Category: Book Reviews

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Book Review: Knowing You by Samantha Tonge

Knowing You

by Samantha Tonge

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU /

B&N / iBooks / Kobo / Google

 

An abrupt change; a new friendship; a dark secret…


 Kind-hearted Violet has never fitted in, but despite being bullied at school is now content. She is dating ambitious Lenny, has her dream job in publishing and runs a book club at the local retirement home.

 

However, when her relationship with Lenny begins to falter, Violet, hurt and alone, seeks the advice of her new flatmate, Bella. She changes her image and with her head held high aims to show that she doesn’t need Lenny in her life to be happy and successful.

 

Her long-term friends Mable and Farah worry about Bella’s influence and slowly Violet starts to distance herself from them. When she was a child, her closest confidant and companion was a boy called Flint. Her mother didn’t approve of their closeness and he suffered a terrible end. She won’t let the same thing happen to Bella, no matter what anyone says…

 

Knowing You is about friendship and knowing who to trust with your deepest secrets; it’s about taking control of your life and not being afraid to stand out. Perfect for fans of Ruth Hogan, Gail Honeyman, and Amanda Prowse

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

My first love was an assistant manager at the local bookshop where I had a Saturday job. It was then that I realised the most attractive thing about a man was the width of his reading list.

 

Uncle Kevin got headhunted. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Makes me think of my favourite Horrid Henry story about cannibals. It means he got offered a job in America, the place where people eat bacon with pancakes, do cheerleading and own guns.

 

I need help persuading Farah that there is no health scare big enough to warrant switching to soya milk.

 

I have a habit of calling on people at the worst moment. Like when Gran’s in the middle of putting on her tights or my brother has just plastered his face with shaving foam.

 

If she were an item of stationery, she’d be a stapler. Uncomplicated and unassuming but holding everything together.

 

I try not to think about it. But when I look in the mirror, I worry. I worry that the woman staring back isn’t me. She’s a stranger and I can’t find an instruction manual.

 

My Review:

 

Knowing You was an exceptionally engaging and thoughtfully written tale. I was intensely absorbed and quickly entranced by the ever enticing and smoothly fluent flow of the writing as well as the captivating narrative.   Ms. Tonge’s emotive and nimble writing style deftly hit all the feels while peeling back an elegant vulnerability of the highly sympathetic character of Violet at different ages and timelines.   Her poignant storylines were ingeniously paced, cunningly crafted, vibrantly detailed, and adroitly evocative.   I was so impressed I raced to Goodreads and added her entire backlist on my TBR.

 

In addition to a new favorite author to fangirl, I also garnered two new additions to my Brit Word List with bedsit – which appears to be what I know as a studio apartment, and collywobbles – which appears to have several meanings such as nervousness and/or a queasy stomach.

 

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About the Author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and her passion, second to spending time with her husband and children, is writing. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has traveled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

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

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

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Book Review: Imagine That (Small Town Big Love Series Book 2) by Kelly Collins

Imagine That

(Small Town Big Love Series Book 2)

by Kelly Collins

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA 

 

A mourning heiress. A selfless sheriff. Saving their town could free them both.

Maya Blackwood drowns her loss in alcohol. After her husband’s untimely death, she retreats to her family’s namesake town only to find they’ve sold it to shady developers. She hardly expected to be taken by the home she never knew and the handsome sheriff who patrols its streets…

Kevin Hoisington has always put everyone else first. And even with the whole town of Blackwood in danger, he finds himself drawn to helping the enchanting, damaged heiress. Holding her hand through recovery, he’s surprised to find that Maya has become his only priority.

When a sinister conman threatens to undo their efforts to protect the town, Kevin might have to give up everything to save the woman he’s falling for.

Will Kevin, Maya, and Blackwood fracture, or can they save both the town and their hearts?

Imagine That… is the second standalone book in the Small Town ~ Big Love series of contemporary romance series. If you like damaged heroines, self-assured heroes, and second chances for the heart, then you’ll love Kelly Collins’ sweet and sexy tale.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She was a Blackwood by birth and kept her name after her marriage to Brad Dick. He couldn’t say he blamed her.

 

Do you really want to report back to Togi that I let you slide? … I don’t. My coffee would never taste right again.

 

I’m not keeping anything on the down low. I’m just moving slowly. I want to do it right, but mark my words, it’ll be wherever and whenever after that. Got it?

 

While the universe hadn’t necessarily always been kind to her, it had offered her the gold standard for men when Kevin appeared in her life.

 

 My Review:

 

Oh swoon, I have a new BBF and his name is Kevin – he is simply divine; thoughtful, sexy, caring, and sweetness personified, he should be thoroughly checked for possible wings! He has to be fictional as men like this just do not exist out in the wilds of the real world, but I can still be totally enamored with him anyway. My fondness for Kelly Collins’ uniquely amusing and satisfying writing style and Small Town Big Love Series continues to grow, with eager anticipation already brewing for the next installment. I fully appreciate and have to stop to marvel how each crackerjack book interconnects with a continuing storyline yet are complete, cliffhanger free, hit all the feels, and are strong enough to standalone while enticing me to continue on for more. Boffo!

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS   

Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive.

Always a romantic, she is inspired by real-time events mixed with a dose of fiction. She encourages her readers to reach the happily ever after but bask in the afterglow of the perfectly imperfect love.

Kelly lives in Colorado with her husband of twenty-seven years. She loves hockey, shiny objects and has a new-found appreciation for green smoothies.

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Book Review, Giveaway: It’s In His Forever (Red River Valley #5) by Shelly Alexander

It’s In His Forever

(Red River Valley #5)

by Shelly Alexander

 

AMAZON  | CA  |  UK |  AU

 

Red River’s most eligible bachelor has been keeping secrets…

Flight medic Langston Brooks has built a good life for himself in his hometown of Red River. He’s got it all—a close-knit group of friends and family, an exciting career on a life-flight helicopter, and ridiculously good looks that have made him one of Red River’s most eligible bachelors. The only thing missing is someone to share it with.

His secret lover for the past decade isn’t a forever kind of girl. Not with a tarnished reputation over something she didn’t do, and it’s still following her. Now that she’s brought an international winter sports event to Red River, it’s her ticket out of town. She can finally make a clean break as soon as she collects the nice payday that’s coming her way. The only problem with her plan is she’ll have to leave Langston behind, too.

After keeping their relationship under wraps for years—at her insistence—she finally breaks it off with Langston for good. Moving on alone is best for everyone, especially Red River’s sexy flight medic, who doesn’t deserve the baggage from her troubled past. When they’re forced to work together to make the event a success, can she keep up the pretense that she doesn’t love him anymore? Or will she finally give in and become his forever love?

Return to Red River–where the nights are cool and the romance is hot–in this sexy novella.

Find out who hot alpha flight medic, Langston Brooks has been seeing on the sly for years. After keeping their love affair a secret for a decade, will they finally get their happily ever after?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Chairperson Clydelle was old, and the council was preoccupied with a discussion about the Chamber of Commerce building needing new gutters before the spring melt started, but her hearing had satellite capabilities when she wanted to scoop the latest gossip.

Mrs. O’s cranberry pecan scones were Sandra’s favorite treat. A secret weapon, and he wasn’t going to bring a knife to a gun fight. He was bringing something much more powerful. Pastries.

Without breaking client-attorney privilege, want to know what I’ve learned by practicing law in a small town?… Everybody has a secret. Small towns are like soap operas.

I get an examination from Doc Holloway and an ambulance ride with some handsome paramedics…They don’t call it the wise years for nothing. It’s one of the only perks of living to be a ripe old age… Well that and vodka. It goes nicely with lemonade on a hot summer day.

“What’s a girl to do, now that the fire department has banned me from watching them wash the fire engine in the summer?” Probably because she wouldn’t stop offering to put a twenty in their utility belts if they’d take off their shirt.

My Review:

 

If you are looking for a quickly paced, light, and amusing diversion with bits of small-town complications and angst mixed with a bit of steam, a lot of snow, and a HEA love story – then look no further. I have enjoyed all the lively installments of Shelly Alexander’s Red River Valley Series, each can be read as a standalone yet interconnect and revisit characters from past volumes.

Be sure to check out the rest of the series by bestselling author Shelly Alexander:

IT’S IN HIS HEART-Coop & Ella’s story
IT’S IN HIS TOUCH-Blake & Angelique’s story
IT’S IN HIS SMILE-Talmadge & Miranda’s story
IT’S IN HIS ARMS-Mitchell & Lorenda’s story

 $50 Amazon Giveaway


About the Author

A 2014 Golden Heart® finalist, Shelly Alexander grew up traveling the world, earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and worked in the business world for twenty-five years. With four older brothers, she watched every Star Trek episode ever made, joined the softball team instead of ballet class, and played with G.I. Joes while the Barbie Corvette stayed tucked in the closet. When she had three sons of her own, she decided to escape her male-dominated world by reading romance novels and has been hooked ever since. Now, she spends her days writing steamy contemporary romances while tending to a miniature schnauzer named Omer, a tiny toy poodle named Mozart, and a pet boa named Zeus.

Follow Shelly here:

Website http://shellyalexander.net/

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

Twitter https://twitter.com/ShellyCAlexande

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12166814.Shelly_Alexander

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/shelly-alexander-fe4d94bf-321c-4611-afcb-28a7bb80cc02

Email shelly@shellyalexander.net

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Book Review: The Spitfire Girls by Soraya M. Lane

The Spitfire Girls

by Soraya M. Lane

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU / B&N

 

Three skilled aviators determined to help win the war. Three brave women who know their place is not at home.

At the height of World War II, the British Air Transport Auxiliary need help. A group of young women volunteer for action, but the perils of their new job don’t end on the tarmac. Things are tough in the air, but on the ground, their abilities as pilots are constantly questioned.

There is friction from the start between the new recruits. Spirited American Lizzie turns heads with her audacity, but few can deny her flying skills. She couldn’t be more different from shy, petite Ruby, who is far from diminutive in the sky. It falls to pragmatic pilot May to bring the women together and create a formidable team capable of bringing the aircraft home.

As these very different women fight to prove themselves up to the task at hand, they are faced with challenges and tragedies at every turn. They must fight for equal pay and respect while handling aircraft that are dangerously ill-equipped; meanwhile, lives continue to be lost in the tumult of war.

Determined to assist the war effort doing what they love, can May, Lizzie and Ruby put aside their differences to overcome adversity, and will they find love in the skies?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Ruby is no sidekick, nor is she relegated to office duties… She might look like a doll –in fact I was told by our doctor that a gust of wind might blow her over –but put her up in the cockpit and she’s got the heart of a lion and the bravery of a team of men.

And how in God’s name did you manage to convince a bunch of old men to let women ferry fighter planes? I’ve been petitioning for years – I want to wring all their wrinkly old necks!

I’m in some sort of hell. Honestly, I know hospital was bad, but I’d do anything to be back there and not under the same roof as my mother.

… she smiled when she saw it was a piece of metal welded into a small circle. ‘I promise I’ll give you a proper ring when the war is over,’ he said, pushing it onto her finger. ‘But for now, this is from the damaged engine of a Spitfire.’

We are told as little girls what our expectations should be, and it’s made abundantly clear what our limitations are, but I’m standing here today to tell you that there are no limitations for women, or at least not in the sky. You don’t need to be a burly six-foot man to fly an enormous four-engine bomber, but you do need a brain and single-minded determination. It’s no wonder men feel threatened by us…

They used us when they needed us, and now they want to pretend we’re the inferior sex all over again.

 

My Review:

 

I don’t often read historical fiction but I enjoyed this enlightening tale that equally threaded fact with fiction in featuring the adventurous and brave trailblazing women of WWII aviation. I learned so much, proving my mother’s lectures to be incorrect about my perusal of fiction being a waste of time. The storylines were engaging and entertaining with each of the women being given a uniquely flawed personality and individual quirks, some not so endearing as the brash American Lizzie was an arrogant show-boater, she was ambitious and overly endowed with confidence to the point of obnoxious entitlement. I admired her moxie though, and I also appreciated her spirit and drive.

Lizzie’s nose was eventually lowered, somewhat painfully, but I admired Ms. Lane’s insightful depiction of all the pilots’ various learning curves. I cannot imagine the pressure they were under and I doubt few people realized the danger they were in as they had no weapons, no instruments, no radios, and no artillery, yet they were delivering bombers and other aircraft in a war zone and flying damaged aircraft back for repair or unserviceable craft to the junkyard – which I would believe to have been the most dangerous missions of all. And they did this in poor weather, for twenty percent less pay, among rampant disrespect from the military and often their own families; and although they were pivotal in winning the war, they were quickly iced once the war was over as they were seen as “taking jobs away from men.” My indignation and ire burn hotly – which is why I don’t often read historical books… These courageous gals became known as the ‘Attagirls,’ I like that, sounds sassy!

This was my first experience with Ms. Lane’s words and one I would readily repeat. I found her writing to be easily accessible, engaging, emotive, cleverly amusing, and well-balanced. I noticed two separate listings for her work on Goodreads; one as Soraya M. Lane and one under Soraya Lane, with different types of books on each.

About the Author

Goodreads

Amazon

Website

#1 Kindle Bestselling Author of Wives of War and Hearts of Resistance. Enter here to win one of 100 ebook copies of my upcoming release, The Spitfire Girls! https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh…

As a child, Soraya dreamed of becoming an author. Fast forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! Soraya describes being an author as “the best career in the world”, and she hopes to be writing romance for many years to come.

Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real-life hero and two sons on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.

Add my upcoming release, The Spitfire Girls, to your Goodreads shelf today!

For more information about Soraya, her books and her writing life, visit sorayalane.com or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on twitter @Soraya_Lane. She would love to hear from you.

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Book Review: The Last Wingman (Wingmen Book 6) by Daisy Prescott

The Last Wingman

(Wingmen Book 6)

by Daisy Prescott

Amazon US / UK / AU/ CA 

 

Jonah Kingston is the last wingman standing.

June Moxee doesn’t care if he’s the last man on earth.

I haven’t exactly avoided relationships, but love has never been a priority. Solitude doesn’t bother me and being alone doesn’t mean being lonely. Until she moved to the island and I had to reconsider everything.

June seems content running her yarn shop, knitting with the local church ladies, and avoiding me. She’s a temptress in a handknit sweater. And for some reason, she’s not a fan of mine. It might be the tattoos. Or the beard. Or the fact that we’re polar opposites.

A woman has finally caught my attention. Too bad she thinks she hates me.

Good thing I’m stubborn enough to try to change her mind.

The Last Wingman is the sixth standalone, lighthearted small town romance in the Wingmen series. You do not have to read the previous books first to enjoy this book.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“You may suck. We’re not making any permanent commitments. Think of this as your audition.” This is my life now. A probationary team member for trivia night. I think my days of hanging out in the clubs and going to the coolest concerts in Seattle might be behind me…We’ve entered the Thunderdome of Trivia.

“Ugh. Why is it always the guy who swears he’s just being friendly who turns out to be the biggest creeper?” “The worst,” Diane agrees. “Most likely to send you a dick pic while telling everyone what a nice guy he is.” … Erik and I exchange uncomfortable looks. “For the record, I’ve never sent anyone such a picture,” I reassure them. “My dick is like Big Foot. Zero photographic evidence.”

I’m a hot minute away from hoisting my pants to my ribs and handing out Werther’s Originals. What fool thought working with teens would keep me young and hip?

Women are supposed to have a gene that makes us love all infants and huff their baby essence like it’s the secret elixir of life.

“Ball sack.” Chuckling, I read the swirling text on a tote bag out loud. “You sell something called a ball sack?” “Knitters have dirty minds and we love puns. We also need cute bags to carry our yarn and needles. That tote is a big seller.” … “I like big balls and I cannot lie. Knit me baby one more line. Knit fast, die warm.” I keep reading as I spin the vertical rack. “All you knit is love.” … “I feel personally deceived by all of those sweet women at the farmers’ market selling baby booties and scarves.”

She bats her eyes at me. Stifling a laugh, I wink back. Out of all of the women in the knitting group, Thea’s the biggest flirt. At the end of my first visit, she came right up to me with her walker and asked if I knew what a cougar was.

“Connie was telling everyone at the bank about the poker game.” “Great. She gives new meaning to the word teller.”

 

My Review:

 

I was largely unfamiliar with the Wingman set yet I smirked my way through this last and end of an era volume to what appears to be a cleverly amusing rom/com series. Reading the finale had me coveting the previous installments as their small-town appears to be populated by a large sector of the quirkiest citizens living in the free world. Written from a first person POV of Jonah, a heavily tattooed, pierced, and bearded man in black who was adorable, unexpectedly sweet, and thoughtfully insightful. His crush on the prickly yet vividly colorful June was delightfully narrated in his inner musings. I enjoyed the witty levity, endearingly awkward main characters, frequent Harry Potter references, and engaging storylines. I’m a smitten kitten for the Wingmen.

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies about real love.

Her Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways. Her Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall. Daisy’s Love with Altitude latest small town, rom-com series is set in Aspen, Colorado. Bewitched is a magical serial set in Salem, Massachusetts. Don’t miss her standalone, Tinfoil Heart, a rom-com about love, letting go, and little green men.

AUTHOR LINKS:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

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Book Review: Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward

Beautiful Bad

by Annie Ward

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N

Hardcover: 368 Pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (March 5, 2019)

A devoted wife, a loving husband and a chilling murder that no one saw coming.

Things that make me scared: When Charlie cries. Hospitals and lakes. When Ian drinks vodka in the basement. ISIS. When Ian gets angry… That something is really, really wrong with me.

Maddie and Ian’s love story began with a chance encounter at a party overseas; he was serving in the British army and she was a travel writer visiting her best friend, Jo. Now almost two decades later, married with a beautiful son, Charlie, they are living the perfect suburban life in Middle America. But when a camping accident leaves Maddie badly scarred, she begins attending writing therapy, where she gradually reveals her fears about Ian’s PTSD; her concerns for the safety of their young son; and the couple’s tangled and tumultuous past with Jo.

From the Balkans to England, Iraq to Manhattan, and finally to an ordinary family home in Kansas, sixteen years of love and fear, adventure and suspicion culminate in The Day of the Killing, when a frantic 911 call summons the police to the scene of a shocking crime.

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“What do you fancy? The throat or the crap?” He pushed the menu in front of me. It was immediately obvious to me that whoever had translated “trout” and “carp” for the English menu had made some very unfortunate spelling errors.

The toothless octogenarian playing the accordion suddenly fell upon our table like a vampire bat on a herd of cows, and I started digging through my wallet for a tip.

“You could never be just another one of the flock,” Ian said, leaning close to me and looking into my eyes. One of his fingers batted at my hair. “Your wool is far too dark.”

And all the while I was sitting there getting my head wrapped in foil like it was a giant baked potato, these girls kept bringing me drinks. In retrospect I see very clearly that I should have been suspicious of a salon that felt the need to get you drunk before you see the results of their handiwork.

Something profound had happened to me just before I lost consciousness. At the exact second that I gave up all hope of surviving, my mind sparkled with unhinged, ecstatic, unbridled euphoria, a joy of such magnitude that I was instantly captive to it, and of a replete and searing sensuousness so irresistible that I opened my mouth to take it all in more deeply. I knew with utmost certainty, as it were as simple as two plus two or the sky is blue, that there was nothing at all to fear.

My Review:

My mind is still processing this compelling tale, it was ingenious and frustrating, and mesmerizing, and maddeningly paced all the way to the chilling end. The characters were a train wreck, and much like arriving at a train wreck I couldn’t look away; they fascinated, vexed, intrigued, antagonized, annoyed, and held me captive to my Kindle. I wasn’t sure who was the most disturbed as they were both over the edge and a hazard to themselves and others. The storylines were intensely absorbing, deviously plotted, and distressingly tantalizing. The narrative thrummed with tension and I read with a ratcheting sense of apprehension. Ms. Ward’s writing was lushly descriptive, profoundly observant, and hauntingly addictive. I fear I will be ruminating on this one for days and am in need a glass of wine or ten. It was brilliant, unsettling, yet brilliant nonetheless.

 

About the Author

Annie Ward has a BA in English literature from UCLA and an MFA in screenwriting from the American Film Institute. Her first short screenplay, Strange Habit, starred Adam Scott and won awards at the Aspen and Sundance Film Festivals. She lives in Kansas with her two sons and British husband, whom she met in the Balkans. She was recently awarded a Fulbright scholarship and An Escape to Create artist’s residency.

Connect with Annie

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

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Book Review: Only With You by Layla Hagen

Only With You
(The Connor Family #4)
by Layla Hagen 

Carter Sloane is famous for one thing: winning cases. He’s a sharp, astute lawyer, who always gets his way. In his private life, he’s completely in over his head when it comes to raising his two nieces.

When he moves into a new office, he just can’t take his eyes off the fiercely independent woman across the street. He’d love to touch and kiss that irresistible body.

Valentina “Val” Connor is proud of her booming fragrance company. If only she were half as successful in her love life… Between trusting the wrong men and sheer bad luck, Val is convinced she’ll never find the one.

But with his sophisticated charm and sex-appeal, Carter is hell-bent on proving to her that he can turn her luck around. Val’s senses warn her to stay away from men like him—even if her body is begging her to cave. But when she finds out about Carter’s nieces, she steps in to help, doting on them with love and care.

As Val and Carter grow closer, one thing is clear to him: He’d move mountains to make her happy, but with Val’s career soaring, how can he ask her to commit to the chaos of his life?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I popped open a bottle of Pinot too, for good measure. The sour alcohol matched my soured mood and heart perfectly. Belatedly, I also realized it sent a clear signal. Our wine system wasn’t a secret: Pinot for moping, Chardonnay for celebrating.

What do you even need all these muscles for? You’re a lawyer. You carry out your fights with words.

The soul never gets old. We just forget to be children. Another saying of my dad’s.

You couldn’t make someone want you in their life, no matter how much you tried. You couldn’t love for two…

My Review:

Written in my favorite dual POV, this latest addition to the Conner series was extra sexy, I actually started to perspire while reading. I enjoyed the sweet and steamy romance, all the secondary storylines, amusing banter, and the many enticing characters in addition to the main pair who couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other. I need to know what type of supplements they took as I would love to buy some.

About Layla Hagen   

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Layla Hagen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She fell in love with books when she was nine years old, and her love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

She writes steamy and romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

She is represented by fabulous Louise Fury (The Bent Agency) 

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Book Review: Meant for You (The Connor Family #3) by Layla Hagen

Meant for You

 (The Connor Family #3)

by Layla Hagen

AmazonUK  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KF5NGMC/

Amazon CA  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07KF5NGMC/

AmazonAU  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07KF5NGMC/

iBooks  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1438131272

B&N  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/meant-for-you-layla-hagen/1128072540?ean=2940156312498

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/at/en/ebook/meant-for-you-2

GooglePlay https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DBh5DwAAQBAJ

Will Connor lives his life by simple rules: take care of those he loves, give one hundred percent to his job, and never ignore his instincts. So when he meets Paige, he doesn’t plan to ignore their crazy chemistry or the way her pretty smile strips him of all defenses…

As the development director of a non-profit, Paige Lamonica has met her fair share of people. But Will is something else entirely. The hot detective is a little too confident, and far too easy on the eye. She loves that he goes toe-to-toe with her at every turn. When Will asks her to attend his sister’s wedding with him, she thinks he just wants to throw off his scent some relatives with a penchant for matchmaking. She couldn’t be more wrong. Will wants her.

When she teases him, he teases her right back. When she pushes his buttons, he repays her with scorching hot kisses. Paige discovers that there’s more to Will than she thought. With every layer she peels off, she craves more…

But as the daughter of an army man, Paige has never wanted to get involved with someone on the force. Can Will persuade her to give in to their growing love?

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My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I practically flew to him. It felt that way, at least. Like I was so light that my feet weren’t even touching the ground, merely skipping over the surface.

 

“Just keep your eyes open for a smart and very sexy guy. Strong arms are important. Six-pack always a plus. Great skills in bed are also a requirement, but obviously, there’s no way to check that beforehand.” … I made a mental note never to ask about girl talk again.

 

My Review:

 

Layla Hagen is my go-to gal when I need something light and amusing as well as sweet and steamy. Her alpha males are full of swagger but quickly learn the importance of groveling when needed. I enjoyed the sweet pairing of Will and Paige, they were a feisty and sweary couple who could go toe-to-toe as well as scorch the sheets with their volcanically hot sexcapades.

About Layla Hagen   

Website | Twitter | Facebook 

Layla Hagen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She fell in love with books when she was nine years old, and her love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.

She writes steamy and romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.

She is represented by fabulous Louise Fury (The Bent Agency) 

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Book Review: I Invited Her In by Adele Parks

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I Invited Her In

by Adele Parks

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU / B&N

 

Hardcover: 432 Pages

Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (February 5, 2019)

Imagine the worst thing a friend could ever do.

This is worse.

When Mel receives an unexpected email from her oldest friend Abi, it brings back memories she thought she had buried forever. Their friendship belonged in the past. To those carefree days at university.

But Abi is in trouble and needs Mel’s help, and she wants a place to stay. Just for a few days, while she sorts things out. It’s the least Mel can do.

After all, friends look out for each other, don’t they?

I Invited Her In is a blistering tale of wanting what you can’t have, jealousy and revenge from Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Some people whispered that she was pretentious; they resented the fact that she only enjoyed listening to music on vinyl and was fussy about the strength of coffee beans; she refused to drink beer, sticking exclusively to French red wine; she rarely ate. She was, by far, the most interesting person I’d ever met.

 

“You’ll still get the fairy tale,” Abi said with her usual cool confidence. “I mean Snow White had seven little fellas hanging off her apron and she still netted a prince.”

 

Her body leaned into his when he walked into a room, like a compass pointing north.

 

He’s lucky if I pluck my eyebrows. I just find life busy and tricky enough without having to inflict extra pain on myself for an aesthetic that precisely one person is going to benefit from. I mean, I’d never ask him to put hot wax on his best bits. Ben has never complained about my lack of grooming in that area; it’s not as though he needs help finding his target.

 

I’m not the sort of shape that’s considered typically desirable. I only stop traffic if I press the button and the lights change.

 

I throw the phone at the hall wall. It makes a satisfying dent. I can’t believe I once painted that especially for her arrival. More sensible preparation would have been barricading the door, heating tar, sharpening knives.

 

My Review:

 

This stunning book was highly addictive and totally consuming; once I got my teeth into it I couldn’t seem to put it down. The writing and storylines were simply phenomenal as start to finish the multiple POV narratives were intensely intriguing, well-crafted, cunningly paced, and just crazy good with jaw-dropping twists that had my digestive system in knots. I was taut with tension, deeply invested and couldn’t read fast enough while also wanting to fully relish every tantalizing detail and shocking revelation. The compelling characters were irresistible, uniquely flawed, and captivatingly nuanced. I was absorbed, fascinated, annoyed, beguiled, frustrated, and horrified, yet I remained overwhelmingly curious while cycling through a variety of reactions to their encounters, inner musings, and shrewd insights. I didn’t think I could have been more impressed or profoundly engaged when an eye-popping and breath-stealing disclosure halfway through actually caused me to gasp, wobble, and nearly fumble my Kindle. I was rocked, and it was sensational! Adele Parks has mad skills and new fangirl.

About the Author

Adele Parks one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women’s fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 3 million books and her work has been translated into 25 different languages.

1500+ 5 star reviews have kindly been written by her fans on Amazon.co.uk

She has published 15 novels in the past 15 years, all of which have been London Times Top Ten Bestsellers.

Adele was born in the North East of England, in 1969. She enjoyed a traditional 1970’s childhood, watching too much TV and eating convenience food because nobody minded if kids did that in those days. Since graduating from university, where she studied English Language and Literature, she worked in advertising and as a management consultant. In 2010 Adele was proud to be awarded an honorary doctorate of Letters from Teesside University.

Connect with Adele
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Book Review, Giveaway: The Sweetest Match by Abby Tyler


 

The Sweetest Match
Abby Tyler

Publication date: March 7, 2019

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

She hid secret messages in frosting, thinking no one would notice.

Abby Tyler welcomes you to the witty, well-meaning busybodies of Applebottom, Missouri, where the community takes its pies — and its matchmaking — very seriously.

Sandy Miller became an outcast at fifteen years old. Pregnant, confused, and blackmailed into silence, she spent eighteen years raising her son away from the disapproving stares of her hometown.

But Caden has left for college, and Sandy needs a job. When Applebottom’s tea shop owner sees Sandy’s decorating sketches, she hires her instantly in hopes of putting her little bakery on the map.

And then the town starts spotting secret words of love and longing on her cakes.

Andrew McCallister is the first to admit that he never got over Sandy Miller. In high school, another boy swooped in and snatched her right up. Everything that happened afterward filled him with regret. The town’s censure. His failure to check on her. Her struggle.

But now she’s back.

When the town summons the pair to a meeting to plan the school’s centennial bash, Andrew and Sandy discover they are the only two members of the committee. As they attempt to rekindle the long-lost flame, they realize the community must come together for more than an anniversary party. For their new relationship to flourish, the old guard must learn to support their most vulnerable members even when times get hard.

Abby Tyler is the new small-town romance pen name of USA Today bestselling author Deanna Roy / JJ Knight.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

She liked to wave her arms to express herself, and her dress had flouncy sleeves that made her look a bit like a flying squirrel.

 

Gertrude had always been a sourpuss, but in her heart of hearts, she loved this town and everybody in it. That included Betty Johnson and her evil petit fours.

 

Some of the things these people had said to her eighteen years ago would ring in her ears all her life. It was one thing to forgive, but quite another to completely forget.

 

“This is MiMi, Lolo, JuJu, NayNay, Tutu, and Killer.” Killer looked up at the mention of his name. He was a tiny brown Chihuahua with a pink nose. “Killer?” Andrew asked. “He’s a rescue pup. He won’t answer to anything else.”

 

She wondered if she had died somehow, and this were her afterlife. Nothing felt real.

 

I’ve loved you since I was too young to know what the word meant.

 

My Review:

 

I connected to this delightful book on page one and was an instant fan of the lively and fun yet insightful writing style of Abby Tyler.   The storylines were relevant, engaging, and amusingly observant while still tapping on all the feels. Ms. Tyler has deftly captured those small-town foibles and advantages with her irresistibly intriguing, meddlesome, and quirky characters. I am greedy for more.

Author Bio:

Abby Tyler loves puppy dogs, pie, and small towns (she grew up in one!) Her Applebottom Matchmaker Society books combine the sweet and wholesome style of romance she loves with the funny, sometimes a-little-too-truthful characters she remembers from growing up in a place where everyone knew everybody’s business.

 

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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