Book Review – Today

Tags

Book Review, RJ Scott, Single Dads series, Today

I am SO loving this series.

*****

Today

Single Dads #2

by RJ Scott

Blurb:

When the world labels a man and judges them blindly, is it possible to ever find love?

Firefighter Eric is on the front line, battling the threat of nature’s destruction in the California grasslands alongside his CalFire team. Focused and calm, even in the direst of situations, he has a strong affection for his fire truck, loves his career, and has best friends he can rely on. All he needs now is love, but that seems to be impossible to find. At his friend’s wedding. Eric falls in lust at first sight with the shy, slim and sexy Brady, even if Brady isn’t the type of guy he usually goes for. What Eric longs for is an equal in his bed, not a smaller guy who might want Eric to role-play big strong firefighter every time they have sex. He wants to find someone he can be vulnerable with, someone who will love him for his soft heart and quiet ways.

Brady’s life plans grind to a halt when his niece and nephew lose their parents in a tragic accident, and he becomes a dad overnight. His Developmental Coordination Disorder rules his life, but he fights both DCD and the fears that chase him every day, to give Maddie and Lucas a home. Agreeing to go to a friend’s wedding is a decision he regrets long before he even gets there. But, he refuses to give in to his fear, even if he might do something that makes him a target for people’s comments and laughter. Meeting Eric, a huge man with a gentle voice and a flair for chivalry, he falls hard. Now, if only he can let himself get past his panic that Eric would never want someone like him, then maybe he could fall in love for real.

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Za5aB6

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2L3ak86

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TodayRJS

Book #1 – Single (read my review here) available now – Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

*****

Review:

I always perk up when I see a new book by RJ Scott and she delivers once again. Each of these guys is so different, with their own unique problems that readers can get behind.

I love that big, strong Eric doesn’t always want to be the one in charge.  A guy of his size, with his job, looking the way he does … you can easily see why people who want to be “rescued” are drawn to him.  His instant attraction to Brady sends up some red flags but the pull is too strong to resist.

With Brady’s issues you can easily see why he steers well clear of anyone like Eric.  He’s not helpless and it’s hard to have people always wanting to take care of you.  Since everything about Eric screams white knight, he’s definitely not interested.  Luckily, Eric isn’t good at being ignored.

Not in the mood for a lot of drama, I enjoyed the fact that there was little angst here.  Once Eric gets Brady to let him in a bit, things progress pretty easily.  There are bumps, especially with Eric’s job and Brady’s reluctance to do anything outside of his house, but they are small ones.  All about the sweetness and feels, Today winds its way smoothly from a meet-cute to a warm & fuzzy HEA.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

Email RJ rj@rjscott.co.uk | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43672/

*****

Advertisements

Book Review – Kiss Me Not

Tags

Book Review, Emma Hart, Kiss Me Not, Kiss Me series

I just love a best friend’s sibling book … I just can’t resist one!

*****

Kiss Me Not

Kiss Me #1

by Emma Hart

Blurb:

What do you do when you’re the reigning kissing booth champion but the only person you want to kiss is your best friend’s brother?

Let me make this clear right here, right now: I, Halley Dawson, do not care that Preston Wright is kissing other women.

Not a lick. Not at all. Nuh-uh-freakin’-uh.

I do care that he’s doing it six feet away from me behind a gaudy velvet curtain—making him my competition in this year’s kissing contest.

Why do I care, you ask? Because I’ve had an unfortunate crush on the insufferable idiot since I was sixteen years old, but I also know it’s never going to happen.

He’s the Creek Falls bachelor to die for, and I’m the Creek Falls racoon lady who puts peanut butter sandwiches out for them every night.

I’m not going to let him break my four-year-long reign—no matter how many times he breaks the rules and slides the curtain across to do the one thing he’s not allowed to:

Kiss me.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2wq22jD

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2VZW8QH

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/2QFpPWh

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2JMUDng

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2XkZiA5

*****

Excerpt:

“I never answered your question.”

“What question?” I darted my eyes to the side.

“Just now. You asked me if I wanted to kiss you.”

I did, didn’t I? Right. “Oh,” was all I said.

Slowly, he moved his hand to my chin and gently lifted it. Still, I didn’t look at him, keeping my eyes firmly trained on the front of the tent, even though I was facing him.

“Halley.”

“Yeah?”

“I want to kiss you.”

My eyes darted to his.

“I thought that’d do it.” His lips twitched, and he lowered his head until I had to fight the urge to close my eyes in anticipation of the kiss that was coming.

I swallowed, my lips parting.

Preston moved closer.

And he kissed my cheek.

I jerked out of whatever trance I’d just been in. “What the hell?”

He jumped off the stage, grinning. “I guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to break the stalemate, won’t we?”

“Oh, hell no!” I jumped off, stalking him to his side of the stage. “You just stood there in front of me and told me you want to kiss me, then kiss my cheek? The hell was that?”

His eyebrows shot up, amusement flashing in his eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted to kiss me, too.”

“Irrelevant,” I shot back. “But you’re a special kind of asshole to tell a girl you wanna kiss her and then not do it.” I turned around, then stopped. “You know what? When I beat you tomorrow, you can kiss my ass.”

“You’re way too mad about this.”

“I’m not mad!” My voice raised a few octaves. “I couldn’t care if you want to kiss me or not. I most certainly don’t want to kiss you.”

“Why are you shouting at me?”

“I’m not—” I was shouting at him. “Whatever,” I said in a normal voice. “Make sure you take that money to the bank. Tell Tish I sent you.”

I left him on his side of the curtain and went to get my purse. He could get fucked. After all that where I think I was so damn nervous I broke a sweat, he didn’t even kiss me.

I wasn’t lying with what I said.

He could kiss my ass.

I’d even wear my good panties and bend over for him.

*****

Review:

I definitely have mixed feelings about this one.  I love sass as much as the next person, but unfortunately I felt like sometimes this moved a bit too much toward b*tch rather than snark.  I really liked Preston though and he was enough to gloss over those areas (although sometimes I wonder why he put up with the women in his life).  I also loved Halley’s relationship with her adorable trash pandas – her love for her raccoons helped me forgive her for some of her more difficult moments.

I do wish, though, that we had gotten more of Preston’s POV.  He’s a upstanding guy, doesn’t sleep around, and decent.  Maybe that’s why we only get a couple of chapters about him and the rest is Halley and her buffet of issues.  Which is fine, but maybe it would have been better to be entirely her POV so I wouldn’t have felt cheated to get just a couple of glimpses of him.  I also wished we had gotten more of Halley’s grandma and Preston’s Aunt Bethel, because I think those hilarious old ladies could have provided a bit a good hearted fun and humor to the story and offset some of the girls mouthiness.

I do have to admire how Hart kept things relatively drama free (except for the smart mouth moments), when she could easily have gone for the drama.  The romance itself is sweet and cute, and handled in a laid-back manner.  Overall, if you are looking for a sarcasm-ladden rom-com, Kiss Me Not delivers well.

*****

Author Info:

Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels and has been translated into several different languages.

She is a mother, wife, lover of wine, Pink Goddess, and valiant rescuer of wild baby hedgehogs.

Emma prides herself on her realistic, snarky smut, with comebacks that would make a PMS-ing teenage girl proud.

Yes, really. She’s that sarcastic.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2KVY9Lz

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2Dr0atq

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Dq42ez

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2EBbZNe

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2D91d3T

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

Stay up to date with Emma by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2NtAbca

Website: https://www.emmahart.org/home

*****

Book Review – A Highlander Walks Into a Bar

Tags

A Highlander Walks Into a Bar, Book Review, Highland Georgia series, Laura Trentham

A Highlander Walks into a Bar

A Highland, Georgia Novel

by Laura Trentham

The timeless romance, soaring passion—and gorgeous men—of Scotland come to modern-day America. And the rules of love will never be the same…

Isabel Buchanan is fiery, funny, and never at a loss for words. But she is struck speechless when her mother returns from a trip to Scotland with a six-foot-tall, very handsome souvenir. Izzy’s mother is so infatuated by the fellow that Izzy has to plan their annual Highland Games all by herself. Well, not completely by herself. The Highlander’s strapping young nephew has come looking for his uncle…

Alasdair Blackmoor has never seen a place as friendly as this small Georgia town—or a girl as brilliant and beguiling as Izzy. Instead of saving his uncle, who seems to be having a lovely time, Alasdair decides he’d rather help Izzy with the Highland Games. Show her how to dance like a Highlander. Drink like a Highlander. And maybe, just maybe, fall in love with a Highlander. But when the games are over, where do they go from here?

*slight spoilers ahead*

I usually don’t enjoy romances with little white lies but Trentham manages to do it with minimal drama and without making anyone feel like they were wronged. We understand why Alasdair and Gareth do the things they do … although I do have to say that I shook my head at Alasdair a few times. Typical guy thinking he knows best 🙂 There’s also a bit of insta-love involved, and not just with Izzy’s mom bringing a guy home from her holiday. Our main couple does spend a lot of time together, though, and you get the feeling that they really have a connection & understanding. (I just wish, with all of the talk of Scotland, that we’d gotten a little more of their time there than what was in the epilogue.)

By this point, Trentham is an absolute pro at the small town romance – delivering quirky characters, a boat load of humor, and a town full of eccentricities. Check out her other series if you haven’t already – fabulous reads all around. Plus now she’s giving us guys in kilts and all I can say is you rock, Trentham! Keep ’em coming ’cause I’m SO ready for Iain and Anna’s story. And I really hope that there’s something in the works for Holt … a fiery Scottish lass to offset his All-American Boyness would just make my day *hint, hint*

Book Review – Victor

Tags

Book Review, Brenda Rothert, Chicago Blaze series, Victor

That cover needs to come with a warning label!

*****

Victor

Chicago Blaze #3

by Brenda Rothert

Blurb:

He’s a hockey star with a headboard full of notches. She’s a shy NHL concession worker at who’s never been kissed.

Lindy

They don’t call me Belinda Boring for nothing. It’s my name, after all. And for a 23-year-old with plain brown hair who still lives at home and gets tongue tied over nothing, it’s a fitting one. I’m not even one of those quiet girls with a hidden talent, unless making a mean order of nachos at the NHL arena I work at counts. My life consists of working, reading and harboring a secret crush on a hockey player who doesn’t know I exist. At least, until we accidentally meet and become unlikely friends.

Victor

I’m living the dream. A poor kid who worked his way into the NHL, I’ll never forget where I came from, though I try to. My past follows me, a nagging reminder that I’ll never be what everyone thinks I am. As the threat of my secret being exposed looms closer, my game slips, leaving me in danger of being cut from my team–the only family I have. I’m losing my hold on everything when a new friend helps me find hope. She’s nothing like the women I’m used to, but by the time I figure out that’s exactly why she’s right for me, I’ve lost my chance with her. Somehow, I have to convince a woman who thinks she’s invisible that she’s the only one I see.

Grab your copy now:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2K3IB9i
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2KHJDr5
BN: https://bit.ly/2WmXODT
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2I6J4W1

~

Get ANTON:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2zQRnAP
Nook: http://bit.ly/2zGlYRg
Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2zHRQoz
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2APPYtD

Get LUCA:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DYBxGq
Nook: https://bit.ly/2MUKCmP
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BIcnu9 
Apple: https://apple.co/2GtYLWS 

*****

Review:

Lindy is just your ordinary, average, every day girl who by chance meets her famous crush and it turns into an unlikely friendship.  And later into something more.  Victor had a terrible childhood but thanks to hard work he’s made it to the top of his field.  While he’s managed to make a family of sorts out of his teammates, he doesn’t have anyone that he can really call his.  Then he meets sweet, awkward, real Lindy.

This was a very fast read for me and I really enjoyed it.  The characters are appealing and it’s fun watching them meet, fall in love, and handle some of life’s less happy moments.  But once I had time to digest I realized that Rothert put a lot into her book that I felt really could have been delved into more – like Victor’s relationship with his mom, his childhood cancer, Victor changing his mind on Lindy, how they handled the outing of their relationship with the press.  These things are hit on lightly but had potential for so much.  That doesn’t even get into the past that is giving Victor so much trouble.  Rothert opens the door to make him a hero for so many and … she lets it go.  I appreciate that she does have him come to terms with it for himself and maybe she can come back around to it in a future story but she put the possibility out there and left it.  I just wish there’d been a chance to add a little more depth to the story.

Overall, though, Victor is a quick and satisfying Cinderella story that’s a perfect poolside read – just don’t tell Lindy I called her that! I’m looking forward to seeing more in the series and from this author.

(This is the first in this series that I’ve read but I felt like it could stand on its own.)

*****

Author Info:

Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, chocolate, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.

Website: http://brendarothert.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbrendarothert/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrendaRothert
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/brendarothert/
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/BrendaRothert
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TyGXds

*****

Book Review – Gimme Some Sugar

Tags

Book Review, Gimme Some Sugar, Juliette Poe, Sex and Sweet Tea series

Gimme Some Sugar

Sex and Sweet Tea #5

by Juliette Poe

Larkin Mancinkus prides herself on making the town of Whynot, North Carolina just a little sweeter. As owner of Sweet Cakes Bakery, Larkin gets all the town gossip – the sugar, the spice, and the everything not so nice. So when she finds herself on the tip of everyone’s tongue thanks to an encounter with a mysterious and handsome stranger, she learns the true meaning of ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.’

Deacon Locke has spent his life traveling the world with no particular destination in mind. But when he rolls into Whynot on his Harley, he just knows there is something different about this town. What he doesn’t know is that out of all the places he’s traveled and all the people he’s met, the gorgeous bakery owner might just entice him to put down some solid roots.

Come on down to see what’s cookin’ between Larkin and Deacon.

I felt so bad for Deacon.  He seems to be OK with things but really his childhood is amazingly heartbreaking.  Sure some have had it worse but every child deserves better than what he got.  It’s helped him grow into a strong, self-contained man but it also has left him with a little trouble committing.  Falling for Larkin is definitely NOT in his plans but she’s sweet, a little sassy, a lot unsure of herself, and prone to a few I Love Lucy moments of hilarity.  Neither he (nor I) stood a chance once she stepped into his life.

Some days you just need a low drama, slow build romance and Poe definitely delivers here.  We get to know her characters and fall a little bit for them with every page.  And those pages are filled with enough humor, charm, and sexiness to have me coming back again and again.

(This is my first in this series but it can easily stand on its own.)

Book Review – The Summer of Sunshine and Margot

Tags

Book Review, Susan Mallery, The Summer of Sunshine and Margot

We saw a sneak peek of this one earlier this summer and I finally got my grubby little hands on it!

*****

The Summer of Sunshine and Margot

by Susan Mallery

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: HQN; Original edition (June 11, 2019)

Blurb:

The Baxter sisters come from a long line of women with disastrous luck in love. But this summer, Sunshine and Margot will turn disasters into destiny…

As an etiquette coach, Margot teaches her clients to fit in. But she’s never faced a client like Bianca, an aging movie star who gained fame—and notoriety—through a campaign of shock and awe. Schooling Bianca on the fine art of behaving like a proper diplomat’s wife requires intensive lessons, forcing Margot to move into the monastery turned mansion owned by the actress’s intensely private son. Like his incredible home, Alec’s stony exterior hides secret depths Margot would love to explore. But will he trust her enough to let her in?

Sunshine has always been the good-time sister, abandoning jobs to chase after guys who used her, then threw her away. No more. She refuses to be “that girl” again. This time, she’ll finish college, dedicate herself to her job as a nanny, and she 100 percent will not screw up her life again by falling for the wrong guy. Especially not the tempting single dad who also happens to be her boss.

Master storyteller Susan Mallery weaves threads of family drama, humor, romance and a wish-you-were-there setting into one of the most satisfying books of the year!

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Review:

These sisters are very different and I love how we feel that in their stories.  Sunshine’s is bigger, louder, and messier but she is oh-so-appealing for it.  Your heart just goes out to her as she struggles to be the person she wants to be and not who she used to be.  Declan and Connor are a perfect match for her – if only they’d met under different circumstances.  Unfortunately they didn’t so there’s going to be some struggles and a lot of bumps along the way.

Margot is more formal & reserved and her story matches, except for Bianca.  Matching these two brings out some wonderful comedic moments and I only wish we’d had even more of Bianca’s oddly compelling presence.  Unfortunately some of her more risque choices over the years haven’t gone over as well, especially with Alec.  It helps explain a lot of why he’s the way he is, and why Margot is a good match for him.

If you are looking for a fun read to throw in your bag for a trip to the beach or the pool, this is definitely it.  The Summer of Sunshine and Margot follows the sisters as they fall in love and we effortlessly flow between the two & the people in their lives.  It never felt disjointed (as multi-characters books can) as we get to know everyone and watch as their connections deepen.

*****

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 | Instagram

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – I’ve Got You

Tags

Becca Seymour, Book Review, I've Got You

I loved Let Me Show You so much, I couldn’t wait to get a chance to read Davis & Scott’s story!

*****

I’ve Got You

by Becca Seymour

Rainbow Tree Publishing

Release Date: Tuesday, July 2 2019

Format: Paperback, eBook

Price: 3.99

Word Count: 69k

Cover Artist: Booksmith Design

Blurb:

When a single dad and a newly outed veterinarian meet by chance, it takes red-cheeked conversations, a tentative friendship, and the willingness to put their hearts on the line to show these men they’re made for each other.

Single dad Davis Jackson is busy balancing his coffee shop and being the best dad he can be. That doesn’t mean he’s not lonely. After a fumbling encounter with a man who looks as gorgeous as he does unhappy, Davis is left wondering who the mystery man is.

All Davis knows is that he has never felt such an instant attraction to anyone before, but when he discovers the brown-eyed man’s identity, it’s clear the recently out-of-the-closet veterinarian is lost and quite possibly broken.

A swoon-worthy low-angst stand-alone contemporary M/M romance featuring characters from LET ME SHOW YOU.

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RCWJJ7Y/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RCWJJ7Y/

Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07RCWJJ7Y/

Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07RCWJJ7Y/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ive-got-you-becca-seymour/1131452885

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/i-ve-got-you-8

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/au/book/ive-got-you/id1462301277

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45436685-i-ve-got-you

QueeRomance Ink Link: https://www.queeromanceink.com/book/ive-got-you/

*****

Excerpt:

I was thirty-three years old and still had no clue who I was.

Just two steps and I’d be able to breathe again.

One.

I clutched the handle and yanked the door open. Fresh air greeted me. I stepped into the darkness and pulled the door quietly closed behind me, then looked around the fenced backyard, only seeing the side panels and nothing beyond the darkness. My gaze settled on a couple of chairs. While it wasn’t complete escape, it gave me time to catch my breath and get my head straight.

Easing into the wooden chair, I leaned back, stretching out my neck and glancing up at the star-filled sky. With no lights on in the yard and just the faint glow filtering out from the busy kitchen, I was able to focus on the tiny specks overhead. I released a heavy exhale, pulling the calmness of the outside into me. I shouldn’t have come. Damn, I should have been at least two thousand miles away by now, away from this tiny town that threatened to split apart my whole world.

Claws on the wooden deck, a not-so-soft grunt and sigh, and I glanced to my right to see Carter and Tanner’s monster dog, Rex, ambling over to me. The first couple of times I’d met Rex at the veterinary clinic, it was no surprise to Carter or me that the Ridgeback had taken an instant dislike to me. Hell, I didn’t even like myself most of the time. But as he walked toward me, I no longer tensed in fear. This was the third visit I’d made to Carter’s, and it seemed Rex had had a change of heart.

He huffed as he sat next to me, his large head immediately landing on my thighs. My first real smile of the night spread across my lips, and I reached out both hands and rubbed behind Rex’s ears. “Hey there, mutt.” I rubbed a bit harder, and he moaned happily. I snorted. “You like that, huh?” Rex tilted his head and leaned his right ear into my palm. “You know, bud, I think you’ve got the right idea.” He blew heavily out of his snout, and I laughed, the sound filling the quiet space. “Life’s a hell of a lot easier if you’ve got no balls at all to lead you around and confuse the heck out of you.”

A snort-laugh from out of the darkness had me tensing. I squinted, looking toward the end of the yard. After a moment, my eyes adjusted and I saw a man looming, his figure moving closer until he stepped into the faint light.

Damn. So much for alone.

Rex’s head flipped to the side to look at the guy coming toward me. He grunted again and then thumped his head back down onto my thighs before nudging my hand for me to continue.

I started to rub, not as invested, nor as relaxed. With my jaw locked, I risked a glance at the guy. Light spilled onto the stranger’s face, highlighting his strong jawline. While I couldn’t see the color of his eyes, I did see the creases surrounding them. It immediately made him seem approachable and friendly. As he moved closer, a small smile lifted his mouth. My gaze landed on the slight curve of his lips before traveling back to his eyes. They were brown, but in the dull light, I couldn’t tell the exact shade or depth.

Friendly, he most definitely was, if his smile and the “Hey” he offered me were anything to go by. But he also looked tired as hell.

I cleared my throat, suddenly aware I’d stayed quiet for a few seconds too long. “Hey.” My voice was gravelly and sounded unnaturally deep.

The guy paused in front of me, his hands dipping into his jeans pockets. He was quiet for a beat, seeming to contemplate what to say.

“You know Rex then?”

I nodded and then took a glance at the large head resting on my lap. With a small nod, I smiled. “Yeah. He finally likes me, so I’m taking it as a win that we’re friends.”

The brown-eyed man’s head tilted slightly, his gaze scanning my face a moment before his eyes returned to mine. “So you’re a friend of Carter’s?”

A humorless snort burst free, not enough to startle Rex, but enough for the guy to raise his brows. I cleared my throat again, not especially liking the fact that it seemed to be closing up and becoming uncomfortably dry in front of this guy. “Well, sort of. We used to work together.”

“Not anymore?”

I bit back the bitter retort dancing on my tongue, tempted to ask if that wasn’t what “used to” explicitly meant. There was no need for me to be so defensive or any bigger of an asshole than I already had a reputation for being.

“Nope. Just trying to figure out my next move.” I clamped my mouth shut, wondering why I’d shared so much. He sat on the lounger beside me, stopping my analysis. “Please, take a seat.” Damn, I really needed to learn to keep my mouth shut and stop being a dickhead. “Sorry.” I threw him a small grimace, noticing both of his perfectly arched brows were lifted, his attention solely on me. There was also a small smile on his lips. I was positive I saw it twitch.

“Hey, I can leave.”

Though, he stayed put, making no indication he planned on moving. He didn’t even shrug or twitch as he spoke.

While solitude had been what I’d craved, I was smart enough to recognize that just maybe not being alone was a good thing. Being alone, I was discovering, was not helpful at all. All it did was give me too much time with my thoughts. And that had a habit of screwing with my head. While I’d sought the quiet, especially since my blowout with Carter a while back, I recognized how dangerous isolation could be. Loneliness was a slippery slope.

*****

Review:

This is a follow up to Seymour’s Let Me Show You and while it can stand on its own you really have a better understanding of the characters if you’ve read the first story.  This one is more of a redemption story for Scott … and a reward for everyone who wanted Davis to find his own HEA.

I think my favorite part is that Scott’s behavior from the first story isn’t swept under the rug.  Even though Carter has decided to forgive and forget, Scott (and those that know what he did) still has to come to terms with what he did and what it means for his future.  It’s not easy for Scott, but with help he manages to make himself into someone he can face in the mirror again.

Davis is very supportive and understanding.  I love his truth first attitude and how he sometimes is a little too blunt, especially for poor confused & repressed Scott.  But he’s willing to be there for him, give him the time he needs to figure things out, and take slow steps together to make a solid friendship (and later something more).

For a new author, Seymour is certainly good at her craft.  Her books go from lighthearted and humorous to overflowing with emotion and back again with ease.  And her characters are just so darn appealing (even when they are recovering a**holes)!   She says there are no plans for any more stories in this series, but with skills like her’s I’m sure that whatever direction she goes will be fabulous.  She’s definitely going on my must read list 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Becca Seymour lives and breathes all things book related. Usually with at least three books being read and two WiPs being written at the same time, life is merrily hectic. She tends to do nothing by halves so happily seeks the craziness and busyness life offers.

Living on her small property in Queensland with her human family as well as her animal family of cows, chooks, and dogs, Becca appreciates the beauty of the world around her and is a believer that love truly is love.

Author Website: https://beccaseymour.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/authorbeccaseymour

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/beccaseymourauthor/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/beccaseymour_

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbeccaseymour/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18745264.Becca_Seymour

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/21905/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Becca-Seymour/e/B07NYXX6JP

*****

Giveaway:

Becca is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4771/

*****

Book Review – Single

Tags

Book Review, RJ Scott, Single, Single Dads series

Single dads are some of my favorite romance heroes … but new single dads might just be the best of them all.

*****

Single

Single Dads #1

by RJ Scott

Length: 54,000 words approx.

Cover Design: RJ Scott

Blurb:

Reeling from the painful rejection of a man he thought he loved, Asher is left holding the baby.

Ash wants a family, and is determined to continue with a surrogacy he’d begun with his ex. Bringing baby Mia home, he vows that he will be the best father he can be. Nothing in this world matters more to him than caring for his daughter, not even accidentally falling in lust with the doctor next door. Challenged by his growing attraction to Sean, and confronted by painful memories of his family, Ash has to learn that love is all that matters.

When ER doctor Sean moves in with his friends next door to sexy single father Ash, he falls so quickly it takes his breath away. The sex they have is hot, but Ash is adamant his heart is too full with love for his daughter to let anyone else in. Why is Sean the only one who sees how scared Ash is, and how can he prove to his new lover that he desperately wants the three of them to become a family?

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

*****

Review:

Poor, sleep-deprived, anxious Asher.  He’s so absolutely adorable in his love for Mia and how terrified he is that he’s going to fail her.  It’s totally two steps forward and one back for him as he starts learning to be a dad.  Finding himself attracted to the hottie (and compassionate) doctor next door just makes things even more complicated, which is the last thing he thinks he needs.

Sean is amazingly patient with Ash and does everything he can to woo his neighbor slowly.  He’s there to support when needed and give a little push when that’s needed too.  He’s the same with his friends and I think that is just as appealing as his boyfriend potential.  (Those three guys are fun, in a juvenile way, and fit together well as their own made up family unit.  I’m looking forward to seeing more of the others in future stories.)

While I loved these characters, I felt like we were missing a little bit in the story line.  Part of it was that we got the lead up to, but not the actual, falling in love portion.  I missed seeing the relationship build into that HEA.  And there were so many other things that I think needed to be addressed a little more – Asher’s reluctance to get involved again, his worry over being a good dad, his history with his mom, Sean’s lack of previous commitment.

While we got plenty of feels, awesome primary AND secondary characters, and a tease about what’s coming next that has me soooo ready for book 2, I feel like we needed just a bit more to make this one truly awesome instead of very good.

I’ll happily take very good though and anxiously wait to see where we got next.

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the links below:

Email RJ rj@rjscott.co.uk | Facebook | Twitter | BookBub | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43628/

*****

Book Review – Hold On Tight

Tags

Book Review, Bridgeport Social Club series, Hold on Tight, Shelley Shepard Gray

Hold on Tight

Bridgeport Social Club Series

by Shelley Shepard Gray

Jackson Koch had already lost his wife to cancer when the town’s coal mines shut down and his job was gone too. So, with a three-year-old daughter to care for and a broken heart to mend, he moved across the country to find a new life in Bridgeport, Ohio. Now he tends bar by night and tries to navigate life as a single dad by day. Luckily, his neighbor is happy to babysit while he works late nights. She’s great with little Kate, beautiful, kind … and lately he’s found himself smiling whenever he thinks about her.

Dani Brown also knows what it’s like to lose a spouse and raise a child on her own. Cleaning houses during the day, and taking online classes at night, she dreams of running her own preschool someday. And, since her fourteen-year-old son Jeremy’s baseball team requires a lot of money, she’s thrilled to earn some extra cash by watching her handsome neighbor’s adorable little girl. But even with two jobs, she’s having trouble making ends meet.

When Jackson sees Dani running herself ragged for her son’s baseball ambitions he decides it’s time to get the Bridgeport Social Club involved. Together they cook up a plan. They will run a charity poker tournament to support Jeremy’s dream and help out a hardworking single mom. But will Dani be able to accept help from the handsome neighbor she’s starting to feel more-than-friendly feelings for? And how far is she ready to let those feelings go?

Get ready to fall in love with Shelley Shepard Gray’s Bridgeport Social Club again, where a poker night is so much more than a game of cards and an extraordinary community of ordinary men and women come together to offer love, light, and hope to everyone they encounter.

I loved the first two books in this series and this one shows that Gray knows how to keep delivering.  Both Dani and Jackson have experienced hardships in their lives and are just doing the best they can for their kids.  The easy way these two manage to create a kind of friendship and then something more is very appealing.  And realistic.  There are so many ways that this could have gone sideways but Gray manages to keep things real and relatively drama free.

Dani has spent so many years having only herself to rely on that it is hard for her to accept someone else’s offer of help.  She can’t get past the feeling of owing someone and while Jackson is ready to be there for her it takes a bit for her to get to the point of being able to accept it.

Jackson has been struggling with losing both his wife and his job in a short amount of time.  He had a little problem with depression (understandably) for a while and getting him & his daughter out of their small town was the best for both of them.  It’s just super hard to accept a life where he is now a bartender – a good job just not what he imagined for himself.  But he has good friends and with a little self-examination he’s starting to feel a better about his situation.

You aren’t going to find a lot of drama moments with this series.  It’s just realistic characters, living their lives and trying to figure things out – pretty much like you and me 🙂  Instead, go into it with a relaxed mind and an attitude of just enjoying the ride.  You’ll find plenty to appreciate about the well-crafted characters and the normality of their lives.

Book Review – Forever My Hero

Tags

Blessings Georgia series, Book Review, Forever My Hero, Sharon Sala

Forever My Hero

Blessings Georgia series

by Sharon Sala

Every storm they’ve weathered…has led them to each other

Dan Amos lost his wife and son years ago, when they inadvertently got in the way of a death threat meant for him. He’s never had eyes for anyone since, and he doesn’t want to. But fellow Blessings resident Alice Conroy sparks something inside him…

Newly widowed, Alice was disillusioned by marriage and isn’t looking to fall in love anytime soon. Then a tropical storm blazes a path straight for the Georgia coast, and as the town prepares for the worst, Dan opens his heart and his home. The tempest is raging, but Alice and Dan are learning to find shelter…in each other.

Sala is my go-to for down home, small town, feel good stories.  She gives her readers characters that may not have a lot materially but they have a ton of heart and know what it means to be part of a community.  (I will say that this one just seemed to have a bit more going on than I remember from the first stories.  They seemed to focus more on a particular couple while introducing parts of the community.  The last couple seem to be getting a little heavier with subplots and secondary characters, but it’s delivered in a way that isn’t too complicated or hard to follow, just a little bit more crowded.)

Being there with Dan and Alice as they feel out each other is all sorts of sweet.  There’s an attraction there, but both of them had a tragedy take their spouse from them so they have to decide if they are at a point where they can give their hearts again.  As if that wasn’t enough, throw in some trouble with drug dealers, mean girls, & a hurricane closing in on the town and there’s a decent amount of tension to keep things extra interesting.

Driven by the characters and their connections throughout the town, Sala’s Blessings series shows the complications and reality of life, love, and community.

(Can easily be read as a standalone but would probably be better enjoyed as part of the entire series just so you get an understanding of how everyone fits together.)