Tag Archives: New Release Reviews 2020

When the Walls Come Down by M. Mabie & Aly Martinez-review tour

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When the Walls Come Down by M. Mabie & Aly Martinez-Review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 4, 2020

Did you ever hear the joke about the guy whose wife cheated on him with his best friend? So he quit his job, moved into his parents’ basement, and gained fifty pounds?

No? Because that wasn’t a joke. It was my life.

Four years later, I’m back with a dream job, a killer apartment, and a set of abs that are better than ever.

So, when Maggie Light, a stunning, snarky blonde moves in next door, and we spend the hottest weekend of our lives together, I think this could be the greatest comeback story ever.

That is until I realize Maggie has moved to town to do one thing—steal my job.

Maybe this isn’t a comeback story after all. Maybe this is war—one I intend to win.

What I never anticipated was that maybe I’d rather win her.

Perhaps, if I’m lucky, the universe has finally run out of jokes and I can somehow win both.

••••••

REVIEW: WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN is a contemporary, adult, stand alone,erotic romance story line co-authored by M. Mabie and Aly Martinez. This is advertising executives-twenty four year old Maggie Light, and thirty three year old Shane Warren’s story line .

Told from dual first person perspectives (Maggie and Shane) WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN follows the building romance between advertising executives-twenty four year old Maggie Light, and thirty three year old Shane Warren. Maggie Light is about to start on a new career at Bay Brewing Company in San Francisco, California. Having moved from Georgia just days before, our heroine will meet her new neighbour Shane Warren, and a whirlwind romance will ensue but Maggie never expected to come face to face with Shane on the first day of the job, a job she is apparently taking from our story line hero. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Shane and Maggie, and the potential fall-out as Shane wants something more than Maggie is willing to give.

Shane has worked for his brother in law at the Bay Brewing Company and their Two Ships restaurant, a position in the advertising and promotion department for the past four years but apparently his family believes it is time he moved on, and are forcing Shane to look outside of the company for something else. Our hero is then blindsided when his replacement has already been hired, and said replacement is the woman with whom Shane will fall in love.

The relationship between Shane and Maggie begins as a one—night stand that quickly turns into something more. Maggie is the new girl in town; Shane’s neighbor, and apparently the woman hired to take over his job. His attraction to Maggie is visceral and immediate, yet Maggie is reluctant to commit to anything beyond the present. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters-both Maggie and Shane each have several sibling, nieces and nephews. We are introduced to Shane’s sister Blake, and his brother in law Casey Moore; as well as Maggie’s brother Heath.

WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN is a romantic comedy; a story of family, friendships, relationships and love. The premise is flirty and fun, something I never would have expected from Aly Martinez as she has written many dark and dramatic stories of love and loss; the romance is sweet and seductive; the characters are energetic, fun and realistic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers due to strong language and content.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Am I a man or not?
Here goes fucking nothing.
Take a risk, my ass. I’d fucking show Casey and Blake a damn risk.
I marched down to where she was sitting. “Hi, I’m Shane.”
She looked shocked, maybe a little startled by my approach—and rightly so. I’d stalked over like the fucking Terminator, all amped up from my private pep talk.
“The bartender, Chris, said you’re new in town, and it’s your first time here.”
Her sparkling blue eyes stood out against her makeup, and now—standing close to her—I could smell her perfume. A subtle and warm scent that made me want to lean in.
What the fuck had I been thinking?
To put it mildly, she was out of my league, but hey… Risks, right?
“If you’re dining alone, would you mind if I offer a suggestion from the menu?”
“I was only looking it over out of curiosity. I really just came in for a drink or two.” She folded it and placed it on the wooden top in front of her.
Goddamn, that cleavage.
“Oh. Yeah. Okay. Well, then…uh…let me get one for you.” I might have strutted over like the Terminator, but I was fumbling over my words like Barney Fife and beginning to sweat like a Crossfitter.
Her brows bunched. “Um, you really don’t have to do that.”
“Please. After the day I’ve had, I’ll actually have one with you.” I swiped at the back of my neck. “The drinks are good here. Very cold. Wet.” Jesus fucking Christ, Shane. Wet!? “Um. Alcoholic, if that’s what you’re into.” I waved Chris—and his bigger-than-life shit-eating grin—down to us.
“Find something you’d like?” he asked her.
“I’ll just have a Titos and cranberry,” she answered. “I hear they’re very cold and wet here.”
Chris looked at me disappointedly, probably guessing at how badly I’d botched this introduction. He wasn’t wrong, but she hadn’t told me to fuck off yet.
Yet.
“And I’ll take a Honeybee Brown,” I added.
He spun on his heel, shocked. “Really?”
I shrugged and shot daggers at him. “Really. A pint, please.”
“A cold, wet one too, eh? Okay, man. Coming right up.” He made our drinks and then about a dozen more for the servers who were keeping him busy.
“Thanks for the drink,” she said, clinking our glasses together, her eyes never quite meeting mine.
“Yeah. Sure. No problem.” I followed her lead and took a sip.
“So, do you come here a lot, Shane?”
My name on her lips had me clearing my throat.
“Yes,” replied our asshole bartender before I could answer.
“I live close,” I explained, and she nodded in understanding. “So, where did you come to the Bay from?” I took another sip, realizing that counting the beer I’d had with Casey earlier and this one, I was nearing my only-a-few-drinks daily limit. So I’d be savoring the pint as long as she didn’t seem too put off by my dusty-ass small talk. Otherwise, I could chug it down and then be on my merry way, leaving her to enjoy her night without a divorced, practically fired dude bugging her.
“Atlanta,” she replied and swirled a piece of ice with the drink stirrer in her glass. Still no eye contact.
Small talk. I fumbled for more small talk.
“You have family here?”
“No, I’ve always wanted to get out of Georgia. So, when I landed a job out here, it seemed like a sign.”
Finally, her blue eyes met mine and… Fuck, if I could have just remembered to blink, I’d have been doing well. I feared if I broke the gaze for just a second, I’d never see that color again, because surely it was a mirage of some sort. Like a crystal-blue pool in a desert. The kind of trick eyes could only play on a man who hadn’t been laid in nearly half a decade.
She finished with, “I start on Monday. I guess fate is as good a time as any to take a risk.”

 

About Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2DUCq1Z
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2DUgzrJ
Website: https://alymartinez.com/
Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:

http://bit.ly/2WnkxjS

•••••••••

About M. Mabie

Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She writes everything from steamy romantic comedies to angst-filled, pull your hair out drama. She enjoys it all. With her unconventional love stories, she tries to embody “real-life romance.”

She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne’s World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost.

Mabie usually doesn’t speak in third-person. She promises.

Connect with M. Mabie

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2W3M2Bu
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3de6q8K
BookBub: https://bit.ly/35wkuaT
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2SBypHu
Twitter: https://bit.ly/2W1cr2W
Pinterest: https://bit.ly/2xzhmyF
Website: https://www.mmabie.com

Stay up to date with M. Mabie by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/3dkTJcp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Somerset Girls by Lori Foster-a review

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The Somerset Girls by Lori Foster-a review

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 19, 2020

No one knows you quite like a sister…

Summer in Sunset, Kentucky, means long, hot days—and sometimes surprising new beginnings. Through it all, the ties of sisterhood will be there, guiding Autumn and Ember to the lives, and loves, they need…

When they’re running the animal-rescue farm they inherited from their grandparents, Autumn and Ember Somerset are perfectly in sync. At all other times, not so much. Dependable Autumn would rather curl up with a good book than paint the town red with Ember. After the disaster that was Autumn’s last relationship, it’s pure self-protection. But when her high school crush comes back to town with his adorable young daughter, igniting memories best left forgotten, there’s only one person Autumn can turn to…

Beneath Ember’s free-spirited facade is a layer of deep hurt. She’ll gladly nudge Autumn toward a second chance. But risk her own heart? Not likely. The closer Autumn gets to her own happily-ever-after, the more Ember wonders what she might be missing—and if it isn’t her time to be bold, too.

•••••••••

REVIEW:THE SOMERSET GIRLS by Lori Foster is a contemporary, adult, erotic, romance story line focusing on the Somerset sisters, and the men with whom they will fall in love: interior designer/animal rescue operator Autumn Somerset and single father / advertising executive Tash Ducker; and builder Ember Somerset and farm hand Mike Brewer.

Told from several third person perspectives THE SOMERSET GIRLS follows Autumn Somerset as she comes face to face with her high school crush Tash Ducker upon his return to Sunset Kentucky. Tash is a divorcee/widower with a seven year old daughter, and is looking for someone to redesign a few rooms but Autumn struggles in the wake of a failed relationship where she was left at the altar by her cheating ex-fiance. Rebuilding her friendship with Tash Ducker has the added benefit of his daughter Sadie, a precocious seven year old child who struggles with her own issues of trust and love. Tash, claiming he has no time for a sexual relationship finds himself falling for the woman that will steal his heart.

Meanwhile, Ember Somerset struggles with a heart breaking secret, a secret only her sister knows. Mike Brewer ‘s attraction to Ember pushes all of her buttons, an attraction that is mutual but one Ember refuses to admit. Mike is desperate for some one on one time with Ember Somerset, and makes Ember an offer she is reluctant to refuse. Both have secrets that neither one is willing to share but a mutual compromise reveals a growing love for this story line couple.

Lori Foster pulls the reader into a heart warming and emotional story of family and love; of betrayal and loss; of acceptance and moving forward. All of our story line characters, including Autumn and Ember’s parents Flynn and Tracy, have life experiences that are tragic but it is the experiences that form the person that each will become. The character driven premise is inviting and enjoyable-the conflict is minimal; the romances are seductive and intimate; the $ex scenes are passionate; the characters are real and animated. THE SOMERSET GIRLS is an uplifting and inspiring story of two sisters who find love and their own happily ever afters

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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More Than Neighbors by Shannon Stacey-Review & Excerpt Tour

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More Than Neighbors (Blackberry #1) by Shannon Stacey-Review & Excerpt Tour

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 1 2020

The only thing they have in common is a property line!

He’s trying to uncover his past.

She’s hoping for a brighter future.

Cam Maguire is in Blackberry Bay to unravel a family secret. Meredith Price has moved next door with her daughter. He’s unattached. She’s a widowed single mom. He’s owned by a cat. She’s definitely team canine. All these neighbors have in common is a property line. One they cross…over and over. And Cam thought he knew what he wanted—until his family’s secret changes everything.

••••••••••

REVIEW:MORE THAN NEIGHBORS is the first instalment in Shannon Stacey’s contemporary, adult BLACKBERRY BAY romance series. This is single mother/widow Meredith Price, and businessman Calvin ‘Cam’ Maguire’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Cam and Meredith) MORE THAN NEIGHBORS follows the acrimonious relationship between single mother/widow Meredith Price, and businessman Calvin ‘Cam’ Maguire’. Approximately two years earlier Meredith Price’s husband died leaving her a widow and single mother to four year old Sophie. With no reason to remain in California, Meredith packed their bags, and along with her daughter returned to her home town of Blackberry Bay, New Hampshire where she will come face to face with her new neighbor Cam Maguire. Meredith had no idea her neighbor Carolina had passed away leaving her estate to her grandson Cam Maguire but Cam is a stranger to Blackberry Bay, a stranger who is searching for his roots in his grandmother’s home. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Cam and Meredith, and the fall-out as Cam’s time in Blackberry Bay comes to a close.

Cam Maguire lives in New York, working for his father’s firm but struggles to find his place in the family. With the passing of his paternal grandmother, a woman Cam never knew, our hero found himself in Blackberry Bay searching for the truth about his family history. Meredith Price had hoped her move to Blackberry Bay came with the peace and solitude she was hoping to preserve but Meredith and Cam butted heads from the beginning, a friction that barely veiled a palpable sexual attraction that Meredith struggled to accept or ignore. The $ex scenes are passionate but mostly implied.

We are introduced to Meredith’s daughter Sophie, a smart child who is immediately taken with Cam Maguire, as well as Meredith’s parents Neal and Erin Lane, her high school friend Reyna, Carolina’s friend Tess Weaver, and Cam’s parents Melissa and Calvin Maguire.

MORE THAN NEIGHBORS is a story of love, loss and second chances; a story of family, friendships, and moving forward. The premise is captivating; the romance is sweet and spicy; the characters are independent, colorful, and energetic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

“So you’re staying for the summer, you said? Where do you usually live?”
“New York City, actually.”
Her hazel eyes widened. “Wow. That’s quite a change in pace.”
“It is, but I was ready to get away for a while.” “What do you do in the city?”
“I work for my dad,” he said, which wasn’t technically a lie, but wasn’t entirely accurate, either. “A lot of accounting and paperwork and boring stuff like that.”
She was cute when she wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a fan of boring math-related paperwork.”
A yelp from across the yard caught her attention and she turned to see Elinor swipe at the white puff-ball. Sophie was frowning and picked the dog up, turning her body so the cat couldn’t see him any-more.
“Your cat appears to be bullying my dog.”
“She’s not my cat. And you’re embarrassing your dog by even making that claim right now.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “If you don’t think cats can bully dogs, you don’t spend a lot of time on the internet.”
“She just wants the dog to know who’s boss, I guess.”
“It’s his yard,” she pointed out.
“She’s a cat.”
“Point taken.” A genuine smile lit up her face and made her eyes crinkle. “They’ll get used to each other. And speaking of that, now that I know you’re going to be my neighbor for a while, I should prob-ably introduce myself properly. I’m Meredith Price, and that’s Sophie and Oscar.”
“Calvin Maguire,” he said, extending his hand. “But everybody calls me Cam.”
As she shook his hand, he noted how soft the skin was and had to resist rubbing his thumb over it.
She tilted her head as she smoothly pulled her hand away from his. “How do you get Cam from Calvin?”
“My initials. Calvin Anthony Maguire.” His mouth twisted in a wry smile. “The fourth.”
“Interesting.”
“It was a better alternative than being Little Cal for my entire life.” He didn’t really want to open him-self up to more questions about his family, since they were the last thing he wanted to talk about. “Since Oscar’s from California, let me guess. Oscar de la Renta?”
She laughed. “Oscar the Grouch.”
“You’re kidding.” He looked at the dog again, who looked like the kind they put on the packaging of fancy dog food. “I don’t really see the resemblance, but maybe it’s a personality thing.”
“He’s actually named after Sophie’s favorite book at the time, and trust me, we spent days explaining to her why we couldn’t make his hair green.”
“He doesn’t bark a lot, does he?”
“I wouldn’t say he barks a lot.” She glanced at the dog before giving him a sheepish look. “It’s more like a really high-pitched yip.”
“That’ll be fun while I’m reading over spread-sheets,” he said, picturing spending his summer being harassed by a stubborn cat and a high-strung dog. “Maybe I should have packed my noise- canceling headphones.”
She looked startled for a second and then her eyes narrowed. “I have a child and a dog, so I guess you’ll just have to figure out how to make it work.”
“Maybe a muzzle?” he asked, but he wasn’t re-ally serious. Yipping dogs weren’t his favorite, but he wasn’t a total jerk.
She stared at him for a long moment before giving him an arch look. “I don’t know if I can find one in your size, but I can try.”
Cam chuckled, appreciating her comeback, but she didn’t even crack a smile. Maybe she hadn’t been joking. And maybe she’d thought he wasn’t, either.
“If you’ll excuse me, we just arrived and I have a lot to do.”
“Nice to meet you,” he said as she walked, and she held up her hand in what looked more like a dis-missive gesture than a wave.
That was fine. If she wanted to play that game, she’d find out he didn’t really care that much. She and her yipping dog could stay in her yard and he’d stay in his.
He had better things to do, anyway. Like learning more about Carolina Archambault, and figuring out how to convince her cat he was the boss.


 

 

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her two favorite activities are writing stories of happily ever after and driving her RZR. From May to November, the Stacey family spends their weekends off-road, making loads of muddy laundry to keep Shannon busy when she’s not at her computer. She prefers writing to laundry, however, and considers herself lucky she got to be an author when she grew up.

You can contact Shannon through her website, where she maintains an almost daily blog, or visit her on Twitter, her Facebook page, or email her at shannon@shannonstacey.com.

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Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5) by Kelly Jamieson-a review

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Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5) by Kelly Jamieson-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date Jun 9, 2020

Jackson Wynn

I don’t want anything to do with my crazy family’s drama, which I’ve been watching unfold from a distance over the last year, but now my grandfather has Alzheimer’s and I feel I need to at least make a quick visit to see him. My hockey season’s over, all I have to do is get through my teammate Steve’s wedding, and then I’m on a plane to Los Angeles to do my family duty. After that, I’ll head home to Manitoba for some summer R&R at the family lake cottage.

Molly Flynn
Nobody’s expecting what happens at my wedding, which becomes pandemonium. I need to get out of there. Fast. Who do I turn to? Jackson Wynn, one my fiancé’s teammates. He’s been a friend to me since I met Steve. For one night, we hide out in his condo, but he’s leaving in the morning for California. I want to go with him.

Jackson
I can’t take Steve’s fiancée with me to California. He’s going to flip shit over this. But the lying cheating bastard kind of deserves it, and I’ve always had a soft spot for Molly. Or maybe not so soft…because she’s not only sweet and kind, she’s hot as hell. This is a bad idea for so many reasons, and I sure as hell don’t need more drama in my life, but I can’t say no to her.

On this nutso trip, neither of us expect Molly to bond with my bonkers family…especially my poor, confused grandpa. And neither of us expect to bond with each other

••••••••

REVIEW:GAME CHANGER is the fifth instalment in Kelly Jamieson’s contemporary, adult WYNN HOCKEY erotic, hockey romance series focusing on the Wynn hockey dynasty. This is right winger Jackson ‘Jax’ Wynn, and primary school teacher Molly Flynn’s story line. GAME CHANGER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for back story regarding Wynn patriarch Bob Wynn, as the family struggles with his worsening Alzheimer’s.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jax and Molly) GAME CHANGER follows in the after math of Molly’s almost-wedding to Jax’s teammate Steve Shevchuk. The night before her wedding Molly received several screen shots of a conversation between her fiancé Steve and a woman named Claire, and seconds after walking down the aisle Molly read said conversation in front of her guests and the man she was about to marry. Walking away with a broken heart Molly would be rescued by Steve’s teammate and Molly’s trivia partner Jackson ‘Jax’ Wynn, whereupon Molly would push her way into Jackson’s cross-country journey in an effort to escape the melee back home. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Molly and Jax, and the potential fall-out as their time together comes to a close with their return to reality, and the likelihood of trouble between Jackson and Steve.

Jackson ‘Jax’ Wynn doesn’t do relationships having witnessed the effect of his father’s betrayal, and his grandfather’s second marriage to a much younger woman, a marriage that is constantly pulling the family apart. Falling for his teammate’s ex-fiance comes with unimaginable problems for Jackson and the team but more so for Molly when the fans and the media begin to surmise as to what happened and why. Molly Flynn thought she found happiness with Steve Shevchuk but never imagined the betrayal by the man that she loved. Molly and Jackson had been friends but our heroine never expected to fall in love, walking away a second time with a broken heart.

Once again, the Wynn family must address the elephant in the room, that of patriarch Bob Wynn’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Having believed the old man had defrauded the family, many of the extended members battled with Bob and his second wife Chelsea, a woman they blamed for the family’s deteriorating relationship.

The relationship between Molly and Jax is a friends to lovers; a forbidden relationship, of a sorts, with the potential for rebound but Jackson struggles with his attraction to, and love for his teammate’s ex-fiance, an attraction that could destroy a number of friendships, and the team dynamic. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. The sexual tension is heavy and tense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including several members of the large and dysfunctional Wynn extended family: patriarch Bob Wynn and his wife Chelsea; Jackson’s father Mark Wynn; his mother Tori, and his maternal grandparents Pat and Gary Thompson; Long Beach Golden Eagles JP Wynn and his fiancé Taylor; Jackson’s sister Riley; their aunt Everly, aunt Aline, and uncle Asher; Molly’s ex-fiance Steve.

GAME CHANGER is a story of betrayal, friendship, family and love. The premise is moving and seductive ; the character are animated and energetic; the romance is captivating and emotional.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Play to Win
In It To Win It
Win Big
For The Win

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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The Red Herring by R.G. Link-a review

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The Red Herring by R.G. Link-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 18, 2020

Meet William Miller. On the outside, he seems like an ordinary 20-something private investigator with a few scars, like we all have. But look beneath the surface and you’ll see the turmoil of a boy abandoned by his father and a man now struggling to run from the demons he thought he had left in the past.

Meet Natalie Haynesworth. She’s smart, pretty, popular – everything a parent dreams their teenager will be. But Natalie has a secret that nobody knows until she is reported missing. Her mother hires William to find her, no matter what. But what he discovers is more sinister than could be imagined.

Don’t be fooled. All isn’t as it seems to be.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: Love a good mystery, and this one was no exception.

William is a P.I (private investigator) an incident at the beginning of the book had turned Will into a bit of a recluse. He’s not doing well, he has flashbacks of the event as well as flashbacks of his time in the services…..

This book had me hooked after only a few pages, I felt Will’s struggle to stay focused, he was prone to panic attacks and really felt he wasn’t the best person for the job. But listening to Natalie’s mother, he felt he had to try and look into it.
Will hits brick wall after brick wall, none of her friends know where she is, the boyfriend has no clue, even the drug dealer she knew didn’t know anything, Natalie just couldn’t disappear without a trace, could she? Digging further Will can’t help feeling something is missing, but time is running out!!

We get to see a lot of William’s past, it’s definitely shaped him into the man he is today. It was helpful to see those moments, it helped me connect with the main character.

And when Natalie’s body is found, you’d think the case was closed? But Will couldn’t leave it alone, so he dug a little deeper, and things got darker, a lot darker …..

It’s very well written. And the ending? Well I was surprised. But to find out why, you’ll have to read the book.

? Reviewed by Julie B

Copy supplied for review

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Original Sin by Lydia Michaels -Review tour

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Original Sin (The Order of Vampires) Book 1 by Lydia Michaels -Review tour

 

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date

Adam Hartzler has always been an honorable immortal, but the fine line between right and wrong begins to blur when he is called to his true mate. If he does not find and claim her soon, he will lose his soul and humanity, transforming into a vile predator controlled by insatiable bloodlust, sentenced to a demonic and tortured eternity as a vampire.

Adam sets out on a quest to hunt his mate and claim her before it is too late. His salvation relies on his destined mate’s surrender, but when she refuses to cooperate, Adam must set aside his morals and do what is needed to survive. Time’s slipping away with his control, and his territorial instincts refuse to let her go.

Annalise Snow awakens on a primitive farm removed from modern civilization and in fear of her life. Her captor is determined to keep her prisoner and believes he is somehow entitled to her future. But she will not surrender easily. When Adam asks for the ultimate sacrifice, she must decide if he lives or dies.

Passion and emotion collide in an explosive meeting of destined souls, but love is never a guarantee, especially when eternity begins with betrayal.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: Adam has heard what happens to a male if he can’t find a mate. He knows an arranged marriage will work (like his parents) but he’s holding out for a true mate. His beliefs are strong.

Annalise works in a bar, she’s in school studying to be a nurse. Living a frugal life until she’s saved enough to move out of her crappy apartment and upgrade her dying car. She likes the work, her regulars look after her and she looks after them.

This was a good read.

Different from the usual paranormal books I read.

Very strong on beliefs and the will of god (each to their own, but not for me)

Most mates are found and sort of wooed, But Adam practically kidnaps her. He thinks he’s entitled, he can woo her after they are wed!!

And Annalise, oh dear, not happy at all. Living her life on her own terms, she’s got a five year plan and it’s getting there, she’s even sort of dating the barman where she works (but I get the impression it’s mostly on his side)

Adam’s attitude to Annalise was winding me up a little (but if your brought up with that belief, it’s hard to see it any other way)
I don’t know how this is going to work! Annalise is a modern independent woman, Adam is not a modern man!!

Well written, very descriptive. You got the sense of urgency from Adam to find Annalise, you also got his frustration, but you also see him fight his dark side. He doesn’t want to turn into a vampire. He’d rather his family put him out of his misery. You rejoice with him, when he finally finds her, and you want to roll your eyes at his high handiness!!

You want to scream your frustration out at Annalise, her life has all been taken away, and at the sheer arrogance of the males in Adam’s village!!

I liked the idea of the dreams linking them together, Adam being able to track her, getting more information on her. I liked the idea that Annalise was involved, but hers were darker, did she sense Adam was almost ready to turn?

Twist at the end, Oh My God, did not see that coming!!! And for a minute there, I almost didn’t want to finish the book (it wasn’t looking good for Adam and Annalise!)

And it also leaves it open for a few other members to get a happy ending. And I really hope they get their books.

I highly recommend this book.

? Julie B

Copy supplied for review

 

 

Lifting a towel from the basket in the corner, he shut his eyes and inhaled, pressing the fabric to his nose. His body instantly hardened, his instincts driving him to her bed where she slept soundly.
She lay in the center of the bed, dwarfed by the large mattress. Her limbs twisted in the white sheet. Waves of copper and gold splayed across the pillow. So still. So delicate. So … his.
Satisfied with God’s selection, he studied his prize. His salvation. His future. His beautiful Annalise.
Hooking a finger into the sheet, he slowly drew the blanket toward the foot of the bed. A simple undershirt, covering little more than her breasts, gave a transparent picture of her curves.
Narrow ribs tapered into a tiny waist he’d be able to span with his hands. Her hips flared, as a healthy woman’s should. His head cocked as the sheet fell to the side, exposing her legs. A wisp of material, too small to be considered a garment, covered her sex.
“What evil is this?”
He inhaled deeply, wondering at the strange covering. Females of the order wore handmade undergarments, loosely fitting with ties. The men wore nothing under their clothes. But this…
Lowering to the bed, he sat gingerly beside her hip and studied her. The overwhelming need to touch her, mark her, stole through him hard and fast, leaving all other instincts second.
He wanted to feed from her vein as his body throbbed inside of hers, filling her with his seed. He wanted to possess every part of her—mind, body, and soul.
“Beautiful, Annalise,” he whispered.
Unlocking his fists, he traced the back of his finger along the soft white expanse of her thigh. Goosebumps prickled her flesh, and a small moan escaped her throat.
“You will know my touch and feel it often.”
Drawing slow whirls over her hip, his fingertip treaded lightly across the elastic of her minimal undergarment. Her skin showed like ivory in the moonlight. Silver pools of blue painted her pale skin. She was a masterpiece. Hard points formed under her shirt as he dragged his exploring finger up her arm. He ached to trace his touch over the turgid tip but refrained.
A soft moan slipped past her plump lips and her legs shifted, her hips burrowing into the mattress. Could she sense his desire?
His need to touch and possess her left him shaken. Withdrawing his caress, his gaze traveled over her torso. Each breath expanded her ribs and lifted her breasts. His inspection climbed the narrow column of her throat and stilled at her fluttering pulse.
Arousal slammed into him. A bone deep hunger ached inside of him, begging him to claim her. His tongue traced under his fangs as he leaned closer, breathing in her delicate fragrance, feeding off the scent of such a vulnerable offering. So small. So fragile. So in need of a mate. His jaw widened—
He sprang off the bed, startled by the powerful trance she held over him. It was as if she had him under some sort of spell.
Forking a hand through his hair, he paced silently. He wanted her now, consequences be damned. How long would he have to wait? Would it really matter? Their futures were decided. Why not now?
Battling with his conscience, he crouched at the foot of the bed, his greedy stare traveling up her legs. His thumb dragged along the inside of her ankle, gliding upward to her knee and pulling her legs apart. Her scent intensified.
Closing his eyes, he breathed her in. This was his mate, his one and only, his ainsicht.
The beat of her heart seemed to complement his, like the tease and retreat of the ocean waves beating back the banks of the shore. The rush of blood pumping through her veins rattled his concentration. It sung to him, a siren’s call that compelled an answer.
His skin burned like the tongues of a fire, licking at his insides, his burning desires heating his blood to volcanic degrees. He needed to leave. Now.
Taut as a bow, he forced himself away from the bed for her protection. Never had he fought such temptation. Carnal images assaulted him. Her body clinging to his, flesh gliding over flesh. Nails digging into muscle. Fangs piercing skin.
His cock throbbed, pleading that he take her and claim what was rightfully his. Heart hammering against his ribs, he staggered back from the bed. His control was slipping. If he touched her now, he’d break her.


 

Lydia Michaels is the award winning author of over 35 romance novels. She is an iBooks Bestsellers and her work has been featured in USA Today. She is the two-time winner of the Author of the Year Award from Happenings Media [2018 & 2019]. In 2015 she won The Best Author Award from The Courier Times. She is a five time nominee for the prestigious RONE Award. Her books are intellectual, emotional, haunting, always centered around love.

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Falling For Her (The Callahans #2) by Monica Murphy-Review Tour

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Falling For Her (The Callahans #2) by Monica Murphy-Review & Excerpt Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 2, 2020

Jake Callahan. Prince of the popular crowd.

My mortal enemy.

Gorgeous. All the girls want him.

Quarterback. All the boys want to be his friend. He’s the most popular boy in the senior class.

And he hates me.

Or so I thought.

What I mistook for hatred turns out to be…interest. There’s that thin line, right? It makes me crazy. I can’t stand it. Attraction, chemistry, whatever it is, I also can’t resist it.

And neither can he.

Together, we make no sense. The odds are against us. His friends definitely don’t approve. I’m not a part of their crowd. Not one of the cool kids. I don’t fit in, or so they say.

But that doesn’t stop him from falling for me.

And it won’t stop me from fighting for him.

•••••••

REVIEW: FALLING FOR HER is the second instalment in Monica Murphy’s contemporary, young adult THE CALLAHANS romance series focusing on the Callahan siblings- a spin off from the author’s ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND series. This is high school students, quarterback Jake Callahan, and Hannah Walsh’s storyline. FALLING FOR HER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from four first person perspectives (Jake, Hannah, Drew, Fable) FALLING FOR HER covers a few weeks in the life of high school students, quarterback Jake Callahan, and Hannah Walsh. Jake Callahan is the all-star quarterback; leader of the popular crowd but a young man struggling with his direction in life. His previous relationship was full of turmoil and angst, and in this Jake wasn’t looking for anyone or anything to tie him down until his friends and fellow football players pushed him in the direction of our story line heroine-Hannah Walsh- a senior student who stuck mostly to herself but became the target of ridicule and bullies as soon as Jake focused his attention on her. What ensues is the building friendship, romance and relationship between Jake and Hannah with the approach of homecoming, and in the face of mockery and taunting from the school’s popular crowd.

The relationship between Jake and Hannah begins as a big of a dare. Jake is hoping that Hannah will wear his football jersey but all Hannah sees is a set up by the ‘in crowd’ to take her down. Jake is persistent in his attempts to persuade Hannah to be his friend regardless of the mockery and teasing he faces from his own teammates and the hatred from his ex-girlfriend. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The animated cast of secondary and supporting characters include Jake’s parents Drew and Fable (One Week Girlfriend series), as well as his sister Ava; fellow teammates and friends Diego, Caleb and Tony; Hannah’s best friend Sophie; Jake’s ex girlfriend Cami, and his arch-rival Eli Bennett.

FALLING FOR HER is a story of bullies and mean girls; family and friendships; love and relationships; the have and the have-nots. The premise is entertaining ; the characters are dynamic, energetic, flawed and real; the romance is sweet, tender and impassioned. FALLING FOR HER is a delightful and frustrating, yet familiar look at the cliques of high school and how they affect everyone they touch.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one CLOSE TO ME

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Hannah settles into the chair closest to mine, a sketchpad in her hands. She flips through it, and I can see page after page of drawings, some of them so realistic I want to tell her to stop so I can really check them out, but I keep quiet. I’m not about to bring attention to myself again. I don’t want to get kicked out of the class.
I freaking need this class.
By the time Sanborne is done talking and telling all of us to try our hand at drawing, I feel like I’m about to burst with my need to talk to Hannah. “You mad at me?”
Her head bent, she’s concentrating on the movements of her pencil across the paper. “What?” she asks distractedly.
“Hannah.” She glances up at me when I say her name, those pretty blue eyes extra wide. “Are you mad at me?”
She frowns. “Why do you think I’m mad at you?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s the way you’ve avoided me since class started,” I tell her. “I was the last person you gave a sketchpad to.”
“Maybe I saved the best for last?” she says weakly.
I don’t smile. I don’t say a word. This usually works for me.
But Hannah’s quiet too. And stubborn. I can tell by the jut of her chin. The way she studies me, her expression blank.
Damn. She’s good.
“Are you only going to talk to me on Snap, but not at school?” I ask, my voice low.
She blinks rapidly, like she can’t believe what I just said. “No.”
“That’s what it seems like.”
A sigh escapes her and she drops her head, refocusing on the sketchpad. “I don’t know how to talk to you.”
“Huh?”
“In person.” She looks up, then immediately looks away. “I’m an idiot.”
A smile starts to curl my lips and I immediately tell myself to stop. “You’re not an idiot.”
“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings,” she murmurs morosely.
“You’re forgiven.”
She lifts her head when I say that, her plump lips turned upward, and I’m hit with a sudden flash of wanting to kiss her.
Yeah. No. Not going to happen.
“Great, thanks so much,” she returns, then gestures toward my blank sketchpad. “You better get started. She’s going to want to check out your technique.”
“I’ve got the best technique in this school, don’t you know?” I can’t help but say, and Hannah’s cheeks turn pink again.
She’s really cute when she blushes.
“Don’t be a perv,” she says, grabbing my discarded pencil and pointing it toward me. “Start drawing.”
“Do I have to?” I slide my fingers onto hers, my thumb curling around hers before I pluck the pencil from her grip.
“Y-yes. You do.” Her voice is shaky, and I wonder if my touch affected her.
I hope it did. All I have to do is look at her and she affects me.
Whatever’s happening between us is confusing as hell.
“I didn’t listen to a word the teacher said,” I tell Hannah, and she scoots her chair closer to mine, launching into the same lecture Sanborne did, almost word for word.
I listen to the rhythm of Hannah’s speech, the excited way she speaks. She loves art, I can tell, and she genuinely wants to help me. I stare at her mouth, the way it moves, how her front teeth protrude the slightest bit, giving her this sexy overbite. I’m fucking entranced, caught up in her spell and when she finishes lecturing me with the faintest smile on her face, all I can do is smile in return.
“Oh. So you do smile,” she says softly.
I turn it into a frown. “No I don’t.”
She laughs, and I soak up the sound.
It’s just as pretty as I thought it would be.

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

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

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Forty Day Fiance by Erin McCarthy-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Forty Day Fiance by Erin McCarthy-Review & Excerpt Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 1, 2020

Admittedly, my first plan was a little crazy.

I had forty days to execute it. Find a fake fiancé, move in with him, and convince the powers-that-be that we’re madly in love.

Surely this British girl can sweet-talk a few American officials.

Step One: the sexy, wealthy doctor I’ve been chatting up agrees to my plan–with a demand of his own. A baby. An actual ring. A for-real marriage and family. Turns out, there’s someone more bonkers than me.

So Step Two: I now have forty days to convince my fake fiancé that we can’t be real.

Because there’s no such thing as love at first sight–right?

••••••••

REVIEW:FORTY DAY FIANCE is the third instalment in Erin McCarthy’s contemporary, adult, rom-com series focusing on a group of friends in New York. This is former British fashion model and vintage clothing reseller Felicia Hobbs, and physician/widower Dr. Michael Kincaid. FORTY DAY FIANCE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Felicia and Michael) FORTY DAY FIANCE follows the fake fiance relationship between former British fashion model and vintage clothing reseller Felicia Hobbs, and physician/widower Dr. Michael Kincaid. Felicia Hobbs’ latest assignment brings her face to face with Dr. Michael Kincaid, a man whose wife died ten years earlier but a man who is just now clearing out his late wife’s closets. The attraction between Felicia and Michael is immediate as our couple are quick to find themselves falling in bed but Felicia’s happiness soon plummets when she is notified that her visa has expired and she is to be deported back to the UK. With only forty days to make her case, Michael makes Felicia an offer she cannot refuse. What ensues is the building relationship and romance between Michael and Felicia, as our couple take their fake engagement public in an effort to learn more about one another and themselves.

Dr. Michael Kincaid wants it all: a wife, a family, and love, and falling for Felicia was easier than he could ever have imagined but all does not go according to plan when Felicia walks away within days of the deportation deadline. Felicia Hobbs does not want to return to the UK but the likelihood of getting her visa renewed is slim to none as our heroine has applied several times to extend her time in America.

The relationship between Felicia and Michael is one of immediate attraction; a palpable sexual chemistry upon which they immediately react but Felicia never expected a proposal from the man with whom she will fall in love. Felicia struggles with issues of trust and in this her attitude was often immature including her decision to run when the going got tough. Misunderstanding and miscommunication including some well intentioned but interfering comments from family and friends pushes at our couple’s future plans. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and sex but saying that I struggled with the heroine’s need to call Michael ‘daddy’ during $ex-one of my romance trope pet peeves.

Felicia’s friends and previous story line couples return as secondary and supporting characters: Grant and Leah (Weekend Wife) and Maddox and Savannah (Five First Dates), and their friend Isla. We are introduced to Michael’s brother Sean, and his mother Gloria.

FORTY DAY FIANCE is a cute story with a flirty and fun couple; a fake fiance / older man, younger woman trope wherein our couple has forty days to find happiness and love with one another. The premise is entertaining; the romance is seductive; the characters are energetic and dynamic

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

“I’ve just confessed to having a crush on you and catfishing you,” Felicia said. “Should I leave?”
“But you really do love Russian authors, British rock, and Australian beaches?”
She nodded. “Yes. And I do hate pickles, self-checkout, and tequila.”
I tried to mentally scroll through all of our conversations and ascribe them to the woman standing in front of me. It wasn’t hard to see that it made more sense than the woman I’d gone to dinner with. The real Savannah. Who had been sweet but not as sharp-witted.
“You, Michael, love true crime novels, British rock as well, and Belize. You hate chewing gum, buffering on the internet, and people who are cruel to animals.” She set her wine down on the quartz countertop. “It was me, I swear, and everything I wrote was the truth.”
I studied her. She looked sincere. I’d really enjoyed talking to her and she clearly remembered our exchanges even though it had been a month back. They’d meant something to her, like they had to me.
“Then I guess you owe me a dinner date with the woman I was actually talking to,” I said. “Because she and I were having a great conversation.”
She tilted her head and gave me a small, but very sexy smile. “Oh, really? I owe you that?”
I nodded. “I think you do.” I came around the island so I could be closer to her. I glanced at her lips. “You told me you have a policy of always kissing on the first date, remember? Just to test chemistry. I’ll be expecting that as well.”
“I see. You drive a hard bargain, sir,” she said. “But I’m prepared to make restitution.”
“Excellent.” She really was gorgeous. She was wearing a red sweater that contrasted with her dark hair and showed off a slim build. I could definitely imagine kissing her and more. “How does Thursday sound?”
Felicia raised her eyebrows. “You don’t waste time.”
“No, I don’t. And I don’t have time for games.” I’d already wasted a decade of my life focusing on my career only.
“Ouch. Duly noted. No more deception, I swear.”
I wanted a relationship again. I wanted to be married, to wake up next to a woman who wanted to share her life with me. Over the years of being single I’d had a few hookups and a couple of women who had wanted a friends-with-benefits scenario and that had been perfect for me at the time. But now I wanted to know a woman inside and out, to love every inch of her, to have the luxury of being able to touch her.
Ironic, really. I wanted everything all at once as usual. It was how I’d been successful in my career. Go for it. Grab what I wanted by the balls.
I reached behind me for my wine. I took a sip and studied her.
Felicia slowly slid her tongue across her bottom lip under the scrutiny. Her eyes darkened. She leaned almost imperceptibly toward me.
She wanted me to kiss her. Not Thursday, but now.
So I did what I always did. I went for it.
I set my glass down and reached out and took her glass from her and set it next to mine. I slid my hand into her dark, straight hair. “You’re a very beautiful woman, Felicia. I’ve enjoyed talking to you, you little catfisher.”
“I’ve enjoyed it as well.”
Her voice was a low murmur, breathy, aroused.
I bent down and covered her lips with mine.


 

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USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written over seventy novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

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