Sweet Cheeks by K.Bromberg

Blurb:

An all new second chance love story by the New York Times Bestselling author of the Driven series.

It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiancé's new wedding.

I should have ignored it. Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn’t. I replied.

With a plus one.

And then my assistant accidentally mailed it.

Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye.

When he showed up out of the blue ten years later, I should have known to steer clear. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex’s wedding. I should have never let him kiss me.

But I didn’t.

And now we’re left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next?

Find on: Goodreads

Purchase Links:


Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ePJ3Ud
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2fMygvb
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2fO8sT7
Audible: http://amzn.to/2g2gYPs
iBooks: http://apple.co/29Plxb6
B&N: http://bit.ly/2bMuSj7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2euz9Jc
Audible: http://adbl.co/2fVsr3i
Paperback: http://bit.ly/2fZ1ITA

Excerpt:

He chuckles and all of a sudden my back straightens. “That’s their schedule, Ships. Ours is a secret.” He abruptly stands and grabs my hand to pull me up. My body jolts at the connection th...at sitting side by side with him all this time has had buzzing just beneath the surface. As if knowing he was close enough to touch but not really touching was an awareness all in itself. I know he can feel it too. That I’m not alone. Because the words on his lips falter momentarily before he recovers. And a part of me wants to stay like this a bit longer but know it’s just that missed connection we lost so long ago that’s causing the sensations to simmer to the surface. Nostalgia. Muscle memory of the heart. “C’mon. Let’s go.”
“Go?”
“Yes. Go. It’ll be easier if you think of this whole trip as an adventure rather than their wedding.”
“And what? You’re my tour guide?”
“If that’s what you want to call me. I prefer cruise director though, considering we’re kind of stuck with the nautical theme, Ships.” He winks and holds his hand out.
“Oh, please.” I roll my eyes.
“Or captain.”
“You’re certifiable, you know that?” I shake my head and he pulls on my hand to help me stand.
“Quite possibly, but all that matters is I’m in charge of this schedule, and we need to get a move on it. Your adventure awaits.”
“And, oh captain, my captain, that adventure is what?” I drag my feet like a child, curious what he’s talking about but smiling nonetheless.
“Do you actually think I’m going to tell you?” He dazzles me with that smile I can’t resist. “Didn’t you know? Spontaneity is the best kind of adventure.”
Oh. Shit.

© K. Bromberg 

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: November 2016.

Quite some time ago I stumbled upon a book almost by chance, with it's distinctive black cover and intriguing blurb about cocky race car driver and sweet counsellor, I was enamoured instantly, the author's writing drawing me in, jump starting my heart and declaring war on my emotions, it was in that moment that I became a life long fan of Bromberg's words. In the years that have followed and in the titles subsequently released I found myself falling in love with her prose over and over again. Through the Driven series and the stand alone titles that continued the Driven legacy I found new heroes and heroines to adore, I cheered them on in good times and shared their sorrows in bad, I felt every emotional response a writer tries to elicit with their words, I knew with absolute certainty that I  would bare the emotional scars on my heart, the elation that comes with pure, adulterated joy long after reading THE END, and more than that I would endure it willingly with each new book she released.

As an avid reader, I know that growth for an author comes when they step away from their tried and true formula to do something different, after the world wide success of Colton and Rylee and their friends and families stories I can only imagine the trepidation of publishing something entirely new, in truth despite wanting to see that growth unfold before my eyes, there's a healthy level of worry for a long time fan...would I love this story as much as her others? would I be swept away by new characters? I shouldn't of worried, from the opening page Saylor's voice undid me in the kind of way a reader dreams about, she was sweet and funny, sassy and feisty, strong and determined, instantly I saw Bromberg's words play out like a film in my mind.

"Trying to forget her is like trying to remember someone I've never met. It's impossible."

When Saylor Rodgers receives an invite to her ex fiancés wedding she's sure she's being punked, from the familiar cardstock, to the location, and the rumors that her ex's wife to be could be her twin, she's hovering between incredulity and downright shock, with a failing business and the growing belief that her one time soon to be pretentious in-laws are the reason for her dwindling customers she begins to see the merits in accepting the invitation.

When Ryder, his childhood bestfriend calls in a long time IOU to help his sister
When Hayes Whitley walked out of her life over a decade ago Saylor believed she'd never recover, her one time best friend and childhood sweetheart broke her in ways she longs to forget, when he waltzes back into her life and offers to help her not only save face in front of the man she ended her engaged to and his entire blue blooded family, but potentially save her business, she's willing to let the past stay where it is and move forward.


Hayes may have left Saylor behind in the quest to make his dreams of acting become a reality, but he never forgot the girl that was Saylor, Hayes knows without a doubt he'd move heaven and hell to make things right.

"There's only one love that matters more than your first love, your last love."

In Sweet Cheeks Bromberg pens a touching, witty and sexy tale about second chances, with the perfect balance of heat, humor and heart Saylor and Hayes journey from childhood sweethearts, to estranged friends, to something bigger and bolder than either of them imagined captivated and titillated the senses in equal measure. Bromberg reminds the reader that there's truth in the old adage that sometimes people need to fall apart so they can fall back together. My enjoyment of this story was clearly evident in the number of highlighted passages, the number of notes I made in the margin, the sheer volume of screenshots safely saved in my phones memory, the tenderness that exuded from the pages, as I felt every emotion barrel through me from anguish and heartache, to joy and happiness, from the warm blush that spread over my cheeks while devouring Bromberg's trademark sexy prose to the absolute utter heartbreak and angst only she can provide. Everything about Sweet Cheeks was scintillating and engrossing, I didn't want to set my kindle down, I wanted to stay lost in the world Bromberg created, I handed over my heart on the very first page, and now days later I still don't want it back. Sweet Cheeks easily cemented it's place on my Best of 2016 list, and reaffirmed the reason why she became a Must Read Author for me so long ago. Read it, let it carry you away, steal your heart and be the very best reminder of why we read in the first place.

About Kristy 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.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift), and a novella (UnRaveled). She is currently finishing up Sweet Cheeks a standalone novel out November 14th.

Her plans for 2017 include a sports romance duet (2 books: The Player, The Catch) and the Everyday Heroes series (3 books: Cuffed, Combust, and Cockpit). She’s also writing a novella for the 1,001 Dark Night series that will be out in February 2017.

Connect with Kristy on Facebook

Keepsake (True North #3) by Sarina Bowen

Blurb:

There's a first time for everything.

Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.

When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.

Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.

Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.

Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that he's good for much more than farm labor.

Find on goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2e3WTC2

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2eQXt7R

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2eIta5K

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: October 2016.

I've been a huge fan of Sarina Bowen's for a while now, her writing goes from strength to strength for me, the True North series has easily captured my heart, but Keepsake was something else entirely, it was special in the way that the author's words spoke directly to my heart, every moment had me lost in the story, eager for more and yet desperate to savour every little nuance. Keepsake was everything I look for in a book, the sweet and blissful interspersed with heartbreak made this the kind of book that will stay with me long after I turn the last page.

"Lying in a girls bed was not something I'd ever done before last week. Touching people didn't come easily to me. But Lark didn't have the same hang ups."

Zack intrigued me from the moment he was introduced in Bittersweet, he was quiet and reserved, funny and sweet, the ultimate hard worker, he was dedicated to his duties and in turn to the Shipley's. His upbringing in a religious cult formed the man he is in so many ways, but the last four years spent in Vermont also has a huge impact on his mental well being and character, now free  from the life he once knew, Zack has grown exponentially, letting people  in, loving the friends that have become his family, finally a part of the world around him, Zack is experiencing all kinds of things he never knew about and finding someone he wanted to pursue a romantic relationship with was something he expected until Lark came crashing back into his life.

"But lust isn't shameful, no matter what they used to tell you. Now's your chance to stick it to 'em. Name a desire. It doesn't even have to be realistic."

Lark was once the life of the party, she was fearless, ready to take on the world, any challenge she was game to tackle, until her work transfer to Guatemala ended with her being kidnapped from the busy street market and held captive. Returning to her normal life seemed impossible, crippled by guilt and shame over what transpired, nightmares that won't abate, and feeling like she's a burden on her parents, she jumps at the chance to spend some time in Vermont, picking apples and forgetting everything that happened that changed her from the fun loving girl she once was.

"You're so much more than a bad memory. I love you and even if my life is kind of a mess right now, I still want you in it."

When Lark and Zark meet again for the second time there was something there, like two souls recognising their mate, while they both seem okay on the outside, they are harbouring past hurts that have the ability to break them. When Lark's nightmares leave her screaming in her sleep, Zack is the one who provides comfort. It was in those quiet moments that Keepsake easily became one of my favourites of 2016. Their connection was tangible, their chemistry unmistakable, knowing that Zack offered comfort without expectation, seeing the light return to Lark's eyes only served to make Zack more endearing. Keepsake was more than just a story, more than just a romance novel, it was a beautiful combination of lust, heartbreak and happiness. For fans of this series, reconnecting with the Shipley's and Jude only made this story more special. Zack proved to be the kind of hero that I love, strong, sure, a man with a pure and good heart, everything about him made me smile, he came from a place that could of ruined him, but instead he found himself thriving, meeting Lark changed him again, and allowed him to push past his comfort zone and become a new version of an already good man who loved his lady wholeheartedly, without fear. Lark left me in awe of the woman she became, her tenacity and perseverance showed her strength. Keepsake filled with elegant prose, and heady romance left me sated and yet desperate for more, but what I truly loved was how this story beautifully captured the essence of true life, showcasing two people fighting for their chance at something good, happiness in all it's forms, showing that those with pasts that threaten to defeat them overcome anything. Keepsake imprinted itself on my heart, scoring itself on my soul, leaving me cheering for these two characters that felt so real. Beautifully written, Bowen ensured that this is a story I won't soon forget.

About Sarina Bowen:

Sarina Bowen is the USA Today bestselling author of steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction. She lives in the wilds of New England.

She is the author of The Ivy Years, an award-winning series set amid the hockey team at an elite Connecticut college. Also, the The Gravity series.

With Elle Kennedy, Sarina is the author of the RITA award winning HIM, and its sequel, US.

NEW IN 2016: Two New Series!

Sarina has begun a new Vermont contemporary romance series, True North. She's also unrolled new hockey novels from Penguin Berkley including Rookie Move.

Sarina enjoys skiing, espresso drinks and the occasional margarita. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.

Connect with Sarina on Facebook

Down Shift (A Driven Novel) by K. Bromberg

Blurb:

The New York Times bestselling Driven series continues with a standalone story about finding love where you least expect it…

Behind the wheel, racing champion Zander Donavan is at the top of his game. But after too much excess in his personal life, he’s forced to step away. He needs to accomplish something all on his own—outside of his famous father’s shadow.

Getty Caster is running away from the abuse that clouds her past. She thinks she’s found the perfect escape—until she discovers a stranger in the beachside cottage she’d been promised. He’s undeniably sexy, but she’s there to heal. Alone.

Before long though, fighting with each other turns into fighting their attraction. And giving into desire sets off a chain reaction that has their pasts colliding. With an unexpected love on the line, can they overcome the fallout to build a future?

Find on Goodreads


Purchase Links:

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

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2cLKDKG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2beXGVq
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2bg3ATq
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1ViqTO8
iBooks: http://apple.co/1PlnyM9
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KeJzKE

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: October 2016.

"She's beautifully scarred, gorgeously flawed, irresistibly captivating."

I've become very familiar with procrastination lately, in fact it's most evident in the fact that Down Shift has been sitting on my kindle for over a month and yet I couldn't bring myself to read it, this may not seem overly concerning in and of itself unless you know that Down Shift is one of my most anticipated reads of 2016. Bromberg cemented herself as a MUST READ author way back when I picked up Driven for the first time, over the years that followed and with each subsequent book she has released I've fallen more in love with her words, more in love with the deeply flawed characters she's created, more in love with the worlds she so eloquently breathes life into.

"I've seen a lot of sh*t in my life...more than you could probably imagine. So phrase it any way you want to, deny it every which way from Sunday, but until you face whatever it is, nothing's going to get fixed."

Zander Donovan was a child when he first made on impression on readers minds and scored himself on their hearts, in the years that have followed he's grown up, he's become every inch of the man Colton and Rylee were sure to raise, a young man that despite having the world at his feet is currently crippled by the memories that are flooding his mind, his past enough to derail even the strongest of men. When his life veers even further offcourse, Zander takes a much needed respite from his usual high octane, privileged existence to reconnect with himself, to unpack all the baggage that is clouding his mind and to make peace with the man he is.

"Everybody's running from something Getty."

Zetty Caster grew up in a world of privilege and excess, her early childhood from memory seemed almost perfect, until the death of her mother detonated her perfect existence, left with a father that saw her as nothing more than pawn used and traded for professional gain. When Getty leaves that only life she's even known and runs to PineRidge to start over, she's going to be self sufficient, and depend on no one but herself, she'll prove to herself that everything she's been conditioned to believe isn't true.

"The invisible scars are the ones that cut the deepest and stay with you the longest."

Admittedly my procrastination was due largely to the impossibly high expectations I was creating in my mind, every time I decided to bite the bullet and dive in, I found myself creating roadblocks, what if my anticipation overshadowed my reading enjoyment, what if in my desperation to devour Bromberg's words my reaction was merely lacklustre, what if I'd built it up to be more than what it was....that fear, the anxiety, the uncertainty of taking a leap of faith, that knowledge that sometimes you need to just jump is exactly the message that the author weaves throughout her tale. Instead of allowing my fears of anticipation to cloud my mind further, I spent my day lost in Bromberg's words, reading and rereading, revelling in that moment that every reader dreams about, the one that hit's you like a freight train, that demands your attention, that stifles your breath and captures your heart. I allowed her words to wash over me, set fire to my senses, invigorate my soul, I sat there helpless to do anything other than FEEL and by gosh....that heart thumping, goose pebbled skin, eyes bright and breathing shallow feeling can't be replicated, in truth, it can barely be explained. Now as I sit here deliciously sated, mind and soul enriched, heart soaring I see the relevance of Bromberg's hashtags, I'm reminded that sometimes the best advice you can hear is to JUST JUMP.

"You've left your old life behind, leapt without looking, and I think before you face your father tonight, you need something to ground you too. Something to remind you that you did this on your own, started a new life, your way, and that you're not the woman your father or Ethan thought you were. You're strong. And beautiful. And brave. Maybe doing this will help you see it."

About K. Bromberg:

Multi-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.

She’s a mixture of most of her female characters: sassy, intelligent, stubborn, reserved, outgoing, driven, emotional, strong, and wears her heart on her sleeve. All of which she displays daily with her husband and three children where they live in Southern California.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Since then she has written The Driven Series (Driven, Fueled, Crashed, Raced, Aced), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat, and Down Shift (Releasing 10/4/16)), and a short story titled UnRaveled. She is currently finishing up Sweet Cheeks a standalone novel out at the end of 2016.

Her plans for 2017 include a sports romance duet (The Player (#1) and The Catch (#2)) and the Everyday Heroes series (Cuffed (#1), Combust (#2), and Cockpit (#3). She’s also writing a novella for the 1,001 Dark Night series that will be out in February 2017.

She loves to hear from her readers so make sure you check her out on social media.
Connect with Kristy on Facebook

Twelve Truths and a Lie

Blurb:

Aurora Jones has it all—a job she loves as a child and family therapist, supportive friends, and a decent place to live. What she doesn’t have is much luck when it comes to dating men. And not only are her choices terrible, she also hasn’t been boyfriend free since she was a teenager. So she places herself on a sabbatical of sorts. No dating for twelve months.

Cameron Miller has had a crappy year. His girlfriend fell for his best friend and to ease the pain, he drowns his troubles in more booze and women than he can count. When his buddies finally slap some sense into him and urge him to focus on his new position as a special education teacher in an urban school district, he decides to get his act together.

Away from the prying eyes of their mutual friends, Cameron and Aurora agree to hang out once a week in their newly dubbed Chastity Club. Number of members? Two. It’s a chance to find solace, companionship, and something neither anticipated – a burgeoning attraction. But when Cameron invites Aurora to be his fake date at the reunion his ex-girlfriend and best friend will be attending, their passion ignites. What happens in Chastity Club stays in Chastity Club, right? Until they discover that a year of self-truths might actually lead them to true love.

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2d7NRJA

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

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2cA0MyS
B&N: http://bit.ly/2cF5PkW

iBooks: http://apple.co/2cnB802

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: September 2016.

Holy Moly!!! Where do I even start... from the very moment I laid eyes on the cover for Twelve Truths and a Lie I was intrigued, and that title, I was sold by that alone, I experienced that rare connection immediately, I *needed* to read this book, once I read the blurb I was already over halfway to be absolutely smitten, with that much excitement building inside of me any number of things could of gone wrong, I could of failed to feel that connection to the words, the one that we as readers need to live and breathe. Twelve Truths was my first foray into Christina Lee's work, within the first chapter I was enchanted, by chapter two I was hooked, I devoured Lee's words like a Lush imbibes on wine, I was utterly and hopelessly invested in Aurora and Cameron's lives and to be honest sitting here writing this review, my hands anxious, my heart still racing, a smile on my face, I'm envious of those who get to read this book for the first time.

"Nobody's normal, no matter what they tell you."

Aurora and Cameron are each fighting an uncomfortable truth about themselves, Lee's exquisite prose serves to draw reader in, there is a rawness to their journey's, one that resonated deeply with me, in a world where these two spend so much of their professional lives being a voice of reason and support for those less fortunate, those battling larger demons than themselves it's inevitable that there's comfort in finding someone who understands the world they inhabit. Twelve Truths is simultaneously sweet and funny and raw and profound, filled with a tenderness that perfectly showed the vulnerability of the human condition interlaced with the tenacity of the human spirit, Lee encapsulated exactly what we seek, true love. A love built on more than purely animalistic attraction, or chemistry, a love so profound that you only truly understand its depth when you surrender your heart to it, a love that opens you up to life, a love that challenges you, a love that both makes you vulnerable and strong.

"You walk in the room and I can't catch my breath. My heart goes crazy. You're like this warm and commanding light that I can't turn away from. My very own Northern Light. I want to be near you all the time."

I want to divulge all the moments that made my heart skip a beat, I want to regale  you with all the moments that had me giggling, I wanted to share with you all the moments that I felt that blush creep up my cheeks, everything about this story was addictive, like a compulsion I could not bare to put this book down. Twelve Truths and a Lie absolutely stole my heart, I had a sneaking suspicion this book would be right up my proverbial alley, however I could of never had anticipated how ardently I would love it. I implore you to spend some time in the world Lee created, and allow Aurora and Cameron to captivate and enchant you the way they did me.

About Christina Lee:

Once upon a time, Christina Lee lived in New York City and was a wardrobe stylist. She spent her days getting in cabs, shopping for photo shoots, eating amazing food, and drinking coffee at her favorite hangouts.

Now she lives in the Midwest with her husband and son—her two favorite guys. She’s been a clinical social worker and a special education teacher. But it wasn't until she wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper that she realized she could turn the fairytales inside her head into the reality of writing fiction.
She’s addicted to lip balm and salted caramel everything. She believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

She writes Adult, New Adult, and LGBTQ romance.

Connect with Christina on Facebook

Game Saver (Game #3) by BJ Harvey

Blurb:

From the USA Today bestselling author of the Bliss series comes a new spin off series featuring your favorite Bliss series characters who are yet to meet their match. Now it’s Cade and Abi’s turn.
How do you know when fake turns real?

Abi Cook lives her life by her own rules. She works hard, plays hard, and knows who she is and where she wants to be.

Following a repeat one-night stand with the dashing Dr. Cade Carsen, Cade asks Abi for a favor: be the fake girlfriend on his arm for the duration of his father's mayoral campaign.

Never one to turn down a challenge, she doesn't hesitate. I mean, who wouldn't when all that's involved is a little fake girlfriending with a side of hot sex, and with Doctor Hottie no less?

But like any Game, there are always twists and turns, unexpected players, villains, heroes and ultimately, winners and losers.

Game Saver is the story of what happens when two happily single people try for something less, but end up with something so much more.

Purchase Links:

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

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

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

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2bBdq4A

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: August 2016.

There's no secret that Abi Cook is the wildcard in the Game series, she's unashamedly upfront about her life and the way she chooses to live it. Her boisterous personality foreshadowed a deeper truth, something more that lurked in her past that made her who she is. While I was expecting some deep dark secret what I instead found was a backstory that explained her present without unneeded angst and drama, in true Abi fashion, sh*t happened, but she picked herself up, even in some unconventional ways and got sh*t done. Life happened and instead of drowning in the deluge she chose to soar. In so many ways, there's similarities in the ways in which Abi and Cade went about living their lives in a way that allowed them to be true to themselves.

Cade Carsen noticed Abi in the crowd the first moment he laid eyes on her, while he saw something intriguing in her, she beguiled him in so many ways, more than merely the physical, he was at a point in his career and life where all he was capable of was one night of passion. Like Abi, behind the Rich White Boy exterior is a man who is at odd's with his parents plans for his future. While Cade seemed like the kind of guy you would want to be mates with in previous books in the Game series, there was something deeper lurking beneath the surface, something that he kept guarded, something that select few would ever truly know about him.

"I think I'm falling for our real."

One night of passion for Abi and Cade was destined to never be enough, a precarious deal puts these two consummate bachelors on the same path, in true Harvey fashion, there was no doubt I would be in for laugh out loud moments, for the steaming sexiness that would leave me flustered, but for me the true beauty of Game Saver came in those quiet moments where Abi and Cade lowered their walls, if even for just a moment to let the other a glimpse at the heart of who they were.

"It's always been real. We've just finally realized it."

Interwoven in a story that speaks heavily to the lust and want that features so much in any new relationship is the quiet truth of the vulnerability we all feel when we move from an I to a WE. It's a truth universally acknowledged that love in all it's forms is the greatest joy we will ever experience, it's one that also opens us up the greatest amount of possible hurt. While I truly love those rip your heart out, destroy your soul kind of books, what I adore so much about the Game series is that slipping into Harvey's books is like taking in a deep breath of fresh air, even with a potent mix of sexual chemistry that oozes off the page, with snark and witty dialogue, a fast paced story that grabs you immediately and refuses to let go, and heart warmingly tender moments that rival even the swooniest of romances, it never feels to much, to staged, to angsty, to over the top. Harvey has well and truly cemented her place amongst the best of the best... part chick lit, part erotic romance, part romantic comedy, Game Saver grabbed me by the collar on the very first page and still refuses to let me go weeks after reading the last line.

"She's the breath of fresh air I never saw coming."

Game Player: http://amzn.to/2bhA1m6

Game Marker: http://amzn.to/2bfU0jG

About BJ Harvey:

BJ Harvey is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Bliss Series. She also regards herself as a smut peddler, suspense conjurer and a funny romance thinker upper.

An avid music fan, you will always find her singing some hit song badly but loving every minute of it. She’s a wife, a mom to two beautiful girls, and hails from what she considers as the best country in the world—New Zealand.

Connect with BJ on Facebook

Steadfast (True North #2) by Sarina Bowen

Blurb:

She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have.

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/29yKvb8
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/29vAL1K
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/29B48Qy
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/29TZnq6
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/29uQCyb

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: July 2016.

Have you ever picked up a book with zero expectations about how you think the story will play out and yet finish it thinking WOW! That is so not what I expected?? Now I know I probably sound crazy, but the thing is I didn't really have any idea how Ms Bowen would craft a story about a recovering addict, from the first book in the True North series I expected laugh out loud funny, I expected steamy sex, I expected those swoony moments that Bowen writes to perfection, what I didn't however expect was to read a story about a recovering addict and all the pain and regret he experienced, all the hurt he left behind, but most of all I didn't expect a story to capture so eloquently the destruction addiction causes. From Jude's introduction in Bittersweet I *knew* that he would be something special, addiction isn't only hard on the addict, but on those that love and care for them.

Even knowing very little about the man Jude Nickel was before he went to prison for vehicular manslaughter, it was easy to see how much his time incarcerated changed the man he is now. Three years in prison and six months in rehab is an awfully long time to spend reflecting the choices and mistakes you made, even the least repentant person would struggle under the weight of that kind of solitude. Beating addiction might have been the one of the hardest things Jude ever had to do, but returning to his hometown, of Colebury Vermont , confronting the ghosts of his former life, the ghost of the only woman, the only person who ever loved him was infinitely the hardest.

"Keeps me sane, knowing that if I stay strong all week I get to see you."

Sophie Haines was once the perfect stepford daughter, she did exactly what she was told, she played along with whatever her Sherriff father wanted, she lived her life in the shadows, a quiet  but lonely existence, Jude Nickel was the badboy she'd lust after from afar, a boy like him would never go for a good girl like her, meeting him, changed her, their teenage romance changed each other, in him she found wild and crazy, lust and romance, support and love. At seventeen she thought their love was invincible, but one night changed both of their lives and she was left heartbroken and alone, trapped with a mother who still hadn't mourned her son's passing and a father who blamed her for his death.

"He didn't keep me sane - he made me crazy. Until he'd shown up I hadn't realized how lonely I was."

Two people's lives changed irrevocably one night, one man died, and two families were left broken, addiction is insidious, it breaks trusts, damages lives, shatters families, I know this from personal experience, addiction leaves gaping holes in it's wake, rehabilitation is never an easy fix, it's a statistic universally proven that the rate of return use amongst users is extremely high, as a society we seem to believe that the hard part is admitting you have a problem, is rehabilitation, either forced or voluntary, but the simple fact is that that is the easy part, staying sober while in a regulated treatment program isn't hard, it's returning to your life once your out that shocks the body, that challenges that heart and soul, it's the cravings that tempt you, while all the things you once found so hard to deal with are back breaking down your resolve, it's the knowing how easy it would be to find your drug of choice, Reading books that deal with addiction is difficult because I've heard the I'm sorry's, the I won't do it agains, the I didn't mean its, the I'm tryings, I've heard them so many times that they lost their meaning, they became blank words, a void, and yet the more I read of Jude and Sophie's story the more I let go of some of the anger I didn't realise I was still holding onto.

"Those are just bullsh*t labels. And since when are you interested in other people's opinions."

Jude and Sophie's story isn't one of your typical addict, nor is it one of your typical badboy tempting the good girl, it's multi layered feel left me clutching my chest, it often left my heart feeling heavy, and my soul in need of support, it dealt with a topic that is a trigger for so many and dealt with it with sensitivity and respect, without demonising or sugar coating the reality of it. Steadfast isn't only about drug addiction and recovery, nor is it only about young love, it's paints a beautiful message about forgiveness and redemption, of others and yourself. Steadfast was raw, heart wrenching and utterly addictive in the best possible way.

About Sarina Bowen:

Sarina Bowen is the USA Today bestselling author of steamy, angsty Contemporary Romance and New Adult fiction. She lives in the wilds of Vermont. Sarina enjoys skiing, espresso drinks and the occasional margarita. She lives with her family, eight chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.

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Cream of the Crop (Hudson Valley #2) by Alice Clayton

Blurb:

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Alice Clayton brings her trademark blend of funny and sexy to this second contemporary romance in the brand-new Hudson Valley series!

Manhattan’s It Girl, Natalie Grayson, has it all: she’s a hot exec at a leading advertising firm, known industry-wide for her challenging and edgy campaigns. She’s got a large circle of friends, a family that loves her dearly, and her dance card is always full with handsome eligible bachelors. What else could a modern gal-about-town wish for? The answer, of course, is...cheese.

Natalie’s favorite part of each week is spending Saturday morning at the Union Square Farmer’s Market, where she indulges her love of all things triple cream. Her favorite booth also indulges her love of all things handsome. Oscar Mendoza, owner of the Bailey Falls Creamery and purveyor of the finest artisanal cheeses the Hudson Valley has to offer, is tall, dark, mysterious, and a bit oblivious. Or so she thinks. But that doesn’t stop Natalie from fantasizing about the size of his, ahem, milk can.

Romance is churning, passion is burning, and something incredible is rising to the top. Could it be...love?


Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/29y7GCfy

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/29Bi0LX

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/29TmYqJ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/29utAHS

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/29K72Gg
iBooks: http://apple.co/1s5usLA
BN: http://bit.ly/1syeHN9

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: July 2016.

Everyone has that author, you know the one, the one you pick up to reread, the one that you know with certainty will make you feel better, make you laugh, send your heart into free flight, leave you feeling sated and yet desperate for more? Authors like that are rare gems, once you find them, you never want to let them go, with a rare blend of chick lit, women's fiction and sexy contemporary romance Alice Clayton stands out amongst the crowd, with a unique mix of scintillatingly sexy, uproariously funny and a realness that is often lacking in fiction she cemented her place in my favorite authors.

"You're the brie girl with the great big ass."

"You want to say that again? To my face."

A slow grin spread across his face. "Which part?"

"You know exactly which part."

"Oh, the part about your great big ass?

I blinked in total surprise. "I can't believe you have the balls to say that out loud."

"What, that you've got a great ass?"

"Come again?" I asked, confused.

..... "I love watching your great big ass." 

 In Nuts we were introduced to Natalie Grayson, and Oscar Mendoza, while Oscar is a man of few words, Natalie is a lady of many, fast talking, up front, say it to your face this leading lady certainly isn't a docile wallflower, Natalie has built a successful career knowing exactly how to market any product, with her smart, inventive sales pitches she's cemented herself amongst the cream of the crop, surrounded by friends and a loving family, Everything about Natalie drew me in, her sass, her confident swagger, her don't mess with vibe, her fast talking, quick thinking, and undeniably funny personality hit all the right notes for me to become a devoted fan. So often in books the heroine is either classically beautiful or undergoes an almost She's All That (yeah taking it back to a 90s movie reference with that one) transformation, you know once they remove the nerdy frames or stop dressing in flouncy, baggy clothing we see the hot girl underneath, she'll end up bringing the hero to his knee's and you'll cheer along as she does, however in Cream of the Crop, Natalie is rocking the curvy girl mantra, she's not a size 8 or 10 (I'm talking Australian sizes here) she's got curves, junk in her trunk, breasts women pay for, in a world where the media and fashion magazines tell us that big is not beautiful it's refreshing to see a leading lady sticking up her proverbial middle finger to beauty standards and saying this is me and I'm ready to rock this life. As one of those aforementioned curvy girls, watching her attitude spring forth, seeing the way she commands a room, owns her sexuality, demands respect and then hearing all of her inner most thoughts, from the down right comical to the heartbreakingly raw, left me feeling stronger, had me doubting myself that little bit less, and even allowed me brief moments of reprieve where I could admit to those days that left me feeling battered and bruised without being scared my Queen card would be taken away.

Where Natalie was lively and outgoing, Oscar is quiet and reserved, well maybe that's not entirely an apt description, Oscar lives up to his famous Sesame Street counterpart, he's grouchy and stand offish, his sometimes grunted answers and one word responses are legendary, he's untouchable, lacking a filter or any of those pesky pleasantries one would usual use he's bound to ruffle a few feather, sure he's sexy as sin, and has women just waiting to catch any crumb he may toss their way but no one ever seems to catch his eye. As Natalie bumbles and fumbles her way through their usual Saturday morning market interactions, completely losing her usual effortless cool, we see the stirrings of a man who's on the verge of change.

"Because while Oscar didn't talk much, when he's focused on something, he's all in. Fully present. This kiss, these kisses, they are lazy and unhurried, frantic and frenzied. How can they be both?"

Where Clayton could of just written the perfect romantic comedy and been done with that, she instead seamlessly blended such raw emotion that at times I found myself nodding along, sharing in her moments of heartbreak, in those quiet moments when she doubted herself, in the moments she raged, in the moments when she wandered lost and confused, in those quiet moments I felt that strong connection, the moment that catapults a book from being one I liked to one I loved, and I need to tell you that I loved this book, from the very first page I was hooked, the more I read the further I fell for these characters, the more I wanted to lose myself equally on the streets of New York and on a dairy farm, effortlessly captivating to the very last line, I devoured the words, finishing it in one sitting.
Everything about Cream of the Crop held me captive, while Oscar undoubtedly ticked all the boxes for the alpha hero, what I truly loved so much about this story was Clayton's leading lady, so many times throughout this book I found myself declaring that I wanted to be Natalie when I grew up. Fiercely strong, wildly protective, smart, funny, confident, the ability the kick ass and take names and yet still have this gentle, beautifully raw, vulnerable side, she was a shining example of the true dichotomous nature of women. This uproariously funny, supremely sexy, savvy business woman was everything I look for in a heroine, with touches of Wallbangeresque humour and Redhead heart and the sexy styling that is entirely Clayton Cream of the Crop easily rose to one of my favourite reads this year.

NUTS (Hudson Valley #1): http://amzn.to/29HwIPm
Nuts & Cream of the Crop PB Bundle: http://amzn.to/29VXOrX

GPI's review of NUTS: http://bit.ly/1N65EvJ

About Alice Clayton:

ALICE CLAYTON worked in the cosmetics industry for over a decade before picking up a pen (read laptop).

She enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up, and finally convinced her long-time boyfriend to marry her.

Now, about that Bernese Mountain dog.

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Don't Wake The Dead (The Wraith Files #1) by CC Wood

Original Cover

Blurb:

My name is Zoe Thorne and I'm just an ordinary woman. My life is mundane, and that's perfectly fine with me; I work a boring job, watch TV, read books, and sleep alone. There's nothing special about me.

Except that I can see ghosts.

After suffering years of rejection due to my freakish ability, I'm determined to hide my "gift" from others. That is until I meet Malachi Flemming and his peculiar yet amusing friends. Mal hosts a paranormal web show titled The Wraith Files and when he discovers my talent, he offers me a job. Well, offer may not be the right word.

He won't take no for an answer.

One night, we stumble across a spirit on the side of a deserted, country road. He seems lost and scared, convinced someone murdered him. Mal's interest is piqued and he insists on helping me investigate the accident. The deeper we dig, the clearer it becomes that the killer doesn't want us to discover the truth.

Desperate people will go to any lengths to keep their secrets buried. Sometimes it's best not to wake the dead unless you plan to join them.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1UqUzph

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1TTFHQv

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1XLwaNY

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1XAFcgK
iBooks: http://apple.co/1VkHyQq...
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Z4ghkr
B&N: http://bit.ly/1ORnMp1

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: May 2016.

Every single time CC Wood announces that she's writing paranormal romance I have that moment of telling myself that I don't read PNR, I don't enjoy it, no really it's a conversation I have with myself EVERY SINGLE TIME. Each time I find myself wondering what it's about, whether I will enjoy it, all this posturing has lead me to a conclusion, I may not enjoy paranormal romance, but I love Ms Wood's paranormal romance, I never feel like I'm drowning in ghosts and werewolves and vampires OH MY, despite the fanciful characters from the other world her works always have a realistic, tangible quality to them, I find myself easily getting lost in the story, slipping into readerspace and just revelling in her words. In Don't Wake The Dead we're introduced to Zoe Thorne, Zoe is your normal, everyday young woman, she's working a job she doesn't love, surrounding but a pretty non existent social life and her two best friends are a well meaning man eater Jonelle and a ghost Terri, yep you heard right, Zoe's current roommate is the deceased former inhabitant of her apartment, after a lifetime of hiding her gifts, Zoe is quick to dismiss ghosts and the paranormal existence, she learnt early on that disclosing her abilities only serves to alienate her, leaving her the town pariah.

"Well, golly gee, Mal, most people would think I was crazy if I started telling them that I can see ghosts. Oh, and talk to them."

When Zoe finds herself out of a job, and Malachi (Mal) Flemming comes knocking on her door with a sweet deal to film a webisode from her haunted apartment, it seems like a fairly easy way to make some quick cash, only she isn't prepared for all that will happen when Mal and his merry band of Blaine and Stony come to document the paranormal existence in her home.

"What is it with you and your obsession with my sex life?"

"One of us should have one and you're the only one with a pulse." 

Where I was expecting something predominantly focus on the existence of the otherworld, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the main focus was purely the story, while it did have paranormal elements Don't Wake The Dead is definitely a story that contemporary romance or romantic comedy readers will be able to sink their teeth into. Zoe and Mal have an electric chemistry, one that sizzles and crackles and truly bursts from the page, while Wood serves up the sexual tension in spades, she also delivers on the gut busting laughs, and the perfect comedic timing she has become known for, it's a hard task to set the tone for a story and to continue to deliver it throughout the story when it shifts in style from paranormal romance to suspense and drama to comedy. While together Mal and Zoe are exciting and fresh, and so darn intriguing that you can't look away, but individually they are genuine and funny, sassy and sexy, slow burn romance done exquisitely, add to that the other colourful characters like Jonelle and Terri, and Blaine and Stony and Wood has created the kind of ensemble where you hope each get their own story. From the first page I was intrigued, by the end of the first chapter I was utterly captivated, by the half way point I was so desperately invested that I couldn't decide whether I wanted the devour the pages or savor them and take my time. Intermixed with moments of sheer hilarity, and breathtaking suspense, were moments so beautifully tender and heartbreakingly real that left me desperate for more. At the end of yet another review for CC Woods work I stand by my former claim; PNR as a genre may not be for me, but Wood's take on PNR certainly is.

About CC Wood:

A native Texan, C.C. grew up either reading or playing the piano. Years later, she’s still not grown up and doing the same things. Since the voices in her head never shut up, C.C. decided to share their crazy stories and started writing books.

Now that she has a baby girl at home, C.C.’s non-writing time is usually spent cleaning up poopy diapers or feeding the poop machine. Sometimes she teaches piano, cooks, or spends time bugging her hubby and two beagles.

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Grin & Beard It (Winston Brothers #2) by Penny Reid

Blurb:

Sienna Diaz is everyone’s favorite “fat” funny lady. The movie studio executives can’t explain it, but her films are out-grossing all the fit and trim headliners and Hollywood’s most beautiful elite. The simple truth is, everyone loves plus-sized Sienna.

But she has a problem, she can’t read maps and her sense of direction is almost as bad as her comedic timing is stellar. Therefore, when Sienna’s latest starring role takes her to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park she finds herself continually lost while trying to navigate the backroads of Green Valley, Tennessee. Much to her consternation, Sienna’s most frequent savior is a ridiculously handsome, charming, and cheeky Park Ranger by the name of Jethro Winston.

Sienna is accustomed to high levels of man-handsome, so it’s not Jethro’s chiseled features or his perfect physique that make Sienna stutter. It’s his southern charm. And gentlemanly manners. And habit of looking at her too long and too often.

Sienna has successfully navigated the labyrinth of Hollywood heart-throbs. But can she traverse the tenuous trails of Tennessee without losing her head? Or worse, her heart?

Find on Goodreads 

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1TS9IBk
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1U2wm8M
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1Vclw2e
iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/…/grin-and-beard…/id1086774926…
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1sDwGSY
B&N: http://bit.ly/20cHhhL
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/1Xn93ZS

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: May 2016.

Have you ever had that moment where you're so in awe of an authors work that you feel a sense of trepidation every time you pick up one of their books? When Grin & Beard It landed on my kindle it was with a sense of both heady excitement and nervous trepidation, I was desperate for this book, but what if it didn't live up to my expectations? I was clearly foolish to be concerned, within the first page Sienna's voice gripped me, she was quirky and forthright, captivating almost immediately, there was something about her that was both enticing and yet so incredibly real, it's a hard task, making a Hollywood starlet still seem like the girl next door, well not the boring girl next door, but the one you desperately want to be friends with.

"I honesty don't know. It's everything about you, I guess. Everything together that makes you impossible to leave, impossible to forget."

If Sienna Diaz is all sexy, confident, friendly and outgoing, Jethro Winston is somewhat of an enigma, he's the black sheep of the Winston clan, he's definitely had the most colourful past, and yet has truly changed his ways becoming an upstanding member of the local community. When Sienna and Jethro meet there's a connection for sure, but Reid writes it so eloquently that it's slow burn at it's finest, their increased interaction purely stroking the flames of attraction, slowly building so that the more they spoke with one another, the more they interacted, the more that spark deepened into something real, something beautiful, the more I fell in love with both the characters and with Reid's words.

"Our past would always be part of us, but it would never wholly define us, either together or as individuals. Each moment was a decision. We could either live up or down to people's expectations, or blow them completely away. We had no control over what other people decided to think, but we did have control over our own actions, who we wanted to be, and how we lived our life."

Therein lies the beauty of Reid's books, it's experiencing everything from those first twinges of attraction, to the sly smiles and longing looks, it's the sweet words and the tender moments, it's the burning desire and lust, so explosive that it jumps off the page. It's all of those moments, and all of the others in between, it's the feeling of completely losing yourself in the story, in the small town that the Winston brothers call home, the sheer brilliance of Sienna, a woman that has been content playing the role everyone expects her to for so long that she's started to forget why she started this journey in the first place, a woman who is unquestionably a Hollywood megastar and yet uncharacteristically down to earth, she's found something in Jethro that she's never experienced before, from the undeniable attraction, to the butterflies to the constant need to just be near them, she's sure of herself, confident, has that thing, that x factor that makes someone impossible to forget, in so many ways she's Jethro's polar opposite, and yet in others they mesh more perfectly than either dreamt possible. There's a moment for every reader when you connect with a book, when you lose yourself in the author's words, when you forget time, forget what you need to do, forget everything that exists outside of the characters and their connection, that moment was instantaneous with Grin & Beard It, it was effortless in everyway, just like Jethro when he speaks to his feelings for Sienna, everything about this story was impossible to leave, impossible to forget, I was invested, captivated, utterly enchanted by the full of life lady and the mountain man who found each other unexpectedly, and in the midst of their normal lives found something extraordinary. Penny Reid once again reminded me why she is an automatic purchase author for me, her stories fanciful and yet full of universal truths, adults meeting and embarking on their something more, no angst for the sake of building drama, no silly miscommunication that leaves me tugging my hair out, her sheer brilliance reliant purely on her ability to captivate her reader, something she has done EVERY SINGLE TIME I pick up her books.

"Happy to hear it. Because when I'm with you, I feel like I'm both flying and falling."

About Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is a USA Today Best Selling Author of romantic fiction. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances she works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She's also a full time mom to three diminutive adults (boy-8, girl-6, and girl-4 months), wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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