Showing posts with label 9-Sibling BFF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 9-Sibling BFF. Show all posts

Throwback Thursday // Sibling's Best Friend

May 16, 2024


Hey everyone and welcome to another Throwback Thursday! Every other week I'll be sharing my book recommendations within a specific romantic trope or theme.

Today I'm sharing the first five Brother's/Sister's Best Friend books I loved and reviewed on the blog. There's something special about this trope, maybe because of how seamless the relationships can be. It's almost organic in how they're in each other's sphere and it takes one great moment to light the spark between them. When they're done well, they're automatic winners for me.

If you happen to know of a book in this theme that you think I'd love, please let me know.



Hollywood Prince by Kim Karr


This story had a love triangle vibe, which I typically avoid, but I really enjoyed the way the author laid everything out. This story is steamy with easy to like characters. It was just another example of why Kim Karr made it to me must-read list.

Find my review HERE



Tempt by K.I. Lynn


Tempt is short and sweet and smutty. I've loved this author's writing for years and she didn't disappoint with this little novella. A great palate cleanse for those who enjoy books with heat.

Find my review HERE



Hungry as a Wolf by Alma Black


I always meant to get back to this author's books because I vividly remember enjoying this paranormal series. This story had a forbidden quality to it along with a suspenseful element. It definitely entertained me right to the end.

Find my review HERE



The Room Mate by Kendall Ryan


The entire Roommates series is pretty much a win for me and this one still stood out. It could be because there was plenty to piss me off and I came out smiling in the end.

Find my review HERE



The Boss by J.L. Perry


It's light and easy with plenty of chemistry and some sexy times. The author delves into the emotions of the characters and we're along for the ride.

Find my review HERE

Review // Three Simple Words, The Pact, and Center Mass

November 15, 2023


I read these books a long time ago so they're not exactly new, but it was about time I shared them.
Have you read any of these?


Three Simple Words by AJ Pine

Three Simple Words by A.J. Pine


Contemporary Brother's Best Friend Romance, dual pov

Annie
I know where to find my happily ever after—between the pages of a romance novel. It’s why I sell books, why I blog about them, and why I’ll never get disappointed by love.

So what if my brother’s best friend from high school is now a bestselling author? Or that he just blew back into town on a Harley, filling out a pair of jeans like he never did before? Or that he’s agreed to do a signing at my bookstore on such short notice? Because despite all his adoring female fans, I kind of hated his book.

Wes
The last time I saw Annie Denning, she was a senior in high school, three years older than me and way out of my league.
Now I’m her last-minute date to a wedding, and what started as a night of pure fun has turned into something more real than either of us anticipated.

Annie is my muse. When I’m with her, my writer’s block fades away, and the words finally flow.

The only problem? She wants the fairy tale—her very own happily ever after—and anyone who’s read my book knows the truth. I just don’t believe they exist.

Rating: ★★★★★

Looking for a great, light, feel-good story? How about one that many of us can relate to? Then this is the book for you!!

I can't tell you how many times my mind and heart have been stuck in a book. Sometimes it takes a real long while for me to let the story go. And I have to admit that the female main character in this book reminded me of me. *shrugs* I love a tortured hero. Or one who truly believes that love just ain't in his cards. And I absolutely love watching him get knocked on his ass by the one woman he can't seem to resist!

Introducing Wes and Annie. Annie owns a bookstore and runs a blog titled "Happy Ever After". Her hopes, dreams and ideals about love come from romance novels and she can't find her HEA in real life. Wes is a newly successful author of a romance novel that isn't really romantic. He also happens to be Annie's younger brother's best friend. He believes that true love and HEAs ONLY belong in fiction. And yet, when these two start a mutually beneficial "arrangement", their stances on love and happy endings lose traction.

It felt surreal to read about a character that thought so much like me. I could easily put myself in Annie's shoes but it wasn't difficult to do the same with Wes. I adored both characters. They made me smile, cheer, laugh, giggle, grin, slap my forehead in frustration, but ultimately, they made me love them.

To quote the author: "Thank you, Annie and Wes, for showing us that love can conquer all and that happy endings are just the beginning."

Although part of a series, this book can definitely be read as a standalone. Fair warning: once you read it, I'm sure you'll be just as interested in the other books as I am.


The Pact by Karina Halle

The Pact by Karina Halle


Contemporary Friends-to-Lovers Romance, dual pov

It all started with a pinky swear…

Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome; a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He’s also one of Stephanie Robson’s best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she’s known him.

But some relationships can’t be boxed, can’t be classified, can’t be tamed.

Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty.

It sounds like fun and games but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life.
Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line.

The pact is about to change everything.

Rating: ★★★★★

Simply put, this book was awesome! I can't believe it took me so long to read it. I found a quote in it that really stuck with me throughout the entire story:

"His dick is perfect. Just f*cking perfect. I can’t stop staring at it. It’s not just that it’s massive (and in a good way, not in a spearing your uterus kind of way), but that it’s smooth and thick and long and hard and perfectly proportioned. It’s the most gorgeous penis I’ve ever seen and it makes me wish I could paint because I could have a whole gallery devoted to the beauty of his dick and I would consistently sell out of all my paintings."

Yup, that and more can be found in this great book. Linden and Stephanie were amazing characters and I'm sad to see them go. It's nice to know that they're not forgotten, however, and make future appearances in the other McGregor books. The author found a way to captivate with warmth and light-hearted fun. I read the Acknowledgements and what the author said is true. There aren't many books that tackle the dating scene of actual adults. So thanks for this refreshing, heart-warming, hilarious addition!!


Center Mass by Lani Lynn Vale

Center Mass by Lani Lynn Vale


Contemporary Single Parent Romance

Luke Roberts came to the small lazy town of Kilgore, Texas with one thing on his mind: Forgetting. He wanted to forget why he left. Forget those emerald green eyes that haunted his dreams. And forget how it felt to have his heart ripped out of his chest by a woman who didn’t like the fact that he had a child. It was something he’d been doing a damn fine job of doing, too. Until Reese smashed through every one of his defenses, and made him feel again.

Reese Doherty was just trying to do the best for her little girl. So she moved to the little boomtown nearly an hour from where she grew up to be the school nurse for Kilgore’s littlest people. That’s where she met him. The SWAT officer and the man that would change her life forever. The sexy man who liked to drive fast, and live life like it should be lived. He drove her crazy, and became something she could barely live without.

But Luke was a hero. A man used to risking his life to make the world a safer place. Something Reese had to decide whether she could handle or not. Preferably before her and her daughter became too attached.

Just when she’s ready to give him her whole heart, her world takes a huge hit, and everything she thought she knew wasn’t as it seemed.

Luke
wasn’t a quitter, though. Damn far from it, and he’d prove to her that he’d be there when the dust settled. Whether she wanted him to be or not.

Character details:

Lucas "Luke" Roberts + Reese Francesca Doherty

   Children:
     Katerina "Katy" Roberts (Lucas's daughter) — Hide Your Crazy
     Rowen Diane Roberts (Reese's daughter) — Just Kidding
     Derek Roberts — Fries Before Guys

   Luke's Family:
     Travis (father)
     Paige (mother)
     Baylee (sister) — Lights to my Siren

   Reese's Family:
     Frank (father)
     Daniella (mother)
     Tru (sister) — Charge to my Line

Rating: ★★★★★

I gave this book 5 stars not because it was the greatest book of all time but because of how it made me feel in the end.

There's something about reading a book involving single parents that hits home for me. It could be because I can empathize with the characters. It could be because children in the story is always a treat! I'm not sure but the author did a fantastic job of bringing single parents Luke and Reese to life.

I liked how realistic their daily lives were. They were juggling their children, work, and attempts at a dating life. Their support systems (family & friends) were awesome. I really liked that there wasn't a huge conversation about the status of their relationship. They just kinda fell into commitment with one another and it was wonderful to watch it unfold.

I knew that Luke being SWAT and Assistant Chief would add an element of suspense. When the action came in the story, it wasn't crazy intense but it was definitely interesting. I wonder if more details concerning the aftermath will be revealed in other books in the series.

The epilogue was freaking fantastic!!

I laughed. I swooned over Luke's (and his team's) Alpha-ness. I giggled over the children. I raged at the angst caused by the exes. And I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this read.

Ruthless Bastard by Stacey Kennedy

April 04, 2020

Ruthless Bastard by Stacey Kennedy

USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy delivers a riveting story about a former army ranger who will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves.

KICKIN' IT by Rachel Van Dyken

May 31, 2019

Love breaks the offside rule in New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken’s irresistibly sexy Red Card romance.

Successful, high-profile sports agent Matt Kingston thinks he can handle anything. Then soccer player Parker Speedman shows up at his door. She is young and gorgeous, has natural talent, and is looking for a team. She’s also a hothead with a punchy past who floored her last coach on live TV. Despite his misgivings, Matt agrees to be both her agent and her coach. Professional common sense says she’s off-limits. But what can he say about the raw attraction between them?

Parker plays soccer with her heart and soul. But after the events of the last year, she’s shaken. She’s already seen what a powerful man can do to a female athlete’s career. And her beloved dream is in the hands of a sexy, gorgeous man with the uncanny ability to slip past her defenses…and into her heart.

Now Matt and Parker are about to learn that when it comes to love, the only way to win is by breaking every rule they know. And by playing nice. Real nice.


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Review: Motion by Penny Reid

January 30, 2019

Motion by Penny Reid
One week.
Home alone.
Girl genius.
Unrepentant slacker.
Big lie.
What’s the worst that could happen?

Mona is a smart girl and figured everything out a long time ago. She had to. She didn’t have a choice. When your parents are uber-celebrities and you graduate from high school at fifteen, finish college at eighteen, and start your PhD program at nineteen, you don’t have time for distractions outside of your foci. Even fun is scheduled. Which is why Abram, her brother’s best friend, is such an irritant.

Abram is a talented guy, a supremely gifted musician, and has absolutely nothing figured out, nor does he seem to care. He does what he feels, when he feels, and—in Mona’s opinion—he makes her feel entirely too much.

Laws of Physics is the second trilogy in the Hypothesis series; Laws of Physics parts 1 (MOTION) & 2 (SPACE) end with a cliffhanger.

Review: The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend's Sister by Meghan Quinn

December 22, 2018

The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend's Sister by Meghan Quinn
How do you date your best friend's sister? Easy.

Step one: Pretend you want her to set you up with someone else. That will bring the two of you closer.

Step two: Go on date with lots of random women, proceed to get stupid drunk and talk about your best friend's sister, thus gaining the courage to finally make a move.

Step three: Randomly show up at her apartment and confess your love. Women love that, right?

It all seemed so simple. A fool-proof three step process that will guarantee the love of you life to fall madly in love with you.

At least--that's what I thought was going to happen. But my attempts to win over Julia Westin backfired in more ways than I can count. The thing about Julia? She's smart--really smart--and her wicked gaze cuts through all the charm I've tried slinging her way. She's not interested in games, my gifts, or my stories. She might want me too; but she's not giving in that easy...

ARC Review: GORGEOUS by Kristy Marie

September 15, 2018

Breck:
My name is Brecklyn Brannon, and I’m not who I claim to be.
A year ago, I packed up my promising life in the city for a man I saw only once.
Accepting a temporary job with Cade and four blazing hot veterans should have been my way in.
Except, Cade acts like he would rather be tortured than speak to me.
He can resist all he wants, but I made a promise that I intend to keep.
Even if it costs me everything.

Cade:
I’ve watched her for over a year.
There’s something about her that seems familiar… but now that she’s living here for two weeks, I could care less what it is.
I just want her gone.
Breck is temptation personified, and some lines can't be crossed.
I'm Major Cade Jameson, and I made a promise, too.
One that I can't break.
No matter how hard IT gets.

ARC Review: FILTHY LIES by Raine Miller

July 30, 2018

On the day I turned fifteen years old I knew I loved James Blakney. There was a look in his eye that told me he’d finally noticed I existed in a realm beyond best-friend’s-much-younger-off-limits-don’t-even-think-about-it-little-sister. Call it womanly intuition, despite the fact I was barely qualified for being an actual woman at just fifteen—and only in the biological sense—but still, I knew I loved him.

What I never expected from him was a proposal of marriage nearly eight years later. I know it's not supposed to be a real marriage, but James is certainly making it feel that way.

He's also hiding something from me.

But I've hidden the truth from him as well.

Lies.

So many filthy lies.

~Winter Blackstone

Goodreads | Amazon

ARC Review: Cocksure by K.I. Lynn & Olivia Kelley

January 05, 2018

A life altering lie, ten years, and one wild night later, the game has changed.

Niko

My life is great. I love my job, have awesome friends, and a great family.
Women love me, even if they know it’s just for a night.
I always thought love at first sight was bullshit. Then she came storming into my life. She tore through my every rule, rocked my world, and knocked me on my ass.
There’s only one problem...she lied.
Turns out my best friend’s little sister isn’t so little anymore.

Everly

I stole a night with my fantasy.
After ten years of not seeing each other, Niko doesn’t even recognize me.
So I take what I want from him, what I need from him. Without worry. Without consequence.
What I didn’t count on was the lingering need for him.
Once the truth is out, the game changes. There are consequences.
I should have known nothing in my life is ever simple.
My brother is going to kill his best friend and I have nine months to figure out what I want.

Get it today! http://amzn.to/2CJaaAA

ARC Review: THE V CARD by Lauren Blakely & Lili Valente

December 13, 2017

The V Card by Lauren Blakely & Lili Valente
When you think about how easy it is to lose keys, phones, sunglasses and your dignity on social media, you might figure it'd be a cinch for me to ditch my V Card.
You'd be wrong.
At 25, I run a successful business, live in a fantastic apartment, and have fabulous friends to go out with any night of the week. And yet I'm still a card-carrying member of a club I don't want to belong to anymore. Good thing I know just the man for the deflowering job—my brother’s business partner and best friend.
Graham Campbell is charming, smart, and, I’m told, oh-so-skilled in the sack. As long as I keep my eyes on the prize, there’s no way this pluck-the-flower project could possibly complicate matters.
***
Work and pleasure. As the CEO of a fast-growing company, I've been enjoying both to the fullest. What do I do when the board throws me for an unexpected loop so I can keep my business in my hands? I enlist the help of my best friend's little sister since she holds a big stake in the company. But then I learn there's another big stake she wants.
The one between my legs.
I can do this. Seven nights to teach her everything I know in the bedroom. There's no way I'll fall for her, even though she’s earning top grades in every single sinfully sexy lesson. And turns out I’m learning something too. The trouble is I don’t have the answer key to what to do when I fall hard for her.
And that throws a whole new hitch in my plans.

Get it today! http://amzn.to/2ARJDgT

Review: The Real Thing by Melissa Foster

September 03, 2017

The Real Thing by Melissa Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Standalone - Sugar Lake #1
Release - September 5, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Trope - best friend's sibling
Dual POV - 3rd person
Heat - 3 out of 5
Length - 288 pages

This sassy, spirited baker is fine with heat—but is her fake fiancĂ© too hot to handle?

Bakery owner Willow Dalton’s friendship with Zane Walker has always been a bit complicated. Now a scrumptiously hot A-list actor, Zane’s always had a reputation as player. He’s arrogant, and he’s definitely not boyfriend material. Sure, he did Willow a favor by agreeing to take her virginity before college, but is that reason enough to go along with a fake engagement a decade later—even if it comes with a real diamond ring?

Zane should have known better. Nothing involving Willow has ever been easy. Still, he knows her better than anyone, and becoming America’s hottest new leading man means cleaning up his reputation. An “engagement” to curvy, sass-mouthed Willow is the perfect PR move . . . provided no one gets hurt.

Now Zane and Willow’s little white lie has turned into an irresistible recipe for sweet temptation. And soon no one will be able to tell the difference between their fake engagement or the real thing—including them.

Review: The Perfect Bastard by LK Collins

August 14, 2017

The Perfect Bastard by LK Collins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Standalone
Release - August 16, 2017
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Trope - best friend's sibling
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat - 4 out of 5
Length - 256 pages

What is the one thing you shouldn’t do when your wife leaves you? Sleep with your best friend’s sister.

It’s too bad Roan Reddick never got that piece of advice before he fell into bed with Mia Cavalano. She’s smart, sassy, and sexy as hell. She’s also the only woman to flip his world upside down since his wife. And she’s leaving for college in two days, which is good considering he’s not looking for a relationship, not now, not with the agony that lives inside him from his past. But Roan can’t kick the craving he now has for Mia.

One choice changed everything.

After years away, Mia realizes she and Roan just aren’t meant to be. So she vows to keep her focus on her career and forget about the one-night stand that rocked her world so long ago. But when work transfers her back to Boston, a place that holds so many memories, she has no choice but to go. All she has to do is stick to her plan and keep her focus on work, which should be easy, right?

Besides, in a city of half a million people, how hard can it be to avoid the perfect bastard?

Find your copy of The Perfect Bastard here:
Goodreads | Amazon
FREE with Kindle Unlimited