Julie Elizabeth Leto

Seducing the Bad Boy (Kiss & Tell Contemporary Romance Book 1) by Julie Leto is a 2017 Bookgoddess LLC publication.

A marvelously sensual and entertaining romance!

This might be one of the best, high heat, contemporary romance novels I’ve read in a while. I was hooked right from the start, hypnotized by the sizzling chemistry between Jack and Angela.

Everyone knows I’m a sucker for a second chance romance, so I had a feeling I was going to like this one, no matter what. But, this story show more had me completely absorbed from the first page to the last.

Angela and Jack were an item back in high school, but on prom night, just when Angela was prepared to take the relationship to the next level, Jack picked a petty fight with her, resulting in a spectacular, heart wrenching breakup.

Ten years later, Angela still can't get Jack out of her head. There are very good reasons why he is constantly in the forefront of her mind, but with their tenth high school reunion on the horizon, Angela decides to finally get Jack out of her system, once and for all. How? By seducing the bad boy, of course.

Jack spent the last ten years as a professional photographer hobnobbing with models, enjoying high profile relationships, and the perks that go along with that. But, after a bitter breakup, Jack decides to take stock of his life. When he is invited to his ten -year high school reunion by the sweet and innocent Angela, he can’t resist.

But, when the couple finally stands face to face after all these years, it would seem their roles have been reversed. Angela has turned into a sensual seducer, looking for a white- hot weekend fling, while Jack seems to, for the first time, feels an emotional connection beyond physical pleasure… not that he’s about to turn down physical pleasure, mind you.

However, Angela has more than one reason to push back on Jack’s relationship plans. She has a giant secret- one that could change the course of both their lives forever, if it ever came to light…

I loved this set up!! Jack is the quintessential player, reveling in his bad boy image and taking full advantage of it. He doesn’t look back and has no regrets. But, that lifestyle comes at a heavy cost and sooner or later, the piper comes calling.

But, Angela really throws him a curve ball when she turns the tables on his bad boy ways!

This book was delicious fun! The characters are conflicted and flawed, but are very engaging and it was so much fun watching them develop and fall in love.

The banter is sexy, sharp and witty, and I really liked and respected Angela's big heart, fierce loyalty, and take no prisoners personality. But- ladies beware: Jack Sullivan is toe-curling hot and more than a little dangerous, and had me eating out the palm of his hand!! *Sigh*

If you love super sexy, steamy romance with just the right touch of heartwarming emotion, look no further.

I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

5 stars!

Note: This book was originally published in 1998 under the title ‘Seducing Sullivan’. However, this is an updated version, and is not the exact same story simply re-released in digital format, with a new cover. This new release is an entirely updated version, so even if you read the original, you’ll want to give this new edition a try. show less

Hotel heiress and developer Alexa Chandler has discovered that her late father left her a surprising legacy: a castle in Florida, one that was moved stone by stone from Europe and is rumored to be haunted. She visits it hoping to turn it into the exotic, fantasy-inspired hotel to beat all hotels. When Alexa arrives, she discovers that the castle is indeed haunted, but not by a ghost. Damon, who came to the castle seeking his missing sister and the dark sorcerer who stole her away, was show more trapped in a painting by a curse several hundred years ago. Somehow Alexa's arrival partially frees him, and he finds that not only is he able to interact with her, but he can tap into the magic that serves the castle.

Although 'Phantom Pleasures' jumped so quickly into the existence of ghosts and psychic abilities that I found it slightly jarring, this was a momentary blip. The tale of Damon and his brothers, an old Romani hideaway, a castle filled with magic, and a cult in search of power was sufficiently complex and fascinating to certainly hold my interest. It's obvious that the scope of the sorcerer Rogan's tale is far greater than this one book, and I definitely came out wanting to know more, yet feeling that the immediate tale had reached a satisfying conclusion.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed in this book was the characterization of the bad guys. Bad guys are often relatively superficial in romance novels because they're largely present as foils and obstacles to the romance plot. In this case, nearly every named character lined up against our heroes was more than a simple foil.

I also find it interesting when the main characters have a few flaws of their own. Damon's arrogant, and only gets worse as he uses Rogan's magic. Alexa's stubborn, and doesn't tend to take others' needs into account. Yet they're both likable enough to make an enjoyable couple. They might not have the most breathtaking character chemistry I've ever come across, but they have enough to make them a worthy focus of a novel.

Speaking of which, there's plenty of adult content in here to satisfy your phantom-inspired daydreams. It's of the fiery, passionate type, yet not overly kinky (considering we're talking about a phantom lover here).

For a longer version of this review, visit Errant Dreams. show less

There's just something about a woman with a gun. Kick-butt heroines that shoot first and ask questions later have always appealed to me. Whether they attire themselves in red miniskirts and four-inch Ferragamo's, urban chic consisting of broken-in blue jeans and ratty t-shirts, or do their best work dressed in nothing at all, heroines that take control of their own lives and work to make a difference in the world around them are nothing short of my idols.

For Marisela Morales, working for show more Alberto Garcia at AAA-Able Bail Bonds has finally brought a sense of belonging to her life. A Cuban-American woman who found herself all too often on the wrong side of the law when younger, Alberto offered her a haven-a real job, something meaningful that would keep her busy and off the streets. Once she turned twenty-one, Marisela became a bond enforcer. For seven years now she's tracked down outlaws dumb enough to jump their bail and brought them back to justice.

This time, the bail-jumper is someone who hits a little too close to home. Francisco "Frankie" Vega is Marisela's past-a young punk who later turned his life around to spend years in prison as an undercover DEA informant. Now, though, Frankie is out, and after two years back in the real world, he's been busted for possession-and unwisely skipped his bail. So what if the chemistry is still there? Who cares that Frankie's first words to her in ten years are "I remember when you used to stroke me like that?" And really, what difference does it make if his striking good looks and snake-charmer charisma make her eyes roll back in her head and the hairs on her arms stand up? Marisela has hunted down Frankie to do a job, and that job is to return him back over to the authorities.

But love dies hard, even that brought about by circumstances of a hard life of two dispassionate youths. The chemistry between Frankie and Marisela is still there, and they're both finding it hard to turn off. Frankie has no idea that Marisela isn't Alberto's secretary, has no clue that she packs a really big-and really illegal-gun. Marisela doesn't realize that Frankie is dealing with bigger issues than just jumping bond. All in all, what they don't know about each other is more than what they remember.

Together, Marisela and Frankie must overcome their shared history, rebuild their trust and broken hearts, and stop a handful of bad guys along the way. Action-adventure mixed with passion is always a heady mix, and this book is no different.

Take a dash of Stephanie Plum, throw in the spunk of Eve Dallas, mix it up with some Cuban food and a gallon of margaritas, and you've got a true winner in DIRTY LITTLE LIES. This book was an excellent start to what will no doubt be a long-lived series-one that you won't want to miss an episode of. show less

First off, Pure Chance is self-consciously "steamy". For example, the heroine has an "erotic garden" that exists for no other reason than to have her pose on various parts of a marble fountain while they have sex. It was quite obviously supposed to be really daring. But cold, wet, marble? Not sexy. And also dangerous. Bah. Besides which, it has nothing to do with the story, nor does it fit with the character.

I'd overlook that--way too many romances are self-conscious about the sex show more scenes--if the rest of the book were better.

The heroine, the hero, and the man who's pressuring her to marry him used to be best buddies in school, then after a drunken and rejected pass at graduation, the hero and heroine, both believing the other hated them, separated.

Now, years later, the hero's back in town, "retired" from his military "regiment" (and would it hurt authors to do a teeny tiny bit of research??) and opening a bodyguard business, and the other friend has started pressuring her to marry him.

So the heroine gets the bright idea to hire him for a bogus threat that becomes real.

Complicating matters, she's vowed never to marry, and he thinks he wants to marry a woman who'll keep him grounded (both the hero and heroine are risk-takers).

It's a great premise, but then it doesn't follow through.

First, the heroine for no good reason says she needs to hire him for "a friend." (Yes, I know this is standard when asking advice, but she wasn't asking advice, she was hiring a bodyguard.)

Then their reactions flip-flop. Rather than stick to the original premise of "I want you, but you're not what I need and I'm not what you need," they're all over the place. Sometimes, it appears that they think she's the one who wants the white picket fence and 2.7 kids, and he's the one eschewing marriage.

Again, this could work if it were explored or explained. But instead, it just looks like a mess. And the motivation for the friend's proposal doesn't make much sense, either.

Honestly, this could have been an excellent book with a bit more editing, which is why I wrote so much about it--it's more frustrating to read a book that could have been great but wasn't than one that's just ordinary. show less