In Some Sort of Happy, you’ll fall hard for tortured hero Sebastian right alongside feisty, down-on-her-luck Skylar Nixon, who’s returned to her small hometown to make a fresh start. Can she convince him to open his bruised and guarded heart?
In Some Sort of Crazy, you’ll laugh and swoon as Natalie Nixon finds herself falling head over heels for her adorably funny and sexy (but seriously commitment-phobic) childhood friend Miles. Will he get over his fear of forever in time to win her over?
In Some Sort of Love, you’ll meet hot bearded single dad Levi, whose devotion to his autistic son (not to mention his deliciously dirty mouth) steals Jillian Nixon’s heart. When he worries he can never give her enough time or attention, can she convince him he’s everything she’ll ever need?
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Some Sort of Happy
Happy Crazy Love #1
Release - September 22, 2015
Genre/Trope - Contemporary Romance / friends to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 345 pages
My Rating: ★★★★★
Skylar Nixon. She’s even more beautiful than I remember. Ten years ago she was an impossible dream, and now she’s right here in front of me, offering everything I ever wanted.
But happiness never lasts, not for someone like me.
I have to protect us both.
****
Sebastian Pryce. He’s the most complicated, frustrating, beautiful man I’ve ever met, and my body craves his with a hunger I’ve never known.
My heart is his completely.
Why won’t he let me in?
This book was truly a work of beauty. It was open and honest, heartwarming and endearing, and heartbreakingly real. I couldn't help but fall in love with these characters and their story and become invested in their happily ever after.
As much as I came to enjoy Skylar and her charming inner monologues, Sebastian was the one who mattered the most to me. How could he not when I found pieces of me in him? Although OCD manifests itself in different ways for different people, I really enjoyed this glimpse into a realistic character trying to cope with it.
This story was about two people at the cusp of starting over. The buildup of their increasing connection was altogether adorable, engaging, and hot damn can this author write erotic scenes! Sebastian and Skylar were so hot together and their chemistry was further proof of how they were destined to be. Each interaction was another testament to how beautiful and believable they were.
I loved how Melanie Harlow wrote this story. It was uncomfortably accurate and incredibly sensitive. I loved Skylar's easy acceptance of each of Sebastian's "quirks". How she supported him , helped to guide him, and simply loved him unconditionally. In all honesty, I cheered each time Sebastian overcame each of his self-imposed obstacles and I know that it was all due to the way the author phrased each scene and painted each picture. I was satisfied with where this couple ended up, even if I can't help but want more.
Some Sort of Crazy
Happy Crazy Love #2
Release - November 17, 2015
Genre/Trope - Contemporary Romance / friends to lovers
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 286 pages
My Rating: ★★★★
When a psychic tells Natalie Nixon her life is about to be upended by a mysterious stranger, she laughs it off. After all, she has everything she’s ever wanted—a successful bakery, a the perfect boyfriend, and the keys to her dream house.
Who could possibly make her want to throw all that away?
Then Miles Haas comes back to town.
But he’s no stranger—they’ve known each other since high school. Plus, he’s only around for the summer, he’s still a shameless playboy, and he makes a living writing articles for a men’s magazine with titles like 'Should You Bang the Boss’s Daughter? A Flowchart' and 'Butt Stuff for Beginners: A Field Guide.'
He’s not the man of her dreams, and she’s not about to abandon everything she’s worked so hard for just for a little fun. Except he makes her laugh like no one else, smells like heaven, and looks sexy as hell in those panty-melting glasses.
Some Sort of Happy
Happy Crazy Love #3
Release - February 9, 2016
Genre/Trope - Contemporary Romance / second chance
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format - ebook
Length - 281 pages
My Rating: ★★★1/2
From the outside looking in, I had it all—a career I loved, a supportive family, the Nixon metabolism but not the Nixon ears, and a salary that supported my lavish taste in designer shoes, fine wine, and lacy lingerie … but I had no one to share it with.
Until the day I ran into him—my one night stand from college with the crooked smile, let’s-get-out-of-here eyes, and dirty, dirty mouth.
Cute and cocky then, today Levi Brooks is six feet four inches of hot bearded fantasy. A sexy single dad with broad shoulders, strong hands, and a fantastically big … heart. (I mean, it’s massive. And generous. And it pumps so hard … um. Sorry. Lost my place.)
Being a good father means everything to him, but he's keeping me at a distance because he thinks I deserve someone better — a man who can give me more time, more attention, more of himself. He doesn’t believe he could ever be enough.
But he's wrong.
He’s everything.
At least I got all of the happy endings I was hoping for!
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Good Trouble by Lani Lynn Vale
Release - December 6, 2022
Genre/Trope - Contemporary Romance / brother's ex / friends to loveres
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC from Uplifting Author Services
Length - 245 pages
Publisher - Indie
Other book(s) from the series: Nobody Cares Unless You're Pretty
Bain met Diana, a.k.a. Luce, the night before he was set to deploy to Afghanistan.
It’s not every day that you take your brother’s girlfriend to prom because he refuses to put out the effort.
That night was one of the best nights of his life and the next day, he leaves and doesn’t see her again.
But there are letters. Not many, but enough for them to form a connection.
Over the two-year deployment, they became great friends.
The best of friends—at least, as good of friends as you can be when it’s your brother’s wife.
Fast-forward six years and she still counts him as one of her greatest friends. Even going as far as to stick by him when he’s sent to prison because his own brother turned on him.
***
Luce had a crush on her then-boyfriend’s brother since way before she and Bain’s brother were married. From the moment he volunteered to take her to prom, she’d fallen.
Over the years, she’d tried to hide it. Tried to go on with her life and act like she loved her husband and only her husband. But as time went on and Braxton started to treat her more and more like crap, she realized the truth. Her husband wasn’t Bain. Her husband would never be him.
Hell, that’d been proven time and time again.
The smoking gun, though? The thing that made her realize it was time to leave?
When her husband stood by while she was assaulted, while the man she tried to act like was just a friend protected her. Then was sentenced to eight years in jail for it.
It was time to admit the truth.
Bain McDempsey was it for her. She just had to help him see it. Oh, and get him out of prison first.
I thought I was ready for this story.
I really wasn't.
Lani Lynn Vale did taboo so right!
Diana (Luce) was Bain's brother's girlfriend. She came into his orbit when his brother refused to take her to prom. After the best night of his life (it was all platonic), he went into the Navy and decided to always have her back.
And despite being madly in love with Bain... Luce married his brother instead.
While the author tried to make the reasons behind that something we could all stomach, it made me queasy. It just didn't make sense for me, but it did fit the story so I went with it.
The brother was the same jerk he always was. One day, when she was being attacked, he ran like a coward and Bain came to her defence. It was Bain who served time for her. It was Bain who owned her. Shoot... he owned me too.
I loved the way Bain interacted with all of the people in his life, even his villainous brother. The men of the unclaimed MC are such great heroes, always there for each other, newfound family with all of the perks. I'm so excited to read all of their books!
After a ton of hilarious drama, Bain and Luce were well on their way to happily ever after and I couldn't be more thrilled for them.
-------------------------------------------
My notes: I didn't like how hard to get she played with Bain. Here was a guy who had already proven that he would do anything for her. A man who has shown her that he knows her, inside and out. So why hurt him? Why deny them both the opportunity to be something special?
Thankfully, she didn't play this game for long and they were both able to have what they both wanted and needed.
Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.
Her.
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Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross
Release - July 20, 2021
Genre - Paranormal Romance / friends to lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 3.5 out of 5 / a few scenes
Format/Source - ebook borrowed from the library
Length - 392 pages
Publisher - Indie
Violet Savoie has a plan. A dream, rather. To open her own tattoo shop, which caters to supernaturals in need of permanent charms. As a powerful Seer, she has the potent magic to cast every kind of spell. Except the kind to give werewolves control over their beastly side. And her business partner Nico needs help in the worst kind of way.
Nico Cruz has a secret. A motive, rather. To subtly stalk and seduce Violet until she finally recognizes they are fated to be together. Ever since their heated encounter in Austin on New Year’s Eve two years earlier, he’s been dying to get his hands—and his tongue—back on her body. He knows a woman like Violet can’t be courted in the usual way. Luckily, Nico has no scruples about misbehaving to get what he wants.
But when his former pack roams into town, and an old friend is far too interested in Violet, his focus shifts to the threat venturing into his territory. Nico may come across as the quiet, broody one, but the intruders are about to regret stepping foot in New Orleans. And when Violet goes missing, no charm or spell can keep Nico’s wolf at bay.
Well-written with a romance that had plenty of swoon-worthy moments (thank you, Nico), Witches Get Stitches was a pleasure to read. Nico was just as Alpha I wanted him to be, kind of had a cinnamon roll vibe, sexy and kind, talented and shy, a bit broken... mmmhmmm... Nico was yummy!
I have to admit, I loved pretty much everything about this story... except for Violet Savoie.
Hear me out! Violet was an enjoyable character. Funny, kind, super sweet when she chose to be...
She was also extremely compassionate... just not to the man whose heart she held in her hands.
She did Nico dirty for two years. TWO YEARS!! And while he wore his heart on his sleeve, giving her any and everything, she kept him firmly in the friend zone.
Why?
She did a reading about their future, misread it, and doomed him to heartbreak.
Know what's funny?
She knew that she wasn't supposed to do reads for herself. She was warned!
She did it anyway and caused a lot of unnecessary drama.
So yeah... for the most part, I wasn't a fan of hers. However, Nico was a dream!
Juliette lives in moss-laden Cajun country in Louisiana where she lives with her husband, four kids, and black lab, Kona. She is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance with confident, persevering heroines and dark, sexy heroes. While she enjoys reading and writing the dark, broody types, she also appreciates the fun, levity of humor in a good love story, so she tries to give her characters both on their way to their HEA.
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Making Faces by Amy Harmon
Release - October 20, 2013
Genre - New Adult Contemporary Romance / love unrequited / friends-to-lovers
Multiple POV - 3rd person
Heat - 1.5 out of 5 / kisses and thoughts of more
Format/Source - ebook purchase from Amazon
Length - 405 pages
Publisher - Indie
Ambrose Young was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that graced the covers of romance novels, and Fern Taylor would know. She'd been reading them since she was thirteen. But maybe because he was so beautiful he was never someone Fern thought she could have...until he wasn't beautiful anymore.
Making Faces is the story of a small town where five young men go off to war, and only one comes back. It is the story of loss. Collective loss, individual loss, loss of beauty, loss of life, loss of identity. It is the tale of one girl's love for a broken boy, and a wounded warrior's love for an unremarkable girl. This is a story of friendship that overcomes heartache, heroism that defies the common definitions, and a modern tale of Beauty and the Beast, where we discover that there is a little beauty and a little beast in all of us.
I'm sitting here, at the end of this story, trying to think of what I could possibly say to convince you to read this book if you already haven't. There have been tons of incredible reviews posted already, such as this one from Aestas Book Blog and this one from Candace. Seriously, if you love love and romance and all of the feels... READ. THIS. BOOK!!
My only thought right now... Bailey. Dude did not deserve the hand he was dealt. None of it.
Okay, so here is everything there was to love about this book:
➳ the unrequited love from the ugly duckling for the gorgeous jock
➳ the fact that said gorgeous jock was also a pretty good guy from the beginning
➳ the whole Cyrano disaster
➳ the game of This or That
➳ everything to do with Bailey and his amazing personality and incredible way of looking at life
➳ Fern's beauty, even when no one could really see it
➳ Ambrose's vulnerability when he was at his lowest
➳ the hope and love that seeped from these pages.
Making Faces is one of those books you never want to end. A book that will never 'get old'. It is pure magic, people!
I still can't decide who was my favorite character in this book. It definitely wasn't Becker (read the book to find out why). Let's just say I really needed to see some justice done and it was my only complaint for this book. However, I do believe Bailey edged out everyone else. As much as I loved Fern and Ambrose, and I loved them a lot, there was something truly special about Bailey.
She let out a frustrated sigh and sat up, running her hands through her hair. It flowed through her fingers and down her back, and he wished he could bury his own hands in it, bury his face in the heavy locks and breathe her in. But he’d obviously upset her.
“I’m sorry, Fern. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why?” she snapped, startling him enough that he winced. “Why are you sorry?”
“Because you’re upset.”
“I’m upset because you pulled away! You’re so careful. And it’s frustrating!”
Ambrose was taken back by her honesty, and he smiled, instantly flattered. But the smile faded as he tried to explain himself.
“You’re so small, Fern. Delicate. And all of this is new to you. I’m afraid I’m going to come on too strong. And if I break you or hurt you, I won’t survive that, Fern. I won’t survive it.” That thought was worse than walking away from her and he shuddered inwardly. He wouldn’t survive it. He had already hurt too many. Lost too many.
Fern knelt in front of him, and her chin wobbled and her eyes were wide with emotion. Her voice was adamant as she held his face between her hands, and when he tried to pull away so she wouldn’t feel his scars, she hung on, forcing his gaze.
“Ambrose Young! I have waited my whole life for you to want me. If you don’t hold me tight I won’t believe you mean it, and that’s worse than never being held at all. You better make me believe you mean it, Ambrose, or you will most definitely break me.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Fern,” he whispered hoarsely.
“Then don’t,” she whispered back, trusting him. But there were lots of ways to cause pain. And Ambrose knew he was capable of hurting her in a thousand ways.
Ambrose stopped trying to pull his face away, surrendering to the way it felt to be touched. He hadn’t allowed anyone to touch him for a long time. Her hands were small, like the rest of her, but the emotions they stirred in him were enormous, gigantic, all-consuming. She made him shake, made him quake inside, vibrate like the tracks under an on-coming train.
Her hands left his face and traveled down the sides of his neck. One side smooth, the other riddled with divots and scars and rippled where the skin had been damaged. She didn’t pull away, but felt each mark, memorized each wound. And then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his neck, just below his jaw. And then again on the other side, on the side that bore no scars, letting him know that the kiss wasn’t about sympathy but desire. It was a caress. And his control broke.
Amy Harmon is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and New York Times Bestselling author. Amy knew at an early age that writing was something she wanted to do, and she divided her time between writing songs and stories as she grew. Having grown up in the middle of wheat fields without a television, with only her books and her siblings to entertain her, she developed a strong sense of what made a good story. Her books are now being published in seventeen different languages, truly a dream come true for a little country girl from Levan, Utah.
Amy Harmon has written eightteen novels - the Washington Post bestseller What the Wind Knows, the USA Today bestsellers The Bird and The Sword, The Smallest Part, Making Faces and Running Barefoot, as well as the #1 Amazon bestselling historical From Sand and Ash, Where the Lost Wander, The Songbook of Benny Lament, The First Girl Child, The Second Blilnd Son, The Queen and The Cure, The Law of Moses, The Song of David, Infinity + One, Slow Dance in Purgatory, Prom Night in Purgatory, and the New York Times bestseller, A Different Blue. Her latest novel, The Unknown Beloved, a historical romance, was released April 19, 2022 by Lake Union Publishing and is now available for purchase.
Visit http://www.authoramyharmon.com for more information
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Dream Keeper by Kristen Ashley
Release - November 30, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / military / unrequited
Multiple POV - 1st and 3rd person
Heat Level - 3 / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Page Count - 544
Publisher - Forever
Pepper Hannigan is determined to keep any romance off the table—and out of her bedroom—while her daughter Juno is still young. Sure, a certain handsome commando is thoughtful, funny, and undeniably hot, but Pepper’s had her heart broken before, and she won’t let it happen again. Not to her or her little girl, even if this hero could melt any woman’s resolve.
Augustus “Auggie” Hero can’t deny his attraction to beautiful, warm-hearted Pepper or how much he wants to make a home with her and her little girl, but Pepper’s mixed signals have kept him away. That is, until Juno decides to play matchmaker. Her efforts finally bring Pepper into his arms, but they expose the danger Pepper is in. To protect Pepper and Juno, Auggie will have to live up to his last name and prove happy endings aren’t just for fairy tales.
Oh wow... it was all about Auggie for me!!
KA has such a talent with creating Alpha heroes with hearts of gold. This man... THIS MAN!! He had far more patience than was warranted. Honestly... I kinda wanted him to give up and move on. C'mon, if I had a friend who was basically pining for someone who repeatedly shut him down, then let him in, only to tell him HE was a mistake... yeah, I'd tell him to let her go.
But Auggie persevered and I couldn't knock the man for trying because it eventually pays off. And I can't lie, I enjoyed the makings of what Auggie and Pepper built.
Don't even get me started on how much sunshine little Juno brought to this story. The idea of The Parent Trap was so sweet and I loved how Mr. Brett Cisco got happily roped in. When am I getting a story for this man?! He needs a happy ending STAT!!
Dream Keeper gave me so much of what I needed!
❥ a hero to make my heart sing
❥ a heroine who drove me nuts and yet made me cheer her on
❥ a sweetheart of a child who seemed to be wise beyond her years
❥ side characters who were once main characters who continue to be fun characters
❥ Brett in all of his glory. Seriously, this dude needs to find the love of his life. PLEASE!
❥ I even had a little somethin' somethin' for Pepper's ex. Is it wrong of me to want this man to find some forever happiness too?
Great writing as always. Great story. And a wealth of emotion. That's what I got with this book. If I wasn't aggravated, I was smiling. If I wasn't frustrated, I was weepy. If I wasn't annoyed, I was swooning. Sweet and charming and full of KA pizzazz (yeah, that's me using the word), Dream Keeper is a must-read for lovers of romance.
Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.
Kristen, born in Gary and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, was a fourth-generation graduate of Purdue University. Since, she has lived in Denver, the West Country of England, and now she resides in Phoenix. She worked as a charity executive for eighteen years prior to beginning her independent publishing career. She currently writes full-time.
Kevlar to My Vest by Lani Lynn Vale
Release - January 2, 2015
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person/Killian Red "Trance" Spurlock & Vidalia "Viddy" Sheffield
Heat Level - 4 out of 5
Format/Source - Kindle gift
Length - 312 pages
Publisher - Indie
You’re the Kevlar…
Behind the badge and the pretty face was a heart. A heart that bled just like the rest. A heart that was so in love with Viddy Sheffield that it was humiliating. Trance had been burned before by a woman that couldn’t handle the fact that he risked his life each and every time he went on shift. She was too vulnerable; somehow he had to convince his heart to let her go. His life would chew her up and spit her out.
To My…
Viddy couldn’t get the man out of her head. Just the thought of Trance put a smile on her face. And when he walked into the same room? Words couldn’t explain. God help her, but she was even in a relationship with another man. She shouldn’t be thinking about the sexy biker with the voice that made shivers dance down her spine.
Vest…
Then the unthinkable happens, and the sexy cop she can’t stop thinking about is there for her, giving her what she never knew she needed. One moment in time, and she finds herself falling for the man, lock, stock, and barrel. The two of them have a lot of work to do to make this relationship succeed. What they didn’t know, however, was that there were people behind the scenes that were working to keep them apart. Sometimes the saying is true. You can’t always have what you want.
Find Kevlar to My Vest on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dazSPh
I loved these characters so much! Their connection started in the last book and only grew stronger here. It was a bit messy and a lot wonderful.
Trance was amazing! He was taking care of and doing right by Viddy before he even had a claim on her. Definite book boyfriend material right here!!
And Viddy... she was such a marvel. After a horrific accident took away her sight, she never let it get her down. She wasn't a victim and there were times that I would forget that she couldn't see. And when miracles happened, I was all for it! Who deserved a bit of magic more?
A creepy stalker, weird police calls, and a ton of fun times amongst the friends made this such a beautiful story to read. I was happy even when I probably shouldn't have been smiling so much at parts, but this book really did it for me. If you love love in all of its forms, you should definitely read this!
Killian/Trance & Vidalia/Viddy family tree:
Their children
Oakley Rose (daughter) - I'd Rather Not
Ford Bryce (son) - Maybe Swearing Will Help
Banner (son) - Somethin' About That Boy
Trance's family
Miller (older brother) - Execution Style
Foster (younger brother) - Charlie Foxtrot
Vidalia's family
Adeline (twin sister) - Halligan to My Axe
Jefferson (brother)
Check out my reviews of the previous books:
I snorted. She may think she wasn't being obvious about it, but I could tell.
"Yeah, I noticed. I haven't been with her in over two months now. I don't know what else to say to her to get that through her head," I answered honestly.
She shrugged. "You probably can't do anything. You'll have to just show her."
"How do you suggest I show her?" I asked, turning her body until she was sitting down on the bench beside the large fishpond.
Once she was situated, I took a seat of my own and pulled her body in close, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.
She laid her head on my chest and stared at the rippling pond that was disturbed by the large waterfall.
Koi the size of a large mouth bass in all shapes and colors swam around the water lithely.
They were beautiful and made me contemplate a pond of my own.
"I don't know. Find a woman and bring her around a lot. Kiss her, hold on to her. Show Tillie that you've moved on."
I smiled. "Who should I do this with?"
I could feel her body loosening as she got more and more comfortable against my body.
"Someone who adores you," she said quietly. "Someone who cares about whether you get home safe or not. Someone who understands your job, but won't make you change anything because she knows how much you love your job. Someone who could fall in love with you. Someone who already is in love with you. Someone who loves your brothers and your club. Someone who adores your dogs. Someone who can't wait until she hears from you again," she whispered.
My heart started thumping hard in my chest. Did she just imply that she loved me? She just described everything I wanted in a woman.
Every single thing.
All those fears that I'd been turning over in my mind for the last couple of days totally disappeared. All that was left was a certainty.
A certainty that this woman in my arms was the one.
Stop delaying in tackling things that terrify you.
Because you never know.
The spoils might be sweet.
Dream Spinner by Kristen Ashley
Standalone - Dream Team #3
Release - May 25, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - Hattie/1st person & Axl/3rd person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5/a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Length - 393 pages
Publisher - Forever
Hattie Yates has finally met the man of her dreams. Yet years of abuse from her demanding father have left her petrified of disappointment. She’s already failed to reach her goal of becoming a professional ballerina—she can’t handle the terrible consequences of another dream becoming a nightmare. But when a stalker sets their sights on Hattie, there’s only one man she dares to hope can help . . .
Axl Pantera knows Hattie is the only woman for him. Yet despite the attraction burning between them, Hattie refuses to let him in. The former soldier is determined to woo her into letting down her walls. And when danger comes calling, he’s up against more than her wary and bruised heart. Axl will do anything to prove to Hattie that they’re meant to be, but first, he’ll need to keep her safe.
Find your copy of Dream Spinner here:
Amazon * Nook * iBooks * Kobo
Can you tell me what is so addictive about KA's books? No? Yeah, neither can I. All I know is that I'm hooked!
There's Hattie, who has suffered many years of abuse from her father, who has built up walls that allow her to deny herself her greatest wish, walls that do their best to keep Axl out. Then there's Axl, a man who has been through a lot. He has his own demons, he has a huge heart, he's compassionate and patient, he's bloody awesome!
I wasn't Hattie's biggest fan in the beginning, but I grew to like her as the story developed. Now Axl, I loved him from the start. Again, this is something I find with many of the KA books I've read. Love the hero, like the heroine, ecstatic over the journey to get to the end.
Dream Spinner gave me tons of feels, oodles of laughs, and a story I could really sink my teeth into. Whether you're an old hat like me or new to this author, this is definitely a book to fall in love with.
He stared down at me, unmoving.
I stared up at him, the same.
The air around us grew heavy.
And he was so gorgeous, saying such incredible things, not to mention right there, and I was touching him, I couldn't stop my lips from saying, "Shut up, shut up."
The words that came after that lingered in the air unsaid, but they were there.
Kiss me like you mean it.
And he heard them.
I knew he did when his arm sliced around me and my hand on his chest was forced up into his spiky hair because my body was plastered to his.
And his mouth was on mine.
He kissed me.
Axl kissed me.
And he did it like he meant it.
His other arm swept around me, and I came up on my toes, his head angling, mine tipping the other way. He held tight and I pressed deep and I tasted, and I took, and I gave, and I drank, and he plundered, and he sucked, and his tongue danced with mine and yes...
Yes.
He kissed me like he meant it.
And I kissed him back the same way.
Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.
Kristen, born in Gary and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, was a fourth-generation graduate of Purdue University. Since, she has lived in Denver, the West Country of England, and now she resides in Phoenix. She worked as a charity executive for eighteen years prior to beginning her independent publishing career. She currently writes full-time.
This is our life. No touching. No nakedness. No kissing. No loving each other.
Rebellious by Kristy Marie
Standalone - although reading the Commander in Brief series first really gives a fullness to this story
Release - April 30, 2021
Genre - New Adult Contemporary Romance/best friends to lovers
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5/a few descriptive scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Length - 257 pages
Publisher - Indie
A love controlled by guilt, contained by rules… One summer will change everything.
No kissing.
No cuddling.
No blah, blah, blah.
He wrote the rules onto our skin—every ink stroke tragically smeared by the lines we’d crossed.
He claimed it was the only way we could be together—the only way we wouldn’t destroy our families.
But there was an exception to his rules—one he never saw coming.
All I needed was opportunity and a sunburn.
The girl who played by his rules is gone.
This girl… is not his “friend.”
Find your own copy of Rebellious on Amazon: CA * US * UK
FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited
Oh, the sweet, sweet agony of angst! Rebellious is the love story of Aspen Von Bremen and Bennett Jameson and it pulls on those heart muscles like a beast! Throughout this book, I kept thinking of that quote from Tennyson: 'Tis better to have loved and lost, / Than never to have loved at all. Except for the most part, their love was a huge secret (although not really a secret to ANYONE) and we spent the majority of the book wondering 'will they or won't they?'
Fine. We knew they would and that it was a matter of when, but they worked that when like a stripper on a pole — smooth and tantalizing. Obviously I'm talking about a talented stripper.
So here's the deal... Aspen has loved Bennett since she was two years old and was handed his newborn body to hold. He's loved her just as long. But Bennett's an honorable guy. He's a guy that cares about his family, ALL of his family, and he doesn't want anything to mess up what they have going. So being Aspen's bestie will have to be enough. Almost kisses and slightly inappropriate touching aside, they've kept things platonic (if you don't count certain things that they do that you will discover when you read the book), but Aspen's graduated and she's going to be leaving. Bennett's lifeline will soon be out of reach. When he finally caves to give them one summer of loving each other without rules... That's when things really start to get interesting... and messy.
For years, I've made decisions that hurt Aspen repeatedly. And every day she shows up with a smile and a bigger attitude than the day before. She never allows my shit to stop her.
I don't want to be the guy she remembers as causing her pain.
Because that's all we'll have after this summer.
A memory.
Or a nightmare — if I allow a woman like Aspen to walk away.
She's crazy.
Funny.
Beautiful.
And... lyal, even when she shouldn't be.
I loved how she displayed the dynamic between Aspen and Bennett. He was the brooding, unapproachable hero who had a soft spot for his girl. She was the one constantly trying to break all of his rules and draw out the amazing guy she knew he was. She was trouble and he was trying to keep them out of it. She was temptation and he tried his best to resist. In the end, they were perfect for each other and no one who reads this story can deny that.
A self-proclaimed reader enthusiast, Kristy started her writing journey back in 2009, reading and writing when her daughter was napping. Establishing her place in Corporate America (because something had to pay the bills), writing became her dirty, late-night secret.
After eight long years, she released her debut novel, Commander in Briefs. It was a long road, but she can honestly say, the road less traveled had the most beautiful sights.
The only thing Kristy Marie loves as much as reading and writing is sports! Especially those that require muscles and a nice ass. Her favorite is, and always will be, baseball. She's such a fan, that she even married her small town's high school's centerfielder where they still live with their three badass kids.
Commander in Briefs is her first series but definitely not her last.
"There is absolutely no reason you need to hide your thoughts from me, Ryn... Or anything... Any emotion. Any reaction." - Boone
Dream Chaser by Kristen Ashley
Standalone - Dream Team #2
Release - December 15, 2020
Genre - Contemporary Romance/alpha/drama
Dual POV - 1st person for heroine/3rd person for hero
Heat level - 3.5 out of 5
Format/Source - eARC provided by the publisher
Length - 481 pages
Ryn Jansen has no interest in taking a risk on Boone Sadler. Thanks to a long list of men who've done nothing but let her down, Ryn vows to stay far away from the caring, protective commando. And when Boone confronts Ryn with evidence that her loved ones are conning her, Ryn is less than thrilled -- with her family and Boone. But even as Boone proves he's the kind of guy to meet her every need, she doesn't trust him to stay when life gets hard . . .
Boone Sadler's never been one to back down from a challenge. He's determined to show the funny, sexy Ryn that the irresistible connection between them is worth exploring. But caring for Ryn's heart and body becomes a matter of life and death when Ryn's beloved niece and nephew are put in danger and dirty cops begin gunning for Ryn. Soon Boone realizes their romance is in danger of more than heartbreak -- and to have any future together, they'll have to put their trust in each other.
Boone wants Ryn. Ryn wants Boone. But Ryn won't let Boone in because... well, only she knows the answer to that. It seemed, to me, that she was a bit lost with her own logic. If she didn't get it, how could I? And how could Boone? After asking and being turned away repeatedly, it's no wonder he went somewhere else. So why is Ryn all torn up about it? And why is Boone still looking out for her? And why is she mad at him for looking out for her? Ah, the drama... you were missed!
Getting into the heart of this story wouldn't be right. It needs to be experienced. You need to take this journey for yourself, to find out why Boone and Ryn were perfect for each other. You need to learn, through these words, how KA was able to capture the true essence of these characters, bringing them to life, highlighting their flaws and bestowing us with their virtues. Boone was one heck of a hero. Such a good man. And Ryn gave just as good as she got.
There was chaos, bits of suspense, familiar faces, new alliances, and the setup for what I believe will be the love story to follow -- I can't be the only one who was feeling all there was to feel with Axl and Hattie.
I don't think there's anything in the world quite like getting lost in a book by Kristen Ashley. Dream Chaser is said to be a spin-off of two of my favorite series (Dream Man and Rock Chick) and if Boone and Ryn are any indication, this seems about right. Whether it was Boone's alphaness or Ryn's independence or the camaraderie of the larger group that convinced me, it doesn't even matter. I enjoyed every word!
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“Baby?”
I stopped feeling sorry for myself and focused on Boone.
His mouth came down on mine.
I thought maybe it was some weird, kinda-friends, kinda-not, should-be-lovers, but-weren’t, never-gonna-happen good-bye kiss.
I realized it was not when his tongue came out and he traced the crease of my lips with the tip.
They opened.
Really, there was no way I could have kept them closed.
Just a taste.
I’d give myself just a taste.
A taste of Boone.
Even if that tasted like never.
He slid his tongue inside, and he didn’t taste like never.
He tasted rich and decadent and heady and hot and male.
And he kissed like Boone.
Man and alpha and strength and protector and Dom.
Without a fight, without even a thought, I submitted to his tongue and his mouth and his kiss and him.
I was holding onto him, yielding to the plunder, my legs trembling, when he lifted his mouth from mine. With an eyeful of nothing but green, I heard him say, “Lock up after me, sweetheart. Get some sleep. I’ll catch you later.”
And with that, he let me go, left me swaying in my living room….
And he was gone.
Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.
Kristen, born in Gary and raised in Brownsburg, Indiana, was a fourth-generation graduate of Purdue University. Since, she has lived in Denver, the West Country of England, and now she resides in Phoenix. She worked as a charity executive for eighteen years prior to beginning her independent publishing career. She currently writes full-time.
In For a Penny by Melissa Foster
Standalone: The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor #7.5
Release: December 9, 2020
Dual POV: 3rd person
Heat level: 4 out of 5
Format/Source: eARC provided by the author
Length: 74 pages
Friendships and family abound during a week of love, laughter, and happily ever afters. Catch up with your favorite characters and enjoy Bones and Sarah’s wedding while falling in love with the newest Whiskey-world couple, Penny Wilson and Scott Beckley in this Whiskey series novella.
When everything you want is right in front of you, but it's still out of reach… Penny Wilson has a successful business, more friends than a girl could ask for, and a boyfriend she’s madly and passionately in love with. Scott Beckley is honest, loyal, hands down the best lover on the planet, and absolutely gaga over his nieces and nephews. Scott’s a keeper…as long as Penny doesn’t ever want to hear those three magical words that would take their relationship to the next level. Scott escaped abusive parents at seventeen and was forced to find his way alone in the world. Even though it’s been more than a decade and he’s reunited with his estranged sisters and built a good life in Peaceful Harbor, Maryland, he’s still tortured by his past. Penny knows he loves her with everything he has, but for a girl who wants a family and a guy who is afraid of having one, love might not be enough. In For a Penny started out scorching hot and ended delightfully sweet. Penny and Scott were obviously in love and everything should have been easy breezy... but they weren't. Scott couldn't admit his love for Penny in words because those words would lead to expectations. He couldn't give her a home or children or forever. Despite the fact that his love for her was evident in his every word, touch and action, he was terrified of fully giving in. And for Penny, it was all heartbreaking. While all of their friends are enjoying love and bliss, she's full of doubt. Can her love give him the courage to face his greatest fears?
I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. Scott was a dirty-talking hunk and Penny was the sweetheart of his dreams. I didn't like some of Penny's thoughts, but her heart was definitely in the right place. There's just something about this author's writing, the small town charm she injects into all of her stories, that just keeps me smiling right to the end. For all fans of the Whiskeys, this story is not to be missed.
iBooks: https://apple.co/382eQ2f
Nook: https://bit.ly/37M0N0z
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3oxfBH5
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name, Addison Cole.
I wanted him. So. Bad.
Nobody Knows by Lani Lynn Vale
Standalone: SWAT Generation 2.0 #11
Release: November 10, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Dual POV: 1st person - Malachi Gabriel Gnocchi (used to be Stokes) & Sierra (sister to Samuel Adams from Say It Ain't So)
Heat: 4 (one scene)
Format/Source: eARC provided by the author
Length: 204 pages
All he ever wanted was to matter to someone.
What he didn’t know was that he did matter to someone.
Someone that worried about him every single day that he was gone.
Malachi Gabriel Gnocchi was missing for two years. Thanks to a mission gone wrong, not only had he been captured, but his best friend along with his fellow teammates had been taken, too.
He spent two years in hell, hoping and praying that one day he’d get to go home.
And one day he does. Only, he isn’t the same person that left. Every single thing that made him Malachi is no more.
Leo is FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US * Amazon CA
One single summer changed them forever, and one moment of devastating silence destroyed it all.
Growing up with six siblings, Leo Preston has always struggled to find his voice.
While his brothers are loud, greedy, and somewhat obnoxious, Leo is forever the quiet one.
The thinker.
The listener.
He watches his life pass by as an outsider in his own world, absent and alone.
Lost.
Until he finds her.
For Leo, Mia Kovács is like a prize, a gift wrapped in passion and devotion.
And she’s his—his very own secret he doesn’t have to share.
Together, they can overcome anything…
heartache and destruction, guilt and regret.
Mia gives Leo everything he didn’t know he needed,
including her fragile heart.
The only thing she doesn’t give him...
are secrets of her own.
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