I adore her...
What a way to bang into the New ....
WORTH THE WAIT
Ella Tipton is a survivor. In the wake of an attack that left her nearly dead, she’s spent each day putting her life back together. Once vibrant and outgoing, she’s needed to reclaim the best parts of who she was while retaining the hard won lessons. There hasn’t been room for any romantic entanglements, even if she were ready. Still, it didn’t mean she had to stop sneaking looks at Mister Tall, Dark and Tattooed himself.
Security professional Andrew Copeland isn’t quite sure when his jones for the lovely and decidedly skittish Ella developed. He’s known her for years, has watched her triumph over the pain she’d been dealt. Cope is no stranger to women, but he knows the nervous flush he gets every time he talks to her is different than any attraction he’s had in the past. Determined to get Ella to let him in, Andy does the one thing he can think of to get close: he offers her hands-on training in self-defense.
While Ella’s sure he’s just being nice, the prospect of being able to touch him and gain the tools to push away the last vestiges of her fear is more than she can resist. Soon enough, Cope shows Ella his feelings are far more than friendly and re-ignites something deep inside her. Before long desire and love turn them both inside out.
I obtained the above information from Ms. Lauren Dane's website here.
Gillian Forrester spent most of her life running from who and what she came from. Until Miles came along. From the moment she held the tiny newborn her older sister didn’t want, Gillian stopped running and began to build a life for herself and her adopted son. Now, thirteen years later, as Gillian’s sister lay dying, she reveals the father’s identity and makes Gillian promise to find him.
Adrian Brown is the epitome of the successful rock star. He’s seen and done it all, with few regrets. It takes a lot to shock him—but the bombshell that he has a thirteen-year-old son rocks his world. And Adrian is even more surprised when the buttoned-up, elegant woman who’s raising Miles snags his erotic and romantic attention.
The last thing Gillian expected was to find herself getting hot and heavy with a person like Adrian. But as much as she wants to open up and give herself fully to this amazing man, she’s afraid the secrets of her past and Adrian’s problems with trusting people may keep them apart for good. If love isn’t enough can they find the trust they need?
Brody Brown has always been responsible for others. After his parents’ death, he gave up a promising artistic career to care for his younger brother and sister. Now, with his siblings grown, Brody owns his own business, has a nice house, makes a nice living, and for the first time in years he’s on his own.
Elise Sorenson has come to Seattle with her young daughter to find peace. After years as a world-famous ballerina—(and just as many years in a marriage-gone-bad)—she’s looking for neither love nor attention. But she finds both in the handsome, honest man who befriends her with no strings attached.
More than friends, Brody and Elise discover in each other what they need—wild, physical passion without commitment. But it’ll take a shadow from Elise’s past to make them look beyond what they need—to what they truly desire.
I obtained the above information from Ms. Dane's website... here.
My first Lauren Dane book was Laid Bare and I did a joint review with Elaing8 here at my place (see the bottom for the link to re-read it). That book absolutely blew me away. It was amazing. I kinda went into Coming Undone with the same expectations. I have to say though that I was a little let down. I went back and read the comments other people had from the Laid Bare review and someone mentioned that Coming Undone was more of a traditional erotic romance story. Now keep in mind that I read those comments after I read the book. And that truly describes Coming Undone. It is not an explosive, non stop, hot sex, whoa back up, let me re-read it again kinda book. Coming Undone is an amazing love story of two people who were not looking for love but by Coming Undone... found it.
Now with that said, let me get underway of telling you about this amazing book. I do not want you to think any less of this story... No, please don't. Like I said, it is an amazing journey in the life of one woman who is hell bent on making her life better and the life of her daughter even better. The journey of one man who thought love was a little over-rated. This is book is how the forces of love come together to complete two people and make a family stronger.
Elise Sonrenson and her daughter Rennie move to Seattle to get a fresh start on life. Their life. They left New York behind with some horrible nightmares. Let's just say that when you find out what is in Elise's closet, you might want to sleep with one eye open next to her. But then once you hear her story, see the courage, the strength, the preservation, the dedication and the love to her daughter, you will understand what kind of woman Elise is. A woman that I will stand up and admire any given day. Hell, I would make damn sure she was a woman that had my back. She may be petite and look fragile ~ but dig deep down inside of her... and there is a living, breathing dragon.. or as Brody will make us see a Phoenix deep down inside of her. She is the best damn mother there could possibly be. A protector against all things evil and vile, no matter who they are. She is a person who will not break under stress and have her daughter think things are wrong with the world. She keeps her shit together to protect her daughter and the world that surrounds her. She will and does look evil in the eye (and laugh... okay, maybe not ~ but still) and tell it where to go.
Brody Brown, where do I start with this man. He has raised his younger siblings - Erin and Adrian when he was still a teenager himself. Both of their parents were taking from them in a tragic accident. He gave up everything, his dreams, his life, his career.. his everything to be their everything. And for that, he was one proud man. You would not know that about him if you just looked at the outside of his tatted up- hot body. You would think he is a bad-ass to the core, didn't give a shit kinda man. But to know Brody deep down is to know that he is a soft, squishy kinda teddy bear, lol. Now don't get me wrong about him... mess with his people and he will want to jack you up. He is loyal to the core and fierce when it comes to loving those close to him. What person would not want this man in their life.
Now I was very glad to see that Ms. Dane did bring back the gang: Raven, Erin, Todd, Ben, Adrian. But I have to warn you.. Ms. Dane did an awesome job at keeping their stories at bay.. but making them more powerful this time! There is a scene in here where Erin, Todd and Ben have some fun.. and OMG.... hot! Okay, that is all I can say about that... because this is Elise and Brody's story. But Raven brings the drama and Adrian brings the world to a little princess. Oh and there is a surprise in there about Erin and the boys, lol! You will want to read that!
Ms. Dane did another awesome job at delivering a story that will make you want the next one just as bad as a crack addict. She gives us yet another story in the Brown family that will melt you to the bone with absolute joy and love to watch how bonded this family is. Which is nice to see in a world filled with not so nice people.
There are two things that kinda got to me in this story. The first is the jumping POV's and the time lapses between events. It kinda got a little frustrating trying to gather who was talking/thinking and then the next paragraph it would change. The time lapses, I kinda felt like I was missing something. Like if I would have been there, I would have been the clueless one. In my opinion, I felt that details were kinda left out. That will lead into my second thing. I felt like something was missing. I am not sure what... maybe the explosion between characters. I am not sure if it would be between the main characters - Elise and Brody, or the side characters. But I felt something amidst. The love is very evident, the chemistry is definitely there, the drama is high, the past - very raw... but something was just not there. It was not character lacking or story lacking... but something.. I am not sure.
If you are interested in my review of Laid Bare, please go here. It is a co-review with Elaing8.
To leave you with something to giggle at!!!
A “Not Quite Christmas” Story
Holiday ‘Holli’ James looks forward the week between Christmas and New Year’s. This is her one chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of her successful decorating business. The plan this year is a trip to New York City to see the sights and the lights.
The plan didn’t include a side trip to a small town jail in the middle of Pennsylvania. Nor did the plan include Officer Hunky.
However…
A single police officer, Michael is working the holidays — again. With no local family and no interest in accepting the pity invitations to Christmas dinner from his married friends, he’s content to work and earn extra cash. Besides, this year looks to be as uneventful as ever. Until he pulls Holli over for speeding, only to discover she’s wanted on charges of fraud.
Sexual tension spikes as Michael begins to investigate and discovers Holli isn’t who her record says she is. While they await answers, Michael is granted permission to remove Holli from the jail and place her under house arrest.
Only his idea of house arrest is much more personal than the law ever intended.
Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: anal play/intercourse, bondage, spanking.
For those of you that know me... and those that don't this is my little statement about short books.... I do not judge short stories on the rush of their relationships, because they are just that - short stories. So, yes the relationships always could have been drawn out more, yea it seems like they fall in love to fast and of course the story could have been made longer... but it is a short story. So with that said.... here is my review...
By night, Mandi is a waitress in her best friend’s adult entertainment club, complete with long raven hair and bright violet eyes. By day, she’s a boutique jewelry maker with a flair for the occasional naughty design. She’s shy, quiet, a definitive Plain Jane, and completely in lust with the one man that wouldn’t ever be interested in her. He’s big, menacing, and inspires every one of her dirty girl desires. If birthday wishes came true, he would hers.
Tattoo artist. Business owner. Lover of vintage cars. And drummer. Jaz is far from the normal, average guy. Built like a brick wall and inked from head to toe, he can scare the faint of heart with just a look, but the faint of heart isn’t what interests him, isn’t what fuels his fantasies and keeps him hard from dawn to dusk. It’s her: the waitress, his sister’s friend, the birthday girl.
Without having told a soul of her attraction, Mandi is given the best present ever. Jaz. And she’s got one night to make every wicked thought and erotic dream she’s had about him come true.
Now... Enjoy... With some Hot Chocolate!!!!
Big Star, Small-Town Christmas
Country singer Riley Jensen would never have returned to her small Missouri hometown if her publicist hadn't come up with the scheme to tape a Christmas special there. So she never would have known that the man who broke her heart at eighteen—causing her to flee to Nashville—was now a widower with a seven-year-old daughter. Riley has ten years of angst-filled hit songs and Grammy awards to prove she doesn't need Ethan Kent. But suddenly, she can't help thinking of all she gave up by running away...
Ethan Kent knew Riley had the talent and the drive to make it as a singer. He also knew she wasn't going anywhere if she stayed in their nowhere town for him. Then one night and one huge mistake sent her running on the road to fame. Which doesn't mean he ever stopped loving her...
But with so much separating them, can Riley and Ethan find their way back together one magical country Christmas?
I obtained above information from Carina Press.
I am waiting for this one to come out...As their secret meetings progress, she falls farther down a rabbit hole where the line between rape and illicit affair grows increasingly blurred. Anton will accept nothing short of her complete surrender as he molds and shapes her to be sold to the highest bidder.
Lucy Weston... And make sure to stay tune till the end for the giveaway!! Good luck!
**Throws file over shoulder and shudders**
Cecile Smutty Hussy's Review:
Surviving a plane crash that claims the life of his mother, 10-year-old Axle Hunter suddenly finds himself in the jungles of Thailand, wanders into an opium poppy field and enters an exotic realm far beyond the familiar — the world of the drug cartel. Rescued and adopted by Chang So'Ming, commander of the poppy farm, Axle works the fields and trains to become a Thai fighter in the ancient tradition. Axle comes to embrace the jungle and its people as family, and confronts the savagery of revenge when called upon to fight for his father's life. "This man was torturing his family. Axle was not afraid as he drove the blade into the man's neck. The gangster lay on the floor, choking on his own blood."
Years later, Axle has become a world champion Thai fighter, husband to the beautiful nurse, May, and father of his own son. But rival forces seeking to control the So'Ming poppy empire thrust Axle into a quest for revenge when they murder his family and burn down his father's compound, and Axle enlists the help of the one man he knows he can trust: Kane Silver.
The above information is obtained from Mr. Wade's website.
Cecile Smutty Hussy’s Review:
**Cecile ~ Gawd, I love this cover.