My Book Boyfriend (7): Nick Ryan

My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme, hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader. What is My Book Boyfriend you might ask.  Well it is a weekly meme where we talk about a literary crush including stats, a picture of what you imagine he looks like and some quotes from him that make you swoon.  If you are interested in participating please check out the My Book Boyfriend Introduction Page over at Missie's blog The Unread Reader.

My choice for this week's MBB is Nick Ryan from The Marriage Bargain by the amazing Jennifer Probst. He is type that at first glance is powerful and of course doesn't share much but the moment he lets someone in, he is caring and a comfort to have close by you. With his looks alone, any women would want their hands on him and its because he is the type that knows what to do with a woman. 

Stats:Age: 30
Eye Color: Chestnut
Hair color: Honey blond to wheat
Description: The broad shoulders and chest that stretched and molded the fabric. The deep bronze of his skin as if had been lying in the sun for hours. Long muscular legs and taut buttocks.  

He bent over and directed his words right against her lips. "If you want sex so bad, all you have to do is ask."

 "It's always been you. I don't want anybody else, I don't dream about anybody else. It's only you."

"I never realized a person can keep giving everything with no thought to take. "

A piece of him watched the scene from above and noted he acted like a husband. A real husband, not a fake one. The worst part was the deep satisfaction the role gave him.

The honor goes to Ryan Kwanten who is so perfect as Nick Ryan is so many ways. He is an actor who currently is starring on True Blood, I first saw Ryan on Summerland and ever since than he has captured my attention. He is definitely swoon worthy and his stance in all his photos is so hot and of course I had to share with all you guys. While reading The Marriage Bargain I couldn't help but actually see Ryan play him and the man does know how to wear a suit so their he stands ladies, with his stare its hard not to want more of him.

one more for the road

Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire #1)

Author: Jennifer Probst
Pages:216
Publisher:  Entangled Publishing, LLC
Release Date: February 14th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: ebook 

A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

My Take:

Finding a man is tough, especially one with some cash of hand, whats even more tough is finding one who wants you for you. For Alexa making a love potion was the last shot she made all she had to do was write down what she wanted and poof he was sure to come. Nick Ryan needs a bride like yesterday, and he needs someone who doesn't want him, all he needs is for the marriage to last one year. What he got instead was Alexa and she was the opposite of what he needed, for her Nick had nothing from her list she knew the universe was wrong to send her to him. Nick offers a bargain she wouldn't be able to refuse, money. She needs it for her family, and he needs to keep his job so with that in mind they set to marry in a week. The agreement is that 1 year and they go their separate ways. What Nick didn't factor in was falling for the one he calls wife.

For Alexa, keeping her heart close is hard, especially with someone like Nick, who is someone she once said, "I love you." Keeping her at a distance is the only thing helping Nick concentrate, but with their sexual chemistry its hard to keep up the distance. Its when Nick thinks allowing Alexa in that he starts to change his mind and than because of her actions, he is back to that cold edge of his. Falling head over heels in love with Nick is hard because she knows he will simply walk away, but would she be able to walk just like that, not likely. When a man offers you a deal of a lifetime its hard not to see why he is offering it in the first place. To top everything the only person who knows about the bargain is Maggie who is her best friend and Nick's sister. Her family has no clue and even though she tries to keep up a front a year is all she has to change his mine.

The Marriage Bargain is an amazing story that has you reading up late because you need to finish and hope for a beautiful ending. Alexa is so strong even though she doesn't know and keeps comparing herself to models. She knows his type and even though she cares for the man, its hard not be nail biting until the end. With each page you felt that Nick was finally able to let someone in and one thing happens and he is back to his normal self. The first few kisses they have will leave any reader wanting more and curse those interrupting them from continuing those cops man. I loved every minute of this and I have to send a shout out to the Smut Monday club for this recommendation, they know how to pick them. Of course so looking forward to the next in the series because Maggie and the Count are totally hot.

5/5 stars

Wolfsong by Kodilynn Calhoun

Wolfsong

Author: Kodilynn Calhoun
Pages:215
Publisher: Kodilynn Calhoun 
Release Date: December 26th 2011
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Review Request 

When his wolf-dog goes from furry to beautiful girl in 2.7 seconds, 17-year-old Kia doesn’t believe it. Arii’s been recruited to bring Kia home, back to her realm, where werewolves are real, the supernatural exists, and tension between the two wolf packs is threatening to erupt into a full-scale war. With his father missing, Kia is the rightful heir and without an Alpha’s power behind them, their pack is defenseless in the face of an oncoming battle.

Kia has spent his entire life being a wallflower—he’s not leader material, but he’s not given a choice. Stolen away from all he knows, he’s thrust into a world where rank is dictated by the color of your eyes and where the light of the full moon transforms you into a powerful beast. All Kia wants is to go home, where his only worry is not flunking calculus.

With the help of his new-found friends, he soon realizes that the only way to return to the real world is to end the war—but not everyone wants Kia to succeed, and as he starts to enjoy his awakening confidence as a leader and he falls deeper in love with Arii, he starts to doubt if he wants to go back at all…

My Take:

Ever wonder if or when you had the nerve to go and talk to a girl, and when you do she likes you back and makes you tongue tied. For Kia having a crush on a girl is normal for any teenager, but when sad girl turns into a wolf normal doesn't even begin to cover it. Especially when she says he needs to return with her and become alpha of the pack yeah life just got a little weird for Kia, to think today he thought would be nice because he was going to talk to a girl. Boy was he wrong, never the idea of him being a wolf ever crossed his mind and to boot his father is or was an alpha. What Kia understands is that the stories his father told him when he was a boy, became reality when Arii came and turned into the thing he never thought was possible, turned out to be true and very real. Him a decedent of a wolf pack, yeah right and pigs fly through the night.


He knows he isn't that and doesn't want to go at all because that would mean he would be leaving his family so he made up his mind. Arii left and that was that or so he thought, turned out cell phones can lead to trouble and with one message Kia finds himself in the last place he ever thought he see. The tribe captured him and of course want him to become leader of the pack. If your captured and you didn't say goodbye, you wouldn't play nice right? So with time Kia begins to feel more like them and even though the he misses his family he knows the pack has become his second family and he feels the need to protect them. What he never thought was possible became his reality and he though Arii lured him in, he became attached to the pack and also to her. He cares deeply for her and repeatedly tells her how much he cares for her. For him she is his and she believes that as well, he didn't see any of this ever becoming his future but with Arii by his side he knows the pack is safe. 


Reading about these wolves was such a pleasure, I was so much enthralled with the story couldn't help but want a little more and of course I know Kia's adventure has just begun. Being a wolf comes naturally to them and when they change its like magic, simple change. I loved that even though Kia didn't want to be alpha but he got used to the idea and tried. Kia had an amazing presence and was able to gain the trust from all of the pack. I loved this because for Kia,  becoming the pack's alpha was the first step  to his journey the next step is finding a way to guide his pack into a the future he was destined to lead them in. This was a lovely story, with action, romance and also a journey to finding one's destiny.


5/5 Stars- romance can truly lead any pack to strive

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1)

Author: E.L. James 
Pages:356
Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing  
Release Date: May 26th 2011
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: ebook

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 
The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny. 
Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds? 
Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

My Take:

When a guy who intrigues and irritates the crap out of you what is a girl to do about him. For Ana graduating was days away but first she need to interview Christian Grey, who she knows nothing about, is asked by her best friend for a simple favor. Turned out the guy who both intrigued and irritated her was Mr. Grey who is one fine piece of, I mean good looking man who kept insisting wasn't good for Ana but kept showing up. If the universe keeps sending him to her what, is she supposed to ignore him, of course not. Of course Christian has a couple of rules she must follow if she wants to keep seeing him. One of them being that he wants a BDSM arrangement and of course with her consent to be the dominant one. Another rule is to not touch him on his chest, even though its tempting she must restrain or else suffer the consequences if or when she does.

Because he is type that screams dominant, Ana can't hope for something more by the end, what she didn't expect was to enjoy being in this type of relationship. She also didn't expect to keep wanting more and more she got. Christian of course showed the qualities any man can easily have but with is weird obsession with sex and how it needs to be done, is kinda scaring Ana out. She has to many rules to follow and he keeps giving her things she insist are loan, she knows deep down she cares for him. But when things get to the point of wanting/ needing more Ana realizes that the man she cares deeply is just showing her the basics of his world to her and barely giving her a taste of what he really wants. What he wants is actually so crazy and scary Ana has no idea the pain she put herself through it being physical or mental its still hurts the same.

The idea for this story definitely intrigued me, of course Christian Grey is the type of man who dominates every aspect of any man I've ever read before. For Ana to fall for him was easy because he showed her himself, even though that type comes with contracts and of course gifts. Ana has to know that by the end she will have a different view on life. Christian cares enough, I also fell for him as well, its just crazy to think he can be so gentle but also want for her to fell pain. I loved the overall book and couldn't help wanting more. He is so menacing but also he is kind and cares deeply. While reading there where moments that had me sigh because his character for me gave a sense that Christian can possible change his ways. He started too it seemed, but he wanted more of Ana. Which is something she knew she couldn't give him. The second one keeps staring at me to read and demolish one weekend and start the third but for now the thought of getting more Christian has me sighing even more. I love books like this, leaving you wanting more and even more after that.

5/5 stars Swoon worthy

Review: The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

The Best of Me

Author: Anne Greenwood Brown 
Pages:292
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: October 11th 2011
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Library

THE BEST OF ME is the heart-rending story of two small-town former high school sweethearts from opposite sides of the tracks. Now middle-aged, they've taken wildly divergent paths, but neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever altered their world. When they are both called back to their hometown for the funeral of the mentor who once gave them shelter, they will be forced to confront the choices each has made, and ask whether love can truly rewrite the past.

My Take:

Ever wish you could have one more shot with the first person you fell in love with. For Dawson life was never really easy because of his last name and where he lived, everyone knew his kind would end up in prison. What changed for him was finding Amanda who he didn't see was also looking for him. Amanda was from a well known family and expected to be with someone her parents were proud of, but falling for Dawson Cole was the easiest thing  for Amanda. She knew he would always be their for her, and the thing was she didn't care what his last name was and what reputation it came with. But with great love comes a heart stopping breakup and for Dawson finding someone else was never in the cards, it would always be Ananda. With years passed and both of them grown up, things have changed but, one thing was constant over the years, that was staying in touch with Tuck Hostetler. Tuck was the one to let Dawson in when his own father didn't want to see his face. For Amanda, spending time with Tuck was something she looked forward to even after so many years went by. She told him all her secrets and he just listened which was something Amanda desperately needed.

But life goes on and getting one single phone call can change everything, for Dawson it was traveling back home, the one place he doesn't like going to. With the family hating him and of course his cousins hell bent on killing him going home should have been the last thing for him to do, but for Tuck he would venture into the one place he thought he would be. For Amanda finding out that the one man who gave you something without actually giving you anything wasn't really easy, she knew her mom would of course find out she was in town. But she had to pay her respects, what seemed like a one weekend getaway, turned out to be a trip to the past. Because when two people love each other like they did its hard not to look to past and hope for a better future. Emotions run high and sometimes the things in reality escape the mind for Amanda seeing Dawson again brought back all her feelings, getting to know someone who you knew all those years ago had never felt so easy. She trusted Dawson and repeatedly said she was married, but with lingering eyes and his soft touch its hard not to think about reality and to just live in the now.

This was a roller coaster for me because it touched my heart, I knew because it's a Nicholas Sparks book that I would get emotionally attached with both characters and hope for a brighter ending. While reading though I could guess the ending because of the fact that she was married, even though it broke my heart when they broke up the first time. The second time toke my heart and split it in two. Love was evident, with the way he spoke to her and was even evident when she spoke to him. Yes they were basically strangers but love never really leaves it just lingers until they can't feel it. These two had it all that time ago and for a brief moment they had it again in that weekend. What my favorite thing was that he really did give her his best of himself and she gave him the same. After reading though I needed a pick me up because when it comes to Sparks you need something just incase.

5/5 stars

Review: Betrayals by Lili St Crow

Betrayals (Strange Angels #2)

Author: Lili St Crow 
Pages:296
Publisher: Turtleback Books 
Release Date: November 17th 2009
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Library

She's no angel . . .
Poor Dru Anderson. Her parents are long gone, her best friend is a werewolf, and she's just learned that the blood flowing through her veins isn't entirely human. (So what else is new?)
Now Dru is stuck at a secret New England Schola for other teens like her, and there's a big problem? she's the only girl in the place. A school full of cute boys wouldn't be so bad, but Dru's killer instinct says that one of them wants her dead. And with all eyes on her, discovering a traitor within the Order could mean a lot more than social suicide. . .
Can Dru survive long enough to find out who has betrayed her trust-and maybe even her heart?

My Take:

When you know things go bump in the night the only thing you have in mind is surviving. For Dru Anderson knowing your one of those things is just the start of it, her best friend is a werewolf named Graves and of course Christophe who is also a djamphir. Problems don't just start with fact werewolves and vampires don't mix well she has a whole new set of problems. Being in a school full of boys seems like a good idea right? Wrong!!!! Because of who she is being allowed to fight with the boys is out of the question. She is stuck in normal classes and the only she is learning is what she already had guessed. She has so many questions and the school doesn't seem to care enough to answer and when Christophe finally shows up after he sent her to the school, he tells her that she needs to be a good little girl and not to trust people. The same people who treat as if she is too delicate, she must not trust, and to make it more worst her stay their seemed to be monitored and of course someone went into her room while she was in class. The only thing to make it worst is that people want her gone from the school and at the mercy to the one who killed her mom. 

When a break in occurs Dru makes the only decision  she has always made, run like you mean it. Running is something that Dru knows how to do, but this time she is leaving someone behind. Graves has been with her, he protects her from basically anything. But because he seems to love being at the school, she decides she needs to leave him because they are after her not him. The only thing she regretted was not saying goodbye to Graves, her best friend who she has no clue how to act in front of all of a sudden. Getting out isn't as easy as it should be and what makes it harder is the fire and of course not being able to breath right can stop anyone. When she wakes what Dru learns is turning back isn't happening and trusting anyone is hard, now on the run to another place that is safe. With her is a bunch of wolves who don't trust her only one of them Graves and also Christophe. They need to keep a low profile and try to get to safety as quickly as possible. 

Try getting to a even bigger school is not easy at all for Dru and being the only girl gets all the guys to act well differently towards her. Who said high school isn't hard enough, for Dru its only the beginning. I actually loved this because Dru is getting to know herself at the same time trying to figure out how her life got that place. She is also figuring how much she really cares for Graves and how much she is willing to keep him safe. There is also Christophe who is easily believed as the one to always be their t protect her, so life is interesting for Dru and even though every clue is presented to her about the death of her mother, Dru must also piece together the reason behind the attacks at the school. Also figure out why she is really important, to her she is just Dru nothing else, so it will be fun to see how she finds herself as I read the series. 

5/5 stars

Review: Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Lies Beneath (Lies Beneath #1)

Author: Anne Greenwood Brown 
Pages:303
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers 
Release Date: June  12th 2012
Author Website 
Available for Order: Amazon|Barnes and Noble

Source: Arc from egalley

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans, killing them to absorb their energy. But this summer the underwater clan targets Jason Hancock out of pure revenge. They blame Hancock for their mother's death and have been waiting a long time for him to return to his family's homestead on the lake. Hancock has a fear of water, so to lure him in, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter, Lily. Easy enough—especially as Calder has lots of practice using his irresistible good looks and charm on unsuspecting girls. Only this time Calder screws everything up: he falls for Lily—just as Lily starts to suspect that there's more to the monsters-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined. And just as his sisters are losing patience with him.

My Take:

What happens when you must put an end to a life that means so much more to others, even when that life is a debt that should have been paid all those years before. Calder White knows that for a wrong to be right he must do what his sisters say, the one thing he isn't supposed to do is fall in love. Seducing Lily Hancock was just by chance but him falling for her was just another thing his sisters hold over him because love is a very strong weakness. The target they have searched for is Lily's father and his sisters want his life. Getting close to Lily was just to be temporary and just to be a means to and end. What he never realized was that his sisters were wrong in taking a life and because he is different he has to choose between  the love of his family or the love from a girl who likes him for him.

Being made into what he is has never been a problem and even though he stays away from his sisters as much as he can, he really does love them. He knows that they have love for him and even though his mother changed him, he will always love his sisters. Because of what he feels though, that compassion towards humans is what makes sure he doesn't take lives as often as his sisters do. Who said being a mermaid was any easier than being human, to survive you have to steal the person's energy. But when you can stray yourself like Calder can, you must distance yourself from any and all human contact.

Yup love can complicate things and even though Calder cares he knows he really isn't right for Lily. What he never expected was how much she cared about him and how far she is willing to keep him safe. Something no one saw coming was that love is as powerful as it is strong. The thing is when his sisters find out Lily and her family needs protection and what it comes down to is, distancing himself is never going to good enough for his sisters. He has to stand his ground for what he believes in even when secrets of the past come to the surface Calder still feels he has love and that is all that matters. I fell for Calder as he came to grips with what was right and wrong and even though he was put to seduce Lily, his change is perspective for me changed as he was able to get to know her. With his sisters ready to basically start war Calder is ready and he really does care. Sometimes he seemed to full of himself, but with each page he made me swoon and instantly I was intent on reading the last page even though I wished there was more after that last page. Anne's Calder will have everyone chanting his name by the end and wanting to be his. Mermaids have been this sexy and enchanting, please I need more.

5/5 stars