Accidental Tryst by Natasha Boyd

Blurb:

A new standalone, sexy, romantic comedy! Meet Trystan Montgomery. Suit monkey, commitment-phobic serial dater. No more than three dates, unless he hasn't ... you know.

Emmy:
What a disaster! I only just made my flight to New York to help my uncle, and the phone I’m holding is not mine! It seems to belong to some commitment-phobic serial dater who’s never made it past four dates (according to the constant notifications he's getting from his fake dating profile...) And worse? I have a sinking feeling it’s that hot suit-monkey with the arctic grey eyes I just had a run-in with at the airport. Somehow I have to persuade him not to get a new phone until I get back. My whole life is on that phone. It’s only a few days. Surely we can handle it.

Trystan :
This is a joke, right? My life could not get more f*cked up. I’m in the middle of selling my company and on my way to a funeral and that hot mess hippie-chick stole my freaking phone. I’m not sure how she convinced me not to immediately walk into a smart phone store and get a new one, but now she’s going to have to play stand in and distract me while I deal with my long-avoided and estranged family. I don’t have my dating apps after all, and frankly she’s pretty funny. And sexy. And why can’t I stop texting her? And now we’re talking. And … look, I’ll admit that I usually run for the hills the morning after, but the morning after phone sex? That’s not really real, right?

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Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: June 2018.

I feel as though I've been on a quest to find the very best in slow burn romance, my requirements always remain the same, witty banter, electric chemistry, a story that grabs my attention from the first chapter. Accidental Tryst was sitting on my kindle, it's bright cover calling to me. The fun and flirty chemistry between Trystan and Emmy was intoxicating, the unexpected emotional connection between the two from text to in person made this story absolutely impossible to put down. 

Trystan L Montgomery is locked up tight, rigid business man, typical Type A personality, I'll be honest, he seemed like such a jerk. He's built a life focused solely on his business, forsaking relationships and companionship for physical pleasure when needed that's free of commitment and complications. 

“I’d really love to fall asleep talking to you.”

From their first, albeit brief meeting Emmaline Angelique Dubois seems like Trystan's polar opposite. Despite first impressions Emmy isn't the free spirited gypsy Trystan thinks. Emmy has commitments and people who love her, people she loves and will do anything for even to the detriment of herself. 

‘Maybe most people never meet that someone, or maybe they don’t recognize when they do. Maybe they pass them on the street and share a look, but they don’t realize the size of the opportunity they are passing. Or they do but their hands are tied.’

It's the growing connection between these two that I found so thrilling, the banter that erupts between

the two from their very first accidental and brief meeting, from the texts they exchange, to the phone calls that soon develop into something far more. It's their sizzling chemistry and their electric connection. It's the way something that started out as mistaken phone sway evolved into something so much bigger. Accidental Tryst left me feeling all those warm, lovey feelings as I turned the last page, Boyd created a story that was filled with so much raw emotion that I felt that familiar tug on my heart. The deeper I got into Trystan and Emmy's story, the more I needed from them. Smile on my face and a song in my heart, Accidental Tryst was an absolute joy to read leaving me giddy.

About Natasha Boyd:

Winter Rose FINALIST 2013 (Eversea), Digital Book Award Winner 2014 (Eversea) and Chatelaine Awards for Romantic Fiction FINALIST 2015 (Deep Blue Eternity).

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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

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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.

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Tonic by Staci Hart

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.

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Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: October 2016.

There's something effortlessly cool about Tonic, in fact there's something effortlessly cool about the author Staci Hart too, fans of the Bad Habits series will remember Joel Anderson, his turn as Tricky's boss, mentor and friend in Last Call was both hilarious and endearing, the hulking piece of bearded man meat was the kind of secondary character I personally was hoping we would get more of. Hart's previous Bad Habits series and follow up stand alone Wasted Words cemented her an Author I follow, with eye catching, gorgeous covers and quirky, intriguing blurbs Tonic was sure to pique my interest. With Joel taking his place front and centre made me giddy with excitement, the man who affectionately tattooed his hand and fingers THIS and THAT was bound to be the kind of leading man I was sure to love.

“He didn’t shy away from my glare — which would level most men — instead, he met it with heat that burned through me like molten lava. Or indigestion.”

Annika Belousov has not only mastered the art of resting bitch face, but mastered the stone cold demeanor to match, as cold as ice, professionally a shark who can sniff out the proverbial blood in the water. She wasn't always the ice queen she is now, but a baptism of fire in her chosen career shaped her into a formidable task master, capable of deception and manipulation to rival the best. As Executive Producer on what will hopefully be the breakout hit of an over saturated reality television market focusing on Joel and his tattoo shop Tonic.

“Three steps and I was in his arms.
Two heartbeats and I looked into his eyes.
One breath and I kissed him.”

Everything about Joel and Annika is electric, volatile, all consuming... their chemistry, their passion, like a match waiting to be struck, the only certainty is once they come together they are sure to go up in flames. The back and forth, the banter, the push and pull of animal magnetism between them made Tonic was one fast paced ride. Two people desperate to keep their cards close to their chest with a hero who never takes anything too seriously and a heroine who never lets her guard down, and a cast comprised of old favorites and new friends, Hart crafted an addictive story that was impossible to put down. Equal parts funny, sexy and sweet made Tonic another winner for me.

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, 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.

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 reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics.

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The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Blurb:

Debut author Sally Thorne bursts on the scene with a hilarious and sexy workplace comedy all about that thin, fine line between hate and love.

Nemesis (n.) 1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
2) A person’s undoing
3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She’s charming and accommodating and prides herself on being loved by everyone at Bexley & Gamin. Everyone except for coldly efficient, impeccably attired, physically intimidating Joshua Templeman. And the feeling is mutual.

Trapped in a shared office together 40 (OK, 50 or 60) hours a week, they’ve become entrenched in an addictive, ridiculous never-ending game of one-upmanship. There’s the Staring Game. The Mirror Game. The HR Game. Lucy can’t let Joshua beat her at anything—especially when a huge new promotion goes up for the taking.

If Lucy wins this game, she’ll be Joshua’s boss. If she loses, she’ll resign. So why is she suddenly having steamy dreams about Joshua, and dressing for work like she’s got a hot date? After a perfectly innocent elevator ride ends with an earth shattering kiss, Lucy starts to wonder whether she’s got Joshua Templeman all wrong.

Maybe Lucy Hutton doesn’t hate Joshua Templeman. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

Purchase Links:

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

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Book Depository: http://bit.ly/2bTZvWq

Dymocks: http://bit.ly/2clupsE

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: August 2016.

I recently attended a Writers Retreat where one book in particular was mentioned, and I use the term mentioned very loosely, what actually happened was they demanded we all read it immediately. Suffice to say, I purchased the ebook that night and dove in, immediately I was smitten, utterly invested and truly in love with every single word written by Sally Thorne.

"Watching you pretend to hate that nickname is the best part of my day."

Lucy Hutton always dreamt of working in the publishing industry, as an avid reader her love for all things books was greater than anything she'd ever known, being hired by Gamin Publishing was everything she had ever imagined, but when her beloved company was on the brink of collapse and amalgamation with another struggling publishing house, Bexley Books, became her reality, her career goals stayed alive, just barely, with a host of personnel cuts and the loss of her best friend Val, her work world was rocked. The day she met Joshua Templeman seemed like a possible new beginning, but his cool disregard of her almost immediately sent shockwaves through her usually cheery demeanor, a war began that day and with every day that past their mutual dislike of each other grew.

"You've broken me down so completely, I can't even handle it when a guy tells me I'm beautiful."

The Hating Game written in the first person point of view painted Lucy as both incredibly smart, and extremely funny,  every snarky thought, every snappy comeback, every moment of despair mixed with joy as Joshua became Josh in front of her eyes. Every moment in this book served to cement my love of the author's words, I was invested immediately, but each new chapter brought with it feelings of awe, the more I read the deeper in love I fell, the more real Lucy and Joshua felt, the more their personalities jumped off the page and straight into my heart.

"I'm about to lose something I never had to begin with."

The Hating Game is slow burn in the very best way, Thorne builds not only the connection between her hero and heroine but the readers attachment to them, their witty dialogue served to lure the reader into losing themselves in one of the best bouts of drawn out verbal foreplay that I have ever experienced. Usually when I enjoy a book it only serves to make me want to devour the words, here however I simultaneously wanted to speed read my way to end, and slow down in order to savor every moment. I loved every second here, I wanted to drown in Thorne's words, I wanted to escape into Lucy and Joshua's world, stand in the corner, watching them like a creeper, I wanted to befriend them, I wanted to relax with Lucy over a glass of wine after a long day at work, I wanted to know everything that happened in between every moment, every lost look, every sigh, every secret smile. The Hating Game has quickly became one of my very favourite books, climbing it's way onto not only my Best of 2016 List but my favourite of all time list. If this is how Sally Thorne marks her debut into bookworld, I can only imagine what she has yet to do.

About Sally Thorne:

Sally Thorne lives in Canberra, Australia, and spends her days writing funding submissions and drafting contracts (yawn!) so it’s not surprising that after hours she climbs into colorful fictional worlds of her own creation. Sally believes that romance readers are always searching for intensity in their next favorite book—and it isn't always so easy to find. The Hating Game is her first novel.

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