Book Review: Let it Show (Juniper Ridge #2) by Tawna Fenske @tawnafenske

 

Let it Show
(Juniper Ridge #2)
by Tawna Fenske

How the hell did I end up on TV faking like I’m not falling for the world’s sexiest shrink?

Yeah, I agreed to live at an old cult compound and let cameras tail me around, but a plotline about a grumpy single dad finding love? Big nope. All I want is a brewery to run and a fresh start with my daughter. Just toss me the keys, keep the psych sessions short, and remind me again why I can’t fall for Dr. Mari Judson.

At least I’m not alone. She’s as thirsty as I am for what’s brewing between us, but Mari runs scared when we get close. Something’s stopping her, and a woman with secrets is a recipe for heartache. Trust me, I know.

Blame her sexy brain, her quirky parrot, or the way my kid adores her, but I can’t quit chasing Mari. It’s bound to blow up like a can of Kolsch tossed down the stairs, so why can’t we stay apart?

And why do I think the good doc is hiding something huge?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

What the hell was I thinking? I’m starting to wonder if I should tattoo the phrase on my wrist as I grab my keys and sweater and try not to make eye contact with anyone.

 

I can’t stop kissing her, murmuring words that come out in a jumble of syllables even I can’t understand. She’s reduced me to speaking in tongues.

 

“You know I don’t like judgment words.” That’s what I say out loud, but inside my brain shrieks, “bitch” at maximum decibels.

 

“You know, I usually just urge patients to cry it out. Releasing emotions is cathartic.” “You’ve got catharsis handled already… We’re taking care of you with shallow beauty tips and booze.”

My Review:

 

As with every Tawna Fenske book I’ve been fortunate enough to pick up, this was another fun and amusing read with endearing characters tumbling into a sweet and sexy romance, which is my favorite kind, and honestly – they should all be as such! The witty and engaging storylines held numerous interesting, unusual, and entertaining elements such as a fledgling new romance, major life and career transitions, the foibles of being a therapist and a human, a swearing parrot, living in a new reality show community, celebrity, a shifty and shallow ex, damaging secrets, itchy family issues, and beer.   Something to please everyone – and that is not just the former therapist in me talking as that naughty bird certainly put more than a few smirks on my face.

 

About the Author    

Website 
Amazon
Goodreads

 

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.

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Book Review: She’s Got the Money (The Suite #45 Series Book 2) by M.O. Mack

She’s Got the Money
(The Suite #45 Series – # 2)
by M.O. Mack 

 

From M.O. Mack comes the second standalone thriller, SHE’S GOT THE MONEY.

When Emily escaped an impossible situation back home, she never imagined she’d end up working for a dangerous hitman. Not good.

But every step forward leads two steps deeper into his world.

Now, she’ll have to decide. Be like him and survive? Or run from his enemies and her past forever.

Either way, her choices thus far have left unpaid debts. And everyone wants their money.

Until she pays up, there’ll be no breathing room to figure a way out.

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quote:

 

And it was quite possibly the worst idea ever. Even worse than the time she Ubered to a gunfight, a very ridiculous story best left in the past.

My Review:

 

This fast-paced and action-packed tale was smirk-worthy with amusing observations and clever snark while keeping my curiosity on edge with twisty and complex conundrums, double-dealing, and a pyramid of lies built on a foundation of truths. I was engaged and frequently flinching when I wasn’t smirking or puzzling out the plot before the little pea in my brain was irreparably scorched. The characters were compelling and oddly humorous assassins full of sass, enigmatic misdirections, compounded lies, and contradictions.  And despite all that, they were strangely likable.   M.O. Mack has wily skills. I’m hopelessly enamored and already eager for the next installment.

.

Obviously, M.O. Mack is a cover. Don’t bother looking for the author’s true identity. He/she must remain secret due to the sensitive information written in his/her stories…

Okay, most of all that is total rubbish! M.O. is a full-time author from the great state of Arizona, who loves making stuff up and hates a slow story. The faster the better! Most days, M.O. tries to avoid the news (too violent) so it doesn’t interfere with writing funny, but quasi-violent stories.

Book Review: Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #2) by Penny Reid 

Marriage and Murder, an-all new quirky and witty cozy mystery, and the second book in the Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Marriage and Murder (Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #2) by Penny Reid 

 

The Devil is in the details . . .

Cletus Byron Winston wishes to marry Jennifer Anne Donner-Sylvester (aka The Banana Cake Queen) posthaste! He’s spent the last year wanting nothing more than for the celebrations to be brief, libations flowing, and BYOB (bring your own blueberries). His future mother-in-law has other plans, plans his intended has been willing to indulge, much to Cletus’s chagrin. Therefore, so must he. To a point. But truth be told, he wouldn’t mind if the meddlesome matriarch disappeared, at least until the nuptials are over.

On the night of Cletus and Jenn’s long-awaited engagement party, just when the surly schemer is of a mind to take matters into his own hands, a shocking event upends everyone’s best-laid plans and sends the small hamlet of Green Valley into complete disarray. The final months leading up to Cletus and Jenn’s matrimonial bliss are plagued with chaos and uncertainty. Will Cletus and Jenn finally make it to the altar? Or will murder and mayhem derail their happily-ever-after? And most importantly, who done it?

‘Marriage and Murder’ is the second book in the cozy mystery series Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries. It is best read after Winston Brothers #3, ‘Beard Science’ (which can be read as a standalone) and Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries #1, ‘Engagement and Espionage.’

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

  Good Lord, the woman had invited everyone in East Tennessee and all their neighbors but none of their children. An intimate engagement party is what she and Jenn had promised me last year when the wedding planning had begun. This evening would be as intimate as an orgy in Times Square and would likely be better attended.  

This chafed like wet pants on a ten-mile hike.  

The woman was not usually one to offer comfort. At her most agreeable, she was saltier than a sardine.  

She looked like a lawyer. You know, learned and poised to argue.  

My Review:

 

This was a delightfully fun and highly entertaining read with romance, sizzling sensuality, family drama, a murder mystery, and my best-loved character from among my favorite family of quirky hillbillies, Cletus. I am enamored with him as well as his intended bride Jenn. They are an adorable couple and both with odd and complicated family dynamics. The storylines were intriguing, the characters were delectably peculiar, and the writing was cleverly amusing and kept me fully engaged on all thrusters.   I hope to be reading these tales into perpetuity with these characters reaching the age of having spirited nursing home shenanigans.  

 

Meet Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full-time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny

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Book Review: The One That I Want (Scorned Women’s Society #3) by Piper Sheldon @piper_sheldon

The One That I Want (Scorned Women’s Society #3) by Piper Sheldon

The One That I Want, an all-new opposites attract contemporary romance from Piper Sheldon, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

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There is no such thing as luck.

Roxy Kincaid isn’t a biker chick anymore. She’s made herself more than Jethro Winston’s castoff, and she’s never going back to her old life with the Iron Wraiths. But one summer night, a charming stranger threatens to sweep Roxy off her feet. Ignoring fate and their instant attraction, she has to get back to her real-life in Green Valley. He couldn’t be the one that she wants when he’s exactly the thing that could ruin everything. If only she could stop thinking about him.

Luck is everything.

Sanders Olsson is going to fix his mistakes. He’s determined to show his best friend he’s a reliable business partner not the distracted flake he’s been lately. But he has to listen when the universe brings him a sign in the form of a guarded beauty he can’t keep his eyes off. Their instant connection is almost magical but she leaves without giving him even a last name. When fate gives Sanders a second chance in life and love, he sets out for Green Valley without a backward glance.

Their summer lovin’ happened so fast but what will it take to make it last?

‘The One That I Want’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Scorned Women’s Society series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe. 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“You’re a tough cookie, aren’t you?” I asked her and squeezed her hand. “Just ask the guy who told me to smile once,” she said. “You’ll have trouble though because his jaw is still wired shut.”

 

He was as hard to read as a French dictionary…

 

He smiled at me and I smiled back. A full smile. If it were a movie, the needle would scratch on a record and everything would go silent.

 

I finally let my smile drop because it was beginning to hurt and experience told me that it was getting that strained look that caused the elderly to scurry away.

 

It occurred to me in that this was one of the reasons why women go in pairs to the bathroom. I always thought it was just so they could discuss the deepest secrets of their mysterious sex. But they obviously had a more practical application for avoiding men who were waiting for drunk “easy targets” to break off from their friends.

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed this book overall but I also struggled with it as the storylines were heavy with angst and conflict, which are not items on my Christmas list. Thankfully, there were also generous servings of snarky humor and sizzling sensual scenes that had me gasping. The writing was easy to follow and kept me curious despite character behaviors that had me grinding my teeth with the prickly push/pull.

Both main characters were beautiful piles of hot mess while loaded with inner turmoil and less than appealing traits. They were also emotionally scarred to the point of damage. RBF Roxy was the most difficult for me to warm up to as she was fatally insecure and on a constant boil of hostility and gave mixed messages yet was easily annoyed when others misunderstood. Roxy was unpredictable and edgy, which intrigued me, although she was also more than a bit tiresome. Sanders was her polar opposite and appeared blithely cheerful while childishly ignoring and denying his unresolved issues and personal pain. He was often reckless and irresponsible as he scurried away rather than deal with unpleasant yet necessary adulting. Yet both were driven, good people at heart, and working hard improve.

Jethro Winston has a lot to account for.

 

 
 

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My Bare Lady

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The Treble With Men

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Excerpt

“Watch it,” I mumbled as I was steadied by strong hands on my shoulders. Then I remembered to be nice and tried to scoot to the side.

The arms held me gently in place. When I looked up, glaring pointedly, he dropped them. It was Mr. Eye Contact from across the room. A little thrill tickled the back of my knees. He was damn fine this close up. Not my taste, but definitely a certain appeal. Like, if I wanted to know someone with a yacht to “summer on,” he’d be my type.

His eyes were startlingly blue. His hair was this dark shade of blond, thick waves swept back with lighter tips that looked as though it had been bleached naturally by the sun. A smile quirked his mouth and my focus moved there. He had soft crinkles around the corners of his eyes and a natural tan that spoke of time outside.

He said something with the tilt of his head and a soft smile on his lips. I blinked away, wondering if my mouth had been hanging open catching flies as I took him in.

“What?” I yelled and pointed to my ear. The band had just started back up.

His smile grew to expose that two front teeth protruded just a little. It was a disarmingly charming flaw, like a puppy with just one floppy ear. His gaze moved over the exposed skin of my neck and shoulders under my tank top, seemingly studying the tattoos.

I wasn’t knocking my edgy looks, but I typically didn’t attract men who could have been plucked straight from an Ivy League fraternity mixer. At least the collar of his black button-up wasn’t popped. And he wore nice sneakers and jeans, not boat shoes and pink shorts. Okay, so he wasn’t preppy per se, but squeaky? Like he’d hurt my teeth to take a bite out of. He didn’t even have a beard, for crying out loud. Not to box this guy in, but guys like this did not go for girls like me. Then again, sometimes there were the guys who liked to “slum it” with the easy small-town girls from Green Valley.

Mr. Eye Contact leaned closer. He smelled like a shower after a hard workout. It was like the cleansing smell of a spring morning after working all night at the Dragon Bar. My jaw was clenched tight, thinking about taking a bite out of him again.

“Dance?” he asked. His voice had a rich and deep timbre that sent a tiny shudder down my spine.

His confidence was sexy without being overwhelming. He tucked his hands deep into his pockets and waited patiently as I took him in, studying him head to toe. There was no pressure in his question. I suspected if I said no, he’d walk away without another word. I told myself I wanted to dance alone but suddenly I wasn’t so sure. Wouldn’t it be nice to have hands on me? Wouldn’t it be an escape to just be a woman dancing with a man to good music?

Shocking myself, I realized I was interested. So I felt a zing for this man? It didn’t mean anything. It meant that my warning system wasn’t going off. It meant that I was a person who wanted to dance. It didn’t have to mean anything.

He extended his hand. I bit my lip. I was here to celebrate my hard work. It was one night before an early flight home tomorrow.

“What the hell?” I said unheard in the club.

I slid my hand into his. His hand was not the buttery-soft warmth of an Ivy Leaguer. His hand was calloused and hot. What might it feel like to have those rough palms gripping the tender skin of my hips?

He pulled me only long enough to let me pass, then he let me lead the way to the floor. As I made my way to the other dancers, I felt his gaze on my backside like the vibration of a motorcycle. I risked a glance over my shoulder. His focus returned to mine as he licked his bottom lip.

“Lord, help me,” I mumbled to myself.

Good thing it was just one night and just one dance. This guy would be way too easy to fall for. But what could one dance with a stranger hurt?

About Piper Sheldon

Piper Sheldon writes Contemporary Romance and Paranormal Romance. Her books are a little funny, a lotta romantic, and with just a little twist of something more. She lives with her husband, toddler, and two needy dogs at home in the desert Southwest. She finds writing bios in the third person an extreme sport of awkwardness.

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Book Review: Eye Candy (Fighting for Love #3) by Jiffy Kate @JiffyKateWrites @SmartyPantsRom

Eye Candy, an all-new opposites attract small-town romance from Jiffy Kate, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

Eye Candy
(Fighting for Love #3)
by Jiffy Kate

 
 

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Vali Erickson is the classic middle child—misunderstood, underestimated, and overlooked. He’s fine with it. Really. The overlooked part is actually serving him well during this phase of life.

He’s in Green Valley in an effort to fly under the radar and regroup after a life-altering blow to his heart and ego. The last thing he’s looking for is a woman to warm his bed until one throws him to the mat and rocks his world.

Margaret O’Neal is an only child who has led a sheltered life. She’s used to being a wallflower. Her ability to blend into the background is what allows her to maintain her anonymity as a gossip columnist for the Green Valley Ledger.

Since the Ericksons moved to town, she’s never felt more inspired, especially with the newest addition. Vali Erickson is the definition of eye candy—devastatingly handsome with muscles for days—giving her plenty to report about.

The more Maggie observes, the more she finds herself wanting things she’s only read about in romance novels.

Admiring Vali from afar is good enough for her until their paths cross and she finds herself trying to stay afloat in uncharted territory—no labels, no promises, and WAY out of her comfort zone.

Will this arrangement be what finally breaks her out of her shell, or will her heart be a casualty of the Viking Invasion?

‘Eye Candy’ is a full-length contemporary romance, and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Fighting For Love series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Honey, if they run out of chairs, you can sit on my lap,” Miss Faye offers. Missy turns to Miss Faye. “Don’t make me call Mister Ralph on you!” Faye waves her threat away. “Oh, please. He’d love for someone else to put up with me for a while. I wore him out years ago!”

 

“We’re not joining the Mile-High Club,” she says, still watching out the window as the captain announces we’ve been cleared for takeoff. “I already peeked inside that bathroom and it’s tiny. You’re a giant Viking and I’m not small. It would never work.”

 

My Review:

 

Margaret O’Neal, a socially awkward and virginal wallflower who had never been out of the state of Tennessee finally meets her secret crush face-to-face. Vali is a sculpted, gorgeous, smart, yet emotionally wounded Viking. They each experience an instant struck-by-lightning in the solar plexus attraction, which given Vali’s temporary status in the quirky mountain community of Green Valley, Tennessee was an unexpected yet pleasant surprise, and also a challenge to his plans. I adored this sweet couple and their families. All the characters were vastly and readily likable and people I’d enjoying knowing, including the elderly yet feisty Miss Faye. The witty storylines were engaging, easy to follow, low angst, and vastly amusing entertainment. I am looking forward to brothers four and five as I am expecting great things as the Viking Invasion continues.  

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Excerpt

Standing outside the Green Valley Community Center, I’m getting a little antsy waiting for Maggie. I really hate not picking her up at her house for a date, but she insists it’s better this way. I’ve told her I didn’t care if she lived on the outskirts of town or Timbuktu, I still wanted to pick her up but she just laughed and redirected our conversation.

I have a feeling she doesn’t want to formally introduce me to her parents as the man she’s dating, especially after my one and only visit to their feed store. I guess I understand. I didn’t really make the best first impression but that’s on me. How can I redeem myself if she refuses to introduce me to them?

Maybe I need a do-over visit to the store.

Before I can formulate a solid plan, my attention is pulled to the parking lot where I see Maggie walking toward me, looking sexy as fuck. I lean back against a column and enjoy watching her come to me. She’s so striking with how she carries herself and I don’t think she even knows it. Her height and voluptuous curves paired with her long, dark hair and wide smile command the attention of everyone around her.

And she’s mine.

For now, anyway.

When she’s close enough for me to touch, I slide my arm around her waist and pull her to me. Capturing her mouth with mine, I claim it, not able to hold back any longer. Even though we made out in the parking lot of Genie’s on Friday, it’s been too long since I’ve been able to see her… touch her… taste her.

I want her so fucking much. I want to learn her body and watch her fall apart over and over. I want her to explore my body and have her way with me, any way she wants. I want so much but realize now is not the time or place for my dick to be running the show, so I slowly and reluctantly pull away.

Maggie’s lips are swollen and her eyes are dazed as she looks at me and whispers, “Wow”.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, beautiful.” I kiss her forehead, allowing my lips to linger so I can have one last taste before we walk inside.

“Same to you.” She bites down on her bottom lip, fighting back a smile as she shakes her head. I’d give anything to know what she’s thinking and to replace her teeth with my own. Those luscious lips have made an appearance in every dream I’ve had for the past week.

And as much as I want to make her come again, it’s not going to happen in the parking lot of the community center. My instincts tell me Maggie’s a virgin. Even though I don’t have a lot of experience in that arena, I know one thing for sure, I want every orgasm I give Maggie to be better than the one before.

I want all her firsts to be worth the wait because she definitely is.

“So, tell me about the jam sessions. I hear they’re pretty famous,” I say as I grab her hand and lead her to the building’s entrance, needing to distract myself so I’m not sporting a semi as we walk into the community center.

“They’ve been happening for a few years now and they’re pretty fun. Typically, they’re held on Friday nights and people from all over come to enjoy good music and even better food. You like bar-b-que, right?”

I look at her like she’s lost her mind. “Woman, I am from Texas. Of course, I like bar-b-que.”

She laughs and squeezes my arm as we step inside, where we’re instantly greeted by a friendly welcoming committee. After we get the rundown on where to find the festivities, we make our way to where the food is and Maggie continues our conversation.

“I know you’re from Texas, which is why I asked. Texas bar-b-que is very different from Tennessee bar-b-que. Some even say your version isn’t bar-b-que at all.”

I jerk away from her in shock. “Them’s fightin’ words, Miss O’Neal,” I say, laying my Texas twang on thick. “Now, take me to this high-and-mighty food so I can judge for myself.”

Thirty minutes later, I’m slumped in my chair, fighting the urge to unbuckle my belt and jeans.

“So, what’s the verdict?”

Maggie’s expression is smug and I want to kiss it right off her face but I’m too full to move right now. So instead, I give her a shrug, trying to play it off. “It’s alright, I guess. If you like that kind of thing.”

Her laughter fills the room and I’m mesmerized. It’s quickly becoming my favorite sound, second only to the sounds of her orgasm. Shit, I cannot be thinking like that right now, when I’m too stuffed to try and hide a boner.

“One of these days, I’ll fix you some Texas bar-b-que,” I vow.

She scrunches up her nose, and while the look on her face is absolutely adorable, it’s not quite what I was hoping for. “You’ve had my cooking before. Do you doubt my skills?”

“It’s not that,” she starts. “It’s just that Texas bar-b-que is mainly smoked meat, not cooked over an open flame, and you put your sauce on the side!” Her hand covers her heart to illustrate the horror of her words.

“Listen, good meat is good meat, I don’t care where it’s from. But, it’s only fair that you try my meat since I just tried yours.”

The words are out of my mouth before I realize how they sound, and when I look at Maggie’s face to get her reaction, I’m pleased to see the same dazed look from earlier. She’s also blushing something fierce, which tells me she’s just as dirty-minded as I am. Well, maybe not quite as much, but close.

“Hey,” I say to get her attention.

With flushed cheeks, she meets my eyes. “Yeah?”

“You gonna take me to one of the music rooms so I can finally dance with you?”

Her shoulders relax and she gives me one of her mega-watt smiles. “Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“Absolutely. Besides, I need to burn off some of this food.”

Maggie giggles and grabs my hand, pulling me out of my chair and leading me to the first music room we find. There are five or six musicians playing some good ol’ honky-tonk music, which is exactly what I need right now.

I twirl Maggie around before pulling her flush against my body. “Let’s dance.”

And, dance, we do. We two-step, we waltz, and we even jitterbug a couple of times before we’re worn out and need to take a break.

We leave the room and enter another with a band playing bluegrass music. I’m a little surprised to see both of my brothers, along with their significant others, on the dance floor. Bluegrass is not a genre of music we listened to much back home but it’s a slow song and I completely understand the draw of slow dancing with a woman. So much so, I grab Maggie’s hand and lead her onto the floor close to my siblings, so we can join in the fun, as well.

What a sight this must be, watching three big-ass dudes from Texas slow dancing to bluegrass music in a refurbished classroom.

“Oh, good, Cletus is playing. He’s so good on the banjo,” Maggie tells me.

“Who’s that?”

“You know Jenn from the bakery, right? Well, that’s her husband.” She uses her head to point in the direction of a man with wild hair, playing a banjo as if it’s the easiest thing to do. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of envious of his long beard. I’ve never been able to grow my beard out like that.

It doesn’t take long for me to get lost in the feel of Maggie in my arms again. She fits perfectly, her soft parts molding to my hard ones, and if it feels this good while we still have our clothes on, I can’t fucking wait to be this close to her while naked.

Maggie’s head is on my shoulder as we sway to the music, so she doesn’t see when Tempest waves at me. I look up at Tempest and watch as she mouths, “Have you asked about New Orleans.” Drawing my eyebrows together, I give a small shake of my head in reply. She’s obviously not happy with my answer because her eyes are now narrowed and her hands are on her hips.

Not wanting to get into it right now, I roll my eyes and sway our bodies so that my back is now facing Tempest. I’m sure I’ll pay for this tomorrow but I don’t care.

It’s not that I don’t want Maggie to go to New Orleans with us, with me, because I do. But I can’t help but wonder if it’s too soon for us. Of course, I wouldn’t have any expectations regarding the physical side of our relationship but it’d be our first weekend getaway as a couple, and to me, that’s a big deal. Road trips can either make or break a couple and the fact we’d also be with my family, as in my entire family… well, it kind of scares the shit out of me. I don’t want to pressure her or freak her out but, on the flip side, making that trip without her would fucking suck.

I will ask her, but not tonight.

Tonight, I just want to hold her in my arms for as long as she’ll let me.

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.

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Book Review: Bet The Farm by Staci Hart @imaquirkybird

 

Bet The Farm by Staci Hart

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Bet the Farm is LIVE and available from your favorite online book retailer! This heartfelt, flirty story of opposites attract from Staci Hart is just what you need. Happy reading! 💕

 

Olivia Brent has one summer to save the dairy farm she just inherited.

But there’s one problem, and it’s not her lactose intolerance.

Jake Milovic.

The brooding farmhand has inherited exactly fifty percent of Brent Farm, and he’s so convinced the city girl can’t work the land, he bets she can’t save it in a summer.

Determined to prove him wrong, Olivia accepts what might be the dumbest wager of her life.

His strategy to win seems simple: follow her around, shirtlessly distracting her between bouts of relentless taunting. And it’s effective—if his dark eyes and rare smiles aren’t enough to sidetrack her, the sweaty, rolling topography of the manbeast’s body would do the trick.

What they don’t know: they’ll have to weather more than each other.

Mysterious circumstances throw the farm into disarray, and with the dairy farm in danger, Olivia and Jake have to work together. But when they do, there’s more to fear than either of them imagined.

Because now their hearts are on the line, and the farm won’t be the only casualty if they fail.

 

 

My Rating:


Favorite Quotes:

 

“Tell me I can’t milk a cow,” I muttered as I pulled on jeans and buttoned up a blue plaid shirt. “Oh, I’ll milk a cow,” I said to my boots, shoving in one foot, then the other. “I’m gonna milk her so good, she’s gonna need a smoke when it’s over.”

 

She smelled like flowers— not the old lady kind. The kind that made you sigh in the summertime and wish you lived in a meadow.

 

Priscilla pointed at her mother. “Bad word, Mama.” “Mama can say bad words because Mama knows how to use them.” She opened her fat little hand, palm up. “Monies.”… “My mother started a swear jar,” Presley said. “I’ve spent a small fortune on quarter rolls.” “And how’s that going?” I asked, still laughing. “Cilla’s college should be paid for by Christmas.”

 

“Oh my God— please tell me you’ll feed it in a rocking chair with no shirt on for my calendar.” “What calendar?” “The one I just thought of. Twelve Months of Mantitty, Featuring Jake Milovic,” she said, motioning like she was reading a marquee.

 

It’s been a long time since I’ve lived alone, since before you came to me. My next phase is cat lady, and I’m not sure if I love that look for me.” “I don’t know. I could see it. Maybe get one of those hairless cats.” She made a disgusted noise. “They look like ballsacks with eyes, Livi. I’d never sleep again with one of those things lurking around my house.”

 

You couldn’t look terrible if you wore hillbilly teeth, shaved your head, and put all your clothes on backward.

 

My Review:

 

This was my first exposure to the delightfully amusing word stylings of Staci Hart and I picked an excellent start point, as it was divine! The storylines were robust and industriously busy with a bit of everything working at the same time with clever wit and irreverent levity, family drama, a long-standing small-town family feud, baby animals, tiny goats in pajamas, money woes, new business ventures, sabotage, a new romance, sizzling sensual scenes, and a lactose intolerant dairy farmer with pink rubber rain boots. Wow, I should feel exhausted but I adored every word of it.   Ms. Hart has a new fangirl and I hope she doesn’t frighten easily as I fell for her hard!

 
 

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life — a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, though she’s certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she’s been drinking whiskey. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

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Book Review: Steal My Magnolia (Love At First Sight #3) by Karla Sorensen @ksorensenbooks @SmartyPantsRom

Steal My Magnolia (Love At First Sight #3) by Karla Sorensen

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Steal My Magnolia is more than a love story. It’s a beautifully crafted journey of life full of obstacles but a journey worth the travel with the right person.” –Author Andrea Johnston

Steal My Magnolia, an all-new heartwarming small-town romance from Karla Sorensen, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

 

Life lesson from Grady Buchanan: If you’re going to fall in love with the untouchable girl in town, don’t hire her as your only employee.

Even after he bungled the interview with Magnolia MacIntyre, he knew better than to hire her. The list of why it’s a bad idea is a long one.

Her father could ruin his fledgling business.

She is completely overqualified.

And he’s attracted to her.

What does Grady do? He offers her the job.

Magnolia knew better than to take it. Normally, she’d make the safe choice, and working for Grady is anything but.

He’s new in town–and entirely too charming.

Her dad will be furious.

She hates the outdoors and working for an outdoor adventure company is not exactly the right fit.

What does she do? She says yes on the spot.

Grady and Magnolia will have to prove to everyone in their life that they’re not crazy. And prove to each other that the list of why it’s a bad idea should be tossed out the window.

For these two opposites, sometimes doing the wrong thing is exactly right.

‘Steal My Magnolia’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Love At First Sight series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe. 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

In theory, I was doing well. But that theory was flimsy, and I refused to think about what might happen if it crumbled under the weight of reality.

 

I wiggled my fingers at her daughter, who gave me a pained, uncomfortable smile in return. Yes, your mother was a passive-aggressive busybody, and I’d be embarrassed if I were you too. Only a southern woman could convey all that in a finger wave.

 

“Good God Almighty, Grady, you’re gonna give me a heart attack, and believe me, that is not the way I plan on leaving this earth.” Maxine was a welcome distraction, and I smiled. “You’ve got a plan?” “I will either be sleeping peacefully in my bed, or I will go out while some sixty-year-old silver fox makes me feel young again … There’ll be no other options.”

 

I didn’t lose my temper often, but when I did, I was like a beach ball held under the water for too long.

 

Worry is like trying to win a race while you’re sitting on a rocking horse. You’ll move, all right, but you sure won’t get anywhere good.

 

My Review:

 

I don’t usually enjoy a slow-burn romance but this one was wicked funny, smartly paced, ingeniously nuanced, and highly amusing. I have smirked and giggled-snorted my way through each clever installment of Ms. Sorenson’s contributions. Regardless of the series or author, the denizens of Green Valley are a peculiar and curiously enticing sort, but in the hands of a skilled storyteller such as this, there is no end to the appeal and the odd secondary characters hold up the foundations as well as add extra sparkle. I cannot wait to read the next issue and see what she comes up with next.

 

 

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Baking Me Crazy

Batter of Wits

 

Excerpt

“This is Grady.”

There was silence on the other end. I pulled the phone away from my face to make sure I’d answered.

“Hello?” I said.

I heard a deep breath before she spoke. “Hi, I’m here, sorry.”

My head tilted to the side when I heard her voice. It was soft and low with the curling accent that I’d gotten used to in the past month and a half. But it … I shook my head … something about it made the hairs lift slightly on my arms.

“Did you mean to call my number?” I asked carefully.

Inexplicably, I found myself holding my breath waiting for her to answer.

“I heard you’re looking for help. Administrative help,” she clarified.

My head went back. “Did you?”

She was quiet for a second. “Small town,” she explained. “People talk.”

I laughed under my breath. “So I’m learning.”

It made me shake my head. The darknet had nothing on the Green Valley information pipeline. “So,” I continued, “tell me a little bit about yourself.”

“Of course.” For the second time since I picked up, she let out an audible breath. “I have my BS in Business Administration, an MBA from Vanderbilt, and other than college, I’ve lived in Green Valley my whole life.”

Scratching the side of my face, I glanced around at the horrific state of the office and tried to imagine someone with an MBA wanting anything to do with it. My face was bent in a grimace

“I’ve spent the past five years as an office administrator for my …” She paused. “For a local business, and I’m looking to change things up. Fresh start.”

I sat up slowly. “I can understand wanting a fresh start. That’s why I’m here.”

“I know. I, umm, I heard that. In town.” She stumbled slightly over her words, and I smiled. “I’m not very outdoorsy, and I know that’s what you’ll be doing, but I’m the most organized person you’ll ever meet. My label maker is my favorite accessory, and I have lists for my to-do lists. And I know every single business owner from here to Maryville.”

I laughed. “You sound like you’re already in your interview.”

She laughed too, and I grimaced when my chest tightened. It caused a strong enough physical sensation that I glanced down at my body, like it was separate from me somehow.

“I can come in and fill out an application, if you’d like,” she said.

I laughed under my breath. “If I had applications, I’d say yes.” I glanced around the mess surrounding me. “But … I’m not quite that prepared yet.”

“That’s also why you need someone who knows how to get an office up and running.”

“That’s true,” I agreed. “Can you come in tomorrow so we can talk a little bit more? Since I don’t have an application.”

“That would be great,” she said firmly. The stumbling was gone. I found myself wondering how old she was. What she looked like.

If I had a calendar, I would’ve glanced at it. But that was also buried in a stack of papers.

“How does nine sound? Do you need the address?”

“Sounds perfect,” she answered. “And uh, no, thank you. I know where to find you.”

I shook my head.

“Small town,” we said in unison. She laughed, and my smile took up my whole damn face.

“Then I’ll see you at nine tomorrow …” My voice trailed off. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name. I’m still working on my Southern manners.”

She laughed. My chest did that thing again. It wasn’t the heavy press of panic. It was a lightening. A lifting of whatever pressure I’d been feeling before she called.

She spoke slowly, like she was thinking carefully about her answer. “You can call me Lia.”

 

About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing, and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons, and a big, shaggy rescue dog.

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Book Review: Just One Night (Oh Tequila #6) by C.A. Harms @Charms0814  @limitlessbooks

Just One Night
(Oh Tequila #6)
by C.A. Harms

Amazon 

 
A guy should never, and I do mean never, hook up with his friend’s sister.

It doesn’t matter how hot she is or how many times he’s imagined her in a not-so-innocent way. Nope. Those visuals should always remain hidden deep down in a dark place.

But of course, I just had to drink until I couldn’t see straight and screw everything up. Now, I know what you’re thinking, and I swear it wasn’t my fault. It was that damn tequila.

I never expected to wake up naked only a few feet away from the woman I never should have touched. But man, reality had been so much better than any fantasy I’d ever had.

But it all went downhill fast when she opened the door to leave and came face to face with none other than her brother, who is also one of my best friends.

I’m a dead man, but Jade might actually be worth it.

And to think, all it took to change everything was…
Just One Night.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He’s moping around like a first-grader who got their lunch stolen by a bully, and when I attempt to make light of the event I get the death glare. I’m talking that how dare you look that makes my stomach feel like it’s falling out my butt, so I’ve decided to give him time.

 

Look… my boobs sparkle when I move.

 

Please… we waited until it sounded like you two were finished with your mattress sports and waited patiently for the acknowledgment that you’d been sparkled.

My Review:

 

This is the last installment in an incredibly fun, irreverently amusing, and insightfully written series of New Age romances occurring in a college fraternity house. I am sorry to see it end but Ms. Harms tied all the stories up nice and sweet with HEAs all around. I giggle-snorted my way through each volume with ingenious pranking, steamy and endearing love stories, and clever shenanigans occurred in each book.   She almost had me wishing I could go back in time and doing college again if it could be this fun, but on second thought – no.

 

About The Author

 

 

I am an Illinois girl, born and raised. Simple and true. I love the little things; they truly mean the most. I may have a slight addiction to my new Keurig—oh my, that thing is a godsend. And so fast too. I have two children who truly are the greatest part of my days, and their faces never fail to put a smile on my face. I have been married to my best friend for seventeen years and looking forward to many more.

I am one of those authors that adore my readers. I love to hear from you. After all, it is because of each one of you that I continue to write.
.

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Book Review:  The Missing Husband (DCI Hanlon Book 3)by Alex Coombs @AlexHowardCrime @rararesources  @BoldwoodBooks

 

The Missing Husband
(DCI Hanlon Book 3)
by Alex Coombs

Amazon  / B&NGP

A security officer is assassinated. A small child grieves for his father. A psychopath commits their first crime…

A frightened Russian woman seeks DCI Hanlon’s help in finding her missing husband. Hanlon’s not keen on the case. Until she hears a name she recognizes only too well. Arkady Belanov, sadistic owner of an exclusive brothel in Oxford is involved.
And when DCI Enver Demirel, her former partner, and friend, disappears, Hanlon is determined to solve the case.Forced into an uneasy alliance with the London underworld, the race to him from the blood-stained hands of the Russian mafia is underway…

Another gripping case for the unstoppable DCI Hanlon. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan, and Mark Dawson.

This book was previously published as A Hard Woman To Kill by Alex Howard.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Her brief glance summed him up. He was short, stocky and bald and he had an unpleasant, slightly fat, aggressive face. He was like a sneer in human form.

 

Everyone in violent crime liked a good funeral; you never knew when yours might be. There was also the added plus that it wasn’t you who was in the box. One day it would be, but not today.

 

Fredericks had the kind of mouth that held a perpetual sneer, as if there were some kind of specialist curling tongs that he used on his lips on a nightly basis.

 

His GP had told him to stop smoking, but so far he’d stopped buying cigarettes and just smoked other people’s. He was amazed at the money he was saving.

My Review:

 

Book three of this absorbing and highly active series found no flagging in quality as it is holding strong in intrigue, complexity, and oddly compelling and curiously peculiar characters. Alex Coombs is a diabolically skilled and agile storyteller with a wicked keen vocabulary and uncommonly adept command of language. His word skills and phrasing pack a deadly punch and kept my curiosity on edge and my brain itching for the next puzzle piece to emerge. I am fatally awestruck and a total devotee of his inimitable, controversial, and indomitable DCI Hanlon.

 

About the Author

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Alex Coombs studied Arabic at Oxford and Edinburgh Universities and went on to work in adult education and then retrained to be a chef. He has written four well-reviewed crime novels as Alex Howard.  Sign up for his newsletter at

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Book Review: The Innocent Girl (DCI Hanlon Book 2) by Alex Coombs @AlexHowardCrime @rararesources  @BoldwoodBooks

The Innocent Girl
 (DCI Hanlon Book 2)
by Alex Coombs

Amazon / B&NGP

DCI Hanlon is going undercover.

Oxford Philosophy lecturer Dr. Gideon Fuller is in the frame, but Hanlon is not convinced.

From the specialist brothels in Oxford and Soho, to the inner sanctum of a Russian people trafficker with a taste for hurting women, the trail leads Hanlon deeper and deeper into danger – until she herself becomes the killer’s next target…

Can Hanlon track down the killer before it’s too late?

A thrilling new case for DCI Hanlon. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan, and Mark Dawson.

This book was previously published as Cold Revenge by Alex Howard.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Hanlon felt again a surge of almost homicidal rage… It wasn’t just the crime, it was the arrogance behind it. It was the way Hannah had been swatted out of existence like an insect. I’m like the Duracell bunny, she thought, except I’m powered by anger, not by a battery, and I’ll keep on going.

 

At first glance, Hanlon had mistaken the madam for a drag queen. It was an easy mistake to make. The woman in front of her was not conventionally feminine. Iris Campion –‘Like the flower, but not as pretty’– was at least six foot tall and burly with it. She had massive, flabby arms, revealed by the short-sleeved dressing gown, like a shot-putter gone to seed.

 

Maybe, she thought, he wasn’t meant to make old bones. Jann defined himself enormously through his physical attractiveness and that’s not a quality that lasts. Maybe an old Jann would have been dreadful to behold.

 

The policewoman had that rare gift of almost complete immobility that animals have, and humans rarely do.

 

I feel happy, she thought. It was a peculiar sensation, but she was sure that’s what it was… It wasn’t that she was an unhappy person; it was more like living with a defective sense of smell or colour. You knew that these senses existed, you knew everyone else appreciated them, but for you they simply weren’t there.

My Review:

 

I am continuing on with my adoration and infatuation with the enigmatic and taciturn DCI Hanlon. She has been promoted, which is quite shocking given that she is famously reviled, and by nearly everyone but a handful of co-workers. Book two was a more challenging read than the first although it was still outstanding in the quality of writing, cunningly crafted, shrewdly paced, and cast with dynamic and oddly compelling characters on both sides of the law.

 

The absorbing storylines were nothing less than gripping while also often startlingly gruesome with realistic and cringe-worthy brutality. I didn’t toss my cookies so it wasn’t sickening although the emotive nature of the scenes often squeezed my underused coronary muscle in a painful manner.   The pace was nonstop with devious and conniving behaviors and required endurance of brainpower as well as physical demands on the beleaguered characters. Hanlon is once again predictably unpredictable and off the hook with her clever yet risky undertakings to prove her theories. I covet this woman’s self-possessed confidence, conditioning, and drive as much as I do this wily wordsmith’s stunning storytelling. I do believe I am hopelessly and irrevocably enamored.

About the Author

Alex Coombs studied Arabic at Oxford and Edinburgh Universities and went on to work in adult education and then retrained to be a chef. He has written four well-reviewed crime novels as Alex Howard.  Sign up for his newsletter at http://bit.ly/AlexCoombsNewsletter