Hard Core by Madison Faye

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 166
Series: Dirty Bad Things #1
Genre: Smut, Military Hero
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

She’s sweet, pure, and untouched, and she’s about to lose her innocence on camera. To me.

Trust me, I’m no porn star, even if I do have the equipment of one. But when the Moretti crime family comes calling to collect on a debt I owe, they want it in trade.

You see, there’s big money in dirty movies, and the more real the better. Me? I’m already filthy, damaged goods from my time in Afghanistan.

But then I meet Rose, my”so-star”, and my whole world shatters.

She owes the Moretti’s too, but she’s too good for all of this. Too sweet, too beautiful-too innocent for this shit. And I’ll be damned if I let them steal that away from her.

It’s wrong that she’s here, but it’s also wrong that she wants me to “teach her” things. It’s worse that I want to.

But one taste of her lips, and I’m hooked. One touch of her soft skin, and I know Rose is going to be mine. Not the camera’s. Mine.

The virgin with the debt, the ex-marine with the dick, and a porno for the mob.

Welcome to Vegas, baby.

Review:

I think Madison Faye is going to be up on my top list of smut authors. I did like this, I didn’t love it. The story line was excellent but the characters lacked something for me.

It was the hero. He came off as bland. Like any other hero in books. Nothing stood out to me about him.

While the mob story line kept me wanting more, the couple didn’t. I will read the next one because it came to me as an ARC. I know I am reading it late. Unfortunately I am reading a lot of ARCs late. I need to catch up.

 

A Lover’s Lament by K.L. Grayson & BT Urruela

My Edition:Kindle Unlimited (Soon to own)

Pages:362

Series: Stand-alone

Synopsis: Off of Goodreads

In a matter of seconds my entire world changed, and it was in that moment that I stopped living and simply began to exist.

In my grief, I sent a letter to the first boy I ever loved. I hoped in writing i I’d find some peace from the nightmare I was living, some solace in my anger.

I didn’t expect him to write back. I wasn’t prepared for his words, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the impact this soldier would have on my life. A deep-rooted hate transformed into friendship, and then molded into a love like I’d never know before. 

Sergeant Devin Ulysses Clay did what I couldn’t: he put the shattered pieces of my heart back together, restoring my faith in humanity and teaching me how to live again.

But now that I’m whole, I have a decision to make. Do I return to my life as I knew it and the fiancé I left behind, or do I walk away from it all for the only man to ever break my heart? 

***

I’ve been living in hell, but you won’t hear me complain.

These men depend on me, as I do them, and this brotherhood is the only family I’ve ever known.

The Army saved me from a callous mother and a life on the wrong side of the tracks that was quickly spiraling out of control. So unlike most of the men in my platoon, going home wasn’t something I longed for.

I was content overseas, spending my days defending this country that gave me my life back. Fighting became my new normal… until her.

A letter from Katie Devora-a letter that I almost didn’t open. Her words put a fire back inside of me that I didn’t know I’d lost. She gave me hope during a time when I was fighting every day just to stay alive, and now it’s time I fight for her.

Rating: 5 stars

Review:

Before I review something needs to be said. Her fiance’s name is Wyatt. Told Wy this and he laughed. Then it got a little strange when I read that Maggie calls him Wy-Wy which Wy’s friends call him to piss him off. Good thing her other best friend/only man to break her heart was named Devin and not Ryan. Then I would be a little weirded out.

The start of the story is when Katie and Devin are in high school. Then we fast forward ten years. Katie wakes up in the hospital after a car crash. Her world is crushed. Instead of moving on and coping with her situation, she lets anger take over.

Her therapist suggests she writes to a soldier. When Katie gets the list of soldiers in a pen pal deal, she spots Devin’s name. She decides to write him a letter not expecting him to write back.

So… This one was a hard read for me. I thought I could get this finished within maybe a day or two. I expected it to be like most New Adult or Chick Lit I read. That wasn’t the case. As said above the h’s fiance was named Wyatt. Little did I know that the h had almost the exact same feelings as I do. I’m not fully like her in a couple ways. Not going to go into full detail on everything just because that’s personal life and I can hardly talk about it face to face with someone I trust, let alone on the internet with strangers.

Yeah I know what you’re thinking.

Anyhoozers back to the review, Katie and Devin are now on my favorite second chance lovers list. Of course they are in second to Axel and Izzy from Axel by Harper Sloan. I do love second chance love stories. They always have a place in my heart. For certain reasons don’t ask.

To say I didn’t cry at least once, I would be a liar. I have many friends and family in the military and it scares me to think of what they go through let alone if I will ever see them again. This hit home big time. It’s also a little scary because I can relate with the h a lot. The feelings she went through… I can’t really describe it.

I had to put this down and read an Alexa Riley smut book to calm my nerves. It didn’t help. Luckily Ryan and Wy decide we need to have a fun day and go see Sausage Party. That did help and I was able to pick this book back up again and finish it.

So during this I went through 1. one bottle of wine, 2. a box of tissues because I ugly cried my eyes out. 3. got extremely depressed when Wy watched Lone Survivor while I tried to read this, 4. somehow made it through Sausage party, 5. a couple beers days later and I am emotionally drained.

The writing was amazing. I’m am really happy I got to read this. I’m still crying from that ending. It was good. I almost freaked out when Katie and Navas went to see Jax’s grave. I almost had a repeat of Preppy with King.

Oh and the sex between Katie and Devin.

I recommend this to anyone who loves second chances. Just know it’s not a light read. It deals with issues that we are going through right now. I can also say that this is one of the most realistic love stories that I have ever read. To Grayson and Urruela, I thank you.