Bingeworthy Books

Category: Review

Review: Seducing the Bachelor by Sinclair Jayne

Sinclair Jayne is a brand new author to me and I cannot wait to read more from her. Last week, while on a short vacation, I read the whole Bachelor Auction series. Of the 4 authors, 3 were new reads for me! I enjoyed all four of the BA books but for some reason, Colt and his wounded military, cranky, badass self-stole my heart.

Ms. Jayne packs a whole hell of a lot of emotion in 179 pages. A lot – so much that I just did not see this book coming that way, you know? Shorter novels aren’t always able to dip down into the nitty gritty emotional stuff that shows the reader what a character is made of and how they came to be who they are. But there is no doubt why Colt is the way he is. (I have to say that there was no scrimping emotionally in any of the Bachelor Auction books.)

Military guys and single parents are my book catnip and this book gave me a full portion of each. Talon is an incredible mother to Parker and has made herself an impressive life and home when she meets Colt. He comes home between deployments to deal with his uncle’s estate and to stare his childhood right straight in the eye. Talon happens to be living on the farm and in the house he grew up in and he does not have happy memories of the house or his uncle. While he raised Colt, he was not a loving man in any way and Colt is rather hardened because of it. He left Marietta as fast as he could when he turned eighteen.

The attraction between Colt and Talon is immediate and they come to realize that they are going to have this time together no matter what, so why not get busy? And GET BUSY they do! Holy moly. While the sexytimes are ridiculously hot, the time they spend together on the farm and with Talon’s son, Parker, pushes Colt to look at the farm for what it is now…not the terrible place it used to be.

I know I’m repeating myself, but I feel like it bears repeating- these were really well-crafted characters and relationships. Colt’s blossoming relationship with Talon’s son Parker was just as important as his with Talon. Sometimes those secondary relationships get glossed over in favor of sexytimes and this was not the case.

While the title may be “Seducing the Bachelor”, this book is about so much more. A man coming home to deal with long gone ghosts, a woman trying to create a fulfilling life for herself and her son and how they all come together like pieces of a puzzle to create a family.

Purchase:

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The Bachelor Auction Returns series
Book 1: Bachelor for Hire by Charlene Sands
Book 2: Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman – read Maria’s Review -> HERE
Book 3: Seducing the Bachelor by Sinclair Jayne
Book 4: Weekend with Her Bachelor by Jeannie Moon

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April 25, 2016
Review: Seduction in Session by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake

The second book in The Perfect Gentleman series is a complete couple romance (as was the first book) but with a continuing story arc that appears will run through the whole series. It’s about 6 men, school friends who have remained close for many years even as they’ve gone their separate ways into politics and business and national security. Only, at the start of the first book one of their number, Maddox is dead, and the hunt for the murderer is on. It’s an intricate plot with lots of players, the nuts and bolts of which are covered at the start of book 2 such that you could begin the series here and catch up quickly. But I recommend reading book 1 (Scandal Never Sleeps) as it was also very entertaining.

This story focuses on Connor. He’s the spook, the CIA recruit who’s been undercover for much of his life since finishing school but has maintained strong ties to his friends. One of his friends, Zack, happens to be the president of the United States, and Zack’s childhood nanny appears to be at the center of a human trafficking ring. In trying to track her down, he’s crossed paths with Lara, the daughter of a senator, who publishes a scandal tabloid (appropriately called Capitol Scandals) in Washington. Her stories might seem frivolous but that they are all backed up with truths and Lara writes them to bring causes and injustices to the public’s attention. She too has caught wind of the human trafficking scandal, and its link to the presidency. As well, she believes that the death of the president’s wife a few years earlier, just before his election, was actually part of the plan to get him elected through a sympathy vote. Lara has been getting threats recently from an unknown source, and Connor’s been hired to be her bodyguard, though his true task is to determine what she knows and whether she is going to be a threat to his friend. Connor’s never shied away from doing what’s necessary to further his undercover work, and sleeping with a mark to gain her trust is par for the course. He’s clear with Lara though, that it’s going to be a sex only relationship with no emotional entanglements and just for the duration of his assignment as her bodyguard. There is no doubt they are attracted to each other, and the sex between them is hot and explosive. But when Connor’s lies are revealed, will it ruin any chance of a real relationship with Lara?

I loved this story! After reading the first one which I enjoyed but found a bit overwhelming with all of the characters and plot introduced, I found this story to be a much smoother read, with a compelling romance and a great suspense plot woven throughout. I think the sex scenes in this story are some of the hottest I’ve read for being fairly straightforward (no BDSM, no menage etc) and they were fabulously executed (hats off to the authors for that!). Connor is an intriguing character, a man who keeps his emotions reined in for good reason. He’s built his fortune on his own, having come from a poor family and getting into the exclusive school with a scholarship, where he met the friends that would become like brothers. Working for the CIA after school has shown him the dark side of humanity, and he’s never been in one place long enough to have a committed relationship. In fact, his last relationship almost ended things for him permanently (those damn double agents!) and the list of people he trusts is very limited. When he becomes Lara’s bodyguard, he’s suddenly exposed to a woman who is the opposite of him – friendly, outgoing, soft hearted, and sweet. Not to say she isn’t without a backbone, as she has no problem campaigning for truth and justice via exposes in her tabloid, but she fully believes that Connor is there to protect her and has no instincts not to trust him. Connor quickly comes to realize that he will do anything to keep Lara safe, even if it means lying to her about his motives for being there. I really loved seeing how Lara got to him and made him desperate to think of a way to convince her to stay with him once she found out the truth (because secrets always have a way of coming out).

Solving Maddox’s murder, the involvement of the Russian mafia, the truth behind the death of Zack’s wife – all of these suspenseful plots continue through the story with (sorry!) no resolution yet. They kept the story moving at a swift pace. Connor and Lara do get their happy ending and I enjoyed their romance immensely. This is a sexy, action packed thriller and goes on my best of 2016 list. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series which will feature a second chance romance at its core while still on the hunt for the killer of one of the Perfect Gentlemen. 5 stars.

“Now that we’ve shared a pleasant evening, you can decide if sex with me is something you really want. I hope you’ve thought about it because if you say yes, we’re going to do this my way and I’m not sure you’re going to like that.”
His way? His way had seemed really nice when he’d thrown her against the wall. Passion had welled up and she hadn’t been thinking about anything but him. It had been simple and he seemed determined to make it complicated. “What’s your way?”
“I’m in charge. I’ll take control and you’ll either say yes or we’ll walk away.”
“That seems harsh.” It was pretty much everything she feared about him. Spencer Connor didn’t seem like a man who understood the meaning of the word compromise. Although he had eaten with her all those days when she wasn’t cooking anything he liked. And he’d given in when she’d pushed him to let her out of the condo earlier in the day. He hadn’t lectured her about how poorly the venture had gone.
“It’s the only way I’ll have a physical relationship with you, and I pulled back to make sure you understand. You were saved by the bell, so to speak. I’m trying to be fair with you. I want you to walk into this clear eyed and with absolutely no romantic notions.
She didn’t like the sound of that. “So what you’re saying is all you’re willing to offer me is a few nights of sex and then you’ll leave me to the next man.”
“I didn’t say that at all.” If it was possible, the room got cold. His eyes turned into stony orbs. “You should understand there won’t be any other men. I won’t tolerate it, Lara. Maybe you believe in modern relationships where two people go to bed whenever they get an itch so they scratch it with whomever seems handy. When it comes to you, you’ll find I’m very old-fashioned. I won’t hesitate to defend what I consider mine. Don’t ever use another man to manipulate me. I will end him. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He was saying if she got into bed with him, she would belong to him. “What do you really want from me?”
His lips curled up. “Now you’re asking the right questions. This is why I gave us time. I don’t go into anything with a lackadaisical hope-it-works-out attitude. I want things made plain. What do I want from you? I want your warmth and affection. I want your intelligence. I want your loyalty first and foremost. I want you to understand that I’m your lover and you owe me your trust above all others. I want your body. I want to be the man who introduces you to just how sensual you can be, and I want that to mean something to you.”
He hadn’t mentioned a thing about love, but asking for her warmth and affection had done something to her. He was a man who needed it. His admission lacked sentimentality, but Kiki’s words earlier were ringing in her ears. She’s spent years trying to find the perfect mate only to have it fall apart again and again. She’d been looking for someone like her. Connor was her polar opposite. Unlike Niall, Connor was being upfront and honest with her. It wasn’t perfect, but it was real.
“And if the sex meant something to me, what could I expect from you? Besides the whole ‘death to any man who touches me’ thing.”
His head fell back and his deep, almost musical laughter filled the room. When he looked back, warmth filled his gaze. “You’re the only one who can do that to me, Princess.”
“Make you laugh?” Her hands were shaking as she took a drink. Nerves. Anticipation. Just being near him made her both the tiniest bit anxious and thrilled. Connor was completely unknown territory.
“Make me forget a lot of the reasons why I don’t laugh.” He patted his lap. “Come here.”

Purchase:

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April 8, 2016
Review: Hardball by C.D. Reiss

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I have a thing about books where one character is famous in some way and the other is your regular average everyday person. It’s what I like to call… my catnip. I love to see what happens when a big time actor or athlete pulls a regular normal person into their orbit. It changes both of their worlds. So, when I read this synopsis, I was intrigued.

I should’ve known that Reiss would take this idea and tilt it just a bit. While Dash is a typical somewhat full of himself, hotshot professional baseball player, he is quite interesting. He finds himself quite enamored with the lovely Vivian and she could care less. (Not that she doesn’t find him attractive, she totally does) It’s funny actually, how it all plays out and how Vivian realizes Dash is impressed with her.

Vivian is a lovely character, she isn’t harpy or full of issues. She has a great job that she loves and a father she adores, she doesn’t really need Dash. In fact, she calls him on his crap a good majority of the time.

It took me a little bit of time to understand Dash and the depth of his habits and traditions (superstitions) where baseball was concerned. But once I got it, the depth of all of it, I appreciated Dash and his “world”. I’m not going to give away too much because I believe it’s worth the reader’s time to slowly understand Dash. His need to control as much as possible, including his time with Vivian in the bedroom.

Speaking of his time in the bedroom and out of it for that matter… holy crap.

“Take the dress off, sweetapple.”

I paused. He didn’t say please. He didn’t even look at me as he peeled a chunk off the fruit. The he glanced up. I should have felt threatened by the way he looked at me. He was being bossy. He expected me to just do what he said. But his expression was kind and gentle, and I wanted all the things he’d promised.

And let me tell you, the man delivers. For real…allllll the things. Dash has an edge that I did not see coming and Vivian adapts. Don’t let her adapting fool you, though. Dash has some moments of utter and complete assdom (yes I made that up) and she puts her foot down and he has some very eye opening moments.

While she makes a few decisions in her life regarding Dash that I didn’t completely understand until Reiss gently helped me understand why Vivian does… what she does. Now don’t get worried, it’s nothing terrible or icky. As always, I appreciated the way Reiss guides her characters.

Purchase:

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March 30, 2016
Review: The Enforcer by Kele Moon -5 STARS!

To be honest, days later, I’m still recovering from this book. I can, without a doubt state that this book will be on my Best of 2016 list. Which really isn’t that much of a surprise, since The Slayer (Book 2 in the Untamed Hearts series) was one of my best books of 2015.

Kele Moon continues to write absolutely incredible books. Once again Moon does not cut corners where Tino and Nova’s history is concerned. We get every single little ugly and beautiful morsel of their history within the Moretti family. If you’ve been reading this and the Battered hearts series, you’re probably chomping at the bit for Tino and Nova’s books. Oddly enough, this book took me by surprise, I was expecting Tino and Bri’s story. While we get that, we also learn why Tino is the way he his and how he became The Enforcer for the Moretti family. For me, it was absolutely fascinating. I’ve always wondered how and why Romeo, Nova and Tino felt so responsible for each other in that way that they do. I think you’ll be hard-pressed to find another set of siblings that are as devoted to each as these guys are. All three make these incredible sacrifices for each other throughout their lives. (And continue to, without a second thought) Knowing the history, what those guys went through, helps the reader understand their bond.

EPIC. Epic is the word that kept running through my brain as I read. While this book ends without a definitive resolution, I would not call it a cliffhanger. Bri and Tino have quite a mess to get out of and by the end of the book- and I for one, would not want a quickly tied up ending.

As I started this book, I went back and looked at my Kele Moon history and I picked up Defying the Odds 4 years ago and fell in love. Luckily, Ms. Moon’s writing has only gotten stronger and I fall even more in love with her and her writing with every book she writes.

I tend to think of this series like Harry Potter. Each book leads into the other one and the ending wasn’t always tied up in the way we’d like. As a reader, you knew that it was leading up to a penultimate book. I think as a Kele Moon, devotee, I know that Nova’s book, The Boss will the book of all books in a way. If you’re worried about reading The Enforcer (Pt. 1) because you’re not a fan of cliffhangers, I would not let the ending of this book stop you. Personally, I’m glad that we will have some breathing room between this book and the next part. This book is SO INTENSE, in an “Oh my God, please hold me” way. Not to mention, I want re-read Romeo’s book. While I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read it, it’s been too long.

I’ve rambled a bit and I apologize but this book really made an impression on me. *Shrugs* If you haven’t read Kele Moon, you need to rectify that.

Tino dropped his head back against the headrest. “I’m tired, Bri. I’m being an asshole to you because I’m just so tired, and I’m sorry about that.”

“Me too. Very tired,” she whispered into the night, realizing he was the only other person who understood. Tino lolled his head to the side and stared at her for a long time after the confession, long enough to make her uncomfortable. “What?”

“Nothing.” He shrugged, his gaze running over her again, hot and possessive. “You look healthy too.”

“I’ve been doing CrossFit before the shows. Helps keep me nimble for the more physical scenes.”

A smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. “Do you need help being nimble?”

“There’s always room for improvement,” she reminded him. “You know that.”

“Mmm.” He reached out and caressed her hair, making her shiver against her will when he tucked it behind her ear. “I’m sorry for saying you make bad life choices.”

“Well.” She arched an eyebrow at that. “I did marry a man who tried to kill me. Can’t really fault you for calling it like it is.”

“So cynical.” He sighed. “I’m sorry life’s been mean to you, baby. I would give anything to make it stop hurting you. Not that I’ve had any luck in that department, but if I did, that’d be what I’d wish for.”

“Ditto.” Her voice cracked, betraying her. “I’m sorry I keep running to you to save me. Bad habit.”

“Don’t be sorry for that.” Tino tugged on her hair, forcing her closer. Then he slipped his hand behind her neck and swept his thumb over the fine hairs on her nape. He leaned in and breathed against her mouth. “Never be sorry for that.”

He kissed her like he couldn’t resist, and she eagerly parted to him in an unabashed need she couldn’t hide. She didn’t even see why she should. They both knew this trip could very likely end with one or both of their funerals, but they had this. They always had this.

With a low groan of defeat, he pushed his tongue into her mouth.

God, it felt good.

She had forgotten how much a kiss from Tino could make her ache. The way his tongue brushed against hers. The feel of his fingers tight in her hair. It was like being injected with a liquid pleasure that jolted her awake after what felt like a lifetime of unhappiness.

She wasn’t ashamed of the way she ended up grabbing at the lapels of his jacket, because he was breathless too. His chest rose and fell in sharp, hard pants of need, but he was pulling away too soon with a grunt of denial.

Tino fell back against the seat and rubbed a hand over his face. He opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. Then he seemed to think better of it and leaned forward to start the car, leaving Brianna frustrated instead.

March 23, 2016
Review: We Were Here by Daisy Prescott

We Were Here is one of those books that I put off reading. The reason being, I didn’t want to read it and be done with it. Truth be told, there are very few authors whose books I procrastinate reading for this reason. Daisy Prescott is on that very short list.

I fell in love with Daisy Prescott and the Geoduck crew two years and I love that she has written a book that has reopened the Geoduck world, in a way that I’d never thought possible. First of all, WWH is written in SEVEN points of view. Seven characters and seven different voices. When do you ever get that? When do you get to go back and read an origin story like this? It’s pretty epic if you ask me.

On top of it being written in all different POVs, it’s set in the early 90s and everything about that feels completely organic and stripped down to what matters. No texting, no Facebook just music and relationships. When I look back at high school (class of 1992) and college (97) every single memory had a song attached to it. I can listen to Spotify today and hear a song and be struck completely dumb because music from the eighties and nineties is so closely woven into my experiences then. Can you say mixtape?

(I’m a bit frustrated because I have a few mix tapes from high school in storage somewhere and I cannot locate them. I’ve all but taken everything out of the storage room and busted open every tote full of yearbooks and actual print pictures.)

Each chapter of WWH is a different song title and there are some that are real memory makers for me and this book in many ways plucks at every string I have. Prescott created a close- knit group of friends in Geoducks and in WWH we experience who they were and how their group came to be. WWH also takes us along for the ride as each character experiences that first non-high school/college relationship /crush/hook up experience. In some way, every one of those characters is greatly influenced by the experience. Didn’t we all have those? The person we met before we met the “one”. As a freshman, I dated a grad student (thank god my mom won’t read this) and it was quite a learning experience. (Not in that way.) He was a perfectly nice guy until I wanted to break up and then he was dedicating stupid songs to me at his fraternity house party. Whatever. (insert eye roll here) But that experience taught me that just because they were older didn’t mean, they were mature. Each and every character in WWH has a similar experience and it shaped who we meet in Geoducks.

We get the origin story of Ben and Jo, the intense and sometimes murky friendship of Gil and Maggie. (GilandMaggie4ever) I LOVED seeing the evolution of those friendships and relationships. Selah, Lizzy, and Quinn meet those people that really make you stop and examine what you want in a relationship.

Now, you do not have to have read Geoducks to get WWH. In fact, as soon as I finished WWH, I went straight to Geoducks. As I said, it had been two years and I had this new reference point to see the characters and to experience some things that I did not see coming. (Cryptic, I know.)

If you haven’t read Daisy Prescott, please give her a try. In a world of overdone, tropetastic, neverending stepbrothers, billionaires and badasses, Prescott is writing real experiences and taking us back to places and times we treasure visiting every single time. She will make you laugh (always), make you cry (sometimes) but you’ll always be happier and enriched for the reading experience.

We Were Here on Spotify:

Purchase:

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Buy Geoducks Are For Lovers for 99 cents:

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February 23, 2016
Review: Countdown to Zero Hour by Nico Rosso

Nico Rosso is a completely new to me author and I believe the first male romantic suspense author I’ve read. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure how it would all play out but part of the reason I read it in the first place was to experience a new voice. The cover hooked me initially and was the main reason I was drawn to it, then I read the synopsis and I was REALLY interested.

Rosso connects Art and Hailey immediately upon meeting each other, kind of a lust at first sight thing. Don’t assume though that Hailey isn’t wary of Art, the sees him for what she knows of him to be at the time, a Russian mob guard. For me, once Rosso makes that connection between the two, it continued to flow easily.

Due to Art’s attention to her outside his Russian boss’s club, Hailey gets caught up in the Russian mob web that she really has no business being in. All Hailey wanted to do was sell some Pelmeni, make money so she can support her mother and one day, open her own restaurant. Instead, she gets roped into being the chef at a big mobster meeting in the middle of the desert.

Hailey has no idea that Art is much more than a Russian goon and she tries to tamp down her attraction to him due to her assumption. Not only is Art responsible for setting up a major Russian mob takedown, now he has to factor keeping Hailey safe. Hailey is the master of her domain in the kitchen and she operates in it as if she was wearing her own version of kevlar. She makes it clear to the Russian mob goons that the kitchen is hers and that she is in charge. She is an extremely enjoyable character to read because of this. Hailey needed Art’s protection in other ways but she held her own where her job as the chef was concerned.

Art would only be a possibility in a very different lifetime. No matter what she saw in the depth of his eyes, he was on the payroll of a bad guy.

But he wasn’t a bad guy. He’d fought Garin. He’d kept watch on her. Even now, she knew he was sending a message by sharpening the knife on the floor where her room was. He protected her door.

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As for the passion and sexytimes? I wasn’t sure how that would flow from a man’s writing perspective (a short-sighted assumption/concern on my part) but I really liked the way he wrote those moments between them. There wasn’t too much inner monologue that droned on and on and it was sexy as hell. The quiet and close moments between them are not hurried, Rosso takes his time with those.

They were so close, and barely had to move for their lips to meet. The kiss was a shock. Gentle. Hesitant. As if to test and see if all the tension that had been growing between them was real. And how much potential charge remained after the initial touch.

The kiss deepened, revealing their connection went beyond what she’d imagined.

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Amidst all of the cloak and dagger going on, Art and Hailey simply cannot resist each other. I’ll admit that I had to wonder how would their “relationship” play out in the regular everyday world once/if they got out of their current predicament alive. The one quote from the movie Speed kept humming through my brain:

[after surviving the bus explosion]
Annie: You’re not going to get mushy on me, are you?
Jack: Maybe. I might.
Annie: I hope not, ’cause you know, relationships that start under intense circumstances, they never last.
Jack: Oh yeah?
Annie: Yeah, I’ve done extensive study on this.

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Once I started it, it was very difficult to put down. All I wanted to do was read and find out how Art was going to accomplish his mission to take down the mob while protecting Hailey in hopes of having a chance at a future wth her. I’m very glad I took the chance on this new author and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series, One Minute to Midnight.

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Purchase Countdown to Zero Hour:

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Pre-order:

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February 22, 2016
Review: This is Love by Caroline Nolan #Interview
Let’s get this out of the way shall we? Caroline Nolan is the real deal. I’m not pulling your leg, I really think Ms. Nolan is FOR REAL. I obtain books to review from several sources- NetGalley, pitches from publicists, PR companies, blog tour companies, books I read and buy on my own and books that are submitted via the SSBR review request. I’d have to say, that the last way yields the most interesting variety of books where quality is concerned. Needless to say, I vet those pretty thoroughly and sometimes it pays off and I discover a new author and sometimes… not so much.

In the last few months, I’ve been completely underwhelmed by the books I’ve read, to the point that my review writing muse has all but deserted me at times. So, I made a resolution to look harder at the review requests I get from self-published authors. After reading This Is Love, I’m super psyched that I followed through on my reading resolution because I truly enjoyed this book and I’m truly excited about what this author has to offer.

This Is Love is not a depressing book so don’t be afraid to read it for fear that it’s sad and angsty. Rachel loved her fiance very much and they were well on their way to a happy life together when he died. After his death, Rachel has an extremely difficult time moving forward in her daily life. Thankfully, she has family and friends who love and support her and are there to help her take those steps to start her life again. Rachel’s subconscious kicks in- in its own way as far as coping is concerned and she begins to have dreams where she and Ben interact. In these dreams, her time with Ben satisfies her despair over him. I really enjoyed this part of the story because it’s a totally different way for a character to process how to move forward after losing a loved one. The moments were sweet and the reader learns a lot about Rachel and Ben and their relationship. I’m tip-toeing through this part of the review because I don’t want to give away too much of the book and Rachel’s journey.

While Rachel interacts with Ben in her dreams, she meets the most amazing man and let’s face it, he would have to be amazing to get Rachel to even think about anyone other than Ben. Jackson is a complete gentleman and he doesn’t push Rachel but he makes no bones about how he feels about her.

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His eyes darken slightly. “This isn’t romance,” he says, correcting me. “This is a restaurant with good food and wine. Romance is what happens in the between. Moments I haven’t had a chance to show you yet.”

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And he delivers. Holy moly. The sexytimes between these two are equal parts sexy and romantic without being over the top. The moments between them flow so smoothly and feel true to the characters and the pace of the development of their relationship. As I write my review, I look at my highlights and notes and it reminds me of how much I liked Jax (Jackson). (He’s a gentleman without being a beta but isn’t an alpha asshole.)

Nolan gently leads the reader and Rachel through the grieving process and through the process of falling in love. I really hope that this author gets noticed more because I think there is a lot of potential and I just love the way she writes.

Other things to know:
- FYI- this book made me cry. Yep. It doesn’t happen often but I totally lost it with this one and it was a completely bittersweet moment. 😢
- Technically, it was well edited and beautifully formatted. As I read it, I kept thinking “I need a hard copy of this book. It’s so pretty.”
- I want more from Rachel and Jax… hint, hint. I could totally read more about them 😉
- If you like: Tracey Garvis- Graves or Claudia Connor you’ll enjoy Ms. Nolan
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I do hope you take a chance on this author, I think she is worth your reading time and money. Check out the interview and giveaway below! And if you read it, come back by and let me know what you thought.

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Purchase:

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Can you tell us a little about your journey to becoming an author?

It’s hard for me to pinpoint a beginning…lol. Years ago, I started a career in writing, but it was as a fashion coordinator for online magazines. From there, my career led to different paths and my writing was put on hold. At the same time, my husband’s career took him in a direction where our schedules didn’t always match up. So I had a lot of down time. I started reading…a lot. I was introduced to many Indie Authors, sometimes reading a book a day! While reading, I couldn’t help to but think, ‘what would I have this character say?’ or ‘how would I end this story?’ Before I knew it, I was creating my own stories. So I started putting some down to paper.

What made you want to write Rachel’s story?

The idea for Rachel’s story came to me while watching an episode or Criminal Minds. A strange connection, I know. But after the thought popped in my head, it wouldn’t go away. Ideas just kept getting added and added, so much so I started keeping notes. I think Rachel’s story was a test for me to see if I could do it. If I could put my ideas down to paper, if it would make sense, and if I would follow through to the end. I’m so happy to say I passed my own test!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plotter in the sense that I have the major arcs, catalysts, and ideas planned beforehand. How I got there, that surprised me a bit. Things characters said actions they took, sometimes I was even surprised at the words I wrote. The one thing that happened with both This Is Love and the novel I’m working on now is that the epilogue was planned out before anything else. I suppose it gives me direction on how I have to finish.

Do you have any rituals when you write?

Rituals, no. I’m fairly inconsistent when I write. Sometimes I have light music playing, other times I need silence. Sometimes I write on my couch, other I’m sitting at a desk. The one consistency that I have, is that I write during the daytime only.. By nighttime, I’m tired, my brain doesn’t work and my typing gets scary…

Favorite snack?

Unfortunately, I’ll eat anything and everything. Crackers, fruit, hummus. I recently gave up dairy. I’m still struggling with not eating cheese.

Favorite drink?

While writing, coffee. The weird thing is, I think I like having the smell of it near me more than I like drinking it. Most time, my mug is still half full after I’ve reached my goal.

What’s a typical day like in your writing life?

Typical day… I go to the gym in the mornings and then I’m back and writing by 10 or 11 am. I don’t follow a rule of how many hours I need to put in a day. When I write, my goal is to complete a chapter. Sometimes those chapters are longer, some are shorter. I’ll spend anywhere from 4-8 a day writing, depending on the chapter I’m working on.

Who are some of your favorite authors and books?

Too many to count! Perhaps my favorite book is The Time Traveler’s Wife. I LOVED that book when I first read it. The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher is the first indie book I ever read. From there, it led me to so many fantastic authors and books. Everyone from Christina Lauren to Emma Chase, Colleen Hoover to Mia Sheridan. Like everyone, I loved the Harry Potter books, the Bronze Horseman trilogy. I’m a very eclectic reader.

What’s up next for you?

Up next is Everything Unexpected. It’s my second novel, set to release this summer (fingers crossed!) It’s a dual POV so that’s interesting to write! I’m currently going through edits and then it will be sent to my editor!

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February 15, 2016
Review: Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid

Oh Penny Reid, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! You write books that are funny (actually hilarious at times), sexy and smart. At a time in my reading when I’m struggling to find something that makes feel more than just “meh”, “fine” or “good”, you continue to give me interesting and unique material to read. Thank goodness.

What I found so great about this book was the winning combination of contemporary romance and the addition of a pretty heavy suspense plot. Even with the suspense element, there was so much of this story that completely accessible to me as a mother and a spouse and I truly appreciated that.

As I began this book, I was in the tub, a place where I’m supposed to get some peace and quiet. Ha! Right?!! It’s as if I have magnets in my body, where I move, everyone in my house moves. Reading about Fiona’s struggles with being the numero uno parent all the time due to Greg’s traveling and the arguments they have that every couple has was comforting in a way. During my time reading in the tub, I listened to one of my girls try to convince my husband that she needed to bring home a frog from class during Spring Break and how kids can even keep them after they are done with them at school and can we keep one? Mind you, I have TWINS, so we are looking at hosting 2 more animals in my home. At the same time, the door to the bathroom might as well have been a revolving door because, you know, everyone needs to talk to MOM when she’s in the tub.

So, at one point, as I read and listened to the everyday hub bub of my family, this book felt that much more authentic to me. Because at the heart of this book is a very REAL issue that couples have to deal with- you have to be present mentally and physically in the relationship. Even with a relationship like Greg and Fiona’s, which has always been solid, it can only hold together so long before it starts to get cracks. Fiona begins to feel taken for granted by Greg, that she will always be there to clean up the messes he makes, to take care of all kinds of things when he is gone. And he is gone more than he is home.

She doesn’t want to feel that way but she’s had enough of single parenting and it seems that something needs to change in their family. Greg and Fiona love each other very deeply and we get little flashbacks of their relationship throughout the book, so there is a solid foundation. But what is the breaking point of a marriage?

In the midst of all of this, we get the whole Knitting gang and they are kind of Avenger like in that they all seem to have valuable skills that can be applied to the situation that Greg and Fiona have found themselves in and of course, hilarity ensues many times. At the time, I had not read books 1-3 so, I was not 100% familiar with the origin stories BUT I have since rectified that and I have read book 1 and am slowly catch up. It’s interesting, though, to go back to her first book and see the slight differences in her writing and storytelling.

Take one part contemporary romance, one part romantic suspense, add a healthy dose of Penny Reid magic and you have Happily Ever Ninja.

FYI- Greg and Fiona met in college AND you can read that novella for FREE!!

Ninja at First Sight

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“What are you doing?”

“What do you think I’m doing?” He unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them.

Perhaps it didn’t make any sense, but I didn’t want Greg to see me naked. Not when I was still furious with him. Not when he was angry with me. Even though we’d been together for eighteen years, married for fourteen, and made two children together, when we were arguing I didn’t like the vulnerability of bare skin.

“Oh, no. No, no, no.” I sat forward in the tub, hiding my nakedness. “We haven’t talked through everything yet. I’m angry with you, and I know you’re still upset with me.”

He shrugged. “Then we’ll have angry intercourse.”

“We’re not having intercourse.”

“Then I’ll give you angry cunnilingus.”

Damn him, but that made me laugh.

Greg’s eyebrows bounced once on his forehead and he grinned, his pants falling to the ground.

“I don’t want any of your angry oral sex, thank you very much.” I crossed my arms over my chest, endeavoring to keep my expression stern . . . and failing.

“Of course you do. Angry oral sex is the best kind of oral sex. And we are so rarely angry with each other. We should take advantage of this opportunity.” His thumbs hooked into his boxers with the intent of pulling them down.

“Do not take off your boxers.”

Greg didn’t remove his boxers, but he didn’t withdraw the threat of his thumbs either. “You know, I’ve heard it’s a good idea to fight while naked. I think I read that in a very important medical text book written by Albert Einstein’s cousin, Dr. Olga Einstein.”

February 8, 2016
Review: The Fall of the Red Queen by Lexxi Callahan

Ok. I had a lovely review written for this book and I’ve lost it. It’s gone…poof! And then Ms. Callahan unleashed The Fall of the Red Queen a bit early (YAA!!) and I’m sitting here staring at an empty page trying to figure out how to tell you how much I enjoyed this book. 😉 So I’m going to write this off the top of my head.

I LOVED this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this series and each book has been better than the previous one. This one, though, is a story of redemption- Madlyn Robicheaux’s redemption. She has been a character that I wondered how she could ever be redeemed but once we learn why Madlyn is the way she is, the path to her redemption is much easier to understand.

I was absolutely immersed in this book. The pull between Madlyn and Jared was like a massive magnet and when they gave in to their attraction for each other, it was HOT LIKE FIYAH. I found myself just completely sinking down into this story. I love this world that Ms. Callahan has created and every time I finish one of her books, I’m immediately ready for more.

That was Madlyn Robicheaux.

She was good at destroying things, even seemed to enjoy it. If he convinced her to join Marshall and Marshall, she could continue wreaking havoc, and he could go back to doing what he loved. So as much as he despised the Red Queen, he needed her to take this offer. All he had to do now was convince her they were her only option. And Jared was good at convincing people to do what he wanted.

He stopped at a Vietnamese place without asking if she liked Vietnamese food. She didn’t speak when he parked the car. She stayed silent as they walked into the restaurant and were seated.

She wasn’t sulking. She was waiting. Patiently.

Too patiently.

Like a spider who had finished its web and now waited for its prey to stumble into the trap. It unnerved him more than he wanted to admit.

“So, Maddie,” he began, determined to disturb her more than she was disturbing him. He relished the way she flinched when he used her nickname. She didn’t like it, which made him like it more. It was so not her. She was too hard around the edges to be a ‘Maddie.’ “What was that about holding Robbie hostage?”

The server arrived, and Madlyn quickly gave the girl her order while avoiding his question.

“Same.” Jared handed the girl the laminated menu without looking away from Madlyn. Her eyes met his, but this time he was ready. The intensity of eye contact with her should’ve reduced him to ash. Instead, it made him want to reach across the table and rub some heat into that frozen expression.

“What do you want?” She surprised him by glancing away first.

“After what he did to Jen Taylor, do you really have to ask?”

“Taylor?” Madlyn’s eyebrows lifted. “Don’t you mean Jen Sellers?”

That barb fell short, but he didn’t let it show. “Your grandfather kidnapped her, drugged her, and tried to annul her marriage. He’s not getting away with it.”

She didn’t blink at the accusation, but she also didn’t deny it. “I’m confused. You don’t mind that she’s married to Stefan? Seriously?” Her smile was pure evil. “Oh, that’s right. You escorted her down the aisle, didn’t you? How’d handing her over to Stefan feel?”

“She loves Stefan.”

“So you’re just friends?” She was laughing at him, but her expression didn’t change.

“That’s right,” he bit out. They were just friends. He loved Jen. He’d die for her. But he’d realized a while back he wasn’t in love with her.

Those black eyes sized him up, searching for a weakness. When she didn’t find one, she released a bored sigh. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to help you destroy my grandfather.”

“Are you sure about that? Because things aren’t looking so good for you.”

Her bored expression never wavered. “Be a good messenger boy. Go back and tell your daddy I said no.”

His head snapped back. “Messenger boy?” Boy?

She smiled again. Well, it wasn’t so much a smile as it was a show of even white teeth. And while her mouth was surprisingly kissable, she’d probably bite him.

Although biting didn’t sound awful.

Purchase:

The Fall of the Red Queen is Book 3 in the Southern Style Series. While it can stand alone, it’s highly recommended that you read Sweetened with a Kiss first. Not a serial. Each book in the Southern Style Series features a different couple with standalone HEA. It’s category style contemporary romance told in third person from the point of view of both hero and heroine.

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Self Made Man…Southern Style Series

Book 1: Sweetened with a Kiss – Amazon (available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited)

Jen Taylor has loved Stefan Sellers all her life. When he surprised her with an engagement ring, she thought all her dreams were coming true. But when she discovers Stefan has an agenda that she never even suspected, she breaks off the engagement and goes to pastry school in Paris. Now she’s back in New Orleans, and she has no intention of marrying him for all the wrong reasons. She just has to convince him that marriage is a bad idea. If only she wasn’t having so much trouble convincing herself.

Book 2: Solving for Nic – Amazon (available for FREE with Kindle Unlimited)

Now that Lizzie Sellers is twenty-one, Nic Maretti can’t think of a single reason why he has to stay away from her any longer. When he sees her again at Stefan and Jen’s wedding, he decides he wants her. And what Nic wants, Nic gets. He just gets a whole lot more than he bargained for with Lizzie…

January 20, 2016
Review: Loud Is How I Love You by Mercy Brown (with visuals… ’90s style)

I’m going off the beaten path with this review, so just bear with me. I really, really, really enjoyed this book. Normally, I go into reading a “New Adult” book with trepidation and I’ll admit that I had some with this one. But I forgot one very important thing… this book takes place in my own “new adult” years. In 1992 – 1997 (I was an August grad) and I was knee deep in flannel, Doc Martens, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and some of the greatest music ever written. I’m also a music nerd, I always have been. My parents exposed me to every kind of music you can imagine and to this day, I always have something playing.

Now, I went to a university in the mountains of North Carolina, so the music scene was different than say, Atlanta, where I grew up. In Atlanta, music was everywhere and I wasn’t that far from Athens, the epicenter of one of my all time favorite bands, R.E.M. So, we had kind of Southern Rock thing going on in Georgia and North Carolina. I saw bands like The Connells (LOVE) and Drivin’ N’ Cryin'(listening right now as I type) when I was in high school. Hell, the Indigo Girls went to my high school and they performed there for us my Junior year. I don’t think I truly realized how lucky I was. Then there was that time in college that Kevin Kinney (of Drivin’ N’ Cryin’) performed at a club where my now husband was a bouncer, after imbibing at least a bottle of Jack Daniels. That was not pretty but he managed to make it through the set and it was entertaining.

Anyhoo, I apologize for the music detour but I do have a point. This book worked for me, the music and the time period. It’s the first book I’ve read where I could identify with a character in her twenties. There was no texting and bullshit about social media and you had to call someone on a landline and leave a message on an answering machine (where you may have a custom leave me a message featuring Sophie B. Hawkins song requesting…. “Damn… I wish you’d leave your number.”) and if you couldn’t get them on the phone, you drove over to their house in your CRX!!! (I totally laughed my ass off over that) (Emmy drives a CRX..not me because my Dad referred to them as “rolling coffins”)

I hear you, ok Mandy, that’s great but what about the characters? All of the member of Emmy’s band- Stars on the Floor were fun and interesting. They all took the band seriously and they were a great band. Emmy knows they have potential and therein lies the rub. In Emmy’s mind, nothing is more important than THE BAND, until her attraction to Travis, her guitarist and best friend, finally bubbles over.

Let me say, Ms. Brown can seriously write some smokin’ hot sexy times. WELL DONE! Now, I loved Travis. He was the even-keeled head of this bunch and he was secure in his feelings for Emmy. For me, Emmy’s back and forth where Travis was concerned annoyed me. When she gives in to her feelings for him and pushes him away, it’s frustrating for the reader and for Travis. I’d like to give Travis an award for hanging in there with Emmy. But to his credit he tells her how much she frustrates him. It’s almost a Brokeback “I wish I could quit you” situation. So yeah, you may want to shake Emmy and even she knows that she is jerking him around but, to be honest… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a relationship at that age where that back and forth occurred. Just sayin’. When Emmy and Travis write together, it’s magic and I want to hear them perform. The life they lead in the band is fun and crazy and they aren’t complete and utter jerks. They want their band to succeed and they all work at it, even though they are also in college.

I’m so glad I took the chance on this book. It was soooo funny and sweet and sexy and I loved the time period. I’m certainly looking forward to the next book in the Hub City series- Stay Until We Break (Add to Goodreads TBR) (Pre-order). I’m VERY interested in the featured characters and I’m always interested in seeing how an author’s work evolves from their first book.

And because I can’t NOT make another music reference, thanks to this book, I give you The Pixies.- Surfer Rosa, one of my all time favorites.

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January 19, 2016