★★★★★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! ★★★★★

★★★★☆ 4.5 stars

Elissa and Liam have had a shot at a relationship six years earlier. They were a really good match. They were funny together, sexy together, and they just clicked. Unfortunately, their careers were in the way. They had to make decisions which resulted in them having to break things off--and not on amiable terms. At all. Upon learning Elissa's side of the story, Liam will seem like a douche. But of course, there is also the other side of the story, and that's what makes the entire thing interesting and exciting.

These two have a lot of chemistry, new fiance and 6 years of separation notwithstanding. You know how it is with exes with unresolved issues? They will either bite each others head off or dance around each other again with lots of flirting and reminiscing. For Liam and Lissa, it was the latter. They are just so good together that their sad separation got to me. It also made their reunion very, very exciting to read about! I felt kilig all over, and I just kept rooting for them to end up together!

The secondary characters are also very likable. I was so ready to hate Angel, Liam's fiance and co-star... but no, she just had to be this quirky, likable, and all-around nice person. She's beautiful, she's smart, and she comes from a wealthy family but she's not a snob about her wealth.

Lissa's best friend, Josh, was also extremely likable. At first I thought he would be built up to be the third party in the love story, but it was made clear from the beginning that Elissa had nothing but platonic love for him. Their friendship and level of ease in each other's company was almost envious! I usually see this type of friendship between girls and gay friends, but this time I was thinking how great it would be to have a guy best friend--because of Josh.

So, final verdict: read WICKED HEART because it's really enjoyable. You will laugh, you'll be sad, but overall you'll have a happy time reading from start to finish. It can be read as a standalone, which I'm sure is a plus for some readers. Finally, it's Leisa Rayven =) you're pretty much guaranteed a good time reading.

★★★★★ 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!

★★★★ 4 stars

Here we go again! Sigh…

DIRTY PLEASURES immediately follows the final events of DIRTY BILLIONAIRE (read my review here!). Holly has just left her dirty-talking, billionaire husband, Creighton Karas. Normally I'd roll my eyes at dramatics over a single mistake, but in this instance I empathize with her. Creighton did not promise her love, but he did give his word that he will consider her career top priority, just as he does his own. Unfortunately, he forgot about Holly and that she had to make it to her scheduled tour—or else, her record label will drop her like a hot potato. Hurt and determined to succeed, she takes off on her own.

As the second book of this series, this was all about the growth of Creighton and Holly's relationship. They did things backwards if you recall in book 1: hookup first, a very public proposal driven by lust, and then a wedding very soon after. It's crazy. It's no wonder they are having trouble now.

There is one awesome thing here though: Creighton truly wants to make things work. I looooove it when the guys grovel. It's heart-melting, isn't it, when the heroes go out of their way to prove themselves to the heroine? Especially after a major screw-up? I was truly impressed with the lengths he had taken to make it up to Holly. He had to make major adjustments, from his lifestyle to the way he conducts business. However, since he is mostly on this mission throughout the book, his intensity was toned down by several notches. In book 1, he is an all-out tease king. He says such provocative things that had me blushing and looking over my shoulder. He's still like that in DIRTY PLEASURES, but... not so much anymore. Or I guess not the same intensity level. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something was just different.

I still like this second installment, but not as much as the first. Yes, I loved grovelling Creighton, but again I missed his intensity in book 1. The ending was another reason. SPOILER ALERT: Holly, yet again, leaves Creighton. If I was sympathetic the first time it happened, this time I'm just, "oh gosh, not again…" .

Tip? When you read this, make sure you also have the third book, DIRTY TOGETHER, because you'll want to just get on with what happens next. It is very obvious what the "next big fight" will be about, so I just wanted to know right away how the characters would handle it (crossing my fingers that no one will be running away yet again!).

★★★☆ 3.5 stars

★★★★☆ 4.5 steamy stars!

"My Christmas Eve one-night stand was supposed to be just that--one night. And now I'm married to him."

Meghan March promised us that this new series is going to be her steamiest yet, and guess what? She did deliver. =) I started reading DIRTY BILLIONAIRE at the gym. I almost fell over the treadmill and the elliptical a couple of times because I had to look over my shoulder and make sure there was no one standing behind me. Goodness, Creighton Karas has an incredibly filthy mouth! He lives up to the tone of the synopsis, really. Just a bit more... businessman-like, I should say. The synopsis made him sound like a reckless young man, almost like a manwhore rockstar.

So, we have Holly Wix, a country singer who aspires for a brighter spotlight. She's stuck in a PR stunt to revive the dying career of her record label's top male star. She's being driven to the wall with their latest demand: agree to a fake engagement with said top male star and endure the next several months as the joke of town. Sick and tired of her situation but knowing that she has no choice, she wanted to do one act of rebellion before the staged engagement. She decided to have a one night stand. It just so happens that the guy she picked is Creighton, a man who goes after what he wants and pulls out all the stops to get it. And after that one night together, Creighton decides he wants more of Holly. Exclusively. Yes, that means marriage. He's that intense!

I did not expect what followed next. Of course, there are a couple more sexy scenes (these two are married, after all), but the main conflict became Holly's career and how she ranks in Creighton's list of priorities. Creighton is a busy man, and that's a given because he's a billionaire. Meghan March proceeds to establish how much Holly values her career. This is her dream, and she's already very talented but she also works very hard for it. She may have married this man on a whim, and she may have done it for her career... but there's also a part of her that hopes the relationship will develop into something more meaningful. As they grow closer emotionally, and as they share more significant moments together, she began to hope that Creighton would value her life goals and dreams as much as he values his own businesses.

DIRTY BILLIONAIRE ends badly for these two, and I remember going, "Shucks, that's it?!" when I reached the last page. This is a shorter than Meghan March's Beneath Series, and I guess it's because she really meant to tell Holly and Creighton's story in three books. I was caught off guard by the ending though, and overall I felt wanting just a little bit more in terms of length and story. I wanted the next book asap because it felt like I need a little bit more...!

So, DIRTY BILLIONAIRE comes highly recommended if you are in the mood for smut *wink2* because this book is really smoking! It was a nice jolt for me because I was starting to descend to a slump, reading books of the same wavelength... it was like accidentally biting onto a tiny green jalopeno, haha! Oh, and you might want to read with your back to a wall, just saying! Unless you're in the company of fellow romance readers, it could be a tad embarrassing if someone reads one of Creighton's lines. =)

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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. 

★ ★ ★ ★ 4 happy stars!

Ever since I read BROKEN (read my review here), I kept an eye and an ear out for anything new by Lauren Layne. BROKEN wasn't that kind of epic romance that would crush me, torture me emotionally or give me a mental complex. It was just the right kind of chill read. From that book, and the second standalone book in that series entitled CRUSHED, I deduced that Lauren Layne books are really very easy to read. They're not pretentious. They don't promise sweeping, emotional storylines, only to fall short halfway through. Her stories are straightforward. Quite predictable, yes, but there's pleasure in knowing that the H and h I'm rooting for will undeniably get together in the end. Best of all, Lauren Layne's writing doesn't bore me.

So, I went into STEAL ME with those expectations, and I wasn't off the mark. This is a laid-back read that had me smiling, laughing, and enjoying a fluttery feeling in my gut after reading the last paragraph. I imagine fast readers can finish this in one afternoon. It really is a chill read, one that I can easily enjoy after a stressful week at work.

Anthony Moretti is portrayed as this stern and ambitious, newly-made Captain of the NYPD. His sole ambition is to follow in his father's footsteps and eventually become Police Commissioner. Not that his brothers, Luc and Vincent, value their careers in the Police Force any less than him; but it is Anthony who is really focused on the career path he wants to take.

Now in comes Maggie Walker, the new waitress at the diner where the Moretti family takes brunch every Sunday. Apparently she is such a clutz around Anthony--and funnily enough, only around Anthony. She almost always ends up dumping whatever drink and food she's holding on his lap, on his shoes, on his shirt...haha! He frazzles her, and the Moretti family finds this hilarious. They take her side, too, whenever Anthony loses his patience and snaps at her.

The thing is, Maggie is not at all a shy and meek little lady. She has gone through a lot. She was once married to a verbally abusive and cheating man. Her brother and father are leeches who only contact her when they need money. She just wanted to have a new start and anothe shot at everything she's missing in life.

The romance plot branches out to a high-profile theft case that Anthony is working on. He finds out soon enough that the perpetrator has a connection with Maggie. It doesn't go on the typical route of "must protect the witness". The bigger issue here is Anthony's reluctance to be anything more than "police captain". He doesn't believe that he can be a boyfriend, all the more a husband, if he were to become Police Commissioner. This is due to his tragic experience with his last relationship. Honestly, he annoyed the heck out of me when this mentality kicked in. He put Maggie on second priority a couple of times, and I wanted him to do major grovelling before the book was over!

One of the best parts of this book is the Moretti family, really. They may be secondary characters but they are very effective at helping keep the story going. They contributed a lot to the progress of the romance. The humor they bring to the table is also just right to give life to the story... and also tease readers for the next Moretti book: Vincent's!

I recommend STEAL ME if you just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy a light read.. with just a smidgen of crime plot twist to make things more interesting.

★★★★ 4 stars

In my previous post, I mentioned how much I loved the first pages of this book. Let me say it again: this is how a prologue or first chapter should be! It grabbed my attention, and let me know that this was going to be an emotional book. After reading the foreword and Harper Sloan's posts on Facebook, I also knew this is a very personal story. Naturally, my expectations went through the roof.

I love the premise of Perfectly Imperfect. A young woman with body image issues is swept off her feet by a man who could have had any beautiful woman he wants. Cinderella and Prince Charming, indeed. Loved it from the get-go!

However, this is not a feel-good fairy tale all through out. In fact, the book starts on a very sad note.

"Self-loathing is a disease."

Willow has been through a lot--emotionally, physically and mentally. Her self-image issues were the result of emotional neglect and verbal abuse from the people who should have been her pillar of support at the time she needed them most. She had let people talk her into believing she deserved the crap she got in life, and as a result, she lost her self-confidence and the will to better herself. When Willow talks about being disgusted with herself, and her worries that Kane would be disgusted with her because of what she had let her family do to her, it was just so sad.. but also incredibly honest.

I also loved how Harper Sloan also showed us what Willow's friends are thinking about. Those short descriptions about how they'd give her a look whenever she's picking at her food; blurting out offhand remarks which actually have a ton of meaning; and saying "I'm fine," when she obviously is not. I love, love them. They are so protective but also supportive of what makes their friend happy. For every Willow out there in the world, I pray they also have a Kirby and Eddie who will support, cheer, and love him/her unconditionally.

Now for the man of the hour: Kane Masters. The synopsis mentioned nothing about what he does for a living, so you'll be pleasantly surprised about this one! Hint: this bit of the story takes our Cinderella plot to a higher level.

Kane pursued Willow with such intensity and determination, it's envious! I also couldn't help but feel so happy for Willow. She's one of those characters for whom you'll think, "Hey, this girl deserves a happy ever after!" She doesn't have to settle for the "short, bald, pot bellied ones," and Kane helps her realize all this.

It's easy to assume that sequels may follow this book. Kane is not the only Masters male (yay!). He has a brother, Kole. A happy-go-lucky celebrity who's openly stated his aversion to marriage and children will make a fabulous book boyfriend, just saying..!

Perfectly Imperfect ends with redemption, success, and all other kinds of victory. Not everyone is unscathed, but let's just say that some people got their comeuppance. As someone who loves a good revenge story, I read the epilogue with such relish.

I'm giving this 4 stars because I wanted just a little bit more...something. Kane and Willow's love story is set in Hollywood, so I was hoping for more oomph from that area.

The best thing about this book is how it speaks to people who have the same issues as Willow. That they should work hard on being strong mentally, emotionally and physically; that even if someone pushes them down the very next day, they can still choose to rise above it and work even harder on being strong; that there are people who will cheer them on and won't leave them alone; that they are stronger than they think; and that one day, there will be a special someone who will accept and love them no matter what they are going through.

I love that Harper Sloan was able to bring to light the difficulties that people with self-image issues face, letting us know what they are most likely thinking and feeling about everything and everyone... But I love best that in spite of this serious story line, she was also able to make it light-hearted, romantic, and at times even funny. That is what life is about, after all. :) Even with all the problems that come our way, there will still be opportunities to love, laugh and have fun--if only we allow ourselves to experience them all.

As the title says. =(

Work is currently kicking my ass! I can't wait for the Christmas holidays to arrive! Sadly, due to the crunch time at work, I am behind a couple of reviews. I'll be making a proper review for each of these titles, but I'll leave a short teaser for now.

 Perfectly Imperfect by Harper Sloan

Mirror, mirror … who’s the fairest of them all?

I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’

And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.

--- The very first pages of the first chapter is how a first chapter should be! It will grab you and convince you to find the nearest comfy chair, grab a pillow, and have your favorite drink nearby.

In a nutshell, this was emotional but not so that it's overly dramatic. There's a lot of humor, actually, and it follows the recipe for redemption and the nasty people getting their comeuppance (evil grin), which I really loved.

Beneath These Scars by Meghan March

I highly recommend these books for holiday reading. These are the stories you'd want to finish because they will leave you feeling giddy and happy inside. =)

★★★★★ 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!