Review: Chase The Butterflies by Monica James

December 5, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

CHASE THE BUTTERFLIES
Genre: Contemporary/Total WTF (snort laughs)
Author: Monica James
Release Date: December 3, 2019

“Victoria, will you marry me?”

Those words changed my life forever…just not in the way it would for most. I had it all until one fateful evening transformed my life in ways I never imagined.

Nine months later, I move to a sleepy little town, hoping to escape the demons of my past. As I attempt to claim back my life, Jude Montgomery enters my world, and things begin to change.

I thought running would appease the nightmares, but I soon discover my past won’t let go. Things are not what they seem, and I begin to question the world as I know it. Jude may hold the answers, but will my love for him blind me to the truth?

Does the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas? In my case, yes, it does.

Will the truth set me free? Or will it imprison us both?

My name is Victoria Armstrong, and this is my story…I think.

AMAZON

I want to consume you just as you’ve consumed every…single…part of me.
Everything I am, I give to you. Mind. Body. Soul. You own every part of me. That’ll never change. Regardless of our circumstances, I’ll love you for eternity.”

So I…
yeah so…
This was…
And then it…
…Yeah, I got nothing. Seriously. I can’t even begin to process, let alone review what I just read. I have no idea. I really don’t. Total and complete mindf*ck.

How do I even categorize this for you? I don’t know what genre this would fall into. Unless there’s a mindf*ck genre. Is there? No? Dang. But seriously, though. I am floored. Shooketh. Utterly SHOOKETH. This book took me right out of my comfort zone and then took a sharp left somewhere off of the everything I thought path and veered right into OMG lane. No lie. I read it with bated breath. With my jaw on the floor. With tears in my eyes. And when I finished? I immediately went back to re-read it. Because it’s a story that’s meant to be experienced twice. This also needs to be a movie. IMMEDIATELY. Because wow. WOW!!!

There’s actual footage captured of me reading this book. Please find below for reference:




As you can clearly see, myself was SHOOKETH.

How do I even begin to review this book without spoiling it for you? I can’t. I don’t know how. This book needs to be experienced absolutely blind. Trust me. Tori and Jude’s story will be unlike anything you’ve ever read. It’s a story of undying love and redemption. It’s a story of soul mates and heartache. It’s a story that’s as riveting as it is unique. It’s heartbreaking and completely unforgettable.

Yes, my cynical self popped up every now and then. But the story was so unique that I was able to tell that bitch to stfu and sit back down so I can keep enjoying it.

If you’re looking for something that’s different an unlike anything you’ve ever read, do yourself a favor and read this book.

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Review: Lethal Balance by Cherise Sinclair

November 27, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

LETHAL BALANCE
Series: Sons of the Survivalist #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Cherise Sinclair
Release Date: November 26, 2019

His name means hunter.

Once the best assassin in black ops, Cazador is now the best at saving lives. His path has changed from seeking bloody vengeance to running a health clinic in Rescue, Alaska.

He will never again risk loving someone he can’t protect.

His mother and sister were murdered in front of him, his fiancée slaughtered in a war zone. Despite his popularity with women, he’s determined to remain unattached. His heart can bear no more loss.

Unfortunately, the universe isn’t listening.

First, his brother hires JJ, a fiery-haired, tough cop who lives on the edge of danger and has the biggest heart of anyone he knows. And then, his disreputable past returns in the shape of an adorable, foul-mouthed nine-year-old daughter. Now he has two loved ones to protect. An impossible task, because…

Life is dangerous. Especially in Alaska.

AMAZON

She needed to remember to keep her distance from Cazador, mentally and physically and every other way.

It doesn’t matter what genre it is, there’s one constant when it comes to Cherise Sinclair books: the woman can WRITE. Whether it’s writing tortured heroes with a heart of gold, or immeasurably strong heroines that are fully capable of fighting their own battles, Cherise just delivers each and every single time. This is a very different series from what I’m used to of hers. It’s a character driven contemporary with a splash of suspense and I’ve been in love with it since book one.

Lethal Balance brings the story of the second most tortured foster brother; Cazador. (I’m already dying for the most tortured, Hawk, to get his book. But I digress) Cazador became an orphan when he watched his beloved mother and sister get killed in front of his eyes when he was just a young boy. Later rescued from the system by an ex military survivalist, Caz grew up hard, but not without love. His foster siblings and father became the only family he needs. He’s refused to put his heart on the line for someone as vulnerable as a woman that he may not be able to protect. The lesson was further driven home when he lost his fiance in a war zone. Now he’s developed a rep in their small town as the love them and leave them type, but still women flock to him.

JJ has only ever wanted one thing; to be a cop. But when chauvinism in her police unit along with the egging on from her spiteful ex leave her questioning her safety while on duty, she has no other alternative but to turn to the small town in Alaska. Being hired on the police staff by Gabe, she soon discovers that not all men in power look down at women. She begins to see a life for herself in a place she last expected to find it in along with a man that she knows she needs to stay away from in order to shield her heart.

I love the fine balance of poignant and sensual that Sinclair creates in this story. Caz’s discovery of having a daughter melted my heart. I loved watching this rough and lethal man melt for his little girl and the way that he fought for her. I loved watching him fall slowly but surely for JJ. I loved the tie that binds the three of them together. And I absolutely loved watching their relationship blossom into something much more. The little girl was the perfect secondary character and I adored the parts we get in her POV. It broke and melted my heart all in one breath.

An emotional, heartwarming and sensual read that kept me glued to the pages from beginning to finish. I’m already itching for the next installment!

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Review: The Fake by Rebecca Jenshak

November 23, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE FAKE
Series: Smart Jocks #4
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Rebecca Jenshak
Release Date: November 21, 2019

I’ve made a lot of dumb mistakes but none dumber than losing her.

Senior year. I should be partying and living it up with my friends before graduation, but one more mistake and I’m off the team.

Enter Chloe.

She comes into my life at a low point, but she becomes the bright spot I reach for every day.

She’s the kind of girl who makes a guy want to be a better man.

And for a while, I even start to believe I’ve changed enough to deserve her.

I’ve got my eye on the future, and I’m letting my past stay where it belongs.

But the thing about the past… it always comes back to bite you when you least expect it.

AMAZON

Catch up on the Smart Jocks series!

Book 1 – The Assist

AMAZON

Book 2 – The Fadeaway

AMAZON

Book 3 – The Tip-Off

AMAZON

I feel like we’re finally seeing each other without any pretenses or expectations, and us like this—as a real couple—we’re even better than I ever imagined when we’d been faking.


What is it about Rebecca Jenshak’s books that just make me giddily happy every time I finish one? She has this knack for writing completely addictive sport New Adult romance that I fall head over ovaries for and The Fake was no exception! I simply ADORED Nathan and Chloe’s story.

I’ve been a huge fan of this series since discovering it early this year, and it seems like it only keeps getting better with each book. Because I think The Fake was easily my favorite of the Smart Jocks. There’s just something so incredibly endearing about Nathan. He may have the looks and the talent on the outside, but he’s struggling to hold his family together and keep them afloat after the passing of his father. His desperate need for money leads him to a terrible decision that almost costs him everything. On the cusp of dealing with the repercussions, he meets Chloe, a girl dealing with her own personal demons.

Chloe is a recent transfer who’s desperate to make a name for herself on her volleyball team and gain the trust and respect of her teammates. Tarnished with her parent’s mistakes, she’s still struggling to prove her worth. Money has never been a concern for this rich Cali girl. But proving herself and stepping outside of the stain of of her parents money and privilege has been a struggle. Nathan is the perfect storm that she never saw coming. He holds the answers to what she needs. Her teammates love him and she’s desperate for her teammates acceptance. The answers? A fake relationship. Only it’s not as fake as she tries to make herself believe.

Nathan is such an incredibly sweet guy. He’s absolute perfection. I couldn’t get enough of him. He’s an endearing combination of cocky and vulnerable; sexy and sweet. His treatment of Chloe and the way that he was always there for her just warmed my heart. Chloe was wonderful in her own right. She’s strong, smart, and incredibly loyal. I loved all of the secondary characters along with past favorites that make cameos. The Fake delivered on the feels and the steam and I loved every single page of it. I’m obsessed with this series! If you haven’t read it yet, you’re seriously missing out.

The author is giving away a signed set of the Smart Jocks series (US only) and a $25 Amazon Gift Card (open international). ENTER HERE —> www.facebook.com/rebeccajenshak

Rebecca Jenshak is a self-proclaimed margarita addict, college basketball fanatic, and Hallmark channel devotee. A Midwest native transplanted to the desert, she likes being outdoors (drinking on patios) and singing (in the shower) when she isn’t writing books about hot guys and the girls who love them.

Stay up to date with all things Rebecca!

Newsletter | Website | Amazon | Bookbub | Facebook | Instagram | Join Rebecca’s Rad Romantics on FB

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#DGRFave & Excerpt & Review: Outmatched by Kristen Callahan & Samantha Young

November 21, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

OUTMATCHED
Genre: Contemporary
Author: Kristen Callihan & Samantha Young
Release Date: November 19, 2019

What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek?

Parker Brown can’t believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.

Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym.

Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have?

They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact.

AMAZON | KOBO | iBOOKS | B&N

AngryTink: Hey. This is Parker. Parker Brown.

My phone dinged loudly. I fumbled around my bed, finally finding the damn thing under a pillow. Wiping the sleep off my face, I rolled onto my back and read the text that had pulled me out of a pleasant sleep. I smiled. It was just so … Parker. Settling in, I answered her.

RhysThis: Don’t have to tell me who you are. Your number is programmed on my phone. What do you want?

AngryTink: Well, good morning to you too, Happy Pants.

My smile turned into an evil grin. The girl was always going to punch back and make it count.

RhysThis: That’s Mr. Happy Pants. Though, TBH, my pants aren’t too happy at the moment. Want to help me out with that?

AngryTink: Tempting. Truly. But, no.

RhysThis: RU sure? ‘Cuz Happy Pants Rhys is much more agreeable than Sad That He Had to Self-Satisfy Rhys.

AngryTink: Would you please behave?

RhysThis: I’m not the one who mentioned the emotional state of my pants.

AngryTink: ARGH!

A chuckle rumbled in my chest as my thumbs tapped out a response I knew would piss her off more.

RhysThis: Was that even English? Honestly, Ms. Brown, I thought you were educated.

She took a moment to answer. I could picture her, phone in hand, grinding her teeth.

AngryTink: You’re deliberately trying to annoy me, aren’t you?

RhysThis: You’re quick. I’ll give you that.

AngryTink: Mr. Morgan, I’m about ten seconds away from finding an alternate fake boyfriend. A goat on a rope would be a better candidate at this point.

It was cute she thought that was threatening.

RhysThis: Yeah, probably. But the goat doesn’t have a signed contract. I do, Tinker Bell.

AngryTink: ARGH@!!

RhysThis: You’re kind of cute when you talk pirate.

If we made it through this ruse with me going to prison for assault instead of murder, I’d call it a win. The guy really pushed my buttons. And I hadn’t even known I had any.

I. AM. SO. HAPPY. RIGHT. NOW.

Seriously. I don’t even know what to do with myself? What do you do when two of your favorite authors co-write a book together and not only does it live up to your RIDICULOUSLY BIG expectations but actually EXCEEDS it?!! You flail like the happy fangirl that you are and offer up an ovary on the chance that this will mark the first book in a series. What? It’s a totally normal reaction. Stop judging me. GOD.

If you love enemies to lovers and fake relationship tropes, this is your next obsession. Guys, I’m not even kidding. This book was everything. All of the things. Witty banter, humor, and all of the steam. And the characters? My god! Talk about opposites attract.

Parker Brown is a girl after my own heart. She comes from privilege but it certainly doesn’t define who she is. She’s a lot smart and with just the right amount of quirky. Desperate to make an impression on her boss’s misogynistic a-hole boss in order to secure the job of her dreams. Sounds easy right? Too bad it’s not her knowledge at work that matters, but the having a boyfriend. So what’s a girl to do? Hire one, of course!

Rhys Morgan is a retired boxer desperate to keep his gym afloat after the passing of his father. So when he learns that his brother got a job pimping himself out to some pretentious rich chick, he’s all too eager to put a kibosh on it. But when he stomps to meet her and put her in her place, he somehow ends up making an impression on her boss and offering to take his brother’s place. PLOT TWIST!!

The banter between these two was off the charts hot. SWEET BABY JEBUS! The banter was everything. Rhys and and Parker absolutely burn up the pages together. Their chemistry is incendiary. The slow building romance is packed with so much sexual tension that you feel like your fingers singe just turning the pages. The pages are full of witty banter and sizzling chemistry that I just couldn’t get enough of. Parker may have grown up privileged but she’s determined to make her own way. I just loved her. Then there’s the mouthy Boston boxer with a heart of gold. Together they set the book on fire. And that’s not even mentioning the incredible secondary characters that I’m desperately hoping will be getting their own books.

Basically, this book was freaking fantastic!! An absolute must read full of heart, humor, and steam!

About Kristen:

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a RITA winner and three-time nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

Connect with Kristen:

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Amazon | Goodreads  

About Samantha:

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Play On. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.

Connect with Samantha:

Facebook | Website | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Amazon | Goodreads | Bookbub 

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Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Iron Crowne by CD Reiss

November 20, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

IRON CROWNE
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Author: CD Reiss
Release Date: November 15, 2019

A new enemies-to-lovers standalone.

Byron Crowne is a charming liar and a gorgeous monster.
I detest him.
I can’t resist him.
He’s awakened desires I didn’t know I had.
When he touches me, I need to fight him . . . and I need him to win.
Our one night stand bruises my skin and leaves dents in the walls, but the sheets aren’t the only thing we shred that night.
And suddenly, the stakes are higher than ever.

Olivia Monroe lights a fire in me that died a long time ago.
I’m a different man when I’m with her. I need to own her, take her, mark her as mine.
Everything changes when she might be pregnant and for the first time in my life…I’m powerless against this stubborn, untamable woman.
She’s the one in control and I have an impossible job:
Prove I’m worthy to be a father.

Download your copy today read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON | AMAZON PAPERBACK

Listen now on Audio: https://amzn.to/2qPXcfY

Narrated by: Elena Wolfe and Sebastian York

“Why should I sleep with you?” I cross-examined the witness. It was the only way to manage Byron.

He considered his cup as if committing to his goal, then studied the way my finger tapped the counter as if choosing a strategy, then pondered my face as he decided on his tactic.

“Because you’re wet already,” he said with a deep knowledge of what aroused women looked like. “Because you want what I can give you. Your head hasn’t even acknowledged it, but your body knows.”

“That’s—” I was going to end in a denial, but my nipples were hard. “—not relevant. You and I don’t make sense.”

“That’s correct.” He gulped tea. I left my cup on the counter, refusing the challenge. “We are a disaster. You despise me too much to want a relationship and just enough to turn you on. And from what I can tell, you don’t want to get involved enough to force an ethical quandary. So, if you agree in principal, I have a proposal.”

Agreeing in principle meant revealing how badly my body ached for him.

Disagreeing meant never satisfying that ache.

“I agree in principal.”

“My proposal is one night. One full night…”

I could commit to that, and I was about to when he continued.

“…where I own your body.”

“Wait.”

“You let me own you when we fuck. You come when I say. You obey me without hesitating. That’s what you want and you know it.”

My cheeks prickled, radiating the heat of my shame.

“No, then.” I pushed my cup away. “It’s never been like that. I’ve had three long relationships and a couple of flings but never—”

“—really enjoyed it.”

It was all lies… even when he spoke the truth, he lied.

He was a mixed message. A loophole in a rock-solid contract. The coexistence of lies and truths.


*looks around the room desperately*

Oh, excuse me. I can’t write my review right now. I’m too busy looking for my ovaries. Those suckers exploded about 40% into this book and I haven’t seen them since. I don’t know whether to send CD Reiss a thank you or my medical bill. I’m leaning towards the former, though, since the woman did give me Lord Byron. And oh hubbah hubbah! *insert drooling emoji here*

Oh how I’ve missed CD Reiss books. It’s been way too long since I indulged and this book really served as an incredible reminder about what made me fall in love with her writing in the first place. The woman can take pure filth and write it with poetic prose. She can also create some of the most enigmatic alpha men I’ve read to date. And let me tell you, it just doesn’t get more enigmatic than Byron Crowne.

Flattery is such a blunt tool, Mr. Crowne.”
“Call me Byron. Please.”
“You can call me Ms. Monroe.”

It’s no secret that I love me a good enemies to lovers romance and this one seriously delivered. You have two sharp witted adversaries pitted against each other in the line of their work. Olivia and Byron had an instant chemistry the second they appear on the pages together. Byron is everything I love in a good alpha; arrogant, demanding but with a shadowed painful past. Olivia is a woman after my own heart. She’s rabid when it comes to winning and pitted against the likes of Byron, the sparks fly immediately.

Friends, this story was hot. And I mean it was SERIOUSLY hot. Granted some of the descriptions were a tad out there for my persona tastes. But I couldn’t care less considering the story was riveting. Everything about this story sizzled; the characters like live wires drawn to each other while they both stand to lose everything.

But if you’re thinking there’s only one Crowne, you’re mistaken. There’s siblings. And I’m already rabid to get my hands on Logan’s book. But I digress. This book? Everything I could hope for from one of my favorite authors. A sizzling page turner that I absolutely devoured from beginning to end. I’m so here for this series, it’s not even funny. I can’t wait for more!

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

 

Connect with CD Reiss

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iwpkPQ

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cd-reiss
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CDReiss.writer/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cdreisswriter
Instagram: https://instagram.com/cdreiss/
Website: www.cdreiss.com
Stay up to date with Christine by joining her mailing list: https://cdreiss.com/cd-reiss-mailing-list-signup/

Sign for new release and sale alerts: https://cdreiss.com/NewReleaseSaleAlerts

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For Text Alerts: TEXT “CDREISS” to 77948

*standard text messaging rates apply*

ENTER TO WIN a $100 Amazon Gift Card

Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9624c9da38/?

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Review: In The Unlikely Event by LJ Shen

November 19, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT
Genre: Contemporary
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: November 19, 2019

????????? ??? ???? ?????? ?ℎ? ??? ??? ?? ?ℎ?? ?????, ?? ??? ???? ?ℎ?? ? ???? ?? ?????.

A one-night stand born from vengeance in a foreign land.
An explosive chemistry neither of us could deny.
We signed a contract on the back of a Boar’s Head Pub napkin that said if we ever met again, we would drop everything and be together.
Eight years and thousands of miles later, he’s here.
In New York.
And he’s America’s music obsession.
The intangible Irish poet who brings record executives to their knees.
The blizzard in my perfect, unshaken snow globe.
Last time we spoke, he was a beggar with no intention of becoming a king.
But a king he became, and now I’m his servant.
I’m not the same broken princess Malachy Doherty put back together with his callused hands.
I have a career I love.
A boyfriend I adore.
An apartment, a roommate, a life.
I changed. He changed, too.
But Mal kept the napkin.
Question is, will I keep my word?

AMAZON 

All is fair in love and war, and I’m certainly prepared for battle

This book came out of left field and slapped me over the head with all of the feels. This is so completely different from anything I’ve read by LJ to date. A unique and angsty emotional roller coaster that was addictive from beginning to finish.

If there’s one thing that I’ve come to expect from LJ Shen, it’s her knack for the unexpected, and ITUE was definitely unexpected. If you’re fans of second chance romance that offers up angst with a splash of humor, this will deliver on all fronts.

Malachy Doherty came into Rory’s life like a silent storm. She didn’t see him coming. They shared a steamy short-lived romance and a promise on a napkin that would be put to the test years later when they crash into each other’s worlds again. Malachy was an enigma that I couldn’t get enough of. He goes from sweet and enigmatic to aloof and cruel in the span of the eight years they spent apart. But when he sees Rory again, it doesn’t matter that she has a new life and a boyfriend. He’s determined to make her hold up her end of the bargain that she signed away on a napkin in a pub years ago. If they see each other again, all bets are off.

In The Unlikely Event blends quirky humor with emotion and angst flawlessly. It gives us a brooding rockstar and a sassy heroine that will bring him to his knees. It delivers on a second chance romance full of feels that I adored from beginning to end; addictive in a way that LJ Shen has now perfected in her writing.

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Review: Spun Out by Lorelei James

November 5, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

SPUN OUT
Series: Blacktop Cowboys #10
Genre: Contemporary, Western Romance
Author: Lorelei James
Release Date: November 5, 2019

New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James returns for another wild ride in Wyoming with a new Blacktop Cowboys® novel.

Years in the Army equipped Bailey Masterson for many things: target shooting, rappelling off cliffs, dodging grenades. She’s lived through horrors that still give her nightmares. But nothing in Bailey’s life-or-death training prepared her for caring for the tiny terror that is five-year-old Olivia Hale. Or how to control her raging attraction to Olivia’s father, Streeter, the rugged, green-eyed cattle rancher who undermines her every move even when he stars in her dreams.

Streeter Hale has room for only two things in his life: his daughter and his job. He doesn’t date. He doesn’t get attached. Not anymore. So not only is Streeter stunned by Olivia’s improved behavior after just a few days with Bailey, he’s downright floored by his immediate attraction to the woman. But with secrets in her eyes and a body that doesn’t quit, Streeter begins to worry that Bailey Masterson might just be the one woman to heal his fractured family and broken heart.

One thing’s for sure–these two wrecked souls are spinning out of control as they desperately try not to fall in love…

AMAZON


You can show me those dark corners of yourself and I’ll help you shine a light on them, deal with them, chase them the fuck away without you havin’ to fear that I’ll abandon you when you need me the most. Ain’t happenin’, sweetheart. Ever.”

Oh.
My.
Heart.

This beautiful romance completely captured my heart and I never want it back. If single dads are your catnip, prepare to hand your heart and ovaries to Streeter Hale. There’s something so incredibly sweet and endearing about this man. And it’s not just his love for his adorable and rambunctious little girl. Streeter isn’t a man that’s been around the block. He married his high school sweetheart only to lose her in the worst way possible. Years later, the shadow of her death still follows him and his daughter’s inability to connect to anyone but him is a daily reminder of everything that’s he’s done wrong. My heart broke for this man and everything he’s been through. There’s this quiet intensity to him that you can’t help but fall in love with.

Bailey is a soldier that used the army to escape her not so sunny childhood. She may have a good relationship with her sisters, but even they don’t know all of the secrets that she’s determined to hide. Steeter and Bailey immediately clash, but underneath the glares and barbs, there’s an undercurrent of attraction.

When it becomes evident that the rambunctious kids in their circle of family and friends can use someone like Bailey to give them some structure and discipline, Bailey sticks around longer than she expected to run a summer camp. It doesn’t take long for her to fall for the sweet little girl with too much energy and sass right along with her sinfully sexy daddy.

I mean, y’all. This book. I don’t even have words. Sexy. Swoony. Emotionally gripping. Touching. Heartwarming. Tearjerker. Ok, so maybe I do have words?. But seriously. This romance was just everything. I loved the slight role reversal of Bailey being the one that really pursues Streeter and is more sexually experienced. I loved Streeter’s sweet side and the way he peels back Bailey’s layers effortlessly. I loved watching their hot and short-planned affair bloom into something neither of them expected.

This book touches on several deep and highly emotional subjects and I thought that the author handled them perfectly. She didn’t shy away from the ugly details and the ramifications of them. She takes the issues head on and throws the reader right in with the characters. It was perfectly written. There’s plenty of sizzle in typical Lorelei fashion, but it was so much more than just a romance. It was a beautiful story about second chances and finding love when you least expect it. It was yet another amazing addition to one of my favorite series and just another reason why I will never tire of this woman’s writing. Ten books into the series and they just continue to get better and better!

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Review & Giveaway: Hold On To Hope by AL Jackson

November 2, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

HOLD ON TO HOPE
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: AL Jackson
Release Date: October 28, 2019

A best friends-to-lovers, stand-alone romance from New York Times Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson . . .

Evan Bryant wasn’t your typical hero.

But he was mine.

Broken by the worlds’ standards, he was still the strongest boy I would ever know.

My best friend. The boy I’d given everything to. My heart, my body, and the promise of forever.

The day I’d needed him most, he walked away.

He left me shattered and questioning the love I’d thought we’d shared.

 

Three years later, I wasn’t prepared for him to return to Gingham Lakes.

It wouldn’t have mattered if he wasn’t the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.

My fingers still would have ached to caress his skin.

My body still would have begged to get lost in his touch.

And my heart . . . it would have always sung his name.

But time changes things. With it, secrets that could ruin everything.

Can we find a way to love again, or have the fears of our past stolen the hope of our forever…

AMAZON PAPERBACK | AMAZON EBOOK | AUDIBLE

I don’t know how to be in your space and not want you, Evan. I don’t remember how not to be yours.”

Poignant. Powerful. Gripping. And utterly heart wrenching. AL Jackson knows how to create words that get into her readers souls. I swear. There’s just something about stories that just stick with you. And there is no better example of it than with this book.

Evan first stole my heart a sweet little boy that was battling for his life in Follow Me Back. As a grown man, he was absolutely devastating. He and Frankie Leigh have been thick as thieves since they were just little kids. They were best friends whose love for each other soon evolved from children’s adoration to something so much deeper. But when Frankie thought they would be together forever, Evan broke her heart by leaving town with nothing more than a note.

Now three years later, Evan is back, and all those feelings that Frankie thought she’s finally moved on from come roaring back.

While emotional and angsty, this is very much a sweet friends-to-lovers/second chance romance. Admittedly, sweet isn’t really my thing when it comes down to preference, but there was something so charming about this book that it just worked for me. Maybe it’s the fact that Evan wasn’t your stereotypical hero. He was sweet and intense all at the same time. The love that he had for Frankie was devastating and heart warming all at the same time. I loved watching them find their way back to each other and seeing Evan fight for her. There’s something so incredibly endearing about Evan. His health struggles and all the pain that it brought along with it wasn’t easy to read about. He went through so much as a little boy, and so much of it follows him into adulthood.

There’s one particular plot device that was present here that I typically shy away from, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t diminish some of my enjoyment of this book. Unfortunately, I struggled with this piece of the story for a while. I equal parts understood it and hated it all at once.

But then somewhere around the second half everything just grew on me. And when the plot twist hit? I was all in! It came entirely out of left field and I didn’t see it coming at all. It brought everything in a full circle and just made the book for me.

This was another emotional and beautiful romance from one of my beloved authors that tugged at every heart string I had. I can’t wait for more!

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME and CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART novels. Grab A.L. Jackson’s latest novel, HOLD ON TO HOPE, a best friends-to-lovers stand-alone romance.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

 

Connect with A.L.

Newsletter | Facebook | Reader Group | Amazon | Bookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor

Don’t miss the awesome giveaway for the Hold on to Hope release!

Enter Here: https://smarturl.it/HOTHReleaseGiveaway

 

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Review: Half Truths by Claire Contreras 

November 1, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

HALF TRUTHS
Series: Secret Society #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Claire Contreras 
Release Date: October 21, 2019

You’ve heard of these groups – the secretive ones that only the crème de la crème are invited into, the ones outsiders speculate about for centuries – I’m the second in my family invited to attend, but to them, I’m fresh meat. New blood. New money, too.

They think they’ll elbow past me, that I’m here for their amusement, for them to walk all over, they’ll find out soon enough that I’m not.

I may look like one of them, with my designer bags and clothes straight from the Parisian runways, but I’m not. I’m here for answers, to take revenge for blood spilled on their centuries-old Persian rugs.

I transferred here in search for answers about what happened to my older brother, who hightailed out of here, and my friend who seemingly disappeared into thin air. I certainly wasn’t here for the attention of the star hockey player, regardless of how much he willed my eyes his way. I wasn’t here for his scrutiny or his judgment or to read into his mysterious aura. I was here for the society, because only they held the answers I needed. That was, until I found out that in order to get those answers, I needed to to go through him. He’s saying if I want in, I have to play by their rules, follow their lead.

It’s a game I’m willing to play.

I may be the second person I know of to be invited into their society, but I’ll be the first to make it out intact.

AMAZON 


I adore Claire Contreras books and the second I read the blurb for this book, I was itching to get my grabby little hands on it. Secret society, deadly secrets, and plenty of twists and turns? Sign. Me. Up.

Claire doesn’t wait to get the reader immediately drawn in with the jaw dropper of a prologue. I was immediately enraptured in this world and these characters.

Amelia Baston is a young woman that’s used to the world of privilege. But even her family’s money won’t get her the answers she desperately craves. A woman disappeared and presumed dead and her brother’s life changed forever. Amelia is left to pick up the pieces and determined to get answers. She transfers to a new school in the hopes of getting to the secret society that she believes hold the answers. There’s just one problem, you don’t find them, they find you.

Logan is one of the most popular guys at school and a star hockey player. Logan and Amelia immediately clash and form an antagonistic sort of relationship with an undercurrent of sexual tension that utterly sizzle. The relationship between them was a slow burn and a delicious one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the first half of this book, but then somewhere around the second half, that enjoyment began to sizzle. The biggest selling point of the story for me was the secret society, but we barely graze the surface of it here. I get that it’s a series, but I still felt a bit underwhelmed with it here. It just felt like we were taken in circles and then inevitably taken nowhere. That would have still been fine until the ending. That ending was just entirely too cliched for me. It completely killed the enjoyment of the book I had and entirely took away from the rest of the story elements that were building up to it. Would I read the next book? Absolutely. The hook that we get for the series is ridiculously enticing. So while I didn’t quite love this book, it still hooked me on a new series. Hopefully the next one will get me the answers I’m dying for.

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Review: Gypsy King by Devney Perry

October 29, 2019 by · 2 Comments

GYPSY KING
Series: Tin Gypsy #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Devney Perry
Release Date: October 29, 2019

The former Tin Gypsy motorcycle club has everyone in Clifton Forge, Montana convinced they’ve locked their clubhouse doors and ripped off their patches. Everyone but Bryce Ryan. There’s more happening at the club’s garage than muscle car restorations and Harley rebuilds. Her instincts are screaming there’s a story—one she’s going to tell.

As the new owner of the small town’s newspaper, Bryce is hungry for more than birth announcements and obituaries. When a woman is brutally killed and all signs point to the Tin Gypsies, Bryce is determined to expose the club and their leader, Kingston “Dash” Slater, as murderers.

Bryce bests Dash match after match, disappointed her rugged and handsome opponent turns out to be an underwhelming adversary. Secrets are exposed. Truths defeat lies. Bryce is poised to win this battle in a landslide.

Then Dash breaks all the rules and tips the scales.

One kiss, and she’s fighting to save more than just her story. She’s fighting to save her heart from the Gypsy King.


AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO | AUDIBLE

Regret was the driving force behind this Tin Gypsy story. Remorse was the reason it was so, so important.

I interrupt this very important review to bring you this breaking story:
“Blogger currently kicking her own butt for only now discovering the brilliance of Devney Perry”

Blogger was no available to comment as she was too busy mumbling about living under a rock and being a complete and total idiot. We assume that her next plan of action is to immediately purchase author’s entire backlist and plan a binge. More to come on this story later.

But all joking aside, holy moly! How is this my first book by this author? Because color me totally addicted. This series has completely hooked me and I’m desperate for more!

The second I saw the blurb for this book, I knew it would be my first book by Devney Perry. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. There’s just something about a strong and sharp witted heroine that just does it for me. Bryce is back in her hometown after discovering that her career as a reporter wasn’t what she truly wanted. Her passion as a journalist returns working for her father’s newspaper. When she learns that Tin Gypsy, shut down their illegal doings years ago, she’s like a dog with a bone to learn the reason why they went legitimate. And when the president of Tin Gypsy is suddenly the main suspect in a brutal murder, she’s determined to break the story.

Dash is happily making a living as a mechanic and leaving the illegal life of Tin Gypsy behind. But then his father is arrested for murder and a sexy journalist is hounding his every step trying to learn his every secret. So what’s a man to do after going head to head with her doesn’t deter her? Work with her.

Dash and Bryce were absolutely sizzling together. The chemistry is instantaneous the second they meet. Bryce is sharp witted and determined and when her and Dash go head to head, sparks fly. What starts as an antagonistic relationship soon sparks into something much more as they investigate what really happened together.

I absolutely LOVED Dash. He’s this wonderful combination of alpha but with a sweet vulnerable side that you can’t help but connect with. Bryce may be tough, but she also hides a soft center that was incredibly endearing. I loved that she gave as hard as she got.

The mystery of the murder unfolds slowly, with plenty of twists and secrets along the way. The story is a bit slow paced in parts, and while it was a touch too slow for me in the mid mark, it picked up enough in the final half to more than make up for it. There’s quite a bit that happens here that doesn’t get fully resolved, so there’s definitely a continuous story arc in the series. I do wish that we got the closure here to make it a true standalone, but I can’t complain too much since I definitely plan to read the series religiously.

I fell in love with Devney Perry’s words and I’m a new fan! I plan on fully binging on her entire backlist, starting with Dash’s brother story in The Clover Chapel. Because second chance romance, YUM!


Devney is a USA Today bestselling author. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her husband and two sons. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.

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