Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark #16) by Kresley Cole

Title: Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark #16)
Author: Kresley Cole
Source: Received from the publisher for an honest review
Length: Novel
Reviewer: Laurie
Rating: 1
Sexual Rating: 3

An immortal assassin is caught between desire and duty...

A foundling raised in a world of humans

Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Her baby brother Thaddeus was as perfect as she was flawed; protecting him became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl... to would-be superhero... to enchanting, ruthless villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission

A threat to the Møriør has brought archer Rune the Baneblood to the mortal realm to slay the oldest living Valkyrie. Whether by bow or in bed, he never fails to eliminate his target. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty conceals a black heart. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, taking his forbidden blood -and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin...

Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. Despite his millennia of sexual conquests, he can’t ignore the unfamiliar longing she arouses deep within him. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

As much as it pains me to say this, I didn’t not much care for this book as I have the previous books in the series.

There’s quite a bit here that I didn’t enjoy about this book so, I am going to just tell you what I didn’t enjoy the most. I started liking the heroine but, after few chapters the book seemed totally turn into all about the hero and his background and that left me in the dark totally about Jo therefore, caused me to be disconnect with her character. You will get to know some of her background, but you have to wait until almost the end to find out.

I never felt that passion that really connected the hero and heroine. You can have foreplay and sex in the story but, it doesn’t work for me unless you have that passion between them.

Spoilers below
I didn’t care for the hero Rune. I understand his background and how he was abused and turned into a manwhore, what I didn’t understand was why he didn’t want to change for Jo. He really seemed quite happy with who he was and love being that manwhore. When you first read about him is with a bunch of nymphs having sex with them and Jo is watching him. I’m sorry but, that scene was a total turn off for me. For the largest portion of the book he constantly reminds Jo that he will never be faithful to her and yet it doesn’t really seem to faze her. Whatever! These two are constantly and I mean constantly having foreplay throughout the whole book, it’s either them talk about it or them having foreplay; sex comes very late in the book. I’ve never read anything quite like it before and to tell you the truth I got bored reading it.

Some people will say he is a flat out cheater while others say he did not. I myself call him a cheater because he set out to have sex with the nymph and he was naked with her, all to save Jo’s brother. Jo begged him not to do it but, he felt there was no other way to save her brother, so they split here for a few chapters. I didn’t much care for how easy she took him back after he almost went through with having sex with the nymph.

I'm sorry but, I have never liked a book where the hero thinks he can have sex with anyone he wants but, the heroine cannot. He gets mad and pulls out the "mine" word when she says anything about seeing someone else but yet he can tell her about all of the women he has been with and plans to be with soon, repeatedly and doesn’t expect her to get mad. WHATEVER!

The upside is this book is a standalone, so if you have missed a few books in the series or have never read this series you can totally pick this one up and read it without feeling like you’re missing something. Just be warned of this issues I had about the book above before buying because this book is not cheap even in Ebook it list for over 10.00.

I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review. 

Review: The Master (The Game Maker #2) by Kresley Cole

Title: The Master (The Game Maker #2)
Author: Kresley Cole
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance, BDSM
Length: Novel
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 5
Sexual - 4

A need colder than Siberian winter meets an attitude hotter than the Florida sun in #1
New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s sultry new Game Maker novel.

Everyone fears the Master…

Rich, irresistible politician/Mafiya boss Maksimilian Sevastyan prefers tall, obedient blondes to fulfill his…complicated desires. That is, until the icy Russian encounters a disobedient brunette whose exquisite little body threatens his legendary restraint.

Except her.

Catarina Marín was a well-off young wife until her world fell apart. Now she’s hiding out, forced to start working as an escort in Miami. Her very first client is beyond gorgeous, but when he tells her what he plans to do to her, Cat almost walks out of the door.

If pleasure is a game, play to win.

After their mind-blowing encounter burns out of control, the lovers crave more. If they escape the deadly threats surrounding them, can Maksim overcome his past—to offer Cat his future? Only then will she tempt him with what he really wants: her, all tied up with a bow.

I was a little leery of this one at first.  After hearing everyone talk about how good it was going to be, I was afraid that it wouldn't live up to expectations.  I was completely wrong.  There was very little I would even consider changing in the book.  I was drawn in from the get go and it just never let me wander too far away from it.  I just had to keep reading.

Maksimilian (Maxim), is a hard man to crack.  He has his way of doing things and well, that's all there is to it.  So when Catarina (Cat) wanders into his life, well, he's in for a surprise.  Cat is brutally honest while not ever telling him everything.  She's running for her life and sees his pocketbook as a way to get the heck out of dodge.  Being her first (and only) escort job means things don't go the way either of them planned.

There was a great mix of suspense and romance in the story.  While there isn't necessarily a lot of action, we can feel the cloud hanging over Cat the entire story.  But it isn't the center point all the time.  We get to see Maxim and Cat fall in love, learn to trust, and just have a ton of fun together.  Watching them experience joy together for the first time was the best part of the book.

Then ending was equally suspenseful and satisfying.  A lot happens in the last couple chapters but it really takes everything and pulls it together masterfully before giving you a blow out of a HEA.  I will be picking up the first book in the series as soon as my wallet gives me permission.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Review Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

Title:Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark #11)
Author: Kresley Cole
Source:  purchased
Genre Paranormal romance
Format: Mass paperback

HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . .
Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

I really enjoy this series, but I just couldn’t for the likes of me get it to this book. So, yet again I am the odd ball in the bunch of 4 and 5 star reviews with my sad 3 stars and that’s being generous. I’m not going to get it to the story, I’m just going to tell what I did and didn’t like about the book.

What I didn’t like:
I felt the story dragged way too much. Then just when the story was about over things were way to rushed.

I am so tired of books that parallels with older books in a series. It seems like all the bigger author now are doing this and I am tired of it.

The torture was outrageous! I can see some of way Regin had to go through it. I either missed it, but I never caught why Chase had to go through his torture. Still I just didn’t care for Reign as a Valkrie going through all of this just for her mate. I guess I would have rather her fight for her mate another way.

So my overall problem is. I don’t like to read my romance where the hero is betting the crap out of the heroine (even though he doesn’t know her), along with all the other violence she went though. So needless to say, I didn’t find this book one bit romantic.

I have always enjoyed the humor Ragin had and I missed it in this book. I was hoping to have a good fun read with her and her hero.

What I liked about this book
Natalya the dark fey, she was really interesting and I hope to read about her more.

I liked reading more on Lothaire, he is really growing one me, I can’t wait for his story.

Review: Pleasures of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

Pleasures of a Dark Prince
Author: Kresley Cole
Werewolf/Valkyre
Paranormal Romance paperback 431 pgs.
Author's website


Summary:

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY...

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her -- and those she loves.
AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED...
Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED....

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness -- her wanton desire for him.

Laurie's review

Fantastic!! This is now my favorite book in this series so far, they just keep getting better. Cole delivers a wild ride in this book, one that kept me continue to read until the whole book was done.
This book does go back and dip into the first book a little, but its wasn’t like most I have read, Cole kept it fresh and exciting.
I loved Garrerth, it didn’t matter how much Lucia threw at him he just shook it off and kept coming. Lucia is great, she is stubborn, but not one that makes you want to throw the book against the wall and quit reading. The ending is one that will make you carve for more…..
If your a Immortals After Dark fan don’t miss this one. If you have never read this series, please give them a try they all are awesome.


**Little spoilers below**

Lucia makes a comment to stay a pure, Do you think she can hold out? Its one ruff ride trying not to cave in to your desire, especially with the hot werewolf is on your tail.

This book gives you a good ideal of what, be careful of what you wish for means. When MacRieve finds women easy, he makes a simple wish for a woman to be hard to get. Will he regret it or not? You need to read how a simple wish can get you in so much trouble, its one exciting ride the whole way.