Tempting the Player (The Gamble Brothers #2) by J.Lynn

Title: Tempting the Player
Author: J. Lynn
Series: The Gamble Brothers #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 3/5

Chad Gamble, all-star pitcher for the Nationals, is one of the best players on—and off—the field. And right now, the notorious bad boy wants Bridget Rodgers. But with her lush curves and snappy comebacks, the feisty redhead is the kind of woman a man wants to settle down with…and that’s the last thing Chad needs.

When the paparazzi catch them in a compromising position, Chad’s manager issues an ultimatum: clean up his act or kiss his multi-million dollar contract goodbye. To save his career, his meddling publicist says he'll have to convince everyone Bridget isn’t just his flavor of the week, but his girlfriend.

Being blackmailed into a fake relationship with Chad Gamble isn’t easy, especially when the sizzling physical attraction between them is undeniable. With a month to go on their arranged pretense, it's going to take every ounce of willpower they have not to fall into bed together...or in love.
 

Review:

I downloaded this book onto my Nook ages ago and forgot about it until yesterday.  I needed something a little different than what I had been reading up to that point - mostly paranormal and fantasy - so clicked on this one.  It's a bad-boy meets good-girl story that I enjoyed.

Chad Gamble is a star pitcher for the Nationals and he's also a wicked bad boy.  Then he meets Bridget Rodgers the ultimate good girl in a bar that caters to Dom's, Sub's and Swingers called Leather and Lace. And things happen, very delicious things.

Because of Chad's reputation an image consultant is brought in to clean up Chad's act or he will be cut by the Nationals.  This is also the time that Bridget comes back into Chad's life and they are caught in a compromising position.  Enter fake relationship stage left.

What I liked about this book was that the characters are real and genuine.  You feel like you could be friends with these people if they weren't fictional characters.  Chad's got a bad reputation but he loves his brothers and his extended family very much.  Bridget is much the same way, minus the bad reputation.  I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well.  They added a lot of humor and dimension to this story.  I can hardly wait to read there stories!  The love scene's in this book were incredible too.

What I didn't really care for was the way the love scene's were written.  It comes out early in the book that Chad is a Dom when it comes to the sexual stuff.  Yet when you get to the love scene's he's written as a pretty girly-man Dom. That bothered me a little bit.  What also bothered me, which is entirely my fault, was that I started with the second book in the series.  Not the smartest thing I've done recently, especially sense references are made to the first book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much.  I wish I had started with the first book instead of the second but hey, what's done is done.  I have the first book on my Nook as well and I can hardly wait for June to get here so I can read Chandler's story!

Styx's Storm (Breeds #22) by Lora Leigh

Title: Styx's Storm
Author:  Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds #22
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Rating: 3/5

When Storme Montague's father and brother are killed by the Breeds, her father's research is also destroyed -- except for a crucial data chip that both the Council and the Breeds would kill to possess. Betrayed to the Council, she is rescued by Styx, a Wolf Breed who is different from most other Breeds she has ever known. Storme has something he wants too -- but it's not a data chip.

There's never been a woman who bad boy Styx couldn't seduce. But can the charmer of the Wolf Breeds charm the enemy?

Or has the enemy come up with a plan of her own? A plan that could destroy the tentative balance the Breeds have created in society and among their allies -- and that may ultimately destroy them both...

Review:

I downloaded this book onto my Nook when it was first released...In October of 2010.  Naturally, I've been busy and reading other things so I just hadn't gotten to it until last week.  I've seen some pretty mixed reviews for the Breeds series on Goodreads and I just don't understand them.  This is my first Breeds novel but I really enjoyed it.

What I liked about Styx's Storm was that there is a lot of things going on in the book.  A lot of balls up in the air if you will.  It kept me engaged and into the story.  Because I'll be honest, I was really struggling with Storme.  But more on that later...

Being as this is book 22 in the series I was really happy to see that the author included information on what the Breeds are, how they were created, how they operate, basically I was really happy to see that this book could be read as a stand alone.  There was a lot that I needed to learn in a short period of time so I appreciate the information.

Now let's talk about the characters.  Storme!?  Oh my goodness, I had a real problem with Storme.  She saw some pretty bad stuff happen when she was younger and has been hunted by the "good guys," the Breeds, and the "bad guys," the Council since then.  So yeah, she's got some issues.  I think at points it got taken to the extreme.  Though when you throw Styx into the mix she's thrown quite a cruve ball.

Styx, who is a Wolf Breed, has been on Storme's tail for 2 years.  She doesn't know it yet but she is his mate and he's finally ready to collect.  He's wickedly good looking and has NO trouble with the ladies.  As a matter of fact there are few women he hasn't been able to charm.  When Styx and Storme get together their chemistry is combustible but because of Storme's fear he isn't able to really make her his mate until near the end of the book.

Besides Storme's issues, I really didn't care for the lack of drama.  There was some, yeah, but it was in one big lump sum near the end of the book.  That is part of the reason this book didn't rate higher with me.  I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I tore through this book too.  If you haven't checked out Styx's Storm please do.  At least see if your library system has it.  It was definitely worth the read.