Other Women – Talk Nerdy Book Blog

October 14, 2020

11 Min read

D

Series: Standalone

Release Date: October 13, 2020

Synopsis

Vienna Stratton knew she only had herself to blame. You didn’t let yourself become indebted to a man like Dane Davenport, no matter how badly you needed his help. As his personal assistant, she was very aware that the globally successful CEO was ruthless and unforgiving.

Of course, if she’d known he’d request that she be his wife for twelve months, she’d have hesitated in accepting his help. Because what she’d learned from Dane was that the devil wasn’t ugly and terrorising. He was seductive and captivating. He hummed with whispers of temptation – the temptation to sin and surrender, to let him brand and possess you. He awakened every need and fantasy you had.

He could even make you love him.

Ending

HEA with Epilogue

Representation

• BIPOC supporting character
• Supporting character with dissociative identity disorder

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Parental abandonment
• Parental physical abuse of their child
• Inference of child sexual abuse
• Physical abuse and bullying by Foster Sister towards Heroine
• Blackmail
• Suicide of parent
• Death of parent due to cancer

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have LOADS of OW and OM
— One of the OW is currently the Hero’s sister-in-law, so you can imagine how that goes.
• Does have both the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• No separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

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Surviving Amber Springs by Siobhan Davis

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

February 28, 2019

8 Min read

S

Series: Standalone

Release Date: December 26, 2018

Synopsis

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone…

I’m the second-most hated person in Amber Springs.

First place honors go to my twin, Ethan; however, hate isn’t a strong enough word to convey how people feel about him.

Not that I blame anyone—some days, I hate him too. Mostly, I’m just lost and afraid, drowning in a sea of betrayal and guilt, wondering how this happened right under my nose.

There’s no choice but to leave. To move clear across the country in a last-ditch attempt to start over.

Transferring to a new school midway through senior year is hellish for most people. For me, it’s a welcome relief—until someone discovers our secret and now everyone knows.

The pointing, whispering, and scathing looks follow me around again, and I’m back to square one. Except, this time, I’m not alone.

Axel, Skeet, and Heath took me under their wing from the minute I arrived here. I’ve no idea why three of the hottest guys in town took any interest in me or why they continue to have my back, but I’m so grateful to have them in my corner.

Because, right now, they’re the only reason I’m not following my brother into an early grave.

This is an upper YA/NA reverse harem STANDALONE contemporary romance. Due to sensitive content, sexual situations, and possible triggers, this book is recommended to readers aged 18+. Full length novel.

Ending

 HEA

Representation

• Side characters with a disability
• Main character struggles with depression

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Gun violence (School shooting)
• Sexual violence: Gang-rape (Discussed but no flashback)
• Bullying
• Suicidal ideation
• Suicide attempt

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Heroine pushing away
• Does have a significant separation (1.5 years) between the Heroine and Heroes (One hero is celibate, and another is also celibate, although he attempted to hook-up with an OW but couldn’t at the last minute. The last hero is NOT celibate, at all.)
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

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Waking Olivia by Elizabeth O’Roark

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

November 22, 2018

7 Min read

W

Series: Standalone

Release Date: March 14, 2016

Synopsis

“That girl isn’t just trouble of the not-a-team-player, not-a-reliable-runner variety. She’s trouble of the devious, manipulative, too-f***ing-hot-for-her-own good variety. She’s the kind of girl who causes trouble merely by existing, and then makes sure to cause more.
And the last thing I need right now is more trouble.”

A failing farm.
His father’s debt.
And a struggling college track team.
Will Langstrom has too many responsibilities, and the last thing he needs is Olivia Finnegan, a beautiful but troubled new transfer student.

A smart mouth.
A strong right hook.
And a secret that could destroy her.
Olivia is her own worst enemy, with a past she can’t seem to escape, and the last person she wants help from is a cocky track coach she can never seem to please.
Refusing to be pushed away, Will is determined to save her.
And determined to resist an attraction that could destroy them both.

Ending

 HEA

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Physical abuse (Memories, flashbacks and on-page)
• Significant PTSD
• Attempted rape (Memories, off-page)

Safety Rating: Not Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM
– The Hero has a longtime girlfriend for a significant portion of the book
– The Heroine flirts and attempts to hook up with an OM but doesn’t follow through
– The Heroine goes on dates with a different OM throughout the novel
• Does have descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
– It’s between the Hero and his girlfriend. There’s only one.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a brief separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: Kindle

Rating: 4/5 stars

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Sunshine and Bullets by CoraLee June

By Sarah

In 4-stars, ARC, Book Review

August 30, 2018

13 Min read

S

Series: The Bullets

Release Date: August 19, 2018

Synopsis

Sunshine.

It’s a nickname I haven’t heard since I lived on Woodbury Lane, where the houses were pretty but the secrets? Deadly. It was a pet name known only to the Bullets. Rough, violent, and ruthless, they laid claim to the town — and my heart.

I wasn’t supposed to fall for a boy from the wrong side of the tracks—especially not four of them. But they were the only ones who understood that sometimes hell hides in plain sight.

I was the girl with all the conveniences a privileged upbringing could provide. The world only saw two loving parents and a pristine home life, but I knew the truth. And it was going to get me killed. So, I disappeared, from everyone and everything I’d ever known. I changed my name and my appearance, but the scars I carry, they’re still the same.

The Bullets are all grown up now, too — a crime boss, a pro fighter, a bounty hunter, and a federal agent. Life took them in different directions, but they once shared the bonds of a brotherhood forged under the harshest conditions. Together they were fearless. Brutal. Unstoppable.

I’m praying they can find that unity again. If I’m going to survive this, it’ll take everything they have. Because that’s the thing about running from the past.

Eventually, it catches up to you.

Ending

 HFN

Representation

• Bisexual supporting characters

Possible Triggers: Yes

• Heroine’s family was abusive towards her (Flashbacks)
• Violence (flashbacks and present)
• Severe PTSD
• Grief over the presumed death of the Heroine
• BDSM (One of the heroes–Gavriel–agrees to protect Sunshine in the present for a price: she must submit to him)

Safety Rating: Not Safe

• No cheating
• Does have descriptive sex scene with OW (in the Past, the heroes hook-up with girls right in front of Sunshine at parties. Can’t remember if there’s a sex scene in their POV, but there is A LOT of OW).
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does have a significant (~5 years) separation between the Heroes and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Format: eARC

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

Note: I was lucky enough to have received an ARC of Sunshine and Bullets (this novel was given in exchange for an honest review)!

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The Black Lily (Vampire Blood, #1) by Juliette Cross

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

May 31, 2018

6 Min read

T

Series: Vampire Blood*

Release Date: March 27th, 2017

Synopsis:

Cinderella like you’ve never seen before…

With the threat of the vampire monarchy becoming stronger every day, the Black Lily must take drastic measures. As the leader of the underground resistance, Arabelle concocts the perfect idea to gain the attention of the Glass Tower. Her plan? Attend the vampire prince’s blood ball and kill him. Fortunately for Prince Marius, her assassination goes awry, and Arabelle flees, leaving behind only her dagger.

Marius is desperate to find the woman whose kiss turned into attempted murder, hunting for the mysterious assassin he can’t push out of his mind. But what he uncovers could change the course of his life forever…

Ending

 • Concerning the main characters: HEA
• Concerning the nefarious plot: Cliffhanger

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• Violence (Blood and gore)
• No OTT sad parts.

Safety Rating: Not Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM
– Hero feeds on blood, and his bite is erotic. He has 3 blood concubines in his harem who he then feeds from and has sex with. (Hero feels bad about turning down the blood concubines after feeding so he comforts them by hugging them and calling them ‘my sweet.’)
– Hero is also betrothed to a vampire princess (she doesn’t want to marry the Hero so she doesn’t cause much drama).
– Heroine has been celibate for 2 years after the death of her last lover, the OM
– If Heroine becomes a vampire, both the Hero and Heroine would have to feed on humans… which would result in those humans orgasming or wanting to have sex with them
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3/5 stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

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Becoming Elemental (Five Elements, #1) by Ryann Elizabeth

By Sarah

In 3-stars, Book Review

February 8, 2018

5 Min read

B

Series: The Five Elements

Release Date: December 16th, 2017

Synopsis:

Eighteen year old Breanna Hunter has always seen herself as just an awkward teenager with the unfortunate aptitude for winding up in crazy and unexplainable situations.

After tragedy strikes, she ends up on a path she never knew was possible. Bre hoped her first year of college would be a life-changing experience and a new start. She will soon discover just how transformative college can be.

After another dangerous encounter, she meets five alluring strangers who are not as they seem. Together they uncover the truth, she is like them. She is an Elemental. Through them she learns that the Elemental world is not only filled with magical gifts and bonding, but also demons and danger.

Bre and the guys need to work together to figure out where she came from while keeping her safe from those who want her dead.

Ending

  Cliffhanger

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• Traumatic death of best friend (on-page)
• Violence

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have OW drama
– She ends up staying at the guys’ house because she’s family friends with one of the heroes.
• Does have the Heroes and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Heroes and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 3/5 stars

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Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles, #1) by K.F. Breene

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

December 28, 2017

6 Min read

C

Series: The Warrior Chronicles

Release Date: July 1st, 2014

Synopsis:

It is said that when war threatens the world, one individual will be selected by prophecy to lead the Shadow Warriors out of the Land of Mist and reclaim the freedom which has been stolen.

Shanti has grown up under the constant threat of war. Since she helped her people defeat a raiding party by using a special power, she’s been a hunted woman. Carrying rare abilities and an uncanny fighting aptitude, Shanti is the only hope of salvation for her people. The problem is, she doesn’t believe in her own divinity, and when she flounders, she nearly fails in the duty hanging so heavy on her shoulders.

It seems like any other day when Sanders and his band of misfit boys find a foreign woman clinging to life in the wastelands. Oblivious to the weapon they now have in their possession, they are content to harbor the mysterious woman until she is well enough to continue her journey. But when the war spreads its arms and lands on her borrowed doorstep, Shanti has no choice but to reveal her secrets, plunging her saviors into danger.

If they band with her, they will face certain death. But to trade her to Xandre, the warlord desperate to add her to his war machine, would be to give up their entire way of life.

Ending

  Cliffhanger

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• PTSD
• Murder of the Heroine’s village and family (including her husband)
• Grief
• Violence
• Allusions to torture and rape

Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions

• No cheating
• Does have descriptive sex scene with OW
– The Heroine walks in on the Hero and OW, so the reader doesn’t “see” all of it.
• Does have OM drama
– The Hero makes it so the Heroine can’t pursue the OM though (double standards)
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 4.25/5 stars

(more…)

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Keystone (Crossbreed, #1) by Dannika Dark

By Sarah

In 2-stars, Book Review

December 14, 2017

9 Min read

K

Series: Crossbreed

Release Date: January 15th, 2017

Synopsis:

Raven Black hunts evildoers for fun, but her vigilante justice isn’t the only reason she’s hiding from the law. Half Vampire, half Mage, she’s spent years living as a rogue to stay alive. When a Russian Shifter offers her a job in his covert organization hunting outlaws, dignity and a respectable career are finally within her grasp. The catch? Her new partner is Christian Poe – a smug, handsome Vampire whom she’d rather stake than go on a stakeout with.

They’re hot on the trail of a human killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. One misstep during her probationary period could jeopardize Raven’s chance at redemption, and her partner would love nothing more than to see her fail. Will Raven find the courage to succeed, or will she give in to her dark nature?

Dark secrets, unexpected twists, and a blurred line between good and evil will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ending

 HFN

Representation

• BIPOC side characters

Possible Triggers

• Violence
• Murder

Safety Rating: Not Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OM drama
– The one guy the Heroine is sexually interested in, the Hero scares him away (double-standard)
• Does have descriptive sex scene with OW
– Heroine walks in on the Hero and an OW having sex. The Hero asks her “do you like to watch.” The Heroine just stands there watching. and the Hero keeps going.
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 2/5 stars

(more…)

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Unmasked by Magan Vernon

By Sarah

In 1-star, Book Review

November 16, 2017

7 Min read

U

Series: Standalone

Release Date: November 6th, 2017

Synopsis:

Can a hotshot snowboarder de-ice the ice queen?

At twenty-six, Blake Tremblay is one of the oldest snowboarders in the game. His sights are set on the gold medal, and he knows it’s now or never.

Kelly Johnson has spent her entire life skating and winning. She’s had no time for friends or an active social life, earning her the nickname “Ice Queen” – in and out of the rink.
Blake makes a bet without knowing all the terms. His ego won’t let him back out, even though his target is none other than the American Ice Queen herself.

What are the odds the dreadlocked playboy can warm the frosty figure skater when the real games are unmasked?

Let The Games Begin.

Ending

 HEA

Representation

No strong representations of the following:
• BIPOC characters
• LGBTQIA+ characters
• characters with a disability
And doesn’t address fatphobia

Possible Triggers

• No abuse.
• No OTT sad parts.

Safety Rating: Safe

• No cheating
• No OM drama
• Does have OW drama
– The Heroine’s nemesis is an ex of the Hero
• No descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
• Does have the Hero and Heroine pushing away
• Does not have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 1/5 stars

(more…)

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Sustained (The Legal Briefs, #2) by Emma Chase

By Sarah

In 4-stars, Book Review

September 14, 2017

5 Min read

S

Series: The Legal Briefs*

Release Date: August 25th, 2015

Synopsis:

A knight in tarnished armor is still a knight.

When you’re a defense attorney in Washington, DC, you see firsthand how hard life can be, and that sometimes the only way to survive is to be harder. I, Jake Becker, have a reputation for being cold, callous, and intimidating—and that suits me just fine. In fact, it’s necessary when I’m breaking down a witness on the stand.

Complications don’t work for me—I’m a “need-to-know” type of man. If you’re my client, tell me the basic facts. If you’re my date, stick to what will turn you on. I’m not a therapist or Prince Charming—and I don’t pretend to be.

Then Chelsea McQuaid and her six orphaned nieces and nephews came along and complicated the ever-loving hell out of my life. Now I’m going to Mommy & Me classes, One Direction concerts, the emergency room, and arguing cases in the principal’s office.

Chelsea’s too sweet, too innocent, and too gorgeous for her own good. She tries to be tough, but she’s not. She needs someone to help her, defend her…and the kids.

And that — that, I know how to do.

Ending

 HEA

Representation

• Brazilian side character

Possible Triggers

• Grief
• Death of parents and sibling
• Allusions to domestic abuse
• STD scare

Safety Rating: Not Safe

• No cheating
• Does have OW/OM drama
– The Hero goes on many dates before and after he meets the Heroine
– The Heroine goes on dates with OM after the Hero breaks up with her
• Does have a descriptive sex scene with OW
– The book opens up with the Hero having sex with a one night stand.
– Hero decides to give up ONS because the OW tells him she has an STD. The Hero–although he doesn’t have an STD–becomes paranoid. He decides to give dating a try.
– There’s a brief scene with the Hero and OW that is interrupted when the Hero needs to go help the Heroine–the Heroine calls which interrupts them.
• Does have the Hero pushing away the Heroine
• Does have a separation between the Hero and Heroine
– The Hero and Heroine briefly break-up because the Hero doesn’t want to help raise six kids
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.

Rating: 4/5 stars

*Each book in the series is Standalone

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TagOther Women

Dramatic and Passionate: The Favor by Suzanne Wright

Surviving Amber Springs by Siobhan Davis

Waking Olivia by Elizabeth O’Roark

Sunshine and Bullets by CoraLee June

The Black Lily (Vampire Blood, #1) by Juliette Cross

Becoming Elemental (Five Elements, #1) by Ryann Elizabeth

Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles, #1) by K.F. Breene

Keystone (Crossbreed, #1) by Dannika Dark

Unmasked by Magan Vernon

Sustained (The Legal Briefs, #2) by Emma Chase

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