Driven (Deep Ops 4) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

Driven (Deep Ops 4) by Rebecca Zanetti-a review

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 26, 2021

Unswerving: Angus Force is determined to hunt down the serial killer he’d once shot dead–or so he thought. But an anonymous source reports that Lassiter is alive. Force hasn’t slept since, knowing it’s only a matter of time before “the Surgeon” strikes again. And soon, a body is found, bearing Lassiter’s same maniacal MO. It’s just the beginning of a murderous trail blazing through DC and Virginia, right to Force’s backyard…

Unstoppable: Nari Zhang is the shrink for the ragtag Deep Ops Unit, though she isn’t Force’s shrink–which is a very good thing. Because once they’re thrown together on the case, their attraction is explosive and irresistible. They’ll just have to fight that much harder to keep the heat between them from flaming out of control. But things are about to become far more challenging, and deadly, than they could have imagined…

Unhinged: Once the killer catches a glimpse of Nari, she becomes his new obsession. She is now the focus point–for both Force and Lassiter–in a dangerous dance for survival.

••••••

REVIEW:DRIVEN is the fourth full length instalment in Rebecca Zanetti’s contemporary, adult DEEP OPS romantic suspense series focusing on the members of the Requisition Force, Deep Ops Team, a division of the Homeland Defense Department ( HDD) of the FBI. This is disgruntled and disgraced FBI and HDD agent Angus Force, and FBI psychologist Nari Zhang’s story. DRIVEN can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and history, as the hunt for a serial killer, once thought dead and buried, has been developing throughout the series.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Nari and Angus) DRIVEN brings into focus Angus Force’s obsession with proving, the serial killer nicknamed “the Surgeon”, is alive and well, taunting our hero at every opportunity. Years earlier, Angus was credited with taking down and killing serial killer Henry Wayne Lassiter but a series of murders, with similarities to the murders of Henry Wayne Lassiter, have piqued the obsession of our story line hero. As the murders take on a familiar pattern, and the victims bear a striking resemblance to the members of the Deep Ops Team, Nari and Angus become targets of a pathological mind, pulling Angus into an investigation where he becomes the number one suspect.

The relationship between Nari and Angus is one of immediate attraction but an attraction predicated upon close proximity, and a thinly veiled line between hate and lust. When the Requisition Force Team is disbanded, our couple remain working together, pushing them closer to love and their own happily ever after. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Once, again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including former police detective and undercover operative Malcolm West, and Pippa Smith, (Hidden #1), Special agent Raider Tanaka, and computer hacker Brigid Banaghan (Fallen 2) , US Navy SEAL Clarence Wolfe, and reporter Dana Mulberry (Broken 3); Angus’s quirky alcohol guzzling, lipstick eating German shepherd Roscoe, and Wolfe’s pocket sized kitten Kat: FBI administrator Opal Clemonte; Nari’s biological father Quan Zhang; former MI6 Agent Dr. Jethro Hanson; Special Agents Tom Rutherford, and Kurt Fields.

DRIVEN is a story of obsession, betrayal, treason and vengeance; family, friendships and relationships; power, infatuation, and murder. The premise is intriguing and enthralling; the romance is passionate; the characters are dynamic, compelling and tireless. DRIVEN is a wonderfully exciting addition to the Deep Ops series.

Reading Order and previous reviews

Hidden
Taken (1.5)
Fallen
Broken

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Down Shift (Driven #8) by K. Bromberg-Review & Book Tour

DOWN SHIFT (Driven #8) by K. Bromberg-Review and Book Tour

 

DOWN SHIFT
Driven #8
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: October 4, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Down Shift

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ABOUT THE BOOK: RELEASE DATE October 4, 2016

Behind the wheel, racing champion Zander Donavan is at the top of his game. But after too much excess in his personal life, he’s forced to step away. He needs to accomplish something all on his own—outside of his famous father’s shadow.

Getty Caster is running away from the abuse that clouds her past. She thinks she’s found the perfect escape—until she discovers a stranger in the beachside cottage she’d been promised. He’s undeniably sexy, but she’s there to heal. Alone.

Before long though, fighting with each other turns into fighting their attraction. And giving into desire sets off a chain reaction that has their pasts colliding. With an unexpected love on the line, can they overcome the fallout to build a future?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: DOWN SHIFT is the eighth installment in K. Bromberg’s contemporary, adult DRIVEN erotic, romance series. This is race car driver Zander Donavan, and bartender Getty Caster’s story line. DOWN SHIFT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary. The reader was first introduced to Zander in the original DRIVEN trilogy-our hero is the adopted and now adult son of Colton and Rylee Donavan.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Zander and Getty) DOWN SHIFT follows Zander Donavan as his life begins to spiral out of control. The demons from his past have resurfaced and our hero is unable to handle the emotional and psychological fall out from the memories and guilt that threaten his career and the family he loves. Disrespecting his family, his sponsor and his family, Zander finds himself removed from the racing team, and tries to regain some semblance of control away from the crowds and the once-adoring fans. Enter Getty Caster- a young woman on the run from her past, but a past that is very much trying to control her present and her future. What ensues is the building relationship between Getty and Zander that finds our couple facing their demons with one another’s support.

DOWN SHIFT is an emotional and heartbreaking story about two people who lost someone they love, and control of their lives at a very early age. Zander’s past is shrouded in abuse, neglect and horrific violence; Getty is a woman who has been manipulated by her father into a relationship that does not bode well for our storyline heroine.

The relationship between Getty and Zander begins as roommates (virtual strangers) at a mutual friend’s cottage, and slowly progress into friendship and more. Zander struggles with the memories of the past but knows to move forward he must face the demons that have been pacing the edges of his slowly unraveling world. Getty is fearful of jumping from one controlling relationship into another, and is afraid of getting too close to a man who is unwilling to reveal a past that is controlling his volatile emotions. The $ex scenes are intimate, intense and provocative.

DOWN SHIFT is a story about healing, acceptance and moving forward; a romantic tale about one man’s destructive slide onto a dark and dangerous path, and one woman’s need to escape that which controls her life. The premise is intriguing, impressive and inspiring; the characters are colorful, realistic and spirited; the romance is emotional, passionate and fated. DOWN SHIFT is a complete, stand alone novel with a well deserved happily ever after.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Down Shift Teaser

About The Author

K. BrombergNew York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift (Releasing 10/4/16)), and a short story titled UnRaveled. She is currently finishing up Sweet Cheeks a standalone novel out at the end of 2016.

Her plans for 2017 include a sports romance duet (The Player (#1) and The Catch (#2)) and the Everyday Heroes series (Cuffed (#1), Combust (#2), and Cockpit (#3). She’s also writing a novella for the 1,001 Dark Night series that will be out in February 2017.
She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.

 

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Driven (Otherworld Series 13.6) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

DRIVEN (Otherworld Series 13.6) by Kelley Armstrong-a review

Driven

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Hard Cover Release Date January 31, 2016

Cains are known for being big, brutish and not-too-bright. The mutt clan embodies all the supernatural world’s worst stereotypes about werewolves. But not even the Cains deserve to be hunted down and skinned like animals.

When young Davis Cain comes to the Pack for help, Alpha Elena Michaels can’t refuse him. It isn’t about morality or justice. It’s about not letting anyone think they can do this to werewolves and get away with it.

But Elena is also dealing with the Pack’s homegrown monster—Malcolm Danvers, onetime enforcer, full-time psycho. Malcolm is now under Elena’s control, as part of the most difficult decision she’s had to make as leader. But if she has to let Malcolm in, she’s going to make full use of him…and the best person to catch monsters is one who knows exactly how they think.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: DRIVEN is the latest installment (and longer novella) in Kelley Armstrong’s paranormal OTHERWORLD series focusing on the Stonehaven Wolf Pack of New York. For followers of the series Kelley brings together the baddest of the bad-Malcolm Danvers- as the newest and most unwelcome member of Elena’s Pack. Malcolm has been in hiding on the other side of the world, and the psychotic killer wants to rejoin the Pack.

Told from Elena’s first person point of view, DRIVEN focuses on the ritualistic and very personal murders of the Cain family-another familiar name to fans of the series. This time, the Cains are targeted by an unknown source, as their numbers begin to deteriorate very rapidly, and Elena and Clay are called in to investigate. Malcolm will be offered his first official duty with the New York Pack as more bodies begin to pile up. What ensues is the hunt for the people (and wolf) responsible for terrorizing the Cain family, and the reasons for the sadistic killings. Be forewarned, there are numerous graphic scenes focusing on the aftermath of the killings.

DRIVEN reveals the growth and development of some of our favorite wolves. Love, maturity, family and children have altered Clay’s view of the world including his tolerance for Malcolm’s return but that is not to say the Malcolm can ever be trusted. Clay is now the Pack enforcer, and he doesn’t take any crap from the aging wolf. Malcolm, on the other hand, is an old wolf set in his ways, and has a difficult time adjusting to a new leadership, and the Pack’s new way of handling the mutts.

A number of our favorite wolves are front and center including Elena, Clay, Jeremy and Nick as well as Reese and Noah, and Reese’s friend Madison (the daughter of another wolf). Elena and Clay’s children-nine year old Kate and Logan-let Malcolm know they aren’t afraid of the man who has terrorized the Pack. Again, for fans of the series, if you have read most of the recent novellas, we were previously introduced to a half –demon name Vanessa-Nick’s current girlfriend- and the woman he is hoping to claim as his mate. Karl, Hope, Jamie, Antonio and Paige are present byway of mention-only.

DRIVEN is a suspenseful, disturbing and welcome addition to Kelley Armstrong’s OTHERWORD SERIES. The characters are familiar, impassioned and sometimes controversial. With the return of Malcolm in THIRTEEN confusion reigned and Kelley could not let this particular return go without some sort of response. DRIVEN reveals Malcolm’s intent and the reasons for his return to the Pack; I somehow think he may get what he wants.

Kelley has released a number of novellas, short stories and anthologies since the ‘final’ Otherworld installment of THIRTEEN, focusing on the Wolf Pack, and with it comes numerous looks at Elena and the Wolves. If fans have not kept up with the smaller releases, there is quite a bit of story line and history missing-the smaller stories are revealing plenty of information and growth for the Pack-new members, growing families, potential happily ever afters.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Aced (Driven #5) by K. Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

ACED (Driven #5) by K. Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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ACED
Driven #5
by K. Bromberg
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: January 11, 2016

Aced

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25687858-aced

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 11, 2016

Rylee and Colton’s ride continues…

One moment. Six years ago.

The night she made the world around me so much more than just a blur. Now it’s the catalyst that threatens to tear us apart.

Our happily was supposed to be ever after. So why do I feel like it’s slipping through my fingers?

How can one moment, when our world seemed so right, resurface and cause our perfect life to spiral out of control?

I can’t lose her.

She’s my checkered flag.

•••••

REVIEW: ACED is the fifth installment in K. Bromberg’s contemporary adult DRIVEN erotic romance series focusing on Colton Donavan, and Riley Thomas Donavan. ACED covers several months in the life between the end of CRASHED (Driven #3) and the epilogue that advanced the series approximately ten years. I do not recommend reading ACED as a stand alone-too much history, backstory and personal information is missing.

Told from dual first person points of view (Colton and Rylee) ACED focuses on the relationship between our leading couple as well as their struggle to deal with past transgressions, and future hopes. As the line in the story reveals, this ‘imperfectly perfect’ couple must face several demons: past and present; personal and public; old and new; dangerous and dark. We get up close and personal as one family struggles to survive as their world begins to crumble against the battering paparazzi, and those seeking revenge from a time long ago.

ACED is an emotionally heartbreaking story line; a tale about vengeance and betrayal; the hopelessness when the dark continues to push down; when love is no longer enough to keep the pain at bay. Colton and Rylee’s love for one another is passionate and intense but will be tested when a personal moment is exposed for all the world to see. There is no return to ‘perfection’ until the rot is removed from their crumbling foundation.

K. Bromberg writes an intense and impassioned story. The premise is imaginative, exquisite, dramatic and startling-a powerful look at betrayal and revenge; a memorable story about fighting for the people you love; and a romantic tale about two people whose lives are shattered in the blink of an eye.

Copy supplied by the tour promoter.

Reviewed by Sandy

Aced Teaser

Driven Series

Driven
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Fueled
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Crashed
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Raced
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About The Author Black and White

K. BrombergNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, Aced, and a short story titled UnRaveled. She is currently working on new projects and a few surprises for her readers.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.

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Hard Beat (Driven #7) by K.Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

HARD BEAT (Driven #7) by K. Bromberg-Review,Book Tour and Giveaway

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HARD BEAT
Driven #7
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: November 3, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Hard Beat

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 3, 2015

Foreign war correspondent Tanner Thomas is addicted to living on the edge. Needing the adrenaline rush of his job to help him cope with a personal loss, he throws himself back into the game, concentrating all his energy on getting the next big story.

But when he meets his new photojournalist, Beaux Croslyn, he can’t help but feel like he’s losing his focus—and maybe risking more…

With secrets she won’t address, Beaux is far from your ordinary woman. Determined to keep her distance, she’s willing to pull Tanner in closer and hide behind the sparks flying between them. But as Beaux’s past begins to put their relationship—and their lives—at risk, Tanner’s determination to find the truth puts them both in jeopardy.

He’s ready to chase her to the ends of the earth to find out if what they had was real, or if the danger surrounding them was just an exquisite heat fated to burn out.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: HARD BEAT is the seventh installment in K.Bromberg’s contemporary, adult Driven erotic, romance series. This is war correspondent Tanner Thomas, and photojournalist Beaux BJ Croslyn’s storyline. HARD BEAT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Tanner Thomas is Rylee Thomas-Donavan’s brother-the heroine in K.Bromberg’s original Driven Trilogy.

Told from first person point of view (Tanner Thomas) HARD BEAT follows Tanner as he returns to the Middle East following the death of his previous partner (and photographer) and best friend Stella. Stella was killed while on assignment with Tanner, and Tanner is having a difficult time accepting what was and what has to be. Enter Beaux Croslyn-Tanner’s new photographer and partner-and a woman with too many secrets that she is not willing to share. We learn very little about our leading heroine, and her secrets are the catalyst that sets into motion Tanner’s downward spiral.

The relationship between Tanner and Beaux begins acrimoniously-Tanner wants nothing to do with his new photographer- a woman who represents everything he lost-but a woman whose secrets, and late night solo excursions find our hero fearing for the death of another woman with whom he has fallen in love. The banter is angry, aggressive and confrontational, and sets the tone for much of their combative relationship. The $ex scenes are seductive and provocative. I will add that I applaud K. Bromberg’s shift away from the sexually graphic and over-the-top language between our leading couple as found in her earlier storylines. There comes a time when certain words don’t belong in a romance storyline.

The secondary characters include Rylee and Colton Donavan-although most of the interaction is through phone conversations but we do get some one on one time between the characters. We are also introduced to Tanner’s boss Rafe, and a few of his fellow war correspondents and news reporters in the Middle East.

There are several twists and turns throughout the storyline especially near the end when everything goes to h*ll for our storyline hero. The world building focuses on the element of danger, suspense, destruction and potential threats to everyone’s lives-it is a storyline set in the war-torn Middle East where life is as fragile as a piece of glass.

HARD BEAT has moments of heartbreak and tears; emotional breakdowns and tragic loss. The premise is a roller coaster of unanswered questions and hidden agendas; the characters are charismatic and real; but in the end, there is a happily ever after for two people whose paths ventured off in different directions.

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

 

She pulls me from my lewd but damn fine thoughts when she tries to jerk her arm from my hold. My spine stiffens some because hell if I’m up for resistance right now. I’m emotionally drained, exhausted, and as much as I don’t want to feel that grenade of desire sitting low in my belly, I still want to pull its pin so I can lose myself for a bit in the soft curves and sweet taste of a gorgeous woman no matter how fucking insolent she is.
I clench my jaw. A fleeting show of resistance before I give in to my need and the sexual tension. She gasps when I release her arm only to bring it up to her neck at the same time I crash my lips to hers.
And fuck yes I’m a dick for not letting her push me away, for letting my own need for this woman who will most likely move on by the week’s end control my actions, for taking without asking, but goddamn her small display of independence turns me on something fierce.
I brand my mouth to hers, press my tongue between her lips as she parts them. Her hands push me away, but the movement of her tongue tells me she wants more. She’s a clear contradiction in all meanings of the word. Soft and supple body, but I can feel the toned muscle beneath. Between kisses she tries to pull back, but a soft moan in the back of her throat when my free hand cups her ass tells me how much she wants this.
Her hands fist in my shirt at the same time my hand takes hold of the loose bun at the nape of her neck to tilt her head back and look into her eyes. But her mouth stays right where I want it because I’m nowhere near done with her yet.
“I don’t like you,” she claims through gritted teeth. Our hands run possessively over each other, but derision laced with defiance glimmers in her eyes.
“I beg to differ.” I laugh at the ludicrousness of her statement, considering the predicament we’re in. She tries to step back, but when she doesn’t release my shirt, I know she still wants more.
And fuck, I’m definitely all in. I need this outlet more than I ever realized until I was in the thick of it. I’ve kept to myself at home, fought with my sister when she attempted to fix me up with one of her friends, punished myself, and now with the heat of a woman’s body pressed up against me and the taste of her kiss seared in my goddamn brain, there is no way in hell I’m walking away now.
“I don’t like you,” she reiterates.
“Too bad,” I tell her as I go in for the next kiss. One that’s full of angry desperation and irresistible need with teeth nipping and tongues meeting and that ache deep in my balls taking hold of me. My hips pin her against the cold cinder-block wall behind her.
Her fingers dig into my shoulders as she tears her mouth from mine, our chests heaving. And then just when her protests stop and her tongue starts to dance with mine again, I pull back.
“You’re arrogant and—”
“You don’t have to like me to fuck me,” I say, cutting her off. “You just have to want me.”
She protests, and I cut her words off with my mouth on hers at the same time my hands grab her wrists. Even as I gain the advantage, I feel like she’s pulling out the ground from beneath my feet. “Fuck you!” She manages to get the words out between fervent kisses.
I chuckle against her lips before pulling back and looking straight into her desire-laden eyes. “That’s the plan.”


 

 

Hard Beat Teaser

about the author

kristy brombergNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

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Sweet Ache (Driven #6) by K. Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

Sweet Ache (Driven #6) by K. Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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SWEET ACHE
Driven #6
by K. Bromberg
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic romance
Release Date: June 2, 2015

Sweet Ache

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 2, 2015

Hawkin Play, the bad boy rock star with a good guy heart, has lived a lifetime of cleaning up after his twin brother’s mistakes. Hunter’s most recent screw-up could land Hawke in jail and risk the band’s future. Hawke agrees to guest lecture at a local college to stay in the judge’s good graces—and a bet with his bandmate to seduce his sexy teaching assistant is icing on the cake.

Quinlan Westin is harder to bed than Hawke imagined. She knows his type and is determined to avoid the rocker at all costs—even if their attraction runs deeper than simple lust.

Just as Hawke might finally be winning over the girl, his brother has other plans. When Hunter realizes his twin finally has a weakness, he’ll stop at nothing to take advantage…

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: SWEET ACHE is the sixth installment in K. Bromberg’s adult, contemporary Driven erotic, romance series. This is Hawkin Play (lead singer for the rock band Bent) and Quinlan Westin’s storyline. We were first introduced to Quinlan throughout Colton and Rylee’s storylines-Quinlan is Colton’s sister. SWEET ACHE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Hawkin and Quinlan) SWEET ACHE focuses on the building relationship between our leading couple, and Hawkin’s rapport and association with the band, and his immediate family. Hawkin’s life appears to be spiraling out of control but behind the scenes, Hawke continues to take the fall for his twin brother’s mistakes. Serving a twelve week sentence, on his brother’s behalf, Hawkin finds himself the guest lecturer at the local college where he meets the beautiful and not easily played Quinlan Westin. What ensues is Hawkin’s seduction of Quin reinforced by a bet with his fellow band mate.

The relationship between Quin and Hawke is acrimonious at the start. Quinlan is all too aware of the celebrity lifestyle having lived through her brother’s years as the number one Indy driver in the world, and Hawkin Play pushes all of Quin’s buttons within the first few minutes of introduction. As a rock star and celebrity, Hawkin is used to getting what he wants-and he wants Quinlan before the end of his ‘term served.’ As Hawke pursues Quin, the band sits on the sidelines watching the train wreck unfold. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative, and graphic. Hawke likes to talk dirty in the bedroom.

Hawkin’s family history is dark and disturbing. Colton’s past was rife with abuse and neglect; Hawkin’s past sees a mother’s desperate attempts to hide the truth and a father’s failure. Our hero shoulders the blame for so many family issues, that counseling should be a mandated part of his everyday life.

The secondary characters include Indy drive Luke Mason, whose attraction to Quin is all encompassing but Quin plays Luke for a fool and uses the race car driver to forget her attraction to Hawkin Play. Quin’s best friend Layla is quick to give our heroine a push in the right direction; Colton and Rylee have cameo appearances (some via phone or text) throughout the story. We are also introduced to the band BENT-Vince, Gizmo, and Rocket, as well as their lawyer and best friend Benji. Hawke’s brother Hunter is the requisite evil as drug addiction spiked with jealousy throw our hero off his game and head long into more self-deprecation, grief and guilt.

SWEET ACHE is an emotional and intense storyline. We get up close and personal with our hero as he struggles to come to terms with his ailing mother, and drug addicted brother-both of whom destroy a little of our hero’s soul with every encounter. Quinlan is a strong heroine whose prior relationships have been less than successful, but it is her need to ‘save’ Hawke that is at the heart of the story.

K. Bromberg will captivate your imagination; her passion for emotional and broken heroes is intoxicating and inspiring. The destructive nature of childhood trauma, drug addiction and mental illness is dramatic in its’ presentation; striking in its’ reality; alarming in its’ reach. The characters are colorful, charismatic and real; the premise impassioned; the romance erotic and fierce. The volatile need for acceptance and forgiveness pushes the envelope of love and a happily ever after.

Copy supplied by the publisher

Reviewed by Sandy

Sweet Ache Teaser-1

excerpt

 

 

Well, shit. Guess there’s not going to be any calm before the next storm. I look at my brother and sigh.
I hit the road, drive for what feels like hours. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m looking to find, but as long as I keep moving, my past can’t catch up to me.
At least it’s a good idea in theory because I can’t outrun this shit. The stuff I want to and the stuff I don’t want to.
I end up the one place I used to go to be alone, to think, and as I stare at the Hollywood sign from my seat on the grass at the Griffith Park Observatory, I love the feeling that I’m this little person in this big world. The idea comforts me some. The notion that on the grand scale of things my problems are minute. Someone out there has it way worse.
And no one expects a rock star to be here so with my hat pulled low on my head, I’m able to disappear.
I stare down below to the city where as a little boy, scared and traumatized, I wondered how all of the dreams inside my head could ever see the light of day when I felt like I had the responsibility of the world on my small shoulders. But I did. And I made it.
So why do I feel like I’m still not enough? For my brother? To make my mother better? For Quinlan to even want me beyond the killer sex we have? For the fans who scream and sing my lyrics like they live them when they have no fucking clue the meaning behind the words?
I scrub my hands over my face, needing a drink, craving an ice cream cone, and wanting the feeling of Quinlan’s arms wrapped around me as she silently sits there and just is with me.
My mind veers to Hunter. I push the guilt away, hold on to my gut check rationalization that he deserved it, and realize that’s the trouble I’m having here. Going with my gut versus going with the bullshit promises I’ve lived by forever.
My stomach churns and my head feels like Gizmo’s banging the hell out of it with his sticks. I shove up off the grass, needing to get the fuck out of here, my heart and head in conflict and for the first time in forever I dare to think what could happen if my heart finally won for once.

 


 

Sweet Ache Teaser-2

 

About The Author

kristy brombergNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

 

giveaway

There are TWO (2) ways to WIN  !!

K. Bromberg’s publisher and The Reading Cafe are offering a paper copy of SWEET ACHE to ONE (1) commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and FollowK. Bromberg on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on TSU for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from June 9-13, 2015

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Slow Burn (Driven #5) by K. Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

Slow Burn (Driven #5) by K.Bromberg-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

slow burn - blog tour

Slow Burn
(Driven #5)
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Slow Burn

Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

RELEASE DATE: February 24, 2015

ABOUT THE BOOK:

One Night. That’s all it was supposed to be.

Reeling from the sudden loss of her sister, Haddie Montgomery has sworn off relationships. All she wanted from Beckett Daniels was a sexy distraction to help her escape her pain for just a little while. There weren’t supposed to be any strings attached—so why can’t she shake the memory of that unforgettable night from her thoughts? Or the taste of his kiss from her lips?

No matter how hard Haddie tries to forget about him, Becks relentlessly tries to prove that she should start living for today. But she is determined to avoid romantic commitment, and she can always use her ex-boyfriend’s reappearance to help snuff out the slow burn within her that Becks has sparked….

Or will fate force her to realize that this kind of connection doesn’t come along very often and a chance at love is worth the risk?

••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: SLOW BURN is the fifth installment in K.Bromberg’s adult, contemporary DRIVEN erotic romance series. This is Colton Donavan’s best friend Beckett Daniels and Rylee Thomas-Donovan’s BFF Haddie Montgomery’s storyline.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Haddie and Beckett) the storyline focuses on the building relationship between Haddie and Beckett, and Haddie’s need to push away the people that she loves. Haddie and Beckett were first introduced to the reader and to one another in K.Bromberg’s DRIVEN series about billionaire race car driver Colton Donavan and the love of his life Rylee Thomas.

Haddie continues to struggle with the death of her sister, and in this the entire storyline takes off in a different direction. Grief, fear of the unknown, and an uneasy feeling about the future find Haddie battling her feelings for Beckett- the man to whom she made no promises for the future-no strings attached. The ‘no strings’ attached scenario comes up time and again throughout the story-she may have said no strings but Beckett sees a chain around his heart, directly connected to the woman that he loves.

There is plenty of push and pull in this emotional storyline where Haddie’s decisions come across as selfish and uncaring at times but she struggles with the aftermath of her sister’s death, the upheaval upon everyone’s lives, and an unknown future for herself. Sometimes we all have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture; looking into the mirror does not reveal the entire story. Haddie wants to set out on her journey alone hoping to protect everyone that she loves-in the end, going it alone, is the worse possible decision she could make.

K. Bromberg invites the reader into Haddie’s personal and emotional journey. There are moments of fear and sorrow; grief and letting go; romance and love. SLOW BURN looks at a different kind of romantic storyline struggle; a struggle many families face on a daily basis but one that is more personal than most.

To be honest, this is a difficult review to write. I have to avoid spoilers and by avoiding the focus of the storyline, I have to omit the biggest plot point of the novel. There is no getting around it; I have to be vague or vaguer than normal 😉 But, I do know that by the time all of the reviews have been posted to the various sites, the secrets will have been revealed.

Copy supplied by the publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

 

 

He chuckles low and even, a sarcastic amusement woven through the sound that pisses me off. “What are you afraid of? Why is his offer so much more tempting than mine, huh? Oh, I know why,” he says, sarcasm dripping from his words. “He’ll walk away without any questions. But I won’t will I, Haddie? I have plenty of questions. The first one being what exactly are you running from?”
My eyes flash up to meet his, and the look – the moment that passes between us – is too honest, too raw. I have to break it. I can’t let him see the truths that even I’m trying to hide from. How I feel and what I need to fix me – the answer being him – because I’m not going to allow it to happen.
I can feel it. I can know it. But he can’t.
My mind flashes back momentarily to the night of the wedding. Of how I asked him – gave him no other option really –to take me to bed. Did I know then that unzipping my dress for him and inviting him between my legs would lead to this? Me wanting so much more? Me standing in the middle of his apartment wanting to ask for more but unable to because of the fears that are holding me hostage?

 


about the author

kristy brombergNew York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

slow burn teaser 3

giveaway

There are 2 ways to WIN with K. Bromberg and SLOW BURN

Giveaway #1

K. Bromberg’s publisher has offered a PAPER COPY of SLOW BURN to ONE (1) luck commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please Follow K.Bromberg on Facebook.

4.Please Follow K.Bromberg on Twitter.

5. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

6. Please FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway is open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from February 25-March 2, 2015

 

GIVEAWAY #2

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NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour provider.

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Crashed (Driven #3) by K.Bromberg-Release Blitz and Review

Crashed (Driven #3) by K. Bromberg-Release Date Blitz and Review

Crashed Banner

Crashed
Driven #3
by K. Bromberg
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: March 3, 2014

Crashed-Amazon

 

 Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk  / KOBO /

When life crashes down around us, how hard are we willing to fight for the one thing we can’t live without, each other?

Life is full of moments.

Big moments.

Little moments.

And none of them are inconsequential.

Every single moment prepares you for that one instance that defines your life. You must overcome all your fears, confront the demons that chase you, and cleanse the poison that clings to your soul or you risk the chance of losing everything.

Mine started the minute Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet. She made me feel. Made me whole when all I thought I could ever be was incomplete. Became the lifeline I never knew I needed. Hell yes, she’s worth the fight…but how do you fight for someone you know you don’t deserve?

Love is full of ups and downs.

Heart stopping highs.

Soul shattering lows.

And none of them are insignificant.

Love is a racecourse of unexpected twists and turns that must be negotiated. You have to break down walls, learn to trust, and heal from your past in order to win. But sometimes it’s the expected that’s the hardest to hold on to.

Colton has healed and completed me, stolen my heart, and made me realize our love’s not predictable nor perfect—it’s bent. And bent’s okay. But when outside factors put our relationship to the test, what lengths will I have to go to prove to him that he’s worth the fight?

Whoever said love is patient and love is kind, never met the two of us. We know our love is worth it—have acknowledged that we were meant to be—but when our pasts crash into our future, will the repercussions make us stronger or break us apart?

••••••••••••••••••••••••

 

CRASHED is the third and final instalment in K. Bromberg’s contemporary, romance, erotic Driven Trilogy focusing on Colton Donavan and Rylee Thomas. Colton is the billionaire race car driver whose earlier years are the stuff of nightmares and Rylee is Colton’s superhero who rescues her man from the pits of hell.

The focus of CRASHED is on Colton’s recovery –both mentally, emotionally and physically-following the crash that nearly ended his life. The reader is pulled into an emotional roller coaster ride of one man’s need to prove he is not worthy of love and acceptance and, of one woman’s determination to ensure that Colton knows that he is not the child of his early years but the sum of a lifetime of experiences and pain. Colton sabotages everything good in his life proving that no one can be trusted with his heart and his soul.

CRASHED (and the Driven series) is a story of overcoming adversity and abuse. Colton Donavan is a man broken by the secrets of his past-the secrets that had imprisoned his heart and his mind into a world of betrayal, abuse and nightmares. Colton is a man who has been beaten down by everything that life throws at him and in this he is reluctant to accept love-from family, from friends and from the woman who has stolen his heart. Crashed is a story of recovery; overcoming adversity and moving forward but not before life and everything it has to offer pushes Colton closer to the edge of the abyss that is waiting to suck him under.

K.Bromberg has written an emotionally intensive storyline (and series) that is astonishing in its’ brilliance, its’ presentation and its’ provocative story. Bromberg seduces the reader into a dramatic and sensual storyline where the pain of abuse follows a broken hero from one life to the next; and where the love of one woman who refused to give up is the only hero Colton Donavan would ever need.

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight Black and White

Get started with DRIVEN -ebook only .99cents at most ebook retailers

Driven
Driven #1
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: May 2013
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Order Links:  Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

DrivenRylee Thomas is used to being in control. But she’s about to meet the one man that just might make her enjoy losing it…

I am the exception to the rule.

In a world full of willing women, I’m a challenge to the roguish and achingly handsome Colton Donavan. A man used to getting exactly what he wants in all aspects of life. He’s the reckless bad boy constantly skating that razor thin edge toward out of control, on and off of the track.

Colton crashes into my life like a tornado: sapping my control, testing my vulnerabilities beyond their limits, and unintentionally penetrating the protective wall around my healing heart. Tearing apart the world I rebuilt so carefully with structure, predictability, and discipline.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Fueled
Driven #2
by K. Bromberg
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Genre: adult, contemporary,erotic, adult

Order Links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble

Fueled CoverWhat happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?

Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.

Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.

How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep?

Driven Trilogy

____________________

 About The Author Black and White

FOLLOW: Facebook/ Goodreads/ Website/ Twitter

K. BrombergK. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner that has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her–the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard. She’s a wife, mom, child rustler, toy pick-er-upper, chauffer, resident web-slinger, LaLaloopsy watching, American Girl doll dressing multi-tasker of all things domestic and otherwise. She likes her diet cokes with rum, her music loud, and her pantry stocked with a cache of chocolate.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

excerpt

Excerpt #1-Crashed by K. Bromberg

And the only thing I can focus on—can grasp onto as my heart races and body shakes with anger—is that I need a pit stop. I need to find Colton. I need to touch him, to see him, to quiet the turmoil in my soul.

But I can’t.

He’s somewhere close, my rebellious rogue unable to let go of the damaged little boy within. The man who has just started healing is now broken, and it kills me that I won’t be able to fix him. That my murmured words of encouragement and patient nature won’t be able to repair the immobile and unresponsive body that was loaded onto that stretcher and rushed to somewhere within these walls—so close yet so very far away from me. That he has to rely on strangers to mend and heal him now. Strangers that have no idea of the invisible scar tissue that still lingers beneath the surface.

More hands reach out to touch and soothe me, Dorothea’s and Quinlan’s, but they’re not the ones I want. They’re not Colton’s.

And then a terrifying thought hits me. Every time Colton is near, I can feel that tingle—the buzz that tells me he’s just within reach—but I can’t feel anything. I know he’s physically close, but his spark is nonexistent.

TruelySchmexy

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