Bully by Deborah Bladon, Erotic Research by Mari Carr, The Cleaner by Renee Rose

Bully by Deborah Bladon

My jerk of a boss is getting married today.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that the bride-to-be is me.

Graham Locke is cocky, condescending, and looks sinfully sexy wrapped in a thousand dollar suit.

He’s also a nightmare to work for.

When he sends me a text message asking me to meet him because he’s getting married, I laugh out loud.

Who would marry him?

It turns out I do. I literally marry my boss.

It’s not for love. I can’t say it’s entirely for money, but that does factor into my decision to become Mrs. Locke for ninety days.

Three months will fly by, right?

Wrong.

Within twenty four hours, I’m counting the seconds until I can go back to being Trina Shaw.

I persevere because I’m not one to give up even though I seriously consider it.

It doesn’t take long before I discover that my husband isn’t the man I thought he was.

The secrets he keeps hidden close to his heart may end up breaking mine.

Bull was a pretty standard Billionaire-type romance... Super rich guy, not rich girl, marriage of convenience that becomes more... Misunderstandings and alpha growling abound... It fits safely in the mold and didn't wow me in the slightest but it was enjoyable enough to read and passed the time quite nicely.

Erotic Research by Mari Carr

It was just a little innocent research.

Romance writer Julia Martin is fine with her life, just the way it is. Her simple apartment, successful career and Thursday night pizza dates with her too-hot-for-words editor Ross are more than enough for her. At least that’s what she thinks until her cat dies.

Ross Philips has spent years lusting after his shy best friend, but fears his rather strong sexual desires will be too much for Julia. When she falls into a depression and stops writing, Ross decides she needs a change.

His suggestion? A new genre—erotica. And, of course, being such a good friend and editor, he plans to help her do some research.

This was... Interesting. 

On the one hand, we have a delicious friends to lovers read which features a clueless damsel and a handsome, kinky, rake - 2020's style! 

On the other hand, we have a clueless muppet of a woman with zero self-esteem and a dude who should have pulled his head out his ass years ago and claimed his woman before she descended to these depths of neuroticism!

So, I don't think I have to say that I'm highly conflicted when it comes to what I think about this book! 

Part of me really enjoyed it and part of me was eye-rolling and growling all the way through. 

I adored Ross but Julia got on my nerves super quickly!

The sex was a bit mild considering the build up and there wasn't a lot of it - which is a bit strange given it's supposed to be an erotic romance! It was a book with more talk than action... Which would have been okay if it wasn't for massive communication problems and an epic misunderstanding! How can people who talk, talk, talk not freaking communicate?!!!

So yeah. I don't really recommend this one but I don't not recommend it either. I'd say if the blurb strikes you as appealing then give it a go and make up your own mind because I still can't make up my own!

 

The Cleaner by Renee Rose

I’VE CAPTURED THE CRIME LORD’S DAUGHTER

She will pay the price for her father’s sin.

I’ll use my beautiful prisoner to get him.

To make him suffer. Make him believe I'm hurting her the way he harmed my sister.

And when I’m done tormenting him, I will offer a trade: her life for his.

I owe him a slow, painful death. Revenge is my due.

But Kateryna is strong in ways I didn’t expect.

Broken before I ever got to her, she's a willing participant for my torment.

She turns the tables on me, seducing me with her laughter.

Her wild, crazy appetite for pain and pleasure.

Now I must choose: Keep her and forgo my revenge or destroy my enemy and the woman I’ve come to love.

Oh my... Hello daddy issues!! Kateryna is loaded with them and it's a little bit unsettling but once you move on from that this is actually an entertaining read!

I'd describe it as filthy with feelings which I appreciate.

It's technically a dark romance and a mafia romance but compared to most mafia and dark romances it is a fluffy bunny! It touches on messed up and serious issues (people trafficking, sex-trafficking, drugs etc) but all the nightmare material is background. It's not focused on or dwelled upon. It's not handled lightly but the book focuses on Kateryna and Adrian's relationship and not on mafia politics or darkness. It's low drama and low angst.  Adrian and Kateryna have amazing chemistry and banter that I found highly entertaining. 

I adored how Adrian was a mafia "cleaner" but was such a (relative) gentleman when it came to Kateryna. He had a moral code and I loved his burly, protective, demeanor and how he looked after her.

Kateryna... Well, I've already said she's a messed up puppy but I love how she found a home and someone to actually love her in Adrian. 

It was fast paced and not overly long but despite this it took me a while to get through the book as I just didn't have much motivation to pick it up. It was enjoyable but it didn't grip me. It didn't make me want more, to read the others in the series, or read more from the author... I could put it down and forget about its existence.

If you're looking for a "gateway" book into dark-romance or mafia romance this book may not be a bad place to start but if you enjoy either of the sub-genres on the regular I'd skip.