Payback "Cason" Made Holly Feel Alive

Payback (A Bad Boy Romance)

Alexx Andria (Author)

      Cason is out for revenge against Butcher. Butcher shot Cason's sister and left her in a coma. He wants Butcher to hurt like he has been hurt. So Cason decides to go after someone Butcher loves, his sister. Cason discovers that Butche's sister is hidden away at a small college. He kidnaps Holly and is surprised how attractive he finds her. He is suppose to be using her to get his revenge against her brother. Cason is doing bad things for a good reasons in his mind to avenge his sister. He has to continue to remind himself why he is doing it stick to the plan. Holly fights him every step of the way. Cason seems to like her spunk and spirit, and he starts feels protective and possessive toward Holly. Cason eventually decides to trust her and share things with her that most people don't know. Cason might be a bad boy, but he does redeem himself and even saves his woman, Holly. He does love Holly.

   In the beginning Holly is a very timid bookworm / nerdy type, but as the story progresses Holly comes into her own. She learns to stand up for herself and fight for what she wants. The reader sees glimpse of Holly's feistiness / fire throughout the story, but Holly's insecurities cause her to hide behind baggy clothes, her school and her books. She loves books and reading. Holly spends hours in the college library, because that is where she is most comfortable. Holly feels that guys don't see her that she is invisible, because she is unattractive (in her mind) in the typical / classical sense. So Holly has a hard time believing that Cason is attracted to her. Holly is scared, when she is kidnapped by Cason. After discovering the reasoning behind it, Holly is angry and shocked at being used aa a pawn against her brother, Butcher. She tells Cason that she knows nothing about her brother's business. Holly is attracted to Cason from the beginning, but knows that she shouldn't feel that way. She is a good girl, and good girls know better than to get involved with / fall for bad boys. Cason makes Holly question everything that she thought she knew about her life and her family. Holly doesn't really trust anyone, and now she has to decide who to believe and trust. Throughout the story the other characters, Cason & Butcher, discover that Holly is a smart woman, who can think for herself. She can be sassy at times ass well.

     Payback does start out dark with the revenge / an eye for an eye.  As the story progresses and develops, the two characters find what their life is missing. Cason and Holly are lonely and need someone to help them feel alive and wanted. Both are given a second chance; especially Cason. I am a sucker for a bad boy with a good heart. Payback ends with love and a happily ever after. This story has suspense, mystery, great sexually chemistry between Cason and Holly, HEA, some violence, alternating POV and romance. I appreciate that the author allowed the reader to understand each character and their feelings. I felt Holly and Cason's emotions and feelings as I read this story. Yes there were tears, laughter, anger and even nerousness. I loved the scene at the hospital. All I will say is that I laughed and cried doing it, because I can related. I recommend this book. I think that anyone who is not sure about reading this book should give this book a chance, because it will surprise you.  I received this arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Overall Rating - 4 1/2 stars
Sexy / Hotness Level - 4 1/2 stars

POV - Alternating POV for each character

Bad Boy - Yes
Recommend to Other - Yes
HEA - Yes
Cliffhanger - No



     

Holy Hotness! Totally Captivating! Little Kitten & Her Hitman

Captive Of The Hitman: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Novel

Alexis Abbott (Author)

   Holy Hotness! Captive Of The Hitman kept me "captive" from beginning to end. This story is full of action, suspense, characters with great chemistry, romance, steamy sex scenes, and alternating POV. There is a bad, boy hitman with a dirty mouth. The author didn't forget the good girl, who is smart and loyal to her man. Captive Of The Hitman is a wild ride with many twists and turns, but there is a happily ever after for Mikhail and Alicia. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a bad boy with a soft(er) for the woman he loves, or a good girl who can be bad when her or her man's life is threatened. This is an intense book that I loved. I enjoyed that we got to check back in with previous characters, Leon, Cherry & their club/group, even briefly. For me, it gave me more insight & made me appreciate both books more (Saved By The Outlaw). Both books are standalone and don't need to read one to understand the other.  

   Mikhail is a hitman for the Russian mob, Bratva. He was hired and supposed to kill everyone at a party. Mikhail discovers a woman there and can't kill her. He refuses to kill women and child. Alicia had gone out to dinner with her boss the congressman. She ended up drugged and brought to a party without her knowledge. Mikhail takes Alicia captive instead of killing her and brings her to his safe house. When Alicia wakes up, she doesn't really remember the night before and is confused about where she is. Mikhail tells Alicia that he brought her to his safe house for her safety. He claims that he will let her go / release Alicia when things quiet down or forget that she was there. Mikhail and Alicia are both very attracted to each other. When Mikhail tries to leave, Alicia doesn't want him leave her alone. Alicia is torn about how she feels about Mikhail. When Mikhail's boss discovers that he left a witness alive, Alicia is no longer safe and his safe house is compromised. Mikhail is no longer safe for that matter either. He feels very protective of Alicia and doesn't take it very well when someone goes after her. Mikhail doesn't show his emotions, but with Alicia he does. She sees Mikhail's rough side. He shows Alicia his true self, the good and bad. She learns that Mikhail is a hitman / killer for the Russian mob. Alicia discovers that he never lies to her. Even though Alicia looks for ways to leave and when given the chance, Alicia never does leaves Mikhail. Alicia is kidnapped again by men working for Mikhail's boss. He must get her back and save her from the sadistic, Russian mob guy/crazy man. Then Mikhail teaches Alicia to defend herself / shot a gun. She stands by her man until the end of the story. 

    I loved this book. I adored Alicia and Mikhail together. Thank Alexis for the ending. My favorite scene has to be when Alicia discovers Mikhail working out. All I can say is WOW! Totally an alpha male moment. I received this arc book for an unbiased review, and this is my unbiased review. I enjoyed this book so much that I choice to purchase this book. 

Overall Rating = 5 Stars!
Hotness / Sexy Level = 4 1/2 Stars!
Recommend to Others = Hell Yes!
POV = Alternating (each chapter)
Bad Boy / Alpha Male = Yes!
Cliffhanger = No

Beast, Prince, Hero = Grady Williams

Beast: A Bad Boy Marine Romance

Alana Albertson (Author)


    Grady is wounded Marine. Most people believe that Grady is a hero, but not Grady. He risked his life for his fellow Marines. Grady spends most of his time alone in is home afraid of how people will react to his appears. He is still quite scarred even after multiple surgeries. One night Grady goes out to a college costume party down the street. He is dressed as the Hulk with a mask to cover his half scarred face. 

    Isabella is a college student working on a Psych major. Isabella is able to go to college with the money she earn as a dancer on a television program. Isabella discovered that the money, which was in a trust, had been withdrawn from the account. Isabella's friend convinced her to a costume party. She meets a very sexy looking Hulk. While they were talking, fireworks cause Grady to believe it is gunfire (has a PTSD episode/flashback). He throws Isabella to the ground and lays on top of her to protect her. When Grady realized his mistake, he quickly leaves and goes home. Isabella falls him and attempts to help Grady. 

    Isabella feels a need to help Grady, because she was unable to help her mother. Grady defense mechanism is to scare or chase people off. After Isabella learns that all her trust money is gone, stolen by her father and he still needs more money. Isabella goes to Grady to convinces him to let her dad writes his war memoir. Grady reluctantly agrees, but only if she goes with him to the Marine Corp Ball as his girlfriend. 

    In the beginning, Grady doesn't want to change or have help to change, even though he does go to therapy. He is, in my opinion, stubborn and assumes the worst. He believes that everyone will think that he is some sort of beast or freak with is not true. This causes Grady to be very unhappy in the beginning, but he wants to find someone and to be happy again. Grady doesn't believe that Isabella is attracted to him and finds him sexy. Isabella isn't willing to deal with her issues in the beginning either. She has not dealt with her father and his problems, her mother's death, or why she stopped dancing.

      I thought that it was very telling that Isabella wanted alleviate Grady's pain and hoped that he would heal her. Isabella wanted to feel loved, in my opinion. She was lonely just like Grady was. They were two people who were lost and needed someone to make them feel alive again / give them a reason to live. 

    Almost everyone has scars (damage) whether they are visible or invisible. We have to be willing to look past that to the person inside (beauty). We have to help/better/fix ourselves. We have to love ourselves first, so that we can be loved. Both Isabella and Grady wanted to better themselves, face their fears, so they could be better for the other person. Also so they could find true love. 

    I love that their first dance was to "Tale as Old as Time." This is a modern day Beauty and the Beast. This is my first book by Alana Albertson. It will not be my last. The only thing that I was left wondering was what happened with Isabella's father and what happened to her childhood home. These things are not a deal breaker for me. Beast has romance, suspense, happily ever after, interesting plot/ story and intriguing characters. i was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 Stars!