#DGRFave & Review: Happenstance by Tessa Bailey

November 7, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

HAPPENSTANCE
Genre: Contemporary, Why Choose Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: November 7, 2022

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer comes a romantic comedy about an accidental relationship between three smitten men…and one commitment phobic woman.

Elise Brandeis has never won a Pulitzer—and she never will. At least not while she’s delivering sandwiches at the Gotham Times, instead of working there as an actual reporter. Her only shot at seeing her byline in print is to prove to the no nonsense managing editor that she has a nose for news. And she’s got just the story to grab her elusive attention.

Right after she delivers this turkey on ciabatta.

Chasing down leads brings Elise to Roosevelt Island, but just when the trail of clues begins to take shape, she gets stuck. Literally. On a cable car with three strangers who couldn’t be more different. An uptight rugby coach, a construction worker and a former adult film star she pretends not to recognize a little too well.

At first, Elise wants nothing more than to be rescued ASAP.

An hour later, everything has changed. By pure happenstance, four separate journeys have collided in an intense, meaningful way. Suddenly, disentangling their lives feels more impossible than winning that Pulitzer. Good thing Elise is too busy proving herself at work to consider three boyfriends. Nobody has time for that—even if they make giving in feel oh so right. But three heads are better than one and these loners will teach themselves to work together to win Elise over forever…

And more importantly, keep their dirty socks off her floor.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N 

“Just a brief rundown. You’ve come here to ask for a foursome.” I look each of them in the eye. “In broad daylight. Stone cold sober.” They trade glances and nod.

This cover is the Trojan horse of smut. You look at it and think, oh look, a cute little rom com. Or you would, if Tessa Bailey didn’t write it. But she did. And the woman is the queen of dirty talk for a reason. But this book? Oh this one may be her hottest yet. And having read her entire backlist, that’s saying something.

“You’re staring, love,” taunts the British man.

He’s right. I’ve been staring at him in the glass reflection. Because there is something familiar about him. Something I can’t quite put my finger on. Did he bartend at that hotel where I trained as a concierge three years ago before getting bored and throwing myself into the natural deodorant space? No, that’s not it. Where do I know him from?

“Porn,” he says from his elegant lean against the interior wall of the tram. “You know me from pornography, darling,” he drawls, his mouth spreading into a grin. “The good shit.”

Happenstance was the most fun I’ve had reading in book, like ever. It had everything you could possibly want; laugh till you cry humor, amazing characters, romance hot enough to singe your fingers when you turn each page, and a story fun and gripping enough to keep you glued to the pages from beginning to finish.

“My God,” Tobias says on an exhale, his hair in disarray. “I’ve seen it all, but I’ve never seen anything like you.”

We have Elise, a commitment phobic heroine who becomes the sheer obsession of not one, not two, but three men. And each of them was EVERYTHING.

We have Tobias, the British porn star who hides his pain be behind smarmy sexual jokes. Gabe, the sweet cinnamon roll construction worker who is obsessed with Elise from first sight and with debilitating confidence issues from his previous marriage. And Banks, the quiet and intense rugby star turned locally famous rugby coach with mommy issues.

“Gabe makes me wish for lazy Sunday mornings in bed with coffee and the smell of cinnamon in the kitchen. Sweet. Tobias is Saturday night. Strobe lights and moaning and…that tipsy feeling, like if you have one more drink, you’ll be sorry.” “And me?” “You are…” I swallow. Being open and honest to someone about how I feel on the inside is harder than I remember. I’ve been out of practice so long. “You’re real life. The place where I’m in my pattern and feel safe. You’re not a detour, you’re a path forward.”

I went through a ringer of emotion reading this star of a book; I laughed, I swooned, I squirmed uncomfortably, I simply devoured it.

The pacing, the humor, the romance, the character development, all of it was utter perfection. It was one of those reads where you can just shut your brain off and enjoy something that just absorbs you completely. And no one delivers that better than Tessa Bailey.

If you’re looking for sizzling hot romance with three men and one woman who they are utterly obsessed with but still packs humor and even a splash of suspense, you need this book in your life.

These men are desperate to praise me. And I let them, because my heart demands it.
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Review: What Lovers Do by Jewel E Ann

March 24, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

WHAT LOVERS DO
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jewel E Ann
Release Date: March 24, 2022

From bestselling author Jewel E. Ann comes a hilarious secret lovers story that redefines the meaning of friendship.

Shep’s found the female version of himself … and he thinks she’s perfect—perfectly unavailable.

Everyone loves Shep, the charismatic employee at Scottsdale’s newest pet store. He has shared custody of his two dogs with his annoying ex-wife and a smile that can disarm most women.

Except … Dr. Sophie Ryan.

What starts out as a disastrous first meeting, involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.

Fake phone sex.
Dog park dates.
And eighteen holes of golf.

The problem? Sophie’s taken herself out of the dating pool for a mysterious reason, imprisoning Shep in the friend zone for eternity.

As their competitive personalities hit a boiling point, the gloves come off and so do their clothes. When Sophie’s “real” life threatens their relationship, can Shep let go of his past to chase the one that might get away?

AMAZON 

This is messy. We are tangled in every way, and it’s going to be hard to untangle from this mess we’re creating without pieces of my heart ripping, without exposing all the parts I don’t want him to see.

Jewel E Ann books are my happy place. And while I’m not usually a romcom girl, this one sure changed my tune. It was this lovely combination of laugh till you have tears humor, incredibly relatable characters, emotion, and a slow burn romance that was simply to die for. I adored it. I adored it beyond reason.

Sophie is my friend. A friend who I love. She’s taken up residence in my head and all four chambers of my heart.

When a meet cute is so uncomfortably embarrassing that you experience second hand embarrassment from reading it, you know you’re in for a fun read. And the way Sophie and Shep meet was anything but forgettable.

Having just broken up with, if you can even call it that, with her boyfriend, Sophie’s life is…complicated. Her ex boyfriend refuses to accept the break up or leave her house, and she has a secret that she’s keeping from him and her family. When she meets the charismatic dog store employee with a flirty smile and dreamy eyes, the last thing she needs is that complication.

Shep is a recent divorce that didn’t let his divorce turn him bitter. He’s instantly drawn to the beautiful and awkward Sophie and refuses to take no for an answer. When I tell you that I loved the way he came at her, it’s like she never sees him coming until he’s full embedded under her skin. He doesn’t ask her for anything more that friendship, and the way it all develops is both heartwarming and hilarious. Admittedly I did have my moments when I wanted to shake Sophie to get her to wake up and just have a conversation. But it was also super fun to watch the awkward. I also spent many a pages yelling at Jimmy through my kindle because no fictional character should be that thick headed. But even that was fun.

Then there’s one particular scene where I thought I would pee myself laughing that was so relatable, I don’t think I’ll forget it so long as I live. All I will say is Chapter 29. Just trust me on this.

I fell for these two so hard. I loved their unconventional friendship turned romance. Sophie fights it so hard, but Shep is just that irresistible. It was this endearing combination of laugh out loud humor, swoony romance, and life drama. And that epilogue? Sheer perfection. If you’re looking for something a little different, packed with laugh out loud moments, do yourself a favor and read this book.

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Review: Kiss My Cupcake by Helena Hunting

August 11, 2020 by ·

KISS MY CUPCAKE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomCom
Author: Helena Hunting
Release Date: August 11, 2020

As two neighborhood shop owners battle for business, they prove opposites attract in this outrageously funny romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of Meet Cute.

Blaire Calloway has planned every Instagram-worthy moment of her cupcake and cocktails shop launch down to the tiniest detail. What she didn’t plan on? Ronan Knight and his old-school sports bar next door opening on the very same day. He may be super swoony, but Blaire hasn’t spent years obsessing over buttercream and bourbon to have him ruin her chance at success.

From axe throwing (his place) to frosting contests (hers), Blaire and Ronan are constantly trying to one-up each other in a battle to win new customers. But with every clash, there’s also an undeniable chemistry. When an even bigger threat to their business comes to town, they’re forced to call a temporary time-out on their own war and work together. And the more time Blaire spends getting to know the real Ronan, the more she wonders if it’s possible to have her cupcake and eat it too.

 AMAZON

What’re you doing?”
“I want to see what I’m dealing with.”
“You can touch him, he doesn’t bite.”
“Him?” She peeks up, her expression amused. “Does he have a name?”
I scoff. “Of course not.” I call him The Sword of Destiny in my head, though.

I finished this good with a ridiculous craving of cupcakes and a goofy grin on my face. This was just so stinking cute, y’all. SO CUTE. This was opposites attract perfection with a splash of enemies to lovers and all the feels.

You may have started the war, but I’ll be the one taking you down, one sweet treat at a time.”

What happens when a sexy and tatted lumberjack meets a sassy and fiery baker with a penchant for retro fashion and insults. Basically, this was a recipe for amazing from the very first page.

Blaire is intent on making her boozy bakery a success. Combining sweet treats with fun drinks is her thing, much to the dismay of her very kooky but gourmet family. She’s intent to prove to them that she can make it on her own and without their financial help. But then she gets a new work neighbor that turns everything upside down. Ronan runs the bar next door and his renovations have been giving Blaire grief. So suffice it to say their first meeting isn’t exactly cordial. The chemistry between these two was EVERYTHING. And I seriously mean everything. You can literally see the sparks fly between them each time they go head to head.

At first they’re business rivals, each trying to one up the other when they’re not trading barbs and insults with a strong undercurrent of sexual tension. Then an unlikely friendship forms. I seriously loved the two of them together. Blaire has the kookiest family that made for some highly entertaining secondary characters. She’s also fun and fiery with a temper but a caring heart. I simply adored her. I cannot tell you how much I loved Ronan. He was perfection covered in tattoos. He’s sweet and loyal and I loved the relationship he has with his grandfather.

The romance here was a delicious slow burn that I couldn’t get enough of. I was eagerly turning the pages just waiting for that moment when Ronan and Blaire finally give into the chemistry between them. And when they finally did? YOWZA. Perfection.

If you’re looking for a fun, light-hearted romcom with a delicious sizzle and plenty of feels, look no further!

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Review: Hard Pass by Sara Ney

June 16, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

HARD PASS
Series: Trophy Boyfriends #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: June 16, 2020

“Hard pass.”

That’s what the last girl I slept with said when she got her first sober glimpse of me. She laughed, walked out of my penthouse—and I never saw her again. It doesn’t matter that I’m a rich, professional athlete; what mattered was my face.

Beauty might only be skin deep for some—but I know better.

“Pay up.”

That’s what the last girl I spoke to said over the phone when I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Desperate to sell a set of rare baseball cards, she’s clever and entertaining. I’m instantly smitten, but nowhere ready to reveal myself. Thank god she has no idea who I am—or what I look like.
I’m a professional athlete–how hard can playing the love game be?

AMAZON

There’s nothing wrong with being a nice guy! Why do guys hate that so much?”
“Because, Miranda, nice guys usually only finish first in the movies. They are not the trophy boyfriends every girl wants.”

A new series from Sara Ney and with some baseball thrown in? SIGN ME THE H*LL UP, I SAY! To say that I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book may be a mild understatement. Rabid may be an apt description of my need. I’ve been chomping at the bit to get my hands on this book, so the second it landed on my kindle, I jumped on it faster than you can say “gimme”.

As much as I love reading about those sexy alpha males, I do love a good underdog story. And when it comes to Noah, he was one of the most endearing underdogs. As a matter of fact, he reminded me so much of Rhett from The Learning Hours. And y’all, I loved Rhett from The Learning Hours. Noah is a professional baseball player and a total recluse. Being a shortstop for the Chicago Steam means he gets plenty of attention for his skill and money. But he’s not exactly raking it in with the ladies. He’s a genuinely nice guy but with plenty of insecurities when it comes to his looks. So when he sees a woman selling a rare baseball card on the internet that he’s desperate for, he’s too shy to go himself, and sends his womanizing teammate to pretend to be him. Suffice it to say the meeting doesn’t go as planned and hilarity ensues.

Miranda has had it with the womanizing and cocky a-holes. And she’s definitely not impressed with Noah’s teammate. Especially when she can’t reconcile the nice guy she’s been talking to on the phone with the cocky jerk that shows up. She wants nothing to do with that guy, but the one on the texts still draws her interest.

I absolutely devoured this book. It was ridiculously cute with a touch of sizzle and plenty of laughs. I loved Noah. This is a guy that you can’t help but to root for. He’s adorably awkward but he’s still all alpha male when it comes to pleasing his woman. GOD but I loved him. Miranda was the perfect balance to his quirks and insecurities and I absolutely loved the two of them together. Add in the quirky secondary characters like Buzz and I blinked and realized I was done with the book. I’m so hooked on this new series and seriously can’t wait for the next one. As much as I love the nice guys, I hope we’ll get a few a-holes out of this series too.

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Review: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

April 26, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sarah Hogle
Release Date: April 7, 2020

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They’re preparing for their lavish wedding that’s three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there’s a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they’re finally being themselves–and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.

When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

AMAZON 

Through the windshield, he murders me with his eyes. He’s got his entire soul compressed right up against his irises and they’re the color of hatred. They desperately want telekinetic powers so they can blow me into the sky, through the fabric of our universe and into another one. I hope it’s a parallel universe with a parallel Nicholas and Naomi. I want to torture him with two of me.

Truth be told I struggled with my rating for this book. A lot. I’m blown away that this was Sarah’s debut novel. I was immediately hooked when I read the blurb. It was something refreshingly different in the lover to enemies to lovers trope. I mean, an engaged couple, in a battle of wills, a la War of Roses, to see who calls off their doomed relationship first? A grumpy heroine, a snooty hero, meddling parents, and plenty of tiny disasters combine for one amazing read. Seeing that so many of my friends loved this book, I went into it with pretty high expectations. And I think that may have played against me here, so take my review with a grain of salt.

I wish Nicholas were handsier—I mean handier,” I say, stealing the spotlight right back. “I’ve been performing maintenance duties by myself. But I’ve been getting better results, interestingly enough.” Nicholas’s stare is dehydrating. “Sounds unlikely.”
“Maintenance duties?” Deborah repeats, turning to him. “Has something broken? Naomi shouldn’t be trying to fix anything. She could make it worse.”
“I have no choice,” I tell her in a low, conspiratorial voice. “It’s a desperate situation…”

Admittedly, I struggled with the first 40% of the story. It dragged a little and I kept finding myself skimming. The characters felt a little blah and I just kept waiting for the moment they would jump off the pages for me. Luckily the second part of the book really brought that much needed zing. The banter here was amazing. The hilarious way Nicholas and Naomi tried to push each other into an out was entertaining as all get out. The fact that the story is written entirely in Naomi’s POV actually increased the enjoyment for me because I discovered the true depth of her fiance right as she did. There was something so magical about this. Granted I would have loved to be in Nicholas’s head a little bit, but that would have been icing on the cake.

This was a fun, light hearted romcom from an author that is now going straight to my auto buy list. If you’re looking for steam, this won’t have much of it, but the tiny bit that it had was a perfect fit. If you’re looking for a hilarious contemporary romance with plenty of banter and zing, this had it in spades.

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Review: Bastard Boss by Sara Ney

April 7, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

BACHELOR BOSS
Series: The Bachelor Club #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Sara Ney
Release Date: January 28, 2020

What is The Bachelors Club?

It’s a gentleman’s club—like the dignified men of the past used to have. Except, we’re not gentleman, and we’re not dignified.

We’re ineligible bachelors, bored, jaded and not looking for relationships. Quite the opposite actually. So committed to being single, we’ve created a high stakes bet to see who can remain single the longest…

Four days co-habitating in a shared work space shouldn’t be a big deal. It shouldn’t be distracting. But Spencer Standish saw me puking in a company trash can, and won’t let me live it down. Cheerful, aggravating Spencer, who wants me to fetch her coffee.

As if she’s the boss of me.

And now I’m stuck sharing her office.

Let’s face facts: I can’t be in a relationship; not when there’s a bet to win—not with Spencer, who loves my uncontrollable basset hound, lazy Sundays, and grilled cheese as much as I do. I refuse to fall for her.

I will be the last Bachelor standing.

AMAZON

Fishing for a boyfriend in the workplace pond is by far the worst idea I’ve ever had. Is it stopping me from flirting my perky tits off? Not one bit.

This was a light-hearted, easy, and fluffy romance, and also just what the Dr prescribed when I wanted to take my mind off of everything happening right now. It was one of those reads that you can enjoy in one sitting, completely shut your mind off, and just put a smile on your face. I love Ney’s brand of humor, and this definitely brought all of the banter with a dash of enemies-to-lovers, office romance trope. It was adorable!

Phillip and Spencer are unwilling office mates while Phillip is basically squatting in his office while the part of the building where he works is being remodeled. And when Spencer watches him spitefully eat a bagel with expired cream cheese and later chuck it all up in a waste basket soon after, it’s hate at first sight. They bicker non-stop and it’s oh so delicious because beneath that is a spark of attraction that sizzles so strong.

This was definitely a slow burn, and if I’m being perfectly honest, a bit too slow for me in parts. I loved the bantering between Spencer and Phillip, but the romance doesn’t fully pick up until well over the 75% mark of the book, and then wraps up too quickly for me to have truly gotten to enjoy it.

The one thing I really love in this series is the inclusion of the quirky pets. Book one brought an evil cat and this one brought an irreverent basset hound.

While I can’t say that this book was perfect, it was still one that I enjoyed, fluffy or not. It was cute and light-hearted read that was fast-paced even while being a slow burn. I love Ney’s brand of douchebags best, but I’m definitely still enjoying her Bastards quite a bit.

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Jennifer & Lana’s Review: The Rules of Engagement by JT Geissinger

February 3, 2020 by · Leave a Comment

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romcom
Author: JT Geissinger
Release Date: January 28, 2020

Love is a battlefield for a quirky matchmaker and the cocky football star who hires her to find him a wife.

As the owner of Perfect Pairings matchmaking service, Maddie McRae earns her living helping others fall in love. And one thing the sweet Southern belle knows for sure is that the foundation of wedded bliss is built on similarities: opposites might attract, but they don’t stay together.

Enter Mason Spark.

Rude, arrogant, and notoriously allergic to monogamy, the hottest quarterback in the NFL is Maddie’s polar opposite. He’s also her new client. Her gorgeous, infuriating new client who’s paying her an outrageous sum of money to find him a wife. With his multi-million dollar contract on the line due to his behavior on and off the field, bad boy Mason is willing to pretend to settle down.

But when he starts to fall for the adorkable matchmaker who can’t stand him, the playboy finds himself in the game of his life to keep something he never thought he’d lose—his heart.

Eyes blazing, she says, “You know, before I met you, I hadn’t argued with anyone in fifteen years.”
“Doubtful. That tongue of yours is way too sharp to be outta practice.”

OH MY GOD. My face actually hurts from smiling so much. This was the most fun I’ve had reading a book in a while. It had the perfect amount of humor all wrapped around witty and fun banter, all anchored by a sizzling slow burn romance that I couldn’t get enough of.

My mistake was presenting lovely, intelligent, gracious single women who desired to meet equally lovely, intelligent, gracious single men. What Mason Spark needs is a lady gorilla.

J.T. Geissinger is an auto-read author for me. I don’t even bother reading the blurbs to her books because I already know I’m going to read them. But when I saw she’s coming out with something different from her usual, you know I had to read the blurb. And when I read the blurb to this, it gave me total Match Me If You Can vibes. And in case it’s not obvious, I loved Match Me If You Can. Yet this is not exactly the type of trope you find often. Now don’t get me wrong, this book totally stood out in its own unique right, and it hit every spot I never even knew I had.

It’s too bad the man has the personality of a chupacabra, because he’s actually very good-looking.

Mason is a football superstar, and a royal grump. I’m talking the king of grumps here. He’s a bit of a recluse and the only kind of woman he likes is a temporary one. But his agent is convinced that the only thing that would pull his terrible rep out of the pits of hell is a woman. Or a wife specifically. There’s just one problem, Mason has the temperament of a bear with a thorn in his paw. In comes Maddie, matchmaker extraordinaire. She’s a little prissy, a lot proper, with souther charm, a love of pink and mouth full of sass. The two of them set off instant fireworks, and so begins the best banter of all time.

Mason doesn’t believe in love where Maddie loves love. She’s determined to find Mason the perfect woman while he’s convinced she doesn’t exist. They snipe and snarl at each other at every step, and soon Maddie realizes that Mason doesn’t just need a matchmaker, he needs a dating coach. And off they go. You guys. These two had some of the funniest, cutest, and witty banter I’ve read in a while. The two of them set the pages on fire with their chemistry. And yet the slow burn sizzled so good, it actually made my ovaries hurt. True story.

Maddie is the perfect southern belle to Mason’s grump. GOD. He was so grumpy. I loved him. I loved her even more. Enter the most perfect secondary characters with Maddie’s aunt and Mason’s agent, and everything was just GAH. I couldn’t get enough of this story. Like I never wanted it to end. It was the cutest, quirkiest, sassiest, swooniest thing EVER. SO stinking good. If you’re looking for a lighthearted, witty, and feel-good romcom, this will hit every spot for you. TRUST ME.

JENNIFER’S REVIEW

This book is a super sweet read with a big dollop of sexual tension. It was sexual tension at first sight! It had me grinning through the whole thing, and I enjoyed every second of it.


Mason.

He is just so grumpy! And delicious! I love him! He’s got some PR issues, so his manager connects him with a matchmaker. He doesn’t want one, but he goes along with it. From the moment he meets Maddie, there are sparks and chemistry and delightful frustration. Mason has some anger management to deal with (along with basic dating etiquette), and Maddie is there to keep him in check and determined to find the right match for him, despite all of his outward emotional flaws.

Maddie.

She runs a matchmaking business and believes in true love. She’s got the sexy librarian look going on, but she is a tough pink cookie. Despite Maddie being the polar opposite of Mason, she still sees the good in him. She goes toe-to-toe with him in every verbal battle, and I loved her.

Mason and Maddie have both been hurt in the past in different ways (I appreciate that the author didn’t spend too much time on this), which makes them connect on a deeper level and need each other that much more.

It’s the perfect haters to lovers romance. The sweet sexual tension. The slow burn. I’m not usually a fan of slow burns, but this one had me hooked and I just couldn’t stop reading because of all the grinning.

I’ll read anything J.T. writes.

p.s. I didn’t care for the multiple points of view (match-making behind the scenes). It was cute, but it just wasn’t for me.

J.T. Geissinger is a bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold more than one million copies and been translated into several languages.

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®. She has also been a finalist in the Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice, and Daphne du Maurier Awards.

Her first novel was published in 2012. Since then she’s written eighteen more novels. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking wine, surfing the internet, and daydreaming about all the things she’s going to be when she grows up. She lives near the beach in Los Angeles with her husband and deaf/demented rescue kitty, Ginger.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

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Join Geissinger’s Gang Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2Oj7iMg

Stay up to date by joining J.T.’s mailing list: http://bit.ly/39KRQol

 

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Review: The Simple Life by @TaraSivec

July 25, 2019 by ·

THE SIMPLE LIFE
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Tara Sivec
Release Date: October 19, 2018

*A standalone romantic comedy with a lot of heart*

Brooklyn Manning thought her life was perfect in every way, until it crumbled down around her and turned into a dumpster fire. With her pride wounded and her tail tucked between her legs, she leaves New York and goes back to her tiny hometown of White Timber, Montana.

No more twenty-four-hour taco trucks, no more shopping at the best designer stores within walking distance, no more giving taxi drivers the finger when they angrily honk at her. She didn’t think it could get any worse. But then Clint Hastings walked into the room and insulted her.

Her arch nemesis from high school is no longer a nerdy computer whiz, masturbating to pictures in PC World magazine in his free time (allegedly). He’s grown up to be a hot-as-hell cowboy, and she has no other choice but to be a smart ass right back to him. After all, it’s what they do. It’s what they’ve always done, and twelve years apart hasn’t changed anything.

Only this time, getting under each other’s skin is a hell of a lot more fun than it used to be.

AMAZON

Fighting with you every day for a month has made me happier than getting along with someone else all my life.”

The queen of RomComs strikes again with this golden nugget of a book! It combined some of my biggest reader catnips; enemies to lovers, sassy heroine, and a single dad. And yes, it IS as delicious as it sounds.

Brooklyn Manning couldn’t wait to escape the simple life of her small home town. Now she has it all; a great career, a great boyfriend, parties in Manhattan, and a rocking wardrobe to boot. Until her entire life turns on it’s stiletto heel when her boyfriend turns out to be a cheating bastard, her career is ruined, and while she keeps her rocking wardrobe, she now gets to rock it as she licks her wounds while crawling back to her home town with her tail tucked between her legs. But even through all that, she never loses her sense of humor.

Yes, I’m still holding a grudge about that shit. Grudges and I are old friends. We have wine together every Thursday and talk about old times and all the people we hate. It’s a very therapeutic relationship.

But not everything is bad. She gets to see her bestie who still lives there and she has a job set up by her grumpy father. Unfortunately for her, it turns out that her job is wrangling two little monsters who happen to be the adorable children of the man that she’s bumped horns with since she was a child.

And then there were sparks!

Clint Hastings is no longer the computer nerd that clashed with her in her youth. He’s now the uber sexy cowboy that clashes with her in her adulthood. If ever there was hate lust, these two have it. I mean GAH! So good!! I loved the sassy barbs that constantly flew between them. And when Clint finally pursues something between them? DELICIOUS.

Clint’s adorable little trouble makers of children were the perfect secondary characters. I loved watching Brooklyn unwilling bond with them. The romance was perfectly paced and so incredibly satisfying. The humor adding an added zest to it that took it from delicious to finger licking good.

If you’re looking for a sexy romcom that will keep you giggling from beginning to finish with perfectly flawed characters in a charming small town, look no further. This one is a must read!

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

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

June 11, 2019 by · 2 Comments

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

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

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

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

AMAZON

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

June 11, 2019 by · Leave a Comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AMAZON

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

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

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

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

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

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

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