May 31, 2017

COVER REVEAL: Beautiful Mistake

The #1 New York Times Bestselling author Vi Keeland is back with a brand new standalone, Beautiful Mistake releasing on July 17th and I have the amazing cover for you today!



The first time I met Caine West was in a bar. He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out. 

When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass. 

You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married. 

He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done. Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant. 

Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy. 

Oops.  My mistake.  

Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology. I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right? 

That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning. Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant. I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking. 

Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.

This was going to be interesting… 

ADD TO GOODREADS     

Pre-order exclusively on ibooks

No pre-order is available for Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Google Play (ebook) but signup to receive notice when the book goes live!

Join Vi’s Violets for early news of books, fun chats and giveaways!

             

author-photo
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than 1.5 million books sold, her titles have appeared in over eighty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in sixteen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. 

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Somehow, Some Way (Billionaire Builders #2.5)


I need Pierce Brothers to be real. Because these guys and their guys are awesome. As is this new novella in Jennifer Probst's Billionaire Builders series.

Somehow, Some Way (Billionaire Builders #2.5), by Jennifer Probst
Publish Date:
May 30, 2017
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 4 STARS


(Synopsis) Bolivar Randy Heart (aka Brady) knows exactly what he wants next in life: the perfect wife. Raised in a strict traditional family household, he seeks a woman who is sweet, conservative, and eager to settle down. With his well-known protective and dominant streak, he needs a woman to offer him balance in a world where he relishes control.


Too bad the newly hired, gorgeous, rehab addict is blasting through all his preconceptions and wrecking his ideals…one nail at a time…


Charlotte Flowers knows who she is and refuses to apologize. Growing up poor made her appreciate the simple things in life, and her new job at Pierce Brothers Construction is perfect to help her carve out a career in renovating houses. When an opportunity to transform a dilapidated house in a dangerous neighborhood pops up, she goes in full throttle. Unfortunately, she’s forced to work with the firm’s sexy architect who’s driving her crazy with his archaic views on women.


Too bad he’s beginning to tempt her to take a chance on more than just work…one stroke at a time…


Somehow, some way, they need to work together to renovate a house without killing each other…or surrendering to the white-hot chemistry knocking at the front door.

We know Brady Heart as the brilliant architect that works for Pierce Brothers Construction. We know he's oldest brother Cal's best friend and equally close to Cal's two younger brothers. We didn't know much else about him, but we certainly learned a lot in the span of a short novella. 

There are a lot of layers to Brady. He is a very traditional man. He loves the finer things in life. He also loves women - respects them and treats them like gold. But, he has very archaic views about them. He thinks wives belong in the home and not in the workplace. That they should defer to their husbands in all things. And Brady is in the market for a wife. 

He has a big crush, however, on Charlie Flowers, the rehab expert Pierce Brothers recently hired. She's a big problem for him because she flies in the face of everything he believes. She is fiercely independent and wildly talented at what she does. She was raised poor, so she eschews extravagance. She is basically the exact opposite from Brady's ideal woman. Which makes the fact that he wants her more than any other woman terribly inconvenient.

I spent most of the book incredibly frustrated with both Charlie and Brady - but moreso with Charlie. She spends much of the book judging Brady for his views and ideals, while being pissed off with him at the same time for his judging of her for the same reasons. She doesn't appreciate him meddling in her business, and yet, when she does the same thing in the name of pinching pennies, he's supposed to be grateful. It was maddening. 

As Brady got to know Charlie, he started shifting his ideas about what he wanted in a woman. And, although his family still held traditional views about marriage and kids, Brady's time working on a house with Charlie caused him to start questioning everything. Can you imagine what a jarring experience that would be? He understandably has a hard time with this realization. Wouldn't you?

Somehow, Some Way was a great addition to the Billionaire Builders series. Despite my frustration with Charlie, I did like how she and Brady worked together once they both got over themselves. And the glimpses of the three Pierce Brothers was icing on the cake. 

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

Website: www.jenniferprobst.com
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferprobst.authorpage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenniferprobst
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2965489.Jennifer_Probst


May 30, 2017

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Easy Fortune (Boudreaux #5.5)


Any chance I have to delve into Kristen Proby's Boudreaux world is one I will gladly take. Check out my review of EASY FORTUNE and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Easy Fortune (Boudreaux #5.5), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date:
May 30, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS


(Synopsis) Sometimes the past is better left behind you…


Lena Turner has spent her life as the outsider. Thanks to her extraordinary gifts, she’s learned to be independent—especially when it comes to men. She’s content to live her life in New Orleans as a schoolteacher, dating casually and dedicated to her small family. Long term is not part of her plan.


Sometimes the past catches up with you…


Leaving Lena behind to pursue his career was the most difficult thing Mason Coulter ever did. He told himself that it was for the best, had even convinced himself that he had only Lena’s best interests in mind. But now, after six long years, he’s back in New Orleans to settle his late eccentric aunt’s estate. All he has to do is get in and out of the city without submitting to the need to see Lena. But to Mason’s dismay, his aunt made other plans.


And sometimes the future and the past collide…


Having Mason walk back into her life is something Lena never saw coming. She could refuse to help him, but she’s never been good at telling Mason no. So she’ll do what she can to get the estate settled and Mason out of her life for good.


At least, that’s the plan. But Mason has plans of his own…

While we're all waiting for the sixth and final book in her Boudreaux series, Kristen Proby was nice enough to give us a little something extra to sink our teeth into. In the 5th book in the series, Easy Magic, we got to know side character Lena pretty well. She was the best friend of main character Mallory, and with her own set of otherworldly abilities, she piqued my interest and made me yearn for a HEA of her own. Maybe Kristen Proby has some scary good intuition herself, because she has given we fans what we wanted. 

Six years ago, Lena's heart was broken when the man she loved left without an explanation. Now Mason Coulter is back, and he needs her help. As much as all the jilted women out there would love to shove something like that in their former lover's face, that's not Lena. She is compassionate and smart and desperate for a summertime adventure. So, when Mason tells her that his deceased aunt's final request is that the two of them go on a treasure hunt together, and only then will Mason inherit her estate, Lena agrees. 

I love second chance romances. And I love road trips. Easy Fortune brings those two tropes together and creates a sweet, poignant, sexy novella that ended up being perfect all around. Following a set of clues, Mason and Lena fly and drive to various destinations around the country. The places that they visit are now places I want to visit, as they sound so cool and are experiences that are absolutely one-of-a-kind. 

The best part is the whole reason why Mason's aunt chose those places. And when you read that part of the story, I dare you not to feel all the things. 

As far as Mason's and Lena's relationship, even as their shared experiences draw them together, Lena remains wary and cautious since their respective professions will continue to make it difficult for them to be together. I loved that Easy Fortune was in dual POV, because getting Mason's thoughts as to her reticence and his own ideas on the future was really good reading. 

It doesn't matter that this novella was a pretty short one - Kristen Proby's storytelling cred remain strong. I could accurately say that I would've loved more time with Mason and Lena, but honestly, I usually feel that way after a good story, regardless of length. There's a great lead-up to the main part of the story, good sexual tension, REALLY good fulfillment of that tension, and even some awesome conflict and resolution - all in a neat, sexy little package. 
I wipe the back of my hand over my forehead and glance at my notes when suddenly, the air in the room shifts.

It’s subtle, but I feel it. The hair stands up on my neck. I haven’t felt this in six years.

“You can get back in your Ferrari and go away,” I say casually without looking over at the doorway and do my best to ignore the damn zoo that’s come awake in my stomach.

“I don’t have a Ferrari,” he replies. His voice hasn’t changed at all. It’s thick like melted milk chocolate, and he still has his southern accent. I don’t know why that surprises me.

“Well, whatever horse you rode in on? Ride back out on it.”

I hear him sigh, but I refuse to look at him. Because just one look will suck me in, and I’ve vowed never to be sucked in by Mason Coulter ever again.

“It’s good to see you, Lena.”

“Mm hmm.” I pretend to study my notes, but I don’t actually see the words anymore. “Good to see you, too.”

“You haven’t even looked over here.”

I can hear the smile in his voice. It makes me cringe.

“What do you want?”

“I want you to look at me,” he replies.

“Well, we don’t always get what we want.” Yes, I’m being a bitch, and no, I’m not sorry. Mason was the one. The one that I fell head over heels for, the one that charmed the pants off of me, literally, and then he just left. He disappeared, and I was left here, wondering what in the hell happened. Wondering what I did wrong because I was twenty-two and naïve and so heartsick for him I thought I wouldn’t survive it.

But I did.

“So, you’re still mad?”

I blink rapidly for a second, and then I can’t help it. I turn and take him in, from the top of his gorgeous, dark head to the tip of his designer shoes, and my body immediately comes to life. Panties are singed. And if I thought it was hot in here ten minutes ago, it’s an inferno now.

Damn him. He just had to stay hot, didn’t he? I mean, couldn’t he have lost all of his hair? Gained a whole bunch of weight? Something?

“You could say I’m still mad,” I reply, proud of myself for sounding calm and indifferent to him, when I’m anything but indifferent. “So unless you came in here to tell me you have a terminal illness, you can just turn around and go. I’m not interested in chit chat.”

“You were always good at chit chat,” he says and flashes that perfect smile at me. But there’s something there, in his smile that tells me something isn’t quite right.

And I’m just a sucker because I’m about to ask him what it is. I should stay firm and ask him to go.

But first, I need to settle an old score.

“You know,” I begin and put the cap on the blue marker. I set it down and turn to fully face him. “The last time I saw you, you said you’d be right back.”

“I said I’d see you soon,” he says, the smile fully leaving his face now.

“And then you just bailed.”

He sighs and leans against the doorjamb. He crosses his arms over his chest and glances down at his shoes, then back up at me. “I owe you an apology for that.”

“Yeah. You do.”

“I’m sorry.” His grey eyes are holding my own, and I can see the sincerity there, hear it in his voice. “I am truly sorry, Lena.”

I nod and turn away. “Thanks.”

“And I need your help.”

Of course he does.

This couldn’t be a quick, I want to stop in to see how you are, apologize, and go on my merry way.

No, it has to be complicated.

“My Aunt Claudia passed away last week.”

“Oh, Mason.” I turn quickly, blinking rapidly. I’m so sorry. I liked her very much.”

He nods. “Thank you.”

Mason and his Aunt Claudia were very close. I believe that we all have that one special family member that we bond with, who is important in our lives, and for him, it was his aunt. He spent summers with her here in New Orleans when he was young.

“I hadn’t heard that she’d passed.” That must be what I see behind his eyes. I don’t have the psychic abilities that my best friend, Mallory, has. But I can sense things. I want to hug him, to comfort him, but I stay planted where I am because I know what his touch will do to me.

“I’d planned to come to town and quickly take care of her estate, but it seems Aunt Claudia had other plans.” He laughs humorlessly and shakes his head, looking at the ceiling. “The attorney informed me that she was very clear that you were to come with me to the reading of the will.”

“Me?” I frown. “Why? I only met her a couple of times.”

He shrugs and pushes his hand through his hair, in the say way he did six years ago. But now the muscles under his black T-shirt are more defined, tanner from all of the hours he spends outside digging around for old things.

Mason is a well-known and important archeologist.

“You know that she was a bit… eccentric.” He smiles. “It’s one of the reasons I loved her so much. She did what she wanted, and she wanted this.”

“I see.” I swallow and stare out of the windows at the trees. There’s a slight breeze today. I walk over and open the window, wiggle my fingers and feel the breeze blow in my room. “And if I refuse?”

“If you refuse, her estate will be donated to the city of New Orleans.” My head whips around to stare at him again. “I know, it’s a lot of pressure. I don’t need her money, Lena. Archeology has been good to me. But I loved her, and I’d like to do right by her.”

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. So, he’s not here because he wanted to see me. He’s here because his aunt didn’t give him a choice. He’s right, it is a lot of pressure.

“You can think about it,” he says. He pulls a business card from his pocket and sets it on the desk closest to him. “That’s my cell number. I need to be at the attorney’s office on Friday at 2:00 in the afternoon. If you decide you’re willing to go with me, I wrote the address on the back.”

I nod, staring at the small square of white paper.

“Lena?”

“Yeah?” My gaze finds his again and he smiles, as if remembering something especially sweet.

“You look fantastic. You’ve hardly changed at all.”

“Oh, I’ve changed.”

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Website**Facebook**Twitter**Newsletter Sign Up**Author Goodreads


a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 25, 2017

COVER REVEAL: The Last Guy

Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise have a new book coming out soon, and it sounds scrumptious!


The Last Guy, by Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise
Publish Date:
June 12, 2017
Publisher: ILM Productions
Genre: adult contemporary romance

(Synopsis) From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills and international bestselling author Tia Louise…


The first rule of office romance is don’t do it—especially if your dream is to hold the anchor spot on the nightly news and your boss is trying to get you fired.


But one look at Cade Hill, the sexy new sports director, and uptight reporter Rebecca Fieldstone is daydreaming about other things.


Sex in his office…


Sex in the on-set kitchen…


Sex in the supply closet…


She can’t stop thinking about the former NFL quarterback and how perfect he’d look between her sheets—except he’s an arrogant jerk with a huge…ego.


He’s the last guy she’d ever have a one-night stand with.


Cade Hill draws a thick professional line on office romance—until it comes to the hyper-focused Rebecca. He wants her, and he gets his wish when a chance encounter has them having the hottest sex of their lives.


It’s just a hook-up, she says.


When can we do it again? he says.


With Rebecca determined to keep Cade in the friend zone, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Cade to convince her he’s the last guy she’ll ever want.

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills and the “Queen of Hot Romance” Tia Louise are not a secret duo, but simply themselves.

Great friends, former English teachers, and southern gals in real life, they’ve teamed up to bring you laugh-out-loud naughty romances with strong leading ladies and sexy alpha males who know how to please their women—and who sometimes you just want to slap.

Ilsa’s Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/2rf1oow
Ilsa’s BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ilsa-madden-mills

Tia’s Amazon Page: http://amzn.to/2rRxJy2
Tia’s BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tia-louise


a Rafflecopter giveaway

May 24, 2017

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: Sexy Stranger


I love me some Kendall Ryan. And I LOVED me some Sexy Stranger.

Sexy Stranger, by Kendall Ryan
Publish Date:
May 23, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4.5 STARS


(Synopsis) He's rude. Arrogant. And too hot to handle.

And she's stranded with him for an entire week.

He knows the sexy stranger doesn't belong in his small town, but he's determined to keep her there. The second she opens her smart mouth, he wants to swap a whole lot more than insults with her.

She’s got a secret. But he’s got his own agenda.

Buckle up.

These fish-out-of-water books are so much freaking fun. Take a metropolitan city girl and drop her in the middle of nowhere without the comforts of home, and she's forced to focus on her surroundings in a way she wouldn't have otherwise. And it also results in tons of super awkward moments. #bonus

In Sexy Stranger, Charlotte is road tripping from NYC to Los Angeles when her $120K car breaks down in a tiny Texas town with spotty cell service, no Uber and nosey townspeople. She's forced to wait a week for her car to get fixed, which gives her lots of time to observe the wildlife - namely local  boy Luke and his twin brother Duke (cue the Dukes of Hazard fantasies). Too bad, she pissed him off and insulted his brother in their first meeting. 

Luke and his family have been struggling to make a go of his family's whiskey business since his parents died. He's a family man - would love to settle down and have some kids, and even though Charlotte is beautiful and smart and interesting, she's not sticking around, so she's not part of his master plan. But, he decides she could be a fun distraction. 

If I only had Charlotte until her car was fixed, I was going to make the most of it.

I gotta admit - I wasn't a big Charlotte fan at all. She blew into town with her judgy attitude and inappropriate attire and I just couldn't wait for someone to put her in her place. I didn't even feel bad that she was obviously running from a situation at home. 

But, I also gotta admit that Charlotte grew on me very quickly. Once she was forced to accept her situation and make the most of it, she did just that. She used her marketing skills to help out Luke's business. She got to know some of the townspeople and realized she liked them. And she started to realize that there are wonderful things about small towns. 

I wasn't used to a man who had nothing to offer but himself and yet gave it so freely - letting his interest be known, to hell with the consequences.

There's hurt in both Luke's past and in Charlotte's and in both cases, that hurt gets in the way of their happiness. But, I was so pleased to see how even just one week of small town living affected Charlotte and her perspective on both hers and Luke's situations. It showed so much growth on her part in just a short time. I loved that about her. 

I know Sexy Stranger is just a standalone, but I would LOVE to see more stories from this town. Duke needs to stop his manwhoring ways and settle down - preferably with Charlotte's bestie Valentina. And their little sister Molly needs to find a good man. If their stories all end up as wonderful as Luke's, then they can't lose. 

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

Subscribe to Newletter

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature created by Jill at Breaking the Spine where we get to flail about books we're dying to get our grabby hands on.


Tycoon, by Katy Evans
Publish Date:
June 20, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) He wasn’t always this rich. This hot. This difficult.

Aaric Christos was a guy who protected me. Wanted me. Maybe even loved me.

That man is gone.

In his place is the most powerful real estate tycoon in the city.

He’s a cold, ruthless, aggressive businessman.

The only one who can save me and my startup from ruin.

It takes every ounce of courage to put my pride aside and ask for his help.

I didn’t expect him to offer it easily.

And he doesn’t.

Instead, he vets me harder than he’s vetted anyone.

Don’t invest in what you don’t know, he says.

He's assessing every piece of me, to the point I've never felt so bare.

I yearn for the boy I once knew, whose touch once craved me.

Putting it all on the line will be worth it, I tell myself.

Until I realize—too late—that some risks are not worth taking.
I am a super big fan of Katy Evans, so I always eagerly await her new releases, and Tycoon is no different. It sounds sexy and broody and completely awesome. I can't wait.


May 23, 2017

EARLY REVIEW: When It's Real


When It's Real, by Erin Watt
Publish Date:
May 30, 2017
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: young adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS


(Synopsis) From #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Erin Watt comes the addictive contemporary tale of a teen rock star in need of an image makeover and the teen girl hired to be his fake girlfriend. 


Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.


Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of "normal." Under ordinary circumstances she'd never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn't have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley's team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley's a shallow, self-centered jerk? It's not like they're going to fall for each other in real life…right?

I'm very choosy when it comes to my YA contemporary romance selections. Although I've heard of Erin Watt before, I had never read any of her books, but based on the description (I LOVE the regular girl/rock star trope) and recos from trusted friends, I gave When It's Real a try, and it proved to be a winner. 

When It's Real was devoured in hours. Erin Watt was able to hook me in to the story and get me invested and involved in Vaughn and Oakley's lives in mere pages. I wanted to know why Oakley needed to clean up his image at only 19, why he is estranged from his parents and why he seemed to have a love/hate relationship with his job. And I wanted to know what kind of person Vaughn had to be in order to accept big money to be the fake girlfriend to a rock star who she doesn't even like. 

As Vaughn and Oakley mug for the paps and play up their fake relationship all over social media, it was everything that was going on behind the scenes that made this book magic. When they stopped throwing shade at each other and started really learning about one another and getting to know each other, they grew from enemies to friends. That's when my questions about Oakley and Vaughn were answered, and I started asking new ones. Like, will they just KISS already?! 

Vaughn and Oakley were amusing as enemies, adorable as friends, but as a real couple with real feelings, they were amazing. Vaughn realizes that Oakley isn't just some brainless chart topper, but a truly talented musician that is being stifled by the fake adults in his sphere. Oakley learns of Vaughn's tragic past and about what a hard worker she is for her family, but that she has no clue what she wants to do with the rest of her life. And they each care about those things and about trying to make them better for the other person. 

Vaughn gives Oakley a taste of selfless real that he hasn't ever gotten anywhere else. 

She didn't mock me when I confessed I was blocked. She tried to comfort me with silly stories about her family even when it was obvious those same memories caused her pain. She doesn't expect anything from me beyond what we'd agreed upon. She's different and I wanted a taste of that. I wanted to know what it felt like to be her, and the only way I knew how to do that was to put my mouth against hers.

Everything about When It's Real is incredible. From Oakley and Vaughn to the host of side characters, including Vaughn's sister Paisley and Oakley's bodyguard Ty. When It's Real was one of the best YA contemporaries I've ever read.

May 19, 2017

COVER REVEAL: The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)


The next Fusion book is looking super awesome. Ready to see what it looks like?


The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date:
August 22, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: adult contemporary sports romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Riley Gibson is over the moon at the prospect of having her restaurant, Seduction, on the Best Bites TV network. This could be the big break she’s been waiting for. But the idea of having an in-house show on a regular basis is a whole other matter. Their lives would be turned upside down, and convincing Mia, her best friend and head chef of Seduction, that having cameras in her kitchen every day is a good idea is daunting. Still, Riley knows it’s an opportunity she can’t afford to pass on. And when she meets Trevor Cooper, the show’s executive producer, she’s stunned by their intense chemistry.

Trevor’s sole intention is to persuade Riley to allow Best Bites TV to do a show on her restaurant. But when he walks into Riley’s office, he stops dead in his tracks. The professional, aloof woman on the phone is incredibly beautiful and funny. But can he convince her that he’s interested in Riley for himself? Or is he using the undeniable pull between them to persuade her to agree to his offer?
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Learn more about Kristen --> Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter SignUp | Goodreads

NEW SERIES ANNOUNCEMENT FROM EMMA HART

     

VEGAS NIGHTS: the brand new series from New York Times bestselling author, Emma Hart!

Sex. Lust. Lies.

Set beneath the dazzling lights of Las Vegas comes a brand new, red-hot series of standalone novels from the snarky, sexy mind of Emma Hart.

Coming July 18th, SIN, book one, is a super-sexy, rivals-to-lovers romance filled with a dose of heartbreak, sexual tension, and a love story you won't be able to resist.

Get ready for your new obsession. 



     

 


By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies—usually wine—and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy—unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / GOODREADS / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

May 18, 2017

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Ball Peen Hammer


Ball Peen Hammer, by Lauren Rowe
Publish Date:
July 25, 2016
Publisher: SoCoRo Publishing
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS


(Synopsis) Keane Morgan wouldn’t return any of my calls or texts, and I was pissed as hell about it. I didn’t want to drive from Seattle to L.A. with the guy any more than he wanted to drive with me, but I had no frickin’ choice in the matter--at least, not if I wanted to use his brother Dax’s coveted parking spot at UCLA. 


Okay, so it turned out Keane was objectively gorgeous, and, fine, pretty funny, too. But did he have to be so damned in love with himself? I mean, jeez, the cocky way he flashed those dimples was just so orchestrated. And, honestly, what kind of guy uses the phrase “baby doll” with a straight face? Oh, that’s right: the kind of guy who’s a male stripper.


Yup, the cocky jerk turned out to be Seattle’s answer to Magic Mike, a stripper known as “Ball Peen Hammer”--which meant Keane Morgan was emphatically not the kind of guy I’d ever fall for.


Not. At. All.


No freakin’ way.


Well, until Keane convinced me to fall for him, that is.

Which I did.


Hard.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I purchased Ball Peen Hammer from Audible. No freaking clue that I would laugh more listening to this book than I ever have before. Or that I would fall in love so much with this world and ALL of its characters. Certainly I didn't know that this would be one of the most enjoyable audio books I've ever listened to. Go me. 

In its simplest form, Ball Peen Hammer is about an introverted UCLA film student who, through a friend of her sister, lines up a ride buddy she's never met before to take the trip to LA from Seattle. That buddy would be a very popular male stripper with ebullient charm and blue hair named Keane Morgan. On paper, they are complete opposites and make no sense. But, as it turns out, they are pretty much perfect for each other. 

The banter between Keane and Maddie was brilliantly hilarious. Somehow Lauren Rowe managed to work real conversation and the exchanging of personal information in among euphemisms, silly nicknames and talk of top-notch sex techniques. All along their trip and even later after they reach their destination, Maddie and Keane forged a wonderful friendship that spawned into something more for both of them. 

Keane and Maddie are not the only endearing relationship highlighted in this book. Keane has an epic bromance with his BFF Zander. Those two guys were utterly adorbcicles. And Keane and his siblings and parents sound like an incredible family. They're close enough to tell each other when they're being idiots and then that they love each other in the next breath. 

Sometimes "funny" books like these have a hard time finding the right balance between humor and seriousness. If the book is funny all the time, it's hard to take either character seriously when they're trying to do something or say something meaningful. Ball Peen Hammer, while funny way more often than not, did have moments when I was brought to tears for how upset it made me. There were moments when Maddie and Keane discussed sensitive subjects, and those moments were treated with the attention they deserved. 

The audio version of Ball Peen Hammer was narrated by two fantastic actors. John Lane read the part of Keane, and he was perfect. He captured the happy-go-lucky, cocky, sweet stripper man that I loved so much. Maddie was narrated by Lauren Rowe. Yep - the author. How cool is that? And she was so great! I don't know if the acting or the writing came first, but for sure, she's ace at both. 

May 17, 2017

COVER REVEAL: Bad For You (Dirty Deeds #3)


At long last, Stitch's story is coming! And today I get to show you the cover. Check out BAD FOR YOU...


Coming January 23, 2018.

Preorder Now:
AMAZON US ➜ http://amzn.to/2qJH8Lq
Paperback ➜ http://amzn.to/2qkclnn
iBooks ➜ https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-for-you/id1234150964?mt=11


J.Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, the Alabama Summer series, and the Dirty Deeds series.

She would rather bake than cook, she listens to music entirely too loud, and loves writing stories her children will never read. Her husband and children are her greatest loves, with cupcakes coming in at a close second.

J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.

Sign up to receive her newsletter and get special offers and exclusive release info: http://authorjdaniels.com/newsletter/

Twitter | Instagram | Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page |Goodreads | Reader’s Group

COVER REVEAL: Most Valuable Playboy



If you've read Lauren Blakely's Out of Bounds, then you know she can do sports romances gooooooood. Told from the guy’s POV, MOST VALUABLE PLAYBOY will hit retailers on September 1 - just in time to celebrate the start of fall and football season. The audiobook is slated for a simultaneous release and will be narrated by the awesome Zachary Webber! Check out the amazing cover and blurb below.


Most Valuable Playboy, by Lauren Blakely
Publish Date:
September 1, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary sports romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks (releasing two days early on August 30!)

(Synopsis) 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 owner’s handsy-as-hell sister who seems dead set on winning more than a date with me at the auction.


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 the next day that we’ve got to keep up the act while he’s negotiating my contract.


Violet says she’ll take one for the team and pretend to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport. And soon enough, I want this game with her 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?


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 80 times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In June she'll release THE KNOCKED UP PLAN, a standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Learn more about Lauren --> Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Wright Boss


K.A. Linde is off to an incredible start with this series about this awesomely crazy group of siblings with baggage and passion. Check out my review for The Wright Boss.

The Wright Boss, by K.A. Linde
Publish Date:
May 16, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS


(Synopsis) I’ve always had one rule:


Don’t mix business and pleasure.


But then Landon Wright comes home to his family’s construction company with a broken back and a beaten heart and ends up as my new sexy boss. As the office gets heated, I’m thinking about throwing the rulebook out the window.


If only there weren’t a million reasons this could never work.


We may have shared a single perfect kiss, but I can’t let our intense connection cloud my judgment. Not with everything I’ve worked for on the line.


Dating your boss is so very, very wrong…even if he feels so Wright.

Landon Wright has a complicated past. His ex-girlfriend is now dating his brother and he's got the hots for her BFF. After a back injury forces him to push pause (and possibly stop) on his PGA career, he's forced to take a job he doesn't really want at his family's construction company, all the while managing his divorce from one of the most vile women ever. 

It's impossible to not feel for Heidi. She has strong feelings for Landon, but there are two massive barriers to getting him. First, is the sisters before misters code. Her best friend dated him for two years, and Heidi doesn't feel like she could go there with Landon. And second, Landon is married. No matter how unhappy he is and how much he wants out of his marriage, until he is at least legally separated from his wife, Heidi refuses to give in. 

I can't imagine the hopeless situation in which Heidi finds herself. She is mostly in love with this guy, and he's doubly unavailable. On top of that, he's now her boss, which adds a whole new layer of forbiddenness. 

I'm sure Heidi didn't anticipate Landon's determination to make her his. And thank goodness for that. Because reading about his wooing and her resisting was completely delightful. I loved how all-in Landon was when he decided that Heidi was it for him. He was absolutely irresistible. And Heidi's resistance just made for good reading. 

I wanted to make things right. To see where this relationship could go. I wanted her to be mine.

There's a few Wright siblings left that are still in need of a good man or woman. I am having so much fun reading about them all - I can't wait to see what's coming next. 

K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time.

She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM

May 16, 2017

REVIEW: Behind the Curtain


Behind the Curtain, by Beth Kery
Publish Date:
May 2, 2017
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS


(Synopsis) There’s something about this woman…


On a break between overseas jobs, journalist Asher Gaites returns to his hometown of Chicago—and allows his friends to persuade him to check out a hot new singer. At a downtown jazz club, he’s soon transfixed by the lyrical voice and sensuous body of a woman who performs behind a thin, shimmering veil...


That could bring a man to his knees.


The veil gives Moroccan American Laila Barek the anonymity she needs since she has never been able to reconcile her family’s values with her passion for music. But one man is inexplicably drawn to her. And when Asher confronts her on a subway platform after a gig, he’s shocked to recognize the woman who walked away from him nine years ago...


Laila has never been able to forget the touch, the feel, the taste of Asher. And despite the doubt and fear that wind their way into their lives, they must trust the heat of their desire to burn down the walls the world has placed between them…

Behind The Curtain is a book that takes the trope of the forbidden romance to a whole new level. Because the relationship highlighted within its pages truly was forbidden on a very personal and profound level. And it asks the reader to think about exactly how far he or she would go in order to be with the person he or she loves. Would you forsake your family? Your culture? The fabric of your makeup? 

Laila and Asher meet one fateful summer in a beach town in Michigan. They were both on vacation and in very different places in their lives. Nineteen-year-old Laila was just starting out in life, and although a college degree in business isn't what she would've picked for her life, she understands the value in it and is excited to finally get to college and be on her own for a change. Asher is done with college and ready to start his first job, but it's not the job his father wants for him. Asher has bucked tradition and, rather than take over the family business, he's becoming a reporter. 

Asher's rich, society-conscious family would never approve of him dating a Moroccan-American Muslim girl. And Laila's very traditional family would never approve of her dating a white rich boy. Laila is set to start college in Chicago in a month. Asher is set to start a new dream job in Lost Angeles in a month. The timing and the situation could not have been worse for these two, but still, they fell deeply in love. And, when things came to a head and they had to part ways, it was devastating for both of them. 

Now, eight years later, Asher can't believe his ears when he hears Laila's beautiful singing voice coming from a veiled singing sensation named Yesenia. He has a second chance with Laila, but really nothing has changed. Her family still wouldn't approve. He is a week away from taking a new job in London. But, they have hindsight and maturity on their sides this time. Maybe that will make a difference this time. 

A little more than half of Behind the Curtain is told in the past. It's all told in one chunk, rather than switching back and forth between the past and the present as many books do in the case of a second chance love story. I prefer to get the whole story all at once like this. It's much less distracting this way. 

The thing with Behind the Curtain is that there is no completely happy ending. Both Asher and, particularly Laila, need to make some really difficult choices. It's so easy to say that you would do anything for love, but would you give up a family that you love and that loves you in return? Would that be an easy choice for you to make? It's definitely not an easy one for Laila. And that made for some delicious angst. And a not entirely clean ending, either.  

May 12, 2017

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM KRISTEN PROBY

      

From New York Times Bestselling author Kristen Proby, comes a passionate new romance—EASY FORTUNE! A Boudreaux Series novella, this standalone second chance romance features Mallory’s best friend Lena! Don’t miss the beautiful cover and a note from Kristen below! EASY FORTUNE is coming your way May 30, 2017!

   

Easy Fortune (Boudreaux #5.5), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date:
May 30, 2017
Publisher: self-published
Genre: adult contemporary romance

(Synopsis) Sometimes the past is better left behind you…


Lena Turner has spent her life as the outsider. Thanks to her extraordinary gifts, she’s learned to be independent—especially when it comes to men. She’s content to live her life in New Orleans as a schoolteacher, dating casually and dedicated to her small family. Long term is not part of her plan.


Sometimes the past catches up with you…


Leaving Lena behind to pursue his career was the most difficult thing Mason Coulter ever did. He told himself that it was for the best, had even convinced himself that he had only Lena’s best interests in mind. But now, after six long years, he’s back in New Orleans to settle his late eccentric aunt’s estate. All he has to do is get in and out of the city without submitting to the need to see Lena. But to Mason’s dismay, his aunt made other plans.


And sometimes the future and the past collide…


Having Mason walk back into her life is something Lena never saw coming. She could refuse to help him, but she’s never been good at telling Mason no. So she’ll do what she can to get the estate settled and Mason out of her life for good.


At least, that’s the plan. But Mason has plans of his own…

A Note from Kristen: 

Hi, everyone! I’m so happy that it’s finally Friday because that means that I don’t have to keep this secret anymore! I’m horrible at keeping secrets. Seriously, don’t tell me any. I can’t be trusted. 

Since Easy Magic released last month, readers have shouted from the rooftops that they’d love for Lena, Mallory’s BFF, to have her own story. I honestly didn’t have that in mind when I wrote her into Easy Magic, but the more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me that you’re right. Lena does deserve her own happily ever after! 

And that brings us to this. Easy Fortune, Lena’s story, will release on May 30th! That’s right, you won’t have to wait long for this one. Easy Fortune is a novella, and can be read as a stand-alone. And look at this gorgeous cover! I can’t thank Sara Eirew Photography enough for the beautiful photo, and Okay Creations for the amazing cover art. 

Lena’s story has been a surprise to me, and frankly one of the most enjoyable story lines that I’ve written in a long time. I hope you enjoy watching her fall in love with Mason! He’s quite swoon-worthy! 

Oh, and to make it an even better treat, the prologue and first chapter for Easy Nights will be included at the end of Easy Fortune. JACKPOT! 

Have a great weekend, everyone! 

xo, 
Kristen

   

And don’t miss the first standalone titles in the Boudreaux Series:
About Kristen Proby: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Website**Facebook**Twitter**Newsletter Sign Up**Author Goodreads