Hate Story by Nicole Williams

Blurb:

Nina can’t let herself fall in love with the man she’s going to marry. Both of them have experienced the sting and sham of love and have no intentions of falling victim to it twice. Love is expensive—hate is free.

Three years. A million dollars. A solution to both of their problems. They planned it all, from the story of their first meeting to the date of their divorce. Nothing could go wrong.

But what they didn’t consider was chemistry, and Nina and Max have no shortage of it. After too many near-kisses, Nina convinces herself that hating Max is better than loving him, and the more she gets to know this soon-to-be-husband of hers, the more she discovers just how very much she truly, madly, and deeply . . . hates him.

This isn’t a love story. This is the other kind.
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Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2iFE1w8
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hxhvtf
Amazon CA : http://amzn.to/2irK9vZ
Amazon AU : http://amzn.to/2irQmrD
Nook : http://bit.ly/2hkRN9u
iBooks : http://apple.co/2h0qYbz

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: December 2016.

My forays into Nicole Willliams writing began way back with her hit Crash, as the title suggests Lucy and Ryder crashed into my life and I was immediately swept away with their story, so much so that I still remember so much of their trials and joys all these years later. When news of Hate Story was released I was instantly intrigued, a proposal, two strangers, and Williams' writing ability and how could I not be?

"I knew I wasn't the traditional Venus men wanted to take a piss on to mark their territory. I wasn't a head-turner, the body a guy pictured as he jacked off. I wasn't the first girl asked to dance... or the second or third."

Nina needs money fast, with mounting debt and her limited options to earn cold hard cash she accepts an indecent proposal from Max Sturm, unlike Demi Moore in the feature film by the same name there is no sex in her contract. Get married, present a picture perfect image of marital bliss and stay married for three years... in the grand scheme of things the $1million pay off is more than worth the inconvenience. For Nina it was as close to perfect as she could get until she met the man who would become her husband.

“I kind of hate you, you know that?”
His eyes challenged that. “I’m asking you to marry me, not like me. Hate me all you want.”

Max Sturm is a formidable business man, born in Germany but raised in the States, Max is desperate to stay in his adopted country. A marriage of convenience with a financial reward seems like the only plausible option. The rules are simple, the terms concrete, he's three short years away from being granted everything he desires.

"Hate was love not ready to be realized. Hate came from fear and doubt and burned at the same degree as passion.
Our hate story had become a love story."

The banter, the sexual tension, the chemistry between the these two left me desperately turning pages, from their initial meeting to them moving in together and beyond that Hate Story was the kind of book you don't want to put down, light, funny and easy to read. Max's conviction to have Nina hate him was absolute, desperate to keep their relationship strictly professional, the more they recognised something in other that ensured this marriage of convenience would blossom into something bigger, something bolder, the more Max fought to be the kind of man who was easy to hate. While this trope certainly isn't new, Williams managed to make it feel fun and fresh. Being on holidays and soaking up the Australian summer sun by the beach, Hate Story was the kind of book I needed, it was effortless in the best kind of way, I found myself giggling on the sand, smiling on a deckchair, and swooning on the balcony with a wine in my hand. Williams reminded me why I loved her writing all those years ago, humour, heat, and most importantly a genuine balance of heart, Hate Story left me sated and yet wanting more, just as a good book should.

About Nicole Williams:

I'm a wife, a mom, a writer. I started writing because I loved it and I'm still writing because I love it. I write romance because I still believe in true love, kindred spirits, and happy endings.

Nicole loves hearing from her readers.   


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The Dead Come Calling (The Wraith Files #2) by C.C. Wood

Blurb:

I'm Zoe Thorne and I speak to the dead. Unfortunately, dead isn't always synonymous with good-natured. In fact, most of the spirits I meet have dirty minds and a tendency to create mischief and mayhem.

For the past two months, I've been traveling with the cast of The Wraith Files, a paranormal investigation web show. Stony and Blaine are like the perverted, annoying brothers I never had. Our boss, Malachi Flemming, well, he makes my heart beat faster and my hormones dance.

During a break from filming, I've returned home to my resident ghost, Teri, an exotic dancer who died thirty years ago. I'm on a mission to find the man who murdered her and see that justice is served.

Preoccupied with my search for a killer, I'm unaware that something dark and twisted lies in wait for me. Not one, but two faceless entities intent on terrorizing me before moving in for the kill.

With unseen enemies shadowing my every move, it's time to discover how deep my abilities run. I need every bit of power I possess...or I'll be taking my place among the dead.

*This book contains a perverted ghost, two men who act like teenage boys, and lots of sarcasm.
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Purchase Links:

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

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

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

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2gBMvpR
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2hCAYUH
iBooks: http://apple.co/2fMG44r
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2h13Nyd

GPI's review of Don't Wake The Dead (Wraith Files #1)

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: December 2016.

As a self confessed non reader of the paranormal genre I always find myself at a bit of a loss with C.C. Woods books, there's something inherently special about her words, some magical culmination of her storylines, covers, and witty prose that have me so utterly invested that I can't put them down. The Wood Effect usually takes hold in the first chapters, it's in those initial pages that I forget about werewolves this and vampires that, it's when I don't even notice that a main character is a ghost, it's when I forget entirely that I have an aversion to the fantastical and just allow the Author to capture my imagination and take me wherever she pleases.

"I'm sick and tired of you using our working relationship as an excuse to deny our feelings for each other."

Right there is one of the many reasons I adore Wood's work, in between stories of fiction, some that absolutely profit on her ability to make believe is those brilliant reminders of the human condition. For those already introduced to the newest paranormal offering from Wood, you would of no doubt fondly remembered the slow burning chemistry of our hero and heroine. She created so wonderfully this smouldering connection between Mal and Zoe that it was palpable, you could feel it clawing it's way off the page, and yet much like it's predecessor, Don't Wake The Dead didn't rely on sexual intimacy to strengthen the story.

"I'm a man who knows what he wants and had the patience to wait for it."

I found myself devouring the pages, skimming in parts, not out of boredom but in desperation to know what came next, as the drama intensified, and the action increased I found myself restless and deliberately jumping ahead so I could get to the end quicker, for a usually fast reader, you can only imagine the utter excitement that was coursing through my veins as I absolutely devoured this book. Wood mixes her trademark wit with her ability to build tension perfectly here, Don't Wake The Dead was addictive, utterly impossible to put down. As Zoe frantically searched for Teri's murderer, and the pressure mounted, I found myself on the edge of the seat, yelling at my kindle like a childhood pantomime "look behind youuuuuuuu". Wood's latest offering was a breath of fresh air at a time when I find myself more and more underwhelmed by lackadaisical sex scenes that seem to only serve as filler. With a strong push toward character development and really crafting a story that I can't wait to continue, The Wraith Files has easily become one of my newest favourites.

  

About C.C. 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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Size Matters (A Perfect Fit #1) by Alison Bliss

Blurb:

The rules of (fake) engagement . . .
Leah Martin has spent her life trying to avoid temptation. But she's sick of low-fat snacks, counting calories, and her hyper-critical mom. Fortunately, her popular new bakery keeps her good and distracted. But there aren't enough éclairs in the world to distract Leah from the hotness that is Sam Cooper - or the fact that he just told her mother that they're engaged . . . which is a big, fat lie.

Sam sometime speaks before he thinks. So what started out as defending Leah's date-ability to her judgmental mother soon turned into having a fiancee! Now the plan is to keep up the fake engagement, stay "just friends," and make Leah's family loathe him enough to just call the whole thing off . But Sam has an insatiable sweet tooth, not only for Leah's decadent desserts but her decadent curves. Her full lips. Her bright green eyes. Yep, things aren't going quite according to plan. Now Sam has to convince Leah that he's for real . . . before their little lie turns into one big, sweet disaster.

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Purchase Links:

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

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2h1gk0v

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2h6ZQbk

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2gnKR8I

B&N: http://bit.ly/1MRdPaa
iBooks: http://apple.co/2c41IOr
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2gnHTS8

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: November 2016.

Leah Martin seems to have spent her whole life juggling the harsh words and sly comments about her weight, comments falling somewhere between well meaning and downright rude. When she meets Sam Cooper in a bar and his bumbling mouth gets him into trouble, Leah is once again left thinking that everyone in her life is destined to point out her weight as part of conversation. Faced with having to show up to her ex's wedding to provide the cake she's left flustered, and turning on her old tricks of self deprecation as a witty coping mechanism. Sam, refusing to let her continue mocking herself steps in, what follows in a whirlwind of deception and make believe as Sam and Leah pretend to be engaged.

Alison Bliss's debut Rules of Protection was a highlight of my reading list this year, it hit the mark in all the ways I look for when selecting my next read. When news of Size Matters was made public I was instantly intrigued, being a curvy girl myself I have a soft spot for BBW romances, I love seeing the curvy girl walk off into the sunset with the sexy hero. There were moments in Size Matters that I truly adored, moments where Leah's snark was present, where Sam made swoony comments begging her to see herself as the gorgeous woman she was. Unfortunately there were also moments that I questioned whether I actually liked Sam, and when I desperately needed Leah to shake off her insecurities for just a moment and embrace not only her body but everything about her. While I enjoyed moments here, and definitely connected with Bliss's writing style, the tension never quite hit the mark for me and the ending felt a tad rushed, I wanted more of Leah, I wanted her to truly be the hero of the story. Overall Size Matters was a likable read, a quick, funny romance perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

About Alison Bliss:

As the youngest of five girls, Alison Bliss has never turned down a challenge...or been called by the right name. Her writing career may have started out as a dare by one of her sisters, but Alison hasn't put her pen down since.

She grew up on a small island off the Texas Gulf Coast, where most of her childhood vacations consisted of camping or hunting trips to the deer lease. Although she'll alw...ays be a Texan at heart, Alison currently resides in the Midwest with her Iowa farm-boy husband and their two sons. With so much testosterone in her home, it's no wonder she writes "girl books."

She's an animal lover, a closet video game enthusiast, and believes the best way to know if someone is your soul mate is by canoeing with them because if you both make it back alive, it's obviously meant to be. Alison's an avid romance reader who enjoys penning the type of books she loves to read most: fun, steamy love stories with heart, heat, laughter, and usually a cowboy or two. As she calls it, "Romance...with a sense of humor."

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