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The Deep End by Kristen Ashley….Blog Tour Stop & Review

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✮✮✮  A delicious world of erotica, BDSM with alpha-subs and their Dommes, and a gripping love story…Welcome to The Bee’s Honey! The first book in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Honey Series, THE DEEP END is a seductive and rich lovestory. Order your copy today!  ✮✮✮

 

Fall into THE DEEP END and order your copy today!

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About THE DEEP END (Erotic Romance Releasing March 7, 2017):

Enter a decadent sensual world where gorgeous alpha males are committed to fulfilling a woman’s every desire…

Olivier isn’t sure what he’s gotten himself into when he joins the Honey Club, only that a dark part of him hungers for the lifestyle offered by this exclusive club. Here, no boundary will be left untested…and one’s deepest fantasies will become an exquisite reality.

When Amélie invites Olivier to surrender, she gives the alpha submissive what he craves. Soon they both find themselves falling harder than they ever anticipated—but as their connection deepens, the truth about Olivier’s past could destroy everything…

Gripping and seductive, The Deep End is the first book in a sensational new series from bestselling author Kristen Ashley.

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GooglePlay | Kobo | IndieBound | BAM

My Review:

The Deep End is the newest work from author Kristen Ashley and is a step outside of the norm for this author….but it’s a step I simply adored.  This story is totally delectable!

The reasons I adore Ms. Ashley’s writing are many.  She never leaves anything out.  Whether it be a feeling, a description, a moment shared between characters, every word is written on purpose and leaves the reader wanting for nothing.  Nothing is rushed or tossed aside.  The Deep End is a shining example of that…especially in dealing with the dynamic between the two main characters.

Now, I will say, if you are not into BDSM stories, this is not a book for you.  The relationship in this book between Amelie and Olivier is a complex, emotional, intense, and beautifully complicated one. It explores the true and deep connection between a Dom and a sub but in a most interesting and unmainstream way. Olivier is an Alpha sub…I’m sure you can imagine the dichotomy involved in what that means.  I, personally, loved that aspect.  It brings another side to the table beyond what we have been reading within the genre and it was a breath of fresh air.

Beyond the wide range of emotions and intense moments shared in this D/s relationship, I simply loved the way this book was written.  The prose was beautiful. Amélie and Olivier are multifaceted characters with so much dimension to them and I have no doubt they will stay with me for some time.  It’s all wrapped up into an amazing package.  Few authors have the gift I feel Kristen Ashley has.  She pulls out so many feelings from me when I read her books and it’s truly an experience.

Thank you, Ms. Ashley, for a wonderful story.  I will be looking forward to more!

Four-and-a-Half Loves

 

 

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Kristen Ashley’s THE DEEP END – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

February 27th

All Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Crystals Book World – Excerpt

Foxy Blogs – Excerpt

Garden of REden – Review

Stacey is Sassy – Review

Steamy Reads – Review

February 28th

Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt

Marieke’s Books – Review & Excerpt

Read more sleep less – Review

Scandalicious Book Reviews – Review

She Reads New Adult Book Blog – Review

The Book Bellas – Review & Excerpt

March 1st

After Dark Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

Booklovers For Life – Review

FMR Book Grind – Review

Jax’s Book Magic – Excerpt

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Three Girls and a Book Obsession – Review & Excerpt

March 2nd

Agents of Romance – Review & Excerpt

Under the Covers – Review & Excerpt

Book Bitches Blog – Excerpt

Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt

Reading Keeps Me Sane – Review & Excerpt

The Review Loft – Review & Excerpt

March 3rd

Random Book Muses – Review

MEReadALOT – Review & Excerpt

Mommys naughty playground – Review

Stephanie’s Book Reports – Review & Excerpt

Vilma’s book blog – Review & Excerpt

March 4th

a crazy vermonters book reviews – Review

Book Babes Unite – Review

Love Between the Sheets – Review & Excerpt

Vagabonda Reads – Review

March 5th

All About Romance – Review

Mustreadbooksordie – Review & Excerpt

Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt

PBC – Excerpt

March 6th

About That Story – Review

Krista’s Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt

KT Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Night Owl Reader – Review & Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Review

StuckInBooks – Review & Excerpt

March 7th

Shh Moms Reading – Review

Words We Love By/LucyLiciousReads – Review & Excerpt

Books to Breathe – Review & Excerpt

For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review & Excerpt

Joyfully Reviewed – Review & Excerpt

Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt

March 8th

Shameless Book Club – Review & Excerpt

A Fortress of Books – Excerpt

BJ’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Excerpt

Lit Slave – Review & Excerpt

Straight Shootin’ Book Reviews – Excerpt

March 9th

Behind Closed Doors Book Review – Review

Dirty Girl Romance – Review

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

iScream Books – Review & Excerpt

Red Cheeks Reads – Review

Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt

March 10th

Bookcrack – Review & Excerpt

Two Girls with Books – Excerpt

E-Romance News – Excerpt

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review

Lit. 4 Ladies – Review & Excerpt

Natalie TheBiblioholi – Review & Excerpt

Once Upon A Page – Review & Excerpt

True Story Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

March 11th

Aurora B’s Book Blog – Excerpt

Blushing babes are up all night – Review & Excerpt

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents – Review & Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

March 12th

Collector of book boyfriends – Review

Feeding My Addiction Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore – Review & Excerpt

Stormy Nights Reviewing &Bloggin’ – Excerpt

March 13th

Black heart reviews – Review

Nice Ladies, Naughty Books – Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Pretty Little Book Reviews – Review

Queenzany – Review & Excerpt

Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Talk Books to Me – Review

March 14th

Abibliophobia Anonymous Book Reviews – Excerpt

Alpha Book Club – Review

G & T’s Indie Café – Excerpt

Once Upon An Alpha – Review & Excerpt

No BS Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Book Whisperer – Review & Excerpt

The Escapist Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 

THE DEEP END - Tour teaser 2

 

 

 

Kristin Ashley - headshotAbout Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

 

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Mister Wrong by Nicole Williams…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

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Cora Matthews grew up with the Adams boys, twin brothers and best friends who wouldn’t let anything come between them except for one thing—her. One of them became her best friend, the other, her fiancé.

She always knew she’d wind up marrying one of them, and Jacob Adams is the very epitome of Mister Right. At least he is up until he fails to show up for their wedding day. Not that Cora realizes it. At first.

As Jacob’s best man, and identical twin, Matt makes a split second decision, but one that will affect the three of their lives forever—he steps in to take his brother’s place. In front of the altar, exchanging vows with the woman he’s secretly been in love with for years.

Cora eventually finds out about the groom swap. The morning after the wedding. As if realizing she just slept with her fiance’s brother wasn’t disturbing enough, she’s forced to confront her feelings for Matt Adams she thought she’d buried years ago.

Matt’s wrong for her. In every way. But through the course of her real honeymoon with her fake husband, she starts to uncover truths both Adams brothers were hoping to keep hidden, for opposite reasons. One to protect himself, the other to protect her.

She married the wrong brother, but what if he’s been the right one all along?

 

 

“So?” I crossed my arms and leaned into the banister behind me. “Did you? Like my brother?”
She sighed, turning toward the open door. “Jacob . . .”
“What? It’s a fair question.” I shoved off the banister, feeling hope and heat tangling in my veins from the look on her face, from the sound of her voice. She’d felt something for me, whether it be the most passing of crushes or something much deeper. Realizing that had me feeling drunk from something other than alcohol. “Besides, you’re stuck with me now. Won’t matter what you ’fess up to.”
Cora started through the doorway. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Grabbing the suitcases, I followed her. I wasn’t letting this go. Never. Not if she threatened death or castration or anything else. “Why not?”
She broke to a sudden stop a few feet inside the room. “Because I don’t want to focus on the past. I want to concentrate on the future. That’s not going to work if you keep asking me questions about Matt.”
There was a sharpness in her voice—one she didn’t use too often. She didn’t want to keep talking about me, which only made me want to continue talking about me. I’d struck a nerve, but I wasn’t sure how deep that nerve went.
I needed to know how deep it went. I had to know. My whole life, I’d been under the impression that Cora saw me as nothing more than a good friend and substitute brother. She cared for me, but not in the same way I cared for her.
Or did she?
“This thing with Matt . . .”
Her back stiffened.
“Was it a thing? Like ancient history? Or is it still a thing?” I closed the door and wondered why I could feel my heartbeat in my eardrums.
She kept her back to me, standing in the middle of the dark room like a lone ship on a vast ocean. “I married you.”
Yeah, she did marry me.
“But if he’d made a play for you, way back before all of this”—I waved my finger between the two of us, not that she could see it—“would you have given him a chance?”
“He never made a play for me.” Her voice sounded faraway, like she was out of reach when she was less than an arm’s length away.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” I stepped closer. “If he had? Would you have?”
Her back was moving faster from her quickened breathing. This conversation was making her uncomfortable. Why was that?
“Stop, Jacob. Enough.” She spun on me, swaying in place just enough that I reached out to steady her. She shook my hand away like it was white-hot. “I’m not going to get into another fight with you over Matt. I’m done. I picked you. I married you. What else do I have to prove?”
“That you don’t—”
“I don’t love Matt!” Her arms flung out at her sides as her voice spilled across the room. ‘There. I said it. Are you happy now? Are you happy we’ve managed to get into another argument over this infatuation you’re convinced I have for your brother? On our wedding night of all times?” She glared at me with bleary eyes. I couldn’t tell if that was from tears or from alcohol. Maybe both.
“Cora, I’m sorry.” I ran my hands through my hair, wondering what in the hell I was doing—for the millionth time that day. Deceiving her, betraying her, and now accusing and angering her. Maybe I didn’t know the first fucking thing about love. Maybe Jacob knew more about it than I did, because I wasn’t sure love was supposed to hurt as badly as this did.
“Just . . . enough already.” As she shouldered past me, I reached for her, but she shook me off. “I need to be alone.”
She slammed the front door behind her a moment later, leaving me alone with my idiocy.
“Cora,” I called to an empty room. I wasn’t thinking when I rushed toward the door after her. “Cora!”
The moment I pulled the door open, something crashed into me. It made a sharp breath rush out of my mouth as I staggered back a few steps.
My arms barely had time to wrap around her before Cora’s mouth was on mine, moving in such a way that made staying upright next to impossible. Before I had a chance to catch up to the fact that I was kissing Cora in an entirely different way than we’d kissed at the wedding and reception, her fingers were working at my belt. Quickly.
I didn’t know she’d already gotten it undone before she’d moved on to my zipper. The sounds she was making as she kissed me, the way her body felt aligned against mine, the way her mouth knew the intricate balance of submission and domination . . . one moment at a time, Cora was crushing the last remnants of my resolve. Destroying the final pieces of my views of right and wrong.

 

 

3.5 Stars

Nicole Williams definitely knows how to write quick, fast paced angsty stories and Mister Wrong is no shortage of that.

What happens when you find out the day after your wedding that you married the wrong man?? Sounds impossible, right? Even if it’s the brother’s identical twin. You’d think that would be hard to not notice, but I love how Nicole delivers this and makes it believable.

Cora has been with Jacob Adams for the better part of 10 years. She’s known the Adams’ brothers since they are tiny tots. But when in the heat of everything and some added alcohol, your ability to see things clearly becomes a haze.

Mister Wrong is told from both Cora and Matt’s POVs. Matt has been in love with Cora since he can remember and has always put her first. So when it came time to step in for his selfish brother, he didn’t think twice – not for the wedding vows or for consummating the marriage!!

Yes, shit hits the fan when Cora finds out the next day. And she reacts appropriately. And her entire though process and actions throughout the rest of the story are perfect. She grows, she learns, she finds herself and stands up for what she wants! But there are quite a few incidents along the way and not everything goes well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The whole “not realizing who you’re marrying” part was slightly hard for me to grasp on to (especially when the dad didn’t notice the switch – puhlease) but I have to admit, I let that go and just enjoyed the story.

It’s a quick and sweet read to lose yourself in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nicole Williams is the New York Times and USATODAY bestselling author of contemporary and young adult romance, including the Crash and Lost & Found series. Her books have been published by HarperTeen and Simon & Schuster in both domestic and foreign markets, while she continues to self-publish additional titles. She is working on a new YA series with Crown Books (a division of Random House) as well. She loves romance, from the sweet to the steamy, and writes stories about characters in search of their happily even after. She grew up surrounded by books and plans on writing until the day she dies, even if it’s just for her own personal enjoyment. She still buys paperbacks because she’s all nostalgic like that, but her kindle never goes neglected for too long. When not writing, she spends her time with her husband and daughter, and whatever time’s left over she’s forced to fit too many hobbies into too little time.

 

Nicole is represented by Jane Dystel, of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

 

Website   Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  

 

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For His Eyes Only by Lexi Blake….Blog Tour & Review

 

FHEO available now

 

forhiseyesonly_highresA night he can’t forget

Five years ago, Nick Markovic found himself consumed by his quest for vengeance. The one time he managed to find peace was in the arms of Hayley Dalton. Being with her was like bathing in sunlight, and he ached to feel that again, but he couldn’t. He gave his oath to Hayley’s cousin Desiree, his partner at McKay-Taggart and Knight, that he’d never let his darkness infect Hayley’s innocent world.

A spark she can’t put out

It was years before that Hayley offered everything she had to Nick. After that one amazing night, all she wanted was to be his forever. Unfortunately, Nick’s reaction was to walk away from her and never look back. The warm and caring man she’d discovered was gone, and after Des’s death, he’d only grown colder. But when Hayley finds herself in mortal danger, she’s forced to seek protection from the man who broke her heart.

A flame that threatens to consume them both

Haunted by the women he failed, Nick can’t allow himself to grow close to Hayley again. Running to stay ahead of the powerful forces that endanger their lives, they travel from the lush Garden in London to the glittering lights of Rio. As the threat against her becomes clearer, he realizes that to keep her safe he must confront the demons from his past, even if it costs him a future with the woman he loves.

 

 

Amazon | Amazon UK | iBooks | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

 

 

 

 

4.5 Stars

I have to say, usually when an author is releasing book # whatever in a series, I sometimes get bored with the repetitiveness that usually follows. Well, let me tell you that Lexi Blake comes nowhere close to that problem!!

For His Eyes Only is the 13th book, yes book numero trece (don’t ask me why I went Spanish there when Russian would have been more appropriate with this book). Anyway, I digress. Lexi still keeps me on my toes and leaving me breathless with this book. It a series I know I can always count on to give me more than I anticipate.

I love how Lexi builds these characters up in previous books, but even without that knowledge, these books are still amazing. And sometimes, it’s even better not having any knowledge and going in blind, which is what happened for me in this book. And hot damn, I had many mixed feelings on Nick and enjoyed the hell out of Hayley.

Nick lost his lover, Des in a mission that went awry. Nick and Des’ relationship is one you get to see throughout this book, so I won’t go through that. Hayley is Des’s cousin who met Nick many years ago, the woman he walked away from. One he never stopped caring for. The one he is not good enough for. The one who is now coming to him for help.

Hayley tends to come across as naïve and mousy. But never undermine the ones who know how to blend in well and keep to themselves. She is force to be reckon with. I really thought Hayley would be overshadowed by Des’ ghost but Hayley was able to shine through and prove herself.

I won’t go into much detail about the plot lines other than it’s pretty intense. Lexi does focus more on the suspense and action and not too much BDSM, but it’s still an amazing read. Hayley does get one interesting lesson in BDSM and I think that’s what helps brings out the feisty side that’s been hidden away.

Overall, I loved this book. It’s true to Lexi’s amazing story telling. Then ending has left me begging for the next book. And I am truly intrigued about these lost boys, Ezra and Damon. What will Lexi bring us next in her erotic, romantic suspense?!?

 

 

 

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Nick went back to staring at the report. “Hayley’s not mine. She was Desiree’s cousin. Now she’s my client.”

Who had been tired the night before and that was why she’d said the things she’d said. This morning she’d seemed much more sensible. After she’d had some sleep and a shower and had straightened herself up, she’d been quiet and seemingly reflective. She was very likely embarrassed by what had been said the night before.

I would get safety from murderers and I would get orgasms. I’m sorry, Nicky, you’re going to tell me how that’s a bad deal for me.

He was going to make sure she understood that his protection wasn’t based on whether or not she slept with him.

Because he wasn’t sleeping with her. He couldn’t hurt her that way again.

“So she was your old lover’s cousin,” Owen mused. “The lover you weren’t exclusive with and who wouldn’t marry you. The pretty girl who looks at you like you’re the sun in the sky is her cousin.”

“She looks at me like she would look at man who can save her.”

“I can save her.” Owen’s eyes lit up, his brows waggling. “Maybe she’ll look at me like that.”

Anger flared through his system. “Don’t you dare. I told you I would take care of her.”

His arms crossed over his big chest and Nick knew he’d been had. “Well, that answers the question with more honesty. You can pretend, but you like the girl. And if you honestly don’t then you need to know that the boys got a good look at her last night. If she’s going to be hanging about, she should be ready for some serious male attention.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The lads talked it over last night and decided there’s no dibs on this one. They all saw her at pretty much the same time. They looked over that dead body and saw her walking in the hall and that was when the fighting started. We all sat down and decided no dibs on her. She’ll get to pick. You should know that Sasha and Jax have decided if she picks either of them, they’re willing to share. I don’t play that way. That’s something I do know about meself. No need for you to be telling me that tale. If there’s going to be some sharing in the bedroom, it’s going to be the traditional kind between a man and a woman and her stacked best friend. That’s what I say.”

“You tell those boys to stay away from her or they will be dealing with me. They will not like to be dealing with me. I will put up with many things from them. They can poke all the corpses they like. They can punch each other. I do not care. They touch Hayley and I will be caring.”

“Wow, now you do sound Russian. A scary Russian. Still, I think if you don’t want the girl, shouldn’t she be allowed to choose? Think about it. It could be fun.”

“Are we talking about the lost boys and their battle for the new chick?” Kayla strode in, her hair in a high ponytail. It bounced as she walked, a testament to her seemingly ever-sunny personality. “I had babysitting duty last night and they kept talking about her even after lights out. Bad boys. I had a plan though. I think we make them compete in a beauty pageant. Hayley gets to judge.”

“I’m judging a beauty pageant?” Hayley followed behind Kay, and both women were followed by Charlotte Taggart and Penelope Knight. It looked like Hayley was rapidly being accepted by the women on his team.

That was not necessarily a good thing. The women on his team could create chaos like no others.

“That sounds like fun,” Charlotte said with a smile. “I think we should require Speedos for the bathing suit competition. No boring board shorts. If Hayley’s picking a lover, she needs to see some booty.”

Hayley stopped, her cheeks going the sweetest color of pink. “Wait. What?”

Penelope put a hand on her arm. “They’re teasing you, dear. Don’t worry about it. The lads will be very polite. Though you should expect some suitors while you’re here. Especially if you come down to the dungeon.”

Now he was the one flushing. “Excuse me?”

Hayley shook her head as she joined him at the table. “It’s nothing. I was just talking to the girls. Did you get the report? Penny said the Dallas office had found something.”

He was all too aware that they weren’t alone. Damon and Ian walked in with Brody Carter and Walter Bennett. The four men settled into chairs as the women joined them. Nick held out a chair for Hayley. He would have to remember that he couldn’t leave her alone for a minute or someone would be whispering in her ear, giving her ideas she shouldn’t have.

Like visiting The Garden on a play night.

It wasn’t happening.

 

 

 

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog int eh world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

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Checkmate: This Is Reckless by Kennedy Fox….

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Title: Checkmate: This is Reckless

Series: Checkmate Duet Series #1

Author: Kennedy Fox

Genre: Friends to Lovers Romance

Release Date: February 28

Goodreads Synopsis

Introducing book 1 in the new Checkmate Duet Series from a secret duo of romance authors under the USA Today bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox!

This friends to lovers romance will have you swooning and laughing from the first to the last page! Are you ready to play the game?

Drew Fisher is the type of guy every girl wants.

Noble police officer by day, charming prince by night.

He has no idea the effect he has on women, especially me—his little sister’s best friend.

I’m the blonde Southern belle who lives up to the cliché, except I have my own quirks. I’m smart as a whip, can change my own oil, and recite The Pledge of Allegiance backward, but he doesn’t see that girl.

It’d be easier to forget him if he wasn’t my roommate and if the first thing I saw in the morning wasn’t his shirtless body covered in tattoos. I’ve crushed on him since the day we met, but he’s made it perfectly clear where we stand. Just friends.

I know I need to move on and accept that his feelings will never be mutual, but every day he smiles at me, I’m left dreaming of what if.

He has girl issues, and I’ve got a crush I can’t deny.

We’re friends, but I want more.

One drunken hookup leaves us with much more than a platonic friendship. Pretending it never happened proves to be more difficult than anticipated.

A crazy ex-girlfriend, a dangerous war of stolen glances, and passionate kisses leads to the most reckless battle yet. I won’t be a pawn in his game, but I’ll play by his rules if it will show him I’m the one worth breaking them for.

Checkmate, Prince Charming.

*Recommend for ages 18+ due to sexual content and adult language.*

**This is book 1 of 2 in the Checkmate Duet Series–a friends to lovers romance. Highly recommended to read the Checkmate Duet, This is War and This is Love first, but not necessary. This can read as a standalone duet.**

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4.5 Stars

I was so excited when I heard that Courtney and Drew were finally getting their book!! Yes, I love Courtney (I mean the name alone has me loving her – HA!) but her whole character is awesome. And Drew, that man needs some serious ass kicking and there is no one better to do it than Courtney.

Courtney has been crushing on Drew since the day she met him. And she’s never really been secretive about it, Drew is just an idiot. Really, he’s just blinded by the sheer ignorance of Mia Fucking Montgomery. She makes him stupid. They say love is blind and that is so true for Drew when it comes Mia and her evil ways. He can’t see Courtney, his best friend, roommate and obvious soulmate.

Anyway, Courtney has now been roommates with Drew for over a year and has really gotten to know him even more. They are best friends through and through. Neither will ever do anything to jeopardize their friendship. But on the night of Travis and Viola’s wedding, they take it a step further, with the help of my little friend called alcohol.

I loved watching these two and their antics. Courtney definitely tells anyone straight up how it is. But when she is unsure of how Drew feels, you see a more vulnerable side to her. Drew doesn’t want things between them to feel like a rebound. He wants to make sure what he is feeling is real and true.

Overall, I really enjoyed their story. We get to see snippets of Travis and Viola plus we learn more about Drew and Courtney. We meet her family (I would love to see a spinoff series about her brothers -HINT HINT!). However, the one issue I have is the ending. I get that Mia is a lunatic and I knew she would try and mess up Courtney and Drew’s new relationship, I just don’t care for what happens at the end, that’s my only gripe.

My reasoning behind the 4 star rating (it’s 4.5 to me) is because the book didn’t have that excitement level that I was expecting, like the very first in this WHOLE series. It was predictable, which isn’t bad but that took away some of the excitement for me.

I am looking forward to the next book and seeing what happens next between Court, Drew and Mia Fucking Montgomery.

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About the Author

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A secret duo of romance authors team up under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox who share a love of You’ve Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate together under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make your lady bits tingle and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

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The Truth About Lennon….Release Day Event & Review

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Today is the release day blitz for The Truth About Lennon by K.L. Grayson! We have a fantastic celebration for you, so check it out and grab your copy today!!

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About THE TRUTH ABOUT LENNON:

Lennon Barrick-St. James is making headlines as New York City’s hottest new socialite. Only she isn’t new at all. One well-intentioned night gone wrong has landed the daughter of the vice presidential candidate Christopher St. James on the front pages of every newspaper and magazine in the country.

Forced by her father to stay out of the limelight, Lennon flees to the quiet town of Haven, Texas, where she vows to lie low and avoid men. Well, except for the sexy biker she just ran off the road–she definitely won’t be avoiding him.

Noah Cunningham

Already has a girl in his life, and he sure as hell doesn’t need another. Especially the beautiful and sinfully sweet angel that just descended upon the quiet little town he calls home.

The only problem is that the more time he spends with Lennon, the more he wants to be with her. And that’s just not going to work for Noah. He’s already been burned once and he’s not so sure he’s ready to go down that road again.

Noah has spent the last five years putting his life back together after secrets and lies ripped it apart. So what will happen when he learns the Truth about Lennon.

Get Your Copy Today:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

 

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My Review:

The Truth About Lennon is the newest work from one of my favorite up and coming authors. K.L. Grayson.  This story is sexy sweet with tons of emotion and plenty of heat.  I loved it.

One of my fave scenarios is a big city girl looking to outrun her past and start fresh in a small town.  There’s something about a person looking to discover who they are and starting anew that really draws me in.  That’s exactly where Lennon is in her life, and after finally learning her whole truth, I don’t blame her one bit.  She deserved happiness and a measure of peace in her life.  Luckily she chose Heaven, Texas, for her new start because she will find all of that and more.  Enter Noah.  What starts out as a bit of a rocky start, ends up quickly becoming an attraction neither one will be able to deny. But when the attraction turns from just physical to something much deeper, Noah will have to make one hell of an important choice and after being severely burned in the past, and he isn’t sure he’s ready for that leap of faith….yet.  Of course we all know when it comes to matters of the heart, the heart always wins in the end.

I loved Lennon and Noah’s journey and the road they travel on.  They both have pretty messy pasts and they both have reason to be weary of letting someone behind their defenses. Luckily they realize the connection and attraction they feel isn’t something they should ignore and they quickly turn up the heat…and boy oh boy, did they turn up the heat!  Talk about some seriously sexy moments.  All in all this is a couple I really enjoyed and, while I won’t spoil anything for you, I can guarantee they get the ending I was dreaming of!

Thank you, Ms. Grayson, for a phenomenal story!

Four Loves

 

Exclusive Excerpt:

Later that night, I’m crawling into bed, my sketch pad in hand, when my phone rings. Brenna’s name flashes across the screen.

Shit.

I don’t want to answer, because I already know we’ll end up in another fight. And I’m sick of fighting. I push the button to ignore the call.

I’ve enjoyed my short time here in Heaven, and it isn’t necessarily because of Nova and Noah—although they play a big part. But I’ve enjoyed the quieter life. I’ve enjoyed exploring the little shops in town, getting to know the friendly locals, and seeing the potential all around me. I’m doing what I want when I want without having to answer to anyone. No publicist watching my every move, and no looking over my shoulder everywhere I go, wondering if the paparazzi are hiding around the corner, just waiting for me to screw something up. And I haven’t screwed anything up. I’ve made some mighty fine decisions—both business and personal—since I’ve been here, if I do say so myself.

My phone vibrates again, but this time when I look down, I smile.

Noah: How is your night going?

Me: Better now that I’m talking to you.

I snuggle into my covers, waiting for him to respond.

Noah: I was going to call, but I didn’t want to wake you up.

Me: I’m in bed, but you didn’t wake me up.

Noah: Now we’re getting somewhere. Bed, huh? What are you wearing?

I can’t help it, I grin.

Me: Am I supposed to be wearing something?

Noah: Fuuuuuuck

Me: I can think of a few ways for you to come warm me up ; )

A few seconds later, my phone rings, and I pull it to my ear. “Hello?”

Noah growls. “You’re killing me.”

The sound of his voice is enough to send my body into overdrive. “In the best possible way though, right?” Because you’re killing me, too.

“You have no idea.”

I hear the sheets rustling, and I know he’s in bed. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be there next to him.

“I think I have an idea.”

“Are you really naked?”

“Do you want me to be?”

“Damn,” he mumbles. “I would kill to be over there right now. You know that, don’t you? You know that if I didn’t have Nova here, I’d be there in a heartbeat.”

“I know.” My heart melts at his sweet words.

“I haven’t been inside of you in days.” His voice is low and raspy, his drawl much more prominent, something that happens when he’s turned on.

“Soon.”

“Really?” he admonishes. “Because I’m beginning to think it’ll never happen again.”

I chuckle. “You miss my body that much, huh?”

He’s silent for a few beats, and then he takes a deep breath and blows me away with his words.

“It’s more than your body, Lennon. It’s your scent and the way it wraps itself around me. It’s the way your eyes sparkle when you smile and the sound of your laughter throughout my house. And how you are with my daughter. You’re amazing with her. You’re gentle and kind and loving and… it’s everything. It’s you. I miss you.”

“Noah?”

“What?”

“Unlock your door.”

I end the call, and two seconds later, I’m hauling ass out the front door in my pajamas. When I hit the bottom step of his porch and find Noah half-naked in front of his open door, wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung sweats, I nearly lose my breath. I’m not sure if it’s the tattoos crawling up his arms, or the way he’s hanging on to the top of the door frame—it could even be his warm, brown eyes, which are eating me from top to bottom—but he looks different.

“What took you so long?” His slow, sexy grin pulls me in, and I walk straight into his open arms.

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and smile. “I had to put clothes on.”

In an instant, Noah scoops me up, kicks the door shut, and is moving down his hall.

“Why the hell would you do something like that?”

 

 

 

About KL Grayson:

Kirby

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

 

Connect with KL Grayson:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KL-Grayson/1403900879892076?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklgrayson

IG: @booksbyklgrayson

 

Enter KL’s giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Keeping Her Wet by M. Robinson….Blog Tour & Review

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY
KEEPING HER WET
USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. ROBINSON
RELEASE DATE: FEBRUARY 7TH
COVER MODEL: JOSEPH CANNATA
COVER DESIGNER: THE FINAL WRAP
A Novella from USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. ROBINSON just
in time to spice up your Valentines Day!
Ten couples.
Twenty characters.
Ten chapters.
A collection of ten hot scenes from all ten of M. Robinson’s
standalone books. Each couple will have a chapter dedicated to them. New and
never read before.
Sebastian and Ysabelle- The VIP Trilogy
Mika and The Madam- The VIP Trilogy
Devon and Brooke- Tempting Bad
James and Gianna- Two Sides Gianna
Lucas and Alex- Complicate Me (The Good Ol’ Boys)
Jacob and Lily- Forbid Me (The Good Ol’ Boys)
Dylan and Aubrey- Undo Me (The Good Ol’ Boys)
Austin and Briggs- Crave Me (The Good Ol’ Boys)
Martinez and Lexi- El Diablo
Creed and Mia- Road to Nowhere & Ends Here
*Note: You do not have to read the books above to read
Keeping Her Wet!


 
ONE-CLICK FOR $.99 

3.5 Stars

Keeping Her Wet is a very steamy novella. You don’t need to have read any of her other books to read this. But knowing who her characters are does help more.

I love that each chapter is a different couple from each of her books. So you are able to skip around to particular chapters if you want to read about a certain couple. And they are all very quick reads.

These scenes are hot, steamy and sexy. While I enjoyed most of them, I did find the overall vibe to be the same and certain chapters I felt myself skimming. But overall, I did enjoy reading about each couple.

If you are looking for something to add some heat to your reading around Valentine’s day or any other day, definitely grab this book. You won’t be disappointed.

YSABELLE & SEBASTIAN-VIP/MVP
My tongue was in her mouth,
shutting her the hell up before she got the last word out. Making her savor the
taste of herself all over my lips and tongue. I grabbed onto the back of her
neck, pulling her closer to me. Placing her exactly where I wanted her.
Completely underneath me.
She licked and sucked on my tongue,
panting, moaning, and scratching at me to keep going.
I
didn’t.
Instead, I abruptly grabbed a
fistful of her hair, causing her to yelp from the sudden intrusion on her
scalp. “Let’s go,” I demanded in a much harsher tone, not wanting to have my
way with her just yet.



I had other plans that involved her being in a string bikini, completely
at my mercy. 

 

 ALL FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

 

USA Today Bestselling Author of The Good Ol’ Boys Standalone
Series, The VIP Trilogy, Tempting Bad, and Two Sides.
M. Robinson loves to read. She favors anything that has
angst, romance, triangles, cheating, love, and of course sex! She has been
reading since the Babysitters Club and R.L. Stein. 
She was born in New Jersey but was raised in Tampa FL.
She is married to an amazing man who she loves to pieces.
They have two German Shepherd mixes, a Wheaten Terrier and a Tabby cat. 
CONNECT WITH M. ROBINSON
 
$25 AMAZON GIFT CARD / $15 ITUNES GIFT CARD / SIGNED KEEPING HER WET PAPERBACK
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Retreat by Jay Crownover…..Revie

Every once in a while, you need to get away from it all.

I was a woman on the edge, shaken and shattered after a breakup that felt like it tore my entire world apart.  My best friend, sick of watching me drown in misery and melancholy, harassed me until I agreed to go with her on a week-long wilderness retreat.
She promised days spent bonding and getting in touch with our inner bad-asses. It was supposed to be all about the two of us roughing it and making do with the bare minimum. She assured me we were going to be pushed to our limits in ways that were unimaginable. Neither one of us could have ever guessed just how right she was.
Nowhere in the glossy brochure did it say anything about the fact I was going to have to battle the insufferable but deliciously rugged and sexy trail guide instead of the elements. The brochure also forgot to mention the part that warned when you left civilization behind, there was no place to pack your inhibitions and fears.
I was told that I would be facing a week where the only thing I should expect was the unexpected. However, no one mentioned that I was going to have to fight for my life…and my heart as soon as I ventured into the unknown.  I was a pro at hiding from my feelings but when it came time to face a real threat, one that could change everything, I learned I was more of a no surrender, no retreat kind of girl.
Retreat is a standalone novel, the first in the Getaway series which centers on the hardheaded and brokenhearted Warner brothers and the women that dare to love them.
These boys are very good at putting the wild in wilderness.
Amazon

Retreat is different from Jay’s other books due to type of characters and their location, however, you can still tell this is Jay Crownover because of her amazing writing.

I will be honest and say that had this not been written by Jay, I probably would not have made any attempt to read this book. It’s a country read – not my normal read. But it’s Jay Fucking Crownover writing it, so I’d be an idiot to not give a try. And let me tell you, I absolutely enjoyed this story and all the characters we meet.

Leo is a city girl who wants to escape from her pain and hurt. She’s sassy and fiery and wants to move on. So what better way than to do something totally nontraditional and go on a wilderness exploration! Except she’s not expecting anyone like Cyrus.

Cyrus (Cy) has returned to his father’s ranch. He’s the oldest of three boys and holds the family together. And he himself has gone through a divorce and just doesn’t want anything to do with falling in love ever again.

The dynamics between Leo and Cy are amazing. These two definitely butt heads on more than one occasion. They couldn’t be more opposite if they tried, but it’s what pulls them together. These two banter like you wouldn’t believe and it’s what keeps this book interesting. I enjoyed the second half of this book much more than the first half, but that’s because there was more scene and character building in the first half.

And that’s all you’re getting form me. I am not going to pick apart and divulge the book to you and give away anything. There are some steamy and sex times mixed in with some funny times. It’s all-around great read.

I really enjoyed this “non-typical” Crownover book. It’s a great start to a new series that I think many fans will love and will also gain Jay new fans.

Now bring on the next book!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Jay Crownover is the International and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, and The Point and Breaking Point Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road. Feel free to email me at: JayCrownover@gmail.com

 

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Ex-Con by Katana Collins….Series Review

 

 

 

Description:

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

Four-and-a-Half Loves

 

 

 

Part 1:

Ex-Con Part 1:

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

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

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

 

Book Links:

Amazon  |  Goodreads

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

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

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

 

Part 2:

 

Ex-Con Part 2:

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

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

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

Book Links:

Amazon  |  Goodreads

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

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

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

 

Part 3:

 

Ex-Con Part 3:

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

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

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

Book Links:

Amazon  |  Goodreads

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

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

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

 

 

 

 

Author Bio

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

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

 

Author Links

Website: www.katanacollins.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatanaCollins

Twitter: twitter.com/katanacollins

 

 

1 Comment »

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



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

Ex-Con: Part 3
(The Harrison Street Crew)
by Katana Collins
 
Blurb:
Worse than bad. Hotter than hot. These are the bad boys of the Harrison Street Crew, and they answer to no one. They take what they want. And what they want is you.
Volume Three of a three-part volume

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

 

Available for purchase at
Kindle    Nook   iBooks    Kobo
Make sure to grab Parts I and II
Add to your TBR List on Goodreads
Kindle    Nook   iBooks    Kobo
EX-CON: Part 2
Add to your TBR List on Goodreads
Kindle    Nook   iBooks    Kobo
EX-CON: Part 3
Add to your TBR List on Goodreads
Kindle    Nook   iBooks    Kobo
Don’t forget to pre-order Book 2 in the 
HARRISON STREET CREW SERIES
 
OUTLAW
 
Available to pre-order at
 
Kindle  Nook  iTunes  Kobo
About The Author

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

You can find Katana at
WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads

 

 

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

Over the course of one wild road trip, 
feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love.
LOVE STORY
a Love Unexpectedly novel
Lauren Layne
Releasing February 14th, 2017
Loveswept

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

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

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

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

 

Exclusive Excerpt

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Like, as in he actually starts?”

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

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

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

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

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

“Reece agreed to fix him up.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And then broke my heart twenty-four hours later.

 

 

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

 “We’re more than our mistakes.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

Lauren
Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
romantic comedies.
 
A former
e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York
City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
 
She lives
in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart
romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In
LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books. 
 

 

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Tempt Me by J. Kenner….ARC Review

 

Synopsis:

Sometimes passion has a price …

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

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

 

Review:

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

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

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

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

Five Loves

Book Links:

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

 

About the author: 

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

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

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

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

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

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