Riding Hard (Bennett Boys Ranch Book 2)

By Lauren Landish

Ever since their dad died, it became Mark Bennett’s responsibility to see to it that their ranch runs smoothly. Being the eldest of the Bennett boys, he didn’t mind taking charge, as it keeps him focused, the daily needs of a working ranch never allowing him to dwell on what is missing from his life.

Everything changes when Mark meets Katelyn Johnson, a wedding planner hired on by Mark’s younger brother, James.

It was fun seeing the most serious of the Bennett boys lose control around Katelyn, a woman who saw in Mark a man tortured between wanting to be let loose, but was afraid of physically and emotionally hurting someone he has grown to love.

I also love that Lauren Landish gave us a strong heroine, one who knew what and who she wanted, and was not afraid of going after it—him. With Katelyn, Mark never had a chance!

I love all three women who were able to rope their cowboys. Strong-minded, confident ones, albeit in a country setting, the women of the Bennett Boys Ranch series were a breath of fresh air!

That said … some of you might not like the idea of rough play when it comes to sex, so it might be a trigger. Still, I would encourage you to read Mark and Katelyn’s story because their narrative does not simply revolve around sex. It also talks about self-doubt, of believing one’s self to be unworthy of love merely because of preconceived notions.

Give Mark and Katelyn a chance to tell their story, and I know, like me, you’d get to love them too!

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Buck Wild (Bennett Boys Ranch Book 1)

By Lauren Landish

James Bennett. Cowboy, rodeo star, and all-around bad boy start off on the wrong foot with veterinary intern Sophie Stone when she goes on a house call to attend to one of his favorite horses.

Sophie, who has had enough of bad boys, puts him in his place, but then she realizes that this Bennett boy might be the exemption to the rule.

What happens next is a toe-curling adventure, complete with sneaky hot sex and a good old country vibe you can only find in the Bennett Boys Ranch.

Buckle-up, hold on tight because James is but one of three hot Bennett boys sure to melt your hearts (and panties)!

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Happily Never After: Dirty Fairy Tales, Book 3

By Lauren Landish

Fair warning: get a box of tissues, a tub of your favorite ice cream, and hang on for dear life!

Lance Jacobs. Ex-Navy SEAL and Roseboro’s new Most Eligible Bachelor. Charlotte Dunn, baker, friend to Thomas Goldstone’s fiancé, Mia Karakova.

Lance was called home to take over his family’s business, but his heart was not in it. Charlotte, on the other hand, had to contend with running a bakery and battling with a scheming stepmother whose mission in life is to make her life hell.

This is the third installment to Lauren Landish’s Dirty Fairy Tales series, and, though I am torn, I have to say that it is by far the best of the three.

In Beauty and the Billionaire, I fell in love with Thomas’s eccentricities (if you can call it that), and Mia’s geeky quirkiness. The story, in itself, was light, although the plot was not.

In Not so Prince Charming, I cried for Izzy and Gabe. I loved how Lauren Landish led us through the struggles these two souls had to go through, how Izzy had to claw her way out of the despair that her life had become. I loved how Gabe, the fallen angel that he was, found his redemption in the end.

In Happily Never After … wow. Just, wow. Every page, every plot twist, felt like riding a roller-coaster without a seatbelt on, and you have to hang on for dear life. I laughed, I blushed, I wanted to climb into the book and slap Charlotte’s step-mother and stepsister to kingdom-come for their attitude. My heart broke for Gabe again. I wanted…I wanted… and Trixie?! Ugly. Cry.

Dear reader, hang on for dear life. Get to know Lance and Charlotte. Get to know the people of Roseboro. You won’t regret it.

Lastly. I think, no, I believe, that the Dirty Fairy Tales should not be turned into an audiobook. It should be turned into a TV series!

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Not So Prince Charming: Dirty Fairy Tales Book 2

By Lauren Landish

Don’t forget to breathe. That is what I kept telling myself as I read chapter after chapter of Bella and Gabe’s saga.

Disclaimer: I had to put the book down for a while, as I felt like I was not ready for a story wherein the hero, Gabe, was paid to kill Bella, the heroine. More so, when I felt both of their individual struggles in life. How Bella—who, if not for her friends Mia and Charlotte, felt that she was all alone in the world, that she had no one else to turn to for help in the multitude of problems that she was facing daily. How Gabe, in his grief at losing his brother, took up the life of a gun-for-hire so that he can search for, and exact revenge, on his brother’s killers.

Now that I have finally finished the book, I can tell you, dear reader, that Not So Prince Charming is so much worth reading to the end. I cried. I felt so bad for Gabe, seeing his conflict, how he saw Bella for who she was, his light, his partner.

I even thought that–oh no, Lauren Landish, this author whose stories I have come to love, will be giving me heartache at the end. But no, thank God, for I would have written her a “what the hell” note if that did happen!

Two takeaways: redemption and hope, as seen in Gabe and Bella’s eyes.

Where Gabe thought that he will forever be deprived of salvation, his actions, the man who loved his brother, and the girl who gave him her trust–tells us that even at the point of no return, if we but reach out, one last time, in whatever or wherever pit in life we find ourselves in, we can crawl out and become better than we were before, if we but believe in ourselves, and the goodness in others.

Hope, that like Bella, even when faced with a bleak future, she blindly trusted someone else to hold her up. And so should we. No matter how bad a situation we find ourselves in, it only takes for us to trust that everything will fall into place–however hard or long that journey may take–everything will be bigger, brighter, better.

So, Lauren Landish did it again, and I can’t wait for the conclusion to her Dirty Fairy Tales.

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Beauty and the Billionaire: A Dirty Fairy Tale

By Lauren Landish

Thomas Goldstone. A billionaire driven to succeed but haunted by demons from the past, he demands the best from his employees to the point where he is known to them as the Ruthless Bastard.

Mia Karakova is a quirky, anime-loving, data analyst whose office is located atin the basement of Goldstone HQ. Two less likely people meet each other and realize that they complete each other’s souls.

From the time he lost his mom, Thomas fought hard to feel worthy of his father’s love. Instead, he was ridiculed, abused–blamed for his mother’s death, of which he had no control as a child.

Thomas’s drive to succeed and prove himself worthy caught the eye of a bitter rival who was hell-bent on bringing him to ruin, and it would take Mia’s love and facing his demons for him to realize that he deserves to find peace and happiness, with Mia in his arms.

“Where you’re at right now is beyond your control, but who you are? That’s your choice, today and every day. Make the right choices and ultimately, you’ll get to be where you want to be too.”

–Lauren Landish, Beauty and the Billionaire

Lauren Landish has become one of the authors I one-click without blinking. Beauty and the Billionaire is no different because as usual, she crafted a story that caught my emotions.

Some might say that Thomas was a weak character and that Mia was, as well. The thing is, his portrayal of a man tortured by his demons–imposed upon him by the death of his mom–was spot on. That he showed weakness when he cried, well, would anyone want a man with a heart of stone in real life? Plus, I for one think that Mia’s nerdy flaws were Thomas’s turning point towards acceptance at the end.

Like Stan said to Thomas:

“Where you’re at right now is beyond your control, but who you are? That’s your choice, today and every day. Make the right choices and ultimately, you’ll get to be where you want to be too.”

–Lauren Landish, Beauty and the Billionaire
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Get to laugh and cry with Lauren Landish

Lauren Landish is a WALL STREET JOURNAL & USA TODAY bestselling author and her books have garnered a legion of praise from her readers.

When she’s not plotting about how she will introduce you to your next sexy as hell book boyfriend, you can find her deep in her writing cave, furiously tapping away on her keyboard, writing scenes that would make even a hardened sailor blush.

Lauren, who lives in NC with her boyfriend and fur baby, warmly invites you to her worlds of rock hard abs, chiseled smiles, and men with deep, fat pockets…but beware! These stories are guaranteed to have you addicted and needing your next fix!

Visit Lauren’s Website at: http://www.laurenlandish.com/
Join her Mailing list at: http://www.subscribepage.com/w1h8x6
Connect with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lauren.landish
Follow her on twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenlandish 

Filthy Riches

Nathan Stone. Ruthless. Cunning. Fierce. A military man forced to step into his father’s shoes, running one of the largest jewelry companies in the world. Emma, an archaeologists’ assistant, aspiring actress poised on the verge of success. Carly, Emma’s friend who escapes her family’s stifling influence to forge her own path. Kyle, looking to avenge his lost love.

All of their worlds collide, creating a chain of events too twisted and breathtaking that it kept me conflicted. I wanted to turn page, after page, after page, but I also did not want to find out what happens next, as these four characters pulled me in on all directions at once and it seemed that I couldn’t catch my breath!

I honestly felt that I was only able to take a deep breath of relief after having turned the last page, because, dear reader, this book was sooo good!

My take: I knew Lauren Landish was, and is, one of the best indie authors whose work I have had the pleasure to read. But, let me tell you, this was the first time I read a suspense/thriller that has left me in awe of the talent that this author has.

The way she wrote, how her prose was flowery but not too dramatic, how she paced the story in such a way that I felt like I was in for the ride of my life right along with the characters …

How I FELT the characters. Wow.

While I admire a lot of indie authors—my e-book is groaning at the sheer number of books I have collected in the past two years—there are, but a few, who has managed to make me envious of their talent as a writer.

Lauren Landish has forever carved a place in my heart, and I hope that you find it in your heart to give her a space in yours.

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Protecting Alabama (SEAL of Protection Series)

By Susan Stoker

Emotionally and physically abused by her mom, Alabama spent her early years in foster care. Knowing only the pain of being let down time after time, she learned to rely on only herself.

Christopher “Abe” Powers earned his nickname because he tolerated nothing less than absolute honesty from the people around him. Their paths cross, and for Alabama, hope blossomed in her heart that finally, she has found her champion. Abe has found the woman he could call his own.

Love was one thing, but trust was what made a relationship solid.

Susan Stoker, Protecting Alabama

Life, of course, happens, and what Alabama feared–rejection from Abe, albeit at no fault of her own–brings her in a downward spiral that nearly tears their love apart.

Protecting Alabama was one of the first few books I read from Susan Stoker’s vast array of military romance stories. Countless books later, Alabama’s story is one I keep going back to, time and again, and every time, I find myself tearing up, both for Alabama and Abe.

The parental abuse that Susan Stoker dared to tackle in this story is something a lot of us try to hide from. It did not happen to us, so therefore if it happened to you, you must be exaggerating. It happened, and we are scared to give voice to it, ashamed of ourselves because we did nothing about it. We believe that we deserve it. We become indifferent, and in some cases, we become the abuser, because abuse is what we learned.

We can fight against it. Instead of turning a blind eye, we can say enough is enough and face the stigma which is abuse head-on. Susan Stoker showed us how, through Abe, if we but open our eyes to the signs of abuse and reach out, maybe, just maybe, we can pull someone back from the edge.

That, dear reader, is why I keep on going back to Alabama’s story. If you find yourself reading this wonderful story, all I would ask is for you to read its message, and if you agree, dare to make a difference in someone else’s life.

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Once Upon A Time (Timeless Love Book 1)

By K.L. Donn

Bullied her entire life because of an accident she had no control over, Cecilia began college hoping for a fresh start.

To her dismay, she was faced with the same bullies, only with crueler taunts and words that can slice deeper than the sharpest of knives.

Landon hadn’t expected to fall for Cecilia when he walked back into his old college, yet there she was, soft-spoken, unassuming, and the strongest woman he’d ever met. He knew she was going to be his, so he let it be known that she wasn’t to be bullied.

I always admire KL Donn for delving into topics that are otherwise shunned in today’s world.

Here, she tackles bullying, a topic that, truth be told, has gotten out of hand with the onset of social media and the political storms happening all over the world.

Sad to say that, even today, bullying is still a subject that is not taken seriously. And when a victim succumbs to it, there are still those who will blame the victim—He or she was perceived as weak, or there is something physically or mentally wrong with them—every reason to believe that the victim did not have the backbone to fight for themselves will rear its ugly head.

It becomes a never-ending cycle of feeling unwanted and unloved, of depression, or worse, learning and believing that, to save one’s self, one must become the bully.

I am glad that KL Donn portrayed Cecilia’s character as being strong enough to rise above it all. Yes, she had Landon to fight for her, even though in the real world, heroes such as him are few and far between, but KL Donn’s message is clear: if you are bullied, fight for your right to live as you should. Stand your ground, you have the right to live as everyone else does, and only you can dictate how and what you want your life to be. Because YOU matter.

Dear reader, if there ever was a time you felt bullied, or if you are being bullied now…find strength that, with or without someone like Landon by your side, you can and should fight for what is right. It does not matter if, like Cecilia, you feel unsure and doubt yourself at first. You only have to believe that you can, and reach out. I did. I clawed my way out, and I am stronger for it.

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Happily Ever After (Timeless Love Book 2)

By K.L. Donn

Yes, we can all have our own happily-ever-after.

After spending time in prison for assaulting her brother’s fiancée, Ashley is full of remorse and pain. She wants to redeem herself, but she finds herself in a downward spiral and isn’t sure how to move on from her past mistakes.

Declan Hart was hired to find out what Ashley was hiding. He finds a girl who was contradictory to what he has learned about her, and instead, he found her broken and filled with self-hatred. He then made it his mission to break her from her self-imposed prison.

I made her world a living hell, and when mine turned to shit, she became the support I never knew I would need.

–KL Donn, Happily Ever After

Coming into the first few pages of Ashley’s story, I had a suspicion that the author was not just writing fiction–she was reaching out, and giving us a glimpse into her life.

And then came this line…

“Zach has a right to be worried. There is something wrong with me. So wrong, I don’t think I’ll ever be right again…”

Reading “Happily Ever After” was a bit hard for me.

I was once bullied.

I hated myself for being weak, for running away from the problem, which, unfortunately, was a pastor who thought he could use his “God-given” right to raise a hand at me. Finding that I had no support system then, I left.  I got into the wrong crowd, made some bad decisions that to this day I still regret. However, I survived it, I am now in a better place, in a better frame of mind to help others who, like me, were, or are, being bullied.

KL Donn’s Happily Ever After came at a time when the Internet was abuzz with a game tricking kids into harming themselves. Social media has evolved into a monster, allowing, in the guise of freedom of expression, the bullies to tear into everyone’s psyche, making us doubt our preconceived notions of what we should be.

It is up to us then, the adults, those who know better, those who long for a peaceful co-existence with one another, to teach the younger generation, to guide them, to discern right from wrong … that to live means not to fight one another, but to work together for a brighter future.

KL Donn said that you, the reader, would either love or hate Ashley and Declan’s story. I beg you to read it well, read between the lines, and find the gems that she had imparted in this well-written book. Read it to the end and know that bullies, and of course victims, can still have a happily ever after.

        

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Ghost (Linear Tactical #5)

By Janie Crouch

The ghost finds his wraith.

Five weeks of torture in Afghanistan broke Dorian “Ghost” Lindstrom.

Now in Wyoming, he is slowly putting his life back together, with help from his brothers at Linear Tactical. 

An expert in survival techniques and self-defense, Ghost spends his days teaching survival skills to Linear Tactical’s clients, doing his best to forget the horrors of his forty-one days of captivity. Doing his best to survive, one day at a time, remembering the day the love of his life died. 

Grace Brandt, aka Wraith, has stayed in the shadows. For six years she stayed hidden, but the secrets she keeps have now proven to be unbearable to keep. And so, out of the shadows, she rose from the dead to seek her Ghost. 

Those of us following the men and women of Linear Tactical from the start have known and fallen in love with the reclusive, gentle giant known as Ghost. We knew he had issues—post-traumatic stress disorder, to be clinically correct, arising from his days in captivity. 

We were prepared to read about how Dorian—Ghost—was able to fight his demons, but wow …

Grace Brandt, Wraith, Ray… the trauma this strong woman went through was short of unbelievable. Shocking, even, when you think about Jane Crouch putting her in the cross-hairs of a conspiracy so nefarious, so evil, but sadly, oddly, possible in today’s world, in more ways than one.

Again, I thank Janie Crouch for shining a light on this topic.

Yes, I might be laying it on thick, but post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is not specific to law enforcement. A child losing a beloved pet, physical abuse borne out of toxic relationships, bullying, any and everything that can cause mental and emotional distress can trigger PTSD. 

How would you know if you, or someone you know, is going through PTSD? 

PTSD, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. 

Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. 

Although there is a lot of information about post-traumatic stress disorder, it is not enough to rely on online material about the topic. From stress, sleeplessness, and troubling dreams, to the need to isolate ones’ self from the outside world, or worse, having negative changes in thinking and erratic moods, it is not enough to have a textbook, clinical diagnosis. It is also not advisable to treat it on your own. Especially if thoughts of suicide are rearing their ugly head.

If you tell me that never in your life have you suffered from PTSD, then I applaud you for dodging the bullet. But please, if you, or anyone you know, have PTSD, please reach out. PTSD is not something to be ashamed of. 


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