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ARC Review….To The Limit by Jo Leigh

by Jilly

Book links:

Synopsis:

Subject: Captain Sam “Jaws” Brody

Mission: Test his limits…and push hers!

Air force pilot Sam Brody’s posting at Holloman AFB is a new start…and a brutal reminder that he’ll never fly again. The bright side? It’s the same town as teacher (and widow) Emma Lockwood—the woman he’s always had a major thing for. The woman who married his best friend….

For years, Emma ignored the spark between her and Sam. Now that he’s in town, the spark has turned into full-on electrical overload! She tells herself to stay grounded. She doesn’t want another hotshot flyboy, no matter how sexy. But with every night of wicked passion with Sam, she finds herself closer to the point of no return….

Uniformly Hot! The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.

My review:

To The Limit is part of the Uniformly Hot Series and the first book of Jo Leigh’s that I have read and I was hooked after just reading the summary….I mean, really, who doesn’t love a sexy fighter pilot?

Even though Sam Brody has had a year to get used to the idea that he’ll be in the classroom rather then a cockpit, it still isn’t getting any easier to swallow. Now, it seems the only bright spot is that his assignment takes him to the same town that Emma hopefully still lives in. Emma had married his best friend but that didn’t stop him from loving her from afar since they all met years ago while the guys had been in flight school. However, after his best friend Danny died in a tragic accident, she had asked for space and he hadn’t seen her in almost three years. Faced with an uncertain future, he is hoping she can be the friend he desperately needs…and secretly he hopes for more.

Emma Lockwood, widowed three years earlier, has made a life for her here in Alamogordo, NM, and is content teaching and volunteering…well, as content as one can be as a young widow. Sure, she knew the risks marrying a fighter pilot, but she really never thought her late husband was anything but invincible. She missed him, and the life she had with him and his brother-like best friends and thought of them all from time to time but knew they had respected her wishes for space after the funeral. That was three years ago. Imagine her surprise when she gets a call from Sam, completely out of the blue, and learns he’s moved here and wants to know if they can meet. She’s kept hidden the attraction she’s always felt for Sam, but now? Now there wouldn’t be anything to keep her from exploring it…but that would never happen. She couldn’t allow it. Besides, Sam only thought of her as his best friend’s widow…..little did she know that was so far from the truth.

Together, the obstacles they face are great and many. Not only does seeing one another open old, unhealed wounds, but the attraction they feel is undeniable. The emotions that come with that attraction are almost crippling at times…the guilt, uncertainty and fear of history repeating itself. Will they be able to put their past behind them and learn to live with the chance they’ve been given?

This story was so emotionally charged from the first pages and was amazing. I loved every second of it. Sam, while being a modern day warrior fighter pilot has one of the biggest hearts and his not being able to fly hurt in a way that was tangible. He is loyal and kind and thought so much of the feelings of others before himself…I lost count of how many times I said “oh, Sam” with a pout while reading. I adore him! Emma is equally big hearted and a great match for Sam. I loved her strength and willingness to take a chance. Their story is one that was told beautifully…especially the last two chapters. I was literally biting my nails! No spoilers from me but I promise you, you will love how it ends just as much as I did!

Thank you, Jo, for giving us Sam and Emma’s story!

Four Loves

About the author:

Award winning author and screenwriter Jo Leigh began her career in 1975 as a reader in the Comedy Development department for 20th-Century Fox. She left Fox in 1977 to go on location with THE DEER HUNTER. She then worked as an auditor, associate producer and producer on such projects as WHEN SHE SAYS NO for CBS, BEULAH LAND for NBC, GREAT AMERICAN TRAFFIC JAM for NBC and CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR for Jozak Productions. In 1987 she became head of development for the McCarran Film Corp., overseeing a roster of twelve feature films.

As a screen writer, she’s had a series idea purchased by Cinemax, and has worked as a script consultant on more than 50 screenplays. Currently, her screenplay APACHE TEARS was optioned by Northern Lights Productions in Canada.

Ms. Leigh also teaches writing at workshops across the country and on-line, and is a frequent guest speaker at writing conferences. Her tape on Advanced Plotting from the Dallas Romance Writers of America conference is the best selling tape in RWA’s history.

Her first Silhouette novel, SUSPECT, was awarded BEST FIRST SERIES BOOK by Romantic Times Magazine, garnered the 1994 ROMANCE WRITER OF THE YEAR award from Pike’s Peak RWA, and was a finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL OF 1994 by Romance Writers of America.

Her first Temptation novel, ONE WICKED NIGHT was a finalist for BEST SHORT CONTEMPORARY NOVEL OF 1998 by Romance Writers of America.

Jo was invited to write one of the launch books for the Harlequin imprint, Blaze, with her book GOING FOR IT!

Her 2006 Blaze RELENTLESS was a RITA finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE.
She also ghost-wrote GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL DOLL – THE ANNA NICOLE SMITH STORY for Barricade Books.

Jo lives in an incredibly rural area of Utah where her many rescue dogs have room to run and play and her rescue cats are determined to win the International Shedding Award. She spends an inordinate amount of time reading about how the brain works, listening to music and trying not to kill the basil.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

August 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Review….Dear Adam by Ava Zavora

by Jilly

Dear Adam releases September 16

Book links:

Goodreads

Synopsis:

“You’re the more real to me than any man I’ve ever known … ”

To book blogger Eden, Adam is the embodiment of every literary fantasy she’s ever had. Intelligent, wickedly funny, sexy, and attentive – he and his fascinating life seem right out of a novel. Their whirlwind relationship is so intense and all consuming that soon she can’t imagine being with anyone else.

But there’s one little thing that’s keeping Adam and Eden from their happily ever after.

They’ve never met. She doesn’t even know what he looks like.

Despite how hard she’s fallen for him and how he makes her feel, Eden’s doubts begin to threaten their passionate love affair. Why is he so mysterious? Why does he seem reluctant to meet her? What is Adam hiding?

Afraid that she’s being made a fool of, Eden is forced to choose between her heart and her head. Is Adam too good to be true, as her common sense is telling her, or is the truth more startling than fiction?

My review:

Dear Adam is the second work of author Ava Zavora’s that I have read and I’m really, really hoping that I can adequately convey how much I adored this book in my review…..here goes nothing!

A thirty-something single mom, Eden has taken her love and comfort in books to the blogging world and for the past three years, it has been her happy place. She’s tried the relationship route, but the thought of spending time with a good book usually beat out any of her dating prospects. And that was enough for her. Until she starts chatting with Adam. Not one to be very chatty in on-line forums, Eden is surprised with herself when she finds the friendly banter between her new on-line friend, Adam, something she increasingly looks forward to. Before she realizes it, they have formed quite a meaningful relationship…even if they haven’t actually met in person. After months of phone calls, emails and messaging, Eden and Adam seem to be a perfect match in every way possible. Their interests and personalities just click, and even with opposing views on some issues, they still have a special and undeniable connection. Or do they? As open as Eden eventually becomes, Adam is equally secretive at times and she starts to wonder if he really is who he says he is. Will Adam ever truly open up to Eden and let her see all of him? Will Eden wait around long enough to find out?

So, I read a lot of books. Most of the stories I read are somewhat similar, which is fantastic and keeps me happy and my library full. Then, every so often, a book comes out that is completely unlike anything I have ever read and keeps me in my seat, e-reader in hand, for hours, from start to finish….Dear Adam is one of those books. I’m not sure exactly what I loved most. Maybe it was that in the digital age, and the heroine being a book blogger like myself, it was easy to relate to? I understand her reluctance to reveal too much about herself but understand how it’s equally as easy to fall into fun, lively conversation and friendship on-line. Maybe it was that this book was written so differently in that we read much of Eden and Adam’s email interactions and we got to see the relationship blossom from innocent chatting to something much deeper? Maybe it was the way Ava had me going back and forth the entire time between being afraid Adam wasn’t real, the suspicions that came and went about him and the desperate hopes I had for Eden that he was real and she get her happy ending. Perhaps it was the entire package. I can’t exactly put my finger on just one thing that I loved about this book….I simply loved it all! I will tell you one part I can say I loved a tad bit more than the others though. The epilogue. Completely surprising and not at all what I had expected but so amazingly perfect….I think I have lost count as to how many times I have re-read the epilogue. Five? Ten? Who knows, honestly. The epilogue was like the fluffy, sweet icing on the deliciously decadent cake otherwise known as the book Dear Adam…..deliciously perfect.

I hope that if you’ve gotten one thing from this review, it’s how much I am imploring you to read this book. It’s different and smart and entertaining and adventurous and relatable and well written and romantic and so truly refreshing and amazing. People, this book will NOT disappoint!

Ava, thank you for bringing us Dear Adam and for bringing me on an emotional, sweaty palmed (those last few chapters had me a nervous wreck!) journey with some awesome sigh worthy moments. Such a treat!

Five Loves

About the author:

“In my childhood, I used to ride water buffaloes and wade in swamps. When I discovered books, I would go adventuring with Anne of Green Gables, the Pevensies, Bilbo Baggins, or Alanna of Trebond. I incurred my mother’s displeasure for reading too many romance novels, so I learned to hide them and read underneath covers with a flashlight late at night. Nowadays, I travel and write dark fairy tales and romantic novels about adventurous women. And I still stay up too late reading, even though I don’t get in trouble for it anymore.”

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Website

August 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Review….Facade by Nyrae Dawn

by Jilly

Genre: New Adult

304 pages

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Can love save them?

After her father commits a crime that shatters her family, eighteen-year-old Delaney Cross is tired of pretending everything is all right. Packing up her car, she sets out to find the people her father hurt. Her search leads her to places she’s never been—and into the arms of Adrian Westfall.

To the outside world, Adrian is a sexy, charming ladies’ man. But his playboy persona is just an act. Secretly his soul is tortured by a memory too painful to share. Only Delaney seems to see through his façade to the real man underneath. And for the first time in his life, Adrian feels he can begin to open up about his past.

Together, Adrian and Delaney share a passionate love they never expected to find. Yet both still harbor their own secrets. When the dark truth is finally revealed, will it bring them closer together—or tear them apart forever?

My review:

Façade is the second book in author Nyrae Dawn’s Games Series and the first of her work that I have read. Two things: first, I am happy to say that you don’t have to read the first in the series to enjoy this amazing book and second, what a positively remarkable and emotional story this was!

Delany had been living a pretty decent and normal childhood. Older football player brother, working dad, stay-at-home mom….your typical all-American family. Until her father has a horrific accident and ruins their picture perfect life. Well, if she’s being honest, the cracks in their foundation were starting to show even before the accident. Always one to want to fix things, Delany sets off with her brother to attempt to reach out to the other family that was affected by the terrible tragedy. She’s hoping that maybe she can help the healing process not only for her, but also for Adrian…the handsome, brokenhearted parallel victim.

Adrian Westfall never really had it very good. His father was an abusive bastard and his mother a battered wife. The only bright spots in his life were his sister and Ash. Now that he doesn’t even have those two bright spots in his life, he has learned to master the façade that now carries himself through his lonely and depressed days. His poetry and his writing have been the only things helping him keep a loose grasp on his sanity. Some days the sadness threatens to swallow him whole. Then, he meets Delany and thinks there may be something in her that can relate to him…he has no idea how right he is.

The secrets and unimaginable hurt that ties Delaney and Adrian together will prove to be a tie that binds and also the bond that can tear them apart. They are instantly drawn to one another and find solace in each other’s company and what starts out as an innocent attempt at healing turns into something so much more. Will they find happiness again? Can they truly ever heal?

If you could see my right at this moment, you would see that my eyes are still puffy and swollen from finishing this book last night. Partly because I couldn’t put it down and read late into the night but mainly because I was a sobbing, blubbering mess by the time I was done. This book was intense and emotional and broke my heart more than once…..but you know I don’t think of that as a bad thing! Adrian and Delaney’s story is painful and beautiful and ran through some pretty intense emotions. Grief, betrayal, guilt, overwhelming sadness….but also love and strength. The connection they share is a heartbreaking one and they truly need each other to start the healing process and attempt to find happiness in life again, even if Adrian isn’t as knowing as Delaney is in the situation. Delany is strong and determined with an innocence she still is able to hold on to despite the terrible hand dealt to her. She knows she can’t change the past and what happened but she is willing to try to bring some peace to Adrian and help him heal. Adrian is a broken soul. The accident left him completely ruined emotionally and no matter how he’d like his life to be different, he can’t change what has happened and that has made him who he is today. He tries hard to keep up a cool appearance and act as though he’s into his partying and sex filled social status, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The road Delany and Adrian travel down is absolutely gut wrenching but also extremely necessary in healing. I have to mention there was a twist near the end that I didn’t see coming….and it made the story even more emotional than it already had been, which I didn’t think was possible. THAT was what turned my sad sniffles into an all out ugly cry. But remember, I don’t think of that as a bad thing (my family may disagree since I looked like hell the next day, but pffft to them!).

Emotionally stunning is how I would best describe this book. I was drained when I finished but happy with how the book ended…I say book, because I know Delany and Adrian’s story will continue on even when we aren’t reading it.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn’s passion. There have been times in her life where she wasn’t able to chase that dream the way she desired, but she always found her way back to telling stories.

One of her loves has always been writing about teens. There’s something so fresh and fun about the age that she loves exploring. Her husband says it’s because she doesn’t want to grow up. She doesn’t think that’s such a bad thing and luckily for her, he doesn’t either.

Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she’s a total romantic at heart and proud.

Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids.

When she’s not with her family, you can be pretty sure you’ll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her.

She writes for Entangled Publishing, Grand Central Publishing and is self-published.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

August 2013 New Reviews

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ARC Review….Outside the Lines by Kimberly Kincaid

by Jilly

Outside the Lines releases TODAY!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

As an ivy-league ER doctor who eats double shifts for breakfast (and lunch…and dinner), Blake Fisher has little appetite for anything other than work. Being on the staff at Brenstville Hospital means taking care of people, a need Blake understands all too well from losing his brother to cystic fibrosis eight years ago. When he’s asked to coordinate a carnival fundraiser for the cause, he jumps at the chance to help others with the disease…until it lands him side by side with the one woman he never thought he’d see again: his ex-fiancée.

Streetwise and rough around the edges, Jules Shaw is no stranger to earning a living through hard work. But when her job as the restaurant manager of Mac’s Diner puts her shoulder to really broad shoulder with Blake Fisher, she nearly balks. She’d rather dodge and deflect than admit the real reason she broke things off, but the catering contract for the carnival means big business for Mac’s, and feeding people is Jules’s lifeblood.

As Blake and Jules join reluctant forces, they quickly rediscover the spark between them. But the possibility of a future together hinges on coming clean about the past, with potentially devastating consequences. Can Blake and Jules overcome their drastically different backgrounds and learn to love again, or will they always be outside the lines?

My Review:

Outside the Lines is the newest piece from Kimberly Kincaid and follows her novella, Drawing the Line, a story I really enjoyed. Well, Kimberly has worked her magic again! Outside the Lines was wonderful!

Jules Shaw, the manager at Mac’s Diner, has faced her share of hardships in her past and is finally feeling like she’s overcome them. She feels at home running the restaurant and feels like she’s doing some good in the world making and feeding people with foods she loves. So, you’d think she knows her way around the kitchen but when she burns her arm and heads to the hospital the last person she expects to have treat her wound is the ex-fiancé she left behind eight years ago. Adding insult to injury, after being treated and thinking she could outrun her past again, she finds out she will be working with the good doctor for a charity event she has busted her chops to land the catering contract for. The fates really do have it in for her, it seems.

Blake Fisher must have worked entirely too many shifts in a row…because surely his eyes are playing tricks on him. The woman who took his heart with her when she left him eight years earlier cannot be sitting in his ER. He never would have thought he’d run into her when he moved away from the city and back to his roots and this hospital. But sure enough, here she is, and his reaction to her is exactly as strong as it was back then. Can he be lucky enough to have a second chance with the beautiful, strong and talented woman he hasn’t been able to get out of his mind for all this time?

Will Blake and Jules find out what went wrong and what caused her to leave him with nothing more than a Dear John letter? Having to work together for the next six weeks planning the hospital’s annual charity event will give them plenty of time spent in each other’s company….and will make it damn hard to ignore the spark that still lingers between them.

Well, let me say that for just 109 pages, this novella packs a punch! I sat down to start this, and before I knew it, I had ignored a whole afternoon worth of responsibility because I was so into this story. Jules is a gal I really enjoyed. She’s overcome many obstacles and never forgot where she came from. She is always baking or cooking and making sure the people she cares for have what they need. Blake is just as enjoyable. He’s an honest to goodness, all around good guy wrapped in a handsome package. He’s got a great big heart that shows when he’s caring for his patients and when he’s with Jules. Together, their relationship is just very honest to me. They realize their attraction and are simply two people trying to figure out how to make it work. What I liked best about this novella was that there had been a history between the characters before the story picked up, which made the story really easy to get in to, and a pleasure to read. The back-story and current situations both were balanced out really well and I didn’t feel I was missing anything or that I was getting too much of somthing. I imagine that’s hard to do with a shorter story, but Kimberly does is flawlessly here!

Thank you, Kimberly, for another delicious read! I cannot wait to see what treats she has in store for us in the future (…and I’m hoping it involves a sexy fireman named Aaron!)

Five Loves

About the author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

July 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Review….Play Me by Diane Alberts

by Jilly

Play Me releases July 29

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Even the best-laid plans can go awry.

Single-mom Kiersten Worth knows a bottle of champagne and night of hot, no-strings-attached sex is the perfect solution to her jilted bride blues…and Garrett Kelly, long-time friend and her teenaged son’s sexy basketball coach, is just the stud for the job.

Garrett wants more from the elusive temptress than a casual affair, but he never expects it to come in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. When he proposes an unorthodox solution—move in and raise their baby together—Kiersten has to decide whether to let down her guard and open her heart to the man who secretly loved her for years, or risk losing his tender embrace for good.

My review:

Play Me is the third story in the Take a Chance Series by Diane Alberts. I have read, and enjoyed, the first two and was really looking forward to this story after just looking at the cover. Well, Diane has done it again…..this story rocked!

Kiersten Worth was not supposed to be spending this day alone. It was supposed to be her wedding day, but thanks to a cheating fiancé, there will be no wedding bells for her. Luckily, she has been spending time with Garrett, a childhood friend of her and her brother and her son’s basketball coach. She’s looking forward to seeing him tonight for one of their casual chill-on-the-couch-with-a-movie nights when she decides to hatch a plan to get her ex out of her head, even if just for one night. She knows Garrett has had a crush on her for years and tonight she plans on taking advantage of that. Yep, hot and sexy Garrett is just the man to get the job done. After her itch is scratched, surely they will be able to go back to their carefree relationship as friends….until the unexpected happens.

Garrett has watched Kiersten from across the gym floor at basketball games and dreamed of what it would be like to have more with her….more than just a close friend. But he knows that’s just a fantasy. He’s best friends with her brother and her son’s basketball coach and that’s all he will ever be to her. Imagine his surprise when he heads to her house for a typical night in and gets way more than what he’s ever imagined.

Here’s the thing with those friendly hook-ups….most of the time they just don’t work. The awkwardness that follows can ruin the best of friendships and it just may ruin Garrett and Kiersten’s. Fate won’t let that happen though and when Kiersten finds out she’s pregnant, Garrett comes up with a plan to make things work for all of them…..hopefully.

What a great read this was. High emotion and intense at times but with such caring and love interspersed throughout it gave the story great balance. Kiersten has been hurt and just can’t shake it. I can’t blame her, really. She doesn’t want to want Garrett and tries to push him away at every turn because she thinks it’s the best way to keep what’s left of her heart safe. Lucky for her Garrett is focused and headstrong and won’t give up without a fight! Damn, I do love me some Garrett! He’s loyal, trustworthy, reliable and damn sexy with a huge heart. He’s not ready to give up on Kiersten or their growing family. They have a rough go of things and have to really work through some major issues. I will admit I wanted to shake Kiersten a few times while reading and tell her to grab Garrett before it’s too late but if you know me, you know I love characters that get me to feel! Oh, and the chemistry between them and their schmexy scenes are positively delicious! I was fanning myself more than a few times…..yum!

If you’re looking for a yummy, heartwarming and entertaining read, I say get Play Me on your to-read list! This is a series I will always look forward to seeing more from. Thank you, Diane, for another fabulous story!

Four Loves

About the author:

Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.

She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. She has, as of this date, four books with Entangled Publishing, one book with Swoon Romance, and five older books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. Her Swoon Romance novella, CAPTIVATED BY YOU, hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

July 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Review….All My Life by Rucy Ban

by Jilly

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Kari meets Neil Mars. “Neil as in Armstrong and Mars…as in Bruno.” A boy who beats every vampire, werewolf, highlander fantasy Kari has ever had. But she knows she can’t get close to him. Not ever. Because that would mean telling him everything. Coming clean. And Kari can’t bear the idea of changing the way Neil looks at her. Like she’s the only girl in the world. His reverence is something too precious to lose. Perhaps even at the cost of losing him.

But Kari doesn’t know why Neil calls her his ‘Angel’ and when she finds out, she realizes what love is all about. Boundless joy, unending longing and a fuckload of heartache.

My Review:

All My Life is the debut from author Rucy Ban and the first in the First Things Series. As I sit here and begin this review I have to say….this was one hell of a kick ass debut!

Kari hasn’t exactly had what you’d call the best of luck when it comes to boyfriends. She’d fallen for the wrong guy in high school and has been paying for it since. Now, in college, she’s happy for the anonymity college life brings. Even if she can’t shake the regret her high school ex-loser boyfriend brings, no one else had to know about it on this campus. It was without a doubt a story she never wanted to share with anyone. Now, with school going well, she’s longing for more and that comes in the form of a chance part-time job offer at the tattoo parlor opening up right down the street. Seems interesting enough, and she had always done well in art class, so why not! Maybe this is just what Kari needs to breathe some life into her miserable, regretful life. What she doesn’t need is the distraction of the positively lickable hottie that has just walked into the shop. Not making things better is his relationship to the shop owner and the fact that he’s around a whole lot more than Kari would like. His panty dropping looks and kind and polite personality is a combo she is finding hard to resist and starts breaking down the walls she’s built around her heart.

Neil Mars is a young guy with a whole lot on his plate. Heartbreaking issues that a young guy shouldn’t have to be dealing with. But as he walks into the tattoo parlor, he meets Kari. Kari, the one who ends up representing all that is good in love and life and turns out to be the lifeline he needs. His angel.

Where to begin?! This story rocked. Seriously rocked. Keri is full of snark and had me laughing out loud too many times to count. Her life kinda sucks when we meet her and she totally knows it. The cynical outlook she has on things is justified and she weaves that cynicism with sarcasm and a dash of innocence that turns it into a combo that is awesome to read! She’s written in a way that I could see her in my mind’s eye and imagine how she would be behaving at that moment and is someone I would totally love hanging out with. Neil is such a swoon worthy hero. The bad boy looks with the big heart, soft-spoken demeanor and unwavering strength in the face of adversity is a package that’s hard to beat. These two have a whole lot to deal with during this book, and reading some other reviews, some may think too much but I really enjoyed how the whole story played out. I felt that it kept the story going and never left the reader with a dull moment. The cast along with Keri and Neil are also some amazing characters. Spunky and heartwarming people who complimented the story at every turn and added to the moments whether they were the laugh out loud or grab me a tissue kind.

All in all, I really REALLY loved this book and am so happy I got a chance to read it. I absolutely recommend it if you’re looking for a witty, snarky, sexy, heartwarming read with a few “whoa” moments peppered throughout. Thank you, Rucy, for a fantastic story!

Four Loves

About the author:

Rucy Ban was born in 1978 and still continues to thrive. Ever since she first met Francine (the protagonist of her favorite novel, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), Rucy fell in love with the written word. Rucy has a B-school degree in Marketing which she now puts to good use teaching lovable rowdy rogues and negotiating with her equally belligerent adolescent. In her previous avatar, she handled corporate communications for companies. At present, Rucy lives in Sao Paulo, travels often, speaks decent, if not quite fluent, Portuguese and really hates talking about herself in third person.

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter

July 2013 New Reviews

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Blog Tour & Giveaway….Blood Entangled by Amber Belldene

by Jilly

Title: Blood Entangled (Blood Vine #2)

Author: Amber Belldene

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publication Date: July 23, 2013 by Omnific Publishing

Event organized by: Literati Author Services

Purchase links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Omnific

Synopsis:

Book Two in the Blood Vine series:

KOS MARAS’s orderly life is in shambles—he must distribute Blood Vine to a population of ailing vampires, but Hunters block him at every turn. To make matters worse, each night he watches over a temptingly beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. He is convinced love cannot last a vampire-long lifetime and an entanglement will only cause them grief, but he doesn’t have the heart to send her away.

From a long line of blood servants, LENA ISAAKSON is destined to serve a vampire, but a string of humiliating rejections thwarts her pleasure. When Kos shows her kindness, she hopes he will claim her. Instead he proves himself a coward in the face of love and sends her to serve another.

Will the dark seduction of a rakish new vampire finally bring Lena the pleasure she desires or deliver her into the hands of Hunters who want to destroy everything the Maras family has worked for?

My review:

Blood Entangled is the second book in Amber Belldene’s Blood Vine Series. After falling in love with this series while reading the first book, I was so excited to get my hands on Blood Entangled….and Amber rocked the vampire world once again with this story!

Still reeling and embarrassed from Andre’s rejection, Lena Isaakson is talking solace in the comfort given to her from Andre’s son, Kos. Staying in Kos’s home after leaving the Kastle Estate Winery, and place she’s called home, she has to decide what to do with her life. Lena knows she was born to serve a vampire household as her grandmother had done before her and she thought the estate was that household. While contemplating her next move she starts to realize that her feelings for Kos run far deeper than she expected and thinks he may be the vampire she truly wants to serve.

Kos has more than enough on his plate. Hunters trying to take down his family and their winery and trying to distribute life-saving blood vine wine to dying vampires should be plenty to keep his mind occupied but Lena is all he can think about. She has always held a place in his heart and now, after he offers to take care of her until she decides what to do next, he starts to think there’s no way he can let her leave. Unfortunately, the nagging memories of his mother and Andre’s disastrous love affair can never be erased and he believes love can never last. Looks like the only solution is to find a new household and new vampire for Lena to serve…it may prove to be that hardest thing he’s ever had to do.

Their chemistry is undeniable, but old memories and too many emotions and hurt will lead to many twists in the road for Lena and Kos. Add Ethan Bennett and his hunter’s insatiable appetite for their demise and destruction and the odds are certainly stacked against them. Will what they’ve found between them prove to be worth fighting for and taking a chance?

It was SO great to get back into the Kastle Estate Winery and see where things are headed! Predictable is NOT a word I would use to describe this book, that’s for sure. I wasn’t sure how I would like Lena when I started this book, but by the end of the first chapter I loved her. She is a passionate gal with a wit about her that was unexpected and totally enjoyable. She called Andre a “big mean jerk”…..I’m still laughing at that! She was written so well that I could feel her emotions when she felt rejected and defeated. I was really pulling for her happy ending because she truly deserved it (of course, I can’t tell you if she got it – mwahaha!). Kos is so loyal and focused. He is driven and wants nothing more than to help his father, his race and Lena. He broke my heart every time he would swear off love. Men, vampire or not, can be so stubborn!

There were more than a few surprises in this book and damn, if I didn’t love them! The hunters are still relentless and there was an addition to Ethan’s crew that I’m sure we will be learning more and more about as the series continues because she’s quite a mystery. The last half of this book was packed with *gasp* moments for me. We meet someone who helps solve some old family mysteries and gives hope to Kos and Lena when they need it most but the very last fight with the hunters in this story was the biggest *gasp* moment of them all! Not gonna spoil it for you but I will say I really, REALLY, didn’t think it would play out the way it did. I love that from a book! Again, predictable is NOT a word I’d use.

Thank you, Amber, for another amazing look into the vampire world at Kastle Estate Winery. I will be looking forward to more and more from Andre, Zoey, Kos, Lena, Bel and the whole awesome cast of characters!

Four-and-a-Half Loves

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About the Author

Amber Belldene grew up on the Florida panhandle, swimming with alligators, climbing oak trees and diving for scallops…when she could pull herself away from a book. As a child, she hid her Nancy Drew novels inside the church bulletin and read mysteries during sermons—an irony that is not lost on her when she preaches these days.

Amber is an Episcopal Priest and student of religion. She believes stories are the best way to explore human truths. Some people think it is strange for a minister to write romance, but it is perfectly natural to her, because the human desire for love is at the heart of every romance novel and God made people with that desire. She lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

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Blog Tour Giveaway July 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer…..Selene’s Review of Tied Up, Tied Down by Lorelei James

by Jilly

Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer continues with Selene’s review of Tied Up, Tied Down by Lorelei James

Book Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

…The strongest bonds are the ones unseen.

Businesswoman Skylar Ellison is firmly in control of her life. So getting tangled up with a sexy Wyoming cowboy—and conceiving a baby in the parking lot of a honky-tonk—wasn’t in her plan. Since it appears the daddy has taken off for greener pastures, the only thing to do is pull up her bootstraps and carry on alone.

Cattle rancher Kade McKay returns home after a year on the range, and is knocked for a loop when he learns he’s the father of a three-month-old baby girl. When Skylar refuses to marry him, Kade grits his teeth, moves in and plays house by her rules to prove he’s a man in for the long haul.

Despite Skylar’s insistence they are to remain strictly parenting partners, their old passions flare hot as a brush fire, spurring Kade to demand absolute sexual surrender from the headstrong woman. Skylar willingly submits her body to the hot-blooded cowboy but she’s leery of handing Kade the reins to her heart.

Can Kade convince Skylar the wicked sex games aren’t a temporary distraction? Or will he have to bust out the ropes to show her he wants to be tied to her…forever?

Selene’s Review:

FAVORITE. BOOK. OF THE SERIES.

Kade McKay. What can I possibly say about him? All I know is if he were a real man, I would stomp every woman in my way to get at him. He is, quiet simply, the perfect man. A 6 foot, 3 inch hunk of a man with icy blue eyes and almost jet black hair. Oh and he has a killer body, too. I said perfect man, right?

As a fairly tall woman myself, I love to see authors write about other big, tall women instead of those cute, petite little things you could fit in a Barbie box. Not judging, just saying. Skylar Ellison is a force to be reckoned with –a woman always in control… until dreamboat Kade McKay comes along. Well, at first she actually goes out on a date with Kade’s twin brother Kane, but since that didn’t pan out, Kade thought he’d take out the beautiful Skylar while impersonating his brother Kane so that he could save the McKay reputation. This does cause a major rift between Kade and Skylar – she finds out not long after they have sex for the one and only time that he is really Kade and not Kane and she breaks it off. This devastates Kade and he needs time to clear his head so he travels up north for a year. Meanwhile, Sklyar is busy with her company… and busy having Kade’s baby.

Upon finding out about one Miz Eliza Belle, the first girl McKay born since Keely McKay, Kade takes ownership and immediately moves in with his baby girl and her mama. And as soon as he sees Skylar again, and she sees him, the sparks fly anew and they can’t deny their attraction… lucky for us! And I have to say that the sex between them is equal parts hot and sweet, something Lorelei James does so very well.

Another great thing about this book is the many subplots and set-ups for future stories. It adds variety but in no way takes away from the main story.

And last but not least, the many proposals Kade makes to Skylar – NGH! They are unbelievably swoon-worthy! *le sigh*

All books in series were bought by the reviewer through Amazon.

10 million Loves…or maybe just 5.0 Loves since that is all that’s possible.

Five Loves

From author website:

A bit about me: When I’m not squirreled away behind my laptop writing fun, sexy, contemporary erotic romances set in the modern day Wild West, I can be found reading everything under the sun, practicing yoga until I’m a pretzel, shootin’ my .22, watching the Professional Bull Riders tour on Versus, and running a kid’s taxi service, all in the guise of avoiding housework and rustlin’ up vittles.

Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.

Cowboy Summer July 2013 New Reviews

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Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer…..Selene’s Review of Cowgirl Up and Ride by Lorelei James

by Jilly

Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer continues with Selene’s review of Cowgirl Up and Ride by Lorelei James

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

…Ridin’ the edge of lust is fun—until someone falls in love.

Goody-two boots AJ Foster has waited her entire life for her dream cowboy Cord McKay to see her as more than the neighbor girl in pigtails. Now that she’s old enough to stake her claim on him, she’s pulling out all the sexual stops and riding hell-bent for leather—straight for his libido.

Divorced rancher Cord has sworn off all women…until innocent AJ suggests he teach her how to ride bareback—and he realizes she doesn’t mean horses or bulls. Between his responsibilities running his massive ranch, missing his young son and dealing with the sexual shenanigans of his brother and cousins, Cord is more than willing to take AJ up on her offer. On a trial basis.

The fun and games tie them both up in knots. AJ isn’t willing to settle for less than the whole shootin’ match with her western knight. But for Cord, even though the sexy cowgirl sets his blood ablaze, he’s determined to resist her efforts to lasso his battered heart.

Sweet, determined AJ has the power to heal—or heel—the gruff cowboy…unless Cord’s pride keeps him from admitting their relationship is more than a simple roll in the hay.

Selene’s Review:

Yum, yum, and…oh yes, YUM!

Cord McKay and Amy Jo Foster have had very few and far between moments in the past, mainly because he’s her best friend Keely’s big brother, a full-time father, and 13 years her senior. But once new name and new attitude AJ decides she’s going to seduce Cord into teaching her anything and everything in between the sheets, he doesn’t have a shot in Wyoming to resist.

This book is definitely in the top 3 of the series for me. The sex between the two is too hot to handle and the build-up to their story made the anticipation to their long-awaited union absolutely delicious. Their insecurities, his age and her inexperience, made me root for them even more – we learn throughout the novel what each has had to overcome in order to be where they are and to deserve the love that without a doubt they each are worthy of.

Very rarely do I ever speak aloud while reading a book but I’ll admit here and now that when AJ was flaunting her sassy ass and rocking that come-hither look directly at her cowboy fantasy, I yelled out, “Get it, girl!” Nothing makes me want to cheer a heroine on more than when she sheds her shy-violet persona and goes after what she wants.

And don’t get me started on Cord McKay. Wooo-eeeee! That man sure does know his way around a ranch, but better yet… a woman’s body. *growl* And he’s an awesome father to boot! I’ll say it again and again: TRIPLE YUM!

I highly suggest this book to readers, even if you haven’t read the other two in the Rough Riders series.

Five Loves

From author website:

Cowboy Summer July 2013 New Reviews

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Review…Rosethorn by Ava Zavora

by Jilly

Book links:

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis:

Rosethorn is a breathtaking debut novel of love lost and found again that culminates in a stunning end you won’t soon forget.

“I know I could be happy with someone else . . . But it was decided a long time ago. It was always going to be you.”

From Morocco to Paris, Sera has traveled the world over but she never forgot Rosethorn, the beautiful, abandoned mansion where she and Andrew used to meet for trysts. Until the day Sera found her mother’s diary. Sera’s obsession with the shocking secrets it contained tore them apart and sent Sera fleeing to New York with a devastated heart.

10 years later, Sera revisits Rosethorn, only to run into Andrew, all grown up and handsomer than ever. Politeness gives way to a heated confrontation over their painful past. Yet unable to resist each other’s lure, both surrender to the undying power of first love.

Fate has brought them together once again, but will an old tragedy destroy Sera and Andrew’s second chance.

My review:

Rosethorn is the debut work from author Ava Zavora and I was 100% wholly unprepared for how much I ended up loving this book. Yes, this title goes on the list of books I’ve read in 24 hours and I loved every minute!

Growing up with only her grandmother and not ever knowing the parents she was born to, Sera dreamed of where her life would take her and all of the magical places she would travel to and see. Now, after realizing those dreams, she knows a piece of her is missing. The piece she left behind years ago with the memories of her first love and the magical place they shared…Rosethorn. Now, faced with the decision of accepting her boyfriend’s proposal to take their relationship to the next level, she realizes she has to go back. Back to Rosethorn and hopefully be able to bury the still potent longing for that lost love once and for all. But she sees the fates have other plans in store for her once she steps foot onto the lands Rosethorn stands upon….

Andrew cannot believe she’s back. Restoring Rosethorn was a dream of his since he first found the old home with Sera all those years ago. Now, she’s back and standing here…at Rosethorn. So many unanswered questions immediately plague his brain. The most important one being: Would there ever be another chance for them? He had tried for years to put his life back together but the girl who he had always noticed in his peripheral, ever since they were little kids in grade school, was a constant pain in his heart and thought in his mind since she left him years ago. He knows what they had was so much more than a first love…and he’s determined to make her see that they were always meant to be together.

What. A. Book. Sera and Andrew’s story was so pure and real that it brought me back to the innocence of the first crush and all of the emotion that goes along with it. Watching their relationship grow from the teasing when they were kids to the realization they both had feelings that went way beyond that as they grew up, was such a treat. Add the magic of the house itself, with its mystery and allure, and I was completely hooked. Reading about the adventures Andrew and Sera shared and the stolen moments in an old abandoned charming mansion and it ended up being like their very own fairy tale. Of course, there was plenty of mystery beyond the house. Sera never gave up trying to find the truth of who her parents were and what had happened to them. Never has the phrase “be careful what you wish for” been truer than in this situation. Sera finds out more than what she had bargained for and, even though her and Andrew had been drifting apart, what she learns about her past stiffens her resolve to go her own way…far from Rosethorn. I went through every emotion while reading this book…I laughed, got super angry and cried my eyes out. If you know me though, I love when a book gets the reader to feel and Rosethorn certainly did just that!

Hopefully I haven’t bored you with my blathering! In the end, I highly recommend Rosethorn (if you haven’t guessed!). If you enjoy stories about true love, second chances, mystery and self-discovery all wrapped up in an extremely well-written package, then this is a book for you! So, get to downloading, clear your schedule, grab some tissues and ENJOY! Thank you, Ava, for a story that will stay with me for a long time to come.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Five Loves

About the author:

In my childhood, I used to ride water buffaloes and wade in swamps. When I discovered books, I would go adventuring with Anne of Green Gables, the Pevensies, Bilbo Baggins, or Alanna of Trebond. I incurred my mother’s displeasure for reading too many romance novels, so I learned to hide them and read underneath covers with a flashlight late at night. Nowadays, I travel and write dark fairy tales and romantic novels about adventurous women. And I still stay up too late reading, even though I don’t get in trouble for it anymore.

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July 2013 New Reviews

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ARC Review…The Marriage Merger by Jennifer Probst

by Jilly

The Marriage Merger releases July 30

Book Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Her sisters have found wedded bliss with their wealthy, wonderful dream men, but not Julietta Conte. She’s stayed on terra firma as top executive of the family’s corporation, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Work is her passion, and her trendy Milan apartment her sanctuary . . . until Sawyer Wells, a masculine masterpiece in a suit, lures her out of hiding with an irresistible offer: an exclusive partnership with his international chain of boutique hotels.

Julietta’s been burned before—and trusting her brother-in-law’s friend, whose powerful gaze alone has her rethinking the best use of a conference room, is the riskiest proposition. But with a once-in-a-career chance to take the bakery global, will she mix stone-cold business with red-hot seduction?

My review:

The Marriage Merger is the fourth book in Jennifer Probst’s Marriage to a Billionaire Series and is Sawyer and Julietta’s story. I am a huge fan of this series and have been dying to read this installment…and in true Jennifer fashion, she delivered a fabulous story!

As the head executive of her family’s bakery empire, Julietta Conte hasn’t made her love life a priority and with the louses she’s dealt with in the past, one can hardly blame her. Now, with her sisters all being married and convinced she needs to follow suit, she concedes to their requests to recite the love poem to Mother Earth that they has all done and are convinced had brought love into their lives. So, doubtingly, she does it. Not expecting much, she’s surprised when a business deal that would make La Dolce Famiglia an even bigger success, falls into her lap almost immediately after her spell was cast. Why is she surprised? Because the man with the offer, Sawyer Wells, evokes all sorts of sexual desires and delicious sexual tension within her. She soon realizes she may have been playing with fire when she recited those words. Now she just has to decide what to do with it…fan the flames or extinguish them.

Sawyer Wells has been through hell and back and has the scars to prove it…both emotional and physical. Now, he’s a man on a mission to make his mark on this world and in doing so pay back many promises he’s made to himself and the people who have helped make him who he is today. With his latest project, a merger of his new luxury hotel and the exclusive old world style bakery, La Dolce Famiglia, he’s one step closer to realizing his dreams. It hasn’t been an easy road, and he will remember every dark twist and turn along the road leading him to the uber successful business man he turned out to be. Now, those roads also lead Julietta Conte into his life and with the zing of sexual awareness like he’s never experienced before, he knows there is something special about her. But when she turns him down flat, he relies on the determination that hasn’t ever failed him to get her to admit there’s something more between them then just a business deal.

Sawyer and Julietta have a great many hurdles to overcome, both personally and professionally. They both have a lot to prove and can stand to learn a few things about love and trust and breaking down emotional walls. Will they be able to help one another and maybe find love along the way?

So as I had said, I am a huge fan of this series and I have to say that this is officially my fave in the series. Jennifer took a slightly darker approach to this book and I think it was simply perfect. Sawyer is the ultimate damaged hero…the type of hero I absolutely adore. His past is positively heartbreaking. There were passages that had me reaching for tissues and damn, if that didn’t make me love Sawyer even more. One of the things I loved most was that Jennifer didn’t display Sawyer’s past all out in the open at once. We got pieces throughout the story and bit-by-bit the puzzle of his life comes into focus. The reader was right there with Julietta as she tries to figure him out. He is a character I won’t soon forget. Julietta is 100% kick ass. Yes, we know she is a tough as nails businesswoman and can hold her own in the boardroom but what was nice to see was that she has a vulnerable side. She has many facets that round out her personality beautifully. Together, they are a fantastic couple. Both strong-willed and used to the take-no-prisoners approach, it’s great to see the push and pull between them and learn their individual weaknesses. The heat and chemistry between them is delish and the softer moments they share are some of the best I’ve read.

Also a treat was getting to see the whole cast of characters from the Conte crew! I love when we get to see where life is taking them all and enjoy a Sunday dinner with them and Mama Conte.

I know all of you Marriage to a Billionaire Series fans will adore Sawyer and Julietta as much as I did! Thank you, Jennifer, for another awesome read!

Five Loves

About the author:

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. At twelve, I took a pen in hand and wrote my first love story. I haven’t stopped since. Those heroines taught me valuable lessons that served me well. I learned to keep my head up high and surge forward when I was afraid; I learned to demand respect in a relationship; I learned about compromise and dreams and independence. Those are the stories I want to write, and I can only hope I give back some of the joy I received over the years.

I live in the beautiful Hudson Valley in upstate New York. I’ve traveled to many places but always seem to be drawn back to the mountains. I graduated with a business degree, worked for Mercy College, and now spend most days dedicated to my family and my characters. I’ve pursued many career paths such as travel agent, yoga teacher and insurance salesperson. I’ve wanted to be an airline pilot, a dancer, an archaeologist, and a vineyard owner. I have been all of the above through romance novels, and intend to explore many more.

One of my turning points in my career was when I joined Romance Writers of America and met the wonderful people in my local chapter, The Hudson Valley RWA. Through supportive critique sessions, I learned how to develop my raw skills to get a publishable manuscript. I discovered my tendency for wordy prologues and passive phrases that all new writers work through, and now try to help others on their journey.

My “leisure time” is spent writing, reading, and raising two active boys. I believe animals are the other children in this world, and enjoy spending time at the local animal shelter, where I got my first “baby” Bella, a shepherd hound mix who gets into as much trouble as my son! I rescued my second dog from an abusive home, a beagle, basset hound who is the peacemaker in the household.

I met the love of my life when I had finally given up on my own romantic journey. The first time he asked me out he promised to buy my book if he could buy me dinner. We had dinner and fell in love over sushi and haven’t been apart since. We married and settled into domestic bliss. That’s when I learned it wasn’t about happy endings. It was about happy beginnings.

Book Promotion & Review

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Four Loves

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Four-and-a-Half Loves

Outside the Lines releases TODAY!

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Five Loves

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Five Loves

The Marriage Merger releases July 30

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Five Loves