Review – Revelry by Kandi Steiner

Title: Revelry
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: April 20, 2017
Add to TBR

From the bestselling author of Weightless and A Love Letter to Whiskey

Wren Ballard is trying to find herself.

She never expected to be divorced at twenty-seven, but now that the court date has passed, it’s official. The paperwork is final. Her feelings on it aren’t.

Spending the summer in a small mountain town outside Seattle is exactly what she needs. The peaceful scenery is a given, the cat with the croaky meow is a surprise, but the real kicker? A broody neighbor with nice arms, a strange reputation, and absolutely no interest in her.

Anderson Black is perfectly fine being lost.

He doesn’t care about the town’s new resident — he’s too busy fighting his own demons. But when he’s brought face to face with Wren, he can see her still-fresh wounds from a mile away. What he doesn’t see coming is his need to know who put them there — or his desperation to mend them.

Sometimes getting lost is the way to find yourself. Sometimes healing only adds a new scar. And sometimes the last place you expected to be is exactly where you find home.

BFF K’s Review of Revelry

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Kandi Steiner has done it again! I wanted to bathe in absolutely every syllable of Revelry. If Revelry were a bubble bath, it would be a HUGE two-person tub, full of steaming hot water and inches of thick, foamy, delicious smelling suds. You’ll want to settle in and lose yourself in the sheer indulgence.

Revelry is the beautiful story of losing your love and losing yourself, but finding your way back to even better versions of both. Wren Ballard is lively, beautiful, talented, caring and heartbroken. She’s finding her way out of a recent divorce that has rocked her to the core. Anderson Black is still reeling from a tragic accident that changed his life forever. Wren and Anderson are drawn to both the pain and the promise they see in one another.

Revelry is exquisitely written. I wanted to read slowly and memorize. I’ve highlighted dozens upon dozens of sentences and passages. Kandi Steiner’s writing and characters continue to get better and better with every book she writes!

You’ll want to soak up every magnificently crafted word and phrase. Don’t miss a minute you could be spending with this story, one-click today!

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

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About the Author

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

 

 

 

New Release – Dear Agony by Georgia Cates

 

 

Dear-Agony-eBook-Cover-Square-1Dear Agony,

You’ve been my shadow, following me through childhood—filling my days and nights with terror and uncertainty. You cleverly disguised yourself as some form of pain or suffering as I grew into a young woman. We were unwavering companions … until I severed our ties.

I traded homelessness on the streets of New Orleans for a luxurious bed covered by the finest linens.

I traded dumpster diving for dinner in the finest restaurants.

I traded myself to a stranger—Bastien Pascal.

I have a good life within my platonic and mutually beneficial companionship with Bash.

He’s my friend. My mentor. My roommate.

Until everything changes.

I’m not supposed to get goosebumps when his hand brushes my skin.

I’m not supposed to be eager for his soothing touch following one of my nightmares.

I’m not supposed to think about what might happen if I reached out to him in the darkness.

Falling in love with him? Preposterous . . . unavoidable.

Agony, why are you back with a vengeance to rob me of this life I’ve come to love so dearly?

I’m finally happy. Don’t ruin this for me.

Always yours,

Rose

 

In this epic love story, Dear Agony forges a connection between an unlikely pair—a beautiful rose entwined in barbed wire and a shipwreck sinking into the darkest depths of the ocean. This agonizing romantic novel poses some gut-wrenching questions: What does a woman do when the man she loves is planning his own demise? And how far will she go to give him something to live for?

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

AMAZON

 

 

Dear Agony Teaser 6

 

Excerpt from Dear Agony

Chapter 14

Bastien’s POV

Bringing Rose on at PPI has proven to be one of my best decisions ever. Not only is she the best assistant I could have hired, I get to have her near me all of the time. Win-win.

But not everyone is happy about Rose’s employment at the firm. Wendy is less than thrilled, but I’m proud of the way Rose handles herself. Kill her with kindness. That’s Rose’s MO where Wendy is concerned, yet she has this clever way of putting the woman in her place.

Rose is sitting on my office sofa. She’s in deep concentration reading the paperwork for PPI’s newest property so she doesn’t notice me looking over to steal glances at her.

That red dress fits her like a glove, showing just the right amount of leg. And those mile-high leopard-print heels . . . hot, hot, hot. I love having her at the office with me, but damn, she makes it hard to concentrate, especially when she’s working in my office instead of hers.

She looks up from the paperwork and opens her mouth to speak but stops when she catches me ogling her. She smiles and her brow wrinkles. “What?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I know. Why are you looking at me like that?”

I’m curious to hear how she perceives the way I watch her. “What kind of way am I looking at you?”

Her smile deepens and she glances away. “Never mind.”

“I want to know. How am I looking at you?”

She glances over at me and then down again. “Like you want something.”

The woman couldn’t be more right. I do want something. Her. “What do you think I want?”

She tilts her head to the side and grins as she nibbles her bottom lip. That lip I want to suck into my mouth and then bite and kiss at the same time because I can’t decide which I’d rather do.

“Tell me. What do you think I want?” I’m curious to see how far I can take this conversation. How much I can get her to admit about the way she interprets my gaze. She might be inexperienced, but surely she can see I want her.

Rose is so different from any other woman I’ve ever wanted. She’s delicate. Fragile. Innocent. She doesn’t know how to play the seduction game, yet she has seduced my heart, body, and soul.

I need her.

I want her.

I love her.

 

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About the Author

IMG_4677Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Representation: All questions regarding subsidiary rights for any of my books, inquiries regarding foreign translation and film rights should be directed to Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich.

 

Review – Lost in Scotland by Hilaria Alexander

 

Just when you think you’re lost, you might end up falling in love.

Sam Farouk is having a bad year. Things went down the drain ever since she found her boyfriend cheating on her at the Golden Globes. An unfortunate turn of events forces her to trade sunny Los Angeles with the rainy, chilly highlands of Scotland. She has the chance to work as one of the makeup artists on a new TV series based on a fantasy saga everyone is bananas about, but she can’t help feeling lost and a little bit homesick. Until she starts falling for Hugh MacLeod, the actor set to impersonate the titular role of Abarath, dragon slayer and part-time Casanova.

Hugh MacLeod is ready for his big break. After more than a decade taking every possible acting job just to stay afloat, he can finally show his range in a series to be proud of. Hugh’s commitment to his career comes before anything else, and that’s part of the reason why he hasn’t had a serious relationship in a while. But the more he’s around Sam, the more he knows he’s in deep, deep trouble. How is he supposed not to fall for the sexy, mysterious brunette who works all over him every single day? Every touch, every look is torture.

Getting lost in each other might be wrong, but it could end up being just what they need.

Title: Lost in Scotland
Author: Hilaria Alexander
Release Date: Feb 1, 2017
  

BFF K’s Review of Lost in Scotland

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Lost in Scotland is a fun and flirty story of loosing your way and finding yourself in a place and a person  you never expected!

Sam is running from a bad relationship and some bad decisions. She takes the opportunity to reinvent herself in a new country, working on a new show. She is soon drawn to the uber-handsome and super sweet star of the show. Hugh has been working steadily and flirting with moderate success as an actor and this new show is finally his opportunity to achieve career notoriety.

When Hugh and Sam are forced to work together on a consistent basis they each find so many things to like about one another. Attraction soon gives way to real feelings. But, how can they balance their careers and their growing fondness for each other?

Lost in Scotland is a sweet and straightforward story with enjoyable characters, picturesque settings and a unique premise. You’ll enjoy watching Hugh and Sam’s love story unfold. It’s a wonderful little feel-good book that you should be sure to add to your TBR!

 

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

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About the Author

Hilaria Alexander
Hello! I’m the author of Prude, This Love and FU Cancer. I was born and raised in Italy but now I live in Oklahoma City with my husband and kids. I love traveling and I’m a self-proclaimed concert addict. If you have questions about me or my books, ask me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
  

 

 

Review – Stay by A.L. Jackson

Stay

A Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel

 

“Stay is a power, heart-wrenching story that will consume you heart and soul, leaving you utterly breathless days after the last page is read.” – Kelly Elliott New York Times bestselling author

From NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson comes the next sexy, gripping Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel…

I’m Ash Evans.
The life of the party.
Hot. Rich. Charismatic.
A tattooed rock star with the world at my feet.
I burn through women faster than the strike of a match.

I’ve embraced my lifestyle and live it to the fullest.
Until the day my lifestyle caught up to me.

Willow Langston found me at my lowest.
Literally.
Facedown in a puddle of my own blood.

I owe her my life and I have three months to repay that debt.
What I never should have done was touch her. Kiss her. Take her to my bed.

Love wasn’t supposed to be a part of the equation.
I gave up that nasty complication a long damned time ago.
Now I want her more than my next breath.
But she doesn’t know what I know.

Do I leave to protect her? Or can I face my demons and ask her to Stay?

 

Get Your Copy TODAY

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Celebrate the release in A.L. Jackson’s reader group with games, giveaways and more!
http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock

BFF K’s Review of Stay

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Ash Evans is the jokester of the Sunder Crew. He’s the comic relief in a band known more for thrashing than ballads. Ash is the good guy, life of the party, always ready with a quip or a flirtatious comment, but underneath shiny veneer is a wounded soul. When he opens his eyes to Willow Langston as he lays broken and bleeding outside her shop, he’s drawn to her in ways he doesn’t understand.

The story of Ash and Willow is not a comedy. Stay is not a light-hearted romp….It’s more of a ‘rip your heart out, crush it bit by bit and destroy it’ kind of book. But, there is growth that comes from pain for both of the main characters and a redemption that is so perfect, it might go down as one of my all-time favorite “grand gestures”!

Stay is the perfect compliment to the rest of the books in the Bleeding Stars Series. But, you don’t have to read the others to enjoy the saga of Ash and Willow. I have loved these characters since I first clicked play on the audio for Where Lightning Strikes and I’ve been invested ever since. I’m a girl who typically avoids angst at all cost. But, this series is so incredible that I will gladly open the book knowing that it will rip my heart to shreds more than once before it’s over. And, the pain is worth every turn of the page. A.L. Jackson’s writing is picturesque and poetic and a pure joy to read. I absolutely recommend, Stay and all of the stories in the Bleeding Stars Series.

 

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

Giveaway

 

About the Author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, as well as the newest BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for the next installments, WAIT and STAY, coming in 2016.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://bit.ly/NewsFromALJackson or text “jackson” to 96000 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Facebook
Reader Group
A.L. Jackson Newsletter
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Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor

Reviews – Not the One & That One Moment from Amy Daws

My name is Reyna Miracle.
Even though a part of my name is Miracle, there’s nothing miraculous about me.
My body portrays the tales of my life.
Every feeling, every heartbreak, every emotion.
Marked. Inked. Stained.
A walking canvas of my messed up truth.

But there’s one confession I can’t put in a tattoo.
A confession that will kill me to tell, but my best friend died before I had the chance.

Now I’m left with him.
The only one who can hold me in the night and squeeze that spot on my neck that feels like my lifeline between sanity and chaos.

But we don’t work together.
We’re absolute poison for each other.
We’re a stifling, suffocating, sickness of darkness.

But I feel safe…because I’ve made an art of pushing people away.

Now he’s pushing back…
And making me believe…
Making me wonder…
Maybe, just maybe…
I could be the one.

✦A London Lovers Series Spin Off✦
✦Reads Great As a Standalone✦

Life is a series of reoccurring ripples in time.
The moment I saw her…something shifted.
The moment my lips touched hers…life got messy.
The moment my heart got involved…everything changed.

Vi Harris tests every bit of my strength.
She is my test.
My challenge.
At a time when I should be focusing entirely on myself, this radiant woman with a bright, cheeky smile and a cracked sense of humor waltzes in and spins everything on its axis.
She has the potential to make me weak at a time when I’m determined to show everyone just how bloody strong I am.

Yet somehow, she sees me differently.
She see’s right through my darkness.
My pain.
My despair.
She doesn’t see me as broken.
She sees me as the man I’m fighting so hard to be.
The man that I’m still struggling to see myself.
But resisting her is proving to be even more difficult than my past…

✦A London Lovers Spin Off✦
✦Reads Great as a Standalone✦

 

BFF K’s Reviews of Not The One & That One Moment

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Not the One is a complicated story of love and loss, making the wrong decisions, and making things right. Reyna is incredibly complex as are her relationships with everyone in her life. There’s her BFF Hayden, her BFF Marissa, her mother and Liam. What a tangled web of angst and heartbreak. But, Reyna is a fighter and she fights her way out of the darkness that threatens to overtake them all. And the light at the end of the tunnel looks a lot like love! The story is wonderful and the audio narration is solid. I definitely recommend adding this to your TBL! (To Be Listened)

That One Moment is the beautiful story of two souls who come together to be a part of something larger than either one alone. Hayden believes he is damaged and broken. But, Vi doesn’t see him that way. She recognizes the trauma he’s experienced but sees beyond those attributes. Vi has had her own challenges and finds that her relationship with Hayden heals some of her wounds as well. The story contains a fair amount of angst, but also reveals a heartwarming romance for two people who deserve happiness. The audiobook is presented in duet style narration and is an absolutely joy to listen to! You don’t want to miss the story or the listening experience!

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About the Author

Amy Daws lives in South Dakota with her husband, and miracle daughter, Lorelei. The long-awaited birth of Lorelei is what inspired Amy’s first book, Chasing Hope, and her passion for writing. Amy is a lover of all things British and her award-nominated contemporary romance series, The London Lovers Series, is centered around Americans in London. It’s emotional and self-deprecating with lots of humor sprinkled in.
On most nights, you can find Amy and her family dancing to Strawberry Shortcake’s theme song or stuffing themselves inside children’s-sized playhouses because there is nothing they wouldn’t do for their little miracle.
   

Review – Any Time, Any Place by Jennifer Probst

9781501124266

ANY TIME, ANY PLACE by Jennifer Probst

Billionaire Builders, #2 – Coming January 24, 2017

 

HGTV’s Property Brothers meets The Marriage Bargain in this second volume in the Billionaire Builders series, an all-new heart-wrenching and sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.

When she was a teen, Raven Bella Stratton’s father was killed in a horrible car crash. The bigger shock was the discovery of a woman with him—Diana Pierce—and their two fully packed suitcases with airline tickets to Paris. Devastated by her father’s betrayal, Raven went to live with her aunt, never truly overcoming the traumatic event. When she discovers that the mysterious woman had a family with a husband and three boys, Raven vows to leave the memory of her father behind.

Until Dalton Pierce visits one night and suddenly her past challenges her future…

Leaving his life in California behind to run Pierce Construction with his two older brothers, Dalton Pierce has enjoyed returning home and studying his passion of woodworking. But when he visits the local bar with his brothers one evening, he’s immediately drawn to the smart-mouthed, badass, sexy bartender who sets his body on fire. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem as intrigued by him, and his multiple advances are met with rejection. When he offers to restore the bar back to its original glory, he begins to work with her on a daily basis, and falls harder. His plan of seduction slowly weaves a web around them both, until they are caught up in the spell. But Dalton doesn’t know the secret that can either destroy them both…or finally mend two broken hearts.

 

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PRE-ORDER IT NOW

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Purchase in Paperback

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BFF K’s Review of Any Time, Any Place

rating_4.5

 

Holy Heartbreaking Angst Alert – I was not expecting that from this story. Jennifer Probst always delivers heartfelt emotion and very real characters. Any Time, Any Place is no exception. The storyline and cast of characters are rich and engaging and fully developed. Even with the angst, this book is a joy to read.

Raven and Dalton share a complicated past linked together by a tragic, life-altering accident. While both have struggled, they’ve deluded themselves into believing they understand and have accepted their parents’ seemingly rash decisions. It is not until they are confronted with one another and their intricate connections that they realize how little they have accepted and understood. The path to that place is strewn with bad decisions and hurt feelings. But, those emotions are scattered among some truly romantic notions and seductive moments.

Raven and Dalton are incredibly strong characters so well developed and lovingly crafted that you’ll understand, care for and respect each of them. Raven is independent and self-assured. But, she has to challenge herself to be vulnerable and open. Dalton is constantly trying to prove himself worthy and shows himself to be a man of honesty and passion.

Any Time, Any Place is the 2nd book in the Billionaire Builders Series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. And, while it is filled with angst and some really raw emotion, it is also filled with love and romance and really terrific characters! This is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated series and this installment should not be missed!

 

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

 

 

 

PURCHASE THE PREVIOUS BOOK IN THE SERIES

Read BFF K’s Review of Every Where And Every Way

Everywhere and Every Way

PURCHASE EVERYWHERE AND EVERY WAY NOW

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About the Author

Jennifer ProbstJennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon’s Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

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Review – Someone Like You by Lauren Layne

A man who’s living a lie—until his dream woman takes away the pain.

 

SOMEONE LIKE YOU

Oxford #3

Lauren Layne

Releasing Dec 6th, 2016

Loveswept

 

Lauren Layne’s bestselling Oxford Series continues with the poignant, heartwarming story of New York’s most eligible bachelor, Lincoln Mathis, a man who’s living a lie—until his dream woman takes away the pain.

Lincoln Mathis doesn’t hide his reputation as Manhattan’s ultimate playboy. In fact, he cultivates it. But behind every flirtatious smile, each provocative quip, there’s a secret that Lincoln’s hiding from even his closest friends—a tragedy from his past that holds his heart quietly captive. Lincoln knows what he wants: someone like Daisy Sinclair, the sassy, off-limits bridesmaid he can’t take his eyes off at his best friend’s wedding. He also knows that she’s everything he can never have.

After a devastating divorce, Daisy doesn’t need anyone to warn her off the charming best man at her sister’s wedding. One look at the breathtakingly hot Lincoln Mathis and she knows that he’s exactly the type of man she should avoid. But when Daisy stumbles upon Lincoln’s secret, she realizes there’s more to the charming playboy than meets the eye. And suddenly Daisy and Lincoln find their lives helplessly entwined in a journey that will either heal their damaged souls . . . or destroy them forever.

Buy Links     

Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

BFF K’s Review of Someone Like You

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Since the first book in the Oxford Series, I have been drawn to Lincoln Mathis. He has been an enigma. The ladies man with a heart of gold, just a little too polished and a little too perfect. Lincoln seemed to romance half of Manhattan, but that character never quite meshed with the wonderful person who created deep and meaningful relationships with his charming group of friends.

Enter Daisy Sinclair (twin sister of Emma and new sister-in-law of Cassidy, Lincoln’s boss.) Lincoln and Daisy meet serving as Best Man and Maid of Honor at the wedding and their connection is instant but not romantic. As the backstories of both characters are revealed, your heart will break for them. But, the way they heal themselves and each other is what makes this book a wonderful read. The first moment they ALMOST give into their attraction is one of the hottest no-sex-sexy-scenes I’ve read. But, don’t worry, there’s plenty of steam!

There is angst and tears, but also hope and sweetness and romance and love. It is all wrapped up in this wonderful group of “friends as family.” Lincoln and Daisy are one of my most favorite couples in the series. I’m not ready to say goodbye, so I’m glad that Lauren Layne has announced one more book in the Oxford Series. I have read all of them and highly recommend them (as I do everything by Lauren Layne) BUT you don’t need to read the other books in the series to thoroughly enjoy Lincoln and Daisy’s love story.

Someone Like You is a solid, sweet, romance with terrific characters and all the feels. You definitely want to add this book (the whole series really) to your TBR today! Lincoln and Daisy’s story was worth the wait!

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Advance praise for Someone Like You

“Fun and flirty, sassy and steamy, with a deep emotional pull that will keep you turning the pages.”—Kelly Jamieson, author of Top Shelf

“An unsung hero with a story that touched my heart. Emotional and gripping. A top favorite of 2016 for me.”New York Times bestselling author Melanie Moreland

About the Author

Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart–cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian.In 2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan, and never looked back.In her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.For a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official website!

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

 

Review – After We Fall by Melanie Harlow

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After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
Publication Date: November 28th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Jack Valentini isn’t my type.

Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave.

Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so.

But I’ve got a PR job to do for his family’s farm, so he’s stuck with me for ten days, and I’m stuck with him. His glares. His moods. His tight jeans. His muscles.

His huge, hard muscles.

Pretty soon there’s a whole different kind of tension between us, the kind that has me misbehaving in barns, trees, and pickup trucks. I’ve never done anything so out of character—but it feels too good to stop.

And the more I learn about the grieving ex-Army sergeant, the better I understand him. Losing his wife three years ago left him broken and bitter and blaming himself. He doesn’t think he deserves a second chance at happiness.

But he’s wrong.

I don’t need to be his first love. If only he’d let me be his last.

“Second chances are not given to make things right, but are given to prove that we could be even better after we fall.” —Unknown

BFF K’s Review of After We Fall

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After We Fall is a touching, emotional, well-developed story of loss and love, finding your true self, and having a second chance at a Happily Ever After.

Jack Valentini is damaged. He is sullen, grouchy, and set in his ways. All of those traits hide a man who is achingly damaged. Both a soldier and a widower he truly believes himself unworthy of a second chance at happiness.

Margot is the picture perfect upper crust, trust-fund-daughter. Though she desperately wants to find a life that is uniquely hers and more impactful than the checks she writes and the fundraisers she attends.

Margot goes to help Jack’s family with their business but finds that she really wants to help Jack himself. Their relationship is flirty and sweet while at the same time passionate and disruptive.

After We Fall contains the signature emotions and the steam that I expect from a Melanie Harlow novel. This book elicited more tears than I usually have when reading one of her stories, but it is not a bad thing. The book was emotional and really fantastic! I highly recommend this touching, romantic, character-driven story about taking a second chance at Happily Ever After.

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

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Excerpt

“Wow,” she said, shutting the screen door behind her. “That was close. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.” I crossed my arms, wishing I’d thought to grab a shirt. “Want to tell me what you were doing out there?”

Her cheeks colored. “Um, I was taking a run.”

“Up a tree?”

She laughed nervously. “No. Well, I didn’t start out in a tree. That happened later.”

I cocked my head, unable to resist giving her a hard time. Not so sure of yourself now, are you, Barbie? “Oh yeah?”

“Yes. See, I left the cottage I’m renting without using the bathroom by mistake,” she began, twisting her fingers together, “and I was planning on running a loop around the farm, but it’s bigger than I thought.”

“Ah. So you were looking for a bathroom in the woods?”

“Well, yes.” She swallowed. “Sort of. But then I heard a splash and saw you…” Her cheeks were practically purple now.

I played dumb. “Saw me what?”

“Saw you naked, OK?” she blurted, throwing her hands up. “I admit it—I saw you naked.”

I had no hangups about nudity, but I was damn serious about my privacy, and about people sneaking up on me. But her embarrassment was funny. The two times I’d seen her before, she’d been so polished and poised. It felt good to put her in her place a little. “So you climbed a tree for a better view, is that it?”

Bowing her head, she dragged the toe of one shoe across the wood planks of the porch floor. “Something like that.” Then she looked up at me. Took a breath. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I was—I mean, I got—I couldn’t—” She sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “I have no excuse. Will you accept my apology?”

She was prettier without makeup, I decided. And the way she wore her hair off her face emphasized the wideness of her eyes, the angle of her cheekbones, the arch of her brows. Her lips didn’t need all that glossy crap, either. They were a perfect rosy pink, and I wondered if they’d feel as soft as they looked.

Fuck. I hadn’t kissed anyone in three years.

Clearing my throat, I took a step back. “Yeah. It’s fine.” Now get out of here.

She didn’t move. “So you’re not going to fire me?”

“I never hired you.”

“I know. But I really want this job. I think I can help, Jack. I know I can.”

“Suit yourself. I want nothing to do with it.” My name on her lips was trouble. Needing some distance from her, I started walking toward the dock to get my shoes and socks, but she followed me. God, she was a pest. It reminded me of the way Steph used to tag along after the boys when we were kids, wanting to get in our games.

“Are you going to be like this the entire time I’m here?” she asked.

“Like what?”

“Moody and uncooperative?”

“Probably.”

“Why? Do you hate me that much?”

“I don’t hate anybody. I just don’t see why we should pay some city girl who’s never set foot on a farm to advise us.” We reached the dock, and I leaned down to get my stuff.

“I’m not even asking to be paid, so piss off!” she shouted, her voice carrying on the water.

I straightened. “Oh, you’re working for free?”

“Yes!”

“Then you’re an idiot. Or so rich you don’t need the money.”

“I’m not an idiot,” she said through clenched teeth.

“So you’re rich, then.” I don’t know why I was being such an asshole. But for some reason, I did not want to let her see another side of me, or see another side to her. “I should have guessed.”

She crossed her arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you look like you’ve led a charmed life. Like you’ve had everything you’ve ever wanted handed to you. Like you’ve never gotten your hands dirty.”

“So get them dirty.”

I almost fell off the dock. “What?”

“Get them dirty. Teach me about working this farm. I want to learn.”

Was she serious? The last thing I needed was to drag her ass around all day, explaining things. Or stare at her ass all day, imagining things. But one look at her defiant face and I shook my head. “Why do I feel like if I say no, you’ll just keep bothering me?”

She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, rocking forward on her toes. “Because I will. I don’t like being told no.”

“Of course you don’t.” Jesus, she was trouble. A bad apple—smooth and shiny on the outside, spoiled rotten on the inside. But for no good reason, I found myself giving in. “Fine. Go change your clothes.”

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About the Author

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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Review – Managed by Kristen Callihan

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managed-amazonIt started off as a battle of wits. Me: the ordinary girl with a big mouth against Him: the sexy bastard with a big…ego.

I thought I’d hit the jackpot when I was upgraded to first class on my flight to London.

That is until HE sat down next to me. Gabriel Scott: handsome as sin, cold as ice. Nothing and no one gets to him. Ever. He’s a legend in his own right, the manager of the biggest rock band in the world, and an arrogant ass who looks down his nose at me.

I thought I’d give him hell for one, long flight. I didn’t expect to like him. I didn’t expect to want him. But the biggest surprise? He wants me too. Only in a way I didn’t see coming.

If I accept his proposal, I leave myself open to falling for the one man I can’t manage. But I’m tempted to say yes. Because the real man beneath those perfect suits and that cool façade just might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I just might be the only one who can melt the ice around his heart.

 

Let the battle begin…

 

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BFF K’s Review of Managed

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Managed is the story of a buttoned-up, controlled, self-possessed man who comes completely unraveled by the love of a good woman. This opposites attract tale, set in the world of rock-and-roll, will leave you begging for more! I just turned off the Kindle and I’m already craving more from the guys who make up Kill John, the hottest rock band around.

But, in a sweet twist, this book isn’t about one of the on-stage Heroes, no, this is the story of their manager. Gabriel Scott has his hands full managing the world’s most popular band. He lords over his domain and everyone in it with an iron-will. When he meets Sophie Darling on a plane, his whole world starts to shift. Suddenly, nothing seems to matter but her. There are shadows in Sophie’s past, but the light is shined on those fairly early. Managed is full of the most delicious angst. The love story for Gabriel and Sophie is a slow burn that explodes with intensity and passion.

I really, really, love these characters. Kristen Callihan has created the fantastic world that rotates around Kill John. Each of the characters has a distinctive point-of-view and role to play in the stories. Their bonds with one another add depth and color to book. But, the coming books will have to work hard to live up to the love story of Scottie and Sophie. If you’re looking for a great read, check out this well-developed, opposites attract, rock-and-role love story. You won’t be sorry for one-clicking this chart topper!

 

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

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Excerpt

In all this time, I had yet to see Gabriel without a shirt. He hides his body like a pious Victorian, never letting me see anything other than him fully dressed and polished. Now I know why. Had he let me get a glimpse, I might never have been able to form a coherent thought around him.

This man’s chest is a work of art. It’s every fantasy I’ve had about a man’s body made real. I don’t even know how that’s possible, but I’m not about to complain. God, he looks touchable. Olive skin, tight little brownish nipples, a smattering of dark chest hair over the most incredibly honed—

“You’re staring.” His tone is dry.

“Yes, I am.” I drag my eyes up and find his expression bemused.

A thick brow lifts. I try to mimic the look and fail when both of my brows lift as one. His lips twitch in amusement.

He shifts his weight, causing his abs to clench. Good Lord. He’s not some overdeveloped gym worshiper, just solid and strong, that perfect balance between defined musculature and healthy male—

“You’re still staring, Sophie.”

“You think it’s easy looking away from all this splendor?” I ask his belly button, licking my lips when he huffs out a laugh and just a little bit more of his lower abs are revealed, slanting toward the thick bulge of his cock, which is lamentably hidden behind his slacks.

“You’re impossible,” he mutters, though there is humor in his voice. He strolls farther into the room and then practically kills me when he sits in one of the low-slung armchairs. That body, sprawled out on display, those thick, long thighs braced as if to take me in his lap—it’s too much.

I want to straddle him and lick my way from the hollow of his throat to the tip of his cock.

He eyes me as if he knows what I’m thinking, and the air thickens. So many things we left unsaid. I’m remembering his lips now, surprisingly soft, but strong with purpose.

From the way his lids lower, I wonder if he’s remembering things as well. But he doesn’t move. Tension glides over his body and snakes around the room. I feel it in my throat and down my spine. We’re closing up again, retreating.

Slowly, I toe off my shoes and set my gear down, never breaking eye contact. “I was being completely honest,” I tell him. “I see you like this and I want to stare forever.”

He snorts, shaking his head even as he rests his temple on his knuckles. “What do you mean ‘like this’?”

“Undone.”

He tenses. It does lovely things to that chest. I focus on his face, mainly to maintain some semblance of decorum.

“You think this is me undone?” he asks quietly.

“It’s a start.” I reach for my camera bag. “Will you let me photograph you?”

There is safety to be found with the camera between us. A way for both of us to hide until we’re comfortable around each other again.

“You’re serious?”

“You sound surprised.” Holding my camera, I sit in the sofa opposite him. “Don’t tell me no one has asked to take your picture before.”

“They’ve asked. I never saw the point.” He shrugs. “I’m not the story.”

You’re my story. You always were.

“This is just for me,” I say instead. “No one else.”

His shrewd gaze pins me. “Why do you want this?”

So I can have a bit of you forever. “Pictures capture moments in time. I want this one—when you finally let me see a sliver of the man behind the clothes.”

His nostrils flare on an indrawn breath, and he slowly lets it out. When he speaks, his voice is a rasp. “Take the pictures.”

 

 

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About the Author

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Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal , best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

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Review – Serenading the Shadows by Jodie Larson

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No one should have their life planned out at the age of three. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Adrienne Carmichael. Paving the way as the “piano prodigy” was all her parents wanted…

Only she didn’t.

All she wished for was to be normal, to be a regular teenager and everything that came with it – including the decisions that would shape her life.

Wish granted.

Ten years later, scarred and broken, she knows that being alone isn’t everything she imagined. The piano is finally everything, except nobody will ever hear her play again. All that changes when a sexy-as-sin rock god blows into her life. Tall and tattooed with jet-black hair and a dangerous bad-boy smile…he’s every girl’s fantasy.

To her, he’s a distraction, yet Kade Evans is everything she shouldn’t want. Instinct tells her to run, but she can’t get him out of her mind.

But maybe, just maybe, he can be the one to pull her from the shadows before the darkness swallows her…for good.

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BFF K’s Review of Serenading the Shadows

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Adrienne has been living, but not truly alive. Since the tragedy that rocked her world, she’s barely been functioning. All of that changes when her path crosses with Kade Evans, rock god. She is carefully drawn out of the corners she’s been cowering in. And, Kade is….well Kade is one of the best book boyfriends ever: sweet, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, loving, patient, hot as hell! You’ll absolutely fall in love with him right along with Adrienne.

Jodie Larson delivers a series of sweet and touching scenes that will draw you in and invest you in these characters and their stories. There is a terrific cast of supporting characters. Adrienne has a BFF, Quinn, that I absolutely adore! She’s one of those supporting characters that reminds you of all of the best qualities in your own BFF’s. She’s supportive and fun, but delivers the honesty and tough love that only a bestie can!

Kade Evans is a rockstar, it’s how he makes his living, but I really don’t think of this as a rocker romance. Serenading the Shadows is really Adrienne’s story. This is the story of her fight for life and love. And, this is one battle that you definitely don’t want to miss!

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An advance copy of this book was received. Receipt of this copy did not impact the content or independence of this review.

 

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 About the Author

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Jodie Larson is a wife and mother to four beautiful girls, making their home in northern Minnesota along the shore of Lake Superior. When she isn’t running around to various activities or working her regular job, you can find her sitting in her favorite spot reading her new favorite book or camped out somewhere quiet trying to write her next manuscript. She’s addicted to reading (just ask her kids or husband) and loves talking books even more so with her friends. She’s also a lover of all things romance and happily ever afters, whether in movies or in books, as shown in her extensive collection of both.

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Other books written by Jodie Larson:

Fated to be Yours

Fated to be Mine

Lessons of the Heart

 

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