Renee's Reading Nook

Actually just finished Dr. Off Limits by Louise Bay.  I could not stop smiling through the majority of this book. It was so good. Jacob and Sutton are so drawn to each other and perfectly compliment each other. They both have this connection that expands beyond the physical but question if that's truly the case. "Our connection remained and wouldn’t be easily extinguished. I shook my head. It was just lust talking, right?" The humor in the entire book got me laughing so hard too. Jacob's parents gave me the best laughs. "Now I’ve got mud on the carrots.“They’re used to it, my dear. It won’t frighten them off.” Problems arise when Jacob and Sutton get too into their heads. Sutton is jaded by her past life experiences and Jacob is so focused on his future career path that they can't seem to see beyond them. Even though they seem made for each other it's a lot to try to overcome.  "Don’t say maybe there’s a chance things will change or we’ll...

 I just finished Fractured Freedom by Shain Rose.  I really really liked it...but there were a few things that bothered me about it (Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐). This is one of the first times I have really taken notes while reading the book so here goes my thoughts as I read. From the very beginning the steam starts out strong (Overall steam factor was like a 10/5 it was super hot). Dante is one of the dirtiest talkers I have ever met, like holy hell batman. Boy is he ever possessive too. I loved it! Plus this continues throughout the book so even better. “I have to put this pu$$y on a pedestal so I can eat like it’s on a platter, baby. Then I’m going to fu(k you at just the right angle, make sure you remember who makes you feel this way.” Both Deliah and Izzy going through pretty hard times, very different from each others though. From the beginning, not knowing fully Delilah's struggles, I truly felt bad for Izzy. She feels so unwanted, and in actuality is making something of her life bu...

 Reign of Freedom by @authorjlbeck and @challman_writes was so good. It was a great ending to the duet. Over both books I felt so bad for Delilah. She just wants to feel wanted and to belong somewhere. She finally feels that with Lucas but he is so wishy-washy in his feelings it's so hard for her to know his feelings. I truly felt bad for Delilah throughout the entire book. She barely knows what happiness is due to her upbringing. The only happy memories she has are with Lucas. "What’s saddest is not having happy memories to think about as a way of relaxing." Lucas on the other hand struggles with who he is and his issues. He struggles with slipping back into old habits and becoming someone he's never truly liked. He struggles with a lot of the same issues Delilah has, in feeling so alone.  "We ate meals together. I learned what it’s like not to feel so damn alone, if only for a little while. And now I’ll never be able to get rid of that memory. Everything that h...

I just finished Dark Legacy by Tracy Lorraine.  Wow, just wow! This book did it to me again. It sucked me into this story so much. There are so many things you don't see coming it's hard not to give anything away.  I loved the way I can go from crying to laughing in this book, it brings you on quite the emotional rollercoaster. Everything Calli goes through puts you through the ringer, you feel what she feels. She experiences so many ups and downs that I'm surprised she doesn't just shatter. She shows so much strength given everything she is going through.  Alex is there for her every step of the way even while going through his own turmoil. Cali and Alex really lean on each other to get through some very tough times. New couples look like they are on the horizon and I'm so excited for the possibilities of what's to come! Overall 10/5 ⭐️ I am in LOVE! Steam wise 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 it was so so good!

I just finished the ARC of Mercy by Sara Cate and I absolutely loved this book.  As a woman in her late 30s Maggie was so relatable to me. From the men she sees as potential dating material, "I haven’t been properly laid in almost two years, and I’ve given up on dating altogether because, no matter where I look, the only men interested in me are boring, middle-aged divorcees with giant egos and tiny penises." to the indoctrination she feels growing up, "All I have is voices in my head telling me that sex is shameful and wrong, and even if my rational brain can admit how ridiculous that is, indoctrination runs deep." it all really resonates with me and makes Maggie all that more likeable.  Beau is fantastic too. The changes we get to see in him go beyond what you think he is capable of when you first meet him in Praise. He's still very much a brat but his motivations completely change. On top of all of that we really see what Beau believes he needs to...

SO I'm working on 4 ARCs right now, hence no recent posts. So far I've finished: Mercy by Sara Cate Bloody Cruel Monster by Lucy Smoke Dark Legacy by Tracy Lorraine  And about to finish Reign of Freedom by C. Hallman and J.L. Beck All of those reviews are coming either the 25th or 26th f this month!

DARK LEGACY by @tracy_lorraine_author is coming August 25! #PreOrderHere https://mybook.to/DarkLegacyKRE My lips open and close like a fish as I continue to stare into her exhausted and devastated eyes. She’s been here since everything kicked off taking care of everyone else. Yet, she’s lost just as much as we have in all of this. “He loved you before he even knew the feeling existed, Calli. The way you helped him, the way you saw who he really was.” My bottom lip trembles as her words flow through me. “For him, there was always something so magical about you. I just always prayed that you saw the same in him and that one day, he’d get everything he deserved.” Start the trilogy for FREE with Dark Halloween Knight: https://amzn.to/3lRRHXh Dear reader, Dark Legacy is the twelfth book in my Knight's Ridge Empire series, and the third book of Calli and Batman's story. Grab the tissues, and prepared yourself because this one is going to but you through the wringer. #comi...

I don't know if I could love this book and Braxton and Clover more 😍😍😍! In Bloody Cruel Psycho we were left hanging. Bloody Cruel Monster answered all the questions and gives us even more!  We see how vulnerable Brax can be when it comes to Clover. He basically bares his soul to her just to prove his love 😍 😍  "She’s destroyed me. Utterly and completely and the only way to go back, to even return to my life is if she’s in it." Clover really struggles with forgiving Braxton and her trust has been blown to smithereens but Brax grovels, which I never thought I would see. "I never stood a chance against Braxton Smalls. I was his the second he stole me from my trailer. He was mine the second I gave up fighting. If that means I have to let go of my past … if that means I have to let go of Ace … then so be it." Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶🌶, the steam really depends on what kind of smegsy things you can handle. It's super hot but may not be for e...

I absolutely LOVE ❤️ 😍 Braxton! Abel is a close second, but Brax is my true entertainment. I loved how the relationship between Brax and Clover grew to the point where they were both surprised and denying it. I did just about die during the railing scene. I literally buried my head in a blanket while reading. To say I don't like heights is an understament. Overall for sure a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶🌶. The steamy scenes were good and not over done.

Royally Not Ready by Meghan Quinn was a riot!  I loved the laughs and the tears I wasn't expecting. Definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and oh dear Lord 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶. The steam was so out of this world. Keller and Lilly are a fantastic couple. It seems so fast for them to fall in love to outsiders but you watch their relationship come together, they share so much of themselves with each other.  I'm not going to lie I probably felt more rollercoaster emotions and tears (happy and sad) in this book rather than others of Meghan Quinn. It was still so good!

Watch out, baby…down the rabbit hole we go .   Crybaby, a steamy dark romance and first book in the Revenge Is Sweet Series from international bestselling author Monica James and Michelle Lancaster is coming October 11th, and we have the first look at the delicious cover!   My name is Rev. I like long walks on the beach. A neat scotch. And I like stealing from rich losers who have no idea the town’s Big Bad Wolf screwed their wives six ways to Sunday. Such a scandal, indeed. I have one end goal—to get out of this town. I’m a loner. And that’s by choice. People aren’t really my thing. That is…until I meet her. The little firecracker who sets more than my soul on fire. No one has ever stuck around. But Darcie is different. She seems to be as broken as me, and when our worlds collide, nothing but trouble looms. Watch out, baby…down the rabbit hole we go.   Pre-order your copy today! Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/4cdkv4bz Amazon...

I finished Bones, the last book in the Dark Kingdom series by Shantel Tessier.  I feel like it definitely gave you the emotional rollercoaster but on a lesser scale than the previous book's. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 as I feel like there may have been a bit more spice rather than overall plot. Bones and Mia have an interesting relationship,  I could see it slowly developing but there was just something missing there. I liked it, enough to breeze through it in a day. It's not one of those super memorable books like Grave, will stick with me.  You have to finish out the series! And don't get me wrong it's a fantastic book just not as up there with the others.  Also I NEED a Jasmine and Nite book!!! There just has to be one on tap, please!

Moving on in the Dark Kingdom series I just finished Cross by Shantel Tessier.  Once again my emotions were all over the place. These books just leave me with all the feels. They are good enough for me to have read 2 in less than 48 hours which for me is fairly impressive. Which means it definitely gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶, so so many steamy scenes.  Cross and Alexa are fantastic together and the evolution of their relationship is beautiful. You can see how it gradually evolves rather than they meet and are now in love. "He can sit on his throne while I kneel for him." "She burns me in a way that leaves scars."  No Cinderella instalove here. Unlike Grave (the previous book in the series) Cross goes into much different exceptionally emotional issues that the couple needs to overcome. “Depend on a man to feed you, and you give him the power to starve you.” Alexa needs to let go of some misconceptions and Cross needs to open up. If you...

It is 2am and I just finished Grave by Shantel Tessier. It was so good! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶. Less focused on the smegsy parts (even though they were definitely still there) and more on the plot. I read Titan a while back (maybe like 9 months ago or so) so I vaguely knew what I was getting into and the overall series.  This book made me laugh and cry and everything in between. It pulled me in so well I couldn't put it down. April and Grave are an unlikely couple but fate brings them together. Grave battles his additions and goes up and down bringing you in emotionally. Then you get April trying to help him and be there for him. It's just so emotional!  "I didn’t want to be the bigger person. I didn’t want to put myself out there again to him. But he did something that no one has ever done before—listened to me." Then there are the parts that make you laugh interspersed throughout the entire book. " My lips start to tingle immediately. “...

I finally finished God of Malice by Rina Kent. It was pretty good, but not necessarily great in my mind. I would say ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 and 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶. The smegsy scenes were abundant and hardcore dark. “Oh, my God,” she breathes out. “That’s right, your god. Worship at my altar, baby.” I love Killian as a character, but with all the hype I was expecting more psychotic-ness. Maybe that says more about me and the dark books I typically read. "You’ll pray to every deity on earth, but I’ll be your custom-made merciless god." Apparently that's not dark enough for me 🤣 Glydon played off stronger than she really was. She's a lot of talk less action. She came off as a bit wishy-washy with going back and forth of what she wanted and how she felt about art and Devlin and Killian. Eventually she figures out who she is and how she wants to live her life. I loved all of the side characters and I'm really looking forward to future books even if this wasn't m...

In Chaos We Reign, an addictive and must-read dark romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Amo Jones is coming August 14th, and we have the incredible cover!   I was the trick that they could never play. She was the greatest game of all…   There was elegance that comes from being carved from the ashes of all the darkness that surrounds you in the world. You start as dust, and you end as dust. At least that’s what I always thought. Crowned Princess Mayhem all my life became old fast, and I found myself forging my iron crown with the blood of our enemies.   To The Brothers of Kiznitch, I was nothing but a little brat that always got my way. I was the sister none of them asked for, but they’d find themselves needing. He was no different. Loving Keaton Cicero was never going to be easy. There was evil within him that would never be accepted.   They thought their over-protectiveness had kept me safe all these years, but they wer...

I finished Leading to Love and Rhythm of Love (which I received as an ARC through Booksprout for my honest review) by Kristin MacQueen. I read Leading to Love off of KU because I didn't want to miss anything when I went on to book 2, plus I love when I can read one right after another.  I adored the relationship between Ari and Ethan. They are such a cute couple, especially being polar opposites. Ari is out there and more the rocker type that needs to convert straight laced, polo wearing Ethan to the dark side of the fashion world. They grow so much together and for being a novella it packed a lot in a short period of time. Even the steam was on point. Book two, Rhythm of Love, follows Calan and Bailey. They get together over their shared love of Harley, Calan's daughter and Bailey's niece. They too are polar opposites, Calan is tattooed everywhere, piercings, bad boy attitude and Bailey is this wholesome student finishing her last semester of college. Calan con...

I finished The Joker which is the conclusion to the Rake Forge University Series by Ashley Munoz. I really liked this one, probably not as much as King of Hearts though. It wrapped up the series really well and it feels complete. Overall I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶. This series was really fire 🔥 in the steam department which means I will be reading more of Ashley's books in the future. The beginning was hard for me to get into. Not sure if that was because I had been reading the series one right after the other in such a short time or if it was slow. It has a lot of twists once you really get into the book. The twists really bring in your interest. Rylie and Kyle are such a great couple with such a great friendship prior to Kyle disappearing off the face of the Earth for Rylie. However I feel like Rylie didn't make Kyle grovel enough to repair what he did to her. On top of that to "get her attention" he's straight up mean to her. The...