Early Review: Ten Kisses to Scandal by Vivienne Lorret

USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret returns with the second book in her charming, witty Misadventures in Matchmaking series, in which the sister with terrible matchmaking skills makes a bargain with a notorious rake to get him to teach her about attraction

The Bourne Matrimonial Agency has one rule—never fall in love with the client. However, they never said anything about kissing a rake…

Briar Bourne’s matchmaking career could be summed up in two words—comic disaster. Unless she can learn about the irresistible forces that draw men and women together, her professional future looks rather bleak. But Briar has an intriguing plan—enlisting London’s most irredeemable rake to teach her everything he knows about attraction. Given his notorious reputation, it’s no surprise that Nicholas Blacklowe, the Earl of Edgemont, requests one thing in exchange for his tutelage. For every lesson, he wants a kiss in return. And what harm could there be in a simple kiss? After all, Briar would never fall for a scoundrel…

Nicholas has no romantic notions about love, and no intention of changing his ways. He’s only helping Briar so that she can find the perfect bride for his jilted cousin. Yet Briar is so clever, so curious, so candid—so blasted tempting—that soon, Nicholas can’t stop wondering what it might be like if he was irresistible to her.

Ten lessons. Ten kisses. And a million ways to fall hopelessly, scandalously in love.

4 STARS

Ten Kisses to Scandal made me giddy the entire time I was reading. It was similar to experiencing butterflies on your very first date. I was breathless as the tension between Briar and Nicholas blossomed and fully engaged with the main and secondary characters. Briar was like a breath of fresh air. Although she was naive, it wasn't the cloying naivety that drags a story down, it added depth. It was refreshing and welcoming. Nicholas is the perfect rake to teach Briar all the things she needs to learn. I wish the ending had been different. I felt it was too bland for such bold and endearing characters. They deserved more. This is a great story, it's humor and passion will take you on a journey. I can't wait to read more stories in the Misadventures in Matchmaking series by Vivienne Lorret .

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Publisher: Avon

Pub Date: Dec. 24, 2018

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ARC: Wilde Card by Jenn Stark

Immortal Vegas

Book 2

All that glitters may not be gold. 

When an antique gold show comes to Vegas, Tarot reading artifact-hunter Sara Wilde's job is simple: to locate and liberate a set of relics rumored to give their bearers access to an ancient, incredible power. Yet within the Connected community, whispers of a war against magic draw every psychic, mystic, warlock, and witch to Sin City. The most powerful Connected covet the infamous relics, but no one wants them more than Sara's client--the insufferably arrogant, criminally sensual, and endlessly evasive Magician.

And what the Magician wants...

Sara's heist takes a turn for the trickier as the smoky-eyed specter from her past, Detective Brody Rooks, is assigned to investigate a break-in at the gold show, forcing her to confront the one man in Vegas she can't bluff. Even worse, just as she finally gets her hands on the goods, the game twists anew. The resulting chase leads her across the world to an ancient Egyptian temple filled with secrets, deception... and hints about her own abilities that could change everything. Desperate for answers, Sara is forced to turn to the one person she knows will manipulate, obfuscate and beguile to get whatever he craves. Only now, it seems, the Magician wants her.

Sometimes, when the deck is stacked against you... you've got to play the Wilde Card.

I gave this book a 

    

Wilde Card by Jenn Stark is a fascinating adventure! Intriguing twists and turns with thaumaturgic flare makes this a unique urban fantasy! Stark will awe readers as Sara unearths new arcane powers. Savory tensions rise between The Magician and Sara in this new venture. His sorcerous ways are tempting to both readers and Sara. Magic is the name of the game and Vegas is where it's at. Unveiled secrets whisper and promise the untold. Stark delivers an entertaining journey, conjuring the need for the next exploit.

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Publisher:Elewyn Publishing

Pub Date: November 17th 

Read our review of Getting Wilde here!

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ARC: A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

Book 2
Half Moon Hollow Series

On a quest to Half-Moon Hollow

Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it.

Complication One: Her grandfather was Mr. Wainwright and the artifacts are lost somewhere in what is now Jane Jameson's book shop.

Complication Two: her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, who keeps turning up half naked at the strangest times, a distraction Nola doesn't need. And teaming up with a real-life Adonis is as dangerous as it sounds, especially when he’s got the face of an angel and the abs of a washboard—can Nola complete her mission before falling completely under his spell?

I gave this book a 

        

A Witches Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper is fantastic!  This book was written with such witty flare yet with all the yummy paranormal elements needed in a PNR.  The descriptions and the dialogue had me turning the pages to learn more. Nola and Jed have magical chemistry, its sexy tones take this read to new heights.  This is the first time I've had the pleasure of reading Harper's work. I plan to go back and read each of the previous books in the series and then books in her other series.  This one is a keeper!

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Publisher: Pocket Books

Pub Date: May 28, 2013

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ARC: The Lost: Celestial Blues: Book Two by Vicki Pettersson

Book 2

Celestial Blues

Griffin Shaw and his wife were both murdered fifty years ago. Now a minor angel, Grif's been granted permission to solve the mystery of his own death . . . if he helps the Pure angels guide those souls who might otherwise be Lost.

Souls like Jeap Yang, a drug addict in his final moments of life. Grif knows that death is coming, but he cannot intervene. However, Grif's mortal lover, reporter Katherine "Kit" Craig, isn't constrained by angelic protocol. If she can stop a death, she will.

But as Kit is about to find out, there are things more traumatic and evil than murder. A strange new drug is literally eating tweakers' flesh from their bones, and Kit's crusade to get it off the streets is set to propel her and Grif into a battle with a vicious drug cartel. They'll have to scramble to stay alive, stay together, and choose their own fate . . . before it's chosen for them.

I gave this book a 

   

The Lost by Vicki Pettersson serves up another urban fantasy delight.  Grif and Kit are in the mist of a battle between the Cubans and the Russians, dealing with chaos around them as their feelings for each other flourish. If you read The Taken, the first in the trilogy, you will indeed enjoy The Lost, as it sweeps readers.  Pettersson delves deeper into Sin City showing more aspects of Grif as he deals with the changes within and around him. I yearned to help Grif, in this story, it was killing me.  Wonderful novel, I can not wait to learn what the final book in the trilogy has in store for us. 

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Publisher: Harper Voyager

Pub Date: March  19, 2013

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Review: Alien Tango by Gini Koch

Book 2

It's been five months since marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt started working with the aliens from Alpha Centauri, and she and Jeff Martini are getting closer. But when an experimental spacecraft is mysteriously returned to the Kennedy Space Center, Kitty and the rest of her team are called in to investigate. Now the team must survive murderous attacks, remove a space entity from a group of astronauts, and avoid an unhinged woman with a serious crush on Kitty's high school boyfriend. And that's all before evil masterminds decide Kitty's extermination is vital.

I gave this book 4

ssss

Alien Tango by Gini Koch offers a very close embrace, with no small steps, and syncopated rhythmic footwork of alien proportions.  That's right, this Tango has it all going on!  Ms. Koch doesn't just make a sequel to Touched By An Alien, she has indeed invented her own tango. "Exciting, incisive, provocative" with all kinds of yummy aliens are just a few words describing this book.  We get to meet Jeff's family and more of "Mommy"'s other life keeps emerging.  New aliens are making there debut in this one, some of which we've only heard their voices in book one. We finally get to meet the notorious "Chuckie" and Kitty will have to deal with the in-laws  If you thought Kitty had an uncanny way of finding trouble in book 1, wait until you get your hands on this puppy.  Kitty and Jeff along with their crew at the TBAA will have to tango with all sorts of nasty!  This is a must read action packed tango!

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Publisher: DAW

ISBN: 0756406323 

Paperback: 448

Source Code: R

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