#REVIEW: Expressly Yours, Samantha (Cotillion Ball #7) by Becky Lower

When the last real family she has passes away, seventeen year old Samantha Hughes, must get away from an uncle who wants to do her harm. Samantha sees a wanted ad for Pony Express riders and decides to pose as a boy and seek employment with the Pony Express in order to survive. Samantha quickly becomes Sam by cutting her hair and dress as a boy to assist her in hiding herself until her eighteenth birthday, when she will be free from her uncle's clutches.

Sam arrives at the Pony Express offices, but misses her chance when all the positions are filled. There she meets Valerian Fitzpatrick, who instead of returning to the confines of his family in New York, joins the Pony Express as a rider. Val sees that Sam needs help and helps him get a job working with the Pony Express horses in the stables. Val also knows that Sam is hiding something, but won't push until Sam is ready to come clean about what or who he's running from,

An emergency arises and Sam gets his chance to be a Pony Express rider.  Caught in the line of fire,  Valerian comes to the rescue. Val discovers that Sam is actually Samantha and then a whole new set of complications arise when Val now has to protect Samantha's  identity as well as her person when Samantha's evil uncle comes to hunt her down. By this time both Samantha and Val are goners for their emotions. Samantha fell hard for Val and he isn't far behind her with those feelings. Keeping Samantha safe from her perverted uncle is paramount until she is of age, and Samantha will not have Val placed in danger until that time comes.

Samantha's uncle tracks her, but Val helps her escape, only to be separated from one another, when they yearn to be together. The journey to their reunion is one filled with excitement and danger, making Expressly Yours, Samantha by Becky Lower a highly recommended read. 

Although this is the seventh book in the Cotillion Ball series by author, Becky Lower, Expressly Yours, Samantha is easily read as a stand alone. Watching Valerian mature from impatient boy to caring man and Samantha from a desperate girl into a self-sufficient woman makes this tale all the more interesting along with the rich history and wild western struggles. This well written tale is a wonderful read and now that I've had a taste, I will be reading more from this talented author.

~KIMBERLY~

GUEST REVIEW: One Night with a Santini (The Santinis #8) by Melissa Schroeder

Brando Santini was nerdy in college. He wanted to be a teacher but joined the Marines instead. This trip to New Orleans was going to be time spent with his friends before heading east to take a job teaching ROTC at the University of Maryland. Not looking where he was going, he bangs into someone. Looking up to apologize, he realizes that he knows the person, Kaitlin Fitzpatrick.

Brando has had a crush on Kaitlin Fitzpatrick since college. Unfortunately, Kaitlin was engaged, so it was hands off. During a trip To New Orleans, Brando runs into Kaitlin who is attending a speech therapist conference. They get together for drinks. During the conversation over drinks, Brando finds out that Kaitlin never married. One thing leads to another after a few drinks and they end up in bed. Kaitlin thinks it is a one night stand, but Brando has other ideas. Kaitlin is the one for him. Once a Santini finds "the one", nothing will stop them from going after what they want.

Kaitlin realizes that she also has feelings for Brando. During their conversations, she asks Brando where he is going to be living in Maryland. He tells her that he doesn't have a place yet. Kaitlin offers him a place to stay, her place. nerves set in as Kaitlin awaits Brando's arrival. She is feeling sick, thinking she has probably caught what is going around. After a while, she realizes that she is not sick, but pregnant with Brando's baby. When Brando finds out, he tells Kaitlin that they are getting married, he doesn't ask her. Needless to say, this leads to many arguments.

Once again, Melissa Schroeder has out done herself with the Santini saga. I love this series. Both Kaitlin and Brando come from large, nosey and interfering families. The secondary characters along with the dialog between these characters provide the reader with some comedic relief as Kaitlin and Brando deal with the dynamics of living in large protective families. This is a story about love, loyalty, family and a sense of duty while finding your happily ever after. I highly recommend this story and look forward to the next Santini finding "the one"

~JANET RODMAN~ 

SLICK'S GUEST REVIEW OF ~UNRAVELED (MASTERED #3) BY LORELEI JAMES

The minute Shiori "She-Cat" Hirano appeared in Bound I was drawn to her character and so I was thrilled to find out that Unraveled would be her and Knox Lofgren's story.  I knew it would be different, I knew it would be unlike anything she's ever written, and I knew I was in for a treat and author Lorelei James did not disappoint.  I loved this story about two people who needed each other in ways neither one had ever admitted or put words to but somehow through trial and error found the strength to follow their passion and listen to their hearts and in turn accept each other faults, baggage, and craziness to find the love and happiness they both so richly deserved. 

The fact that never once during this book despite what the characters were telling each other, despite their issues, despite some serious missteps by both character did I never doubt they would wind up together is a testament to how much I believed these two were destined to be together.  I love when couples share verbal sparring, maybe because it hits home with me, and Shiori and Knox are masters at it which thrilled me to no end.  For them it turned out to be a weird sort of foreplay that brought them to a different place and made them confront the feelings they shared.  I admire Shiori's toughness, her attitude, and the way she was honest with Knox about her wants, needs, and what he could expect if they were together intimately.  She didn't back down, she didn't offer to change, and she was very clear that she was not in it for the long haul, that she planned to return to Japan at some point.  There is nothing sexier than a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to please the woman he's with and Knox is that man andmore.  He is tough, he is protective of those he cares about, and he is dedicated.  I enjoyed they way Shiori introduced Knox to his submissive side, I love that she showed him that being submissive did not mean being weak or less of a man and that in submitting to her he was taking care of her every need something he not only wanted to do but NEEDED to do.  Yes, Knox struggled as I think a lot of men do with submission, but the fact that he began to realize that he really wasn't doing anything all that differently; that it was his pleasure to make sure his woman got everything she wanted and needed really made him understand what submission was all about.  What was interesting was watching Shiori's realization that she needed more than just Knox's submission; that she craved the times they were together outside of the D/s relationship and that she in fact needed those intimate, non D/s, not sexual times with him.

As always in a book by Lorelei James, the intimate moments between these two were off the charts sexy with some very well written instances of delayed gratification, bondage, and some light punishment/torture scenes all thrown in for good measure.  While this is a couple that enjoys their "kink" I didn't feel it overshadowed the book; yes they took some time to explore what it would mean to have this type of relationship together, yes there were times they questioned it, yes there were times they messed it all up but in the end this was the story of two people realizing that despite their need for their kink they needed each other's love more. 

I must give a shout out to the secondary cast of characters in this book which all added so much to an already excellent story.  Deacon really stepped up to the plate multiple times during this book and I am even more fascinated by him than I was before and ring girl/Black & Blue promoter Katie really impressed me during this story and honestly I wasn't sure where was much hope for her in the previous book so that was a huge eye opener to me.  I'd like to say I made peace with Ronin in this book but honestly, I'm still on the fence about him; he's just one of those heroes that I don't trust fully although Amery moved up a couple of notches in my eyes.

I love when an author spreads her wings and tackles a new subject and then works hard to turn it into an amazing story and author Lorelei James had done just that in Unraveled.  As a woman who has a very dominate streak, I love how she portrayed the heroine as someone who while dominate is also vulnerable and also needs someone she can show her softer side to.  For me Unraveled is her best book in the Mastered series to date and one that I know I will enjoy re-reading again and again.

~SLICK~ 

ATTENTION PLEASE!!! OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE FOR ~GYPSY (SONS OF SANGUE #3) BY PATRICIA A. RASEY~

I am so happy to report that Patricia A. Rasey has given us the release date for her upcoming Sons of Sangue Book #3, GYPSY.... Will you all be able to hang on tight until April 28? 

#REVIEW- Married to a Perfect Stranger by Jane Ashford

Mary Fleming and John Bexley were not the shining stars in either of their families. So it was suggested that the two marry and settle into a comfortable existence. Soon after their marriage, John was called away on a two year long diplomatic mission, leaving his new wife to her own devices. 

In their time away from one another, each matured in their own way and once reunited, these changes in each of them confuses the other. John remembers an amiable and quiet wife and is perplexed when he biddable wife is replaced with a vibrant and outspoken Mary. Mary is a bit taken aback by this new and formidable John, but annoyed when he expects her to be the same woman he left behind. 

Beginning again is a bit difficult for the pair, whose expectations of one another are rather skewed, but the journey Mary and John take is an exciting one with revelations as well as romance.

Married To A Perfect Stranger by Jane Ashford is the first book I have read by this author. I truly enjoyed the story. John and Mary has become essentially strangers to one another. Quite honestly, they never really knew one another when they began their relationship. I enjoyed the reactions each one had when they found out something new about one another and how they come to terms with the new level of maturity as well as understanding. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Ashford and I do recommend Married To A Perfect Stranger. 

#REVIEW: The Bedding Proposal (The Rakes of Cavendish Square #1) by Tracy Anne Warren and #GIVEAWAY

Tracy Anne Warren has a winner with The Bedding Proposal. 

When Lord Leo Byron spots the divorced Thalia Lennox across a ballroom, he knows he must have her. Thalia however wants to belong to no one. She did her time as a wife to a cruel man who left her reputation in the gutter when he divorced her and publicly humiliated her. Even years later, the ton turns their back on Thalia, leaving her to feel the cold indignation from those who were once her peers.

Leo cares nothing for what the tons thinks, and he is determined to make Thalia his mistress, but she will have none of it.  The insistent pursuit begins to wear down Thalia's defences until she herself wonders if being in Leo's bed would be such a bad thing to happen. The more Leo learns about  Thalia, he begins to understand that there is much more than meets the eye to this woman and he even thinks that she may have been wronged by her ex-husband, not the other way around.  

Neither set out to fall in love with the other, but once in each other's sights, the sparks begin to fly and the younger Leo, begins to show the older woman what she has been missing and once he has unleashed her passion, it's impossible to let her get away.

Maybe it's because I am a woman of a certain age who prefers the older, mature heroine to the ingenue, but Tracy Anne Warren's The Bedding Proposal sung to me in a way that grabbed me and would not let go. At first I found Leo to be a tad obnoxious, but as the story progressed it was his confidence and demeanor with Thalia that won me over.  My admiration for the wronged Thalia places her at the top of my favorite heroines list. Together, this couple's journey is a delightful tale that should not be missed, but savored by all. The Bedding Proposal by Tracy Anne Warren is one of my favorite historical romances of the year so far. I look forward to the next Rakes of Cavendish Square novel with bated breath. 

~KIMBERLY~ 

GIVEAWAY ALERT
A LUCKY READER WHO COMMENTS WILL BE CHOSEN TO WIN A SIGNED COPY OF TRACY ANNE WARREN'S
THE BEDDING PROPOSAL
GIVEAWAY ENDS ON FRIDAY, MARCH 13


WINNER: LORI MEEHAN!!!! CONGRATS!!!

GUEST REVIEW: Vampires Never Cry Wolf (Dead in the City #3) by Sara Humphreys

"

"One of the best books I have read in a long time." 

(quote by Jennifer Butler) 

Killian Bane is back in NYC to open up his own nightclub. When he has not been working on his new place he has been spending many (many) nights at The Coven. He keeps telling himself it’s because he wants to learn how the place operates because he certainly isn’t ready to admit that his reason is Sadie Pemberton the vampire owner of The Coven. Killian knows that getting together with Sadie is all kinds of wrong…but why does it feel so right.

Sadie is enjoying her new role as the owner of The Coven. She has her sisters at work and is finally finding her groove. The only hiccup is having to play nice with Killian Bane Werewolf Prince and his entourage in the VIP area. Each time she sees him she has to fight her attraction to him because she knows that getting involved with a werewolf is not a good idea.

While they both at first fight there attraction to each they soon realize that they can’t deny that there is something between them. When they finally get together it is hot, steamy and everything you can want in romance. While Killian and Sadie figure out what they are to each other they to face some obstacles that may make it harder for them. Because being a vampire and werewolf in love isn’t going to be easy.

This book was just down right awesome! There is so much going on with definitely a few OMG moments in it. Secrets are revealed and things happen that I just couldn't believe. But all these things just make for a good book, no make that great book. I want to say more but it would give too much of the story away and it just has to be read! I really think the best book in the series so far! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

~JENNIFER BUTLER~