Review – No Match for Her

18 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

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Berkeley Hills series, Book Review, No Match for Her, Stacy Travis

“I decided it wasn’t smart for me to gamble my heart on you.”

No Match for Her, an all-new swoon-worthy slow burn romance from bestselling author Stacy Travis is available now!

No Match for Her

Berkeley Hills, #5

by Stacy Travis

Blurb:

I need a date to my brother’s wedding in six weeks, and Charlie Walgrove owns a tux. Billionaires are like that.

He’s also my sister’s boss, and I agree to let her set me up with the awkward genius, who apparently has even less luck in the dating game than a struggling artist, aka me.

We’re total opposites, but the date goes okay. We agree to be friends, the kind who won’t become lovers.

Famous last words.

On a series of “friend dates” involving bar snacks, acrylic paint and hedgehogs, I discover that Charlie is nothing like what I expected. Under his hoodie and glasses, he’s handsome and down-to-earth, stuck in a job he hates and afraid to disappoint people by walking away. His heart is as gorgeous as his hidden face.

I’ve always felt like the flaky sister in my family, but Charlie sees me as the artist I want to be. As our friendship deepens, so do my feelings for him. Maybe I’m even falling in love.

But gambling with my heart feels dangerous when all my relationships end in failure–especially if he’s only looking for a friend.

Is it only princesses that get a Happy Ever After? Or is there hope for a hot mess like me?

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3oAZUQK
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/NoMatchforHer
Apple Books: https://apple.co/30MiiOy
Nook: https://bit.ly/3JdT8ZY
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3oGStrd
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3cxaLp3

Add No Match for Her to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fYeH3X

Start the Berkeley Hills series today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3tJ4JJG
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/secondchanceatus
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3Df2Bh2
Nook: https://bit.ly/3on7QoJ
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3qwcKm1
Google Play: https://bit.ly/31YOgYl

*****

Excerpt:

I’M WEARING RED. It’s a fire engine color that matches my lips and my toenail polish. It’s tasteful, sleeveless, and fitted. I’m hoping it says confident artist, which I don’t feel at all. I’m hoping it doesn’t tell everyone in the room that, on what should be a night of personal victory, my heart still lies in pieces on the gallery floor. I really hope red doesn’t say that.

I still haven’t talked to Charlie. Pulling together the show on relatively short notice has all but consumed me, and I feel like I need to prove to myself that I can take the first step as an artist alone before I investigate what he and I can be together.

Right now, I feel certain the thumping organ in my chest would laugh off the suggestion of anyone getting close to it. Ever again.

With his expression of love, Charlie opened a floodgate that I’d stubbornly wedged closed. I’m the one who chose to drown.

Sadly, more than half the paintings on the walls of the gallery are barely dry, some painted in a frenzy of self-loathing anguish that left me emotionally spent but artistically inspired, along with more than a dozen pieces that are oddly uplifting. Everywhere I look, I see evidence of Charlie.

People are starting to filter through the doors of the gallery space. Or maybe they’ve been here for an hour. I don’t know. I’m looking at them through some sort of fugue state.

If I could, I’d pick up a brush right now and paint through a new emotion twisting in my chest—longing. More than anything, I wish Charlie were here to celebrate this moment with me because he inspired it. Or at least he pushed me out of my comfort zone enough to embrace what my heart has been urging me to do for years.

The gallery space sits in the bottom floor of an art deco building on a corner in downtown Palo Alto, several blocks from the Stanford campus. The surrounding streets boast a collection of restaurants, cafés, wine bars, and retail spaces, so even people who haven’t received invitations to my exhibit are likely to stop in on their walk to someplace else. That has to be the explanation for why the three adjoining rooms suddenly feel noisy with voices. I only invited a handful of people—the design group from work, my family, and a couple of people who play mahjongg with Tatum and me.

“This is amazing!” Becca and Blake are the first of my family members to arrive, which surprises me because they don’t live nearby, and Becca is reliably late. They’re joined a minute later by Isla and Tatum who drove together. “Owen sends his love, and his regrets. He’s stuck in Napa. Some issue at one of the wine cellars.

“Donovan too. Away game tomorrow, and they’re en route.”

“Oh, no regrets. I’m so happy you’re all here. And a little freaked out, honestly, to have this many people looking at my artwork.”

“But your paintings are beautiful. They’re lucky to see them, I’m so proud of you,” Sarah says, hugging me. “Braden’s at the station, so I’m going to spend all our money and buy a big canvas for our house.”

“Okay, now you’re gonna make me cry, and you know how long I spent on my mascara.”

“Ha!” This from Tatum who squeezes in and hugs me. “If I learned anything from you, it’s that you always wear waterproof mascara in case of unexpected emotion.

“Wow, help a person with her makeup, and she throws it back in your face. Fine. It’s waterproof. I was being melodramatic.”

“Melodramatic, you?” Tatum pretends to look baffled. Sarah leans in and drags her away. “Come help me decide which painting to buy. I heard someone say there are crab puffs and I’m hungry.”

“There are crab puffs. Look for waiters. They’re supposed to be mingling,” I call after them, realizing I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. Nerves.

The others follow them, and the temporary balloon that lifted my spirits starts to sag again. I know it’s ridiculous to miss Charlie at a moment when I should be celebrating, but I can’t help it. I wish he was here.

But we still haven’t spoken since our blowup the night he brought me here, and he’s respected my request for space. A little too well. He’s stopped texting and calling after a couple check-ins to ask if I was okay. I hoped that not responding would make me clearheaded enough to avoid hurling myself into the next disastrous decision, as I’m prone to do.

Now I just miss him.

The thinking has settled my mind in that I know I want two things: to paint as much as possible and to be with Charlie as much as possible. I love him and I need him. It’s as much a certainty as the sun rising every morning.

I also need to apologize to him for making him the scapegoat of my insecurities, and I haven’t figured out what to say about that yet. But I will.

I glance around and see that the number of people has already doubled in the one room where I stand with an untouched glass of champagne dribbling condensation down my arm. On every white wall within my line of sight, work I’ve painted hangs beneath perfect lighting. Tiny signs indicate the titles and prices of the pieces, but I don’t expect any of them to sell. It’s my first show, and I feel lucky the gallery owner liked the images I emailed her.

I’m even luckier that one of her clients had to postpone his show, leaving a three-day opening in the schedule. It felt like a sign when she called to ask if I had enough work and felt ready to mount a show.

The past two weeks have been a blur of paint and canvases during every hour I wasn’t at work. I painted feverishly, blocking out every useless emotion I could and letting the fruitful ones past my walls to guide me.

The result is fourteen canvasses, many of them large enough to command a wall on their own, all replete with deep jewel tones, abstract lines, and intense themes of renewal and hope. I have no idea where those feelings came from because I felt a lot of despair. But painting kept me from spending all my waking hours worrying that I’d destroyed the best friendship I’ve ever had.

Now, when I look at each painting, I can’t help but feel the memory of the headspace I was in when I painted it. They all reflect some aspect of Charlie—kinship, love, and heartbreak— and those are three things I’d rather not focus on tonight, so I need to stop looking.

That leaves me staring into my champagne with little enthu‐ siasm for it. Sylvia, the gallery owner, sweeps over to me, her navy layered caftan grazing the tops of brown rugged boots. Her gray hair is impeccably styled in its pageboy and her lips are redder than mine.

“So far, so good, love. It’s a success. You’re a success.” She kisses me on the cheek and moves on to speak to a tall man in a navy suit who beckons her over with a question.

The words echo in her wake as I try to figure out whether she’s just being nice. What constitutes a success at one of these gallery nights? A big crowd of mostly-strangers? I’m just proud of myself for taking a step toward feeling like a legitimate artist.

*****

Review:

Cherry is a fun-loving, free-spirited artist who unfortunately doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in herself. She’s working as a designer but her heart yearns to make art, she just doesn’t think it’s good enough to show the world. Charlie feels the weight of his obligations and has lost some of his enjoyment of his work. Smitten from his first glimpse of Cherry, captivated by her vibrancy and joyous laugh, he’s been waiting for a chance to meet her for real.

From a disastrous first date to a lovely HEA, I really enjoyed Charlie & Cherry’s story. Travis does a wonderful job of slowly building their friendship, developing romantic feelings, and working on boosting each other up. Full of humor, heat, and lots of emotion, No Match for Her may be my first from this author but if this is any indication of her work it definitely won’t be my last.

(Part of a series but can stand on its own. May be better enjoyed if you know the other siblings’ stories.)

*****

Author Info:

It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy.

I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.

Connect with Stacy

Facebook: https://bit.ly/2UbPlWv
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2xdBd62
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Uw1bcD
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2QBKcEU
Stay up to date with Stacy by joining her mailing list: https://bit.ly/2y6nYod
Website: https://stacytravis.com

*****

Review – Model Behavior

16 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Book Review, Model Behavior, The Unlovabulls series, Tricia Lynne

Model Behavior

The Unlovabulls #2

by Tricia Lynne

Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Hayes Walker is screwed.

His body is giving out, his family is bleeding him dry, and he never prepared for life after football. When the Dallas Bulldogs offer him a coaching position instead of a returning roster spot, only two things keep him going—staying fit in case another football team picks him up, and spending time with a gray-faced Boxer at the Unlovabulls Dog Rescue.

Olive Russo is a woman who can walk through a kennel in a white pantsuit without getting a spot on her. The always organized PR pro will need her cool control when she’s forced to plan a fundraising gala for the Unlovabulls with the college boyfriend who turned her inside out. A decade ago, Hayes Walker broke her heart and sent Olive into a spiral of bad decisions that she’d rather her clients not know about. Now she is determined to keep the completely lickable Hayes off her to-do list—even if their chemistry is stronger than ever.

Dumping Olive was the worst decision Hayes ever made. When the amazing girl walks back into his life a full-fledged woman, he makes a play for her heart. But when Olive’s secrets are exposed and the NFL knocks on Hayes’s door, they’ll both need to leave their past where it belongs if they’re going to make it work the second time around.

*****

Review:

I feel bad for Hayes, he’s been abused by his mother for pretty much his entire life. And now he’s facing the end of his football career with nothing to show for it except a broken body, an empty bank account, and a whole lot of guilt. Meeting Olive again has him looking to the future a little differently, if only he can break free of his past.

Olive hit bottom and has spent years working to overcome it, so coming face to face with the man responsible is quite a shock. Letting Hayes back in could only mean trouble … or it could mean learning what it is to enjoy life.

I love how much Hayes and Olive support each other. Hayes understands that Olive is strong and can handle most things on her own, but she also needs someone who will remind her to relax. Olive does her best to make sure that Hayes realizes that he’s so much more than just a football player.

Both Hayes and Olive had childhoods that left scars they are struggling to overcome but it’s not easy and it leads to quite a few difficult moments and bad decisions. Model Behavior is not necessarily as refined as what I’m used to – the writing is a little rough and the story development was rushed in spots & slow in others – but it’s an enjoyable read. Lynne knows how to bring the heat and the angst so if that’s your kinda thing then I highly recommend Hayes & Olive’s story.

(Can be read as a stand alone but probably enjoyed a little bit more with some context provided in the first book.)

*****

Author Info:

Tricia Lynne is fluent in both sarcasm and cuss words—a combination that tends to embarrass her husband at corporate functions. A tomboy at heart, she loves hard rock, Irish whiskey, dogs, and Vans shoes. She’s drawn to strong, flawed heroines. Tricia believes writing isn’t a decision one makes, but a calling one can’t resist. She lives in the Dallas area with her husband, the world’s sweetest rescued Cane Corso, and a completely terrifying Clumber Spaniel pupper.

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a new Kindle Fire!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb936/

Review – Caught By Love

09 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

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Book Review, Caught by Love, Melissa Foster, The Steeles at Silver Island series

Caught by Love

The Steeles at Silver Island series

by Melissa Foster

Releasing Feb 9th, 2022

World Literary Press

Blurb:

He’s set on pleasure, but she’s all business. Sizzling chemistry and a surprising connection set this sexy love story in motion. But is it enough to last forever? Find out and fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles.

Archer Steele is one of the leading vintners on the East Coast. He’s arrogant, aggressive, and has never been interested in settling down, which is what makes his hookups with his sister’s beautiful blond best friend, hair and makeup artist Indi Oliver, the perfect escape. But Indi’s toying with moving to the island, and when she ends their no-strings trysts to focus on her business, Archer isn’t ready to let her go…

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56957819-caught-by-love

Goodreads series link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/282375-the-steeles-at-silver-island

KINDLE: https://smarturl.it/SI3_Kindle

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/SI3_Apple

NOOK: https://smarturl.it/SI3_Nook

KOBO: https://smarturl.it/SI3_Kobo

GPLAY: https://smarturl.it/SI3_GPlay

PAPERBACK: https://smarturl.it/SI3_Pb

Audio, narrated by Aiden Snow and Andi Arndt

AMAZON: https://smarturl.it/SI3a_Amazon

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/SI3a_Apple

AUDIBLE: https://smarturl.it/SI3a_Audible

*****

Excerpt:

Sneak Peek, https://melissafoster.com/caught-by-love-sneak-peek/

*****

Review:

You better like your books spicy when it comes to Foster’s newest – while Archer may be grumpy, he’s also all Alpha, oh-so-very dirty-mouthed and dominant in bed. But Indi is strong and sassy, more than capable of taking him on.

The story is full of angst, so be prepared. While Indi has some family issues, Archer is very troubled and it will take a lot of work & patience to get him to the other side. But Indi and all of his friends & family will be there, showing him that he can let go of the past and embrace his future.

My favorite part of Foster’s books is always the characters, who are appealing even in their less likable moments. They know how to love and support one another, how to fight and forgive. Every book has you feeling like you are meeting old friends again, while making new ones along the way.

A lot like their relationship, Caught by Love starts off scorching and all about the hot sex but soon becomes just as much about the heart as Archer’s & Indi’s feelings deepen. It’s a journey full of bumps and bruises but, like all good things, worth it in the end.

*****

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.

Website: http://www.melissafoster.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Melissa_Foster
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3023973.Melissa_Foster
Newsletter: http://melissafoster.com/newsletter/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melissa-foster
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafoster_author/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissafoster_author

*****

Series Links:

TEMPTED BY LOVE (Book 1)

KINDLE: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_Kindle

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_Apple

NOOK: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_Nook

KOBO: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_Kobo

GPLAY: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_GPlay

PAPERBACK: https://smarturl.it/TBLS_Pb

Available in audiobook (narrated by Brian Pallino and Jennifer Mack)

AMAZON: https://smarturl.it/TBLSa_Amazon

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/TBLSa_Apple

AUDIBLE: https://smarturl.it/TBLSa_Audible

MY TRUE LOVE (Book 2)

KINDLE: https://smarturl.it/MTLp_Kindle

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/MTL_Apple

NOOK: https://smarturl.it/MTL_Nook

KOBO: https://smarturl.it/MTL_Kobo

GPLAY: https://smarturl.it/MTL_GPlay

PAPERBACK: https://smarturl.it/MTL_Pb

Available in audiobook (narrated by Jennifer Mack and Aiden Snow)

AMAZON: https://smarturl.it/MTLa_Amazon

APPLE: https://smarturl.it/MTLa_Apple

AUDIBLE: https://smarturl.it/MTLa_Audible

Review – Say It Like You Mane It

04 Friday Feb 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild series, Erin Nicholas, Say It Like You Mane It

Say It Like You Mane It

Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild series

by Erin Nicholas

Blurb:

What happens when a hellraiser turned hot cop is stuck with a headstrong heiress he’s determined to protect…and resist?

A run-away bride, wearing a freakin’ tiara, and carrying a stolen lion cub, of all things. This was not how rowdy, bad-boy-turned-small-town-cop, Zander Landry expected his day to go.

He really didn’t expect his night to end with her sleeping in his bed after her near-kidnapping.

But his intense attraction to her and the feelings of protectiveness she stirs up? Oh, yeah, he knew those were coming.

She’s stunning, whip-smart, and trouble with a capital T.

Which means, he needs her to head right back the way she came. ASAP.

His town is exactly the way he wants it . . . crazy and trouble free.

Well, the crazy trouble he’s not related to anyway.

Stranded in a tiny town in her half-million-dollar wedding gown with no money and no place to go . . . today is going pretty much exactly the way Caroline Holland expected it to.

But the grumpy, tattooed, oh-my-god hot cop being the answer to all her problems isn’t at all what she expected.

Now that she’s turned all the criminal (and obnoxious) info about her exotic-animal-dealing ex-fiance over to Zander, she can kick back in a hammock with some sweet tea and relax.

Or not.

Turns out Caroline’s not the spoiled heiress Zander thinks she is. The gorgeous hellion wants in on the action and soon discovers just how dirty things can get in the bayou. And the bedroom.

More and more, Zander just wants her safe on the sidelines. But Caroline isn’t going anywhere until justice is done.

It’s a clash of wills that’s gonna get hotter than a crawfish boil in July. And the most fun the Landry family has had watching sparks fly since . . . well, the last book.

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31Yp0BY
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ManeIt
Apple Books: https://apple.co/32tLxqc
Nook: https://bit.ly/3E7i2qZ
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3maWrYM
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3q2FAbH
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3GSIQgr

Start the series of standalones with Otterly Irristible today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3e7KfDs
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3aaZ2Mm
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/otterlyirresistible
Nook: https://bit.ly/3g5YgUF
Kobo: https://bit.ly/32eESMY
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3ablaWL

*****

Excerpt:

Zander turned to look at the woman with a brow up. “Anything else you’d like to tell me?”

She met his eyes directly. She studied him, seemingly thinking over his question. Finally, she nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Okay. What’s going on?”

“It might take a bit. Want to buy me a drink?” She glanced back toward Ellie’s.

Did he want to take the gorgeous woman in a wedding dress with another man’s ring on her finger who had almost been kidnapped right in front of him back inside his grandmother’s bar where most of his family and a lot of the town was gathered?

He most certainly did not.

“No,” he said simply.

Caroline looked surprised. “Can we”—She looked around—“at least go somewhere else?”

That seemed like a good idea. She was very conspicuous here and his family could, at any moment, come out. And start asking questions. Not to mention that the would-be kidnapper now knew where she was.

“Is there a chance your fiancé is going to come back?” Of course there was. A man didn’t just let this woman go.

She bit her bottom lip and looked up the road. Then she nodded. “Yeah, there’s a chance. Or that he’ll tell someone else where I am.” She looked at Zander again. “But that was my brother. Not my fiancé.”

Oh, that was interesting.

No, it fucking isn’t. Knock it off.

“So, will your fiancé be coming after you?”

“Ex-fiancé.”

Right. She’d mentioned that.

“Okay. Will he come after you?”

She didn’t answer right away. Which Zander also found interesting. Though he shouldn’t. He did not want to be interested in this woman. At all. He didn’t want anyone getting kidnapped while they were in Autre, though, either. Okay, he didn’t really want anyone getting kidnapped, period. But especially while they were in Autre.

“There’s a chance,” Caroline finally admitted. “Or my dad might come. Or my ex-fiancé’s dad might come.”

“And you don’t want to go back with any of them? Is that right?”

“Yes.”

Well, fuck. He had to at least be sure she didn’t get taken anywhere by anyone against her will.

She studied him for a long moment. “So, you’re willing to help me, Officer Landry?”

Her question—and her voice and her eyes and her everything, if he was being honest with himself which he decided to not be—sent a shot of something through Zander’s chest.

It was the familiar streak of adrenaline he often felt with his work. It primed his gut to act on instinct when necessary, it made him ready to take on people intent on doing bad things and face potential danger, and it focused his mind. But he also recognized the sliver of trepidation. It wasn’t fear or reluctance. It was…awareness. Like knowing he was about to open a big old can of worms.

But he nodded. “Helping people with problems is kind of my job.”

“Then I would love to tell you what’s going on.”

He wanted that. And it wasn’t the cop in him thinking that.

Fuck. Dammit. Hell. Sonofabitch.

“Okay. Let’s go…someplace your brother doesn’t know about.”

“Like your place?”

Yes. He wanted her at his place. That was the safest. He could definitely keep her safe there. His property was at the end of a dead-end road so the only traffic was trucks he knew. His neighbors were his brothers and cousins. His backyard butted up to the bayou.

But fuck no. He wasn’t taking this woman anywhere near his house. Where his bedroom was.

She was dangerous. He couldn’t sort through all the reasons why at the moment, not while looking into her eyes and wondering how soft her skin was and how silky her hair was, but he had enough self-preservation instinct to keep her away from his house.

“I’m thinking the B & B.”

He grabbed her suitcase and started for his truck.

“But he might think to look there,” she protested. She gathered up her enormous skirts and followed him though.

“I’ll tell Heather not to tell anyone anything about you,” Zander told her, storing her bag behind the front seat and then turning to face her.

Dammit.

Again with the eyes. And hair. And lips. Okay, he hadn’t included the lips in the earlier inventory, but they were great too.

So he liked female lips. Big deal. These were not that exceptional. What the hell was wrong with him?

She’s probably your damned soulmate or some shit and the second you touch her hand you’re going to feel sparks.

I’m not going to feel sparks. That’s a stupid cliché. But I have to get some war biographies. Or maybe something about Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Something about women who are amazing but not sexy. It doesn’t have to be about sexy all the time. Get away from those romance novels.

The thing was, smart, bold women like RBG were sexy in their own way and if Zander had been Ruth’s age and run into her at a bar when she was single, he absolutely would have hit on her.

“Are you okay?” Caroline asked, stepping forward with a slight frown.

He jerked out of his stupid thoughts. “Yeah. I’m fine. You’re the one with the problem.”

Well, that had sounded rude as fuck.

Her eyes widened, but then she nodded. “Yeah. I am. We should definitely work on my problem. It’s going to keep getting bigger if we don’t.”

Zander sighed. He didn’t even know what that meant but…of course it was.

*****

Review:

I love the Landry clan – every quirky, charming, grumpy, loving, boisterous part of it. Zander is the protector and his love for his family means he has to keep things going as smooth as possible & try to keep everyone out of trouble (ha!). So a beautiful woman in a wedding dress carrying a lion cub definitely doesn’t work for him. Caroline is just as fierce and strong, with a big heart. She’s spent most of her life trying to make sure that those doing wrong pay and her latest project has her in Autre for help, putting her right in Zander’s sights.

These Bayou books always bring a chuckle, a good bit of heat, and a lot of emotion. Nicholas knows how to bring characters that are entertaining & relatable and her writing is both humorous & heartfelt, combining to give readers a story that’s fun, low angst, easy-to-read, and quite satisfying.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Connect with Erin

Website: http://bit.ly/2NkB2uF
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2tdTM8e
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2QLd1Pr
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3a3rnm4
Instagram: http://bit.ly/36NqV9y
Website: http://bit.ly/2FM3Doo
Stay up to date with Erin Nicholas by joining her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/38a5Fv5

*****

Spotlight – Ramón and Julieta

02 Wednesday Feb 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

≈ Leave a comment

Ramón and Julieta

Love & Tacos series

by Alana Quintana Albertson

Perfect for fans of telenovela inspired rom-coms like Jane the Virgin, and readers of contemporary romances by Kevin Kwan, Emily Henry and Alexis Daria, RAMÓN AND JULIETA (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; $16; February 1^st, 2022) by seasoned romance novelist Alana Quintana Albertson is a delicious and joyful Romeo and Juliet retelling (with a happier conclusion…). Book 1 in the new Love & Tacos series celebrates the Latinx culture, specifically Mexican American traditions and customs, as well as the local San Diego history surrounding these communities and activist history. Think Latinx Crazy Rich Asians meets You’ve Got Mail.

About the Book: Set against the backdrop of the Day of the Dead, high achieving student Ramón Montez and celebrity chef Julieta Campos are star-crossed lovers who discover that their parents are bitter food industry rivals. Ramón’s father is the head of the successful Taco King chain, eagerly buying up smaller taquerias to expand his empire. Now he has set his sights on the culturally rich, family-owned sea-to-table taqueria that Julieta has worked so hard to save, a restaurant inspired by her mother’s own secret taco recipe that was stolen decades ago.

While the book is a celebration of love, food, and Latinx joy and culture at its heart, Albertson also touches on more complex contemporary issues, such as class, family expectations, and the harmful impacts of gentrification that she has seen first-hand in her community.

“Ramón and Julieta is a passionate and joyful romance about honoring family legacies, celebrating your heritage, the importance of community, and the power of love. A beautiful novel!” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author.

“Albertson’s emphasis on Mexican cuisine puts a refreshing twist on the Shakespearean tragedy…their chemistry is palpable. Romance fans will be pleased—but are advised not to read this one on an empty stomach.” —Publishers Weekly

*****

Author Info:

Alana Quintana Albertson has written thirty romance novels, rescued five-hundred death-row shelter dogs, and danced one thousand rumbas. A graduate of Stanford (B.A.) and Harvard (M.Ed.), she lives with her husband in sunny San Diego with her two sons and too many pets. Most days, she can be found writing her next heart book in a beachfront café while sipping an oat-milk Mexican mocha or gardening with her children in their backyard orchard and snacking on a juicy blood orange.

Spotlight – The Five-Day Reunion

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Mona Shroff, The Five-Day Reunion

The Five-Day Reunion

by Mona Shroff

on-sale Jan.25

Harlequin Special Edition

Blurb:

They ended their marriage but they never fell out of love.

Law student Anita Virani hasn’t seen her ex-husband since the ink dried on their divorce papers. Now she’s agreed to pretend she’s still married to Nikhil until his sister’s wedding celebrations are over—because her former mother-in-law neglected to tell her family of their split! The closeness they share during the marriage act gives Anita new insight into the man she once loved so deeply. And reignites Nikhil’s feelings for her…

Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Five-Day-Reunion-Mona-Shroff/dp/1335408371/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=THE+FIVE-DAY+REUNION+by+Mona+Shroff&qid=1637072917&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-five-day-reunion-mona-shroff/1139911403?ean=9781335408372

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335408372_the-five-day-reunion.html

*****

Excerpt:

She was struggling with pinning pleats behind her left shoulder when Nikhil groaned. She watched him through the mirror as he slowly attempted to sit up in bed. He ended up lying back down, holding his head.

“Electrolytes next to you,” she said, finally securing the pin. The sari sagged a bit, but whatever. She’d managed it in the end.

She tried not to look at him. He was ridiculously handsome first thing in the morning. Tousled dark hair and scruff on his chin. The soft, bewildered look in his dark eyes, matched with a slight pout of full lips.

She had always loved waking up next to him. He was sexy and handsome—some mornings, she couldn’t believe her good fortune. That she was the one who got to wake up next to him every day. That she was the one he loved above all else.

Or so she had thought.

“Electrolytes.” She raised her voice a bit. “On the nightstand.”

He started at her voice, which only made him moan again. “Neets?”

He really needed to stop calling her that. “Anita,” she corrected him as she donned large dangly earrings and a necklace and reached for her matching bangles, desperately trying to ignore how sensual her name sounded in even his dry-throat voice.

“What the hell are you doing in my room?” he croaked at her.

“Right now, it’s our room. We’re supposed to be married, remember?” Her bangles jingled as she slid them on, the sound reminding her of wedded bliss.

“I’m trying to forget.”

Did he remember kissing her? Didn’t matter. “You certainly tried to forget last night.” She looked at her phone. “You have forty-five minutes to get up and be presentable. The grah shanti starts at eight thirty.”

He grunted. She walked over and shook him. He reeked of alcohol.

“What are you doing?” he grumbled, clutching his head in obvious pain.

“Tina’s first puja is in forty-five minutes, downstairs, and you need to be there.” She handed him the glass of electrolytes. “Though I get paid regardless of whether or not you show. I told your mother I would not be responsible for your attendance.”

He sat up and took the glass, looking at it like it might bite him. “I’m sure she drew up the appropriate documents.”

“No. I did.” She smirked at him.

He scowled at her as he sipped the electrolytes.

*****

Author Info:

Mona is obsessed with everything romantic, including chocolate, coffee and wine. PW calls her “a writer to watch” and Sonali Dev called her first novel, Then, Now, Always a “sweet, angsty romance.” She’s blessed with an amazing daughter and loving son who have both gone to college. Mona lives in Maryland with her romance-loving husband.

*****

Spotlight – The Shoe Diaries

24 Monday Jan 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Darby Baham, The Shoe Diaries

The Shoe Diaries

by Darby Baham

on-sale Jan.25

Harlequin Special Edition

Blurb:

It’s never too late to put your best foot forward.

From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Diaries-Friendship-Chronicles/dp/1335408363/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=THE+SHOE+DIARIES+by+Darby+Baham&qid=1637072771&qsid=133-7575147-1798556&sr=8-1&sres=1335408363%2CB01M8O5HLY%2CB08TVPCZHW%2CB091571CTB%2CB07CWV59QR%2CB08H5GTV4R%2CB000BWZBYM%2CB07DXNZZL3%2CB0094GO6ZG%2CB08DD65JDR%2CB001HRXSKE%2CB08TWCNX12%2CB00A46NG9M%2CB0838LQKXT%2CB085JL1N16%2CB08G5VRMQ1&srpt=ABIS_BOOK

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shoe-diaries-darby-baham/1139911402?ean=9781335408365

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335408365_the-shoe-diaries.html

*****

Excerpt:

He was inches away from me when I fell into his arms and began crying. All the anger I’d felt toward him, the hurt he caused me, the stupid ways he’d played me…they all meant nothing in this moment. He was here when I needed him the most. And I could no longer hold my tears back as he stood without a word and let me soak his shirt with sobs for minutes, only occasionally rubbing my hair to bring me comfort.

“Maybe we should go for a walk,” he finally said.

“A walk sounds good.”

“Wait, what are you doing here?” I asked once I had a moment to calm down. We’d walked to Jake’s car to get some privacy while I tried drying up my tears, but the peace and quiet away from the hospital walls also brought me back to reality. It certainly didn’t help that Jake had the kind of car a man gets when he has no intention of having obligations any time soon: a two-seater, silver Jaguar F-TYPE. It was gorgeous on the outside, intimate inside and was also a stark reminder of the reason we broke up in the first place.

“Christine’s mom called me. I assume she was just going through the numbers she had of her friends, and I was still on the list.”

“Oh.”

I guess I’d forgotten that Mama Vasquez had Jake’s number from when we were in college. And that we hadn’t exactly updated her to let her know he shouldn’t still be on the call list of people to inform if something went wrong.

“And so you came all the way from New York?”

“Actually, no. I was in town already for work. It’s why I called you the other night as well. Was hoping we could talk after all these years. But then when Chrissy’s mom called, I just figured it was fate I was here, and so I should come.”

“You definitely came around that corner just as I needed you to,” I admitted with a sigh. “I’m sorry about that, by the way. I just… I couldn’t cry in there and then I saw you and—”

“Hey, you don’t have to apologize for that. I’m—I don’t want to say glad but—grateful I was there when you needed someone.”

“Thank you. I don’t want to make this about me, though. She’s the one in there fighting for her life. I was simply trying to encourage her to keep doing so because… I’m… I’m just not ready to lose my friend.” I held back more tears that were aching to flow down my cheeks.

“And it’s okay to feel that,” he said, lifting my head so we were eye to eye. “It’s okay to not be everyone’s strength all the time. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Yeah, I hear you.”

“I don’t think you do, but that’s okay, too. Just know you don’t have to be strong with me. I can take your tears and your questions.”

*****

Author Info:

Darby Baham is a debut author with Harlequin Books Special Edition, where she signed a three-book deal in August 2020. She is also a senior managing editor with The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center.

*****

Spotlight – A Proposal in Provence

21 Friday Jan 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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A Proposal in Provence, Donna Alward

A Proposal in Provence

by Donna Alward

on-sale Jan.25

Harlequin Romance

Blurb:

In Donna Alward’s latest addition to the Heirs to an Empire miniseries, a life-altering secret is revealed.

It all started with an escape from scandal…only to be rescued by the tycoon! PR assistant Anemone Jones loves working in Paris for the glamorous Pemberton family…until she discovers she is in fact their half sibling! When the scandal hits the tabloids, it’s her gorgeous boss, Phillippe Leroux, who sweeps her off to his idyllic home in Grasse. Phillippe’s proposal in Provence gives Annie breathing space to process her new life—and even find a place in his.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Proposal-Provence-Heirs-Empire-Book-ebook/dp/B09BD32RF8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=A+PROPOSAL+IN+PROVENCE+by+Donna+Alward&qid=1637072736&qsid=133-7575147-1798556&sr=8-1&sres=B09BD32RF8&srpt=ABIS_EBOOKS

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-proposal-in-provence-donna-alward/1139916449?ean=9781335406965

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335406965_a-proposal-in-provence.html

*****

Excerpt:

She was still working through a mental list when Phillipe turned up a hillside street, slowing as he drove through a residential neighborhood. The homes here were nice—stone houses with tile roofs, olive and palm trees, little gardens. Annie had never seen a palm tree in person in her life. And here she was, in the south of France, so close to the Mediterranean. Sitting in a car with the handsomest man she’d ever known.

Was it wrong that a day that was so very horrible also kind of felt like a dream come true?

“Nous sommes ici,” Phillipe said, and Annie nodded as he turned up a short drive to a welcoming-looking two-story house with wood shutters the color of whiskey barrels.

He turned off the car and let out a big breath.

“Phillipe? Before we go in, I just want to say…thank you. Thank you for caring enough to want to help me. You could have just sent me a warning, but you’re a true friend.”

He took off his seat belt and turned in his seat to face her better. “If I overstep, please tell me. I can be…bossy. Single-minded.”

That didn’t sound like the man she knew, today’s activities excepted. “I will, though I won’t have to. I just want you to know that I appreciate you so much. You have always—” Her throat tightened and she took a moment to swallow, ease the knot that had formed. “You have always treated me with caring and respect.” She gave a small, secretive smile. “Maybe more than I wanted. You’re a good man, Phillipe.”

His gaze held hers and the air in the car filled with the same delicious tension that had shimmered between them last night. But then they both sat back, knowing it would only complicate matters further if they gave in to the attraction they’d done so well ignoring all day.

“Come,” he said softly, giving her the smile she found so devastating. “Meet my parents. Be at home.”

He retrieved their bags from the back seat and then they walked up the stone path together. Phillipe lifted his hand to knock but before he could, the door swung open and a woman stood there, her smile wide, the joy in her eyes unmistakable.

“Vous êtes ici!”

He laughed, put down the bags, and pulled her into his arms.

*****

Author Info:

Donna lives on Canada’s east coast. When she’s not writing she enjoys knitting, gardening, cooking, and is a Masterpiece Theater addict. While her heartwarming stories have been translated into several languages, hit bestseller lists and won awards, her favorite thing is to hear from readers! Visit her on the web at http://www.donnaalward.com and join her mailing list at http://www.DonnaAlward.com/newsletter.

*****

Spotlight – Falling for the Baldasseri Prince

20 Thursday Jan 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Falling for the Baldasseri Prince, Rebecca Winters

Falling for the Baldasseri Prince

by Rebecca Winters

on-sale Jan.25

Harlequin Romance

Blurb:

Two feuding families…one redeeming love.

Vet Francesca has started a new life in the Baldasseri’s kingdom. But she’s hiding a sensational secret—she’s really a Visconti princess! And the Viscontis have been feuding with the Baldasseris for generations… When handsome Prince Vincenzo Baldasseri brings his dog in for treatment, there is a powerful connection between them from the get-go! Dare Francesca reveal the truth? And is their love strong enough to overcome all their obstacles?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Baldasseri-Prince-Rebecca-Winters-ebook/dp/B09BD3LP2D/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=FALLING+FOR+THE+BALDASSERI+PRINCE+by+Rebecca+Winters&qid=1637072687&qsid=133-7575147-1798556&sr=8-1&sres=B09BD3LP2D&srpt=ABIS_EBOOKS

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-for-the-baldasseri-prince-rebecca-winters/1139916448?ean=9781335406958

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335406958_falling-for-the-baldasseri-prince.html

*****

Excerpt:

Much as he’d wanted to take her to a restaurant, he didn’t want to create publicity until the news of his broken engagement had circulated and died down. For now, this kind of excursion would have to do. Despite saying goodbye to Karl, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this relaxed and happy. She’d made all the difference.

Once he’d driven her to the apartment complex, he shut off the engine and turned to her. “I want to thank you for helping me get through this day.”

“To be honest, it helped me too,” came her unexpected response without looking at him. “I find I’m attached to all my patients, especially ones that look like my last dog. Karl headed the list. Daniel says I need to toughen up, but I have a feeling there’s no cure for it.”

Every word out of her mouth enchanted him. He had to see her again. “Since you told me Daniel asked you to watch some videos on the Biosphere Reserve, I thought you might be interested in meeting the biologist who used to work with Dr. Zenger. The conservation board is meeting Tuesday evening at the information center here in Zernez. The chief ranger of the park will be speaking.”

“I would absolutely love it!” she exclaimed without hesitation. “I was envious when Daniel told me Dr. Zenger helped take care of some of the animals up there. What time does this meeting start and I’ll drive over.”

“Seven o’clock. The information center consists of three buildings. The meeting will take place in the Planta-Wildenberg castle. I’ll look for you there.”

“Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity, and for the dinner.” She started to get out of the car.

“It was my pleasure. See you there.”

He waited until he could see she was safely inside her apartment, then he left for home with a new excitement. Only three more days before he saw her again.

*****

Author Info:

Rebecca Winters lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. With canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favourite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels because writing is her passion, along with her family and church. Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to e-mail her, please visit her website at: http://www.cleanromances.net.

*****

Spotlight – Rancher’s Forgotten Rival

19 Wednesday Jan 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Carsons of Lone Rock series, Maisey Yates, Rancher's Forgotten Rival

Rancher’s Forgotten Rival

The Carsons of Lone Rock

by Maisey Yates

on-sale Jan.25

Harlequin Desire

Blurb:

Will amnesia turn these enemies into lovers? It’s a hero in distress, with a more than capable damsel on hand to save to him. Find out more about the book in this book #1 miniseries, Carsons of Lone Rock, by New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates.

Welcome to Lone Rock, Oregon’s Wild West. Chance Carson is the one man in Lone Rock who gets Juniper all riled up. His family is ranching royalty. He’s arrogant, insufferable and obnoxiously charming—she’ll keep her distance, thanks. But when Juniper finds Chance Carson on her property, injured and without his memory, she saves his life…and sort of lets him believe he’s her ranch hand. Making the entitled rancher work a little is one thing…but actually liking the man is another. Falling for him? No way. And yet the passion between them is as undeniable as it is unexpected. Will it survive the truth?

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Ranchers-Forgotten-Rival-Claim-Cowboy-ebook/dp/B098P74ZKQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=THE+RANCHER%27S+FORGOTTEN+RIVAL+by+Maisey+Yates&qid=1637071359&qsid=133-7575147-1798556&sr=8-1&sres=1335735402%2CB09FSCDNZJ&srpt=ABIS_EBOOKS

Barnes & Noble:https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ranchers-forgotten-rival-maisey-yates/1139758363?ean=9781335735409

Harlequin.com: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335735409_ranchers-forgotten-rival.html

*****

Excerpt:

“You know, I take people to the hospital every day,” she said. “They don’t just go there to die. They go there to be healed. I understand that there can be bad traumatic memories connected to that. But… But the hospital can be a good thing.”

“Logically I know that. But…”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry that the first memory you’re having is so sad.”

“I think it’s probably the strongest one I have. Because I think I felt that sadness inside of me before I ever saw her face. What a hell of a thing. That I almost died. Out there in the field. When…”

“When what?” she whispered.

“My parents have been through enough,” he said. “She must’ve been my sister.”

“Oh.” The word left her body in a gust.

He knew what it was like to lose someone. He was…human.

Just the same as she was.

Just the same as they all were.

The Carsons and Sohappys weren’t so different.

She was hoping he might see that during this time, but she hadn’t expected it would be her own lesson.

She…she had never heard anything about that and she didn’t know why he thought it. Or if it was true. And it still settled hard in her chest.

He was getting way too close to remembering things, and it was getting… Dicey. It was one thing to think that she wanted to endear herself to him this way, but him sharing something personal like this, something he never would’ve shared otherwise, it felt like a violation. And she had never thought that she would feel like she violated Chance Carson. But this was different. The situation with his sister.

No. He had a sister. And she was alive and well.

Callie Carson was much younger than him, and she had gone off and married a rodeo cowboy who lived in Gold Valley.

But the way he was talking about it, it sounded like he was younger.

She felt hungry for more, but at the same time she didn’t want to press him. For so many reasons, but maybe the biggest one was her heart felt so tender right now. For him.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

“All right,” he said.

He stood up, and she stood at the same time, ready to take his bowl from him.

“I can take the dishes.”

“Oh no, that’s okay,” he said, and she put her hand on the bowl, and her fingertips brushed his, and their eyes locked.

And she felt a frisson of something magical go through her. Something hot and delicious and sticky like cayenne honey, flowing all the way through her veins.

And she could hardly breathe around it. She could hardly think. All she could do was stare. And feel the thundering rhythm of her heart, like a herd of wild mustangs, the kind that you could find out here in Eastern Oregon, and she was sure that he could hear it too.

*****

Author Info:

Maisey Yates is a New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romance novels. Whether she’s writing strong, hard working cowboys, dissolute princes or multigenerational family stories, she loves getting lost in fictional worlds. An avid knitter with a dangerous yarn addiction and an aversion to housework, Maisey lives with her husband and three kids in rural Oregon. Check out her website, maiseyyates.com or find her on Facebook.

*****