I woke up in Vegas with a hangover and a ring on my finger.
At my last recollection, the bachelor party was off to a great start. During dinner I met sexy celebrity Chef Oliver who was far more intriguing than his surly public persona let on.
Afterwards, my buddies and I set out to bar-hop at some of Sin City’s biggest hot spots. To my surprise, I ran into Oliver again as he was unwinding by tossing back drinks at a bar. What followed was a hot night of dancing and drinking… and a very confusing morning.
Not only did we spend the night together, we got married. Oliver is quick to suggest divorce, but I’m not ready to give up so easily. We may be opposites in every way imaginable, but there’s a chemistry between us I can’t deny or ignore.
Can I convince Oliver to give our unlikely romance a chance? Or will what happened in Vegas end in Vegas?
My best friend, Grant, looked up at me, a strangely curious expression on his face, before turning the phone so that I could see the screen. On display was a paparazzi photo of two men kissing outside of a twenty-four-hour wedding chapel. The headline above boldly stated “Chef Ridley Marries Mystery Man.”
“Oh God,” I muttered, snatching his phone from his hand. I scrolled through the article and there were a half dozen more photos of us. We were kissing, holding hands, and walking arm in arm along the sidewalk. In one, Cam carried a bouquet of flowers. In another, we were taking shots out of glasses that were each labeled “Groom.”
My stomach turned sour again. “I did say I had something to talk to you about,” I murmured as I passed the phone back to him.
Grant pressed a palm to his face and slid it down. “What the fuck did you do last night?”
I held up my left hand, which still had the ring on it, and wiggled my fingers. “Looks like I got married.”
*****
Author Info:
Riley Long is an author of gay romances novels spanning many genres from contemporary to paranormal. They live a quiet life in Virginia, with their husband, son, and two very silly pit bulls.
They spend their evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television).
For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs.
They like things with silly acronyms.
Riley can tell you two different stories about getting covered in dairy products for a hug.
Two strangers, an online dating app, and a chance at forever…
Chance
After months of online correspondence with a sexy businessman, we’re finally meeting in person—in London, no less!
Okay. It’s a casual meet-up. Nothing to get excited about. I fully understand that online connections don’t always translate in person. Roman could be pompous or worse…boring.
Wish me luck!
Roman
Dinner with my online “friend” doesn’t go well. I shouldn’t be disappointed. That’s life.
But just as I’m ready to write our peculiar acquaintanceship off, Chance turns up unexpectedly at a karaoke bar. Don’t ask what I’m doing there. I have no idea. However, I don’t mind at all. It feels like the universe is giving us a cosmic redo. Sure, Chance lives in California and my home is in the UK now, but this feels like the real thing. Something worth taking a chance on.
A forever chance.
The London Chance is an MM, bisexual romance featuring an American, a Canadian, a dating app, and an unexpected HEA.
“What time is it?” I grumbled, rubbing my stubbled jaw.
“Half one,” a deep, rumbly voice replied.
I spun on my heels with my mouth wide open, unsure where to begin. An apology, a thank-you, maybe even a fuck-you.…Words weren’t my friend without caffeine and if it was really one thirty in the afternoon, I was going to have a difficult time navigating this one.
If I was going to unravel in a foreign country, was an audience necessary? And better question…did it have to be this man?
Roman stepped into the room, instantly taking over the space. The combination of his height, broad shoulders, and broody presence made him seem intimidating as fuck even in a navy V-neck sweater, casual jeans, and bare feet. His hair flopped roguishly over his right eye, which should have softened his sharp features, but…it didn’t. He was devilishly handsome and sexy and— I think I puked on his shoes last night. Oh, please let this be a bad dream.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping for a scene change and a new cast when I opened them again.
Nope. I was still in Roman’s guest room, standing three feet from the man himself, wearing his T-shirt and—
“Are these your boxers?” I asked, plucking at the silky red fabric.
One corner of his mouth twisted in wry amusement. “They were a gift. You can have them. How are you feeling?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’ve been better. I’m sorry about—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He waved dismissively and moved to the doorway. “Would you like coffee or tea?”
“Coffee, please.”
He smiled kindly. “You got it. I’ll make toast and bacon too.”
“Thank you. Coffee is fine, but—” I paused to look around the immaculate room. “I need my clothes.”
“Trust me. You don’t want your clothes.”
“Huh?”
“I threw your socks and underwear in the wash, but your suit and shirt needed to be dry-cleaned. They’ll be ready tomorrow. I’ll grab a pair of sweatpants and socks for you. You’re welcome to shower. The toothbrush on the counter is the one you used last night. I’ll leave clothes on the banister for you. Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”
Roman was gone before I could thank him or protest. I decided I wasn’t ready to deal with the fuzzier parts of last night that had resulted in my clothing immediately needing to be dry-cleaned. I headed for the bathroom instead.
The deliciously hot shower under a wide spray felt so amazing, I never wanted to get out. And the thick towel on the warming rack was a slice of nirvana. I dried myself, then wrapped the towel around my waist and wiped steam off the mirror. I scanned the marble-and-glass haven as I brushed my teeth, sighing at the very unwelcome memory of kneeling on the tiled floor in front of the porcelain god.
How was I going to face this man? I’d been a fucking mess last night. Running into traffic, dancing in the rain…and oh…shit. I’d called him daddy.
More than once.
Heat bloomed across my cheeks as I rinsed and patted my mouth dry, but I couldn’t exactly hide in here. I slipped the boxers and tee on and found a pair of gray sweats and black socks perched on the banister post where Roman said they’d be. I finished dressing, finger-combed my short hair, and took one last cleansing breath before following the scent of coffee downstairs.
*****
Review:
The London Chance is perfect for people who are looking for a low angst, easy read. From the fall out of a disastrous first date to a sweet bonus story, it’s all sweetness and steam.
Chance and Roman are both enjoyable characters. Chance is lively & carefree, a good match for Roman’s reservedness. Neither thinks that a long distance relationship can work but are willing to enjoy the time they do have as much as they can. It leads to some moments as they realize the end is coming and a cute resolution.
Humor and heat blend well to give readers a quick journey to HEA for two delightful characters. After enjoying this and Fairy Cakes in Winter so much, Lane Hayes is going on my must read author list.
*****
Author Info:
Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and her fabulous pup, George.
What happens when the uptight town sheriff arrests the town librarian? Nothing but fireworks! Until a new man shows up in town and the sheriff wants to stake his claim. Readers who enjoy instalove and humor will love Book Me, Baby by Tamrin Banks, a steamy, small town, enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract, age gap romance.
Book Me, Baby
Candy Cane Key
Man of the Month: August
by Tamrin Banks
Blurb:
Hartley Hanover
Oooh! I hate that man! Booker Sloan is the most uptight, arrogant, annoying man I’ve ever met! He even has the nerve to arrest me for not filing a permit. A permit! And when it turns out that I did file it, it just got lost in the shuffle….does he apologize? Heck no! He proceeds to tell me all the things I do wrong every single day of my life! I’m surprised he doesn’t yell at me for breathing!
But when I’m alone at night…why do I keep thinking about him? Why does the occasional sadness on his face make me want to fix whatever’s wrong in his universe? Why can’t he stay out of my dreams and keep those dang handcuffs to himself?
Booker Sloan
I know I messed up and I should apologize. I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. But something about that dang, sweet woman just has me so screwed up that every time I open my mouth the worst things come out!
It’s not her. It’s me. And I know it. But I feel like if I give her one little inch, the gorgeous woman will take every piece of me I have left. I’m barely hanging on and if I have to push her away to protect myself? Well, that’s just how it’s got to be.
So why does it bother me so much when a new man in town shows a little interest in the petite, sunny woman who’s got me tied up in knots? She’s not encouraging him. In fact it seems like she’s running away from him.
So how come I still want to punch his grinning mouth and grind him into dust under my boot heels and then haul her over my shoulder and make sure she understands that she’s mine?
Laughing, I reach over and hug little Edward Reese. He hugs me back hard. He is just the sweetest boy.
“Now, I know that you’ve been waiting for this book!” I pull it from behind my back. “Surprise! It came in early and I made sure to set it aside for you!”
“You are the best, Miss Hanover!” His huge, gap-toothed smile makes my heart light.
He hasn’t had an easy time of it lately. His dad got hurt while driving home from work last month and broke his leg so the whole family has had to pitch in to help. Even nine year old boys. So he hasn’t been able to spend as much time in the library as he usually does and he loves to read.
“You just get it back to me when you’re done. Doesn’t matter how long. I’ll take care of it.”
His little round cheeks flush and his freckles disappear in a wash of red. “Thank you so much, Miss Hanover. I can’t wait to read it!” He dances off and his mom smiles at me, watching his light steps before she turns back to me.
“We really appreciate you doing this, Miss Hanover. We’re all working really hard. And Sam is worried about him.” She nods her head at Edward.
I can’t even speak, my throat tight with my own tears. But I clear my throat and say, “I’m glad. I hope that this helps him relax a little bit.”
“It will. Thank you.” She moves off and I turn back, groaning when I’m faced with the last person I want to see.
“Sheriff? How nice to see you.”
His arctic blue eyes glare at the setup on the sidewalk. “I talked to you about this last month with the Christmas in July to-do. You cannot block the sidewalk like this. And did you get a permit this time?”
I nod my head and sigh. “Yes, I did. Last month when you had your hissy fit.”
He stands up straight and pushes his broad shoulders back and I feel that little pull in my belly that I absolutely hate! Why the fuck do I have to react like this around this man?
I mean, sure he’s hot. His light brown hair is thick and gleams in the sunlight. But it’s so tamed that it almost doesn’t look real. His body is tall and tanned, muscles upon muscles to drool over. I jerk my brain back in line.
No, not drool over. Dread. You dread seeing this man. He smiles at me and I growl under my breath.
“Can I see it?”
“I don’t have it on me.” He nods his tawny head at me. “I’ll be back then.”
He steps away and I see him on his little radio talking to someone and I roll my eyes and turn to Mrs. Cassidy, discussing the latest thriller that she just read that I recommended to her.
“I loved it, Miss Hanover! So good! Do you have any more like that?”
I’m nodding at her when I feel a big hand grab my wrist and pull it backwards. My mouth falls open when I see that the Sheriff has a hold of my wrist.
“What the heck are you doing? Get off of me!” I try and pull away and he grits hit teeth, his firm jaw tensing.
“Stop resisting.”
“What are you doing, Sheriff?” Mrs. Cassidy’s mouth is hanging open and she’s glaring at him like he’s mugging me.
“I’m arresting her for disturbing the peace, not having a license for a demonstration and now resisting arrest.”
“You must be joking,” I huff, staring at him.
“Nope.” He grabs my other hand and pulls it behind my back, clicking the handcuffs on my wrists. The cold steel against my skin makes me shiver and freeze in my tracks.
His blue eyes look me up and down and I swear there’s some kind of emotion there that I don’t understand. I don’t think I want to understand it.
I just want him to get away from me and leave me alone. And take his handcuffs and shove them where the damn sun doesn’t shine!
Copyright 2023 Tamrin Banks
*****
Author Info:
I’m a mother of three who works for a school district as a cafeteria aide but I’ve also had a lot of different hats over the years. Divorced single mom fresh out of the military working nights in a plastics factory all the way to teaching cardio kickboxing and zumba at the YMCA.
I’ve been married to my honey bunny for 22 years now. He’s absolutely the best and tries to keep me in check as much as possible because I am a crazy person that stacks too much on her plate and then does it all no matter what. Even if it drives everyone nuts!
I love the kind of romances where you know what you’re getting. I don’t like happily for now. That just feels like cheating to me. I also don’t like love triangles. I’m an easy girl and I like my books like I like my men…lol! Uncomplicated. So if you’re reading my books, you know that no matter what, there’s a happily ever after!
Sparks fly between a PR rep and an A-list actor who want nothing to do with each other.
Leni Steele might be looking for love, but she’s definitely not looking to be someone’s fake date. Especially not one of the most infuriatingly handsome and annoyingly cocky actors on the planet, Duncan Raz. But when the owner of the PR firm for which she works forces her to walk the red carpet on his arm, she has no choice. Neither wants to be there, much less with each other. They’re like oil and water, and he gets on her last nerve. But after a few tequila shots, that’s not all he gets on. What was supposed to be one date turns into a media frenzy they can’t afford to ignore, and Leni has no other option than to continue the ruse. All the fake kisses, furtive glances, and seductive touches eventually start to feel very real. But Raz didn’t earn his A-list-actor status for nothing. Is he just doing what he does best? Playing a role? Or is Leni the leading lady in Raz’s real-life love story?
Fake dating can be hit or miss and I think Foster does well by her characters. There’s not a lot of build up like you’d expect, instead they pretty much jump right into it and quickly find themselves enjoying their “relationship” a little too much. Duncan proves himself to be more than just a pretty face and ego. He’s a funny, sexy dirty-talker with a big heart. And as much as he’s drawn to Leni’s sassy mouth, he also likes her brain and dedication.
But because they hook up pretty much right away, the rest of the story was a little bit of rinse and repeat. Both Duncan and Leni have their reasons to avoid getting involved, and Leni has some pretty high walls protecting her heart, but their connection is just too strong to resist. When they let themselves give in though, they are a delight – oh-so-hawt and funny, with moments of vulnerability.
Emotional, steamy, and humorous, Foster’s newest is delivered with her trademark style of enjoyable characters and a HEA that will leave readers with a smile on their face. (Seriously, this is one of my favorite endings by her.)
*****
Author Info:
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.
Camden Poe is the last of The Lucky Three, the surviving Pittsburgh Titans who weren’t on the team plane the night it went down. By all outward appearances, he’s adjusted to post-crash life well but inside he’s wrestling with the guilt of living.
The catastrophe that killed the Pittsburgh Titans changed my entire world. My teammates were more than my friends—they were my brothers. I mourned their loss with the rest of the nation but then I did as I’ve been taught… I moved on. I focused on returning to the ice with the newly rebuilt team and put the tragedy behind me. Considering the circumstances, I adjusted well. Or so I thought. Now I’m plagued by nightmares of the crash and my play has suffered as a result. Facing the possibility of losing my place on the team, I need to pull myself together and fast.
My buddy and line mate, Mitch Brandt died in the crash, leaving his wife Danica and son Travis behind to pick up the pieces of their shattered family. After reconnecting with Danica at a support group meeting, I find myself inexplicably drawn to helping her and her son move forward. What starts as two friends finding solace in one another following a tragedy becomes something more, leaving us both wondering if we deserve this chance.
I feel as if I’m walking a precarious line between a man falling for an incredible woman and a man moving in on his dead friend’s wife. But one thing is crystal clear—I’ve found a peace with Danica that I wasn’t sure I’d ever have again. Now I need to find the confidence within myself to push past the insecurities and make sure she knows how important she is to me because if I don’t, I’ll lose the one thing that makes me truly complete.
Get Camden in digital, signed paperback and audio (narrated by Aaron Shedlock & Savannah Peachwood) direct from Sawyer: SHOP the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
Romantic Reads and Such 