Review: Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones

Rating: 3 Stars - Liked It

 

Hard Rules by Lisa Renee Jones

Series: Dirty Money #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pubisher: St. Martin's Griffin on August 9, 2016

Pages: 304

Format: Kindle

Source: Bought

 

Amazon / Goodreads

 

Wall Street meets the Sons of Anarchy in Hard Rules, the smoldering, scorching first novel in the explosively sexy new Dirty Money series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones.

How bad do you want it?

The only man within the Brandon empire with a moral compass, Shane Brandon is ready to take his family’s business dealings legitimate. His reckless and ruthless brother, Derek wants to keep Brandon Enterprises cemented in lies, deceit, and corruption. But the harder Shane fights to pull the company back into the light, the darker he has to become. Then he meets Emily Stevens, a woman who not only stirs a voracious sexual need in him, but becomes the only thing anchoring him between good and evil.

Emily is consumed by Shane, pushed sexually in ways she never dreamed of, falling deeper into the all-encompassing passion that is this man. She trusts him. He trusts her, but therein lies the danger. Emily has a secret, the very thing that brought her to him in the first place, and that secret could destroy them both.

This is book ONE of FOUR in Shane and Emily's story.

 

Thoughts: "Wall Street meets the Sons Of Anarchy" grabbed my attention. Sadly Hard Rules over all did not do that. I was all ready to meet this messed up Brandon family and get sucked into their crazy family drama. Everybody in the family business as their own agenda and not sure who to trust. I did enjoy the family and Shane's secretary more than the couple. I would get excited anytime any of the other family members had any page time. Even though I did enjoy the family I still feel like the plot with them was missing something.

 

The beginning was a slow start but I was still able to enjoy getting to see how Shane and Emily met and get a little of the bickering with the family. But from there nothing really moved forward except the relationship with Shane and Emily. As I connected with them in the beginning I was losing that connection as the story moved along. There were no ups and downs or  no wow moments with them.

 

Emily is still a mysterious character. There are hints here and there that she is up to something or running away from someone or something. I did feel like both characters had the same tone of voice and no personalities. There were at times I thought I would see a different side of Shane a more darker side but he would revert quickly to himself. I feel like she made him more at ease with what is happening with his family. I really do not know why they like each other or what attracts them to each other.

 

Readers get to get the scoop on what is going on with the family business and have to say it was boring and long at times. I enjoyed getting the info but for me less would of been enough.

 

Written in dual 1st POV and loved that it was not repetitive. The last 20% was amazing and felt like a whole different tone with the characters that I wanted through out. This did feel like a set up with lots of fillers for the series. Lots of unsolved answers and more questions which I am sure will be solved in book 2. Nothing I am axcious to read right away but I am sure as time goes by if I get curious I can see me reading book 2 for my answers.

Quote-Tastic: The Legend Of Michael by Lisa Renee Jones

Quote-Tastic is a meme hold on Mondays by Herding Casts & Burning Soup.  Join them  every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed ya for one reason or another.

I really need to get back to this series. Love Cassandra and Michael with his sexy alpha male attitude.  In this scene Cassandra does not want to remember or feel for him again.

 

 

Slowly, she lifted her head, tilted her chin upward to look at him, and  defiantly lashed out. "This changes nothing. It proves nothing."

Torment flickered in his eyes a moment before an arrogant, hard look slid across his face, and his hands pressed on the wall on either side of her. "Word of warning, Cassandra," he said softly, lethally. "Seeing you again has ignited possessiveness in me like nothing I have ever felt in my life. When you deny wanting me, I have a sudden urge to prove you wrong. So if  you wish to leave this restroom, I suggest you stop denying what we both know is true."






The Legend of Michael (Zodius #1)
by Lisa Renee Jones

Add To Goodreads


HE IS A LETHAL WEAPON…

One of an army of human soldiers injected with alien DNA, Michael is a legend within this new race, split between good and evil. Untamable, he has walked on the dark side and returned to the light. Feared and misunderstood, he leaves everything behind, including the one woman destined to be his mate.

HE IS HER ENEMY…AND HER DESTINY…

Fate leads Michael back to Cassandra Powell, for she holds the key to defending his comrades. With their loyalties divided between duty and the people they love, only together can Cassandra and Michael overcome insurmountable odds to save humanity from the wrath of a madman.

But no ordinary woman can control a creature such as Michael, and only one thing is clear—the world will never be the same…

ARC Review: Being Me by Lisa Renee Jones

Being Me (Inside Out #2)

by Lisa Renee Jones

Publisher: Gallery Books   

Purchase Links: Amazon  Barnes & Noble

Blurb by Goodreads

The sexy second installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy, following If I Were You—in the seductive tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?

One of the things I loved about Chris and Sara in If I Were You (Inside Out Trilogy #1) was their sexual tension. Have to say was not always feeling it in Being Me. They are a couple now or more less Chris believes she is his and Sara still on the defense side of belonging to anybody.

What I loved about Being Me is the darker side of the sexy sporting tattoo, biker riding, famous artist Chris. Certain events and some of Sara actions have brought the darker side of Chris out. He keeps her at an emotional distance and does not want her a part of his dark life. Only the new life he has created with her. She needs all of him the good and bad. 

Sara has a thing about being controlled by others because of her past with an over controlling father.  She can not tell the difference when Chris tries to protect her as she takes it as controlling her. This leaves to a lot of ups and down for them, but unfortunately was not feeling any kind of emotions from them.

Finally got to know what happened to Rebecca, what happened between Mark and Chris that ruined their friendship. Being Me is more on the relationship of ups and downs with Chris and Sara. The mystery part to finding Rebecca was a hit and miss throughout the novel then bang got some answers. Now there is another mystery added as to what happened to her friend.

 I look forward to finding out more about Chris and his dark side in Revealing Us.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

ARC Review: If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones

If I Were You (Inside Out Trilogy #1)

by Lisa Renee Jones

Purchase Links: Amazon  Barnes & Noble

E-book 330 pages

Goodreads

Blurb:

Fifty Shades of Grey meets Basic Instinct

Book 1: If I Were You
Book 2: Being Me
Book 3: Revealing Us

About IF I WERE YOU…

How it began…

One day I was a high school teacher on summer break, leading a relatively uneventful but happy life. Or so I told myself. Later, I’d question that, as I would question pretty much everything I knew about me, my relationships, and my desires. It all began when my neighbor thrust a key to a storage unit at me. She’d bought it to make extra money after watching some storage auction show. Now she was on her way to the airport to elope with a man she barely knew, and she needed me to clear out the unit before the lease expires.

Soon, I was standing inside a small room that held the intimate details of another woman’s life, feeling uncomfortable, as if I was invading her privacy. Why had she let these items so neatly packed, possessions that she clearly cared about deeply, be lost at an auction? Driven to find out by some unnamed force, I began to dig, to discover this woman’s life, and yes, read her journals—-dark, erotic journals that I had no business reading. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I read on obsessively, living out fantasies through her words that I’d never dare experience on my own, compelled by the three men in her life, none of whom had names. I read onward until the last terrifying dark entry left me certain that something had happened to this woman. I had to find her and be sure she was okay.
Before long, I was taking her job for the summer at the art gallery, living her life, and she was nowhere to be found. I was becoming someone I didn’t know. I was becoming her.

The dark, passion it becomes…

Now, I am working at a prestigious gallery, where I have always dreamed of being, and I’ve been delivered to the doorstep of several men, all of which I envision as one I’ve read about in the journal. But there is one man that will call to me, that will awaken me in ways I never believed possible. That man is the ruggedly sexy artist, Chris Merit, who wants to paint me. He is rich and famous, and dark in ways I shouldn’t find intriguing, but I do. I so do. I don’t understand why his dark side appeals to me, but the attraction between us is rich with velvety promises of satisfaction. Chris is dark, and so are his desires, but I cannot turn away. He is damaged beneath his confident good looks and need for control, and in some way, I feel he needs me. I need him.
All I know for certain is that he knows me like I don’t even know me, and he says I know him. Still, I keep asking myself — do I know him? Did he know her, the journal writer, and where is she? And why doesn’t it seem to matter anymore? There is just him and me, and the burn for more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review:

If I Were You has a fantastic plot that is original with Sarah possessing journals of someone she does not know and is trying to find out what happened to her. As she looks more into the disappearance of the journals owner Rebecca, she feels like she is living her life. This is a great start to a trilogy with loving, but also damaged characters. Whom some are just trying to better them selves and leave their tormented past behind them.

Chris is the sexy famous tattoo artist who wears his faded jeans, leather jacket and biker boots to any and all upscale events. His Art is shown in the Art gallery. I found it sexy that he can speak French, Italian and Spanish. He is funny and charming, but is troubled on the inside and at times this does leave him a bit moody. Loved how he donates most of his Art to charity, a children’s hospital. Lisa Renee Jones did an amazing job, slowly peeling away Chris’s layers through out the book.

Mark is the boss of the Art Gallery, who is powerful, controlling and arrogant. Chris and him do not get along, but you feel like they were friends at one time and something or someone got in the middle of them. I look forward to reading more about Chris and Marks past and how they met.
　
After Sarah’s mother Died, she left her rich father who is powerful and controlling, to be her own person and not what he wanted her to be. Sarah’s father is just like Mark and he brings out the rebel in her. When she is around Mark she becomes a smart mouth but she also finds herself doing what he says. Chris on the other hand makes her laugh and she is relaxed around him.

Lisa Renee Jones knows how to write a sexy hero and tastefully erotic scenes. I love heroes that are jealous, possessive, protective, dirty talker and dominate in the bedroom. Best part is when a hero tells the heroine she is beautiful while naked. A hero is sexy when he grabs the heroine panties and rips them off her. What girl would not want a hero to take off his shirt and put it on her naked body instead of going to get another one. I am a sucker for nibbling on the lips and a hero that presses his forehead against the heroine. But these have to be written well to make me smitten. Kudos to Lisa Renee Jones for creating a hero that is swoon worthy and well written.

Halfway through the book is when the heat really starts. When it starts it never lets up. If I Were You starts off slow, but it did held my attention with the journals and getting a look inside Rebecca’s Life. After the heat sets in I felt like the journals and its plot got put on the back burner.

I only wish it ended different. I new it would be a cliffhanger and love those, but it was not what I expected. It did not make me go “Oh No.” Sometimes I would have to read a paragraph over because I did not know who was talking. It seemed like they were blended together.

I look forward to reading the rest of this series and highly recommend If I Were You.

ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review

Wickedly Delicious Couple #8

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Sundays have never been more Sexier

Hello Lovelies. Wickedly Delicious Couple  is a weekly feature that is held on Sundays, hosted by me from  Wickedly Delicious Book Blog.  This is a blog hop geared towards book lovers preferably ages 18+ with the objective to find and visit other blogs that share the same interest as you... a love for Sexy Reads with Wickedly Delicious Couples. It can be an old book or new read.  

               

Who is your Wickedly Delicious Couple?

How to join:

• Make a separate post for the Wickedly Delicious Couple hop on your blog.
• Copy the button above or place your own (as long as you link back to Wickedly Delicious Book Blog) on top of your post.
• Pick your  Wickedly Delicious Couple candidate with an old book or currant read. Give a reason for your pick or give a little teaser or both.
• Place your name and blog title in the linky below, as well as the URL for a direct link to the post.
• Visit other blogs on the list and make some new friends.

My Delicious Pick:

The Legend of Michael (Zodius #1)
by Lisa Renee Jones

Goodreads

Blurb:

 HE IS A LETHAL WEAPON…

One of an army of human soldiers injected with alien DNA, Michael is a legend within this new race, split between good and evil. Untamable, he has walked on the dark side and returned to the light. Feared and misunderstood, he leaves everything behind, including the one woman destined to be his mate.

HE IS HER ENEMY…AND HER DESTINY…

Fate leads Michael back to Cassandra Powell, for she holds the key to defending his comrades. With their loyalties divided between duty and the people they love, only together can Cassandra and Michael overcome insurmountable odds to save humanity from the wrath of a madman.

But no ordinary woman can control a creature such as Michael, and only one thing is clear—the world will never be the same...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why:

Finished The Legend of Michael and Loved it. Loved reading about Michael and Cassandra. Their relationship was angry, sweet and loving. I could not turn my Nook fast enough to see if these two can rekindle their relationship after Michael left her. 

Michael you had me at "nipping her bottom lip":

"I remember how sensitive your nipples are," he whispered, a strand of his silky raven hair brushing her cheek, and she shivered with the feather like erotic sensation even as he pressed onward, pressed her further under his spell. "Remember how much you like them licked and sucked." His warm breath touched her mouth, teasing her with the possibility of a kiss. "I remember everything."

"I don't want this," she whispered.

"Liar," he purred, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth..........

There relationship is not easy at times.  Cassandra does not want to remember and feel again for him. Michael is  arrogant with a alpha attitude.

Slowly, she lifted her head, tilted her chin upward to look at him, and  defiantly lashed out. "This changes nothing. It proves nothing."

Torment flickered in his eyes a moment before an arrogant, hard look slid across his face, and his hands pressed on the wall on either side of her. "Word of warning, Cassandra," he said softly, lethally. "Seeing you again has ignited possessiveness in me like nothing I have ever felt in my life. When you deny wanting me, I have a sudden urge to prove you wrong. So if  you wish to leave this restroom, I suggest you stop denying what we both know is true."

Michael is very protective of Cassandra and they do have their moments where she does not listen to him.

Flipping open his helmet, he growled, "Damn it, I told you to be careful. This is not careful."

"You also said trust no one, and I don't," she countered. "Not even you."

Anger coiled in his gut. "In case you didn't notice, sweetheart, I'm  the guy saving your sweet little ass."

They do have their good moments too. Even though Michael has a alpha attitude he also can be be sweet and loving hero.

Michael lifted her foot, her pretty, pink-painted toes poking out of the water as he gently massaged. She moaned instantly, and he smiled inside. She'd always been a sucker for a good foot rub, and he'd been a sucker for those cute faces she made when he gave her one.


Cassandra  knows how to deal with Michael and she does get her way too.
He nipped her lower lip roughly, and she gasped, a sweet little purr following. "But when I am naked  and buried inside you, Cassandra," he said "the answer is still no."

A sly smile slid onto her lips. "We'll see about that."

I am now hooked on this series and look forward to reading book 2.  Highly recommend this book if you like Paranormal romance that is fast paced with a great plot that have many twist, you will never know who is good and who is bad.  A alpha male hero who is dominate, pushy, arrogant but can also be sweet.