Mack Daddy by Penelope Ward….Reveiw Tour Stop

by Jilly

From New York Times bestselling author, Penelope Ward, comes a sexy, STANDALONE second-chance romance.

They called him Mack Daddy. No, seriously, his name was Mack. Short for Mackenzie. Thus, the nickname. Perfect, right?

So was he: perfect. The perfect physical male specimen.

At the private school where I taught, Mack Morrison was the only man around in a sea of women.

Everyone wanted a piece of the hot single father of the sweet little boy.

I was riddled with jealousy, because they didn’t know that—to me—he was much more.

They didn’t know about our past.

He’d chosen my school for his son on purpose, because Mack and I, we had unfinished business.

As my friend Lorelai so eloquently put it: “Unfinished business between two people who are clearly attracted to each other is like an eternal case of blue balls.” And I was suffering in pain from my case.

I was still intensely attracted to Mack. I tried to resist him, immersing myself further into a relationship with another man just to protect my heart.

Not to mention, getting involved with a parent was strictly against school rules. But seeing Mack day in and day out was breaking me down.

And soon I might be breaking all the rules.

Author’s note – Told in alternating points of view, Mack Daddy is a full-length standalone novel.

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iBooks | Nook | Kobo

My Review:

Mack Daddy is the newest work from author Penelope Ward; an author who is quickly becoming one of my top ten fave authors. This book was everything I love about her writing and more.

I love a good second chance romance and with two characters as dynamic as Mack and Frankie, I was hooked form the very first chapter. Unlikely college friends, they both hid an attraction towards one another for the years they lived together. Mack, because he was in a long-term, long distance relationship, and Frankie because she was convinced he was way out of her league. Just when they decide to share their feelings, things take a serious turn and they won’t end up seeing each other again until years later. A lot had changed over those years apart but one thing remained the same: that unexplored and unfaded attraction. Now, back in each other’s lives, Mack isn’t going to waste his chance to catch the one who got away. Of course, with things like a current boyfriend, a son, a hateful ex, and politics involved, that will prove way easier said than done.

One of the thing I loved so much about Mack and Frankie was that they are both at a point in their lives where not speaking your mind isn’t something they practice any longer. Maybe it’s because they’re both older and know that all the game playing is a waste of time, or maybe it’s just because Mack is as determined as a dog with a bone to get Frankie back? Whatever the reason, the level of honesty and soul bearing they share during the quiet moments is truly magical. Their story is written in a way where we alternate going from the present to the past and it gave such a clear understanding of just how important and meaningful the relationship between them was back then and how much they still cared for one another. If ever there was a coupe I was rooting for, this is it. The road that leads them to their happy ending was indeed a rough one but also a necessary one and I loved every emotional minute of it. Of course I also have to give mention to the moment they share their first kiss…I think even I got butterflies! So damn good.

Overall, there was just so much to love about this book and this couple. This 100% gets a Laughing Cow rating! If you’ve never picked up a Penelope Ward book, you really must.

Thank you, Ms. Ward, for another delicious story!

Five Loves

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She’s a fifteen-time New York Times bestseller of twelve novels.

Having grown up in Boston with five older brothers, she spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 12-year-old girl with autism and a 10-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

Connect with Penelope Ward

Facebook Fan Group | Facebook | Website |Twitter | Instagram

Other standalones from Penelope Ward:

Neighbor Dearest:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aWvypX
iBooks: http://apple.co/29mC6L8
Nook: http://bit.ly/2akQ2aq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2axt1SY

Stepbrother Dearest:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1mFNMeg
iBooks: http://bit.ly/YER0mT
Nook: http://bit.ly/1taMFjG
kobo: http://bit.ly/1fJaaBs

RoomHate:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/294lIeT
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PgsvE7
Nook: http://bit.ly/1PLGnSL
kobo: http://bit.ly/1POvSnW

Playboy Pilot: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2dbetFA
iBooks ➜ http://apple.co/1Wb06Cf
B&N ➜ http://bit.ly/2c9vRdV
Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2ctb6dv

Stuck-Up Suit: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1S3LnpZ
iBooks: http://apple.co/1Qbwy57
Nook: http://bit.ly/29vrQhV
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/stuck-up-suit

Cocky Bastard: (co-written with Vi Keeland)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1MvHLg2
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PffE2J
Nook: http://bit.ly/1EjxNpY
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1UxCSUO

Sins of Sevin:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1F9tbc3
iBooks: http://apple.co/1K8mzGg
Nook: http://bit.ly/1hTKAKE
kobo: http://bit.ly/1OaGY3D

Jake Undone (Jake #1):
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1dJrHBC
Nook: http://bit.ly/1obAwJ6
iBooks: http://apple.co/1fJayQ8
kobo: http://bit.ly/1SPKl0M

Jake Understood (Jake #2):
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GFdves
Nook: http://bit.ly/1FwJC0z
iBooks: http://apple.co/1DQQwgC
kobo: http://bit.ly/1LQ7Fvk

My Skylar
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1obOG2F
iBooks: http://bit.ly/SLNOTR
Nook: http://bit.ly/SLO1qi
kobo: http://bit.ly/1kNrtAB

Gemini:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vgk1SE
Nook: http://bit.ly/1KfmLHD
iBooks: http://apple.co/1QTaONj
kobo: http://bit.ly/1BGJ2wu

Contemporary Romance February 2017 Five Loves

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Excerpt Reveal….Royally Matched by Emma Chase

by Courtney

Some men are born responsible, some men have responsibility thrust upon them. Henry Charles Albert Edgar Pembrook, Prince of Wessco, just got the motherlode of all responsibility dumped in his regal lap.

He’s not handling it well.

Hoping to force her grandson to rise to the occasion, Queen Lenora goes on a much-needed safari holiday—and when the Queen’s away, the Prince will play. After a chance meeting with an American television producer, Henry finally makes a decision all on his own:

Welcome to Matched: Royal Edition.

A reality TV dating game show featuring twenty of the world’s most beautiful blue bloods gathered in the same castle. Only one will win the diamond tiara, only one will capture the handsome prince’s heart.

While Henry revels in the sexy, raunchy antics of the contestants as they fight, literally, for his affection, it’s the quiet, bespectacled girl in the corner—with the voice of an angel and a body that would tempt a saint—who catches his eye.

The more Henry gets to know Sarah Mirabelle Zinnia Von Titebottum, the more enamored he becomes of her simple beauty, her strength, her kind spirit…and her naughty sense of humor.

But Rome wasn’t built in a day—and irresponsible royals aren’t reformed overnight.

As he endeavors to right his wrongs, old words take on whole new meanings for the dashing Prince. Words like, Duty, Honor and most of all—Love.

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EXCERPT

“Are you a virgin?” I ask.

“Well . . . yes.”

“Then why are you complaining? You qualify.”

Sarah’s eyes flash with annoyance. “Because I’m more than my hymen, Henry! To base the value of an accomplished, intelligent woman on a flimsy piece of skin is degrading. How would you feel if your worth rested on your foreskin?”

I think it over. And then I grin. “I’d be all right with that, actually. I’ve heard it was an impressive foreskin—all the nurses were fawning over it. It’s probably being showcased in a museum right now.”

She stares at me for a beat, then she laughs out loud—a rich, throaty, sensual sound.

“You’re a terrible human being.”

“I know.” I shake my head at the calamity of it all.

“And you’re an even worse feminist.”

“Agreed. That’s something I need to work on. You’ll help me, won’t you? We should spend as much time together as possible—every minute of the day and night. I’m hoping you’ll rub off on me.”

Sarah pushes my shoulder. “You’re just hoping I’ll rub you off.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. Because she’s not even a little bit wrong.

“But there’s never been anyone? Really?”

Sarah shrugs. “Penny and I were tutored at home when we were young . . . but in year ten, there was this one boy.”

I rub my hands together. “Here we go—tell me everything. I want all the sick, lurid details. Was he a footballer? Captain of the team, the most popular boy in school?”

“He was captain of the chess team.”

I cover my eyes with my hand.

“His name was Davey. He wore these adorable tweed jackets and bow ties, he had blond hair and was a bit pale because of the asthma. He had the same glasses as me and he had a different pair of argyle socks for every day of the year.”

“I am so disappointed in you right now.”

“He was nice,” she chides. “You leave my Davey alone.”

I shake my head. “So what happened to old Davey boy?”

“I was alone in the library one day and he came up and started to ask me to the spring social. And I was so excited and nervous I could barely breathe. And then before he could finish the question, I . . .”

I don’t realize I’m leaning toward her until she stops talking and I almost fall over.

“You . . . what?”

Sarah hides behind her hands.

“I threw up on him.”

And I try not to laugh. I swear I try . . . but I’m only human. So I end up laughing so hard the car shakes and I can’t speak for several minutes.

“Christ almighty.”

“And I’d had fish and chips for lunch.” Sarah’s laughing too. “It was awful.”

“Oh you poor thing.” I shake my head, still chuckling. “And poor Davey.”

“Yes.” She wipes under her eyes with her finger. “Poor Davey. He never came near me again after that.”

“Coward—he didn’t deserve you. I would’ve swam through a whole lake of puke to take a girl like you to the social.”

She smiles so brightly at me, her cheeks maroon and round like two shiny apples.

“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

I wiggle my eyebrows. “I’m all about the compliments.”

Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER | GOODREADS

Contemporary Romance Excerpt Excerpt Reveal February 2017 Pre-Order Romance

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Meant for You by Lili Valente…Release Blitz

by Read-Love-Blog

Title: Meant For You

A Sexy Flirty Dirty Standalone Romance

Author: Lili Valente

Genre: Hot Romantic Comedy

Release Date: February 14, 2017

Blurb

Hot, hilarious, feel-good romance from the USA Today Bestselling author of Magnificent Bastard.I was her first love, and I’m going to be her last…

On paper, I’ve got it all—good looks, good friends, a killer business, and gorgeous women throwing themselves at me from every corner of the globe. But I still can’t get one woman out of my f*cking head.

Her. Adeline Klein, the sexiest little smart ass in wire-rimmed glasses and a polka-dot bikini to ever bring a man to his knees.

God, she was something….

But I’m pretty sure she hates me. I’ve tried to track her down, but it’s like she dropped off the face of the earth. Then one day there she is—stranded on the side of the road, waiting for rescue, like Fate has arranged for me to be her knight in shining armor all over again.

Only she would clearly prefer to kick me in the balls. Or the face. Or maybe the balls and the face simultaneously. But do I let that keep me from making her come on the slopes or dampen the fire that flares between us every time we touch?

No way. Because some things—like sweet, wounded women with hearts of gold and souls of pure platinum—are worth fighting for.

Meant For You is a steamy Standalone second chance romance with a swoony HEA.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

Excerpt

Seconds later, I land flat on my back with an oof that’s echoed by the sled as it slaps down a few feet away and shivers across the snow to spin in a lazy circle near a very large rock. I’m staring at the rock, thinking about how much worse things would be right now if I’d fallen on it instead of the snow, and silently thanking the gods of sledding that I’m alive, when I hear a male voice shout—“Fuck! Shit! Shit!”

—from somewhere overhead.

A moment later a steerable sled shoots off the ledge, soaring over my head to ram into a tree, splintering to pieces.

I flinch and cough, the breath rushing back into my lungs. I’m trying to roll over, figuring I’d better get up before my luck runs out and someone lands on top of me, when Nate’s head pops up above the snow bank. “Adeline! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

My eyes narrow. “You.”

“Stay there, I’ll be right down,” he says, clearly not realizing that he’s the last person I want to see while I’m lying in the snow in a defeated heap.

“I don’t need help,” I call out, but I don’t try to get up again. I’ve already embarrassed myself enough in front of Nate. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me wallow around in a snowdrift like an artic walrus.

In what feels like no time, he’s found his way down to the scene of my humiliation and fallen to his knees beside me. “Just lie still.” The concern on his face as he tugs off his gloves is almost funny. Too bad I’m not in the mood to laugh anymore. “I have first aid training. Not a lot, but enough to see if anything’s broken. Can you tell me where it hurts?”

“It doesn’t hurt,” I insist, still making no move to rise. “I’m fine. You can leave.”

He scowls, and his eyes flash the way they do when he’s angry. Or turned on. Or maybe angrily turned on, though I’ve never personally seen him in that state. “You just sledded off a goddamned ledge, Adeline,” he says, voice rough. “And you’re not moving.”

“I don’t feel like moving,” I say stubbornly. “I’m enjoying a rest in the snow. So go away, Nate. Go, go, go away, and don’t come back another day.”

His breath rushes out. “That’s mature.”

“Yeah? Well, screw mature,” I say, the heat in my tone surprising me. “I did mature. I did all the mature while you were off hitting keg parties. I don’t have to do mature right now, and I don’t have to talk to you. So go away!”

Nate’s jaw clenches and I’m pretty sure he’s about to lose his temper in a fashion unlike anything I’ve seen from him before.

Instead he leans in, wrapping his hands around my wrists, pinning them to the snow. “I’m not going away,” he whispers inches from my lips, making my pulse spike. “Not until you let me get through to you, one way or another.”

“If you kiss me, I’m going to bite you,” I warn, heart racing.

“Fine by me. I like it when you bite.” And then he kisses me. He kisses me hard and deep and my stupid body lights up like a California brush fire.

My nerve endings ignite, and fireworks launch behind my closed eyes, and I moan into his mouth like he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to my lips. And he is, the bastard. He tastes so good, so incredibly good, like the first drink of water after hours spent boiling in the summer heat—fresh and clean and explosively delicious.

Also Available

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY / AUDIOBOOK

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

AMAZON US / UK

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

Author Bio

U.S.A. Today Bestselling author Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.

Author Links

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Ex-Con by Katana Collins….Series Review

by Jilly

Description:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Ex-convict Shane McGill is as rugged and wild as they come. Bad to the bone and back on the streets, he’ll do anything and say anything to survive. Even if that something means joining the one car club he had worked so hard to avoid. But there’s one person out there who can match him toe-to-toe…the hot mechanic pin-up doll of a woman with the body of a goddess and tomboy attitude would even give him a chance.

My Review:

Ex-Con is the newest work from author Katana Collins and is broke up into three scorching, high octane parts. I was lucky enough to get all three at at the same time so I breezed right through them all and I loved every second!

From the very first chapter I was hooked on this story. Shane is the perfect anti-hero wrapped up in a sexy package with a hidden soft side I just adored. I was pulling for him for the very beginning to get his life together while keeping things on the straight and narrow. Of course that would prove a difficult task from the word go. I also loved Charlie; the sexy mechanic Shane ends up working with in her shop. She is a total bad ass without being too hard edged. She reminded me a bit of Angelina Jolie’s character in the movie Gone in 60 Seconds but with better hair lol! Together the attraction between them is instant and intense. Total off the charts heat factor!

This collection as a whole has so much to sink your teeth into… a crew of less than savory guys, illegal street racing, a psycho ex, tons of heat, ups and downs, two unforgettable main characters, and a fresh and exciting story line all well written and guaranteed to keep you glued to each page!

Thank you, Ms. Collins, for a fantastic trio of stories. I loved every second of Shane and Charlie’s story! If you haven’t picked up a Katana Collins book, you really must.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Part 1:

Ex-Con Part 1:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume One of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495394

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-1/id1176387018

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-1

Part 2:

Ex-Con Part 2:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Two of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Charlize “Charlie” Wakeman fixes cars and doesn’t suffer fools. But when the hot as hell ex-convict Shane McGill enters her mechanic shop, she can’t resist one wild night with him. It was just meant to be a fling…the wildest, most thrilling fling of her life. But Shane’s too ruthless, too bad to ignore, and Charlie can’t stop herself from coming back for more.

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495385

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-2/id1176215427

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-2

Part 3:

Ex-Con Part 3:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Three of a three-part volume by Katana Collins.

Shane McGill learned one thing from prison—if you get a second chance, don’t screw it up. Shane doesn’t regret a single second of his life once he’s found Charlie. She’s the happiest, hottest, most important thing to happen to him. But as tensions rise in the Harrison Street Crew, his relationship with Charlie takes on a new level of heat, and danger…

Book Links:

Amazon | Goodreads

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ex-con-katana-collins/1125495376

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ex-con-part-3/id1176384694

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ex-con-part-3

Author Bio

KATANA COLLINS is lucky enough to love her day job almost as much as she loves writing. She splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir and newborn portraits and writing steamy romances in a variety of genres — paranormal, contemporary, new adult and suspense.

She bounces between living in New York and Portland, Maine, with an ever-growing brood of rescue animals: a kind of mean cat, a very mellow chihuahua, and a very not mellow lab puppy… oh yeah, there’s a husband somewhere in that mix, too. She can usually be found hunched over her laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.

Author Links

Website: www.katanacollins.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatanaCollins

Twitter: twitter.com/katanacollins

Contemporary Romance February 2017 Four Loves

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Ex-Con Part 3 by Katana Collins….Release Day Event

by Jilly

Your wait is now over!
The conclusion of EX-CON by Katana Collins
is now available!

Ex-Con: Part 3

(The Harrison Street Crew)

by Katana Collins

Blurb:

Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.

Volume Three of a three-part volume

Available for purchase at

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

Make sure to grab Parts I and II

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

EX-CON: Part 2

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

EX-CON: Part 3

Add to your TBR List on Goodreads

Kindle  Nook  iBooks  Kobo

Don’t forget to pre-order Book 2 in the

HARRISON STREET CREW SERIES

OUTLAW

Available to pre-order at

Kindle  Nook  iTunes  Kobo

About The Author

Katana Collins is lucky enough to love her day job almost as much as she loves writing. She splits her time evenly between photographing boudoir and newborn portraits and writing steamy romances in a variety of genres — paranormal, contemporary, new adult and suspense.She lives in Portland, Maine, with an ever-growing brood of rescue animals: a kind of mean cat, a very mellow chihuahua, and a very not mellow lab puppy… oh yeah, there’s a husband somewhere in that mix, too. She can usually be found hunched over her laptop in a cafe, guzzling gallons of coffee, and wearing fabulous (albeit sometimes impractical) shoes.

You can find Katana at

Website  Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads

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Contemporary Romance February 2017 Four Loves Release Day Event

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Crossing Hearts by Kimberly Kincaid…Release Event

by Jilly

CROSSING HEARTS

Cross Creek series, book 1
by Kimberly Kincaid

Read the rest of this entry »

Contemporary Romance February 2017 Release Day Event

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Love Story by Lauren Layne….Release Day Blitz & Review

by Courtney

Over the course of one wild road trip,

feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love.

LOVE STORY

a Love Unexpectedly novel

Lauren Layne

Releasing February 14th, 2017

Loveswept

Over the course of one wild road trip, feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love in this charming rom-com—a standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Good Girl.

When Lucy Hawkins receives a job offer in San Francisco, she can’t wait to spread her wings and leave her small Virginia hometown behind. Her close-knit family supports her as best they can, by handing over the keys to a station wagon that’s seen better days. The catch? The cross-country trip comes with a traveling companion: her older brother’s best friend, aka the guy who took Lucy’s virginity hours before breaking her heart.

After spending the past four years and every last dime caring for his sick father, Reece Sullivan will do just about anything to break free of the painful memories—even if it means a two-week road trip with the one girl who’s ever made it past his carefully guarded exterior. But after long days of bickering in the car turn into steamy nights in secluded motel rooms, Reece learns that, when it comes to Lucy, their story is far from over. And this time, they just might have a shot at a happy ending.

Although listed as a title in the Love Unexpectedly Series, all books in the series stand alone.

Exclusive Excerpt

“Spock, we’re giving you Horny!” my mom blurts out, apparently fed up with my denseness.

Her utterance is too much for my siblings to handle and they both burst out laughing, retreating into the kitchen to rejoin the party where there’s wine.

Oh what I wouldn’t give for wine right now.

“I, um . . . you’re giving me the car?” I ask.

“Because yours broke down,” my dad explains, walking forward to thump Horny’s dented hood.

“And this one’s . . . not broken down?” I ask skeptically.

Look, it’s not that I’m not grateful. My parents are trying to give me a car, I appreciate the sweetness of the gesture, it’s just . . .

Here’s the thing about Horny: he barely got us three kids through high school. I mean, Horny is the car that sputtered and shook making it the 3.2 miles to Jefferson High, no matter who was behind the wheel.

I’m even going to come all the way clean here and say that early on in my freshmen year, I was embarrassed showing up in Horny. Then I realized I was lucky to have a car at all, and well . . . I dunno, I guess Horny became a part of us Hawkins kids’ charm, because the station wagon was practically an institution from Craig’s high school reign all the way through Brandi’s.

But poor Horny quit working years ago. Much to Brandi’s chagrin, he gave up the ghost a mere two months before her high school graduation, and I spent the last bit of her senior year being picked up by my parents.

“He’s going to take you to California,” Dad says, giving the car another thump.

“Really?” I step forward and run a tentative finger along the familiar panel. He’s had a bath, so at least that’s something. “Because last I knew, he wouldn’t even make it out of the garage.”

“Yeah, well, we neglected him for a while, but he’s right as rain now,” Dad says, puffing out his chest as though Horny’s a fourth child.

“Like, as in he actually starts?”

“Purrs like a kitten,” my mom says with an emphatic nod, even though I know she doesn’t even like cats. “We didn’t believe it, but we took him to church on Sunday and there were no issues.”

I literally bite my tongue to keep from pointing out that this is hardly a feat. Sacred Presbyterian is 0.8 miles away from the house.

“You took Horny into a shop?” I ask, starting to warm to the idea of having a car again. I’m a little touched, actually. Money is tight for my parents. Dad’s a PE teacher, and Mom gives a mean winery tour, but the gig’s never paid much.

“Not exactly, it was more of a bartering situation,” Mom says.

“Yeah?” I say, going around to the driver’s seat, already giddy with the prospect of telling Oscar I’ll be able to come see him in Miami after all, even if I won’t exactly be riding in style.

“Reece agreed to fix him up.”

I’m lowering myself into the car as my dad says this, but I reverse so quickly I hit my head. My skull doesn’t even register the pain, because I’m too busy registering the hurt in my heart at the familiar name. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Reece,” my mom says, giving me a bemused look. “He’s always been handy with cars.”

“He fixed up the car in exchange for what?”

And then I feel—I actually feel—the air change around me as the side door to the garage opens, and a new presence sucks all the air out of the space.

I don’t turn around. I don’t move. But I feel his eyes on me. Over me.

“Reece is headed out to California too,” my oblivious mother chatters on. “It worked out perfectly actually. Now you two can ride together, and your dad and I don’t have to worry about you alone in the middle of nowhere with a twenty-something-year-old car.

They think the car is going to be the problem here? It’s not the car that’s toxic to me. It’s him.

Reece Sullivan. My brother’s best friend. My parents’ “other son.”

Slowly I force myself to turn, and even though I’m prepped, the force of that ice-blue gaze still does something dangerous to me.

He winks, quick and cocky, and I suck in a breath, and I have to wonder . . .

I wonder if my parents would feel differently about their little plan if they knew that their makeshift mechanic is the same guy that popped my cherry six years earlier under their very roof.

And then broke my heart twenty-four hours later.

Love Story is very close to almost a hate story. This isn’t your typical brother’s best friend romance either. I really liked how LL wrote this story.

“We’re more than our mistakes.”

Lucy and Reece were pretty close growing up even though he was her brother’s best friend. And yes, they tried to become more but he crushed her heart by cheating on her before she left for college and they’ve hated each other since then.

I like that this story is pretty much written in the present but does flash back to memories of them at certain ages and what they went through – shows their bond of friendship and how things crossed over to more.

“We may hate each other, but we’re a part of each other. Moth to flame.”

What I really loved about this story was the mystery to their love story – what tore these two apart to begin with. Reece and Lucy see things so differently as to what happened. And they do talk about it, but they aren’t exactly truthful with each other. This road trip forces these two to face the issues they’ve been running from but because they are both stubborn and prefer to assume than communicate with words, things don’t exactly get worked out. But they do give each other some great workouts in the hotels and motels they stay at!!

Lucy is very head strong and drive woman. Reece has been dealt a lot of crap going up and sort of has this “don’t plan ahead” thought process. It’s not that he lives in the moment, but more that he doesn’t think too far into the future. He allows past people’s actions dictate what his future should be instead of making it his own, which does piss me off. He sees Lucy’s drive as her trying to get away instead of it as her trying to show him who he can be.

“My heart’s had barbed wire around it for a good six years now, and there’s absolutely zero chance that the person to slip beneath my protective walls is going to be the one who caused those walls to go up in the first place.”

I really enjoyed LL’s view on dating the brother’s best friend – it wasn’t forbidden. There was no huge issue there. This was a second chance at fixing what they got wrong the first time. I love LL’s writing style and her characters always make me laugh and feel real.

Love Story is another great standalone book in her Love Unexpectedly series!!

Lauren
Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
romantic comedies.

A former
e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York
City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives
in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart
romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In
LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

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Contemporary Romance Excerpt February 2017 Four Loves Giveaway New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance

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Tempt Me by J. Kenner..Release Day Blitz

by Courtney

Sometimes passion has a price …

When sexy Stark Security Chief Ryan Hunter whisks his girlfriend Jamie Archer away for a passionate, romance-filled weekend so he can finally pop the question, he’s certain that the answer will be an enthusiastic yes. So when Jamie tries to avoid the conversation, hiding her fears of commitment and change under a blanket of wild sensuality and decadent playtime in bed, Ryan is more determined than ever to convince Jamie that they belong together.

Knowing there’s no halfway with this woman, Ryan gives her an ultimatum – marry him or walk away. Now Jamie is forced to face her deepest insecurities or risk destroying the best thing in her life. And it will take all of her strength, and all of Ryan’s love, to keep her right where she belongs…

Amazon | Amazon UK | Print | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

“Kiss me,” he says, and I close my mouth over his, losing myself in the sensation of being body on body like this, so close I can’t tell if the heartbeat I’m feeling belongs to Ryan or me.

We move slowly at first, but there’s no holding back, and soon our motions are frenzied. Soon, he’s exploding inside me. Soon, I shatter in his arms.

“Oh, baby,” he murmurs when we’re sane again and he’s looking at my face with eyes filled with love. “You are so beautiful.”

I bend and kiss him—my heart overflowing. And I can’t help but think how different it is with Ryan than the men I’d been with before. Before, when a guy called me beautiful, I’d mentally cringed, at least a little.

Because the truth is, I am beautiful. It’s not an ego thing—it’s just an empirical fact. It’s useful, and I’ve definitely traded on it. But it’s not who I am. Not the heart of me. And in my life BR—

Before Ryan—whenever a guy called me beautiful, I never knew if he cared about me, or if he was just happy to have a pretty piece of a**.

With Ryan, I know without a doubt that he loves me. And the beauty he sees in me is more than what a camera sees.

He sees the whole woman. A lover, a friend. He sees a girl he can laugh with. That he can talk to. A woman to spend long, lazy nights with. A woman with hopes and dreams and fears and doubts.

He sees me. Jamie Archer. And that’s a really nice feeling.

“I love you,” I say, those little words just spilling out of me. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

The moment I say the words, though, I regret them. Not because they aren’t true—they are.

But because I can see the response on Ryan’s face, though he knows enough not to say the words out loud.

If that’s true, then why won’t you marry me?

J.Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

Contemporary Romance Excerpt February 2017 New Releases Release Day Event Romance

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Tempt Me by J. Kenner….ARC Review

by Jilly

Synopsis:

Sometimes passion has a price …

When sexy Stark Security Chief Ryan Hunter whisks his girlfriend Jamie Archer away for a passionate, romance-filled weekend so he can finally pop the question, he’s certain that the answer will be an enthusiastic yes. So when Jamie tries to avoid the conversation, hiding her fears of commitment and change under a blanket of wild sensuality and decadent playtime in bed, Ryan in more determined than ever to convince Jamie that they belong together.

Review:

Tempt Me is the newest work from author J. Kenner and is also the first Blue Box special of 2017 from 1,001 Dark nights. I adore Ms. Kenner’s writing and can always count on a sexy, swoon-worthy read with dynamic characters and a fantastic story line and Tempt Me was yet another prime example of that!

Ok, so here’s the thing. I, personally, am a total over thinker, especially when it comes to big life events. Needless to say, I could totally relate to Jamie and her reservations in this book. Yes, Ryan is amazing and a total catch in sooooo many ways and I love him but poor Jamie is having a whole lot of reservations when it comes to marrying him. That, of course, leads to a whole lot of emotion and gave me so many feels while I was reading. There was a whole chapter where I had an actual pain in my chest and was so worried for these two. I desperately wanted them to have their happy ever after and loved their road to getting there. I have to say, the ending of this book is hands down one of my faves ever and one I know will stay with me for a really long time. It was so amazing!

Beyond the high emotion there is so much heat and so many deliciously sexy moments added in and I freaking loved it. *fans self*

Whether you’re already a fan of Ms. Kenner like I am or you’ve just found her, I know you will love Tempt Me as much as I did!

Five Loves

Book Links:

1,001 Dark Nights: http://www.1001darknights.com/blue-box-specials/j-kenner-tempt-me/

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/2l8e7pC

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lCBZlM

iBooks: http://apple.co/2kDlAJK

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2l0QIEh

About the author:

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Visit J. Kenner’s website and follow her on:

Contemporary Romance Dark Nights February 2017 Four Loves

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Dirty Players by Tia Louise…..SALE!!!!!

by Courtney

SEXY NEW LOOK & A 99-CENT SALE!!!!

THIS WEEK ONLY!!!

★Get THE PRINCE & THE PLAYER for 99 CENTS Now:

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★Get A PLAYER FOR A PRINCESS for 99 CENTS Now:

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*Both also available in print and audiobook formats.

http://smarturl.it/OIAre

THE PRINCE & THE PLAYER

(Dirty Players #1)

By Tia Louise

Let the games begin…

-Runaway Zelda Wilder will do whatever it takes to secure a better life for her and her sister Ava.

-Crown Prince Rowan Westringham Tate will do whatever it takes to preserve his small country.

-“Playboy Prince” MacCallum Lockwood Tate will do whatever it takes to steal Zelda’s heart.

When Zee is blackmailed into humiliating the brooding future king, she never expects to be pulled into a web of international intrigue—or to fall for Rowan’s sexy younger brother Cal.

Cal is determined to capture the beautiful player, but Zelda is in over her head with some very dangerous men. Time is running out, and it might be too late for the prince to save his player.

A PLAYER FOR A PRINCESS

(Dirty Players #2)

By Tia Louise

From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, the game continues…

Zelda Wilder is on the run from the ruthless assassins who’ve decided she knows too much to live.

Reformed playboy MacCallum Lockwood Tate isn’t about to let the sexy player who stole his heart get away—if only he could decide whether he wants to save her or spank her for her dangerous choices.

All of the players’ skills are tested in this plot to capture a killer and save a princess.

Cinderella meets Oceans Eleven in this CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE set featuring secrets, lies, scams and double-crosses, breathless, swooning lust, cocky princes, dominant alpha future-kings, and crafty courtiers, who are not always what they seem.

About the Author

Tia Louise is the Award-Winning, International Bestselling author of the ONE TO HOLD and the DIRTY PLAYERS series.

From “Readers’ Choice” nominations, to USA Today “Happily Ever After” nods, to winning the 2015 “Favorite Erotica Author” and the 2014 “Lady Boner Award” (LOL!), nothing makes her happier than communicating with fans and weaving new tales into the Alexander-Knight world of stories.

A former journalist, Louise lives in the center of the USA with her lovely family and one grumpy cat. There, she dreams up stories she hopes are engaging, hot, and sexy, and that cause readers rethink common public locations…

Books by Tia Louise

The One to Hold Series:

One to Hold (Derek & Melissa), 2013

One to Keep (Patrick & Elaine), 2014

One to Protect (Derek & Melissa), 2014

One to Love (Kenny & Slayde), 2014

One to Leave (Stuart & Mariska), 2014

One to Save (Derek & Melissa), 2015

One to Chase (Amy & Marcus), 2015

One to Take (Stuart & Mariska), 2016

The Dirty Players:

The Prince & The Player, 2016

A Player for A Princess, 2016

Dirty Dealers, 2017

Dirty Thief, coming April 25, 2017!

Paranormal Romances:

One Immortal (Derek & Melissa, #SexyVampires), 2015

One Insatiable (Koa & Mercy, #SexyShifters), 2015

Connect with Tia:

Amazon Author Page: http://smarturl.it/TLMAA

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTiaLouise

Website: Http://www.AuthorTiaLouise.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/AuthorTiaLouise

Instagram & Twitter: @AuthorTLouise

Tsu.com: https://www.tsu.co/TiaLouise

Never miss a New Release!

1-Sign up for Tia’s Book News: http://smarturl.it/TLMnews

2-Get Exclusive Text Alerts and never miss a Sale or New Release: Text “TiaLouise” to 64600*

*Max 6 messages per month; HELP for help; STOP to cancel; Text and Data rates may apply. Privacy policy available, allnightreads@gmail.com.

Contemporary Romance Cover Reveal February 2017 Romance Sale

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Choosing Forever by Mia Kayla…Release Day Blitz

by Read-Love-Blog

Choosing Forever (Torn Duet #2) by Mia Kayla

Cover Design: Perfect Pear Creative Covers

Release Date: February 13, 2017

Synopsis

Life is made up of choices.
Single choices like bricks laid out in a path. A path that leads to your future.

At twenty four years old, I would have never guessed I would be stuck between two men—two men from opposite spectrums of the universe.
Their lives, their worlds, their demeanor is as different as the darkest of nights and the lightest of days.

I love them both, but I have to choose.
There is only one choice I can make.
And I choose forever.

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kCxO8F

Amazon International: myBook.to/ChoosingForever

Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0cba4250447/?

Torn Between Two (Torn Duet #1)

On Sale for 99¢!

Purchase Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2j2cEfz

Amazon International: myBook.to/TornBetweenTwo

About the Author

Mia Kayla is a New Adult/Contemporary Romance writer who lives in Illinois.

Most of the time, she can be caught on the train with her nose in a book sporting a cheeky grin because the main characters finally get their happily-ever-after at the end.

She loves reading about happy endings but has more fun writing them.