Sunny Shelly’s Review: Hamptons Heartbreak by Tara Leigh

August 12, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

Hamptons Heartbreak by Tara Leigh is now live!

One beach house.
Two months.
Countless lies.
What could go wrong?

It was supposed to be the perfect summer job.
Housesitting in the Hamptons.
And then he showed up.
Lance Welles.
Moody. Broody. Wealthy. Sexy.
And cocky. So damn cocky.
He’ll let me stay for the summer.
But only if I pretend to be his girlfriend.
I agree. Why wouldn’t I?
It’s not like I’ll fall in love.

The first time I saw Vivienne Radcliffe,
she was in a fire-engine-red bikini.
Setting fire to my house.
Well, not exactly my house.
The garden of my Hamptons estate.
She says the house is hers for the summer.
But it isn’t long before I realize . . .
I want Vivienne to be mine forever.

Download today!
Amazon: http://mybook.to/hampheart
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3r1c85O
Nook: https://bit.ly/3jPpnFk
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3hOztDQ
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3ALDqld

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3hDH9Zl

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

When Vivienne’s life goes up in smoke, she takes a job maintaining a summer share house in the Hamptons. The last thing she’s expecting to find is love in the form of hot, wealthy, billionaire Lance Welles. Well, she doesn’t know how wealthy he is, at first, so she just thinks she’s getting to know a kinda rich guy.

So they spend the summer dating while fledgling interior designer Vivienne decorates the Hamptons beach house that she thinks Lance’s wealthy friend owns. Their relationship has an end date, which both of them don’t really want by the end of the summer, but neither one of them get over their issues to ‘fess up to the other.

I didn’t love that Lance lied to Vivienne about who he really is. I get why he did it, to see if she liked him or his bank account, but I hate when characters do that. Both of them have some insecurities — her not feeling like she’s worthy enough b/c of her jerk of an ex, and he has a whole suitcase of issues to unpack from his childhood — and those insecurities lead to several miscommunications between them. The biggest of all was Lance jumping to a very wrong conclusion, after treating Vivienne horribly, which led to their breakup.

There is a great grovel scene at the end, and that kind of saved this story for me. Because I really liked Lance up until that point, but then his ratings took a nosedive! But the end of this book was sexy and sweet, with a lovely HEA for the couple.

Hamptons Heartbreak is part of a series, but it is a standalone. Lance was a secondary character in other stories, and there are appearances by those couples in this book, but I didn’t feel like I was missing pieces of his history having not read the other books in this series.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Tara Leigh

Tara Leigh is a multi-published author of steamy contemporary romance. A former banker on Wall Street, she graduated from Washington University and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, but she much prefers spending her days with fictional boyfriends than analyzing financial spreadsheets. Tara currently lives in Fairfield County, Connecticut with her husband, children, and fur-baby, Pixie. She is represented by Jessica Alvarez, of Bookends Literary Agency.

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Then You Saw Me, by Carrie Aarons

August 12, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

NEW COLLEGE ROMANCE

Then You Saw Me by Carrie Aarons is live! You’re bound to binge this new adult read, and with college roommates, forced proximity and unrequited love, it’ll hit all the best tropes!

BLURB

————————————————

You know what’s guaranteed to send your heart into your throat? Opening the front door of your off-campus house to find the boy you had a crush on all through high school telling you he’s the new subletter.

Of course, he barely knew I existed back then, and still doesn’t even though we attend the same university. But in a house of six college kids, it should be easy to remain invisible while carrying a torch for him. After all, I’m skilled at being overlooked and playing second fiddle.

Except Austin Van Hewitt, my hometown’s golden boy, doesn’t get the memo. After we throw our first party of the year, I’m on his radar and somehow my lips miraculously end up on his. The budding romance is one I’ve always dreamt about. As he shows more and more interest, I push aside the plaguing insecurity of never being good enough.

But then a letter shows up in our mailbox. A time capsule I wrote to myself when I was fifteen. You know, the kind where a teacher sends it to you years later? Guess who opens it by mistake and reads all about how I plan on marrying him and having his babies one day? Did I mention I signed it using his last name?

Mortifying would be an understatement. After he starts pulling away, I’m once again the girl in the background hoping that someone will understand me enough to pay me all of their attention.

The old me, the one conditioned to settle for what she’s given, would back down. This time, though, if I want everything I almost held in my hands, I’ll have to speak up. I’ll have to admit exactly how I feel, fight for the love that was blossoming. And I’m not sure what’s scarier; voicing my inner thoughts or facing his ultimate rejection.

Read it now: mybook.to/ThenYouSawMe

One-click it now on Amazon or you can grab it for free in KU!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I was lucky enough to get a super-duper early copy of this book from the author, and I could not put it down!! Taya lives out her teenage nightmare and fantasy all at once in this sizzling roommates romance. I thought I had Austin pegged as a character, but there are a lot of layers to the guy. Taya knew him as their hometown’s golden boy, but there is so much more to him than meets the eye. Both of their families are incredibly dysfunctional, and while it is deep-seated insecurities as a result of their family dynamics that cause problems for Taya and Austin, they also heal each other’s broken parts beautifully as their relationship develops.

Then You Saw Me is the start to a new series by Carrie Aarons, and the other roommates in the college rental house on Prospect Street will get books in the future. Bring on the forced proximity, roommate rollercoasters! I’m dying to know what Gannon’s deal is!!

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Come Back Tomorrow by Amy Argent

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

Release Date: August 10

Looking for an unforgettable novel like Me Before You or The Fault in Our Stars but with a silver lining? Then Come Back Tomorrow is your next angsty romance must-read.

William Everson, Jr. is young, he’s dying of terminal cancer, and he’s all alone. I meet him through my mission to befriend terminal cancer patients with no visitors, but it takes me much longer to meet “Will” and to learn anything about his family, his friends, and why he has a DNR order in place.

“Can I come back tomorrow?”

That’s always my question at the end of our visits.

When it becomes his question—“Will you come back tomorrow?”—it changes both of us forever. Will’s given up on life; I won’t let him go without a fight. But is what we share enough to make Will rethink any of his choices . . . before it’s too late?

Come Back Tomorrow follows the heart-wrenching journey through illness to the very edge of life and to the critical decision that must be made: accept your fate or fight with everything you have.

Come Back Tomorrow is the first book of the Embrace Tomorrow Duet.

Grab Your Copy Here!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I was BLOWN AWAY by Come Back Tomorrow — what a fantastic debut novel!

You know from the blurb that going into this book that it’s not going to be your typical romance novel. The hero is dying of cancer, and the heroine is a psychologist who works in the hospital. At first, Will wants little to do with Tori because he’s so resigned to not just die, but die alone. But little by little, she chips through the walls he has erected around himself, and a bona fide friendship forms between them that blossoms into the most beautiful love.

But with Will literally facing death and not wanting any medical interventions to prolong his life, their time together has an expiration date. Unless Will realizes that he does indeed have a reason to live.

This marvelous story is full of sadness, but also very full of hope. Hope that love can change our lives. Hope that a smile or a kind word can make a crappy day better. My heart broke for Will and all that he’d gone through! There are pieces of Tori’s backstory that were not fully explained, but I’m hopeful that her history will be fleshed out in the second book of this duet.

I am so glad I took a chance on reading this author’s debut novel, and can’t wait for the conclusion of Tori and Will’s story in the second book of this duet! 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.

Connect with Amy Argent

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Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: The Trouble With #9 by Piper Rayne

August 10, 2021August 10, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

Release Date: August 10

Trouble.

One word that comes to mind when someone talks about me. I like to think of it as protection, watching out for the ones I love. But now I’m spending more time in the penalty box than on the ice and the team owner isn’t happy.

Finding myself across the room from the hot therapist I kissed on New Year’s Eve only makes me push my problems down further. I want couch time with her but not the kind she’s used to.

I decide to lie to her just to finish off my therapy so I can do what I really want—date her—even if she says she doesn’t date hockey players. Just when my therapy sessions are up and I’ve made some headway with Paisley, it’s my parents who throw another wrench in my plans.

If I abide by my parent’s wishes to marry the one they’ve chosen, I’ll lose Paisley forever. But if I go against my parents, I’m failing my deceased best friend all over again.

Grab Your Copy Here!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Moving right along with Piper Rayne’s Hockey Hotties series! This time around we have strong, stoic Maksim, and his forbidden romance with team psychologist Paisley.

As the story continues from My Lucky #13, all of the players on the Florida Fury have to meet with Paisley per the team owner’s insistence, to get their minds into mental shape. But Maksim is insisting that he’s just fine, and is more interested in dating Paisley than sitting down on her couch.

So I admittedly wasn’t sure how this story was going to go with the doctor/patient aspect to it and the ethics involved with Paisley dating Maksim. That component of the story is dealt with easily enough, however, and the real obstacles for these two to overcome are Paisley’s insecurities of just being the plain girl who is not enough for the hockey god, his constant “tests” that he puts her through as a result of his own insecurities, and his overwhelming need to be the protector of all those around him.

I really liked how Paisley and Mak’s story unfolded. It had a natural flow to it, he was super charming and sweet when trying to woo her with his 9 original date ideas, and the issues that came up between them happened organically. Plus, there are lots of steamy moments between these two!

Again, Piper Rayne takes us on an entertaining ride as these characters fall in love — and sets the stage for a great story coming up next with Ford!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Piper Rayne

Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write “heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle” about families, whether that be blood or found.

They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they’re married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they’re both chauffeurs to their kids.

Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Hu$h Money, by B.L. Mute

August 1, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

🖤💰 𝑯𝑶𝑻 𝑵𝑬𝑾 𝑹𝑬𝑳𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑬 💰🖤

𝐇𝐮$𝐡 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐋 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄! 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤, 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞!

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲!

BLURB

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹, 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁…

Seducing a man for the sole purpose of blackmailing him never crossed my mind. Until it was my only option. I thought it would save my family, and all my father worked for. Instead, I found myself running from Bexley Falls to escape what I did.

Broke and alone, I had no choice but to return to my life as a heiress and face my mistake.

Only Malcolm McLane isn’t the forgiving type.

He’s been gathering information on me and launches into a game of cat and mouse that could destroy us both. At first, I thought I could handle him. Now, I find my control slipping in a battle that could swallow me whole. My only way out is with the help of his son, Carter.

I shouldn’t be attracted to Carter.

He’s forbidden.

Dangerous.

Yet as he helps me plot my escape, I feel an undeniable magnetism drawing me to him.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲.

Add to your Goodreads TBR➜ http://bit.ly/HM_GR

𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊

Amazon Universal: https://books2read.com/HushMoney

Preorder Blood Money: A Captive Romance (The Dirty Money Duet Book 2), releasing November 16th!

https://books2read.com/u/mZrLg2

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of Hu$h Money, BL Mute has an amazing giveaway for you!

Enter here: https://kingsumo.com/g/el2rz1/huh-money-giveaway

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Wow, this book is all kinds of messed up! The triangle between Lydia, Malcolm, and Carter was not what I was expecting. Nothing about this book was what I was expecting! Go into this book blind, because the twists and turns are worth not knowing what is ahead. Lydia’s story is gritty and dark, and this story has some disturbing situations and a possible trigger. But the journey that Lydia goes on had me quickly turning the page to see what comes next.

I absolutely loathed Malcolm — which I’m sure was the author’s intention — and adored the relationship that Lydia and her childhood friend, Carter, rekindled. Their friendship was rocky at the start, but when they realize how much they had in common, they begin to rely on each other in the best of ways. The only way for either of them to escape the situation they are in is to work together against their shared enemy.

This book is tagged as a duet, but I felt that Carter and Lydia’s story was complete. The epilogue features Lydia’s best friend, Carmen, and leaves a cliffhanger for book 2, but I assume that story will focus primarily on her.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BL lives in north Texas with her husband and three children. She enjoys writing different sub genres of romance, and building flawed and broken characters. You can most likely find her mommy-ing, watching her husband cook (because she is a horrible chef), getting tattoos, or walking into the pole you’ve told her to watch out for. She loves interacting with her readers and other authors in the community. Friends and family classify her as fierce, loyal and ditsy at times.

AUTHOR LINKS

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Working Man, by LB Alexander

July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

WORKING MAN

by L.B. Alexander

Release Date: July 28, 2021
COVER DESIGN:

Cormar Covers
GENRE:
Contemporary romance

Synopsis
Violet Luna is a new brand of “It Girl.”
Young.

Beautiful.

Executive Director of a viral sensation dating app.

To the outside world, her life is an unattainable fantasy of glitz and glamor. Well… the “fantasy” part is true.

Reeling from a nasty break-up with an up-and-coming movie star, Violet is painfully aware that it will tarnish her company’s reputation if she shows up to their annual retreat alone. What’s a girl to do but hire the most devastatingly sexy elite male escort she can find?

Gabriel de Graaf was meant to be nothing more than a dirty little secret as Violet dared to walk on the wild side. But when he awakens a passion within her, Violet soon realizes that one night with this handsome Dutchman won’t be close to enough…

** Author L.B. Alexander delivers a gender-swapped Pretty Woman romance that will leave readers swooning over each sizzling page!

Add to your TBR list!
Goodreads Link
https://bit.ly/3ugelKP

- Amazon Purchase Link
- https://geni.us/5kgv

Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIRECT LINK:

https://bit.ly/3x5HQQM

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
This steamy reverse-gender take on the Pretty Woman story was hot! And it was not what I was expecting. There was so much more to Violet and Gabriel, and I adored these two very complex characters and what they ultimately found in one another.

Violet is at the top of her game professionally, but a horribly abusive relationship left her broken and damaged, and afraid of romantic entanglements. Gabriel is a former model and photographer with a dark past that, through a series of very unfortunate events, led him to become a male escort. Their paths cross when Violet hires Gabe for an industry event, and she ends up being a repeat client.

But there is so much more to their relationship than Gabe’s duties as her escort. My heart broke for them both, and I loved how they raised each other up and healed all of the broken pieces.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
_
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About the Author
I’m an American author based in perpetually sunny Southern California. I’ve spent my entire life enraptured by the sheer transformative power of the written word, and in December 2018, I published my first romance novel, Swan Lake, a contemporary reimagining of the beloved ballet. In addition to writing, I am a professional marketeer, a baker, an animal-lover, a tree-hugger, a perpetual wanderluster, and a massive art history nerd. An optimist at heart, aficionada of luxury, and true believer in happily ever afters, I strive to tell memorable, passionate stories that can intrigue, challenge, arouse, and most importantly, inspire.

Connect wtih L.B. Alexander
Website: https://bit.ly/32SUSFe
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/3kAZZzR
Facebook Author Page: https://bit.ly/35CjV19
Goodreads Author Page: https://bit.ly/32TehWx
Instagram: https://bit.ly/38Q3wrG
Amazon Author Page:https://amzn.to/32PvQqD

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Till It Hurts, by Cora Brent

July 30, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

TILL IT HURTS by CORA BRENT

Release Date: July 29th

Genre/Tropes: Brother’s Best Friend/Second Chance Romance

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58372368-till-it-hurts

AVAILABLE NOW! FREE IN KU!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2UXkqQM

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2UX08qB

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2Vjl76U

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/3l7Umgu

Blurb:

No one would say that our story is pretty.

But we were in love before we hated each other.

And we were friends long before that.

Growing up, I saw Jace Zielinski every day.

He lived next door. I cheered him on at football games. I gave him advice on girls. He was my brother’s best friend and the three of us were always together.

I didn’t realize I’d already fallen for Jace until the hot summer night when we kissed for the first time.

Our magical season felt like destiny.

And then came the disaster that tore us all to shreds.

I lost Jace. I lost my brother. In many ways I lost myself.

Ten years later, Jace is untouchable in a world of pro athlete fame and glory.

I never wanted to see him again and I’d definitely never pick him to be my hero.

Not even when I’m broke and terrified and running away from ruin.

But it seems I have no choice.

Somehow we’re both back in the same place where we started.

I have nowhere else to go and Jace refuses to leave.

We’re on this collision course together.

Fated to repeat our own turbulent history.

Both the parts that felt the best.

And the parts that hurt the most.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

I’ve had some Cora Brent book on my TBR list for a while now, and Till It Hurts is the first book of hers that I’ve read. And wow! What a story! I loved everything about Jace and Tori’s relationship, how they found their way back to one another despite years and years of hurt and heartbreak between them.

The story is told in dual POV, and it weaves “Then” chapters with “Now” chapters, so we really get the backstory and history of Jace and Tori’s relationship, along with her brother Colt. Together, they were the three amigos, but when Jace and Tori’s relationship imploded, the connection between the three amigos was lost as well.

Now, ten years later, Jace and Tori come face to face once again. He’s carrying around all kinds of anger and hurt, and she is running from her recent past, back to a place she never thought she’d return to again. She has nowhere else to go, and he’s basically trying to drive her away, but as they reluctantly spend time together, it’s clear that they’ve missed each other and never stopped loving each other.

Their reunion doesn’t come easy, however. There are a lot of obstacles for them to overcome: addiction, family drama, her last job, their troubled past and the lies that led to their breakup. But despite all the heartbreak that has hurt them both, Jace and Tori fight so hard to make things work the second time around.

The *only* thing that I would have liked to have seen more of is the drift between young Colt and Tori, and his leaving town and staying away. But overall, this story had a great concept and was well-executed. I really hope that there’s a book ahead for Colt, because I want to see him find his happy ending too!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

About the Author:

Cora Brent was born in a cold climate and escaped as soon as it was legally possible. Now, she lives in the desert with her husband, two kids and a prickly pear cactus she has affectionately named ‘Spot’. Cora’s closet is filled with boxes of unfinished stories that date back her 1980’s childhood and all her life she has dreamed of being an author. Amazingly, she is now a New York Times and USA Today bestselling writer of contemporary romance and begs not to be awakened from this dream.

Connect w/Cora:

Website: http://corabrent.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CoraBrentAuthor/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/541636375991776/

Amazon Page: https://amzn.to/2P8Zdfu

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cora-brent

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/CoraBrent

Instagram: https://instagram.com/corabrentauthor

TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdV3jy7t/

Newsletter Signup: https://bit.ly/3wHfc8y

Book Review

Sunny Shelly’s Review: The Right Side of Wrong, by Prescott Lane

July 30, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

The Right Side of Wrong by Prescott Lane is now live!

It wasn’t love at first sight. That would be too easy.

I can tell you all the reasons Paige and I shouldn’t be together.
But love overlooks a lot.

My heart doesn’t care that I’m ten years older.
There’s no age gap in how she makes me feel.

My heart doesn’t care that she’s a single mother.
It just makes more room.

My heart doesn’t care that she’s got secrets of her own.
It’s used to keeping mine.

The moment I laid eyes on Paige, I lost control.
Control of my desires. Control of my secrets. Control of my heart.

Right or wrong, we’re going to have to fight for our happily ever after.

And I don’t plan on losing.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
US: https://amzn.to/3dKCjIX
WW: http://mybook.to/rigthtsideofw

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/340scu9

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3 Stars

The Right Side of Wrong is a modern-day Cinderella story between single mom Paige and billionaire Slade. But… I just didn’t love it. I’ve read and enjoyed many books by this author before, but I just felt like TRSoW didn’t meet the high bar I’d had set. The big “secrets” that could have destroyed Paige and Slade didn’t, of course, because then there wouldn’t be a romance here. But I totally predicted what hers was going to be, and I felt like his secret was brushed under the rug.

I really admired Paige as a heroine, though. She had been through so much in her childhood, and yet kept going and had such a positive attitude. I loved how she was determined to do what she needed to do to protect Finn and provide him with a better life than she was given. And when she met Slade, her world changed. They had a nice connection as characters and lovers, but I felt like there was something lacking with the secrets that were supposed to “destroy” them. It just fell a bit flat for me.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Meet Prescott Lane

Prescott Lane is the USA TODAY best-selling author of ALL MY LIFE. She’s written several other romance books with strong heroines and swoon-worthy heroes. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a degree in sociology and an MSW from Tulane University. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren’t enough happily ever afters in real life.

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Love Next Door, by Helena Hunting

July 28, 2021July 27, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

Love Next Door, an all-new sweet and endearing romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is now live!

When Dillion Stitch left her hometown, she had no intention of going back. But when her brother gets into trouble, Dillion reluctantly agrees to return home to take her place at the family business.

Being back in Pearl Lake after all these years feels familiar, but also brings a few surprises. She’s quick to notice that someone new has shown up at the cottage next door. Dillion gets more than an eyeful when she goes to check out the newcomer and meets Donovan “Van” Firestone—her beloved neighbor’s grandson—in all his unclothed glory.

Having gotten off to a rocky start, it’s not long before they begin bickering with each other all over town. All that back and forth inevitably sparks an undeniable attraction. But Dillion’s family has issues, Van’s family resents him, and neither Dillion nor Van feels truly at ease in the small town. For these Pearl Lake exiles, home isn’t just where the heart is—it’s where things get complicated.

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Excerpt

I turn on the flashlight and trudge through the brush and past the campfire, which incidentally has been left unattended. It’s down to a smolder, but Van has left out hot dog sticks and a bag of buns.

I keep going, toward Bee’s front porch and the blinding spotlight. Standing in front of the cottage is Van. Shirtless. Sweaty and shirtless. The bright light shines directly on him, accenting the dips and ridges, the smooth planes of muscle.

Van is ripped. Probably because he spends a lot of time at the gym, staring at his own reflection in the mirror. He lifts his ball cap from his head and runs a hand through his deliciously sweaty dark hair before he flips his cap around and replaces it, backward this time.

I roll my eyes at myself. What the hell is wrong with me? Deliciously sweaty. “Hey!” I bark.

He startles and the hammer in his hand goes flying, but he was on the back swing, so it heads in my direction. I sidestep it, and it manages to miss me by about six inches. He spins around, eyes wide as they land on me. “What the fuck?”

“Do you realize what time it is?”

“Do you realize that you scared the living shit out of me and I could’ve hurt you, or myself?” He motions to the hammer lying on the ground next to me.

“Wouldn’t that have been a pity,” I snap.

“What the hell is your damn problem?”

“You.” I point a finger at him. “You are the problem. It’s after ten. There’s a bylaw in place around here that stipulates all construction takes place between the hours of seven a.m. and nine p.m. from June to August, and you’re violating that. And for what? It’s not like whatever you’re doing is going to matter when your damn plan is to parcel out the property!” I’m yelling now, and heaving. And my nipples are peaking under the white tank I wore to bed. I hug myself to hide them.

“This is the second time you’ve said that. What the hell are you talking about?”

“What do you mean, what am I talking about?” I flail for a second and then cross my arms again. “You called me about it. Bee wasn’t gone a couple of weeks, and you were already asking about acreage and subdividing. It doesn’t take a genius to know what your plans are!”

“I don’t even know what you mean by subdividing, and I never called you.”

“Yes, you did!” He’s just so infuriating.

“No. I didn’t. Believe me, I’d remember dealing with someone as hostile as you.”

“I am not hostile.”

“Really?” Van props a fist on his hip. His narrow hip.

I follow the movement, which leads my eyes to his waist, that enticing V of muscle dragging my gaze down farther. Of course, because my brain is a jerk, the image of him naked pops back into my brain.

As if he’s reading my mind, his brow arches. “You’re picturing me naked right now. Aren’t you?”

“What? No!” My eyes snap back up to his.

“Yeah. You are.” His lip curls, somewhere between a smirk and sneer, his tone needling. “You were staring at my crotch, probably thinking about the last time you visually molested my junk. Is that why you stopped by? To check me out again? This whole fake phone call thing is an excuse for you to come back over here and get a look at the goods again.” He runs a hand down his chest.

“You’re an egotistical asshole. I realize that this might be some kind of fun holiday for you, and that you’re probably sleeping until noon every day, but some of us have to be up at the crack of dawn. Bylaw hours are seven a.m. to nine p.m. Next time you break them, expect to get a visit from the sheriff.” I spin around and stomp over to the extension cord, find the place where it’s joined to the lamp, and break the connection, submerging us in darkness. “Next time I won’t be so nice about it.”

“Hate to break it to you, but you weren’t very nice about it this time,” he calls after me.

It drives me crazy how easy it is for him to push my buttons.

A few seconds later I hear an oof and a clatter, which means he’s tripped over something in the dark. I smile to myself. Hopefully this time he’ll get the message.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Oh my goodness! Love Next Door is a perfect small-town romance with all the Hallmark feels! I think this book had a different vibe than other Helena Hunting books, and I was all in for it!

The snark that flies between Dillion and Van from the get-go was hysterical, and I couldn’t wait for their interactions to see what they would snipe about next! And because there’s a fine line between love and hate, each one of their interactions were supercharged with sizzling chemistry!

In between the romance that blossomed between the main characters, there was a mystery surrounding an embezzlement scandal with Van’s family foundation, as well as some issues with Dillion’s brother, Billy, that had me very intrigued.

I thought that this story was a fantastic start to a new series and I can’t wait to see what comes next in Pearl Lake! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Crashed, by Elise Faber

July 27, 2021 sunnyshellyreadsLeave a comment

Crashed by Elise Faber is now live!

https://geni.us/CrashedEF
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Once upon a time she’d had the happy ending.

The doting fiancé.
The expensive wedding.
The happily-ever-after resting just at the tips of her fingers.

Then in an explosion of glass, in a splintering of metal, everything had been taken from her.

She’d shattered herself, had broken into a million tiny pieces.

But eventually, she’d patched herself together, had hauled herself back into life, had built something she was content in.

Content, but not happy. Never quite inching into happy again.

Still, she had her friends, her job as a skating coach for the Gold, and she had her life. That was enough.

And it had been enough.

Until he knocked on her door.

Until he came back and changed everything.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Crashed was a wonderful second-chance romance story — but not the typical story I’ve read in this trope before! Brandon and Stephanie (Fannie) have such a tangled, sad history, and I loved the journey that they went on in finding their way back to one another. After a brain tumor took all of his memories of their relationship, Brandon has finally remembered her — but will she be able to forget the pain and heartbreak that his illness caused in the past and move forward in the here and now?

I usually don’t connect well with 3rd person POV stories — it’s a personal preference of mine — but I connected with these two characters right away, and loved reading both of their POVs. I thought both sides were so well-written. I got all the feels as Fannie waffled about whether or not she could allow her heart to let Brandon back in, and he made it his mission to let Fannie know that while he may have forgotten who she was 10 years ago, he now remembered every detail about their relationship and there was no doubt in his mind that she was the one he wanted.

Crashed is part of the Gold Hockey series, and it reads as a standalone. There are interconnected characters on the periphery who have had (or will have) other books, but I didn’t feel as if I was missing pieces of Fannie’s story by not having read those books.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys.

She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or email her at elisefaberauthor@gmail.com.
Connect with Elise!

Website: https://www.elisefaber.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisefaberauthor/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fabinators
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: Love Next Door, by Helena Hunting

Love Next Door, an all-new sweet and endearing romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is now live!

Sunny Shelly’s Review: Crashed, by Elise Faber

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

by L.B. Alexander

COVER DESIGN: Cormar Covers

GENRE: Contemporary romance

$25 Amazon Gift Card

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3 Stars

Love Next Door, an all-new sweet and endearing romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is now live!

COVER DESIGN:

Cormar Covers

GENRE:
Contemporary romance