Review & Release Day: JOCK RULE by Sara Ney!

   

My Review: Oh. My. Gosh  - how fricking  cute was this!!! I will fully admit to making an excited squeaking noise when I finished this,  because it was just so wonderful and adorable.  Sara Ney is definitely moving into my favorite authors category. I haven't read a single bad thing of her's yet!

I just loved these two together. You could look really feel the connection between them,  and I found myself sighing like a lovesick teen more than a few times. This was the perfect mix of fun, funny, and just plain awesome!!

Cover Lovin': Yum!

Recommendation: Can be read on its own.

Final Rating:     FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars (4.5/5)!! Add this to your TBR ASAP!!

Kip Carmichael is no pretty boy.

He's a rough. Dirty. Giant. Hair so unruly, and a beard so thick, his friends on the team call him Sasquatch.

The first time Sasquatch lays eyes on Theodora "Teddy" Johnson across the keg at a party one night on Jock Row, she'd been relegated to the sidelines by her jock hungry "friends."

Week-after-week, he watches beautiful but bashful Teddy getting overshadowed, and overlooked. Sasquatch finally broad shoulders his way through the crowd, offering to to be her hairy godmother. But the minute their eyes meet? He's a goner.

Teaching her the RULES for winning a jock will be the easy part. Not falling in love with her is going to be a losing game.

 

      Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte's, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British. She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Website    

Book Blitz: DEFENSIVE PLAY by Jamie Deacon!

Title: Defensive Play

Series: A Boys on the Brink Novella

Author: Jamie Deacon

Publisher: Beaten Track Publishing

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

 Release Date: November 30, 2018

Genre: Gay YA Sports Romance

Length: 21,500 words

Add to your Goodreads shelves

About the Book

Blurb

 

 One glance is all it takes to bring his defences crashing down… Seventeen-year-old Davey has never made friends easily. Shy, geeky, crippled with social anxiety, he feels isolated from his peers, and only his position as defender for the school football team fills the void of loneliness. On the pitch, his deft footwork has earned him the respect and acceptance of his squad, though at a price. Desperate to hold onto this camaraderie, Davey conceals the truth from everyone, even his own family. Then, during the annual Brookshire football tournament, his eyes meet those of a rival player across the field and a spark flares between them, one neither boy can deny. Adam is everything Davey longs to be—confident, popular, comfortable with his sexuality. Davey aches to explore their connection, to discover where it might lead, but how can he follow his heart and risk rejection by his teammates, the closest thing to friends he has ever known?

Excerpt

The rain has stopped. A soft mist hangs in the air, turning the distant streetlights a hazy orange. After the stuffiness of the clubhouse, the night is bitterly cold and I pull on my sweatshirt against the chill. I sit on the steps overlooking the car park, heedless of the damp that seeps through my jeans. Elbows on knees, I rest my chin in my hands and close my eyes, attempting to clear my mind. I don’t want to think anymore. I just want to sit with nothing but the dark and the quiet for company. I haven’t been hunched there long when the door opens, ejecting a stream of warmth and thumping bass. I glance behind me, although I know who it will be. My body goes still. Adam lets the door swing shut and, just like that, we’re alone. He doesn’t seem surprised to find me on the steps. Perhaps he saw me leave. Has he followed me? My insides clench. What if Adam thinks I did it deliberately, that I meant to lure him out here. Maybe I had. Maybe, deep down, a part of me hoped Adam might come, even while the rest of me prayed he wouldn’t. This time, when our gazes connect, there’s no one to see, no football match to act as a buffer. I drink him in. Even in the faint glow filtering through the frosted pane in the door, his eyes are a vivid blue. “Hey,” Adam says. Such a simple word that expresses so much. There’s recognition there, like we’re childhood friends meeting after years apart, but uncertainty, too. He has a nice voice, I register through my turbulent thoughts—warm and slightly husky. “Hey.” My reply emerges somewhere between a croak and a squeak. Cringing, I stare down at my feet. “It’s Davey, right?” I fling him a startled look. Had this boy—this confident, gorgeous boy—actually gone to the trouble of finding out my name? One side of Adam’s mouth lifts in a crooked smile. “Well, I had to know who the lunatic was who almost took my leg off.” “God.” I bury my face in my hands. Of course Adam was going to ask about me after what happened on the pitch. “I’m so sorry.” He laughs and nudges my thigh with the toe of his trainer. “I’m kidding. Seriously, you did us a favour.” I dare a peep at him, unable to rid myself of the thought that he has pursued me out here to take the piss. That wouldn’t be anything new, after all. “It’s true.” Adam crouches on the step beside me, his expression amused but without malice. “Rob warned me about you. He said the rest of your defence was pretty solid, but probably weren’t quick enough to catch me. You were the real threat.” I grimace. “I’m guessing he wasn’t expecting me to take you out quite so spectacularly, though.” “Funnily enough, that wasn’t included in the pep talk. Still, I should be thanking you. You made our job a whole lot easier.” “Don’t remind me. You should’ve heard the guys after the match. I’ll never hear the end of it.” Adam laughs again, and I can’t hold back a smile. Here I am, having an actual conversation with an amazing-looking boy—a boy who’d caught me checking him out, no less—and I’m not making an ass of myself. The door behind us bursts open and several guys spill out. I tense, guard raised. Will they think it odd us sitting out here alone? I scan their faces, but none are from Farnstead. A moment later, they barrel down the steps without giving either of us a second look and head for one of the cars parked nearby. As they pile in and the engine growls to life, I exhale, shoulders slumping. I can feel Adam studying me and keep my gaze lowered. “You’re not out,” he says, “are you?” “What?” My entire body goes rigid. He knows. I’d already guessed as much, but suspecting it is one thing; being confronted with the indisputable truth sends me spiralling back into panic mode. Why had he really followed me out here? I’d thought…been sure I’d read something in his eyes when they locked with mine, but what if I’m wrong? Do I truly believe someone like Adam, someone popular and self-assured, would have sought me out? Unless… I see again the Brookminster players in their huddle, sniggering, moments after Adam caught me staring. I’d reassured myself they weren’t laughing about me, but perhaps my fears had been well founded. The cold certainty settles like a snowball in my gut. I’d given myself away, and now the other lads have sent Adam out here to chat me up, trick me into an admission I won’t be able to take back. For all I know, his mates are somewhere close by as we speak, listening in. “Hey.” Adam extends his palms in what is probably supposed to be a calming gesture. “It’s all right. I know and it’s all right.” “You don’t know anything,” I snap. The instinct for self-preservation, to keep my protective wall intact at any cost, propels me to my feet. “You hear me? You don’t know anything about me.” Before he can respond, I’m down the steps and sprinting into the darkness, phone already out to call my parents. All I want is to go home, crawl into bed, and forget today ever happened.

Purchase Your Copy!

Kindle UK | Kindle US | Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Smashwords | Beaten Track Publishing

About Jamie Deacon

Author Bio

Jamie lives in a tranquil spot close to the River Thames in Berkshire, England, and has always been just a little out of place—the only redhead in a family of brunettes; an introvert far more at ease with dogs than with people; a connoisseur of simple pleasures in a society intent on the quest for wealth and fame. Despite an outward cynicism, Jamie is a romantic at heart, and, when not immersed in a book, can mostly be found writing emotional stories where young men from all walks of life are forced to navigate the sometimes painful reality of growing up, coming out, and falling in love.

Connect with Jamie

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Defensive Play, Jamie Deacon is giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card. For your chance to win, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. The giveaway is open to entrants world wide, and closes at midnight EST on Friday December 7, 2018. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Blitz: BISHOP by Sawyer Bennett!

Bishop: An Arizona Vengeance Novel
Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: August 14, 2018

Synopsis:

Meet the Arizona Vengeance, hockey’s hottest new team. They’re burning up the ice—until a one-night-stand with the coach’s daughter freezes one player in his skates.

Bishop Scott, co-captain. Not too shabby, huh? It’s all part of my fresh start with the NHL’s latest expansion team, and that means new teammates, a new coach, a new city, and a big new contract. Basically, I cannot f***ing wait to show my old squad what they’re missing.

But first, I decide to check out the town before the grind begins. Turns out Arizona chicks are totally smokin’, and I’m fortunate enough to meet one who’s looking for the same thing I am: a night of anonymous, unforgettable, no-strings-attached sex.

Fast forward to the Vengeance arena. It’s the last place I expect to see her again—let alone in her own office. Then bells go off and I finally realize who this girl is: Brooke Perron. My new coach’s daughter. All of a sudden, we’re picking up right where we left off, which means our hands are all over each other. That’s when her dad—my boss—walks in. And before I can get a word out, Brooke’s introducing me as her fiancé.

Sure, she just saved my ass. So why do I get the feeling Brooke’s going to turn my world upside down? Maybe it’s because this fake relationship feels way too real. . . .

Download BISHOP (Arizona Vengeance, Book #1):

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

About the Author:

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released multiple books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. 

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone. 

Sawyer likes her Bloody Marys strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active daughter, as well as full-time servant to her adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or even better, both. 

Sawyer also writes general and women’s fiction under the pen name S. Bennett and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.

Connect with Sawyer:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Book + Main Bites | BookBub | Amazon | Newsletter | Master Blogger List

REVIEW: JOCK ROW by Sara Ney!

My Review: I can barely put my thoughts into words because I am currently suffering from cuteness overload.. and loving every second of it! Seriously, I get why Sara Ney has such a dedicated following - if all her stuff is even half the quality of this, she's definitely insta-buy worthy. And she manages to find that perfect balance. Cute, but not so much that your teeth hurt from the sweetness of it. It's just the right amount.

I actually got physically reactions from reading this book - happy squeals, blushes, giggles, and that wonderful tingly feeling you get when a story and/or the characters are just.. right. Seriously, I don't think I can rate this book highly enough, or recommend it hard enough . You better believe I will be sending this link to all my friends!

Cover Lovin': Thumbs up!

Recommendation: Book one, no prior knowledge necessary.

Final Rating:      FIVE out of FIVE stars (5/5)!!! Un-put-down-able!

Scarlett is always the sensible one: The sober driver. The planner. The one holding your hair back while you're worshiping the porcelain gods.

Week-after-week, she visits Jock Row with her friends—the universities hottest party scene and breeding ground for student athletes. And if keeping her friends out of trouble, and guys out of their pants, was a sport, she'd be the star athlete.

Being a well known jock-blocker gets her noticed for all the wrong reasons; just like that, she's banned from Jock Row. NO GUY WANTS A GIRL AROUND WHO KEEPS THEIR JOCK FRIENDS FROM GETTING LAID.

"Rowdy" Wade is the hot shot short-stop for the university's baseball team—and the unlucky bastard who drew the short straw: keep little Miss Goody Two-Shoes out of the Baseball House.

But week-after-week Scarlett returns, determined to get inside.

ADD TO GOODREADS

 

   

Jesus Christ, she has a dimple in her damn cheek.

I’m a sucker for those.

She shoots me a tentative smile, ass parked on the stoop, back propped against the wooden siding of the house.

It’s obvious that she’s blushing by the way she ducks her head, glancing down at the floor, the soft glow from the two busted lamps illuminate the crown of her head.

The porch lights are busted and rusty, needing their bulbs changed, one flickering—the other just about to burn out. It makes the entire place look like a goddamn Halloween fun-house, casting a weird glow on the girl’s smooth, pale skin.

And her pretty dimple.

Stop staring at it, dipshit.

I cast my glance at her outfit, doing my best to analyze her under the dim lights; she must have been sweaty inside the house; I got a good look at her before convincing her to follow me, but still study her as if seeing her for the first time.

Both of her boots are tucked under her legs, and she sits, cross-legged on the ground. Blows out a frustrated puff of air that translates into a billowing stream of steam.

“So.” She wraps her puffed sleeved arms around her knees, hugging them tight. Shivers. “Now what?”

Her prim ponytail is jaunty, bobbing when she tilts her head to gaze over at me.

“Now I babysit you.”

“Lovely. We can bond.”

I position my large body against the railing, giving it a gentle shake to make sure it’s sturdy before supporting all my weight on it. It’s solid and secure and is going to get real uncomfortable real fucking fast if I have to stand here all night.

The girl raises her brows at me. They appear black in this light; full and arched expertly. “Have you babysat anyone before?”

“No one I managed to keep alive,” I joke. “A few cousins my parents forced me to watch a few times; never would feed them but would occasionally throw out a dog bone so they wouldn’t get hungry.”

She smiles, dimple denting the smooth right side of her face. “Is that what you have planned for me?”

I raise my empty hands. “I’m fresh out of Scooby snacks. Guess we’ll both have to starve.”

“Sorry you have to sit out here.”

“Really?” I sound hopeful. “No one is forcing you to sit out here.”

Her light laugh is quiet. “Fine. I guess I’m not that sorry.” She bites down on her lower lip. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying your discomfort—just a little bit.”

“Gee, thanks.”

          Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte's, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British. She lives with her husband, children, and her ridiculously large dog. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Newsletter | Website

Review: DROPPING IN by Carrie Quest

 

Today, we have the blog tour for Carrie Quest’s DROPPING IN! Check it—and the free prequel—out today and grab your copy!

My Review: A book involving a wanna-be writer falling for her best friend's older brother? I'm sold! So we started off right, and it just got better from there. I was grinning like a loon as soon as Natalie caught Ben getting ready to... ahem, shower, and it just got better from there. I loved all the little touches - the cute little surprises they would leave each other, the fun jokes.. just the general sense of humor of this novel. And I appreciated how well the author seamlessly moved from the fun to the dramatic. 

I didn't want to put this down. It was a great read, and I'd highly recommend it for those who love the best-friends-older-brother/little-sister's-best-friend romance trope. And heck, I recommend it to contemporary romance lovers in general! It was fun to watch these two fall in love, and I can't wait to see what else this author comes up with. And I want to see Natalie's novel in real life!

Cover Lovin': Those abs! Someone pass me a fan!

Recommendation: No prior knowledge necessary.

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5)! A great read. I loved Ben, and these two deserve their perfect happily ever after!

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Title: Dropping In

Series: A Snow-Crossed Lovers Novel

Release Date: February 8^th

About Dropping In:

Natalie Berensen has one short summer to ace her writing class and convince her parents she’s not a hopeless screw-up. No more changing her major once a month, taking time off to travel, or random friends-with-benefits. She doesn’t have time for distractions or hook-ups, not even if her longtime crush is in town for the summer and living in her basement. Who cares if he’s a snowboarding god with six pack abs and a hashtag devoted to his apparently magical penis? She’s not interested. Until she is. Ben Easton’s focus and self-discipline is legendary. He’s built a career as a professional snowboarder by training harder than anyone else on the mountain and steering clear of anything that doesn’t take him one step closer to his goal: Olympic gold. Then his best friend crashes in the half-pipe and Ben drops everything to take care of him. No more training. No more competitions. No more snowboarding. It’s over. He’s back in Boulder to help with Adam’s rehab, not fool around with his little sister’s best friend, no matter how much he loves her laugh or the way her ass looks when she walks up the stairs. There’s no way in hell he’s going anywhere near Natalie. Until he does. Contains: a grumpy guard cat with a taste for blood, discussions of Ents as phallic symbols, and plenty of sexy times.

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Nook

Out Now:

Title: Bailing Out

Series: A Snow-Crossed Lovers Novella

About Bailing Out:

Gabriel Power came to Sochi with two goals: win a medal and track down his ex-girlfriend so he can finally explain the truth about the scandal that came between them. Once that’s done, he’s going to disappear. Snowboarding’s bad boy is tired of the phony photo ops set up by his media mogul father. Getting hounded by reporters and pretending to date supermodels while running errands for Power News cost him the only girl he’s ever loved, and now it’s time to walk away. Quitting his father will be easy. Bailing on snowboarding will be slightly harder. Getting Belle to forgive him may be impossible, but he has to try. Isabelle Garland’s Olympic dream died the night a drunk driver plowed into her car and crushed her leg. Sochi was supposed to be her moment of glory, but instead she’s limping around the Village trying to dodge the snowboarder who broke her heart and avoid the interviews her pushy sister-slash-manager insists are vital for building her brand. Belle doesn’t want a brand, she wants a life. Preferably one far away from the rude reporters who keep trying to get America’s Skating Sweetheart to cry on camera by asking how it feels when your entire life is snatched away in an instant. (Spoiler: it feels like s***. Also, she’s more snark than sweet these days.) When she runs into Gabe in the basement of her hotel, Belle’s first instinct is to flee. Too bad they’re trapped in a freezing storage room together with no way out and only their chemistry to keep them warm…

 

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Nook

Coming Soon:

Title: Wiping Out

Series: A Snow-Crossed Lovers Novel

Release Date: March 8^th

About Wiping Out:

Piper Easton is a fixer. As a teenager she took over running the house when her mom got sick, and when her snowboarder brother was injured, she found the top knee guru in town and finagled a same-day appointment. She’s got an exclusive internship lined up in Europe and she’ll be leaving as soon as she watches her brother Ben win a gold medal. She just has to clean up one last mess: the way her stupid heart jumps whenever her ex-boyfriend appears. She and Adam are friends now, that’s it. That’s all they can ever be. But maybe a few benefits aren’t out of the question. Just until their trip to the Olympics finishes and they both go their separate ways. Surely the problem will be fixed by then. Adam Westlake had two true loves: snowboarding and Piper Easton. He lost them both and now he’s broken. The scars from where they cut his skull open are no longer visible, but the traumatic brain injury means it isn’t safe for him to ride again and he hasn’t spoken to Piper in eighteen months. Not since he got out of the hospital and fled Colorado, terrified he wouldn’t be able to resist strapping on his board when the snow started falling. He’s been chasing summer around the world ever since, until a lucrative offer to report on the Olympics brings him home to face all the temptations he left behind. He might be able to summon the willpower to stay off the mountain, but Piper? She’s irresistible. Contains: sex as an Olympic sport, dirty dancing while wearing eye goggles, ninety-nine penis balloons, and a blowjob rudely interrupted by a devil in feline form.

Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Nook

About the Author:

Carrie grew up in Vermont, spent her college years in beautiful Boulder, Colorado, and now lives in New Zealand with her husband, two smallish children, and a gaggle of very badly behaved animals. She writes love stories that will make you laugh and reads enough romance to swoon on the regular.

Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook

Enter Carrie’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway    


Disclaimer: I received a copy to review.

Review & Excerpt: MOST LIKELY TO SCORE by Lauren Blakely!

My Review: Oh, Lauren Blakely. What would I do without this author? She's one of my favorites if I need a hot re-read. And every book she comes out with is one more I get to add to my "happy reads for crappy days" pile. And add in that it's a sports romance, one of my biggest weaknesses, and this book is a home run. Or in this case, a touch down!

I loved this "forbidden" romance. Jillian works for the team, and dating a player is a big no-no. But who can blame her - Jones is a hottie. I swooned from the first chapter. Jones is a dreamboat, and might be my new favorite Blakely hero. I loved these two together, and the forbidden aspect just added that extra delicious tension. As anxious as I was for the two of them to truly begin their relationship, it's even better when there's that delayed gratification.

Cover Lovin': Heck yes, what a cover!

Recommendation: A stand-alone.

Final Rating:   FIVE out of FIVE stars (5/5)! Love Lauren Blakely, and this is my new favorite, for sure!

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the hot, new sports romance, MOST LIKELY TO SCORE! A sexy, standalone forbidden romance about a sports star and the woman who's off limits, MOST LIKELY TO SCORE is now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

   

✮✮✮ MOST LIKELY TO SCORE is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

A sexy new forbidden romance from #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely...

It should have been a simple play…

She needed a football player to step up and be the star for a charity calendar. I needed a sharp and savvy publicist to manage a brand-new sponsorship deal. I scratched her back. She scratched mine. And oh hell, did Jillian ever drag her nails down my back on one hell of a hot night. Okay fine, it was several hot nights on the road.

Now we’re back in town and it’s time to set the play clock back to when we were simply player and publicist. Given the way the last few years have gone, I can’t risk this deal, so it's hands off for us once again. Trouble is, I want more than than just another night with her.

What’s a guy to do when he's always been most likely to score, but the woman he’s falling for is just out of bounds?

I don't date players. And I definitely don't sleep with players. And I absolutely don't fall for a certain player when I get to know him and learn he's more than just sexy -- he's clever, funny and has a heart as big as his . .. well, you get my drift.

But my job is at stake, and I can't afford to lose that as well as my heart. The problem is, I think I've already lost that game.

What's a girl to do when the clock is running out, but the man she's falling for is off limits?

MOST LIKELY TO SCORE is a brand new standalone sports romance written in dual POV!

✦Amazon ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon AUS ✦ Amazon CAN ✦ Audible

✦ iBooks ✦ iBooks UK ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Amazon PB ✦ Google Play

EXCERPT:

~Jillian~

He runs his hand through his hair, flashing a lopsided grin then a wink. “Sorry. I meant are you my personal PR person now?”

That word zips through me like an electric charge. A light gust of wind blows my hair across my cheeks, and I tuck the strands behind my ear, grateful for the temporary distraction courtesy of San Francisco’s windy morning. I shiver lightly from the chill. “Yes, that seems to be the case, and I’m happy to do it.”

He cocks his head to the side. “Are you like my babysitter?”

My jaw drops. “What? No. No. No. That’s ridiculous. I’m not a babysitter.”

He arches a brow. “A nanny?”

I smirk. “Jones, I would hope you’ve outgrown the need for a nanny.”

“That’s up for debate, it seems. But maybe you’re my governess?”

I roll my eyes and gesture to the car at the curb. “I’m not your nanny, I’m not your babysitter, and I’m definitely not your governess. I’m here to help you create the best image possible. I can market, publicize, and help you manage putting the best foot forward,” I say, my tone earnest, my meaning important. “I believe in what I do. I know you’re a great guy, and I want the world to see what I’ve seen in the last couple days.”

“Yeah?”

“That’s why I said yes when Ford asked for my help. I’m not interested in being anyone’s au pair. I am very interested, though, in showing this city what good things our team does on and off the field. Including you.” I take a breath and try to read him. To understand what’s beneath the teasing. I think I know what it is. He wants a choice. “But if you don’t want me to help out, I’ll step back and we can stick to just the calendar. I told Ford I’d do this for your new deal, because I want to be the one to help you if you need it, and it’s the kind of help I can give. Since you signed the contract yesterday, and the folks at Paleo Pet are local, they want to stop by the shoot later today. Take some pictures, chat, and so on. I’m happy to be there by your side the whole time, making sure you’re comfortable with everything, and you’re represented in the best way possible. But if those aren’t your wishes, and if it isn’t what you need, then I’ll be hands-off. I hold up my palms as if I’m backing away.

In a heartbeat, he grabs my wrists. Possessively. A thrill rushes through me, like a drumbeat pulsing in my veins. I look away from him briefly. I can’t make eye contact when he does this, when he touches me. If I do, he’ll know. He’ll realize I’m just like all the other women who fling panties at him, who chase him down in bars, who line up at the players’ entrance to become his football floozy for the night. I won’t ever be someone’s football floozy, and I can’t let him see for a second that I want some of the same things those other women want from him. Him.

“Don’t be hands-off,” he says, his voice soft.

       

---

✦The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt! ✦ ✦Audio on Amazon ➜http://amzn.to/2AA78cG ✦Audible ➜http://adbl.co/2B6axB5

---

       

Add it to Goodreads here!

"Most Likely to Score is another flawlessly executed story that'll have readers laughing, sighing, blushing, and swooning as a publicist and an athlete get their shot at a Happily Ever After." -Yvette-Nose Stuck in a Book

           

“Lauren Blakely never ceases to amaze me with her sense of humor, her talent to write fabulous heroes and heroines and to pull an A game with a male POV. MOST LIKELY TO SCORE is a real treasure.- Becca at Little Read Reading Hood

   

"The combination of heart, humor, and heat is enough to have me fawning all over Jones." -Sarah-Musings of the Modern Belle

       

Don’t miss the first sizzling standalone sports romance from Lauren Blakely, MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, now on sale for the first time! Get your copy for $2.99 for a limited time only!

     

Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns.

Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the MOST LIKELY TO SCORE charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long -- and it has been long -- because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who's dead set on winning more than a date with me.

Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.

She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we have to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is -- I've been riding the bench for years.

How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she’s most valuable to his heart?

MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is a brand new standalone sports romance written in the guy’s POV!

✦ Amazon ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Audible ✦ Audio on Amazon

✦ iBooks ✦ B&N ✦ Kobo ✦ Amazon PB ✦ Google Play

     

✮✮✮ Enter to win this amazing MOST LIKELY TO SCORE GIVEAWAY! ✮✮✮

Lauren’s MOST LIKELY TO SCORE Girls Day Out Package! This bundle is valued at $398.00 and includes a Cherry Red Kate Spade Purse ($298 value) and a $100 Gift Card to Your Favorite Store to go Shopping!

https://laurenblakely.com/likely-score-giveaway/

    A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 85 times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In March she'll release WANDERLUST, a breathtaking new romance that will sweep you away. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter    

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

   

Review: MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY by Lauren Blakely!

   

From #1 NYT Bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the swoony and oh-so-romantic title…MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY.

In MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, the NFL starting quarterback Cooper Armstrong needs his best friend’s sister to pretend to be his girlfriend. Violet is willing, but neither one expects their boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage to turn into a full-contact sport so quickly. Find out if their fake play will become the real deal or if they can turn back the clock to when they were just friends in this sexy new standalone sports romance!

   

Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

My Review: Oh Lauren Blakely, how I love thee. I always love her books. They're so fun. She writes characters I would love to hang out with if they were real.. and I so wish for them to be real. I love myself some sports romances, so when I heard about this book, I had to jump at the chance to read it. A great author, a great story, and a great cover - it couldn't go wrong.

And it didn't! Seriously, I loved this. It moved so quickly, or maybe I just got so into the story that I didn't realize how much time was really passing. The characters themselves really made this book for me. I would read anything, even the worst storyline a person could come up with, if these characters were involved. I just loved the banter, the family dynamic between the friends.. It was just so good, all of it.

If you haven't read a book by this author before, you're really missing out. I've not read anything by Lauren Blakely that was less than awesome. Do yourself a favor and pick up Most Valuable Playboy today!

Cover Lovin': Who wouldn't love that cover?!

Recommendation: No prior knowledge necessary. 

Final Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars (4/5)!! A great, highly recommended read!

      

✮✮✮ MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮

Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns.

Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long -- and it has been long -- because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who's dead set on winning more than a date with me.

Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.

She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we have to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is -- I've been riding the bench for years.

How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she’s most valuable to his heart?

MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY is a brand new standalone sports romance written in the guy’s POV!

 

Amazon ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Audible ✦ Audio on Amazon

iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ Kobo ✦ Amazon PB ✦ Google Play

   

  

Excerpt:

The business suit woman raises a hand, offering forty-one hundred.

Maxine’s eyes laser in on me, and she slashes an arm through the air. “Five thousand dollars,” she says, jacking the price up by nine hundred and staking her claim. I shudder inside.

The guy’s eyes widen, and he holds up his hands. “I’m out.”

My stomach plummets when the business woman shakes her head.

“Going once?” Sierra asks, scanning the tables, looking for perhaps one last big spender. My eyes scan the crowd, too. Hell, maybe I’ll find an escape hatch. A trapdoor to drop into and disappear like in a magic act. Maybe Trent will learn to read my mind. Trent, I’ll cover you for anything you bid. Just raise that hand, name a price, and save me.

My best friend’s expression is merely curious now as he watches Maxine and Sierra, waiting for the verdict. My opportunity to play yard boy slips through my fingers.

The look in Maxine’s eyes is pure satisfaction as she waits for the final word. She winks at me, as if we have a secret. Holy shit. She thinks I want this. She thinks I want her to win me. 

A flash of chestnut brown hair in the back catches my attention. A flurry of silver. It’s Violet, hands in the air, wildly flapping over her head in the middle of the ballroom. She brings her finger to her nose. And she’s tapping it, like fucking Santa Claus coming down the chimney, and Harlan tapping his nose to signal his agent, and all the greatest solutions in the universe at once.

My heart goes crazy.

It hammers in my chest. This is like finding an open receiver a second before you’re sacked.

“Going twice,” Sierra says, trailing off as she waits.

I raise my arm and tap my nose, too. Violet is the only one who knows I need to get out of this jam. She’s the only one I mentioned it to. And she’s the only one now who can save me.

“Ten thousand dollars.”

Holy shit. Violet does not mess around with my money. Her eyes widen, as if she’s surprised she bid that high.

My gaze finds Trent. He’s staring at his sister, slack-jawed.

Sierra’s smile is bright and wide. “Ten thousand dollars. Do we have ten thousand, one hundred?”

The room is hushed. Maxine’s expression is blank. She must be shocked. She probably didn’t expect anyone to vie with her to this extent.

I tap my foot, willing Sierra to close this quickly. Just slam the door shut, please, fucking please.

“Going one. Going twice.”

I say a silent prayer. I cross my fingers. I hope.

Maxine blinks, opens her mouth, and I steel myself for a disgustingly high counter bid.

But there’s only silence. No words come. Violet has shocked her speechless. This type of bid wasn’t in Maxine’s playbook.

Sierra raises her arm. “And a night with the quarterback is sold for ten thousand dollars.”

Talk about a Hail Mary.

10% of the proceeds from the release day sales along with a portion of pre-orders across all retailers of MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY will be given to the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Houston Humane Society to help those in need from the natural disaster.

       

---

✦The audiobook is narrated by Zachary Webber! Grab your copy today! http://adbl.co/2gbiHT2✦

---

       

"Lauren Blakely is a master at writing sexy, engaging stories that draw you in and make you fall in love with her characters. A definite go-to author for me!" - NYT Bestselling Author Melanie Moreland

   

“Lauren Blakely never ceases to amaze me with her sense of humor, her talent to write fabulous heroes and heroines and to pull an A game with a male POV. Most Valuable Playboy is a real treasure. - Becca at Little Read Reading Hood

     

“The slow burn, the teasing, the kisses, OH THE KISSES!!! MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY exceeded all of my expectations. Lauren Blakely has a knack for making a reader fall for her characters." - Jess at Jo and Isa Love Books Blog

 

Add it to Goodreads here!

       

✮✮✮ Enter to win this amazing MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY GIVEAWAY! ✮✮✮

Lauren’s Most Valuable Playboy Team Spirit Prize Package Giveaway! This bundle is valued at $450 and includes a Coach Handbag ($300 value) and $150 Stub Hub Gift Card to use for tickets to the game, your favorite concert, or theater performance.

http://laurenblakely.com/valuable-playboy-giveaway/

    About Lauren Blakely: A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than eighty times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In September she'll release MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY, a standalone sports romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter  

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

 

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

Blog Tour: SHAPE OF MY HEART by Khardine Gray!

Title: Shape of My Heart

Series: Standalone

Author: Khardine Gray

Publisher: Khardine Gray

Cover Artist: Erin Dameron-Hill 

Release Date: August 6, 2017

Romance Genre(s): Contemporary, Sports

Words: 75,000 View on Goodreads

About the Book

Blurb

 Like a Phoenix from the Ashes, True Love Can Arise from Illness and Death. An aspiring fashion designer, Amy’s life changes when her mother suddenly falls ill. Her mother needs lifesaving surgery, and it’s up to Amy to acquire the funds. A famous and highly valued football player, Josh has an incredible lifetime of excellence in his sport. His life crumbles when his mother and sister are killed in a car crash while on their way to see his last game of the season. Distraught with self-loathing and self-blame, Josh descends into a life of alcoholism and loose women that threatens to ruin his football career and possibly his life. Mission Impossible? A friend sets Amy up with a job as a PA at the LA PR Agency which represents Josh’s football team, the Gladiators. Her task is to whip Josh into shape mentally and physically for the next football season. From Worst Person in the World to Love of a Lifetime? Shocked to her core, Amy discovers that Josh is the worst person in the world. His daily protests, unsavory habits and loose women are unbelievable. Josh is equally annoyed with Amy. As Amy gets Josh to see some hope, a spark is kindled… Will that spark grow into a flaming romance? Or will they return to their regular lives?

Excerpt

A series of female giggles pierced the silence. She looked upstairs to where the sound resonated and saw two women in barely there bikini’s running down the steps. Behind them was Joshua Mancini himself wearing a pair of shorts and a black t-shirt. He was chasing the women. Amy geared herself up to meet her new employer. Even if she was appalled at the state of the house she had to make that first impression a good one. As he got closer she saw that he was truly handsome indeed with his sleek muscle and untamed pride. What she saw online was totally drool-worthy, but those images had nothing on the real-life Joshua Mancini who was six feet six, extremely well built with a ridged wall of a chest that bulged against the soft fabric of his t- shirt. He was breathtaking to look at with his black shiny, spiky hair, tanned skin and piercing eyes with an unusual mix of blue and green. Turquoise. That was the color. It was turquoise like the sea in somewhere like the Caribbean. Not that she’d ever been, but she’d seen enough pictures. He was the kind of man that made you want to stare, even against your will. She quickly adjusted herself and her focus. It would do her no good to go all girlie weak-kneed and turn into some babbling buffoon in front of him. She had to look professional. He looked her over with appreciation as he made his descent down the stairs and stopped a few paces away from her, making her feel like a dwarf even in her heels that added an extra two inches to her mere five feet and four inches. The women joined him and giggled as they tried to fix each other’s hair. “Good, the stripper’s here,” he said with a wide smile that revealed super gorgeous dimples in his exotic high cheek bones. It took her a second or two to realize that he was referring to her. “No, no I’m from the agency,” she replied quickly. “I’m Amy, your new PA.” That was when he looked up at her and narrowed his eyes. “If you could just point me in the direction of the office I’ll get started.” There, that was professional. To her surprise, however, he started to laugh. It was the usual sort of off balanced laughter you’d expect from someone who was truly wasted and didn’t know what they were even laughing at. “Those people are jokers.” “This is no joke. I’ll take care of all your paperwork and everything.” She offered a smile. “Ha, ha. Everything? Well you can start in there.” He set his square jaw in a firm line and pointed to the mess in the living room. “Clean that up will you.” Her mouth dropped. She attempted to protest but he just walked away, leaving her there to gawk at the crazy mess.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

About Khardine Gray

Author Bio

Khardine Gray is a contemporary romance author who lives in England with her husband and two kids. She is well travelled, cultured, and a woman with a passion for dancing and ice skating. When not writing you can catch her shopping, indulging on pizza and hot chocolate, or hanging out with her family and friends. No need to spend money on an airline ticket. Simply pick up one of Khardine's books to become immersed in the fascinating stories and characters she creates.

Connect with Khardine

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway

Khardine Gray is giving away an e-copy of her latest release, The Shape of My Heart. For your chance to win, simply enter via the Rafflecopter below. The contest closes at midnight EST on August 11, 2017, and is open to entrants worldwide. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Stops

July 31: A Naughty Book Fling
Novel Addiction
Kitty's Book Spot
Obsessed by Books
Loves Great Reads
Fictional Rendezvous August 1: Book Lovers 4Ever
I Heart Reading
Books, Dreams, Life
Shh, I Am Reading
NerdGirl Official August 2: Happy Ever After
The Bookworm Lodge
Written Love Reviews
Abibliophobia Anonymous
Voluptuous Book Diva
Life at 17 August 3: Those Crazy Book Chicks
Up 'Til Dawn
Liz's Reading Life
Romance Novel Giveaways
Outrageous Heroes of Romance
CelticLady's Reviews August 4: EskieMama Reads
Lisa's Book Blog @ LEL
Fabulous and Brunette
Dandelions Inspired
Suzanne Jenkins' Blog
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
Tour Hosted by LoveBound Promotions