Excerpt + Giveaway + Review: "Breaking the Fall" by Ember Leigh

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all who celebrate!  Hopefully the effects of the turkey have worn off and everyone is well rested now, because I am thrilled to be celebrating the release of Ember Leigh's "Breaking the Fall" today. "Breaking the Fall" is book #5 of the Breaking the Rules series, but it is a complete standalone, so readers (like me) who haven't yet read any of the earlier books will not feel lost at all by starting here. As usual, my full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I loved this book and highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of Ember Leigh's work.  Fiona and Eddie's story was emotional and engaging from page one, and I couldn't wait to see how they'd manage to overcome all of the obstacles in their path.  

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of the author, Ember Leigh, click here! (Giveaway closes on December 5.)

About "Breaking the Fall"

In the live music industry, Eddie Valenzuela’s seen enough bands to know what good really sounds like. During one wild night out, he collides headfirst with an up-and-coming singer who puts ‘good’ to shame. She’s got the voice, the look, and holy hell, the body too. But after a sizzling week together, the singer who seemed like Mrs. Right turns out to be Mrs. Not Quite Right when she disappears without so much as an Instagram handle.

Fiona Frank’s only goal in life was to make it big doing what she loved: playing music. And her hard work paid off, in the form of a big-time record deal that has her doing TV shows, radio spots, and even her first international tour. Her career is built on spurning love and staying single, though she’s never been opposed to the occasional lover. As long as they don’t last. And she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that the world falls in love with The Sin Girl.

But she wasn’t ready for the positive pregnancy test on her first international tour. There’s only one man that could be the father: Eddie. While Fiona grapples with the next steps, Eddie is determined to make a family out of the three of them. But if the label finds out that she’s not only pregnant but seeing someone, then it's goodbye stardom.

Which means she has to figure out how to break her fall.

Read an Excerpt from "Breaking the Fall"

Fiona shrank when she spotted him, offering a small smile that said a thousand different things at once. He went up to her, pausing a few feet away.

She was gorgeous, of course. Because she was gorgeous always, even if she’d lied to him, left him in the dust, and hadn’t spared him a thought until recently for some unknown, urgent reason. And with the nervousness dancing in her gaze, he wasn’t sure this was purely an apology mission. Probably she was here to deliver some bad news. Sorry, I forgot to tell you my Russian mafia boyfriend found out about you, and now you need a new identity. Or maybe, Sorry, turns out I had something highly contagious and foreign when we hooked up, and now we’re both going to die.

Nobody said anything for a moment. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

“Come on.” He jerked his head toward the bar, and she followed, tugging at the bangles around her wrist. When they got to the wooden bar top, he pressed his palms to the surface, searching out a bartender. “I’m in a business meeting. What do you want?”

His clipped tone surprised even him. Fiona sighed. Even in distress or exasperation or confusion, or whatever this was, she still sounded throaty and sexy as hell.

“I…wanted to talk to you.” She fiddled with her bracelets a moment longer before white-knuckling the edge of the bar.

“After all this time?” He couldn’t keep the snide tone out of his voice. “It’s been three months. What could we possibly have to talk about?”

“I went on tour,” she said, her voice low but firm. “It’s not like I was around.”

“I guess that’s why they make phones.” He sniffed, tapping his knuckles against the bar.

“Things happened,” she said, picking at a cuticle.

“Like what?”

“Like…my first international tour, ever!” She huffed, dropping her arms. “That’s not exactly the time to start anything.”

She had a point. Didn’t mean she was right to just disappear like that.

“Nobody said anything about starting anything.” But lord, had he wanted to. “More about common courtesy, you know.”

To her credit, she looked regretful. There was that, at least. But he was tired of talking about it. Even though he’d wished for this, he was already sick of the opportunity to hear her out.

A tense silence settled between them, and Fiona was licking her lips now. He caught the bartender’s attention, turning to her once he arrived.

“You getting a drink?”

She shook her head. “I can’t stay long.”

More silence. He ran a thumb up and down his jawline.

“I—”

He glanced at her sharply. The frustration had officially boiled over. “Cut the childish shit and just say it. What do you need from me?”

Something dull slid over her, like a mask maybe, or perhaps a shield. “I’m pregnant.”

The words hammered through him, knitting his brows together with their dissonance and urgency. Fiona shifted on her seat, and he caught a gut-punching waft of her scent. Amber and patchouli.

Why would she be telling him this?

“It’s yours,” she suddenly added, as though in response to his thought. He drew a low breath, the words still not quite sinking in.

“Okay.”

“I just…” A breathy sigh. “I wanted you to know.”

He nodded, unable to look away from the glacial tip of the ice cube in his drink. The way it caught the light when he twisted the glass. The calm it promised, if only he drank it.

But suddenly, he wasn’t feeling the old-fashioned.

He turned to Fiona. Her brows were drawn together, her face tense. As if waiting for some sort of inevitable backlash.

“You serious?”

“Yes.” She deflated suddenly, her head dropping to her palms. “Trust me, I wouldn’t disrupt your life if I wasn’t serious.”

Silence thudded between them again, so vast and engulfing that for a moment he got lost in the abyss. So many questions—he had a list of at least ten right now—questions that he didn’t have to think about before asking. What would they name the baby? Did she want a girl or a boy? What about when schooltime arrived—was she hellbent on public or something else?

He swirled his drink around, the ice cubes clinking bringing him back to the present. Finally he dared to meet Fiona’s gaze. There was something real and raw there, the same intensity that had prompted their three-day bender.

The same intensity that could reel him in again like a fish.

And now that she was carrying his baby? Hook, line and sinker, for the second time.

 

My Review

I loved Ember Leigh's "Breaking the Fall."  Both of the main characters, Fiona and Eddie, were incredibly likeable and sympathetic, and it was easy to root for them both individually and as a couple.  Eddie was a hard worker, a caring brother and friend, and very passionate about his career and music in general.  It made total sense to me that he would fall in love with a musician like Fiona, who was so committed to her craft.  As for Fiona, I really appreciated that she wasn't ashamed to show her true self to the world through her music.  Her brand as the Sin Girl may have been exaggerated by her record label, but it certainly had a basis in truth.

I'm not usually a fan of romances that rely on insta-love as a primary basis for the main characters' relationship, but in this case, it worked for me.  Eddie and Fiona's chemistry was electric from the very beginning, but they also had so much in common that it was easy for me to understand why they'd fall for each other, and fall quickly.  They had so many problems to work through before they could be together, however, which may be why this story didn't feel like a typical insta-love plot to me.  It actually took some work for Fiona and Eddie to get their HEA, and as a result, it felt incredibly well-deserved.

I have to comment on one (teeny, tiny) thing that bothered me as I was reading, though: Eddie's nickname for Fiona, which was "Fifi."  I understand that it was just a shortening of her given name, but it didn't work for me at all.  It was too cutesy for someone who tried as hard as Fiona did to cultivate a tough, rock-chick image.  To me, the name Fifi sounds like it belongs to a poodle wearing a pink sweater and rhinestone collar, not a strong, independent, guitar-playing musician branded the Sin Girl.  I cringed every time Eddie called her Fifi (especially at the end of the book when he did it in public!), and I really wish he would have come up with something better.  (Again, this is a tiny, nitpicky detail, and just my personal pet peeve.  I still loved the book!)

In any case, I have read and enjoyed a couple of books by Ember Leigh before (the Bayshore series), but they were on the "lighter" side (more romantic comedies).  Now that I have also read one of Ms. Leigh's more "emotional" works, I can confirm that I am definitely a fan of her writing.  I will certainly be reading whatever she writes next, and also plan to go back and read the earlier books in this series.

*ARC provided by the author via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Blog Tour + Giveaway + Review: "Yours Since Yesterday" by Jennifer Bernard

Today, I am very excited to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of Jennifer Bernard's latest novel, "Yours Since Yesterday," book #2 in the Lost Harbor, Alaska series.  Prior to reading this one, it had been a while since I picked up one of Ms. Bernard's books, and I had forgotten just how much I liked her writing. My full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I very much enjoyed "Yours Since Yesterday" with its interesting, well-rounded characters, engaging plot, and beautifully described Alaskan setting.  This book is a complete standalone, and I recommend it for both new and existing readers of the series.  

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of the author, Jennifer Bernard, click here! (Giveaway closes on November 29.)

About "Yours Since Yesterday"

Once they were best friends. Now they’re from two different worlds.

Zoe Bellini’s world exploded the second she kissed her best friend…and not in a good way. Every teen dream came crashing down when Padric was whisked away from Alaska, and her luck hasn’t improved in the last fifteen years. In fact, the pizza shop owner’s terrible track record with men has become a local legend. She doesn’t expect it to change when Padric—now a world-famous rock star—sails back into town. It’s not like they can just pick up where they left off…but her traitorous body sure wants to try.

Padric Jeffers never expected to return to his hometown of Lost Harbor, Alaska—not after the scandal that sent his family fleeing. But a mysterious letter with a warning about his childhood friend Zoe? That has him postponing his tour and hopping on the next flight north. Zoe’s been on his mind and in his lyrics since he left her behind, and once he sets eyes on the stunning grown-up version of his best friend, his mission is clear: do whatever it takes to have her—and keep her—this time around.

Easier said than done, since not everyone in town is excited about Padric’s return. And someone will do anything it takes to get rid of him. Can a pizza maker and a rock star overcome their history—not to mention scandals, angsty fans and unexpected danger—and find their way back to love?

A standalone novel in the Lost Harbor, Alaska series. 

Check Out the Book Trailer for "Yours Since Yesterday"

My Review

I found Jennifer Bernard's "Yours Since Yesterday" to be a very enjoyable read, with likeable, well-developed main characters and an engaging, suspenseful plot.  I particularly liked Zoe, the female lead; she was forced to shoulder a lot of responsibility for her family at a very young age, but still managed to face life with a generally positive attitude.  It would have been so easy for Zoe to become bitter because of everything that she was forced to give up for her family, but she handled everything admirably.  She even managed to pursue her true passion, sculpture, in her spare time, although she wasn't able to turn it into a career.  I really admired Zoe's tenacity and the fact that she didn't give up no matter what life threw at her.

As for the male lead, Padric, I really appreciated that he managed to remain grounded even after becoming a major recording artist and didn't turn into an arrogant, detached celebrity who didn't care about anyone but himself.  The situation with his teenage fans was really tough, and I can completely understand why Padric would feel bad about it.  I admired his efforts to put a stop to what they were doing, but unfortunately, it's impossible to control other people's behavior, and teenagers are especially stubborn.  Also unfortunate is that there really are sick people in this world who would threaten Padric over what was happening, even though it wasn't his fault. 

Zoe and Padric's relationship development seemed nicely paced to me.  I especially loved how they worked together to trick Zoe's sisters into taking responsibility for their wrongdoing in convincing Padric to come back to Lost Harbor.  It was a fun way to get Padric and Zoe past their initial awkwardness and back to being friends.  The flirtatious text messages they exchanged after that were very cute, and things seemed to grow organically from there. 

The secondary characters in this story were also very interesting and a lot of fun, and I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this series to see what happens with them. It would be great to see Padric's friend Nate get a story of his own! 

*ARC provided by the author via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Surprise! "Christmas Cliche" by Tara Sivec is here!

Christmas came early for me this week because one of my absolute favorite authors, Tara Sivec, surprised us with her brand-new rom-com release, "Christmas Cliche." Needless to say, I wasted no time in purchasing, downloading, and devouring this hilarious and heartwarming holiday story.  The people around me were ignored for hours and household chores went unfinished as I laughed hysterically at the antics of Allie Parker, her best friend Millie, her "mountain man" love interest Jason, and the rest of the gang. I've included my full review at the end of this post, but in short, I loved this book so incredibly much!  Without a doubt, it is going to end up on my "favorite books of 2019" list.  I haven't laughed this hard in quite some time, so thank you, Tara Sivec, because I really needed the stress relief.

About "Christmas Cliche"

‘Twas the week before Christmas
and all through L.A.,
Allie Parker’s famous twin sisters
were driving her cray.
She fled to the mountains
with a hostage in tow,
hoping to sleep through the holidays,
which were a shit-show.
A crash in a blizzard,
and a hot mountain man,
definitely wasn’t part
of her evacuation plan.
Santas, and stockings,
and creepy nutcrackers too,
everywhere she looks,
it’s a crazy Christmas zoo.
But there are hugs, and smiles,
and a beautiful view,
kisses and laughter,
and no time to be blue.
Maybe this family,
with their hot mountain man,
will make this a Christmas
Allie can actually stand.

My Review 

I loved "Christmas Cliche" so much. I haven't laughed so hard while reading a book in ages!  The characters were wildly entertaining and tremendously likeable, the romance was sweet, and the over-the-top Christmas theme was a lot of fun. 

The book's main character, Allie Parker, was wonderfully snarky but kind, friendly, and down to Earth at the same time. It's hard to imagine how Allie and her younger sisters grew up in the same family but turned out so differently. I guess Allie was lucky to be several years older than the twins, Tori and Zoey, and have extra time under her father's influence before he passed away.  

Allie's love interest, Jason, seemed like a great guy and perfect match for Allie.  He was a hard worker who really loved his job, but also loved his family even when they were driving him crazy.  And they were very good at driving him crazy!  His parents delighted in trying to "help" him win Allie's affections, even going so far as to tell Allie that Jason had "no game" and begging her to go out with him anyway.  It seemed to me like Jason was doing just fine on his own in pursuing Allie, but his family's antics were very amusing, and it was sweet how quickly they embraced Allie and made her feel at home.

The secondary characters in this book, especially Allie's best friend, Millie, added a tremendous amount of depth to the narrative. Millie was so out of touch with reality, and it should have been sad or annoying or offensive or something, but instead, it was incredibly endearing. Millie was so sweet and supportive of Allie, not to mention spot on in both her assessment of the twins and Allie's need to get a life of her own.  One of my favorite parts of this book was Millie's (scarily accurate) mishmash of various Hallmark Channel Christmas movie plots. I also loved when she turned Jason's dad into Fashion Santa. I laughed so hard I was crying just imagining his outfit!

Finally, I have to note that, as far as I'm concerned, small children swearing will never NOT be funny, so I found Jen's daughter Maddy, with her "new and improved" name for nutcrackers and her names for the cats, to be completely hilarous.  Maddy reminded me a bit of young Gavin in Sivec's earlier book (hopefully soon to be a Passionflix movie!), "Seduction and Snacks."

Overall, I really can't recommend this book highly enough.  It is both hilarious and heartwarming, and will certainly put readers in the Christmas spirit.  

(P.S. My opinion? "Die Hard" is totally a Christmas movie. I realize that this is a controversial statement, but I'm going with it.)

Happy Pub Day to Leddy Harper's "The imPERFECT Guy"

I am pleased to be participating in today's release blitz celebrating Leddy Harper's newest novel, "The imPERFECT Guy."  This story is a follow up to Ms. Harper's last book, "The unEXpected Plan," but despite the fact that the two books have some characters in common and (somewhat) overlapping timelines, it is very much a standalone novel.  It is not necessary to read the books in order.

My full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I enjoyed this funny, sweet, steamy story and would recommend it.  It included a number of laugh out loud moments (my favorite is when main characters Finn and Mady took their first yoga class together), but also touches on some serious themes, especially those related to self-image.

About "The imPERFECT Guy"

I never set out to be famous. It sort of fell into my lap.

Just like Finn.

He was exactly what I needed in an assistant, and the exact opposite of everything I looked for in a guy, which made hiring him an easy decision.

It was perfect.

Then it wasn’t.

One by one, I started to fall for all of Finn’s imperfections, leaving me to question...

Was I simply looking for all the wrong things in a man? Or was Finn perfect because he was imperfect?

My Review

Leddy Harper's "The imPERFECT Guy" was funny and sweet, yet steamy at the same time. I liked both of the main characters, especially the female lead, Mady, and thought that they were well-developed. Despite being a brunette, Mady came across as the quintessential "dumb blonde" in Ms. Harper's previous book ("The UnEXpected Plan"), but she seemed so much smarter here. Her mannerisms were a lot more understandable once I learned more about her and her background. Aside from that, Mady was very sweet and outgoing, and I loved watching her slowly gain confidence in herself over the course of the story. She was so much more capable than she gave herself credit for being!

Mady's love interest, Finn, was somewhat more difficult for me to figure out than Mady herself. Most importantly, he was genuinely nice and incredibly protective of Mady, and I really liked that he wasn't the typical buff, super-hot, perfect hero type. He seemed real and attainable, like the kind of guy I'd meet on the street. However, Finn's insecurities often seemed to get the better of him, which was sometimes frustrating for me. Every time I thought he'd finally gotten past them and learned to trust in his relationship with Mady, something new would set him off, and the cycle would start all over again. Fortunately, he did finally get past them, and he and Mady were able to work things out in the end.

The book's secondary characters, especially Mady's three best friends, were a lot of fun, and I would love to see her friend Julie get a story next.  She works in a hospital; maybe there's some "Grey's Anatomy"-type action going on there?  ;-)

*ARC provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Not the Girl You Marry

Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Based on the back cover description, I was really looking forward to reading Andie J. Christopher's "Not the Girl You Marry." Unfortunately, I ended up being pretty disappointed with it. I've always liked the movie it's based on ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"), but for some reason, what worked for me in the movie didn't seem to translate very well to the page.

My biggest problem with this book is that, unlike in the movie, I didn't get a sense of urgency from either of the main characters, Jack and Hannah, about having to end the relationship when their time was up, so it seemed like they were going out of their way to hurt each other for no reason. In the movie, main character Andie's boss explicitly told her that she had to make a guy fall in love with her and then drive him to break up with her before the magazine's publication deadline. By contrast, I don't remember Jack's boss being so specific with his initial instructions. He just told Jack to write a how-to on losing a girl, and in exchange, Jack would be allowed to work on his political story. It was only in their (much later) follow-up conversation, when Jack told his boss that he wanted to call the whole thing off, that his boss said the girl had to actually dump him. (Regardless, I'm not sure how Jack's boss would have known whether or not the girl did so since he didn't even know who she was, so Jack could have done pretty much whatever he wanted to do, without repercussions.)

As for Hannah, she didn't have to break up with Jack at all. She had just convinced herself that she didn't want to be in a romantic relationship because she was afraid of getting hurt again, so she planned to dump Jack before he could dump her. Unlike in the movie where Ben pursued Andie because of a bet from his co-workers (who actually picked Andie for him!), Hannah's co-workers had no idea that her relationship with Jack was fake. At one point, Hannah claimed that her boss "bet" her to date him in exchange for a promotion, but it didn't seem that way to me at all. As a matter of fact, I don't recall a promotion even being mentioned when Hannah and her boss discussed Jack for the first time. The only thing Hannah's boss promised was that if she did a good job with the engagement party, she would allow Hannah to collaborate with her friend, Sasha, on planning the Senator's daughter's wedding.

Another problem I had with this book was that, because of Hannah's various past hurts and insecurities, I was really uncomfortable with the way Jack manipulated her, and especially that he decided to go through with his plan even though he knew it would make her feel even worse about herself after they broke up. While watching the movie, I knew that both Andie and Ben would likely be hurt by the other's behavior, but they both seemed so confident that it was easy to ignore the potential impact of their schemes. However, in the book, Hannah's vulnerability was impossible to ignore, and I couldn't help but feel awful knowing what Jack was doing to her. That isn't to say that Hannah's actions toward Jack were right, either, especially since she was planning to dump him all along. It felt different to me, though, because Jack didn't talk about his past hurts with Hannah in the same way that she did with him. She may not have known his potential triggers, but he definitely knew hers.

To be clear, I didn't think that "Not the Girl You Marry" was a terrible book, but unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I had hoped I would. There were a few funny scenes, but despite those, I just don't think I can recommend it.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Broken Hero

Broken Hero by Olivia Hayle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Broken Hero" by Olivia Hayle started off kind of slow IMO, and I was a bit frustrated with all of the mystery surrounding the main characters' pasts. It's one thing for the main characters not to reveal all of their secrets to each other at first, but it's always nice for the author to give readers a few details early on to sustain interest in the story. In this case, however, it seemed like the author chose to hold a lot of details back until very late in the book. For example, while there were some hints dropped along the way, we did not learn the exact circumstances behind Lucy, the female lead's, firing from her job in Dallas until almost 3/4 of the way through the book.

Despite that small frustration, I really liked the main characters, Lucy and Oliver, and thought that their relationship developed at a nice pace. Oliver, the titular "broken hero" of the story, didn't seem to be very "broken" to me for about the first third of the book; he came across as kind of moody, but that was all. It wasn't until he ventured out to the crowded town fair that his PTSD really started to manifest. After it did and it became apparent that it was causing problems in his growing relationship with Lucy, I really appreciated that Oliver made the decision to seek therapy on his own, and didn't need to be pushed into it. I also liked how hard he tried to be more open with Lucy, and thought it was incredibly sweet that Lucy made the effort to learn more about his condition so that she would know how to be a supportive partner for Oliver.

In some ways, Lucy seemed to be more "broken" than Oliver. She certainly had a hard time letting go of what happened with her job in Dallas, and as a result found it next to impossible to ignore town gossip about her and Oliver's relationship, even when it turned out that most of the gossip was not as bad as she thought it was. To be fair, her trauma was fresher than Oliver's, but it still seemed to me like she might benefit from therapy just as much as Oliver did.

In addition to Oliver and Lucy, the secondary characters were a lot of fun and added interest to the story. I especially enjoyed Oliver's matchmaking sister, Sarah, and her young daughters, as well as receptionist Mandy and Oliver's Marine buddy, Logan. I would definitely be interested in reading more about Mandy and Logan's relationship. Based on the epilogue, there's obviously a lot more to their story!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. There were some minor frustrations for me, but the likeable characters and nicely paced relationship development were more than enough to make up for those.

*ARC provided by the author via BookSirens. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Excerpt + Giveaway + Review: "Disarm" by Karina Halle

I am incredibly excited to be participating in the blog tour celebrating today's release of Karina Halle's newest novel, "Disarm," book #2 in the Dumont series.  I have been looking forward to reading this story ever since I finished the first book in the series, "Discretion," a few months ago.  Karina Halle is one of my favorite authors and always writes a fantastic book, but this series has been particularly engaging, with incredibly complex, well-developed characters and a suspenseful story arc.  My full review of "Disarm" is included later in this post, but in short, I loved this book and highly recommend it.  I can't wait to see what happens in book #3 of the series!

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of "Disarm," click here! (Giveaway ends on December 14.)

About "Disarm"

Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: she’s gorgeous, brilliant, and part of one of France’s most illustrious dynasties. But underneath the facade, Seraphine struggles to hold it all together. Besides grieving her adoptive father’s suspicious and sudden death, she also shares a tenuous role in the family business with Blaise, her in-name-only cousin. As tumultuous as their history is, he may be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family she can trust.

Seraphine is a temptation Blaise can’t resist. The torch he’s carried for years still burns. It’s his secret—a quiet obsession just out of reach. Until his brother demands that he spy on the increasingly cagey Seraphine, whom their father considers a dispensable Dumont outlier. But the more Blaise watches her and the closer he gets, the more he sees Seraphine may have every right to be suspicious. And she could be the next one in danger—from his own family.

As blood runs hot and hearts give in, Seraphine and Blaise have only each other. But can their love survive the secrets they’re about to uncover?

Read an Excerpt from "Disarm"

“We can never be together, Blaise,” Seraphine says, like frustration is rolling through her. “I know you understand that.”

“But it doesn’t mean we can’t try.”

“No,” she says and suddenly gets up to her feet, walking out of the room. “No. I can’t do this. I can’t handle this,” I hear her cry out as she heads down the hall.

I get up and run after her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her right up against me, and she opens her mouth to protest and then my mouth is on hers, swallowing her words.

I kiss her with everything I have, every bit of anger and frustration and the years of lust and pining and wanting. I should be more gentle after the night she’s had, but I can’t help myself; in fact, I think I’m seconds from turning into an animal as I hold the back of her head and press my hand at the small of her waist, keeping her pressed as close to me as possible.

Her tongue slides across mine, hot and fevered and—

She pulls back, gasping for breath, and slaps me across the face.

Whack.

That hurt.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she says. “What are you doing? What am I doing?”

Her face is red with anger, perhaps even shame. I mean, my cheek is stinging from her powerful wallop, but even so, I expected it. She’s always been the type of woman to put you in your place. But I didn’t expect her to slide so easily back into hating me.

“Don’t pretend you haven’t been dreaming about that,” I tell her, trying to control myself. “Don’t pretend that you haven’t wanted that, wanted me, all these years.”

“The only thing I’ve been dreaming about, Blaise, is getting justice for my father. That’s it. That’s all that matters. And as far as I’m concerned, you’re no better than the rest of them.”

Anger pokes at me, building up inside. “Hey,” I say, my inflection razor sharp. “I risked my neck tonight for you. I saved you from a bad situation. And more than that, I let you know the truth. I chose you over my family.”

“And I’m choosing not to trust you,” she says. “You’ve given me no sign over the years that I mean anything to you at all. Why should I believe you now? Why do that when it might derail everything I’m working on?” Something comes over her, a flash in her eyes, as she’s realizing something. “This is all a setup, isn’t it? This is just something that Pascal is having you do, just like you followed me. You’re supposed to tell me all this nonsense about wanting me and staying celibate like some joke and waiting for me, and it’s all a lie to get my guard down. If you’re telling me I’m in danger, it’s because you’re putting me there.”

I knew she’d go this route at some point, but even so, it stings. “That’s not it at all. Seraphine, please, I’m serious.”

“You just want me to back off because I’m close to the truth,” she says, shaking her head wildly as the idea takes over. “For all I know, every single thing this evening that’s come out of your mouth has been a complete lie, all to throw me off.”

I run my hands down my face, trying to squash my frustration. I knew this was coming, and yet that tiny coal of hope was always burning inside. “That’s not true,” I mutter into my hands, but I know when she gets like this that there’s no changing her mind.

“Get out,” she says.

I look up to see her opening the door and gesturing for me to hurry up.

“You’re making a big mistake by not trusting me,” I tell her.

“And I don’t take threats very well. Get out, and if I see you around me again . . .”

I almost laugh. “You will see me again. At work tomorrow.”

“Right. I almost forgot that you’re taking over my job.” She runs her fingers under her eyes and sighs so defeatedly that leaving her feels like a crime.

“It’s not like that,” I tell her.

“Just go,” she says quietly, holding open the door and looking away, like she can’t be bothered to face me.

“You know where to reach me, if anything happens,” I tell her as I walk past and out into the hall.

“If anything happens, you’ll be the first one I’ll blame,” she says to me.

Before I can say anything in response, she closes the door in my face.

***

My Review

As stated above, I loved "Disarm" and highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of Karina Halle's work.  Even though it is the second book in a series, it stands fairly well on its own.  That said, in my opinion readers would benefit from reading the series in order to fully understand the Dumont family and all of their dynamics. (Besides that, the first book, "Discretion," is a really good story and totally worth a read on its own merits!)

I adored Seraphine, the female lead character of "Disarm." Despite her rough start in life, she managed to become a strong, confident, independent, tenacious, and brave woman who I really admired.  The book's male lead, Blaise, was an incredibly complex and mysterious character, and when he was introduced in the first book of this series, I wasn't sure I liked him very much.  It wasn't clear that he could be trusted because it seemed as if he was part of whatever schemes his father and brother had cooked up.  However, after getting to know Blaise better in this book, I think I might be in love with him myself!  He's far from perfect and has made his share of mistakes, but he seemed to genuinely care about Seraphine and did everything possible to protect her.

I also adored the slow burn of Blaise and Seraphine's relationship growth. Even though they've known each other since childhood, their romance takes quite a bit of time to develop. The chemistry between them is scorching from the very beginning, however, and I was waiting on the edge of my seat for their feelings to finally take over.  Combined with the suspenseful plot as Seraphine pursued an ill-advised investigation into her adoptive father's death, it kept me turning the pages well into the early hours of the morning.

I can't wait to see what happens next with the Dumont family in book #3 of this series, especially because Blaise's brother, Pascal, will be the main character. It will be incredibly interesting to see how Ms. Halle manages to redeem him since he has come off as such a villain in the first two books.  If anyone can do it, it's her!

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Blog Tour + Giveaway + Review: "Breakup Boot Camp" by Beth Merlin

Today, I am thrilled to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of Beth Merlin's latest novel, "Breakup Boot Camp."  Earlier this fall, I read and loved all three books in Ms. Merlin's earlier Campfire series, so when I learned that she had a new book coming out, I knew I had to read it.  My full review of "Breakup Boot Camp" is included later in this post, but in short, I adored this book and found it to be a worthy follow-up to the delightful Campfire series.  I highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of Ms. Merlin's work, and can't wait to see what Ms. Merlin writes next.

For a chance to win some awesome book swag courtesy of the author, Beth Merlin, click here!  (Giveaway ends on November 28.)

About "Breakup Boot Camp"

“Merlin gives off Sophie Kinsella and Emily Giffin vibes only with an execution of plots that is all her own….Beth Merlin is totally going to grow in popularity. I’m calling it.” – Book and Broadway

After weeks of training to whip Joanna Kitt into shape for her big day, her picture-perfect engagement to her high school sweetheart is torn in two, and Joanna is left out on her perfectly toned rear end. To put the past and her heartache behind her, she sets off for two weeks at the renowned Retreat House Breakup Boot Camp in Topsail Island off the coast of North Carolina.

Despite her sadness, Joanna throws herself into the experience hoping surfing, yoga, spa treatments, meditation, and talk therapy will be enough to help her get over the one man she’s ever loved. But she soon learns the Boot Camp is only the first step to healing her broken heart. Joanna will have to come to terms with the career she abandoned, the losses in her life she never fully accepted, and the role she played in the ending of her relationship.

When she meets Todd Aldrich, the handsome and mysterious hotel chef, she has the chance to take her renewed heart out for a test drive and see if she is ready for new beginnings and new love.

Will 12 steps be enough to get her life back on track? Or will her getaway to get over him prove healing the heart takes a whole lot more?

 My Review

"Breakup Boot Camp" was a wonderful story featuring a fantastic main character, Joanna Kitt.  I loved Joanna and the way she threw herself into life after her breakup with her high school sweetheart, Sam. She really took advantage of the opportunity to examine what went wrong and own up to her mistakes, and I especially admired her ability to acknowledge the part she played in the breakdown of the relationship. Joanna was so much stronger and more independent than she gave herself credit for being, and the Breakup Boot Camp helped her learn how to move forward and create the life she wanted for herself.

Some of the sessions at the Breakup Boot Camp were very interesting to me, particularly the one featuring the dominatrix, Mistress Monica. Mistress Monica's message regarding confidence was certainly spot on, even if it was delivered in an unexpected way. The camp-wide search for Blackbeard's buried treasure was a fun touch too. Looking for the treasure was a nice way for Joanna to bond with her new friends, Zosia and Emmy, and I also loved the role it played in the story's epilogue.

Overall, I loved this book every bit as much as I did the Campfire series. I really appreciated the little Easter eggs Ms. Merlin added in for fans of those books, including the fact that one of the actors who auditions for "Cats" had a previous role in "Elizabeth," and that Joanna's wedding dress is a Georgica Goldstein.  Somehow I could see Gigi and Joanna becoming friends if they ever had the chance to meet! Who knows, maybe Joanna will be cast in one of Perry Gillman's shows one day, and they'll become besties. At any rate, I highly recommend "Breakup Boot Camp" and look forward to reading whatever Ms. Merlin writes next.

*ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Blog Tour + Review: "More Than Pleasure You" by Shayla Black

I am very excited to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of Shayla Black's "More Than Pleasure You," the latest addition to her More Than Words series.  This novella is releasing as part of the 1,001 Dark Nights collection, which is a great way to sample standalone novellas by new-to-you authors.  Reading this story was my first experience with Shayla Black's work, but I can safely say that it won't be my last.  My full review is included later in this post, but in short, I loved this short, sweet, and steamy novella with its endearing characters and lovely Hawaiian setting.  Based on this story, I can't wait to check out the rest of the More Than Words series!

About "More Than Pleasure You"

★★★ BRAND NEW RELEASE ★★★

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shayla Black comes a new story in her More Than Words series…

MORE THAN PLEASURE YOU is available now!
✔️Purchase Now: https://amzn.to/2O261et

Watch the Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/2K7kgxy

Can I convince her our hot but temporary engagement should last forever?

I’m Stephen Lund, confirmed bachelor…and son of a successful billionaire whose sins I can’t forget—or forgive. Though he insisted I get over his transgressions, I can’t. So I put space between us with a temporary getaway to Maui. My rental’s sexy caretaker, Skye Ingram, is a beautiful distraction. Yeah, it’s a terrible time to start a fling, but I can’t help wanting to give her every bit of pleasure she’s willing to take.

When Skye needs a date to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, I’m game to play her pretend fiancé. The jerk should see what he passed up…and that I’m holding her now. But our pretend engagement begins to feel real. Our passion certainly is. So are the consequences. When I’m confronted with the reality that our lives are now irrevocably entwined, I have to choose between leaving Skye to return to the life—and wealth—I’ve always known or abandoning everything familiar to start over with the woman who awakened my heart.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

My Review

I loved Shayla Black's "More Than Pleasure You." This novella was sweet and steamy all at once, and featured wonderful main characters who were very well-developed for such a short story.  I especially liked that so much of the narration was from Stephen, the male lead's, point of view. So many of the stories I read are told only from the female lead's perspective, so this was a refreshing change, and I enjoyed being able to see so much of what was going on inside the male lead's head. Stephen was clearly at a crossroads in his life, but he happened to meet the perfect girl for him at just the right time, and his growing relationship with her helped him work through his family and career issues and choose a new, happier lifestyle for himself.

Skye, the female lead character, was also pretty great. She was obviously a very caring person who went out of her way to take care of her elderly employers and tried to help others through massage therapy.  It was easy for me to see why her ex-boyfriend's mother wanted her so badly for a daughter-in-law! (No slight intended to her actual daughter-in-law, who also seemed like a very nice, caring person.)

This novella stood well on its own, though some of the secondary characters that made appearances had clearly been featured in previous books in the More Than Words series. I didn't feel lost even though I have not read any of the other books in the series (or, for that matter, any of Ms. Black's previous books). I really enjoyed this story, however, and will definitely plan to go back and read the rest of the series now.

Overall, I highly recommend "More Than Pleasure You" for both new and existing Shayla Black readers.  I read the whole story in one sitting and thought it was time very well spent.  :-)

*ARC provided by the author and/or publisher via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Happy Release Day to R.S. Grey's "His Royal Highness"

I am ridiculously excited to be participating in today's release blitz celebrating the publication of R.S. Grey's latest novel, "His Royal Highness."  I've read a number of R.S. Grey's books in the past and loved them all because of their humor and wonderful characters, but I have especially been looking forward to reading this one ever since it was announced.  There aren't many things in this world that I love as much as romance novels, but Disney is one of them, so the fact that "His Royal Highness" features a theme park loosely based on Walt Disney World made my Mickey-loving heart nearly explode with anticipation and glee.  I started reading the book as soon as it downloaded to my Kindle, and it was tough to put it down when life intruded! 

Unfortunately, real life intruded quite a bit more than I would have liked, so the original version of this post did not include a review.  Now that I have finished the book, however, I have added my full review to the end of this post.  In short, I loved this book every bit as much as I thought I would.  It's charming, funny, and sweet, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

About "His Royal Highness"

I’ve spent eight years wishing I’d fall out of love with Derek Knightley. Blowing out birthday candles, chasing after shooting stars, making it rain spare change into mall fountains—every time it’s the same wish: forget about Derek.

But the day he walks back into my life, I realize there are two things time has yet to soften: my feelings for him and his chiseled jawline.

It’s infuriating that my heart still races when he walks into a room. I refuse to fall prey to old unrequited love, so I decide the less I’m around him, the better. Avoidance is key.

Unfortunately, Derek isn’t going to make it easy. As a teenager, I would have crawled on my hands and knees to attract his attention. Now I can’t seem to escape it.

I’m not sure why he’s bothering. He’s not just out of my league—he’s out of my tax bracket. As the sole heir to the Knightley Company, he’s as close to American royalty as you can get. As for me, I’m just a part-time princess at Knightley’s flagship magical theme park.

I spend my days playing make-believe, but Derek has no use for fairytales. His unwavering confidence makes it clear he thinks I’ll surrender in the end.

He’s just biding his time.

Making me sweat.

His Royal Highness always gets what he wants.

And he wants me.

Get your hands on HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS: https://amzn.to/2CCpc9H

Add HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2nZUR0U

My Review

"His Royal Highness" was yet another delightful rom-com from R.S. Grey, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  I adored both of the main characters, Whitney and Derek. When the story began, Whitney definitely seemed stuck; she was still living in the same dorm room from her college days and doing the exact same job playing Princess Elena in the theme park. Derek's return and their growing relationship shook Whitney out of her rut and made her realize that she needed to make some changes in her life. When she finally decided what she wanted to do next in her career, I nearly squealed because the job was so perfect for her.

I'm generally a fan of workplace romances, and this story features one of the best ones I've ever read. Even though Derek was Whitney's former mentor and technically her current boss, the fact that he took a temporary job in the park with her made it seem more like they were on equal footing, so it never felt like he was using his position to force her into a relationship. Derek made his interest in Whitney clear, but he was never overly pushy. He respected boundaries and it never felt like he was crossing a line into sexual harassment, which I very much appreciated.

Overall, I loved this book every bit as much as (if not more than) I expected to, and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what R.S. Grey publishes next!

Review: Open House

Open House by Ruby Lang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruby Lang's "Open House" was a short, sweet, cute, and funny story. While it is technically the second book in Ms. Lang's Uptown series, it is a complete standalone, and it is not necessary to have read the first book to understand the events of this one.

I read and (mostly) enjoyed the first book in this series ("Playing House"), but I actually liked this one better because the characters seemed to be better developed, and the growth of the romantic relationship between main characters Magda and Tyson felt more natural to me. I especially liked Magda and found it easy to understand how her childhood and family situation drove her need to succeed in her real estate career, which was the main source of conflict in her burgeoning relationship with Tyson. Magda was a lot smarter and stronger than her mother and sisters gave her credit for, and I appreciated that she made the effort to stand up to them and demand to be treated like an adult even though it was difficult for her.

I found it tougher to relate to Tyson, especially at first, because I didn't feel like I got to know him as well as I did Magda. His mother's death clearly had a major impact on him, but I kept expecting there to be more to his story, like a bad breakup. At any rate, a number of the things he did and said seemed to come out of left field when they happened, even though most of them were explained later. An example is when Ty quit his job, which didn't make a lot of sense to me at the time because he had barely even mentioned his work up to that point, and I certainly never got the impression that he was unhappy there. (His decision to quit was explained later in the story, and it was a reasonable explanation, but still, I was frustrated at the time because there was no clear setup for it.)

Despite that (relatively minor) frustration, Magda and Tyson were both likeable lead characters, and the secondary characters were pretty great as well, especially Tyson's sister Jenny and Magda's Uncle Byron. Jenny had a great sense of humor (her joking description of the community garden as a "vegetable cartel" made me laugh out loud), and I could see her being featured in a future story of her own. (Uncle Byron's joke about the "socialist vegetables" was also pretty funny. There were some great one-liners in this book.)

Overall, I enjoyed this story, thought it was generally well-written, and would recommend it. I plan to pick up the next book in the series.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Happy Pub Day to Lauren Blakely's "Special Delivery"!

Today, I am very excited to participate in the release blitz celebrating Lauren Blakely's "Special Delivery", the concluding novella in the Always Satisfied series.  My full review is included later in this post, but in short, I loved this charming holiday story, and it was the perfect way for me to start getting into the Christmas spirit. I highly recommend one-clicking it today!

About "Special Delivery"

All I want for the holidays is the willpower to resist my brother’s sexy, charming, easy-on-the-eyes new business partner.

Instead, I'm stuck planning all the holiday parties with the one guy who makes me want to break my dating diet.

Who thought that was a good idea?

Oh, me. Yep, brilliant, strategic me who raised her hand and said yes I’d love to hang mistletoe with that hot former sports star. (Note to self: Mistletoe leads to toe-curling, knee-weakening kisses.)

And I’d love to get snowed in with the one guy I shouldn’t fall for. (Addendum to the note to self: You know exactly where eight inches of snow leads to. Ahem, eight inches.)

As long as I can make it through the holidays I’ll be on my merry way, fa la la la la. But the holidays have a surprise for me. 

My Review

"Special Delivery" was a cute, sweet holiday novella, and I found it to be a wonderful way to start getting into the Christmas spirit.  The main characters, Quinn and Vaughn, were briefly introduced in the previous book of the Always Satisfied series ("Overnight Service"), but even so, this novella is a complete standalone.  I liked both Vaughn and Quinn very much upon first meeting them, and they were even more likeable as the stars of this novella. 

As the story begins, both Quinn and Vaughn have sworn off dating because each of their last relationships ended badly, so they've both decided to put all of their focus on their careers.  However, from the moment they meet their chemistry is off the charts, and they can't help but begin a not-so-innocent flirtation.  Their banter as they get to know each other is incredibly amusing, and I especially enjoyed their discussion of childhood "dark secrets" during their first meeting.  Quinn and Vaughn's outgoing, fun-loving personalities were a perfect match for each other, and watching them fall in love was delightful.

I have loved each and every one of the stories in the Always Satisfied series, and while I am sad to see the series end, "Special Delivery" was a great way to wrap things up.  I can't wait to get my hands on the first book in Ms. Blakely's next series!  (Fortunately, I don't have long to wait: "Asking for a Friend" will be here on December 16, and is available for pre-order now.)

*ARC provided by the author via Candi Kane PR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The Bromance Book Club

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As soon as I read the back cover description of "The Bromance Book Club" by Lyssa Kay Adams, I knew I had to read it. A group of men - cocky athletes and powerful businessmen, at that - reading romance novels to try and better understand the women in their lives? The potential for hilarity seemed enormous, and thankfully, this book more than lived up to my expectations in that department. However, there is also a lot of heart to this book. For example, main character Gavin's relationship with his young daughters is very sweet, and he comes across as a pretty great guy in general. Yes, he made some mistakes, but I appreciated that his love for his family was clear and that he was willing to do whatever it took to fix things with his wife, Thea - even if that meant listening to his friends and reading romance novels (aka "the manuals").

Gavin's wife, Thea, was also a wonderful lead character. She was smart, independent, loving, and determined to finally forge her own path after setting aside her dreams of a career as an artist to try and be the perfect baseball wife and mother. I particularly loved the scene when Thea confronted Rachel, another player's wife who seemed to delight in torturing Thea and making fun of Gavin. Thea was like an avenging angel, strong not only in her defense of Gavin but also in defending her own choice to finish school and pursue a career of her own. I really admired Thea for standing up for her beliefs and her right to choose what made her happy. Who cared if most of the other players' wives chose not to work outside the home? Thea is her own person, and as long as it works for her family, she should be able to do whatever makes her happy.

In addition to the wonderful main characters, I really enjoyed the "book within a book" that Gavin and his friends read during their book club, entitled Seducing the Countess. The excerpts that were included as part of this book were very entertaining, and I would love to read that story in its entirety too. All of Gavin's nicknames for Lord Benedict, the hero of Seducing the Countess, were incredibly amusing, and made me laugh out loud a number of times.

Overall, I loved "The Bromance Book Club" and can't wait to read the next book in the series. I hope Gavin's "frenemy" Mack ends up being the main character of that book. He was hilarious here, and I loved the way he and Gavin bickered. Mack came across kind of like an overgrown teenage boy a lot of the time, but his heart seemed to be in the right place. Thea's sister, Liv, was a lot of fun in this book too, and I can't help but wonder if she would make a good match for Mack. There certainly seemed to be an attraction on his side when they met for the first time.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Talia Hibbert's "Get a Life, Chloe Brown" was absolutely delightful, and I adored it. For a book that deals with such serious subjects as chronic illness and abusive relationships, I found it to be remarkably light, upbeat, and funny. It is a very compelling read, and it was difficult for me to put it down.

My favorite part of this book was the banter between main characters Chloe and Red. At times, they bickered like an old married couple, which was super cute and very amusing. I really enjoyed their texting and the hilarious email exchange in the middle of the book as well.

Chloe and Red were both wonderful lead characters. Chloe was smart, strong, and independent even in the face of adversity. I loved that she recognized the importance of self-care and did whatever was necessary for her to feel better, even if it wasn't always exactly what her doctors or others thought she should be doing. Red, who was such a sweet, caring, and genuinely nice guy, was a great match for Chloe, and it makes me sad to think of someone like his ex-girlfriend Pippa treating him so awfully. I really appreciated that he admitted he needed help and sought counseling to deal with the baggage from his past relationship so that he would have a strong foundation on which to build his new relationship with Chloe.

The book's secondary characters were also a lot of fun, especially Chloe's sisters Dani and Eve. I look forward to reading their stories as soon as they are released!

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Art & Grace

Art & Grace by Catherine E. Chapman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Art & Grace" by Catherine E. Chapman was a well-written and engaging story with interesting, likeable, and well-developed characters. I particularly liked that the story was set in Bristol and the English countryside, not London, and featured characters that weren't titled members of the ton. Some of them actually had to work for a living and make do without servants, which is very different from a lot of the other historical novels out there. I also liked that I wasn't easily able to predict where the story would go next. Just when I thought I knew what to expect, there would be a twist, so eventually I just sat back and enjoyed the ride.

While there were romantic elements that were central to this story, the relationship between main character Bess and her friend, Miss Artemisia Liston, was equally important. I always enjoy stories featuring strong female friendships, and while this one had its share of ups and downs, Bess and Artemisia were mostly supportive of each other, which I appreciated.

Bess herself was an excellent main character and narrator. There aren't many stories set in this time period that feature mixed-race characters, so it was very interesting for me to get a sense of what life might have been like for her. I admired that Bess didn't apologize for her actions and choices except for her regret at the impact they sometimes had on her relationship with Artemisia. Faced with a sometimes uncertain future, Bess did what she felt was necessary to secure her own comfort and happiness, even if she did make some mistakes along the way. However, she never came across as selfish. She always looked out for Artemisia as well as a number of the other secondary characters, including servants Hannah and Esther.

Overall, "Art & Grace" was a refreshingly different take on a Regency novel, and I recommend it. I would read more of Ms. Chapman's work in the future.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Blog Tour + Review: "Twist of Fate" by Jill Shalvis

I am very excited to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Twist of Fate" by Jill Shalvis today. While it is technically a part of the Heartbreaker Bay series, "Twist of Fate" is very much a standalone story for readers (like me) who are new to the series. Also, this novella is releasing as part of the 1,001 Dark Nights collection, which is a great way to sample novellas by new-to-you authors. Reading this story was my first experience with 1,001 Dark Nights, but I can safely say that it won't be my last. I have been a Jill Shalvis fan for some time now and her participation in 1,001 Dark Nights is what first made me aware of the collection, but now that I know about it, I can't wait to find out what other authors and stories are waiting for me to discover!

My full review of "Twist of Fate" is included at the end of this post, but in short, I really enjoyed this second chance love story and its likeable, well-developed characters.  It was a great introduction to the world of Heartbreaker Bay, and it definitely made me want to learn more about the other characters who live there!

About "Twist of Fate"

★★★ BRAND NEW RELEASE ★★★

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a new story in her Heartbreaker Bay series…

TWIST OF FATE is available now!
✔️Purchase Now: https://amzn.to/2QJkzDp

Watch the Book Trailer: http://bit.ly/2PH3GIB

When the one you want …

Daisy doesn’t believe love is ever-lasting, so it’s ironic as hell that she parlayed a business degree into a wedding planning business. More ironic still is her latest job bringing her back into contact with the man who’d taught her that love can’t last.

Is the one you can’t have…

To say Diego has been taught the hard way to bury emotions is an understatement. But when he’s called home to help the brother he hasn’t seen or spoken to in years, that’s one thing. It’s another entirely to also come face to face with the first woman he ever loved. First and only…

Can love conquer all?

Daisy’s learned to depend only on herself, and Diego is and always has been an island of one. And yet when they’re together, even when they’re bickering, still wary and haunted by memories of what was … it’s magic. The question is, how to find their way back to each other…?

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

 My Review

Even though I love Jill Shalvis and have read lots of her books, surprisingly enough, I haven't read any of the Heartbreaker Bay books before now.  Fortunately, "Twist of Fate" is a complete standalone that does not seem to be directly tied to any of the previous books in the series, though it's possible that some of the characters were mentioned in passing.

The main characters of this novella, Diego and Daisy, were both very likeable and surprisingly well-developed given the story's short length.  I am generally a fan of second chance romances and this one was no exception, although Daisy and Diego's relationship development did feel a bit rushed to me.  I find that to be the case with many short stories and novellas, however, so I wasn't especially bothered by it here.

That said, I was a little bit bothered by the way that Daisy seemed to put so much of the blame for their breakup on Diego, mainly because he "didn't ask if she was OK" after she left to attend college in New York City.  She wasn't wrong to want her boyfriend to take an interest in her life and feelings, but communication goes both ways, and Daisy easily could have said something to Diego about what was going on without him having to ask.  Their relationship still might not have worked out in the long run - distance is really tough, and they were both dealing with a lot of other pressures - but it is not fair to say that Diego was the only one who contributed to their problem communicating. 

In spite of that small frustration, I really did enjoy "Twist of Fate," and I would recommend it for both new and existing Jill Shalvis readers.  I very much enjoyed my first visit to Heartbreaker Bay and plan to check out the other books in the series as soon as I can.

*ARC provided by the author and/or publisher via InkslingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Review: Finish What You Started

Finish What You Started by Alexandra Evans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

"Finish What You Started" by Alexandra Evans was in general an OK book, but I found there to be a few too many inconsistencies and annoyances for it to merit a higher rating from me. The story definitely had potential, but probably could have benefited from better editing.

My biggest problem with this book was its female lead character, Harper. I didn't find her to be especially likeable for at least the first half of the book, and while she did grow on me a bit by the end, her tendency to change her mind about things without adequate explanation or warning was quite frustrating. For example, Harper gives up her initial opposition to dating Tyler after only a single "non-date," basically because of some mild, cheesy flirting which was apparently enough for her to decide that he was a "good guy." If her only problem with dating him was that he was a professional baseball player, I might have been able to overlook her giving up so easily, but the fact that she was also putting the job that she supposedly valued in jeopardy by agreeing to date a student was just too much for me.

I really thought Harper would fight her attraction to Ty harder, but she ended up falling right into the relationship. It's a shame because there was potential for some amusing banter between them as he convinced her to change her mind, but she ended up giving in to him way too quickly and easily for that. However, what bothered me the most about their relationship is that they were both in their 30s and apparently had zero impulse control. They acted like they were teenagers! They really couldn't stand to wait a few weeks until the end of the semester to start dating? Again, considering Harper's issues with baseball players and concern for her job, I would think she would have been grateful for that time to really think about what she was doing by starting a relationship with Ty. Instead, she jumped in with both feet, and it wasn't a surprise to me when they were found out and she got fired.

Harper's reaction to losing her job was another example of her frustrating tendency to change her mind at lightning speed. At first, she got mad at Tyler for "making" her lose her job, but by later that same evening, she had already decided to be happy about it because she never really wanted to be a professor anyway; she wanted to be a writer instead. Shortly thereafter, she progressed to inviting herself to move with Ty if he were to be traded to a team in a different city. They'd been dating for, what, a couple of weeks by then? Talk about moving fast!

I was also confused about what exactly went on with Harper's parents and why she was so surprised and upset at the end of the book when her mother told her that she was the one who asked her father to leave. That version of events matches Harper's recollection from earlier in the book that her mother had "gotten tired" of being a ballplayer's wife and always having to move from city to city, so she decided to stay in Memphis with Harper when Harper's father moved on to another team, and that's why the marriage ended. However, for some reason Harper held a grudge against her father for all those years because he "abandoned" them when he left Memphis. It sounds like it was her mother's decision to stay all along, and Harper knew it. I can understand why she might be angry with her father for not making more of an effort to see her after the divorce, but shouldn't she also be angry with her mother for initiating the divorce (and therefore her father's abandonment)? Further, how could Harper not remember her dad coming back to see her in the off-season every year? I think it was mentioned that Harper was 8 when her parents split, so she wasn't so young that she wouldn't retain memories from that time.

Overall, I would probably rate this book 2.5 stars if half stars were a possibility, but I rounded up because the writing itself was generally good, and I actually did like the male lead character, Tyler (apart from his irritating tendency to refer to Harper as "Teach," even in his own mind). Unfortunately, he wasn't enough to save this book for me.

*ARC provided by the author via Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Tangled Up In Christmas

Tangled Up In Christmas by Lisa Renee Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that at first, I was a bit frustrated with "Tangled Up in Christmas" by Lisa Renee Jones, though I ended up really liking this book in the end. While I found the main characters to be likeable and well-developed, the pace of the story felt rushed to me in the early chapters. For example, I couldn't believe how quickly the friendship between Hannah, the main character of this book, and Jessica, the main character of the first book in the series, developed. Yes, Hannah grew up with Jessica's husband, Jason, but I still found it strange that it only took about five minutes during a media event for Jessica to decide not only that she and Hannah were going to be good friends, but also that Hannah was the perfect person to hire to plan a Christmas festival for Jason's baseball camp. A lot had happened since Hannah left Texas, and it was unrealistic to assume that she was still the same trustworthy person that Jason remembered. (Of course, she was trustworthy, but that's beside the point.) In addition, later that same night, Hannah was already treating Jessica as a confidante. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine spilling personal information to a near-stranger so quickly after meeting, even if she was married to a childhood friend of mine.

Hannah's relationship with her love interest, Roarke, also developed incredibly quickly. Again, yes, they did have a previous relationship when they were younger, but they basically just jumped right in where they left off instead of taking the time to get to know each other again. It really bothered me that they acted like their breakup was a week earlier, not six years earlier. I can't imagine that neither of them changed or grew up at all in the intervening years. The one thing that was clear is that there were a lot of mistakes made on both sides, and I wouldn't say that either one of them handled things the right way back then.

All of that said, as the timeline stretched out and the characters had more of a chance to interact on the page, the story really started to click for me. Hannah and Roarke were both wonderful, likeable characters, and I wanted so much for them to be happy. They both learned some very important things about themselves and their relationship, which allowed them to overcome the baggage of their past and finally move forward together. Their HEA felt very well-deserved, and the book's epilogue practically had me in tears.

I also appreciated that this story answered some of the questions I had after reading the first book in this series, especially about Jason's parents. However, it is still a standalone novel, and it is not necessary to read the previous book to enjoy this one. I do recommend Jessica and Jason's story ("The Truth about Cowboys") based on its own merits, though!

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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