There is No Light in Darkness (Darkness #1) by Claire Contreras

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves. 

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?

Book contains: Explicit language & sexual content

FIVE HUGE STARS

Cole Murphy, I love you to the moon and back.

If it weren’t for love, the suffering we experience wouldn’t be worth it.

Definitely one of my top reads of the year; no question about it. I couldn’t put it down. My chores were put on hold, my dishes were stacking up; I didn’t want to stop reading. I fell in love and have a new addition to my ultimate book boyfriend shelf. Cole is AMAZING. He’s everything I love in my Heroes: Super sexy, smart, protective, possessive, persistent, and so full of love. Blake is one lucky woman. 

I never let them get attached to me, and I don’t attach myself to anyone. 

Blake’s life is complicated. Her past constantly haunts her. One night, she awakens to some gunshots and the next thing she knows, she sees her mother laying on the floor and her dad being hauled away by someone. Her memories of the people involved in that night are very vague at best. She was taken immediately by one of the strangers to live with her Aunt. After her passing, she was taken to live with a foster family. There she meets the people who will forever be part of her life, including Cole Murphy. 

“I’m in love with you, Blake. I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you. I’ve been in love with you from the day I was born and possibly even before then. I belong to you. My body belongs to you. My heart belongs to you.” 

I LOVE YOU, COLE!!!!!!!!!

He is such an amazing man. He has loved Blake ever since she moved in with him and his foster family. They share a connection that no one could ever break, and Cole refuses to have anyone but Blake. Relationships have come and gone; people have tried and tried to come between them, including Blake herself, but Cole refuses to give up. He loves Blake with every fiber of his being. Le Sigh…. OMG. No matter the darkness surrounded Blake, he was determined to be her light, her one true constant. God, he makes my heart beat so fast. LOVED HIM!

“Why are you so adamant about getting rid of me?” he whispered into my hair. “I fucking love you, I care about you. I want to take care of you. Let me.” 

There were times I wanted to shake some sense into Blake. Ever since what happened to her parents, Blake refuses to acknowledge love; not to her close friends, her foster mother and especially not to Blake. She believes that saying she loves someone is like signing his or her death warrant. But even though she doesn’t outright say the words, her friends know where she stands. I LOVE everyone them: Aubry, Becky, Greg, Aimee, Maggie and especially Cole. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

This book was AMAZING! I cannot recommend it enough. The writing was flawless, the characters were all unforgettable, and the story was very moving. It had some mystery, lots of love, and TONS of swoon worthy moments with Cole. I’m so happy book two is out so I can dive in. Thank you, Trish, for pushing me to read this. It was fucking awesome. 

Beauty from Pain (Beauty #1) by Georgia Cates

They agreed on three months...but their love knew no boundaries.

Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth make him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that’s why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they’re always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.

It’s his game and his rules. He’s content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy must change because this player is like none he's ever encountered. His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she’s exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer.

Not recommended for younger readers due to sexual content and language.

Five Stars

I’m on the ledge, about to fall. Or jump. I’m not sure which, and then I hear his possessive words through gritted teeth and it sends me over the edge. “No one else touches you. Only me. Do you understand?” 

FUCK. That was so unbelievably good. Wow. Just wow. 

I wanted to read this for a long time, but I knew this was going to end in a cliffhanger, so I waited for the sequel to come out. So when it finally did, I no longer had any excuses not to; I dove right in. I cannot believe how good this was. I haven’t read an actual five-star read in such a long time; this totally relieved that ache. It had everything I craved in a book: A strong Alpha male Hero (who by the way has a sexy Australian accent --- which made me create a new shelf I love Aussies LOL!), sizzling sex and just a touch of angst. 

“I can’t wait to have a naughty with you. You know it’s only a matter of time, and when I do, I’m going to make you come so hard.” 

Jack McLachlan is looking for his next conquest, one that will share his bed for the next few months. His past conquests have only lasted three to four weeks at best, but this time, he wants it a little more prolonged. He doesn’t do relationships. He’s a very rich man and the women he use to date wanted more from him. He’s learned his lesson: Be upfront, no telling of real names, no falling in love, just sex, lots of sex, and afterwards, make a clean break. Simple. 

When he spots Laurelyn, he immediately knew his search was over. When he finds out she’s only in Australia for a few months, he knew it was meant to be. 

“No. I can’t love a lie and that’s all we were.” 

When Laurelyn landed in Australia to visit her best friend’s brother, she did not expect to meet a man like Jack. She immediately dismisses Jack’s initial proposal, but couldn’t help but be curious. She decides to live and dive into this arrangement with Jack. She doesn’t know anything about this man, not even his name. What she does find out is that Jack is willing to make all her fantasies come true. She knows she’s living in a fantasy and that it comes with an expiration date, but sooner or later the balloon is going to burst on the fantasy and real feelings start to emerge from both her and Jack. 

I love her too much to let her leave and I need to tell her right this minute. 

Laurelyn is unlike any of his past companions. He doesn’t know what to do. He wants more time with this southern belle, but his constant state of denial keeps him from really opening up to her. All Laurelyn wanted was some sort of reassurance of his feelings, but will it come too late? As I read this, a ticking clock was always in the background. I was constantly on the edge of my seat wondering how these two will pull this off. 

I loved everything about this story and I’m happy that book two is immediately available to me because that ending was simply unacceptable. OMG! I need a resolution NOW! Loved this story! 

-----

Me, prior to having the sequel out LOL:

UGH! Once again, I was all set to read this, then BAM! Found out it ends in a cliffhanger. CURSE YOU, CLIFFHANGERS!!

My Side by Tara Brown

Erin Benson felt like she'd won the lottery when she arrived all the way from North Dakota with the keys to her first home in hand.

Crisp white walls: Check. 

Breathtaking view of downtown Boston: Check. 

Minutes from Northeastern School of Law: Check.

But home is not always where the heart is. Sometimes it’s where you find Mr. Random shacked up and sprawled out on what was supposed to be your new bed.

Between the bear spray and the handcuffs, she discovers a terrible mistake has been made.

Lochlan hasn't broken into her new home to sleep with a seedy barmaid...he owns half.

With emotions running on high, Erin is determined to tough it out until a solution can be found.

The tight quarters seem smaller with his accumulated clutter and bizarre sleeping schedule. It also doesn't help that he's the new lead singer for Thin Ice, an indie band on its rise to fame.

What happens when a quiet bookworm gets stuck with a relentless rocker?

What happens when the things you see are not the things you get?

3.5 Stars

“Safe and easy is for pussies. Be amazing and different. Be grateful for the uniqueness in you.” ~ Lochlan 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Another rock star book…Seriously? OMG. I’m such a fucking sucker and so fucking predictable sometimes, I make myself sick. So yes, folks…here I am again, sucked into another story involving a musician. I can’t help it. The blurb was too good to pass up. My last book was on the darker side, so I wanted something light and predicable. Is that what I got though? Yea…that’s a big fat NO. I’ll rant all about it at the end of this review. Oh yippie! lol

He was too close to me, smelling good and hovering. I liked it and I could rationalize the devil out of it, but something about him made me want to take my shirt off. 

Erin and Lochlan first met under the weirdest circumstances. She’s just moved into Boston and when she first enters her new home, she finds a stranger in her bedroom, getting it on with some chickie. So what does she do? Maces the poor guy. What they both didn’t suspect is that they have mistakenly rented the same place and are now stuck with as roomies until another place can be found. 

Erin and Lochlan are as opposite as they come, well, at least initially until we find out more about Lochlan. Erin is studying to be a lawyer, while Lochlan and his band are up and coming musicians. They’re already well known in the area and their star is quickly rocketing. 

They reluctantly become roomies for the time being, but their chemistry is undeniable. They try and try to deny what’s going on between them, but sooner or later, someone was going to crack. It was inevitable. 

“You need to look into my eyes and see the person I’m looking at. There won’t ever be anyone but you in there. When you see me at the show or signing autographs, that’s not me. This right now, with you, is me.” He stopped, pulling me into his embrace, “it’s always been me with you.” 

Lochlan is the lead singer of the band, Thin Ice, but is mostly well known for his gigantic screw up on America’s Most Talented Stars. His screw up led him to be kicked off the show. Anyway, with his star power, of course he’s a ladies man. Duh, thought you didn’t see that coming, huh? LOL. I know…predictable. Anyway, his whoring ways slowly start to simmer down, especially after he meets Erin. She has NO idea who he is and is not afraid to put him in his place. Lochlan finds that oddly refreshing and becomes smitten with his pretty roomie. She, on the other hand, is a stubborn cow. (Sorry, but it’s SO true!) She’s so attracted to him, but is always reluctant to believe that a musician like him could ever remain faithful. He constantly tries to win her heart, and every single time you think they finally have a shot, Erin’s insecurities bubbles up and ruins it. Seriously. They must’ve gone back and forth like twenty million times in the book -- hook up, break up, stay friends, hook up, break up, stay friends, hook up --- Yea you get the picture. 

“I don’t have to be a singer. I don’t have to be in a band. I don’t have to do anything in this whole world. But I do have to make you love me again." 

This book is a little on the angsty side. Believe me when I say it, but it didn’t have to be. What pissed me off the most about this book is the heroine. Shocking, I know. UGH!! I wanted to fucking bitch slap Erin so fucking badly…she had my blood pressure up and my palms twitchy. The ONLY saving grace of the story is the Hero, Lochlan. How he tolerated that selfish cow is beyond me. He made the story better. I loved how he never gave up on her. In my opinion, she wasn’t worth all the attention. Yea, she annoyed the fuck out of me. If I were to base my rating solely on her, it would’ve easily been a one to two star read. Yes, she annoyed me that badly. However, I upped it to 3.5 stars, mostly because of Lochlan, but I can’t deny that I was drawn into the drama

Never Have I Ever by August Clearwing

Astrophysicist-in-training Piper Minogue has a lot of control over her day-to-day life. Between completing a Master’s degree at Caltech and beginning her fruitful career at a local observatory she has little time for socializing. Until she attends one specific party that is. There, Piper is introduced to a drinking game called Never Have I Ever, and she finds herself admitting to a secret fantasy which challenges her friends’ views of her otherwise prudish nature. Her confession piques the interest of one man in particular, Noah; a handsome stranger with a darkly boyish charm. The resulting spiral of rapture and torture that follows is threatened by the demons of both their pasts. Piper's inability to give her heart to anyone, and Noah's guilt over the death of his former lover claw to the surface to tear Piper away from not only the one man who has ever made her feel like she does not have to be in control of her desires, but also the newly collected list of Nevers they both want to turn into reality. *Contains strong BDSM themes*

3.75-4 Stars

"It isn't about the violation. It's about letting go. It's about losing control and letting someone else tell you what to do for a while." 

**Deep breath**

Whoa.

I decided to pick this book up because, not only was it free, but I was in the mood for something different. I haven’t read a BDSM book in a while and the blurb of this story did intrigue me. So here I am, in the aftermath of it all. This is my one and only warning to you potential readers: This is NOT an easy read and NOT for everyone. Though this isn’t as dark as some dark erotica I’ve previously read, a couple scenes were pretty tough to read. So fair warning.

“I want to be taken. Hard. I don’t want to have the choice. I just want you to show up, grab me, tease the ever loving hell out of me, call me terrible names to make submit and use my body to enjoy yourself.” ~ Piper 

People would probably consider Piper to be prudish and uptight. As an Astrophysicist, it’s kind of a given that she’s smart, bookish and has a good head on her shoulders. So when playing a game ofNever Have I Ever, Piper actually admits to having certain fantasy: A fantasy that no prudish, uptight woman like her should be having. With her admission, she catches the attention of Noah Wellington. 

There was a virile nature to just being taken and used which struck a chord someplace deep inside. And in that moment I wanted nothing more than to please him, Noah, the man I barely knew. 

Noah sees a potential submissive in Piper. He wants nothing more than to make her fantasies come true. Piper and Noah start their relationship with a force. No worries, their relationship was consensual on both parties. Their sexual relationship is intense and very erotic. Piper is willing to be as open as Noah wants her to be and he constantly tests her boundaries. But there’s a part of Noah pasts that still haunts him. He doesn’t do relationships, but with Piper, he’s finding it hard to stop. In fact, he’s very afraid of losing Piper when she finds out. 

“You can do anything you want to me and I will accept it gladly because, as long as you want me, I belong to you.” ~Piper 

The beginning was a little on the slow side, but once Noah enters the picture, things start to heat up pretty fast. But like all relationships, there are roadblocks. One: Noah’s past. And, two: Noah’s brother, Ethan. OMG. Ethan. He is vile, cruel and evil. I tried to find some good in him, but in the end, what he did was beyond unforgivable. He is certifiably nuts. Just sayin. 

All in all, this story is different from your typical BDSM/Master/Submissive stories. It had some twists that I didn’t see coming which made me want to finish the story. As for Noah, he is a lot to take in. He is a good guy in the grand scheme of things and it was nice to see him and Piper have a nice ending, especially after the incident **shivers**. Seriously. Heed my warning in the beginning before diving in. In the end, I thought it was a worthwhile read. 

Repossession (Keepers Trilogy #1) by Rachael Wade

*Recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual situations, language, and mature subject matter*

Skylla only knows that she has been kidnapped and held prisoner by the foreign invaders and their human allies. And that the world is ending. Or so the humans think. The invaders have made it clear that their arrival is one of hostile intent, and as their takeover spreads, so does the panic across the globe. No one knows how to defeat them, or if it’s even sane to try.

Jet, Skylla’s human captor, is up for the challenge, though. A traitor in Skylla’s eyes, he is working with them. But Jet has his own agenda; one that doesn’t include babysitting Skylla or helping the enemies. And as the human race struggles to keep the invaders from achieving their goal, Jet and Skylla’s paths collide to reveal the truth behind Skylla’s abduction.

The invaders are headed for the water. Jet is headed for the water. But that’s the last place Skylla wants to be. That’s where the future of humanity lies, and where the bridge to their yesterdays was burned. On a mission to take back what is rightfully theirs, Earth’s population is determined to make sure this isn’t the end. But some endings were never theirs to begin with.

4.75 Stars

When it was just you and your fight to live, the only thing that mattered was time. 

Aside from the Hunger Games Series, I haven’t read very many dystopian novels. However, I couldn't resist this one, especially when it's written by this talented author. I was truly honored to beta read this. Please let me tell you right now, it freaking rocked. 

Both the Hero and heroine are strong, badass characters, determined to survive. They both have with undeniable chemistry, and yes, there is romance, but it’s not the focus of the story, so understand that before going into the story. 

“Finger on the trigger.” 

Earth will never be the same. The alien invaders are here. Each human being is trying to survive and each have a role to play in this new world. Some were born to serve the invaders, while some are rebelling against the takeover. 

When we first meet Skylla, her abductor, Jet, holds her captive. The next thing we know, both escape and are on a cross-country mission to San Francisco to rescue Jet’s sister who is at one of the invader’s many training camps. 

“Everything about you fucks with my head, Skylla. From the moment I laid eyes on you, I’m distracted and I don’t like it For a minute, I thought it was better if I was as far away from you as possible. I tried…I tried leaving you, just walking away. But I couldn’t because my need to be near you, to protect you is so fucking strong, it knocks the wind out of me. It’s physically impossible for me to walk away from wherever you are. No woman has ever done that to me. It makes me crazy mad, okay?” 

Sky doesn’t know why she feels compelled to help Jet, her kidnapper, but he did help her escape. Weird scenario, I know, but Jet and Sky aren’t predictable in any way. Their journey isn’t pretty, especially when there are so many societal changes, along with being chased by the invaders. Along the way, they form a bond. However, Sky’s role in this invasion is more than what she, or anyone else, is to be believed. 

I did not have all the answers. I did not know what awaited us on Foundation Zero, or if our race would ever recover from all that we had lost. 

But I did know how to shoot a gun. 

The whole time I was reading this, I was in awe of what was going on in my head. The imagination and the creativity to create such a world is truly astounding. I can so picture this as a movie; it was non-stop action. Just when you start to form theories and form your own alliances with these characters, the story takes a complete left turn and you’re left in total shock. This is NOT predictable in anyway and it does end in one hell of a cliffhanger (sorry, I had to warn you). If you are a fan of dystopian stories, I suggest you to give this series a try. Looking forward to book two :)