REVIEW – MISTER ROMANCE (Masters of Love, #1) by Leisa Rayven

April 30, 2017April 30, 2017Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS

Max Riley is the man of your dreams. Or at least he will be, for a price.

As his alter-ego Mister Romance, Max is a drop-dead gorgeous escort who makes romantic fantasies come to life. No sex, just swoon-worthy dates to die for, and the cream of New York’s socialites can’t get enough. Whether they want a dominating billionaire, bad boy with a heart of gold, hot geek, sexy biker, or best friend who loves them from afar, Max can make it all happen, but he’s careful to keep his real identity a secret.

Enter investigative journalist Eden Tate. Having caught wind of the urban legend of Mister Romance from a lovestruck client, Eden is determined to publish a scathing expose on Max and his ability to swindle lonely society women out of their fortunes.

Desperate to protect his anonymity and his clients, Max challenges Eden to give him three dates. If she doesn’t fall in love with him, she can run her story with his blessing. If she succumbs to his charms, the story dies.

Cynical Eden has no doubt she can resist his fake romance personas, but when the real Max admits he’s falling for her, she has to decide if the professional liar is telling the truth, or if the passionate man with the mysterious past is just one more character designed to con her out of her career-making story.

Don’t miss this sizzling new standalone from the internationally best selling author of Bad Romeo, Broken Juliet, and Wicked Heart.

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****FIVE+++++++++STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

It’s everything I knew kissing him would be, and right now, even my fear isn’t enough to drag me off him. It’s the only time I’ve ever felt like I was awake and dreaming at the same time.
We kiss each other like we’re afraid to stop. Like the world could come crashing down in a fiery apocalypse around us, and neither of us would notice.

OUTSTANDING!!!!

I am officially in love with Leisa Rayven. Again, she has written a story that had me floating so high with feelings of euphoria. I was completely consumed by this book and had those butterflies in my stomach for yet another beautiful and swoon-worthy Hero, well actually Heroes, that Leisa created for MISTER ROMANCE. Max Riley is one of the most charismatic book boyfriends that I won’t soon forget and I guarantee you that he is going to win the heart of many a reader! This story was just in the simplest of terms – SUPERB!!

Eden Tate is a young woman who has a job she loathes, working for an online publication. She is looking to get her break to get her own byline and her sister has come across some information that could end up being just the story she needs to catapult her career. There’s a rumor circulating amongst the wealthiest of socialites in NYC of a highly in demand Escort who can make a woman’s deepest fantasies come to life.

This man is physically beyond perfection and he is a masterful chameleon as well. He can be any type of fantasy man a woman needs him to be. But he doesn’t engage in sex with any of his clients. His skills are strictly in the art of seduction and he has the innate ability to make a woman feel special and truly adored. Eden is not a believer in fairy tales or love and is looking to expose this Mister Romance for the phony he truly is. At first, it seems to be an almost impossible feat to find out the identity of this elusive man but with the help of a cyber genius, she is able to make contact. From then on, the story takes you on a wonderful and exhilarating ride!

Max is intrigued by Eden. She is so different from any woman he’s ever met before. Her cynicism and tough as nails attitude calls to him somehow. She is a mystery that he wants to uncover almost as much as Eden wants to get his inside story. He agrees to give Eden the interview and information she needs to write her story but only if she will go on several dates with him to get the full “Mister Romance” experience. At the end of their time together, if she develops true feelings for him, she has to promise not to write the article on him.

Max becomes several different characters with Eden and each one is simply impossible not to fall in love with. Each scenario is so well thought out and masterfully executed that they genuinely feel like real experiences for Eden. And as time goes on Eden’s skepticism and closed off heart are caving in for Max. I can tell you I was nearly dying from the anticipation for these two to finally give in to their deep attraction to each other, and once it happened, oh what a true feeling of relief it was!

As Max and Eden try to navigate through their newfound emotions they feel for each other there are other bigger obstacles they still have to overcome that could jeopardize everything.

I can’t wait for this book to go live so that you all can read it! I’m actually a bit jealous of those who will get to experience this story for the first time– you have such an incredible story awaiting you. This is one book that I plan on re-reading many times over.

MISTER ROMANCE releases on April 30th! You will definitely want to one-click!

Amazon US: https://goo.gl/h0YRdE

iBooks: https://goo.gl/xxaFdI

B&N: https://goo.gl/cEunKT

Kobo: https://goo.gl/NK49GZ

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/a1Wdga

Amazon AU: https://goo.gl/9fcSjX

Amazon BR: https://goo.gl/sViY5Z

Amazon DE: https://goo.gl/1btIjP

Amazon FR: https://goo.gl/IVW1Qg

Amazon IT: https://goo.gl/s3eRHn

COVER REVEAL – DIRTY SOULS (Sins Duet #2) by Karina Halle

March 3, 2017March 3, 2017Leave a comment

From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes DIRTY SOULS the much-anticipated, nail-biting conclusion to Black Hearts…

Violet McQueen has always been a sensitive soul. Troubled and misunderstood, she never realized her place in the world, nor her true potential…until she met Vicente Bernal.

From birth, Vicente Bernal has always known his place in the world – he’s been groomed to be a ruthless king. Yet for a man whose soul has become morally bankrupt, it’s only through Violet he’s realizing the worth of someone’s heart.

But at what cost?

With a deadly game set in motion taking them from the stark deserts of California to the steamy jungles of Mexico, Violet and Vicente’s forbidden relationship will be put to the test. Boundaries will be pushed, lines will be crossed and souls will get very, very dirty.

Because how do you choose between blood and love when both might get you killed?

Dirty Souls is the conclusion and final book in the SINS DUET and releases March 17th on Amazon and KU

Paperbacks to follow shortly

Pick up the first book, Black Hearts, today! bit.ly/BlackHearts

COMING SOON – MISTER ROMANCE by Leisa Rayven

March 2, 20171 Comment

Coming in 2017

from the Internationally best-selling author

of Bad Romeo

M I S T E R R O M A N C E

Max Riley is the man of your dreams. Or at least he will be, for a price.

Don’t miss this sizzling new standalone from Leisa Rayven! Coming April 30, 2017

Pre-Order Now!

Amazon US: https://goo.gl/h0YRdE

iBooks: https://goo.gl/xxaFdI

B&N: https://goo.gl/cEunKT

Kobo: https://goo.gl/NK49GZ

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/a1Wdga

Amazon AU: https://goo.gl/9fcSjX

Amazon BR: https://goo.gl/sViY5Z

Amazon DE: https://goo.gl/1btIjP

Amazon FR: https://goo.gl/IVW1Qg

Amazon IT: https://goo.gl/s3eRHn

Praise for Leisa’s Starcrossed series:

“Loved. Loved. Loved Bad Romeo and Broken Juliet. I now have a serious book hangover. Leisa Rayven – thank you for all the feels.”

– E.L. James, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 50 Shades of Grey

“I’m in love with Leisa Rayven, and the rest of the world needs to be, too.”

– Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ugly Love

“Leisa Rayven crashes onto the romance scene: laughing, flirting, and just daring us to put Bad Romeo down. I couldn’t!”

– Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Bastard

“An unputdownable debut! Filled with delicious tension that will make your palms sweat, toes curl and heart race.”

– Alice Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of Wallbanger

“The perfect combination of hot and hilarious. Utterly dazzling!”

– Katy Evans, New York Times bestselling author of Real

“I gobbled this book up in one sitting. The emotions between the characters were superb. The new hottest book couple!”

– Jennifer Probst, New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage Bargain

“Rayven’s words have the ability the decimate my heart. Her raw and unyielding talent leaves me breathless.

– Glass Paper Ink Book Blog

“With the perfect balance of humor, steam, angst and impossible-to-put-down, Leisa Rayven is a gifted storyteller, and Wicked Heart is truly exceptional.”

– Natasha Is A Book Junkie.

This book is genuinely PERFECT. In my eyes it is 150% perfection. Actually, I’d even go so far as to say that this is the best book I’ve read this year!!

– Aestas Book Blog.

COVER REVEAL – BUNS (Hudson Valley #3) by Alice Clayton

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017Leave a comment

Release Date: June 1, 2017

SYNOPSIS

The third in the hilarious yet sizzling hot Hudson Valley series from New York Time and USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton.

Clara Morgan is living the dream, if you can call rebranding hotels that are desperate for a new life and running any kind of marathon a dream. Which she does. But the career she loves and the endurance races that keep her adrenaline pumping have kept her too busy to put down any roots. Growing up in foster care, she’s never been able to establish traditions of her own, which may be why she’s fascinated by the rituals that generations-old family resorts are known for. She’s especially interested in the Bryant Mountain House, and not just for their secret recipe for the yummy, gooey, can’t-get-enough-of Hot Cross Buns….

Archie Bryant, the man with the Buns, is fifth generation and one-day-owner of the charming yet run-down Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York. He’s determined to save his family’s legacy from the wrecking ball the old-fashioned way—by gritting his teeth and doing what needs to be done. There’s no way Archie will be influenced by the new hotel branding expert his father brought in to turn one hundred and fifty years of tradition on its head just to attract a faster, younger, slicker crowd. But when some of Clara’s ideas start bringing in new, paying customers, Archie can’t deny that she may have just given him a shot at keeping his resort open.

It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s sweet, it’s Buns.

xoxo

S&S: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Buns/Alice-Clayton/The-Hudson-Valley-Series/9781501118173

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/150111817X?tag=simonsayscom

B&N: http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501118173

BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781501118173

INDIEBOUND: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501118173?aff=simonsayscom

IBOOKSTORE: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781501118197?at=101rBC&ct=buns_9781501118197_sscom

KINDLE: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MPZNNVO?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B01MPZNNVO&linkCode=xm2&tag=sscom-ebooks1-20

NOOK: http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7567305-11819508?SID=simonsayscom&url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=9781501118197

GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alice_Clayton_Buns?id=WCppDQAAQBAJ&PAffiliateId=110l3H&PCamRefID=buns_9781501118197_sscom

REVIEW – BLACK HEARTS (Sins Duet #1) by Karina Halle

February 19, 2017February 21, 2017Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS

Black Hearts is a BRAND NEW STANDALONE DUET – the second book and conclusion, Dirty Souls, releases March 17th.

For Vicente Bernal, truth is all he’s known. The son of an infamous drug lord, Vicente was born to help run the family business, which means he’s been raised on a throne of sordid pasts and dirty laundry, violence and pride. But when Vicente stumbles across someone he’s not supposed to know about – a woman from his father’s checkered past – he sets out to California to find her behind his father’s back.

What Vicente doesn’t expect to find in San Francisco is Violet McQueen, the woman’s twenty-year old daughter. Beautiful and edgy with a vulnerability he can’t resist, Violet tempts Vicente from afar and though he promised himself he’d stay away from her, curiosity and lust are powerful forces. Besides, Vicente has always gotten everything he wants – why shouldn’t he have Violet too?

Soon his wants turn into an obsession, one that sweeps Violet into his games as they fall madly, deeply in love with each other, the type of first love that can drive a person mad.

But it’s a love with tragic consequences.

Both the truth – and the lies – not only threaten to tear them apart, but threaten their very lives.

Someone has to pay for the sins of the fathers.

And they’ll be paying the price with their souls.

Black Hearts is a BRAND NEW STANDALONE DUET – the second book and conclusion, Dirty Souls, releases March 17th

*****Mel’s Review*****

5 Stars!

Vincente Bernal grew up in Mexico as the prodigal son of a drug lord. He was raised to one day take over the cartel & had everything he wants in life except freedom. He grew up sheltered & often isolated for his safety in a world full of power, respect, and money. He was born to follow in his father’s footsteps, & lost his innocence at a young age.

Vincente learns about a mystery woman from his father’s past & wants to learn more about the man his father used to be. He wanted proof that his father once had a soul. He convinces his parents to allow him to travel to America for the next couple months. He steps foot in San Francisco, California & feels like he can finally breathe.

Vincente has a plan that goes off track when he meets the daughter of the woman he’s come to see. He then wonders if the daughter could be his way to get close to the mother. The problem is he wasn’t prepared for the beautiful, intriguing Violet McQueen. She’s kind, sensitive, vulnerable & has an innocence about her. She also has a bit of an edge to her & there’s something about her he’s drawn to.

Violet McQueen meets a gorgeous, Hispanic man with amber eyes. He’s absolutely stunning and she instantly wants him. He’s sensual, sexy, & everything she isn’t. He’s strong, confident, and once he touches her, she’s done for. She is addicted to him. He’s wild, adventurous & sets her body on fire. He makes her feel alive & finally understood. She’s completely consumed by him and in the moment when they’re together.

Violet soon starts to realize her parents aren’t who she thinks they are. Things have seemed off lately & she begins to feel she was raised in a house of lies. The only person that she feels safe with is Vincente. He just gets her.

Violet was never part of the plan. Vincente is feeling things for her that scare him, and complicate everything. He was trained & raised to take over the family business & taught love is a weakness, but he can’t control how his heart feels every time he’s with Violet. He considers Violet his & he has no plans of letting her go.

-She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. To stare at her from afar is one thing. To see her up close is another.

-She’s learning what she wants. And what she wants is me.

-I’m angry. I’m so fucking angry that my heart feels something for her. That she’s getting under my skin. That she’s making me question who I am.

-The hold he has on me is only growing stronger. I can’t get enough of him. He occupies my thoughts, my body, my heartbeat.

-Vincente’s mouth against mine is a lungful of oxygen, his body a life raft.

If you’ve read the Artist’s Trilogy or the Dirty Angels series by Karina Halle you will be familiar with these characters, but this book is a spinoff & can totally be read as a stand alone. It’s the children of Javier & Luisa Bernal and Camden & Ellie McQueen. Black Hearts is the first book in the duet. The second book Dirty Souls releases March 17th & will complete the story.

I LOVED this book! Like father like son, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Vincente is gorgeous, sinfully sexual & skilled in the bedroom, but also can be twisted like dear old dad. What I adored about Vincente that I felt made him stand out is his heart. I feel he will choose love in the end. This book had action, excitement, and love, & was sexy as hell! I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}

I was thoroughly fucked by Vicente.
Over and over and over again.
In a way I never imagined.
He made me step away from myself. He pulled me out of that prison. He opened my eyes to a reality I didn’t think I could be a part of.
He made my weaknesses my strengths.
He made it raw and beautiful.

BLACK HEARTS is a spin-off of The Artist Trilogy and Dirty Angels series but can definitely be read as a standalone. The main characters in this story are the offspring of the characters from the Karina Halle’s previous two series. This one is filled with a ton action, suspense and hotter than heck STEAM!! I read ”On Every Street” and “Sins and Needles” and was definitely on TEAM CAM, but there’s a new man in town and he completely stole my heart. Get ready to meet the sexy bad ass Hero with an edgy dark side—Vicente Bernal!!

Vicente is in San Francisco on a supposed vacation but he has a secret agenda, find the woman who is the only person to ever one-up his father, Javier Bernal. His plan is to either capture and bring Ellie Watt back to his father as a prize or to pick her brain to hopefully reveal some of Javier’s secrets which would help him in taking over as head of their drug cartel. But when he lays eyes on Violet McQueen, all bets are off.

Violet is the daughter of Camden and Ellie. She is a very sensitive young woman who tends to keep her inner turmoil hidden from most of her loved ones. Vicente grasps at an opportunity to meet her when he follows Violet after she leaves her photography class at the university she attends. Pretending to be interested in signing up for her class, he is able to strike up a conversation with Violet. She is instantly intrigued by the sexy stranger and agrees to go out for coffee with him. Soon enough these two end up getting entangled in one seriously steamy affair.

Vicente gets Violet to step out of her comfort zone and take risks she normally would steer clear of. For the first time in her life, she is feeling exhilarated and also like she has a true connection with Vicente that she has never felt with anyone else before. While deeper feelings start to evolve between the two lovers, it would seem as though their relationship is doomed as there is no end to the list of people who are against their union.

The story ends with a cliffhanger but luckily for us, the conclusion is due out in May, so there’s not much of a wait. Get ready to fall in love with Karina Halle’s latest bad boy!!

BLACK HEARTS is currently available!

Amazon: bit.ly/BlackHearts

REVIEW – GOOD BOY (WAGs #1) by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

January 31, 2017January 31, 2017Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS

Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody (nobody!) can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.

Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.

But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone got grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?

Caution: May cause accidental aspiration of tea or coffee. Do not read in a public place where loud laughter is inappropriate. Contains hot but hilarious hockey players, puppy cuddling and a snarky pair of underwear.

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****4.5 CHEEZUS STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Authors}

It’s been a long time since anything felt so fucking good. I’m drowning in this girl and I don’t want to be saved.

I never read HIM and US because I do not read MM, but GOOD BOY is a spin-off of that series and I am happy to report that it is strictly MF. WESMIE are very much present in this story as secondary characters and I really liked them but the Hero and Heroine are Blake and Jess. Blake Riley is a highly successful NHL player for Toronto and Wes’ teammate. Jess Canning is Jamie’s older sister. The two met in the previous series and had one wild night of sex that neither can forget but Jess is very serious about changing her career path which involves enrolling in Nursing school, and that doesn’t allow her to have time for any romantic entanglements. Blake is completely infatuated with Jess and relentlessly pursues her.

I was having a little trouble getting into the story for about the first 30% but once Jess moves to Toronto for Nursing school and the two are spending more time together, I just couldn’t get enough! Jess is struggling with her courses and her snotty brainiac roommate only helps to lower her self-confidence even more. When she actually opens up to Blake after a little bit of coaxing on his part, I couldn’t help but fall madly in love with him. He always offered her encouragement and gave her ideas on how to make a connection with her roomie. On the surface, he comes off as being just a pretty face with the maturity level of a sixteen-year-old, but Blake is a highly intuitive and giving person who thinks of the people who he loves and cares for first before himself. And any man who loves dogs as much as he does definitely gets extra points in my book!

Jess and Blake end up having a sort of “friends with benefits” relationship at first, and it works for them in the beginning because neither are looking for anything serious. Jess is very dedicated to her studies and needs to keep a certain grade point average to hold on to her partial scholarship. Blake has only ever been in one serious relationship and his ex’s betrayal hurt him so badly that he’s afraid to let any woman get close to him like that again. As they spend more time together, the chemistry these two have is pretty hard to fight and eventually they realize that there’s more than just a physical connection between them.

Will Dani and Blake ever get their acts together or will they continue to be clueless to what has been developing between them?

Those of you who have a thing for romances with sexy and funny as hell Hockey players will definitely want to one click this one!! GOOD BOY releases on January 31st!!

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2klo92K

*****Mel’s Review*****

4.5 Fabulous CHEEZUS Stars!

Jessica Canning is s 26 yr. old woman from California who can’t seem to pick a career. Her current career path is being a party planner. Her baby brother Jamie is marrying the love of his life Wes, & Jess has agreed to plan the perfect wedding. She’s always been the hot mess of the family. She has five overachieving siblings. As a result, she is left feeling like a screw-up, so failure is not an option. With a guest list full of famous professional hockey players, this has to be a wedding nobody will ever forget.

Jess takes her role as maid of honor/ best woman very seriously. Planning a gorgeous wedding that goes off without a hitch is a challenge, but Jess is determined to give Jamie’s wedding her all. The problem is going to the thorn in her side aka the best man, Blake Riley. Blake has his own ideas for the wedding and they don’t mesh with Jess’s vision. He’s a giant man-child that drives her crazy with his silly, loud, annoying antics. He’s bold & totally obnoxious, and won’t let Jess forget the one night they spent together. He’s impossible and she can’t believe she ever got naked with him, but then he touches her and she’s reminded of the endless orgasms this man’s delicious body can deliver.

Blake Riley plays for the NHL in Toronto. He has a reputation for being a ladies man. He’s been a bachelor for the last five years. He spends a night with a beautiful woman, & then can’t seem to forget her. She’s under his skin & he just wants more. Problem is she doesn’t take him seriously. Jess Canning gives him nothing but resistance, but he’s willing to be patient & put in the time to get her attention. Eventually, she has to realize how great they could be together. He’s got it bad for her & won’t stop till she’s his & he convinces her he’s a good boy. Circumstances put Jess in his town, & Blake decides this is just the opportunity with Jess he’s been waiting for.

-Whenever he touches me- from the very first day we met- I always melt like candy in the sun.

-It’s been a long time since anything felt so fucking good. I’m drowning in this girl and I don’t want to be saved.

Blake makes it his mission to get the girl & convince her they weren’t a mistake. I just adored the hilarious, sweet Blakey. He’s a big guy with an even bigger personality. He makes everyone laugh & has such a beautiful heart. Loved all his cute sayings & couldn’t get enough of this book. Hands down my fav by this fabulous writing duo!

REVIEW – KEEPSAKE (True North #3) by Sarina Bowen

October 26, 2016October 26, 2016Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS:

There’s a first time for everything.

Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.

When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.

Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.

Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.

Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he’s good for much more than farm labor.

*****Mel’s Review*****

4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)

Zachariah Holtz is a gorgeous sweet guy that has an innocence about him. He grew up sheltered on a religious compound at a big ranch in Wyoming that was like a cult. When he was 19 they threw him out of the only home he’d ever known. It was a shock to be alone & on his own. He makes his way to Tuxbury, Vermont & slowly builds a life for himself. It’s been four years, & Zach now lives with the Shipley’s on the Shipley Farm. He works hard & is trying to live a normal life. He is a 24-year-old virgin who keeps to himself since he was taught touching was bad & shameful. When a woman he met once before named Lark Wainright shows up to stay at the Shipley’s, Zach gets flustered. She’s gorgeous & makes him feel desires that make him question his celibacy.

Lark is from Boston. She went to college with May Shipley, & when May invites her to come stay with her family for the rest of the harvest season Lark jumps at the opportunity to escape the watchful eye of her overprotective parents. Lark was kidnapped while working in Guatemala, & went through a traumatic ordeal. Desperate to get away & feel normal again, she hopes spending time with her best friend will bring back her sanity. Vermont could be her salvation.

Since returning four weeks ago, Lark has been having nightmares, & doesn’t know if she’ll ever be the same fearless person she used to be. She’s sleeping in a room at the Shipley’s bunkhouse & keeping busy working on the farm. When she finds herself paired up with Zach to work the farmers market she suddenly has a lot of alone time with this mysterious beautiful guy. He’s easy company & gives her a sense of comfort.

-Zachariah was a thing of beauty.

-Chemistry was something I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was even nicer than I remembered.

-Lark was the most enchanting woman I’d ever met.

-There was no part of her that didn’t make my eyes want to linger.

During Lark’s time at the farm, Zach becomes her safe place & they grow extremely close. She can be herself & doesn’t have to pretend to be ok when they’re together. Things turn intimate & holy hell is it hot! Zach is so delicious!!! He’s never felt so much for another person & falls hard for Lark. His love helps to heal all her broken pieces & makes her feel whole again.

REVIEW – THE GOAL (Off-Campus #4) by Elle Kennedy

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS:

She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.

*****Mel’s Review*****

4.5 Stars!
(ARC provided by author)

John Tucker is a 22 yr. old laid back, sweet, gorgeous guy from Texas. He attends college at Briar University in the small town of Hastings. He’s in his senior year & is a forward on Briar’s championship-winning hockey team. John is a great guy who everyone loves. His roommates Garrett, Logan & Dean refer to him as the mom & the nurturing one because he’s the one always cooking and cleaning.

One evening while out with his buddies at Malone’s, he sees the beautiful Sabrina James up at the bar. She is stunning, & he can’t take his eyes off her. Sabrina and one of Tucker’s roommates Dean don’t get along, but Tucker could care less. He wants her too bad & decides to go after her. Sabrina only has time for studying & working. When she does make time for the occasional hook-up, she only likes athletes. Her only exception to this rule is no hockey players. After the delicious Tucker charms her, she decides she wants him. She doesn’t do relationships, but figures she would love one night with this bearded hottie & his gorgeous body.

After one night with Sabrina, Tucker wants more. He pursues her & wants a date. Sabrina lives in Boston, & hates where she comes from. She has a bad home life & wants to escape her past. She has her life planned out. Her dream is to attend Harvard & have a better life. She holds down two jobs & is an overachiever who doesn’t have time to get involved with a guy. Sex with Tucker was amazing, but she doesn’t need any distractions in her life.

Sabrina doesn’t count on how patient a guy Tucker is. He just keeps being persistent till he gets what he wants. He felt something with Sabrina. He can’t explain it, but she’s different & he wants to explore something more with her. The more time Sabrina spends with Tucker, the more she cares for him. He’s funny, kind, & steady, and she finds herself slowly falling for him.

-“I hate to tell you this, Sabrina. But you’ve made a big mistake.”

-“What? Why?”

-“Because I’m going to ruin you for all future guys. I apologize in advance.”

-He’s as delicious to look at as he feels.

-All I know, is him. How good he feels, how much my body craves him, how hard my heart beats for him.

They are dating in secret when they learn their lives are about to change forever. Sabrina is pregnant & they have a lot of important decisions to make. They don’t know what to do. Sabrina is stubborn & is used to relying on herself. She thinks Tucker is too perfect for her, & doesn’t want to ruin his life. They have to decide if they are ready to be parents & if they have a future together?

I adored sweet John Tucker! This guy was so swoon worthy!!! He has a heart of gold and such a tenderness & is so solid & grounded, & every time he called her Darlin I melted a little more. I highly recommend this one. Such a fabulous book! Please please please give me a Fitzy book next!!! ;))

*****Dee’s Review*****

4.5 Darlin’ Stars*****

(ARC kindly provided by Author in exchange for an honest review)

It’s always the quiet ones…
Tucker… *sights
The Goal was sooooo good, I want to scream, and shout!!
Can this series get any better??? I guess it can because Elle Kennedy keeps knocking it out of the park with these incredibly amazing stories.
I loved! Loved! Loved it!!!!

Tucker is the quiet, bearded hockey player we have previously met in the other books. Always cooking for the team, always a gentleman and with a sexy as hell Texas accent. What we didn’t know, was that this hottie had magical and talented fingers, and a very dirty mouth, traits that a girl named Sabrina brings out in him.

Sabrina James wants to be a lawyer; her life goal has always been to attend Harvard Law School, graduate with honors, and find an amazing job that will take her out of the horrible house she grew up in. Sabrina works two jobs and studies her heart out in order to achieve her dream. She only has two close friends, never had time for more, or for romantic relationships. She only does one night stands with college athletes, no repeats, no phone numbers. All that until she meets the sexy bearded hockey player with the dirty mouth.

“If I thought his fingers and tongue were magic, his dick is supernatural. I can feel him everywhere.”

Tucker is a gentleman and after spending the most amazing night of his life with Sabrina, he is willing to play by her rules, and give her all the space and time she needs, even though he is ready to mark her as his after only one look.

Sabrina likes Tucker a lot, more than any other guy she’s ever met, but she barely has time to eat, let alone to be obsessing over a guy, even if said guy is the most perfect one ever. Tucker and Sabrina find a rhythm that works for both, but just when they thought they had the whole game planned, the rules change and their lives take on a completely different direction, making both their worlds spin.

Can they adapt to a new game, will they be able to score and win, or will everything they always dreamed of simply go down in flames?

This book grabbed my attention completely from the very beginning. I read the whole thing in one day. I barely did anything else other than read it, I was that into it. I loved how sexy and sensitive Tucker was. He was the perfect compliment to Sabrina’s independent and hard headed character. They made a really awesome couple.

It’s so amazing to experience all these characters again, but each book turns out to be truly unique. I simply can’t get enough. The Off-Campus series is always a winner for me. I will completely, 100 percent recommend this entire series to everyone.

REVIEW – ROMAN CRAZY (Broads Abroad, #1) by Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

September 13, 2016September 19, 2016Leave a comment

SYNOPSIS:

Avery Bardot steps off the plane in Rome, looking for a fresh start. She’s left behind a soon-to-be ex-husband in Boston and plans to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy, licking her wounds—and perhaps a gelato or two. But when her American-expat friend throws her a welcome party on her first night, Avery’s thrown for a loop when she sees a man she never thought she’d see again: Italian architect Marcello Bianchi.

Marcello was the man—the one who got away. And now her past is colliding with her present, a present where she should be mourning the loss of her marriage and—hey, that fettuccine is delicious! And so is Marcello…

Slipping easily into the good life of summertime in Rome, Avery spends her days exploring a city that makes art historians swoon, and her nights swooning over her unexpected what was old is new again romance. It’s heady, it’s fevered, it’s wanton, and it’s crazy. But could this really be her new life? Or is it just a temporary reprieve before returning to the land of twin-set cardigans and crustless sandwiches?

A celebration of great friendship, passionate romance, and wonderful food, Roman Crazy is a lighthearted story of second chances and living life to the fullest.

*****Mel’s Review*****

4.5 “You’re It For Me” Stars!
(ARC provided by authors)

Avery Bardot attended Boston College with plans to work in the art field & pursue her passions. She marries and her life becomes so structured she loses sight of herself over the years. When her life is thrown into a tailspin & she’s in the process of divorcing, she needs a change of scenery. She leaves Boston & her disaster of a life behind and heads to Rome to spend the summer with her best friend Daisy.

On her first night in Rome, Daisy wants to celebrate & throw her a welcome party with some friends from work. Avery is stunned speechless when she comes face to face with a man from her past. A man she thought she’d never see again, but who was once someone very important to her. This gorgeous Italian man is Marcello Bianchi, & he’s an architect in Rome. Nine years ago, Avery and Marcello had a passionate affair while she was in college, & studying abroad in Spain. Marcello is just as beautiful as she remembered, & one look at him & she still feels that draw towards him, that powerful electricity she could never deny.

Marcello can’t believe he is seeing Avery again after all these years since she disappeared without a trace & left him without any explanation. He’s suddenly furious seeing the one that got away & broke his heart.

Avery realizes she needs to make amends & apologize to Marcello for the way she handled things in the past. They eventually spend time together, & talk things out. As Avery’s past collides with her present, she has a lot of baggage & begins to wonder if that happiness could include Marcello.

-“I want this. All of you, now.”

-Having seen, touched, and tasted every inch of this man, I knew what I was dealing with. His voice was dark, husky, and goddamn it washed over me in the best possible way.

-I realized just how much of his body I had memorized; there wasn’t an inch I had forgotten.

-Marcello only saw me.

-For the first time in a very long time, I felt treasured.

Avery is newly single & in Rome. She’s adjusting perfectly to the Italian lifestyle & takes advantage of everything Rome has to offer. Suddenly she’s living life to the fullest, & spending her days exploring, & her nights with Marcello. She’s falling in love with Rome & rekindling a love she never thought she’d feel again. She realizes this is her second chance & new start, & decides she’s not going to waste it. At the same time, Avery is learning to focus on herself & rebuild her life & make it the life she’s always wanted. Romance is new again, she has great friends, & is in Rome. Could this really be her life?

I absolutely LOVED this book! I adored everything about it. Let’s start with Marcello. This man was dreamy, Italian, swoony, DELICIOUS perfection!!! He treasured this woman & was the love of her life & her soulmate. They were both just living an average life apart, & together they experienced pure bliss! This book was about friendship, love, food, wine, & Rome. Taking the time to enjoy life & not just let it pass you by. About a city full of color & energy, that is a hypnotic, magical place where they savor everything. I now want to go to Rome, ride a Vespa, & explore this breathtaking city I feel like I now know. I want to eat tiramisu, pasta & pastries and hope to see a few Marcello’s along the way! ;))

*****Dee’s Review*****

5+++ Just You and Me Stars*****

(ARC Kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review)

Roman Crazy is a vibrant second chance romance that takes us on a lovely adventure around Italy. A novel about finding yourself, and love again after losing it all. A fabulous dreamy read, and probably my most favorite book I’ve read this year. A book full of happy!!!!

Avery just found her husband doing the secretary; hot and heavy sex on top of the desk she bought for him. Funny thing is that more so than the fact that she found him cheating on her, she’s overwhelmed with sadness to realize that he has more passion for his secretary than he does for her. Sad because she gave up on her career and on her own dreams , to be a wife. She got lost behind the shadow of her husband, and she too has lost all passion for her marriage and for her life in general.

Avery’s best friend Daisy is an architect living abroad, right now she’s in Rome and after hearing about her best friend’s pain, she invites Avery to spend the summer in Italy with her. Maybe in Italy Avery will find her second wind and renew the passion she once felt for life. Little does Avery know, that on her first night in Italy she will encounter the one that got away, many summers ago; Marcello.

Marcello and Avery met when she was doing an internship in Barcelona. As a major in Arts, Avery had been offered a position in a prestigious museum learning about art restoration. Their love was instant, hot and sizzling. By the time it was time for Avery to go back home to the States, she and Marcello had made plans to continue with their torrid love story, but Avery never came to him.

Marcello was deeply hurt by Avery for not coming back like she had promised, but life took them in different directions, yet somehow now, years later, the attraction is just as strong as it used to be. Will Avery give love another chance? Will she allow love to once again distract her from the career she wants? And can Marcello forgive her, and trust that she will not run again?

So many questions and we get all the answers, along with the most beautiful Italian setting, amazing secondary characters in this vibrant story that will make you swoon and fall in love with Roman Crazy.

I love books that make me smile and feel happy, and Roman Crazy did so in spades. The beauty and authenticity of the story transported me to Rome, I could feel the love, hear the laughter of the people hanging out in the Piazza, I could smell the delicious food, the feelings all too vivid, making me helpless to the charm of the story. These two authors collaborated in a seamless way, you could feel the camaraderie, and how much fun they had writing it, but I couldn’t tell where one’s words started or the other one’s ended, it was perfection.

Even though this book was an absolute winner for me, I gotta say that what I loved the most was that the story wasn’t just solely focused on the romance. Avery was getting a second chance at friendships, at life, and at love. Re-discovering herself, her friends and love, after having lost direction in her own life. As someone who’s been married for a long time I could relate to her; we lose ourselves in the roles of mother or wife and forget a little bit about what we want and who we are inside. Ever since turning thirty I have spent a lot of time contemplating about this, and making it my goal to regain my sense of identity as a woman, and making sure I devote time to myself, and toward my dreams.

To me, this book was so much more than just an entertaining story, it was a reminder for me to never forget about myself, my friends, my family. A reminder for me to stop and smell the flowers, eat the sweets, buy the shoes, drink the wine, because life is too short, and we should live it, and do it passionately.

So… C’mon hop on that Vespa and allow the colorful and sweet words of this story to take over your heart and make you smile, big. A must read!!!!! A wonderful book not to miss.

My Roman Crazy music playlist:
*Summertime Romance by Johnnyswim
*Barcelona by Giulia Y Los Tellarini
*Lost Star by Adam Levine
*Lucky by Jason Mraz
*When I Was A Boy by Biel Ballester Trio
*You’re the One That I Want by Lo-Fang
*She Makes Me Laugh by The Monkees
*True Love by Coldplay

*****Patty’s Review*****

*****4.5 TESORO STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Authors}

Marcello looked every bit like my greatest love and my biggest regret.

ROMAN CRAZY is the debut writing collaboration between Alice Clayton and Nina Bocci, and I do believe these two are off to a great start! This story will whisk you away to one of the most romantic places in the world and once you’ve finished reading, it will leave you yearning to get on the next flight out to beautiful Italy. Rome, itself, is very much a main character in this book and the descriptive writing made this reader feel as if I were actually in Italy experiencing the culture and enjoying all the delicious Italian cuisine. But I must confess all of that took a backseat to the over the topLOVE I felt for Marcello Bianchi!!! OMG!!! I swear he made this book for me!! I want to just pack my bags and my dog and move to Rome in hopes that I can find my very own Marcello!

Avery Bardot is visiting her bestie who has been living in Rome for the past several years. She recently filed for divorce after having caught her husband in the act with his secretary. Avery’s using this time in Rome to relax and to also do some soul searching. She hadn’t been really happy in her marriage for quite some time and she may have even lost a big piece of herself during that relationship. During her first week in Rome, Avery comes face to face with a man she never thought she’d ever see again. Nine years ago while she was studying art in Barcelona, she met and fell in love with one GORGEOUS Italian man – Marcello Bianchi. At the end of their summer study abroad, they made plans to be together. Avery was to go back to the states briefly and then return to Barcelona to be with Marcello, but circumstances arose back home that prevented Avery from going back to Spain. Their first meeting nine years later is definitely a bit strained as we learn that Avery never contacted Marcello to explain why she was not returning. She simply just dropped out of his life and left Marcello with a broken heart.

Avery and Marcello end up reconciling and soon their romance picks right back up where they had left off. They couldn’t get enough of each other and I couldn’t get enough of Marcello! Whenever he was not around I had to fight the urge to skim the pages and when he was front and center, I never wanted the story to end. I was completely enamored of Marcello!!

Aside from the passionate romance that Avery has rekindled, she also is getting back to her other love–art. She volunteers on a couple of art restoration projects and ends up landing a job which would keep her in Italy. All seems to be going in the right direction for her, but then a chance encounter and a once in a lifetime opportunity could ultimately tear the couple apart just when they’ve found their way back to each other.

By the time I got to the end of this story, I was left wanting so much more. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Marcello and what I wouldn’t give for another book or possibly a novella to give me the HEA that I want for this couple. I am not sure just having them appear in the follow-up books as secondary characters is going to be enough to satisfy me.

I do highly recommend this book as I feel that you all need to meet Mr. Marcello Bianchi!!

ROMAN CRAZY is currently available!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1WeM3f9

BN: http://bit.ly/1m1OfIr

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Tltl2Q

Audible: http://adbl.co/2bMbDdx

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1QHcneR

BAM: http://bit.ly/1SwqYdq