2015 Recap: My 5 Star reads

It's very unsual for me to rate a book 5 stars because I'm stingy with my stars that way. Some years there are more 5 star reads than others, but in general my 5 star reads make up less than 10% of all the books I've read for the year.

What makes a 5 star read for me?

- The writing needs to be excellent. Great plot, perfect pacing, wonderful character development, well researched world building..

- I have to love both the hero and the heroine.

- When I'm reading, my breath needs to catch. It needs to make me oooh and aaah, gasp, put the book down to take a deep breath, then pick it back up again to keep going.

- This one is rather subjective, but the book needs to hit me at the right time and mood too. Sometimes a book can be 5 stars without all of the above just because I was in the mood for it. Right time, right place, right book.

- I have to "can't stop talking about it" and raving my friend Bambi's ear off about it.

- I have to "can't stop thinking about it". The book needs to stay with me, keep my brain going, haunt me, and cause a book hangover like no other. Maybe even make it impossible for me to read another book for a few days.

- It can be so moving, it makes me cry. Yes, please, ruin my make up!

So what was exceptional for my 2015? Not in any particular order ....

By The Sword and The King's Man by Alison Stuart

These books are more historical fiction with a touch of romance than they are historical romance. Even so, they are extremely well researched and well written. I felt truly immersed in the times and could imagine living the difficult lives of the heroes and heroines of these books.

My full review of By The Sword

My full review of The King's Man





Going Back For Romeo by L L Muir

This book was just silly and fun. It hit me at the right time and I was in the right mood for it. It made me feel and it made me cry. I'm a sucker for a time travel romance and the whole can't be together because he / she is from a different time thing. I always cry when they have to part, before they can be together forever again. Some people may not enjoy this as much as I did since it's not a book you can take seriously. It's just fun.

My full review of Going Back For Romeo







The Edge of Courage and Shattered Valor by Elaine Levine

These stories tore out my heart. I fell in love with all the characters in these stories and the Red Team series features in my Favorite NewSeries of 2015 and Elaine Levine features in my Favorite New Authors in2015. The writing is intense and driven. The things the heros and heroines endure in the past and in the present break your heart. The supporting characters give the stories depth and continuity. All in all, these are stellar stories and I'm hooked on Elaine's writing, the series and the characters. I want a story for every one of the members of the Red Team.

My full review of The Edge of Courage



Behind The Scandal by M A Stacie

This story was poignant and moving. What stood out for me was what the hero went through as he recovered from his addiction. His courage, his determination and his strength. I felt thoroughly moved by what he experienced.

My full review of Behind The Scandal









Love at Stake by Victoria Davies

This story surprised the heck out of me. I was expecting lighthearted fun. I got intense and emotional. Victoria Davies is another winner for me as an author. She's also one of my Favorite New Authors for 2015.  This first book in the series in particular was very addictive. There was class segregation, there was prejudice, there was heartbreak. This was another one of thos stories where I felt the author tore out my heart. Each time the hero and heroine hit a bump, I bled a little for them. I HAD to know how it ended and this was one of the few books this year that had me chasing the ending.







Waking the Dragon by Juliette Cross

Well hello, another Favorite New Author of 2015. I'm so predictable. To be fair, I read quite a few of Juliette's books prior to reaching this one. This one as I said in my review exceeded my expectations. It was a crazy wild ride with incredibly likable characters. Her world building is superb and characters hold my heart. Let's not forget her men. Her men make me want to take a walk on the wild side and do naughty, naughty things which I'm certain my Steve would not approve of.

My full review of Waking the Dragon







Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh

This story, I knew would be a hit, since ... well, Nalini Singh! Like Behind the Scandal, this story was poignant and moving. There was so much pain, so much angst and drama, and yet all of it, so incredibly well done. I adored both the hero and heroine in this story. Everything about this story was right. It worked. Nalini Singh writes serious book hangover material.

My full review of Rock Redemption








As a bonus, this is the book where I had the most fun reading and the most fun reviewing this year. Loved it and giggled my way through the whole thing. I was on a reading and reviewing high for a while after thing one.

Taken by the Sheikh by Mel Tescho, Christina Phillips and Cathleen Ross (4 stars)

It started with a discussion about alphaholes and how much we loved them. It moved on to whether any of the sheikhs in Taken were alphaholes and I just had to find out. This box set is super fun. It's got all the classic romance tropes I love thrown in with some gorgeous (like nothing in real life!) sheikhs and the fun task of trying to determine which of these sexy sheikh brothers was the biggest alphahole. You should read it and find out for yourself. I laugh and giggle thinking about it.

My full review of Taken by the Sheikh






There you have it. These are the books which got my stingy, stingy, 5 stars. Don't get me wrong, the 4 star books were great too but they didn't quite pack the punch of my 5 star reads.

What about you? What were your 5 star reads for 2015?


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New Release: Hold Me Until Forever (Grayson Brothers #3) by Christina Phillips

Hold Me Until Forever
Grayson Brothers #3
By: Christina Phillips
Releasing January 4, 2016
Entangled Brazen

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada  

Synopsis

She's the only one he wants...and the one he can never have…

Ella Clark has been in love with Alex Grayson forever. She’s tired of being invisible—or worse, being treated like his kid sister. If she can just get him to drop his iron-fisted control for two seconds, she’ll prove she knows exactly how to blow his mind.

Alex has been fighting his attraction to Ella since her should-have-been-innocent sweet sixteen kiss burned down his world. He's damaged, and there's no way he'll ever drag her into his screwed up life. Until she offers him something he's always craved—steamy, no-strings sex inside his exclusive BDSM club. Where she'll be safe from the darkness that haunts him.

Except there's nothing safe about being with Ella, and the more she gives, the harder it is to let her go. If he stays, he risks everything, but how can he walk away from the only woman he's ever needed?

---

Excerpt

(Ella’s just told Alex that she’s leaving Grayson’s, and Alex has gone round to her apartment to try and talk her out of it…)

    Guilt twisted through her again. Before he’d taken her into Grayson’s she’d been floundering, her self-confidence still in bad shape after her mom’s asshole boyfriend had cornered her when she’d been fourteen. Her succession of part-time and casual jobs was nothing to brag about, and the only constant in her life had been her volunteer work at the Wildlife Retreat.
    “I’m not leaving you in the shit. There’s plenty of time to find a replacement for me.”
    He gave her a smoldering look. Oh, for fuck’s sake… “No one could take your place.”
    If only he were talking about her as a woman and not his indispensable work colleague.
    “Hate to say it, but you’ll probably be surprised.”
    He didn’t immediately deny it, which stung more than it should.
    “You plan on staying in touch?”
    She couldn’t tell by his tone of voice whether he gave a damn one way or the other. So much for no one being able to take her place. Looked like he was already over it.
    Don’t you dare say it. Heat flooded through her, but the words spilled out anyhow. “I might come visit you in your club one night.”
    At least it wiped that infuriating, unreadable expression from his face. He stared at her as though she’d just grown a pair of horns.
    “I don’t think so.”
    It was the note of finality in his voice that really pissed her off—as if he thought she was joking and he didn’t find it funny.
    “Why not? I think I’d really get off on a night at your club.” Take that. If only she didn’t look so rough. It was hard trying to act like a sophisticated woman of the world when she was barefoot and Alex could’ve stepped off the cover of GQ.
    “Didn’t know you were into that scene.”
    “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Including the fact I sleep in one of your old shirts. At least he hadn’t recognized it. Then again, it was about three years old. He’d left it here when the brothers had helped her move in, and somehow she kept forgetting to give it back to him.
    Accidentally on purpose.
    “I would’ve known about this.”
    Was he laughing at her? He didn’t look as if he was, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking.
    Whatever. She wasn’t backing down.
    “I might not be hardcore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to experiment now and then.”
    “Define what you mean by ‘experimenting.’”
    He damn well was laughing at her. What’s the kinkiest thing I’ve read lately?     “Ménages.” That’d shut him up. Or turn him on.
    “You enjoy having sex with two men at the same time?”
    She glared at him. “You find it so hard to believe that two men would want me?”
    “That’s not what I find hard to believe.”
    His quick-fire response took her breath away. Trust Alex to compliment and insult her in one easy comment.
    She cleared her throat, which kind of ruined the worldly aura she was going for, but it was better than choking on her own words. “So, does your club cater for that kind of thing?”
    What was she saying? She’d die if he called her bluff.
    He didn’t answer right away. His eyes were all dark and smoky and it was suddenly hard to breathe properly. He seemed to be considering her question, which sent prickles of alarmed excitement over her bare skin.
    “Excalibur caters for almost anything,” he said.

---

Goodreads | Goodreads series


Author Info

Christina Phillips is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their family. She enjoys writing hot contemporary romance where the stories sizzle and the heroine brings her hero to his knees.

Christina is addicted to good coffee, expensive chocolate and bad boy heroes. She is also owned by three gorgeous cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

And sign up to receive notification of Christina's next books.


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Happy New Year 2016 and New Release: The One Box Set by Tia Louise

Happy New Year!!!! I thought it was fitting that my first post of the year was one titled "The One". The One ... first day of January, first day of the year ... I'm such a nerd sometimes. :-)

From me to you, I hope your 2016 is filled with wondrous things, great relationships, joyful occasions and magical books. Happy reading!!

The One to Hold Boxed Set
Books 1 - 3 in the series
By: Tia Louise
Released November 21, 2015 
TLM Productions LLC

Buy Links:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon UK | Amazon Print | Createspace Print

Synopsis

WARNING: Due to strong language and intense sexual situations, these books are not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Book #1 - ONE TO HOLD: When Derek Alexander, retired Marine and top private investigator, encounters small-town girl Melissa Jones at a spa resort in the desert, the two embark on a weeklong, white-hot affair. He’s determined to hold her, but she’s running from a past that could tear them apart.

Book #2 - ONE TO PROTECT: Derek and Melissa are planning a life together, with a baby on the way… Until a face from the past turns up dead. Derek knows Melissa is still in danger, and seeing no other option, he launches a dark chain of events to protect his little family.

Book #3 - ONE TO SAVE: A secret is never safe when more than one person knows it. Refusing to let anyone pay for his crimes, Derek takes matters into his own hands. He's exposed, he's defenseless, but his friends are determined to save him.

Exclusive Sneak Peek – ONE IMMORTAL (Ch. 1-5): Melissa is a vampire; Derek is a vampire hunter. When the two cross paths in a bar off Bourbon Street, sparks fly. But Melissa is hiding a secret that could cost Derek his life.

---

Excerpt

One to Protect
By Tia Louise
© TLM Productions LLC, 2014

“A Physical Reminder”

Derek

    The cottage is dark when I arrive at 6 a.m. Elaine is the only one with an early wake-up call, so it’s possible I can get into Melissa’s room before they’re up and stirring. Driving all night might not have been the most restful approach, but with the energy surging through my chest, I knew I wouldn’t get any sleep anyway.     I’ll nap a few hours this morning and be ready to go without losing a day.
    Dropping my duffel by the stainless fridge inside, I ease off my boots and place them one at a time by the door doing my best to keep quiet. Grabbing a water bottle, I head to Melissa’s bedroom, but I nearly slam it against the skull of a half-dressed Patrick. He’s right around the corner, holding a wooden baseball bat high, like he’s about to use my head for the winning homer in the World Series.
    “SHIT!” we both whisper-shout.
    “What the fuck?” Patrick lowers the bat and breathes.
    I recognize the energy surging through his muscles. It matches the rapid tweaking of my own, and I need a second to recover.
    “You could’ve shot me a text,” he groans, dropping onto the couch. “Did you fucking drive all night?”
    “Couldn’t sleep.” I clap his shoulder as I pass. “Glad to see you’re on your toes. You’re officially off guard duty.”
    “Hey!” I pause, and he tosses me the bat. “Happy to help. I’m going back to bed.”
    Catching his “weapon,” my brow lines. “Think you’ll be able to sleep?”
    “Nope.” That grin spreads across his face. It’s the same one that used to tick me off because I knew it meant I’d be cleaning up his shit sooner rather than later.
    “Just keep it down. I don’t need to hear you getting any.”
    He points back at me as he heads down the hall. “Right back atcha.”
    Shaking my head, I turn Melissa’s bedroom door handle as softly as possible. Unlike my younger partner, I don’t plan to wake her this early. I know the pregnancy makes her tired, and I’ll be content to be beside her. It’ll be the first good rest I’ve had in four days, knowing she’s with me and safe.
    She’s curled in her familiar sleeping position, and I can’t help a smile as the warmth of love fills me. I will never get tired of watching this woman sleep.
    Jeans off, I whip the thin, navy sweater I’m wearing over my head and slip into her king-sized bed. She doesn’t even stir, and I’m happy she feels so secure with Patrick in the house. He might have been a pain in my ass in the past, but he’s more than made up for it with this assignment.
    Easing closer to her, I lift her long, dark waves off the pillow and replace them with my head. She makes a soft noise and stirs, but she doesn’t wake. My arm goes above her, and our bodies are so close, I can feel the warmth radiating from her ivory skin.
    Wrapping a dark curl around my finger, the tension slowly drains from my body. Being with her is enough. She’s home and comfort and warmth and all the good things I thought I’d never have again. She’s my future and my desire and my love, and the notion that some dickwad might try to hurt this woman, might threaten what I cherish…
    She sighs and scoots closer to me, still asleep. The idea that she knows I’m here is incredibly satisfying. My own eyes are heavy, and I lower my head.
    In three breaths, I’m out.

---

Goodreads | Goodreads series


Author Info

Tia Louise is the Amazon and International Bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD series.

From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning the 2015 “Favorite Erotica Author” and the 2014 “Lady Boner Award” (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.

A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations...

Books by Tia Louise:
One to Hold (Derek & Melissa), 2013
One to Keep (Patrick & Elaine), 2014
One to Protect (Derek & Melissa), 2014
One to Love (Kenny & Slayde), 2014
One to Leave (Stuart & Mariska), 2014
One to Save (Derek & Melissa), 2015
One to Chase (Amy & Marcus), 2015
One to Take (Stuart & Mariska), coming Jan/Feb 2016!

Paranormal Romances (all stand-alones):
One Immortal (Derek & Melissa, #SexyVampires), 2015
One Insatiable (Koa & Mercy, #AlphaShifters), 2015

You can get signed copies of Tia's book here.

Get a FREE Bonus Scene from One to Love, and never miss a New Release! Sign up for Tia's Book News.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads


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