Release Blitz + Review: "Dating the Duke" by Emma Hart

Congratulations to author Emma Hart on the release of her latest novel, "Dating the Duke," book #2 of the Aristocrat Diaries series. Characters from the previous book (recently re-titled "Lady Love") make appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone.

 

Adelaide Astley trained as a teacher but quickly learned that while she enjoyed working with students one-on-one, managing an entire classroom wasn't for her. Now an aspiring author, she's battling a case of writer's block when her best friend's cousin Alexander Winthrop-Bentley, the Duke of Worcester, asks her to spend the summer tutoring his dyslexic 10-year-old daughter Olympia in reading and writing. It's not long before Addy's a full-time member of the ducal household, spending her mornings with Olympia, afternoons working on her novel, evenings playing chess with Alex or making friends with the local cross stitch group...and nights dreaming of Alex naked in the library. Alex is equally drawn to Addy, but he's reluctant to act on his feelings until a paparazzi photo of them attending a charity gala together hits the papers and speculation grows that the two of them are dating. Their relationship finally begins to heat up, but will they let fear get in the way of what could be a lasting love?

 

I loved Alex and Addy together because their relationship felt so easy and natural. They had plenty of chemistry, but it wasn't the only thing pulling them together; I could tell how much they genuinely enjoyed spending time in each other's company, even if all they were doing was drinking wine and reading together. (As a dork who loves British history, I got a few good laughs out of their Lancaster/York debates!) Alex was a devoted father to his daughter Olympia, and as such she played a key part in his relationship with Addy. I'll be the first one to admit that I don't know much about autism or dyslexia, but from my perspective those aspects of the story were handled very well, and I learned several things I didn't know before. 

Overall, I adored "Dating the Duke" and highly recommend it for all romantic comedy fans. I can't wait for the next book of the series, which will feature Addy's hilarious twin sister Eva and Matthew, the Earl of Anglesey.
 

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

 

 

About "Dating the Duke"

A duke and a writer walk into a bar, and the barman says—never mind. They’re in the library, and they’re not wearing any clothes. Oops.

My name is Adelaide Astley, and if there was anything remotely exciting about me to tell you, I would.
Sure, my uncle is the Duke of Leicester, and my mother bucked family tradition to marry “below” her and open a hotel, but I’m nothing but an aspiring author with a Tudor era obsession.
Oh, and I’m spending the summer tutoring the daughter of the current Duke of Worcester—who happens to be a regular in my highly inappropriate midnight dreams.
Thirty-year-old Alexander Winthrop-Bentley is so not my type, but hours of chess games and arguments over Tudor dynasties mean we’re thrown together more often than we should be. And when he shares with me that he needs a date for a charitable event, my mouth betrays me by offering myself up for the evening.
How I find myself naked in the library is another matter entirely. Ahem.
When the society papers declare us an item, neither of us have the heart to tell our families the truth. Only my twin sister and best friend know the truth, but they both agree we need to keep up the charade, even if only for the summer.
But when the end of August comes and my return home beckons, I have to ask myself a question.
Is it only his daughter who’s stolen my heart, or has Alexander done the very same thing? 

 

Release Blitz + Review: "Playing Dirty in Alaska" by Samanthe Beck

I'm happy to join the release blitz celebrating "Playing Dirty in Alaska" by Samanthe Beck, book #2 of the Captivity, Alaska series. Characters from the previous book make appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone. 

 

Alaskan bush pilot Bridget Shanahan is working on being more responsible so that she can help her brother Trace with the management of their family business, Captivity Air and Freight. He's heading off on his honeymoon and leaving her in charge of the airfield, and Bridget wants Trace to know that he can trust her to handle things while he's gone. The last thing she needs is her college ex-boyfriend, Archer Ellison III, showing up four years after their breakup, determined to win her back. Bridget wants nothing to do with Archer after the way he unceremoniously dumped her in college, though it's tough to fight the chemistry that is as strong as ever between them. When a silly dare leads to Bridget being injured, she can't afford to refuse Archer's offer of help in Trace's absence. Will it be the opening Archer needs to convince Bridget to give him another chance?

For the most part, I enjoyed Archer and Bridget's second chance romance. Their banter was fun and they certainly had plenty of chemistry. However, I was sometimes a bit uncomfortable with Archer's behavior towards Bridget because it felt manipulative. She was really vulnerable after losing her twin brother, Shay, in a plane crash a few months earlier. In the previous book of the series, Archer tried to take advantage of that to purchase Trace's interest in Captivity Air and Freight so that he could force Bridget to work with him. When that failed, he decided to move to Alaska and pursue her anyway. Despite Archer's behavior, I truly believed that he loved Bridget, and nothing he did was intended maliciously; it just didn't always feel honest. He wasn't very good at communicating with her, either. Bottom line, Archer wanted Bridget to trust him but wasn't willing to fully trust her, and that was a real problem right up until the end of the book.

Overall, I did enjoy and would recommend "Playing Dirty in Alaska," though "Wild in Captivity" remains my favorite of the series so far. I look forward to the next book.

 

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

 

 

About "Playing Dirty in Alaska"

Bush pilot Bridget Shanahan runs from responsibility like a child runs from a dentist appointment, but when her brother leaves the family’s airfield in her hands, she knows it’s time to step up and behave like a Responsible Adult ™. So of course that’s when Archer Ellison III blows into her tiny town of Captivity, Alaska, every inch the hot-as-hell mistake that most definitely belongs in her past. Been there, done that, and didn’t even get to keep the commemorative sweatshirt

Archer has only ever had two goals. Now that he’s built his own empire outside his father’s company, he can move on to goal #2—winning back the one who got away by whatever means necessary. He knows it won’t be easy. Bridget Shanahan is older, wiser, more self-assured, and jaw-droppingly stunning…and doing everything she can to pretend the scorching chemistry between them doesn’t exist.

But fate is on his side. After an impulsive bet that would have sent Archer packing goes awry, Bridget is officially stuck with him. Which is really inconvenient, since falling for Archer again is the least responsible thing she could do. 

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review: "Love on the Run" by Suzanne Rylee Ridolfi

Congratulations to Suzanne Rylee Ridolfi on the release of her novella "Love on the Run."

 

Relationship podcaster Lily Hart is a total romantic who loves love, at least until she realizes that she's not actually in love with her "perfect" boyfriend Henry. Fleeing the scene of Henry's public proposal a few days before Valentine's Day, Lily meets Lyft driver Blaze Steel and attempts to convince him to fill in as her date at the couples event she's hosting over the weekend, which has been heavily promoted on her podcast. At first, grumpy Blaze turns her down because he thinks chatty Lily is annoying, but they keep running into each other, and he eventually gives in. Can spending Valentine's Day together as fake dates lead to a real love connection?

"Love on the Run" had the potential to be a really cute, funny story; unfortunately, it fell flat in the execution. I found Lily to be overly dramatic and frankly rather annoying at times. She never seemed to shut up, even when she was alone. It was like she was always performing for an audience. There were also a number of bothersome plot and timeline inconsistencies, as well as details that just didn't make sense. For example, why was Lily's dog "purring" at one point? Finally, the story was in desperate need of further editing to address problems with punctuation and awkward, run-on sentences. The narration also randomly changed from first person to third person in the middle of several chapters, or from Lily's POV to Blaze's POV, without being labeled. It was incredibly confusing to follow at times. (To be fair, I read an advance review copy, so some of these issues may have been addressed prior to publication.)

 

Bottom line, I really wanted to like this story, but unfortunately, I can't recommend it. It's a shame because the author seems to have good story ideas. I hope she'll try again in the future.

 

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

 

About "Love on the Run"

Lily Hart is the semi-famous host of Love Lily, a podcast dedicated to love and relationships. Her bubbly enthusiasm for all things romance has caught the eye of a few swanky sponsors who offer her the chance to host a Valentine’s Day mega event. Unfortunately, Lily’s own happily-ever-after has hit a rocky patch. She’s not sure if Henry, her longtime boyfriend, is even the one. When they decide to discuss things over dinner, Lily’s left questioning everything she knows about love. She panics and calls for a getaway car.

Blaze Steel thinks the notion of love is a mythical fable made up to ruin his life. Instead of relationships he pours his energy into the opening of his new bar the Steel Taproom. Until it’s up and running, however, Blaze is forced to continue his duties as an Uber driver. When a frantic Lily jumps into the backseat of his car, Blaze doesn’t know what hit him. All he knows is he hopes he never has to lay eyes on this woman again.

Fate has different plans for them, as their paths continue to cross. When Lily realizes she can’t show up to her own event dateless, Blaze reluctantly agrees. No feelings, just a plus one. How hard could it be? After all, they’re the last couple in the world who would ever fall in love.

*For fans of sweet romance, Debbie Macomber books, and all things Hallmark. There is no steam, sweet short read. 

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Love on the Run"

“It’s your counseling session, not mine. The dollars are adding up. Just let me know when you are ready to put me out of my misery and drop you off.”

“Well, that wasn’t very nice. I’m paying you handsomely so the least you could do is be nice.”

“I don’t do nice,” he says, gruffly.

I scrunch up my nose in an attempt to create an angry face at the grumpy driver. I inch my body forward to try to get a better look. It’s the first time I’ve actually looked at the man that I’ve spent the last few hours divulging my deepest insecurities to. The first thing I notice is the sandy colored hipster man-bun that sits on the back of his head. His chiseled jaw appears clenched. He does have a remarkable profile, with a nose sculpted to perfection. The five o’clock shadow hides just enough for intrigue. Beneath his thermal I see the shape of remarkably muscular biceps. The right sleeve is pushed up a bit, revealing tattoos covering his forearm. He is everything Henry is not. He can’t possibly digest the raw emotions of the situation. The front wheels hit an ice patch and the rear end swerves to the left. My body slams into the back of his seat. His muscular arms tug tight on the wheel to regain traction. In all my sobbing, I hadn’t paid much attention to the state of the roads or the crushing snowstorm barreling down on us.

My heart rises to my throat. It's the first time that I have proof I still have a heart after my inexcusable actions. “I, I guess we could do a drive by first,” my voice struggles to eek out.

“Is that Kelly Drive?”

“Yes, that’s the address.”

And what does ``drive by`` mean?” His eyes remain on the road. The car catches a slick slice of pavement, and we veer toward the curb.

The wheels struggle to gain traction on the icy pavement as my street comes into view. A wave of panic twists my stomach into a corset. “A drive by, I’m sure you did them a thousand times to see if a girl was home or had company etc. you know everyone does them.”

His blue eyes stretch under his raised eyebrows.

I continue, “I’ll lay down on the seat. You check if it’s safe to return.”

“What the hell does safe look like?” he barks.

“Tell me if Lola is in the window. If someone is home, she’s never in the window.”

“Who the hell is Lola?”

“She’s a white Shih tzu.” He shakes his head. I drop my body onto the seat. He pulls to a stop and the car continues to slide. “You can come up now. Your watch dog is still on duty. That will be $403.59.”

I’m propelled to an upright position. “You can’t be serious?”

“Dead serious. You hijacked my entire night. And I charge double in bad weather.”

Tears well up from deep inside, even though I was sure there were none left. “I, I’m sorry, you’re right. I messed up this whole night.” My fingers ruffle through my purse scrambling for money. I find a five in the zip front of the interior. A ten-dollar bill in my wallet and two crumpled dollar bills under my glass case.

“Oh, for God’s sake, just get out,” he barks.

“Take this. It’s all I have right now. If you come back tomorrow, I promise I’ll pay you the rest.”

“Lady, you couldn’t pay me enough to come back tomorrow.”

“Thank you, what did you say your name is?”

“I didn’t.”

I open the door and step out; ice engulfs my heel. One foot begins to slide to the left and the other heads right. Clinging mercilessly to the door handle, I struggle to get traction. My legs begin to delve into a straddle. He appears over me. He’s much taller than I expected. With one hand he scoops me up and props me onto my feet, then slams the door and heads to his side of the car.

My eyes meet his, I smile at his chivalry. With a half-crooked smile I say, “The weather is horrendous. Text me to let me know you got home okay.”

“Not gonna happen,” he says before jumping in the car, slamming his door, and driving away.

 

***

Release Blitz + Review: "Decker: Changing the Play" by Kayley Loring and Connor Crais

I'm delighted to participate in the release/review blitz celebrating "Decker: Changing the Play" by Kayley Loring and Connor Crais, book #1 of the Boston Tomcats series.

Having earned an MBA and built a successful career as a wealth manager, Hannah Strong is incredibly smart when it comes to finance. However, she knows absolutely nothing about football, so it comes as a surprise when she learns that her estranged father, Jerry, has left her his beloved NFL franchise, the Boston Tomcats. Even though she resents the team because she believes her father loved it more than her, she's determined to learn everything she needs to know to be a good owner. Unfortunately, she gets off on the wrong foot with the team's star quarterback, Johnny Decker, but after a few very public missteps, she's forced to ask him for help. It's not long before sparks are flying between them both on and off the field.

Hannah and Decker were both likeable, three-dimensional characters, and I found it easy to root for them both individually and as a couple. Decker was a terrific leader and I loved how loyal he was to his team, even though that sometimes made it difficult for him to see their weaknesses. Hannah could be painfully awkward at times, especially when it came to public speaking, but IMO that only made her more endearing. Also, I sympathized with the challenges she faced in trying to understand all of the football rules, plays, and terminology. Even though I've been watching football with my dad and brother since I was little, there's no way I will ever understand all the nuances of the game! I really admired the fact that Hannah never stopped trying to learn, no matter how difficult it seemed.

The story took several twists and turns I did not see coming, which made it tough for me to put down. I couldn't wait to find out how Decker and Hannah would overcome the challenges they faced and end up together. I also enjoyed the humorous aspects of the story, especially Hannah's friend Jen's obsession with football pants and her father Jerry's funeral, which seemed more like a pep rally to me. Even though it was supposed to be a somber occasion, I couldn't help laughing at some of what went on. 

 

Kayley Loring is a fantastic writer on her own, but working with Connor Crais added a whole new dimension to this story that I absolutely loved. I highly recommend "Decker: Changing the Play" and can't wait to find out what's next from these authors.

 

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

 

About "Decker: Changing the Play"

#12 Johnny Decker. Star quarterback for the Boston Tomcats. Two-time Super Bowl MVP...a decade ago. Nickname: Decker the Panty Wrecker.

I get tackled for a living by men who are built like rhinos. I could take the wings off a fly with a football from 30 yards away. (I wouldn’t, but I could.) Being a veteran quarterback means I’m a mentally alert, fine-tuned athletic machine who can make split-second decisions.

It’s my job to anticipate what’s going to happen next and adapt. But I couldn’t have anticipated the death of our beloved team owner.

His estranged daughter Hannah Strong is a finance nerd from New York. She knows less than nothing about football. Know what she didn’t anticipate? Inheriting the Boston Tomcats.

She’s stubborn, uptight, infuriating, and wrong about absolutely everything—from pizza to how to run my team. And I don’t want to talk about how good she looks in a skirt. Or daydream about how good she’d look out of it.
Really, I don’t.
I’m not Decker the Panty Wrecker anymore—I’ve changed.

I can’t stop arguing with her.

Or thinking about her.

I thought I had a winning play.
But Hannah Strong changed everything.

 

Release Blitz + Excerpt + Review: "A Christmas Promise" by Abby Everheart

I'm pleased to join the release blitz promoting "A Christmas Promise" by Abby Everheart, book #1 of the Christmas Mountain RomComs series. 

 

Chris Mohr's brother Karl is getting married in Colorado, and to celebrate, he's arranged a three-week vacation for the entire wedding party before the big day. Workaholic Chris isn't happy about spending so much time away from the office, especially in a small town in the middle of nowhere, but figures he'll use the time to work remotely. Knowing how badly Chris needs to relax, his brother outwits him by taking his fiancee to a ski resort for some alone time before the wedding, leaving best man Chris to handle the final details with event planner May Caldwell. At first, neither May nor Chris is happy with the arrangement; May's just been hired to plan her town's first community Christmas event, and she doesn't have time to put up with Chris and his shenanigans. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they're attracted to each other, but both are battling demons from the past that stand in the way of a potential relationship. 

I think this book had a bit of an identity crisis. The author really wanted it to be a romantic comedy, but the problem was that it dealt with some pretty heavy subjects, including the death of Chris's first wife and child and an intense incident of bullying when May was in high school. There was also a random plot thread involving sabotage and potential stalking that IMO didn't serve much purpose but, again, doesn't exactly fit with my idea of a romantic comedy. Beyond that, several key elements of the plot felt forced to me. For example, why would Chris, who made a big deal early in the book about hating meetings, volunteer to accompany May to meetings that had nothing to do with his brother's wedding? Surely there were plenty of wedding-related reasons for them to spend time together (e.g. finding a venue, cake tasting, and choosing the caterer and menu). Finally, I never really felt any chemistry between May and Chris, and their relationship felt incredibly rushed.

 

There were also a number of random details about the story that bothered me. For example, why were the characters constantly hitting and punching each other? May slapped or punched her assistant Riley in the arm multiple times before I'd even read the first 10% of the book, and Riley was doing the same to Chris less than an hour after they met. Later in the book, May and Chris repeatedly drove around with her little 3-year-old nephew on May's lap instead of in a car seat - obviously unsafe, but made even worse by the fact that Chris's child died in a car accident.
 

Overall, there were a lot of little annoyances that added up with this book, and while I didn't hate it, I have a tough time recommending it. That said, it may appeal to fans of sweet contemporary romance.

 

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

 

 

About "A Christmas Promise"

Humor with heart. Get ready to laugh, cry, and have a happily ever after.

A pug who loves to eat decorations, a saboteur, and a Christmas wedding. What could go wrong? Get ready for heartwarming second chances and laugh out loud shenanigans.

When May is hired to plan a December wedding, she finds more than she bargained for when her client’s brother walks onto the scene. But May has a goal, and it doesn’t involve snarky doctors.

Chris has two great successes in life. One, he’s built a billion-dollar company. Two, he doesn’t let women drag him into serious relationships. Then he meets his brother’s wedding planner and his perfectly constructed world is turned upside down.

As May and Chris battle each other – and their feelings – they must find the saboteur who’s trying to undermine May’s plans for the Christmas festival, and keep May’s pug from destroying all the decorations.

A Christmas Promise is a complete Christmas romantic comedy standalone in the Christmas Mountain RomCom series. 

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "A Christmas Promise"

It irked him to no end that his mind wouldn’t cooperate with him and kept flashing images of her as he scrolled through emails and dictated documents to be sent to organizational leadership.

His agony ended with a knock on the door. He opened it, and a gust of freezing air made him grit his teeth and step back. “Come on in before I freeze to death.”

May hesitated, then stepped inside, and he shut the door.

“Coffee?” he offered.

“No, thank you.” She crossed her wrists and folded her hands together, sporting a cute pair of black mittens with red embroidery.

“Are you now going to tell me you run on glitter and stardust instead of caffeine like the rest of us mere mortals?” He poured the rest of his coffee into a thermos.

“Wow, how did you ever guess?”

He wasn’t facing her, so his grin was hidden from her. Yep, he was getting to her. The thought made him far too happy. After throwing on his coat and grabbing his thermos, he opened the door for her, and she delicately stepped out.

“Hmm, maybe it’s fairy dust you run on. You walk like a pixie,” he said behind her.

She turned to look at him and stepped back, away from him.

Why? He took a step to follow her, and it became apparent why she’d given him room. His legs flew out from underneath him, and he landed on his back, his upper body draped over the threshold of the door.

She covered her face with her hand as he caught his breath, and he guessed she was trying not to let him see her laugh.

He sat up, wincing as his rib cage throbbed. May cleared her throat and offered a hand.

“Perhaps you’ll now find it’s a good idea to walk like a delicate pixie when it’s this icy.”

He had to hand it to her—she’d won this round. He took her hand and carefully got his feet under him, trying not to put any weight on her as she attempted to help stabilize him. He looked down at her, changing his grip from her hand to the more stable doorframe. “Don’t think I can’t see the upturn of your lips, lady. Feeling good about my fall, eh?”

She tilted her head and looked up at him with a mischievous smile brushing across her full lips. “You have no idea.”

He huffed a laugh. “Guess I deserve that.”

“Be careful the rest of the way to the car. And I’d suggest sending a message to whoever you’re renting this place from so they can call someone out to lay down some salt.” She stepped away and walked across the porch, holding onto the railing as she descended the stairs.

Taking a breath, he pulled the door closed and eased after her. He didn’t need to fall twice to learn his lesson. One embarrassing episode was enough for today.

“Riley isn’t along today?” Chris asked as they buckled in.

“He’s going to meet me, or us if you want, for dinner. But no, he doesn’t work Saturdays if he’s already worked all week.”

“But you do.”

She glanced at him before focusing back on the road. “It’s my business, and I’m still growing it to where I want to be. I work almost every day.”

It was a good thing Karl wasn’t there to overhear their conversation. Chris could hear his brother’s voice in his head going, look at that, someone just like you. Only, Chris used work to hide from his pain. But what was she hiding from? Hmm, something to find out.

His phone chirped, and he pulled it from his pocket. A picture popped up on text. Karl and Gloria in full winter ski gear with a backdrop of a sparkling white mountain and busy ski lift.

Thanks, bro was the text, and Chris couldn’t help but smile. His brother deserved this. He worked hard and had helped to pull Chris out of his own mind when he’d been in a really bad place all those years ago. He owed Karl a lot.

Looks like you actually know what you’re doing. Be careful. He sent his message and pushed the phone back into his pocket.

May glanced at him but didn’t ask. “This first venue is what I call a log manor. It’s huge and exquisitely rustic. I think you’ll like it. I would recommend we look at the other three I have lined up as well, but I believe this one holds the most promise for what they want. It’s not as big as I would like it to be since I prefer there to be flex room just in case, but it will accommodate the size group they’ve specified. There’s also a great kitchen and the caterer that I managed to get has cooked in it before, which is a huge bonus in moving this along smoothly.”

“You have a good eye, so I’m sure it will be just what we need. I’m interested to see it.”

She stopped at a red light and stared at him.

Why was she looking at him so dumbfounded? “What?” he asked. “Did I suddenly sprout another head?”

“No. You gave me a compliment.”

Ah. “Well, don’t let it go to your head. And stop staring at me. The light is green.”

She pulled forward. “I’m just shocked you had it in you.”

“I fully plan to continue to shock you throughout these weeks, so be prepared.”