Release Day Review: Escape To Paradise by Caitlin Ricci #Review #Giveaway

Author: Caitlin Ricci
Title: Escape To Paradise
Series: A Planet Called Wish #4
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht
Publication Date: February 1, 2019
Length: 87 pages

Reviewed by Morningstar


Synopsis

A Planet Called Wish: Book Four

His attraction to men means Kalean is the black sheep of his wealthy and powerful family—but it won’t get him out of attending his brother’s pretentious wedding ceremony. Kalean doesn’t want to go, but if his parents insist, he has a stipulation: he’ll be there with a man on his arm.

On the pleasure planet, Wish, Kalean goes to a brothel to meet some potential escorts. But the man who captures his attention isn’t one of those on offer….

Descani is as surprised as anyone at Kalean’s attraction to him—and at his own interest in the young man. He’s even more perplexed as a bond begins forming between them.

But a murder rips apart Kalean’s family and redefines his role. He’ll be isolated on his cold and barren home world, far from the warm and colorful planet of Wish—and the arms of the man who’s coming to mean so much to him—unless he can find a way to escape the forces separating them.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

I remember finding this series years ago when it first came out and falling in love with the universe it was built in. They’re short and sexy and really feel like full-length books, which makes them even better!

Wish is a pleasure planet that is nothing like any other. Kalean comes from a planet that is the opposite of everything like Wish. He’s the second son of a family all but considered royalty on Merida. They own the one resource that fuels the economy which means they own the planet. A cold and snowy environment that is harsh and unforgiving, much like his family is when it comes to his sexuality.

The meeting between Descani and Kalean was a low key but cute meet. It was no big explosion of attraction but more testing the waters type thing. I liked the open relationship concept in the story as well. It's not something often done, but for Wish and Descani as an aspasian, it made perfect sense for them.

The strife with his parents and brother was well done and made me feel a little bad for Kalean especially with the revelations that were made later on in the book. But the ending was what I saw for him from the start. Truly a good book and a quick, fun series to read!

Giveaway

Enter the monthly review giveaway

Contest ends February 28th

thanks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Review: Somewhere to Belong by Caitlin Ricci #Review #Giveaway

Author: Caitlin Ricci
Book: Somewhere to Belong
A Thornwood Novel
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Art: Caitlin Ricci
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Publication date: August 7, 2017
Length: 200 pages


Reviewed by Jenn


Synopsis

Needy. Obsessive. Clingy. Twenty-five-year-old Eli Walker has heard it all. That’s why he doesn’t bother calling back the guys he’s been with anymore. Sex should be about fun, not a relationship, and no one has complained about him getting overly attached in years. If only he actually felt wanted for once instead of empty and used when guys are done with him.

Grayson Pendleton is a wealthy business consultant with clients all over the world. His life is often glamorous, but it leaves him no time for a relationship, and at forty-eight, he’s starting to notice the lack of romance in his life. His only romantic connection is Eli, but they’re just two guys who have sex occasionally. It took him months to get Eli’s first name, and even now they only communicate through a hookup app.

When Grayson inherits a house in Thornwood, Colorado, it’s one more thing he doesn’t need in his life, and he knows he won’t be there enough to enjoy it. Still, the old house has the potential to be a home, and more importantly, it gives Grayson a chance to save Eli when he needs it most.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

Okay, so let's talk about this book.

Eli Walker is a loner, he is a young man more comfortable with horses than people. Eli has been told in the past that he is too needy, too clingy and obsessive. Eli makes a decision to be none of these things again, he allows as little vulnerability into his life as possible. He is 25 years old and yet, so jaded when it comes to love and relationships.

Grayson Pendleton is almost 50 years old, a successful career man and seems just as lonely as Eli. Grayson has a home, a best friend and a job that keeps him traveling quite a bit. On the outside, he appears to be Eli's total opposite, but is he really that different?

Grayson and Eli meet through a hook up app, not to be mistaken for a dating app. Their "dates" are sexy, satisfying and intense. They are also impersonal for such an intimate encounter. Both think that's how they want things, they don't even know each other's names. Grayson begins to want more from Eli and initially Eli pulls back. After meeting up in the last place Eli would expect Grayson, Eli is convinced to give Grayson another chance. Eli will allow Grayson back in his bed, but no further into his life. Grayson tries to make that be enough, but he is longing for all of Eli.

Meanwhile Eli has gotten himself into what is essentially a deal with the devil. With great caution, he lets Grayson help him out. This is not an easy situation for Eli, he's not accustomed to anyone wanting him for more than sex. He questions every gesture of Grayson's, every offer of friendship. Grayson knows he can't push too hard or he'll risk losing Eli all together. What's he to do though when the much younger man that he started out wanting to help starts becoming all he thinks about. When suddenly he begins to question all his life choices? Can Grayson convince Eli to trust him with more than just his body? Will Eli be able to give Grayson the one thing he's never given a man...his heart? 

This book takes a look at "dating" through a hook up app that I'd not seen done before. These characters are very different and yet both reached out to me. This was my first book by this author and I look forward to more.

Giveaway

Enter the monthly review giveaway!

A $10.00 Amazon gift card!

Contest ends August 31st

Thanks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Review... Safe Haven by Caitlin Ricci #Review #Giveaway

Author: Caitlin Ricci
Book: Safe Haven
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Publication date: November 8, 2016
Length:171 pages



Reviewed by Erin



Synopsis

Being alone was what Blake had always needed before his new team of bodyguards arrived. Now things might be very different.

At seven years old, Blake’s life was destroyed when he and his parents were abducted and he watched them being murdered. Now, twenty years later, he refuses to leave the house and he lives in a constant state of fear. He has a bodyguard around the clock, a housekeeper who has never seen his face and an uncle who checks on him often but isn’t all that close to him. Blake likes his isolation where only his cat really knows him.

His bodyguard of eight years is ready to retire, leaving his life in turmoil again. Blake isn’t good with people in general, and new people are the worst. But he needs someone in his house all the time to make him feel safe. His uncle hires a team of bodyguards to replace his old one—Malcolm, CJ and Rex. They come highly recommended, and they’re good at what they do.

They’re also together and it’s a relationship that Blake is instantly fascinated by. He’s never been interested in another person before, and he hasn’t had a real friend since his parents died, because he has refused to leave the house. But with the three of them trying to be there for him, he begins to want a life he has been convinced up to now would be completely impossible.

Buy Links

Pride Publishing

Amazon

Review

I'm a voracious reader of all genre's, pairings, tropes, etc. Menage' and/or poly relationships are among my favorite stories and when you add in a hurt/comfort plot on top of that ... well count me in! Thus when I read the blurb for Safe Haven by Caitlin Ricci I was beyond excited. An established menage' relationship that wants to add another person? Check. A guy in desperate need of love and acceptance and understanding? Double check. A bit of angst? Triple check and hell yes. Unfortunately this book fell far, far short of all my expectations and by the end, I just wanted the book to be over. That's never a good thing. 

An implausible plot, characters that weren't well fleshed out, a back story with too many holes to count, and repetitive writing plagued Safe Haven from the first page and never got any better. I know this a shorter book and so there's not the usual build up and development, but there was so little space given to actually know and understand each of the characters. Blake had his endearing moments sure, and there's no doubt that he experienced something terribly traumatic, but at twenty-seven he STILL needs not one body guard, but three? I've read books with agoraphobic characters in it so I understand that to tell someone to just get over and go outside doesn't make sense and it's not reality, but it's never explained exactly why he should be so afraid to leave his house. And the relationship aspect of this book? While I did enjoy the slow build that added in some mighty nice UST, the lack of real intimacy between these men was sorely lacking. 

All in all, from perusing Goodreads, it seems like the reviews on this one are pretty split, so this might be a case of it's not me, it's the book. There were lots of things going on in Safe Haven that just didn't work for me but that doesn't mean it would be the same for everyone. I've read other books by this author and really enjoyed them, so she's someone I'll definitely give another chance to. I'd say if you're looking for a book to spend a few hours losing yourself in, give this one a chance and see what you think.

Giveaway

Enter the monthly review giveaway!

Contest ends on November 30th!

Thanks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Review: Reckless by Caitlin Ricci #Review #Giveaway

Author: Caitlin Ricci
Book: Reckless
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Publication Date: June 3, 2016
Length: 200 pages


Reviewed by Erin



Synopsis

When his best friend, Lee, offered him his sub as part of a bet, Colton Prier never expected more than a clean condo from the boy. But Tate Nicholson is well-trained, eager , and he likes rope play as much as Colton enjoys tying him up. It should have ended after one night, but they begin meeting in secret, and Colton can’t stop thinking about Tate. It’s a betrayal of his friendship with Lee to fall in love with Tate, but Colton can’t help wanting the sub for himself.

He’s not alone in his feelings, either. Tate thought he was happy with Lee. Not completely fulfilled, but happy enough. But as he spends more time with Colton, he realizes Lee isn’t capable of giving him what he wants anyway. Lee demands his full submission, but Tate doesn’t want to be a lifestyle sub. Colton expects his obedience at times but gives him his freedom more often than not, which is more in line with what Tate wants.

When Tate really needs his Dom and Lee isn’t around to help him, he reaches the tipping point and needs to choose who he wants to give his submission to, and to accept the consequences of his choice when he does.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Review

I'm almost embarrassed to say that Reckless is my first Caitlin Ricci novel. After reading this book, I can tell you all it won't be my last. Delicious sexual tension, chemistry that is off the charts hot, well-developed, multi-faceted characters, a plot that was engaging and a pace that was perfect, Reckless ticked all my buttons and when you throw in some VERY well written BDSM, well, this was like candy to me. I loved this book from start to finish.

Colton Prier is my favorite kind of Dom to read about. Intense, focused, strict but giving, and that touch of cold aloofness that is somehow just so very sexy. Reckless is told solely in first person from Colton's point of view and while I prefer to get dual points of view when I read, spending so much time inside Colton's mind was all kinds of yummy. And the connection between these two? Whoa, it was sizzling. Tate was fascinating to me, on the outside he seems so delicate, but inside there lurks a steel resolve and the sparks flying between Colton and Tate are palpable.

I loved the conflict going on in Reckless. Tate isn't Colton's, not at the beginning. Instead he is his best friend, Lee's, submissive. Colton knows he shouldn't want Tate like he does, but their pull toward one another is undeniable. When the perfect person for you walks into your life, what else can you do but choose him over your best friend?

"I wanted him, though. That was the worst of it. I wanted to yank the baggy lounge pants he’d found off him, and I wanted to hold him down on the bed and fuck him. Even after everything he’d been through that night. I pushed my sneakers off and lay down behind him. He wasn't mine. I wasn't supposed to care about him. I shouldn't have held him close, and I shouldn't have pressed myself against him. But that night what I should have done melted away completely as I fell asleep with Tate in my arms as his soft hair brushed my chin."

Gah. Soooo intense, yeah?

Being inside Colton's head while he struggled with his wants versus not wanting to hurt Lee kept me turning page after page. Watching these two fall more and more in love was captivating. Reckless is so well written. The BDSM scenes were intense and steamy, but there weren't so many that they overpowered the rest of the story. Colton and Tate were such compliments to one another, they were absolutely delightful. Colton in all his focus and rules and Tate, all feisty and sassy, with such a touch of vulnerability that you can't help but love him. Reckless is a low angst, passionate story about two men who are so right for one another that they stop at nothing to have their HEA. I highly recommend this book, you'll love it. Promise.

Giveaway

Enter the monthly review giveaway

contest ends June 30th

Thank you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway