Tag Archives: emotional romance

Taking Shelter by BJ Bentley Review

Welcome to Medicine Wheel, Montana.

Would her first love still want her after she’d slept with the enemy?

Pretty and popular, Emma Jean was the belle of the ball in high school, but while waiting for her prince to make a move, she fell in love with the beast. 

Beaten down, battered, and broken, Emma Jean has finally had enough.
Cutting the ties that bind won’t be easy, especially when the enemy comes looking for her. 

Noah fell in love with his sister’s best friend in high school, but his hesitation cost him, and he lost his first love to a monster.

Determined to keep her safe, can he prove to her that belonging to him means peace instead of pain and love instead of fear?

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From her Amazon: I’m a psychic medium, romance author, and cat mom. I shamelessly based my character, Sabrina Rhodes, on myself (write what you know, and all that.) Weaknesses include alpha males and badass babes.
The Intuitive series is a collection of rom-com novellas, and I’m also working on a full-length dark romance novel.
I’m very active on social media, so feel free to stalk me! (Please stalk me, this is a cry for attention.)
Follow me!

—  Facebook — Twitter —  Instagram —  Website — Amazon—  BookBub  —


Love is a fickle thing. It’s hard work, and it’s a lot of work. Sometimes, we find someone we think is worthy of our love. We put so much time and devotion into this person, we can ignore the signs. We may see that darkness in them, but we believe we can fix someone, help them get better; We can be the person that chases away the clouds from their eyes. Be the light to their dark. And then they change. Something in them flips. The person we fell in love with wholeheartedly is someone different, and scary.

This is what happened to Emma Jean. She long ago fell in love with the football superstar. She pushed her feelings for long time crush Noah away, and went on a date that sealed her fate. Almost seven years later, she escaped the hell that had become her life before she even realized what was happening. What once was love became bitter hatred and fear.

Noah has long harbored feelings for his Sunshine. At one time, he believed he’d have his chance when Cody showed his true nature, but by then it was too late for his Emma and their love. Seven years later, he never let that love go. Never found someone who could encompass the love he felt for Emma. When the opportunity presents itself to not only save Emma from her hell, but also give their chemistry a chance to blossom, Noah takes it.

Emma has a long road ahead of her. Not only does she need to learn to love herself, she has to discover who she is. The path she was on long ago was deviated, so what did she do with her path suddenly wide open again? Her friends don’t let her hide, and neither does Noah. But does loving Noah mean losing herself? Again?

Noah’s road is more like a mountain to climb. He has to show Noah she’s worthy of love from those surrounding her, as well as worthy of being the woman she would have been had Cody not lured her into his clutches. He’s a determined alpha, possessive, but understanding of her plight. He may be a crazed man when it comes to his girl, but he knows she needs her independence, and doesn’t try to put her in the “victim” box.

This book was emotional, with the same blending of past and present the first in the series, Coming Home, had. It was full of sweet, tender moments, as well as ones that allowed Emma Jean to take back her life and sexuality.

This was four stars instead of five for me because ultimately, I would have liked to have seen more of Emma’s past with Cody. She had no money, no job, no way to get out. But why did she fall in love with him? What drew her in? We saw few of the interactions between the couple, but I felt left out of Emma’s personal bubble and I wanted more of it.

Though that’s really no different from any other book. I always want more, and a book with a woman who suffered from abuse? You could write a whole book just on that.

BLOG TOUR for Serenity by Rochelle Paige!

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Serenity, the conclusion to the emotional and romantic Fortuity Duet by Rochelle Paige, is available NOW!

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I’d lived a privileged life, in the lap of luxury and surrounded by family. It had felt like I was on top of the world…until tragedy struck.

My sense of loss felt bottomless, and I struggled with it every single day. Finding my path back into the light seemed impossible.

But then I met Faith—she was smart, sexy, and out of my league even though she didn’t have a penny to her name. We grew up in different worlds, but somehow we fit perfectly together.

Except neither of us had counted on learning that our connection was more profound than we knew.

SerenityAvailable now_ku

Download your copy or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2HXsrJV

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/SerenityFD

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2JKHac8

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Excerpt:

“You feeling okay?” I murmured in Faith’s ear as I pulled her closer. We were watching a movie, cuddled on the couch together. I was leaning back against the cushions in the corner, and she was between my legs with her head on my chest. But she wasn’t relaxed like she should be after a day out shopping with my mom. She was so damn tense she was practically vibrating with it.

I slid my palms up her arms, pleased as fuck at the goosebumps that followed in the wake of my touch. There was no denying that she still responded to me with the same fierceness she had since we first met. But there was also no denying that something was wrong with Faith. She’d seemed off ever since we got situated on the couch a few hours earlier. I wasn’t sure what was bothering her, but it felt like she was pulling away from me.

When she’d moved in with me a couple of weeks ago, life had seemed as close to perfect as it could get. We had our college degrees. My dad gave me a week off before I started my new job at his company. Living with me meant Faith could continue on for her master’s degree without worrying about money. It was a big fucking deal that she was willing to let me take care of her that way since she was so damn self-sufficient.

My tough girl had finally taken down some of her walls and let me in. She’d even found the courage to admit she loved me.

Out loud.

Repeatedly.

But no matter how often she said those three little words, I still felt like she hadn’t let me all the way in. I figured it’d take time, and I needed to be patient with her. To remember she wasn’t used to being loved by anyone and didn’t know how to handle it.

Normally, I was okay with that. But tonight it was almost as though she was scared. And if my tough girl was afraid of something, then it was my job to make her feel safe. Which would be a hell of a lot easier if I knew what I was up against; only Faith wasn’t giving me much to go on.

FORTUITY_AN_KU

Start the duet with Fortuity!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2F5wXni

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/Fortuity

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2G71HcP

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rochelle Paige is the Amazon bestselling author of more than twenty books. She absolutely adores reading and her friends growing up used to tease her when she trailed after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. She loves stories with alpha males, sassy heroines, hot sex and happily ever afters. She is a bit of a genre hopper in both her reading and her writing. So far she’s written books in several romance sub-genres including new adult, contemporary, paranormal and romantic suspense.

She is the mother of two wonderful sons who inspired her to chase her dream of being an author. She wants them to learn from her that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

RochellePaige

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ rochellepaigeauthor/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1436132763270558/

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IG: https://www.instagram.com/ rochellepaigeauthor/ | @rochellepaigeauthor

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Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/ Rochelle-Paige/e/B00HEWGCFY

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/ profile/rochelle-paige

 

Perfect Love Story Book Tour

Title: Perfect Love Story 
Series: Love #1
Author: Natasha Madison
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Cover Design: Melissa Gill at MGBookCovers

When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption. 

Hailey 

What do you do when you find out your whole life was a lie? 
That your husband really wasn’t your husband but someone else’s. 
That the vows you made to each other were simply empty promises.
You pick up and move to the country to start fresh. 
When life hands you limes, you make sure you have tequila because your life is about to get stirred up.
Jensen 
Married to my high school sweetheart, the best thing she gave me was my baby girl. 
But we weren’t enough for her. I wasn’t enough for her. 
The last thing I expected on my birthday was a Dear John letter, but that’s what I got when she upped and left. 
Now, it’s just me and my girl against the world till the new girl moves in next door. 
Is there such a thing as a perfect love story?

PERFECT LOVE STORY was just that…the PERFECT LOVE STORY! Beautiful, touching, charming, devastating, magical, and hella’ sexy, once I started, I couldn’t put it down for the life of me, nor did I ever want to. – Shayna Renee

Perfect Love Story is a step away from Natasha Madison’s typical romantic comedy, and she does an incredible job of delivering a poignant, emotional and sigh-worthy romanceMary Dube USA Today HEA


Natasha Madison does it again! Perfect Love Story as so many feels. The title of the book is perfect bc this was the perfect love story. – Tara Sexy Book Diva

Perfect Love Story is exactly that. Beautifully, unbelievably perfect. This is one of those books that digs deep right into your heart.Britt Red Hatter Book Blog

 My Review 

Chapter One
Hailey“Hello.” Turning down “Glorious” by Macklemore blasting in the background while I washed the kitchen floor with Pine Sol and water, I answer the phone after the first ring.

“It’s me.” I hear my best friend and cousin, Crystal, say from the other end. “Where are you?” I can’t see her face, but I know something is wrong. Even though she’s asked me that question a million times before, this time it’s different. There is no carefree tone. This time, it’s curt and to the point with no laughter in her voice.

“I’m home,” I say, almost whispering as my hand shakes against my ear. My mouth suddenly goes dry, my neck starting to get hot. Something inside my stomach suddenly drops when a slow burn sets in.

“You need to come to the hospital.” Crystal is an emergency room nurse at St. Mary’s, so whatever feeling I was having before has now doubled. “Blake is on his way to get you.” When she mentions my brother, I now know something is gravely wrong. The honk outside doesn’t allow me to question her any further. “You need to get in the car, okay?” she says softly but firmly. “Listen to me, Hailey. Go outside and get here.” My head nods as the hand holding my phone to my ear falls away.

The front door opens, and Blake comes in, looking at me with sorrow and sadness. His brown eyes meet mine briefly, and then he looks down. He doesn’t say anything to me; he simply holds out his hand to me. I put my hand in his, and he leads me out to his truck. He opens the door for me, helping me take that step in.

As I’m looking at him, he pulls the seat belt over my chest and buckles me in. My mind’s still playing the phone call, trying to dissect the conversation. Trying to find one little word that can be the clue. “It’s going to be okay.” His voice breaks through the haze.

I nod my head at him, then he steps back and shuts the door, jogging over to his side. He gets in and puts the truck in drive. I’m on the outside looking in, watching my life fall apart without knowing it.

The only thing I’m certain of is that the sun is shining without a cloud in the sky. As I watch a bird soar through the sky almost in the same direction we are going, I think to myself, Bad things don’t happen when it’s sunny outside, right?

I watch the bird, not even realizing we’ve made it to the hospital. I don’t have a chance to open my door because Blake has it opened before I even think to reach for the handle. “You’re going to be okay,” he assures me as he raises his baseball cap to run his hands through his short dark hair.

“What’s going on?” I have a feeling my entire life is about to change, so I beg him to tell me before we walk through those doors. Blake doesn’t answer. He just reaches down to grab my hand and lead me through the revolving doors.

The harsh smell of antiseptic immediately fills my nose. Voices bombard me, though, none of them are familiar. Glancing around, I take in the hustle and bustle of the emergency room. My heartbeat echoes in my ears as I try in vain to locate a familiar face. I just need to know who we’re here for.

As we silently walk down the corridor, my mind never stops thinking about why we are here. I look up at Blake, asking the one question that makes my heart squeeze with such intense pain, it feels like it might explode.

“Is it Mom? Dad?” I can hear the pleading in my tone. He gives me nothing, continuing to look straight ahead. My eyes go back to the floor, following the tile pattern as we make our way beyond the entrance to the emergency room. The first thing I see is both of my parents, alive and healthy. My mother has tears running down her cheeks, and my father has his arm around her shoulders. They are standing next to the nurses’ station. I look back at Blake in horror. “Is it Nanny?”

He doesn’t have time to answer because Crystal comes out from behind the nurses’ station in her everyday uniform of blue scrubs and Crocs, wearing a stethoscope around her neck.

With one glance at her face, I stop my feet in their tracks. My feet are stuck to the floor as if someone crazy glued them to that spot. I can see the hurt and tears in her eyes. She looks at me with her head tilted sideways, her bottom lip trembling. My body blocks any movements I try to make. I try to advance to Crystal, but I can’t. My knees start to give out, and a horrible shrieking sound comes from somewhere.

I try turning my head to see where the yelling is coming from, but I can’t. I’m on my hands and knees in the hospital corridor. It isn’t until the coldness seeps through my hands that I realize I’m the one screaming. That wretched sound is coming from me. Me. My throat raw, my eyes burning, and my heart irrevocably broken. No words need to be said. No confirmation given. I don’t need them to bring me to a place where we can “talk quietly.” It’s at that moment I finally know what everyone else knows.

My husband is dead.

 

The Love Series is coming

When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption. 

Three couples, three different stories!


Unexpected Love Story June 5th (PreOrder)



Broken Love Story July 10th (PreOrder)

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

HOSTED BY:

 

Voyeur by Fiona Cole Review

blurbvoyeurI didn’t know she was my student the first time I paid to watch her at Voyeur.

Once she walked into my classroom, another smiling college freshman, I knew I should stop going. Stop watching.

But I couldn’t do it. Everything about her makes me want more, and once I realize she wants me too, the temptation becomes irresistible.

The worst part is that she has no idea her professor is the one watching behind the glass.

I just have to hope that once she finds out the truth, she wants the same thing I do. Because now that I’ve seen all of her, I can’t look away.

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author

29872499_1945047725537165_8521270309032165253_o.jpgI never imagined I would ever write a book. I wasn’t even really a reader until the age of twenty. But I picked up a romance and that was it for me. I fell in love. And then one day I stepped into this indie world of books and I started writing. Then I wrote enough to keep going. And then I had a book. Sometimes things happen when you least expect it, but it all falls into place. Writing is it for me.

I’m a stay at home mom with a degree in chemistry and biology. I LOVE science. If you get me started talking about biochemistry, it’s all over. I’ll rattle on for days! But I use all that knowledge to take care of my two little girls. Mostly while my husband is away being a soldier.

It’s taken me a long time to get here, but I like it … And I think I might stay a while.

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When I saw this book, I was really nervous. Voyeurism isn’t my thing; it makes me uncomfortable. And this went even further because there are some couple scenes in the book, though they’re faked. I didn’t know this when I went to read it, but I figured there would be couple scenes, which put me off even more because it felt like cheating in my head. So, I didn’t sign up to try to get an ARC, didn’t even plan on reading it, really. But, I’ve heard nothing but good things about this book, from authors and readers alike, so I decided I’d give it a try. Worse thing to happen? It just wasn’t my thing so I wouldn’t finish it; wouldn’t leave a review or anything because just because it wasn’t what I was into didn’t mean it was a bad book.

But holy hell, thank you Jennifer Vester for telling me how good it was, and thank you Fiona Cole for writing this book. I was sucked into the taboo of someone watching someone else perform sexual acts, as well as the characters in the book. Although naughty, I mean hello how can it not be, it was so supremely well written, that I found myself sucked into the world and the lives of Oaklyn and Callum. And God what crazy lives they lead.

I’m not going to put a synopsis of the book, because it’s everywhere, and the blurb covers it quite nicely. When writing a taboo novel, such as teacher and student, and then adding in the voyeurism aspect, there had to be a careful dynamic so no one had more power over the other. Of course, they both thought the other had the power in the relationship, but in reality, they didn’t. And it was SO. WELL. DONE. These two have a distinct friendship that pushes the boundaries of teacher/student, even when you take away the fact that Callum had seen her getting herself off.

There were also sexual awakenings in the book, for Oaklyn and Callum. Oaklyn has to discover her inner strength and sexuality in order to perform for anonymous strangers, and Callum has his own discovery (which I won’t discuss cause hello spoilers!). But Callum is so broken and my heart literally hurts for him. And when he recognizes he’s put all his happiness, his survival, on one person, he recognizes that it’s not fair to her, and has his own reflection on the life he’s lead. So, he goes back to get help for it in order to lead a healthier life, with Oaklyn.

AND LET THE CRYING COMMENCE. So many times I wanted to hug both Cal and Oak, tell them that it was all going to be ok, even when it wasn’t. Individually, these two were HELLA strong, for sticking to what they believe in and also for asking for help and asking the other to communicate even when it was hard to do. Even when they didn’t want to. By the end, I had real tears running down my face. This book was that good.

So yes, I started out reading the blurb and seeing the title and thought “This book isn’t for me.” And no, not everyone will love it, because that’s the nature of people and writing a book that’s dirty (in all the right ways if you ask me), but I implore you to try it. It is so freaking worth it. From beginning to end, it was worth it. I can’t promise you’ll love it, but I KNOW I DID.

(Sorry for the shouty caps)

voyeur15star

Fortuity by Rochelle Paige Review

arc review 1blurbfortuityThe only kinds of luck I knew were bad and worse…until my life hung in the balance. I finally caught a break in the form of a second chance.
I vowed not to let it go to waste.
To make a difference.

But I didn’t start really living until I met him.
Dillon Montgomery.
My complete opposite—except for our matching tortured souls.

I couldn’t resist him for long.
How could I when his smallest touch made my heart race?
When it felt like we were destined to be together.

But sometimes luck and sorrow are intertwined…

Fortuity is the first book in the Fortuity Duet.

GoodreadsAmazonSerenity Goodreads — Serenity Cover Reveal

authorrochellepaigeRochelle Paige is the Amazon bestselling author of more than twenty books. She absolutely adores reading and her friends growing up used to tease her when she trailed after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. She loves stories with alpha males, sassy heroines, hot sex and happily ever afters. She is a bit of a genre hopper in both her reading and her writing. So far she’s written books in several romance sub-genres including new adult, contemporary, paranormal and romantic suspense.

She is the mother of two wonderful sons who inspired her to chase her dream of being an author. She wants them to learn from her that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

GoodreadsAmazonFacebook Readers GroupInstagramTwitterNewsletter  — Bookbub

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HOLY CRAP Y’ALL!! This book is so crazy good. Although I can’t wait for the next one, and initially wanted to throw a Veruca Salt sized tantrum about not having the ending, it really does need to be in two books. So, while I want to be Veruca, I will patiently (or impatiently) wait for Serenity (May 8th) to arrive.

Faith is one of the strongest female characters I have read in a while. Scratch that, she’s just one of the strongest characters I’ve read. After her mom died, she is put into the system, bouncing around from house to house, looking for her place in life. She is looking to survive the present, not really looking to the future. When she gets sick in one of those houses, her life changes. Just as she’s about to lose all faith, lose all hope, she receives a miracle.

Dillon is suffering from loss, but isn’t handling it in a healthy way. He has turned to gambling to help him cope. His parents, at a loss for how to help him, ask Faith to bring him with her to her volunteering. His mother has ulterior motives, though, since she’s been trying to get Dillon and Faith to meet for months. When they do finally meet, they both feel the pull towards each other.

If you’ve read Push the Envelope (which, if you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out) then Dillon might remind you a bit of Drake. He pushes Faith, while trying not to scare her away. The moment he met Faith, even though she was mad at him, he knows what he wants, the same way Drake did, after realizing that Alexa was single. Since I loved Drake, I really loved Dillon. I loved that he tried to make everyday special for Faith. I love that he loves to surprise her. I love that Faith takes a risk on him, even though she’s working hard on her own goals. I love that they both support each other, support the other ones goals, and want them to succeed instead of giving something up to spend more time with each other. I basically love everything about this book.

Rochelle Paige continues to amaze me with her ability to draw me in with every book she writes. Her ability to form characters that are love-able, even when you want to shake them, makes me feel as if I’m watching a movie instead of reading a book (wait- can I start a petition going for this?) Rochelle, if I say I love you enough can I get the next book? KIDDING!

…maybe

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5star

Serenity Cover Reveal!!!

Serenity, the conclusion to the emotional and romantic Fortuity Duet by Rochelle Paige, is coming May 8th!

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Title: Serenity

Series: Fortuity Duet, Book #2

Author: Rochelle Paige

Genre: New Adult Romance

Release Date: May 8, 2018

Cover Designer: LJ Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations

Photographer: Sara Eirew Photography

Models: Daniel Rengering and Pamela Tremblay Mcallen

I’d lived a privileged life, in the lap of luxury and surrounded by family. It had felt like I was on top of the world…until tragedy struck.

My sense of loss felt bottomless, and I struggled with it every single day. Finding my path back into the light seemed impossible.

But then I met Faith—she was smart, sexy, and out of my league even though she didn’t have a penny to her name. We grew up in different worlds, but somehow we fit perfectly together.

Except neither of us had counted on learning that our connection was more profound than we knew.

Preorder the Duet Today!

Serenity

iBooks: https://apple.co/2GWr1m9

Nook: https://bit.ly/2HoLBLB

Add to GoodReads: https://bit.ly/2JKHac8

Fortuity

Nook: https://bit.ly/2ubr8Ey

iBooks: https://apple.co/2pDi86j

Sign up here to get notified as soon as The Fortuity Duet goes LIVE on Amazon:

https://mailchi.mp/62efb24743c9/fortuity-duet

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rochelle Paige is the Amazon bestselling author of more than twenty books. She absolutely adores reading and her friends growing up used to tease her when she trailed after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. She loves stories with alpha males, sassy heroines, hot sex and happily ever afters. She is a bit of a genre hopper in both her reading and her writing. So far she’s written books in several romance sub-genres including new adult, contemporary, paranormal and romantic suspense.

She is the mother of two wonderful sons who inspired her to chase her dream of being an author. She wants them to learn from her that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

RochellePaige.jpg

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ rochellepaigeauthor/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1436132763270558/

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Ly1Tn

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ RochellePaige1 | @RochellePaige1

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ rochellepaigeauthor/ | @rochellepaigeauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ author/show/7328358.Rochelle_ Paige

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/ Rochelle-Paige/e/B00HEWGCFY

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/ profile/rochelle-paige

 

Even if it Breaks Me

**Please note, I suck at taking pictures so I definitely did NOT take the picture above. None of the pictures I have used, or will use, are mine. This one was from Dominique herself!**

arc review 1blurbevenifitbreaksmeAt fourteen years old, I loved him.
Hard.
So hard it hurt.
I loved him, but love isn’t what it was.
It was a game, a lie. And I would never be the same.
I fell in love with a liar, and when the truth was uncovered, he left my heart shattered and never looked back.
So I didn’t either. I moved on, went to college, and I lived my life without him, pushing thoughts of him away whenever they tried to break through the bubble I had created for myself.
I was twenty-four when he came back into my life, a month before I was set to marry someone else, someone who had pieced together the broken parts he had left behind.
I shouldn’t have agreed to meet with him, but I did. I had to.
My heart broke all over again.
My head and heart were officially at war.
I had a choice to make, and it should have been easy, but it wasn’t. Because whatever choice I made, head or heart, I knew it would break me.author16646808

Dominique Laura started off writing under the pen name Rosie C. but grew brave enough to transition to her real name (well, close enough to it). She loves to read and write whenever possible. She’s an advocate for love and happily ever afters, and she’s snarky and sarcastic. She lives in sunny Southern California with her dog, who she’s slightly obsessed with.

Facebook — Twitter — Instagram

review
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SHE DID IT AGAIN. Dominique Laura gave me another novel that had me in tears. This was emotional in a different way, because it’s the story of your first love. She gave me another YA/Contemporary Romance that I connected with on a level I didn’t know I could, since my first love, I thought, wasn’t like Jade’s. My first love was different because it didn’t last years, like Jade’s did. Mine was short (three months!), tumultuous, and definitely didn’t carry over to college. Hell, looking back, I don’t even know if it was love. But throughout the rest of high school, he definitely impacted my life. I’d get the call or text every few months, trying to be friends, and have to learn all over again he was a grade-A jerk.

I think our first love always holds a special place in our hearts. It’s the one I think teaches you the most about what you want in life. It’s the one that hurts the most. It’s the one you thought would last forever, even if your head (and everyone around you) told you it wouldn’t last. There’s manipulation, tears, fights, and happiness.

Going into this, especially with the prologue, I thought for sure I’d root for Jade’s first love. I mean, who doesn’t like to read about the guy you fell in love with, fought to be with, coming back into the girl’s life and they end up together? I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, much like Jade had, with her relationship with Dylan. What was going to be the thing that pushed her towards Tian?

But God, this was so much better. Because it was real.

Dominique eloquently and perfectly describes the falling in love so young, thinking it is going to be your everything, allowing someone to hurt and manipulate you into forgiving them, ignoring the signs they aren’t who you think they are, and the hurt that follows when you have to choose yourself over someone else. Someone you thought you loved. Someone you thought loved you. She describes the hardships of falling in love with someone new.

Dominique: Keep writing your amazing stories. They are beautiful, and you have a true gift! I will gladly have tissues and ice cream ready for every tale you weave, as long as you continue to do it.
Everyone else: GET THIS BOOK! And when it releases, look in the back for true lessons readers learned from their first love. (Which I will be getting just to read those stories).
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5star

Living In the Gray

arc review 1blurbin the gray“There isn’t always a clean beginning and ending to every story. Instead of something being black or white, it’s a mixture of both, forming a nice shade of gray.”

Writer Lori Stevens was eighteen when she was assaulted by her mentor, learning people aren’t always what they seem the hard way. She’s found solace living in the gray, keeping everyone at arm’s length with her secrets safely tucked away.
When the biggest story of her career hits too close to home, Lori is forced to face her demons and question everything—like her feelings for Steven Duncan.

Steven was meant to be nothing more than a failed one-night stand, but when a cruel twist of fate brings him back into her life, she begins falling for him.

There’s one slight problem: he’s dating her best friend.

Officer Steven Duncan is no stranger to tragedy, but that never stopped him from searching for his fairytale. Now, he’s dating the perfect girl, only it’s the wrong girl who feels right.

Steven is willing to fight for Lori—to step outside the boundaries of his black and white world—but can they find happiness living in the gray?

***This book can be read as a standalone***

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authoradmccammon

Amber McCammon is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and avid reader who also happens to write contemporary romance/women’s fiction. She currently has two self-published novels, In This Moment and Crushed. In the Gray, releasing April 19th, is the third book in her standalone series. The fourth is expected to release in late 2018.

Amber lives in Tennessee, born and raised, though she recently left her heart in the PNW. She’s a Ravenclaw, fall is her favorite season, and she believes that music is food for the soul.

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review
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First, Thank you. Thank you for writing this book. I don’t normally read love triangles, because they’re messy. I like romances because I escape from reality, and I’ve got enough mess in my life. But when I read the blurb for this book, and had an opportunity to read it, I asked for the chance. Something I forgot about emotional reads? They can rock your world, rip you apart from the inside out, and still leave you wanting more at the end.

Lori Stevens was not a like-able character. God, I wanted to shake her and scream at her so many times it’s not even funny. She has suffered heartache that no one ever should, so she’s been busy pushing everyone away, worrying about everyone else’s happiness, believing she doesn’t deserve it.

Steven Duncan is a nice guy, who I loved from the beginning, who chases Lori as much as possible, but she never lets up. When he meets someone new, someone who makes love easy, he takes it as a sign to move on. The problem? His perfect girl is Lori’s best friend, Cat. WHAT A MESS! Although I loved Steven from the beginning, LORD did I want to throat punch him sometimes. The relationship with Cat, though, allows both Steven and Lori to become close, under the guise of friendship.

There is no cheating happening in this book. Both Lori and Steven try to ignore their feelings for each other, try to be friends, for the sake of Cat. They do not cross physical boundaries. Not once.

Growing up, I think I’ve had the “what is rape?” talk many times. I had to watch a video starring Kristen Stewart on my first day of college detailing date rape, and other kinds of rape. When I watched the video, I felt my heart in my throat thinking “Wait, that’s rape? That’s assault?” They still didn’t cover being groomed for assault. They didn’t talk about the stigma that follows you when you try to report something that happened. “Should women be arrested for falsely reporting rape?” pictures are all over different social media on any given day. We still live in a world that tries to blame the victim because they don’t understand that even though you didn’t say no, or you said no then said yes, you do not want to be in the situation you’re in. This book had me in tears, telling the story of three women suffering from assault that they were trained to believe was not assault. They were manipulated and lied to, so they would keep quiet and never tell their story.

So thank you, A.D. McCammon. Thank you for writing this story. Thank you for giving me Lori and Steven to stay with me forever. Thank you for telling a story that needed to be told. This will be a book I recommend to anyone I can, because it’s that good, and that heartbreaking. Thank you for writing a story about a side of assault we (at least I) don’t normally hear about. Just, thank you.

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5star

Something So Unscripted

blurbnatashamadisonZack 
Finding my teammate in bed with my wife made the decision I had been fighting with for years easier.
It’s time to move on.
A fresh start and a new NHL team in a big city. Most importantly, it’s my son Jack’s best shot.
It would be both of our best shots.
Denise 
After a bad childhood, I made sure I would succeed.
The problem is I die a little with each patient I lose. It’s part of my career at Hudson Children’s Oncology Hospital, but it doesn’t make the sting of loss any easier.
Seeking anything other than a life saved isn’t on my agenda until a NHL player walks into my hospital with his son.
We’re officially off script the moment we meet.
If this love is anything, it’s unscripted.

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authornatasha madisonWhen her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

 

review
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I am so completely and utterly wrecked by this book. I won a copy of this book in a giveaway (join Madison’s Maniacs for updates and more giveaways ;)) from the amazing Women Who Stare At Books, Yamina. I laughed, I cried, I smiled so hard my cheeks hurt, and I died a little on the inside when this book finished. Single parent books always tug at the heart strings, but this one got me. It got me.

Sports star? Check.
Single dad? Check.
Little boy that’s so loveable you want to hug him and squeeze him? Check.
Evil birth mother? Check.
Heroine that loves the little boy like her own? Check.
Big, epic, crazy families? Check.
Alpha males? Check.
DOUBLE EPILOGUE? Check.

Seriously, does this book need anything else? Besides being turned into a movie? This book was so fantastic, I wish I could give it more than five stars. Zack and Denise were so freaking amazing as individuals, but they come together and it’s indescribable how awesome they are. And God, little Jack makes me weep with how strong he is. I want to be just like him when I grow up.

I read Something So Irresistible in preparation for this book, and read it in like five hours, then immediately picked up SSU and just devoured the whole thing. I stayed up all night to read this book. It is that good.  Natasha Madison has somehow created an alpha male that wants to rip someone’s head off for even thinking about his girl, while also being able to show his emotions without being thought of as weak (and Zack has so many reasons to show how he’s feeling). It was so amazing and wonderful to be able to read about a man crying, and not one iota of teasing from anyone else. They are able to fully, whole heatedly, fall in love and wreck me emotionally in the process.

This has got to be, hands down, one of the best novels I’ve read this year (and I’ve read a ton of amazing books this year). This book will forever stay with me. I will come back to Jack, Denise, and Zack when I’m needing strength, when I need to smile, or when I need to drool over some hockey players (lets go NJ Devils!). I’m begging you, go pick this book up today. Now. Buy it in paperback, ebook, I don’t care. You need to read this book. You need to have Natasha Madison in your life, and you need the Morrows, Grants, Hortons, and Stones in your life. You need the Stingers.
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5star