Her Best Friend's Secret by Anna Mansell

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She deserves the truth. But it will ruin her life. What would you do? 

Emily was meant to be the girl who escaped their small Cornish town. She was going to be the success story. But it didn’t work out the way she’d dreamed it would. And now she’s back home. With a secret that’s even bigger than her failure. 

Emily thinks she can just hide away. But then she runs in to Lolly, her one-time best friend from school, who spontaneously suggests a small reunion with their once close-knit group of friends. Jess and Amanda still live nearby, though none of the four women have spoken in years now. 

But after so much time, everyone’s lives have changed. Nothing is as easy as it was in their schooldays. And everyone’s got secrets. One of which is big enough to ruin not just the fragile friendships, but one woman’s whole life… 

Full of truths about friendship, marriage, and the relationships that define us, Her Best Friend’s Secret is a powerful, relatable and emotionally gripping novel for fans of Jojo Moyes, Diane Chamberlain, and The Silent Wife. 

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


Emily, Lolly, Amanda and Jess were the best of friends back in the day having shared some memorable and significant moments with each other. When Emily abruptly moved away it put an end to that. The group's dynamic seemed to change overnight and the remaining three began to grow apart as well. 

They're all in their forties now and at different points in their lives. Emily went on to enjoy acting success in America, Lolly became a physical therapist and is married with kids, Amanda who works two jobs is divorced and semi-estranged from her daughter, and Jess has forged a successful career in advertising and continues to enjoy her singleton life. Emily running in to Lolly on her return home is the catalyst that brings the four friends together again. Interestingly, all four are apprehensive about meeting up. After all these years, what could they possibly have in common anymore? However, they all come around when they recall the fondness they had for one another and that maybe they could do with some girl time. 

This was my favourite aspect of the novel - their reunion! As soon as they were in the same room it was like all that time and distance didn't matter. Getting reacquainted is a bit awkward at first but that bond they built as teenagers is as strong as ever. Behind the smiles they're all dealing with the demands of life and personal situations that feel too big to take on without the support of the girls. As troubling as their own problems are, one of them holds a big secret that could crush the other friend. Which brings me to the most standout part of the story: each of these women are strong in their own unique way. When they find the other in trouble, they come to each other's aid without hesitation or judgment. I loved that Mansell allowed Emily, Lolly, Amanda and Jess to embrace themselves as they are. I'd say out of all the characters I was most surprised by how much I liked Amanda. I think in my younger days I would've judged her the hardest, and this is the advantage of being older and wiser, I guess, because I'm learning to abide by the motto of to each her own. Don't get me wrong, I liked all of them but Amanda astonished me because she owns every decision she has ever made about her life and owes no one apologies for how she's finding happiness. I was rather fascinated by her. 

I'd previously read Mansell's How to Mend a Broken Heart and admired how she captured her characters' emotions in it. She's done the same thing with Her Best Friend's Secret. It takes a few chapters to set up the pieces but it's thoroughly delightful once it gets underway, even though I knew that Mansell would crush me shortly. And she did. It didn't lessen the blow even when I suspected what was about to come. I was so invested in this story, in these four women, in their friendship. I'm happy to say that Mansell does give each of them their well-deserved and fitting HEA. Female friendships are a tricky thing to write. It's hard to find heroines who feel well-rounded and don't succumb to one stereotype or another. Women are complex and when an author can capture that with sincerity and allow them their strengths and flaws, and celebrate their uniqueness, I'm all for it!

~ Bel

*Please see labels below for content warning and/or potential triggers.

Bred by Ginger Scott Cover Reveal

Check out this gorgeous cover for BRED by Ginger Scott! BRED is a coming-of-age romance inspired by Great Expectations you won't want to miss!

Bred by Ginger Scott

Mature Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Release day: May 10, 2019
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2TwSsER

BRED
A coming-of-age romance inspired by Great Expectations
By Ginger Scott

My life was irrevocably changed the moment I stepped foot inside Elena Alderman’s grand front doors. A lifeless tomb on the edge of Chicago’s South Side, the Alderman home sat in one of the city’s oldest and wealthiest neighborhoods, and Elena Alderman was the queen.

She was also mad.

Not the kind of madness that’s readily apparent. No, her psychopathy was far more surgical—more…insidious. She was surrounded by beautiful things—most notably her grand piano and her adopted son, Henry.

I fell in love with both.

My gift blossomed when my fingers touched her black and white keys. But my life began when I became haunted by the boy. Henry Alderman was a handsome blend of arrogance and seduction, and as we grew up together, I found it more and more impossible to separate him from my thoughts. I envied his life. I imagined how my name—Lily—would look with his. I became his closest friend…and more. I gave him my kiss, locked away his secrets, and loved him even when it was hard to.

But we were just a game. Elena Alderman made the rules. And when she decided to change them, she broke everything.

Almost.

About the Author:

Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, and A Boy Like You.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

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Making Up (London Celebrities #3) by Lucy Parker

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Author of Act Like It and Pretty Face Lucy Parker returns readers to the West End, where it’s fireworks onstage and off in a sexy enemies-to-lovers showdown. 

Once upon a time, circus artist Trix Lane was the best around. Her spark vanished with her confidence, though, and reclaiming either has proved…difficult. So when the star of The Festival of Masks is nixed and Trix is unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight, it’s exactly the push she needs. But the joy over her sudden elevation in status is cut short by a new hire on the makeup team.

Leo Magasiva: disgraced wizard of special effects. He of the beautiful voice and impressive beard. Complete dickhead and—in an unexpected twist—an enragingly good kisser. 

To Leo, something about Trix is…different. Lovely. Beautiful, even though the pint-size, pink-haired former bane of his existence still spends most of her waking hours working to annoy him. They’ve barely been able to spend two minutes together for years, and now he can’t get enough of her. On stage. At home. In his bed.

When it comes to commitment, Trix has been there, done that, never wants to do it again. Leo’s this close to the job of a lifetime, which would take him away from London—and from Trix. Their past is a constant barrier between them.

It seems hopeless.

Utterly impossible. 

And yet…

Source: audiobook borrowed from Hoopla


Trix has been through a rough, confusing patch lately. First, she breaks it off with a controlling boyfriend. Now she finds herself in the spotlight after the star of the Festival of Masks is out due to a freak accident. The sudden thrust into the limelight is disconcerting for her. Trix was always full of life and game for trying new things but since the debacle of her relationship, she's been apprehensive about everything. Even Leo, her former love, who has appeared on the scene again can see that she's behaving differently. Her confidence has taken a knock and she can't seem to get out of her own head. Leo coming back to work at the Festival of Masks only aggravates her more. They've always managed to push each other's buttons while simultaneously wanting to get naked with each other. Conundrum indeed. Leo has his own plans though. He's hoping to win a contest for special effects makeup that will open doors for him in the industry. Now that they're back and sharing the same air space stirs up all sorts of memories and feelings but two things are for sure: they're both hurting and they can see through each other.

Making Up is the more angsty of the three London Celebrities books so far. I think Trix and Leo's shared history lends itself to more tension between them. Something happened to both of them that makes them more reserved and overly cautious about stepping into another relationship, especially Trix. 

As I was listening to it, it struck me that a cynical view would be to see Leo as a sort of saviour coming in to sweep Trix off her feet. I don't see him that way at all. If anything, he's a good friend who's constantly thinking of her and always encouraging her and never mincing his words. Trix, who's feisty, fiery, and always ready to start a battle of words with Leo, is never treated like a delicate flower. This is why I like this story so much. I can totally relate to what Trix is going through where someone close to her that she placed her trust in robbed her of her confidence. It's hard to cast away the gnawing, critical voice that seems to override self-belief. We could all do with someone like Leo who gently reminds her that she strong enough, she is worthy of good things and she deserves that happiness. It does go both ways because Trix looks out for Leo as well, wanting to see him make good on his own career aspirations. She notices a side of him that many don't know about and she also helps him find his footing.

"Nobody is magically immune to having their emotions messed with. It's not a question of moral strength. ... Strong, smart people make mistakes. And if the worst thing you ever do is believe in someone who doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as you, I think you're doing okay."

~ Leo, Making Up

I knew I already loved this series but Making Up cinched it for me. It gave me a favourite new quote that resonated with me at my core. Its sensitive theme doesn't take away from the fact that this is a sweet romance full of optimism and love. 

~ Bel

Can't Escape Love (Reluctant Royals #3.5) by Alyssa Cole

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Regina Hobbs is nerdy by nature, businesswoman by nurture. She's finally taking her pop culture-centered media enterprise, Girls with Glasses, to the next level, but the stress is forcing her to face a familiar supervillain: insomnia. The only thing that helps her sleep when things get this bad is the deep, soothing voice of puzzle-obsessed live streamer Gustave Nguyen. The problem? His archive has been deleted.

Gus has been tasked with creating an escape room themed around a romance anime…except he knows nothing about romance or anime. Then mega-nerd and anime expert Reggie comes calling, and they make a trade: his voice for her knowledge. But when their online friendship has IRL chemistry, will they be able to escape love?

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


I hadn't thought about how much story the world of the Reluctant Royals has in it. Alyssa Cole has managed to stretch this series out by continuously introducing fascinating characters with equally fascinating backstories ensuring that there'll be no suffering from boredom here. Admittedly, the premise that mega nerd and influencer, Reggie reaching out to fellow mega nerd and bit of an introvert, Gustave to request the use of his voice to help her fall asleep sounds way out there. But if I've learned anything from my exposure to the Reluctant Royals is that unlikely things do happen and usually result in some amazing consequences. 

So, yes, Reggie makes her offer to Gustave and he takes her up on it though making a few changes. Since he has to create this escape room based on a popular anime that he knows nothing about, why not make a counter offer? They could barter services, so to speak: his voice for her anime knowledge. And they have a deal which means ample opportunity to get cozy with each other every day as they work on their projects. Gustave may be a genius at puzzles but he's not so adept at understanding people and social cues. Reggie is different for some reason. They've already established a relationship when she was his one and only YouTube follower way back when, so it's not like they're complete strangers. He finds her mind fascinating. She feels the same way about him though she hasn't necessarily wanted to get close to anyone. She loves this career she's created and the fact that it's founded in something she loves doing. Her enthusiasm is infectious and it only spurs Gustave on to want to do better.

At no point does Gustave treat Reggie's disability as a hindrance. In fact, he's more impressed by how she's navigated her surroundings to work for her, not letting anything stop her if she can at all help it. He even manages to get the industrious workaholic to take a breather every now and then. The main challenge is in dealing with her parents. If you've read Duke by Default then you know that Reggie and her twin sister, Portia have always been pitted against each other. The expectations placed on them have resulted in strained relationships between siblings and parents. I liked that we got to see Reggie's perspective on this. 

Can't Escape Love was such a pleasing read. I love seeing two people perfectly matched in intellect and passion make it work.

~ Bel

This Scot of Mine Blog Tour

A daring deception…

Desperate to escape her vile fiancé, Lady Clara devises a bold lie—that she’s pregnant with another man’s child. With her reputation in tatters, Clara flees to Scotland to live out her days in disgrace, resigned to her fate as a spinster…until she claps eyes on the powerful and wickedly handsome Laird Hunt MacLarin.

She’s the answer to his curse…

Laird of an ancient clan, Hunt needs an heir, but he comes from a long line of men cursed to die before the birth of their firstborn. When the Duke of Autenberry approaches him with a proposition—marry my ruined sister—it seems the perfect solution. Even better, the defiant lass stirs him to his very soul.

No escaping the truth...

Except marriage cannot set them free. No matter how much Hunt desires her. No matter how much Clara burns for him. Soon she is falling for her husband, but is love enough to end the curse? Or is the tragic history of the MacLarin Clan doomed to repeat itself?

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Excerpt

Clara could not have made the invitation any clearer.

She didn’t know where such boldness came from within her. She had never forayed into intimacy like this. She didn’t know she had it in her. She supposed it had something to do with the way he made her feel . . . something to do with the fire in her blood.

He said her name again. “Clara.” In that husky brogue of his she felt herself melting, sliding deeper into a puddle of desire.

They hadn’t even kissed. Not a true romantic kiss. She did not count the chaste peck the morning of her wedding.

And heavens, she wanted him to kiss her.

She wanted his mouth on hers. She wanted to taste him with an ache that went bone-deep. Despite his gruffness, his mouth looked beautiful. There was a tenderness in the well-carved shape that she wanted to explore.

About Sophie Jordan

SOPHIE JORDAN grew up in the Texas hill country where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author of more than twenty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and cramming her DVR with anything that has a happily ever after.

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King by Cassia Leo Excerpt Reveal

About the Book

From New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo comes a romance about taking chances, double lives, and falling madly in love with the one person you’re supposed to want dead.

Never steal from a king.

Down on her luck in Las Vegas, Isabel “Izzy” Lake turns to the regulated prostitution industry. But her first day on the job ends abruptly when her client dies, and his suitcase contains over a million dollars.

Izzy takes the money and sets off to a small town on the other side of the country, where she attempts to live a low-profile life. A few weeks into her new country girl lifestyle, she finds owning an old fixer-upper isn’t so fun when you’re a city girl with zero DIY skills.

Izzy’s handsome new neighbor, Kingston Jameson, is all too eager to fix her leaky faucet and warm the cold side of her bed. It’s not long before she finds herself falling for King. But is he really the sweet-talking country boy he claims to be, or has he come to collect more than her heart?

***

Kingston “King” Jameson knew he shouldn’t have let Garrett pick up the suitcase full of cash. And he sure as hell never expected Garrett to die at a brothel and get robbed by a prostitute.

King needs to get the suitcase – and the secret item hidden in the lining – before his boss kills him.

He has one problem: The girl who stole the suitcase has hidden it very well. She left her entire life behind in Las Vegas. She’s got nothing left to lose. If King wants that suitcase, he needs to get close to her. Close enough to watch her every move. To know her deepest secrets.

Okay, he has two problems: He’s also fallen in love with the girl he’s supposed to kill.

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About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time re-watching Game of Thrones and Sex and the City. When she’s not binge watching, she’s usually enjoying the Oregon rain with a hot cup of coffee and a book.

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Excerpt

The drive home is relatively silent, save for the occasional heaving noises from Izzy.

 When I pull into her driveway, I make sure to park with the passenger side as close to her front door as possible. Then, I carefully open her door, catching her so she doesn’t tumble out, and carry her up the front steps.

“Try not to collapse, okay?” I say, setting her down gently. “I have to look for your keys.”

“Are you feeling me up?” she asks as I slide my hand into each pocket of her jeans.

Her breath is coated in the sickly sweet scent of whiskey mixed with a trace of vomit. Her hair smells like the smoky atmosphere in the bar. But her body is dangerously warm and soft under my touch.

“No, ma’am,” I reply, pulling a set of keys out of her front pocket.

She reaches up and clumsily traces her fingertip down the front of my lips. “Why not?”

I shake my head. “Believe it or not, I’m not in the habit of taking advantage of women who are too drunk to remember their own name.”

“That’s a shame,” she pouts as I unlock the door. “It’s… It’s Jolene.”

She laughs as I scoop her up in my arms and carry her into the house, where we’re greeted by Steve. The gentle beast wiggles her butt violently as she sniffs me up and down, taking in the smells of the bar.

“Hey, Steve,” I greet her as I use my foot to push the door closed behind me.

“You have to call her Steve-Bella until she’s used to Steve,” Izzy corrects me.

Maybe I should refer to you as Jolene-Izzy until you’re used to your new name.

I lower her onto the worn-in beige sofa, which I assume she purchased second-hand at The Junk Drawer. Taking a step back, I watch with slight amusement as she adjusts a throw pillow under her head and closes her eyes with a big smile on her face.

“How did you learn those fancy moves?” she slurs.

“What are you talking about?” I reply, taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table so I can keep an eye on her for a bit.

I tell myself I need to make sure she doesn’t choke on whatever’s left inside her stomach, but I know I’m only kidding myself.

Her eyelids flutter open, her gaze unfocused as she looks me up and down. “You tackled that guy like a defensive lineman, but you don’t look like a lineman. You’ve got quarterback written all over that hard body.”

I shake my head. “I used to be in the military. How did you learn those fancy moves? That was quite an elbow you dealt that guy.”

“I used to be in the military,” she replies with a cheesy grin.

“No, you weren’t.”

“No, I wasn’t.”

This girl just made off with 1.4 million dollars cash from a criminal organization. She’s obviously drinking to cope with the sudden loss of her friends and family. Yet, she still remembers to clam up about the details of her former life when she’s drunk.

I’m more impressed with her by the second.

“All right. I’ll let you keep your secrets,” I reply, getting to my feet now that I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need me here to watch over her.

“Thank you,” she says, closing her eyes again.

“For what?”

“For saving me.”

Remind Me by Samantha Chase Release Day Blast

We're wishing Samantha Chase a very Happy Release Day!

About Remind Me

It’s been years since Mallory Westbrook set foot in Magnolia Sound, but the death of her great-grandfather forces her back. Two weeks to get his affairs in order then she would return to her life in New York. The perfect plan, if not for Jake Summerford—her first love who broke her heart.

Jake always regretted the way things ended with Mallory and now that she’s back in town, he’s hoping they can put the past behind them. As they reconnect, old feelings resurface and Jake realizes that friendship is only the beginning of what he wants from Mallory.

With one foot out of the door, Mallory is looking for any excuse to leave Magnolia Sound behind. Forever. Will Jake’s plan to replace the old, painful memories help him finally show her their love deserves another chance?

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About Samantha

Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than forty titles under her belt! When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

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