Hunted Review

Title:  Hunted
Series:  Vampire in America #6.5
Author:  D.B. Reynolds
Publisher:  ImaJinn Books, Inc.
Release Date:  July 11, 2013

My Rating:  5 Troubled, Hold Nothing Back ♥'s






Synopsis:
Power, it comes down to this... those who have it, those who want it.
Revenge, the need for it is a fire in the soul, a goad for the unwise.
Hunted, the fate of the foolish when they think to become the hunter.

The Lord of the Midwest is dead, and the powerful vampires of North America are gathering to choose his successor. The Vampire Council will be there to oversee the competition and to keep the violence to a bloody minimum, including Raphael, who will do whatever it takes to ensure the victor is a vampire he can trust. But someone is determined to stop Raphael and his mate, Cyn, from ever reaching Chicago, a hunter who may soon become... the hunted.

Review:
Bridge over troubled waters . . . that's what comes to mind when I think of this Vampires in America novella.  The Who's Who of vampire lords are gathering to oversee the competition for a new Lord of the Midwest territory.  There's unrest & trouble brewing in the air, deceitful deals being brokered, and attempted murder.  Someone is desperate enough to make several attempts to stop Raphael & Cyn from reaching Chicago.  Raphael is just as determined to turn the hunter into the hunted - with his mate Cyn's help, of course.

Hunted may be small in the number of pages, but it is packed cover to cover with suspense, vampire politics, humor, and hot, hold nothing back sex!  Did I mention it is HOT?  Love getting more Raphael & Cyn as they are the foundation of the series for me and in this book, we see them working, playing, & loving side by side.  I also enjoyed watching their interaction with Lucas & Kathryn as well as the girl talk between Cyn & Kathryn.  Aden enters the picture as a contender for the vacated Lord of the Midwest position - oh my - another bad*ss, cocky vampire strutting his stuff.  More please!  Hunted is the perfect vehicle for transitioning from Lucas into Aden - truly a bridge over troubled waters.  Another Page Burner in this awesome series!  A Must Read!

My Rating:  5 Troubled, Hold Nothing Back ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

August Indulgence Release Day Blast

I am happy to be celebrating the release of two Entangled Publishing Indulgence releases this week! The Bachelor's Promise by Naima Simone and Pretending with the Greek Billionaire by Kira Archer are incredible reads that feature the sinfully sexy alpha heroes we all know and love. So be sure to pick up your copies of these must-read Indulgence titles today!

About The Bachelor's Promise:

Aiden Kent never expected to see Noelle Rana again. He’s determined to keep his distance from the beautiful enigma wrapped in denim and leather. He can’t trust anyone with the last name Rana. But he made a promise to his dying mother, and it isn't long before Noelle invades his personal space. He can't stop thinking about the exotic beauty's alluring curves. He wants the daughter of his enemy, and he’s determined to have her…if only for one night. If Noelle wants to move forward with her life, she must make a deal with the devastatingly gorgeous, broody millionaire Aiden. He made a promise years ago, and she’s come to collect—even if it means facing down the only man who ever broke her heart. And there's a really good chance he'll do it again.

Find it online:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

About Naima Simone:

Naima Simone’s love of romance was first stirred by Johanna Lindsey, Sandra Brown and Linda Howard many years ago. Well not that many. She is only eighteen…ish. Though her first attempt at a romance novel starring Ralph Tresvant from New Edition never saw the light of day, her love of romance, reading and writing has endured. Published since 2009, she spends her days—and nights— creating stories of unique men and women who experience the first bites of desire, the dizzying heights of passion, and the tender, healing heat of love. She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.

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About Pretending with the Greek Billionaire:

Always the life of the party, Luca Vasilakis needs to prove he’s capable of taking over his father’s billion-dollar corporation. The perfect opportunity falls in his arms in the form of the reserved but sexy social worker Constance McMurty. What better way to improve his reputation than to get engaged to a do-gooder who is raising six orphans? Constance wants nothing to do with Luca. But a poorly timed paparazzi photo lands her in the middle of a media nightmare, and Luca is her only way out. He proposes an idea that will help them both—be his fiancée to gain him some respectability and he’ll make a huge donation to her organization…and save her reputation. But when their lie starts feeling like the truth, and the chemistry just won’t stop, they have a hard time separating what’s real and what’s fantasy…

Find it online:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

About Kira Archer:

Kira Archer resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kiddos, and far too many animals in the house. She tends to laugh at inappropriate moments, break all the rules she gives her kids (but only when they aren't looking), and would rather be reading a book than doing almost anything else. She has odd, eclectic tastes in just about everything and often lets her imagination run away with her. She loves her romances a little playful, a lot sexy, and always with a happily ever after.

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Willing Victim Review

Title:  Willing Victim
Author:  Cara McKenna
Publisher:  Cara mcKenna
Release Date:  July 8, 2016

My Rating:  4 Fight or Flight ♥'s







Synopsis:
The 2010 cult hit, remastered and re-released!

For the past couple years Laurel’s been coasting, hiding in the backseat while her life drifts off course. Then one summer afternoon a tall, built bruiser named Flynn strides in and steers her straight into an infatuation she never saw coming.

Flynn introduces Laurel to things she’s never imagined—to the violent but exciting realm of the underground boxing circuit, to rough sex and even rougher role-playing, and to an attraction she craves even as it intimidates her. As Flynn invites her deeper into his world and his life, Laurel has to make a choice—let fear keep her holed up where it’s safe, or take a chance and fight for the man who makes her feel more alive than she’d dreamed possible.

Reader Advisory: This book contains consensual but intense rape role-playing scenes that some may find upsetting.

Review:
Laurel & Flynn meet in a park when he intervenes in an argument between a couple that is getting aggressive.  Laurel is immediately attracted to Flynn as she's never been to another.  So much so that she asks him out on the spot - and he says "No", but issues her an invitation to come check out a club and then let him know if she's still interested.  Laurel shows up at the club and is escorted downstairs where she sees Flynn kiss another woman just before climbing into the underground boxing ring.  His eyes hypnotize and hold Laurel captive - issuing an unspoken challenge.  What is it about this gorgeous male that draws her like a moth to a flame?  Later that night, Laurel will learn exactly what Flynn wants/needs/craves.  Question is can she give it to him?

Willing Victim is not your typical insta-love romance.  It is raw, dirty, erotic, and hotter than h*ll.  In the beginning, Flynn comes across rough, brash, and a bit condescending with his take it or leave it attitude, but by the end, through great writing and character development, the many layers of Flynn are peeled back revealing a softer, gentler side of this man.  Impossible to resist, he is sporting one hot, sculpted, hard, beautiful body, and Laurel desires it more than her next breath.  Flynn stirs feelings in her that she's never acknowledged before - igniting a burning desire in her for something she didn't realize she wanted or needed.  He's willing to give it to her, but he won't take it from her unless she asks.  What they discover when they come together is a desire for something more.

My only issue with this book is that it's only 132 pages.  Don't get me wrong - the author packs a lot of story into these few pages.  But selfishly, I wanted more!  The character relationship development is outstanding, flawlessly woven throughout the book as Flynn & Laurel go from strangers to f*ck buddies to lovers to something more.  While some may find the subject matter taboo, it is always clear that the sex is consensual - something that both characters desire to give & receive.  Willing Victim is unique, erotic, raw, and yet sensual - overflowing with emotion.  A Page Burner!  A Must Read!

My rating:  4 fight or flight ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx
Sandra

Furious Rush Blog Tour Spotlight & Review

Title: FURIOUS RUSH

Author: S.C. Stephens

On Sale: August 23, 2016

Publisher: Forever

Format: Trade Paperback & eBook

Price: $12.99 USD (TP) / $4.99 USD (eBook)      

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The first in an emotion-fueled, New Adult series from the #1 bestselling author of the Thoughtless novels!

Too fast, too furious—and way too hot to handle…

Mackenzie Cox has a lot to prove. Daughter of a racing legend, she is eager to show the world that she has inherited her father's talent in the male-dominated sport of professional motorcycle racing. The last thing Kenzie needs is to be antagonized by her rival team's newest rider, Hayden Hayes. Plucked from the world of illegal street racing, Hayden immediately gets under Kenzie's skin. His insinuations that Kenzie is a spoiled princess who was handed her career fuels her desire to win, and much to her surprise, Kenzie soon learns she performs better when she's racing against Hayden.

As Kenzie and Hayden push each other on the track, the electric energy between them off the track shifts into an intense—and strictly forbidden—attraction. The only rule between their two ultra-competitive teams is zero contact. Kenzie always does her best to play by the rules, but when her team slips into a financial crisis, she has no choice but to turn to Hayden for help. The tension simmers during their secret, late-night rendezvous, but Kenzie has too much to lose to give in to her desires. Especially when she begins to doubt that Hayden has completely left his street life behind...

Click here to read My Review of Furious Rush

*Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post for a chance to win a copy of "Furious Rush"!

PREORDER THE BOOK HERE

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S. C. Stephens is a #1 bestselling author who spends her every free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading, listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her friends and family. She and her two children reside in the Pacific Northwest.

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Unleash the Night Review - Short Take!

Title:  Unleash the Night
Series:  Dark-Hunter #8
Author:  Sherrilyn Kenyon
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  Dec. 27, 2005

My Rating:  4 Sensual ♥'s


Synopsis:
It's a predator-eat-predator world for the Were-Hunters. Danger haunts any given day. There is no one to trust. No one to love. Not if they want to live...

An orphan with no clan that will claim him, Wren Tigarian grew to adulthood under the close scrutiny and mistrust of those around him. A forbidden blend of two animals - snow leopard and white tiger - Wren has never listened to anyone when there was something he wanted. Now he wants Marguerite.

Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau is the daughter of a prominent U.S. senator who hates the socialite life she's forced to live. Like her mother before her, she has strong Cajun roots that her father doesn't understand. Still, she has no choice but to try and conform to a world where she feels like an outsider. But the world of rich and powerful humans is never to meet the world of the Were-Hunters who exist side by side with them, unseen, unknown, undetected. To break this law is to call down a wrath of the highest order.

In order to have Marguerite, Wren must fight not just the humans who will never accept his animal nature, but the Were-Hunters who want him dead for endangering their world. It's a race against time and magic without boundary that could cost Marguerite and Wren not just their lives, but their very souls...

Review:

A welcome change of pace in this series! Don't get me wrong - I love the Dark-Hunters, but I really enjoyed Wren's story. Wren is an outcast-a rare white tiger/snow leopard mix shunned by everyone. He has escaped harm thus far by staying at Sanctuary, a bar/refuge run by Were-Bears. Wren is quiet & unassuming - always staying under the radar as he works at the bar as a busboy. But things change the night Maggie Goudeau, a senator's daughter, comes into the bar with friends. For the first time ever, Wren is attracted to a woman. But, things quickly escalate into a bar fight where Wren's animalistic side comes roaring to life. Later, as Wren & Maggie begin exploring their mutual attraction, a devious plot threatens to destroy their chance at happiness and they find themselves on the run for their lives.

Intense & action-packed but also beautifully romantic & sensual, Betrayed is a tantalizing, sexy read that touched a soft place in my heart. The characters are well-developed with many layers, and the plot is explosive. A strong secondary cast, such as Savitar, adds another layer of intrigue and even funny banter to the story. Love + Lust + Murder = A Page Burner! A Must Read!

My Rating 4 Sensual ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

Her Halloween Treat Review

Title:  Her Halloween Treat
Series:  Men At Work #1
Author:  Tiffany Reisz
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Publisher:  Harlequin
Release Date:  Sept. 20, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  3 Trick to Treat ♥'s

*Many thanks to the  Author, Publisher, & Netgally for an ARC of this book for review.


Synopsis:
Trick…or wicked treat! 

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family's remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the "available men" department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman! 

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother's best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He's the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

Review:
On the way to her childhood home in Oregon to attend her brother's wedding, Joey Silvia makes a surprise visit to her boyfriend in Los Angeles. While they've dated for two happy years, he has never invited her to his home . . . they've always "got together" at work in Hawaii. Should she have suspected something fishy? Definitely. Because when she knocks on his front door, his wife answers. Humiliated & devastated, Joey catches a cab back to the airport, continuing her trip to Oregon where she will stay in a remote family cabin. Upon arrival, she discovers her brother's best friend Chris Steffenson working as a handyman fixing up the cabin. The cabin is absolutely beautiful - and so is he! My, my, but he's developed some mighty fine muscles in all the right places. Sparks fly and the sexual innuendos begin. Joey's best friend tells her the best way to get over a guy is to get under another one! Is that true? Should she take her friend's advice? Chris is ready, willing, & obviously able. Let the games begin!

Her Halloween Treat is witty, steamy, passionate, and romantic - with just the right dose of wickedness. Light on drama and angst, it's a feel-good romance featuring a woman on the rebound and a deliciously sexy man who works with his hands. Grab a cold drink and curl up on the couch with this book on a rainy afternoon, and you'll read it cover to cover. A Must Read!

My Rating:  3 Trick to Treat ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

Cold Light of Day Review

Title:  Cold Light of Day
Series:  Cold Justice #3
Author:  Toni Anderson
Release Date:  Nov. 16, 2014

My Rating:  4 Notorious ♥'s







Synopsis:
Physicist Scarlett Stone is the daughter of the man considered to be the most notorious Russian agent in FBI history. With her father dying in prison she’s determined to prove he’s innocent, but time is running out. Using a false identity, she gains access to the Russian ambassador’s Christmas party, searching for evidence of a set-up.

Former Navy SEAL, now FBI Special Agent, Matt Lazlo, is instantly attracted to Scarlett but life is too complicated to pursue a politician’s daughter. When he discovers she lied to him about her identity, he hunts her down with the ruthless efficiency he usually reserves for serial killers.

Not only does Scarlett’s scheme fail, it puts her in the sights of powerful people who reward unwanted curiosity with brutality. The FBI—and Matt—aren’t thrilled with her, either. But as agents involved in her father’s investigation start dying, and the attempts to stop Scarlett intensify, Matt and his colleagues begin to wonder. Could they have a traitor in their midst?

As Scarlett and Matt dig for the truth they begin to fall passionately for one another. But the real spy isn’t about to let anyone uncover their secrets, and resolves to remain firmly in the shadows—and for that to happen, Matt and Scarlett have to die. 

Review:
Fourteen years ago, Scarlett Stone's father was convicted of betraying his country as a Russian spy and sentenced to prison.  No one believed him to be innocent except his wife & daughter.  Scarlett is on a mission to prove her father's innocence and inadvertently stirs up an international, political hornet's nest in the process - and also disrupts an FBI undercover operation.  She is now the target of some very ruthless, scary villains who will do whatever it takes to silence her.  Former SEAL, FBI agent Matt Lazlo steps in and saves Scarlett's life more than once.  As danger closes in, Matt & Scarlett go into hiding and sparks fly between them.

Scarlett is a spunky heroine . . . one that's a little nerdy & unsure of herself socially.  Her devotion to her father & family is touching as is her determination to reveal the truth.  Matt is a "protector" - a sexy ex-SEAL who would die for his family and country.  He's not happy with Scarlett's plan to sacrifice herself in an effort to lure the villain out - and he's not happy about being so d*mn attracted to this irritating woman.

Cold Light of Day is an intense, action-packed read with just the right mix of sexy banter, romance, and suspense.  I enjoyed seeing FBI agents from previous books take part in this story.  The twists & turns kept me guessing until the shocker reveal near the end.  Another great addition to the Cold Justice series!  A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Notorious ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra 

Big Rock Review

Title:  Big Rock
Series:  N/A
Author:  Lauren Blakely
Publisher:  EverAfter Platinum
Release Date:  Jan. 6, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  3 Friendly ♥'s






Synopsis:
 It's not just the motion of the ocean, ladies. It's definitely the SIZE of the boat too. 

And I've got both firing on all cylinders. In fact, I have ALL the right assets. Looks, brains, my own money, and a big c*&k.

You might think I'm an a*&hole. I sound like one, don’t I? I'm hot as sin, rich as heaven, smart as hell and hung like a horse.

Guess what? You haven't heard my story before. Sure, I might be a playboy, like the NY gossip rags call me. But I’m the playboy who’s actually a great guy. Which makes me one of a kind. 

The only trouble is, my dad needs me to cool it for a bit. With conservative investors in town wanting to buy his flagship Fifth Avenue jewelry store, he needs me not only to zip it up, but to look the part of the committed guy. Fine. I can do this for Dad. After all, I’ve got him to thank for the family jewels. So I ask my best friend and business partner to be my fiancée for the next week. Charlotte’s up for it. She has her own reasons for saying yes to wearing this big rock.

And pretty soon all this playing pretend in public leads to no pretending whatsoever in the bedroom, because she just can’t fake the kind of toe-curling, window-shattering orgasmic cries she makes as I take her to new heights between the sheets.

But I can’t seem to fake that I might be feeling something real for her.

What the fuck have I gotten myself into with this…big rock?

My Review:

How do you say No to a book with a cover like this one? You don't! Spencer Holiday is one confident dude - in his own words, "I'm hot as sin, rich as heaven, smart as hell and hung like a horse." *gulp* He's a playboy who happens to also be a really nice guy. Spencer is in business with his best friend, Charlotte. When circumstances call for him to have a fake fiance, he turns to her for help. Since she has an annoying ex-boyfriend ringing her bell, Charlotte agrees to play fiance to Spencer for one week with some ground rules. And as the week plays out, they both break those ground rules. What happens when pretend turns into real for one or the other of them? Will they lose their friendship or figure things out?

Big Rock was a light, often humorous, friends to lovers story. It's written in first person pov with the story told through Spencer. I started off by listening to the audiobook and while I think the narrator was good, I will say the sound of Spencer's voice in my ears bragging about his assets threw me off just a little. About halfway through, I switched to Kindle and quickly finished the book. I enjoyed Spencer & Charlotte's story, but did find it predictable and a little unbelievable that they went from "only friends for years" to "forever lovers" in one short week. Having said that, it's witty, sexy, and funny. A good, solid, light read for those times when you need a break from the dark & heavy. A Must Read!

My Rating:  3 Friendly ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra

Rough Rhythm Review

Title:  Rough Rhythm~1001 Dark Nights
Series:  Made in Jersey #1.5
Author:  Tess Bailey
Publisher:  Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Release Date:  March 8, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Very Dirty, Sexy ♥'s ~ Fanning Self!




Synopsis:
God help the woman I take home tonight. 

Band manager James Brandon never expected to find the elusive satisfaction he’d been chasing, let alone stumble upon it in some sleezy Hollywood meat market. Yet the girl’s quiet pride spoke to him from across the bar, louder than a shout. Troubled, hungry and homeless, she’d placed her trust in him. But after losing the grip on his dark desires that one fateful night, James has spent the last four years atoning for letting her down.

This time I’ll finally crack him. 

Rock band drummer Lita Regina has had enough of James’s guilt. She wants the explosive man she met that night in Hollywood. The man who held nothing back and took no prisoners—save Lita. And she’ll stop at nothing to revive him. Even if it means throwing herself into peril at every turn, just to get a reaction from her stoic manager. But when Lita takes her quest one step too far, James disappears from her life, thinking his absence will keep her safe.

Now it’s up to Lita to bring James back…and ignite an inferno of passion in the process.

Reader Advisory: ROUGH RHYTHM contains fantasies of nonconsensual sex, acted upon by consenting characters. Readers with sensitivity to portrayals of nonconsensual sex should be advised.

My Review:
Holy Moly! Is it hot in here or is it just me? There's a whole lot of heat and story packed into this short read. After meeting James in Crashed Out, I've been waiting to find out what lurks underneath that cool, controlled exterior . . . and what it takes to unleash it. I was also curious as to what it would take to reel in bad girl drummer, Lita. 

James has lived with a ton of guilt & regret since the night four years ago when he lost control and took Lita in the raw, dirty, rough, forceful way he desires. He hasn't touched her since, vowing to be her protector, not the monster who corrupts her - even though she owns his heart. Lita pushes all James buttons - playing bad*ss bad girl and repeatedly landing herself in jail so James will come riding in to save her again. She wants to break his control - to tease & tempt the man who took her that night out of hiding because it was that man who fulfilled her fantasies and stole her heart. But, it seems she pulls her bad girl act one too many times, and James leaves her and the band - convinced it's the only way to keep her safe - from him. Can Lita find him and convince him to trust her with his dark side? 

Rough Rhythm is edgy, dirty, intense, and one of the hottest books I've read in some time - and yet it is about so much more than just hot sex. While the desire and chemistry between James & Lita set the pages on fire, it's their clash of hearts & wills that sets the tone for this story - James battling to control his dark urges, afraid of turning into his abusive father, and Lita taking a stand, trying to prove to him that she's the woman strong enough to love all of him. Which one will win? Steamy, rough, raw - romance at its best! A Page Burner! A Must Read!

My Rating:  4 Dirty, Sexy ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra 

Reaper's Fire Review

Title:  Reaper's Fire
Series:  Reaper's MC #6
Author:  Joanna Wylde
Publisher:  Berkley
Release Date:  August 9, 2016
Buy Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  3 "Take One for the Team" ♥'s





Synopsis:
The club comes first. 

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead. 

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker. 

My Review:
I have enjoyed all the previous Reaper's MC books - romance, bossy alpha males, kick*ss heroines, sizzling love scenes, humor, banter, drama, and always toe tingling chemistry between the Hero & Heroine - what's not to love?  Those things have become trademarks of this series for me, elevating these books to a must read now status upon release.  And so, with much anticipation, I settled in to lose myself in this world once again with Reaper's Fire.

Cooper aka Gage is in Halle Falls, Washington, working to infiltrate the Nighthawk Raiders MC and figure out what's gone awry with this club.  The Reapers are being cheated out of dues owed them by the Nighthawks, and Gage has to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of it - including banging the sinister, slutty Talia (sister of Marsh, leader of the Nighthawks).  After all, the club always comes first.  Gage lies to everyone about who he is - going as far as fabricating an ex-wife & two kids.  As part of his cover, he gets a job as a handyman in exchange for an apartment from Tinker, who bought his lies hook, line, & sinker - probably because she is instantly in lust with him.  Tinker moved back to town eighteen months ago to care for her ailing father, manage the family apartment building, and continue building her thriving candy business.  An immediate attraction sparks between Gage & Tinker.  There are many delicious scenes of her ogling a shirtless Gage as he does chores around the apartment building.  She fantasizes endlessly about being with him in spite of knowing he has a "girlfriend".  That was most likely Tinker's first mistake, as she knows he is repeatedly engaging in hot, wild sex with Talia as she hears Talia's screams of ecstasy along with the banging of his bed against their shared bedroom wall almost every d*mn night.  Gage fantasizes about being with Tinker while he continues "doing" Talia even though his thoughts about Talia range from disgust to hate.  And yet, his dick doesn't seem to get that message.  Gage can't pursue his feelings with Tinker until he solves the issue for the Reapers.  What we have here is a situation.  What a mess.

I won't go into more detail about Reaper's Fire because of revealing spoilers.  While starting a bit slow, the pace picks up during the second half of the book, with different scenarios being tossed into the mix adding more fuel to the fire.  Scenes get intense with lives on the line.  But, I kept anticipating more interaction between hero & heroine - for their fantasies to become realities much sooner and for their chemistry to ignite.  For me, it was overshadowed by the "take one for the team" theme to the point of desecrating their romance story line. In my opinion, the things Gage did "for the club" went on far too long and were unforgivable.  It affected my perception of this character and for the first time in this series, I found myself not liking the Hero very much.  It's not about blood or gore in this book - it's about a line you can't cross if you expect love/romance to thrive.  Some things are unforgivable.  

 Wylde's signature humorous banter, bossy alpha males, and hot sex scenes are very much alive in Reaper's Fire.  I enjoyed the brief glimpses & interactions of Picnic, Hunter, & Painter. There are some threads left dangling that I presume are fodder for future books.  As a fan of the series, I do feel this is a Must Read book.  As in most series, like all readers, I have a favorite book of the series as well as one that is destined to be my least favorite.  It's the nature of reading series, I think.  Reaper's Fire is the least favorite of the series for me thus far.  While my favorite book slot of this series remains open . . . I very much favor the earlier books of this series with the old gang.  

My Rating:  3 "Take One for the Team" ♥'s . . . And that's the truth!

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

Sandra