Better with You by Lexxie Couper

There’s nothing hotter than a killer love story.

Charlie Baynard is an average Outback cop. Protecting the people in his small town and flying through the Outback skies in his police chopper suits him just fine. But there’s a side to him that no one knows about. Like the fact he used to be one of the Australian government’s best assets, and his name isn’t really Charlie.

A dangerous past conditioned Charlie to be afraid of nothing and no one. Except for the woman who knows exactly who he really is. His wife. And if the reports that she’s headed for Wallaby Ridge are true, he’s got two choices—arrest her or kill her. Before she kills him.

Dani De Vries never questioned orders and was paid to do things that put her on a lot of most-wanted lists. Then Charlie entered her life and things…shifted. Now Dani is on the run, hunted by dangerous people. But not as dangerous as the man she never meant to fall in love with—her husband.

If only she can find him in time. And convince him not to put a bullet between her eyes.

Warning: The hero and heroine in this romance are dangerous. And violent. And don’t pull any punches, in or out of bed. And they spend a lot of time in bed having a lot of sex. A lot of sex.

Book 4
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Charlie is an outback cop and a former spy for ASIO. After four years with no contact, his wife Dani turns up on his door step bringing danger with her. This couple is hot. One minute they are getting hot and heavy, and the next try to kill each other. Their lives are at risk and they don't trust each other.

As an Aussie, I loved the authenticity of the characters and setting of this book and this series. Aussie sayings and language are used throughout the story. There are no Americanisms anywhere, which is rare these days. That alone is a huge draw card for me, but that combined with steamy romance and action will have me reading more of Lexxie Couper's work in the future. Better with You pushed my buttons. It was great.

If you are after a quick, hot read with an Aussie flavor, you'll love Better with You.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I have read a couple in this series already, and knew that I was in for a treat! Ms. Couper has combined the wild and simple life of the outback with deep, dark and dirty assassinations in this one...

We meet some familiar friends and catch up a little on how their lives are progressing. However, the main feature is the cop, Charlie, this time around. Turns out that he really isn't just a cop, but that is the order of the day as new people come out of the woodwork to unravel this story of espionage and deception. There are some lovely twists in the relationships, and no one could deny (any longer) the chemistry between Dani and Charlie. The tension is maintained right to the end – really good read!

Also Available in the Outback Skies Series

Book 1
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Book 2
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Book 3
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For reviews & more info, check out our Bare for You post.

Lexxie Couper started writing when she was six and hasn't stopped since. She's not a deviant, but she does have a deviant's imagination and a desire to entertain readers with her words. Add the two together and you get romances that can make you laugh, cry, shake with fear or tremble with desire. Sometimes all at once.

When she's not submerged in the worlds she creates, Lexxie's life revolves around her family, a husband who thinks she's insane, an indoor cat who likes to stalk shadows, and her daughters, who both utterly captured her heart and changed her life forever.

Contact Lexxie at lexxie@lexxiecouper.com, follow her on Twitter or visit her website where she occasionally makes a fool of herself on her blog.

Connect with Lexxie

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Better with You (Outback Skies #4) by Lexxie Couper to read and review.

Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain

Driven by his desire to become a successful fashion designer and concerned with hiding his questionable past, Ru Maitland has let obsession with action movie star Gray Anson on the big screen replace his social life. Then obsession and reality collide when Ru is asked to design fashion costumes for a special performance of Hamlet at the Playhouse in Laguna starring none other than Gray Anson. Gray turns out to be a compelling mix of shy and brash and, despite a high profile engagement to a female socialite, the signals Gray sends Ru have his libido doing the salsa.

Gray Anson has what most people only dream of—great wealth, huge fame, a job he loves. For that, he’s given up any semblance of privacy and the right to say no to the thousands of people who depend on him and the millions who love him. He sees everything he’s ever wanted just outside the bubble of his life, but how can he make the compromises needed to embrace it? When Ru’s shady past crashes into Gray’s paparazzi-haunted present, both men have to learn that sometimes the only acceptable compromise is the truth.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Dreamspinner  Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
4 highly anticipated stars

I've been on the lookout for Prince of the Playhouse since I finished Knave of Broken Hearts, and was ecstatic to be offered the opportunity to review. Prince of the Playhouse didn't disappoint – instead of devouring it, I savored it over the course of several days.

We finally get Laguna's resident fashion designer's story. We readers thought we knew Ru Maitland, but we hadn't even scratched the surface. Ru wears his secrets on his back, refusing to take off his shirt to expose his past. Ru's a little bit self-deprecating when it comes to his nonexistent love life, a whole lot confident in his designing abilities, and 100% a queen who wants to be in charge.

For several years, Ru has been obsessed with the country's biggest blockbuster action star, watching the movies like a drug addict takes a hit of their favorite drug. Busy with trying to get ready for fashion week, Ru is offered the chance to design for the modern day version of Hamlet. He's more than ready to pass on the opportunity, fearing spreading himself too thin professionally. But then he learns Gray Anson – his celebrity crush – will be starring in the production.

Every breath Gray takes is stalked, then filmed and released to the public at large. Maintaining his image is more than just a job. All of those who work for him, are employed because of him, he holds the weight of their livelihoods on his conscience. Unable to be who he truly is, he has to watch every step he takes. No secrets are safe, real friends are impossible to come by, and everything is released to the public.

Gray truly is self-deprecating in all things. He's unsure of his acting chops, thinking all he's good for is to be blown up in action scenes. Stressed, he's bombing as Hamlet, and not in a good way. He asks Ru to help him understand the script, and what Ru gives him in return is priceless – confidence and friendship, along with a healthy dose of lust.

Prince of the Playhouse surrounds the production of Hamlet, Ru dealing with new-found fame while trying to survive the criminal element, and Gray coming to terms with who he is while trying not to let those in his life down. Proof that size doesn't dictate your personality, Ru is a take-charge person, and larger than life Gray likes others to take over for him. The perfect balance between the main characters, if only Gray would stop others from dictating his every decision.

The side cast was entertaining as always, setting up the next book for sure. There was a singular scene where I hadn't laughed that hard before. Hamlet & Horatio get drunk together, stagger to Ru's home, and make total fools of themselves. The dialogue during the scene was priceless and quote-worthy.

Why not 5 stars? I'm not sure why, but I never had the sensation where I had to click to turn the page and find out what happens next. The voracity never hit me. Instead, I found Prince of the Playhouse to be more of a comfort read I could enjoy at leisure. I read it over the course of 4 days, not eager to finish it, but not entirely because I didn't want it to end. I don't know if it was because I've never been a fan of celebrity plots, or just how the story flowed.

I will say I felt the celebrity storyline was written with more maturity than those I've read previously. It was less about how much money a person has in their bank account, and the fancy clothes and expensive cars, and more about the emotional impact of fame. The stalking by the paparazzi, right down to drones buzzing overhead, and the loneliness of never truly connecting with someone in fear they will use whatever you said against you, was perfectly portrayed. Gray was an open book for the reader, a fully fleshed out character.

Ru, whom I adored, was more closed off, and not as a personality trait. Even with his past popping up, I felt I barely got a taste of who he is, which means I didn't connect to Ru as much as I wish I had.

Overall, Prince of the Playhouse fits perfectly in the Love in Laguna series, and I can't wait to get my hands on the fourth book.

Highly recommended to fans of MM contemporary romance.


Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
Tara Lain is a new-to-me author. Until the review opportunity came up for Prince of the Playhouse, I’d never read any of her writing despite owning Knight of Ocean Avenue. While my co-reviewer assured me that I could read this one as a standalone, she recommended that I read the previous books first because there is a lot of character crossover from one book to the next, and that they were well worth the read if I could fit them into my schedule. Turns out, she was not wrong. I agree that Prince of the Playhouse can be read on its own, but I found the reading experience much richer because I had already met Ru in book one and was familiar with his relationship with Shaz, and knowing what Shaz and Billy went through made it easy to understand why Shaz kept encouraging Ru whenever he needed it.

Because I read book one, I began this book already adoring Ru. But as his story unfolded, my admiration for him increased in leaps and bounds at his drive to overcome his roots and his willingness to put in the amount of hard work needed to achieve his dreams. His desire to earn his own way rather than accepting a handout (his words) from Shaz merely bolstered my already high opinion of him. But I will admit, what really did it for me, was when he took down the thug who attempted to mug him. Hot dang, was that a scene or what?!?!? Sadly, it also opened him up to the undeserved attention of a bigoted police officer who seemed to take affront to a gay man being able to defend himself. Thankfully, the bad in the story is balanced with the good. And the shadow the bigoted cop cast on Ru’s life was frequently overshadowed by the blazing light of Hollywood heartthrob and action star Gray Anson – who just so happens to be Ru’s secret crush. When the opportunity to costume the cast of the playhouse’s performance of Macbeth develops the added chance to help Gray better understand Shakespeare’s writing to improve his performance, Ru can’t decide if he is in Heaven or in Hell. After all, Gray Anson is as straight as a man can be … isn’t he? And even if there’s a possibility Gray’s interested in men, he’d never be interested in someone like Ru Maitland … would he?

>>> Possible Spoilers (but not really if you’re familiar with the series) <<<

There were so many things I enjoyed about Prince of the Playhouse that I’m sure to forget to mention some of them. Actually, I’m not sure there’s anything I didn’t like, except for the bigoted cop, and regrettably, men like him are an unfortunate reality in the world. First, I enjoyed the whole “out for you” theme of the book. Unbeknownst to his fans and family, Gray Anson is gay and has known that about himself since he was a teen. But going from small town living, where he knew he couldn’t come out, and being catapulted into being a major action star didn’t allow him to be himself. Because we all know, Hollywood action stars can’t be gay, right? Gray’s mom was one of the best moms I’ve ever read. Her showdown with the preacher at church was beyond awesome and I wanted to give her a standing ovation for it. That she made it easy on Gray when he was finally ready to admit his homosexuality to her had me tearing up, especially when she apologized for making him ever think that she put religion as a higher priority than her son. If more parents were like her, the world would be a much happier place. I was very surprised by Ru’s willingness to keep his relationship with Gray a secret, until we learned more about Ru’s past, that is. Of course, the action-packed ending was a surprise and perfect considering all that we knew and didn’t know about what was going on. I absolutely loved the Prince of the Playhouse and will definitely be checking out more of Lain’s writing. My fingers are crossed that Merle will get his own book next.

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, Best Erotic Romance, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

Connect with Tara

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Prince of the Playhouse (Love in Laguna #3) by Tara Lain to read and review.

Undecided by Julianna Keyes Blog Tour

Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.

Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.

But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding…

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B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

“Want to see a movie?” Crosbie asks as we drive closer.

I squint at the list of shows. It’s an enormous multiplex and the parking lot is packed. He inches past the front so we can see what’s playing.

“Kill Glory 3 is out? I thought it wasn’t coming until December.”

Crosbie laughs uncomfortably when I name the latest installment of the popular horror franchise. “What else is playing?”

I look at him. “You don’t like scary movies?”

He purses his lips. “I like them fine.”

My jaw drops. “You’re afraid.”

“Am not.”

“Maybe Toy Story 6 is playing.”

“The Toy Story franchise is classic.”

“Okay, fine.” I crane my neck to try to see some more names. “There’s Tanker Race 2, Soda Shoppe Gals, Operation—I think that’s based on the board game—and that documentary about seals. Anything you’re dying to see?”

He finds parking at the end of a row and unbuckles his seatbelt. “Lady’s choice.”

“Kill Glory 3.”

“Never mind, you can’t choose.”

“Have you seen the first two? They’re excellent. It’s about this death angel named Glory who keeps returning to earth to try to get revenge—”

“I saw five minutes of the first one, and that was enough.”

“So…Soda Shoppe Gals?”

He tips his head to peer out the windshield at the start times. We’ve got half an hour until the next showings. “We can see Kill Glory 3,” he says reluctantly, reaching over to tug me in by the collar. “But let’s make out for a bit first.”

“Make out?” I feign offense. “You haven’t even bought me popcorn.”

“Can I just give you the ten dollars?”

We’re laughing when our lips meet, teeth bumping until we get serious. Crosbie displays none of the urgency I’m feeling, kissing me leisurely, exploring, learning. Again, it’s a surprise. He’s got one hand curled against my neck while the other rests against the back of the seat. If I’d ever given any thought to making out in a car with Crosbie Lucas, I’d have pictured him sticking his hand up my shirt—or down my pants—in the first thirty seconds. But that doesn’t appear to be the plan for tonight, and I quash the tiny part of me that’s disappointed and tell myself to just enjoy the moment. I’ve actually never done this before. I had zero boyfriends in high school, and I don’t think any of the guys I kissed last year even had a car. At least, I never bothered to learn enough about them to find out if they did.

Teenagers walk by and holler “Get a room!” breaking us apart. We’re both breathing hard, the windows only starting to steam up, advertising our activities without actually obscuring them.

“Hi,” Crosbie says.

I can’t help but smile. “Hi.”

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Kris – ☆☆☆☆☆
Very pleasantly surprised by how much I dug this story! This is not a love triangle in the normal sense, while we have two best friends there really isn't anyone "Undecided" and that made me unsure where the story would go. The characters were so well written that by the time you realize there's really no hard choice to be made, you're too invested in Nora and Crosbie to even care! I had to know where their story would leave them!! I also loved Kellen's character! His party boy, popular jock persona is perfect, complete with a sex list that includes entries like "girl who smells like French fries"!! Even Nora's best friend, Marcela, was written with depth and she gives us awesome comedic relief! I can't tell you how many times I snorted or barked out a belly laugh at her dialogue! Absolutely a great read! Julianna Keyes is definitely on my authors to watch list!

Julianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She’s been skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, but nothing thrills—or terrifies—her as much as the blank page. She loves Chinese food, foreign languages, baseball and television, though not necessarily in that order, and writes sizzling stories with strong characters, plenty of conflict, and lots of making up.

In addition to Undecided, she is the author of four contemporary romances: Just Once, the story of a world weary socialite and a stubborn ranch foreman; Going the Distance, a love story set in China between a kindergarten ESL teacher and a former army interrogator; Time Served, the tale of an ambitious young lawyer whose perfect world is jeopardized when she reunites with her ex-con ex-boyfriend; and In Her Defense, in which a ruthless young lawyer realizes there’s more to life than being the best…right?

For more details on these and any upcoming books, visit her online or sign up for her free newsletter.

Connect with Julianna

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Undecided by Julianna Keyes to read and review for this tour.

Unseen Messages by Pepper Winters Blog Tour

“Instincts are what keep us safe from fate. Ignoring them can change your life forever.”

Fame and fortune arrived overnight and after months on the road with her singing tour, all Estelle craves is peace. Tired and ready for paradise, she travels to Fiji to recuperate.

Stubborn and surly, Galloway is avoided by most--which is exactly the way he likes it. However, he's done spending his life in regret and hopes to find redemption in the tropical wilderness.

Together, they board the flight that changes their fate forever. Crash landing on a deserted island, they not only have to figure out how to survive with no skills and daily dangers--learning how to fish, find water, and build shelter--but also inherit two children who look to them to keep them alive.

However, staying alive might be the least of Galloway and Estelle's problems. As days creep to months and rescue doesn't find them, their desire for each other ignites.

They started as strangers.
They grew to be friends.
They fought the desire to be lovers.

Lust can be the most beautiful thing. Love the most rewarding. But not on an island where life hangs by a thread and giving into temptation can kill you.

Can they survive being forgotten or will love be their ultimate undoing?

From New York Times Bestseller Pepper Winters comes a timeless love story answering the question of what happens when everything is stripped away.

Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆☆
Let me be honest, I had no idea what this story was about. The only thing I knew was Pepper Winters was its creator and I was on board!

This story was a serious adventure – it was a thrilling, scary, and beautiful story of survival, love, and acceptance.

Estelle Evermore is returning to Australia (home) from her US tour, unfortunately everything that can go wrong at the airport DOES. Once the signs add up, it's too late to back out and things just progressively get worse when her connecting flight in Fiji is temporarily delayed due to terrible weather.

Not wanting to wait another minute, she meets up with Galloway Oaks (also in a rush to get to his own destination), and a family of 4 who all decide that they can avoid the wait and find a private charter...

In an effort to NOT spoil the story, I will say that this is unlike anything I've read.

Emotionally gripping, this is really a story of basic human needs being met in any way possible.

Sometimes the very things we THINK we need are really only minor conveniences, and once our perception has been altered there is no turning back.

Pepper Winters is a New York Times and USA Today international bestseller. She wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex... her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She's also honoured to wear the IndieReader Badge for being a Top 10 Indie Bestsellers, best BDSM series voted by the SmutClub, and recently signed a two book deal with Grand Central. Her books are currently being translated into numerous languages and will be in bookstores in the near future.

Connect with Pepper

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Unseen Messages by Pepper Winters to read and review for this tour.

Forbidden Rose by Vivian Winslow

Rosa Cruz, the fiery and ultra-sexy heiress of the Mama Linda Latin foods empire, is determined to create something on her own and not rely solely on her family's name and legacy. For her new upscale restaurant in the trendy Wynwood neighborhood of Miami, she enlists the help of her childhood friend, the hot, young Cuban-American chef, Eliseo Perez, who's already made a name for himself on the New York culinary scene. Despite Rosa's reservations about a forbidden workplace romance with her new employee, not to mention longtime friend, the chemistry between them is undeniable. When the cooking starts, things quickly heat up in the kitchen and the bedroom. But with Eliseo's troubled past coming back to haunt him, can Rosa and Eliseo hold onto love and keep the restaurant from going up in flames?

Book 2
Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 hot and delicious stars

Having read the Gilded Flower series – which I loved, I was very excited to read this story about the Cruz sister, Rosa – and get to see more of Lily and Dahlia in particular. Remembering how my emotions rose and fell during those books, I made sure I had a tissue to hand!

It took just a few minutes to get back into the world of these fabulous characters, based mainly in Miami. It was certainly a lot more than a friends to lovers story – although the romance was both loving and as chemistry laden as could be. The cooking scenes were delicious, and the whole opening a new business side of things was interesting – with fun bits like the PR session. I loved the family dynamics – and Rosa made some discoveries of her own about her feelings for her mother as she started to understand the kind of parenting that Eliseo had experienced. I love stories which give characters such insights into themselves via the revelations of others. As the drama increases, it is pretty tense for a while, but thankfully the reader's trust in Ms. Winslow is not misplaced. The story as a whole is very satisfying.

Vivian Winslow was born and raised in Southern California. Before becoming a writer, she made a career out of moving around the world every couple of years thanks to her husband’s job and her incurable wanderlust. She currently lives in New York City with her husband and two elementary school age children, and is grateful to finally have a place to call home for more than two years.

New York is the perfect city to indulge her love of fashion, the arts and especially food. If she’s not at home writing or running around the city with her kids, you’ll most likely find her eating at the newest restaurant in her beloved Lower East Side or having a cocktail at her favorite bar in Alphabet City. That said, she’s still a California girl at heart and would gladly trade in her heels for a pair of flip-flops to catch a sunset on the beach.

Connect with Vivian

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Forbidden Rose (Wildflowers #2) by Vivian Winslow to read and review.

Incubus Makes Three by Tiffany Dawn

Dorian Black is a nine-hundred-year-old Incubus born of a Master Demon father and a mortal mother. As a spawn of the demon realm he is immortal and without a soul. He longs to earn a soul and gain his mortality in hopes of being visible to God and eventually reuniting with his mother in heaven.

The demon masters use incubi to suck out the darkness that hides within some human souls. Dorian’s work through the last millennia has been to seduce mortals and pull this darkness from them, transporting it to his masters. Once he provides enough of this human nectar he will be rewarded with a soul from the well of souls.

Dorian has been busy seducing and being seduced by local Florida con artist Gabriel. Unfortunately, he is becoming attached to the attractive grifter. He’s supposed to be sucking an entire soul from him, thereby killing the sexy young man. Meanwhile, he becomes mesmerized by the purity of Shari Worth, local veterinary assistant and do-gooder. He courts her in hopes of both distracting him from his growing feelings toward Gabriel and finding the chink in her selfless decency.

Matters quickly grow complicated in the spirit of a Shakespearean farce. Dorian discovers Shari and Gabriel are step-siblings that share a secret and forbidden love. As his feelings for both mortals grow he must decide whether to hand over Gabriel’s life in exchange for his new soul or sacrifice his long held goal to save the hearts of two humans he no longer wants to be without.

Ménage and More: Erotic Fantasy Ménage a Trois Romance, M/M/F, with M/M, incubus, HFN

A Siren Erotic Romance

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Dawn – ☆☆☆
2.5 stars
Dorian is an incubus that has to use his powers to steal the dark parts of the human soul to feed his demon masters. Gabriel is a con artist who is in love with his stepsister, but also has an attraction to the mysterious Dorian. Shari has secret feelings for her stepbrother that she never dreamed of acting on. She starts working for Dorian where she ends up sleeping with him.

This story was very slow and the sex scenes were not that hot. I felt that everything just ended up being rushed. The story could have done with a few more chapters to just finish everything off. I didn't feel like we got to know any of the characters so I found the book very difficult to get into. Sadly, this was not a book for me.

Tiffany Dawn grew up reading the romance greats—Jackie Collins, Julie Garwood, and Judith McNaught. She was certain that life should be like a romance novel, with lots of passion, some incredible adventures, and a guaranteed happily ever after. She attended college in New England, earning a B.A. in History and an M.S. in Clinical Psychology before changing her mind again and studying education. Currently Ms. Dawn lives in Connecticut with her very patient husband and two young children. Her rambunctious family shares their home with three crazy cats and a darling golden retriever named Delilah. Her eccentric relatives and their quest to make her feel like the only normal nut in the family tree inspire her writing.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Incubus Makes Three by Tiffany Dawn to read and review.

Wicked Ways by Cari Silverwood

What if a man could command you to do anything and you couldn't make yourself say no?

Some people go through life without encountering evil. Zorie is not one of the lucky ones. As a teenager, she escaped a kidnapper. Now she's stronger, smarter, and she avoids the wolves.

Until she meets Reuben and her avoidance strategy is chaff in the wind. He's a collector and a mesmer, with the ability to control certain women at will. Zorie is to be his remote-controlled plaything.
She's been collected.

Power corrupts.

Absolute power? Absolutely terrifying.

Two men are the key to Zorie freeing herself from Reuben.
Grimm Heller's reasons are hidden in his past and his soul.
Mister Black's reasons are simpler. He wants her for his own to make her into a weapon.

No matter which way she turns, is she simply choosing a different evil?

This book is part of a dark erotic fiction series and may disturb some readers.

Please note: This is a dark story with graphic violence, graphic sex, and kink.

Book 1
Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
Wicked Ways was a rather interesting read for me. I don’t typically enjoy books that rely more on introspection than dialogue to tell the story. In fact, the last book I read that use inner monologues more than dialogue between characters left me feeling quite bored. However, considering that the villains in the Dark Hearts series are mesmers – men who are able to control certain women’s actions with their thoughts – the heavy use of inner monologues is almost necessary because Zorie had no control over what she did or said when Reuben or Mister Black exercised their influence over her. When she was able to resist, it was only for brief moments. So in order for the reader to know what Zorie was facing, much of the story was told from within her mind as she struggled against the commands given to her, the feelings of helplessness and shame once she realized what she had done and that she had enjoyed it, and the fear and devastation as Reuben upped the stakes on his “game” with her.

While I would consider Wicked Ways to primarily be a paranormal romance with dark erotica elements, it’s not nearly that straightforward. Why? I’m not sure that it’s appropriate to categorize a book as a paranormal romance when the paranormal character(s) are incapable of love and not part of the actual romance – at least not in the first installment they weren’t. Actually, the paranormal characters’ actions pretty much annihilated the budding romance by destroying Zorie’s already tentative trust in men. [And I have to say, I figured out who Heller was before it was revealed. Booyah!] There is no question that the book is erotica because there is a significant amount of sex within the pages and much of what Zorie endures certainly qualifies as dark – the author does warn of this. However, how dark and how erotic the book is will depend entirely up on the reader.

Because Silverwood tells the story from both Zorie and Mister Black’s points of view, the reader learns far more about mesmers than we otherwise would have. It is from Mister Black that we discover that most mesmers let their ability to control women go to their head. The manner in which Reuben seems to take great pleasure in humiliating and degrading Zorie when he has her under his control certainly supports this; and when he reveals his ultimate plan to Zorie, well, it’s clear that Reuben has let his power corrupt him. This is where the levels of erotica and darkness come in. There are scenes that I found hot and there were scenes I couldn’t read past fast enough. Humiliation does not do it for me, it’s akin to dunking me in a bath of ice cold water. But I did read them because Silverwood provides enough detail to let the reader know what is being done to Zorie, but she does not tend to get overly graphic in the scenes. I actually appreciated this distinction because had the author decided to go hardcore dark and describe the most disturbing scenes in full detail, it would have left me feeling as though it was done simply to shock & awe the reader. I don’t appreciate shock & awe authors, and it quickly lands them on my do not read list. However, with the way the story was written, I was pointed in the direction the author wanted me to go, but she left my mind to fill in the blanks with what would scare me most were I the one in Zorie’s position. So I connected with Zorie’s feelings of hopelessness and fear rather well, too well for my liking, in fact. Yet this is what made Wicked Ways a fascinating read for me. Now I just have to find room in my packed review schedule for Wicked Weapon to find out what the future holds for Zorie.

Cari Silverwood is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes of dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night.

When others are writing bad men doing bad things, you may find her writing good men who accidentally on purpose fall into the abyss and come out with their morals twisted in knots.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wicked Ways (Dark Hearts #1) by Cari Silverwood to read and review.