One of Nashville’s fastest rising stars, Kyle Keenan has it all—fame, fans, and a chance at fortune. But the dream he’s busted his tail for means nothing without the woman who holds his heart. With her sassy smile and pull-no-punches attitude, Abbey is his greatest love—and his greatest regret. When he’s confronted in a live TV interview about alleged involvement with a country music starlet, Kyle blurts out he’s already engaged…to Abbey.
Abbey Whittaker has come a long way from the starry-eyed six-year-old who made a marriage pact with her best friend. With a thriving business, a loving family, and a tight-knit group of friends, she’s put away childish things. She long ago banished Kyle from her life, so the last thing she expects is him walking through her door or the blistering kiss that follows.
Kyle is desperate to convince Abbey that a fake engagement is the best way to get the media off her back—and his. And it just might give him a chance to fix what he destroyed. Even as these two frenemies remember all the reasons they wanted to be lovers, another blast from Kyle’s past returns, threatening to expose the secret he’s spent his entire career hiding.
When truths come to light, will love conquer all or will Kyle lose everything?
Once upon a time, Kyle and Abbey were best friends from the time they were kids. That turned into something more as they grew up — but then he broke her heart, left her behind, and she has always been his biggest regret. Even as he climbed higher and higher up the charts as a country music superstar, Abbey was always the one who got away. After he’s put on the spot during a big interview and lies that he’s engaged to Abbey, Kyle heads back home for the first time in a decade to do some damage control. But will Abbey be able to forgive him for what happened in the past?
Kyle does his best to convince Abbey to really give him another shot as he helps her out at home with her ailing grandpa. There are some really sweet moments between Kyle and Granddaddy, and there is a nice use of Abbey and Kyle’s history in telling their story. But the headway Kyle makes with Abbey is put to the test when a secret from his past catches up with his present and threatens to destroy their future.
Our Kind of Love was an entertaining, captivating story. I liked the chemistry between Kyle and Abbey, and how deep their friendship runs. In addition to a charming story of forgiveness and second chances is the reality of how Alzheimer’s can affect a family, and I thought that Kait Nolan wrote both scenarios well.
Kait Nolan is a new-to-me author, so I wasn’t aware that this book is a spin-off of a previous series featuring some of the other characters in Kyle’s family. So there is a lot more to read about in this world! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Kait Nolan
Kait Nolan is a RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin’, and can wield a ‘Bless your heart’ like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements.
She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world’s most perfect food.
When she’s not writing, reading, working the evil day job, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.
Two years ago, Reed Jackson betrayed Calliope Thorne and broke her heart. So she stole his most prized possession – a white mustang – and drove it into the lake for revenge.
Now, Callie is stuck at a reform school while Reed is off at college, living his life without repercussions.
Until he comes back.
With him comes back all the feelings that Callie has been trying to bury: anger and heartbreak.
But most of all, desire. At the sight of his beautiful but lying lips and his gunmetal gray eyes that still taunt and smolder when he looks at her.
Whatever though. It’s not as if Callie is ever going to fall for her ex-boyfriend again. Or let him corner her in a bar one night and touch her, kiss her…
Neither is she going to kiss him back. Or worse, sleep with him.
Because that would make her naïve and foolish.
Oh, and also pregnant.
And there’s no way Callie is ever going to get pregnant at eighteen and with Reed’s baby, no less. The guy she hates.
The guy who taught her all about heartbreak. Who might look like a gorgeous hero but really is the villain of her story.
Note: This is a STANDALONE novel set in the world of St. Mary’s. There is no cheating in this book.
The good girl, the bad boy, an epic second-chance forbidden romance.
Two years after Reed broke Callie’s heart, he is back in her life and turns it upside down. She hates him for what he did to her, but her heart still beats for him. Cries for him. But loving Reed is forbidden — he’s her brother’s sworn enemy and Callie’s brothers are way overbearing.
I love the dichotomy between sweet, good girl Callie, and surly, bad boy Reed. I really hated Reed at times, but then we got to see how broken he is. There’s a reason why he just spews hate all around and doesn’t think he’s worthy of being loved or being able to give love in return. But there’s something about his fairy girl that breaks through those walls, and Callie brings out the very best in Reed. It’s a long and winding path to Reed’s redemption, but he really goes all in once he gives in to the pull Callie has on him!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
AUTHOR BIO
Saffron A. Kent is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance.
She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she lives in New York City with her nerdy and supportive husband, along with a million and one books.
She also blogs. Her musings related to life, writing, books and everything in between can be found in her JOURNAL on her website (www.thesaffronkent.com)
Travis Tucker is the ultra-hot lead singer of a country-rock band whose four albums have all hit number one. Life as a superstar is good. The only problem is, he gets swarmed wherever he goes. So he decides to buy himself a secret country getaway to work on his next record and clear his head.
Ruby Hayes is on a mission. Nothing can stop her from fulfilling her dream of making it as a singer and songwriter. She’ll spend the summer writing songs on the grand piano in the abandoned farmhouse next door. Then she’s on her way to Nashville.
When Travis finds Ruby, singing like an angel at his piano, she ignites a wild obsession and an all-consuming lust that will make this summer the hottest on record.
But will Ruby’s ambition, a jealous best friend and the demands of Travis’s high-profile life come between them? Or is this a match made in country music heaven?
Nashville Days is a super-sexy standalone romance starring a hot alpha rock star and the sweet, sassy songbird who steals his heart.
Vaughn Tucker is the hot playboy drummer of the Tucker Brothers band, whose four albums have all hit number one. Vaughn is drop-dead gorgeous … and completely out of control.
Gigi Hayes’s life is a million miles from packed stadiums and high-profile tour schedules. She’s a small-town girl who spends all her time working in the library and studying to become a qualified social worker. For … reasons.
When Vaughn meets Gigi, for the first time in his life, he’s the one who’s star-struck. But Gigi is saving herself for true love. And even though she’s drawn, against her will, to the beautiful, trouble-written-all-over-him superstar, she’s not deluded enough to believe he’s capable of such a thing.
Vaughn has already fallen hard. And Gigi’s refusals only make him crazier. She’s an angel and he may as well be the devil himself. But when heaven meets hell, all bets are off …
Nashville Nights is a sexy standalone rockstar romance starring an out-of-control alpha musician and the one woman who’s everything he never knew he needed.
I read Nashville Nights (book 2) first, and then went back to read Nashville Days, and I am so glad that I read Travis and Ruby’s story. Their relationship is mentioned a few times in Nashville Nights, so I’m happy that I finally got to get their backstory.
This book is a sweet, slow burn between a hot country star, and the sassy girl-next-door who captures his heart immediately. Ruby has no idea what she’s in for when she gets involved with Travis. She’s led such a sheltered life, having been away at boarding school for several years. Travis leads a lifestyle that she just can’t fathom, and suddenly she’s thrown into the spotlight when he buys the property next door to her family’s farm.
I really liked this story — but I felt that Travis and Ruby were lacking that *oomph* as individual characters and as a couple. I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth to their relationship, and since this was an instalove story, I felt like their love was kinda rushed. Still, I enjoyed this book, I just didn’t like it as much as I liked Nashville Nights.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: Nashville Nights
Nashville Nights takes the quintessential bad boy rocker, addicted to sex, drugs and alcohol, and makes the stereotypical good girl next door be the one who brings him to his knees, the woman he wants to be a better man for.
I confess that I skimmed a lot of the beginning of Vaughn and Gigi’s story at first, because it seemed like another instalove bad boy/good girl tale. But once Vaughn’s addiction really became an integral part of the story, I was hooked. He isn’t just partying because he likes to party. The guy is carrying around so much psychological baggage, and immense guilt. While he drinks to forget his demons, Gigi wants to be a social worker to put her own ghosts to rest. She couldn’t save her dad, but she knows there is someone out there she IS meant to save. She never expected it to be the tattooed rockstar who moved in next door.
While I found Vaughn and Gigi’s relationship to be a tad codependent, they did balance each other out and bring out the best in one another. She quiets his demons and grounds him, much in the way that helping him work through his addiction gives her purpose. However, I did feel let down that his intervention happened off the page after all of his spiraling and the talk of how bad his behavior had been in the past, and didn’t like how his treatment was handled.
This is book 2 in an interconnected series, and I did not read the first but had no problem following along. I plan to go back and reread Nashville Days because I am intrigued by Travis and Ruby’s story!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Julie Capulet writes contemporary romance starring sexy, obsessed alphas and the sweet & sassy women who bring them to their knees. Her stories are inspired by true love and she’s married to her own real life hero. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, walking on the beach, drinking wine and watching rom-coms ♥
Let Me Love You, the highly-anticipated and jaw-dropping conclusion to the All of Me Duet from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis, available now!
My heart and soul forever belong to two men. It’s an irrefutable truth that won’t ever change. Reeve is the air I breathe. Dillon is the fire that consumes me. How am I expected to live without a part of my heart?
“I won’t pretend to know the exact inner workings of your mind, nor am I asking you to tell me, but you’re my brother, and I know you well enough to know part of what is going through that thick skull of yours.” She grabs a towel from behind her, gently mopping the wetness on my face. “You love her. I know you do. Like I know it terrifies you to trust your heart to someone. I understand she hurt you, but she’s hurting too. I should’ve knocked your heads together weeks ago and forced you to have a conversation about the future. You’ve both been skating around it instead of just talking.”
“We did talk. I told her how I felt. I asked her to stay, and she said no.”
“You sprung it on her at the last minute, Dil! You didn’t even give her time to consider it before you stormed off all butthurt.”
“She rejected me, Ash.” I rub at the tightness spreading across my chest. “She was never going to choose me over him. She’s been in love with him most of her life. A few months with me isn’t going to change that fact.”
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
I went into this book HATING Dillon after the end of Let Me Be The One. Which was Siobhan Davis’ intent, I’m sure. In Let Me Love You, she took everything I thought I knew and felt about Dillon and Reece, shook it up, and spat it out at me, leaving me so confused and not sure which guy I was rooting for!
This story was magnificent. Despite all the secrets and lies that surround Reeve and Dillon and this love triangle with Viv, it is an inspirational story full of hope, love, loss, healing and redemption.
One thing after another is thrown Vivien’s way, and she handles it all with such grace. I loved how this story ended up, and will never forget the tale of Vivien and her two loves, twins Dillon the Irish rock god, and Reeve, a Hollywood prince.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About Siobhan
USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime!
Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa comes a single-dad sports romance where the only thing more heartfelt than the small town is the love story.
I never wanted to go back to Baker’s Creek.
But when it rains, it pours. I lost my job, lost the guy, and lost the house. The perfect trifecta of ruin.
Ten years after I said I can make it on my own, I have no choice but to ask for help. But it’s my mother who needs me now…
So it’s back to where I don’t belong.
There’s no opportunity in my hometown. The only job that I can get is nannying. For a player from the Vancouver Orcas. “Mean” Mills Aldridge is going to be my new boss… and I’m supposed to pretend he isn’t sex on skates.
Between avoiding the town mean girls, helping my parents, and trying not to behave like a puck bunny, my job with that sweet boy is fast becoming just like the rest of my life–one big complication.
My only escape is my late-night chats with Mills.
The confessions we share make me feel like I belong. The stolen kisses make it hard to remember why I ever left.
Until the opportunity I’ve been waiting for arrives, and it’s time for me to say goodbye.
But can I leave that little boy and his father behind?
The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers series is a romantic comedy saga that’s swoonful and sexy, with the right mix of ugly-cry moments and sweet seductions.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
I’m not familiar with Claudia Burgoa’s Baker’s Creek series, so I went into As We Are just based on the blurb — not knowing anything about this large family. And I really liked Mills and Hadley’s story. There was a lot of family drama in the previous books — and not having read anything previous in this series, I felt a little lost as I read As We Are. There are so many interconnected plot points with the brothers and the patriarch of this family, I really wish that there’d been some kind of statement that the books are “best read in order” or something like that.
Still, I liked Mills and Hadley’s story, and how their relationship grew from friends to more over many late-night talks. That really gave a nice foundation to their relationship. Also, I liked that Mills was a little nerdy and not your typical athlete. I don’t know why, but I found that rather endearing. Auden had everyone wrapped around his little finger, and the kid knew it! But not in a bratty way; he was a sweet innocent voice and I loved his thoughts and interjections. Overall, As We Are is a pretty low-angst romance full of sweet and swoony moments, a chaotic family, and a happily ever after that will leave you with a smile.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author.
She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breath away. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and her youngest two children.
She has a sweet Bichon, Macey, who thinks she’s the ruler of the house. She’s only partially right.
When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At night, she likes to binge-watch shows with her equally geeky husband.
Quinn Just six years old when my brother was snatched off the street, I grew up in the aftermath of tragedy. While other kids were happily playing in the sandbox, I was hiding under press conference podiums listening to my parents beg for Jake’s safe return.
People ask if I’m screwed up after what happened, and I never know how to respond. Life after the kidnapping is all I’ve ever known. Well, that and being the youngest brother to a rock star. Jake was the ultimate survivor. The prodigal son. My king.
But I’m not that worshipful kid anymore, and I’m tired of walking a step behind. I’ve got the talent. I’ve got the drive. And now I’m coming for Jake’s throne.
Jess What to do with a runaway rock star in my passenger seat?
Jess of yore would’ve jumped at the chance. Hell, she’d already be in his lap by now. She was fearless and fun and sexy. She lived like there was no tomorrow… until tomorrow came calling and delivered her an ultimatum: repent or risk losing it all.
And so responsible Jess was born, the good girl who paid her rent and watered her plants and put others before herself. The new, improved version of myself represented stability and a roof overhead. Yet sometimes… sometimes I missed that reckless girl. Wild Jess. God, she’d been so fun.
And now Quinn was here, built like a god and asking me to play. One mindless afternoon of fun. Surely I could spare that for a future rock legend. I could bring old Jess back for just one day.
I’m not going to lie: Cake is one of my all-time favorite books. I loved everything about Jake and Casey. Some of the other McKallister siblings’ books were hit or miss for me, and Next In Line started off a little slow. But by the time I got to the end of the book, I had fallen hook, line and sinker for Quinn and Jess.
Quinn is carrying around so much baggage as a result of Jake’s abduction, and grew up in the shadow of his big brother and all that Jake is. His meet-cute with Jess, a ride-share driver and star homes tour guide, is perfect because she has zero clue who Jake is when she becomes his Getaway Girl. Jess, too, has known tragedy in her life, and she and Quinn are kind of kindred souls. Their connection grows organically, and they share an amazing day together. After that, tho, Jess ghosts Quinn because she has a secret of her own that she doesn’t want brought to light. But fate intervenes again, and Quinn and Jess cross paths once more.
There is a lot that both Quinn and Jess have to unpack in this book. She calms his rough edges, and Quinn really comes into his own as a result of his relationship with Jess. Next In Line is full of heart and heat, lots of emotion and a twist that I wasn’t expecting. There is a FANTASTIC scene with Jake and Quinn, and it brought tears to my eye. I was so happy with Quinn and Jess’ story by the time I got to the end, and the epilogues were excellent. There is a great set-up for Grace’s book, the youngest of the siblings, and I can’t wait to read that one!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet J. Bengtsson
J. (Jill) Bengtsson is the bestselling author of the Cake Series. She writes contemporary novels focused on love, humor, passion, and family. Her heroines are strong, nurturing, and quirky while her heroes are what dreams are made of – gorgeous, committed, and in need of a little saving. A native Californian, Jill’s novels are set under the glittering lights of the West Coast entertainment industry.
They are for the dreamer in all of us.
Jill resides in Ventura County, California. She’s married to the Swedish boy she met as an exchange student her junior year in college and they have three children, a golden retriever, and two ragdoll cats.
Chasing Romeo, an all-new heartwarming opposites-attract standalone romantic comedy from author Sarah Ready is available now!
A laugh out loud, soul mate chasing rom-com romp, Sarah Ready’s Chasing Romeo is a perfect feel-good novel about finding love where you least expect it.
Chloe Daniels is a starry-eyed romantic who believes in true love, soul mates and happily ever afters. So when a psychic predicts the identity of her soul mate Chloe will do anything to find him.
But there’s a tiny problem.
Chloe’s soul mate is 1 of 7 men, spread across the U.S. and she has only one week to reach him.
Out of desperation she hires Nick O’Shea, a cynical private investigator who thinks soul mates, love and happily ever afters are a load of crap.
Chloe and Nick have nothing in common. She wants her soul mate. He wants to get paid.
But on their crazy, true love chasing road trip across the U.S. Nick starts to wonder if maybe he was wrong about love, and Chloe starts to wonder if she was wrong about the identity of her Romeo.
Soon, Chloe will have to choose between her soul mate and the man she hired to find him.
Opposites attract in the first book of a heartwarming new series by romance author Sarah Ready.
Chasing Romeo is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Ready, a relatively new author, and it was a decent start to a series set in Romeo, a town where everyone loves love. This was a well-told story between hopeless romantic/sunshine heroine Chloe and cynical grumpy hero Nick.
Chloe hires PI Nick to help her find her soulmate. He could be anywhere in the country. As they embark on a road trip to track down the mystery man, Chloe and Nick do nothing but bicker and argue. But opposites attract for a reason, and sparks begin to fly between these two characters while they are driving across the country.
While I liked the premise of the story, I found some of the scenes to be a bit trite. Everything with Nick and Chloe’s trip was one disaster after another, and I wished there was something else causing conflict between the characters. Of course, by the end of the book, Nick and Chloe realize that they are meant to be together, but I found the ending to be a bit forced. I didn’t feel that there was a genuine fondness that grew organically between the two.
There are some funny moments between Nick and Chloe, and it was an easy book to read. I just wanted more. I think that the bones of this story were really great and I’m interested to see what Sarah Ready brings to this series next as her skills as a writer grow. I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Excerpt
“I’m just asking,” I say, “are you sure you want to bet your future on a myth?” Because, to be honest, something inside me wishes she’d get up and say, screw you, fate, I’m taking my future in my own hands. “Would I bet my future?” she asks. I nod and lean forward to hear her answer. Slowly, she says, “I’d bet everything.” Her words ring in my ears. She’s serious. She’ll do anything to get with this random guy she hasn’t seen in nearly twenty years. It’s like a cosmic joke, except I’m not laughing. I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less. “It’s a myth,” I say. “It’s not real.” “It is,” she says. She points her finger at me and jabs me in the chest. “And I’m going to prove it to you.” Her hand rests over my heart. We both look down at her touching me. She yanks it back and wipes her hand on her napkin. No man likes to see a woman wipe herself off after touching him. I scowl and then take her unspoken challenge. “More likely, by the end of this week, I’ll prove that soul mates don’t exist.” “Good luck, you have hundreds of Aunt Erma’s successes against you.” No worries, I stand by my belief that the whole town of Romeo is suffering from romantic delusions. Hey, the tourism dollars depend on it. Also, I’d like to push a little bit of reality into this situation and throw out the idea that this guy might not be decent. “He could be a rapist,” I say. That gets her attention. Her head snaps up and she glares at me. “Or a Lothario,” she says. Take that, her eyes say. She bares her teeth at me in a semblance of a grin and I smile back. Game on. The minstrel who had wandered close again hightails it to the other side of the restaurant. “He could be a drug dealer,” I say. “Or a pharmacist,” she says. “He could be an alcoholic.” “A vintner.” “He’s unemployed,” I say. “Independently wealthy.” “He looks like a frog.” “He’s a prince,” she says. “He’s boring.” “Strong and silent.” I glare at her and she glares back, a smile curving on her lips. “Bad in bed,” I say. “A sex god.” She bites at her lower lip and I have the urge to take it in my mouth and show her a decade of pent-up wanting. I yank my thoughts from her lips and drop my ace in the hole. “He could be an ax murderer,” I say. Take that and chew on it. She laughs, throaty and low, and her eyes light up. The candlelight sparks off her glowing skin. “Or,” she says, “he’s a lumberjack. Mmmm. Sexy ax. I’ll hold the handle. Rawr.” She claws her hand and scratches at the air. I shake my head. “You got it.” I hold up my goblet of mead for a toast. “To Matt Smith. Chloe’s lumberjack soul mate.”
About Sarah Ready Author Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her books have been described as “euphoric”, “heartwarming” and “laugh out loud”. Her debut novel The Fall in Love Checklist was hailed as “the unicorn read of 2020”. She loves to write fast-paced, emotionally compelling romances about quirky, smart women and the men who love them.
Before writing romance full-time Sarah had lots of fun teaching at an Ivy League. Then she realized she could have even more fun writing romance. Her favorite things after writing are adventuring and travel. You’ll frequently find her using her degree at a dino dig site, crawling into a cave, snorkeling, or on horseback riding through the jungle – all fodder for her next book. She’s lived in Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and NYC. She currently lives in the Caribbean with her water-obsessed pup and her awesome family. You can visit her online at http://www.sarahready.com
She’s every man’s girl next door. I’m the playboy your mother warns you about.
I’m the party-boy extraordinaire and perpetual playboy of the Seattle Sockeyes. I thought this was the dream life, but after multiple poor choices, it’s all gone too far and I’m about to lose everything. My reputation has been shot to hell, I’m on thin ice with the team, and I’m financially broke AF. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and I’m about to agree to the last thing an irresponsible dude like me should ever do.
Darcy is the sweetheart of reality TV and every guy’s girl-next-door fantasy, but her luster is fading, her show is on the chopping block, and she’s now living in my condo. Did I forget to mention she’s also my fake girlfriend and soon-to-be fake fiancé? And not a fake girlfriend with benefits, but the hands-off, leave-me-alone except when the cameras are rolling girlfriend.
I crave attention and notoriety. She craves stability and love. We both have our secrets…and chemistry. We have a lot of chemistry. Together we’re explosive, but explosions have a way of hurting those closest to the blast. And this celebrity match made in heaven is about to detonate.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
Gage and Darcy had me hooked from the start. She’s a reality TV darling, but her fix-it show is on the brink of being cancelled. Gage is in need of a reputation rehab, so in an attempt to save both of their careers, Gage and Darcy enter into a fake relationship to bring on the on-camera drama. But there is a lot of heat behind their constant bickering.
While Darcy and Gage both reluctantly agreed to the faux romance and engagement, neither of them expected to be around each other very much when the cameras weren’t rolling. And sharing a condo certainly wasn’t what they were expecting. But it’s not long before the sizzling chemistry between them erupts and they give in to the sparks flying between them. But will they be able to make their faux romance a real one?
I really liked the progression of Gage and Darcy’s relationship. There is so much more to Gage than being hockey’s bad boy. He allows Darcy to see his vulnerable side where his greedy family is concerned, and that was really endearing. They balance each other out nicely, and are well-rounded characters on their own and as a couple.
Faceoff is part of Jami Davenport’s Scoring series and is a standalone. There are appearances from other characters in the series, but I didn’t find that they took the attention away from Gage and Darcy.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling Author Jami Davenport writes sexy contemporary and sports romances, including her two new indie endeavors: the Game On in Seattle Series and the Madrona Island Series. Jami’s new releases consistently rank in the top fifty on the sports romance and sports genre lists on Amazon, and she has hit the Amazon top hundred authors list in both contemporary romance and genre fiction multiple times. Jami ranked Number Seven on Kobo’s Top Ten Most Completed Authors, an honor bestowed on the year’s “most engaging” authors based on an average page completion rate by their readers. Jami lives on a small farm near Puget Sound with her Green Beret-turned-plumber husband, a Newfoundland cross with a tennis ball fetish, a prince disguised as an orange tabby cat, and an opinionated Hanoverian mare. Jami works in IT for her day job and is a former high school business teacher. She’s a lifetime Seahawks and Mariners fan and is waiting for the day professional hockey comes to Seattle. An avid boater, Jami has spent countless hours in the San Juan Islands, a common setting in her books. In her opinion, it’s the most beautiful place on earth.
When I walk into the diner, all I’m looking for is a decent meal. As a civil engineer for the largest project on campus, I just want to eat in peace. I’m happy to find this hidden gem since students are scarce. Don’t get me wrong, co-eds on campus are beautiful, but I was over that scene when I graduated three years ago. I need to finish this job and move onto the next one by the end of the year.
Then Vanessa walks up with a simple smile and takes my breath away. The next thing I know, I’m making every excuse imaginable to dine with this intriguing woman. She’s not only smart and sexy; she’s completely focused on reaching the goals she has set for herself.
The more I get to know her, the more I know she’s the one. I just have to find a way to make her deviate from her perfectly laid plans and take a chance on me.
Damien was one in a million! From the moment he met Vanessa in the diner where she worked the morning shift, he knew there was something special about her. He kept at it, even when she was completely clueless that he was interested in her. All of Vanessa’s worries that he wouldn’t want to get involved with a single mom were unnecessary because Damien pretty much fell in love with sweet, precocious Julia before he fell in love with Vanessa!
The epilogue made me cry. I love how full Vanessa and Vince’s lives became, after it just being the two of them with little Julia for so many years. They found a large extended family (and friends that were their chosen family), and it made my heart sing.
I am also very intrigued by Damien’s family and was happy to see that his sister Dani already has a book of her own and his brothers will be getting books too. I will definitely be checking those out!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Amanda Shelley
Amanda Shelley loves falling into a book to experience new worlds. As an avid reader and writer, sharing worlds of her own creations is a passion that inspired her to become an author.
She writes contemporary romance with characters who are strong and sexy with a touch of sass.
When not writing, Amanda enjoys time with her family, playing chauffeur, chef and being an enthusiastic fan for her children. Keeping up with them keeps her alert and grounded in reality. She enjoys long car rides, chai lattes, and popping her SUV into four-wheel drive for adventures anywhere.
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Tie Me Down, an all-new swoon-worthy friends to lovers, small town romance from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is now live!
Just friends. That’s all Beckett Weaver and I have ever been. Sure, he’s a hot cowboy who left Wall Street behind to take over his family’s ranch. Yes, I’ve had a secret crush on him since we were seventeen. And who wouldn’t appreciate those strong hands, that massive chest, and the way he fills out a pair of Levis? He makes a girl sweat just looking at him . . . and I look. A lot. But I’m a single mom trying to move on with my life, and he’s running that ranch single-handedly while taking care of his elderly father. We don’t even live in the same state. I only returned to my hometown of Bellamy Creek to sell my late mother’s house, and he just invited me and my son to stay with him because he’s got a big heart. That’s not the only big thing he’s got–which I discover the night I finally sneak across the hall to his bedroom and shed my inhibitions right alongside my pajamas. And once we give into each other, we can’t stop. The hayloft. The bed of his truck. The dock by the pond. Nothing has ever felt so right, but his past has taught him not to believe in happily ever after, and every perfect night I spend in his arms brings us closer to goodbye. Like any cowboy, he’s good with a rope and knows exactly how to tie me up. But what if I want him to tie me down?
I am so sad to see the Bellamy Creek series come to an end! I have loved hanging out with these four friends so much and watching them all fall in love. Tie Me Down concludes the series, with Beckett finally telling his childhood best friend, Maddie, that he’s been in love with her forever.
Of course, it’s not *that* simple, and their relationship starts off just as a fun fling while she’s in town for two weeks and staying at Beckett’s ranch while working to fix up her mom’s dilapidated house across the street. But every night when she leaves Beckett’s room, she takes a bit more of his heart with her and leaves pieces of hers behind. Their love has an expiration date, which seems fine with Beckett and all of his abandonment issues when it comes to love and relationships.
But Beckett has always regretted letting Maddie walk away when they were teenagers and shared one magical kiss. Even though they’ve crossed from friends to something more, Beckett can’t see how he can offer Maddie and her son Elliott a future when he’s running his dad’s ranch and caring for his elderly father. But when he realizes what he has right in front of him, will he make a grand gesture before he loses Maddie a second time, and this time for good?
I loved the friendship and history that these two shared. I LOVED Elliott, and how the kid breaks all stereotypes about little boys. But he has such a sweet soul and generous heart. And Beckett takes to Elliott immediately, which I loved. We get more from the band of brothers with Beckett, Enzo, Cole and Griffin, and finally see Cheyenne marry Cole in this story…. and that sets the stage for Beckett’s grand gesture. Wow! Swoony!
Like I said, I am sad to see this series come to an end. But MH’s bonus epilogue for this group of friends was EVERYTHING and the conclusion of this series left me totally satisfied!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Excerpt
When Beckett reached the landing, he headed for his bedroom.
“Night.”
I opened my mouth to say goodnight—I swear I did.
But that’s not what came out.
“I need to tell you something,” I blurted.
He turned and faced me.
“I want to answer your question.” My heart raced, and my fingers locked over my stomach.
“What question?”
“You asked me—last night—why I always chose jerks.”
“You said you didn’t know.”
“I lied. I do know.”
He was silent a moment. “So tell me.”
I took a step toward him. “I chose jerks because they didn’t ask anything of me. They didn’t expect anything of me. They didn’t even want much from me—just skin.”
Beckett took a deep breath, his chest expanding.
“That’s why I couldn’t be with you,” I whispered.
“Because you think I would have expected perfection?”
“Because you would have deserved it.”
He exhaled and shook his head. “You’re wrong.”
“I’m sorry. This is stupid.” I squeezed my eyes shut a moment. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this right now. It’s not like I can go back and do things differently. I guess I just wish I would have been brave enough to tell you the truth back then.”
“What’s the truth?”
“That I wish I could have been yours. I know you would have been good to me.”
He said nothing for ten full seconds, during which my heart banged painfully against my ribs and I regretted everything.
“Listen, forget I said anything,” I said quickly. “I don’t know what Blair puts in that apple pie, but—”
“I have something to tell you too.”
I swallowed. “You do?”
“Yeah. Several things, actually.” He moved closer to me, so close I could feel his breath on my lips. “First, I’m glad you finally answered my question. It’s been bothering me for fifteen years. Second, you’re right. I would have been good to you. And third, no—we can’t go back and do things differently. The past is past.”
“Yes. Well, goodnight.” Tears of mortification burning my eyes, I spun away from him, but he grabbed my arm.
“But there’s one more thing.”
“What?” I whispered.
“I sleep with my bedroom door open. But I want you to think hard before you take advantage of that. Because I’m not eighteen anymore, and I’m no longer in the mood to be a gentleman.”
Then he let go of my arm and disappeared across the hall.
With my legs trembling, I slipped into my room, shut the door and leaned back against it, fanning my face.
Holy. Shit.
He’d left it up to me.
But his invitation was clear. I hadn’t imagined it.
And before I thought about it too hard and blew my chance to be with him, I raced into the bathroom, pulled my braids out, and brushed my teeth. Back in my bedroom, I whipped off my clothes and pulled on the pineapple-print tank and matching shorts I’d brought to sleep in. Not exactly my sexiest lingerie, but in my defense, seduction hadn’t been on my to-do list when I’d packed my bags.
Then I took a deep breath, opened my door, and snuck across the hall.
About Melanie Harlow USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like Schitt’s Creek, Homeland, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
Melanie is the author of the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.
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