Cover Reveal for BEDMATES!

Hi there! I’m sharing a cover for a new contemporary romance form best-selling author Nichole Chase. I really liked FLUKES and THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN, and BEDMATES looks like it’s going to be a good one!

About the book:

Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you’re the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire’s latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president’s son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride.

Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They’re like oil and water and every time they’re together, it’s combustible. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and it’s not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters.

When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he’s resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn’t about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie’s fallen for him, and she’ll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can’t lose.

Interested? You can find BEDMATES on Goodreads, for now! It releases in October.

About the Author:

Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal and Recklessly Royal. She lives in Georgia with her husband, toddler, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you can find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

You can catch up with Nichole on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

This Family is TOO HOT TO HANDLE–Release Day Review

Hi there! I’m so excited to share a release day review for a fantastic contemporary romance from Tessa Bailey. TOO HOT TO HANDLE is the first book in her new Romancing The Clarksons series, and it’s definitely an adventure, so far. Expect sexy!

About the book:
When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble . . .
The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .

Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.

How about a little taste?

The roof! The roof! The roof is…literally on fire.

Rita Clarkson stood across the street from Wayfare, the three-star Michelin restaurant her mother had made a culinary sensation, and watched it sizzle, pop, and whoosh into a smoking heap. Some well-meaning citizen had wrapped a blanket around her shoulders at some point, which struck her as odd. Who needed warming up this close to a structural fire? The egg-coated whisk still clutched in her right hand prevented her from pulling the blanket closer, but she couldn’t force herself to set aside the utensil. It was all that remained of Wayfare, four walls that had witnessed her professional triumphs.

Or failures, more like. There had been way more of those.

Tonight’s dinner-service plans had been ambitious. After a three-week absence from the restaurant, during which she’d participated in the reality television cooking show In the Heat of the Bite—and been booted off—Rita had been determined to swing for the fences her first night back. An attempt to overcompensate? Sure. When you’ve flamed out in spectacular fashion in front of a national TV audience over a fucking cheese soufflé, redemption is a must.

She could still see her own rapturous expression reflecting back from the stainless steel as she’d carefully lowered the oven door, hot television camera lights making her neck perspire, the boom mic dangling above. It was the kind of soufflé a chef dreamed about, or admired in the glossy pages of Bon Appétit magazine. Puffed up, tantalizing. Edible sex. With only three contestants left in the competition, she’d secured her place in the finals. Weeks of “fast-fire challenges” and bunking with neurotic chefs who slept with knives—all worth it, just to be the owner of this soufflé. A veritable feat of culinary strength.

And then her bastard fellow contestant had hip-bumped her oven, causing the center of her divine, worthy-of-Jesus’s-last-supper soufflé to sag into ruin.

What came next had gotten nine hundred forty-eight thousand views on YouTube. Last time she’d checked, at least.

My Review:

This is the first book in a series that follows the four Clarkson siblings as they make a pilgrimage from San Diego to NYC for the New Years’ Day Polar Bear Plunge in honor of their late mother–the renown chef Miriam Clarkson.

Rita, Peggy, Aaron and Belmont are estranged adult siblings who’ve never really clicked. Their mom knew this and left a journal with the directive that they all gather in Coney Island on New Years to jump in the Atlantic–as an homage to the miracle that kick-started her own life. There is little of the journal revealed, but we know that Rita has read bits–enough to share their mother’s wish on the night her sibs gather around to watch their mother’s (now Rita’s) restaurant Wayfare burn to the ground. Rita followed her mother’s giant footprints and worked side-by-side with her in the restaurant for years. Rita had been on service that night, the first time since she returned from an epic TV cooking contest flame-out, and she’s wrecked over the loss, but only partially. The rest of her is grateful for a new start, in ANYTHING but cooking.

Goth-girl Rita’s almost knocked over when her brothers and sister agree to join her on the road trip to New York–the long drive necessary because Rita doesn’t fly. She also doesn’t get along with her siblings. Silent Belmont, survivor of a well mishap, Aaron, smooth and smarmy politician, or Peggy, ultimate cheerleader-personal-shopper and four times engaged but never married, are all a mystery to her. Mostly, Rita’s a loner, and she likes it that way. A lot. Well, mostly.

Their vehicle breaks down in Godforsaken, New Mexico (just kidding, it’s actually called Hurley) and a cowboy-slash-motorcycle-god drives up to offer assistance. Jasper Ellis is going on 2 years of forced celibacy, to restore his self-respect after years of manwhoring around. He’s been the talk of his tiny town too long and strives to build a better legacy than his bar, the irreverently named “Liquor Hole”–yes, that’s not an unfortunate pun. (Say it fast, and you get the idea…) He’s about to open an eatery, and he’s immediately attracted to Rita.

What should be a simple overnight stay in Hurley turns into several days as Jasper manipulates time and space to keep Rita nearby. She’s attracted, no doubt, but he’s not really willing to let her get a free ride and toddle off–no matter what his body wants. The dialogue, both internal and external, is absolutely inflammatory, folks. It’s a dirty talk fest that won’t quit. And I liked it bunches. I liked how Jasper was desperate for a woman to find value in him, as a person, and not just as a pleasure giver. Rita’s never felt attractive, and Jasper’s arousal validates her in ways she never expected–and frustrates her, too. She’s on this mission with her siblings, she can’t possibly stay in Hurley with a guy she’s just met. Right?

I really liked the way the relationships between the siblings expanded and grew in this pressure-cooker time of togetherness. There are some very sweet and tender moments, and some that are just trainwreck-gazing. How Belmont handles/mishandles his attraction for Peggy’s bestie, Sage. How Aaron and Rita antagonize, and then sympathize, with each other. How Peggy manipulates everyone with her emotional outbursts…

What’s growing between Rita and Jasper is intense, and HAWT. It’s an ode to dirty-filthy-fantastic sexytimes, and all that with no actual penetration for a good long teasing time. The sexual tension is off the grid, knocked completely from the playing field somewhere into the stratosphere. When it’s finally realized, the payoff is killer. Some of the hottest scenes I’ve read in a LONG time. Woo boy! But Jasper is bound to stay in Hurley, and Rita has plans to continue connecting with her siblings and start a new life in NYC. Their life trajectories are not on parallel courses…but they could be.

I liked the end–which is a total HEA–and I liked where the series is going. I’m so eager to read the next book.

interested? You can find TOO HOT TO HANDLE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and GooglePlay. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

About the Author:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

You can catch up to Tessa online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Getting it Good–FALLING UNDER YOU-Excerpt and Review!

Hi there! I’m so excited to share a review for a a new novella from Laurelin Paige. FALLING UNDER YOU is a spin-off from the Fixed series, featuring CFO Norma Anders finding love where she least expects it…in her own office. As you know I really enjoyed FIXED ON YOU and HUDSON, so I jumped at the chance to get this one.

About the book:

Norma Anders has always prided herself on her intelligence and determination. She climbed out of poverty, put herself through school and is now a chief financial advisor at Pierce Industries. She’s certainly a woman who won’t be topped. Not in business anyway.

But she’s pretty sure she’d like to be topped in the bedroom.

Unfortunately most men see independence and ambition in a woman and they run. Even her dominant boss, Hudson Pierce has turned down her advances, leaving her to fear that she will never find the lover she’s longing for.

Then the most unlikely candidate steps up. Boyd, her much-too-young and oh-so-hot assistant surprises her one night with bold suggestions and an authoritative demeanor he’s never shown her in the office.

It’s a bad idea…such a deliciously bad idea…but when Boyd takes the reins and leads her to sensual bliss she’s never known, the headstrong Norma can’t help but fall under his command.

How about a little taste?

I groaned and threw the covers off of me, heading for the shower. Usually I ran first, and I still planned to, but I needed something to cool the fire in my veins. Hopefully standing under an ice cold stream of water would do the trick.

It didn’t.

I tried running next, opting for ten miles instead of my normal six, thinking maybe I could sweat out the lust like it was a cold. Or was that a fever? Whatever, I came back tired, achy and soaked in perspiration, and the buzz between my legs was stronger than ever.

I was distracted by it through the rest of the morning. Gwen and I caught up on America’s Got Talent before she planned to go to bed for the day—her job at a nightclub kept her on a strange schedule. Afterward, I couldn’t remember a single thing I’d watched, but I could recall with clarity every moment I’d spent with Boyd the night before. That wasn’t a subject I planned on discussing with Gwen, though. So most of my responses to her were nods and grunts. Then she’d gone to sleep, thankfully, except after that I was left alone with the agony of my desire.

The rest of the night was more of the same, and Sunday as well. By Monday morning, I’d run over twenty miles, cleaned my entire house, taken five showers, and not thought about Boyd Barrett about a thousand times. Maybe even two thousand times. And now I had to go to work and face him.

Help me God.

I decided to go in early. That way I could sneak into my office without having to pass him on the way in. It wasn’t until I was in the elevator on my way to my floor that I remembered I also didn’t want to see Hudson. Several years with a clean, respectable work record, and in one evening I’d shattered my reputation with not one, but two, colleagues. The two colleagues who were the most important to me, no less.

Jesus, maybe I did need to quit.

It wasn’t yet seven, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Hudson were already working. Often, he slept in the loft above his office, which made an early appearance more probable than one from Boyd. Anxiety rose in my chest, an odd feeling for me since I was usually composed and calm. As soon as the doors opened, I ducked my head and scurried down the hallway, letting out a sigh of relief when I made it past Hudson’s office without seeing him.

And then gasping sharply when I ran into him, instead, outside my own office.

“Norma, I was hoping you’d be here early. I wondered if I could have a few minutes of your time.”

My Review:

Norma is a Take Charge professional woman who struggles to find a man that can satisfy. She longs for a man who isn’t intimidated by her brusque personality and workaholic lifestyle. For Norma, the man must be more “alpha” than she is, able to take charge in a way that allows her to relax her iron control. She *thinks* her boss, Hudson Pierce, might be the right man, but he rebuffs her without a second thought.

She never expected her personal assistant, Boyd, would be the stand-up man she craves, but he’s got a dominant side he’s kept hidden, alongside his smoldering attraction for her. Norma’s put off–at first. Boyd’s eight years younger, and her assistant–besides not wanting to lose his professional skills, there’s a work-place regulation prohibiting dating between status classes. Still, Boyd turns her on, and turns her inside out.

I liked this one, a lot. Boyd’s a fantastic character, and he’s so good for Norma. I think I just wanted more. More of their loving sides, more of their relationship building…just more. Their story is so wonderful, I want more than a novella! *shrugs*

Interested? You can find FALLING UNDER YOU on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author:

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | FALLING UNDER YOU on Goodreads

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Out Now! MISTER O–Excerpt and Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m so excited to share a glimpse at a sexy new romantic comedy by Lauren Blakely. MISTER O is a standalone contemporary romance but features characters from her recent hit, BIG ROCK.

Catch the excerpt and be sure to enter the Sexy gift basket giveaway below!

About the book:

Just call me Mister O. Because YOUR pleasure is my super power.

Making a woman feel ‘oh-god-that’s-good’ is the name of the game, and if a man can’t get the job done, he should get the hell out of the bedroom. I’m talking toe-curling, mind-blowing, sheet-grabbing ecstasy. Like I provide every time.

I suppose that makes me a superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to always deliver.

But then I’m thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. The only problem? She’s my best friend’s sister, but she’s far too tempting to resist–especially when I learn that sweet, sexy Harper has a dirty mind too and wants to put it to good use. What could possibly go wrong as I give the woman I’ve secretly wanted some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction?

No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. Okay, a few hundred. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. Not on that! Or if she gives me those f*&k-me-eyes on the train in front of her whole family.

The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. And for the first time ever, I’m not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure –I’m thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come.

Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun….

How about a yummy taste?

PROLOGUE

          Ask me my three favorite things and the answers are so easy they roll off my tongue. Hitting a homerun for my softball league, drawing a killer cartoon panel, and, oh yeah, making a woman come so hard she sees stars.

            Not gonna lie. That last one is my favorite, by about a mile. Giving a woman a sheet-grabbing, toe-curling, mind-blowing orgasm is pretty much the Best Thing Ever.

            A woman’s climax is like summer break, Christmas morning, and a vacation in Fiji all rolled together in one fantastic package of window-shattering bliss.

            Hell, if we could harness the beauty and energy from women coming, we could probably power cities, solve global warming, fix every problem known to man. The female orgasm is basically the manifestation of everything good in the world.

            Especially when I deliver them, and I’ve given thousands upon thousands. I’m like a superhero of pleasure, a good-deed doer, the once-upon-a-geek-now-a-stud, and my mission is to dispense as many climaxes to my lovers as possible.

            How have I managed to achieve this amazing feat? Simple. I’m both a student and a master of the art of giving Os. I consider myself an expert because — in the interest of full disclosure here — I’m completely, 100% obsessed with a woman’s enjoyment between the sheets. Getting her off is the name of the game, and if you can’t get that job done, you should get the hell out of the bedroom.

            But, hey, I’m also humble enough to admit I’m still a learner.

            Since there is always something new to discover with a woman.

            Does she want it soft, hard, fast, light, rough? Does she like it with teeth, toys, my cock, my tongue, my fingers? Would she want a little something extra, like a feather, a vibrator, or some sort of fantastic combination of all of the above? Every woman is different and every path to her pleasure is its own erotic journey with so many fantastic stops to make along the way.

            I take mental notes, study her cues, and always get out and do the field work.

            I suppose that makes me the Magellan of the female orgasm. A true explorer, venturing forth, fearless and ready at any moment, to map the terrain of her pleasure until she cries out in rapture.

            Fine, some might say I have an addiction.

            But really, is it a bad thing that I love to make the woman I’m with feel good? If that makes me a guy with a one-track mind, then I’m guilty as fucking charged. I’ll freely admit that when I meet a woman I’m into, I’m picturing in seconds what she looks like coming, how she sounds, how I want to send her soaring.

            The trouble is, there’s one woman I just can’t go there with, even though lately my brain desperately wants to figure out how to drive her wild. It’s been an epic battle, and I’ve had to keep her in a special drawer, locked, sealed and key thrown away because she is the definition of hands off.

            Which sucks royally because she’s about to make things even harder with the words that come out of her mouth.

Wow! This one looks…satisfying! 😉

interested? You can find MISTER O on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo and iBooks.

GIVEAWAY

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a Mister O designed gift basket filled with (sexy) toys and (dirty) games!!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With nine New York Times bestsellers,her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller List more than three dozen times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love and Fighting Fire. She recently released BIG ROCK, a sexy standalone romantic comedy that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. In the late spring, she’ll release MISTER O, another standalone romantic comedy.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

Building Love: LISTEN TO ME–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a release day review for a spectacular contemporary romance from Kristen Proby. LISTEN TO ME is a tender read featuring a romantically-downtrodden gal and the rocker who turns his life around.

Catch my review, an excerpt, and enter to win a grand prize of TWO $25 gift cards–one for books and one for tunes…

About the book:

In New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby’s brand new series, five best friends open a hot new restaurant, but one of them gets much more than she bargained for when a sexy former rock star walks through the doors—and into her heart.

Seduction is quickly becoming the hottest new restaurant in Portland, and Addison Wade is proud to claim 1/5 of the credit. She’s determined to make it a success and can’t think of a better way to bring in new customers than live music. But when former rock star Jake Keller swaggers through the doors to apply for the weekend gig, she knows she’s in trouble. Addie instantly recognizes him—his posters were plastered all over her bedroom walls in high school—he’s all bad boy…exactly her type and exactly what she doesn’t need.

Jake Keller walked away from the limelight five years ago and yearns to return to what’s always driven him: the music. If he gets to work for a smart-mouthed, funny-as-hell bombshell, all the better. But talking Addie into giving him the job is far easier than persuading her that he wants more than a romp in her bed. Just when she begins to drop her walls, Jake’s past finally catches up with him.

Will Addie be torn apart once again or will Jake be able to convince her to drown out her doubts and listen to her heart?

How about a little taste?

“‘In summary,’” Cami, one of my very best friends, and a business partner, reads from the Portland Tribune, “‘Seduction is a restaurant unlike any other I’ve experienced. The food is delicious, the wine bar impressive, and the ambiance so sexy, it will take your breath away. I highly recommend this restaurant for your next date night.’”

“I want to send that reviewer flowers,” Mia says with a wide smile. “Who would have thought that just six months after opening this place, we’d already have a review like this?”

“Well, it’s a no-brainer that they’d love the food,” I reply, and reach for the paper so I can read it again for the fifteenth time. “You’re a genius in the kitchen, Mia. We’ve known that since we were in high school.”

“I still get nervous, especially now that I never know who the customers are going to be. We didn’t even get a heads-up that this guy was going to be here.” Mia bites the cuticle on her thumb and frowns. “Maybe I should add to the menu.”

“The menu is perfect,” Cami replies with a shake of her blond head.

“He loved us.”

We smile at each other, and finally I do a little happy dance in my seat. We haven’t opened for the day yet. Kat and Riley, the final two business partners in our fivesome, haven’t arrived. But Mia, Cami, and I have read this article over and over again, smiling and dancing.

Rejoicing.

Because damn it, we’ve worked our asses off since we opened the doors six months ago. All of our eggs are in this basket. We can’t fail.

And we won’t.

We hear the front door open and close, and I expect to see either Riley or Kat, but instead Jeremy saunters into the dining room, looking all rumpled and messy from sleep. His eyelids are still heavy. His chin is scruffy. His blond hair is standing on end, still in chaos from my fingers last night.

Jesus, this man makes my hormones work overtime.

He grins and kisses my head, then picks up my coffee and sits next to me.

“Why are you here?” Cami asks with a frown. “I’m in too good of a mood to have to pretend to like you.”

I glare at my best friend, but she just shrugs.

“My girlfriend is here,” Jeremy replies and sips my coffee. “I missed her.”

“Please,” Mia whispers with a roll of the eyes. My friends used to like Jeremy, in the beginning, but now they make it no secret that they don’t care for him. But they are just overprotective. They don’t want to see me get hurt. Sure, he’s a musician. Not a particularly gifted one at that, but he does well, booking gigs for his band, Hells Roses, regularly.

And, oh my God, what the man can do in the bedroom should be a felony. He makes me laugh, and despite his arrogant persona around everyone else, he has moments of real vulnerability and sweetness when we’re alone.

Is he the one? Probably not, but I’m pretty much convinced that the one was invented by romance novelists and Disney. “Be nice,” I snap and continue to read the paper. “We got a kick-ass review in the Tribune,” I inform Jeremy with a grin.

“Of course you did,” he replies and kisses my cheek. “Are the music reviews in there too?” He snatches the paper and shifts through the pages, then reads through the reviews of the music and club scene in Portland. “Not one fucking mention?”

Cami catches my gaze, then crosses her eyes in annoyance. I simply shrug. He’s not in the restaurant business. He wouldn’t understand what a big deal this is for us.

“I’ve been thinking,” I begin, and lean my elbows on the table. “Now that business is picking up, I think we should add live music on the weekends.”

“Sorry, cupcake,” Jeremy says with a sigh. “We’re booked.”

Thank God. Jeremy’s band isn’t the one I’d want for my place. But rather than jab at his ego, I simply smile and kiss his shoulder.

“I know, babe. But I’d still like to bring in someone.

Maybe just a one-person act, just a microphone and a stool, you know?”

“We can afford it,” Cami replies with a thoughtful frown. Cami is our chief financial officer. She handles all things money, and she’s a wizard at adding up figures in her head. “Who are you thinking?”

“I don’t know.” I reach for my coffee mug and frown when I see that Jeremy has sucked down every last drop. “Babe, will you please run over to Starbucks and get us more coffee?”

“I forgot my wallet,” he replies with a scowl. I reach into my bag and pass him a twenty. “You got it.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh, and one place you might look for a musician,” he adds as he steps away from the table, “is the open-mic night at Crush this Saturday. There are usually some good acts there. I’d bet you’d find what you’re looking for.”

I grin at my sexy boyfriend and blow him a kiss. “Thank you.”

He winks and saunters out of the restaurant. When the door closes behind him, Mia shakes her head at me. “Seriously?”

“Open mic night is a brilliant idea,” I inform her. “That’s not what she’s talking about,” Cami says. “Jeremy is a douche bag.”

“He is not.” I roll my eyes and sit back in my chair. Okay, maybe he has douchey moments. “He’s sweet. And sexy.”

“And mooching off of you. His wallet was in his back pocket,” Mia argues. “And I’ll bet all of this month’s chocolate budget that he’s staying with you too.”

“His roommate moved out, and he couldn’t afford his place alone.”

“Addie.” Cami reaches for my hand. “You are not a doormat.”

“He doesn’t treat me like a doormat.”

“Yes. He does.” Mia sighs and takes my other hand. “You deserve so much better.”

“I love you both,” I begin, my stomach heaving. “I know you just want to protect me. Jeremy is a good guy. I like him.”

“Okay.” Cami sips her coffee, then shrugs one slim shoulder. “But when he breaks your heart, we’ll be here.”

“Let’s talk about this open-mic night. Who’s going with me?”

Mia and Cami exchange glances.

“I’ll be working,” Mia says. “I have some new Saturday night specials I want to try.”

“I don’t want to,” Cami says honestly. “I trust you to find exactly what we need.”

“I’ll take Kat.” I chew my lip, ideas already swirling in my head. “She’s a good judge of these things.”

“Good idea.”

The door opens again.

“Oh good. Mr. Wonderful is back,” Cami mutters.

My Review:

This is the first book of a new series and thoroughly enjoyable. The series will revolve around the lives of five women who own and run a restaurant, Seduction, in Portland.

Addison has a broken man-picker, always falling for the bad-boy rocker who is guaranteed to break her heart. She’s barely past the latest doofus, Jeremy, when she catches the attention of Jake Knox, of the rock band Hard Knox. Jake’s band broke up five years ago, but he’s still writing and producing music. Though he hasn’t performed in public in those five years, he turns up at an open mic night and captivates Addie–even though she knows she won’t pursue him. Why bother? All these musicians are bad news.

Thing is, Jake isn’t. Well, not anymore. He still wears the guilt of a friend’s injury like a shroud–which is why he doesn’t perform and is totally clean and sober. That one night, that single song performance, however, has awoken the sleeping beast within him, and he turns up at Seduction to answer their call for a live musician, on a friend’s recommendation.

Addison wants to stay far away from Jake, but she can’t–not now that he’s playing in her restaurant two nights a week. It’s a nice little sexual tension build up–nothing happens for a few weeks, not until Addie’s ex–Jeremy–shows up. And even then, there’s little in the way of romance, just an immediate human connection that both Addie and Jake really need. A friendship, with the potential for far more.

I really enjoyed this slow-burner. I liked how Jake was a great guy, and Addie was a great girl, and they were great together. There’s the patterned “take-a-break” period, which demonstrates the largest part of the ‘romantic’ elements. In truth, I was worried that the book would be too busy, with Addie’s many friends and Jake’s friends and co-workers and exes, and yet I rarely felt overwhelmed. Expect some yummy sexytimes, once Jake and Addie get rolling, and an HEA for this first couple of the series. The stage is set for the next couple at the very end of the epilogue…

Interested? You can find LISTEN TO ME on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

GIVEAWAY

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win a grand prize of TWO $25 gift cards–one for Amazon/Barnes & Noble and one for iTunes!
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Proby is the author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps.

Visit Kristen online on her website, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, or sign up for her newsletter.

Happy Book Birthday to STUCK-UP SUIT!

Hi there! Just getting the word out that STUCK-UP SUIT from Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland is now available. This a contemporary romance will surely charm fans of COCKY BASTARD. I’m looking forward to reading it.

About the book:
It started out like any other morning on the train. Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.

He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world. Who did the stuck-up suit think he was . . . God?

Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it. When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.

I might have picked it up.
I might have gone through all of his photos and called some of the numbers.
I might have held onto the mystery man’s phone for days—until I finally conjured up the courage to return it.

When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me. So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk’s office.

I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though.

I didn’t expect him to text back.
I didn’t expect our exchanges to be hot as hell.
I didn’t expect to fall for him—all before we even met.
The two of us couldn’t have been any more different.
Yet, you know what they say about opposites.

When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract—we consumed each other.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn’t prepared for where I’d wind up when the ride was over. All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

How about a tasty text battle…

Graham: What are you wearing, Soraya?

Soraya: Are you serious right now?

Graham: You ruined my day. You owe me.

Soraya: I don’t owe you anything, you fucking perv.

Graham: This from the woman who sent me a shot of her cleavage. Nice tits, by the way. They’re so big, at first, I thought it was a picture of an ass.

Soraya: You’re the ass.

Graham: Show me your face.

Soraya: Why?

Graham: Because I want to see if it matches your personality.

Soraya: Which would mean what?

Graham: Well, that wouldn’t bode well for you.

Soraya: You won’t ever see my face.

Graham: Probably better off. So, give me a hint about what you’re wearing.

Soraya: It’s red.

Graham: So you haven’t changed out of that dress?

Soraya: No, I’m naked with dye dripping down my body and my tongue is throbbing thanks to you.

That was an odd thing to say.

Graham: That’s an interesting visual.

Soraya: You are seriously crazy, dude.

Graham: I AM a little crazy, actually. I probably need my head checked because I’ve been fantasizing about a headless person all day.

Soraya: Well, the naked pic ain’t gonna happen.

Graham: How about I go first?

Interested? You can find STUCK-UP SUIT on Goodreads, Amazon (US & UK), iBooks, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.

About the Authors:
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult/contemporary romance genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 9-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island. She is the author of RoomHate, which hit #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list and #1 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. Her novel, Stepbrother Dearest, also spent four consecutive weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. Other works include the New York Times bestseller Cocky Bastard (co-written with Vi Keeland), Sins of Sevin, My Skylar, Jake Undone, Jake Understood and Gemini.

You can find Penelope on Facebook, her website, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads and her Private Fan Group.

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is an attorney and a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today Bestselling author. Over the last three years, ten of her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestseller lists and three on the New York Times Bestseller lists.

You can find Vi on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Confronting Love–MORE THAN A FEELING–Excerpt and Review

Hi there! I’m sharing a review for a contemporary cowboy romance from Sara Richardson. MORE THAN A FEELING is a book about the lies we tell to ourselves to keep us safe, and how those can be the most damaging of all…

About the book:
Stop running…and start falling
For Ruby James the Walker Mountain Ranch is her safe haven. Here in Aspen, Colorado, she can finally build a quiet life for herself without fear of her old one rearing its ugly head. Or so Ruby thinks. Any single woman would be happy to indulge a tall, dark, and curious cop-but the closer Ruby gets to him, the closer she gets to losing her newfound peace.

Police officer Sawyer Hawkins is no stranger to secrets. He’s ready to leave town for good until a security threat brings him back to Walker Ranch, and Ruby’s gorgeous green eyes soon have him second-guessing his decision to go. Her kindness and quiet strength awaken feelings he’d thought long buried, even as her reluctance to talk about her past worries him. The cop in Sawyer only wants the truth-but the man in him wants Ruby in his arms forever.

A little taste…

“Sawyer…” There was so much she couldn’t tell him. So many reasons she should ask him to leave, to leave her alone. But the ache tightening inside of her would never go away if she didn’t touch him, if she didn’t feel the generous hunger of his lips against hers, the thrilling sensation of his hands reading every curve of her body. So instead of saying anything, instead of casting him out of her life, she scooted to her knees so she could reach his lips, first touching them lightly with her fingers. “You’re a good man, Sawyer Hawkins,” she whispered. And though she knew he couldn’t have her forever, she could give herself to him now. He could have her for this one moment.

His gaze fused with hers, the mesmerizing blue of his eyes smoldering like the center of a flame. His large hands settled on her hips and tugged them until she straddled him.

The swing pitched forward and she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from losing her balance.

“This isn’t why I came here,” he informed her hoarsely.

“That’s disappointing,” she breathed against his neck. The stubble made her lips tingle.

Sawyer sighed in a helplessly delicious way and took her chin in his hand, bringing her lips to meet his, brushing them lightly in teasing preview.

Oh, lordy, lordy, lordy…the man could kiss.

He pulled back to look at her, but what good was that? She wanted to feel him against her, solid and safe and warm. So she wrapped her legs all the way around his waist cinching them tighter until the hard bulge of his desire for her pulsed between her legs. It was blinding the way he made her lungs pound, the way he sent her dizzy heart twirling in circles. His touch brought her somewhere else, made her feel like someone else. Someone whole and unbreakable. The person she’d always wanted to be.

My Review:
This is the third book in a series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone. I want to also note what may be a trigger warning: the plot centers on a domestic violence survivor who fled her abusive fiance just a year before. There are some recollections that are troublesome, but no graphic depictions.

When Ruby James arrived in Aspen a year ago she knew no one and was luckily able to find shelter with the loving family at the Walker Mountain Ranch. She’s been a baker in their resort kitchen, and lived in a rental property adjacent to Elsie Walker, family matriarch. She has made friends with Elsie and two other ladies and feels safe and at home for the first time in her life. Thing is, she’s not Ruby James, and she can’t reveal her true identity or her ex might find her and make good on his many threats.

Sawyer Hawkins has moved into the Walker Ranch for the final month of his contract with the Aspen PD. He’s fresh off a nasty divorce and looking to start fresh in Denver, but his house sold too quick and he’s got taken temporary lodgings at the urging of his cousin Bryce Walker. Besides, as a cop he might be able to track down who’s stealing from the Walkers. Sawyer thinks it could be Ruby, she’s there early enough and nobody knows much about her. Digging deeper, Sawyer’s dismayed to recognize the signs of an abuse victim in her interactions. He’s also frustrated to find her attractive. He’s supposed to be leaving in a few weeks, not getting his heart tangled up before then is on top of his to-do list.

I really liked how this one played out. At first, I thought it would be a SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY scenario, with Ruby’s ex becoming a ruthless stalker, and was glad that was not the case. Truthfully, I’ve read a few books like that and I dislike the formulaic feel to them. This book is very different, and the twists were refreshing. Ruby has a whole new life in front of her, if only she’d open up a bit. She’s still a victim, in many respects, and I was so glad to watch her break through the walls she’d built around herself. I also loved how she worked with everyone in the book–foster kids, abused animals, even helping Sawyer face the depression he’d trapped himself within–Ruby sparkled brightest when she advocated for others–and that brought about an ending that was as much a redemption as a resolution.

This is a really sweet book, with a handful of steamy bits, but nothing too blush-worthy. The stage is set for another romance, I believe, with perhaps the widowed Elsie finding love again.

Interested? You can find MORE THAN A FEELING on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, GooglePlay, Kobo, and BAM.

Interested in the book series?
NO BETTER MAN (Heart of the Rockies, #1)
When it comes to business, Avery King always comes out on top. So after a very public breakup, work is the perfect excuse to flee the Windy City for the gentle breezes of Aspen, Colorado. Her mission: acquire the land of a rundown mountain ranch. Avery expects an easy win . . . until she meets the rugged and irresistible rancher who won’t give up his property without a fight.

Bryce Walker is stunned by the stubborn beauty determined to get what she wants. But what she wants is his last connection to the life he used to have. Bryce has plans to return the ranch to its former glory and no way will he sell his family home. Yet the more time he spends with Avery, the more her sweet touch makes him forget his painful memories. Now Bryce must decide whether living in the past is worth losing his future…

SOMETHING LIKE LOVE (Heart of the Rockies, #2)
IT’S GONNA BE A WILD RIDE

Ben Noble needs to do some damage control. Fast. His heart has always been in ranching, but there’s no escaping the spotlight on his high-powered political family. Now the only thing that can restore his reputation is a getaway to the fresh air of Aspen, Colorado. Not to mention that the trip gives Ben a second chance to impress a certain gorgeous mountain guide. But Paige Harper is nothing like the shy girl he remembers . . . she’s so much more.

Paige is serious about Ben, too: seriously annoyed that the playboy cowboy is using her mountain for his PR. Once upon a time, she fell for Ben’s aw-shucks charm, but the fairy tale didn’t end happily. Paige doesn’t intend to let down her guard again. But keeping their relationship all business and no pleasure may be harder than she thinks-especially if the moonlight, the Rockies, and a certain irresistible rancher have anything to say about it…

About the Author:
Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000-foot peak at midnight, swam through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually, Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After five years in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now, she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons. Her first contemporary romance, No Better Man, was released by Grand Central forever 2015.

Catch up with Sara online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Yay! Out Today! THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m so excited to share a release day review for a sassy New Adult romance from best-selling author Rachel Van Dyken. The first book in her new Wingman Inc. series, THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK features a former NFL recruit and the hidden gem he discovers while trying to get her oblivious crush to open his eyes…

Catch the review, and excerpt, trailer and the giveaway below.

About the book:
Wingman rule number one: don’t fall for a client.

After a career-ending accident, former NFL recruit Ian Hunter is back on campus—and he’s ready to get his new game on. As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.

From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule…

How about a little taste?

The Matchmakers Playbook Creed
1. Head held high.
2. Always smile.
3. Never slouch.
4. Wear clothes appropriate to the season.
5. Let him open the door.
6. No kissing on the first date.
7. He comes to you.
8. Lingering is frowned upon.
9. NO Facebook stalking.
10. NO STALKING stalking.
11. Don’t be too available.
12. Listen to Lex and Ian.
13. See Number 12.
14. No seriously, go back, re-read #12.
15. If after one week you aren’t satisfied, we will dissolve the contract.

“If you hurt her, I’m going to break off your favorite appendage.”

“Silly Gabi.” I grinned. “Is that an invitation to touch?”

“Guarantee if I ever do touch you, it will only end badly.”

“Tease.” I winked.

“Stop that.” She flicked me on the nose. “Your sexual prowess is dead to me. Dead!”

Rolling my eyes, I wrapped an arm around her and steered us both into the kitchen, where the smell of French bread and spaghetti filled the air. “Have I told you how much I miss our weekly dinners? Think we should do it daily? You know, so I don’t starve?”

Gabi shrugged out of my embrace. “Learn how to cook.”

I jutted out my lower lip. “It’s not for lack of knowledge.” I broke off a piece of warm bread, then poured myself a large glass of wine. “It’s because yours always tastes better.”

Gabi groaned loudly. “Damn, do the girls really fall for that? Still?”

“Eh.” I shrugged and made a so-so motion with my hand. “Nine out of ten.”

“You disgust me.”

“You say that every day.”

“Because it’s true every day.”

“When’s dinner ready?” Serena bounced into the room, literally, her head bobbing from left to right. Maybe that’s how girls like her built up more brain cells. They shook the air, and the pressure between their ears exploded, making tiny little brain-cell babies.

Gabi poked her head into the fridge. “When Lex gets here.”

“So it’s ready now?” she asked.

Never mind. No brain-cell babies. I fought the urge to point to the steaming spaghetti and bread sitting on the breakfast bar. Didn’t it look ready, kiddo?

“Technically,” I answered for Gabi. “But we aren’t eating”—I stressed the word “eating” even though I’d just taken some bread—“until my sidekick gets here.”

“Sidekick, huh?” Serena crossed her arms, forcing her boobs to kiss one another and nearly hit her in the chin.

“Oh, I thought you knew.” I gave her a sad face. “I’m the hero in this scenario . . . Even own my own cape. He’s basically the Robin to my Batman.”

“Batman’s hot.”

“So is Robin,” Gabi said defensively.

Whoa. Did she just defend Lex? I felt her forehead. She pushed my hand away and handed me some parmesan cheese.

The door flew open, and Lex stepped through, holding up two bottles of Cab. “Sorry, traffic was shit.”

“Language,” Gabi called.

Lex and I shared a look before Lex stomped over to the swear jar and tossed in a dollar bill.

My Review:
Ian Hunter is a class A womianizing jackass who’s decided his prowess with the ladies is best cultivated into a Love Coach business. Together with his best friend Lex, Ian is the “superman” of getting shlumpy co-eds the man-boys of their dreams. And, then he goes off to find some tail on his own. Lex is no better, they both screw first, take names later–but only with the “dumb girls” who are only in it for a one-nighter.

The girls who seek out Wingmen Inc’s pricey services are highly vetted, as are their conquests. Ian, All-American bad boy, gives them style tips and dating rules. He uses his own reputation and persona to goad the unsuspecting males into jealousy-induced courting, and the girls are mostly (99%) satisfied.

It’s all going great until Ian’s newest client is one he doesn’t want to let go to her Prince Charming. Blake is the roommate of his best gal-pal, Gabi. She’s fit and fun, but is a tomboy in love with her childhood bestie, David. David sees Blake as a boy, mostly, and Ian’s charmed by her sassiness and girl-next-door looks. Ian never pursues his clients, but he’s never met a girl like Blake, and he senses the same isolation and loneliness in her that he, as an orphan, struggles with daily. the more time he spends coaching Blake through the steps, the more he wants Blake to decide David isn’t the man for her.

This is a romance, and Ian is an antihero. He’s meant to come off as brash and ridiculous, to a degree, and boy does he nail that. His commentary, both internal and in dialogue, is so wholly sexist it’s almost intolerable. For the first half of the book I wished Gabi would bite the bullet and actually smother Ian with a pillow while he slept, as she repeatedly threatened. I can’t say that I warmed to him in the second half, but I could see that he made changes in his own behavior that signaled both maturity and self-sacrifice–absolutely new concepts for him where women were concerned. He’s slightly sympathetic, on account of having been an orphan a long time, and also his NFL career-ending injury–before his career even began. I did like how he loved Blake, and how he made her well-being his focus, even against his desires and interests. It’s Ian who tells the story, and the one readers need to bond with, and I was able to enjoy the book almost despite him.

It’s clear that the next book will be a battle of wills for Lex and Gabi, both have a hate-hate experience going on. It sounds intriguing.

Catch the book trailer here:

Interested? You can find THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK on Goodreads and Amazon (US, UK, CA and AU).

GIVEAWAY

Click on this Rafflecopter giveaway link for your chance to win your very own Boyfriend-in-a-Box, courtesy of Wingmen Inc. You’re welcome.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
Want to be kept up to date on new releases? Text MAFIA to 66866!

You can connect with Rachel on her website, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, twitter or sign up for her newsletter.

Sneak Peek at a STUCK-UP SUIT

Hi there! I’m excited to share a tidbit from a new book coming soon from the writing team of Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland. STUCK-UP SUIT is a contemporary romance that will surely charm fans of COCKY BASTARD. I’m looking forward to reading it.

About the book:
It started out like any other morning on the train. Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.

He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world. Who did the stuck-up suit think he was…God?

Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it. When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.

When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me. So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk’s office.

I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though.

When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract—we consumed each other.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn’t prepared for where I’d wind up when the ride was over. All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

And now, for that tasty excerpt!

It felt like we were the only two people in the world, instead of inside a busy, posh restaurant.

“This is beautiful. But odd,” I said.

Graham took off his jacket and settled into his side of the table with one arm casually slung over the top of the booth. “Fitting.”

“Are you saying I’m odd?”

“Are we going to fight about it if I say yes?”

“Probably.”

“Then, yes.”

My brow furrowed. “You want to fight with me?”

Graham tugged at his tie, loosening it. “I find it turns me on.”

I laughed. “I think you need counseling.”

“After the last few days, I believe you may be right.”

The waitress returned with our drinks. She set a highball glass down in front of him and a wine glass in front of me.

Graham had ordered Hendrick’s and tonic. “That’s an old man’s drink, gin and tonic,” I said as I sipped my wine.

He swirled the ice around in his glass, then brought it to his lips and looked at me over the rim before drinking. ”Remember what arguing with me does. You might want to look under the table.”

My eyes widened. “You aren’t.”

He smirked and cocked an eyebrow. “Go ahead. Put your head under. I know you’re dying to take a peek anyway.”

After we both finished our drinks, and some of my nerves had started to calm, we finally had our first real conversation. One that wasn’t about sex or tongue rings.

“So how many hours do you work a day in that big fancy office of yours?”

“I usually go in by eight and try to leave by eight.”

“Twelve hours a day? That’s sixty hours a week.”

“Not counting weekends.”

“You work weekends, too?”

“Saturdays.”

“So your only day off is Sunday?”

“I actually sometimes work in the evening on Sunday, too.”

“That’s nuts. When do you find time to enjoy yourself?”

“I enjoy my work.”

I scoffed. “Didn’t sound that way when I stopped in the other day. Everyone there seems afraid of you, and you refused to open the door.”

“I was busy.” He folded his arms over his chest.

I did the same. “So was I. I took two trains to personally deliver that phone, you know. And you didn’t have the decency to even come out and say thank you.”

“I didn’t know what was behind the door waiting for me, or I would have come out.”

“A person. A person was behind the door. One who went out of her way for you. If I were a sixty-year-old married woman with blue hair, you should have come out to thank me.”

He sighed. “I’m a busy man, Soraya.”

“Yet here you are on a weeknight at only 7PM. Shouldn’t you be working until eight if you’re so busy?”

“I make exceptions when warranted.”

“How big of you.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You want to look under the table, don’t you?”

Interested? You can find STUCK-UP SUIT on Goodreads, and pre-order it in advance of its April 11th release on Amazon and iTunes.

You can find Penelope on Facebook, her website, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads and her Private Fan Group.

You can find Vi on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Falling for a COCKY BASTARD–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a first-and-second chance romance from authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward. COCKY BASTARD is a fun and flirty story about a gal who needs to start over and the guy who breaks her heart. And then puts is back together again.

About the book:
He was someone who belonged in my wildest fantasies instead of a rest stop in the middle of Nebraska.

A sexy, cocky, Australian named Chance was the last person I expected to run into on my cross-country drive.

When my car broke down, we made a deal. Next thing I knew, we were traveling together, spending sexually-tense nights in hotels and taking unplanned detours. My ordinary road trip turned into the adventure of a lifetime. It was all fun and games until things got intense.

I wanted him, but Chance wouldn’t make a move. I thought he wanted me too, but something was holding him back. I wasn’t supposed to fall for the cocky bastard, especially when I knew we’d be going our separate ways.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.

My Review:

Aubrey is an attorney on a cross-country drive from Chicago to Temecula, California to take a new position far from her cheating ex, Harrison, a partner in the firm she just left. She’s pretty much hating on men when she comes across CB, Chance Bateman, a sexy biker boy who teases her at a rest stop. They meet up later when Chance’s bike fails and Aubrey needs a tire change. He agrees to fix her problem, if she’ll fix his: take him to LA. He sweet-talks her into it, and then proceeds to blow up Harrison’s attempt at reconciliation by answering one of his ten-zillion phone calls that Aubrey keeps sending to voice mail.

Over the course of eight days–because Chance also talks Aubrey into checking out the Grand Canyon and Vegas, they develop a strong friendly bond, and bizarrely adopt a blind goat kid, but don’t get anywhere romantically despite their combustible chemistry. Well, excepting their final night together. Which is everything Aubrey hoped for. Morning after? Not so much.

Fast forward two years. Chance had a debt to settle and it’s now over. Can he win Aubrey back? Will she even let him back in the door now that she’s finally gotten past her heartbreak?

The book is split into halves, first told by Aubrey second told by Chance. This allows us to access both character’s heartbreak and determination to find love again–even with each other. I loved how Aubrey let herself go with Chance, who is as outlandish a man as she’s ever met. He’s not afraid to work hard, and has overcome many a disappointment in his personal and professional life, so going after Aubrey a second time gets his undivided and creative attention. He’s endearingly arrogant, always focused on how to please Aubrey even when she wants nothing to do with him.

Aubrey isn’t a heartless harpy. She’s had two years of suffering, wishing, and waiting for Chance to simply contact her. To explain what happened in Vegas. He never did in all that time. So why should she let him now? After some good relationships and therapy, she’s finally feeling secure enough to get serious, and has been dating a man for seven months. She isn’t the type to simply walk out, even if Chance is literally knocking on her door and reclaiming the love of their blind goat-child. Unwilling to trust him with her heart, Aubrey allows him to work back into friendship, and that leads to more, to some degree. Chance is both determined and despondent, by turns, especially as he learns Aubrey has a time limit in her Temecula life–a new job prospect might take her cross-country yet again.

It’s a very sweet book, with lots of fun, flirtatious bits. There’s just a little bit of steam, and part of that includes a hot shower. I liked how resilient these two people are. They have had such difficulty finding a love that lasts, and it’s not realistic to trust a person who has abandoned you, for sure, so I didn’t begrudge Aubrey some time to really examine Chance and his intentions. The end is sweet an HEA as a reader could hope for.

Interested? You can find COCKY BASTARD on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

About the Authors:

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Penelope lives for reading books in the new adult/contemporary romance genre, coffee and hanging out with her friends and family on weekends. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism (the inspiration for the character Callie in Gemini) and a 9-year-old boy, both of whom are the lights of her life. Penelope, her husband and kids reside in Rhode Island. She is the author of RoomHate, which hit #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list and #1 on the Wall Street Journal Bestseller list. Her novel, Stepbrother Dearest, also spent four consecutive weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list. Other works include the New York Times bestseller Cocky Bastard (co-written with Vi Keeland), Sins of Sevin, My Skylar, Jake Undone, Jake Understood and Gemini.

You can find Penelope on Facebook, her website, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads and her Private Fan Group.

You can find Vi on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

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Getting it Good–FALLING UNDER YOU-Excerpt and Review!

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GIVEAWAY

Building Love: LISTEN TO ME–Review and Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY

Happy Book Birthday to STUCK-UP SUIT!

Confronting Love–MORE THAN A FEELING–Excerpt and Review

Yay! Out Today! THE MATCHMAKER’S PLAYBOOK–Review and Giveaway!

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Sneak Peek at a STUCK-UP SUIT

Falling for a COCKY BASTARD–A Review

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