Truce? Hating Elijah Monroe Cover Reveal

Today we have the cover reveal for Truce? Hating Elijah Monroe by Amelia Kingston! Check it out and be sure to pre-order your copy today!

Title: Truce? Hating Elijah Monroe

Author: Amelia Kingston

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Day: October 1^st

About Truce? Hating Elijah Monroe:

A small town enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. Harper Delaney is a newly certified elementary school teacher with the mountain of student loan debt to prove it. Moving back to her claustrophobically small hometown is about as tempting as two week old sushi, but the allure of free rent and a guaranteed summer teaching job are undeniable. On the hunt for her dream job in San Francisco, Harper just needs to survive the summer without murdering Elijah Monroe. He may have grown into a scorchingly hot fireman, but he’s still her nemesis. Harper gave Elijah her heart when she was sixteen, and never forgave the jerk for not wanting it. Probably for the best, since he's also her stepbrother. Elijah still makes Harper’s blood boil and heart race. And he knows it. She’ll wipe that smug smirk off his gorgeous face before leaving town. The only question is if she wants to do it with a kiss or a slap.

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Exclusive Excerpt:

I know it’s been too long since I’ve had a date when my first thought at seeing a firetruck pull up outside the school isn’t “Oh, no. Where’s the fire?” but “Oh, yes. Where are the firemen!” I’m practically drooling when I see him step out of the truck. His tall frame is broad and solid. Every inch of his more than six-foot body is carved from stone. This guy is cut. Ripped. Hot. If I faint, will he give me mouth to mouth?

My heart drops into my stomach and a weird little squeak leaves my throat when I realize who it is. I might legit need CPR. He was cute as a boy, but he’s drop dead gorgeous as a man.
 He’s not a man. He’s the devil. The bane of my adolescent existence. My stepbrother.
 I drag my eyes up to Elijah’s face. He looks put together and mature in a way that I’m not prepared for. His hair is the same warm brown, but now it’s cut short and tidy. He’s clean shaven, making those full lips pop. Lips which are curved up into a familiar smug smirk as his bright green eyes sparkle with devious satisfaction. He caught me checking him out and he wants me to know it. He struts across the parking lot, shoulders back and chest puffed up. He’s the same pompous jerk I remember from high school, breaking hearts and causing trouble.
 I look around the school yard and everyone has turned to watch the spectacle. The kids are all ogling the firetruck. The teachers and assistants are all ogling Elijah. I can’t control my groan. I cross my arms and scowl at him. 

He’s still a few feet away when I snap, “What are you doing here?” I’m loud enough half the playground can hear me. My happy teacher persona is a distant memory. I’m an angry, frustrated sixteen-year-old again, fighting the magnetic pull drawing me to him. Was it always this strong? Doesn’t matter. I’ll never give in to it.  “Nice to see you too, Short Stack,” he quips, crossing his arms to match me.

“Enough with that stupid nickname already. It’s been almost a decade. Grow up, Elijah,” I fume.

“Plus, it doesn’t even make sense.” 

He looks down at the ground, trying to hide his smile. He loves winding me up. And I fell for it. Now I’m more annoyed than ever. 
 

 

Connect with Amelia:

Amelia Kingston is many things, the most interesting of which are probably California girl, writer, traveler, and dog mom. She survives on chocolate, coffee, wine, and sarcasm. Not necessarily in that order.   She’s been blessed with a patient husband who’s embraced her nomad ways and traveled with her to over 30 countries across 5 continents (I’m coming for you next, Antarctica!). She’s also been cursed with an impatient (although admittedly adorable) terrier who pouts when her dinner is 5 minutes late.   She writes about strong, stubborn, flawed women and the men who can't help but love them. Her irreverent books aim to be silly and fun with the occasional storm cloud to remind us to appreciate the sunny days. As a hopeless romantic, her favorite stories are the ones that remind us all that while love is rarely perfect, it’s always worth chasing.

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Muffin Top Cover Reveal

“Avery Flynn knocks it out of the park again!"

- Tawna Fenske, USA Today bestselling author

Muffin Top, a hot romantic comedy from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn is coming October 29th and we have the new cover!

The only thing about me that’s a size zero is the filter on my mouth. I’ve got a big personality, a big rack, and a big number on the scale. And I’m perfectly fine with that.

But when some random guy suggests I might not be eating alone if I’d ordered a salad instead of a hamburger I’m shocked silent, which is a feat, trust me.

That brings us to one sexy fireman named Frankie Hartigan. He’s hot. He’s funny… And he’s just apologized for being late for our “date” then glared at the fat-shaming jerk. Next thing I know, he’s sitting down and ordering himself dinner.

I have no problem telling him I don’t need a pity date . . . unless of course it’s to my high school reunion next week. Oops where did that last bit come from? And what do I do now that he’s said yes?!

Because this is no make-over story, and I think Frankie is using me for something. I just have to figure out what…

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About Avery

USA Today bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She fell in love with romance while reading Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory books. It wasn’t long before Avery had read through all the romance offerings at her local library. Needing a romance fix, she turned to Harlequin’s four books a month home delivery service to ease the withdrawal symptoms. That worked for a short time, but it wasn’t long before the local book stores’ staffs knew her by name. Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

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Boy Toy (Man Hands #3) by Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby

* * * *

A brand new romantic comedy from your favorite snort-laughing duo!

Liam

The moment Sadie Matthews walks through the daycare center door, I feel my world tilt in her direction. Again. I fell for her when I was fourteen, and I'm still not over her. Problem: she still thinks of me as a teen she used to babysit. But I've learned a few things about pleasing a woman in the last fifteen years. I can't wait to show her how good it could be. I need to move quickly before I lose her again. This is more than a game to me, but I still plan to win.

Sadie

I've just survived the worst year of my life. As a single mom of twin toddlers, I don't have time for a man. I barely have time to finish a thought. Who knew that Liam McAllister would grow up to be so devastating? He's everything my husband was not: tall, built, and willing to have a tea party with my girls.

I can't possibly get involved with him. He's too young for me. Too handsome. But he's so persuasive... 

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


This is one adorable story! A divorcée in her thirties meets her twins' daycare provider who just happens to be the kid she used to babysit when she was younger. Now he's all grown up and still has a massive crush on her. Two worlds collide bringing with it lots of laughter and sexy times!

I love this story for a number of reasons, first and foremost that it accurately and hysterically describes the harrowing life of a mom with little kids. There were a few instances that instantly brought me back to when my kids were that age. I remembered the frenzy and that feeling of my brain constantly being in frazzle mode. I can laugh about that now but back then life was insane so I definitely feel some solidarity with Sadie. Second, Bowen and Eby realistically show what life for a single mom is like. She's hesitant to date because her kids must come first. Anything she does for herself is considered selfish and brings with it much guilt. Mom guilt is a bummer. Then there's also her low confidence thanks in part to her ex who made her feel inadequate. It's hard to remember your own sex appeal after you've given birth and are covered in baby food and what other kiddy mess gravitates to you. Naturally, Sadie is confused that a younger man wants to get with her. Aside from the small age difference there's also that awkward I-used-to-babysit-you-and-now-you're-freaking-hot sensation Sadie has. Reason number three why I love Boy Toy: Liam, Liam, Liam. He's all grown up but 15 year-old Liam manages to pipe up every now and then when he gets all horny for Sadie. It's hilarious! Liam is just too perfect and is every single mom's wet dream of a Prince Charming - patient, loves kids, makes delicious pancakes, works out, takes care of his woman. This boy should be cloned (though it would help if he were real first). Sigh.

I had a blast reading Boy Toy. It had me laughing and of course weak in the knees any time Liam did or said something wonderful to Sadie. Complications obviously come in to play because Sadie and Liam are at different stages in their lives and have their responsibilities. But never fear, Bowen and Eby give us our much loved HEA and Sadie and Liam so deserve it!

~ Bel

Available Now!

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EXCERPT

I messed up. Big time.

These are my thoughts as I rush into the bathroom for the world’s fastest shower. The hot spray of water judges me as I hastily wash Liam off my thighs.

A better mother wouldn’t let this happen. I shouldn’t have a younger lover. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t be so deliciously appealing. I couldn’t lose my mind, wake him up out of a sound sleep to ride him like a pony. And then collapse beside him in peaceful, sated slumber.

Seriously, how did I let that happen?

You know how, my hormones scold me. Because he’s the hottest thing you’ve ever tasted.

Oh yeah. That.

After showering I get dressed at top speed. Poor Liam is currently shouldering all my parental responsibilities. Throwing on yesterday’s sundress, I pause for a moment to pop a birth control pill, because that’s one thing I won’t goof up.

Then I hurry downstairs.

The sight in the kitchen gives me heart palpitations. But not because there’s flour dusting much of the countertop. Rather, it’s the hot, shirtless guy holding my toddler and making a dump truck sound as Amy tips the measuring spoon over a bowl.

“Yes! Well done, little miss,” he says, relieving her of the spoon. “Batter up!” he says, easing her to the floor and catching Kate, who’s trying to climb him like a tree.

Aren’t we all.

Liam easily rests Kate on one of his perfect arms, measures a half teaspoon of baking powder one-handed and then hands the spoon to Kate. “Beep beep beep,” he says, making the sound of a truck backing up. “Look out below!”

Kate dumps the spoonful into the bowl and giggles.

“Awesome. Who wants to add the milk?”

“My do it!” Amy yells.

Boy, I need another minute of alone time to compose myself. Because I love this picture a little too much. I love Liam’s ease with my girls. I love how calm he is at the center of toddler-induced mayhem.

It causes a little pain in my heart as I allow myself one more comparison to my former life. The truth is I never once saw Decker elbows-deep in kitchen chaos with a kid on one arm. Starting breakfast with twins in tow? He was more likely to captain a NASA expedition to Mars than he was to do this simple Saturday morning thing.

I feel like crying for no reason at all. Clearly I’m on some kind of emotional overload. Maybe coffee will help.

Sliding into the kitchen, I go right for the coffee grounds.

“Mama!” Amy says. “Wiam making pancakes.”

“That is amazing,” I say in a wobbly voice. “What a lucky girl you are.”

“Sorry about the mess,” he says, casting a glance in my direction. And I know he doesn’t just mean the flour on the counter, but the bigger mess of waking up naked in my bed.

“You know,” I say with a small sigh. “Messes shouldn’t scare me so much. It’s going to be fine.”

Liam’s smile is so filled with relief, that I now feel like an ogre. This man wants to make pancakes with us on Saturday morning, and I said no to that before? I’m clearly insane.

“Which frying pan should I use?” he asks, casting an eye on the cookware hanging from the rack over the sink.

“Oh, no. You want this.” I pull a double-burner griddle out of a lower cabinet.

“Oooh,” he says. “Mommy has the fancy pancake griddle.”

Kate giggles. She’s gazing at Liam as if he invented fun.

And in my life, I guess he did.

Here’s the tricky thing about being a shrink—sometimes you notice that you’re doing something that’s exactly contrary to the advice you’d give your patients.

I’m having one of those moments right now.

If I had a single mom in my office telling me there was a lovely guy in her life who was kind to her kids—and yet she was giving him the stiff arm? I’d tell her: “Be kind to yourself. Don’t push away the good people in your life, especially if you think you don’t deserve them. Let people surprise you.”

I’m such a hypocrite.

Also, I need caffeine.

Ten minutes later I’m sipping from a mug of coffee, but Liam’s is cooling on the countertop. The man has his hands full right now as he puts pancakes on the griddle with “help” from my daughters.

“How about a few of these?” he asks, holding up a bag of chocolate chips. Meanwhile, Kate waves the spatula around like a ninja. “A guy needs to make smiley faces in his pancakes sometimes.”

Good. Lord. It’s a miracle I’m not just a puddle of my former self right now. This is some serious mommy porn I’m watching. Shirtless guy feeds toddlers before eight a.m. I walk over to the high cabinet where I keep the ramekins. “We could make smiley faces with dried organic currants,” I say, just to be a pain in the ass.

Liam makes a face of disgust as I take the chocolate chips from his hand and pour some into a ramekin. “Joking! Here.”

He gives me a big, hot smile. Okay, it probably wasn’t meant to be hot, but I feel flutters down below.

“Choc-it!” Kate yells, grabbing for the ramekin.

“Easy,” Liam says with a laugh. “That’s for my artwork. Come here and I’ll show you.”

I set the table and pour the sippy cups of milk. And Liam manages to serve up two smiley pancakes—one for each girl—at exactly the same moment, in exactly the same size. This is a man who knows his way around toddlers.

“Not cut it!” Amy yells when I approach her plate with a knife. She picks up the pancake in two hands and takes a bite right out of the side of its face.

“Okay, right.” I back away. Forks are optional today, then. No big deal.

Liam takes advantage of this moment of quiet to quickly pour six more pancakes onto the griddle. He leans over his work, dotting them with chocolate chips.

I step closer to him and put a hand on his lower back. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“For trashing your kitchen?”

“No.” He glances at me and I give him a shy smile. “For being so amazing all the time.”

His eyes get very warm, and I just want to stay right here in that blue-eyed gaze as long as I can. “This might be a good time to confess that I didn’t make smiley faces on my own pancakes.”

“No?” I look down at the griddle. Side by side, two of them have a different design—little bullseyes in their centers. “Those are…?”

“Boobs,” he whispers. “My inner fourteen-year-old has a dirty mind. He can’t shut it off sometimes.”

“Drink your coffee,” I whisper, handing him the mug. “Sit down. Let me finish these for you. Or go put on a shirt because my inner fourteen-year-old has her tongue hanging out all the time, too.”

He gives me a wicked, wicked smile and then runs upstairs to find his shirt.

Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis Cover Reveal

   

The BiblioJunkies love Jill Shalvis and she has a standing offer to join us on BFF Island to eat cookies and be silly with us.  But until then, we have another Heartbreaker Bay book to show you!  This cover is so gorgeous I want to climb in and hang out at the Bay.  I hope you enjoy it too!  If you haven't started the Heartbreaker Bay Series, there are links below.  If you like your romance smokin' hot and hilariously awkward, Shalvis is the author for you!

From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes the next sexy, standalone novel in the Heartbreaker Bay series...

   

About CHASING CHRISTMAS EVE:

Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That’s Colbie Albright’s plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie’s so over it that she’s under it. She’s also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she’s pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won’t be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence’s commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn’t have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot—chemistry he’s got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she’s gorgeous and a great listener…just because she “gets” Spencer immediately doesn’t mean he won’t be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

…and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock’s ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

Pre-Order CHASING CHRISTMAS EVE in ebook or paperback, releasing 9/26/17

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EXCERPT: 

The bathroom door opened, and even better than his fantasy, Colbie emerged from a cloud of steam, her willowy body wrapped in one of his towels, her exposed skin gleaming and dewy damp. Her hair had been piled on top of her head, but wavy strands had escaped, clinging to her neck and shoulders. 

He couldn’t tear his gaze off of her. There was just something so uncalculated about her, so . . . natural and easy. She was like a beacon to him, which was both crazy and more than a little terrifying. 

Clearly not seeing him against the wall, she moved with an effortless grace to the suitcase she’d left at the door. Bending low enough to give him a near heart attack, she rifled through her things, mumbling to herself that she should’ve researched more about how to be a normal person instead of how to kill someone with an everyday object.  

“Do you kill a lot of people, then?” Spence asked. 

“Motherforker!” she said with a startled squeak of surprise, whirling to face him, almost losing her grip on the towel. 

Five days a week, Spence worked out hard in this gym. Mostly to outrun his demons, but the upside was he could run miles without losing his breath. But he lost his breath now. 

And that wasn’t his body’s only reaction.    

And don’t miss the previous books in Jill Shalvis’s Heartbreaker Bay Series, SWEET LITTLE LIES, THE TROUBLE WITH MISTLETOE, ONE SNOWY NIGHT and ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE, now available! Grab your copies HERE!

About Jill Shalvis: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s sexy contemporary and award-winning books wherever romances are sold and click on the blog button above for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.      

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Anything For You by Kristan Higgins

* * * 1/2

Before you get down on bended knee…

…you should be pretty darn sure the answer will be yes. For ten years, Connor O'Rourke has been waiting for Jessica Dunn to take their on-again, off-again relationship public, and he thinks the time has come. His restaurant is thriving, she's got her dream job at Blue Heron Vineyard—it's the perfect time to get married.

When he pops the question, however, her answer is a fond but firm no. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Jess has her hands full with her younger brother, who's now living with her full-time, and a great career after years of waitressing. What she and Connor have is perfect: friends with an excellent benefits package. Besides, with her difficult past (and reputation), she's positive married life isn't for her.

But this time, Connor says it's all or nothing. If she doesn't want to marry him, he'll find someone who does. Easier said than done, given that he's never loved anyone but her. And maybe Jessica isn't quite as sure as she thinks… 

Review:

I love a lot of romance tropes and Anything For You includes one of my favorites.  Falling-in-love-as-children/teens-then-finding-each-other-as-adults.   I’m sure there is a better way to describe it but we’ll just go with that for now.  Connor falls head over heels in love with Jessica Dunn when she not only saves him from a dog attack but also when he sees her usually hidden vulnerability after dealing with bullies all day at school.

Jessica Dunn is a wonderfully complicated heroine.  She learned in her teens to use sex as way to protect herself and her brother.  Yes, she had to deal with name calling (she lost count of how many times people have called her Jessica Does) but, to her, that was a small price to pay for safety.   After high school, she moved out to get away from her alcoholic parents and took her younger brother (who was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) with her.  She worked multiple jobs to keep her brother safe and to give him every opportunity possible. She also busted her ass to work her way through school and earn a Master’s degree.  She proves she’s a fighter and survivor at every turn. 

Connor O’Rourke is a strange combination of simple and complicated. He’s really the ultimate introvert and I found him at turns to be frustrating (his relationship with Jess and his lack of understanding in regards to her brother) and completely loveable (his relationship with is sister and patient focus on the things he loves).

I understood their attraction to one another.  Connor is one of the few people that has seen Jess’s vulnerable side and he treats that with care (except for that one time but no spoilers – let’s just say I wanted to throw him through a window).   He also truly appreciates her dedication to her brother and her constant motivation to make a better life for them.  Jess sees Connor as one of the few people that treats her with respect and not just as someone that will easily agree to sex.  She stopped being that girl a long time ago and Connor is the one person that never saw her as that girl.  Match made in heaven right?  Of course not.

As amazing and strong as Jess is, you don’t walk away from a childhood like hers without scars.  Her need to care for her brother runs deeper than sibling devotion and she will do WHATEVER it takes in order to make her brother happy.  And, because of something that happened when her brother was small, her brother vehemently hates Connor.  To the point he becomes violent.   Rather than seeing if that is something that can be resolved therapeutically or medically, she decides that there can be no normal relationship for her and the one guy she’s ever been in love with.  But she’ll take what she can get with a secret relationship. 

Connor has his own set of parental issues.  Having a father that was not only unfaithful but also the kind of guy that would knock Connor down in order to put his twin sister on a pedestal.  Needless to say, Connor has some issues believing in his own self-worth when it comes to relationships. Which is why he puts up with Jess’ need for secrecy and their on-again, off-again relationship.   But after a decade he has to step back and decide if it’s worth the constant emotional strain and the sacrifice of his dreams of having his own family.   

But this isn’t just about their relationship.  Kristan Higgins does an amazing job of incorporating the growth and resolution of other relationships in Jess and Connor’s lives.  There is Connor’s attempt to forge a relationship with Davey which is sweet and sometimes alarming.  Jess and Davey’s dad shows up after being MIA for years.  He’s sober and wants to make amends.  Then there is Connor’s dad who is also looking to have a better relationship with his son.  None of these relationships are given quick fixes.  Each take work and they weave in perfectly with Connor and Jess’s romance.   

On top of that there are the positive relationships these two already have.  Between the Holland family and Connor’s twin sister, Colleen, these two main characters have an amazing and humorous support group.  Despite the heaviness of some of the story lines, there were some hilarious laugh out loud moments.  Higgins shows true adeptness at balancing comedy with serious situations in this novel.

I struggled with my rating on this book.  There was obviously a lot that I enjoyed.  But there was a lot that made me uncomfortable and/or annoyed.  Mostly in regards to Connor’s reaction to things.  His lack of confidence made him tactless and awkward to the point it was uncomfortable and not entirely forgivable.  In the end, he grows a backbone but until that point it could be difficult to read. 

That being said, I’ve read four out of the five Blue Heron books and this is my second favorite (it’s really hard to top Emmaline’s book, In Your Dreams).   If you are a Kristan Higgins fan, you won’t be disappointed one bit.  And if you enjoy your romance infused with the perfect mix of comedy and angst, I urge you to pick this one up.

Nat

Galgorithm by Aaron Karo

* * * * *

A romantic comedy about high school, heartbreak, and having all the answers.

What if the secrets of dating and love were revealed in one simple formula? That’s the tantalizing proposition high school senior Shane Chambliss offers the hopeless and hapless guys who come to him for relationship advice.

After the girl of his dreams breaks his heart, Shane devises a mysterious formula called the Galgorithm and establishes himself as the resident dating guru at Kingsview High School. But his attempts to master the art of romance go outrageously awry.

As Shane tries to navigate the ensuing drama, he must follow his heart, abandon all the rules, and ignore his own advice in a quest for true love. What he discovers, no formula could ever predict... 

Review:

After a terrible heartbreaking love affair ended at the very tender age of 14 (or was it 15? Whatever..) Shane Chambliss chose to protect his heart by concentrating on helping the other woeful geeks at school get the girl of their dreams.  He’s developed a “formula” which he has chosen to call the Galgorithm.  A little tongue in cheek homage to his dad’s sexist insistence on referring to women as gals.  Shane is basically a teenage Hitch, helping guys up their game so they can get the girl.  A great service that is also a perfect recipe for disaster.

Between maneuvering a new relationship with a slightly obsessive mostly crazy girl, working with his newest client, saving a former client’s failed relationship and trying to escape an over-zealous teacher that wants to secure his services, something is BOUND to go wrong.  And to top off the chaos, all this nonsense is keeping him from spending time with his best friend, Jak.  Of course, he can’t tell Jak why he can’t spend as much time with her because he’s never told her about the secret services he’s offering to guys at school. That one secret might end up ruining a friendship that was forged years ago over naked bath time at the very young age of two. 

I love it when a book that I think I will enjoy turns out to be a book that I absolutely love.  I haven’t read very many books this year that made me want to tell the world to buy and read it.  But Galgorithm IS that book.  How can it not?  Not because it’s a romantic comedy.  Although we all know that I love those.  Not because the hero is adorable.  Although he absolutely is.  And not because the reluctant heroine is kick ass.  Oh, yeah, she’s totally kick ass.  All those things were great.  But what put this book above so many others was the dialogue and Shane’s inner monologue.  At certain points I thought that maybe Aaron Karo was spying on Bel, Shel and Me and listening to our ridiculous conversations.  But I’m 110% certain that isn’t even a possibility.  Still, it was like getting an outside view of the three of us sitting around eating pie and devolving into utter ridiculous conversation and laughter. 

There isn’t much more I can say about Galgorithm without ruining it for you.  The plot isn’t a new one but the delivery is so fresh and funny that all I can say about this book is “Amor y Cacahuetes”.  Love and Peanuts my friends.  Love and Peanuts.   

Nat

Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson

From Ballantine Books:                                              

DON’T MESS WITH HEXES

Katie Chandler had always heard that New York is a weird and wonderful place, but this small-town Texas gal had no idea how weird until she moved there. Everywhere she goes, she sees something worth gawking at and Katie is afraid she’s a little too normal to make a splash in the big city. Working for an ogre of a boss doesn’t help.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, Katie gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. For MSI, Katie’s ordinariness is an asset. Lacking any bit of magic, she can easily spot a fake spell, catch hidden clauses in competitor’s contracts, and detect magically disguised intruders. Suddenly, average Katie is very special indeed.

She quickly learns that office politics are even more complicated when your new boss is a real ogre, and you have a crush on the sexy, shy, ultra powerful head of the R&D department, who is so busy fighting an evil competitor threatening to sell black magic on the street that he seems barely to notice Katie. Now it’s up to Katie to pull off the impossible: save the world and–hopefully–live happily ever after.

The Enchanted, Inc. Series ranks as one of my all time favorite series.  It's one of my fall back comfort series (unfortunately, one of my sisters - you know who you are - borrowed my copies of the first four books like two years ago and has not returned them).  I even made Bel read Enchanted, Inc. long before we had the blog because I would not shut up about it. 

I love the legends of Merlin and King Arthur, so this modern day story about such beloved characters was a natural for me.  Also, it was a paranormal romantic comedy/mystery before the market became flooded with the genre.  Swendson is a decent writer, but the true catch of this series is the story.  This is a fantastic story.  Unfortunately, after the fourth book, 2008's Don't Hex With Texas, Ballantine decided not to pursue the series any further.  Which sucked.  Flash forward to 2012, the age of self-publishing and I am over the moon to say that Swendson is publishing not just book 5, Much Ado About Magic, but also book 6, and depending upon the success, she may publish a 7th!  WOOHOO! 

Using any excuse to re-read a favorite series, I will be reviewing the first four in the series leading up to the release of Much Ado About Magic on August 15th. 

So, Book 1, Enchanted, Inc. introduces us to Katie, a down to earth Texan transplanted to New York working for a tyrannical despot at a Manhattan office, when she mysteriously gets a job offer from MSI, Inc.  When she agrees to meet with the HR rep (and the gorgeous Owen), she is introduced to a world of myth and magic.  But even in a world with magic, people try to cheat, so MSI needs someone like Katie, who can see through the magic to know the truth, whether its a clause concealed in a contract, or someone trying to sell dangerous spells disguised as harmless items, it takes all Katie's common sense and business know how to keep these wizards in check.  This is such a fun world with wizards, talking gargoyles and fairies, all set in an otherwise normal, modern Manhattan.  A place where the most powerful person may be the one with no magical powers at all. 

You can find out more about Enchanted, Inc. and Shanna Swendson at her website www.shannaswendson.com.   Next up, I will review Book 2, Once Upon Stilettoes. 

~Shel

Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

****

Synopsis taken from book cover:

Anna was looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more.  So she’s less than thrilled about being shipped of to boarding school in Paris – until she meets Étienne St. Clair.  Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all…including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Lights, wishes have a way of coming true.  Will a year of romantic near misses end with their long awaited French kiss?  Stephanie Perkins keeps the romantic tension crackling and the attraction high in a debut guaranteed to make toes tingle and hearts melt.

I admit it.  I am a sucker for romance.  Sure a lot of girls like a little romance in their books.  But I am talking about a book just about romance.  No plots about Shadowhunters fighting evil and mind control (no offense Jace).  No plots about fallen angels trying to sacrifice girls in order to become human (don’t worry Patch, Bel still wants you).  I am talking pure unadulterated romance.  The kind of story where the main plot is about the Boy pursuing the Girl or the Girl crushing on the Boy.   All of it leading up to a smile-inducing ending where the Boy kisses the Girl and they live happily every after (or so we assume).

Anna and French Kiss is THAT book.  It is THAT romance.  It made me think of all my favorite romantic comedies.  Princess Diaries.  Serendipity.  Definitely, Maybe. When Harry Met Sally (yes I am dating myself). The movies I don’t mind watching over and over again because they make me happy.  Positively giddy.

Stephanie Perkins does an amazing job of building the tension between Anna and St. Clair.  Her simple descriptions such as legs accidentally brushing each other in a darkened movie theater will set your book on fire.  Quick, make sure you put that fire out though because the story is just getting started.  We suffer with Anna and St. Clair for an entire school year of mistakes and misunderstandings that keeps them apart.  All the time wondering, is this it?  Is it finally going to happen? 

And as much as I enjoyed the romance in this book there were a myriad of other things to love.  Such as:

• Anna’s growth as she maneuvers through her senior year at a new school, in a new country, with no immediate familial support.

• Anna’s new friends.  These aren’t token friends added to the story just because.  They are wonderfully developed characters that you learn to love as they take Anna under their wings.

• The laugh out loud moments.  Anna’s internal dialogue often had me laughing hysterically.  She is wonderfully dry.  I don’t know that anyone else could make me laugh at the following sentence  “Trousers.  Honestly.”  And yes, the exchanges between Anna and her friends were also hilarious at times.  Let’s not even mention some of the funny exchanges between her and St. Clair.

• Never have I been happier to hear a girl call a guy an asshole.  Won’t tell you who, what, when, where or why.  But it was fitting and it was deserved.

• I learned a new word that I will now use regularly…Callipygian.  Seriously, look this up.  It’s fabulous.

• And most importantly, how can I not love a book where a group of friends bond over crepes and Girl Scout cookies?  This is Bibliojunkie heaven.

Really, I could go on and on.  I enjoyed it that much.  I haven’t had many happy reads lately and to me this was a happy read.  So go!  Go now.  To your local bookstore or library, either one.  Just go and pick up this book.  In the end you will be smiling and will be happy that you listened to me.

~Nat