Way Too Hot Books

Jan 5, 2016

Purple's Top Reads Of 2015

Hi everyone, long time no see! :)

First of all, I hope you had a blast for Christmas and holidays in general just as I did and may your every day of New Year glow with love, health, happiness and of course great books. The only flaw of 2015 for me was the fact I had almost no free time for blogging, reading or catching up with you guys these past few months because of work and real life. Yup, I haven't read a single book for 3 months and it was... a torture. The only positive thing were the zeros on my bank account, lol, but other than that I missed you and my reader's life tremendously!

But vacation time has come at last and I'm finally able to find my reading mojo again. I'm back and expect to hear from me very soon. Can't wait to see what you did/read while I was awol.

Love,

Purple

My Top Reads Of 2015

~ As I said, due to real life I haven't read a lot of books in 2015 (around 70), but here are the ones which left the biggest impression on me as a reader and which I strongly recommend:

1. THE BLACK WOLF (In the Company of Killers, #5) By J. A. Redmerski

Genre:

Thriller/ Romantic Suspense

Buy The Book:

AMAZON

Connect With The Author:

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

*Add It On GR

PURPLE'S RATING: 5/5 STARS

"The story was dark, gripping, action-packed, suspenseful and twisted with some unexpected and jaw-dropping twists as always. J. R. Redmerski keeps ~~mindfucking us~~ messing with our heads and in the best possible way... ...

Highly recommended to every fan of dark, romantic and suspenseful thrillers and fans of TV shows like Nikita. This series is a must-read!"

“To be human means to always go with your heart. The moment you betray your heart is the moment you lose everything.”

BEATRIX' RATING: 5/5 STARS

"I wanted a book about Niklas since forever (okay, since book #1 – I was always curious about him and I thought there’s more to him than what he showed to the world). And now we finally got it and it was everything I wanted and more. If you’re already a fan of this series, and you approved of the direction things took in Seeds of Iniquity, you’re gonna love this!"

~ Check out my and Beatrix' buddy-read review on WTHB !!!

2. Black Iris By Leah Raeder

Genre:

Thriller/ Contemporary / Romance

Buy The Book:

AMAZON / B & N / BOOK DEPOSITORY / KOBO

Connect With The Author:

Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Blog

* Add It On GR

Purple's RATING: 5/5 STARS

"Without spoiling anything all I can say is that Black Iris is one dark, gripping, twisted, riveting, poignant, thought-provoking page-turner which will leave you speechless after every new unpredictable twist of the story. What's special and compelling about this book is the fact that the main character Laney is nor the heroine nor the true villain. The lines between good and evil get blurred and disputable, at times over-weighing on one and at other times on the other side, therefore messing with our heads all over again and of course I loved it, the weirdo that I am... ...

The writing was supreme. One of the most highlighted books in my collection.
Highly recommended to every fan of dark thrillers/mindfucks."

“Strength is not in the body, it’s in the mind. It doesn’t lie in flexing your muscles and crushing those who oppose you. It lies in being the last one standing. By any means. At any cost.”

Beatrix' RATING: 5/5 STARS
"Revenge. Suspense. Ecstasy. Sex. BLACK IRIS was my most anticipated book of 2015, and it did not disappoint. That’s saying a lot since I’m a huge fan of Leah Raeder and I’ve been craving this book basically since I’ve read Unteachable back in 2013 when it was first published. In my opinion Raeder is a true artist when it comes to the art of words. I feel as if she sees the world with different eyes and then transforms that onto the page and gives us her more poetic, vivid, and colorful version of reality... ...
This is the kind of novel which will definitely make you question everything. Not only will you constantly be on the edge of your seat with questions such as: what is happening; but this book will also make you question your beliefs and morals. "

"I’m the black iris watered by poison. The wolf that raised its head among sheep and devoured its way, ruthless and bloody, to freedom. I never forgave, never forgot."

~ Check out my and Beatrix' buddy- read review on WTHB!!!

3. Archangel's Enigma (Guild Hunter, #8) By Nalini Singh

Genre: Urban Fantasy/ PNR Romance
Buy The Book:

KOBO / AMAZON / B & N / BD

Connect With The Author:
Goodreads / Blog / Twitter / Facebook

*Add It On Goodreads

Purple's RATING: 4.5/ 5 stars

"The newest installment in the Guild Hunter series by N. Singh only confirms my thoughts that it will be pretty hard to find urban fantasy/pnr romance series as awesome as this one. We are on the 8th book and I'm still in love with the story as I was the first time I gave it a shot a couple of years ago. Nassir's book pretty much fulfilled all my expectations and it was definitely worth of the long waiting.

Once again it had everything I prefer when it comes to this genre- dark, gripping, action-packed, emotional, suspenseful and entertaining plot with amazing characters and epic, passionate romance... ...Highly recommended to every urban fantasy/ pnr fan!"

"You have secrets," he said slowly. "You wear another skin, too."

~ Check out my review on WTHB!!!

4. Hidden Bodies (You #2) by Caroline Kepnes

Expected publication: February 23rd 2016

by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller/ Suspense

Buy The Book:

Book Depository / Amazon / Kobo / B & N

Connect With The Author:

Goodreads * FB * Twitter

* Add It On GR

MY RATING: 4.5/ 5 STARS

"Anyone looking for a well-written, complex, but fascinating story from the pov of a villain, search no more and give a shot to this series. I liked the first book, BUT I loved this one. After the gory ending of You (You, #1) Joe's unfortunate and deadly search for love continues. Will he finally meet his true match this time or will his darkest secrets come to the surface and be his downfall? Buy the book and find out!"

~ Check out my review on WTHB!

xoxo,

Purple

Jan 4, 2016

ARC Review: APPEALED (The Legal Briefs, #3) by Emma Chase

Summary:

The New York Times bestselling author of the Tangled books returns with the third romance in the Legal Briefs series, a collection of sexy novels about first crushes, second chances, and the final verdict of the heart.

When Brent Mason looks at Kennedy Randolph, he doesn’t see the awkward, sweet girl who grew up next door. He sees a self-assured, stunning woman…who wants to crush the most intimate—and prized—parts of his anatomy beneath the heels of her Louboutins.

When Kennedy looks at Brent, all she sees is the selfish, Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue–worthy teenager who humiliated her in high school in order to join the popular crowd. A crowd that made those years a living hell for her.

But she’s not a lovesick social outcast anymore—she’s a Washington, DC, prosecutor with a long winning streak. Brent is the opposing attorney in her next case, and Kennedy thinks it’s time to put him through a little hell of his own.

But things aren’t exactly working out the way she planned. Brent has his sights set on Kennedy, and every fiery exchange only makes him want her more—and makes her wonder if he’s as passionate in the bedroom as he is in the courtroom. In the end, they may just find themselves in love…or in contempt of court.

Pre-order Links:

(Expected publication: January 19th 2016)

Connect with the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

My Review:

Rating: 4.5 stars!

We’re soul mates. Destined to be together, written in the stars, Bogie-and-Bacall perfect.

Kennedy doesn’t see it yet— but that’s all right. Because I’m patient . And relentless. When I set my mind on something, there’s nothing I can’t do.

And my mind’s on her.**

Appealed was a fun, sexy, sweet, interesting romance, and, as usual when it comes to Emma Chase's books, a delightful read.

This is unfortunately the last book in The Legal Briefs series. It's a shame there aren't more partners in that firm, so I could continue enjoying reading about this group. Oh, well... I'll just have to wait for other characters to inspire Ms. Chase to write another series.

After Stanton & Sofia found their HEA in Overruled, and then Jake found his with Chelsea and her six nieces and nephews in my personal favorite Sustained, it was Brent's turn to find his HEA with the woman he thought was lost to him, Kennedy.

Since I'm a reader who's been known to like her romances with a side of past unresolved issues between the main characters, this book was a good choice. Even though it had flashbacks to the high school drama I abhor reading about or watching, it didn't take away from my enjoyment. The story as a whole was too fun to mind it. I already knew from the blurb Brent and Kennedy had history. They'd lived next door to each other, and went to the same high school where Brent had done things he shouldn't have, and hadn't done the things he should have. The truth about that time in their lives was a bit more complicated, and not what they thought it was. And in present time, Brent was determined to make it all up to Kennedy, and then some.

The present was where all the fun could be found. The moment Kennedy walked back into Brent's life, completely changed, and as a prosecutor determined to send his client in jail, was the moment things got interesting. Hot and interesting, and they remained that way. From their ever amusing bickering to their sparring in court to the sexy times to the sweet and tender moments, it felt like I just flew through the novel, and got to the end regretting the journey was already over. What I liked most in Brent & Kennedy's journey to their well-deserved HEA was Brent winning back her trust, and not just because I was such a Brent's fan, but because of Kennedy who had major trust issues after getting badly hurt in the past.

Besides Brent and Kennedy, Appealed had several minor characters who made it even better, plus there were updates on the previous couples. Needless to say, the update on Jake was what interested me the most. Out of all the scenes in the book, the one with him and the kids was the one that made me all teary-eyed.

The story and the series were nicely wrapped up in a cute epilogue about what the future holds for all of them. It was a good one...

Oh, and if you were wondering, the entire book is written from Brent's perspective, so the fans of Ms. Chase's male POV books can add Appealed to their Must Read list.

Now, any news about new Emma Chase books?

*****

**The quote was taken from the uncorrected proof, and may have been edited before publication.

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

XOXO,

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night, she toils away bringing her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. Writing has always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true. - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Overruled/Emma-Chase/The-Legal-Briefs-Series/9781501102035#sthash.7oPZtRxt.dpuf

Jan 3, 2016

ARC Review: CHAMPAGNE KISSES by Lynda Aicher

Summary:

The Christmas Eve wedding Evan Cleary pulled together in four weeks is crashing down around him and taking his fledgling event planning business with it. With an empty altar and over a hundred guests arriving soon, he turns to the resistant, gorgeous brother of the runaway groom for help.

When Richard Patterson’s flamboyant brother storms out hours before he’s scheduled to marry his equally dramatic partner, Richard is left dealing with the fallout. The last thing he wants is more drama, yet he can’t deny his attraction to the effeminate event planner trying to salvage the wedding.

Evan thinks his crush on Richard is a lost cause, but one steaming kiss later, he learns different. What starts as a night of hot sex turns into a connection neither expected. But Evan knows their relationship is hopeless unless the ultra-conservative Richard can embrace every part of him—both in private and in public.

Connect with the author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review:

Rating: 3 stars!

Champagne Kisses is a Christmas romance novella starring Evan and Richard. According to the author's note, they are an established, happy couple from her Wicked Play series, so this novella is perfect for those readers who've already met them in that series and wish to read their falling-in-love story.

The story takes place Christmas Eve when Richard's brother's wedding was supposed to take place, but due to the other groom's infidelity didn't. Evan, as a resourceful event planer, managed to avoid the negative effect on his business that cancellation would've had by turning it into a Christmas party for the wedding guests. The success of the party wasn't the only gain for Evan that night.
A night of hotness with Richard followed.

Evan had had a crush on Richard and fantasized about him ever since he started planning that wedding, but he never held any hope that the serious Richard would ever feel the same way about him. That night Richard proved him wrong. Richard proved himself wrong, too. While he couldn't deny he was attracted to Evan, Richard who had always disliked flamboyant, effeminate men, was still convinced he did not have room for a man like that in his life. But that night Evan and Richard put their differences aside, and enjoyed each other's company in bed... and near the bed... They took their sweet time bringing each other pleasure. That sex scene, where it became clear Richard liked to dominate in the bedroom, took up a lot pages in the novella. Not a bad thing, but I would have preferred if it had been a bit shorter. I also would've preferred it hadn't had moments that made me feel like I was reading M/F, and, unfortunately, I'm quite sure I would've liked it more if it really had been M/F. Oh, well...

By morning Richard realized that one night with Evan wouldn't be enough. Evan needed some persuading, but Richard succeeded, and the story was wrapped-up with a sweet epilogue with them happy and in love during Christmas that followed.

What I liked most about Champagne Kisses was Evan. Since this is only a novella, it didn't go deep into the characters pasts and backgrounds, but I learned enough about Evan and Richard. Both won my sympathies, but Evan I actually liked. Richard, not so much, or at all. Sure, he came around, but still... There was just something about him that bugged me.

I obviously have some mixed feelings about this novella, and they're getting even more mixed the more I think about it, but I'd still recommend to those looking for something hot and short to read, especially readers who are already familiar with this author's work.

***ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.***

Until next time, happy reading!

XOXO,

Jan 1, 2016

ARC Review: THE SUBS CLUB (The Subs Club, #1) by J.A. Rock

Summary:

A year ago, my best friend Hal died at the hands of an incompetent “dom.” So I started the Subs Club, a private blog where submissives can review doms and call out the douche bags.

A perfect example of the kind of arrogant asshole I mean? The Disciplinarian. He has a pornstache. He loves meat, stoicism, America, and real discipline. And he thinks subs exist to serve him.

But . . . not everything about him is awful. His Davy Crockett act just seems like a cover for his fear of intimacy, and part of me wants to show him it’s okay to get close to people. And, I mean, sue me, but I have fantasized about real discipline. Not role-play, but like, Dave, you’re gonna be thirty in four years and you still work in a mall; get your ass in gear or I’ll spank it.

Not that I’d ever trust anyone with that kind of control.

I’m gonna redefine “battle of wills” for the Disciplinarian. Or I’m gonna bone him. It’s hard to say.

—Dave

Connect with the author:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review:

Rating: 4.5 stars!

The Subs Club is one of those books which made me smile and laugh so many times I lost count; one I finished with a big grin on my face, at the same time regretting it was over, and that automatically makes it special for me, and it's going on the list of books I had the most fun reading this year. Finding a book like this is always good, but in this case it's even better because I believe I've found myself another author to keep an eye on. Yay!

Since this was my first book by J.A. Rock, I had very little idea what to expect from it, except what was my main reason to request it: kink. Sure, I had some theories based on the blurb, but, as usual, my theories were wrong. The actual story was a thousand times better.

I've read my fair share of BDSM romance novels, but given how everything was perfect in them, a lot of those stories I'd call BDSM fairy tales. Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with fairy tales; everybody lives happily ever after in them, after all, nor do I see myself stopping reading and enjoying them, but I do see myself reading more of BDSM stories such as this (if I manage to find them). This... this was different. It felt realistic, and not at all perfect. The Subs Club blog came to be after one of the main characters' friends died during a session, and they wanted to create a safe environment for subs to discuss doms they played with so they could warn others about douche bag doms, and thus prevent what happened to Hal from ever happening to another sub in that area. It must seem odd that I laughed while reading a book that had this incorporated in the plot, but it's true. Dave, or the first David, was such a charming, witty, funny narrator that he made this book a joy to read. He was also the brattiest brat I've had the pleasure of reading about. At first, though, I worried that superbrat act would eventually become annoying, but all my doubts about him were soon dispelled. I adored him. Both him and D or Pornstache, which would be the other David, the first David's love/kink interest. While I did enjoy reading all the parts with Dave and his friends, whether they were about personal matters or the blog, my favorite ones were sessions with Dave and D. I couldn't wait to see what D would order Dave to do, and what Dave would decide to do with that order, and how D would react. I never knew what was coming; I only knew it would be interesting. Once they started getting to know each other, I started looking forward to those scenes not only because they'd be interesting, but also because they kept getting sweeter and more heartwarming.

D as a dom was another change I welcomed from all (and I really do think all) the fairy tale perfect alpha male doms who know everything. Not that I want to stop reading about those, but I would like to find more fictional doms like D. That manly man, who liked meat, and horses, watched sci-fi movies, and was writing a screenplay for one, who shuddered at the mention of manties, who didn't have the ability to read subs' minds, and who knew what it was like to feel vulnerable and insecure, in all his human imperfection he goes on my ever-growing list of characters I'd like to hug, and would definitely like to read more about if possible. I'd rate him five floggers.

During all that, there was a lot of development around the Subs Club blog, where things spiraled out of control pretty quickly. It was another aspect of the story I liked as it showed many different people in the lifestyle and their experiences, and varying opinions on different matters, especially the Subs Club. I look forward to seeing what has come of it in the following installments.

By the end of this novel I had lots of love for all the major characters: David & D, and Kamen, Miles, and Gould. Lots! I didn't want it to end. I wasn't ready to let David and D go. That's why I couldn't be happier The Subs Club is the first installment in a four-book series. I can't wait to read the other characters' books, because 1) I liked them here, and 2) I hope to catch glimpses of D and Dave. *fingers crossed* Because