Wearing her heart on her sleeve, sheβs certain sheβll know her fairytale prince when she meets him. And when a ruggedly handsome cowboy with brooding Texan charm moves to town, Eve finds herself completely besotted.
Little does she know that while Miles might be charming, heβs no oneβs prince.
Miles Madison learned the hard way that serious relationships will ruin you, and Eve has serious written all over her. So, when she pursues him, Miles douses her hopes and walks away, because forever doesnβt exist in his story.
After months of ignoring her unrequited crush, a misplaced yoga class puts Eve right in Milesβ backyard, disrupting his series of one-night stands and solitary life plans. And when the man who can only give one thing can no longer resist the woman who wants everything, the idea of forever is no longer out of reach.
As their undeniable attraction cracks through Milesβ hardened heart, something unexpected happensβsomething that will either bond them forever or tear them apart for good.
Besotted is an enemies-to-lovers story featuring a perky heroine, a grumpy hero, a grand gesture and a happily ever after that he never saw coming.
Eve is a hopeless romantic who believes in fairy tales and happily ever afters. Miles is a grumpy loner who only does one-night-stands and doesn’t believe in love. There is an intense attraction between them, but Eve wants more than Miles is able to give.
I really liked these characters and the journey that they go on. Miles is such a broken guy, who can’t seem to move past the scars of his past no matter how much he wants to. The feelings he has for Eve kind of catch him off guard until all of a sudden he finds himself as enamored with her as she is with him. It isn’t an easy journey for these two — there are so many things working against them.
This book is part of a series, so there is a continuing storyline about a cartel. I haven’t read the other books, so there were details I wasn’t fully aware of, but I pieced it together fairly well. Overall, Besotted is a page-turning angsty story of unrequited love.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
GIVEAWAY
To celebrate Besotted’s release, Rebecca Sharp is giving away a $15 Amazon gift card! Head to her Facebook page to enter: https://www.facebook.com/drrebeccasharp/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Rebecca Sharp, while using a pen name, is actually a doctor living in Pennsylvania with her husband – the love of her life.
She enjoys working in her practice with her father as well as letting her creativity run free as an author. Growing up she’s always loved a good love story and finally decided to give writing one of her own a go.
After graduating with her doctoral degree, she now enjoys spending that thing called free time traveling with her husband, cooking, and knitting.
Carrie Aarons’ second Callahan Family series book is here, and Stealing Home is a total ugly cry! Walker and Hannah’s story is an intense, emotional romance that will leave yourΒ heart warmed and your soul happy! Read it now!Β bit.ly/ReadStealingHome
This heartbreaking, unrequited love story brings us back to the world of a small Pennsylvania town that houses a professional baseball team, which has been run by the same family for generations. After being struck by scandal, theyβre closing ranks. Drama, romance, familial bonds, sports – the Callahan Family series has it ALL.
BLURB____________________________ Walker Callahan has loved from afar for as long as he can remember.
The golden boy of the Callahan baseball dynasty, heβs the only player to ever secure a top spot on a roster controlled by his own flesh and blood. The pressure, duty and plans laid out for him since birth loom large, causing things like love and a family to fall by the wayside.
Or maybe thatβs because the woman he loves is already married with children.
When they met, she was already promised to someone else. For over six years, he resigned himself to being her friend. Until one night, when her marriage and the ugly secrets it keeps unravels for the world to see. Sheβs burned, scared and needs someone who will put her needs above everything else.
Can Walker risk his own future and show her how to trust again? Or will the feelings heβs kept hidden for years throw him out of the game before he can even attempt to play?
Hannah Giraldi never wants to fall in love again.
All it brings is pain, misery and her life falling to shambles. After a very public scandal, her abusive husband takes everything, leaving her to raise two daughters on nothing but charity from others, a hope, and a prayer.
New to the job market, single motherhood, and with two court cases on her plate, the last thing she needs are the butterflies that Walker ignites in her stomach every time he comes around. But with his soothing words, supportive shoulder to lean on, and undeniable gorgeousness, heβs pretty hard to ignore.
Just when it feels like she might be standing on her own two feet, the world comes crumbling down around her. And the man sheβs finally allowed into her heart abandons her, once again leaving her to pick up the pieces.
Is there a way to heal all of the broken parts, or will Hannah go down swinging while attempting one more shot at a happily ever after?
Stealing Home is the second book in the Callahan Family series from Carrie Aarons. It is a standalone, but events leading up to Hannah’s story β namely the violent attack by her husband β take place int eh previous book, Warning Track. I knew when I read that particular chapter and Walker came to Hannah’s rescue that their story was going to be a doozy. And Carrie Aarons did not disappoint!
Walker is not only a player for the Packton Pistons, but he is the face of the organization because his family has owned the baseball team for generations and it is expected that he will one day take over. Except that Walker doesn’t want to run the organization. He still feels an incredible responsibility to the family business though, because his brother Sinclair is such a screwup. So the responsibility of doing the right thing has fallen on Walker’s shoulders for years, and he never puts his own happiness as a priority. Until Hannah’s world falls apart.
From the outside, Hannah had it all. A handsome, charming husband, a huge house, two beautiful daughters. But looks are deceiving because it was all a facade. Her husband, Shane, had been abusing her for years, up until he beat her so badly in the stadium parking lot that the police became involved and their secret life was exposed. Now, Hannah is desperately trying to piece her life back together while fighting Shane in court for custody of their daughters.
Walker has been harboring unrequited feelings for Hannah since before she married Shane. He always stood on the outside, friendly but kept his distance. And after being the one to literally pick Hannah up after Shane beat her, Walker became her knight in shining armor. He was a shoulder to lean on, a friendly face, a confidant. Their relationship is so simple and easy, and even thought Hannah is petrified to give her heart to Walker and lose herself in a relationship again, it’s not long before she finds herself falling for Walker in return.
But when a tragic accident hits Walker’s own family, he begins to second-guess his place in Hannah’s life. After a great few months of putting himself first and doing what made him happy when it came to being with Hannah, Walker backs away from their relationship to toe the family line… and is absolutely miserable. Will he make his move, round the bases and steal home to get the love of his life back?
Despite the underlying story of domestic abuse and all that Hannah goes through with Shane’s manipulations, this is a wonderful story of strength, resilience, respect and hope. Walker is a swoony hero, who shows Hannah an incredible amount of respect from the very start. And even though Hannah sees herself as weak, she is incredibly strong and comes out of a horrible situation on top, with grit and determination. These two are magic together, and Walker is such a great father figure in the lives of her daughters. I found this story incredibly moving, and I was so thrilled to see Hannah and Walker get the HEA that they both deserved!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
βHeartwarming, swoony moments, sizzling chemistry, and just enough intrigue to keep me completely invested–this book had me hooked from page one!β– Willow Aster, USA Today bestselling author
Wrecked Palace, an all-new emotional slow-burn standalone romance in the Wrecked Series by author Catherine Cowles is available now!
One night was all it took for everything to change. From college student to guardian in a single breath. My siblings became my world.
No time for date nights or romantic dreams. I traded quiet weekends for sleepless nights. Giving my all to make sure they were cared for.
But Griffin had a brokenness that called to meβone that mirrored my own. Gruff and just a little bit reckless. He was the last thing I needed. But everything I wanted.
Only someone isnβt happy about this new life Iβm building. Deciding to set fire to everything I hold close. And when the smoke clears, there might be only ashes left behindβ¦
I climbed out of my truck in the parking lot of The General Store. Why was it that I always ended up here? There was just something about the brown-haired beauty who worked at the kitchen inside. Normally, people who shined with that life-is-beautiful kind of positivity made me want to punch something. But with Caelyn, I was fascinated.
I started towards the store when a man called my name. I stiffened and turned, expecting to see a stranger, maybe one of the reporters still holding out hope that Iβd share my story with the world. The set of my shoulders eased a bit when I saw that it was Ford Hardy, owner of The Catch Bar & Grill. I said nothing but waited for the man to make his approach. He wasnβt a stranger exactly, but I had no desire for idle chitchat.
βIβve been hoping to run into you,β he greeted.
I stayed silent.
Ford chuckled. βNot too talkative, are you?β
βNot much to say, I guess.β
Fordβs expression grew serious. βI just wanted to thank you for your help a few months back.β
βI didnβt do anything anyone else wouldnβt do.β Ford had been attacked by someone sick in the head. Heβd been jumped from behind and knocked unconscious. Iβd just come along at the right time.
βEither way, thank you.β He held out a hand, and I took it for a shake. βCome into the bar sometime. Iβll treat you to a beer and a meal. Itβs the least I can do.β
I fought the wince that wanted to surface. The last thing I wanted was to sit around at the island watering hole. People whispered, thinking they were being discreet when they were anything but. Even worse, they sometimes thought it was completely acceptable to approach and ask me a million intrusive questions. βIβll try and come by.β
Ford grinned. βIβm taking that as a fat chance in hell.β
My lips twitched. βYouβre not a stupid man.β
βThank God for that. Well, if I can ever do anything to repay you, just let me know. My brotherβs a contractor. We could give you a couple of days on that house of yours if youβd like.β
My jaw tightened. βIβm good. But thanks for the offer.β
Ford nodded and gave me a wave before heading back towards The Catch. βThereβs no expiration date on that.β
I wouldnβt take Ford up on his offer of help unless I got desperate. I needed to do this on my own. I started towards the store. Pulling the creaking screen door open, I walked inside. It was still a bit early, but when 4:00 a.m. was your usual wakeup call, 4:30 p.m. was just about perfect for dinner. Plus, I could avoid the after-work crowd.
I made my way towards the kitchen at the far end of the grocery but stopped in my tracks when I heard Caelynβs voice.
βIs there any way you could give me more hours? Or more of the bookkeeping to do?β
Mr. Walters, the owner of the store, chuckled. βYouβre doing it all already, deary. I barely show up here anymore.β
βWell, do you know of anyone else who might be looking for some help for things I could do from home?β she pressed.
βAre the two jobs you have not enough? Youβre gonna work yourself to the bone. And you need to be home for those kids.β
βI know.β Caelynβs voice seemed to deflate on the words. βBut Mia got accepted into this gymnastics program, and it costs an arm and a leg.β
Waltersβ voice gentled. βIβd be happy to loan you the feesββ
βNo,β Caelyn cut Mr. Walters off. βYouβve done more than enough for us.β
A foreign feeling invaded my chest. A twisting sensation that burned. Iβd heard the talk around the island that Caelyn had taken in her three younger siblings after their parents had been involved in some sort of drug bust. I couldnβt imagine taking all that on when she mustβve been barely more than a child herself.
I cleared my throat, stepping around the end of the aisle. Caelyn looked up, the frown marring her gorgeous face quickly turning into a bright smile. βGriffin. Itβs good to see you. Have you finally given in to trying one of my salads?β
I gave my head a shake. βI think Iβll stick with the sandwich.β
Walters grinned. βI donβt know, Caelyn can make kale pretty tasty.β
I didnβt try to fight the twisting of my face. βNo, thank you.β
Walters chuckled. βMaybe another day. All right, Iβm off.β He turned to Caelyn. βYou let me know if you change your mind.β
Caelyn reached up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to the old manβs cheek. βThank you.β
Walters headed out of the store, and just Caelyn and I were left. I slid onto a stool at the counter. It was rare that I waited here for my food, but I couldnβt seem to resist the temptation today. I had this undeniable urge to make sure she was okay.
βSo, whatβll it be? Some version of meat and cheese?β
I almost chuckled. Almost. βSounds good to me. But I know youβll sneak some vegetables on there somehow.β
βGotta keep you from getting scurvy.β
I almost choked. βI thought that was from not enough vitamin C. I drink my orange juice.β
Caelyn shook her head and started pulling things out of a fridge below the counter. βThereβs vitamin C in vegetables, too. And lots of other nutritious things you need.β
βGood thing I come in here a few times a week then.β
βGood thing.β
An idea was forming in the back of my mind. One that just might be the answer to helping Caelyn out of her predicament and giving me some nice benefits, as well.
The screen door banged open. βCae Cae!β a young girlβs voice called out. Soon, there was a flash of movement past me.
Caelyn stepped around the counter and lifted the little girl into her arms as she hurled herself at Caelyn. βHow was your day?β
βSo good. I taught cartwheels at recess, and you left me my favorite cookie in my lunch.β
Caelyn laughed. βSounds like a good day to me. Where are the rest of the tiny terrors?β
The little girl beamed up at Caelyn. βTheyβre coming, but they were being too slow, so I ran when I got to the parking lot.β Her gaze caught on me. βWhoa. Are you a giant?β
I wanted to laugh but seeing the easy affection between the girl and Caelyn stole my ability to speak.
βMia, this is Mr. Griffin. Griffin, this is my little sister, Mia.β
The girl looked so much like Beth had at that age, I struggled to find words. βItβs nice to meet you, Mia.β My voice came out rougher than before, and I tried to force my lips into a smile, but the action felt foreign.
βHey, sis,β a male voice called.
I turned to see a boy who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. As soon as he caught sight of me, wariness filled his features. He quickly crossed to his sisters, tugging another girl behind him. βWhoβs this?β
Caelyn pressed her lips together as if holding back a laugh. βThis is Mr. Griffin. Griffin, this is Will and Ava, my other two siblings. I hope you donβt mind, but they usually hang with me for thirty minutes before Molly takes over. Kids, you can go hang out in the office while I get Mr. Griffinβs sandwich ready.β
βI wanna stay with you and help,β Mia whined.
βIβll go into the office,β Ava offered. She had taken a step behind her brother as if hiding from me.
βThey can stay.β The words were out before I could stop them. Awkward and a little gruff, but Mia beamed.
βSee, Mr. Griffin wants me to help make his sandwich.β
Caelyn shook her head. βWell, if thatβs the case, we better wash our hands.β
Ava headed for the back office while Will took a seat next to me at the counter, eyeing me carefully. Caelyn helped Mia up onto a little stool by the sink, and they washed their hands, Mia singing some sort of song that counted off the seconds.
βAll clean,β she called. βNo germies can last to thirty.β
I couldnβt hold in my chuckle this time. βI guess they canβt.β
βI never thought Iβd see the day,β Caelyn started, putting a hand over her heart. βI do believe you laughed, Griffin Lockwood. Who knew all it took was a seven-year-old singing about germs?β
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Wow, wow, wow. I have seen bits and pieces of Caelyn and Griffin’s story teased in the other Wrecked books, and their full story was so much more than I ever could have asked for!! From the first book in this series, we knew that Caelyn was a single parent/guardian to her younger siblings. And from previous appearances by Griffin, he was a grumpy loner who spoke in grunts. But when these two get together — and help one another heal the scars of their pasts — it their slow-burn romance is BEAUTIFUL!
My heart broke for Griffin. To go through that kind of family tragedy and be the only one left standing must have been torture. He is so closed off to the world, but little by little, Caelyn and the kids worm their way into his heart and make his lonely estate a home once again. I loved seeing how Will opened up and bonded with Griffin, despite his initial feelings of not liking the island loner. And Mia was just adorable with her “giant”!! But it was Ava who I really shed tears for, especially when she opened up and told Griffin that she loved him. This guy was like the best big brother for the kids, and he was perfect for Caelyn!
Having always had to be the strong one, the one who protected her little siblings, my heart was full of joy for Caelyn when she finally let herself depend on Griffin. This slow-burn romance is SLOOOOWWW but these two both have some baggage to work through to get on the same page. He keeps to himself because he’d been betrayed by so many people after his family’s accident, and it’s hard for him to let Caelyn in. And she only knows what it’s like to be let down by those who are supposed to love you, so believing in what Griffin is offering her is hard for Caelyn to really accept. But in the end, it makes them so much stronger together.
Wrecked Palace is a standalone in the Wrecked series, but there are plenty of appearances by the other couples. The friendship between Kenna, Bell and Caelyn is so awesome, and these besties are more like sisters than anything else. They are just there for each other, always! I even loved the way Griffin got taken in by Ford and Crosby. And I can’t wait to see how Shay will fit into this group when her book comes out next!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Catherine Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Once upon a time, a boy and a girl met and fell in loveβ¦
Thatβs the way my love story began, but unlike the fairy tale, it ended with me standing in the cemetery, watching my prince get lowered into the ground, along with all our dreams.
Now heβs gone and Iβm lost.
Until an impromptu trip to my familyβs beach house has me spending time with Ryan.
With his help, Iβm learning to live again and make plans for the future.
The only problem is, we both know they canβt include him.
So, when our time is up, we do the only thing we can doβgo our separate ways.
Ryan
My entire life, Iβve felt like the waves in a raging seaβcrashing and breaking, never settling.
Until Micaela stormed in like a hurricane, colliding into my life and my heart.
I thought sheβd be my destruction, but instead she turned out to be my calm.
The more time we spend together, the more life she breathes into both of us.
But all too quickly, our time is up and sheβs ready to face her futureβone I canβt be a part of.
So, I do the impossible and walk away.
But life is crazy, and love knows no bounds. You mightβve thought this is where our story ends, but the truth isβ¦ itβs only the beginning.
Read an Excerpt:
βI canβt believe youβre graduating tomorrow.β Lexi, my best friend and pseudo cousin, takes a hit off the joint she brought with her as a graduation gift and passes it to me.
I take a small hit, since Iβm not usually one to get high, and nod. βThis will be you next year.β
I pass the joint to Georgia, my other pseudo cousin and best friend. βBoth of you, right?β
βYep,β Lexi says, speaking for her younger sister like she often does. βGeorgia took extra classes and weβll be walking across the stage together. Weβll both be free from educational hell in twelve months.β
Without taking a hit, Georgia passes the joint to Lexi. βIβd hardly call it hell. We go to a private school that costs more a year than most pay for their house.β She rolls her eyes playfully. βOur lunch is catered and includes items like sushi and Thai, and we have a Starbucksβ¦ an actual Starbucks in the quad.β
I laugh at that, but donβt argue. Sheβs not wrong. Lexi and Georgia live in Los Angeles and attend one of the most prestigious private schools on the West Coast. Similar to the one I attend here in Las Vegasβ¦ well, did attend.
As of tomorrow at ten oβclock I will officially be a high school graduate. And come August Iβll be a freshman at the University of Las Vegas.
βSemantics.β Lexi takes another hit. βI canβt wait to be done with high school. Itβs such a waste. I donβt need a diploma to do what I want to do.β
βYou need one to go to college,β Georgia points out.
Lexi rolls her eyes. βMaybe I wonβt go.β She shrugs, making Georgia and me laugh.
We all know Lexi is all talk. Sheβs a daddyβs girl through and through, and Tristan Scott has made it clear a college education is important, which means Lexi Scott will be getting one, whether she likes it or not.
About Nikki Ash:
Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher and mom by day and a writer by night. When sheβs not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children to Wuthering Heights to the latest Single Parent Romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book.
Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out. β Pam Ally
While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the
There’s so much going on in Anna’s life. Teaching countless hours at the studio and nurturing the three major relationships of her life – her group of tight-knit friends, all while attempting to not screw up this whole adulthood thing leaves very little time to waste on yet another dating app. At this point, a relationship is off the menu. Being “self-partnered” is more than enough.
A serious relationship has been crossed off Liam Brody’s list of goals, at least for the foreseeable future. Completing his residency and becoming a trauma surgeon is his only priority. Casual relationships, his friends, and books are the only things he’s willing to lose his precious free time to. Β When an accidental email starts a deep online connection, both Liam and Anna dive in with zero concern . . . because there’s really no harm in getting close to someone who you’ll never meet in real life, right?
Wrong.
When a turn of events brings their “safe” virtual connection to an unexpected face-to-face, Anna and Liam learn their online chemistry pales in comparison to the real deal. A realization that brings along the bazillion-dollar question – what do you do when you meet The One at the most impossibly wrong time?
By Mistake by Sigal Ehrlich is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I quite enjoyed it. It’s a super-cute, low-drama story of strangers getting to know one another — and fall for one another — without ever having met in person.
Yoga instructor Anna receives an email sent to her by mistake, which leads to flirtatious exchanges between her and Liam, the sexy ER surgeon who wrote the email. A friendship grows between them before they realize that they live in the same town, and sparks fly when they finally decide to meet.
The only problem? Liam is waiting on an assignment for Doctors Without Borders, and is not looking for a relationship. Anna is about to take on ownership of the fitness studio she works at and is impossibly busy. But for all intents and purposes, these two have already coupled up… so why does it freak out Liam so much when Anna points that out? Will he walk away from the best thing that’s happened to him just because he thinks he’s too busy and that’s unfair to Anna?
I really liked the breakup and makeup between these two. When Liam realizes what a mistake he made, he comes crawling back… but Anna doesn’t give in right away. She keeps him at arm’s length for a bit, and I really liked the exchange between them as they laid it all out in the open. At times, I thought that Anna was… a bit too preachy… about her whole gut health/mind/body beliefs. But I appreciated that writing choice to make the character stand out as someone unique. I just think it could have been dialed back a tad. But overall, I really enjoyed this heartwarming story and all of the quirky characters involved! It was the perfect binge read to get lost in during a cold winter’s day.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
HOW TO GET LUCKY is a sexy, flirty, dirty all-male POV romantic comedy co-written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely and Award-Winning Romance Narrator Joe Arden! This addictive, heartfelt, and hilarious standalone is NOW AVAILABLE!!
Joe Arden performs the book, with cameos from special guests Erin Mallon, Emma Wilder and Maxine Mitchell!
Blurb: A sexy standalone romance written by #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely and Award-Winning Romance Narrator Joe Arden!
Every man knows there are lines you don’t cross. Like this one — don’t bang your boss’s little sister.
Too bad I didn’t know sexy, clever, irresistible London is related to the guy who signs my paychecks. Would have been helpful to have that intel before I took her out on that first date, before I kissed her on the beach, before I made plans to take her home that night.
But now I know and I’m going to be so damn disciplined. I’m a good guy, after all. And good guys don’t break the golden rules of the bro code. I’m going to follow the f&*k out of all the rules. I won’t break a single damn one.
Even when London asks me to help her with a work project. One that has us working late every night, all alone, in my tiny apartment.
One that tests every ounce of willpower I have.
One that is driving me out of my ever loving mind.
But I resist.
Until the night she issues a challenge I can’t refuse.
Joe Arden performs the book, with cameos from special guests Erin Mallon, Emma Wilder and Maxine Mitchell!
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Joe Arden is one of the genre’s most prolific narrators, and now he is a bonafide romance author! This collab with romcom queen Lauren Blakely β Joe has narrated many of LB’s books β is absolutely flawless. It’s sweet, it’s funny, the characters aren’t perfect and have some quirks, there is a lot of push and pull between Teddy and London, and you can just feel the sizzle and angst between them jump off the page!
Teddy and London’s meet-cute… well, both of them… are quite adorable and happen naturally. The best part is that they have the picture-perfect first date before London reveals that she knows Teddy is the DJ at the club her brother manages, and they will soon be coworkers. And just like that, Teddy goes from trying to get lucky to trying to figure out how the hell he’s going to just be friends with the best girl he’s ever met as he helps her choreograph a dance routine for a new show at the club.
Everything about their relationship is easy, and they communicate well. There’s no big blowup that leads to their end, and they always know that despite the longing glances and stolen kisses, that they shouldn’t be dating because it’s against club policy. Of course, that is easier said than done when feelings get involved.
I loved everything about this story. It was a tale of pure love, it was brilliantly written in Teddy’s POV with group chat text messages between London and her friends sprinkled in for her POV. I hope that Joe Arden continues to write as well as narrate, because I am there for it!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Lauren Blakely: A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. She also writes red-hot, escapist love stories. She’d love to give you a free book today! Check out her web site to grab your free read: https://laurenblakely.com/one-free-book
About Joe Arden: Joe Arden is one of the industryβs most prolific and decorated narrators of Romance and Erotica. He has been nominated for multiple Audie and SOVAS Awards and has received AudioFileβs Earphones Award numerous times. He is a vocal advocate for consent and equality. In his free time, he trains and fosters rescue pit bulls. This is his debut novel.
Iβd sworn off men.Β And then I met Nick Christiansen. Technically, I fell for him,Β literally, the moment I landed in his quarterback-sized arms and looked into those soulful eyes. I blame the rum.Β Or was it tequila? Spoiler alert: It was those delectable dimples. Either way, Nick was stupidly handsome and ridiculously charming. He held me like he cared and listened to me like I mattered. Captivated by great conversation and rock-hard abs, Nick had me reconsidering the βNo Menβ promise Iβd made myself.
I still regret walking away the next day. ~ I canβt stop thinking about the one who got away.Β But then I run right into Natalie St. James. Sheβs still unwittingly gorgeous, if not more so, and as wildly quirky as I remember. Sidebar: Sheβs on a date. What do I expect? For her to still be thinking about me? I still regret what happens next. We didnβt get the love story we deserved the first time, then I screwed up our second chance. When the universe shifts and our stars realign, is the third time a charm?Β
He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. βAbout that date? The offer still stands if youβre up for it.β
βTonight?β
βRight now.β
Checking my watch, I purse my lips in thought. βI donβt know. Iβm coming off a bad date, so that puts a lot of pressure on you to redeem my night. If you donβt, that will be two bad dates in one night. Might be a record.β
βIβm up for the challenge.β I knew he was, but I love that he takes the bait . . . I mean, up to the task. When he looks at me, itβs as if he sees my thoughts, and my cheeks heat in response. Taking a few steps closer, so close that my eyes dip closed as if Iβm about to be kissed, he says, βAs I see it, we have several options.βΒ
Playing off how bad I just misread that situationβagain, I might add, recalling the last rejection from him that I barely survivedβI tap my eye as if dust invaded the corner. βSorry,β I reply, blinking like a crazy person. Lowering my arm, I latch my good eye onto him. βSeveral options, you say? Do tell.β
He gives me a second full once-over and then rubs the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip as if heβs devising a plan. The intensity of his eyes lands back on me. βWe can get a drink at a nearby bar. Or maybe youβre up to hang out at my hotel suite . . . or your place. Whatever you want to do, Iβm all yours.β
βAre you?β
A smirk splits his lips. βSince Catalina, but thatβs old news, and I want to hear about the new you.β
βLike?β
βNatalie in New York versus you in California.β
Undecided on what I want to do, I look down the street one way and then the other, but with him standing so close, his scent has our past trickling back into my memories. I turn back to face him. βI know a place not too far from here. Itβs low-key at this hour, but then turns into an after-hours dance club.β
βI prefer low key.βΒ
βThen we have ourselves a date.β
We make it to the corner before he says, βYou look good, by the way.β
βThanks. You arenβt so shabby yourself.β The sound of his laughter is addicting, and donβt get me started on that cute smile. Iβd almost forgotten about those dimples.Β
He playfully knocks his elbow into mine. βLooking on the bright side paid off.β
βHow so?β
βYou told me that if we look on the bright side, we wonβt be strangers the next time we meet. And here we areβnot strangers.β
βAt the time, it was one of my wiser pieces of free advice.βΒ
βWhat about now?β
βIβd tell you to get my phone number. Much wiser, but you know, we could reintroduce ourselves and share our numbers just in case one of us goes MIA.βΒ Hint. Hint. Hint.
If you are a believer in fate and destiny and nothing in life being a coincidence, then Never Got Over You is a beautiful second-chance romance that has all that and more.
Nick and Natalie fall hard and fast for one another one night at a bar when she trips and falls into his arms… even though they donβt share as much as a kiss the first night they spend together. He lives in LA, sheβs a New Yorker, and one night is all they think they will ever have. They each regret the morning after, but destiny intervenes months later when Natalie and Nick literally bump into one another in Manhattan. Itβs a moment so magical that it sends them on a whirlwind long-distance romance.
Everything is easy between them. There is such an ease between them, and their rushed relationship doesnβt seem rushed at all.
Until it all blows up spectacularly.
Could the issue have been avoided if there was more talking about details of their lives? Of course. And that bugged me. They are unofficially engaged by the time the shit hits the fan. But I let that go and just went along for the ride, because these two are written in the stars.
So suspend belief and go for the ride, because Nick and Natalie are a special couple. This book is swoony, sweet, sexy, full of family drama and instalove.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet S.L. Scott
New York Times and USA Bestselling Author, S. L. Scott, was always interested in the arts. She grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and wiling her days away lost in a good book and the movies.
With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald.Β
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She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the worlds those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones.Β
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This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories.
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Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She’s obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she’s a pro.
Title: Guilty Pleasure
Author: Jessica Prince
Series: Redemption
Contemporary Romance; Small Town Romance; Second Chance Romance; Enemies to Lovers
What do you do when the most intense passion youβve ever felt is with a person you hate?
Sit back, hold on, and enjoy Clay and Larkβs bumpy ride.
The only thing worse than living in a town where everyone hates you is having to work for the man who broke your heart.
Redemption, Tennessee held nothing but painful memories that Lark Ashton had no desire to rehash. After the only man sheβs ever loved crushed her soul and spirit, and all her friends turned their backs on her, she swore to herself sheβd never go back. But when her aunt calls, asking a favor she canβt possibly refuse, Lark finds herself public enemy number one . . . again
Clay Morrison has spent seven years trying to convince himself heβs no longer in love with Lark Ashton. But when the woman he thinks betrayed him and his family returns, she brings with her a whole slew of feelings heβs worked hard to ignore. Now he canβt get the bane of his existence out of his head.
Sheβs in desperate need of a job. He canβt resist the chance to have her at his mercy.
And theyβre both about to discover what happens when the most intense passion they’ve ever felt is with a person they hate.
**The Redemption series is a series of interconnected, standalone, small town romances.**
Get it for the special release week price of $2.99.
Price will increase after release week.
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Guilty Pleasure is a perfect addition to Jessica Prince’s Redemption series! I loved this second-chance romance and all of the history between Clay and Lark.
The last thing that Lark wants to do is return to the town where everybody has shunned her for something that she was innocent of, but she does so anyway when the aunt who raised her needs help. An awkward situation becomes even more so when the last place she is able to get a job is working for her ex-boyfriend at his construction company. And it’s not long before Clay realizes that he never stopped loving Lark during the 7 years she was gone… but does he believe that she was innocent, or does he still think that she was capable of the betrayal that she was accused of?
There is so much to unpack between these two, and I loved every delicious second of it. My heart broke for Lark so many times. She is such a sweet soul and she was just raked over the coals for no reason. When Clay realized that he was wrong, he really went all out to prove his love and his belief in Lark. Swoony!
Guilty Pleasure has some great side characters, too. I loved Pope, and would love to see him get a story of his own! And Callum and Aurora… please!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
At Lumpyβs little yip of excitement, I looked down and covered my mouth with a finger. βShh!β I whispered. βDo you want us to get caught?β
I could have sworn he understood me, because he turned and looked at the kitchenβs doorway, raising his ears slightly like he was listening closely to make sure no one was coming.
βGood boy,β I crooned quietly when he looked back up at me with those big, round chocolaty eyes. βYou keep quiet and Iβll give you all the treats.β Just to show him I was a woman of my word, I pulled another piece of thinly sliced chicken from the deli bag Iβd found in one of the fridgeβs drawers. That was the fifth slice Iβd given sweet Lumpy since I spotted Clayβs name written on one side of the bag in black permanent marker.
As far as I was concerned, he totally deserved it. βIs that good chicken?β I cooed, smiling wide when Lumpyβs tail began swishing back and forth across the floor like a hyper little bunny. βYeah. I bet it is. I bet your daddy spent a pretty penny, getting that from the butcher instead of the sandwich meat section like a regular person.β I pulled out another slice and tossed it up so Lumpy could chomp it midair. Next I was going to teach him how to balance a treat on his nose before catching it.
βServes him right for making me clean out the stupid fridge.β
Iβd been with Morrison Construction for three days, and as I suspected, Clay was going out of his way to make my job miserable. There hadnβt been another blowup like the insanely tense scene in Callumβs empty office, however that didnβt mean he was taking it easy on me. Because he absolutely wasnβt.
But I wasnβt going to let him see how much he was getting to me. The more I swallowed down my snide comments or bit my cheek until it bled to keep from calling him every vile curse in the history of the human word, the angrier he seemed to get. For some reason, it felt like he wanted me to fight back. So I wouldnβt give him that luxury. It was childish, pushing his buttons like that, but I was giving myself that little rebellion.
Visit Redemption a series of interconnected standalone romances
Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. Thatβs why God created central air, after all.
Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boyβshe refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.
In addition to being a wife and mom, sheβs also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of booksβromances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says itβs a passionβ¦thereβs a difference. Not that sheβd expect a boy to understand.
Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.
If there is one truth that Bellamy Davenport knows, itβs that. Hands-down. (Well, that and the fact that she didnβt mean to hurt him. Physically. Coy canβt be hurt emotionally because he doesnβt have a heart.)
Coy is not just the small-town, literal boy-next-door. Heβs a heartbreaking, womanizing, mischief-making (and delicious) man and was all of those things well before he became a hot-shot country music sensation.
Heβs a dream standing in her doorway with no shirt, messy hair, and a βDo you wanna?β grin. But heβs also a nightmare for her heart and she knows it.
Their enemies-to-lovers relationship always ends the same wayβheavy on the enemies, light on the lovers.
So why is she still standing there?
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Ah! I loved Coy and Bellamy! After getting a tease of their love/hate relationship in The Relationship Pact, I couldnβt wait to dive into Reputation and get their story!! This childhood friends/enemies-to-lovers/second chance romance has all the feels.
There has always been a special connection between Coy and Bellamy, who grew up next door to each other and hooked up here and there. They never really dated, but their friendship was so deep… and because Bellamy felt betrayed by the one guy she always thought she could depend on, she wanted nothing to do with Coy when he returns he to Savannah to lay low and rude out a scandal threatening to ruin his reputation and music career.
There is a great connection between these characters, and I really felt the depth of their connection as childhood friends. It doesnβt take long for Coy to realize that his heart has always belonged to Bellamy, but is she willing to put her heart on the line again when itβs clear that heβs not staying in Savannah long term?
My heart really broke for Bellamy as she tried to be so strong in the face of her dadβs dying. She is utterly alone, and even though she once thought she could depend on Coy, she wasnβt sure if he was the same kind of friend these days. This story only spans a handful of days, but Coy really goes all out to show Bellamy that heβs there for her. And the scene between Coy and her dad… well, it left me sobbing! And when push comes to shove and Coy has to make a choice between the life he is existing in and the life that he wants to be living, itβs a romantic grand gesture of epic proportions!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About the Author: USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.
My name is Jace London, And I may have screwed up.
Change My Game, an all-new, angst-filled standalone romance from Kelsey Clayton, is available now!
Iβve always been the guy who had it all. Privilege, entitlement, and a life of luxury. But after one college night gone tragically wrong, Nothing has ever been the same.
Everyone thinks I should be happy. With a trust fund like mine, who could be sad? But no one knows whatβs going on with me, Or the nightmares that keep me awake at night.
I finally found salvation in a parentβs worst nightmare. The only thing to ease the pain just enough to breathe. My friends are worried Iβm going to ruin myself. What they donβt realize, is Iβm already dead inside.
Now theyβre ready to pull out all the stops, Including a therapist that gets paid an ungodly price. No amount of money can bring back the guy I was, But the girl that got away might be enough to try.
Gorgeous, strong, and confident to a fault. If anyone can save me from myself, itβs her.
Change My Game is a standalone and part of the North Haven University series. It deals with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.
Grabbing my pillow off the couch, I make my way back to my room as Paige follows. It’s only a twin size bed, so the two of us are going to end up practically on top of each other, but at least it’s more comfortable. I wasn’t allowed to change the mattress out, but I was able to put a pillow top on it to make it a little more bearable.
“Do you want the wall or the edge?”
She tilts her head to the side as she thinks about it. “The edge. I don’t want to wake you up in the morning when I’m trying to get out of bed at quarter after six.”
I purse my lips as I realize she’s right. “Good point.”
Climbing onto the bed, I get as close to the wall as possible, and she gets in behind me. Even with my one arm flush against the cold sheetrock, we’re still pressed together. I roll onto my side to try to give us more room, but she stays staring up at the ceiling.
“Goodnight, Paige.”
She doesn’t move an inch, not even to look over at me. “Goodnight.”
A few minutes pass as I wait for her to close her eyes, but that time doesn’t come. She blinks up at the ceiling, like it’s not even there and she’s watching the stars. It isn’t until she moves her hand just slightly, that I realize I wasn’t imagining things all night.
Her hand moves across the bed until it ends up directly on my dick, and it instantly twitches. I can’t really blame it, since I’ve gone longer than a monk without sex lately, but it’s a bit disappointing when she rips her hand away.
“Oh my God,” she gasps. “I’m sorry. I was…I’m sorry.”
I can’t help but chuckle as she covers her face. “It’s fine. If you want to touch my cock, it’s free game.”
She whimpers and reaches over to smack me, though it lacks force. “Ugh, this was a bad idea.”
“What were you trying to do?”
Her head turns my way, and she huffs. “I was looking for your hand.”
I lift my hand from next to my head. “It’s up here.”
“I see that now.”
Thankfully, my fears of her insisting she sleeps on the couch dissipate as she doesn’t move. Instead, she goes back to staring up at the ceiling, but I’m rock hard at this point. Even just a second of her touch was enough to wake the beast.
I slowly drag my fingertips down her arm, starting from her shoulder. Then, I skate over to her leg and make my way up her thighβreally taking my time in case she wants to stop me. But she doesn’t. She stays completely still, until just before I reach the waistband of her shorts. My fingers dip under the fabric, and her breath hitches.
“You said no funny business,” she whispers into the silence.
I hum. “Trust me, I find nothing funny about this.”
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
I knew from the end of Corrupt My Mind that Change My Game was going to be an emotional second-chance romance. But I was NOT expecting the roller coaster that Jace and Paige’s story took me on!
Change My Game starts out as an enemies-to-lovers second chance romance, but it morphs into something so much more. Paige and Jace are the loves of each other’s lives, even though it’s taken them years to get to where they are today. And even where they are today… it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Jace is going through some pretty heavy stuff, and at times Paige isn’t sure if she’s enough to be the one who brings him out of the darkness.
This book had me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought things had turned a corner, another major bombshell was thrown at me! By the time I got to the end, I felt like I’d been put through the wringer. I loved how dedicated Paige and Jace were to one another once they finally got over the BS that they were each holding on to from their previous attempt at dating. She stands by his side through SO MUCH, no matter how hard he tries to push her away! She makes him want to be a better person, and he really puts in the work to turn his situation around.
This series is a spinoff from one of Kelsey Clayton’s previous ones, so there are some crossovers from characters in the Haven Grace Prep series. But the North Haven University books are standalones, and do read as such. I haven’t read any of the Prep books, and I did not feel as if I was missing pieces of the story. There are some chapters toward the end of Change My Game where characters from Paige and Jace’s high school days at Prep turn out to show their support during an incredibly difficult time, which I loved from the standpoint of these characters having a history and backstory. For longtime KC readers, I’m sure they will love this nod.
There’s a great tease at the very end for the next book in this series, and it really has me smacking my lips in anticipation!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Kelsey Kelsey Clayton is an internationally selling author of Contemporary Romance novels. She lives in a small town in Delaware with her husband, two kids, and dog.
She is an avid reader of fall hard romance. She believes that books are the best escape you can find, and that if you feel a range of emotions while reading her stories – she succeeded. She loves writing and is only getting started on this life long journey.
Kelsey likes to keep things in her life simple. Her ideal night is one with sweatpants, a fluffy blanket, cheese fries, and wine. She holds her friends and family close to her heart and would do just about anything to make them happy.
