Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review: "Sweet" by Adriana Locke

I'm pleased to participate in the release blitz celebrating "Sweet" by Adriana Locke, book #6 of the Landry Family series. It works well as a standalone, though characters from previous books play supporting roles in this one.

 

Paige Carmichael just found out the hard way that her roommate hasn't been paying their rent: by getting evicted. She needs a place to stay until she can find a new apartment, so she turns to her boss, bar owner and single father Nate Hughes, for help. Even though he knows it's a bad idea, Nate lets Paige manipulate him into offering up his guest room until she gets back on her feet. There has always been a strong attraction between them, but as his much younger employee, Nate considers Paige to be off limits. Not only that, he's looking for a serious relationship to provide stability for his 7-year-old son Ryder, and Paige has made it clear that she's not interested in forever. There's something about Nate that has always made Paige feel safe, however. Will they be able to resist the temptation to act on their explosive chemistry while living under the same roof?

I loved Nate and Paige together! Their chemistry and banter were on point, and despite the age difference, they had a lot in common because of their difficult childhoods. It wasn't easy for them to work through and overcome the baggage from their respective pasts, but the conflict it created was beautifully handled. I also enjoyed Paige's relationship with Nate's adorable son Ryder, who was honestly my favorite character in the whole book. I particularly appreciated that Paige never talked down to Ryder, but rather tried to meet him on his level when he asked tough questions. 

Overall, I completely adored "Sweet" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Carmichael series, which will feature stories about Paige's brothers.

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

 

 

About "Sweet"

USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke delivers a “fresh and fun!” romance between a grumpy single dad and his beautiful, spunky employee—the one he can’t have.

Chemistry is not love.

That’s what my boss, the grumpy single dad with brilliant green eyes, says anyway.

I have my V-card. He’s ten years older than me. I work for him.

Nate Hughes has a million reasons why a relationship between us would never work. Honestly? It’s all a farce.

He can’t deny our connection. His soft smiles, brief touches, and protective behaviors come too easily. And when I need a place to stay? He can’t stop himself from offering me a room—though I’d prefer his bed. After all, there are sparks—delicious, sizzling sparks—when we’re together.

Our forced proximity brings things to a head. Our shared experiences and traumas draw us closer. Our undeniable attraction has us toeing the line between friends and lovers—whether Nate likes it or not.

He’s right—chemistry is not love. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t fall in love with him … even if he can’t love me back.

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Sweet"

“I had nowhere to go, Nate,” she says, sticking her bottom lip out. “But I knew my friend Nate would be more than happy to help me out of my bind. You weren’t here so I came on in. I waved to Shaye as I walked through the front door so it’s not like I was being sneaky.”

Like that makes it okay.

“What would you have done if someone else would’ve walked in here and saw you naked?” I ask, quirking a brow.

She laughs. “Nate, no one else has the balls to walk into your office but you.”

“And you, apparently.”

“Well, and me.” She grins and picks up the curling iron. “I’m glad you’re here. I kind of need a favor.”

I recline against the couch and prepare myself.

“Now’s a little late to be asking for favors, don’t ya think?” I ask. 

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Only a Fling" by Delancey Stewart

I'm excited to take part in the release blitz celebrating "Only a Fling" by Delancey Stewart, book #1 of the Kasper Ridge series. 

After leaving the military, former fighter jet pilot Will "Fake Tom" Cruz went to work for his family's luxury construction business, but he's tired of waiting for his father to trust him enough to run a project on his own. When his old Navy buddy Archie "Ghost" Kasper calls and asks for help managing the renovations on the ski resort he inherited from his great uncle in Colorado, Will decides it's time to make a change. Upon arriving at the resort, his first task is to hire a construction crew to do the work, and he settles on a local firm, Kasper Ridge Construction, run by Lucy Dale. It's a big opportunity for Lucy's company; the only problem is that she'll have to work with out-of-towner Will, who drives her crazy from the moment they meet.

I really enjoyed Will and Lucy's slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romance. At first, each was concerned that giving into their feelings would jeopardize the renovation project, which was important to both of them for different reasons. In addition, they were dealing with family and emotional baggage that presented a number of challenges to their burgeoning relationship, particularly for Lucy, who was afraid of getting hurt by Will leaving town at the end of the project. I understood her concerns, however, and found it easy to root for her to overcome them.

The subplot involving the treasure map and mysterious inheritance left by Archie's Uncle Marvin was both fun and intriguing, and I can't wait for more clues to be revealed in the next book. I was also intrigued by Archie himself; it seemed as if there may have been a tragic end to his Navy career, and I really wanted to know more about what happened. Finally, Lucy's grandfather and her friends CeeCee and Bennie were so funny! I particularly enjoyed the "sniff test" CeeCee used for prospective dates and her obsession with Will's hair products.
 

I highly recommend "Only a Fling" for all contemporary romance fans and look forward to the next book in the series.

 

*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

About "Only a Fling"

My new boss is a former fighter pilot -- and it should be illegal to be that hot. But this city-boy condo builder doesn't know the first thing about construction in a place like Kasper Ridge.

Will hired me to oversee the renovation at the old Kasper Ridge Resort - a job that will make my company and guarantee that Papa can live comfortably to a very old age. I just need to keep my eyes on the prize.

And the prize is not Will Cruz's ocean blue eyes or those rock-hard abs. Besides, all those muscles and that killer smile are temporary. I've lived in the mountains long enough to know that slick city boys don't stick around for the long run.

So I tell myself the things I need to hear to stay strong, hold firm, maintain my distance.

Until Will kisses me one night and I forget pretty much everything I'd been telling myself about protecting my heart.

I know it's only a fling, but what if there's a chance Will Cruz is the one? What if I give him my heart, and he doesn't stay? 

 

Review: "Only a Summer" by Delancey Stewart

Only A Summer by Delancey Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I first started reading "Only a Summer," the story seemed familiar to me. I checked my bookshelves and realized that a version of it was previously published as "Treasured" in the Summer Love anthology. It's now a standalone prequel to Delancey Stewart's upcoming Kasper Ridge series, which appears to be a spinoff of the Singletree series.

Having recently ended a four-year engagement to his high school sweetheart, Wiley Blanchard is happy to accept his old friend Archie Kasper's invitation to spend the summer in Colorado. He'll be helping Archie and his younger sister Aubrey set up the bar in the ski resort they inherited from their eccentric Great-Uncle Marvin. Aubrey had a huge crush on Wiley when they were teenagers, but she was too young for him to notice her back then. Now that she's all grown up, Wiley can't stop noticing Aubrey, even though there are a thousand reasons he shouldn't.

Aubrey and Wiley were super cute together. Their story ends in an HFN rather than an HEA, but hopefully we'll see more of them as the series progresses. The treasure map and mysterious inheritance left by Archie and Aubrey's Uncle Marvin was both fun and intriguing, and I look forward to learning more about that in future books as well. Finally, I loved Aubrey's teasing relationship with Archie, which reminded me a lot of me and my brother.

I'd recommend "Only a Summer" for all contemporary romance fans and look forward to finding out where the series goes from here.

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Review: "The Nanny and the Beefcake" by Krista Sandor

The Nanny and the Beefcake by Krista Sandor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boxing champion and single father Erasmus "Raz" Cress recently moved from London to Colorado to train for his comeback fight. His 6-year-old son Sebastian has been staying with Raz's grandmother and two younger sisters in London, but he's about to join Raz in Colorado for the summer, which means they're in need of a nanny. His grandmother asks her friend, nanny matchmaker extraordinaire Madelyn Malone, to help them find someone; unfortunately for Raz, the person she picks already knows him and isn't exactly his biggest fan. In fact, yoga teacher Libby Lamb is convinced that their chance meeting a few months earlier messed up her chi and made her lose her "O." When the frustration overwhelms Libby one evening and causes her to completely lose her cool, she decides to confront Raz. The situation goes from bad to worse when both Libby and Raz end up in police custody and video of their confrontation goes viral. Madelyn manages to broker a deal in which Libby and Raz agree to compete in a charity race in exchange for having the charges dropped, and Raz's agent figures out a way to turn the public attention to their advantage. Libby's still missing her O, however. Since Raz is the one who made her lose it, he might also be the one who can help her find it again, but what happens if they catch feelings along the way?

I loved Raz and Libby's story so much! They had such a strong connection from the start and it only grew more intense as they got to know each other better. Further, there was a real sense of character growth as they each worked through baggage from the past that was standing in the way of a future together. I loved seeing them come together as a family with Raz's adorable son Sebastian, who was often a scene stealer along with his new friends Phoebe and Oscar. The kids were honestly my favorite part of this book, especially Phoebe and her "rainbow hot dog torpedo" (IYKYK).

I highly recommend "The Nanny and the Beefcake" and look forward to the next book in the series.

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

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Review: "The Deeper I Fall" by Erika Kelly

The Deeper I Fall by Erika Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ten months ago, British socialite Seraphina "Phinny" Crutchley turned down her billionaire boyfriend's marriage proposal, upending her life as she knew it. After her mother and stepfather cut her off and her high-society friends abandoned her, she was forced to take a job as a waitress in a diner just to make ends meet. She's in for another shock when she learns that her estranged biological father, NHL legend Kurt Grevers, has passed away. Phinny travels to Kurt's hometown of Calamity Falls, Wyoming for the funeral and, she believes, to claim her inheritance. Instead, a caveat in Kurt's will sets up a competition between his daughter and his former hockey protege, Declan Cadell, for control of the Grevers family ranch. At first, Declan intends to forfeit the ranch to Phinny because he believes that it should stay in the family, but when he learns that she intends to sell it and return to London, he changes his mind. Forced to spend a month living and working together prior to the trivia contest that will decide the ranch's fate, Phinny and Declan's contentious relationship slowly turns into a genuine friendship, and perhaps something more. Can Declan convince Phinny that she belongs in Calamity Falls with him, no matter what happens with the contest?

I adored this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story, which was more emotional than I expected it to be. Declan and Phinny were incredibly three-dimensional and sympathetic characters, and I couldn't help rooting for them both individually and as a couple. Phinny's mother and stepfather basically raised her to be the modern equivalent of a Regency debutante; their only expectation for her was that she marry well. I loved seeing her come into her own during her time in Calamity. She realized who she was, what she wanted in life, and how to stand up for herself and her choices without sacrificing her loyalty and compassion. As for Declan, I empathized with his fears of loss and abandonment after losing so much of his family at a young age. It wasn't easy for him to overcome them, but in the end, he realized that his relationship with Phinny was worth taking a risk.

I highly recommend "The Deeper I Fall" for all contemporary romance fans and look forward to the next book in the series.

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

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Release Blitz + Review: "Terms and Conditions" by Lauren Asher

I'm thrilled to participate in the release blitz celebrating "Terms and Conditions" by Lauren Asher, book #2 of the Dreamland Billionaires series. It works well as a standalone, though characters from the previous book play supporting roles in this one.

 

"Terms and Conditions" was a funny, sweet, and deliciously steamy workplace romance featuring endearing, relatable characters and an engaging, emotional plot. Declan Kane needs to get married in order to claim his inheritance from his grandfather, and after chasing away the only woman willing to accept his terms for a marriage of convenience, his assistant, Iris, offers to marry him herself. She's worked for Declan for three years and considers him a friend despite his sometimes prickly personality, but more importantly, she doesn't think he'll be able to achieve his dream of becoming CEO of his family's media and entertainment empire without her. They sign a contract outlining the rules and expectations for their temporary marriage, but pretending to be in love for the public awakens feelings that neither of them know how to handle.

 

I really enjoyed the witty banter between Iris and Declan, as well as their fiery chemistry. Grumpy Declan was used to getting his way in most things, and he also had an unfortunate habit of lashing out when he was hurt or angry that made me want to yell at him more than once. However, he also had a hidden sweet side that became more apparent as the story progressed, especially when it came to Iris. I loved that she pushed back and didn't always let Declan get his way, as well as her determination to prove herself to everyone. She never gave up, no matter what challenge she faced.

Overall, I adored "Terms and Conditions" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I look forward to the next book in the series, which will feature Declan's brother Cal.

 

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

 

About "Terms and Conditions"

Declan
I'm destined to become the next CEO of my family's media empire.
The only problem? My grandfather's inheritance clause.
Fulfilling his dying wish of getting married and having an heir seemed impossible until my assistant volunteers for the job.
Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem.
But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.
Caring about Iris was never part of the deal.
Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.

Iris
My plan to marry Declan was simple in theory.
Move in together. Throw a wedding. Have a baby.
We set rules to prevent any kind of issues.
Ones that were never meant to be broken, no matter how much Declan tempts me.
But what happens when our fake relationship bleeds into our real one?
Falling in love was never an option.
At least not for me. 

 

Review: "On the Honey Side" by Staci Hart

On The Honey Side by Staci Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Daisy Blum's boyfriend Drew died in a car accident when they were only 18, just after they graduated from high school. She's avoided dating ever since, helped by the pact she made with her sisters Poppy and Jo that they wouldn't date until their widowed mother started dating again too. Middle sister Jo recently broke the pact, shocking everyone by falling in love with millionaire Grant Stone. Now she wants Daisy and Poppy to find love too, and while Daisy's still afraid to risk her heart again, when she sees local contractor Keaton Meyer for the first time in over a year, she's surprised to realize that she's attracted to him.

Widower Keaton still feels tremendous guilt over his wife Mandy's death in a car accident several years earlier; they had a fight just before she left, and he believes that he should have stopped her from driving that night. On top of that, his family's construction business has been in trouble since before his father's death, and the situation has only gotten worse since Keaton took over. The entire town is struggling and Keaton has tried to help wherever he could by doing jobs at cost, but it's been terrible for their bottom line. His three brothers don't know how bad the situation really is because he doesn't want them to worry, and so far he's been able to keep the business afloat by using funds from his late wife's trust. Spending time with Daisy as they work together to help the homeless in their small town reawakens dreams that Keaton thought he'd buried with Mandy, for love and a family of his own. Can Daisy and Keaton overcome their fears - and a few other unexpected challenges - to find love again?

I enjoyed the first half of this book tremendously, but the second half got me in the feels, and I couldn't put it down until I knew that Keaton and Daisy were going to get their HEA. After everything they'd been through and the years they spent grieving their lost loves, they were so deserving of a second chance at happiness. They really were perfect for each other, and I loved the way their mischievous siblings played matchmaker. I really hope Keaton's brothers, Carson, Cade, and Cole, will get stories of their own in the future! I also loved Keaton's adorable relationship with his niece, Sophie. She had the entire house full of men wrapped around her little finger.

Overall, I adored this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait for Staci Hart's next release.

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

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Review: "Love in Bloom" by Jenny Proctor

Congratulations to Jenny Proctor on today's release of her latest novel, "Love in Bloom," book #4 of the Some Kind of Love series. Characters from the previous books make appearances in this one, but it reads as a complete standalone. 

Cameron Hunter has rubbed Darcy Marino the wrong way since the day they met, and now that the rival tour guides are up for the same magazine feature, it seems unlikely that their relationship will improve. Cameron hopes that publicity from the article will allow him to expand his business and further his goal of sharing local history in a fun and entertaining way. He could also use the extra money to help his father with outstanding medical bills. Darcy, meanwhile, hopes that expanding her tour business will give her the cash flow to pursue her true passion, urban landscape architecture. She wants to design and install things like the famous window boxes featured on the historic homes and businesses of downtown Charleston, but to do that, she must find a way to pay for a booth at an upcoming flower show to showcase her design ideas for potential clients. As Cameron and Darcy's rivalry heats up, other passions are brought to the surface, and they start to realize that they may have misjudged each other. Can they move past their rivalry and forge a new path forward, together?

I loved Cameron and Darcy's story so much! Their banter was a ton of fun and had me laughing more than once (as did their prank war), but the story was also surprisingly emotional at times, mainly due to Cameron's family situation. He definitely wasn't who he seemed to be at first, though he had good reasons for hiding his true self. It made me so happy when Cameron finally let his guard down with Darcy and realized that he could trust her to like and care for the real him.

Overall, I completely adored this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story. I highly recommend "Love in Bloom" for all sweet contemporary and romantic comedy fans. I am very much looking forward to the author's next book.

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

 

About "Love in Bloom"

Hating Cameron Hunter shouldn't be this easy.

I'm basically a golden retriever puppy. I love everyone and want everyone to love me.

But Cameron is the singular exception to my "love everyone" rule, and the hatred goes both ways.

First of all, he's one of THOSE guys. The kind that looks like he belongs on the cover of Yacht Club Weekly. Second of all, he's way too good at his job. The man is a walking Wikipedia. His walking tours of historic downtown Charleston stay booked weeks in advance.

Did I mention I run tours along the same route?

When we're both up for a magazine feature that could kick our respective careers to the next level, our rivalry turns into a heated competition.

Then we unexpectedly kiss (it's a looooong story), and things get really complicated. Now my blood is boiling over Cameron for an entirely different reason.

Only one of us can win. Can I trust a man who used to be my enemy, or is everything—even our relationship—just a part of his plan to take me down?

Books in the Some Kind of Love series can be read in any order.

Release Blitz + Review: "The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti" by Jennifer Probst

I'm happy to participate in today's release blitz promoting "The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti" by Jennifer Probst.

 

When their mother, Olivia, dies suddenly, sisters Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey come together to sort through the memories of their childhood as they prepare her house for sale. They're surprised to find a hidden packet of letters that hint at a secret love affair in their mother's youth, as well as the deed to a house in Positano, Italy. They decide to travel to Italy to learn more about their mother's mysterious past and decide what to do with the house they've unexpectedly inherited. The trip comes at an ideal time as each of the sisters finds herself at a crossroads in her personal life, but the close proximity forces them to confront several longstanding conflicts that have caused them to grow apart over the years. Can their mother bring them together one last time?

It's an ambitious undertaking to try and tell four women's stories in a single book, but I thought the author did a wonderful job of it here. I felt like I got to know Olivia and each of her daughters quite well over the course of the story, and the challenges they faced in their personal lives were presented sympathetically. Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey were all so different, but their love for each other was apparent even when they were estranged, and I was happy that they managed to rebuild their relationship. Olivia's part of the story was bittersweet, but I liked the way it was interwoven with her daughters' stories in the present.

I enjoyed "The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti" and recommend it for all contemporary women's fiction fans. I look forward to Jennifer Probst's next release.

 

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

 

About "The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti"

The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti by Jennifer Probst is now live!

A secret romance pushes three estranged sisters to the Amalfi Coast to follow clues about their mother's past, and challenges them to a whole new future, from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst.

Sisters Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey haven't been close in years, but when they're forced to come together to settle their mother's estate, they discover a secret none of them knew. In an old trunk, they happen upon ownership papers for a house on the Amalfi Coast, along with a love letter from their mother to an anonymous man, promising to meet him in Italy during the summer of her seventieth year.

Now they're questioning everything they knew about her history. In order to get answers about the woman they thought they knew, they'll have to go back to where it all started. The sisters embark on a trip to the stunning cliffside village of Positano, Italy, to track down the mysterious ex-lover, and figure out who their mother really was.

As Priscilla, Devon, and Bailey unearth the truth, they also experience the magic of Italy, the power of sisterly love, a little unexpected romance, and newfound hope for the future. 

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Up in Smoke" by Kate Meader

I'm delighted to participate in the release blitz celebrating "Up in Smoke" by Kate Meader, book #1 of the Hot in Chicago Rookies series. It's a spinoff of the Hot in Chicago series and features appearances from previous characters, but reads as a complete standalone.

Abby Sullivan and her friends Sam and Jude have just graduated from the Chicago Fire Department's training academy and are about to begin working as full-time firefighter candidates. After a night of celebration with her friends, Abby decides to head home early, stopping at her favorite diner for pie along the way. Single dad Roman Rossi has just ordered the last piece, but after he sees Abby's disappointment, he's happy to share it with her. They hit it off and Roman ends up walking Abby home; they exchange phone numbers and a hot kiss, but not their real names, before going their separate ways. They're shocked to see each other again a few days later, when Abby reports for her first day on the job and learns that Roman is her new lieutenant. There are rules against dating direct reports which make a romantic relationship between them impossible. Besides, Abby has enough to deal with as the daughter of Chicago's first female firefighter, who died on the job when Abby was only six years old. She doesn't need a reputation as the rookie who dated her lieutenant on top of that. Unfortunately, the sparks between Roman and Abby are too powerful to ignore, and they can't seem to stop them from igniting. Will they be able to put out the blaze or will both of their careers go up in flames?
 

This book gave me all the feels! I loved how cute and flirty Roman and Abby were when they first met. They had so much chemistry, and their banter throughout the book was a ton of fun. It wasn't easy for them to find a way to be together, both because of their complicated work situation and the baggage from their pasts, but they managed to make it work in the end, and I loved cheering them on to their HEA. I also enjoyed Roman's relationships with his adorable daughter, Lena, and twin sister, Chiara. She managed to hold on to her sense of humor even while dealing with the heartbreak of an impending divorce, and it just made me love her even more. I hope Chiara will get a story of her own in the future. 

 

I highly recommend "Up in Smoke" for all contemporary romance fans and look forward to whatever Kate Meader writes next. 

 

*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.

About "Up in Smoke"

Lives are on the line at Engine 6 … and so are hearts.

Newly-minted firefighter Abby Sullivan is exactly where she wants to be: Chicago Fire Department’s Engine 6, the station where her mom blazed a trail as one of the first female firefighters in the city. The first to fall in the line of duty, too. All Abby wants is to succeed, but that’s a tough proposition when people only see a feel-good story, a token woman failing at a man’s job, or the princess in need of protection. And the man tasked with watching her six?

Lieutenant Roman Rossi, the one person she can’t let close.

Having the daughter of his boss and nemesis under his wing shouldn’t be a problem for Roman—he’s a professional and can treat her like any other firefighter rookie. Except she happens to be the gorgeous woman he once shared a slice of cherry pie with, followed by the hottest, sweetest, most pulse-pounding kiss of his life. He didn’t know her name but he had planned to find out.

Now Roman knows exactly who Abby is: a threat to his self-control more dangerous than a five-alarm blaze. Lust has no place in the firehouse, and a distraction like Abby with her electric blue eyes, waves of flame-red hair, and freckles Roman wants to map with his tongue, is one he can ill afford.

Because one wrong move … and it could all go up in smoke.

Up in Smoke is the first in the brand new Hot in Chicago Rookies series about firefighters navigating the trials of new jobs and sizzling romances as they find their place in the world and the love of a lifetime.

 

Review: "One Night Burn" by Kate Meader

One Night Burn by Kate Meader
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"One Night Burn" is a free prequel to Kate Meader's newest release, "Up in Smoke," which kicks off the Hot in Chicago Rookies series. The prequel is included as the first five chapters of the book so it's not a requirement to read it in advance, but it is a great way to preview the book before buying.

Abby Sullivan and her friends Sam and Jude have just graduated from the Chicago Fire Department's training academy and are about to begin working as full-time firefighter candidates. After a night of celebration with her friends, Abby decides to head home early, stopping at her favorite diner for pie along the way. Unfortunately, single dad Roman Rossi has just ordered the last piece, but after seeing Abby's disappointment, he's happy to share it with her. They hit it off and Roman ends up walking Abby home; they exchange phone numbers and a hot kiss, but not their real names, before going their separate ways. They're shocked to see each other again just a few days later, when Abby reports for her first day on the job and learns that Roman is her new lieutenant.

I really enjoyed this prequel and felt like I got to know main characters Abby and Roman in a relatively short period of time. I'm already invested in their relationship and look forward to finding out where their story goes from here.

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Release Blitz + Review: "It Was All the Pie's Fault" by Elizabeth SaFleur

I'm pleased to take part in the release blitz celebrating "It Was All the Pie's Fault" by Elizabeth SaFleur, book #1 of the Meet Cute series. 

 

First grade teacher Chloe Hart's grandmother passed down the secret to making magic pies, so when she decides that fellow teacher Russell is the perfect man for her, she decides to use a bit of that magic to help him fall in love with her. She carefully plans out their first date at a local coffee shop, but her hopes are dashed when the school's beautiful new French teacher, Suzette Marie, crashes the date and shamelessly flirts with Russell. Not only that, attorney Nick Hollister witnesses Chloe's humiliation and informs her that she can do better than Russell, though she doesn't agree. After Nick witnesses another date gone wrong, he offers to help Chloe make Russell jealous by pretending that they're dating. In exchange, Chloe will pretend to be Nick's girlfriend at a few upcoming office functions, which he hopes will help him secure the promotion his bosses have been promising for months. They want workaholic Nick to improve his work-life balance, and domestic goddess Chloe is the perfect woman to make them think he's done just that. 

I really enjoyed this super cute, laugh-out-loud funny opposites attract romance, which featured likeable main characters and a fast-paced plot. Nick and Chloe's banter was a ton of fun, and their chemistry was apparent from the moment they met. I never could figure out exactly what Chloe saw in the smarmy Russell, but I was glad that her determination to win him over brought her to Nick, who was not only a better match for her, he actually appreciated her for who she was. It was very easy for me to cheer them on to their HEA.

I recommend "It Was All the Pie's Fault" for fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy and look forward to the next book in the series. 

 

*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

About "It Was All the Pie's Fault"

Chloe believes in two things: Russell is her soulmate and her pies are magic. One bite of her cherry pie and he’ll declare her “the one.”

Jaded attorney Nick doesn't believe in magic OR Russell's intentions with Chloe. Pies making wishes come true? Pffft.

But she's perfect for him--as a fake girlfriend to appease his family-friendly boss. She's in love with someone else, after all. And, he doesn’t do love, especially not with someone so bubbly, so dewy-eyed, so … committed to marching down a wedding aisle.

Plus this girl needs help when it comes to men--a lot of it. He'll help her lure Russell into dreaded wedded bliss, and she'll pose as his date.

Except Chloe's wishes begin to go haywire--granting Nick's and turning all those fake kisses into smoking hot moments of passion.

It turns out Chloe’s not as innocent as he first thought. 

A fake relationship, opposites attract, laugh out loud romantic comedy.

 

Review: "Matched with Her Runaway Groom" by Britney M. Mills

Matched with Her Runaway Groom by Britney M. Mills
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Matched with Her Runaway Groom" by Britney M. Mills is the first book of the Romance by Love, Austen series, a spinoff of the Love, Austen series. Characters from the earlier books (primarily book #6) make appearances here, though it works relatively well as a standalone. (I haven't yet read the earlier books and was definitely missing some context related to main character Rachelle's sister's "almost wedding" six months earlier, as well as her cousin Tiffany's recent wedding, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.)

It's been nearly a year since Rachelle Stewart's ex-fiance, Landon Higgins, broke up with her only a month before their wedding. Since then, Rachelle has been checking off items on a Breakup Bucket List to help her forget about him and move on. The cruise she recently won from a matchmaking company called Love, Austen will be the perfect way to finish it off, but she has to get through paintball with her housemate Kenzie first. Rachelle is shocked to run into Landon at the paintball facility, and she keeps running into him over the next few days - first at the grocery store, then when she and her cousin Tiffany board the cruise. Seeing Landon again brings back all of Rachelle's old feelings, and suddenly it seems as if all of the progress she's made in getting over their breakup has been undone. Landon, meanwhile, realizes that he made a huge mistake in letting Rachelle go and becomes determined to win her back. He just needs to come up with a plan to convince her that he's changed for the better and won't break her heart again.

This was a cute story and I liked Landon and Rachelle together, but I wish there had been just a bit more character development, especially with respect to Landon. I really wanted to know more about his past job with his grandfather's company and the fact that he didn't like working there, mainly because it seemed like it was a major contributor to his lack of self-confidence and decision to break up with Rachelle. Whatever his reasons, I appreciated that Landon sincerely apologized to Rachelle for his behavior and didn't try to make excuses for what he had done, but simply admitted that he had been wrong and was sorry.

There were some genuinely funny parts to this story, but I think my favorite was the paintball scene when Rachelle sees Landon again for the first time. I loved how calm she was when she shot him! She was so uninterested in paintball before that, so for her to suddenly turn into the Terminator was hilarious. I also enjoyed Rachelle's housemates, especially Kenzie, as well as Landon's sister Dani. I hope that all of them will get stories of their own in the future.

In sum, I very much enjoyed "Matched with Her Runaway Groom" and would recommend it for all sweet contemporary and romantic comedy fans. I plan to continue with the series.

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

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Release Blitz + Review: "Ex's and Oh's" by Hazel Parker

Congratulations to Hazel Parker on the release of her latest book, "Ex's and Oh's." 

Event planner Jenna Hall's best friend, Stacey, the daughter of a famous business mogul, is about to get married in Hawaii, and even though she specializes in corporate events, Jenna's volunteered to plan the wedding and run interference with Stacey's mother so that her bestie can relax and enjoy being a bride. When the rest of the wedding party arrives, maid of honor Jenna is surprised to recognize the best man, professional football player Brett Evans, as someone she knew in high school. In fact, she dated his best friend Noah until they split up to head off to different colleges. Jenna has always believed that Brett hated her and purposely tried to break her and Noah up back then, but the truth is a bit more complicated. He actually had a huge crush on Jenna and used to tease her because it was the only way he could get her attention. Realizing that their history could make the week awkward for the entire wedding party, Brett decides to apologize to Jenna for his past behavior. Even though she tries to ignore him, he finally manages to get her alone near the end of the evening, and the apology goes even better than he'd hoped; they end up returning to the hotel together and drunkenly hooking up. Brett realizes he still has feelings for Jenna, but his reputation as a player precedes him. Is he willing to change his ways for a chance at a future with the one who got away?

This is a tough review to write because I was really looking forward to reading this book based on the fun synopsis, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me. There were so many details about the story that didn't make sense. For example, as the wedding planner, Jenna absolutely should have been familiar with the guest list and members of the wedding party in advance. How could she not have known that Brett was the best man until they got to Hawaii the week of the wedding? Not only that, Stacey and her fiance Marc had apparently been dating for years. Did their friend groups really never socialize in all that time? How did Jenna and Brett not realize that they had friends in common long before they got to the wedding? 

I never really connected with Brett and Jenna as a couple, either. Considering that she held a grudge against him for 10 years, I had a tough time believing that Jenna would be so quick to jump into bed with Brett (literally the same night they first saw each other again!). It was only a day or so later that she supposedly had to force herself to hold on to the memories of his rotten behavior in high school so that she wouldn't start liking him too much for who he was now. They spent basically no meaningful time together, so how would she know who he was now? (I, however, knew that he was a total manwhore who had no interest in relationships, because it was explained ad nauseam throughout the first part of the book.)

After reading the book's synopsis, one might think that there would be plenty of time for Jenna and Brett to get to know each other again while they were "stranded together on a remote island." The truth is that they were "stranded" for a couple of hours at most - long enough to hook up (in an uncomfortably damp, rocky cave of all places), but not much else. For a lot of reasons, that encounter did not come across as sexy to me. It felt almost...mechanical. (Also: Dude's a total manwhore, but not once did they use - or even discuss - condoms. Gross.) Bottom line, like everything else with Brett and Jenna's relationship, it all happened way too fast, and there was too much telling and not enough showing. While their physical connection was apparent, I never felt a true emotional connection between them. 

There's a lot more about this story that bothered me (the IMO unnecessary drama with Stacey and Marc near the end comes to mind), but the one specific thing that I feel compelled to mention is that there seemed to be a lot of confusion about how American football (especially the business end of it) actually works. First of all, there's no way that Marc's team would have allowed him to schedule his wedding - much less his honeymoon! - in the middle of the season. Among other reasons, it would have been too much of a distraction for the players and caused them to lose too much practice/game prep time. Second, coordinating travel for a professional team and its staff is ridiculously complicated, and they usually don't arrive for games until the day before so they can practice in their own facilities in advance. No one "accidentally" double books a practice field, and there's no such thing as a "friendly" between opposing teams before the actual game. If the visiting team has to arrive in town early for some reason, they make arrangements to practice at a local college or high school. Third, it's not that easy for a player to change teams, especially in the middle of the season. Teams can't just approach players and tell them that they want to "buy" them. The player either has to be a free agent and sign a new contract, or the two teams involved have to negotiate a trade. Finally, star players like Brett make so much money over the course of their career (from endorsements as well as their actual salaries) that they'll never have to work again after they retire, unless they want to or are really stupid with their spending and investments. Brett freaking out about "having to get an office job" after his retirement seemed pretty silly. Given his popularity, he'd have his pick of broadcasting (and probably coaching) jobs if he wanted them.

I hate writing negative (and long) reviews like this one, but I was really disappointed to be let down after the synopsis had me so excited to read the book. The story had a ton of potential but ultimately failed to deliver. While I can't recommend "Ex's and Oh's," I would give the author's books another try in the future.

 

*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Grey's Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.   

 

 

About "Ex's and Oh's"

The best man is actually the worst.

My best friend is getting married, and I'd be remiss as the maid of honor and a successful event planner if I didn't make sure she has the best wedding ever.

My biggest hurdle?

The best man.

He's my worst nightmare all wrapped up in a suit—an old ex's best friend and an arrogant playboy who thinks he's God's gift to womankind.

The problem is, he's not entirely wrong. As a professional football player, he has plenty of experience getting women. He's sexy, flirty, and charming—when he wants to be. And also aggravating and irritating and in my business far too much of the time.

Our attraction is—unfortunately—undeniable. I know giving into him is a bad idea, but he convinces me anyway. Just once, to get it out of our systems.

Except when we end up stranded together on a remote island, once might not be enough...

And maybe he's not the worst man after all.

Ex's & Oh's is a steaming hot enemies to lovers romance featuring a straight-laced events planner who knows exactly what she wants and the playboy athlete who shouldn't want her but does anyway. Lust, laughs, and an HEA guaranteed!