Book Review: Heart of Dixie (Kissing Creek #2) by Ruthie Henrick @RuthieHenrick @wordsmithpublic

Heart of Dixie
(Kissing Creek #2)
by Ruthie Henrick

 

Amazon  / B&N  / BB

 

Dixie’s back in her hometown, but the last thing she’s looking for is a reason to stay . . .

Dixie Barnes has no desire to change the life she’s built in LA, fast-paced and full of glamour, and a million miles from Moreover, Tennessee. When she’s badgered into an impromptu hometown reunion, the thing she’s most looking forward to is her flight back to her celebrity clients. She has no plans to rekindle relationships with the town’s meddling citizens—those kind-hearted people she abandoned ten years ago—and she definitely doesn’t intend to take up where she left off with Deke McAllister.

Then she discovers the nerdy, gangly crush of her past has matured in every remarkable way possible. Perhaps getting reacquainted with Deke isn’t such a bad idea after all. But loving that boy was the catalyst that had her leaving the water tower town she was so fond of. And the more quality time she spends with him, the more difficult she finds the notion of doing it again.
She’ll agree to amuse herself with him until it’s time to leave. She’ll enjoy his soul-scorching kisses, and maybe even tangle with him in his sheets. But her heart won’t be on the line this time. Deke’s already been warned her days in Moreover are numbered. And this time she’ll say goodbye before she boards her plane.

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Start the series with Small Town Girl

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Author’s Note: Heart of Dixie (Book Two of the Heart of Dixie trilogy) was originally released a few years ago, set in the fictional small town of Moreover, Tennessee. You may have read it. If so, you probably loved it. ::grins:: Spoiler alert, even authors sometimes need a do-over.

I was so in love with these characters and their history together, I decided to introduce the setting’s name change in a prequel novella of Dixie and Deke’s origin story and, well, got a little carried away while writing. Good news for you, right? Then I decided I wanted a bonus epilogue for y’all, and what do you know? The same thing happened. Now we have three books to binge.

Heads up, you hopeless romantics, Heart of Dixie ends with a cliffhanger, but you’re going to love the rest of Deke and Dixie’s story in Something to Talk About, which picks right up where this story leaves off.

Ruthie xoxo

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Put that back! It’s my secret weapon.” She spun it on the hanger to reveal the barely-there straps and plunging back, then clasped it against her and shimmied everything from her shoulders to her toes…“One day I’ll find the nerve to wear this dress and the man of my dreams will fall in lust with me.”

 

My Review:

 

Holy scorched sheets!   This one contained enough sizzle and snap to melt the paint off the wall. I am hooked on this deviously continuing tale of the small-town gone big-city return of Dixie, who has come back to bury her heinous excuse for a father. Actually, both her parents were egregious parentals as well as failing as human beings. The various storylines are equally engaging while laced together with clever wit, poignant insights, heart-squeezing memories and interactions, and breath-stealing sensuality. I am anxiously awaiting the conclusion of this addictive saga to hit my kindle.

Ruthie’s an Arizona girl, married to her high school sweetheart and mama to three grown sons. She writes contemporary romance with heroes who make you swoon, yet might live right next door. She’s a true romance junkie and a lifetime avid reader who spent far too much time shushing the voices in her head—until the day she sat at her keyboard to see what all those voices had to say.

She’s a big fan of coffee and easy-to-cook meals, and country music songwriters, who she believes are some of the best storytellers ever. She loves chatting with other readers, sharing her favorite books and authors, and discovering those new to her. Go by and hang out with her on any of her social media!

Book Review: Meet Dare (Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters, #3) by D.E. Haggerty @

Meet Dare
Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters, #3
by D.E. Haggerty

All it takes to change everything is an enraged woman and a dare…

Love is not for me. Nope. I don’t deserve it, so I keep far, far away from relationships.

Archer – a drifter who won’t stick around – is perfect for me. I can touch those sexy broad shoulders and stare into those smoldering hazel eyes to my heart’s content.

Except, it turns out Archer isn’t Archer at all. He’s Cedar. He’s not some random drifter. He grew up in the quirky small town of Winter Falls.

When I find out the truth, my rage boils over, my mouth opens up, and before my mind can catch up, I’m daring Cedar to stay in Winter Falls for six months.

I must have been temporarily insane.

Because the longer Cedar sticks around, the more my feelings for him grow. And pushing him away is about as easy as getting the eccentric townspeople to respect my privacy.

Especially when he keeps drawing me in, claiming he’s going to prove to me I not only deserve love but everything my heart desires. Easy for him to say. He doesn’t know what I did.

Can a dare spoken in a moment of anger result in my happily ever after?

This friends with benefits small town romantic comedy features a woman who’s convinced her past sins means she doesn’t deserve love, a man who’s willing to give up his wanderer ways to prove her wrong, an adorable three-legged dog, a pair of sisters who don’t understand the word ‘privacy’, and a whole town of hippies convinced they’re the best matchmakers this side of the Mississippi.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I don’t know what man would put up with that woman. She’s a maneater. I fear for the life of any man she sinks her claws into. She probably has a trophy room at home containing the hearts of any man foolish enough to date her.

Who thought it was a good idea to merge the West and Dempsey families? There’s now a total of eight women. I grew up with three sisters. The four of us never agreed on a thing. I don’t know how five West daughters and three Dempsey sisters are going to manage to agree on a wedding dress or bridesmaids’ dresses.

My Review:

 

I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did as the main character of Cassie is a piece of work, impulsive, rebellious, stubborn, selfish, immature, and a drama llama. But I adored Cedar! The writing was breezy and amusing, and the storylines were deliciously smirk-worthy, easy to follow, active, and well-paced.

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown-up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn’t stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn’t do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She’s now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.

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Book Review: Before Us by Jewel E Ann @JewelE_Ann

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Before Us
by Jewel E Ann

 

I never saw him coming.

 

I didn’t know what would happen after my client found me sleeping in my car.

I’d been cleaning his house as his wife was dying.

I didn’t expect them to invite me to live with them.

I didn’t expect Suzie to become my lifeline—until she was gone.

I didn’t expect him to ask me to marry him when he found out I needed medical insurance.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with a grieving man.

There are so many reasons to keep my distance from Zach. Every tender moment secreted away.

When we’re not together, I miss the man I call husband.

Does he miss his wife? If so, which one?

  Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

Strong people don’t always make the right decisions; they excel at moving on from the bad ones.

… when you walk into the room and she looks at you… the earth turns a little slower on its axis.

Like the ebb and flow of the ocean, the inhale and exhale of breath, life depends on the coexistence of holding on … and letting go. It’s how we navigate this life, mere children struggling to cross the monkey bars without falling.

Denial blurs good judgment almost as much as whiskey.

Kindness is the hardest thing to accept because it requires true vulnerability to feel it.

I swear I see my own soul in the depths of his eyes, storms chasing the sunset.

My Review:

 

I have the worst book hangover ever after working through all the feels of this one – oh my! Jewel E. Ann excels at breaking my heart and putting it back together, and she has accomplished this fete several times in each of her beautifully written stories. Her prose is profoundly poignant and heartbreaking, compelling, cleverly insightful, deliciously witty, and painfully perceptive.

Written from a dual POV I was quickly sucked into an addictive and angsty vortex and slotted into the thick of it, fully invested, completely immersed, and living within her characters’ skins while seeing through their eyes, and feeling their discomforts and shame when they struggled and failed, as all real people do. I am staggered by the agility and depth of her crafty storytelling and know it will take me some time to recover from the heady spell of her word voodoo. I’m reluctant to leave these characters behind.

 Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best-selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role-modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance. 

 

Book Review: Small Town Girl (Kissing Creek #1) by Ruthie Henrick @RuthieHenrick

Small Town Girl
Kissing Creek #1
  by Ruthie Henrick

Dixie might belong in Kissing Creek, but she’s got too many reasons to leave.

A decade ago, I had a plan. I’d graduate high school and make my place in the small southern town I belonged to. I’d leave my daddy’s run-down single-wide and ignore him when he got ugly. I’d send my mama to voicemail when she called from her fancy life in Chicago. Mostly, I’d wait for Deke to get through college and come back to me and the life we’d build together. I didn’t realize how suddenly plans can change.

Deke isn’t planning to leave their hometown, but he may have lost his reason to stay.

Ten years ago, I was the quiet one. The nerd with the glasses. President of the damn math club. A candidate for any college I chose. What I wanted was a life with Dixie. She believed I had more to offer, though. Encouraged me to shine for the world. But if I can’t admit it to myself, how do I confess I might want that, too? Turns out, I didn’t get the chance.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“I’m a pillar of the community, I tell ya. Folks admire me.” Of course they did. He was as moral as Adolf Hitler.

Places change; people change. Sometimes they grow into each other better with time. Could be the same with you.

My Review:

 

This just happened to be a gripping yet tiny soupcon of a tale that has me ensnared. I am hooked on this compelling, angsty, and sizzling coming-of-age story, which is quite surprising as I’m no fan of angst, yet I must know what happens to these people. I am intrigued yet outraged that I have to wait several weeks for another serving of this addictive saga. Ruthie Henrick is an evil minx, she is also a talented storyteller but cliffhangers are diabolical contrivances.

 

 

Preorder Heart of Dixie

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Preorder Something to Talk About

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Ruthie’s an Arizona girl, married to her high school sweetheart and mama to three grown sons. She writes contemporary romance with heroes who make you swoon, yet might live right next door. She’s a true romance junkie and a lifetime avid reader who spent far too much time shushing the voices in her head—until the day she sat at her keyboard to see what all those voices had to say.

She’s a big fan of coffee and easy-to-cook meals, and country music songwriters, who she believes are some of the best storytellers ever. She loves chatting with other readers, sharing her favorite books and authors, and discovering those new to her. Go by and hang out with her on any of her social media!

Book Review: Eye Candy by Tawna Fenske @tawnafenske

Amazon  / BB

 

 I see them staring.

Blame the scar that’s carved from my chest to face, or my reputation as a beast. Keeping to myself keeps others from knowing how I got this way.

Then she moves in next door.

My sexy neighbor revels in me watching her most intimate moments. The kicker? She wants to watch me.

What’s the harm in staging sinful shows across our shared fence line? No words. No contact. Just how I want it.

But weeks of teasing hit a boiling point when we collide at the store and find our chemistry even more sizzling in person. The first words Lyla says to me?

An indecent proposal no man could refuse.

Eye Candy is a scorching hot standalone m/f erotic romance with a little m/f/m/m treat. If you like voyeurism, exhibitionism, and menage, this one’s for you. The story contains no cheating and a HEA is guaranteed!

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I cover a smile and think of my grandma. She’s a burlesque dancer— a real one— or she was before she retired to raise me after my parents died. A glance at my watch confirms it’s too late to call. Grandma’s tied up tonight leading Dotty’s Dirty Book Club at the retirement home. Let’s just say having a guardian like Grams explains a lot about how I turned out.

My stomach rolls into a ball and does a big, awkward somersault through my gut. I want to play it cool, but I can’t stop the big, goofy grin from spreading across my face. I thank God for dark shadows and my own foresight in keeping the porch light off.

My Review:

 

Holy scorched sheets Batman! I had to keep the fans on high and libations close at hand to ward off dehydration while reading these saucy and salacious tales. Ms. Fenske has conjured up classy and amusing erotic romances that kept me alternating between gasping and smirking.

About the Author 

Website 
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When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA-nominated, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, stepkids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.

 

Book Review: Strictly Pleasure (The Salinger Brothers Book 2)  by Carrie Elks   @CarrieElks

 

 

Amazon  / BB

Never tell a lie. Especially not to a cocky CEO who knows exactly how to seduce you. They always come back to bite.

I should have remembered that before I spent the night with Liam Salinger.

In my defense, he’s stupidly attractive and knows it. He also willingly admitted to me that he never sleeps with the same woman twice.

So I shouldn’t feel too bad about lying to him the next morning. We can forget about each other and get on with our lives, right?

Wrong.

We’ve both been chosen as godparents to my best friend’s gorgeous newborn. Which means we’ll be spending a lot of time together, much to our mutual disgust.

And yes, he looks great cradling a tiny baby against his expensively attired chest. Plus he’s funny, irreverent, and weirdly protective toward me.

But I’m not going to fall for his charm. Not a second time.

I just have to keep telling myself that.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m done with dating right now. It goes in phases. I’ll download an app, decide to throw myself into finding Mr. Right, then realize that the dating pool is actually a cesspit. So I’ll take a break, forget about the pain, and do it all over again.

“Ladies and Gentleman,” a voice calls out over the PA. “Please take ten minutes to make yourselves comfortable, fill up your glasses, and shake the moths out of your wallets. We’ll be beginning the auction as soon as you’re drunk enough to overbid.”

My Review:

 

Another smooth, delectable, and amusing read from the master weaver of cleverly contrived and titillating romance known as Carrie Elks. I am now among her faithful acolytes as I am hooked on her collection of sexy, witty, and lovable brothers.

I adored this couple as much as I did their story, they were lovely together. Their chemistry threw hot sparks in every direction with a minimum of angst and the right amount of believable conflict.

The plot lines and story threads were engaging and held my attention with insightful and humorous observations and details that smoothly and easily slotted me into each encounter. The characters were largely likable and well fleshed out and realistically varied from petty villain to endearing sexy hero. I’m enjoying this series and looking forward to more installments.

 

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out. Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children, and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

Book Review: The Catch by Jenna Miles  @jennamileswrite

The Catch
by Jenna Miles 

Poignant and powerful, The Catch is a contemporary second-chance romance that effortlessly captures the nostalgia of young love and relatably reflects the trials that come with family, motherhood, and responsibility.

Julia Dunphy’s husband just left her for the second time, her thirteen-year-old won’t stop swearing in public, and to top it all off, her four-year-old just asked to buy condoms. Needless to say, this isn’t how she’d expected her life to pan out.

Then, Julia’s new work in an aquarium shop washes up old memories of a whale-watching business she once imagined – and of William Quinn, the man she imagined it with. William walked into her life with striking blue eyes and constant surprises. Before she knew it, she was head-over-heels in love. However, the realities of life eventually pulled them apart. When Julia and William’s paths cross again, despite their baggage, an undeniable spark remains.

When she learns that William has made a success of their ideas, she wonders if it’s too late to finally make a success of their relationship. But Julia has already blown her first two chances at happiness with William, so a third one seems like wishful thinking. Then she uses her prowess as a paralegal to save William’s business, and when he shows up to thank her, she dares to wonder – is another chance with him possible, after all?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

That guy has probably been inside more vaginas than a gynecologist.

She lifted the pendant to take a closer look, and smiled. “A mermaid. Now why on earth would that make you think of me?” He squeezed her around the shoulders. “I’ll never forget that night as long as I live. I was so in love with you, and when I saw you, I really thought I could have died a happy man, right then and there.” Her chest flooded with a familiar warmth. She laced her fingers through his and kissed him.  “You make me so happy,” she whispered. “Good,” he said, touching the pendant. “Wear it as long as you still feel that way.”

 

My Review:

 

Regardless of whether it was her first or her tenth published novel, and it was her first, the crafty minx calling herself Jenna Miles has blown me away. Her storylines were unusually compelling, unpredictable, and thorny, while populated with primary and secondary characters who were recognizable yet realistically authentic, aggravating, struggling, smart, troubled, deeply annoying, and magnetic. Their ongoing issues kept me tethered to my Kindle. I was ensnared, nettled, and captivated by this angsty tale, which is quite a rare occurrence for me as I am no fan of self-inflected misery, but I couldn’t bear to put this one down.

I adored and was completely enamored with William, yet I cannot recall a more vexing main character than Julia, I wanted to give her and her narrow-minded family a few good swats with my crocs to dislodge their craniums from their colons, and it would have taken effort as they were really wedged up there. Julia broke my heart, gave me hope, and shredded it yet again. I see on Ms. Miles’s website that she is penning a sequel. There must be something wrong with me as all my fingers and toes are crossed that she hurries.

 

 

An avid writer since she first picked up a crayon, Jenna Miles creates compelling, heartwarming stories that touch on themes of romance, mental health, and feminism. When she isn’t working or writing, Jenna loves to tend her garden and cook delicious, healthy meals for her three sassy daughters. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Jenna now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she saves the world one calorie at a time as a Registered Dietitian. Her dream is to one day pursue an MFA in Creative Writing.

Book Review: Meet Not (Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters, #2) by D.E. Haggerty   @dehaggerty

Meet Not
(Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters, #2)
by D.E. Haggerty

 

Amazon  / BB

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been stupid enough to fall in love with your best friend.

It’s not my fault. I was perfectly happy to keep my budding feelings to myself until the ‘kiss’.

Now, all I can think about is how good River smells and tastes. How it would feel to have his hands on my body.

Too bad convincing a player who doesn’t believe in love to take a chance on me is more difficult than succumbing to his charm and ending up in his bed. Oops.

Lucky for me, I have the entire town of Winter Falls on my side. The residents of this kooky small town think they’re the world’s answer to matchmaking. Match away, Winter Falls. Match away!

With their help, maybe I can convince River there’s more to us than friendship because this chemistry between us doesn’t lie.

This friends to lovers small town romantic comedy features an awkward woman who sprouts sexual innuendos on accident when she’s nervous, a player who thinks love exists for everyone in the world except him, a pair of sisters who don’t understand the word ‘privacy’, and a whole town of hippies convinced they’re the best matchmakers this side of the Mississippi.

Meet Not is a standalone novel in the Winter Falls ~ Dempsey Sisters series.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m happy for Gabrielle, but it turns out you can be happy for someone and be consumed by jealousy at the same time.

Whatever happened in college must be embarrassing. My older sister doesn’t have a problem sharing her adventures unless she comes out sounding like a fool.

My Review:

 

This series is so much fun I can’t wait to start the next one. An environmentally green town founded by hippies and populated by endearingly odd and eccentric characters that love to match-make, banter, and place bets on each other. But all that is happening while fledgling romances are starting to sizzle and pop. I am enamored with them all and must clear my calendar to catch up with all the quirky denizens as I am currently suffering from a serious case of FOMO!

D.E. Haggerty is actually just plain old Dena, but she thinks using initials makes her sound sophisticated and maybe even grown-up. She was born and raised in the U.S. but considers herself a Dutchie and not only because it sounds way cooler. After a stint in the U.S. Army, she escaped the US to join her husband in Holland. She fled Holland over ten years ago when she couldn’t stand the idea of being a lawyer for one single second more. Turns out Bed & Breakfast owner in Germany didn’t do it for her either. When the hubby got a job in Istanbul, she jumped ship and decided to give this whole writer thing a go. She’s now back in Holland, which she considers home. Sorry, Mom.

Join my newsletter for free stories, writing updates & great deals on books here:

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Book Review: LOATHE TO LOVE YOU (The STEMinist Novellas #1-3) by Ali Hazelwood @EverSoAli

LOATHE TO LOVE YOU
(The STEMinist Novellas #1-3)
by Ali Hazelwood 

 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP / BB

 

Under One Roof: An environmental engineer discovers that scientists should never cohabitate when she finds herself stuck with the roommate from hell—a detestable big-oil lawyer who won’t leave the thermostat alone.

Stuck with You: A civil engineer and her nemesis take their rivalry—and love—to the next level when they get stuck in a New York elevator.

Below Zero: A NASA aerospace engineer’s frozen heart melts as she lies injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station and the only person willing to undertake the dangerous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Under One Roof

Honestly, your boss is a shit nugget and he doesn’t deserve you and you should quit and leave him to stir in his shit broth!

“Could it be that we’ve just been exceptionally unlucky?” There is some noise on Hannah’s side of the line. Maybe she is sharpening a shiv. “Could it be that the tides will turn and we’ll finally meet dudes who don’t deserve to be fed a bowl of thumbtacks?”

Stuck with You

Wait. What you’re saying is that all this time we’ve been doing weekly summoning circles to give this guy disfiguring genital warts and toenail funguses and those giant subcutaneous pimples people get surgically removed on YouTube . . . but he did not, in fact, deserve any of it?

I missed you… I only knew you for twenty-four hours, but I’ve never missed anyone so much.

Below Zero

Mara and Sadie have managed to worm their way into my heart, causing me to amend my previous I did not come here to make friends stance to a slightly altered I did not come here to make friends, but hurt my weird Cheez-It friend or my other weird soccer friend and I will beat you up with a lead pipe till you piss blood for the rest of your life. Truculent? Perhaps. I feel little, but surprisingly deeply.

“Hey, he’s my cousin-or-something.” Sadie pats her on the shoulder. “It’s the or something that gets me every time. You can really feel the unbreakable family ties.”

 

My Review:

 

This collection was my introduction to the amusing and clever scribblings of Ali Hazelwood and I couldn’t have picked a better selection to start with. I gleefully smirked my way through all three wittily written novellas and sighed contently upon completion. Each character was uniquely contrived yet authentic, as well as endearingly awkward and socially inept. I adored them all. I have a new favorite author and have added her entire listing to my TBR.

 

Ali Hazelwood is the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. She recently became a professor, which absolutely terrifies her. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her two feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

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Book Review: Two Wrongs Make a Right by Chloe Liese @Berkley @chloe_liese

Two Wrongs Make a Right
by Chloe Liese

 

Amazon  / B&N / Apple / GP / BB

Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn’t be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.

Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convinces the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash their hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.

To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder, what if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Jamie smiles. It’s soft and small and crooked, but it’s there. I watch it unfurl, and my heart morphs into a gilded balloon that bursts, a shower of gold-leaf glitter sparkling in my chest.

“Don’t downplay your work,” she says fiercely. “Don’t make yourself small just because someone else has.”

He’s stuck around. Like a bug on fly paper.

…you are exquisitely precious to me.

My Review:

 

I delighted in this cleverly penned tale and have added this crafty author’s entire listing to my TBR as I have become her most rabid and fervent fangirl. Her deft storytelling kept a smirk on my face and caused the little pea in my brain to spark as I fell into her bewitchingly engaging tale which featured deliciously quirky yet authentic characters that were well-textured and are now indelibly etched on my gray matter. I adored them and their amusing vengeance plot of having an “Instagrammable romance”/fauxmance that quickly morphed into something much more carnal and delightfully steamy. I have a new favorite author to add to the top of my To Do list.

 

Chloe Liese writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.