A Gorgeous Villain (St. Mary’s Rebels #2) by Saffron A. Kent

 2 Welcome-To-Cringeyland Stars

The Cover

It's not the worst cover out there but if I were to judge the book by its cover, I would probably never ever pick up the book voluntarily.

The Blurb

Two years ago, Reed Jackson betrayed Calliope Thorne and broke her heart. So she stole his most prized possession – a white mustang – and drove it into the lake for revenge.

Now, Callie is stuck at a reform school while Reed is off at college, living his life without repercussions.

Until he comes back.

With him comes back all the feelings that Callie has been trying to bury: anger and heartbreak.

But most of all, desire. At the sight of his beautiful but lying lips and his gunmetal gray eyes that still taunt and smolder when he looks at her.

Whatever though. It’s not as if Callie is ever going to fall for her ex-boyfriend again. Or let him corner her in a bar one night and touch her, kiss her…

Neither is she going to kiss him back. Or worse, sleep with him.

Because that would make her naïve and foolish.

Oh, and also pregnant.

And there’s no way Callie is ever going to get pregnant at eighteen and with Reed’s baby, no less. The guy she hates.

The guy who taught her all about heartbreak. Who might look like a gorgeous hero but really is the villain of her story.

Now, that blurb may not sound interesting to others, but for me, it is super interesting because of the bold two sentences. I couldn't stop thinking bout what could possibly lead her to that decision, While reading My Darling Arrow, I had to wonder what kind of a villain he was.

Sweet Cruelty (Ruthless Obsession #1) by Zoe Blake

 1 Even-Stockholm-Syndrome-Isn't-That-Bad Stars

This is an adult book, with uncensored adult quotes with an in your face spoilers, so please read at your own risk.

The Cover

1st Impression: Yummy!

After Reading the Book: that better be gasoline drenching him..

Road Trip Romance Book Recommendations

Yep, today I'm diving into a category that I have yet to touch, road trip romance. I don't read road trip romance books because thinking bout road trips makes me feel uneasy for some reason. And the fact that those road trips often come as a result of someone's death or someone getting dumped or on the way to a wedding make me feel even more reluctant to pick them up. I wish I could get the weird feeling out of the way sometime in the future though because I know I'm missing out on a lot of great books by avoiding the 'genre' lol

Anyway, there will be sea and maybe plane trips as well in this list. Just because I'm too tired to differentiate them at the moment lol

1. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

When you're on a road trip, life is all about the detours. . . .

Amy Curry is having a terrible year. Her mother has decided to move across the country and needs Amy to get their car from California to Connecticut. There's just one small problem: Since her father died this past spring, Amy hasn't been able to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger, the nineteen-year-old son of an old family friend, who turns out to be unexpectedly cute ... and dealing with some baggage of his own.

Meeting new people and coming to terms with her father's death were not what Amy had planned on this trip. And traveling the Loneliest Road in America, seeing the Colorado mountains, crossing the Kansas plains, and visiting diners, dingy motels, and Graceland were definitely not on the itinerary. But as they drive, Amy finds that the people you least expected are the ones you may need the most—and that sometimes you have to get lost in order to find your way home.

Just a Bit Wrecked (Straight Guys #11) by Alessandra Hazard

 3.5 I-Have-A-Thing-For-Clingy-Guy-So-Sue-Me Stars

The Cover

Yummy cover although it's not really my kind of 'aesthetic'.

So yeah, I chose this book for the author and the story. *rare ocassion alert*

The Blurb

A plane crash. A homophobe and a gay man stranded together on a desert island. A love born out of hatred, need, and mutual desperation.

Andrew Reyes is handsome, rich, and very straight—he’s married to a gorgeous woman. Outspoken about his distaste for gay people, he isn’t shy about his opinion as he watches the gay couple he and his wife share a flight with.

Logan McCall is handsome, rich, and openly gay. He isn’t impressed with the bigoted jerk across the aisle, no matter how easy on the eyes he is.

To their shock and horror, they’re the only survivors when the plane crashes—stranded on a desert island with no hope of rescue, and no one but each other to depend on for survival.

As the days turn into months, can disdain, antipathy, and a craving they don’t understand and can’t resist turn into a connection? Or something more?

The blurb wasn't that convincing, but even when it was filled with pet peeve (married) after pet peeve (stranded on an Island), I decided to give it a go because I have had an okay experience with all the Alessandra Hazard's books I have devoured in the past. Yes, I'm a creature of habit so I always go back to my 'safe' author again and again.

Virgin Heroines Book Recommendations

 So today's list will consist of innocent and virgin heroines.

And today's recommendation would come from books that I have actually read in the past, even when I don't remember reading them. Even when I only gave it a 1 star rating. Why? So we could suffer together lol

(WARNING: Don't read my comments if you're planning to read the books - my unnecessary bias might ruin your experience)

1. Bound by Honor (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles #1) by Cora Reilly

A modern mafia fairytale.

Born into one of the leading mob families in Chicago, Aria Scuderi is a mafia princess known for her beauty. What many consider a gift means her doom when she’s forced to marry Luca Vitiello to bring peace between two mafia dynasties. Luca is the future Capo of the New York Famiglia, a man known for his brutality—and for crushing his cousin’s throat with his bare hands.

Aria is terrified of marrying a monster like him. He may be one of the most sought-after bachelors in New York, thanks to his good looks, wealth and predator-like charisma. But Aria knows the bad boy aura isn’t just a game; blood and death lurk beneath Luca’s striking gray eyes and arrogant smile.

In her world a handsome exterior often hides the monster within; a monster who can just as easily kill as kiss you.

Yet, there’s no escaping the arranged bond, much less a man like Luca. He’d follow her to the end of the world.

Her only chance to survive in a marriage with Luca is to gain his affection and work her way into his heart—even when rumor has it that Luca doesn’t have a heart to begin with.

A mafia princess known for her beauty given to a monstrous man.

Even monsters have a heart.

She has every intention of working her way into his.

(it was a nice mafia romance but I wasn't impressed much by the have-seen-it-at-least-once storyline / 3 eh stars)

2. Playing for Keeps (Neighbor from Hell #1) by R.L. Mathewson

Done with being the world's biggest pushover, Haley decides that things are going to change starting with the aggravating neighbor who has too much charm and not enough restraint. What she didn't expect was to be sucked into his world, but Haley has a game plan and she won't let herself forget just what the bad boy next door is capable of.

The last thing Jason expected was for his little shy neighbor to go Rambo on him over some ruined flowers. After he decides to take her under his wing he can't help but that notice that she fits very nicely in his life. Now the only thing left is to convince her that this is anything but a game.

(it's a cute funny read that I enjoyed a lot but it really lacked depth / 3 cute-meet stars)

The Devil's Laird by Brenda Jernigan

 2 Things-Were-Really-Great-Till-The-Heroine-Turned-Stupid Stars

To say that I'm disappointed of the book is a bit of an understatement.

The Cover

Imo, the font is great, the rest not so much. Just not my kind of cover I guess.

Arranged Marriage Romance Book Recommendations

These are mostly Mafia romance books for some unknown reason. But whatever.

I'm not a huge fan of this genre but I do read and enjoyed a lot of the books in this genre.

In conclusion, I think Historical Romance is my safest bet when it comes to this genre, simply because even if the heroine became stupid, or the hero turned crazy, I'd blame it on them being in ancient time.

1. Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Wedding Day

Pretty, flighty Daisy Devreaux can either go to jail or marry the mystery man her father has chosen for her. Arranged marriages don't happen in the modern world, so how did the irrepressible Daisy find herself in this fix?

Alex Markov, as humorless as he is deadly handsome, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little feather-head with champagne tastes. He drags Daisy from her uptown life to a broken down traveling circus and sets out to tame her to his ways.

But this man without a soul has met his match in a woman who's nothing but heart. Before long, passion will send them flying sky high without a safety net... risking it all in search of a love that will last forever.

2. The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen

They say your first kiss should be earned.

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage.

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together.

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.