Contemporary Romance – Page 314

ARC Review….Easy Charm by Kristen Proby

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Synopsis:

Gabrielle Boudreaux, the youngest of the Boudreaux clan, is a single mother of her young son, Sam. Running a Bed and Breakfast at the family plantation house at the edge of the Mississippi River, Gabby loves her inn, her boy and her family. She meets new people every day, and takes pride in the house and land that has been in her family for more than five generations. Blessed beyond measure, she’s also lonely, although she would never admit that to anyone. Until Rhys O’Shaughnessy walks through her door, brooding and wounded and the sexiest thing she’s ever laid eyes on.

Rhys has been at the top of his game as a major league pitcher for the Boston Red Sox for more than ten years. Baseball is in his blood. But when he tears his rotator cuff and has to sit a season out, he retreats to Inn Boudreaux at the recommendation of his cousin, Kate, to heal and work toward building his shoulder back to perfect shape with only one goal in mind: to return to the game he loves. But he didn’t plan on being utterly charmed by a devastatingly beautiful woman and her baseball-loving son.

When Rhys’ shoulder has healed and he’s given the chance to return to his team, will he leave the family he’s come to love behind, or will he stay with Gabby and Sam?

My Review:

Easy Charm is book number two in author Kristen Proby’s Boudreaux Series and after loving the first book, I was so excited and beyond lucky to get an early copy of Gabrielle and Rhys’ story. It lived up to everything I hoped for these two amazing characters. Emotional , sexy, and sweet, Easy Charm is the whole package.

Youngest in the Boudreaux family, Gabrielle isn’t looking for love. She’s got an adorable little boy, Sam, and runs a Bed and Breakfast, both of which keep her with little time to find love. She’s also been burned before and tends to be a bit leery when it comes to finding a knight in shining armor. But what happens when love comes looking for her? What happens when an eligible, handsome, and successful man comes for a stay at the B&B? Would she have the courage to give it a shot?

The last thing Pro baseball player Rhys O’Shaughnessy wanted to do was not play baseball. He lived it. Breathed it. It was his life. But suffering a potentially career ending injury will help a guy realize pretty quickly that he may need to take a rest. He didn’t know what to expect when he was talked into staying at a Bed and Breakfast on the edge of the Mississippi River but the last thing he expecting was to be immediately taken with the owner. She was beautiful and right away he could tell she was a tough cookie both as a mother and as a the proprietress of her business. He could also tell right away that she had some major walls up. He did love a challenge and would make it his mission to break down those walls. He just hoped she would let him.

The thing I love about Ms. Proby’s writing is that it is a delicious balance of sexy and romantic. This was no exception. Rhys is every bit the gentleman when it came to getting Gabrielle to warm up to him. I loved that he respected her and let her set the pace….but when she gives in and gives him the green light? Holy hotness, Batman!! Gabrielle is a strong woman. She was dealt a tough hand when she was younger but she has learned a lot from that. She’s learned that she can rely on herself and didn’t need a man in her life to validate who she was both as a woman and mother to her son. Speaking of which, Sam is so damn cute and his personality leaps off the pages! Being a mom of a son myself, I truly appreciated the attention Ms. Proby spent on him in the story. After all, he is a part of who Gabrielle is and I just loved their dynamic.

Of course, all good things must come to an end and the little bubble they resided in along the Mississippi pops when Rhys has to face the fact that his injury has healed and he can return to his life. I won’t lie, I was a nervous wreck and wanted nothing more than for them to stay together and I definitely cried some tears along the way. They both deserved happiness so much! Luckily, Ms. Proby writes some of the best endings around. She also wrote some of the hottest almost-at-the-end-of-the-book-and-I-can’t-give-spoilers-about-why-it’s-so-hot sex in this book and I loved it! (trust me, you’ll know what I mean after to read it *insert evil laugh*)

Thank you, Ms. Proby, for once again giving us a story filled with love, delicious heat, and amazing characters. This will continue to be a series I look forward to reading more of!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

455351 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Review…A Life Of Inches by Douglas Esper

Synopsis:

Ryan Kelly and Woodie Wodyzewski always fight for every inch.

Whether on the baseball diamond, the basketball court, or even the dance floor, these two friends are true competitors.

When Ryan beats Woodie in a bike race because Woodie has the misfortune to be hit by a car, he seems to have won. But the beautiful girl who crashes into their lives is worth far more than any trophy.

Molly De Leon knows all about winning, and nothing will keep her from her goals.

Ryan and Woodie have been vying for Molly since the day they met. How can she possibly choose between them?

Woodie has a complicated family situation and she desperately wants to help him through his misery and confusion. A little on edge with a temper, he’s the bad boy in her life who reminds Molly a lot of her mother, a powerful politician she’s grown up watching bend men and women to her will with a simple smile.

Ryan, on the other hand, is very close to his parents, grounded, and has a good sense of humor. He’s not your typical jock; he’s a safe, reliable pick, and a constant in Molly’s life—that is, until his injuries lead him down a destructive path.

Molly realizes it’s time to make a decision…

But how can she risk losing either one of them when they both own a piece of her heart?

My review:

A Life Of Inches is the newest work from author Douglas Esper and being a baseball fan and romance fan myself, this was an interesting mix of both and one I enjoyed.

The love triangle between Woodie, Molly, and Ryan was one that started pretty early on and one that continued for years. This is their journey; from when they all meet by a chance encounter and where that path takes them.

Molly had two very different choices: the hot-headed bad boy or the softer and more caring nice guy. Both are going through the ups and downs of the pro-baseball world, a world they both have lived for since their childhood. Both are highly competitive with one another, although they really don’t come out and say it. Both had their good points and their bad points and it was definitely a tough choice for her to make. After all, they’ve both been in her life for so many years. But one would end up meaning more to her in the end, and he’s the choice I would have made, too. Oh, and there was a bit of a surprise at the end that had me smiling. (No, no, I won’t ruin it for you and tell you who she chose….you’ll just have to read and find out.)

I will say that baseball does take a big role in this book. Some may find it a bit much, but as I said earlier, I myself am a baseball fan. You can find me most weekends sitting at one of my son’s many baseball games one of the two teams he’s on is playing or occasionally sitting at a Phillies game trying to figure out why I wasted money on a ticket. Yep, I’m a baseball girl at heart!

All in all this was a fun read that I enjoyed. Thank you, Douglas, for a great sports filled romance!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

It was at a very early age when I, Douglas Esper, (your friendly neighborhood author) realized I had a passion for the written word. As a youngster, I couldn’t get enough books to satisfy my desire to read and to this day, I still own many books my parents got for me. In school I gravitated toward reading and writing to the point teachers grew impatient with me for writing stories in class.
The passion and drive to read and write continues to this day and my goal of feeling comfortable in my own writing skin seems within reach. I’ve self-published 2 picture books for kids, Sammy’s Birthday Surprise and The Mystery of the Flying Tomatoes, a few short stories, and my debut novel, A Life of Inches, will be released by @LimitlessPublishing spring of 2015.
I live in North Ridgeville, Ohio, just west of Cleveland, with my wife, our kids, and that meddlesome dog.
I’m currently falling in love with David Fulmer books, and also enjoying the latest Les Roberts mystery novel. If I’m not reading or writing you can find me watching the Cleveland Browns losing on Sunday, writing music with my band, or observing my kids doing cute, and usually messy, stuff.
Hope this helps you learn a bit about me, but now it’s your turn…introduce yourself

Website

A Pound Of Flesh by Sophie Jackson…ARC Review

A Pound Of Flesh releases tomorrow, 6/9

Synopsis:

Lose your heart to your new bad boy book boyfriend. Wes Carter – sexy, edgy, behind bars, with emotional scars as permanent as the ink on his skin, just waiting to be healed by love…

Fans of Samantha Young, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Jamie McGuire, Katy Evans and Prison Break will find this powerful love story utterly addictive and unforgettable.

Their love is forbidden. But won’t be denied… Can true love heal the deepest scars?

For Kat Lane, teaching inmates at a New York prison is her way of upholding the legacy of her beloved father, murdered fifteen years ago. But when new student Wes Carter walks into her classroom, she’s shaken by the strength of her attraction to him. Carter is as handsome as he is dangerous, as mysterious as he is quick-witted – and he ensures people keep their distance. Yet vibrant Kat bypasses his defences and challenges him to reveal the real man behind the intimidating reputation. As their emotional barriers crumble, their inescapable but forbidden feelings cannot be ignored. But will Kat’s discovery of Carter’s role on the night her father died force them apart…or bind their hearts for ever?

A Pound of Flesh is a tale of loyalty, redemption and all-consuming love against the odds, introducing an irresistible bad boy hero…

My Review:

In the very first sentence of the synopsis of A Pound Of Flesh, the debut work from author Sophie Jackson, it says that you will lose your heart to your new bad boy book boyfriend and no other statement could be more true. I loved this book so damn much…from start to finish it brough about a ton of emotion and I completely fell in love with Wes Carter. He’s 100% my new bad boy book boyfriend and totally owns my heart.

Kat and Carter meet almost a lifetime ago, in the most horrible of circumstances. Neither one of them forgot the other. Neither on of them ever saw each other since that one horrible night. Until now, when fate throws these two lost souls together again in another set of unlikely circumstances. In an attempt to honor her beloved father’s memory, Kat winds up teaching at a prison. The very same prison Carter is serving time in. They don’t realize it at first, but their forbidden mutual attraction pulls them together again and eventually they will come to realize they had both been designed to come together again. The wounded good girl and the monetarily privileged, mad at the world bad boy. From the outside they seem like the most unlikely couple…but their hearts will never be able to deny that they are meant to be.

Oh my, this book totally rocked my world. I ignored all responsibilities today and devoured this book. I couldn’t stop reading. Carter is every bad boy I have every loved rolled into one delicious damaged package. My God, how I just loved him. He is smart, has a beautiful mind and a soft soul at the very center of him, but with a rough and sexy exterior that had me swooning. He reads the classics and has wicked tattoos. Rides motorcycles but gives thoughtful gifts. I just adored him. Kat is equally amazing with a strong sense of self and an innate need to be what Carter needs. I can’t blame the girl. She fights for him and for the love they’ve found. Fights her disapproving mother and all of society’s standards. Fights even Carter’s disbelief at times and his thoughts that he’s no good for her. I shed too many tears to count while reading their highly emotionally charged scenes and wanted nothing more than for these two broken people to come together and make a newly healed whole. I won’t give anything away but I will say that the epilogue had me crying big fat happy tears and now I’m in a major book hangover!

It’s hard to believe this book is the first work from this author, because it was just that good! I cannot wait to see what Ms. Jackson has in store for us next with Max’s story (and I hope we will get to see glimpses of what Carter and Kat are up to!). Thank you, Ms. Jackson, for absolutely giving me my next bad boy book boyfriend…I won’t soon forget this story!

Four-and-a-Half Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Sophie Jackson, a schoolteacher from northwest England, writes fan fiction under the handle Jaxon22. Her first novel was the award-winning A Pound of Flesh. – See more at: http://www.simonandschuster.com/series/A-Pound-of-Flesh#sthash.uqPW7rSd.dpuf

Review….Just One Taste by Kimberly Kincaid

Synopsis:

A little home improvement can go a long way…

Jesse Oliver was a medic in Afghanistan, but back home in Pine Mountain he’s happy to switch gears as the Double Shot bar’s new sous chef. When his apartment floods and his old Army buddy offers the family’s dilapidated lake house as temporary quarters, Jesse thinks a little remodeling on the creaky duplex sounds like a fair return favor. That’s before he sets eyes on the gorgeous woman moving into the other side of the cabin—and discovers she’s his buddy’s kid sister, a.k.a totally off limits.

Kat McMarrin has fought hard for her space, and she’s not too interested in sharing it. Of course, her job as a physical therapist means she won’t see much of Jesse, even if he’s a few thin floorboards away—unless she seeks him out. And with his sculpted body and slow-burn gaze, she might be tempted. Maybe the fixer-upper projects she has planned for the cabin will keep her mind off him. Or maybe her instincts to strip the place down will get out of hand…

My Review:

Just One Taste is story number 4.5 in author Kimberly Kincaid’s Pine Mountain Series, a series I have loved reading since the very first installment. This novella just added to my enjoyment and I loved getting to read Jesse and Kat’s story!

When catastrophe strikes and their apartment building must be vacated for a month, Jesse and Kat had no way of knowing that fate would step in and put them in very close living quarters. Jesse’s good Army buddy happens to be Kat’s big brother and when he offers Jesse a place to stay, in his family’s lake house, no one realized Kat would be staying there, too. As I said, fate sure had a plan for these two! What happens next is just pure magic, like Kimberly Kincaid is excellent at delivering.

Jesse is a bit broken since leaving the Army as a combat medic and Kat, as a physical therapist, has that innate need to heal. Is there a better match? I don’t think so. There chemistry and attraction is undeniable from the word “go” and their personalities complement one another so well. Sure Jesse needs a bit of help coming to grips with his new life roles, and already having a step in the right direction after finding his love of culinary arts, he just needs to realize he is worthy of happiness. Happiness he finds in Kat’s arms. Kat is no-nonsense and calls Jesse out on almost all of his issues and I loved that about her. She is definitely my kind of gal. There are also more than a few laughs along the way and that’s just another thing that author Kincaid does so well. Her stories are always balanced beautifully.

Overall, this is a fun, steamy, and feel good read and a perfect way to spend a summertime afternoon! Thank you, Ms. Kincaid, for yet another great visit with my favorite Pine Mountain gang!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Can’t Resist A Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto….Blog Tour Stop & Review

CAN’T RESIST A COWBOY

By Elizabeth Otto

A Paint River Ranch Novel

He’s always been her weakness…

Injured and discharged, Marine Levi Haywood has returned to his family’s ranch to heal and start a new life. After all, once a cowboy, always a cowboy. The only problem? Life at the ranch has moved on since he joined the service, and suddenly his role in the family business is much less clear. And things get a lot more confusing when the woman he left behind returns home.

Carrie Lynn Waite has never known a time when she didn’t love Levi. They were childhood sweethearts, but because of her health, she was forced to move to the city, away from the ranching life. Now Carrie’s come home only to learn her family’s ranch is in trouble and Levi is back, along with an undeniable attraction she can’t resist. But some things never change, forcing Carrie to choose the future laid out before her…or the cowboy she could never resist.

Buy Links: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * iTunes * ARe * Kobo

My review:

Can’t Resist A Cowboy is the third book in author Elizabeth Otto’s Paint River Ranch series, a series I have loved from the beginning. This book is Levi’s story and, hands down, is my fave of the series thus far.

Being back in her hometown, Carrie Lynn was only dreading one thing: seeing Levi Haywood. Of course that would be easier said than done seeing as though their famiy properties were neighboring lands and he was back working on that land after being injured in the war. Her injuries, in the form of a broken heart thanks to Levi, still hadn’t healed. Hopefully she would be able to visit with her father, tell him the devastating news about her failing health due to her diabetes, and go back without seeing too much of the devastatingly sexy Marine she had said goodbye to all those years ago…

Levi Haywood had never forgotten his sunshine: Carrie Lynn. He left her when he joined the Marines, and had never really gotten over it. He knew she would be coming to visit her father and he wanted nothing more than to have a second chance. He had already been given a second chance at life after almost dying overseas, and he was probably being greedy asking for one with her, but he would be damned if he didn’t at least try. The memories they had made when they were young and in love had gotten him through some of the roughest parts when he was a Marine and he would do anything to show her how much she still meant to him. If only she would give him the chance.

Can love be rekindled between two injured souls? If fate had anything do to with it, it will…

Oh my, how I loved this story so damn much! Author Otto has had me hooked on these Haywood boys from the very beginning and I look forward to each new book but this one, THIS one, was just amazing. Levi is just too much. He is sweet, battered, caring, loyal, and so strong both emotionally and physically. I loved him so much. He was equal parts vulnerable and resilient and the balance was amazing. Carrie Lynn was the same balance of vulnerability and resiliency with her issues with diabetes. Where they may have been a great match before Levi left for the Marines, they are an even better pair now, leaning on one another when things get rough and learning to embrace their individual shortcomings in order to grow stronger together as a couple.

But above and beyond, Ms. Otto wrote so many touching scenes into this story that I couldn’t help but laugh and cry along with these amazing characters. From private talks between Levi and his niece, to the tender moments shared between Carrie Lynn and Levi and the lengths he will go to in order to get her to stay with him were just so emotional and special.

Packed with raw and tender emotion and a ton of heat, Can’t Resist A Cowboy is a total win. Thank you, Ms. Otto, for another amazing read and for giving us Levi and Carrie Lynn! I sure hope we will see more of the Paint River Ranch gang in the future!

Five Loves

About the Author: Elizabeth Otto grew up in a Wisconsin town the size of a postage stamp, where riding your horse to the grocery store, and skinny dipping after school were perfectly acceptable. No surprise that she writes about small communities and country boys. She’s the author of paranormal romance, and hot, emotional, contemporary romance, and has no guilt over frequently making her readers cry. When not writing, she works full-time as an Emergency Medical Technician for a rural ambulance service. Elizabeth lives with her very own country boy and their three children in, shockingly, a small Midwestern town.

FIND THE AUTHOR HERE: @EAOtto Facebook Website Good Reads

Synopsis:

Injured and discharged, Marine Levi Haywood has returned to his family’s ranch in order to heal and start a new life. After all, once a cowboy, always a cowboy. The only problem? Life at the ranch has moved on since he joined the service, and suddenly his role is much less clear. And things get a lot more confusing when his childhood sweetheart shows up.

Carrie Lynn Waite has never known a time when she didn’t love Levi. They were childhood sweethearts, but because of her illness, she was forced to move to the city, away from the ranching life. Now Carrie’s come home only to learn her family’s ranch is in trouble and Levi is back, along with an undeniable attraction she can’t resist. But some things never change. Now Carrie must decide between her future…and the cowboy she could never resist.

Sugar On Top by Marina Adair….Review

“Marina Adair writes with heart and sizzling heat.”
–Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author on Sugar’s Twice as Sweet

Synopsis:

She’s sassy and sweet

The last thing Glory Mann wants is to become chairman of the Miss Peach Pageant in Sugar, Georgia. Spending months hearing nothing but the clinking of pearls and judgment? No thank you! But when Glory is forced to take the rap for a scandal she didn’t commit, the judge sentences her to head the committee. Even worse, her co-chairman is rugged, ripped . . . and barely knows she’s alive.

He’s ready and willing

Single dad Cal McGraw can’t take any more drama in his life. After a difficult divorce, his little girl became a boy-crazy teenager and his hands are full. The last thing he needs is to spend his down time with the town bad girl. Glory is pure trouble-tempting and tantalizing trouble. But he can’t deny the strong chemistry between them-or how her touch turns him inside out. Now as squabbles threaten to blow up the contest and the town of Sugar itself, Cal must risk everything on the sexy wild card to get a second chance at love . . .

My review:

Sugar On Top is the second book in author Marina Adair’s Sugar, Georgia series, and after falling in love with the series I was so excited to read this newest installment. Well, Marina has done it again. This book was just fantastic.

Poor Glory. Being stuck in a small town after having made a mistake when she was younger was proving to be hell. She would never be able to live it down and would always be reminded of that one slip up. But she was always willing to hold her head high and keep on moving forward. She was close to realizing her dream becoming a nurse and was beyond excited to start this new chapter. Of course just when she thinks all is well, she ends up in a bit of trouble and once again having to fight to get back to a good place. Only this time she had some help on her side and in her corner…Cal.

Deliciously handsome, loyal, steadfast and strong, Cal. He was also single dad and off-limits, Cal. But if there’s one thing Cal has excelled at his whole life os taking care of people and situations. He was doing a favor for his brother by rescuing Glory from this newest pickle she was in but almost immediately he realizes she could use more. More help. More support. From just one person, she could use more. She had never had that from the people in this town and it was about time he changed that. She was beautiful, smart, and one hell of a strong woman. She deserved more and he wanted to give that to her.

Small town talk, family, school, work, emotional walls a mile high. With so many complications in their way it had seemed Glory and Cal wouldn’t have their chance to explore the attraction between them. The attraction that had been going strong for too many years to count. Until fate steps in and works her magic…

This book. This series. This author. I have so much love for all! I was crying within the first ten pages of this book. Glory tugged at all of my heartstrings and I wanted nothing more than for her to prove all these busy body small town gossips wrong and to succeed in realizing her dreams with her career and her love life. I was cheering for her every step of the way. She’s one tough cookie and really deserved her happy ending. Which brings me to Cal…oh, Cal. He is the whole package. He’s a great dad, brother, and grandson. Loyal and loving with a huge heart all wrapped up in one sexy and buff package. The slow build between them was just delicious. Because of her past she’s not willing to just dive in. Because of his past, he isn’t either. But don’t worry…Cal and Glory are well aware of what’s happening between the and aren’t wiling to throw it away.

Of course, the entire cast of characters in this series is just as fantastic and play a huge part in every book. There are quirky grandmothers, interesting pets, and more than a few chuckle worthy situations. I love that so much. It adds so much to a story and I always love how Ms. Adair combines it all into one entertaining package.

Ok, now that I’ve taken up way too much of your time (I can’t help it! I love this book so much!) let me just say that if you love to root for the underdog and enjoy a wonderful romance, this is a book for you!

Thank you, Ms. Adair, for once again giving us a wonderful and heartwarming story!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Marina Adair is a #1 National best-selling author of romance novels. Along with the St. Helena Vineyard series, she is also the author of the upcoming Sugar, Georgia series and Tucker’s Crossing, part of the Sweet Plains series. She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats in Northern California.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter or visit her on Facebook.

Wild With You by Sara Jane Stone…Blog Tour Stop with Excerpt and Review

Synopsis:

One night with a hero is just what she needs. But more spells trouble . . .

Dr. Katherine “Kat” Arnold left Oregon and never looked back at the town that failed her as a child. But when a new patient from Independence Falls joins her clinical trail, she returns determined forward to show everyone in her hometown how she has thrived—including her high school crush.

Brody Summers saves people. For years, he looked out for his younger siblings and ran the family business. Now, he works search and rescue. After a failed mission, Brody plans to take a night off. When a blonde city-girl knocks him off his feet, he refuses to walk away from desire. But it doesn’t take long for Brody to realize the past is returning to haunt him—and it goes back further than one wild night.

The last thing Kat wants is a reason to extend her stay in Independence Falls. But she can’t escape the memory of Brody’s wicked touch. As their passion heats up, Brody wonders if he’s falling for the one woman who doesn’t need rescuing.

Links to Buy

Amazon ~ http://amzn.to/1DnlUQX
B&N ~ http://bit.ly/1EORxlW
iBooks ~ http://bit.ly/1D9ileo
Google ~ http://bit.ly/1wmBEnz
Kobo ~ http://bit.ly/1BplID2

My Review:

Wild With You is the fourth book in author Sara Jane Stone’s Independence Falls Series, a series I have loved from the beginning and love even more with each book. This newest installment follows big brother Brody and former Independence Falls resident Dr. Katherine Arnold and from the very start the heat and connection they share is incredible.

Kat wasn’t exactly thrilled to be back in town. She had left this life and the memories surrounding her upbringing long behind. So she thought. Now she was back in Independence Falls and here to take care of a patient that her colleague wasn’t able to attend to but a patient who was so important to the study on brain injuries they had been working on. A patient who also happened to be the younger brother of the only good memory she had of this town. Brody Summers. He had been kind to her when no one else was. He was also adorable back then. She had always wondered what he had done with his life. Imagined he had gotten married to a beautiful woman and now had a gaggle of kids as adorable as he had been. She wouldn’t have to ponder those thoughts for much longer when she spots him in her hotel lobby. He hadn’t recognized her but there was an immediate and undeniable connection. She knew he felt it too and no way was she going to pass up the chance to live her teenage dream….one night with Brody Summers. She would worry about what happens when he finds out she’s his brother’s doctor later. Now? Now was for seducing…

Brody Summers was always looking out for people. His siblings, the people he was sent out to rescue when he got the call, anyone who needed a hand. He really needed a night to himself without worries and the beautiful woman he just met is exactly what the doctor ordered. Imagine his surprise when he finds out not only that she had grown up in the same town but that she was the doctor sent to help his brother heal. He kind of remembered her from their childhood and, man, had she changed. She was incredible now. Exactly the kind of woman he could fall for…

A small connection from the past turns into an emotional connection neither Brody nor Kat can deny. It came on fast and intense and it was so very real. But their time was limited and with his life in Oregon and hers in NYC, there was no way they could make things work….or could they? It was about time they both got a happy ever after.

Hands down, this was my favorite of the series thus far. I loved so many things about both of these characters. Brody is the pillar of the Summers family. Responsible and loyal with a heart of gold. Of course he’s also sexy as all get out which just adds to his overall appeal. Kat had a terrible childhood that broke my heart but she was a survivor and had turned her life into something amazing and admirable. I loved her so much and I wanted nothing more than for things to work out between these two. The emotion and connection they share is strong and so damn heated. I couldn’t get enough of them! I won’t give you any spoilers but I will say I was so worried that the whole distance thing was going to keep them apart. Don’t worry about it too much though…. *zips lips*

I also loved seeing the other characters from the series I have grown to love. There were more than a few happy moments all of them shared together and I loved reading it!

Thank you, Sara Jane, for yet another fabulous Independence Falls story! I can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Four Loves

Excerpt:

“I bet my mental image for tonight beats yours,” she said, her green eyes blazing with mischief.

“Oh yeah?” He closed the space between them in two long strides, just in case his siblings were close by. Not that he was hiding his relationship with Kat. He’d seen the smirk on Chad’s face when he slipped into the reception last night just moments after Kat returned. But his siblings didn’t need details, and Brody didn’t have a clue what would come out of her mouth next.

“I have two words for you.” Her voice hit a sultry note that drove him damn near crazy. “Whip cream.”

The best two words he’d heard all day.

“I was thinking pizza,” he said. “And while you might win points for creativity, my idea gets us both fed while you tell me about your day.”

“My day?” She raised an eyebrow. “I spent the last hour sitting at the table you made wondering if you’d ever thought about bending me over it and binding my ankles to the table legs.”

His imagination followed her words, summoning the image. His body hardened, sending one message to his brain: I want that.

“Kat—”

“Once you had me there, I wonder where you’d put the whip cream.”

Heat, need, desire roared through him. He stepped closer, pressing her back against the door. “I swear there is something about you that is so goddamn irresistible.”

“My mouth?”

“That’s part of it.”

His hands found hers. Fingers interlaced, he drew her arms up, pinning them against the solid wood door. He didn’t give a damn who saw, he had to touch her, taste her. His lips brushed hers, stealing a kiss.

Additional books in this series

Book One: Caught in the Act

Falling for his rivals’ little sister could cost him everything …

For Liam Trulane, failure is not an option. He is determined to win a place in Katie Summers’ life before she leaves Independence Falls for good. But first, he needs to make amends for the last time they got down and dirty.

Only problem?

His professional success hinges on striking a deal to buy Katie’s family business. And after Liam’s relationship with their Katie went south years ago, the Summers brothers are more enemy than friend. If both parties agree to set the past aside, they can reach an understanding. But when Katie welcomes him back into her bed, Liam risks everything to make her his.

After Liam betrayed her trust, Katie Summers will do anything to keep him from walking away with the family business. She decides to seduce him, knowing that when her brothers find out, they will back off from the deal. And she’ll finally have her revenge. But when her plan spirals out of control, Katie learns that payback may come at too high a price …

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Kobo

Book Two: Full Exposure

No touching allowed …

After serving her country, Georgia Trulane craves adventure—and sex. She’s set her sights on her brother’s best friend—now her boss, since she took a temporary job as his nephew’s live-in nanny. Only problem? Eric refuses to touch her. That doesn’t stop Georgia from seducing him. But an earth-shattering encounter leaves her fully exposed, body and soul.

Eric has a long list of reasons to steer clear of the woman he has wanted for as long as he can remember. For one, he refuses to be her next thrill ride. When he claims her, it will be for good. But the attraction is undeniable, and the more they fight it, the stronger it pulls. But will it be enough to conquer their obstacles?

Links to Buy: Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google Play ~ Kobo

Book Three: Independence Falls

Synopsis

He was nobody’s hero until he landed in the wrong bed …

Armed with a golden retriever and a concealed weapons permit, Lena Clark is fighting for normal. She served her country, but the experience left her emotionally numb and estranged from her career-military family. Staying in Independence Falls seems like the first step to reclaiming her life until the town playboy stumbles into her bed …

Chad Summers is living his dream—helicopter logging by day and slipping between the sheets with Mrs. Right Now by night. Until his wild nights threaten his day job, leaving Chad with a choice: prove he can settle down or kiss his dream goodbye. But when he ends up in the wrong bed, the one woman in Independence Falls he can’t touch offers a tempting proposition. Chad is ready and willing to give in to the primal desire to make Lena his at night—on one condition. By day, they pretend their relationship is real.

But their connection extends beyond the bedroom, threatening to turn their sham into reality if Chad can prove he’s the hero Lena needs night and day … forever.

Buy: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks ~ Google ~ Kobo

Author Bio
After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Visit her online at www.sarajanestone.com or find her on Facebook at Sara Jane Stone.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Goodreads

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren….ARC Review

Beautiful Secret releases tomorrow, April, 14!

Synopsis:

AN UPTIGHT BRITISH EXECUTIVE. AN ADVENTUROUS AMERICAN NEWBIE. A SEXY INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL IN THE MAKING.

New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author Christina Lauren’s Beautiful and Wild Seasons series hook up in Beautiful Secret for an erotic intercontinental romp that celebrates the best of both worlds!

When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.

Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?

My Review:

Beautiful Secret is the 4th book in the Beautiful Bastard Series brought to us by the dynamic writing duo of Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. I have been a super fan girl to the extreme of this series since the very beginning and I know I’ve said it before, but these two gals just keep getting better with each book. Niall and Ruby totally go down as one of my favorite book couples of all time. With her spunky, fun personality and his buttoned up reserve, these two were an opposites attraction made in heaven.

California girl Ruby Miller was living in London and realizing her engineering dreams and life was pretty damn good. Making it even better was getting to see the tall, dark, and handsome Niall Stella in the office each day. She had stared from afar, with stars in her eyes while signing dreamily, for months now and when she gets the news that she’s to accompany him on a trip to NYC for a project, she’s all out of sorts and feeling too many things. He was recently divorced, and ripe for the taking, if she could just get up the nerve and not make an arse of herself while doing it. That, of course, would prove much easier said than done. Let the games begin…

Young and successful, Niall Stella at one time had had it all. Now, he wasn’t sure what that even meant anymore. Sure he had a great career and loved what he did but his life was lacking in the love department. And if he’s being honest with himself, it was lacking long before he and his ex-wife had split up. These last few months alone had him realizing maybe her never knew what real love had been. Maybe he never would? Lucky for him fate had thrown him a bone when he was paired with the bright and full of life intern, Ruby. Now he just had to realized the gift that’s been handed to him…

They are opposites in every way. She’s colorful and bright with a lust for life that oozes out of into facet of her life. He’s reserved and conservative making a stiff upper lip look damn good in a three-piece suit. But never before have two opposites fit more perfectly in every way that matters than the way these two do.

It’s at this point I just want to type “buy this book” repeatedly for the rest of this review, because really, you just need to trust me when I say you need this book. But alas, with so much to swoon over, I promise I’ll give you more than a phrase set on repeat (but seriously, get this book!).

This story, hands down, was the most emotional in the series for me. Niall is every woman’s dream. He’s successful, handsome, well-mannered, smart and kind. He’s got a reserved grace that would make any woman weak in the knees. Any woman except his ex-wife. Things had truly gone sour between them and even though they ended things amicably and on good terms, it ruined something in Niall. It left him doubting himself and his worth as a lover and as a man. God, my heart broke for him too many times to count. I wanted to reach into the pages and just hug him. Enter Ruby. If ever there was someone tailor-made for Niall it’s Ruby. If ever there was anyone able to build Niall back up to the loving and passionate potential he has buried deep within it’s Ruby. She is one of the best book gals I’ve read to date. Not only is she smart and sassy, she is funny as all get out and is filled with such honest passion that you can’t not love her. Together they are just…just…incredible.

Their journey in getting Niall to kick his doubt to the curb is a smoking hot one. Never had non-sex been so damn sexy! But then again, with Christina and Lauren writing it, I shouldn’t have been surprised. Their banter was delicious and their slow journey into intimacy was not only smoking hot, it was a thing of beauty. Truly.

I felt so many things while reading Beautiful Secret. I laughed (a whole lot) and I cried (a whole lot). I ignored all responsibilities and read this book from cover to cover because Niall and Ruby were just that consuming…and I just adored every minute spent with them.

Thank you. Christina and Lauren, for once again writing an amazing couple on an amazing ride to an amazing relationship. You gals never cease to amaze me and I will continue to look forward to each and every release you put out.

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Target

About the authors:

Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, bestie to a shoe-stealer, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you’ll probably find her on tumblr. She is married and absolutely not old enough to be the mom of a 14 year old (right??), thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter. She also likes to steal Lo’s shoes.

You can follow their shenanigans at:

@lolashoes (Lauren) & @seeCwrite (Christina) on Twitter. On Tumblr! where we post kissing gifs and writerly stuff and Wattpad for short stories and sneak peeks!

For official information about their books, events, interviews, movie news and more, follow @christinalauren.

All For You by Christi Barth…Review

Synopsis:

Small-town park ranger Casey Hobbes has spent her life under the radar, carefully guarding a secret. “The forest flirt,” as her best friend calls her, keeps things casual with men. That way she’ll never care enough to be tempted to share the truth about her past. But when she spots a half-naked stranger on the lake’s edge, Casey can’t resist his muscles or his charm and she’s all-in for enjoying both, while keeping emotion out of it. What could be the danger of one summer fling?

Professor Zane Buchanan has built his entire career on exposing the dark realities of cults, but one—the Sunshine Seekers—remains infuriatingly impossible to crack. Zane’s shocked to discover its sole anonymous survivor is hiding in his new hometown. It’s nearly impossible to concentrate on work, however, when he’s derailed by his attraction to the beautiful blonde in khaki uniform shorts.

As things between Casey and Zane heat up, she struggles with keeping her past from him. And Zane’s on a quest to expose the truth, no matter the consequences. Will their growing emotions finally unseal Casey’s big secret? Or will she turn her back on love to keep the past safely buried?

My review:

All For You is the second book in author Christi Barth’s Shore Secrets series, a series I fell in love with in the previous book and my love continued with this next installment. Two amazing characters drawn together with a secret that could tear them apart just as they begin their relationship? Yep, I was totally hooked and loved every minute of Casey and Zane’s story.

Park ranger Casey Hobbes and new-in-town professor Zane Buchanan meet under less than ideal circumstances, thanks in part to Zane’s misadventure with diving in their local lake in colder temps than he’s used to. Luckily, Casey has seen it all before and didn’t make Zane feel worse than he already did about the whole “I’m almost a bona fide mansicle” situation. Zane knew better than to dive when it was too cold but he can’t even be angry with himself since it was this situation that introduced him to this gorgeous park ranger. The heat and attraction between them is immediate and unable to ignore. Luckily Zane would be in town for a little bit, interviewing for a position at the university, and with a little bit of luck, would get a chance to explore things with Casey.

But what seems to be a delicious match on the surface may prove to be a match that is doomed from the start. Zane’s life’s work has been studying cults and the dangers and darkness within them, specifically The Sunshine Seekers. A group of extremists with only one lone survivor left and that survivor is the person he has his sights set on. Zane had no idea that he was closer to that survivor than he ever imagined…and Casey had no idea that her secret, the one she’s kept for so many years, was the closest it’s ever been to being revealed. Were Casey and Zane destined to lose what they have just found between them?

Oh, how I love this series. There is something so wonderful with this town and all of the characters it holds. I have loved Casey since meeting her in the previous book and I was so happy she would have a chance at love. And who better than with the sexy newbie, Zane? He’s everything a gal could want. Smart, sexy, curious, and witty. Casey is also smart and witty on top of dedicated and caring. The banter they share is fantastic and beyond enjoyable. I love that between a hero and heroine. Adding to that is the smoldering heat that sparks between them almost immediately and continues to grow and at a delicious pace. Oh, my, only a few pages in and I was hot for teacher. Of course, as I read, I realized what Casey was keeping secret and that it had every potential to ruin things between them and I was so worried! It was s secret that could make Zane’s career, his life’s work, and solve a mystery that has been plaguing him for years. I just kept worrying that this whole thing would end in a crash and burn, with Casey hurt. Luckily, Christi writes some pretty amazing men and Zane was no exception. (I can’t give anything away but trust me when I say the ending was “dreamy sigh” worthy). And it’s not without a lot of emotion along the way!

Adding to their story is the continuing appearances of all of the people in the town I adore. It was like visiting with old friends!

Thank you, Christi, for another wonderful addition to the Shore Secrets series and I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Four Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage.
A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance.
Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

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Flirting With Fire by Kate Meader…ARC Review and Author Q&A

Synopsis:

The first installment in Hot in Chicago, a brand-new, sizzling series from Kate Meader that follows a group of firefighting foster siblings and their blazing hot love interests!

Savvy PR guru Kinsey Taylor has always defined herself by her career, not her gender. That is, until she moved from San Francisco to Chicago to be with her fiancé who thought she wasn’t taking her “job” of supporting him in his high-powered career seriously enough—and promptly dumped her for a more supportive and “feminine” nurse. Now, as the new assistant press secretary to Chicago’s dynamic mayor, she’s determined to keep her eye on the prize: no time to feel inferior because she’s a strong, kick-ass woman, and certainly no time for men.

But that all changes when she meets Luke Almeida, a firefighter as searingly sexy as he is quick-tempered. He’s also the second oldest of the Firefightin’ Dempseys, a family of foster siblings who have committed their lives to the service—if Luke’s antics don’t get him fired first. When Luke goes one step too far and gets into a bar brawl with the Chicago Police Department, Kinsey marches into Luke’s firehouse and lays down the law on orders from the mayor. But at Engine Co. 6, Luke Almeida is the law. And he’s not about to let Kinsey make the rules.

My Review:

Flirting With Fire is the first in a new series from author Kate Meader and after falling in love with Kate’s work in an earlier anthology, I was dying to read this book. Well, to say this book lived up to all of my expectations would be understatement of the year…

Kinsey Taylor and Luke Almeida meet under less than ideal circumstances. He’s gone and gotten into a bar fight with one of Chicago PD’s finest, which was now all over YouTube, and as the Mayor’s PR whiz, she was now charged with showing him in a better public light. Normally, Kinsey would be halfway into the project, but Luke would prove to be no ordinary project. Not only was he part of the infamous Firefighting Dempsey clan, he was drop dead gorgeous and had ego to spare. He was also beyond stubborn. Lucky for her, and equally unlucky for him, she was damned used to working hard to get the job done and she wasn’t going to back down. In fact, she was going to give whatever he threw at her back tenfold and with an extra dash of sass. Let the games begin…

It may have started out as an innocent mission to clean up Luke and his stations’s reputation, but before long the push and pull power play between Luke and Kinsey turns into a heat that will burn hotter and brighter than either one of them has known. Problems are mounting though. Not only because he’s got to behave and she’s got a job to do but because they’ve both been hurt terribly in the past by the one’s who should have loved them most. Could the heat they found burn up all that remains of the past and give them a fresh start through the ashes?

For the love of all things hot and sexy, I loved this book. I loved this book so much. Luckily I started reading this on a day I didn’t have much to do because I actually didn’t stop reading until I had finished it. Read through lunch, read through my son’s algebra homework, and pretty much read through dinner. It was a pizza night here.

Where do I even begin telling you all the things I loved about this book? Why don’t we start with Luke. He is everything I want in a hero. He’s sexy, built, the perfect amount of cocky and sweet, and has a hidden soft side that makes me weak in the knees. That, by far, is my favorite thing about him. He may look like a hard ass on the outside but his heart is huge and reserved for the people he loves. He may be a former foster kid, but he loved his adopted family with a fierceness that was enviable and admirable. From page one, I knew he was going to be a force to be reckoned with…and he didn’t disappoint. Kinsey was the perfect counterpart. So much like him in so many ways. Used to have to work hard to shrug off a label. Strong. Determined. Able to give his ego right back to him and it drove him crazy.

Of course, that just added to that slow burn between them and with every interaction it was stoked into a flame that eventually had to be addressed….and oh my, was it ever. There are two particular scenes that had me melting into a puddle on the floor. So. Hot.

And can I just take a minute to give the cover a mention? I lost count at how many times I paused after reading a delicious Luke scene to take a look at that cover. Whoever that man is, he is the perfect Luke!

Adding even more to this story was the entire Dempsey clan. These are all characters with a beautiful death and multifaceted factor that has me beyond excited for the rest of this series.
Just trust me when I say: Get. This. Book. You will NOT be disappointed! Thank you, Kate, for Luke, Kinsey, and the entire Dempsey crew. I will now be nursing my book hangover with some tequila and a campfire scented candle *dreamy sigh*

Q&A with author Kate Meader:

Thanks so much for having me, Jilly!

Thanks for being here, Kate! This was a lot of fun!

Do you have any fun plans to celebrate the release of Flirting With Fire? (I always picture Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone when she finishes her book and celebrates with tiny bottles of booze and her cat)

Booze might be involved for sure! Every new release is awesome, but I’m thinking this one might be extra special. It’s the start of a brand new series, set in this world of alpha men, strong women, the family we make instead of being born to, and bigger-than-life passion. With burning buildings thrown in to make it interesting. On release day, I’ll probably be curled up in a fetal ball, praying it does well, waiting until it’s “appropriate” to whip out the adult beverages. Sounds like fun, right?

I just read that you’re originally from Ireland, what do you miss the most about living there?

My family – my mother and brother still live there, and although I visit and they visit me, it can be tough with an ocean separating us. Next, I miss Irish chocolate. You can’t beat Irish chocolate. Hmm, maybe I miss chocolate more than my family. I mean, I can talk to my family on the phone, I can’t eat chocolate over the airways!

I love your “Fun facts about Kate” section on your website. Can you give us another fun fact?

A lot of people don’t know I have a masters degree in medieval history. I studied medieval nuns and holy women who used their connection to God to discover untrodden paths to empowerment in their community. Medieval nuns were probably the first feminists!

What has been the most rewarding part of living your dream to write?

Nothing beats seeing your book in a brick-and-mortar bookstore for the first time. That moment is the absolute best, but the most rewarding part is just knowing that people actually like my stories enough to want to buy and read them. I thought I was the only one!

Ok, your dream cast for Flirting With Fire is:

Main romance:
Luke Almeida, Irish-Cuban firefighter – Hugh Jackman, looking a bit scruffy
Kinsey Taylor, ice-cool blonde PR guru – Charlize Theron

Secondary m/m romance:

Gage “Baby Thor” Simpson, cocky fireman – Chris Hemsworth (of course)

Brady Smith, former marine turned gourmet chef (Gage’s love interest) – Tom Hardy with muscles on his muscles, shaved head, tattoos up the wazoo, and scars. Yum!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

About the author:

Originally from Ireland, Kate cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Mills & Boon thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

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For The First Time In Forever by Sarah Morgan…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Synopsis:

Windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful, Puffin Island is a haven for day-trippers and daydreamers alike. But this charming community has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways…

It’s been a summer of firsts for Emily Donovan. From becoming a stand-in mom to her niece Lizzie to arriving on Puffin Island, her life has become virtually unrecognizable. Between desperately safeguarding Lizzie and her overwhelming fear of the ocean—which surrounds her everywhere she goes!—Emily has lost count of the number of “just breathe” pep talks she’s given herself. And that’s before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kisses her…

Ryan knows all about secrets. And it’s clear that newcomer Emily—with her haunted eyes and the little girl she won’t let out of her sight—is hiding from something besides the crazy chemistry between them. So Ryan decides he’s going to make it his personal mission to help her unwind and enjoy the sparks! But can Puffin Island work its magic on Emily and get her to take the biggest leap of trust of all—putting her heart in someone else’s hands?

My review:

For The First Time In Forever is the first in the new Puffin Island series from author Sarah Morgan and kicks of the series with a heart warming and emotional start. I loved everything about it from the small town feel to the main characters’s histories and what leads them to cross paths at this moment in their lives.

Raising a child and living on a small town island. Two things Emily Donovon never would have pictured for herself. Yet, here she was, on Puffin Island now raising her six-year-old niece….and not really adjusting well. Her adjustment could be because she was trying to keep her semi-famous niece out of the spotlight while simultaneously trying to avoid a panic attack with every glance at the ocean thanks to a traumatic event from her childhood. Yeah, because avoiding ocean views while living on an island was easy to do. But this island had been a place of solace though her younger years and there was no better place to rebuild and restart than here. An added distraction she didn’t need was one like Ryan Cooper. Handsome, charming good with kids, smart, kind…and not on the menu. She had sworn off men the minute she broke up with her serious boyfriend a month ago and it was solidified when took on parenthood. That would prove to be easier said than done when Ryan is there every time she turns around, willing to lend her a helping hand and a shoulder to lean on…

Ryan Cooper can spot a woman with baggage a mile away. He had plenty of his own to know that look. He saw it every day when he looked in the mirror. He had promised his childhood friend that he would help her friend and the new guest on Puffin Island, and, because he wouldn’t dare say no to his friend, he was doing just that. It should have been a whole lot easier than it was turning out to be. He swore off having kids of his own years ago, and in turn dating a woman with children. He had been down the child rearing route before and now he just wants his freedom to come and go as he pleases. Unfortunately, every time he looked at Emily, those reasons flew out the window like an island summer breeze. This favor would soon turn from a favor for a friend into a possibly life changing relationship….

Each suffering from a less than picture perfect childhood and plenty of emotional damage, Ryan and Emily couldn’t have been more perfect for one another. Of course, it will take a whole lot longer for them to realize it. Will they give love and new beginning a chance to blossom on Puffin Island?

This book was just so wonderful and well-rounded. There was a bit of mystery to both Emily and Ryan that lingered on and made me curious. There was sexual attraction and heat between them that made me swoon. There was a soft side to Ryan that made me melt. There was a vulnerable side to Emily that made my heart ache. There was a sense of community with the secondary characters that made me appreciate each and every one of them. I loved that I was able to feel so many different feelings and emotions as I dove into this story. I truly felt as though I was a visitor on Puffin Island, enjoying visits with friends. The best part, however, were the interactions between Ryan and Emily and their relationship as it builds. Neither one wants it, but neither one can deny the pull they feel. The heat builds at a delicious pace with quiet moments and stolen kisses and before they realize it, into something much more potent. I don’t blame Emily…there ’s no way any woman could stay away from someone like Ryan! Talk about the whole package…yum. Together they make a well-balanced couple and even with a few stumbles along the way, manage to make it work in the end.

If you’re looking for an afternoon escape with a really good book, this should be on your list. I know I enjoyed my stay on Puffin Island and am looking forward to a return trip in the future! Thank you, Ms. Morgan, for a fabulous read!

Four Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | iBooks

About the author:

Sarah Morgan is a USA TODAY bestselling author who writes hot, happy, contemporary romance, and her trademark humor and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as “a magician with words” by RT Book Reviews, she has sold more than 11 million copies of her books. She has been nominated three years in succession for prestigious RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice: in 2012 for her book Doukakis’s Apprentice and in 2013 for A Night of No Return. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their Top Pick slot.

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