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Romantic Reads and Such

~ thoughts on romances

Romantic Reads and Such

Monthly Archives: July 2018

Book Review – When We Found Home

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Book Review, Susan Mallery, When We Found Home

If you are looking for an end of summer read, you can’t go wrong with a new story by Susan Mallery!

*****

When We Found Home

by Susan Mallery

Blurb:

Life is meant to be savored, but that’s not easy with no family, limited prospects and a past you’d rather not talk about. Still, Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister–Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise twelve-year-old. Calli

But starting over can be messy. Callie and Keira fit in with each other, but not with their posh new lifestyle, leaving Malcolm feeling like the odd man out in his own home. He was clever enough to turn a sleepy Seattle mail-order e doesn’t love being alone, but at least it’s safe. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather on the shores of Lake Washington, hoping just maybe this will be the start of a whole new life.food catalog into an online gourmet powerhouse, yet he can’t figure out how to help his new sisters feel secure. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love. But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit…until a beautiful barista teaches him that an open heart, like the family table, can always make room for more.

In this emotional, funny and heartfelt story, Susan Mallery masterfully explores the definition of a modern family—blended by surprise, not by choice—and how those complicated relationships can add unexpected richness to life.

Goodreads | Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Review:

I love Susan Mallery’s writing style.  She does a wonderful job of giving readers all the feels while adding in just the right amount of quirk and fun.  And with When We Found Home, she doesn’t disappoint.

Malcolm joined the Carlesso family when he was 12.  And while he had a great relationship with his mom and formed a bond with his new-found grandfather, his dad was pretty awful… and now they are finding out just how awful with the addition of a couple of half sisters.  You just have to feel for Malcolm as he struggles to relate to his new family dynamic.  His has no idea how to connect with his 12 year old half sister, Keira, and the sudden appearance of a new sister only a couple of years younger than him makes it even more complicated.  Luckily, with the help of a lovely barista, he just might figure things out.

Callie has gone from having nothing to having everything, including a family, and she’s just not sure how to handle it.  Adding in an intimidating and emotionally distant brother doesn’t help.  But the relationship she forms with her new little sister, as the two of the bond over their now drastically different circumstances, will just melt your heart.  Throw in a guy who thinks she hung the moon, and her life might become just about perfect.

Keira is the one I wanted to cuddle the most out of the group (although Malcolm comes in a close second – the man is just clueless but he does try … ish).  Her childhood was awful, including a druggie mom and a stint in foster care.  It’s no wonder that she’s convinced her new posh life won’t last.  Luckily an accident, a friendly barista, and the appearance of her new half-sister just might be the catalysts to help her trust in her new situation.

Mallery uses her trademark wit & snappy dialogue, along with engaging & well-developed characters, to deliver a wonderfully emotional read.  While there is a romance for both Malcolm and Callie, its the three of them trying to figure out how to become a family that really steals the show.  The complications from being thrown together at this point in their lives make it even that much harder to find a way to connect but with a little guidance, some honesty, and sheer will, they just might make something wonderful out of a terrible beginning.

*****

Author Info:

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives-family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages.Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a Taste of Seattle gift bag, including:

An “I [Heart] Happy Books” tote bag

Starbucks Pike’s Place ground coffee

Seattle Chocolates gift set (3 truffle jars)

Cucina Fresca marinara sauce

Sahale Snacks (6 packs)

Maury Island Farms jam (2 jars)

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/12a5ba191/

*****

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Spotlight – Billionaire Auction

30 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Billionaire Auction, Debbie White

Have you ever been to a bachelor auction?  I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to bid … but I might make an exception for Chase.

*****

Billionaire Auction

by Debbie White

Blurb:

When a single independent woman falls for a single dad, she has to decide if she’s willing to accept the whole package.

Jennifer Palmer is not especially excited about attending the charity event, but because it helps homeless animals and because her best friend and roommate asked her to, she agrees to attend. Besides, it might be sort of fun bidding on an eligible billionaire and just what Jenny needs to move forward after the break up with her loser boyfriend, Brad.

Single dad, Chase Marlow is well-known in the community for his work with disadvantaged women and children. He also loves animals, so when he’s asked to be one of the auctioned billionaires, he steps up to the challenge.

Jenny isn’t planning on bidding, but when Chase enters the stage, all bets are off. After all, it’s just one date.

Can Jenny and Chase get that one date off the ground, or will there be too many obstacles in their way?

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | iBooks | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

*****

Read an excerpt

Teaser-BillionaireAuction

*****

Author Info:

Debbie is a USA Today bestselling author. She currently lives in northern California where the beautiful landscapes are often the settings in her books. The jagged coastline, the rolling hills with vineyards and the redwood forest make wonderful backdrops for her romance novels.

When Debbie isn’t writing or traveling to a book signing, she’s visiting her family on the east coast, traveling to other places on her bucket list, enjoying her backyard, hiking with her husband and riding on the back of their motorcycle.

Debbie’s books range from sweet to a little spicy. Inspired by true events, Ties That Bind holds a special place in her heart.

As an avid animal lover and parent to two rescue dogs, Debbie donates a portion of her proceeds to animal rescue organizations. When you purchase one of her books, you’re also helping a furry pet with shelter, food and ultimately a new home!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Pinterest | Goodreads
Amazon Author Page | Bookbub

More books from the author >>> HERE

*****

NOW FOR THE AUTHOR’S GIVEAWAY !!

Win $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ending on Thursday 16th August at 11.59pm EST

Open Worldwide

Enter Below & Good Luck !!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*****

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*****

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Book Review – One Last Kiss

27 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Annie Rains, Blushing Bay series, Book Review, One Last Kiss

One Last Kiss

a Blushing Bay novella

by Annie Rains

Acclaimed chef, Abby Sawyer has been offered a chance to host her own cooking show. The catch is that it involves leaving Blushing Bay, North Carolina. There’s nothing left for her in the small coastal town anyway. When she gets locked in her restaurant’s basement with her estranged husband, however, she’s not going anywhere. And she’ll either end up killing or kissing her ex before the night is over. 

Even though they’ve been separated for two years, commercial fisherman Sam Sawyer is devastated when he’s served divorce papers. He refuses to sign until he and Abby have talked. Knowing she’s alone at her restaurant this weekend, he heads over and finds her downstairs in the basement–just before the door slams shut and locks them in. Being trapped in a cellar means there’s nowhere to hide from the secrets they’ve been harboring. Sam is putting everything on the table tonight, including his heart, and hoping to win Abby back for good.

(While I think those that have read this series before will be most invested in the resolution of Abby & Sam’s troubles, this can easily stand on its own.)

In One Last Kiss, Rains beautifully captures how quickly a relationship can sour due to communication issues.  Abby and Sam love each other deeply but have been apart for years.  Both of them reacted emotionally (understandably) to situations and made some assumptions about the others feelings but because they didn’t talk to each other about what was going on things quickly got out of hand.  When they finally clear the air, Rains does a fantastic job of making sure that readers feel for both of them on how things got so bad.

It may be a short read but Rains knows how to pack a punch.  Her characters are very human and deal with life honestly & realistically.  While I would definitely have loved a full length story for these two (publishing issues got in the way), in no way did I feel like I was shorted by getting a novella instead.  While the catalyst to their reunion might have needed to be a little more dramatic, everything afterward was handled with great emotion and the care it deserved for something so important to their futures.

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Spotlight – Brother’s Keeper

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Brother's Keeper I: Declan, Brother's Keeper II: Liam, Brother's Keeper III: Luke, Brother's Keeper series, Stephanie St. Klaire

This series has received some fantastic reviews and I’m so excited that all three books are now available to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited!

*****

BROTHER’S KEEPER I: DECLAN

Blurb:

The only thing that can taint money, privilege, and endless access to the finer things in life is murder. Lydia exchanges her life of luxury for a life on the run when she discovers her real estate tycoon husband is nothing more than a cold-blooded killer with endless resources. The only person who can keep her alive is the last person she wants to trust.

Declan O’Reilly was on his way to retiring from a life undercover when his final case took a potentially fatal turn. Blowing his cover to protect the only reason he stayed on the case to begin with becomes a challenge when money and power corrupt the very agency he was sworn to trust. Going off the grid, where nobody can find them, he learns his desire to protect Lydia is more than just a job.

He risks it all to protect the one thing he thought he could never have. She fights to discover what she’s really made of only to find its what he saw in her all along. Not once, but twice, fate offers a maniacal twist that can tear them apart, as much as it can drive them together while trying to outrun the extensive reach of a diabolical criminal.

Sometimes you have to break rules to protect what you love. Can Declan’s own Brother’s Keeper Security help them find their way, or does it just put more lives on the line while the unlikely couple fights for forever.

Available Now in KindleUnlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

*****

BROTHER’S KEEPER II: LIAM

Blurb:

Running blind, and hiding in plain sight may be your only option, when your villain isn’t just behind you but all around you. When a past Felicity Nichols thought was dead and buried threatens everyone she loves, that’s exactly what she encounters. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide because her villain can follow her anywhere.

Liam O’Reilly is as loyal and protective as they come. When Felicity falls victim to a cyber stalker who wants something she has, he will stop at nothing to protect her and his family from the danger threatening them at every turn. Technology may make life easier for some, but it’s the smoking gun that can end it all for others.

Power, and money will never be enough – it will only get you so far. The power struggle threatens to turn deadly when Liam meets his match, behind the computer screen, in a race of wills against time.

Can Liam overcome his own past, or will it cost him another broken heart and shattered soul. Can Felicity be the light in his darkness and reveal that love is the most dangerous weapon of all?

Will Liam and Brother’s Keeper Security be able to bring a faceless predator to justice? Or, will Liam lose more than just a second chance at love? One thing is certain… sometimes you have to break the rules to protect what you love.

Available Now in KindleUnlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

*****

BROTHER’S KEEPER III: LUKE

Blurb:

Luke O’Reilly has seen it all, done it all, and lived through it all. When a career ending injury forces him to retire from the military, he struggles to adapt. Luke was born to be a soldier, not conform to the nine-to-five mediocrity of everyday life. He needs to protect and serve like he needs his next breath.

Angry, with a bitter taste of civilian life, he finds himself searching for purpose in dangerous operatives through the family business that is Brother’s Keeper Security. Working alongside his brothers, protecting them and those they love, gives him satisfaction. But he still wants more – needs more – and struggles to find it. That is, until the one thing he didn’t think he was searching for, lands on his doorstep. Literally.

Daisy King lives life on her own terms, just the way she likes it. A free spirit, until she finds herself in the protective clutches of Brother’s Keeper, one frustrating brother in particular. As the key witness to a high-profile murder, the stakes turn dangerous and take an unpredictable twist leaving her once simple life an existence she’ll never reclaim.

In a true tug of war between good and evil, Luke fights to overcome his past, to protect his future. Can Luke and Daisy save each other and find a happily ever after? Or, does murder and mayhem prevail, robbing Daisy of her freedom and sentencing Luke to a life alone?

Available Now in KindleUnlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

*****

Author Info:

Stephanie St. Klaire is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Portland, Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs that are used to the finer things in life like sleeping all day. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found with a plate full of taco’s, a side of bean dip, and probably some gummy bears while being a little bit hippy and a lot bit busy mom’ing and wife’ing.

When she’s not tossing around gritty crime show inspired serial killers and diabolical bad guys, she likes to make people pee their pants a little with a good romcom. Sometimes, her worlds collide, and she writes really funny stuff right before she kills people off on the pages! She loves murder and mayhem as much as a good laugh and HEA! That’s why she’s a die-hard Hallmark junky but loves her gritty crime shows – balance!

Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.

Follow Stephanie St. Klaire on Social media to learn more about her, how often she really eats taco’s, and to keep up with her work.

AUTHOR LINKS:

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Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon

*****

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Spotlight – Second Time Around

24 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Nancy Herkness, Second Glances series, Second Time Around

I’m happy to have Nancy Herkness stop by today to share a special look into her newest book, Second Time Around!!

*****

Today it is a pleasure to introduce Will Chase and Kyra Dixon to readers! The hero and heroine are from my newest release Second Time Around and the title of the story certainly is inspired by the characters’ story. The ‘first time around’ for this couple was in college when Will was dating Kyra’s roommate. This evil ex cheated on Will and while Kyra longed to comfort her secret crush, but she was firmly friendzoned.

Years later in an accidental meeting in NYC, Kyra and Will are reunited–only this time sparks fly with nothing to get in the way of igniting….except the fact that Will is a little (okay, a lot) out of Kyra’s social circle. This makes interacting with his family and friends a teeny bit awkward. But while Will may have money, he is also kind, funny, hardworking, and stubborn. Too stubborn in fact to let a little bit of status stand in the way of him and the woman he wants.

However, we have to ask: Just how different are these two characters really? Read on for a questionnaire where we find out if Will and Kyra are true opposites or if they are more alike than they realize.

Question #1: What can you tell us about your favorite childhood memory?

Kyra: My father worked at the Mack Truck factory so he was very wiry and muscular, even though he was short in stature. When I was a child, he would toss me up in the air and catch me. I’ll never forget feeling the strength of his hands wrapped around my waist as he boosted me up, the sense of exhilaration as I flew through the air, and the security of knowing with absolute certainty that his steely, powerful arms would be waiting for me when I came down.

Will: My parents’ house had a two story library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and ladders on rails to reach them. It seemed like a magic cave filled with treasure to me. Once I convinced them that I would treat the books and the room with respect, they allowed me free run of it. I spent many a happy hour deciding which book to read and then stretching out on the Oriental rug to read it. Sometimes I even walked in merely to smell the scent of books waiting to be read.

Question #2: When you were growing up what types of activities did you enjoy?

Kyra: I was a voracious reader, and loved going to the public library where the librarians would set aside books they thought I would like. However, my favorite time spent there was wandering among the shelves until a book called out to me. Ice skating and riding my bike got me outdoors when Mom decided I’d spent too much time inside reading. Mom liked to shop, so we went “malling”, as she called it. I enjoyed that because I always got a treat.

Will: Reading was my activity of choice. However, my sister would sometimes bother me until I came to help her with her beloved horses at the stables, and I got to like that, especially because it was away from our parents. Tennis wasn’t bad. I hated sailing, which my mother forced me into. Couldn’t wait to give that up. I did the usual sports in school: soccer, lacrosse, basketball, etc. Working up a good sweat was satisfying.

Question #3: When it was time for college, how did you decide to attend Brunell college?

Kyra: I couldn’t afford to go far from home, so I stuck to schools in Pennsylvania. Brunell was the best school that offered me a good financial aid package. It also had a terrific English lit department, which was my passion. I only wish I had been able to finish my degree there.

Will: Brunell was my first flash of rebellion. Pops went to Harvard; Mum went to Princeton. I refused to apply to either of those. I wanted to study the classics and a noted authority on Homer taught at Brunell.

Question #4: What was your favorite part about college?

Kyra: Playing quote wars with Will Chase! Well, pretty much anything that had to do with Will. This smart, rich, golden boy from Connecticut was so alien that he fascinated me. Okay, so I loved the classes, too. I was pretty drunk on the whole “learning for the sake of learning” concept. The campus is gorgeous as well. All those brick buildings with white trim and vast, rolling, green lawns.

Will: The classics professor who made me choose Brunell, Dr. Weiss, was a spectacular teacher and mentor. His classes made me think and stretch and grow. Sometimes he’d hold class in his home where he always served the most delicious, sugary doughnuts from the local convenience mart. Every now and then, I still buy a box of those for nostalgia’s sake.

Question #5: What’s your career? How did you choose it?

Kyra: I didn’t exactly choose my career, if you could call it that. I needed to pay off the debt from college and my parents’ health issues and heard that bartenders at high end clubs in New York City could make a lot of money. I knew a little bit about bartending—and cooking— from working at a local restaurant in my hometown, so I packed up and moved. I also cook for the kids at the Carver After-School Care Center, which I love. But I started there only because the job offered a free apartment.

Will: I’m the CEO of Ceres, a multinational chain of cafés that I founded. I started the company because I didn’t want to join my father’s law firm, as he expected me to. Do you see a theme here? It was satisfying to battle the challenges of building a company, never knowing from day to day if it would survive or fail. Now that it’s grown so huge, I find myself restless.

Question #6: Do you have an active social life? What is a favorite date you have been on recently?

Kyra: Social life? I tend bar at night and cook for kids during the day. Who has time for a social life? I can’t remember the last time I went on a date.

Will: I’m the face of Ceres so I attend quite a few charity events, if you consider that a social life. I’m not sure I do. Between that and the hours I work, dating isn’t a priority. Not to mention, a broken engagement left a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to romance. My favorite recent charity event was held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where I could wander through the classic Greek and Roman art exhibits without a crowd. That was an unexpected pleasure.

Question #7: What are your goals for the future? Where do you see yourself in a few years?

Kyra: My most urgent and immediate goal is to pay off my debt. Sometimes it feels like a boulder crushing me into the sidewalk. If I ever manage to do that, my aspiration is to finish my college degree in English lit and get a job as an editor at a publishing house. Hey, a girl has a right to her pipe dreams, doesn’t she?

Will: My goal is to figure out where the hell I see myself in a few years. Right now, my future looks like more of the same: long hours at work, too much business travel, attending events for PR purposes, and resisting my mother’s efforts to marry me off to one of her friends’ daughters. Not an exciting prospect.

*****

Second Time Around

by Nancy Herkness

Release Date: July 24, 2018

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Blurb:

Kyra Dixon, a blue-collar girl from the boondocks, is dedicated to her job at a community center that matches underprivileged kids with rescue dogs. When she runs into Will Chase—Connecticut blue blood, billionaire CEO, and her old college crush—she’s surprised that he asks a favor from her: to be his date for his uptight family’s dreaded annual garden party. If his parents don’t approve, all the better.

Kyra’s not about to say no. It’ll give her a chance to be oh-so-close to her unrequited love. What begins as a little fling turns so mad hot, so fast, that Kyra finds herself falling all over again for a fantasy that won’t come true. How can it? She doesn’t belong in Will’s world. She doesn’t want to. But Will does want to belong in hers.

All he has to do now is prove it. Will is prepared to give up whatever is necessary to get what his heart most desires.

*****

Excerpt:

“Speaking of my family, I came here with an ulterior motive.”

“Oh?” What on earth could Will want from her?

“My mother throws an annual spring garden party—she calls it her Spring Fling—in Connecticut, on the family farm. She invites the whole extended family, all her friends, and my father’s business associates. I wondered if you might be willing to come with me. Next Sunday. Short notice, I know.”

His gaze didn’t waver from her face, which made it hard to respond, since she had to concentrate on not letting her mouth fall open in astonishment.

“I, um, well, that sounds like fun.” Total lie. It sounded terrifying. But she had Sunday off from work, so she had no commitments to stop her.

“Fun?” He shook his head. “It’s stuffy and tense and boring. My family all snap at each other when no one else is listening. That’s why I’m asking you to come as a buffer.”

“When you put it that way, how can I refuse?” She would be like a fish that didn’t even know which way the ocean was. But the chance to see Will in his childhood environment was irresistible. In college, he’d dropped casual comments about racing his sailboat on Long Island Sound, or his sister getting thrown from her horse in a cross-country event, or his mother winning the club’s tennis championship. It sounded like The Great Gatsby come to life. She had to experience it just once. “I’d be happy to go with you.”

The expression that crossed his face was hard to read, except for relief. “That’s the best news I’ve had all day,” he said.

“What’s the dress code?”

“Casual. It’s outdoors. There are tents in case it rains. Although even the weather rarely dares to displease my mother.”

“‘Casual’ covers a lot of territory for women,” she said. “Not jeans, I assume.”

He thought for a minute. “Dresses, sort of colorful. Flat shoes because of the grass. Straw hats, if it’s sunny.”

“What are you wearing?” That might help.

“My uniform. Khakis and a button-down shirt. Loafers.”

“No tie?”

“Hell, no!” he said. “Shirtsleeves rolled up, too.”

She got the picture, and she had nothing appropriate to wear. She sighed inwardly. This was going to cost her more money than she could afford. However, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to journey into the exotic country of upper-crust Connecticut. Not to mention, spending time with her college crush, who was even more crushworthy now.

“Okay, a rolled-up shirtsleeves kind of dress.” She took a gulp of her club soda as she debated where to find a dress that looked expensive but was bargain priced.

“I’ll pick you up at noon. We’ll make a fashionably late entrance. Which means we won’t have to endure the party as long.”

“This sounds more and more delightful all the time.”

Will finally smiled, albeit with an edge. “It won’t be as bad for you. They’re not your family.”

“I hear you.” But at least he still had his mother and father. As complicated as her parents had made her life, she sometimes felt terribly alone without them.

He sat back against the banquette. “Now I’m looking forward to the party.”

“You don’t have to flatter me. I’ve agreed to go.” But she couldn’t stop a smile of gratification from curling the corners of her mouth.

“You might begin to have second thoughts.” He pulled out his cell phone. “May I get your number so I don’t have to track you down?”

He tapped at the phone’s screen as she rattled off her phone number.

“Do you still have my cell number or did you chuck my card?” he asked with that self-deprecating smile that always charmed her.

“Just text me and I’ll have it on my phone.”

“So you chucked it.”

The disappointment in his tone surprised her.

“No, it’s at my apartment.”

His fingers flew over the keys of his phone.

A ping sounded from her back pocket, indicating she’d gotten his text, and she started to reach for her phone.

“Read it later,” he said with a roguish glint in his eyes. He placed his empty glass on the tray. “My apologies, but I have to go. Overseas business makes for odd working hours.”

*****

Author Info:

Nancy Herkness is the award-winning author of the Wager of Hearts, Whisper Horse, and Second Glances series, as well as several other contemporary romance novels. With degrees in English literature and creative writing from Princeton University, she has earned the New England Readers’ Choice award, the Book Buyers Best Top Pick honor, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, and she is a two-time nominee for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award.  Nancy is a native of West Virginia but now lives in suburban New Jersey with a goofy golden retriever.

Website: http://www.nancyherkness.com/ 

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

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NancyHerkness

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/594870.Nancy_Herkness

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card and Digital Copy of Nancy Herkness’ SECOND TIME AROUND

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f193/

*****

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Book Review – Untamed Cowboy

23 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Gold Valley series, Maisey Yates, Untamed Cowboy

My family took a vacation last week, so that’s why posts were MIA.  We’re back now (for a couple of weeks anyway), so time for another book review!

Untamed Cowboy

A Gold Valley Novel

by Maisey Yates

In Gold Valley, Oregon, love might be hiding in plain sight…

Some things are too perfect to mess with. Bennett Dodge’s relationship with Kaylee Capshaw is one of them. They work together at their veterinary clinic and have been best friends for years. When Bennett’s world is rocked by the appearance of a son he didn’t know he had, he needs Kaylee more than ever. And he doesn’t want anything else to change. But then Kaylee kisses him, and nothing will ever be the same…

Kaylee’s done her best to keep her feelings for the man she’s loved since high school hidden away, but one unguarded moment changes everything, and now there’s no more denying the chemistry that burns between them. But the explosion of desire changes all the rules, and what’s left could destroy their bond—or bring them to a love that’s deeper than she ever imagined…

I loved the idea of these friends becoming more.  They make sure a great duo that you know a relationship between the two of them would just be awesome.  Unfortunately both have some hangups that are keeping them from pursuing anything more.

It’s totally understandable why Kaylee doesn’t want to risk her most important friendship for the chance of a romance.  She needs Bennett so much that losing him would be devastating … but her heart wants more and it is not going to be ignored.

Thanks to Bennett’s childhood he has a huge need to plan.  A romance of deep emotion doesn’t really fit well with that.  He’s holding tight to his control but life does enjoy throwing people curve balls.

And seeing Bennett develop a connection to his son is the absolute best.  Kaylee’s there for both of them, with a special connection with Dallas, but in the end the guys have to be the ones making it work.  They both are so heartfelt and blunt, but hesitant too.  They handle things their way – with humor and truth, laying it out but still being protective of themselves.

The connection & long-standing friendship between Kaylee & Bennett is just so heartwarming and their struggle over where the future might take them is very real.  Some might find the push/pull of their emotions a little repetitive – it’s hard to let go and take a leap for something more when what you have is so very, very important to you.  But what if it could bring you something so much more …?  It’s a tough decision but you are going to enjoy being with them while they figure things out.

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Book Review – Here Comes the Best Man

13 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ 1 Comment

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Angela Britnell, Book Review, Here Comes the Best Man

What happens when a southern gentleman meets a British lady … love, of course.

*****

Here Comes the Best Man

Nashville Connections

by Angela Britnell

Blurb:

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow.

But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day.

Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

Amazon UK | Amazon US

*****

Review:

This is one of those fast & quirky reads, with insta-love and humorous drama.  Pretty typical for a British novella romance, I think.

We follow Josh & Louise as they are in Nashville for Chad & Maggie’s wedding and are roped into helping the bride make sure that things go smoothly.  Louise has a history (with a guy and her childhood) that has made trusting a bit difficult.  And thanks to Josh’s time in the military, as well as some left over bad feelings from his own childhood, he’s not so comfortable coming back home but he’ll do it for his brother.  Time together has them thinking that they might be able to let the other in … if they can let go of their pasts.

While it is pretty low on angst, there is still wedding disasters to avert, family issues to address, and falling in love to do.  It’s a fast read, and a fast romance, but because of the maturity of the couple and the straightforward way they handle their attraction it isn’t unbelievable.  There’s humor, heart, and hijinks all rolled together to make for a fun summer read.

(This book does follow The Wedding Reject Table, butI found that it can completely stand on its own.)

Author Info:

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s published over 20 novels and several short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

www.angelabritnellromance.com

www.facebook.com/angelabritnell

www.twitter.com/angelabritnell

https://www.instagram.com/angelagolleybritnell/

*****

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Book Review – Whiskey Sharp: Torn

11 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ 2 Comments

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Book Review, Lauren Dane, Whiskey Sharp series, Whiskey Sharp: Torn

A sexy red-head who knows his way around a kitchen … I’ve found my new book boyfriend!

*****

Whiskey Sharp: Torn

by Lauren Dane

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: HQN (June 26, 2018)

Blurb:

Sometimes what you find isn’t what you were searching for

Beau Petty has been searching his whole life. Searching for a place that fills all the empty spaces in him. Searching for a way to tame the restlessness. Searching for answers to the secret he’s never stopped trying to solve. What he wasn’t searching for was a woman to claim all of him, but when Cora Silvera walks back into his life, he’s ready to search out all the ways he can make her his.

Cora has spent her life as the family nurturer, taking care of others. But now she’s ready to pass that job on to someone else. It’s time to make some changes and live for herself. It’s in that moment that her former teenage crush reappears and the draw and the heat of their instant connection is like nothing either of them has experienced. He craves being around her. She accepts him, dark corners and all.

Beau thinks Cora’s had enough drama in her life. He wants to protect her from the secrets of his past, even if it means holding back the last pieces of himself. But Cora is no pushover and she means to claim all those pieces.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

*****

Review:

(minor spoilers ahead, maybe, I don’t know – details aren’t in the blurb but I think they are told pretty early on)

I started this series here (no surprise!) so I came into it with no preconceived notion of the characters.  And I really enjoyed myself.  Beau and Cora together are cute and sexy and pretty much melodrama free.  But that doesn’t apply to the rest of their lives.

Cora has spent the last who-knows-how-many years being at her mom’s beck & call and she’s done.  She’s ready to stay in one place and create a life for herself, something that fulfills her and isn’t just being minder to her diva mother.  And the timing is perfect as it brings her back in time to connect with Beau again.

Beau was raised in cult as the son of its leader.  He got out when his dad started doing things that Beau didn’t agree with and worked with the authorities … which sent the others on the run.  He’s managed to make a good life for himself and was a very successful model before becoming a chef.  He’s in Seattle spending time with friends and is surprised to see Cora again.

The connection between the two is instantaneous and works for me.  They get along very well and make for a believable (and steamy) couple.  I also like the bond between the two of them and their friends.  They have created a support group from themselves that is quite awesome and those interactions are fabulous to see.

There are some weaker moments – mainly Cora & her mom and Beau & his past.  While Beau’s does have a bit more resolution by the end, there is still a little bit of an open-ended feel to it.  Maybe Dane plans on it being a tie-in to a future book?  It definitely feels like it could lead to more.  And Cora & her mom definitely didn’t have the resolution that some will feel they need.  Cora does stand up for herself and works to make the situation the best it can be, but her mom is just not very likable.  Reading it you’re not sure why everyone is OK with her attitude and the way she treats people, especially family.  They maneuver her well and there is a subtle addressing of things, but I think that it isn’t going to be enough for some readers.

Overall, as my first book by Dane, I found it to be a good read – enjoyable characters all around and a hot romance.  I couldn’t ask for more in a summer read.

*****

Author Info:

The story goes like this – While on pregnancy bed rest, Lauren Dane had plenty of down time so her husband took her comments about “giving that writing thing a serious go” to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it before it gave up the ghost. Even better, she sold that book and never looked back.

Today Lauren is a New York Times bestselling author of over fifty novels and novellas across several genres.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

*****

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Book Review – The Last Rodeo

10 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ 1 Comment

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Book Review, Delores Fossen, The Last Rodeo, Wrangler's Creek series

Sexy, stubborn, looks good in a hat & boots …

*****

The Last Rodeo

A Wrangler’s Creek Novel (Book 9)

by Delores Fossen

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: HQN (June 26, 2018)

Blurb:

The most important two words for this Wrangler’s Creek rodeo cowboy? I do…

Lucian Granger isn’t winning any Mr. Cowboy Congeniality awards. Known in his small Texas town as “Lucifer” thanks to his surly nature and knack for scaring people away from getting too close, the handsome rancher has no trouble ignoring the gossip. But when he’s in danger of losing the land he’s put his blood, sweat and tears into maintaining, Lucian sets out to prove he’s a changed man—by claiming he’s about to settle down with his invaluable assistant, Karlee O’Malley.

Their pending nuptials may be just for show, but from the moment they kiss, the proverbial fireworks start going off in his head—and in his heart. Before long, the man who’s usually as emotional as a brick wall is tired of pretending and wants to share a real future with Karlee. With his world suddenly turned upside down, Lucian will risk losing the business and the ranch if it means holding on to the one woman worth becoming a better man for…

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

*****

Review:

As a new Fossen reader, I have no idea what her particular style is but I feel like I should give a few warnings for other newbies.  There isn’t a TON of romance here, so if that’s your main focus you may be disappointed (I’ve seen a few of those on Goodreads).  Instead, Fossen delivers an interesting mix of a couple coming to terms with their feelings, a oh-so-dysfunctional family, and some business shenanigans.  It melded together really well for me, but may not work for others.

Lucian is the one that stepped in when his dad stepped out and he’s done amazing things to make the family business a success.  Unfortunately, his dad is now back in the picture and threatening everything that Lucian has worked so hard for.  The big question is why and that plays out through a decent part of the book.  It also leads Lucian to making a few realizations – about himself, his life, and his heart.

Karlee has been there by Lucian’s side for years, loving him silently, but she’s finally reached the point where her heart can’t take any more.  She’s starting to move on when the bad dad drama hits and her feelings means that she can’t abandon Lucian or his family.  But being in a fake relationship with him means that some things come to light that she hadn’t planned on.

Fossen has a fun, quirky style – filling her story with humor, hijinxs, and hilarious secondary characters.  And because she writes with dual POV, we are there with Lucian while his blinders are taken away and he has to face not only Karlee’s feelings but his own.  We also get to see the toll that everything has on her.  And my heart went out to her all the way to the end.

While I found the love story to be satisfying, it also doesn’t play center stage.  Those looking for a pure romance may be a little thrown by the family and business drama.  It’s important for the characters and does help lead to the HEA, leading to growth and helping to put some old ghosts to bed, but it does make up a decent part of the plot causing the relationship portion to be downplayed a little.  Not a bad thing, in my opinion as I enjoyed seeing how everything worked out, but also not everyone’s cup of tea 🙂

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

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Spotlight – I Think I Love You

09 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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I Think I Love You, Lauren Layne, Oxford series

This series has been getting great reviews and the next book, releasing tomorrow, is already proving to be just as good!

*****

I Think I Love You

Oxford Book 5

by Lauren Layne

Releasing July 10, 2018

Loveswept

Blurb:

A game of seduction between two best friends goes deliciously wrong in an irresistible Oxford Novel that brims with wit and sexual tension. Library Journal hails Layne’s work as “exemplary contemporary romance.”

Brit Robbins knows that dating in New York City is hard—she just hoped to have it mastered by age thirty. But after yet another promising suitor says they have no sparks, Brit decides it’s time to torch her dating game and try a new plan. And who better to coach Brit through the art of seduction than the guy who first gave her the “let’s be friends” card?

Hunter Cross has always figured there’s nothing his best friend Brit can do to surprise him. But Brit’s request is a surprise he doesn’t see coming—and one he’s definitely not prepared for. Hunter and Brit have always been careful to keep things perfectly platonic, but the fake dates and faux flirting are starting to feel like the real deal. And soon Hunter realizes he has taught Brit too well. Not only has she become an expert at seduction, the man becoming thoroughly seduced is him.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36500151-i-think-i-love-you

Buy Links: AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | GPLAY | KOBO

*****

Author Info:

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies, in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

Author Links:   WEBSITE |GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | AMAZON

*****

Giveaway:

Gifted Amazon e-copy of I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE (2 winners)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81380/

*****

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