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The Fake Zone (Oleander Springs 3) by Mariah Dietz-a review

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The Fake Zone (Oleander Springs 3) by Mariah Dietz-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 20, 2023

Greyson Meyers can’t afford the distraction of a relationship. His focus is football and earning his degree to ensure his mom never has to work another day.

Mila Atwool has it all together—at least, that’s what everyone thinks. But after an incident fractured her safety and trust last year, Mila’s been struggling to maintain appearances.

The two strike a deal: Mila will pose as his girlfriend to make his life appear better balanced so he can earn a sponsorship, and in turn, Grey will train her in self-defense to help her rebuild a sense of security.

Two and a half years of friendship ensured their fake relationship would be a safe bet—or so they thought. But what was a simmering tension quickly boils over, and both are terrified of getting burned.

They realize this new zone may be impossible to escape unscathed.

•••••

REVIEW:THE FAKE ZONE is the third instalment in Mariah Dietz’s contemporary, new adult OLEANDER SPRINGS erotic, romance series. This is college football star Greyson Meyers, and twenty-one year old, Mila Atwool’s story line. THE FAKE ZONE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Andy important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Grey and Mila) THE FAKE ZONE follows the building romance and relationship between Greyson Meyers and Mila Atwood. Greyson Meyers is on the fast track to professional football but wants to invest another year in college. The yearly suck up parties for attracting team boosters is in full gear, and Greyson needs a fake girlfriend to keep the vultures at bay. Having lusted after Mila Atwood for over two years, Greyson pleads with our heroine to become his plus one but Mila needs something in return. Mila’s past is mired in loss and heart break but a past that refuses to let go.In exchange for her help, Mila wants Greyson to teach her to fight, just in case the inevitable should ever happen. With his experience in the MMA underground fights, Greyson brings Mila into the fold, where family and friends circle to protect our story line heroine. What ensues is the slow building romance and relationship between Greyson and Mila, and the fall-out as the past returns, demanding vengeance and payment for everything and more.

The relationship between Greyson and Mila is a friends to lovers. Greyson has lusted after Mila since the first time they met but Greyson doesn’t do relationships, preferring to concentrate on school work and his future career. Mila needs help, and Greyson is the man to show her the ropes but Mila believes Greyson is only helping out of duty, not that he is interested in something more. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Hudson and Evelyn (The Return Play 1), Nolan and Hadley (The Roommate Route 2), Corey Bishop, Zach Palmer, and MMA fighters Mackey, Abe, Bryant, Cole, Dustin; Grey’s mother Colleen, and Mila’s parents Jon and Alex, and Mila’s therapist Briggs.

THE FAKE ZONE is a story of obsession and madness, betrayal and vengeance, friendships and relationships, family and love. The fast paced, character driven premise is intriguing, captivating and dramatic; the romance is seductive and provocative; the characters are determined, desperate and a little bit broken.

Click Here for Sandy’s review of book one THE RETURN PLAY

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Mariah Dietz is a USA Today Bestselling Author and self-proclaimed nerd. She lives with her husband and sons in North Carolina.

Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.

She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She’s also been known to laugh at her own jokes.

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THE RETURN PLAY (Oleander Springs 1) by Mariah Dietz -a review

Posted on by
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THE RETURN PLAY (Oleander Springs 1) by Mariah Dietz-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 12, 2022.

Oleander Springs, North Carolina was my second home, but my first love.

The humid days and warm nights provided the perfect backdrop for discovering the magical bliss that comes without expectations or routines. Secrets with my best friend, Hudson McKinley, were shared. sewn together with promises, one summer after another.

I never thought we’d grow up and grow apart.

Now four years later, I’m back in Oleander Springs out of obligation, convinced nothing could be the way I remembered. My first sight of Hudson confirms it. He’s no longer a gangly boy who barely reaches my brow but several inches taller than me, built like Thor, and the starting quarterback of the Knights.

As I focus on how much has changed, Hudson is determined to prove that not everything is different, including the quick smiles, ease, and banter we’ve always shared. Only now, the jokes and innuendos keep pushing the limits of our … friendship, dipping into honesty and an attraction that has me forgetting why I returned to Oleander Springs.

A temporary return.

Now the end of summer is looming and I don’t know if I can leave.
Or if I dare to stay.

Three months, one book of records, and a lifelong friendship is about to prove the ultimate sacrifice.

••••••

REVIEW: THE RETURN PLAY is the first instalment in Mariah Dietz’s contemporary, new adult OLEANDER SPRINGS erotic, romance series. This is twenty year old college football players Hudson McKinley, and eighteen year old Evelyn Watts’ story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Hudson and Evelyn) THE RETURN PLAY follows in the aftermath of Evelyn Watts walking away from a volleyball scholarship at New Mexico State, in the wake of verbal abuse and burn out at the hands of her coach. Needing time to herself, and away from the family that is quickly spiraling out of control, Evelyn heads to Oleander Springs, North Carolina, her home away from home, where she will reconnect with the people from her past. Enter twenty year old, college football player Hudson McKinley, and the man with whom Evelyn will fall in love. What ensues is the rebuilding friendships, and relationship between Evelyn and Hudson, and the potential fall out when Hudson sees red, and pushes Evelyn out of his life.

Evelyn Watts’ homelife is struggling to survive, and when she quits the volleyball team, the reality of her family slowly unravels. In an effort to regroup and reconsider her options for the future, Evelyn heads to Oleander Springs, to a place where innocence and first love were all that mattered. Hudson McKinley never forgot about the young girl that had stolen his heart but Evelyn is struggling with a direction in life, and Hudson is hoping to convince Evelyn Oleander Springs is her final destination.

The relationship between Hudson and Evelyn is one of second chances, of a sorts. A rekindling friendship that slowly blossoms into love, a love that is threatened when Hudson is unable to forgive and forget. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

As this is the introductory story line, we are introduced to several secondary and supporting characters including Hudson’s family, friends and teammates: Nolan Payne, Greyson Meyers, and Corey Bishop; Hudson’s brother Griffin;, and their divorced parents; Mila Atwool, as well as Evelyn’s embattled parents, her brother Shane, her great Aunt Pat, and Evelyn’s friend at home Trinity.

THE RETURN PLAY is a slow building, lengthy story of friendships, relationships, family and love- the author is building the back story for several upcoming instalments therefore not all of the focus was on our story line couple. The premise is engaging and interesting but the conflict is mostly limited to the behind the scenes dysfunctional family problems; the characters are charismatic and flirty; the romance is seductive.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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