Category Archives: Lauren Dane

Review: Opening Up by Lauren Dane

opening upTitle: Opening Up by Lauren Dane
Ink & Chrome Series Book One
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 325 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The men of Twisted Steel are great with their hands. And they’re not afraid to get dirty.

Asa Barrons is never lonely for long. Co-owner of the Twisted Steel custom motorcycle shop, he works hard and plays harder. But he never allows his after-hours affairs to interfere with business-until he meets racing royalty PJ Colman. While the blue-eyed blonde is all princess on the outside, on the inside Asa can see that this woman is ready to take a walk on the wild side.

PJ knows trouble when she sees it, and Asa is the complete package: fast bike, killer ink, and a sinfully sexy smile that has her imagining things nice girls never do. She talks her way onto the Twisted Steel team to prove her painting skill, and soon learns that Asa is eager to show off some skills of his own.

With the help of Asa’s expert touch, PJ is initiated into a world of wicked desire. No limits. No inhibitions. No turning back. But as perfect as their passion seems, a new challenge awaits, forcing them to ask just how far they are willing to go . . .

Review:

Opening Up is the first installment in Lauren Dane’s deliciously erotic Ink & Chrome series and wow!! It is an absolutely FANTASTIC beginning to what promises to be a knock your socks off, über steamy series featuring sexy alpha men and the women who win their hearts. MAJOR props for choosing blue collar, rough around the edges heroes and Oh. My. Gawd! LOVE that they work on cars and motorcycles. And not just any cars. Vintage muscle cars! *fans self*

Oh, yeah, now on to the review 😉 . Asa Barrons co-owns Twisted Steel with his close friend Duke Bradshaw and he crosses paths with PJ (aka Penelope Jean) Colman at an industry event where she representing her family’s tire business. PJ holds a corporate position in the company but her true love is her fledgling custom paint business. The two are instantly attracted to one another but Asa has a strict rule about mixing business with pleasure and he is also convinced she is too young for him. But an attraction as strong as theirs is too powerful to ignore and they share one night of sizzling sex.  However Asa immediately puts the brakes on their budding relationship and although PJ is disappointed, she moves on with her life but that does not mean she has given up on tempting him into reconsidering his decision.

PJ is the youngest of the Colman siblings and she has worked hard to prove herself to the rest of the family. After trying and failing to win her father’s approval, she finally dropped out of college to begin working in the family corporation. She is quite successful in her current position but PJ knows that adding her custom paint and detail business to the company would add to their bottom line and bring in new clients. As someone working in a male dominated field, she is used to proving herself, but neither her father nor uncle take her seriously and when they refuse to entertain her idea, she takes a calculated risk and quits the company to start up her own business. PJ is smart, sassy and self-confident and all of this combined with her stellar reputation makes it easy for her grow her new business. She also sees Asa on a fairly regular basis once she strikes out on her own since their careers are so closely intertwined.

Asa oozes sex appeal and he is an adrenaline junkie but he also has a very tender, gooey side that he keeps hidden underneath his tattooed, pierced and somewhat menacing exterior. He has nothing but respect for PJ but he is a little extremely protective of the people he cares about. This, along with his mistaken belief that he knows what is best for her (!), figure prominently in his decision to end their relationship after their night of incredible sex. But in actuality, he breaks it off with her because she challenges his ability to maintain control and his feelings for her are very different than any he has experienced before.

Surprisingly, the relationship between Asa and PJ is pretty evenly balanced. Sure, Asa is a take charge kind of man, but PJ is no shrinking violet. She knows what she wants and what she likes and she has no difficulty letting Asa know when he crosses a line with her. There is little conflict between them since they actually communicate with one another and talk through their problems with little angst or drama. Their compatibility extends to the bedroom and their sex scenes are quite naughty as Asa shows PJ just how pleasurably a little pain can be.

PJ’s issues with her father are the main source of friction in the story. She continues to hold out hope he will take her seriously and show his appreciation for her but she does not make much progress with him. This part of the storyline is wrapped up rather nicely and although not everything is sunshine and rainbows in the end, the resolution is realistic.

Opening Up is a well-written novel with fabulously developed, engaging characters. It is fast-paced with a distinctive storyline that is compelling and interesting. The romance is slow growing and believable and the sex scenes are exquisitely sensual and quite erotic. All in all, it is a warm, witty and scrumptiously sexy beginning to Lauren Dane’s Ink & Chrome series that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.

 

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Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, Forever, Ink and Chrome Series, Lauren Dane, Opening Up, Rated B+, Review, Romance

Review: Back to You by Lauren Dane

back to youTitle: Back to You by Lauren Dane
The Hurley Boys Series Book Three
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

What won’t he do for a second chance?

Former model Kelly Hurley has finally put the ashes of the past behind her. After a passionate but turbulent marriage to rock star Vaughan Hurley that ended in heartbreak and divorce, Kelly rebuilt her life in Portland, where she settled so their two young daughters could be close to their father. Just not so close Kelly couldn’t truly make her own way without interference from the man who shattered her heart. Now Kelly’s finally ready to move on, and she’s planning to marry another man.

But not if Vaughan has anything to say about it.

Vaughan knows he was a fool all those years ago. A young, selfish—and prideful—fool. Even as he buried himself in the fast, decadent rock-star lifestyle, he could never drown out the memory of Kelly’s beauty and love. Or the sweet, searing heat whenever they touched. For years, he’s had to deal with the pain of seeing her only because of their daughters, but it was never enough. Now Vaughan must prove that he’s the only man Kelly needs, before he loses her for good. And there’s only one way to do it…

Review:

Back to You by is a wonderful second chance at love romance. It is the third installment in the delectable Hurley Boys rocker series and in this outing, youngest brother Vaughan is hoping to convince his ex-wife Kelly to give their relationship a second chance. The novel is extremely sweet but in true Lauren Dane fashion, it is also deliciously steamy and just a little bit naughty.

Vaughan and Kelly have been divorced for eight years and Kelly has finally moved on. After Kelly announces her engagement, Vaughan knows he will have to act fast to win her back. She is generous enough to invite him to stay with her while their daughter is recovering from surgery and after Kelly breaks off her engagement, Vaughan finally works up the nerve to begin trying to reconcile with the only woman he has ever loved. He wants the chance to prove that he has changed from the spoiled, selfish man he was during their marriage. Vaughan isn’t the only one who has changed in the intervening years, and he is going to have work hard to win Kelly back.

After their divorce, Kelly willingly made a lot of sacrifices to ensure Vaughan and his family would be able to see their daughters on a regular basis. She gave up her modeling career and moved from New York to Oregon where she eventually opened a clothing boutique. She is a hands on mother who is very involved with her kids’ lives. Kelly’s relationship with the Hurley family has been difficult and she has dealt with a lot of hostility from the Hurley family over the years. She has made a lot of positive changes in her life and she has finally learned to stand up for herself (much to Vaughan’s surprise). Kelly still has feelings for Vaughan, but she has serious reservations about his ability to commit to a relationship.

Vaughan loved Kelly when he married her but he was not ready for a family. Instead of being honest with her (and himself), he did a lot of outrageous and hurtful things to push her into ending their marriage. He let his family believe the worst of her both during and after their marriage and he has never bothered to correct their misconceptions about her. Vaughan is fully committed to making their relationship work, but he is going to have to fully own up to his past mistakes before they can move forward.

Both Vaughan and Kelly have worked through their most of their individual problems before they attempt to reconcile, so most of the story concentrates on their renewed relationship. Vaughan still finds it difficult to verbalize his misdeeds but Kelly won’t even consider a reconciliation unless he takes full responsibility for his actions. While there is no denying that he made some terrible decisions and he did some very reprehensible things, it sometimes feels like Vaughan takes more than his fair share of blame for their failed marriage. Kelly also has some responsibility for what went wrong, but she never really admits to any wrongdoing. Kelly also insists on complete honesty from Vaughan, but she is not always as forthcoming as she could be about some of her own issues and idiosyncrasies.

What makes Back to You such a delightful read is the realistic portrayal of Vaughan and Kelly’s relationship. Their struggles are true to life and their pain over past mistakes is easy to relate to.  Vaughan’s remorse is palpable and since he did so much damage to Kelly, he is very respectful of her need to take things slow. There is never any doubt they feel very strongly about one another and it is very gratifying watching them heal the wounds from the past while they work on building a healthy relationship.

Back to You is a very heartwarming addition to the Lauren Dane’s Hurley Boys series. It is well-written with a refreshingly unique plot. The characters are engaging and the dialogue is witty and laugh out loud funny. The sex scenes are scorching hot but there is always an underlying tenderness to them as well. Although it is the third novel in the series, it can be read as a standalone story.

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Filed under Back to You, Contemporary, Hurley Boys Series, Lauren Dane, Rated B+, Review, Romance

Review: Broken Open by Lauren Dane

broken openTitle: Broken Open by Lauren Dane
Hurley Boys Series Book Two
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Beyond passion. And beyond their control…

Five years ago, Tuesday Eastwood’s life collapsed and left her devastated. After an empty, nomadic existence, she’s finally pieced her life back together in the small Oregon town of Hood River. Now Tuesday has everything sorted out. Just so long as men are kept for sex, and only sex…

Then she met him.

Musician and rancher Ezra Hurley isn’t the man of Tuesday’s dreams. He’s a verboten fantasy—a man tortured by past addictions whose dark charisma and long, lean body promise delicious carnality. But this craving goes far beyond chemistry. It’s primal. It’s insatiable. And it won’t be satisfied until they’re both consumed, body and soul…

The Review:

Broken Open is the second delectably steamy installment in Lauren Dane’s hot rocker Hurley Boys series. In this outing, deliciously tortured rancher/rock star Ezra Hurley and sinfully sexy widow Tuesday Eastwood give in to their searing passion and unexpectedly heal the wounds of their respective pasts.

The few glimpses of Ezra and Tuesday in The Best Kind of Trouble hinted at some kind of connection between the couple so it comes as no surprise that their relationship begins pretty much right away. These two share a sizzling attraction to one another and while they have danced around it for months, they finally are ready to explore their mutual lust. What Ezra and Tuesday both find surprising is how much they enjoy one another’s company outside of the bedroom. And this becomes a little tricky for Ezra as he tries to navigate the unknown: a real relationship.

Tuesday has had a difficult time moving on since the death of her husband. She disconnected from real life for a long time but through her close friendship with Natalie (from book one in the series), she has finally made a new life for herself. She has a successful framing and jewelry business and she has also indulged in a few short-lived, casual hook ups. Although she is very open to a relationship with Ezra,Tuesday does experience some guilt over the depth of her emotions and the strength of her desire for Ezra.

Ezra might have shaken his addiction to heroin, but he has been unable to let go of the guilt and shame of what his addiction did to his family and friends. Needing a complete lifestyle change after his stint in rehab, Ezra quit touring with Sweet Hollow Ranch and focused his energy on the family ranch, songwriting and studio work with the band. In the past few months, he has performed live with the band in a few small shows which really highlights how far he has come in his recovery. While Ezra is delighted at his surprising romance with Tuesday, it also makes him very uneasy as he tries to find the same balance in their relationship that he has found in the rest of his life.

Ezra and Tuesday’s relationship is mostly conflict free and it is very enjoyable watching them build their relationship. Their lives perfectly complement one another’s and their shared interests bring them closer together. Their social lives also intersect since Ezra’s brother is involved with Tuesday’s best friend and this provides them with added opportunities to get to know one another. While there are several scorching hot love scenes between Ezra and Tuesday, the novel mainly focuses around their deepening emotional bond and the impact this has for them as a couple.

Emotionally compelling, Broken Open is a beautiful novel of healing for Tuesday and Ezra as they find the courage and strength to open their hearts to the possibility of love despite their emotional baggage. The characters are multidimensional with believable obstacles to overcome. The storyline is realistic and Lauren Dane never shies away from difficult topics. The resulting romance is quite heartwarming and one that I highly recommend to old and new fans of the Hurley Boys series.

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Filed under Broken Open, Contemporary, Harlequin, HQN Books, Hurley Boys Series, Lauren Dane, Rated B, Review, Romance

Review: The Best Kind of Trouble by Lauren Dane

best troubleTitle: The Best Kind of Trouble by Lauren Dane
The Hurley Boys Book One
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

She has complete control… and he’s determined to take it away

A librarian in the small town of Hood River, Natalie Clayton’s world is very nearly perfect. After a turbulent childhood and her once-wild ways, life is now under control. But trouble has a way of turning up unexpectedly—especially in the tall, charismatically sexy form of Paddy Hurley….

And Paddy is the kind of trouble that Natalie has a taste for.

Even after years of the rock and roll lifestyle, Paddy never forgot the two wickedly hot weeks he once shared with Natalie. Now he wants more… even if it means tempting Natalie and her iron-grip control. But there’s a fine line between well-behaved and misbehaved—and the only compromise is between the sheets!

The Review:

The Best Kind of Trouble is the first steamy installment in Lauren Dane’s spin-off rocker series, The Hurley Boys. Although characters from the Delicious and Brown series make guest appearances, The Best Kind of Trouble can be read as a standalone novel.

Paddy Hurley and Natalie Clayton spent a wild couple of weeks together back when Paddy’s band, Sweet Hollow Ranch, was just beginning. Fast forward twelve years and both of them are in very different places in their lives. Sweet Hollow Ranch hit it big soon after their fling and Paddy is a well-known rock star who enjoys the perks that go along with fame and fortune. Natalie is now a librarian who values her safe, calm and controlled life. When a serendipitous meeting in a local coffee shop brings the two of them face to face, they are still attracted to one another but Natalie wants nothing to do with Paddy or his rock and roll lifestyle. Paddy has done a lot of maturing too but convincing Natalie that he has changed his wild ways is next to impossible.

Natalie and Paddy’s relationship is a minefield due to Natalie’s tumultuous past. She has finally found a way to leave the chaos of her childhood behind and she has firm boundaries where her family is concerned, but unfortunately, they continue to try to manipulate her. Letting Paddy into her life is not easy for her, but he slowly but steadily gains her trust. After a few missteps in the beginning, they have an open and honest relationship where they actually talk to one another about their problems and they work together to find solutions that work for both of them. The conflict that arises between them occurs fairly late in the story and wow! Total shocker that pretty much left me reeling and wondering what in the heck sparked that very out of character reaction.

Natalie and Paddy’s sex scenes are well-detailed, scorching hot and plentiful. Paddy excels at dirty talking and Natalie is stunned by how much it turns her on. For the most part, Paddy is fairly laid back and easygoing, but in the bedroom? He is in complete control which gives their encounters a bit of a dominant/submissive vibe. Nothing too over the top, but when Paddy tells Natalie what to do, she is quick to obey and she enjoys every second of it.

The Best Kind of Trouble is a truly lovely romance that is sweet yet very sexy. The cast of characters is beautifully developed, down to earth and immensely appealing. The storyline is well-executed and very realistic. Natalie and Paddy’s relationship is believable and it is such a joy watching them fall in love. It is a strong beginning to Lauren Dane’s Hurley Boys series that will leave readers very impatient for the next installment.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, HQN Books, Hurley Boys Series, Lauren Dane, Rated B, Review, Romance, The Best Kind of Trouble, The Hurley Boys

Review: Drawn Together by Lauren Dane

Title: Drawn Together by Lauren Dane
A Brown Family Novel (Book 6)
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, BDSM
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…

MATURE AUDIENCE

The Review:

Drawn Together, the sixth installment in Lauren Dane’s Brown Family series, is an emotionally and sexually intense novel between a tough as nails tattoo artist and an über wealthy lawyer.

Right from their first sexy as sin encounter, Jonah Warner challenges Raven Smith. Sexually, he pushes her to embrace her (very surprising) submissiveness. Emotionally, he shoves past all of her carefully built and well-maintained barriers. With Jonah breaking all of her rules, Raven even agrees to a monogamous relationship. But when her past collides with her present and shocking revelations turn her world upside down, will Raven trust Jonah with the secrets of her past and ultimately, her heart?

There is absolutely no doubt that Raven is a strong and well-adjusted woman. She unapologetically embraces her sexuality and she is upfront that she is not into monogamy. She is also loyal and loving and turns into a big old pile of mush when it comes to her friends and their adorably cute kids. Raven is honest to a fault and there is no room for game playing in her life. She has no difficulty speaking her mind and if someone needs to be taken down a notch or two, Raven won’t hesitate to do it.

Jonah comes from a privileged and wealthy background but he is surprisingly down to earth. He is rock solid and amazingly comfortable in his own skin. Jonah knows what he wants and likes, and he goes after it. Does he sometimes push Raven too hard? Absolutely. But he also recognizes when he needs to back off and give her some much needed space. Jonah not only gets her, he accepts her, warts and all.

Raven has some serious issues in her past. By all appearances, she has made peace with her childhood and moved on. But the closer she gets to Jonah and the more he presses her to open up, the more obvious it becomes that she has not really dealt with her problems. Her “rules” are a defense mechanism that Jonah may not understand or like, but he does respect her need for them. Jonah becomes Raven’s catalyst for change over the course of Drawn Together and once she is finally able to fully reveal her secrets, true healing finally takes place.

There is a very strong BDSM element in Drawn Together. Raven and Jonah jump into a sexual relationship very early on with Jonah taking the dominant role. Jonah knows nothing about Raven or her past when he puts her into a submissive role and while the sex is hot, I did have a problem with this one area of the storyline. Unless you know upfront that both partners are into this type of sex, a serious discussion about limits and safe words should take place before restraining and spanking your partner.

Friends and family play a strong role in Drawn Together. Several characters from previous novels in the series make guest appearances. These scenes are quite heartwarming and beautifully showcase Raven’s softer side. Raven’s interactions with Jonah’s family are a mixed bag of well-placed barbs, out and out confrontations and a few aww, sweet moments. Pretty much a good representation of everyday life that make you laugh, seethe and cheer depending on the situation.

A great read with a colorful cast of lovable characters, Drawn Together is a vibrant story of healing that has a great deal of heart and plenty of deliciously naughty sex. Old and new fans of Lauren Dane are sure to enjoy this latest addition to the Brown Family series.

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Filed under BDSM, Berkley Trade, Brown Family Novel, Contemporary, Drawn Together, Erotic, Lauren Dane, Rated B, Review, Romance

Review: Lush by Lauren Dane

Title: Lush by Lauren Dane
Delicious Series Book Three
Publisher: Penguin Publishing
Imprint: Berkley Trade
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

USA Today bestselling author Lauren Dane delivers a second serving of sexy in her new Delicious novel, in which taste and temptation make up a sweet recipe…

Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

The Review:

Lush, the third installment of Lauren Dane’s Delicious series, is a fast paced and scorching hot romance between a sweet yet sexy caterer and bad boy rocker.

Mary Whaley and Damien Hurley’s intense attraction results in a one night stand. Neither is interested in a serious relationship-Mary is busy running her thriving catering business and Damien is on tour with his band. But as their paths continue to cross, Damien and Mary continue to burn up the sheets with some seriously down and dirty sex. Soon, Damien discovers he wants more than sex from Mary, but Mary has no desire to live in the limelight. Adding to Mary’s reluctance to further involve herself in Damian’s life is his wild reputation. Can Damian convince Mary to give their relationship a chance? Will Damian’s past come between them?

Mary is a strong character; sexually confidant and willing to go after what she wants in the bedroom. She is always honest with herself, Damian and her friends that all she is looking for is a no strings attached affair with him. Mary has no trouble standing up for herself and whether it is Damian or her close friends, she does not hesitate to speak her mind.

Damien owns his hard partying past and he offers no apologies or excuses for enjoying his success. He is surprisingly down to earth, respectful and caring. He definitely knows how to satisfy a woman, but it is how he treats Mary outside the bedroom that really matters. Damian works hard to earn Mary’s trust and convince her that his wild days are behind him.

One of the strongest elements of Delicious is the secondary relationships. The secondary cast of characters is vast, and they all play vital roles in the story. Strong friendships and family bonds provide depth to the overall plot and their unwavering support sustain Damian and Mary throughout the novel. They have one another’s best interests at heart and they are always brutally honest with Damian and Mary. They have disagreements and fights, but their relationships always emerge unscathed and stronger than ever.

Lush has it all. An entertaining plot, genuine characters, and seriously hot sex scenes. Lauren Dane provides an absolutely fascinating view of what goes on behind the scenes in the music world. Longtime fans of the Delicious series are going to enjoy catching up with their favorite characters. New to the series? You are going to fall in love with all of the characters in this highly addictive series.

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Filed under Berkely Trade, Contemporary, Delicious Series, Erotic, Lauren Dane, Lush, Penguin Publishing, Rated B, Review, Romance