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Review – Never Have I Ever by Lauren Blakley

Piper Radcliff is a successful wedding planner. Zach Nolan is a successful divorce lawyer who refers to himself as a shark and places casual wagers on the success of marriages whose weddings Piper plans. Both have known each other since college and now share office space in a building owned by a mutual friend owns which affords them the opportunity to see each other.  Zach’s daughter, Lucy, loves to pop into Piper’s office after school to pursue the latest in wedding trends… she’s 10.

Zach and Piper are frenemies from way back in college. Trading barbs at social functions. But when their mutual friends become engaged, they are thrust together as Best Man and Wedding Planner. While planning and arranging engagement parties in the states and across the pond bring Piper and Zach closer together, the sparks that start to fly are undeniable.

Zach develops feelings for Piper, but he struggles with the loss of his wife who died two years earlier. He is devoted to his children so much that he hasn’t thought at all about women since Anna’s death, other than helping his female clients decimate their jerk partners.

As Zach and Piper explore their budding love, they agree to keep their sexual interludes a secret from their friends so as not to take the attention away from their upcoming destination nuptials.

Lauren always has a beautiful way of bringing two people together who would otherwise never have anything to do with each other and then show us their vulnerable side in such a way we are rooting for them to be together.

I give it Five STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐  ⭐Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy of  “Never have I Ever”  for yourself! If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Book Review – Perspective by Jenna Hartley

New author, Jenna Hartley, has a novella called Perspective about an art student and her professor. The story starts with Kate Pruitt, whose siblings are amazing over achievers and parents are politically connected.  Kate is in pre-med at UCLA when she discovers the Art school, LA CAD, and decides to enroll.  She is pushing herself out of her comfort zone when she decides to pose nude for a life drawing class. 

That’s where she meets Professor Alexander Kline, renowned artist and 10 years her senior.  As Professor Kline (or Xander) is simply covering for the instructor, who had a heart attack moments earlier, in the hall, “Xander’s” heart is also attacked when he first lays eyes on Kate Pruitt.  What we don’t realize is that Xander is a man with a secret. He needs a muse to help him create 10 new paintings in 6 weeks for his new show. 

Kate is amiable in public and with her family, while Xander is commanding. But when they get together, roles reverse.  Kate is a spicy, assertive match to Xander, while Xander is vulnerable as he reveals his secret. 

I found this book to be a wonderful quick read with plenty of steam.  I delighted in the story woven together by Jenna Hartley and recognize she has a great career ahead of herself. It’s a quick read since it’s a novella but well written with lots of explanation and backstory.

I give it Five  STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐  Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy of  “Perspective” for yourself! It’s FREE for signing up for Jenna Hartley’s mailing list. 

If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Book Review – In the Unlikely Event by LJ Shen

Over the Christmas holiday I read, In the Unlikely Event, by LJ Shen.  Leigh writes with a kind of beautiful rhythm that sucks you in. While in the prose of the story, you discover that every character has jerkish tendencies and makes poor choices with the little information at their disposal.  No one in this novel is without some sort of sin.  Even the hero and heroine are terribly flawed. 

I have a girlfriend who prefers movies without an HEA (GASP). Believe me, I know. She says that she prefers when writers make the story more real and don’t pretty it up at the end.  Well, I recommended this book to her.  It does have an HEA, but you have to work REALLY hard to get there.  I think I read somewhere that LJ Shen uses at least 6 story lines to make things interesting and she definitely does that here. Aurora (Rory) and Malachy (Mal) meet early in the story and share an unbelievable night together.  As they leave each other the next day they draw up a crazy pact that if they meet in the future and the universe means them to be together, they will drop whatever life they have at that moment (marriage kids, mortgage, etc.) and run away together and live out their life happily humping.  What could go wrong, right?  Chances are they will never meet again since they live in separate countries, right?  Wrong. Which is what starts the story when they meet again years down the road. 

Just like I lost count of how many people died in the movie, FARGO, I lost count of the number of obstacles these two actually had to overcome to make this book an HEA. It was one of the most unique reads I have been engrossed with in a long time.  Many people I’ve read either loved it or hated it.  I found myself liking it and I recommend it if you want something other than Hallmark.  If you are looking for “An Affair to Remember”, keep walking.  But “In the Unlikely Event” is edgy and fun and will have you looking at chocolate bars in a whole new way.

  I give it Four STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐.

 Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy of  “In the Unlikely Event.” for yourself!

If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Book Review of Verity by Colleen Hoover

As a writer, I always hear about how an author should have a great hook; a way to grab your reader from the beginning and never let go. Although Verity is a romance of sorts, it had a first sentence that hooked me so hard I was not going to stop until I found out what happened.

Lowen Ashleigh is an out of work writer whose money from her previous books is dwindling after a many months of not writing anything new. Her career had stopped while she helped her mother die on hospice. After her mother’s death she meets with her agent and a publisher. She’s offered a unique opportunity of finishing a series for a beloved fiction writer, Verity Crawford, who has had a terrible accident after supposedly trying deal with the grief of losing her twin daughters.

As Lowen considers the offer, she is losing her home because she cannot afford to pay the rent. This forces her to move into the home of Verity and Jeffrey Crawford and that’s when the creepiness starts.

After finding a manuscript of Verity’s autobiography, Lowen begins to read frightening revelations in a version of events that echo Verity’s own unique writing style.

As she gets further into the manuscript, she realizes that Verity may not be what she seems. All of this happens as Lowen and Verity’s husband, Jeffery develop feelings for each other and start to explore the chemistry they have.

I have heard this is not a typical Collen Hoover story, so I will have to read more of her books to get a real feel for her writing. But this book was excellent. It was a great romantic suspense novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it even though there were moments when I was glad I was not reading it at home, alone.

I am confidant you will enjoy Verity. As a runner up to the Goodreads Best Books of 2019, many people felt Verity was thoroughly entertaining.

I recommend it – Five STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tap HERE if you are interested in, picking up a copy of Verity, for yourself!

If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Double Book Review of Mr. President and Commander in Chief by Katy Evans

A recent treat I had was finding Mr. President and Commander in Chief by Katy Evans. It gave me all the feels with a noble reason for the caring about America. As our country has devolved into the mess of being polarized more than ever before in recent years, it was so refreshing to read a couple of books that really focused on people who wanted to make a difference in the world. Just as in the movie, An American President, the heroine and the hero are admirable and inspiring in each of their own ways.

Charlotte is the daughter of a US senator whose family was supportive of the assassinated previous president, Law Hamilton. His son, Matt Hamilton, is now running for president after sharing with Charlotte that he never would. Having met a handful of times while they were young, Charlotte and Matt now have the world watching as they start to work together. Their chemistry is electric. And although they do their best to deny their feelings for each other, It’s obvious they can’t stay away.

Mr. President is not a standalone story. It is a duet that picks up in the second book, Commander in Chief with Matt Hamilton becoming President. That key element really isn’t a spoiler since Katy titled them the way she did. What really grabs one’s attention is the chemistry between Charlotte and Matt. How can they possibly have a relationship with so much scrutiny on each of them? Will Matt’s father’s assassin ever be brought to justice? Will Charlotte and Matt make a lasting impact in their role? It’s worth the investment to pick up both these books up for a great winter read. They are sweet and will encourage you to see the best in Americans striving to live their destiny and make a difference.

I recommend them both – Five STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tap HERE if you are interested in Mr. President or Tap HERE for Commander in Chief, for yourself!

 If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Balls in the Air is now Live!

Aria
My boss must be mad to have me cover a science fair in Edinburgh, Scotland. Then I met Him. The brilliant billionaire with a plan to save the planet.A gorgeous scientist with that smoldering stare. Once he touched me, my body came alive. Now, all I can think about is straddling him and taking off his glasses.
Eden
I’m the last son of three with a story of being adopted. From Scotland but raised in the States, I’m back to fulfill my dead father’s request. I didn’t count on the beautiful BBC reporter to bust my balls. Smart, determined and driven to find the truth. Turns out big oil is trying to pull a fraud. But once we uncover the mystery, she’ll see my intentions are pure.

And no one will ever be able to take her away from me.

Balls in the Air is book three and the final installment of the Billionaire Elements series. It is a standalone, no cheating, HEA romance.

Interested?  Tap HERE to get your copy today or HERE to add to your TBR!

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Review – Playing for Keeps by Kendall Ryan

Playing for Keeps is the first book in Kendall Ryan’s, Hot Jocks series.  Justin is a star hockey player and infamous, self-described man-whore.  He and his best friend, Owen, have been through thick and thin both playing hockey as teens and then together in the pros on the same team. 

The relationship with Justin and Owen is very important to the story.  Growing up, Justin was used as a pawn in his parents’ relationship, so he did what every resourceful person does.  He found a family of friends.  Owen’s family is Justin’s family. 

He connects so much with Owen that it bothers Justin when he feels he’s changing as a person.  He’s less interested in going out, partying with his friend and teammate.  After their championship win, Justin and Owen are relaxing in the house they share with all their teammates and “puck bunnies” celebrating their tremendous season. 

 It is at this moment Justin starts to evaluate his life and the choices he’s making.  He realizes that Owen’s little sister, Elise (who has cleaned up after these two since they were kids) is someone he sees as beautiful, stable, and so unattainable.  Justin’s own self-worth or lack thereof becomes the first obstacle between Justin and Elise falling in love.  It won’t ruin anything by telling you it’s a central theme to this story. 

As Justin begins to trust Elise with his heart, he ends up taking more risks in his friendship with Owen.  A sweet, romantic story that makes you swoon with each chapter as you root for this couple to overcome their challenges in order to be together.  Their solid friendship helps lower their defenses as each one shows their vulnerability to the other.  In the end, their love is impossible to deny.  Playing for Keeps is a terrific start to Kendall’s new “Hot Jocks” series. 

I recommend it – Four STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy of Playing for Keeps, for yourself!

 If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Review – Pretty Reckless

This was my first book from L.J. Shen.  Although I heard about her other books, The Kiss Thief, Vicious, Ruckus, etc., Pretty Reckless has gotten the most attention to tear me away from other books vying for my time.  I should say, I don’t typically read high school romance. High school in Orange County, CA wasn’t a great experience for me, so I am never anxious to go back there.  Pretty Reckless takes place in San Diego, so I made some assumptions based on the location just south of my formative years.

BUT…I found Pretty Reckless to be a terrific read.  Here are a few reasons:

  • LJ Shen is a master of character development. My first reaction to Daria Followhill was, “Oh, I know this gal. I went to school with her – not a fan.” Although my first assumptions were sour, Shen was so thorough in explaining Daria’s inner thoughts and motivations for her actions, I started to empathize and feel compassion for her early on. 
  • Creating characters in a series and then continuing to write in that series keeps readers engaged. Shen does this well. Pretty Reckless introduces the children or “Tot -holes” for the Sinners of Saint characters.  They are compelling and deeply flawed.  I can’t wait to read the Sinners of Saint series. 
  • The characters evolve over time. Much like Breaking Bad, where you like Walter White and dislike Jesse Pinkman in the beginning, only to completely change your opinion at the end, Shen’s characters start out one way in the beginning and change by the end. There are six story lines between 6 main characters. This includes the romance between Penn and Daria and an additional nine supporting characters.  With all this interaction, the story is deep, layered and holds your attention.

In our culture today we are rarely confronted with stories or news that doesn’t validate our bias.  That’s a shame because without new, different ideas, we can’t develop as human beings.  We can’t work through the difficult events in our lives.  No new information means we stay in our own, stunted little loop. Pretty Reckless gave me a completely different view on our human nature and how we cope when confronted with our sins in a public way; how loyalty is shown to those we care about,  and the value of putting time and space between people to provide healing and solidify strong love. Pretty Reckless is a fascinating, compelling read – 5 stars.

I recommend it – You can fins it on Amazon.com and  Kindle Unlimited today. Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy for yourself!

 If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

 

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Review – Pieces of Us by A.L Jackson

I discovered this book on Goodreads when another Goodreads reviewer said, “Be prepared to be blown away.”  This was my very first A.L. Jackson romance.  I had heard nothing but good things about her other books, and she DID NOT disappoint.  The story between Izzy and Mack is incendiary.  I loved how Jackson describes the character’s thoughts and feelings while weaving them expertly amongst the dialog.

There is a seeming mountain of obstacles in front of these two – both internal and external.   But it was hard not to melt in the moments when Mack comes to know his son.  I cried it was so moving.

My favorite parts were how Mack and Izzy were during childhood and A.L. Jackson takes the reader back in some chapters and shows the reader how these two amazing people became friends, then lovers then more.  So, the early review I read was true. Be prepared to be blown away!

I recommend it – FIVE STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy of Pieces of Us, for yourself!

 If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.

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Review – Satisfaction Guaranteed by Lauren Blakley

I first listened to the prologue to this book, Delayed Satisfaction in the car after another Lauren Blakley book, The Dating Proposal.  Lauren Blakley likes to hook you in with a prologue in the back matter of her current releases.  It’s very effective.  You can pick up Delayed Satisfaction for free on Amazon.com.  I encourage you to do so.  Read it before Satisfaction Guaranteed. 

Satisfaction Guaranteed centers on two main characters, Malone Goodman and Sloane Elizabeth.  In Delayed Satisfaction, both characters find each other one night at a fundraising event where Malone is singing karaoke.   Both living in New York, they are at the beginning of their careers.  Malone is a veterinarian who’s looking to join a practice as a junior partner in hopes of taking it over and buying out the other partner at some point. 

Sloane is still trying to find out what she’s good at.  Both encourage one another to pursue their dreams.  At the end of the prequel you discover an obstacle to their very HOT romance.

Once Satisfaction Guaranteed picks up, it’s 8 years later.  Both have taken hold of their dreams and credit each other with giving them the encouragement to pursue them.  Sloane has opened her own animal rescue and Malone sings at his sister’s lounge, The Jin Joint. By a twist of fate, they end up in each other’s life on a daily basis and the sexual tension begins to be unbearable.  These are smart and pragmatic people.  They realize what’s happening and they develop a plan to work it out – which becomes delightful and super-HOT to read about. 

Personally, animals are my first love.  They are where I learned about boundaries, treating all creatures with respect and unconditional love.  So, Malone Goodman is my kind of hero. His dilemma in discovering what is most important in life is worthwhile and I found myself rooting for him and Sloane the whole time. Plus, if you do get the audio version, you will be hard-pressed to not find Jason Clark’s voice swoon worthy; as he sings in the audio version. I am happy to recommend this book (s) as a super fun romantic read.  I’m confident you will thoroughly enjoy.

I recommend it – FIVE STARS  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tap HERE if you are interested in getting a copy for yourself!

 If you’d like to see my other reviews, follow me on Goodreads or Bookbub.