Category: Three Loves

Release Day Blitz & Review….Lust by Ker Dukey

 

NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO DELVE INTO THE SECRET SOCIETY

 

THE ELITE SEVEN

LUST an Elite Seven novel by Ker Dukey is LIVE!!

Keep reading to grab your copy & to enter to win a $20 gift card!!!

 

I was born with wealth, athletic ability, and looks that could melt the panties off a nun.
I had a clear path to success.
Until fate dealt me a cruel blow, leaving me empty and in need of purpose.
My only focus now is to become part of The Elite—a secret society in one of the most prestigious colleges in the world.
But everything comes at a price, and with The Elite, you have to earn your place.
Lucky for me, being sinful is in my DNA.
The only obstacle to full initiation is my task: seduce the un-seducible, the forbidden, and lure her with the sins of the flesh.
Easy for a man like me…in theory.
She started as my task, but what happens when the lines between lust and love blur, and the need for power rages war with the need for her?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.
This is my life, my chance, my legacy.
I am Rhett Masters.
I am Lust.

 

Lust is the start of the The Elite Seven series and each book is written by a different author. While each book is about a particular sin and character, the books do follow an overall plot and should be read in order.

Lust sets up the who the Elite Seven are and how they are to become like brothers and in order to be fully accepted into the The Elite, they must complete the initiation tasks. We unfortunately only get to see what task Lust (Rhett) has to fulfill in order to be accepted, but we do get glimpses of the others and we get an idea of what Gluttony (God) task is since Lust and Gluttony are best friends.  We do get to see the tasks of each in their books.

The start of this series did not wow me – I was expecting more with this book. It’s what sets the tone for the entire Elite world and I felt a bit letdown but it’s more due to what I expected and not the writer’s fault.  I didn’t expect the characters to be so young – just starting college. I was anticipating them to be graduating and finally proving their worth to be selected as a candidate for The Elite.  I was also hoping to get a better idea of how each character was chosen for their sin, but from what I’m gathering each book may explain that – that’ll be decided as they are released.

Rhett was a character I had a hard time connecting to – he was very unsettling in who he was. He does suffer a great loss and I get that plays in to him feeling guilty about it but his actions are all over the place. He parties a lot, fights with his father and yet, on a normal day-to-day basis, he acts completely normal. I felt a lot of inconsistences with his character and that hurt in connecting with him and his relationship with Chastity.

Chastity was the shining light in this book – not only for Rhett but for me. She made this book shine and brought another plot twist to the story. I love that she challenges Rhett, sometimes without realizing it, and never bowed down to him like all the other girls. She knew of his reputation with girls and steered clear of him, but also held her ground when she did have to deal with him. She was the fresh air that Rhett needed.

Overall, I think this book came down to more of my expectations but more of the writing style. The writing did not flow well for me and felt like the author was trying to fit a lot of information from introducing characters, the Elite background to focusing on this particular sin, Lust. I think that also hurt in being able to connect with Rhett and his relationship with Chastity – I wanted more of them in this book.

As for expectations, it is nothing like I anticipated and that is of no fault to the author.  This is why I like to keep an open mind and will continue with the series.

It’s a decent start to a series where there are a few authors I have not read before. I am hoping with each book that we get more details on each character along with their particular sin and the reasons they were all chosen. It’ll definitely be interesting to see this play out and what the end game is for these Elite Seven.

 

 

 

 

PURCHASE NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

The Elite Seven

7 AUTHORS.
7 STORIES.
7 DEADLY SINS.

 

Since 1942, The Elite Seven Society have created and guided influential leaders, molding the country into something better. This society was birthed by Malcom Benedict, II who wanted more for Americans. More wealth. More influence. More power. Some leaders have the skills, but not the influence, and that simply wasn’t fair according to Mr. Benedict. He invested his own money and time to construct a society that bred the best of the best, year after year.

But to be the best, you must be ruthless.

Good leaders make sacrifices. Sometimes the sacrifices are hard, but the rewards are plentiful. Mr. Benedict made sure to indulge these leaders with their utmost desires. A devout Catholic himself, he designed a society that rewarded his leaders with the sins that were frowned upon. If they were giving up love and happiness and joy for the betterment of the country, they deserved something in its stead.

Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust.

Choosing leaders for this society means that it takes intense focus. Only seven are to be selected, and the investments and time are showered upon the new seven chosen every four years. The predecessors of each group of seven choose people who fit the sin that will mold them into who they are needed to be in the future—what America needs them to be. This is after a detailed study of many potential candidates. The university’s acting dean behaves as a liaison for the society bringing the college applicants to the predecessors so that the selection may begin. The society members who are going out will bring forth a candidate that the society votes on and approves.

After they are chosen, the initiates are given a token and an invitation to initiation. The initiation will be a test to their character and ability to do what’s right for the betterment of the society. Once the initiates pass their test, they are discreetly branded with the mark of the society, and are groomed through challenges during the course of their elite education to breed them into the influential people they were meant to be.

Once in The Elite Seven, there is no getting out. The money and power are their reward. Should they choose to stray or break the rules, the society strips them of everything. Anything they once had will be removed. Opportunities will never arise. They will no longer have the support of the society. To this day, there have been no known occurrences of anyone from the society having to be banished. This elite group of people are what every young man and woman aspire to be a part of. While the group is a secret society, they are whispered about amongst the privileged folks in the country. Anyone who is anyone knows of the group and secretly hopes it’s their son or daughter who are selected, for good fortune is showered on the family for decades to come.

Lust: NOW LIVE

I was born with wealth, athletic ability, and looks that could melt the panties off a nun.
I had a clear path to success.
Until fate dealt me a cruel blow, leaving me empty and in need of purpose.
My only focus now is to become part of The Elite—a secret society in one of the most prestigious colleges in the world.
But everything comes at a price, and with The Elite, you have to earn your place.
Lucky for me, being sinful is in my DNA.
The only obstacle to full initiation is my task: seduce the un-seducible, the forbidden, and lure her with the sins of the flesh.
Easy for a man like me…in theory.
She started as my task, but what happens when the lines between lust and love blur, and the need for power rages war with the need for her?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.
This is my life, my chance, my legacy.
I am Rhett Masters.
I am Lust.

Purchase LUST by Ker Dukey NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK
Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

 

Pride: Releasing February 25th

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.

But who said the devil was a he?

In my world, she was out to cause havoc on all our lives.

She’ll use the one thing I care most about to control me—force me into her Elite world, filled with sin, deceit, and power. And under her spell, I’ll lead a sinister brotherhood of seven at one of the most prestigious universities in New Orleans.

Seven tasks set forth by the devil herself, promising nothing less than the forbidden fruit of power. What they don’t understand is it will all end in bloodshed and regret.

They call me the alpha. The one in charge. The one with pride bigger than any task I could be given. And my pride won’t let me be anywhere but at the top of the food chain until she gives me what I truly want.

My task is Meghan Thorne.

She’s too pure for me to touch, too good for me to ruin—and the only thing standing in my way to freedom.

Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.

As they say, pride comes before the fall.

I am Mason Blackwell.

I am Pride.

PRIDE By J.D Hollyfield

PRIDE Pre-Order Now!!
Amazon US |Amazon UK
Amazon CA | Amazon AU

 

Wrath: Releasing March 11th

I’m a motherless son to a father who hates me. Fury has lived and breathed in my black heart for so long, it’s a part of my soul now. The only thing that’s ever mattered to me is protecting my twin sister, Sabella, from my father’s temper.

So when the chance to join a secret society presents itself, there’s no question I’ll do whatever it takes to become a member and earn my place in the ranks of only the most Elite.

With a taste for the deviant, I’m drawn to the darkest of desires, and no one ever leaves my bed unscathed.
My task: seduce Patience Noelle, St. Augustine’s sweetheart and the mayor’s beloved daughter—then break her heart.

Sinning is what I live for, and deviance is my passion. Failing has never been an option.

But what happens when my sin becomes my curse—when destroying the only woman I’ve ever wanted is my key to protecting my sister?
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.

This isn’t just my chance, it’s my legacy and reckoning.
I am Samuel Gunner.
I am WRATH

WRATH by Claire C. Riley

 

Envy: Releasing March 25th

It was temptation that broke the sinner.

People say I have everything.
They’re wrong.
I may have looks, money, and privilege, but I don’t have the one thing that really matters, the one thing I crave: a woman with eyes only for me.
I’m searching for my woman—one who will fall to her knees because I’m her king. She’ll wear the crown of my tarnished name, and long for me when I’m not near. And when I am close, she’ll be naked across my lap, feeling the sting of my palm across her milky skin.
You could say I’m a sinner because I’d do anything to have the perfect woman—compliant to my every need and whim—and I’m envious of every couple who walks around naive to the luxury they have.

That’s why I joined The Elite, the most prestigious brotherhood in the south.
It’s the one place that will give me what I cannot have.
Only…the task assigned to me is too much for my jealous eyes.
Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak…they’re for The Elite.
Those who envy have no peace.
My name is Sabastian Westbrook.
I am Envy.

ENVY by M.N Forgy

 

Greed: Releasing April 8th

I was born into a world of darkness—one that never touched me when I was around my brother, Mason Blackwell. Leader of The Elite Seven. The thing about darkness, though, is it’s persistent. Eventually, it pushes itself into my life, penetrating my soul and leaving its stench latched to every vein, rooted inside every bone, and sunken into every pore. I thought I reached rock bottom when I fell in love with my brother’s best friend. My very own brand of drug with no comedown. My own nightmare I never woke from. But I was wrong. So very wrong. When I returned to New Orleans, I arrived as a shell of the girl they once knew. Put on a smile. Be the sweet innocent girl they remember.

I’m Evie Blackwell, hostage to my demons. Can the damned be saved?

I’ve done some unforgivable acts in my years, but I never asked for forgiveness. Nothing beats the feeling of wrapping my hand around someone’s throat and watching as their life bleeds down their cheeks. She was everything I should have stayed away from. The first night I saw her, I knew I was doomed—a slave to the girl with the pretty eyes and soft smile. The girl who turned out to be my best friend’s baby sister. I couldn’t stay away. I had to be near her, even if it meant ruining her in the process. I wanted to wreck her, so I could piece her back together—a puzzle only I knew how to solve.

I’m Micah Dixon.
Greed.
I come for everything and get everything I come for—and I want all of her. But she’s changed, and so have I.
I’m much, much worse now…

GREED By Amo Jones

 

Gluttony: Releasing April 22nd

My life has been served to me on a gold platter to be devoured by my silver spoon.

Money, money, and more money. It’s the backbone of the Goddard name. I’m the only son, so it’s all mine for the taking.

But sometimes money isn’t enough. I always want more, yet nothing seems to satisfy me.

My father has made sure I become a part of The Elite Seven. Where most candidates are chosen, I was given my place. Everything comes at a price, though. Luckily, I can afford any price—no one has more money than God.

The Elite Seven have their initiations. My assignment is personal and beneath me: steal a car and send a warning. It’ll hurt my best friend in the process, but we both made a pact going into this. There’s no line we won’t cross.

My task makes an ugly turn and I nearly take a life. Such a small, unimportant person—someone no one would even notice was gone. She’s a problem my money and power can easily sweep under the rug.

It’s what my father wants. It’s what my brothers want. But when she finally opens those big, innocent brown eyes, I realize I’ve found what I’ve been searching for my entire life. I don’t want my little problem to disappear…I want to keep her.

Accept your sin wisely, for the tasks given to earn your place are not for the weak—they’re for The Elite.

Money is my legacy, but I want something money can’t buy.
I am Baxter Samuel Goddard V.
I am Gluttony.

GLUTTONY by K. Webster

 

Sloth: Releasing May 13th

I don’t give a fuck.
Not about money or fame, beauty or power. I’ve had all those things since birth, and trust me, they’re a fucking snooze.
I don’t give a fuck about anyone, not even myself.
Until my father proves evil can exist in the most holy of places. For the first time ever, something like interest stirs in my soul.
He wants me to enroll at St. Augustine.
Join The Elite.
Court the virginal daughter of Archbishop Savoie.
Prove to him I’m worth the family name.
I’ll do it all.
And I’ll do it so well, no one will know what’s coming. People are so quick to underestimate the wicked and lazy.
They forget idle hands are the best tools for the devil’s work.
I am Rush Dempsey.
I am Sloth.

SLOTH By Giana Darling

 

ENTER TO WIN A $20 AMAZON GIFT CARD!

▼▼▼Click the image to enter!!▼▼▼

Thinking About You by Monica Murphy…Blog Tour & Review

Thinking About You BT banner.jpg

Thinking About You by Monica Murphy

Release Date: January 9th

Thinking About You AMAZON.jpg

Thinking About You, a standalone contemporary romance in the Forever Series by New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy

One minute I’m minding my own business at a party and the next I meet this woman who blows my mind. She’s beautiful. Smart. Funny. A little shy. I’m immediately drawn to her. We make an instant connection.

The problem?

Lady Susanna Sumner lives in London.

I live in California

I play professional football.

She works part-time at an art gallery and lives off her family’s money.

Her family is nobility. I come from a single mom who always scraped to get by.

Susanna and I should have nothing in common. But when we’re together, it’s…

Electric.

What are we supposed to do? Can we really make this work? I can’t give up my career. And I can’t ask her to move to California for me. All I know is, I want her in my life.

Desperately.

TAY - AN.jpg

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ssepob

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/ThinkingAboutYouMM

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2BRpv0H

Nook: http://bit.ly/2LWWLa5

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

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2VAu6MD

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2Qcrh5s

 

 

Thinking About You is part of Monica’s Forever Yours series but can be read as a complete standalone.

I have always enjoyed any book by Monica that I read and I was really excited for this series because it’s her characters from her friends series, but when they are older and mature adults.

I did read the first book in this series (which I will go back and do) but it did not hurt because these are all complete standalones. Thinking About You definitely was not my fave by Monica.

The book started off slow for me. We don’t get to know much about Susanna other than she’s somewhat royalty in London. For me, it started off too slow and then next thing I know, they’re having sex. A lot of sex. I think the majority of this book is them having sex when they are together. I am not one to ever complain about that, but it hurt the relationship development since these two don’t know each other at all. Cannon admits that he falls hard and fast a lot, but then it would make sense in his position to slow down a tad bit.

Aside from that – it was decent story. There is no angst or drama. I loved the added touch of her best friend and her brother getting together but it didn’t add much to the whole story itself, felt like filler almost.

For me, this was not Monica’s best work. I’ve read many others by her that I loved and this one fell short of that level. It’s not a terrible read, I did enjoy it and the sexy times, but everything just felt rushed and not fleshed out well. I wanted to see them get to know one another more on a deeper level than just face value.

Overall, it was a decent read but not favorite from Monica. I know others who enjoyed it more and I think those who like sugary sweet romances with no drama will enjoy this one.

 

Blog tour-2.jpg

Excerpt:

“I’m thinking about how beautiful you are,” I answer Susanna truthfully. She really is stunning, in that classic, elegant way some women are. She’s just very…refined? Is that the right word? Her cheekbones and jaw are sharp, her nose is straight, her blue eyes are extra bright and her full lips are the color of a classic red rose.

Her cheeks are the color of pink roses, thanks to the compliment I just gave her.

“Thank you. That’s very sweet of you to say,” she murmurs, casting her gaze downward for a brief moment before she lifts her head. “I can’t believe we’re here. Together.”

“Why do you say that?” I feel the same way, but want to hear her reasoning first before I make any confessions.

“You’re not my type,” she blurts, covering her mouth after the words escape for a brief moment before slowly dropping her hand. “Not that there’s anything wrong with you.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Gee, thanks.”

Her cheeks turn redder. “Oh goodness, I’m not trying to insult you, I just—I’m making a mess of this, and I apologize. What I meant to say is…” She takes a deep breath, exhaling loudly before she continues. “You’re not the type of man I normally date, but there’s something good to be said in that.”

She’s not the type I normally go for either, that’s for damn sure. She’s too prim, too proper, too sweet. “Like what?”

“There’s nothing wrong with trying something a little different sometimes. Clearly who I’ve been dating in the past hasn’t worked, since I’m still single,” she says with a self-depreciating laugh.

“I thought Dickie was your ex-boyfriend,” I point out with a wince. That is the damn worst name on the planet, I swear.

“Oh, it was never too serious with Dickie.” She waves a hand. Laughs again. “That was a long time ago, though.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know. Six months? Nine?” She tilts her head, as if she’s quietly counting back the months. “Eight months, actually. During the winter. He told me I was a bright light on a cold, dreary day once. That was nice.”

For some godforsaken reason, jealousy rises within me, making me clench my fists in my lap. “I guess he’s a goddamned poet.”

I would never think to say something like that to a woman. I’m not one to say a bunch of flowery nonsense to get between a woman’s legs. I’m a little more direct.

She seems startled by my response. “Oh, he wasn’t a poet. Not at all. That was probably the nicest thing he ever said to me while we dated.”

Huh. Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better, but not much.

And why the hell do I care what her ex-boyfriend said to her? This is a one-shot deal. I’ll take her to dinner, hopefully kiss her a little bit in the back of an Uber, maybe even feel her up a little bit too, and then we’re done. I’ll play my game tomorrow, we’ll win because that’s what we do, and then head back home.

End of story.

The server returns to the table with our drinks, making an elaborate show of popping the cork on the bottle of Veuve Clicquot before pouring us each a glass. I didn’t want any champagne, but when Susanna lifts her glass toward me in a toast, I grab mine and clink our glasses together.

“To new friends,” she says, smiling prettily.

“New friends,” I agree, downing most of the champagne in one swallow.

About Monica:

Monica Murphy is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 international bestselling author of the One Week Girlfriend series, the Billionaire Bachelors and The Rules series. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide. She is both self-published and published by Random House/Bantam and Harper Collins/Avon. She writes new adult, young adult and contemporary romance.

She is a wife and a mother of three who lives in central California on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere along with their one dog and too many cats. A self-confessed workaholic, when she’s not writing, she’s reading or hanging out with her husband and kids. She’s a firm believer in happy endings, though she will admit to putting her characters through angst-filled moments before they finally get that hard won HEA.

Connect with Monica:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonicaMurphyauthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934418.Monica_Murphy
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1YUl0Vm
Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com
Mailing List:: http://bit.ly/IW5U0y

Release Day Blitz & Review…Finding Alexei by Kendall Ryan

 

He’s bossy, moody, and overprotective.

He’s also a pro athlete who needs to focus on winning games and staying out of the headlines.

I’m fiercely independent and need a man like I need a second period each month.

So when our worlds collide, I never expected him to be the one to jump in and save me. Especially not when my roommate disappears, leaving me with her baby.

I’m clueless about babies—and it shows. Good thing Alexei isn’t. With six nieces and nephews and an apparent hero complex, the dude is both sexy and more than capable. It’s a combination that makes it easy to forget we’re just playing house.

 

 

 

AVAILABLE NOW

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | APPLE | B&N | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY | AUDIBLE

 

 

 

 

 

Kendall Ryan has this niche for writing sweet and easy romantic stories. And she nails it on the head again with Finding Alexei.

Finding Alexei is very quick and breezy read, that Kendall can easily make into more, but chose not to, which is ok. It didn’t hurt the story in any way, but for me is what prevented me from loving this book.

We met Alexei (Alex) in Dear, Jane but if you have not read that one, do not worry. He was just a secondary character and not much was revealed about him. The way Alexei and Ryleigh meet, is a definitely a new one and totally not traditional.

Alexei and Ryleigh have chemistry between them and you see it building the more time they are spent around one another. This is an area that I could easily see Kendall expanding upon and making the chemistry even more believable and showing how their relationship was built on more than just their chemistry. But again, it doesn’t deter from how Kendall played everything out.

Even though Alexei and Ryleigh don’t know each other and their running into one another was truly fate intervening, I felt that most of their interactions were normal and nothing felt out character for either of them. I can easily see Alexei’s actions reflect on as how he was raised and later actions explained by hormones and such. Ryleigh definitely keeps herself level headed and tries not to read into anything too much and not truly rely on Alexei.

Overall, the story played out nicely and the relationship felt naturally played out. The way Kendall wrote it, although fast, worked nicely and still came across as believable. Kendall once again write a sweet, sexy and enjoyable story.

 

 

 

 

 

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

Subscribe to Newletter

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Release Day Blitz & Review….Falling For the Playboy by Kennedy Fox

 

 

Never trust a man who gets paid to take off his clothes for a living and then uses it as a pick-up line to get girls in bed with him.

That should’ve been enough for me to call in sick that day.

I’ve worked with male cover models like him before and they’re all the same—smooth-talking, sexy as sin, egotistical know-it-alls who think they’re God’s gift to women—all traits I know to steer clear of.

Assisting authors comes with many perks—reading on the job, using my organizing skills on a daily basis, drinking coffee by the gallons—but Maverick Kingston barges into my life and demands more than I can handle.

When we’re forced to road trip across the country together, he pushes every boundary I have and rearranges my thoughts on playing it safe. And when he “accidentally” drops his towel, he makes it very clear what he’s offering and proves he’s packing more than abs of steel under his clothes.

Working with him was brutal, but falling for him was unexpected.

And playing by the rules will be impossible.

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

AVAILABLE NOW

Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

 

 

 

 

Olivia’s POV

 

“Can I turn off this church music?” Maverick asks thirty minutes into our trip. He leans forward and starts messing with the knob.

“It’s nice driving music,” I argue, swatting his hand away.

“You can’t be serious. This shit is gonna put you to sleep and then we’re going to crash and die. You really want that on your conscious?”

The corner of his lips tilt up just the slightest.

“Guess it wouldn’t matter. I’d be dead.” I flash a smug smile right back at him.

“Oh I see how it is. You look all innocent and smart but deep down you have this morbidness to you.”

I shoot him a look. “You’re the morbid one with all your crashing and dying talk.” I turn my music back on. “Now no more talking about it because if I don’t get you to these events on time, Rachel will actually kill me.”

“Why you so scared of her anyway? I could fit her in my pocket. She looks harmless enough.”

Glancing at him, I try to focus on the road and shake my head. “You know she’s anything but harmless.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Yeah, you’re right. She’s not a firecracker like you though.”

“I’m not even sure what that means, but you can’t label me when you just met me.”

“Oh, like you haven’t labeled me already?”

“I know your kind. I’ve heard plenty about you to form an opinion,” I tell him with purpose.

“God, you’re so hypocritical. You think you’re the first prissy, stick-up-her-ass assistant I’ve met? Doesn’t mean I know you just like it doesn’t mean you know me.”

He kinda has a point, but I don’t tell him that. His ego is already taking up all the space in the car.

Ignoring his comment, I focus on driving. We’re in heavy traffic and I’m not used to eight lane highways.

“You better get over,” he says.

“I’m trying.” I look over my shoulder, searching for a spot to move into.

“Might wanna try the blinker. I heard it’s a signal for turning or moving over.”

I sigh and put it on. He’s distracting me.

“Stay quiet so I can focus.”

His chuckles are the last thing I hear from him as I attempt to merge across the lanes. Finally, I make it and we coast down the highway in silence until we’re leaving the city.

“When are we stopping for food?” He speaks up for the first time in hours. I look over at him and see he’s sticking his lower lip, making a pouty face. “I’m shriveling to nothing over here.” He slightly lifts his shirt up and pats his ridiculously cut stomach.

His eyes meet mine, and I quickly look away although he saw me staring. Swallowing, I look at the GPS to see how much further until our first stop.

“We have about an hour left,” I tell him. “Think you’ll manage to stay alive for that long?”

He groans, loudly and it makes me laugh. I quickly catch myself and stop.

“You have a nice laugh. It’s a pleasant change from your short fuse and snarl.”

“I don’t snarl!” I argue. “I just like having a plan and sticking to it.”

He noticeably rolls his eyes. “Okay, Miss Priss. Letting your hair down won’t kill ya.”

“No, but your arrogant, self-absorbed attitude just might,” I throw at him, holding back a smirk.

“Well, I think that’s debatable. Most of the women I date think it’s charming.”

A loud snort bursts out of me, and I’m unable to keep in the laughter this time. “I think that says more about who you’re dating than anything. They must be desperate.”

“Damn, what a burn.” He chuckles. “Adding hostile to your personality resume.”

I inhale a deep breath, realizing that was a really mean thing to say. “Okay, sorry. That wasn’t nice. But I’m not taking back what I said about you. You’re arrogant and there’s no denying that”

“Oh well then thanks, I guess.” He smirks. “You say it like being arrogant is a bad thing though. In my profession, I kinda have to be. I’m constantly selling myself to photographers and showing them I’m worthy of being in their magazines and advertisements. If I don’t act confident and prove I’m the best guy for the gig, I’ll lose it to the thousands of other people pursuing the job.”

I think about his words for a minute. “Okay, well I can certainly understand that. But I think you’re just naturally that way.” I shrug, biting down on my lower lip so he doesn’t see right through me. He has every right to be confident, there’s no doubt about that. He’s got it all—the body, the face, the perfect white teeth and smile. His abs are plastered all over Rachel’s covers and book promo graphics. He even has that annoying muscular V that trails from his hips to down below his waistline. Annoyingly sexy. “However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be humble in other aspects of your life.”

“That’s a pretty big accustation for someone you just met. How do you know I’m not? You haven’t been around me long enough to know anything about me. Don’t you think?”

Damn. He’s right. “Fine. Prove me wrong then.”

 

 

Falling for the Playboy is the second book in Bedtime Reads by Kennedy Fox – all these books can be read as standalones and are very quick reads.

As with the first book, this was book was just ok for me – right down the middle. There were parts, I really enjoyed and other parts that I did not care for. I felt certain areas needed fleshed out more to possibly explain dynamics between certain characters. Let me explain myself.

I really enjoyed the idea behind this plot – cover book model and author assistant go from enemies to lovers. I enjoyed how this part of the story plays out. The interactions between Maverick and Olivia are what I loved most about this book and what kept it from getting a lower rating. So you are problably wondering why I didn’t rate it higher if that’s what this book is about. Enter Rachel (no this isn’t a love triangle).

Rachel is the author who Olivia is an assistant/door mat to and also the author of the books that Maverick is the cover model on. I despise Rachel – she is Satan incarnate. She treats Olivia like the gum on her shoe and Olivia just takes it. I hated that. Olivia this great “take no nonsense” attitude and strictly business with Maverick, yet she can’t stand up for herself against her boss. This is where I wish things were fleshed out more and maybe the explanation of dynamics between Olivia and Rachel were explained versus how Olivia is able to have a more stronger hand towards others – I hope that makes sense.

Then there was the ending – I wanted more!!! It wasn’t a terrible ending, I just wish we had more between Rachel and Olivia play out. Again – flesh things out for me.

As I said, I enjoyed the book, the storyline, the dialogue and interactions between Maverick and Olivia – they made the story. So if you can look beyond Rachel and her part in all this, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book. There are a lot of hilarious moments and watching Olivia and Maverick go from standing one another to more was fun to read.

 

 

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

Keep up with all their social media platforms for updates & info!

WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM

 

 

 

 

 

Fight or Flight by Samantha Young…Release Day Blitz & Review

A series of chance encounters leads to a sizzling new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series. 

The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn’t hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava’s ever had. And that’s all it was–until Caleb shows up on her doorstep.

When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb’s orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he’s stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart’s in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she’s made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn’t quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her….

Buy links:

Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble,Nook, Books a Million, Indiebound, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play

 

 

Samantha never ceases to amaze me with her great writing skills and characters that I absolutely adore. However, sometimes the characters can be a bit too overboard and that hurt the book a bit, for me at least.

Ava is a woman who has seems to have everything together and has the tongue that could give you 50 lashings if you step out of line. She has no problem speaking her mind and she does just that when she and Caleb (the bastard Scott) run into one another at the airport.

Caleb is a very abrasive man who also speaks what is on his mind. When he and Ava bump into one another at the airport, he immediately assumes she’s this women who dresses to impresses others. He’s an asshole and rude jerk but for whatever reason, has this insane attraction to her.
When Caleb ends up having to stay in Ava’s town for longer than anticipated, these two decided to make the best of it – regardless of their animosity towards on another, they are both deeply attracted to each other and need to get that out of their systems. However, Caleb never lets his walls down and continues to keep Ava at arm’s length. All the while, Ava seemed to lose some her confidence and be ok with his rudeness and accept that as ok. This is where I started to find some issues with this story.

Samantha Young is one hell of a story teller. I found myself getting caught up in this enemies to lovers story and loved almost every bit of it. Caleb and Ava argue and fight A LOT in this book. Caleb pushes her away too many times (and treats her like shit) for me to be ok with her ever accepting him into her life. At one point, the relationship/friendship almost felt toxic for Ava.

One thing that Samantha did well was feeling their raw emotions coming out, at least with Ava. Caleb was just a dick and personally, never won me over. But once again, I applaud an author for getting to me hate such strong emotions for a character. I don’t like how Caleb treated Ava, but she must have saw something that I did not in him as she continued to take him back.

Overall, I really wanted to love this story but I have so many conflicting emotions that I feel it’s best to just rate this one right down the middle. As you can tell by my review, i flip back and forth with my love and dislike of this book and the characters’ actions. Many have loved this book and others have felt the same as me.

I highly encourage anyone to read it and decided on our own how this story and its characters makes you feel.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She’s been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance 2012 for her international bestselling novel ON DUBLIN STREET, Best Romance 2014 for BEFORE JAMAICA LANE, and Best Romance 2015 for HERO. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Author social media:

Twitter, Instagram,Facebook

Hot For His Girl by Rachel Blaufeld….Blog Tour & Review

HISGIRL_BLOG TOUR

“Hot for his Girl is a fantastic blend of smartly-written comedy and poignant, sexy romance that shouldn’t be missed.” — Mary, USA Today HEA

Hot For His Girl, an all-new standalone new adult romance from Rachel Blaufeld is LIVE!

GirlandGrill_Full

Andonia “Andi” Schwartz is the kind of gal you love to hate. Snarky, skinny, and jaded, Andi’s goodness lies hidden beneath her sharp edges. But it’s there . . . this independent single mom has it going on.

Reid Fellows is a lovable dude. Bespectacled tenure-track statistics professor by day, shirtless blogger by night, he’s a catch on paper and easy on the eyes.

Andi wields her power and unruly commentary from behind her laptop as the anonymous proprietor of The UnAffectionate Blogger. Reid’s blog, Grill and Groom, began on a dare. Now, he regularly shows his abs of steel while grilling.

He may love this gig more than his day job. She needs her page views and advertisers to support her daughter. Until the two meet and spin a web online and IRL . . . in real life.

What happens when two bloggers fall for each other?

A new blog is born.

HFHG_AVAILABLE NOW

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QYg19u

iBooks: https://apple.co/2Cz1s9l

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/HotForHisGirl

Nook: http://bit.ly/2xFLipr

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Q8WNwv

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2Ax9ZbF

HotForHisGirl-Teaser2-AN

Excerpt:

He’s tall, lean, and muscular in track pants and a long-sleeved tee underneath a glow-in-the-dark skeleton-adorned apron. Jet-black hair, mussed across his forehead. Even under the darkening sky, I can tell he has deep olive-toned skin. His eyes, I’m not quite sure. Maybe dark.

I feel my feet walking toward the object of my desire, but suddenly halt them.

Whoa, horsie.

For a second, my brain kicks in and I take stock of my disheveled appearance. This isn’t how I want to meet the man I’ve internet-stalked for a week. The man my brother-in-law wants to emulate, supposedly to win the heart of an overeager preschool teacher. The man who grills shirtless and does it oh-so-well. Just yesterday, he made rosemary-and-thyme veal chops. I don’t believe in eating veal, have never even tried it, and I was salivating over my laptop.

Reid, Grill and Groom, whatever his last name is, doesn’t hide behind the anonymity of his laptop. Nope, he’s right out on the wild, wild web for anyone to see.

This man is everything I’m not. He writes a successful blog, puts his name out there. And now he’s standing a few feet from me, joking with my daughter and her friend like he has nothing better to do and all the time in the world to do it.

“Mom! Can we have two?”

“Ms. Andi, this guy said we could have two big bars! Can we?”

“Hey there . . .”

Three voices call to me, but I’m stuck in Reidville, the small town that had only just begun to grow in my mind. Not the real, live man currently calling out, “Hey there,” to me.

“Mom!” Gabby shouts, finally dragging me out of a dense mental fog.

“Um, are you sure?” I holler from where I’m standing, because there’s no way in hell I’m allowing myself to move any closer to the door.

“It’s no prob. Evening’s almost over, and I don’t want to be stuck with all this leftover candy,” Reid yells back.

He’s tall. I’m guessing six foot two or three based on the way he towers over the girls and his head almost meets the top of the door frame.

“Make sure to say thanks,” I tell the girls, my voice squeaking, the stupid crumpled coffee cup dangling in my hand.

“Would you like one?”

Reid, Reid, Reid, just let me get out of here alive with my limbs attached and my lungs still pumping air in and out.

But no, he can’t. The girls sing, “Thank you,” and he’s following them out to me, candy basket in hand.

I fight the urge to sniff under my pits again, but I can’t seem to stop my free hand from smoothing down the front of my shirt and gathering my cardigan tight across my belly. It’s flatter than most, but still—I’ve had a baby.

“Would you like one? To go with your coffee?” He’s dead center now, right in front of me, wearing flip-flops despite the chilly nighttime air, holding the basket with his strong hands I’ve seen pictured on the blog, working the grill.

I’m not gonna lie. I’ve fantasized about those hands working me . . . just about everywhere. Okay, everywhere.

I admit it. I ended up perusing this guy’s site more than I care to say.

Green. His eyes are dark green, deep like the forest, clear like the sea, inviting like a patch of moss.

A frog settles in my throat, and I can’t make a sound for fear it will alas be a croak.

I shake my head and clear my throat, banishing the toad. “Tempting, but no thanks.”

“Actually, I really do have apples, if that’s more appealing.” He cocks an eyebrow at me, light from the rising moon twinkling in his eyes.

Reid, Reid, Reid, go back to your grill.

 

 

I am a big fan of Rachel’s work. The premise for this book is what really hooked me.

I love that Andi is critical in her blog in that she is voices what everyone else is thinking about these other bloggers but she does it anonymously. Reid has his own blog, which started off as a dare, for grilling and grooming.

These two come across one another in unexpected ways, except Reid only knows her Andi, the single mom “medical transcriptionist” and not the UAB (UnAaffectionate Blogger). Their interactions are feel real and the move at a decent pace for them.

The parts that really annoyed me was Andi keeping her blogging a secret from Reid for most of the book – still don’t get why that was such a big deal for her – and how Reid reacted when she finally came out with the secret.

Aside, from those two things, the book was enjoyable. The banter and witty comments were enjoyable and helped keep the story from feeling too blah. While I enjoyed it the for the most part, there wasn’t anything that really wow’d me and had me really loving it, hence the 3 star.

Hot For His Girl is a cute and sweet read that you’ll breeze through and feel lighter after reading it.

 

About Rachel

Rachel Blaufeld is a bestselling author of Romantic Suspense, New Adult, Coming-of-Age Romance, and Sports Romance. A recent poll of her readers described her as insightful, generous, articulate, and spunky. Originally a social worker, Rachel creates broken yet redeeming characters. She’s been known to turn up the angst like cranking up the heat in the dead of winter.

A devout coffee drinker and doughnut eater, Rachel spends way too many hours in local coffee shops, downing the aforementioned goodies while she plots her ideas. Her tales may all come with a side of angst and naughtiness, but end as lusciously as her treats.

As a side note, Blaufeld, also a long-time blogger and an advocate of woman-run anything, is fearless about sharing her opinion. She captured the ears of stay-at-home and working moms on her blog, BacknGrooveMom, chronicling her adventures in parenting tweens and running a business, often at the same time. To her, work/life/family balance is an urban legend, but she does her best.

Rachel has also blogged for The Huffington Post and Modern Mom. Most recently, her insights can be found in USA TODAY, where she shares conversations at “In Bed with a Romance Author” and reading recommendations over at “Happy Ever After.”

Rachel lives around the corner from her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her family and two beagles. Her obsessions include running, coffee, basketball, icing-filled doughnuts, antiheroes, and mighty fine epilogues.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found courtside, tweeting about hoops as her son plays, or walking around the house wearing earplugs while her other son, the drummer, bangs away.

RachelB.jpg

Connect with Rachel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelblaufeldtheauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelblaufeld

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelblaufeld/

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TunnelVIPS/

Stay up to date with Rachel by joining her mailing list today: http://www.rachelblaufeld.com/signup

Website: http://www.rachelblaufeld.com

Faux Pas by Natasha Madison…Blog Tour & Review

 

 

 

Meghan
Five days in Paris sounded like a great idea for three friends. Especially when amazing wine was in play.

It didn’t matter that our rented “apartment” only had one bed, and barely enough space to breathe, we were in Paris and our motto was c’est la vie.

Nothing would faze us, not even the rude waiter at the first restaurant we went to, or the insanely hot manger who was insulted when a bottle of wine was returned.

Nothing could bring me down or knock me off my path to the best vacation of my life.

Alex

I had six days in Paris and then I’d go back to my wine vineyard. It was smooth sailing, until three “americans” came into the restaurant and returned my newest full bodied, savory creation.

I ignored her until she stormed out of the restaurant looking for a taxi at one in the morning. I couldn’t leave her wandering around the streets of Paris, could I?

I’d give her a ride, make sure she was safe, and my duty would be done. Except, was it?

Something about her pulled me.

This could be a vacation fling. After all, there is no real reason for her to know my interesting secret.

I’m France’s most eligible bachelor.

This faux pair is almost a faux pas…

 

AMAZON US: http://bit.ly/FauxpasUS
AMAZON UK: http://bit.ly/fauxpasuk
AMAZON CA: http://bit.ly/fauxpasCA
AMAZON AU: http://bit.ly/fauxpasAU

 

 

He makes his way through the tables, straight to ours. “quel est le problème?” What is the problem, his voice comes out gruff, the smell of his musk hitting my nose.

 

“Le vin n’est pas bon,” The wine isn’t good, I start saying, and I look at his eyes that look almost black. I’m not sure if it’s his natural color, or if the restaurant is dimmer now than before, or maybe it’s just his form blocking the lights. “il a un goût de vinaigre.” It tastes like vinegar, and I’m not sure it was the right thing to say or not. He stares at me, not saying a word. “Taste it.” I give up on my French and switch to English. “You’ll see.”

 

I’m waiting for him to say something back, but he doesn’t. Instead, he turns around and walks away from the table, going into the back. “What the fuck just happened?” Diana says in a whisper. We all turn to see where he went, checking to see if he is going to storm back in.

 

“She insulted his wine,” Kate says, leaning in and speaking softly.

 

I throw my hands in the air. “It was shit,” I say louder than I wanted to. “You guys said it yourself.” Looking around, I see that a couple of the tables are looking at us, but the majority of the tables are deep in their own conversations and not paying attention.

 

We don’t say anything else when we see the waiter come back with a new bottle in one hand and a new wine glass in the other. He uncorks the wine, then pours a touch in and waits for me to taste it. I don’t say anything to him; I just nod my head, and he puts the bottle in the middle of the table. “I guess I will pour the wine,” Kate says, picking up the bottle and pouring it in everyone’s glass. I pick up the glass of wine and bring it to my lips. The cold glass is resting on my lips when I feel someone staring at me. I look down and take a sip, then look around, and I guess it’s just me because no one is looking in my direction.

 

By the time we finish dinner, we’ve drunk two more bottles. and everyone is laughing and having a great time. The food was amazing. “We need a taxi,” I say. Getting up, I grab my jacket, shrugging it on.

 

“I think we can walk to the corner that way,” Diana says, pointing at the sky, “and flag one down.”

 

“If we go that way,” Kate says, pointing at the sky, “we need to call NASA.” We all laugh out loud while the waiter comes to take the bill from us.

 

“Merci.” We smile at him as he walks away, still not saying a word.

 

“Yes, thank you for my glass of ice cubes that you only brought me one of even though I asked for seven,” Kate says, laughing while trying to whisper. “And thank you for pouring our wine.”

 

“Okay, let’s go,” I say, walking to the front door.

 

“I’m going to ask him for a taxi,” Kate says, going to the waiter who stands at the hostess counter and asking him for a cab.

 

I watch from the front door as Diana stands behind her while I look in my bag and pull out my lip gloss.

 

“Pardon.” I hear Kate say loudly, and I look up.

 

“Vous pensez qu’après tout ce que vous avez fait ce soir vous méritez que je vous appelle un taxi ?” I stand here with my mouth open in shock when he answered her. Do you think after everything you did to me tonight that you deserve that I call you a taxi?

 

Kate starts. “What did I do? Expect you to do your job?” she says, and Diana grabs her arm, pulling her to the front door.

 

“Did he just say …?” I ask her when we are standing outside in front of the restaurant, the wind blowing my hair in front of my face. I turn my head, making it fly back the other way.

 

“So it’s safe to say,” Diana starts with a laugh, “we aren’t coming back to this restaurant.”

 

“Take a picture of it, and tomorrow we can go on Yelp and leave a bad review,” Kate says, grabbing her phone from her pocket.

 

“Let’s just go,” I say, and the three of us look around at the desolate street.

 

“What time is it?” I ask and take out my phone. “Shit, it’s one a.m.”

 

“Yeah,” Diana says. We look right down the dark street and see some traffic coming from up ahead. “We should walk to that street and flag down a taxi.”

 

We all nod and start walking with Kate in the middle. “He was such an ass,” Kate says, “and the boss or manager was an even bigger ass.”
“Seriously,” I say, turning to them. “It’s like it was my fault his wine was shit,” I say, and then we all stop when a white four-door Audi stops next to us, surprising us.

 

“Get in.” The voice sounds familiar, but the street is so dark it doesn’t help. I lean in a bit to see his face, and I’m shocked when I see it’s the manager from the restaurant.

 

 

 

A few words could sum up this book for me – sweet and quick read.

In Faux Pas, Natasha takes us to Paris with three girlfriends who decided to go there on a whim. I did adore the details of where Meghan, Kate and Diana visited and how much they loved the area; I can honestly say I felt like I was there experiencing the trip with them.

While I truly enjoyed their trip, the love connection between Meghan and Alex felt too forced in the beginning. I am a hard sell on insta-love and love at first sight so I had a really hard time with their connection. Over the time, I could see maybe where their attraction became more than just lust or attraction but the beginning was definitely difficult for more to see.

One thing I truly enjoyed was how mature everyone acted and stayed true to their character. I hate when characters start to act like a teenager and throw fits or run away from problems. Meghan and Alex definitely were not thrilled with the situations they were put in, but they stuck together and were mature in their actions.

Overall, the story was enjoyable. The secondary characters were funny and I really enjoyed the banter amongst everyone. The story may not have been 5 stars for me, but I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone for a quick read and an escape to Paris.

 

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK READER GROUP | FOLLOW ON AMAZON | FOLLOW ON BOOKBUB | SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER

 

 

 

When Forever Changes by Siobhan Davis….Blog Tour & Review

WFC_BLOGTOUR

When Forever Changes, an all-new emotional, angsty, new adult romance from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis is available NOW!

WhenForeverChanges_ecover

Gabby



Looking back, I should have seen the signs. Perhaps I did, but I subconsciously chose to ignore them.

From the time I was ten, when I first met Dylan, I knew he was my forever guy. Back then, I couldn’t put words to what I was feeling, but, as the years progressed, I came to recognize it for what it was—soul-deep love. The kind only very few people ever get to experience. Dylan was more than just my best friend, my childhood sweetheart, my lover.

He was my soulmate.

We were carved from the same whole—destined to be together forever.

Until he changed.

And I believed I was no longer good enough.

Until he shattered me so completely, it felt like I ceased to exist.

And I’d never experienced such heart-crushing pain.

Until he leveled me a second time, and I truly wanted to die.

But I had to stay strong because I wasn’t alone in this cruel twist of fate.

I look to the sky, pleading with the stars, begging someone to tell me what I should do because I don’t know how to deal with this. I don’t know how to cope when my forever has changed, and I can’t help wondering if I had seen the signs earlier, if I’d pushed him, would it have been enough to save us?


Or had fate already decided to alter our forever?

WFC_AVAILABLE NWO

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NIzf4N

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WhenForeverChanges

Add to GoodReads: https://smarturl.it/WhenForeverChangesGR

WhenForeverChanges__Teaser3

Excerpt:

A throat clearing alerts me to my brother’s presence. My eyes fly to the door, and Ryan is there, lounging against the wall, gaze narrowed as he watches us.

“Morning,” I croak, wincing at how hoarse my voice sounds.

“What the hell’s going on, Gabby? And why is Slate in your bed?”

“Technically, he’s not,” I say, unsuccessfully attempting to extricate myself from his grip.“He’s on top of my bed.”

At that moment, Slater, very unhelpfully, decides to nuzzle into my neck. A satisfied moan slips from his lips, and he blatantly inhales, rubbing his nose in my hair. “Mmm,you smell good,” he murmurs in a sleep-laced tone, pressing his morning wood against my ass. I can’t stop the whimper that escapes my mouth in time, and Ryan turns a very unflattering shade of red. If his jaw clenches any tighter, he’ll give himself lockjaw.

“This is not what it looks like,” I rush to assure him before he loses it.“And nothing happened, so there’s no need to go apeshit on Slate.”

“Someone better start explaining,” Ryan grumbles, and Slater stills behind me, slowly coming to.

“Ryan, dude. Stop freaking out,” Slater says after a tense minute of silence, his voice drenched with sleep.“I was only consoling Belle. That’s it. No need to look at me like you want to rip my head from my body.”

“That’s not the only part of your anatomy I’d like to dismantle right now,” my brother growls, slanting thunderous looks in Slater’s direction.

“Seriously, chill, bro.” Slater scoots away from me, and I instantly feel cold. I lie flat on my back as he swings his legs out the other side of the bed. Resting his elbows on his knees, he yawns. Thank God, he’s wearing a tank and sweats and that he’s hiding the evidence of his arousal until he’s gotten himself under control. The last thing I need is Ryan jumping to conclusions.

 

 

This has got to be on the more difficult reviews that I have ever written.  I love Siobhan and her writing technique. I will always read whatever she releases.  This is the first I have ever rated one of her books below 4 stars and I really wanted to love this book so much.  But some things just were not working for me.

I am one of the many few and in the minority where this book didn’t wow and I will be honest, I hate that it didn’t.  The whole surmise of the book hooked me but it was the whiplash from the decisions these characters (really one character) made that had me not loving it.  I will do my best in not spoiling anything and explain why parts of this book I really enjoyed and other parts were difficult for me to comprehend.

Gabby and Dylan have loved each other for a very long time and had no doubts of their future together.  Then Dylan starts acting out of character for himself (everyone sees it) and does something totally unforgivable.  Gabby’s decision to leave him is one I am totally 100% behind and maintaining that self respect.  However, for as much as in love as these two are, the fact that she even debated pushing him more to look into these outbursts and his more frequent migraines, irks me.  It does not fit the picture I have conjured up in my mind of how these two are with each other – he dotes on her when her endometriosis is flaring up and takes care of her.  Yes, she takes care of him when his migraines hit, but I would think she would have done more when they became more frequent and she was starting to wonder on things.  I just felt that was of character for her.

Along with Gabby and Dylan, Slater and Gabby’s brother Ryan have always been super close.  Gabby notices the tension between Slater and Dylan has increased in the last few months but no one knows why and those two aren’t saying why.  When the reason comes out and the aftermath of both Dylan and Slater’s confessions, Gabby is unsure of how to proceed next.  This part of the story is what I love.  I totally understand a person being so encompassed of a great love, that many other things that seem obvious to everyone else, are completely ignored by those enraptured by another person.  I love how Siobhan has this area play out and move forward in the book.

And then comes another angst and tear-filled moment.  And my tears were for Slater and no one else.  I felt like he got shafted hardcore and I truly wanted to pummel Gabby.  Slater has the biggest heart of any character I have read.  Dude gets his heart shredded and yet he can’t stop loving her and wanting to be there for.  Gabby’s actions in this part of the book had me throwing daggers at her – I almost completely stopped at this point.  I truly did.  I was so mad and hurt over choices.  I applaud her for being there for Dylan after everything but she could have still done that and stayed with Slater.  It came across almost as though her relationship with Slater was just a holding point for her and nothing more than being in love with love itself.  Her decisions did nothing but make me like her even less.

And I won’t say how this ends because if you choose to read this, you need to go through all the ups and downs and heartbreaking moments to see what happens in the end.  Slater owned me in this book – he’s the one I was rooting for from the get-go.  My heart hurt for how things turned out for Dylan – no one deserves what he had to endure.  As for Gabby, I am up in the air on her.  She’s the first heroine in Siobhan’s book that I could give two sh**s about either way. *throw hands up*

One thing I will always applaud an author for is pulling such strong feelings and emotions out of the story and for its characters, whether they be good or bad feelings.  In this case, those feelings came from s****y actions which also hurt parts of how things played out and I did not like that.  There are parts that are too far fetched for me to believe too.  Yes, I understand an author’s ability to stretch the truth a bit, but some things need to stay real.

Overall, the story is good and filled with lots of drama and angst.  Siobhan does a wonderful job of building everything and sucking me into the story. However, it’s certain parts of this book that made me not love it (there are ones I did not even mention in this review for fear of giving too much away).  That’s why I had to go right down the middle and say while I enjoyed, I was not wow’d by it.

I would definitely still recommend anyone giving this book a read.  I have no doubt this is more of a “it’s me, not the story” as to why I was not in love with this book.  Many others loved it and enjoyed the book very much, I unfortunately, was just not one of them.

About Siobhan:

USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling Kennedy Boys, Saven, and True Calling series’.

Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

sd author photo version 2

Connect with Siobhan:

Subscribe to romance newsletter: http://smarturl.it/KennedyBoysList

Amazon Author Page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisAmazon

Author website: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisWebsite

Goodreads profile: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanGoodreads

Facebook page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisFacebook

Twitter profile: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisTwitter

Author Blog: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisBlog

BookBub Author Page: http://smarturl.it/SiobhanDavisBookbub

Big Stick by R.C. Stephens…Blog Tour & Review

 

Big Stick, an all-new standalone Sports Romance by R.C. Stephens is AVAILABLE NOW!

 

 

“A sexy NHL player, a sassy heroine, and a heartfelt romance that kept me engaged from beginning to end!” — NYT bestseller Mia Sheridan

Hockey is my life. And it’s a great one. There’s an endless line of women, and I get to hang with my best friend Oli. Everything is perfect until she shows up. Oli’s twin sister, Flynn…hates my guts. I don’t blame her. I’m part of one of the worst nights of her life.

Now she’s next door and seeing her every day is killing me slowly. I wonder if we can ever get back to being friends. The way she looks at me sometimes, well, let’s just say my hockey stick isn’t the only thing that’s feeling hard these days.

But if she finds out the secrets I’m keeping, forgiveness will be the last thing on her mind.

 

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Amazon – mybook.to/BigStickRC

iBooks- https://apple.co/2NZBMTN

Nook – https://bit.ly/2p9TidO

Kobo – https://bit.ly/2LOifZi

Google Play – https://bit.ly/2pcHJTk

Add to your TBR – https://bit.ly/2v1ljaC

 

 

Big Stick is the first book I have read by this author. I enjoy sport romances so I figured I would give this one a try.

This book definitely was more of friends to lovers romance with a smidge or sports added into it. We got the story on Myles, Oli and Flynn and how the connection between Myles and Flynn builds.

I want go into details on what happens but there were a few parts that dragged for me, but I kept chugging along because the characters weren’t terrible and the writing was decent.

While I wish there was some more surrounding the hockey aspect, this story was good.

Overall, it was good friends to lovers romance and I’d definitely give this author another read.

 

About R.C. Stephens

As far back as R.C. Stephens can remember she was a sucker for a good romance. Of course there had to be a prince charming even if he ultimately was a dark knight and there had to be a happy ending.

She watched the movie Dirty Dancing way too many times growing up and Jean Claude Van Damme movies too. Go figure!

After years of saying she would write a book one day, she finally put pen to paper and carved out the plot line for what would eventually become the best selling Twisted Series. Now R.C. is just finishing up her tenth book and can’t seem to stop the stories running through her mind. Visit R.C. on her Facebook page to find out what’s new in her life and what releases she has coming up.

 

Follow R.C. Stephens

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/rc.stephens.8/

Website – http://rcstephens.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/rcstephensbooks

Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-c-stephens

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rc_stephens_author/

Amazon – https://amzn.to/2M3otkJ

Newsletter – http://rcstephens.com/newsletter/

Sheer by Sarah Robinson…Release Blitz & Review

Today we have the release day blitz of SHEER by Sarah Robinson! Check out the release day festivities and grab your copy today!

Title: Sheer

Author: Sarah Robinson

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Sheer:

The long-awaited conclusion to the series that brought you NUDES (“passionate, emotional, and uplifting!” – #1 NY Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely) and BARE (“heartfelt and sexy!” – USA Today Bestselling Author Kate Meader), a young singer with stars in her eyes falls for a composer whose sordid background might strip them bare.

Grant Mercer is on the run from his secrets…

This was supposed to be an easy assignment—travel halfway across the globe and compose the musical score for an upcoming Hollywood movie by one of the biggest production companies in Los Angeles. One and done like dozens of times before. I wasn’t supposed to have my entire life crumble around me the moment my plane took off. I wasn’t supposed to meet her.

Intriguing and covered in ink, Simone enters my life like a storm, leaving only heartbreak in her wake. I should keep my distance. Hell, she should keep hers. Instead, we did the exact opposite.

Simone Reynolds is mending a broken heart…

Just months after finaling in one of television’s most watched singing competitions, I should be riding the high of my life. I should be celebrating starring in a musical film predicted to rock the box office. It’s hard to bask in my success when my family is suffering a loss we never saw coming. And then there’s Grant—brooding and rugged and an absolute pain in my ass as he messes with my movie.

He’s as broken as I am, but the perfect harmony is only a leap of faith away.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

 

Sheer is the third and final book in the Exposed series with the Reynolds’ sisters. While they can all be read as a standalones, this final book sort of brings everything altogether.

Sheer is Simone’s story – the baby of the family. Her biggest rebellious behavior is her tattoos and streaks of colors in her hair. She’s always been the one to look for everyone else and make sure everyone else is happy.

Grant comes into her life when she has finally ready to focus on herself and her career. They both agree to something casual because he isn’t staying long and she herself isn’t too trusting of men to want anything more.

I enjoyed the plot line of this book but I feel like we were missing more to it. There were parts that felt rushed and sometimes both Simone and Grant were acting out of character. They both have no problems communicating with each other in any aspect of their lives but it’s how they react to situations that felt less like them. I felt like things were resolved too easily for how dramatic and important the issue was throughout the book.

Overall, this book was just an ok read for me. It was fairly fast paced but too quickly resolved. I definitely wanted more from these characters and how everything played out.

The entire series is a good read for anyone who enjoys very low drama and sweet endings.

 

 

About Sarah Robinson:

Aside from being a Top 10 Barnes & Noble and Amazon Bestseller, Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in forensic and clinical psychology. She is newly married to a wonderful man who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiasts as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues including everything from mammals to reptiles to marsupials, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.

Subscribe to her newsletter at www.subscribepage.com/sarahrobinsonnewsletter

Visit the author’s website for more information about Sarah and her books: http://booksbysarahrobinson.net/

 

Connect with Sarah:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |

Enter Sarah’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

A Kiss To Tell by Willow Winters…Release Day Blitz & Review

 

 

Title: A Kiss to Tell
Author: Willow Winters
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Cover Design: Cover Me Darling
Photo: Regina Wamba
Models: Alex & Cherry
Release Date: August 14, 2018
Blurb
I didn’t need anyone to tell me, I knew he was forbidden with a single glance.
He was a boy I should be afraid of and definitely a boy I should never want. No matter how much neither of those statements were true.
From the first time I saw him, Sebastian had a hard stare that pinned me in place.  And, years later, it hasn’t softened.
We lived on the same street, went to the same school, though he was a year ahead.  Even so close, he was untouchable. He was bad news and I was the sad girl who didn’t belong.
One night changed everything. 
We both had secrets.  We both saw the pain in each other’s eyes.  That gaze that gave me chills, turned to a lust-filled haze that heated every inch of me.  But that didn’t change who he was.  A man who would take everything from me.

 

 

So this book is bit difficult to rate for me so I am just going to go with straight down the middle and give it 3 stars. This was a quick and easy read for me.

While I enjoyed the characters and the writing was good, I felt like a lot was missed or skipped over. And I felt like were told more than shown. There is a great connection between the two main characters but I felt like their story was never completely over in the end.

While I enjoyed learning about Sebastian and Chloe came to be, I felt like this may have been more of a prequel for Carter in Merciless but again – I was left scratching my head since he was a secondary character and did not really play a huge role in this book.

As I said, overall the story was nice, but felt like there were some incomplete parts that needed fleshed out more and maybe the author left their ending open with future books in store for them (at least I hope). I really liked these characters and wouldn’t mind reading more about them.

 

Author Bio

Willow Winters is so happy to be a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Contemporary Bestselling Romance Author. She likes her action hot and her bad boys hotter. She certainly doesn’t hold back on either one in her writing!Willow started writing after having her little girl, Evie, December 2015. All during her pregnancy with Evie she continued to read and she only wanted to read romance. She was reading a book a day — sometimes two.

In January 2016 Willow was staying up late with Evie and just thinking of all these stories. They came to her constantly so she finally sat down and just started writing. She always wanted to do it so she figured, why not? Today Willow cannot be happier for making that decision!

Author Links
Giveaway