When an army vet becomes a firefighter in small-town Colorado, the flames of an old love reignite in this sweet romance by bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray
In Woodland Park, a small town nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once the high school โitโ coupleโthe star quarterback and the valedictorian. They broke up when Anderson joined the army and one poor decision at a fraternity party changed Chelseaโs life. Now, she works long shifts in a senior center to support her nine-year-old son, Jack.
After multiple tours in Afghanistan, Anderson has changed, tooโphysically scarred but mentally strongโand he decides to move back to Woodland Park. Anderson and Chelsea steer clear of each other to avoid reopening old wounds, until they are forced to reconnect through the senior center. They soon discover that the love they once shared never completely vanished. But it will take a fire, a dangerous collision, and the love of one little boy to help Anderson and Chelsea see that the future they’ve always yearned for is in sightโฆ
The first in a new series, Coming Home is a sweet story about letting go of the past and moving into the future.
Chelsea and Anderson were high school sweethearts but their relationship ended messily. Years later they find themselves living in the same small town, which means they can only go so long without running into each other. And once they do, itโs obvious that things between them arenโt over.
Shelley Shepard Gray delivers a slow build love story, giving readers a chance to get to know the characters as they get to know each other all over again and maybe find something amazing together. Itโs a heartfelt, quick-read, and a great beginning to a new series.
Hallmark and bestselling authorShelley Shepard Graypresent a Christmas Amish romancewith lots of surprises in storeโฆ
Wesley is so busy running his familyโs Amish market at the holidays, he barely has time for Liesl, the young woman heโs been courting for years. When she suggests her aunt Jenny could help Wesley out, he agrees to the plan. But Liesl neglected to mention her aunt is only twenty-six years oldโand as charming as she is hard-working.
Jenny, still healing after a painful breakup, welcomes the distraction of working at the market. She soon realizes Wesley is everything she ever dreamed a man could be. But how can Jenny even think about romance with the man Liesl expects to marry?
But Lieslโs own feelings are more complicated than sheโs willing to admit. With humor, faith, and a little help from their friends in the community, everyone might just find what their hearts are looking for this Christmas at the Amish market.
Thereโs a big dollop of Christmas magic in Shelley Shepard Grayโs newest Amish romance.
I really enjoyed getting to know Liesl, Wesley, Jenny, and Roland, seeing their feelings deepen and their connections develop. Thereโs an earnestness to their interactions that is so compelling, drawing the reader in as they struggle to come to terms with some difficult decisions.ย
Christmas at the Amish Market has that Hallmark feel, and while it may be predictable from start to finish that doesnโt mean the journey isnโt enjoyable.ย Itโs got a feeling of innocence, emotion, and holiday cheer that makes it a perfect choice for a December read.
He wants to destroy her show. She wants to get on Santaโs naughty list with him.
Rowan
No man wants to be nicknamed Cupid. My familyโs run a matchmaking business for years, though, and my sisterโs a romance novelist. You get the picture. To make matters worse, my narcissistic grandmother just sold a reality dating show to network television. Thanks to her, our small town is about to become a hotbed of tourists and opportunists.
Her show needs to be stopped, and Iโm exactly the man to do it. Cupid, reporting for duty
The star of the show, Kennedy Littlefield, isnโt my type at all. Sheโs a wealthy heiress with an unhealthy obsession with Christmas.
Thereโs just one problem: I canโt stop thinking about her.
Kennedy
Iโm lucky to be doing this show. Maybe Iโll start believing it if I repeat it enough…because Iโm supposed to be dating eight men, and they all suck. Iโm not here to fall in loveโIโm trying to save a non-profit with the publicity from the showโbut Iโd hoped for a Christmas miracle.
I love Christmas, only it hasnโt come to the set because the show doesnโt air until spring, and no oneโwith the exception of meโwants to watch a Christmas show in March.
Thereโs only one thing I want more than Christmas cheer: the ornery grump who keeps hanging out around the set.
*****
Review:
Kennedy doesn’t particularly want to be on a dating show for rich people, especially after seeing the men that Nana has picked out, but she really needs the exposure for the non-profit she loves. She’ll just have to try her best, remember why she’s there, and rely on help from some new friends.
There’s quite a bit about the reality show that didn’t track for me (it definitely didn’t come across as big budget or well put together) but the personal & romance portions more than made up for it. I really enjoyed getting to know Kennedy and seeing more of Rowan’s softer side. He may be grumpy but he’s got such a big heart. His history makes it so that he feels the need to help kids in his community truly be able to enjoy Christmas. He also wants to help those he cares about be happy, which means keeping Nana Mayberry as far away from them as he can. If that gives him a chance to ruin her latest project, the one that can only mean bad things for the Mayberry name, then even better … then he meets Kennedy. Sweet and giving, big-hearted, everything her parents aren’t, and definitely not what Rowan expected. Before long he finds himself wanting to make sure she gets everything she needs, even if it goes again what he wants.
I gotta say, as much as I enjoyed Rowan & Kennedy together and seeing them figure out their way to a HEA, it was Harry that stole my heart. A little bit of awkward wrapped up in a whole lotta goodness, I cheered every time he was on the page. It’s those kinds of interactions, the characters with their merits and their foibles, that make these authors a go to for me time and time again.
(Part of a series but can easily stand on its own.)
Three days ago, all Maisy Norgate had was a stack of bills, about a gazillion jobs, and her sunny-as-hell outlook. Now, thanks to an uncle she never knew about, sheโs inherited an ornate skeleton key with absolutely no idea what itโs forโor why she has it. Which is exactly when a ridiculously handsome guy claiming to be an angel shows up at her door and all hell breaks looseโฆ
Nephilim Rhys Boyce cannot believe that Maisy is the new Keeper of the Key. Why would anyone bequeath this warm, bubbly redhead the key to Hell? And to make matters worse, sheโs given the key to the first person who asked for it. A demon. Yep, Maisy is determined to make his jobโnot to mention some seriously inconvenient temptationโas hard as possible.
First a halfย angelย with a very human chip on his shoulder must find a way to convince Maisy thatย angelsย and demonsย doย exist. Then Rhys will have to break the really bad newsโฆthat she might have accidentally ended the world.
*****
Review:
Maisy is cheerful, even when life throws her a whole lot of curve balls, and she’s going to need all of that positivity with what’s coming at her now. Rhys is the opposite of Maisy. His life as a warrior means that he needs to always be serious, ready for anything, and seeing some of the worst things on earth (and hell) has led him to be a bit … dour. Crossing paths guarantees that sparks are going to fly.
There’s a bit of insta-love but I felt like it worked in this situation. You get a lot of this kind of thing in paranormal romances – something about magic being involved usually means that there’s an unexplainable connection. Some might find it problematic but it’s pretty standard. And I think that the two work together well – they rub each other the wrong way. And all sorts of right ways ๐
I found Barth’s newest to be fun, humorous, & entertaining and I really hope there are more books coming. She’s created an interesting new world, full of all sorts of known and unknown creatures, with a good amount of danger and excitement mixed with more lighthearted moments. Plus, Rhys’s friends definitely need to find women who will give them a run for their money
Callie Carmichael has a gift for making bridesmaid dresses?some even call them magical. Somehow, every person whoโs worn one of her dresses has found love. Real love. And as long as that happily-ever-after is for someone else, Callie is happy. Because sheโs fully over getting her heart brokenโฆwhich is why her new roommate is definitely going to be a problem.
After being overseas for six months, Callieโs only choice is to stay with her best friendโs ridiculously hot brother, Hunter Owens. Cowboy, troublemaker, and right now, the townโs most coveted bachelor. Only, Hunter isnโt quite the player she thought. And if it werenโt for her whole โno more loveโ thing, their setup could get confusing really fast.
Now, Hunter wants Callie to make him a best man suit?a โlucky for loveโ kind of suit. But what happens if she makes the suit and he finds true loveโฆand it isnโt her?
Each book in the Windsong series is STANDALONE: * The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy * The Matchmaker and the Cowboy
I love Hunter and his struggle to stand out from his family, to be seen for the things that are uniquely him. He’s pretty much perfect – kind, caring, thoughtful, observant – and he’d make the perfect partner for any woman. Too bad the one he wants doesn’t want anything to do with marriage … or him.
Being treated poorly by past boyfriends, mixed with family issues, has led Callie to the conclusion that marriage isn’t for her. Which makes her attraction to Hunter even more complicated since he’s definitely looking for his forever. And, based on reviews, meant that quite a few readers were a little put off by her. I can see where they are coming from – she’s definitely a little hard on Hunter, when he has done nothing but prove that he’d make the very best of husbands. I think that if Bielman had maybe done a little more to showcase Callie’s past difficulties it would have helped, but I gotta say that based on the way her family treats her she deserves all the care and attention she can get. And Hunter is the perfect one for the job.
The Matchmaker and the Cowboy is a slow burn, (kinda) friends-to-lovers romance with an ending that you know is coming but a journey that makes it a satisfying HEA.
They are friends. Without benefits. Unfortunately.
Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.
And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A model.
Sure, sheโs his sonโs favorite person on the planet.
And yeah, their families spend so much time together itโs hard to remember who shares DNA and who just shares secrets, inside jokes, and a sincere lack of boundaries.
And okay, heโs seen her nerdy side. Her sweet side. Her funny, self-deprecating side.
Fine, yes, resisting this woman has taken a saintโs share of willpower.
But he has to. He just cannot do long-distance. And he canโt have a casual fling with someone heโs knownโand will knowโforever.
Thankfully, he only has to hide his feelings a few times a year when she visits.
And then, he slips. One time. One spontaneous I-knew-it-would-be-everything kiss and heโs a goner.
Now every time they see each other itโs harder and harder to ignore the heat.
And when she shows up on his doorstep after a car accident changes her entire life, thereโs no way he can resist the chance to see if this can lastโฆor if theyโll finally flame out.
โIf you donโt want our sisters to think theyโre right about everything, you have to quit looking at me like that.โ
Michael LeClaire had three choices here.
He could pretend he had no idea what Amelia Landry was talking about, turn, smile nonchalantly, and try to have a normal, casual conversation with her.
That was going to be nearly impossible, of course. This was Ami. There was no being casual around her. He hadnโt been able to pull nonchalant off since heโd first seen her walk down the dock in a lime green bikini the summer sheโd turned twenty. But then, eleven months ago, everything had changed and nowโฆyeah, casual was completely off the table.
Heโd known sheโd be here. Of course. It was her sisterโs wedding. She was a bridesmaid. Heโd been preparing to see her. Still, it had been three months and the last timeโฆleaving her at that airport had been so much harder than heโd expected. He didnโt think thereโd be anything casual about the things heโd end up saying to her tonight if they talked alone.
His second option was setting something on fire so that he would have to don his fire gear and do something with his evening other than watch Ami in her off-the-shoulder peach-colored bridesmaid dress, laughing and dancing and looking fucking stunning while he struggled to remember why they were only friends. As he did every single time she stood too close to him.
The reasons were good. He knew that. The primary one being that she lived in fucking New York City and he lived in Autre, Louisiana and that would just never work out. He had a kid. He was the fire chief here. His entire family was here. He couldnโt move to New Yorkโnor did he want toโand he couldnโt travel there on a regular basis.
Ami was a model. Sheโd just landed a huge contract. The contract sheโd been hoping and working for. Sheโd moved from Shreveport to New York only three months ago. She wasnโt coming back to Louisiana and also couldnโt be traveling back here on a regular basis.
Fuck New York City.
Yeah, setting something on fire kind of seemed like a great idea.
And then there was his third option: turning, throwing her over his shoulder, taking her straight back to his house, and not letting her out of his bed for a week, whether they could be together long-term or not.
Which would only make all of thisโthe wanting her, the thinking about her, the missing herโso much worse.
He wasnโt going to be able to do any of those three things.
He was screwed.
So, he sucked in a deep lungful of oxygen and turned, deciding to go with his fourth optionโjust praying to not fuck everything up. โAm I that obvious?โ
Ami smiled up at him. โI just really think itโs unfair that theyโre assuming things that I didnโt actually get to experience.โ
He shook his head. โDonโt.โ
โDonโt what? Talk about how Charlie and Naomi are assuming their matchmaking worked and we spent the entire weekend you were in New York in bed together?โ
โAmi,โ he said, his voice low with warning.
โHey, youโre the one looking at me like youโve seen me naked and want to again,โ she said. โDonโt blame me.โ
He tossed back the rest of his drink, wished it was alcohol and not just soda, reminded himself that staying completely sober while Ami was in town for the first time since New York was a really, really good idea, and said, โThatโs not how Iโm looking at you.โ
She put a hand on her hip. โThen how would you describe the way youโve been watching me from across the room but totally ignoring me whenever weโre close enough to talk?โ
โLike Iโve been jerking off practically every night for the past three months because I didnโt get you naked, and like since you got back to town Iโve been constantly about ten seconds away from picking you up, taking you home, and tying you to my bed for the next week or two.โ
Okay, so even without alcohol he was going to be dangerously inappropriate. And honest. Just as heโd feared.
Her eyes went wide.
Then she grinned. โYes. Youโre right. Thatโs a much better, more specific, description.โ
*****
Review:
This was such a quick read for me – I loved Michael & Ami together. While not as quirky and humorous as some of the previous stories, Nicholas does an excellent job, like always, of blending the lighthearted moments with those that have a more emotional impact, while not forgetting to give her readers some heat as well.
Ami only knows how to be pretty but it’s something she’s really good at. Good enough for it to pay well, allowing her to support herself while helping others. And good enough to take her the NYC, far away from Louisiana and far away from those she loves.
Michael is a fixer and needs to be as involved as possible in the lives of those he loves. He has to be there to help solve ALL the things so a long distance relationship will definitely not work for him. Unfortunately Ami’s life continues to take her to places far from Michael.
I appreciate how both Michael and Ami approach themselves and each other with understanding of their needs. They are as honest as they can be and lay it out there for the other to see. Sometimes it means that they don’t get exactly what they want but it does mean that they are true to what is best for them at any given moment. As Ami’s (and Michael’s) world is rocked by an accident, and she heads to Autre to figure out what is next, the two may finally be given an opportunity for a future … if they can find a path that works for them both.
With this new series, Nicholas delivers more serious, impactful stories with the same finesse that she’s given us their more unconventional predecessors and, as always, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what’s in store next.
(Part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.)
*****
Author Info:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as sheโs been reading them. To date, sheโs written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as โtoe-curling,โ โenchanting,โ โsteamy,โ and โfun.โ 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 โshockedโ by the sex scenes in her books).
Is love a formula or pure fate? The residents of the small college town of Mountain View will soon find out. Love is in the air or rather in the coffee in book one of the ABCs of Romance series.ย
Anticipation
The ABCs of Romance
by Rue Harlow
Blurb:
What do beavers and baked goods have to do with love?ย Well, everything for Liliana Travis…
Travis, the owner of the local coffee shop, Higher Grounds. Her day job is serving caffeine highs, but her love life is at an all-time low. A meticulous planner ever since high school, she has a checklist for her perfect man and even plans for how she wants this future romance to unfold. But her carefully laid plans are about to be upended by something, rather someone, completely unanticipated from her past.
Dominic Moore has always been the hometown celebrity of Mountain View. The former captain of the high school football team turned NFL pro is the definition of the โgolden boyโ. But when Dom is caught in a scandal, he returns home to Mountain View to help his recently widowed grandmother open her dream bakeryโฆ and do some soul searching.
For Lili, Domโs return is both exciting and a total gut punch. Her high school crush is back in town, but also fresh competition for her small business. To make matters worse, the nationwide baking competition, the Upper Crust Challenge, has come to town and bets are firmly on the table. Is it rivalry or romance as buttons are pushed, banter exchanged, and sparks fly? Maybe not everything in life can be perfectly anticipatedโฆ
For fans of The Kiss Quotient and The Soulmate Equation, Anticipation is a sweet and spicy debut from Rue Harlow that is sure to be addictive.
Liliana Travis was dressed like a giant beaver, missing only its head, ready for her life to dramatically change.
Even though the locker room reeked even more like sour socks than usual, Lili was only smelling roses. It had been a long football season โ no longer than any other season, but Lili wasnโt into football at all โ and now that it was finally ending, it was time for the final act in her epic plan.
โSo โฆโ Alicia prompted her. โWhatโs the plan?โ
โYou mean the โover-plan,โโ Runa corrected Alicia.
Liliโs two best friends had been with her during every step of this little scheme, as they had stayed by her side for everything else throughout every noteworthy occasion in high school.
โI donโt over plan,โ Lili defended herself, despite knowing how futile doing so would be, especially considering the crazy amount of thought she had poured into her nutty little endeavor so far.
โOkay.โ Runa shrugged. โAnd I bet that Outlander show is gonna be great.โ
โShut up!โ Lili laughed, sick of defending that one too. โOutlander is gonna be awesome.โ
Lili had made her two besties get through as much of the historical time travel romance adventure as they were willing to read, but neither of them were as enamored by the genre buster as she was.
Not that she was obsessed at all. Lili didnโt get obsessed with anything, including Dominic Moore, no matter what Alicia and Runa said. The Mountain View Beaversโ star quarterback was as handsome as he was charming, and Lili had been dying for an actual conversation, instead of the fleeting exchanges in Statistics, he forgot about five minutes after they happened.
*****
Review:
Overall, I really enjoyed Anticipation and I’m curious what Harlow has in store next. However there were a few things that brought this one down for me. I think that Lili was a little too hard on Dom. She’s got some leftover negative feelings from high school but we never really got to see why she’s holding on to them so tightly. We know that there was a viral video but it doesn’t seem to be THAT horrible all things considered. And it wasn’t even Dom’s fault. (There are some logistics issues with that video – he’s the quarterback but he makes a game winning play for the defense …?) I also was thrown by the end of his career (not sure that what happened was that big a deal in the NFL) and exactly when Lili starts her day considering she runs a coffee shop so it should be pretty early but it seems like not so much. Other than Lili’s attitude, these were little things that just made me go hmmmm but didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. I will say, that once Lili gets over herself and starts being friendly to Dom, the two together are a delight. They are funny and entertaining and the push/pull between them is more positive, leading to a satisfying HEA. Definitely will read more from this author.
*****
Author Info:
Rue Harlow is a semi- professional baked goods aficionado. When not eating carbs or writing smutty novels, you can find her kicking back with a vodka tonic, putzing in her garden, or taking her convertible, Molly the Miata, for a spin. A native Brooklynite, she now resides in the Hudson Valley with her husband and two cats, Artemis and Apollo.
Iโve gone from crushing on my brotherโs best friend to wanting to crush him.
Cameron Baker and I have a few things in common. The first being that we were both born and raised in our small Alaskan town. Second, is that we hide our feelings and keep our hearts closed off from anyone who could break them.
But hiding my feelings is harder to do with Cam than most. When I was five years old, grieving the loss of my mother, he showed me how big his heart is, and Iโve never forgotten.
He comes from the richest family in town. Camโs bad boy gorgeous, flirts like he has a Doctorate in charm, and heโs my brotherโs best friend. That last part is where it gets tricky and the sole reason weโve never crossed the line.
Now, his parents have cut him off to force him to prove himself. I never thought heโd open a competing business to mine. So, I do what I do best, shove all my feelings aside and ready myself to crush him. Game on.
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My Brother’s Forbidden Friend reminds us that there’s always more going on than what we can see. Both Cam and Chevelle have things they’ve been hiding, including their feelings for each other. When they suddenly find themselves living in the same house, it doesn’t take long before those secrets start to come out.
Chevelle has had feelings for Cam for years but never thought it could be more. Spending her days with Cam on the docks and evenings alone at home, it doesn’t take long before Chevelle realizes he’s more than the party boy who isn’t into settling down. Once together, they are funny, sassy, sweet, and sexy – definitely one of my favorite couples.
While I haven’t read all of the Greene books, the ones I have read have been great. There’s always a delightful mix of humor, all sorts of feels, and enough spice to keep things interesting. I adored Cam and Chevelle together and didn’t want their story to end.
(Part of a series, can stand on its own but probably is a bit better having read the others as this relationship has been a long time coming.)
*****
Author Info:
Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write “heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle” about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they’re married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they’re both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
My name is Louise and Iโm a serial-monogamist marine biologist.
Try saying that five times fast.
Fresh out of an awful relationship and tired of always doing the right thing, this girl is finally saying โscrew itโ and having herself a meaningless fling.
Hereโs the thing about flings though: they only work if you keep feelings out of the equation.
Well, that wonโt be a problem for a sensible scientist like meโฆ that is, until a one night stand with a hot single dad rocks my world and blows my plans completely out of the water.
If Iโve learned anything from the ocean world, itโs that those with the hardest shells have the most to fear. And something tells me this guy is going to crack mine wide the hell open.
Tonight Iโm not โsmart girlโ Louise who weighs every decision over and over until her brain is ready to burst. Tonight, Iโm not โresponsible girlโ Louise who everyone counts on to do the right thing.
Tonight, I am Lou: the girl who does whateverโor whoeverโshe wants.
James breaks from the kiss and runs the backs of his fingers down my cold cheek. โYouโre really not gonna tell me your name?โ His whisper sends delicious chills across my skin.
โNo, I am not,โ I whisper back.
โAlright.โ His deep voice vibrates as he rains kisses down the column of my throat. โI guess Iโll keep calling you Cold Brew then.โ
โI donโt like that.โ
โOh no?โ He tears his lips away.ย
โResume what you were doing, please!โ Iโm giving him mixed signals. โWhat I meant was I like that.โ I point at his mouth, then jut my neck out in his direction. โThe uh, that thing you were doing just now to my neck? That was good. But Iโd prefer it if you didnโt call me… Cold Brew.โ
He dives into my neck again, and I think weโre back on track until he murmurs this madness between kisses, โThatโs too bad. A hot thing like you slowly pouring over me and effortlessly spiking the temps in my refrigerator? A strong, concentrated woman like you who wonโt be diluted with water for other peopleโs comfort? A delectable drink of a girl like you who isnโt afraid of a coarse grind when everyone else is pummeling themselves into soft, palatable powders to please the masses? Cold Brew is the perfect nickname for you.โ
What the hell is he talking about?
So heโs weird.
Thatโs fine.
After tonight, Iโll never see him again.
Looks like I need to take matters into my own hands.
I cup the bulge in his jeans and feel him respond.
Now weโre getting somewhere.ย
I think.ย
โYou said you donโt mind the cold,โ he breathes. โAre you into winter sports then? Skiing, snowshoeing, mountain climbing?โย
โNot into winter sports, no.โ I desperately work to undo his pants.
โSo what are you into?โ he rumbles as he helps me with the button.
โYou mean sex-wise? The regular stuff. The regular stuff will do.โ
He laughs. โGood to know. But I meant what are you into in life? Like hobbies and stuff.โย
Alright. Now buddy boy here is starting to test my patience.
โNot really a hobby person. My hobby is my work, and my work is my hobby.โ
Score! Jeans are officially down. He kicks them, and they land on top of an icy growler, almost like he choreographed it. You would think a woman getting him pants-less would be enough to curb this guyโs relentless inquisition, but no.
โWhatโs your work then?โ
โMarine biology,โ I huff. โCan weโ?โ
โOh wow, the ocean and I are like this.โ He crosses his index and middle finger in that universal sign of closeness. โIโm a swimmer! A diver too!โ
โCool, cool,โ I say and try to get his focus back to the physical. The fact that we have both been in a body of water at some point in our lives does not bind us together in any meaningful way.
โIโve been told I have the lung capacity of a whale.โ He pats his chest. โYeah, these guys certainly served me well when I free dived in Sri Lanka. Wait. Is it โdivedโ or โdoveโ? โDivedโ always sounds wrong to my ear, but I think thatโs actually correct. Doesnโt matter. Point is, I love extreme sports! And speaking of marine biology, get this, once a week I volunteer atโโ
โHey, James!โ I shout.
He stops speaking.
Hallelujah!
I soften my voice to a husky tone. โIt is James, right?โ โJames, yeah,โ he confirms with a dazzling smile.ย
I reach into his pants and find him more than ready for me, so I start to stroke.
โYouโre fucking gorgeous, James,โ I whisper in his ear and shiver when his stubbled cheek brushes against mine. His olive skin smells like ivory soap and shaving cream.
He tightens his strong arms around my back and pulls me closer. I continue my ministrations below.
โThank you,โ he says. โYouโre alsoโโ
โAnd you seem like a nice guy.โ I interrupt.ย
He smiles. โI appreciate that. You seem like aโโ
โBut Iโm not looking for a nice guy.โ
โNo?โ
โNo. Iโm not looking for any guy.โย
He looks down and laughs good-naturedly. โSo why are weโ?โ
โIโm using you.โ
His laughter stops.
He removes my hand.ย
His dark eyes land on mine.
Whoa. When he looks at me like that, I feel completely naked. In fairness, I am practically naked right now, but I mean more in the emotional sense, in the oh-my-God-he-can-see-deep-into-my-soul sense.
He stays completely still and silent, giving no clue as to what heโs thinking or what heโs going to do next.
โIโm not interested in anything beyond what we do here tonight, okay, James?โ I continue. โListen up because this is very important.โ
His non-response seems to say, โGo on.โ
โAfter tonight? If you ever run into me again, we pretend this never happened.โ
No reaction.
I repeat myself. โWe pretend this never happened.โ
Still nothing.
Geez. For a guy who couldnโt shut up a few minutes ago, heโs now fully committed to his silence.
โGot it?โ I say with more force than necessary, but suddenly, I canโt get myself to look directly at him.
He closes the distance between us, climbs his fingers into my hair, and gives it a tug, gently forcing me to look up at him.
Tingles cascade down my spine.
He tilts his head slightly.ย
His lips are barely an inch from mine.
His warm breath caresses my skin.
โThen I guess weโll need to make tonight count, wonโt we?โย
Now Iโm the silent one.
All I can do is nod.
โLetโs do this, Cold Brew.โ
*****
Review:
That first meeting between James and Louise really got me – I understood where she was coming from but my heart went out to him and did so over & over again. He’s an honestly good guy and deserves someone who can appreciate him. And while Louise is obviously struggling with a few things, fate keeps throwing them together and it doesn’t take long for James to wiggle his way in making her think that maybe she can be that person.
While I would have liked to have seen more about Louise’s past relationships to truly understand her reluctance to get involved with James, the predicaments they find themselves in along the way more than made up for it. I was amused and engaged and always looking forward to “just one more chapter” so that’s a definite win for me.
This is my first book by Mallon but it won’t be my last. Sharkbait was funny and entertaining, with enjoyable characters and a satisfying HEA.
(Part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.)
*****
Author Info:
Erin Mallon’s debut romantic comedy novel, Flirtasaurus, releases in July 2020. She is an award-winning narrator of over 450 books and an accomplished playwright and producer in New York City. She has written over 40 plays, which have been produced Off-Broadway and all over the country, including These Walls Can Talk, a raucous theatrical love letter to the romance audiobook community. She lives in a little yellow house on the outskirts of NYC with her husband and Three J’s.
Coen Highsmith was a league star, but he lost more than his team the day the Pittsburgh Titansโ plane crashed. Can he be saved from his downward spiral of guilt and regret to become the man he once was?
I had it allโa successful hockey career, the respect and adoration of the fans, a rotation of beautiful women warming my bed, and a feeling of self-worth and contentment with the direction of my life. But that all changed the day the team plane went down, taking my only chance of redemption with it. Now Iโm left with the daily reminder of all my failures and my inability to correct them.
My new teammates are tired of my attitude and following my suspension, I hole up in a mountain cabin to get away from all of it. The isolation is exactly what I need to get out of my own head, and Iโm beginning to think I could be content in this quiet forever.
Tillie Marshall isnโt the type of woman who would usually catch my attention, yet she manages to do so for all the wrong reasons. Iโm here for the peace and seclusion but the quirky artist is hell-bent on destroying that by cutting down the trees that separate our properties so she can open a pottery studio. If itโs a fight she wants, itโs a fight sheโll get. I have the money and the time and no issues bringing her down through the court system. While I see flashes of steely determination within her, Iโve found that being a jerk comes naturally these days and she wonโt be hard to intimidate.
Unfortunately, that gorgeous and somewhat odd neighbor who has been causing me grief is creating another type of feeling within me. And once that spark is lit, Tillie displays a faith in me that for the first time since the crash I desperately want to believe. Now itโs time for me to step up and become the manโno, a better man than I once was.
Buy the digital and signed paperback direct from Sawyer Bennett:ย https://bit.ly/STORE_Coen **ย Digital files must be read within the BookFunnel appย **
As a returning reader I was looking forward to Coen’s story, to finding out what was behind his behavior. There’s a lot of survivor’s guilt, but more is going on than that and it’s affecting every aspect of his life. He needs some time on his own to figure out where he’s going from here, but it’s not long before he’s butting heads with his cheeky neighbor.
Tillie isn’t going to let Coen walk all over her or let his a$$hole tendencies get her down. Willing to go toe to toe with him and call him on his crap, it doesn’t take her long to get under his skin. And it leads to all sorts of fun.
I really enjoyed these two together. Coen is behaving like an a$$hole but he recognizes that it’s a reflection of his guilt and feeling of unworthiness. While he doesn’t see a way out of the place he’s found himself in, his innate good and caring (and cocky) nature finds moments to come out, especially around his new neighbor. And over time, with the help of friends, he’s reevaluating whether this is his new normal after all. It’s satisfying to see him find his way back and a way forward with Tillie by his side.
*****
Author Info:
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both womenโs and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If youโd like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).
Romantic Reads and Such 