Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Here to Stay" by Adriana Herrera

I am very excited to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of Adriana Herrera's latest novel, "Here to Stay." I absolutely loved this sweet, funny, emotional, and well-written story, which featured incredibly well-developed, relatable main characters and a fantastic slow burn romance. Both Rocco's and Julia's misgivings about starting a relationship were completely understandable, but eventually neither of them could resist the pull of their attraction. It was easy for me to root for them, both individually and as a couple, as they worked to overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of their HEA.

Rocco was a man with many layers, and it was interesting to see each of them revealed over the course of the story. He came across as very cool and confident when he first met Julia at work, but beneath that he was so sweet and almost shy. He was also fiercely protective of the ones he loved, especially his younger sister and toddler niece. Rocco fit in very well with Julia's family, who I adored. They may have been a little overwhelming at times, but it was obvious how much they loved and supported each other. I especially appreciated how warm and welcoming they were as soon as they met Rocco. It was like he was already a part of the family from the first time they met him. Julia herself was smart, funny, compassionate, and hard-working, and more than a match for Rocco in every way.

 

In addition to Rocco and Julia's romance and getting to know Julia's family, I loved the "found family" aspect of this book. The Gotham Exiles group that Julia created was so much fun, and the way they so quickly came together and supported each other was amazing. There were a lot of big personalities in that group, but I loved every one of them and the way that they seemed to complement each other. Julia's best friend in New York, Alba, was awesome too. She seemed like the very definition of a ride or die! 

Overall, I highly recommend "Here to Stay" for all fans of contemporary romance. This was the first book I've ever read by Adriana Herrera, but it definitely will not be the last. 

 

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

 

 

About "Here to Stay"

Award-winning, highly-acclaimed author Adriana Herrera delivers the sexy, modern enemies-to-lovers romance you’ve been waiting for.

Starting over is more about who you’re with than where you live…

Julia del Mar Ortiz is not having the best year.

She moved to Dallas with her boyfriend, who ended up ditching her and running back to New York after only a few weeks. Left with a massive—by NYC standards, anyway—apartment and a car lease in the scorching Texas heat, Julia is struggling…except that’s not completely true. Running the charitable foundation of one of the most iconic high fashion department stores in the world is serious #lifegoals.

It’s more than enough to make her want to stick it out down South.

The only monkey wrench in Julia’s plans is the blue-eyed, smart-mouthed consultant the store hired to take them public. Fellow New Yorker Rocco Quinn’s first order of business? Putting Julia’s job on the chopping block.

When Julia is tasked with making sure Rocco sees how valuable the programs she runs are, she’s caught between a rock and a very hard set of abs. Because Rocco Quinn is almost impossible to hate—and even harder to resist. 

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Here to Stay"

Julia

I stepped into the elevator and shoved my phone into the pocket of my dress, took a moment to send a prayer to the employee discount that let me buy bomb clothes on a nonprofit worker budget, and did some mental math of what could be going on.

Was the program really in trouble? Could we actually get shut down?

Nope, I would not go there. I would not think about what it would be like to get on a plane back to New York dumped and unemployed. Not happening.

A distraction. That’s what I needed. Just as the door to the elevator was about to close, someone got in. The fact that I was eye level with the base of his throat was a good clue as to who it was, but when he opened his mouth and the now familiar knee-weakening baritone echoed off the walls of the elevator, I got my confirmation.

“Morning, Ms. Ortiz.” That voice could be used for interrogation tactics. Every muscle in my body loosened at the same time whenever I heard it.

I squeaked out a “Morning” and took my time lifting my head all the way up to look at the last person in the world I wanted overhearing my conversation with my mother.

Him.

Rocco Fucking Quinn, otherwise known as the “Team Leader” for the consulting firm looking to bag my job. The guy with the New York City-est name on the planet. I hadn’t exactly gotten personal with Mr. Quinn, but I picked up on that accent the first time we met.

“What’s good?” I really tried to sound polite, but my Queens jumped out in situations like this. I did not gulp, because I could not let this fucker see me sweat. I managed not to cut my eyes at him, but it was a close call.

I took him in, ramrod straight, every hair in its place, not a wrinkle in sight, and decided he could not be the proprietor of the laugh-choke from before. The man seemed to be completely lacking a sense of humor. I knew he must have teeth but I’d never seen them.

Yeah, definitely not him. That fact rallied my spirits a little bit as I stood close enough to pick up on how he smelled. Like the ocean and something woodsy. That was not helpful information.

Without saying another word, I ran my eyes over him. It struck me that he was not wearing something bespoke like pretty much everyone here. Don’t get me wrong, he still looked good enough to eat, but he was clearly on a budget. And at a place where everyone looked like they were heading to a New York Fashion Week photo shoot, it was sort of jarring. Still, the suit fit him well. And there was no question, this guy could wear the fuck out of a suit. I held back a whimper when I envisioned him in a Brioni or a Zegna. They’d have to put out a heat advisory for the building if that ever happened.

“I thought I could detect a familiar accent when I was coming down the hall.” His perfectly blue eyes twinkled at what I was certain was an expression of utter mortification on my face. He sounded pleasant enough, but he was also alluding to the fact that I was yapping on my phone. This wasn’t the first time he tried to be cute. Rocco Quinn seemed to like fucking with me. And it was only a matter of time before he stepped on my last nerve and I reamed him out.

Thankfully, just as I was scrambling to respond to his comment, the elevator got to my floor. I was planning to just leave him hanging and run off, but he was hot on my heels.

Dammit.

“Sounds like your mom misses you.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. Why did he have to act all fake nice?

I nodded without looking at him. “She does. Listen, Mr. Quinn—”

“You can call me Rocco.”

Nope, that was not happening. I was not letting this sexy bastard talk me into getting all chummy with him. I was already on thin ice as it was. He could keep his pheromones and his slick-as-fuck expressions to his damn self. I came to a dead stop a few feet away from the conference room door where my boss—and whatever shitty news she was about to give me—was waiting.

When I turned around, Rocco was looking down at me with an expectant smile. God he was handsome, that jet-black hair so dark it almost had a tinge of blue and those eyes, piercing. And I guess he had teeth after all, and of course they were perfect. Asshole. I shook my head hard when my traitorous brain started wondering what Pantone color his eyes would be.

Get your head in the game, Julia del Mar.

I straightened my back, determined to fight off the debilitating effects of those gleaming teeth and perfectly pink lips. I had to remember this niceness was probably his way of getting us to let our guard down. He was here to find ways to cut jobs. I was not about to mouth off and get myself fired, but I needed to get some things clear.

“Look.” I was proud of myself for not rolling my neck or pointing at his face. “I know you’re trying to be nice, but you make me nervous.” I pulled on the hem of my blue polka-dot dress and smoothed my yellow cardigan, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

“Why do I make you nervous?”

Uh, maybe because you’re here to close down as much of the foundation as you can.

I refrained from actually saying that because I had not been raised by a Puerto Rican man and Dominican woman just so I could act like I had no home training with the guy who could get me fired. But it was a close call.

“I’m sorry for saying that. You don’t make me nervous.”

Lies.

Rocco Quinn didn’t just make me nervous. He made me want to run my hands all over that big-ass body and moon over his almost but not quite curly hair and blue eyes, in spite of the fact that I knew he was out here gunning for my entire program. And yet, I still wanted to kiss the hell out of him while I climbed him like a sequoia. 

 

  

About the Author

Adriana Herrera was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last fifteen years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.

When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a trauma therapist in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review: "Backup Plan" by Emily Goodwin

Congratulations to author Emily Goodwin on the release of "Backup Plan," book #1 of the Silver Ridge series. This sweet, funny story featured likeable, relatable characters and a well-crafted slow burn romance. Main characters Sam Harris and Chloe Fisher grew up together and secretly had feelings for each other as teenagers, but the timing was never right for them to act on their crush. They lost touch after an incident during Chloe's senior year in college that resulted in her public humiliation, but ran into each other again a decade or so later when both returned to their hometown for a visit. They quickly rekindled their friendship and, after Sam not-so-jokingly reminded Chloe of the pact they made to marry each other if both remained single when she turned 30, discovered that they still had feelings for each other after all that time.

 

I really liked Chloe because she was kind of an underdog heroine, and I found it very easy to root for her to get everything she wanted in life. She was bullied throughout her youth for being "different" or "weird" by the standards of her classmates, but those differences were what set her apart as an adult and helped her build a very successful career as a writer. Sam was also a likeable character, and I appreciated that he owned up to his past mistakes where Chloe was concerned. He always thought of Chloe as "the one who got away" and felt terrible about his past behavior, especially in relation to the incident in which Chloe was humiliated. It was clear that he had matured in the time they were apart, and I believed in both his apology and his determination to treat Chloe better in the future.  

The one thing I didn't like about this book is that it ended in a cliffhanger. I generally avoid books that end in cliffhangers unless I can read the conclusion immediately, but I wasn't aware that this one had that type of ending before I started reading it. At any rate, I am invested in the story now and will definitely be picking up the second book in the series, which is scheduled for release in late October.
 

Overall, despite the way it ended, I enjoyed "Backup Plan" and would recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance, particularly those who enjoy stories set in small towns. I am very much looking forward to the second part of Sam and Chloe's story this fall!

 

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

 

 

About "Backup Plan"

Backup Plan by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Emily Goodwin is now live!

When we were only kids, Sam Harris and I made a promise we'd marry each other if we were still single when we turned thirty. Well, my thirtieth birthday has come and gone and I'm still as single as ever.

And as far as I know, so is Sam.

But it's been ages since we've seen each other, and after what he did to me our senior year of college, I wouldn't put his ring on my finger even if he begged me to marry him. Never mind his devilish good looks. Or the fact that the playboy partier is a doctor now.

Nope, I'm sticking to my guns with this, and when I go back to my hometown of Silver Ridge for the first time in years, I won't pay him the slightest bit of attention. Well...until he convinces me to go out for drinks to catch up. I knew it was a bad idea the moment I agreed to it.

And then he brings up our childhood promise.

 

It might be fun and games to him, but it's not to me. Because as much a I don't want to admit it, Sam has always been my first choice. And I don't want to be nothing more than his backup plan.

 

Download today on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, or Apple!

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Backup Plan"

Sam leans against the counter watching me. His gaze on me is intimate again, and I can feel my resolve slipping away beneath my feet. “I know they’re in here somewhere,” I mutter. “Dad never throws anything out.” I rustle through old pill bottles. “Ah-ha!” Smiling, I grab what I was looking for.

“Are you sure you should be taking expired muscle relaxers?” Sam asks, crossing his arms over his chest in a way that I so don’t notice his muscular biceps bulging against the sleeves of his black t-shirt.

“Are you sure you should be telling me what to do?” I retort and struggle to untwist the childproof lid.

“Well I’m a doctor, so when it comes to taking medication, yes. I should be telling you what to do, and taking old medication isn’t smart.”

“Touché,” I say with a forced smile, eyes narrowing. The last thing I need is Sam fucking Harris judging me. “It’s easy to forget you actually got accepted and then graduated from medical school.”

Sam laughs and plows a hand through his thick brown locks, messing them up in a way that looks way too fucking good on him. On anyone. His lips pull into a half-smile and his eyes meet mine. “With honors,” he adds. “Don’t forget that I graduated with honors.”

“Who’d you have to sleep with to get that?” I spit back, working hard to keep my composure. I will not crumble…I will not crumble…

“Whoever I damn well wanted to,” he says with a shrug. “Though that had nothing to do with my exceptionally good grades.” He parts his lips, tongue darting out to wet them. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and I wonder if this is a game to him, seeing how easily I’ll cave and fall back on our pact. He doesn’t want the night to end in marriage, no way, but he wants to get what he couldn’t before.

Me, naked in his bed. And dammit, I really want that too.

“Let me,” he says, closing the distance between us, and cups his hands around mine. It’s then I notice all over again just how grown up Sam has become. Where once stood a boy stands a man, and he’s all man now. He was always athletic before, but he’s filled out, thick with pounds of muscle. The boyish, playboy charm still sparkles in his eyes, but it’s peppered with something that alludes to experience, something that promises he knows his way around a woman’s body and he never disappoints.

“These expired seven years ago.” He holds up the bottle. “If you’re that desperate, let me prescribe something for you.”

I let out a breath and bring my hand to my shoulder, pressing my fingers into my stiff muscle. It’s really not that bad; nothing a trip to a good massage therapist wouldn’t cure. Yet there’s nowhere to get a decent massage in Silver Ridge, evidence perhaps that I’ve grown too used to my cushy and very extra LA lifestyle.

“Or,” Sam goes on, deep voice like gravel as he sets the pills down on the counter, “I could do this.” He takes a step back and brings his hands to my shoulders, gently massaging them. His large hands are warm against my skin. Deft fingers work right into the knot above my shoulders blade, and some of the pain immediately leaves me, only to be replaced by a different kind of pain. It’s not physical, and it’s rooted in a deep longing for something I’ll never have. 

 

Review: Finding Home on Winslow Island

Finding Home on Winslow Island by Chrissy Elliot
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Chrissy Elliot's "Finding Home on Winslow Island" was a sweet story and featured a number of likeable, quirky characters. Unfortunately, the romance between main characters Parker and Tessa didn't work very well for me. The entire story took place over the span of a long weekend, and Tessa and Parker started off pretty clearly disliking each other. I just didn't find it believable for them to go from complete antipathy to head-over-heels in love in such a short period of time, no matter how attracted they secretly were to each other. There were too many complicating factors, and neither of them was very good at communicating what they wanted to the other.

I think my biggest problem was with Parker himself, whose characterization never entirely made sense to me. For example, he supposedly grew up on Winslow Island and spent a lot of time at his father's medical practice, but acted like it was a complete surprise that the patients there liked to have a cup of tea and chat during their checkups. Shouldn't he have already known that, especially since he once planned to take over for his father after he finished medical school? I never understood why Parker would have wanted to go into family medicine anyway given his terrible bedside manner. Supposedly his personality was different before his ex-girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal and broke his heart, but I find it difficult to believe that a broken heart would cause a total loss of social skills. In addition, if Parker really planned on taking over his father's practice from the time he was young, why would he train as a surgeon in the first place? It's a lengthy process and requires a completely different skill set and board certifications than the ones required for family practice. Can doctors just switch specialties mid-career without re-taking their boards?

There were several things about Tessa's background that were unclear to me as well. For example, did she grow up on the island, and if so, how is it that she didn't know Parker and/or his brothers when they were younger? The island isn't that big, so they likely would have gone to school together. If Tessa didn't grow up on the island, how did her parents end up buying a bed and breakfast there, and why did her sister Gabby follow them to the island too?

Overall, I think "Finding Home on Winslow Island" had a lot of potential, but needed some additional editing and polishing to fully realize it. That said, it was a sweet story, and readers who are less detail-oriented (read: nitpicky) than me probably won't be bothered by a lot of the things that bothered me. I would still recommend the book for fans of clean contemporary romance.

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

View all my reviews

Release Blitz + Review: "A Guy Walks Into My Bar" by Lauren Blakely

I am thrilled to participate in the release blitz celebrating the publication of Lauren Blakely's first-ever M/M romance, "A Guy Walks Into My Bar." This book reads as a total standalone, though one of the lead characters, Fitz, made cameo appearances in the first two books of Blakely's The Guy Who Got Away series earlier this summer. He was a lot of fun in those stories, and I loved getting to know him better here. 

 

It's tough to believe that this was Blakely's first time writing M/M romance because she such a did a fantastic job of it. Main characters Fitz and Dean's chemistry was explosive from their very first meeting, and I really enjoyed their witty, teasing banter. Overall, this was a fun story that was heavy on the PDA but light on angst, and I recommend it for all fans of romantic comedy. I look forward to Blakely's next book!

 

About "A Guy Walks Into My Bar"

A sexy, passionate, utterly addictive standalone M/M romance from #1 New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely!

Every bartender should follow one simple rule—don't go home with the customers.

That’s been easy for me to stick to, until the night a cocky, confident, and sinfully charming hockey star walks into my bar. This sexy athlete is too hard to resist, especially when he makes it clear how much he wants the “sarcastic, witty, hot AF” guy behind the bar—also known as me.

Still, I’m not keen on breaking my own rules since I know where that can lead—no place good.

But when that man makes his case with one bone-searing kiss on the streets of London, I throw resistance out the window.

What could go wrong with a hot, dirty, no-strings-attached fling before he leaves town in five days?

Trouble is, soon our nights together lead to days, to long conversations, to getting to know each other, and to something I never expected—falling ridiculously hard for a man who’s getting on a plane to America when I live a world away.

My life is here. His is there. And no amount of falling or feeling will change that one big problem.

Warning: contains hot hotel sex, loads of dirty talk, PDA all over London, and two sexy, witty, charming alpha heroes… 

 

 

My Review

 

I enjoyed Lauren Blakely's "A Guy Walks Into My Bar," a funny, charming story that featured endearing characters and a whole lot of PDA. The chemistry between main characters Fitz and Dean was explosive from the first time they met, and they didn't hesitate to act on it whenever (and wherever) possible. Their emotional connection grew just as quickly as the physical one, however, and it was easy to see how much they enjoyed just spending time together. Their flirty, teasing banter was sometimes silly but always entertaining, and their conversations made me laugh out loud more than once.

 

As for the story itself, I have to say that it felt a little long to me and I found myself starting to skim in some places. I'm sure this was only a matter of personal preference, but after a certain point (and a certain amount of PDA), I was ready for the plot to jump ahead so I could find out how Fitz and Dean were going to make their relationship work. When they did finally get to that point, I was very satisfied with the way things worked out, and I enjoyed the extended epilogues that even included a bonus HEA for two of Fitz and Dean's friends.      

Overall, "A Guy Walks Into My Bar" was a sweet yet steamy story that was heavy on the PDA but light on angst, and I recommend it for all fans of romantic comedy. I look forward to Blakely's next book!

 

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

Blog Tour + Review: "Into the Blue" by Robin Huber

I am very pleased to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Into the Blue" by Robin Huber today.

I've been avoiding books that seemed as if they were going to be particularly dark or suspenseful lately because there's already so much uncertainty and darkness in our day-to-day lives, and reading has been my escape from all of that. I was therefore a little worried about how I'd react to "Into the Blue" given its suspenseful premise. However, I couldn't resist the gorgeous cover and the promise of two people falling in love on a beautiful tropical island, so I decided to give it a shot. I'm glad I did because it wasn't an easy read, but it was very well-crafted, and I enjoyed it tremendously. I highly recommend "Into the Blue" for all romantic suspense fans and will be watching to see what Robin Huber writes next.

About "Into the Blue"

Even in paradise, danger lurks…

When Makayla Evans discovers that her employer — a pharmaceutical trailblazer — is dabbling in Dark Pharma, she barely has time to process the information before her conventional life is ripped away. In one breath she's standing in her New York office; in the next, she's waking up in the middle of a Central American desert. With no way to escape or call for help, she realizes a terrifying truth. She has vanished… without a trace.

For former Marine Kellan James, working private security on Costa Rica's La Isla Azul — The Blue Island — is a dream job. But his peace is disrupted when an old friend calls with a nearly impossible task: track down a woman kidnapped by a dangerous drug cartel. When Kellan finally finds Makayla, she's in bad shape, but she's alive. Now he just has to keep her that way…

Finding refuge on a remote island with a kind, handsome Marine is not how Makayla expected her nightmare to end. As the days turn to months, Makayla and Kellan develop an unbreakable bond, falling in love with the island, and with each other. But they can't hide forever. Because even in paradise, danger lurks…

My Review

"Into the Blue" by Robin Huber was an emotional, suspenseful story that grabbed my attention from the very first chapter and didn't let go until the end. The author did an excellent job of building the suspense and describing main character Makayla's sometimes terrifying circumstances without going into too much graphic detail. After she was rescued from her kidnappers and taken to La Isla Azul (the Blue Island) by her eventual love interest, Kellan, her reaction to the trauma and symptoms of PTSD seemed very real and understandable to me. An experience like that would be a lot for anyone to process, and it still wasn't over for Makayla because she couldn't go home as long as her former boss considered her to be a threat.

Kellan was very sweet and protective of Makayla from the first moment he saw her, and I appreciated how patient and understanding he was as she worked through the trauma of her ordeal. He had some emotional baggage of his own to work through, both from his childhood and from his time serving in the Marines, but he didn't let those fears rule his life. He never tried to push Makayla away, but rather shared his concerns about the future with her and made a sincere effort to make the relationship work for both of them. They got to know each other and fell in love very quickly under extreme circumstances, but I had no problem believing in the strength of their feelings because they were so good at communicating with each other.

Aside from Kellan and Makayla's relationship, I really enjoyed the adventure aspects of this story, in which the characters had the opportunity to explore the island. The author's descriptions of La Isla Azul were very vivid and I was able to picture the setting quite clearly in my mind. In this day and age when travel is so difficult, it was lovely to be able to pretend to be on a tropical island for a few hours thanks to this book!

Overall, I loved "Into the Blue" and highly recommend it for all fans of romantic suspense. I look forward to seeing what Robin Huber writes next!

 

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

Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Not My Romeo" by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Today, I am very excited to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Not My Romeo" by Ilsa Madden-Mills, book #1 of the Game Changers series. This funny, sweet, and emotional story featured well-developed, endearing, quirky characters and kept me turning the pages long past my bedtime. Main characters Jack and Elena both had a lot of emotional baggage to work through, but it was clear that they belonged together, and I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

Elena and Jack's chemistry was electric from the first time they met by mistake on Valentine's Day, and even though the last thing Jack needed was to risk a scandal, he couldn't resist bringing her back to his penthouse with him that very same night. He soon learned that Elena was unlike any woman he had ever met before, and nothing about their relationship unfolded as he expected it would. Jack was a very complex character, surprisingly shy given his role as a professional football player, but also very sweet and caring beneath his playboy reputation. I loved that Elena always stood up to Jack and refused to compromise what she believed in, and ultimately, they both ended up better off because of it.

 

Elena was also a very interesting and complex character. To most people in her small town, she was known as the conservative, bookish librarian who was always willing to take in a stray animal. She owned a pair of glasses for every occasion, including a "fancy" pair with rhinestones, and adored her teacup pig, Romeo. Secretly, however, Elena loved to design creative, sexy lingerie and dreamed of going to work in the fashion industry. She was afraid that her mother would be ashamed of her interest in lingerie, so she kept it to herself, especially after experiencing the disapproval of her ex-boyfriend, who later dumped her and started dating her beautiful younger sister, Giselle. 

The secondary characters in this book, including Giselle, were fantastic and added a tremendous amount of depth to Jack and Elena's story. I was prepared to hate Giselle for betraying her sister, but there turned out to be a lot more to the situation than was immediately apparent. Aside from her, Elena's Aunt Clara and her best friend/roommate, Topher, were a lot of fun, as was Jack's best friend/teammate, Devon. I hope that we will see many of these characters return in future stories.

Overall, I loved "Not My Romeo" and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to the next book in the series.

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

About "Not My Romeo"

Not My Romeo, the all-new swoon-worthy contemporary sports romance with heart and heat from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!

We start off with a lie on Valentine’s Day.

My blind date isn’t the studious guy I expected: he’s a drop-dead gorgeous player with sinful amber eyes. Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.

The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.

But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?

Is Jack my real Romeo…or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Not My Romeo"

I pull my white cat-eye glasses out of my purse and slide them on for a better look. My heart flip-flops as butterflies take flight in my stomach. Oh heck no. That can’t be him. He’s . . . he’s . . . freaking gorgeous, and I don’t mean regular handsome but like a movie star: dark hair swept off his face, the strands wavy and unruly with copper highlights, soft and silky brushing against his cheeks, and too long for a newscaster, in my opinion—but what do I know? I don’t own a television.

He lifts his arm to shove his hair back, and my eyes pop at the tightly roped muscles of his forearm and biceps straining through the fabric, the impossibly broad shoulders.

Well, would you look at that.

And this has to be him, right?

I’m in the right restaurant. He’s alone. He’s wearing a blue shirt. He has dark hair. Odds point to yes. Usually the most simple explanation is exactly what it appears. Therefore, he must be my date.

The man in question turns to look out the window, tapping his fingers on the table impatiently, and I take in his profile. Long straight nose, full dark arching eyebrows, and a sharp, bladed jawline. Sensuous lips, the lower one decadently full. Almost wicked. He’s the kind of hot that draws your eyes over and over just to make sure it’s not a mirage. I knew guys like him at NYU—sexy, athletic gym types who played a sport. And those types never gave me a second look. I’d watch them work out while I fumbled my way around one of those god-awful butterfly machines, while beautiful, tall, svelte girls who weren’t sweating fawned over them, bringing them towels, water bottles, and sexy promises.

He takes a sip of an amber liquid, long tanned fingers grasping the fragile container as his eyes rove across the room. They prowl around the restaurant, as if he’s assessing every person in sight, and I feel the sizzle of him even from twenty feet away. Prickles of awareness skate down my spine. I’m the alpha, his body language yells. Come and challenge me.

His gaze drifts right over me without stopping.

Not surprised.

I duck back into the shadows.

Dang it. My hands clench. I wanted nice and nerdy, not this . . . sexy beast!

And judging by the scowl on his face, he’s grumpy. Life’s too short to be dour, Mister. And what is he annoyed about? I am here!

And he did see a picture of me. Topher said so.

Yeah, maybe he doesn’t really want to meet you.

Maybe he’s hoping you won’t show up.

I tap my foot. I should leave. Really.

The smells of Milano’s waft around me, spicy and tantalizing, and my stomach lets out an angry howl. I move from one foot to the next. Every place to eat between here and Daisy is going to be packed. I could always hit a drive-through on the way back home—but how pathetic is a Big Mac and fries on Valentine’s Day? Plus, I’ll have my entire nosy family to answer to tomorrow. They’ve built up this blind date so much: Oooooh, Elena has a date with a weatherman. Ask him if that’s a barometer in his pocket or if he’s just glad to see you.

I give myself a mental pep talk.

Grow some balls, Elena.

Sometimes you have to go out and take what you want.

So what if he’s hot enough to suck the dew off a rose.

You are hungry. Do it for the pasta.

He is your date. Go get ’em, girl.

I gather my resolve, point my little black pumps in his direction, and start marching.

***

Review: Ice Cold Boss

Ice Cold Boss by Olivia Hayle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved "Ice Cold Boss" by Olivia Hayle, which featured one of the best slow burn romances I've read in some time. The banter between main characters Henry and Faye was excellent; they were flirty, but in a way that was totally unique to them. I particularly enjoyed their staring contests and exchanges of random building facts. The workplace aspect of their romance was well-crafted as well. Faye and Henry were both very conscious of the fact that starting a relationship was a bad idea, and not just because he was her boss and it was against the rules. Henry had a lot more money and power than Faye did, but he never used that power against her. Instead, he respected her and her opinions, both personally and professionally, and went out of his way to demonstrate that he had hired her because of her talent and skill as an architect, not because he was attracted to her. In the end, neither of them could resist the pull of that attraction, and all the rules went out the window as they fell in love.

I really liked Henry and the way his character developed over the course of the story. He came across as rather cold and forbidding at first, but that was mostly a facade to protect his tender heart. He proved to be quite warm and kind as he came to know and trust Faye. For her part, Faye was a total boss: smart, funny, independent, and tenacious. I appreciated that she kept fighting for her dreams no matter what obstacles were in her path. Faye worked hard but had a playful side as well, as demonstrated by the conversations she sometimes had with her palm tree, which always made me chuckle. She and Henry were truly a perfect match, and I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

"Ice Cold Boss" is the second book of Hayle's Paradise Shores series, but it reads as a complete standalone. Henry's younger sister Lily was featured in the first book, and readers who are familiar with that story will enjoy the chance to catch up with her and her fiance Hayden here. I really enjoyed the way Henry and his siblings interacted in this story, and hope that the remaining brothers, Parker and Rhys, will get stories of their own in the future.

Overall, I highly recommend this funny, sweet story for all fans of contemporary romance. I look forward to Olivia Hayle's next book!

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

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