Showing posts with label Dylan Allen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dylan Allen. Show all posts
"I thought you didn't dance," I tease.
"I guess I found the right beat, because here I am."
"You like the beat of Calypso?"
"I like the beat of you."
"I guess I found the right beat, because here I am."
"You like the beat of Calypso?"
"I like the beat of you."
────── ♔ ──────
The Mastermind by Dylan Allen
Standalone - Rivers Wilde #3.7
Release - February 8, 2022
Genre - Contemporary Romance / fling
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC (Thanks to Social Butterfly PR)
Length - 253 pages
Publisher - 1001 Dark Nights Press
Release - February 8, 2022
Genre - Contemporary Romance / fling
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC (Thanks to Social Butterfly PR)
Length - 253 pages
Publisher - 1001 Dark Nights Press
He lives under a golden spotlight.
I’m shackled to a past that must stay hidden.
Omar Solomon is the king of the comeback.
Ten years ago his career as a star athlete ended in injury and scandal.
He may have traded in his cleats for Gucci loafers, but he’s been as victorious in the boardroom as he was on the pitch.
He returns to London, wealthy, influential, and powerful beyond measure.
And he spends every weekend in the pub where I work.
A law student with a night job and a dark past,
I’m hardly the type of woman a man like him would notice.
Or so I thought.
When he offers me a no-strings-attached affair,
I forget all the reasons I should say no.
He’s straight out of my dreams—
with a body and a mouth made for sinning.
Our passion turns my gray existence into a vibrant, colorful life.
But it has an expiration date.
When his time in London is over, we will be, too.
And it will be for the best.
Because he can never find out who I really am.
But my Mastermind has set his sights on a new goal: me.
And this time he’s playing for keeps.
My Two Cents
3.5 "Break and Beat" stars
Sweet and charming
Sexy and spicy
Dylan Allen knows how to deliver must-read, heartwarming, happily ever after romance!
Omar Solomon was a man who seemed to have it all—money, celebrity, family, friends, etc. Yet he was uncomfortable with the press and failed to make real connections in his love life. And his family seemed to be falling apart due to secrets and lies.
Jules knew all about lies—heck, she was living the biggest one of them all. She didn't allow anyone to get too close, stayed under the radar, and dreamed from afar.
It was like these two were each other's kryptonite. They were doing things they vowed never to do. Feeling things they never experienced before. While their romance seemed to build quickly, it actually started off extremely slow (their pseudo meet-cute forced things to develop in steps).
I was even caught up in the mystery surrounding Jules's past. Who did what? She is who now? What happens next?
However... don't act like you didn't know a but was coming... I did find that this story was too long and yet not long enough. While some parts were explored in depth, like the relationship between the main characters (so good), the other parts, those surrounding the past, seemed to be left up in the air. Touched, but barely. I'm greedy. I think we all know this by now and I needed more.
Not quite a novella, not quite a novel, but definitely worth the read.
About the Author
A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters find a love worth fighting for. When she isn’t writing or reading, eating, or cooking, Dylan indulges her wanderlust by planning her next globe-trotting adventure.
Dylan was born in Accra, Ghana (West Africa) but was raised in Houston, Texas. Dylan is a proud graduate of Tufts University, Howard University School of Law and the London School of economics. After twenty years of adventure and wild oat sowing, Dylan, her amazing husband and two incredible children returned to Houston where they now make their home.
Visit https://www.authordylanallen.com/ for more information
![The Rivals by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjauSL75uVX6ve0FacscqHUeHu3u9DLcXD5Jz3wy36p4etS-JDgIp-sbw5v9iwFJB85rAoz5rEwmdYHaQuB7KkXb5LiugDjpBnW45g9SaL97bVF3A6lx_iD5C6cPZGTqLwk-Y8MtAC_T6Ee/s600/the-rivals-dylan-allen.jpg)
He listened to me. He thought about what I said and found value in it. I think this man might be a unicorn.
![The Rivals by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8leVlRrg-slTrVZ2rN5Q8FP9Cv0LkH4_4VHlbJv1TcoVzbJ1vtbFw2r2i6H_nTqZ50pSblV_DwqA3-x_5MY95QBMcAFPH5lMRJoO3dU_6dyIWB6D5QJdQcwyMVk4gNfQmGpYgdJcGRoX9/s320/therivals_dylanallen.jpg)
The Rivals by Dylan Allen
Rivers Wilde #1-3.4
Release - December 14, 2020
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Format/Source - Kindle purchase
Length - 1353 pages
Publisher - Gold Coast Girl Publishing
THE LEGACY
Heir to a fortune, Hayes Rivers has been raised to lead.
Just as he finally claims his legacy, he falls in love with a woman who is the opposite of everything he should want.
Family secrets call everything he believes into question - and put him and his new love on opposite sides of a lawsuit.
Can he salvage his family’s name and his new relationship?
THE LEGEND
At the same time a scandal turns his family upside down, Remington Wilde’s first love comes back into his life.
He wants a second chance to get things right,
But can he convince her to trust him again?
And can he forgive her when he finds out the real reason she’s back?
THE JEZEBEL
The last time he saw her, loving Regan Wilde had been an impossible dream for Stone Rivers.
When a chance encounter brings them together again, their complicated past and messy family connections threaten to put her out of his reach again.
This time, Stone won’t stop until he can claim her as his own.
THE GATHERING
After their obstacle defying happily ever afters, our favorite couples are ready to tackle their biggest challenge yet- Getting this family of rivals together for a holiday meal.
Plans are made, invitations are sent, and decorations are hung.
But as the evening approaches, surprise guests and announcements are as plentiful as the good cheer.
Will it take a holiday miracle to make- and keep - this season bright? Or are these rivals destined to remain that way?
Find your copy of The Rivals by Dylan Allen on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wG13sI
You can also read it for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGF4Ey8qf0V4SkcjM-EDacuOOShSqcQT4ayF2jtqxr_dy1ZX9BSwrGTvb-GTx-FUjYTGdiQRzJoA5XmfvBe0N2gC4mofeFHYogeXMpAgFBBNkLCyzs_lNxwFZSwNSJMk6hFlfS29fY9nzx/s0/review-blank.png)
![The Legacy by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkOAyu1Nksey4BCwvG9iDcx6ury1FaeovtF0ljMoEjwE0ydzmIx6mvxuBZD5eKusVZ1sBVPeRw6fmOke3hsKwHdP9ef2ey9q8paPBXEWMoRSdnP1GgFFqp0jtgyMp_XcSFlxQXhWk7IAZ/s320/thelegacy-dylanallen.jpg)
The Legacy by Dylan Allen
4 stars
Rivers Wilde #1
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
He's my river. I am drowning in him. And I don't want to be rescued.
Hayes was sexyyyy! Rich, arrogant, with a heart of gold. Confidency was also sexy. She was a warrior for social justice who had a huge chip on her shoulder. They meet and it's lust at first sight. Then hate because of a little misunderstanding. Then straight back into lust again. I guess that's what hanging off a cliff ledge will do to you. Their lust quickly grew into love and it was beautiful...
Until it wasn't...
This was shaping up to be a five star read. But when Confidence had Hayes humbling himself a step too far, I wasn't having it. I'm all for a good grovel when a man has done his woman wrong. But Hayes wasn't completely to blame and Confidence needed to get off of her cross. Can a man get a moment to explain? Especially for thinking and saying stuff before he even knew you? When a man consistently shows and proves his love and devotion, can you maybe throw him a bone and not throw it back in his face? Maybe don't be unnecessarily disrespectful and rude. I get feeling hurt, but if there's love in your heart, which there obviously although she tried to hide it, you should never be so cruel.
Whew! Glad I got that off my chest! Overall, it was a great read.
![The Legend by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI73vnvbQA0icx2iHfiyNWHxg5x0EiJBR8QwQz9F8J7ziyr336XzjnszJVej483E6_MXeQ7rsYkUiFTk7H95DVLWr-zkYEDQevTZ6PKC9a_-S64a9aYH2eacoXKiGMmRQ1xLkEKSWN3gL_/s320/thelegend-dylanallen.jpg)
The Legend by Dylan Allen
5 stars
Rivers Wilde #2
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4.5 out of 5/several explicit scenes
All legends are lies. Make your own truth.
The Rivers and the Wildes are supposed to be enemies. That's hard to maintain when the two heirs of those kingdoms, Hayes and Remi, are not only best friends, but connected through secrets. And that's just one small piece of this story.
Remi's life was always planned for him and he finally took it upon himself to start making his own decisions. Constantly forced to measure up to the ghost of his father, when his family's secrets are exposed, he's left shattered. The only person who could possibly reach him, heal him, and lead him back to the light was the one person who was always just out of his grasp... Kalilah.
Remi always finds a way to take something terrible and reshape it into something beautiful.
This second chance romance was full of drama, angst and feels. Dylan Allen took me on a roller coaster of emotions. From the wistful optimism for young love, the anger and betrayal of deceit and lies, to the never-ending hope for reconciliation, I was utterly swept away by the journey Remi and Kal were on to be with one another.
I only had one real hangup with this story. Here's the thing... Remi is half-Jamaican and half-Irish. What a coinkidink! I'm also Jamaican and Irish. I'm not in touch with most of my family on the Irish side, but I was raised by a single Jamaican mother. I got her values. I got her culture. I was immersed in it. I know what it is to be a Jamaican. Our food, our words, our every whim is unique. So I know when it isn't exact. And while this book came close, it did have mistakes, which I won't list out because really I'm the only one who cares. Some of the patois was off and for the life of me... I've never heard of curry stew. I've made curry goat, curry chicken, curry cow foot, curry chicken foot, even curry duck, curry meatballs, curry soya, curry about everything... but no curry stew.
![The Rivals by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJYwXp1oAtZEH3EbBZS6lh18fsTuJwsJAFMpzX9WF65tyoAb2udZs1PMh9a_deshmP6zUX8SrgVfmGjAcEdpJL8MrTW3YocZDgIJlJvj5MPQdW6MlHd7fBNnSxnBTgFYgpVq2DYtCzIgn/s320/thejezebel-dylanallen.jpg)
The Jezebel by Dylan Allen
5 stars
Rivers Wilde #3
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4.5/several explicit scenes
"Just because you're not like everyone else, doesn't mean there's a single thing wrong with you. You're perfectly made." - Regan
I think Regan was the character I was able to identify with most. Similar backgrounds (aside from the wealth, obviously) and the way she deals with her emotions (or doesn't) made it easy for me to draw parallels. So here's what I took away from this book:
☆ She's got 3c hair and I'm between a 3b and 3c. Her hair care was a little off considering, but I enjoyed that little touch
☆ Her first year of college, the whole experience of trying to find and understand her identity... who hasn't gone through that, especially when you're mixed. I too joined both the Jamaican and Irish associations at university
☆ I loved the evolution of her relationship with her mother. All of the lies and secrets have been exposed and all they're left with is the truth. It's humbling and both mother and daughter showed a lot of growth
Regan was an easy woman to love and respect. I admired her loyalty and integrity when it came to those she loved. As a mother, even when she doubted herself, she was incredible. Allen did an amazing job with building this character.
Then there's Stone... this man was flipping awesome! Hot, intelligent, compassionate, passionate, honorable... He was extremely swoon-worthy.
"I water you, you water me. Together, we're going to grow."
And Tina... mama bear... matriarch of the Wilde clan... she blew me away with the levels of her development. Once a cold, hard queen, by the end she was a different woman. I was finally able to see the love and care she had for her children. I was finally able to sympathize with her suffering. She became beautiful to me and her words to her daughter...
"New rule — romanticize yourself. You are the stuff of fairytales, my Reggae Queen, and it's time you started living like it."
Yes mum!
Again, there were some discrepancies that I made note of, such as some of the Jamaican cuisine, culture and patois, of what it is to be mixed race and the challenges one faces, and some of the French (question structure). Again, there was nothing that could detract from how much I was able to enjoy and be entertained by this story.
![The Gathering by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1IoF-CNY5l3GT3s5u03Hz2naUX57o_enwjhqArTWOvoDR5hMI_J6DRXM3WiKkXXRGwu_2FE6n49vO6yez4FUzpPbOQAlzNmqsQTX3vZzM3prxMjtYMj8ivR9Ley0JXnomlMgtjvu_hhds/s320/thegathering-dylanallen.jpeg)
The Gathering by Dylan Allen
4 stars
Rivers Wilde #3.4
Multiple POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
The highlights: everyone's leaving! Just kidding, but not really.
I loved getting a glimpse into where the Rivers and the Wildes are right now. Everyone's still very much in love and while what was happening between Kal and Remi was a bit annoying (once again she was being selfish and I didn't like that he encouraged it), I still liked seeing where they all were at.
Surprise of all surprises... Tina's got her groove back and I loved it!!
There was even a teaser for what will be Tyson Wilde's story. He hasn't featured in any significant way so far, but if he's anything like the rest of his family, his story is sure to be lovely.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxf4BPvmlKVLQ57zlUve-U-NAg2eU2zHMxBzuL3Rg-9JJy3gbOi66Q9POrqXcpAzEFNkib1StMh6EnfaurzIaET7ZcUui02xq9m-q3vL7irXxsHXVg-MKnxwJfuUvkQrN8S398t_Dg9at/s0/author-blank.png)
A self-proclaimed happily ever junkie, she loves creating stories where her characters find a love worth fighting for. When she isn’t writing or reading, eating, or cooking, Dylan indulges her wanderlust by planning her next globe-trotting adventure.
Dylan was born in Accra, Ghana (West Africa) but was raised in Houston, Texas. Dylan is a proud graduate of Tufts University, Howard University School of Law and the London School of economics. After twenty years of adventure and wild oat sowing, Dylan, her amazing husband and two incredible children returned to Houston where they now make their home.
Visit https://www.dylanallenbooks.com/ for more information
I look down at the top of Apollo’s head. Her daddy must have been really smart giving her that name. Because she’s just like the sun. She chases away the dark. She lights me up and makes me worth looking at.
![The Sun and Her Star by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_d2kVR8Alc4nTXVgoPuP-FOuhc77fLd3Ktp2S5r4NfX3MMoRWPVfaHH8-Pc7YHRBgUElzNITmp9zoQSzfUARPQH15MmFeD3V7_ZTn5-xu1pj0W_or29i05EcuZ5VCk6GeXGNGYTl1CwB0/s320/the-sun-and-her-star.jpg)
Once upon a time, that star shone only for me.
Now, I have to share him with the rest of the world.
For a while, I thought I could do it. Because, beneath the hypnotic smile, gorgeous body and God-given charm that made him famous, I still caught glimpses of my best friend.
Of the boy who called me sunshine and loved me.
I wore that love like a crown . . . until he placed it on another’s head.
Losing him was agony, distance felt like the only cure.
When tragedy reunites us after years apart, it only takes one touch to erase the past. Just like that, I'm back in his arms.
He promises this time will be different. But I’m afraid to believe him.
Because behind his star’s blinding brilliance is a darkness that doesn’t want to let him go.
I know a star that bright can’t belong to just one person, but my jealous heart doesn’t want to share him.
I want all of him . . . even if wanting what doesn't belong to me leads me to ruin.
![Thicker Than Water](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBtQrxpMxJ8qpVHvIihH2ssw63VvOHlHOmaIWjzRkrutgZ4dCpX6FusM0jRvglolzGTVpDLFsVFn1eUXnFfp_w91ogdFaQ3LY19uc8k0lZKlB6zhuAOddEB7v_GrxADkPaMcF__gVRCTi/s320/thicker-than-water-dylan-allen.jpg)
Standalone
Release - October 4, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Length - 384 pages
Lucia Vega is on a winning streak.
Her book, Throw Away the Key has taken the country by storm.
And now it’s being made into a movie.
After years of chasing it, she can finally taste freedom.
Reece Carras is one of the most powerful men in Hollywood.
Handsome, rich and generous, he’s everything girls like her aren’t supposed to dream of.
But dream she does. And in his strong arms she finds a freedom she never even knew existed.
Falling in love is the easy part…
Cruel twists of fate and torn loyalties will make staying together seem impossible.
Sacrifices will have to be made.
And they will learn that blood may be thicker than water,
But nothing is more powerful than two hearts that beat for each other.
![Remember by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yVwl4hkUBcRIf8JojeGs0kBYw13EB1b8EJjRrHTcEmkZl8HDSL1W6V4GxQPm_2cAKldQOvzaAdOL77bQrLkcDaSm6uLQh2xEUIjey8r1KvnICOCyJxT23uuoksgLFSlziNBmESMuRtba/s320/remember-dylan-allen.jpg)
Standalone - Symbols of Love #2
Release - May 30, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Second Chance Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Length - 296 pages
Millicent
Milly’s life was safe. Her plans, certain.
She doesn’t take risks because she knows what it’s like to lose everything.
But, when it all falls apart, she decides to throw caution to the wind.
Her journey to reclaim her future leads her straight into the grown up arms of the boy she left behind.
In them, she finds passion long denied and love she thought was lost.
But is the promise of a second chance worth the risk of losing herself again?
![Rise by Dylan Allen](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgb9Tru6C30QRY1dcDbpXQg0vLK3KPHdGalNF1UjDCvhLwixqgpDZLnbMQgn_hm9ut7aouvmxICXbVQdwt2L37EUF6unTYhsg4s3j5ApXw5nwGcLVVmOZ231X6Klb7fTvhRDkfR_yD86Jq/s320/rise-dylan-allen.jpg)
Standalone - Symbols of Love #1
Release - February 15, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Length - 262 pages
As a little girl, I saw my father destroy the family he claimed to love. I watched my mother waste her life dreaming of a man who left her without a second glance.
As a woman, I don’t dream, I work. I don’t fall in love, I focus. I would never let anything as frivolous as love distract me.
Until I meet Simon. A gorgeous, brilliant young architect with dark eyes, a sweet smile, and a dirty, dirty mouth. He sets me on fire, and suddenly all I can do is dream…of his hands, his lips, his body. Of a heart good enough and a love strong enough to make me believe in happily ever after.
But Simon has secrets that are even deeper than mine. Will our pasts destroy everything we’ve worked for? Or will we find the courage to rise to the challenge and fight for the love we share?
Find it here:
Goodreads | Amazon
Read it for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
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