After flying through The Naked Fisherman, I could not wait to dive into The Lost Fisherman and it was everything I wanted it to be! It is a messy love triangle, full of angst and high emotions, heartbreaking truths, secrets kept with someone’s best interest in mind, and lots of love. Complicated doesn’t even begin to describe Fisher and Reese’s reunion!!
I wasn’t sure what to expect about the twist of events that reunited Fisher and Reece five years later. Based on the title alone, it was obvious that Fisher had been handed some sort of crap deal in life and was adrift, right? Well, yes. Yes, he has been handed a crap deal. But I was not expecting the plot twist to be what the plot twist was!
I hadn’t liked Reese very much while reading TNF — mostly because she was so young. But she has grown up so much in the past 5 years. She left Fisher behind because she knew she needed to find herself. And just as she did, she may have lost Fisher for good. She is stuck in an impossible situation, and even though she’s tried to move on, Fisher Mann is still the same guy who captured her heart all those years ago.
Jewel E. Ann brilliantly concluded Fisher and Reese’s story with the second book of this duet. Much like TNF, TLF is full of angst, but the love triangle involved here just amplifies it so much more. It’s a long, messy road for Fisher and Reese to get to their HEA, but they get there. And the payoff was worth all the anxiety I felt and tears I shed crying into my pillow. And that epilogue? Gah! I was hoping that JEA would sneak in a chapter from Fisher’s POV somewhere, and his epilogue was just perfect!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
Jingle Bell Hell, an all-new awkward meets sexy rom com from New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank and USA Today bestselling author A.R. Casella is available now!
She’s a sexually repressed control freak. He’s a muscular ex-con with heavier baggage than Santa’s toy bag. They’re everything each other never wanted.
Mary I’m usually the first person on my block to decorate for Christmas. This year? Humbug.
My six-year-old son, Aidan, just had a meltdown after learning some hard truths from a drunk Santa impersonator, and I can no longer deny we both need help. Change is hard for Aidan, and right now he’s dealing with several big ones, including A) his father abandoning us, B) our move to Asheville, and C) the Santa snafu.
And me? I’m a control freak, and my life is more out-of-control than a sled on ice.
That’s why I agree to let Aidan join Butterfly Buddies, a group that matches kids with adult mentors.
It’s also why I agree to a mentor of my own—terrifying, pink-haired Nicole, who wants to help me live life on the wild side. Her advice is strangely compelling, especially after I meet Aidan’s new “buddy,” a gorgeous tattooed hunk of a man who makes me wish there weren’t cobwebs in my…well, you know.
********* Jace
Mary O’Shea is sexy as hell, but she doesn’t know it.
She also doesn’t know I’m an ex-con, and if she finds out that I served three years in prison, extenuating circumstances won’t matter to her.
The last thing I should do is get attached to her kid…or her, but I didn’t get in this position by making good decisions.
Jingle Bell Hell is so much fun. I loved everything about Jace and Mary. This book beautifully blended lots of fun with lots of heart.
Mary is struggling to adapt to being back in her hometown and raising her autistic son, Aidan, after her husband walked out on them. She meets Jace when he’s paired with Aidan through a program that pairs special-needs children with volunteer mentors. Jace is a few years out of prison, having made a dumb mistake when he was a kid, and volunteering with Aidan helped ease the ache he feels over losing his connection to his sister and nephew as a result.
Sparks fly immediately between Jace and Mary, even though their relationship gets off to a rocky start. They both have a ton of baggage to unpack, but they soon find that a safe place in each other. Mary is uptight and sexually repressed, having been married to a jerk of a guy, and I loved seeing how she bloomed into a confident woman when she’s with Jace. Meanwhile, Mary helps Jace discover a lot about his past and helps him build a future he never imagined he’d be able to have.
As much as I loved Jace and Mary’s connection, I also adored Jace and Aidan’s friendship. Jace is incredible with Aidan, and I adored the bond those two developed.
This book was quite unexpected, and I enjoyed it from start to finish. This is the second book in this duo’s Bad Luck Club series, but it is a standalone.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Excerpt
Jace reaches toward my face, and my heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest as his fingers near the soft flesh of my cheek. When he tucks an escaped lock of hair behind my ear, I almost melt into a puddle.
“You’re a good mom,” he says. “And you were probably right. It might not be a good idea for Aidan to get too attached to me, and me to him, given that you and I are attracted to each other.”
Shock roils through me. It’s as if I’ve opened my eyes and found myself on a different planet, where the ground is as solid as a bounce house and left is right and right is left.
No, it’s not possible.
I gawk at him, taking in his sparkling eyes, the golden ends of his hair, and that short beard that shouldn’t look good, but oh God, it looks really good…
“Did you just say…?” I start.
It’s then that Aidan bursts through the door, holding something in his hand. He thrusts it out in front of him, scrunching his nose. “Did you get me this, Mom? It came in the box with my game. It was in a container, but I took it out.”
Shock renders me mute and still, like a pillar of salt. Especially since I can feel the intense scrutiny of Jace’s eyes. There’s no way Aidan knows what he’s holding, but Jace must know.
No, no, no, no, no, this can’t be happening.
The vibrator wasn’t supposed to come until tomorrow. Why would they pack it with a children’s board game?
A twisted sense of humor? A lack of reasonable bathroom breaks in the warehouse?
Aidan waves the bright pink vibrator around.
“There’s a little rabbit on it. Is it some kind of toy for Christmas? The package says it’s a magic wand that’s supposed to make people moan, but they spelled magic with a k, and it didn’t come with a spell book or anything.” He pulls a face. “I guess I can just use it with the Harry Potter spells. It does vibrate like it’s doing magic, and it can whirl in circles too.”
A short laugh sputters out of Jace.
My face is so red, it might as well be a fire truck. Magik wand. At least the name offers a reasonable explanation. For a six-year-old. God help me, I can’t bear to look at Jace.
I make a grab for the vibrator, but Aidan evades me.
“Why’d you get it in pink, Mom? You know green’s my favorite color.”
Jace clears his throat, but nope, I still can’t look at him. He’s not laughing anymore, but I know he probably wants to. Who wouldn’t? If he did feel some sort of passing attraction to me before this, he certainly doesn’t now.
“Aidan,” Jace says slowly, his voice husky. “There are toys for adults too. That’s probably something your mom got as a treat for herself, although I’m sure she’ll get you a Harry Potter wand for Christmas if you want one. Let her have it.”
Aidan does, which is what I wanted, but then I have a vibrator in my hand.I think for a moment and then stuff it into my bag. The tip instantly pops out, unmistakable.
What is happening to me?
“It must be some kind of mistake,” I say, finally forcing myself to meet Jace’s gaze. “I didn’t order this. I wouldn’t…”
I thought I’d see laughter there, because he’s only human, but all traces of it are gone, and now he’s looking at me like I’m the last slice of birthday cake at an office birthday party. No, like I’m the first.
About Denise Grover Swank
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in her own mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.
A.R. CASELLA is a freelance developmental editor by day, writer by night. She lives in Asheville, NC with her husband, daughter, two dogs, and a variable number of fish. Her pastimes include chasing around her toddler, baking delicious treats, and occasional bouts of crocheting. Any Luck at All, co-written with New York Times bestselling author Denise Grover Swank, is her first book.
I hope this email finds you well.
Your well-being and personal growth are of the utmost importance to me, as a therapist.
As such, I have decided it is in your best interest to continue individual therapy with another
practitioner.
This is due to the potential for boundaries being crossed between us.
Attached is a list of colleagues I would recommend for you.
Sincerely,
Scarlett Shepard, MS, MFT
Dear Scarlett,
Cool.
Consider our sessions terminated.
Now I can tell you how beautiful you are and how attracted I am to you.
Let’s start crossing boundaries over dinner tonight.
You’ll say it would be unethical, and I’ll point out that we’ve only had a few sessions.
You’ll cite the age difference, and I’ll tell you how hot it is that you’re six years older than me.
You’ll say you’re a mom, and I’ll remind you that I think your son is awesome.
We don’t have to discuss my former attachments to former co-stars ever again.
This is due to the fact that clearly my only personality issue is that I’m irresistible.
Yours in well-being and personal growth,
Dylan Brodie, W.M.H.T.A.T.Y.E.H. (Way More Handsome and Talented Actor Than Your Ex-
Husband)
Multicast duet-style audiobook will release not long after the kindle version. Performed by Zachary Webber and Emily Woo Zeller, featuring Teddy Hamilton, Jason Clarke, Mackenzie Cartwright, Connor Crais and Emma Wilder.
After a dreamy meet-cute that went nowhere three years ago, Dylan and Scarlett get a second chance when fate keeps throwing them together in Attachment Theory. He is a serial dater who loves being in love, and she’s a family therapist who knows that despite Dylan’s smoking-hot body and charming smile, she’s older than him, a single mom, and should stay far, far away. Of course, that’s not at all what happens!
Scarlett puts up a good fight, but in the end, she can’t resist this hunky Brodie brother.
It took me a little longer to get into Attachment Theory than it did with Funny Business (Frankie and Owen), but this slow-burn romcom was delightful in the end. Dylan and Scarlett had a great connection, and despite the age difference between them and their different places in life, I thought that they meshed well. When the big blowup happens between the two, I really thought that Dylan went above and beyond with his grand gesture to win Scarlett back and convince her that she is the only woman he envisions spending his forever with.
Scarlett’s son, Noah, was absolutely adorable, and I love what a great cat dad Dylan was with kitten Mr. Noodles! As usual, Kayley Loring works in some hilarious email exchanges and text threads amongst the characters, and I loved the cameos by some of her other couples. (In addition to Owen and Frankie, we get Nico and Shane, since Dylan played Shane’s brother on That’s So Wizard when he was a kid!)
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Kayley Loring
Before writing steamy romantic comedy novels, Kayley Loring got a BFA in creative writing and had a fifteen-year career as a screenwriter in Los Angeles (under a different name). She mostly wrote PG-13 family comedies that studios would pay her lots of money for and then never make into movies. In 2017 she decided to move to the Pacific Northwest and write about all the fun stuff that she wasn’t allowed to write about in those PG-13 scripts. Now she’s breathing cleaner air and writing dirtier words. It’s an adjustment she’s happily getting used to.
A Moment For Us by Corinne Michaels is now LIVE! New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to Willow Creek Valley in this stunning surprise baby/unrequited love romance.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
A Moment For Us is Book #3 in the Willow Creek series, and this time we get grumpy Joshua and Delia, the best friend of his little brother, Alex. Delia has been in love with Josh for as long as she can remember. And while he has feelings for Delia in return, he never acted on them earlier because of her friendship with Alex — and something happened to him in the years while he was gone from Willow Creek that changed Josh forever.
Despite Josh’s declarations that he can’t do relationships, Delia takes whatever he gives her as a no-strings fling. But when a condom breaks and Delia accidentally gets pregnant, they have to have some serious conversations about their future plans now that they are having a baby together.
Josh has a lot of emotional baggage to unpack due to an event in his past, and I kind of hated how Delia just took whatever scraps from him that she can. She was worth so much more than that, and it took her a really long time to come to that realization and push Josh away. By then, she was already attached to him through the baby. But as she tried to convince him that his traumatic past doesn’t have to impact their future as a family, Josh and Delia are struck by a tragic event — and instead of coming together to get through it, they drift apart.
While I think A Moment For Us should have had a trigger warning, I thought it was well-written as Josh and Delia try to come to terms with their relationship and what they really mean to one another. It’s messy and emotional, but it comes to a beautiful happily ever after.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Whatever Tomorrow Brings is the continuation and conclusion of Will and Tori’s story from Come Back Tomorrow. I guess you could read this book on its own, but there is so much to Will and Tori’s relationship that you really should read the first book in this duet before WTB.
Will and Tori’s friendship was born over movies and raisinettes in his hospital room while he was a terminal cancer patient. Along the way, they fell in love in CBT and Will realized that a life with Tori was worth fighting for. There are no guarantees that the radical treatment will cure his cancer but Will has decided that he doesn’t want to die without trying to fight. I cried for these two in both the first book and the second, wanting them to get a happily ever after!
Much of this book is Will’s medical journey. It’s messy and highly emotional. There are some really graphic and difficult scenes to read as Will struggles, but the love that he and Tori share is inspiring. She literally holds his fractured pieces together as he fights to survive.
I wasn’t sure how their romance would translate once Will was released from the hospital, but I thought that Argent did a great job of writing the difficulties they face as a couple at home dealing with an illness. Will’s vulnerability over needing to rely on Tori to bathe him, his frustrations and fears about what happens next and how Tori supports him through that — it all felt organic. I loved the last chapter, particularly, when we finally get inside Will’s head and got his POV on their relationship.
The Embrace Tomorrow duet was a fantastic offering from a new author. I’d love to see a story for Jason and Jenny, how they fell in love while supporting their best friends!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Amy Argent
Amy Argent is the author of the Embrace Tomorrow Duet: Come Back Tomorrow and its sequel, Whatever Tomorrow Brings. Amy can honestly say she writes day and night—clinical trial documents as a medical writer by day and contemporary romance as a novelist by night . . . and possibly into the wee hours of the morning. She has a PhD in Genetics that she agonized entirely too much over, but it did result in a fascinating day job—the details of which tend to creep into her fiction.
Amy can be found in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, two teenagers, and two hedgehogs, where she’s most likely planning her next departure from reality—destination: Dragon Con, the closest Renaissance Faire, or the nearest book.
Amy has always been fascinated by the many ways people cope with the human condition. Her stories explore the emotional journey we take when adversity drastically changes life’s course, but being an eternal optimist, she’s found her niche in soulful stories with silver linings. In truth, they can always be found if one is willing to look for them.
Willette Archer has a secret—though some would argue how well kept it actually is. As right-hand woman and best friend to the owner of Bird’s Eye Tattoo Studio, her job has become her whole life. So, she occupies her days with shop decisions to avoid her disappointing dating life.
Of course, that might also have something to do with her two-decade old infatuation with her aforementioned best friend’s older brother.
Derek Tanner is at a loss—with basically everything. His apartment lease is up, most of his belongings are somewhere in storage, and the good doctor has been pulling extra shifts at the hospital due to lack of staff. So, yeah. His life is chaos. Thanks to these wonderful circumstances, dating is nowhere on his radar.
When his little brother suggests he stay in Willette’s spare room for the time being, he’s both grateful and hesitant. Sure, he grew up with Will too, but they’ve never been as close—let alone in close quarters.
It doesn’t take very long for Doctor Derek to start seeing Will in a new light. This makes him think perhaps he should be examined. Will, on the other hand, is this close to feigning injury just so he’ll touch her already.
When boundaries are crossed and relationships are finally taken to the next level, will Willette get exactly what she’s been hoping for since childhood, or will her fantasy be forever ruined?
Will is the second book in Kat Savage’s Men of Bird’s Eye series. Although technically, Will (aka Willette) is a woman, and she’s one of the guys in theory, but she’s our feisty, independent heroine in this story… who has been in love with Hawk’s big brother for nearly 20 years.
Derek’s lease is up, his hours at the hospital are insane, and he needs someplace to crash while he house hunts. So Hawk offers up Will’s spare bedroom, and we have a forced proximity/roommates romance with a bit of secret crush mixed in. Derek has always been a serial dater, never committing because he doesn’t believe in love. Will has always dated losers, because she knows nobody will measure up to Derek. But as they spend more time together as roommates, Derek starts to look at Willette differently and asks her out. There is hesitation from both of them about not wanting to ruin their decades-old friendship… and that is exactly what happens when Derek finds out that Willette has been in love with him since she was a kid. He freaks out, moves out, and leaves Will heartbroken.
I really liked Will and Derek’s story, but I wanted *more* from them. Why is Derek so against love? He’s seen it go bad with his parents, but that was a one-liner and I wanted more about how that affected him. I wanted more of Derek’s inner thoughts when it came to his feelings for Will and his willingness to “hope” for more. The scene was beautiful but I wanted to know how he got there. I also wish that there had been some reference to Will’s family — it would have given her more depth as a heroine. The one reference to her Generalized Anxiety Disorder was kind of a throw-away, and I think there was so much that could have been explored there with how that affects her.
But overall, Will was a great read, and I’m really enjoying this series. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Avery and Hanson! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Kat Savage
Kat Savage resides in Louisville, Kentucky with her three beautiful children, her hunky spouse, and two spoiled dogs. She secretly has hope of getting chickens one day.
By day, she’s an office manager, pushing paperwork and daydreaming. When she’s not at her nine-to-five, she’s writing. Or thinking about writing. Or preparing books and book stuff. Or quite possibly, designing stuff for other people’s books.
She was driven to writing out of a need to distraction and self-preservation after the death of her sister in 2013. Since then, it’s snowballed into a full blown passion she can’t escape. Even on the toughest days, she wouldn’t want to.
She writes poetry packed with real, raw, and sometimes ugly truths. She won’t lie. Her goal is to make you ache, in that perfect delicious way we often secretly crave.
Shortly after putting her poetry and prose out into the world, she turned to novel writing. Savage is a natural storyteller, getting better with each book. She tries to give the characters in her novels depth, whether they’re serious or comical, she builds them in layers with the hope that you see a little of yourself in some of them.
My name is Easton Donovan, and I massively screwed up.
Waste My Time, an all-new emotional and angsty new adult romance from Kelsey Clayton, is available now!
I should’ve given her the world. Should’ve been everything she deserves. Instead, I broke her like every promise I’ve ever made.
The darkness tells me to let her go. Memories of my past keep me from letting her in. Someone should tell her that loving me is a losing game.
Just being around her is a high I’ve never known. If she knows what’s good for her, she’ll cut me off. Given the chance, I’ll ruin her the way I’ve done to others. But with the bomb she just dropped, she’s here to stay.
She’s flawless innocence. I’m toxic destruction. And the selfish part is, I need her.
Truth be told, Kennedy Lehigh could be the one to save me from myself.
Walking through campus, I keep my head down. The Advil has done as much for my headache as the saltine crackers the school nurse gives you for a broken arm. If there’s one thing I don’t want right now, it’s to make small talk with some shithead who thinks we’re friends simply because Z and I throw the best parties. My only mission is to get to my class, where I can fall back asleep listening to the monotone voice of my professor as he drones on about the fundamentals of programming and problem solving. And yet, when I get most of the way there, I quite literally crash right into someone else. Books fly out of the girl’s hand and land among mine on the ground. “I’m so sorry,” I say, but as I look up, I notice Kennedy staring back at me. Shit. I’ve been trying to stay out of her way. I mean, Tessa found happiness after me, and then I practically destroyed her by trying to get her back. I’d rather die than do the same thing to Kennedy, so if she’s happy with Alec, I’ll force myself to be happy for her. She stares back at me, clearly in shock as I quickly pick up her books and hand them to her. As she takes them from me, our hands touch, and my body reacts to the feel of her skin on my own. The same way it always has. The same way it always will. Seeing her now, my body hurts—literally yearns to pull her back into my arms and just hold her there, never letting her go. But I can’t let myself do that. Not anymore. I go to walk away, to leave her alone like I swore to myself I would, but she stops me with a call of my name. “I actually need to talk to you about something,” she says with a sigh. The air around me feels too thick, standing here with her, but I swallow it down. “Everything okay?” “Uh, yeah. I guess,” she mutters, looking anywhere except back at me. “I, uh…fuck.” A part of me wonders if she’s just trying to keep me around. Keep my attention on her. Like ignoring her the past week was drawing her back to me. But if I’ve learned anything the last week, it’s that she’s better off without me. Where I can’t ruin her life. Letting out a huff, I know I’m going to hate myself for this. “Can you just say what it is you want to say? I have places to be.” She narrows her eyes at me. “It’s not that simple.” “Sure it is. Your mouth forms words, and you say them,” I spit. “Just tell me.” “Easton,” she breathes, and I’m even more sure she just wants to keep me here as long as possible. I roll my eyes. “Fuck it, then. I’ve got to go.” “I’m pregnant,” she announces, freezing up as she realizes the way she just blurted out that crucial information. “According to the doctor, about twelve weeks.” Her words hit me right in the chest. Pregnant. She’s pregnant. And twelve weeks means it’s mine. There’s no way it can’t be, unless she cheated. No. Kennedy is a lot of things, but a cheater is not one of them. That only leaves one person to be the father. Me. “Y-you’re…” Everything starts to spin as the reality sets in that I’m going to be a father. The nausea from my hangover builds in my throat and threatens to bubble over. I try to hold it back. Try to keep it in. But there’s nothing I can do. It all happens in a millisecond. I attempt to turn away but she puts her hand on my arm, keeping me in place as she looks at me in bewilderment. I’m stuck. There’s nowhere to go. Nothing I can do. And that’s when it goes wrong. I bend over, emptying the contents of my stomach all over the ground and Kennedy’s favorite pair of boots. She gasps, holding her books close to her chest and not looking down for a moment. She doesn’t need to. It’s no mystery as to what just happened. “Fuck,” I groan. “Kennedy, I am so sorry.” “It’s fine,” she snips, showing it’s most definitely not fine. As she takes a step away, I stop her. “At least let me help you clean up.” “No,” she barks. “Trust me. You’ve done enough.” With that, she practically runs back toward her dorm, not sparing so much as a glance back at me. I fucked up again.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3 Stars
I am so torn about my feelings for this book. I was so looking forward to Easton and Kennedy’s story — more so than any other couple in this series. I fell in love with them from the first NHU book, and the bombshell that Kennedy dropped in Wreck My Plans was jaw-dropping. But the rollout of Easton and Kennedy’s story just felt kind of anticlimactic in comparison to the other books in this series.
A huge part of why I just felt so “meh” about this book had to do with Easton and Tessa. And I confess that I did not read the series that came before this one, so I only know Easton and Tessa’s history from the NHU series. I have not read Tessa’s book. But so much of Easton and Kennedy’s problems are hinged on his past as an addict and history with Tessa, and I felt like there were too many references that I was not aware of. So I had a hard time connecting with that part of this story as a result.
There are a lot of ups and downs for Easton and Kennedy before they get to their HFN. So much miscommunication between these two, and them not talking about their feelings. I felt like I was told more about their feelings for one another than I was shown. I didn’t get Easton’s feelings for Kennedy from his chapters. It left me wanting more.
But that epilogue! Holy moly! Way to set up a next-generation spinoff! I am so intrigued!
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.
Stevie Foster thought her happy ever after would come easily after saying “I do” to her high school sweetheart at nineteen.
But twelve years later, she finds herself divorced, settling into a new home, in a new town, with a new job as an elementary teacher trying to pick up the pieces as she goes.
On top of struggling to cope with the future she always wanted versus the one she’s been dealt, she soon realizes that her new neighbor is a strict, stone-faced man she’s all too familiar with.
Lieutenant Colonel Fletcher Miller.
The man once in charge of her ex-husband’s unit.
And as if the reminder across the street of what she lost wasn’t painful enough, she also becomes his young son’s teacher.
A single dad. A divorcee. A second chance at love neither knew they’d get.
Make You Miss Me is a wonderfully raw, emotional story of one woman’s journey to start over again after a divorce that completely devastated her. Stevie’s growth was phenomenal. Her desire to stand on her own two feet and be a fierce and strong independent woman came through beautifully, as did her hesitation to get involved with her neighbor, Fletcher.
There were so many layers that hesitation, too. Fletcher was the father of one of Stevie’s students, her ex-husband’s former commanding officer, and just a man who terrified Stevie because he made her feel things she hadn’t ever felt before, even with her ex, Hunter. And Fletcher was a unicorn! He was so gentle and kind, and the things he says to Stevie in his courting of her were absolutely swoony!
This book was a heartwarming story of growth, self-forgiveness, and finding love again! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet B. Celeste
B. Celeste was born and raised in Upstate New York where she still resides with her four-legged feline sidekick Oliver “Ollie” Queen.
Her love for writing began with poetry, which she learned to write after watching her father write poetry for her mother, before she found interest in short stories, novellas, and novels.
After getting two degrees in English and Creative Writing, B has written over 12+ full length novels, been invited to many signings around the world, and hopes to begin traveling to see readers worldwide.
When you say you’re a sexologist, people imagine Marilyn Monroe. They don’t expect a woman who uses a wheelchair. As the host of the All Access podcast, I’m breaking barriers, crushing stigmas, and creating sexual connections that are fulfilling for my fans. I’m like cupid, but with pink hair and fewer diapers.
Only, I’ve hit a snag. A lovely listener wants some advice about accessible rope play and I’m drawing a big fat blank. Which leaves me with no option but to get out there and give it a go.
Which is how I meet Jay Wood—rigger, carpenter, and all-round hottie.
I’d be open to letting him wine and dine me but Jay isn’t my type. He’s not a one-girl kind of guy. Monogamy isn’t even in his vocab, and I’m not a woman who’ll settle for being second choice.
But the closer we get, the more Jay has me tied up in knots.
And it’s making me think, maybe I could compromise and accept a little Wood in my life. Even if it’s only temporary.
Jay
Frankie’s funny, intelligent, and ridiculously sexy. This should be a no-brainer. A little fun in the sheets, and a little romp with some ropes—simple.
Only the infuriating woman is asking for more. I’m not that kind of guy. I wouldn’t even know how to be that kind of guy. I’m the definition of easy.
It’ll be fine. We’ll be friends. Just friends.
So, why does my heart feel frayed? And why is it I can’t help but consider taking the ultimate leap of faith—tying myself to Frankie. Permanently.
I adored this book! Knot My Type is fun, flirty, sexy, and refreshing! Frankie was a fantastic heroine. Strong, sassy, knew what she wanted, knew her worth — and the fact that she is disabled didn’t mean a lick. I loved that about her. Her wheelchair didn’t stand in her way at all, and I loved how Jay saw her for the wonderful woman she is.
Frankie is a sexologist and popular podcaster. When a reader wants to know about accessible rope play, Frankie reaches out to Jay — a former high school classmate who she hears through the grapevine is a skilled rigger at the local kink club. As she picks his brain about bondage, sparks go off between them. His attraction to Frankie shocks Jay because he doesn’t do relationships. But for her, he’s willing to try. And once they get together, it is a wonderful, healthy, fun relationship. They connect instantly, it’s easygoing, and they allow themselves to be vulnerable and intimate with the other.
But all of Jay’s fears about not being enough for the kind of future Frankie wants — being the goodtime guy, not husband material, thanks to a past relationship — come to the surface when his past catches up with their present. How Jay comes to terms with his insecurities and fears versus not having Frankie in his life at all left me in tears. It leads to a wonderful Grand Gesture and a heartwarming HEA.
Knot My Type was a refreshing read from a new-to-me author that I binged on a Friday night. It’s a starter to a new series about a group of friends and I can’t wait to read the rest of these books!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
EXCERPT
Jay
Capricorn Cove had experienced a renaissance in the last few years, the sleepy town beginning to emerge from its hibernation as people moved in, and businesses finally occupied formerly vacant storefronts.
Change came slowly in the Cove, but Books and Beans had fast become a local institution.
Inside the small café, warm brick walls were complemented by polished concrete floors, long wood benches, and upcycled tables. Bookshelves stuffed with new and used books were scattered throughout the space, inviting diners to peruse as they waited for their order.
I pushed through the door, the bell tinkling cheerfully above my head.
“Hey, Jay. Want your regular?” Betsy called from her position behind the counter. Dressed in a casual blouse and mom-jeans, the older woman didn’t look like the kind of person who’d own a hipster joint. And yet, a quick glance around showed a surprising number of tourists enjoying generous meals.
“Actually, I’m meeting someone. Got a table for me?”
She nodded toward the back of the café indicating a table set between the currently empty fireplace and a pair of wall-to-ceiling bookshelves.
“Perfect. Thanks.”
I made my way over, calling greetings and stopping for chats with locals. That was the problem with a small town—you knew everyone and everyone knew you.
Everyone, it seemed, except Frankie Kenton.
I settled at the table, anticipation simmering under my skin as I pulled my cell out, swiping to reread her messages.
I still couldn’t figure out why she’d piqued my interest. There was nothing profound in her texts. And yet here I sat, waiting for her to arrive, my pulse unsteady, my body on edge.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
“Jay?”
I looked up, my cock immediately hardening.
“Frankie?”
Her pink hair and blue eyes reminded me of the cotton candy I used to buy at the annual fair. The colors had me wondering if the taste of her promised to be as sweet on my tongue.
She grinned, her eyes sparkling as she came toward me, hand outstretched. “The one and only.”
I’d have classified her as spun sugar, light and fluffy and extra sweet—if not for her voice. The richness of it forced me to reassess my initial impression—this woman wasn’t sugar, she was spice in masquerade.
Evie Mitchell is a thirty-something woman who loves dirty books, bad boys, and men who know how to treat their woman right. She lives with her husband, their sausage dog, and an ever-growing collection of book-related mugs.
When she’s not writing, Evie loves curling up in the sun with a good book and a cup of tea. Evie specialises in spunky reads for curious minds.
I should’ve told Milo. That I loved him. That I was pregnant. That I didn’t want anyone else, except him. But I didn’t. Instead, I left. I ran. Now he’s here, in the hospital after I delivered a baby girl he’s convinced belongs to him. But the truth is, I have no idea. I’ve sacrificed so much to keep my past hidden. To keep my baby safe from her other potential father. It’s a secret I’ll take to my grave. Or at least, I planned to until Milo forced me to move in with him, causing me and my daughter to pop up on a certain someone’s radar whom I never wanted to see again. People might say life gets messy sometimes… But they have no idea just how much chaos will ensue if the truth comes out after I’ve done so much to keep it in the past.
Oh, I am loving the Wrecked Roommates series! Milo and Maddie’s story is an emotional, gut-wrenching rollercoaster of emotions, but full of so much heat, heart, and a beautiful second chance at love.
After getting a glimpse of Maddie and Milo’s backstory with Gibson in Forbidden Lyrics, I couldn’t wait to dive into this book. And it was phenomenal. I felt so many emotions for these two as they attempted to repair their fractured relationship and co-parent little Penny. Milo has always been the protector when it comes to his sister and friends, but there was something about Em breaking his heart that made it too much to want to fight for her. But the thing is, Em/Maddie never wanted to break things off with Milo — just with Gibson — but miscommunication and words said in the heat of anger caused a lot of damage between them.
Milo is slow to forgive Maddie for breaking his heart, but once they finally hash out their issues, he sees that her heart was broken too. And things are beautiful between them… until they aren’t because there is one more secret Maddie has been keeping from him that could be the ultimate betrayal. Yes, she should have told him the secret she was keeping, and she was wrong by not doing so. But he’d also told her that what was in her past was in the past and had no bearing on their future as a family.
This book is a standalone, but it is best to have read Forbidden Lyrics first, as there are some details there that really impact Messy Strokes. And Milo and Maddie’s story is quite messy, but has such a beautiful ending.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓 
