Category: 5-Stars

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: It’s Not PMS, It’s You by Rich Amooi

It’s Not PMS, It’s You

by Rich Amooi

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

Ruth “Ruthless” Harper is on the verge of becoming managing partner at her all-male consulting firm and she won’t let anything stand in her way. That includes men, relationships, and that dreaded F word, FEELINGS—distractions she eliminated long ago.

After the worst day ever (a near-death experience and a public wedgie, for starters), Ruth realizes she doesn’t want to live and die alone. She puts together a business plan to find the perfect man and dives headfirst into the murky online dating pool. All she wants is a high-powered executive who understands how important her career is. If only it were that easy.

Problem is most men are intimidated by Ruth’s confidence and shocked by her bluntness. The exception being her landscape designer, Nick, whose cool demeanor and unsolicited dating advice are driving her nuts. He’s the antithesis of the business-oriented man Ruth envisions for herself, so why do all signs keep pointing back to him?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

…like me, she wouldn’t take crap from male colleagues who thought they could do or say whatever they wanted just because they were packing two olives and a cocktail weenie in their shorts.

 

Stewart was right next to him, a cocky grin on his face like he had just found out his penis was two inches long instead of one.

 

Run, you fool! There’s a chance you are going to be killed! Never call a woman wedgie girl!

 

There are certain things that women ask men that are problematic and have to be dealt with properly and delicately. Some are legitimate questions. Some are tricks. To this day, most men haven’t figured out which is which. It’s like playing a game of Russian Roulette when answering, only there is a bullet in every chamber.

 

“I own a bagel shop. I told you I made a lot of dough. Ha!” He laughed and slapped the table, causing the trout on his plate to go airborne for a brief second.

 

Wait, you sell toilets and your last name is Butts? That is classic. Do you mind if I keep the card? I want to show my friends. Good thing for you that your parents didn’t name you Harry or Seymour.

 

Could you see yourself with the last name of Butts? … Ruth Butts. It kind of has a nice ring to it. Can I get you anything else, Mrs. Butts? Butts, party of two! At your wedding, the guests will say, ‘Wow, I’ve never seen so many Butts in one place!’

 

I could see my first date approaching me and my BS detector was already pegging in the red. It was the way he walked. Was he going for a swagger like Mick Jagger or a drunk pimp limp? It was kind of a mix of the two. Or maybe he had an injured leg or a bad case of hemorrhoids.

 

 My Review:

 

Rich Amooi is my go-to guy for a pleasurable, witty, and delightfully amusing rom/com. His stories are refreshingly light on conflict and a tonic for my beleaguered brain between intense thrillers and heartrending dramas. Not to say his tales are mindless fluff as his likable characters have considerable substance and are typically working through real-world issues while gathering insights and experiencing hard-won epiphanies, just in a more comical manner than most. I adore his humorous observations, easy to follow writing style, engaging storylines, and a unique sense of levity that injects a much-needed sense of buoyancy to my spirits and reading rotation. This is why his name is listed in ink, having earned a permanent slot on my list of favorites.

About the Author

Amazon  / Twitter
Goodreads / Facebook
Website

Rich Amooi is a former radio personality and DJ who now writes romantic comedies full-time in San Diego, California. He is happily married to a kiss monster imported from Spain. Rich believes in public displays of affection, silliness, infinite possibilities, donuts, gratitude, laughter, and happily ever after.

Giveaway

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Posted on

Book Review: The Mother I Could Have Been by Kerry Fisher

The Mother I Could Have Been

by Kerry Fisher

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N / Kobo / Apple / GP

 

Why would you walk away from the one person you can’t live without?

As a child, Vicky Hall never had the sort of family she wanted. The least important person in her new step-family, ignored by her mother in favor of her two younger half-siblings, Vicky was always an afterthought. Sitting alone at her graduation ceremony at the age of twenty-one, she vows to create her own family and her own life, one which is full of the love and attention she has always craved.

When Vicky meets William and falls pregnant in Greece that summer, it isn’t planned. But the two of them believe they can make it work, showering their child with the love which they believe should be enough.

But when her son Theo is two, Vicky leaves him in the care of her mother-in-law, walks out of her front door and drives to a hotel where she takes a room for the night. She doesn’t return.

It’s unthinkable.

What kind of mother does that?

The kind who is hiding a story you can never imagine.

The Mother I Could Have Been is a heartbreaking story of impossible decisions and second chances, from the bestselling author of The Silent Wife and The Woman I Was Before. Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I couldn’t resist Rowan. He was my favourite by far because he was innately naughty. He hadn’t yet mastered the art of throwing a bomb and not being anywhere in the vicinity when it went off. I adored him.

 

I sometimes couldn’t believe she was my daughter, with her endless stream of rules and regulations. ‘Who is coming tonight?’ She managed to say it as though I’d have invited all the local miscreants and some dodgy men with an unhealthy interest in children.

 

You’re brilliant with customers. I love how you tell them to bugger off so politely they enjoy the journey.

 

It was amazing how clearly I could see the flaws in other people’s mothering but would need surgical intervention to patch up the gaping wounds in my own.

 

He carried the message like a wise man cupping a gift of myrrh, reverential, with a sense of ceremony, big man coming through with big news.

 

The woman pursed her lips so tightly, I wanted to tell her that in twenty years’ time, her lipstick wouldn’t bleed, it would haemorrhage .

 

You are such a drama queen. I don’t even recognise the childhood you think you had. No, Mum and Dad weren’t perfect, but they were good enough. You talk about them as though we were left chewing on scraps in a dungeon, fending for ourselves.

 

My Review:

 

I have a new favorite author – despite her heavy deployment of angsty and emotive story threads. I was so absorbed by her brilliantly insightful and evocative writing, complex and profoundly flawed characters, and witty wordplay that I didn’t seem to mind the eye-burning, heart-squeezing, or ire-producing storylines that I typically eschew. I was instantly mesmerized and sucked into this perceptive and thoughtfully crafted tale and resented any intrusion or interruption to my perusal for those unimportant distractions such as sleep, hygiene, whining husband, or nutritional sustenance. Kerry Fisher is a phenomenal writer with powerful word voodoo. I am driven to amass all her clever words and have added her entire listing to my TBR.

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Kerry Fisher is the bestselling author of five novels, including The Silent Wife and The Secret Child. She was born in Peterborough, studied French and Italian at the University of Bath and spent several years living in Spain, Italy, and Corsica. After returning to England to work as a journalist, she eventually abandoned real-life stories for the secrets of fictional families. She now lives in Surrey with her husband, two teenage children and a naughty Lab/Schnauzer called Poppy.
Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work by Julie Butterfield

.

 

Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work

by Julie Butterfield

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

Lucy Mathers was once the golden girl of Simcock & Bright. Four years later, she’s a stay at home mum with two adorable children, has swapped her Louboutins for rabbit slippers and spends her day making crustless sandwiches and colour co-ordinated lunches instead of signing up high profile clients.

When her husband is suddenly made redundant, there is panic in the Mathers’ household. With a mortgage the size of the national debt and a credit card balance that’s in danger of toppling, Lucy reluctantly decides she must return to work. So she digs out her old power suits from the back of the wardrobe and leaves Will to become a house husband. But sitting in Lucy’s old office is Grant Cassidy, suave, handsome and ruthless and with no intention of letting Lucy walk back into the number one job.

At home, despite his breezy declaration that swapping boardroom battles for toddler groups would be a doddle, Will’s belief that parental issues could be solved with forward planning and a spreadsheet soon falls by the wayside.

With both Will and Lucy struggling to adapt, could their previously happy marriage be developing some cracks?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Of course, the result of her hard work was that when Will arrived home his children were bathed, content and happy to cuddle him on the settee in adorable, sleepy mode, while Lucy escaped to the kitchen, holding onto the kitchen work surface for support and drinking wine straight from the bottle.

 

Sliding the shoes out of the box, she laid them reverently on the floor before pulling off her woolly socks and wriggling her toes in anticipation. Her foot disappeared into the shiny red leather, stopping halfway down. Frowning she slipped the shoe off and checked to see if she had left some tissue tucked into the toe. Nothing. Putting the shoe back on the floor she pushed a little harder, squeezing her toes together and grunting until her foot was finally forced in. She gasped in pain. Oh my God, she thought, it was like a scene from Cinderella, and she must be one of the ugly sisters because this was far from the perfect fit.

 

Harry had chocolate smeared in his baby curls and Emily had a hole in her woolen tights that she had made larger by stuffing toys inside and using as an impromptu storage space until she could hardly walk for the huge collection of random objects that stuck to one side of her leg like a hideous growth.

 

Her bag had been emptied of toddler paraphernalia such as the odd sock, baby wipes, a rather crusty bib, Harry’s favourite book, and Emily’s crayons. Before the arrival of her children, Lucy’s bag had been a shrine to lipsticks and perfume along with scented tissues and always a spare pair of tights and it gave her a small thrill to look inside now and see that she had gone full circle.

 

My Review:

 

I gleefully giggle-snorted my way through this delightfully amusing tale of Lucy Mathers, a competitive business professional attempting to recoup her mojo after a four-year hiatus for childrearing.   There were multiple challenges awaiting Lucy, the first being that her entire wardrobe appeared to have shrunk while in the closet – I myself have had that happen as well so I was in total sympathy with her plight. Her harried accountant husband, Will, was taking on the home front while between jobs.   Will’s struggle was just as great, although his wardrobe was no longer of consequence his small children did not seem to respect his spreadsheet timetables organized with accompanying phone alarms, which were hopelessly abandoned during the first week.

 

The engaging storylines and insightful writing were riotously comical and cleverly penned while evoking sharp and mirth-filled visuals that kept me with a near-constant smirk and frequently laughing aloud. Julie Butterfield must be a hoot at parties. I would most likely fall at her feet while looking up at her in total adoration if ever I were lucky enough to find myself in her company.

 

About the Author

Amazon
Goodreads
Website

Julie Butterfield belongs to the rather large group of ‘always wanted to write’ authors who finally found the time to sit down and put pen to paper – or rather fingers to keyboard.
She wrote her first book purely for pleasure and was very surprised to discover that so many people enjoyed the story and wanted more, so she decided to carry on writing!

 

Giveaway

 Win a Paperback copy of Lucy Mathers Goes Back To Work (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on

Book Review: The Silent Victim by Dana Perry

.

The Silent Victim

by Dana Perry

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

 

The woman’s golden hair is spread out beneath her on the bed of leaves where she’s fallen, her beautiful blue eyes open wide. The police are calling it a random attack, but Jessie Tucker isn’t so sure – she’s seen this crime scene before… she was the victim.

Twelve years ago, Jessie Tucker was attacked as she made her way home from an outdoor concert. She still walks with a limp from that night, and every day since has been a struggle to rebuild her life. The police told her she was unlucky – that she was safe after they charged a local man for the crime. But Jessie has never managed to shake the feeling that there was someone else in the park that night… someone she knew.

But then Margaret Kincaid’s murder file lands across her desk, and Jessie knows she can’t keep silent any longer. Margaret’s wounds so exactly match her own it’s spooky – but Jessie’s attacker is in prison, and Jessie has never met the victim. What links her to Margaret Kincaid, and why did the attacker let one woman live, and the other die?

Nail-biting, gripping and absolutely unputdownable! Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Kendra Elliot and Gregg Olsen. 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

The coffee looked terrible and tasted even worse, but drinking coffee was part of the cop– reporter mating ritual. I had spent hours and hours drinking bad coffee in precinct houses all over the city.

 

I’m hopeless… This is more than just going through a dating dry spell. Men now actually run away to avoid any kind of physical contact with me.

 

My Review:

 

Written from the first-person POV of Jessie a female journalist and survivor of a heinous assault. I fell right into this well-crafted and absorbing tale and slid inside Jessie’s pocket as she went about chasing her story and gathering her info. The storylines and writing style were easy to follow, cunningly paced, and shrewdly plotted with more twists than an anaconda’s lunch.

I am stunned and awed to note this cleverly contrived book was written by a man – what an observant and sly silver-tongued devil he must be! He certainly led me on a merry chase and held my rapt attention throughout as he steadily ratcheted up the tension and intrigue to a staggering climax. I had postulated several theories but I was off by a mile and never would have guessed the end result. Dana Perry may well be an evil genius; his neighbors best keep the noise down and ply him with treats.

 

About the Author
I am a New York City author who writes mystery thrillers for Bookouture about newspaper reporter Jessie Tucker.

Contact me at DanaPerryAuthor@yahoo.com

Posted on

Book Review: My Mother’s Silence by Lauren Westwood

.

 

My Mother’s Silence
by Lauren Westwood
Pub day: 11/11/2019

Amazon /B&N /Apple / Kobo / GP

Some things you can never escape. I should know. I’ve been running away for fifteen years, and now I’m right back where I started…

Skye Turner’s family fell apart the day her twin sister Ginny died. Everyone in their tiny community in the Scottish Highlands accepted it was an accident, but more than one person in town is haunted by a secret from that night…

Skye left after the funeral, believing her mother blamed her for Ginny’s death. Skye should have taken care of Ginny, should have been there to stop her falling from the cliffs that night. Over the years, she’s barely spoken to her mother, until the day she receives a phone call asking her to return home.

As soon as Skye arrives in her childhood home, she knows something isn’t right. Her mother has kept the bedroom she shared with her sister like a shrine, Ginny’s clothes and diaries gathering dust, as though her mother thinks Ginny might come back. And there are whispers in town that Ginny wasn’t alone when she died…

Skye is desperate to find out the truth, but her mother just wants her family back together. As Skye begins to unravel everyone’s lies, she realises the truth might tear her family apart for good…

My Mother’s Silence is a twisty and emotional novel about the bonds between mothers and daughters, and what happens when we hide things from those we love the most. Fans of Diane Chamberlain, Liane Moriarty and Kerry Fisher will be gripped.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

‘What you got in there, lass?’ the driver says, bowing under the weight of my wheelie case… He sets my case on the pavement. ‘In my day, all we needed was a toothbrush and a change of knickers.’

 

I shut my eyes until the irrational sense of despair ebbs away. Regroup, start again. I’m good at making new starts. Not so good at making them last.

 

Somewhere in that deep, ever-changing water, there is a part of my sister: the atoms of her body, the life force that was Ginny.

 

She was like the child captured by fairies. There was a part of her that none of us could reach.

 

First rule of policing… No one wants to talk and everyone lies.

  

My Review:

 

This book was a stellar read! My Mother’s Silence was expertly plotted, shrewdly paced, and cunningly crafted from the first person POV of Skye, the sister who lived as opposed to her twin Ginny, who did not. The storylines were varied yet engaging and kept my interest keenly honed. I was immediately pulled into Skye’s vortex where I remained, absorbed, transfixed, and riveted to Ms. Westwood’s powerful and evocative arrangements of words. The writing was moody, swirling with atmosphere, lushly detailed, and densely packed with insightful observations and emotive inner musings.   I was taut with tension with my shoulders near my ears and suspected each secondary character at some point in reading. I was unwilling to put my Kindle down and deeply resented any interruption to my perusal. Lauren Westwood has strong word voodoo and a lifelong fan… unless she starts writing about zombies – I just can’t do zombies.

 

About the Author

Lauren Westwood writes dark and romantic women’s fiction and is also an award-winning children’s writer. Originally from California, she now lives in England in a persnickety old house built in 1602, with her partner and three daughters.

 Lauren hopes you enjoy her latest book, My Mother’s Silence, which is a dark, emotional journey about homecoming and family secrets. Your opinions are important to her, so please do leave a review.

Author Social Media Links:

Lauren loves hearing from readers, so if you wish to get in touch, please visit her website: https://www.laurenwestwoodwriter.com/, or follow her on twitter: @lwestwoodwriter  https://twitter.com/lwestwoodwriter

or Facebook: @Lwestwoodbooks https://www.facebook.com/Lwestwoodbooks/

Posted on

Book Review: A Christmas Kiss (Life on the Moors #4) by Eliza J. Scott

.

A Christmas Kiss

Life on the Moors #4

by Eliza J. Scott

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA

A sparkling festive romance that will warm your heart this Christmas.

The week before Christmas, GP Zander Gillespie finds his festive plans in tatters. He’s supposed to be flying out to his parents’ chateau in Carcassonne with his high-maintenance girlfriend, Melissa. But she has other ideas. She wants to spend Christmas in London with her party friends – and he’s not invited. The prospect of facing his family, with their questions and their sympathy – not to mention the ‘I told you so-s’ – just isn’t an option. Instead, Zander decides to head to his holiday cottage in the quaint moorland village of Lytell Stangdale, where he intends to hide away with his faithful rescue Labrador Alf.

Eighty miles away, Livvie’s world has come crashing down. With plans to cook a romantic meal for her boyfriend, she heads home early and walks in on him in a compromising position with their neighbor. Fed-up of his lies and philandering ways, this is the final straw. With her Christmas plans up in smoke, the thought of spending it with her parents and her smug, married sister with her pompous husband in tow, is enough to bring Livvie out in hives. So, when she fires up her laptop and finds the perfect little holiday cottage in Lytell Stangdale available to rent over the festive period, it seems the perfect solution. Or is it…?

Zander didn’t believe in love at first sight until he set eyes on Livvie. Livvie had sworn off men until she met Zander. The pair may be reluctant to give in to temptation, but fate seems to have other ideas…

Join Livvie and Zander – and all the usual characters – for a magical Christmas in Lytell Stangdale.

The perfect cozy read to snuggle up with this Christmas

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Zander struggled not to laugh at Mary who was dressed as Madonna complete with a pair of the largest conical breasts he’d ever seen… ‘They’re more like traffic cones.’ ‘Mind where you’re pointing them things, Mary, you’ll have someone’s eye out,’ Jimby said, chuckling. ‘Aye, they’re like a couple of nuclear weapons, Big M,’ said Camm.

 

‘And who’s this bonny lass here, then?’ Gerald asked, eyeing Livvie up and down. He reached into the pocket of his skin-tight leopard-print leggings and pulled out a pair of false teeth, popping them into his mouth with a rattle. Molly leaned in to Livvie. ‘And there was me thinking he was pleased to see me.’ Livvie did her best to suppress a giggle. ‘Ah, you can always tell when he spots a bonny lass; the teeth go straight in.’ Mary put her hands on her generous hips and rolled her eyes.

 

‘Granny Aggie.’ ‘Yep, it’s Granny bloody Aggie; up to her usual with the vicar.’ ‘Sounds ominous,’ said Zander. ‘You’ve no idea,’ said Jimby. ‘What’s she said now, Moll?’ Molly sighed. ‘You know how she’s been feeding that stray cat?’ ‘Yes.’ Rosie looked worried. ‘Oh, God, I think I know what’s coming next,’ said Violet. ‘Well, she’s only gone and sent Rev Nev a text telling him that she has a lovely pussy and asked him if he wants to go and stroke it. Told him it purrs if he does it gently.’… ‘Please tell me she’s done that in innocence.’ Molly snorted. ‘Like bugger she has; the wicked old bat knows exactly what she’s doing, pretends it’s innocent though.’

 

My Review:

 

This was a delightfully fun and deftly written book with a few absorbing and intriguing dashes of vile and villainous behaviors.   The premise was entertaining, the storylines were humorous and impeccably well-crafted, and the nimble writing was easy to fall into yet cunningly perceptive, cleverly witty, and comically detailed. I wore a near-constant and gleeful smirk while reading and barked out a few chuckles and giggle-snorts as well. Eliza J. Scott has discovered the recipe for the secret sauce and has generously applied her savvy word magic throughout this divinely entertaining and effortless read.

Two city dwellers find themselves thrown together in a quaint and quirky little village inhabited by the most supremely odd yet uniquely appealing, thoughtful, humorous, and pleasantly beguiling residents. The extremely likable two main characters were strangers yet they were immediately comfortable with each other. They were both unexpectedly taking a last-minute separate holiday away from their own unpleasant and dissatisfactory relationships, which had reached their expiration date.   A computer glitch and inclement weather found them sharing a holiday cottage as well as snow and ice adventures, village holiday fun, dispiriting and cringe-worthy ex moments, a precious rescued Labrador, an instant kinship and rapidly blossoming yet tacit attraction, and a hilarious 80’s theme party with an elderly woman dressed as the conically corseted Madonna. I may now be Ms. Scott’s most fervent and rabid fan for that diabolically clever scene alone.

I found treasure with several exciting new additions for my Brit Word List with aud mucker – old friend; nithered – very cold; and skew-whiff – crocked or twisted to one side.

About the Author

Eliza lives in a 17th-century
cottage on the edge of a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden. Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favorite things: tea and cake.

Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heart-warming stories with happy endings.

Social Media Links 

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott – @elizajscott

Facebook: Eliza J Scott – @elizajscottauthor

Blog: www.elizajscott.com

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/ElizaJScott

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott

Amazon Author Page: UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

 

Posted on

Book Review: Stud Muffin by Jiffy Kate

DB02-BTBANNER-SBPR

It’s hard to get revenge without getting a rap sheet.

Stud Muffin, an all-new friends-to-lovers standalone romance from Jiffy Kate, is available now!

20190718_DB02_Stud Muffin_Kate_KDP_FINAL

 

After Tempest Cassidy walks in on her husband banging her high school nemesis, her whole world gets turned upside down. She goes from being known as the Duchess of Muffins to the town crazy. Her new MO: revenge. Eventually, Tempest grows weary being arrested. Yet what choice does she have? If she’s not angry, then she’s simply . . . sad.

Just as she decides to get her life back on track, in walks Cage Erickson, the new bouncer at the local strip club. He’s scary-handsome and the polar opposite of her ex. She’s attracted to him, but she’s not looking for a rebound. He’s attracted to her, but he’s not looking for a serious relationship. So, they agree to be friends.

But when lines get blurred in the friend zone, will they both get burned? Or will it be a TKO?

‘Stud Muffin’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#2 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Copy of DB02-LIVE

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35TdNQh

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2lWf2eJ

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/StudMuffin

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2kkIo6o

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2khZoKt

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2m25z5P

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I don’t want to be a person with a rap sheet. Orange is not a good color on me.

 

Anna will kick my ass when she finds out, and don’t say she won’t find out because we both know that’s a lie. Nobody gossips like the barflies and the Baptists.

 

First of all, Cage is not scary looking… Just because the men around here walk hunched over, dragging their knuckles like their Neanderthal forefathers, doesn’t mean it’s wrong to be tall. He can’t help it.

 

“That cucumber,” he says, pointing to my hands. “You’ve been squeezing it for a few minutes now. If it’s not firm enough, I can maybe go to the back and see if we have any fresh off the truck.” It’s then I realize Johnny works here at the grocery store and I have a large cucumber in my hands… stroking it. When did I get to the produce section? And when did the produce section get so erotic? Is it hot in here? … What am I here for again?

 

She’s the incarnation of Satan. Asher and Mindy aren’t going to have a bouncing bundle of joy, they’re going to have a devil love child. I should alert the media. This has a horror movie written all over it.

 

I thought it was fictional, something women made up or only happened in pornos… I’m Jell-O. My bones have turned to mush and I’ll have to spend the rest of my days just oozing through life… Here lies Tempest Cassidy. It took twenty-eight years, but she finally found out what it was like to have multiple orgasms and cunnilingus. And then she died.

 

My Review:

 

I giggle-snorted, smirked, and laughed aloud while reading this wittily penned tale. I am new to the dynamic duo of Jiffy Kate, silly me, where I have been?   Their writing style was seamless, cleverly amusing, comically descriptive, keenly observant, and sharply honed to conjure sharp visuals that had me bouncing in my chair with gleeful delight.

Tempest, the Donner Bakery’s Duchess of Muffins, has gone off the rails, she seemed to have lost control of her temper after catching her husband in bed with her high school nemesis; I would imagine that certainly would do it for me too. Her vindictive acts of retribution were landing her in jail, racking up $$ in fines, and landed her in anger management.   Her ex seemed to have ended up with all the friends but luckily for her, Tempest was befriended by a gorgeously handsome and well-sculpted new resident. Cage was a retired UFC fighter turned strip club bouncer – and he soon had her back, much to Tempest’s pious Bible banging mother’s horror.

Having been raised in a small, inbred town in the South, as well as surviving a ridiculously and stridently religious mother myself, I totally identified with the narrow-minded and petty small community complications and issues Tempest was floundering with. While I empathized with her plight, I frequently wanted to give her a few good kicks to dislodge her cranium from her colon. I was besotted and enamored with the sexy Cage; he was not at all what I would have expected from an MMA fighter, as he was highly intelligent, insightful, tenderhearted, patient, and my new BBF. Of course, being that he was perfect, he was like a unicorn and the type of man that could only exist on my Kindle.

 

 

Excerpt

As Mindy gets closer, she begins rubbing her hand over her belly, ensuring I know she’s with spawn, I mean, child. How far along is she anyway? The picnic wasn’t that long ago and she didn’t look pregnant then, did she? Maybe she did, but I was too shocked by the ring on her finger to notice? My mother would’ve said something to me when she broke the news about Mindy and Asher being married, so she must not have noticed either.

 

Maybe she just carries big… and early. Maybe she’s pregnant with multiples. That would be rich—I can’t even get pregnant with one, but Mindy Mitchell, husband stealer extraordinaire, can have my husband and all the babies.

 

All I know is that I have to stop gawking because Mindy is enjoying this way too much.

 

“Hey, Tempest. Soup for one, I presume?” Her smile is wide and condescending as she glances at the contents of my shopping cart.

 

Bitch.

 

“You know, I’ve been so busy lately that canned soup is all I have time for some nights. It’s not always the healthiest option, with all that sodium, but I’m fortunate to not retain water, like you obviously do.”

 

Really, Tempest? Is that the best put-down you can think of?

 

“I’m not bloated, silly.” She laughs, swatting the air in front of her face. “I’m pregnant! Of course, I don’t expect you to notice the difference.”

 

It’s illegal to hit a pregnant lady, Tempest.

 

She’s not worth the jail time.

 

Deep, cleansing breaths.

 

You don’t look good in orange.

 

“How far along are you?” I ask, willing myself to stay calm. “Elephants are pregnant, for what, two years?” I know I’m being immature, but I’m using my words and not my fists, so I’m calling it a win.

 

“Gah, you’re such a bitch. No wonder Asher wanted to leave you. At least I was able to give him what he wanted,” she brags, rubbing her belly even faster than before.

 

Maybe if she rubs a little more, a fucking genie will pop out, and I can at least get three wishes out of this deal. Wish one: Asher and Mindy disappear off the face of the planet.

 

“And,” she continues, “because I know it’s driving you crazy, I’ll let you in on the secret. I’m in my third trimester.” She smiles and squeals, like we’re BFFs and she just told me the best news. “Just a couple more months to go and this precious bundle of joy will be in the world… Asher is going to be such a great daddy.”

 

The blood drains from my face as I do the math in my head. Asher and I have been divorced for almost two months. I found them in bed together three months before that. Two plus three does not equal the amount of months it takes to be in the third trimester. I know my pregnancy facts.

 

Mindy just answered one of my many burning questions: that sack of shit was cheating on me months before I busted him.

 

And now, he’s having a baby with someone else.

 

Honestly, I don’t know how to feel right now… numb, blind-sided, furious, hurt?

 

All I know is I’m trying my damnedest not to lose my shit.

 

Deep breaths.

 

“Believe me,” Mindy says, breaking through the haze I’m in. “I tried and tried to get Asher to leave you before you found out about us on your own, but he didn’t listen.” She sighs, like she’s disappointed for me… like she’s on my side and she was trying to do me a favor. “Oh, well, life goes on, right?”

 

We enter into a bit of a staring competition for a brief moment, her bright, smiling eyes against my crazy, sadistic glare. I feel the crazy oozing out of me. When she finally starts to back her buggy up to make a U-turn in the aisle, she has the audacity to smile… and wink at me.

 

She’s the incarnation of Satan.

 

Asher and Mindy aren’t going to have a bouncing bundle of joy, they’re going to have a devil love child. I should alert the media. This has a horror movie written all over it.

 

“See you around, Tempest,” she says over her shoulder, before stopping and turning. “Oh, I guess I’ll see you at the reunion, if not before… and you’re bringing a date, right?”

 

Deep breaths, Tempest.

 

I don’t answer her with words, only with my glare, hoping it burns a hole in her skull.

 

You can do this.

 

Don’t let that cow win.

 

After she makes a turn onto another aisle, I take a few more deep breaths, willing my nerves to calm, and when that doesn’t work, I close my eyes and try harder. With my hands on my knees, I suck in air like it’s going extinct. My breathing becomes routine and I automatically start swaying my body in preparation for the Tai Chi moves that come next.

 

Cage has been teaching me a little bit of Tai Chi to further help channel my anger and anxiety and I have to admit, I love it. Completely forgetting where I am, I begin to perform my favorite combination of steps. If people see me, I don’t care. I’d rather them talk about me doing Tai Chi in the canned goods aisle than losing my shit at the Piggly Wiggly.

 

I’m finally feeling relaxed and in control of my emotions, so to celebrate my victory, I decide to throw a few punches into the air, similar to what Rocky Balboa did after running up all those stairs in the movie.

 

I am Tempest Cassidy, master of my emotions.

 

Thoroughly enjoying myself, I decide to end my impromptu workout with a killer roundhouse kick… right into a tower of Pork N Beans.

 

At first, it’s only a few cans. I lurch out, containing them in a lunge, looking around to see who might’ve witnessed my performance. Only a lady down at the other end of the aisle seems to be in the know. I breathe out a sigh of relief, feeling uncharacteristically lucky as I try to balance the cans and myself.

 

Just as I decide it’s safe to stand up, I lose my balance and the cans in my hands take a tumble… and then the entire end cap begins to fall.

 

Cans.

 

Cans of Pork N Beans are rolling everywhere.

 

When everything finally comes to a rest, I’m sprawled out on the glossy tile of the Piggly Wiggly in aisle six, using my body as a dam to stop them from getting too far. I’m afraid to move… afraid to breathe…

 

About Jiffy Kate

Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman. They’re co-writing besties who share a brain. They also share a love of cute boys, stiff drinks, and fun times.

Together, they’ve written over twenty stories. Their first published book, Finding Focus, was released in November 2015. Since then, they’ve continued to write what they know–southern settings full of swoony heroes and strong heroines.

Connect with Jiffy Kate

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kkDmqx

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2ki0mq5

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGyhsz

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kkDkPr

Website: http://www.jiffykate.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Posted on

Book Review: One Hundred Regrets (An Aspen Cove Romance #11) by Kelly Collins

One Hundred Regrets
(An Aspen Cove Romance #11)
 by Kelly Collins

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

Welcome back to Aspen Cove where the honey is sweet but true love is sweeter…

Beekeeper Abby Garrett lives a quiet life in the valley between Mt Meeker and Long’s Peak. While bee stings hurt, betrayal is far more painful. After her fiancé left her for her best friend, she came back home to Aspen Cove hoping to heal and find real love. No matter how hard she tries, love eludes her. The only man whose paying attention is her new neighbor, and Abby can’t decide if she’d rather kiss him or kill him.

Cade Mosier came to Aspen Cove ready to make his mark in the world. He purchased hundreds of acres to raise cattle on, but his new neighbor Abby Garrett wants him and his cows gone. No matter what he does to appease her, she insists his cattle are as dangerous to her bees as pesticides. His ex-wife left him years ago and took everything, and there’s no way he will let another woman steal his future. The problem is, Abby is as frustrating as she is fascinating.

Abby is the new Hatfield. Cade is the new McCoy. Can they call a truce long enough to realize love is far better than war?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

 She slid into the booth across from him and sat there staring like she was analyzing a germ on a petri dish.

 She led him past the vast display of candy, and beyond the Croc and condom displays. He found it funny to put the rubbers next to the rubber shoes… “Is there a reason these are displayed together?” Doc stood in front of the aisle that held shoes and rubbers, pepper spray, Deet and Band-Aids. “It’s obvious. This is the protection aisle.”

 Not interested. Women are like a computer virus. They enter your life, download their problems, delete your happiness, and shut down your life. There is no software to protect you from their malware.”

 “I wouldn’t have sex with you if you were the last man on earth. You have nothing that interests me.” Every time she lied her right eye twitched. She pressed her fingers against her lid to stop the damn movement.

 She looks like trouble, and I’m not sure if I should shoot her or let her in.

 

My Review:

This was riotously fun and witty read, I giggle-snorted and smirked my way through from beginning to end. The bee lady was feisty, she was vastly more spirited than I was expecting for a practical recluse. Abby was up to scratch and full of clever retorts and inspired shenanigans in her feud with her antagonistic and sexy new neighbor. They verbally sparred, creatively baited, and amusingly pranked each other until their fiery exchanges had become the best part of their day and lead to a different type of heated encounter where they were also extremely well matched.   In addition to being thoroughly entertained, I learned several fascinating facts about beekeeping, although now I seem to have an exceptionally strong yen for a honey bun.   And there goes the diet… again!  😉

 

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

 

  Goodreads  / Website  / Amazon /

International bestselling author of over 30 novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Posted on

Book Review: All I Want for Christmas Is You (Angel Falls #3) by Miranda Liasson

All I Want for Christmas Is You

(Angel Falls #3)

by Miranda Liasson

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / 

B&N /GP / Apple / Kobo 

The award-winning author who writes with “humor and heart” (Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author) invites you to visit the charming small town of Angel Falls.

Being naughty was nice, but now these friends-turned-lovers are in for an unforgettable Christmas…
Just when Kaitlyn Barnes vows to get over her longtime crush on Rafe Langdon, they share a sizzling evening that delivers an epic holiday surprise: Kaitlyn is pregnant. And if that weren’t life-changing enough, everyone assumes they’re engaged — a charade they must keep alive through the holiday season. But Kaitlyn knows Rafe better than anyone, and Rafe settling down is about as likely as Santa skipping Angel Falls this year…

Rafe would rather Kaitlyn believe a lie — that their night together was a fling — than face his own dangerous truth: he’s falling for her, hard. After a devastating loss, Rafe swore he’d never risk his heart again. Yet the longer they pretend to be engaged the more Rafe starts to want the real thing. But now he has to convince Kaitlyn he wants to be by her side — and their baby’s — for all the Christmases to come.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

No wonder you two are… um, expecting. That is some positively ferocious chemistry! Lordie, pass me a fan!

 

Such a hardworking, practical woman, who gets up at four-thirty every morning to open her grandpa’s café. Yet she wears the most filmy, lacy underwear with a tiny satin bow. That is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.

 

My Review:

 

Start with a surprise pregnancy and add in a troubled and sticky-fingered relative, a sexy yet traumatized and apprehensive baby-daddy, a crafty grandmother, a playful rescued puppy, and a missing recipe needed for a competition and coffee shop owner Kaitlyn’s cup is overflowing, and she can’t even drink the coffee. I have enjoyed every installment of the Angel Falls series, and adore the Langdon’s tight-knit and loving family. The characters are responsible, thoughtful, and likable human beings who are realistically flawed and a bit frayed around the edges yet hard-working, kind, and lovable. Kaitlyn and Rafe’s storylines were well-balanced overall as they swung between angsty inner turmoil and a tender sweet and steamy romance. Ms. Liasson’s writing style is easy to fall into and follow, yet is craftily paced with expert storytelling and emotive word choices that hit and hold the perfect emotional tones between well-placed bursts of levity and a gentle and caring romance that squeezes all the feels.

 

 

Author Bio:

Miranda Liasson loves to write stories about everyday people who find love despite themselves because there’s nothing like a great love story. And if there are a few laughs along the way, even better! She’s a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart winner and an Amazon bestselling author whose heartwarming and humorous small-town romances have won accolades such as the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and have been Harlequin Junkie and Night Owl Reviews Top Picks.

 

Connect with Miranda: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter | Bookbub | Pinterest | Blog

Posted on

Book Review: MEANT TO BE YOURS by Susan Mallery

MEANT TO BE YOURS
by Susan Mallery

ISBN: 9781335041494

Publication Date: 10/22/19

Publisher: HQN Books

Harlequin  / Indiebound / Amazon /

B & N/  Google / iBooks / Kobo

 

In Happily Inc, love means never having to say “I do”…

Wedding coordinator Renee Grothen isn’t meant for marriage. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, plan. But she never could have planned on gorgeous, talented thriller writer Jasper Dembenski proposing—a fling, that is. Fun without a future. And the attraction between them is too strong for Renee to resist. Now she can have her no-wedding cake…and eat it, too.

After years in the military, Jasper is convinced he’s too damaged for relationships. So a flirtation—and more—with fiery, determined Renee is way too good to pass up…until his flame becomes his muse.

Renee is an expert at averting every crisis. But is she finally ready to leap into the one thing that can never be controlled: love?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

His voice was low and teasing. It sent ripples down her spine and made her wish she was the kind of woman who could look a man in the eye while inviting him back to her place. But she wasn’t and she couldn’t.

 

“So you’d be using me for sex… I don’t know.” He raised and lowered his shoulders. “I’ve never been anyone’s sex toy before.” “You didn’t really just say that.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “I feel used.” “Just stop it. No one believes that for a second.” He looked at her again and grinned.

 

You are the dumbest of the dumb. She must be furious with you. Personally I’d hire someone to beat you up and then set you on fire. How could you?

 

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and saw Jasper standing very close. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips— a sweet kiss that unexpectedly made her eyes burn. “Score!” he whispered. “I always wanted to kiss a girl in the library. It’s been a fantasy of mine since I was fifteen and had a thing for a girl named Bambi.” “Seriously? Bambi?” “I swear. She was so hot and she never noticed me.” “That’s her loss.” “I like to think so.” Then he was gone, continuing his library exploration.

 

My Review:

 

I was late to discover her brilliance but I am unashamed in confessing that I unabashedly adore the nimble raconteur known as Susan Mallery and want to read every word she ever scribbles. Her latest tale was a cleverly amusing small-town romance featured Renee and Jasper, two somewhat fractured and socially awkward people who viewed and avoided relationships like a virulent disease but had entered into a monogamous friends-with-benefits agreement as both realized their lives were lacking. They had an A+ rating for advanced chemistry although their mutual friendship developed slowly with fits and starts and several calamitous missteps. Their lives began to mesh until they had become considerably more than planned, but were they able to be more, and more of what would they be?

 

The primary and most of the secondary characters were endearingly flawed and alluring as well as distinctly quirky. I enjoyed their snappy banter, clever levity, and humorous situations and sensual exploits, although I was quite beguiled by the considerable insight and thought that went into the profoundly perceptive details involving the myriad complications and peculiarities of wedding planning, which was Renee’s vocation and she was exceptionally good at it; as well as the absorbing tendency and capricious nature of the resilient Jasper’s writing process. Jasper was a best-selling author of thrillers and I can imagine just how much this crafty wordsmith enjoyed skewering her own foibles and muse.

 

 

About the Author

Author Website

Twitter: @susanmallery

Facebook: @SusanMallery

Instagram: @susanmallery

Goodreads

 

SUSAN MALLERY is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live.

Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the two ragdoll cats and an adorable poodle who think of her as mom.