Release Blitz + Review: "Wedding Date" by Monica Murphy

I am delighted to take part in the release blitz celebrating Monica Murphy's latest novel, "Wedding Date," the sixth and final book in the Dating series. It reads as a complete standalone, but I have read and loved each of the previous stories and would recommend them all.

I adored main characters Theo and Kelsey, whose fake relationship certainly never felt fake to me. Their chemistry was fantastic even when they were still trying to convince themselves that they were just friends, and I loved how playful they could be when they let their guard down with each other. Both Kelsey and Theo had been hurt in the past, and it wasn't easy for either of them to trust again. It was clear how much they cared about each other, however, and I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

As has been the case throughout this series, the book's secondary characters were wonderful and added a tremendous amount of depth and humor to Kelsey and Theo's story. It was great to catch up with Kelsey's friends one last time, and I also enjoyed getting to know Theo's younger siblings. I'm very much looking forward to the possibility of a spin-off series featuring Theo's brothers and sister!

Overall, while I'm sad to see this series come to an end, "Wedding Date" was a lovely send-off for Kelsey, Theo, and the whole gang. I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy and look forward to seeing what Monica Murphy comes up with next.

 

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

 

 

About "Wedding Date"

Wedding Date by Monica Murphy is now live!

Kelsey Phillips is over the dating scene.

All that time and energy perfecting your profile and taking just the right picture and articulating exactly what you're looking for, only to get the same sleazy propositions? No thanks. She's doing just fine on her own, so there's no point in a fruitless hunt for "the one" that doesn't exist.

Besides, she already has the perfect man in her life. Theo is the type of friend who's always there for a laugh, a hug, or a drink-- and no propositions.

So when he somehow manages to agree to be a groomsman in his ex-fiance's wedding to his cousin, the least Kelsey can do is be his date.

But why stop at doing the least?

Pretending to be in a relationship is easy. They already know everything about each other. And it sure isn't hard to fake attraction to a guy as gorgeous as Theo. Soon enough, the only pretense left is that they haven't fallen for each other for real... and the very small matter of the secret Kelsey's been keeping. Can a fake relationship survive this real revelation?

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

 

Review: "The Bookworm's Guide to Faking It" by Emma Hart

The Bookworm's Guide to Faking It by Emma Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved "The Bookworm's Guide to Faking It" by Emma Hart. Childhood best friends Holley and Sebastian had a falling out because of a misunderstanding at their senior prom, and then lost touch entirely when Sebastian left their hometown of White Peak, Montana to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball. Holley managed to avoid Sebastian for years during his infrequent visits home, but when he decided to rehab in White Peak following a potentially career-ending injury, she was forced to face him and finally come to terms with their past. The situation was further complicated by Sebastian's well-meaning but meddling relatives, who pushed them into a fake relationship supposedly for the sake of Sebastian's grandfather. Holley and Sebastian each began to suspect that there might be legitimate feelings behind the fake relationship, but how could they tell if their feelings were real or just remnants of a high school crush?

Holley and Sebastian's snarky banter was a ton of fun and consistently made me laugh. I especially enjoyed the creative ways in which Holley threatened Sebastian with bodily harm or death, though she never really managed to come off as threatening. (Even so, if I were Sebastian, I might be a tiny bit worried given how many books Holley has read. She probably knows a lot of different ways to hide a body!) I also loved Holley's obsession with organization. I had to laugh when she told Sebastian she didn't think she could date him because his kitchen cabinets held too much "insanity."

The book's secondary characters were just as much fun as Sebastian and Holley themselves. I particularly loved the scenes featuring White Peak's senior citizens. Their continued obsession with the ducks was hysterical! Holley's friends and business partners Kinsley and Saylor were wonderful too. I am very excited to read Saylor's story next! She's so inappropriate sometimes and it always makes me laugh.

Overall, "The Bookworm's Guide to Faking It" was a very entertaining read, and I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to Emma Hart's next release.

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

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Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Make Me Yours" by Melanie Harlow

I am thrilled to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Make Me Yours" by Melanie Harlow, book #2 of the Bellamy Creek series. It reads as a complete standalone, but I adored the first book of the series ("Drive Me Wild") and highly recommend picking it up as well.

 

I've been looking forward to getting my hands on this book ever since I finished the last one, and it did not disappoint. Main characters Cole Mitchell and Cheyenne Dempsey were incredibly likeable and sympathetic, and I loved their teasing banter. Single dad Cole had been focused on raising his daughter Mariah and his job as a police officer ever since his wife's death in childbirth, but when his best friend's younger sister moved into the house next door, he couldn't deny his attraction to her. Cheyenne had been hiding a crush on Cole for years, but she managed to keep it hidden until accidentally sending him a suggestive text late one night. Their relationship grew from there, though it wasn't exactly smooth sailing as Cole was finally forced to deal with his unresolved grief over his wife's death. Cheyenne and Cole really seemed to bring out the best in each other, however, and I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

Overall, I adored this funny, sweet, emotional story and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

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

 

 

About "Make Me Yours"

Make Me Yours, an all-new rom com that is all too sexy from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow is available now! 

 

He’s my brother’s best friend.
The hot single dad next door.
And one accidental sext later, my massive crush on him is no longer a secret.

It’s my own damn fault. I’m thirty years old, for heaven’s sake. I’m a kindergarten teacher and a (reasonably) responsible adult. I should know better than to get tipsy and draft a fake text listing all the dirty things I wish Officer Cole Mitchell would do to me.

I wasn’t supposed to hit send.

He wasn’t supposed to see it.

And he definitely wasn’t supposed to text back telling me to go on...

Because after that, things escalate quickly.

Cole is everything I’ve ever wanted. He’s sexy and protective. A devoted father to his little girl. A dedicated cop the whole town adores. The kind of guy you can trust to keep his hands to himself, even when you’re desperately hoping he won’t. 

I’m not the girl he thought he’d end up with, but after all this time, I might finally get the chance to say the words I’ve always dreamed of . . . make me yours.

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

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Make Me Yours"

Darlene spoke up. “My mother passed them down to me, and I want to make sure they’re in good condition so I can leave them to Cheyenne when she gets married.” Then she crossed herself and closed her eyes, her lips moving in a quick, silent prayer.

Cheyenne ignored her mother and addressed Mariah again. “My brother and I always had to wash and dry the wedding china on holidays before we went to bed. It took forever.”

“I’d stay and help you, sis, but I have to get Blair home. Sorry.” Griffin gave her a grin that said he wasn’t the least bit sorry, and Cheyenne stuck her tongue out at him.

“Cole, why don’t you stay and give Cheyenne a hand?” My mother suggested, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

“That’s a great idea,” Darlene said brightly. Then she sort of bent over and rubbed one hip, her expression agonized. “I’d help her myself but I’ve been on my feet a lot today and the doctor said that isn’t good for my joints.”

“You should just get to bed, Darlene,”my mother said, shepherding Mariah toward the front door. “Cole will be more than happy to stay and help Cheyenne.”

“Oh, that’s okay.” Cheyenne smiled at me and shook her head. “I can handle them.”

But Darlene beamed at me, reaching over and snatching my coat out of my hands. “That’s so nice of you, Cole. I’ll just hang this in the front closet.” Before she left the room, she and my mother exchanged a look that had me wondering if the whole helping-with-the-dishes thing had been a set-up.

Either way, ten minutes later Cheyenne and I were pushing up our sleeves in the kitchen, the house dark and silent except for the running faucet and the hum of the dishwasher.

“I’ll wash, you dry?” she asked, adding dish soap to the side of the sink she’d plugged and lined with a towel.

“Sure.”

She took a plate from the stack to her left and placed it in the warm soapy water. “Oh! I almost forgot.” Slipping her rings and bracelets off, she set them on the windowsill above the sink. “So I don’t scratch anything,” she explained.

“Oh.” I glanced down at my wedding ring. “It’s okay,” she said quickly. “You don’t have to take it off.”

“It’s fine,” I said, working it off my finger and placing it on the sill next to her jewelry. For some reason, I felt compelled to explain why I still wore it all the time. “Mariah once told me she likes when I wear it, so . . .”

“I think it’s nice, ”she said. “I like a guy who wears his ring. It says something about him, you know?”

I nodded, my attraction to her growing even stronger. “Still, we’d better be careful with these dishes.”

“Damn right, we’d better,” she deadpanned. “This is my fucking wedding china, Cole. If we even look at it wrong, I might end up a spinster.” She laughed as she gently scrubbed the plate with a cloth. “My God. Is she not totally ridiculous?”

“She’s pretty bad,” I agreed, taking the plate from her and carefully drying it with the soft clean towel she’d given me. “But mine wasn’t much better tonight. Did you have the feeling something was up between them as we were saying goodnight?”

“Yes,” she said. “And it’s probably my fault because I made the mistake of telling my mom you bought me dinner last night. In her mind, I believe we are now betrothed.”

I laughed. “That’s all it takes, huh?”

“Apparently. Tomorrow I’ll be pregnant because we washed dishes together after dark.”

“Wow. Guess I should have worn the rubber gloves.” 

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Playing with Trouble" by Amy Andrews

I am very excited to participate in today's release blitz celebrating "Playing with Trouble" by Amy Andrews. This book is a crossover between the author's Sydney Smoke Rugby and Credence, Colorado series, but reads as a complete standalone.

 

The romance between main characters Cole and Jane was definitely a slow burn. In fact, it may have gone a bit too slow at first, and that's coming from a reader whose favorite trope is slow burn! In the first half of the book, Cole spent more time with Jane's son Finn than with Jane herself, and while Cole and Jane had a few decent conversations and shared a couple of passionate kisses in that time, it didn't feel like quite enough of a basis for their relationship. Fortunately, things improved substantially about halfway through the book. Cole and Jane finally started to grow closer and I felt the chemistry between them more and more. Despite the obvious challenges they faced, I really liked them together and wanted things to work out for them.

 

Cole was an incredibly likeable and sympathetic lead character. I felt so bad for what he was going through because of his injury and having to come to terms with the end of his professional rugby career. Fortunately, he seemed to be handling it well, and the time he spent with Jane and Finn seemed to be therapeutic in a lot of ways. Cole turned out to be really good with kids, and I loved the scenes of him interacting with the 4- and 5-year-olds during his rugby clinic. His nicknames for them were hilarious, as was his spot-on observation that working with kids at that age is like trying to herd cats.

There were a number of wonderful secondary characters included in this story, many of whom I recognized from earlier books in the Credence, Colorado series. I especially enjoyed the time Cole spent at the Lumberjack bar with Arlo, Tucker, and Drew. I'm still hoping that Arlo and Drew will get stories of their own in the future!
 

Despite the slow start to Jane and Cole's romance, I loved this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and highly recommend it for fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to seeing what Amy Andrews writes next.

 

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

 

 

About "Playing with Trouble"

From pro rugby player to...Manny?

Australian rugby pro Cole Hauser has had enough of speculations about his future post-injury. So when a football buddy puts his house in America at Cole's disposal, he jumps at the chance for some peace and anonymity. The plan is perfect--until he discovers he's roomies with a woman who knows how to wield a nail gun and her kid. Awesome. Not.

Single mom Jane Spencer is supposed to be spending four weeks alone in the wilds of Colorado rehabbing a house that'll put her business on the map. Instead, her time is overrun by her four-year-old and a grumpy, too-sexy rugby dude whose only goals are to watch ESPN and brood. Awesome. Not.

When, surprisingly, McHottie offers to get his ass off the couch and help Jane out with Finn, she's hesitant. But before she knows it, Cole is knee-deep in kid activities during the day and they're both fighting their simmering attraction at night.

Anything between them can only be temporary - their time together is short and Cole lives on the other side of the planet. It should be easy to say goodbye, right? Wrong. It doesn't take long for them to realize they've borrowed a whole lot of trouble.

But trouble never felt this good. 

 

Release Blitz + Review: Kitty Valentine Books 5 & 6 by Jillian Dodd

Happy double release day to author Jillian Dodd! Her latest novels, "Kitty Valentine Dates an Actor" and "Kitty Valentine Dates a Best Man," are now available and free to read in Kindle Unlimited.

About the Kitty Valentine Series

Spin the wheel. Date the guy.

Six years ago, Kitty Valentine took the book world by storm when her sweet debut romance hit number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list, which was followed by a string of successful releases.

Her latest novel, however, totally bombs, causing her editor to suggest she write much sexier books. To Kitty, writing smut is the literary equivalent of stripping. But with no advance coming in and her royalties dipping to an all-time low, Kitty has no choice.
 

Armed with a hot-guy spinning prize wheel, made by her best friend, listing all the different types of men she will date and then write about, Kitty will be spinning--not stripping--her way back onto the best-sellers list.

 

My Review 

Book 5: "Kitty Valentine Dates an Actor"

 

Like its predecessors, "Kitty Valentine Dates an Actor" was a ton of fun to read. I loved this fast-paced, funny, sweet story and highly recommend it for all fans of romantic comedy and chick lit.

 

In this installment, Kitty's mission was to date an actor, and she turned to the Internet for help in finding one. Sadly, social media was not kind to Kitty at first, serving up a number of unwanted dick pics and other not-so-pleasant messages. Despite that, Kitty managed to connect with a reader who was part of an actors' group, through which she met her "research subject," actor Rafe. 

 

Rafe wasn't my favorite of Kitty's love interests so far, even though she was obviously smitten with him. He seemed much more interested in his craft than in her. I can't fault his focus or drive; I'm sure they're absolutely necessary to succeed as an actor. That said, Rafe didn't really seem to be in the right headspace for any kind of relationship, casual or otherwise. It wasn't a surprise to me when things didn't work out between them. At any rate, I'm still rooting for Kitty to end up with her neighbor/frenemy Matt. I love the way those two banter and tease each other!

Kitty's best friend, the lovable yet snarky Hayley, went through a tough time in this book, but I continue to adore her and the way that she and Kitty support each other through thick and thin. Kitty's grandmother and her butler/beau, Peter, were also back in this installment. They are the sweetest couple, and Kitty's grandmother consistently makes me LOL with the outrageous things she says.

In conclusion, the Kitty Valentine series seems to get better with every book, and I can't wait to see what's up next for Kitty and her friends.

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

 

Book 6: "Kitty Valentine Dates a Best Man" 

"Kitty Valentine Dates a Best Man" was yet another cute, funny addition to the Kitty Valentine series. Lovably quirky lead character Kitty was especially snarky and funny in this installment, and I enjoyed the fact that she was able to spend so much time with her best friend Hayley as well as visit a new place. Kitty needs to get out of her comfort zone sometimes!
 

While this wasn't my favorite of Kitty's adventures so far, I think she experienced a tremendous amount of growth in this story. She learned a lot about herself and what she's willing to accept in a romantic relationship. I also appreciated that Hayley's sister Kylie finally pointed out the obvious chemistry between Kitty and her neighbor/frenemy Matt at the end of this installment. I am firmly on Team Matt and hope that the two of them end up together in the end. Their banter and teasing is always a lot of fun.

Overall, I enjoyed "Kitty Valentine Dates a Best Man" and recommend it for all fans of chick lit and romantic comedy. I look forward to the next book in the series.

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

Review: "Mistletoe in Malibu" by Lola West

Mistletoe in Malibu by Lola West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Lola West's "Mistletoe in Malibu," a sweet yet steamy story featuring endearing characters and a well-crafted reverse age gap romance between hairstylist Delores "Dee" Reed and cowboy Buck Marlow.

There was a lot of plot packed into this novella, and I actually felt like I got to know Buck and Dee pretty well. I loved the way that Buck looked at life as an adventure, and that he knew exactly what he wanted in terms of a relationship and wouldn't settle for less. I understood Dee's concerns about getting involved with Buck after she had been hurt before, plus she had to consider the impact on her teenage son in addition to herself. However, Buck was a wonderful, caring man, and he clearly thought that Dee hung the moon. Even though their relationship grew quickly, I truly believed in the strength of their feelings for each other, and it was very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

This novella is related to West's Big Sky Cowboys series (Buck is a Morgan cousin and Dee is Maddie's friend and business partner from "Tofu Cowboy"), which meant that the Morgan family was back in full force and just as much fun as ever. I adored seeing all of them together for the holidays, and the way they teased each other made me laugh. Buck and Dee fit right in and were a fantastic addition to the Morgan clan.

Overall, I highly recommend "Mistletoe in Malibu" for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I look forward to Lola West's next release!

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

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Review: "Art and Soul" by Claire Huston

Art and Soul by Claire Huston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed Claire Huston's "Art and Soul," a sweet, heartwarming slow burn romance between mature, likeable protagonists, Charlie and Becky. They seemed like an old married couple long before either of them admitted their feelings for the other! I loved the way they bonded over simple things such as their mutual hatred of wearing glasses or contacts and their love of old movies.

The relationships that Charlie and Becky developed with each other's children were also an important part of the book, and I liked that they all started to seem so much like a family even before Charlie and Becky became a couple. The way Charlie's daughter Phoebe worried about and tried to take care of her dad was very sweet, though it made me a little sad at the same time because she had obviously been forced to grow up too fast in the wake of her mother's abandonment.

I would recommend "Art and Soul" for all fans of sweet contemporary romance, particularly readers who enjoy British humor and/or authors like Debbie Macomber. I would read more of Ms. Huston's work in the future.

*Review copy provided by the author via Hidden Gems Books. All opinions expressed are my own.

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