• Home
  • Book Review
  • Contest
  • Blog Tour
  • Sneak Peek
  • About

Romantic Reads and Such

~ Book Blogger & Reviewer

Romantic Reads and Such

Category Archives: Contest

Review – Just Say When

09 Monday Jan 2023

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Aimee Nicole Walker, Book Review, Just Say When

Just Say When

by Aimee Nicole Walker

Blurb:

Someone wants Police Chief Emilio Mendoza dead. And if his unknown assailant doesn’t kill him, pining for Sheriff Abraham Beecham just might.

Abe and Lio’s thirty-year journey has taken them from heated rivals to best friends with countless labels and pit stops along the way. Romance is the only avenue left unexplored but not from lack of love or desire.

Abe pushes people away before they can get too close, and Lio doesn’t engage in situations he can’t control. They’ve reached an impasse, and neither are willing to risk their friendship until fate intervenes, forcing them to reassess their priorities.

But when an unhinged enemy targets Lio, will their gamble be too little too late, or will their love truly conquer all?

Just Say When is a standalone romantic suspense novel within the author’s Savannah universe. This book contains mature content and is attended for adults.

Universal Link

Add to Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

β€œAlex clearly doesn’t get his sportsmanship from his father,” Abe quipped.

β€œKiss my ass, Beecham,” I said softly in deference to the kids around us.

Abe leaned in until his hot breath ghosted over my ear. β€œGladly.”

I turned my head and looked at my best friend. His expression held a carnal promise that made me swallow hard. If I gave him the word, Abe would take me home, yank down my pants, and bury his face between my ass cheeks. I could practically feel his hot breath against my quivering pucker. His tongue would swirl and tease the rim before pushing in. Lust gripped my balls and squeezed. God, I wanted him so bad.

β€œNow I really need to hear this story,” Russ quipped, jerking me back to reality and saving me from breaking my own heart. I blinked away the fantasy, and Abe’s lips curled into a proud, wolfish smile. Unaware of the tension arcing between Abe and me, Russ continued chatting. β€œI knew you and Beecham went way back, Lio, but it sounds like there’s more to it than I realized.”Few people knew the full story because I was stingy when it came to Abe. Our relationship had been fueled by variations of hate and love for three decades, but there had never been a right time to explore whether those feelings could develop into something more profound. My heart wanted to say until now, but my brain knew better than to get my hopes up. Abe and I had both drawn lines in the sand, and neither showed signs of relenting.

*****

Review:

There’s a few complaints that this one really doesn’t stand on its own but I didn’t have any issues. Yes, we start the book with the main characters on the bring of moving from friends to a romantic relationship but the main block to their HEA still needs to be resolved – Abe’s issues with abandonment. His mom left him as a kid at the mercy of his abusive father, his grandmother died, and now he’s afraid that anyone he loves will also leave him. Lio knows all about Abe’s issues and is willing to wait for him, but he needs him to be open to addressing it before he will take their relationship any further. It’ll take some time and patience but Lio knows their future is worth it. I enjoyed how Abe & Lio worked their way to the new aspect of their relationship. It felt like they were willing to make sure that it was on a solid footing. But then someone puts that future in peril.

**potential minor spoilers ahead**

My understanding is that Walker is great at crafting a good mystery and I can see it. I didn’t guess where things were going until she revealed the threat. I do have to agree with some reviewers that the motive is potentially problematic and while I feel for what the main characters went through, given the who and why, I would have liked more compassion given to the person and their reasons. But if this is any indication of the kind of suspense element brought by the author I’m open to more.

I’ll admit I’m a pretty vanilla kinda girl and while I enjoy a spicier read, it’s not something I would be comfortable with in my own life so I tend to be a bit … unsure of how these scenes come across for others. To me, Wilson delivered the heat & then some, and I’m not really seeing anyone else complain, so if steamy and explicit m/m scenes are your jam, then read away!

A satisfying blend of tension, eroticism, and affection, Lio and Abe’s story was a good introduction to a new to me author and has me interested in what else she has to offer πŸ™‚

*****

Author Info:

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titlesβ€”wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day.

I’d love to hear from you.

You can reach me at:
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aimee-nicole-walker
Twitter – https://twitter.com/AimeeNWalker
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/aimeenicole.walker
Instagram – http://instagram.com/aimeenicolewalker
Blog – AimeeNicoleWalker.blogspot.com

Want to be the first to know about my book releases and have access to extra content? You can sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dlhPYj

My favorite place to hang out and chat with my readers is my Facebook group. Would you like to be a member of Aimee’s Dye Hards? We’d love to have you! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AimeesDyeHards/

Connect with Aimee:
https://linktr.ee/AimeeNicoleWalker

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of About Last Night, Aimee is giving away a $10 Amazon Voucher and an e-copy of Just Say When!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a57609/

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Review – Change His Tune

01 Thursday Sep 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ariella Zoelle, Book Review, Change His Tune, Harmony of Hearts series

Change His Tune

Harmony of Hearts #3

by Ariella Zoelle

Blurb:

Ferris is straight, so why can’t he stop wishing his fake flirtations with his best friend would become real?

Tiago Álvarez

Flirting with Ferris is one of my favorite hobbies. He always playfully rejects me because he’s straight, but I don’t let that get my hopes down. That’s why I’m so shocked when he agrees to my silly idea to drive our fangirls wild by pretending there might be something more to our friendship.

But I secretly have an ulterior motive in convincing my best friend that we should share our hilarious banter with the fans. I want to make him see that we could have something real if he gave us a chance.

It’s obvious how much fun he has teasing me, so I wonder if maybe Ferris isn’t as straight as he used to be?

Ferris Valdemar

I’ve been telling Tiago no for so long that I don’t know how to tell him yes. But I really want to give in to my feelings for him that I’ve been running away from for far too long.

When he comes up with his scheme to fake flirting with each other for our fans, it gives me the opportunity I need to come clean about my not-so-straight feelings for my gay best friend.

But how do I tell Tiago that I want to be more than just friends?

Change His Tune is the third book in the Harmony of Hearts series and part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a friends to lovers, bi awakening, fake dating, rock star, gay romance. If you love cute sweetness, sexy fun, and no angst stories that will make you laugh and swoon, you’ll enjoy this satisfying HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

Universal Link

Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

Chapter 1: Tiago Álvarez

I grinned at Ferris and swung for the fences by bringing out my cheesiest pickup lines. β€œThey say kissing is the β€˜language of love.’ Would you care to have a conversation with me about it sometime?”

He was clearly trying to hold in another chuckle. β€œLet me guess. You’re also fluent in French?”

β€œYes, and I’d be very happy to give you lessons.”

β€œThanks, but I’ll pass.”

I waggled my eyebrows at him, making him crack up. β€œAre you sure about that?”

β€œAbsolutely. What other gems do you have?”

I rubbed my thumb against my lower lip as I tried to exude sexiness. β€œYou’re so hot, my zipper is falling for you.”

He chuckled at that one. β€œIs that so?”

β€œOh, yeah. Roses are red. Violets are fine. You be the six. I’ll be the nine.” I made a kissy face at him as he howled with laughter.

β€œIn your dreams!”

β€œIt’s a dream I’d love to make come true with your help.”

He had to wipe away the tears that gathered at the corners of his eyes. β€œYou’re unbelievable.”

β€œWell, let’s see what you’ve got, then.”

β€œUnlike you, I don’t have an arsenal of terrible one-liners. And honestly, I’m a little bewildered that you have so many of those memorized.”

I cajoled him. β€œSurely, you must know at least one super-cheesy pickup line. Lay it on me.”

β€œOkay, fine.” He took a deep breath to calm himself from his earlier laughing fit. β€œFeel my shirt.”

It was a surprising command that I was all too happy to obey. I reached out and ran my hand up his tank to rest over his heart.

β€œDo you know what it’s made of?” Ferris asked. I shook my head. He then stunned me when he placed his hand over mine and interlaced our fingers as he pressed it against him while holding eye contact. β€œBoyfriend material.”

The moment of sexual tension was tense, waiting for one of us to give in to the magnetic attraction we had. I held his gaze as his words made me ache with a longing for that impossible dream. There was nothing I wanted more than to date my best friend, but it would never happen because he was straight.

Despite that, I could feel how fast his heart was racing as his cheeks turned pink. It was a mistake to imagine anything would ever develop between us, but it gave me hope that maybe someday, he’d give in to the intense chemistry we had.

Would my dreams of being with Ferris ever come true?

*****

Review:

The first two stories in this series were all about the insta-love (and the copious amounts of hot sex) but with Tiago and Ferris having been friends for years this one is different. Because of the build-up in previous stories, we pretty much dive right into the change from friends to lovers (so kinda keeping with that whole insta thing) and Ferris coming to grips with what that means. He’s spent a lot of time thinking he’s straight, laughing off Tiago’s comments and avoiding those niggling feelings that arise, so when he finally realizes that he could be bi there’s a bit of adjusting to do.

Tiago has been in love with his best friend for so very long, waiting and hoping that he’d feel the same. So it’s quite a surprise when Ferris finally admits that there is something there, but he’s patient and considerate, letting Ferris take his time to learn what he’s comfortable with. There’s plenty of sexy time but also a lot of humor and touching moments as the two of them figure out their new relationship.

Change His Tune is a slow-burn, low angst read but it’s very satisfying to be there as these two finally get a chance to find a HEA.

*****

Author Info:

Ariella Zoelle adores steamy, funny, swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. She writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. But sometimes she’s in the mood for something with a bit more angst and drama. If you are too, check out her A.F. Zoelle books.

For real-time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual guides, and more.

Website: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/
Newsletter: https://www.ariellazoelle.com/newsletter
Amazon Author Profile: https://amzn.to/3zzxJWg
A.F. Zoelle’s Books: https://amzn.to/3BAgypg
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/amazingafzoelle/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/extraafzoelle
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AriellaZoelle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariellazoelle/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/ariellazoelle
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ariella-zoelle

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate Ariella’s new release, we are giving you the chance to win the eBook of your choice from Ariella’s Published Works!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cc0f2a57521/?

~

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight –Β The Professor’s Date

31 Wednesday Aug 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Lana Hayes, Script Club series, The Professor's Date

The Professor’s Date
The Script Club #5
by Lane Hayes
Narrator: Alexander Cendese
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Release Date: July 21, 2022
Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 05 Hours 58 Minutes
Genre: Romance, Nerd/Jock, MM Romance, Humor, Hurt and Comfort

Blurb:

The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…

Tommy

Help! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them.

Yes, Noah, my dazzling dreamboat of a hair guru created a mini disaster, but I don’t mind at all. He’s a sweet, funny, kind jock whoβ€”

Screech! No jocks. I have nothing in common with sporty people.

Except…Noah is different.

Noah

I don’t date. However, I’m not opposed to offering fashion advice to a sexy professor in need. A haircut, a quick shopping expedition…

Boom! Mission accomplished.

Not so fast. I’ve misjudged the situation and my attraction to the geek with the tragic sense of style. Sure, Thomas is too smart for me by a long shot, but there’s something about him that makes it easy to forget my past. It might be his quietly commanding nature or his movie-star good looks. Or maybe it’s just him.

All I know is that I’m very tempted to be the professor’s date.

The Professor’s Date is an MM geek/jock romance featuring a nerdy professor, a soccer-playing hair stylist, and a quest for the perfect date!

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61371740-the-professor-s-date

*****

Excerpt:

β€œWould you happen to have any cyanoacrylate?”

I wrinkled my nose. β€œCyano…what?”

β€œSuperglue.”

β€œOh, I think I have some in my SUV. If not, there’s a drug store on the next corner. Just give me a minute to clean up.”

Thomas held up a finger, squinting through his good lens like a drunk owl. β€œThank you, but I don’t require assistance.”

β€œI’m responsible for this mini disaster. I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I don’t do something to help out.” I shook my head mournfully. β€œAnd I’m a mess without my eight hours, so please…”

He gave in with a sigh. β€œAll right.”

I did a mini happy dance, hoping he’d crack a smile. No such luck. However, there was a decent chance he couldn’t see me and yes, I was vain and ridiculous, but it was better than thinking I’d irritated him beyond redemption. He’d liked me five minutes ago, damn it. Maybe even lusted after me. I wasn’t crazy. I noticed those shy, sideways admiring glances, and I preferred them to his current stoically distant expression.

I tidied my area at warp speed, sweeping up the largest clumps of hair before dousing my hands with sanitizer and pulling my man bag from the mini locker in the corner. I slung it over my shoulder, peeked my head around the partition to say a quick au revoir to Easton, then motioned for Thomas to follow me.

β€œI parked in the lot behind the coffee shop. This way.”

I kept up a steady barrage of inane conversation on the short walk to my ride, ranging from spring weather and the flowers in bloom at the park near my condo to my yearly allergy woes. You know…nonsensical filler designed to entertain the sexy stranger who’d gone ghostly quiet.

His silence made me nervous. I liked it better when we were discussing merman dick. I didn’t know how to restore that mood, but fixing his lenses was probably a good start.

I popped open the hatch of my white Explorer and yanked a giant duffel from under a portable net to reach a small plastic toolbox. In my haste to rearrange the bags, a soccer ball rolled toward me and bounced onto the pavement.

Thomas scooped up the ball before it got away, then held it from his body, his brow furrowed hard enough to leave premature lines on his forehead. β€œWhat’s this?”

β€œMy equipment. Just…shove it anywhere,” I instructed, bending to sift through drill bits, wrenches, and tape measures.

β€œMy vision is laughably bad, but this appears to be sports paraphernalia. American soccer, perchance?”

Now, that was kind of cute.

β€œYou are correct, sir.” I plucked the ball from his fingers and wedged it into the open duffel, and returned to my task.

β€œIs it yours?”

β€œThe ball? Yes, Iβ€”oh, I think I found it.” I tossed him a quick smile as I groped around the bottom of the box and pulled out…a dried-up tube of superglue. β€œCrap. We’ll have to go to the drug store for your cyanide.”

β€œCyanoacrylate.”

β€œThat’s it. I promise it won’t take long. In fact, I’ll buy you coffee afterward. We can sip lattes while we wait for the glue to dry.”

β€œThank you, but that’s really not necessary.”

β€œI insist.” I shut the hatch, turning toward him as I locked my SUV with my key fob. He met my gaze, though his pronounced squint indicated he couldn’t see me well.

Thomas pushed his mangled glasses to the bridge of his nose and somehow managed to look fierce as hell. Call me crazy, but the steely professorial armor under his rumpled faΓ§ade was hot. Very hot. I wouldn’t mind climbing him like a tree, mussing his newly shorn locks, licking his lips, andβ€”

β€œIt was nice to meet you, Noah.”

Screech!

He offered a vague smile and turned away.

Shit.

I watched his retreating form, admiring his broad shoulders while berating myself for being such an idiot. But I let him go. I had to. It was a free world, and he was a big boy. He certainly didn’t have to listen to me. It was just a little worrisome that he’d risk life and limb and walking into wallsβ€”

Bam! He collided with the side of the bank building.

*****

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. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016, 2017, 2018-2019, and 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a not quite empty nest.

Website: https://lane-hayes.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaneHayesAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaneHayes3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7125719.Lane_Hayes

BookBub: http://bookbub.com/authors/lane-hayes

*****

Giveaway:

One lucky winner will receive a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/555033ec989/?

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Saving Gavin

17 Wednesday Aug 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Kaci Rose, Oakside Military Heroes series, Saving Gavin

Saving Gavin

Oakside Military Heroes series

by Kaci Rose

Genre: Contemporary Military Romance

Blurb:

I let her go before I enlisted. I left my heart with her.

Now I’m home for good – my world has changed, my sight gone.

Not only do I have to be with her every day as I learn to navigate the world around me, but I have to come face to face with my regrets.

She deserves more than me.

I need her.

I want her.

Will she want me again — the damaged version of the man who broke her heart?

This is a steamy military romance and the first book in my Oakside Military Heroes series. Each book can be read as a standalone but as always better together. Follow these strong possessive heroes as they find their forever girls.

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read * Goodreads

*****

Author Info:

Kaci runs on coffee, chocolate, and Oreos. She loves her book boyfriends with tattoos, muscles, beards, and a little dirty.

Kaci loves romance books and has been jotting down ideas since she was in high school and is now putting the ideas down on paper. She believes in satisfying, happily ever afters with a lot of steam on the way. 

She was born and raised in Southwest Florida but is wholeheartedly a mountain girl. She has been reading as many books as she could get her hands on since grade school and loves to travel when she gets the chance.Β 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * TikTok

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon 

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – When It Falls Apart

21 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Catherine Bybee, When It Falls Apart

I’m so excited to share a Q&A with Catherine Bybee today!

For anyone wondering the plot of your newest release, you give a great sneak peek with the titleβ€”When it Falls Apart. What is β€œfalling apart” in this novel?

All the threads that hold my heroine, Brooke, together are crumbling down around her. When it Falls Apart begins with Brooke’s romantic relationship crashing and burning. At the same time, in a different state, her father is circling the drain in the ICU. And for the cherry on the top of her β€œfalling apart life”, Brooke has found herself demoted at work. In short, everything in Brooke’s life is dissolving around her.

Like all of your books, When it Falls Apart has a beautiful romance, however, there is a rawness about Brooke’s story. How was writing this novel different from your others?

If you read my notes both in the front and the back of this novel, you’ll soon realize that the story was very personal to me. Rawness comes from experience. The relationship Brooke has with her father is hauntingly familiar to me and my dad. The emotions that the heroine experienced when taking care of him were easy for me to grasp onto and write about. Sadly, the love story with Luca was completely made up and I didn’t have the support of a strong Italian family to help deal with the struggles, but I digress. 

Relationships with a parent who wasn’t there for you growing up are messy. When that parent ages and needs their child, sometimes that help comes with a bucketload of resentment, even if the child wishes they could stop those ugly feelings from creeping up on them. And THAT is the rawness you speak of.

Books, TV shows, and movies oftentimes glamorize what it means to care for a loved one. However, in When it Falls Apart you don’t sugar-coat anything about caregiving and the toll it takes on a person. How do you think readers who have been in similar situations will be affected by this story?

Justified. Validated. Accepted.

It’s a hard job taking care of an elderly family member. And if there aren’t other siblings to help, or won’t help, it’s made even more difficult. It’s difficult, gritty, dirty work that only has a bad ending…eventually. What I do hope my readers take away is that they’re not alone. That the struggle is very real and that if they don’t find balance (which is almost impossible at times) they will burn out completely and not be fit to help at all. I hope my readers are empowered to set boundaries and balance, so they come out on the other side of caring for an elderly loved one whole themselves.

Brooke gets virtually no support from her significant other, which has her reevaluating their relationship. She realizes she has settled and has to make some hard decisions. Do you think this happens too many times to women in real life?

100% Yes! There is a song by Taylor Swift with a line that says, and I’m paraphrasing here, I can be what you want for the weekend. But often that weekend ends up being a relationship that women hold on to or are convinced they can’t live without. Often it takes a huge shake-up to remove yourself from that situation. But once you’re away from the day to day dysfunctional relationship, the easier it is to see the dysfunction.

After her breakup and move, Brooke is not looking for a relationship. In fact, she tells her best friend: β€œI haven’t wiped off my smeared mascara from Marshall yet, the last thing I want is to jump into anything else.” Her crying over a man lasts all about two minutes when she meets Luca. Tell us about him.

Hmmm, Luca… he is the kind of man who doesn’t want a place on Brooke’s dance card…he wants to rip it up.

Luca is wired to help the people in his life. Brooke becomes a part of his inner circle simply by moving into the family building where he sees her every day.

Now, if Luca had flat out asked Brooke on a date, she would have run the other way…so no, he doesn’t go about it that way. He simply shows up and does not leave. Not when things get tough, or messy…or when his own past peeks its head in. Luca is a man who is right there at Brooke’s side without question or censor on why she does the things she does. His support and validation of her feelings is the part she was missing. Add in the hunky Italian single father and β€œMamma Mia!”

At first, Luca is not thrilled that Brooke is renting a room in his family’s building. What changes his mind about her?

Her strength and vulnerability. I know that sounds contradicting, but some of the strongest women I know have a big vulnerable spot in their life that if you know them well enough, you see. The biggest smiles often hide the deepest pain. Luca sees her struggle and dedication to helping her elderly father and since family is first on Luca’s list, she passes his unconscious test.

Luca’s family, the D’Angelo’s, are incredibly close and share everything from ownership of the family restaurant to helping care for Luca’s daughter Franny. How is this different from Brooke’s relationship with her family?

Brooke doesn’t have that family. She has a father who abandoned her as a little girl that she carved out a relationship as an adult, and now she’s charged with caring for. Even her previous romantic relationship didn’t support her unconditionally the way the D’Angelo’s do for each other. She’s rather dumbfounded when they start treating her like family. It’s a wonderful thing to watch happen.

San Diego’s Little Italy plays a huge part in the story. The community, language, and food are in full display. Tell us about your own experiences in your adopted city.

I love Little Italy, the food, the pace… the people. There are many places in San Diego that are overrun with the college scene, San Diego is a college town. But Little Italy is more family friendly. Very touristy, but there isn’t a day you don’t see locals hanging out. I go to the farmer’s market often. Pick up authentic Italian ingredients for my own home cooking. I try new restaurants and take all my friends there when they are visiting from out of town. Not to mention it was the closest thing to the β€œreal Italy” that I could go during the travel restrictions. So why not write about it and tell the world of this small island within San Diego that shouldn’t be missed?

There are two more siblings in the D’Angelo family. Where will you be taking readers next with the series?

Chloe is a yogi. Think Bali!

And Giovanni loves wine… think Tuscany, Italy.

I cannot wait to show you what I have in store for these two!

When It Falls Apart

by Catherine Bybee

Release Date: June 21, 2022

Publisher: Montlake 

Blurb:

Brooke Turner has always had a complicated relationship with her father. But when his health takes a turn for the worse, she drops everything to care for him. He’s her dad, after all, and he needs her. What Brooke doesn’t anticipate is the unraveling of her long-term relationship and a cross-country move to San Diego’s Little Italy.

Luca D’Angelo is the oldest of three children and a single father to a young daughter. When his mother rents the top floor of their house to Brooke, he’s angry. Who is this beautiful stranger with no ties to the neighborhood? Can she be trusted in such close proximity to his family?

As Luca learns of Brooke’s difficult journey with her ailing father, his heart softens. And Brooke, who witnesses Luca’s struggle as a single parent, develops feelings for him, too. But when it all falls apart, will love heal their wounded hearts?

*****

Excerpt:

β€œOh my God, Carmen. He was standing at his car first thing this morning. Like β€˜hop in, bella, let’s get stuff done today.’ Who does that?” 

Brooke had picked up the phone as soon as Luca was off in search of a dump guy. 

β€œWe’re talking about the single, hot, Italian dad, right?” 

Brooke rolled her eyes. β€œYes. Luca.” 

β€œOy, oy, oy.” 

β€œStop it. I need advice. And I need it before he gets back.” 

Carmen stopped teasing. β€œYou don’t need advice. You need to relax. He sounds like one of the good ones. Let it happen.” 

β€œLet it happen,” she mocked. β€œI don’t β€˜let’ things happen. It happens to me and it’s never good.” 

β€œYou didn’t used to be such a pessimist.” 

β€œOnce upon a time the glass was half full. Not these days.” 

β€œOkay, Debbie Downer. You want my advice . . . here it is. Keep doing whatever it is you’re doing.” 

β€œI’m not doing anything. Zero effort.” 

β€œReally?” Carmen didn’t sound convinced. β€œMakeup . . . a nice dress?” 

Brooke hesitated. β€œMaybe . . . a little last night, but that was it.” 

Carmen chuckled. 

β€œCarmen!”

β€œSorry. Okay . . . any red flags?” 

Brooke thought about that. β€œHe loved his ex-wife.” 

β€œThat’s a red flag?” 

β€œI guess not.” 

β€œIs he good to his mom?” 

Brooke looked back on the dinner the night before. β€œTo the whole family. He takes being the oldest brother quite seriously.” 

β€œAnd his daughter?” 

All Brooke could do was smile. β€œGreat dad. We should all be so lucky.” 

β€œHe’s Italian, does he smoke?” 

β€œNo.” 

β€œA lot of Italians smoke,” Carmen pointed out. 

β€œIn Italy. The San Diego variety are less in that wheelhouse.” 

β€œThat’s good.” Carmen sighed. β€œI don’t know what to tell you, Brooke. How does he kiss?” 

β€œHe hasn’t kissed me,” Brooke nearly yelled. 

β€œNow then . . . we have a problem.” 

β€œThere hasn’t been . . . I don’t even know if—” 

β€œStop right there. He did not drive your sorry ass all the way to Upland to do grunt work all day if he wasn’t interested in kissing you, bellllaaa. More than that, you want him to.” 

Brooke closed her eyes, and even in her own head she couldn’t convince herself that Carmen was wrong. 

β€œLet it happen. You deserve some happiness, Brooke.” 

The van with the air conditioning repair guy pulled into the driveway. 

β€œI gotta go.” 

β€œI want a kissing update the next time we talk,” Carmen teased. 

β€œLove you,” Brooke said with a laugh.

β€œBack at ya, boo.” 

She hung up. 

Her best friend was such a dork.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight books that have collectively sold more than five million copies and have been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series.

Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee 

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@catherinebybee1 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_BybeeΒ Β 

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of Catherine Bybee’s WHEN IT FALLS APART

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f277/

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Review – Shadows of His Mind

16 Thursday Jun 2022

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Loree Lough, Shadows of His Mind, Shadows series

Shadows of His Mind

Shadows series

by Loree Lough

Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Blurb:

Jase Brooks had been a 26-year-old Marine, stationed in Afghanistan when his parents were killed in a head-on collision. His anguish was compounded when, at the reading of the will, he learned they’d made him sole guardian of his 11-year-old brother. Jase gladly walked away from a promising military career to step into their shoes, a tough job made tougher by the boy’s risky behavior: Petty theft to fund the addictions that led to the birth of his son, Luke… who also became Jase’s responsibility.

Through it all, best friend Samantha (Sam) Finnigan set aside her own heartaches to stand beside him–even when he made the dangerous decision to become a professional recovery agent. It isn’t until one of the criminals he’d rounded-up escapes prison–and kidnaps Sam and Luke as part of a twisted scheme to even the score–that Jase realizes Sam is more, so much more than a friend.

Now, he faces the greatest challenge of his life: Staying alive long enough to save them, so that he can finally admit just how much she has always meant to him…

Loree Lough, a USA Today bestselling author, has published over 140 novels. This is the second novel in The Shadow Series.

Add to Goodreads
Amazon * B&N * Rising Phoenix Press

*****

Excerpt:

Elbows on knees, he held his head in his hands. What awful thing would life throw at him next!

By now, ten month old Luke’s cries bordered on screams.

β€œJesse,” he growled, β€œare ya deaf? Luke is bawlin’ his lungs out!”

Most days, that was enough to get his brother up, stumbling and grumbling and chanting, β€œShh, Lukey, shh,” on his way to the crib.

Not this morning.

Jase crossed the hall, opened the door to the room where Jesse had slept for nearly ten years. Luke greeted him with a big, four-toothed smile and said, β€œDuke up, Case?”

His nephew hadn’t yet mastered his L’s and J’s, and Jase had grown fond of the boy’s  nickname for him, so fond that he wasn’t looking forward to the day when Luke could finally say β€˜Luke’ and β€˜Jase.’

β€œDah-dee s’eep?” He pointed at his father’s bed.             

Jesse had always been a restless sleeper, moreso since Connie left him to raise their boy, alone. The neatly-made bed proved he hadn’t slept here last night.

He thumb-dried fat tears from the baby’s cheeks. β€œWhere is that daddy of yours?” he wondered aloud, and lifted him from the crib.

Damp blue eyes met his, held the gaze for a moment. On the heels of a shaky sigh, Luke snuggled against Jase’s chest and whimpered, β€œDah-dee.”

β€œSomeday he’ll realize what a gift you are, li’l man.” He hoped it was true, for both their sakes … before it’s too late.

According to the Ford Thunderbird wall clock, it was nearly six in the morning. The kid was probably wet. And hungry. Jase went back to the crib, released the side rail, and gently deposited him on the matching T-bird sheets. β€œLet’s get you changed, and then Uncle Jase will fix you some oatmeal, okay?”

The baby grabbed his favorite toyβ€”the stuffed monkey Jase purchased in the hospital gift shop the night Luke was bornβ€”and began gnawing on the long, once-fuzzy tail. β€œGot another tooth comin’ in, huh, kiddo?”

Any worries that Connie’s drug use might have caused birth defects disappeared that first night, looking into those alert, innocent eyes. He’d vowed, right then and there, to do everything in his power to make sure the kid stayed innocent. He hadn’t done a very good job, protecting Jesse from the world’s evils, but maybe with Luke, he’d get a second chance to do things right.

It hadn’t been easy, straddling the line between big brother and disciplinarian, partly because he had no idea what he was doing, and partly because Jesse fought him every step of the way. But for a while there, while working together to fix their dad’s classic Thunderbird, their brotherly bond strengthened enough to distract Jesse from bad company, drugs, and booze. He’d been clean a year when the car was finally roadworthy, and he’d driven it to daily AA meetings. Ironic, Jase thought, that the following year, Jesse met Connie at one of those meetings. Her influence had been stronger than AA’s. Stronger than Jase’s. When she announced her pregnancy, Jase had hoped that fatherhood would end Jesse’s slow, downward spiral, but the empty bed across the room said otherwise.

Downstairs, he strapped Luke into his high chair. β€œThat oughta keep you busy,” he said, sprinkling a handful of Cheerios across the tray, β€œwhile I heat up your oatmeal.” And when I put you down for a nap, I’m gonna hunt up that father of yours …

*****

Review:

Jase has taken a lot on his shoulders throughout his life – serving his country, raising his brother, and now helping to care for his nephew. He can carry it all but it definitely helps to have help. Sam has had feelings for Jase forever, so helping him when he needs it isn’t a hardship. She just wished that sometimes he could see her as more than friends. Trouble at home, followed by danger from Jase’s job, has him realizing how much Sam really means to him … if it isn’t too late.

I enjoyed the characters and the plot definitely kept my interest. The story isn’t very long so it moved pretty quickly and unfortunately I felt like some stuff was left out or glossed over. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the book but it did keep it from being as smooth as maybe it could have been. Overall, though, a fast, satisfying, and occasionally exciting read.

******

Author Info:

With more than 14M copies of her books in circulation, USA Today bestselling/award-winning author Loree Lough has 125 books in print (contracts for 6 more), 7 book-to-movie options, 68 short stories and 2,500+ published articles. She and her real-life hero split their time between a home in Baltimore’s suburbs and a cabin in the Alleghenies. She loves interacting with readers and answers every letter personally.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon giftcard – 1 winner, 

Paperback of Shadows of His Mind – 1 winner, 

ebook of Shadows of His Mind – 2 winners!

https://www.silverdaggertours.com/sdsxx-tours/shadows-of-his-mind-book-tour-and-giveaway

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Review – Lord of Worth

07 Tuesday Jun 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Ladies of Worth series, Lord of Worth, Philippa Jane Keyworth

Lord of Worth

Ladies of Worth series

by Philippa Jane Keyworth

Blurb:

London 1776: Lord Worth is busying himself restoring his family fortunes and burying any feelings he still harbours for the woman who rejected his proposal.

The fact that the lady in questionβ€”Lady Rebecca Fairingβ€”happens to be his sister’s best friend, his niece’s godmother, and present at every Societal gathering of consequence is… unfortunate. 

Meanwhile Rebecca fears she made the wrong decision in rejecting James Worth, but when he assures her he won’t be renewing his proposal, she is forced to accept her choice. It doesn’t take long for the eligible Lord Worth to attract other suitors, among them Lady Sophia, daughter to Society’s most notorious gossip, Lady Goring.

Rebecca knows she must step aside and allow James to find happiness, but when she senses all is not as it seems in the Goring family, she can’t help but intervene.

As James and Rebecca work together to unearth Societal secrets, deal with scheming matriarchs, and face villainous highwaymen, they find themselves more in each other’s company than ever before. 

Will they continue to bury their feelings for one another, or will they finally realise what it means to love?

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lord-Worth-Ladies-Book-ebook/dp/B09WXNRNC4/

US – https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Worth-Ladies-Book-ebook/dp/B09WXNRNC4/

*****

Review:

Rebecca reminds me a lot of how I remember Jane Austen’s Emma – a big heart but a little flighty and easily swayed by a pretty face & even prettier words. She learns a few things about what’s truly important but of course manages to get herself into a scrape or two along the way. I’m not sure if I’d feel differently about her if I’d read the previous books though.

James is solid, dependable, and a little taciturn. He may not be as flashy as the rest of the Ton but he’s a good man and a good catch. Unfortunately the one woman he wants turned him down and he’s not really interested in getting married to just anyone. Regardless of what their mom’s think. So finding himself constantly thrown into Rebecca’s company isn’t helping. But he can’t help himself from getting involved when it’s obvious that one of their friends needs help, even when it means more time with Rebecca.

Lord of Worth is a slow burn, second chance love story with a good dose of societal shenanigans, misunderstandings, heartbreak, and trouble on the way to a satisfying happy ending.

(Can be read as a stand alone but probably enjoyed more if read in order.)

*****

Author Info:

Philippa Jane Keyworth, also known as P. J. Keyworth, writes historical romance and fantasy novels you’ll want to escape into.

She loves strong heroines, challenging heroes and backdrops that read like you’re watching a movie. She creates complex, believable characters you want to get to know and worlds that are as dramatic as they are beautiful.

Keyworth’s historical romance novels include Regency and Georgian romances that trace the steps of indomitable heroes and heroines through historic British streets. From London’s glittering ballrooms to its dark gaming hells, characters experience the hopes and joys of love while avoiding a coil or too! Travel with them through London, Bath, Cornwall and beyond and you’ll find yourself falling in love.

Keyworth’s fantasy seriesΒ The She Trilogy unveils a world of nomadic warrior tribes and peaceful forest-dwelling folk. Explore the hills, deserts and cities of Emrilion and the history that is woven through them. With so many different races in the same kingdom it’s become a melting pot of drama and intrigue where the ultimate struggle between good and evil will bring it all to the brink of destruction.

https://www.instagram.com/pjkeyworth/

https://www.twitter.com/pjkeyworth/

https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaJaneKeyworthBooks

*****

Giveaway:

Win a signed copy of Lord of Worth (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.Β  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.Β  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.Β  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.Β Β I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494498/?

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Spotlight – Temptation in Istanbul

12 Thursday May 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Hana Sheik, Temptation in Istanbul

Hi readers! I’m Hana Sheik, and it’s release day for my second Harlequin Romance/Mills & Boon True Love, Temptation in Istanbul. Yippee!!! I’m here to share an excerpt from the book with you today. It’s a first kiss scene, and I’ll never tire of writing any firsts between lovers.

If you love first kisses too, I hope this one hits your sweet spot.πŸ’•

Temptation in Istanbul

by Hana Sheik

Blurb:

A single dad’s greatest temptation? The nanny on his doorstep!

Billionaire Faisal is anxiously awaiting custody of his little girl, who’s been living miles away with her mother. First he must win the approval of her nanny, Maryan, who has traveled with her to Istanbul. While he shows Maryan the delights of his city, the instant attraction between them is hard to ignore. But Maryan leaves in two weeks, so Faisal must decide how much of his bruised heart he is prepared to risk…

Purchase link for Temptation in Istanbul:

https://books2read.com/TemptationIstanbul

Harlequin

Mills & Boon UK

Mills & Boon Australia

*****

Excerpt:

He offered her a hand.

Maryan hesitated a second, and then she grasped his hand, his long, strong fingers holding hers in an even-pressured grip.

Their hands remained clasped longer than necessary.

Longer than she’d have normally liked.

But Faisal had made her feel like she wasn’t alone. Like her troubles were his in a way, and she’d come out of this baking and talking feeling lighter, calmer.

Happier.

β€œMaryan.” He spoke her name in a breathy whisper; a reverence pulsed from those two syllables. So much so that it sounded less like her name and more like a prayer. She shivered visibly, unable to help the reaction. Her body temperature rose when he closed the short gap between them and his hand brushed up her arm before moving to cup her too-warm cheek. It was a simple touch that set off a firework of desire in her.

β€œThank you for listening. For asking. For pushing to know.”

He spoke her mind. Those were the exact words she wished to utter to him. And she would have, had she had a voice to do it with.

His next breath was drawn out, the heat of it brushing her cheek when he planted a quick kiss there.

She stood frightfully still, the pressure of his soft mouth, the emotion behind the gesture, forcing open an ocean’s worth of yearning for him. When he slowly drew his head up, almost reluctantly, Maryan made her choice.

Or maybe he’d made it first, and she went along for the ride.

Because when his eyes regarded her, and his face pushed in closer again, their noses brushing, she pulled up onto her toes and connected their lips in an intimate play of his chaste kiss on her cheek. A hunger accentuated their lip-lock. It colored the moan rumbling through his chest and the heated press of their bodies as he backed her into the opposite counter.

Resurfacing for air was expected but unwanted.

Maryan would’ve gladly allowed Faisal to steal another kiss and rob her of breath again. A clanging alertness took hold of her when he growled, β€œMaryan,” and splayed his heavy, warm hands on her hips.

This time she knew who made the decision for them.

She pushed him away first. Gently, pleadingly. She didn’t have the strength to do it twice.

β€œWe can’t.” And they really couldn’t. They had to think of Zara. What would she wonder if she caught them kissing?

And I’m leaving in a week.

A week wasn’t a good enough reason to jump into bed with the first good-looking billionaire who swept her off her feet. Chemistry or no chemistry, sleeping with Faisal would be a stupid and dangerous move. Stupid because there was no chance it would become a meaningful relationship, and dangerous for the very same reason.

She backed away, her shaking hands giving up on untying her apron.

Abandoning the kitchen, she hightailed it to her room and didn’t look back until she closed her door.

She counted the seconds that lapsed from the time she left him.

When no knock came from the other side and no footsteps down the hall, she pressed a hand to her thumping heart and analyzed what happened downstairs with Faisal.

He’d kissed her.

Correction: they had kissed.

She’d been an active participant in it. That, and she couldn’t kid herself that she hadn’t thought of kissing him before then.

As Maryan stood there, her body more alive in that second than it ever was, two things were clearer now about her and Faisal. Their hearts were both closed off to love, and their attraction was a potent force of nature that went against everything she thought she could feel with another human being before.

*****

Author Info:

Hana Sheikfalls in love every day reading her favourite romances and writing her ownhappy-ever-afters. She’s worked as a data entry operator, customer service rep, telemarketer, andghostwriterβ€”but being a romance author is without a doubt the best job ever! Born in Somalia, shemoved to the beautiful capital of Canada as a toddler, and still lives there happily with her family.

I love to hear from readers. Come say β€œhi”:

Facebook Author Page

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page (US)

Website

*****

Giveaway:

Giveaway to Win 3 x paperback copies of Temptation in Istanbul (Open to UK / Ireland / US &Canada)

*Terms and Conditions–UK / Ireland / US and Canada entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfillment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494496/?

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Review – Maybe We Won’t

26 Tuesday Apr 2022

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Maybe We Won't, Melissa Foster, Silver Harbor series

Melissa Foster is celebrating the release of her new contemporary romance, Maybe We Won’t. Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!Β 

Maybe We Won’t

Silver Harbor #3

by Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

A sexy and soul-stirring novel about love, family, and rediscovering what matters most by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.

When workaholic Boston attorney Deirdra de MessiΓ©res is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she takes a two-month hiatus to show her boss just how much he needs her and heads home to Silver Island. But beyond seeing her sisters happy, home is not where Deirdra’s heart is. She has no interest in their family restaurant, the Bistro, or reliving hurtful childhood memories, and absolutely no interest in spending a single second with Josiah β€œJagger” Jones, the Bistro’s too-laid-back musician and chef. Sure, the hippie is hot, but he drives her nuts. The guy lives in a van with his dog, and he can’t even commit to a solid work schedule. To make matters worse, he’s always around. She needs to get off the island, stat.

Jagger has overcome his own personal trials to place stock in life’s pleasures: family, friends, peace…and if he has his way, one positively beautiful, absolutely uptight attorney. Jagger knows he’s the perfect person to help Deirdra deal with her hurtful past and find her way back to being happy.

A chance encounter leads to deep conversation, and night after liberating night, Deirdra lets down her guard. But neither has plans to stay on Silver Island. Free-spirited Jagger has wanderlust, and Deirdra has a career to return to. They’re on different paths, and plans for a future together don’t stand a chance. But when has anything gone according to plan?

The Silver Harbor series is published by Montlake Romance and will be available in paperback and audio formats at all book retailers, and exclusively in digital format for Kindle and Kindle apps. Download a free Kindle reading app here: http://bit.ly/FreeKindle_App1

Order Your Copy!Β 
Kindle | Paperback
Audiobook:Β Amazon | Apple | Audible

*****

Excerpt:

Deirdra de MessiΓ©res lay in her childhood bedroom on Silver Island thinking about her upended life. She’d worked her ass off for the last several years as a corporate attorney for a tech firm in Boston, and after her promotion to assistant general counsel last year, she’d thought she was on the fast track to becoming general counsel when the slot opened upβ€”until the GC had a heart attack and her slave-driver boss, Malcolm, had hired a referral from outside the company through his good-old-boy network.

The bastard.

He’d sprung that little nugget on her three days ago, after which Deirdra had announced her two-month hiatus, effective immediately. Everyone had been shocked, including Deirdra. She’d never taken time off and had made herself available in the evenings and on weekends since she’d first started with the company. She’d had to. It was a dog-eat-dog industry, and with six other attorneys on boardβ€”four of whom were menβ€”she’d wanted to stand out. Yes, she was well aware that she was putting the company she’d given her all to in a pickle, especially since the new general counsel couldn’t start for another two months. But that was the point. Let them suffer without her impeccable mind handling everything under the sun. She was confident in her game plan and certain Malcolm would quickly see the error of his ways.

Well, pretty confident, anyway. Ninety percent sure.

Okay, seventy-five percent.

The truth was, she’d thought he wouldn’t let her walk out the door after her announcement. But her stern sixty-year-old boss had simply wished her a relaxing time and said she needed it. She’d already received dozens of calls and emails from colleagues who were shocked that she’d taken so much time off, but she struggled with disappointment over the ones that hadn’t come from her boss.

She still couldn’t believe Malcolm had said she freaking needed the break. As if she’d ever produced subpar work? That was a laugh. He’d had nothing but accolades for her jobs well done, and last year’s promotion had been proof of that.

Her frustration simmered to the boiling point. Ugh. She needed to stop overthinking the situation. Fat chance of that happening for a self-professed control freak. Deirdra not overthinking would be as weird as her younger sister, Abby, not seeing the bright side of things or their older half sister, Cait, trusting everyone at face value. Deirdra had a better chance of trying to transform into a bird and fly away.

If only . . .

She and her sisters were quite the trio, and they’d had a whirlwind few months. She and Abby had only discovered Cait existed in the spring, when they’d come back to the island to go over their mother’s will with one of their mother’s best friends, Shelley Steele. While Abby had embraced and trusted Cait unconditionally from the moment she’d met her, Deirdra had been cautious, given that their family house, restaurant, and meager inheritances were on the line. It had taken Cait some time to open up and trust them as well. But they’d gotten through those trials and tribulations and had become close. Cait was a wonderful addition to their family, and like Abby, she’d found solace and love on Silver Island.

Deirdra would not be following suit.

Beyond seeing her sisters happy, Deirdra had no interest in their family restaurant, the Bistro, or in the island on which she’d spent too many years trying to hold together the pieces of her alcoholic mother’s disheveled life, helping to run the Bistro and keep a roof over their heads. Deirdra had fled immediately after high school to attend Boyer University in Upstate New York with her bestie, Sutton Steele, and had finally started living her own life. But self-preservation had consequences, and Abby had been stuck caring for their mother in Deirdra’s absence. That sucked, but what choice had Deirdra had at the time? Stay on the rinky-dink island running a restaurant she resented and putting her drunk mother to bed while her dreams went to pot? Besides, Abby had encouraged her to go, and Deirdra had clung to that support like a lifeboat in her sea of guilt as she’d set out to prove herself to Abby and maybe even to stick it to her mother and show that she couldn’t hold her back.

Deirdra stared at the ceiling, discomfort simmering inside her. She’d thought her resentment toward the island and all that it represented might ease now that her mother was gone, but painful reminders lingered like ghosts in the wind, and the house and her bedroom were filled with them. Abby and Aiden had done a great job of sprucing it up. It was absolutely gorgeous. To anyone else it would seem warm and inviting, but there wasn’t enough paint on the planet to obliterate Deirdra’s painful memories. How many nights had she snuck out the window just to sit on the hill and look out at the water to keep from drowning in her mother’s wake?

Maybe she shouldn’t have come back, but she couldn’t do that to Cait. The start of her impromptu hiatus had lined up with the day Cait and all their friends were fixing up her new tattoo shop. Deirdra wasn’t big on manual labor, but she loved her sisters, and she’d needed to get out of Boston. She was glad she’d come, even if being on the island was uncomfortable. She’d gotten to witness Cait’s boyfriend, Deirdra’s childhood friend Brant Remington, get down on one knee in front of all their friends and propose. Deirdra couldn’t be happier for them, but come hell or high water, she was getting off this island tomorrow and going on a well-deserved vacation, the destination of which was yet to be determined.

The sound of the front door jarred her from her thoughts, and Abby’s giggles floated upstairs. She and her fiancΓ©, Aiden Aldridge, couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Deirdra glanced at her phone. It was almost one o’clock in the morning. In the spring, Abby had moved back home from New York, where she’d worked sixty-plus hours a week as a chef. She’d met and fallen head over heels for Aiden in a whirlwind love affair. Together they’d revived the Bistro, and they were getting married in November.

Deirdra tried to focus on the distant sounds of Silver Harbor sneaking in through the open window instead of the cacophony of laughter, low conversations, and prolonged silences, followed by loud lustful sounds coming from downstairs. If only she were back in Boston. She preferred her noisy neighbor’s stereo blasting classic rock and oldies at all hours over this. At least that she could dance to.

Needless to say, she was a little jealous of her sisters’ love lives. Not that she’d had time for a man, or anything else besides work, these last few years. More noises floated upstairs. She closed her eyes, willing them not to have sex in the living room or, worse, in the kitchen. She had to eat at that table. Oh God, that’s probably what Aiden is doing. She squeezed her eyes shut. Deletedeletedelete!

What was she thinking, staying in her old bedroom? She should have stayed in the apartment over the garage. Why hadn’t she thought of that from the get-go?

A loud thud rattled the walls, followed by more laughter.

Deirdra flew out of bed. She was not going to listen to a play-by-play of Abby and Aiden having sex. She put on her silk kimono and headed downstairs, praying she wouldn’t catch them in a compromising position. She stopped on the bottom step, eyeing the trail of clothing that led past the steps and down the hall to their bedroom. Thank God. Hurrying into the kitchen, she snagged the key to the apartment off the hook by the side door and quietly slipped outside. She crossed her arms against the brisk September air as she climbed the steps to the apartment above the garage.

A streak of moonlight lit a path down the hallway to the bedroom. She took off her kimono and slipped under the warm covers, closing her eyes as she sank into the mattress. Something moved beside her, and her eyes flew open just as that something licked her face. She screamed and jumped out of the bed, flailing for the light switch. A bark rang out, and a cold nose hit her crotch. She swatted at it as she flicked on the lights, illuminating an amused Josiah β€œJagger” Jones pushing languidly from the bed as his dalmatian, Dolly, nosed Deirdra’s privates. The twentysomething hippie worked at the Bistro as a part-time musician and part-time chef.

β€œWhat are you doing here?” She twisted away from Dolly, her eyes catching on Jagger’s naked body. Holy mother of hotness. Broad shoulders and a few wordy tattoos on his ribs vied for her attention, but her eyes locked on the dusting of dark chest hair trailing down lickable abs, and her thoughts skidded to a halt at the impressive cock dangling between his legs. She couldn’t look away. Her loneliest parts clenched with desire, while her boggled mind tried to make sense of the perfect manscaping, which didn’t fit the image she held of the hemp-clothing- and sandal-wearing, too-damn-laid-back guy for whom she had no patience. Not that she’d ever imagined him naked. Well, not too often anyway. He may not be her typeβ€”give her a man in a suit any dayβ€”but she couldn’t deny that Jagger was hot, and he had a great voice, the kind that fantasies were made of. His hair wasn’t bad, either: dark, thick, and wavy. The kind of hair she’d love to hold on to while his face was between her legs.

Dolly licked her, snapping her back to the moment.

Holy crap. She was losing it. She was thirty years old, and he couldn’t be more than twenty-four or -five. She needed to get off the island and scratch that particular itch with a man who was more her speed . . . age . . . Holy cow, his body . . .

Dolly licked her again, jerking her mind back into submission.

β€œDolly!” She turned away, glowering at Jagger, who was watching her with a big-ass grin.

β€œLike what you see?” he said far too casually. He lazily raked a hand through his hair, his leather and beaded bracelets slipping down his wrist.

*****

Review:

Jagger is easy-going, happy-go-lucky, and a friend to many. Quite the contrast to the stand-offish lawyer of the de MessiΓ©res family. Deirdra might be a tad bit uptight, maybe even a touch snobbish, but it doesn’t take too long being around Jagger to start her taking a long, hard look at the person she’d become. She’s let her resentment and the bad memories of her childhood on the island color her view of it, the people who live their, and even her own sisters. Once she’s gotten a good look at her life, she’s not really sure she likes it all that much after all.

As Jagger helps Deirdra face her past and the two become closer, she starts to uncover a part of herself she’s buried deep. But can she let go of her trauma enough to really embrace the person she could be? Even though the story pretty much goes exactly as you’d expect it to, Maybe We Won’t is still a thoroughly enjoyable read. Foster can always be counted on to bring readers stories of heat mixed with humor and a more than generous amount of emotion and her latest shows exactly how well she does it.

*****

Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, and the Wild Boys After Dark. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented.  

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole. 

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod. 

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website. 

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa. 

Connect with the Author:Β Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Fanclub | Google+ | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | Website

*****

Giveaway:

2 Snow Sisters ebook Boxed Set

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb939/

~

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Review – Definitely Deacon

21 Thursday Apr 2022

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Belong to Me series, Book Review, Definitely Deacon, Vawn Cassidy

Definitely Deacon

Belong to Me series

by Vawn Cassidy

Blurb:

Jesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more clichΓ©. He’s been in love with his best friend forever, but when he starts pulling away and goes radio silent on him for six months, Jesse begins to wonder if their friendship is finally over.

Deacon James lives his life at two speeds, a hundred miles an hour and stop. He’s spent the last decade travelling the world, winning races, partying with the most beautiful men and women, and living life on his terms, a life which was pretty close to perfect… with just one caveat… he’s never quite been able to get over the boy he left behind. His best friend Jesse has always made him yearn for something he’s too afraid to face and cutting him out of his life seemed like the only answer.

But things are never that simple. When Deacon wakes from an accident in Italy with Jesse asleep in the hospital chair beside him, he discovers Jesse’s been keeping secrets of his own.

At a crossroads in their life, they’re faced with a choice, build something deeper and stronger from the ashes, or let words unsaid and secrets tear them apart forever.

From author Wendy Saunders writing as Vawn Cassidy comes this second chance, friends to lovers, hurt/comfort with a HEA.

Universal Link

Add to Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

I surface through the syrupy depths of consciousness, and this time it’s a little easier. My body still screams in agony, and I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. My head is pounding, and my throat feels like it’s filled with razor blades, but as I open my eyes, they don’t feel so heavy and it’s easier to focus.

I tilt my head slowly and glance at the chair wondering if I really had seen Jesse or if it had been some kind of feverish dream.

It wasn’t, unless I’m still hallucinating because he’s curled up in a comfortable looking leather chair next to me, idly leafing through a magazine. I’m sure he’s wearing a different colour shirt than before, and I take a moment to study him.

His short blonde hair is in need of a trim, sticking up slightly as if he’s run his fingers through it in agitation. There’s a light scruff along his jaw, which means he probably hasn’t shaved in a few days, and there are smudges under his eyes, like he’s barely slept.

β€œJesse…” My voice is barely more than a croak, causing Jesse’s head to snap up in my direction.

β€œDeak.” He leans forward with a gasp of relief. β€œYou’re awake. You opened your eyes for a few moments yesterday, but then you were out cold again.”

Yesterday? I stare at him in confusion. β€œWhere…” I try to speak, but my voice sounds like a rusty nail, and my mouth is so dry I don’t even have any spit when I attempt to swallow.

β€œHere.” Jesse carefully lifts a small plastic cup and guides a straw to my lips. β€œSip slowly. They had to put a tube down your throat to help you breath for a while, so you probably have a sore throat.”

Understatement.

I sip gratefully. The water is lukewarm and has a faintly clinical taste to it, but against my painful throat it feels like the best thing I’ve ever tasted. I release the straw, feeling a bead of water drip from my lower lip. I watch as Jesse reaches out unconsciously and runs his thumb along my lip. My heart kicks up a notch, and once again the stupid machine next to me starts beeping faster.

Realising what he’s done, he drops his hand and swallows, staring at the machine. β€œI’ll go get someone.” He frowns.

β€œJesse,” I whisper hoarsely, lifting my hand clumsily to grasp his. β€œWhere am I?”

β€œYou’re in a hospital in Rome,” he replies quietly, his warm hazel eyes searching my face for any flicker of recognition, but so far, I’m drawing a blank.

β€œRome?” I frown, and I have a vague recollection of a party. β€œWhat happened?”

β€œYou were in a car accident.”

I close my eyes against the sudden flash of lights, the sound of grinding metal, glass shattering.

*****

Review:

Jesse feels like he’s taking care of everyone and everything. He doesn’t mind, he loves them all, but he’s starting to struggle under the pressure he’s putting on himself. While he misses his best friend desperately, having him back may be more than he can take. Deacon is having a bit of a life crisis. He’s struggling with finding enjoyment and purpose in his current life, to the point that he’s cut off the most important person to him. An accident brings them back together, providing the opportunity to connect and maybe develop their relationship into something deeper.

Cassidy delivers a very emotional romance with moments of humor and a bit of heat but also filled with a lot of angst, brooding, and misunderstanding. Not everyone is into that kind but I think those that do will really enjoy themselves. The characters, both main and secondary, are enjoyable and the HEA ending is an enjoyable conclusion to a heartwarming (and occasionally heartbreaking) story. I’m super excited to see what is in store for the rest of them πŸ™‚

*****

Author Info:

Vawn Cassidy is the mild mannered MM obsessed alter ego/ pen name of contemporary fantasy & romantic suspense author Wendy Saunders. She’s a Brit and lives in the UK with her husband and kids.

www.vawncassidyauthor.com
www.facebook.com/vawncassidyauthor
www.facebook.com/groups/cassidysbayboys
www.instagram.com/vawncassidyauthor
www.goodreads.com/vawncassidy

*****

Girveaway:

To celebrate the release of Definitely Deacon, Vawn is giving away 2 e-sets of the Belong to Me Series so far (2 eBooks: Suddenly Beck & Definately Deacon)!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

*****

Share this:

  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...
← Older posts
Newer posts →

FTC Disclaimer - see bottom of page for complete statement, but please be aware that in many cases I am provided a book to read. However my opinions are my own & no guarantee of positive review is given by any party.

Recent Posts

  • Spotlight – The City Boy and the Rancher
  • Review – Home Ice
  • Review – Found in the Falls
  • Review – Surprise Me Always
  • Review – The Troublemaker
  • Review – Thunderstruck
  • Review – Through the Storm
  • Review – Double Dared
  • Review – The Comeback King
  • Review – Knight
  • Review – Wanting My Husband
  • Review – I Love an … Earl
  • Review – Stand and Deliver
  • Review – All’s Fair in Love and Pizza
  • Review – My Forever Girl
  • Review – Wilde Flame
  • Review – Penalty Shot
  • Review – How to Tackle a Crush
  • Review – Accidentally in Love
  • Spotlight – At First Spark
  • Review – Revenge Mishap
  • Review – Imperfect Soulmate
  • Review – The Rulebreaker
  • Review – My Whiskey Redemption
  • Review – Around and Around We Go
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Threads

Email me

romanticread@gmail.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Romantic Reads and Such on WordPress.com

Facebook

Facebook

Instagram

π’πžπ₯π₯ 𝐭𝐑𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐑 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 π’π­β€”πžπ’π­π‘πžπ« 𝐰𝐚𝐲, π¬π¨π¦πžπ¨π§πžβ€™π¬ 𝐠𝐨𝐒𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 π₯𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐑𝐒𝐧𝐠. "I love that she brings the feels, doesn’t scrimp on the heat, and delivers it all in a way that has me hooked to the end." Full review at romanticread.com πŸ”₯ NOW LIVE! CODE NAME: EMBER by @sawyerbennett123 πŸ”₯ "It’s such an easy read and well paced, with enjoyable characters and an adorable little neurotic hamster that steals the show." Full review at romanticread.com "Oh my goodness, daddy Easton is a dream – love me a single dad and reformed playboy mixed together! Even freaking out he’s swoony" full review at romanticread.com So excited! @laurapavlovauthor has revealed the gorgeous covers for The Last Goodbye releasing October 6, 2026 Bolden "delivers a steamy slow burn, low angst, idiots-to-lovers romance but at least Lane & Trevor are fun in their idiocy." πŸ˜„ "The story is about these two falling in love and I could not have asked for anything more" Full review at romanticread.com "The Comeback King is messy and emotional and scorching and so satisfying" Full review at romanticread.com

Goodreads

Archives

  • July 2026 (1)
  • June 2026 (14)
  • May 2026 (9)
  • April 2026 (15)
  • March 2026 (9)
  • February 2026 (9)
  • January 2026 (11)
  • December 2025 (14)
  • November 2025 (12)
  • October 2025 (6)
  • September 2025 (12)
  • August 2025 (15)
  • July 2025 (22)
  • June 2025 (18)
  • May 2025 (10)
  • April 2025 (20)
  • March 2025 (21)
  • February 2025 (13)
  • January 2025 (17)
  • December 2024 (12)
  • November 2024 (14)
  • October 2024 (11)
  • September 2024 (7)
  • August 2024 (11)
  • July 2024 (8)
  • June 2024 (13)
  • May 2024 (13)
  • April 2024 (9)
  • March 2024 (17)
  • February 2024 (9)
  • January 2024 (11)
  • December 2023 (10)
  • November 2023 (15)
  • October 2023 (14)
  • September 2023 (13)
  • August 2023 (15)
  • July 2023 (11)
  • June 2023 (14)
  • May 2023 (12)
  • April 2023 (19)
  • March 2023 (17)
  • February 2023 (4)
  • January 2023 (6)
  • December 2022 (7)
  • November 2022 (11)
  • October 2022 (8)
  • September 2022 (12)
  • August 2022 (14)
  • July 2022 (17)
  • June 2022 (11)
  • May 2022 (16)
  • April 2022 (15)
  • March 2022 (13)
  • February 2022 (7)
  • January 2022 (17)
  • December 2021 (21)
  • November 2021 (12)
  • October 2021 (20)
  • September 2021 (14)
  • August 2021 (10)
  • July 2021 (7)
  • June 2021 (14)
  • May 2021 (23)
  • April 2021 (19)
  • March 2021 (21)
  • February 2021 (11)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (13)
  • November 2020 (13)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (10)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (13)
  • May 2020 (11)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (14)
  • February 2020 (11)
  • January 2020 (10)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (10)
  • October 2019 (12)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (18)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (16)
  • March 2019 (20)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (14)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (18)
  • October 2018 (22)
  • September 2018 (20)
  • August 2018 (17)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (21)
  • March 2018 (20)
  • February 2018 (21)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (21)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (25)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (21)
  • June 2017 (29)
  • May 2017 (29)
  • April 2017 (23)
  • March 2017 (25)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (22)
  • December 2016 (22)
  • November 2016 (27)
  • October 2016 (28)
  • September 2016 (20)
  • August 2016 (23)
  • July 2016 (21)
  • June 2016 (24)
  • May 2016 (26)
  • April 2016 (25)
  • March 2016 (24)
  • February 2016 (39)
  • January 2016 (24)
  • December 2015 (25)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (27)
  • September 2015 (27)
  • August 2015 (36)
  • July 2015 (31)
  • June 2015 (21)
  • May 2015 (24)
  • April 2015 (30)
  • March 2015 (30)
  • February 2015 (26)
  • January 2015 (22)
  • December 2014 (21)
  • November 2014 (32)
  • October 2014 (34)
  • September 2014 (28)
  • August 2014 (34)
  • July 2014 (45)
  • June 2014 (44)
  • May 2014 (44)
  • April 2014 (38)
  • March 2014 (42)
  • February 2014 (38)
  • January 2014 (36)
  • December 2013 (32)
  • November 2013 (35)
  • October 2013 (33)
  • September 2013 (24)
  • August 2013 (19)
  • July 2013 (20)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (19)
  • April 2013 (19)
  • March 2013 (22)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (17)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (11)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (3)

 

 

 

 

 

 

FTC Disclaimer

I have received ARCs of books free from NetGalley (and many moons ago from BookTrib.com) to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher, author, or PR company. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affiliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any post.

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Join 578 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Romantic Reads and Such
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar

Loading Comments...

    %d