A writer looking for inspiration in Tuscany. One hot Italian single dad. This summer is going to be a scorcher.
One Hot Italian Summer by New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author, Karina Halle is now live!
My Take:
(ARC was received in exchange for an honest review) Wow what a perfect summertime read! Karina Halle really takes you on a journey, both emotionally and mentally.
Author Grace is mourning the loss of her writing partner while dealing with writer’s block. Her agent lets her borrow her Tuscan villa for the month to recharge, only once Grace arrives she finds she is not alone at the house. Her agent’s sculptor ex-husband, Claudio, in fact owns the Villa, but agrees to let Grace stay so she can work on her novel. Along with his son, Vanni, the three of them spend the summer together and Grace and Claudio find their mutual attraction to be irresistible.
This book is STEAMY and I loved it. It might be Karina’s hottest book yet and I am HERE for it. The passion, the excitement, the scenery were all breathtaking. You could feel the author’s love of Italy (and dresses!) pouring through the words and enveloping you. The food and drink descriptions alone were phenomenal.
What an absolute fantasy to get a free trip to Italy for the summer and find yourself living with a passionate Italian artist who wants nothing more than to make you feel good. This book will sweep you away with it’s stunning imagery and absolute passion.
Blurb:
After the death of her best friend and writing partner, Grace Harper is struggling both with grief, and with her next novel, the first one she’ll have to write alone.
Fortunately, her new powerhouse agent, the formidable Jana Lee, has a solution for her. She can stay at her villa in Tuscany for a month, soak in the sunshine, relax, and find her confidence again. After all, Jana has a lot riding on Grace’s next book, and the last thing she wants is for her reputation as a “super-agent” to be tarnished.
At first the villa is a dream come true for Grace – that is until Claudio Romano shows up one day with his ten-year old son, Vanni, in tow. Turns out, this is Claudio’s house, and Claudio happens to be her agent’s ex-husband from long ago. Thanks to their annual father and son bonding trip being cancelled, Claudio and Vanni are here to stay.
So is Grace.
With the three of them sharing the same house, Grace’s writing plans are thrown out the window. But even if she’s not pounding the keyboard, she’s still finding beauty and inspiration… in none other than Claudio. He’s unlike any man Grace has met before. He’s smart, charming, and wickedly sexy, plus a great father to Vanni. He’d be the perfect summer fling – if only he wasn’t completely off-limits.
But as the hot Italian summer wears on, Grace and Claudio are destined to succumb to the heat, no matter how hard they try to resist each other. One steamy encounter with Claudio could affect Grace’s chances of starting her career over.
Or he could be exactly what she needs.
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Karina Halle is a former travel writer, music journalist & screenwriter, and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author of over 55 bestselling novels, ranging from horror and suspense to contemporary romance. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband, and her adopted pitbull Bruce, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette & Montlake. Her work has been translated and published in 20 languages.
Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit http://www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.
I hate him. I want him. He’s a jerk. A player. Addicting. Trouble.
Hate the Player, a slow burn and hilarious romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe is available now!
My Take:
(ARC Review) This was a very sweet, very funny enemies to lovers romance that was super fun to read. I was craving something lighthearted and this baby fit the bill! Sometimes it’s comforting to read romance that you know won’t break your heart but will still make you swoon.
The banter between Birdie and Andrew is top notch. I loved how they couldn’t stop riling each other up, but I loved even more when they realized they no longer wanted to play that game.
I thoroughly enjoyed Andrew’s journey from renowned Hollywood player to lovesick, sweet, caring boyfriend. Highly recommended if you want something funny and romantic that won’t make you cry!
“Roses are red, violets are blue, stay away from Andrew Watson’s *ahem* because no other women ever do.”
That’s quite the way to start a conversation at a casual lunch, huh? Grilled chicken, French fries, and pelvic-fatigue, oh my!
And that’s not even the worst of it.
My friend Raquel didn’t pull any punches when she warned me about my brand-new co-star and his notoriously player-esque ways. Apparently, my most important mission on my first role in a feature film is to stay immune to his charms.
Are you kidding me? Production costs on this movie are in the hundreds of thousands a day, and staying away from a panty-whispering, vajayjay-charmer is supposed to be at the top of my list? Pfft. Puh-lease.
It doesn’t matter that he’s annoyingly attractive, uber rich, crazy famous, and lusted after by ninety percent of the female population; Andrew Watson is trouble with a capital T—especially for a woman like me.
As a preventative measure, I’ve decided to go ahead and hate him.
Don’t worry, you guys, I’m completely in control. There’s absolutely no way I’m going to do something stupid like fall in love with him.
I can hate the player but still secretly love his addictive game.
I’m sure of it.
Download your copy today or read for Free on Kindle Unlimited!
True to my name, I’m about to take fucking flight. At least, I would if I could.
In this moment, it really would have been helpful if my trainer hadn’t successfully eliminated all the extra flappy meat on my upper arms. Surely, if I got them going fast enough, the wind beneath those bat wings could have carried me up and through the ceiling of this place.
C’mon, you big baby, I coach myself. You can do this.
One cavernous breath into my lungs and then another and another, and eventually, just before my vision turns tunneled, I will my feet to move away from the door.
Gleaming marble floors, golden statues, and a freaking fountain in the center, the lobby of Capo Brothers Studios is everything I should have expected and more.
If everything is bigger in Texas, then everything is most certainly richer in LA.
I check in with security quickly, my voice only a little croaky thanks to the frog in my throat, and head for the elevator bank at the far side of the lobby.
I’m to head to the fifteenth floor, I’m told, and then go straight down the hall to the glass doors on the left at the end. There, I’ll find William Capo’s office—the head honcho and only surviving brother of Capo Brothers.
My cowgirl boots are noisy on the marble floors when I do as instructed. The sound you make when you walk is such a small detail—one I don’t normally think about—but the echo of their clack today makes my heart feel like it’s knocking into my rib cage and each step across the ornate floor is merely a sound effect.
Fifteen floors eclipse quickly—clearly, they’ve spared no expense on their elevator—and the hallway that leads to William’s office seems strangely one-directional. Like once I go down it—once I take this step—there will be no going back. Which is probably why, after forcing myself to go the distance to the end, I pause at the open door, the points of my booted toes just shy of crossing the line.
“Good morning.” A pretty assistant dressed in a white power suit greets me before I’ve even cleared the threshold of the door, and all thoughts of escape are dashed. Like it or not, I’ve just been shoved over the line. I will my feet to do the same as she continues to speak. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Birdie Harris,” I answer and have to swallow hard against the dryness threatening to close my throat. “I have an audition.”
My nerves are so obvious, the assistant offers a sympathetic smile.
If she were from my childhood hometown in West Virginia, she’d most likely be thinking Bless her heart.
She taps something across the keyboard of her iMac and places her hand to the Bluetooth at her ear. “Mr. Capo, I have Birdie Harris here.” Immediately, she looks away from the computer and meets my eyes. “They’ll be ready for you shortly. You can take a seat over there.” She points behind me, back through the door and across the hall to what I’m assuming is a fancy-schmancy waiting room of some sort. I haven’t encountered a place in the building that doesn’t have some sort of gilded or marble inlay, so I highly doubt I’m going to step through that door and into a room styled by the set designer for Saw. Though, I can’t say some sort of torture device wouldn’t be completely misplaced right now. I’m already doing a pretty good job of mentally waterboarding myself with worry.
I offer a little nod, keeping my twisted, sicko thoughts to myself. I doubt they’re interested in hiring a woman on the brink of a hysterical episode.
The secretary quirks a brow, and I realize, though I’ve nodded my affirmation of understanding, I’ve yet to move.
Good God, Birdie! Go sit down.
Annoyed with myself, I turn on my boots and march across the hall so violently, it’s like there’s an invisible person helping me along with a heavy hand at the nape of my neck.
When I cross into the room, a man is sitting on a swanky leather sofa with his booted feet up on the coffee table. He glances up briefly before returning his eyes to the phone in his lap. Embarrassed, I smooth my clomps instantly.
You’re a gazelle, Birdie, not a herd of buffalo, I coach. Move like it.
With his attention occupied, I survey him more closely as I move to take a seat across from him. He’s wearing jeans and a plain white T-shirt, and his jawline would make steel beams look weak. Seriously. Confronted with an earthquake, I would seek shelter right under the eave of his jaw.
I’d love to get another peek at his eyes just to study the color, but fearing the eye contact that would require, I’m careful not to make any overt noises that might draw his attention again.
When he smirks, a devilish proposition-like smile at the screen of his phone, I don’t have to wonder anymore.
Oh no. I know exactly who this man is.
Andrew Watson.
The very man Rocky warned me about and I subsequently Instagram stalked. A laundry list of different women dotted through his timeline, it confirmed everything Rocky told me and then some.
All relaxed and cool, he sits on the white leather sofa with one arm outstretched across the back. Confidence and charm ooze from every freaking cell in his body. No doubt, Andrew Watson is more than capable of commanding the attention of everyone in the room, no matter the situation.
No wonder he’s one of Hollywood’s most famous actors.
The only time I have that kind of quiet confidence is when I’m onstage, singing my songs, lost in the music I created.
Just play it cool, Birdie.
On a deep breath, I force the uncertainty and unease out of my shoulders and settle my ass into the sofa across from him. He shifts again, crossing one ankle over the other and casually adjusting the denim at his crotch.
My eyes are immediately drawn to his bulge, and thanks to Rocky’s colorful descriptions of his favorite appendage, a little penis-shaped soldier is burned in my brain. After a few seconds of imagining the shape of his helmet and intensity of his salute, I jerk my gaze away in a panic.
Jesus. As if this audition wasn’t screwing with my head enough! Now I have Saving Ryan’s Privates, a military-themed porno my head just made up starring Staff Sergeant Dick Richardson, complicating things even more!
I must make a noise I don’t realize—the sound of my saliva gurgling in my throat while I choke on it, perhaps—because Andrew looks at me with curious eyes. I try like hell to keep my calm and act like I haven’t just gone to mental war with the soldier in his pants, but there’s only so much hysteria containment my mind is capable of.
“Uh…hi,” I say, trying so dang hard not to glance back down at his crotch that I start spewing diarrhea of the mouth about goddamn military-themed movies. “I never saw A Few Good Men, but I hear Tom Cruise was good in it.” When I realize what I’ve just said makes absolutely no sense to him—punctuated perfectly by his eyebrows drawing together noticeably—the gurgling saliva turns into a full-blown choke, and suddenly, the only way to breathe is through a hacking cough.
Holy shit, I’m too anxious to be around other humans right now! Also, I’m going to kill Rocky for putting this crap in my head about this guy’s penis.
“Are you okay?” he asks, and I hold up my hand in some kind of gesture. I’m not sure of its technical name, but its meaning is clear—please forget I exist right now.
He asks me once more, but I nod, and once the embarrassing coughing fit passes, I meet his piercingly gray-blue eyes—seeing their color is strikingly unavoidable now—and I offer a halfhearted smile.
“Sorry,” I apologize. I didn’t mean to drag him into an impromptu SNL sketch where I choke on spit and say ridiculously inappropriate, off-the-wall things. “I guess you could say I’m a little nervous.”
His responding smile gleams so bright, I have to wonder if he has an endorsement deal with Crest toothpaste. His mouth would make a dental hygienist get on their hands and knees and thank the Lord above.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. There’s no need to be nervous around me,” he responds, punctuating his words with a wink.
If my mind were a screenplay, the nerves would be exiting stage left.
Did he seriously just wink at me after assuming that I’m nervous to be in his presence?
Surely, I’m hearing this wrong. No one is that obsessed with themselves…right?
“Excuse me?” I ask, and his megawatt smile is still ever-present.
“If you’d like me to sign an autograph or take a selfie with you,” he enunciates slowly, as if my being able to understand him clearly was the problem. “I can probably sneak that in before I have to head in there.”
His autograph? You have got to be kidding me. He sure is a cocky bastard—and for the first time today, I’m not even talking about his dick.
Like the tip of a match being swiped across the edge of a matchbook, aggravation bursts into my veins.
“I’m here for an audition,” I assert.
Unfazed, he quirks a brow as if to say, my invitation for an autograph still stands.
Attractive or not, this guy is one of the biggest asses I’ve ever been around.
“I’m Birdie Harris. I’m auditioning for the role of Arizona Lee.”
And I’ll be damned if I’m not gonna land this acting gig just to spite this prick.
About Max Monroe
A duo of romance authors team up under the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Max Monroe to bring you sexy, laugh-out-loud reads.
Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.
My Take: WOW wow wow. Staci Hart has truly outdone herself yet again! I went in thinking this would be a fun Gatsby-meets-Gossip Girl romp, and while that is certainly true, it’s so much more! It’s stunningly written and delves masterfully into that where do I belong? mentality that so many of us struggle with.
Rich, poor, whatever, everyone has struggled to know where they fit in, who they can really trust, who has their best interests at heart.
The writing in this book is so astonishingly beautiful. Each book I’ve read from Staci Hart has been more and more poetic. While I’ve loved every book I’ve ever read from her, this one has risen even above my exacting standards. She’s somehow leveled up her already staggeringly perfect prose.
I loved Stella. While I personally (unfortunately) am not that much of an optimist, I appreciated her pure heart and trusting, gentle spirit. I wish I felt things as clearly and openly as she does!
Levi. Poor sweet, protective, swoony Levi. I felt his struggles so deeply. He’s so torn between his job and his heart. He tries so hard to do the right thing which never quite works out for him.
The steamy scenes are not only hot, they’re absolute poetry. While I don’t mind an overtly sexual scene, I also appreciate the wickedly beautiful way the intimate scenes progressed here. Each sex scene was so alluringly, lyrically written. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more elegantly written version of making love before.
I’m not sure what else I can say about this book other than: It’s beautiful, it’s hot, it’s both heartwarming and full of heart. It’s everything I want in a book!
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Blurb:
Stella Spencer has one enemy—her secrets.
The world’s obsession with the Bright Young Things is real. Every lavish party thrown by the most exclusive group in New York is a spectacle, stalked not only by the media, but by the police commissioner, who’s declared war. He’s out to ruin everyone’s good time, starting with uncovering the mysterious benefactor leading the group, thus answering the question on everyone’s lips.
Who is Cecelia Beaton?
And no one knows it’s Stella.
If society finds out the truth, her plans will unravel. And with one smoldering look from a stranger, her carefully ordered world catches fire.
Levi Hunt has one plan—get the story.
His future at Vagabond magazine depends on his ability to do the one thing no one can: infiltrate the Bright Young Things. If he can find out who Cecelia Beaton is, he’ll earn enough notoriety to permanently secure his career.
His dreams are at his fingertips, so long as he doesn’t blow his cover. But one night with the brightest, most brilliant young thing of all, and he knows he’ll have to make a choice.
The job he loves or the woman of his dreams.
Secrets and lies. Love and laughter. And two people with something to hide and everything to gain.
I’ve read and loved everything Louise Bay has published and this is no exception. She takes the normal romance tropes and takes them to a new sophisticated level. They always feel like romances for adults – not that they are NC-17 or anything but they feature adults with adult problems and adult reactions.
Mr Knightsbridge was all I wanted and more- it takes your standard Louise Bay novel and kicks it up a notch- even funnier and sexier than normal, while retaining her signature swoon and heart.
Dexter was perfect. Steady, determined, knows what he’s doing in bed. Though he’s built up a past relationship in his head, assuming love lightening won’t strike twice, he is still perfect a perfect boyfriend even before he realizes that’s what’s happening. I think I felt actual jealousy that I don’t have a boyfriend like this.
Hollie was young and bright and talented. She was a bit too hung up on where she came from, but I sort of get it. Though no one cares what type of abode you grew up in, it’s harder to separate your past while you still have one foot in it.
Over all- loved it! 4.5/5 stars. ARC was received for review purposes but all opinions are my own.
Blurb:
Dexter Daniels prefers gems over women. Emeralds over girlfriends. Diamonds over marriage.
He might be the most successful jeweler of his generation, a loyal friend and some say the most handsome man in London, but his past means he doesn’t deal in love.
When Hollie Lumen enters the ballroom where exquisite royal jewels are on display, she brings Dexter’s world to a screeching halt. Despite her hand-me-down dress and borrowed shoes, Hollie is even more stunning than the jewelry. Feisty, funny and ferociously independent, she’s all Dexter can see.
Hollie Lumen can’t catch a break. She thought an internship in London was her chance to escape her responsibilities back in Oregon and for her dreams to come true. When she’s fired only a few weeks after touching down, she’s ready to give up and go home. Hollie never asks for help. She knows the only person she can rely on is herself.
So what’s she going to do about the tall, dark, handsome stranger who keeps rescuing her?
She’s going to rescue him right back.
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind she likes to read. Her books include the novels Faithful (not currently on sale as undergoing maintenance!), Hopeful, The Empire State Series, The Royals Series, The Nights Series (both series of standalone books each following different characters) and the standalone Gentleman series.
Ruined by romantic mini-series of the eighties, Louise loves all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so she disappears into the fictional worlds in books and films.
Louise loves the rain, The West Wing, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, being on her own, being with friends, elephants and champagne.
The latest book in Samantha Young’s awesomely heartwarming The Hart’s Boardwalk series is now love! Don’t hesitate to run and get it!
ARC Review
Dahlia loves her life in Hartwell, Delaware. She’s spent a long time hiding from her past, and things have finally clicked together for her present. However, when she finds her beloved father, who has helped keep her secrets for years, needs her help, she drops everything to return home to her estranged family. There she runs into Michael Sullivan, her forbidden love and one of the main reasons she’s been in hiding. Can they overcome their tumultuous past to find happiness in their future?
Things We Never said is the 3rd full novel in the Hart’s Boardwalk series. I’ve loved every book so far, and this is no exception. There’s so much heart, drama, emotion, and redemption. It’s a cozy comfortable book that will make you feel warm inside.
My only issue, and the only reason I’m not giving it a full five stars, is that it drives me crazy when lovers are separated by easily surmountable issues. Pretty much the only reason these characters weren’t together is because of issues that exist only in Dahlia’s head. I understand guilt and how it screws with you, but geeeeeeeez. She was not responsible for what caused the heartache but she was responsible for how she behaved after.
Truthfully Michael was kind of ass to her, which would normally put me off a book, but I can’t entirely blame him for being angry and I have said worse things to my ex. If you’re sensitive to that sort of thing it might not be your favorite book.
However, I still enjoyed this very very much, it was a great read. It’s always nice to return to a series where you love the characters, and this time we even got to know more about Emery. I can’t wait for her story and to continue knowing and loving the residents of Hartwell! 4.5/5 stars
Official Blurb:
Local metalsmith and gift shop owner, Dahlia McGuire, likes her quiet life in Hartwell, Delaware. It’s the perfect place to hide from her family in Boston and the tragic events that led to their estrangement. However, when her father, the person she loves most in the world, needs her, Dahlia has no choice but to return to Boston to face her ghosts. One of those ghosts happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s best friend, Michael Sullivan. The man she was never supposed to fall in love with.
Michael Sullivan has never forgotten Dahlia McGuire. Some might say he’s never gotten over her. For years he lived with the anger of her desertion and now newly divorced he’s finally ready to move on. That proves impossible when Dahlia returns to Boston and reawakens their explosive connection. Despite everything, Michael wants her back, but Dahlia can’t seem to let go of the tangled emotions of the past. She flees home to Hartwell.
Determined to fight for their second chance, Michael follows Dahlia to Delaware, takes a job with the local police department, and does everything in his power to convince her they belong together.
However, when the unthinkable hits the quiet seaside town, Michael finds himself trying to unravel more than the mystery of Dahlia’s McGuire’s broken heart. It’s time for truths left unsaid to finally be spoken or Michael and Dahlia might find themselves torn apart forever…
Samantha Young is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series, Hero, and Fight or Flight. Samantha’s crossover romance/women’s fiction novel titled Much Ado About You will be published by Berkley (release date tba). Her debut adult paranormal romance novel War of Hearts releases under the pen name S. Young in October 2019.
Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author. When she’s not writing books, she’s buying shoes she doesn’t really need and searching for nooks and crannies to shelve her ever-expanding book collection.
Well Suited, the final standalone in the Red Lipstick Coalition Series from Staci Hart, is available now!
ARC Review
Well Suited, the final book in Staci Hart’s smart, sexy, romantic Red Lipstick Coalition series, is here! My heart needs time to recover and get used to the fact the series has come to an end (although I’m holding out hope for an extended epilogue like Happily Ever Habits was for the Bad Habits series). What I love most about the series is how authentic and modern the characters feel. They’re not sitting around waiting for a man to save them, they’re working jobs, chasing their dreams, and spending time with their best friends the realistic way that people actually do.
Katherine especially is not waiting for a man to complete her. She doesn’t believe in love or magic. As a product of two hippies who fall in and out of love all the time, she knows she can only count on herself and her rules. She cares about books (the classics!), her job, her friends. She’s startled to discover five weeks after a one stand with Theo Bane that she is pregnant. Theo Bane does believe in love and magic, and he knows he’s found it in his baby mama. Now he just needs to convince her.
I love this book so much. Theo is probably the perfect man. I know I said that about his brother Tommy in Work In Progress, but Theo is also perfect. He’s driven, sexy, loves to cook and care for those he loves, and wears the hell out of a bespoke suit.
Staci Hart is an incredible Contemporary Romance author. All her books are just exactly what I am looking for in a romance. Aside from the heat (and there is HEAT in this one), there is the warmth, humor, and girl power I’ve come to expect from her. They are just so compulsively readable I have to slow myself down to ensure I’m really absorbing what I’m reading. As sad as I am this series is over, I’m glad I got to experience it and can’t wait to see what Staci brings us next! 5/5 stars
Official Blurb:
Chemistry is my love language.
I’ve always been able to separate feelings from chemosignals. A shot of dopamine, a dash of serotonin, and a sprinkle of oxytocin—and bam. You’re in love.
And when egg meets sperm, you’re pregnant.
I couldn’t even be surprised as I stared down at the little blue plus sign, because I knew exactly when and how, and with whom it happened.
When: approximately five weeks ago.
Who: one night stand.
How: prophylactic malfunction.
The upside? I don’t have to go looking for a suitable mate.
Genetically, he’s the cream of the crop. His musculature is a study in symmetry and strength, his height imposing and dominant. He is a man who thrives on control and command, a man who survives on intelligence and resourcefulness. A perfect male specimen.
And the whole package is wrapped up in a flawlessly tailored suit.
I’m having this baby, and he insists we’re well-suited to have it together. And what’s worse? He wants more, in the way of love and marriage.
But love isn’t real. It’s just a product of chemistry.
And if he changes my mind about that, we’re both in trouble.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey.
From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.
ARC Review: I’ve been waiting VERY impatiently for this one! I have loved the previous books in the Miles Family series but I knew this was going to be my favorite one from the time Leo was first introduced. And I was right (of course). The yearning, the heat, the heartache, the broken man ….Ohhhh man did I love this book.
It is the perfect mix of humor, drama, and romance. It could have fallen into the angsty-angst pit very easily but it rises above and tackles very real issues of PTSD and physical abuse without making you feel bad while reading. Sometimes overly-angsty books really drag me down while I’m trying to enjoy them, but this was thoroughly enjoyable throughout, even during the tough parts.
I loved seeing the rest of the family that we’ve gotten to know and love over the course of the previous books in the series, and the subplot pertaining to their father is finally resolved satisfactorily.
Obviously I love this book. If you love romance, do not hesitate to get this book. In fact, read the whole damn series. You won’t regret it. 5/5 stars
Hidden Miles is Now Available. $3.99 for a Limited Time | Free with Kindle Unlimited →
“I wasn’t ready for this. Hannah deserved a man who was whole, not a broken shell. But I couldn’t resist her. Couldn’t resist this. It felt too good.
And would that be so bad? To have something that felt good for once?”
My name is Leo Miles, and I’m not a hero.
I came home broken—wounded and scarred. It’s been five years, and I haven’t left my family’s land. Not once. It’s not much of a life, but with the way I look now, I prefer to stay hidden.
My only reprieve is her voice. I put on my headset, log in to my game, and she’s there. We talk while we play, sharing everything but our personal details. She’s my best friend—my happy place—even though I don’t know her real name.
Until one day, I hear a voice I recognize. She’s here, at my family’s winery. Meeting Hannah Tate in person rocks my world. And discovering she’s in trouble—serious trouble—changes everything.
Hannah is my every fantasy come true. And this badass gamer girl is determined to break through my defenses. But between the mess that is my life, and the threats to my family’s safety, I can’t be anyone’s hero, least of all hers.
Claire Kingsley writes smart, sexy romances with sassy and often quirky heroines, swoony heroes who love their women hard, panty-melting sexytimes, romantic happily ever afters, and ALL the big feels.
She can’t imagine life without coffee, her Kindle, and the sexy heroes who inhabit her imagination. She’s living out her own happily ever after in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three kids.
ARC Review: I was super excited to read this one. K.L. Grayson is one of my favorites, and I’ve wanted Drake’s story since we first met him. Drake did not disappoint! (Neither did K.L.) The sparks between Drake and Abby were apparent from the start. Abby’s personality and “quirks” were interesting to read about. I appreciate that Drake was willing to go all in and take responsibility for his actions and make a big sacrifice for her. It’s a quick, steamy read. 4/5 Stars
Crazy Imperfect Love, from USA Today bestselling author K. L. Grayson is now LIVE.
Official Blurb:
Abigail Darwin needs one thing in life: consistency. Okay, make that two things: consistency and order. Tired of being shackled to her obsessive-compulsive mind, Abigail is determined to break free. Which is why she’s shaking things up.
Fresh out of nursing school, she takes a traveling nurse position. A new job in a new city every few months? That’s a sure-fire way to keep her from settling down and falling into old habits. First stop, Cunningham Falls, Montana.
The only problem? She didn’t plan on falling in love with the quaint little town, and she sure as heck didn’t plan on falling for its resident surgeon, Dr. Drake Merritt
Laid back, messy, and spontaneous, Drake is everything she’s not. But he is completely smitten by the new, quirky nurse working on the med-surg floor of the hospital.
Abby puts up a good fight, but Drake is determined to break through her carefully erected walls to find out what makes her tick. And sigh and moan and smile and laugh. Because he really loves her laugh.
But falling in love isn’t part of Abby’s plan. Will Drake have what it takes to convince her that the best things in life come from doing what scares us the most?
The Kristen Proby Crossover Collection features a new novel by Kristen Proby and by six of her favorite writers!
ARC Review: Skylar Anderson’s standards are high. No man is rich enough or good enough. One night she decides to break her own no-one-night-stand rule and have a tryst with a handsome stranger she meets at a bar. Cue to the next day aboard the yacht she works on as the lead steward, where she meets the new deckhand: Landon, her supposed one night stand. Will they be able to resist each other in such close quarters?
I always love Louise Bay’s writing style, and its so interesting to read about a lifestyle I can hardly imagine (Being on a yacht with full crew in the South of France?). The sparks between them were fiery, and their character development and backstories were well fleshed out. Each has their secrets but all is revealed as the story progresses.
My only negative is that there is something Landon does, in an effort to protect Skylar, that makes me want to punch him. While I appreciate his protective nature, it doesn’t make him any less of an idiot for approaching it the way he does. I still loved the book, but I was so annoyed with him by the end I couldn’t quite get over. 4/5 Stars
Official Blurb:
The last thing I’m looking for is a man. Scratch that. The very last thing I’m looking for is love.
Love isn’t something to long for, it’s something to run from. I learned my lesson young and I learned it fast.
When Landon Wolf swaggers into my world, I just can’t see straight—he’s brooding and British, protective and provocative. So I set aside my rules for just one night.
One night that turns into a summer.
Landon Wolf needs to take his British ass back to London. This American girl is immune.
Impervious to the delicious way he says my name.
Unmoved by the way he touches me and makes every bad memory disappear.
And completely blind to his hard body, husky-like eyes and lickable jaw.
I’m not looking for love—I just hope it hasn’t found me.
ARC REVIEW Crazy Beautiful Love is the next book in the Dirty Dicks series about the Allen family in small town Heaven, Texas. We first met Tess Walker as Monroe’s best friend, who is engaged to one of Beau Allen’s brothers. Tess hides her mysterious past, but one thing she can’t conceal is that she hates Beau Allen. Beau is a world renowned photographer who has spent his adult life traveling around the world with no inclination to settle down and plant roots like his brothers and sister until Tess causes him to reevaluate.
Tess’ mysterious past slowly unveils itself, and although it could have been very angsty due to the heavy topics, it’s all handled gracefully without dragging down the lighter nature of the book. I really liked Beau, he’s a steady, constant force for Tess, and a great book boyfriend for us. The chemistry between them was great. My only complaint, and it’s a very minor one, is there was no real conflict in the book. The only hurdle is they both were afraid to confess their feelings. I still found it super enjoyable to read, and liked getting to know the main characters, and revisiting the family from the previous books. 4/5 stars
Official Synopsis:
There’s a fine line between love and hate…
Tess Walker is game for anything—except world-renowned photographer Beau Allen, the guy who inadvertently sent her life into a downward spiral. It has taken Tess years to find herself and become a person she can be proud of. Now Beau is back and making a play for her heart…a play she’s not sure she wants him to make. The more he pushes, the more her walls crumble, and Tess soon discovers that his sweet kisses and even sweeter words might be just what she’s been looking for in life.
And Tess Walker hates Beau Allen…
Beau Allen has it all: loving family, plentiful friends, and a job that sends him all over the world. What he doesn’t have is a home—or a reason to make one. Living out of a suitcase isn’t ideal, but he’s perfectly content. That is, until a beautiful woman barrels her way into his life and has him second-guessing everything. Tess is nothing like the women he’s used to and everything like the woman he wants. Grounded, strong, funny, sweet, and sexy. Did he mention sexy? Her curves make it hard for him to think, and his life’s mission soon becomes making her laugh and sigh and moan, because he really likes it when she moans. But Beau isn’t used to sticking around. Still, he’s hoping she’ll give him a reason to stay.
Romance Reviewed 