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  • Reviews
  • Ratings
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  • New Releases

Double Review – THE PAWN and THE KNIGHT by SKYE WARREN

February 5, 2017

 

Synopsis:

 

The price of survival…

Gabriel Miller swept into my life like a storm. He tore down my father with cold retribution, leaving him penniless in a hospital bed. I quit my private all-girl’s college to take care of the only family I have left.

There’s one way to save our house, one thing I have left of value.

My virginity.

A forbidden auction…

Gabriel appears at every turn. He seems to take pleasure in watching me fall. Other times he’s the only kindness in a brutal underworld.

Except he’s playing a deeper game than I know. Every move brings us together, every secret rips us apart. And when the final piece is played, only one of us can be left standing.

THE PAWN is a full-length contemporary novel from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

 

Synopsis:

 

The power of pleasure…

Gabriel Miller took everything from me. My family. My innocence. My home. The only thing I have left is the determination to get back what’s mine.

He thinks he’s beaten me. He thinks he’s won. What he doesn’t realize is that every pawn has the chance to become a queen.

And the game has only just begun.

* * * * * *

THE KNIGHT is book two in the Endgame series from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren about revenge and seduction in the game of love.

 

My Review:

 

THE PAWN (ENDGAME #1)

In the myth of the Minotaur, Theseus, son of King Aegeus, decides that he will slay the monster. He runs the beast through with a sword and then retraces his steps using the string, thus saving all the sacrifices that year and in the future. I’ve reached the center of the maze. I’m facing my very own Minotaur.

Skye Warren is one of my go-to dark romance authors. Her books never fail to enthrall, entertain and excite. ‘The Pawn’ is trademark Skye Warren: a sheltered, innocent young woman, smart but faced with almost insurmountable odds against her, and a dark hero, who seems unbearably cruel but who might just have a soft side.

Avery’s whole world has collapsed and she faces loses her family’s home. Her father is dying and she has nowhere to turn. She agrees to an auction, which goes against everything she believes in. Enter Gabriel Miller, dangerous, handsome and ruthless. Even though he was the cause of her family’s downfall, can he possibly be her savior?

He steps back with a quiet laugh. “You can run away, little virgin. But you’ll come back.” I’m very afraid he’s right.

Avery is afraid to trust Gabriel but she has nowhere else to turn. Gabriel turns out to be sensual and protective but even more mysterious than Avery first thought. He is her father’s enemy but he can’t stay away from Avery.

“What am I then?”
“You’re innocent. And I’m going to ruin you.”
The certainty in his voice chills me.

I devoured this dark and sexy book in one sitting. Skye Warren is the BEST at writing uber-sexy, controlling men and Gabriel Miller is one I won’t forget! ‘The Pawn’ is a fast-paced tale of revenge and control, perfect for lovers of dark romance. Avery and Gabriel are perfect together and I was thrilled to have the second book to start immediately after finishing!

“You can have my body, I think. But you can’t touch my heart.”

Favorite quote:

“I’m acting like a man who got what he paid for. Excellent service. Would you like a review on Yelp? Five stars.”

***********

THE KNIGHT (ENDGAME #2)

“I want to own every inch of your skin, to be the only man who touches you, who tastes you. You think I wouldn’t bid on a woman? That I shouldn’t bid on you, of all people? I’ll spend every cent I have, break every goddamn law to keep you.”

The second book of the Endgame series begins right were The Pawn ended. Avery has really hit rock bottom. She is living in a rundown motel and has lost everything. But she is determined to get back what is precious to her and ‘The Knight’ is another deliciously dark romance that features some great characters and writing.

Gabriel really cares for Avery. He is outwardly cruel but their scenes together are everything I love about Skye Warren’s writing. He was almost brutally cruel in the first book but here, he seems to finally show his true feelings. But Avery wants nothing more then to get revenge on the man she believes led to her father’s downfall. Make no mistake, Gabriel Miller is still a harsh and brutal figure, and he still remains mysterious.

I love the supporting characters in this book and would love to read more about Avery’s mother! The circumstances surrounding her death become more and more mysterious and I hope that the third book in this series tells more of her story. ‘The Knight’ ends on a surprising note and I can’t wait to read ‘The Castle,’ the third book in this series. Skye Warren once again delivers the goods in this story. This series is dark, very sensual and dangerous. Highly recommend these books for all lovers of dark and sexy romance.

 

Buy the Books:

 

Categories : 4 Stars, Dark Romance, Reviews Tagged : Endgame, Skye Warren, The Knight, The Pawn

Release Blitz: Heartbreak by Skye Warren

April 21, 2016

Title: Heartbreak
Author: Skye Warren
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 21, 2016

Blurb

Some wounds never heal…

She’s stuck in another foster home. He’s the new boy with a bad reputation.

Falling in love in the wrong place and the wrong time never felt so good.

****************


NOTE: This novella is a prequel to the full-length standalone novel BETTER WHEN IT HURTS from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren available now.

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 Author Bio


Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, four dogs, and one evil cat.


 Author Links

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Categories : Contemporary Romance, Release Blitz Tagged : Heartbreak, Skye Warren

Release Blitz and Giveaway: FOR THE FIRST TIME ANTHOLOGY

January 13, 2016

For the First Time

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Book Title: For the First Time (Brand New Stories of First Love)
Author: Various Authors
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 12, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

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Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

book blurb

You never forget your first time…
A brand new anthology of original, never-before-read stories from today’s hottest authors, including:
Alessandra Torre, Kim Karr, Jen Frederick, Alexa Riley, Lynda Chance, Sarah Castille, Nina Lane, CJ Roberts, Anna Zaires, Nikki Sloane, Cynthia Sax, Avery Aster, Pam Godwin, Skye Warren, Julia Sykes, Cynthia Rayne, Jenika Snow, Debra Presley, Shoshanna Evers, Tamsen Parker, and Nina Levine!
From young heartbreak to a virginity auction, from the chance meeting to the happily ever after, twenty-one exclusive stories explore first love in all its forms. This set includes almost 200,000 words of steamy encounters and sweet romance.

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Categories : Anthology, Contemporary, Erotic, Giveaway, Release Blitz, Romance Tagged : Alessandra Torre, Alexa Riley, CJ Roberts, Debra Presley, For the First Time, Jen Frederick, Julia Sykes, Nikki Sloane, Nina Lane, Skye Warren

Cover Reveal: FOR THE FIRST TIME Anthology

December 23, 2015

 

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Releasing January 12th

You never forget your first time…

A brand new anthology of original, never-before-read stories from today’s hottest authors, including:

Alessandre Torre, Kim Karr, Jen Frederick, Alexa Riley, Lynda Chance, Sarah Castille, Nina Lane, CJ Roberts, Anna Zaires, Nikki Sloane, Cynthia Sax, Avery Aster, Pam Godwin, Skye Warren, Julia Sykes, Cynthia Rayne, Jenika Snow, Debra Presley, Shoshanna Evers, Tamsen Parker, and Nina Levine!
From young heartbreak to a virginity auction, from the chance meeting to the happily ever after, twenty-one exclusive stories explore first love in all its forms. This set includes almost 200,000 words of steamy encounters and sweet romance.
 
 

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Categories : Anthology, Contemporary, Cover Reveal, Erotic, Romance Tagged : Alexa Riley, Anna Zaires, Avery Aster, CJ Roberts, Cynthia Rayne, Cynthia Sax, Debra Presley, For the First Time, Jen Frederick, Jenika Snow, Julia Sykes, Kim Karr, lessandre Torre, Lynda Chance, Nikki Sloane, Nina Lane, Nina Levine, Pam Godwin, Sarah Castille, Shoshanna Evers, Skye Warren, Tamsen Parker

Cover Reveal: DEEP (CHICAGO UNDERGROUND) by SKYE WARREN

November 12, 2015

 

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Photographer: FuriousFotog

Model: Shane Williams

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Dark. Powerful. Dangerous.

Philip Mason has all of Chicago under his thumb. Except me.

We met in a perfect storm of violence and lust. He saved me and then disappeared from my life. Now I pretend I never knew that kind of darkness. I focus on midterms and campus parties, as if they can wipe the slate clean.

Then he turns up outside my dorm room—wounded and barely conscious. He’s the head of a crime syndicate, a powerful man, but he needs me now. There are traitors in his midst.

I can help him, but I can’t fall for him.

Not again.

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Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Houston, Texas, with her loving family, three dogs, and one evil cat.

Author links

Twitter Facebook Website Goodreads Amazon page

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Categories : Cover Reveal Tagged : Deep, Skye Warren

BLOG TOUR & EXCERPT: PRETTY WHEN YOU CRY by SKYE WARREN

October 23, 2015

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pretty

“Dark, perverse, and unbearably erotic, Pretty When You Cry is Skye Warren at her gritty best.”
~ Anna Zaires, USA Today bestselling author of Twist Me

A new dark romance novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderlust and Prisoner…
I came from a place of dirt floors and holy scriptures. They told me the world outside was full of sin, and the first night I escape, I find out it’s true. Ivan saves me, but he does more than that. He takes me. He makes me his own girl.
My conditioning runs too deep. Ivan sees what I am.
That’s the thing about showing a mouse to a cat. He wants to play. And it’s terrifying, even for me. Because the only thing darker than my past is his.

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EXCERPT:

He’s beautiful in a strange and sinful way, one that makes me more afraid. Not colorful exactly. His eyes are a gray color I’ve never seen before, both deep and opaque at the same time. The building itself is beautiful too with its wrought iron gate around a large courtyard. The fountain in the center is broken, but that only adds to the mystique.

The marquee sign reads Grand, a flash of neon pink against the black night.

He steps closer, the light from the sign illuminating his face, making him look even more sinister. “What’s your name?”

I couldn’t answer those other men, but I find something inside for him. I find truth. “I’m not allowed to say my name to someone else.”

He studies me for a long moment, taking in my tangled hair and my white dress. “Why not?”

Because God will punish me. “Because I’m running away.”

He nods like this is what he expected. “Do you have money?”

I have twenty dollars left after bus fare. “Enough.”

His lips twist, and I wonder if that’s what a smile looks like on him. It’s terrifying. “No, you don’t,” he says. “The question is, what would you do to earn some?”

Anything.

My voice is just a whisper. “I’m a good girl.”

He laughs, and I see that I was wrong before. That wasn’t a smile. It was a taunt. A challenge. This is a real smile, one with teeth. The sound rolls through me like a coming storm, deep and foreboding.

“I know,” he says gently. “What’s your name?”

“Candace.”

He studies me. “Pretty name.”

His voice is deep with promise and something else I can’t decipher. All I know is he isn’t really talking about my name. And I know it isn’t really a compliment. “Thank you.”

“Now come inside, Candace.”

He turns and walks away before I can answer. I can feel the night closing in on me, the sharks in the water waiting to strike. It’s not really a choice. I think the man knows that. He’s counting on it. Whatever is going to happen inside will be bad, and the only thing worse is what would have happened outside.

I hurry to catch up with him, almost running across the crumbled driveway, under the marquee sign for the Grand, past the broken fountain, desperate for the dubious safety of the man who could hold the darkness at bay. It’s the same thing that kept me in Harmony Hills for so long—fear and twisted gratitude.

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Other books in the series

About the author:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Houston, Texas, with her loving family, three dogs, and one evil cat.

Website: http://www.skyewarren.com

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Categories : Blog Tour, Dark Romance Tagged : Excerpt, Pretty When You Cry, Skye Warren

Pretty When You Cry by Skye Warren – Release Day Blitz & Giveaway

October 20, 2015

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Pretty When You Cry
by Skye Warren
Publication Date: October 20, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Blitz: Pretty When You Cry by Skye Warren

Amazon • iBooks • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

“Dark, perverse, and unbearably erotic, Pretty When You Cry is SkyeWarren at her gritty best.”
~ Anna Zaires, USA Today bestselling author of Twist Me

A new dark romance novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Wanderlust and Prisoner…

I came from a place of dirt floors and holy scriptures. They told me the world outside was full of sin, and the first night I escape, I find out it’s true. Ivan saves me, but he does more than that. He takes me. He makes me his own girl.

My conditioning runs too deep. Ivan sees what I am.

That’s the thing about showing a mouse to a cat. He wants to play. And it’s terrifying, even for me. Because the only thing darker than my past is his.

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THE STRIPPED SERIES

 

About Skye Warren

Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of dark romantic fiction. Her books are raw, sexual and perversely romantic.

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Categories : Dark Romance, Giveaway, Release Blitz Tagged : Pretty When You Cry, Skye Warren

Release Day Blitz + Excerpt: EVEN BETTER by SKYE WARREN

September 22, 2015

 

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A story about how coming together can break us apart…

An old military friend of Blue’s comes to stay with us, and suddenly I have two muscled men surrounding me. Before I can take a breath, we’re diving into something dirty together—something dangerous. Dangerous because three is a crowd.

This is Blue’s best friend, and one of us will have to leave.

****************


EVEN BETTER is a sexy follow up novella best read after BETTER WHEN IT HURTS. Fair warning: Contains two hot ex-military men and a girl caught in the middle.

Books in the Stripped series

½. Tough Love (prequel)

1. Love the Way You Lie

2. Better When It Hurts

3. Even Better

4. Pretty When You Cry

Praise for Better When It Hurts:

“5 Angsty Love-versus-Hate Stars! Better When It Hurts sucked me in hook, line, and sinker within the first few pages.” – Allison, The Reading Escapade Book Blog

“There’s one thing I can say with certainty, Skye Warren never fails to deliver a heartfelt, slightly dark, I can’t stop turning the pages story. This one is no different.” – Di, Twisted Sisters

“Very Angsty 5 Star Read! This book is so compelling, you won’t be able to put it down, this is one of those books that you’ll want to save to re-read.” – Melissa, Books Can Take You There

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Tough Love (Stripped #0.5)

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Love the way you Lie (Stripped #1)

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Better When it Hurts (Stripped #2)

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I expect West to laugh. They have a competitive camaraderie that is fun to be around. Except he doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t even crack a smile. Instead his gaze drops to where Blue’s hand is on my ass. For the first time since he showed up, lust flashes across his face.

Nervous, I glance at Blue. He’s watching me, lids low, a dark expression on his face. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and I think he likes it. It’s some kind of tease, an extension of their friendly competitiveness, natural and somehow intimate.

So intimate it makes me wonder if they’ve ever done more than tease.

My eyes widen. “Have you and him ever…?”

The corner of Blue’s mouth lifts. “What’s that, beautiful?”

“You know,” I stammer. “Shared a girl.”

The words come out in a rush, and I know from the sultry, smug looks on their faces that I’m right. “Not shared,” Blue says. “Not exactly. But I watched sometimes, sure. We’d get a night off and head to the bar near base. There are, what? Two men for every woman there. Maybe more.”

“Some girls like an audience,” West says, the drawl in his voice more pronounced.

The room feels twenty degrees hotter as testosterone and arousal swirl in the air. I had no idea that Blue was kinky enough to watch a couple have sex—although he’s been plenty kinky in other ways with just me and him. I imagine being some girl in a bar, being picked up by two men as big and strong and sexy as these two. It’s overwhelming…and I realize I may not have to imagine it after all.

Blue watches me from slitted eyes.

My voice is shaking. “Did you want me to—”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, beautiful. We’re just getting to know each other, after all.”

It makes me wonder if he thinks I’ll do more once I know West better. It makes me wonder if I even want to do more. Of course West is a handsome man, but being shared? “Umm.”

Blue shifts in his chair slightly, so my leg is trapped around his, and I’m slightly more exposed—facing West fully. “Maybe we could give him something to see,” he murmurs. “A nice little memory to bring to bed with him. Would he like that?”

West is completely still, lean body full of tension. “Christ, yes.” He pushes back in his chair, his expression more pain than pleasure. “Only if you’re okay, Hannah. Only if…”

“I’m okay,” I say, stronger now. God, if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s to give a man a show. “I want to.”

Just like Blue and West think all they can do is fight, all I can do is dance. And this isn’t even dancing for strangers. This is dancing for the man I love—and his best friend.

Except dancing isn’t what Blue has in mind.

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Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dark romance such as Wanderlust and Prisoner. Praised as a “true mistress of dark erotica”, her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Houston, Texas, with her loving family, three dogs, and one evil cat.

Author Links

Twitter Facebook Website Goodreads Amazon page


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Categories : Contemporary Romance, Release Blitz Tagged : Even Better, Excerpt, Skye Warren

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: DARK & DANGEROUS ANTHOLOGY

September 9, 2015

Title: Dark & Dangerous: A Boxed Set of possessive alphas, sexy bad-boys, and savage heroes
Authors: Clarissa Wild, Lili St. Germain, Nashoda Rose, Lily White, Jaden Wilkes, Gemma James, Vanessa Waltz, Skye Warren & Skye Callahan
Release Date: October 13th, 2015
Genre: Dark Romance & Suspense (18+)
Cover Designer: LM Creations
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26118448-dark-dangerous

Synopsis

*** 8 tales of dark desire from your favorite NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY Bestselling Authors! ***
Over 2500 pages of hot & dangerous alpha males – On SALE for a LIMITED TIME!


Delicious dark romance, toe-curling suspense, and sinful pleasure, all packed into one boxed set. We’ve gathered all your favorite Dark Romance and Suspense stories and combined them into one scorching bundle. These possessive alphas, sexy bad-boys, and savage heroes will claim your heart and leave you begging for mercy.

~ Mr. X
(Clarissa Wild)
: 
He’s come to kill me. I don’t know his name, but I know he wants me. He is Mr. X; the man who comes to claim my life. Can I save myself before he demands my heart?

~ Gypsy Brothers (Lili St. Germain): 
Six years ago, Juliette Portland was viciously
attacked and left for dead by people she trusted. People inside her father’s
motorcycle club, greedy for power, who defiled her, shot her father dead and
destroyed everything she ever cared about.
Only, she
didn’t die. She survived … and now, she’s out for revenge.

~ Overwhelmed By You (Nashoda Rose): 
I don’t deserve her, but I’m selfish and I’m taking her anyway. This is who I am and it’s too late to change me.

~ Serial
Volume 1 (Jaden Wilkes & Lily White)
: 
Jude Hollister kills. Born with
everything, wanting for nothing, murder has become his addiction. He kills
women who entice him. He immortalizes them while they’re still young and
beautiful. How will he manage to save the one woman he loves?


~ Epiphany
(Gemma James)
: 

He haunts her in her dreams, but she’s never laid eyes on him.
Until now.

~ His
Witness (Vanessa Waltz)
: 
He kidnapped me.He was charming, powerful,
intoxicating. Accepting his advances might be the last mistake I’d ever make.
Now I’m trapped in his basement, completely at his mercy.

~ Love The
Way You Lie (Skye Warren)
: 
I’ll do anything to stay free, even if it means
taking my clothes off for strangers. So I dance, hiding under the shadows and
bright lights. Then I see him in the audience, and I know my past isn’t the
only thing I need to run from…
~
Irrevocable (Skye Callahan)
: 
I remembered! They stripped me of my life but
never my will to survive. Descending into their darkness and making it my own
became my only escape.
Preorder on: 
Amazon | iBooks | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

Authors
Clarissa Wild

Clarissa Wild is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for the dark Romance novel Mr. X. Her novels include the Fierce Series, the Delirious Series, and Stalker. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire’s Bet series, and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Fan Club

Lili St. Germain

Lili writes dark, disturbing romance. Her USA Today bestselling Gypsy Brothers series focuses on a morally bankrupt biker gang and the girl who seeks her vengeance upon them. The Cartel series is a prequel trilogy of full-length novels that explores the beginnings of the club, to be released worldwide in print and ebook in 2015 by HarperCollins.

Lili quit corporate life to focus on writing and so far is loving every minute of it. Her other loves in life include her gorgeous husband and beautiful daughter, good coffee, Tarantino movies and spending hours on Pinterest.

She loves to read almost as much as she loves to write.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Nashoda Rose


Nashoda Rose is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side, while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers and chatting about her addiction–books.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Lily White

Lily White is a dark writer who likes to dabble on the taboo side of eroticism. Most of the time she can be found wandering around aimlessly while her mind is stuck in some twisted power play between two characters in her head. You may recognize her in public by the confused expression, random mumbling, and occasional giggle while thinking up a scene. Lily’s favorite things in life are reading, thinking about reading, buying books for reading….and writing. Her other secret pleasure is meeting with her plot editor in public to discuss her books and watching the shocked expressions of the people around her that don’t realize she’s talking about a book. When Lily is not reading, writing, wandering or freaking out innocent bystanders, she’s sleeping.

Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Jaden Wilkes

Jaden is the pen name of a girl living on the prettiest farm in BC. She shares her space with her husband, her children, and an Irish Wolfhound named Tiberius. She can now be found lurking in the dark corners of the internet looking for artful porn gifs, dirty poems and places to promo her work.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Gemma James


Gemma James is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of a blend of genres, from new adult suspense to dark erotic romance. She loves to explore the darker side of human nature in her fiction, and she’s morbidly curious about anything dark and edgy, from deviant sex to serial killers. Readers have described her stories as being “not for the faint of heart.”

She warns you to heed their words! Her playground isn’t full of rainbows and kittens, though she likes both. She lives in Oregon with her husband and their four children–three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone’s attention.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Vanessa Waltz


My name is Vanessa and steamy, bad boy romances with headstrong alpha males are my trade. Feel free to drop me a line at waltzbooks@gmail.com. Join my newsletter here for discounts, information on new releases, and more!

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Skye Warren


Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of dark romance. Her books are raw, sexual and perversely tender. For those new to her work, consider the bestseller Wanderlust, Prisoner or the Dark Nights series starting with Trust in Me.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Skye Callahan


Skye Callahan is the bestselling author of Irrevocable a dark romance that ran away with her emotions and led her on a whole new writing journey. She enjoys exploring the darker sides of life through her fiction, whether through paranormal creatures or the depraved underbelly of human nature. Her other works include the follow up to Irrevocable, Bend Don’t Break, The Redline Series, The Fractured Legacy Series, and Bound and Unbroken.

Her love of reading and writing started at a young age and she has been blessed with a family that continues to support her dreams to be a full-time writer. She has lived in Ohio all of her life, where she enjoys taking long walks through cemeteries with her husband (when the insane Ohio weather permits), studying local history, and trying to make peace with the neighbor’s cats.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Giveaway
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Categories : Alpha male, Anthology, Cover Reveal, Giveaway Tagged : Clarissa Wild, Dark & Dangerous, Gemma James, Jaden Wilkes, Lili St. Germain, Lily White, Nashoda Rose, Skye Callahan, Skye Warren, Vanessa Waltz

Review, Excerpt + Giveaway: Better When It Hurts by Skye Warren

June 11, 2015

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Review Blitz

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Book Title: Better When It Hurts (Stripped, #2)
Author: Skye Warren
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: June 4, 2015
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions

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Book Blurb

Five years ago we lived in the same house. He was the ultimate bad boy. And my foster brother.

Now he’s back. Tougher, harder, meaner. All of it aimed at me, because I was the one who sent him away. It’s payback time. He wants his pound of flesh, and I am helpless to say no.

Review

Skye Warren is one of my go-to dark romance authors. Each of her stories is richly detailed, deeply felt and intensely sexy. Better When It Hurts is no exception. Although I have not read Love the Way You Lie, I was able to jump right in to Blue and Lola’s story here. Both are very damaged characters who had to learn how to survive on their own from a young age.

These two have a long past together which is why Blue insists on acting as security on the nights she dances at the club where they both work. Lola tries to put on a tough exterior but her toughness is just an act that is in part driven by guilt over what happened between the two of them when they were foster kids. This is a gritty story but as with all Skye Warren books, the sex scenes are totally hot and very, very intense.

Lola is not always the most likable character but she is very real and just trying to do what she has to in order to survive. Blue is totally Alpha, sexy, domineering and despite the hard exterior, is a guy with a heart. These two have incredible chemistry. If you like grittier stories with lots of erotic scenes and the right touch of romance, then Better When It Hurts is for you! Another great story from Skye Warren.

(ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.)

excerpt

The door slams open, and Blue strides into the room. A burst of sound follows him in the seconds before the door swings shut. I shrink back against the lockers before I can help it. That doesn’t stop him. It doesn’t even slow him down as he steps right into my space, just inches from my face, still breathing hard.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” His eyes are still wild from the fight, violence and victory mixed together.

I try not to flinch. “I wanted to…to talk to you about something.”

“How did you know I was fighting tonight?”

I’m not going to tell on Candy, even if he’ll figure it out as soon as he sees her here. Instead I bite my lip and try to remember the speech I was going to give him. “Congratulations?”

That wasn’t it.

He shakes his head. “No, Lola. This isn’t one of your little games. I’m not one of the men you can lead around by my dick. Not anymore.”

And then I do flinch, because the reminder of our past is too painful not to. “I’m not trying to lead you anywhere,” I whisper.

His lips curve into a cold smile. “No? You brought me here, didn’t you? Just you and me and the rest of the world locked out. You made that happen.”

Something pricks my eyes—tears. No no no. I can’t possibly cry in front of him. I don’t know why I’d cry at all. This is my life. I’m long past wishing for something different, aren’t I? I look down at the concrete floor so he won’t see me struggle.

Of course he doesn’t accept that. His fingers—sweaty and gloveless—lift my chin. “Why’d you come here, Lola?” His voice is suddenly lower and strangely seductive. Maybe that’s how fucked-up I’ve gotten, that cruelty turns me on. “What do you want?”

My fingers fumble as I pull the wallet from my back pocket. It’s still warm from my body as I hold it up. “This is yours. I stole it. I—I took it by accident.”

That wasn’t what I’d meant to say at all. I’d meant to explain the situation like it happened—that I’d woken up with the wallet in my bed. That I had no memory of it, but obviously there had been a mistake. I’d taken nothing from the wallet, no harm no foul.

Instead I’d stuttered like I was thirteen again, stealing everything I could slip into my pockets, confessing to my foster dad before he whipped me with his belt.

Blue takes the wallet from me, his expression speculative. It’s almost as if he’s never seen it before, even though I know it belongs to him. I rifled through his things, touched the stone-faced plastic image on his license. And he knows I invaded his privacy that way, just like I invaded his pocket when he brought me home.

He tosses the wallet onto a bench behind him, dismissing it. His hand lands on the locker beside me, blocking me in. His eyes meet mine. “You still steal.”

“No,” I say, but his wallet calls me a liar. Naturally he’d remember the worst thing about me. I’d helped him remember. “Not anymore. Not usually except…I must have been drunk or something.”

“You didn’t used to drink.”

“A lot’s changed.” I used to hate the taste of beer. It reminded me too much of foster brothers with groping hands and tongues. I still couldn’t touch the stuff, but every now and then I used alcohol to try and numb the pain. It was just a shame it never worked.

His gaze scans my body, unapologetic as it measures me, probes me, demands all my secrets. “I can see that.”

I shrug, pretending to be unaffected. No, I am unaffected, damn it. “You see more than this every night.”

“Less. When you’re naked up there onstage, that’s what you show to every man.” His eyes are hooded. “This is what you wore for me.”

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Meet the Author

Skye Warren is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of dark romance.

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