Roomies by Christina Lauren

Blurb:

Marriages of convenience are so…inconvenient.

Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by pulling some of her errand-girl strings and getting him an audition with a big-time musical director. When the tryout goes better than even Holland could have imagined, Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway—until he admits his student visa has expired and he’s in the country illegally.

Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. In the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting, what will it take for Holland and Calvin to realise that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?

Find Roomies on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MPO6Gy
Amazon PB: https://amzn.to/2Ml6SV8
Amazon FR: https://amzn.to/2tz5o1Z
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2KbtLNF
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2KhexTZ

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: June 2018.

Christina Lauren have long been a favourite duo of mine, many of their titles hitting my most loved lists each year, with sexy and suave heroes and sassy and strong heroines I always enamoured by their words. The authors note for Roomies stated that writing Holland and Calvin's story was "pure, shameless fun." While this story was exactly that, Holland's character also resonated so deeply with me, this young woman who was so sure of her dreams and yet inherently terrified of taking that leap. That's the thing about dreams, they don't work unless you do.

Holland isn't living her best life, she has a job that she doesn't love but doesn't despise, she has a roof over her head thanks to her uncles, she has dreams of becoming a great writer but nothing that thrills her enough to write about, and she has a crush on a mysterious, talented subway musician.  

"I think I admire that she, more than anyone I know, tries to be circumspect about her successes and failures and who she is. She tries to see herself clearly - both kindly and critically - and I think she's generally pretty spot on."

Calvin came to the US to study music and never left, despite his VISA expiring years ago. He's doing his best to continue pushing forward to find his dream of playing music in the big leagues while trying not to arose too much suspicion that would get him booted from the country.

"Use your words, Holland. Tell him it isn't so much that you're feeling regret as you're feeling sheer panic at the prospect of sharing an apartment with a stranger who also happens to be the hottest man you've ever touched. What if you fart in your sleep?"

When an opportunity arises that would give Calvin his dream and save Holland's uncles show, a marriage of convenience seems like the best plan, this is contemporary romance though, so we know it won't all be smooth sailing.

"What I said before was true...about how Holland tries to see herself clearly and seems to end up in a pretty good place. But I also think she sees herself as a supporting character, even in her own life story."

Roomies is a stand alone, and while Calvin plays a huge role, it's Holland that truly stood out for me. She's so very self aware, so in tune with her strengths and her flaws and yet she's stifling her talent and her chances at success because she's too scared to push out of her comfort zone, terrified that she would even have a voice to begin with. It's easy to find yourself stagnate, most of us have dreams for our lives, whether it's professionally or personally, we have these secrets that we hope and pray become a reality, and often the fear of failure wins out over ever truly trying. When Holland realises she's been playing a side character in her own life her world tilts on it's axis, in truth so did mine, for I felt that realisation inherently. How often have I wanted something bigger for myself and been too scared to truly go for it, content with where I was, safe in the knowledge that if I didn't really try  couldn't fail. Remember what I said about dreams not working if you don't. When a book makes you pause, makes you re-evaluate what you want out of your life, makes you question whether you're living your best life, it's a joyous thing. The authors may not have set out to give Roomies such a strong message, but as I turned the last page I felt invigorated in a way I certainly didn't expect, passionate and ready to take that starring role in my life. 

About Christina Lauren:

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced fourteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)

Connect with Christina and Lauren on Facebook

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

TRIP (Remember When 1) by T Torrest - Review & Exclusive Excerpt

Follow the Trip Release Excitement: http://bit.ly/2ttRKR3

Blurb:

Layla Warren first introduced us to Trip Wilmington in REMEMBER WHEN...
Now read his side of the story!

Trip Wiley wasn't always a Hollywood movie star.
In fact, he wasn't always Trip Wiley.
Back in 1990, he was better known as Trip Wilmington, the new kid in town.
New place, new school... same old story.
No big deal. It’s not like this is the first time he’s been forced to start over.
But seventeen years of city living hasn’t prepared him for life in the suburbs...
or for Layla Warren.
Layla is smart, funny, beautiful... the kind of girl every guy dreams about.
Trip should know.
He’s been falling for her since the first minute he saw her.
And his life hasn’t been the same since.

~

Prepare to travel back to your teen years... That time in your life before the real world kicked in, that limbo between adolescence and adulthood, that trial of hanging onto the past while figuring out where the future will lie.

With heart-shredding romance, steamy love scenes, and hilarious 80s references, readers of all ages will find themselves falling in love with TRIP all over again.

It is highly recommended--but not required--that you read Remember When prior to reading TRIP.

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FBtHVO
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2HwrI1x
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2DtRjph
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2pcvZQX


Every story has two sides, want to hear Layla's story:
Remember When 1 is currently #FREE
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2pd8BTl

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: March 2018.

Dear God I don't think I'll ever get enough of Chester and Lay Lay... wait...you thought this book was about Trip and Layla...ahhhh but it is, but they will forever be known as Chester and Lay Lay to me. Okay so before I confuse more then I need to, lets take a step back to the early 90s.

Trip Wilmington is no stranger to being uprooted and moving from town to town, when he lands in New Jersey there's not much for him to do but to move with the punches and settle into his new life, and prepare for his Senior year. Now I don't know about you but boy am I invested in high school crushes, I mean there's that sense of vulnerability and naivety that I love, everything feels so dramatic and huge without the responsibility of actual adultdom. So here is Trip ready to take on a new school when *kapow* he meets Layla Warren...and boy is he hit for a six (don't mind my Aussie cricket reference there). Their chemistry is undeniable, they sink into easy friendship, but he's never quite sure where he stands or how she feels about him. Queue the angsty boy teen feels here....like seriously ahhhh Torrest paints such a vivid picture it's easy to experience every emotion with Trip and Layla without having to revisit our own adolescence (which I'm so grateful for). 

"We actually made pretty great friends. It was kind of weird to think we’d only known each other for two weeks. It felt like I’d known her a lot longer. And I know she felt the same.
What can I say? Sometimes, when it comes to certain people, you just click.
I still wanted to suck her face, however."

I'll be honest here, as much as I love love love the Remember When Trilogy, and as much as I've been begging Ms Torrest for more of my beloved Chester and Lay Lay, the idea of a companion novel doesn't always grab me, I mean I've already devoured the series (more times then I can count) so I don't just want a rehashing of the same old story. Plus for devoted fans, it's kind of like Romeo & Juliet or the Titanic... we already know how it ends right.... how much new content can the author really deliver?? GUYS!! Seriously though... this story felt fresh and new....and OMGGGG.... I can 100% confirm that it is possible to love Trip Wilmington even more then I did prior to this novels release. I mean I SWOONED like I've never swooned before, Trip is every book boyfriend rolled into one delightful package with his easy grace, self deprecating humour and maturity beyond his years. I mean I could wax lyrical all afternoon about our hero and it still wouldn't be enough.

Layla was leaning against her car, the sunlight bouncing off her dark brown hair, and I swear to God, the world around her disappeared. I had tunnel vision as I walked straight toward her, dropped my bag on the ground, and pulled her to me for a kiss. I was pretty sure all our friends were watching and I didn’t care. I always knew this girl was created to be in my arms. It was about time everyone else realized it, too.

“You’re all I want, Lay. Just you.”

There's few authors that I willingly and knowingly harass for more of a much loved series, I mean the mark of a great storyteller is when you turn the last page and still crave more and yet still got the story you needed, I can usually finish a book knowing that justice was given to these characters that became real for me and know that whatever my imagination conjures up for them and their future is exactly how it should be... and yet when it comes to this pair I think I'll always be hopeful for more of them.

For lovers of great storytelling, of swoon worthy heroes and smart, sassy and real heroines, who yearn for a simpler time and all that angsty goodness that only YA/NA can deliver TRIP is a tale you won't want to put down.

“Don’t ever ask me to stop loving you, because I can’t. don’t ever think I’ll be able to forget you, because I won’t.

Rafflecopter link - Gift Card up for grabs!

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Glass Paper Ink Exclusive Excerpt:

With my target acquired, I psyched myself up for the ritual hazing as I took a casual stroll through the middle of the room. Sure enough, as I passed by, the gorilla called me over. “Yo, New Kid!”

The rest of them snickered at that as I walked toward them, all heads turning in my direction. Gorilla leaned back in his seat and asked, “So, what’s up, man? Who are you?”

“My name’s Trip,” I answered, holding out my hand.

Gorilla shook it. “I’m Rymer,” he offered, before pointing to the rest of his tablemates in turn. “That’s Sarge, that’s Cooper, and that’s DeSanto.”

The big-haired girl rolled her eyes. “It’s Lisa DeSanto. Nice to meet you.” She cocked her head to the side and asked, “How come we don’t know you yet?”

“First day.”

“School started last week, you know.”

“Yeah.” I ran a hand over my hair, taking notice of the two apes talking (undoubtedly about me) under their breath. “Took me a little longer to get here from Indy.”

Lisa looked intrigued. “You’re from Indiana?”

“I’m from everywhere.”

About T Torrest:

T. Torrest is a romance and chick-lit author from the U.S.; her alter ego writes eroticomedy under the name T. Torrid. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.

Ms. Torrest was a child of the eighties, but has since traded in her Rubik's cube for a laptop and her Catholic school uniform for a comfy pair of yoga pants. She's a pop-culture junkie, a movie aficionado, and an enthusiast of talking about herself in the third person. A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two sons.

Connect with T Torrest on Facebook

COMBUST (Everyday Heroes #2) by K.Bromberg

Blurb:

From New York Times Bestselling author, K. Bromberg, comes a new standalone book. Just how hot will firefighter Grady Malone turn up the heat?

Songwriter Dylan McCoy has been burned.

By her boyfriend she found in her bed . . . with someone else.

By the contract she signed that obligates her to work with him until the songs for his new album are complete.

By her agent when she asked Dylan to keep their breakup on the down-low.

When she finds herself in Sunnyville, she refuses to let her new roommate burn her too. Still . . . a rebound has never looked so good.

That’s her first thought when she sees firefighter Grady Malone.
Sexy. Charismatic. Unapologetic. He’s a man who carries his own scars—the ones on his back, the survivor’s guilt on his soul, and the fear in his heart.

When an unexpected visitor puts their roommate status to the test, will their undeniable attraction burn out, or will they both take a chance and play with fire?

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2ErYLmX

Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2E5LItN

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2s29jHd

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2DOKuj7
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/CombustiBooks
B&N: http://smarturl.it/CombustBN
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/CombustKobo

Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: January 2018.

As a blogger and reviewer I've always found it easiest to sit down in front of my laptop as soon as I've finished a book, put pen to paper so to speak, and allow every feeling and emotion pour out as I pound the keys, hoping for something that will make sense of the thoughts swirling around my head. As I sat down at my trusty keyboard I expected the same ease that I usually find after finishing one of Bromberg's books, sure I may stumble over my words as I try to contain my emotions, but as I get the essence of my emotional reaction on screen I can weave together my words into something that should make sense. This time however I started typing...tap tap tap... then I hit delete...delete ...delete... this went on and on, until I pushed aside my laptop and settled back down with Grady and Dylan one more time.

Grady Malone knows all to well that bad things can happen at work, he's been there, done that, and got the physical and psychological scars to prove it. Working as a Fire Fighter sure sounds glamourous and heroic, but there's a side that only those who PROTECT and SERVE will truly every understand. With a family built on that very legacy, the Malone boys all truly know that each work day could be their last.

There’s definitely something beneath the sexiness of Grady Malone. Question is, do I want to get invested enough to find out what?

Dylan McCoy thought she had things mostly figured out, a career she's exceptional at, a boyfriend she loves, a life so far removed from the tension of her childhood, she knows with certainty that her partner will come home from work each day safe and unscathed, what she didn't expect though, was the heartache of finding him in bed with another woman.

Stop staring at me like I’m going to f*cking break. I’ve already broken, Dylan.

The dichotomy of these two characters couldn't have been more obvious, one who wants a family to call her own versus one who refuses to make a real emotional connection, but what truly stood out for me was how similar these two were, both strongly grounded in a sense of family, both who despite their need to guard their hearts love easily and unreservedly, two people whose souls sought each other out, seeing the fear and hurt behind the fast smiles and snappy comebacks and knew instinctively that this could be real.

In Combust as the name would suggest there's scorching heat, electric chemistry and everything you would expect from Bromberg, but as always what I truly love about this author is her ability to convey emotion so freely and openly. It's her inherent desire to give her readers an experience rather then just an experience. It's willingly checking your heart at the door as you step into her world despite not knowing how or what condition it will be returned to you in. It's sitting here, after scrapping seven versions of this review, and still not being sure how to adequately and articulately describe the range of emotions you're still feeling over two fictional characters. It's knowing that your life is richer from reading Bromberg's words.

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 and hate 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 in 2013, Kristy has sold over one 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 twenty-five times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) is currently being adapted for film by Passionflix with the first movie slated to release in the summer of 2018.

She recently released a two book, sports romance series, The Player and The Catch. Cuffed is the first book in her new Everyday Heroes trilogy. This three-book series will be about three brothers who are emergency responders, the jobs that call to them, and the women who challenge them. The remaining standalones in the series are Combust (January 29th) and Cockpit (Spring 2018).

Connect with K Bromberg on Facebook

GPI's BEST OF 2017

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

 

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

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

Amazon 1click

The Fortunate Ones by RS Grey Review

Amazon 1click

Cuffed by K Bromberg Review

Amazon 1click

Dating-ish by Penny Reed Review

Amazon 1click

Mister Romance by Leisa Rayven Review

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

FORTUNE by Lauren McKellar

PUCK LOVE by Carmen Jenner

LOGAN by Jay McLean

THE CATCH by K Bromberg

THE FOXE AND THE HOUND by RS Grey

GAME ENDER by BJ Harvey

THE WAY BACK HOME by Carmen Jenner

THE PLAYER by K Bromberg

GOODBOY by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO by RS Grey

ALL THAT I AM by Rachel Brookes

Fortune (Not Like The Movies #2) by Lauren K. McKellar

Blurb:

Grace Storey can’t wait to escape her small-town chaos and head for the big city for three main reasons: Work. Better cell-phone service. And the prospect of meeting her very own Prince Charming. After all, when the guy you crushed on since high school turns out to be a psychopath, and the only viable alternative is Creepy Keith, you need to take drastic measures to ensure life as a crazy cat lady is not in your future.
What she doesn't need is a bad-boy musician with a penchant for getting under her skin. Sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll are the last things on her mind.

Darcy Fortune has three things on his mind: Sex. Drugs. And rock ’n’ roll (in that order). It’s how it has to be to keep the pain from his past at bay. After all, when you’ve hurt someone you love, it’s easier to numb the pain to keep on surviving. Easier to turn off your feelings than face the cold, harsh truth.
What he doesn’t expect is the sassy reporter with so much soul in her eyes. Could this woman be the one who breaks him?

Staying in control has never been as dangerous as this.

Find on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2hOzRHv

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hQMDVJ

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2zXi8nF

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2AWQm8j

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: November 2017.

Down and out country girl Grace Storey meets famous rock star Darcy Fortune... fake relationships ... can you hear the angels singing in the background, I totally did, the normal girl meets super famous dude was one of my first beloved tropes so it's always fun to revisit. 

Grace has left the comfort and safety of home for the big city, her trek from her country town has been long and trying, the last thing she wants or needs is to run into a sexy stranger in a compromising position when she just wants a hot shower and warm bed. Darcy is charismatic in a way she isn't used to, utterly dangerous to a girl just trying to get her life sorted out.

Darcy knows all about enjoying the perks of being a rock star, seeing the world thanks to his record company, and having no shortage of women just waiting for their chance for one night with him, as with anything though, all perks have their downsides - people only seem to want something when you're at the top and no one cares about anything that can't bring them into the spotlight by association.

This might just be my favourite work by this author to date, it's pacing - spot on, the angst - real and most importantly believable, the relationship that grows and develops between Darcy and Grace felt organic - I like a good dash of reality in my fiction, and McKellar nailed it for me here. This story was fun and light and had all the hallmarks of everything I look for in my romantic comedies, a breath of fresh air, Fortune left me smiling from ear to ear.

 

About Lauren K. McKellar:

Lauren K. McKellar is a writer of contemporary romance reads that make you feel. This hybrid-published USA Today best-selling author loves writing books with stunning local settings, heart-throb heroes, and leading ladies who overcome great hardships in their lives.
In addition to writing, Lauren loves to read, and you can often find her up at all hours of the night with a glass of wine, some chocolate, and a good book. She lives by the beach in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband, infant son, and their two dogs. Most of the time, all four of them are well behaved.

Connect with Lauren on Facebook

PUCK LOVE by Carmen Jenner

Blurb:

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

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

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

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

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

Find it on Goodreads

Purchase Links:

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

Kristine's Review:
Review: October 2017.

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

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

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

"You wanna try on your own?"

"No, don't let go."

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

"No, I'm afraid of falling."

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

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

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

About Carmen Jenner:

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

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

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

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

Logan (Preston Punks #2) by Jay McLean

Blurb:

As a kid, Logan Preston was a brat.
Through his teens, he became the bad boy.
Now, at nineteen, no one knows what the hell to expect.

High school dropout, Logan Preston is a
good-for-nothing stoner.
A black sheep.
A disappointment.
The worst Preston Punk of the lot.
At least that’s how everyone in his small town
makes him feel.
But Logan Preston has secrets.
Secrets so dark and so deep below the surface that the only way he can fight them is to stay high, high, high.
He wears cockiness as a mask.
Arrogance as his armor.
Until one girl, one night, asks one life-changing question:
What's beneath the bravado, Logan Preston?

Purchase Links:

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2xOHgf2...
Amazon PB: http://amzn.to/2ygJfu2
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2xKDZvz
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2x6ljJA
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2ke16LR

Kristine's Review:

Reviewed: September 2017.

Over a week has passed and I’m no closer to adequately describing the raw and unrelenting beauty this book possesses. From an auspicious beginning to an absolutely breathtaking ending, Logan captured every emotion leaving me desperate for more while delivering the story I craved. Everything about this story had me utterly invested, from the first moments Logan was an enigma, a boy that went off the rails somewhere along the lines and seemed content to remain there. His weekends of  debauchery seem to be early adulthood rebellion at it's finest, until it isn't anymore. The more McLean hinted to demons darkening his door the more his methods of letting go had a sinister twist. 

Keeping secrets isn't exclusive to Logan, Audrey has a past of her own, and much like Logan uses quick wit and sarcasm with a healthy dose of bravado to cover the things she best keep hidden. Two people trying to just be without divulging their past hurts to the world, two people using everything at their disposal to guard their hearts from further devastation. Two people who absolutely and utterly stole my heart.

I wanted this review to scream from the rooftops my absolute adoration for this author, I wanted to tell you how this story shattered me in all the ways a great book can, I wanted to shout my love for these beautifully broken characters and the way they made me feel and the journey they took me on. I wanted to revel in the emotion they wretched from me and tell you at great length how bereft I felt as I turned the last page. More than any of this, I need you to read this story, I need you to allow yourself to be swept away by two young people who asked each other the only important question there is... what if we try?

About Jay McLean:

Jay McLean is an international best-selling author and full-time reader, writer of New Adult Romance, and most of all, procrastinator. When she’s not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, playing house and binge watching Netflix.
She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her hurt and make her feel.

Jay lives in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in a forever half-done home where music is loud and laughter is louder.

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