The paparazzi were on my ass 24/7 and I needed a bit of breathing room—an escape from the madness—before the media frenzy begins.
Sure, I could have gone to a secluded cabin in the woods—but I didn’t want to be bored out of my mind. I’d seen enough wide open spaces as a kid from Texas to last me a lifetime.
So instead, I let my agent hook me up with a modest house in the burbs where we didn’t think anyone would find me hiding in plain sight.
I’d have a roommate; but supposedly, she was going to give me space. Stay out of my way and respect my boundaries. According to my agent, I wouldn’t hear a peep from her.
Wrong. He was wrong about everything and now my life was never going to be the same.
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances.
Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced lattes, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.
A perfect gentleman isn’t going to make you scream the way I can…
SO NOT MEANT TO BE, a brand new sexy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, will be releasing on June 7th in all formats! Don’t miss the fantastic cover below and get ready to fall in love with this delicious, cocky man and the beautiful, smart-as-a-whip woman he can’t resist! Pre-order your copy today!
From USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn, comes a fresh take on a romantic comedy classic, When Harry Met Sally. This steamy, laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers romance is about an annoyingly handsome coworker and the woman who refuses to be charmed by him.
Am I friends with JP Cane?
Ha! That’s laughable.
Besides the fact that he’s adopted some far-fetched notion from the movie When Harry Met Sally that says men and women can’t be friends and work together, it’s safe to say we’re not friends. He’s annoyingly loud, obnoxiously handsome, and has made an art out of poking all my hot buttons . . . multiple times a day.
So you can imagine how disgruntled I am when I not only have to fly to San Francisco with him for work, but stay in the same penthouse. Yup, we’re sharing the same air, twenty-four-seven. We’re talking full-fledged working roommates.
The man doesn’t know what it means to wear a shirt, thrives off protein bars, and you guessed it, moans loud enough for people to believe he’s Meg Ryan in a restaurant.
Spoiler Alert: I WON’T be having what he’s having.
Tack on his continuous flirting and his polished good looks, and I’m caught staring down the barrel of a seductive temptation that makes it hard for me to sleep at night.
But guess who can control herself? This girl.
Because if there is one thing I know for certain, it’s that JP Cane and I are so not meant to be.
Can’t wait to get SO NOT MEANT TO BE in your hands and ears? Mark your calendars for June 7th and text “READ” to (719) 223-3077 to be alerted when it is LIVE!
Stella Hunter and Aaron Shedlock are narrating this sizzling hot, hilarious romance in duet, and they are stunning as JP and Kelsey! SO NOT MEANT TO BE will be released on June 7th in a live release on Audible, so get ready to dive into this aural sensation!
ABOUT MEGHAN QUINN:
USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Never miss another NEW RELEASE, text READ to 474747.
Astra may be a Valkyrie, but on the battlefield of love, she can’t win.
Every man she dates is boring, intimidated by her, or treats her like one of the guys. She has nothing against beer and wings at a sports bar, but to be wined and dined once in a while isn’t too much to ask, right?
Between her mother’s “suitable” Vikings and the supernatural dating service, Mystical Matchmakers, neither seem to be able to get it right.
Rune is a good-looking, successful vampire. The only people he kills are in the books he writes, yet every relationship he has seems to fizzle before he takes it to the next level.
Desperate for something deeper, he joins Mystical Matchmakers, and is immediately smitten by the tall, beautiful Valkyrie. Their first date is fantastic and Rune just knows that she’s perfect for him.
Until he hits an unexpected obstacle—her family.
Can their relationship survive a fight with the people Astra loves the most?
Born and raised in Texas, C.C. Wood writes saucy paranormal and contemporary romances featuring strong, sassy women and the men that love them. If you ever meet C.C. in person, keep in mind that many of her characters are inspired by people she knows, so anything you say or do is likely to end up in a book one day.
A self-professed hermit, C.C. loves to stay home, where she reads, writes, cooks, and watches TV. She can usually be found drinking coffee or a cocktail as she spends time with her hubby and daughter..
From bestselling author, Jewel E. Ann, comes a hilarious secret lovers story that redefines the meaning of friendship.
Shep’s found the female version of himself … and he thinks she’s perfect—perfectly unavailable.
Everyone loves Shep, the charismatic employee at Scottsdale’s newest pet store. He has shared custody of his two dogs with his annoying ex-wife and a smile that can disarm most women.
Except … Dr. Sophie Ryan.
What starts out as a disastrous first meeting, involving a coffee catastrophe and mistaken flirting, turns into an unconventional friendship.
Fake phone sex.
Dog park dates.
And eighteen holes of golf.
The problem? Sophie’s taken herself out of the dating pool for a mysterious reason, imprisoning Shep in the friend zone for eternity.
As their competitive personalities hit a boiling point, the gloves come off and so do their clothes. When Sophie’s “real” life threatens their relationship, can Shep let go of his past to chase the one that might get away?
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
From the USA Today bestselling author of The Wedding Game comes a new romantic comedy about the antics that ensue when three siblings come together for their parents’ fiftieth-anniversary party.
Martin and Peggy Chance believe love should last a lifetime. With their fiftieth wedding anniversary on the horizon, they’ve modeled a beautiful relationship for their three grown children. But to their dismay, that lesson hasn’t quite caught on—the three siblings just can’t seem to take a chance and find love in their own lives.
There’s Ford, the eldest, devoted to his work and resistant to romance…or so he claims. Cooper, the middle child, can’t get past his divorce—until he reconnects with a feisty baker from his past. And Palmer, the baby of the family, is the free-spirited world traveler who always pictured herself with someone other than a handsome small-town family doctor.
When the Chance siblings come together to plan the ultimate anniversary party for their parents, they’ll have to navigate romantic entanglements, sibling rivalries, and the definitive end of their childhood. Whatever happens, The Reunion promises to be a fun, flirty, wild ride.
Excerpt:
TO: Family and Friends
FROM: Cooper Chance
SUBJECT: 50th Wedding Anniversary
You’re invited to celebrate the 50th wedding Anniversary of Peggy and Martin.
· Food and drinks.
· Music.
· Fun.
Party is at the original Watchful Wanderers store.
Sunday, June 2nd.
RSVP to Cooper Chance—just reply to this email
No presents.
***
TO: Cooper Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Palmer Chance
SUBJECT: Re: 50th Wedding Anniversary
Bro,
Please do not tell me you just sent a wedding anniversary invite through an email? Did that just happen?
Palmer—your not-so-happy sister
***
TO: Palmer Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Cooper Chance
SUBJECT: I Did
***
TO: Cooper Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Palmer Chance
SUBJECT: Re: I Did
You know I hate it when you respond in the subject line. It’s more work to delete the subject line and type in your response, than to just reply in the body of the email.
But ignoring that, what happened to the beautiful linen invites I picked out? You can’t just send an email for Mom and Dad’s 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. We look so . . . uncultured.
***
TO: Palmer Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Cooper Chance
SUBJECT: Re: I Did
The invites you wanted to purchase were going to be twelve dollars a pop. TWELVE dollars, Palmer. That’s a waste of money, a waste of resources, and just a useless way to kill more trees. Also, while you’re out galivanting around the world, who do you think was going to have to address all of those?
Me.
So, I did what was easiest. Sent an email. If you don’t like it, too bad.
***
TO: Cooper Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Palmer Chance
SUBJECT: Re: I Did
You realize the family owns a multi-billion dollar, franchised, outdoors store, right? Twelve dollars an invite is a blip in the pool of gold Mom and Dad are sitting in. Now we look like cheap asses who send out a wedding anniversary invitation through email. You’re an editor, but you didn’t even beef up the text. You made bullet points. Food.
Drinks.
Music.
Fun.
^^^ Yup, screams fun, Coop.
***
TO: Palmer Chance, Ford Chance
FROM: Cooper Chance
SUBJECT: Re: I Did
Once again, if you’re not here, you can’t have an opinion.
***
TO: Cooper Chance, Palmer Chance
FROM: Ford Chance
SUBJECT: Re: I did
Just catching up.
The invitation is less than ideal, especially for such a large and monumental event in our parents’ lives, parents who have given us every opportunity to succeed in life. I think we need to treat this anniversary with a little more appreciation and a little less complaining about the time and effort we have to put forth in order to make it happen.
I just spoke with Larkin and she is ordering the linen invites, having them shipped overnight, and we will have them sent out ASAP. We will treat the email as a funny save the date. I will reply all and tell everyone to expect a formal invitation in the mail.
Larkin and I will be flying out to Washington on Tuesday. We will be working up until the anniversary party on some very time-consuming tasks. Please be conscious of our time and energy.
I’ll be sure to have Larkin schedule in some meetings to go over all party arrangements as well as time with the family, but we won’t be staying with Mom and Dad. We booked two rooms at the Marina Island Bed and Breakfast, one being the attic suite so we can conduct business in private.
Please send your itineraries to Larkin and any requests so she can schedule them in.
Thank you.
Ford
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
“A swoon inducing romance penned in the way only BB can—with the perfect amount of witty humor and spice. Loved it!” —Kate Stewart, USA Today Bestselling Author
Group Therapy, a brand new steamy and laugh-out-loud rom-com from Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author BB Easton is now available!
From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the 4th Most-Watched Netflix Original Series of all time, Sex/Life) comes a romantic comedy about an inexperienced psychologist who falls for one of her clients and creates a therapy group from hell as an excuse to see him after hours.
I am thiiiiis close to finally becoming a full-fledged psychologist. PhD? Check. Prestigious postdoc position, providing therapy to entitled millionaires and C-list celebrities whose pumpkin spice lattes cost more than my Converse and make excellent projectiles during their reality TV–worthy tantrums? Check. Letter of recommendation from my velociraptor-like supervisor?
That’s going to take a miracle. Not only because my boss said I have to cure our most-prized client’s writer’s block in time for him to meet his insane deadline, but also because that client just so happens to be …
Thomas F*@%ing O’Reardon.
Yeah, that Thomas O’Reardon. The wickedly brilliant, achingly beautiful, devastatingly British best-selling author whose psychological thrillers line my bookshelf at home and whose face I might or might not picture while I … you get the point. Sitting in a confined space with him; inhaling the crisp, clean scent of his cologne; gazing into his broody blue eyes while trying to remember to nod and listen and come up with suggestions that don’t involve taking our clothes off … it’s torture.
So, when Thomas casually asks me out at the end of a therapy session, I’m forced to make an impossible choice: say yes and risk losing my dream job, or say no and risk losing my dream guy. In a panic, I blurt out a third option—the only solution I can think of that will allow me to see this man after hours without it being considered a career-ending ethics violation:
Group therapy.
The only problem? I’ve never actually done group therapy. And side problem: my other clients are heathens. But what’s the worst that could happen? I mean, it’s not like I’m going to lose all control of the group and let it devolve into a chaotic, bloodthirsty, topless fight club.
He wraps his warm, ocean-scented, oxford cloth shirt around my shoulders, and for some strange reason, my eyes begin to burn. I blink the stinging sensation away and focus on my breathing as my fingers instinctively curl around the open material and cinch it tighter around my body. It feels like a hug. A hug that I didn’t realize I’d needed so badly. “Thanks,” I whisper, swallowing the emotion lodged in my throat. Thomas folds his arms across his chest and shrugs, his shoulders already tense from the cold. Say something! “So, you weren’t freaked out by what happened in there?” I ask, tilting my head toward the building where the group therapy session from hell just occurred. Please say no. Please say you’ll come back next week. “Actually”—Thomas gives me a crooked smile—“it was kind of fun.” The corners of his mouth drop along with his gaze as it drifts slowly to the ground. “I wonder what it’s like to feel that free.” “You only say that because you weren’t the one whose client had you in a headlock.” He laughs silently, and it’s the perfect example of the self-control he wishes he could let go of. “Maybe that’s why you write about psychopaths,” I add, missing the weight of his eyes on me. “So you can experience what it’s like to be that … uninhibited.” A crease forms between his eyebrows. “Wrote,” he says, his eyes darkening as they travel to a place even farther away from me. “Past tense.” With that, Thomas turns to open his car door, and I panic. I panic, and I do the dumbest thing I’ve done yet, which is saying a lot. I reach out and grab his hand. Thomas goes completely still. I go completely still. Even the wind, which had been swirling brittle orange leaves around our feet, goes completely still as the words, “Will write,” leave me on a shaky breath. I try to let go of Thomas’s hand, but he laces his fingers through mine, holding me captive. Then, he turns and captures me with his eyes as well. “Future tense,” I add, unable to look away from the restraint and madness I see warring in his eyes. Thomas’s gaze drops to my lips, and when I run my tongue along the seam instead of screaming or slapping him or prying my fingers loose, he begins to lean forward. No. He is being pulled forward. By me. By my actions. By my confusing mixed signals. I invited this. And I have to stop it. But I can’t. My brain is barking commands that my body is no longer listening to. I watch helplessly from inside my traitorous body as Thomas lifts his other hand, slides it beneath my curtain of hair, which is still tucked inside his shirt, and cups the side of my neck. His thumb caresses the ridge of my jaw, and like the strike of a match, my neglected husk of a body goes up in flames. The heat engulfs me, spreading like a forest fire as it burns away the fingerprints of every man who’s ever touched me before. It ignites something deep inside of me—an inextinguishable need. An excruciating singular desire. I close my eyes and lean into his touch. And I hate myself for it. I can’t do this. I can’t kill my career. I can’t sabotage his treatment. But as I stand here, rooted to the spot, with Thomas’s fingers laced in mine and his hand splayed across my skin, I can’t even make myself exhale, let alone walk away. Just as Thomas’s breath, warm and sweet, dances over my parted lips, as my body tenses and braces for the impact of this wrecking ball of a man, it is the voice of another man that breaks the spell. “Dr. Sterling?”
About BB Easton
Wall Street Journal bestselling author BB Easton lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her long-suffering husband, Ken, and two adorable children. She recently quit her job as a school psychologist to write books about her punk rock past and deviant sexual history full-time. Ken is suuuper excited about that. BB’s debut memoir, 44 CHAPTERS ABOUT 4 MEN, is the inspiration for the #4 Most-Watched Netflix Original Series of all time, SEX/LIFE. Because she had so much fun writing it, BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly honest books, one for each man in her memoir: SKIN, SPEED, STAR, and SUIT. THE RAIN TRILOGY, an epic, immersive, end-of-the-world romance, is BB’s first work of fiction. Or at least, that’s what she thought when she wrote it in 2019. Then 2020 hit and all of her dystopian plot points started coming true. Hopefully, her feel-good romantic comedy GROUP THERAPY will fix everything.
R.S. Grey’s next standalone rom-com, Enemies Abroad, is out now! Check it out and be sure to get your copy today!
About Enemies Abroad:
It’s simple: Noah Peterson and I are enemies. Our fellow teachers know it, our friends know it—even the Starbucks drive-through lady knows it since every Monday she scrawls the name A. Hole for meon Noah’s cappuccino when I pick up the weekly group order.
The shrill whine of the school bell announces the start of each day’s no-holds-barred grudge match. Since neither of us is looking to get fired or thrown in prison, we war with our words and our wits. We prefer banter that bites. All day, I’m on edge, looking around every corner, expecting him to do his worst. Just when I think I can’t take the sight of his (regretfully) handsome face for one more minute, the school day is done.
Summer usually offers the sweetest relief—a two-month Noah detox—but not this year.
“We need two volunteers to chaperone a group of eighth graders in Rome” becomes a game of chicken neither one of us is willing to lose. We both want that bonus check.
“Back out,” I tell him.
“Scared?” he taunts.
No one thinks it’s a good idea for us to go to Rome together, least of all me. Taking this battle abroad will only lead to mayhem and misery.
DING. Ladies and gentlemen of flight UA447 with service to Rome, fasten your seatbelts.
R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com
Enemies Abroad was a very cute and quick read. It’s an enemies to lovers story between two teachers and it’s quite entertaining from start to finish.
Rachel delivers a story about two teachers who are at odds with one another. Noah and Audrey end up being chaperones on an international trip with some of their students and it forces them to be more cordial with one another. However, things are never quite what they seem.
I enjoyed this story. It was riddled with some humorous and sweet moments along the way as these two venture through a new country. They cannot escape one another as they can back home and it forces them to endure one another in ways they haven’t before.
Overall, I did enjoy this story and these characters. However, there were parts that bored me a bit since they didn’t add much to the story and felt more like filler. But all-in-all, it was an entertaining read and one I know that many readers will like.
Bad Cruz, an all-new romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and sure to make you fall in love and LOL from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!
I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy. But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.
He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician. I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.
He is Fairhope royalty. I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.
He’s well-off. I’m…well, off.
When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise. Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else. Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand. (My fault, of course.) But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question: Can I take another chance on love?
Enjoy a laugh and fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES on Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz
Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs
Excerpt
This whole day made me feel super prickly, but I still went with it. Unfortunately, I had no say in this, since I had lost a bet.
Then there was Trinity and my parents’ wrath to think about. And the fact Bear deserved a mother who didn’t look like she practiced the most ancient profession in the world.
Also, privately, I could admit I really, really liked the Anthropologie dresses.
“I think I’m starting to get a feel of what you’re into,” Cruz said when we got out of the store, which by the way, smelled like a new car and someone’s upscale bathroom.
I ignored his observation. I already felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman without being told I was on the cusp of self-discovery and inner transformation.
Next, we went to Free People, where I grabbed a few pairs of pants and some casual shirts and jackets. Then we went to a bohemian boutique, something small and not too pricey, and Cruz splurged on two pairs of sandals for me—both orthopedic but surprisingly not hideous—and a little purse that didn’t look like a tie-dyed squirrel.
I didn’t thank him one time during the entire shopping trip, careful to remind him that it was his idea, not mine.
Finally, around two in the afternoon, when I was ready for my lunch (more like in danger of eating my own arm), he stopped in front of Prada.
He jerked his chin inside. “Ladies first.”
“Are you crazy?” I glared at him. “I’m not really going to let you buy me anything from there.”
I knew I’d joked about it the other day, but I also joked about having Benicio del Toro’s babies, and I sure as heck was closed for business.
“It’s an outlet.”
“It’s outrageous,” I countered. “I don’t care how much money someone has, a five hundred dollar scarf is excessive.”
“Quality costs.”
“Say that to my Kmart shoes. They’ve been servin’ me well for three years and counting. Even when I work double shifts.” I was surprised my feet didn’t slap my face for lying.
“I try not to converse with inanimate objects as a general rule. Why do you even care? It’s my money. I get to decide what I want to spend it on.”
“Why would you want to spend it on a semi-stranger you don’t even like?”
“This semi-stranger I don’t even like is about to become my family. Besides, I’m a shitty tipper.”
We were blocking the entrance to Prada, but that was all right, because no one but us seemed irrational enough to wander in.
There was also a guard at the entrance. A flipping guard. It made me want to throw up. I would never, ever walk into a store where some people might not feel welcome.
People like my mom.
Or like me, for that matter.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I thumbed my nose at him, adamant to put up a fight. “I’d hate to be associated with you. You may ruin my reputation.”
“Your reputation’s in the shitter,” he reminded me kindly.
“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll find your kissing technique there, since it seems to be in the same destination. What the hell was that about yesterday?”
Classic aversion.
I was a master of misdirection.
“You enjoyed it,” he said calmly.
“Did not.”
“Did, too.”
Lord, I had.
And not only had I enjoyed it, but the fact that it had been sweet and intimate and not filthy and carnal had completely disarmed me. I still felt my pulse against my lips. Both pairs.
Mental note number one hundred and sixty: Charge. That. Vibrator.
About LJ Shen L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
Connect with L.J. Shen Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1 Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/
Bad Cruz, an all-new romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and sure to make you fall in love and LOL from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!
I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy. But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.
He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician. I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.
He is Fairhope royalty. I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.
He’s well-off. I’m…well, off.
When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise. Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else. Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand. (My fault, of course.) But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question: Can I take another chance on love?
Enjoy a laugh and fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES on Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz
Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs
Excerpt
This whole day made me feel super prickly, but I still went with it. Unfortunately, I had no say in this, since I had lost a bet.
Then there was Trinity and my parents’ wrath to think about. And the fact Bear deserved a mother who didn’t look like she practiced the most ancient profession in the world.
Also, privately, I could admit I really, really liked the Anthropologie dresses.
“I think I’m starting to get a feel of what you’re into,” Cruz said when we got out of the store, which by the way, smelled like a new car and someone’s upscale bathroom.
I ignored his observation. I already felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman without being told I was on the cusp of self-discovery and inner transformation.
Next, we went to Free People, where I grabbed a few pairs of pants and some casual shirts and jackets. Then we went to a bohemian boutique, something small and not too pricey, and Cruz splurged on two pairs of sandals for me—both orthopedic but surprisingly not hideous—and a little purse that didn’t look like a tie-dyed squirrel.
I didn’t thank him one time during the entire shopping trip, careful to remind him that it was his idea, not mine.
Finally, around two in the afternoon, when I was ready for my lunch (more like in danger of eating my own arm), he stopped in front of Prada.
He jerked his chin inside. “Ladies first.”
“Are you crazy?” I glared at him. “I’m not really going to let you buy me anything from there.”
I knew I’d joked about it the other day, but I also joked about having Benicio del Toro’s babies, and I sure as heck was closed for business.
“It’s an outlet.”
“It’s outrageous,” I countered. “I don’t care how much money someone has, a five hundred dollar scarf is excessive.”
“Quality costs.”
“Say that to my Kmart shoes. They’ve been servin’ me well for three years and counting. Even when I work double shifts.” I was surprised my feet didn’t slap my face for lying.
“I try not to converse with inanimate objects as a general rule. Why do you even care? It’s my money. I get to decide what I want to spend it on.”
“Why would you want to spend it on a semi-stranger you don’t even like?”
“This semi-stranger I don’t even like is about to become my family. Besides, I’m a shitty tipper.”
We were blocking the entrance to Prada, but that was all right, because no one but us seemed irrational enough to wander in.
There was also a guard at the entrance. A flipping guard. It made me want to throw up. I would never, ever walk into a store where some people might not feel welcome.
People like my mom.
Or like me, for that matter.
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I thumbed my nose at him, adamant to put up a fight. “I’d hate to be associated with you. You may ruin my reputation.”
“Your reputation’s in the shitter,” he reminded me kindly.
“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll find your kissing technique there, since it seems to be in the same destination. What the hell was that about yesterday?”
Classic aversion.
I was a master of misdirection.
“You enjoyed it,” he said calmly.
“Did not.”
“Did, too.”
Lord, I had.
And not only had I enjoyed it, but the fact that it had been sweet and intimate and not filthy and carnal had completely disarmed me. I still felt my pulse against my lips. Both pairs.
Mental note number one hundred and sixty: Charge. That. Vibrator.
Bad Cruz was quite a different read for me from LJ Shen and I quite enjoyed this change of pace in her writing. Bad Cruz is a romantic comedy and Shen delivers the hilarity well.Tennessee (Messy Nessy to the town’s people) is quite an interesting and entertaining character. While she is strong in so many ways, her biggest weakness is her family. But there were also the only ones who were there for her when everyone else cast her out.Cruz Costello is the town’s golden boy; he was a like a celebrity to them. He left town, became a doctor and came back to take over his dad’s practice. He had an image to maintain and did everything he could to avoid tarnishing that image.When Cruz and Tennessee find themselves on the wrong cruise line, that’s when things get entertaining in so many ways. The banter, the scenes, and the mannerisms of these characters made this book so entertaining.I truly enjoyed these characters. Shen gave us a heroine that was relatable on many levels. And Cruz wasn’t exactly who he portrayed himself to be. I enjoyed getting to know these characters and watch them let their walls down with one another.Bad Cruz is a hilarious and sweet romance that moves at the perfect pace. While there were parts that I was not crazy about, overall, I enjoyed this book so much. Highly recommended read.
About LJ Shen L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
Connect with L.J. Shen Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1 Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/
Bad Cruz, an all-new swoony, laugh out loud rom com from Wall Street Journal and #1 Amazon bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!
I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy. But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.
He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician. I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.
He is Fairhope royalty. I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.
He’s well-off. I’m…well, off.
When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise. Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else. Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand. (My fault, of course.) But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question: Can I take another chance on love?
Fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES with Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz
Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs
About LJ Shen L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
Connect with L.J. Shen Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1 Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo TikTok: https://bit.ly/3wDlGa7 Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/
A Not So Meet Cute from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn is NOW LIVE!!!
This brand new romantic comedy about a desperate billionaire seeking to find a fiancée is MUST READ! This modern day take on Pretty Woman is brilliantly clever and hilariously page-turning.
The quintessential question asked to every couple. And the answer is usually some bubbly, lovey dovey tale of being struck in the bum by Cupid’s arrow.
My meet cute (well not so meet cute) is slightly different. I was trolling a wealthy neighborhood in Beverly Hills, searching for someone to take me as their bride, you know, to make my arch nemesis jealous who consequently just fired me.
He was stomping around the block like some sort of gorgeous ogre, mumbling about a business deal gone wrong and attempting to finagle his way out of it.
And that’s when we bumped into each other.
There were no sparks.
Not even a hint of blossoming love.
But next thing I knew, I was scarfing down free chips and guac, listening to this man lay out all of his problems which led to his big ask . . . he wanted me to be his Vivian Ward, you know, from Pretty Woman–minus the frisky behavior.
We’re talking about living in a mansion, intimate double dates, and pretending we were head over heels in love . . . and engaged. Can you imagine?
The absolute audacity.
But people do crazy things when they’re desperate. And I reeked of desperation. So, I struck up a deal.
My one big mistake, though . . . big . . . HUGE? I accidentally fell for the incomparable Huxley Cane.
Not So Meet Cute is the perfect example of why I love reading Meghan’s books.
The blurb is truly all you need to know about this book before diving in.
Lottie and Huxley are both in need of someone to fill a place in their lives and they both fit each other’s criteria. But it becomes so much more than that. And they could not be any more opposite in many ways, even if they tried.
Lottie and Huxley had me laughing so hard a lot in this book. From the situations they had to pull off, to the banter and texts between one another. It was hilarious and I loved it. But underneath a lot was sexual tension they both tried to ignore. And that tension led to other areas of tension for them.
I enjoyed this book so much. It’s an amazing rom-com with a lot of laughs and equal amount of steam. The story flowed beautifully and I enjoyed it immensely.
Meghan has delivered another perfect rom-rom for readers.
About Meghan:
USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Bad Cruz, an all-new much anticipated rom com from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is coming November 10th and we have the cover that will give you all the feels!
From Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a romantic comedy that will make you fall in love…or at least stumble your way to it, laughing.
I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy. But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.
He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician. I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.
He is Fairhope royalty. I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.
He’s well-off. I’m…well, off.
When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise. Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else. Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand. (My fault, of course.) But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question: Can I take another chance on love?
Reserve your copy today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz
Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs
Cover Designer: Bailey McGinn
About LJ Shen L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
Connect with L.J. Shen Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1 Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list: http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/
