Dragon's Lair by Chantal Fernando
Publication Date: October 30, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
The first in a new sexy romance series from bestselling author Chantal Fernando about the bad boys of the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club and the women who fall in love with them.

When I found my boyfriend cheating on me, I did something stupid.

Or should I say, someone?

Because of that mistake, I'm now stuck in a world I don't belong in.

I'm a law student. They're criminals. He's the vice president of a motorcycle club. I'm a good girl with a strict upbringing. He's my ex-boyfriend's brother.

And I'm screwed.

Review:
When Faye walks in on her boyfriend having sex, she's devastated. So devastated that she goes to a bar by herself and ends up having mind blowing sex with Dex. Not only has Faye had a crush on Dex since she was a young girl, but he's also her ex-boyfriend's brother, and not to mention the vice president of a dangerous motorcycle club. Faye doesn't think one night with Dex can hurt, but she's wrong when the condom breaks and she ends up pregnant. Her parents kick her out and now her future as a lawyer seems unreachable. But when Dex shows up, angry that Faye didn't tell him about the baby, she's surprised that he wants to remain part of her life. He brings her back to his motorcycle club house, where she'll live for the next several months. And while at first Faye is nervous about living with a bunch of men who live for partying and sex, after getting to know them, she realizes they're not so bad after all. It tears Faye up, though, to see Dex with all the women he's slept with in the past, even though she knows she doesn't have a right to be jealous because they're not exactly dating. But spending time with Dex makes Faye realize that she wants something more—a family. But will Dex be able to put his fast lifestyle behind him and focus on the best thing that's ever happened to him?

This was the first novel I read by Chantal Fernando, and it definitely won't be my last. Dragon's Lair features a relationship between a good girl, Faye, and a bad boy, Dex. What I really appreciated about the book was that the author didn't make the story all about the happily-ever-after but instead added grit and realness that made the characters relatable and the story much more realistic. I also loved both Faye and Dex. I liked the fact that Faye stood up to Dex and the other men in the clubhouse, even though she obviously wouldn't have been able to physically defend herself. And I also appreciated her humor, which Chantal Fernando wrote perfectly into the story, and which I found myself laughing out loud several times. Dex was also likable even though he kept making mistakes. He never cheated on Faye, which would have been unredeemable to me, and always tried to make it up to Faye. Although he was rough on the outside and inside, there was still a caring side to him. I also loved all of the secondary characters, which Chantal Fernando did a great job of developing for future stories.

Overall, I couldn't put Dragon's Lair down and recommend it to anyone looking for a contemporary romance featuring a motorcycle club, pregnancy, and a good girl/bad boy relationship.

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One Reckles Summer by Toni Blake
Publication Date: May 21, 2009
Publisher: Harper Collins
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Purchased


Summary (from Amazon):
It's tough to play it cool on a sultry summer night...

The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver's been the good girl all her life, and it's gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she's decided it's time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she's headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.

She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny's #1 hell raiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake) and he's landed in hot water more times than he can count. He's exactly the kind of guy Jenny's always kept her distance from...but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that's out of control. Too bad Mick's got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny's perfectly, passionately reckless summer...

Review:
After Jenny discovers her husband making out with her teaching assistant, Jenny divorces him and moves back to Destiny, where she grew up, for the summer. On Jenny's first night back she rows across the lake so she can more easily see the sky with her telescope, but is surprisingly stopped by Mick Brody, who tells her to get off of his land. Mick Brody was always known as the bad boy when she was younger and although they never said more than a few words to each other, she secretly had a crush on him in high school. So it's more than surprising to see Mick again, especially because everyone knows the Brody family left. Or did they? Mick threatens Jenny so she won't tell anyone, especially her policeman father. But before either of them know, they're having sex—on the ground, in the woods, and one time isn't enough. Mick can't keep his hands off of Jenny, even though he knows she's off limits. And there's something exhilarating about having a secret affair with a bad boy. But will Mick's secret come between them, and can they make a relationship work even though they live completely different lives?

This is one of the first romance novels that I've ever read, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. But putting those feelings aside, this is also one of the best romance novels that I've ever read because of the relatable characters and great writing. I've always been a fan of the good girl/bad boy relationship, so I enjoyed the fact that Jenny was the typical popular girl, except that she was also smart and down to earth, while Mick was the typical bad boy, that had broken the law in the past, and who reformed his life to better himself. Toni Blake did a great job of balancing the plot and the sex scenes, so it never felt like an erotica, and you can also feel the chemistry between Jenny and Mick from the first page, which is important in a romance. The story overall is also well written and the plot kept me interested .

Overall, I would definitely recommend One Reckless Summer to anyone looking for a great contemporary romance that features a good girl/bad boy romance.

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