Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Review: The Player Next Door by KA Tucker



Scarlet Reed has returned to Polson Falls, convinced that twelve years away is long enough to shed her humiliating childhood identity as the town harlot's daughter. With a teaching job secured and an adorable fixer-upper to call home, things in her life are finally looking up.

That is, until she finds out that Shane Beckett lives next door.

Shane Beckett, the handsome and charismatic high school star quarterback who smashed her heart. The lying, cheating player who was supposed to be long gone, living the pro football dream and fooling women into thinking he's Prince Charming. Shane Beckett, who is as attractive as ever and flashing his dimples at her as if he has done no wrong.

Scarlet makes it abundantly clear that old wounds have not been forgotten. Neighbors they may be, but friends they most certainly are not. She won't allow herself to fall for the single father and firefighter again, no matter how many apologies he offers, how many times he rushes to her aid, or how hard he makes her heart pound.

But as she spends more time with him, she begins to fear that maybe she's wrong. Maybe Shane has changed.

And maybe this time she's the one playing herself—out of a chance at true happiness. 


CHRISTY'S REVIEW


I love a good second chance romance and I love a single dad romance even more. The Player Next Door was the perfect summer read. It was sweet, fun, and angsty in the best way! 

Scarlet left town after graduation and never looked back. Now, twelve years later, a job and a house brings her back. One of the main reasons she left is Shane Beckett. She had it bad for Shane and right before their senior year, after a wonderful summer together, he dumped her. The last thing she expects is to be next door neighbors with him, but there he is. Right. Next. Door. 

Scarlet still sees Shane as that player he was in high school, but he's changed his ways. Becoming a father was one thing that did that. Shane and Scarlet have so much chemistry. They have a connection that was never severed. Scarlet wants to hate Shane, but he makes it incredibly difficult. He's just so dang helpful and charming. 

I loved watching Shane and Scarlet fall for one another all over again, and I especially loved seeing Shane as a dad. Of course, there is some angst and drama with Scarlet's high school nemesis, but I liked how it was resolved at the end. 

Overall, this book was loads of fun. I loved Scarlet's best friend (I would love a book for her!) and I enjoyed watching Scarlet's relationship with her mom change and develop. Of course, Shane's son was the most darling and I loved all the scenes with him in it. If you're looking for a small town romance that's a bit enemies to lovers, a bit second chance, and a whole lot of steamy- pick this up!

Hard Pass by Sara Ney is LIVE!



HARD PASS

By Sara Ney

Release Date: June 16


“Hard Pass.”

That’s what the last girl I slept with said when she got her first sober glimpse of me. She laughed, walked out of my penthouse—and I never saw her again. It doesn’t matter that I’m a rich, professional athlete; what mattered was my face. 

Beauty might only be skin deep for some—but I know better.

“Pay Up.” 

That’s what the last girl I spoke to said over the phone when I made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Desperate to sell a set of rare baseball cards, she’s clever and entertaining. I’m instantly smitten, but nowhere ready to reveal myself. Thank god she has no idea who I am—or what I look like. 

I’m a professional athlete--how hard can playing the love game be?



Buy Links: 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2S9B1Mu

Nook: https://bit.ly/354wjFf

Apple: https://apple.co/2KvOKt3

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Y1D3Cl


Christy's Review: 



Hard Pass is the first book in Sara Ney’s new ‘trophy boyfriends’ series and I enjoyed the heck out of it. It’s not your typical sports romance and I loved that it was different. 

Noah is a professional baseball player, but he’s not lucky in love. Though he’s tall and in good shape, his confidence has taken a hit after the last woman he was with made some unkind comments about his appearance. 

Hard. Pass. Embarrassed and humiliated by those two words, I never breathed a word about it to anybody.


Because of this, he’s standoffish when it comes to women. Miranda is selling her beloved grandfather’s baseball cards to get the money to start her own business. They’re worth a ton and she’s finally found a buyer. Noah. The Noah she talks to on the phone doesn’t seem like the Noah she meets in person. Something just isn’t adding up… 

Oh my sweet Noah. I loved this guy. My heart hurt for him and I truly felt for him. The way Miranda saw him only shows that beauty really is in the eye of beholder. I loved these two together and their slow burn romance was just what I wanted. It was also nice to see a pro athlete that wasn’t quite so alpha and didn’t think they were all that. Noah is a shy and sweet hero and I loved that about him. 

If you’re looking for a different kind of romance, I highly recommend picking this one up! And after meeting some of Noah’s friends, I can’t wait for more from this group! 


Meet Sara Ney:

Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte's, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives in the Midwest, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British. 

For a list of cities/venues Sara will be signing at, or to purchase signed books, please visit her website at www.authorsaraney.com

Connect with Sara Ney:

Newsletter: subscribepage.com/saraney 
Facebook: saraneyauthor 
Instagram: saraneyauthor
Twitter: SaraNey
Book+Main: bit.ly/BookBitesSaraNey
Pinterest: Sara Ney
Goodreads: bit.ly/SaraNeyGoodReads
BookBub: bit.ly/SaraNeyBBauthor


Friday, June 12, 2020

Excerpt: THE DARE by Elle Kennedy!

THE DARE




Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy!


College was supposed to be my chance to get over my ugly-duckling complex and spread my wings. Instead, I wound up in a sorority full of mean girls. I already have a hard time fitting in, so when my Kappa Chi sisters issue the challenge, I can’t say no.

The dare: seduce the hottest new hockey player in the junior class.

Conor Edwards is a regular at Greek Row parties…and in Greek Row sorority beds. He’s the one you fall for before you learn that guys like him don’t give girls like me a second glance. Except Mr. Popular throws me for a loop—rather than laughing in my face, he does me a solid by letting me take him upstairs to pretend we’re getting busy. 

Even crazier, now he wants to keep pretending. Turns out Conor loves games, and he thinks it’s fun to pull the wool over my frenemies’ eyes. 

But resisting his easy charm and surfer-boy hotness is darn near impossible. Though I’m realizing there’s much more to Conor’s story than his fan club can see.

And the longer this silly ruse goes on, the greater the danger of it all blowing up in my face.


The Dare purchase links:
Amazon: https://geni.us/TDrAmz
Apple: https://geni.us/TDrAp
Kobo: https://geni.us/TDrKobo
Nook: https://geni.us/TDrNook


Other Links:

Briar U series: https://geni.us/BriarU
Elle’s Newsletter sign-up: http://geni.us/EKNL 
Blogger Newsletter sign-up: http://geni.us/EKBlog

EXCERPT 

“Thank you,” she breathes the moment we’re alone.

“No problem. Mind if I make myself comfortable?”

“Um, yeah. I mean, no. I don’t mind. Sit if you want. Or—wow, okay, you’re lying down.”

I grin at her visible nervousness. It’s cute. While I stretch out my six-foot-two frame amid the stuffed animals and decorative pillows on the bed, she remains the startled rabbit plastered against the door and breathing heavily.

“Gotta be honest,” I tell her, entwining my hands behind my head, “I’ve never seen a girl so unhappy to be locked in a bedroom with me.”

This has the desired effect of loosening her shoulders and even eliciting a shy smile. “I have no doubt.”

“I’m Conor, by the way.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, I know.”

“What’s the eyeroll for?” I ask, playing wounded.

“No, sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. Just, I know who you are. You’re, like, campus famous.”

The more I watch her, hands braced at her sides against the door, one knee bent, dirty-blonde hair a little messy and draped over one shoulder, I can’t help picturing myself holding her arms above her head while I explore her body with my mouth. She’s got very kissable skin. 

“Taylor Marsh,” she blurts out, and I realize I don’t know how long we were silent until then.

I scoot to the far side of the bed and put a pillow beside me as a divider. “Come on. If we’re going to be in here awhile, let’s at least make friends.”

Taylor laughs out a breath and with it she releases a bit more tension. She’s got a nice smile. Bright, warm. It takes a bit more coaxing, however, to get her on the bed.

“This isn’t like a move,” she tells me, lining up stuffed animal guards to patrol the pillow wall between us. “I’m not some sort of weirdo who tricks men into getting in bed with her and then mauls them.”

“Sure.” I nod with mock seriousness. “But a little mauling would be okay.”


Tuesday, June 9, 2020

LIVE! Thoroughly Whipped by Tillie Cole








Kobo 






I, Faith Parisi, love my life. I have the best job—resident sex-advice diva for Visage magazine—I have the best friends, and I live in the best city in the world. Things are pretty damn fabulous. That is, until Henry “Harry” Sinclair III comes crashing back into my world like a bad case of herpes.


I hate the way Harry’s lip curls in contempt whenever he sees me. I hate his bright blue eyes and those inexplicably offensive dimples. I hate his stuffy English accent and the stick that’s permanently jammed up his aristocratic ass. More than anything, I hate that he’s now my boss.

But my professional prospects start to look up when a chance at writing Visage’s big summer feature falls into my lap. Success won’t be easy. I’ll need to let go of all my inhibitions—not that I have that many of those—and jump, stiletto heels first, into a hedonistic new world. An exclusive, secretive world, filled with leather, latex, and Manhattan’s elite.

Pulling this off will take every ounce of daring I have, and every ounce of focus. I can’t afford to get distracted by anything, least of all my new boss, his arrogant mouth, or the way the ice between us seems to be slowly melting away…

Genre: Romantic ~ Comedy


CHRISTY'S REVIEW



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I know Tillie Cole can do heartfelt and emotional, and I know Tillie Cole can do dark and gritty, but with Thoroughly Whipped, we see that Tillie Cole can also do funny and steamy!

Faith Parisi is such a character. She's a writer for a sex advice column and has a good life. Then stuffy and stuck up Harry Sinclair comes back to the US and he's now her boss. She and Harry have a history and it doesn't show-case either of them in the best light.

Oh the enemies to lovers troupe- how I love thee! Add in a work place romance and I'm in heaven. I loved Harry and Faith's romance, and watching them get to that point was the best part. I also liked that I was surprised a bit by a few things that went down (not so much the what, but more the how). It's always fun to have a little unpredictability in a story.

I honestly love reading a book and thinking this can't be going where I think it's going... and low and behold, it is! I had such a good time reading this. I needed a read where I didn't have to take things too seriously and this hit the spot. I love when authors branch out and write something that's not their norm. It takes a lot for me to five-star love a rom-com, as I usually love the super emotional books best, but this book was a fantastic departure from Tillie's typical.

If you're looking for a book that's sure to make you laugh out loud, that is sexy, and a whole lot of fun, pick up Thoroughly Whipped!


“Holy shit,” Novah whispered, leaning into me. “Little boy blue blood is all grown up!”

I rolled my eyes. “You do realize he’s only a year older than you, right?”

“I’ve only seen him in pictures, Faith. Unlike some, I haven’t been graced with the younger duke’s company before this moment. Let me bask in his mighty presence.”

“He’s not a duke yet. That happens when his old man kicks it and passes down the title. And nobody is graced with that dick’s presence. He’s arrogant and so rich it’s made him beyond stupid, and he walks with a permanent pole shoved up his ass. Il duko has no redeeming qualities whatsoever,” I snapped and folded my arms across my chest to exaggerate my point.

The object of our musings hovered in the doorway to the conference room. He was conversing with Sally, our editor, and Henry Sinclair II, his father. Or, as his father was better known, King. Apparently, it was quite the amusing nickname among the British elite. Oh, how they must have chortled at the “cheeky” reference to their most famous royals. But to us, his American working-class worker bees, calling himself King Sinclair just made him sound like an entitled douchebag, too full of his own importance.

“Well I, for one, wouldn’t mind delving into those khakis the duke trainee wears so well and deep fishing for said pole in his pert, tight posterior, if you know what I mean.”

I took hold of Novah’s arm and met her eyes with my most serious expression. “It’s irremovable, Novah. That pole is wedged in deep, like oil-rig deep. You’ll need a fucking crane to hoist it out. A crane, Novah.”

Novah waved her hand in front of her face. “Jeez, Faith. Even that image has my thighs clenching.” She whistled low. “I could never be that close to his peach of a tush. I’d end up biting his firm, toned, polo-playing cheek. I know I would. Or at least give it a swift lick. I’m better off keeping my distance so as to not be arrested.”

“You’re sick.” I smirked as she crossed her legs tightly.

“I never claimed otherwise.”

“Right, minions!” Sally shouted, standing at the front of the room. The staff grew silent. Our editor clapped her hands with impressive speed. She forced a smile. It wasn’t a good look on her. She appeared constipated whenever she attempted “friendly.” Or as though she were battling a mild-to-medium case of hemorrhoids.

“Today’s a big day here at Visage.”

I held my breath, waiting for more, dread seeping into the very marrow of my bones. My skin itched in irritation seeing Henry “Harry” Sinclair III stepping out from behind his father. No, I prayed, hands lowering into a death grip on the arms of my chair. I looked up toward the heavens. God, I know we’re not always on the best of terms. I drink, cuss, and enjoy fornicating far too much for your liking, but please, please, please, do not say he is here for—

“As you may have heard, Mr. King Sinclair is slowly taking a step back from the running of HCS Media Group and focusing solely on his British investments. He is still very much ‘in charge’ on the global stage, but he has decided to start delegating the US enterprises to his son, Henry Sinclair Junior.”

I closed my eyes and felt Novah’s hand grip my thigh at this revelation. “So today I have the great pleasure to welcome Henry as the new CEO of Visage Magazine and the New York Journal and everything that falls under that impressive umbrella.” The people in the conference room broke out into somewhat enthusiastic applause, and I reluctantly opened my eyes. I’d hoped if I kept them closed, this would somehow turn out to be a bad dream. But as soon as I opened them, my gaze railroaded right into Henry’s or, as I liked to call him, the eternally entitled ball-sack.

Fuck my life. What had we mere mortals done in the world to deserve three of these Henry Sinclair jerks on the planet? His father was an asswipe of the highest order, and I’d heard the grandfather, who’d created the empire, had been the worst kind of human being. His grandson had apparently followed suit. Henry didn’t smile at me. His nostrils flared and his lip curled up. I wasn’t sure if he was silently passing gas or exposing the fact that he disliked me as much as I disliked him.

King Sinclair nudged his son from his malevolent reverie. Henry pulled his hands from his pockets, nodded curtly, and instantly became the leader I was sure he had been molded to be since birth. “Good morning, I’m Henry Sinclair, but please call me Harry. Only my teachers ever called me Henry.” He smirked a little at that. I blinked slowly in confusion. I had never seen him smile. This was a barely-there smile and, no matter how brief it was, it indicated Harry wasn’t always the dour bastard he appeared to be.

“I know most of you have never met me, but I’ve been living between New York and England for the past few years and am extremely happy to be taking over here at the New York Journal and therefore, of course, Visage.” Visage was the in-house style magazine, which went out every Sunday along with the Journal’s other Sunday offerings. The in-house magazines of such prestigious newspapers had always been considered the ugly stepsisters in the world of newspaper publishing, but I loved it here. Always had…until, I feared, now.





Tillie Cole hails from a small town in the North-East of England. She grew up on a farm with her English mother, Scottish father and older sister and a multitude of rescue animals. As soon as she could, Tillie left her rural roots for the bright lights of the big city.


After graduating from Newcastle University with a BA Hons in Religious Studies, Tillie followed her Professional Rugby player husband around the world for a decade, becoming a teacher in between and thoroughly enjoyed teaching High School students Social Studies before putting pen to paper, and finishing her first novel.


Tillie has now settled in Austin, Texas, where she is finally able to sit down and write, throwing herself into fantasy worlds and the fabulous minds of her characters.


Tillie is both an independent and traditionally published author, and writes many genres including: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance, Young Adult and New Adult novels.


When she is not writing, Tillie enjoys nothing more than curling up on her couch watching movies, drinking far too much coffee, while convincing herself that she really doesn’t need that extra square of chocolate.








Monday, June 8, 2020

When the Walls Come Down REVIEW!


WTWCD - RB banner

A genius collaboration! All the stars for this quick-witted, sexy, and endearing cast of characters. Aly and M. Mabie delivered rom-com perfection!
- Jewel E. Ann, USA Today Bestselling Author


When the Walls Come Down, an all-new, not-to-be-missed, witty workplace romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez and M. Mabie is available now!


Come Down ecover

Did you ever hear the joke about the guy whose wife cheated on him with his best friend? So he quit his job, moved into his parents’ basement, and gained fifty pounds? 

No? Because that wasn’t a joke. It was my life.

Four years later, I'm back with a dream job, a killer apartment, and a set of abs that are better than ever.

So, when Maggie Light, a stunning, snarky blonde moves in next door, and we spend the hottest weekend of our lives together, I think this could be the greatest comeback story ever. 

That is until I realize Maggie has moved to town to do one thing—steal my job.  

Maybe this isn't a comeback story after all. Maybe this is war—one I intend to win.  

What I never anticipated was that maybe I’d rather win her.  

Perhaps, if I’m lucky, the universe has finally run out of jokes and I can somehow win both.


WTWCD -AN


Download your copy today or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/wallsdown

Add WHEN THE WALLS COME DOWN to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fmTgbe

Christy's Review: 

description

When the Walls Come Down was a great, easy to read romance. When I think of Aly Martinez books, I always think of heavy reads, emotional and/or suspenseful plots. This was different from what she normally writes, much lighter, and I enjoyed reading it so much!

When I read the blurb for this one, I knew I had to read it asap. Maggie and Shane meet on the first day Maggie moves across the country for a new job. It's also the same day Shane finds out he might be losing his job. They have this instant connection/attraction and go on the perfect date the next day. All is well until they see each other Monday. At work. It appears that Maggie is who was hired to take Shane's job. But Shane isn't going down without a fight...

I adored both Shane and Maggie so much. They had the best banter and chemistry you could feel. This was co-written by Martinez and M. Mabie and they did a fantastic job writing together. It was seamless and had a great flow for having two authors. I loved that it made me laugh out loud a few times, but also made me feel at the right moments.

If you're looking for a feel good romance that is steamy, sweet, and a lot of fun, with just the right amount of emotion, pick up When the Walls Come Down!

When the walls come down, there’s just love.


About Aly
aly martinez profile pic
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.


Connect with Aly
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh
Stay up to date with Aly by joining her mailing list today:


About M. Mabie

Mabie lives in Illinois with her husband. She writes everything from steamy romantic comedies to angst-filled, pull your hair out drama. She enjoys it all. With her unconventional love stories, she tries to embody "real-life romance."

She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne's World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost.  

Mabie usually doesn't speak in third-person. She promises.


Connect with M. Mabie 
Stay up to date with M. Mabie by joining her mailing list:

BBU - Coming Soon