ARC REVIEW: One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle

Where to begin? Well I’ll begin by saying that I’m going to keep this short, like really, and I might add GIFs, yeah, I definitely will, I love GIFs.

Another day, another Karina book. I mean, by now you guys know where I stand when it comes to Karina’s books. And I know that I say this EVERY. TIME. I review one of her books, but damn the woman can write! I know I can’t be the only one who thinks so. (OK update September 1st, this book is everywhere so obviously I’m not the only one that thinks so). 

 

This book takes place in Italy, Tuscany to be more exact. I’ve never been to Italy but I’ve always wanted to go there and for now this is as close as I’m gonna get. Because you know that Karina has a special way to describe things so that you feel like your actually there.

And, of course, there’s also a love story in there, isn’t it always? Grace and Claudio are YUM. Single dads har fun, yes? You really need to experience this one for yourselves, guys.

5 stars from me!

 

Go forth and buy it!

 

 

 

ARC REVIEW: Hell Hath No Fury by R.C. Boldt

You guys know this by now but still… I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I first read the blurb for this I thought it sounded really interesting. A woman taking out revenge on the people who ruined her life seemed like it might be my cup of tea. 

The first couple of chapters went by really slow and I started regretting even requesting an ARC of this book. But then our leading lady met our leading man and things started getting exciting, to say the least. Now, I don’t want to spoil anything because this book is full of surprises that are best experienced on one’s own. But! and there’s this big but… this book is hot and juicy and covered in blood and violence. I felt like you need to know that going in because maybe you don’t like those things… or maybe you do and now you have another reason to read it. 

I think that the author does a good job in making these characters dynamic, they’ve got personality, feelings and most importantly they evolve. The author also did one hell of a job writing the action scenes because unlike some books I’ve read in the past these action scenes didn’t seem unrealistic and over the top. If you’ve ever tried writing an action scene you’ll know it’s kind of hard. 

I will say that there is a plot twist towards the end, as everything culminates, that I did see coming, not for very long, but I did see it coming. Now, I’m not saying that everyone who reads this will see it coming because I don’t think that everyone will. But I’m one of those people who watch movies and figure out who the killer is way before everyone else, which is kind of anti climactic to say the least. Though, I guess in this case I also found some pleasure in knowing what was coming. 

I don’t know why all my reviews are messy these days, maybe it’s because I can’t type as fast as I think? 

Anyways, you should read this book. I finished it in one sitting. It was good. I gave it 4 stars. Also, the cover is gorgeous! You can buy it here. 

 

xx Kayla

ARC REVIEW: Ruthless Princess by Rachel Van Dyken

I’m not sure what I expected going into this. This is my first RVD book ever, I think. I’ve been intrigued by mafia stuff since I started my rewatch of Rizzoli & Isles a few weeks ago so I thought I might enjoy this book.

I’d like to start by saying that I received an ARC of this from the lovely ladies over at Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review and that’s what this is.

I really enjoyed this story, maybe because I have love for forbidden romance and also hate to love/love to hate relationships. So with that I might be a bit biased when I say that Serena and Junior are OTP and my new favorite ship. Someone tell me where I can buy a mug? 

A relationship that could mean death if anyone found out? Yes. Deciding that hating each other with as much passion as you loved each other because that’s the only thing you have left? Yes. Alpha male, possessive yumminess? Yes. Bad ass mafia princess? Yes. The love of family? Yes. Weirdass uncles? Yes. This book has got it all. 

I have to say though, as a bit of a disclaimer, RVD says that you don’t have to read the Eagle Elite books because these new ones are standalones. I would like to disagree. I was really confused for most part of the book about who was related to who and who had fathered who and who had murdered who. I feel like reading the previous series, which is like 10 books long, would significantly improve my comprehension of things, but maybe I’m just stupid. 

I also got became very curious about Ash and Claire´s story and thought that I would love to read their story. Turns out they already have a story that was released before this one. Obviously I have no idea what RVD has written before since this was my first book by her. I can’t wait to read Breaker’s story in the next book, I’m sure it’ll be all sorts of scandalous. 

Now, this review is a mess and I feel like I’ve forgotten how to use the English language, so here’s a short recap; 

Did I like the book? Yes, 4 stars from Kayla to Rachel Van Dyken.
Was the book hot? Hell yes!
Do I recommend it? You bet.
Should you buy it? Most definitely. You’ll find it here.

 

xx Kayla

FREEBIE: Dead of Night by Emily Goodwin

Hello!

One of my fave paranormal romances is currently free. Y’all need to check this one out! I’ve not reviewed it on here but let me just tell you that it’s interesting and hooooooot. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I’ll leave you looking at the pretty cover and reading the blurb and clicking the links.

Never trust a vampire.

I might have learned that lesson the hard way. But when I find myself in a vampire-owned bar, I don’t have much of a choice. With vampires still trying to assimilate into mainstream society, I’ve done Lucas King a favor by stopping one of his patrons from draining a human dry in the basement of his bar. A favor he’d prefer to repay in bed than in kind.

Vampires and witches have had more than a jaded history, and when witches start showing up dead in surrounding covens, all signs point to something old and powerful. Something that knows the ways of the witches.

Something–or someone–like Lucas.

What’s worse than trusting a vampire? Falling in love with one.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2CvNum3

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DeadofNightEG

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3dFgAiL

Nook: https://bit.ly/3cpXAEK

Kobo: https://bit.ly/39wYIEj

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2xRKIZ5

 

xx Kayla

ARC REVIEW: Lovewrecked by Karina Halle

 

I’m not entirely sure what I was expecting going into this. Except for maybe getting out of my reading slump. I’m not sure I did, as I haven’t read anything after I finished this book last night, but my hopes are high.

As any returning reader will know, I am a part of Karina Halle’s ARC/street team which means that I get to read most of her releases. Lately I haven’t had a lot of time or really felt up to it but now I’m excited for it again. That being said, I will always be honest in my reviews and all opinions are my own.

I know I always mention the way that Karina describes the scenery in her books, she does it beautifully and so vividly that your mind paints a picture that’s almost like a memory of the time you were there yourself, except you never were. As I sat on my couch, yesterday, reading this book, my husband playing NFL20 on the PS4, I turned to him and said “I want to go to New Zealand”. This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned New Zealand to him, the last time was back in 2015 when I read Where Sea Meets Sky which also takes place there and was also written by Karina Halle (there might be review for it here, not sure). The point, that I’m trying to make, is that the writing awakens the wanderlust in me. Reading these words makes me want to go places, to see the world, fall in love with different cultures, try all the foods, maybe find a new place to live my life and be happy with my husband.

What about the characters? They weren’t one dimensional, during the course of this story they evolved, became different versions of themselves, better versions of themselves. They discovered what was really important in life, they fell in love, the made life changes.

Usually I relate really well to the main female characters, this time it was bit harder, but also not. Daisy is an avid reader, she tries to put on a brave face and she loves wine. Basically, Daisy is me. But she’s also not because Daisy exercises, is jealous of her sister, doesn’t know how to commit (at first), she is bold. I really didn’t like her sister or her Little Dicky. I did enjoy Tai because when has Karina ever written a leading man that I didn’t like? He was a grump, trying to pretend he didn’t like Daisy. I like my men grumpy, those are actually the kind of men I write myself, usually (and by write I mean in the stories I conjure up in my head because they never actually make it to paper).

The reason, I think, that this books wasn’t a five star read is because it’s a slow burn, and I’m really not a fan of those. I mean it was worth it in the end and while I realize that it wasn’t really that slow of a burn it felt super slow to me. I usually prefer insta lust, sexy times soon after the first meeting if not at the first meeting and then maybe a slow burn. But, like I said, the wait for Daisy and Tai was worth it.

The book, all in all, was a great one.

So, while I go look for trips to New Zealand, you should head on over to your usual ebook retailer and buy the book, you will not be sorry!

xx Kayla

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lovewrecked-Karina-Halle-ebook/dp/B087PBHTKZ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MYN8LWIMNKGQ&dchild=1&keywords=lovewrecked+karina+halle&qid=1588081065&sprefix=lovewrecked%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-2

Discretion by Karina Halle Review

I’m going to try and keep this short since no one has time to read my sometimes lengthy reviews.

I really enjoyed this book, but who’s surprised, right? It is a Halle book after all.

I loved Sadie and Olivier as much as most characters I read about. The story itself is really nothing we haven’t read before. Poor girl meets rich attractive guy who sweeps her off her feet. Said rich guy has secrets and crazy things ensue. This is in no way a bar story, in fact it’s probably one of my favorite tropes.

So, what’s different? Well, it’s the writing of course. Karina writes like no one else. The way she describes the places, it’s like you’re there. Also, all the sexy times are fantastic.

Honestly I thought I’d posted this review months ago. I’ve already read book two, which apparently I haven’t posted the review for either, not sure what’s been up with WordPress. Anyway, you’ll get the review for the second book soon and the third book releases very soon.

xx Kayla

BLOG TOUR: Discretion by Karina Halle

Discretion by Karina Halle

Release Date: August 6, 2019

Discretion, a full-length contemporary standalone romance by Karina Halle.

The Riviera means indulgence—if you’ve got money. For Sadie Reynolds, a down-on-her-luck student, the Riviera means dingy hostels and back streets. When a wrong turn puts her in jeopardy, the last thing she expects is to be saved by the most handsome stranger she’s ever locked eyes with. When she later wakes up in a luxury suite with a Mediterranean view, she’s in the tender care of her rescuer: Olivier Dumont, France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune.

Olivier also owns his reputation for scandal. But Sadie is unlike any woman he’s ever met. Her humble persona and wild innocence promise real passion. He’s promising Sadie something too: anything she wants. From Bordeaux to Cannes to Paris, Sadie’s past in America is swept away and replaced with a fantasy too good to be true.

Pulled into Olivier’s orbit of wealth, glamour, and excess, Sadie discovers that the Dumont dynasty comes with a legacy of wicked secrets. And Olivier’s secrets may be the most damning of all…

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2PCN6Yb

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/KHalleDiscretion

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Y731la

Excerpt:

“Care to go for a swim?” Olivier asks, his tie now loose, his hands deftly unbuttoning his shirt.

Oh God.

“Um,” I manage to say feebly, “I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“Go in your underwear.”

“I’m not wearing a bra.” He smirks. “I’ve noticed.” Then he shrugs off his jacket and shirt until he’s topless.

Even in the dim light, he’s a sight to behold. Wide, firm chest, rigid abs, those lickable Vs on the side of his hips—all wrapped up in a smooth golden package.

Speaking of package, now his fingers are undoing his belt, and I’m not sure I’m ready for what’s next.

“I’m going in,” he tells me. “You’re free to join me. I highly advise a dip in the Mediterranean. The sea salt here is good for your soul.”

I’ll tell you what else is good for the soul: watching Olivier Dumont take off his clothes, that’s what. The sound as he undoes his zipper is so loud it seems to bounce off the waves.

I quickly avert my eyes, even though the temptation to stare is overwhelming, and then he moves into my vision: his perfect shoulders, back, and, yes, one hell of an ass, all lit by the soft moonlight.

He stops just at the stern of the ship, climbs over the railing, and with one quick smile back at me over his shoulder, swan-dives naked into the sea with barely a splash.

I get up and scramble over as quickly as I can with my ankle and peer over the side.

He’s swimming and grinning up at me, his wet hair pushed off his face. But that’s not the only thing that’s taking my breath away.

The water around him is lit up, like the moon’s glow has saturated it. The light continues out from around him along the dark waves, like cool white trails snaking through the sea.

“It’s called une mer de lait,” he says. “The sea of milk. It’s bioluminescence from a type of Mollusca.”

“It’s magical,” I say breathlessly, trying to soak it all in. “We have something like this in the Pacific Northwest, but it’s more blue and green. This is like . . . you’re swimming in the Milky Way.”

“Doesn’t it make you want to jump in?”

It does. And so does the fact that he’s so effortlessly bobbing in the waves.

“Is it safe?”

“Very much so.”

“Warm?”

“Bien sûr.”

I think about it for a minute. “What about my ankle?”

“You can use the steps and platform at the back, just there. Unwrap your ankle so the bandage doesn’t get wet, and we’ll put it back on you after.”

“And my lack of bathing suit?”

“I just went in naked.”

“I didn’t see anything,” I tell him quickly.

“No? That’s a shame. It was the whole point.”

I smile, feeling extremely giddy all of a sudden, like everything inside me is fired up and ready to go. Fuck yes, I’m going in.

“Okay,” I tell him, walking around to the back, where there’s a step leading down to a wide wooden swimming platform. I sit down on the step and start unwrapping my ankle. “But you have to turn around when this dress comes off.”

“You do know by now that most women in France swim and sunbathe topless anyway?”

“And you know by now that I am not a Frenchwoman, nor am I most women,” I tell him, pulling the rest of the bandage off and setting it aside before easing up to my feet. “Okay, turn around now.”

He sighs but pivots in the water so he’s facing the shore. I quickly reach down and slip off my underwear, not wanting to get them wet, then unzip my dress and pull it over my head. I toss it back on the deck and look to see if he’s peeking.

To his credit, he’s not, but he is letting out a sly whistle of sorts as if he might have been earlier.

“You better not have seen anything,” I warn him as I hobble over to the edge.

“My imagination is pretty good at filling in the blanks,” he says, and I can hear the grin on his face. “Though I have no doubt it won’t do it justice for when I see the real thing.”

“When?” I repeat with a dry laugh, but inside a million fireworks are going off.

Time to take the literal plunge.

There’s nothing as nerve-racking as the moment before you’re about to jump, when something goes from a concept that you’ve talked about and considered to a real, actual thing. It’s scary. It doesn’t matter if it’s taking your first trip overseas or jumping into the Mediterranean Sea at night. The abstract becomes your reality, and it’s happening.

So I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and jump.

Meet Karina:

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinahalle/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vo9pq4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorhalle/
Join her Reader Group: https://goo.gl/wpCBSS
Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here: https://goo.gl/Ve4eCh
http://authorkarinahalle.com

This Man by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Alright, so this is not a new release. But I’ve read JEM books previously and liked them, so I thought I’d give this one a shot.

And I mean, I did like it, but there were parts of it that were just UGH.

I like Ava as a character, she’s got that kind of spirit that I like. She doesn’t take shit, except from Jesse it seems. Why would anyone put up with shit like that? His behavior is not normal, in fact, it’s downright scary. You get some understanding at the end of the book, which kind of redeems him a bit. But there are things he does without Ava’s consent and it just makes me want to punch the guy.

The sex parts are great, don’t get me wrong, they do what they are supposed to do. I also love Ava’s relationship with Kate. I actually love Kate and I would love a book about her and Sam. Ten out of ten would buy that book.

There is a twist that comes really late in the book, or at least Ava realizes it late in the book, I understood it the first time she set foot at the Manor. And then there’s another twist, that I might have seen coming, but I might just have seen it as something else.

The fact that it takes place in London and thereabouts makes me want to go to London even more than before and Jodi does a great job at making me feel like I’m there.

With that being said I feel like I might have mentioned more negative things than good things and while I reacted very strongly at parts it was actually a good book, for the most part. I’ve ordered books two and three in the series and I’m not so patiently awaiting their arrival.

So, by all means, read it. But maybe stay away if your someone who usually reacts badly to forceful sex, controlling men and the likes.

3/5 stars.

xx Kayla

ARC REVIEW: My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle

 

I don’t think that I was prepared for this. Okay, I know I wasn’t prepared for this.

I know that you all are probably tired of hearing me raving about yet another one of Karina’s books. But I’m not going to stop anytime soon, so deal with it.

I had imagined a girl going on a trip to Ireland and falling in love with an Irishman. And if you look at the big picture, that is exactly what it was. But it was also so much more than that. So, so much more.

I know that you all are probably tired of hearing me raving about yet another one of Karina’s books. But I’m not going to stop anytime soon, so deal with it.

Before we get into this even further, do you know how to pronounce Padraig? No? I didn’t either. Actually I still don’t.  I just read it as it’s spelled. So, you can too, unless you want to actually google this. Karina explains it in the book, but that wasn’t that helpful to me, maybe because I’m Swedish.

Okay, so let’s get in to THIS.

So, at first I was like: HELL YES, IRELAND. I’ve always wanted to go there, maybe meet a handsome Irishman myself (sorry hubs) but in truth it’s all about the accent. And I don’t like beer or whiskey, so maybe not?

Val, who is our leading lady, on the other hand seems to like both beer and whiskey which bodes well for the future, me thinks.

I really like Val(erie) as a character. I can relate to her. She has insecurities, she’s not skinny, (though she’s not fat no matter what other people say!), she’s a writer and she’s had her heart broken a few times. I think that Val and I would be friends, if she existed in real life.

What about Padraig? Well, OK. He is not only hot, but he’s got personality as well. He has a past that haunts him just like anyone else. And sometimes I miss that in books. Men are just human sex machines with anger issues. Padraig is not like that. Padraig is so much more, it’s hard to put my finger on what it is about him. But he is the kind of handsome Irishman that I would have liked to met if I ever went to Ireland (again, sorry hubs) when I was single.

How no one ever referred to Padraig as Paddy is beyond me. Or maybe I just missed it. I don’t know. I’d definitely call him Paddy if I ever met him, since I can’t pronounce Padraig anyway 😉

Val and Padraig together is OTP. I am not kidding. It’s been a while (years) since I referred to a couple as OTP but Val and Padraig are. These two are so good together. It’s like they were made for each other. Their soul purpose on this earth was to meet and live happily ever after. I wish that everyone get to experience love like this in their lifetime. It’s epic is what it is.

This book deals with a lot of tough subjects such as low self esteem, body complexes, illness and loss. I actually cried, a few times, while reading this. And while it was sad it was also quite funny. I laughed, out loud.

I stayed up until 1AM reading this, which in hindsight wasn’t clever because I was really tired when I had to get up to work the next morning, but it was totally worth it.

So if you’re in need of a sexy, angsty, rollercoaster of a book, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! (Yes, imagine Zara Larsson singing it)

My Life in Shambles is FREE in Kindle Unlimited. You can of course also buy it on Amazon here: My Life in Shambles

🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀 Five fucking Shamrocks to ye! 

ENJOY!

 

xx Kayla

RELEASE BLITZ: My Life in Shambles by Karina Halle

My Life in Shambles, a full-length contemporary standalone romance by Karina Halle is now live!

When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.

They say bad things happen in threes.

After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, and I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can more than attest to that.

They also say life happens when you say yes to new adventures.

So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.

Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.

A rugby player with a proposition for me:

Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancé for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.

It sounded simple enough.

It was anything but.

Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.

Not when there are secrets that could break you.

They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.

This is my life in Shambles.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2D8gy3g

Amazon Worldwide: https://geni.us/MLIS

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2SRF0vA

Meet Karina:

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkarinahalle/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2vo9pq4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorhalle/
Join her Reader Group: https://goo.gl/wpCBSS
Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here: https://goo.gl/Ve4eCh
http://authorkarinahalle.com