Review – Cupcakes & Christmas

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Book Review, Cupcakes & Christmas, RJ Scott

Scott’s newest is a straightforward, sweet, feel good read.

*****

Cupcakes & Christmas

by RJ Scott

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Length: 67,000 words approx.

Blurb:

The story of long nights in a wintry mountain hotel, a baking show with secrets, a snowman called Jeremy, and finding the greatest love of all.

After winning season four of ratings hit the World’s Best Baking Show, Brody Thomas had become a sought-after cake maker to the stars. Happily married, he dreamed of a bright future, but his perfect life imploded when he discovered that his husband had done nothing but lie to him. A year later, Brody is mid-divorce, and his life has been turned upside down, so being part of the WBBS charity event is excellent timing. He’s sure it will give him time away from home and space to get his head straight, only he never expected to meet the man of his dreams in a snowy Alberta.

Winning season one of WBBS gave Justin Mallory a chance to outrun the demons of a childhood lost in the foster system. He’s a social media influencer, with millions of followers, and works every hour to make money that equals security for the rest of his life. His marketing team signs him up for the WBBS Christmas charity show, but he’s convinced he’ll fall at the first hurdle. Only, after a few days in the competition, his worry isn’t that he’ll be the first to leave, it’s that he’ll lose his heart to a rival baker, Brody.

ALL BUY LINKS

*****

Review:

I have to admit that I really didn’t find Justin that appealing early on. He was young when he won the baking show and has managed to turn himself into an “influencer” but he seems to have gotten too caught up in it. He didn’t have a solid childhood so he’s trying to get to the point he feels comfortable about his financial future. It’s caused him to make a few poor choices and he’s starting to struggle with it. And meeting a truly good soul in Brody only emphasizes how lost he’s become. He stumbles a few times but the developing relationship with Brody has him figuring out the right thing to do.

Brody is much more appealing from the first. He might have taken a hit to his self-esteem but his heart is good. And meeting Justin has him realizing that his ex might not have broken him after all. He’s a positive influence on Justin and quickly the two are spending time together, growing closer.

Cupcakes & Christmas is sweet, simple, and full of all the good things that makes a holiday romance work. Two people meet, develop feelings for one another, face their demons, and figure out a way to have a future together, which makes for a straight-up, feel-good read. The best kind for this time of year!

*****

Author Info:

RJ Scott is a USA TODAY bestselling author of over 140 romance and suspense novels. From bodyguards to hockey stars, princes to millionaires, cowboys to military heroes to every-day heroes, she believes that love is love and every man deserves a happy ending.

Find RJ here: 

Amazon | BookBub | Facebook

Also, Never miss a release

*****

Book Review – Rescue You

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Book Review, Elysia Whisler, Rescue You

This one grabbed me from the first page more than any other book I’ve read lately.

*****

Rescue You

by Elysia Whisler

ISBN: 9780778310082

Publication Date: October 27, 2020

Publisher: MIRA Books

Blurb:

She needs a fresh start. He’s got scars that haven’t healed. With the help of some rescue dogs, they’ll discover that everyone deserves a chance at happiness.

After a year of heartbreak and loss, the only thing keeping Constance afloat is the dog rescue she works at with her sister, Sunny. Desperate for a change, Constance impulsively joins a new gym, even though it seems impossibly hard, and despite the gym’s prickly owner.

Rhett Santos keeps his gym as a refuge for his former-military brothers and to sweat out his own issues. He’s ready to let the funny redhead join, but unprepared for the way she wiggles past his hard-won defenses.

When their dog rescue is threatened, the sisters fight to protect it. And they need all the help they can get. As Rhett and Constance slowly open up to each other, they’ll find that no one is past rescuing; what they need is the right person—or dog—to save them.

Harlequin | Indiebound | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million
Walmart | Google | iBooks | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

One

Constance slammed on her brakes. Steam rose from the street as rain gurgled through the ditches. She killed the engine, stepped into the pattering droplets and scanned the shoulder of the road. Nothing there but the remains of a goose carcass. “Where are you, boy?” Constance gave a low whistle.

It hadn’t been her imagination. The picked-over goose only made her more certain she’d seen a dog, weaving through the foggy afternoon air like a phantom. A lost dog, with his head bent against the rain as he loped along the muddy ditch.

Constance whistled again. Silence, but for the sound of rain hitting the trees that lined the road. “Maybe I’m just tired.” She’d done a lot of massages today, which made her feel wrung out. Constance almost ducked back into the van, but halted.

There he was: a white face with brown patches, peeking at her from behind a bush. “Hey, boy.” Constance squatted down, making herself smaller, less threatening. The dog watched, motionless. Constance drew a biscuit from her coat, briefly recalling the cashier’s amusement at the grocery store today when she’d emptied her pockets on the counter, searching for her keys. Five dog biscuits had been in the pile with her phone, a used tissue and the grocery list.

“Dog mom, huh?” the elderly cashier had said.

“Something like that.” More like dog aunt, to all of the rescues at Pittie Place. Her sister, Sunny, had quite the brood.

Constance laid the biscuit near her foot and waited. A moment later, the bush rustled and the dog approached. He had short hair and big shoulders. He got only as close as he needed to, then stretched his neck out for the prize. As he gingerly took the biscuit, Constance noted a droopy abdomen and swollen nipples, like a miniature cow.

So. He was a she. Constance inched toward her. The dog held on to the biscuit, but reared back. Constance extended her fist, slowly, so the mom could smell her. “You got puppies somewhere?”

The dog whimpered, but crunched up the biscuit.

“Where are your puppies?”

The dog whimpered again. Her legs shook. Her fur was muddy, feet caked with dirt. She had blood on her muzzle— probably from the dead goose. By her size and coloring, Constance decided she was a pit bull.

Constance rose up, patted her thigh and headed toward her van. She slid open the side door, grabbed a blanket and spread it out, but when she turned around, the dog was several yards away. Her brown-and-white head was low as she wandered beneath a streetlamp, the embodiment of despair in the drizzle that danced through the light.

Constance followed, slipping on the leaves that clogged the drainage ditch. The dog glanced once over her shoulder, but her pace didn’t quicken. Constance decided her calm demeanor was working, keeping the dog from fleeing. And let’s be honest: the biscuit hadn’t hurt. Chances were, the dog would be happy to have more as soon as she got wherever she was going. “Let’s see where you’re headed, then. Show me if you’ve got a home.”

Constance followed her across the road, around the curve and down the narrow lane. Frogs popped like happy corn all over the slick street, but the chill of the oncoming winter slithered through Constance’s blood.

She followed the dog for a good quarter mile. Even before she hooked a left down the unpaved road hidden behind the trees, Constance had figured out that the mama was headed to one of the handful of empty places that sat decomposing on the hundred or so acres the Matteri family owned. Constance paused only long enough to squelch the sizzle of anger that bubbled up inside before she pressed on, determined to know if the dog was a stray or a neglected mother from Janice Matteri’s puppy mill.

Constance took the same turn and watched as the dog neared the abandoned house up ahead. Nobody had lived there in years. It was only a matter of time before it became condemned. The dog bypassed the crumbling porch of the old colonial and went around back. Constance knew little daylight was left, and she hadn’t brought a flashlight. She broke into a trot, clutched her coat tighter around her and didn’t slow until the dog came back into view. Constance followed her, her heart thumping harder with each step.

The dog passed the rusted chain-link fence and disappeared over a rise in the property, near an old shed so overgrown with trees it was only recognizable by a pale red door. Just as she reached the hill, Constance heard a squeak. The sort of high–pitched noise that echoes from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Another squeak came. And another. She crested the hill and saw the dog slink inside the shed door. Constance got to the shed and pushed inside. The dog had reached her destination: a battered old mattress, three shades of brown, lying a few feet inside. The mewls, now loud and hungry, came from a shredded section of the mattress.

Constance narrowed her eyes. At first, she counted only two bobbing, brown heads, but as she drew closer there was a third. Then a fourth. The last one didn’t move nearly as much, just sort of waded on his stomach. The puppies had cocoa-colored fur and black muzzles. Eyes open. The ones that moved didn’t really walk, just stumbled into each other, like drunks. Mama dog curled around them and they all wiggled toward her abdomen.

Constance knelt down next to the mattress and watched the suckling puppies. She decided they were about two weeks old. The air in the shed smelled of sour milk, poop and urine. She dug out another biscuit and reached, slowly, her hand in a fist to protect her fingers, her gaze on the mama for any sign she was upset, such as pinned ears, bared teeth or a raised ridge of fur down the back. The energy around the mom and her pups was calm, to the point of exhausted. Constance had certainly helped with enough of Sunny’s dogs over the years to know. She offered the biscuit and the mom took it. With her mouth busy, Constance carefully touched the smallest puppy, who shook so hard the tremble came from deep inside, beneath his skin and fur, straight from his bones.

Constance rose slowly and did a quick search of the vicinity for more puppies, which turned up nothing but trash, vermin and an old orange crate, which she brought over to the mattress.

Now to see if Mom was going to accept help.

Though daylight was precious, Constance waited until the pups were done suckling before she offered a third treat. “Let’s go back to my place,” Constance said as Mom accepted the biscuit. “My sister has a rescue for critters, just like you. And I help her all the time. You’ll be safe there. Does that sound okay?”

While Mama crunched, Constance reached for the two pups closest to her and, keeping an eye on Mom the whole time, she lifted them and settled them in the crate. Mom’s chewing quickened, so Constance acted fast, lifting the last two pups swiftly but carefully. She rose to her feet, crate in her arms. The mother dog was on her feet almost ahead of her, pointing her muzzle at the crate and whining.

Constance knew the mom would follow her anywhere she took those pups, but she also lacked any signs of aggression, almost as though she knew that this was their only chance. Or as Pete, owner of Canine Warriors and Constance’s longtime childhood friend, would put it, “You just got something about you, Cici. Everybody trusts you. People. Dogs. The damn Devil himself.”

Constance headed back to her van, chasing the sunset. As expected, the mother followed. Once to the vehicle, Constance opened the van and set the crate full of pups next to the blanket she’d spread out earlier. The mama dog leaped in after them.

Constance slid the door closed, settled behind the steering wheel and let out a great sigh. Mission accomplished. She edged down the long, lonely road. The rain pattered on the windshield and the scent of dirty puppies hit her nose. She’d take them home tonight and get them settled in, see how they reacted to a new environment, then text Sunny in the morning. Constance had worked with enough dogs, and people, to know that introducing another new person this evening was bad news. Let Mama get used to Constance first, and get some good food and rest, before she was moved to Pittie Place.

Tonight, at least, this girl and her babies belonged with Constance.

Excerpted from Rescue You by Elysia Whisler Copyright © Elysia Whisler.
Published by MIRA Books.

*****

Review:

I really enjoyed Whisler’s Rescue You but I gotta start with a little gripe. With Rhett being former military and the blurb comment about the dog rescue being threatened, I expected there to be a little more action in the story. It’s an excellent emotional journey piece about people learning to let go of the past and healing so they can have a future. But the adventure really only comes into play towards the end and Rhett isn’t that much involved. If that’s what you are looking for, I’m afraid that it might leave you a little disappointed … although all the feels will definitely give you a great read.

Constance is struggling to find her footing after taking care of her dad as he faced a terminal illness and losing her fiance. She used to be a person in charge but lately she can barely make it out of the house. A chance encounter at a local gym puts her on the path to finding who she can be. And maybe a new chance at love.

Rhett is still struggling both physically and mentally from his last mission. Having a quirky woman who is obviously out of place drop into his gym has him working to push her out of her comfort zone, to help her find the strength hidden inside. And maybe a way to handle some of his own pain.

While Constance and Rhett play the main roles here, Constance’s sister Sunny and the men in her life also need a little help in figuring out what their own futures hold. All around there’s a lot of growth, support, understanding, and love that wraps you up and holds on until the very last page. It left me wanting me, hoping some of the others at Rhett’s gym will get a chance to find HEAs of their own.

*****

Author Info:

Elysia Whisler was raised in Texas, Italy, Alaska, Mississippi, Nebraska, Hawai’i and Virginia, in true military fashion. Her nomadic life has made storytelling a compulsion from a young age. 

She doubles as a mother, a massage therapist and a CrossFit trainer and is dedicated to portraying strong women, both in life and in her works. She lives in Virginia with her family, including her large brood of cat and dog rescues, who vastly outnumber the humans.

Author Website: https://www.elysiawhisler.com/

TWITTER: @ElysiaWhisler

Facebook: @ElysiaWhisler

Insta: @ElysiaWhisler

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19812585.Elysia_Whisler

*****

Book Review – Stuck On You

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Book Review, Portia MacIntosh, Stuck On You

This so put me in a holiday mood!

*****

Stuck On You 

by Portia MacIntosh

Blurb:

Could a post-it note really lead to love…?

Sadie doesn’t have time for finding love. She’s too busy as PA for famous artist Damian Banks. When she’s not arranging exhibitions, she’s organising his dry cleaning or dumping his never ending stream of girlfriends.

But when she strikes up an unusual friendship with her desk share buddy, she finds a confidante and a new potential love interest. Problem is, they’ve never actually met…

With Christmas just around the corner, can Sadie put herself first for a change and find what she’s been looking for all along?

The brand new romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald, Mhairi McFarlane and Zara Stoneley.

Purchase Link – buff.ly/3f9Yy8M

*****

Excerpt:

It doesn’t matter how many times you break up with someone, it never gets any easier, does it?

While I’m not actually sure whether or not there is a good way to break up with someone there are, without a doubt, a million terrible ways to do it.

Dumping someone by text – that has to be the worst one, right? Text, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or any other kind of written digital communication is about as low as you can go. The absolute coward’s way out. And, sure, a phone call is better than a text but only in a similar way to how a broken finger is better than five broken fingers.

Break-ups must always be done in person, that’s just the way it is – they should probably make it the law, which might sound extreme, but I’m sure it would cut down on a whole host of angry follow-up crimes. I know a guy who got his car windscreen smashed after breaking up with a girl over e-mail – and I’d be tempted to say he deserved it.

Still, it’s not enough to simply say it to a person’s face, you have to say it right. If you’re wanting to do it as gently as possible there are many little sayings you can reach for. A classic ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ is a fine example. It’s a way to take full responsibility without saying anything negative about your dumpee – of course, we all know if it were true you wouldn’t be breaking up with them in the first place, but still, it’s a way to do it without actually telling the other person what you think is so wrong with them that you don’t ever want to see them again.

‘I think we’re better as friends’ or ‘I don’t want to ruin our friendship’ are other ways to try and edge away from things being romantic. Who the hell stays friends with an ex though, seriously? I honestly can’t think of anything worse than trying to stay buddies with someone who has seen me naked. While we’re making these break-up laws, perhaps we should draft something about how exes have to cease to exist, or at the very least move to a different country, after a break-up. I’m sure the world would be a much better place if we could all agree on that.

If I ever decide to get out of the art business and wind up in politics, I’ll start some kind of Ex-it movement where, if you want to leave a romantic union, one of you has to go and live abroad or something.

‘Hi, Sadie.’ I hear a bright, excitable voice coming from behind me. It snaps me from my thoughts. I was miles away. I guess I’m so used to sitting in noisy bars these days I don’t find it all that hard to let my mind wander.

I turn around to hug someone who clearly has no idea they are about to get dumped. This one is going to be an Ex-it Remoaner, I can tell.

‘Hello,’ I say with an equal, although completely put-on, enthusiasm. ‘Take a seat, I’ll grab us a couple of drinks.’

As I gently push my way through the crowd in the busy Belgravia bar I’ve been drinking alone in for the past thirty minutes it does cross my mind whether or not I’m doing the right thing, but the more I think about it, the more I don’t feel as if I have any other option.

So I buy our drinks, I sit down at the table, I take a deep breath and I give one of my break-up speeches – perhaps my best one yet. I allow myself to think this might actually be a straightforward break-up, until…

‘But things were going so well.’

Oh, God, I can’t handle those sad eyes. I was deluded to think this would be fine, because there’s always a ‘but’…

‘I know they were,’ I lie. I shift uncomfortably in my seat. ’It’s just, you know, things are so busy with work, as I said – no one has time for relationships at the moment.’

‘But we have to make time, otherwise no one would have relationships at all, no one would have kids, the human race would die out!’

I mean, what can I actually say to that? I’m kind of over a barrel. On the one hand, things are really hectic at work. On the other hand, working in the art industry is hardly comparable to people like doctors and firefighters who work crazy hours and still find time to have families. I’m going to have to change strategy.

‘It’s not you,’ I insist.

‘Oh, come on, don’t give me that.How often do we women have to hear that bullshit?’ she replies with a roll of her eyes.

*****

Review:

(I don’t know how to write a review for this one without giving away a few things … so beware now and stop reading if you need to 🙂 )

*

*

*

*

*

I really enjoyed reading Sadie’s story and seeing her get closer to Damian over the holidays. She’s got such a fun personality that it is very easy to like her. She’s struggling a little in her job – it’s unfulfilling and not what she is looking for long term but when she gets the chance at something different, will she take it? How will it impact her flirty relationship with her deskmate? And how will she handle spending Christmas with her boss knowing that she’s quitting her job?

Sadie’s family and the community’s Christmas celebrations are just the absolute best. They are so quirky and lovable and have me ready to move so I can be adopted by them ASAP. The way they open their home and embrace Damian is wonderful and it allows him to set aside some of his worries, to relax and reconnect with himself. And to develop a deeper relationship with Sadie. Maybe address a few things that need to be put to rest so everyone can find a happy place.

As much as I liked the characters and the majority of the book, I have to be honest that I didn’t love (or understand) the first third or so of this book. I don’t know if it was there to give us a feeling for Damian and his relationship to Sadie, but it felt kinda unnecessary. Once they agree to spend the holidays together in her hometown, though, things definitely take a turn towards the awesome.  There’s humor and feels and enough holiday magic to make you smile.

*****

Author Info:

Portia MacIntosh is a bestselling romantic comedy author of 12 novels, including It’s Not You, It’s Them and Honeymoon For One. Previously a music journalist, Portia writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real life experiences.

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*****

Book Review – Tempted by Love

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Book Review, Melissa Foster, Tempted by Love, The Steeles at Silver Island series

NEW RELEASE…

Enjoy heart-meltingly beautiful and toe-curlingly sexy romance in Tempted by Love, an emotionally riveting story about a man who has lost it all and carries a torturous secret, a divorced single mother who has everything to lose, and the little girl who helps them heal. Fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles.

In TEMPTED BY LOVE…

Years ago, bestselling author Jack “Jock” Steele lost his girlfriend and baby in a horrific accident that drove a wedge between Jock and his family, keeping him from sharing a devastating secret. An aging philanthropist saved him from the brink of despair, and for a decade Jock cared for his ailing friend who became his family. Now his friend has passed away and left him a fortune—on the condition that he publishes another book. Jock is floundering, unsure how to rebuild the life he’d walked away from, much less find his muse, have another relationship with a woman, or even think about having a family of his own. But he can’t get his sweet, sexy new friend, single-mother Daphne Zablonski out of his head, and her adorable toddler must know something he doesn’t, because she wraps her tiny fingers around his heart and won’t let go.

Daphne has been through the wringer with her ex-husband and doesn’t believe true love is in the cards for her. Friends she can handle, but letting a man see her mom bod naked? Especially someone as strikingly handsome and unbelievably sexy as Jock? No, thank you. Besides, she has a toddler to chase after and enough fictional boyfriends to fill her lonely nights. If only her book boyfriends could make her body tingle the way one look from her mysterious neighbor does.

As Jock and Daphne’s friendship turns to something too tempting to deny, their lives take an unexpected turn. Can a man who has lost everything find redemption with a woman who has everything to lose? And then there’s that secret…

More Steeles at Silver Island are coming soon!

MY TRUE LOVE (Jules) – Releasing 31st March 2021!
ALWAYS HER LOVE (Levi)
ENTICING HER LOVE (Sutton)
CAUGHT BY LOVE (Archer)
WILD ISLAND LOVE (Leni)

Available to buy from…
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo   Apple   GPlay   Paperback

Also available in audio!

“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” – NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely

“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” – New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

“With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” – New York Times Bestseller J. Kenner

Releasing 31st March 2021!!
My True Love (The Steeles at Silver Island, Book 2)
Can a man who resents the hand he’s been dealt and a woman who spends her days grateful for every little thing find true love in each other’s arms—or are their differences stronger than both of them? Find out in this funny, sexy, heartfelt romance, and fall in love with Grant and Jules on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, and midnight rendezvous.

Even war heroes need a little help sometimes…

After spending years fighting for his country and too damn long learning to navigate life with a prosthetic leg, Grant Silver returns to Silver Island to figure out a future he couldn’t fathom without fatigues and a gun in his hand. He’d almost forgotten how a man could suffocate from the warmth and caring community in which he’d grown up, and if that weren’t bad enough, his buddies’ beautiful and far-too-chipper younger sister won’t stop flitting into his life, trying to sprinkle happy dust everywhere she goes.

As a cancer survivor, Jules Steele knows better than to count on seeing tomorrow. She doesn’t take a single moment for granted, and she isn’t about to let a man who used to be charming and full of life waste the future he’s been blessed with. She’s determined to get through to him, even if it takes a few steamy kisses…

Available to buy from…
Amazon.com   Amazon.co.uk   Barnes and Noble   Kobo   Apple   GPlay   Paperback

About the author
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance and new adult romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex relatable issues.

Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

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I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own.

Review:

Foster is brilliant at giving her readers realistic, enjoyable characters and her latest is no different. I truly enjoyed reading about both Jock and Daphne, rooting for them page after page to figure things out so they could find a HEA.

Daphne is not confident in her appearance or her appeal to men, especially after her treatment by her ex. Jock on the other hand has no issue with telling her exactly how sexy he finds her and I so appreciate his patience, and humor, as he showed her how much he enjoyed her mom bod. She definitely caught a keeper there and eventually she starts to believe it too which was empowering for her.

If that’s not enough to make you fall for him, being there while Jock works so hard on his own troubles, trying his best to be able to be the man that Daphne and her daughter need, and opening up to Daphne, facing up to his past so he can be a part of his family again, made for a truly emotional read. There was a time or two when I teared up, more than one sigh, and quite a few smiles along the way. All hallmarks of a really good Melissa Foster book. And while there is some angst it isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t take over a truly enjoyable love story.

(Unfortunately I’m not sure that a little professional assistance wouldn’t have been a good idea for Jock. There’s also trouble with Jock’s twin, Archer, that while a long time coming hopefully will be better addressed with Archer’s POV in his own story. There’s a LOT of baggage between the brothers that needs to be properly cared for and hopefully another story will help that. Usually I’m good at just going with the flow, and it was here, but sometimes I worry that these issues are a little too easily resolved and it creates a great disservice to them.)

The start of a new series, Tempted by Love sets up lots of potential pairings and I’m SOOOO very excited to see what she does for Grant & Jules in the spring. Although this is tied into a world of different existing series, I’ve only read some of them and I had no problem jumping right in.  Don’t be afraid if you are new or missed a few – I don’t think you’ll have any trouble and I’m sure that you’ll fall in love as well.

 

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Book Review – Kiss My Cupcake

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Book Review, Helena Hunting, Kiss My Cupcake

Just like one of Blaire’s cupcake combos, Helena Hunting’s book is sweetness with a kick.

*****

Kiss My Cupcake

by Helena Hunting

Blurb:

Is it possible to have her cupcake and eat it too?

Blaire Calloway has planned every Instagram-worthy moment of her cupcake and cocktails shop launch down to the tiniest detail. What she didn’t plan on? Ronan Knight and his old-school sports bar next door opening on the very same day. He may be super swoony, but Blaire hasn’t spent years obsessing over buttercream and bourbon to have him ruin her chance at success.

From ax throwing (his place) to frosting contests (hers), Blaire and Ronan are constantly trying to one-up each other in a battle to win new customers. But with every clash, there’s also an undeniable chemistry. When an even bigger threat to their business comes to town, they’re forced to call a temporary time-out on their own war and work together. And the more time Blaire spends getting to know the real Ronan, the more she wonders if it’s possible to have her cupcake and eat it too.

Kiss My Cupcake, an all-new laugh-out-loud standalone romance filled with witty banter and white-hot sexual chemistry from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LhYU0S

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/KissmyCupcakeBN

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/KissmyCupcake

Google Play: http://bit.ly/KissmyCupcakeGP

Kobo: http://bit.ly/KissmyCupcakeKobo

Add Kiss My Cupcake to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/KissMyCupcakeGR

*****

Excerpt:

I take a bite, not as big as I originally intended, because that’s probably what she expects and I want to prolong the agony of her anticipation as much as I humanly can. I intend to tell her it’s just okay, except the moment the flavors hit my tongue I groan. Loudly. “Oh my God,”I mumble, crumbs tumbling out of my mouth and sprinkling all over the counter. Which I realize is disgusting.

But Blaire doesn’t seem to care. She grins widely, satis- faction and triumph making her face even more stunning. I consider asking what this is, but decide I don’t care enough to stop eating it. There’s coffee in the icing, but it’s not overly sweet, it’s light and buttery and decadently creamy. The cake practically melts in my mouth, hints of . . . whiskey, cocoa and vanilla and with the next bite I get a hit of creamy custard with a gentle hint of . . . almond.

Blaire doesn’t seem to notice the mess I’m making. At all. She’s sucking on her bottom lip and bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her lip pops free, teeth marks still evident. “Enjoying yourself.”It’s not a question, more of an accusation.

I want to shove the rest of it in my face instead of answering, but I lift my hand to cover my mouth so I can ask a question instead of affirm what she clearly already knows. “What is it?”

A slow smirk spreads across her lips.

She doesn’t say anything right away, so I jam the rest of it in my mouth. Half of me wants to beg her for more, but I know if I do, then somehow I’ve managed to give her the upper hand. Which is ridiculous. It’s just a cupcake, and regardless of what she thinks, we’re not really competing with each other. For the YouTube thing sure, but I don’t see how she can win against me and my kickass cool bar and the axe throwing.

And now the whole live bands idea and karaoke.

The cupcakes-and-cocktails theme is cute. But that’s about all it is.

I try to keep my groan in this time, but a sound of contentment slips out.

“So you like my screaming orgasms?” she asks.

Which is when I start coughing. I also try to inhale with food in my mouth and choke. And cough some more. Blaire takes a step back since I’m spraying the counter with half- chewed cupcake. It’s a travesty because I want that all in my belly and not on the counter.

“Are you okay?” she asks when I continue to cough for another solid fifteen seconds.

“Yeah.” Cough. “I just”—cough—“didn’t expect that.”

“It’s the name of the cupcake,” she informs me.

“I figured, since you didn’t scream even once.”

“I’m not a screamer.” Her eyes flare, as if she didn’t mean for that to slip out.

Now it’s my turn to smirk. “Is that right?”

She spins around, but I can see her face in the mirrored wall in front of her. Her ears have gone red and she mutters something to herself, nabbing the box from the bar behind her. She rolls her shoulders back and turns to face me again. Her cheeks are the same color as her ears. She drops the box unceremoniously on the counter. “I figured you’d want more than one.”

“Yes. Definitely.” I nod.

“Multiples really are the best.” Her cheek tics, and the tips of her ears look as if they’re going to light on fire and take all her hair with it. I wonder how much product she uses to keep it looking so perfect and if it’s soft to the touch or not.

“I love multiples.” Both the giving and the receiving. I leave that part out, because I would prefer to eat the cupcakes, not wear them, and I feel like we’re suddenly treading a very fine line. Either that or we’ve already jumped right over it. I shake my head to clear it. “Uh, what do I owe you?”

“Those are on the house. Enjoy your night.”

Blaire usually happily charges me full price for my cupcake addiction. Although she does tend to toss in an extra one for good measure. I’m tempted to ask if I’m going to end up hogtied in the trunk of a car if I eat the rest of these, but I figure that might be pushing it. “I can’t imagine anyone has ever said no to free multiple screaming orgasms.”

*****

Review:

Hunting’s latest is full of sugary sweetness with spice thrown in to keep everyone coming back for more. While Blaire and Ronan’s story is a pretty basic enemies-to-lovers one, her writing style makes it a lot of fun.

While the characters are pretty stereotypical, they have a lot of fun together (once they get over the picking at each other) which makes for an easy read. Blaire comes out swinging when Ronan’s renovations interfere with her plans for opening her cafe, but he definitely doesn’t help smooth things over when he keeps pranking her in order to lighten her mood. Unfortunately her unwanted attraction to him, and the stress of a new business, doesn’t exactly leave her open to his antics.

Once a big chain restaurant threatens both of their businesses, they decide to put their differences aside and work together. Time spent together not only is good for their bottom line but it finds Blaire seeing a different side to Ronan. Things go pretty much as you’d expect but it’s still a lovely diversion and left a smile on my face more than once.

Although there might not be a ton of depth to Kiss My Cupcake, it is the perfect read if you are looking for something light and entertaining. The characters are cute, Ronan’s family is awesome and Blaire’s is … well, something else, and keeping the story simple means readers can just sit back and enjoy.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy. 

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Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

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*****

Book Review – Lethal Edge

Tags

Book Review, Kaylea Cross, Lethal Edge, Rifle Creek series

Who likes a little tension mixed in with their love story?

*****

Lethal Edge

Rifle Creek series

by Kaylea Cross

Blurb:

A diehard romantic looking to start over in a small town.

Dr. Nina Benitez might be an astrophysicist and a scientist down to her bones, but she also believes in true love and happily ever after—and won’t settle for anything less. After a rocky end to her first semester teaching at the University of Montana, she’s looking forward to a new school year and a fresh start in the small town of Rifle Creek. When she meets her roommate’s work partner, a sexy, hard-edged detective, Nina is immediately intrigued. However, it’s soon clear they’re like oil and water. But when she’s confronted by the painful past event she wanted to forget, she faces an even greater danger. A predator is bent on silencing her forever, and Nina’s only hope of survival is the unattainable man who’s captured her heart.

A cynical cop determined to guard his heart.

Tate Baldwin has dedicated his life to serving and protecting, first in the military, and now as a detective in Rifle Creek. Badly burned by his last relationship, he isn’t looking to get involved with anyone, especially a brilliant college professor who seems to have her head in the clouds. Yet even Tate can’t deny the attraction between them that soon grows into something more. And when a secret from her past triggers a lethal threat, Tate will risk everything to stand between her and the monster who wants her dead.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2CM9Q6e

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2X2sJZp

Apple: https://apple.co/304pG4P

Nook: https://bit.ly/32YGyvD

*****

Review:

When I see Cross’s name, I know I’m going to get a good romantic thriller and she didn’t fail me. Even though the romance between Tate and Nina is the main plotline, she successfully weaves in the villain into the story in a way that doesn’t take away from either. We get just enough of his POV and his impact on the main characters that when the climax comes we’re ready to see him get his comeuppance. Which comes with a nice amount of nail-biting moments.

Nina is a delightful character – a great mix of romantic and scholar. She sees the world with such wonder and fun, and is a good foil to Tate who has seen some of the darker side of life. Recently burned by a bad relationship, he’s not looking to get involved but Nina has a certain draw to her that he just can’t resist.

As much as I loved Nina (and wish I could be more like her), Tate did take a little more warming up to. I also feel like, for all his fighting getting involved, he moved pretty quickly into falling in love. I think that his attitude either needed to be a little less adamant or a little more time spent in the progression of their relationship.

Overall though, it was definitely a minor quibble that was easily overcome by the great characters, the enjoyable interactions between them, and the nicely developed suspense element. Cross also nicely sets up more stories in the series and I’m ready to see what she brings us next.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.

Website: http://kayleacross.com/v2/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kayleacross

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Newsletter: http://kayleacross.com/v2/newsletter/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2902054.Kaylea_Cross

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2V6iyQs

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/KayleaCrossBB

*****

Book Review – Puppy Kisses

Tags

Book Review, Forever Home series, Lucy Gilmore, Puppy Kisses

More puppies!

*****

Puppy Kisses

Forever Home #3

by Lucy Gilmore

Blurb:

These adorable service puppies are matchmakers in the making…

Dawn Vasquez never takes life too seriously. But when she rescues a golden retriever named Gigi, Dawn begins to imagine what it’d be like to settle down and let someone rely on her for a change. Unfortunately, Adam Dearborn—a handsome, hopelessly buttoned-up cattle rancher in need of a guide dog—has also fallen in love with the little ball of fluff and stubbornly insists that no other animal will do.

Adam isn’t sure what drives him to fight to keep Gigi for himself, but he suspects it has something to do with his growing—and unfortunate—attachment to Dawn. Her whirlwind spirit and sunny disposition might make her a delight to be around, but they also make her unsuited for the difficult life of a rancher. He should be able to put her out of his head. But what’s a love-struck cowboy to do when what he wants and what he needs have never seemed so far apart? And can he allow himself to take a chance on everything Dawn has to offer: puppy kisses, puppy love…and her.

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/2FVYKJM

Apple: https://apple.co/36B0gNL

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3d9JQ1l

BAM: https://bit.ly/2X57K8C

Bookshop: https://bit.ly/36B6rkS

*****

Excerpt:

Mentioning her lips had to have been some kind of tactic. Just the word—lips—had him remembering their shape and size, the way the bottom one was so much plumper than the top, how good they felt when pressed against his bare skin. She always warned him to scrub hard before he met up with any other women, since she left a trail of lipstick all over his body.

He wasn’t seeing any other women, but there was no way he was telling her that. She already had him under her spell. He didn’t need to be under her power as well.

“Thank you for the offer,” he said tightly. “But I already like—”

“—the one you can’t have,” Dawn finished for him. She was definitely closer now, the unmistakable nonscent of her mixing with the hay and dirt to whirl his senses. “That seems to be a sort of thing with you, doesn’t it?”

He ran his hands through his hair, since it seemed suddenly important that he do something with them. It was also important to do something with this situation. If he let her continue like this, unchecked and uninhibited, there was good chance neither one of them was getting any work done today.

“As I recall, I’ve had you plenty of times already,” he said, a challenge in his voice. “In fact, I bet I could have you right here and now.”

Adam didn’t know if he was the one who’d drawn closer to her or if she’d stepped up to him, but there was no longer anything between them. Not a puppy, not air, definitely not common sense. The jut of her breasts pressed softly against his chest, the toes of her shoes touching the tips of his work boots.

His hands suddenly decided they had minds of their own. Moving forward to clasp her around the waist, they touched silky fabric and heat and a patch of skin where her shirt didn’t quite reach her waistband. That alone should have been enough to stop him—what kind of a person wore a tiny, silken shirt to a working ranch?—but of course he didn’t. That touch of skin set off something inexplicable inside him.

It always did. That was the problem. Words could be ignored and the sound of her laughter pressed deep down inside him, but one graze of his fingertips on her body and he was lost.

“I’ve always wanted to have sex on a pile of hay,” Dawn said, calling his bluff. She arched into his touch, allowing his hand to slide up her back. He encountered nothing but soft skin and the gentle curve of her spine, both of which promised more of the same, should he give in and really cop a feel. Which was tempting for a lot of reasons, including the fact that Dawn was stacked in ways that seemed wholly against nature. “Surely there must be one or two of those in the barn we could try?”

“There are.” He brought his lips close to her ear, though he was careful not to press against the gently pounding pulse below it. The moment the kissing started, all other bets were off—including the one that had a Great Dane puppy at their feet and a golden retriever puppy napping under Phoebe’s desk. That was the one thing he knew for sure. Dawn had come out here with the sole intention of luring him into lowering his defenses, in using her incredible body and the promise of what it could do to get her own way. She wanted Methuselah, and she’d stop at nothing to get her.

Well, two could play that way. In fact, he was becoming something of an expert at this particular game.

“We could slip in there right now, and no one would know where we are,” he murmured. Dawn arched her neck to give him better access, but he didn’t kiss, didn’t touch. Only teased. “I could throw you into the biggest stack of hay and rip this tiny scrap of a shirt from your body.”

A slight, guttural sound indicated how much she liked the direction this conversation was going. Typical. With Dawn, the anticipation, the clandestine nature of their meetings, was half the fun.

Who was he kidding? Where that woman was concerned, it was probably all the fun.

“No one will think to look for us for hours,” he added, still in that low, crooning voice. “It’ll just be me and you, our bodies slick with sweat.”

Dawn’s hips pressed against his, her arms coiling around his neck so that her entire body could melt against him. This was how she always struck, coiled and soft and yielding.

So he struck back.

“Well, that and the snakes.”

Instead of pulling back, Dawn only laughed and clasped her hands tighter around his neck. “Good thing I happen to like snakes,” she said. Her mouth brushed lightly against his, fluttering like a pair of butterfly wings. “Like the alligators, they make such nice shoes. Purses too.”

Even though Adam’s body thrummed with anticipation, burning hot in all the places it touched hers, he kept his tone level. “We also get the occasional badger, even though they’re pretty rare in these parts. Rats are almost a certainty.”

“Why, Adam Dearborn, are you trying to sweet-talk me?”

No, dammit. He was trying to do the exact opposite. Why did this woman refuse to act like a normal human being? She should run at the mention of rats, not press her hips against his until he ached.

“I’m just making sure you know what you’re getting into, that’s all,” he said. His voice sounded strained to his own ears. “Things can get pretty nasty out here in the wilderness.”

“That’s funny,” she purred. “So can I.”

Excerpted from Puppy Kisses by Lucy Gilmore. © 2020 by Lucy Gilmore. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.

*****

Review:

Adam & Dawn have apparently been dancing around each other for months, although it’s mostly happened off page. We still get the humor, heat, and liveliness that a romance involving Dawn is guaranteed to bring but I felt like I missed out on something important, something that could impact their current & future relationship. It’s not a deal breaker, though, because this author definitely knows how to give you characters to care about.

I loved how well Adam has adapted to his situation. He’s had a lot of years to find things that allow him to be head of the family and run the farm. I do wonder if Gilmore glossed over his limitations a bit – you wouldn’t know that he was blind excerpt for a couple of throw away moments. I get that he isn’t defined by his disability and is very competent in many aspects of his life, but I would think some consideration needs to be made as well because it is a factor in many situations. Having said that, Adam is a very appealing hero. He cares about his family, wants to make sure that the family business can support his brother and sister into the future, and contributes to his community. He’s also got a sense of humor, even if his siblings thinks he’s a bit hard, and a special understanding of the real Dawn.

Dawn is fun and caring but she’s definitely a very big personality that can be a little intimidating for some. While I enjoyed her as a character for how she does her best to be true to herself, although there were a few times where I felt she didn’t think things through too much. Overall though I found her to be appealing and with a good heart that can easily get hurt when people blow her off as shallow and impetuous.

In addition to an appealing couple, Gilmore also gives her readers enjoyable secondary characters, of the two AND four legged kind. The Dearborn’s neighbor Bea is a special treat and I’m hoping Adam’s siblings get their own stories. There’s plenty of potential with those two (and getting more Bea would be a bonus!).

*****

Author Info:

Lucy Gilmore is a contemporary romance author with a love of puppies, rainbows, and happily ever afters. She began her reading (and writing) career as an English literature major and ended as a die-hard fan of romance in all forms. When she’s not rolling around with her two Akitas, she can be found hiking, biking, or with her nose buried in a book. Visit her online at http://lucygilmore.com. She lives in the Spokane, WA area.

*****

Giveaway:

5 sets of Puppy Love and Puppy Christmas

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7916/

Book Review – Puppy Christmas

Tags

Book Review, Forever Home series, Lucy Gilmore, Puppy Christmas

Puppy Christmas

Forever Home #2

by Lucy Gilmore

Lila Vasquez might not be the “fun one” at Puppy Promise―the service puppy training school she runs with her sisters―but she can always be counted on to gets things done. So when her latest client shows an interest in princess gowns over power suits, Lila puts aside her scruples, straps on the glittery heels, and gets to work.

If only the adorable six-year-old’s father wasn’t such an appealing Prince Charming.

Ford’s whole life revolves around his daughter…until he meets Lila. Smart, capable, and amazing at helping Emily gain confidence with her new service puppy at her side, Lila is everything he ever wanted―but she’s way out of his league. Good thing Emily and her new pup are up to the matchmaking task. This Christmas, it’s all hands (and paws) on deck!

Don’t let the title fool you, this isn’t your typical holiday romance and a perfect feel good read for July. There’s a ton of feels, cute little kids and adorable puppies, and a couple that you just can’t help but pull for.

Ford does his best to use humor and innocent flirting to keep people at arms length. But while his lightheartedness and fun-loving attitude doesn’t let anyone too close, underneath he’s hoping to find someone that can see past it to the loneliness underneath. It’s all fun & games, and a lot of laughter, until he meets Lila.

Lila is normally considered the serious and staid one but there’s something about Ford & his daughter that brings out a more playful side. And every bit of her coming out of her shell is adorable and fun. I really liked how much she started to see herself differently and found a way to mesh well with the Ford family.

Full of humor and feels, Puppy Christmas is just the happy, funny escape you are looking for.

Book Review – Promise

Tags

Book Review, Promise, RJ Scott, Single Dads series

It’s a first for me – an audiobook – but I loved Single & Today so I had to make sure I got to enjoy Promise as well.

*****

Promise

Single Dads #3

by RJ Scott

Narrated By: Sean Crisden

Length: 4hrs 42mins

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Blurb:

Leo Byrne is a cop, Jason Banks is an ex-con. Even after one stolen kiss, something has to give before Leo can convince Jason that falling in love is even an option.

Adopted at a young age, Leo is part of the sprawling Byrnes family. With his dog Cap, three siblings and a whole mess of nieces and nephews, he is never lonely, and his life is full. Love is the last item on his to-do list, but seeing his best friends Sean and Eric happy and making new families makes him want things he doesn’t think is possible. Kissing Jason at an event to honor his bravery was one thing, but anything other than that is off limits. Until Jason has no one left to turn to, and it’s Leo who helps him at his lowest. Taking Jason and his daughter into his home is one thing, but falling for the ex-con is something else altogether.

Jason made a deal to keep his daughter safe and spent years behind bars as a result. Volunteering as a convict firefighter was as much about helping the community as saving his sanity, but now that he’s out, he doesn’t even have that. He’s lost his future, his self-respect, and has no friends or a place to call home. Worst of all, even after rescuing his daughter he still can’t keep her safe from the man who wants to use her as a bargaining chip for money. Meeting Leo might give Jason a way to keep Daisy safe, but falling for the stubborn cop means the truth has to be revealed, and he could lose everything all over again.

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK 

Single Dads Series

Single (Book #1) – Audible US | Audible UK

Today (Book #2) – Audible US | Audible UK

*****

Review:

This is my first audiobook review and I’m not really sure how to cover it 🙂

For the audiobook side, I really liked the narrator’s voice. He does a good job of giving each of the male characters a distinctive sound so you could tell which character was which. (His little girl voice was pretty … interesting, but I think I can forgive that one. I can’t imagine that was very easy for a grown man to do.) I did have a little issue with his pacing at times. It seemed like it was a little too fast and he blended sentences & paragraphs together. I did get used to his rhythm after a while and it stopped having an impact on my enjoyment of the story.

I chose to do this audiobook review because I somehow managed to miss this one in book form when it came out and I loved the rest of the series so much that I couldn’t pass it up. Leo was pretty awesome, like I knew he should be, and I really liked getting to know Jason a bit more. I think I expected a little bit more action out of a story with a cop and an ex-con on the run, but I will say that Scott delivered a satisfying story once again. Most of the story is Leo and Jason getting closer, with Leo trying everything he can to get Jason to open up to him so he can provide him the help he needs … and keeping him from bolting. There’s a lot of angst, secrecy, and a doubt, but eventually Leo wins Jason over and Scott gives us one of the sweetest epilogues yet.

*****

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:

Audio of either Single/Today/Promise

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43761/

*****

 

Review – The Summer Deal

Tags

Book Review, Jill Shalvis, The Summer Deal, Wildstone series

I always know I can trust Jill Shalvis to give me something good to read.

*****

The Summer Deal

Wildstone #5

by Jill Shalvis

Blurb:

Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.

And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She’s fierce, tough, and she’s keeping more than one bombshell of a secret from Brynn — her long-time frenemy.

But then Brynn runs into Kinsey’s best friend, Eli, renewing her childhood crush. The good news: he’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell.

The bad news: when he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have real connections, possibly love, and a future—if she can only learn to let go of the past.

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

Amazon

IndieBound

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Bookshop.org

iBooks

GooglePlay

*****

Excerpt:

Brynn Turner had always wanted to be the girl who had her life together, but so far her talents hadn’t led her in that direction—although not for lack of trying.

Mentally recapping the week she’d just endured, she let out a stuttered breath. Okay, so her life skills needed some serious work, but as far as she was concerned, that was Future Brynn’s problem. Present Brynn had other things on her mind.

Like surviving the rest of the day.

With that goal in mind, she kept her eyes on the road, and three hours and two 7-Eleven hot dogs after leaving Long Beach in her rearview mirror, she pulled into Wildstone. The place that reinvented itself many times over since it’d been an 1800s California wild, wild West town complete with wooden sidewalks, saloons, haunted silver mines, and a brothel. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and green rolling hills filled with wineries and ranches, Wildstone had once been her favorite place on earth.

Parking in the driveway of her childhood home, she took a minute. It’d been a decade since she’d lived here. She’d gone off to attend college and to conquer the world, though only one of those things had happened. She’d been back for visits, but even that had been a while. Six months, in fact. She’d stood in this very spot and had asked both of her well-meaning moms to butt out of her life, saying that she knew what she was doing.

She’d had no idea what she was doing.

Note to self: You still don’t.

With a sigh, she pulled down her visor and glanced in the mirror, hoping that a miracle had occurred and she’d see the reflection of someone who had their shit together. Her hair was knotted on top of her head with the string tie from her hoodie because she’d lost her scrunchie. She was wearing her old glasses because she’d lost her newer pair. Her face was pale and her eyes were puffy and red from a bad combo of crying and not sleeping. She wore yoga pants that hadn’t seen a yoga class since . . . well, ever, and in spite of being nearly thirty, she had a big, fat zit on her chin.

In short, she looked about as far away from having her shit together as she was from solving world hunger.

Knowing her moms—sweet and loving and nosy as hell—were going to see right through her, she pawed through her purse for a miracle. She found some lip gloss that she also dabbed on each cheek for badly needed color. As a bonus, she found two peanut M&Ms. Couldn’t waste those, could she? She shook her purse looking for more, but nope, she was out of luck.

The theme of her life.

With a sigh, she once again met her own gaze in the mirror. “Okay, here’s the drill. You’re okay. You’re good. You’re happy to be home. You’re absolutely not crawling back with your tail between your legs to admit to your moms that they were right about Asshole Ashton.”

Swallowing hard, she got out of her hunk-o-junk and grabbed her duffel bag and purse. She’d barely made it to the porch before the front door was flung open and there stood her moms in the doorway, some deep maternal instinct letting them know their sole offspring was within smothering distance.

Both in their mid-fifties, their similarities stopped there. Olive was pragmatic and stoic, and God help the person who tried to get anything by her. She was perfectly coifed as always, hair cut in a chic bob, pants and blazer fitted, giving her the look of someone who’d just walked out of a Wall Street meeting. In sharp comparison, Raina’s sundress was loose and flowery and flowing, and she wore beads around her neck and wrists that made her jingle pleasantly. She was soft and loving, and quite possibly the kindest soul on earth. And where Olive was economical with her movements, Raina was in constant motion.

Opposites attract . . .

But actually, her moms did have something in common beyond their age—their warm, loving smiles, both directed at Brynn. It was her own personal miracle that they loved her madly, no matter how many times she’d messed up and driven them crazy with worry.

And there’d been a lot of times. Too many to count.

“Sweetheart,” Raina said, jingling as always, bringing forth welcome memories: growing vegetables in the back garden, taking long walks on the beach to chase seagulls, and late-night snuggles. Raina opened her arms and Brynn walked right into them, smiling when Olive embraced her from behind.

The three of them stood there for a long beat, wrapped up in each other. Catherine the Great Cat showed up, her appearance forewarned by the bell around her neck. She might be twelve and seemingly frail and delicate, but as with Brynn’s moms, looks were deceiving. Just beneath Cat’s skin lived the soul of an ancient prized hunter—hence the bell. No one blamed her for her instinctual drive to do this, but Raina did object to Cat dropping “presents” at her feet in the form of cricket heads and various other pieces of dead insects. Which made Cat the most adorable murderer who ever lived. She rubbed her furry face against Brynn’s ankles. Once. Twice.

And then bit.

“Ouch!”

“You know her rules,” Olive said. “A little love, a little hate. It’s how she is. Now tell us why you’re home unannounced, looking like something not even Catherine would’ve dragged inside.”

“I think she looks wonderful,” Raina said.

Olive’s eyes never left Brynn. “She hasn’t been sleeping or eating.”

“Trust me, Mom, I’ve been eating plenty.”

“Okay, then you aren’t sleeping enough or eating the right food. You’re as pale as . . . well, me.”

Olive indeed had the pale skin of her English ancestry. In contrast, Raina was Puerto Rican, and golden brown. Being a product of Raina’s egg and an unknown sperm donor, Brynn’s skin was a few shades lighter than Raina’s. Unless she was trying not to hyperventilate, of course. Like now. In which case she was probably even whiter than Olive.

“We can fix the eating right and sleeping, for a start,” Raina said with determination. She slipped her hand into Brynn’s, and as she’d been doing for as long as Brynn could remember, she took over. She settled Brynn onto the couch with one of her handmade throws, and in less than five minutes had a tray on Brynn’s lap with her famous vegan chickpea noodle soup and steaming gingerroot tea.

“Truth serum?” Brynn asked, only half joking. Raina was magic in the kitchen—and at getting people to spill their guts.

“I don’t need truth serum.” Raina sat next to her. “You’re going to tell me everything.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I made almond-butter cups for dessert and you love almond-butter cups.”

“You’d withhold dessert from your only child?”

“She wouldn’t, she’s far too kind,” Olive said. “But I would. In a heartbeat.” She sat on the coffee table facing Brynn. “Talk.”

From THE SUMMER DEAL by Jill Shalvis, published by William Morrow. Copyright © 2020 by Jill Shalvis. Reprinted courtesy of HarperCollinsPublishers 

*****

Review:

Dealing with the good and the bad is what family is all about and Shalvis shows that well once again. This motley group might have managed to make a unit for themselves despite of their differences and troubles, but they aren’t perfect and definitely have some growing to do. With the support of each other they slowly start to figure out how to be good people and better partners, how to own up to their mistakes and learn to do things differently.

Eli is awesome – a stand-up guy, dedicated friend, loving and understanding. He’s just not overly dynamic for a hero. Instead he’s that steadfast force that both Kinsey and Brynn need in their lives. Both girls need a dependable partner to help keep them on the right path.

Brynn has a habit of either avoiding or running from her problems when things get rough, pretty much all her life. It’s time that she finally learn to face things that matter heads on and thanks to Kinsey and Eli she’s going to have to do that.

Kinsey is not the most cuddly of people – prickly is more like it. But under her spikes, she has a big heart but is afraid to get hurt or hurt other people. By pushing people away she thinks she’s doing the right thing. Luckily for her, it doesn’t always work.

Like a lot of people, Deck is one of my favorite people. He’s the big-hearted alpha that a lot of authors are giving us these days. (I love those guys but sometimes you need an Eli too.) He’s willing to put up with Kinsey’s BS and love her anyway. He sees the person underneath and quietly, and sometimes not so quietly, gives her the support that she needs at that time.

Eli’s brother, Max, provides a little bit of fun to their group and I’m thinking that he’ll make an interesting hero in his own book down the road. He seems to have the fewest issues but I’m sure there are one or two just waiting to be explored.

Throw all of these people together, with their past issues, and you are bound to have some difficulties. It takes a bit for Brynn to let go of her feelings for Kinsey and for Kinsey to let her in. And along the way, there are tons of opportunities for misunderstandings and hurt feelings. They all definitely need to figure out how to be a little more upfront and honest with each other, to learn that hiding things is rarely helpful but that turning your back on loves ones that screw up is rarely the right choice. It’s not an easy journey for them, but it does make for good summer reading for us 🙂

(This is part of a series but I’m pretty sure that’s in name only. All the stories are set in the same California town but that’s about it for how they are related.)

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Website: http://jillshalvis.com/

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*****