Release Day - Edge of Brotherhood by Molly E. Lee

Title: Edge of Brotherhood (Love on the Edge #5)

Author: Molly E. Lee

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: April 19, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / iBooks

What do Dash Lexington, Easton Wells, and Connell Murphy have in common?

They put their lives on the line each day they clock into work. That and their fierce love for the women who match them step for step.

When the studio head who produces both Dash and Easton’s shows announces auditions for a special series to highlight the E.D.G.E. men’s skills, Connell and an extreme stunt man named Wade Roberts are the first stars chosen.

Their objective? Accompany Easton deep in the Amazon where he’s recently discovered the lost city of Paititi. With half the structure submerged in dangerous waters, a slew of unpredictable rainforest storms, and a nearly inaccessible location, each man will have to put aside his alpha tendencies and utilize his skills in order to survive the perils of the City of Gold. 

But when an enemy from Easton’s past threatens the love of his life, she is met with the wrath of the newly formed E.D.G.E. clan, who will stop at nothing to protect the women they love.

Here’s the thing, I’ve loved every single one of Molly E. Lee’s books. I love how they’re different from most other romance books out there that I’ve been reading. I love that they’re equal parts action, adventure and romance. And it was no different with Edge of Brotherhood. Especially considering it brought together all the people I’ve come to love from the previous books. I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a story about four hot guys going on an Indiana Jones-style adventure together to discover a long lost mythical city? Personally, I was all over that.

The thing about Edge of Brotherhood is that it was a little different from the previous books in the series. There wasn’t as much of a focus on the romance. Sure it was still there, especially where Rain and Easton were concerned, but it wasn’t the primary focus of the story. Instead, it was all about the bromance between Dash, Easton, Connell and Wade. And I’m not going to lie, I loved every second of it. I loved seeing these guys come together, united towards a common purpose. And not only that, it also introduced me to Wade Roberts and I honestly cannot wait to find out more about him in a future book.

In case it wasn’t obvious, I loved Edge of Brotherhood. It was a different story set in a world I’ve come to love with characters I pretty much adore. Seriously, how could I have possibly not like this book?

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Release Day - The Banker by Piper Rayne

Title: The Banker (Modern Love #3)

Author: Piper Rayne

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: April 5, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

Who knew my brother’s friend could be Mr. Right, and not just Mr. Right Now?

My brother refused to introduce me, so I blame him. If he’d just caved, and introduced me to Jasper, I wouldn’t be in this mess. I mean, really what’s the big deal? I’m not interested in the guy’s looks.

Oh no, I want his cold hard cash. (Be honest, you were expecting that other four letter ‘c’ word weren’t you?)

Now, before you go getting all judgy, I’m not a gold digger. I have a legitimate business opportunity for Jasper to invest in. The problem is that my stick-up-his-ass brother is embarrassed that his twin sister invents kick ass sex toys. His problem, not mine.

So, I took matters into my own hands. Defeat isn’t a word in Lennon Hart’s dictionary.

Using my stealthy P.I. moves, I narrowed my search to a time and place where I knew I could find him. It was completely innocent. A chance meeting that would give me the opportunity to pitch my business.

It wasn’t until I sat down across from the gorgeous panty soaking man in front of me, that I realized I wanted so much more than just his money. I could very well want his heart if I wasn’t careful.

Apparently my P.I. skills aren’t as stellar as I thought because Jasper had his own secret—and it changed EVERYTHING.

I said this after reading The Boxer, the second book in Piper Rayne's Modern Love series, and I'll say it again now that I've read The Banker: these books just keep getting better and better. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that The Banker was my favourite out of the three books.

I LOVED Lennon. Even when the story wasn't about her (as in the previous two books in this series), I loved her. I don't know exactly why other than something just really clicked for me when it comes to Lennon. I always wanted to see more of her, and more than that, I wanted to see what it would take to get her to see that maybe letting herself fall for someone isn't the worse thing in the world. Enter Jasper. And really, Jasper was the perfect match to balance out Lennon (and duh, because otherwise what would the point of the story be). I loved seeing them together and I loved seeing the gradual change happen in both of them as they allowed themselves to let the other person in. They worked together and they worked for me. And there's a certain other character who's name I won't mention (because SPOILER) who totally charmed me and put a smile on my face anytime they were on the page. It just made a great story even better and I loved that character for it. And Lennon and Jasper, of course, since this whole thing is about them.

I also want to mention the friendship in the Modern Love series. Sure, these books are romances, but there's also friendship between Whitney, Tahlia and Lennon that's present throughout all three books. I loved how the friendship continued to be important to the three girls as their lives changed and they started up new (romantic) relationships outside of that friendship. No matter what was going on, they were always there for each other and I loved those moments where it was just the three of them being ridiculous together or supporting each other. 

If you want some fun romances that are just a pleasure to read, then do yourself a favour and check out these books by Piper Rayne. If you're anything like me, you'll be surprised by how much you end up loving the stories and the characters. One thing's for sure, I will definitely be checking out more books from Piper Rayne in the future.

Release Day - The Boxer by Piper Rayne

Title: The Boxer (Modern Love #2)

Author: Piper Rayne

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: March 1, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

“Who knew a bad boy could mend a broken heart?”

What does a girl do after she discovers her fiancé is a cheating bastard?

In my case, I performed the ritual implosion of all scorned women. I drowned my sorrows in cases of white wine, wallowed in gallons of ice cream, and ignited a bonfire to burn away every damn remnant of his existence. Six months later, the only result was a permanent impression of my ass on the couch.

Adventure Dating my friends dared.

A new and exciting opportunity they said.

I thought they were crazy, but I’m not one to back down from a challenge, so I signed up for the entire four-week deal.

That’s where I saw HIM. Lucas Cummings. He isn’t the classic rich boy I usually end up with. The one who’s idea of working up a sweat is waiting for his margarita to be served beachside. Nope. He’s a rough and tough bad boy that all fathers warn their daughters about. You know the type. Cocky swagger, chiseled jaw—the ‘V’.

SOLD, I said to myself, until I discovered he was much more than just a BOXER.

Left Hook.

Right to the heart.

This is a standalone book in the Modern Love World. You do not need to read book one, The Bartender, in order to read The Boxer.

The Boxer was the second book by Piper Rayne I read, and I'm happy to say that I liked it even more than I liked the first one. Maybe it's that I was already familiar with some of the characters but I clicked with The Boxer in a way I didn't quite get to with The Bartender and that only made me like the book even more.

I don't know exactly what made it so I clicked with The Boxer, but right away I was into the story. I knew what had happened to Tahlia and I was curious to see how she was now doing in the face of everything. I was excited to get glimpses of Whitney and Cole just to see if they were still just as happy together. And I was ready for more of Lennon's antics (if I could have her book right now, that would be great...just saying). And then Lucas got thrown into the mix and I was just a very happy reader. I really enjoyed seeing Tahlia and Lucas's relationship develop, the way they sort of fought their attraction for each other because neither one of them was exactly looking to be starting something with someone. But much like I clicked with the book, Tahlia and Lucas just clicked with each other and made sense. I couldn't seem to get enough of them and I was more than happy to see both of them getting what they wanted.

After reading The Boxer, I'm excited at the prospect of more stories from Piper Rayne. They're fun, they're sexy and they're the perfect escape. Now if I could only get my hands on Lennon's story...

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Blog Tour - Hard Wired by Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell + Giveaway

Title: Hard Wired (Cyberlove #3)

Author: Megan Erickson & Santino Hassell

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: February 13, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / Other Retailers

My FallenCon agenda is simple: sit on a couple of panels and let people meet the real me. Jesse Garvy—mod of a famous Twitch channel and, if I ever come out of my shell, future vlogger. I definitely didn’t plan to sleep with a moody tattooed fan-artist, but he’s gorgeous and can’t keep his hands off me. There’s a first time for everything, and my first time with a guy turns out to be the hottest experience of my life.

But the next day, I find out my moody fan-artist is Ian Larsen AKA Cherry—someone I’ve known online for years. And he’d known exactly who I was while shoving me up against that wall. Before I figure out whether to be pissed or flattered, the con ends.

Now we’re back online, and he’s acting like nothing happened. But despite the distance between us, and the way he clings to the safety of his online persona, we made a real connection that night. I don’t plan to let him forget.

The second I see that Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell have a new book coming out, I get excited. It can't be helped. They just have this way of making me care for characters with just a few sentences and sucking me in to those characters' stories with nothing more than a few paragraphs. Obviously that was no different with their latest, Hard Wired. 

One of my favourite things about Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell's books is how relatable their stories are, especially for people who've made connections line (romantic or otherwise). If you're someone who's ever met anyone online and then taken that relationship offline, you'll find something to relate to in these stories. Whether it's the fear that whatever you had online won't possibly translate to IRL. Or the fear that people around you won't be able to understand how you could possibly have made such a strong connection with someone you've never met face to face. Or maybe it's that you're afraid the person you met online won't think you measure up when you meet in person. Hard Wired is about all of that and so much more. And I loved the story for that. I loved seeing the changing dynamic of Jesse and Ian's relationship based on whether they were online or in person. How, eventually, the online and the offline came together and made their relationship that much greater to read about and to root for. But of course that also had a lot to do with Ian and Jesse themselves.

I think I would have had to try really hard to be completely charmed by Jesse and Ian. Seriously. I was maybe three pages into the story and already I was all about these two getting together and living happily ever after. Never mind that they had barely exchanged nothing more than a fleeting look. Obviously some things needed to happen before they could get to that happily ever after I was all about and I was more than happy to read all about them getting there. I loved seeing them hesitantly take small steps to making their online relationship and offline was. It wasn't easy but I was rooting for them all the way. Because Ian and Jesse were pretty much perfect for each other. Granted it took them a little longer than it did me to figure that out. But it's okay because they got there. And I loved watching them get there.

I may be starting to sound like a broken record by now, but do yourself a favour and pick up Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell's book. I have yet to be disappointed and I hope they'll continue to collaborate on stories forever. 

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Release Day Blitz - Anything You Can Do by R.S. Grey

Title: Anything You Can Do

Author: R.S. Grey

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: February 2, 2017

Source: ARC from Author

Buy the Book: Amazon

Lucas Thatcher has always been my enemy.

It’s been a decade since I’ve seen him, but our years on opposite coasts were less of a lasting peace and more of a temporary cease-fire. Now that we’re both back in our small town, I know Lucas expects the same old war, but I’ve changed since high school—and from the looks of it, so has he.

The arrogance boy who was my teenage rival is now a chiseled doctor armed with intimidating good looks. He is Lucas Thatcher 2.0, the new and improved version I’ll be competing with in the workplace instead of the schoolyard.

I’m not worried; I’m a doctor now too, board-certified and sexy in a white coat. It almost feels like winning will be too easy—until Lucas unveils a tactic neither of us has ever used before: sexual warfare.

The days he pushes me up against thew all and presses his lips toxin, I can’t help but wonder if he’s filling me with passion or poison. Every fleeting touch is perfect torture. With every stolen kiss, my walls crumble a little more. After all this time, Lucas knows exactly how to strip me of my defenses, but I’m in no hurry to surrender.

Knowing thy enemy has never felt so good.

R.S. Grey is one of my absolute go-to's when I'm looking for fun, happy romance. There's just something about her books and I've yet to read one that I haven't liked. So of course it was no different with her latest, Anything You Can Do.

It's not really a secret by now that I will read just about anything R.S. Grey writes. In fact, except for maybe one, I've read all of her books. And that one that I haven't read, I'm planning on rectifying that very soon. I'm always excited when I hear that she has a new book coming out, and it was no different when she announced Anything You Can Do. Also didn't hurt that the story sounded like it was going to be a lot of fun (spoiler alert: it totally was). I basically had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading. And I have to say, the whole time I was reading, the story reminded me of the TV show Hart of Dixie (side note - if you haven't watched it, you should because it's one of my favourites), likely because of the small-town doctor's office setting and the humor injected throughout the story. And the fact that it reminded me of one of my favourite TV shows only made me love Anything You Can Do even more.

Like with all of R.S. Grey's books, her characters are what really do it for me. I love the people she writes about and the relationships they develop over the course of the books. In this case, I loved Daisy and Lucas. I mean, the lengths Daisy goes to to try to convince herself that all she feels for Lucas is hatred had me laughing on more than one occasion. It was obvious to everyone but herself that she was in love with him which, at times, is what made the situation that much funnier. And Lucas. Well, I want to say that I could tell right from the start that he was going along with this war he and Daisy had going on because that was the only way he could have her, but I would be lying. For a while there, I thought they were both in it for the fight. But once I clued in, it was pretty obvious what was going on and I kept hoping that he would finally say something. Or that Daisy would finally clue in to what was majorly obvious to everyone else. Either one.

Anything You Can Do was another great romantic comedy from R.S. Grey. There's a reason she's one of my absolute go-to's for romance and this latest book only served to reinforce the fact that I will continue buying and reading all of her books.

Release Day - The Bartender by Piper Rayne

Title: The Bartender

Author: Piper Rayne

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: February 1, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

Who knew sleeping with the enemy could be this fun?

Was the one night stand a good idea?

Well, no. Probably not in retrospect.

In my defence I had just moved back into my grandparents’ house, I’d lost my dream job, and a guy on Tinder had stood me up. It was like life had suddenly stamped ‘LOSER’ on my forehead.

So when the guy behind the bard started giving me THE look…you know, the one that promised I’d be screaming his name into the wee hours of the morning? When that guy also has the perfect amount of scruff on his chiseled chin, biceps bulging out of his t-shirt, and a cocky grin you knew he’d earned in the sack…when he gives you that look, you don’t bother to figure out what your six degrees of separation are. You jump on that horse and ride it!

Pun fully and completely intended. And accurate by the way.

I fully admit to feeling sorry for myself and acting impulsively, but by the time I’d figured out WHO the bartender was, I was already falling for him.

I'll be honest right from the start and admit it: the cover is totally what caught my attention when it comes to Piper Rayne's The Bartender. No jokes, I saw the cover and thought to myself "this looks like something I would read," because I'm me and these days, 90% of the books I read feature partially clothed guys on the cover and I'm not ashamed to admit it. So yeah, I totally wanted to read The Bartender because of the cover. And I'm glad that the cover caught my eye the way it did because I totally enjoyed this story. In fact, I was taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed the story , probably because I pretty much had zero expectations when I started reading. And on top of that, The Bartender reminded me how great it is to pick up a book you know nothing about and just see where the story takes you. So often, I'll read a book because I know the author, or because someone recommended it to me, or just because it's been majorly hyped up. With those, there's usually a whole lot of expectations involved. And in a way, all those expectations can sort of take of way from my enjoyment of a book at times.

But now I'm getting sidetracked.

So. The Bartender. I'm a sucker for a good enemies to lovers romance, especially one where the characters have a history. That's exactly what happened here with Whitney and Cole. Granted, sometimes the enemies part felt like it was only coming from Whitney since Cole seemed pretty happy with Whitney from the start. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship change and grow, first as a sort of forced friendship, but then something more romantic as they got to know each other outside of whatever preconceived notions they may have had about each other. Even when they were unsure about each other, they just made sense to me (though that could have just been because I knew I was reading a romance and the whole point is that they end up together, but that's not the point right now). This story wasn't just about those two, though, and I'm curious to see what Piper Rayne has in store for Whitney's two best friends, Lennon and Tahlia.

Long story short? Piper Rayne's The Bartender is proof that deciding to read a book based solely on the cover can sometimes pay off in a really good way.

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Good Boy by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Title: Good Boy (WAGS #1)

Author: Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

Hosting her brother’s wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning’s life. Already the family screw-up, she can’t afford to fail. And nobody (nobody!) can learn of the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. It was wrong, and there will not e a repeat. Absolutely not. Even if he is the sexiest thing on two legs.

Blake Riley sees the wedding as fate’s gift to him. Jess is the maid of honor and he’s the best man? Let the games begin. So what if he’s facing a little (fine, a lot) of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he’s really a good boy with a bad rap. Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you’ve got to make an effort if you want to score.

But Jess has more pressing issues to deal with than sexy-times with a giant man-child. Such as: Will the ceremony start on time, even though someone go grandma drunk? Does glitter ever belong at a wedding? And is it wrong to murder the best man?

Caution: May cause accidental aspiration of tea or coffee. Do not read in a public place where loud laughter is inappropriate. Contains hot but hilarious hockey players, puppy cuddling and a snarky pear of underwear.

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy are easily some of my favourite authors, especially when they join forces. I've loved their past collaborations, and after reading Good Boy I've established I'll read just about anything that has both their names on it.

If you know me, then it's not a secret that I love both Sarina Bowen's and Elle Kennedy's books. In fact they're some of my absolute favourites when it comes to New Adult and romance. It's also not a secret that I absolutely LOVE their collaborations. Him and Us are some of my all-time favourite books. When they announced that there would be more stories set in that world, I was absolutely ecstatic. Especially when I learned who the first book in this new series was going to be about. I mean, right when I finished Us I said that a book about Blake and Jess would make for one hell of a story and it turns out I was totally right. I LOVED Good Boy. Once I started reading, I just refused to put it down because I was that into the story (much to the dismay of the family members I was supposed to be spending time with, what with it being the holidays and all. But Blake and Jess took priority). I just got sucked into their story, into their slightly over-the-top antics that had me laughing out loud (and getting weird looks from my grandparents) while reading. It's pretty much impossible to read this book and not smile at the very least. 

Good Boy was a fantastic story on its own, but what made it truly a stand out for me was Blake and Jess. Both are characters that stole the show when they made appearances in both Him and Us, and getting to read a book all about them made me love them even more. In a way, Jess and Blake are two people you wouldn't quite think fit together but somehow they make it work and make you root for them. Reading, I quickly realized that there was a whole lot more to both of them than their goofiness. In fact, it felt like they often used to goofiness as a front to hide some of the bigger stuff going on in their lives. When they stopped hiding behind that goofiness is when some of my favourite parts of the story happened--those small, more serious moments are what really made me care about Jess and Blake and made me want to see them be happy and get what they wanted. It's what made me go from loving amusing characters to really caring about the two people whose story I was reading.

The synopsis isn't lying, don't read this book when it says this book shouldn't be read in a public place where loud laughter is frowned upon. Seriously, I dare you to read this book and not burst out laughing at least once. It's pretty much impossible. But Good Boy isn't just about the laughs. It's those small, sweet moments that, when combined with the humour, make this story a fantastic read.

Release Tour - Safe Bet by Monica Murphy

Title: Safe Bet (The Rules #4)

Author: Monica Murphy

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: January 10, 2017

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / iBooks

Sydney Walker’s new job is perfect. As the live-in nanny to the most famous quarterback in the NFL and his beautiful wife, she couldn’t have it any better. Their kids are adorable. Her bosses are more than generous. Plus, there are hot football players at the house all the time. Life can’t get much better than this. 

Until her life turns into an absolute nightmare .The media is abuzz with rumors that she and her boss Drew Callahan are having a torrid affair. Everyone knows the truth—except the public. So Drew’s wife Fable comes up with the perfect idea.

She creates a fake relationship between Sydney and one of the rookie players on Drew’s team. Wade Knox is forever indebted to Drew and Fable and readily agrees to the set up. Pretending to be in a romantic relationship with the hot nanny for a week—how hard can it be?

Crazy how it only takes one week for two people to fall head over heals in love…

(This mash-up new adult romance features characters from both the One Week Girlfriend series and The Rules series.)

Unlike some, I didn't start reading Monica Murphy's books until her Rules series was partially underway. I'd seen her name floating around, but had never picked up any of her books. But once I started on that series I was hooked. So much so that I decided to go back and read some of her older books while I was waiting for the third book in the series to release. That's how I started reading the One Week Girlfriend series. And I got just as hooked on that series as I did on The Rules. So those two series coming together in Safe Bet? I was all over that.

And guys? Safe Bet was awesome. It was the first book I read in 2017 and it was an absolutely fantastic way to kick off the year. This story was just good old fashioned fun with zero angst. Don't get me wrong, I love my angsty characters and my angsty stories, but sometimes it's just nice to read a story where everything works out and everyone comes out happy with no new scars, physical or otherwise. I loved reading Sydney and Wade's story and the way it threw back to threw back to One Week Girlfriend, what with the fake relationship that turns into something real. I mean, that trope is a fun one for a reason and personally I love seeing two people realize that what they thought was just pretend is actually a whole lot more real than they think it is. Obviously I knew right from the start that Sydney and Wade would end up in a real relationship (it's a romance, so duh), but that didn't stop me from really loving getting to watch it all happen.

The other part of this story I loved? Getting a lot of Drew and Fable again. I loved getting to read their original stories in One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend, and then getting glimpses of them again in Four Years Later (which I finally read right before reading Safe Bet). It was awesome to see that they were still together and that they were still the same people, just grown up. And it was also awesome to get to see some of the other characters from both the One Week Girlfriend series and the Rules series. And I loved that because I'm that person who always wants to check in on characters, just to make sure that they're still happy and together and okay. I'm just curious like that (or nosy, I guess, depending on how you look at it).

If you've read either Monica Murphy's One Week Girlfriend series or her Rules series (or both!) then you'll want to check out Safe Bet, It's a fun story that lets you peak in on characters you love all while giving you a new angst-free romance that's sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy. 

Cover Reveal - Anything You Can Do by R.S. Grey

Title: Anything You Can Do
Author: R.S. Grey
Release Date: February 1, 2017
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Lucas Thatcher has always been my enemy.

It’s been a decade since I’ve seen him, but our years on opposite coasts were less of a lasting peace and more of a temporary cease-fire. Now that we’re both back in our small town, I know Lucas expects the same old war, but I’ve changed since high school—and from the looks of it, so has he.

The arrogant boy who was my teenage rival is now a chiseled doctor armed with intimidating good looks. He is Lucas Thatcher 2.0, the new and improved version I’ll be competing with in the workplace instead of the schoolyard.

I’m not worried; I’m a doctor now too, board-certified and sexy in a white coat. It almost feels like winning will be too easy—until Lucas unveils a tactic neither of us has ever used before: sexual warfare.

The days he pushes me up against the wall and presses his lips to mine, I can’t help but wonder if he’s filling me with passion or poison. Every fleeting touch is perfect torture. With every stolen kiss, my walls crumble a little more. After all this time, Lucas knows exactly how to strip me of my defenses, but I’m in no hurry to surrender.

Knowing thy enemy has never felt so good.

About the Author

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things…everyday.

I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors are Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I’m a comedy geek and love all things “funny”. Women like Tina Few, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew smuttier than theirs.

 

Release Day - Edge of Bliss by Molly E. Lee

Title: Edge of Bliss (Love on the Edge #4)

Author: Molly. E. Lee

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: December 14, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU

I never knew how perfect life could be until Blake Caster was finally mine.

Chasing storms with her only doubles the passion and the rush, but as we travel down tornado alley at the start of the season, we run into more than our fair share of nonweather-related trouble.

My past on the alley catches up to me in a bad way and with each captured storm, a wedge is driven between us. The harder I try to hold on to Blake, the faster she is slipping away.

Add to that an unexpected call from her ex, new pressures from the reality show filming our every move, and a job offer Blake may not be able to pass up, and my perfect life is on the same chaotic path as the storms we chase.

All I want to do is make her mine—forever—but one trip down tornado alley might be our last. 

In the past year, Molly E. Lee has become one of my go-to authors for New Adult romance. I've devoured every single one of her books and have loved each one more than the last. With Edge of Bliss, I was excited to get back to the story and characters that started it all and I don't think I could have loved this story more.

Here's the thing: I have a love-hate relationship when it comes to sequels and romance novels. I love them because I'm never unhappy to spend time with characters I love. But I also hate them because for there to be a story in a sequel, then it means that something's going to get in the way of characters I love being happy together. If it were up to me, romance sequels would just be about the couple being happy together and living their life with nothing getting in their way. I get that that wouldn't exactly make for the most interesting read, but at least that way I people (well, characters) I care about wouldn't end up unhappy. And that's just my really ramble-y, longwinded way of saying that I was a little scared of what Edge of Bliss was going to be all about. I love Blake and Dash and I was more than happy to revisit them, but after everything they'd gone through, I just wanted them to be happy once and for all. Much as I didn't want a lot of what happened in Edge of Bliss to happen to them, I can now say that they're stronger for it and it's something they needed to go through. And yeah, I totally loved being back with them, but also with John and Paul as the four of them chased down storms all along tornado alley. 

I will say this, I loved getting to see Dash and Blake as an actual couple. So much of the first book, Edge of Chaos, is about Blake finding her strength and getting out of an abusive and toxic relationship that you don't really get to see that much of Blake and Dash being something more than friends. Don't get me wrong, I loved the start of their relationship, how they became friends before they became anything else. Edge of Bliss, on the other hand, is all about them as a couple and I loved it. I loved seeing how their relationship grew and still had that strong basis of friendship. I loved that Blake was finally able to be herself despite being in a relationship, in fact how being in that relationship helped give her some of the confidence she needed to be herself. And Dash was still his ever charming self and I loved him for it. I loved how much he loved Blake, how he was willing to be there for her no matter what. And do I really need to say that I love Blake and Dash together? Because by this point, that should be plenty obvious.

Despite my concerns whenever it comes to romance sequels, I absolutely loved Edge of Bliss. If you're a romance lover and have yet to read any of Molly E. Lee's books, then I strongly urge you to do so. I can guarantee it.

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Blog Tour - More Than Friends by Monica Murphy

Title: More Than Friends (Friends #2)

Author: Monica Murphy

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: November 14, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Kobo

He’s not perfect, but he’s all I want…

I’m your average girl at your average high school, trying to figure out my place in life. After catching my now ex-boyfriend messing around with my now ex-best friend, I’ve made some big changes. No more band, no more backstabbing friends and no more boring old life. Now I have new friends, a new job and new interests.

But there’s a certain someone who’s interested in me, and i don’t get it. Jordan Tuttle could have anyone he wants. He’s the most popular boy in school. Rich, gorgeous, smart and the star quarterback, he’s perfect. Yet he acts like he wants no one else but…me.

So despite my fears and about, I let him get close. Probably too close. I discover that he’s not so perfect after all, but it doesn’t matter. I’m falling for him, even though he runs so hot and cold. I know someday he’s going to break my heart.

And I’m going to let him.

Though Monica Murphy is known for her romance and New Adult titles, I've been enjoying her recent foray into young adult romance. So far, I've found myself enjoying all the YA she's written and it was no different with her latest, More Than Friends.

I'm not going to lie, the first book in Monica Murphy's Friends series, Just Friends, left me wanting in some ways. But I was still curious about what would be coming next, especially when it came to some of the secondary characters. With More Than Friends I got to know two of those characters better, Amanda and Jordan, and I loved having that chance. I'll admit that at first, I was getting a little frustrated with their back and froth will-they-won't-they because I could clearly see they liked each other and wanted to be together even though they each had their reservations about it. But when they finally decided to take that plunge, I was happy they did because Amanda and Jordan just fit. I don't really know how to say other than they just made sense together even when they didn't. (Could I possibly be making any less sense right now?) 

Much like with the first book, More Than Friends left me curious about many of the secondary characters. Even after two books, I feel like I still have so many questions about Olivia and Ryan and their relationship and I would love to get a second chance to read a book all about them. The other person I still really want to know more about is Em, Olivia's former best friend. Reading Just Friends, I feel like I got a really biased view of her because the story was told from Olivia's perspective. In More Than Friends, I kept getting these little glimpses of her that made me wish I could get more Em, to finally be able to understand everything that is going on with her. So I'll just be over here keeping my fingers crossed that there will be a third book in this series that will be all about Em.

If you like YA and you like Monica Murphy's romance, then I strongly recommend you check out her YA titles. They're different from what she's written before, but at their core they're still great stories with the same kind of romance you've come to expect from this author. And I can't wait to read more.

Twisted Palace by Erin Watt

Title: Twisted Palace (The Royals #3)

Author: Erin Watt

Publisher: Everafter Romance

Release Date: October 17, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

These Royals will ruin you…

From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.

Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome.

Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation. 

No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all.

They might be right.

With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace.

Over the last few months, you’ve probably heard about Erin Watt’s Royal series. You know, those books that feature some seriously twisted characters and their very addicting story. The conclusion, Twisted Palace, was just as good as the first two books and wrapped everything up perfectly.

Erin Watt’s Royals series took me completely by surprise. Sure the two authors behind the pen name are authors whose books I love, but I didn’t think I would get as hooked on these books as I did. I was able to read Paper Princess and Broken Prince back to back (thankfully!) but then the wait for Twisted Palace was painful. Especially after the way that Broken Prince ended. I remember thinking that the October release date couldn’t come soon enough because I just needed to know what happened next. Every time I thought I had a handle on everything that was happening, another curve ball was thrown at me and I was back at square one trying to figure out exactly what was going on with all these people. Basically, this book was just as twisted as the title hints it would be (at this point, with a title like Twisted Palace it would be weird if it WASN’T twisted at all). But at the end, everything was resolved in a way that made sense for the overall story. And, the best part, it left the door open for more books about the Royal clan. In particular Easton and I am VERY happy about that. Because Easton is my favourite and I will fight pretty much anyone for him. But I digress.

Much like I was surprised by how addicted I got to these books, I was surprised by how much I found myself caring about the characters. The Royals, in particular, weren’t necessarily unlikable but they also weren’t particularly easy to like at times. But by the time I reached the end of Twisted Palace I loved those baggage-laden Royals. A lot. I would be more than happy to keep reading books about them for a long, long time. I’m already excited about the possibility of an Easton book. And I wouldn’t mind a book about the twins. Or about Gideon for that matter. And I would obviously love to keep reading more about Reed and Ella. And I want more about Val and Wade because I have a strong feeling that would be both entertaining and interesting to read. Basically, I just want more books set around the Royals and their friends. That’s not so much to ask, is it? I hardly think I’m the only one who wants that…

If you like stories packed with romance, twists and intrigue and haven’t yet read Erin Watt’s Royals series, you seriously need to get on that. And if you choose to read them, I dare you not to become addicted to this story.

Keepsake by Sarina Bowen

Title: Keepsake (True North #3)

Author: Sarina Bowen

Publisher: Rennie Road Books

Release Date: October 25, 2016

Source: ARC from Publicist

Buy the Book: Amazon / B&N / Indigo

There’s a first time for everything.

Lark Wainwright used to be fearless. Her life was a series of adventures, each one more exhilarating than the last. But her recent overseas adventure was one too many. Now she’s home and in one piece. Mostly. But her nights are filled with terror.

When her best friend offers her a stay at the orchard in exchange for help at the farmers’ markets, Lark jumps at the chance to spend fall in Vermont. But her nightmares don’t stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of the Shipley Farm to soothe her when her dreams prove too much.

Zachariah is a survivor, too. It’s been four years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult where he grew up. He’s found a peaceful existence on the Shipley’s farm, picking apples and fixing machinery. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. He doesn’t always know what to make of a world where movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, he’d never watched TV or spoken on the phone.

Actually, there are a lot of things he’s never done.

Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than they’d planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she pushes Zach away, he will have to prove that he’s good for much more than farm labor. 

If you love romance and have yet to read any of Sarina Bowen's books, then you are seriously missing out. I have loved every one I've read and am always left begging for more. Her latest, Keepsake, was everything I hoped it would be and I loved reading every single page of it.

I absolutely LOVE getting to read a new Sarina Bowen book, especially when it's one I feel like I've been looking forward to reading for forever. Reading one of her books is like reconnecting with old friends after not having seen them for a while and feeling like no time at all has passed. And I love that feeling. So it really should come as no surprise that I loved reading Keepsake. In fact, I pretty much devoured it. Zach's story was one I had been curious about for such a long time and I was so happy to finally be able to read it. And the story completely lived up to my expectations. Lark and Zach's story wasn't always an easy one to read, especially when you find out everything's that happened to them to bring them to where they are today. But at the same time, their story gives you hope that no matter how horrible things are at one time, there is always a chance they will get better. that you'll meet someone that will help you leave that horrible past behind. That's very much what Zach and Lark were for each other and I loved seeing their unlikely relationship grow and develop. They might have been an unlikely match, but they just worked and somehow made sense. And I had full faith that they would make it through everything and come out stronger together on the other side. 

In the previous two True North books, Zach was always there in the background, quietly doing his thing. And because we only ever found out the bare minimum about him, I was beyond curious as to what his story was. I loved getting to know him in Keepsake. Even though it wasn't pleasant, I loved finding out about his past and seeing how that past still affected him today. And there were moments where my heart was breaking for him. Because Zach never deserved what happened to him, and despite his doubts, he deserved to be loved and he was worthy of it. And obviously I loved Zach, but that's pretty much a given at this point. Lark was the perfect balance to Zach's quiet nature. Even if she was putting up a front after everything that happened to her in South America. She was struggling so much with everything even though she didn't want to be struggling. I wanted so badly for Lark to find her way back to herself without too much pain, but at the same time the pain was necessary to get her to where she needed to be. It wasn't easy to read, but I loved reading it and seeing it all come together. 

Sarina Bowen's Keepsake was an absolutely beautiful story. Though it wasn't always easy to read, I loved every moment of it and would have happily kept reading about Lark and Zach. And the Shipley clan in general. Based on the ending of Keepsake, I may be getting my wish about that at some point...

A Place in the Sun by R.S. Grey

Title: A Place in the Sun

Author: R.S. Grey

Publisher: Self-Published

Release Date: October 24, 2016

Source: ARC from Author

Buy the Book: Amazon 

When her mother’s incessant matchmaking hits an all-time high, Georgie Archibald does what any sensible woman would do: she flees the country.

Seeking refuge in the picturesque seaside village of Vernazza, Italy, Georgie’s only plan is to lie low, gorge herself on gelato, and let the wine and waves wash her troubles away…that is until she was up in a bed that belongs to the most romantic-looking man she’s ever seen.

Gianluca.

After going out of his way to rescue her, the former London financier turned mysterious recluse makes it clear that despite acting as her white knight, he has no plans to co-star in her fairytale.

But Georgie isn’t asking for his heart—she’s merely intrigued.

After all, Gianluca isn’t just gorgeous—tall and tan from days spent in the sun—his touch sets her world on fire. With him, Georgie experiences the most intoxicating passion she’s ever known, and it only takes a few steamy nights for her to realize that sometimes running away from trouble is the best way to find it.

I always get excited about a new romance story from R.S. Grey. She’s one of my go-to romance authors and for good reason. Her latest, A Place in the Sun, reminded me of why I love reading these stories as much as I do all while making me fall in love with new characters.

Over the last few years, R.S. Grey has become one of my go-to authors when it comes to romance. I’ve read all but a couple of her books, and I’ve enjoyed every single one. Sure there are some that I’ll love more than others, but I have yet to read a book by R.S. Grey and not get sucked into the story. And of course that was no different with her latest, A Place in the Sun. Her stories always manage to grab my attention right away, and while reading them everything else around me seems to just disappear. A large part of that is, of course, the romance. And since I'm a sucker for a good love story, that really shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In this particular case, I loved seeing things slowly develop between Georgie and Gianluca, the constant push and pull that was there between them until they finally gave in to what was happening there. It might not have exactly been easy going for them, but the end result was definitely more than worth it. Not just because Georgie and Gianluca were great together, but also because I loved them as individuals.

If you’ve read The Summer Games: Settling the Score then you might remember Georgie Archibald as Freddie’s spirited younger sister. In this book, Georgie is all grown up and looking to find love for herself. Or at least to find love without her mother’s meddling. And you can’t really blame a girl for wanting to get away from a matchmaking mother, especially when it means running away to the Italian Riviera (side note - if you don’t want to immediately hop on a plane to Cinque Terre by the time you finish this book then there’s something wrong with you). And that’s what I loved about Georgie, that she wasn’t afraid to just take things in her own hands and leave what she knew behind in order to do things her own way. And she was determined to get what she wanted. When she decided that she was going to renovate the bed and breakfast, there was no way she was taking no for an answer, no matter how many times Gianluca told her just that. I loved her strong will, even if it sometimes got her into trouble (because those parts usually had me laughing). As for Gianluca, I loved seeing him slowly come out of his shell as he decided to start living in the present a little more. Sure it wasn’t always easy going, but he was doing his best and sometimes that’s all you can really ask for at the end of the day. And just like with all of R.S. Grey’s books, the cast of secondary characters is just as fantastic as the main characters.

Once again, R.S. Grey didn’t disappoint. A Place in the Sun was just as great as I hoped it would be and I would have been happy to keep reading about Georgie and Gianluca forever. The only downside is that I now really want to go to Italy.

About the Author

I am a lover of books, chocolate, reality TV, black labs, and cold weather. Seriously, if I had it my way I would be curled up on the couch with all of those things... everyday.

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I live in Texas where I spend my free time writing and reading. My favorite authors are Mindy Kaling & Jonathan Safran Foer. I'm a comedy geek and love all things "funny". Women like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling are definitely the biggest inspirations for my writing, though I think my work tends to skew a bit smuttier than theirs.

   

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Title: It Ends With Us

Author: Colleen Hoover

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: August 2, 2016

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Sometimes it is the one who loves you who hurts you the most.

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never topped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up—she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily can’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating” rule, she can’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan—her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened. 

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. Combining a captivating romance with a cast of all-too-human characters, It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

Every book I read by Colleen Hoover becomes a favourite. There’s no way around it. But even then, whenever I pick up a new one I can’t help but be afraid it won’t live up to the expectations I have. But every time those expectations are more than surpassed. And it was no different with It Ends With Us.

I am a big lover of all of Colleen Hoover’s books. The way she writes and tells stories always manages to both break my heart and give me hope in love. Reading the synopsis for It Ends With Us I thought I was going to be in for a the usual Colleen Hoover story. But as I found out more about the book and more reviews started popping up, I realized that this story was going to be completely different from the rest. If you’re picking up It Ends With Us expecting a typical romance, you’ll be disappointed because that’s not all what this is. Yes, there’s a romance element since much of the book is about how Lily fell in love with Ryle in the present and how she fell in love with Atlas when she was a teenager. And, yes, at first it does read like a typical romance but very quickly there are hints that things are not going to go the way you think they will. Instead of a love story between a boy and a girl, it’s a story about a girl loving herself and putting herself instead of her relationship first, no matter how hard that was to do. And that’s where the power of the story is: it shows the reader that no matter how strong you think you are, those hard decisions are always going to be hard and that your happily ever after may not look the way you thought it would. 

It Ends With Us is very much Lily’s story, whether that’s her story with Ryle in the present or her story with Atlas in the past. But more than being about her relationship with either guy, it’s about her choosing herself over either guy. There were so many times where I struggled with reading Lily’s story. And I mean that in a good way because it wasn’t an easy story to read. As much as I knew she deserved better than someone like Ryle, someone who had the potential to physically hurt her, I could see how she was struggling to put herself first and protect herself because of her feelings for him. While reading, I understood her struggle and I understood how even the strongest of people can end up in situations like the one Lily finds herself in. And much like Lily, despite everything, there were moments when I really like Ryle, moments when I wanted to believe that his anger was just a one off thing and that it wouldn’t happen again. As for Atlas, for a long time I wasn’t sure what I thought of him. And I think that had to do in large part with how I felt about Ryle. I didn’t want to be disappointed by both men in this story, I wanted one of them to be good for Lily. And after everything, I couldn’t help but doubt that Atlas could be that for her. And I was more than happy to be proved wrong. 

With It Ends With Us Colleen Hoover wrote a powerful and heartbreaking story that needed to be told. It wasn’t easy to read, in fact there were times when it was painful, but that’s what made this story so great. It broke my heart, but it also gave me hope.