Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly

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The first openly nonbinary contestant on America’s favorite cooking show falls for their clumsy competitor in this delicious romantic comedy debut “that is both fantastically fun and crack your heart wide open vulnerable.” (Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate)

Recently divorced and on the verge of bankruptcy, Dahlia Woodson is ready to reinvent herself on the popular reality competition show Chef’s Special. Too bad the first memorable move she makes is falling flat on her face, sending fish tacos flying—not quite the fresh start she was hoping for. Still, she's focused on winning, until she meets someone she might want a future with more than she needs the prize money.

After announcing their pronouns on national television, London Parker has enough on their mind without worrying about the klutzy competitor stationed in front of them. They’re there to prove the trolls—including a fellow contestant and their dad—wrong, and falling in love was never part of the plan.

As London and Dahlia get closer, reality starts to fall away. Goodbye, guilt about divorce, anxiety about uncertain futures, and stress from transphobia. Hello, hilarious shenanigans on set, wedding crashing, and spontaneous dips into the Pacific. But as the finale draws near, Dahlia and London’s steamy relationship starts to feel the heat both in and outside the kitchen—and they must figure out if they have the right ingredients for a happily ever after.

Source: NetGalley; advance audio copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

I'll describe Love & Other Disasters in one word: PRECIOUS. It's a memorable experience when a book starts off so well and carries that momentum through to the end. I was wowed from the get go and couldn't help but smile every time I listened to it.

Dahlia and London meet on their first day of taping the cooking show, Chef's Special. They're both wracked by nerves that come from being on live tv, the jitters from competition and also all the personal stuff that lingers in the back of their minds. Each has come to the cooking show with a clear agenda - win the competition and show the naysayers that they can make a success of themselves. Dahlia has the kind of personality that easily makes friends. Everyone is instantly at ease with her. She's one of my favorite characters because she's forthright and speaks with absolute sincerity which I find to be an admirable trait. London is equally straightforward and has learned over the years that they don't want to deal with bull. Coming on to Chef's Special took guts because they're announcing to the world that they're nonbinary while back at home, their father has yet to accept them. Dahlia somehow endears herself to London and the instant connection and acceptance surprises them.

Listening to London's journey educated me about how one can question their sexuality and struggle to find a space that accommodates their sense of self. That London was able to do that and have so much support behind them was heartwarming. That it isn't always sunshine, roses and acceptance, as demonstrated by her strained relationship with her father, is heartbreaking. Dahlia's journey has also taken her in a different direction. Married at a young age, happy until she realized that she no longer wanted the same things as her husband, she made the bold move to divorce and then to pick up the pieces and remake her life. Both of them have much to prove to themselves and anyone else who has ever doubted them.

While Dahlia and London's relationship takes off with the cooking show as a backdrop, what happens away from the show is equally interesting. I lived for the little details they'd pick up about each other, the inevitable closeness that brought them together as friends and then even more. I loved some of the high jinx they'd get into like when they crashed a wedding, and I was floored by their raw, vulnerable moments like when Dahlia admitted her insecurities aloud after getting drunk at said wedding. That moment seriously got me in the gut and also broke my heart. I felt the weight of that and it's so incredible to come across a writer's words that so uniquely and perfectly captures what feels like a universal sentiment. 

I was pleased to see the nonbinary, queer and trans rep, and I was glad to read a story that wrote from those perspectives. London does have to deal with a fellow contestant's hostility towards their presence, but they don't give that person much energy, and Kelly doesn't make that a central issue in the story, either. Instead she devotes time to London's relationship with their father. London gives energy to the relationships that matter, but will set boundaries and is prepared to walk away from a toxic situation if it risks their well-being. 

I don't know how else to express what a gem Love & Other Disasters is. It took me a long while to even write this review because I didn't feel I could effectively say how much I liked this book. I strongly recommend listening to the audiobook, if you can. The narrator, Lindsey Dorcus, made Dahlia and London's personalities come to life so vividly. It's a wonderful thing to feel a book has enriched and expanded your perspective of life and I can say that Love & Other Disasters has definitely done that for me!

~ Bel

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake (Winner Bakes All #1) by Alexis Hall

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Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.

Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.

Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.

Source: NetGalley: ARC provided by publisher in exchange fir an honest review

Alexis Hall is pretty much an auto-read/buy for me. I adore his writing and humor, and all his memorable characters. Being a Great British Bake Off fan I eagerly awaited the release of Rosaline Palmer as everything about the premise promised fun and any opportunity for things to go haywire, and I was all there for it!

Rosaline is a single mother devoted to her precocious eight year-old daughter, working a part-time job and feeling content enough. When she had her daughter young she had to give up her studies in medicine and never went back to school. While she's happy with her decision, she can't help but feel like she's let people down i.e. her high-achieving parents. To break out of her mediocrity, she enters the reality show Bake Expectations hoping to prove to everyone that she can be good at something and make them proud of her. While the show's week-to-week challenges tend to go a bit sideways, her romantic prospects are at least looking up. Alain is one of the other contestants with whom she's clicked, and she's making friends on the set. 

Now I obviously loved this. Rosaline is sarcastic so that won me over immediately, but she was also an insecure, kind of oblivious mess which I could relate to easily. She has this need to be instantly liked and it can land her in some odd situations like the one she managed when she first met Alain. Her need to impress comes from often second-guessing herself thanks to her parents nitpicking aspects of her life. If there's one thing that's beginning to bug her is that recurring assumption by others that her having a child at such a young age has ruined her life. She has never seen it that way. She's always seen that as her choice and one of my favorite moments in the book is when she acknowledges that while her choices work for her, they're not what others would have chosen for themselves. And she constantly has to fight against that. She dates Alain because he checks all the boxes that would make her parents proud. In the meantime, she gets to know another contestant, Harry better and she finds that she gets on with him really well. His blue collar view of the world and gentle considerate demeanor appeal to her. When my eldest daughter and I discussed the book after she read it, she mentioned that Rosaline's family along with Alain and Harry gave her Gilmore Girls vibes. It makes sense! 

The Bake Expectations experience is her much-needed, overdue growing up moment. I will say I was rather surprised by her naivete because how is she not familiar with people from different backgrounds? While her parents are rich, she herself is not so I sometimes couldn't comprehend how she held on to some preconceived notions about others. There is a lot of classisism which is not apparent to her even though she unknowingly participates in it herself. But that's what I like about this book - that she goes from lacking awareness to this realization about how she's been operating for years. 

There is a scene that is way out there and disturbing. Rosaline finds herself in a situation with Alain and another person that's spurred on by mixed signals and once again, assumptions. She calls it out for what it is - sexual assault - and the subsequent gaslighting on Alain's part is infuriating. Once again, as much as Rosaline can be oblivious (because the clues were all there), in that moment she did stand up for herself and refused to be taken advantage of. For anyone needing more details, she does stop it from going further and manages to find a safe place to call and wait for help. 

I know there are readers who have issues with Rosaline's sexuality in this as she is bi but ends up dating a straight guy and thus feel that it's bi erasure. At least, that's how I understand it. I don't feel that I can speak to that, and I am not here to negate anyone's own feelings or experience about it, but I can say that I was simply happy for her to be with someone who was a good person. 

So I think you get that I loved Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake even if Hall did slag off Spurs fans 😏. (At least it's the Spurs fan who ends up being the hero.) I mean, since it's been released I own the hard copy, the ebook and down the line I'll own the audio as well because I love this freaking book so much. I love Hall's writing and how he uses personal memories that are universal to bring out how the characters are feeling like when Rosaline first arrives on set, "which left Rosaline feeling distinctly first-day-of-school...". There's charm and wit galore throughout, and as always, side characters that take the mickey out of the main ones, and who add whimsy to the storyline. I got a kick out of the reality show hosts, and oh my gosh! The foul-mouthed producer had the most colorful and creative insults known to humankind. I adored her! These characters aren't perfect but the ones I really cared about gained insight and grew up. I'll definitely be reading this one again and waiting rather impatiently for the next in the Winner Bakes All series.

~ Bel

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

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Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall--with hopes that Reena will marry him.

But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.

As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.

Source: Netgalley; ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

This is a story about falling in love during a period of your life when it seems that the pressure of the world is closing in on you. Reena tries to compartmentalize her life to maintain her sanity. Her parents are always trying to match her up with someone, and when they're not doing that, they're pressuring her to climb the corporate ladder in a career she cares little for. It seems like the universe is smiling down on her when she meets her new neighbor, Nadim who lives across the way. It's a pretty awesome meet-cute. Then the universe laughs at her because it turns out that Nadim's her father's newest employee AND he's supposedly her prospective husband. Can a girl catch a break?

When Reena learns of this she's determined to draw strict boundary lines. She has no interest in obliging her parents or any of their machinations. She and Nadim will simply be acquaintances and neighbors. Obviously none of it goes to plan. One thing leads to another and suddenly they're pretending to be a couple on a reality cooking show so that Reena can win the big prize of going to culinary school. This is her ultimate dream and signals the kind of career freedom she desires. The unexpected revelation is that she and Nadim have this off the charts chemistry on screen that cannot be ignored. 

There were several things I enjoyed about Accidentally Engaged. I liked how Reena and Nadim first met because that automatically made things interesting. And then finding out that he’s in the country to work for her dad and also possibly to marry her? Awkward! And also a buzzkill when the guy is a dreamboat with a British accent and you're determined to do the exact opposite of what your parents expect. Reena’s joy of baking and cooking is contagious. She hates her career but baking on her own time centers her and brings her peace. Saira, her younger sister is a hoot! At first you’re not sure what to think of her because through Reena’s perspective she comes off as manipulative and inconsiderate. But Saira grows on you and the strange, unexpected and roundabout way she and Reena repair their relationship is one of my favorite things in this story. Saira is kind of the diamond in the rough here. She comes up with all these wild things and she brings some comic relief when needed. Honestly, she’s my favorite person in this book. The cooking show contest is fun and with a broader, more inclusive concept, it allows for lots of creativity from its contestants. Meaning there were lots of delicious meals happening. 

Heron showcases so well how children of immigrants adapt and assimilate. Reena embraces all her cultural heritages - her South Asian/East African and her Canadian side. It echoed my own upbringing of melding cultures. There's a different worldview that comes with it and like Reena, I found a balance that worked for me, that is me. 

At the other end there are several simultaneous subplots which made it feel as if the walls were closing in around Reena, and by extension, me. There's arranged marriage, meddlesome parents, several family secrets, competitive siblings, job layoffs, job hunting, mental health concerns, scandals, gossip, business deal disasters, a reality show competition, fetishes... it was overwhelming. My preference would've been to pare down the number of subplots. 

I did enjoy Accidentally Engaged quite a bit. I think Reena's relationship with her parents is probably the hardest part of the story because they're so disconnected from each other. Reena wanting to live her own life versus her parents constantly measuring her success and insistence on what's best for her -- it's a tangible struggle in many South Asian families. But Reena and her parents come to an understanding eventually. On a personal note - I do love that Reena has natural curly hair and that it's such a highlighted feature of hers. I didn’t learn to appreciate my own curly hair until I was much older so I like reading characters who have that feature and are so proud if it. I also liked the recipes included at the end because how fun is that to try some of the mouthwatering dishes mentioned in the story?

Accidentally Engaged is a great read if you're looking for a story that takes a different path to romance, or you're wanting a bit of cultural immersion. 

~ Bel

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon launches a new series about three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they've all been duped by the same man.

Samiah Brooks never thought she would be "that" girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she's been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other "girlfriends," London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status . . .

For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she's always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there's no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true? 

Source: ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Samiah is horrified when a public boyfriend-gone-bad encounter turns viral but on the plus side, she comes away with two new friends, London and Taylor. Their friendship makes the humiliation worth it as it's a new experience for her to have friends when she's devoted most of her attention to her career these past few years. As a POC in a competitive tech industry, she has to go the extra mile to prove that she deserves her seat at the table. Her work, her professionalism and her choices are met with more judgement than for most people. As she's continued to thrive at work she's finally, with the encouragement of her new friends, feeling brave enough to work on her own personal project. The three of them agree to swear of men for a while so they can focus on themselves. Samiah's supposed to be focused on her side project but with Daniel, the latest hire now in the picture, her attention is divided. Daniel is great. He's pleasant, considerate, easy on the eyes and appears to be several levels up from her previous jerk of a boyfriend. He's interested in Samiah as well but he has his own agenda at the company and it may affect her work. Getting involved with her would put himself and his secret at risk and also pose a major risk for both of them professionally and personally. So is it worth it?

Reading books featuring WOC who are the full package brings an immense feeling of pride. It's reassuring to know they're out there and that those stories can be inspiring, insightful and entertaining. Samiah, London and Taylor are vibrant, smart, bold and successful. The honesty that's laid bare in how Samiah carries her achievements and feels the extra weight of responsibility is something that POC and WOC feel all the time, no matter their line of work. That continual burden to prove that they deserve their achievement is not an imagined thing. Not only that, but also how a POC/WOC responds when issues arise in the workplace is mentally exhausting. Advocating for oneself becomes an exercise in how to speak up without creating discomfort or offending others, lest one be seen as a "troublemaker". Any reader unfamiliar with this will get a glimpse through Samiah's interactions at work.

As for Samiah and Daniel ... yeah, they're good together. They've met their perfect match in each other and sparks fly every which way. As it's a workplace romance and they tiptoe around the boundaries adding a bit of extra sauciness now and then. 

The Boyfriend Project was my first time reading Farrah Rochon and I certainly like her style. Set in Austin, a city that I've visited once briefly and am rather obsessed with, I liked her references to locations in and outside of the city. Samiah has a few surprises up her sleeve and that's one of the many things I liked about her character. Pick this one up for your next read!

~ Bel

The Corner of Forever and Always Release Blitz

We are so excited to celebrate the release of The Corner of Forever and Always! Lia Riley is back with another spectacular story in the charming Everland, Georgia series. Check out the excerpt, giveaway and review!

 Fairy tales aren't ever what they seem . . . 

Tuesday Knight's dream of Broadway stardom has flopped, leaving her unemployed and brokenhearted. Ready to quit kissing frogs and make her own happily-ever-after, she takes a job as a princess in Everland, Georgia's historical amusement park.

Mayor Beau Marino lives an unenchanted existence-all work, no play-which is fine by him. After his marriage ended in disaster, the last thing he wants in his life is more drama. But Everland's new free spirit has a talent for getting under his starched collar.

When the town's beloved but bankrupt park might be shut down, Tuesday and Beau face a choice. Can they join forces, save the day-and each other? Or will their fierce battle of wills destroy any chance of a fairy-tale ending?

In the tradition of New York Times bestselling authors Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Marina Adair, comes the second book in Lia Riley's Everland, Georgia series about two city sisters finding love in a small town.

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THE EVERLAND, GEORGIA SERIES

IT HAPPENED ON LOVE STREET, #1

THE CORNER OF FOREVER AND ALWAYS, #2

Series Page on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lia Riley is a contemporary romance author. USA Today describes her as "refreshing" and RT Book Reviews calls her books "sizzling and heartfelt." She loves her husband, three kids, wandering redwood forests and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

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EXCERPT

“I’m nervous.” The tightness in his tone backed up the muscles bunching near the hinge in his jaw. And the simple, honest admission did something to her that no amount of flirtatious back-and-forth ever would.

“So am I.” She began buttering the dish. “Who taught you how to cook?”

He stirred the chocolate in the double boiler, hands clenching the spoon. “Mama used to say that a man needed to know three things: how to fix a dessert, iron his own shirt and sew a button. That some day future women would thank her.”

               “Smart lady.” Tuesday laughed, grateful for a moment to recalibrate, to slow her racing heart. “I suck at ironing by the way.”

               Beau gave her a resolute stare. “I make my own starch.”

               “Stop.” She nearly dropped the dishtowel. “No, you don’t.”

               “One tablespoon of cornstarch in two cups of water.”

               Her gaze fixed on the rare smile tugging the corner of his mouth. The revelation was oddly endearing. “I’m not sure whether to be impressed or terrified.”

               “Your mama didn’t teach you these things?”

               Tuesday thought. “We grew up in small town Maine.”

               “Sounds cold.”

               “So, so cold. So much snow. So much cold. Beautiful though.”

               “I’d like to check it out, in summer.”

               “Yeah, good idea. My dad ran a maple sugarbush farm, made homemade maple syrup. Mom was his opposite. He loved being outdoors. She liked being inside. I guess they were opposites,  must have attracted at some point but over time they repelled each other. Pushed one another further and further away. She left when I was in high school. Moved down to New Hampshire where she was from and met a banker. They live in the suburbs. She has a housekeeper now.”

               “She abandoned your family?”

               “I. . .you know, I don’t know. My sister thinks so. I was the baby. My mom used to love to style my hair. She could do so many intricate braids. We didn’t have much money but she’d shop at thrift stores and garage sales and find me cute dresses. Sometimes I’d find her sad and I’d try to cheer her up. I’d ask her to brush my hair and she would,  even though sometimes I could hear her sniffling and I knew if I turned around I’d see her crying.”

               Tears sprang to her eyes and she ground her fists into them. “Wow. Hello! Where'd these come from.” God, way to keep things light. Her inconvenient emotions would probably sink the night.

               “I’m sorry that happened.”

               “Me too.” She took a breath. Then another.

“Can we return to the regularly scheduled programming? Chocolate is always the cure.”

               Beau looked like he might press forward but changed his mind at the last moment. “My mama taught me how to separate yolks from whites. Can I show you?”

               “I won’t pretend that I have skills. Instruct away.”

               “Okay, pick an egg, any egg.”

               She selected a brown one and he stepped behind her, her back heating against his  chest. His arms slid over hers. “Now what you do is give it a tap to open the shell. No! Not so big, just a little one.” His hand engulfed hers, guiding the movement. “Good. That’s real good. Now let the yolk settle in one side. That’s it. Now you start to transfer the egg back and forth and back and forth, let the white run out like that until voila! All you have left is the yolk.”

               Tuesday gawked at the golden yolk in the shell. “Martha Stewart eat your heart out.”

               He checked the chocolate and milk, it had melted down into a decadent pool.

               “Can we eat that as is? I’m sure the souffle is amazing and all but hey, a bowl of melted warm chocolate is going to do me fine.”

               His laugh was just as decadently rich. “Haven’t you ever heard that good things come to those who wait?”

               “Sure, by people waiting,” she quipped. “They need something to tell themselves.”

               That really got him going, his deep laugh rich as sun-warmed molasses. “Let me make you a deal.”

               “I’m not agreeing until I hear the terms.”

               “Smart woman. When you have this dessert, you are going to say it’s better than the best sex you’ve ever had.”

               She set her hands on her hips. “You have a low opinion of my sex life.”

               “Nah.” He winked. “Just a very high opinion on my soufflé.”

               She arched a brow. “You’re on.”  

               Standing behind her he continued to help guide her effortlessly through measurements and pouring, mixing and stirring. He didn’t grind on her or get perverted, not that she’d have minded. Chocolate was meant to be an aphrodisiac and she’d never experienced anything so sexily mundane as chatting over nothings in the kitchen with a man who didn’t try to cop a feel. He appreciated and and even savored her for who she was and what she offered which right now was fully dressed fairly polite company.

               In fifteen minutes he opened the oven and slid the soufflé in.

“And now?”

               “We wait,” he answered. “Until it’s puffed on top and jiggly in the center.”

               “You have a way of making cooking sexy.”

               “Do I? I guess that helps even the field.”

               “How so?”          

               “You make breathing look sexy.” His gaze lingered on hers for a few beats before he turned and began to wash the dishes.

She stared at the back of his head, his broad shoulders, his narrow hips, blinking in surprise. He seemed wholly unaware that he’d broken her heart and put it back together, refashioned into something new, stronger and brighter.

GIVEAWAY

REVIEW

* * * 1/2

These covers are simply too cute and they convey what is the absolute best about the Everland, Georgia series from Lia Riley -- they're sweet, charming and irresistible. 

I never ever thought that small town romances would be a thing for me but Riley has converted me. She continues the set up she created in It Happened On Love Street, featuring a quirky little town with equally quirky residents and those adorably romantic street names. In this second book, Tuesday (Pepper's sister from the first) makes her home in Everland after abruptly leaving New York. Also left behind are the ex-boyfriend and her dreams of being an actress. Though she may have quit acting it doesn't mean that she's given up her flare for the dramatic and this is something that confounds the town's mayor, the widowed and very single, Beau. He's not used to Tuesday's view on life. He likes rules, structure and work. He drowns himself in it. As mayor he has lofty ambitions to get his beloved town on the map and thriving once again. Tuesday's impulsiveness is contrary to his sense of propriety and organization. The fact that they seem to be polar opposites doesn't mean that they aren't also enthralled with each other in small spurts. The problem is that they've had their hearts broken with everything they believed in thrown in their faces in the process, and each has reacted differently to that heartache. When Tuesday becomes a formidable spokesperson for one of the town's landmarks, it means they have to work together and time that will tell if they finally hook up or continue to be friendly foes.

I laughed quite a bit while reading this because Riley has a fun way of phrasing things, especially emotions. It's almost like you're there experiencing everything firsthand. There were plenty of moments when I thought to myself, "Same". I'm always curious when two different personalities clash and how they find mutual ground. It's no different here. The inclusion of the POV from the town's vindictive and manipulative archnemesis, Ma Hogg who lives in the next town over, makes for a distinct contrast to the entire town of Everland's generally sunny disposition. There are also a couple of other characters that I hope will get their own stories and I'm happy to have Riley surprise me. 

I feel redundant saying this but I'll read anything by Lia Riley. I've read all her books so far and I've learned that she can do angsty, romantic, light-hearted, adventurous and serious. Each work she has put out has had a different feel to it. Reading On The Corner of Forever and Always was a sweet escape into a modern day fairytale-like story replete with a prince and princess warding off evil, and legends of lost treasure. 

~ Bel

Unsung by Shannon Richard

***

One Night In Nashville

Harper Laurence has been jilted on her way to the altar. Desperate for some time away from her friends and family, Harper takes off for Nashville—only to meet a hot, scruffy, tattooed stranger. A man she liked a little too much, and who left her the teeniest bit . . . well, pregnant.

Liam James is an up-and-coming country musician, who just found his muse. Ever since their weekend together, Liam hasn't been able to forget the curvy, vivacious woman who left him wanting more, even as she inspired some of the greatest songs he's ever written. He's determined to convince Harper that he's the guy for her . . . and that the best love songs can never be unsung.

Review:

The above summary sets this story up perfectly.  Two people fall instantly fall in love but have to fight to make their relationship work.   They have quite a few obstacles to overcome.  The fact that they still don’t really know each other, an unexpected pregnancy, Liam’s rising fame, and some cruel people that will say or do anything to make their life a living hell.

I’ve always enjoyed Harper’s role in previous books.  She’s strong and super independent.  So to watch her experience a point in her life that is super emotional in a way that she can’t always control made me feel for her.   She’s still recovering from a horrible breakup when she meets Liam.  When she runs away I totally got it.  She might feel a connection but she was hurt so badly and so recently that putting her heart out there again so fast and so soon is too much to even consider.  Add an unplanned pregnancy to the mix and a famous boyfriend that the tabloids love and I just wanted to give the poor girl a hug and take care of her myself.

As for Liam, I could really get behind his “all in” attitude.  There is no doubt in his mind that Harper is THE ONE.  She is it and he is in it for the long haul.  No questions asked.  And he proves that he is committed over and over again.  Kind of hard to not fall for a hero like that. 

But, as much as I enjoyed these characters individually, I was not completely sold on their romance.  I’m a slow burn sort of girl.  It takes a lot to sell love at first sight to me.  A LOT.  So I’ll just put it out there now that that is the reason I didn’t love Unsung as much as I have loved the other books in this series.  Don’t get me wrong.  I enjoyed it.  I couldn’t put it down which attests to Richard’s excellent writing.  But I often felt just a little too unsure about the stability of their relationship to ever get attached to Harper and Liam as a couple.

But, if you are a fan of insta-love or love at first sight in addition to sexy country singing heroes and loveable independent heroines then you will very likely love the latest in what has become one of my favorite contemporary romance series. 

Nat

Rescuing the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon

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NOT ALL SCARS HEAL

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories—including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later, he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things…

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fundraiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional…yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past–so they can fight for a future together.




Review:

This was my first Jessica Lemmon book.  As you know, I’ve become a huge fan of Shannon Richard’s and since she and Ms. Lemmon are besties I was easily persuaded to try out Rescuing the Bad Boy.  And, of course, I’m glad I did.

Sophie would love nothing more than to forget the night she lost her virginity.  It was amazing and horrendous.  But the horrible outweighed the good and, seven years later, not thinking about it is completely working for her.  But then Donovan Pate walks into her office and the past comes crashing back. 

Donovan Pate wants absolutely nothing to do with Evergreen Cove.  He’d rather not live in the home and town where his late father abused him regularly.  When he inherits his family’s estate, his plan is to go to town, sell it (he already has a buyer) and then moving back to his life in New York. What he doesn’t plan on is an annual charity dinner that is being planned and the event is at the house he so desperately wants to get rid of.  A charity dinner that not only raises money for a group home for abused kids but is also planned by the local event planner.  The never forgotten (no matter how much he tries), Sofie Martin. 

Even thoug Donovan would love nothing more than to cut and run, he can’t, in good conscience, put a stop to supporting a charity that he fully supports.  That and an iron clad contract won’t let him.  So he agrees to hold off on selling the house until the charity dinner is done.  Over the next few months Sofie and Donovan skirt each other at the Pate Mansion.  Sofie planning a party and Donovan cleaning it out and fixing it up for its new owner. Of course, skirting each other doesn’t really work and soon they are openly fighting their attraction to each other.

No matter how much the two of them try to protect themselves there is no denying the connection between the two of them.  A connection that is much more important than either of them want to admit. They each have to decide if they can overcome the past in order to have a future with each other.

At first there was a part of me that had difficulty understanding the residual angst between Sofie and Donovan.  It had been seven years since they had seen each other and they had both moved on with their lives.  But then I realized they hadn’t really moved on at all.  Sure, Sofie is succeeding in her career. Her family is a bit crazy but she loves them.  And sure, she’s had her share of relationships.  But none of them have worked out long term and she is completely honest about the fact that she hasn’t had a connection with anyone like the way she did with Donovan Pate.   Then there is Donovan.  On the outside he’s moved on.  Moving away from Evergreen Cove and making a name for himself as a mason worker.  But dig a bit deeper and you find out he’s made some pretty drastic changes to his private life after that night he spent with Sofie.  

All of a sudden it wasn’t so hard to understand all that underlying tension between the two of them. It was there and it was REAL.  On top of that there is Jessica Lemmon’s story telling abilities.  She has a way of pulling a reader in.  Even if I had never understood the lasting angst, I would have been drawn to these two main characters.  The chemistry between them positively leapt off the page.

Needless to say, this was a great introduction to Jessica Lemmon’s writing and I can’t wait to read the rest of this series as well as her backlist.

Nat

Rescuing the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon RELEASE WEEK BLITZ - Review and GIVEAWAY

About RESCUING THE BAD BOY

Not All Scars Heal

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories-including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later he still can't forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he's too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things . . . 

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie's heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fund-raiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional . . . yet working by his side every day doesn't make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn't long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past-so they can fight for a future together.

Buy links

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About Jessica Lemmon

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she's not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

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Excerpt:

Her soft touch landed on Donovan’s arm, and the anger shuddering inside him shifted into an ache. She stepped closer, the warmth between them radiating enough heat to set him on fire. But like the fireplaces he built, he could handle it. He could handle the heat from her, not because he was impervious, but because he was strong enough to soak her in and not burn to ash.

She turned his arm where paint was drying. She swiped at it with her sleeve. “I made a mess.”

He’d forgotten about the paint. “Don’t… I can… There is a shower in the…” He lost his train of thought when she turned those emerald green eyes up to him. He watched her delicate throat work as she swallowed. His eyes traveled up her neck and landed on her mouth. Needing her mouth, he lowered his face, watched her eyes grow dark and wide, watched her lift her chin to meet him.

Heat. He wanted more. If only to test his own strength.

He moved his lips gently against hers, but resisted holding her to him. She held onto him though, grasping his forearms with both hands, her fingers wrapped around his elbows. Pressing her body against his, pressing her tits against his ribs.

Hell, sounded like an invitation to him.  Deepening their connection, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, reached around, and grabbed her ass with both palms. When he squeezed, she sucked in a breath.

“Told you,” he rumbled.

“Told me?”

“Not a complaint, Scampi.” He squeezed again. “Perfect.”

A choked laugh left her throat. “Big.”

Still moving his hands over her backside, he said, “First thing I noticed about you at the Wharf.” He’d been plating up a chicken scaloppini when the manager walked in to show around a few new servers. Two he couldn’t remember, and Sofie. Bent over the plate, he’d peeked between the metal shelves framing that perfect ass . He’d stood to get a better look, and she’d pegged him with those moss-greens.

“Second thing I noticed was your eyes.”

Her lips parted slightly. “And the third thing?”

He kissed her. She tasted incredible. “The first time you talked to me.”

She rolled her eyes. “And what did I say?”

She didn’t think he remembered. She was wrong. “‘Can I get a side of cock?’”

Laughing, she shook her head.

He smiled back at her, unable to help himself. “Then you cleared your throat and said, ‘cocktail sauce’.”

Shaking her head, she said, “Worst abbreviation ever.”

“Kitchen guys are immature.”

She blinked up at him, studying him, like she was trying to piece him together. He didn't want her to. Once she pieced him together and had the whole picture, she wouldn’t like what she saw.

He kissed her again, keeping his hands on her body.

“Are you testing my boundaries?” she asked, her tone teasing. He recognized that comment from the night he rescued her from Torsett.

“Mine,” he corrected.

Sofie bit her lip. “I don’t date much.”

“Me either.” At all, actually.

She shook her head, more in thought than in argument. “I don’t think I have any boundaries with you.”

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            He was beginning to think he had none with her, either.

The Destiny of Violet & Luke Launch Day Blitz & Giveaway

We are ecstatic to be a part of the launch day blitz for the latest from mega-awesome author, Jessica Sorensen. As a special treat, Forever/Grand Central Publishing is sharing with us an excerpt from the book. (Bel is doing a happy dance right now!)

THE DESTINY OF VIOLET & LUKE by Jessica Sorensen (January 7, 2014; 9781455576524; $2.99)

Luke Price's life has always been about order, control, and acting tough on the outside. For Luke, meaningless relationships are a distraction-a way to tune out the twisted memories of his childhood. He desperately wishes he could forget his past, but it haunts him no matter what he does.

Violet Hayes has had a rough life. When she was young, she was left with no family and the memory of her parents' unsolved murders. She grew up in foster homes, living with irresponsible parents, drugs, and neglect, and trying to fight the painful memories of the night her parents were taken from her. But it's hard to forget when she never got closure-and she can't stop dreaming about what happened that tragic night. To make it through life, she keeps her distance from everyone and never allows herself to feel anything.

Then Violet meets Luke. The two clash instantly, yet they can't seem to stay away from each other. Although they fight it, they both start to open up and feel things they've never felt before. They discover just how similar they are. But they also discover something else: The past always catches up with you . . .

Bio: The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives with her husband and three kids. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

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Luke

She reaches for my fries with an undecided look on her face. “So I have a question.”

“Okay…”

“About you.”

I slowly chew my food. “I’m not really sure I want to hear your question now.”

She picks a pickle off of her burger, pulling a repulsed face. “Well, I’m still going to ask it.”

I grab a handful of fries from the tray that’s on the table between us. “Go ahead and ask but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”

She props her elbows onto the table with her burger in her hand. “Why haven’t you ever talked to me before? I mean, we’ve walked past each other probably a hundred times, but never so much as acknowledged each other and then suddenly you’re stalking me.”

I pick up my soda and sip from the straw. “First off, I’m not stalking you. I just can’t seem to get rid of you.”

“You didn’t have to stop to pick me up.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Why? You don’t know me—you’re in no way obligated to help me.”

“I know, but I wanted to.”

“Why?”

I shrug, setting my drink down. “Why not?”

She gives me a funny look, like I’m the most confusing person in the world, when really she should be looking at herself like that. “I don’t get it. Why would someone like you help someone like me?”

I open up the bun of my chicken sandwich to pick the tomato off. “What do you mean someone like me and someone like you?”

She points at me. “You as in a football player who has friends.” Then she points at herself. “And me as in the loner girl who could probably kick your ass.”

I choke on a laugh and my mouth full of food almost shoots out of my nose. “You could not kick my ass,” I cough, and then take a swallow of my drink.

She scans me over while scooping up some fries. “I beg to differ. I think you’re not as tough as you try to look.”

“Do you really?” If only she knew what really lay inside me. “Because most people think I am and for a good reason.”

“I think it’s all for show,” she replies nonchalantly and I can’t tell if she’s being serious or not. “I think that deep down you’re just a softy.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?” I set my sandwich down on the tray and crack my knuckles. “Because I’m not going to fight a girl.”

“That’s such a typical guy answer.” She hurries and takes a drink, but I detect a hint of a smile before her lips wrap around the straw.

“You know what I think?” I cross my arms on the table and lean in, cocking my head to the side as I observe her closely. “I think you like arguing with me and that’s why you’re bringing this up.”

Her shoulders lift and descend as she takes a bite of her hamburger. “Maybe, but maybe I’m being serious.”

“You know that as a football player I have to tackle guys, right? It takes strength to do that.”

“Maybe you just run, though,” she counters. “Maybe you’re just good at running.”

The way she says it reminds me so much of my past and it’s like a kick to the stomach. “Maybe I’m not, though. Maybe I suck at running.” I sound choked and I decide it’s time to cut this conversation short, my brain seeking that potent taste of Jack and Tequila mixed with nicotine. I glance at my watch, pretending to check the time. “I just remembered that I have to meet Kayden somewhere in like a half an hour, so I’m going to have to take you back.”

She balls up the wrapper for her hamburger, acting nonchalant, but her shoulders are stiff. “Sounds good to me. I was done anyway.” She seems irritated and I have no idea why, other than she seems to be able to read through my bullshit and test me, which most people can’t and won’t even try. I’m supposed to be a closed book. A mystery. That way no one can see who I really am. It’s the way I’ve been living for years and it’s comfortable. Not ideal, but nothing is ideal.

We don’t talk as I collect our garbage and then walk next to her as she limps out to my truck. I try to offer her my arm and open the door for her, but she denies my offer, moving to the opposite door and pushing it open.

During the car ride, she barely says two words to me. I should be happy about it. That way there’s no room for sudden questions and statements that will set me off, however I find myself missing the bantering thing we had going and the way she pushed my buttons. By the time I drop her off, all I want to do is ask her to stay, talk some more, let me get to know her. But I don’t understand why. I’ve never wanted to get to know anyone before. I’ve never even been out on a date. Each woman I’ve been with, I’ve only been with once. Just sex. That’s all it’s ever about. And I’ve never wanted anything more.

Until now.

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Forever/Grand Central Publishing has a fabulous giveaway to celebrate the book release. Enter below for your chance to win. Good luck and happy reading!

~ Shel, Bel & Nat 

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