Tag Archives: Erika Kelly

It Was Always You (Calamity Falls #5) by Erika Kelly-Review Tour

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It Was Always You (Calamity Falls #5) by Erika Kelly-Review Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 13, 2020

He’s the bad boy quarterback, one scandal away from being traded.

She’s the squeaky-clean pop star with a morality clause hanging around her neck.

And they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Cassian Ellis fell in love with Gigi Cavanaugh when he was fourteen. But he couldn’t have her. His mentor — her dad — promised to take him out of detention and all the way to the pros. The price: stay away from his daughter.

But Gigi was embedded in his soul — there was no distancing himself from her. And, senior year in high school, in a moment of desperation when he couldn’t take all the want and love and lust, he ended things in the worst way possible.

Now, nine years later, he’s forced to do charity work to clean up his party boy image.

And guess who’s working right alongside him?

Gigi can’t believe her bad luck. She’s on the same Dreams Come True tour as Cassian Ellis. And, with the press recording their every move, she has to pretend to like the man who tore out her heart and stomped all over it.

But Cassian couldn’t be happier since he never stopped loving her. And he’s determined to win her back. Only, someone’s leaking photographs, and headlines about the bad boy quarterback corrupting the squeaky-clean pop star could sink both their dreams.

Can their love overcome all the world has put between them?

••••••••

REVIEW:IT WAS ALWAYS YOU is the fifth instalment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary, adult CALAMITY FALL erotic, romance series. This is NFL quarterback Cassian Ellis, and musician/pop princess Gigi Cavanaugh’s story line. IT WAS ALWAYS YOU can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Cassian and Gigi) IT WAS ALWAYS YOU follows the second chance romance between twenty six year old, childhood best friends NFL quarterback Cassian Ellis, and musician/pop princess Gigi Cavanaugh. Nine years earlier Cassian Ellis and Gigi Cavanaugh were entering their final year of high school; childhood best friends whose relationship was about to be destroyed by betrayal, secrets, and a father’s need to protect the daughter he loves, and the young man he always thought of as a son. Fast forward to present day wherein both Cassian and Gigi have made a name for themselves in their respective careers but too much bad press, and paparazzi photos forces our couple onto a Dreams Come True Tour, a foundation for at risk and sick kids. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and relationship between Cassian and Gigi, and the potential fall-out as old habits die hard for our story line hero.

Cassian Ellis has a reputation as a playboy both on and off of the field but compromising photos threaten Cassian’s career, photos he knows were set up in an effort to destroy his career. Working alongside the woman he has never stopped loving finds Cassian struggling to be the man he knows Gigi still loves, a man whose life is spiralling out of control. Gigi Cavanaugh desperately wants to move beyond the pop princess lifestyle but her contract for one more album forces Gigi to stick with her label, a label that is all about appearances and perception. Discovering she has never stopped loving Cassian Ellis is bittersweet when he tells her the truth about what happened years before. Unable to let go of the past, Gigi battles between head and heart with her feelings and emotions towards our story line hero.

The relationship between Cassian and Gigi is a rekindling romance; a second chance romance for two people pulled apart by good intentions that all ripped their heart, and crushed their souls. Cassian is desperate to prove he is worthy of Gigi’s love but someone is just as desperate to prove Cassian is not the man he is supposed to be. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to several of Cassian’s teammates including Xander Wilder, and Dean Maddox; cheerleader Amie Clover; musician Grant Banner; as well as Gigi’s father Coach Tyler Cavanaugh. A couple of the previous story line characters make a cameo appearance in the story line epilogue.

IT WAS ALWAYS YOU is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and love. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is heart breaking and emotional; the characters are colorful, energetic, and animated. IT WAS ALWAYS YOU is an imaginative and flirty story of second chances.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

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THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND (Bad Boyfriend #4) by Erika Kelly-Review tour

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THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND (Bad Boyfriend #4) by Erika Kelly-Review Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 13, 2019

Princess Gone Wild!

When Princess Rosalina discovers her fiancé cheating on her, she’s done being dutiful. Jumping on a plane, she lands five thousand miles away in a world of hot cowboys, jean skirts, and tequila. Grabbing her chance to fly under the radar, she plans on acting out every single fantasy she’s denied herself while trying to meet the expectations of her family and country.

Brodie Bowie doesn’t know what happened. One minute he’s wreaking havoc and tearing up the slopes with his brothers, and the next he’s an outsider. All of them are in serious relationships. He just can’t figure out why they’d put a ring on it when there’s so much fun to be had as a single man.

Brodie’s not the settling down type, but then he’s never met anyone like the woman who jumps in front of his bulldozer, refusing to let him dig up his meadow. The feisty chemist and perfumer is everything he never knew he wanted.

Except she only wants a summer fling before she goes back to her real life…as a princess.

He doesn’t fit in her world, and there’s no way she can live in his.

But a love like theirs doesn’t play by the rules.

••••••••

REVIEW: THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND is the fourth instalment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary adult BAD BOYFRIEND focusing on the Bowie siblings and family. This is Princess Rosalina Anais Isabella Villeneuve, and Brodie Bowie’s story line. THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Rosalina and Brodie) THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND follows the forbidden relationship between twenty-five year old Princess Rosalina, and Brodie Bowie. After catching her fiancé in the arms of another woman, Princess Rosalina heads to Calamity, Wyoming under the guise of a wedding dress fitting, in search of something different and new. Meeting cowboy Brodie Bowie stirs something deep within our story line heroine, something she is desperate to experience but knows could destroy the family back home. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Brodie and Rosalina, and the potential fall-out as Rosalina’s time in America draws to a close.

Rosalina knows duty comes before love but finding the man she was to marry lusting after someone else sent Rosalina in search of something new and exciting. A chemist and perfumer by trade, Rosalina discovers the perfect flower and fragrance in Calamity, Wyoming but perfection is pushed aside by the people back home. Brodie Bowie is quickly falling for the woman who is currently hiding in Calamity Wyoming. Having watched his siblings fall in love Brodie struggles with wanting it all with a woman who may never be his to call his own.

The relationship between Brodie and Rosalina is one of immediate attraction but Rosalina knows her time in America will come to an end. Falling in love was never in the plans but an emergency back home forces Rosalina out of Brodie’s life, and possibly into the arms of the man who broke her heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Brodie’s brothers Fin Bowie and Calli (The World’s Worst Boyfriend #1); Will Bowie, Delilah and Ruby (the Heartless Boyfriend #2), Gray Bowie and Knox Holliday (The Careless Boyfriend #3); Rosalina’s parents Prince Albert and Princess Sophia and her sister Genevieve, as well as Rosalina’s former fiancé Marcel, and her assistant Fabiana.

THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND is a story of family, friendships, duty, betrayal and love. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive and steamy; the characters are strong-willed, energetic and fun. THE RELUCTANT BOYFRIEND is an animated, spicy and heart warming story of life, love and happily ever after.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The World’s Worst Boyfriend
The Heartless Boyfriend
The Careless Boyfriend

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“I thought you needed clothes so you could work? Like jeans and shirts.”
“I do.” She gestured to a stack of clothes folded on the chair. “But I love these summer dresses. They’re so pretty. I’m worried this one’s too bright, though.”
“Nope. It’s perfect. Now you just need a reason to wear it.”
“I have one.” She watched him carefully in the mirror. “I’m going on a date.”
“A date? With whom?”
“The guy I met at the bar the other night.”
Part of her checklist. Get freaky with a cowboy. “And he’s already asked you out?” Of course he did. She was beautiful and fun. Smart and sexy. What guy wouldn’t want to be with her?
She nodded. “What’s that expression for?”
He wouldn’t pretend with her, so he leaned in—real close. “He better be special, princess. That’s all I’m saying.”
“Sometimes, all it takes is a moment.” She faked a dreamy expression. “Sometimes, you look into someone’s eyes and you just know. He’s your one and only. Your soulmate.”
Okay, she was fucking with him. He straightened. “So, is Mr. Wonderful moving to St. Christophe to wear the crown or are you moving out here to work his ranch?”
“Details. We’re just going to wing it, let true love run its course.” She laughed. “It’s just a date. It’s not a big deal.”
“Yeah, but he might expect things.”
She covered her mouth with a hand, her eyes comically wide. “You don’t mean…s-e-x, do you?”
“All right, smart ass. Get dressed. Let’s pay for all this crap and get out of here.”
“Wait. There’s one more thing I want you to look at.” She made a circling motion with her finger.
“Fine.”
“And close your eyes for real this time. No looking at your phone.”
“Why? You gonna get nekkid?”
“Actually, yes, and I don’t want you to go crazy and start pawing at me.”
“I think I can control myself.”
“I don’t know. All I did was ask one for one little kiss, and you were all over me.”
He smiled. “Sure as fuck was. So don’t be asking me for any more kisses, unless you want what I’ve got to give.”
“Oh, okay, bad boy. You’ve got me running scared now. Just keep your eyes closed. I’ll be ready in a minute.”
Brodie wanted to watch her strip out of that dress more than he could ever remember wanting anything. He wanted to see her tits pop out as she leaned forward to let the straps fall from around her neck, her ass sway as she lowered it over her hips, and her smooth skin bared in the soft light of the dressing room.
He wanted to see that shy smile and feel those bold fingers, wanted to feel her hips rock up and grind against his hard cock. How many minutes would it have taken before she’d gotten herself off last night? If he hadn’t walked out on her, she’d have come. He’d have gotten to watch her features go slack, her body seize in ecstasy.
Fuck, yeah. He wanted to see that.
Wanted to be the one to make her come.
He heard her moving around in the dressing room, the smack of elastic, and then it went quiet. “You ready?” he asked.
“Um…”
He turned around to find her in a black bikini. Two scraps of spandex covered her plump tits, and the bottom was a strip of fabric connecting two patches of fabric.
“Brodie.”
“What?”
“Eyes up here.”
“How can I give you my opinion if I’m looking in your eyes?”
“Can you at least wipe the drool off your chin? It’s very unbecoming.”
“You going to wear that for the hot cowboy?”
“Yes. I thought I’d answer the door in it and pretend I just got back from the lake, tell him I’m running late. Good strategy?”
“Are you such a smart ass in St. Christophe?”
She got a panicked look. “Shh.”
“No one can hear us.” He flicked his fingers at the bikini. “You sure you need that thing?”
“Okay, I’m getting from all these questions that you like the way it looks. I don’t usually wear such…flimsy swimsuits. I just wanted to know if it looks all right.”
“You wear that, you’re going to wind up pregnant, and then what will your parents think?”She leaned close and whispered, “Then I’ll get the heir without the husband. Pure win.”

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

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THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND by Erika Kelly-Review & Excerpt Tour

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THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND (Bad Boyfriend #3) by Erika Kelly-Review & Excerpt Tour

THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND
Bad Boyfriend 3#
by Erika Kelly
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: April 23, 2019

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 23, 2019

Gray Bowie broke the bro code: he fell in love with his best friend’s girlfriend.

For years, he hid his feelings…until one terrible night, it all came to a head.

Since her life blew up in high school, Knox Holliday has spent her time honing her skills as a couture wedding dress designer. But, just weeks before her debut, a freak accident wipes out her collection. The culprit: her ex’s former best friend, Gray Bowie.

Gray does everything he can to get her career back on track. As they work together, they find forgiveness and start to stitch together something that looks a lot like love. But, at the very moment they realize they have a chance for something real, her ex comes back to town, bringing opportunities Gray can’t provide.

This time, Gray’s not going to step aside, so he can only hope Knox will hold onto his heart.

She’s his dream, but will he be hers?

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND is the third instalment in Erika Kelley’s contemporary, adult BAD BOYFRIEND erotic, romance series focusing on the Bowie brothers. This is extreme sport athlete Gray Bowie, and bridal gown designer Knox Holliday’s story line. THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Gray and Knox) THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND follows the rebuilding friendship and relationship between twenty-five year olds- extreme sport athlete Gray Bowie, and bridal gown designer Knox Holliday. The night of their senior prom Gray Bowie lost his two best friends as he witnessed one life spiral out of control, and another life pulled into the abyss of enabling. Fast forward to present day wherein a car accident would bring him face to face with the woman he has always loved. Enter bridal gown designer Knox Holliday, a woman whose enter future was destroyed by an accident not of her making. What ensues is the rebuilding friendship and romance between Gray and Knox, and the potential fall-out as Knox’s business is sabotaged by someone from the past.

Years earlier, Knox Holliday was caught between the love of two friends but addiction destroyed said friendship sending the trio in opposite directions. With her business on the line, an upcoming bridal show featuring her designs hangs in the balance when a ‘freak’ car accident destroys a year’s worth of work in a matter of seconds. Gray Bowie knows a thing or two about business, and with his connections helps Knox repair and replenish that which was destroyed.

The relationship between Gray and Knox is one of second chances, of a sorts, between two people whose friendship was destroyed by addiction, miscommunication and loss. Knox struggles with issues of trust as Gray battles the memories from the past. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Gray’s brothers Fin Bowie and Calli (The World’s Worst Boyfriend #1); Will Bowie, Delilah and Ruby (the Heartless Boyfriend #2), and Brodie Bowie; Knox’s ex boyfriend Robert Granger; her mentor Luc Bellerose; and an assortment of people who work for Gray Bowie.

THE CARELESS BOYFRIEND is a story of second chances; of friendship and family; of betrayal and heartbreak; of addiction and loss. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive and spicy; the characters are colorful, energetic and inspiring.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The World’s Worst Boyfriend
The Heartless Boyfriend
The Careless Boyfriend

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

“It’s just…my circumstances were so different from yours, you know? In my mind, it wasn’t even a possibility that you could be attracted to someone like me.”
“Well, hopefully that kiss cleared it up for you, because I’m still attracted to you, Knox, and I’m not gonna play games with you about it. The question is…” He trailed his fingertips along the inside of her forearm. “Are you attracted to me?”
Goosebumps exploded along her arm, racing up her neck, and cascading down her entire body, but she wouldn’t let Mr. Smugness see. “Please. We’re pals, nothing more.” But he wasn’t stupid. He had to hear the tremor in her voice.
“Hm. Interesting.” He leaned over her, looking into her eyes. “I had no idea your eyes were black. Oh, wait. They’re dilated.” He gently brushed his fingers over her collarbone, his thumb teasing her pebbled skin. “Are you…attracted to me?”
She squeezed her thighs together. “I mean, you’re okay and everything, but…” Her expression said, Meh.
“That right?” He shifted closer—but not quite touching.
His body heat, his scent, that intense look in his eyes…God. She tried to act nonplussed, but it didn’t work. Blood rushed up her neck, and desire pulsed between her legs.
“Let’s test it. If you’re not attracted to me, this won’t take but a minute.” He lowered his face into the crook of her neck. “Do me a quick favor? Inhale. Real deep. Get a lungful of my pheromones.”
“Shut up.” She tried to push him, but he was solid as granite.
“I just want to see if my scent works for you. Go on, breathe me in.”
“You’re such an idiot. Get off me.”
He lifted his head, bringing his mouth right to her ear. “I’m conducting an experiment, and I’m going to need you to stay very still. Quit squirming.” His lips brushed across her cheek—barely touching—until he reached her jaw line. Then, he glanced up at her. “Okay, that’s fascinating. I’d hoped for some pink, but you’re beet red. That’s way beyond blushing, sugar buns.”
“Okay, we’re done here.”
“Not yet.” He gently cupped her jaw. “There’s one last test.” The moment their gazes met, the mischief turned into pure, unadulterated lust. “This is the one that counts.” He brought his mouth over hers and kissed her.
Everything inside her turned creamy and hot. She wanted to slide her hands through all that thick, unruly hair, wanted to feel his hard, muscled body on top of hers.
But fear had a grip on her. It’s Gray. She didn’t want to know such extreme pleasure, get attached to a man who thrilled her, comforted her, wanted her, and then watch him walk away.
They didn’t have a future. Anyone could see that. What would happen after he left for his first competition? Got back into his familiar world of traveling from one country to another, one event to another?
She could have one night with him, maybe two. Three, four, what did it matter? Her heart and soul would get engage, and then he’d be gone.
Gray pulled away, the pad of his thumb on her mouth, looking utterly crestfallen. “It’s okay.”
What’s okay?
“I was just messing with you.” He started to roll away from her, and she realized she’d zoned out, let her fears stand on the mountain of her insecurities and plant a victory flag.
She grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back. His big, hard body fell half on top of her. God, did it feel good. More. Her hands threaded through his hair. “Gray.”
That was all it took to unleash him, just the sound of his name drenched in urgency and need. His mouth opened over hers, and he licked inside, his big hand clamping down on her hip and drawing her closer. He kissed with such fervor, she got swept away, the undertow so powerful it drowned her insecurities. She clutched his broad, powerful back. He feels so good.
His hand slid underneath her, caressing down to her bottom and then squeezing with such lust she literally writhed against him.
How had she ever thought he lacked passion? Holy smokes did he have it—and what a heady feeling knowing he had it for her.


 

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

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THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE (The Boyfriend Experience #1) by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde-Review & Excerpt Tour

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THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE (The Boyfriend Experience #1) by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde-Review & Excerpt Tour

 

 

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 19, 2019

He’s the total package.

Except …

Eric Miller isn’t looking for a long term relationship. And he definitely isn’t thrilled when a friend signs him up for The Boyfriend Experience app behind his back. It’s not like he has a problem getting women on his own. But when he gets a notification that someone is in need of his . . . services, he’s intrigued enough to check out her profile and can’t resist the sexy, sassy little brunette who only wants him as a decoy for a family event.

Evie Bennett needs a boyfriend, stat. Someone who can accompany her to her family reunion so she doesn’t have to explain that she’s been recently dumped. Again. She’s perfectly happy being an independent woman, but what’s a girl to do when her new fake boyfriend starts to feel like the real deal?

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE is the first instalment in Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde’s contemporary, adult THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE erotic, romance series, a spin-off from Erika Wilde’s Tall, Dark and Sexy series. This is twenty-nine year old, Prestige Car Service owner Eric Miller, and salon stylist Evie Bennett’s story line. Eric was first introduced in Tall, Dark And Tempting. You do not have to read the previous series to understand or comprehend The Boyfriend Experience.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Eric and Evie) THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE follows the building but fake relationship between twenty-nine year old, Prestige Car Service owner Eric Miller, and salon stylist Evie Bennett. Evie needs a ‘boyfriend’ for her family reunion but when her friends suggest the dating app ‘The Boyfriend Experience, Evie never expected anything beyond a business proposal. Enter Prestige Car Service owner Eric Miller, and the man with whom Evie will fall in love. What ensues is the ‘fake boyfriend’ relationship between Evie and Eric, and the potential fall-out as Eric doesn’t do relationships or fall in love.

Evie Bennett’s last two relationships ended in disaster but meeting Eric Miller gave Evie thoughts about a future, a future that would never be. Eric Miller doesn’t do long term relationships yet Evie Bennett stirs something in Eric he long thought buried and died.

The relationship between Evie and Eric begins as a business arrangement. Eric had no intentions of ever using the ‘Boyfriend Experience’ but when his best friend and app developer Dylan Stone signed him up without his knowledge, Eric took a gamble and fell in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are colorful and familiar including Leo and Peyton, Aiden and Daisy, Dylan and Serena from the author’s Tall, Dark and Sexy series. We are introduced to Dylan’s mother Ginny Miller; Evie’s brother Garrett, his boyfriend Aaron, and their parents Lauren and Gene Bennett; Evie’s cousin Raquel and her fiancé Graham.

The world building focuses on the back stories and histories of our leading couple. Evie struggles to find a man worthy of her love; Eric fears the future isn’t always what everyone expected.

THE BOYFRIEND EXPERIENCE is a story of family, loss, moving forward and letting go of the past. The premise is engaging, entertaining and fun; the characters are sexy, sassy and energetic; the romance is fated and hot. Another wonderful romance story from Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

They joined the short line in front of the register, and Eric glanced from the billboard listing all the fancy beverages, to Evie. “What would you like?”
“I’ll just take a regular cup of coffee.”
“Come on, you can do better than that,” he teased. “You don’t strike me as being that boring.”
She raised a brow, a glimmer of amusement dancing in her eyes. “You’ve come to that conclusion in the two minutes of meeting me?”
“Am I wrong?” he challenged light-heartedly.
“No,” she admitted, a smile tugging at the corner of her very kissable mouth. “I just don’t treat myself to a fancy cup of coffee very often. Normally, I’m too rushed in the morning to indulge myself.”
They took another step forward in line. “Lucky for you, it’s my treat and I insist you indulge.”
She tipped her head, drawing his gaze to the soft tumble of hair falling over her shoulder and how the ends curled right at the upper swell of her breast. “Shouldn’t I be paying for this, considering the circumstances?”
“Absolutely not,” he replied adamantly, forcibly keeping his gaze on her face instead of her chest. “What boyfriend worth his salt would let his girl pay?”
“I haven’t hired you yet,” she reminded him cheekily.
He grinned. He wasn’t expecting Evie Bennett to be so impudent, and surprise, surprise, he was definitely enjoying their banter, and her. “True. Which means I really need to step up my game and impress you.”
And honestly, when was the last time he’d wanted to make such an effort with the opposite sex? The answer to that eluded him, because truthfully, he couldn’t remember being so fascinated and attracted to a woman beyond her physical features. Yet there was no denying that Evie’s feisty disposition drew him in and made him want to learn more about her. Which he needed to do anyways, if she was going to hire him. And make no mistake, they weren’t parting ways until he’d sealed the deal, because she was in the market for a temporary boyfriend, and like his campy bio had promised, he aimed to please.
“What can I get for the two of you?” the barista asked, pulling Eric’s thoughts, and attention, to the girl waiting for their order.
He glanced at Evie. “Don’t disappoint me,” he said humorously, referencing the boring cup of coffee she’d mentioned.
A cute, daring smile flitted across her mouth before she looked back at the barista. “I’ll take a white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso and whipped cream.”
Damn. Was it crazy that he was totally turned on by the fact that she hadn’t ordered one of those ridiculous skinny, non-fat, sugar-free lattes that made a mockery of a designer coffee? This was not a girl who’d opt for a salad if she was offered a burger or pizza, and thank God for that. His attraction to her just increased ten-fold.


 

 

 

Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels featuring hot men, strong women and the emotionally compelling stories her readers have come to expect and love. Carly’s career spans over a decade and a half with various New York publishing houses, and she is now an Indie author who runs her own business and loves every exciting minute of her publishing journey. Carly is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs (two wheaten terriers and one mutant Havanese) who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at www.carlyphillips.com.

Website: www.carlyphillips.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlyphillips
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlyPhillipsFanPage
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10000.Carly_Phillips
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carly-Phillips/e/B001I9W0MS

Erika Wilde:

Erika Wilde is the author of the sexy Marriage Diaries series and The Players Club series. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two daughters, and when she’s not writing you can find her exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. For more information on her upcoming releases, please visit website at www.erikawilde.com.

Website: http://www.erikawilde.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5357264.Erika_Wilde
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/erikawildeauthorfanpage
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/erikawilde1

 

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The World’s Worst Boyfriend (The Bad Boyfriend #1) by Erika Kelly-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND (The Bad Boyfriend Series #1) by Erika Kelly-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

 

THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND
The Bad Boyfriend #1
by Erika Kelly
Genre: adult,contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: April 3, 2018

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 3, 2018

Six years ago Fin Bowie made a decision that cost him the love of his life. Now his ex is coming back to town for her brother’s wedding, and he can finally make things right. Except, right before the event, a text he sent goes viral. Overnight, he becomes an international meme. And it’s hard to win your woman back when the whole world’s calling you The World’s Worst Boyfriend.

The last thing on Calliope Bell’s mind is getting back with Fin. Not when her life’s just gone sideways, forcing her to spend the summer in her hometown. She can’t be away from the New York art world this long, so she comes up with the idea to turn the hottest pop culture event of the moment into a museum exhibition.

The two have every intention of avoiding each other—until the county judge sentences Fin to community service…helping her exploit the meme he’s trying to make go away

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND is the first instalment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary adult THE BAD BOYFRIEND romance series. This is twenty –three year old extreme sporting athlete Fin Bowie, and art specialist Calliope ‘Callie’ Bell’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Callie and Fin) THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND follows the rekindling romance between two twenty-three year olds, whose lives went in opposite directions, six years earlier. High school sweethearts Callie and Fin had their lives ahead of them but in an instant Callie watched as the young man that she loved walked away without a backwards glance. Fast forward to present day wherein Fin Bowie, all-star extreme sports athlete comes home to Calamity Wyoming for his best friend’s wedding, hoping to rekindle with the woman he has never stopped loving. Enter Callie Bell, an art specialist, whose love/ hate relationship with our story line hero is tantamount to the emotional upheaval of the seventeen year old she was when Fin walked away. What ensues is the rebuilding love and romance between Fin and Callie, and the potential fall out as Fin renews his previous habits forcing Callie to walk away with another broken heart.

Fin Bowie’s life in the public eye is rising thanks to a text that has grown into a world-wide meme of epic proportions. A fellow teammate wanted to destroy a little of Fin’s popularity and in doing so pushed our hero into the spotlight as the ‘World’s Worst Boyfriend’. Growing a life of its own, Callie Bell uses the meme as an art installation hoping to recoup an art fellowship she lost because of secrets from the past. As Callie struggles to move forward with her life, Fin does everything in his power to make Callie his own.

The relationship between Callie and Fin is one of second chances but Callie is unable to let go of the past; of the way in which Fin walked away at seventeen years old leaving Callie to move forward without the boy that she loved. For six years Callie redesigned her life towards the woman she would become revealing someone Fin and his brothers no longer recognized. The pain and heartbreak of her broken relationship with Fin left an indelible scar upon our heroine’s soul-a scar she continues to nurture to the present day. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Fin’s older brothers-all extreme athletes: Will, Brodie and Gray Bowie, as well as a number of fellow snowboarders including Traci Allen-whose most recent injury sets off a meme that could destroy Fin’s future; Callie’s brother Ryder Bell, her boyfriend Julian Reyes, and her childhood friend and yoga instructor Megan.

THE WORLD’S WORST BOYFRIEND was a bit of a struggle, for me, from beginning to end: from the back story about the ‘world’s worst boyfriend’ meme, and how jealousy prompted the potential destruction of Fin’s career, to our heroine’s immature reaction towards Fin’s involvement with his family, and his life as an extreme sports athlete. Fin becomes ‘the face’ and star of every relationship heart break known to man, and our heroine exploits the situation to further her own career. The premise is interesting; the characters are colorful but immature; the romance is a second chance at a happily ever after.

Copy supplied for review.

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

“Guess what, Callie? Love isn’t safe. It’s messed up and crazy and it hurts like hell. But why would you want anything less than what we had? Jesus, what we had—it was more than love. It was…Dammit. Why do I have to explain this to you? I’m empty without you, and no other woman, no friend or brother—no one can take your place. You’re part of me. And I’m sorry but I’m not buying that you’ve moved on. We screwed up, and we got lost, but I will be damned if I accept that you’d rather have some boring, bland relationship than me.” He reached for her, pulling her hard against him, gaze focused on her mouth.
Slowly, he leaned in, overwhelming her with his masculine scent. He pressed a soft, gentle kiss that sent an alarming rush of desire through her body. A lick of his tongue across her lips had her mouth opening to him, welcoming him, and then it happened.
Fin kissed her. Kissed her the way he always had—hungry, desperate, a barely contained expression of carnal need.
He kept his hands to himself, their mouths the only point of connection. His kiss tasted sweet like love, hot like passion, like everything beautiful in the world grew out of this, the tender intimacy of two souls finally, finally rejoining.
The moment she reached for him, restless for the press of his hard body against hers, he tore his mouth away. “You wanna settle for less than that?”


 

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

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Mine for the Week (Wild Love #2) by Erika Kelly-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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MINE FOR THE WEEK (Wild Love #2) by Erika Kelly-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Mine for the Week Banner

MINE FOR THE WEEK
Wild Love #2
by Erika Kelly
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Mine for the Week

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 3, 2017

As the top collegiate shortstop in the country, Ryan O’Donnell’s life is about discipline. But a growing restlessness causes him to bail on his baseball team over spring break to join his buddies at a singles resort. He just needs one week to escape his life, and then he’ll get back on track. But moments after arriving he meets HER, and the world as he knows it changes irrevocably. It should only be a hookup—that’s what spring break’s all about—but one taste of this sexy, vibrant woman isn’t enough. He has to have her. Even if it’s only for a week.

Sophie Valentine—yes, that Valentine—just found out her siblings want to sell off Crazy Hearts—the Peeps of the Valentine’s Day world. Upset, she takes off with her friends on their spring break vacation. She only wanted an escape—she never imagined meeting HIM. But he’s about to start a Major League Baseball career, and she’s launching a fight for her family legacy. They have no future. It’s just…she’s never felt this way for anyone before.

Are they really going to walk away from this kind of connection…this passion?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: MINE FOR THE WEEK is the second installment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary, new adult WILD LOVE erotic, romance series focusing on the O’Donnell siblings. This is top collegiate shortstop Ryan O’Donnell, and Crazy Hearts heiress Sophie Valentine’s story line. MINE FOR THE WEEK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. We were first introduced to Ryan in book one MINE FOR NOW.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Ryan and Sophie) MINE FOR THE WEEK follows the building but acrimonious relationship between two college seniors-professional baseball prospect Ryan O’Donnell, and cookie company heiress Sophie Valentine. It’s prospect week for college baseball, the scouts are in attendance, and our hero Ryan O’Donnell is about to spiral out of control. On the verge of panic, Ryan’s best friend suggests an island retreat to Santa Grenada wherein our hero will walk away from his future, and meet the woman with whom he will fall in love. Enter Crazy Hearts heiress and college senior Sophie Valentine, a woman on the cusp of a future that is about to be pulled out from under (her). What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Sophie and Ryan, and the fall out when Ryan’s ex-girlfriend comes back looking to rekindle what’s left of their failed friendship and love.

MINE FOR A WEEK is a story of family, friendships and facing the future. Ryan knows he is destined for the major leagues. Baseball is his life but our hero is looking for something different; something more. A past mired in heartbreak, a dysfunctional family where addiction and drama followed in its’ wake, Ryan has always fronted the epitome of perfection; the perfect son and student; the perfect boyfriend and star athlete but a man whose inner turmoil pulls our hero in another direction-a direction he is unable to decipher until the end. Sophie Valentine is in the battle of her life as her family considers selling her beloved Crazy Hearts cookie factory in the hopes of a lucrative payout and retirement. Sophie’s attempts to dissuade her siblings are met with derision, and a family unable to come to terms about the future.

The relationship between Sophie and Ryan is one of immediate attraction but from the start Sophie is unable to let go. Ryan’s seduction of Sophie begins as an island adventure, and our heroine wants nothing to do with what she believes is a $ex craved athlete letting go on Spring Break in Santa Grenada. Ryan’s pursuit of Sophie is off-putting; she is unable to look past the ‘hook up’ of spring break. Trusting Ryan grows more difficult as their ‘friendship’ blossoms letting Ryan in will cost Sophie her heart and her self-esteem. The $ex scenes are seductive and intense. Throughout the story our very independent heroine had a habit of running; misinterpreting signs and conversations; and had a difficult time accepting the truth for what it was. She is constantly looking for faults including those in her relationship with Ryan O’Donnell.

We are introduced to Ryan’s best friends Dixon and Jake; his ex girlfriend Emma, as well as the reappearance of Ryan’s father Bill, sister Nicole and her boyfriend Dylan (Mine For Now) and his troubled brother Brandon; Sophie’s friends Kat and Laura, and Sophie’s ex-boyfriend Richard aka King.

MINE FOR THE WEEK was a bit of a struggle for me. I didn’t like the heroine. Some would call her strong and self-reliant but it is this part of her personality that I battled because of the way it is presented-an over the top need to be independent, and separate from the whole. Neither character was perfect; their personality quirks made for some uncomfortable situations. The premise is entertaining; the romance is passionate and intense; the characters are colorful and charismatic. MINE FOR THE WEEK is a well written, and engaging story line.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one-MINE FOR NOW.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Mine for the Week Teaser

excerpt

Where had Sophie gone? Didn’t she want her keycard? He didn’t see her anywhere but, damn, he could feel her clutching him, feel the press of her body against his. Desire burned through him. She’d been so responsive last night. That’s what it was, really, what had made him so wild. Her response to him.
It was them. Combustible.
He remembered tucking his face into her neck, being surrounded by her scent, her silky hair. Her hands reaching under his shirt—her touch so hungry. Oh, Christ.
His heart pounded. Need burned a fiery path through his limbs. Where the hell had she gone?
He scanned the empty pool, the chaises, and the path to the terrace grill. Stalking towards the hotel, he peered through the glass doors but didn’t see anyone inside. She couldn’t have made it to the elevator that quickly.
The sound of water hitting pavement snapped his attention to the side of the building. To the outdoor showers.
An image sprang to mind. Sophie, naked, water glistening on that peachy skin.
Desire charged through him. Don’t do it. If he went in there, he’d touch her. And he couldn’t do that. She didn’t want it.
Go to your room.
To hell with that. Go to the gym. Work this crazy energy out of you.
He stood outside the hotel, every muscle tensed. A worker rolled a cart of clean towels out a side door and wheeled it toward the wicker towel stand.
But all he could focus on was the water splattering on concrete. Had she taken off her bikini?
None of your damn business. He turned away from the worker, but instead of opening the door to the hotel, he found his feet eating up the path, taking him toward the row of outdoor showers.
He’d just give her the key card and cover-up, and then he’d go. Leave her alone.
Water pooled outside a stall. “Soph?” He knocked, and then called for her again.
The door swung open, and she stood there in her red bikini, soap suds streaming down her gleaming body. Her features softened when she saw the cover-up and phone he held out to her.
Taking them out of his hand, she set them on a wooden shelf. “Thank you.” Then, she stepped under the spray and tilted her head back, her long dark hair streaming over her shoulders.
Desire rushed him so hard his breath went choppy, his knees weak. He closed and locked the door, heading right for her. Her eyes flared with surprise, but she didn’t stop him. The look in her eyes set his blood roaring. Heat, need, want burst inside him.
(can stop here if too long)
Her chest rose and fell with her rapid breathing. He moved toward her, crowding into her space, needing to touch her more than he needed air.
“I can’t believe you pirated my boat.”
Water splattered his calves, and his spine tingled with a lust so crazy he could barely control it. “It was too windy to be out there.”
She gave him a defiant look. “I don’t like people telling me what to do.”
Or she wasn’t used to it. No one in her family seemed to bother with her. “I’m not going to apologize for worrying about you.”
“Why?” Her voice sounded thin, shaky. Water beaded on her skin.
He wanted her so badly he hurt, but even though he could barely think, he knew she deserved an answer. “Because I like you.”
She let out a shaky breath.
“Sophie.” Leaning in, he watched the desire in her eyes turn fiery. Her fingertips traced a path down his chest, making him shudder. He licked the water droplets off her lips, and she sighed into his mouth.
He kissed her—yes—tongue stroking into her mouth, fingers sliding into wet hair, shoving it off her face. Cupping the back of her head, he shifted her so he could kiss her more deeply. Her mouth, so lush and hot, opened to him, and he lost himself in all the lusciousness that was Sophie Valentine.

about the author

Erika KellyAward-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life–she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

 

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Signup ** Erika Kelly Goodreads

 

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More Than a Feeling (Rock Star Romance #4) by Erika Kelly-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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MORE THAN A FEELING (Rock Star Romance #4) by Erika Kelly-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

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MORE THAN A FEELING
Rock Star Romance #4
by Erika Kelly
Release Date: April 4, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, rock star, romance

More Than A Feeling

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About the book: Release Date April 4, 2017

From the award-winning author of TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT comes the final story in her red-hot Rock Star Romance series, about a loner rocker finding his perfect duet.

When Cooper Hood left Snowberry, Montana ten years ago, he swore he’d never go back to the town that painted him with the same brush as his addict mother. But right in the middle of his band’s national tour he gets a call to come home: his mom’s got a whopper of a secret to reveal.

Daisy Charbonneau’s in trouble. The talent she hired for her resort’s annual Huckleberry Festival’s just bailed on her, and she’s desperate to find a replacement act. Luck turns her way when she discovers her high school crush is back in town—and he happens to be a rock star.

As they work together, a crush deepens into so much more—but who falls in love in two weeks?

Especially when Cooper’s never coming back to town, and Daisy’s never going to leave it.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: MORE THAN A FEELING is the fourth and final installment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary, adult ROCK STAR ROMANCE series focusing on the members of the rock band Blue Fire. This is rock star Cooper Hood, and singer/coordinator Daisy Charbonneau’s story line. MORE THAN A FEELING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Daisy and Cooper) MORE THAN A FEELING is a second chance romance between rock star Cooper Hood, and Daisy Charbonneau. Ten years earlier Cooper Hood left his hometown of Snowberry, Montana and never looked back but to think about the girl he left behind. A childhood rocked by a drug addicted mother, never knowing the true identity of his father, Cooper had always felt abandoned, alone and one step behind the rest of his peers except for the life-long friendship between himself and Daisy Charbonneau. An urgent message from his mother brings Cooper Hood back to Snowberry, Montana and into the path of the woman that has always called to his heart. Enter Daisy Charbonneau, a woman on a mission seeking musicians for the town’s annual Huckleberry Festival when their biggest draw pulls out but a woman who loses her heart to a man who’s only in town for a couple of days. What ensues is the rekindling friendship and romance between Daisy and Cooper, and the fall out when issues of trust keep Daisy and Cooper from going after the one that they love.

Daisy and Cooper both have issues of trust. Cooper never knew who was his father, and Daisy’s father was in and out of her life for as long as she could remember. Cooper’s return to Snowberry brings too many bad memories, and it takes everything within him to stay behind to help the woman that he loves. Daisy refuses to acknowledge her love for a man who will never be ready to settle down thus forcing Daisy to push Cooper out of her life when he offers her so much more. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to a cast of great secondary characters including Daisy’s mother Hannah Charbonneau, Snowberry’s mayor Stuart Goff, the Blackstock family including Hunter and Crystal, Remi, Ethan and Nash, Cooper’s mother Ronnie Hood, and several townsfolk as well as the cameo appearances of the members of Blue Fire.

The world building focuses on betrayal and trust; Daisy’s need to rebuild the town in which she grew up; Cooper facing the family he knew nothing about, and his love for a woman who isn’t ready for life on the road.

MORE THAN A FEELING focuses on family and love; betrayal, lies and the truth; finding love and never letting go. The premise is heartbreaking and emotional; the characters are animated and colorful; the romance struggles with a lack of communication, preconceived notions, and the fall out of one woman’s need to remain in the small town in which she grew up.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
You Really Got Me
I Want You To Want Me
Take Me Home Tonight
More Than A Feeling

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

More than A Feeling teaser

Excerpt beige

 

Closing her eyes, Daisy bit into the crunchy drizzle, her teeth sinking through the buttery rich goodness of the bread. Oh, dear God. Her mom made the world’s best cinnamon rolls. With a sigh, she looked up to find someone heading toward her on the path.
Of course her childhood crush would show up the moment she’d stuffed her mouth full of pastry. Leaning against the hood of her car, Daisy chewed quickly—which sucked because, basically, time should stand still while savoring her mom’s desserts.
But Cooper wasn’t looking at her. Scowling at his phone, he stopped on the path, fingers furiously typing. Was he dealing with his mom?
Or maybe a girlfriend. Instantly her skin tightened, and her heart thudded. If Cooper had a girlfriend…God. Last night she’d gone on and on about how much he’d meant to her.
She looked away, mortification crashing through her system.
First, she’d bumped into him wearing waders and a fishing hat, and then she’d forced him to go out with her. Awesome.
He couldn’t have been clearer that he didn’t want to spend the day with her, but she’d gone and made an offer she knew he couldn’t turn down. Not if he wanted to get his mom’s house built and get himself back on tour.
Feeling a little sick to her stomach, she licked the sticky drizzle off her fingers and shoved the treat back into the bag.
As he paused on the path, thumbs working over the phone’s keypad, she took in his powerful physique. A white T-shirt strained across broad shoulders, hugging his thickly rounded biceps, and worn blue jeans cupped his hard, muscular thighs.
The colorful ink covering his body made him look like a total badass. She’d noticed a strange symbol on his inner wrist and a cartoon image on his forearm of a pin-up girl holding a barbell, a sexy slash of red for her lips.
The man he’d grown into made her soul wake up, and God, she couldn’t even remember the last time she’d felt this kind of fluttery attraction for a guy.
As if he felt someone watching him, he looked up sharply and found her. The worry lines eased. But he didn’t smile. “Hey.”
She pushed off her car. “You ready?” Forced or not, her plan was good for both of them. She was sticking to it.

 

 

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About The Author beige

Erika KellyI’ve been spinning romantic tales all my life–I just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, I didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, I’ve been devouring the genre and have found my true voice as an author. Over three decades I’ve written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of my life and raising four children, I’ve lived in two countries and seven states but give me pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and I can make my home anywhere.

Follow: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter Signup

 

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Mine for Now (Wild Love #1) by Erika Kelly-Review and Book Tour

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MINE FOR NOW (Wild Love #1) by Erika Kelly-Review and Book Tour

Mine For Now Banner

MINE FOR NOW
Wild Love #1
by Erika Kelly
Genre: New adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: October 4, 2016

Mine For Now

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About the book: Release Date October 4, 2016

The pull of wild love is irresistible.

She’s had enough drama in her life.

Nicole O’Donnell is more than ready for the fresh start college offers. After a lifetime of trying to help her alcoholic mom and ex-boyfriend get sober, she’s finally learned her lesson: people don’t change. They certainly don’t change for her.

He can never leave his drama behind.

Thanks to his mom’s substance abuse issues, Dylan McCaffrey’s persona non grata in his hometown of Gun Powder, Colorado. So when he scores a free ride to the top university in the country, he’s determined to make something of this fresh start. But his mom has always relied on him, and she’s not handling his absence well at all. If he can just keep up his grades, pay her bills, and come home every break, he might be able to pull off this opportunity.

True love won’t be denied.

No matter how determined they are to steer clear of each other, their combustible connection explodes, especially when Nicole offers Dylan the one thing he can’t bear—hope. Once he has a taste of it—and the irresistible force of her—there’s no going back.

But when he falls too deeply, when he loses sight of his priorities, he might just lose it all.

•••••••••

REVIEW: MINE FOR NOW is the first installment in Erika Kelly’s contemporary, new adult WILD LOVE erotic, romance series focusing on the O’Donnell siblings. This is eighteen year old college students Nicole O’Donnell, and Dylan McCaffrey’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Nicole and Dylan) MINE FOR NOW follows the building romance between college students Nicole O’Donnell, and Dylan McCaffrey. When her roommate Caroline Thayer goes ballistic, Nicole finds herself sleeping across the hall in Dylan McCaffrey’s room, and along with his roommate James, they discover that the trio has quite a bit in common. But when Dylan’s addicted and alcohol dependent mother shows up at school, Dylan is forced to look for a new place to live, and Nicole and James go along for the ride. As Dylan and Nicole’s relationship begins to grow, Dylan’s co-dependent relationship with his mother begins to affect his life at school and his relationship with Nicole.

MINE FOR NOW is a story about addiction, co-dependency, toxic relationships, betrayal and loss. Dylan and Nicole come from families with a history of addiction, and in this our leading couple are kindred spirits in body and mind. Their earlier years are filled with horrendous neglect and abuse but each has ventured down a different path of acceptance and denial. Dylan is unable to walk away whereas Nicole has pushed her past behind her.

The relationship between Nicole and Dylan is fraught with a lack of communication and mistrust. Dylan keeps secret much of his past including a former girlfriend who is in constant connection with our story line hero. Nicole’s path towards a future includes a professor who inadvertently pushes our heroine a little too far, and she is worried about acceptance into a specialized program.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including many college students but especially James, Caroline and Sydney. We are introduced to Nicole’s supporting and loving family-father Bill, and brothers Brandon and Ryan. Dylan’s Uncle Zach is his rock and support system; while Dylan’s ex girlfriend Kelsi and his addicted mother are destroying Dylan’s life.

MINE FOR NOW is a story about one man’s emotionally destructive relationship with his addicted mother. Dylan is unable to walk away and his need to protect his mother is harmful and enabling, and affecting his relationship with the woman he loves. The premise is heartbreaking and emotional; the characters are broken, charismatic and animated; the romance is a struggle between two people caught in a world of addiction and pain. MINE FOR NOW looks at a classic scenario of co-dependency, enabling and addiction that is destructive for everyone involved.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Mine For Now Teaser

excerpt

 

Desire tore through her, and for a few moments, she didn’t pull away. Because, God, she wanted him so badly.
But then she remembered she wasn’t doing drama. She wasn’t going to pine for a guy she couldn’t have. And Dylan had made it clear she couldn’t have him. His life was not his own, he’d said, and he wasn’t open to seeing things any differently.
How many years had she hoped for Jonathan to change? People don’t change. Her mom hadn’t, Jonathan hadn’t. And if she wanted to be sane, she had to make the choices that were right for her.
She couldn’t help Dylan any more than she could help her mom or Jonathan. She started to get up, but he clamped a hand down, holding her in place. His breathing changed, and his gaze drifted to her mouth.
“Nicole.” His hand went around the back of her neck and brought her down to meet him in a hard kiss. It grew urgent immediately, his tongue brushing hers, sending sparks along her nerves. His hands reached around her back and pressed her tightly against him.
No one had ever kissed her like this—with so much urgency and need. Like he had to have her.
But then she remembered the two girls he’d brought home tonight.
She pulled away from him and got off his lap. “I’m not one of your party favors.”
He looked confused, eyes still glazed, mouth still wet. “My what?”
She motioned to the archway, where his girls had flanked him. “The girls you bring home with you. If you want to be my friend, I guess that’s fine.” They lived and worked together, so it was unavoidable. “But anything else…” She shook her head. “Keep your hands off me.”
His mouth shut, jaw muscle working. He stood, crowding her in the small space, forcing her to step back. “What the hell do you think I’ve been trying to do?”


 

 

About The Author Black and Red

Erika KellyI’ve been spinning romantic tales all my life–I just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, I didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, I’ve been devouring the genre and have found my true voice as an author. Over three decades I’ve written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of my life and raising four children, I’ve lived in two countries and seven states but give me pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and I can make my home anywhere.

Follow: Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

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