Review – Killer Smile

13 Monday Jun 2022

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Assassins in Love series, Book Review, Killer Smile, Tawna Fenske

Killer Smile

Assassins in Love series

by Tawna Fenske

Blurb:

He’s a covert operator. A killer built by the U.S. Army. He’s tasked with taking out his dream girl—and not on a date.

Targeting Nicole should be simple, since she hates his guts. Sebastian The Dentist—yes, a real freakin’ dentist, don’t make it scary—has wanted Nic since they first locked horns. He’s not sure why they’re enemies, but he knows there’s more to the sweet daycare owner than crayons and cardigans. But discovering her secrets lands them both in danger they’ll dodge only by working together.

Between awkward wedding dates and puppies with no personal space, Sebastian and Nic get closer. They’re also close to discovering if Nic’s dead associate may not be so dead.

If Sebastian can stop her from hating him long enough to eliminate the threat, they might just fall in love. But only Nic can stop him from hating himself.

https://tawnafenske.com/books/the-assassins-in-love-suspenseful-romantic-comedy-series/

*****

Review:

Killer Smiles completes Fenske’s Assassins in Love series with a flourish. I really enjoyed Sebastian & Nic’s dance on their way to a HEA – funny, sexy, and dangerous.

Sebastian has always been drawn to Nic’s sass & strength, working together finds him sharing secrets that he’d prefer stay hidden. Nic definitely has her reasons for not trusting men, especially smooth talking ones but time spent with Sebastian, seeing the man under the smile, has her evaluating what she knows to be true. It can definitely change things … if only they can stay alive.

While I really enjoyed the way Fenske wraps everything up, I really wish that Seb had gotten a little more chance to resolve some of his issues. The man has a lot of guilt from his past and there is a lot there that needs to be addressed. I think that if anyone can help him, it’s going to be Nic, but it got just a little bit rushed there at the end. Overall though, she does a wonderful job combining humor and intrigue, with a satisfying mixture of heat and danger. While I’m sad to see these guys go, I’m looking forward to what Fenske has in mind for her readers next.

Review – Killer Instinct

11 Monday Apr 2022

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

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Assassins in Love series, Book Review, Killer Instincts, Tawna Fenske

Killer Instincts

Assassins in Love series

by Tawna Fenske

Blurb:

Dante didn’t set out to deceive. His favor for a pal in prison got him this farmhand job, and Jen needs help guarding more than her blueberries. Someone’s set on hurting her, and he’ll make damn sure they don’t. She can’t know who sent him or why he’s handier with a handgun than a hoe. But none of that matters more than keeping Jen safe.

To save the girl, he’ll have to pair old skills with new. A princess tea party and an old-fashioned gunfight? Why not. Grape stomping and grenades? Sign him up.

But as the enemy closes in, there’s one skill Dante finds he doesn’t have: The strength to walk away when the job is done.

Fall in love today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3LfR8SI

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/KillerInstincts

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3rw6yKS

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3KkNs0Y

Nook: https://bit.ly/3KanBsC

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3j3oLuk

Add Killer Instincts to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3u31Pl4

*****

Review:

I really enjoyed Fenske’s newest. It’s a light mix between romance and suspense, low on drama but with humor and a bit of action to keep things interesting.

Stopping by Jen’s farm as a favor to a friend, Dante finds himself drawn to her and the troubles happening around her. As he gets to know her better, he struggles with keeping who he is from her while also working to find out who wants to hurt her.

Struggling to keep her vineyard going, she doesn’t need an inappropriate attraction to her gorgeous new farmhand. He’s capable, strong, a good cook, and oh-so-sexy but Jen’s self-esteem took a big hit after her fiance is caught cheating. Things change when a fake kiss leads to something more but will they live long enough to see where it goes?

Killer Instincts is a win for me. The characters are appealing, the bad guy a surprise, and the story well balanced between feels, whimsy, and danger. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what Fenske has in store next for Mateo and Sebastian.

(I read Killer Looks, which introduced the three men in this series. I don’t think that you need to but it’s hard for me to separate what I know of Dante from there vs what we get here.)

*****

Author Info:

When Tawna Fenske finished her English lit degree at 22, she celebrated by filling a giant trash bag full of romance novels and dragging it everywhere until she’d read them all. Now she’s a RITA Award finalist, USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Publishers Weekly has praised Tawna’s offbeat romances with multiple starred reviews and noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon, with her husband, step-kids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, stand up, paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year. To find out more about Tawna and her books, visit www.tawnafenske.com.

Connect with Tawna

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CweiiC

Facebook: https://bit.ly/3zvKpgh

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2WbxnXW

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3kA3bPn

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2XDaEUW

Website: http://www.tawnafenske.com

Stay up to date with Tawna by signing up for her mailing list: https://bit.ly/3u3bYwq

*****

Review – Show of Honor

17 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Juniper Ridge series, Show of Honor, Tawna Fenske

Show of Honor

A Juniper Ridge Holiday Novella

by Tawna Fenske

Blurb:

I always hoped I’d see her again after she rocked my world last Christmas. I never thought she’d have my baby in her arms.

I also didn’t see myself dressed as a deranged bear the first time I held my daughter, or even that I’d have a daughter. Navy SEAL life isn’t great for fatherhood, but seeing Jessie with Joy hits me like a happy holiday thunderbolt.

Jessie’s not sure she trusts me, and who can blame her? Maybe if we’d swapped more than ten words before falling into bed that snowy night, we wouldn’t be strangers. But I can’t regret our fling, just like I can’t ditch a military career I’ve spent my whole life wanting.

But maybe there’s something I want more. Jessie. A bond with our baby and heaps of happy, mixed-up holiday memories we’re making as we bond over giftwrap gaffes, sexy dreidel games, and kisses hot enough to melt mistletoe.

I just need to prove we belong together, preferably before one of us hops a flight and gets gone for good.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3loUpTw
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ShowofHonor
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3946bgn
Nook: https://bit.ly/3C61UWg
Kobo:
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2XqUjmm

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3nuALYZ

*****

Review:

Joe was raised by his two moms, living all over the world doing environmental work. It was definitely an unusual childhood but it helped give him a more open view of things. He’s kind, caring, and confident, supportive of others and understanding of their needs. This helps him when he comes face to face with Jessie again.

Jessie’s upbringing also has had an impact on her life. She’s independent and strong (maybe a bit too much sometimes), dedicating her life to making the world a better place. Sidelined by an unexpected pregnancy, she occasionally flounders just a bit but she’s handled the change in her plans well. And her grit helps out when introducing Joe to his daughter. It’s not easy but he quickly proves himself to be a stand-up guy, showing the right amount of patience & concern for her feelings and she finds his enthusiasm for fatherhood hard to resist (I did too!).

I really enjoyed Joe and Jessie’s story. It’s short and sweet but I was pleased with how everything worked out for them. Knowing how their relationship started, there was the expected amount of awkwardness but Fenske mixes it with a good amount of humor and fun. She also throws in enough emotions to make the insta-love connection believable and a good amount of heat to show why they hooked up in the first place. Rounding it out are all the feels of Joe falling for his daughter and Jessie learning to let him, all of which lead to a feel-good ending perfect for a holiday read.

(This is the first in this series that I’ve read and while there were a lot of characters from the rest of the series it can be read as a standalone.)

Spotlight – The List

01 Wednesday Feb 2017

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Tawna Fenske, The List

This one has the potential for all sorts of sexy mahem 🙂

*****

The List

by Tawna Fenske

Blurb:

It all starts with a list.

A sex list.

Cassie Michaels comes up with a list of naughty experiences to impress her sisters and finally convince them—and herself—she’s not just a boring soil scientist. Unfortunately, it also makes Cassie a liar if she doesn’t tick off at least some of the kinky exploits before her sister’s bachelorette party. Luckily, she’s found just the man to help her, starting with number four—sex with an anonymous stranger.

As the owner of a chain of computer shops, Simon Traxel doesn’t deal with mundane repairs, but when a brunette with killer green eyes and a list of sexploits frozen across her computer screen shows up at one of his shops, he’s ready to get a little hands on.

Simon’s more than willing to have some fun helping Cassie turn her made-up adventures into reality. Between steamy public romps that go hilariously awry, and sexy antics with kitchen utensils, getting through a to-do list has never been this much fun. But nearing the last few items means nearing the end of their time together, and Simon isn’t ready to let her go…

Buy Your Copy:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Okay, really quickly,” he says. “I’ve created a link to your new backup system right here. I updated your antivirus protection and did a thorough cleaning of the keyboard. You’ll want to watch out for this X key, though. It’s still a little sticky.”

I nod. “I’ll try not to type too many words with an X in them.” The second I say that, I think of half a dozen.

Excite.

X-rated.

Fixate.

Sex.

Climax.

He looks up at me then, and I could swear the same words just flitted through his mind. There’s a knowing expression in those brown eyes, and I’m positive he read the list. He had to, right?

Or maybe I imagined the look, because he’s back to pointing out some feature he updated on the laptop. Something about RAM or ROM or whatever. I can’t hear anything he’s saying over the voice in my head chanting, “Did he read it? Did he not read it?”

He turns and asks if what he just showed me makes sense, and I nod like a dummy. For all I know he just gave me a recipe for snickerdoodles or told me where Jimmy Hoffa is buried. I have no clue. He holds my gaze, and I try to blink away the panic.

I can’t take it anymore.

I have to defuse the tension or I’ll explode.

I finally blurt it out. “Look, Simon—I’m feeling a little flustered because I know you saw The List on my monitor when I dropped off the computer, and it’s really nice of you to pretend you didn’t see it, but obviously, you did, and I feel like I should explain that it’s probably not what you think it is.”

I drag in a deep breath to wash down that big mouthful of crazy. He looks up from the laptop then, a bemused expression in those light brown eyes. “What do I think it is?”

*****

Author Info:

Tawna Fenske is a USA Today bestselling author who writes humorous fiction, risqué romance, and heartwarming love stories with a quirky twist. Her offbeat brand of romance has received multiple starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, one of which noted, “There’s something wonderfully relaxing about being immersed in a story filled with over-the-top characters in undeniably relatable situations. Heartache and humor go hand in hand.”

Tawna lives in Bend, Oregon with her husband, step-kids, and a menagerie of ill-behaved pets. She loves hiking, snowshoeing, standup paddleboarding, and inventing excuses to sip wine on her back porch. She can peel a banana with her toes and loses an average of twenty pairs of eyeglasses per year.

Connect with Tawna:

Author Website: www.tawnafenske.com

Author Blog: http://tawnafenske.blogspot.com/

Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/tawnafenske

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TawnaFenskeBooks/

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win an Amazon GC!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb484/

*****

Spotlight – Fiancee for Hire

24 Thursday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Fiancee For Hire, Front and Center series, Tawna Fenske

Time again to look at another new Entangled book – this one looks super good … I love the idea of an old crush coming to fruition, and Tawna Fenske has added a sassy heroine and a little danger for extra spice. Fiancee for Hire is definitely going on my TBR file.

*****

Fiancee for Hire

by Tawna Fenske

Blurb:

A satisfying category romance from Entangled’s brand new Lovestruck imprint…

Falling in love was never part of the plan…

Former Marine MacArthur Patton has made a small fortune on top-secret government contracts and black-ops missions, but his new assignment involves something more dangerous—marriage.

Well, fake marriage anyway.

To keep weapons out of the hands of terrorists, Mac has to secure a fiancée. A sweet, demure, compliant fiancée to serve as his arm candy for a few weeks while he completes the covert arms deal in Mexico. His sister claims to know just the woman, and sends her best friend to play the role.

“Sweet” and “demure” aren’t in Kelli Landers’s repertoire. A badass veterinarian who neuters big dogs and bigger men on a regular basis, she can’t wait to bring Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Detached to his knees. Her longtime crush on the commitment-phobe makes her plan to seduce him even sweeter.

Love wasn’t part of the plan, but the deeper Mac and Kelli fall into their ruse, the more danger they attract, until more than just their hearts are on the line…

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Entangled Page

*****

Entangled Love Struck:

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

Twitter: @lovestruckep

Steals and Deals

*****

Author Info:

Tawna Fenske traveled a career path that took her from newspaper reporter to English teacher in Venezuela to marketing geek to PR manager for her city’s tourism bureau. An avid globetrotter and social media fiend, Tawna is the author of the popular blog, Don’t Pet Me, I’m Writing, and a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her fiance in Bend, Oregon, where she’ll invent any excuse to hike, bike, snowshoe, float the river, or sip wine on her back deck. She’s published several romantic comedies with Sourcebooks, including Making Waves, which was nominated for contemporary romance of the year by RT Book Reviews. She also writes interactive fiction capers for Coliloquy and the steamy, heartwarming Front and Center series for Entangled Publishing. Tawna’s quirky brand of comedy and romance has won praises from Kirkus Reviews, which noted, “Up-and-coming romance author Fenske sets up impeccable internal and external conflict and sizzling sexual tension for a poignant love story between two engaging characters, then infuses it with witty dialogue and lively humor. An appealing blend of lighthearted fun and emotional tenderness.”

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Fiancee for Hire charm necklace

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554401/

*****

click on the banner below to see the rest of the tour

Entangled Publishing Turns 3!

03 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Conning For Keeps, Cursed by Cupid, Jen McLaughlin, Kim Knox, Kissed, Marine for Hire, Seleste DeLaney, Staking His Claim, Tawna Fenske, Temporarily Yours, Tessa Bailey, Wendy sparrow

Check out some special news below from Entangled Publishing!

*****

Entangled is turning 3!

Entangled launched in 2011 and we’re celebrating! Two years ago this February, we launched our first category imprint with Indulgence. The Marriage Bargain, one of our first releases in Indulgence, went on to be one of the top selling books of 2012 and catapulted Jennifer Probst to the USA Today and NY Times bestseller lists. Since then, we’ve grown to have six category romance imprints, as well as single title books for teens and adults in our Select, Edge, and Teen imprints, and have had multiple USA Today and NY Times bestsellers. We’re in our third year and it’s been a wild ride, and it’s just the beginning.

What better month to begin celebrating our third year than February? All month long, our February new releases, as well as select titles on our Steals and Deals page, are just 99 cents!

Yes, you read that right. Every new release will be offered at an introductory price of just 99 cents!

Be sure to join our big Facebook celebration from February 24^th-28^th with scavenger hunts, authors, games, gossip, and lots of fun!

Explore our new website and prepare to find romance, because we have something for everyone and join our “Steals and Deals” newsletter.

***

We’re kicking off the month-long celebration with three new Brazens, each with a smoking hot military man front and center and each for just 99 cents!

Marine for Hire, by Tawna Fenske

She thought she’d sworn off military men for good…

Sam Kercher is every inch a wickedly hot Marine. Tall. Sexy. Lethal. When his best friends call in a favor, Sam is forced to face an entirely new line of duty—playing nanny for their newly divorced sister and her squirming seven-month-old twin boys. If Sam can dissemble an M16 in his sleep, diaper duty should be a cakewalk…right?

Unfortunately, Operation Nanny isn’t quite that simple. Sheridan has sworn off overbearing military men, so Sam must protect her from her dirtbag ex without revealing just how much he has in common with her brothers. Or that he’s been ordered not to touch her. Ever. Problem is, Sheri’s one hell of a gorgeous woman, capable of making this hard-bodied Marine even harder. And Sam wants her bad.

Protect the girl. Care for the babies. Hide his identity. And keep his hands off. But even the most disciplined Marine has weaknesses…and Sheridan is one Sam might not be able to resist.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/Mp9NNa

B&N: http://bit.ly/1bi1Tvx

Staking His Claim, by Tessa Bailey

He wants her. All of her.

NYPD sniper Matt Donovan is in Hell. Instead of driving his best friend’s little sister home from college, he’s stuck with her roommate—a fresh-faced ray-of-sunshine with a body that makes grown men weep. There’s no way he’ll allow himself to taint the little vixen, no matter how hard she tries to tempt him, so he resigns himself to the longest—and hardest—drive of his life.

Matt’s obvious attraction suits grad student Lucy Mason just fine. She had no idea her brother’s best friend was so deliciously hot. Knowing he’d never have his wicked way with his buddy’s sister, she lies about her identity and seduces him. But Matt’s no fumbling college boy. His desires run deep—and dark—and he wants to teach Lucy what wicked really means.

Matt’s demanding appetites only make Lucy want more. But when her cover’s blown, he’s furious—even as his hunger for her becomes insatiable. Matt can’t trust anyone, least of all himself. And he knows all too well that darkness always destroys the light…

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ilfF5o

B&N: http://bit.ly/1fmHl7a

Temporarily Yours, by Jen McLaughlin, writing as Diane Alberts

This soldier’s the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—without the fictional boyfriend she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go sailing out the airlock…

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitely not while getting naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend. After all, he’s heading overseas soon…and how could he refuse a little no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the process…

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1bkIFsg

B&N: http://bit.ly/1fBOmCV

We appreciate you and want readers to be able to fill up their eReaders all month long with great books at introductory prices. Thank you for an amazing first three years. This is just the beginning.

~The Entangled ‘Love’ Team

*****

And make sure you join the The Boys of Brazen Military Bash on 2/10 from 7-10pm EST. Four fabulous Brazen authors (and their men!) will read steamy scenes from each other’s Military Hero books. As an additional treat, several other Brazen authors will be stopping by to help celebrate the hunky heroes of the military.

Throughout the event authors will be asking readers questions and giving away prizes. Hope to see you there!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*****

If you like your heroes hot, the sex hotter, and a swoon-worthy romance to swoop in and save your happily ever after, Brazen has the story for you. Sinfully sexy soldiers. Alpha cops who demand control. Sweet guys with a naughty side in the bedroom. At Brazen, they’ve got the hero destined to melt your… heart. Visit the Entangled website, the Brazen Blog, follow them on Twitter, Like their Facebook page, and follow them on Pinterest.

*****

And Entangled has another treat for their readers … Entangled February Novellas Are Here!

Discover 3 sexy and 3 unforgettable stories in Entangled’s February Novellas! From an email that causes a curse of bad luck in love. To a kiss that could change a princess’s future forever. Or a secret agent with a strange ability working on a case that could
cost her much more than her heart! There’s something for everyone!

Conning For Keeps

by Seleste DeLaney

Publication: February 3rd, 2014 by Entangled Novellas

Lovers undercover…

Secret Agent Marissa Jones has a gift. A con artist to the core, after deep hypnosis she can turn into someone else entirely. Marisa’s gift has gotten her into hot water over the years, but now more so than ever. With her smoking hot partner by her side, she needs to convince him that not only is she her true self, but also that she can be trusted—even in spite of her past.

…or traitors to the cause?

Trevor Harris has his own issues with the mission, he’s got revenge to seek, a cursed painting to secure, and Marissa’s sugary-sweet alter-ego to ignore. But when he releases Marisa from her mental cage and things get a little too hot, he ends up finding out what falling for a con artist really means—bigger trouble than ever before.

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes
and Noble

Kissed

by Kim Knox

Publication: February 3rd, 2014 by Entangled Novellas

Every princess should be kissed. And by a man who knows what he’s doing. Beatricia had been enjoying just that with Farris Turner when she was caught.

But running only drives her into the arms of a stranger. A man who wants to offer her one night together, to offer her the experience her life and duties in the city of Sun-Airor–a place set out of space and time–have denied her.

It’ll be her only chance before she’s forced to enter a loveless marriage…but who exactly is her stranger? And what will kissing him reveal?

Goodreads | Amazon
| Barnes & Noble

Cursed by Cupid

by Wendy Sparrow

Publication: February 3rd, 2014 by Entangled Novellas

Dear Reader, this letter is to inform you of Cupid’s curse, which will fall upon you if you don’t pass this email on to three friends within three hours.

Tilly Morrow didn’t believe in the curse and now she hasn’t had a second date in three years…because all her first dates end in disaster. In fact, she just accidentally punched a guy in the face, leaving her without a date for Valentine’s Day!

Bryant Murphy isn’t sure if the curse is real or not, but if dating Tilly means occasionally getting assaulted with a chocolate shake or nearly electrocuted, it’s worth the risk. Armed with more lucky charms than a bowl of cereal, Bryant will have to battle flying swords, Russian mail-order brides, and shrimp linguini if he’s going to win the girl.

GoodReads | Amazon | Barnes
and Noble

Eat, Play, Lust

31 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Eat Play Lust, Tawna Fenske

Cami Pressman is a yoga instructor with a lifelong secret love of junk food. Not even an irresistible man can replace the mouthwatering wickedness of her favorite foods.

Until, that is, Paul Hammond signs up for her class. He’s a gourmet chef looking to score some fitness tips, and a date with Cami. Suddenly Cami’s lust for junk food isn’t the only thing making her tingle.

When this sinful chef and hot yoga teacher eat, play, and lust together, they just might bring their obsession to a new level.

At just over 50 pages, this is a sweet little treat to wind up a hot and steamy summer. Cami is humorously neurotic about her eating and Paul has an indelicate way of keeping his foot in his mouth, but they are fun and charming and I kinda wish they’d gotten a full length story. I would have loved to see these two go on a few dates – I’m giggling just thinking about it. I think my favorite part is that these two aren’t perfect – he’s got a bit of a spare tire and she’s got some food hang-ups – but they are wonderful in their normalness and make for an appealing couple.

Being so short, it pretty much gets straight to the point. Boy likes girl. Girl likes boy. After some bumbling around, boy and girl get together … but the bumbling is very delicious.

If you need a great way to wrap up your summer night, grab a glass of wine and sit back – Eat Play Lust is that perfect little tidbit to finish out your day.