BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Trust by Ella Frank

(Temptation series, book 3)

TRUST -- verb: to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another.

Up until now, Logan Mitchell has never had much of a reason to trust anyone. Having struggled with a self-identity crisis throughout college, he's spent the years since then creating a sophisticated facade to present to the world. It's an armor he thought was impenetrable -- until the met Tate Morrison. The gorgeous, headstrong bartender he'd sat across from only months ago has taken a tight hold of his heart, and Logan is discovering that it's time to let go. It's time to let someone inside.

After years of placing his dreams on hold for his family, Tate has finally chosen to do what makes him happy and follow his heart. The one thing he never would've imagined was that it would lead him into the arms of a man -- and not just any man -- the striking, never-takes-no-for-an-answer Logan Mitchell. Tate has fallen hard, and as his world is turned on its axis and they move forward together, he finds his life becoming more entwined with the confident, successful lawyer. 

Even though neither man expected the other, it's time to trust in their relationship -- but not everything come so easily...

BUY: Amazon  

   

“What’s wrong with my hair? Are you saying I need to cut it?”

“No, I’m fucking not,” Logan said as he fingered the curls by Tate’s ear. “And you know it.”

“What would you do if I did shave my head?”

“Kill you? And likely get away with it since I have connections to a very reputable law firm.”

Tate chuckled and shoved Logan until he was on his back beside him. “Be serious.”

Logan turned his head on the pillow and ran his eyes over Tate’s full head of hair. Then he returned his gaze to the eyes watching him. “I would quite possibly cry. For days.”

“Over my hair? It does grow back, you know.”

“Yeah, but not for months,” he grumbled. “Can you please stop talking so calmly about this? You’re making me nervous.”

Tate shifted until his long, lean body was stretched out above him, and Logan widened his legs to allow him to settle in between.

“Don’t worry,” Tate assured him as he lowered his head to kiss the corner of his mouth. He then moved those teasing lips to Logan’s ear and whispered, “I like your hands in it too much to cut it off.”

Logan threaded his fingers through the thick waves and asked, “Like this?”

With a groan, Tate rocked his hips against him, and Logan twisted his fingers tighter.

“Exactly like that.”

“Good,” he said as he wound his legs around Tate’s. “Because this way, I can have a tight hold on you when you’re trying to distract me. I’m onto you, Mr. Morrison. Don’t try to use your body against me.”

He almost lost his willpower when Tate, the cocky fucker, placed his hands on either side of his head and rubbed their erections together.

“You don’t want me to use my body on you?”

“Fuck you,” Logan said, knowing full well that, if he didn’t change the subject or get Tate the hell off him, he was going to roll him over and cease talking altogether.

Usually he’d love nothing more, but right now, he wanted to know why Tate had reacted so strongly to his question from last night—well, early morning.

“We need to talk.”

I am going to miss these two so, so much. 

There are good love stories, there are great love stories, and then there are those that cement themselves in your heart. They make you believe, they force you to feel, and they leave you with a heart so full you wonder how it's possible these characters aren't real. They have to be; you are so invested in their relationship that you can't fathom them ever being apart. These are love stories that you feel could change the world, even if just a little bit. Logan and Tate's love story is that kind of story.

Try was my very first M/M romance, and I could never have imagined how deeply I would fall in love with these two men. Now I'm sitting here, after finishing their journey, and wondering how I can properly express my feelings on this series. I don't want to give away any spoilers regarding the plot, and quite honestly, the blurb contains everything you need to know. Trust picks up right where we left off at the end of Take, and Ella gives us an absolutely beautiful portrait of the sheer power of love in this finale of Logan and Tate's story. 

I can count on both hands the number of couples that I was rooting for as if it was my own relationship, and these two...these two are at the top of that list. They have overcome so many challenges, and reservations, and yet through all the rough spots, their love remained constant. Ella has given us a story that perfectly mixes passion, unconditional love, friendship, family, more-than-clever wit, and hot as all hell sex. You didn't think I would forget to mention that, did you?! I mean...Je-sus Christ. Why did I even bother wearing pants while I read this?! 

Honestly, I could spend all night telling you how deep my love for this series runs, and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you are having reservations simply because it's M/M? Don't. I promise you won't be disappointed, and you will experience one of the greatest romances I have ever had the pleasure of being a part of; seriously, Ella, thank you for writing this series. You have shown the world pure, honest, beautiful love and I can't imagine a time in the future when these two won't have a space in my heart. 

"I've never been more sure of another person in all my life."

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite and Temptation series. The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became an avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back. Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Hillsboro, Portland with her husband. 

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REVIEW: Never Never by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

(Never Never series, book 1)

Best friends since they could walk. 

In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember.

She'll do anything to forget.

BUY: Amazon 

   

This is a perfect representation of me after finishing this…

Because I don't.

Was it terrible? No.

Was it great? No.

To be honest, I don't really have a whole lot of feelings towards any of it. I never connected with the characters, maybe because they don't know who they are? I don’t know, but I literally felt nothing for them. I'm not rooting for them as a couple, again, maybe because of their situation. Could we not get a flashback or something to them as a couple? Sure, there are bread crumbs, but nothing substantial enough to make me think "I really want these two to be together." I'm just indifferent. I don't care. They could have a happily ever after or never see each other again, and I'd be good either way.

Sure, the mystery element is kind of intriguing but I just read about 140 pages of a story and I am no closer to finding out what happened to Charlie and Silas. I kind of wish I would have delved a little deeper into some reviews before I bought this; if I had known that I would still have zero answers at the end of this installment, I probably would have skipped it and just started with the second serial.

I'm a huge Tarryn Fisher fan, but it kind of saddens me to say this…I may be falling off the Colleen Hoover fangirl train. I haven't enjoyed the past two novels she has released, and I haven't even liked any of her characters since Sky and Holder in Hopeless. Maybe my tastes are evolving, and Colleen's writing and/or characters just aren't my cup of tea anymore. However, considering this was a collaboration, I was expecting something great. Unfortunately, I just found it kind of average. It kept me entertained enough to finish, but I’m not chomping at the bit to find out what happens next.

Oh well. You can’t like ‘em all. 

3 STARS

Reviewed by:

REVIEW: Three, Two, One by JA Huss

ONE GIRL

Battered, barefoot, and huddled under a bookstore awning in the pouring rain, Blue only knows one thing. After fifteen months of captivity, finally...she is free.

TWO FRIENDS

Self-made millionaires JD and Ark are not out to save anyone when they stumble upon a wet and shivering girl one early Sunday morning. But when you sell sex for a living and salvation rings your bell...you answer the call.

THREE SOULMATES

After years of searching, love lifts the veil of darkness, and three people -- with three very big secrets -- find themselves bound together in a relationship that defies the odds.

Or does it?

Love. Lust. Sex. 

This trinity might be perfection...but not everything should come in 3's. 

*Warning: This is a standalone non-traditional M/F/M romance with a non-traditional ending.*

BUY: Amazon 

   

I was super nervous about this one, but....

SWEET. MOTHER. LOVING. JESUS.

I'm struggling.

Struggling to cope with the massive hangover that I'm battling all thanks to this book.

Struggling to find the words that will convey how much this story impacted me.

Struggling to come to terms with the fact that my journey with Ark, Blue, and JD is over.

My struggle is very, very real.

For the record, this was my first JA Huss novel. I know, I know, what the hell have I been doing with my life. But hey, better late than never. So, at a ripe 28 years old, my JA Huss cherry has been popped, and she was anything but gentle with me. This story stripped me raw, and owned me completely. It's tainted with lies and deception, and laced with love and passion. It will pull you under, hold you down, and never let you up for air. It's intense, gritty, suspenseful, and obscenely sexy.

In short…it's fucking fantastic.

Three, Two, One is a story that you absolutely should go into fairly blind. Read the synopsis, read spoiler-free reviews, but for the love of all that is holy, do not go searching for answers. Don't do it. This should be experienced firsthand, with no knowledge of how the story of Ark, Blue, and JD unfolds. It is a beautifully broken journey that tests the boundaries of friendship, love, and commitment between two best friends, and one beautiful stranger.

To put it simply – Ark and JD sell sex. It's a lucrative, albeit dirty profession, so when they stumble upon Blue – soaking wet from the rain, wearing no shoes and only a thin sundress – they see this an opportunity. They need a new video to post, and since their scheduled girl bailed, Blue seems like a perfect substitute. With the promise of up to $500 for her time and *cough* services, she obliges...creating the start to the perfect trinity; a relationship none of them ever saw coming. But as time passes, and loyalties are tested, the question is raised – are there some things that just shouldn't come in 3's?

I had reservations about reading this novel, so I didn't immediately jump in; I dipped my toe in, tested the water, and slowly waded towards the deep end. I bought and downloaded it when it was first released. Every time I would look at my Kindle, that cover was just staring at me, but I was nervous. I hadn't ever read a full-blown M/F/M romance before, and I didn't know what to expect. I don't like books that involve cheating, and I was worried that's what this would feel like. So, I waited. When I noticed some of my booky friends reading it, my interest peaked and I found myself cautiously cruising through the reviews. They all loved it. So finally, I took the plunge. I went in, and quickly found myself drowning in the sheer brilliance of this story.

Everything about this novel was incredible. The writing, the story line, the characters, they were all just utterly captivating. It's such an unconventional, taboo-esque romance that I was completely enraptured with from the very beginning. And because there is no way I could write a review for this book without talking about the sexy times, here goes nothing…

Make sure you are stocked up on batteries before you read this. For real. There were several times I had to stop and collect myself. These were some of the hottest, panty-dropping, I-can-feel-my-heart-beat-in-my-vagina scenes I have ever read. Ever. And that's saying something, people.

Three, Two, One has easily planted itself on my all-time favorites list, and I am adding every single book JA Huss has ever written to my TBR, because I am now officially a fangirl. This unique, suspenseful romance put me through the ringer, and while I was constantly craving more and never wanted it to end, it left me completely and utterly satiated. 

5 STARS

Reviewed by:

BLOG TOUR -- REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: A Desperate Man, Volume 2 by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

(A Desperate Man, volume 2)

Illusions -- we all create them.

For some it's to project an impressive image to a prospective employer; for others it's to attract the eye of another. 

My illusions is a bit more...complicated.

Years in the making, my secret has the potential to bite me in the ass. And not in the way I typically enjoy.

Sex.

As women, we're judged for reveling in the same carnal pleasure that men do, but I've never been shy about my voracious appetite. Now, I'm under no illusions that I'll find love with any of my one nights stands.

After all, I have one rule -- no repeats -- but it's a rule that's becoming harder to follow since Evan James came back into my life. 

Did I say back into my life?

My name is Reagan Spencer, and you may think you know me, but...

How well do we really know anyone?

BUY: Amazon (US) ❋ Amazon (UK) ❋ Amazon (AU) ❋ Amazon (CA)

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“Blondie,” he called out, and lifted his hand in a wave.

She dashed over, out of the rain, and lowered the umbrella as she came to a stop in front of him. His eyes automatically zoomed in on her plumped-up breasts, and the first thought that ran through her mind was, Score one for me. Slightly juvenile, perhaps, but a much more appropriate thought than the ones she’d been having prior to getting out of the cab.

“I wasn’t sure you’d brave the weather tonight. Thought I might end up going stag.”

Shaking the umbrella, Reagan brought her eyes up to his and let her mouth curl into a wicked smile.

“Please, I’m at my best when wet.”

Evan’s eyes heated as he seemed to bite his tongue. “Already pulling out the big guns, I see.”

“Oh no, honey, I haven’t even started. I’m saving my true arsenal for the men who count.”

Evan cocked his head to the side, but didn’t appear offended as a small smile tugged his lips. “I see how it is.”

“Do you?”

“Yes. You’re gonna go all sex kitten, and I’m going to be stuck asking about feelings and shit.”

As they moved toward the door, and Evan reached for the handle and pulled it open, Reagan stopped and looked up at him.

“You do have feelings, don’t you, Evan?”

He leaned down until his mouth was by her ear and whispered, “I’m having a very strong feeling right now.”

Reagan’s stomach flipped, and she ignored the urge to flirt back with the man grinning at her, instead scoffing before patting his arm. “Well, you should make sure to tell that to the first young lady you sit down with.”

“If she’s a lady, I’m thinking she won’t appreciate that particular feeling.”

“Then what does that make me?”

Brushing past him, she felt his hand against her hip through the tight material of her dress. She didn’t have to have eyes in the back of her head to know he was staring at her ass.

“That makes you fucking dangerous.”

*ARC gifted by authors in exchange for an honest review*

My first thought after finishing volume two of this serial?

I need to buy a Polaroid camera.

In A Desperate Man, volumes 1 and 2 we are introduced to Evan James and Reagan Spencer. Evan is a sex addict with one rule – no repeats. He has never even been remotely tempted to break that rule until a certain blonde bombshell invades not only his bed, but also his mind. He can’t stop thinking about her, and when the little vixen turns out to be his new boss, things only get harder for Evan. (Ha, harder. Pun intended). He finds himself constantly fantasizing about her, and searching for any way to get her naked again. But Reagan just so happens to have the same rule as Evan – no repeats. Between trying to keep Evan at bay and maintain a professional relationship at work, Reagan has her hands full…and it seems like she might be carrying more than she can handle. With her resolve crumbling, she finds it almost impossible to deny her feelings for Evan, regardless of his past. But that’s not the only problem; Reagan has a secret. A big one. So, just how will Evan react when he realizes who she really is?

Oh my lanta. As much as I loved Volume 1, I think it’s been beaten out by the latest installment of this serial series. We get the privilege of being inside Reagan’s head this go round, and she might just be one of my favorite female leads, like, ever. I love that she isn’t ashamed of her voracious appetite for sex…she owns that shit! In Volume 1, she seems so in control of her emotions when it comes to Evan, but now we get to see a more vulnerable side to her. Vulnerability or not, she’s still a badass bitch. I mean, this is Reagan Spencer we’re talking about here.

The sexual banter between these two is enough to make a girl blush, and the sexy times are certified panty droppers. I mean, there’s a reason why literally the number one thing on my to-do list now is to find out where I can buy a damn Polaroid camera! I think I read that portion at least three times, and I’m not even the least bit ashamed of that. It was HOT. AS. HELL. This serial has the perfect mix of steam, sexual tension, and raw emotion. It will make you have all the feels up top and down south.

That ending killed me, and I’ve already tried to use bribery on Brooke to tell me what happens next!! Unfortunately, she’s a damn steel trap (I’m giving you the side eye right now, Brooke!) I am so anxious to see how the rest of this story plays out, and I am blown away by how seamlessly Ella and Brooke weave their words together. This is a sexy serial series, and these two women just plain know how to write!

Now, *ahem* if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to take care of...

*opens browser and pulls up Amazon, searches for Polaroid camera*

5 STARS

Reviewed by:

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You could say Brooke Blaine was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

Her first solo novel, a romantic comedy, is due out in early 2015, but first, she thought she’d write a raunchy story with her best friend that would scar her conservative southern family for life.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find - just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.

Brooke Blaine ❋ Facebook ❋ Twitter ❋ Goodreads ❋ Pinterest ❋ Tsu

Ella Frank is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author. She writes both contemporary and erotic fiction and is best known for her Exquisite Series, and Temptation Series.

The minute she began her love affair with reading, she became and avid supporter of the romance genre and has never looked back.

Ella is Australian born and bred but currently resides in Houston, Texas with her husband. 

Ella Frank ❋ Facebook ❋ Twitter ❋ Goodreads ❋ Pinterest ❋ Tsu

REVIEW: One Last Song by S.K. Falls

I was seven when I swallowed my first needle.

My mom freaked out and rushed me to the emergency room.

She stayed by the side all night.

I never wanted it to end.

When you spend your whole life feeling invisible -- when your parents care more about deals and deadlines than they do about you -- you find ways of making people take notice. Little things at first. Then bigger. It's scary how fast it grows. Then one day something happens that makes you want to stop. To get better. To be better. And for the first time, you understand what it's like to feel whole, happy...loved. For the first time, you love someone back. 

For me, that someone was Drew. 

BUY: AMAZON

   

**ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review**

This one was…different.

Saylor was seven years old when she found out how to garner the attention from her parents that she so desperately craved; swallow a needle. For the first time in her life, her mother wasn’t looking through her, she was looking at her. With the knowledge that sickness would get her attention, she spent the next 11 years looking for new ways to feign illness. But now, with her Munchausen syndrome at a dangerous level, her parents have no choice but to pull her out of college and move her back home. With her life essentially at rock bottom, she’s forced to attend therapy sessions, and takes up a volunteer job at the local hospital – where she joins a support group for kids with terminal illnesses under the false pretense that she is terminal as well. This is where she meets Drew, and for the first time in her life, she doesn’t have the constant ache to make herself sick; she wants to be better for him. But that means coming clean...about everything…and admitting her gigantic lie could end the very relationship that has made her want to be a better person.

I think the best word to describe this novel is unique. There are plenty of books out there where the main character is battling some sort of illness, but I have yet to find one like this; where the sickness was completely self-inflicted. I've read books that involve self-harm, and although my skin crawled just the same in this story, it felt different. Saylor wasn't hurting herself as a means of escape – she was hurting herself to gain attention. To be honest, I was surprised that my dislike for her wasn't stronger. She wasn't a character that I could relate to, in terms of both her illness and  her parents' lack of affection, so I was a little taken aback by my overall sympathy for her. I mean, I'm a big softy – anyone who knows me will tell you that – but her manipulation tested me. I constantly found myself shaking my head in disbelief, and yet I never found myself hating her. The way her parents really wanted nothing to do with her just made me sad, and it was in those moments where my resolve crumbled and I felt for her. I wanted to dislike her, but I just couldn't. Tip of the cap to S.K. Falls, because it takes some serious writing chops to create a deceitful character, and still have the reader rooting for them.

I enjoyed the secondary characters, but aside from Zee, I didn't really love any of them – Drew included. Maybe I just felt like we should have gotten more of him? I don't know. I can't quite put my finger on why I wasn't emphatically shipping him and Saylor. Maybe it had to do with knowing her secret, and it wasn't even about him…I'm honestly not sure. I've been thinking about it for the past 3 days since I finished the book, and I'm getting no closer to an answer. I liked them together, but they just weren't one of my favorite book couples.

Overall, the writing was pretty great and I did find myself sucked into the story almost immediately, it just wasn't a knock out for me. I saw a few reviews where readers found themselves reduced to tears, and I don’t think I was on the brink even once. And that's saying something because again…you're dealing with a softy here! Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means; it was good, just not great. 

3 STARS

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