Review: "An Unholy Affair" by Evie Alexander

Congratulations to Evie Alexander on the release of "An Unholy Affair," book #2 of the Foxbrooke series. Characters from the previous book make cameo appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone.

When his estranged father passes away, Jack Newton reluctantly returns to his hometown of Foxbrooke. His mother isn't coping well, plus she's just had cataract surgery and needs help until she's able to drive again. Shortly after his return, he answers the front door of his childhood home and unexpectedly comes face to face with Eveline Shaw, the woman who's haunted his dreams ever since he met her in a London bar a year ago. The attraction between them is as strong as ever, and while Jack can't help but be tempted to pursue her, he knows that she's off limits. After all, what hope could there be for a future between the town's beloved vicar and a man who secretly makes his living as an escort?
 

I can always count on Evie Alexander's books to deliver a laugh, and this one was no exception. But Jack and Eveline's story also managed to give me all the feels. They were incredibly likeable and well-developed protagonists, and despite the fact that their backgrounds were so different from my own, I couldn't help but relate with their struggles. Their fiery chemistry and witty banter had me captivated from the very first page, and I was rooting for them the whole way.
 

Overall, I adored "An Unholy Affair" and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book of the series!

 

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

 

 

About "An Unholy Affair"

Will he show her heaven, or take her straight to hell?

Vicar Eveline Shaw has always dreamed of finding ‘the one’, but her job keeps getting in the way. She may be kind and beautiful, but men run a mile when they discover who her boss is. Only one person has ever made her soul sing — a perfect stranger who walked away without a second glance.

Escort Jack Newton’s got a talent few men have, and it’s made him rich. But his job’s a dirty secret, and as his bank account gets bigger, his heart gets smaller. He left his one chance at happiness at a bar and didn’t look back.

When Jack’s dragged back to Somerset after his abusive father dies, he falls into a nightmare. His dream woman may be living in Foxbrooke, but she wants a happy-ever-after and he’s an escort with no plans to stick around.

Can Jack show Eveline heaven and keep his secret safe, or are they both headed straight for hell?

An Unholy Affair is a laugh-out-loud, forbidden love, super-steamy, small town romantic comedy with a heavenly happy ending! It’s written as a standalone but we think you’ll enjoy it even more after reading Love ad Lib first! 

 

Review: "Promise to Marry You" by Julia Jarrett

Congratulations to author Julia Jarrett on today's release of "Promise to Marry You," book #4 of the Donnellys of Dogwood Cove series. Characters from the previous books make appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone.

 

Beckett Donnelly and Camilla "Cam" Byrne have been best friends since they were first-year university students, so when the grandfather who raised her suddenly passes away, he's there to support her. After the funeral, her grandfather's attorney pays Cam a visit and informs her that he's left her a substantial inheritance, but there's a catch: she must be married in order to access it. Willing to do whatever it takes to help his friend, Beckett proposes a marriage of convenience for the sake of her inheritance. The problem is that he's secretly had romantic feelings for her for years, while she's sworn off relationships after the tragic loss of her parents as a child. Is Beckett setting himself up for heartbreak, or could this be exactly the push Cam needs to see him in a different light?

Truth be told, it's tough for me to think of accountants as hot, not because I have anything against the profession, but because it's what so many of my family members do or did for a living (my parents included). That said, Julia Jarrett has managed to create a major hottie in accountant Beckett Donnelly. I don't know how Cam managed to keep her hands off him for as long as she did! I adored their sweet friendship and witty, teasing banter, as well as the steamy chemistry that became more and more apparent as the book progressed. Their HEA was years in the making but tremendously satisfying nonetheless, and I was rooting for them from the very first page.

I highly recommend "Promise to Marry You" for all steamy 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.

 

About "Promise to Marry You"

From bestselling author Julia Jarrett comes a steamy, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience small town romance about the Donnelly brother no one expects to have a dirty side and his best friend who needs a husband…

My best friend needs my help? Consider it done, no questions asked. Well, maybe one question…
Will you marry me?
Except Camilla Byrne is more than just my friend. She’s the woman I’ve loved ever since we met, the one who knows me better than I know myself, and the one I would put everything on the line for.
Including my heart, it would seem. Because Cam’s chance at an inheritance that will guarantee she gets everything she’s ever dreamed of, requires the one thing she’s never wanted.
A husband.
Next thing I know, we’re saying I do.
Now she’s living in my house.
And sleeping in my bed - for comfort, nothing more.
Because there are some lines I will not cross. Not unless my wife crosses them first…

Promise To Marry You You is perfect for fans of steamy small town romance centered around a big family who love to get in each other’s business. It has plenty of swoon, plenty of spice, light-hearted banter, quirky small town vibes, low angst, and a guaranteed HEA. It is a standalone and the fourth full-length novel in the Donnellys of Dogwood Cove series.

Review: "Something to Believe In" by Samantha Baca

Something to Believe In by Samantha Baca
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calli recently moved from Miami to Montana to care for her widowed mother, who's been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. She's also opened her own restaurant, Cravings, in the new strip mall where roofer Dylan has been working for the past several months. Dylan's had a crush on Calli ever since she catered the grand opening of his friend Ramona's doggy daycare, but every time he sees her, he somehow manages to embarrass himself. Even so, when he finally works up the courage to ask her out, she says yes. At first, things go well between Dylan and Calli, but when the relationship starts to turn serious, she suddenly pulls away. He'll have to help her overcome her fears before they can find a path forward together.

I very much enjoyed this funny, sweet, and perfectly steamy story. It was cute how awkward Dylan was around Calli at first; he said so many unintentionally funny things! As for Calli, I couldn't help but empathize with everything she was going through with her mom, as well as her fears about getting involved with Dylan given everything she already had on her plate. She wasn't giving him (or herself) enough credit, however; he was more than capable of standing by her side and helping her carry her burdens, no matter what they were, and I loved the way he proved it to her in the end.

I highly recommend "Something to Believe In" for all steamy contemporary romance and rom-com fans and look forward to the author's next release.

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

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Review: "Homerun Proposal" by Maren Moore

Homerun Proposal: A Brother's Best Friend Baseball Romance by Maren Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

College freshman Hallie Jo Edwards lives in an off-campus house with her best friend, Eli, and his older brother, star baseball player Lane Collins. She secretly has a crush on Lane, but not only is he a total playboy, she's sure he thinks of her as nothing more than a little sister. The truth is that Lane has wanted Hallie for years but won't risk driving a wedge between himself and his brother by pursuing her. Hallie's been a wallflower her entire life and is tired of feeling like she's missing out. She wants the full college experience, but there's one thing she needs to do first: finally lose her V-card. Tired of waiting for it to happen naturally, Hallie decides to proposition Eli, but she's not brave enough to face him while she does it. She writes out the details of her proposal and presents it to him while he's in the shower. The only problem is that it isn't actually Eli in the shower; it's Lane, and he's more than willing to teach her everything she wants to know.

Maren Moore hit it out of the park with her first baseball romance! There was plenty of chemistry between Hallie and Lane and the spicy scenes were red hot, but the author did a great job of developing their emotional connection right along with the physical. There was always more between them than just Hallie's proposal, even though it took them a while to recognize and acknowledge it. I really liked that Eli knew about their relationship so early in the story so that it didn't become drama later, as so often happens in best friend's brother stories, and I also enjoyed the subplot related to Lane's concerns about going pro. Despite the million-dollar salaries, I don't think it's easy being a professional athlete, so his concerns seemed very realistic to me.

I'd recommend "Homerun Proposal" for all fans of steamy new adult contemporary/sports romance and look forward to whatever the author comes up with next.

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

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Release Blitz + Review: "Body Check" by Teagan Hunter

I'm pleased to take part in the release blitz celebrating "Body Check" by Teagan Hunter, book #1 of the Seattle Serpents series.

 

Professional hockey player Reed "Hutch" Hutchinson is on his way back home to Seattle when he meets a beautiful - but entirely too talkative - woman named Auden in the airport lounge. They're also seated next to each other on the plane, and when storms force them to make an emergency landing in Chicago, another chance encounter in a hotel bar leads to a one-night stand. A month later, Hutch is in a different hotel bar following a game in Denver when he sees a familiar woman across the room: Auden. 

 

Hotel entrepreneur Auden Sinclair is in Denver to get to know her latest business partners, the NHL's Seattle Serpents. They've signed a contract for the team to stay at her namesake chain of hotels when they travel, which means that no matter how intense the attraction between Hutch and Auden remains, continuing their involvement is against the rules. Besides, they've both sworn off relationships to focus on their careers. But with fate seemingly bringing them together time and time again, will they be able to resist temptation?

There was no shortage of chemistry between Auden and Hutch, whose matching devotion to career over relationships and apparent fear of commitment made them a good fit. I also enjoyed the book's secondary characters, particularly Hutch's teammates, who will almost certainly return as protagonists in future books of the series. Hutch himself, however, felt a bit underdeveloped to me. For example, at one point he mentioned that he'd been left at the altar years ago, but the circumstances were not explained and it was never brought up again. I wanted to know more about that and how it played into his decisions when it came to Auden.

Overall, I enjoyed and would recommend "Body Check" for all contemporary/sports romance fans. I plan to continue with the series.

 

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

 

 

About "Body Check"

I have two goals this season:
Be named captain of the Seattle Serpents.
Stay single.

I’m right on track…until she happens.

Auden Sinclair.

We’re stuck together for a night when our plane is forced to make an emergency landing, and that’s all the promise we make—one night, then we go our separate ways.

Except she pops up again.
Then again.

Suddenly, she’s everywhere. In my head and in my bed, completely taking over my life and ruining all my plans with her quippy comebacks, her smarts, and a body that fits against mine just perfectly.

The problem? Auden is off limits. Forbidden. Strictly in the DO NOT TOUCH zone. She goes against all the rules, but never have I wanted to bend them as badly as I do when it comes to her.

This might be one battle I’m not going to win…

 

Release Blitz + Review: "One More Secret" by Stina Lindenblatt

I'm happy to take part in the release blitz celebrating "One More Secret" by Stina Lindenblatt, book #1 of the Hidden Secrets trilogy (as well as book #2 of the Carson Brothers series). 

Like the first book of the Carson Brothers series, "One More Secret" was, at times, a gut-wrenching, emotional roller coaster, but I could not have loved it more. The twists and turns kept me guessing right up to the shocking cliffhanger ending, and I can't wait to find out where the story goes from here.

I highly recommend this compelling read for all fans of angsty/emotional contemporary romance, though I would advise checking the content warnings in advance. The next book of the trilogy can't get here soon enough for me!

 

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

CW: Domestic Abuse; Mental Illness; PTSD; Suicide

 

About "One More Secret"

Two shattered souls, one chance at love's redemption...

After being wrongfully imprisoned for the death of her abusive husband, all Jessica Smithson wants is to start a new life where no one knows her true identity. Maple Ridge is the perfect place to hide from the media circus battling to know who really rid her of the man. A question she can’t answer.

The last thing she expects to find in the small idyllic mountain town is the good-looking and very persistent Troy Carson. From the moment he sees her, the ex-Marine is determined to help Jess with her anxiety attacks and to get to know her better. He’s determined to help her renovate the old house she bought—a house with secrets hidden behind the walls.

Heat simmers and grows between the pair, but Jess can’t risk getting too close to Troy. Can’t risk her own secrets being revealed.

So much is at stake if the truth gets out.

For fans of Rebecca Yarros's THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED comes a toe-curling, dual-timeline romance that bridges the gap between past and present, love and loss, and heartbreak and healing.

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Flirtation or Faceoff" by Leah Brunner

I'm excited to take part in the release blitz celebrating "Flirtation or Faceoff" by Leah Brunner, book #2 of the DC Eagles Hockey series. Characters from the previous book and prequel novella appear as supporting characters in this story, but it reads as a standalone.

Colby Knight, professional hockey player for the DC Eagles, has been smitten with history professor Noel Woodcock ever since they met at their mutual friends' engagement celebration, but she won't give him the time of day. A year after their first meeting, Noel is asked to represent her university at a charity gala and invites her grandmother to be her plus one. They're seated at the same table as Colby, who's there to participate in the gala's charity auction on behalf of the team. Noel's grandmother senses the romantic tension between Noel and Colby and, in an effort to further her quest for great-grandchildren, bids on and wins the team's offering of "An Evening With an Eagle." Even though she's annoyed by her grandmother's attempts to set them up on a date, Noel gives in to put a stop to her badgering. Colby, meanwhile, couldn't be more excited to have the chance to show Noel a new side of his personality. While on the date, the subject of Noel's crush on a co-worker comes up, and Colby impulsively offers to be her dating coach. He hates the idea of her with another man but hopes that spending this time with her will help her see him in a different light. It's a good plan, but Noel won't give in without a fight.

 

I very much enjoyed this charming story. Colby and Noel had great chemistry and their banter was quite amusing. Colby came across as a bit of a flirt at first, but he turned out to be a real sweetheart. It's a shame it took Noel so long to see how truly smitten he was! That said, her trust issues seemed very relatable and realistic to me, and I appreciated that she acknowledged and tried to work through them. Colby also showed a great deal of character growth in realizing that he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, but rather settle down with a partner and family of his own. I particularly loved Colby's efforts to learn about Noel's interests in fantasy novels and cosplay, as well as his sweet relationship with his little sister, Ruthie. He's the kind of book boyfriend dreams are made of, and I will be dreaming about finding someone like him for a long time to come!

 

I highly recommend "Flirtation or Faceoff" for all sweet/closed-door contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans. I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

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

 

About "Flirtation or Faceoff"

After getting my heart broken, I’ve sworn off athletes forever.

Then my best friend has to go and marry an NHL player, and his teammate, Colby Knight, won’t leave me alone.

Colby is a master at scoring (on and off the ice), and he’s not used to being told no. So he takes my disinterest as an invitation to pursue me even harder. I ignore him… until I realize I can use his expertise to help me get my crush’s attention.

But now that he’s my dating coach, and we’re spending so much time together, I’m growing more and more distracted. I mean, those dimples? Very enticing.

Just when I think he might be more than just a playboy hockey player, a blast from the past comes back and reminds me why I swore off athletes in the first place.

Can I trust Colby, or is he just another jerk who will break my heart?

(This is a dual POV, fade-to-black romance, and can be read as a standalone. This book contains mild language. Trigger warnings: cheating exes.)