Underrated Contemporary Romance Books

The Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Gone with the Words and Love at First Page. As part of the challenge they are setting a different topic every month that participants can choose to join in with which I think is a brilliant idea so you can expect a post like this to appear at random most months throughout the year.

The May Prompt is:

Underrated Contemporary Romance Books

(Links below will take you to my reviews)

There are lots of books I want to shout to the world about and get everyone reading but in the end to try and narrow down my list a bit I decided to only include books with less than 5000 ratings on Goodreads (most of these books fall in around the 2-3K mark). I love all of these authors and would happily recommend any of their books, where stories are part of a series the book I've mentioned is the first one but more often than not I've read and loved them all. The Lara Adrian book is possibly a bit of a cheat as it was only released this week but it's still got less than 5K ratings, it's her first self published contemporary romance and I loved it so much that I really want to rave about it!

1. Ride With Me - Ruthie Knox
2. Before I Fall - Jessica Scott
3. Once Perfect - Cecy Robson
4. Rocky Ride - Vivian Arend
5. For 100 Days - Lara Adrian
6. Unbound - Cara McKenna
7. Come Back to Me - Mila Gray
8. Sexcapades - Christine d'Abo
9. Wrecked - Shiloh Walker
10. Cake - Lauren Dane

Have you read any of my choices? What books would be on your most underrated list?

Review: Marked - Anthology

Three stories of passion, possession, and ink.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Dane takes you into a brand new world in ALL THAT REMAINS. Summer Killian falls fast and hard when Charlie arrives in Paradise Village. But the heat turns all the way up when she learns Charlie is also with Hatch – the man she loved four years before. While she’s not sure she’s cut out for a triad, neither man is going to give her up.

Take a ROCKY RIDE with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Vivian Arend as she leads you back to the Six Pack Ranch. Anna Coleman might be the law around Rocky Mountain House, but bad boy Mitch Thompson knows that under the stiff RCMP uniform is a woman with a passion for speed and pleasure that matches his own, and he’s not giving up until she’s his.

Kit Rocha returns to Sector Four in BEYOND TEMPTATION. A promise to a dying friend backfires when Noah Lennox finds that the girl he was supposed to rescue is all grown up–and wearing O’Kane ink. He wants to protect her from the secrets of their past, but she wants him. And an O’Kane woman always gets what she wants.

For more information about any of these authors you can visit their websites by clicking the links below:
Lauren Dane
Vivian Arend
Kit Rocha

Beyond Temptation - Kit Rocha

Beyond Temptation is also
available as a separate ebook novella

Beyond Series:
Beyond Shame
Beyond Control
Beyond Denial (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Pain
Flash (Free short story)
Beyond Temptation (Novella in the Marked Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Jealousy
Beyond Solitude (Novella in the Alpha's After Dark Anthology or as a separate ebook)
Beyond Addiction
Beyond Possession (Novella)
Beyond Innocence
Closed Doors (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Blank Canvas (A Beyond Happily Ever After free short story)
Beyond Ruin
Beyond Ecstasy
Beyond Surrender
Creative Incentives (Free short story)
Beyond Doubt (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Cravings (Free short story)
Beyond Forever (An O'Kane for Life novella)
Dessert (Free short story)
Ravished (Free short story)
Efficient (Free short story)
Memorial (Free short story)
Fierce Protector (Free short story)
A Little Bit Bad (Free short story)
Diplomacy (Free short story)

Gideon's Riders Series:
(Spin off series)
Ashwin
Makhai (Free short story)
Deacon
6th Sense (Free short story)
Ivan
High Priestess (Free short story)
Girls' Night Out (Free short story)

Review:
I'm going to confess that Beyond Temptation was the whole reason I wanted to read the Marked anthology, I absolutely adore the Beyond series and am completely addicted to these sexy O'Kanes and the world that Kit Rocha has created! So it'll be no surprise when I tell you that this was my favourite story in the anthology, probably because I'm already so invested in this world and it's characters. We have briefly met Noah before but since he's not an official O'Kane we've not spent much time with him and I was looking forward to getting to know him better. Emma is a character I already liked, one of the bartenders at the Broken Circle she's been a familiar face throughout the series so it was good to learn more about her background and I absolutely loved the scenes with her working alongside Ace as an apprentice tattoo artist.

Noah was best friends with Emma's brother and as such he has always considered her off limits, that doesn't mean he hasn't done his best to protect her though. In fact he paid a fortune to have her sent safely to the communes outside of the sectors and has spent the last few years believing that she has been living a dream life on a farm somewhere. When he finds out that she has been right under his nose the whole time and living with the O'Kanes he just has to check up on her and make sure that she's OK. The Emma he finds is very different to the sweet young girl he knew though, she's all grown up and has turned into a confident, sexy woman who knows what she wants and exactly how to get it. Emma always had feelings for Noah so when she sees him for the first time in years she sets out to seduce him and show him just how good they could be together.

I loved both of these characters, they have off the charts chemistry and a connection that runs much deeper than lust. There are some difficult secrets between them though, things that could end their relationship for good if they don't find a way to work through them. This was probably the tamest story in the Beyond series so far but don't take that to mean that it isn't sexy because Noah and Emma are hot as hell. Just as you'd expect from these stories there is plenty of dirty talk and hot action! We get a glimpse of some of the previous characters but most importantly we get to spend time with Ace and this has just got me even more excited about his book Beyond Jealousy which is up next. This is a series that always jumps straight to the top of my to read pile and I can't recommend it highly enough although I would personally recommend reading the books in order starting with Beyond Shame though.

Rocky Ride - Vivian Arend

Rocky Ride will also be
available as a separate ebook novella

Thompson & Sons Series:
Rocky Ride (Novella in the Marked anthology, also available as a separate ebook)
Baby, Be Mine
One Sexy Ride
Let it Ride
A Wild Ride

Review:
Rocky Ride is the first story in Vivian Arend's new Thompson & Sons series which is a spin off from her Six Pack Ranch books. I haven't actually read any of the Six Pack Ranch books (I'm going to have to pick them up since I enjoyed this one so much though!) so although I believe both Mitch and Anna have made previous appearances I didn't have a problem reading their story as a stand alone. This was certainly a hot read and I'm definitely planning on reading the sequel, Baby Be Mine, soon.

Original Cover

In a lot of ways Mitch and Anna are complete opposites, Mitch is a mechanic at his family's garage who has a bit of a bad boy reputation while Anna is a police officer who loves her job more than anything. As it turns out Mitch doesn't really deserve his reputation, he may have tattoos and ride a motorbike but apart from a couple of pranks as a teenager he hasn't got into any trouble for years and is a hard working and genuine guy. The couple have been meeting up for a few months for incredibly hot sex but while Mitch wants more Anna is running scared. She worries about how Mitch's reputation could affect her career and she is scared of getting hurt by risking her heart.

I absolutely loved this couple, they are so perfect for each other and I really enjoyed seeing how Mitch convinces Anna to give him a chance. They have fabulous chemistry and are both quite creative when it comes to playing out their fantasies which makes things very interesting. This is definitely a new series to watch out for and one I'm looking forward to continuing.

All That Remains - Lauren Dane

Metamorphosis Series:
All That Remains (Novella in the Marked anthology)
All the Little Pieces (Release date to be confirmed)

Review:
All That Remains is set in a futuristic dystopian world where a lot of the population has been wiped out and there are now way more men than women. People tend to live in small communities where they have a barter system in place to trade for the things they need and it is very common to find relationships with three (or sometimes more) members. I'm interested in the world that Lauren Dane has created but I have to admit that I wanted more information than we were given. It's very hard to introduce a whole new world in a fairly short novella so I was left with a lot of questions about why society fell apart in the first place but I was given just enough to hook me and make me want to carry on reading.

Summer knows what she is looking for from a relationship and she is prepared to wait until the right man (or men) comes along rather than settle for second best. She has a high sex drive and isn't embarrassed to take what she wants and needs. Hutch and Charlie have been together for a couple of years and have spent that time travelling around the country, they have enjoyed getting to see the world but are ready to settle down and find a place to call home. They would also love to add a woman to their lives and their bed. Charlie is the one who spots Summer first, there is something about her that draws him in and it seems the attraction is returned but there is a slight stumbling block when it comes to Hutch. Summer and Hutch grew up together and he was her first love so she was devastated when he left her to go and see the world. She has never forgiven him for breaking her heart so although Hutch would love to rekindle their relationship Summer is wary of getting hurt again.

It can be hard to sell me on a permanent triad relationship but in this case I thought Summer, Hutch and Charlie worked really well together. I loved the fact that they all spend time together separately as well as in a threesome and I actually believed that all three of them had feelings for each other. Things to happen fairly quickly but I still found it believable and enjoyed seeing them work things through. Summer is understandable wary of Hutch and scared of getting hurt again so I liked the fact that she made him work at proving himself, he knows he made a mistake by not searching her out sooner and he owns that and apologises for it. The two of them have quite a fiery relationship and Charlie is often the voice of reason and the one who steps in to calm things down between them. All three of them have developed a strong friendship and was left thinking that they could make a success of things. I really liked Summer's sister and I'm hoping that we might get her story later on in the series, she definitely deserves some happiness after everything she has been through and it would also give us a chance to see how Summer, Hutch and Charlie are getting on in the future. I'm a little disappointed to learn that the next story is going to be released as a serial novel (I'm really not enjoying this trend!) so I'll probably wait until all of the instalments are available before I start reading it but I'd definitely like to carry on with this series.

Source: Received from the authors in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Cake - Lauren Dane

She won’t be satisfied with just one bite...

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough...

Visit Lauren Dane's website for more information






Review:
Just in case you need an incentive to read this story I thought I'd tell you that Lauren Dane based the character of Gregori on aerialist Brandon Pereyda (is anyone else drooling along with me?!):

Brandon Pereyda

Wren is an art student who works as a bike messenger part time to pay her way. In the months she has spent delivering parcels to artist Gregori she has fallen hard for the bad boy artist and is determined to make him see her as more than a friend. Gregori is hot property in the art world and is used to people being more interested in what he can do for them than they are in the real person so he has come to appreciate Wren's friendship and the way she is so determined to succeed at her career on her own terms. He can't help lusting after her but he's had more than enough of relationships thanks to his crazy ex-wife and he doesn't want to hurt Wren by starting a fling when he can't offer her more.

At around 100 pages Cake is a very quick, sexy read from Lauren Dane and it's one I really enjoyed. I have definitely developed crush on Gregori with his body to die for, sexy tattoos and red mohawk! Gregori epitomises everything you think of when you hear the phrase bad boy, he has a snarky attitude and is a bit of a player but he is also incredibly talented and focused on his art. Like a lot of rich and successful men he finds that women often see him as a meal ticket, something his ex has confirmed on more than one occasion so he finds Wren's attitude incredibly refreshing. She likes and respects Grigori for his talent but she wants to be recognised for her own abilities not because he has pulled strings for her. She is reluctant to even show him her work because she'd rather keep that part of her life separate from him. I have to say that as much as I liked Gregori I respected Wren even more, she knows what she wants and she is prepared to put the effort in to earn it.

The chemistry between them is fantastic and I enjoyed reading something that isn't too full of relationship drama. Yes Gregori's ex does try to throw a spanner in the works and he is reluctant to make a commitment but overall they manage to work things out fairly quickly with a minimum of fuss. They make such a great couple because they have so much in common and I enjoyed spending time with them. If you're looking for a fast paced, swoon worthy read then I'm sure Cake will be perfect. I'm looking forward to checking out more of Lauren Dane's back list in the future.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Kindle:

Review: Heart of Darkness - Lauren Dane

Meriel Owen, next in line to control the largest organization of witches in the country, is asked to investigate the owner of a notorious club reportedly siphoning magick from the font of the clan.  It's a direct violation of the clan's rules, but one look at Dominic Bright and Meriel's willing to make a deal.  One taste of the sexually feral outlaw witch and she's eager to go further: He's her bond-mate, a legal conduit into the world of clan witches and their magick.

Playing by the rules isn't Dominic's style, but bonding with Meriel - night after explosive night - is.  However, Meriel has unwittingly invited someone else into her world: Dominic's mother, a dangerous and poisonously influential magick addict whose lust for death and power corrupts all she touches.  Now her shadow is closing in on Meriel, her clan and the man Meriel loves, and it's casting them all into the inescapable heart of darkness.

Bound by Magick Series:
Heart of Darkness
Chaos Burning (June 2012)
Going Under (2013)

Visit Lauren Dane's website for more information

Review:
Meriel is a coven witch and has been raised knowing that one day she will take over the role of running the Owen clan from her mother.  As the future leader Meriel has to live up to her mother's high expectations of her which she doesn't always find easy and their relationship is quite strained at times.  Before she can take over her place at the head of the clan she must become a full council member and she is unable to do that until she has met and joined with her bond-mate.

As they discover that witches across the country, both coven members and ones that prefer to go it alone, are disappearing Meriel's mother puts her in charge of the investigation. Meriel must find a way to work with other clans and lone witches to find out exactly what is happening and put a stop to it.  She has also been given the task of contacting nightclub owner Dominic.  It appears he has moved into the area and tapped into the Owen clan's magick without requesting permission and Meriel must get him to either join the clan or disconnect him from their magick supply.

Now I have to admit that I was a bit confused by some of the world building in Heart of Darkness.  I'm not 100% sure how the clans share their magic, how bond-mates work and I was left with a few other questions too but I don't know if that is because some of these have been answered in a different series?  This is the first book I've read by Lauren Dane and I did wonder if this is a spin off to one of her other series but I can't seem to find any confirmation of that on her website.  Possibly because of my confusion I did find the story was a little slow moving at times, I was interested in the world but I seemed to spend a lot of time waiting for something to happen.  The book probably could have been trimmed down quite a bit and been made into a much faster read and I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been.

Having said that I did still enjoy the book.  I really liked both of the main characters and I was pleased that they didn't immediately jump into a full on relationship despite the obvious chemistry between them and the fact that they are bond-mates.  They took time to get to know each other properly and I enjoyed seeing them spend time together doing the things that normal couples do like going on a dinner date.  Meriel is a strong woman who proved over and over again that she will be a force to be reckoned with as leader of the Clan.  Dominic was an alpha who likes to be in control but he was also prepared to learn from Meriel where she had so much more magick experience than he did.

I really liked the relationships between Meriel and her best friend Nell and Dominic with his business partner Simon.  Simon is a shape shifter and a character I want to see more of so I was pleased to discover the next book in the series is focused on him.  Heart of Darkness is the start of a series that has a lot of potential and I'm looking forward to reading Chaos Burning when it releases in the summer.  I'll also be checking out some of Lauren Dane's back list when I've reduced my to read pile a bit.

Source: Received from Turnaround in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.