Summer and Smoke (The Bullets, #2)

I love this series so much. We’ve got interesting and high stakes actions, layers upon layers of character connections and backstories and secrets and unclear motivations, an incredibly well-rounded harem of men that I genuinely care about equally (like seriously, they are all awesome), and a kick-a herione that is both tough and vulnerable all at once.

This RH felt a bit atypical to me in a great way in that the RH wasn’t a natural fit for a lot of them at first. Sunshine herself didn’t understand her past feelings and perhaps felt connected romantically to one of them more than the others, the men all had complicated and at times conflicting relationships with each other, not all of them are always on equal footing in the relationship, and not all of them are equally comfortable- which feels far more interesting, realistic, and complex than other “super easy” RH configurations. The RH is as much relationally driven as situationally -even though all of them had feelings for Sunshine, it is the passage of time and dire situations that push them over the edge into the RH world. The path isn’t easy, for each of them as characters and even more so for them as a group.

I also love how complex each character is- Coralee is a pro at creating characters who are rich in history, rich in emotion, and are nuanced and specific- each uniquely drawn. Everyone is flawed, but everyone is perfect for each other. While I definitely have a soft spot for Blaise, and Gavriel gets me the hottest, I like how each of them is created in such a way that there aren’t favorites. Sure, there definitely is one who is a bit more in the drivers seat, but they each play their own roles, and I appreciate a RH where the characters are all complex enough to be interesting and magnetic- I love them all.

And I love Sunshine. I want to be her, I want to be her best friend. She’s a wonderful heroine and center of this story. She’s fragile and strong- vulnerable and resolved. Bent but never broken. I could not love her more.

Can’t get enough of this series!

This definitely deserves more then 5 stars!!! This series is raw and real and doesn’t shy away from the hard times. I wasn’t sure Coralee could top book 1 but she definitely has done it with this book. There’s a lot of pain and healing, a lot of heart and love. We we’re left with a lot of questions from book 1 that this book answers for us. There are a lot of heart-stopping moment where I was sitting at the edge of my seat holding my breath waiting for the next thing to happen. It’s definitely full of twists and turns and dark moments that leave you wanting so much more. This Series has been one of my very favorites and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Summer and Smoke: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance (The Bullets Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Coralee June (Author)

I borrowed this book via the Kindle Unlimited program and am choosing to leave a fair and honest review

“Love was just this potent emotion that burst from the seams. It hurt, it moved, it healed.”

The second book of this series was even more heart wrenching than the first. All the fells are there, as Sunshine and her men try to right the wrongs of her father.
Ms. June creates some of the most complex characters in the genre. No one is a pure hero or a pure villain. But the emotions between them, be it the brotherhood of the Bullets or Sunshine’s at times destructive love, are intense, flame-bright, and angsty.
Whether it is Ryker’s fights or Gavriel’s mob-boss behavior, the bad boys are just broken enough. The good boys, Blaise and Callum are the strong shoulders she can lean on, the steady souls who love her first, last, always and forever.
With the Bullets firmly at her back, Sunshine (Summer) Bright is ready to remove the one obstacle to her happiness, the one person who scares her enough that she ran like a rabbit – her Father. Beyond removing him, or killing him, Sunshine has to find a way for all four of her very different men to live with the idea that she is not choosing and intends to keep them all, even if they runaway or hide behind their rage or criminal past/present. When the men begin to break out of the comfortable boxes she placed them in her heart and mind, she needs to reconcile the boys she loved to the men who love her.

The tension between our heroes and heroine ratchets up as we move through the dark world Ryker and Gavriel live in and their hometown. Nail-biting and unputdownable, the tension works will with the breaks for sexy time. The sexy time would seem to provide a moment for the reader to catch a break. Yet, the sex scenes build the it, as at times it is a battle between the lovers.
The characters are consistent and yet they change emotionally and their personalities evolve. The only thing I would have liked is more physical descriptions of the boys as these books are often read weeks or months apart.

The story works with out the harem convention, showing Ms. June’s amazing talent.
4 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Smoke-Reverse-Romance-Bullets-ebook/dp/B07H7VFXTS/

Omg. The story continues as the Bullets and Sunshine deal with the crazy revelation at the end of book one. The most important goal is to protect Sunshine and keep their “family” safe. But who does that include? And what happens when more secrets are uncovered? It’s about to increase to whole other world of twisted baggage and sometimes I wondered if their gang would come out intact or would Sunshine be better off running again.

Shut the front door!!! Summer and Smoke picks up right where Sunshine and Bullets end. In the second installment we get more of each character, and we get the nitty gritty of every emotion in the planet. Sunshine has come to terms with the fact that she can not live without any of the Bullets in her life. Callum faces some hard truths and learns just what it means to be a Bullet. Gavriel, Blaise, and Ryker each know they will do anything for Summer and prove it her in their own ways. Now excuse me while I leave this here and go and start the third book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanies Book Reports.

Summer Bright is just a game on a tombstone. A whispered mystery on the long-forgotten Woodbury Lane. Her ghostnteasesnme with fear and perfection. She knows I’m not strong enough to do what I should have done years ago. The Bullets are united once more, bonded by their damage for blood. There’s a vulnerability in their friendship, though. Gabriel craves control. Blaire fears losing me. Ryker fights his guilt. callum’s moral compass will get us killed. Chesterbrook may be where the old me died, but it is also where I learned that hell isn’t a place, it is a person, And if we aren’t careful, our plan for revenge could go up in smoke,

Do not attempt to read this book if you have not read Sunshine and Bullets. However if your ready to dive in imake sure you get really comfortable because you are not going to put this book down. It am so in love with these characters. Coralee June has this way of writing them that you just fall head over heels in love with them. I too am loving how this rollercoaster she has put us on is always full of so many freaking surprises you never see xoming. This is a dark and twisted journey and I do not want to give anything about it at all away. I am loving it so much. If you haven’t stsrted this series yet, or never read and Coralee June book you are so missing out.

Summer and Smoke is the second book in The Bullets series and continues right where book 1 left off. The Bullets are all reunited in this novel and the story will have you hooked from beginning to end. It takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and non stop action with these fascinating characters. The story was gripping and engrossing and a fantastic continuation to the series.
I listened to the audiobook version of this novel which was narrated by Jo Raylan and Benjamin D Walker. These two continued to do an excellent job with the narration. They had excellent pace and timing and really brought the story to life. It was a pleasure listening to them narrate this novel.

5
Let me just start by saying Holy Shit what just happened . That was an amazing cliffhanger . You are literally left on the edge of your seat . So if you hate cliffhangers I would wait to read this series till the next book is out , but if you love a good cliffy then pick this series up and dive right in. I’m loving all these characters . Summer is dies , just a name on a tombstone . Now Sunshine can rise and be who she was always supposed to be . Gavriel is a mob boss who has to have control , Blaise who is a bounty hunter who is Sunshine’s safe place , Ryker is a pro fighter who can be caring but can also be the punisher and Callum loves Sunshine . However does he love her enough to forget his morals and not get them all killed .
This book is fast paced and about revenge , but is actually the one seeking revenge . Sunshine needs to confront her pasta meaning her Father and what made her run 5 years ago . Is she strong enough to do with her men by her side . Will she lose some of her men with truths about the past are reviewed or will the all stand by her .
I’m tell you , you can not go wrong with this series . I am looking forward to reading the next book .

Coralee June rocked this sequel!!

I adored Sunshine and Bullets and was a little worried how Coralee June would top it with Summer and Smoke….but dang she really delivered! I never doubt her, I just loved every second of Book #1 and didn’t think she could top it in Book #2. I think Book #2 is just as good as Book #1 . I thought this one didn’t have as much secrecy as Book #1 but definitely hit you just as hard in the feels. We got to see the Bullets evolve and see how everyone deals with new roadblocks put in their way or when they are thrust into deadly situations.

I really loved Callum and Blaise in S&B and I still love them but Tav and Ry definitely made it now a 4 way tie, which usually doesnt happen for me in RH books. I usually have favorites, but CJ has written is so I cant help loving all of them. I also am happy to see more development with Sunshine and Nix and Sunshine and Uncle Joe haha. I think their relationship is adorable (her and Joe) and I cant wait to see if Nix gets his own story, he is super intriguing!!

This story is stuffed with heartbreak moments, heart stuck in your throat moments, ready to scream moments, and everything you could want in a darker book. I honestly loved everything about it and thankful CJ added the short epilogue or I might have died haha. I cannot wait for Book 3 and hope (**crosses fingers**) it wont be the last of the Bullets. I need to get these in paperback, this series is one of my favorites for 2018.

Do not wait to read this, you need to pick it up right now. You don’t know what you are missing if you haven’t read this series yet. CJ is forever on my one-click list

Let Summer and Smoke feed your addiction for all things dark and sensual. You won’t be disappointed! It’ll keep you guessing, while hopelessly trying to catch your breath at every new turn for Sunshine and her Bullets.