Release Blitz + Review: "Flirt With Me" by Kristen Proby

I'm happy to participate in the release blitz celebrating "Flirt With Me" by Kristen Proby, book #4 of the O'Callaghans series (a sub-series of the With Me in Seattle series). Longtime readers of Proby's work will enjoy the cameos from beloved characters from previous books, but it works well as a standalone for readers new to the series.

When his teenage daughter, Rachel, fell in with a bad crowd, single father and retired MMA fighter Hunter Meyers decided that it was time for them to move out of the city. Based on a suggestion from his friend Nate ("Fight With Me"), he decided to look at homes on an island near Seattle, just a short ferry ride from his parents. He enlisted the help of local real estate agent Maeve O'Callaghan, whose beauty and charm instantly captivated him. Maeve was equally smitten, though she needed some convincing to mix business with pleasure. They were very cute together, and I found it easy to cheer them on to their HEA.
 

Hunter was a great dad, if a bit strict at times, and I loved the way he cared for and protected "his girls." For such a tough guy, he was surprisingly sweet and charming. His daughter Rachel seemed like a good kid despite the trouble she got into before they left Seattle, and her behavior improved dramatically once they were settled on the island. She really seemed to fit in with the O'Callaghans, especially Maeve's dad, Tom. Rachel and Maeve developed a sweet relationship too, bonding over decorations for Rachel's new bedroom and shopping for school supplies together. 

Overall, I really enjoyed "Flirt With Me" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I look forward to reading Maeve's sister Maggie's story next.

 

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

 

About "Flirt With Me"

From New York Times Bestselling Author Kristen Proby comes an all new novel in her beloved With Me In Seattle Series!

There are two things Maeve O'Callaghan values more than anything else: her family and her career. Being the eldest daughter in a large, close-knit and somewhat chaotic Irish family means spending most of her nights in the family-owned pub, serving drinks and food, always accompanied by a smile. During the day, she's a superstar real estate agent, selling homes on her beloved island just across Puget Sound from Seattle. She doesn't have time for much else, and she's perfectly okay with that.

Enter Hunter Meyers. He's looking for a new place to call home, somewhere out of the city, and believes life on the island could be just the thing for him and his troubled teenage daughter. While in search of finding the perfect house, his sexy realtor catches his eye, making him feel things he hasn't in years. But with the added baggage of a surly teen and a past that will never be forgotten, how can he make something permanent with the gorgeous Irishwoman who tempts him like no other?

Maeve isn't just attracted to Hunter with his killer grin and muscles for days. The teenager that tries so hard to push her away also pulls at her heartstrings. Maeve understands the importance of family, and can see herself making just that with Hunter and his daughter. But when his past comes back to haunt him, will their love be strong enough, or will they be ripped apart forever? 

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Clusterf*@k" by Elise Faber

I'm pleased to take part in today's release blitz promoting "Clusterf*@k" by Elise Faber, book #4 of the Life Sucks series. Characters from previous books in the series make appearances in this one, but it reads as a complete standalone.

The female lead of "Clusterf*@k," yarn store owner Misty Hansen, was introduced in the previous book of the series, and she was one of the highlights of that story for me. I was really looking forward to getting to know her better in this book. Early on, I found her stubbornness to be somewhat bothersome; while I totally understood and empathized with her desire to fix (and pay for) her own mistakes, there was something about the way Misty kept refusing her family's help that seemed rude to me. Once I got past that, however, I really appreciated her strength, determination, and kindness. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and it was quickly captured by swoon-worthy private investigator Chance Jackson.

 

I really liked Chance and Misty as a couple, though in some ways it felt like everything came together a bit too easily for them after they started dating. Their one true conflict, when Chance disappeared for two weeks after their first date without telling Misty that he'd be away for work, was resolved quickly, and after that their only "fights" were over silly things like how to split bills after moving in together. Fortunately, there were some unexpected plot twists to keep things interesting, and I enjoyed the way Misty and Chance handled them together.
 

While the previous book of the series remains my favorite, I enjoyed and would recommend "Clusterf*@k" for all fans of contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and even light romantic suspense. I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

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

 

About "Clusterf*@k"

clusterf*@k
noun

1. A mismanaged and chaotic situation
2. A complexly muddled mess
3. A disordered and hectic condition
4. Misty Hansen’s life

Lonely. Alone. By herself.

The top three ways Misty had to describe herself—and it was no coincidence they all meant the same thing. She was single, almost pathetically so. It had been so long since she’d been with a man, she wasn’t sure she could even remember what it was like.

Hell, dust might float out if she took off her pants in the presence of the opposite sex.

She was also well aware that she was lucky to have a place to live, a great brother, and awesome friends. She should just be content.

But then she crashed into Chance—literally crashed—into the gorgeous man’s SUV, totaling it, and managing to cause damage to her brother’s house, all in one fell swoop.

It was a total clusterf*@k.

Because then the man ended up totaling her heart. 

 

Review: "Winning With Him" by Lauren Blakely

Winning With Him by Lauren Blakely
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Winning with Him" by Lauren Blakely, book #2 of the Men of Summer series, continues the story of professional baseball players Grant Blackwood and Declan Steele. It is not a standalone and should be read after book #1, "Scoring with Him." It picks up immediately after that book's cliffhanger ending, but there are time jumps of up to several months at a time as the story progresses.

Grant and Declan were not together and had only minimal contact throughout the first part of the book, but it was easy to see how much they still cared about each other. They eventually did get back in touch, but it was several years before they rekindled their romantic relationship. I hated that they had to be apart for so long, but the truth is that they needed space to grow as individuals before they could grow as a couple. When they did get back together, I loved how cute and playful they were while doing silly things like picking out "their" song. (Despite Declan's protests, the Jonas Brothers one seemed like a perfect choice to me!)

I can't wait to find out how Declan and Grant's story wraps up in book #3, "All in with Him." In the meantime, I highly recommend the first two books of the series for all fans of contemporary, sports, and M/M romance.

View all my reviews

Release Blitz + Review: "King of the Court" by R.S. Grey

I'm thrilled to participate in today's release blitz celebrating "King of the Court" by R.S. Grey. I've loved all of the books I've read by this author, but there was something special about this one that really grabbed me from the very beginning. I probably say the same thing every time I finish one of her books, but I think this one just might be my new favorite.

"King of the Court" is the story of NBA superstar Ben Castillo and small town waitress/house cleaner Raelynn Birdie, whose relationship started as a fling but grew into something so much more. Their chemistry was phenomenal, but I especially loved how sweet and protective Ben was of Raelynn. He supported her dreams in any way he could, even when she wasn't sure she believed in them herself. My heart melted every time he thought of her as "pure sunshine" because she really did bring the light back into his life.
 

In short, "King of the Court" gave me all the feels and I completely adored it. I highly recommend this book for all fans of contemporary/sports romance and can't wait to get my hands on whatever R.S. Grey writes next.

 

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

 

 

About "King of the Court"

We don’t get a lot of NBA superstars coming through little ol’ Pine Hill, Texas. That’s why everyone is all in a tizzy over the fact that the USA men’s Olympic basketball team will be training here of all places before this year’s Summer Games. With little else to talk about, rumors about the players have been spreading like wildfire, and there’s one man in the middle of it all holding a match.

Ben Castillo.
NBA champion.
Olympic gold medalist.
Widely hailed ‘King of the Court’.

The morning he walks into my dingy diner, I have enough sense to keep my head down and go right on wiping tables, pouring coffee, and serving up short stacks. A man who looks like that—superstar or not—has only ever meant trouble, and more trouble is the last thing I need, what with taking care of Nan and scraping by on tips from truckers.

If anything, he seems drawn to my indifference. His steely gaze pierces me behind the counter. My knees nearly buckle under the weight of his attention. But while Mr. Pretty Boy is probably used to snagging city girls with a smile, this gal is country strong.

I won’t be some clichéd convenience for him on his way through town.
So look over your choices carefully, Benny-boy. We serve up sides of hash browns here, not heartbreak.

 

Blog Tour + Review: "Spring Fever" by Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee

Today, I'm excited to take part in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Spring Fever" by Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee, episode #5 of the Dating Season series. Each installment builds on the events of the previous ones and follows the same main character, Chloe, so IMO it's best to read these novellas in order.

 

"Spring Fever" picks up right where the previous installment, "Winter Bloom," left off, just after Chloe's roommate and former crush, Austin, announced that he had broken up with his girlfriend, Lucy. In the days that follow, Chloe does her best to be a good friend to Austin and help him through the breakup, but things get complicated when he finally admits his feelings for her. Austin's timing couldn't be worse: Chloe is finally happy in her new relationship with musician Logan, who recently invited her to move in with him. Besides, Chloe moved on from her feelings for Austin months ago...didn't she?

Just as the previous installments of this series have been, this story was laugh-out-loud funny. Chloe and her best friend, Charlotte, consistently crack me up. They just seem to get each other, quirks and all. I also love Chloe's continued use of romance novels as a guide for how to handle situations when she's not sure how to proceed. The fact that most of them are biker/MC romances just makes it even funnier. Finally, I enjoyed the continued evolution of the dynamic between Chloe and Austin. Unlike some of the other guys Chloe has dated, I actually like Logan, but Austin is the one who has been there for her all along. I can't help but root for her to choose him in the end.

I can't believe there's only one episode left in this series! I highly recommend all of the episodes up to this point and can't wait to find out how Chloe's story ends.

 

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

 

 

About "Spring Fever"

It’s time for spring cleaning, but I’m not ready to toss Logan yet…

Out with the old, in with the new… a new me, that is. Now that Charlotte’s married, I, too, have decided to be mature. So Logan isn’t Austin--that’s okay. Better than okay. That’s what I’d wanted all along, someone just as kind and loving and--okay, smoking hot--as my roommate. But a kind, loving, smoking hot someone who likes me back.

Logan has basically been all my dreams come true.

If I could stop stressing about work for five whole minutes to appreciate it, I’m sure I would be really happy. Thank God I have Austin to keep me grounded. Literally, because he makes me garden with him now. And maybe it’s just the stress talking, but it kind of seems like he wants to put down roots too. How come no one told me maturity would be this complicated?

Episode five of six in the laugh-out-loud Dating Season series. 

 

Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Totally Folked" by Penny Reid

I'm delighted to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Totally Folked" by Penny Reid, book #1 of the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series. It's a spinoff of Reid's earlier Winston Brothers series set in the town of Green Valley, Tennessee, which is also home to the multi-author Green Valley Chronicles released by Reid's Smartypants Romance. Characters from previous books make return appearances in this one, but it reads as a complete standalone.

After hitting a rough patch in Hollywood, A-list actress Raquel "Rae" Ezra spontaneously decides to travel to Green Valley for a surprise visit with friend and former co-star Sienna Diaz. It's Rae's first time in Green Valley since Sienna's wedding to Jethro Winston five and a half years earlier, when she spent a memorable night with local sheriff's deputy Jackson James. They haven't been in contact since, but if Rae happened to run into Jackson while she's in town, she wouldn't exactly be disappointed. Meanwhile, Jackson has spent the last five and a half years trying to clean up his reputation as a playboy. He's ready to settle down and find something real, in the hopes that the community will embrace him when he runs for sheriff after his father's retirement.

Rae and Jackson didn't seem to have much in common at first, but there were actually a lot of similarities beneath the surface. They were each trying to prove that they were more than their reputations, as well as hoping to build relationships that would be real and lasting. I loved the slow burn that began to build between them when they saw each other again for the first time in more than five years. As soon as Jackson and Rae started talking to each other, it was like there was no one else in the room, and their flirty, witty banter was a ton of fun.

The book's secondary characters were also a ton of fun, especially Jackson's funny, sweet, and quirky friend Charlotte. She had a tough time after her husband walked out on her and their four kids, but she somehow managed to keep a positive attitude through it all. Even though she wasn't the right match for Jackson, Charlotte absolutely deserves an HEA of her own, so I'm thrilled that she will be featured in the next story.

Overall, I loved "Totally Folked" and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series. 

 

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

 

 

 

About "Totally Folked"

One unforgettable night leads to an unlikely shared connection, and unlikely connections never go unnoticed by the good folks in Green Valley, Tennessee. . .

Jackson James follows the rules. He has to. He’s a sheriff’s deputy in a super small town with a super big personality. However, strict adherence to the law during the day has been enjoyably balanced by rakish rules at night. Jackson, typically happy to protect and serve (and serve, and serve), starts questioning the value of wayward evenings when they begin to feel more like being waylaid rather than getting laid. Could it be that Green Valley's most eligible—and notorious—bachelor longs for something (and someone) real?

Mega movie star Raquel Ezra follows only one rule: always leave them wanting more. Strict adherence to this single rule has served her well. Studio execs, reporters, audiences, fans, lovers—no one can get enough of the smart, savvy, and sexy bombshell. But when “generous offers” begin to feel more like excessive demands, years of always leaving has the elusive starlet longing for something (and perhaps someone) lasting.

When Raquel abruptly returns to the quirky Tennessee hamlet, her path crosses with the delectable deputy with whom she spent one unforgettable night. Unfortunately, scandal and intrigue soon follow. Raquel and Jackson must decide which is more important: following their rules? Or, at long last, finding something real.

TOTALLY FOLKED is a standalone, contemporary romantic comedy novel and book #1 in the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.

 

Read an Excerpt from "Totally Folked"

“Rae. It’s late.”

“I know, but—”

“Rae,” he ground out, using my hold on his hand to bring us back to a stop. I faced him, my stomach erupting in uncertainty butterflies as I encountered the stern line of his jaw and the glittering, frustrated spark behind his eyes. “We need everyone to believe we’re just friends, right? And if we go inside the house, I don’t think I’m a good enough actor to pull that off.”

My mouth formed an O, and I released him, folding my arms over my chest while I wrestled with a strange combination of disappointment and pleasure at his words. I wanted to spend time with him, talk to him, get to know this mystery of a man so I could understand my feelings better.

But . . . I conceded his point.

We couldn’t seem to be around each other without kissing. Bringing him inside a dark, empty house in the middle of the night was something better left to my fantasies.

For now.

Oh really, inner voice? Now you’re impudent? Now?

He exhaled a short breath, it also sounded frustrated, but his tone was soft as he said, “Hey.”

I placed a tight smile on my face, it was the best I could manage. “Hey.”

Jackson seemed to be considering me, debating what to do next. He didn’t take too long. “Do you want to go for a drive?”

“Yes,” I said immediately. “Yes, I do. Let me grab a jacket.”

“Okay. I’ll wait here.” He shifted his weight to his back foot and hooked his thumbs in his jeans pockets.

I wanted to take a picture of him like this, all handsome reluctance and sexy self-control. This man, he just did something to me. I couldn’t explain it.

But maybe if we took this drive and spent some time together talking—just talking—I’d start to figure it out. 

***

Release Blitz + Review: "Creative Casanova" by K. Street

I'm thrilled to participate in today's release blitz celebrating the publication of "Creative Casanova" by K. Street, a standalone Cocky Hero Club novel inspired by "Playboy Pilot."

When kindergarten teacher Presley Gallagher decided to go out for a run through her new neighborhood, the last person she expected to (literally) run into was the man she hooked up with at her cousin's wedding three years earlier, metal artist Ryder DeLuca. What's even worse than their embarrassing collision? Ryder doesn't seem to recognize Presley at all. She flees the scene but can't quite escape Ryder, who shows up at a dinner hosted by her grandfather's lady friend, Mimi, a few days later. Presley is shocked to learn that Ryder is Mimi's grandson, and that he's raising an adorable 5-year-old boy, Zeke, who looks exactly like him. Was Presley a party to Ryder's cheating three years earlier, and is she really so forgettable that he still doesn't recognize her? For his part, Ryder is immediately drawn to Presley, but she's not exactly receptive to his advances. Can he convince her to give him a second chance?

Presley had a lot of emotional baggage to work through related to her parents, particularly her high-achieving mother, who always made her feel like she wasn't pretty or smart enough to live up to her standards. That was the main reason she was so upset when she met Ryder again and thought that he had completely forgotten about the night they spent together after her cousin's wedding. The truth is much more complex, however, and unfortunately the timing just wasn't right for them the first time around. They both had a lot of growing up to do before they were ready for a serious relationship. When they met again, Ryder and Presley were so cute together, whether they were spending time alone or as a family with Zeke. It was very easy for me to cheer them on to their HEA, and the epilogue actually had me crying happy tears.

The book's secondary characters were just as fantastic as Presley and Ryder. Their matchmaking grandparents, Mimi and Papa B, were so funny, and Ryder's little brother Zeke was an adorable scene stealer. I especially loved how affectionate Ryder was with Zeke. Even though I'm sure they both miss their parents and what life would have been like if they hadn't lost them, there's no way Zeke will ever feel anything less than completely loved and wanted in his brother's home.

Overall, I adored this funny, sweet, and heartwarming story and highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. It was the first book I've ever read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last. 

 

*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Give Me Books Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

About "Creative Casanova"

“What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?”

When Ryder DeLuca posed that question to me at my cousin’s wedding reception, the last thing I expected was to end up in his bed.

I was the kind of woman who lived inside the lines—until I broke the rules for a smooth-talking, creative Casanova.

I really shouldn’t have been surprised when I woke up alone in his hotel room.

Three years later, our worlds collided once more, and this time, I wasn’t only caught off guard by Ryder’s sexy, dimpled smirk, but also by the little boy standing at his side.

A little boy he never mentioned, who looked just like him and was old enough to be one of my kindergarten students.

The minute Ryder extended his hand to introduce himself, it was clear I had simply been another notch on his bedpost.

Anyone in my shoes would have assumed the same thing I did—that Ryder DeLuca was nothing more than a womanizing jerk.

Then again, you know what they say about assuming, don’t you?

Both of us were marred by a past we couldn’t change, but with a little help from fate, two geriatric cupids, and a dog named Turtle, we just might get our second chance.

Creative Casanova is a one-night stand/sudden guardian/second chance romance inspired by Playboy Pilot.