Review: Most Of All You by Mia Sheridan

October 23, 2017 by ·

MOST OF ALL YOU
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Mia Sheridan
Release Date: October 17, 2017

A broken woman . . .

Crystal learned long ago that love brings only pain. Feeling nothing at all is far better than being hurt again. She guards her wounded heart behind a hard exterior, and carries within her a deep mistrust of men who, in her experience, have only ever used and taken.

A man in need of help . . .

Then Gabriel Dalton walks into her life. Despite the terrible darkness of his past, there’s an undeniable goodness about him. And even though she knows the cost, Crystal finds herself drawn to Gabriel. His quiet strength is wearing down her defenses and his gentle patience is causing her to question everything she thought she knew.

Only love can mend a shattered heart . . .

Crystal and Gabriel never imagined that the world that had stolen everything from them would bring them a deep love like this. Except fate will only take them so far and now the choice is theirs: Harden their hearts once again or find the courage to shed their painful pasts.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

I don’t create beauty, I just reveal what’s already there.

See that pile of complete mush in the corner there, clutching her kindle and making googly eyes at the ceiling? Yep, I’m not even embarrassed to admit that it’s me at this moment after finishing this book? Because this story? All. Of. The. Swoons. And the reason for it? Two words for you: Gabriel. Dalton.

Man but it’s a rare occurrence that you read about such an incredible hero. He’s unlike any hero I’ve read in a long dang while. He’s sweet, shy, endearing, and his heart is so open, it makes you want to cry, especially knowing what he’s been through. He’s been through something so awful and life altering, that it may break any other man. But he persevered and used love instead of hate to form his future.

Crystal is a perfect example of a subject of circumstance. Her difficult and trying childhood taught her that men will only ever want one thing from her, and that’s all she’s really good for. Until a sweet man that watches her dance at the strip club she works for with absolutely no lust in his eyes turns her world upside down.

I was spellbound, caught once again in his gaze. No one had ever looked at me the way Gabriel was right then, not in all my life.

Crystal fights the instant connection she has with Gabe with everything she’s got; cruelness and coldness being her go-to defenses. But life has other plans for them and when a terrible night leaves her in the gentle care of this beautiful man, she finds herself forming a connection unlike anything she’s ever known in her life. Gabe’s sweet nature soon begins to crumble her defenses and make her see that she’s worthy of more than what life has handed her.

God, but I loved these two together. I love Gabe’s sweet patience and seeing Crystal’s soft side come out into the light. I loved watching their connection slowly build into something that was truly unforgettable. A low burn sort of romance that was as sweet as it was emotional and satisfying.

And you, most of all, you. You get my heart. You. And, God, I hope you want it. But if you don’t, I still won’t regret giving it to you. Even then, I won’t regret loving you because it means I win.”

Most Of All You was completely unforgettable. It was unique, packed full of emotion and depth that tugs at every single heartstring. It was beautiful and touching. It kept me reading well into the night, hoping beyond hope for these two to find their happiness.

I’ve always pretended I was made of stone, but the truth is, I feel more like I was formed from sand, as if I might crumble at any second.”

I loved the journey that Mia Sheridan put Crystal through. You truly see her grow and have not a doubt in your mind why these two belong together. If you’re looking for something that’s different and will make you feel SO MUCH, this is a book you need to read.

· Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance · Tagged With: ,

Jenn’s Review & Exclusive Excerpt: Burn For You by @JTGeissinger

October 18, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

BURN FOR YOU
Series: Slow Burn #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: October 17, 2017

The marriage is fake. But for a sassy chef and an arrogant billionaire, the sparks are real…

Jackson “The Beast” Boudreaux is rich, gorgeous, and unbelievably rude to the staff at Chef Bianca Hardwick’s New Orleans restaurant. Bianca would sooner douse herself in hot sauce than cook for Jackson again, but when he asks her to cater his fund-raiser, Bianca can’t refuse, knowing the cash will help pay her mother’s medical bills. Then Jackson makes another outrageous request: Marry me. The unconventional offer includes an enormous sum—money Bianca desperately needs, even if it does come with a contract—and a stunning ring.

The heir to a family bourbon dynasty, Jackson knows the rumors swirling around him. The truth is even darker. Still, he needs a wife to secure his inheritance, and free-spirited, sassy Bianca would play the part beautifully. Soon, though, their simple business deal evolves into an emotional intimacy he’s built walls to avoid.

As the passion heats up between them, Bianca and Jackson struggle to define which feelings are real and which are for show. Is falling for your fake fiancé the best happy ending…or a recipe for disaster?


AMAZON 

See the BURN FOR YOU trailer: https://youtu.be/hpKswDZve24

“Ladies. How’re we doing?”Jackson stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking at Claudia and me. It was the first time I’d seen him since I’d arrived at his house early this morning to start the setup.

“Everything’s under control,” I said. “Claudia’s doing a great job.”

She smiled tightly and adjusted her glasses again. I felt her gratitude for my small show of support. It was obvious how intimidated she was by Jackson. She could barely look him in the eye, probably because he was wearing a scowl as black as his outfit.

But I was used to that by now. I didn’t let it alarm me.

I asked him, “Is that what you’re going to wear?”

Jackson looked down at himself, then looked up at me with his brows drawn down over his eyes.

Seeing his murderous expression, Claudia ran out of the kitchen like her pants were on fire. “Fifty minutes, Bianca!” she called over her shoulder, then disappeared through the French doors.

Jackson didn’t seem to notice she’d left. He demanded, “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

I shrugged. “Nothing, if you want people to think you’ve been living under a bridge.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. I tried to ignore how that made the muscles in his biceps bulge.

He said, “You must be mistaking me for someone who cares what people think.” Propping my hands on my hips, I examined his untucked T-shirt, wrinkled jeans, and scuffed boots, his unshaven jaw, and his hair that appeared to have last seen a comb when he walked by one that had fallen out of someone’s pocket into the street.

I said, “Lord knows I’m no style maven, and I dress for comfort more than anything else, but your guests deserve the best version of you, Mr. Boudreaux. I’m sorry to say this isn’t it.”

His glower was so searing it could have melted a weaker woman. But after the past few days I’d had, I was in an ornery mood. An ornery truth-telling mood, because I’d recently decided life was too short to beat around the bush.

Plus, his check had already cleared the bank.

“Oh, really?” said Jackson, his voice acidic.

“Yes, really.” We stared at each other. It must have been my imagination, but it felt like the temperature in the room jumped several degrees.

He snapped, “So what would you recommend I wear, then?”

“Do you own a suit?”

His expression turned even darker. “I hate suits.”

“But do you have one?” When he didn’t answer and just stood there glaring at me like he hoped a stray asteroid would smash through the ceiling and land on my head, I said, “That’s what you should wear. With a tie.” I looked at his boots. “And dress shoes.”

He ran a hand over his face— probably deciding whether he was going to pick up the toaster from the counter and throw it at me— and I added, “Also, a shave wouldn’t kill you.” His looked at me with a strange new expression.

“You don’t like beards.” He said it flatly. It wasn’t a question.

“Beards are fine. But that thing carpeting your jaw? Honestly, I’ve seen tidier jungles.”

For a moment I thought he would let loose a string of expletives so loud it would deafen me. But then his lips twitched, and I realized he was trying not to smile.

He said, “You’re in fine form today, Bianca.”

It was the first time he’d used my given name. I nearly fainted in surprise but managed to control myself. “I’m sorry,” I said, looking down at the schedule I still held in my hands. “You’re right. It’s just . . .” I cleared my throat. “It’s just been a rough few weeks.”

There was silence for a moment, then he walked closer. “What’s wrong?” he demanded, gruff and growly as a bear.

I glanced up at him and was surprised again. I could’ve sworn he was looking at me with concern in his eyes.

Concern and something else a little hotter.

My heart decided it was time to run a sprint. It took off like a jackrabbit chased by a pack of hounds. I said, “Just some personal stuff. My mother . . .”

I trailed off, dazed for a moment by his eyes. I hadn’t noticed before, but they weren’t only blue. He had tiny flecks of green and gold around his irises, warming those steely-blue depths.

And by God, the man smelled delicious. If that was his natural scent, he could make a few more billion by bottling it and selling it to men with less scrumptious—

Wait. What am I doing? Why am I mooning at him? Am I out of my ever-loving mind?

“Your mother?” he prompted, but I quickly stepped away, smoothing a hand over my hair.

“It’s nothing. I’m so sorry, I’m being unprofessional. If you don’t mind, Mr. Boudreaux, I’ll just get back to work now—”

“Jackson,” he said. He gazed down at me, eyes burning. His voice dropped an octave. “I want you to call me Jackson, Bianca.”

My sprinting heart tripped all over itself and fell flat on its face inside my chest. Heat rose into my cheeks. I said haltingly, “Um . . . okay.”

His gaze dropped to my lips.

Every muscle in my body tensed.

When he abruptly turned around and left, my knees shook so badly I had to lean against the counter for support.

What on earth just happened?

J.T. has that kind of writing style that I feel in my Romeo & Julep, and by that I mean my heart, but yes that could be an innuendo (Leave me alone! Yes, it can!). But seriously, her writing style is poetic and pulls all the feels out of my Cheesecake. Ugh, sorry. I couldn’t help it. Let me explain.


If you haven’t guessed yet, this book centers around food. The heroine is a chef and includes the Bourbon that Jackson’s family is famous for into her recipes. When Jackson enters her restaurant, she freaks out because the man of the hour is there, in her restaurant. But Jackson is the asshole that she does not tolerate. He may be a billionaire, but her sassy ass doesn’t care because he is being rude and arrogant and treating her staff with no respect.

Jackson. The Beast. Well, lasso me up and give me a Slap, Slap Kiss Cocktail. He is scarred on the inside and outside. He is SO MEAN to her. Like, reeeeeally mean, and I loved him for it. I just want someone to cuddle me in a big, comfy blanket and be an asshole to me. Is that too much to ask? He has been hurt, by his family and a previous love. He has many many scars, and he carries them on his sleeve and his face. He is perfection all trussed up in in his leather jacket and worn jeans and scruffy beard. It’s like J.T. created a man just for me.


Bianca. This chick. Serious girl crush. I love that she doesn’t give Jackson the time of day. It doesn’t even matter that he is THE Bourbon legacy. She has a business to run, and she is the mother hen to her employees. When Jackson is in a pinch, he has no choice but to ask Bianca to help him with a major charity event. This gives Bianca a glance into a side of Jackson that she has never seen before, even if it is a façade. One thing leads to another, and Bianca finally meets the family that Jackson does not want to see ever again.


This is a love-hate relationship, which should be the only relationship ever because it’s the best and gets my Jambalaya going every damn time. Ok, so I may have taken all of the recipes in the book and twisted them a little bit. Can you blame me when J.T. uses recipes like Dixie and Gumbo?! Ok, maybe you can blame me. I have a perverted little mind. But this mind loves all things J.T. Geissinger.

I love all of J.T.’s alpha heroes.
I love all of J.T.’s sassy heroines.
I love all of J.T.’s books.

Are you getting hungry yet?

A former headhunter, J.T. Geissinger is the author of more than a dozen novels in contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense.

She is the recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and is a two-time finalist for the RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America®. Her work has also finaled in the Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice, and Daphne du Maurier Awards.

Join her Facebook reader’s group, Geissinger’s Gang, to take part in weekly Wine Wednesday live chats and giveaways, find out more information about works in progress, have access to exclusive excerpts and contests, and get advance reader copies of her upcoming releases.

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Geissinger’s Gang | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest:

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Geri’s Review: Tell Me by Abigail Strom

October 16, 2017 by ·

TELL ME
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Abigail Strom
Release Date: October 1, 2017

Shy bookstore owner Jane Finch grew up hiding in the margins of her own life while her vibrant, adventure-loving sister, Samantha, dominated every plotline.

She’s made peace with it, unlike Sam’s business partner, Caleb, who’s always nudging Jane to go after what she really wants.

Why should she care what blunt, brash Caleb thinks? They’ve never had much in common, except for Sam.

After tragedy strikes, they don’t even have that.

Caleb can’t quite remember when Sam’s little sister stopped being like a surrogate sibling to him and became just…Jane. She’s the most intriguing woman he’s ever met, and so much sexier and stronger than she thinks.

On the emotional journey to honor Sam’s memory, the spark they’ve tried to deny becomes an inferno.

This journey was meant to be an ending, but will they discover an unexpected new beginning?

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N 

 

First off, thank you Arabella ~♡AB♡~’s review for bringing this book and this author to my attention. I enjoyed this book so much. I cried and laugh, and let me tell you that I’ve never rooted so hard for a couple as much as I did with Jane and Caleb.

Both are deeply flawed and complex characters whose differences might be too great that love might not be enough!

Yes, you read that right! There were moments in the book where I was like…

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Why? Because the conflict is that good. Simple but really effective and it’s not very obvious if we go by the blurb. In fact, I thought initially that it’s going to be something else. But I prefer the direction that the author took. It’s a very mature conflict and she was able to really flesh out the story and each of the characters.

Aside from the conflict, what I also loved about this book was how tight the writing was. Not one scene or interaction was wasted. Everything that you read has a purpose. And the author did a fantastic job tying up all the loose ends and giving readers the answers to questions they have about the characters and the story. It was masterful.

But what really made this book a favorite was its cast of characters. Jane and Caleb felt real. Jane is a shy bookstore owner. At first, I was skeptical because the character sounds really cliched. I mean, hello, shy, plain-Jane bookstore owner? That’s like classic character trope.

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But the more you read, the more you see the nuances of Jane’s character. And the same goes for Caleb. He’s a tough nut to crack. He was a very intriguing character. At first, he came off really cocky and was a bit annoying. The moment the two of them are together on page, you could feel the tension that was borne out of their differences despite the fact that there’s definitely an attraction there.

I loved how Anne of Green Gables was used as sort of a backdrop in the story. It was clever and it made me want to read Anne of Green Gables again. It made me curious about the lore behind that series.

Another intriguing layer to this book was Sam, Jane’s beautiful and adventurous older sister who also happens to Caleb’s best friend and business partner. She was the thread that connected Jane and Caleb at first. Her tragic death served as a catalyst for Jane and Caleb’s relationship. I personally didn’t feel that her presence detracted from the romance between Jane and Caleb. I thought that Jane’s feelings about Sam was handled really well. Again, it felt real and it was so heartbreaking.

There are so many thing I loved about this book. I especially loved how the author brought everything in full circle, giving readers what they long for. The resolution wasn’t perfect but it fit the story really well.

Tell Me is a heartwarming story about two people who couldn’t be more different from each other fall in love. It’s a beautifully written romance which I highly recommend you guys read.

 

· Filed Under: A-Z, All Reviews, Contemporary Romance ·

New Release & Review: Game On by Victoria Denault

October 10, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

GAME ON
Series: Hometown Players #6
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Victoria Denault
Release Date: October 9, 2017

“I don’t break hearts. I break headboards . . . “

When it comes to scoring in the pro hockey league, Alex Larue is crushing it-with the hot puck bunnies. He’s the life of the party, the guy with all the jokes . . . and the one whose Party Guy mask keeps the real him well hidden. The last thing he needs is anyone finding out about his troubled past, or the nightmares that haunt him still.

Brie Bennett is less than impressed by Alex from the moment she meets him. And even though he insists on volunteering at the charity she runs, she doesn’t trust him. He’s hiding something…but so is she. She’s not just the rich, privileged New York princess he thinks she is. The animosity between them is undeniably addictive and as their worlds keep colliding it becomes supercharged with something else – attraction.

But if they stop playing games and let each other in, they both might lose.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

…tell me you want this. Take the shot.”
He nuzzles my hand and but then turns his face and kisses my palm. When he turns back to me he looks so serious it’s startling. “I want this.”
I feel my smile from my toes to the roots of my hair. “Game on?”
He smiles back, raw but darkly playful. “Game on.”

This book was not at all what I signed up for, in the best possible of ways. See, this totally one track reader saw the quote on the blurb and thought, “eeee!!! Another manwhore! GIMME!” And then what I got was an engrossing, unforgettable, and beautiful story that was full of depth and meaning.

You’re this amazing, stubborn, gorgeous woman who wants more than the one thing I know I can give. And as much as I suddenly, for the first time in my life, want to try and give more, I’m also so fucking clueless as to how.”

Alex Larue is the darling of the hockey league. He’s always got a woman on his arm and a quick smile on his lips. Traded numerous times in his career, his one constant is his love for the game and the love the fans have for him. He’s talented, hard-working, and completely shut off emotionally.

I want things from you I shouldn’t want.”

When Alex first notices the gorgeous Brie, she shoots him down in a way that’s hard to forget. The sparks of attraction that ignite between them are almost as hot as their opposites attract interactions. When Alex realizes who Brie is, the animosity between them rises. After all, Brie is the complete antithesis to the life he’s lived and the demons he hides. Being the darling daughter of two wealthy parents, she hasn’t known a struggle in her life. But not is as it seems.

His fingers grip my hips so tight I’ll probably have marks, and I like that idea. That his fingers will leave their imprint on my body the way his soul seems to be leaving an imprint on my heart.

I really don’t want to give much more than that away because it makes the story that much better to discover the small details as you read. What I can tell you is this book has so much more depth than the blurb implies. Both of the main characters are incredibly multi-layered and impossible not to love. Alex and his easy smile and hidden vulnerability will pull at your heart strings. Brie with her quiet and understated strength and the way she doesn’t give up on Alex will make you smile.

Alex makes it clear to Brie that he can’t offer her what she deserves. But after seeing peeks of the man beneath the tenacious flirt, Brie knows what she wants and she knows that she can’t give up on him. There’s something about Alex that pulls her in, and impossible to forget.

You’re going to wreck me,” he whispers into the crook of my neck. “And I’m going to let you.”

With a wonderful cast of secondary characters, Game On was an unputdownable read from beginning to finish. It was full of meaning, emotion, and so much depth, it was impossible not to love. This just may be my favorite Victoria Denault book yet and I can’t recommend it enough.

READ THE SERIES IN ORDER

ONE MORE SHOT | MAKING A PLAY | THE FINAL PLAY | WINNING IT ALL | ON THE LINE | GAME ON

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Jennifer’s Review: Sledgehammer by P. Dangelico

October 8, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SLEDGEHAMMER
Series: Hard To Love #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: P. Dangelico
Release Date: September 11, 2017

Amber Jones is in a pickle. And when I say pickle, I mean deep do-do. She knew she shouldn’t have gone to her ex’s New Year’s Eve party. And she reeeaally didn’t mean to almost burn down his house. It was the chafing dish’s fault, dang it! Now she needs a good lawyer, stat. But where to find one?

All work and no play make Ethan Vaughn a very sad and lonely lawyer. Not to mention horny. He really shouldn’t have agreed to help his best friend’s wife’s bestie with her imbroglio. Now she’s remanded on bail––and living in his house. The woman is a walking, talking category five hurricane. And considering his track record with women, he needs to stay as far away from this one as possible. Problem is, he just can’t seem to make himself.

Heads up folks, this little heroine has a propensity for prolific profanity. Our girl’s got a potty mouth and strong opinions. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you. If you have delicate nerves, this book is not for you. If you are under 18, this book is definitely not for you. Consider yourself warned.

AMAZON


Confession: I have a THING for lawyers. And when I say a THING, I mean an OBSESSION. Maybe it’s the suit. Maybe it’s the ego. Maybe it’s the brain. I don’t know, but I cannot resist a lawyer.

Vaughn. (Aka Fancy McButterpants) Oh, the brood. Be still….my heart…and my ovaries….Ok, let’s be honest, my ovaries weren’t very still during this book. He is the perfect hot lawyer that gets my juices flowing. What’s crazy is that he isn’t your everyday, neighborhood asshole. In the beginning, he seems like he is, but he slowly reveals his softer, almost introverted side. Definitely a “Mr. Darcy” feel where he seems harsh at first but only because he doesn’t know how to express himself. With all of the humor and hotness, I did not expect THE FEELS.
Triple sigh with a back flip.


Amber. She is so funny! She reminded me of one of my favorite bloggers/comedians/writers Jenny Lawson!! This type of humor is RARE and I ate it up!! Pretty sure I’m in love with her. Serious girl crush happening. If only I could think and say words out of my mouth like her. Amber has found herself in a pickle, and guess what? She needs a lawyer. Vaughn and Amber do not like each other, but they have to tolerate each other. I loooooved everything about these two. Witty dialogue is my kryptonite, and this book destroyed me with wit.


This book is Opposites Attract in all its glory. Hilarious. Feel-good. Snarky, swearing heroine. Swoony. And did I mention hilarious? He is broody & sweet & the slow burn. THE SLOW BURN!!! Oh, ad the
effing smorgasbord of feelings!!

A new-author-to-me that I FLOVE!! Aaaaand…..I’m reading the first book next because I HAVE to. My body refuses to not read it next. What can I say? I listen to my body. A herd of snarfling (snarfling? Yeah, I said it.) wildebeasts couldn’t stop me from reading the first book.

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Jennifer’s Review: From The Ruins by @JanineBosco

October 6, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

FROM THE RUINS
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic, MC, Romantic Suspense
Author: Janine Infante Bosco
Release Date: September 26, 2017

“Pipe”
In every man’s life there comes a day of reckoning. It’s the day darkness is exposed and sinners are punished for their trespasses.
A day when loyalty is destroyed and a man is left in ruins.
When he walks away from his club and loses his religion.
Whoever said from the ruins they will rise again never walked a mile in my shoes or the pair of red ones I was left holding.

“Layla”
He’s bitter, cold and angry.
He’s seen his share of heartache.
Lived through tragedy and despair.
He’s my neighbor.
The man I know should stay away from.
The man who will destroy what’s left of me if I get too close.
He’s Lee Jameson, and I’m Layla Milano.
This is our story.
The story of two people left in ruins forced to rise again.

AMAZON

Janine’s books have my heart by the balls….if my heart had balls…you know what mean.


So, me and Janine were talking the other day over a glass of wine. Well, Janine wasn’t there, but my kindle was…same thing. And Janine was like, “Hey, girl! I’m gonna make you cry your eyes out!” and I was like, “Girl, nah uh!” and then she was like, “Cry, Bitch!” and I was like, “Leave me, alone, Janine!”…and then I’m already crying by 10%. I am NOT a girl who likes to read sad books. I wouldn’t call her books sad. I would call them REAL. She always includes some type of real issue, and it doesn’t matter what “issue” she is including in the story, she always pulls and pulls until my heart breaks from her words alone.

Pipe is struck with tragedy several books ago, in the worst way. He already didn’t have a shiny life before, but he was given a glimpse of happy before another tragedy. He’s known way too much loss for one person. He escapes and leaves the only family he’s ever know. Who can blame him? He lost everything. He is a broken man who has no idea how to deal.Layla. She is a single mother of three. These kids. Love ‘em. I’m super picky about kids in books, and these kids had so much character and were essential in pulling Pipe from the ruins. Layla is also just trying to get through each day. She has been through a not-so-great marriage which ended in divorce. Bitter against all men, she is not ready for Pipe….at all.

Pipe and Layla are neighbors who hate each other (love this trope!). Neither of them are in a good place. They are just trying to stumble through life. Layla has a few more smiles left, so she isn’t afraid to give those smiles out to those who deserve them, and Pipe starts to crave her smiles. When Pipe rescues her and the kids from a couple of household disasters, the ice begins to thaw between Pipe & Layla. They eventually find solace in each other in the form of hot, crazy sex (yes, please!), forgetting their issues for even a brief amount of time.The only way to describe how Janine’s books make me feel is by sharing this memory. One of my favorite memories that will stay with me forever…I was on the back of my Dad’s Harley. We were riding in the dark on the way home from an outside concert at a winery, and we were listening to one of our favorite songs. At the time, we thought my dad had cancer. Little did we know a couple weeks later, we would find out that by a miracle, he did not have cancer. Anywho, the wind was in my hair. The rumble of the motorcycle beneath me. The stars above me. This memory is SO MUCH. And THAT feeling is Janine’s books.

Janine is THAT author. That author that you don’t know is AMAZING. That author who will make you FEEL. Will make you LIVE through her characters. Will make you CRY. Will make you LAUGH. And you will regret not reading Janine’s books. Don’t regret it. Read her books.

Thank you, Janine, for sharing a part of yourself in this book. I will never grow tired of your words. One day, I will hug you (maybe for an awkward amount of time) and thank you personally.

 

Janine Infante Bosco lives in New York City, she has always loved reading and writing. When she was thirteen, she began to write her own stories and her passion for writing took off as the years went on. At eighteen, she even wrote a full screenplay with dreams of one day becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Janine writes emotionally charged novels with an emphasis on family bonds, strong-willed female characters, and alpha male men who will do anything for the women they love. She loves to interact with fans and fellow avid romance readers like herself.

She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.

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Blog Tour & Jennifer’s Review: Scandalous by LJ Shen

October 5, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SCANDALOUS
Series: Sinners of Saint #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: September 21, 2017

They call him The Mute for a reason.

Hard, cold and calculated, he rarely speaks.

When he does, it’s with disdain.

When he does, his words aren’t meant for me.

When he does, my stomach flips and my world tilts on its axis.

He is thirty-three.

I am eighteen.

He’s a single dad and my father’s business partner.

I’m just a kid to him and his enemy’s daughter.

He’s emotionally unavailable.

And I am…feeling. Feeling things I shouldn’t feel for him.

Trent Rexroth is going to break my heart. The writing isn’t just on the wall, it’s inked on my soul.

And yet, I can’t stay away.

A scandal is the last thing my family needs. But a scandal is what we’re going to give them.

And oh, what beautiful chaos it will be.

AMAZON 


Trent’s gaze cut to mine and stopped when his grays met my blues. The fading noise of Vicious barking at people to move along, and my father finally letting go of my arm to move toward Jaime and Dean—probably trying to gain both allies and sympathy—died down.“I don’t like you,” Rexroth whispered under his breath, his voice harsh.

“I never asked you to.” I shrugged.

“You won’t be working here.” His arm brushed my shoulder, but I didn’t think it was by accident. I let loose a sugary smile, scanning his face and torso for no other reason other than to taunt him. “Good, you’ll be doing me a favor. My father is the one forcing me to work here. He’s pissed I turned down five Ivy League colleges. Remind me, Mr. Rexroth—which top tier university did you attend for your degree?”

The low blow was supposed to retrieve some of my lost dignity, but bile burned my throat, shotgunned from my stomach. Trent Rexroth was known in Todos Santos as an exhilarating success story, rising from the gutters of San Diego. He went to a shitty state college that accepted even the illiterate, working as a janitor on campus after hours. Those were given facts he’d recited himself in an interview for Forbes.

Had I really just tried to make him feel less worthy because he wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth? It made me sicker than wearing my mother’s designer garbs.

Trent smiled, leaning into my body, into my soul. His smirk was more frightening than any scowl, frown, or grimace I’d ever seen. It threatened to tear me apart and sew me back together however he pleased.

“Edie.” His lips were dangerously close to my ear. A delicious shiver moved down my spine. Something warm rolled inside of me, begging to unknot and flower into an orgasm. What was happening, and why the hell was it happening? “If you know what’s best for you, you will turn around and leave right now.”

I elevated my head to meet his gaze and showed him my version of a grin. I was born and raised in a world of intimidating rich men, and I’d be damned if I go down like my mother—addicted to xanax, Gucci, and a man who paraded her on his arm for a short, glorious decade before keeping her solely for public appearances.

“I think I’m going to go find my desk now. I’d wish you a good day, Mr. Rexroth, but I think that ship has sailed. You’re a miserable man. Oh, and one for the road.” I fished for a Nature Valley bar in my mother’s purse and plastered it to his hard, muscled chest. My heart slammed into my neck, fluttering like a caged bird.

I hurried after my father as he glided down the vast, golden-hued hallway, not daring to look back. Knowing I’d started a war and arrived unequipped. But I also knew something else that gave me a surfer’s rush—if I could slam the final nail in my employment coffin and make Rexroth vote against me, I’d be off the hook.

I had just the plan for it. All I had to do was act like a brat. Game on.

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DEFY | VICIOUS | RUCKUS | SCANDALOUS

I didn’t think this book would rip my heart apart at the seams.


Trent. We don’t get much from Trent in the previous books. He is dubbed The Mute because he rarely speaks, only when absolutely needed. Trent has a daughter, and she doesn’t speak at all. She can, but she doesn’t, and it is Trent’s thorn. He doesn’t know how to help her. He is there for her in every way that he sees fit. He is a good father, but he is a flawed man that needs….something, or someone. To help put the pieces of his broken self back together. And that someone….is Edie. She is the girl he doesn’t see coming.


Edie. Is Trent’s opposite. While Trent is a straight businessman, Edie is a relaxed surfer. Only LJ Shen would think of putting these two together! And I loved them! Edie is badass, and I loved her sassy attitude. And does the fact that he is very much older than her stop Trent? Not even a little bit. I thought she was very mature for her age, so I honestly didn’t think the relationship was weird at all. I loved Trent and Edie. They are uber hot together. The fact that there is such a big age difference makes it even hotter. Their story was a lot like the ocean…unpredictable, turbulent, and very mischievous. *giggles


BUT….my favorite part of this book was LUNA. I usually cannot stand children in books. But this girl stole my heart…and wouldn’t let go! Her character was written so well. I could see her facial expressions. I could feel her pain. I absolutely loved how Edie trickled her way into Luna’s heart. I could imagine her side smirk, and her little giggle. She was a tough cookie to crack, but once Edie was in, she was in. I loved watching Trent’s struggle as a parent, which is so real. His parenting wasn’t perfect. He loved Luna, but he didn’t know how to be what she needed.

L.J. Shen is one of the best, and maybe THE BEST, writer of THE ALPHA-HOLE. Her books always make me FEEL. Her words are utterly beautiful…all the time.

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

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Review: Show Me The Way by A.L. Jackson

October 5, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

SHOW ME THE WAY
Series: Fight For Me #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: A.L. Jackson
Release Date: October 2, 2017

The first sexy, captivating, stand-alone novel in the brand-new FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Rex Gunner. As bitter as he is beautiful.
The owner of the largest construction company in Gingham Lakes has been burned one too many times. His wife leaving him to raise their daughter was the last blow this single dad could take. The only woman he’ll let into his heart is his little girl.
Rynna Dayne. As vulnerable as she is tempting.
She ran from Gingham Lakes when she was seventeen. She swore to herself she would never return. Then her grandmother passed away and left her the deed to the diner that she once loved.
When Rex meets his new neighbor, he knows he’s in trouble.
She’s gorgeous and sweet and everything he can’t trust.
Until she becomes the one thing he can’t resist.
One kiss sends them tumbling toward ecstasy.
But in a town this size, pasts are bound to collide. Caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and disloyalty, Rex must make a choice.
Will he hide behind his walls or will he take the chance . . .
“This book is absolutely perfect.” – Corinne Michaels, New York Times Bestselling Author
 READ FOR FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

You make me feel like every chance is one worth taking. Like you’re leading me out of the darkness that’s ruled my life. When I close my eyes, who I see is you. Show me the way, Rynna. Show me the way out of it. Fuck. Please, show me the way.”

Can someone please tell me why I’ve gone this long without reading another AL Jackson book? Because I’m seriously disappointed it myself. This book reminded me all the reasons that made me fall in love with this author’s words and made me fall in love all over again. Show Me The Way was a beautiful and highly emotional story of love and second chances. It was perfectly paced, with just the right amount of angst, and wonderfully multi-layered characters that you can’t help but fall for.

He needed someone to revive his faith just as desperately as I did.
Because looking at him? I suddenly knew he had none of it.
That something had gone dim inside him.
That was the thing about chances.
We didn’t know their outcomes.
If we’d succeed or if we’d fail. It didn’t matter. I had to take a chance on him.

Rynna and Rex are two sides of different coins. Both hurt by their pasts, one is willing the hurt again for a chance at something beautiful, while the other has closed himself from everything for protection.

Years ago, Rynna ran away from the town that she grew up in and the only family she had in the only way she could think to survive. The cruel memories of her past have kept her away, until the passing of her beloved grandmother bring her back and right next door to Rex Gunner.

Damn her for weaseling her way in and making herself a place in a spot where she knew she would never stay. Fuck me for wanting it.

Rex Gunner needs the complication of a beautiful woman like a hole in his head. Done with the hurt that females could bring to his life, the only female that he devotes himself to is his adorable daughter. But when his beautiful neighbor sets her sights on him, he realizes that she sees beneath the brusque and cold man to the wounded one beneath that’s yearning for the right woman to make him believe again.

Rex is borderline hostile to Rynna when he first meets her. Slowly but surely, Rynna works herself deeper and deeper under his skin, where he wants her least. But with every beautiful and thoughtful word to his daughter, with her ability to brush his coldness off, Rex begins to see just how different Rynna really is.

Last two times I touched you nearly ruined me. Seeing you like this? Don’t think I’m ever going to be the same. Stealing my sleep. Stealing my breath. Stealing my sanity. Little thief.”

The romance is perfectly paced, with flashbacks to Ryan’s past that slowly unveils the reasons for her running. There’s an intriguing element of suspense that keep you turning the pages as urgently as the romance does. I was immediately captivated from the very first chapter and it didn’t let up until the last page.

I loved watching Rex slowly melt from gruff and grumpy to hesitantly admitting his feelings for Rynna. I loved getting glimpses of Ryan’s past and understanding what she’s gone through. It made me respect that woman that she is today. The woman that isn’t afraid to take a risk, a chance on a man that shows her every reason not to. She wasn’t pushy, but had this understated strength to her that I couldn’t help but love.

I adored Rex’s little girl. She was one of the highlights of this story for me. I adored Rex and Rynna together. I loved the back and forth between them in the beginning, the slow burn and the ultimate implosion. It was absolutely sizzling.

And when everything unravels at the end? Mind blowing!

I’m totally hooked on this series and I already can’t wait for more. After meeting Rex’s friends, Oliver and Matt, I’m already needing their stories.

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Jennifer’s 5 Star Review: Uncontrollable Temptations by Janine Infante Bosco

October 4, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

UNCONTROLLABLE TEMPTATIONS
Series: Tempted #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Janine Infante Bosco
Release Date: February 9, 2016

Jack “Bulldog” Parrish

Crazy: Mentally deranged, especially as manifested in a wild or aggressive way.

I was thirteen when I discovered the definition of the word I’d forever be labeled.

Some used it as a figure of speech but for me it was a scar I’d carry through life.

Or so I believed until I was diagnosed a manic depressive.

I’m the president of the Satan’s Knights Motorcycle Club, a man of power and control.

A man with enemies near and far.

But the truth, my truth, is my biggest enemy— my mind and I live most of my life with no control whatsoever.

I’m just a man who battles his demons, a man destined to live a life full of darkness.

Until her.

She’s the light beckoning me, calling me home, away from the torment.
In a world as dark as the one I live in, sometimes I can’t help but crave Sunshine.

Reina DeCarlo

I was lost, broken and a prisoner of my scars.

A shell of the woman I used to be, who didn’t know the difference between living and merely existing.

Until a stranger found me, fixed and freed me. He breathed life into my soul, reminding me I was a survivor and still had life to live.

My savior is a biker.

A man tortured by his own scars. A man broken like me, maybe even a little lost too.

I want to be his remedy.

I want to heal him.

I want to return the favor and be his savior.

This is our story, a story neither of us knew how to write until we found each other.

AMAZON

This is the most vulnerable review I’ve ever written.

I can barely write this review because it is so personal. It took me forever to write it (lots of wine helped). I would write a little at a time and then come back to it. Have you ever felt that way? Has a book ever actually changed you? What do you say when a book….changes your life? How?! How did an MC book change my life?! I’ll tell you how.

Sunshine.


I’m not ashamed to say that I struggle with Major Depression. AND I am constantly in a battle with the person I used to be versus the person I am today. These two issues are the CENTER of this book. This book MEANS something to me. This book STRUCK me. Slapped me in the face, and I had no choice but to FEEL. It SPOKE to me, way too close to home. This book is MY THERAPY. This book was MADE FOR ME. This book showed me HOPE. This book showed me the LIGHT in the DARKNESS. Janine Infante Bosco is a GENIUS and loves to murder me with her words. I found myself in both of these characters. I can’t even say how much.

Cherry Pie.

Jack suffers. Period. His mind is his Hell. He has Manic Depression, and he lives in darkness. His is in a constant struggle with his “maker.” Some people may think that depression is sadness, but it’s not. I’m not sad. Jack isn’t sad. He’s tortured….by his mind. There is a saying that “Depression Lies,” and I can say first hand that is the perfect way of describing it. Can you imagine a voice in your head constantly telling you that you are not enough? That you aren’t important? That you don’t matter? That you’re basically a piece of shit. It’s a bunch of constant lies. And you can’t stop it (without medication). You just have to FIGHT it, every day. And that is exactly what Jack does.

Scars.


Reina. Her struggle is with the person she used to be before her trauma versus the person she is now, and finding balance between the two. Everyone changes. I would never have guessed I would be so drastically different than I used to be. I would have said it was impossible. If you took my personality before and literally flipped it 180 degrees, you would have who I am today. And that is exactly what happened with Reina. She doesn’t know what to do with this new person, who she doesn’t know. She doesn’t like who she is, but she can’t go back to the person she used to be.

You.


Janine doesn’t mess around. She jumps right into the center of the Satan’s Knights and writes the President’s book first, and Gawd, it’s beyond. Jack and Reina find SOLACE in each other. Isn’t that what we all want? Just a little bit of PEACE. She does it again with the issues. (There was a lot of cursing at Janine for writing a book such as this. For example, “Damn you, Janine!”) I’ve never read an author like this, especially an MC series like this. This is definitely in my top 3 favorite MC series (with Kristen Ashley and Lauren Gilley). Janine makes it REAL. I came out of this book with HEALED SCARS and NEW SCARS. How did this book changed me? It helped me see that the thing that I viewed as the cause for my struggle can actually be my HOPE. I bought this bracelet to remind me of that HOPE.

Me.

I’m a different person after reading this book. Of course, I am now going to enter the biggest book funk ever because THIS BOOK. I’m sorry to the book I read after this one. Which means I should just keep going with this series because THIS AUTHOR.

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New Release & Review: A SEAL’s Strength by JM Stewart

October 3, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

A SEAL’S STRENGTH
Series: Military Match #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: JM Stewart
Release Date: October 3, 2017

A sizzling new series about three friends looking for love-and the sexy SEALs who are ready to fulfill their craziest fantasies.

This second chance was worth the wait . . .

As a SEAL, Gabriel Donovan did the toughest jobs imaginable without blinking an eye. But three years after his wife’s death, the idea of dating still makes him sick to his stomach. His daughter desperately needs a mother, though, and there’s nothing Gabe won’t do for his little girl.

Stephanie Mason doesn’t run from anything. Not even coming face to face with the “one that got away” on a blind date. Steph’s body vividly remembers every single thing about Gabe and while some things have changed, the way he makes her feel sure as hell hasn’t.

Gabe and Steph know that love comes with risks, but if they’re brave enough, this second chance might just bring them the love of a lifetime.

AMAZON

She’d been his best friend, and he’d simply let her go. Of all his regrets, Steph was a big one.

A SEAL’s Strength is a wonderfully swoony second chance romance that I finished in one sitting.

Three years after losing his wife, Gabriel Donovan is ready to date again. Caving to his friends and sister’s insistence, he allows to be set up through a military match making company owned by one of his mechanic’s wife. Not entirely sure he can even really put himself out there again, Gabe is more focused on raising his sweet daughter and moving on from his wife’s memory. But when his date happens to be a blast from his past that he never expected and one of his biggest regrets? Well, things definitely change.

Right then he only knew two things for sure. She was still gorgeous, and her smile still lit a flame in his gut.

Eleven years ago Steph and Gabe had a friends with benefits arrangement in college that soon began to turn into something much deeper for Steph. She didn’t expect to fall for the man, but then life happened, and he joined the military and she never saw him again. After a string of failed relationships and the catastrophic end to her most recent, Steph is gun shy to give things a shot with the first man to break her heart. But the chemistry between them is too fiery and the connection to deep to simply walk away.

We want the same things, baby. Someone to find our feet with. I want more time with you. I’m not quite done with you yet.” He brushed his thumb along her lower lip, then followed the path with his mouth. “You want someone you can trust, and despite everything, I hope you know you can trust me.”

I adored these two together. There was something so genuine and real about this couple’s second chance. Sometimes you meet the one you’re destined to be with at the wrong time and then life happens. Sometimes you get a second chance to make a mistake right again. They didn’t spend years pining after each other, but you can definitely see just how strong their connection is. I love how the author was able to develop their relationship without diminishing Gabe’s deceased wife.

If second chance romance is your jam, this is definitely worth checking out. It’s quick paced and reads quick. I finished in one swoony sitting and definitely found myself a new author to read.

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