New Release

★NEW RELEASE & REVIEW★ ALL THE WAY BY KRISTEN PROBY

Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by William Morrow

ALL THE WAY by Kristen Proby

Release Date: 21st August 2018

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

 

In New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby’s brand new Romancing Manhattan series, three brothers get more than they bargain for as they practice law, balance life, and navigate love in and around New York City.

Finn Cavanaugh is known for being a force to be reckoned with in the courtroom. He owns a successful law firm with his brother and brother-in-law in Manhattan. On the rare occasion that he has down time, he spends it at his home in Martha’s Vineyard. But when Finn’s troubled niece goes to stay with him for the summer, he’s reluctant to take time off from work. That is, until he meets his beautiful new neighbor, London.

London Watson is a Tony Award winning actress on Broadway. When tragedy strikes her family, leaving her alone and injured, she flees Manhattan. Hoping she can figure out how to pick up the pieces of her life, London is convinced that she’ll never be able to return to the stage. But when she meets the charming young girl next door and her sexy uncle, they soon lure London out of her shell as she finally begins to heal from the wounds of her past.

But when London feels confident enough to return to the spotlight, she’s dealt another devastating blow. Will the newfound love between London and Finn be enough to conquer all? Or will it be over before it has a chance to grow?

Buy Links: Amazon |  B&NKoboiBooksAudible

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★NEW RELEASE★ THE GOOD LUCK CHARM BY HELENA HUNTING

Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by Forever

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play |

 

THE GOOD LUCK CHARM by Helena Hunting

Release Date: 7th August 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

 

Is it love, or is she just his good luck charm?

Lilah isn’t sure what hurt worse: the day Ethan left her to focus on his hockey career, or the day he came back eight years later. He might think they can pick up just where they left off, but she’s no longer that same girl and never wants to be again.

Ethan Kase wants his glory days back. And that includes having Lilah by his side. With her, he was magic. They were magic. All he has to do is make her see that.

Just when Lilah might finally be ready to let him in, though, she finds out their reunion has nothing to do with her and everything to do with his game. But Ethan’s already lost her once, and even if it costs him his career, he’ll do anything to keep from losing her again.

 

 

★3.5 STARS★

It’s never fun coming face to face with an ex after an acrimonious breakup, but it’s darn right brutal when your ex is successful pro hockey player Ethan Kane. They say time heals old wounds but truth be told Delilah hasn’t yet come to terms with the callous way her childhood sweetheart called time on their romance in order to concentrate on his career.

Although eight years may have passed she’s made it her business to make him none of hers. That’s no mean feat considering she’s remained in their hometown and is still as close to his parents as she was back then. The shock of his father’s stroke and his return to town is seconded by the news that it his fixture will be long term as he has been traded to his local team.

Fluctuating between basking in his beauty from afar and ignoring him altogether, Lilah hates to admit he still has the ability to take her breath away. For the sake of helping to coordinate his parents care they agree to attempt to put the past behind them and forge forward with a tentative friendship.

“It’s always only been you—you know that, right? Nothing compares to this feeling. I should never have let you go in the first place.”

Belong long they begin to reminisce and feelings they told themselves they had buried rise to the surface. My favourite part of reading was the level of comfortability they had with one another. Their relationship felt easy and intimate and I loved seeing these two rekindle their flame. Although they encountered some obstacles I enjoyed the relaxed feel of this cute as a button romance.

 

 

 

About Helena Hunting:

 

NTY and USA Today Bestselling author of The PUCKED Series, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance to romance comedy, sports romance and angsty new adult romance.

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★NEW RELEASE & REVIEW★ AS DUST DANCES BY SAMANTHA YOUNG

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UKB&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

 

AS DUST DANCES by Samantha Young

Series: Play On, #2 – Standalone

Release Date: 7th August 2018

 

Once upon a time Skylar Finch was the lead singer of a hugely successful American pop-rock band. But fame made her miserable. When years of living a lie suddenly ended in tragedy, Skylar fell off the map.

Eighteen months later she’s sleeping in a tent in a cemetery in Glasgow, making just enough money to eat by busking on the streets. She manages to avoid recognition, but not the attention of one of Glasgow’s ambitious A&R executives.

Killian O’Dea works at Skyscraper Records, Scotland’s most successful record label. Raised by his uncle and owner of the label, Killian’s upbringing would have been devoid of affection entirely if it wasn’t for his loving sister. Killian is unflinchingly determined to bring the label more success than ever, and the young homeless woman who busks on Buchanan Street is going to help him do that. Her music speaks to him in a way he refuses to over-analyze. All he knows is that if it can touch his dark soul, it’ll set everyone else’s alight.

Skylar makes it clear that she doesn’t want to sign with him. But when she experiences the dangerous reality of a woman sleeping rough, Skylar has no one else but Killian to turn to. An undeniable connection forms between them. But Skylar doesn’t want the career Killian is trying to forge for her, and when her past comes back to haunt her Killian will be faced with a decision that could ruin him. He must either free Skylar from his selfish machinations and destroy everything he’s ever worked for, or lose a woman who has come to mean more to him than he ever thought possible…

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UKB&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo

 

 

★5 STARS

I dare say anyone would disagree about the extraordinary life American born Skylar Finch has led. A onetime international singing sensation, she now scrapes by busking on the streets of Glasgow. The pressure of fame and a shattering family tragedy led her to turn her back on the life she once knew. Such is Samantha Young’s writing we are never in doubt at how harsh and cruel the perils of homelessness are and the dangers being faced on a daily basis.

Skylar is brave and resilient but it’s her fragility that made it impossible for me to feel anything but support and compassion for her. She’s survived this far by keeping her head down, but she hasn’t escaped the notice record company executive Killian O’Dea.

Its Killian job to recognize talent and the scrappy busker he’s seen on occasion has an abundance of it. Her voice is stunning but it’s her original pieces that strike a chord within his frosty being. Feisty and defensive it takes all patience he doesn’t have to persuade her to meet with him. He’s driven by success to the point of somewhat ruthlessness and he sees Skylar as a means to get him there. As expected with their strong personalities the two clash, but he gives her his card in the hopes that she’ll see sense.

Confronted with just how chilling life on the street can be for a female Skylar has no choice but to turn to Killian for help. She mistakes his directness for fury at her naivety, but his anger is in fact directed towards those who meant to harm her. He means to help her get on her feet and in return for her to produce an album. It’s not an easy decision for her to make. In doing so it means coming face to face with the ghosts of her past that have haunted her, but she’s also confused and unsettled by her range of emotions evoked by the being in the presence of Killian.

Skylar & Killian’s relationship is one that defines romance for me. It’s confronting the ugliness we sometimes see in ourselves and having someone love us in spite of it. It’s the rawness of our pain and having someone who makes it their mission to sooth it. I adored their chemistry and intensity but even more so the growth they made as individuals and as a couple.

Young did not just write a novel, she composed a compelling love song that captured me from its first note to its last.

 

 


 

About Samantha Young:

Samantha Young is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows. Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook& hardback June 2017

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

 

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★ARC REVIEW★ RUSH BY SAMANTHA TOWLE

Published by Headline Eternal

RUSH by Samantha Towle

Series: Gods, #2

Release Date: 7th August 2018

From Samantha Towle, New York Times bestselling author of Breaking Hollywood and Ruin, comes a new powerful, passionate and dramatic contemporary romance.

“With the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select…”

It’s been three years since quarterback Ares Kincaid’s NFL dream came true, and he’s living the high life. The days of cleaning up after his drunk of a father are long gone, and he has no intention of going back.

A car crash and DUI charge meant a lengthy stint in rehab for Arianna Petrelli, and her dream of being a professional artist slips further away when she’s sacked from her position at a gallery. Her need for a job stronger even than her dislike of football, Ari goes to work for her father, the head coach of the New York Giants.

Ares hates alcoholics, which is fine with Ari because she thinks he’s a brainless jock. Yet when Ares rescues Ari from a situation with her ex-boyfriend, an unlikely friendship begins – one that quickly becomes more.

But messing around with the coach’s daughter can only lead to one thing…trouble.

 

 

 

★4.5  STARS★

Arianna Petrelli’s new job comes with the chance of a fresh start. Never mind the fact she’s the disgraced daughter of NFL head coach of the New York Giants, her father has pulled some strings and secured a role for her as the teams assistant, whatever that means.

She’s insightful enough to realise the position has been created by way of means for her father to keep a close eye on her. But after hitting rock bottom with a DUI arrest, a stint in rehab and the loss of her dream job Ari is seizing the opportunity to get her life back on track.

Her first day on the job veers dramatically off course when she finds herself one on one with star quarterback Ares Kincaid. They have an easy back and forth which comes to a screeching halt when he discovers who she is, or more specifically, what she has done. She’s used to the looks of disgust she garners from her arrest, but admittedly his rejection stings more than most.

What Ari doesn’t know is that Ares hostility is borne from his own experiences with his alcoholic father. He thinks her callous and selfish and isn’t afraid to tell her so. It isn’t until Ares is forced to step in between an incident with her and her ex-boyfriend does he begin to see the real Ari. If he’s honest with himself even with his preconceived notions about her, he’s frustrated by how much he can’t stop thinking about her.

I loved that Ari had no hesitations in accepting accountability. She strove to maintain her sobriety and was focused on the betterment of herself, and because of this I was struck by how quickly I become emotionally attached to her.

The fiery beginning of their nemeses evolved into an intense and heartfelt relationship that I quickly became obsessed with. On par with the story it had depth and sentiment making it a highly enjoyable read.

Addictive, emotional and passionate, Rush is Samantha Towle at her best.

 

About the Author:

samantha towle

SAMANTHA TOWLE is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She began her first novel in 2008 while on maternity leave. She completed the manuscript five months later and hasn’t stopped writing since.

She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series and The Revved Series, and stand-alones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Wardrobe Malfunction, Breaking Hollywood, Under Her, Ruin and Sacking the Quarterback, which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. All of her books are penned to the tunes of The Killers, Kings of Leon, Adele, The Doors, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac, Lana Del Rey, and more of her favorite musicians.

A native of Hull and a graduate of Salford University, she lives with her husband, Craig, in East Yorkshire with their son and daughter.

 

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★NEW RELEASE★ WICKED AND THE WALLFLOWER BY SARAH MACLEAN

Genres: Historical Romance
Published by Avon

WICKED AND THE WALLFLOWER by Sarah MacLean

Release Date: 19th June 2018

Genre: Historical Romance

 

When Wicked Comes Calling…

When a mysterious stranger finds his way into her bedchamber and offers his help in landing a duke, Lady Felicity Faircloth agrees—on one condition. She’s seen enough of the world to believe in passion, and won’t accept a marriage without it.

The Wallflower Makes a Dangerous Bargain…

Bastard son of a duke and king of London’s dark streets, Devil has spent a lifetime wielding power and seizing opportunity, and the spinster wallflower is everything he needs to exact a revenge years in the making. All he must do is turn the plain little mouse into an irresistible temptress, set his trap, and destroy his enemy.

For the Promise of Passion…

But there’s nothing plain about Felicity Faircloth, who quickly decides she’d rather have Devil than another. Soon, Devil’s carefully laid plans are in chaos, and he must choose between everything he’s ever wanted…and the only thing he’s ever desired.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | B&N | Kobo |

 

★5 STARS

There was absolutely nothing I didn’t enjoy about this novel! Having never read a Sarah MacLean novel before, rather than berate myself i’m incline to patting myself on the back for picking a such a terrific one to start with. There was mystery and intrigue, and above all a wealth of and chemistry between two charismatic leads. 

 

Excerpt from Wicked & the Wallflower

Chapter One

May 1837

The Devil stood outside Marwick House, under the black shadow of an ancient elm, watching his brother within.
Flickering candles and mottled glass distorted the revelers in the ballroom beyond, turning the throngs of people within—aristocrats and moneyed gentry—into a mass of indiscernible movement, reminding Devil of the tide of the Thames, ebbing and flowing and slick with color and stink.
Faceless bodies—men dark with formal dress and women gleaming light in their silks and satins—ran together, barely able to move for the craning necks and flapping fans waving gossip and speculation through the stagnant ballroom air.
And at their center, the man they were desperate to see—the hermit Duke of Marwick, shining bright and new, despite having held the title since his father had died. Since their father had died.
No. Not father. Sire.
And the new duke, young and handsome, returned like London’s prodigal son—a head taller than the rest of the assembly, fair-haired and stone-faced, with the amber eyes the Dukes of Marwick had boasted for generations. Able-bodied and unwed and everything the aristocracy wished him to be.
And nothing the aristocracy believed him to be.
Devil could imagine the ignorant whispers running riot through the ballroom.
Why should a man of such prominence play the hermit?
Who cares, as long as he’s a duke?
Do you think the rumors are true?
Who cares, as long as he’s a duke?
Why hasn’t he ever come to town?
Who cares, as long as he’s a duke?
What if he’s as mad as they say?
Who cares, as long as he’s a duke?

I hear he is in the market for an heir.
There had been a deal, made twenty years earlier, when they were three brothers in arms. And though much had happened since that deal had been forged, one thing remained sacrosanct: no one reneged on a deal with Devil.
Not without punishment.
And so, Devil waited with infinite patience in the gardens owned by generations of Dukes of Marwick, for the third in the deal to arrive. It had been decades since he and his brother, Whit—together known in London’s nefarious corners as the Bareknuckle Bastards—had seen the duke.    Decades since they’d escaped the country seat of the Dukedom in the dead night, leaving secrets and sins behind, to build their own kingdom of secrets and sins of a different sort.
But, a fortnight earlier, invitations had arrived at the most extravagant homes in London—the ones with the most venerable names—even as servants had arrived at Marwick House, armed to the teeth with dusters and wax, with irons and airing lines. One week earlier, crates had been delivered—candles and cloth, potatoes and port, and a half-dozen settees for the massive Marwick ballroom, each now festooned with the skirts of London’s most eligible ladies. .
Three days ago, the News of Londonarrived at the Bastards’ Covent Garden headquarters and there, on the fourth page, a headline in smudged ink pronounced “Mysterious Marwick to Marry?”
Devil had carefully folded the paper and left it upon his desk. When he’d returned to his workspace two mornings ago, a throwing knife speared the newsprint to the oak.
And so it was decided.
The duke had returned, appearing without warning in this place designed for better men and filled with the worst of them, on land that he had inherited the moment he’d claimed his title, in a city he had ceded to them. And in doing so, he revealed his greed.
But greed, in this place, on this land, was not permitted.
So, Devil waited and watched.
After long minutes, the air shifted and Whit appeared at his elbow, silent and deadly as a military reinforcement, which was appropriate, as this was nothing short of war.
“Just on time,” Devil said, softly.
A grunt.
“The Duke seeks a bride?”
A nod in the darkness.
“And heirs?”
Silence. Not ignorance—anger.
Devil watched their bastard brother move through the crowd within, headed forthe far end of the ballroom, where a dark corridor stretched into the bowels of the house. It was his turn to nod. “We end it before it begins.” He palmed his ebony walking stick, its silver lion’s mane, worn from use, fitting perfectly into his hand. “In and out, and enough damage that he cannot follow us.”
Whit nodded, but did not speak what they were both thinking—that the man London called Robert, Duke of Marwick the boy they’d once known as Ewan, was more animal than aristocrat, and the only man who knew the past from which they’d fled. But that was before Devil and Whit had become the Bareknuckle Bastards, the Kings of Covent Garden, and learned to wield weapons with precision to match their threats.
Tonight, they would show him that London was their turf and return him to the country. It was only a matter of getting inside and doing just that—reminding him of that promise they’d made long ago.
The Duke of Marwick would beget no heirs.
“Good chase.” Whit’s words came on a low growl, his voice ragged from disuse.
“Good chase,” Devil replied, and the two moved in expedient silence to the dark shadows below the railing of the long balcony, knowing they would have to act quickly to avoid being seen.
With fluid grace, Devil scaled the balcony, leaping over the balustrade, landing silently in the shadows beyond, Whit following. They made for the door, knowing that the conservatory would be locked and off limits to guests, making it the perfect entry point to the house. The Bastards wore formalwear—preparing to blend into the crowd until they found the duke and dealt their blow.
Marwick would be neither the first nor the last aristocrat to receive a punishment from the Bareknuckle Bastards, but Devil and Whit had never wished to deliver it so well.
Devil’s hand had barely landed on the door handle when it turned beneath his touch. He released it instantly, backing away, fading into the darkness even as Whit launched himself back over the balcony and onto the lawn below without sound.
And then the girl appeared.

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | B&N | Kobo |

 

About the Author:

New York Times, Washington Post & USA Today bestseller Sarah MacLean is the author of historical romance novels that have been translated into more than twenty languages, and winner of back-to-back RITA Awards for best historical romance from the Romance Writers of America.

Sarah is a leading advocate for the romance genre, speaking widely on its place at the nexus of gender and cultural studies. She is the author of a monthly column celebrating the best of the genre for the Washington Post. Her work in support of romance and the women who read it earned her a place on Jezebel.com’s Sheroes list of 2014 and led Entertainment Weekly to call her “gracefully furious.” Sarah lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

 

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★NEW RELEASE★ RAINY DAY FRIENDS BY JILL SHALVIS

Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by Headline Eternal

RAINY DAY FRIENDS (Wildstone #2) by Jill Shalvis

Release Date: 19th June 2018

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Following the USA Today bestselling author of Lost and Found Sisters comes Jill Shalvis’ moving story of heart, loss, betrayal, and friendship.

Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife.

Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person?  Can she even trust herself?

Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.

Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build.

 

Buy Links: Amazon UK | Amazon US |

 

Chapter 1

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★NEW RELEASE★ THE VARLET AND THE VOYEUR BY L.H. COSWAY & PENNY REID

Genres: Romantic Comedy

Buy Links: AMAZON US  | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU

THE VARLET AND THE VOYEUR by  L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

Series: Rugby #4

Release Date: 12th June 2018

RR_synopsis

THE VARLET (and the VOYEUR)
William Moore is a long way from home. A farm boy from Oklahoma, he’s now the most well-respected member of the Irish rugby team. But appearances are often deceptive, and Will isn’t the clean-cut, all-American good-guy everyone imagines him to be. He’s got a secret, one that will tarnish his reputation forever.

THE VOYEUR (and the VARLET)
Josey Kavanagh is a self-proclaimed mess, but she’s finally getting her shi…uh, act together. She’s set her sights on becoming a veterinarian, but there’s one teeny tiny road bump. Her living arrangements are coming to an abrupt end, leaving Josey homeless and in need of a job to pay her way through college.

THE PLAN
What he needs is a companion to keep him on the right path.

What she needs is an apartment with free rent.
Will is convinced Josey will make the perfect companion, since she’s brutally honest and basically ‘just one of the guys.’ Josey is convinced she can ensure Will doesn’t succumb to his voyeuristic proclivities by keeping a scrupulous eye on him.

Except, what happens when the varlet is tempted by the voyeur, and vice-versa?!
Perchance something very, very volatile. And vexing.

The Varlet and the Voyeur is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the 4th (and last) book in the USA TODAY bestselling Rugby Series.

 

Buy Links: AMAZON US  | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU

 


 

About Penny Reid:

pennyreidauthorpic

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

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About L.H. Cosway:

lhcoswayauthorpic

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

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★NEW RELEASE & REVIEW★ SPEAKEASY BY SARINA BOWEN

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Kobo |

SPEAKEASY by Sarina Bowen

Series: True North, #5

Release Date: 28th May 2018

Sometimes you fall for Mr. Right. And sometimes for Mr. Right Now…

May

Did you hear the one about the girl who walks into a bar and catches her live-in lover kissing someone else? No? You’re the only one in town who missed it.

Luckily Alec is there to wrap me up in strong arms and carry me out the door before things get too ugly. And that’s not all Alec is good at. Our unexpected chemistry makes him the perfect rebound guy.

Alec

I should know better than to hook up with my rival’s little sister, but the fiery look in May’s eyes really turns my crank. She needs cheering up, and I’m just the guy for the job.

It’s not like I’ll fall in love. Not even after a string of scorching hot trysts, and the realization that we’re good at the same things: wild nights and familial disappointment. I don’t do love, never have, never will. So this is the perfect arrangement, for both of us.

Nobody would approve, but nobody has to know…

 


 

★3.5 STARS★

 

The True North series is a series that truly keeps on giving. Although Speakeasy is fifth in line, there appears to be no let up when it comes to my enjoyment of the stories Sarina has to tell about her Vermont natives.

If you’re already a fan of the series, you’ll know that May Shipley is little sister to our favourite grumpy farmer, Griff. We know enough about May to establish some of her background. She’s a recovering alcoholic, and her relationship with her girlfriend appears to be more of a crutch than a healthy, balanced one. Still, even with all we do know there’s enough intrigue about May and how she comes to form an attachment to Alec that makes this story as exciting as if I were going in blind.

Alec Rossi is the owner of Gin Mill bar. He’s never short of female attention and although he admittedly takes full advantage, he struggles with the effect it has on his ability to be taken seriously. He has grand plans for the Gin Mill, but his most immediate plans involve holding May Shipley back from causing a brawl in his bar.

There are some degrees of separation with May and Alec but it’s in the midst of May’s messy breakup that they reconnect. For all intents and purposes a recovering alcoholic and publican might not make the most sense when it comes to forming a friendship but I was fully on-board for the genuineness of it all. There’s a disarming likeability about Alec, and along with May I found myself charmed by him. So much so in fact it’s not long before they are charming the pants off one another.

Humour and sexual attraction aside, the admiration, support and lack of judgement they have for one another made them a praiseworthy couple in my eyes. I respected May’s honesty and Alec’s steely determination. That said I feel as though I had a deeper emotional/poignant connection to the previous males in the series than I did with Alec. I know it’s wrong to compare but even held up side by side with May, it was she who stole the show for me.

At the heart of it Speakeasy spoke to the part of me that believes in second chances and finding love in the unlikeliest of places.

 


 

About Sarina Bowen

sarinakitchen

Sarina Bowen is the RITA® Award winning author of over two dozen contemporary and LGTB romance novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestseller’s list in February, with Brooklynaire. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University.

Sarina Bowen is a New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country since the 1760s. Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. On a few wooded acres, she lives with her husband, two boys, and an ungodly amount of ski and hockey gear.

Sarina’s books are published in a dozen languages on four continents. In 2016, The Romance Writers of America honored HIM by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy with a RITA award for Best Contemporary Romance, Mid-Length.

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★NEW RELEASE, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY★ THE SURVIVING TRACE BY CALIA READ

Genres: Time Travel Romance

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU |

THE SURVIVING TRACE by Calia Read

Release Date: 21st May 2018

Genre: Time Travel Romance

Will is my fiancé. The shy man I met years ago in college. The person I’m supposed to spend the rest of my life with.

This is the life I’ve always wanted until finding a picture of four men changes everything…

Etienne says he’s my husband and the year is 1912. He can’t stand the sight of me, but I don’t know why.

Oh, and he’s one of the men from the picture.

I’ve done the impossible and have become trapped in time and I know Etienne is my key to going home.

The more time I spend with Etienne, the further I fall for him, until I’m questioning which time I belong in and if the life I left behind is the one I truly desire.

All I know for certain is I need to survive time.

I need to survive love.

And I need to make it out on the other side alive.

 

Right then, someone places a hand on my arm. I turn and see Nat. Her eyes are wide with panic. “Étienne is here.” I stare at her blankly, and she frowns. “Did you hear me? I said Étienne’s here. He’s livid.”

Judging by Nat’s frantic expression and tone of voice, I know this Étienne is someone important. But I don’t know who the hell he is or why I should be the slightest bit nervous.

I’m getting ready to say that when she plants her hands on my shoulders. It’s impossible to tell if the gesture is more for her benefit or mine. “You’re in no shape to see him. I’ll distract him. That should afford you some time to hurry to your room.”

Before I can reply or ask who in the hell this Étienne is, the whispers start. Word spreads like wildfire until conversations practically cease.

“Go,” Nat pleads.

No sooner has the word escaped her mouth before the doors at the far end of the room slam open. People stop what they’re doing. Even the musicians appear unsure and stare at each other in confusion.

Nat and Livingston move in front of me like a pair of bodyguards. I stand on my tiptoes and try to peer between their shoulders, but all I can make out is a stark white shirt. I’m confident it’s the Étienne man Nat was talking about.

In the hushed silence, I can distinctly hear his powerful steps. People inch toward the walls or the double doors.

“What are you still doin’ here? Go!” Nat whispers to me.

Why would I go? It’s just getting interesting. A thrill courses down my spine and spreads throughout my body. Minutes ago, I wanted to leave, but the dramatic reaction elicited from everyone and the giant question mark stamped over this mysterious Étienne makes me stay put.

Plus, this is a dream. Right now, I’m merely a cat with nine lives. If danger comes my way, I’ll survive. By the ninth, I’ll wake up.

For now, I’m safe.

The closer he gets, the louder his footsteps become. My heart pounds in sync with his footsteps. When he stops walking, Nat and Livingston’s shoulders are practically fused together. All I can see is the man crossing his tan arms.

There’s a beat of silence before Nat speaks. “Étienne. This is a pleasant surprise. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“I live here. This is my home.” His voice is laced with the same slow, Southern drawl as everyone else I’ve heard speak tonight. But I think it’s the deep timbre that makes my pulse jump. Yes, that has to be it. “Who’s behind you?”

“No one,” Livingston and Nat say in unison.

“Are you sure? Because I swear I see the top of Serene’s head behind your shoulder.”

He knows my name. How does he know my name? Once again, I remind myself that anything goes in dreams. But something about this isn’t sitting well in my gut.

Livingston and Nat turn at the same time. They wear expressions of pure shock, as if they had no idea I’d been standing behind them.

“Oh, it’s Serene.” Livingston shares a well-practiced look of confusion with Nathalie. “I didn’t know she was there. Did you, Nat?”

“I did not.”

Damn, these two are good. If this were real life, we’d be fast friends. From how they play off of each other’s body language and words, I know they’re siblings; my brothers and I covered for each other the same way.

I can’t see the man’s expression, but I’m willing to bet he’s not buying anything they’re saying.

“Step aside. I need to talk to her.”

No one makes a sound. My legs shake.

When Livingston and Nat don’t budge, he says, “Move. Now.”

Nat’s shoulders slightly sag in defeat. I’m half-tempted to tell her not to give in to his demands, but my tongue becomes three sizes too big for my mouth.

As she steps to the right, she gives me a quick once-over and whispers, “I tried to warn you.”

They move away, and it feels as if I’ve been thrown to the wolves. Now I’m facing the leader of the pack. The first thing that comes to my mind once I see him is, Shit. I should’ve listened to Nathalie.

Because this isn’t the good ol’ boy every mother wants their daughter to end up with. No. This is the man every mom has warned their daughters about. You run, not walk when you encounter someone like him.

I stand there as though I’m nailed to the floor and watch as the man gazes around the room. He sighs as if everyone is wasting his precious time.

Then he turns his eyes to me, and when he does, the realization hits me like a bolt of lightning.

It’s my mystery man.

The man from my dream.

The man from the picture.

Standing inches away from me.

 

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About the Author:

Calia Read lives in Texas with her husband and their five kids.

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★NEW RELEASE & REVIEW★ STRIPPED BY TARA WYATT

Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by Avon

STRIPPED by Tara Wyatt

Series: Blue HEAT #1

Release Date: 15th May 2018

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

 

Detective Sawyer Matthews isn’t just having a bad day—he’s having the worst day. His hunt for the criminal who killed his team member has stalled and now… he’s got to play nice with his new, totally unwanted partner. It’s not that she isn’t qualified, or that he doesn’t like her—it’s because he knows what she looks like naked. So very, very naked.

Brooke Simmons finally landed her dream job working for H.E.A.T, an elite undercover detective squad, and she’s not giving up simply because she had a one-night-stand with her sullen—but undeniably sexy—new partner. They’ll just have to keep it professional. Easier said than done, considering their first case requires Sawyer to infiltrate a drug cartel operating out of a male strip show. Watching him do his best Magic Mike impression every night isn’t just hot—it’s torture.

Sawyer doesn’t need any distractions, yet his attraction to Brooke is explosive and he can’t resist going for round two. Or three. Or four. But as their investigation progresses and danger mounts, they’ll have to put their jobs, hearts, and lives on the line to fight… for each other, for survival, and for justice.

 


 

★3.5 STARS★

Brooke Simmons’ career is on the up, although the same cannot be said about her love life. She has an interesting list of priors when it comes to ex-boyfriends, and the latest in a line-up of disasters has led her to drowning her sorrows in a hotel bar. She has absolutely no business noticing the brooding guy in the seat next to hers but she does so anyway.

Detective Sawyer Matthews has suffered a loss that has impacted both his career and personal life. His best friend and colleague was recently killed in the line of duty and he’s struggling been to come to terms with the loss. He has every intention of drowning his sorrows alone but he can’t help but find his interest piqued by the firecracker in the seat next to his. The sparks of interest give way to a burning physical attraction, and the result is an explosive night that burns into both their memories.

Being the new girl is the least of Brooke’s worries when she discovers her partner is none other than the one night stand and starring role of her recurring fantasy. She’s worked her behind off to land a position on the elite undercover detective squad, so what’s a few moments of embarrassment? She’s fully confident that they can deal with the situation like adults and not allow it to distract them from their work.

Going undercover in a strip club is not how Sawyer envisaged coping with his growing attraction to Brooke would go. He’s torn between his desperate need to infiltrate the gang responsible for his best friend’s murder, and keeping the woman he increasing cares for safe, even though she can fully handle herself. The conflict between the two lead him make some decisions that compromise their safety but it’s matters of the heart that threatens to lead to the greatest fallout.

STRIPPED was my first read by Tara Wyatt and it’s a novel easily read in one sitting. I enjoyed the friction between work/personal life and it made the steamy scenes all that more illicit. The stripper element made for lighter moments but I’m not going to lie, I would have loved many more a scene of Sawyer in his glittery thong. The addition of the supporting cast gave a great segue into the next novels in the series, and I’m looking forward to Wyatt turning up the H.E.A.T.


 

About the Author:

Tara Wyatt is a contemporary romance and romantic suspense author. Known for her humor and steamy love scenes, Tara’s writing has won several awards, including the Golden Quill Award and the Booksellers’ Best Award, and has been nominated for the prestigious RITA® Award.

When she’s not hanging out with your next book boyfriend, she can be found reading, watching movies, and drinking wine. A librarian by day and a romance writer by night, Tara lives in Hamilton, Ontario with the world’s cutest dog and a husband who makes all her of her heroes look like chumps.

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