Another one bites the dust - Riley's in love! Check out my review of THE BEAUTY OF US and an excerpt from the book. Don't forget to enter the giveaway at the end!
The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4), by Kristen Proby
Publish Date: August 22, 2017
Publisher: William Morrow
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and InkslingerPR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4.5 STARS
(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?
I've so enjoyed reading Kristen Proby's Fusion series. The story arc surrounding Seduction and its five owners has seemed real and organic. In the first book, the restaurant was brand new and trying to carve out its own niche. The success was evident in the second book as the restaurant expanded into new space. In the third book, the girls started offering Seduction as part of city tour groups. And now, in the fourth book, a popular television show wants to do an episode on the success these five beautiful women have found in the restaurant business. And, that's where Riley and Trevor's story begins.
The big drama in The Beauty of Us isn't in the "will they or won't they" between show producer Trevor and Seduction marketing guru Riley. They are very honest about the fact that they are very attracted to each other, and despite the show, they get together fairly quickly and easily. No - the big question here is, how can a new relationship survive when the two people involved have lives in different states.
It's a very real concern - Trevor's got an established career in Los Angeles and Riley and her restaurant are in Portland, Oregon. Despite how hot and heavy they are for each other while he's in Oregon, they're only together a few weeks before he has to return home and they have to learn how to do the long-distance thing.
There's no denying that Trevor and Riley are perfect together. Despite her lack of Star Wars knowledge, they have a mutual understanding of the publicity business, and she's definitely willing to learn all she needs to about Star Wars, Star Trek, video games and all Trevor's other loves. The one thing Riley does NOT like is the drama that seems to follow Trevor around. He has an ex-wife who has decided she made a mistake and an online gaming friend who has decided to go a little psycho possessive. Those two women plus the distance push Riley to her limits of tolerance, despite what she feels for Trevor, and it's up to him to find the solutions.
I love that we get time with all five women in The Beauty of Us. We do get a little more Mia time than anyone else, since she's the last one to get a book in this series, and it's coming up next. In fact, that Seduction success arc I was talking about earlier stays on track as we head into Mia's book, and it's pretty awesome that it's related to Trevor and Riley's story. Be prepared for a pretty big surprise in the last few paragraphs of the book in relation to Mia.
I love the stories that have come out of this awesome restaurant owned by five best friends. Each one has been fun and sexy and special. And now, there's only one left.
Preorder THE BEAUTY OF US, fill out this form, and receive an email with a sneak peek of the cover and first chapter from CHARMING HANNAH, the first book in Kristen Proby’s upcoming Big Sky series!
~TREVOR~
“So, THIS WAS a good date,” Riley says later as I drive her home. She rode to work with Addie so I could take her home after our date.
“I’m glad you approve,” I reply, and kiss the back of her hand. “Now, I won’t be calling or texting for three days.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s how it’s done.” I sigh and shrug, as if to say, What can I do? Riley chuckles.
“Well, then I’ll text the girls ‘I hate this guy,’ and then you’ll text and I’ll be all, ‘Never mind. He just texted.’”
“Yes, I believe you’re familiar with how this works.”
“Well,” she says. “I’m not really much of a drama girl. You should just go ahead and call or text whenever you want to.”
“Really? You’re not one for drama? I seem to remember someone barging into my apartment last night, yelling at me, because her date didn’t go well.”
I’m only human, Trevor,” she says with a smile. “I never claimed to be perfect.”
I laugh as she points out her driveway and I pull in, then escort her up to her door.
“I had fun,” she says.
“You sound surprised.”
“Pleasantly surprised,” she says. “Do you want to come in?”
“yes,” I reply, and cage her in against the door. “But I’m not going to.”
She swallows hard. “You aren’t?”
“No.” I kiss her forehead.
“Why not?” It’s a whisper now.
“Because this is the first date,” I remind her, and kiss her cheek. “So I’m going to be a gentleman and say good night right here on your porch.”
“Well, damn.”
I grin and nudge her face up to mine, and let myself sink into her, our lips tangled. She fists her hands in my shirt at my sides, holding on tight, and giving back as good as she gets. She lifts up higher on her toes and presses her breasts to my chest, and fuck me, it’s all I can do not to scoop her up., take her inside, and fuck her into the mattress.
Instead, I pull back gently, regretfully.
“Thank you for tonight,” I murmur, and watch with humor as she struggles to open her eyes. The attraction is definitely not one-sided.
“Okay,” she says, and touches her lips with her fingertips. “I mean, you’re welcome. And thank you.” She smiles, opens her door, and slips inside.
And just like that, she’s gone.
But I can faintly hear her say, “Holy shit,” on the other side of the door.
No, she’s not immune to me either.
During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.
Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.
Links: Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter Sign Up ** Kristen Proby Goodreads
2 comments:
Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
Well, it used to be alcohol but I don't drink any more. lol, music is good. thank you
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