Wednesday, April 28, 2021

New Release Review: From the Embers by Aly Martinez

 

Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.

From The Embers, an all-new standalone catastrophic romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is available now!

In the aftermath of tragedy, it’s strange the things you remember.
The deafening boom as the house exploded.
The paralyzing fear as I searched for my wife.
The blinding smoke burning my eyes as I carried her out.

But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife.

Bree and I were the only survivors—not that either of us were truly living after that night. As a single dad with nowhere else to go, I moved into her guest house. And somehow, through the guilt and grief, we forged an unlikely team.

It took years, but I watched the gradual return of her smile—slow and life-altering.
The two of us could sit outside for hours, talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life.

I may have carried her out of that fire, but the truth was, Bree saved me.

As we healed, the secrets and lies of the past smoldered in the ashes, threatening to ignite again.

Our love was born from the embers, and together we would go up in flames.

Be consumed by the fire, today!
Exclusively on Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/30yRfTv
Amazon Worldwide:
http://mybook.to/fromtheembers

 

Add FROM THE EMBERS to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ZwA5Fs


My review: 5 stars!

I am an avid romance reader and have many favorite authors, but I drop everything when Aly Martinez has a new release. Her angsty catastrophic romance novels (her description!) are my catnip!

From the Embers contains some fantastic tropes:

✔Single Dad/Struggling Musician 

✔Widowed Single Mom/Successful CEO

✔Enemies-to-Friends-to-Lovers

✔Forced Proximity 

✔All the Angst and Feels

I don't want to spoil anything, so let's just say that I started this before my daughter's soccer game and I'm pretty sure I rarely looked up and so I missed most of the soccer game. It's just that good. Although I know there is always going to be a twist of some sort, Martinez never fails to shock me, in such a good way. A must read!

About Aly Martinez


Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ

Website: https://alymartinez.com/

 

Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:

http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS


Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Blog Tour: Reckless by Adriana Locke

 "Locke is back and at her best with another heartwarming Mason brother to fall in love with." -- K. Bromberg New York Times bestselling author

Reckless, an all-new swoon-worthy standalone romance in the Mason Family series from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke is available now!

Reckless
by Adriana Locke
Release Date: April 26, 2021


“How did you get in here?”

That’s not what you want to hear when you’re staring into the sea-green eyes of the hottest man you’ve ever seen. Yet I suppose it’s a fair question, considering I’m an uninvited stranger standing in Boone Mason’s kitchen.

If you think that’s bad—just wait. It gets worse.

This charming and wealthy playboy, who can’t pay his bills on time or find his way to the grocery store (but we all have flaws, right?), is sweet. Confident. Playful. He’s almost perfect. And, to make matters worse …

He’s smitten with me.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re rolling your eyes. You’re assuming this is some opposites attract situation—or that maybe we can be friends who turn into something more.

How can this be a bad thing?

Well, it’s simple. I’m not the kind of girl you fall in love with. Just to be sure, the universe reminds me of that in an unforgettable, in-your-face kind of way.

I might have broken into Boone’s house, but I won’t let him break my heart. I won’t break his either. There’s too much on the line to be that reckless.

Start reading today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3d2C2jg

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

 

Add Reckless to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3rgkYeB


My review: 5 stars!

What a fun and hilarious meet cute! I adored Boone and Jaxi and their slow burn romance. The Mason family is one I'd love to be a member of, and Boone might just be my favorite. And what a twist! I love how author Adriana Locke creates families and characters that support and love each other. One of the taglines I saw for Reckless was Heart, Heat and HEA and I thought that was perfect!

About Adriana Locke

USA Today, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.

Connect with Adriana

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Nf4JjE

Instagram: https://bit.ly/36Xb76f

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3d4UXeP

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3jCwPBo

BookBub: http://bit.ly/3d4Vai7

Website: https://adrianalocke.com

Stay up to date by subscribing to Adriana’s mailing list:





Monday, April 26, 2021

New Audiobook Release Review: Darkroom by Kate Willoughby

 


DARKROOM BY KATE WILLOUGHBY

Release Date: April 26, 2021
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2KHVqI4
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

BLURB:

As a top draft pick from a family of hockey royalty, I'm under so much pressure that I’m losing my edge on the ice. I need something to snap my brain out of this self-destructive stress-loop. That’s where Indi Briscoe from my photography class comes in. She’s flirtatious and funny one moment, sweetly shy the next. 

But she’s cagey. She has secrets. Also? She’s a virgin. Did I mention the pressure thing? Maybe I’m crazy for starting something with her. But we can’t seem to help ourselves...

Warning: this standalone novel contains heat, heart, familial expectations, extreme milkshakes, and a hamster with deep thoughts.


My review: 4.25 stars!

I have really been enjoying the Moo U series in Sarina Bowen's World of True North. It has introduced me to so many new authors, and narrators as well. Kate Willoughby's Darkroom was great- I want to avoid spoilers, so I will just say that the heroine, Indi, was someone I could relate to immediately. My daughter and Indi have been through a similar journey and I was excited to read Indi's story. I thought Indi and our hero Hudson had fantastic chemistry and I enjoyed seeing their journey from classmates, to friends, to lovers. Joe Arden and Victoria Mei gave excellent performances on the audiobook. Joe is of course a fan favorite, but Victoria was new to me and I enjoyed her voice very much.


New Release Review: Reckless by Adriana Locke

 Reckless, an all-new sexy and playful standalone romance in the Mason Family series from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke is available now!

Reckless
by Adriana Locke
Release Date: April 26, 2021

“How did you get in here?”

That’s not what you want to hear when you’re staring into the sea-green eyes of the hottest man you’ve ever seen. Yet I suppose it’s a fair question, considering I’m an uninvited stranger standing in Boone Mason’s kitchen.

If you think that’s bad—just wait. It gets worse.

This charming and wealthy playboy, who can’t pay his bills on time or find his way to the grocery store (but we all have flaws, right?), is sweet. Confident. Playful. He’s almost perfect. And, to make matters worse …

He’s smitten with me.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re rolling your eyes. You’re assuming this is some opposites attract situation—or that maybe we can be friends who turn into something more.

How can this be a bad thing?

Well, it’s simple. I’m not the kind of girl you fall in love with. Just to be sure, the universe reminds me of that in an unforgettable, in-your-face kind of way.

I might have broken into Boone’s house, but I won’t let him break my heart. I won’t break his either. There’s too much on the line to be that reckless.

Start reading today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3d2C2jg

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

 

Add Reckless to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3rgkYeB


My review: 5 stars!

What a fun and hilarious meet cute! I adored Boone and Jaxi and their slow burn romance. The Mason family is one I'd love to be a member of, and Boone might just be my favorite. And what a twist! I love how author Adriana Locke creates families and characters that support and love each other. One of the taglines I saw for Reckless was Heart, Heat and HEA and I thought that was perfect!

About Adriana Locke

USA Today, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.

CAmazon: https://amzn.to/2Nf4JjE

Instagram: https://bit.ly/36Xb76f

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3d4UXeP

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3jCwPBo

BookBub: http://bit.ly/3d4Vai7

Website: https://adrianalocke.com

Stay up to date by subscribing to Adriana’s mailing list:





Thursday, April 22, 2021

New Release Review: Southern Sinner by Jessica Peterson



North Carolina Highlands Series Book 3

by Jessica Peterson

Release Date: April 22, 2021

 


What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Until I brought my fake girlfriend home.

When I took a seat next to the gorgeous brunette at the blackjack table, I had no idea it would be the start of the hottest weekend of my life. By day, Stevie and I dominate the casinos of Sin City.

By night, I dominate her in my penthouse suite.

Then my brother Samuel ruins it by asking me to come home for his engagement party.

Because he’s not just getting married. This isn’t a normal celebration for me. His future bride is my "one who got away." The girl I may or may not still be in love with.

The catch? He wants me to prove I’m over his fiancée before they set a date. So I ask Stevie to double down on our chemistry and pretend to be my girlfriend.

We set our ground rules: lots of sex, plenty of pretend smiles, and no strings.

But we’re not only gambling with the truth. We’re gambling with our hearts.

They say every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. But Stevie’s past may force us to fold on our future before it’s even begun.

My review: 5 stars!

There's nothing I love more than a good redemption story, and by golly, Jessica Peterson totally redeemed Hank for me in this fantastic fake relationship tale. After Southern Sinner, he's totally my favorite Beauregard brother. Hank and Stevie's blackjack table meet-cute was fun and the Vegas backdrop was the perfect setting for their no-string-attached hookup. But of course who did Hank think of months later when he needed a volunteer girlfriend for his plan? It was fun seeing lines get blurred as fake turned into real- their chemistry was so real and so very hot. Jessica Peterson's writing is so delightful and I cannot wait for her next release.


Tuesday, April 20, 2021

New Release Review: Fake Love by Jillian Dodd


Title: Fake Love
by Jillian Dodd

Series: Crawford Brother Series Book Three

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Link : http://smarturl.it/FakeLoveAMZ


This book is perfect for you if you love:
💜Contemporary Romance
💜Fake Engagement
💜Family Sagas
💜Dual POV


Blurb: 

When sports agent Carter Crawford and supermodel Vale Martin meet, they have an instant connection and a really fun night together.

Their relationship goes like this:

She calls and says she’s in town.

He tells her to stop by. They both know what that means.

And it is amazing. Every time.

She doesn’t want a commitment.

So, he does something crazy and buys a ring.

But instead of surprising Vale with a proposal, Carter sees her kissing another man and leaves without telling her.

After months of not speaking, Vale doesn’t call Carter.

She stops by.

And begs him to pretend to be her fiancé at her little sister’s wedding.

And even though Carter knows he’s about to do something crazy again, he agrees.

Because there is nothing fake about the way he still feels about her.


My review: 4.5 stars

Well, first let me say that Carter Crawford is just about perfect! As a sports fan, I really enjoyed reading about his career as a sports agent, and it seemed like author Jillian Dodd really did her research and shared so much about such an interesting career with her readers. From the beginning Vale and Carter's chemistry was apparent and I was hoping their past miscommunication could be solved. Fake engagements are always fun, and Vale's family was such a cast of interesting characters- what a hoot the grandmother was! Reading about the bachelor and bachelorette parties and wedding events was entertaining and Dodd always sets the stage with such vivid imagery. I love a good HEA and had a big smile on my face as I finished Fake Love.



Friday, April 16, 2021

Cover Reveal: The Stars Duet by Amie Knight

 

The Stars Duet boxed set, featuring all-new bonus content from Amie Knight, is coming May 13th and we have the stunning cover!

Beneath His Stars
I met Adam Nova under the twinkling lights of a nighttime sky.
He was hiding, but that gorgeous boy didn’t belong in the dark.
Nevertheless it was where he lived; a different world than mine.
I was Livingston Montgomery, Southern debutante.
With the world at my fingertips, I was well on my way to being another spoiled socialite.
But I didn’t want money.
I didn’t want social status.
I wanted him; tattoos, sarcastic smirk, bad boy reputation and all.
It didn’t matter that he was from the wrong side of the tracks.
It didn’t matter that my family forbade me from seeing him.
I just wanted to be Beneath His Stars.

In Her Space
I was reunited with Livingston Montgomery in the broad sunshine of a Carolina morning, right where she belonged; in the light.
It’d been too long since I’d seen her face.
She had changed, but so had I.
I was Adam Nova, reformed bad boy. Now, successful business man.
I had it all, except for the one person I’d always wanted, and now I was back to claim her.
She was living in the shadows, just a shell of the former girl I knew.
But it didn’t matter that she tried to hide from me in the dark.
I’d follow her into the deepest depths of hell.
I just wanted to be In Her Space.


About the Amie
Amie Knight has been a reader for as long as she could remember and a romance lover since she could get her hands on her momma's books. A dedicated wife and mother with a love of music and makeup, she won’t ever be seen leaving the house without her eyebrows and eyelashes done just right. When she isn't reading and writing, you can catch her jamming out in the car with her two kids to '90s R&B, country, and showtunes. Amie draws inspiration from her childhood in Columbia, South Carolina, and can't imagine living anywhere other than the South.

Connect with Amie

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2UtTe85

Twitter: https://bit.ly/33HQ8l0

Instagram: https://bit.ly/3aekE8H

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/39aPvkZ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IOzy8z

Join Amie’s reader group: https://bit.ly/2Jg0xL7

Stay up to date with Amie by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/3dltdjQ

Website: https://www.authoramieknight.com


Thursday, April 15, 2021

New Release Review: Earn Your Extra Credit by Meghan Quinn

 

Earn Your Extra Credit 
by Meghan Quinn 

Release Date: April 15th

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3g0bL8o

FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/325HVaa

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3s0ShCU

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3t65YBK

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3mBUG5U

Universal Link: mybook.to/EarnYourExtraCredit

Audio Universal Link: mybook.to/EYEC-AUDIO

BLURB:

"She went home with someone else that night?"

Hearing the disbelief from my best friend's mouth makes the events of my failed date sting that much more.

I would like to make it known, I have a lot more swagger than what it seems. I don't normally ask a girl out, have her fail to recognize it's a date, and then give me a high five--as if I'm her wingman--and take off with someone else.

No. Normally I'm the one taking the girl home but with Stella, it's been one failed attempt after another and frankly, I'm done trying.

But thanks to my best friend getting married in Hawaii right before the school year starts, I'm stuck on a tropical island, watching Stella parade around in what she claims is a bathing suit.

Unfortunately, that's not the worst of it, just the tip of the iceberg. Because what I think is going to be a relaxing vacation, avoiding the one girl I can't seem to make it work with, has turned into a spectacle of being recruited as Stella's doting fake fiancé so she can save face with an old "friend" from high school.

Now I'm navigating through purgatory while trying not to get turned on by the way she holds my hand or kisses my jaw. It's all fake, that's what I keep telling myself, even though it feels entirely too real.


My review: 4.25 stars
In Earn Your Extra Credit, we spend the majority of the book at a destination wedding with the most hilarious group of friends. Main characters and co-workers Stella and Brock "Romeo" have undeniable chemistry an agree to a fake relationship while on the trip. As with all Meghan Quinn books, hijinks ensue, and oh does she do hijinks well! So many laugh out loud moments! I adored Romeo's infatuation with Stella and how patient he tried to be. The read star of the book for me was the last chapter- we get to see some old friends and are treated to a pretty fantastic and swoony grand gesture. 


Connect with Meghan:

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x




Tuesday, April 13, 2021

New Release Review: Bombshells by Sarina Bowen

 


Bombshells by Sarina Bowen

Release Date: April 13, 2021

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣'𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚! 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙡𝙮𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢…

This is my last chance to ditch my playboy reputation and finally fulfill my potential. So I’ve made three rules for our biggest season yet: no boozing, no women, and no scandals.

Especially that last thing.

So who do I befriend on the very first day back at the rink? An amazing female hockey player. I want Sylvie in a way that’s more than just friendly. I crave her. But I have a championship to win, and so does she.

Then she gets her heart broken by my teammate, and I make the foolish mistake of comforting her in the best way I know how. Our night together sets off a string of sins.

Nobody can know about our affair, especially my overprotective teammate. I can’t let anyone see into my greedy little heart. Not even her.

The things I want from her, and the things we’ve already done? If anyone knew, there’d be bombshells.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e06bjv
Apple: https://geni.us/Apple-bombshells
Kobo: https://geni.us/Kobo-bombshells
Nook: https://geni.us/Nook-bombshells
Google: https://geni.us/Google-Bombshells
Audio: https://geni.us/Audible-Bombshells


My review: 5 stars!

Oh how I love a reformed playboy! Anton, or "Baby Bayer" as the cousin of retired hockey player Eric Bayer was introduced to us in Moonlighter, is quite the package- a fantastic young athlete with an outgoing personality and a reputation for having ALL the fun while playing hockey for the Brooklyn Bruisers. Our heroine is Sylvie, a goalie for the new female hockey team in Brooklyn, the Bombshells.

At the beginning of the book, we learn about Sylvie's long time crush on another Bruiser player, but I enjoyed seeing her friendship grow and change into something more with Anton. I definitely wouldn't describe the situation as a love triangle.

I was so excited to see the Bombshells play and meet the team. These women are strong, supportive athletes and teammates and they showcase such positive relationships and friendships- so refreshing to see a group of women with no cattiness. I am so on board for more books featuring players from both the Bruisers and Bombshells.

I listened to an audio copy, and I enjoyed the performances of narrators Patrick Zeller and Desiree Ketchum very much. Both were new-to-me and I will definitely be watching for more of their work to listen to in the future. As I always do, I increased the speed to 1.3X and found it to be perfectly conversational and easy to understand.



Monday, April 12, 2021

New Release Review: Not Pretending Anymore by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland

 




Title: Not Pretending Anymore
Authors: Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 12, 2021


BLURB

Finding a good roommate through a classified ad isn’t as easy as it sounds.
I was starting to lose hope.
Until a knock at my door came and God answered my prayers.
Except…uh…wrong prayer, God.
I’d definitely requested the big guy find me a drop-dead gorgeous man on more than one occasion...just not as my roommate.
Declan Tate talked me into interviewing him anyway.
While he was amusing and charismatic, I wouldn’t have been comfortable living with a man, so I regretfully declined.
Then cupcakes showed up at my door—freshly baked by Declan and just as sinfully delicious as he was.
You could say he was persistent.
I eventually folded. It wasn’t like I had another viable candidate anyway.
Plus, I was interested in someone else. And Declan was into another woman. So it wasn’t like anything would happen romantically.
After he moved in, the two of us became the best of friends. We even started to give each other advice on getting our crushes to notice us.
Eventually, Declan concocted an idea: we should pretend to be a couple to make our love interests jealous.
I was hesitant, but went along with it anyway. To my utter shock, his crazy plan worked.
Now I was dating the supposed man of my dreams, and my best friend had the woman of his.
But there was one problem.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Declan.
Those feelings we were trying to fake?
Yeah…I wasn’t pretending anymore.







PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited


ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & AUDIO


My review: 5 stars!

Co-written books by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland are always marvelous and I find their books all-consuming. Their unique stories always pull me in so fast and I have a hard time putting the book down to complete my daily responsibilities! I loved the fast and deep friendship that developed between Declan and Molly and it made the slow burn romance so much sweeter when that moment finally happened. So many real-life issues are tackled with grace. Declan is swoony and Molly is delightful and together they are perfection. Such a great read!






PENELOPE WARD


Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance. 

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism. 

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.



VI KEELAND


Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.





OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE & VI


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & AUDIO




AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & AUDIO



OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE




AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
GOOGLE PLAY / PAPERBACK


OTHER BOOKS BY VI





AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
GOOGLE PLAY / 
PAPERBACK


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