FGBB REVIEWS

Manic (Rook & Ronin Book 2) 

by JA Huss

AMAZON US

AMAZON PAPERBACK

5 STARS 

This series is wrecking total havoc on my nerves and emotions! Please pass the wine…

“I took a journey when I left Chicago. I struggled with homelessness and hunger. I feared for my safety and eventually, that journey ended with Antoine, Elsie and Ronin. And now I’m on a new journey. I’m not sure where I’m going just yet.”

A lot has happened since that now legendary day that Rook spent her last ten dollars on a cup of coffee. Rook is now a model for Chaput Studios; she has a successful campaign under her belt, and money in her very own bank account! She has her very own apartment, is learning the ropes of the erotic modeling business and has a boyfriend that makes her crazy in more ways than one. She’s just signed another HUGE contract, one that is sure to make her more money than she ever imagined but why is everyone upset with her about it? Could it be because she made this decision when she was angry and confused? Could it be because she did not read the contract fully or understand what it was exactly that she was committing herself to? The answers to all of the above questions are YES! I love Rook, her character is impossible not to love, but she frustrates me sometimes to the point of madness!!!!! She has trust issues, which is 1000% understandable, but she is new in to this world, the modeling industry will chew you up and spit you out if you aren’t careful, and she’s not taking the advice she’s been given or heeding any warnings, from the people who actually care about her.

"It feels normal. Ronin does this. Ronin makes me feel normal.”

Elise and Antoine are happy for her, it means another huge campaign for their company, but they both have concerns, Ronin is definitely not happy with her decision but that doesn’t mean he won’t support her, protect her and ensure that she is treated the way she deserves. Spencer Shrike seems like a great guy, he and Rook and going to spending a great deal of time together, while they work on the Sturgis contract, a lot more than Rook ever realized actually. Spencer and Ronin know each other from the past and now another man from Ronin’s past is involved as well. Ronin and Ford do not like each other very much and that is going to make everything just a little more uncomfortable. And if this wasn’t all enough, Clare is causing issues in rehab and Ronin, Antoine and Elise have to try to deal with her as well, it’s chaos!

This second book is even better than the first, there is so much happening its crazy and addictive! Even more addictive than the first. Rook infuriated me a lot but it made the story all the more engaging, Ronin, well Ronin is Ronin and I fell even more in love with him in this book. We do find out though, that Rook is not only one with a past and secrets that she’d rather never have revealed. Ronin, Spencer and Ford all have some skeletons in their closets, and there is a very valid reason for why they are not friends like they used to be. Fulfilling this Sturgis contract is going to be difficult for everyone involved not just Rook, and she has just exposed herself in every way possible after trying to remain hidden for months. The man that Rook has been hiding from is going to catch her scent once again. The past is going to come back to haunt Ronin, Ford, Spencer and Rook, and when secrets from all of their pasts start to reveal themselves the future becomes muddied all over again. One thing is certain though, secrets never stay buried forever.

JA Huss continues to astound me with this second book, I am OBSESSED now! Totally and unequivocally obsessed with this series and all of the characters. This story continues to barrel along at a breathtaking pace, it’s relentless. The writing here is fabulous and it just continues to get even better. I am so grateful that I’m reading this series now, after it is completed! If I had to wait for the each installment to release I might just lose my mind. I’m starting Panic now and I cannot wait to see what comes next! This series owns me, Ronin has stolen my heart and I may never get it back, Rook is driving me to want to drink and Spencer and Ford have me more than a little intrigued.

“My eyes close and we breathe in and out together like we’re a team. And the last thought I have as I drift off. I want us to be a team. We’re not just a couple, we’re a team.”

OMG this series may very well be the end of me before I’m finished but I’m loving every single minute! If you haven’t read this series yet, GET ON IT! 

I’m going back in see you on the flip side!

FGBB REVIEWS

Tragic (Rook & Ronin Book 1) 

by JA Huss

AMAZON US

AMAZON US COMPLETE 7 BOOK SERIES

AMAZON PAPERBACK

5 STARS 

I’m addicted to this new series! JA Huss crafts a story that is enslaving and erotic. Sweet and sexy, dark and dangerous! 

“I was broken, beaten and scared of pretty much everything. And it hit me. If I wanted to change my life then I’d have to do it myself. Because no one was coming to protect me, or save me, or heal me. There was just me.”

Rook Walsh can’t remember a time when she felt safe. 19 years old and she’s already experienced more than most have in their entire lives, she’s homeless and unemployed, with only ten dollars to her name. Staying in a shelter and struggling to make it through each day is not easy especially in a new city, but even though her situation seems dire, it becomes crystal clear that this is a drastic improvement from how Rook had been living before. Rook is running, running for her life. Rook has lived and survived some truly nightmarish things in her nineteen years so far. Having just lost her job with a cleaning company, and down to her last ten dollars, Rook walks into a coffee shop needing a pick me up in the worst way, what happens while she is in said coffee shop, is as they say history. Fate has finally stepped in and is going to give Rook a very much needed break, or so it would seem anyway…

Antoine Chaput – Photography of Artful Beings Test shoot, 1PM, May 17 $100 per hour if booked

Finding this business card, reading these words and being brave enough to show up at Chaput Studios on a whim may just be the best decision Rook has ever made. Things appear to be looking up, she has secured her very own apartment, she’ll be able to eat three hot meals a day if she wants to, shower in privacy and she now has a job, actually she may have two! Meeting Antoine, Ronin, and Elise has literally changed her life, in only a matter of hours. Chaput Studios is a renowned Erotic Photography Studio, and they are looking for a model for their next big campaign, Tragic. Rook may just have the very distinct look they have been searching for and for the first time in a very long time things are not looking so bad.

“We will watch Rook, we promise. We won’t push her, we’ll be careful. We promise all these things if Elise will let us keep this girl. We want her that bad.”

Let me just say looking back on this now, I probably should have never started this series at 7pm in the evening, because once I started this book, I could not put it down! I’m being literal here, I was stilling flipping the pages, totally absorbed at 1:30am, and I had to force myself to put it down. Even then I laid there trying to force myself to sleep and all I could think about was picking it back up and reading more. I have been addicted to JA Huss’s style of writing and the way she crafts a story. I love the fact that her characters have issues, dark pasts, and secrets. But most of all I love their determination. Rook has the type of past that causes nightmares and life-long scars but she isn’t allowing it to hold her back. Antoine and Elise are good people and they have big hearts. Ronin Flynn, OHHHHHHH where do I even begin? That man, from the moment he appeared in the story I knew I was a goner. I fell in insta-love with this deliciously sexy and sensitive man. Ronin is a male model at Chaput Studios but he is going to be so much more to Rook, he is going to become her friend, someone she can finally trust, her lover and maybe, just maybe if I pray hard enough, her true love.

“I don’t want to ruin this girl but I’m not sure I can stop it now.”

This story owned me, and I am so glad that I have the entire series to enjoy now. They are all lined up and waiting for me on my kindle. I’m now obsessed. I cannot wait to see what Huss has in store for the following books. I need to know: will Rook and Ronin make it work; will Rook be found by the man she escaped from in the past, what are Ronin’s true intentions? How does Rook really feel about Ronin and how does Ronin really feel about Rook? So many questions! I’m uneasy about all of the possible answers, but I’m going to have a ton of fun discovering them, I’m sure of it! If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend it, I’ve only just started this series, and I’m on my way to being well and truly addicted!

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Maybe we make it, maybe we won’t, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to appreciate the good when it happens. And having this man accept and want me the way I am right now is a good thing, and it’s happening right this second. So I’m going to enjoy it.”

And now onto the next book, Manic… 

AMAZON US 

FGBB REVIEWS

Eighteen by J.A. Huss

AMAZON US

AMAZON PAPERBACK

5 Sinfully Decadent Stars for Eighteen!

“Dear God. Can this life suck any worse than it already does?

Why, yes, God says. Yes, it can. You cannot graduate high school, Shannon.”

This is how we begin Eighteen; Shannon Drake has just turned eighteen and started at yet another high school. She’s having a really sh*tty day to say the least, even though she has more than enough credits to graduate, the school refuses to accept them and she will not be graduating as planned…

“Welcome to eighteen, Shannon. The age when life gets to kick your ass over and over and all you can do is stand there and take it.”

Living with her brother in law and her 3 month old baby niece after her sister is gone, is not working out so well for Shannon. She loves her niece more than anything in this world, but her brother in law, is a total dick, and a drunken, abusive one at that. With very little money, living on five dollars a day Shannon has just found out, that life can always get worse, you should never question that. Resigning herself to the fact that she now has to take more classes, including math, the bain of her existence, in order to graduate, Shannon meets a man. A sexy, muscled, leather clad, motorcycle driving, twenty eight year old man. The first time Shannon lays eyes on him, she actually forgets to breathe, he affects her that powerfully even on her worst day. There are some serious problems with this though, he’s obviously much older than her and to make matters worse, she’s now discovered that he is to be her private math teacher. Her graduation from high school hell literally lies in his hands. The attraction that they feel for each other is mutual and it explodes from the moment they are alone the first time. Shannon is confused by it but Mateo isn’t holding anything back, no matter the consequences.

“He makes me nervous. That’s a new feeling for me. Usually I’m the one making guys nervous.”

“I’m gonna be seeing a lot of you, Shannon Drake. There’s no way in hell you’ll be invisible to me.”

Eighteen is a taboo, forbidden romance in every sense of the word, but besides all of that it’s also a bit of a mindf*ck. You don’t realize where the story is truly headed until it all implodes around you. I never saw the twists coming in this story until they bashed me over the head, and when that happened I sat there gaping like a total moron! Shannon is a fantastic character, she’s incredibly stubborn, independent, and determined, but she is also incredibly smart and sassy. She sees that some of the relationships she is developing are headed for disaster, but she is unable to resist the temptation or the escape from her everyday life. Torn between what she desires and what is right plagues her thoughts throughout the entire book, and I understood her fears, concerns and confusion with every flip of the page. Mateo is unlike any other alpha male you’ve ever met. He’s domineering and totally overpowering of course. He takes what he wants and makes no apologies for his actions, ever, but all of this aside, he is also incredibly sweet, caring and thoughtful. He is protective and giving, and incredibly intelligent. Shannon and Mateo’s relationship is very much a battle of wills and it becomes a question of who will be the victor.

“I’m addicted to him and what he does to my body. There’s no starting over or going back now. I am just addicted and I need more.”

This is my first book by JA Huss, and it came highly recommended from many of my reader and blogger friends so once I read the blurb, I knew that I needed to read it! I’m so incredibly happy that I did. I read this book in pretty much one sitting; once I started I couldn’t put it down. The writing is absolutely fantastic and the characters engaging. The story itself is beyond addictive, I’m a sucker for forbidden romances and this one was brilliant. With the sexual chemistry, the seriously naughty bits and there are LOTS of them by the way, the struggle of choosing between what is right and what feels too good to walk away from feels decadent and sinful, but oh so good, that even as just the reader you can’t possibly turn away. I loved all of the secrets, lies, betrayals and that twist! OH THE FREAKING TWIST! I never saw it coming. When I reached the end, I was so happy with the way the story came to a close. I was so proud of Shannon and the way she handled all of the craptastic hands that she had been dealt. I wanted to hug her and tell her how proud of her I was. I fell in love with not only Shannon, but with Mateo, and Sunday as well, they were just perfect in all of their many, many imperfections.

“God, he makes me happy. Please, make him stay with me so I can stay happy.”

JA Huss has just gained another loyal fan in her following, I am anxious to begin Tragic and all of her other books, I loved Eighteen and now I know what everyone has been gushing about! What a ride this book was. If you love forbidden, erotic romances, take the chance on this one, you’ll be glad that you did, I can pretty much guarantee it! It’s naughty in all of the best ways.

“I forget about the people all around us. I forget about everything. How old he is, how much more experienced he is, how much trouble I will be in if people find out, what they’ll call me. I throw it all away because the only thing I have room for is the way he makes me feel.” 

FGBB REVIEWS

Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

AMAZON US

AMAZON PAPERBACK

6 STARS 

This book should include a warning at the very beginning, something along the lines of...

*WARNING – This book will cause spontaneously combusting panties and ovaries!*

OR

*WARNING – This book may cause fraying of your nerves and drive you to drink!*

“There were dark seeds and bad seeds, but who cared if the house was falling apart as long as it was pretty, right?”

Corrupt is the brand new full length, standalone from Penelope Douglas. Be warned before you start this book, that it is dark, and twisty. It is also not for the faint of heart. This book will take you down a rabbit hole, it will push your limits, but that being said, it is totally worth every single second. This book is absolutely entrancing and you will not be able to put it down from the moment you begin. Be ready to be held utterly captive by Corrupt. I had read the blurb before I began Corrupt and even that could not have prepared me for what was going to unfold within this story.

“I wanted to get into a little trouble. I wanted to catch some rain, find something that made my heart pump again, and I wanted to know what it was like to not have anyone to grab onto.”

Welcome to Thunder Bay… where wealth and power will overrule most everything. Having a rich family with powerful parents can get you out of everything.

Erika Fane and Michael Crist have grown up here their whole lives. Their families have always been very close, and Erika has been in love with Michael since she can remember, she is also mildly terrified of him. Michael however appears to not even realize that Erika exists. Trevor Crist, Michael’s younger brother not so much. Erika has spent a lot of time in the Crist home, often sleeping over and eating most of her meals there. Erika’s mother is unwell for years and she seems happy with the fact that her daughter doesn’t have to spend her time all alone.

One Devils’ Night everything changes forever. An unexpected sequence of events sets off a chain reaction, the fallout is going to echo for years later. I’m not going to go into the story line at all with this review, and it’s for a damn good reason. This book needs to entered into blind. You need to be uneasy and off kilter while you’re reading it, because that makes it so much more enjoyable and powerful. It needs to be experienced just like you would a horror movie, with the lights off.

“They were here. The Four Horsemen.”

“Beware the fury of a patient man.”

Penelope Douglas as written a book unlike anything else I have read this year and it is amazing to say the very least. Corrupt is unique, daring, intense and totally unputdownable. I actually became irrationally angry when I had to put it down and take care of my family, hahahaha. The writing here is impeccable and the characters are totally twisted and devious. It’s delicious. It also has some of the sexiest and erotic scenes I have ever read! You’ll need a few moments throughout to cool off; when you get to the sauna scene you will understand what I’m referring to. Promise. This story is incredibly complex, there is so much going on not only on the surface, but also just below it, it’s twisty and it will keep you on the edge of your seat from the very start. I was desperate for answers and once I finally had them, my mind was blown! What a crazy, wild and insane ride this book was, it was brilliant, masterfully created and executed. The only issue I have here now is that I want another book, two actually. I want a book now for Kai and one for Will, I also kind of want one for Damon too if I’m being 100% honest. Every single one of the characters in this book is so complex it’s impossible to not want to know more.

“The closer you got to anything beautiful, the less beautiful it became.

Allure was in the mystery, not the appearance."

Corrupt is now on my Top Reads List for 2015 and it is also one of my All Time Favorites list! If you don’t enjoy books that push your limits or make you squirm, you might want to skip this one. But take my word for it when I say you would be missing out on an incredible book. Nothing I could come up with will do this book justice so I’m just going to quit while I’m ahead and start rambling.

“Don’t think you’re special,” he sneered. “Lots of women get him. No one keeps him.”

Go now and get your copy of Corrupt and when you love it as much as I did, tell all your friends. #SharingisCaring.

FGBB REVIEWS

Down London Road by Samantha Young

AMAZON US

AMAZON PAPERBACK

5 STARS 

Down London Road is fantastic from beginning to end 

“When his blue eyes met mine, I inhaled sharply at the raw need in them. "You're stunning," he whispered hoarsely. "No man can possibly deserve you.”

Down London Road is the second book in the On Dublin Street series by Samantha Young. I highly recommend reading these books in order as they are all interconnected.
Johanna Walker has always had to work herself to the bone to get everything she has in life. That means always working more than one job at a time in order to keep a roof over her family’s head and food on the table. It also means that she’s never been able to just date, for the sake of connection or chemistry. She’s always had to pick her dates, carefully, and methodically. They have to be able to help her support her family in one way or another. Her little brother is her world and she will do whatever it takes to make sure he has what he needs, always shouldering the burden so that he will never feel anxiety and stress she faces daily. Jo’s mother is absolutely no help at all and her father is nowhere to be found, and that’s the way Jo needs it to stay.

"Some people are born with family, and others have to make family.”

Cameron MacCabe thinks that he has Jo pegged, from the moment they meet. He sees a beautiful money hungry, gold digging woman out to take the rich men that she dates for whatever they are worth. Little does he know he could not be further from the truth… from the very moment they meet, there is a spark, and undeniable pull, that neither of them has ever felt before. But both Jo and Cam are in relationships and getting involved could make everything very messy for everyone involved.

Samantha Young never fails to deliver a fantastic story, but what really reels me in as a reader are the absolutely fabulous characters. I loved Joss and Braden’s story in On Dublin Street, and she continues on with yet more amazing characters in this book. I loved Jo; she was so incredibly strong, resilient, sassy and smart. Jo and Cam’s banter had me laughing and shaking my head throughout the entire book. Cam is impossible not to love, he’s a bit cocky and arrogant, but he’s also sensitive, thoughtful and caring. The fact that he’s incredibly sexy is just a bonus *wink*.

I enjoyed Down London Road just as much as I did On Dublin Street, and I cannot wait to read all of the other books that follow in this series. Getting a new story with new characters in every book all the while getting to re-visit all of my favorite characters from the previous books is awesome. I cannot get enough of the Dublin gang. Samantha Young gives great book, if you’ve not read this author yet or this series, get on it you’re going to love it! The writing is perfection, the story and characters are unforgettable, and the romance and the heat will stay with you long after you’ve finished the book, promise!

“I love you... So much I want to kill you sometimes.”