Review: Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

review-roman-crazyRoman Crazy
Series: The Broads Abroad #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Nina Bocci & Alice Clayton
Release Date: September 16, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

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Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.

Buy-Links10AMAZON | iBOOKS | KOBOReview-DGR3.5 stars

It wasn’t love or lust, but something we both recognized as a possibility of something. It was so pure, so uninhibited … We just threw ourselves into it. These moments that were little pockets of perfection. It was like nothing else mattered. Just us.”

Finding your husband banging his secretary isn’t the most shocking thing Avery Bardot has recently experienced. The shocking thing was just how little it truly affected her. Was she mad? Sure. But did she feel that bone deep ache over the ultimate shattering of her marriage to her college sweetheart? Surprisingly…no. Avery sacrificed her own dreams and life to watch her husband make his happen, and she’s done with that. She’s taking charge of her life and starting it with getting on a plane to visit her best friend in Rome.

What starts off as a mere plan to get away for a while soon begins to turn to something so much more when all the pieces that have been missing in her life begin to fall into place. But then Avery runs into a man from her past, a man that affected her like no other. A man that she left behind in her youth but never forgot.

Marcello looked every bit like my greatest love and my biggest regret.

Avery and Marcello are not the same young and loose free people as they were when they met, but their feelings for each other haven’t changed. And what starts from an uneasy truce, soon turns to friendship and then to much much more.

Roman Crazy is a heartfelt and romantic journey of love and second chances. It’s a story of friendship and lifelong bonds. It’s filled with humor, painted within the beautiful culture of Italy, engrained with the beauty of its streets and people. I loved the way these authors truly brought Rome to life in this book. I was lucky to visit most of Italy, and I swear I could actually smell the cafes as they were being described.

So now you’re asking yourself, why only 3.5 stars then? Well, that’s more a personal thing than anything with the book really. See, this read more like a chick lit than romance to me. Don’t get me wrong, the romance is still very much there, but the story is so much more than that too. But I’m not a reader that really reads chick lit so it’s not a preference of mine. While the story is entertaining, I began to get bored in certain parts and hoping for a quicker pace. I loved being engrained in the culture of Italy and Rome, but wanted more of the romance. The story is actually very well paced, and well balanced with romance, but ultimately it just wasn’t something that kept me riveted to the pages.

Was it entertaining? Absolutely! Is it something I’d recommend to fans of Alice Clayton? You bet! Will it make you a fan of the newcomer Nina Bocci? Oh yes! Was it entirely my cuppa? Not quite, but that doesn’t mean I’m not already anticipating the next installment in this fun new series!

Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Well Hung by Lauren Blakely

adwhcoupleavailablemnWELL HUNG
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Lauren Blakely
Release Date: September 10, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

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From the NYT Bestselling author of MISTER O, comes a hot and hilarious new standalone…
Here’s what you need to know about me — I’m well-off, well-hung and quick with a joke. Women like a guy who makes them laugh—and I don’t mean at the size of his d*ck. No, they want their funny with a side of huge… not to mention loyal. I’ve got all that plus a big bank account, thanks to my booming construction business. Yup. I know how to use all my tools.

Enter Natalie. Hot, sexy, smart, and my new assistant. Which makes her totally off limits… 

Hey, I’m a good guy. Really. I do my best to stay far away from the kind of temptation she brings to work.

Until one night in Vegas… 

Yeah, you’ve heard this one before. Bad news on the business front, drowning our sorrows in a few too many Harvey Wallbangers, and then I’m banging her. In my hotel room. In her hotel room. Behind the Titanic slot machine at the Flamingo (don’t ask). And before I can make her say “Oh God right there YES!” one more time, we’re both saying yes—the big yes—at a roadside chapel in front of a guy in press-on sideburns and a shiny gold leisure suit.

But it turns out what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. And now, my dick doesn’t stay in my pants when she’s around. I try to resist. Honest. But the more we try to keep our hands to ourselves, the more we end up naked again, and the more time I want to spend with her fully clothed, too.

The question now is…do I take this woman to be my ex-wife?

Buy Links

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

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Excerpt

She twirls the pen in her hand. “So who caused the contamination today? Was it Floyd or Kevin the oily electrician you tried to put a chokehold on?”“Oily Kevin needed the chokehold. Agree or disagree?”

She nods. “Completely agree. There’s so much agreement in me, I can’t imagine how much more I could possibly agree.”

“The chokehold was one hundred percent certifiably necessary,” I add, since Kevin had hit on her when he stopped by a few weeks ago. Here’s the thing—Natalie could dropkick him in the blink of an eye. She could slam him to the ground herself. But that shit he pulled with the leering and lewd comments does not fly with me. I would have done the same if a dude tried to get fresh with my little sister, Josie, at the bakery where she works. So I’d dropped a hand on Kevin’s shoulder, Vulcan style, and promptly escorted him the fuck out of my office. No one, and I mean no one, gets to put the moves on my employees.

“It was Floyd today,” I tell her, then give her the safe-for-work version of the story—the one about Floyd’s client conquests, not his comments about banging assistants. There’s no need to have that hanging out there in the air between us. Can’t plant that forbidden idea in her head.

That risky, dangerous, dirty, filthy, completely fucking alluring idea. My eyes roam the office briefly, and I catalogue all the places that are calling out to be christened. Her desk, her chair, the floor…

Just like that, my head is a wild rumpus of inappropriate ideas. Exactly what it shouldn’t be. It’s like horny aliens have invaded my mind.

But I’m not Floyd. I can do better, so I picture a vise, jam the images into it, and crush them out of my mind. The dirty images and the horny aliens, too.

“And then I escorted him out of Lila’s home and said see ya later,” I tell her, finishing the story, as I drag a hand through my dark brown hair. “Like, in another lifetime later.”

“Hmmm…” she says.

“Hmm, that’s great, or hmm, why did I give one of our suppliers the heave-ho?”

“Hmm, as in your story gives me a good idea. Something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.”

“What’s that?”

Her eyes sparkle. Hers are a lighter shade than my dark blue. “Want me to find a new hinge supplier?”

The idea is beyond perfect. I smack my palm against the edge of her desk enthusiastically. “Yes. And for the record, you’re brilliant and beauty—“ I cut the last word off so it sounds like a low bass note. Note to self: Don’t call her beautiful when you’re berating other men for hitting on her at work.

She’s watching me, waiting for me to finish my sentence, and somehow I twist the words into a new compliment, as I say, “Brilliant, and…bountiful.”

Bountiful? Seriously? What the hell was that? Maybe she won’t notice.

No such luck.

“Bountiful?” she asks, skepticism thick in her tone. As it fucking should be. “I’m bountiful?”

I nod, going with it, owning it. “Your brain. It’s like a cornucopia of ideas. It’s a Thanksgiving bounty. It’s bountiful,” I say, because I’ve got to sell this cover-up.

She squares her shoulders. “If you say so, Hammer.” And this bountiful brain was two steps ahead today. I already found a new supplier. I called around, talked to some of our colleagues, and got some great recommendations. I already have a new hinge guy lined up.”

My smile spreads quickly. “Damn. You are three steps ahead of me.”

“A good assistant should be.”

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Review-DGR5 stars5 Horny Aliens Stars!!!!!

(Don’t google “horny aliens.” Very bad idea. Just read this book instead.)

BAD, BAD, JENNIFER!!! I am putting myself in the corner because this is the first Lauren Blakely book I’ve ever read, and I am kicking myself for it!

Lauren Blakely deserves all of my happiness because that is exactly what I’m giving her right now.

20515589-_sx540_Wyatt Hammer…..yep, that’s his name….owns a construction company. He has a fantastic assistant who helps him with scheduling, and is pretty much his dream woman, but because she works for him, he is trying to be the good guy and keep it professional. They get a contract in Vegas and fly out together to make it happen, and after it falls through, agree to have one night of Vegas together. You can see where this is going.

My Wyatt:
Chris Pratt Eye Candy : theBERRY:
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Natalie: Become ugly. Act like an asshole. Stop being so damn caring.

Wyatt: Likewise, could you start acting like a cold-hearted bitch who’ll stab me in the back? It’d make it so much easier to keep my hands off you.

Natalie: If you could get a reversal on your sense of humor so I wouldn’t laugh so much around you, that’d also help.

Wyatt: While you’re at it, please stop having so damn much in common with me.

à la Mode St. » fashionMy Natalie:

Amber Heard:
Natalie is just trying to do her job of being an organized assistant for Wyatt’s construction company, but his hot body keeps distracting her. She is a badass ninja but also a girly, flirty girl looking for her unicorn. We don’t hear much of Natalie’s pov, but I still had a clear picture of who she was and what she might be thinking. The texting between her and her friends and sister was definitely entertaining and a nice addition to the story.

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The beginning of this book is everything. Even though Wyatt is trying to stay away, I love that he just went for what he wanted. I loved that Natalie was touchy and flirty without being inappropriate or annoying. I loved that the happiness of the beginning of this book lasted for almost half of the book. So many Vegas books start off with the dread of the morning after, but with this one, we get to live all of the wonderful goodness of the Vegas moments and I loved that.
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She’s slipping through my fingers, this woman tangled up with me in the mess we made one crazy night. Now, I want all those entanglements. I crave them. Judging from this emptiness in my chest, I fucking need them, because this moment with her – her sweetness, her zaniness, her upside-down sense of humor that matches mine – is the only balm to that ache.

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I LOVED that this whole book was in Wyatt’s point of view. Few authors can write a whole book from a guy’s pov, but this author CAN! And she did an awesome job of it. I literally laughed out loud, more than once. The cheesy jokes between these two….it just worked! This book felt like a combination of Tessa Bailey and Emma Chase and I ate up every word. The hotness level in this book just sends it over the edge of awesome.

About the Author

daisywhitneylaurenblakelyheadshot_smallSince self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With ten New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than fifty times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone romantic comedies like BIG ROCK and MISTER O, which were both instant New York Times Bestsellers. In the fall she’ll release WELL HUNG, another romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter, laurenblakely.com/newsletter!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

Giveaway✮✮✮ Enter to win three signed copies of WELL HUNG! ✮✮✮

 

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DGR Fave & Review: Loving You Easy by @RoniLoren

review-loving-you-easyLOVING YOU EASY
Series: Loving On The Edge #9
Genre: BDSM, Erotic Romance, Menage
Author: Roni Loren
Release Date: September 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

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Three lovers really click in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Call on Me—
  
Cora has an amazing sex life. She’s beautiful, daring, and the most popular submissive in Hayven. Too bad none of it’s real… 
 
IT specialist Cora Benning has figured out the key to her formerly disastrous love life—make it virtual. In the online world of Hayven, she’s free of her geek girl image and can indulge her most private fantasies with a sexy, mysterious master without anyone in her life discovering her secrets. Until her information is hacked and she finds herself working to fix the breach under two very powerful men—one who seems all too familiar…

Best friends and business partners Ren Muroya and Hayes Fox were once revered dominants. Then Hayes was wrongfully sent to prison and everything changed. Ren wants to get back to who they were. Hayes can’t risk it. But when they discover the new IT specialist is their online fascination, and that she’s never felt a dominant’s touch, the temptation to turn virtual into reality becomes all too great…

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS Review-DGR5 stars

You have no idea the things I want to do to you. Don’t tempt me.”

Well hot diggity damn that was freaking AWESOME! No seriously, y’all! That was quite possibly my favorite book in this series. And let me just tell you, I’ve been a huge fan of this series from book 1, so that’s really saying something. I must have read this entire thing in one pervy glee filled sitting. I couldn’t put it down for even a second. This book was everything I love as a romance reader. Yes, like all of Roni’s books in the series it was smoking hot, but it was also so much more than that! It was a little angsty with some suspense and mystery thrown in. The characters were incredibly endearing that you simply can’t help but fall for them right away. And then there was Hayes. *dreamy sigh*
I swear, that man tugged at every heart string I had…until he got in his Dom mode. Then he just made my ovaries sing.

I love a spicy little MMF romance, but the great ones are harder and harder to come by lately for me. What I loved most about Loving You Easy is that the men already have such an amazing relationship as friends and it naturally develops into something more. Their bond is so strong and watching them give into the inevitable was equally satisfying and shiver inducing. I loved that the woman wasn’t used as a buffer for them to get together and it happens before the menage element gets introduced. Actually, that was one of the things I loved most about the story.

They’d just found something none of them had ever had. And no one had any idea what to do with it.

Cora Benning is a heroine that’s impossible to not like. Growing up as the daughter of a female police captain, she knows how to spot dangerous men a mile away…but what happens when she wants the danger that they exude? Cora is a tomboy and a tech geek. She’s used to hiding behind the computer screen and not being the object of male fantasies. But everything changes for her when a virtual game turns into something much more than she ever anticipates.

He was so tired. Tired of hiding. Tired of keeping so many emotions tucked away. Tired of being scared. Tired of fighting his instincts.

Hayes Fox isn’t the man he once was three years ago. Once one of the most sought after Doms at the ranch, he used to thrive on his control. Sharing women with his best friend was nothing out of the ordinary. But getting sent to prison for a wrongful conviction can change a man. Now, no matter how much Ren may try, his trust in women is shattered, and ultimately his trust in himself is gone. But then one woman changes everything.

Ren’s hands slid down Cora’s arms and drew her hands behind her back. He locked her wrists together in his grip. “Look at our pretty captive. Take her, Hayes. It’s time.”

I loved everything about this book. EVERYTHING. I loved how different each of these three characters were. I loved the relationship between Ren and Hayes and how they feed each other’s strength. I loved the bond they share going back to their teenage years. I also loved how quirky and endearing Cora was. She wasn’t a bombshell and she knew it. Yes, she certainly had her insecurities, but they didn’t define her. She was such a strong character and I loved how that played into the later part of the story. This is no damsel in distress and I adored that about her. Ren was enigmatic from his very first appearance, and you didn’t even know his name then. I couldn’t get enough of him.

I loved the pacing of the story and the romance and I really loved the additional element of the suspense.

As for the romance? Holy mother of sizzle! It. Was. Hot. As. Hell.

Shattered. Done. Never to be put back together the same way again. She was all sensation and body parts and feeling. And she loved every fucking second of it.

Some of my favorite characters from previous books had a cameo, which I always appreciate. And I loved a few of the new faces we got to meet here. I was captivated by the budding romance and I was so invested in the lives of these characters that I couldn’t bear to put the book down for even a second.

My heart ached for Hayes and everything that he went through. My heart melted reading about his bond with Ren and the way their friendship developed and only got stronger through the years. And my heart beat a rapid tap right out of my chest when the chemistry between Ren, Hayes and Cora finally boiled over the surface and they gave into the inevitable.

This was what bliss felt like. This is what it felt like to be alive again. And these two people had brought him there.

Even if you haven’t read any other book in this series, and you love an incredible well written MMF romance, this book is a must read. You can easily enjoy it as a standalone but I highly recommend the rest of the series because it’s just as good. I can’t believe this is already book 9, but I never want it to end.


LOVING ON THE EDGE SERIES

CRASH INTO YOU | STILL INTO YOU | MELT INTO YOU | FALL INTO YOU | NOT UNTIL YOU | CAUGHT UP IN YOU | NEED YOU TONIGHT | FOREVER STARTS TONIGHT | NOTHING BETWEEN US | YOURS ALL ALONG | CALL ON ME | BREAK ME DOWN

Jennifer’s Review: Inarticulate by Eden Summers

review-inarticulateINARTICULATE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eden Summers
Release Date: September 12, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

inarticulate

He’s silent—but his touch speaks louder than words.

At first sight, Savannah is drawn to the harsh appeal of a man who refuses to talk to her. Keenan’s hard stare is arrogant and unapologetic. The quirk of his sensuous lips is cocky and in control.

But there’s more. There’s something deeper he’s trying to hide behind those steely grey eyes—a slight hint of vulnerability which captures her intrigue.

She’d been warned, told that his silence hides a myriad of lies capable of affecting her career and relationships with loved ones. Only she can’t help herself. Testing Keenan’s defenses is an addiction she can’t deny.

Falling in lust is easy. Learning his secrets comes with a price. The cost? Her broken heart.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 stars

We all want a man who doesn’t talk, right? Lmao. And let me tell you….I was digging all that is Keenan.

This is my first Eden Summers book…..and I have no idea why! I am going to be reading all of her books because THIS BOOK!!!

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”How do you do it?” she whispered. “How do you continue to wordlessly convince me to do things I know I shouldn’t be doing?”

à la Mode St. » fashionKeenan….I was enthralled by him. I couldn’t pull my eyes away. The man doesn’t speak, and I couldn’t get enough of his non-words. He had me captivated the whole book. The brooding. The grinning. The silence. I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to see what he would do next. I was hanging on his every…..yeah.

My Keenan:

My Savannah:

 :
Savannah is sent to deal with the company’s transition of a hotel and its employees. Because she has family that lives nearby, she plans to spend time with her cousin, and she meets a close friend of the family, Keenan. The meet-cute between these two is so adorable. At first, Savannah thinks he is an asshole because he doesn’t speak to her, but she soon discovers the truth that he just doesn’t speak. So cute. Keenan is irresistible. I dare you to resist him.
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I wanted your body, not your words. Your acquiescence, not your intrigue. Most of all, I wanted you to experience passion from my perspective. To strip the sensations down to pure carnality. Devoid of placating dribble and nonsensical dialogue.

à la Mode St. » fashionThe sex is off-the-charts hot!!! The flirting. The chemistry. Gah. This book was angsty, which usually isn’t my favorite trope, but I really enjoyed it.

I have to admit that I didn’t expect the surprise at the end. I was enamored by Eden’s writing style. I am so picky about writing style, and all of her words are so pretty and she puts them together so well = my happy place.

New & Upcoming Releases: Sept 12-13

New Releases-DGR

What’s that? Another fabulous new release week? You bet your kindle!


ALREADY RELEASED


INARTICULATE by Eden Summers

inarticulate

He’s silent – but his touch speaks louder than words.

At first sight, Savannah is drawn to the harsh appeal of a man who refuses to talk to her. Keenan’s hard stare is arrogant and unapologetic. The quirk of his sensuous lips is cocky and in control.

But there’s more. There’s something deeper he’s trying to hide behind those steely grey eyes – a slight hint of vulnerability which captures her intrigue.

She’d been warned, told that his silence hides a myriad of lies capable of affecting her career and relationships with loved ones. Only she can’t help herself. Testing Keenan’s defenses is an addiction she can’t deny.

Falling in lust is easy. Learning his secrets comes with a price. The cost? Her broken heart.


WICKED BOND by Sawyer Bennett

wicked-bond

Bridger Payne is an enigma that no one can figure out. Wise beyond his years, eerily intuitive and sexy as hell, every woman in The Silo wants him.

None can have him.
Not the real man, anyway.

He might wield the lash for you if you ask prettily, but he’ll get no gratification from it. He’ll definitely make you scream, but he won’t think twice about you when he walks away.

Bridger carries the darkest of secrets. He’s filled with too much pain.
He’s utterly untouchable.

Until she came along.


WELL HUNG by Lauren Blakely

well-hung

Here’s what you need to know about me — I’m well-off, well-hung and quick with a joke. Women like a guy who makes them laugh–and I don’t mean at the size of his package. No, they want their funny with a side of huge… not to mention loyal. I’ve got all that plus a big bank account, thanks to my booming construction business. Yup. I know how to use all my tools.

Enter Natalie. Hot, sexy, smart, and my new assistant. Which makes her totally off limits…

Hey, I’m a good guy. Really. I do my best to stay far away from the kind of temptation she brings to work. Until one night in Vegas…

Yeah, you’ve heard this one before. Bad news on the business front, drowning our sorrows in a few too many Harvey Wallbangers, and then I’m banging her. In my hotel room. In her hotel room. Behind the Titanic slot machine at the Flamingo (don’t ask). And before I can make her say “Oh God right there YES!” one more time, we’re both saying yes–the big yes–at a roadside chapel in front of a guy in press-on sideburns and a shiny gold leisure suit.

But it turns out what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. And now, my d&*k doesn’t stay in my pants when she’s around. I try to resist. Honest. But the more we try to keep our hands to ourselves, the more we end up naked again, and the more time I want to spend with her fully clothed, too. The question now is…do I take this woman to be my ex-wife?

*WELL HUNG is a sexy standalone romantic comedy!*


CLAIMING THE ENEMY by Lauren Hawkeye

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Piper Dawson has spent a lifetime living by other people’s rules.
She’s worked hard to get what she wants—a residency at her first choice hospital—and no one will ever tie her down again, not even her severe yet incredibly sexy supervisor, Dr. Alexander “Ace” Lennox.

Ace is done with love. He’s had his heart shattered, and he never wants to go there again. But when he’s inexplicably enticed by the sexy, tattooed woman with blue streaks in her hair and a perpetual smile on her lips, he figures that maybe he can keep it to just sex.

The problem? He thrives on control, and Piper dances just around the edges of it.

But when they’re together, control is the first thing to go…

Each book in the Pulse series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Engaging the Bachelor
Book #2 Seducing the Boss
Book #3 Claiming the Enemy


LANDING THE AIR MARSHAL by Jennifer Blackwood

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It was meant to be a one-night stand. One wicked night with an irresistibly sexy passenger. That’s all Air Marshal Gage Michaels can afford–his career comes before everything else. Too bad the snowpocalpyse of the century has different plans for him and Abby Winters. Before the night’s over, they find themselves snowed in at the most luxurious hotel in the city.

Abby’s scouting job of a NYC penthouse should be quick, simple, and definitely shouldn’t include a sexy-as-hell man messing up the 3000 count sheets that will be featured in her company’s next blockbuster hit. Not when she’s up for a promotion that could skyrocket her entire career in the film industry. Still, she can’t refuse what the weather gods so obviously want her to have. She’ll give in, just this once.

Leaving is tougher than either of them could have imagined. But they’re two people who have nothing in common, living on opposite coasts. There’s no way they can ever be together. Right?


PLAYING IT COOL by Amy Andrews

playing-it-cool

Score one for the curvy girls!

Harper Nugent might have a little extra junk in her trunk, but her stepbrother calling her out on it is the last straw… When rugby hottie, Dexter Blake, witnesses the insult, he surprises Harper by asking her out. In front of her dumbass brother. Score! Of course, she knows it’s not for reals, but Dex won’t take no for an answer.

Dexter Blake’s life revolves around rugby with one hard and fast rule: no women. Sure, his left hand is getting a workout, but he’s focused on his career for now. Then he overhears an asshat reporter belittle the curvy chick he’d been secretly ogling. What’s a guy to do but ask her out? It’s just a little revenge against a poser, and then he’ll get his head back in the game.

But the date is better than either expected. So is the next one. And the next. And the heat between them…sizzles their clothes right off.

Suddenly, this fake relationship is feeling all too real…

Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Series Order:

Book #1 Playing By Her Rules 
Book #2 Playing it Cool


SEPTEMBER 13 RELEASES


DIRTY KISSES by Addison Moore

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Jet Madden is notoriously good in bed. It’s not a fact I can confirm through experience, but, according to the lust-driven grapevine at Whitney Briggs University, he’s a sexual force to be reckoned with—many, many times in a single savory night.

The day my world crashes around me, I’m shuttled off to live with the ratted, tatted, roided-up hulk. Regardless of the fact, I’ll do anything to keep my distance from that egotistical, giant ball of muscles. The last thing I want is to become another notch on that totem pole of seduction he keeps tucked in his pants. The very last thing I want is to befriend or, God forbid, fall for Hollow Brook’s resident wick dipper.

But that sheet rock chest, those steel cut abs—a girl can only hold up her resistance for so long before she slowly goes insane. I’m trying to resist him, really I am, but I have to see if those rumors are true.

Each night I dream of falling asleep in Jet Madden’s arms, and each day I pretend as if I loathe his existence. It’s all a lie. We’re a lie. Staying away from Jet Madden is proving impossible. My body demands to collide with his, even if all it will ever amount to is our dirty little secret.

Dirty Kisses
He’s afraid to get too attached.
She’s afraid of losing control.


THE SWEETHEART RACKET by Cheryl Ann Smith

the-sweetheart-racket

They used to be on the sidelines. Now they’re out in the field…

Two years ago, Taryn Hall was a pro football cheerleader—until she left her lecherous boss with a bloody nose and a faceful of Mace. Now she’s part of a different kind of squad. An elderly billionaire named Irving has hired and trained Taryn and her two best friends to work as private investigators…

Taryn loves the job, though it sometimes involves boring stakeouts, dog bites—and listening to Irving talk about his golf shoes. Then tattooed, steely-eyed, straight-up gorgeous undercover DEA agent Rick Silva walks into the office and shakes things up…

Rick needs help finding the con artist who’s taken his lonely mother for all she was worth. With multiple aliases and multiple victims, it will be a challenge to track down the coldhearted gigolo. And Rick insists on accompanying Taryn on the hunt, working closely, day and night.

This could be dangerous. And the case might be kind of risky, too…


ON THE PROWL by Cynthia Eden

on-the-prowl

Time to embrace your inner evil.

Rose Kinley never intended to be one of the most feared creatures to walk the earth. Once upon a time, she was a human–one who fell in love with a mysterious stranger. But when she got caught in a paranormal war, she lost her humanity and died…only to wake later as a vampire.

Now Rose has a choice. She can continue to try and be the good girl she once was or she can let her darkness out to play. Maybe it’s finally time for her to step into the dark.

He’s the reason she’s undead.

Panther shifter Julian Craig has a mission–protect Rose at all costs. It’s his fault that she lost her human life, and he literally made a deal with the devil so that she would have a second chance as a vampire. And as part of that deal, he’s supposed to keep his hands off Rose. An impossible task considering the dangerous lust he feels for her.

When Rose is targeted by a paranormal collector, Julian knows that he will have to let his own beast out if he is to protect the only woman who ever touched his battered soul. Rose may be afraid of the darkness she carries, but Julian is more than ready to show the world just what kind of a monster he truly is. Julian isn’t afraid of the dark…but the monsters that wait in the shadows? They will bow to him.

He’ll show her just how good it can feel…to be bad.


MIXING TEMPTATION by Sara Jane Stone

mixing-temptation

After a year spent living in hiding—with no end in sight—Caroline Andrews wants to reclaim her life. But the lingering trauma from her days serving with the marines leaves her afraid to trust the tempting logger who delivers friendship and the promise of something more.

Following an accident that nearly robbed him of his hopes for the future, Josh Summers believes life has given him a second chance. He wants to settle down with the woman who stole his attention and his heart. And he’s willing to wait until she’s ready to be more than “just friends.” When fear of discovery leaves Caroline pretending to be his date, Josh tempts her to try the real thing—a relationship built on trust, not lies.

But then the past threatens and Caroline must risk everything—including her freedom—to bury her demons before she can take a chance on happy-ever-after.


BARGAINING FOR THE BILLIONAIRE by JM Stewart

bargaining-for-the-billionaire

In the tradition of E.L. James and Sylvia Day comes a sultry new series starring women who want to live out their wildest dreams . . .

You know what they say: billionaires do it better . . .

Grayson Lockwood is every girl’s fantasy. Fabulously weathy? Check. Dangerous good looks, complete with a titillating tattoo on his rock-hard chest? Check. High-powered CEO? Check. Too bad none of that impressed the only woman he ever loved. Since she walked away from him three years ago, Grayson can’t get her out of his mind. To win her back, he’ll have to finally open up about the secrets he’s been keeping. But first, he may have to use a little deception.

Tired of her comatose love life, Madison O’Reilly spices things up by chatting online with a sexy stranger. All she’s really looking for is a hot fling-and BookNerd seems flirtatious and surprisingly attuned to her needs. As their chats become steamier, she begins to wonder just how long she can hold out before she has the real thing. But when he steps out from behind his avatar, Grayson can only hope that Maddie will finally see his true heart . . .


QUICK TRICK by Skye Jordan

quick-trick

Infamous Rough Riders’ playboy Grant Saber has been sidelined for a bum shoulder. If he has to be off the ice for three weeks of recovery, he‘ll do it on his back—breaking in a new wanna-be cowgirl every night. But pressure from the team’s owner and Grant’s parents land him in his hometown of Holly, North Carolina instead. Things look up when he learns the hometown beauty who was once so out of his league is now single, and sexier than ever. Determined to slip in a night with her while he’s in town, Grant is shocked to discover one will never be enough.

Faith Nicholas has no interest in the newest Saber-son gossip. After losing her father just months before, she is now on the verge of losing their family hardware store—which is also her home. She couldn’t care less about the Saber’s big money or flashy toys. But she can’t seem to keep Grant out of her store–or her dreams. His magnetic charisma is impossible to ignore, and the longer he stays in town, the more she finds to love about a man who isn’t as superficial as he’d like others to believe.

With a struggling store, four-hundred miles and a rigorous hockey season looming between them, Grant will have to pull out his very best moves if he’s going to make this quick trick last forever.

*Author’s note* Previously published as a novella (Home Advantage) in an anthology, this work has never been published independently. It had been rewritten, expanded and overhauled to current Skye Jordan standards…if you know what I mean. *evil grin*


RETRIEVAL by Aly Martinez

retrieval

One story. Two couples.

I proposed on our first date.
She laughed and told me I was insane. Less than a day later, she said yes.
It was a whirlwind, but we were happy…
Until we got greedy and wanted a family.

It was a life I couldn’t give her, not for lack of trying. Fertility just wasn’t on our side. We sought out doctors and treatments. Spent money we didn’t have. Lied to our families. Smiled for our friends. Put on a brave face for a world that didn’t understand.
Finally, we were successful…
Until we were forced to bury our son.

We were left broken, battered, and destroyed.
They say love is in the details, but it was the details that ruined us.

This is the story of how I took back what had always been mine.
The retrieval of my wife and our family.


BEHIND CLOSED DOORS by J.L. Berg

behind-closed-doors

My name is Roman Cavenaugh and I’m kind of an a**hole.

Running a company isn’t easy, especially when everyone expects you to fail, so being a jerk? It comes with the territory. I don’t have time to mess around, and I sure as hell didn’t see her coming.

Cara Hamilton she was supposed to be off limits…a temporary employee brought in during my assistant’s maternity leave.

But, in the blink of an eye, she became so much more. An obsession I couldn’t shake.

So yeah, I may be an a**hole, but now, I finally had a purpose, and soon, she would be mine.

All’s fair in love and war…


ROMAN CRAZY by Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

roman-crazy-by-alice-clayton-and-nina-bocci

A delicious, sexy, laugh-out-loud modern romance about a newly single woman and her journey to find love again, from New York Times bestselling author Alice Clayton and debut author Nina Bocci.

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.


ROAD TO PEACE by Piper Davenport

road-to-peace

Widowed young, Maisie Mann was left to raise her daughter alone. Now, nine years later, she thinks she might have life as a single mom mastered…until her car breaks down on the wrong side of town. All she requires is a little roadside assistance and she’ll be on her way. But when her help comes in the form of a gruff but alluring biker, it sparks emotions she hasn’t experienced since her husband died.

Connor ‘Hatch’ Wallace is nobody’s hero. The Sergeant-at-Arms for the Dogs of Fire MC has a bitter past and has sworn off anyone threatening his independence. But fate has other ideas.

Maisie has no intention of getting involved with a man like Hatch and, despite her overwhelming attraction to him, pushes him away… until her life, and that of her child, are threatened.

Is Maisie’s only chance of survival in the hands of a badass biker?

Will Hatch be able to put aside his past and protect a woman and her daughter at the risk of losing everything?

Jennifer’s Review: The One Real Thing by Samantha Young

the-one-real-thing-reviewTHE ONE REAL THING
Series: Hart’s Boardwalk #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: September 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

TheOneRealThing.indd

Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…

While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for….

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 stars

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”If you’re destined for true love, you’ll find it on the boardwalk.

760328-_sx540_Love Letters. Do kids these days even know what a letter is? I need to teach my kids to write letters because it is so classic. The love letter story really grabbed my attention at the beginning. I wish this story lasted throughout the book instead of just the beginning and ending. This book is about finding yourself and starting over. I loved the setting of the boardwalk and the comfort of it. I felt like I was in another time and place while reading this book.

Jessica is a doctor, and she enjoys her job but she has no other attachments besides her job. She finds hidden love letters inside an old library book and is intrigued by the sad story. She knows she needs to get away, so she escapes to a small town in Delaware to find the man to whom the letters are written. She gets lost in this little town, and it a short amount of time, connects with the people like she has never felt before.

My Jessica:
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My Cooper
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The moment I met Cooper Lawson felt exactly like that hot shower after a very long, cold storm.

Of course, one of those people is the gorgeous bar owner, Cooper. Cooper is described as the BRF (blue-eyed, rugged, and flannel). He’s been through a rough marriage and worse divorce. He is a nice guy but just hasn’t settled down with anyone specific since he has been hurt so much in the past….until he meets Jessica. There is flirting and sexy grins and chemistry and feels and I just ate all of it up!!! I want to go to this little town in Delaware and just be there….preferably with Cooper.

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Bartender, mechanic, carpenter…was there anything this man couldn’t do with his hands?

Stop thinking about his hands.

I cleared the lust out of my throat before I said, “You’re very handy, aren’t you?”

What?

Why would you mention his hands?

I flushed immediately when Cooper looked at me, eyes bright with amusement and not a little bit of flirtation. “You have no idea.”

And….mini orgasm.

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This book picked me up and settled me down into this quaint little boardwalk town, and I fell in love with it and all the characters. I always enjoy Samantha Young’s writing style. It is easy and the perfect escape. I’m excited for Bailey and Vaughn’s book, and I really hope Emery gets a books too :).


THE HART’S BOARDWALK SERIES

THE ONE REAL THING (Hart’s Boardwalk #1)
TheOneRealThing.inddGOODREADS | AMAZON

EVERY LITTLE THING (Hart’s Boardwalk # 2) – Releasing March 7, 2017
every-little-thingGOODREADS | AMAZON

Review: Breaking Him by Sherilee Gray

breaking-him-reviewBREAKING HIM
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sherilee Gray
Release Date: September 5, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

breaking-him

Folks in town call him a monster—say he’s dangerous. But I know him simply as Elijah Hays, the quiet, gentle giant who works with the horses on my ranch. I can feel him watching me, that steady intense gaze making me crave things I don’t quite understand, burn in a way that frightens me. He’s always kept his distance…until that night.

I remember him coming to my rescue, me following him into the barn, giving him his first taste of a woman, and his inexperienced yet barely reined touch turning me to ash.

Now all I can think about is exposing the dark desire I see deep inside him—having him turn those dark desires on me. That low, gritty voice rasping orders in my ear. Those huge, rough hands holding me down when a storm blows in.

I want his surrender. His control. I want to break him…and have him break me…

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR4 stars

You’re my salvation, Abigail,” he said, voice low and guttural, each word punctuated with an almost violent thrust of his hips. “Right here, inside you, I’m redeemed. I’m the man you need. I’m yours and you’re MINE.”

Well, hello there, Sherilee Gray, and welcome to my auto buy list. I’m not sure what made me read this book; whether it was the blurb or the cover or a combination of both that intrigued me, but man oh man am I glad I gave this a shot. At just under 200 pages, this packs a heck of a punch. There’s a perfect mix of sizzling hot passion with emotion and character development.

I’ll admit, I’m not a reader that typically enjoys virgin heroes, and the few that I have read about I wasn’t a big fan. There was either too much cheese or insta love and my inner pervert felt her lady balls shrivel up and die in the process. What? Don’t judge me. At least I wave my freak flag proudly. But I digress.

Elijah Hays was quite possible the best virgin hero I’ve ever read. Period. Bar none. His sexual progression and pent up kinks were incredibly realistic and easy to connect to. The author did an incredible job creating a broken hero with just the right amount of vulnerability, and yet managing to instill him with just the right touch of sexual edge. It was absolutely delicious.

You’re the only face I see anymore, Abigail. The only woman I’ve ever wanted.

Abigail was an amazing heroine. I love a woman that isn’t afraid to own her sexuality and admit what she wants. I adored the way she stood by Elijah when no one else did and the way she seemed to just understand and accept him. They were the perfect match for one another.

His nostrils flared. “Sweetheart, I want to hold you down and fuck you so hard the walls shake.”

At times I did wish we had slightly more detail on their past together and the way Elijah came to ranch and met her father. I would have also loved a bit more development on Abigail’s past. There was a lot of page time dedicated to Elijah, which I loved, but I would have liked the same page time for Abigail since she was just as intriguing.

That aside, everything about this story was fantastic! The progression of the story, the tension, the development, and of course the out of this world HOT as all get out sex. These two seriously burned up the pages together. There was just the right amount of story that kept this from being just smutty fun. It was so much more than that. You’ll fall for these characters just as hard as I did.

Sherilee Gray definitely has an instant fan in me now, and I’ll definitely be going back to check out her entire backlist. If her other books are anything like this one was, I already know that I need to read them!

Review: Bedded Bliss by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

Bedded Bliss-DGR ReviewBEDDED BLISS
Series: Found in Oblivion #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Authors: Cari Quinn, Taryn Elliott
Release Date: August 22, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Bedded Bliss by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…
until someone ends up married.
Michael Shawcross is living the dream, opening up for his idols, Oblivion, on his band Warning Sign’s first tour. Until an overzealous fan goes too far and his hard-partying ways catch up to him in the form of an ultimatum from his manager, Lila Crandall.

Clean up your image—or else.

Single mom Chloe Adams is in Vegas for a rare girls’ night out. She wasn’t ever supposed to be attracted to another rockstar. In fact, she’s in rockstar rehab, and the cure for her addiction definitely isn’t a sexy, smart-assed guitarist with wicked fingers.

She never expects to accidentally end up his wife. Or to have her new husband suddenly decide that she’s the solution to all his problems. And surprise…he’s happy to show his appreciation in a number of interesting, inventive ways.

Pretending their marriage is real might just be the hottest proposition she’s ever been given.

But what happens when a lie becomes the truth?

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | KOBOReview-DGR4.5 starsBedded Bliss-DGR teaser

The moment he touched her, something happened between them. Something bigger than she could name. And she hated it as much as she craved it.

I’ve been a huge fan of both these authors since I was first introduced to their boys of Oblivion in Rocked. There’s just something about the rockstars that they write that do it for me. Each and every single time. And each and every single time I think to myself that it can’t get any better than THIS man, and then they introduce us to their next rocker. Well I can say with utmost certainty that Bedded Bliss may very well be one of my favorite books they’ve written to date. It had EVERYTHING I love in a romance; a swoony hero, a sassy heroine, a delicious slow burn romance, angst and emotion, all wrapped around a story that will keep you reading well into the night.

She stood out for him like a jewel, glittering so brightly that even the dazzling array of lights that shimmered at the edges of his vision couldn’t compete.

If you’ve read the Lost in Oblivion series , then you’ll definitely appreciate this book a LOT more since all your favorites will appear. And if you haven’t, you can easily start with this one and not be lost. This is a spin-off from the Lost in Oblivion series, and as such, there are plenty of references and cameos that amy be lost on you if you haven’t read the series yet. I think fans of that series will love this one even more because we get more time with all our favorites *cough* Nick *cough*

The daughter of a crackwhore mother and an alcoholic father had not been an ideal start in life.

Chloe Adams hasn’t exactly had it easy in life. If you’ve read Lost in Oblivion, then her dead fiancé will definitely sound familiar to you. Snake caused plenty of trouble for Oblivion before his drug overdose. Suing your former bandmates has definitely left an impression. And being his fiancee and mother of his child certainly left a stigma on Chloe. She’s in rockstar therapy. She wants a nice, stable man in her life, but that doesn’t mean she’s ready to date. Her adorable son Axl is her main concern, and she works 3 jobs to make sure she’s able to do that.

But then one trip to Las Vegas to let loose a little with her friends turns into something more when she meets Michael Shawcross, the guitarist for Warning Sign, and exactly the sort of man she’s sworn to avoid.

Backstage pass, hell. He’d give her a bedroom pass, then tie her to his headboard right through the next morning.

Michael is living the dream opening up for bands like Oblivion. His band is not big time yet, but they’re definitely getting there. And his constant presence in the tabloids due to an overzealous and engaged woman isn’t high up on his priorities anymore. He craves something more and the second he lays eyes on Chloe, it all comes into crystal clear focus. They may have history together, but he’s never seen her as the wild and free woman that dances at his concert, and he knows nothing can keep him away from getting her.

I’m going to kiss you.”
“Where?” she murmured, and he groaned.
“Let’s start with right here.” He tapped his thumb against her lips and they parted for him, dark red and slickly wet.

This was a deliciously slow building romance, which is just how I like it. I love that slow burn. It hurts so good. And Cari and Taryn definitely made it burn here…until it exploded…and then it gets even better!

This book had everything! It was sexy, emotional, angsty, and with just the right amount of humor to make for the perfect feel-good read.

How are you still hard.”
“Young and studly,” he said with a grunt. “And making you come is my Zen place.”
“Zen away,” she said and dug her ankles into his butt.

There was some tension added from outside elements of their relationship, like Lila and Michael’s father and their past, but it all just worked here. I loved the way Michael pursued Chloe. It should have been insta-love and cheesy, but yet it was perfect! Such is the magic of these two authors.

I loved the set up of all the new band members and I already know I need Mal’s book in my life. If rockstars are your thing and you like them angsty AND steamy, then you, my friend, have found yourself a new series to obsess over. I sure as hell did!


UP NEXT!

triple troubleGOODREADS | AMAZON

RELEASING NOVEMBER 18. 2016

Launch Day Blitz & Giveaway: The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

The-Protector-Launch-Day-Blitz-5THE PROTECTOR
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jode Ellen Malpas
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Forever Trade Paperback & Forever eBookadd-to-goodreads-button-2

The Protector

THE NEW NOVEL FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THIS MAN TRILOGY AND ONE NIGHT TRILOGY!

People think they have Camille Logan nailed: daddy’s girl; beautiful, spoiled young woman with her father’s bank balance to fund her lifestyle. But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she’s made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father’s ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.

Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating–both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn’t the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don’t mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn’t the woman she’s perceived to be. She’s warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can’t have both.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE | KOBO | IndieBound

The-Protector-Quote-Graphic-#3-2About the AuthorJodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a Converse & mojito addict, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males.

Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

She’s now a proud #1 New York Times bestselling author – all six of her published novels having hit theNew York Times bestsellers list – as well as a Sunday Times bestseller and international bestseller. Her work is published in over 20 languages across the world.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Giveaway
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Review: Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen

Rookie Move-Review ROOKIE MOVE
Series: Brooklyn Bruisers #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sarina Bowen
Release Date: September 6, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

rookie move

The first novel in a sexy new series featuring the hockey players of the Brooklyn Bruisers and the women who win their hearts—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Ivy Years series.

In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold… 

Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast….

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N

Review-DGR3.5 starsRookie Move-DGR Teaser

You and I don’t have one-night stands. We have forever night stands.”

If you love second chance romance with a hero that’s so sweet and devoted it will make even the most cynical heart swoon, then you’ve just found your next read! It seems the romance genre is well saturated with a good share of alpha-holes lately, and I have to say that Leo Trevi was a breath of fresh air. Don’t get me wrong, alpha-holes happen to be my crack of choice. But every now and then it’s also great to get a genuinely nice guy that fell hard once for the love of his life and never fell out of it.

Georgia and Leo were high school sweethearts, until the Georgia broke Leo’s heart at the end of their senior year and they haven’t seen each other since. Now Georgia is trying to live her dream as the publicist for the NHL and gets the surprise of a lifetime when the new player to the team her father is now coaching is none other than the boy she’s never forgotten or gotten over.

He inhaled, and the familiar fruity smell of her shampoo misted his already hazy mind. Slowly, she lifted her chin, her nose tracing a line up his cheek. Then their lips found each other’s effortlessly, like magnets realigning.

Their reunion was not angst filled but it was certainly full of tension and emotion. It’s hard not to fall for Leo the very second he appears on the pages. The man is swoon with a capital S. Seriously. He doesn’t hide from his feelings or try to punish Georgia. He’s so incredibly pure with the depth of his emotion, that it practically jumps off the pages at you.

There’s plenty of tension from outside forces like the team coach and Georgia’s father and his mystery loathing and hate for Leo, Leo being the rookie to the team and trying to prove himself, and of course trying to deal with the event that led to the ultimate breaking point of their relationship.

As much as I love a good second chance romance, I have to admit that I did find myself a little bored in the first half. Leo was swoony and sweet, but alas I love my men with a little more edge to them, so while I was full, I wasn’t quite satisfied if that makes sense. The second half more than made up for the first and the story read a whole lot quicker. I was antsy to finally get the full reason about why the coach has it out for Leo and the progression of Leo and Georgia’s relationship really picked up while making me curious about the slew of other characters that were introduced like Silas, O’Doul, Becca, and Nate. I’m already salivating for their books….O’Doul especially.

So while this was a little tame for my tastes and so sweet it almost made my teeth ache at times, it also made perfect sense for this story. I could’t see it play out any other way. I loved the ending and while I wasn’t reading this with my usual devour pace, it was still a light and easy romance that I enjoyed quite a bit. It’s definitely the start of what looks to be a fantastic new series and I can’t wait for more.

Are super sweet heroes my thing? Not really. *ducks head in shame* But Leo made a believer out of me just this once.


BROOKLYN BRUISERS SERIES

ROOKIE MOVE (Brooklyn Bruisers #1)
GOODREADS | AMAZON

HARD HITTER (Brooklyn Bruisers #2) <– available January 3, 2017
GOODREADS | AMAZON

PIPE DREAMS (Brooklyn Bruisers #3) <– available May 2, 2017
GOODREADS | AMAZON

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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