Review: Killer Beauty by Eva Chance & Harlow King

Killer Beauty by Eva Chance & Harlow King

Series: The Chaos Crew #1

Publication date: November 6th, 2021

Pages: 322

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:

I'm the girl you'll never see coming.

Blink and you're dead, another target checked off my list.

But one night everything in my carefully ordered existence falls apart. A bloodbath and a car crash later, I find myself in the grasp of four gorgeous intimidating men.

Are my captors cops like they claim or something far more sinister? They sure know how to bend the law. And seeing how skillfully they handle a gun or a knife, I can't help wondering what their hands would feel like all over me.

But I have vengeance to wreak, and no man, no matter how powerful, is going to keep me caged for long.

They think they've caught a wounded little mouse. How could they know they've brought a killer into their home?

I'll bide my time, learn all I can, and when I'm ready to strike...

They'll never know what hit them.

Killer Beauty is the first in a new gritty contemporary romance series from bestselling author Eva Chase (written as Eva Chance) and Harlow King. No major triggers, just hot murderously-inclined men, a deadly heroine out for revenge, and an enemies-to-lovers romance where the girl gets all the guys. Prepare for bloody chaos!

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Review:

When Dess heard her bedroom door open one day and the woman who took care of her stumble in in a bloody heap, she knew her life was going to suddenly be very different for her. Leaving the bloody remains of everyone she had ever known in a home where she had been a passive soldier bent on following any mission laid out to her to a 'T', Dess heads out to try to find out who has taken out her entire life and exact revenge. What she didn't expect was to be picked up and all but kidnapped into the care of four undercover police officers who were on the hunt for the same people who had taken out her family. However, what Dess doesn't know is that the people that she was searching for were right under her nose and the officers she is in the care of may have found the reason for why their own mission has gone so catastrophically wrong. Can the five of them help each other to find answers or are they to be the downfall of the entire group?

Dess is an absolute firecracker. She doesn't lie down and take anything given to her. She wants to earn it herself and she wants no help in doing so. She was raised to be independent and to be the killing machine she was. She didn't need four men to guide her and protect her. She could protect herself. But she is absolutely oblivious to all the signs around her. She throws herself into dangerous situations where she has to be saved. She doesn't trust anyone but herself and that only makes things worse. She is like a child in a grown woman's body. But with her upbringing that lacked a lot of care or affection, it's not really all that surprising. I kept desperately wanting to shake her and get her to let down her guard a little and not automatically assume everything is a plot against her. Even when... 9 times out of 10 she was fairly right in her assessment. Either way, she was beautifully written to the point where I could commiserate with her, want to coddle her, and also throttle her at any given page turn.

Out of the men - Talon, Julius, Garrison, & Blaze - I would have to say that Garrison is one of my favorites. He was the one who was the hardest to win over and who seemed to hate Dess on sight. He was weary even when the others started to relax at least a bit around her. I do love that he was so protective of his crew that he wasn't even willing to admit he might be the slightest bit attracted to Dess. We all saw it, Gar, you're not fooling anyone! 

I found the mystery and intrigue in the book to be delightful. Normally I am fairly good at guessing the plot twists before they happen and then just seeming to roll my eyes when I am right. But there were a few times when I had a "well that's new" feeling that made me devour the book in one sitting. The synopsis doesn't do the book as much justice as it should. However, there were points where it did feel there were unnecessary fluff added in to create drama for seemingly no reason. There were gems amongst the coal but it was a prospecting mission a bit of the time to get there. I did hope that the second book picked up a bit more than the first. But I will definitely be reading on in the series.

 

Release Blitz with Teasers: A Forever Love by Vikki Jay @GiveMeBooksPR

A Forever Love by Vikki Jay

Series: The King's World #4

Publication date: November 30th, 2023

Synopsis:

Carter King -- first and only love of my life -- a man who became my happy place after my mom's death. It didn't matter that he was eleven years older than me or that he was groomed to be my dad's boss, I loved him with every bit of my teenage heart.

But mine was an unrequited love, at least until now.

I'm returning home after four years of college, hoping I've finally purged Carter out of my system. But he's no longer the carefree man I remember. Instead, he's a brooding CEO, wrapped in tom ford sophistication and a touch of vulnerability.

Did I say, I wasn't ready for this changed version of him?

All my attempts to stay away fall apart and it takes no time for the old friendship to rekindle, evolving into every bit of my teenage fantasies.

Carter kisses me in front of hundreds of his business associates, and promises me the all consuming love, I'd dreamt of since I was a little girl.

But despite the familiar, there's so much unspoken between us. He needs to know what made me flee four years ago. Will my dreams shatter once more in the face of truth?

A Forever Love is a heart-felt, swoon-filled, friends to lovers, billionaire romance set in a small town.

Available at:

Second True Love by Vikki Jay (The King's World #1) - Goodreads | Amazon

Promised Love by Vikki Jay (The King's World #2) - Goodreads | Amazon

Protected Love by Vikki Jay (The King's World #3) - Goodreads | Amazon

In those early morning hours when I'm alone, my imaginations run wild and I pen down the life of people living in my head. All my life, I have lived in small towns in different parts of the world. The friendships, the camaraderie that people share around me inspired me to create Cherrywood and St. Peppers, the two towns where all my stories take place.

I write about beautiful coincidences, finding love in unexpected places and times, and fighting hard to get that happily ever after.

I reject to read, see, write anything that does not promise a HEA.

My characters are sexy yet shy, strong yet reserved...

I am married to a man whom I fell in love at an age of 15, proposed him at an age of 23 and married at an age of 30. He has no clue what I write or do when he is snoring quietly in the next room.

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Book Blitz with Excerpt + Teasers + Giveaway: Wicked Knight by Diana A. Hicks @diana_hicks @XpressoTours

Wicked Knight by Diana A. Hicks

Series: Knight Duet #2

Publication date: November 7th, 2023

Synopsis:

Maxim Belov is Papa's favorite son.

Like his father, Maxim is ruthless and always gets what he wants. He wants me.

He doesn't even care that our families are mortal enemies, or that I've never seen his face.

Because of him, I'm forced into a marriage with a stranger.

On our wedding night, when I finally come face to face with my worst enemy, my entire life is turned upside down.

Authors Note: Wicked Knight is book 2 in the Knight Duet, set in The Society World. And it's best enjoyed if you read book one first.

Available at:

Excerpt

"You're bleeding, Maxim. Let me look." Anatoli gestured for Maxim to sit.

Maxim raised his hand and stopped him in his tracks. "No. Let my wife tend to my wounds."

"Ooo-kay." Anatoli looked as confused as I was.

"Leave us." Maxim braced his good arm on his knees and released a breath.

"Everything you need is in the bathroom," Anatoli said to me then turned to leave. He paused when he spotted the unhinged door. "I'll get someone to fix that."

"Thanks." I smiled at him.

The wife in me wanted to tell my husband to go to hell. But the doctor in me was already thinking of all the things that could go wrong if I didn't check on Maxim. He was tired because his body was working overtime, trying to heal itself. But also, because he just cracked open a heavy wooden door with his foot.

Cursing under my breath, I strode to the bathroom and got all the essentials to wash out his wounds. When I returned, Maxim hadn't moved an inch.

"We should rinse your wounds twice a day, then cover them. They'll heal faster that way." I approached him tentatively, the way one would do with animal because that was exactly what he was. My gaze swept from the splint and stained gauze to the blood seeping through his white dress shirt in two different places. "I need to take a look first."

He nodded. With a sigh, he undid all the buttons, then sat back to let me help him with it. I pulled the fabric up then pushed it over his shoulders. The soft hair on his chest bristled the skin on my arms and chest. To my surprise, the gentle exchange eased my nerves.

"Getting out of bed today was a bad idea." I picked at the gauze and removed it.

"I had things to attend to."

"Right. You had the illegal wedding to go to." I shot back.

"Yes." He chuckled. "I did."

"This shouldn't hurt. It's just water." I squeezed the squirt bottle and rinsed his entire shoulder.

Even if fear wasn't a big part of the equation anymore, I still couldn't get myself to look at him. Not even when he cocked his head to look at me. His hot breath left a warm trail that ran from my cheek all the way down to my hip. He gripped his thigh with long fingers as his inspection of me continued.

"Little late for that, don't you think?" I sneered.

"What's that?"

"Buyer's remorse."

"I didn't pay for you." He took a lock of my hair. "Your hair is shorter."

"I cut it after..." I'd cut it shortly after Luca left, but Maxim didn't need to know that. I swallowed and bit my tongue for offering him intimate details of my life. "You were spying on me."

"Not for long." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Your scent reminds me of something. But I can't remember what?"

"Probably your dungeon. I've showered six times since I left and I can't seem to scrub the stench off me." I shuffled back. "I need you to get up to get the other two sutures."

Slowly, as if he was trying not to scream in pain, he rose to his feet. When I stepped into his circle, he bent down to whisper in my ear, "You smell fine to me."

The jittery energy intensified and magnified my senses. I could feel the air between us shifting, his breath on my neck, and the sandalwood scent on his skin. Though I kept my head down, I could feel his eyes on me, regarding me with curiosity. He was the wounded one. But he watched me so intently, it reminded me of a predator spying on his prey.

"Stop messing with your splint. Or your nose will not heal properly." I pointed at the blood fingerprints on it.

"It itches." He grunted. "How long before I can take it off."

"How long has it been. It usually takes about two weeks." I squirted his side.

He flinched, reaching for my wrist. I froze, keeping my gaze on the stitches and the blood running down his side. And because my brain hates me, I thought of our impending wedding night. Though by now, I was sure that would not happen today. The man could barely move without wincing. As formidable as he was, and though he acted like a beast, he was still human.

His fingers slid up my arm. "This one hurts the most."

"I bet. There was a lot of debris to clear out. I had to dig deep." I freed his hand. "It is healing fine. I can give you something for the pain."

"Fuck." He made to touch his wound then stuffed his hand in the pocket of his trousers. "I don't know if I should risk taking more drugs from you. Will you poison me this time?"

In his defense, I had considered the option. "Not tonight."

He scoffed. "If Anatoli hadn't come to his senses, I'd still be unconscious."

So Anatoli was the one who foiled our plans. Coward. "I don't know what you're talking about." I shrugged. "Maybe you too will come to your senses soon."

I strode to the bathroom and rummaged through the medical kit Anatoli had left for me. I went through a bunch of bottles until I found a strong pain killer. Something to knock Maxim out for the night. And every night after that, until I found a way out of this place.

"For the pain." I offered him two pills and a glass of water.

"Am I so ugly, you can't even look at me?" He took the meds and knocked them back. "My senses are fine, by the way."

"Right. Because kidnapping a woman for revenge is the epitome of mental health." I turned to leave.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me toward him. "You have no idea what your family is capable of."

"You're wrong. I know exactly what they can do." I jerked to free myself, but he held me tighter. I was no match for his strength. I exhaled, "one day my love will find me. He will make sure you pay."

"Your love?" He let out a dark chuckle.

"Yes." I panted a breath. "And when he does, he will chop you up and feed you to your dogs."

He sounds violent."

Luca was an erudite, a distinguished professor despite all my efforts to corrupt him. He wasn't a brute like Maxim, punching his way through doors. But regardless of their extreme opposites, Luca would find a way to save me. I knew he would. I just had to hang on a little longer.

"He will come for me. You can be sure of that."

"The only thing I can be sure of, princess, is that it's time for bed. And since Prince Charming isn't here, I guess I would have to do."

DIANA A. HICKS is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.

When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.

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https://geni.us/WickedKnightBook2

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