Review ~ No Limit (Armed and Dangerous, #1) by L.P. Dover

eARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: June 1st 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Murder. Lies. Betrayal.

I deal with those things every day. My name is Jason Avery, one of the best undercover agents in the country. I have yet to fail on a mission, which is why I’ve been sent to Vegas. Countless women have been abducted, tortured, only to show up dead in the middle of the night. It’s my job to find out which sick fuck is responsible. Unfortunately, every lead sends me to a dead end; at least, until Aylee McFadden shows up at my door.

Aylee is a stubborn, headstrong FBI agent and also one of the sexiest women I’ve ever seen with a gun. In joining me, it gives us the leverage we need to get on the inside. She fights me at every turn, but soon realizes there’s more to me than tattoos and a dirty mouth. I can’t get enough of her. Now that we’re in the game, we’re one step closer to solving the crime. However, gambling with money isn’t what the big boys want. They want the one thing I’m not willing to give.

It’s a no limit game, and if I back down I lose everything. I will lose her.

**STANDALONE NOVEL **

My Opinion

I hate that I'm writing this review. In fact I always hate reviewing LP's books because that means I've got to the end of whichever one I'm reading and have to wait for the next one. I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of her writing and I'm so glad to be part of the indie community so I can discover great author like this.

As you'll all probably know if you follow my reviews, for the past year and a bit I've had a soft spot for LP's Gloves Off series and her fighters. Whilst I was sad to see that series end, I was also excited to see what she came up with next with her new spin off Armed and Dangerous. Jason intrigued me in Camden's Redemption and I couldn't put his books down. Also for those of you who love Gloves Off a few of the guys make an appearance!!

Anyway, No Limit was an exciting, edge-of-your-seat read. It held my attention the whole way through and the only reason I stopped was because I didn't want it to be over in one evening. The plot was interesting and I didn't fully guess what was going on--I was half right. Things were paced well and I thought the romance that developed around the case was just as great as her other books. It had its ups and downs where the author toys with your heart, but in the end she never fails to make me smile.

Moreover, the characters were a perfect match for each other. Aylee was strong willed, stubborn, and fiery. She easily matched Jason with wit and strength, and she was someone you couldn't help but respect. Not only was she someone you couldn't mess with but she put her life on the line. Similarly, Jason's just as dedicated to the force. He was cocky and arrogant but I liked that this came across as more of a joke around Aylee. I think the author struck a good balance of taming him and letting him run free with his arrogance. It made him likeable.


Overall this was a great read I enjoyed immensely. LP's books never miss the mark and she's rapidly rising to the top on my favourite author list. I'd recommend not just No Limit, but any book by her! If I could give her more than 5 stars I would.

5

Review ~ Torn - Part Four (The Torn Series) by Ellen Callahan

eBook borrowed via Kindle Unlimited

Release Date: May 11th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Baby, I’m no good for you. 
Words he’d uttered months ago echo in his ears as he sits behind bars. How did it come to this? And how could he put her through this? 

There was no denying that Alexa Riley had sunk deep inside his heart and made herself a home there. A smarter man would kick her out. A smarter man would see that she’d be better off with someone else. 

Mallet never claimed to be a smart man. 

Red and blue lights, screaming sirens. His hands in cuffs, hers on her head. Baby, I’m no good for you. 

Fights, family, an uncertain future - he’ll need all the strength he can get, including hers. 

Assuming he hasn’t finally scared her away once and for all.

My Opinion

Whilst this was an okay conclusion, book 1 was definitely the best in this series. By the end I felt things should have progressed more than they did. I never really fell in love with the characters or their story. For me there needed to be more back story. I felt this side of things was underdeveloped and needed more work for both Mal and Riley. Everything felt better suited to a full-length novel, and there was the potential for it.


Overall they were easy reads and I got them free with a KU free trial so I can't complain. The series had its good points and it was all right for quick reads. It did get a bit repetitive, but you may want to check them out if you're on KU as they're some of the better reads I'v'e taken a chance on.

3

Blog Tour Review ~ Always Yours, Baby *Damon & Willa* (The Baby Saga #4) by Airicka Phoenix

eARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: May 25th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
How could someone so pure want filth like him?
Damon Comb was no stranger to pain, hunger, loneliness, and abandonment. Being given a family that would die for one another didn’t erase six years of torture. It didn’t take away the nightmares. She did. She was everything someone like him should never be allowed. She was goodness and strength and she made him human.

How could someone so broken complete her?
Willa McClain had it all, a family that adored each other, the love of an entire town and a future she worked her butt off to get. But all she wanted was the boy with the sad blue eyes and the crooked smile. He was her best friend, her protector and the only one who really understood her.

How could a love like theirs be extinguished?
But nothing ever lasted forever. Damon knew better than anyone how quickly the tides could change. Can he keep his past at bay before it consumes the only light in his dark world? Can he finally tell Willa the truth, or will his fears tear them apart forever?

How could love so strong ever fail?

My Opinion

This is the book I've been eagerly waiting for. I've loved Willa and Damon since they were introduced in Bye-Bye Baby and couldn't wait to start their story.

Willa and Damon's bond is something special. Unlike with the other books they've grown up together and been in love for nineteen years without telling each other. That love has grown and evolved as they've grown up and because you see this in the other books it's easy to understand and feel the strength of their emotions for one another. They've been tied at the hip their whole lives and it makes this a touching read because of the strength of their emotions.

When the author combines this with Damon's troubled past as well and the guilt and lack of self-worth it tugged on my heart strings. He's a great guy and I hated that he felt that way about himself. Both Willa and Damon are easy characters to love and engage with, and I think the author did them justice.

As for the story it was a sweet read until the tension in the end. Whilst parts were predictable I didn't expect the twists near the end. I knew things were going too well and something was going to happen but I could never figure out what. The book was paced well and held my interest just like all of the others.

Overall, I started this series with a gamble. Books centring around babies aren't usually my thing, but I love the tightness of this author's cast. They're enjoyable reads with great characters.

4.5

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Review ~ Torn - Part Three (Torn #3) by Ellen Callahan

ebook borrowed via Kindle Unlimited

Release Date: May 8th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
Alexa Riley believes that her life is in order. She’s working hard, she’s making rent, she’s getting by in the big city. And she’s doing it all on her own. 

Mallet hovers around the peripherals of her life. She quit the band and quit that group of friends. It would have been so easy for him to simply drift away. 

But he won’t. 

With the holidays looming heavily over her head, she’s not ready to face to her family. Facing her family means facing her own problems and facing herself. 

Overwhelmed and out of control, her determination to keep him away grows weak. Mallet’s apologies and offers and promises tug on her heart, bringing her inch by slow inch back into his arms. Making mistakes never felt so good. But with the ghosts of their pasts still hot on their heels, can they ever hope to make things right?

My Opinion

So far I've read all of these books back-to-back. Each one leaves on a cliff hanger and I've enjoyed the first two. Unfortunately this one lost me a bit. The plot was getting a bit samey and things moved too quickly in. Things keep going backwards and forth with the relationship and the author isn't giving things enough time to develop. There isn't much of an emotional connection.


Saying that, there is only one more instalment left so I'll finish the serial. Each instalment is a quick, easy read that you don't have to think about. They are written well, I just wish a little more would happen. I'm starting to think this would have been better as one novel than a serial.

3

Review ~ Torn - Part Two (The Torn Series) by Ellen Callahan

ebook borrowed via Kindle Unlimited

Release Date: May 8th 2015

Publisher: Self-published

Description:
He doesn’t let anyone inside his heart, but she managed to break it anyway. 
For Mallet, fighting comes first, friends seconds, and flings a distant third. Yet somehow Alexa Riley dominated his thoughts, distracted him, drove him damn crazy. 

It all started out as a game, though, and all games eventually come to an end. Right? 

So why can’t he stay away? Why can’t he keep his hands off of her? He ought to keep his eyes on his goals - getting stronger, being the best, working and fighting until he’s ready to drop so that he can finally beat his older brother in a match that’s been a long time coming. 

Good things can never last. Not for him. Grudges and the mistakes of his past follow him, taunt him, and would come between them given half a chance. But Riley worms her way back in. He’s invincible in the ring but he’s helpless against her. 

Some fights, losing is winning. 

Some fights, the results are inevitable. Predetermined. Destiny. 

And all fights have to come to a violent end.

My Opinion

The second of a four part serial, this read surprised me by being written from Mallet's POV. For the first chapter I thought it was just going to retell book one from the guy's POV, but thankfully after chapter one it picked up where part one left off.


Just like the first part I enjoyed this read. Things move along at a good pace and it kept me interested. Once again it is just a standard romance, and some of the drama is a little clichéd, but for something I downloaded for free, and for it's length it's a good read. I hope things go back to Riley's POV though.

3.5