New Release & Review: Nobody Does It Better by Lexi Blake

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER
Series: Masters & Mercenaries #15
Genre: Romantic Suspense, BDSM
Author: Lexi Blake
Release Date: February 20, 2018

A spy who specializes in seduction

Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.

A leading man who doesn’t do romance

Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.

An ending neither could have expected

Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | GOOGLE PLAY | B&N

She could handle his now, and he wanted her to be his future. If only she could accept his past.

Lexi Blake sure knows how to end a series with a bang! Nobody Does It Better packed a heck of a punch; sexy, action packed, suspenseful, with a whole lot of espionage and plot twists thrown in. I couldn’t get enough!

This was an incredibly bittersweet book for me to read. Lexi’s Master and Mercenaries series has been one of my top favorite Romantic Suspense series. With a dash of espionage and a splash of BDSM, this series quickly became both an addiction and an obsession.

Kayla is the last of the original McKay-Taggart crew without a HEA and she definitely doesn’t get an easy one. After spending years as a double agent with the MSS, she’s no stranger to taking on a role. Now she’s taken on her biggest role yet; as the bodyguard and submissive to one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

There was something running under her surface. Something dark and twisted that would fight like hell with that unbelievably sunny smile of hers. Something he would like to explore

Joshua Hunt is definitely no regular movie star. He’s a man with a dark past that’s left its share of scars on his soul. Try as he could to outrun it, it always caught up to him. He no longer believes in love or happily ever after, but contracts and the pleasure of now. Joshua thinks that Kay is there to serve as his new bodyguard and submissive, but the truth is so much more than that.

Admittedly, I wanted to hate Josh for his behavior at times. Because of his past he’s quick to judge and jumps to the worst possible conclusion. This is not a man that grovels after his woman. This is a man that hides his feelings and his past scars beneath a veneer of cold indifference and callous words. Kay is the one woman that understands what he needs better than most. She takes his punishments and his callousness and she doesn’t run. She confuses him with her giving nature. In any other book, I’d say Kay is a pushover, but she’s far from it. It takes a strong woman to see beneath the mask and down to the true man that Josh is underneath; to give him a chance to see that man himself. As much as I wanted her to strike back at Josh for some of his bitter words, I understood why she didn’t.

There’s so much that happens here beyond the romance as well. Nobody Does It Better was one action packed ride full of twists and turns. There are so many secrets that come to the surface that completely blew my mind. And while the McKay Taggart team has their moments, we also get a nice introduction to a spin-off with The Lost Boys that I absolutely can’t wait for.

I can’t say this was my favorite romance in the series, but it was still a highly satisfying one. I loved Kay and Josh together. Even if at times I felt Josh doesn’t deserve Kay, he came through and redeemed himself at the end. Get ready for some crazy revelations, because this story packed a number of them. And while I’m sad to see my favorite series come to an end, it certainly was one high-octane conclusion.


THE SERIES

THE DOM WHO LOVED ME | THE MEN WITH THE GOLDEN CUFFS | A DOM IS FOREVER | ON HER MASTER’S SECRET SERVICE | LOVE AND LET DIE | DUNGEON ROYALE | A VIEW TO THRILL | YOU ONLY LOVE TWICE | MASTER NO | FROM SANCTUM WITH LOVE | DOMINANCE NEVER DIES | SUBMISSION IS NOT ENOUGH | FOR HIS EYES ONLY | LOVE ANOTHER DAY | NOBODY DOES IT BETTER

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Review: Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec


WISH YOU WERE MINE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date:  November 14, 2017

Five years. I would’ve stayed away longer if I hadn’t received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about her, haven’t missed her smile, haven’t wished that things were different.

The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn’t be a part of their lives.

Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn’t stay and watch them together.

Cameron deserved better than me.

She deserved him.

But now that I am back, things are different. I’m not going to stand by and watch the woman I’ve always loved slip away again. I’m done living my life with regrets and I’m ready to tell her the truth. And I’ll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine.

AMAZON

I hate that I’ve missed Everett so much, that a part of me wants to forgive him for everything. I hate that seeing him again gave me butterflies and made me remember all of the feelings I used to have for him. I hate that he’ll never understand how much his disappearance from my life broke my heart, because I can never tell him. I can never tell him that he always had my heart, and he took it with him when he left, because it will just make me look like a fool. A fool who waited around for years, hoping her best friend would someday fall in love with her.

After absolutely LOVING The Story of Us, I was thrilled that I’d be getting more of that world with this book. Cameron James is the daughter of Shelby and Eli, and I was beyond excited when I realized this. I’m a huge fan of Tara’s emotional second chance romances, and Wish You Were Mine certainly packed a good angsty punch.

Everett and Cameron grew up as best friends, and unbeknownst to each other, in love. But then life happened, teenage insecurities and family dynamics came into play and they drifted. Now Everett is back in the small town he grew up in, reeling from the death of his best friend and the letter he left him after his death, determined to finally make things right.

This was a slow paced, character driven story that was told in present and flash backs. And while I wanted to love both of these characters, I struggled. I simply couldn’t connect to them or their plight. I couldn’t even put my finger on what or why, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was just…missing for me. Because of that, I struggled to stay connected to the story. Everett and Cameron have a slow paved road to their HEA and I found myself getting easily distracted and disengaged from the story.

The writing was wonderful, the set up was there. I think this was just a case of me and not the book. I adore Tara Sivec and can’t wait for more of these stories from her, but sadly this one just didn’t blow me away like her others.

New Releases: February 19-23

Who’s ready for another epic release week? I know I am!!


AVAILABLE NOW


GENTLEMAN NINE by Penelope Ward

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy standalone novel.

Growing up, the three of us were friends.
He was the nerd.
I was the playboy.
She was the beauty.

Deep down, I only ever wanted her. I kept it inside because Rory and I made a pact that our friend, Amber, was off-limits.

He lied.

I went off to college, and he got the girl.
Amber never knew how I felt.
They were together for years—before he broke her heart.

Through it all and across the miles, she and I casually stayed in touch.
When my job sent me to Boston for a three-month contract position, Amber let me stay in her spare room.

Still reeling from her breakup, she’d sworn off men.
One night, I opened her computer to find the shock of my life. She’d hesitantly contacted a male escort company. Afraid to date and get her heart broken again, she was looking for sex with no strings.
Every emotion imaginable ran through me: protectiveness, jealousy—curiosity.
Amber had chosen Gentleman Number Nine and sent him a message.
She opened up to him, confessing, among other things, her physical attraction to her friend—me. But she considered me off-limits—and she thought I was a manwhore. (Ironic, considering the circumstances.)

Eventually, she set up a date to meet Gentleman Nine at a hotel.
When she showed up several nights later to meet him, she was stunned to see me standing there—with an offer I hoped she wouldn’t refuse.


BIG BADD WOLF by Jasinda Wilder

Lucian Badd saved my life. He jumped into the freezing water of the Ketchikan harbor after I fell in. He took me to his room, stripped my wet clothes off, and wrapped me in a warm blanket.

That should have been it. I should have hit the road as soon as I could, because I’m a vagabond, a drifter. A homeless orphan with no family and no future except what I create for myself. Which is why getting tangled up with a guy—no matter how tall, dark, quiet, and sexy he may be—is a really terrible idea.

Yet…I kissed him anyway. And that one kiss? It set my world on fire, turned everything upside down.

I know I shouldn’t get involved with him. I tell myself I won’t. Yet, I still get pulled in by him and his seven brothers and their wives and girlfriends—by the concept of family, something I haven’t had in a very, very long time. Something I never thought I’d have again.

Every moment I spend with Lucian turns my present into perfect, and puts my future at risk.

* * *

As the second youngest Badd brother, I’ve lived my entire life in the long, broad shadows cast by my older brothers—the burly, bad boy bartender, the Navy SEAL, the trick pilot, the athlete, and the rock star twins. Even my younger brother, Xavier, finds a way to outshine everyone in the room with his unassuming charisma and dizzying intellect. More and more lately, I’ve been asking myself where I fit in.

And then Joss Mackenzie fell into the Inside Passage in the middle of a freak snowstorm, and in so doing, fell into my life. I saved her from the icy water, but can I can I save myself from falling for a girl I know is only going to end up doing the one thing she does best—leave?

It’s evident from the first kiss what the answer is—there’s no saving myself, not from the magnetic appeal of her wild, untamable spirit, or the exotic allure of her caramel skin and long dreadlocks and golden-brown eyes and perfect body. I’m helpless against this attraction.

But as I seek to find myself and my place among my larger-than-life brothers, will I lose my heart to the exotic beauty with walls a mile high and a tragic past?


ELITE by Carrie Aarons

A PRIVILEGED standalone novel, get ready for secret societies, international romance, and college debauchery…

If you’re in, you’ll never have to ask. If you ask, you’ll never be in.

Eloise Mason knows what it’s like to live among the privileged. Seeking a change from the upper crust society of Europe, she flies halfway across the world for a semester abroad in the one place guaranteed to toss responsibility out the window and provide some good, old-fashioned fun; college in The United States.

Except nothing at the picturesque, Ivy-covered university in Vermont appears as it seems. And after a mysterious invitation arrives on her doorstep, curiosity wins over the need to turn her back on games meant for the rich and ruthless.

Secret societies, risky tasks, and an inner circle to rival the royals. But it may just be one American boy who threatens to be the most dangerous endeavor of all.

Colton Reiter defines the word idolized at Jade Mountain University. In fact, he practically rules the roost from the three point line of the basketball court. The college’s star point guard, he is a god and treated as such; professional scouts at every game, teachers looking the other way when it comes to grades, and girls falling into his lap at the snap of a finger. He wants for nothing, or at least that’s what he wants everyone to believe.

But when he meets the sassy girl with the British accent who could care less about his status, her very existence threatens to unveil the skeletons buried deep in the back of his closet.

With stakes this high, and hearts on the line, can they turn their backs on power and popularity before the ivory tower comes crashing down on their heads?


HEART STRONGER by Rachel Blaufeld

A brand new emotional standalone from Rachel Blaufeld…

“Sometimes, I feel like I’m watching a movie…that it’s not really me, Claire Richards, getting this second chance at life.”

“Open your eyes, it’s you, and I’m damn glad it’s with me.” ~ Aiken

Single mom and college professor Claire Richards only wanted a few hours of me time to soak in her tub, read a book, and drink wine.

But tragedy struck, and Claire found herself with a lot more me time than she bargained for.

Three years later, Claire is still mourning her losses when Aiken Fordham—who looks young enough to be one of her college students—moves in next door.

Forcing Claire to face her fears, Aiken almost forgets his reason for moving to Small Town, Pennsylvania. Falling for the sexy, smart, and strong professor next door was never in the plan.

But now it is…until their future intersects with their pasts.


SEX GOD by Katie McCoy

My brother’s best friend is a sex god, and it’s time to even the score…

Austin James was always my #1 crush – and off-limits – until a college hook-up showed me he was every bit the playboy his rock-star reputation promised. Now, he’s back after a mysterious break from the spotlight, offering an exclusive profile that could make any journalist’s career.

And he picks me.

Two weeks to land the scoop of a lifetime? I’m not about to let a little unresolved sexual tension stand between me and my big break. OK, a *lot* of sexual tension.

Can I figure out Austin’s secrets – before they break my heart? And will this off-limits romance find a way to become something real?

Find out in another hot standalone romance from Katie McCoy!

The All-Stars Series are hot standalones featuring sexy alpha men finding their HEA!
1. Royal Player
2. Hot Bachelor
3. Heartthrob
4. Sex God


THE TEST by Tawna Fenske

“The hottest, sexiest, most hilariously fun opposites attract story I’ve ever read!”USA Today bestselling author Samanthe Beck

This is a test. A test of every life decision Lisa Michaels has ever made.

Lisa thought she’d gotten everything right: The nicest condo, the right career, the best hair, and a perfectly adequate sex life with her stockbroker fiancé. But when the fiancé ditches her at the altar, Lisa’s left questioning every decision she’s ever made. What if her instincts have been steering her wrong all along? And what if she tested that theory by spending one month doing the exact opposite of what she’d normally do?

A crazy-hot fling with a tattooed steelworker from the wrong side of the tracks seems like a good starting point…

Each book in the The List series is STANDALONE:
* The List
* The Test


BABY MAKER by P. Dangelico

Sparks fly when a successful financial manager and a legendary football player enter into a legal agreement to have a kid together. They planned on everything––they just didn’t plan on each other.

A standalone, slow sizzle romance.

Stella Donovan’s biological clock is a ticking time bomb.

The successful financial manager has spent her adult life building a career and neglecting her personal life. Problem is, she doesn’t believe in marriage. Not after watching her mother be treated like garbage by her father. Nope, marriage is not for her. All she wants is a baby. All she needs is a man to agree to her terms.

Dane Wylder, recently retired NFL tight end and future Hall of Famer, wants a baby.

Naturally, marriage is off the table. He’s not the marrying type

Women are great––as long as they’re trying to get into his bed and not his heart. But after years of living only for himself, he’s ready to be a father. All he needs is a woman to agree to his terms.


WHEN AUTUMN ENDS by Beth Rinyu

I was at the top of my game until reality hit in a way I had never imagined, forcing me to face the living hell that had become my life. The ghosts and demons that once filled the pages of my bestselling novels now flooded my mind, consuming my thoughts both day and night.

She was hauntingly beautiful, and I was drawn to her in the most unimaginable way.
She was my breath when I had stopped breathing.
She was my hope when I was drowning in despair.
She was my muse when I had lost all motivation.

But nothing good lasted—not in my world anyway.
Like the last days of autumn when the beautiful leaves are stripped away by the long winter days, lurking in the distance; her caring ways and gentle soul were only temporary. Soon it would be taken from me, leaving my heart as barren as those once majestic trees. But unlike those autumn days, she remained, giving me the courage to face the cold, dark winter of my past while uncovering secrets and lies that could be the premise of a bestseller. Only, this wasn’t fiction, this was my reality—a reality I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.


STRAIGHT UP IRISH by Magan Vernon

“Full of Irish charm, sweeping scenery, and swoon-worthy romance.” – Jay Crownover, NYT bestselling author

I need a wife if I want to help save my family’s billion-dollar pub empire. There’s just one problem: I never plan on marrying. So, I need someone who understands that this is just another business deal. I don’t do commitments. And my brother’s executive assistant, Fallon Smith, fits that bill.

Fallon needs help with her grandmother’s expenses, and her pretending to be my fake wife is a way we can make that happen. She’s not my biggest fan, but we can help each other and then go our separate ways. That she’s beautiful and I enjoy spending time with her–doesn’t matter. When all of this is done, she’s heading home to America, and I’ve got a company to run.

A fake wedding and a whole lot of whiskey. What could go wrong?


RELEASING FEBRUARY 20


NOBODY DOES IT BETTER by Lexi Blake

A spy who specializes in seduction

Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.

A leading man who doesn’t do romance

Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.

An ending neither could have expected

Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.

A Masters and Mercenaries Novel by Lexi Blake


RECKLESS by Lex Martin

A sexy new standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Lex Martin…

Tori…
For the record, I’m not going to hook up with my boss.

I’m a lot of things—a screwup, a basket case, a flunky. But when I take a nanny job to be near my pregnant sister, I swear to myself I’ll walk the straight and narrow, which means I cannot fall for my insanely hot boss.

I don’t want to be tempted by that rugged rancher. By his chiseled muscles or southern charm or the way he snuggles his kids at bedtime. Ethan Carter won’t get the key to my heart, no matter how much I want him.

Ethan…
Between us, she’s the last thing I need as I finalize my hellish divorce.

What sane man trying to rebuild his life wants a hot nanny with long, sexy hair, curves for miles, and a smart mouth? A perfectly kissable, pouty mouth that I shouldn’t notice.

My focus is on my kids and my ranch, not the insufferable siren who sleeps in the room next to mine. It doesn’t matter that she wins over my kids in a heartbeat or runs my life better than I do. Tori Duran is the one woman I can’t have and shouldn’t want, no matter how much I crave her.


KIAN by Melody Anne

New York Times bestselling author Melody Anne’s sizzling novel of ex-lovers locked again in a game of hearts.

There was a time when surgeon Kian Forbes would have surrendered every cent of his vast family fortune if it could make Roxie Gilbert happy. That was before she skipped town, broke his heart, and sent him spinning through a string of forgettable one-night stands. He never even knew he’d fathered a child—with Roxie’s sister, no less. But in the wake of tragedy, little Lily needs a home. And Kian wants his daughter. But Roxie’s not giving in or giving up without a fight.

Fearful of her intense feelings for Kian, Roxie ran. Now that her sister’s death has brought her home, she intends to take custody of her niece and avoid Kian—easier said than done on both counts. With their wealth and power, the Forbes men are accustomed to winning. And as she and Kian are forced to spend time together for Lily’s sake, saying no to everything he wants proves impossible…even though it means risking both their hearts all over again.


ROCK KING by Tara Leigh

Fans of Kristen Callihan and Kylie Scott will scream for this sizzling bad boy rock star romance!
I’m not who you think I am.
Shane Hawthorne has it all. At least, that’s what the headlines say about me. I have millions of fans, awards, more money – and women – than I know what to do with. But what you don’t see is the wreckage I’ve caused. The memories and pain I can’t escape, even when I pour them into music and spin them into gold.
I tried to forget. To lose myself in booze and groupies. It didn’t work. It hurt me and – worse – it hurt my band. That’s the last thing I want to do, so I’m cleaning up my act… starting with Delaney Fraser.
Gorgeous, smart, drama-free, and even nice – Delaney is the perfect “girlfriend.” When I’m with her I don’t have to pretend. It’s like she sees the real me. And I can see a future with her. But that’s dangerous. Because the truth is, Shane Hawthorne doesn’t actually exist. He’s a shield to hide who I really am. Fraud. Runaway. Addict. Murderer.
And it’s impossible to love a lie, right?

EULOGY by Rachel Van Dyken

All is lost.

All.
I don’t recognize myself in the mirror anymore.
My thoughts are filled with hatred and dripping with rage.
I’ve lost my soul.
She took it to the depths of Hell with her and haunts me with images of what could have been.
Sixty lives are mine to take.
Sixty lives stand in the way of my vengeance.
Sixty lives plus one more.
Mine.
When the last drop of blood falls — mine will be spilled.
Only one person stands in the way.
She doesn’t realize I’ll kill her too.
I don’t own a heart.
And even if I did — I wouldn’t fall prey to its lies again.
I am Chase Abandonato.
Heir to a legacy of betrayal.
And I will kill them all.
Even if it means pointing the gun at myself.
A life for a life.
A soul for a soul.

Now I lay me down to sleep… I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Blood in. No out.

Eulogy is a stand alone mafia romance with dark themes, alpha males, violence, and enough humor woven in to make it so you don’t want to hunt the author down when you finish. It is linked to the Eagle Elite series, any book can be read out of order, but will contain spoilers if you choose to take that path. 

Enjoy, blood in no out!


FRESH CATCH by Kate Canterbary

Take a vacation, they said. Get away from Silicon Valley’s back-stabbing and power-grabbing. Recharge the innovative batteries. Unwind, then come back stronger than ever.Instead, I got lost at sea and fell in love with an anti-social lobsterman.

There’s one small issue:

Owen Bartlett doesn’t know who I am. Who I really am.~~

I don’t like people.I avoid small talk and socializing, and I kick my companions out of bed before the sun rises.No strings, no promises, no problems.Until Cole McClish’s boat drifts into Talbott’s Cove, and I bend all my rules for the sexy sailor.I don’t know Cole’s story or what he’s running from, but one thing is certain:

I’m not letting him run away from me.

*
Fresh Catch is a full-length standalone m/m novel.

DANGEROUS IN MOTION by Sidney Bristol

He let her go once.

The last time retired Navy SEAL Adam Novak saw his wife was on their wedding day. His runaway bride has made her life…without him. Resigned to going it alone, he’s not expecting her coworkers show up on his doorstep pleading for him to find her.

She’s been waiting for him.

Virologist Heidi Novak is in over her head. Again. Kidnapped while researching a mysterious outbreak, she’s forced to work with the enemy. That is, until an all too familiar silent, giant barges in, guns blazing.

Old flames burn twice as hot.

With the threat of pandemic emergency hanging over their heads, Adam and Heidi must face their past if they’re going to save everyone’s future.

Aegis Group Alpha Team
Dangerous in Love
Dangerous in Action
Dangerous in Transit
Dangerous in Motion
Dangerous in Charge (May 2018)


POISON KISSES 3 by Lisa Renee Jones

Those you love, know how to hurt you.

Those you love, know what to hide, because they know what is unforgivable to you.

Now that I know what Seth hid from me, I want the secret to be the lie.

I don’t want to kill him. I don’t want to leave him. I guess that is why they say there is a fine line between love and hate.

I love and hate that man with such passion, that it damn near hurts.

But now, as we face down our shared enemies, as we are lead right back to an explosive discovery about my family, and to the night Seth and I parted ways, we will both be exposed in every way.

And it’s time for me to decide if I plan to love Seth Cage for the rest of my life, or kill him, before he kills me.

***Part three of the three part Poison Kisses Serial****


USE ME by Kimberly Knight

*This romance novel contains explicit content and is not advised for readers under 18*

Rhys Cole’s life has always revolved around hockey. Growing up, he knew he’d play in the National Hockey League, but when his dream of being drafted didn’t happen, he chose the next best thing: becoming a hockey sportscaster for a local sports station. But just like in sports, you win some, you lose some. When Rhys discovers his girlfriend cheating with a stranger in his bed, he walks to the local bar down the street to let off some steam.

After moving her way up the journalism field by covering stories in extreme weather conditions and working late hours, Ashtyn Valor is now the lead anchor for the nightly news. Finally settled into her career, Ashtyn is ready to take the next step in life with her boyfriend. But when he unexpectedly breaks up with her, Ashtyn decides to numb the pain with alcohol at the closest bar.

Rhys and Ashtyn both expected an evening of alcohol to mask the pain of that October night. What they didn’t expect was meeting someone who could shield them from the darkness of their heartaches.

Or that their pasts would dangerously intertwine …

When obsession becomes dangerous, Ashtyn turns to Rhys for safety. But how safe are they really?

The game of love always goes on.

And their game was just beginning.


NEVER LET GO by Jill Sanders

Activist meets corporate in this sizzling romance by New York Times bestselling author Jill Sanders.

Trent McGowan has never been the guy who doesn’t get what he wants. He and his brothers are making a go of the oil business, and he’s always had a bit of a reputation with the ladies. Only lately, something’s been missing—something Trent never realized he needed…until he sees his childhood crush standing on the picket line, trying to destroy his company. And what happened to turn sweet Addy Collins into a sexy activist?

Environmentalist Adrianna Collins has returned to her hometown of Haven, Montana, on a mission to stop destructive oil mining. She never imagined that the corporate face on the other side of the protest line would be her lifelong crush. The Trent she remembers is better known for flirting than, uh, fracking, and she can’t believe he’d risk his city to make a quick buck.

Now Trent’s determined to prove that he’s not the person she thinks he is. If he can earn Addy’s trust, he might be able to save his company—and bring Addy home for good.


WINTER IGNITING by Rebecca Zanetti

His only goal was survival until he met her…

With nothing to lose, former cop Damon Winter agrees to an undercover op, infiltrating a cult in the dangerous post-Scorpius world. After one look at his new partner, he knows she belongs far away from not only the cult, but from him. She’s sweet and kind and has no business being in peril, but she’s determined to help. Suddenly, the part he’s playing as her man explodes into a passion neither of them had expected.

She hadn’t purposefully faced risk until she met him…

April Snyder has survived loss, pain, and uncertainty. Now she’s ready to live again. There’s nothing left but to make a difference for others, so why not go undercover in the cult? Now all she has to do is keep it professional and ignore her handsome, deadly, overbearing partner, who’s too sexy for her peace of mind. Intrigue, risk, and danger make for an irresistible temptation–until enemies close in, threatening everyone they’ve sworn to protect.


RELEASING FEBRUARY 21


DRIVING WHISKEY WILD by Melissa Foster

A captivating new sexy standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

Special Forces veteran and Dark Knights Motorcycle Club member Bullet Whiskey lives to protect his family, their bar, and the residents of his small hometown. He’s rough, unapologetic, and haunted by a secret, painful past. He’s also a master at keeping people away, and when his sister hires gorgeous and sweet Finlay Wilson to help expand their biker bar, he knows just how to get rid of her.

After losing her boyfriend and her father, Finlay moves back to her hometown to be closer to the little family she has left. She needs her temporary job at Whiskey Bro’s to get her catering business off the ground, and she’s determined not to let the gruff, arrogant mountain of a man Bullet Whiskey scare her off.

Finlay is everything Bullet has never wanted. She’s afraid of his dog, afraid of motorcycles, and sweet enough to give him cavities, but as she weaves her way into the hearts of everyone around him, he’s powerless to resist her charms. Passion ignites, but trust doesn’t come easily, and when their pasts collide, Bullet finds out the true meaning of protecting those he loves.


#1 Rival by T Gephart

Lauren Harper wanted four things.
Respect.
Success.
Happiness.
And to annihilate Roman Pierce.

Sure, he was a smooth, smart and sexy attorney who made the senior partners at their law firm cream their pants. But he was also an annoying cocky jerk who she’d been competing with since they had both been hired over a year ago.

And Lauren didn’t care how amazing his smile was or how hot his body was underneath that suit—the firm-sponsored fun run had a lot to answer for—he was a ruthless, ambitious prick who would stop at nothing to climb the corporate ladder. He’d even climb over her given half the chance. Sadly, she’d probably enjoy that.

No.
That wasn’t what she was supposed to be thinking.
She did not want him climbing over or under her, or doing anything else to her.
He was the enemy. Destroying him was the only option.

Wiping that smug, beautiful grin off his gorgeous, obnoxious face, a bonus.

Now, if she could just keep her objective in check and obliterate him before he did the same to her.


FOOL ME TWICE by Lilliana Foster

‘Some husbands bought their wives flowers, others bought jewellery. Mine? He returned the things he stole.’

I should have known better. Hot guys didn’t hit on big girls without an agenda. They didn’t approach them in bars and talk their way into your bed. They also didn’t make you feel beautiful and proud of your curves. But I was going through a dry spell—actually, I’d kind of been going through a dry spell all my life—and dry spells sucked. Of course I slept with him.
I was such a fool.
I believed his lines. Fell for his easy smile; the man swept me off my feet, rocked my world, then robbed me blind.
I really needed a three date rule.
Angry and embarrassed, I engaged the help of my best friend to track the thief down and make him return what he took. But when I found him, he wasn’t alone….
What does a girl do when she finds not one thief, but an entire family?
She marries into it, of course.


JUSTICE by KC Lynn 

Fate made us brothers, loyalty made us family.

A bond that runs deeper than the Mississippi, my brothers and I might not have the same DNA but what we share is far more powerful. Our loyalty to one another and the man who made us a family is stronger than those bound by blood.

The most sought out sharp shooters in the country, our paths were certain, before one woman changed my life and altered the relationship I have with my brothers.

Ryanne Lockwood disappeared without a trace but her memory never faded, torturing me on the darkest nights. Until a twist of fate leads me back to her, sending our worlds to collide once more, and this time, there will be no escaping me.

***

Justice Creed’s bad boy appeal caught my attention from the moment he rolled into town. For years I watched from afar, swallowing up the rumors that surrounded him.

Until we shared a night of forbidden passion. One that destroyed my heart and reshaped my soul, and it sent me fleeing from the only town I’ve ever known.

Now, years later, he’s barged back into my life, uncovering a secret I’ve worked so hard to keep and it’s one that will change our lives forever.


RELEASING FEBRUARY 22


FAMILY IS FOREVER by SC Stephens

Julian Adams would give anything to rewind the last few months.

His sister has been forever altered, a man he distrusts is now a permanent part of his family, and the woman of his dreams no longer remembers him.

The only thing left for Julian to do is start over.

Nika Adams is finally content with her life.

She’s forever bound to her soulmate, and helping him with a project that has given him purpose.

But just when it seems peace is on the horizon, an unintended consequence of Hunter’s work arises, and everyone must pull together to find a way to keep the family safe … forever.


RURIK by Lauren Smith

A dragon’s prisoner…or his deepest desire?

The fiercest of a royal line of Russian dragon shifters, Rurik Barinov spends most days defending his family’s homeland from rival clans. By night, sins of the flesh—drinking, dancing, and sex—keep his volatile warrior dragon in check. Barely.

With his choice of mortal women to bed, he has no interest in changing his bad-boy ways—until a creature of molten sex poured into a tiny red satin dress steps into his nightclub. A jagged edge of raw desire nicks the impenetrable armor around his heart.

Charlotte MacQueen has been told since childhood to stay in school, live a normal life. Leave the family business—hunting down dragons—to her brothers. But tonight, she’s shed her chemist’s lab coat and infiltrated enemy lines to bag a dragon of her own.

She never expected sexy, all-too-wicked Rurik Barinov to capture her, body and soul—the perfect weapon to use against her brothers. Or that she’d fall for the brave, battle-scarred dragon shifter who covets her heart like the most precious of jewels.

Twilight meets Games of Thrones in this hot new dragonshifter romance by USA Today Bestselling author Lauren Smith!
Scroll up and one-click your copy today!


RELEASING FEBRUARY 23


MEMPHIS by Ginger Scott

My mom always said it was just something about the way he moved.

The same swagger Archie Valentine wore in the ring when he took his opponents down followed him like a halo everywhere he went. But make no mistake about it—he was no angel. He was like a drug. My mother was his addict.

I never understood it…how love could make you blind and convince you to drink the poison. Not until I met Memphis Delaney.

At first, it was the familiar form. He’s a fighter, built like a god from the past, the kind of man the universe doesn’t make anymore. His eyes hide a story, and every time I’m in his presence I want to keep reading him until I get to the end. And then…there’s the way he moves. His boxing is violent but beautiful, and his body is a seductive weapon. When he’s in the ring, he wears the stare of a man committed to the battle until his very last breath.

He could end me; turn me into her. Too much of him will leave me as a shadow, and I’ve lost so much of myself already.

But I have discipline. It came the hard way. Lessons learned, scars left behind, and trust stripped away from life.

I will breathe his air, but I won’t fall for a man like him. The only boxer who’s ever going to break my heart is the one who gave me my name.


THIEF by A. Zavarelli (buy link TBA)

Tanaka

I’m a good girl.

I live by a code that can’t be bent or broken. It is my duty to my family to stay innocent and pure. To marry an Italian man. The stars are already aligned.

But Nikolai Kozlov re-writes my destiny with five simple words.

You belong to me now.

He’s Russian mafiya. A thief. A skilled liar with no moral boundaries. He is everything I have been taught to hate. A man who stands for nothing. A man who takes what he wants without a second thought.

And what he wanted was me.

He thinks he controls my fate, but what he doesn’t know is, sometimes it’s the good girls you have to watch out for.

Nikolai

I’m a dangerous man.

I live by a code. The Vory code. It is my duty to my family to protect the brotherhood. To destroy anyone who threatens what we stand for, including her.

She’s a dancer. A beautiful little doll. My prisoner, and my new favorite puppet. This mafia princess thinks she has me under her spell, but in the end, she is simply collateral.

It’s a shame to destroy precious things.

But this is what bad men do.

Review: Over Us, Over You by Whitney G.

OVER US, OVER YOU
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Whitney G
Release Date: December 7, 2017

From New York Times bestselling author Whitney G. comes a falling for my older brother’s best friend romance.

Subject: Delete this message after you read it…

Dear Hayley,

I’m assuming you’re still hungover, so I’ll make this brief.

Last night, you slipped under my sheets (without my permission), and we almost had sex. I got the hell out of the bed once I realized it was you, and I took you home.

That’s the story.

The end.

Period.

Just in case you’ve forgotten, you’re my best friend’s little sister. We will never be anything more. (We can’t be anything more.) Our previous friendship is still unresolved–or “over” in your terms, so I’d prefer if we worked on becoming ‘just friends’ again since you’re in town.

Nonetheless, I’m not a man who leaves questions unanswered–even the drunken ones, so to properly close our inappropriate conversation:

1) Yes, I liked the way your lips felt against mine when you were on top of me.
2) Yes, I do “prefer” rough sex, but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t rough with you.
3) No, I had no idea you were still a virgin…

This message never happened,
Corey

AMAZON


Meh. Just meh.

I’ll keep this short and sweet. I adore Whitney’s writing. I haven’t read a book of hers I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed…until this one.

The concept was phenomenal. The set up, delicious. The execution, completely lacking. The characters fell flat and came off as two dimensional. There was nothing endearing about either one of them. The plot felt rushed and unfinished. The flashbacks from present to past felt disjointed.

But ultimately, the nail in the coffin for me was Hayley. I. Hated. Her. HATED. She came across as vapid, immature and ungrateful. Here’s a grown woman that has absolutely no issues taking money from her rich and successful older brother and lying to him for years about what she’s doing with it. When her dream business (set up with her brother’s funds) fails epically, she calls him for help. And on a side note, who in their right mind sets up a boutique coffee shop in Seattle, for sanity’s sake?! Sorry, back to the story. So here she comes crawling back to her brother for help, he gives her a job (that she doesn’t deserve) at his company that he built on his own. And what does she do? Not take it seriously, take unlimited days off, show up late, AND CONTINUE TO LIE TO HIM through all of it about being involved with his best friend.


And with the way everything resolved, she never redeemed herself in my eyes. I absolutely despised her.

Add in the rest of the missing pieces and this story was doomed for me from the start. Unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. I will still blindly read any other books this author releases in the future. This is absolutely a one-off, and all my favorites have had one with me. You simply can’t love them all but I look forward to what this author has in store next.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Thief by A. Zavarelli

THIEF
Series: Boston Underworld #5
Author: A. Zavarelli
Genre: Dark Romance
Cover Design: Lara, Coverlüv
Release Date: February 23, 2018

I’m a good girl.

I live by a code that can’t be bent or broken. It is my duty to my family to stay innocent and pure. To marry an Italian man. The stars are already aligned.

But Nikolai Kozlov re-writes my destiny with five simple words.

You belong to me now.

He’s Russian mafiya. A thief. A skilled liar with no moral boundaries. He is everything I have been taught to hate. A man who stands for nothing. A man who takes what he wants without a second thought.

And what he wanted was me.

He thinks he controls my fate, but what he doesn’t know is, sometimes it’s the good girls you have to watch out for.

I’m a dangerous man.

I live by a code. The Vory code. It is my duty to my family to protect the brotherhood. To destroy anyone who threatens what we stand for, including her.

She’s a dancer. A beautiful little doll. My prisoner, and my new favorite puppet. This mafia princess thinks she has me under her spell, but in the end, she is simply collateral.

It’s a shame to destroy precious things.

But this is what bad men do.


PLAYLIST


 

The first thing I always notice about a person is their posture. I was raised to believe that good posture conveys good manners, as well as respect for those around you. Nikolai carries his posture like a casual ‘f#ck you’ to everyone around him. There is no decorum in his leather jacket, jeans, or his haphazardly laced motorcycle boots. Everything he wears is black, but the small glimpse of skin beneath is a riot of colors. Tattoos cover every inch of his exposed skin, including his throat.

I’m not sure which is more offensive- the ink or the faux hawk atop his head. This is not the way you attend a ballet, nor is he the type of man I expect my father to keep company with.
“Tanaka.” He reaches for my hand and kisses it in a way that few men would ever dare to do in my father’s presence. “You dance beautifully.”

The words are unmistakably accented. Russian. And I’m struggling to maintain my composure while making sense of this situation. My father has always been protective of me. His own men know better than to speak to me or look at me, but for this stranger, somehow, it’s okay.

My manners, at least, are still intact, so I reply as I should. “You’ve seen me dance?”

Nikolai flashes a boyish smile in contrast to the deepness of his blue-green eyes. “I like to invest my time in the arts.”


ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE BOSTON UNDERWORLD SERIES

#1 Crow – FREE for a limited time!AMAZON

#2 Reaper AMAZON

#3 Ghost – FREE for a limited time! AMAZON

#4 SaintAMAZON

All books are free in Kindle Unlimited

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author.

She likes all things chocolate, books that come with warnings, and putting her characters through hell. Her tales have been known to flirt with darkness and sometimes court it unabashedly altogether. Revenge themes and tortured souls are her favorites to write and this gives her an excuse to watch bizarre and twisted documentaries in her spare time.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Facebook Group

There is a giveaway for a $20 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Pretender by HelenKay Dimon

THE PRETENDER
Series: Games People Play #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: HelenKay Dimon
Release Date: December 26, 2017

“Sexy, emotional, funny . . . Dimon gives it all to her readers.” —New York Times Bestselling Author Jill Shalvis

They say it takes a thief to catch a thief, and Harrison Tate is proof. Once a professional burglar, he now makes a lawful living tracking down stolen art. No one needs to know about his secret sideline, “liberating” artifacts acquired through underhanded methods. At least until one of those jobs sees him walking in on a murder.

Gabrielle Wright has long been estranged from her wealthy family, but she didn’t kill her sister. Trouble is, the only person who can prove it is the sexy, elusive criminal who shouldn’t have been at the island estate on that terrible night. She’s not expecting honor among thieves—or for their mutual attraction to spark into an intense inferno of desire.

Under the guise of evaluating her family’s art, Harris comes back to the estate hoping to clear Gabby’s name. But returning to the scene of the crime has never been riskier, with their hearts and lives on the line.

AMAZON

He had changed everything.

HelenKay Dimon was one of the very first contemporary romance authors I read back in the day, right after Lori Foster and Jill Shalvis. But it’s been a hot minute since I’ve read one of her books and I couldn’t even tell you why. The synopsis for The Pretender caught my eye right away, and felt like just the right book to dive back into my love affair with this author.

While I haven’t read the first two books in this series, I had no trouble jumping into the third. I felt there was a lot of history with the characters that I missed out on, but everything I needed to know for this story was carefully laid out and explained.

If you like your romance with a dash of mystery and suspense, The Pretender will surely do the trick. As a matter of fact, it’s the one thing that kept me reading. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel a connection the main characters or their romance. It felt rushed and sudden, like it came out of nowhere. Though Harrison actually knows the heroine from a job went wrong over a year ago, they had no other connection. When he comes back to the island to help clear her name of a murder he has proof she didn’t commit, the sparks fly. Where I struggled is believing those sparks. Yes, they had chemistry, but it was just too sudden considering everything else going on.

There’s quite a bit of intrigue and red herrings thrown into the mix to truly throw the reader for a loop and it certainly did the job for me. The identity of the bad guy kept me guessing right until the very end. When I thought I knew who it was there was a heck of a plot twist thrown in that certainly livened things up a bit from what seemed to be a predictable end.

Even though the romance left something to be desired for me, I enjoyed the mystery and suspense quite a bit. It was definitely enough to hook me to want to read the rest of the series.

Sales & Freebies: February 13, 2018

What book addict doesn’t like a good book deal? Rhetorical question, really. And I have the mother load of all book sale roundups for you! So even if you don’t have a significant other to cuddle up to on Valentine’s Day tomorrow, these books are sure to keep you verra warm 😉

(All sales at time of posting. Please verify price before one-clicking)


$.99 SALES


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Defy The Dawn by Lara Adrian

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Vegas Love by Jillian Dodd

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Tall, Dark and Deadly by Lisa Renee Jones

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The Story of Us by Cassia Leo

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The VIP Trilogy by M. Robinson

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Going Down Easy by Carly Phillips

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Stay With Me by Kelly Elliot

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10 Years Later by J. Sterling

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Spinning Out by Lexi Ryan

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Hold You Against Me by Skye Warren

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The Hot Shot by Kristen Callihan

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Sugar Kisses by Addison Moore

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Mixed Up by Emma Hart

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Seven Years by Dannika Dark

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Some Sort of Crazy by Melanie Harlow

Unbreakable

Unbreakable by Rebecca Shea

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Matchmaker by Lauren Landish

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More Than Music by Elizabeth Briggs

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Darker Water by Lauren Stewart

TRA

The Roommate Arrangement by Vanessa Waltz

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Master Class by Linnea May

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One Night by Aleatha Romig

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Lethal Game by Katie Reus

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Savage Mafia Prince by Annika Martin

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Mine To Hold by Cynthia Eden

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Mine To Crave by Cynthia Eden

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His by Brenda Rothert

Next To YOu

Next To You by Daisy Prescott

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After All by Eric Nicholas

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Diamonds by KA Linde

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Crazy Over You by Daisy Prescott

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Where I End by Michelle Dare

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Wanderer by Janine Infante Bosco

Race For Love

Race 4 Love by Nana Malone

Ride Or Die

Ride Or Die by Terri E. Laine

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Bad For Her by Christi Barth

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Darkness Hunts by Keri Arthur

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Perfect Chaos by Nashoda Rose

Motorhead

Motorhead by Lauren Landish

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Caveman by Jo Raven

BIL

Barefoot in Lace by Roxanne St. Claire

Delectable

Delectable by RL Mathewson

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Hell and Back by Natasha Madison

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Savage Locke by Victoria Ashley

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Out of Bounds by Erin Nicholas

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Hold Me Until Midnight by Christina Phillips

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Falling From The Sky by Sarina Bowen

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His Best Mistake by Diane Alberts

FWL

Filthy Wicked Love by Lili Valente

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Blood In The Water by Cinthia Rayne

LL

Love Lessons by Cathryn Fox

FREEBIES


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ALT

New & Upcoming Releases: February 12-16

Who’s ready for another awesome new release week in romance-land?


AVAILABLE NOW


PLAYING HOUSE by Amy Andrews

Eleanor is content with her boring life—mostly. She’s even fine being the quirky sister in a bevy of beauties. So imagine her surprise when one of her brother’s Sydney Smoke mates hits on her at an engagement party. Her. The weird sister, who wears vintage dresses and prefers her books to parties.

Bodie is shocked the next morning to find the soft, sexy virgin who seduced him with corsets is his best friend’s little sister. If he could kick his own ass, he would. And two months later, she’s got an even bigger surprise for him. Now he needs to convince the corset-loving wallflower that he loves her uniqueness if they’ve got a chance at forever.

He always did love a challenge…

Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is STANDALONE:
* Playing By Her Rules
* Playing It Cool
* Playing the Player
* Playing With Forever
* Playing House


FORGET ME NOT by Brooke Blaine

Three sugars, two creamers.

That’s how you took your coffee every morning at Joe’s Grab ’N Go.

But you don’t remember that.

You don’t remember anything.

Anything, that is, except me…

That day…

And the tragedy that catapulted us together.

 


BROOKLYNAIRE by Sarina Bowen

A sexy new standalone from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.

For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.

When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together.

Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?


THE WRONG KIND OF LOVE by Lexi Ryan

From New York Times bestseller Lexi Ryan comes a sexy new standalone romance novel about a runaway bride, a single dad who’s sworn off love, and the kind of family secrets that can threaten to break even the deepest bonds.
***
You never forget your wedding day. Or the moment your twin sister pukes on your bouquet and confesses she’s pregnant . . . with your fiancé’s baby.

I wanted to get away, to hide until my heart mended. I found myself in a strange town with a mysterious stranger whose talented mouth and hands almost made me forget it was supposed to be my wedding night.

Afraid to go home to face my broken life, I pretend to be my twin so I can take her job in Jackson Harbor caring for a six-year-old girl. Imagine my surprise when I find out my new boss is my mysterious stranger—Dr. Ethan Jackson.

I never meant for Ethan to discover my secrets. I never meant for them to matter. But the longer I work with him and his sweet daughter, the harder I fall, and the clearer it becomes that I’m not the only one carrying a secret that could tear us apart.

Get ready to fall for the boys of Jackson Harbor in Lexi Ryan’s sexy new contemporary romance series. These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!


THE PENTHOUSE PACT by Cathryn Fox

Billionaire software developer Parker Braxton knows everyone wants something from him. That’s why he made a multi-million-dollar bachelor pact with his friends to never marry. But he never counted on running into, literally, the quiet but sensual Layla Fallon.

Layla isn’t afraid of hard work.

Still, there is no light at the end of her student-loan tunnel.

When Stuck-Up Suit—Parker Braxton—accidentally runs her over, it’s the last things she needs.

She refuses his help, but he’s persistent.

He’s also handsome, kinder than she ever expected, and she’s doing her best to ignore her attraction.

Which is harder than it sounds when she’s recuperating at his penthouse.

Sparks fly. Hearts flutter. But falling for Layla could cost Parker more than just several million dollars.


CAUTION ON THE ICE by S.R. Grey

Dylan Culderway is more than hockey’s top defenseman. He’s the kind of guy who’s always there to help a friend. Plus, he’s a true gentleman. More importantly, certainly to the ladies, is that Dylan is hot enough to melt ice.

Dylan’s no womanizer, though. He doesn’t have time for love. Seems he’s too busy running away from his past.

Or is he running to his past?

When Dylan meets Chloe Tettersaw, the pretty new girl in town, everything changes. A relationship and love are no longer off the table. But it’s not all smooth sailing. When a mysterious stalker makes Chloe’s life a living hell the couple find themselves, and their burgeoning love, tested.

Little does Dylan know this may be his chance to rewrite history . . . and maybe this time he can make things right.

The past and present are about to collide for Dylan and Chloe.

Are they ready?

Can it heal their damaged souls?

Or will it tear them apart?

Caution on Ice is the fourth standalone novel in the bestselling Boys of Winter hockey romance series.

**STANDALONE NOVEL**

**EACH BOOK IN THE BOYS OF WINTER SERIES FEATURES A DIFFERENT SMOKING HOT HOCKEY PLAYER’S STORY**


RELEASING FEBRUARY 13


SPIDERS IN THE GROVE by JA Redmerski 

-Reading Order-

#1 – KILLING SARAI
#2 – REVIVING IZABEL
#3 – THE SWAN & THE JACKAL
#4 – SEEDS OF INIQUITY
#5 – THE BLACK WOLF
#6 – BEHIND THE HANDS THAT KILL
#7 – SPIDERS IN THE GROVE

Izabel and Naeva find themselves right where they wanted to be in Mexico: captured and held in the slave compounds owned by the Ruiz family. But the two are soon separated and forced into very different—but equally dangerous—situations. Izabel spends the next three weeks playing a role she never expected she would get the opportunity to play, but her luck runs out when Naeva’s life hangs in the balance, and only Izabel can save her. But at a terrible cost. If Izabel chooses to help Naeva, it will expose a lie she has been carrying on her shoulders since she met Victor Faust. A lie that will not only potentially make everyone in Victor’s Order distrust her going forward, but one that will also blow her carefully constructed cover In Mexico, and that could get her killed.

Fredrik, still looking for his serial killer, does not have to look long—the killer finds him. And Niklas’s past catches up to him when an old enemy comes back for revenge. But it will be Victor’s actions that shake up those left in his Order, and ultimately, be its downfall.


ROUGH RIDE by Kristen Ashley

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Chaos series…

Rosalie Holloway put it all on the line for the Chaos Motorcycle Club.

Informing to Chaos on their rival club—her man’s club, Bounty—Rosalie knows the stakes. And she pays them when her man, who she was hoping to scare straight, finds out she’s betrayed him and he delivers her to his brothers to mete out their form of justice.

But really, Rosie has long been denying that, as she drifted away from her Bounty, she’s been falling in love with Everett “Snapper” Kavanagh, a Chaos brother. Snap is the biker-boy-next door with the snowy blue eyes, quiet confidence and sweet disposition who was supposed to keep her safe…and fell down on that job.

For Snapper, it’s always been Rosalie, from the first time he saw her at the Chaos Compound. He’s just been waiting for a clear shot. But he didn’t want to get it after his Rosie was left bleeding, beat down and broken by Bounty on a cement warehouse floor.

With Rosalie a casualty of an ongoing war, Snapper has to guide her to trust him, take a shot with him, build a them…

And fold his woman firmly in the family that is Chaos.

**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.**


SURPRISE ME by Sophie Kinsella

A witty and emotionally charged novel that delves into the heart of a marriage, and how those we love and think we know best can sometimes surprise us the most—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella

After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in.

They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.

With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.


THE SMALLEST PART by Amy Harmon

“In the end, only three things matter. How much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”
– Unknown

It was a big lie. The biggest lie she’d ever told. It reverberated through her head as she said it, ringing eerily, and the girl behind her eyes—the girl who knew the truth—screamed, and her scream echoed along with the lie.
“Are you in love with Noah, Mercedes?” Cora asked. “I mean . . . I know you love him. You’ve been friends forever. We all have. But are you in love with him?”
If it had been anyone else—anyone—Mercedes would have stuck out her chest, folded her skinny arms, and let her feelings be known. She would have claimed him. But it was Cora. Brave, beautiful, broken Cora, and Cora loved Noah too.
So Mercedes lied.
And with that lie, she lost him. With that lie, she sealed her fate.
She was the best friend, the bridesmaid, the godmother, the glue. She was there for the good times and the bad, the ups and the downs, the biggest moments and the smallest parts. And she was there when it all came crashing down.
This is the tale of the girl who didn’t get the guy.


IN HARMONY by Emma Scott

The root of all madness is an unbearable truth…

At seventeen, Willow Holloway’s life was torn apart. The happy, driven girl is gone, and she is left wracked by post-traumatic stress her body remembers even if she does not. When her father suddenly uproots the family from their posh penthouse in New York City to the tiny town of Harmony, Indiana, Willow becomes more untethered and lost under the weight of her secret. On a whim, she auditions for a part in the community theater’s production of Hamlet and unexpectedly wins the role of Ophelia—the girl who is undone by madness, and her love of Hamlet…

Isaac Pierce is from the ‘wrong side of the tracks.’ The town bad boy. Girls pine for his attention and guys are in awe of him. That he’s an acting prodigy only adds to his charisma. Isaac utterly disappears into his characters; the stage is the only place he feels safe from his own traumatic home life. He wants nothing more than to escape to Broadway or Hollywood, and leave Harmony behind for good.

No one can play Hamlet but Isaac, and when the director pairs him with Willow in acting class, they clash again and again—neither willing to open their hearts to anyone. But clashing leads to breaking, breaking leads to the spilling of terrible secrets, and soon Isaac and Willow find Shakespeare’s words mirroring their lives. When they are cruelly torn apart, neither know how this play will end—with madness and heartache? Or healing, love, and the discovery of who they are truly meant to be.

In Harmony is a standalone NEW ADULT love story, and is intended for readers 18 and up. PLEASE NOTE, this book contains sensitive material such as physical abuse, and the aftermath of sexual assault (off the page). Reader discretion is advised.


 

THE LUCKY ONES by Tiffany Reisz

They called themselves “the lucky ones”

They were seven children either orphaned or abandoned by their parents and chosen by legendary philanthropist and brain surgeon Dr. Vincent Capello to live in The Dragon, his almost magical beach house on the Oregon Coast. Allison was the youngest of the lucky ones living an idyllic life with her newfound family…until the night she almost died, and was then whisked away from the house and her adopted family forever.

Now, thirteen years later, Allison receives a letter from Roland, Dr. Capello’s oldest son, warning her that their father is ill and in his final days. Allison determines she must go home again and confront the ghosts of her past. She’s determined to find out what really happened that fateful night — was it an accident or, as she’s always suspected, did one of her beloved family members try to kill her?

But digging into the past can reveal horrific truths, and when Allison pieces together the story of her life, she’ll learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew.


MORE THAN LOVE YOU by Shayla Black

An all new sexy standalone novel from New York Times bestselling author Shayla Black.

I’m Noah Weston. For a decade, I’ve quarterbacked America’s most iconic football team and plowed my way through women. Now I’m transitioning from star player to retired jock—with a cloud of allegation hanging over my head. So I’m escaping to the private ocean-front paradise I bought for peace and quiet. What I get instead is stubborn, snarky, wild, lights-my-blood-on-fire Harlow Reed. Since she just left a relationship in a hugely viral way, she should be the last woman I’m seen with.

On second thought, we can help each other…

I need a steady, supportive “girlfriend” for the court of public opinion, not entanglements. Harlow is merely looking for nonstop sweaty sex and screaming orgasms that wring pleasure from her oh-so-luscious body. Three months—that’s how long it should take for us both to scratch this itch and leave our respective scandals behind. But the more I know this woman, the less I can picture my life without her. And when I’m forced to choose, I’ll realize I don’t merely want her in my bed or need her for a ruse. I more than love her enough to do whatever it takes to make her mine for good.

More Than Love You is a sexy and emotional standalone novel in the More Than Words Series.


SHOT ON GOLD by Jaci Burton

In the new Play-by-Play novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Final Score, opposites attract when a figure skater and hockey player lace up their skates–and go for the gold…

Will “Mad Dog” Madigan is making his second trip to the Winter Games, and he couldn’t be happier. Hockey is his life and playing for the U.S. team is a privilege. Then he meets U.S. figure skater Amber Sloane. She’s beautiful, ambitious and driven–everything Will desires in a woman. He would love to show Amber how hot life off the ice can be.

Amber has skated her entire life, sacrificing everything in the hopes of one day winning gold. Now she’s competing for the third and final time. She intends to win, and nothing’s going to get in her way–until she meets Will. He’s an irresistible charmer, and before long Amber is wondering if this sexy hockey player is the perfect guy to show her some moves outside the rink.

But after all the medals have been awarded, Will and Amber will have to decide if what they have together is just a fling or a real shot at true love.


UNRAVELED by Helen Hardt

Ryan Steel and Ruby Lee are in love, but before they can move forward with a life together, they’re determined to bring resolution to the many unanswered questions they still face.

To complicate matters, new threats arise with the arrival of two startling figures from their pasts.

As they race against time to find answers, unexpected forces pull them apart.

Ryan’s brothers, Talon and Jonah, rally to help, wanting to end the struggle and finally bring the last perpetrators to justice.

But another riddle surfaces, deepening the rift between Ruby and Ryan.

Will they salvage their relationship and finally unravel the mysteries surrounding them?

 


NEED YOU NOW by J. Kenner

Charming smile. Wicked skills.
Meet Mr. March.

With his tousled hair, cocky grin, and surprising abs hidden under a conservative button-down, bartender Cameron Reed is no stranger to the attention of women.

He dates, but never gets serious, claiming that he’s too focused on his studies. But it’s not really school that preoccupies him; it’s sensual fantasies of his best friend’s sister.

Mina Silver might be absolutely off-limits because of her overprotective brother and father, but that doesn’t stop Cam from imagining the feel of her in his arms, the brush of his lips over her soft skin, or the sparks that would fly between them if he ever got her into bed.

But for Cam, the bonds of family and friendship are sacrosanct, and there is no way that he’d ever violate his friend’s trust. Or would he?

Because with love on the line, maybe it’s time for Cam to break a few rules.

Taking a risk never felt so right.

**Need You Now is part of a binge read series by New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and #1 International bestselling author of the million copy Stark series, J. Kenner.


BOUGHT BY THE BOSS by Stacey Kennedy

What’s better than one bad-boy boss? How about two?

In a duet of naughty novellas, a charity date auction turns into all-out war when a pair of powerful corporate lawyers each buy the other’s assistant for a weekend of seduction.

HIS PRICE
I’ve wanted Aria Finley from the moment I met her.
We flirt, we laugh, we connect. It could be perfect.
She’s even best friends with my assistant.
Problem is, she works for my archnemesis—Jackson Keller—and she’s the kind of girl who stays loyal unless you give her a reason not to.
Besides my hard-on there’s something hot between us, and I won’t rest until I put my finger on it.
So when I get the chance to buy Aria for the weekend at a charity auction, there’s no limit.
I’m going to take her home and take what I want because I’ll make her want it too.
And by Monday, she’ll know she’s mine.

DIRTY MONEY
Liam Maxwell thinks he can get to me through my assistant, Aria.
Well, two can play that game.
Now Mallory Beckett—Liam’s assistant and Aria’s best friend—is mine for the weekend.
Only she has no idea who bought her at the charity auction.
This is going to be worth every penny.
But soon I realize that Mallory has been waiting for my touch all along.
What starts as a fling turns into something more.
From the beginning, I was so focused on stealing her away.
I never thought about the fact that I’d drown if I lost her.
Now the game has changed. And she needs to know that she belongs to me.


NO TIME TO BLINK by Dina Silver

He knows the one thing that would destroy me would be to separate me from my daughter…

Catherine Clarke defied her family’s expectations when she married Gabriel, a handsome Lebanese businessman. After moving to Gabriel’s homeland and welcoming a baby daughter, Catherine knew she had to acclimate herself to the strange new world. Yet both her husband and her surroundings became more volatile and threatening than she could have ever imagined.

When Gabriel forbids her to return to the States, Catherine devises a plan to deceive him, but she vastly underestimates how far he will go to punish her. And after her daughter, Ann Marie, is abducted and taken deep into the mountains of Beirut—protected by family, culture, and law—the only thing on Catherine’s side is the fierceness of a mother’s love. She’s prepared to move heaven and earth to find her child.

Told from alternating points of view—that of a daughter whose past is a mystery and of a mother with painful secrets to share—this profoundly moving story of impossible risks will resonate with anyone whose love has no boundaries.


VERONA BLOOD by Lili St. Germain

San Francisco is going to burn if the coveted princess of California’s criminal underworld isn’t returned to her family in one piece …

Avery Capulet is missing.

Taken by a madman. Kept in the dark.

She might not survive.

He’ll use her body. Destroy her mind. All before he ever lays a hand on her.

Rome Montague is a drug dealer. A criminal. A thief.

And he needs the secrets Avery and her family are keeping – even if it means cutting them out of her pretty Capulet flesh.

Rome Montague is missing – but nobody will miss him.

Not that it matters; After the things he’s done to this girl, he doesn’t deserve to be found.

* * * * * * *

Prepare to step into the dark and bloody underworld of California, as Lili St. Germain brings you a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, in the same vein as her bestselling Gypsy brothers series.

The CALIFORNIA BLOOD series, set in the criminal underbelly of San Francisco, follows two warring families who are ruled by blood, power and twisted desire.

Verona Blood is the first book in the series.


THE QUEEN OF HEARTS by Kimmery Martin

A debut novel set against a background of hospital rounds and life-or-death decisions that pulses with humor and empathy and explores the heart’s capacity for forgiveness…

Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they’re happily married wives and mothers with successful careers–Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie’s life–both professionally and personally–throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick’s unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.


THE DARK CALLING by Kresley Cole

New intrigues, adventures, and stunning revelations fill the penultimate installment of #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole’s electrifying Arcana Chronicles.

In a world teetering on the edge . . .

When Evie receives life-changing—and possibly game-changing—news, she has trouble believing it. Why doesn’t she feel any different? Is it possible someone she trusts might be lying?

With enemies at every turn . . .

Tensions seethe inside the castle of lost time as Evie starts to doubt her own sanity. Answers can be found outside their stronghold, but will Death help her find them—or prevent her from learning the truth about her future and Jack’s possible survival?

Darkness beckons.

A mysterious, sinister power begins to affect the Arcana in its path. Forced out into the wasteland alone, Evie must depend on unexpected allies. But as a battle with Richter looms, can her new alliance defeat the Dark Calling before hell reigns on earth?


ETERNAL MOURNING by Carrie Ann Ryan

In the seventh book of the Talon Pack series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan, a Healer is forced to come to grips with the idea that he can’t save everyone…including the woman he loves.

Walker Brentwood vowed to the moon goddess that he’d protect his Pack and Heal with every last ounce of his power. He’s watched his siblings and cousin battle the worst circumstances to find love and is now afraid that the one woman who could be his might not have much time left. The rules of mating have changed, and Walker will do what he has to in order to protect the bonds that have eluded him for so long.

Aimee Reagan knows there’s something wrong with her. She’s known since the first time she found out shifters were real and magic existed. When the Talon Pack’s enemy sets his sights on her, her battle to survive becomes even harder.

Walker and Aimee must turn to each other when the powers around them change and the paths that had been laid before them are no longer clear. But when their passion threatens a curse far older than anyone dreamed, they’ll only have one chance to save something worth more than a mating bond. Their future.


LAKE + MANNNG by Jessica Hawkins

The final book in the Something in the Way series, a love saga.

Manning and I have what happily-ever-after is made of . . .
A home he built us on the unshakeable foundation we fought for.
A life of laughter carved out of heartache and betrayal.
A love story to stand the test of time.

But between a trust that can’t be broken, joy that can’t be bridled, and passion that would scorch the sun, the empty spaces are becoming more and more difficult to ignore . . .
Fears that keep Manning up at night as he slips from our bed.
Our complicated relationship with a man he respects and one I don’t know how to forgive.
And a sprawling, beautiful home with one small room I’m afraid I’ll never be able to fill.

Manning and I have what happily-ever-after is made of . . .
But I’ll beg the heavens for just one thing more.


HOT AND BOTHERED by Jennifer Bernard

Ben, the most romantic of the smoking hot Knight brothers, knew from the moment he met his high school sweetheart, Julie deGaia, that she was the one for him. Marriage, kids…he wanted forever with Julie—until the moment she skipped town without a word. Then Ben’s father was murdered, and his life was irrevocably changed. Now, after twelve years, Julie’s back. Ben’s over her, of course. They’re completely different people now.

Right. If they’re so different, why do his feelings for her seem so damn familiar?

And how, after all this time, can she still make Ben so hot and bothered?

Julie was never supposed to return to Jupiter Point. It’s only by staying away that she’s ensured her safety. But she owes a huge debt to the wealthy and demanding Reinhard family, who took her in as a child. What the Reinhards want, they get, so here she is, dodging a handsomer-than-ever Ben Knight. Her former sweetheart has turned into a hunky pilot who aims that sexy smile at everyone except her—until he learns the truth about why she left in the first place.

If the past can’t keep Ben and Julie apart, a deadly threat in the present might. As for that idyllic future they always dreamed about? It might take some Jupiter Point magic to put this star-crossed couple on the road to happy ever after.


POISON KISSES 2 by Lisa Renee Jones

I loved her.

She left me.

She betrayed me but now it’s time to open the closed doors.

I’ll tell her my secret if she tells me hers.

Our history, is more than lies.

It’s our story, and I will do whatever it takes to reveal it all.

I’m the Assassin, She’s The Poison Princess.

We’re going to kill the bad guys, but we’re still deciding if we’re enemies.

The one thing for certain, is we’re both going to strip down and get bare.

***Part two of the sexy, thrilling three part Poison Kisses serial****


BEWARE THE BEAST by Samantha Cade

My captive depends on me. She needs me. She wants me. And I’ll give it to her… every single inch.

I’m a dangerous animal who works for the Mariano Family to settle any disagreement. I’m indispensable to them, but when my father betrayed them I lost their trust.

When a rival family sends a bloody package and a list of crazy demands that would bleed the Mariano’s dry, I see red. I also see an opportunity.

Olivia, the spoiled, sexy mafia daughter of the rival family is the leverage I need.
And she’s my ticket to earning back the Mariano’s trust.

I snatch her in the night and lock her up where no one can touch her but me.
I treat her well, feed her, clothe her …
But it’s hard to resist the urge to take a bite of the tasty little treat at my mercy.

Being responsible for a girl like her brings up feelings I don’t recognize.
I’m addicted to the way her eyes light up when she sees me, how she shudders when I touch her.
And I can’t stop myself from giving her everything she wants and more.

She’ll be out of my life forever once the trade is done, but I refuse to give her up.

I want to keep her.
Control her.
Own her … Body and soul.

Beware the Beast is a dark captivity romance. It contains graphic love scenes and dark themes. Intended for adults only.


DEALING DOUBLE by Tamra Baumann

Falling in love can leave anyone feeling a little exposed…

Archaeologist Gabby Knight has been living under an assumed identity to steer clear of her mobster father’s enemies. But when she suspects her father of plotting to steal a priceless statue buried in New Mexico, she risks everything and sets out for the desert to beat him to it—and to save him from making a grave mistake. Breaking into a secluded cabin to wait out a blizzard, she’s not worried about visitors. It’s not like anyone would be traveling in this kind of weather…right?

Wrong. Detective Jake Morris has been ordered to take an overdue vacation, so he’s looking for some quiet time in the isolated retreat. But getting clobbered over the head by an auburn-haired firecracker wielding a cast-iron pan wasn’t the relaxing start he had in mind. Using a lot of charm and a little help from his prophetic ex-wife, Dani, he soon discovers who the sexy intruder really is.

Serving justice is in Jake’s blood, so he can’t help but join Gabby on her quest to protect the statue and catch a thief. To properly do his job, Jake knows he can flirt but better not fall. After all, what kind of future could a cop and a mobster’s daughter hope to have?


RELEASING FEBRUARY 16


UP IN SMOKE by TM Frazier

From USA Today Bestselling Author T.M. Frazier

Up In Smoke is a standalone. You DO NOT have
to read the rest of the books in the King Series to
enjoy Smoke’s story.

I’m a man without a conscience.
I deal in murder and mayhem.
I’m the best at what I do.
Frankie Helburn is supposed to be an easy job.
A means to flush her father out of hiding.
Simple.
Except there isn’t anything simple about Frankie or the secrets she’s keeping.
She’s stubborn as hell and the sexiest god damn thing I have ever seen, sending dark, dirty animalistic desire coursing through my veins.
She’s cocaine with legs. A f*cking addiction that makes me question things I’ve never questioned before. Want things I’ve never wanted before.
I might have her, but she isn’t mine to keep.
If her father doesn’t show his face, she will be mine.
To KILL.


CAPTIVE LIES by Victoria Paige

Wealthy, powerful Grant Thorne is used to getting what he wants, and he wants Blaire, the beautiful angel who saved his life when he was injured in a blizzard. The CEO of Thorne Industries and the son of a Senator, he lives his life in the public eye. Convincing the reclusive artist to be a part of his world won’t be easy, but determination fuels his pursuit.

Blaire Callahan had escaped her dangerous past to create a new life for herself, or so she thought, until one night she rescues a handsome stranger who rattles her quiet existence. Their chemistry is undeniable, but is it enough to risk her heart and give up the safety of her remote sanctuary?

Dreams of having a life together come to a screeching halt when the couple is photographed at a political event. And when Blaire suddenly vanishes, Grant begins unraveling her past, and realizes the woman he fell in love with was never as she seemed.

Can a woman held captive by the lies of her past really have a future with a man who’s captured her heart? Or will her dangerous past catch up with her and jeopardize their future forever…

* Standalone. Explicit sexual content and strong language.

Review: Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

MOONLIGHT SINS
Series: de Vincent Series #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release Date: January 30, 2018

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers the unforgettable story of a woman whose new life has just begun—but may end in murder…

Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent… her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia…

AMAZON

when the de Vincent men fell in love, they did so fast and hard, without reason or hesitation.

I struggled with my rating for this book. A LOT. On the one hand, the characters were multi-layered and intriguing.

I was immediately sucked into the mysterious world of the de Vincents. These brothers are a captivating mix of cold, ruthless, and totally magnetic. With each piece of information the author feeds the reader, you grow more and more intrigued by their world and the demons that they clearly hide in their dark closet of secrets.

This is screwed up,” she said. “You’re screwed up.”
“I’m not just screwed up, Ms. Hughes. I’m as broken as they come, but I don’t need to be fixed. I don’t want to be fixed.” He caged her in. “I like all my fucked-up shards and pieces. They make me who I am. They make me real. The question is, can you handle real?”

Lucian de Vincent is the playboy. He goes through women like he goes through expensive liquor. He doesn’t do repeats and he doesn’t do feelings. But that suddenly changes when he lays on the beautiful nurse his brother hired to take care of their sister. Their connection is instantaneous, though they do their best to deny it.

At first I wasn’t sure about Julia. She gives off a very innocent, slightly naive vibe. But I’m happy to report that she was neither. She hasn’t lived the life that Lucian has, but she’s also no wallflower. This is a woman that’s not afraid to stand up for herself and turn down Lucian’s blatant advances over and over, until the heat between them proves to be her undoing.

Sadly, this is also where the story began to lose me. While I love a slow burn, I found the pacing of the story to be entirely too slow. By 20% my interest began to wane, and by 40% I was almost completely disengaged. The only thing that kept me pushing through to the end was my curiosity about the mysterious happenings and suspense around the de Vincent family. I needed to know how it all turned out. It took a great deal of effort to push through. I read the book over the span of almost 2 weeks because I kept finding excuses to put it down to read something else. I found myself skimming some parts and bored with others. And while the ending was definitely a twist, it wasn’t completely surprising either. I can’t say it felt anticlimactic, but I suppose that I just wanted something a little bit…more.

There was plenty to like about this story, which is why I had such a tough time rating it. But ultimately, the pacing was too slow for me and I was just too bored with parts of the book to rate it anything higher. I’m certainly hooked on the de Vincent brothers and will eagerly read the enact books in the series. Unfortunately this one just didn’t blow me away.

Review & Excerpt: The Coaching Hours by Sara Ney

THE COACHING HOURS
Series: 
How to Date a Douchebag #4
Genre: New Adult Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: February 5, 2018

THERE ARE NO DOUCHEBAGS IN THIS STORY.

Well, there are, but they’re not who this story is about.

This story is about me—the coach’s daughter.

When I moved to Iowa to live with my dad, the university’s take-no-prisoners wrestling coach, I thought transferring would be easy as pie—living with my father would be temporary, and he’d make sure his douchebag wrestlers left me alone.

Wrong on both counts.

ASSHOLES ALWAYS COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK WHEN THE STAKES ARE HIGH.

A bet is placed, and I’m on the table. After one humiliating night and too much alcohol, I find the last nice guy on campus. And when he offers to rent me his spare bedroom, I go all in. It’s time for the nice guy to finish first.

Midnight chats and spilling my problems turn to lingering touches. Lingering touches turn to more.

And the ultimate good guy has the potential do more damage than any douchebags ever could.

AMAZON 

She perks up. “Wait, you’ve never had a back massage?”“No?”

“Ever?”

“Nope.”

“Well, what the hell? How can I, in good conscience, lie here letting you rub my back when you’ve never had anyone rub yours?” She scoots over, pointing to the mattress. “Lie on your stomach, I’ll do you first.”

I wave my hands in front of me in protest. The last thing I need is her warm hands roaming my body. “No, no, you don’t have to. It’s not a big deal.”

“Are you crazy? Back massages are the best—like, better than an orgasm. You’re first, so lie down.”

“And you call me the bossy one?”

“Quit stalling and get on the bed.”

Obediently, I climb to the middle of my bed in nothing but a pair of gym shorts, legs hanging off the side. Next to me, the mattress dips, Anabelle on her knees, approaching my side.

A finger glides down my spine. “It will be easier for me to do this if I’m sitting on you. Hope that’s okay.”

“Is that the approved method?”

“No, but my arms will get tired if I have to lean over you the whole time.”

“Do whatever then, I don’t care.”

I stiffen when Anabelle swings one leg over my body, straddling my ass. Warm palms at my lower back.

“You’re so tense. Try to relax,” she coos, making it worse. “Tilt your head to the side, that’s it.”

I hear the lotion bottle snap open. Click closed. My roommate’s palms rubbing together, warming it up. “Sorry, I don’t have any actual massage oil. This will have to do.”

When her hands make contact with my back, I almost groan it feels so fucking good. Warm. Smooth. Pressure in all the right places, pushing gently into my muscles.

Slowly.

Slower still, caressing along my shoulders, thumbs and fingers working together to soothe the burning on my right side.

“Doesn’t this feel great?” Her soft voice cuts into the silence. “You’re loosening up. That’s good.”

I feel her leaning as her hands move up and down my spine until they stop, hovering at the base of my neck. Thumbs stroking the skin below my hairline, back and forth.

Kneading.

Her torso dips, hands maneuvering my arms, placing them at my sides. Palms slide up and down my biceps.

For several minutes, she rubs my arms and shoulders. Then she skims down my ribcage unhurriedly, in no rush, making little humming sounds inside her throat.

I know I’m not imagining the feather-light way her hands drift down my spine. I remain still, letting her touch me, basking in it.

Remain still when her lips kiss the tender spot of my shoulder where it meets my neck, nose nuzzling behind my ear, her breasts rubbing against my back and what the fuck was that all about? What does she think she’s doing, trying to drive me insane?

 

A heart is racing but I’m not sure if it’s his or mine. I’m not sure whose heart is beating fastest.

This final installment in the Douchebag series was the complete antithesis of why I was originally hooked on it. There are no douchebags, no cocky jock hero, no hate lust, no enemies to lovers vibes. But what it did have was a swoony, slow burn friend to lovers story that was full of sizzle and smiles.

There are no jocks to be found in this book. Well, not the main character anyway. But there is the coach’s daughter, her friendship with a guy that she didn’t see coming, and the development of their relationship from something sweet to something with a lot more sizzle.

I love a good friends to lovers trope, and this one delivered in spades. The progression of the relationship in this book was what really made it for me. It was just so perfectly paced. I loved getting a nice guy for once, though that’s not to say he was without his own brand of issues. And while the book took a turn into a particular plot device that I’m not typically a fan of, it totally worked for me here. I also loved a particular secondary character that gets redeemed in this story. This served as the perfect icing on the cake.

This story was cute and swoony, and definitely hit the spot just right. There’s a reason this author went straight to my auto-buy list from the very first book in this series; her versatility to deliver amazing characters that stand out in their own right is just a small part of it. I’m sad to see this series come to an end, but I can’t wait to see what Sara Ney has in store for her readers next.


Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog.

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