“Deliciously dark, steamy, and full of suspenseful twists and turns, this book kept me up ALL NIGHT. ” Siobhan Davis. USA Today bestselling author
Make You Beg, a dark bully romance standalone from bestselling author Shantel Tessier is available now!
To the world, she’s known as Henley Greene. To me, she’s a little doll— a toy to be played with and tossed to the side once no longer wanted. She will pay for her betrayal however I deem necessary.
Imagine living in a constant nightmare where you have no control. Running from someone or something, you can hear him getting closer and feel his breath on your neck. You know that no matter what you do, he’s going to get you. He will win. But I don’t have just one. I have four. Ryan Scout, Van Rellik, Dax Monroe, and Grayson Law are the Reapers of Westbrook High, my ex-best friends, and now my biggest enemies. They run the school and own this town. They want nothing more than to make me pay for what I saw that night at Death Valley. A sick and twisted game that leaves me dirty and bruised with torn clothing. So how did I fall in love with one? I was raised to fear the dark side, but he showed me it was in the dark where the truth came to light. He played with me until my body craved his touch. I was going to prove I could be his most trusted servant in every form of the word. Whether kneeling before him or lying on my back, my sole purpose in life was to be his. But when you’re a toy everyone likes to play with, you’re bound to end up broken.
Make You Beg: A Dark Bully Romance was previously published in the Bully Me: Class of 2020 Anthology but has now been reworked and expanded into a new full-length story.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sFddjq Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/makeyoubeg
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Make You Beg is the first book I have read by Shantel. I came across her name during another author’s release day party and the blurb intrigued me. I know that bully romance has become a huge thing over the last year, but also know that is not for everyone due to its triggers. Make You Beg has those bully elements but it also had elements of suspense and mystery added in, which made this book all the more enjoyable.
Dax, Rellik, Scout and Law are known as The Reapers throughout their school. Henley was the only female in their group and they five of them are best friends…until they weren’t. One night changed Henley’s life forever and all four guys turned their backs on her.
She’s returned home after hiding away for the last 5 months and the boys aren’t going to make her return easy. Henley knows what Dax, Rellik, Scout and Law are capable of. But she herself has her own agenda and is willing to play their games in order to get her revenge.
This book went in directions I have never expected. Everyone has their secrets and just when you think you know everything, you don’t. You definitely need to keep your mind opinion and read this with the notion, that its fiction and none of this would happen in a normal world.
Shantel has definitely earned herself another reader. I enjoyed her writing style and how she kept me turning the pages. I normally need to feel a connection to characters in order to enjoy the story, but with this one – the plot is what carried this book. I didn’t really connect to any characters, but I was intrigued by the story and that kept be engaged.
If you are into bully or dark romance, this book is definitely what you are looking for.
Connect with Shantel Join Shantel’s Sinful Side Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3d02WHc Facebook: https://bit.ly/2w8PyQQ Instagram: https://bit.ly/39ETUNa BookBub: https://bit.ly/2UWXRHT Stay up to date with Shantel by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2JClgZO
Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions.
Until all three land him in a coma, fighting for his life.
One year later, with a sober chip in his hand, he arrives at spring training ready to turn it all around. But when he meets the only woman who doesn’t recognize just who he is, he can’t help omitting a few important details … like his last name. No stranger to charming women, Sin uses one of his old skillsets to kick off what is sure to be an epic hookup.
But when she shows up five months after their brief Florida fling with a secret that will topple his privileged world, he might just lose everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild. Including a real shot at love with the sassy redhead that he’s been too much of a coward to pursue.
Can he shoulder the responsibility he’s always shrugged off? Or will he balk at the real-life complications and strike out completely?
Francesca Kade is an independent goal-getter.
As one of the only female strength coaches in the league, she’s used to invading the boys’ club. After putting up with being passed over and not promoted for a number of seasons, she’s finally got her shot.
A consummate professional with blinders on, there is no way anything will screw up all she hopes to achieve. Well, except for maybe the new employee with eyes the color of ocean waves and a smirk that’s the definition of sin. When they catch fire in the southern heat, it’s almost impossible to put it out.
Until she finds out that he’s her boss’s boss’s boss.
Burned from the betrayal and panicking with a fresh secret of her own, Frankie is shocked when she lands her ultimate dream job. There is no way she’s turning it down. But when she bumps into Sinclair on day one, all of the old feelings and new problems come hurtling at her like a baseball to the face.
Will she ever be able to trust that he’ll put both her and his responsibilities before his vices? Or will their differences cost them the game?
Cover Designed by Okay Creations
Read it now: mybook.to/CheckSwing
Check Swing is the third book in Carrie’s Callahan Family series. I have been eagerly awaiting Sinclair’s book and Carrie did not disappoint.
I finished this book over a week ago and I can still remember every thing about it. And that it to me, says everything about the book and the author.
Sinclair is trying to find out what he wants to do with this life now that he has been sober for a year. He’s had everything handed to him because of his family. And he’s once again, given the opportunity that most don’t get but this time he is determined to prove that he deserves to be there.
Frankie has been busting her butt to prove that she is just as good as her male colleagues when it comes to training and conditioning athletes. She’s been given promoted to head strength and conditions coach for spring training, which is just another step closer to her ultimate goal – working with team during the season in their strength and conditioning department.
Sinclair and Frankie have an abrupt meeting but what makes it even more interesting is that Frankie doesn’t know who Sinclair is. However, there is an immediate attraction on both their parts. They both were not wanting anything more than a fling as they both had other goals in mind. However, life never goes as we want.
Five months after they last saw one another, they meet unexpectedly again. And sparks fly – just not the kind you are thinking., They are so many secrets and lies that need to be dealt with. Will their second chance give them the opportunity to become more??
Carrie wrote this book so beautifully. I love how real and natural everything felt. This story is written from both Sinclair and Frankie’s POV, which truly helps readers connect to each character. You get a feel for what each is going through but keeps the book flowing perfectly.
Carrie has delivered another exceptional sports romance to her readers. I cannot wait to see what she brings us next.
Author of romance novels such as The Tenth Girl and Privileged, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.
When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She’s a Jersey girl living in Texas with her husband, daughter, son and Great Dane/Lab rescue.
Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.
From The Embers, an all-new standalone catastrophic romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is releasing April 28th, and we have the gorgeous cover!
In the aftermath of tragedy, it’s strange the things you remember. The deafening boom as the house exploded. The paralyzing fear as I searched for my wife. The blinding smoke burning my eyes as I carried her out.
But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife.
Bree and I were the only survivors—not that either of us were truly living after that night. As a single dad with nowhere else to go, I moved into her guest house. And somehow, through the guilt and grief, we forged an unlikely team.
It took years, but I watched the gradual return of her smile—slow and life-altering. The two of us could sit outside for hours, talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life.
I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.
As we healed, the secrets and lies of the past smoldered in the ashes, threatening to ignite again.
Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.
Pre-order your copy today for only $2.99, exclusively on Amazon! Amazon: https://amzn.to/30yRfTv Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/fromtheembers
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Cover Designer: Hang Le
About Aly Martinez
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children. Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person. She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
Unfortunately, I am not one of those girls. Not when I lost my apartment because my roommate let the lease lapse while I was traveling for work. Not when my brothers keep finding love and my mother keeps reminding me I’m still single. Not after a one-night stand during my older brother’s wedding has me waking up pregnant.
I have to keep it a secret—from him, and my family. I sure can’t tell my brother his teammate, Mateo Jose Espinoza, is the man I slept with. Confident, funny, Mateo…
A GUY CAN’T CATCH A BREAK
Just when I thought I’d found the girl of my dreams, she ghosts me. Worse? Her brother refuses to give me her number, and my calls to her office go straight to voicemail. I thought I was a catch; professional athlete, charming, raised with six sisters—I’m a guy who knows his way to a woman’s heart! What reason could she possibly have for avoiding me?
When I finally catch up to True Wallace, I’m going to get the answer.
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.
Samantha Young has revealed the cover for Here With Me!
Releasing: May 11, 2021
Cover Design: Hang Le
Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner –ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair–and it’s poised on the edge of a dark scandal.
After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she’s long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she’s not yet ready to give up on her father.
Determined to ensure Mac’s safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path. While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future … if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn’t do the job first.
Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.
In the Louisiana swamplands, ghost stories are as much a part of childhood as chasing fireflies and crawfishing. They never much scared me, though, nor the possibility of evil out to do me harm. Until the night I watched shadows come to life and butcher everything I loved.
With a stranger’s help, I managed to escape to an isolated place miles north, and, in time, became my own ghost story. A cautionary tale for the locals.
Nearly a decade passed, before I returned to my birthplace, in hopes of unearthing long-awaited answers. Instead, I found something I wasn’t looking for. Someone. A remedy for my loneliness.
Or so I thought.
Turns out, Thierry Bergeron is no elixir. He’s a deadly poison, cursed by the demons of his past, and feared by those who call him the elusive Rougarou of the bayou. A devious rogue, whose seductive whispers and rough hands haunt my dreams. The big bad wolf that defiles me without apology, or remorse.
I should resist him, but I can’t.
And when the shadows return to stake their claim on me, his darkness is the only safe place to hide.
To the world, she’s known as Henley Greene. To me, she’s a little doll— a toy to be played with and tossed to the side once no longer wanted. She will pay for her betrayal however I deem necessary.
Make You Beg, a dark bully romance standalone from bestselling author Shantel Tessier is coming March 12th and we have the jaw-dropping cover!
Imagine living in a constant nightmare where you have no control. Running from someone or something, you can hear him getting closer and feel his breath on your neck. You know that no matter what you do, he’s going to get you. He will win. But I don’t have just one. I have four. Ryan Scout, Van Rellik, Dax Monroe, and Grayson Law are the Reapers of Westbrook High, my ex-best friends, and now my biggest enemies. They run the school and own this town. They want nothing more than to make me pay for what I saw that night at Death Valley. A sick and twisted game that leaves me dirty and bruised with torn clothing. So how did I fall in love with one? I was raised to fear the dark side, but he showed me it was in the dark where the truth came to light. He played with me until my body craved his touch. I was going to prove I could be his most trusted servant in every form of the word. Whether kneeling before him or lying on my back, my sole purpose in life was to be his. But when you’re a toy everyone likes to play with, you’re bound to end up broken.
Make You Beg: A Dark Bully Romance was previously published in the Bully Me: Class of 2020 Anthology but has now been reworked and expanded into a new full-length story.
Pre-order your copy today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sFddjq Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/makeyoubeg
Add MAKE YOU BEG to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3n2JDRC
Be notified FIRST when Make You Beg is live: https://bit.ly/2JClgZO
Cover Designer: Tiffany Black at T.E. Black Designs Model: Carlos Alonso Photographer: Rafa G. Catala
Connect with Shantel Join Shantel’s Sinful Side Reader Group: https://bit.ly/3d02WHc Facebook: https://bit.ly/2w8PyQQ Instagram: https://bit.ly/39ETUNa BookBub: https://bit.ly/2UWXRHT Stay up to date with Shantel by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2JClgZO
Clara Saint-James is completing a journey started by an old friend. She’ll return a Cadillac to California, a place she’s avoided for more than a decade. But it’s time for closure and to put old ghosts to rest. And it’s time to find out if the feelings she’s cherished for the boy from her past are just fanciful memories–or if there’s a chance they are real.
Timing was never on her side, especially when it came to Karson Avery. The two of them lived in a junkyard as runaway teens, and though she wanted more than his friendship, he always belonged to another–until that one night when he was hers.
When Clara finds Karson living in a small, coastal town, she’s not surprised the beautiful boy from her past grew into a stunning man. His smile is as captivating as ever. His eyes have the same roguish glint. But timing is still working against her.
Clara must decide how far she’s willing to go to battle for Karson’s heart. Or if it’s time to let him go and surrender to the dotted lines that have always kept them apart.
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Dotted Lines is the fifth and final book in the Runaway series and Devney ends it perfectly.
I was really looking forward to this book and Devney did not let me down. Dotted Lines surrounds Clara Saint-James as she takes on the final leg of the journey of driving the Cadillac to the one male friend in their group, Karson Avery.
Clara (along with her sister – previous book) and Karson, were the last three to leave the junkyard. Clara always loved Karson, but never thought he would return those feelings. But it never affected their friendship when they lived in the tent in the junkyard or when they attempted to become more.
Now older and with a son, Clara will be reuniting with Karson. And those feelings Clara had for Karson have not diminished in any way all these years later. However, timing has never been in the cards for them and the reunion does not go as Clara was hoping.
I loved this book so much. I was not expecting how much emotion was going to be packed into this story. I really enjoyed being taken back into their past and seeing how close these two really were. How protective Karson was. And then seeing where they both are currently in their lives and how they interact seeing one another again. GAH – all the feels.
Dotted Lines was the perfect ending to this amazing series. I loved each and every book and feel like I know these characters as though they were a part of my life. I hated that it had to end, but I love that I got to take this journey with each of them.
The Runaway series ifs definitely one of my favorite contemporary romance series and I highly recommend each and every book. Each book is solely focused on one of the friends who grew up in a junkyard and all can easily be read as standalones. But you can also read them in order – either way you will truly connected to these characters and their friendship over the years.
Meet Devney
Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.
USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn’s latest bauble is the charming story of a crafting queen battling a jaded divorce lawyer on a wedding reality show.
Luna Rossi is a veritable crafting genius—she can bedazzle and bead so hard her Etsy site is one of the hottest in the world. So it’s only natural that Luna would convince her brother and his husband-to-be to compete on The Wedding Game, a “do-it-yourself” TV show, for the title of Top DIY Wedding Expert.
As a jaded divorce lawyer, Alec Baxter scoffs at weddings and romance. But when his recently engaged brother begs him to participate in The Wedding Game, Alec grudgingly picks up a glue gun and prepares for some family bonding.
Both fierce competitors, Luna and Alec clash on national TV as harsh words and glitter fly with abandon. But as they bicker over color swatches and mood boards, they find themselves fighting something else: their growing mutual attraction. While Luna is torn between family loyalty and her own feelings, Alec wonders if he might have been wrong about love and marriage all along…
EXCERPT:
“Are you ready?” Farrah says, coming from behind me and massaging my shoulders. I move my head side to side while we both hop up and down. “Did you do those finger exercises I told you about?”
I flex my fingers and nod. “Yup, all warmed up.”
“Do you have your game face on?” Farrah spins me around and grips my shoulders as I mean mug it at her. “Ooo, you’ve been practicing in the mirror. I can tell.”
“When I brush my teeth. I really feel like I’ve mastered the scowl.”
“Honey, you mastered the scowl years ago. Now you’re just coming into your own with it.” She holds up her hands, and I start boxing into them as we leap around the apartment. “Quick on your feet, quick on your feet.” Farrah swings her hand at me, and I duck. “Focus, hone your attention.”
“Focused.”
“Tell me, who’s going to kill it today?”
“I am.” I bob back and forth and then give Farrah a one-two punch to her hands.
“Who’s going to do anything necessary, even sit on someone’s face if you need to, in order to win today’s challenge?”
“I am. Show no mercy. My ass is coming for your face.”
Farrah pauses, winces. “I’m not sure I like that.”
“Just go with it.”
“Okay, Luna’s ass is coming for your face.” She shrugs. “Next week let’s work on your trash talk.”
“Might be necessary.”
Circling again, I box at Farrah’s hands, feeling light on my feet and ready for anything that comes my way. “You’re going to ignore all conversations from Mr. Snobby Shoes.”
“I don’t even know he exists.”
“Your eyes are on the prize. And what is that prize?”
“Giving Cohen and Declan the best wedding possible.”
“Exactly.” She lowers her palms. “Quick, flash me your hands.”
I lift my hands, and she inspects them carefully.
“You lotioned—good. Nails are clipped to a perfect length, and those fingers are stretched and strong. Rotate your wrists for me.” She lowers her ear to my wrists as I circle them around. “Perfect, no cracking, no tension.” She points to the ground. “Fast feet.”
My feet start bouncing up and down, like in those football movies, and I hold my hands at my hips, ready for the call . . .
“Draw!” Farrah shouts.
I pull my glue gun from my hip and point it at her. “You’ve been glued.”
Farrah claps her hands. “Reaction time was spot on. You’re ready.”
“Yeah?”
She nods. “You got this, girl. This competition is yours for the taking. And remember what we talked about: don’t focus on what you think will win . . .”
“Focus on what will bring Cohen and Declan joy.”
For anyone who follows my reviews, y’all know Meghan is another author where I will read anything she writes. They may not always be 5 star reads for me, but I love her writing style and won’t not ever read one of her books.
Meghan is also a go-to for me when it comes to rom-coms so grabbing The Wedding Game was an obvious choice. And she did not let me down.
I love the concept behind this story. The Wedding game is actually a show on a DIY network that our characters, Luna and Alec find themselves a part of. They are each helping their brothers create their dream wedding in hopes of winning a penthouse in NYC.
Luna is die-hard crafter and a very good one. She had to deceive her brother into participating because with her abilities, she felt they were a shoe-in. I loved the dynamics between Luna and her brother. It was not only super cute, but extremely beautiful.
Alec is a divorce attorney. He no longer believes in love, let alone marriage. He brother all but begs him to help him out and Alec sees this as an opportunity to fix their relationship.
I enjoyed everything about this book. From the romance, to the family dynamics, to the interactions between everyone. Meghan really knows how to mix the humor with the romance to make it feel natural and neither aspect overpowers the other.
I highly recommend this to any romance lover to read. But if you truly enjoy a good laugh while reading, this is definitely the book for you.
Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions.
Until all three land him in a coma, fighting for his life.
One year later, with a sober chip in his hand, he arrives at spring training ready to turn it all around. But when he meets the only woman who doesn’t recognize just who he is, he can’t help omitting a few important details … like his last name. No stranger to charming women, Sin uses one of his old skillsets to kick off what is sure to be an epic hookup.
But when she shows up five months after their brief Florida fling with a secret that will topple his privileged world, he might just lose everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild. Including a real shot at love with the sassy redhead that he’s been too much of a coward to pursue.
Can he shoulder the responsibility he’s always shrugged off? Or will he balk at the real-life complications and strike out completely?
Francesca Kade is an independent goal-getter.
As one of the only female strength coaches in the league, she’s used to invading the boys’ club. After putting up with being passed over and not promoted for a number of seasons, she’s finally got her shot.
A consummate professional with blinders on, there is no way anything will screw up all she hopes to achieve. Well, except for maybe the new employee with eyes the color of ocean waves and a smirk that’s the definition of sin. When they catch fire in the southern heat, it’s almost impossible to put it out.
Until she finds out that he’s her boss’s boss’s boss.
Burned from the betrayal and panicking with a fresh secret of her own, Frankie is shocked when she lands her ultimate dream job. There is no way she’s turning it down. But when she bumps into Sinclair on day one, all of the old feelings and new problems come hurtling at her like a baseball to the face.
Will she ever be able to trust that he’ll put both her and his responsibilities before his vices? Or will their differences cost them the game?
Author of romance novels such as The Tenth Girl and Privileged, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.
When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She’s a Jersey girl living in Texas with her husband, daughter, son and Great Dane/Lab rescue.
Eastern Lights, an all-new heartfelt and emotional standalone romance and second standalone in the Compass Series from bestselling author Brittainy Cherry is available now!
I once met a man on a cold Halloween night. He dressed as a superhero, and I dressed in red. For one night, I was his break from reality, and he was the temporary fix for my broken heart.
Two years later, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to become a senior editor at one of the biggest magazine companies in the world. The only catch? Nail an exclusive interview with New York’s finest bachelor: Connor Roe.
To the rest of the world he was becoming one of the wealthiest men in New York City. To me, he was simply my once upon a time superhero.
My job was to get an exclusive interview with New York’s hottest bachelor. Never in my life did I expect him to want an exclusive with my heart, too.
The only problem with my growing feelings for him? I was set to marry his new business partner.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! Amazon: http://amzn.to/3ao8VGP Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/EasternLights
Add Eastern Lights to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3ieWbEJ
Excerpt
Aaliyah
His playful look shifted a bit as he looked my way and nibbled on his bottom lip. “So there was a recent breakup.”
“He broke up with me about five weeks ago.”
“What an ass.”
“Yeah, but I love him. I wish I could say past tense, but here we are. My roommate Sofia said the best way to get over a man is to get under another one, but I can’t even consider that right now. The last thing I want to do is sleep with someone else.”
“Plus, sex wouldn’t fix a broken heart and—holy shit!” He clapped his hands together and hopped up from the ground to a standing position. The grin on his face was so big, but I didn’t understand what caused his sudden shift. “I got it, Red! I know what we can do to help you.”
I arched an eyebrow and stood. “I’m confused.”
“I know, I know, and you’re going to think I’m crazy—which, maybe I am—but here’s the deal: You can’t bang your way out of a heartbreak. That’s not how love works. Love isn’t a physical connection; it’s an emotional one. Plus, after breakups, people replay the good memories over the bad in their minds and start thinking they somehow failed, when, in reality, the bad probably always outweighed the good. You simply held the good tight in your grip because it was few and far between in the end. Otherwise, the good would’ve been enough to keep you together.”
I hated that he was speaking facts. Over the past weeks, all I’d done was replay all the good times Mario and I had together. My mind was stuck on a loop of moments that meant the world to me in my past relationship.
There were only a handful of good memories, yet I simply played them on repeat, making them feel bigger than they already were. Mario was a master at doing the bare minimum, and I celebrated that fact as if he was a god. It wasn’t his fault he gave me mediocre love. It was my fault for accepting it.
“So what’s your point?” I asked.
“Do you believe in destiny?”
I chuckled. “Don’t tell me you do.”
“I think everything happens for a reason, even if the reasoning isn’t clear as day right away. Maybe that’s why we met tonight, Red, because we were meant to. Maybe I had to get socked in the eye and whipped with a lasso because we were supposed to cross paths so I could help you get over your ex.”
“How?”
“The best way to get over a love is to find a stronger connection with another person. So, I present to you, your Halloween love story.” He took a bow as if he was making any sense at all.
I stood still, confused as ever. “Am I missing something?”
“Clearly, because you’re looking at me as if I’m having a mental breakdown—which, I mean, is probably accurate.” He cleared his throat and stood taller as he smoothed his hands over his chest. “I’m asking you to fall in love with me.”
I snickered. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Give me the chance to make you fall in love with me before the sun comes up in the next”—he glanced down at his phone—“five hours or so. It’s just past midnight. Give me those hours to make you fall in love with me. Then we’ll end the love story on a good note. No tragic heartbreak, no hard moments or relationship struggles. No cheating or scandals. Just two people who fell in love, then life or, in our case, morning made them say their goodbyes.”
“You really think two people can fall in love within five hours?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged and held his hand out toward me. “Want to try?”
I should’ve said no. I should’ve laughed off his crazy idea and ended the night right there on the rooftop, but I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to be alone. But most of all, I wanted more time with Captain, even if only a few more hours. Even if there wasn’t a real chance of me falling in love with him but just a chance of more time to feel happy.
Happy.
I felt happy.
I hadn’t even known how much I’d missed happiness until it found me that night.
So, I did what any insane girl would’ve done. I took his hand and agreed to the idea of falling in love within the next five hours.
He clasped my fingers with his and pulled me in close to him. It was the closest we’d stood since meeting, and the way he looked down into my eyes caused the butterflies to intensify. He had to be well over six-foot-two as he hovered over my five-foot-eight frame—and that was with heels. The way he looked at me made me feel important, as if he was going to give this crazy plan of his all that he had.
“Knock, knock,” he said, with the goofiest grin known to mankind.
“Who’s there?”
“Will you fall in love with?”
“Will you fall in love with who?”
“Me.”
Love didn’t only show its face during happiness. It didn’t skip by only during the sunshine. No. Sometimes—most of the time—love was a storm at war.
This book was so much more emotional than I had anticipated. If you read Southern Storms, then you met Connor. I was so excited when I heard that Eastern Lights was his book. You do need to read Southern Storms to truly enjoy this book. This book can easily be read as a standalone.
Connor is a sweet southern boy from Kentucky who moved to New York to conquer his dreams. He has this outlook on life that will grip your heart. He’s been building his empire the last two years when he has a chance run-in with Aaliyah.
Aaliyah didn’t have the best life growing up, but found family in the most random strangers. She’s always looking for the best in people and sometimes that causes her to put trust and love in people who don’t deserve it. When she and Connor run into one another, she is going through one more rough moment in her life.
I absolutely love their first meeting. Instead of exchanging actual names, they call each other Red (Aaliyah) and Captain (Connor). They spend an entire night enjoying one another’s company but agree to go separate ways the next morning and leave it to fate for them again later in life…
“Find your ugly truths,”…….”Its better to sit with the ugly truths than bathe in the beautiful lies.”
This book was everything that I needed and didn’t know it. I have so many highlights and notes in this book, it touched me so much. I laughed, I grinned like a goofball and I had tears running down my cheeks. There are so many life lessons littered throughout this book and that made this book stand out even more.
Brittainy not only writes characters that are relatable and real, but she delivers a story that will impact you in ways you don’t anticipate. You feel Brittainy’s words deep in your soul. Eastern Lights is another amazing read from Brittainy and I cannot wait to see what she brings next in this series.
“Confidence is a repeated habit. Act confident in your own skin until it becomes your outer layer.”
About Brittainy Author Brittainy C. Cherry is an Amazon #1 bestselling author. She has been in love with words since the day she took her first breath. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelor Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. Her novels have been published in 18+ countries around the world. Brittainy lives in Brookfield, Wisconsin with her fur babies.
Connect with Brittainy Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Fc8izo Twitter: http://bit.ly/2Oe1m8V Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Fltnc1 Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Fk2jKg GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ThAciJ Join Brittainy’s Golden Girls (And Boys) Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2Y4WEir Stay up to date with Brittainy by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2oK1voU https://bcherrybooks.com
The Wedding Game by Meghan Quinn 
