Her brother made her untouchable. But that won’t stop his best friend–and her new roommate– from pursuing her.

It’s official. I’ve hit rock bottom. I just broke up with my manipulative boyfriend and am moving in with my older brother until I can get back on my feet.

Which is where I run into his cocky roommate, River.

From the second we meet, I want nothing to do with him and his manwhoring ways. Or at least that’s what I tell myself. The guy goes through women like I go through a sleeve of Oreos.

But I guess I can’t really blame him for having a big head. He gets paid to be looked at, and has a revolving door of gorgeous women at his beck and call. Once I move in, my brother raises the forbidden stakes and claims me as off-limits. Which only entices River further.

After all, he’s a sucker for the things he can’t have.

Available Now: books2read.com/themodel-english

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Model Behavior is a great series starter from Kelsie Rae! When I started reading Model Behavior, I actually had to go back and reread the blurb, because I was sure this story was going to be about Reese and Jake, her brother’s best friend from childhood. But nope, it’s River — model, manwhore River — who turned out to be the guy who captured Reese’s attention.

I loved how strong of a heroine Reese is, even if she doesn’t think she’s strong. She’s starting over again after an abusive relationship, and moves in with her brother Milo and his 4 roommates. Milo lays down the law that Reese is untouchable, and even though each guy is hotter than the next, Reese is not in any headspace to enter into another relationship. But she does start up a friendship with model River, and it turns out that there’s a lot more to the guy than being a pretty face.

River is so sweet and shows such a vulnerable side when he’s with Reese. And you know what? He’s got a rep as being a manwhore, but as soon as he realizes that he’s really into Reese and is willing to risk his friendship with Milo in order to date her, he immediately stops playing around with other women. But once Reese gives in and she and River start seeing one another in secret, it’s a time bomb waiting to explode.

This story took a turn that I really wasn’t expecting, and really puts some stress on Reese and River’s relationship. When tragedy strikes, Reese shows how strong she is and just how much River means to her. I loved where Model Behavior went from there! I can’t wait to see what happens with the rest of the roommates!

This book has all the same sweet moments and connections between the H/h as her Signature Sweethearts series, but is not the same sweet/clean romance. Sexy, sexy times abound!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

If you love forbidden romance, jealous exes, and sexy alpha heroes, then you’ll love Model Behavior by Kelsie Rae. One-Click today!

From USA Today bestselling author A. M. Madden comes a second-chance, surrogate romance. 

 

Helping people is what I do best. I’ve made a career around it and dedicated my adult life to it. So, when my two best friends decided to start a family but weren’t able to conceive, it made total sense for me to become their surrogate.  

 

Once I pleaded my case, and they finally agreed, I moved from New Jersey to Florida, excited for a much-needed change. But no one could’ve predicted crossing paths with the love of my life, the one who’d left years earlier, the one man I never got over.  

 

Ryder Carter.  

 

Despite how much we’d loved one another, life happened and circumstances pulled us apart. But he was back now, in Florida, single and still as gorgeous as ever. Even better, he wanted to pick up where we had left off. He wanted me. 

 

Ryder appearing when he did couldn’t have come at a worse time. Because, even as just a surrogate, I had to wonder: Would he still want me when he learned I was pregnant with another man’s baby? Would he wait out the nine months to be with me? And even more important, how could I ask him to? 

 

Not Turning Back is meant for a mature reading audience.  

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

 

A USA Today bestselling, award-winning author, A.M. Madden is also a Jersey girl whose addiction to romance started at twelve after reading Judy Blume’s Forever. As a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she truly believes that true love knows no bounds. In her books, she aspires to write fun, sexy, realistic love stories that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. She creates realistic characters and believes there’s no better compliment than when readers felt they knew the characters personally.

When not writing, she’s busy being a wife to her soulmate, and a mother to two boys who she believes are the most handsome men on earth. She loves to cook, hates to bake, and dreams about living at the beach someday.

A. M. Madden is the author of the popular Back-Up series, as well as several other contemporary romances. She is also a published author with Loveswept/Random House and Entangled Publishing.

 

Her debut novel was Back-Up, the first in the Back-Up series. In Back-Up, A.M.’s main character, Jack Lair, caused readers to swoon. They call themselves #LairLovers and have been faithful supporters to Jack, as well as to the rest of his band, Devil’s Lair.

 

Title: Playing for Keeps
Series: Hope Valley
Author: Jessica Prince

Contemporary Romance; Small Town Romance

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His eyes were still dancing with humor when he finally got a hold of himself and looked back down at me. “What’s so funny?”

“The fact you thought you had to convince me you weren’t perfect,” he said, a chuckle still shaking his chest. “Believe me, Thumbelina, I’m well aware of the fact you aren’t perfect.”

My eyes narrowed into slits when he started cracking up again. “All right,” I said snootily. “You don’t have to laugh so damn hard about it.”

“You did everything you could to make my life miserable when I was put in charge of keepin’ you safe. You were loud, you picked fights constantly, you’re hardheaded, you had shit taste in music, you’re messy, and you were constantly eatin’ my yogurt, even though I put my name on it before stashing it in the fridge. Christ, baby. You pretended to have menstrual cramps just so you could sneak out on me when I was tryin’ to protect you. Straight up, you were a pain in my ass, so trust me when I say you don’t have to warn me.”

I squirmed in his arms until he was forced to let me go, and took a step back, planting my hands on my hips while shooting fire from my eyes. “First off, I do not have shit taste in music.”

“Babe, every one of your playlists is like bein’ trapped at the g***** Lilith Fair with no escape.”

“Second,” I continued, ignoring his dig, “I’m not messy. I know exactly where everything is.”

His brows climbed high on his forehead as he looked around my apartment to the piles of clothes and shoes strewn about.

“I got really tired after finishing my laundry,” I defended snappily.

“But I’ll have you know, they’re all clean, and like I said, I know exactly what is in each and every pile.”

He grinned arrogantly, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do more, kiss it or smack it off his sexy, stupid face. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.”

“And last, that yogurt was in my fridge. That means, labeled or not, it was fair game.”

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Ah! Dalton and Charlie’s story was everything I hoped for! I loved their banter in the previous book, and I was thrilled that I didn’t have to wait very long to see Dalton and Thumbelina get their HEA!

Poor Charlotte has not had an easy go in life. And Dalton wants to be her knight in shining armor, but she doesn’t think she deserves to have anything good in life…. He is so patient and understanding with Charlie, determined to prove to her otherwise.

Playing For Keeps is a super sweet addition to the Hope Valley series with another lovable couple. As with the other Hope Valley books, there is a bit of a mystery thread throughout, and I know better than to think that the plot point with Charlie’s sister was mysteriously dropped! I can’t wait to see what unfolds from that nugget!

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Visit Hope Valley
a series of interconnected, standalone romances

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Out of My League
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Come Back Home Again
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The Best of Me
Amazon US | Amazon Universal

Wrong Side of the Tracks
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Stay With Me
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Out of the Darkness
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The Second Time Around
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Waiting for Forever
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Love to Hate You
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Playing for Keeps
Amazon US | Amazon Worldwide

Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. That’s why God created central air, after all.

Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boy–she refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.

In addition to being a wife and mom, she’s also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of books–romances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says it’s a passion…there’s a difference. Not that she’d expect a boy to understand.

Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Brittany Taylor grew up all over the world including places such as California, England and Texas. Today she resides in Connecticut with her husband, two sons, two cats, and a dog. She loves reading but loves writing even more. Her favorite things in life are her family, binge watching Golden Girls, and tacos.

ALEATORY by Xavier Neal

Release Date: March 25th

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Blurb:

Aleatory.

As in ey-lee-uh-tawr-ee.

As in an adjective.

As in a synonym for unpredictable.

As in the only word to describe making the mistake of falling for someone who is not only ten years younger than you, but your best friend’s son…

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

About the Author:

Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can’t resist.

In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy’s t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible).

She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband “Lumberjack” and her rather lazy dog, Missy.

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Website: https://www.xavierneal.com

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THE DREAM GUY NEXT DOOR by Lauren Blakely

Release Date: March 7th

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Blurb:

A sexy, swoony falling-for-the-neighbor standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely!

Just my luck – my new next door neighbor is a unicorn.

Yep, the British hottie is clearly a mythical man because – get this – he’s a sexy, witty, charming, big-hearted single dad.

Who, wait for it, wants to find Mrs. Right and get hitched.

He’s a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of man, and it’s a darn shame I’m not on the market. If I were, his accent alone would melt me. Add in the fact that he’s a veterinarian, and my animal-loving heart would be flip flopping.

But my heart’s on the mend. I’m a single parent like him, and raising my teenage daughter is my top priority. Plus, falling for a guy who shares your property line is a line you shouldn’t cross.

Still, I’m an outgoing gal, so I do the neighborly thing and offer to be his dating insider.

Surely, I can help this small town’s most eligible bachelor ever navigate his way through all the fantastic single ladies eager to make his acquaintance.

What could possibly go wrong in helping the dream guy next door find his one true love?

So I set him up on one date, two dates, three dates — and I’m about to find out exactly how dangerous my offer is.

NOW AVAILABLE!!!

https://laurenblakely.com/theguyswhogotaway/#thedreamguynextdoor

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Another great romcom from Lauren Blakeley. I loved how strong and sassy January is! Miss Fix-It is secure, confident and knows what she wants. Swoony veterinarian/single dad Liam moves in next door and decides he’s ready to start dating again. But since January is dead-set on not being in a relationship, she offers to help him find his way around the local single ladies… and of course these two end up falling head over heels for one another instead.

This book has all the LB trademarks for a great romcom: witty dialogue, great writing, awesome supporting players and a sweet small town feel.

There isn’t a lot of drama, just two people ignoring their feelings for one another. So if you want an easy to read feel-good romance, this one is a winner!

I voluntarily left a review.

About the Author:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sweet, sexy and witty. She also writes red-hot, sexy romance and USA Today bestselling LGBTQ romance. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, with more than 50 titles on the USA Today Bestsellers list alone. She’s sold more than 4 million books. She likes dogs, cake and show tunes.

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Website: laurenblakely.com

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BLOG TOUR
LAST ONE HOME: A NOVEL by Shari J. Ryan

Release Date: March 22, 2021

Cover Design: MadHat Studios

Genre: Historical Fiction
Trope: World War II, Pearl Harbor

SYNOPSIS

From the author of Last Words, USA Today Bestselling Author Shari J. Ryan brings readers a new, unforgettable novel. Last One Home was inspired by true events of the attack on Pearl Harbor and World War II.

AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR
THIS IS NOT A DRILL

Piercing sirens led to cries for help. The pungent scents of burning oil would be seared into our memories forever, and the meaning behind loss was incomprehensible on that infamous day in history.

Twenty-year-old Elizabeth Salzberg, a nursing student and strong-willed Jewish woman, lived under the strict guidance of her father, a naval commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Oahu, Hawaii. For the five years following her mother’s untimely death, Elizabeth had struggled to abide by society’s expectations of a woman’s duties. While spending her days preparing meals and keeping a clean house for her father and brothers, Elizabeth desired a more profound sense of worth and purpose in life.

Elizabeth’s dream of escaping the rigorous daily grind was drifting out to sea just before her unexpected encounter with the new handsome lieutenant on base. Everett Anderson, a former Hollywood actor who put his career on hold to serve in the Army is the talk of the town as women gossip over his arrival. Despite the attention, Everett fell for Elizabeth at first sight, but unbeknownst to him, she was the commander’s daughter and off-limits to all servicemen on base.

On the morning of December 7th, 1941, a forbidden romance was the least of Elizabeth and Everett’s worries when they found themselves fearing for their lives as they dropped to the ground beneath the air attack that would wipe out the U.S. Fleet within hours.

Elizabeth saw this pivotal moment as a turning point in her life. An opportunity to join the Army Nurse Corps was the purpose she had been seeking. She knew the country needed her services. This path was in resistance to her father’s wishes and would likely disrupt any future plans between her and Everett, but despite the internal battle to make a life-altering decision, Elizabeth felt an overwhelming need to prove her strength as a coming of age woman at a time when equality was more important than ever.

Could Elizabeth and Everett survive the bloodshed and tears of war, or would one have to come home without the other?

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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Last One Home is a gripping story of soulmates, faith, fate and never-ending love, set against the backdrop of WWII and the aftermath of the numbing of Pearl Harbor in particular. Shari Ryan did a great job of creating a vivid visual of that horrible day, and how it plays into the rest of the heroine’s story as Elizabeth struggles with finding her purpose, being proud in her faith as a Jewish woman, and falling in love when she least expected to.

The story is told from Lizzie’s POV in modern 2018 and flashbacks to 1941-44. It’s very much a journey of her growth as a woman as it is a historical romance with the whirlwind relationship between Lizzie and Everett. Last One Home is intense, raw, heartfelt and emotional, a wonderful story that had my heart racing at times and breaking at others.

I absolutely loved Shari Ryan’s Last Word books, so I was very excited to see what she brought to the table with Last One Home. Although I felt this book was missing that special *something* that made Last Words a spectacular story, I still very much enjoyed Last One Home.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shari J. Ryan is USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Massachusetts with her wicked awesome husband, and two wild sons who fill her life with non-stop comedy.

With a life full of love, writing, drawing, TV binging, reading, and Starbucks, Shari is living her best life.

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Blurb:
Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can’t bring ourselves to see coming.

Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel…even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

The Things We Leave Unfinished is another spectacular novel by Rebecca Yarros. While it has all of the elements of a romance, I didn’t find it to follow the general formula that most contemporary romance novels do. There is a lot of family drama involved, an enemies-to-lovers romance thread, and a wonderful story of soul mates and a wonderful happily ever after.

There are actually two storylines happening at once in this novel — the current-day tale of Noah and Georgia, and the WW2 storyline of Georgia’s great-grandparents, Scarlett and Jameson. The letters of Scarlett and Jameson are wonderful. The chapters go back and forth between the two tales, telling the overall story. Both romances are epic and swoony, and there is a fantastic plot twist at the end that kind of upends everything that Georgia knew to be true about her life and family.

Although I found this book to be a little slow going at first, I couldn’t put it down by the time I really got into the story. I wanted to see what happens next — but didn’t want it to end! Somehow, The Things We Leave Unfinished manages to be a heartwarming, emotional, gripping, entertaining, sorrowful, happy novel all at the same time!

I received an advanced copy via NetGalley and voluntarily left a review.

About the Author:
Rebecca Yarros is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including Great and Precious Things and The Last Letter. “A gifted storyteller” (Kirkus), she is also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for almost twenty years. She’s the mother of six children, ranging from kindergarten to law school, and is currently surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time while guzzling coffee. She and her family live in Colorado with their stubborn English bulldogs, two feisty chinchillas, and a Maine Coon kitten named Artemis, who rules them all.

Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October, which she co-founded with her husband in 2019. To learn more about their mission to better the lives of kids in foster care, visit www.oneoctober.org.

To catch up on Rebecca’s latest releases and upcoming novels, including The Things We Leave Unfinished, which just received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, visit www.RebeccaYarros.com.

Connect w/Rebecca:
Website: http://www.rebeccayarros.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/rebeccaelizabethyarros
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RebeccaYarrosFlygirls
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In Trouble with Him, a not-to-be-missed, forbidden standalone romance from Stacy Travis is available now!

Falling in love was asking for trouble.

Meeting a hot professor at my best friend’s wedding has hookup written all over it.

Dammit it if he isn’t unexpectedly charming, making me want to abandon one-night stand plans for something more.

But dammit again if he doesn’t run off mid-kiss like a fugitive from Cinderella’s pumpkin coach.

That’s because he’s got a curfew as part of his house arrest for insider trading. Oh well, I’ll never see him again anyway.

Except that he shows up at my office—at my new job where I’ve just been made a law partner.

Turns out, he’s my newest client and he may be guilty of all kinds of things. Would it be a crime if he steals my heart?

Download your copy today!
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Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars

Annie has been thinking about Finn, the hot stranger she hooked up with at her friend’s wedding, all weekend. So when she walks into a meeting at her new job on Monday morning and learns that Finn is the professor she’s defending for insider trading, she’s awestruck. Meanwhile, Finn can’t believe that he’s again crossed paths with the fabulous woman he hasn’t been able to stop thinking of while under house arrest. Is it fate? Or is a romantic relationship forbidden as attorney and client?

This story was all kinds of fun. I loved the instant connection between Finn and Annie. I loved how they tried to “get it out of their system” with the in-depth fantasy description that SO didn’t work! I loved how he calmed her down when she began to word vomit, and how she made him realize that a life of data and figures without anyone to share it with was a lonely one. These two had so much heat, and so much passion. He is the ultimate sexy nerd, and Annie is a kick-ass lawyer with a huge heart.

In Trouble With Him is a pretty low-angst story; there is no big drama surrounding Finn and Annie as a couple other than the SEC suit she is representing him in. After that initial wedding hookup, this book turns into a slow-burn romance with lots of date-type client meetings until Finn and Annie finally explode and can’t take the sexual tension that’s brewing between them any longer.

Now I totally wish I’d read the Summer of Him duet (Nikki and Chris’ story), so I need to go back and check those out while I wait for Finn’s sisters to get their series! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

Excerpt

“Wow, time flies, huh?” he said.
“Are you having fun?”
He studied me for a moment. Then he was silent again. Of course, he wasn’t having fun. He was facing potential jail time and major fines from the SEC, not to mention he’d been put on leave from the job he loved, and his tenured position was probably in jeopardy. What a stupid thing to ask. “Sorry. I know this can’t be fun for you.”
After looking through the conference room glass for a moment, he nodded. “Actually, it is. But only because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since we met, and now that I have the pleasure of your company, it makes me happy,” he said.
“Wait, what?” I felt just as giddy as I had at age fourteen when a boy I’d been crushing on for months asked me if I’d mind paying for his slice of pizza after a high school football game. This was pre-cheerleading, to be clear. After I made the squad, the fourteen-year-olds paid for me. Mostly.
“Was that not clear? I can’t stop thinking about you. I’ve barely thought of anything but you since we met. And given that I’m charged with insider trading and facing jail time, I find that significant.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“I mean, that’s… ordinarily, it’s exactly what a woman wants to hear. But now…”
“Now that you know I’m charged with insider trading?”
“No, now that you’re my client. You insisted on being my client. I gave you an out, and you insisted. So now you get lawyer me, not Saturday night me. That was your choice,” I said. It was my turn to look through the glass because I couldn’t keep gazing at him without repercussions.
“I wasn’t aware you were two different people. For the record, I like both,” he said with a smile.
“You don’t get both. That’s not how this works.” I turned toward my notes, hoping he understood that recess was over.
“I’m the client. Don’t I get to dictate how things work?” he asked.
“No, you get to be the client. You answer my questions, and you behave yourself so I don’t get fired or disbarred. I feel like you weren’t listening when I just explained all that.”
“I was listening. I just chose to ignore it.”
He was frustrating. The fact that he was hot in a nerdy chiseled-jaw professor way was also frustrating. I needed to get control of the situation. Looking at the stacks of books on the conference room shelves, I saw nothing to give me direction as to how to handle the situation.
They should make law books for this. Or self-help books. Any guidance would be welcome.

Meet Stacy

It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy.
I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.

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