The Varlet and the Voyeur (Rugby #4) by Penny Reid and LH Cosway

Blurb:

He kept his salacious secret for years. But soon, everyone is going to be reading about it in their morning paper…

THE VARLET (and the VOYEUR)
William Moore is a long way from home. A farm boy from Oklahoma, he’s now the most well-respected member of the Irish rugby team. But appearances are often deceptive, and Will isn’t the clean-cut, all-American good-guy everyone imagines him to be. He’s got a secret, one that will tarnish his reputation forever.

THE VOYEUR (and the VARLET)
Josey Kavanagh is a self-proclaimed mess, but she’s finally getting her shi…uh, act together. She’s set her sights on becoming a veterinarian, but there’s one teeny tiny road bump. Her living arrangements are coming to an abrupt end, leaving Josey homeless and in need of a job to pay her way through college.

THE PLAN
What he needs is a companion to keep him on the right path.
What she needs is an apartment with free rent.
Will is convinced Josey will make the perfect companion, since she’s brutally honest and basically ‘just one of the guys.’ Josey is convinced she can ensure Will doesn’t succumb to his voyeuristic proclivities by keeping a scrupulous eye on him.
Except, what happens when the varlet is tempted by the voyeur, and vice-versa?!
Perchance something very, very volatile. And vexing.

The Varlet and the Voyeur is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the 4th (and last) book in the USA TODAY bestselling Rugby Series

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon PB: https://amzn.to/2Mky3QN

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2HMHfu1

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2HLC11e

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2t0Z5nw

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: June 2018.

It's not often til you revisit old friends in your most beloved books that you realise how much you needed to revisit the authors work. After a week filled with great book after great book I needed something I would love just as much. When I picked up The Varlet and the Voyeur I was quietly confident I wouldn't be disappointed. Individually Penny Reid and LH Cosway have written some of my favourite titles, together they've created books I've adored. With the fourth and final instalment in the Rugby series landing on my kindle I was ready to be swept away.

Josey Kavanagh is the very definition of hot mess, she's honest to a fault, has absolutely no filter and is absolutely living in the present with little to no thought of the future. Happy to be a home body and spending the majority of her free time with her eclectic parents, she's blind sighted by the news of her parents wanting to sell her childhood home pushing her to move out and forge her own path. Hurt and still very much in shock Josey has no plan and no idea what she's going to do.

"She wasn't crazy, she was kind. She wasn't nutty, she was naïve, trusting. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Josey, and I silently promised I'd never let Bryan - or anyone else - plant seeds of doubt about her again."

William Moore has done his best to live as private a life as possible despite being his chosen profession, he's been the consummate professional, a good friend to those around him, albeit stoic in his interactions with others. When the media grabs hold of a scandal of an intimate nature his once carefully constructed persona is blown apart. With vultures at every turn vying for blood he's thrust into a spotlight he never craved.

"She'd eradicated the emptiness, but she'd made the space bigger, fuller, brighter than before. Her leaving would create too large of a chasm, one that I'd feel both acutely ad chronically."

Josey needs somewhere to live, Will needs someone who will hold him accountable and not be afraid to ask him direct questions, it seems like a perfect arrangement right? In the land of romance we know it's going to be anything but smooth sailing for these two.


The beauty of these two slightly quirky characters is in the vulnerability and honesty that laces all of their interactions. In a world full of deceit and make believe being open and earnest can be a revolutionary act. The way Josey and Will exist around one another means so much because they operate without judgement. It's their connection from tentative to all encompassing that I found so thrilling. I wanted them to be each others safe haven, I wanted Josey to know Will's kinks and love him not in spite of it, but because it was part of who he is, and I wanted Will to see this young woman who was too loud, too quirky, too awkward for so may others and worship her because it's what made her, her. It's what we all crave after all, a genuine connection, an unshakeable bond, a person who is our common sense, our mischief, our best day, our sounding board. Someone who knows our hopes, our dreams, our fears and encourages and supports us through all of it. Someone who knows all of our best qualities and our worst ones as well. It's being vulnerable with someone knowing they will safeguard your heart. It was this connection that had my heart swelling and skipping a beat because having that connection with someone regardless of whether it's in the form of a friend, soul mate or lover is without a doubt one of the greatest gifts we can receive.

"Unfortunately, a tear had already formed inside me. And where there was a tear, pain was inevitable."

The Varlet and the Voyeur had the same humour I've come to expect from Reid and Cosway, it was sexy and fun in equal measure ticking all the boxes for this romance reader, and yet it had this depth that I wasn't quite ready for, with moments of unyielding beauty, an exquisite rawness that stole my breath. The vulnerability on the pages that had me so utterly invested in the characters that I found this story impossible to put down. I adored every moment of this story, I fell hopelessly in love with Josey and Will, with the way Reid and Cosway breathed life into them so they jumped off the page and straight into my heart. Full of frivolity and fun, and laced with so much emotion that I'm not sure to forget these two anytime soon.

"I wasn't falling in love with Josey because I was already in love with her."

About Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny on Facebook

About LH Cosway:

L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books.

She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

Connect with Lorraine on Facebook

CUFFED (Everyday Heroes #1) by K. Bromberg

Blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes a new series about three brothers, the job that calls them, and the women who challenge them.

“I hate you. I never want to see you again.”

Grant Malone is not the reason I moved back to Sunnyville—at least that’s what I tell myself. Yet, those parting words I said to him back in third grade, ring in my ears every time a townsperson brings up one of the Malone boys. I thought time had healed my wounds. I was wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for how I felt when I finally saw him again.

Twenty years does a lot to turn a boy into a man. One who hits all my buttons—sexy, funny, attractive, and a police officer. But Grant is off limits because he knows too much about my past.

But I’m drawn to him. That damn uniform of his doesn’t hurt either. It’ll be my downfall. I know it.

What’s one night of sex going to hurt . . . right?

***

I’ve always loved Emmy Reeves.

That’s why I’m shocked to see her all these years later. The shy girl I once knew is all grown up.

Adventurous and full of life, she owns my heart now, just as much as she did back then. Convincing her of that is a whole different story.

I’ll give her the one night she asks for—like that’s a hardship—but when it comes to letting her walk away after, she has another thing coming. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go this time without a fight.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2gEAFKF
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2zR5vID

iBooks: http://smarturl.it/CuffediBook
B&N: http://smarturl.it/CuffedBN
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/CuffedKobo1

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: October 2017

I am adrift in a sea of emotion, I feel as though I'm struggling to find words to do this story justice despite how many rereads of passages and quiet moments of contemplation I've had since picking up Cuffed for the first time. In true Bromberg style, this story tested me, there were moments where I teetered over the edge of a snicker right into a loud boisterous guffaw, and in the next moment I sat stunned with tears streaming down my cheeks, heart breaking. I went into Cuffed absolutely blind, with that hot cover I expected light and sexy, but the thing about Bromberg's books is that while they may be laugh out loud funny at times, and absolutely bursting at the seems with sizzingly sexy escapades there is *always* so much damn heart and soul that her words change you, they implode and set your world on fire, in a dazzling technicolour display that simultaneously shatters your heart and gently pieces it back together. 

"She’s sunshine with a little bit of hurricane thrown in, and I’m willingly walking straight into her storm with nothing more than the clothes on my back."

Grant Malone was once upon a time a little boy who would take on the world to protect his best friend, the years have passed and little Grant is now a man but who he is hasn't changed, Grant now spends his days trying to keep his community safe, as a police officer with a predetermined hero complex and father who once protected and served there was never going to be another choice for Grant.

Emerson Reeves was once the little girl with the big eyes who loved her best friend Grant, but Emmy had secrets, secrets that break and shatter and when her world exploded she turned her back on everything she had known. Emerson is back for the first time in twenty years and she's fiery and independent and she's definitely not a little girl in need of saving anymore.

"You’re used to calling the shots and being in control. News flash, I don’t budge when I’m pushed and no one controls what I do."

As Grant and Emmy collide and memories of a past one wants to remember and the other wants to forget rise to the surface, only the strongest will survive the fall out that remains. With rich characterisation and a story that had the ability to absolutely decimate me one moment and leave me joyous the next I found myself putting Cuffed down several times to revel in the sheer unrelenting beauty of Bromberg's words and shroud myself in her raw and jagged imagery. Bromberg has never shied away from tackling heavy or sensitive topics, in fact it was her ability to do so with sensitivity and grace that cemented me a long time fan of her work, but even with that I was unprepared for the effect this story would have on me, how much this book would make me feel.

"We forget the memories and just chase the moments."

Years ago I would of read Cuffed and handled the heavy subject matter in the abstract, because while I knew of it happening, my world was untouched. Now, well now however I know differently, and my heart shattered over and over again reading this story, because it hit too close to home, and like Grant I know with certainty that I can't save everyone, I can't take away someone's hurts, nor can I erase their memories. Therein lie the beauty of Cuffed, in the subtle message of Bromberg's words, words that shake even the strongest resolves and leave you knowing with absolute certainty that the greatest gift we can give someone is support, that they are already the hero of their story and don't need saving, that sometimes love is found in the darkest of places. It only thrives once it hits the light.

"This hurt doesn't take away my pain, only being strong will. I am in control of me. I will survive despite it. I am loved regardless of it." 

About K. Bromberg:

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate and hate to love.

A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs and soccer practices, more often than not with her laptop in tow.

Since publishing her first book in 2013, Kristy has sold over one million copies of her books across sixteen different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over twenty-five times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by Passionflix with the first movie slated to release in the summer of 2018.

She recently released a two book, sports romance series, The Player and The Catch. Cuffed is the first book in her new Everyday Heroes trilogy. This three-book series will be about three brothers who are emergency responders, the jobs that call to them, and the women who challenge them. The remaining standalones in the series are Combust (January 29th) and Cockpit (Spring 2018).

Connect with Kristy on Facebook

The Way Back Home by Carmen Jenner

Blurb:

August Cotton shouldn’t be here. When a tragic accident calls him home to Magnolia Springs, this returned Veteran adds his parents to the list of things he’s lost in recent years, right along with his IED detection dog and his left leg. As the sole guardian of his four-year-old sister, August must rely on his Marine training in raising a tiny hellion who’s as stubborn as he is. But the Corps could never prepare him for this. Nor could they prepare him for Olivia Anders, a woman who’ll stop at nothing to get her way.

As owner of Paws for Cause, Olivia is no stranger to the broken men and women who return home from war. She’s no stranger to broken dogs either. In fact, she’s made it her mission to pair the two and enrich both of their lives, but pairing ornery and aloof August Cotton will take some work. The last thing August wants is some pushy southern woman occupying his parents’ bed and breakfast and forcing him to open up about the hell he narrowly escaped, but that’s exactly what Olivia intends.

They complete one another, and yet they can’t stand to be in the same room.

Can Olivia make this hardened Marine feel again and finally show his heart the way back home?

*** Intended for a mature 18+ audience only. This book may contain triggers for some readers.***

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2rnXQiX

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2slNrBR

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2qA7qQU

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2rjIwSC

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: May 2017.

When I read my first Carmen Jenner book I remember thinking, wow she writes tattooed bad boys so well, then when she turned her hand to rock stars I again had the same thought, would you believe it, with each of the new tropes she tackled, from motorcycle gangs, to small town factory workers, to returned veterans, she has captured the very essence of characterisation that allows the hero and heroine to exist in a real state, off the page, and in our hearts.

"There's nothing like feeling lonely when you're surrounded by a crowd."

When I first met Olivia Anders, it was her take no sh*t attitude and resilience I adored, she was strong and feisty, determined to do her part to keep making the world a better place. There was a sense of someone who had seen and experienced far more than she had let on, and it was both endearing and inspired.

"Every day I tell myself I'm brave, I'm strong, that the past does not dictate who I am or the woman I've become. I keep hoping that one day it'll stick."

August Cotton has had a pretty crap run, he enlisted and went off to war, never really expecting to return to the life he left behind, returning home under the worst of circumstances has left the brittle and battered man even more determined to steer of everyone and everything in his small town. August has lost too much, left to rear his baby sister, the last thing he needs or wants is a pushy Olivia telling him what he needs and wants.

"Because wounds on the inside can be so much harder to heal than those of the flesh."

In true Jenner style, The Way Back Home is full of angst and emotion, everything about Olivia drawing you in, while August resolutely pushes you away, the building tension and blinding chemistry make this story impossible to put down, but its true beauty comes from those unparalleled moments of raw and real anguish, the moments that we watch as the walls these two people painstakingly built come crashing down, it's in those moments that Carmen Jenner truly shines, as she tugs and pulls at your heart, bruising it, battering it, before piecing it back together slowly and surely and sending you on your way.

About Carmen Jenner:

Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something, USA Today and international bestselling author.

Her dark romance, KICK (Savage Saints MC #1), won Best Dark Romance Read in the Reader’s Choice Awards at RWDU, 2015.

A tattoo enthusiast, hardcore makeup addict and zombie fangirl, Carmen lives on the sunny North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, where she spends her time indoors wrangling her two wildling children, a dog named Pikelet, and her very own man-child.

A romantic at heart, Carmen strives to give her characters the HEA they deserve, but not before ruining their lives completely first … because what’s a happily ever after without a little torture?

Connect with Carmen on Facebook

LUCAS (A Preston Brothers Novel) by Jay McLean

Blurb:

In a sprint, every millisecond counts.
When you’re waiting for love, those milliseconds can feel like eons.

High school senior Lucas Preston has it all: star of the track team, a scholarship waiting for him, an apartment to himself and a revolving door of girlfriends. He also has an older sister, five younger brothers and a father who relies on him to make sure those brothers don’t kill each other.
His saving grace? Lois “Laney” Sanders, a girl he started to fall in like with when he was just eleven.
A girl who became his best friend, his confidant, his courage.

It took only sixteen clicks and eight seconds for Lucas to realize that his like for Laney had turned into love.
Eight life-changing seconds.
It’s also the exact length of time it took to lose her.

Find Lucas on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2f06Ntc

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2e4wRyI

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2eTpjk5

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2dUEKvj

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: October 2016.

I'll be honest, when Jay McLean first spoke of writing and releasing Lucas I was a tad worried, I adored the More series, all of it, each book made me fall a little more in love with the author's words, with the worlds she created, so much so More Than Enough found itself on my Platinum Lipstick - favourite of all time list and it's dedication would end up being inked on my skin, that kind of love is difficult to emulate, in fact I was scared that I wouldn't love Lucas the same way I had loved it's predecessors. The truth however is that I needn't worried, this story was a perfect combination of sweet romance and thrilling suspense and raw heartbreak.

"You're my best friend, Luke, and you're standing here right now on the side of a highway telling me I should hate you while driving to a store an hour away. For me!"

Lucas Preston and Lois (Laney) Sanders met as children and became firm friends, their young friendship saw more than most high school crushes , the setting of college dreams, the bond these two developed was raw and real in the best possible way, equal parts childhood naivety and adult reality, their relationship blossomed into something bigger and bolder along the way leaving them trying to navigate what it meant for them now. Granted from my words, you would be expecting a teenage friends to lovers romance much like I did, but Lucas was so much more than that, much like the relationship that developed between Lucas and Laney, this story was bigger and bolder than that, it left me gripping my kindle to my chest, swallowing down panic, desperately hoping something (yes I'm being deliberately vague here) to happen.

"And so without meaning to, without wanting to, I started to fall in like with a girl who would later become my best friend. My confidant. My courage... A girl who would later crush my heart and destroy me."

This is the point when I'd usually tell you about the story and the impact it had on me, I'd tell you all about how certain scenes left me reeling or made me feel exuberant and joyous but inside I'm going to beg to experience this book the way I did...blind. Know that Lucas is part YA/NA, part coming of age, part friends to lovers, all heart wrenching gloriousness that had me addicted, everything about McLean's latest work was impossible to put down. For fans of the More series, Lucas will delight and intrigue, it will easily fill the void left by a beloved series ending, for those new to the world of Jay McLean Lucas will easily enrapture leaving you wanting More. (See what I did there )  Allow McLean to steal your heart the way she did mine, with two characters who feel more like family as they take on adolescence and high school crushes, adult issues and everything in between, allow McLean to take you on a journey that you won't soon forget.

About Jay McLean:

Jay McLean is an international best-selling author and full-time reader, writer of New Adult Romance, and most of all, procrastinator. When she’s not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, playing house and binge watching Netflix.
She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her hurt and make her feel.

Jay lives in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in a forever half-done home where music is loud and laughter is louder.

Connect with Jay on Facebook

A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner - Cover Reveal

Release Date: October 13th

Blurb:

It’s crazy how fast the buzz comes back after you’ve been sober for so long.

Whiskey stood there, on my doorstep, just like he had one year before. Except this time, there was no rain, no anger, no wedding invitation — it was just us.

It was just him — the old friend, the easy smile, the twisted solace wrapped in a glittering bottle.

It was just me — the alcoholic, pretending like I didn’t want to taste him, realizing too quickly that months of being clean didn’t make me crave him any less.

But we can’t start here.

No, to tell this story right, we need to go back.

Back to the beginning.

Back to the very first drop.

This is my love letter to Whiskey. I only hope he reads it.

Add to Goodreads: bit.ly/ALLTWGR

About Kandi Steiner:

Kandi Steiner is a Creative Writing and Advertising/Public Relations graduate from the University of Central Florida living in Tampa with her husband. Kandi works full time as a social media specialist, but also works part time as a Zumba fitness instructor and blackjack dealer.

Kandi started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a die hard hopeless romantic (like most girls brought up on Disney movies).

When Kandi isn’t working or writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys beach days, movie marathons, live music, craft beer and sweet wine – not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:
KandiSteiner.com
www.facebook.com/KandiSteiner
www.twitter.com/KandiSteiner

TONIC by Staci Hart - Cover Reveal

COVER REVEAL
Title: Tonic
Author: Staci Hart
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cover Design: Staci Hart
Photographer: Perrywinkle Photography
Release Date: October 13, 2016

Blurb:

Joel Anderson doesn’t take anything seriously.

Not his relationships, which have been few and far between since his brutal divorce. Not the drama of working in a tattoo parlor, which seems to be around every corner. When things get him down, he smiles and cracks a joke. But he’s not the kind of man you cross, or you’ll find yourself at the wrong end of his fists.

Annika Belousov takes everything seriously.

Like her job as a reality television producer, given that she typically has something to prove. Or her love life, which is defined by a series of requirements — affluent, ambitious, accomplished, to name a few. Definitely her family, who worked their whole lives to afford her every opportunity, a sacrifice she doesn’t take lightly. When she’s tapped to produce a reality show at Joel’s shop, she doesn’t think twice, just goes in for the kill, as if there were any other way.

The second Annika walks into Joel’s shop, he makes it his mission to crack her open, but she’s not having it. He’s all wrong — too crass, too hairy, too un-serious. But it doesn’t take her long to find out there’s more to him than smirks and tattoos. And what she finds could put her career and his heart on the line.

Not that Joel cares. Because for the first time in a long time, he’s found his tonic.

Find Tonic on Goodreads

About Staci Hart:

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, even though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.

From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.

Connect with Staci:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacihartnovels

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaquirkybird

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/imaquirkybird/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quirkybird/

Swear On This Life by Renee Carlino

Blurb:

When a bestselling debut novel from mysterious author J.Colby becomes the literary event of the year, Emiline reads it reluctantly. As an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego with her own stalled literary career and a bumpy long-term relationship, Emiline isn’t thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of a young and gifted writer.

Yet from the very first page, Emiline is entranced by the story of Emerson and Jackson, two childhood best friends who fall in love and dream of a better life beyond the long dirt road that winds through their impoverished town in rural Ohio.

That’s because the novel is patterned on Emiline’s own dark and desperate childhood, which means that “J. Colby” must be Jase: the best friend and first love she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Far from being flattered that he wrote the novel from her perspective, Emiline is furious that he co-opted her painful past and took some dramatic creative liberties with the ending.

The only way she can put her mind at ease is to find and confront “J. Colby,” but is she prepared to learn the truth behind the fiction?

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2axvMBe

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2avnQ33

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2aBj5mR

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2azDVCJ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2avoY6T

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: August 2016.

Emiline had a rather rough start to life, when people talk about having a lousy childhood, she can definitely throw down with the best of them, in the years since leaving childhood and adolescence, Emiline has made the most of the life she was given, she's moved on from her past and is carving out a new normal for herself, her dreams of a literary career are somewhat stalled, her once good relationship has seen better days, now working as an adjunct writing instructor at UC San Diego she seems to be the only one not singing the praises of new writing sensation J. Colby. When she finally gives in to the deluge of recommendations to read his hit book, she's immediately enraptured, but not because the book is amazing like everyone claims, or because the writing draws her in effortlessly, but because shockingly J. Colby's masterpiece is her story, her childhood, every desperate, heartbreaking detail is Emiline's young life, and the only person who could know every detail is Jase her once best friend, the boy who owned her heart before walking out of her life over a decade before.

“Isn’t it weird that we had nothing at the time … but somehow it felt like we had everything.”  

The idea of a book within a book is a clever one, Carlino's works always seem to push the boundaries in the most subtle of ways, everything about Swear On This Life had me utterly captivated, the nuances of her writing, the sheer beauty of her story, Carlino's exquisite ability to draw me in so entirely that I want to devour the pages and yet savor every moment. The way in which Carlino takes the reader on a journey back to Emiline's troubled childhood, while maintaining the pace that ensures the reader is both desperate to know what once took place and where the future may lead for Emiline and Jase. Renee Carlino never fails to remind me why I so adore her books, there's a freshness to her work, and uniqueness that can't be matched, an eloquence that speaks directly to my romantic heart.

“We can’t go backward. There are too many regrets. Please just move forward with me?”  

	Wistful and romantic at times, Swear on this Life examines the what was and what could have been, interspersed with the hurt caused by walking away, Carlino captures every moment with such brilliant clarity, reminding me once again why I'm so drawn to her writing. As past, present and future collide, this reader gave over her heart ready to experience every moment that this story had to give.

About Renee Carlino:

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of romantic women's novels and new adult fiction. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.

Connect with Renee Carlino on Facebook

Sidebarred (Legal Briefs #3) by Emma Chase

Blurb:
 
Join Jake & Chelsea, Stanton & Sofia, Brent & Kennedy as they navigate the hilarious and heartwarming hurdles of love, life and the law in this final addition to the Legal Briefs Series.

There was a time when Jake Becker had it all together. He was controlled, driven, ruthless—in and out of the courtroom.

Then, six irresistible orphans and their heartbreakingly beautiful aunt crashed into his perfectly ordered life. They changed everything. They changed him. Now he’s a husband, an upstanding member of society, a father figure—a family man.
And he’s pretty damn good at it.

Sure, he has to referee sibling smackdowns, re-learn algebra, ensure his clients stay of jail, and keep his wife happy—but it finally feels like he’s got it together again....
So, of course something has to screw it all up.

It’s huge. Life-changing. Kind of terrifying.

And it will be the most amazing, perfect thing he’ll ever do.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

iBooks: http://apple.co/1XjJcjE
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1S6YnfV
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1VzlphH
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1rcMewj
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1rcMkUu
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1Nk0dd4

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: April 2016.

When Jake Becker waltzed into Chelsea McQuaids already unstable life flipped on it's head, their undeniable connection and explosive chemistry gave this reader that goofy smile that undoubtedly follows after I have fallen in love with a book. Everything about Jake drew me in, from his stoic strength, to those handsome good looks, to the fierce protectiveness he showed for everyone he cared about, but more than just Jake, I fell in love with Chelsea as well, her quiet strength, her temerity, her tenacity, the way she took every hit aimed at her and kept getting back up, she kept fighting, never giving up or giving in. Their story is one that has not only stayed with me, but has held it's place on my favourites list, being picked up time and time again to reread when I'm feeling unmoved by other couples, it's storytelling at it's most beautiful, when characters invade your senses, steal your heart and you're forever changed by experiencing their journey with them.

Life has been good to Jake and Chelsea in the time since Jake got his act together and they became husband and wife, caring for six kids as a newly wed is not easy feat, but together they have weathered storms and created a loving environment for their family, but their biggest challenge may be one they never anticipated.

"You're crying because you're disappointed. Because, even just for a little while, you thought we were having a baby - and you were happy about it. You want to have a baby.

....And I do, too,"

What I expected here was a fun little sneak peak into Jake and Chelsea's lives, I expected a few flashes into Stanton and Sofia and Brent and Kennedy, an easy reading novella that would undoubtedly make me giggle, something light, instead Chase crafted a story that was sincere and eloquent, that was timeless in so many ways, a story that had me utterly enraptured from the first page, because these characters, these people somewhere along the lines became my people, and every moment of joy, every soft smile, every whispered word, every reverent look, every moment of heartbreak I felt with them, I wanted to climb inside the pages and laugh with Jake when things were good and sit and hold Chelsea's hand when things were difficult, it's an interesting feeling, being an avid reader, and hopeless romantic to boot, knowing that they are characters and aren't real, and yet believing so fully in the authors powers of storytelling that you forget even for the briefest of moments, sharing their joys and their sorrows as real as you would with a friend sitting by your side.

"And my whispered words slice the stillness of the moment. All of this only works if you're here. It begins with you, it ends..."

Sidebarred reminded me why I adore Emma Chase's writing, why I will drop everything to read her words, her ability to take the reader on a journey, one that can be confronting at times, one that often pushes you to think, one that makes you smile and sigh knowing that what your reading maybe be fiction but can give you lessons for life, she reminds me that life isn't just about the destination, but the journey, it's about the false steps, and pot holes and laughter and tears, it's about all those memories your creating without even realising, it's all those tiny moments that shape who you are and who you want to be, it's the soft smiles and sense of contentment that washes over you as you read her words. Saying good bye to this group is bittersweet, but loving them and letting go only to come back again, to pick them back up, to reacquaint myself with them is truly the most joyous part of reading, with the perfect balance of laugh out loud humour, of deliciously decadent heat, of heartfelt emotion Sidebarred is a book I will no doubt come back to time and time again.

"She's my love, my home, the solace to my soul, the keeper of my heart, the centre of my entire f*cking world. The only reason I really believe in my own goodness is because I see it reflected in her eyes."

 

About Emma Chase:

Emma Chase lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two misbehaving (but really cute) dogs. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

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Dirty (Dive Bar #1) by Kylie Scott

Blurb:

The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a broken hearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that comes with her.

Lydia Green doesn't know whether to burn down the church or sit and cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it's with his best man is another thing all together. She narrowly escapes tying the knot and meets Vaughan only hours later.

Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessman she thought she'd marry. This former musician-turned-bartender is rough around the edges and unsettled. But she already tried Mr. Right and discovered he's all wrong-maybe it's time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.

After all, what's wrong with getting dirty?

Purchase Links:

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1MetF1F
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Mez6t6
iBooks: http://apple.co/1TOAhIG
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1NyBX1I

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/20PGvsc
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1Sp9m6p
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1Ni7UjT
Amazon FR: http://amzn.to/1S52okT
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1U1NTQ6

PreOrder Twist (Dive Bar #2)

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: April 2016.

Since discovering Lick all those years ago, I've been an avid Kylie Scott fan, her rough and tumble rockers who have hit the big time have been keeping thoroughly entertained for quite a while now, when news of Dirty broke I was excited, Vaughan had a small but memorable role in Deep, as the sweet talking rocker who noticed Lizzy almost immediately, in another place and another time, one where Ben didn't exist Vaughan might have found his perfect match. In Dirty, Vaughan is coming home to Coeur d'Alene after a tour with the worldwide sensation Stage Dive, unfortunately his band Down Fourths didn't make it, one or two hit songs and supporting a major bank does not equate to longevity or success in the music industry. His visit is only meant to be long enough to lick his wounds, and to sell his house, before going back out on the road to conquer his dream of hitting the big time, the last thing he expects to find is a stranger in his bathtub.

"But I'm not that piece of shit. I'd never deliberately do anything to hurt or humiliate you."

Lydia has had a bad day, dressed in vintage couture, ready to marry the sweetest man she's even known when she discovers that the man of her dreams is actually the man of the Bestman's dreams as well, finding out your fiancé is cheating on you on your wedding day is horrendous, realising he's gay just the next blow, hurt and humiliated, her only goal is to escape her wedding.  Jumping a fence in your dress definitely isn't pleasant, waking up in a strangers bathtub, with said stranger standing above you only cements it as the worst day in history.

"You've done nothing but show me who you are since I met you."

From the moment their paths cross, there's a tangible chemistry, despite the bumbling words, and apologies, and never minds, and breast ogling there's something innate there, like a recognition on a soul deep level, sometime that draws the two together. Both are running from past hurts, both are desperate to wipe the slate clean and start over somewhere else, whereas Vaughan has consistently ran from everyone and everything he knows to carve out a new life filled with success and music, Lydia has been desperately been seeking somewhere to fit in, to belong, in all the ways that they are similar, they are also polar opposites, however despite everything they both seem to be chasing the idea of what they thought their lives would be like, still desperately clawing onto hope of what ifs and some days, missing the things in front of them until it becomes so blaringly obvious that they can no longer deny it.

"The great thing about crying in the shower was that with all of the noise and water, there was no real evidence. No one need ever know."

 Vaughan had an inherently sexiness about him, effortlessly cool, confident and charismatic, rocking that sexy ripped V that women lose their minds over, but aside from that, he's a good guy, within moments of meeting Lydia, on what could possibly be the most humiliating day of her life, a day when she feels wrung out and used, when she has to reconcile her life now, with what she imagined it would be, while she grieving the loss of the life she imagined for herself, something she has in common with Vaughan without even realising it, he see's beyond her humiliation, beyond her despair, beyond her bruised face and torn dress, he's see's a woman he wants to know. Vaughan doesn't see the too curvy girl, nor does he see the girl who's confidence took a hit because of her douchebag ex fiancé, instead he sees a woman who excites and tantalises him, he see's a woman who makes him laugh, a woman who is honest and real.

"Deal with your shit, Vaughan. Mourne your parents. Get over your guilt. Give you and your sister a break. Do whatever the hell you need to, to be alright."

Lydia is so much more than just her plus size figure, more than her failed wedding, more than her cheating fiancé or his stuck up family, she's taken a hit to her self esteem, beyond the hurt and embarrassment is the feeling that she's not enough, not enough for her parents, not enough for her college boyfriend, not enough for her fiancé or his family, not enough to be noticed and certainly not enough to be lusted after by someone like Vaughan, such is the beauty of Scott's writing that the more she examined their burgeoning relationship, their electric connection, the explosive chemistry, the more desperate I became for these characters. Every part of Dirty was deliciously enticing, affable characters, eclectic locations, a story that seamlessly blended heart and humour, beautifully tender and yet uproariously funny, scintillating and sexy, Scott yet again gave this reader her Rocker fix, it's safe to say that the Stage Dive boys have some competition, Vaughan and Lydia proving themselves to be stars in their own right.

About Kylie Scott:

New York Times & USA Today Best Selling Australian Romance Writer.

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Mister Org@sm by Lauren Blakely - Excerpt Reveal

Excerpt:

Prologue


Ask me my three favorite things and the answers are so easy they roll off my tongue. Hitting a homerun for my softball league, drawing a killer cartoon panel, and, oh yeah, making a woman come so hard she sees stars.

Not gonna lie. That last one is my favorite, by about a mile. Giving a woman a sheet-grabbing, toe-curling, mind-blowing orgasm is pretty much the Best Thing Ever.

A woman’s climax is like summer break, Christmas morning, and a vacation in Fiji all rolled together in one fantastic package of window-shattering bliss.

Hell, if we could harness the beauty and energy from women coming, we could probably power cities, solve global warming, fix every problem known to man. The female orgasm is basically the manifestation of everything good in the world.

Especially when I deliver them, and I’ve given thousands upon thousands. I’m like a superhero of pleasure, a good-deed doer, the once-upon-a-geek-now-a-stud, and my mission is to dispense as many climaxes to my lovers as possible.

How have I managed to achieve this amazing feat? Simple. I’m both a student and a master of the art of giving Os. I consider myself an expert because — in the interest of full disclosure here — I’m completely, 100% obsessed with a woman’s enjoyment between the sheets. Getting her off is the name of the game, and if you can’t get that job done, you should get the hell out of the bedroom.

But, hey, I’m also humble enough to admit I’m still a learner.

Since there is always something new to discover with a woman.

Does she want it soft, hard, fast, light, rough? Does she like it with teeth, toys, my cock, my tongue, my fingers? Would she want a little something extra, like a feather, a vibrator, or some sort of fantastic combination of all of the above? Every woman is different and every path to her pleasure is its own erotic journey with so many fantastic stops to make along the way.

I take mental notes, study her cues, and always get out and do the field work.

I suppose that makes me the Magellan of the female orgasm. A true explorer, venturing forth, fearless and ready at any moment, to map the terrain of her pleasure until she cries out in rapture.

Fine, some might say I have an addiction.

But really, is it a bad thing that I love to make the woman I’m with feel good? If that makes me a guy with a one-track mind, then I’m guilty as fucking charged. I’ll freely admit that when I meet a woman I’m into, I’m picturing in seconds what she looks like coming, how she sounds, how I want to send her soaring.

The trouble is, there’s one woman I just can’t go there with, even though lately my brain desperately wants to figure out how to drive her wild. It’s been an epic battle, and I’ve had to keep her in a special drawer, locked, sealed and key thrown away because she is the definition of hands off.

Which sucks royally because she’s about to make things even harder with the words that come out of her mouth.

Blurb:

Just call me Mister Orgasm. No, really, I insist. Orgasms are my specialty. Delivering them, administering them, giving them in multiples. Then doing it again for an encore. I'm like the superhero of pleasure, and my mission is to dole out countless toe-curling, mind-blowing climaxes.

 But, hey, I'm not just a man with only one superpower. Step right up, and you'll also find a hot exterior, a razor-sharp wit, and a heart of gold. And I don't take a damn thing for granted. Back in the day, I was the quiet guy bent over his notebook drawing cartoons. Now I'm creator of the hottest animated TV show in the world --The Adventures of Mister Orgasm -- and I'm living the good life as the once-upon-a-time-geek-turned-stud. That means I always put the lady first, and her satisfaction is guaranteed.

 Then I'm thrown for a loop when a certain woman asks me to teach her everything about how to win a man. Sounds like my kind of mission. The only problem? She's my best friend's sister, but she's far too tempting to resist--especially when I learn that sweet, sexy, witty Harper has a dirty mind too. What could possibly go wrong as I give her some no-strings-attached lessons in seduction?

 No one will know, even if we send a few dirty sexts. Okay, a few hundred. Or if the zipper on her dress gets stuck. Not on that! Or if she gives me those sex eyes on the train in front of her whole family.

 The trouble is the more nights I spend with her in bed, the more days I want to spend with her out of bed. And for the first time ever, I'm not only thinking about how to make a woman cry out in pleasure --I'm thinking about how to keep her in my arms for a long time to come.

 Looks like the real Adventures of Mister Orgasm have only just begun....

**MISTER ORG@SM is a standalone romantic comedy and it follows supporting characters first introduced in BIG ROCK**


Pre-Order Links:

AMAZON US Alert when preorder goes live: https://goo.gl/P5Wjgt

Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1WTvVO0

iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/MisterOrgasm

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1oXCxRi

B&N: http://bit.ly/1Y1PCEI

Google Play: https://goo.gl/4Ygf2m


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Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27856826-mister-orgasm


And that’s not all! Lauren Blakely has a surprise for you!


✮✮✮ WELL HUNG is coming soon! ✮✮✮
That’s right! Lauren has a third standalone romantic comedy headed your way in Late Summer 2016! Check out the fantastic cover for WELL HUNG designed by Helen Williams!

Blurb:

Here’s what you need to know about me — I’m well-off, well-hung and quick with a joke. Yup. Women like a guy who makes them laugh—and I don’t mean at the size of his d*ck. No, they want their funny with a side of huge… not to mention loyal. I’m the complete package—and I do mean package. I’ve got all that plus a big bank account, thanks to my booming construction business.

Enter Natalie. Hot, sexy, smart, and my new assistant. Which makes her totally off limits...

Hey, I’m a good guy. Really. I do my best to stay far away from the kind of temptation she brings to work. Until one night in Vegas…

Yeah, you’ve heard this one before. Bad news on the business front, drowning our sorrows in a few too many Harvey Wallbangers, and then I’m banging her. In my hotel room. In her hotel room. Behind the Titanic slot machine at the Flamingo (don’t ask). And before I can make her say “Oh God right there YES!” one more time, we’re both saying yes—the big yes—at a roadside chapel in front of a guy in press-on sideburns and a shiny gold leisure suit.

The annulment was supposed to be a piece of cake. But it turns out what happened in Vegas didn’t stay in Vegas. And now, my dick doesn’t stay in my pants when she’s around. Why would it? Natalie’s hot, witty, and horny as hell—especially when we fight. And thanks to a snag with the annulment, she’s still my wife. Mrs. and Mrs. Wyatt Hammer and Natalie Rhodes.

I try to resist. Honest. But the more we try to keep our hands to ourselves, the more we end up naked again -- on the desk in my office, in the cab of my truck, on the ladder -- and the more time I want to spend with her fully clothed, too.

Sure, we both know a legit divorce is for the best, but my dick is the most loyal prick I know. Especially now that my heart is in the game too. The question now is…do I take this woman to be my ex-wife?

Pre-Order Links:

iBooks exclusive preorder: http://tinyurl.com/WellHungLB

Add on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29418278-well-hung

 

 

Rafflecopter Giveaway: 

 

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About Lauren Blakely: 

Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With nine New York Times bestsellers,her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller List more than three dozen times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love and Fighting Fire. She recently released BIG ROCK, a sexy standalone romantic comedy that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. In the late spring, she’ll release MISTER ORG@SM, another standalone romantic comedy.

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