Review – Falling with Style by CM Foss

Lawrence and Steph Brooks spent years fighting their love, and then they fought their way back to each other. After earning their happy, swoon-worthy ending, they were intent on keeping it.

But a few years, a fledgling business, and a couple of kids later, Steph and Lawrence learn that falling in love was the easy part and happily ever after isn’t for sissies. With life bearing down on them, they can’t always escape the fall, but they can do it with style.

*Falling with Style is a companion novella to Swoon, but may be read as a standalone.*

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BFF K’s Review of Falling with Style

“The Happily Ever After is never the end, it’s just the beginning.” This is a quote from CM Foss about the premise behind Falling with Style, and I love this idea. The idea that the lives and loves of our favorite characters continue after we finish a books’ final chapter. This novella is really a continuation of Lawrence and Steph’s stories started in her previous books.

TRUE CONFESSION TIME…I haven’t read Swoon or Shiver – YET! I prove the theory that this book can be read as a stand-alone and it is perfectly enjoyable. BUT, now I am anxious to read Swoon and Shiver to get all of the back-stories that I know I’m missing.

I can relate to Lawrence and Steph. They’re busy. Full-time jobs and a full-time family, they’re trying to balance all of the important things in life and still find time for one another. There are a couple of instances of “interrupted romance” that had me laughing out loud. But, what spoke to me the most about this novella is the tenderness and commitment that Lawrence and Steph have for one another. With all of the distractions and frustrations, they love each other to the core. They’re committed to creating a joyful and fulfilling life together. That kind of love and devotion is truly a Happily Ever After.

An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

CM Foss is a hopeless romantic with a love for the written word. When she was little, her mom would ration her books so she wouldn’t go through them too quickly. It didn’t matter, she would just re-read. She’s always been an avid equestrian, competing in the top levels of Three Day Eventing by age seventeen. CM now resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and kids where they own and operate their own equestrian business, as well as raising grass-fed, sustainable meats. She doesn’t have this thing people call “free time”, but she does spend a weird amount of time writing, reading, playing with her kids, milking goats, and drinking wine, while avoiding bananas at all costs. Other books by CM Foss include Shiver, Swoon, and City Beautiful.

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Review – Claimed by Love by Melissa Foster

Family law attorney Gabriella Liakos has one true love, Elpitha Island, where she grew up and hopes someday to return. But Elpitha is in financial ruins, and Gabriella will do anything to keep it from falling into the wrong hands.

Duke Ryder is a savvy real estate investor set on making Elpitha into an exclusive resort. Unlike other investors, he’s not scared of purchasing a property where one family has roots so deep they practically reach the ocean floor…until he meets his beautiful, stubborn, and enticing tour host―the daughter of the owner of most of the island.

Gabriella sets out to dissuade Duke from purchasing Elpitha, but Duke has other ideas. He wants Gabriella and the island. Duke’s powerful seduction draws Gabriella in, but can a savvy investor who’s used to glamour and glitz, and a woman interested in preserving the culture she adores find a happily ever after together?

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Check out BFF K’s Review of Seized by Love – Ryders #1

BFF K’s Review of Claimed by Love

You have to be ok with Insta-Love….Just a warning about this story line. When Duke and Gabriella meet one another there is an instant chemistry and attraction that overwhelms them both. Their trip from strangers to soul mates is so quick it will leave you spinning. If you’re ok with Insta-Love, this is a really wonderful, romantic, heart-felt story.

Gabriella grew up on the fictional island of Elpitha. Though she spends her days as a successful family attorney in NYC, her heart longs to be on the island surrounded by family and friends. Duke comes to the island to consider the possibility of investing in the property and turning it into a bright and shiny playground for people with time and money to spend. But, when he meets Gabriella, his thoughts are only about saving the island and preserving her visions of both what it is and what it can be.

There is tension in the story, a push and pull of Gabriella and Duke learning one another and learning how to trust one another. (Though that’s not really surprising considering the short time they’ve known each other.) There is no denying the spark that ignites between the two and their roller coaster relationship is steamy and sweet, just be sure to hold on for the quick and wild ride!

If you can accept and embrace an Insta-Love story with a sweet and determined heroine and a protective, caring, committed alpha hero, then this is definitely a one-click. Claimed by Love is a solid romance that takes the reader on a fun little ride.

An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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About the Author

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

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Review – Where Lightning Strikes by A.L. Jackson

The BFF’s are thrilled to bring you an amazing review for Where Lightning Strikes by A.L. Jackson. This new release is an absolute must-read!

Do you know what it feels like right before lightning strikes? How you can feel the current running through your veins? The trembles of warning that ripple through the air? It was a thrill Tamar King chased all her life until it became the very thing she had to escape.

For the last four years, Tamar King has hidden herself in an isolated world she created. She was safe. No one could touch her. Until Lyrik West walked through her door.

He’s the lead guitarist for Sunder and everything she can never have. The dark and beautiful rock star becomes everything she craves.

Lyrik’s life has been devoted to his band and that success has cost him. Bitter, hard, and filled with regret, he refuses to lose himself again, but from the moment he sees her, he wants one night with Tamar King.

The gorgeous bartender is more than he bargained for. Their attraction is consuming. Their desire overpowering. With one touch, they ignite.

But is it worth the cost of getting burned?

She’s a gorgeous nightmare and he’s a wicked dream…

WHERE LIGHTNING STRIKES, a Bleeding Stars Stand-Alone Novel

Purchase Links

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BFF K’s Review

A.L. Jackson writes books that feel more like poetry or song lyrics. Her newest novel, Where Lightning Strikes is just another example of her exceptional writing. I always have to plan a little extra time when I start a book by A.L. Jackson. I know that her words and phrases are so lovely that I will definitely need time to re-read and savor them.

Where Lightning Strikes is the 3rd book in the Bleeding Stars series. We get glimpses of Sebastian and Shea (from books 1&2), but this book is really all Lyrik and Tamar. And, OMG – Lyrik….. If you’ve read the first two books in this series, you know that Sunder is a band with some baggage. The members of the band have been to hell and back together. They have stayed together and their loyalty to the band and to one another is remarkable. That loyalty has also been a tremendous burden for Lyrik. But, there is also a heartbreaking gentleness in this broken soul. He sees in Tamar a kindred spirit and he is drawn to her with a push and pull that’s irresistible.

Tamar is broken. But, she tries to shelter those broken pieces behind an armor of toughness. That shield protects her from everyone except Lyrik. He chips away at the barriers and burrows his way into her life. Tamar is a survivor, but will she survive Lyrik’s impact on her protective barrier and her heart?

Where Lightning Strikes is an emotional, angst-filled journey through the past, present and future for two broken and damaged souls who find courage, hope and love in one another. As much as I liked the first two books in this series, Where Lightning Strikes absolutely blew me away. While I tend to avoid the more angst-ridden, super emotional reads, I will make an exception to that for books by A.L. Jackson. With this novel, she has done it again. I’m left with both the tear tracks and the overwhelming hope and love she has crafted in every passage. This entire series is an absolute one-click recommendation!

An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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Check out BFF K’s Review for A Stone in the Sea, Book #1 in the Bleeding Stars Series

Check out BFF K’s Review for Drowning to Breathe, Book #2 in the Bleeding Stars Series

About the Author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary and new adult romance.

She first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three children.

Connect with A.L. Jackson online:www.aljacksonauthor.com

To stay up to date with important news on A.L. Jackson, including new releases, sales, and exclusive specials and excerpts, text “jackson” to 96000 to subscribe!

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Review – Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

BFF K’s Review

This is why I LOVE book signings! I had seen other bloggers talking about Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I thought it sounded interesting. I had seen it was a People Mag recommendation, but I wasn’t sure if I had time to read it. When I found out that the author would be attending Austin Book Fest, I made sure to put this book in my queue to read and I am so, so, so glad that I did!

Apparently there is a theory of physics that says for every decision we make in this universe a version of ourselves makes a different decision in another universe and our futures play out very differently. Maybe in Another Life introduces us to Hannah Martin. She’s been living a nomadic and unsettled life. She returns to LA where she grew up and spent her childhood. During her first night back at a gathering of friends, she is faced with a choice. Stay and spend time with her first love/high school boyfriend or go home with her best friend, Gabby. The rest of the book plays out those two choices in alternating chapters.

Maybe in Another Life is fascinating and engaging and absolutely delightful. The characters are complex and authentic. One of the ways I gauge a book is the impact has on me. Do I immediately want to shout about it to everyone I see? Do the characters or the premise stay with me long after the story ends? In this case, the answer to all of those questions is YES, YES, YES!

Jenkins Reid has written an absolutely fabulous tale of searching for your destiny and future. The ultimate conclusion is that you can decide to create your own happiness in whatever circumstances you choose. I can’t recommend this book strongly enough, it has a firm place on my “must read” list for anyone who asks!

(I know there are TWO ‘happily ever afters’ that is intentional!)

AND , the audio of this title is exceptional as well! I highly recommend a listen!

About the Author

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author, essayist, and TV writer from Acton, Massachusetts. Her debut novel, Forever, Interrupted, has been optioned with Dakota Johnson attached to star. Her second book, After I Do, was called a “must read” by Kirkus. Her most recent novel, Maybe In Another Life has been featured in People, Cosmo, Bustle, Good Housekeeping, PopSugar, USA Today and more.

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and their dog, Rabbit. You can follow her on Twitter @tjenkinsreid.

Review – Game Changer by Collette West

Title: Game Changer

Series: New York Kings #1

Author: Collette West

Genre: Sports Romance (18+)

Published: July 15, 2014

Young, rich, and unaware of how seriously hot he is, Brooks Davison is tearing it up as the latest shortstop for the New York Kings, despite his tendency to blush whenever girls scream his name.

When a health scare forces his best friend, Kyle Roberts, off the team, no one can stomach the thought of replacing him, especially so close to the playoffs.

Until Kyle’s sister, Sasha, steps in, convincing management to let her take his place. The idea of signing the first female player in Major League history proves too tempting for the Kings to resist.

Nevertheless, Brooks doesn’t want any part of it. Sasha is Kyle’s little sister, not some sideshow.

Yet when Kyle takes a turn for the worse, Brooks promises to do everything in his power to help Sasha win a championship for him. Because there’s no way he’s letting either of them down. Not now, not ever.

BFF K’s Review

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Game Changer is the first book in the New York Kings Series, each of the books in this baseball-themed, sports romance, series is a stand-alone with interconnected characters. I have now read book #1 and book #5 in the series and enjoyed them both. I’m anxious to read more of the stories from the NY Kings!

I love baseball and I consider myself to have above-average knowledge of the sport, for a girl. Game Changer does require a true baseball fan to envision a woman successfully playing for a major league team. Sasha Roberts is the little sister of three major league baseball playing brothers. She’s grown up around the sport and has a sincere love of the game. When her brother Kyle is stricken with a genetic heart condition that takes him out of the game, Sasha rushes to NYC to be by her brother’s side. One of Kyle’s biggest stressors is the stability of his position with the Kings. Sasha decides to offer herself at the mercy of the Kings leadership and asks to take her brother’s place on the team until he’s healthy enough to return. While I love this premise and I’m all for the girl-power message, which is really well done, I had to suspend my disbelief and accept the idea that this could actually happen. Once I decided to let fantasy rule and go where the book lead me, it was a fun little trip.

Brooks Davsison is not only the short stop for the Kings, he’s also the best friend of Kyle Roberts. They’ve grown up through the minor leagues together and have each other’s backs. But, Kyle is not at all keen on Brooks’ interest in his little sister. But, with Kyle on the injured reserve and Sasha as his new teammate, Brooks can no longer deny his long held feelings for Sasha.

What ensues is a tension-filled relationship full of ups and downs. Brooks and Sasha are thrown together and pulled apart repeatedly. But, the development of their relationship and the push and pull of their situation makes for a fun and enjoyable read. Brooks is a terrific hero. He’s just enough of an alpha male to be protective and possessive, but he has a sweet and sensitive side. Brooks also sees Sasha as a true teammate, more than just a PR gimmick and way more than just Kyle’s little sister. Sasha is bold and headstrong, but also sweet and vulnerable. Her emotions, fears and excitement as the first woman in major league baseball seem to be authentic reactions for someone who might be thrown into that scenario.

If you enjoy a sweet, romantic, fantasy with a sports twist, this is definitely a book to place on your TBR. West obviously understands the game of baseball and does a great job of making the baseball talk approachable for people at various interest and experience levels. I’m looking forward to getting to know more of the NY Kings players and I’m also looking forward to West’s new spin-off series (Stockton Beaver Series) coming soon.

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An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

Excerpt

I’m in a fitful kind of sleep, one arm tossed over my face, one leg hanging off the bed, when I hear a rapping at my door.

My heart starts to pound. What if it’s some demented stalker fan? I pull the covers up to my chin, determined to wait it out. But when it comes again, my curiosity gets the better of me and I inch slowly off the bed. Going stealthily step by step, I take a deep breath and look through the peephole.

I gasp when I see Brooks standing there.

My heart goes from a dull pounding to full-on somersault mode. I run my hands through my hair. I must look a wreck. But why should I care?

Because he’s pacing outside my room in the middle of the night.

He knocks again, and I unfasten the chain and twist the lock before I change my mind. His feet are bare, and he’s wearing nothing but a faded Pac Man shirt and his boxers. He shouldn’t be out here looking like he just rolled out of bed, but he is.

The way his eyes are roaming across my body makes me conscious of the fact that I’m only wearing a pair of itty-bitty shorts and a flimsy tank. I cross my ankles and fold my arms around myself in an attempt to bolster my courage.

“Don’t,” he whispers, stepping across the threshold. His hands encircle my wrists, gently pulling them away from my body. “You’re too beautiful to cover yourself up.” He presses the door closed with the back of his foot, extinguishing whatever light was streaming in from the hallway.

Now we’re alone together in the darkness of my room, and I’m kind of glad he can’t read my face. I’m too conflicted. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know why he’s here. But if I’m being honest, I’m glad that he is. He’s finally making the effort to reach out to me instead of leaving me in the barren wasteland I’ve been living in. Oh, how I’ve missed basking in the warmth of his smile.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, feeling the heat of his body against mine.

“Apologizin’,” he says in that sexy twang of his, drawing out every syllable.

The New York Kings Series

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About the Author

Collette West grew up as somewhat of a jock-nerd hybrid. Entering the world three weeks premature, her dad nearly missed her birth because he had seats behind the dugout for a sold-out, highly-anticipated match-up between two of baseball’s biggest rivals. Not to be outdone, her book-loving mom taught her how to read by the time she was three. A love of the game coupled with an appreciation for the written word were instilled in Collette’s impressionable brain from a young age. No wonder her characters believe in the philosophy: sports + romance = a little slice of heaven.
Splitting her time between the Pocono Mountains and Manhattan, Collette indulges her inner fangirl by going to as many games as she can from hockey to baseball and downloading every sports romance novel in existence onto her iPad. When she’s not clicking away on her laptop, she enjoys walking her dog in Central Park, satisfying her caffeine craving at the Starbucks on Broadway and keeping an eye out for Mr. Right. But above all, she loves dishing with her readers.
She is the author of the New York Kings series which includes: GAME CHANGER, GAME ON, PERFECT GAME, INSIDE GAME and GAME WINNER and the Stockton Beavers series which includes: SINGLE.

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Review – The Bride Wore Starlight by Lizbeth Selvig

Once comfortable on stage in front of thousands, Joely Crockett is now mortified at the thought of walking—or rolling—down the aisle at her sisters’ wedding. Scarred and wheelchair-bound, the former beauty queen has lost more than the ability to walk—she’s lost her fire. But when one handsome, arrogant guest accuses her of milking her injuries and ignites her ire, Joely finally starts to feel truly alive again, and soon it’s impossible for her to resist her heart’s desire.

Alec Morrissey knows a little something about loss. A famous rodeo cowboy before he was injured in Iraq, he’s managed to create something of a normal life, even if it’s not the one he always imagined. Encountering stunning but damaged Joely, he sees a kindred spirit who can learn from his mistakes.

As these two healing souls begin to fall in love under the Wyoming stars, they must discover if they are willing to give in to the tragedies of life or fight for a future together.

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble / Amazon / iBooks / GooglePlay

BFF K’s Review

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The Bride Wore Starlight is so much more than it appears to be from the outside. I might have gone into this with a preconceived notion about what to expect. I was planning on a light, fluffy, quick-read romance. What I found instead was a deeply rich, character driven, tension-filled, emotional read that was intensely satisfying.

Joely and Alec are both physically damaged, rocked by massive bodily injuries in the prime of their lives. Alec has a head start on the physical and emotional healing. When he meets Joely, he sees in her a suffering, kindred spirit who needs a kick in the pants to get out of her own head. As Joely accepts the healing guidance of Alec, she recognizes that there are still issues he has to tackle as well. What unfolds is a powerful story of trans-formative love. The love Alec and Joely create heals them both physically and emotionally.

There’s a fantastic HEA with a delicious epilogue. I was timid about the country/cowboy angle of the story. I grew up (and still live) in Nebraska. Though I was a ‘city kid,’ I’ve had many rodeo and ranch experiences. I wasn’t sure what I would think of the cowboy genre. I was pleasantly surprised. This book is well done. If you have ever entertained thoughts of a rugged, sexy as sin, cocky cowboy – this book will bring that to life in spades! (I mentally cast Scott Eastwood in the role of Alec!)

Joely transforms from a damaged, self-pitying, lost girl. As Alec helps Joely to heal and rebuild, he breaks down his own walls and overcomes his own fears. There are inherent tensions as they each conquer their own demons and learn to trust each other. The journey is inspiring and fulfilling. The Bride Wore Starlight delivers a super sexy, heartwarming romance for two characters who desperately deserve a happily ever after.

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An advance copy was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Check out this post for an excerpt from The Bride Wore Starlight AND a special interview with Lizbeth Selvig.

About the Author

Lizbeth Selvig lives in Minnesota with her best friend (aka her husband), and a gray Arabian gelding. After working as a newspaper journalist and magazine editor, and raising an equine veterinarian daughter and a talented musician son, she won RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® Contest in 2010 with her contemporary romance The Rancher and the Rock Star. In her spare time, she loves to hike, quilt, read, horseback ride, and spend time with her new granddaughter. She also has four-legged grandchildren—more than twenty—including a wallaby, two alpacas, a donkey, a pig, a sugar glider, and many dogs, cats, and horses (pics of all appear on her website www.lizbethselvig.com). She loves connecting with readers—contact her any time!

Review – Some Sort of Love by Melanie Harlow

This is one of BFF K’s favorite reads so far in 2016!

Title: Some Sort of Love

Series: Happy Crazy Love #3

Author: Melanie Harlow

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 9, 2016

On the surface, I have it all—a career I adore, a loving family, the Nixon metabolism but not the Nixon ears, and a salary that supports my lavish taste in designer shoes, fine wine, and lacy lingerie…but I have no one to share it with.

Until the day I run into him—my one night stand from college with the cocky smile, let’s-get-out-of-here eyes, and dirty, dirty mouth.

Levi Brooks is six feet four inches of hot bearded fantasy. A sexy single dad with broad shoulders, strong hands, and a fantastically big…heart. (I mean, it’s massive. And generous. And it pumps so hard… um. Sorry. Lost my place.)

But he lives for his son, and he’s keeping me at a distance because he thinks I deserve someone better—a man who can give me more time, more attention, more of himself. He doesn’t believe he could ever be enough.

But he’s wrong.

He’s everything.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK

KOBO / iBOOKS

BFF K’s Review

Some Sort of Love is the continuation of this absolutely wonderful series by Melanie Harlow. And, one of my best reads for far in 2016. If you haven’t read the other books in the series, you’ll want to start now. Though each is a standalone, the characters are interconnected. I can’t imagine missing out on any of these great stories. The thought of missing these makes me feel sad. Seriously, not exaggerating, the thought of never having read these books makes me sad!

Some Sort of Love is the story of Jillian and Levi. A VERY brief college tryst is reignited when the two run into one another at a wedding. (I won’t say whose!) The attraction and chemistry is immediate and off-the-charts! But, life isn’t as simple as it was in undergrad. Both Jillian and Levi have demanding careers and Levi is the single father to a son with special needs. These are some rough waters to navigate and the couple must decide if their attraction and affections are a strong enough foundation to build a new life together.

Some Sort of Love brings back an incredible cast of characters – Jillian’s sisters, Skylar and Natalie and their men Sebastian and Miles. I love each of these books for so many reasons. I love each of these couples and their unique struggles and circumstances. I absolutely can’t pick a favorite!

And, let me just spend a minute worshiping all that is Melanie Harlow. I’m absolutely head over heels for her storytelling. Melanie Harlow creates characters that are a lovely combination of strong and vulnerable. There’s something so relate-able and insightful about her characters, it’s like you get a glimpse into yourself through the lens of her terrific players. The steamy scenes she dreams up are second to none. And, Harlow can describe a simple cocktail that makes my mouth water!

It was 2am when I finished Some Sort of Love and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time! If you haven’t read the Happy, Crazy, Love series – start right now, PLEASE! This entire series is packed with wonderful, emotional, dreamy romance and the most incredibly human, deliciously flawed characters. I finished this book in less than a day and I will be recommending it for weeks!

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An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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Favorite Quotes

“Love isn’t a finite thing in the universe. It’s not like it gets used up by people who get there first.”

“Harry Potter fan, huh? So what are the chances I can Slytherin to your chamber of secrets tonight?”

“Ah, wine. Wine was my friend. Wine understood me. Wine knew it was entirely possible to be one hundred percent happy for your sisters and also ten percent jealous, because Wine does not care about mathematics. And Wine would never ask why I didn’t have a man by age thirty. Wine and I had spent enough alone time together that Wine knew it wasn’t that I didn’t want to find love-of course I did. But it was fucking hard.”

” ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m thinking about kissing you.’

‘Stop thinking.’ ”

“Over sea bass and grilled tuna we shared firsts and favorites,”

“I’d rather be someone’s shot of whiskey than everyone’s cup of tea.”

Excerpt

“So.” I glanced out the windows to the patio. “You want to go back out there?”

“Not really,” she said.

“You want to get out of here?”

She grinned. “Yeah. I do.”

I watched her rush up the stairs to get her things, and as soon as she was out of sight, I adjusted myself in my pants. My dick had jumped to life the second she said yeah, I do, as if the question had been you want to get naked and fuck? rather than something much less suggestive. Not that I didn’t want to get naked and fuck—hopefully I’d last a little longer than I had in the broom closet eleven years ago—but I didn’t want to make her feel like that’s what I expected. She wasn’t a horny nineteen-year-old college student anymore; she was a doctor, for fuck’s sake. She was beautiful and smart and mature and sophisticated, and a woman like her did not want some Neanderthal who probably needed a haircut and a new pair of shoes to throw her up against a wall for a five-minute fuck.

A woman like that deserved attention all night long. She deserved someone who would undress her slowly and delight in each new inch of her skin as it was revealed. Someone who would run his hands all over her body and find out where she liked to be touched, how she liked to be touched, what she wanted to hear whispered to her in the dark. Someone who would wrap those gloriously long legs around his neck and use his tongue until she begged for his cock, then use his cock until she begged for mercy.

Fuck. I could be that guy.

Except I couldn’t be. Not tonight. Because I wasn’t a horny college student anymore either—I was just a horny single dad who didn’t have the luxury of taking a woman home and lavishing all my time and attention on her the way I wanted to.

As soon as I had the thought, I felt guilty. Scotty was the love of my life and always would be, and whenever I felt the slightest bit resentful about something I couldn’t do because of him, that resentment was immediately crushed by shame. He didn’t ask to be born wired differently, into a terrible relationship, to a mother who would decide she couldn’t handle being a parent, to a father who wasn’t prepared for any of it. He was completely innocent, and he needed me to be a better man.

Running a hand through my hair, I exhaled and wondered if I should ask Jillian for a raincheck on a night when Scotty’s usual sitter could be there. If he woke up again and I wasn’t home yet, he might never get back to sleep. We’d be up all night, tomorrow would be miserable, and the whole start to the week would be off.

But she was so beautiful. And I hadn’t been this attracted to someone in so long.

“Fuck,” I muttered, checking my watch. What was the right thing to do? If she were a different sort of woman, if her brother-in-law weren’t my friend and client, if we lived three states apart…if any number of circumstances were changed, I’d grab her hand, drag her out to my car, and spend the next thirty minutes fucking her brains out in the back seat. It would feel so good to take control that way, to lose control that way, to release some of this fucking tension. But was that fair to her?

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Hello?”

“He’s up again.” Monica’s voice was strained, and in the background I heard the familiar keening of a nighttime meltdown. My chest hurt, the way it always did when Scotty was upset.

“Shit. OK, I’m on my way. Twenty minutes, OK? Thirty at the most.”

“OK.”

“Tell him he can play on his iPad.”

“That’ll just rile him up more. He’s tired. He needs to go to sleep.”

I clenched my fist. “Just do it, OK? It will help calm him until I get there.”

As I ended the call, I heard footsteps above, and then Jillian appeared at the top of the stairs carrying a small suitcase. I watched her descend, the tightness in my chest growing. Also the tightness in my pants. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she said, her face concerned as she reached the ground and saw my expression. She set down the suitcase. “What’s up?”

Sighing, I put my phone back in my pocket. “I have to get home. Scotty woke up and he’s upset.”

“Oh.” She tried to hide it, but I saw the disappointment in her eyes.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“That’s OK. I understand.”

“Can I call you?”

“Of course.” She smiled, and her lips looked so soft and inviting, I took a step closer.

If you kiss her, it will be that much harder to leave.

I knew it was the truth, but I couldn’t help myself. One kiss. Just one. And then I’ll go. I moved even closer and took her head in my hands.

The curve of her smile deepened. “What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking about kissing you.”

“Stop thinking.”

I lowered my lips to hers and let them rest there, fully intending the kiss to be short and sweet, just a goodnight.

But I couldn’t break it off. I wanted more—I wanted to taste her. Slanting my head, I changed the angle of the kiss, teasing her mouth open with mine, slipping my tongue between her lips. A little sigh escaped her, and my dick jumped to life again.

You have to go, you have to go, you have to go.

But her hands were moving up my chest and my fingers were sliding into her soft brown hair and I could smell something sweet and citrusy on her skin and it mingled with the taste of whiskey on my tongue and oh God, I wanted my tongue everywhere on her body. I wanted make her come with it just so I could hear that little sigh again and again and again. And I wanted to feel my hands in her hair just like this while she got on her knees and took my cock between her lips, looking up at me with those big blue eyes…

Groaning, I forced myself to take my lips off her before I completely lost my senses. “God, I wish I could stay,” I said, resting my forehead against hers. “I wish a lot of things.”

“I know.” She played with my tie again. “I wish I was taking this tie off you, not straightening it.”

“What a coincidence, that’s one of my wishes too.”

She laughed and kissed me quickly. “Another time, maybe. You better go.”

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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 – The Consequence of Seduction by Rachel Van Dyken

The Consequence of Seduction by Rachel Van Dyken releases tomorrow! Pre-Order TODAY!

From New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken.

Reid Emory has never had reason to question his luck with the ladies. As the owner of a lethal set of aqua-blue eyes and a devastating grin, this Hollywood heartthrob always brings his A game…but lately his luck seems to have run out. The actor is in need of some help, and there’s only one person he can trust to take his love life—and his career—to an explosive new level.

Jordan Litwright’s newest client is trying her patience. As a publicist, she’s more than content to stay in the background and let others shine. But when a publicity stunt backfires, she suddenly finds herself thrust into the spotlight—as Reid’s new love interest. And while other men usually overlook her, Reid is focusing in with laserlike intensity. There’s no denying they have serious chemistry.

But once Reid breaks into the big time, can they turn their made-for-the-media romance into a forever love?

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BFF K’s Review

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With The Consequence of Seduction, Rachel Van Dyken has delivered another wonderfully silly, laugh out loud rom-com. This entire series is full of one misadventure after another and characters that are delightfully peculiar and completely unorthodox. I’ve recently read both The Consequence of Loving Colton and The Consequence of Revenge. Each book in this series is a stand-alone, but you’re going to want to get to know the whole gang. Reviews for the other books will be coming very soon! These books are not gut-wrenching, angst-filled, cry-fests. They are silly, slap stick, over-the-top funny books with crazy characters.

Reid is an up and coming actor getting ready to star in his first major motion picture. Jordan is a talented PR specialist who is used to blending in and never standing out. Enter Max, Reid’s crazy brother who is 1/3 – instigator, 1/3 – troublemaker, 1/3 – fairy Godfather. Unbelievable hijinks ensue as Reid overcomes his fear of Grandmothers and Jordan steps into the spotlight alongside Reid.

Mixed in with all of the off-the-wall happenings is a sweet love story. Reid and Jordan are a delightful couple and your heart will be happy as they find their way together. If you’re in the mood for complete frivolity with a dash of swoony romance, one-click this kooky little book today!

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A advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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Excerpt

Jordan’s body responded to my every single touch and caress.

“Now I know why you’ve never had to ask a girl on a date.” She hooked her legs around me and wrapped her arms around my neck, her tongue intertwining with mine, sucking, so. Damn. Hard that I couldn’t help but keep moaning. The things that woman could do with her mouth.

I deepened the kiss, my hands reaching for the clasp of her bra. I flicked it off. Jordan immediately froze. Her hands quickly covered her breasts.

“What are you doing?” I tried prying her hands free.

“Too fast.” She nodded, her cheeks staining with color. “You know for our, uh, date night.”

“Move your hands.”

“No.”

“Jordan.”

“Reid.” She laughed nervously.

“Fine.” I nodded. “I didn’t want to have to do this.”

Jordan frowned.

I raised my hand.

She frowned harder.

I flipped her onto her stomach and slapped her ass. Hard.

“What are you doing?” she yelled.

“Why, sweetheart . . .” I kissed her ear. “I’m taming.”

“The hell you are!”

“You like it.” Another swat. “And I’m barely spanking you, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Cover them up again and I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

“But—”

I flipped her back around. “But what?” I honestly wanted to know why a girl that gorgeous would cover up.

“It’s just that—” Jordan chewed her lower lip. “I’m the lights-off girl.”

“Lights off?”

“Yeah.” She shrugged a shoulder as more color stained her cheeks. “You know, the girl you don’t really notice right away until you’ve had one too many, then you take her home and have your way with her—in the dark.”

Horrified, I could only stare in shock. “Please tell me that hasn’t actually happened.”

“Reid.” She shoved me away and started to get to her feet. “Look, I’m not stupid, okay? And I’m not even that insecure anymore. I know how guys think, all right?”

“Oh, yeah?” I stood, pulled her flush against my very hard body. “What am I thinking about right now?”

“ESPN?”

“Damn.”

Her shoulders deflated. “See?”

I burst out laughing. “Honey, we have a pretty big problem if ESPN gets me this excited, don’t you think?”

“Hey, sometimes baseball just does it for people.” She gave me a sexy-as-hell smile. “It’s not your fault you like balls.”

“I can’t believe you just challenged my manhood when it’s saluting you like that. Damn, woman, I’m basically giving you the equivalent of a high five and a home run all in one and you’re making jokes?”

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About the Author

rachelborder Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with her on Facebook www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers. Her website is www.rachelvandykenauthor.com .

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Review – Always Room for Cupcakes by Bethany Lopez

One day I was be-bopping along jamming to the music in my head while wondering if my thighs could handle grabbing a cupcake on the way home. The next thing I knew, my entire world crashed and burned.

I used to wake up at night in a sweat, crying because I’d dreamt that my husband was cheating on me, or that he hated me, and resented my kids. He’d always hold me close and tell me it was all just a dream, that he loved me and our family and that he’d never let me go.

He was a f*cking liar.

Now I spend my days taking photos of scum just like him, trying to be a champion for other’s being taken advantage of by the losers in our town, and my nights being a single mom to my beautiful twins.

I’ve got great friends who have my back, and a sexy, mysterious motorcycle man who keeps showing up when I need him. Maybe things are starting to look up, and one thing’s for sure… There’s always room for cupcakes.

BFF A’s Review

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Mmmmm, who doesn’t always have room for cupcakes? This is a fun, quick read that has a little humor, romance, and even some suspense all rolled up into one.

Lila is a single mom, raising her twin children, working for a local private investigator, trying to forget that she caught her former husband cheating on her in the backseat of a car. She spends her days trying to catch other cheaters in the act as revenge to what she experienced. Lila’s best friend owns a cupcake shop and when things get hectic and crazy, treating herself to a cupcake is the greatest reward. While following a new client, she runs into gorgeous and mysterious man Cade. “Not everyone is lucky enough to have a random hot motorcycle man pick them up on the side of the road when they’re running from drug dealers.”

I had to laugh out loud at some of the situations Lila found her self in and how she responded to them. There’s a hint of suspense as Lila begins to follow drug dealers that have made their way into town. That’s when Cade appears. He is sweet and wants to show Lila that not all men are scum. Will Lila allow Cade to rescue her and give her a relationship she deserves? One-click to find out!

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An Advance Copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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About the Author

Award-Winning Author Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. She’s a lover of all things romance: books, movies, music, and life, and she incorporates that into the books she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible. Some of her favorite things are: Kristen Ashley Books, coffee in the morning, and In N Out burgers.
Bethany Lopez is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

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Review – Smart Girl by Rachel Hollis

Brilliant designer Miko Jin is a hopeless romantic. She’s spent most of her life falling in love over and over again…with the men she finds in the pages of her favorite novels.

When Miko meets Liam Ashton, it’s love at first sight. At least, for her. Sure, the two of them are polar opposites, and yes, he seems to be dating someone new each week. But Miko knows what true love is and that you can’t rush it—after all, what she lacks in real-world experience, she makes up for in book smarts. With novels as her guide, and her best friends by her side, she knows she can get Liam to love her back. But just like any good romance novel, fate has a few plot twists in store. Will Miko get her own happy ending? Will she find the strength to stand up for what she deserves even if it means breaking her own heart?

BFF K’s Review

I should start off with the following declaration: I think that Rachel Hollis is amazing! She’s smart, funny, sweet, genuine and wickedly talented. And, the characters in her books embody all of those qualities too.

Miko has shot toward the top of my Best Book Heroine’s list. Miko is bright and talented, self-confident and quirky. She loves clothes, romance novels, costumes, her career, her friends, her family, and Liam Ashton. Miko just has to convince Liam that relationships aren’t a death sentence, and that he loves her too! She digs deep into her favorite books to glean inspiration and make this happen.

I’m not going to give away what transpires because the alterations that Miko experiences are some of my favorite parts of the book. There is truly a journey of self-realization that comes from some tough knocks and hard truths. Flipping the pages as this unfolds is really fulfilling for the reader too.

I am totally in love with this book. It was perfect; sweet, funny, unexpected and super romantic! The rabid-reader references to popular literary series, characters and themes are so well done and so much fun to read. This is the perfect conclusion to The Girl’s Series. (Now I can’t wait for the audio of the series, coming soon!) If you want wonderful, heart-felt stories about a group of women who love fiercely, you must read this series. The loves in this series are profound – family love, friend love, romantic love and most importantly, self-love. You’ll fall in love with “The Girls” too!

An advance copy of this book was received through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Rachel has had a BIG week!

Check out the news about her new cookbook Upscale Downhome, coming in October!

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About the Author

I am Rachel Hollis. A wife, a mother, a Southern Girl, an LA Woman, and for all intents and purposes Party Planner Extraordinaire! I LOVE parties… I love everything about them. I love the food, the wine, having friends and family and people from all walks of life together in one well-decorated space! I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a good party… and if there are people out there who don’t, maybe that’s just because you haven’t been to one of mine!

I grew up in a big loud Okie family. Daddy was a Pentecostal minister and Mama was the church pianist… and PS, I know the words to all the old-timey hymns in case you want to break into three-part harmony later. I moved to Los Angeles to go to college and promptly met a boy named David who was as handsome as he was funny. First I made that boy my best friend, and then I made him my husband. 10 years later we have three equally handsome/hilarious little boys named Jackson, Sawyer, and Ford. We live in LA where we spend our time doing super cool/sexy things like going to soccer practice and hitting up any restaurant where kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée.

Other fancy info about Rachel…
Rachel Hollis is the founder of Los Angeles-based event planning firm, Chic Events. In 2009, she was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs Under 30.” She has designed and produced fabulous parties for many of Hollywood’s elite, including Bradley Cooper, Al Gore, Rashida Jones, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ivanka Trump, Jaime King, and Cuba Gooding Jr. (just to name a few). Most recently, she planned the nuptials of actress Sara Rue’s wedding, which garnered national coverage in magazines such as People and US Weekly.

Rachel is the entertainment contributor for Traditional Home Magazine, and a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. In addition, she is a lifestyle expert for The Talk, EXTRA, The Nate Berkus Show, Steve Harvey, Home & Family, KTLA Morning News, Good Day LA, Fox 5, Better TV and a regular contributor on PopSugar TV and Celebrations.com. She has been featured in People, InStyle, OK!, Entertainment Weekly, Entrepreneur, Grace Ormand and the TV shows “Jilted”, “I Do, Over” on We Network, “The Traveler’s Guide to Life” on the Travel Channel and “Self Made.”

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