Southern Player (Charleston Heat #2) by Jessica Peterson

* * * *

I’m looking for a hot hookup with no strings attached. And I want my older brother’s best friend to step up to the plate...

My dating history is lame. My experiences in bed? Even lamer. As the owner of a thriving business, I’m used to calling the shots. But one place I don’t always want to be in charge is in the bedroom.

Enter Luke Rodgers. My brother’s best friend. Former Major League baseball player. A guy who now hangs out on his farm, sweaty and shirtless, as he nurses a shoulder injury.

If the rumors are true, he also likes to work up a sweat behind closed doors. A total MVP in the sack.

Just the take charge guy I’m looking for.

With Luke and I, it’s game on. And it’s all good until Luke decides he wants forever, and he wants it with me.

I’m just not convinced I can trust Luke. Will he keep playing the field? Or is he really ready to hang up his cleats for good?

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Luke and Grace are old friends, he being her brother's best friend. They might have even had a fantasy or two about the other. Nothing ever happened because one, life took them in different directions in their twenties and two, you don't go for your best friend's little sister. But when the attraction is undeniable and they're both up for a bit of fun, what's to stop them?

On the surface, Grace has achieved so much to be proud. Her resourcefulness and smart business sense has resulted in her owning and running her own successful coffee shop. But something's been gnawing at her lately. While her work life is going great her love life has been non-existent since her breakup. To soothe herself she finds comfort in listening to the sizzling dialogue of her favourite romance novels. Listening to them makes her wish for the sexual potency that's she's never experienced and how stifled she felt in her previous relationships. Emboldened by this new self-awareness, she enlists Luke to help her. She has a bucket list of sexy things to accomplish and can only trust Luke whose rep around town is that of god-like status. He will be careful with her and treat their arrangement with discretion.

My first thought about Luke was, here finally is a hero who wants a "forever" with a woman. Up until the moment when he voices that, I didn't realize how weary I've become of the guys-who-don't-do-relationships trope. Luke was refreshing! My second thought was, good for Grace who's smart, sexy and caring, and finally taking her turn in the director's chair. She's not embarrassed about exploring this other side of herself and Luke is right there willing to give her want she wants. He gets something out of it as well but at no point is his experience used against her or does he make her feel ashamed of her asking for what she wants. And while she hopes to keep things physical, he encourages her to keep a open mind about having a relationship. This felt like a genuine give-and-take arrangement and I found that to be comforting. 

Luke and Grace are in their early thirties and are past a lot of the anguish and impulsiveness of their younger years. Instead, the hurdle these days is figuring out what the next step is after already having made some dreams come true. Now it's about whom to share those dreams with. Not only finding the right person but also being the right person for that special someone. I'm really digging these older characters who are on the precipice of the next stage in their lives. You'd think that we'll all stop being scared at some point but that hesitancy never goes away and that was something very relatable about Luke and Grace. 

I've enjoyed this Charleston Heat series so far and I feel like Peterson is really hitting her stride here. There's a smooth flow to the story that feels welcoming and makes you want to stay for the ride. I even looked up some of the places she mentions in the book and honestly, I hadn't ever thought much about Charleston as a destination but now I feel a visit is warranted. She makes it sound like a spectacular place to get lost in for a few days. Southern Charmer is a love letter to the city but it's also to the men and women out there with their own bucket lists waiting to turn them to reality. 

~ Bel

Bad Influence by Stefanie London Release Day Blast

About the Book

Annie Maxwell created the Bad Bachelors app to warn women away from guys like Joe Preston. Too bad she won't take her own advice...

Annie had her whole life figured out...until her fiancé left her when his career took off. If that wasn't bad enough, every society blog posted pictures of him escorting a woman wearing her wedding ring. To help the women of New York avoid men like her ex, she created the Bad Bachelors app.

Outside his stellar career, CEO Joe Preston has made a lot of mistakes. None was worse than leaving the love of his life when she needed him most. Now, he's ready for a second chance. He may still be one heck of a bad influence, but when Annie's safety is threatened by a hacker, Joe is the only one who can save her - and he'll do whatever it takes to win her back.

Goodreads I Amazon I Apple     I     Kobo     I     B&N

About the Author

Stefanie London is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty contemporary romances and romantic comedies.

Stefanie’s books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing praised as “Elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT magazine. Her stories have earned accolades such as the RT Top Pick and have achieved bestseller status with USA Today and iBooks.

Growing up, Stefanie came from a family of women who loved to read. After sneaking several literature subjects into her ‘very practical’ Business degree, she worked in HR and Communications. But writing emails for executives didn’t fulfil her creative urges, so she turned to fiction and was finally able to write the stories that kept her mind busy at night.

Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is currently in the process of doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels and anything zombie-related.

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An Unconditional Freedom (The Loyal League #3) by Alyssa Cole

* * * * *

Daniel Cumberland’s uneventful life as a freed man in Massachusetts ended the night he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. To then have his freedom restored by the very man who stole his beloved’s heart is almost too much to bear. When he’s offered entry into the Loyal League, the covert organization of spies who helped free him, Daniel seizes the opportunity to help take down the Confederacy and vent the rage that consumes him.
When the Union Army occupies Janeta Sanchez’s small Florida town, her family’s goodwill and ties to Cuba fail to protect her father from being unjustly imprisoned for treason. To ensure her father’s release, Janeta is made an offer she can’t refuse: spy for the Confederacy. Driven by a desire for vengeance and the hope of saving her family, she agrees to infiltrate the Loyal League as a double agent.

Daniel is both aggravated and intrigued by the headstrong recruit. For the first time in months, he feels something other than anger, but a partner means being accountable, and Daniel’s secret plan to settle a vendetta and strike a blow for the Union can be entrusted to no one. As Janeta and Daniel track Jefferson Davis on his tour of the South, their dual hidden missions are threatened by the ghosts of their pasts and a growing mutual attraction—that might be their only hope for the future. 

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Alyssa Cole has made no secret of the fact that she had a hard time writing An Unconditional Freedom. I had an equally hard time reading it. Every page confronts you with the brutal truth about slavery. And when current events make you feel as if we're regressing, it makes this novel that much more imperative to read, here and now. 

Daniel was born a free man and knows what freedom tastes like. He had a potentially bright future studying law but in the hopes of doing good for his fellow countryman, he placed his trust in the wrong people and was thus captured and sold as a slave. Years of mistreatment and witnessing evil upfront broke him to an extent. His heart and resolve hardened, he's determined to fight back now and bring about change. His reputation in the Loyal League is that of a lone wolf which he prefers so he's none too thrilled about the Loyal League foisting a new partner upon him. Janeta's own upbringing is a far cry from anything Daniel has experienced. Born to a former slave who ended up marrying her owner, Janeta is of both worlds. She's never known hardship, only that she is different. Her entry into the Loyal League is dubious as her agenda is to infiltrate them and spy for the South. Travelling with Daniel, she witnesses closeup the lives of those enslaved. This forces her to question her own indoctrination and discern who the good guys really are. More importantly, who stands to gain the most should the war be won or lost. She went into this to protect her family, and perhaps her naiveté made her easy to manipulate but now her allegiance is shifting.

Cole has injected a lot of the frustration and despair that's sprung up recently and poured it into her latest work. Combining history and a modern perspective, An Unconditional Freedom questions everything about why one person should feel superior to another. It highlights the economics and politics of slavery, and how lack of an education and literacy can be a weapon in suppressing a population. Reading Daniel's personal history in particular wrenches your soul apart. 

Writing this book has been a labour of love and Cole has outdone herself here. There's no sugarcoating the history of a something as vile as slavery, a raw wound that just keeps reopening. An Unconditional Freedom doesn't allow you to turn away from it but invites you to learn from it in hopes that common sense, decency and an intrinsic belief in everyone's worth will always be greater than the evil that exists.

~ Bel

Tikka Chance On Me by Suleikha Snyder

* * * * *

He’s the bad-boy biker. She’s the good girl working in her family’s Indian restaurant. On the surface, nothing about Trucker Carrigan and Pinky Grover’s instant, incendiary, attraction makes sense. But when they peel away the layers and the assumptions—and their clothes—everything falls into place. The need. The want. The light. The laughter. They have more in common than they ever could’ve guessed. Is it enough? They won’t know until they take a chance on each other—and on love.

Source: ebook purchase


First of all, there's no way to read this title without singing it - amiright? And look at the cover. I covet those shoes. This cheeky title along with the cute cover made it irresistible to pass up. Inside is an adorable story of two people who are trying to find their place without rocking the boat too much. 

This was a biker story without being a biker story. Trucker is leader of a biker gang who makes sure that they're not causing too much trouble when they don't need to. He just causes it in other ways like when he shows up with his guys at Pinky's parents' restaurant where he can discreetly flirt with her. She doesn't mind of course being she's doing the same. How can she not notice this tall, commanding drink of water. Steamy fantasies abound and let me tell you, there's a fantastic trip to Walmart that won't be forgotten any time soon. Seriously. 

I absolutely enjoyed Tikka Chance On Me (and I love saying it, too). It's amazing that this is a novella because of how much story Snyder packs into it. Her characters feel so fleshed out. I do like her sharp writing and what feels like a rhythmic flow at times that makes me wish I could write like that. If you're looking for a steamy romance with a smart, charismatic hero and heroine, this one's for you!

~ Bel

The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli

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One devoted modern girl + a meddlesome, traditional grandmother = a heartwarming multicultural romantic comedy about finding love where you least expect it 

Raina Anand may have finally given in to family pressure and agreed to let her grandmother play matchmaker, but that doesn't mean she has to like it--or that she has to play by the rules. Nani always took Raina's side when she tried to push past the traditional expectations of their tight-knit Indian-immigrant community, but now she's ambushing Raina with a list of suitable bachelors. Is it too much to ask for a little space? Besides, what Nani doesn't know won't hurt her...

As Raina's life spirals into a parade of Nani-approved bachelors and disastrous blind dates, she must find a way out of this modern-day arranged-marriage trap without shattering her beloved grandmother's dreams.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for a honest review


Just the first line of the blurb sold me on reading The Matchmaker's List. Being set up by one's grandmother in hopes that one of those dates sticks, thereby leading to a happily ever after? There's so much that could happen here.

Raina is loyal to the grandmother (aka Nani) who has raised her and will do anything to make her happy including get married to a suitable Indian boy. The problem is that Raina's heart is not exactly in it. She was so close to being with "the one" but life and career demands took them both in different directions. It still doesn't stop her from holding out hope that there could be a second chance for them, slim as that may be. In the meantime, it couldn't hurt to go those dates with the various men her Nani keeps pulling out of the woodwork. It gets to be too much eventually and Raina takes advantage of a minor misunderstanding and uses it to to throw her grandmother off course. This solution, as temporary and harmless as it may be initially, has far-reaching repercussions that Raina must ultimately own up to. Basically, she's a hot mess and isn't ready to face herself or her actions.

The Matchmaker's List starts out humorously enough. I dug Raina's deadpan humour and quick quips at first. I wanted to hang out with her. But then the story plateaus slightly before taking a nosedive when Raina hits her rock bottom. The comedy was missing during the middle of the story. By midway she relinquishes control of her life, of herself, to appease her Nani. She was completely stuck and had given up. As much as I liked Raina, she was also kind of dull by this point, and it came across distinctly that even she was just as bored and fed up with herself. 

Kudos to Sonya Lalli here for writing Raina and her emotions in such a way that I felt her joy at the best parts but also that I was sinking along with her when things were at their lowest. The Matchmaker's List brings the laughs and struggles of family and friends, and the excruciating heartache of letting go of one idea of love before falling in love for real. 

~ Bel

Things We Never Said Cover & Blurb Reveal

Who's ready for the next book in the Hart's Boardwalk series? We are! We are!

Here is the beautiful new cover for THINGS WE NEVER SAID from Samantha Young. Join us as we return to Hart's Boardwalk, won't you?

Cover design by Hang Lee

Local metalsmith and gift shop owner, Dahlia McGuire, likes her quiet life in Hartwell, Delaware. It's the perfect place to hide from her family and the tragic events that led to their estrangement. However, when her father, the person she loves most in the world, needs her Dahlia has no choice but to return to Boston to face her ghosts. One of those happens to be her ex-boyfriend's best friend, Michael Sullivan. The man she was never supposed to fall in love with.

Michael Sullivan has never forgotten Dahlia McGuire. Some might say he’s never gotten over her. For years he lived with the anger of her desertion, and now, newly-divorced, he’s finally ready to move on. That proves impossible when Dahlia returns to Boston and reawakens their explosive connection. Despite everything, Michael wants her back, but  Dahlia can’t seem to let go of the tangled emotions of the past. When she flees home to Hartwell, Michael follows, determined to do everything in his power to convince her they belong together.

However, when the unthinkable hits the quiet seaside town, Michael finds himself trying to unravel more than the mystery of Dahlia's broken heart. It's time for truths left unsaid to finally be spoken or Michael and Dahlia might find themselves torn apart forever…

~ THINGS WE NEVER SAID releases May 7th ~

Illegally Yours (Laws of Attraction #2) by Kate Meader

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Rule #1: Never fall for your client.
Rule #2: Never fall for your client’s fiercely protective, smoking hot sister-in-law.

I’m the kind of guy who believes that everyone deserves the best legal representation money can buy—which just so happens to be me, Lucas Wright. Give me your henpecked, your cuckolded, your irreconcilable differences yearning to break free! And if you’re the bad guy in your marriage, that’s cool too. Your green is as good as anyone’s.

Tell that to Trinity Jones. It’s my job to destroy her sister—the soon-to-be ex-wife of my a-hole of a client—and Trinity’s “big sis” instincts are dialed up to the max. I admire that. I admire her. But she won’t stop me from representing my client to the best of my ability.

Not even if my chemistry with Trinity is undeniable. Not even if we can’t keep our hands off each other. Not even if she injects life into a heart assumed to be long dead.
 
Because when faced with a choice between love and duty, the job will always win—or at least that’s what I thought before I met Trinity . . . and suddenly conflict of interest never felt so right. 

This ebook includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.

Source: advance e-galley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review


I enjoyed the first book in the Laws of Attraction series, Down with Love, and I absolutely enjoyed a glimpse of a certain cocky British dude who made me laugh in the few scenes that he was in. Lucas is the kind of hero I like - annoyingly charming, funny, and oh hell yeah, sexy! All this makes the attractive Trinity, who is very serious about teaching people the art of savoring and understanding the world of whiskey, his perfect foil.

Man, do I love good banter and it is all over Illegally Yours. Lucas and Trinity can go toe-to-toe with each other which makes their interactions simultaneously amusing and sexy. There's that word again. Trinity drives Lucas batty because she's not so easily swayed by his looks or attempts to break down her defenses. She makes him work for her attention. Of course, she's about as stoic as a wet noodle on the inside because he does make her come alive and boy, oh boy, she is tempted! But trust is something that Trinity does not give away easily. 

The wrench in everything, and one that you see coming almost immediately, is that Lucas represents her future ex-brother-in-law who is hellbent on destroying her younger sister. Trinity is a fierce older sister who sees it as her job to protect her sibling from any additional pain. Unfortunately, Lucas breaches her defenses, making a sensitive and complex situation even more so. Let's also remember that it calls into question his ethical responsibilities to his client and as a lawyer overall.

I enjoyed reading Illegally Yours mostly for the excellent verbal exchanges between Lucas and Trinity. They're both so irresistible when they're going at it. Also, the other partners are pretty visible in this and they always give Lucas the business which is entertaining to no end for me. The hard part for me though was accepting any romantic move forward between them. He's a divorce lawyer and his client is public enemy number one to her family right now. I'd be reluctant to be with someone under those circumstances. I don't think I'd be able to separate the two, therefore, I struggled to believe that Trinity could turn a blind eye to that, too. I appreciated seeing a different side of Lucas which is seriously melt-your-heart magnificent, and understanding the emotional complexities of Trinity's life. This girl has a lot of baggage! Truthfully, they both do and it's interesting to see how it's shaped their worldview.

Even though I was a tad bit reserved about their romance because of the nature of his job and its connection to Trinity, but I still liked Illegally Yours. I adore Kate Meader's writing I always have fun with her books!

~ Bel

For Emery (For You #4) by J. Nathan

* * * 1/2

A STANDALONE New Adult Sports Romance in the For You series. Each book follows a new couple.

Emery
I’ve loved Jordan Grady since I was eight.
Since he became my protector.
Since he became my safe haven each night.
But I was younger.
Off limits...
Until high school when he finally kissed me.
And for a few fleeting moments, everything was right in the world.
Then I was forced to do the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do...
Disappear from his life without a trace.

Grady
I’m Alabama’s star right tackle—and a real prick.
I live my life by a few solid truths.
Life isn’t fair.
Don’t let anyone get too close.
And those who claim to care about you can up and leave.
But you know what they say about things that disappear...
But Emery Pruitt had never been mine.
Even if she had returned after four years.
Older.
Confident.
And more beautiful than the night she vanished.
But it didn’t erase the fact that she’d left me.
So, why find me now? 

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


Whenever I've read one of J. Nathan's books I've always enjoyed it. I see her as including just enough angst without being too overwhelming which is just the right combination for me.

For Emery is a story about the ultimate kind of friendship that's forged from the earliest and most influential years in a young child's life. Grady first meets Emery when her family moves in next door. Unfortunately, Emery's family life is a mess and she finds solace in hanging out in Grady's bedroom. He makes her feel safe and protected, and maybe it's hero worship that makes her declare that they'll be boyfriend and girlfriend, and even marry one day. Grady doesn't take her too seriously as far as that's concerned since she's a few years younger than him, but it doesn't change how deeply he cares about her and wishes he could fix everything for her. She disappears from his life abruptly and doesn't hear from her again until she shows up at as a freshman at college where he's a star on the football team. Seeing her again is a complete shock and brings up many years worth of pent up bitterness. Still, he's not letting her out of his sight. Now they just have to learn how to become friends all over again.

Be warned that this story involves domestic violence and Grady has some anger issues as well. Grady's behaviour feels a bit off to me only because the Grady in the younger years is extremely kind and protective, whereas the college-age Grady can be a jerk. It is inferred that Emery's disappearance is the cause of the shift in his attitude but I felt still felt as if I was missing something there.

This was an engaging but tough read because of the subject matter, and it's hard not to be overcome by some of the details. They're not terribly graphic, it's more the fear that Emery has lived with for so long and how she must be careful to protect herself. The upside is that two people who thought they'd lost the most meaningful connection to another person they've ever had, find each other again. And it's no an exaggeration to say that their friendship is a lifesaver. J. Nathan tells a good story and I recommend this one if you're up for it.

~ Bel

Bad Influence by Stefanie London Teaser Blast

We are less than a month away from the release of BAD INFLUENCE by USA Today bestselling author Stefanie London. Check out a brand new teaser from the book and be sure to pre-order your copy today!

 

About BAD INFLUENCE

Annie Maxwell created the Bad Bachelors app to warn women away from guys like Joe Preston. Too bad she won't take her own advice...

Annie had her whole life figured out...until her fiancé left her when his career took off. If that wasn't bad enough, every society blog posted pictures of him escorting a woman wearing her wedding ring. To help the women of New York avoid men like her ex, she created the Bad Bachelors app.

Outside his stellar career, CEO Joe Preston has made a lot of mistakes. None was worse than leaving the love of his life when she needed him most. Now, he's ready for a second chance. He may still be one heck of a bad influence, but when Annie's safety is threatened by a hacker, Joe is the only one who can save her - and he'll do whatever it takes to win her back.

Add BAD INFLUENCE to your Goodreads TBR!

Pre-order your copy of BAD INFLUENCE today!

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About STEFANIE LONDON

Stefanie London is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty contemporary romances and romantic comedies. Stefanie’s books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing praised as “Elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT magazine. Her stories have earned accolades such as the RT Top Pick and have achieved bestseller status with USA Today and iBooks. Growing up, Stefanie came from a family of women who loved to read. After sneaking several literature subjects into her ‘very practical’ Business degree, she worked in HR and Communications. But writing emails for executives didn’t fulfil her creative urges, so she turned to fiction and was finally able to write the stories that kept her mind busy at night. Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is currently in the process of doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels and anything zombie-related.

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