Review: Justified by Jay Crownover

JUSTIFIED
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Western
Series: Loveless, Texas #1
Author: N.E. Henderson
Release Date: June 25, 2019

The New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series delivers a romance about a rugged Texas sheriff who must protect the woman who was once his sworn enemy…

Case Lawton comes from a family of criminals. So as the sheriff of Loveless, Texas, he’s determined to do everything by the book–until he’s called to Aspen Barlow’s office after a so-called break-in. The last thing he wants to do is help the woman who cost him custody of his son. But Aspen isn’t the heartless lawyer Case remembers, and he starts to question his long-held grudge…

Aspen is scared for her life, and Case is her last hope for protection. But to get him on her side, she’ll have to reveal the painful truth from all those years ago. Now, as they work together to track down a dangerous criminal, Case and Aspen learn to trust each other. And as the threats escalate, it becomes clear there’s a thin line between love and hate… because there’s nothing Case wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

AMAZON

She was the last woman I should have my hands on, but she was the only one who could make me lose all sense of reality.

I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and boy did this book bring it. I will admit, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve read a Jay Crownover book and I’m not even sure why. I forgot just how much I missed her writing until I dove into this one. Having said that, while there’s some carryover from her other series, I had no problems diving right in.

This starts out with a real bang with Aspen representing Case’s ex wife in their divorce settlement. She’s a phenomenal lawyer, but she can barely stifle the guilt over her skill at her job being responsible for the woman getting full custody rights from the man that’s devoted to his son. It’s been years since that moment, but Case has never forgiven her and the animosity has only grown. You can’t help but feel for Aspen. She was the awkward new girl that fell for the town’s golden boy in high school. Only to be the object of his anger years later.

A lot of things have changed over the years. Case now has full custody of his 17 year old son and Aspen is dealing with a divorce of her own supposed perfect. But when her office gets trashed and her life seems to be in danger, none other that sheriff Case can get to the bottom of it. But protecting her also forces them to finally deal with all the years of pain and anger between them and to finally give into the passion that’s been brewing right along it.

The beginning is a bit of a slow build and there’s a lot of backstory that fills the pages, but I really enjoyed that part. I loved seeing Case’s anger slowly defrost and the cloud of judgement begin to dissipate until he sees Aspen for the woman she really is.

There’s a lot of story that’s set up here for some secondary characters that I’m already chomping at the bit to get books for (especially one particular MC). There’s plenty of action and suspense to play along with the evolving romance, and I devoured it. The only quibble I had was with the ending. There’s a certain twist that happens that seemed just way too OTT and grand for be to fully buy into it, especially taking all the other dynamics into account. It felt more like shock value rather than a true twist to me, and it took away from my engrossment of the story a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it immensely and can’t wait for book two, I just could have done with a different twist. But this is an entirely subjective thing and I’ll probably be in the very minority with my thoughts. Either way, I can’t wait for the next book!

#DGRFave & Review: Manipulate by Pam Godwin

MANIPULATE
Series: Deliver #6
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pam Godwin
Release Date: June 25, 2019

Tula Gomez is in the most ruthless prison in Latin America.

She only drove to Mexico to help her sister. She did nothing wrong.
But her quiet life changed in an instant.

To survive the violent, cartel-controlled prison where men blend with women, she pledges her loyalty to the notorious leader in exchange for the one thing she needs most.
Protection.

When she agrees to seduce the suspicious new inmates, Martin Lockwood and Ricky Saldivar, she doesn’t expect to enjoy it. Sure, they’re gorgeous, irresistibly alpha, and insanely talented with their hands and mouths. But they’re the enemy. She can’t fall for them.

Torn between her cartel loyalties and two men who want her as deeply as they want each other, she questions who is manipulating whom. Her search for answers leads to a passionate ménage, a soul-crushing secret, and an impossible choice.

BOOK 6 in the DELIVER series.

DELIVER series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Deliver #1
Vanquish #2
Disclaim #3
Devastate #4
Take #5
Manipulate #6
Unshackle #7
Dominate #8
Complicate #9

AMAZON

They owned her. No matter what happened, she would always be theirs.

Devastatingly gritty, emotionally gripping, and stunningly dark, Manipulate was everything I’ve come to expect from the brilliant mind of Pam Godwin and SO. MUCH. MORE. This was an edge of your seat and keep you up well into the night sort of read.

Three hearts without walls fused into a single soul without bars. Lost and found. Locked up and freed. Together.

I’ve been waiting for Martin and Ricky’s book for what feels like forever. And man, was their book worth the wait. It was even better than my expectations. And that NEVER happens.

The book starts with the introduction of the heroine, a woman that we haven’t met yet in the series. Her story is full of twists and turns, and devastating experiences that mold her into the woman that she is today; someone locked up in one of the most violent prisons and completely on her own.

Martin and Ricky get put into the prison in order to gather information on a brutal cartel boss that runs one of the worst human trafficking and slave rings. The stunning beauty is not someone they saw coming when they entered the prison full of murders and the worst sort of human scum. But she may also be the one that has all of the answers that they seek.

On a squeaky rusted cot, in the most violent prison in South America, he experienced the best orgasm of his life.

The sexual tension in this book was EVERYTHING. As much as I was dying for more glimpses into Martin and Ricky together and exactly what makes Martin tick, I couldn’t get enough of they dynamic with Tula. She seemed to complete a puzzle piece that neither one of them thought was missing.

Holy fuck.” She moaned against his mouth…
“That’s right, baby. What’s my name?”
“Oh, God.” She clawed at his back.
“God is good, aren’t I?”
“So good.” She made him feel like a god. In her arms, under Martin’s heated gaze, he caught fire.

Martin was a beautifully broken enigma for a long time in this series. I was salivating for just a little more of a peek into what made him who he is today; a man that’s on a hair trigger when it comes to anything sexual. And let me tell you, when his whole history comes to light, I wanted to throw up. It was gut wrenchingly dark. Ricky was the light to his dark, even though he doesn’t exactly have an easy past himself after the painful tutelage of Van during his slave training years.

There’s so much that happens in this book that made it completely impossible to set it down for even a second. I love that Pam NEVER writes heroines that need rescuing. She writes these incredibly broken, yet strong and persevering women that you can’t help but connect with and root for. Tula was certainly not an exception to this. Her story was dark and painful and oh so twisty. I loved every page of it. I loved her and Martin and Ricky together. I was addicted to every page of this book and was dying for more when I finished. I can’t wait for the next installment after the revelation in the end.

Every touch was a sacrament, every caress a solicitation for more. Through it all, they held an impenetrable stare, eating each other with their eyes, wanting, panting, the need in their bodies growing voracious.

New & Upcoming Releases: June 23-27

New releases coming at ya this week!


AVAILABLE NOW


ANOTHER SKY by Jayne Frost

LIGHTNING ON MY SKIN
THUNDER IN MY SOUL
HEAVY ON MY HEART
YOU WERE MY PERFECT STORM

My world stopped turning six years ago.My best friend. My best girl. A burning field in the pouring rain.
I survived, but I left the biggest part of me with them.
And now I sift through the rubble of my broken life.

I didn’t want a second chance.Redemption. Closure.Not for me.

Until Gelsey.
A dancer. A dreamer.
Everything I’m not.
She’s the light to my dark.
The sun from another sky.

But sunny days never last.
The storm is coming.
And this time when darkness falls, I might surrender.

ANOTHER SKY is a standalone rock star romance.
Warning: This book deals with depression.


INDEFINITE by Corinne Michaels

New York Times Bestseller Corinne Michaels brings you an emotional second chance love story.
Book 1 of 2 in the Indefinite Duet

The day he said he’d never love me is when I vowed Quinn Miller would never break my heart again.

I wanted a family—but he wouldn’t give me that. As one of the top embryologists in the country, I’ve spent years creating babies in the lab for other people as my own dreams of motherhood fade.

I’m done waiting. I decide to start the journey to parenthood alone.

Then Quinn strolls back into my life, with all the finesse of a hurricane. I’m a fool to think I don’t want him anymore, and one reckless night of passion ends with me pregnant by the man I swore I’d never love again.

Now he doesn’t just want my heart, he wants it all. The baby. Love. A life where we’re happy.

But even as he promises me the future I always desired, I can’t help but fear that something will rip him away from me again.

This time . . . indefinitely.


CONSUME ME by Geneva Lee

I was born a royal. She made me a king.

I can’t find my way out of the darkness.

Without her, it consumes me.

There’s nothing I won’t risk to reach her—my crown, my family, my life.

Because some love is worth dying for.

They can come for me.

They can come for my throne.

But I’ll take back what’s mine if I have to burn this city to the ground…

Experience a breathless race against time in the stunning third novel in the Royal World
from New York Times bestselling author Geneva Lee.


TEARDROP SHOT by Tijan

I asked for his criteria for bed buddies-that’s the PG version.

He swore at me and said he didn’t do groupies. And just like that, our friendship was off to a great start.

Reese Forster was the starting point guard for the Seattle Thunder.

Gorgeous. Cocky. Loved by the nation.

He’s also attending preseason basketball training camp where I used to work.

Correction: where I work again, because I was fired from my last job.

And dumped.

And I might have a tiny bit of baggage, but that’s normal. Right?

Reese and I shouldn’t have become friends. We shouldn’t have become roommates.

And we really shouldn’t have started sleeping together … (Except we did.)

I’m adorably psychotic. He’s in the NBA.
This is not a disaster waiting to happen, at all.


BOSSY BROTHERS: Jesse by JA Huss

Thirteen years before Emma Dumas bought me in a bachelor auction to teach me a lesson she stole my heart down on Key West. I fell so hard for this girl I made all the promises. Only with Emma, I really meant them.

And then I disappeared.

But it wasn’t my fault. Let’s just call my reason “Family Business”. I’d tell you what that business is, but then I’d have to kill you. Just kidding. I can’t tell you what my family business is because it’s so secret, even I don’t know.

My point is… I didn’t ghost. It was a weird twist of circumstances. And OK, yes. I did hook up with pretty much every girl on the island that week. But after I met Emma, I was ruined. She was the only one I wanted.

It’s been thirteen years. I’m a changed man.

I STILL want her. I have ALWAYS wanted her.

But it’s kind of hard to tell her that with a gag in my mouth and a hood over my head.


RELEASING JUNE 25


MANIPULATE by Pam Godwin

Tula Gomez is in the most ruthless prison in Latin America.

She only drove to Mexico to help her sister. She did nothing wrong.
But her quiet life changed in an instant.

To survive the violent, cartel-controlled prison where men blend with women, she pledges her loyalty to the notorious leader in exchange for the one thing she needs most.
Protection.

When she agrees to seduce the suspicious new inmates, Martin Lockwood and Ricky Saldivar, she doesn’t expect to enjoy it. Sure, they’re gorgeous, irresistibly alpha, and insanely talented with their hands and mouths. But they’re the enemy. She can’t fall for them.

Torn between her cartel loyalties and two men who want her as deeply as they want each other, she questions who is manipulating whom. Her search for answers leads to a passionate ménage, a soul-crushing secret, and an impossible choice.

DELIVER series (HEAs with no cliffhangers – must be read in order):
Deliver #1
Vanquish #2
Disclaim #3
Devastate #4
Take #5
Manipulate #6
Unshackle #7
Dominate #8
Complicate #9


ROGUE MOST WANTED by Janna MacGregor

Wanted: an engagement of convenience. Found: A noble suitor.

Raised on a remote Scottish estate by her adoring grandfather, Lady Theodora Worth has inherited an earldom as well as the land itself. But when an upstart duke challenges her claim to the title and the Ladykyrk estate, Thea is suddenly in need of a husband—in name, at least. An elderly neighbor with a thoroughly modern sensibility and a dashing great-nephew just might be the answer to Thea’s prayers. Except she has no intention of marrying the first man she meets. That would be utterly ridiculous.

It just can’t be him. . .

Lord William Cavensham is entirely too devoted to his family’s estate—ever since he was jilted as a lad–to wed, but he agrees to meet the woman his aunt has taken under her wing—and introduce her to possible suitors. But after just one meeting with beautiful, spirited Thea, Will is determined to help her reclaim her title. And even moreso, he can’t stop thinking that perhaps marriage to this bold, passionate woman may be the one thing he’s been missing all along?


WRECK MY WORLD by Victoria Ashley

From New York Times Bestselling Author Victoria Ashley, comes an emotional friends-to-lovers/brother’s-best-friend Romance.

“The feeling I have in this very moment, after not seeing her for so long, will haunt me forever, reminding me why I left to begin with.”
For as long as I can remember, Easton Crews has been off-limits. As much as it kills me, that’s never going to change.
After his little disappearing act three years ago, then suddenly showing up out of nowhere, I shouldn’t want anything to do with him.
It doesn’t matter how beautiful he still is. Or how close we once were. It shouldn’t matter that my entire body lights on fire with need whenever he gets close.
He chose the worst possible time to leave without so much as a goodbye. However, just like the first day he walked into our home, I’m drawn to him, needing him near me just as badly as I need air to breathe, and I can’t stand it.
I want to hate him. I know I should hate him. But hating him is the last thing he’ll let me do. I push, he pulls harder, until I’m completely wrapped up in him, my mind lost in the one person who is forbidden—the one person I’ve always loved, even when he belonged to someone else. Easton was never meant to be mine.
It took me years to come to terms with that and now that I finally have, he’s here, right in front of me, more irresistible than ever.
The part I fear the most about that—he’s the one person capable of completely wrecking my world.
“I’m not leaving until you take all of your hate out on me. Let me feel it. All of it. Every dirty look. Every nasty word. I will have it all before I leave. Stop hiding from me.”


LINER NOTES by A.M. Madden

From USA Today bestselling author, A.M. Madden comes a stand-alone rock star romance.

She’s my, gorgeous, older, feisty agent… and I have no business wanting her.

Who could have predicted you’d walk into my life?
Ruined me in the best and worst of ways. . . changed me forever?
But how can I compete with the frivolous gifts and exotic destinations he dangles in your face?
I shouldn’t even have the balls to try.
All I can give you are words, notes, and melodies.
Like the songs recorded on this album, some of which were created because of you.
You already have my heart.
Does he have yours?
He may be perfect on paper.
Cookie-cutter. Clean. Neat. Stable.
I’m anything but those things.
With me, you’ll get messy and dirty.
The ride will be tumultuous and chaotic.
But I can guarantee you one thing:
Our life together would be epic.


JACKSON by Emily March

From New York Times bestselling author Emily March comes Jackson, the newest novel in the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series.

Sometimes it takes a new beginning
Caroline Carruthers thinks she buried her dreams along with the love of her life…until a stranger named Celeste dares her to chase a dream all on her own. Moving to Redemption, Texas, is chapter one in Caroline’s new life story. Opening a bookstore is the next. Finding love is the last thing on her mind as she settles into this new place called home. But when she meets a handsome, soulful man who’s also starting over, all bets are off.

 

to reach a happily-ever-after
Jackson McBride came to Redemption looking only to find himself, not someone to love. Ever since his marriage ended, he’s been bitter. Sure, he used to believe in love—he even has the old song lyrics to prove it—but the Jackson of today is all business. That is, until a beautiful young widow who’s moved to town inspires a change of heart. Could it be that the myth of Redemption’s healing magic is true…and Jackson and Caroline can find a second chance at a happy ending after all?


ALPHA’S PROMISE by Rebecca Zanetti

To hell and back . . .

Though he has vampire, demon, and Viking blood rushing through his veins, Ivar Kjeidsen’s soul-crushing trip to hell broke him in ways he can barely fathom.  One vow keeps the deadly immortal standing: To rescue the vampire brother who had sacrificed freedom for him.  To do that, Ivar needs the help of a brilliant physicist with wary brown eyes, fierce brilliance, and skin that’s way too soft.

Dr. Promise Williams understands the underpinnings of the universe but has never figured out the human beings inhabiting it.   Her function is to think—and not feel—until she’s touched by a vampire who’s nowhere near human. The primal hunger in his eyes awakens feelings in her that defy calculation. As she shows him the way to step between worlds, he brands her with a pleasure that could last more than a lifetime . . .

“Spicy romantic interplay; highly recommended.”
Library Journal on Vampire’s Faith


JUSTIFIED by Jay Crownover

The New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series delivers an “emotional, unforgettable” (Lori Wilde) romance about a rugged Texas sheriff who must protect the woman who was once his sworn enemy…
Case Lawton comes from a family of criminals. So as the sheriff of Loveless, Texas, he’s determined to do everything by the book–until he’s called to Aspen Barlow’s office after a so-called break-in. The last thing he wants to do is help the woman who cost him custody of his son. But Aspen isn’t the heartless lawyer Case remembers, and he starts to question his long-held grudge…
Aspen is scared for her life, and Case is her last hope for protection. But to get him on her side, she’ll have to reveal the painful truth from all those years ago. Now, as they work together to track down a dangerous criminal, Case and Aspen learn to trust each other. And as the threats escalate, it becomes clear there’s a thin line between love and hate… because there’s nothing Case wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN LIFE by Catherine Cowles

She’s on the run…

Tessa has finally found a safe haven in Sutter Lake, hiding in plain sight—just as long as no one asks too many questions.

He can’t escape…

Liam knows better than anyone how one wrong word, a single whisper can ruin a life. After seeing the darker side of fame, he’s desperate to retreat and find his voice again.

Two people from opposite worlds, brought together by a connection neither expected.

But the forces they’re both running from still lurk in the shadows…

And you never know when they might strike.


KINGDOM OF EXILE by Maxym M. Martineau

Assassin’s Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in this gripping, epic fantasy romance trilogy.

My heart wasn’t part of the deal when I bargained for my life,
But assassins so rarely keep their word.

Exiled Charmer Leena Edenfrell is running out of time. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts-an offense punishable by death-and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes Noc an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

Plagued by a curse that kills everyone he loves, Noc agrees to Leena’s terms in hopes of finding a cure. Never mind that the dark magic binding the assassin’s oath will eventually force him to choose between Leena’s continued survival…and his own.

The Beast Charmer Series:
Kingdom of Exiles
The Frozen Prince (coming early 2020)
The Shattered Crown (coming late 2020)


SEVEN NIGHTS OF SIN by Kendall Ryan

He’s the powerful CEO.

I’m the know-it-all intern.

Things went further than they should have, but I don’t have any regrets.

Well, maybe just one . . .

I went and did the one thing he told me not to–fall in love with him.

Now I have seven days to prove my trust and devotion.

Turns out money is a powerful drug, but love is even more addictive.

Seven Nights of Sin is the stunningly sexy and heart-tugging conclusion to The Two Week Arrangement.


ONCE UPON A BAD BOY by Melonie Johnson

NEVER SAY NEVER

Sadie Gold is ready to take her career to the next level with the role of a lifetime. Finally, she can shake her reputation as a pretty face with more wealth and connections than talent. But Sadie is not prepared for the wild turn her own life is about to take. The man in charge of training Sadie for her most demanding role yet is none other than her first real boyfriend—the one who took her heart and ran away.

WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE

Bo Ibarra is as good-looking and irresistible as ever. Maybe even more so, now that everything once worked against them—Sadie’s pampered and privileged upbringing and Bo’s childhood in a family struggling to make ends meet—is in the past. But the future is still unwritten…and getting there, together, means coming clean about painful secrets and slashing through nasty tabloid rumors while trying to control the attraction that crackles between them. Maybe it’s finally time for them to walk off into the sunset and into a true and lasting love?


DEADLOCK by Cherrie Lynn

Discover New York Times bestselling author Cherrie Lynn’s Deadlock, featuring a team of elite military hackers who will do whatever it takes to protect their country and the women who enter their dark and dangerous world.

Ex–Air Force hacker Jace Adams is the best at what he does. There isn’t a system he can’t infiltrate or a country his team can’t topple. But when he finds Lena Morris, the woman he hates most in the world, on his doorstep, the last thing he wants to do is help her. Or is it really Lena?

Lindsey Morris can’t believe her twin sister, Lena, is missing, with only a cryptic text to find the man Lena once betrayed. But as easy as Jace is to look at, getting him to agree to help her find her sister is a lot harder. He refuses to put his team at risk, until they find out the enemy they’re facing may be one they have in common…

As Lindsey and Jace race against the clock to save her sister, their shaky truce begins to morph into a fire they can’t control. But their lack of trust might be exactly what gets them killed.


THE HEART YOU BREAK by Cynthia Eden

Her new client is the bad boy of rock.

Security agent Julia Slate is going undercover. Her assignment? Protect rocker Bran Copper. He’s sexy, has a reputation for living life to the extreme, and he’s also the target of one very obsessed fan. Julia’s job is to keep Bran safe…and the catch? Bran can’t know that she’s his bodyguard. Bran’s manager has hired her because the star refuses to get protection. Bran just wants to be left alone. With his stalker escalating, that isn’t an option.

It should be easy to keep him at arm’s length.

Julia pretends to be Bran’s new assistant as she moves into his mountain home. She acts shy and reserved, a delicate flower who isn’t a threat…when she can totally kick butt any day of the week. She will stay with Bran twenty-four, seven, and make sure he’s safe. It’s supposed to be business only, and there is no way the guy is her type. He’s everything that she doesn’t want in a lover. Right? But…the more time they spend together, the more she realizes that the bad boy? It’s just an image he projects. There is a whole lot more to the real man.

But she’s lying to him.

Bran has been betrayed over and over again, and now Julia is lying to him, too. She thought her lies didn’t matter. She thought she was keeping him safe, but she never expected to give her heart to the man she’s been hired to protect.

He’s never met anyone like her.

Bran’s new assistant is gorgeous, smart, and…making him crazy. He’s used to women throwing themselves at him, used to people not caring about who he is—just that he’s famous. But Julia isn’t like that. She touches something inside of him, she makes him want, makes him crave everything that he’s never had. Soon Bran can’t imagine ever letting her go. He needs her, he wants her, and what Bran wants…he gets.

As the threats keep mounting, as the stalker closes in, will Bran be able to forgive Julia when he learns the truth? Or will they crash and burn? Because THE HEART YOU BREAK…it could be the one that matters most.

Author’s Note: Ready for sin and rock? Because Bran is one sexy singer, and Julia is a bodyguard who will do anything to protect her man. But as Bran falls for Julia, as the lies twist around them, things are going to become wild and dangerous. No cliff-hangers. This book can be read as a stand-alone. So have fun and rock on!


CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT by Brigid Kemmerer

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer pens a new emotionally compelling story about two teens struggling in the space between right and wrong.

When his dad is caught embezzling funds from half the town, Rob goes from popular lacrosse player to social pariah. Even worse, his father’s failed suicide attempt leaves Rob and his mother responsible for his care.

Everyone thinks of Maegan as a typical overachiever, but she has a secret of her own after the pressure got to her last year. And when her sister comes home from college pregnant, keeping it from her parents might be more than she can handle.

When Rob and Maegan are paired together for a calculus project, they’re both reluctant to let anyone through the walls they’ve built. But when Maegan learns of Rob’s plan to fix the damage caused by his father, it could ruin more than their fragile new friendship . . .

In her compulsively readable storytelling, Brigid Kemmerer pens another captivating, heartfelt novel that asks the question: Is it okay to do something wrong for the right reasons?


DATING BY THE BOOK by Mary Ann Marlowe

Is love just something you find in books?

Six months ago, writer and bookstore owner Maddie Hanson was left at the altar. Since then, she’s had zero interest in romance—despite the fact that she runs a book club full of sexy eligible bachelors. But when her latest novel is panned by an anonymous blogger who goes by the name Silver Fox—and who accuses her of knowing nothing about passion—she decides to prove her nemesis wrong by seeking a romance hero in real life . . .

There’s the smoldering rock musician, the bookish college professor, and her competitive childhood friend who may want to steal her bookstore more than her heart. Even Silver Fox is getting in on the action, sending Maddie alarmingly—and intoxicatingly—flirtatious emails. And that’s not all. Her ex wants her back.

Now Maddie is about to discover that like any good story, life has twists and turns, and love can happen when you least expect it—with the person you least expect . .


SLOW DANCING AT SUNRISE by Jo McNally

Welcome to Rendezvous Falls, New York, where love is where you least expect it…

When accountant Whitney Foster’s carefully calculated life blows up, she escapes to the one place that’s always felt like home. But Rendezvous Falls has changed since she’s been away. Her aunt Helen’s winery is in trouble. And she doesn’t trust the sexy, surly stranger working the vineyard as far as she can throw him.

Luke Rutledge would do anything for Helen, who’s been like a mother to him. Revive the winery? Sure. Repair her property? No problem. Tolerate Helen’s infuriating, big-shot niece? Well…maybe. But as he and Whitney are forced to work together to rebuild the business, her chilly facade reveals a woman as complex and intoxicating as a fine merlot. Throw in a matchmaking book club hell-bent on happily-ever-after and it’s a potent cocktail.

Love should never be calculated. But it doesn’t take Whitney’s math skills to see that this is adding to up to one tantalizing adventure…


CHANGING LINES by Toni Aleo

Claire and Jude Sinclair have been living the perfect life for the last ten years.

Blissfully in love, professionally successful, happily married…

They have everything they want—except a baby to make their family complete.

On the eve of the birth of the baby they’re planning to adopt, Jude gets traded to another hockey team in another state, and their thoughtfully planned-out road to parenthood hits a speed bump.

But they didn’t survive all the turmoil of their pasts to get knocked out now.

This is their game seven, and they won’t accept anything less than a win for the family they’re destined to have.


DOYENNE. by Anne Malcom

I don’t know what it’s like to feel.
To hurt.

The ability was stolen from me in my youth.
I consider that theft a gift.

Feelings got in the way when you were building an empire.
Amassing power.

I had the empire.
I had the power.

One moment in an alley changed everything.

What took over a decade to amass was snatched away in a second.

He killed for me.

But he didn’t save me.


SUPERFAN by Sarina Bowen

A new standalone novel in the Brooklyn Bruisers world!

Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.
But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.
While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart.
Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing to win.


SAVE THE DATE by Monica Murphy

Caroline Abbott loves her job—helping engaged couples pick out the perfect save the date cards and invitations for their dream wedding. Working at Noteworthy means she has to deal with the occasional bridezilla, but Caroline’s always up for the challenge.

Until one particular bridezilla walks into the stationery store who’s fiancé happens to be the boy Caroline shared her first kiss with. Alexander Wilder is all grown up now, helping run his family’s successful luxury hotel chain, and is somehow even better looking than she remembers.

When Caroline just happens to catch Alex’s fiancée half naked with another man well, of course she has to tell Alex. Of course, he breaks off his engagement.

And of course, the ex-bridezilla has gone completely bonkers.

At least Caroline has her friends to save her from crazy ex-fiancées. But she also has the sudden interest of…Alex? Caroline knows they share a connection, but is he on the rebound? Or after seeing her all these years later, does he really want something more?


BETTER THAN THE BEST PLAN by Lauren Morrill

Lauren Morrill’s Better Than the Best Plan is a fresh, funny, romantic YA novel about a teenage girl who finds an unexpected silver lining in her life when plans get turned upside down.

Plans are made to be broken.

It’s the last day of junior year, and seventeen-year-old Ritzy—short for Maritza—is pretty sure she has a great plan. Summer job—check. Hang with friends at the beach—check. Keep looking after herself as she’s been doing since her mom bailed to follow her bliss—check. Or no check?

After someone reports that Ritzy is living alone, a social worker shows up and puts her into foster care. That’s surprise enough. Even more surprising? Ritzy has been in foster care before, as an infant, and the woman who cared for her then takes her in again. But maybe the greatest surprise of all for Ritzy is that living with her foster mother, Kristin, in Kristin’s gorgeous house, isn’t all that bad. And neither is the cute, friendly boy next door. If Ritzy’s mom hadn’t gotten her back all those years ago, this is the life she could have had. But is it the life she should have had?

When Ritzy’s old life catches up with her new one, she has some decisions to make. Can she plan for the worst, but still hope for the best?


GIRL UPSIDE DOWN by Nicole Williams

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Williams delivers a poignant romance that explores the deep and sometimes dark corners of love. Perfect for fans of Kasie West, Sarah Dessen, and Morgan Matson.

Quinn knows better than to believe in happy endings, but she always assumed her mom would be by her side. When tragedy strikes, Quinn is sent to live with her estranged father, Nick, who walked out on their family years ago.

Set on hating her new life, Quinn is surprised when she meets Kel. Her new classmate has a reputation around town as a phenom at both baseball and attracting trouble. Even Kel has told Quinn she should stay away, but that only makes him more enticing.

Once Kel starts bailing on school–and plans with Quinn–even she can’t ignore the facts. Quinn is determined to uncover Kel’s secrets, but will more than just her heart get hurt in the process?


BREATHLESS by Helen Hardt

Marjorie Steel is still healing from the events of the past year, and she’s happy to put her plans to study culinary arts on hold to help her best friend deal with a difficult pregnancy and two recently adopted troubled boys. The fact that Bryce Simpson spends a lot of time at the Steel Ranch is a benefit, and she’s ready to see if her attraction to him might be something more.

Bryce wants to do a hard day’s work on the ranch. Once his muscles give out and he collapses from exhaustion, maybe he’ll stop torturing himself over his late father’s horrific double life. The Steels have a different idea. They ask Bryce to take an executive position complete with a profit share. As he has a young son and widowed mother to support, it’s an offer he can’t refuse. The only catch is Marjorie. She’s beautiful, smart, feisty, and her kisses set him on fire. But he’s an empty shell with nothing to offer her, and she deserves the world.

As the sins of his father continue to haunt him, Bryce learns the horrors of the past may not yet be buried.


NEVER FALL IN LOVE WITH A ROCKSTAR by Rachel Higginson

My name is Clover Calloway and I’ve lived two separate lives.

The first, I like to call “my past.” I never talk about it. I try not to think about it. My rockstar days of playing in one of the hottest bands on the planet are over. Along with the most volatile, beautiful, tragic love story of all time.

Over the past five years, I’ve settled into my second life. My “normal life.” The one where I work a normal job, hang out with normal people and fall in love with a normal, but wonderful guy. The life where I’m admittedly a little bored, but also safe.

My past wasn’t boring. But my past broke my heart into a million, unfixable pieces. So, I’m determined to keep it where it belongs—behind me.

And the man responsible for the shattering of me? Malachi Porter, lead singer and mastermind of Bright Tragedy, should stay there too. Far away from me and this idyllic life I’ve carved out for myself.

But what happens when my two lives collide?

When Malachi comes crashing into my perfectly normal world, he threatens to destroy it, promises to annihilate everything I’ve replaced him with.

He upends everything I thought I wanted and forces me to question the reasons I left Bright Tragedy all those years ago.

But I didn’t walk away five years ago, I ran. As fast as I could go. And while my heart is whispering that it’s different this time—that he’s different—my brain is screaming for me to run again.

Malachi Porter isn’t a normal guy. And he doesn’t belong in my “normal life.” But, nevertheless, he’s bound and determined to make a place for himself here.

I just hope my heart can survive him, that we don’t burn into another bright tragedy.


EVIL QUEEN by Gena Showalter

WELCOME TO THE FOREST OF GOOD AND EVIL.

A DREAM COME TRUE…AND A LIVING NIGHTMARE.

Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except, fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future.

Raised in the mortal realm, Everly Morrow has no idea she’s a real-life fairy-tale princess—until she manifests an ability to commune with mirrors.

Look. See… What will one peek hurt?

Soon, a horrifying truth is revealed. She is fated to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.

With powers beyond her imagination or control, Everly returns to the land of her birth. There, she meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed. As the prophecy unfolds, Everly faces one betrayal after another, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Can she resist, or will she become the queen—and villain—she was born to be?

The battle between good and evil is on.


WHEN YOU WERE MINE by Jordan Marie

I loved a boy.

Gavin Lodge.

He was sweet, gentle, kind and he made me feel alive.

Letting him go was the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life.

A hundred times I wished I had done things differently.

A thousand times I wished I had gone with him.

A million times I wished he had chosen me.

I didn’t. Neither did he.

Now he’s back.

No longer a boy, but a man.

I can’t love him.

It almost destroyed me once and I won’t let that happen again.

That should be the end of it.

And maybe it would have been…

If someone wasn’t trying to kill me.


I WILL NOT BEG by Cherise Sinclair 

She signed away her freedom

Starved for affection, young Piper Delaney surrenders her life to a Master. But there is no love—only abuse. She’s told she can’t leave; she signed the slave contract. Years later, beaten and starving, she hears an English Dom say the contract’s illegal. Unenforceable. And she runs.

She reclaims her life and rises above the nightmare that was her past.

But her enslavement left scars. She longs for love, but the only men who truly attract her also terrify her–Dominants. Hoping to conquer her fears, she visits Dark Haven, but the sounds of the club are too much.

When a submissive panics, Sir Ethan steps in.

The powerful English Dom recognizes the shivering submissive in his lap. Years before, he’d corrected her Master’s deceit about a contract. She’s come a long way since then. Cynical at being pursued for his wealth, he finds Piper’s honesty compelling. She’s intelligent, brave…and she needs him. What Dom could resist?

He’s the Dom she’d dreamed about—perceptive, firm, and utterly self-confident.

His voice pulls her from panic attacks. His arms enclose her in safety. He treats her like a person, not something to mistreat. As he helps Piper overcome her fears, she starts to fall in love.

Then her past finds her and destroys…everything.


RELEASING JUNE 26


THE KISSING PLOT by Nicole French

 

Jane and Eric de Vries.
Often enemies. Sometimes lovers.
Husband and wife. Or are we?

I wore the dress. We said the vows.
And somehow it became more than just a stunt to collect his billions.
A promise bound by love, not hate.
Until he humiliated me in front of all of New York and disappeared.

Now my errant husband has returned, and it’s like I never existed.
Except when he looks at me like he wants to rip my dress from my body.
Something’s holding him back. And I won’t rest until I discover its cause.

See, this wild heir is about to find out: karma’s a fickle mistress.
My weapons? Batting eyelashes, high heels, and that red lipstick he can’t resist.
I’ll break down his mask, little by little. And then I’ll make him pay for what he did.
I just need to keep my heart in check while I do it.


FALLING FOR THE FORBIDDEN by Tracy Lorraine

Craving her was wrong.

Loving her was forbidden.

She was innocent and untouchable—too good for a man like me.

But I caved to my desire.

I had her, and I made her mine.

We disregarded the warnings and followed our hearts, forgetting one thing:

Love was never meant to be that easy. And a love like ours was never meant to exist.

Falling for the Forbidden is the emotional first installment of Tracy Lorraine’s new spinoff trilogy of her Falling series.


LUCA VITIELLO by Cora Reilly- buy link TBA

I was born a monster. Cruelty ran in my veins like poison. It ran in the veins of every Vitiello man, passed on from father to son, an endless spiral of monstrosity.
A born monster shaped into an even worse monster by my father’s blade and fists and harsh words.
I was raised to become Capo, to rule without mercy, to dish out brutality without a second thought.
Raised to break others.
When Aria was given to me in marriage, everyone waited with baited breath to see how fast I’d break her like my father broke his women. How I’d crush her innocence and kindness with the force of my cruelty.
Breaking her would have taken little effort. It came naturally to me.
I was gladly the monster everyone feared.
Until her.

– Bound By Honor in Luca’s POV (and a few scenes from his childhood & teenage years).

– Can be read without reading the other books in the series –


THE ACCIDENTAL GIRLFRIEND by Emma Hart

TOP TIP: Don’t put out an online ad offering your services as a fake date. Someone will take you up on it.
And it won’t just be for one night.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I ended up being Mason Jackson’s fake girlfriend.

He didn’t even want me to be. No—his sister was solely responsible for me being his date for his ten-year high school reunion.

Now, she’s responsible for telling his parents our relationship is real.

We have no choice. We have to act like this isn’t all a mistake, like it’s not all fake, like we’re totally, completely, utterly, head-over-heels in love with each other.

Simple, right?

Wrong.


THE SEDUCTION EXPERT by Saya Lopez Ortega

She’s the seduction expert.

Women contact her to take over their love lives.

She steps in when they’re lost, she’s supposed to succeed where they failed.

She handles their single status, their relationships, their breakups, and very often their partners’ affairs.

Her job is a life priority, she spends most of her time at the office or between two flights in business class and the fact of having a sports car that can reach one hundred kilometers in less than six seconds often make her feel like a superheroine in service to women.

Anyway, take her card.

You’ll see, it’s much better than spending holidays in St Barts.


STOLEN HEARTS by Renee Harless

Taylor Hughes is a rule follower, no detail ever goes overlooked. That attention to detail is imperative in every aspect of her life, especially her job as an event planner

Rule One: The client is always right.

Rule Two: Make it magical.

Rule Three: Go the extra mile for any guest.

Rule Four: Never take anything from an event. (Note: that includes any treats.)

When Hunter Divers, the sexy bartender, handed her a whiskey sour and a ride back to her apartment she forgets all about her rules for one night of recklessness.

What happens when her lapse in judgment leaves her with a keepsake from that night?


RELEASING JUNE 27


KEY TO HELL by Alex Grayson

The highly anticipated conclusion of the Hell Night Series. Emo’s story.

Death. Destruction. Pain. A soulless void. It’s his life. It’s his reality.

Emo doesn’t feel. Anything. His soul is dark and filled with hatred. People in the small town of Malus watch him with fear, with reverence. Exactly the way he prefers it.

Guilt surrounds him, caging him in an ominous past he refuses to let go. Can’t let go. His past is responsible for the shell of the man who now exists. He doesn’t know any other way to survive.

The woman who haunts his dreams is his only salvation. He’s hurt her over and over again. He didn’t have a choice.

The key he holds on to, the one he uses to carve into his flesh, is the key to his hell. It’s his reminder of the pain he’s suffered and inflicted.

Will there be retribution? Can Emo be saved? Or is he destined to live in this dark hell he’s surrounded himself in for the rest of his life?

NOTE: It is highly recommended starting with the first book in the series, Trouble in Hell, and read the subsequent books before reading Key to Hell.

DISCLAIMER: Intended for readers 18 years and older do to adult language, dark and harsh situations, and sexual content.


WASHED IN BLOOD by Ashley Lane

Blinded by anger, the man who had sworn to protect me,
shot me in a fit of rage when I was only sixteen years old.

He thought he killed me.
But my job wasn’t finished yet.

My days are spent as President of the Heavens Guardians MC.
Nights are spent searching for the scum of the earth.

Rapists, Murderers, Pedophiles.
They all answer to me.

I thought I’d seen it all.
Thought my heart couldn’t be any darker.
Thought I knew exactly how far I was willing to go.

Then a battered and broken woman was found behind our clubhouse,
and I realized, I’ve never had a clue about the monster that lurks within.

They may call me Priest,
but I’d sell my soul to the devil before I let anything take her away from me.


HALTON: Vested Interest by Melanie Moreland

When love turns to hate—that’s where I come in.

I’m Halton Andrew Smithers, attorney. Hal to my clients and friends.

Messy divorces, deadbeat dads, runaway wives, cheating partners—I handle them all.

I know the seedy side of love, and it isn’t pretty. I avoid emotional attachments—I’ve seen all too often when hot passion turns to frozen tundra.

I satisfy myself with helping people behind the scenes. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that completes my life.

Until she enters it and everything I believe is turned upside down.

She fills a void I never knew existed, and I know without her, my life will never be the same again.

For the first time, I want to try.

For her.

But am I strong enough?


ADORE ME by Kelly Elliott

Morgan Barrett is off limits.

Why?

She’s my best friend’s sister and insists that she isn’t interested in a relationship.

That didn’t stop us from sharing one incredibly passionate night together. However, one night was not enough for either of us.

I want more.

She needs more.

When we give in to the temptation, something amazing happens. But can we keep the past from destroying the future we both desire?

Adore Me is a stand alone novel. For reading experience read:
1. Seduce Me
2. Entice Me
3. Adore Me


INTERSECT by Elizabeth O’Roark

The stunning conclusion to Parallel.

Someone has torn them apart in the past, and she plans to do it again…

As Nick and Quinn piece together the truth about the life they once shared, they discover it was much deeper and darker than they ever imagined.

In order to keep history from repeating, Quinn will need to master her unusual gifts—

but that means admitting to herself and to Nick why she stopped using them in the first place.

He may never forgive her when he learns the truth, but Quinn is running out of options—because the clock is ticking, and it’s no longer just her life that hangs in the balance.


RELEASING JUNE 28


ENAMORED by Giana Darling- buy link TBA

It was the worst day of my life.
I know most people say that about something obviously horrific—a first heartbreak, the discovery of a fatal illness, or the funeral of a loved one—but my situation was a little different.
Not only was it my wedding day, but it was also the day I chose to die.
Two men.
The first, my Master, my captor, and my impossible love.
The other, his brother, a mafioso I was meant to ensnare and ruin.
If I had any hope of living a normal life reunited with my family, I had to make a choice.
End my old life as I knew it and start fresh, or take down the monsters that hunted me and haunted my Master.
In the end, the decision was never really mine to make. Because Alexander Davenport would come to claim me even in death.

** The Enslaved Duet is a standalone dark romance duet about Cosima Lombardi from The Evolution of Sin Trilogy.**


UNDERWATER by Anna B Doe

From the author of Greyford High series a brand new standalone that will take you on adventure hidden beneath the waves…

Hidden deep beneath the azure surface, the secret of the ocean is coming to the light of day.
Don’t be afraid to dive Underwater!

Marissa Davenport is just a regular girl living in a small town on the island of Hawaii until one fateful night changes everything for her. The ocean takes away the boy she loves, and to save him, she will risk her own life.

Now, she has to confront the consequences of her actions. The consequences of her choice. With the pressure of a dark secret looming over her, Marissa has to figure out how to return things to how they were before or she might lose everything forever. Her friends, her family, the boy she loves and even her own existence.

Some fairytales are real; they live Underwater.

 

Review: Enchanted by Lexi Blake

PROTECTED
Series: Masters and Mercenaries #18.5
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary Romance
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: June 18, 2019

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…

A snarky submissive princess

Sarah Stevens’s life is pretty sweet. By day, she’s a dedicated trauma nurse and by night, a fun-loving club sub. She adores her job, has a group of friends who have her back, and is a member of the hottest club in Dallas. So why does it all feel hollow? Could it be because she fell for her dream man and can’t forgive him for walking away from her? Nope. She’s not going there again. No matter how much she wants to.

A prince of the silver screen

Jared Johns might be one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, but he lost more than a fan when he walked away from Sarah. He lost the only woman he’s ever loved. He’s been trying to get her back, but she won’t return his calls. A trip to Dallas to visit his brother might be exactly what he needs to jump-start his quest to claim the woman who holds his heart.

A masquerade to remember

For Charlotte Taggart’s birthday, Sanctum becomes a fantasyland of kinky fun and games. Every unattached sub gets a new Dom for the festivities. The twist? The Doms must conceal their identities until the stroke of midnight at the end of the party. It’s exactly what Sarah needs to forget the fact that Jared is pursuing her. She can’t give in to him, and the mysterious Master D is making her rethink her position when it comes to signing a contract. Jared knows he was born to play this role, dashing suitor by day and dirty Dom at night.

When the masks come off, will she be able to forgive the man who loves her, or will she leave him forever?

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

AMAZON

There was no other woman he wanted to see, no relationship he wished to get a feel for. There was only her, and it had been that way for a long time.

FINALLY! After what feels like a forever of a wait, we get the story for Jared and Sarah. I’ve been looking forward to this book ever since we first meet Jared in his older brother’s book From Sanctum with Love. Although, in that book, you didn’t get quite the full effect of the man in that book. You get Jared John, famous actor. But this book gives you Jared Ferguson, the man.

She was it. She was the one, that mystical part of himself that had been missing all along.

Jared and Sarah had a brief…something…before it ever got the chance to go anywhere. But then so much happened; Jared discovered his career is flailing and his best friend is a serial killer. He didn’t have anything to offer Sarah, so he left. But it didn’t take him long to figure out she’s the woman he needs. The only problem is, she’s not quite as open for anything with him now.

Sarah is taking things one day at a time while dealing with life altering news. She doesn’t have anything to offer Jared, but he’s determined to wear her down. Even if he has to do it behind a mask if only to prove to her what they have between them.

I’ve learned in life we don’t always get what we want, Princess, but I am a man who will fight like hell for what I need and that’s you.”

This was definitely a satisfying HEA for the couple, but I couldn’t help but wish we got more of them. Although to be be honest, I’m not sure if there was enough story there to make a novel rather than the novella it was, so this is more of a selfish thing than a book thing. I loved Jared’s sweetness and Sarah’s sassiness. I loved the two of them together. The majority of the story is Jared and Sarah dealing with everything between them and finally coming to terms with their feelings for each other and Sarah’s secret. The epilogue packed a tearfully emotional punch. All in all, another fantastic addition to the story.

#DGRFave & Review: Written With You by @AlyMartinezAuth

WRITTEN WITH YOU
Series:
The Regret Duet #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Aly Martinez
Release Date: June 13, 2019

When I was fifteen, a single bullet changed my life. I spent the next decade trying to outrun the devastation of my past, building an empire that would shield me from whatever life could throw at me.

But all the money in the world couldn’t help me when I found a screaming newborn abandoned on my doorstep.

I’d never wanted to be a father. Passing the sludge that ran through my veins down to an innocent child seemed like a tragedy. But there she was—pink cheeks, red hair, and mine.

Somehow, against all logic, that little girl became the best thing that ever happened to me. It was impossible to stay lost in the past when I was the only one who could protect her future.

Which is exactly why, when her mother came back four years later, I was ready for battle.

If only I could stop myself from falling in love with her during the war.

AMAZON

I lived in the seconds. One emotion. One tick of the clock.

If there’s one thing Aly Martinez can do, it’s write one unpredictable story that will grip you by the heart and keep you at the very edge of your seat. And this book? MY GOD! It was EVERYTHING. Seriously all of the things. An emotional powerhouse of love and secrets, pain and regret, and second chances. Written With You owned me. Absolutely owned me. Beginning to finish. I never wanted it to end.

Admittedly, I struggled a bit with the heroine in the first book. Alright, so I was judging the hell out of her, okay?! So sue me. But if you’ve read the book, than you’ll know exactly why I had problems fully connecting to her. But this book was a total game changer. After the cliffhanger that leaves you reeling in book one, book two finishes you off with a one two punch straight to the feels. Holy mother of everything!!!

I don’t want to give anything away, because to be honest, the entire thing is a dang spoiler of book one. And I wouldn’t want to take that experience away from anyone. I typically struggle with duets and trilogies, but never with Aly’s books. Somehow her second book is always even more powerful than the first. And let me tell you, the first was no walk in the park. It was gut wrenching.

Our entire lives were one impossibility after another.

This was filled with so many twists and turns, it will leave your stomach in knots and your head reeling. I devoured it in one breathless sitting and I cannot recommend it enough. It’s different. It’s gripping. It’s addictive. And it will own you, heart and soul, from one devastating page to the other.

Review: The Fadeaway by @RebeccaJenshak

THE FADEAWAY
Series:
Smart Jocks #2
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Rebecca Jenshak
Release Date: March 14, 2019

This college jock is a total player. He’s used to getting who and what he wants. Until her. . .

Katrina
The hottest guy on campus won’t stop asking me out. I know that sounds like a good problem to have, but this guy… this guy has no idea how complicated my life is trying to juggle being a single mom and college student.
Every Thursday, he shows up at the café where I work. His cheesy pickup lines and arrogance should have me completely annoyed. I’m not. I can’t say yes, but Thursday is my favorite day of the week.

Joel
The hottest girl on campus won’t go out with me. I know, I know, that sounds presumptuous, but this girl… this girl has gotten under my skin, and I can’t seem to walk away.
Every Thursday, I show up at the café where she works. She’s fed me every excuse in the book. I should give up and bang one of the many girls blowing up my phone. I’m not. Even when she says no, Thursday is my favorite day of the week.

AMAZON

Come on. I’ve been asking you out for five months. Throw a guy a bone.”
Or, you know, let me stick mine in you.

OH MY GOD! Where did this book come from?! I have so many feelings! SO MANY FEELINGS! Marry me, Rebecca Jenshak. And read me bed time stories like this forever. What? Too much? Fine *huffs*. I’ll tone it down. Maybe. Probably not. WHATEVER. Stop judging me. This book was fantastic, ok?!

Now look, it’s no secret that I’m a picky s word. I own it. And I’m especially picky when it comes to New Adult romance. But this book? This was EVERYTHING I love about this genre. It was utterly charming and completely unputdownable. It was refreshingly sweet with just the right amount of sexy. It was humorous and a touch quirky. It was all of the things, people! ALL OF THEM!

I love me a playboy hero, and you can’t spell playboy without J-O-E-L- M-O-R-E-N-O. OK, so you can, but I’m trying to make a point here so just go with me on this. Joel caught my attention the second he appeared as a secondary character in The Assist and I’ve been itching for his book ever since. What’s more delicious than the man that can get any woman he wants on campus having to work for it with a woman that seems to want none of his charm while secretly mooning over him? NOTHING. That’s a trick question. NOTHING IS MORE DELICIOUS.

Katrina is too busy jugging being a single mom of an adorably sweet three year old boy and college to give the time of day to the campus womanizer. Joel may be a hot jock with charm oozing out of every pore, but he spells bad news for her. Unfortunately for her libido, it’s been a while, and Joel is nothing if not determined to wear her down.

There is nothing more charming and entertaining to read that Joel’s wooing of “Kitty” and finally agreeing to go out with him. Actually, there is one thing, and that’s Joel showing her the real man underneath the manwhore persona. Under the good looks and playboy demeanor lies plenty of depth, and I was ravenous to unravel every layer.

Joel and Kitty together was pure magic. There was so much chemistry between them, it was downright incendiary. Katrina’s son was one of the best secondary characters and of course I loved the cameos by the rest of the team. I’m already dying for Z and Nathan’s books.

If you’re looking for a New Adult Sports romance that’s the whole package, look no further. The Fadeaway has everything; the charm, the feels, the humor, and all of the romance. I loved it from beginning to finish and I’m not officially obsessed with all things Rebecca Jenshak.

Review: More Than Anything by Natasha Anders

BroMORE THAN ANYTHING
Series:
Broken Pieces #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Natasha Anders
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Two lovers strive to trade a grim past for a bright future in this story of bittersweet yearning.

Tina Jenson belongs to the same social stratum as Harris Chapman, but he’s out of her league—at least that’s what she thinks before they jump in bed together. It’s the perfect night, but when she overhears crude, hurtful comments the next morning, she can’t get away fast enough.

Ten years later, Tina’s life is a mess. That night with Harris didn’t just hurt her feelings; it started a cascade of disappointment and heartbreak. Every time she bumps into Harris, her heart twists inside out. She still wants him, but she’s harboring a painful secret from their night together that she’s not ready to reveal.

Crossed signals, high-society whispers, and shame have kept Tina and Harris apart for years, but deep down, they’re hungry for each other and eager to write their own rules. Can they let go of the past and find their way back to each other, or are the barriers between them too high and too strong?

AMAZON

Some pain was just too huge to be self-soothed away…

I have a general rule when it comes to Natasha Anders books; she writes them, I read them. The woman can write a grovel like no one’s business. And she’s the queen of creating these perfectly imperfect and broken characters that you can’t help but fall for.

The second I read the blurb for this book, I was foaming at the mouth to get my hands on it. But I have to admit that it was not quite what I had expected. I thought I was going to read about a devastating hurt, and then a delicious grovel. And while this book was definitely one of those things, it wasn’t exactly. Confused? I was too. But let me explain.

Harris Chapman has been a boy that young Tina always had a crush on and who was entirely out of her league. Tina is a girl that was a slave to her own self consciousness about her looks and weights, and the cruel words of her classmates didn’t always help. One night with the boy of her dreams suddenly ended in the biggest heartbreak of her life. But Harris is not the cruel guy she’s made him out to be all these years. In actuality, Harris is a sweet, down to earth type of man that’s spent over ten years trying to make things right with Tina while she spent them avoiding him.

And while I enjoyed the story, I struggled quite a bit with liking Tina. To be perfectly frank, I never really warmed up to her. This is a woman that’s spent ten years in a spiral over something that could have been fixed over letting Harris have a second of her time and a conversation. Don’t get me wrong, this is a woman with some deep rooted pain and it’s no little thing. But I also wanted her to get her life together and finally shake herself out of her neurosis. She’s so scatterbrained and flighty, that it took almost the entirety of the book for me to connect to her. I felt for her, I really did. But I also wanted to shake her throughout most of the story.

Harris is so sweet and patient with her. He tries so hard, only to be shut down time and time again.

Now here’s the thing, though, while I struggled to connect with Tina, I still found myself enjoying the book. There’s a somewhat of a secondary plot that gets unraveled here with Harris’s twin brother and Tina’s best friend that I was dang near rabid to get more on. I loved the cute small town setting and the crossover with some of the previous characters we got in Natasha’s Alpha Men series. And even though Tina frustrated me, I still couldn’t put the book down and read it in practically one sitting. Was it my favorite story, probably not. But it sure set the stage for the next book and it did ultimately wrap up quite sweetly and made me finally see Tina in a different light.

Review: The Assist by Rebecca Jenshak

THE ASSIST
Series:
Smart Jocks #1
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Rebecca Jenshak
Release Date: June 11, 2019

You know those stories where the smart girl tutors the dumb jock? This isn’t it.

Blair
What’s the probability of insulting the one guy on campus I need to help me pass statistics? If I knew, I wouldn’t be standing in front of Wes Reynolds begging him to tutor me.

Basketball player, sexy, arrogant, always sleeping through class… these are the things I knew about him. What I didn’t know is that he is a seriously smart jock.

Wes
What’s the best way to get rid of the peppy and unrelenting girl that keeps asking me to tutor her? If I knew, I wouldn’t be staring at her tan legs and attempting to teach her statistics.

Sorority girl, fine as f**k, determined, ball buster… these are the things I knew about her. What I didn’t know is that she is all the things I didn’t realize I wanted or needed.

Or that one semester with her would change everything.

AMAZON

On the court, I saw everything. But off the court? I never saw her coming.

Sooo…would you judge me if I told you that the cover had a lot to do with me trying this book by a new to me author? Of course you wouldn’t! Because you’re probably drooling over it yourself right now, aren’t ya? Yeaaaaah you are. *grins evilly*

But in full disclosure, it was actually the series title that hooked me. Smart jocks? Sign me up. Rebecca Jenshak being a new to me author, I had no idea what to expect when starting this book and I’m happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. This was really stinking cute. I’ve seen some comparison’s to Elle Kennedy’s books floating around in reviews, and I think that’s a disservice to this one. The one thing they have in common is that they’re college sports romance. But if you’re coming in with the expectation of Elle brand of romance, you won’t quite get it. I’m not saying it’s bad, I’m just saying it’s different, and I wouldn’t compare.

The Assist is the first in a series and introduces the quintessential sorority girl who misjudges a sexy basketball player who sleeps through a class that she’s failing miserably…and gets an eye without even batting an eyelash. Literally. So what’s a girl to do? Cajole, beg, and apologize until said jock agrees to tutor you, of course. Thus begins a bit of an unlikely friendship that soon begins to turn into something much more.

I really liked this book and the characters. Wes was everything I love in a college hero. He’s confident without being cocky and is just a nice guy, which is refreshing. Blair took a bit for me to really get connected to, but by the end of the book I was rooting for her. She’s a devoted friend, which I found really endearing. I wished she had stood up to her ex more without having others fight her battles a bit, but alas, you can’t get everything you want. This was a cute and sexy read and I’m definitely hooked enough to read the next book in this series. I couldn’t help but feel there was just a little something for me with this one that I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was exactly. Either way, it was an enjoyable read.

#DGRFave & Review: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez @readforeverpub

THE FRIEND ZONE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Abby Jimenez
Release Date: June 11, 2019

Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.

The Friend Zone will have you laughing one moment and grabbing for tissues the next as it tackles the realities of infertility and loss with wit, heart, and a lot of sass.

AMAZON

I’ll orbit around you and be your universe, because you’ve always been my sun.”

Have you ever started a book and knew, you just knew, from the first few pages that it’s THE book. One of those books that you’ll never want to end. A book that you’ll be thinking about all year. A book that you’ll want to be shouting about from the rooftops. Well, my friends, this was THAT book for me. This was everything. It was romcom perfection unlike any I’ve read. And it is an absolute must read. It’s a book that I can’t recommend enough, whether romcom is your thing or not. It’s simply not to be missed and a story that will stay in my heart for a long while. I loved it from beginning to finish!

Food was my currency. Hungry was an emotion for me. I felt that shit in my soul.

Let’s talk about the heroine for a hot second here, shall we? Kristen Petersen is quite seriously my spirit animal. This is a girl that you’ll want for your best friend the near second you meet her on the pages. She’s blunt, honest, sarcastic and with a sharp wit and a type of hangry that you can’t help but relate you. What you see is what you get with her. She’s simple but complex. She’s honest, she’s loyal, and she’s so relatable that you can’t help but just love her.

In between her successful business of adorable boutique pet products, her sassy dog, Stuntman Mike, and planning her best friend’s wedding, Kristen is dealing with an upcoming surgery that will forever change the landscape of her life. She has a loving boyfriend currently serving oversees, so when she meets Josh the best man in the wedding, he’s the worst kind of unexpected; the kind that tempts her beyond reason but she knows she can never be what he needs.

He breathed into my ear. “Why won’t you just let me love you?”

Before you think this is a love triangle, let me say that it is, yet it isn’t. Without giving anything away, let’s just say that if you avoid triangles like a bad case of the clap, you’ll want to read this book. Kay? Great. But I digress.

Josh is sheer perfection. He is quite possibly one of the absolute best heroes I’ve read to date. He’s the quintessential nice guy who’s incredibly endearing and even more lovable. You won’t be able to help but fall head over heels for this man. He is just EVERYTHING. He’s sweet, understanding, patient, and just GAH. GAH!!!

Kristen and Josh form an adorably awkward friendship that soon begins to turn into something so much more. And then things really get complicated.

I don’t have enough words to tell you just how much I loved this book. It had everything; humor, emotion, and a romance that will warm your heart. It’s full of depth and flawlessly written. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I finished and it’s a book that I recommend everyone check out. If there’s one book that hits your radar this year, make it this one. Trust me. I only hope there’s more to come for some of the secondary characters we get introduced to in this story and I simply cannot wait from this incredibly talented author. I’m still reeling knowing this was Abby Jimenez’s debut novel.

Review: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

FIX HER UP
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomCom
Series: Hot & Hammered #2
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 11, 2019

A brand new romantic comedy from New York Times bestseller Tessa Bailey!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her…

AMAZON

One second, laughter kindled in his throat, and the next, it was tight. Just tight. Because flushed and looking up at him with her bright green eyes, Georgette Castle was the most beautiful thing on the planet.

This was so stinking cute! A lighthearted and steamy romance full of laughs and sizzle the likes of which only Bailey can write. I read it with a smile on my face from beginning to finish.

Georgette Castle is the perfect amount of quirky that I love in my heroines. She’s the youngest sibling in her successful siblings and a bit of a black sheep. Her older siblings have their careers and life together, and Georgie is a professional clown. I mean, c’mon! How often do you read that? She’s incredibly endearing and loves her job entertaining kids. But she also wants her family to finally see her as the woman that can do something right in their eyes.

There’s a dash of unrequited love when it comes to her and Travis. She’s always harbored a secret crush on her older brother’s best friend but she never had a hope in snagging his attention outside of being the annoying little sister that tagged along and mooned after her brother’s friend. Travis is a professional MBA player whose career comes to a crashing halt after a bad injury. Now he’s back in the small town he couldn’t wait to get away from and dealing with his new reality.

I loved the relationship development between Georgie and Travis. They start as unlikely friends and confidants that soon leads to something more when Travis finally sees the woman Georgie always was. I loved that it wasn’t about Georgie changing herself to be seen in a different light by him but rather just coming into her own and comfortable with it. I loved the way that Travis brought her strength and helped her bring out the best version of herself and have her family finally see her. I loved that Georgie was a strong heroine outside of everything too. She didn’t need Travis to help her, but she also brought out the best version of him.

This was such a cute, endearing, and sweet romance. I loved the women’s friendships and Georgie’s brother’s kooky wife. I loved the secondary characters and the dynamic they bring to this story and I seriously can’t wait for more in this series!

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: