I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
Twelve humans are left stranded on a wintry alien planet. I’m one of them. Yay, me.
In order to survive, we have to take on a symbiont that wants to rewire our bodies to live in this brutal place. I like to call it a cootie. And my cootie’s a jerk, because it also thinks I’m the mate to the biggest, surliest alien of the group.
BARBARIAN ALIEN is a sequel to ICE PLANET BARBARIANS. You do not have to read both in order to understand the plot, but the story will be richer if you do!
REVIEW
After reading and really enjoying Ice Planet Barbarians I needed to read Liz’s story next and this book totally delivered. I loved how feisty and independent Liz was and how equally stubborn and protective Raahosh was of her.
Where Ice Planet Barbarians felt more like insta-love, I really enjoyed the slow burn, sexual tension filled romance between Liz and Raahosh. They had major communication issues and they didn’t come together easily, but I was still rooting for these two to end up together and find their way to one another.
If you’re looking for a quick read with lots of sexual tension and steamy scenes – read Barbarian Alien! I am ready to binge the whole series – really enjoying the humans & their blue aliens.
I received a complimentary copy & audiobook of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance between a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.
Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.
Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.
As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything?
REVIEW
After Dani’s husband leaves her for a younger woman, Dani finds herself newly single. She’s finally able to do the things that she wasn’t able to when she was married – including spending more time with her family. Dani doesn’t want to find herself in a relationship anytime soon and nothing can change that.
Maximillian von Hansburg is known as a ladies man. On the surface, Max is carefree and nothing fazes him. But Max is feeling the pressure from his parents. They want Max to find a suitable wife before he inherits the title of Duke. Max had a perfect thing going with his best friend Marie, but she ended up finding her one true love (in A Princess for Christmas) and now he’s back to square one.
When Max finds himself in New York and calls on Dani – a tender friendship forms. Max and Dani already know of each other as both of their best friends are going to marry each other. But Max insists on befriending Dani. Dani isn’t quite so sure about the Depraved Duke, but soon finds herself actually liking him. Can they keep their relationship strictly platonic? Or will sparks fly?
I read A Princess for Christmas last year and remember really enjoying Max’s character. But I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in Duke, Actually. Well, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I absolutely loved this book. I loved the slow progression of friends-to-lovers between Max and Dani. Duke, Actually had the slowest of slow burns, but I never felt like the relationship was going too slow.
Both Max and Dani were so sweet with one another and yet I found myself grinning or laughing at their antics. Their relationship felt so real and that made me love this couple even more because of that. They had their own insecurities and vulnerabilities, and yet they completely understood each other and were always there for each other – no matter what.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Duke, Actually and really enjoyed it. The audiobook was narrated by Stacy Gonzalez and I felt like she did a great job. The narration took me a bit to get into, but once I started really getting into the story – I ended up really enjoying all of the voices Stacy narrated. I could always tell when a character was upset or happy. I was constantly grinning when Dani and Max were texting and felt all of the burden Max was shouldering when he was interacting with his parents. Overall, I feel like Stacy Gonzalez did a wonderful job narrating Duke, Actually and highly recommend the audiobook!
If you’re looking for a sweet, tender, friends-to-lovers romance with Christmas-y vibes, grab your copy of Duke, Actually!
CW: Parental neglect/abuse
**Although Duke, Actually can be read as a standalone, I think there’s a lot of backstory on Max and Dani from A Princess for Christmas and would recommend reading the books in order.
I have had this duet sitting on my bookshelf for so long and I am totally beating myself over not picking it up sooner! Do you do that too? Well, if you have this duet – The Kingmaker & The Rebel King – sitting on your kindle, bookshelf or book cart – I highly recommend them!
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this duet. And to be honest – the synopsis tells you enough about what the book is about, but at the same time nothing about what the book is about (I know that makes NO SENSE ha!). I will highlight what parts about this series that I loved –
A second chance romance told over the span of years
Two very head strong characters who will not settle for anything less, but want only the best for each other
Political intrigue and issues being discussed that are still affecting us including: how indigenous people are being treated, clean energy, race, gender
The sweetest, swooniest and 🔥🔥🔥 romance…sigh
I honestly LOVED these books so much and couldn’t stop reading once I started. Maxim and Lennix had that pull, that amazing chemistry whenever they were on the same page together. And I adored them together, but also came to love the people around them. Everyone from Lennix’s business partner Kimba to Maxim’s parents. Once you start reading The Kingmaker (book 1), be sure that The Rebel King (book 2) is ready!!
Have you read this duet or other books by Kennedy Ryan? I can’t wait to pick up more books from her backlist.
You can read my GoodReads review for The Kingmakerhere and The Rebel Kinghere!
CW: kidnapping, PTSD, death of a loved one (on page)
After returning home, Emmy discovers that the man she has been seeing has also been leading on her best friend Linden and dark magic badass Talia. Is Emmy up for revenge and what happens when she starts falling for Talia? I am looking forward to this paranormal F/F romance with plenty of smoke and magic.
SYNOPSIS
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina meets The L Word in this fresh, sizzling rom-com by Lana Harper.
Emmy Harlow is a witch but not a very powerful one—in part because she hasn’t been home to the magical town of Thistle Grove in years. Her self-imposed exile has a lot to do with a complicated family history and a desire to forge her own way in the world, and only the very tiniest bit to do with Gareth Blackmoore, heir to the most powerful magical family in town and casual breaker of hearts and destroyer of dreams.
But when a spellcasting tournament that her family serves as arbiters for approaches, it turns out the pull of tradition (or the truly impressive parental guilt trip that comes with it) is strong enough to bring Emmy back. She’s determined to do her familial duty; spend some quality time with her best friend, Linden Thorn; and get back to her real life in Chicago.
On her first night home, Emmy runs into Talia Avramov—an all-around badass adept in the darker magical arts—who is fresh off a bad breakup . . . with Gareth Blackmoore. Talia had let herself be charmed, only to discover that Gareth was also seeing Linden—unbeknownst to either of them. And now she and Linden want revenge. Only one question stands: Is Emmy in?
But most concerning of all: Why can’t she stop thinking about the terrifyingly competent, devastatingly gorgeous, wickedly charming Talia Avramov?
EXCERPT
As soon as I crossed the town line, I could feel Thistle Grove on my skin.
That I was in my shitty beater Toyota made no difference; maybe the town could sense one of its daughters coming home, even after almost five years away. A swell of raw magic coursed into the car, until the air around me nearly shimmered with potential, bright and buzzy and headier than a champagne cocktail. As if Thistle Grove’s own magical heart was pulsing eagerly toward me, welcoming me back. No hard feelings about my long absence, apparently.
Made one of us, I guess.
The onslaught of magic after my dry spell was so intoxicating that I hunched over the steering wheel, taking shallow breaths and wondering a little wildly whether you could overdose on magic after having gone cold turkey for so long. From the passenger seat, Jasper cast me a glinting, concerned glance from beneath his silvery fringe and shoved a clumsy paw onto my thigh.
“I’m okay, bud,” I murmured to him through a thick throat, reaching over to stroke his warm neck. “It’s just . . . a whole lot, you know?”
That was the thing about growing up with magic. Until you left it behind for good, you had no idea how incredible it felt just to be around it.
And it wasn’t only the air that seemed different. Through my spattered windshield, the night sky had changed, snapping into Ÿber-focus like a calibrated telescope. Above Hallows Hill, the unlikely little mountain the town huddled up against, a crescent moon hung like a freshly whetted sickle. Waning crescent, my witch brain whispered, already churning up the spells best cast in this phase. Its silhouette looked like it could carve glass, impossibly perfect and precise, the kind of moon you’d see in a dream. The constellations that surrounded it like a milky spill of jewels were arranged the same as on the other side of the town line but better somehow, more intentional, clear-cut and brilliant as a mosaic set with precious gems. So enticing, they made me want to pull the car over and tumble out, head hinged back and jaw agape, just to watch them glitter.
This fucking town. Always so damn extra.
With an effort, I resisted the temptation. But when the orchards that belonged to the Thorns appeared on my left, I gave in just enough to roll down my window.
The night air gusted against my face, smelling like an absolute of fall; woodsmoke and dying leaves and the faintest bracing hint of future snow. And right below that was the scent of Thistle Grove magic, which I’ve never come across anywhere else. Spicy and earthy, as if the lingering ghost of all the incense burned by three hundred years of witches had never quite blown away. A perpetual Halloween smell, the kind that gave you the good-creepy sort of tingles.
And fallen apples, of course. The Thorns’ rows and rows of Galas, Honeycrisps, and Pink Ladies, sweet and cidery and indescribably like home.
It all made the part of me that used to adore this place-oh, cut the shit, Emmy, the part of you that still does, the part that will never, ever stop-throb like first-love heartache. My eyes welled hot with sudden tears, and I knuckled them clear more violently than necessary, angry with myself for sinking into nostalgia so readily.
Sensing my mood plummeting, Jasper gave an aggrieved snort, tossing his regally mustachioed snout at me.
“I know, I know,” I groaned, dragging a hand over my face. “I promised not to get too in my feelings. I’m just tired, bud. From now on, it’ll be all business till we can get out of here.”
He huffed again, as if he knew me much too well to buy into my stoic crap. I might be back here only because Tradition Demands the Presence of the Harlow Scion, but nothing in Thistle Grove was ever that simple. Especially when it came to the heir of one of the founding families.
Ten minutes later, I pulled into my parents’ oak-lined residential neighborhood, rattling onto their cobbled driveway. My chest clenched at the sight of my childhood home, fisting tight around my heart. It was a perfectly nice house, though not all that impressive as founding family demesnes go. The Blackmoores had their palatial Tintagel estate, the Thorns had Honeycake Orchards, and the Avramovs the rambling Victorian warren of a mansion they insisted on calling The Bitters, because they thrived on such old-world melodrama.
And we, the Harlows, had . . . lo, a house.
A stately three-story colonial almost as old as the town itself-though you wouldn’t know it, to look at its magically weatherproofed exterior-Harlow House has never had a fancy name, thereby upholding the timeless Harlow legacy of being both the least pretentious and least relevant of the founding families. As always, a candle burned in every window; thirteen flames, for prosperity and protection. The flying owl weather vane spun idly in the night breeze, and the dreamcatcher windchimes hung by the front door clinked delicately against one another. A plume of smoke coiled from the brick chimney in a curlicued wisp before vanishing into the velvety dark above.
It looked like a storybook house belonging to your favorite no-nonsense witch-which, come to think of it, sounded like both my parents.
And it was all like I remembered, except that the thought of going inside made me feel painfully stripped of breath. There was an invisible moat of hurt surrounding my former home, years of unanswered questions. Restless water, teeming with the emotional equivalents of piranha and stinging jellyfish.
I couldn’t do much about the hurt, and “because Gareth Blackmoore ruined this town for me” still seemed like a shitty answer to the question all the others boiled down to, which was: Emmy, why haven’t you come home all this time?
So I turned the car off and just sat with my head bowed, listening to the ticks of the engine settling and Jasper’s low-grade whine, focusing on my breath. When I’d collected myself about as much as I was going to, I lurched out of the car on travel-stiff legs and let Jas out to baptize the quiet street, then hauled my battle-scarred suitcase and gigantic duffel bag out of the trunk. By the time he came loping back, I’d managed to wrestle everything up onto the columned porch with an admirable minimum of cursing.
I still had my key, but it seemed horribly rude and presumptuous to use it after a five-year absence, so I knocked instead. When the door swung open, I managed to flinch only a little, blinking at the warm light spilling from within.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
Sparks fly when a runaway heiress bargains with a devilish rogue to escape a marriage of convenience.
No one would guess that beneath Violet Crenshaw’s ladylike demeanor lies the heart of a rebel. American heiresses looking to secure English lords must be on their best behavior, but Violet has other plans. She intends to flee London and the marriage her parents have arranged to become a published author–if only the wickedly handsome earl who inspired her most outrageously sinful character didn’t insist on coming with her.
Christian Halston, Earl of Leigh, has a scheme of his own: escort the surprisingly spirited dollar princess north and use every delicious moment in close quarters to convince Violet to marry him. Christian needs an heiress to rebuild his Scottish estate but the more time he spends with Violet, the more he realizes what he really needs is her–by his side, near his heart, in his bed.
Though Christian’s burning glances offer unholy temptation, Violet has no intention of surrendering herself or her newfound freedom in a permanent deal with the devil. It’s going to take more than pretty words to prove this fortune hunter’s love is true….
REVIEW
Violet Crenshaw has aspirations of becoming an author. She feels like she has so much life yet to live, but an heiress who is in her 20’s is prime for the marriage market and Violet’s parents are looking for potential suitors. Violet is crushed and decides to take her chances and run away.
Christian Halston, Lord of Leigh has his own ambitions. He wishes to marry into a wealthy family and has his eye on Violet. Whenever the two of them are together sparks fly. Christian decides to help Violet escape and convince her to marry him on their road trip together.
I really enjoyed The Devil and the Heiress. Violet and Christian had amazing chemistry together and I enjoyed their banter. Harper St. George knows how to write steamy scenes and the sparks between Violet and Christian were smoking! The forced proximity component really added to their romance. While I’m not always a fan of insta-love, it really worked for me in this case.
I’m hoping that there’s a third book with the last Crenshaw sibling – Max!
Series: Book #3 in the Sacramento Series (part of the Romantic Suspense Series)
Release Date: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Berkley
In this thrilling romantic thriller, FBI agent Tom Hunter must work with his best friend, ex-Army combat medic Liza to bring down the dangerous Eden cult. For years the cult has been wreaking havoc and now the Founding Elders are splintering. Tom is finally getting his chance with Liza, and he will go to all costs to keep her safe.
SYNOPSIS
Eden faces a final reckoning when the cult’s past victims hunt them down in this explosive, high-stakes thriller in the Sacramento series from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose.
For decades, Eden has remained hidden in the remote wilds of the Pacific Northwest, “Pastor” keeping his cult’s followers in thrall for his personal profit and sexual pleasures. But the Founding Elders are splintering, and Pastor’s surrogate son DJ is scheming to make it all his own.
When two of Eden’s newest members send out a cry for help, it reaches FBI Special Agent Tom Hunter, whose friend and fellow FBI Special Agent Gideon Reynolds and his sister, Mercy, are themselves escapees of the Eden cult, targeted by the Founding Elders who want them silenced forever. The three have vowed to find the cult and bring it down, and now, they finally have a solid lead.
Neutralizing Eden’s threat will save captive members and ensure Tom’s new friends can live without fear. But when his best friend, ex-Army combat medic Liza Barkley, joins the case, it puts her life—and their blossoming love—in danger. With everything they hold dear in the balance, Tom and Liza, together with Gideon and Mercy, must end Eden once and for all.
EXCERPT
EDEN, CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 10:30 P.M.
ayley Gibbs winced as her belly scraped against the doorjamb lead‑ ing into the clinic. Dammit. She’d underestimated her current—
and increasing—size yet again. Damn pregnancy.
She gave her stomach a soothing pat. Not you, she silently told her unborn child. Her daughter. I’m not mad at you, Jellybean. Never you. She was mad, however, at her mother. She was beyond furious with the woman. And scared of her at the same time. The fury was nothing new. The fear . . . well, that was new. At least this kind of fear. It had always been the fear of not having enough to eat, or of where they’d live the next week, or what her mother would do if she learned that Hayley was having sex with her high school boyfriend Cameron, or
that her little brother Graham was shoplifting electronics.
Then she’d found out what her mother would do if she found out. Move us here. To this hellhole in the middle of fucking nowhere. From which Hayley was going to escape or die trying.
She just needed to get into the clinic’s office.
Drawing a breath, she eased her way through the clinic door and
quietly closed it behind her. She stood statue‑still, listening for the sound of anyone else. But it was silent.
Thank you, she mouthed, not sure whom she was thanking. Prob‑ ably not God, or not her mother’s God, at least. The God Hayley wanted to thank would help her keep her baby safe. The God she wanted to thank definitely wouldn’t approve of these . . . monsters.
Eden was full of monsters and her mother had dragged Hayley and her brother here, kicking and screaming.
Hayley rubbed her fingertips over the thick chain welded around her neck.
Welded. Around. My. Neck.
It wasn’t jewelry, despite the locket that dangled from it. It was a collar. It was ownership.
It was also empty, at the moment. The locket. But after the baby came, her locket would be filled with her wedding photo. She was technically married now—and had been since the day they’d arrived in this awful place. Luckily her “husband” didn’t want to “consum‑ mate” their union with another man’s bastard in her belly, so she hadn’t been forced into sex. Yet.
He didn’t want their wedding photo sullied with the evidence of her sin. He’d have the photo taken after the “bastard” was born. Which gave her a little more than six weeks.
Hayley’s gut churned at the thought of being the fourth wife Brother Joshua would have—at the same time. Polygamy abounded in Eden, and Hayley wanted no part of it.
She hadn’t wanted any of it. She just wanted to be with her boy‑ friend and live their lives the way they’d always planned since their first homecoming dance in the ninth grade.
No, this baby wasn’t what she and Cameron had planned, at least not now. They were only seventeen, after all. But Cam’s parents had stepped up and said that they could live with them once the baby came, that they could still go to college.
But her mother hadn’t agreed. The next thing Hayley had known, she and Graham had been forced into the back of some guy’s truck.
And now I’m here.
Here in Eden. Here in the clinic, closed at the moment. If she got caught . . . She shuddered at the very thought. But she had to try. She was more afraid to stay in Eden than she was of any punishment. And Pastor—the creepy leader of this creepy cult in the mountains—he terrified her. The people here obeyed him like robots.
She rubbed her stomach as it lurched again. Come on now. Don’t worry, Jellybean. I’ll get us out of here before you arrive. I promise.
So now she had to. She’d just promised her daughter.
Her daughter. She was going to have a daughter. She and Cameron had seen the baby on the ultrasound back at the ob‑gyn’s office in San Francisco, had heard her heartbeat. Cam had cried, his hand clutching hers as they’d stared at the small screen.
I love you, Cam, she whispered inside her own mind. I love you both. They hadn’t chosen a name yet, so they called her Jellybean for now. Her daughter didn’t even have a name, but Hayley would have given up everything to protect her. Which meant getting them out of this place, with its clinic that would have been considered medieval
even in Little House on the Prairie days.
She looked around the dark room, shrouded in shadow. There was no ultrasound here. No oxygen if the baby needed it. No painkillers. At all. Just a bed with stirrups and straps.
Hayley didn’t want to know what the straps were used for.
She did know that women died in childbirth here. She’d heard the whispers.
It would be God’s punishment for her sin, one woman had said.
She’s a whore, another had added.
And then one old crone had whispered words that had chilled her to the bone: Sister Rebecca will take the baby and raise it as her own.
Even if she lives? the first woman had asked.
Even if the whore lives, the crone had confirmed. God wouldn’t want any baby to be raised by that Jezebel.
Hayley cradled her stomach with both arms. No fucking way in hell. Even if Sister Rebecca had been a good person, which she was not. She was Brother Joshua’s “first” wife—the highest‑ranking of all the sister‑wives. Brother Joshua had a total of four wives and Hayley was at the bottom of the list, which meant she had to obey the other wives as well as her “husband.”
Hayley wanted to spit the word out of her mouth. He is not my husband.
He was a horrible person, snide and cruel. Unfortunately, Sister Rebecca was also a horrible person as well as being barren. That was the word the other women had used. Barren.
It was like living in a costume drama from the 1800s.
Sister Rebecca had three children, all taken from other women in the compound. Two of the women had apparently died in childbirth. The third had been birthed by an unwed mother. Like me. No one had mentioned what had happened to the unwed mother and Hayley won‑ dered who she was.
Nobody’s taking my daughter from me. Nobody. They’ll have to kill me first.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean returns with a blazingly sexy, unapologetically feminist new series, Hell’s Belles, beginning with a bold, bombshell of a heroine, able to dispose of a scoundrel—or seduce one—in a single night.
After years of living as London’s brightest scandal, Lady Sesily Talbot has embraced the reputation and the freedom that comes with the title. No one looks twice when she lures a gentleman into the dark gardens beyond a Mayfair ballroom…and no one realizes those trysts are not what they seem.
No one, that is, but Caleb Calhoun, who has spent years trying not to notice his best friend’s beautiful, brash, brilliant sister. If you ask him, he’s been a saint about it, considering the way she looks at him…and the way she talks to him…and the way she’d felt in his arms during their one ill-advised kiss.
Except someone has to keep Sesily from tumbling into trouble during her dangerous late-night escapades, and maybe close proximity is exactly what Caleb needs to get this infuriating, outrageous woman out of his system. But now Caleb is the one in trouble, because he’s fast realizing that Sesily isn’t for forgetting…she’s forever. And forever isn’t something he can risk.
REVIEW
I have been waiting for Sesily and Caleb’s story for a very very long time and it did not disappoint! These two were always quarreling with each other and I loved their banter. Their quips and humor did not disappoint in Bombshell – the newest book in a new series by Sarah MacLean.
Sesily Talbot also known as “Sexily” has embraced her reputation. She is one of five sisters and they’ve never had it easy in society. Sesily and her gang of fierce and ruthless girl friends have decided to take on the worst men of London aristocracy. Those who deserve a lashing and worse are the ones that they are after. When one of these escapades almost goes south it’s Caleb Calhoun, the American that comes to Sesily’s rescue.
Caleb can’t seem to stay away from Sesily no matter how hard he tries. He’s hiding his own secrets and it’s best if he doesn’t become entangled with Sesily. But everywhere he turns, she’s there. Taunting him with her warmth and light. Will Caleb be strong enough to stay away from Sesily…or rather will Sesily let him stay away?
Oh, how I loved these two. Already I was anticipating their story and once I started reading Bombshell I could not put it down. It was funny, so swoony and the suspense had me hooked in! I love not only the romance, but also the colorful characters that we are introduced to.
As always, Sarah MacLean had the perfect amount of angst, romance and humor balanced out in Bombshell. While sometimes the first book in a series can have a lot of word building or seem tedious, I never felt that way with Bombshell. I already need every single one of the Hell’s Belles stories – a few who I’ve maybe guessed already!
Definitely add Bombshell to your TBR and grab it when it releases August 24, 2021!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
Beloved author Lucy Parker pens a delicious new romantic comedy that is a battle of whisks and wits.
Ready…
Four years ago, Sylvie Fairchild charmed the world as a contestant on the hit baking show, Operation Cake. Her ingenious, colorful creations captivated viewers and intrigued all but one of the judges, Dominic De Vere, the hottest pastry chef in London. When her glittery unicorn cake went spectacularly sideways, Dominic was quick to vote her off the show. Since then, Sylvie has managed to use her fame to help fulfill her dream of opening a bakery, Sugar Fair. The toast of Instagram, Sugar Fair has captured the attention of the Operation Cake producers…and a princess.
Set…
Dominic is His Majesty the King’s favorite baker, the go-to for sweet-toothed A-List celebrities, and a veritable British institution. He’s brilliant, talented, hard-working. And an icy, starchy grouch. Learning that the irksome Sylvie will be joining him on the Operation Cake judging panel is enough to make the famously dour baker even more grim. Her fantastical baking is only slightly more troublesome than the fact that he can’t stop thinking about her pink-streaked hair and irrepressible dimple.
Match…
When Dominic and Sylvie learn they will be fighting for the once in a lifetime opportunity to bake a cake for the upcoming wedding of Princess Rose, the flour begins to fly as they’re both determined to come out on top.
The bride adores Sylvie’s quirky style. The palace wants Dominic’s classic perfection.
In this royal battle, can there be room for two?
REVIEW
Baker Sylvie Fairchild thoroughly enjoyed her time on Operation Cake four years ago as a contestant. She’s elated that the producers have asked her on as a judge. It will provide great coverage for her shop Sugar Fair! The only downside of accepting the gig – she has to work with Dominic De Vere. The same judge that booted Sylvie off the show (okay, yeah maybe her unicorn malfunction that earned him a hoof and glitter in the face wasn’t the best for live TV).
Dominic is stern, but fair. He’s not the biggest fan of Sylvie especially after that glitter unicorn fiasco. Dominic and Sylvie also just happen to have neighboring bakeries as well. When Sylvie and Dominic end up vying for the top position to bake a cake for the royal wedding of Princess Rose – who will the Princess end up choosing? Will Sylvie and Dominic continue to stay rivals or will working in such close proximity have them seeing each other in a different light?
I absolutely loved Battle Royal. Not only does it have two of my favorite tropes – enemies to lovers and forced proximity, but the chemistry between Dominic and Sylvie was always sparking. Yeah, sure they disliked each other, but they also have a deep sense of respect for each others work.
The level of vulnerability each character in the story showed added a lot of depth to this amazing romance. Not only from Dominic and Sylvie, but also Dominic’s sister Pet as well as the royal couple Princess Rose and Johnny. Sometimes when there are a lot of side characters in a book I feel like it takes away from the romance. That was not the case in Battle Royal. Each and every single character in this book had an important part and they all added to overall story.
I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of Battle Royal and enjoyed it so much! The audiobook was narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown and she did such a wonderful job voicing all of the various characters. I could definitely tell if Dominic was grumpy or if Sylvie was happy or sad. I loved the accents of all of the characters and really felt like the audiobook of Battle Royal was fantastic and highly recommend it!
Battle Royal was so swoony and I’ve highlighted so many parts that I can’t wait to go back and revisit. Definitely add this book to your TBR and pre-order for when it releases in August! Battle Royal is one of my favorite books of the year!
I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series!!!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
SYNOPSIS
I’m Jake Masterson, single dad, and the General Manager of Seattle’s NHL team. I walked away from a career as a player so I could raise my daughter. For the last twenty-plus years, Queenie has been my main priority, but now she’s getting married.
And there’s a small complication.
A beautiful, sexy complication named Hanna.
She’s my son-in-law’s older sister. Or at least that’s how they were raised. The truth is a little more scandalous than that.
I’ve been drawn to her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I spent months trying to keep a lid on that attraction.
Until we finally give in.
It starts with one searing kiss, but quickly ends with us between the sheets—and in the shower, and the hot tub, you get the picture—and turns into months of sneaking around.
Here’s the problem: we live on opposite ends of the country. It can’t be anything but casual. And as I’ve already said…it’s complicated.
But when Hanna finds out she’s pregnant…suddenly things get real serious.
REVIEW
After finishing Kingston and Queenie’s book I have been looking forward to Jake & Hanna’s story! Jake is beyond happy that his baby girl is getting married. Wedding planning is a lot, and Jake is ecstatic that he gets to spend time with Hanna – Kingston’s sister/momster while they both plan the wedding. What starts out as a few scorching looks here and there turns into them having an affair. It’s not always easy as Jake lives in Seattle and Hanna’s life is in Tennessee. But what starts of as a mutual attraction towards one another turns into something a lot more than either of them expected. How will they handle this curveball thrown at their relationship?
Helena’s writing is always amazing and A Kiss for a Kiss was no exception! The emotional depth that both Jake and Hanna exhibit really added to their characters. When Hanna finds out that she’s pregnant – I totally sympathized with both Jake and Hanna’s feeling. While the pregnancy trope isn’t one I seek out, I knew I had to read this book especially being set in the All In world which I love!
Seeing the gang again was seriously so much fun! I love that Helena is able to incorporate past characters into the storyline – especially Kingston, Bishop, Stevie and Queenie. Their interactions were always so much fun and brought some comedic relief in a sometimes serious book.
I felt so much for Hanna. The fact that she was so young when she had her first baby definitely makes it a more emotional story for her, and her vulnerability was always at the forefront. Some of my most favorite moments of the book were Hanna and Kingston’s conversations ♥.
While A Kiss for a Kiss can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading A Secret for A Secret before picking it up!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
From the USA Today bestselling “master of witty banter” (Entertainment Weekly) comes a hilarious and heartwarming romance about two enemies whose feud turns red-hot. Maya Mehta will do anything to save her tiny, beloved community theater. Put on musicals she hates? Check. Hire an arrogant former-pop-star-turned-actor? Done. But what Maya really needs to save her theater is Matchmaker Bay’s new business grant. She’s got some serious competition, though: Benjamin “Law” Lawson, local bar owner, Jerk Extraordinaire, and Maya’s annoyingly hot arch nemesis. Let the games begin.
Law loves nothing more than getting under Maya’s skin, and making those gorgeous eyes dance with irritation. But when he discovers the ex-pop star has a thing for Maya, too, Law decides he’s done waiting in the wings-starting with a scorching-hot kiss. Turns out there’s a thin line between hate and irresistible desire, and Maya and Law are really good at crossing it. But when things heat up, will they allow their long-standing feud to get in the way of their growing feelings?
REVIEW
Maya Mehta and Ben “Law” Lawson have been at odds since they can remember. They continually best each other at everything and the whole town knows how much they dislike each other. When Matchmaker Bay develops a new grant – both Maya and Law want it. Maya wants to save the community theater and Law wants to open up a newer restaurant. Who will win the grant and how far will the town meddling old folk go to keep on throwing Maya and Law into situations together?
After reading the previous two books in the Matchmaker Bay series I was excited to read about Maya and Law. Their enemies-to-lovers relationship was always there in the first two books in the series and I couldn’t wait to see these to finally get their book in Sandcastle Beach. I loved how sweet and caring Law was with Maya. How he always wanted her best interest even if he was pretending to keep up the charade of hating her. Sadly I felt like Maya was a tad bit too harsh with Law. I understood that she was in a lot of stress, especially trying to keep her theater and cater to moody actors. I do feel like the chemistry between Maya and Law was lacking for me. The misunderstanding that put them at odds felt very one sided and I just wanted a little bit more angst.
As in the first two books of the Matchmaker Bay series I enjoyed being back in the small town setting! Although the town folk are always meddling – they do have a good heart. It was great reconnecting with Sawyer, Eve, Jake and Nora. The sense of family and friendship is so strong in this series and I really do love that!
If you’re looking for a charming, slow burn, small town romance grab Sandcastle Beach!
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