Review: That Crush by Jillian Dodd

That Crush by Jillian Dodd is now live!

She's scared to fall in love again. He's determined to be the one she falls for. 

When Damon Diamond first laid eyes on Ainsley Archibald at fifteen, he knew it was more than just a crush. But with their four-year age gap and her indifference, he had to keep his feelings at bay.

Three years later, everything has changed. Damon's no longer the boy she barely noticed--he's grown into a confident, irresistible man with one goal for the summer: to make Ainsley his.

Ainsley arrives at her uncle's resort in the Ozarks, eager to get back out there after a bad breakup. But the moment she lays eyes on Damon, everything shifts. He's hot, heading to college, and the chemistry between them is undeniable.

What starts as harmless flirting, quickly spirals into feelings that neither of them can ignore.

Torn between her desire for him and the complications of their age difference, Ainsley must decide if she's ready to risk everything for a summer of love.

Because Damon isn't just after a fling--he wants her heart.

  Download today!

Amazon US: https://bit.ly/3S5Eevm  

Audible: https://bit.ly/44U5EMr  

Signed Paperback: https://bit.ly/3GPmr9a  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3Cg1Bhd 

 

Christy's Review

I was so ready to be back in the ‘That Boy’ series with That Crush, and Jillian Dodd did not disappoint! Sweet, fun, drama in the best way, and that ending… I audibly gasped! 

Damon Diamond is someone I’ve seen in many past books, and I was excited to get his book. He’s recently graduated from high school and is following in his father's footsteps by playing college football. This is his last summer before college, and he’s at the Ozarks with his family… and his future wife. 

Ainsley and Damon met three years ago, but he was way too young for her. Damon’s been crazy about her ever since, but Ainsley is truly starting to see him now. Ainsley has a lot going on in her life, especially with her family, so a relationship isn’t on her radar. But Damon Diamond makes her reconsider. 

I was obsessed with Damon and Ainsley together. You couldn’t keep the smile off my face while I was reading. Damon is such a fun character and reminds me so much of a younger version of his dad in that way. I loved seeing their romance develop and watching how the story came together. 

If you’re looking for a good time with a shocking ending, be sure to pick this one up. It was fantastic!

Meet Jillian Dodd

Jillian Dodd is a USA Today and Amazon Top 5 best-selling author of over fifty books. She writes fun binge-able romance series with characters her readers fall in love with--from the boy next door in the That Boy series to the daughter of a famous actress in The Keatyn Chronicles to a spy who might save the world in the Spy Girl series. Her newest series include London Prep, a prep school series about a drama filled three-week exchange, and the next generation of The Keatyn Chronicles, Eastbrooke Academy.
She is married to her college sweetheart, adores writing big fat happily ever afters, wears a lot of pink, buys way too many shoes, loves to travel, and is distracted by anything covered in glitter.

 

Connect with Jillian

Website | www.jilliandodd.net   

Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4833990.Jillian_Dodd   

Amazon | https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jillian-Dodd/author/B004ZKEKKC     

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/JillianDodd1     

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/doddsquad/     

Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/jilliandodd/     

Pinterest |  https://www.pinterest.com/jilliandodd/     

Other |  https://www.threads.net/@jilliandodd     

Newsletter |  https://bit.ly/4kfKOeH

Review: Destructively Mine by Krista & Becca Ritche

 

Ex-grifter Phoebe Graves’ new life threatens to come crashing down around her in the next unputdownable novel from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Addicted series.

As the daughter of a con artist, Phoebe Graves only knew a life of swindling the rich until her best friend and fellow grifter, Hailey Tinrock, proposed an idea to start a new, honest life in a wealthy college town of Connecticut. Once there, they decided to leave behind their deceitful tricks and be truthful for once. But you know what they say about best intentions. . . .

While Phoebe is fake-dating Jake Waterford, the third-born son to an uber-wealthy and influential family, she’s actually dating and falling deeper in love with Brayden “Rocky” Tinrock—Hailey’s older brother. To make matters more complicated, Phoebe’s mother shows up out of the blue with conniving match-making designs of her own.

Her mother’s arrival threatens to unravel Phoebe’s plans. To keep her love, her friends, and her newfound happiness, Phoebe will have to return to her old games . . . and win.

CHRISTY'S REVIEW:

Destructively Mine is the second book in Krista and Becca’s ‘Webs We Weave’ series. I was anxious to read this, as the first one ended on such a cliffhanger. I’m happy to report that we got most of those questions answered, but this book ended in a way that has me craving the third book! 

I love Pheobe and Rocky more in this book than in the first. I feel like we got to know them better and see them for who they are. I loved getting snippets of the past. Their love is legendary. 

Another thing I truly enjoyed in this one is seeing so much of the other siblings. Also, Jake. He’s an addition to the group I didn’t expect to love so much. I’m glad this series isn’t ending and we get more from this gang. 

Hot Shot by Staci Hart

 

🔥 HOT SHOT is here!1!🔥

It's spicy. It's hilarious. It's heartwarming. It's a tear jerker. This one HAS. IT. ALL. 

One click: https://geni.us/hot-shot-ramblers

Goodreads: https://geni.us/aU6zu

TROPES

🔥marriage of convenience

🔥he falls first

🔥single dad

🔥second chance

🔥small town

🔥smoking hot firefighter

🔥jilted bride

🔥first love

🔥baseball

🔥only one bed

🔥no third act breakup

Christy's Review:

After reading ‘Wild Card’ last year, I hoped we would get more from this world. I love Staci Hart’s writing, and these characters were so fun! ‘Hot Shot’ was so fun and full of emotion, I adored it! 

Cass is a jilted bride staying in her hometown to collect herself. Thankfully, her best friend, Jessa, is here too, now that she’s with Cass’s cousin, Remy. It could be worse. But there is also her ex/first love, Wilder. Wilder isn’t just her ex-boyfriend. He’s her ex-husband. One night in Vegas, when they were 18… the kicker is, they’re still married. And Cass has no idea. 

I can’t even imagine. The hotshot firefighter/playboy is now a husband. Right as Cass finds this out, she also finds out Wilder desperately needs her help and requires them to stay married for at least a while. 

I love a good fake marriage, a pining and obsessed hero, and this one had all that as well as fantastic banter. I had so much fun reading it, and it hit me in my feels as well. A character named Cricket stole my heart. I truly hope the next one comes out soon because getting a tease for that age gap romance… gah! 

Wild Side by Elsie Silver

 

I’d always dreamed of my wedding day. But not like this. Not looking into the eyes of the man who betrayed me.

But when my nephew’s guardianship is contested, I decide I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him in Rose Hill. Even if it means marrying the enemy.

Rhys Dupris.

A man who is secretive, broody, and completely infuriating. A man whose work takes him away for weeks on end and brings him back covered in mysterious bruises—ones he won’t talk about. In fact, we barely talk at all.

Which would be fine, except when he’s not talking, he’s staring. And the way he looks at me is borderline indecent.

The tension between us has always been palpable. But living under the same roof is a dangerous temptation.

I swore I would never forgive him. But that was before I knew the man behind the mask. The one who’s fierce and protective. The one who’s gentle and patient. The one who shows up for us when we need him most.

He’s not at all who I thought he was.

And that makes hating my husband so much harder… and loving him just a little too easy.

https://geni.us/buywildside

Wild Side by Elsie Silver
Christy's Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Does love start off as obsession?
Because that’s what I am.
Obsessed with my wife.

I can’t get enough of Elsie Silver’s ‘Rose Hill’ series. Each book gets better and better. I’m a sucker for a good marriage of convenience romance, and this exceeded all my expectations.

I have been intrigued by both Tabitha and Rhys since we met them both in previous books. I wasn’t sure what would bring them together, but Tabitha really seemed to dislike Rhys. And it does have an enemies to lovers vibe for a short time. But it doesn’t take long for Rhys to win her over.

Tabby seems like such a baddie, and in a way, she is. But you see a softer side of her when it comes to her nephew, Milo. And Rhys. With time, he gets the soft side of her as well. I loved these two together. They were such an amazing couple. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I was reading about them slowly but surely falling for one another.

The romance, the chemistry, the heart… Wild Side had it all. Elsie always slays with her writing and her books are unputdownable. I can’t wait to see what she does next.

5 stars to 'The Problem with Falling' by Brittainy Cherry

 

5 stars

I couldn’t explain why she made me feel the way she had. It wasn’t even as if she made me feel a few things. No. She made me feel everything.

This series just gets better and better. I’ve loved all three books, but with each story, I fall in love a little more. Willow and Theo’s story was something special.

Willow is the youngest daughter, a free spirit, and a fun-loving girl. She travels the world and seems to love her life the way it is. But there is more to her than meets the eye. Theo has the biggest heart, but you wouldn’t know that at first. He is a grump and is closed off to most people, but once he lets someone in, you see his true colors. And they are beautiful.

Theo and Willow meet in an unconventional way. They are opposites, but perfect for one another. She breaks through his tough exterior, and he sees Willow for who she really is, not who she appears to be to everyone else. Of course we get some of Willow's sisters, even though the bulk of this story doesn’t take place in Honey Creek like the first two. And the MVP of the series, my favorite dad, Michael Kingsley.

This had the hard hitting emotions you expect from a B Cherry book, but was lighthearted at times, fun, and sweet. It made me smile huge, laugh, and even cry a few times. I loved that we had a secondary storyline with Theo’s grandparents. It made the story that much more special. The Problem with Falling is a standout five star read that I can see myself rereading over and over again. It brought me so much joy!

Review: Once Smitten, Twice Shy by Chloe Liese

ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY by Chloe Liese 

Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she's presented with the chance to revisit romance-purely for practice-with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.

Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn't on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.

Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they're the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.

CHRISTY'S REVIEW: 

With Juliet, I don’t feel self-conscious- I feel seen.

I have been looking forward to Juliet’s book since I read the first book in ‘The Wilmot Sisters’ series and adored it. Will and Juliet were couple goals; their romance was so swoony and left a huge smile on my face. 

Will and Juliet meet when she is traveling, and it’s a short meeting, but they hit it off. Fast forward months later, and she sees him again. He’s Christopher’s college friend. It’s serendipitous. They become fast friends and decide to help each other out. Will is shy, and Juliet has sworn off love for now. But with time, Will comes out of his shell with Juliet and she becomes a believer again. 

Watching two people able to be their truest selves with one another and seeing that love unfold… never gets old. Will and Juliet’s story was so romantic. I also loved seeing more from Bea and Jamie, as well as Kate and Christopher. This series was wonderful as a whole, and Chloe Liese writes such lovely and relatable characters. I highly recommend checking all of these books out!