β NOW AVAILABLEβ ππ‘ππ«π¦π’π§π ππ¨-ππ¨π«π€ππ« is live! You will love our sexy Sagittarius in this Holiday Romantic Comedy!
Purchase ππ‘ππ«π¦π’π§π ππ¨-ππ¨π«π€ππ« for π‘π‘ππππ₯π€: https://amzn.to/35A0UfZ
BLURB: All I want for Christmas is Branson Ford.
Iβve been starry-eyed for my handsome boss since the day I started working for him at Empire Media. Problem is, he doesnβt see me as anything more than his sweet assistant.
I need help becoming a vixen. I need someone to teach me how to be sensual, how to be desired, and how to get the man Iβve pined over for the last two years. So, I enlist the help of my co-worker.
My very sexy, very charming co-worker, Hunter Johnstone.
Hunter loves the thrill of the chase. Heβs spontaneous, honest, and just the man I need for a lesson in passion. When he suggests we start a fake relationship, I think heβs crazy, but who am I to question his jealousy-inducing ways?
His little trick worksβmaybe too well. The line between friends and lovers is blurred, but maybe thatβs because it was never really there. And just as Iβm about to start seeing clearly, my Christmas wish comes true.
The co-worker she thought she wanted turns out to not be the one she ends up falling head over heels for in this charming book by Jeannine Colette and Lauren Runow. Charming Co-Worker is the 2nd book in their zodiac series, and is an absolutely delightful holiday romance about a Sagittarius hero.
Desperate to sex herself up in order to catch her boss’ eye, Katie asks her colleague, Hunter, for some sexy lessons. Hunter is a player, but he and Katie are friends and she’s sure he’s the perfect guy to assist her with her mission. It’s not long before Katie discovers that Hunter is her perfect match. This story is swoony and sweet, set at Christmastime with lots of holiday puns, witty banter and the Christmas spirit.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Who hits on someone in the chemo room? Me, apparently. But, this was a first even for me. I don’t fall in love. I don’t pine over women. I planned on going to the grave a proud bachelor.
Β
Until Lin…
Β
She should have come with a warning label. She was feisty, distant and secretive. Too gorgeous by any standards. Too headstrong for my taste. Too much like me.
Β
I ignored the warning signs and dove in headfirst. but despite our love, she was holding back. She had a secret that could be the end of her. And us.
Β
I promised I would be there for her. Little did I know, life would hold me to that.Β
Β
Would the love I have for her be enough to carry me through?
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
I am so glad I read this book! I can’t believe Brooke McBride is a relatively new author. Not only was this story fantastic, the characters were wonderfully developed, the story was plotted beautifully, flowed at exactly the right pace and there is not a single thing I would change about it. Carry Me Through is not your typical romance. It’s not just a story about a guy who meets a girl who is dying of cancer. It’s an amazing story about loving with all your heart, of letting go even when you want to hold on tightly, and finding the strength to be selfless when every fiber of your body is shouting to be selfish. And that special, pure, life-altering kind of love that will carry you through even the darkest of days.
Lin and Colt’s story is one that I won’t soon forget. I practically read the entire thing — 55 of the 60 chapters — during this covid Thanksgiving when I had extra time on my hands. I could not put it down. Literally, I was reading it on my Kindle app while cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my family. Carry Me Through is a remarkable story. Caitlin may not have been Colt’s forever, but he was hers for the short time they had together.
I was not prepared for how much I would love this story, how much I would sob over Lin and Colt… but I am so glad I took a chance on reading it!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Β From the award-winning author ofΒ UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES,
comes a sexy story of love, second chances, gratitude, and finding beauty in the broken and the forgotten.
Will her fling become his forever?
Leia Scott has sworn off love. Fresh from a messy, public divorce from her hockey player ex, the twenty-six-year-old fashion designer temporarily trades New York for London to heal and embrace her freedom. Her vow? To protect her heart, steer clear of relationships, and say yes to flings without strings. She throws herself into designing upcycled dresses and exploring London with her sister. But Leia’s carefully curated plan encounters a flirty complication with an irresistible British accent.Β
Wealthy, charming, and devastatingly attractive, Tarquin Balfour is tired of meaningless hookups and dates that go nowhere. For years, he has played the bon viveur with reckless abandon, throwing decadent parties, sleeping with a parade of women, and diving into extreme sports around the globe. But now the young property developer wants more. He craves love and commitment, to prove his kind heart matters more than the abundance of zeroes attached to his bank balance. Struggling with undiagnosed depression, Tarquin worries he’ll never find The One…until he meets his princess, a fashion designer named Leia.
Afraid of falling in love and fearful of being alone, Leia and Tarquin enter into an entanglement that threatens to hurt them both.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 3.5 Stars
Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye was an enjoyable fling-to-forever romance. Leia is just visiting London when she meets Tarquin at Ikea and they form an instant connection. The chemistry between them sizzles, but she isn’t planning on staying in England and, recently divorced, isn’t looking for a relationship. Meanwhile, he’s pretty much decided that she is the one.
When Leia eventually returns to NYC, she and Tarquin do the long-distance relationship. There are a lot of ups and downs as they attempt to figure things out. She’s just looking for a Mr. Right Now, but Tarquin is sure she’s his Mrs. Right. As time goes on, Leia discovers that Mr. Right Now might be the guy for her after all. There’s also a nicely developed subplot with Tarquin’s mental health and Leia’s own depression and mental health issues, which I thought was handled delicately.
Jacquelyn Middleton is a new-to-me author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I enjoyed the story and thought that Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye was well written, but parts of the story dragged for me. I also thought that there were a lot of secondary characters. This book is part of a series, and is an interconnected story. There were some parts where past books were referenced and I would have liked to have had more background. For fans of Jacqueline Middleton, I’m sure it’s great since there are lots of cameos from other characters, but I felt a little lost in some places.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Jacquelyn Middleton is an award-winning author of love stories for hopeful romantics–‘hopeful’ because her novels are always full of optimism and a ‘happy ever after’ is important now more than ever before. But life is messy, relationships are messy, and her books aren’t afraid to go there, too. If you enjoy character and relationship-driven stories about people dealing with the triumphs and disasters we all face, Jacquelyn’s books are for you.
In 2019, she was named BEST CANADIAN AUTHOR at the RWA’s Toronto Romance Writers ‘Northern Hearts’ Awards for UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. She is also the author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? andΒ SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE.
An own voices author, Jacquelyn has dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression all her life, and is dedicated to depicting mental health challenges realistically and empathetically in her novels.
Jacquelyn’s books have been featured by The Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Daily News, USA Today, Cosmo, Redbook, and the Huffington Post.
She lives in Toronto with her British husband and Japanese Spitz dog.
And one accidental sext later, my massive crush on him is no longer a secret.
Make Me Yours, an all-new rom com that is all too sexy from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow is available now!
Heβs my brotherβs best friend.
The hot single dad next door.
And one accidental sext later, my massive crush on him is no longer a secret.
Itβs my own damn fault. Iβm thirty years old, for heavenβs sake. Iβm a kindergarten teacher and a (reasonably) responsible adult. I should know better than to get tipsy and draft a fake text listing all the dirty things I wish Officer Cole Mitchell would do to me.
I wasnβt supposed to hit send.
He wasnβt supposed to see it.
And he definitely wasnβt supposed to text back telling me to go on . . .
Because after that, things escalate quickly.
Cole is everything Iβve ever wanted. Heβs sexy and protective. A devoted father to his little girl. A dedicated cop the whole town adores. The kind of guy you can trust to keep his hands to himself, even when youβre desperately hoping he wonβt.
Iβm not the girl he thought heβd end up with, but after all this time, I might finally get the chance to say the words Iβve always dreamed of . . . make me yours.
Return to Bellamy Creek with the ultimate feel-good small town romance! Make Me Yours has it all: a hot widowed single dad, the best friend’s little sister who has been in love with him since she was 12, an adorable little girl, a pair of meddling moms, and all kinds of heartbreaking moments and equally swoony ones.
We first met Cole and Cheyenne in Griffin and Blair’s book — she’s Griff’s little sister and Cole is his best friend who grew up next door. Cole has been living with his mom for 9 years, ever since his late wife died during childbirth, and Cheyenne recently moved home to take a teaching job at the local school. The close proximity definitely plays a part in Cole suddenly noticing Cheyenne in ways that he hadn’t before — and WOW, that opening chapter really lays it all out there and sets up the complicated relationship!
An accidental sext is what finally pushes Cole to act on what he’s been feeling from Cheyenne — but before they can move things into real life, Cole and Cheyenne put on the brakes when they realize that they are not on the same page. She is looking for forever, and he’s too hung up on his vow to Mariah to never get married again to really move forward with another woman. My heart broke for Cheyenne when she walked away from what she’s wanted since she was 12, but she was so amazingly strong and I was so glad that she didn’t let Cole walk all over her feelings and stood up for what she really wanted.
Eventually, Cole gets himself on the same page, and he and Cheyenne make things official. But it’s still not all rainbows and unicorns for the couple since the grief and feelings Cole stuffed deep inside after his wife passed come roaring to the surface in a big way. Will Cole get over his fear of losing someone he loves yet again, or is being happy with Cheyenne for however long he will have it be worth the risk?
Cole and Cheyenne’s story is set around Blair and Griffin’s wedding at Cloverleigh Farms — so not only do we get to see Blair and Griffin get married, but there are some cameos made by Frannie, April, Tyler and Mack from Melanie Harlow’s Cloverleigh series. MH also did a great job of sparking my interest in Enzo and Bianca, so I really, really hope that theirs is an enemies-to-lovers story coming next in the Bellamy Creek series! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Excerpt
Darlene spoke up. βMy mother passed them down to me, and I want to make sure theyβre in good condition so I can leave them to Cheyenne when she gets married.β Then she crossed herself and closed her eyes, her lips moving in a quick, silent prayer.
Cheyenne ignored her mother and addressed Mariah again. βMy brother and I always had to wash and dry the wedding china on holidays before we went to bed. It took forever.β
βIβd stay and help you, sis, but I have to get Blair home. Sorry.β Griffin gave her a grin that said he wasnβt the least bit sorry, and Cheyenne stuck her tongue out at him.
βCole, why donβt you stay and give Cheyenne a hand?β My mother suggested, wrapping her scarf around her neck.
βThatβs a great idea,β Darlene said brightly. Then she sort of bent over and rubbed one hip, her expression agonized. βIβd help her myself but Iβve been on my feet a lot today and the doctor said that isnβt good for my joints.β
βYou should just get to bed, Darlene,βmy mother said, shepherding Mariah toward the front door. βCole will be more than happy to stay and help Cheyenne.β
βOh, thatβs okay.β Cheyenne smiled at me and shook her head. βI can handle them.β
But Darlene beamed at me, reaching over and snatching my coat out of my hands. βThatβs so nice of you, Cole. Iβll just hang this in the front closet.β Before she left the room, she and my mother exchanged a look that had me wondering if the whole helping-with-the-dishes thing had been a set-up.
Either way, ten minutes later Cheyenne and I were pushing up our sleeves in the kitchen, the house dark and silent except for the running faucet and the hum of the dishwasher.
βIβll wash, you dry?β she asked, adding dish soap to the side of the sink sheβd plugged and lined with a towel.
βSure.β
She took a plate from the stack to her left and placed it in the warm soapy water. βOh! I almost forgot.β Slipping her rings and bracelets off, she set them on the windowsill above the sink. βSo I donβt scratch anything,β she explained.
βOh.β I glanced down at my wedding ring. βItβs okay,β she said quickly. βYou donβt have to take it off.β
βItβs fine,β I said, working it off my finger and placing it on the sill next to her jewelry. For some reason, I felt compelled to explain why I still wore it all the time. βMariah once told me she likes when I wear it, so . . .β
βI think itβs nice, βshe said. βI like a guy who wears his ring. It says something about him, you know?β
I nodded, my attraction to her growing even stronger. βStill, weβd better be careful with these dishes.β
βDamn right, weβd better,β she deadpanned. βThis is my fucking wedding china, Cole. If we even look at it wrong, I might end up a spinster.β She laughed as she gently scrubbed the plate with a cloth. βMy God. Is she not totally ridiculous?β
βSheβs pretty bad,β I agreed, taking the plate from her and carefully drying it with the soft clean towel sheβd given me. βBut mine wasnβt much better tonight. Did you have the feeling something was up between them as we were saying goodnight?β
βYes,β she said. βAnd itβs probably my fault because I made the mistake of telling my mom you bought me dinner last night. In her mind, I believe we are now betrothed.β
I laughed. βThatβs all it takes, huh?β
βApparently. Tomorrow Iβll be pregnant because we washed dishes together after dark.β
βWow. Guess I should have worn the rubber gloves.β
About Melanie
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 Schittβs 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.
Razor sharp between the pipes, mysterious off the ice, Malakai Petrov is the Chicago Furyβs notorious goalie.
The 6β5 Russian giant is hiding an entire world behind the bars of his mask. He thinks his secrets are buried deep enough so that no one can ever crack the ice guarding his stone heart. Until he meets a certain teammate’s sister whoβs got a knack for sticking her nose in places it doesnβt belong.
Charlotte Greene met the man behind the mask years before anyone knew his name. TheΒ Β punk chick with calloused fingers from the strings of her violin never could shake the memory of him.
Β
When unexpected circumstances put them back in each otherβs life, sheβs set her sights on turning Malakaiβs life upside down.
Stealing his dog, leaving her panties on his stairs, batting her silver-eyes, forcing him to question everything he ever knew. These two are skating on thin ice and it wonβt be long until it shatters.
Β
Ice Hearts is a standalone novel in the Fury Series and deals with sensitive subjects some may find triggering.
Shattered Ice is a remarkable story about a tortured man who just wants to forget his past, and a fiery woman who is petrified that she will one day fail to remember hers, and how she gets him to forgive himself, let himself be loved, and love someone else in return.
Malachai and Charlotte’s story is not an easy one to read. Kai has some major demons that he’s fighting, and it causes him to keep Charlie at arm’s length for a good portion of the book — even though he wants to hold her close. And that scares him like nothing else. She sees deep into his soul, and makes him want things for himself and his life that he’s never wanted before. This “fallen angel” sees himself as nothing short of a monster due to his childhood and the things he was forced to do, but his Moon Eyes only sees the best in the man that she knows, Kai’s tender heart and sweetness that is hiding underneath the mask he presents to the rest of the world.
Despite Charlie’s best efforts to draw Kai out of his shell, he isn’t ready to accept what she is offering to him: her heart. As a result, he doesn’t just break her heart but shatters it completely. Then when a tragic event threatens to rip them apart for good, will Kai realize what he had before it is too late?
This is the first Monty Jay book I’ve read, and I very much enjoyed it. Despite his best attempts to lead a life of solitude, Malachi has a lot of “brothers” in his hockey teammates. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, and there were many references to things that happened in the previous books that I felt left me a little in the dark. But those were side references, and for the most part, didn’t take away from Kai and Charlie’s story, aside from some references to events in Charlotte’s twin brother Emerson’s life.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Monty Jay
Monty Jay likes to describe herself as a punk rock kid, with the soul of a gypsy who has a Red Bull addiction.Β
Β
She writes romance novels about insane artists, feisty females, hockey players, and many more.Β
Β
Β
When she isn’t writing she can be found reading anything Stephen King, getting a tattoo, or eating cold pizza.
Β
Β
Sign up for her newsletter, so you never miss news about a release:Β https://bit.ly/3314X39
From the time I can remember, it was always the three of us. Me, Tommy, and Shane.
We were young, doing things we shouldn’t have been doing.
They say the water here in Meade Lake freezes four feet deep.Β
Β
But that winter had been unseasonably warm…
After we lost Tommy, Shane packed up and moved on, leaving me to figure it all out by myself.Β
Β
To figure out who I was without my two best friends.
But now, Shane is back in Meade Lake. Heβs changed, but under that cold, hardened exterior, I can still see a hint of my best friend.Β
The boy I once loved.
Weβre reliving our glory years, laughing at the memories, sorting through the pain. And each time, he stands a little bit closer, lingers a little bit longer.
But with every touch, I feel that ice-cold barrier form around my heart.
He showed me once that he could walk away and never look back.Β
Β
I canβt give him that chance again.
Β
Grab Your Copy Here:
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU
Free in KU
will send when live
Β
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
In Winters Past is a highly emotional, heartfelt romance in the Meade Lake series by Taylor Danae Colbert. Jules and Shane’s story goes back and forth between their present-day reunion after a decade, and flashbacks to the evolution of their friendship as high schoolers, leading up to the tragedy with their third friend, Tommy, that ripped them apart.
The story is an emotional rollercoaster. It is so well-written, and tugged on my heartstrings all along the way. The abandonment that Jules felt when Shane left was heartbreaking, especially since he was her one safe place. Those feeling never went away, and her struggle to protect her heart when Shane returned to town is so well-written. As everything unfolds and the whole story is brought to light and revealed to the reader, I sobbed big ugly tears. There is a lot for Shane and Jules to unpack and work through as they first rebuild their friendship and then a romantic relationship. But it was an incredible story with a heartwarming ending after all of the heartache.
On a broader note, I love how close-knit this group of friends is, how they rally around one another and support each other!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Meet Taylor Danae Colbert
Taylor has been writing since the tender age of seven, when her mother bought her her first typewriter.Β
Β
Once she finished her first work, a tall tale about a girl with hair that grew too fast, her father told her she should be published. And so, her lifelong dream of becoming a published writer was born.Β
Taylor never thought of herself as a romance writer, but it turns out, she loves love.Β
When she’s not chasing her kids,Β watchingΒ Impractical JokersΒ with her husband, running, or playing around with her two pups, she’s probably under her favorite blanket, either writing a book, or reading one.Β
Taylor lives in Maryland, where she was born and raised.Β
Hard head. Bad attitude. Terrible boyfriend.Β Thatβs what my exes have said about meβbut I wasnβt serious aboutΒ anyΒ of them, so what do I care what rumors they spread? What I need is to be left alone; by the press, by the paparazzi, and by women.
Β
Too bad Iβm about to be surrounded by them for the weekend. My obnoxious, matchmaking brother is getting married, and heβs doing his damndest find me a wedding dateβ¦
Β
βHARD TO FIND.β
Thatβs what they say about good menβtheyβre hard to find. Not that when I find one, Iβll be the type heβs looking for;Β too nice, too ordinary, too boring.
Hard Love is another great addition to Sara Ney’s Trophy Boyfriends Series. This time we get Chandler, who is the cousin of Hollis from Hard Fall, and Trace’s brother, Tripp. It is Trace and Hollis’ wedding, and he is determined to play matchmaker for his grumpy brother, Tripp.
Hollis is a great says-it-like-it-is gal. And Tripp is so grumpy, but he becomes a big mush once we really get to know him. Their banter is hilarious on its own, but Tripp’s teenage neighbor Molly seriously steals the show with her snarky comments and witty insight.
This book was a marvelous combination of swoony moments, snark and heat. I enjoy this series quite a lot, and look forward to the next installment! I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Β
Β
Β
Meet SaraΒ Ney
Β
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances.Β
Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced lattes, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.Β
With his dimpled grin and devilish charm, firefighter Gavin Bailey is hot as a five-alarm fire and twice as dangerous. The youngest of five brothers, heβs the daredevil of the family. Until the unexpected strikes and he finds himself sidelined.
Skylar Stanleyβs life didnβt just fall apart. It exploded. Spectacularly. Dropped by her publisher and her agent, and dumped by her boyfriend, she suddenly has no place to live and a career circling the drain. She comes home to the quirky, feuding small town she hasnβt lived in since Kindergarten to pick up the pieces. And hopefully find her mojo.
Gavin would happily help Skylar get her groove backβin and out of the bedroomβexcept for one big problem. Her dad is Gavinβs boss, mentor, and the closest thing heβs ever had to a father.
As much as Gavin loves racing headlong into danger, Skylar is a risk of a different kind. One that heβs determined to avoid.
But the line between friends and lovers gets awfully blurry, and Gavin just might find the one thing that truly scares him.
Losing her.
Authorβs note: The wild child of the Bailey clan meets his match in a shy writer whoβs braver than she thinks. A sexy, feel-good story with pranks and shenanigans, Bailey-style brotherly love, a rescue kitten, plus delightfully dirty fantasies come true and a happily ever after that will make your heart burst with sunshine and rainbows.
BUY NOW
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Oh, these Bailey Brothers! From this awesome meet-cute to their declarations of love and forever, Gavin and Skylar’s story in Rushing In was perfection.
Baby brother Gavin has always been the daredevil of the bunch. The risk-taker, the adrenaline junkie. But he gets knocked off his feet — quite literally! — by his boss’ daughter when Skylar returns to town to live with her dad after breaking up with her boyfriend. She’s not looking to rush into anything more than being friends and since Gavin has plenty of time on his hands thanks to the broken leg Skylar gave him, the adventures of Gav and Sky are born.
There is a lovely arc as these two go from friends to feeling something more, giving in to that lust but not wanting to ruin their budding friendship — or in Gavin’s case, steal one of the Cheif’s cookies. And even though they eventually agree to a friends-with-benefits relationship, it’s clear that they are both feeling something deeper. And when the un-scarable Gavin Bailey finds himself absolutely terrified, he makes an epic mistake that just may ruin everything he never realized he wanted.
As with the other Bailey Brothers books, you can count on plenty more of Logan’s “bro-isms” and his hate-fueled relationship with Cara (or is it??), loads of great advice from Grams (have tissues ready for the heart-to-heart between her and Gavin regarding his parents), the awesome bond that these brothers have and their prank war against the Havens (I will never view Dirty Dancing’s water scene or watermelon scene the same way again!). Plus, this time around, we get some awesome Cara Karma that really makes me hope that none of the Baileys ever get on her bad side!
I average a book every two days, but life got in the way this week and it took me three days to get through Gavin and Skylar’s book, and I was dying to finish it! And not just to get to that epilogue, either. But HOLY CRAP on a cracker! What are you DOING to us, Claire?? I need that next book like, now!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
βH. Hunting pens a heartbreaking tale that leaves readers absolutely breathless from beginning to end. One of her best books yet!β – Stacey Lynn, author
Little Lies, an all-new, angsty and emotional new adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting is out now!
I donβt want you. You mean nothing to me. I never loved you. I turned my words into swords. And I cut her down. Shoved the blade in and watched her fall. I said Iβd never hurt her, and I did. Years later, Iβm faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession. Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of. I used to be the one who saved her. Over and over again. But I donβt want to save her anymore. I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.
The front door swings open, and the never-ending nightmare that is this day smacks me in the face like a long-expired sausage. Kodiak stands in the doorway wearing only a pair of swim shorts, wet hair sticking out all over the place, water dripping on the damn floor. But God, is he ever glorious. Muscle layered over muscle, thick biceps flexing as he holds the doorjamb, a mischievous grin popping the dimple in his left cheek. My heart seizes and gallops. I miss this version of him: the one that smiles and doesnβt hate me. He ruins everything a moment later by bellowing, βWhoβs fucking in the driveway?β His gaze moves to Dylan, who looks as horrified as I feel, but as it shifts to me, his smile drops and my stomach tightens. βYou should really go,β I tell Dylan. βIβll see you around.β He disappears into his car and barely has the door closed before heβs backing out of the driveway and screeching down the street. I adjust my backpack on my shoulder and head for the house, steeling my spine and my nerves because Kodiak is still standing in the middle of the doorway, his face a mask of indifference. I try to brush by him, but he stays where he is, making it impossible. I sigh, exhausted beyond belief. I just want to go upstairs and have a good, cathartic cry. I try to mirror his apathy. βCan you move so I can get into my house?β His brow furrows as his eyes move over my face. He lifts his hand, like maybe heβs thinking about touching me. Thereβs no way I can handle that. I jerk back and swat his hand away. βWhat are you doing?β βYour lip is bleeding.β βDonβt act like you actually give a shit, Kodiak.β βTell me what happened.β His voice is low and soft, and for whatever reason, that makes me even angrier, so I lash out, wanting to wound him the way he keeps wounding me. βYou, Kodiak. You happened, and you ruined my goddamn life. Now get the hell out of my way.β I elbow past him, almost tripping over several sets of running shoes. I head straight for my bedroom and lock the door behind me. I slide down the wall until my butt hits the floor and close my eyes, taking deep breaths. I imagined the concern in his voice. I imagined the pain that sat heavy behind his eyes. We see what we want to, not the truth, especially when it hurts.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
So. Much. Angst!
It honestly took me a bit to get into Violet and Kodiak’s story. The tale goes back and forth from flashback chapters of when they were kids to their current situation in college. It’s been a few years since they’ve seen one another, and the last time they did had not ended well. There has always been an insane bond between Lav and Kody, but he pushed her away for her own kid, breaking them in the process and telling a whole lot of little lies to do it. What we get in Little Lies are two highly emotional characters with severe anxiety who relied on one another so much as children, to the point where it became crippling and toxic for their own mental health.
There were so many times that I wanted to slap Kody for being such a jerk. I really didn’t understand why he was such a bastard, but once it all clicked into place, I was so glad that he gave in to what he was feeling. What he HAD been feeling, and had known since he and Lavendar were just little kids. She was his soulmate.
Little Lies is a spinoff of a spinoff of Helena Hunting’s Pucked series and focuses on the Pucked offspring. It is a standalone, but fans of HH’s hockey series will love the references to the parents and how like them the kids are turning out to be. I loved how this large group of extended family all rallies together, and I can’t wait to see what unfolds for the various cousins in the group. Especially Lavendar’s twin, River!
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 writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Title: Love to Hate You
Series: Hope Valley
Author: Jessica Prince
Contemporary Romance; Small Town Romance; Single Parent Romance
Micah Langford thought he was happy with his bachelor lifestyleβ¦
until Hayden Young fell into his life and shook things up.
Thereβs just one problem.
The gorgeous single mother canβt stand the sight of him.
After her husband left her for her best friend, Hayden Young moved to Hope Valley looking for a fresh start for her and her daughter. The last thing she expected was to run into the man who had rocked her world in the middle of the wine section of the local grocery store. And no matter how many times she tells herself she hates the egotistical jerk, she canβt stop the tingle she feels every time she looks at him.
Micah Langford was a man who enjoyed variety. He had absolutely no interest in finding one woman and settling down. Then a one-night-stand from his pastβand the best sex of his lifeβcame rolling into town, and the self-proclaimed bachelor started wanting more. The only problem is, she canβt stand the sight of him.
When hate gives way to fire, igniting a passion neither of them can deny, Micah finds himself thinking about the futureβor more specifically, how he can fit Hayden into his. But when a case heβs working on heats up, and she starts asking questions he canβt answer, Hayden has a decision to make. She can either take a leap and put her trust in him, or she can let the secrets destroy them.
**Hope Valley is a series of interconnected, standalone, small town romances.**
I love escaping to Hope Valley! In Love To Hate You, we get to see Leo’s playboy partner, Micah, fall head over heels for feisty single mom Hayden. They first meet when they have a hot one-night stand, and neither of them ever think they are going to see the other again. But neither of them have been able to stop thinking of the other ever since. Needless to say, their first run-in at the wine aisle of the grocery store doesn’t go over so well. Hayden sees him as nothing more than an egotistical jerk after he accuses her of stalking him. Then to find out that Hayden is the great-niece that his elderly neighbor Sylvia has been raving about… well, Micah is soon determined to make that fiery redhead see that there is more to their spark and connection than just the insults they toss at one another.
Hayden soon realize that the love they have is worth fighting for.
I’ve been such a huge fan of this series from the beginning! Love To Hate You can be read as a standalone, but there is the continuation of the drug-dealer storyline in this book, and there is a resolution to events that happened in the last few books. And even though I knew I was supposed to be rooting for Hayden and Micah in this book, I am so shipping Charlie and Dalton and can’t wait for their story! And I am really going to miss pensioners Aunt Sylvia and Pearl, so please, please, please let them appear in more books!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Sometime into my second beer, Micah had suggested we move away from the bar and grab a table, something I was more than happy to do. Instead of sitting across from me, heβd taken the chair right beside mine, scooting it even closer so our knees brushed together with even a slight movement.
A couple hours later I was working my way through beer number four. My cheeks were hot, and not just from the alcohol. My head felt nice and floaty and there was a really pleasant warmth blooming beneath my skin.
At some point during our chatting, Micah had positioned himself so one of his arms was resting on the table beside mine, and every now and then heβd slowly drag his fingers across the back of my hand as he spoke, the touch barely there, as though he didnβt even realize he was doing it. If he wasnβt doing that, he was reaching out to brush my hair away from my face. Sometimes heβd tuck a lock behind my ear, dragging the pads of his fingers along the column of my neck gently before pulling back. Other times heβd simply reach out to caress the strands.
βFuckinβ gorgeous hair, sweetheart,β heβd rumbled at one point. βAnd so damn soft.β
Iβd nearly melted into a puddle right there in my seat.
As it was, those small touches had me riled up in a way I hadnβt experienced in a very long time. Iβd been in a constant state of arousal for a while now. My nipples were so tight they ached and my panties got wetter every time he laughed or smiled at me. Hell, just the scent of his aftershave, something clean and musky, was making me lightheaded.
βSo tell me something about yourself,β he insisted.
βThereβs really not much to tell. Iβm just a normal, boring chick,β I answered evasively, as Iβd been doing every time he asked me about myself. I was in this bar in the first place because I needed an escape from the shitstorm that had become my life. Iβd been in search of a reprieve from the dark, and Iβd gotten just that in a very big and unexpected way with a sexy stranger. No way in hell was I putting a damper on any of that by talking about my ex-asshole.
βSomehow I doubt that very much, Red. You gotta give me something.β
I played off the fact that nickname sent a pleasurable tingle up my spine and arched a single brow as I sipped my beer. βRed?β
He grabbed another piece of my hair and gave it a playful tug. βSeems fitting. Now answer one question for me. You live around here?β
βNo.β The answer fell off my tongue without any thought. It wasnβt technically a lie. Ivy and I would be moving in a matter of days, and it wasnβt like I was ever going to see this guy again. Evasion was the name of the game. βJust here for a few days for . . . work.β I lifted my beer and gulped. βYou?β
βGrew up here but moved away after college. Just came back for the weekend βcause my little sis is having a baby and the devil woman decided the shower was gonna be co-ed.β
βAh, gotcha. So, family obligation brought you back.β
βPartly. Mostly it was the threat of death from my old man if I made my sister cry by not showing up.β
My head fell back on a long laugh. When my hilarity tapered off, I caught Micah staring at me, his green eyes flashing with heat that made my heart beat faster. I cleared my throat and teased, βSo, if youβre supposed to be here for a baby shower, what are you doing in a bar?β
βMet up with some old buddies for a drink. We were just finishing up when I saw you walk in.β He leaned closer, lowering his voice as his fingers took another trip along the back of my hand. βDecided the smartest thing I could do was stick around after that.β
I was suddenly feeling lightheaded in a way that had nothing to do with the beer. The green of his eyes flashed again and his nostrils flared as he watched my lips part and my tongue peek out to swipe across the bottom one.
Iβd never in my life been in a situation where I craved a man I didnβt know to the point it made me squirm. I wanted Micah in a way I hadnβt experienced in way too damn long. Iβd never pictured myself as the kind of woman who could pull off a one-night stand, but the thought of missing out on this chance left a sour taste in my mouth, and the more time we spent together the more I turned that idea over in my head until it seemed like the most brilliant idea ever.
It wasnβt until my bodyβs unexpected reaction to him that I realized I hadnβt had sex in nearly a year. Once that little discovery pushed itself to the forefront of my mind, it was like a fire had been lit in my blood. Having sex with Micah was all I could think about.
I felt like I was someone else as I leaned forward and placed my palm on his thick, solid thigh, and I hardly recognized the throaty voice that came from my mouth as I said, βI have a room a few blocks away if you want to come back with me.β
I didnβt get that flash again, but that bright, vibrant green suddenly turned dark as he rasped, βFuck yeah, Red. Letβs get out of here.β
Visit Hope Valley a series of interconnected, standalone romances
Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. Thatβs why God created central air, after all.
Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boyβshe refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.
In addition to being a wife and mom, sheβs also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of booksβromances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says itβs a passionβ¦thereβs a difference. Not that sheβd expect a boy to understand.
Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.
Sunny Shelly Reads 