★★★★★5 stars!!!

This was just an awesome read with one of the best closing lines, ever! Elle Kennedy gave this story so much meat, the epilogue was simply the second cherry on top of an already-huge dollop of frosting topping the most delicious cake.

Pardon if it sounds like I'm laying it on thick, but I'm just pleasantly surprised by hoe much I enjoyed Tucker and Sabrina's story. To be honest, Tucker didn't make much of an impression on me when I read the earlier books (not as much impression as Dean left, the manwhore that he is, for example). I knew a few things about him: he's steady, chill, and has no problem doing the "mom duties" in a house full of testosterone-ridden college athletes. As for Sabrina, we only ever saw her through Dean's eyes, and she came across as a bitch. Extremely smart, yes, but still a bitch.

Well, THE GOAL brought these characters to the spotlight and we get to see beyond their "steady" and "bitch" veneers.

It was first hinted in the third book, The Score, that Tucker had somehow gotten involved with Sabrina. It was surprising to me; I wouldn't immediately think if pairing these two, if given the chance. Elle Kennedy does an excellent job of convincing skeptical readers like me, though! Tucker and Sabrina are like puzzle pieces. They are very different in upbringing, temperament, inclinations, how they perceive situations, and how they respond to problems as they arise... and yet, the author makes it very believable and probable that they still inevitably end up working things out together.

This is where Tucker really shone for me! He's just a really, really, really good man. Not the meek, in-your-face "good guy" anti-thesis of the "bad boy" stereotype, but a guy who's screwed on right, know what I mean? He is patient without coming across as an annoying martyr. He gives space whenever Sabrina needs it, doesn't smother her with affection but neither does he make her feel that she's forgotten. Tucker is now my second favorite hero in this series next to Garett! (read Garett's story in book 1, The Deal)

With Sabrina, I did not immediately love her, but neither did I become extremely annoyed with her. This happens a lot with strong, independent heroines I read about who wind up making stupid, narrow-minded decisions about the people they love. I'm sure many of you have encountered a character like this before! Sabrina very nearly crossed that line with me, but it must be with the way Elle Kennedy wrote her that I understood her more than I disagreed with her. Yes she is a strong woman, she's a Superwoman to tell the truth (juggling a full load at Harvard Law, plus working two jobs on the side?? On top of other things? That's admirably unbelievable!)... but she's also vulnerable. She's not a goody-two-shoes either. She is outspoken about her sexuality, knows her appeal to men, and she can definitely hold her own against athletes and foul-mouthed men that she's forced to mingle with. She's the ultimate femme fatale. You very quickly realize that she is indeed the perfect match for Tucker.

I can't recommend this book enough! THE GOAL is a perfect weekend read. Oh, and it's pretty long, this book. Definitely read this on a Saturday so that in case you don't finish in one sitting, you still have the rest of the weekend to savor it.

Oh, and one last thing! The Goal's closing line is one of the best, and one of my favorites--ever!

"...love is the ultimate goal. It's not the one I had strived for, but I was lucky enough, so damn lucky, to achieve it."

Note on the cover: The Off-Campus Series has a new set of covers! The "abs covers", as I like to refer to them, are being replaced with the pretty lady covers, which I love! Check them out:

My sincerest thanks to Elle Kennedy, the publisher and Nina Bocci PR for the ARC copy via Netgalley!

5 stars! ★★★★★

★★★★★ 5 stars!!!

I just had to put those exclamation points in there because this book really hit me like a ton of bricks!

It's not unusual for me to be hungover on a really good book and not be in the mood for anything else for the next two days or more. This is the first time though when, literally, the moment I reached the very last page in my kindle (which I still repeatedly tapped, by the way, hoping for some kind of miracle and a couple more Epilogue pages would suddenly appear), I just knew I wouldn't be reading anything else for at least a week. I was lying on the sofa because my heart was already weak at this point (haha!). My right hand holding my kindle was the only part of my body that showed life, basically. So when I was done, my right arm just flopped right down and became dead like the rest of me.

I'm not exactly painting an attractive picture here, I'm sorry! In all seriousness, Unseen Messages just blew me away. I grew to care very much about the main characters and how they will be at the end of the story.

The synopsis tells us much of what this is mainly is about: our two main characters, Estelle and Galloway, survive a crash and are stranded on an island.

"They started as strangers. They grew to be friends. They fought the desire to be lovers." 

What the synopsis doesn't say, and what you guys should find out for yourselves, is how the event came about, who were involved, and most importantly (for me at least), how long they were there in that island.

I thought at first this would be something like Blue Lagoon where the characters would eventually adapt very well with the environment, that they'd build a fantastic cottage with slides, and that food would be abundant, that they will be healthy, etc... Unseen Messages does not ignore the realities of living with literally none of the most basic luxuries--not even a starter kit for boy scouts. Food, clean water, a proper ax to cut wood with, matches, medicine--my gosh, medicine. You'll have higher appreciation for penicillin and antibiotics after reading this book.

Estelle and Galloway had to learn how to survive without these very important things on hand.Sure, they'd get some coconuts and fish... but in reality they aren't getting all the essential nutrients the body needs to continue living. I love that Pepper Winters pointed that out in the narrative.

All those emotional, physical and mental difficulties aside... I love that the very best of humanity also took center stage in this book. =) The characters didn't go Lord of the Flies, thank God. They sought strength from one another, and in the process they really did become a family. The best parts are the happy moments shared by the characters, because in a situation like theirs, those moments are truly precious. They would have a really good few days, and then one instance of bad could overshadow that completely. Say, one day someone would get wounded. Without meds on hand, that could escalate from minor to deadly. So, as the reader I also cherished those happy moments because at any given time, it could be taken away.

Towards the end of the book, I became very much in sync with what the characters were feeling and thinking. In spite of the heartbreak and trauma, you do reach a point where you can choose to remember the happy times instead of dwelling over the bad.

I highly, highly recommend this book! This is by far the most memorable read of 2016 for me. It constantly slips through my mind even weeks after reading it. There would be moments when I'd suddenly think of this character and wonder (as though they were real people, lol), "How are they doing now?" It's crazy! And I adore Pepper Winters for writing something that makes me think that way about fictional characters.

To sum things up, Unseen Messages is hands-down one of the best I've read. =) The first chapters leading up to the crash had me holding my breath. It was nerve-wracking, I had goosebumps on my arms! I started reading while in line at my voting precinct (yeah, during the Philippine general elections! The analogy of a crash and the national election was not lost on me!), and I was gasping and clutching my kindle tightly, and I just gabbed at my sister who was sitting beside me. I just had to talk about what I was reading at that point! Overall, this book gave me a very fulfilling reading experience. Those hours were definitely worth it.

Read this, read this, read this!

★★★★★ 5 awesome stars!

When I first learned that Lucas Titan was going to have his story told, I was absolutely excited. For those who are new to the series, Lucas was first introduced in Beneath This Ink. He was as a jackass and I absolutely disliked his guts. Notice that I didn't use the word "hate", though. Even then, there was something magnetic and charming about him even though he acted selfishly and abominably. I don't know if Meghan March already planned to write his book as early as then, but he definitely came across as a potential hero in a next book. And now we have BENEATH THESE SCARS!

I love the chemistry between Lucas and Yve. At first I thought they were an unlikely pair. Lucas, as I've said, is kind of a selfish jerk, and Yve has a strong personality. I thought they'd clash, so I haven't imagined them together (Yve was also introduced in one of the earlier books). Meghan March really made their pairing work, though!

I love that Lucas wasn't transformed into a gentleman. He maintained that wealthy-jerk vibe. At the same time, you cannot doubt how intense he can be towards people he cares about. Yve being in trouble brings out the good guy in him, but without losing the antagonistic traits we saw the first time he appeared in this series. My descriptions may sound convoluted now, lol, but believe me. All the nuances of Lucas characteristics really fit the story perfectly.

With Yve, I like how Meghan was able to balance her strong, ball-buster personality with the vulnerability that lurks just beneath the surface. She doesn't come across as fake, as a trying hard "strong woman". She just is. She has a bad past that she'd rather forget. Unfortunately, that past is rearing its ugly head

Fortunately for Yve is that Lucas has made her his business before things start to go bad for her. I loooooove him as this arrogant knight in shining armor! In other books the "bad-boy" hero would often lose his edge. I love that Lucas doesn't lose his arrogance at all, even as he goes all-out in ensuring Yve's safety.

Oh, another thing for fans of this series should look forward to: every scene Lucas had with Con and Lord. Oh what FUN! (fyi for those who don't know or forgot, Lucas and Con are kind of sworn enemies. And since Lord is Con's stepbrother, so...) I just love it when old characters have important roles to play in sequels. Who doesn't, right?

Just like the other books in this series, BENEATH THESE SCARS is meaty. There's not just one plot to solve. There are several other subplots, other day-to-day issues that make these characters feel more realistic and relatable. Classic Meghan March, giving readers a lot more than what the synopsis tells.

So without a doubt and not an ounce of surprise from me, this one's another fave! This series continues to impress me and makes me wait (im)patiently for more. Keep them coming Ms. March!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 sure stars!

Another winner from Meghan March! Why am I not surprised. =D

Okay, so this review is waaaay overdue! It wasn't that I did not enjoy it because hello, Maghan March fan over here? So, delay reasons aside, here's my opinion of this book in a nutshell:

"Lord, oh Lord!"

BENEATH THESE CHAINS is way more humorous than the first two in this series (both standalones, by the way). Elle and Lord were already introduced in the earlier books. Lord is co-owner and manager of the pawnshop, Chains. He first came across as this mysterious guy born on the wrong side of the tracks.  Elle is a loud, sassy, wealthy young woman who is all curves and attitude.

Right of the bat, there are two things that makes things complicated for these two people who are obviously very attracted to each other:

Firstly, Elle is the best friend of Lord's brother's girlfriend... so if ever things go south between Lord and Elle, things will get sticky for all four of them. Out of respect to his brother Con, he puts Elle firmly in the off-limits zone. At first.

Secondly, with his tattoos and obviously seedy background; and her all poised and polished, and coming from an upper-class society, there is an obvious discrepancy that is not lost on Lord.

But then really, there's nothing to worry about because Lord, oh Lord!

Once he realized that he's willing to try for something real with Elle, he set those two complications aside and instead gave his best shot at tearing her defenses down.

"I wasn't lying when I said any time you need me, all you have to do is call. I may not be anyone's version of a white knight, but I'll still be coming."

I love that he was the first one to say, I want to go into this relationship with you, but you also have to go all-in with me. All or nothing, baby! Surprisingly, it was Elle who's more reluctant. She's the one who prefers one-time only flings. She doesn't like the idea of relationships because to her, that would be like giving up her independence. She is a single-minded woman who wants to get what she wants. That's the reason why they were thrown together in the first place: Elle demanded that Lord hire her as an employee at his pawnshop. Why? Because she wants to retrieve a precious item that was wrongly pawned off by her jackass step-brother. But this is just one subplot in this book.

Now true to form, Meghan March packs a lot into the storyline. There are a couple new characters who added dimension (and tension) into the love story; and of course, a couple of surprising plot twists that caught me off-guard.

This is really what I love and will always look forward to from the books in this series! :D Refreshing storylines that keep me on the edge of my seat. Several murders, a possible conspirator from within their circle.. whew. These twists did not just pad the pages, though. They also strengthened the main characters' relationship. By the last chapter, nothing feels contrived or superficial. As with the previous two books, Meghan March convinces me that Lord and Elle will truly last, what with everything they went through together.

One of the best aspects of the book, and what readers can look forward to, is the funny banter between Lord and Elle. Even when they are burning up the sheets, those scenes remain light and funny because of Elle's cheeky one-liners.

"Bring it on, pawn star."

I like how their opposite personalities balance each other out. Lord is a bit more serious and very intense. Elle's personality is so out there, but there are also moments where you can see she is vulnerable somehow. Those are the times when Lord's single-minded determination comes in handy. When Elle is vacillating between yes or no, Lord is telling her, I am yes all the way. The ball is now in your court. Whatever your decision will be, you know where I stand.

She looked up at me, eyes big and lost. But I wasn't backing down. This woman was worth it. Worth fighting for, even if I was fighting her. 

★★★★★ 5 stars!

When I first read the synopsis for CORRUPT, it sent chills down my spine. The words are the stuff of thriller films, the kind that would make me cover my eyes. It also confused me: so there are four guys, and only one girl..? Will there be a love triangle, a love square?

Well, there certainly wasn't a square, there wasn't even a romantic triangle. There is, though, one widely-talked about scene involving three. Hint: this is an erotic romance, remember that! *wink2!*

Speaking of erotic romance, this is Penelope Douglas' first foray into the genre. Although her sexy scenes definitely lived up to expectations, there are only a few of those in this book. This isn't a sexfest (which most people would assume whenever they see the word "erotica"). There is a very thrilling and exciting story here. The hint of danger and threat definitely added to the intensity and sex appeal of the book.

...Rika alone at college. In my city. Unprotected. The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they're out. We've waited. We've been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true. 

As always, Miss D does a great job at giving us small pieces of the story, one at a time, throughout the book. We know the score: Erika Fane did or said something that sent Michael Crist and his friends, Damon, Will and Kai, to prison. Three years later they finish serving their sentence. Now that they are out, they only have one goal: make her pay.

The narration shifts from the events of that fateful night three years ago to the present. The point of view also alternates between Rika and Michael. The downside of all these alternating timelines and pov's is that my mind was all over the place, so it was a bit slow for me at the beginning. On a positive note, this style became very useful as the story gets more exciting. Readers are given the opportunity to get into the minds of the guys, which was a very good thing because otherwise, readers will only ever see them as monsters out for revenge. We find out that Michael isn't really as vengeful as he thinks he is; that Will is struggling emotionally even though he appears to be more cheerful than any of the guys; that Damon has become more dangerous than we think; and that Kai has become stone cold inside. Each of them just begs for his own book! I am rooting for Kai's first!

I enjoyed Ms. D's character development. I witnessed Rika's transformation from a sheltered society princess to young woman who can own up to what (and who) she wants. By the end of the book, she's fighting her fears. She will no longer allow people with malicious intentions to make decisions for her future. She is not a victim because she won't allow herself to be. Michael was the one who helped her realize this.

Michael didn't get any less intense, but he certainly became more human to me by the end of the story. At the beginning, he and his friends seem to be on a different dimension. They're just so intense and passionate even as they are described as having a poker face, or something. With their blatant disregard for rules and decorum, plus everyone's deference to them including adults in authority? I think I put them on a pedestal. I couldn't even imagine them pooping, know what I mean?

The only other transformation we've seen is in Kai (won't say more about it though, keeping my mouth zipped!), but surely that was just the tip of the iceberg. Like I said, I am so ready to find out more about this guy! As for Will and Damon, we've only so far only seen how they have changed after being in prison. I am holding out hope that Damon will be reformed, and that Will may find the peace of heart and mind that he tries to fill by sleeping with numerous women.

What you can expect about CORRUPT is that it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Michael and his friends, collectively called "The Horsemen", are very seductive as they threaten Rika. It truly is a lengthy foreplay of words and goosebumps-inducing touches! What makes the words effective is that Ms. D made it obvious Rika also likes it. Sure, she's scared by it, but it is also her kink. Remember that, ok? I'd hate for people to jump to conclusions and say that this book promotes toxic and abusive relationships. Whatever, this book is not that at all.

CORRUPT is definitely not just for erotica readers. If you enjoy intensity and stories that ooze sex appeal even without the sex scenes, this one is for you. The thrill of being chased, the seductiveness of danger, Ms. D was able to convey them on page effectively. Just pick this up and you'll enjoy delicious tingles down to the tips of your toes!

And now for the TOP 5 list! I was given the opportunity to ask the author a list of Top 5's, and here it is!

Top 5 Most Difficult Scenes to Write in CORRUPT

Giveaway!

She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or...

You know what? It doesn't matter. She loves Coke. Now you know.

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.

★★★★★ 5 stars!!!

"You are... for me?"

I think I may have found a phrase more romantic and heart-melting than "I love you."

I just looooved REAP! It is intense, thrilling, exciting, and very sexy. After reading the book, it felt like I just finished a marathon. I had a stupid grin on my face, I was giddy, I felt like thumping my kindle in a "I just finished reading something really awesome!" kind of way. If there was a fellow romance reader sitting beside me at that time, I would have talked her ear off about it.

REAP is everything and had everything I want to see in a story with this kind of premise: the hero being screwed up emotionally and mentally, transformed into a killing machine with no history and no feelings. I have come across a few books before with a similar premise, but they lost their edge halfway through the narrative. I don't even remember those titles anymore, that's how little they impacted me. But that's definitely not the case with REAP. This one is a winner!

"You are... for me?"

Oh God...! *cue in stupid, silly, swoony grin here* I just... could not! I have no words for how much I swooned and silently squeed whenever these words were uttered. The first time it was said, you could just tell something significant just happened. The fuel has been poured, the key is now in the lock, and the cannon is already loaded. There's no stopping the inevitable; there is no stopping the universe from bringing these two people, Zaal and Talia, together. Those four words packs so much history, meaning and emotion. The only way to fully understand what I mean is to READ THIS BOOK!

I feel like I could babble and gush incoherently for 10 more paragraphs, so I'll sum up my LIKES here:

• The way Tillie Cole wrote the character of Zaal was excellent for me! There was consistency in how he acts and thinks. He manifests both 221 (he shows the qualities of the man the captured boy was transformed into) and Zaal (as the reader, I could also recognize the young boy who was depicted in recall scenes).
• Zaal and Talia's connection did not feel forced at all. They have chemistry, and they somehow make sense in spite of the complicated, Romeo and Juliet-esque situation they are in.
• The truth behind 221's identity. Heartbreaking and shocking, in a "what the F do we do now" kind of way.
• Anri. 362. "Be strong. Keep strong." What happened to him broke my heart, but he is nonetheless one of my favorites, and one of the best things in this book.
• Even though 221 was recalling being Zaal, he didn't lose his dangerous, unstable edge. He is still very much 221, the brainwashed dog who murdered countless people. He didn't suddenly have a personality transplant and turned into a meek, law-abiding, civilized man.
• Luka and Kira, the leads of the previous book, continue to have significant roles in REAP. I think people who haven't read RAZE will still understand how this couple started, what they had to go through to finally be together, and the struggles they continue to face.
• Luka's parents. They are just good people. 
• You are... for me? (it begs to be repeated!!! =D *supersquee!!!*)
• That ending. I. Love. It.
• That epilogue. Give me the 3rd book now PLEASE!

★★★★★ 5 stars!

"He was known as the 'Boogeyman of the East,' and I was the unknown 'Wicked Witch of the West.' "

"Every last person we kill is for family. If we do not kill them, they kill us. It’s the way of the world. It is self-defense."

I cannot not give this book 5 stars because it just impressed the heck out of me. Not that I liked every single thing about it, but because the author was really able to stick to what she presented us at the book blurb and the beginning if the story: two ruthless people who have no qualms whatsoever to do what they want to do for what they believe in.

I've read other books wherein one or both main characters are introduced as highly skilled, no-mercy mercenaries. Halfway through the story though, they have a semi-change of heart (usually because of the developing love story) and develop a conscience. I like it when book characters evolve and turn out for the better, but my problem is that the characters often become too soft that it borders on getting "out of character". Hands up to JJ McAvoy for being consistent and staying firm with characters' personality, ethics and morals. Oh, I meant the lack thereof!

This story is not for readers who like it when killers make a complete 180 by the end of the book. There are things that happened here that really made me go, whaaaaaattt, whyyyyyy??? why are you so, so, sooooo bad??

Melody Giovanni and Liam Callahan are full-fledged mafia offspring and leaders. They carry weapons. They bond over live feeds of carnage they cause. They kill without hesitation. It doesn't matter if it's a man, woman or child; if they need to have them gone, they are dispatched. So, for those who are hoping that these two would suddenly step down from their respective turfs and choose a family life complete with the white picket fence, consider yourselves warned.

I guess you could say this is kind of like Sons of Anarchy wherein the main characters are essentially criminals who don't blink twice when shooting a person.. but you can't help but want to know what happens to them next. I certainly want to know what happens in the next book. There is a wonderful and terrifying twist in the end. Terrifying for Melody and Liam, if I may take a guess. Having established that these two are truly two of the most ruthless people I have read, that's saying something!

As for their "love story", it definitely isn't what you'd call romance. They want to kill each other the first time they met. There is an obvious power struggle at the beginning, with the main issue being Melody, a woman, being in-charge of a powerful Mafia group. They come to respect each other's intelligence and guts, though, and that's where their relationship is built around: mutual respect. Melody and Liam recognize each other's power, and they choose to be together as partners and equals. Like I said, not the most romantic of stories. Then again, their brand of romance is not at all common, and it's definitely not all pleasant! Although this did make me relish, as a reader, those few moments when these two would talk and behave like a regular couple. I loved that phone conversation where Liam coaxes Melody with a smoothie, and she couldn't resist the bait. She just had to release her bitchiness before succumbing, of course.

RUTHLESS PEOPLE is for readers who are willing to read a story through the eyes of killers. To see their point of view, and to be exposed to their way of thinking. This isn't sweet or toe-curling. It's the opposite of a "light read". But it is very interesting, and if you are open to all these things, I'm sure you'll want to find out what happens next just as badly as I do!

This is how bullies are made.

Penelope Douglas is a writer living in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers BULLY and UNTIL YOU. Look for the next book in the series, RIVAL, coming August 26, 2014.