Review: GUILTY AS SIN by Meghan March!

     

My Review: I loved, loved, loved that we got more of the backstory for Lincoln and Whitney. More has been revealed to us when it comes to the history of their previous relationship, but I'm still left with questions, which is making me beyond eager for the last book. I have to know what happens! Do these two ever get their Happily-Ever-After?!

It's hard to review this book without giving anything away from the first book, and I refuse to spoil anything for you. Like with all Meghan March's books, there's a dark side to these characters. They're flawed, so far from perfect.. but it makes them so genuine, and so human. Her stories are gritty and real. Sure, I probably will never meet a guy like Lincoln, but she makes me feel like I *can.* I can't wait for the third part!

Cover Lovin': Fits perfectly with the first.

Recommendation: Direct sequel, you must read the first book first.

Final Rating: FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)!!! Ahhh! I don't think I'm going to survive until the third book comes out!

Guilty until proven innocent.

That’s the way the world works, right?

I’m tired of being convicted without evidence, all because my last name is Gable.

The Riscoffs might own this town, but I’m done following their rules.

If only I could forget just how easily Lincoln Riscoff can drag me under his spell.

 

AVAILABLE NOW

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From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a brand new saga of forbidden love and second chances. A Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after. Our family feud is the stuff of legends. Ten years ago, Whitney Gable caught me off guard with her long legs and grab-you-by-the-balls blue eyes. I didn’t know or care what her name was. Like any Riscoff worth the family name, I went after what I wanted. We burned like a flash fire until she married another man. She hates me, and she should. I objected on her wedding day. Now she’s home, with those same long legs and man-eater stare, but there’s no ring on her finger. They say a Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after . . . but I’m not done with Whitney Gable. I’ll never be done with her.

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Whitney Gable is the kind of woman you fight to the death to protect.

To keep.

To cherish.

I’ve finally learned my lesson, and it’s time to prove I’m the man who’s worthy of her.

I don’t care what it takes, because failure is not an option.

No matter who or what stands in our way—this time, she’ll be mine forever

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            A New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. Sign up for Meghan's newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers: http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe To get the inside scoop on a daily basis, search Meghan March's Runaway Readers on Facebook and join the fun. FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE | TWITTER | PINTEREST

Review: HOPE RESTORED by Carrie Ann Ryan!

Today we have the blog tour for Carrie Ann Ryan's HOPE RESTORED, the third (and last!) book in the Gallagher Brothers series!

My Review: Don't mind me, I'll just be over in the corner, getting all crazy emotional. I tend to read Carrie Ann Ryan for some good, classic, contemporary romance. And then sometimes she hits me with some real feels, and I just get a little overwhelmed. This is one of those times. I loved Murphy in the previous books, and considering his history, I should have seen this coming. But silly me! Really all of the Gallagher novels are deep, emotional reads - but Hope Restored takes it to another level. I found myself sniffling more than a few times, and I spent much of the latter half of the book alternating between wanting to hug Murphy, Tessa, and the rest of the clan, and wanting to hug my family just so they know I love them.

Once again, this author has made me fall in love with the hero. Carrie Ann Ryan writes some hot, wonderful men. Ones I can't help but wish were real, because I'd like a Gallagher of my own. I really need to check out her Montgomery Ink series, because I'm sure those would be just as amazing. Not only does she write a close family dynamic well, but she does a great job with Murphy's illness. Having lived with and taken care of someone with a life-altering medical issue, I can say that this author wrote the Gallagher's journey with the care it needed and deserved.

The only thing that kept this from being a perfect read for me was the big finale. I could see it coming a mile away, and therefore I didn't find the lead up as suspenseful as it was meant to be. The villain was too over the top when it came to the final evil rant that is required of all baddies.

Cover Lovin': Fits perfectly with the rest of the series, and it's definitely hot!

Recommendation: Technically, Hope Restored could work as a stand-alone, but since the family is such a close knit group, it helps to read the rest of the series first.

Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)!! Emotional, tear-jerking, and just overall wonderful. I want more Murphy, and really, all of the Gallaghers. This book will definitely be added to the re-read shelf!

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

The Gallagher Brothers series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan concludes with the final brother who thought he had everything to look forward to, and the one woman who can handle him.

Life isn’t worth living if you don’t fight to live. That’s what Murphy Gallagher learned at a young age when cancer ravaged his body not once, but twice. Over the course of his survival, he lost his parents and his childhood, but he’s been healthy for years and has become a man he hopes his family is proud of. But when his world tilts on its axis yet again, he’ll have to learn what it means to fight not only the unknown but also his attraction to his best friend.

Tessa Stone works hard and plays harder. She’s spent her life trying to figure out who she is in the present rather than looking back. Yet when she’s forced into close proximity with Murphy, she’ll have to not only be his rock but learn how to relax enough to maybe let him be hers, as well. But seduction doesn’t stop when the world seems to, and close encounters of the naked kind might just be the first step in something much more complicated than either of them bargained for. Life, though, is for living, after all.

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EXCERPT:
“What the hell? Why are you in my bathroom? Why are you naked and wet in my bathroom? Boundaries, Murphy! Boundaries!” Tessa was rambling, and she didn’t care. She’d just run five freaking miles to get him and his pretty dick out of her mind, and now she had a real image of said dick in her brain, and she’d never be able to think straight again.

Why did the Gallaghers have to be so sexy? Why did this particular Gallagher have to press all her buttons just right and happen to be naked and wet in her bathroom while she was sweaty and naked right in front of him?

The horror, Tessa thought. The horror.

Murphy winced and waved over at the sink where another towel lay. She recognized this as one of Murphy’s, so she threw it at him.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to put it on the floor or on top of your towel so I left it over there.”

“Still doesn’t explain anything, Murphy Gallagher.” She would never be able to get the sight or feel of him out of her head now.

“The showerhead in the guest bath broke off. I wasn’t even touching it. When I went to turn on the water, it fell off and sprayed me in the face. The damn thing hit me on the hip on its way down.” He pointed to a growing bruise on his side, and Tessa’s eyes widened, panic leaping into her throat.

Without thinking, she reached forward and slid her fingers down his hip right above his towel. “Oh God, Murphy. Are you okay? You’re bruising so quickly.” She held back tears, annoyed with herself for showing weakness in front of the man who was actually going through this whole ordeal instead of just witnessing it.

He put his hand over hers, and she stilled, aware of what she was doing. Blushing once again, she pulled back and tightened her towel around her chest.

“I’ll be fine. I’m headed into the clinic later anyway for my scheduled blood transfusion. That’s why I needed to jump in your shower. I’m going to be late, and I didn’t have the parts to fix the other one anyway. Since part of the showerhead is still on the wall, at least it’s not spraying water everywhere unless I actually turn on the faucet, but I’ll have to shut off the water to the whole house once I start working on the plumbing. It won’t be a hard job.” Murphy blew out a breath and rubbed his face with his hand, keeping his other hand firmly on the towel around his waist. “I’m sorry for using your shower without asking, but you weren’t here, and I figured I’d clean it before you got back. I didn’t imagine you’d literally dance in naked and bump into me.” He winced, but she saw something in his eyes that looked like interest.

God, this was all just a mess, and she didn’t know what to do about it.

“It’s okay,” Tessa said slowly, trying to get images of Murphy and his pierced dick out of her brain. It wasn’t easy since he was still naked and wet in front of her. “Really. We’ll just forget this ever happened and go about our day. Why don’t you, uh, go to your room and get dressed or something, and I’ll shower and put this whole thing out of my mind.” She spoke quickly and hoped he would agree to forget it all as she’d said. Not that she’d actually forget, but she could lie with the best of them. “Do you need me to, uh, go to the hardware store or something and pick up a new showerhead?”

Murphy shook his head. “I can do it. We have a few on-site that could work, and I can get them at cost to save money. I can even bring a couple home with me if you want so you can pick it out. It’s your house, after all.”

Right. It was her house, and he was her roommate. Her naked roommate. She really needed to stop thinking about that.

“I don’t know what I want for that bathroom yet, I haven’t decided on anything. Liz was the one with the plans for the house.”

His gaze softened. “No problem. I’ll bring a couple by, and you can choose. If you don’t like any, then we’ll go to the store together to find one that you like that will also work in the space you have. Again, sorry for using your shower without asking, and for…” He waved between them.

“For slapping your naked body against mine so close I know exactly what your piercing feels like?” Tessa slapped her free hand against her mouth, her eyes going wide.

Murphy let out a rough chuckle that went straight between her legs. “Yes. That. Though we aren’t thinking about that, right?”

Tessa nodded, her hand still over her mouth lest she make things worse.

“Right,” he mumbled. “I’ll just… I’ll go.” He fled the bathroom, careful not to accidentally brush her on his way by, and Tessa lowered her hand, closing her eyes so she could hide from the world and what had just happened.

This was what happened when you roomed with the guy from your sex dreams.

Bad things.

Bad, sweaty, naked, pierced things.

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Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Review: THE CATCH by K. Bromberg!

 My Review: Okay, first off, let me just say... I HAD TO WAIT THIS LONG TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE CLIFFHANGER. That was very difficult. I started suggesting The Player to my romance-reading friends just so I had someone to commiserate with while we desperately waited for the second book. Okay, I was also making them read it because it was just that awesome, but still... cliffhangers, man.

** This review will contain spoilers for book one, so don't read this if you haven't read The Player. **

So now that I got that off my chest, I can talk about the actual book. Just like book one, The Catch was a one-sitting read for me. I could not put this down. I had to know how Easton and Scout were going to deal with the fall-out from the very end of The Player. My only issue with this book was that I didn't really understand the logistics of what was happening with the trade deal. I know part of that was because it was very up in the air what would happen to Easton for a while, but there was mention of being sent to a secondary/practice team with a pay cut or being traded, and I wasn't sure how Scout knew what she said would mean a trade and not the other option. But things smoothed out after the initial drama, and things became more clear.

The Catch does not skimp on the drama. While The Player felt more like a slow build, The Catch is one punch after another. We have the trade, Scout's father, Easton's literacy work, Easton's father and the MAJOR drama that is happening there.. Really, Scout and Easton can't catch a break.. and neither can the reader. But that just made this book that much more engrossing.

Cover Lovin': Oh my.. *Fans self* It goes oh-so-well with the first book.

Recommendation: This is a direct sequel, so you will need to read The Player first.

Final Rating: FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)! Loved this! An excellent end to this duet. K. Bromberg has once again proven herself to be the queen.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

  After an unexpected twist of fate, All-Star catcher Easton Wylder is left questioning the loyalty of everyone around him. Even the woman who shares his bed, Scout Dalton. But if Easton thought being uprooted to the last place he expected was the only challenge life had to throw at him, he was dead wrong. With an ailing shoulder and his career in limbo, his decision to make an unexpected change leads him to question everything – Scout’s love, family loyalties, and whether he can conquer the one obstacle he’s never been able to overcome. The secret he’s never shared with anyone. He may be a man pushed to his limits, but he’s hell-bent on proving his worth no matter the cost.  

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    Baseball has never been sexier in an all-new novel by New York Times Bestselling Author, K. Bromberg. Easton Wylder is baseball royalty. The game is his life. His passion. His everything. So, when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather, his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him. Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on. And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to maintain the club’s best interest, in regards to whether he’s ready to play. But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat, or is one of them bound to get burned?

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        New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love. A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow. Since publishing her first book in 2013, K. has sold over one million copies of her books and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times. In April, she’ll release The Player, the first in a two-book sports romance series (The Catch, book 2, will be released late June), with many more already outlined and ready to be written. She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media or sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on all her latest releases and sales HERE Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Dr

Disclaimer: I received a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Review: TWIST by Kylie Scott!

Release Date: April 11th, 2017

Type: Series, Book 2, Contemporary Romance, Handy Man of My Dreams

My Review: I finished reading Dirty, and had to immediately pick up my arc of Twist because I needed more Dive Bar right this second. And I think I might actually like Twist better? It's a very hard choice, people. I love Joe. I want to marry Joe. He's perfect. I mean, he can be a grump sometimes, but he's so sweet and perfect and I just want to have him as my very own.

This was a one-sitting read for me. Once I got past the embarrassing moment at the very beginning (embarrassing stuff is always hard for me to read), I was absolutely engrossed. I felt for these characters. I understood where Alex was coming from, just like I understood why Joe had the issues he did. I hearted the heck out of this book, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series, Chaser, coming in November!

Cover Lovin': Oh my, yes!

Recommendation: You can easily jump into this book without having read Dirty, but definitely check it out!

Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

  From New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott comes the second sizzling stand-alone novel in the Dive Bar series! When his younger brother loses interest in online dating, hot bearded bartender Joe Collins only intends to log into his account and shut it down. Until he reads about her. Alex Parks is funny, fascinating, and pretty much everything he's been looking for in a woman—except that she lives across the country. Soon they're emailing up a storm and telling each other their deepest, darkest secrets...except the one that really matters. When Alex pays Joe a surprise visit, however, they both discover that when it comes to love, it's always better with a twist. Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AUS | Amazon CA | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Google Play                   Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/   FACEBOOK | TWITTER | FACEBOOK FAN GROUP | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS  

Review: HEAT WAVE by Karina Halle!

 

Today we have HEAT WAVE by Karina Halle!

Type: Contemporary, Romance, Stand-Alone, Emotional, Accents, One-sitting-read, Not-so-brotherly-love

My Review: I'm so happy - I've read so many amazing books in a row. I cannot believe I've been so lucky. Usually after something as good as Managed was, the next book doesn't shine as brightly. But not so with Heat Wave. This book garnered a lot of buzz in the past few weeks, and I totally get why. Not only could I not stand to put this down - so much so that I took it with me to the dentist to read while I was waiting to get fully numb before a procedure - but it was getting my heart rate up. I'm not ashamed to admit there was a time or two I was on the verge of tears. Especially near the end. I could physically feel my heart breaking.

Karina Halle is one of those authors I have heard people talk about, and there's a few of her books on my TBR, but I just hadn't gotten around to reading her yet. And now I'm tempted to kick myself for waiting so long. This author has an excellent writing style, and her emotional punches are dead on. Veronica and Logan were in a very tough situation, and I appreciate that the author didn't just let that slide. They had to deal with the real world consequences. And she created a real sense of community at the resort. By the end of the book, I felt like they were my family too.

Cover Lovin': Very dramatic - I like it.

Recommendation: Stand-alone, so no prior knowledge necessary.

Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)! This was such a good read. Highly recommended.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

    They say when life closes one door, another one opens. This door happens to lead to paradise. And a man I can never, ever have. Still grieving the loss of her sister who died two years ago, the last thing Veronica "Ronnie" Locke needed was to lose her job at one of Chicago’s finest restaurants and have to move back in with her parents. So when a window of opportunity opens for her – running a kitchen at a small Hawaiian hotel – she’d be crazy not to take it. The only problem is, the man running the hotel drives her crazy: Logan Shephard. It doesn’t matter that he’s got dark brown eyes, a tall, muscular build that’s sculpted from daily surfing sessions, and a deep Australian accent that makes your toes curl. What does matter is that he’s a grump. Kind of an asshole, too. And gets under Ronnie’s skin like no one else. But the more time Ronnie spends on the island of Kauai, falling in love with the lush land and its carefree lifestyle, the closer she gets to Logan. And the closer she gets to Logan, the more she realizes she may have pegged him all wrong. Maybe it’s the hot, steamy jungles or the invigorating ocean air, but soon their relationship becomes utterly intoxicating. There’s just one major catch. The two of them together would incite a scandal neither Ronnie, nor her family, would ever recover from. Forbidden, Illicit, off-limits – sometimes the heat is worth surrendering to, even if you get burned.  

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PROLOGUE

I saw him first. It shamed me to think it then, it shames me to think it now. But that’s what the truth does to you sometimes. It shames you because it’s only in the truth that you realize how human you really are. What a raw, devastating thing that is, to embrace your humanity and learn to live with all your sharp points, the hollow places, the cracks and the crevices. To be utterly real. To be terribly flawed. Those cracks had always been forming inside me, slowly making their way to the surface over the years. In my family, there wasn’t much you could do but try and hold yourself together, to stick glue on your wounds, to paste over the imperfections. But the cracks still grew, until all of us were held together by crumbling cement, just statues waiting to collapse. That was years and years ago. I was just twenty-two at the time. A baby. I’m still a baby in the grand scheme of things, but there’s something precious about your early twenties, where you think you’re so much older, bigger, than you are, where life is just about to deliver the crushing blows that will knock you off your feet for the rest of your days. The small things become the big things and the big things become the small things and you aren’t quite sure when they made the switch. But in the end, I saw him first. He was mine, even before he knew it. He was mine in some strange way that I still don’t understand. The only way I can think of to explain it is… You just know. There are moments in your life, people in your life, that when they cross your path and meet your eye, you know. Maybe it’s all in the chemistry, certain pheromones that react when they mix together, maybe it’s a smell that triggers a memory, maybe it’s a glimpse at a future you don’t recognize or a hint at the past, a life you’ve lived and forgotten. Whatever it is, you know that moment, that person, is going to shape you for the rest of your life. That’s what it was like when I saw him. Standing over by the windows and staring out Lake Michigan, like he was wishing he could be anywhere but there. I wished the same. My mother’s the deputy mayor of Chicago and this was another one of her fundraisers I felt obliged to attend. It was tradition in my family, for my father, for me, for my sister, to show up and wave the flag of support. It didn’t seem to matter that the stuffy politicians that surrounded these events never paid me any attention. And if they did, it was the wrong kind of attention, always the sixty-year-old man leering after the young thing with the nice smile. Luckily I didn’t smile all that often. My resting bitch face took over whenever I was deep in thought, which was pretty much all the time. But this guy…I felt a kinship with him. I felt like I knew exactly what he was thinking, feeling, and that it was completely wrapped up in and connected to everything that was going through me. I don’t know where I found the nerve to go over and talk to him. He seemed so much older, not quite the sixty-year-old politicians I was used to seeing, but maybe in his early-thirties. More than that, there was some kind of aura around him. Sounds stupid, I know. Whatever it was, it was like he belonged in some whole other universe than here, a star on earth, permanently grounded and yearning to be in the sky. It was usually Juliet’s job to go around and make everyone feel warm and comfortable at these events—hell, in every event—but she wasn’t here yet. And though I could have easily stayed in the shadows, I was pulled to him, like he had a wave of gravity whirling around him. I remember what I was wearing. Strappy flats because I hated wearing heels, a knee-length cocktail dress in emerald green, sleeveless, high-neck. It made me look older and I wore it because my mother always wanted me to look like a lady. With a glass of champagne in hand, I made my way over to the windows, my heart racing the closer I got to him. He looked taller up close, well over six feet. His shoulders were broad, like a swimmer’s, and suddenly I had a vision of him diving into the lake. The navy blue suit he was wearing looked well-tailored but he seemed uncomfortable in it, like he couldn’t wait to get rid of it. I stood beside him for a moment, following his gaze out the window. He seemed lost in his thoughts but out of my peripheral his head tilted slightly and he brought his eyes over to me while I kept staring at that wide expanse of water, stretching out to the horizon. “Can’t wait to get out of here?” I asked, but though my tone was mild, my delivery was bold. It was as if someone else had taken a hold of my body, forcing me to speak. I slowly turned my head to meet his eyes. I was taken aback for a second. He was staring at me like he knew me, even though I’d never seen him before. Then again, I was sure I’d been staring at him in the same way. That feeling of knowing. He knew me, I knew him, and who the hell knows how that was possible. His eyes were brown—are brown—dark with currents of gold and amber, giving them beautiful clarity. Slightly almond shaped. His brows were also dark, arched, adding to the intensity of his gaze. He’s the type of guy whose eyes latch onto you, dig deep, trying to sift through the files of your life, see who you really are. “How did you know?” he asked, a full-on Australian accent rumbling through his gruff voice. It made my stomach flip, my core smolder. How deed you now, is what it sounded like. Funny how I stopped hearing the accent after time. I gave a half shrug and looked back to the party. More people had flooded the room, mingling around the appetizers. My mother was in the corner, a crowd of politicians around her. She didn’t see me. She never did. “Because I think I’d rather be in the middle of Lake Michigan too,” I told him, “then be stuck here with all these people.” “These people,” he repeated. My focus was drawn to his lips, full, wide, tilting up into a smirk. Beneath them was a strong chin and even sharper jaw, dusted with a five o’clock shadow that seemed permanent, like the man couldn’t get a clean shave even if he tried. “How do you know I’m not one of these people?” “Because you’re over here and not over there. How come you keep answering my questions with more questions?” He studied me for a moment. My blood pounded in my head and I felt a giddy kind of thrill at how this was progressing. If anything, I was proud for holding my own with this handsome stranger. He was the first man I ever really felt at ease with. He cleared his throat, offered me a quick smile before he nodded at the lake, his hands sliding into his pockets. “She almost looks like the ocean, doesn’t she?” “Not quite the same as Australia, I would imagine.” “No hiding this accent, is there?” He glanced at me and stuck out his hand, which I shook for a moment, warm palm to warm palm. “I’m Logan Shepard. Australian. And the reason I’m here is because I was invited by a friend of mine. I’m only in town for a few days and he didn’t want to go alone. He’s over there.” He nodded at a tall black man in the corner, listening intently to another man. “Warren Jones,” he said, as if I should know him. Perhaps I should. He probably thought I was one of them. “He’s local and the key piece to my investment.” I wasn’t one for business talk—I never had anything to contribute other than lamenting student loans—but I wanted him to keep talking. “What’s your investment?” “Starting my own hotel,” he said. “In Hawaii. Have you ever been there?” “Once. When I was eight. I think we were in Honolulu. I remember a city, anyway. Waikiki Beach.” “This hotel is in Kauai. The Garden Isle. Went there once as a teenager and couldn’t get it out of my mind.” I didn’t know the right things to say. I wanted to ask more about the hotel, what it means when you have an investor, but I didn’t want to appear dumb. I kept my mouth shut. “You haven’t introduced yourself,” he said. “Protecting a secret identity?” I smiled, close-lipped. “Not really. I’m Veronica Locke. American. And I unfortunately I don’t have much else to add to that.” “Locke?” he repeated, eyes darting to my mother. “Are you the daughter of the deputy mayor, Rose Locke?” “One of them,” I told him. He nodded quickly. “I see. No wonder you’d rather be in the middle of the bloody lake. I bet you have to do this stuff all the time.” “It’s not so bad.” I took a sip of my drink so I didn’t have to say anything more and looked away at the crowd. The bubbles teased my nose, making my eyes water. I could feel his gaze on me as he spoke. “I’m sure you have plenty more to say about yourself though. Where do you work? Student?” “Culinary arts,” I told him. “I’m one of those crazy people who dream of being a chef one day.” He frowned. “Why is that crazy?” I gave him a look, forgetting that most people have no idea how hard it is. “Because it’s a long road, long hours, and nothing is guaranteed. People think being a chef is easy. They see Gordon Ramsey or Nigella Lawson and think it’s all fame and food and money and they have no idea what it’s really like. I’m not even out of school and already I feel half-beaten.” He was still frowning. He did that a lot, I would soon learn. “Sounds like life to me.” His eyes dropped to my lips and something intensely carnal came over them, like suddenly I was the food, not the wannabe chef. “Did you want to get a drink somewhere. After this? When you’ve done your daughterly duties?” I swallowed hard. I didn’t know what a drink meant. Just a drink? A date? Was it sex? I started going through my head, trying to think of reasons why it was a bad idea. My legs were shaved, did my bra and underwear match? Did I have a condom? I had taken the pill this morning, even though my last boyfriend and I had broken up months ago. I hadn’t been with a guy, let alone a man, in a long time. Don’t flatter yourself, I quickly thought. What makes you think he’d be interested in you that way? “Yes,” I said when I finally found my voice. “Yes, I would like that.” A spark flashed in his eyes, lighting them up in such a way that made my toes literally curl. Damn. I was in trouble with this man. “Any way you can get out of your duties sooner?” he asked. I couldn’t help but smile, raising my brow at his presumptuousness, while simultaneously trying to hide the fact that I was freaking out. I looked around the room and tried to judge how likely it was that someone would notice if I was gone. My mom was still surrounded by a wall of people and no one was paying any attention to us, standing by the windows, already removed. A sad thought hit me, sliding past before I could really dwell on it: no one even notices when I’m here. “If we’re quick and sneaky,” I told him. “Being quick isn’t in my repertoire,” he said, “but I could give it a shot.” Again. Damn. I wasn’t one to blush but I could feel my cheeks heating up and hoped my skin supressed the flush. He was so much older than me in so many ways, the last thing I wanted was to appear the naïve schoolgirl. And I didn’t know what to say to that. He was staring at me with those dark eyes, a look so intense yet sparkling with charm and something…wicked. I’d never find out how wicked they could be. “Ronnie!” A melodic, ultra-feminine voice sliced through the moment like an unwieldy machete, causing me to flinch, my fingers tightening around the stem of the glass. Oh no, I thought. Not now. Logan’s head swiveled toward the sound of the voice, like a hound picking up a scent. I didn’t bother looking over, I kept my focus on him, watching his expression intently. It changed, as I knew it would. She had walked into the room. He saw her. And like it was for so many men, that look of lust I had thought was for me, was now for her. That’s when I knew it was over. Whatever thing I had felt for him, it didn’t matter anymore, not when she was in the room. Nothing ever mattered as long as she was around. I might have saw him first. But he was all hers after that.             Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK. Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more. FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

 
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced copy in exchange for a review. 

Review & New Release: SWEET CHEEKS by K. Bromberg!

Release Date: November 14th, 2016

Type: Stand-Alone, Well-loved author, Contemporary, Romance, Second Chance Romance

My Review: K. Bromberg is one of those authors I've heard about for years, with everyone saying how much they loved her Driven series. I finally jumped on the Driven bandwagon this year, and read the first two books - and the third is sitting on my nightstand for whenever I get free time. And I get it, I understand why everyone loves her stuff. Her stories are compelling, her characters realistic, and the whole thing is just plain addicting. Seriously, everything I've picked up by her, I've been unable to put down.

And Sweet Cheeks is no exception. I'm a huge fan of second chance romances anyways, but this took it to a whole new level. I didn't want to put it down - so thank goodness I had the entire evening free to devour this. In fact, I think I liked this even more than the Driven series - or at least the two books in that series I've read thus far. Do yourself a favor and go add this to your TBR list now!

Cover Lovin': Uh, heck yes!

Recommendation: Stand-alone, so there's no backstory needed!

Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars! Love, love, love! And you will too!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~ 

An all new second chance love story by the New York Times Bestselling author of the beloved Driven series. It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiance’s new wedding. I should have ignored it. Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn’t. I replied. With a plus one. And then my assistant accidentally mailed it. Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye. When he showed up out of the blue ten years later, I should have known to steer clear of him. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex’s wedding. I should have never let him kiss me. But I didn’t. And now we’re left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next? ADD TO GOODREADS  

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            New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love. She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California. On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift), and a novella (UnRaveled). She is currently finishing up Sweet Cheeks a standalone novel out November 14^th. Her plans for 2017 include a sports romance duet (2 books: The Player, The Catch) and the Everyday Heroes series (3 books: Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit). She’s also writing a novella for the 1,001 Dark Night series that will be out in February 2017. She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.

   Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author | Driven Group  

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy to review. 

Review & Excerpt: THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR by Lauren Blakely

Release Date: July 12th, 2016

My Review: This is the first thing I've read by Lauren Blakely, but I can see why she's a well-liked author. This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and not just because I'm a sucker for heist novels, which this very much is. Blakely's writing just sucks you in, the story is stellar, and the characters really steal the show. Jake cares about his family, and he has a good sense of humor - both things that really stick out about him right from the beginning, and continue to show throughout the novel. Steph has a good heart, and a strong drive to make her business work, and to get her life back on track. But what really stuck out to me was how genuine her feelings are when it comes to her stepfather. There is a very good chance he has stolen a lot of money from people who can't afford it, but it's obviously hard for her to see him as a bad guy while also seeing him as the man who raised her. You can really feel her struggle with it, and I'm glad the author didn't just glaze over this, but truly made it part of Steph's dilemma.

I know this is mostly my own fault, since I didn't look too deeply into the series, but I didn't realize this was a cliffhanger. I was getting more and more nervous as the story progressed, thinking there was no way the author could wrap everything up with only ten percent of the book left. And while the cliffhanger made me instantly desperate for the next book, I appreciated that she didn't just try to throw everything together at the end. I'd rather this spread over several books, so everything progresses naturally, than to have it wrapped up willy-nilly, and not-so-neatly.

I will definitely be reading the next book, and I can't wait to check out more by this author. This was a one-sitting read for me because I just couldn't put it down. It had everything I needed - a good story, amazing characters, a believable (and hot!) romance, and plot twists that had me drooling for more.

Cover Lovin': Oh my, yes.

Recommendation: This is the beginning of a new series, so no prior knowledge necessary. Also: Cliffhanger alert! So prepare yourself.

Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars! (4.5/5). Loved this, couldn't put it down. It was a one-sitting read, and I even stayed up super late to finish it, because I simply had to know what was going to happen next.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

EXCERPT:

“Let’s make it a double,” he said, and after they chatted more about fish and the sea and the Islands, he pointed to the dartboard. “Since you have that dart certification and all, any chance you can give me a few pointers?” he asked, standing up to grab a dart from the board. He returned and held it out to her. She rose and moved closer, and when she reached for the end, he wrapped a hand around her wrist and tugged her in close.

Just like that. The gauntlet was thrown. The move was made. She was in his arms. Poised. For something more. For this moment to unspool into something else. A ribbon of heat raced through her body as she catalogued everything. His gaze held her hostage. His green eyes blazed darkly as he stared at her like he wanted to eat her up. That fierce look made her shudder. She was so close she could breathe him in, and his skin smelled so damn good. Like sunshine and showers. And he was hard everywhere. Not just there, because she wasn’t exactly in that spot, but his arms, and his abs, and his legs.

His fingers curled around her waist, gripping her as Jack Johnson sang about banana pancakes and pretending it’s the weekend all the time.

“Three things,” he whispered, his voice all rough and hot, turning her on before he even uttered another word. “One, I want to kiss you. Two, I’m going to kiss you. Three, if you don’t want me to, say no now. Otherwise . . .”

He inched closer. She parted her lips, and a small sigh escaped. “Yes.”

She closed her eyes and waited. In that second before his lips met hers, the wondrous thrill of anticipation weaved through her body. The hope that kissing a stranger named Jake in a bar would be worth it. That he wouldn’t kiss like a slobbery Saint Bernard, all tongue and exuberance. Nor like a schoolboy, hell-bent on vacuuming up her lips. Call her greedy, call her needy, or just call her a woman who hadn’t been kissed well in a long while.

But she wanted that kiss.

The kind that made your knees weak.

That sent your heart fluttering.

That spread warmth on a sweet, shivery path through your chest.

✮✮✮ THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR is here! From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely’s new contemporary romance Jewel Novel series, this enemies-to-lovers series is filled with sex, wit, glamour, and high stakes, with a rugged, ex-military, dirty-talking alpha hero! Don’t miss this explosive and passionate series! ✮✮✮

       

Lauren Blakely’s THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:

July 13^th

Vagabonda Reads – Excerpt

Books Need TLC – Review

Lina's Reviews: A Book Blog – Excerpt

A Taste of Sin – Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

July 14^th

Marie's Tempting Reads – Review & Excerpt

My Girlfriends Couch – Excerpt

Pretty Sassy Cool – Review & Excerpt

Friends Till The End Book Blog – Excerpt

Krista's Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt

Loves Great Reads Blog – Review & Excerpt

July 15^th

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

Inner Goddess – Review

All Romance Reviews – Review

Evocativebookreviews – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Soul – Review & Excerpt

July 16^th

The Pervy Ladies Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Book Bitches Blog – Review

Musings of the Modern Belle – Review & Excerpt

Go Read A Book – Review

A Bookish Mess – Review & Excerpt

Home. Love. Books. – Review

July 17^th

Ripe For Reader – Review & Excerpt

InBookEden – Review & Excerpt

Ellesea Loves Reading – Excerpt

Book Briefs – Review

Sofia Loves Books – Review

July 18^th

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Author Groupies – Review

Love Drug Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

WTF Are You Reading? – Review

July 19^th

Books and Things Blog – Review & Excerpt

Book Lit Love – Review

A Fortress of Books – Review

Romance Book Nerd – Review & Excerpt

Southern Vixens Book Obsessions – Excerpt

July 20^th

The Flare Up – Excerpt

Novel Addiction – Review & Excerpt

Naughty Book Eden – Excerpt

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

Socially Awkward Book Nerd – Excerpt

July 21^st

Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt

Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt

Alpha Book Club – Review & Excerpt

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Review & Excerpt

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs – Review

BJ's Book Blog – Review

July 22^nd

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Hart's Romance Pulse – Excerpt

Limelight's Books Blog – Review

Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews – Review & Excerpt

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

Shelly's Book Corner – Review

   

** THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR & THE SAPPHIRE HEIST are being released by Montlake, which is an Amazon publishing company, and will only be available for sale at Amazon. You can download a free Kindle reading app for any smartphone or tablet here: http://amzn.to/1MIyrHi

       

ABOUT THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR (Jewel Novel #1):

Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hires him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.

Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.

Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.

But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs…

✮✮✮ Grab your copy of THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR today! ✮✮✮

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA

✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)

THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR can be read from free in Kindle Unlimited!

   

And Don’t Miss the Second Book, THE SAPPHIRE HEIST, releasing August 16^th! Preorder your copy today!

✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA

✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)

         

✮✮✮ Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and signed set of the THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR and THE SAPPHIRE HEIST! ✮✮✮

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    About Lauren Blakely: 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 ten New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than fifty times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone romantic comedies like BIG ROCK and MISTER O, which were both instant New York Times Bestsellers. In the fall she’ll release WELL HUNG, another romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter:laurenblakely.com/newsletter.  

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR Goodreads |Lauren Blakely Goodreads

   

Review: DON'T TEMPT ME by Lori Foster!

Release Date: July 26th, 2016

Type: Book one, Series, Contemporary Romance, Insta-buy author, Do You Ever Wear A Shirt?

About the Book: Jason Guthrie has no time for entanglements—between helping out his widowed brother and teenage nephew and getting his hometown back on its feet, his days are spoken for. But his nights are another story… And when his lovely new neighbor, Honor Brown, reluctantly accepts his help in remodeling her house, Jason finds himself wishing his handyman skills could knock down the defenses she keeps building around herself. 

Martial arts teacher Sullivan Dean knows real danger when he sees it—even when it takes the form of the gorgeous blonde helping her friend move in across the street. After putting his wayward past behind him to focus on teaching control to troubled kids, Sullivan has learned to avoid party girls like Lexie Perkins. But Sullivan can't seem to keep his hands off the real woman behind that flirty charm—or keep his heart from landing at her feet… [Description from Goodreads.com]

My Review: Lori Foster is one of my go-tos for a good contemporary romance. She knows what she's doing. What strikes me every time I pick up her new book - with Don't Tempt Me being no exception - is how real her characters feel. I can very much imagine that these are real people. They're not perfect, they're just perfectly done. I loved her MMA books, but her romances that feature the cute-guy-next-door make me all giddy. I think that's because she makes me believe in real life happily ever afters.

You really get your moneys worth with Don't Tempt Me, because you're actually getting two stories in one book. Jason and Honor might be the main focus, but Sullivan and Lexie's story holds its own. I felt like this book wasn't long enough. I wanted, or maybe needed more from both of these couples. And thank goodness there's a note at the end of the book about a sequel in the future. The critical reviewer in me wants to talk about how over the top the ending was. I won't spoil anything, but there's a lot of mushy moments. But the romance reader in me just can't get over how right it felt. And even if cheesy endings aren't your thing, the story leading up to it is worth it. There's a real sense of family in this book - whether blood related or the family you make along the way. And that's where Lori really shines. These characters become real, and the sense of community sticks with you.

Cover Lovin': Simple, yet elegant.

Recommendation: First in a series, so no prior knowledge required. But be prepared to want more immediately.

Final Rating: FOUR POINT FIVE out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)!! Loved it, and I can't wait for more. And for that matter, where can I find a Jason of my own?

Make sure to pre-order your copy of Don't Tempt Me by Lori Foster today!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.