Book Review: Vampires, Whiskey, and Southern Charm (Masie Kicklighter, #1) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @mimijeanpamfiloff

Vampires, Whiskey, and Southern Charm
(Masie Kicklighter, #1)
by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

 

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𝐇𝐄’𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐏, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐇𝐄’𝐒 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍…

My name is Masie Kicklighter, and I work at my family’s local bar in the heart of Tennessee, slinging whiskey and living a quiet life.

I can’t say my life was perfect, but when a local vampire started stalking me and sayin’ all sorts of crazy things (I was not his. Nor would I ever be.), my first instinct was to run.

But Leiper’s Fork was my home. This was my town. And no one was gonna run me out. Even if he was hotter than a Sunday BBQ in July.

So I came up with a plan to run him off.

The only problem? He was one stubborn man.

And crafty, too.

Then something terrible happened. A whole lot of terrible somethings. And they would change everything for us both.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I jumped back, my mind flooding with the sort of rage that leaves a permanent burn mark.

Vile bastard had dimples. It felt like God was playing a joke. Dimples were for giggling babies and cute boys with good hearts. On him they were more like a weapon meant to deceive.

I knew the major composers, just like I knew that banjo music hurt my ears. Like listening to a cat suck lemons.

I was too busy staring at the elaborate murals on the ceiling. They reminded me of something you might see in ancient Rome, with clouds and angels and ripped men in cloth diapers.

Charlie was nuttier than a squirrel turd.

My Review:

 

This was an amusing and lively read that was just plain fun and kept me chuckling and smirking with glee. I don’t often read paranormal anything but I’m glad I picked this one up. The storylines brought interesting and unique twists to vampire lore with humor, wit, and a bit of steam tossed in as a bonus. I’m looking forward to more Maisie Kicklighter adventures and am highly curious as to what this clever scribbler has in store for her.

About the Author

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a USA Today and New York Times bestselling romance author with over a million books sold worldwide. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dream. Mimi lives with her Latin Lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and the rat terrier duo, Snowflake and Mini Me, in Arizona. She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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Book Review: Be Mine Forever (The Bennetts #3) By Kennedy Ryan @kennedyryan1

Be Mine Forever
(The Bennetts #3)
By Kennedy Ryan


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Can a secret crush . . .

Jo Walsh has loved Cameron Mitchell for as long as she can remember. Whether front and center in her life or on the periphery, the tall, brooding artist has made his presence seductively and irresistibly known. But whenever they start to get close, Cam pulls away. Jo’s tired of keeping her feelings in a box Cam is afraid to open. If he wants her, he’ll have to prove it. And if he doesn’t, Jo will need to know the real reason why . . .

. . . become the love of a lifetime?

How do you walk away from your soul mate? Cam wishes he knew. No matter how far he runs from Jo, he can’t resist looking back at the silver eyes that seem to see right through him. But as well as Jo thinks she understands Cam, the dark truth about his past is something she shouldn’t have to handle. Cam’s sure that setting Jo free is the right thing to do. Too bad his heart has other ideas . . .

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

In their two-member club, sarcasm was like the secret handshake.

The last fifteen years or so had taught her that hope was a sneaky bitch who sidled up to you, ingratiated her way into your good graces, only to shove a knife in your back when you least expected it.

His outside might be pretty, but his inside already knew what ugly was all about.

He walked toward his bike like the devil had a warrant for his arrest.

His knee bounced like Mexican jumping beans had hatched in his pants.

My Review:

 

This one surprised me, I didn’t think I would be able to fully appreciate the main character of Cam as he started off rather toxic and obnoxious. Silly me, I should have known better, but this author is a wily minx who played me like a piano and conjured some gasp-producing sensual scenes as hot as a lava flow. Her writing style is smartly paced, clever, compelling, wittily amusing, and hits all the feels. I am her newest groupie and will gladly buy whatever she’s selling.

 

A RITA® and Audie® Award winner, USA Today bestselling author Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish, and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts. Kennedy and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, TIME, O magazine, and many others. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

Book Review: Mine For The Winter (Winterville #6) by Carrie Elks   @CarrieElks

 

Mine For The Winter
(Winterville #6)
by Carrie Elks

 

 

Amazon / BB

Christmas is coming, and second chances are in the air…

After more than a decade away, Kris Winter’s return to his hometown stirs up a storm.

Seeking redemption, he aims to mend the broken bond with Kelly Fraser, his childhood best friend, and the one woman he’s never been able to forget.

The strong-willed single mom is wary of his advances. When he left town all those years ago he barely said goodbye. And now it isn’t just her own feelings to think about – she needs to consider her son, too.

But as the holidays approach, Kris’s pursuit reignites buried emotions, challenging Kelly’s resolve to guard her heart.

Can she risk it all for him again?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Never cry over money or men.

Please don’t break my kid’s heart. Or I’ll have to twist your balls until you become a soprano.

None of us really know what we’re doing. One minute we’re kids without a clue, the next minute somebody’s putting this tiny human life in our arms and telling us we’re responsible for keeping it alive for the next eighteen years.

It was strange how the woman’s demeanor changed once she knew his name. She sat up straighter, touched the back of her hair. Pushed her tits out. Christ. “Are you here to visit?” Even her voice sounded lower. Like she’d just smoked a pack of fifty and was channeling Lauren Bacall.

A father isn’t the one who created a kid. He’s the one who’d do anything for him.

 

My Review:

 

I have relished each and every installment of this entertaining series while looking forward to more upon reaching the last page. Ms. Elks conjures endearing characters who are uniquely appealing yet realistically flawed and slots them into an unusual community that pleasantly occupies my gray matter, although I’d never want to live there.

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

Book Review: Because of Her (Jack & Jill #6) by Jewel E. Ann @authorjeweleann and @valentine_pr_

Because of Her
(Jack & Jill #6)
by Jewel E. Ann

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“If sin weren’t pretty, it wouldn’t be so tempting.”

I was an accomplished music professor.

Happily single.

Perfectly content.

 

Now, I’m unemployed.

Pining for a dark, brooding guy named Jack who lives in a garage with a piano.

And I’m plotting to seduce a married man because his daughter is responsible for my nephew committing suicide.

 

I don’t know why teenage girls are so mean.

I don’t know why rich men cheat on their wives.

And I don’t know why Jack has serial killer vibes, even though he leaves me speechless every time he speaks.

 

All I know for sure is that I feel safe in a stranger’s arms and understood by someone I don’t understand.

“You should be a little scared of everyone because humans are unpredictable.”

 

How far will I go for revenge? More than that …

How far will he go to save me?

*This book contains material involving sexual assault and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.

 

  Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

John and I were inseparable, not just because we were twins. We complemented each other perfectly— my weaknesses were his strengths, and his were mine. We always said we were accidental twins, meant to be one person. Instead, we were two out-of-balance humans: either extremely good at something or extremely bad.

Her overly shiny Botox face makes a sad attempt at showing emotion, like reeling in a kite when there’s too much wind.

My Review:

 

Angst is one of my least favorite things on the planet. Yet, oddly enough, I adore and am enamored with Jewel E. Ann’s tales despite her love of angst, as her engrossing and emotive writing makes it well worth swallowing my personal annoyance. Her characters are endearingly broken yet soldiering on while hampered by real-world issues and vulnerabilities. Her writing style flows with an impossible eloquence that keeps me holding my breath while riveted to my Kindle. Her narrative hits all the feels multiple times as she does seem to enjoy bedeviling her fractured characters before bringing them to their well-earned HEA.

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

 

Book Review: All Mixed Up (Common Threads #8) by Heidi Hutchinson  @smartypantsromance @heidi_hutchinson

All Mixed Up
(Common Threads #8)
Heidi Hutchinson

 

 

Nikki has a lot going on at the moment.

She’s the best sound engineer and mixer at XY Records, she’s working on a super-secret project with a pop megastar, and holding the busier-than-usual studio together.

The last thing she wants or needs is her ex-fiancé to start working in the studio over the summer. She’s over it—him. Obviously. Being ghosted has that effect. But working near someone she used to love has made her life that much more complicated.

Andre has it all figured out. Two and half years ago he had no idea what he was doing when he walked away from the love of his life. But time has given him perspective, and he’s grown up. Which is why the paleontology professor is working part-time at his ex’s recording studio. Because he wants to make amends. And maybe win her back.

Will Nikki give him the chance he thinks he’s ready for? Or will it be her turn to walk away from him?

‘All Mixed Up’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #8 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

She’d envisioned this day numerous times. Usually in bed as she fell asleep. She’d be in a tight, cleavage- baring dress, and have a perfect, sun-kissed tan. Her hair would be long and the roots freshly done. Her makeup would be subtle and airbrushed in the way that made her look both glamorous and effortless at once.

You know when you get wrapped in your head, and the only voice you’re listening to is telling you that you suck no matter what, and you know it’s not true, but because you don’t want to actually ask anyone else to back you up on that, you start to believe that it’s true?

André kept his heart locked inside a vault surrounded by puzzles and mazes and miles of jungle overgrowth like a treasure hunter’s one last quest.

And no matter what you’ve been told, even happy endings carry their own bit of sorrow in them.

Do you want me to kick him out?… I have a couple cousins who can be very menacing. And an auntie that will make him rethink all his life decisions.

My Review:

 

I adored this beguiling couple, they had had a satisfying relationship that had been going well until he broke her heart and his without explanation. I had devised several theories as to what and why that had happened before this clever wordsmith finally clued me in on how wrong I had been. The characters were divinely conjured and enticingly detailed with authentic quirks and knowable foibles. Ms. Hutchinson’s writing style was smooth as silk, brilliantly paced, and easy to fall into with storylines that were engaging, entertaining, cleverly amusing, and held my interest captive. I am already looking forward to her next missive.

About the Author

Heidi Hutchinson creates funny, clever, slow-burn romance for readers looking for a guaranteed happily ever after.

She hopes the stories she writes inspire her readers to take their hearts on one more adventure.

She lives in the Black Hills with her alarmingly handsome husband, their fearless child, and a rather large and spoiled dog.

She is fueled by her unwavering and perfectly normal devotion to Dave Grohl and coffee.

And a whole lotta love.

Find Heidi online

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidirhutchinson

Website: https://www.heidih.net/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidi_hutchinson/

 

Book Review: Meet Your Matcha (Common Threads #7) by Nanxi Wen  @nanxiwenauthor  @smartypantsromance

Meet Your Matcha
(Common Threads #7)
by Nanxi Wen

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Meet Your Matcha, all-new opposites attract romance from Nanxi Wen, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

It’s my life to ruin!”

Pippa Fleming is a woman who always has a plan… until she finally secures a coveted promotion and her dream job suddenly feels worse than getting caught under the sun as a redhead with no sunscreen. Exhausted and confused, Pippa seeks an escape by signing up for a reality dating show. Everyone is allowed one identity crisis, right? And where better to recharge than on a beach sipping cocktails with little umbrellas?

As long as she remembers she’s only here to have fun, not lose her heart…

She was a walking red flag, so far out of my league that I couldn’t even see what league she was in.”

August Weather is laid back and content with his quiet life. But when his sister nominates him for a reality dating show, he sees it as a chance to experience the world outside of his small town. What he didn’t expect was to fall for someone like Pippa. She’s his complete opposite – prickly, vivacious, full of adventure and big dreams… and despises him on sight.

Except, he can’t stop thinking about her and finding out what lies beneath her guarded surface…

When the whirlwind of the show throws them together, Pippa and August discover how wrong first impressions can be. But, can their newfound connection survive the real world? Or will their differences sweep their love match out to sea?

Meet Your Matcha’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #7 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

In my world, people puffed themselves up, never down. If someone said they owned a yacht, it meant that they sailed in a dinghy once. If they called themselves an international sports star, they barely made the practice squad in Svalbard, Norway.

… she had proceeded to warble at the top of her lungs the ABCs. Or rather, the ABUs, because she “no like c.” When I tried to argue with her that c followed b, she had asked why. At that moment, with all of my education and work experience, in the face of toddler logic, I had no answer… After a day with her, I had decided that whoever came up with the phrase “taking candy from a baby” had never met a real kid.

Don’t get a big head, but you’re not awful.

What other lies has he told you about me? If he says I’m bossy, I’m not… I just have a natural way of giving directions.

Even knowing that there was nothing to feel guilty about, one stare from Mrs. Fleming made me feel like a kid caught eating Santa’s cookies on Christmas Eve.

My Review:

 

This was an engaging and entertaining read that was laced together with spiky humor, family drama, a fledgling romance, and volcanic sensual scenes. The main characters were an authentic and unusual mix of small-town and big city, and while I adored August, Pippa was not always likable and a slowly acquired taste, although I had faith that the clever wordsmith would eventually get Pippa where she should be and enjoyed her awakening and the end result.

 

About the Author

Nanxi Wen thought she was going to write the greatest historical novel. Turns out, her characters decided that they want to be in the 21st century with modern plumbing, online shopping, and reality TV shows.

She lives in New England with her husband and two young kids. When she is not despairing over word count, she enjoys reading, snacking, drinking coffee, sitting by the fireplace, hanging out with friends, and daydreaming.

Find Nanxi Wen online

Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3rSuyFZ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NanxiWrites/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanxiwenauthor/

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3o9oDKs

Website: https://nanxiwen.com/

TikTok: https://bit.ly/3EgSIkU

 

 

Book Review: Ewe Complete Me (Common Threads #6) by Susannah Nix @susannahnixauthor @smartypantsromance

 Ewe Complete Me
(Common Threads #6)
by Susannah Nix

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Ewe Complete Me, an all-new forced proximity romance from USA Today bestselling author Susannah Nix, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

Love defies logic when two polar opposites attract.

Chloe and Brandon have nothing in common. She’s a spontaneous, people-loving fiber artist; he’s an uptight, introverted law student. The only thing they agree on during their blind date is that they hope to never see each other again.

Except they do have something in common—Brandon’s mother Dawn, who happens to be Chloe’s boss and dear friend. Which is how they end up stuck with each other for a six-hour road trip to Dawn’s destination wedding.

But as they get to know each other better, their mutual irritation morphs into an inescapable connection. Maybe these two opposites aren’t so mismatched after all. Could Brandon be the yin to Chloe’s yang? The peanut butter to her jelly? The rock to her roll?

Or will their differences tear them apart when they return to their normal lives at the end of the wedding weekend?

‘Ewe Complete Me’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #6 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

For starters, his name was Bran. Not only did it bring to mind high-fiber laxatives and regular bowel movements, it sounded like the kind of one-syllable name favored by too many of the douchebags I’d known in high school.

I continued to stare at him in a sort of daze. Maybe Franz Mesmer had been onto something with that animal magnetism theory after all. Or perhaps my date was secretly a centuries-old Transylvanian noble with hypnotic powers who slept in a box filled with dirt from his homeland in the Carpathian Mountains.

“What did he do?” Angie asked in the hard, dangerous tone of someone already plotting the best way to dispose of a body.

“What a jagweed,” Angie said with a scowl. “I hope he gets a fungus on his scrotum that doesn’t respond to treatment.”

Angie was the wacky, protective aunt who’d help you key the word “dildo” onto the car of someone who’d done you wrong.

As I stepped out of the car, I had that same jarring feeling you got when you first walked out of a movie theater and realized you were in the real world again instead of the fantasy world you’d been immersed in for the last three hours.

My Review:

 

This was a smirk-worthy and witty delight from start to finish. The characters were uniquely and indelibly rendered with realistic flaws and significant conditions and challenges to manage in their daily lives, yet they were also deeply endearing and intriguing. The storylines were smartly written, well-paced, engaging, and cleverly amusing, while they sparkled with sharp wit, perceptive observations, and zippy banter. I do believe I have become a Susannah Nix acolyte.

About Susannah Nix

Susannah Nix is an award-winning author of contemporary romances featuring smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms about women who work in STEM fields and the Starstruck series of movie star romances. 

Susannah resides in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.

Find Susannah Nix online

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B072KHZS5W

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susannahnix/

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/160037207970579/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susannah-nix

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susannahnixauthor/

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16880740.Susannah_Nix

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Susannah_Nix

Website: https://www.susannahnix.com/

 

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Book Review: Peaches and Dreams (Green Valley Heroes #4) by Juliette Cross @juliettecrossauthor @smartypantsromance

 Peaches and Dreams
(Green Valley Heroes #4)
by Juliette Cross

 

Peaches and Dreams, an all-new single dad small-town romance from Juliette Cross, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

Marly Rivers is not crazy. No matter what everyone says. They may think her dream is foolish, but she plans to prove them all wrong—one jar of moonshine at a time. 

Single dad Wade Kelley is just fine. No matter what his best friend Jed says. He doesn’t need a woman in his life. But when his son Jake breaks a jar of moonshine, he sets something in motion that neither Wade nor Marly are prepared for. 

A friendly favor turns into late nights, long dinners, and a romp in the woods. And in a deer stand too. By the time Wade realizes he’s fallen hard and deep for Mad Marly, it may be too late to tell her. When she falls into real and sudden danger with poachers, he may not even be able to save her. 

‘Peaches and Dreams’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m considered pretty cool with the boys. The seven and eight-year-old variety, mostly.

I put the fun in funny.

That man is a full-on smoke-show.

“Marleen. You are very scary and kind of a lot. Especially to shy guys.” I preened and flipped my hair, liking that description. “I’m kind of a femme fatale, huh?” “More like a femme frightfully flamboyant.” “That’s too much alliteration. But I still like it.”

My Review:

 

This was good fun from start to finish and sparkled with giggle-snort-worthy humor. I laughed aloud as often as I was gasping for breath during steamy sensual scenes that left me dehydrated and grasping for libation. The writing was cleverly amusing, well-paced, low angst, and highly engaging. The storylines were populated with authentic yet knowable characters who were endearing, smoking hot, adorable, witty, well-nuanced, and irreverent – my favorite kind of people!

JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romance & the co-host of the podcast, Smart Women Read Romance. As a native of Louisiana, she lives in the heart of Cajun land with her husband, four kids, her labs, Kona and Jeaux, and kitty, Betty. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine.

 

 

Book Review: With Love, from Cold World by Alicia Thompson @aliciabooks

With Love, from Cold World
by  Alicia Thompson

 

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She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn’t on it–yet somehow he’s become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name.

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World–whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Not for the first time, Lauren couldn’t help but notice that he smelled good. Like, really good. It was one of life’s true mysteries, because she felt like she’d know his scent anywhere, but she couldn’t quite place what it was. Some mixture of cedar and citrus, not overpowering, never burning her nose like some colognes did. But always present whenever he was nearby, and sometimes she’d catch the tail end of it when she entered a room he’d just been in. She lived in fear that one day he’d catch her inhaling a big whiff whenever he was close, and she’d have to quit her job and move to North Dakota.

Even thinking about it now made her wish the beach beneath her would suck her into a quicksand vortex and spit her back out at her apartment.

…the beauty of special underwear… You never know when it will be called into service.

You’re going to have to make up your mind about me… Because you used to think I was some hedonistic slacker who only cared about a good time, and now suddenly I’m this altruistic philanthropist giving out orgasms like UNICEF went into sex work.

Do you have cream and sugar, or do you keep your kitchen on some Soviet food rationing system?

My Review:

 

I enjoyed this tale. It was well constructed and populated with a plethora of complicated and quirky characters, who were well nuanced and endearing despite being a bit difficult. The storylines were engaging and the writing style was involving, unique, easy to follow, and tricky enough to keep me reading well past my bedtime.

About the Author
Alicia Thompson graduated from the New College of Florida in 2006 with a degree in psychology and wrote her debut novel in between pulling all-nighters on her senior thesis. Her short stories, “Abby Greene for President” and “Stealing Mark Twain,” have appeared in Girls’ Life magazine. Currently, she is working on an MFA in fiction writing at the University of South Florida, where she still pulls the occasional all-nighter.

Book Review:  That One Regret (The Heartbreak Brothers Next Generation #1) by Carrie Elks   @CarrieElks

That One Regret
The Heartbreak Brothers Next Generation #1
by Carrie Elks   

 

Amazon / B&N  / BB

 

When Grace tries to steal Michael’s cab in the middle of a torrential downpour, their chemistry is instant. And after one unforgettable night in his hotel room, it looks like life is finally going her way.

But in the morning a shocking revelation rips her world apart, and she has to leave him for good without saying goodbye. A year later, Grace is living quietly in her small hometown when she sees Michael storming toward her. He demands answers, so she tells him exactly why she left that morning. Michael agrees they should avoid each other, but he’s staying in her small town for a few months, and not bumping into each other is almost impossible. He’s not supposed to touch her. Or kiss her until they’re both breathless and needy. And he’s definitely not supposed to make her fall for him. But forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest. At least until you get found out…

That One Regret is a standalone forbidden age gap romance set in the small town of Hartson’s Creek.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

It’s like being a teenager again. Except he knows what he’s doing.

… he didn’t want to be drawing a social security check and sitting on the PTA at the same time.

My Review:

 

This was an amusing tale that was a delight to read and the perfect way to kick off a new series. The plot lines were well paced and easy to follow, the characters were highly likable and endearing, the angst and conflict were kept to a minimum, the banter and humor were witty and kept a smile on my face, while the romance was full of heat as well as sweetness. I’m already looking forward to subsequent installments.

 

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