Review: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

February 18, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE RISK
Series: Briar U #2
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: February 18, 2019

A sexy standalone novel from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy. THE RISK takes you back to the world of hot hockey players, feisty heroines, bro banter, and steamy scenes…

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

AMAZON

It’s official. I’m hot for this girl. 

Reading an Elle Kennedy book is like eating your favorite ice cream; it’s a sweet treat that feels slightly naughty and you just love every minute of it. So what can I tell you about The Risk? I loved it! It was enemies to lovers goodness that I devoured from start to finish with a goofy smily on my face the entire time!

Ever since Jake and Brenna immediately caught my attention the second they appeared on the pages of The Chase. I love me a sassy heroine, and boy does Brenna tick all the boxes for me. It’s not often you read a perfectly endearing bad girl that oozes self confidence, has a razor sharp with, and doesn’t shy away from being a ball buster when necessary. Suffice it to say, I LOVED Brenna. She’s not perfect by any means, but she’s funny, is comfortable in her own skin, and has no problem speaking her mind. This is also how she finally gets on Jake’s radar.

Jake is the captain of the rival hockey team in Harvard. And when Brenna proves to be a distraction to one of his teammates, he’s not shy about warning her off. But no one tells Brenna what to do, so the only thing it accomplishes is stocking a fire that soon threatens to consume them both.

Jake is a bad boy in his own right. He’s on the path to the pros and nothing and no one will stop him. He doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t do repeats. He has no time for the distraction that a woman can bring. He certainly doesn’t see Brenna coming, but boy does she leave an impression. And once she’s on his radar, he can’t stop thinking about her.

This was a slow burn to beat all slow burn. The delicious push and pull between these two was EVERYTHING. Their banter and chemistry was like a fire that just burned hotter and hotter with each chapter.

Want to make out some more before we go?” Jake’s tone is boyishly hopeful.
“Nope.”
His gaze turns devilish. “How about a blowjob?”
“Aw, I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have a penis.”

There were the secondary characters that I’ve come to love; and I’m seriously hoping we get Hunter’s book next. But the two that really stole the show for me here were Rupi and Hollis. Of all the hysterical and dysfunctional relationships, this one took the cake. And oh my god, I couldn’t get enough of these two. They were absolutely nuts.

And while you get the funny and sexy, there’s also a good dose of serious here. There’s some things in Brenna’s past that continue to haunt her present, and I really loved the way that Elle Kennedy handled this particular subject matter. There’s also a really uncomfortable but honest look at gender inequality and misogyny that I wished we got a more satisfying conclusion for, but alas, that’s not how life works. So I suppose I’ll be happy with what we got.

Ultimately, The Risk was a fantastic second installment in another addicting NA series from one of my favorite authors. It was a perfect enemies to lovers romance with a slow burn and plenty of laughs. It had wonderful secondary characters and perfectly developed and multilayered main characters. I loved both Jake and Brenna and I especially loved seeing their growth throughout the book. A must read for any sports and hockey romance fans out there!

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Review: The Peer And The Puppet by BB Reid

February 5, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

THE PEER AND THE PUPPET
Series: When Rivals Play #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: B.B. Reid
Release Date: July 22, 2018

THE PUPPET

Borrow the bike. Win the race. Collect the cash. It should’ve been an easy job. Ran out of town with a broken leg and a lawsuit, my mother’s latest flame swoops in like a knight in gilded armor. Blackwood Keep is a place I don’t belong, and I’m not the only one who knows. To the boy across the hall, my savior’s only son, I’m a stray looking for a bone.

He’s lord of the manor.
King of the academy.
And number one on my shit list.

THE PEER

I have no intentions of becoming a happy family with the social climber and her wild daughter. A bottle of Jameson and a cracked skull gets my problem shipped to reform school, but I didn’t bank on her returning.

Four’s out to get even, and she almost had the perfect plan: expose the privileged kid moonlighting as a gangbanger. She’s smart, but she’ll have to be smarter. Sending her away won’t be good enough this time. I’m going to have to tame the little troublemaker. To the girl across the hall, the one without a name, I’m nothing without my silver spoon.

She’s lady of the trailer park.
Queen of the swamps.
And my new favorite pastime.

The Peer and the Puppet is a standalone romance, however, the series is one story. The plot introduced in Four and Ever’s story will continue in the following novels. Content suitable for 18+.

AMAZON

Would you like to know the difference between you and I, little troublemaker? You run from your demons. I chase mine.”

Oh the angst! The sweet, sweet, never ending angst of it all! How I love it! How I crave it! And BB Reid packs one hell of an angsty punch with this book. I have no idea why on earth it took me this long to read it!

I feel like I’m always looking for a book that reminds me of Bully or Paper Princess and coming up short. Either the angst is too manufactured, it filled with silly drama, or I just don’t buy into the romance. I had NONE of those issues here. I was immediately hooked by the story of a troublemaking heroine that loves to race motorcycles who gets uprooted to the upper crust when her mother begins dating a rich man. Thrown into the entitled and ruthless underbelly of the rich elite, Four finds herself in the crosshairs of her new housemate. The girl from the wrong side of the tracks meets the popular and rich boy that runs the school and has secrets and an agenda of his own? What could possibly go wrong?

I loved the premise of this story and it only continued to reel me in further with every page that I read. I love a strong and sassy heroine and Four definitely delivered on that front. As a matter of fact, all the characters, including the secondary ones, were well developed and multi-layered. But of course Four and Ever stole center stage with their back and forth hate lust that they had going on. Neither is who they seem and their banter and insult field dance around each other only managed to stoke the fire between them.

I’m tired of fighting this.” I now had her trapped against the door with my hips pressed against hers. “Tell me what I need to do to have you. I’ll break bones.” I punctuated the vow with a kiss on her neck. “Ruin reputations…” Her body shivered when I trailed lower. “Destroy futures…I just need you to be mine.”

There’s a lot more to this book than just a romance. I’d probably describe it as more of a saga than a standalone. While you get a different couple in the next book, there’s just too many questions that are left unanswered here for me to consider it a standalone. Did I enjoy it? THOROUGHLY. Will I be reading the next book? I’m utterly RAVENOUS for it.

I loved the story of Ever and Four. And while I did find that at times they acted and spoke much older than their high school years, I couldn’t get enough of them. I loved Four’s tenacity and perseverance almost as much as I loved Ever’s intensity and ruthlessness. I loved that Four gives as well as she gets and I couldn’t get enough of the banter between them. I was immediately hooked by ALL of the secondary characters; Vaughn and Wren being at the forefront.

This was my first BB Reid book and I’m an instant fan! Now bring on the next book!!

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Review: The Chase by Elle Kennedy

August 7, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

THE CHASE
Series: Briar U #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Elle Kennedy
Release Date: August 6, 2018

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother.

And that his best friend has a crush on me.

And that I just moved in with them.

Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing?

He knows where to find me.

AMAZON | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO

She brings out a growly, primal side of me I hadn’t known existed until she showed up and started driving me batshit crazy.
And…I frickin’ love it. 

Opposites attract in this brand new spin-off series and I frickin’ loved it! See what I did there? Alright, that was entirely too cheesy but I simply couldn’t resist.

As much as I loved Dean in The Score, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I’d love his younger sister, Summer. She’s a heroine that instantly jumps from the pages at you and there’s something so incredibly endearing about her. She’s beautiful, popular, and a social butterfly. But she’s not a girl without insecurities either and those are the things that make her as endearing as they did.

A woman isn’t defined by her boyfriends. She’s defined by her achievements. And her shoes.”

Colin “Fitzy” Fitzgerald is the quiet, self professed nerd of his hockey buddies and roommates. Where Summer is the social butterfly, he’s the hermit. He knows that Summer has a crush on him, but no matter how strongly he may be attracted to her as well, she’s the opposite of the type of girl he needs.
Then Fitz goes and puts his foot in his mouth, and what was gearing up to be potentially something, soon turns into angry stares and snarky come backs…and he has no idea why.

When a turn of events leaves Summer without a place to live at Briar, the college she’s transferred to after her snafu at Brown, her brother is all too eager to help. Unfortunately it also lands her as the fourth roommate to Fitz; the man she’s determined to now stay away from.

What begins then, is the most sexually charged game of push and pull I’ve read in a while. Summer is determined to stay away from Colin. Colin doesn’t want to want Summer, but can’t help but be pulled into her orbit. Colin’s buddy and other roommate, Hunter, wants Summer. Summer doesn’t want to want Colin, but also has no reason to turn down Hunter. Oh the madness of it all!

While I can see some readers going crazy from Fitzy’s back and forth feelings and behavior, I gobbled it up. I got why he acted the way he did, even if I did want to throttle him for it half the time. HE struggles with his attraction to a girl that’s always in the spotlight when he does his damnedest to shy away from it.

I also absolutely ADORED Summer’s friendship with Brenna. Summer is a true girl’s girl, and I loved the genuine friendship these two forged. I’m also absolutely DYING for Brenna’s book now. The potential set up there sounds utterly delicious.

The Chase was an addicting opposites attract romance that had a smile on my face from beginning to end. The banter, the sexual chemistry, the secondary characters, and the romance were absolutely fantastic! And then there was the quirky humor that I couldn’t get enough of. In particular, the appearances with Dean and the sibling dynamics with him and Summer.

Life isn’t always about you!”
They stand there bickering as if I’m not bent in half on the marble floor, gasping for air.
“I’m not having kids with you,” I wheeze at Summer. “I don’t want to be part of your insane family.” “Oh hush, sweetie. It’s too late. I’ve become attached.”
You’d think it would be impossible to laugh while I’m writhing on the floor in agony. But Summer Heyward-Di Laurentis makes everything possible.

The Chase set the stage for an amazing new series from one of my favorite authors and I already can’t wait for more. If you’re a fan of sizzling New Adult romance, this is a book that’s not to be missed!

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Review & Excerpt: Jock Row by Sara Ney

May 7, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

JOCK ROW
Series: Jock Hard #1
Genre: New Adult, Sports Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: May 3, 2018

Scarlett is always the sensible one: The sober driver. The planner. The one holding your hair back while you’re worshiping the porcelain gods.

Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends—the universities hottest party scene and breeding ground for student athletes. And if keeping her friends out of trouble, and guys out of their pants, was a sport, she’d be the star athlete.

Being a well known jock-blocker gets her noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she’s banned from Jock Row. NO GUY WANTS A GIRL AROUND WHO KEEPS THEIR JOCK FRIENDS FROM GETTING LAID.

“Rowdy” Wade is the hot shot short-stop for the university’s baseball team—and the unlucky bastard who drew the short straw: keep little Miss Goody Two-Shoes out of the Baseball House.

But week-after-week Scarlett returns, determined to get inside.

AMAZON

Jesus Christ, she has a dimple in her damn cheek.I’m a sucker for those.

She shoots me a tentative smile, ass parked on the stoop, back propped against the wooden siding of the house.

It’s obvious that she’s blushing by the way she ducks her head, glancing down at the floor, the soft glow from the two busted lamps illuminate the crown of her head.

The porch lights are busted and rusty, needing their bulbs changed, one flickering—the other just about to burn out. It makes the entire place look like a goddamn Halloween fun-house, casting a weird glow on the girl’s smooth, pale skin.

And her pretty dimple.

Stop staring at it, dipshit.

I cast my glance at her outfit, doing my best to analyze her under the dim lights; she must have been sweaty inside the house; I got a good look at her before convincing her to follow me, but still study her as if seeing her for the first time.

Both of her boots are tucked under her legs, and she sits, cross-legged on the ground. Blows out a frustrated puff of air that translates into a billowing stream of steam.

“So.” She wraps her puffed sleeved arms around her knees, hugging them tight. Shivers. “Now what?”

Her prim ponytail is jaunty, bobbing when she tilts her head to gaze over at me.

“Now I babysit you.”

“Lovely. We can bond.”

I position my large body against the railing, giving it a gentle shake to make sure it’s sturdy before supporting all my weight on it. It’s solid and secure and is going to get real uncomfortable real fucking fast if I have to stand here all night.

The girl raises her brows at me. They appear black in this light; full and arched expertly. “Have you babysat anyone before?”

“No one I managed to keep alive,” I joke. “A few cousins my parents forced me to watch a few times; never would feed them but would occasionally throw out a dog bone so they wouldn’t get hungry.”

She smiles, dimple denting the smooth right side of her face. “Is that what you have planned for me?”

I raise my empty hands. “I’m fresh out of Scooby snacks. Guess we’ll both have to starve.”

“Sorry you have to sit out here.”

“Really?” I sound hopeful. “No one is forcing you to sit out here.”

Her light laugh is quiet. “Fine. I guess I’m not that sorry.” She bites down on her lower lip. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying your discomfort—just a little bit.”

“Gee, thanks.”

I’m an athlete—a champion. I play hard and jock harder, and these little games I’ve started with her? I’m playing to win.


I read this in one delicious sitting. Stayed up WAY past my bedtime to finish, and I don’t even care because it was SO FREAKING CUTE!! Such a fun start to what looks to be another addicting series from one of my favorite authors.

Jock Row introduces another New Adult sports series from Sara Ney, this time about baseball. We get the ball rolling *giggles* (sorry couldn’t help myself) with the story of Rowdy and Scarlett.

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the sizzling slow burn of their romance. What starts as an unlikely friendship full of banter and laughs, soon begins to develop into something much deeper. When Rowdy is picked to kick Scarlett out of a party on Jock Row for being a bit of a cockblock to his friends, the last thing he expects is the immediate connection he forms with a girl wearing a bulky sweater and a mischievous grin. This was a deliciously character driven story and I think that’s what I enjoyed most about it. I loved the banter between these two and I’ll never think of Never Have I Ever without thinking of this couple.

Rowdy may be a jock, but he’s not an a-hole. He’s cocky, but rightfully so. He IS the captain of the baseball team and worked hard to get where he is. Scarlett was a breath of fresh air. She’s sassy and sharp witted and isn’t as boy crazy as her college friends even if Rowdy does make her keep showing up to a party she has no intention of going inside for. I seriously adored the way their connection formed. Watching their feelings develop and the chemistry between them go from sparks to incendiary proportions.

Jock Row was an adorably sweet and super cute romance full of laughs and sizzle. It had me glued to the pages from beginning to finish and totally head over heels for this couple by the end. If New Adult sports romance is your thing, this series is your new catnip!

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

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

 Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Website

 

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Jenn’s Review: The End Zone by LJ Shen

April 6, 2018 by · 3 Comments

THE END ZONE
Genre: New Adult Romance, Contemporary
Author: LJ Shen
Release Date: April 3, 2018

Jolie Louis is a smart girl.

She knows that her best friend, Sage Poirier, is a bad idea.

He’s a walking, talking cliché. The Adonis quarterback with the bulging biceps and harem of fangirls trailing behind him on campus like a stench you can’t get rid of.

Sadly, it is also the very reason she can’t seem to stay away from him.

No, wait. That’s not fair. They’re also roommates, at least until May, when they graduate from college.

Jolie is already straddling the line between friendship and more when Sage comes to her with an offer she cannot refuse: be his fake girlfriend and live for free for the rest of the semester.

She tells herself that she can handle it.

He’s just the boy she saved ten years ago, right?

Wrong. So very wrong.

He is a man now, and she is his captive

Heart, body, and soul…

** THE END ZONE is now available with an extended epilogue and surprise bonus content that will blow fans of L. J. Shen away! **

Download now or read today FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON | AUDIO

Excerpt from the Vicious extended epilogue:

Emilia

“Kneel.”

There’s menace in this voice, and I grew to love the man who carries it like a loaded weapon. Every word is a sharp edge of a knife, sinking into my skin.

Kneel.

Sit.

Open your mouth.

Touch yourself.

Repeat after me: Vicious, I’m yours.

Most married couples fall into a blissful, albeit drowsy domestic routine of laundry, family dinners, and Netflix.

Most married couples are not Vicious and me.

We were different from the beginning. A yin and a yang, fighting over which color took more space, black or pink. We started out as enemies, and I think that, although we are still crazy in love, we will always be rivals on some level. We will always be passionate, and angry, and desperate.

We will always be us.

“I’m sorry, I don’t take orders from people who aren’t my boss,” I say coolly, dropping my funky, colorful bag at the door and erasing the distance between us in wide, confident steps. He is standing in front of me, his Armani suit impeccable, his raven hair slicked back, his icicle blue eyes devouring me in ways that make being eaten alive worth it. He scans the length of me, a slight sneer on his face. I’m still me, even so many years later. The tips of my light brown hair are still cherry-blossom pink. The soles of my shoes are yellow, for Christ’s sake.

“That could be arranged, if you continue your sass.”

“How is that going to work, Vicious? Are you going to re-employ me against my will?” For the past eighteen years, I’ve been managing my own gallery in L.A. A gallery he bought for me shortly before our engagement. I have a career, an income of my own. Truth is, he gave me a push, but the entire journey to where I am today was made by me, and only me, and he knows it.

He cups my cheek, yanks me by the hem of my funky powder blue blouse with little suns into his body and leans down for a kiss. Our lips brush briefly, promising scattered clothes and ragged breaths, just as the door swings open and our son walks in. He slams the door behind him, his eyes still intently glued to his phone.

Vaughn is a spitting image of his dad. So much so, that sometimes it scares me.

At sixteen, he has the walk, talk, and air of Vicious when the latter was a senior in high school. Rangy, strong body, thick-fringed blue eyes, skin so fair he looks like he defies the sun, and cheekbones you could use as a sharp weapon. More than anything, he has that uniquely-pissed facial expression that tells you that he just doesn’t care.

Not about your problems.

Not about your feelings.

And certainly not about what you think about him.

You wanna know what this book is about?

This book is about L.J. Shen making the Douchebag-Man-Whore her bitch.

This book is exactly why I love L.J. Shen. Like Sara Ney, L.J.Shen can make me hate/love the douchebag.
Sage is a Grade-A Douchebag-Man-Whore. He is the college quarterback, soon to be drafted, and can get anything he wants, including women. After a recent incident, he is lusting after his roommate, Jolie. He has never felt anything for her before now. Sage and Jolie have been best friends since they were kids. Jolie has been in lurrrrve with Sage since then as well, but OF COURSE he doesn’t know it, and OF COURSE he is a Douchebag-Man-Whore. There is no way she is going to put herself out there only to get hurt and lose her best friend in the process.

I love love love the fake relationship stories, and that is exactly what happens. Sage convinces Jo Jo to be his fake girlfriend, and it quickly escalates into something more. Were there a couple of predictable cliché moments? You betcha. Did I care? Not one bit. I read this book in one sitting and enjoyed every second.

I loved this short by L.J. Shen. I wish it was a full book, and those are the best kind of novellas.

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 people’s 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: Switch Hitter by Sara Ney

March 16, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

SWITCH HITTER
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: March 15, 2018

I knew something was wrong the second she walked in the door tonight; I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.

Same hair color.

Same legs.

Same face.

Except…I look harder.

At the small dimple beneath her lip that wasn’t there the last time we went out. And her laugh—that laugh isn’t as loud.

This isn’t the girl I’ve gone out with the past few weeks.

It’s her twin sister, and they’ve switched places on me.

Only I’m not quite ready to let them switch back.

AMAZON | AUDIO

Know what I’m going to do?”
“What?”
“I’m going to date the shit out of you.”

This was such a cute and satisfying novella that I devoured in one smile filled reading.

The classic twin switch tale gets a Sara Ney twist. When her twin double books herself for a date, who better to step into her shoes than her twin, Amelia. Lucy is the fun loving free spirit and Amelia is the serious one of the two. So when Amelia attends a date with the sexy Dante who immediately begins to note the differences between the girls even though it’s only their third date, that’s just one of the few problems she faces. The other? She’s insanely attracted to the guy that thinks he’s out with her twin sister.

Dante is the furthest thing from a douchebag. He’s sweet, attentive, and doesn’t believe in serial dating. And while this was a quickie novella, it was still fully satisfying. It was the perfect story to launch a brand new baseball series from one of my favorite authors and I already can’t wait for the first book! If you’re looking for a fun and easy afternoon read, you can’t go wrong with this one!
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.

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

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Website

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Review & Excerpt: The Coaching Hours by Sara Ney

February 9, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

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

THERE ARE NO DOUCHEBAGS IN THIS STORY.

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

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

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

Wrong on both counts.

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

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

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

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

AMAZON 

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

“Ever?”

“Nope.”

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

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

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

“And you call me the bossy one?”

“Quit stalling and get on the bed.”

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

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

“Is that the approved method?”

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

“Do whatever then, I don’t care.”

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

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

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

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

Slowly.

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

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

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

Kneading.

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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New Release & Review: The Rivalry by Nikki Sloane

November 21, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE RIVALRY
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Nikki Sloane
Release Date: November 21, 2017

This tight end is at the top of his game.

He’s good with his hands, even better with his sexy mouth, and the best at making me forget my own name.

His—ahem—stats are perfect.

But I can’t fall for him.

He might be everything I want, all rolled into a glorious package of gridiron god, but there’s one teeny-tiny problem.

The vile, loathsome team I’ve spent my entire life hating—my beloved school’s arch-rival?

This guy is their star player.

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

I shouldn’t have gotten in his car, but his mouth had been too convincing. He was the devil. The seduction of his lips could make me do anything.

I have a confession to make. When I first first started reading this book, I thought I’d hate it. Put down that rotten tomato for a second, killer, and hear me out, mkay? What I mean is, I thought I’d find this whole rivalry thing trivial, juvenile, and kind of…well…cheesy. *cringes*
I’m sorry! I can be a judgmental a-hole. This is nothing new. *shrugs sheepishly* Admission is the first step, isn’t it? Quit judging meh!

But I digress. And I’m also happily eating my words…or is it thoughts? *scratches chin* Whatever the case may be, I have never been more happy to be wrong about judging a book by the first few chapters. Because The Rivalry was a fun and sexy ride that I enjoyed with a goofy smile on my face and a burn in my ovaries. Wait… That came out wrong. But you get my drift here, right?

This girl was electricity. It sparked across my skin, crackling and demanding more.

Two rivaling schools. Two die hard football fans. One undeniable connection.

You can pretty much say that Kayla came into the world predisposed to love football. Her father is a coach and her mom is a downright fanatic. Her being an opinionated, die hard football junky is in her blood. As the head cheerleader for Ohio State university, she literally eats, lives and breathes football. Men? Forget about it. Not many can tolerate her opinionated hassling ways. Until one sexy stranger at her friend’s wedding changes everything…

Every shudder he made and every pulse of him, I was the cause. I’d let this gridiron warrior conquer me, but I’d done it right back to him.

But what happens when Kayla finds out that the first man to put a sizzle in her ovaries also happens to be the tight end for her school’s biggest rival team?
Indeed, Scooby. Ruh roh indeed.

But no matter how much Kayla tries to fight it, the chemistry between them is simply too hot to walk away from. And when Jay sets his sights on the girl he wants, he’ll stop at nothing to have her. And no one is more determined than this tight end. Ha! See what I did there?

But I digress again.

Kayla could have easily been on the annoying side, but yet she was entirely endearing and fun. Though admittedly she did have her moments, she ultimately won me over in the end. And as for Jay? I’m pretty sure I was ready to pee proprietary circles around him. Can you even do that with a fictional character? Because I totally would! With just the right amount of secondary character personalities, fast paced plot, and sexual chemistry, this book was a total winner for me.

If you’re looking for a sizzling sports romance with plenty of witty banter, strong characters, enough sexual tension to set your kindle on fire, and even more sexy times to make sure that it turns to ash, welcome to your next read! But we warned, spontaneous lusting for football may be a side effect. Especially tight ends. *giggles*

Nikki Sloane landed in graphic design after her careers as a waitress, a screenwriter, and a ballroom dance instructor fell through. For eight years she worked for a design firm in that extremely tall, black, and tiered building in Chicago that went through an unfortunate name change during her time there. Now she lives in Kentucky and manages a team of graphic artists. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, is married with two sons, writes dirty books, and couldn’t be any happier.

Stalk Nikki:

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Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports · Tagged With: , , ,

Audio Blitz & Review: The Learning Hours by Sara Ney

November 3, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

THE LEARNING HOURS 
Series: HOW TO DATE A DOUCHEBAG #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: September 26, 2017

He’s not a douchebag; but that doesn’t stop his friends from turning him into one.

MY FRIENDS WANT ME TO GET LAID.

So much so that they plastered my ugly mug all over campus, in bold printed letters:

Are you the lucky lady who’s going to break our roommate’s cherry?
Him: socially awkward man with average-sized penis looking for willing sexual partner. You: must have a pulse. He will reciprakate with oral. Text him at: 555-254-5551

The morons can’t even spell. And the texts I’ve been receiving are what wet dreams are made of. But I’m not like these douchebags, no matter how hard they try to turn me into one.

THIS ISN’T THE KIND OF ATTENTION I WANT.

One text stands out from hundreds. One number I can’t bring myself to block. She seems different. Hotter, even in black and white.

However, after seeing her in person, I know she’s not the girl for me. But my friends won’t let up–they just don’t get it. Douchebags or not, there’s one thing they’ll never understand: GIRLS DON’T WANT ME.

Especially her.

 AMAZON | AUDIO | iBOOKS | B&N | KOBO


He’s seated at a table in the far corner when I spot him from the door. He’s not hard to miss—not with his purple t-shirt in a sea of black and yellow, and wavy mussed hair.

He’s slouching, hunched over his table.

Defeated. Tired.

My stomach rolls with nerves, nerves that have me rooted to the spot in the doorway, watching him.
Just watching.

For the entire four minutes I stand here, he sits immobile, studying his laptop, eyes moving along the screen, completely transfixed by whatever he’s reading.

Learning.

“Just go over there,” I whisper to myself, blowing out a puff of pent-up air.

I put one foot in front of the other and begin toward him, spine ramrod straight, steeling myself, prepared for another argument.

Twenty feet.

Fifteen.

Eight.

Two.

“Hi.”

No reply.

“Do you mind if I sit here?” I lay my hand on the back of the wooden chair across from him, intending to pull it out.

He stiffens but doesn’t lift his head. “Yes I mind.”

“Would you mind if I sat at the table next to you?” I’m pushing his buttons, looking for a reaction, but he only spares me a brief glance.

Shrugs. “Free country.”

I bite my lip to hide a smile, glad he didn’t tell me to take a hike…

I’m quickly learning that Rhett Rabideaux isn’t most guys”

This is quite possibly the happiest my ears have ever been. Because this audio? This audio book was EVERYTHING.

Now this particular picky reader doesn’t typically like audio books. Either the pacing annoys me or the narrators do. There’s too much monotone, too much overacting, and all the more nitpicking on my end. But this book? This was the icing on the already perfect cake. As much as I adored reading this book, listening to it made me fall in love with it even more.

Rhett Rabideaux may not be prince charming but he’s something else entirely: he’s real. He is who he is, and makes no apologies. He’s polite and sincere.”

Josh Goodman’s delicious voice in my ear narrating the part of Rhett was pure perfection. And here I thought it will never get better than Rhett.

I’m a huge fan of NA romance, but the good kind are getting harder and harder to find. This is the book that tops all NA books I’ve ever read to date. This story was incredible. It was sweet, and touching, and so different that I simply couldn’t help but swoon super hard over it.

Muffy Newtown is now easily one of my favorite female narrators. She did this heroine so much justice. It was like listening to a movie while having the scene roll through your mind’s eye. I simply don’t have enough good things to say about it. This was, hands down, my favorite audio book to date.

And this book was, hands down, my favorite NA romance to date. I love a book that mixes things up and isn’t afraid to go out of the typical cookie cutter formula, and that’s exactly what Sara Ney did here.

This was the happiest 10 hours of my giddy ears’ life. Truly.

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

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

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, DGR Favorites, New Adult · Tagged With: , ,

Review: On A Tuesday by Whitney G.

October 26, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

ON A TUESDAY
Series: One Week #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Author: Whitney G.
Release Date: September 19, 2017

We met on a Tuesday.
Became best friends, then lovers, on a Tuesday.
And everything fell apart on a Tuesday…

Charlotte Taylor has three automatic strikes in my book: 1) She hates me. She also claims that I’m a “domineering jerk with a huge, overbearing ego.” (I do have something huge. It’s not my ego, though.) 2) She takes our mandatory tutoring sessions way too seriously. 3) She’s sexy as hell…And a virgin.

At least, those were her strikes before our study sessions started lasting longer than they were supposed to. Until one innocent kiss became a hundred dirty ones, and until she became the first woman I ever fell hard for.

Our future together after graduation was supposed to be set:
Professional football for me. Law school for her.

But she left me at the end of the semester with no explanation, and then she completely disappeared from my life.

Until tonight.

We met on a Tuesday.
Became everything, then nothing, on a Tuesday.
And now it’s seven years later, on a Tuesday…

**This is a full length second chance romance, inspired by Adele’s “When We Were Young”**

AMAZON

I don’t think I’m God’s gift to women. I know that for a fact.”

A great NA romance is getting harder and harder to find. At least for this picky reader. But when I pick up a book by Whitney G. I know I’ll have a guaranteed winner on my hands. And I’m never wrong! On A Tuesday was a deliciously sizzling slow burn mixed with enemies to lovers mixed with second chance romance? Which basically had me going
Because that combination is MY CATNIP. CATNIP I tells ya!

On A Tuesday is told in two parts; past and present, with the past taking up well over the first half of the book. And you won’t find this girl complaining because that first half was my absolute favorite. The story starts at the seven year college reunion with Gray and Charlotte having been apart for all those years but not knowing what happened. It then takes you right to the past where it all began.

Grayson Connors is everything that Charlotte Taylor knows to stay away from. He’s cocky, popular, had a new girl on his arm every day of the week, and takes nothing seriously unless it’s his football career. But when Gray sets his eyes on her, he stops at nothing to wear down her defenses. What begins as a reluctant friendship leads to an incredible connection and soon to something so much more. The bickering between these two was absolutely delicious. Charlotte is not afraid to put Gray in his place, and she does it with a perfect amount of sass and sharp wit. But Gray is no stereotypical jock and it’s not long before Charlotte begins to see behind his cocksure exterior and reputation, to the sweet man beneath.

Getting both Charlotte and Gray’s POV really help in understanding these characters that much more. Though I have to say, it was difficult to watch Charlotte’s animosity to Gray in the present and having no idea why. The suspense of what happened between them after they burned so hot and strong in college stretches until the very end. Admittedly, the twist at the end felt a bit formulaic and drama rama to me, but it did bring everything together, so I can’t complain too much.

On A Tuesday was a super satisfying second chance romance full of steam and humor and a perfect amount of sass and wit. It was deliciously sexy and I’m thrilled to see that it’ll be a series!

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