Sugar Honey Iced Tea

I. Need. This. ARC.NOW!!!

Um... the blurb is great. Right? Great!So, what went wrong?Long story short - this book is confused! And that's bad, because it has such a great potential!It's short, everything's happening all at once, and at the same time there are tons of misunderstandings. The communication is non-existent. There's this whole drama about the surgery, and all the risks, and then they are having hot sex days after that same surgery! Unrealistic much??I wanted to like it. Really. I did. But, it only left me frustrated and underwhelmed. Gah!!

Johnny and Liz have known each other since high school. But, they weren't in touch, and met again at the high school reunion twenty years later. One kiss, and five years of talking, chatting, emailing bring them where they are now. And they are about to fulfill one particular fantasy. It's suppose to be just one-weekend-stand... like that ever actually worked!Trouble in the Making is a short, hot read. It's got all the right elements - friends to lovers theme; hot, long-haired, tattooed rock star; a bit shy, Plain Jane type of heroine... and they are both over 40! That was my favorite part!Maybe it's me... maybe I just wasn't in the right mood at the time, but... Despite all things mentioned, that sound really awesome, it kinda felt just too... average, I guess. I kept thinking there's something missing. Something that would help this story be way better.Well, it's still great, if you're up for a light, hot one!

This book... This DAMN book!By the time I finished reading, it was 4 am, I was wide awake and literally bawling my eyes out! But, boy, was it worth it!There's no way I'll manage to write a proper review now, or even begin to explain how incredible, powerful, all-consuming... beautiful it is.I loved Preston's voice. I fell in love with him and Kon so easily. They made me laugh, cry, smile... they made me want to shake some sense into them, and somehow help them. Somehow...So many frustrating, heartbreaking moments, so many years, so many dreams, nightmares... so much love.Honestly, at one point, I had no idea where this story is heading. But, once it became clear - Oh. My. God! Just... perfect!Thank you, Monique, for sending this book my way! Love ya! ♥

Dante... Inferno... Dante owns Inferno, which makes it Dante's Inferno...Not sure if it's a really smart move, or just too much.Oh, well... we'll see!

Oh... My... God!

When you grab a 1 Night Stand story, you usually get a short read with likable characters, lots of sex and a HFN.So, imagine me happy dancing around when I read that amazingly sweet epilogue, and realized even that's not the end of Cody & Sam's story! Yay!Love, love, LOVE IT!3.5 stars because there was definitely a lot of confusion with his/he/him... I often had to go back and reread a part, just to figure out who's doing/saying/thinking what. Other than that, it's just a lovely, hot story!

Review to come after a re-read!

Gosh, I miss Horse so much!I need Picnic's story... NOW!

"Tell me your safe words.""Yellow and red. And I am so green right now it's like being in a forest."When Julia Lyle was invited to her best friend Lana's wedding, the word ‘submission' was the last thing she expected to hear. Although she's been warned the wedding will be ‘unconventional', once Lana kneels in order to accept her husband's collar, Julia is torn between running away and shaking some sense into her friend. The dilemma is solved when a man behind her threatens to turn her over his knee if she doesn't keep quiet. The man – Marcus Cavendish – also promises to explain things to her, if she behaves herself.As promised, after the ceremony they keep talking, and Marcus offers Julia a quick introduction into the BDSM lifestyle. Since they agreed on a one-time deal, only for the evening, Julia accepts to submit to him and experience what she firmly believed was impossible. But that turns out to be only the beginning...The problem is – Julia wants nothing to do with domineering men. She's determined to find a sweet, nice, uncomplicated man. Her last relationship went from sweet to sour real fast, when her charming boyfriend turned into a controlling, overbearing freak. Just being close to Marcus is making her want to run away, as he's everything she vowed she'd avoid, but at the same time he's making her want to follow him wherever he goes. And, as he explains more, and demands more, she feels she can't resist him.Marcus, on the other hand, although an experienced Dom, has never been with a novice before. It turned out to be a unique evening for him, as it was for Julia. But while the thrill is incredible and the attraction between them is indisputable, he refuses to consider a relationship or any kind of permanent arrangement. The one woman he'd collared ended up relying on him for all her needs and losing herself in submission. It made him wary and unwilling to try again...until Julia calls him a month later, and they end up getting closer and closer. It was Marcus who eventually pushed for more, and Julia walked away, unwilling to surrender and risk a relationship with another demanding, domineering man. The question is – will she settle with a nice guy, or find the strength to embrace her submissive side and make a commitment?Ms. Cartwright managed to deliver yet another amazing BDSM story. I enjoyed reading With This Collar immensely. It is well written and perfectly paced. The characters are great—even the side ones that I can't wait to read more about—and there are just enough witty lines to highlight the sassy part of their personalities.In a way, this is another 'BDSM 101' sort of book. There are a lot of explanations, slow introductions to the scenes; the story mostly concentrates on Julia's experiences, her struggle to accept the new lifestyle, the rules and the whole idea of power exchange and its true meaning. Still, even if it's not your first BDSM story, it shouldn't bother you, as it is perfectly mixed with the rest of it and highlights the beginning of Julia's journey to submission.The thing that turned this story from good to great is this – although there's instant chemistry between Marcus and Julia, they did not fall straight into commitment. Their past relationships that made them – especially Julia – uncertain and wary in the first place kept them from changing overnight and doing things that would feel all wrong. This way, they stayed true to their characters and kept things slow – with a couple of inevitable mistakes along the way.4.5 stars for the first book of the Mastered series. Can't wait to read more!

Kat's boyfriend of four years has been avoiding her. Busy at work, cancelling their dates, not showing up... After all the time they've spent together, Kat's thinking about marriage. Marc's... obviously not. So, Kat decides to show him he should appreciate what he has. She thinks they should either go back to how things were at the beginning, or break up. After another no-show, and a not-so-pleasant phone conversation, she breaks up with him. That should teach him,right? But, Marc seems just fine with that. Now what?Move on? Enter Julie, Kat's friend, who sets her up on a blind date. Double date, actually. Let's just say that didn't go so well. But, a couple of weeks later, Julie's date Ryan asks Kat out. He's not seeing Julie anymore (though, she doesn't seem to agree with that), and now that he's working with Kat maybe they could just... explore things a bit. You know? Anyway, Ryan's a great guy, Marc's not calling, so why not? Everything should work out just fine... or not so fine. But, we all sure do need a bit of angst in our lives.So, what's gonna happen there? Will Kat manage to just move on after four years? Will Marc break the radio silence? Will Kat forgive, forget and take him back? What's Julie gonna say when she finds out about Kat and Ryan? Questions, questions... You'll have to read Kat Fight and see for yourself!And, you really should read it. It's a perfect chick lit. Witty, cute, with many embarrassing moments that are so funny when they're not happening to you (okay, mostly even then), a bit of angst, and twists and turns that will make your head spin.Kat's hilarious! I loved her, though the girl does tend to get confused and all over the place. Not that I blame her. At all. Ryan's the guy I'd gladly date - even if he couldn't cook. And, you'll adore Adam - he's the best gay BFF coworker ever. Not to mention he's the guy every girl needs in her life. Both as a constant source of entertainment, and a shoulder to lean on.Overall, I enjoyed reading Kat Fight, and highly recommend it, if you're looking for a light romance/comedy. The characters are great (and real), it will most definitely lift your mood, and make you chuckle (and even laugh out loud) often while reading it. You probably shouldn't start late at night, as I'm not sure you'll be able to put it down in the middle of the story. But, other than that, you can't not like it. Oh, and the fact it's (even loosely) based on real life makes it even sweeter in my humble opinion.*** Copy kindly provided by the Author, in exchange for an honest review ***

"Sometimes the ones we need in order for us to see ourselves clearly are the ones that we don't want to let in…that we can't afford to let in."When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure I'll like it. At all. I mean, a flirtatious, scared of commitment, surgeon with a ‘reputation' meets a snarky, know-it-all, terrified-of-being-tied-down lady? A bit too much maybe? But... the more I read, the more I enjoyed it, and now I wish there was more. Much, much more, because I'm damn sorry this story had to end. It is amazingly good!Dr. Jackson O'Neil is a talented doctor, and a Captain in the US Army. He's also quite a charmer, and definitely not afraid to use his skills when necessary. Especially if those ‘skills' include batting eyelashes. Life is good for our hot surgeon, that's for sure... until a woman rides into ER, with a finger knuckle deep in the chest of a guy who's been a victim of a hit and run. Naturally, it turns out the woman is Dr. Max Taylor – the new temporary Chief of Surgery. And that's when the fun begins.If you're looking for one of those instant-love stories, with a lot of romance, some angst, a wedding and 2.5 kids, you're in the wrong place. This story is too real to be anything like that. It's more of instant-enemies thing. The type where they become friends, then they become more than friends, and finally they find what they had no idea they were looking for in the first place. Does that make sense?Both Jackson and Max are amazing characters. Their banter is incredibly funny, their relationship progresses slowly and naturally, and their journey is full of both humor and heartbreaking moments. They are simply perfect for each other. Neither of them needs another person to make them feel complete, but together they manage to create something important and special. What's even more important – they manage to find respect and support that lasts forever.Pass Slowly is an incredible story. I loved all the characters – even the secondary ones. Beware, though, you'll probably get dizzy reading about all the Dr. Taylors. There are a lot of them here. I loved the slow pace of the story, the way you can actually feel the connection between the characters forming and strengthening. I even loved the ending – unexpected and tear-jerking as it was – it fitted perfectly.If you enjoy reading medical romance, or romance in general, be sure not to miss this story. It will make you laugh, cry and fall in love. What more could you possibly ask for?4.5 stars just because I wish there was a translation for all those Norwegian dialogues in there.

What would you do if you found out the person you're about to marry might be your half-brother? How would you feel? Do you think the relationship would survive those doubts, tough time, the pressure – even if it's not true? Would you fight for your love? Or would you run the other way? Is it the greatest taboo for you too?Are you intrigued yet?Greg and Nicola met at a bar, where everyone from work goes for a drink on Friday nights. Although Greg was attracted to Nicola immediately, he was told she doesn't go out with her colleagues, ever since her ex-boyfriend cheated on her with her boss. Still, Greg is determined to change her mind, and what starts off as a friendship soon turns into a relationship. Six months later, they become engaged. It does seem a bit rushed, but they are great together, love each other, so why wait?Three weeks before the wedding, it's time for Nicola to meet Greg's family. Everything is going great, but once she tells them she's adopted, things suddenly become a lot more complicated. Greg's mother Mona shares secrets from her past, that are about to rock their world. Could Nicola really be Mona's daughter? Yes, she's the right age. Yes, they look alike, and many people even thought Nicola and Greg are siblings. But that still doesn't mean anything, right? Or wrong? They have two weeks, until the DNA test results arrive, to find out.The theme of this book is both refreshing and disturbing. You can't help but wonder – how would you react, what would you do... what will happen to them? What started off as a light and cute romance, turned into a gripping pageturner and made me finish the story in one sitting.I liked both Greg and Nicola. Their love was so obvious, which made their fights, struggle to cope with the situation, and the effect it had on them and their families and friends, even harder. Ms. Krall did an amazing job portraying the characters. Such a sensitive topic may have been too much to deal with, but it somehow never felt wrong. I just kept hoping there's a way for them to stay together, no matter what.If you're looking for a not-so-typical romance, don't miss this book. Too Close is an incredible story that will make you question a lot of things, none of which will feel wrong all of a sudden. Because that's what true love is supposed to be about, right? It should conquer all.

Refreshing. Interesting. Annoying. The title is more than appropriate. If you're looking for a BDSM book that is different than the rest of the hardcore stories out there, look no further. Awakening will be perfect for you.This is a story about Claire Ryan, a 35-year-old woman trying to recover after the break-up of an abusive relationship, and Evan Lang, a 45-year-old man who's never recovered from the death of his wife. Claire joins a local romance book club, and meets Evan – the owner of the book shop – there. They are almost instantly attracted to each other, but they are also both damaged, and have a lot of issues to deal with.Claire is a submissive, but she's completely unaware of her nature and needs guidance into the world of BDSM. Evan, on the other hand, is an experienced Dom, and he's the perfect person to help Claire discover her true needs, but he's not been interested in any kind of relationship ever since his wife died.To make matters worse, once they finally start with the ‘sessions' that are supposed to help Claire safely enter the lifestyle, things will become even more complicated.Awakening is anything but a typical BDSM story. It is refreshing, as it concentrates on the emotional side of the relationship, instead of simply jumping to sex scenes. Characters are realistic and likable. The pace of the story leaves a lot to be desired, though. It is just too slow, for far too long, and then everything feels too rushed and a bit unrealistic close to the end. I was hoping we'll get to see more of Evan and Claire together outside of the ‘sessions', instructions and BDSM talk. As it, unfortunately, did not happen, their love for each other seemed a bit too sudden and out of place.Still, this is a good story for those of you looking for a new perspective on BDSM, or something close to BDSM 101.

4.5 stars“I told you I didn’t dream as a kid of bein’ a cop or an astronaut, but I gave a lot of thought to the woman I’d want in my bed. I grew older and gave more thought to that woman, but it was also about the woman I wanted in my life. And she was you. Then I met you. And now, every day I wake up I cannot believe my luck because you’re here.”Hanna Boudreaux's had a crush on Raiden Ulysses Miller since she was six years old. He was nine at the time, and came to her great-grandmother's annual picnic. He was also beautiful. Twenty two years later, he's even more beautiful - and Hanna's still waiting for him to notice her. But, a lot of things happened in the meantime. The boy Hanna fell in love with is now a man. Ex-marine, with a lot of baggage, and a lot of mystery surrounding him. What she doesn't know is Raiden noticed her just when she accepted the fact she'll never have him, and decided to turn her narrow life upside down.Months later, GI Joe, and the girl that looks straight out of a chick flick, finally have a date. And, yes, this is one of those 'expect trouble immediately' kind of things. And, yes, this is also one of the reasons I absolutely adore Raid. He's gonna come out and say it - whatever it is he wants to say. Hell, he'll even pick a lock, so he can come in and say it. But, he will definitely not allow anything to stop him from finally claiming his reward. Because that's the most important thing of all. That's the reason to fight. That's the reason to survive it all. His reward. Hanna.“Now, I can share what came before you, and I had fun, Hanna. I make no apologies. But I think it’s best we leave it where it lies. ‘Cause all you gotta know is it’s gonna be you—and only you—until the day I die, because life did not lead me down the wrong path when I fell in love with a girl who had the sun shining in her hair who would eventually not do it for me. You’re not just enough for me. You’re everything I want. So that works for me.”I probably don't even have to mention the fact there were times when Raid managed to make me so mad I could scream - in many ways, he's a typical KA macho, alpha, bossy, badass guy. He's gonna say (and do) some seriously shitty things. But, when the good times come - when he's talking, sharing, and rocking your world over and over again - honestly, there's nothing sweeter than that.Raid is quite straightforward. He reminds me of Knight - he even has that kinky/slightly dominant side. Nothing OTT, just enough to make a girl (me) happy. He's also got that anti-hero quality, that I've come to appreciate. What I'm trying to say is - strictly speaking, he's a criminal. Not that I'd care...“You good?”“Um… they haven’t measured this level of good thus it has as yet gone undefined so the answer is yes but the word is wrong.”His arms tightened and his body started shaking.Idiotically, I kept talking. “I’ll be contacting Webster tomorrow. My suggestion will be absofuckingmazing.”Hanna is such a sweet, lovely, goofy girl. In a way, she's perfect for Raid. Actually, they are perfect for each other. After all those years of crushing on him, she got her guy because she was brave enough to play with fire, and risk her heart along the way. She reminds me of Lexie, and that can never, ever be a bad thing. All the goofy/sweet things aside, Hanna is smart, and extremely devoted to her loved ones - Spot (the fat cat) included.Which brings me to another favorite character of mine here - Miss Mildred, Hanna's great-grandmother. I wish I had someone just like her by my side, to push me when needed, to tell the stories of her life, and to show me how to enjoy every single day. We all need Miss Mildred. We should at least try to be like her. This world would definitely be a better place that way.So, Raid is (yet another) awesome KA story. It's got it all - alpha, badass hero, lovely heroine, amazing side characters, hot scenes, great dialogues, and a wonderful HEA. Everything you could possibly need is right there. And, after months of not having a new KA book to lose myself in, I've missed it a lot, and hoped Raid will be enough to keep me going (though re-reading does help a bit). I only wish it were (much, much) longer, as it seems way too short for my taste. Still, it packs quite a punch, and I'm glad I got to enjoy this story, meet another awesome guy, see some of my favorite characters once again, and laugh/sigh/giggle/drool for hours.If you've somehow managed to miss Unfinished Hero series, be sure to give it a try. Knight was my very first KA read, and he's one of my all time favorite guys. And, there's no way you'll be able to resist Raid. Trust me on that one!*** ARC kindly provided to Reading Infection by Kristen Ashley & Chas, in exchange for an honest review ***

"He was the monster that no one thought to look for in the light of day. It was a common mistake. People often believed they were safer in the light, thinking monsters only came out at night.But safety – like light – is a façade. Underneath, the whole world is drenched in darkness. Caleb knew that. He also knew the only way to truly be safer, was to accept the dark, to walk in it with eyes wide open, to be a part of it."As it turns out, this story decided to play well with me. And, in the end, I really enjoyed it.It is definitely not a romance.It is definitely not what I expected.And it is, most definitely, NOT the type of dark, disturbing story I thought it would be. Guess my mind can take much more than this.But still...I like it. I adore the style. I'm gonna read more. Caleb is... a brilliant character, in all his fuckedupness (is that even a word?). And, Livvie... well, she's definitely a survivor."‘You’re not a damsel in distress and I’m not the handsome prince come to save you.’ No. He wasn’t. In real life you had to save yourself.Full review to come...Buddy read with my wonderful Tracy. Thanks for suffering through it, lovely! :)