1.5 stars-- Dark Moon (Spirit Wild #3) by Kate Douglas

Oh my word. It's not often it happens but I was seriously yelling at my book "Okay! OKAY! Yall need to stop fucking. Stop it! Put that cock down! You've had enough! How can you even walk? Aren't you chaffing?! Just...stop with the cocks!"

There was so much sex.

1.5-2 stars--The Seduction of Kinley Foster by Lisa Wells

There was a lot of cute and cheeky with a side of sass going on in The Seduction of Kinley Foster as the heroine--who is an aspiring author--arrives at the romance writers convention and finds out the guy she used to crush on as a teen and that broke her heart is attending too and is an agent...and he's managed to read her manuscript! Has some things to say about it too that'll get a girl all riled up. I was having a pretty good time with it. I mean, hello! enemies to lovers, the forbidden fruit of a best friend's little sister, and a book convention full of readerly authorly peoples. I mean. So much love! But as things went along I struggled more and more with pretty much everything.

1.5 star--Loud is How I Love You (Hub City #1) by Mercy Brown

I love rocker romances. But Loud Is How I Love You was a struggle for me. Which is incredibly surprising after seeing the hardcore fangirling over this one (including from a well known author). I'm not sure how that's happening, really. The gist of it is that two band members have had sex. And the heroine, Emmy, pretty much freaks out over it. And continues to freak out over it and in her panic to not ruin the band dynamics because of it she pretty much does just that. Rinse and repeat. Ad nauseam.

Alright so the good things

Drive It Deep (Desert Dogs #2.5) by Cara McKenna

This is one of the rare times I really curse myself for being a non-blurb reader. Often that leads to fun surprises. But, unfortunately, with Drive It Deep that wasn't the case and it's definitely one I would have avoided had I peeked at the blurb. First though. I freaking love Cara McKenna's books. I rave about them often and they consistently get 4-5 stars from me but for the first time that wasn't the case and I'm not recommending one of her books. Which just guts me.

Drive It Deep takes place two years prior to the previous book in the series despite being book 2.5. It's the story of the heroine from book two--Raina, who got a hea with another man in that book-- and Miah--one of her best friends-- having a failed romance all those years ago. Hooking up and then her breaking his heart. While the writing was impeccable, as always, and the sex scenes blisteringly hot a very nice man was hurt badly when he just didn't deserve it. If you read the series that's implied in the other books that they had a failed go at things but actually seeing it happen on page was a very different thing and not in a good way.

Playing Dirty (Monkey Business Trio #1) by C.L. Parker

Playing Dirty was one of those books that had potential. Enemies to lovers. A competitive battle where everything was on the line. But it fell flat in nearly every aspect and layer of the story. From unlikable characters with no growth, to a stagnant storyline, unsafe sex and a cliffhanger at the end it boiled down to being a 300+ page hate-fuck between Shaw and Cassidy as they compete against each other for a partnership in their company. Scheming, playing dirty, fucking each other when they got angry enough then cleaning up and repeating over and over again. With no emotional elements or anything romantic to lend it's hand to the storyline I was extremely disappointed especially considering all of the glowing 4 and 5 reviews.

Midnight Vengeance (Midnight #4) by Lisa Marie Rice

Morton “Jacko” Jackman isn’t afraid of anything. He’s a former Navy SEAL sniper, and he’s been in more firefights than most people have had hot meals. Lauren Dare scares the crap out of him.

Gorgeous, talented and refined, she’s the type of woman who could never be interested in a roughneck like him. So he’s loved her fiercely in secret, taken her art classes, and kept a watchful but comfortable distance. Until now.

Lauren had finally found a home in Portland, far from her real identity, far from the memories of her mother’s death, and outside the reaches of the drugged-out psycho who’s already tried to kill her twice. One tiny misstep—a single photograph—has shattered it all. She has no choice but to run again, but this time she’ll give herself a proper farewell: one night with Jacko.

Their highly charged emotional encounter changes everything. In Jacko’s arms there cannot be fear, there can only be pleasure. Anyone wishing her harm will have to pass through him, and Jacko is a hard man to kill.

Type: Romantic Suspense
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 1.5 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Goodreads

Well. Midnight's Vengeance unfortunately did not work for me. It had a great set up--heroine on the run for her life and the man who is totally smitten with her stepping in to protect her-- and potential but the actual writing just didn't mesh well for me at all which was surprising since I've enjoyed others from Rice.

The quick of it is that Lauren has been living under a fake identity since her mother's death. A kinda sorta family member took exception to her inheriting everything and decided if she was dead he'd get the family empire. Not true but then crazy is crazy. And for 2 years she's been somewhat safe with her fake identity which has now been compromised. Before she can run though her friends set out to keep her safe. Who better since they run a super elite security firm.

Lover Reborn (BDB #10) by JR Ward

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been a heartbroken shadow of the vampire leader he once was. Brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel, he fights again with ruthless vengeance, unprepared for a new tragedy. Seeing his beloved in dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld—Tohr turns to the angel Lassiter to save his former mate. The only way to rescue her is for Tohr to love another. As war with the lessers rages, and a new clan of vampires vie for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between an unforgettable past and a hot, passion-filled future. But can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Type: Paranormal Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 1.5-2 out of 5

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Sometimes, unfortunately, you have to say good-bye to a series you've loved. And for me that was what Lover Reborn amounted to. Blerg. Really just nothing about it worked for me other than some small appearances by a secondary character and a pup that joined the crew. Other than that there were WAY too many storylines happening instead of focus on the actual hero and heroine. Though I don't know that it would have been any better with them as the focus because really...Tohr was an asshole pretty much the entire time and No'One was pretty bland and forgettable.

Werewolf in Las Vegas (Wild About You #6) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Giselle Landry is in Las Vegas to haul her wayward brother back home. But casino owner Luke Dalton is also looking for her brother, who has run off with his little sister. The two should join forces, but Luke is unaware that Giselle’s brother is also fleeing his duties as the future alpha of the Landry werewolf pack—which includes his Were bride.

The Landrys don’t believe in Weres mating with humans, and Giselle is no exception. Though Luke is wealthy, gorgeous, and protective, Giselle can’t let herself get close to him, even to solve their shared dilemma. But the tension wears away her resistance, and after a wild night with Luke, she is shocked to find she’s fallen for him.

But Luke still doesn’t know Giselle’s true identity. And once their siblings are found, Giselle must return to San Francisco. Can they overcome the odds—or will what happened in Vegas stay in Vegas?

Type: Paranormal Romance, werewolves
Heat: 3 out of 5
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
Cover: Love it!

Amazon | All Romance | Book Depository | BAM | Goodreads

Werewolf in Las Vegas was one of those books I really wanted to like. I was pretty excited about trying out the series--it's been on my list for a while--and I love light hearted wolfy tales. It had a great setting and cover and really looked good. But in the end it just rubbed me the wrong way and left me frustrated and sporting a headache.