GPI's BEST OF 2017

2017 started with a bang and continued to introduce me to new favourite reads, lots of angst, love and laughter filled my pages, four titles joined my all time must read list and twelve more rounded out my best of 2017.

 

Let's get right to it, in no particular order:

The below titles earned themselves a PLATINUM LIPSTICK effectively securing their place on my very most favourite, absolute must read list. 

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The Fortunate Ones by RS Grey Review

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Cuffed by K Bromberg Review

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Dating-ish by Penny Reed Review

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Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven Review

2017 cemented my love of some incredible authors, not surprisingly all of my MUST READ titles were not new to me authors, but what was a revelation were the three authors who marked their place more than once with GOLD reviews, and two of those that also earned themselves a PLATINUM review. 2017 was a much slower year for me reading wise, I slowed down to smell the roses so to speak, I read the books I felt like reading when I felt like reading them, family health crisis's zapped my mojo, and I found myself revisiting old favourites and relearning my love of reading. These titles reminded me of the sheer joy a good book can bring, they gave me much needed respite during difficult times and made me smile when I wasn't sure I remembered how.

FORTUNE by Lauren McKellar

PUCK LOVE by Carmen Jenner

LOGAN by Jay McLean

THE CATCH by K Bromberg

THE FOXE AND THE HOUND by RS Grey

GAME ENDER by BJ Harvey

THE WAY BACK HOME by Carmen Jenner

THE PLAYER by K Bromberg

GOODBOY by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO by RS Grey

ALL THAT I AM by Rachel Brookes

The Fortunate Ones by R.S. Grey

Blurb:

At Twin Oaks Country Club, there are the fortunate ones, and then there are the rest of us: the waiters, the caddies, the valets, and in my case, the cabana girls. Most days, I’m poolside in a pleated skirt, dishing out margaritas to tycoons and titans. It’s not exactly my dream job, but it does come with one perk…

James Ashwood.

He’s my silver lining in a custom black suit.

Besides being a legacy member at the club, he’s a tech mogul and Austin’s most eligible bachelor. Oh, and those dimples? Yeah, they make my stomach dip too.

On good days, I catch his sleek Porsche winding down the tree-lined drive. On better days, I steal a glimpse of his handsome profile as we pass in the hall. And on the absolute best day, I find him alone at the bar, looking for company.

“Come have a seat.”

Those four little words set me down a path I never could have imagined. Private planes, penthouse suites, and temptations around every corner make it impossible to keep my distance. His world feels decadent and wild—but overindulgence comes with a cost. Every kiss comes with strings. Every erotic encounter is a promise I’m not ready to keep.

When I pump the brakes, he hits the gas. James doesn’t want to go slow—he wants a commitment.

And the thing about the fortunate ones?

They’re used to getting what they want.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2z1g2kp

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2xF88f6

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2hpzrUB

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2zTF44d

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: October 2017.

Oh gosh... I've just endured a .... well let's just say an unpleasant day at work, it was long and tedious and headache inducing and yet I still have a smile on my face, I'm physically drained but my heart is still soaring, and I have R.S. Grey to thank for that. 

In true Grey style The Fortunate Ones was sassy and sexy and laugh out loud funny, but even more than that there was a synchronicity to her words that made this story absolutely impossible to put down, in fact I don't remember the last time I stayed up all night reading, that feeling of complete and utter FOMO if I dare putting my kindle down for long enough to rest my eyes, and yet last night as the clock struck one (don't judge me I get up early and can't read all night like I used to) I was still lying on my side devouring Grey's exquisite prose as they wrapped themselves around my heart like a warm embrace, as I turned the last page, my soul filled with joy and smile on my face I slept a soft dreamless sleep, still thinking of James and Brooke.

"Some people carve their initials so deeply into your heart, they’ll always be a part of you."

Brooke Davenport had big plans at school and college, and for a few years those dreams came to a bright, beautiful fruition, living and travelling abroad while working as an Au pair life seemed almost perfect, but when her perfect job came to an abrupt end Brooke found herself back in Austin, and virgin daiquiris to precocious preteens. This is certainly isn't the job or life she had planned for herself, but it pays the bills and contributes to her savings account that will one day take her around the world again when she lands her next Au pairing role.

James Ashwood is the talk of Austin, he's a tech genius, devastatingly handsome and a legacy member of Twin Oaks, from afar he could be the cool and aloof billionaire some say he is, or just maybe he's a man in his thirties who's looking for something real and genuine away from the world of hangers on and followers.

Before you think this is a tale of poor little cabana girl who gets saved by the big bad James Ashcroft, you're way off.... like wayyyyy off. Forget all the regular tropes because The Fortunate Ones was so much more than a coming on age for a twenty something young woman, or a billionaire hero or anything else you've ever read, this was fresh and fun and full of chemistry that leapt off the page.

"That's great. I want those things for you too, but I want to be honest about what I want. I'm sick of serial dating, sick of living out of an empty house I don't want to come home to at the end of the day."

Gahhhh I'm trying to relay every moment I loved without giving away too much,  I could wax lyrical about every moment that had me laughing out loud, swooing or clutching my heart. I could shout praise at Grey for absolutely captivating me from the first page until the very last line, I have been a long time fan of her work, several of her titles have earned their places of my favourites lists, The Fortunate Ones is certainly no different, in fact it's easily earned its place alongside my very favourite books of 2017 and my Top Reads of all time.

About R.S. Grey:

Rachel is a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, metaphors and similes, black labs, and cold weather.

Connect with Rachel on Facebook

PUCK LOVE by Carmen Jenner

Blurb:

Stella Hart is the hottest thing in country music. For ten years, she’s been Nashville’s darling. She’s pure, sweet, and a positive role model in an industry rife with scandals, sex, and sequins. Men want to own her, women want to be her—everyone wants a piece of her, and Stella? Well, she wants out.

As the center for the Calgary Crushers, Van Ross isn’t afraid of the spotlight, but he doesn’t much like it either. Despite his reputation as a player, the NHL’s bad boy lives for only two things: the game, and his younger brother. That’s why when he comes across a country music superstar seeking refuge at his home in the Canadian Rockies, he’s not too happy with the media sh*tstorm this surprise houseguest brings.

With a nationwide manhunt, paparazzi dogging their every move, producers of a reality TV show baying for blood, and a record label desperate to see their “good girl” returned safely home, Van and Stella’s lives are snowballing out of control.
While Van would like nothing more than to show the purest of them all how well he handles his er ... stick, Stella is no puck bunny. Nor is she as innocent as she’d have the world believe.

With chemistry like theirs, tension runs high on and off the ice, but the end game is the same for both players: line up the puck, take the shot, and score. If only their hearts understood the play.

Puck fame and fortune.
Puck right and wrong.
Puck love.

Find it on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Uhttp://bit.ly/2y4ibgDS: http://amzn.to/2xRSQGq...
PB: http://amzn.to/2xRSU8X
UK: http://amzn.to/2yDr1yO
CA: http://amzn.to/2hG9vqQ
AU: http://amzn.to/2xGJiOU

Kristine's Review:
Review: October 2017.

When news of Puck Love hit the interwebs I was instantly intrigued, I mean talk of a book from Carmen Jenner without death and destruction... without rape or torture... a book that's fun and light and won't make me shriek or cry.... GET OUT OF TOWN....I knew I *needed* this book like I needed my next breath. It's not secret I've been on a happy book binge of late, give me happy and laugh out loud funny and I'll be all over it like ...well myself at a Tieks sale.

Stella Hart is the undisputed GOOD GIRL of the Country music scene, she's loved by little girls, teenage boys and parents alike, the World is her stage and she *seems* like she's got everything figured out. Unfortunately for Stella, she's just barely holding on. Suffering from crippling anxiety, each SOLD OUT show on her Tour seems harder to get ready for, each night the voices and fears getting louder and louder and harder to hide away. 

When Stella finally has had enough and makes a break for it, hilarity ensues, and for maybe the first time in a long time she can breathe without feeling like drowning. I remember listening people talking about anxiety years ago and not really getting it. I mean sure panic attacks seemed legitimate enough, but it was still in the abstract, I mean surely anxiety couldn't possibly be *that* bad. Funny isn't it, that earlier this year I found myself huddled in the corner of my bedroom mid panic attack trying to remind myself how to breathe with tears running down my face, so anxious over an upcoming signing that the thought of not packing the right clothes left me a bleary eyed mess. As I read the opening chapters of Puck Love I FINALLY *got* it, I understood Stella in my bones, I understood inherently why running was the ONLY option she could live with, I felt a soul deep connection to Jenner's words, it was the most holy of UH HAAAA moments, in the most unlikely of places.

"You wanna try on your own?"

"No, don't let go."

"You looking for an excuse to hold my hand, country?"

"No, I'm afraid of falling."

"But that's the best part." He grins, squeezes my hand tighter, and I have a feeling he's right. 

While I may have had a earth shattering connection to Puck Love in the opening chapters what followed was a fun filled adventure as Van the BADBOY of Ice Hockey crosses paths with Stella the enteral GOODGIRL of country music, and boy did Stella give him a run for his money. Van The Man, strong and stoic, the man who wants nothing more than to flatten anyone who gets in his way on the ice, and keep his life off the ice private. From the outside Van looks like the typical sports star, but beneath the bravado and icy glare - he's a man who's ready for something real away from the ice. And Stella, well Stella has wanted real for as long as she can remember and for the first time in a long time, she might have found someone who will give that to her.

Jenner keeps us enthralled with her trademark blend of snarky banter and tantalising sexual chemistry, but where she truly flexes her muscles is delivering a story that doesn't rely on emotion and angst to deliver something thrilling, from a quirky beginning that had me genuinely invested to a story about two people who as poster children for the lifestyle's of the rich and famous shouldn't be entirely relatable but inherently made Puck Love a book that was not only easy to devour but to love, leaving this reader smiling long after she turned the last page. 

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?

Commitment by KM Golland - Exclusive Excerpt & Review

 

Release Date: 21 August 2018.

Blurb:

Natasha Jones loves her life, her husband and their two young sons. She works hard both at home and as an Events Supervisor at City Towers. But when a relationship with her work colleague unexpectedly progresses, Tash begins to question whether or not her marriage has passed its ‘Use by’ date.

Dean Jones is a numbers man but has no idea that his number could be up where his marriage is concerned. Never one to really speak his mind, he has always opted to just go with the flow in order to keep his wife happy.

Passion, intimacy, and communication have taken a backseat to demanding careers, a mortgage and family life, and it’s not until Tash and Dean stand to lose everything they have built together that the spark between them begins to flicker again.

And boy does it flicker ...
and ignite ...
and nearly burn the entire neighbourhood down!

Can Tash and Dean keep this newly lit flame alive and save their marriage? Or will temptation make the commitment seem too much to bear?

GPI Exclusive Excerpt:

I didn’t want to be disappointed with how our anniversary had panned out, but I was. It had just been another normal day, except that we had sex. Not sexytimes. Just sex. Plain old boring sex that nearly put me to sleep.

After dinner when he’d suggested we watch “Captain America” instead of “Love Actually”, my desire for anything intimate had long passed, and all I’d wanted was to just go to bed and read because, nowadays, the pages in my books gave me more sexual gratification than the man who slept beside me.

It was sad but true.

When he’d mentioned ‘looking for my cat’, ‘my cat’ had figuratively hissed in warning. I hadn’t wanted to play hush-the-kids-are-asleep robotic, shitty sex, even though I’d given in out of guilt in the end and played it. It was disheartening, really, having sex with my husband because I felt guilty for not having it with him. Sex shouldn’t be like that when you love someone. It should be exciting, rewarding … enjoyable. It shouldn’t be an obligation or a score settler. But that was exactly what it had become where I was concerned. And I hated that.

Sighing, the mere thought of feeling that way pained me. I loved Dean wholeheartedly and I always would. He just didn’t push the buttons on my body that I wanted him to press. And I wasn’t sure at what point in our marriage that had changed or why, nor was I sure if it were his fault or mine. Because, although small, my porthole sized libido still existed. I wanted sex. I just wanted something different. Something new. Something surprising.

I wanted something a little less predictable.

Unfortunately, Dean was as predictable as a clock. Rhythmic. Formulaic. He liked routine. Did that make him boring? Yeah, kinda. Yet I couldn’t deny that his consistency was comforting, because he was also dependable and reliable — a double-edged sword with a bittersweet slice.

Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, I wondered if ‘comfortable’ was what a marriage should be above all else, if ease and the absence of irregularity really were the key to sustaining longevity within a partnership.

“God, I hope not,” I said quietly to myself. That notion didn’t sit well with me at all, but maybe that notion was the answer and my expectations of spontaneity were unreasonable. Maybe I was just greedy.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2uV3trV

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2uVjrm5

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2x2PEFc
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2x2UZwa

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: 2017

There's a point in every wedding ceremony, when saying one's vows that we utter promises to one another, we promise to love each other, in sickness and in health, richer or poorer, we promise to forsake all others, we essentially promise to choose each other, every day, every month, every year of our forever's.

When standing there in front of a priest/officiant, in front of our families and friends it seems so very simple, because for most of us, we chose this person that moment of our first date, first kiss, first intimate moment, we chose them when they got down on one knee or in my case passed me a ring box while overlooking Saddleback Mountain, we chose to spend our remaining days building a life with our partner. As sure as I am that we are so very sure of our vows on that day, I also know that more often than not we find ourselves questioning our choices, our commitment at some point in our marriages. Be it five years, ten years or twenty years, most of us will feel stifled by that tricky bitch complacency, that honeymoon phase we fondly remember seems so long ago, jobs, children, pets, household chores have taken precedent, we forget about who we once were before the dreaded C word, and often we find our once bright and vibrant relationship...stagnant. Getting dressed up for date night is a thing of a past, sexy lingerie sits long forgotten in the back of the draw, the I love you's  still fall quickly from our lips but now out of routine.

Commitment tells the story of Tash and Dean, their story is heady and romantic, over a decade together, a lifetime, two beautiful sons, surrounded by good family and friends, their marriage seems solid,  they say I love you freely, easily, they share a connection that only comes from many years together, even after all the years that have passed Dean still see's the beautiful sexy woman he married, Tash still see's the handsome man who once stole her breath, but she also see's the man who can't for the life of him hang his keys on the hook near the door, and he see's the woman who falls asleep far too quickly and leaves him to jerk off in the dark.

I'll be honest, in true KM Golland style I was expecting a funny, sexy romp with Commitment, a story purely about bringing the sexy back, what I found instead was a poignant tale of two people who truly love each other but aren't quite sure what they are missing that their friends seem to have. That old saying that you can't see the wood for the tree's resonated so deeply for me here, I've had those moments, I've felt unsure in my marriage, I've felt like everyone else must be in on some secret I wasn't privy to, I've felt under appreciated, invisible, like a flatmate instead of a lover or a spouse, I've lost that spark and wondered if marriage is truly supposed to last forever, in truth I still do at times, I had moments reading Tash's thoughts sure that Golland had somehow hijacked my brain and scooped out my most secret thoughts.
It was confronting, and so very real that I found myself sitting in my bathroom quietly crying, because finally I could give voice to these thoughts swirling in my mind, but more than that for once I felt a little less alone.


There's so much beauty in Golland's words, there's a honesty in this story, there's a rawness that is so very confronting, it makes you think, but more importantly, it makes you feel. Mixed in between sassy banter, uproariously funny exchanges, swoon worthy romance and scintillatingly sexy hijinks is a story that needs to be told. I've often regarded author's like Taylor Jenkins Reid as the creator of life lessons instead of a writer, after finishing Commitment, KM Golland has cemented her place as the teacher of truths, the creator of life lessons, a writer of real life.

About KM Golland:

“I'm an author. I am married. I am a mother of two adorable little people. I'm a bookworm, craftworm, movieworm, and sportsworm. I'm also a self-confessed shop-aholic, tea-aholic, car-aholic, and choc-aholic.” Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, K.M. Golland studied law and worked as a conveyancer before putting her career on hold to raise her children. She then traded her legal work for her love of writing and found her dream career.

Connect with KM Golland on Facebook

The Foxe and the Hound by R.S. Grey

Blurb:

A full-length STANDALONE romantic comedy from USA TODAY bestselling author R.S. Grey.

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is, until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more.

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.

ind on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

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

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2t500lr
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2srdyHr
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2qJrdsb

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2sddCP0

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: June 2017.

I fell in love in with R.S. Grey's words way back when with  With This Heart and Behind His Lens, as her back catalogue has grown, so has my affection for her stories, from the quirky and fun, to the heartfelt and serious, Grey has ensnared my heart and captured my mind with her witty dialogue, relatable characters and explosive chemistry, her writing always leaving eager for more, and yet entirely sated. After a period of failing to connect with books, I finally hit my stride, discovering titles that left me giddy and desperate for more, I'll be honest, with each book I finished feeling overjoyed and elated there was also a sense of trepidation, because what if the next book doesn't continue your loved up book spree, what then... I shouldn't have been worried, especially not where Ms Grey is concerned, because while I have been a long time fan of the authors words, The Foxe and the Hound became a new top recommendation.

“I didn't plan to be this dysfunctional at 27, but dysfunctionality has a way of creeping up on you. One second, you're 22, wrapping up your undergraduate degree from a top business school, and then suddenly, you're sitting alone in your car at 27, wondering how five years slipped trough your fingers without so much as a blink.”  

To say Madeleine Thatcher has had a tough run would be an understatement, ever the eternal optimist even Madeline is starting to doubt how long she can continue, perennially single, regularly behind on rent, and working a job she loves but never seems to be making it in is starting to take its toll. Once again running late for work, her life and giant mountain dog of a puppy sends her careening into the newest addition to her small town, unbeknownst to all involved Madeleine's life is about to change.

Adam Foxe relocated from Chicago after some messy personal issues, he's quite content to just jump into his new practice and keep a low profile, after all who needs messy personal entanglements after everything he's just left behind? His first meeting with Madeleine Thatcher left a sour taste in his mouth, unfortunately he can't stop thinking about her either. Adam's not the only one, despite his surely demeanour, Madeleine can't deny the attraction she feels, everything about their tenuous interactions is almost laughable and yet neither seems to be able to stay away.

"I like you. If I were dating right now, I'd want to be with you, okay?

He bends down so his gaze meets mine. Even still, I do my best to focus on the gym floor.

"The reason I've been ignoring your calls  and emails is because I like you too much." 

Grey writes adorkable romantic entanglements like no other, there's a cringe worthy element to Madeleine and Adam's interaction that makes it absolutely impossible to put down, there's a realness there, despite the settings created that allow the reader to truly believe in the story unfolding between not only the hero and heroine but their friends and peers. The push and pull Grey creates is utterly spellbinding, I found myself so enchanted to that I didn't want to put it down, the snarky banter had me laughing out loud, the pure absurdity of certain moments felt so incredibility right that I lapped up her words, telling anyone who would listen to buy this book!

Uproariously funny, scintillatingly sexy and stunningly sweet, The Foxe and the Hound hit all the right notes for me, even with all of that, what I truly adored was the story beneath, the story of a young woman who's quietly questioning her life, and the choices she's made up to this point, the one who's questioning if she should pack up and start again somewhere new, or whether she's destined to stay where she is right now, coupled with the young man, who had thought he had life completely figured out, and had his happily ever after in his sights, who instead if left questioning if all the decisions he made were the right ones, there's a beautiful dichotomy in these two characters, who the reader knows are perfect for each other but can't quite step out of their own heads for long enough to realise it. Hands down a TOP Recommendation of 2017, and a MUST READ for all book lovers.

About R.S. Grey:

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, metaphors and similes, black labs, and cold weather.

Connect with Rachel on Facebook