Book Review, romance

Wallflowers: Three of a Kind (Wallflowers #1) by C.P. Smith Review

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wallflower1

 

blurb

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WARNING: Author believes in soul mates and insta-love. Proceed with caution if you’re not a romantic at heart.
“Romance and poetry, ivy, lichens, and wallflowers, need ruin to make them grow.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

They say money is the root of all evil, but sometimes, evil lurks in the most unlikely places.

Calla Lily Armstrong spent her whole life shielding her heart. Now she’s ready to break down her walls and see what’s hiding on the other side. With the help of her new friends, Poppy Gentry and Sienna Miller, the three band together to find their happily ever after. One Wallflower at a time.

Former Atlanta Homicide Detective, Devin Hawthorne, moved to Savannah for a change of pace and a fresh start as a Private Investigator. He finds it right under his nose in the form of a Southern beauty who drives him to distraction, and deadly secrets that threaten her very life.

Rated mature for language and sexual content.

author

CP Smith writes humorous, ooey-gooey romantic suspense with OTT alphas, insta-love, and LOTS of dead bodies! She believes books should be about escape rather than reality. Ms. Smith writes what she likes to read and leaves the rest to those with better imaginations. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five children. You can follow her on Facebook.

review

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CP Smith did such an amazing job with this novel. I truly enjoyed the antics of the Wallflowers, and I really liked watching the men in the novel try to keep up with them. Although Calla is a self-proclaimed Wallflower, she is not weak. Calla, a.k.a Cali, lost her parents and brother when she was very young, so tried to keep herself away from everyone to protect herself, and protect those she could possibly love. She doesn’t see the beauty she innately has, and it draws Devin in like a moth to a flame. She puts herself in some uncomfortable positions to help others, she reads a lot of historical romance novels, and she makes sure she backs her friends up when they need her. I would love to have a friend like Calla in my life.

Not only does es-Atlanta cop Devin have to come to terms with the insta-love he feels for Calla, and the surging of protective alpha in his veins for a woman that loves to make his job difficult, he has to deal with a missing woman, two murders, and someone trying to hurt Cali. And the plot continues to thicken as the novel continues. I’m not sure how it works in real life, but it seemed to play out like a TV show with trying to connect the dots. And HELLO PLOT TWIST at the end! That was a complete shocker, and it just made the novel that much better.

The one thing I wish was done differently was to have a better distinction between Calla and Devin’s point of view. The novel starts off with Cali covertly watching *cough*stalking*cough* Devin, and it’s written in first person. Devin’s point of view is written in third-person. Although this was a clever way to do it, it definitely made it a tad bit confusing when there wasn’t a real line break, just an extra space in between the paragraphs. This was just a personal preference though. Once I got into the book more, it was easier to keep up.

C.P had me hooked from the first time Calla saw Devin, and then reading how Devin felt when he saw Calla, and I just could not put this novel down. I can’t wait to read Until Susan for the Happily Ever Alpha Kindle Worlds!

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Book Review

Back to Her by Dani Wyatt Review

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blurb

38598834Going to prison and taking the fall was my gift to Mia. How was I to know her father would disappear with her and I would lose her forever? After serving my five years I’m finally out, but bars or no bars, I’m still in hell.

I never believed in miracles until today. Because I’ve found her. All plush softness, sorrowful eyes and lips that call to be kissed. She’s right here in the same place I’d met her all those years ago when she was too young. Before I could touch her.

There is no force on heaven or earth that will take her from me again. No force that will keep my hands off her now. I will take her. I will do as I please with her because she is mine. Now and forever. God help us both.

Author’s Note: Take five years waiting for her to be legal. Then another five locked up in prison and you’ve got one powder keg of alpha naughtiness waiting to explode. This love at the speed of light novella will warm your heart and your nether regions. All you expect…safe, smutty, swoony and happily ever after.

author

From the bio of Dani Wyatt on Goodreads: 
Since I was a little girl, I’ve made up stories. I would lay in my bed at night and before I knew what a trope was, I would make up these trope filled stories. Boy sees girl, boys falls for girl, boy saves girl….happily ever after. As I got older, the stories turned steamier and more intricate, but the basics never changed.

Now, my books are still full of romance but the naughty bits are naughtier, my hero’s are obsessed alpha types and my heroines are quirky, real women who come in all shapes and sizes.

So, sit back, banish the real world and get lost in some over the top romance with a heaping helping of hot. xoxoxo

Amazon:
Dani Wyatt used to feel bad about having such dirty thoughts. Luckily, one day she decided to starting writing them down. Her uber alpha heros have a wicked possessive streak and an insatiable libido. Her heroines are intelligent, quirky and worry about having too much muffin top. With her books, you can count on a heaping helping of HOT and always a happily ever after.

When she’s not writing (which is not often) she is probably laughing about some irony (like A-1 Steak Sauce is vegan), riding her horse, wondering why The Walking Dead can’t have a new episode every night, or looking cross-eyed at some piece of technology sent to ruin her day.

Friend her on Facebook here.

review

3-stars

I’ve read quite a few Dani Wyatt books, and I’ve always loved her OTT Alphas, but Walker just didn’t do it for me like some of Dani’s other alphas. The book started out strong, but eventually Walker and Mia just bothered me.

First, I don’t know what the heck Walker did to make money. When he first got out of prison he said he still had a lot of money, but that he needed more. But then later he doesn’t have enough money to help Mia and her Nana? And then there’s Mia, who has been kept inside her whole life by her father and no longer wants to be trapped hoping a man could take care of her. Admirable, but the first thing she does is lie to Walker and meet with a creep. A creep she didn’t like before her father disappeared with her. There was also a lot of unexplained things in the book, and it made parts of it feel rushed. Then there seemed to be unnecessary drama, that was resolved very quickly.

I still gave this book three stars because Dani always delivers on at least two things: the quality of writing, and super steamy love scenes. While the flow of the novel wasn’t my favorite, I can’t complain about her style of writing. While Walker wasn’t my favorite alpha that Dani has created, he is still Over The Top and completely in love with Mia. He knows what he wants, and waiting ten years to get it doesn’t stop him.

This is a short, insta-love story available free on Kindle Unlimited. Goodreads.

Reading List

Books to Get You Out of a Book Slump

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We’ve all been there… you read an AWESOME, amazing book and then everything you try to read after it just can’t compare… and you’re stuck wanting to read a book, sometimes by authors you know you like, or wanting to read anything but you just can’t. Here are 10 books I try to read to get me back into my book flow.

  1. Becoming a Vincent (Wild Ones #1) by C.M. Owens
    35487055.jpgGenre: Romantic Comedy
    Setting: Tomahawk, WA.
    I found C.M. Owens earlier this year and MAN can this woman write. Everything from paranormal, to romantic comedies, she is amazing. The Wild Ones Series is like nothing I’ve read before. The antics the Wild Ones pull in Tomahawk make me want to find this place and move there. This is the story of Layla Vincent, Benson Nolans, and beards. Yes, I’m serious, beards. Benson and Layla have been friends for three years. While both feel a certain way for the other, neither is willing to take the risk of losing their friendship, until one night everything changes. Fireworks, crazy brothers pranks, and a water cannon fight ensues. This book is pure hilarity from the Wild Ones Rules at the beginning of each chapter to the challenges the community has. If you’re looking for a pick me up: this series is for you. More books are coming in this series, so keep a look out!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  2. When You Dare (Men Who Walk The Edge of Honor #1) by Lori Foster
    men1Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Romance
    Setting: Kentucky
    This definitely has some triggers and the whole series is based off of darker themes. Although I highly recommend this book and the series, please read the description first. Dare Macintosh meets Molly Alexander in the most unusual setting: she was kidnapped by the same sex traffickers that kidnapped his best friend’s little sister. Dare tracked them down and rescued Alani, and the other women that were held there, but Molly didn’t look like the usual suspect. She was beaten and starved. So why was she kidnapped? Dare finds himself helping and protecting Molly. And doing something he was never supposed to do, especially not with a client: fall in love.
    Dare and Molly’s story is filled with suspense, crazy people, and love. It is a story with angst, action and adventure, and love that will blow you away. If you’re looking for a dark romance: this is the book for you. Lori Foster always writes amazing novels, but this is my favorite series of hers, and the first book I ever read from her.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  3. A Gentle Feuding by Johanna Lindsey
    774029Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: Scotland
    Do you remember the first romance novel you read? The one that had *sex* in it? In high school, I read a lot of YA, and a lot of YA romance, but A Gentle Feuding was my first historical romance novel that started my downhill slide into addiction. It is the typical grudge match, starting with a misunderstanding, with some plaid and lots of manly Scottish men in their kilts. It is the story of Sheena, the jewel of the Fergusson tower, and Jamie MacKinnion, a violent man feared by all, and their love blossoming under years of clan duty dictating they hate each other.
    Because this was the first historical novel I read, I go back to it often when I need to re-read a book and get me out of a slump. Each time, I fall in love with Sheena and Jamie all over again. Each time, I yell at them both for being stubborn. And each time, I fall back down the rabbit hole that is the romance genre. *enter girlie sigh here*
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  4. Property of Drex (Death Chasers #1) by C.M. Owens
    29516776Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Halo, Texas
    This is the second C.M. book on the list because it’s one of my favorites of hers. It’s a motorcycle club book, which ensures there’s death, drugs, guns, and some serious daddy issues. This book ends on a cliff hanger, but the second in the series doesn’t. The first two in the series follow Evie Marks and Drex Caine. Evie’s family is struggling financially since her father’s death so she does the only thing she can think to do, sell herself. She ends up with Drex Caine and the Death Dealers, and she is there permanently. The others don’t trust her, she doesn’t trust her feelings, and there’s dissent within the club. Evie struggles coming to terms with the fact that she loves life in the club, and Drex struggles with someone who once wanted to be a math teacher wanting to stay in the club. This book is inherently darker in it’s nature, but if you’re into the darker themed books, this one is so worth it. The first is even free on Amazon and B&N so download your copy.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  5. Born of Night (The League/Nemesis Rising #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
    2992061Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
    Setting: 3000 years in the future.
    This was the first sci-fi book I ever read. I was working at a convenience store as a cashier, and a woman I was ringing up had this book with her and recommended it to me. Sherrilyn Kenyon has the amazing ability to interweave her stories together, creating multiple timelines and intricate stories. This is the first in the series, and it blows my mind every time I read it. Every. Time. This is the love story of ex-assassin Nykrian Quiakides and ballerina Kiara Zamir. It is the love story of how they find each other, and how they save each other (although Nyk would argue that Kiara saved him not the other way around.) I never thought I would be into the sci-fi thing, and in many ways I’m still not a big fan, but the universe Sherrilyn creates, and the languages she makes, are stunning. I have read the entire series three times (I think) and I always pre-order the books when they come out. The characters are dynamic, and you end up falling in love with characters you swore you would always hate. It’s truly stunning. Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  6. The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1) by Julia Quinn
    110391Genre: Historical Romance
    Setting: London, England, 1813.
    This is the first in the Bridgerton series, and it is one that always warms my heart. Daphne and Simon struggle so much, and not in the typical “I’m a Duke/Duchess and cannot marry you because you’re beneath my station” way. Julia Quinn weaves a story filled with heartache, laughter, and a love that I want for myself. Daphne is an almost-on-the-shelf lady looking for a good husband, and hopefully a love match that her parents had. Simon is a duke looking to avoid marriage at all costs. Daphne is also the little sister of Simon’s best friend.
    Daphne and Simon’s love story starts with friendship, a fake courtship, and grows into love. I picked this book up at the library one day, and ever since, when I want to read a historical romance, I go to this book if I have nothing else. It is definitely one of my favorites.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  7. It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
    73070Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Chicago, IL.
    This is the love story of Phoebe Somerville and Dan Calebow. I don’t know if I can count how many times I have re-read this book. Phoebe is a Marilyn Monroe-type blonde bombshell who uses her good looks to make people think she’s an idiot. (Spoiler: she’s not). Dan Calebow is the coach for the Chicago Stars, a fictitious football team that Phoebe has just inherited from her dead father. Dan’s not happy, Phoebe’s not happy. The two struggle to find a balance, both professionally and personally.
    This novel has everything I love: football, women who are in power and ROCK it, men who find intelligence and women in power sexy, and romance. This is a mostly fun novel to read. There are some dark themes in it, which led to Phoebe’s act of the dumb blonde, but it is not so much that it weighs the book down. If you’re looking for some fun with football, you need to check this out.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  8. Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake Vampire Hunter #1) by Laurell K. Hamilton
    30281Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
    Setting: St. Louis, MO.
    If you’re looking for a traditional romance, move along. This is a 25 (26th coming this summer) book series that covers everything from vampire hunting, zombie animator, were-animals, polyamory, and lots and lots of death. There’s also some old school monsters/gods/goddesses in there too. Seriously, it’s a lot. It begins with Anita Blake and her single minded dislike for vampires (with very good reason) and being the Vampire Hunter with the most legal kills in her name, and her coming to terms with love. Love with many, many people. And what love means when it comes to working with the police department. It is one of the most original series I have ever read, and it’s always fun to re-read Guilty Pleasures to see how far Anita has come since she started out 10 years earlier. There’s lots of bloodshed, lots of sex, and lots of paranormal crap explained. Laurell weaves an intricate web, creating an entire world that I so want to live in.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  9. Fallen Crest High (Fallen Crest #1) by Tijan
    21936321Genre: YA/Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Fallen Crest, CA (it’s not a real place but Tijan has confirmed it’s somewhere in Cali).
    This series starts with Sam, Mason and Logan all in high school, but as the series continues you see them go to college. Sam’s mom divorces her dad and moves in with Mason and Logan’s father. Both parents put their children through hell, and Sam doesn’t deal with her mother well. Mason and Logan take Sam under their wing, protecting her from her mother and from the other school girls that are infuriated that Sam is living with the Kade brothers (because obviously their star football players and very popular), and that she starts dating Mason (the un-dateable of the two brothers.)
    I actually found this series while reading a different book, read the first chapter on Amazon for free, and was hooked. Mason, even in high school, is super protective of Sam and I adore it. Sam finding her way in life as more and more curve balls are thrown at her, while falling in love and gaining a brother, is dramatic, suspenseful, and everything I need when I want a darker, high school novel. Tijan always delivers the emotional punches to the gut in the absolute best way possible.
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
  10. #Nerd (Hashtag #1) by Cambria Herbert
    23493256Genre: Contemporary Romance
    Setting: Maryland
    This is your typical nerd girl/popular boy love story. Rimmel and Romeo seem like complete opposites, and they really are, but their love story is one of my favorites. Rimmel is the A+ scholarship student, hiding behind her baggy clothes and big glasses, afraid to make friends; and Romeo is the alpha Quaterback that’s looking to make a name for himself in the NFL. He is popular on campus, and is loved everywhere he goes. The growth of Rimmel and Romeo as individuals and as a couple, both coming to love and accept each other’s faults, is beautiful. When I need a good pick me up, I read this.
    It does have some darker themes, with crazy psycho stalkers and dealing with the death of Rim’s mother, but for the most part, it’s not a scary read. And the flow of the novel is perfect. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited so download it now!
    Goodreads. Amazon. Barnes and Noble.

 

romance

Books Releasing Today

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Take a look at these romance novels that were released today.

The Hook-Up Experiment by Emma Hart
338261881.Hate-screw my high school nemesis.
2.Remember to hate him.
3.Prove my brother wrong.
It should be easy.
It isn’t.

As the owner of Pick-A-D*ck, New Orleans’ premier hook-up website, my job is simple. Connect two people for a no-strings, no-expectations hook-up. The plus for my clients is that I’m the one who gets to sift through the d*ck pics—except this time, they’re required.

My problem? My brother, co-owner of Pick-A-D*ck’s sister dating site, doesn’t believe it’s possible to hook up with someone three times and not fall in love.
I disagree. I know it’s possible.

And my disagreement is exactly how I end up reconnected with my high school nemesis, Elliott Sloane. The guy who asked me to junior prom and then stood me up. Who egged my car when I rejected him, and convinced my senior homecoming date to ghost me.

It should be easy to hate-screw him. If only he was still that person, instead of a hot-as-hell single dad, working as a builder to make ends’ meet, fighting for custody of his daughter.

Three hook-ups.
One outcome.
Right?

**This book is a standalone, but is the first in the series. In the same world as the Upside to Being Single.
Add it to your TBR.

Taking It Slow (Doing Bad Things #3) by Jordan Marie
36718311A bottle of tequila
10 lime wedges
1 sexy blonde
Add in a crazy Vegas weekend

Lick and Swallow.

What do you get? A recipe for disaster.

Titan 

Last night I got married.
I think. 
I’m not exactly sure.
I was drunk off my ass, so it’s not exactly crystal clear.
But, I woke up with a ring on my finger, a marriage certificate, and a sneaking suspicion I had a wild wedding night.
Oh, and a bride who is long gone.

Apparently, what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay here. Sometimes it takes off running.
But a runaway bride is the least of my problems.

Now I’m chasing after my runaway bride with divorce on my mind.
What could go wrong?
Besides everything.

**This is book 3 in the series, but is self-contained and can be read as a standalone.
HEA inside and absolutely no cheating of any kind.

The first book in the series is FREE! Get it here now.
Add Taking It Slow to your TBR.

Nailed (Worked Up #2) by Cora Brent
36313744A scorching ‘enemies to lovers’ office romance proves hazardous in this new stand-alone from NYT and USA Today bestselling author Cora Brent.

The good news: Audrey Gordon has just received a dream assignment managing one of the city’s largest construction projects.
The bad news: She’ll be teamed up with cocky office rival and former lover Jason Roma.
Audrey’s got a lot to prove to herself and to her overachieving family. She’s certainly not going to let arrogant Jason Roma get in the way of her success, despite the fact that he never passes up an opportunity to get under her skin. Audrey swears she’ll keep Jason at arm’s length no matter how fast her pulse races whenever he walks into the room.
However, Jason seems to have his own ideas about what Audrey needs. He’s determined to win another chance with her and prove that he’s not the callous jerk she thinks he is.
But when a personal tragedy shakes Audrey to her core, will she push Jason away forever?
Or will she learn a few lessons about love and finally let him into her heart?

Both books in the Worked Up series are free to read with Kindle Unlimited. Add Nailed to your TBR!

Dearest Ivie (Novella set in the Black Dagger World) by J.R. Ward
38119680In an exclusive ebook novella set in the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward tells the story of a fiery couple . . . doomed by an undeniable passion.
 
Features a special preview of J. R. Ward’s upcoming Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, The Thief!

The last place Ivie expects to be approached by a devastatingly handsome male is in a crowded, smoky cigar bar rarely frequented by vampires—yet here he stands. Silas is flirtatious, gallant, and, above all, mysterious. Ivie is anything but. A nurse at the healer’s clinic and the daughter of a biker, Ivie is accustomed to speaking her mind. So she does. Since aristocrats rarely pick up females of her class, Ivie asks Silas just what kind of game he thinks he’s playing.

Despite her guarded exterior, Ivie surrenders to the fierce desire she feels for Silas. And yet, just as their courtship is heating up, he reveals that it cannot last, for he is bound to return to the Old Country. Their bond only deepens as they make the most of their precious time together. But when she learns the truth, Ivie must find a saving grace—before all is lost. . . .

Check out the other 14 (yes FOURTEEN) books in the series! Add Dearest Ivie to your TBR!

INK: A love Story on 7th and Main by Elizabeth Hunter
37540222It’s everything but business as usual.

Emmie Elliot hadn’t expected to come back to Metlin, California. She definitely didn’t expect to stay. She returned to her childhood home with a mission: Sell the building that housed her grandmother’s book store and move on with her life.

But life doesn’t always go according to plan.

To reopen her grandmother’s book shop, Emmie will need a hook. She’ll need a strategy. She’ll need an… Ox?

Miles Oxford doesn’t have much interest in quiet bookstore owners. He’s a tattoo artist without a space to work, and the last thing he wants is to get involved with anyone after his last disaster of a relationship. Work and pleasure don’t mix for Ox, but since he doesn’t have any interest in the cute girl with the bold business proposal, he should be safe from any awkward complications, right?

She sells ink. He tattoos it. Unusual? Yes. But a book shop/tattoo studio might be the ticket for both Emmie and Ox to find success on their own terms. As long as they keep their attention focused on business.

Just on business.

Add INK to your TBR!

 

Are there any books you’re looking forward to releasing?

Freebie

10 Freebies You Need To Have

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On my Facebook page I’ve been sharing books that are showing up free on Amazon. So lets take a look at all the goodies that are available for free today… (in no specific order).

  1. Tough Love by Skye Warren

25089619A prequel about the sacrifices we make for love…

I sneak out of my room every night. My father’s guards don’t see me.

No one sees me, except him.

He’s the son of a foot soldier. My father is his boss. The boss. I shouldn’t even know Giovanni. And I definitely shouldn’t kiss him. Our relationship is doomed to fail, but that won’t stop me from being with him.

Not every girl wants to be a princess. I just want to be free.

Amazon: 4.3 Stars
Goodreads: 3.82 Stars

2. Forever and Ever Box Set Books 1-3 by E.L. Todd

35237582I’m in love with Skye Preston.

The Skye Preston.

The daughter of the wealthiest businessman in the world, and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known. Her looks don’t compare to her golden heart. And her heart doesn’t compare to that big brain of hers.

But I could never tell her.

Because we’ve been best friends for twenty years.

She has a jerk for a boyfriend, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. The rest of the gang can’t stand him either. But I’m not the kind of guy to intervene. I respect her too much to pull a stunt like that.

But then I spot her at a party, too drunk to even walk. The men are eyeing her like easy prey so I take her home. But when we get there Skye is different. She looks at me differently. She touches me differently.

And she wants me differently.

Amazon: 3.9 Stars
Goodreads: 4.21 Stars

3. One Call Away by Emily Goodwin

35657273Chase Henson doesn’t play by the rules. He doesn’t let himself get attached, doesn’t stay in one place long enough to call anywhere home. So when he returns to the small town of Summer Hill for the first time in years, the last thing he expects to find is a reason to stay.

Sierra Belmont is lost. Devastated after a sudden tragedy that left her heart broken in a million pieces, Sierra is just barely getting by. Burying herself in work at Summer Hill’s only bookstore, all she wants to do is make it through another day.

And then Chase walks through the doors of The Book Bag, claiming he’s just there to buy a book. Rumors that he’s dangerous fly through the town, but Sierra isn’t afraid of him. He might be the last person she should be with, but he’s the only one who understands the depth of her pain. For the first time, Chase stands still, fighting the desperation to mend Sierra’s broken heart.

Always running, the past has never had a chance to catch up to Chase. But there’s a first time for everything.

Amazon: 4.8 Stars
Goodreads: 4.34 Stars

4. The Cowboy and the Kid by Anne Mcallister

33141711Having a father is a big responsibility.
And finding him a wife is a challenge eight-year-old Becky Jones takes seriously. Ex-rodeo cowboy Taggart Jones is adamant. No marriage. Been there. Done that.

Not even if Becky’s dream candidate is her beautiful, blonde teacher, Felicity Albright, who knows about barrettes, patching up scrapes, and hates carrots as much as his daughter. Taggart’s still not interested. Much.

What’s a daughter to do? Becky’s nothing if not ingenious, and she’s determined to convince a stubborn Taggart and a bemused Felicity that they really have met their match.

The Tanner Brother series
Book 1: Cowboys Don’t Cry
Book 2: Cowboys Don’t Quit
Book 3: Cowboys Don’t Stay
Book 4: The Cowboy and the Kid
Book 5: Cowboy Pride

Amazon: 4.4 Stars
Goodreads: 4.32 Stars

5. Dropout by Jamie Schlosser

38659932JIMMY
Over the past year, I’ve been called a lot of things. Slacker. Troublemaker. Party animal.
I thought I was on top of the world. Turns out, I was pretty close to rock bottom.
Now I have a new title: college dropout.
Talk about a reality check.
But I’ve got a chance to redeem myself. One summer to turn things around. Two months to prove I’m not a complete f*ck-up.
It’s time to change.
I want to get back to being one of the good guys.

MACKENNA
I have everything I need to live out my dream of being a reclusive songwriter—my guitar, my notebook, and blissful silence.
At least, I did until Jimmy moved in next door.
With tattoos, piercings, and mischievous green eyes, he’s got bad news written all over him. And last time I got with a bad boy, it ended horribly.
Jimmy makes me feel things I shouldn’t feel. Want things I shouldn’t want. He’s a hazard to my carefully laid plans.
But he’s only here for two months.
I can resist him…right?

Amazon: 4.8 Stars
Goodreads: 4.4 Stars

6. Property of Drex #1 by C.M. Owens

29516776EVE

What’s the most selfless thing you’ve ever done? What price tag would you put on the ability to save the ones you love?

They say the worst decisions are made by the desperate or the fools.

I was desperate enough to make a foolish decision to save my family. The cost? Me.

They may be a motorcycle club, but in all honesty they’re really an elite unit of criminals who just happen to drive motorcycles. They’re a business. An organization. A fully functioning army…

What I’ve learned? They work in the gray area; life and death is real; and everyone wants everyone dead. Okay, so maybe that’s dramatic… No. No it’s not. It’s legit.

I prepared for the worst, fully anticipating hating my new life. Turns out, I finally found out where I belonged. Oh, and I discovered I’m a little twisted or crazy. Maybe both.

Drex Caine, the man without a conscience, didn’t ruin me the way I thought he would. Instead, he made me feel like I was living instead of just waiting to live. And I can never go back to the way things used to be.

*Graphic Language
*Sexual Content
*Dual POV
Please note: Book 1 does end on a cliffhanger, but book 2 has the conclusion and will be released March 28, 2016. After book 2, the rest of the series can be read as stand-alone novels without cliffhangers and will have different main characters featured.

Amazon: 4.6 Stars
Goodreads: 4.28 Stars

C.M. Owens actually has quite a few novels for free. (Always the first one though because she’s a tease!) Blood’s Fury (Deadly Beauties #1), Hooked on the Game (Sterling Shore #1), Daughter of Aphrodite (Daughter Trilogy #1), The Devil’s Artwork (Faders Trilogy #1), Treasured Secrets (Coveted Saga #1).

7. The Gamble by Kristen Ashley

18246040Love is the greatest gamble of all…

Nina Sheridan desperately needs a timeout vacation. With a fiancé who can’t even remember how she takes her coffee, Nina wants some distance to rethink her engagement. Flying halfway around the world from England to a mountain town in Colorado should do the trick. But when she finds a gorgeous man at her rental cabin, Nina’s cold, lonely adventure suddenly heats up.

The owner of the house, Holden “Max” Maxwell is surprised by the beautiful woman who turns up at his door. But when Nina becomes ill, Max spends days nursing her back to health. A private man with a broken heart, Max finds himself drawn to the strong-willed woman. Soon it becomes impossible for Nina and Max to deny their growing attraction to one another. Yet even as these two wounded lovebirds think about taking a chance on a relationship, a dangerous secret from Max’s past emerges-and threatens to end their love for good.

Amazon: 4.4 Stars
Goodreads: 4.29 Stars

8. Emphatic (Soul Serenade #1) by Kaylee Ryan

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00072]There comes a point in your life where you have to say enough is enough.

I wasted my college years on a guy who played with my head, played with my heart. I was blinded by the fairytale, the one that didn’t exist.

The day I gave up on the idea of happily ever after, my focus became me. Moving forward and establishing my career.

Until one day…

I didn’t expect him. My new boss, a six foot two, inked rock god. I believed I was working for the record label, I was wrong.

It’s impossible for me to keep my distance, believe me I’ve tried. He’s not who I expected him to be. He’s so much more he’s… Emphatic

Amazon: 4.5 Stars
Goodreads: 4.18 Stars

9. Bad Idea by Nicole French

38963304.jpgBad boy meets good girl. Sparks fly. Stars cross. And a bad idea is born.

From the start, I knew we were all wrong. For people like her, New York is a city of dreams, but for me, it’s a maze of burdens. Now my chance is here to leave and become more than the criminal everyone sees. There’s no reason to stay except…

The most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen…

The most kissable lips I’ve ever known…

Now I have to break both our hearts to escape this concrete jungle. She might be the girl of my dreams, but I was always a bad idea.

Amazon: 4.5 Stars
Goodreads: 4.27 Stars

10. Black Ink by N.M. Catalano

30625884Alexander Black
Ruthless. Powerful. Dangerous. Intoxicating. Twisted. A prick.
There is nothing or no one beyond his reach anywhere in the world.
He uses any means to get what he wants.

He wants Gemma Trudeau. For two reasons, first, to find out if she helped her husband steal three million dollars from him. The second, he wants to do very bad, very twisted things to her.

He always gets what he wants.

Gemma Trudeau
Her life was destroyed. She’s alone, homeless with no money.
A brilliant successful lawyer, she must now beg to work for the one man who suffered as much as she did from her husband’s illegal schemes, the only one who can help her get her life back. What she didn’t know was he would rock her world.

Alexander Black has Gemma right where he wants her. The heat between them rages, leaving them in an constant aching burn.

A stranger breaks into her house and she’s terrorized. He has one purpose, to take her, bind her, force her into a night of raging passion, leaving her stunned, confused, and very, very satisfied. He promises he’ll be back. She can’t wait.

The Capo di Tutti Capi has offered her protection. But at what price?

Someone is stalking her. The mob who wants to own her? The faceless man who seduces her in the dark blindfolded? Or the one man who should hate her, Alexander Black?

Who can Gemma trust?

First book in the BLACK INK Series. A bit dark, a bit edgy, and a whole lot of heat. It does have a bit of a cliffhanger.
**18+ adult audience, very strong sexual content.**

Amazon: 4.8 Stars
Goodreads: 4.43 Stars

Reading List

St. Patrick’s Day Reads

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Looking for a short, St. Paddy’s day romance? Look no further!

Alexa Riley — Charmed

39005020Every day Charlie goes to sketch a beautiful building that’s been under construction. She’s drawn to it for some reason, and it makes her paints come alive. On the day the painting is to be finished, the St. Patrick’s Day parade is in town. But a run-in between her tray of paints and a big grouchy beast in a suit has her fleeing for safety.

Warren has never wanted someone the way he wants her. One chance encounter has got him searching every inch of the city for her. She can hide, but not for long. He’ll make her his, no matter what.

Warning: This St. Patrick’s Day quickie is adorably fun and over the top. Grab your shamrocks and cozy up with this sweet treat.

Goodreads Rating: 4.16 Stars
Amazon Rating: 4.6 Stars
Release date: March 12, 2018 (HAPPY RELEASE DAY ALEXA!!)

Add to your TBR!

Mia Ford — Second Chance on St. Patrick’s Day

39023633He seduced me, used me, and broke my heart.
And now…
He’s back!
My brain says ‘no.’
But my heart screams ‘yes.’
Who wins amongst the two is a different story altogether!
Well, let’s just say, Conner McGee is a HARD man to forget.
I had no idea that a one night stand would lead to this.
Our lives are full of lies, secrets, and seduction.
He stole my heart long before I found the truth.
Maybe I did not see it coming.
Maybe that’s why it hurts so bad.
Maybe that’s why they say timing and love never go together.

Goodreads Rating: 4.56 Stars
Amazon Rating: 4.7 Stars
Release Date: March 5, 2018

Add it to your TBR!

Juliana Conners — Sold on St. Patrick’s Day

34598845I’m plucking her Shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day.

Jade is 19 years old, with curves more luscious than the rolling green hills of Ireland.
I guess it’s the luck of the Irish that I get to claim her as my own.
But that’s because she was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
While she was studying in Ireland, she may have witnessed my dad—a notorious Irish gangster—commit a crime.
He sends me to Boston to find out what she knows and deal with it if necessary.

The job is supposed to be easy:
Get in, get out, move on— everything I’m used to doing without a hitch.

The set-up makes this job even easier and it comes with a perk:
She’ll willingly sell herself to me at an auction, without knowing why I’m there.
I’ll purchase her body— and win her trust— at any price.

Dominating her is a treat as sweet as sin.
When I find out she’s a virgin, that’s the cherry on top.
A cherry I get to pop!

But this job is about to have a major f*cking hitch.
Both of us enjoy what I do to break her spirit and earn her trust, a little more than we should.

After I buy her body, will she steal my heart?

*Sold on St. Patrick’s Day is a standalone romance novella with no cliffhanger and no cheating. It features a dominant billionaire bad boy alpha male, a feisty BBW and a HEA. This story is a super steamy treat sure to set your Kindle on fire. For a limited time this edition comes with three bonus books, which include the entire Bradford Brothers Military/ Secret Baby Bad Boy Series: Jensen, Harlow and Ramsey.

Goodreads Rating: 3.65 Stars
Amazon Rating: 4.3 Stars
Release Date: March 13, 2017

Add it to your TBR!

Chance Carter — First Time Lucky

38917948Ladies, take it from me, if you have any sense, do not fall for an Irish guy.
Especially a fiery-tempered, muscular, tattooed, bad boy who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks without a father.
That’s Shane.

My Shane.
At least, I hope he becomes mine.

When we were in high school I know he liked me. He was going to ask me to prom. We were destined to be together.
And then everything went wrong.
This town was never kind to outsiders, and an Irish fighter like Shane never stood a chance against the creeps who run things around here.
They weren’t about to let him make off with me.

So they almost killed him.

They dropped him at a bus station with a one-way ticket across the country, and I thought I’d never see him again.
Now he’s back, and there’s going to be trouble. Three years in the military has turned him into a dangerous weapon. And he’s going to unleash on St. Patrick’s Day and reclaim the woman he was always supposed to have.

The woman who’s heart has always been his.
The woman who saved her first time for him.
Me.

Goodreads Rating: 4.39 Stars
Amazon Rating: 4.8 Stars
Release Date: March 2, 2018

Add it to your TBR!

Lucky Charm: A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Billionaire Fake Fiance Romance by Eva Luxe

39209389She needs a fake fiance and I’m just the guy to play the part. 

I moved from Ireland to New York City to pursue a career in acting.
My family has a lot of money, but I want to make it on my own.
One day I’m at Starbucks, minding my own business, studying for an audition.
Suddenly a beautiful, curvy stranger heads straight to my table.
Her ex cheated on her with her best friend, she says.
And they’ve both just entered the coffee shop!
Please pretend to be my boyfriend so I don’t seem so pathetic, she asks.
Well, I’m an actor, aren’t I?
So, how can I resist the pleading request from those pretty hazel eyes that match her name?
I’ll do her one better – I pretend to be her fiance.
Soon, we’re caught in a game of one up-manship with her snotty ex friend.
Like all my acting gigs, I play this one very well.
It turns out that Hazel brings me luck – and I do the same for her.
But this is all just pretend, right?
We’re not really going to get married on St. Patrick’s Day like we keep telling everyone, are we?

Maybe I’m playing the role a bit too well, because I find myself believing it’s real.

Lucky Charm is a full length standalone novel with no cheating and no cliffhangers, but with a very happy St. Patrick’s Day and ever after, and a whole bunch of Irish flavored steam.

Goodreads rating: 3.97 Stars
Amazon Rating: 4.7 Stars
Release Date: March 12th, 2018.

Add it to your TBR!

My Goodreads Shelf

 

Let me know what your favorite St. Patrick’s Day Read is!

 

 

Short Story

The Myth of the Merrow

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“What are you doing?!” Marcail shouted, as the men around her tied her legs together. She tried kicking them, bucking her hips, anything to stop them but they over powered her.

“Now listen lassie,” the captain of the ship started. His thick Scottish brogue dripping with false sympathy, “I understand this is scary, but yer just bringin’ us more bad luck. We’ve had nothin’ but storms since we found ye stowed aboard.”

The woman stared at the captain in shock, temporarily forgetting the position she was in, which allowed the two sailors to finish tying her legs together, and another two other sailors to finish binding her arms to her sides.

“NO!” she screamed, the wind whipping her long red, curly hair around her head, her voice echoing around her. Strands of her curly hair were caught in the rope around her body, but she couldn’t feel the stinging in her scalp over the fear pulsing through her body, making the sound of her heart beat threaten to deafen her.

“Lassie, it’s bad luck to be bringin’ such a fine woman as yerself on a ship, ye know that. I’m sorry lassie, but this has to be done.”

With that, she was picked up and thrown overboard. She had just wanted to get out of Scotland, and now she was bound like a lamb going to slaughter and thrown over the side of the ship. She had secretly climbed aboard the ship in the middle of the night, when she knew the sailors were out drinking before cast off. She had overheard the sailors talking in the market place the day before, talking about how they were sailing to the Ireland to trade, and she wanted to see what it was like. Marcail’s parents would never let her leave their tiny village, let alone go to Ireland.

She tried to hold her breath as she hit the water, but she knew she wasn’t going to be able to survive this. She tried to twist, trying to loosen the knots made to make sure she sank to the bottom of the ocean, but it just made the knots tighter. The sailors were arses, but they could tie a knot. She could feel her lungs starting to burn as the lack of oxygen made the edges of her vision go black. If she could cry, she would.

The further she sank, and with the heavy dress she was wearing she was sinking fast, the pressure of the deep water pressed on her chest. Just as she was resigned to dying she saw something green swim past her, and then something swim the other way. She tried to turn her head and follow it, but she was too tired, and her lungs were starting to ache. Then three green women were in her eye sight. Their skins were only light, pale green, but their hair looked like the color of algae. It flowed out around them, as they floated in front of her. Their eyes were all the same blue of the ocean. Their upper bodies looked like a woman, but she could see their bottom halves had scales like a fish and they had fins.

Merrow, she thought. She had heard the stories of merrows all her life, of the evil sprites that lived in the ocean, seducing the sailors and dragging them into the ocean, where they stole their souls and kept them at the bottom of the ocean.

Suddenly, the ropes that bound her arms were undone, and a slightly webbed hand was reaching out to her. She touched the hand and watched as her skin went from pale and freckled to light green. She opened her mouth and could suddenly breathe in the water. Her dress fell off of her body slowly floating away from her, and the ropes that once bound her legs disappeared and her legs started to mesh together with scales. She looked around and her hair, starting from the ends and going to the roots, stayed curly but changed to dark green.

“Skye,” a musical voice said. She turned back to the merrow, and saw she was pointing at herself.

“Marcail,” she said, pointing to herself.

Skye smiled and swam up, and Marcail followed her. When they reached the break in the ocean, Marcail looked out and saw the ship she was just tossed off of. Skye started singing and Marcail joined. When the sailors looked over the side of the ship, the captain barked at them to stop looking. Marcail and Skye sang louder. The men couldn’t resist looking at the merrows, and for the first time in her life, Marcail felt powerful.

Book Review

Until Harmony Review!

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until harmony

The book I have SERIOUSLY been waiting for! The next installment of the Until Her series, Until Harmony. The biker and the babe!

Harmony and Willow Mayson are twins, and their parents are Sophie and Nico (which were probably my favorite couple in the original Until series). Harmony has goals, long term and short term. Her life is planned out and scheduled and she works hard to obtain those goals. Harlen MacCabe puts a wrench in those plans in the best way possible.

Compared to the previous novels in the series, there’s not a huge amount of drama. It’s more fluffy. No crazy ex’s no pushing each other away. There’s some tension in the beginning, and then there is craziness at the end (which gives us sneak peeks into Until Cobi coming late 2018) but there wasn’t the massive tension that has been present since the Until books. And I loved it! It was just the right amount of messiness to give the novel substance, and the right amount of romance to keep it from going too dark.

And Nico is there being his usual over-protective, cussing self. And it is glorious.

Harmony got her BOOM, but I’m pretty sure Harlen got his too.

tenor

“Until you, I didn’t think I’d find a man who I’d want to spend the rest of my life with. All my other goals have been attainable.  Finding a man who loves me the way you love me seemed outlandish, completely impossible.”

I absolutely devoured this book. I pre-ordered it awhile ago, so when I finished reading another book around 9 this morning, I immediately started reading Harmony’s story. I finished it at 12. Now, I know I’m a fast reader, but I devoured all 200 pages in 3 hours. I think that’s a new record for me. I’m going to need to do a re-read of this novel! It went by way too quickly.

I think one of my favorite things about this novel, was the easy acceptance Harlen has for Harmony’s goals. He wants a life with her, a family with her, and he makes it known, but he also respects her so much, and respects her job so much, that not once (can I repeat that NOT ONCE) does he complain she works too much, or says she should just stay home. He’s so alpha it’s not even funny, but the fact he loves her and respects her and her job just make him that much hotter to me.

Harlen may be my new favorite…

at least until Cobi comes out…

5 HUGE CRAZY GOLD STARS FOR THIS AMAZING READ!!

Goodreads — Amazon — Author Facebook — Author Amazon

**This is the Fourth book in the Until Her series but the Until Her/Him series’ over lap. The order is:

Until July
Until Jax
Until June
Until Ashlyn
Until Sage
Until Harmony

Until Her Series — Until Him Series

Book Review, Cover Reveal

COVER REVEAL!! UNTIL MORE BY S. VAN HORNE

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Until More by: S. Van Horne
An Until and More Series Crossover
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: April 3, 2018
Cover Design: SK Designs


At twenty-two, Crystal Kopas didn’t know where her life was heading. Ghost writing romance stories for well-known authors isn’t an easy thing to do, especially when she couldn’t forget the one man who rocked her world. After moving to Hawaii, she thought she was finally getting her life on track. That is—until he showed up.

At twenty-five, Detective Vigo Conti decided it was time to take a vacation with his baby sister. After a grueling case that took everything out of him, he packed up Maddison and hit the beaches of Hawaii, praying to get his mind off the one woman who seemed to steal his heart when she disappeared after only one night together. He was finally starting to relax and enjoy his time with Mads uninterrupted. That is—until he sees her.

Without warning, disaster strikes and Conti vows he will do everything to get his family back. Because sometimes finding that special BOOM makes one cross lines never imagined.

Will Conti be able to save his family before it is too late?

Follow the link below to view a trailer for Until More!

https://video214.com/play/3vtOezUtyg0rgBjiAohh7Q/s/dark

S. Van Horne was born and raised in the small town of Belton, Missouri, which is a part of the Kansas City metropolitan area. She’s from a very large family and is the oldest of six. Growing up, she didn’t have the easiest life. She learned quickly that family means everything, even if it’s the type that you get to pick for yourself.

She met the love of her life at the early age of twenty and was married just after nine months of meeting him. Shortly after marriage, her husband rejoined the U.S. Navy and they moved from Kansas City and started their journey together. Currently they have two amazing children, a boy and a girl, and are still enjoying the Navy life.

She spends her days being a wife, mom, reading books, writing her latest novel, watching her beloved Kansas City Chiefs or Kansas City Royals, watching movies, hanging out with family and friends and having girls’ day at least once a month.

FACEBOOK   TWITTER   INSTAGRAM   AMAZON   WEBSITE  NEWSLETTER

 

 

 

The cover reveal’s for the Happily Ever Alpha Kindle Words Crossover are coming out today!! How excited are you?? And which one are you looking forward to most??

 

Let your imagination run wild