I’ve stood by him for years. Been a friend every time he needed one, but he doesn’t see me. Not like I want him to.
Move on, my friends said. Find someone new. Someone who sees your worth. Someone who gets you. I know they’re right. I’m only a friend to him. He’s never going to see me like I see him. So I take their advice, and try to move on.
But Jackson is always right there. In my face. Running to my rescue. And when I meet someone else, Jackson isn’t having it. For some reason, he’s suddenly determined to stay in my life. Right by my side.
Now he says he wants me, but does he want an actual relationship? Or is that he can’t stand the thought of losing me to another guy?
It’s time to find out what Jackson truly wants…and I’m going to make him work for it.
For me.
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The Sophomore is the second book Murphy’s College Years series and can be easily read as a standalone. If you read the first book in series, you get a introduction to Jackson and Ellie but nothing that you need to know in order to understand this book. As someone who has not read all of the Callahan series, you don’t need to read any of those books to get the full entertainment of this book.
All you to need to know about this book is in the blurb. Monica sets the reader up perfectly for this story. She does a wonderful job of explaining how their friendship started to where it is today. And what I loved most, was how she put the reader right into the characters shoes.
This book is told from both POVs and that’s what makes this book so relatable. Trust me – readers are going to want to tear into Jackson for many reason, and rip into Ellie for other reasons. But it’s getting to understand their inner thoughts and understand their actions that keeps this story moving along. Readers will be quite surprised at the growth and maturity on both their parts.
Monica writes these characters wonderfully too. These characters are in college and she stays true to this in not just their mannerisms, but also in their dialogue. I really liked that the guys did not come across as too immature in a variety of ways and that the girls were not shallow in certain areas. But I also loved that none of them were talking as though they have their life together at 19 and 20. It was very refreshing and made the book more relatable.
The Sophomore is a great follow-up to The Freshman and I can’t wait to see what Monica brings us next.
Meet Monica
Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.
A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.
I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.
From The Embers, an all-new not-to-be-missed, standalone catastrophic romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is available now!
In the aftermath of tragedy, it’s strange the things you remember. The deafening boom as the house exploded. The paralyzing fear as I searched for my wife. The blinding smoke burning my eyes as I carried her out.
But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife.
Bree and I were the only survivors—not that either of us were truly living after that night. As a single dad with nowhere else to go, I moved into her guest house. And somehow, through the guilt and grief, we forged an unlikely team.
It took years, but I watched the gradual return of her smile—slow and life-altering. The two of us could sit outside for hours, talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life.
I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.
As we healed, the secrets and lies of the past smoldered in the ashes, threatening to ignite again.
Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.
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Excerpt
Using my arm to block my face, I carried her lifeless body to the door. The knob seared my palm as I yanked it open, but the pain didn’t even register through the adrenaline. The sound of my feet pounding down the driveway echoed in my ears as the fire crackled behind me. Our closest neighbor was over half a mile away, but there was no way they hadn’t heard the explosion. The fire department would be there soon. Once I got Jessica safe, I’d go back for Bree. They’d find Rob. Everyone would be okay. “Eason,” she croaked in my arms. My feet were still moving as I sprinted away, but time stopped as her voice permeated my senses. It wasn’t possible. She was covered in soot, and my eyes were caked with ash and what I would later learn to be blood, but I could still make out the large flowers on her yellow— “Uh, no. It’s my dress that your wife borrowed and I had to do an entire Tom Cruise Mission Impossible thing to get it back last week.” Oh, God. I kept running until the wind changed direction, clearing the smoke. With my heart in my throat, I prayed that my still ringing ears had deceived me. I set her down and used the inside of my shirt to clear my face. “Eason,” she croaked. But once again, she wasn’t my wife. “Oh, God,” I breathed, watching as she rose on unsteady legs. Tears carved twin riverbeds through the ash on her cheeks. “What happened?” Bree asked, her green eyes focused on the blazing inferno behind me. Acrid guilt devoured me. “I…” I saved the wrong woman. I left the mother of my child in a burning building. My final broken promise to the woman I’d vowed forever to was, “I’ll be right back.” Bile crawled up my throat. “I don’t know.” I glanced back at the house, the heat of the roaring fire scorching me even from yards away. Overwhelming grief hit me as I realized there was no way I could get back through those flames. Oh, God. Jessica. In the middle of tragedy, it’s strange the things that become engrained into your memories. Years later, I wouldn’t be able to tell you how long it took the firetrucks to get there. I couldn’t tell you what time it was or what I had been wearing. But I would never be able to forget the absolute devastation on Bree’s face when she realized we were the only two standing outside the burning house. “Where’s Rob?” she rasped, her voice sounding like it had traveled over a mile of gravel before exiting her throat. “And Jessica. Where are they?” She took an urgent stride toward me. “I tried…” I doubled over into a fit of coughing. It was probably for the best. There was no way I could have finished that thought.
This book gave me a lot of feels!! From the Embers played out in ways I had not anticipated and I loved every bit of it.
This story surrounds a group of friends and the closeness between wives and husbands. But a tragedy turns their lives upside down and things won’t even be the same again.
Bree and Easton were never the closest but when dealt with life changing decisions, these two cling to one another to survive. I love how things with them are so organic. They are there for their kids, there for one another as friends and just taking things one day at a time. And everything just evolves organically between them and it is so sweet.
However, things aren’t all rainbows and unicorns. They are a lot of twists and turns that Aly throws into their new lives. I really enjoyed watching how these two grew individually, as parents and then eventually as more. But what I enjoyed most, was seeing they handled the bombs that life kept throwing their way.
Aly wrote this book beautifully. You will cry, laugh, throw things and flat-out hate people at times. But it is so incredibly good and worth every second reading this book. Definitely another smashing hit for Aly – go grab this one!
About Aly Martinez
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
They say you never forget your first. Falling for my roommate is a terrible idea.
The Heartbreaker by Claire Contreras is now live!
They say you never forget your first.
Jagger Cruz, the popular, gorgeous, athletic, heartbreaker, was my introduction to college flings.
Over the years, I’ve tried to pay no attention to every wicked rumor I heard about him, even though deep down I knew they weren’t just rumors. Unable to face the consequences of what we’d done, if we were ever in close quarters, I ran in the other direction. If we were coincidentally put in the same class, I dropped it.
Avoidance was the name of the game and so far I was winning.
That is, until we’re assigned the same apartment.
Living with Jagger during my last semester was definitely not in my plans, but I’m determined to make it work. As long as I don’t look at him for too long or let his innuendos get under my skin, I should be fine, right? I have to be.
They say hooking up with your roommate can be messy, and losing my heart to Jagger would be disastrous.
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The Heartbreaker is Claire’s newest standalone NA sports romance. There is a good mixture of steam, some angst and great dialogue.
Josephine (Jo) and Jagger have known one another since childhood. Their families are quite close and both end up attending UNC. They have a one-night stand after a college party their freshman year but never see another afterwards.
Now they are both seniors and working on their futures. Jo is now single and has sworn off all athletes after a terrible breakup, but she’s also struggling with a few other things. Jagger is recovering from an injury and trying to find his way again. But they both find themselves as roommates their senior and it turns out to be quite the eye-opening experience for both of them.
I really enjoyed this book and the banter between Jo and Jagger. There is a lot of miscommunication or lack of communication that causes a lot of their problems. But it’s also what adds to the angst and drama. There would be no story without all that going on.
Claire always gives her readers some of the best characters, both main and secondary. They all give another depth to this story and help make the story more real and relatable in ways. I am hoping that we see stories from the siblings of both Jo and Jagger in future books – hint, hint.
God forgives little girls who don’t obey, but he forsakes women who surrender their bodies to desires of the flesh.
Raised to believe her very existence was a sin, Camilla escaped her father’s iron fist and chased the sun to Grand Haven, California, where one thing was for certain:
It’s a man’s world.
She was prepared to live in it until the day Camilla met the highest paid escort in the city—exposing an underground world where women rule like queens. Now Camilla finds herself offering her body to the highest bidder.
Falling for Grand Haven’s golden-boy and mafia attorney, Wilder Ridge, only strengthens her desire to break free from her dark past and control her own destiny. But in a society where everything has a price tag, she discovers her body isn’t the only thing for sale.
So is her life.
Harlot is the second book in the Hush series. While it focuses on Wilder and Camilla, but you definitely need to read the first book to understand everything that is going on in this book.
We met Camilla in book one, but in this book we get to know her more and her background. Wilder is Talent’s brother and while they may be the best lawyers in their area, they also are tied to the mafia.
As book the progresses, we get bits and pieces about Camilla’s past. It is impossible to miss the chemistry between Wilder and Camilla but it’s not an easy journey for them. The story as a whole is quite unique.
I really loved Tramp so I had extremely high expectations for Harlot. While I enjoyed the intensity between Wilder and Camilla, something was missing for me. I can’t say what it was because while I enjoyed reading this one, I did not have that same overall “OMG! This is amazing” vibe as I did with Tramp. It could possibly be more of a “me” thing.
I would definietly still recommend reading this because it was interesting and kept me intrigued. It was just missing something that was there in Tramp but still just as well written and entertaining.
About the Author:
Mary Elizabeth was born and raised in Southern California. She is a wife, mother of four beautiful children, and dog tamer to one enthusiastic Pit Bull and a prissy Chihuahua. She’s a hairstylist by day but contemporary fiction, new adult author by night.
Mary can often be found finger twirling her hair and chewing on a stick of licorice while writing and rewriting a sentence over and over until it’s perfect. She discovered her talent for tale-telling accidentally, but literature is in her chokehold. And she’s not letting go until every story is told.
Growing up, our families were inseparable. We spent summers vacationing at the beach. In the school yard, it was us against the world. Then puberty hit, and we skated the thin line of staying buddies, or becoming more.
Until I accidentally found the pros and cons list he made about whether or not to date me. And there were definitely more bullet points on the no side. Acting out of rage and hurt, I embarrassed him in the most public way possible. Now, we’re enemies.
We’ve spent the last two years tearing each other to pieces. Everyone knows that Blair and Sawyer hate the ground the other walks on, and unfortunately, I got the unpopular end of the stick while he became Mr. Prom King.
Until senior year starts, and I’m tired of running scared. For the first time ever, I stand up to the golden boy with the whip-smart tongue. As the challenges and dares pick up speed, hearts start to fall and feelings get entangled. Despite my initial discovery, I wonder if being caught by each other wouldn’t be so bad.
Except Sawyer has no idea what I found all those years ago. And if the truth comes out about why I pitted us against each other, not only will he add one more con to his list … but he can add my broken heart as well.
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This was probably one of the most addictive, sweet YA reads for me. I found myself reading this book within 3hrs and not once wanting to put it down.
This book is more friends to enemies to lovers than bully romance, but there is a lot of bully aspects sprinkled throughout this book.
Foes & Cons had a lot more angst than I anticipated, but it really worked, especially for a YA book. You could sense the tension between the Sawyer and Blaire – it was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. And the chemistry between just added to that ever building tension.
Carrie wrote this story very realistically. Sawyer and Blaire are typical high school teens who struggle to talk things through, blow up at ridiculous things, treat others differently to make themselves feel better, etc. But readers also see these two realize their mistakes and grow from that.
I loved everything about this book. For me, this is was one the best YA books I have read if quite some time. Bravo, Carrie.
Meet Carrie Aarons
Author of romance novels such as Fool Me Twice and Love at First Fight, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.
When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She’s a Jersey girl living in Texas with her husband, daughter, son, and Great Dane/Lab rescue.
New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy kicks off her new College Years series with a forbidden romance between two people who are undeniably drawn to each other…
I started flirting with a guy while waiting for my car to be serviced. Now granted, he wasn’t just any guy. Tall. Dark. Hot. Mysterious. Can you blame me for wanting to talk to him? He’s in town visiting his parents. So am I. He goes to the same college as I do. Such a coincidence. Almost as if our meeting is destined…
But I shouldn’t believe in that sort of thing. I am single as a Pringle and always ready to mingle. Until I keep running into Mr. Tall, Dark and Mysterious everywhere I go. Tony Sorrento. Turns out he’s on the football team. I mean, I’m not one to chase after a sexy jock but, okay. I’m down. And did I mention he’s only a freshman?
Our fathers are business rivals, and they forbid us from dating. We need to keep this on the low. Can we remain friendly? Sure. Maybe turn our friendship into friends with benefits? Most definitely. Here’s the thing though. I didn’t plan on catching feelings for him so quickly. Seems like he’s falling pretty hard for me too.
Defying our fathers’ wishes is only asking for trouble, but is being with Tony worth the risk?
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Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.
A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.
R.S. Grey’s new standalone rom-com, To Have and To Hate, is out now! Check it out and order yours today!
About To Have and To Hate:
Marry a man I barely know to save my family from ruin.
It might’ve been simple, if my betrothed were anybody else.
On our wedding day, my husband-to-be arrived at the courthouse like a black cloud rolling over Manhattan. Walt didn’t crack smiles or pepper in pleasantries as we exchanged hollow vows in front of the judge.
His disdain for me was so palpable I assumed we’d walk out of that ceremony and resume our regularly scheduled programming. But then fate was like, Hold my beer. I got this.
In desperate need of help and with nowhere else to turn, I had no choice but to ignore a crucial rule in our contract: Ishall only contact Mr. Jennings II in case of emergency. But hey, what’s a little fine print between husband and wife?
Turns out, Walt’s a stickler for legalese—I think it might be his love language. Oh, and his attitude at the courthouse wasn’t a put-on. My so-called husband is a jerk. He takes what he wants without giving any consideration to other people—specifically ME, his blushing, contractually-obligated bride!
I knew life with Walt would be no honeymoon, but a marriage of any sort should still come with a few standard guarantees:
To have and to hold.
For richer or poorer.
In sickness and in health.
But after experiencing Walt’s version of wedded bliss, I say let’s forget about all that lovey-dovey crap and just take me straight to death do us part.
I know that any time I read a book by R.S, Grey, I will be smiling for the majority of it and To Have and To Hate is no different.
The main idea of this book is a marriage of convenience and Rachel plays this out so well. Honestly, it felt so real and natural, that I could see this happening in real life.
Elizabeth is a very independent & strong woman who is determined to take her passion of art and make it a reality for her. Walt is dedicated to his job and his sole focus has always been to keep his family company at the forefront. These two are polar opposites but make the best of their situation.
I truly enjoyed watching these two grow throughout this book. From their first interactions to the very end (my heart was bursting), you can see how these two slowing grow on one another and grow as individuals themselves. Walt is a man of few words, while Elizabeth tends to fill the silence.
Rachel truly wrote a very romantic and sweet story with a tiny bit of angst thrown in. While I felt the ending was a bit rushed, it still didn’t feel unnatural either.
To Have and To Hate is the perfect light and heartfelt read for all romance lovers.
About R.S. Grey:
R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com
“Deliciously dark, steamy, and full of suspenseful twists and turns, this book kept me up ALL NIGHT. ” Siobhan Davis. USA Today bestselling author
Make You Beg, a dark bully romance standalone from bestselling author Shantel Tessier is available now!
To the world, she’s known as Henley Greene. To me, she’s a little doll— a toy to be played with and tossed to the side once no longer wanted. She will pay for her betrayal however I deem necessary.
Imagine living in a constant nightmare where you have no control. Running from someone or something, you can hear him getting closer and feel his breath on your neck. You know that no matter what you do, he’s going to get you. He will win. But I don’t have just one. I have four. Ryan Scout, Van Rellik, Dax Monroe, and Grayson Law are the Reapers of Westbrook High, my ex-best friends, and now my biggest enemies. They run the school and own this town. They want nothing more than to make me pay for what I saw that night at Death Valley. A sick and twisted game that leaves me dirty and bruised with torn clothing. So how did I fall in love with one? I was raised to fear the dark side, but he showed me it was in the dark where the truth came to light. He played with me until my body craved his touch. I was going to prove I could be his most trusted servant in every form of the word. Whether kneeling before him or lying on my back, my sole purpose in life was to be his. But when you’re a toy everyone likes to play with, you’re bound to end up broken.
Make You Beg: A Dark Bully Romance was previously published in the Bully Me: Class of 2020 Anthology but has now been reworked and expanded into a new full-length story.
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Make You Beg is the first book I have read by Shantel. I came across her name during another author’s release day party and the blurb intrigued me. I know that bully romance has become a huge thing over the last year, but also know that is not for everyone due to its triggers. Make You Beg has those bully elements but it also had elements of suspense and mystery added in, which made this book all the more enjoyable.
Dax, Rellik, Scout and Law are known as The Reapers throughout their school. Henley was the only female in their group and they five of them are best friends…until they weren’t. One night changed Henley’s life forever and all four guys turned their backs on her.
She’s returned home after hiding away for the last 5 months and the boys aren’t going to make her return easy. Henley knows what Dax, Rellik, Scout and Law are capable of. But she herself has her own agenda and is willing to play their games in order to get her revenge.
This book went in directions I have never expected. Everyone has their secrets and just when you think you know everything, you don’t. You definitely need to keep your mind opinion and read this with the notion, that its fiction and none of this would happen in a normal world.
Shantel has definitely earned herself another reader. I enjoyed her writing style and how she kept me turning the pages. I normally need to feel a connection to characters in order to enjoy the story, but with this one – the plot is what carried this book. I didn’t really connect to any characters, but I was intrigued by the story and that kept be engaged.
If you are into bully or dark romance, this book is definitely what you are looking for.
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Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions.
Until all three land him in a coma, fighting for his life.
One year later, with a sober chip in his hand, he arrives at spring training ready to turn it all around. But when he meets the only woman who doesn’t recognize just who he is, he can’t help omitting a few important details … like his last name. No stranger to charming women, Sin uses one of his old skillsets to kick off what is sure to be an epic hookup.
But when she shows up five months after their brief Florida fling with a secret that will topple his privileged world, he might just lose everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild. Including a real shot at love with the sassy redhead that he’s been too much of a coward to pursue.
Can he shoulder the responsibility he’s always shrugged off? Or will he balk at the real-life complications and strike out completely?
Francesca Kade is an independent goal-getter.
As one of the only female strength coaches in the league, she’s used to invading the boys’ club. After putting up with being passed over and not promoted for a number of seasons, she’s finally got her shot.
A consummate professional with blinders on, there is no way anything will screw up all she hopes to achieve. Well, except for maybe the new employee with eyes the color of ocean waves and a smirk that’s the definition of sin. When they catch fire in the southern heat, it’s almost impossible to put it out.
Until she finds out that he’s her boss’s boss’s boss.
Burned from the betrayal and panicking with a fresh secret of her own, Frankie is shocked when she lands her ultimate dream job. There is no way she’s turning it down. But when she bumps into Sinclair on day one, all of the old feelings and new problems come hurtling at her like a baseball to the face.
Will she ever be able to trust that he’ll put both her and his responsibilities before his vices? Or will their differences cost them the game?
Cover Designed by Okay Creations
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Check Swing is the third book in Carrie’s Callahan Family series. I have been eagerly awaiting Sinclair’s book and Carrie did not disappoint.
I finished this book over a week ago and I can still remember every thing about it. And that it to me, says everything about the book and the author.
Sinclair is trying to find out what he wants to do with this life now that he has been sober for a year. He’s had everything handed to him because of his family. And he’s once again, given the opportunity that most don’t get but this time he is determined to prove that he deserves to be there.
Frankie has been busting her butt to prove that she is just as good as her male colleagues when it comes to training and conditioning athletes. She’s been given promoted to head strength and conditions coach for spring training, which is just another step closer to her ultimate goal – working with team during the season in their strength and conditioning department.
Sinclair and Frankie have an abrupt meeting but what makes it even more interesting is that Frankie doesn’t know who Sinclair is. However, there is an immediate attraction on both their parts. They both were not wanting anything more than a fling as they both had other goals in mind. However, life never goes as we want.
Five months after they last saw one another, they meet unexpectedly again. And sparks fly – just not the kind you are thinking., They are so many secrets and lies that need to be dealt with. Will their second chance give them the opportunity to become more??
Carrie wrote this book so beautifully. I love how real and natural everything felt. This story is written from both Sinclair and Frankie’s POV, which truly helps readers connect to each character. You get a feel for what each is going through but keeps the book flowing perfectly.
Carrie has delivered another exceptional sports romance to her readers. I cannot wait to see what she brings us next.
Author of romance novels such as The Tenth Girl and Privileged, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.
When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She’s a Jersey girl living in Texas with her husband, daughter, son and Great Dane/Lab rescue.
I move on to what I know. “The Poet, an organized killer, a planner. Highly intelligent. Well employed. These types like to appear stable and we’re most likely looking at someone in a circle of family to shelter himself, even convince himself he’s normal. None of this is on paper. And I don’t feel like I have room for error on this one.”
“The Poet?”
“That’s what I’m calling him.”
“Whatever you call him, do you really think he’s a serial killer?”
“I know he’s a serial killer. We just have to find his victims.”
“I’ll get you your profile for peace of mind.”
“Thank you, Wade,” I say, gratitude in my voice.
“Thank me by being careful. If this asshole came after Roberts, you could be next.”
“If Roberts was his type, I am not.”
“Be careful, Detective Jazz,” he says, and this time he uses his best Special Agent Wade Miller voice, the detective title meant to make the “I’m serious” point.
“I am. I called you for a reason. I’m going to get him before he ever has the chance to get me.”
We disconnect a few seconds later and I pull up the poem compilation Chuck put together for me on my MacBook. I gravitate toward the poem The Poet left called “Fate, The Jester.”His message could be in those few lines or in another verse inside the full poem. I read it all slowly, all eight paragraphs, dissecting each one, but I return to the three lines he left in Summer’s mouth:
Who laugh in the teeth of disaster,
Yet hope through the darkness to find
A road past the stars to a Master
A master, a statement that seems to reference superiority and drives home my earlier thoughts. The Poet judged Summer beneath him. Perhaps he judges us all beneath him. He believes he’s above the law, and that’s dangerous to those who come into contact with him.
That means I need to become dangerous to him, and quickly.
The Poet grabbed my attention with the cover and the blurb. The blurb had set my expectations for a suspenseful and twisty thriller, but in turn, it was more of police procedural than anything else. It was not bad, just not what I had anticipated.
A serial killer, nicknamed “The Poet,” is on the loose and leaves behind poems as his signature. Detective Samantha Jazz is called in to take over the case as she has a bit of a background in poems from her college years.
The books flips back and forth between views from both Sam and The Poet. It was interesting to see how Sam takes this case on, digs into things, and tries to figure out who it is. Her “spidey sense” and her process of going through the case file are quite detailed and you can tell that the author did a lot of research in this area to make it more authentic and true to life.
While I enjoyed the book, it was bit a slow, with very little suspense in terms of a thriller. I enjoyed walking through the aspects of how a detective works a case, their nuances and how they piece everything together. There isn’t a lot of action but again – this book was definitely more police procedure and not focused on the killer and his actions.
Overall, it’s a good read and one I enjoyed reading, despite wanting more thriller aspects added in. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones writes dark, edgy fiction including the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series and the upcoming, crime thriller The Poet. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland and Bad Mom’s) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned a multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine. She lives in Colorado with her husband, a cat that talks too much, and a Golden Retriever who is afraid of trash bags.
This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…
Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, A young woman’s life takes a disturbing and utterly fascinating turn as the past she’s put behind comes back to haunt her. USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.
USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar is OUT NOW! Grab your copy today!
“USED was amazing. Like seriously amazing. I can’t remember the last time I hated to put a book down so I could go to sleep and then immediately pick it up to finish it the next morning. And yet, here we are and that’s what I did.” ~ Samantha Chase, New York Times Bestselling Author
“Rarely have I read a book so vividly described, so rich with emotion, that I felt like I lived it. USED is the kind of book that engages your heart and takes you on a journey that leaves you hopeful and empowered by the end.” ~ Erika Kelly, Award Winning Author of the Rock Star Romance Series
Photography by K Keeton Designs Cover Design by Uplifting Author Services
Model: Cameo Hopper
BLURB
At the age of seventeen, after a decade of lies, hurt, and severe abuse by her brother Lucas, Sabra Valentine is able to breathe.
Lucas is behind bars thanks in large part to Sabra’s quick thinking and self-preservation-even if that’s one more secret she has to keep.
Now, seven years later, life is moving forward, and Sabra is starting to heal, live, and love again with her friends and Trevor Collins by her side. He’s tall, dark, and sexy, and he doesn’t fall for Sabra’s games. The future is finally looking bright-until one phone call shatters everything.
Used is a romantic suspense with domestic thriller elements. Please be aware that there are topics that may be triggers for some readers, and this work is meant for mature readers.
“Heartbreakingly beautiful. This book isn’t about angst and pain. It’s about a fighter-a survivor-that we all attain to be. The story tears you apart in the best ways and builds you back up in the most beautiful.” ~ Nichole Chase, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
“Used is a raw, heart-wrenching story of surviving trauma, but it’s also so much more. It’s a romantic, emotionally gratifyingtale of unflinching, all-in love. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.” ~ Brenda Rothert, Author
USED is being narrated by Stella Hunter is out now!
I shake my head and snap out of my reverie. “What?” I inch my way toward him and place my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. I got distracted. Tell me again.” Trevor’s jaw tightens. His eyes shift toward my hand.
“You got distracted? I’m telling you the rules to our relationship, and you got distracted? How is that even possible?”
“I started thinking about last night and your lips on me. And that made me start thinking about your lips on me again. And that made me think about your hands on me. And that made me think about everything else on me.” Trevor stares at me with his mouth hanging open.
“I swear, you never cease to surprise me, Sabra.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward his chest. After a few moments, he uses his finger to gently lift my chin and brush his lips over mine. “Screw the rules. We’ll just wing it.” I smell his minty breath as he moves down my jaw with those magical lips and across my collarbone. Trevor’s fingers grasp the edge of my shirt. All I can think about is that same breath and those same lips scorching my skin again.
I’m losing myself in his touch. His kisses. The sweet words he’s whispering into my ear. I’m lost in him. And then my phone rings, blasting through the room. Shaking us out of the moment. Trevor pulls back to look over his shoulder at the intruder.
You have got to be kidding me. How is it possible the entire world seems to be calling me this early?
I glance at the phone sitting on the coffee table beside us and realize I don’t recognize the number. “I’m sorry. I have to answer this.” Trevor grabs my hand and settles it on his lap. I can feel how much he doesn’t want me to answer it.
“Are you sure it can’t wait, Say?” He smiles his crooked grin and cocks his head to the side. “Can’t they leave a voicemail, and you call them back?”
“It could be my agent. I had that audition yesterday. I just need a second.”
“Fine. I’ll go get a donut hole.” He grins and stands. “And then I’m coming back for yours.”
“Ew, gross.” I snatch my phone and slide my finger across the screen, rolling my eyes at him as he walks into the kitchen laughing. “Hello?”
“Hello, Sabra. How are you, sis?”
*****
No. No. Nooooo…NO. This can’t be happening. I yank the phone away from my ear and stare at it. Absolutely not. The air feels thin. My lungs feel like they’re about to burst.
“Sabra? What is it?” Trevor stares at me with this look on his face, like he thinks I’m crazy.
Did I say that out loud?
I hit the end button and get up, pacing from one side of my extremely small living room to the other. This is a nightmare. No. It has to be a wrong number. He’s in prison. There’s a chant happening in my head.
He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
“Sabra.” I flinch as Trevor touches my arm and instinctively move away.
“Don’t touch me.” The hurt in his eyes is obvious. So deep. I might as well have slapped him. And I don’t care. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I growl it at him.
He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
“Sabra, what the hell is going on? What happened?” Trevor paces a step away and turns to look at me. “Who was that?”
“No one. A wrong number. No one at all.”
But I know it wasn’t. He’ll call back. Come back for more. He always comes back for more. Dammit. How is he coming back for more?
He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
I feel Trevor’s heat before I realize he’s next to me. “I don’t believe that. It was someone.” He grabs me by the upper arms and shifts me back against the wall. “You’re shaking and white as a sheet. What’s going on? Who the hell was that?”
I’m shaking?
He’s in prison. He’s in prison.
Wait. My mom called…
And I realize why she was calling so early. Dammit. Everything clicks into place. Tremors course through my body. I can’t control them. The chant changes in my head.
He’s out. He’s out. Oh my god, he’s out. I. Can’t. Breathe.
Used is Kate Dunbar’s debut novel. It’s one she has been writing on and off for years. And I am so glad that she released it to us to read.
This novel felt very real to me – not just the characters but the story itself. It’s unfortunately a life others have lived. We’ve all heard the stories on the news or through others but for a reason I can’t explain, Dunbar’s book made it all more real and personal to me.
“Nine Steps.”
Dunbar does a great job of giving us the details without laying all the gory details out for us. I know for some, they may want that more dark and twisted part to make the book more suspenseful, but it wasn’t needed. You can tell that Sabra has a very hard time talking and rehashing her past and that shows through the past reflections. And I think that’s why not having those descriptive details works with this book – the character can’t handle that and if Dunbar were to go that deep into it Sabra’s memories, we would lose the true character of Sabra.
Trevor – oh that boy is a Saint. And I know any mom’s out there would love for their young sons to turn out to be just like Trevor. Sabra and Trevor started out as friends four years ago when she first arrived at college. Trevor has always wanted more, but respected Sabra and her reasons for not wanting to ruin what they had. Sabra has always expressed that she’s not a commitment type of gal and Trevor has seen that over the years. His loyalty to Sabra won me over immediately – even as a friend, he was there for her.
Dunbar wrote a very real and personal story. Her characters and their story really helped in making this book feel more alive. While I know that those who love their psychological thrillers to be a bit darker, I think that Dunbar still keeps the thrilling suspense alive with just the minute details she gives – it adds to the appeal of not knowing everything.
I hope Dunbar continues to write as I would love to read another novel by her.
About Kate Dunbar:
Kate Dunbar is a wife, mom of three, and obsessive tea drinker who loves a great story. She’s passionate about people and learning what makes them tick. You can find her eavesdropping, people watching, and living her best life wherever the winds take her.
This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…
Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.
USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar is OUT NOW!
