3.5 stars

Isabelle is a very prickly character who some might have a problem with warming up to right away but her strength and confidence will have readers pulling for her to let Tom in. Tom is a soothing balm to the over abundance of excessively alpha males, he may hold a hand over Isabelle's mouth while they have sex so her friends don't hear but when she brings it up the next day he is going to blush. The drama, mystery, and danger were interesting but with secondary characters, that had to be mentioned but were just blips on the radar to readers, there were too many cooks in the kitchen. In the end, it all together got a bit unwieldy at times but ultimately came together. If you're tired of New Adult and want the wonderful experience of reading about an adult woman who knows her own mind and is comfortable with her own body (and in this case don't forget about the cute, charmingly sexy hero Tom) then this book and series is a must for you to pick up.


Full Review to be posted (Jan 22) closer to publication.

4 stars

The battle of wills between Porter and Kenzie is the meat of the story; the suspense arc is clearly there to force them together outside of the club. Both Kenzie and Porter are good characters but were mellow enough to lack the spark that could make them memorable.  Kenzie did stay true to her character throughout the book and I did believe in her gradual growth and change, which made her a solid character. Porter was a wonderful Dominate and understanding match for Kenzie, he pushed her in ways that made her figure it out for herself but always knowing he was there to support her.  Together they work and play off of each other incredibly well, as the reader I completely believed in the realness of their relationship, even if it all comes about a smidge swiftly. If looking for a contemporary with some suspense and with more of a sexual bite, then Tamed would be a good pick.


Full Review to be posted (Mar 3) closer to publication date.

2 stars

Samantha didn't come off as the most likable character, most of the time she is complaining about how she could never live in Alaska (it never crosses her mind that Nick might move or they could compromise somehow) and Nick is your typical cardboard cut out alpha . Samantha and Nick's relationship didn't really work for me, it was a lot of "I really like Samantha but she is too girly for Alaska" from Nick and "Nick is so sexy but he needs Alaska to be manly in while I like to shop" from Samantha. The last twenty percent or so picked up immensely with the action involving the Russian mob.

Full Review to be posted (Jan 21) closer to publication date.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Alexa was in a horrific car accident a year ago and is still healing mentally from it.  Unable to fully comprehend the trauma, she has blocked out what happened to her but little snippets have been trying to break free lately.  When a half-sister comes out of the woodwork Alexa decides a change of scenery is needed and decides to visit Ellie hoping to get to know her.  Alexa's over protective mother is against the idea, so much so that Alexa wonders what secrets her own mother is keeping from her.  When Ellie's husband has a family emergency the half-sister Alexa was hoping to get to know leaves town and dumps her flower business on Alexa.  Already overwhelmed with repressed memories trying to break through, Alexa stays in the town that she was born in and holds more truths and secrets than she is prepared for.
Nate may completely remember his trauma but it doesn't make it any easier.  While on duty and chasing down a suspect, his partner was shot and died in his arms.  Now this former cop is working as a correctional officer and fighting his demons.  When Nate meets Alexa’s gaze across the diner, something calls out to him.  They're both shrouded in the dark but see just enough light in the other to grasp onto and begin to believe there is hope.
 
Alexa is an artist (I wonder if the author is too) and the writing and how she sees the world is reflected in that.  The way things are described involve a lot of color schemes and almost take on a murky dreamlike state.  This sets the tone for a mysterious dark story while also adding to the feeling of Alexa's confusion and lost like state.  While it sets a good tone for the type of story this is, it also creates a slower pace and you lose a bit of crispness.  There are three main story threads, Alexa's confusion due to a traumatic event, the secrets Alexa's mother is keeping from her, and Nate.  The romance between Alexa and Nate is a bit of insta-love and because of this it causes a feeling of it could be any two desperately needing people coming together; are Alexa and Nate meant to be together or is it right place right time?  Their pain and outreaching do create an intense relationship, though.  Alexa and Nate's relationship suffered from too many story arcs, the secret about Alexa's father could have been left out as it didn't really add to the story.  
 
The story is mostly told through Alexa's eyes and she was a compelling character.  She has her moments of weakness (you're searching for answers and yet you're not going to read a hidden book?) but ultimately pushes through.  I didn't quite feel like I fully knew her as she herself was searching for her memories and identity but as the reader's leader she had a secure presence.  As I mentioned, the mysteriousness behind Alexa's lost memories are the driving point for this story and Nate's character takes somewhat of a hit because of this. He is the dark and broody character who is alluring but I never completely felt like I had a grasp of him.  His wounds are up front and center and become his sole representation making him very one dimensional.  The ending featuring their relationship also wrapped up pretty quickly and a dose cheesy.  Ultimately, I'm not sure what a happily ever after would look like for these two once they are not tumbling in their anguish together.
 
This is the second in the series but can definitely be read as a standalone as the first novella was about Alexa's sister Ellie and she only plays a small part in this one.  This book also has a couple drawings in it (Alexa’s sketching) that were a great addition and visually helped the reader get further into the story. Subsequently, there were times that in making the style mysterious, it made the story vague and confusing but if you're looking for a different toned unhurried paced book, this has quality writing.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

Cara has just gotten back from her childhood friend's funeral, a friend she went through chemo with.  It's been eight years of remission for Cara and with the added reminder of her friend's death she refuses to really live her life until she hits that magical ten year mark.  The problem is that her photography business is starting to take off with or without her permission, two of her foster dogs are beginning to feel more like furever pals, and her sexy neighbor Matt may just be the one capable of getting past her barriers.  Matt also isn't looking for anything permanent, his mother is having some health scares, he is going to be relocating to Boston very soon, and he is dealing with a P.I. case that may be more than it seems.  They may not have time for each other but they definitely need one another.
 
Due to her health issues and the psychological fear they caused, Cara was a very guarded character which in turn made her a little hard to warm up to.  As the reader, I never felt like I was with her in her trials and tribulations but instead a distant observer.  The emotion wasn't quite there as Cara kept up her brick wall for a lot of the story.  It was through her interactions and banter with Matt that the reader gains a connection.  There are a handful of extended scenes where Cara and Matt get to shine and I really began to enjoy the story, I just wish there could have been a little more.  Matt started off and was set up to be a very interesting character and again I wished the story could have delved into him more.  There was some meat to the tangents dealing with his mother and Marine days but especially with the IED bombing that derailed his career, I wanted it to be ingrained with a longer connection to the story. Instead it’s a kept secret that keeps him guarded, a one night kind of deflating explanation, and then never to be dealt with again.  The reader really gets to know Cara and Matt when they are together but there is enough of the story where they are separate to keep from truly embracing them.
 
There was a lot happening in this book and while all the story threads imposed on the romance at times, they were also very well written and coherently flowed perfectly together.  As a dog lover I particularly enjoyed all the dog talk and rescuing shelter and abused boxers; if you're also a fan of doggies then this book should definitely go on your to be read list.  I think if the author could have cut one or two of the side stories, Matt's crazy client, his mother's stroke, or Cara trying to rescue the two neglected boxers and substituted it with more Matt and Cara time it would have improved the story immensely.  There was also a great deal of starting and stopping kissing between Matt and Cara that reached borderline annoying and felt manipulated; a little throw back to the days of "I want you but I can't possibly have you!".  
 
Overall, Unleashed was an enjoyable read with adorable dogs whose personalities shine through enough to make you wish you could adopt them, a plethora of life issues, and leads that have chemistry when together.  Additionally, there are some secondary characters that make enough of a splash, mainly Cara's friend Merry who runs the boxer rescue, to cause some curiosity and make this series worth watching the calendar dates for.