and then I hated it. I was elated, then devastated. So many emotions, I was just all over the place with this book. It touched me deeply, and I haven't been able to get it out of my head.
~Wicked Reads Review Team~
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Your love makes me brave.
Thats good, because Ill keep loving you. Forever.
Sylvain Reynard "Gabriels Redemption"

5 Sticky Leaves!!! for "Gabriels Redemption" by Sylvain Reynard. This is a bittersweet moment for me. I realize that we are saying goodbye to The Professor and his lovely Julianne. I found myself, putting the book down, trying to postpone the inevitable, with tears in my eyes I read the last chapter and the last page "Fin". "Gabriels Redemption" is the exquiste conclusion to a series that I will treasure and characters I will hold dear. Professor Emerson and Julianne have been given an ending worthy of their epic love story.

"Gabriels Redemption" is beautifully written, it flows and wraps itself around you like a soft, warm caress. I was at once enraptured by Sylvian Reynard's words. The essential features of music, art, literature and architecture give depth to the story, making it all the more graceful and sublime. He takes us on an emotional journey of self-discovery, family, love, forgiveness, redemption and hope. "Gabriels Redemption" is intelligent, thought-provoking and passionate. I found myself laughing, crying and reflecting on my own beliefs about love, forgiveness, god, charity and goodness.

As Gabriel and Julia start their married life together we get to see the steady and remarkable metamorphosis of Gabriel as he struggles with demons from his past and forgiveness. We see the maturing of Julia, as she deals with her self-doubt, she struggles to balance her desire to get her PhD and become a professor with her longing to be everything that she believes Gabriel needs her to be.

I love the way Gabriel cares for Julia, he is still mercurial in many ways but he cares for her with such tenderness, there is never any doubt that she is the love of his life, his Beatrice and that he is devoted to her. Julia is equally devoted to him, she is sweet, kind and pure of heart and always sees the good in him, the possiblity of Gabriel. I was swept away by their romance and passion. Gabriel is as sexy and romantic as ever and Julia discovers her inner goddess growing bolder in her own sexuality.

We get to see life come full circle for many of the supporting characters. Without any spoilers, I like that Mr. Reynard gave us closure on Paul, Christa, Professor Pacciani, Paulina, Natalie and Simon. We also get to see how the family dynamic for Gabriel and Julia changes, we see forgiveness and redemption in action as they heal old wounds with each of their families.

"Gabriel's Redemption" is a Beautiful conclusion to the "Gabriel's Inferno" Trilogy. A love story for the ages. This series will always be one of my favorites. While I'll miss Julia and Gabriel I could not have asked for a more life affirming ending.

Some of my favorite quotes:

There might be terrible skeletons in my familys closet. Could you love me in spite of them?
Id never love you in spite of anything, Gabriel. I just love you.

For you, my love, I would endeavor to pluck the stars from the sky, only to shower them at your feet.

"I love it when you talk grammar. It's sexy"

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies"
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5 stars Loved. This book is special, very special. The storyline drew me in because it had many facets and layers driven by characters that were full of depth, with flaws to make them perfectly imperfect. Without even realizing it I found myself becoming them. So while the storyline was great, it was the amazing writing style that catapulted this into a top notch book.

Both Bran and Talia had the roughest year ever and still had to deal with other underlying issues that plagued them their whole lives, but when they spent time together everything seemed to disappear. This story is about the journey these two characters had to take in order to finally believe finding each other wasn't too good to be true.

Talia was still strong despite all that she had going on, and oh my, it was a lot. She had some serious OCD to top off all the tragedy, but instead of letting the OCD own her, she accepted it. She didn't like that it controlled her at times, but she didn't let it take over either. But maybe that had to do with BranBran let her know he noticed her OCD too, but it was done in such a kind and sensitive way. He skirted around the topic because I don't think Talia was ready to tackle it all the wayyet. This issue showed how much the two of them balanced each other out.

Bran also was strong despite the year he had. And it certainly was a year from hell. While we knew a little bit about it, we never knew the all details and the emotions that went along with it until he was ready to talk about it. At one point I was going to get upset, but thankfully the story changed direction and we never had to go down that road. Yes, its all vague because Im a spoiler-phobe! Just know that I love how it all played out. :)

So now that Im totally sold on the characters and their relationship, I want to talk about their actual chemistry. Wow. It was pretty intense. While Bran might have had loose morals, he smartened up as soon as he meant Talia because he knew she was special. Their kisses were scorching and their touches were hot enough where I wanted more. It was intense, and their physical connection was just an extension of how much they truly cared for one another. It was life altering for Bran, and totally touched my heart.

Now I am going to switch gears and talk about the ending. I started to get kind of choked up and really did want to throw the kindle at one point as well as slap one of the characters. My poor heart! But don't fear my friends, I got my HEA. Relief! But you know what I did still want? I would have loved some more time, like a whole additional chapter with Talia and Bran at the end. It just wrapped up too quickly for me. If this was a stand alone novel the ending would have knocked off a whole star because I didn't get the quality (kissy) time I needed. Yes, I am demanding. HOWEVER, book 2 is out soon so I got over my greedy reader behavior STAT because Im assuming the scene I want will be the first chapter *crosses all fingers and toes and gives the author puppy eyes*  and all will be right in my world.

Would I rec this? YES YES YES! A great start to a series Im already addicted to. Ms. Riley wrote a love story that spoke to me, and now I will read anything she writes.
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'Make Me Sin by J.T. Geissinger triggers a whirlwind of feeling with a deeply emotional story of love, heartbreak, and hope. A follow up to Sweet as Sin in her Bad Habit series, I wasn't quite sure what to expect after hearing how much it 'wrecked' her to write this book, and I could not imagine what she had in store for for A.J. Edwards and Chloe Carmichael with them having so much animosity between them. In Make Me Sin, Geissinger has gifted their beautiful, achingly tender, and touching journey crafted with many unique layers of character depth and suspense.

Chloe Carmichael is a seemingly simple people pleaser who puts her heart and soul into building her successful floral business, and A.J. Edwards is a very tough and closed off yet talented musician who seems to detest Chloe and continuously throw insults at her. With their friends Kat and Nicos wedding quickly approaching, they are constantly forced to be around each other being that they are Maid of Honor and Best Man. For some reason, A.J.s aggression towards Chloe begins to ignite a certain fire (or misfire?) between the two of them, and she becomes determined to find out what his problem is with her. Although she sometimes gets small glimpses of a softer side to A.J., he continues to shut her out and push her away. Will she ever solve the puzzles that lie within him, and is it possible for them to build any type of civil relationship together?

Some of my favorite things in Geissingers books are her unique and creative story lines and her character depth...

Chloe had so much more determination and strong belief in A.J., and she was surprisingly undeterred in what others thought about her relationship with. him.  He had such heart, tenderness, and passion in his soul, and it was very touching how he expressed it to Chloe in many unique ways through his words, the art of origami, and of course his music. It was so sad that deep within A.J. lay such an inner turmoil of self-loathing and hatred for himself stemming from his haunting past and resulted in his feelings of not deserving any happiness.

Their story was so poetically written as it transformed from his troubled past and pain to the possibility of finding hope and having something beautiful.  There was such an uncertainty in whether their love for each other could ever come to fruition and if A.J. would be able to get over the fears of his past and be able to take a chance on Chloe. It was absolutely impossible not to feel and be all encompassed with them in their struggle - it was so heart breaking!

Honestly, I was completely unprepared for the unexpected relationship between Chloe and A.J. Geissinger completely drew me in and kept me turning page after page with suspense and yearning for the answers. Just when I thought I was getting them, I was completely thrown off course with yet another unexpected turn.  Make Me Sin had me on pins and needles throughout, and I must say that it definitely touched my heart. I am so looking forward to her next book in this series not only to see if there will be a HEA for Chloe and A.J. but also what lies ahead for Grace and Brody!

Absolutely a 5-Star read for Make Me Sin, and I definitely recommended reading the Bad Habit Series!

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
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Where do I begin with this book? 

Charlotte and Noah each lived for the rush of adrenaline and living in the moment that comes from their passions- music and extreme sports.

Each is struck a blow that keeps them from being able to pursue the passions in their "former lives" and lives as a shell of themselves. Noah reacts with anger and hatred, lashing out at those who care the most about him and pushing them away. Charlotte buries her pain and mourns her loss internally.

A rough financial situation causes Charlotte to take a job as Noah's assistant. Her refusal to give up on him may be just what he needed. But can he put aside his rage and move on, accepting his loss and the care and love that is being offered, or will he drown in his own despair? Will Charlotte reclaim her love of music, or will she continue to deny her great talent.

I loved this book and its alternating POV (which is rarely written so well- and this author really nailed it). To see what each is thinking, finally starting to come outside of themselves/their situations to heal each other with love, caring, and patience and therefore healing themselves.

This book made me feel so many emotions- hope, pain, love, anticipation, and a million more. There are some hot scenes too. I loved it and will probably re-read this week. I read this book and its follow-up novella on one sitting to give you an idea.

I loved following Noah and Charlotte on their heart-wrenching intertwined journey. Beautiful story written with real gritty emotion- this is a must-read for fans of the romance (and or beauty/beast type) genre.

Bravo Emma Scott! You have won my heart and room on my to-read list. I'm one of your fan girls now.
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Limits by wonderful authors Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt, was another stunning companion to the Lengths series. I had truly enjoyed the series thus far, but Limits just really appealed to me. Theirs is the sort of writing that you know will be intelligently skilful, know will be thought provokingly deep, and know that it will have achieved that insanely tricky mixture of sweet and sexy, that only few do really well. So much so, that I couldn't resist starting it again when I finished.

Was it the characters?
I simply adored the geeky, science-nerd sweetheart, Adam. Adored. This man was that undeniably sweet mix of nerd/strong/shy/sexy-lover man, all rolled into one. He had high intellectual aspirations of who he wanted to be in life  hopes created from preconceived notions of acceptance and love  but had yet to discern how to achieve them.

Genevieve was a gorgeously refreshing woman, trying to work out who she really was, and how to be real, breaking free of long-held expectations of her family. Ostensibly, she was a superficial flake, but on the inside, she was warm-hearted, generous, faithful and highly intelligent.

Supporting characters, especially Marigold, simply added, not detracted from the story. Campbell and Reinhardt consistently balance this input successfully. Impressive.

Was it the storyline?
Actually, a lot of the appeal of Limits, was the break away from standard contemporary romance formula. I loved the blend of these two characters, and how they genuinely forged a strong friendship, before a physical relationship, and how in some ways, how they got there, was a little back-to-front. They worked hard to bring out the best in each other, especially Adam - his insight into and selfless love of the authentic Gen, was moving.

Written in present tense, switching POV smoothly throughout, the book was an affecting and delightful read. I adored the story, the characters, the alternative plot, and of course the schemxy sizzle between the Hero and heroine. I think this is my favorite thus far, which was tricky, because Cohen and Maren had also won my heart previously. I look forward to the next instalment, Ties.
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For this Review and more visit [...]

Publisher: Carina Press
Published: February 6, 2012
ISBN: 9781426893162
Genre: Historical Romance

May I just say that I loved this novel. I didn't feel disappointed at any point during it. Claire Robyns' weaves a tale that has you unable to put the book down from the start. She's created vivid and lively characters that complement each other well.

The Blurb:

Raised on rumours of The Devil of Jedburgh, Breghan McAllen doesn't want an arranged marriage to the beast. The arrogant border laird is not the romantic, sophisticated husband Breghan dreams of, despite the heat he stirs within her.

In need of an heir, Arran has finally agreed to take a wife, but when he sees Breghan's fragile beauty, he's furious. He will not risk the life of another maiden by getting her with child. Lust prompts him to offer a compromise: necessary precautions, and handfasting for a year and a day, after which Breghan will be free. For a chance to control her own future, Breghan makes a deal with the Devil.

Passion quickly turns to love, but Arran still has no intention of keeping the lass, or making her a mother. He loves her too much to lose her. But when a treasonous plot threatens queen and country, Breghan has to prove only she is woman enough to stand by his side.

My Take:

Breghan, right from the beginning you can tell she's independent and full of life and imagination and even when confronted with her biggest fear, being married to the Devil of Jedburgh (just one of many names her betrothed has all referring to how evil he is), she takes him on only to find that though he can be infuriating, he really isn't evil and is in fact just what she's been looking for her.

Arran, what can I say about him, he's sexy and kind and authoritative and totally alpha without being too overbearing. You can truly feel his emotions and love for Bree and see his mind and heart tearing him in two different directions as he realizes that because he doesn't want to hurt her or see her killed, he can't bear to be apart from her either.

Both are afraid to fall for each other, knowing that eventually they'll have to part ways and I enjoyed the experience of watching these two grow both individually and as a couple.

This story kept you turning the pages and I don't believe I found a dull moment in it at all. If I did, then all the great parts far outweighed the dull parts so much so that they've left my mind. The author has a gift with words and the perfect voice for a historical romance. Normally, I have a hard time reading historical's that take place in Scotland due to the fact that some authors go a little heavy on the accents of their characters to the point of distraction. Ms. Robyns did not. She weaved just enough of their accents in so that you could hear the voices in you head and still enjoy the story.

The brief side stories of Bree's ladies maids finding their own romances were cute and charming and did not take away from the main storyline at all. I, for one, cannot wait for another story by Ms. Robyns.

My Rating: 4/5 Lattes
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Tainted Bodies by Sarah Robinson is the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and heartbreak. This book cover is gorgeous and beneath its exterior is a story equally as stunning. I loved this novel from start to finish and the ending left me excited and anxious for the next book in The Photographer Series.

Kate Jackson is mindlessly going through life until a chance meeting with Derrick Kane. Sarah thoroughly builds their relationship as the pair is inseparable and sparks fly. As their relationship unfolds, their connection is realistic and swoon worthy. The couple is down to earth, playful, and its the little gestures and time spent together that contributes to their growing foundation. I loved that Derrick came across as a normal guy. He didn't need to throw around money and win Kate over with pomp and circumstance. Instead he pursued her with genuine charm and a desire to learn more about her on a deeper emotional level. To me Kate and Derrick seemed like a regular, real-life couple. It was refreshing to watch their courtship.

As the plot progresses, filling my heart with flutters and hope for a happily ever after, there is a sudden, soul shattering twist. This unexpected turn left me breathless and with painful aches resonating in my heart. Relationships are tested, characters are destroyed, and everything I was certain of is now in shambles. I loved it.

Immerse yourself in the first novel in Sarah Robinsons The Photographer Series. Tainted Bodies is a mind trip full of heart-warming romance and heart breaking suspense. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment in Kate and Derricks story.
2937433
Ms. Quinn is a remarkably talented author that has a great knack for creating characters that are not only sympathetic, but emotionally engaging.  This means that, as the plot progresses and the fortunes of those characters rise and fall, each turn has a genuine emotional impact, because you really care about those characters and you want to see them happy.  One of the things that I really enjoyed was seeing the Evil Stepmother get her comeuppance :)  However, the plot is not without faults, though I do not wish to put any spoilers in here.  Certainly, the dramatic arc is not as fluid and well-constructed as The Duke and I, the first book in this series.  Benedict and Sophie both take a couple actions that didn't really make sense to me, though Ms. Quinn does try to make more sense of them later in the book (but not convincingly, perhaps because the explanations are rather belated and therefore feel a bit tacked-on).  And of course, you get the trademark Julia Quinn humor and prose, which I do not think I will ever get tired of.  At one point, Benedict jokes that Sophie sounds just like the heroine from a bad romance novel :)

One of the concerns I had coming into this book was whether Benedict and Sophie were going to be another cookie-cutter hero-heroine pair after the fashion of Simon and Daphne, since Anthony and Kate (from Book 2) were so similar to Simon and Daphne, I forgot I was reading Book 2 and not Book 1 at some points.  I was very glad to see that this was not the case here.  Though Sophie definitely had the same strong will that Daphne and Kate had, she didn't feel like a clone, the way that Kate did.  It's a bit hard to quantify, but Sophie had a very different feel to me.  Benedict has a completely different feel from Simon and Anthony, as well.  Though he is very accustomed to getting his way, his character feels a bit less cynical and brooding, more mischievous and forthright.  And so this story had a very different feel to it than the previous installments in the series, which is always nice to see.

All in all, it's a good book, and definitely worth reading, though I would suggest you start with The Duke and I if you are just starting on the Bridgerton series -- not so much because you need the background to this story, but more just because it is the better-written book, and might give you a better idea of how much you would want to read the whole series.