2019 Besties

 

Before we get much further into 2020, I want to be sure to recognize the best of my read/listens from 2019! I think it’s important to note that nearly all of my BESTIES this year were audiobooks. Several were listen/read combos, but nearly all of them had an audiobook component. 2019 was a WILD year for me and my family and there just wasn’t enough time for reading. But, I’m so thankful that audiobooks allowed me to enjoy wonderful romances all year long.

Of course that means I’ve been HORRIBLE about writing reviews, but you can always see what I’ve been listening too/reading on Goodreads! With that, I present to you BFF K’s 2019 Besties!

 

#1 – Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This story is so exception, you almost forget it is a work of fiction. I laughed and I cried and I just wished it were real! I can’t wait to see it all come to life in an upcoming series produced by Reese Witherspoon on Amazon Prime!

#2 – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

(Not released in 2019, but read/listened in 2019!) I was late to this party, but so relieved I didn’t miss out. The Hate U Give was my most personally recommended book of the year. I made tons of my friends read it and still can’t get over how incredible it was. Like both of the other books in the Besties Top 3 this year, I think THuG is better as an audio than a book. The narrator brought the book to life in a way that I would NEVER have been able to in my head! (On the Come Up is fantastic too!)

#3 – Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words by Tara Sivec and Andi Arndt

This book is LMAO funny! And it’s written by two of my favorites in the book world. Plus, Andi Arndt narrating her own words in the delightful Minnesotan accent is just perfection!

#4 – The Last Wingman by Daisy Prescott

There’s not much you can say about the end of a beloved series. But, Daisy Prescott did the Wingmen proud and delivered a wonderful conclusion for the Whidbey crew and I enjoyed every minute of it! And, I think she’s pretty much the bees knees! 🐝💛🖤

#5 – Smartypants Romance Launch #1

The idea of Smartypants Romance was so exciting, but I was almost overwhelmed by all of the different opportunities. I’m so grateful that I was able to attend the Smartypants Romance launch party at Book Bonanza 2019. Hearing the authors talk about their books and how each fit into Penny Reid’s world was amazing! I walked away learning about so many knew-to-me authors and getting so excited about all of the new stories. Launch #1 of Smartypants Romance was an absolute highlight of my book year! I can’t wait to read them all and then to read all of Launch #2 and beyond.

My favorites so far include: Stud Muffin by Jiffy Kate, Happy Trail by Daisy Prescott, Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar, My Bare Lady by Piper Sheldon, Weight Expectations by M.E. Carter and Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen!

#6 – 44 Chapters About 4 Men by BB Easton

(Not released in 2019, but read/listened to in 2019!) I think the first thing to say is that I am just really really sorry that I waited so long to read this book. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to sit in a Rom-Com authors panel at 2019 Book Bonanza. BB Easton made me LOL and I immediately downloaded the audiobook for 44 Chapters and I’m so thankful. It is absolutely fantastic and everyone should read it!

#7 – Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

This book is sweet and fun; it’s clever and interesting and a joy to read. It made me wish that it was a real life story. It’s political and royal and MM perfection – a MUST read!

#8 – Beard with Me by Penny Reid

This story broke my heart. It was beautiful and touching. The individual sacrifices of the hero and heroine were as inspiring as they were stupid. This set up Beard Necessities perfectly and because it was such a crucial part of the series, I’ve placed this story in my Besties!

#9 – The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Clever, romantic, unique and touching. Helen Hoang delivers another exceptionally unique and thought-provoking story wrapped inside a lovely romance!

#10 – Gypsy King by Devney Perry

Ahhh! An incredible start to a gritty new series. It ended with more questions than answers and made me breathless for the next book in the series. That’s exceptional!

 

I hope that everyone had an incredible reading year! Cheers to 2019 and bring on all the books in 2020!

New Release – MOUTH a Steamy Anthology

Title: Mouth: A Steamy Anthology
Authors: Carter Ashby, Josie Bordeaux, M.C. Cerny, Christy Dilg, S.M. Donaldson, L.B. Dunbar, Roxie Elms, Mary Catherine Gebhard, Cassie Graham, Danielle Jamie, Lorraine Loveit, Kristen Hope Mazzola, Scarlett Metal, Katherine Rhodes, t. h. snyder, Kandi Steiner, Layla Stevens, Madison Street, E.A. Sutton, and Dawne Walters
Release Date: Oct 30, 2015
Find on Goodreads

 

20 authors bring you 20 brand new, steamy romances to help raise money for breast cancer awareness.

The Dark, Hot Night – Carter Ashby
Faking Love – Josie Bordeaux
Angel – M.C. Cerny
Vampire Escapade – Christy Dilg
Lesson for Lox – S.M. Donaldson
Paradise Tempted – L.B. Dunbar
Cherry Pop – Roxie Elms 
In Session – Mary Catherine Gebhard
The Trouble with Cowboys – Cassie Graham
Scandalous – Danielle Jamie
A Singer and a Solider – Lorraine Loveit
Rough & Tumble – Kristen Hope Mazzola
Second Chances – Scarlett Metal
Lessons – Katherine Rhodes
Lost Soul – t. h. snyder
Tag Catcher – Kandi Steiner
Tonight Only – Layla Stevens
Sea of Flames – Madison Street 
Sirens – E.A. Sutton
Commander’s Wife – Dawne Walters

 

 

 

Mouth Karaoke Bar and Grill was founded by Christy Dilg in 2013 in the Forbidden Series. Christy decided to have an auction event supporting breast cancer awareness and donating the funds raised to the cause after the fans expressed their interest. The Mouth Rocks for the Cause Facebook event went so well that Christy decided to continue the event every year and to add Mouth in all of her upcoming books and donate portions of her book sales to the charity in that story.  Writing has always been about making a difference to Christy and Mouth is sure to add to that.

 

This year Mouth Rocks for the Cause will hold its third annual Facebook auction supporting breast cancer in October. The event will last a week but Mouth will be doing other things during the month to raise for the cause such as this wonderful collection “Mouth, A steamy anthology” which will feature almost twenty amazing authors together in a box set of novellas. The proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

About the Authors

Carter Ashby – Carter Ashby is a hardworking housewife and homeschool mother by day, and a romance reader and writer by night. She lives in rural Missouri with her husband, three children, and two dogs. Find Carter on Facebook | Goodreads
Josie Bordeaux – Josie Bordeaux is the author of the Alluring Promises series. Her romance novels revolve around friendships, sizzling attraction and steamy sex scenes. Lust, passion and love are all entwined with a lot of drama and fun-filled friendships. Josie lives in the sunshine state with her best friend (AKA – husband) and two sweet, and very creative daughters.
When she’s not driving her kids around town, she’s usually clicking her fingernails on her keyboard or down at the beach where her eyes are glued to her kindle app reading. Find Josie on Facebook | Goodreads
M.C. Cerny – M.C. Cerny first fell in love with books after experiencing her first real ugly cry reading, Where The Red Fern Grows. Her debut romantic suspense novel, Flashpoint was written in a series of post-it-note ramblings that would likely make her idol Tom Clancy blush. She is a post graduate of NYU, working fulltime, and calls rural NJ home with her menagerie of human and feline fur-babies. When M.C. is not writing, you’ll find her lurking in Starbucks, running marathons, singing Disney show tunes, and searching out the perfect shade of pink nail polish. Find M.C. on Facebook | Goodreads
Christy Dilg – Christy Dilg is a erotica romance author and also a full-time medical biller/assistant. When she’s not writing she spends her time with her husband and teenage daughter. She is also known as Radiation Girl after beating thyroid cancer and finally living life the correct way and embracing her glow. Find Christy on Facebook | Goodreads
S.M. Donaldson – S.M. Donaldson is a born and raised Southern girl. She grew up in a small rural town on Florida’s Gulf Coast, the kind of place where everyone knows your business before you do, especially when your Daddy is a cop and your Mom works for the school system. She married one of her best friends at the age of 20 and has one son. She is a proud military wife, has always had a soft spot for a good story, and is known to have a potty mouth. At the age of 31, she decided there was no time like the present to attempt her first book. Sam’s Choice was born and she hasn’t stopped since. If you are looking for a good, steamy, Southern set romance with true Southern dialect, she’s your girl. Find S.M. on Facebook | Goodreads
L.B. Dunbar – I’d love to say I’ve written for 10,000 hours, and that makes me a pro. But I can’t say that. What I can say is I had a story in my head that wouldn’t go away. I thought typing it in my computer would be the end of things, but it only led to another story and another. I love reading, so characters in my head isn’t something new. What is new is my creation of them. Hope you enjoy my favorites as much as I do. Happy reading! Find L.B. on Facebook | Goodreads
Roxie Elms – I’m a wild girl. I write about that. Sexy, steamy reads to enjoy at your leisure. I’m a world traveler from the UK and I’ve been everywhere. My mother was a Personal Assistant to a big star and it was an awesome life traveling with her. My stories will thrill, leave chills, intoxicate and bring you to pleasure.
Join me. It’s a wild world to savor. Find Roxie on Facebook | Goodreads
Mary Catherine Gebhard – Mary Catherine Gebhard bites off more than she can chew and sometimes calls herself Eva Natsumi. She’s lived in Salt Lake City, Utah her entire life, but occasionally goes on vacation from reality. Don’t worry, she sends postcards. Find Mary on Facebook | Goodreads
Cassie Graham – Cassie Graham is first and foremost, a wife and mother. She has one crazy daughter and a just as nutters husband that she loves dearly. She lives in sunny–all be it, scorching Arizona, where the summers are ridiculously hot and the winters are perfection. She’d pick winter any day. Obviously. 😉
Cassie has always loved to write and is so thankful that she’s able to do it full-time. She’s very lucky to have a husband who works his booty off working so she can live out her dream. Find Cassie on Facebook | Goodreads
Danielle Jamie – Danielle Jamie is a contemporary romance author who loves getting lost in a good book or writing a memorable love story. Her most popular works are her Bestselling Savannah Series, her heart wrenching standalone Tempt my Heart and her steamy new taboo novellas in her Stepbrother Series!
She lives in Upstate NY with her husband, two daughters and son. She loves traveling and seeing the world all the while meeting her fans along the way at Author Events. Find Danielle on Facebook | Goodreads
Lorraine Loveit – Even though Ms Loveit has a very busy life (wife, mother and secretary) she still manages to devote time to her passion for writing, and of course, reading.
Ms Loveit’s current story came to her in a dream and it just grew from there. It is an erotic relationship theme with bdsm elements. She started writing it just to “get it out of my head.” Lorraine has many more stories “in her head” just waiting for her to finish her current series. She also intends writing more short erotic stories.
She lives in the south west of Western Australia. When on holidays enjoys camping with her family and two dogs; always making sure she has plenty of reading material and, since she started writing, her laptop is the first thing packed. Find Lorraine on Facebook | Goodreads
Kristen Hope Mazzola – I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams. I have a full time “day job” and by night I am an author. I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those). I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.
Please feel free to contact me to chat about my writing, books you think I’d like or just to shoot the, well you know.
A portion of all my royalties are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation. Find Kristen on Facebook | Goodreads
Scarlett Metal – Scarlett lives in the Midwest with her family. When she’s not busy writing steamy stories, she can be found reading, camping, or looking for an adventure. She loves Diet Coke, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, and 80’s hair bands. Find Scarlett on Facebook | Goodreads
Katherine Rhodes – Author of erotica, light BDSM erotica and paranormal erotica. Expert in the profundities of bad movies and awful literature. Armed with her Bachelors of English, Literature she has set her mind to writing erotic romances which are kinky, dirty, and fun. A lackadaisical laundry goddess, Katherine resides in Philadelphia with her husband, three cats and a betta named Fishtian Grey. Find Katherine on Facebook | Goodreads
t. h. snyder – I was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania Sept 1979. For nine years I worked in the field of higher education while earning my Bachelor and Master Degrees in Management from University of Phoenix. I’m a single mother to two amazing children that are my world. I became an avid reader in spring of 2012 and since has read over 300 books. My genre of interest ranges from Romance to thrilling Paranormal.
This is more than just a hobby for me, it’s a passion to read the words of great authors and bring life to their stories with my reviews and character castings.
I started writing my first novel in June of 2013 and anxious to see where this journey takes me! Find t.h. on Facebook | Goodreads
Kandi Steiner – Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.
Kandi 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 (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).
When Kandi isn’t working or 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 beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order. Find Kandi on Facebook | Goodreads
Layla Stevens – I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma but moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1996. I have a huge family who I shocked them when I told them I was writing my first book. I have had a love a reading since I was young. Reading has always been my escape. I can read and be a princess or a warrior. Reading for me was always something magical. And I hope to pass that on to you all.
I am blessed to be the mom of a little girl named Sage who is the light of my life. {I call her Olga, and she hates it} I did not give birth to her but I choose her. Find Layla on Facebook | Goodreads
Madison Street – Madison Street was born in New York City and was raised in the Bronx, where she resided until she was 17 years old. After 9/11, Madison joined the United States Navy to serve her country.
During the deployments, Madison constantly wrote short stories and she discovered her passion for writing. You will find Madison always on the computer, whether she’s on Facebook, designing websites, messing with Photoshop, or writing for her blog.
Besides writing, her second passion is music and dance. Even though she’s a terrible singer, she’ll still belt it out in the shower, especially if the song is her jam! She currently resides in Virginia with her husband of 8 years, 2 children, a dog, and a cat. She is so excited to start this amazing journey and is honored to be part of such a compassionate and loving community. Find Madison on Facebook | Goodreads
E.A. Sutton – Find E.A. on Facebook | Goodreads
Dawne Walters – I started writing in journals when I was seven or eight when I lived in Europe. Little short stories that were inspired by the many castles and historic places that evoke the imagination. I also kept a journal while deployed to ‘escape’. I would write short stories about military romance. So, some of those will become full length novels…some with a happy and not so happy ending! Be prepared.
I never started out to be an author. I always wanted to be a nurse practitioner. I’ll get there maybe, one day…
My hobbies are photography (yes, I have done weddings, a few CD covers, lots of family and couples sittings). My favorite band is Thirty Seconds to Mars…Give them a listen! Find Dawne on Facebook | Goodreads