Heartless Monster is the first book I have read by Rachel Leigh. And I absolutely devoured this book in one day. I could not get enough of Elodie and Rome.
From the start, Heartless Monster drew me in. And the story and these characters kept me turning the pages.
Elodie might come across as this quiet, mousy girl, but she is quite the spitfire.
Rome is used to getting what he wanted and people just doing what he wants and asks for until he met Elodie.
One night changed both their lives, but in two completely different ways.
Rachel wrote a fantastic angsty story. The push and pull between Rome and Elodie was addicting. While Rome was beyond an asshole at times, Elodie wasn’t going to go down easily. And I loved that she knew when to submit and when to push back.
Heartless Monster moves at the perfect pace. The tension, chemistry, and with the added suspense of secrets lurking around the corner, this book keeps you right on edge the whole time.
I pray we get more from this family in the future.
Meet Rachel
Rachel Leigh is a USA Today and International bestselling author of new adult and contemporary romances.
She loves to write—and read—flawed bad-boys and strong heroines. You can expect dark elements, a dash of suspense, and a lot of steam.
Her goal is to take readers on an adventure with her words, while showing them that even on the darkest days, love conquers all.
Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband, three little monsters (who aren’t so little anymore) and a couple of fur babies. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s likely lounging in leggings, with coffee in her hand, while binge watching her favorite reality tv shows.
Chicago Rebels hockey player Dex O’Malley has been a naughty boy … again.
Only his latest stunt isn’t quite like when he was caught with his pants down at a nightclub or was cited for drag-racing on Lake Shore Drive or even that time he said a few critical things about his teammates on a hockey podcast. Oops. This time, Dex is in real trouble, the kind that could get him kicked off the team and out of the league. And that cannot happen. Hockey is the only thing he’s ever been good at. The only thing he cares about. He’ll do whatever it takes to rehab his rep, even if it means cleaning up dog poop and suffering the steely-eyed disapproval of his new no-nonsense “boss” at the animal shelter, Ashley Adams.
Ashley has enough on her plate between her low-paying job, her high-maintenance family, and a love life she’s trying to resurrect after her divorce. She’s already mom to an amazing nine-year-old; the last thing she needs is mothering a celebrity volunteer with more money than sense. But the troublemaking f-boy needs Ashley to sign off on his good deeds so he can get back to what he does best: lighting up lamps both on and off the ice. And while a guy like that could never interest her mind, it seems her body is not on the same page. Sure, Dex O’Malley is too young, too hot, too flighty for Ashley to take seriously, but maybe a brief ride on the wild side might fit the bill …
Only that’s not enough for Dex. What happens when this notorious player decides the older, single mom is the hottest woman he’s ever met and that he wants to light her lamp … forever?
Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with big-hearted guys and strong heroines – and heroes – who can match their men quip for quip.
I’ve never had a problem convincing a man to take me home for a night of fun.
Until I meet Alexander Krum.
He leaves me wanting more at the end of every encounter. Despite our insane attraction to one another, we couldn’t be more opposite.
He wants to take me on a date.
I want to head straight to his bedroom.
He believes in romance.
I know men in romance books don’t really exist.
He always wants to help.
I can take care of myself.
But then he comes to me with a proposition: A marriage arrangement to save his family’s villa. His substantial offer has me overlooking our differences and saying “I do.”
There is only one problem…he’s been hiding a secret from the media for the last four years. Pretending to be a wife is one thing, but this? I’m the last person he should want in this role.
Yet I can’t bring myself to walk away. The incentive is too great, and when it’s over, I will have my dream.
And it will be over. I’m not destined for happily ever after’s—no matter how real this charade is starting to feel.
This is my first read by Kristen but definitely won’t be my last.
Puck Pact is a full standalone featuring Aarya and Alexander.
Araya is a strongly independent and fierce woman who relies on no-one. She trusts no-one and lives life to the fullest and her number one love is her art goals.
Alexander is the captain of his hockey team but keeps alot close to his chest. He has his own secrets and while he loves fiercely, he doesn’t let many people in.
I absolutely loved watching these two knock down one another’s walls. The natural progression of their story was perfect and the pacing of this book was phenomenal. I loved watching each of them grow in different ways and realize things about themselves.
Kristen wrote an emotional and spicy sports romance. Alexander is every woman’s fictional dream man and Aarya is every woman’s best friend. I absolutely loved these two.
This is a definite must read!
Meet Kristen Granata:
Kristen Granata is a teacher by day, and a bestselling author by night. Known for writing emotional contemporary and new adult romance, she loves creating realistic characters who struggle through the darkest parts of life and come out stronger on the other side. Kristen is a self-proclaimed “bitter cynic trapped in a hopeless romantic’s body.” Her inspirational stories make you laugh, make you think, make you ugly cry – and they will always live happily ever after.
Kristen openly shares her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety with her readers. Her message is a beacon of hope to anyone who is suffering: You are not alone. She delicately weaves this theme into her writing, and her stories demonstrate the ability of love to heal after tragedy.
Kristen was born & raised in New York. She now resides in New Jersey with her wife & two step-daughters. When she’s not teaching or writing, Kristen is reading, tripping over something, indulging in her messy love affair with popcorn, and forever singing along to The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
Trope: Second chance, age-gap, found family, college professor/student, HEA
Synopsis
PIERRE (“GAGS”)
My life is complicated.
Hell, I’m complicated.
I don’t know a life beyond how I’m perceived. After a devastating divorce, it looked like I never would.
Can a hockey fight change your life?
I may not understand my attraction to Sven Holmer, but I can tell you my obsession with kissing him started in the middle of a fight. When we met again, the conversation was easy, the banter effortless. Once stolen glances gave way to secret touches, I was more confused than ever. How the hell am I supposed to handle it when everything I’ve always believed about myself no longer fits?
Things are great… until they aren’t.
Our connection deepens with every minute we spend together, but like me, Sven is no stranger to betrayal and heartache. Between my stubbornness, his reservations, and the start of a new season, how can we survive months apart?
When tragedy strikes, all bets are off. I just hope it’s not too late.
Broken Ice, Mended Hearts features two thirty-something hockey players hardened by heartbreak. This compelling, angsty book includes a bisexual awakening, hurt/comfort, found family, first times, high heat, and a hard-earned HEA. Though it is part of the Bethesda Barracudas Hockey series, it can be read as a standalone.
Ryan Taylor met his husband and co-author, Joshua Harwood, in law school. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh love to travel. In addition, Ryan also enjoys swimming, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. They began writing to celebrate the romance they were so lucky to find with each other, and the sharing soon developed into a passion for telling stories about love between out and proud men.
Thea Jenson has her future meticulously planned out. Graduate from college. Get a job. Marry her high school sweetheart and have two beautiful children. When she decides to transfer schools, her brother suggests she move in with him and his unruly hockey roommates. Everything in her life is going according to her plan . . .
. . . until she bumps into Kyler in their kitchen and sparks fly.
Kyler Rose, the starting center for the Northport University hockey team, is done for the moment he lays his eyes on Thea. But he can’t allow her to become a distraction. He’s determined to make it to the NHL. That’s if he doesn’t get booted for failing grades first. And even though he’s on scholarship, it doesn’t pay his bills or provide for his family. Neither do the tips he earns from his bartending gig. When an offer to make some fast cash falls in his lap, he takes it, thinking no one will care if he gets hurt . . .
. . . except Thea does care.
But just as Kyler finds a way to navigate his feelings for Thea, an unexpected link to his family comes to light and he finds himself in the fight of his life to protect those he loves the most – his family.
About Heidi:
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com
Five years ago, Astrid O’Malley experienced the ultimate in public humiliation. Being dumped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart was horrifying enough. That fact that he was a professional hockey goalie and her dad was his coach? It was all anyone in sports could talk about.
Eff hockey. Eff goalies.
These days, Astrid lives a life (mostly) free of hockey and free to pursue whoever she wants with exactly zero shame in her game. Like tonight’s hook-up. This guy’s nailed the lumberjack aesthetic perfectly. Especially when he has the stamina and creativity to back it up.
Because the rule is: it’s one night only. Which is gonna be a problem because she’s just discovered he lives in the apartment upstairs.
And he’s joined her dad’s team. As the goalie coach. To train her ex.
Now Astrid is in some kind of hockey hell–filled with her ex, her family, and the best sex of her life. And somehow she’s been roped back onto the team.
Puck my life.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kindle Unlimited, and Kobo!
Walk of Shame was right down the middle ok for me.
The blurb intrigued me and the beginning of the story kept me hooked. However, at one point, things just sort of went flat for me. And the ending felt rushed and unrealistic. And the epilogue – that was quite the shocking revelation.
I enjoyed how Astrid and Cal navigated their relationship. I did want to see more of an emotional attachment between them and not just the physical one. But let me tell you, those spicy scenes were done well.
Overall, it was an ok read for me.
Meet Avery
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She lives outside of Washington DC with her family, Dwight the cat, and a pack of five dogs all named after food. If she’s not reading romance or binging reality TV, she’s most definitely plotting to take over the world so she can banish Crocs from existence. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.
My mother only wanted me to learn one lesson growing up…
Men are trash.
Her father left her, and then my father left us. Being raised by her and my grandmother, I was surrounded by the reminder to be independent and guard my heart.
After my one and only experience with a boy in college fell flatter than a pancake, I realized they were right — and I was content to live the life of a twenty-six-year-old cat lady.
Until Will Perry blew my quiet world to smithereens.
Starting goalie for the Tampa Bay Ospreys and the kind of hot that scrambles your brain, all I was ever supposed to be to him was his daughter’s kindergarten teacher. Then, in a twist of events, his temporary nanny.
But temporary turns to permanent, and when I move into his pool house, everything changes.
He’s impossibly grumpy and focused on only two things: hockey, and taking care of his daughter. I’m only focused on using this new income to pay back my student loans.
But in that house, I feel his heated gaze beneath that permanent scowl, the way it lingers and warms my skin. And though I know my mother would lose her mind if she knew, my dreams have become midnight fantasies about my long-haired, muscle-lined mystery of a boss.
When the tension becomes too much, we break, and we make a deal.
He still needs a nanny. I still need a paycheck and for my matriarchy to not disown me. But Will agrees to teach me everything I’ve always wanted to learn, and I’m all too eager to be his student.
I can do this. I’m a grown woman. I can explore my sexuality with the hottest goalie on earth and still remain one-hundred percent professional. And I can definitely do it all without catching feelings.
I have to.
Otherwise, I’ll end up heartbroken in my mother’s arms while she shakes her head and asks me if I’ll ever learn my lesson.
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TROPES:
Pro Hockey Romance
Single Dad/Nanny
Forced Proximity
Spicy Lessons
Grumpy Sunshine
Age Gap
Opposites Attract
Found Family
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Learn Your Lesson is book three in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalones following a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees. They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.
Kandi Steiner is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.
When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, playing with her fur babies and soaking up the sweetness of life.
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events
Bella Matthews has revealed the gorgeous covers for The Knockout!
Releasing: April 11, 2024
From USA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author Bella Matthews, comes a hot, new, hockey romance between a broken ballerina and the forbidden bad boy who saves her.
Bella Matthews is a USA Today & Amazon Top 50 Bestselling author. She is married to her very own Alpha Male and raising three little ones. You can typically find her running from one sporting event to another. When she is home, she is usually hiding in her home office with the only other female in her house, her rescue dog Tinker Bell by her side. She likes to write swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, smart heroines. Sarcasm is her love language and big family dynamics are her favorite thing to add to each story.
A forbidden, small town, sports romance from Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry.
A coach. A student. The rules were concrete. We broke them anyway.
The night I met Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lie. He was a Treasure State football coach. I was the star of the volleyball team. Coaches and students were forbidden. My future was on the line, so I told myself it was only one night.
That was the first lie. They got easier to tell after that. The lines blurred. The boundaries shifted. Our relationship became a game of its own.
A chaste smile. A knowing glance. A veiled touch or a hushed kiss. We hid in plain sight. We were invincible. Or so we thought. Neither of us saw the blitz coming until it was too late.
Game over. The night I left Toren Greely was the night I learned how to lose.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
A forbidden romance? I’m in! A coach/player forbidden romance? HELL YES!!
Blitz is the second book in Devney’s Treasure State Wildcats series and can be read as a complete standalone.
I had been looking forward to Toren’s book after meeting him in Coach and Devney delivered exactly what I wanted.
Toren and Jennsyn’s story started out with the best bang and flowed wonderfully from there. The angst that comes with a forbidden college romance was delivered perfectly. I enjoyed how their sports were intertwined into the story and helped add to their tension.
Overall, Blitz played out beautifully. I was not a big fan of the ending but loved that everything came full circle.
Meet Devney
Devney Perry is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 Series by New York Times bestselling author J. Sterling is rereleasing on March 28th!! We are thrilled to share the NEW COVERS for the series with you!
Get the series before release here: https://geni.us/ThePerfectGame
And she’s the game changer he never knew he needed.
The Perfect Game tells the story of college juniors, Cassie Andrews & Jack Carter. When Cassie meets rising baseball hopeful Jack, she is determined to steer clear of him and his typical cocky attitude. But Jack has other things on his mind… like getting Cassie to give him the time of day.
They’re both damaged, filled with mistrust and guarded before they find one another (and themselves) in this emotional journey about love and forgiveness. Strap yourselves for a ride that will not only break your heart, but put it back together.
Sometimes life gets ugly before it gets beautiful…
