Worth The Wait by K. Bromberg

Blurb:

From New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg comes a new, sexy standalone about taking chances and finding love when it’s least expected. Or wanted.

This whole contest was supposed to be easy. I know, I know. Famous last words.

It’s a long story, but I messed up at work. Big time. To earn back the trust of my boss, I promised to save one of our magazines. Yep. That Hot Dad contest you’ve seen advertised all over the place was my idea. And if I’m successful, if I’m able to increase our online readership, then I get a shot at my dream job.

But the one thing I never expected to happen, happened: Contestant number ten, Grayson Malone. Hello, Mr. Difficult. And did I mention sexy as hell?

Unfortunately he knows me. The old me, anyway. And while we might be older now, I remind him of before. Of the woman who broke his heart, who hardened him, and who left him alone to raise the cutest little boy I’ve ever seen.

But I don’t want a relationship. And I definitely don’t fall for single dads with baggage. Even ones with chiseled abs and killer smiles.

But he got to me. They got to me. Him and his son and their messy, crazy life. But I got to him too. I see the stolen glances. I feel the walls he built start to crumble. I recognize that there’s an unexpected beauty to the chaos in his life.

And now that the contest is about to end, we’re left to decide whether the last six months were just fun or if what we have is worth risking it all?

Find on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2wIhWss

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2rJg0u0

Amazon PB: https://amzn.to/2Il2sjF

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2KZLSDL

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2L6WSPI
iBooks: https://smarturl.it/WTRiBooks
B&N: https://smarturl.it/WTRBN
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/WTRKobo

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: May 2018.

I'm still a little unsure as to where to start this, it's been days and I'm still no closer to putting into words how much I truly enjoyed Worth The Risk. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, the usual angst that I can count on in a Bromberg novel, yeah sure but the dreamy cover, the somewhat sombre brother we'd caught glimpses of in the previous books in the Malone brothers series, the allure of a strong and sassy heroine that was owning her sh*t even in the blurb and there wasn't a chance I'd look past this book.

“You did this,”
“Did what?” Her eyes narrow. Her hand goes to press against her chest.
“Made me want you.”

Grayson Malone is an enigma in so many ways, the smouldering single dad to a young son, the dedicated 'copter pilot, the steady and stable son in a family of boys. Outwardly, Grayson seems to have life figured out, his life is neatly defined by the roles he plays. Father. Son. Pilot. Brother. Uncle. He's known in his community in the way only someone who's grown up in a small town can be. Everyone thinking they know Grayson, while it's merely carefully constructed half truths, hearsay and unsubstantiated rumour. Regardless of what people choose to believe or say about him, Grayson has only two plans, go to work everyday and be the best father he can be.

Sidney Thornton has long lived with the crushing weight of expectation from her father. She left her small town life years ago and never looked back. Always destined for bigger things then her hometown could provide she left after graduation and didn't look back. The thrill of city life isn't always what you expect, and the shine starts to fade. Mistakes were made and consequences have her heading back home.

"I love you, damn it, and I don't have a f*cking clue what to do about it other than to ask you to choose me. To tell me I'm worth the risk."

Bromberg writes angst with the best, her ability to weave together a world you want to lose yourself in second to none. Worth The Risk is the very epitome of a cat and mouse tale come to life, Grayson and Sidney circle each other while their chemistry simmered just beneath the surface. It's that za za zing you want in Romance, that snap, crackle and pop that draws you in and holds you captive and demands you pay attention. The more desperately Sidney and Grayson fought against the pull they felt, the more enamoured I was by Bromberg's words. The more these two enigmatic characters gave into temptation the move I craved those stolen moments and sizzling touches. It's in those moments when the desperation of the characters bleeds through the pages, when the words hit you full force that their pain, their elation, their fear, their joy becomes yours, that you can recognise what you're reading for what it is... a story you'll never forget. This book absolutely stole my heart, unequivocally one of Bromberg's strongest works, Worth The Risk hit all the right notes making it utterly impossible to put down. 

About K. Bromberg:

New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines, and damaged heroes who we love to hate but can’t help to love.

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

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

With her imagination always in overdrive, she is currently scheming, plotting, and swooning over her latest hero.

Connect with Kristy on Facebook

CAKE by Carmen Jenner Cover Reveal

Author: Carmen JennerGenre: Rom-com
Cover Design: Ben Ellis, Be DesignsIllustration: Yehuda DevirRelease Date: March 1, 2018

Blurb:

Poppy Porter's ex is getting married ... to her ex-best friend. To land her dream job of partner in the most prestigious firm on the Upper East Side, Poppy must now pull double shifts as their wedding planner and maid of honor. And the icing on a truly craptastic cake? Leo Nass. Handsome, infuriating, womanizer, and … the best man. Despite their longstanding loathing, Poppy doesn't see Leo coming. Literally.

One ruined cake.

One archnemesis.

One hour to save the wedding.

Can they put their hatred aside long enough to save Poppy’s job and Bridezilla's head from exploding?

Piece of cake, right?

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ADD TO GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2CNzLZN

PRE-ORDER LINKS: (to come)

Excerpt:

“Are you still going to this wedding, or can I eat your cake?” I mean for that to come out nothing like it sounds, but of course because apparently I’m now a teenage horn bag, it comes out low and sounds just like cake is a metaphor for her grumpy cat.

“Yeah—”

“Yeah I can eat your cake?” I ask, somewhat breathlessly. Jesus, fuck. When did I grow a pair of ovaries?

“Yeah, I’m still going. My job is on the line, and no, you can’t eat my cake. Don’t think I don’t know that was a metaphor. You’re not going anywhere near my cake.”

“Damn. I’m excellent at eating cake. Everybody says so.”

Poppy rolls her eyes. “That’s the problem.”

About Carmen Jenner:

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

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

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

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

Connect with Carmen on Facebook

Licked (L.A. Liaisons #1) Brooke Blaine - Review

Blurb:

As the owner of Licked, an eclectic ice creamery and bar, Ryleigh Phillips doesn't have time for that love stuff. Serving up Nibble My Nuts sundaes and Drunken Sailor boozy shakes are as close to an orgasmic affair as she's had in months thanks to her expanding empire—until the night of her ten-year high school reunion.

When Ryleigh's crush, gorgeous ex-football god Cameron Mathis, comes streaking into her life (literally—streaking), she begins to wonder if she really can have it all.

Wouldn't it just figure that the moment you think life is perfect is when it falls spectacularly apart?

Enter Hunter Morgan, the contractor in charge of Licked's renovations. Devastatingly handsome, and a smartass to boot, he's got his eyes on Ryleigh from the moment he finds her passed out on his couch (yeah, that's a long story). There's just one tiny complication—he happens to be Cameron's best friend.

When the lines between relationships and friendships blur, and it's impossible to choose between two delicious flavors, what's a girl to do? Taste a sample of each? Or go out and get LICKED?

Kristine's Review: 
Reviewed: January 2016.

Have you ever just been idly browsing your Facebook feed when you stumble across a cover that intrigues you, you start to read the blurb and #1click it before you even reach the end??? Well that was me last night... I saw one of my friends post about Licked and by the second line of the blurb I was sold, I shared that badboy on the blog and in my group, immediately I had readers declaring their love of this book, and I wondered how I'd missed it, this afternoon I dove in, and the rest as they say is history.

Ryleigh Phillips seems to have it all together, great friends, successful business an adult themed Ice creamery on the cusp of expanding and not to mention a rocking heel collection, but things for Ryleigh weren't always so peachy, as a lover of all things rockabilly and 1950s and 1960s she's always been a bit quirky, a high school can be absolute torture for anyone who deviates from the norm, Ryleigh never felt like she fit, she always felt like she was on the outside looking in, if kids are cruel then teenage girls are absolute bitches. Her one good memory of high school was Cameron Mathis, star of the football team, he was a dreamboat, and she lusted after him from afar. When she begrudgingly attends her high school reunion she has only one agenda, to find Cameron and make a move. When she runs into him in the most unorthodox if ways it looks like she's not the only one who has fond memories, her high school crush might just be set to become her real life adult boyfriend, all of her adolescent dreams could be about to come true, but there's only one small problem, Cameron's roommate and best friend Hunter Morgan makes her stomach flip flop, he's infuriating and cocky and creative and talented, but he's not Cameron, so we is she feeling so conflicted???

“If you can’t tell your friends to fuck off with a smile and know they aren’t going anywhere, then you don’t have real friends.”  

Everything about Licked drew me in, from Ryleigh and her crazy loud group of friends - Paige, Quinn, Shayne and Zoe, to the charming and chivalrous Cameron, to the sexy and confident Hunter, Blaine's narrative is so natural, that I can hear Ryleigh's every though playing through my mind, she's quirky, and fun, and full of life, she's got a self deprecating sense of humour and she's got this easiness about her that effortlessly draws people to her, from her witty one liners, to her internal thoughts I was giggling from beginning to end, but the beauty of Licked wasn't just the sexually charged chemistry between Hunter and Ryleigh, or the witty zingers that flew between Ry and her girls, but Blaine's ability to seamlessly take the reader from laughing to swooning to heartbreaking anguish.

"It scares me to want you as much as I do, because you could hurt me. Break me. And I've been broken before."

I loved every damn second of this story, I adored watching these characters come to life, simply put I was invested from the first page, I wanted to slink into the world Blaine created, I wanted to hang out in Licked and After Dark and consume delicious desserts and craftily named cocktails, I wanted to swoon over Hunter while he worked, I wanted to be there for girls night.

"And all those things I don't know about you yet - I love those too."

The second I turned the last page I jumped on Goodreads to find out anything I could about Hooker, the next book in the L.A. Liaisons series, I stalked Brooke Blaine's Facebook page to find a blurb or a teaser or anything just to satiate my thirst for more of these characters, which should tell you how deeply I fell in love with this book. Do yourself a favour and #1click this beauty, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1MOVOrp
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/1MOVRn8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1VATtaD
Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1OF2j1i
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JSEy4L

About Brooke Blaine:

You could say Brooke Blaine was a book-a-holic from the time she knew how to read; she used to tell her mother that curling up with one at 4 a.m. before elementary school was her ‘quiet time.’ Not much has changed except for the espresso I.V. pump she now carries around and the size of her onesie pajamas.

She is the author of Flash Point, a romantic suspense standalone, as well as the co-author of the erotic series, A Desperate Man, with Ella Frank. The latter has scarred her conservative southern family for life, bless their hearts. Licked, a romantic comedy, will be released November 11th, 2015 and is the first in the L.A. Liaisons series.

If you’d like to get in touch with her, she’s easy to find - just keep an ear out for the Rick Astley ringtone that’s dominated her cell phone for ten years.

Head to Brooke's Website: http://www.brookeblaine.com/

Hard Beat by K. Bromberg

Blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Sweet Ache comes a blistering new novel filled with danger, secrecy, and a desire that can’t be sated…

Foreign war correspondent Tanner Thomas is addicted to living on the edge. Needing the adrenaline rush of his job to help him cope with a personal loss, he throws himself back into the game, concentrating all his energy on getting the next big story.

But when he meets his new photojournalist, Beaux Croslyn, he can’t help but feel like he’s losing his focus—and maybe risking more…

With secrets she won’t address, Beaux is far from your ordinary woman. Determined to keep her distance, she’s willing to pull Tanner in closer and hide behind the sparks flying between them. But as Beaux’s past begins to put their relationship—and their lives—at risk, Tanner’s determination to find the truth puts them both in jeopardy.

He's ready to chase her to the ends of the earth to find out if what they had was real, or if the danger surrounding them was just an exquisite heat fated to burn out…

Purchase Links: 

Amazon  US: http://amzn.to/1MmeZJc

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1MdeSWL

Amazon AU: http://bit.ly/1MWri3Y

B&N: http://bit.ly/1LD4YYN

iBooks: http://apple.co/1jWxvBT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Htb1lR

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: November 2015.

Kristy Bromberg has a knack for taking sensitive topics and writing in such a way that never feels intrusive, never feels like she's simply using a plotline for the sake of shock value. In Hard Beat we again meet Tanner Thomas, Riley's brother who we met briefly throughout the Driven series, as a foreign war correspondent Tanner has seen the atrocities of war first hand, he's lived death and destruction on a daily basis, he reports on the US effort to slow the juggernaut that is the oppression of the free world. But even the good guys often have darkness in their pasts, and Tanner is grieving a loss so great that it threatens to derail him completely. His only way of coping is to return to front line that decimated his life and left him reeling.

Beaux Croslyn is a fresh faced rookie set to join Tanner as his new photographer, from their very first meeting there's a spark between them that's undeniable, a chemistry that threatens to ruin everything that Tanner has worked so hard to create, a simple existence that allows him to carry on doing the job he was born to do. From furious fighting to an attraction that can't be contained Beaux and Tanner discover something neither of them ever expected to find, much less in the hell of a warzone. Their both hiding things from their past but together they seem to be forging a new future.

"You came back to me."

"I'll always come back to you."

Hard Beat has that sweeping sage feeling to it, their existence is lived in a hell so few of us truly understand, they live their lives in such a way that every feeling, every moment is expedited, a connection that could take months or even years to forge in the real world, can take only days or weeks, everything they feel is increased, everything amplified, and every second they spent together, even those they spent apart I felt, Bromberg's writing has the power to eviscerate me, strip me to the quick, and leaving me feeling splayed wide open, there's a beautiful dream like quality to her words, when she speaks of life and love, of pain and fear, of guilt and regret, I felt every second of Tanner and Beaux's journey, every second of their chemistry, every second of the soul deep pain they both felt, the more I read, the more craved them, and the more invested I became, Hard Beat is more than just romance, more than action and suspense, more than just two nomads coexisting in a complicated world, like always Bromberg begs you to leave your pre-existing notions of her characters at the door and to take an journey with her, her words, utterly captivating, her stories original and fresh, her ability to grab you by the collar and to demand your attention never fails to impress me, leaving me sated and yet desperate for more.

 

 About K. Bromberg:

New York Times and USA Today 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 (releasing 1/11/16)), the standalone Driven Novels (Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, Hard Beat (releasing 11/3/15), Aced (a new Rylee and Colton novel releasing 1/11/16), and a short story titled UnRaveled. She is currently working on new projects and a few surprises for her readers.

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

Website
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Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1) by Leisa Rayven - Review

Blurb:

While performing the greatest love story of all time, they discovered one of their own...

Cassie Taylor was just another acting student with big dreams at her prestigious performing arts college, then she met Ethan Holt. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy on campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing on stage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.

Now they've made it to Broadway where they're reunited as romantic leads once again, and their passionate scenes force them to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret, and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again. The trouble is, working with him reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible.

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: January 2015

I don't know where to start with Bad Romeo, the hype and my excitement for this story had my expectations high, I don't know what I expecting exactly... Angst, drama... yes definitely but the humor, the hilarity, no I didn't think Bad Romeo would have me laughing as hard as I was.

Bad Romeo is told in a series of present tense moments filtered with flashbacks, the detail so vivid that I felt every moment of Ethan Holt and Cassie Taylor's story. The boy who doesn't want to be liked and the girl desperate for everyone's approval.

Holt the self proclaimed broken bad boy, with more baggage than a Boeing 747, after two failed auditions for the prestigious Arts academy The Grove, he is at the end of his rope, lacking the want or ability to connect with other fledgling actors the likelihood of Ethan gaining acceptance into the college of his dreams seem slim.

Enter Cassie, green, a tad naive, people pleasing Cassie, the immediate attraction she experiences to seeing Holt is something she never expected, or has ever experienced. The formidable chemistry these two exude is palpable, shining from every pore.

As the reader, we know the college romance these two had was ill fated from the very beginning, a modern day Romeo and Juliet tale of pure unadulterated bliss and crushing lows, but despite hindsight being 20/20 - the more I read the more I found I couldn't guess where Rayven was leading me. I devoured this story much the same way Cassie and Ethan devoured each other, with a fierce hunger to know more, to see more, to feel everything.

The pure unadulterated joy I felt in watching Cassie Taylor come out of herself, demand more for herself had me cheering her on, eagerly praying for a rewrite of Romeo and Juliet. One where their romance could bloom and blossom, where Holt could fight his demons and not let his past hurts dictate his future. I felt every inch of his resistance and every inch of Cassie's pain, confusion and desperate need.

There is so much more I want to say about Bad Romeo, I want to tell you how exquisite this story is, how beautifully jaded Holt is and how captivating Cassie is with equal parts naivety, youth and silent strength. I want to tell you that Rayven's words had me believing that no two people had ever had the raw connection and intense chemistry that these two had, still have, and most of all I want to tell you that despite everything I still have to believe that these two have a chance at a love, so limitless, so endless, so all encompassing that there's still a chance for them.

My first 5 star read for 2015 and I'm already sitting here eagerly awaiting Broken Juliet, chest tight, fingers tingling, breath baited.

Amazon