I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down.
When her flailing department lands on the university’s chopping block, Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she’ll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost.
Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she’s flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career.
Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she’s finally living again.
REVIEW
Naya Turner loves her job as faculty professor at the university. Besides her best friends (a married couple), she doesn’t get out much. Naya had an abusive ex-boyfriend and isn’t quite ready to jump back into the dating game quite yet. Her friends convince her to go out with them one evening and even make her a list of all the things that she should be doing. When her friends fail to show up at the club, Naya meets Jake. His dad jokes and funny sense of humor put her at ease. Will she take a chance on him?
I loved the mute cute between Jake and Naya. Their funny one-liners had me cracking up! And although I’m not a big fan of insta-love, I really enjoyed the relationship between Jake and Naya. But beyond what was supposed to be one-time hook up, Jake and Naya’s relationship becomes very complicated. Both Jake and Naya have had difficult relationships in the past and to move forward they have to address them. Not only that, but Jake is involved in the future of Naya’s job as professor, which raises all sorts of concerns for Naya.
Overall, I really enjoyed How to Fail at Flirting! Naya was abused by her ex and she had a had a lot of trauma because of it, but I love how she became more comfortable and confident as the storyline progressed. She sought that strength out from within her and I was here for it! Looking forward to reading more from Denise Williams.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
SYNOPSIS
In this heartwarming second-chance romance, a woman returns home and discovers that, when it comes to finding love, there’s no place like home.
When a romance gone wrong lands reporter Dakota Jones in the pages of the tabloids, her rising star crashes and burns. Instead of getting the weekend anchor job she’d been promised, she’s promptly shown the door. Which leaves her one option: return home to lick her wounds, eat lemon meringue pie, and plot her comeback while actively avoiding the man who once broke her heart.
Dexter Roberts made a huge mistake when he walked away from Dakota, and he’s regretted it ever since. So when Dakota returns to Holly Grove Island to regroup and decide what’s next, Dex can’t pass up the opportunity to win back the love of his life. Now he just needs to convince Dakota to give him a second chance.
REVIEW
Reporter Dakota Johnson has recently returned to her childhood home in Cypress Lane. She was caught up in a scandal, which has led her to lose her job. Not quite sure what to do next, she decides to spend some quality time with her father. Dakota and her father are still coming to terms with the loss of her mother a few years ago.
Dakota has generally avoided Cypress Lane and one of the main reasons is Dexter Roberts. Dexter and Dakota were high school sweethearts and Dakota thought they would be together forever, but Dexter ended up breaking her heart. Now they’re both constantly running into each other. How long can they stay away from one another?
I enjoyed getting to know the secondary characters and the small town vibe. While I did enjoy Second Chance on Cypress Lane, I do wish that I felt more of a connection between Dakota and Dexter. I wanted to feel a bit more angst between these two, especially given their history.
Second Chance on Cypress Lane was a sweet romance with a charming small town setting. I wish that I there was a similar town near me! If you’re looking for a sweet small town romance – grab your copy of Second Chance on Cypress Lane!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
SYNOPSIS
Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?
I Promise You, an all-new unforgettable, new adult, sports romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!
Dillon McQueen: Babe. I promise. You want me.
Serena Jensen: Um, who are you?
There’s a legend at Waylon University: the first girl you kiss freshman year at the bonfire party is the one you’ll never forget. She’ll crawl under your skin and never leave. She’ll spark a passion so fierce you’ll burn the world down to possess her.
You might even put a ring on it.
As in all things with fate, timing is everything. That kiss can go horribly wrong. She might run in the opposite direction. And boy, did Serena run.
Dillon is Waylon’s hotshot quarterback with something to prove. All he wants is to graduate and make it to the NFL. What he doesn’t need is to finally meet the mystery girl he kissed at the bonfire freshman year. Isn’t it enough that she’s haunted his dreams for more than a thousand nights?
Fate laughs in his face when he runs into the quirky girl at the Piggly Wiggly. Surrounded by his entourage, he’s got all the Oreos in his cart; she gets revenge by buying every six-pack of his favorite beer.
Obviously, that legend is a curse. She’s not his type and hates him. Worst of all, how can she not remember him when she left a Serena-shaped hole in his heart for the past three years?
So why can’t he stop trying to win her?
Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?
REVIEW
Dillon McQueen – rookie quarterback spots a beautiful girl dancing around the bonfire one evening. He wants to go talk to her but his teammates stop him. Legend is – if he goes and kisses this girl or hooks up with her, he won’t be able to get her out of his mind. But like a moth to a flame, Dillon can’t get away and ends up kissing this mysterious girl and ends up never seeing her again.
Flash forward to three years later and Dillon ends up meeting his mysterious girl – Serena again at the grocery store. Is it a sign? He’s been looking for her for years and does she even feel the same way about him?
I loved the witty banter and sexual tension between Serena and Dillon. There were so many times that I Promise You had me laughing out loud because of the funny dialogue! I would definitely classify I Promise You as a delicious slow burn.
Serena and Dillon both come across as carefree, but both of them have deep vulnerabilities. They’re both a little broken and I love how they understand those parts of each other.
Overall I really enjoyed I Promise You! It was a quick and fun read. I enjoyed Serena and Dillons story, but also the secondary characters like Dillon’s teammates and Serena’s Theta sisters. I’m looking forward to reading more from Ilsa Madden-Mills!
The kiss burns a hole right through me and blood rushes to my groin. I’m in over my head—Who cares?—and I groan, deepening our connection. My hands slide down her cheeks, her throat, then to her arms at her sides. Our joined breaths mingling, I trace my thumbs over the rapid pulse in her wrists. My head swims with images of her body draped on top of me—
A cry comes from her as she breaks away from our kiss. “Jerk! Don’t do that. I don’t know you!”
“You liked it, babe.”
“What? No.”
“I’m Dillon.”
“Um, I don’t care. Step away.”
“What’s your name? You got a number?” Dillon McQueen does not give up easily. When he sees what he wants, he goes after it. He also sometimes talks about himself in the third person. “Are you a freshman? I play football. Quarterback.” Usually that’s enough to catch a girl’s interest.
She shakes her head, looking almost surprised as she touches her lips briefly. I think she mutters pigskin-toting Casanova. Then, she flips around.
“No, wait! Don’t go!” I say, reaching out for her, but she’s gone, daring one look over her shoulder as she disappears into the crowd of people.
I take off after her, navigating through the throng, jostling into dancers. One of them, a big barrel-chested guy, shoves at me when I bump into him. I fall on my ass. Heart pounding, I scramble back up, dirt and grass on me as I dart through the crowd and look around. My height gives me a decent vantage point, but she’s vanished.
Off in the distance, the football guys hoot my name, then chant Venus over and over.
Well, hell. The bonfire got me good. She’s gone.
Legend 1, Dillon 0.
About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Nikki DiMarco has seen better days. She’s dishing up Filipino food in a food truck in Maui with her mom – but they’re barely making ends meet. Her food truck is beat up, her mom is working herself non-stop and they’re still grieving the loss of her father who passed away less than two years ago. But at least she has a steady customer base at her usual beach spot – that is until one day there’s another food truck parked in her same area!
Callum James and his brother don’t care about food truck etiquette and decide the beach spot is a great location so showcase their British food. Nikki and Callum immediately start off on the wrong foot and fans love their hate for one another. Soon they’ve decided to compete in a food truck competition with the winner getting the prime beach location! Will these rivals continue to try to best one another or will they eventually start to get to know one another better?
I loved the banter between Callum and Nikki! I’m a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers and right from the beginning I could feel the tension between these two! I do think that the beginning of Simmer Down was a tad slow and I was always wanting more interaction between Nikki and Callum. I absolutely loved their text messages back and forth. There were certain parts of the book that had a grin on my face the whole time while I was reading!
I really enjoyed Nikki’s relationship with her mother. Their relationship felt real and it wasn’t always an easy relationship. I absolutely loved that they bonded over their love of Filipino food. Don’t even try to read Simmer Down if you’re feeling hungry. You will be craving all the food that Nikki makes in the book.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance that will definitely make you hungry while you’re reading it – pick up your copy of Simmer Down!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.
Isadora, a Conduit witch, is sweet and shy. She loves to use her healing powers to help anyone that she can. She doesn’t expect to be hit with a car while bicycling on her way home. Turns out that the person who ran into her is no one other than Stygorn vampire Devraj Kumar.
Where Isadora is sweet and shy, Devraj is the complete opposite. A Bollywood star and flashy vampire – he doesn’t shy away from the limelight. Devraj is immediately intrigued by Isadora and she in turn wants nothing to do with him.
But these two must work together to solve a mysterious case in the supernatural world taking place right in New Orleans. The closer they work together the tighter the sexual tension between the two of them become.
I really enjoyed Don’t Hex and Drive! The simmering sexual tension between Isadora and Devraj was palpable. Devraj was immediately smitten by Isadora, but still he wanted to get to know her better and I loved their friendship.
Isadora and Devraj were sweet and kind – both of them slowly peeling back each others layers and vulnerabilities. Both had their own fears, but the trust they had with one another was so sweet and pure. And the sexy scenes were HOT HOT HOTphew! Although I would classify Don’t Hex and Drive as a slow burn, Juliette Cross knows how to bring the heat!
I find it hard sometimes to connect with Indian characters, being South Asian/Indian myself, but I feel that Juliette Cross did a wonderful job nailing down Devraj’s character. And I truly enjoyed his backstory.
While reading both Don’t Hex and Drive and Wolf Gone Wild (book 1 in Stay a Spell), in my mind both of these books played out like movies. They had the perfect suspense that tied with romance. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the Stay a Spell series!!
JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance & the co-host of the podcast Smart Women Read Romance. She is represented by Rachel Brooks at BookEnds Literary Agency. She is a native of Louisiana, living in the heart of Cajun land with her husband, four kids, black lab named Kona, and kitty, Betty. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher
Lady Lucie has decided that her suffragists need to stage a coup against Parliament! One way to accomplish that is to buy a publishing house and Lucie does just that. What Lucie doesn’t anticipate is that Lord Tristan Ballentine owns half of the publishing house. Lord Ballentine would gladly give over reign to Lucie on one condition – a night in his bed.
From the beginning I enjoyed the banter between Lucie and Tristan. There was such great chemistry every time they were on the same page. I love how strong and confident Lucie was and that she didn’t back away from a challenge – especially not one put forth by Tristan.
Both Tristan and Lucie have such deep hurts inflicted upon them. They both seem in charge and in control, but they’ve been hurt badly in their past from people that were supposed to love them unconditionally. When Lucie and Tristan show their vulnerabilities to one another – I loved them even more!
While I did enjoy the romance aspect of A Rogue of One’s Own I do feel like it was a very slow start to their relationship. I understand that Lucie is a suffragist and working on her movement is very important to her, but I still felt like there was a lot of inner monologue from both her and Tristan. While I enjoyed the romantic aspect of the book – enemies-to-lovers is definitely my favorite trope – there were some aspects of the book that did’t work for me and felt off.
A few notes from my perspective on the book –
There were a few scenes that implied and hinted at characters being bisexual or gay that I’m not sure really added to the story. Either way it shed these characters in an unfavorable light. Perhaps they will be discussed in the next book?
Colonial India and the Hindu religion were discussed in a way that certain readers (South Asian/Indian) may take offense. As an own voices, South Asian reader this topic felt off and I’m not quite sure it was really needed in the book? A Colonial India that is romanticized doesn’t align with the history that I was taught growing up.
That being said, I did still enjoy the relationship between Lucie and Tristan very much and the last quarter of the book had a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.
How to Catch a Sinful Marquess by Amy Rose Bennett
Series: Disreputable Debutantes
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: August 25, 2020
Publisher: Berkley
The third book in the Disreputable Debutantes series, How to Catch a Sinful Marquess by Amy Rose Bennett is sure to be filled with mystery, dark secrets and an intense romance! Read on for an excerpt!
A shy, tangle-tongued debutante and a former soldier make an unlikely but fated match as they hasten for the Isle of Skye.
Orphaned heiress Olivia de Vere should have the world–or at least the men of the ton–at her feet. But when she’s thrown out of a young ladies’ academy, Olivia doubts she’ll ever find someone who will love her, rather than her bank account. To make matters worse, her dissolute cousin Felix is determined to marry her against her wishes. A virtual prisoner in her guardians’ London townhouse, Olivia can’t help but develop a tendre for her neighbor, a handsome Scottish marquess.
Battle-scarred in more ways than one, Hamish MacQueen, Lord Sleat, has braved many dangers in life. But nothing has quite prepared him for the shock of having a young child dumped on his doorstep, with a note claiming she’s his daughter. Just in the nick of time his pretty neighbor appears, offering to act as a nursemaid for the young girl on their journey to his estate in Scotland. He suspects she has her own reasons for wanting to flee the country…
The close traveling quarters leads to a fierce attraction between Olivia and Hamish that seems impossible to resist. But when ghosts from the past and monsters from the present threaten to tear them apart, will their unlikely love survive?
How to Catch a Sinful Marquess Excerpt
Chapter One
Town might be quiet at the moment, but the Beau Monde Mirror will endeavor to keep our readership abreast of all the latest tonnish on-dits.
If there’s a scandal brewing-an illicit affair, an elopement, or anyone high in the instep puts a foot wrong-you can be sure we’ll let the proverbial cat out of the bag first.
The Beau Monde Mirror: The Society Page
16 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair
September 14, 1818
If it weren’t for Lady Charlotte Hastings’s troublesome tortoiseshell cat, Olivia de Vere would not be in such a mortifying predicament right now.
Of course, if Charlie were actually here at this very moment (as opposed to being miles away at her father’s country estate in Gloucestershire), she would surely tell Olivia that her current situation-straddling the six-foot-high, ivy-clad wall adjoining the Marquess of Sleat’s back garden as she made a futile attempt to coax said cat from the branches of a towering beech tree-was an “opportunity,” not a disaster waiting to happen.
Olivia shot a quick glance at the back of her guardians’ rather grand town house. Or, to be more precise, her town house, considering the rent was drawn from her very own inheritance money, currently held “in trust.” When she ascertained no one was watching her, she permitted herself a tiny sigh of relief. If Uncle Reginald or Aunt Edith caught her committing such an indecorous act, or her cousins Prudence and Patience, or, even worse, her warden-cum-lady’s-maid, Bagshaw . . . Olivia shuddered. There would be the devil to pay, that much was certain.
Ever since she’d been expelled from Mrs. Rathbone’s Academy for Young Ladies of Good Character three years ago for decidedly unladylike conduct-along with the other three members of the Society for Enlightened Young Women, Sophie, Arabella, and Charlie-she’d been mired in disgrace and labeled a social pariah. A “disreputable debutante,” according to scurrilous gossip rags like the Beau Monde Mirror.
She really couldn’t afford to court disaster again.
But it seemed that was exactly what she was doing.
Her gaze flitted to Lord Sleat’s town house. Now, if the forbidding yet altogether fascinating marquess happened to discover what she was up to . . . Olivia shivered again. While she longed to make the man’s acquaintance, this was not a prudent way to go about it by any means.
As Lord Sleat was a good friend of Lord Malverne-Sophie’s husband and Charlie’s older brother-Olivia had it on good authority that the Scottish marquess was considered to be a very eligible bachelor indeed. Of course, Lord Sleat also had a well-earned reputation for being one of London’s worst rakehells. A serial seducer of women.
However, Olivia was certain the marquess wouldn’t even spare her a passing glance at this particular moment in time. With her skirts and petticoats rucked up about her knees, her silk stockings torn and smeared with something mucky and green-moss, perhaps-she looked an absolute fright. Not only that, but what she was doing certainly bordered on trespassing.
If Lord Sleat did see her, he’d be well within his rights to summon the Bow Street Runners.
But what could she do? She absolutely had to rescue her dear friend’s beloved pet. If Peridot fell or escaped into the mews . . . Visions of the cat darting between carriages and horses’ hooves or being stalked by a lascivious tomcat filled Olivia’s mind’s eye, and her whole body trembled like the dark green leaves above her head.
Despite Olivia’s edict to the servants that Peridot should not be let out unless accompanied, the cat had somehow slipped into the garden on her own. When Olivia looked up from the pages of Northanger Abbey-she’d been reading in her bedchamber after dinner-and spied Peridot leaping from the wall into the tree, her heart had taken flight like a panicked bird.
And now here she was, her heart fluttering wildly, her belly tumbling with fear, and her head spinning with dizziness whenever she looked down. How inconvenient that she’d belatedly discovered she was terrified of heights. Olivia huffed out a breath to blow a stray lock of hair away from her face. She daren’t let go of the brick wall lest she fall. She’d already lost one of her shoes; in the process of clambering onto her precarious perch, her pink silk slipper slid off her foot and landed in a dense, rather prickly looking bank of rosebushes guarding the perimeter of Lord Sleat’s garden.
On her side of the wall, the stone bench she’d climbed upon looked far away indeed. And part of the ivy-choked latticework she’d used as a makeshift ladder had already cracked ominously beneath her weight. But she really couldn’t afford to panic about how she’d get down. First of all, she had to reach that blasted cat, and quickly. The light was fading fast, and it wouldn’t be long before her presence was missed.
Olivia drew a bracing breath. “P-P-Peridot.” Her stammer was little more than a ragged whisper. “Here, p-puss, puss. There’s a good k-kitty now.” Knees trembling, heart pounding, she forced herself to inch forward along the wall so she could peer up into the beech canopy.
There. Directly above her on a sturdy branch, but just out of reach, sat Peridot, her black, white, and tan fur barely visible in the shadows. The cat’s fluffy tale twitched when Olivia called her again. A disdainful gesture if she’d ever seen one.
Little minx. If Olivia survived this foolhardy escapade, she was going to pack Peridot into her basket and send her back to Berkeley Square posthaste. Let the Hastings House staff deal with their young mistress’s cat. Charlie meant well when she’d suggested in her last letter that Olivia might like to look after Peridot for a few weeks until Charlie returned to London in the first week of October. On the surface, her friend’s reasoning was sound: a pet would provide Olivia with congenial company, affection, and a source of amusement-three things that were sorely lacking in her life.
Ignoring the scrape of the brickwork along the tender flesh of her inner thighs, Olivia crept forward again. And then the hem of her muslin gown snagged on something, and she winced at the sound of fabric tearing.
Damn, damn, and double damn again.
How on earth was she going to explain the damage to Bagshaw? She’d be sure to tattle to Aunt Edith, who’d tell Uncle Reginald.
And then she’d be punished.
But at least Peridot will be safe-
“Ahem.”
The low, unmistakable sound of an adult male clearing his throat made Olivia simultaneously jump and squeak with fright.
Oh, no. No, no, no. Her heart plummeting like a dislodged stone, Olivia’s gaze whipped down to collide with that of a man’s. But not just any man.
It was the Marquess of Sleat. The very object of her girlish infatuation.
The subject of all her silly, romantical dreams.
In the flesh.
And what flesh it was. Well over six feet of muscular, broad-shouldered, square-jawed man glowered up at her.
About The Author
Amy Rose Bennett has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember. As she is an avid reader with a particular love for historical romance, it seemed only natural to write stories in her favorite genre. She has a passion for creating emotion-packed–and sometimes a little racy–stories set in the Georgian and Regency periods. Of course, her strong-willed heroines and rakish heroes always find their happily ever after.
I’ve been holding on to Red, White & Royal Blue for so long and I wish I would have picked up this book sooner! I absolutely loved the relationship between Henry and Alex. They were so cute together, but also had a realness about them that I really appreciated. The love notes that they wrote to one another had my heart catching. I can read and re-read those scenes over and over again. If you’re even thinking about picking up Red, White & Royal Blue – just go for it! The audiobook was amazing if you have access to it!
Alex Claremont-Diaz is the First Son of Madam President Claremont. His life is busy busy and by now he knows how to play the long game in politics. But there’s always one thorn in his side and this is Prince Henry. Henry just rubs Alex the wrong way and he’s not even quite sure why. So when Henry and Alex make headlines at a royal wedding there’s some serious PR needing to be done! Henry and Alex have to pretend to fake a friendship so that the media doesn’t hound them both.
What starts as a fake friendship, slowly morphs into a sweet sweet romance. I absolutely LOVED the relationship between Henry and Alex. The funny quips, the banter and the romantic love letters that they write one another had me swooning!
I really enjoyed all of the secondary characters in Red, White & Royal Blue as well! Each and every one of them added a different layer to this wonderful romance. From the Whitehouse Trio to the security guards – I feel like no character arc was wasted and they were all woven together so wonderfully.
I feel like the topics of sexuality and grief were handled very well in Red, White & Royal Blue. There were some very serious undertones in the book that were broken apart with well placed humor that really rounded out the book!
Audiobook
Story: 4 Narration: 5 Overall: 4.5
I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Red, White & Royal Blue. I feel that Ramon de Ocampo did such a wonderful job voicing the different characters. His narration of Henry was spot on and I loved it when he narrated his father or even Madam President! I look forward to listening to more books narrated by him!
If you are looking for a romance with really witty and fun dialogue with a swoon worthy romance – pick up Red, White & Royal Blue! Can’t wait to read more of what Casey McQuiston writes next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Lacey Cherish is the new mayor in town and she has big plans for her town Idont. Namely to change the name to Ido and make it a wedding destination! But she can’t do it all alone and needs the help of Deputy Sheriff Bodie.
Bodie has a complicated relationship with his family – specifically his father and grandfather. Where Bodie’s badge binds him to the law, his family doesn’t always operate in black and white. Bodie’s not sure how much longer he can take it – knowing that someday he might have to confront his family. He’s not quite sure what his family’s ulterior motives are and doesn’t want to be mixed in with their shady deals.
I loved how strong and independent Lacey was! She wants something to happen and finds a way to make it happen. She’s determined and not afraid of going up against residents of the town who think they know whats better for the town.
Lacey and Bodie have known each other since they were kids, but only recently became reacquainted with one another after not seeing each other for a number of years. And now they will be working very closely with one another. These two are trying so hard to fight their attraction towards one another, but they both want the same goals – the best interest in their small town. How far are they willing to go without letting their feelings get in the way?
The chemistry between Lacey and Bodie is evident right from the beginning. I loved when these two were verbally sparring with one another! I do feel that sometimes maybe their antics towards one another were a bit much and the miscommunication between Lacey and Bodie felt a bit forced at times. My favorite moments were when Bodie and Lacey had their guards down and how sweet they were with one another.
I enjoyed this charming small town romance that totally gave me hallmark movie vibes!
The Cowboy Says I Do Excerpt
Chapter One
“I do.”
Lacey Cherish blinked multiple times, trying to see through the obnoxious fake eyelashes her assistant had talked her into wearing at the last minute. Her fingers fiddled with the microphone in front of her as she silently willed the reporter from the television station in Houston to give it a rest. Not even forty-eight hours into her term as the newly appointed mayor of the little town of Idont, Texas, and she already had a full-blown crisis on her hands.
The reporter didn’t back down. Instead, she got up from the metal folding chair, causing the legs to scrape across the linoleum. Lacey squinted as she fought the urge to cover her ears. Her upper and lower eyelashes tangled together and she struggled to peer through the dark lines barring her vision.
“Let me rephrase that.” The reporter cocked a hip while she consulted her notebook. “You expect us to believe you’re going to find a way to put a positive spin on this?”
Lacey inhaled a deep breath through her nose in an attempt to buy some time and answer with what might sound like a well-thought-out response. The problem was, she was winging this. No one had been more shocked than she was to find out the biggest business in town, Phillips Stationery and Imports, had closed their doors. The company had made their headquarters in Idont for over a hundred years, starting as a printing press then moving into manufacturing, and importing all kinds of novelties from overseas.
“I’m sure Mayor Cherish will have more to say as the situation unfolds.” Leave it to Deputy Sheriff Bodie Phillips to bully everyone back into line. He was part of the problem. Granted, he wasn’t the ogre who decided to shut down the warehouse, but he did share DNA with the two men in charge.
“I’ll have a statement to the press by the end of the week,” Lacey promised.
Her assistant stepped to the microphone as Lacey moved away. “Thanks, everyone, for coming. As Mayor Cherish said, she’ll be prepared to address the closing by the end of the day on Friday.”
“You okay?” Bodie appeared at her side. He angled his broad chest like a wall, as if trying to protect her from the prying eyes of the people who’d turned out for the press conference at city hall. All six of them.
“Yes. No thanks to you.” She summoned her best scowl, ready to chastise him for interfering in her business. It didn’t matter that much when they were kids, but he needed to see her in a different light now. She was the mayor, after all, not the same scrawny, bucktoothed little girl who used to follow him everywhere.
“I’m just as surprised as you.” The look in his eyes proved he was telling the truth. She’d never seen that particular mixture of anger and frustration, and she was pretty sure she’d been exposed to all of his moods. “Dad didn’t say a word to me about this and I spent the holidays over at their place, surrounded by the family.”
“Well, you and your dad aren’t exactly bosom buddies, now, are you?” She gathered her purse and shrugged on her jacket before heading down the hall to the back door of the building.
Bodie followed, taking one step to every three of hers. Damn heels. She would have been much more comfortable in a pair of ropers, but her new assistant never would have let her step in front of a microphone without looking the part of mayor. Which was precisely what Lacey paid her to do.
“Hey, you can’t punish me for something my dad and my pops decided to do.” Bodie stopped in front of her, his muscular frame blocking the door, his head nearly touching the low ceiling.
Lacey clamped a hand to her hip, ready for a throwdown. “I’m not trying to punish you. I just don’t understand how all of a sudden, after a century in business, they decided they can’t make a go of it anymore. And breaking the news right after the holidays?”
Bodie shrugged. “I don’t know, Sweets.”
“Stop calling me that. I’m the mayor now.” She pursed her lips. Why couldn’t he take her seriously? She’d figured the childhood nickname would have disappeared, along with her aggravating attraction to the man who’d been her big brother’s best friend all her life. But here she was, back in Idont where nothing had changed, especially the way her traitorous body reacted to Bodie Phillips.
“Aw, come on, Lacey. You’ll always be Sweets to me.” He grinned, dazzling her with his million-dollar smile. Well, maybe not million-dollar, but she’d been there when he had to go through braces twice, so it had to be worth at least five or six grand.
She resisted the pull of his charm. He’d always been able to tease her back into a good mood when hers had gone sour. But this was different. The only reason she’d run for mayor was because her dad had been forced out of office after a particularly embarrassing public incident. In which he drove a golf cart into a pond. A stolen golf cart. While drunk.
His stunt earned him his third DWI and twenty-four months of house arrest. During her tenure as mayor, she hoped she could polish off the tarnished family name and turn the tide of public opinion about the Cherish family. That, and she couldn’t find a real job. Evidently a degree in communications wasn’t worth much more than the paper her diploma was printed on.
“What am I going to do, Bodie?” She shook her head, her gaze drawn to a section of chipped linoleum on the floor. The whole town seemed to be falling apart.
“Maybe it’s time to consider merging with Swynton.”
Lacey jerked her head up, causing one of her fake eyelashes to flop up and down. “Please tell me you didn’t just suggest we wave good-bye to our roots and hand our town over to that obnoxious man.” She tried to reattach the line of lashes against her eyelid.
Bodie didn’t bother to suppress his smile. “Come on, Lacey. You’ve got to admit, their economy could run circles around ours. I know you don’t care for Buck, but he’s doing something right over there.”
She pressed her lips together. The only thing Mayor Buck Little was doing was turning the once-semicharming town of Swynton into a hot pocket of cheap housing and seedy businesses. “Have you seen how many building permits they’ve issued in the past three months? If he had it his way, we’d end up with empty strip malls and low-rent apartment buildings all over town.”
“At least that would create jobs and give people some affordable housing options.” Bodie leaned against the wall. “My family’s business was our biggest employer.”
“I know.” Lacey gritted her teeth, wishing with all her heart she had someone to talk to about this. Someone who might be able to offer a realistic option, not just confirm everything she already knew about what a sorry situation they were in. “I need to think.”
Bodie pushed open the door leading to the back parking lot and swept his arm forward, gesturing for her to go first. “You want to grab lunch over at the diner and talk?”
“I can’t now. I’m late for my shift at the Burger Bonanza.” She jammed her sunglasses on her face, crushing them against the stupid lashes as she brushed past him through the door into the sunny, but chilly, February day.
“When are you going to quit that job, Lacey Jane? The mayor shouldn’t be flipping burgers and mixing milk shakes.”
She turned, jabbing a finger into Bodie’s chest. “I’ll do what I have to do to pay the bills.” She jabbed harder. “And I’ll do what I have to do to keep this town afloat.”
Despite her effort, the concrete plane of his pecs didn’t budge. Damn him.
He grabbed her hand, twirling her around like they were doing a two-step instead of sparring about the future of their hometown. “That’s one thing Idont has going for it that Swynton never will.”
“What’s that?” Lacey stumbled as he released her, not sure if she was dizzy from the spin or off-balance because of the way her hand had felt in his.
“You.” Bodie tipped his cowboy hat at her as he walked away. “You’re determined, I’ll give you that, Mayor.”
She adjusted her purse strap and tried to compose herself as he climbed into his pickup and drove away. Bodie wasn’t one to dish out compliments, especially to a woman he’d considered a pesky nuisance most of his life. Either that was the nicest thing he’d ever said to her or he wanted something. Knowing him, it was the latter.
That would give her two things to think about while she worked her shift at the Burger Bonanza . . . how to save the town of Idont, and why in the world Bodie was trying to butter her up like a fresh-baked biscuit.
“You’re late.” Jojo stood at the counter, loading her arms with blue plate specials. “Watch out for Helmut, he’s on a bender.”
“Thanks.” Lacey slipped off her heels and slid her feet into her flats before tying an apron around her waist. “Where do you need me today?”
“Why don’t you start on the floor and take over the grill when Helmut leaves?” Jojo had been waiting tables at the Burger Bonanza since she and Lacey started high school. If Helmut had taken the time to name a manager, Jojo would be the natural choice. But instead he paid her the same as the rest of the waitstaff and expected her to keep everyone in line.
“Sounds good.” Lacey grabbed her order pad and made her way to the front of the restaurant.
“Table twelve just got seated.” Jojo nodded toward the corner booth.
“Got it.” Lacey headed that way, her eyes on her notebook. “Hey, can I get y’all something to drink?”
“Well, look who it is.” The voice that had squashed a thousand of Lacey’s childhood dreams drifted across the table.
Lacey lifted her gaze to stare right into the eyes of her high school nemesis-Adeline Monroe. “Oh, hi, Adeline. It’s been a long time.” And thank God for that. Adeline lived over in Swynton. It used to be the only reason she’d cross the river that divided the two towns was if she was on the hunt for some too-good-to-pass-up gossip. What was she after now?
“It sure has. And look at you. I heard you came back.” Adeline leaned over the table, lowering her voice, that familiar glint in her eye. “Is it true you got yourself elected mayor?”
Lacey nodded. “Yep, sure did. Now, what will it be? A round of Burger Bonanza Banzai Shakes? Or can I start you off with a basket of buffalo bites?” She tried to pull a smile from deep down, but it seemed to stick on the way to her face. Half of her mouth lifted, the other half slid down, probably making her look like an undecided clown, especially with the damn lashes still glued to her eyelids.
Adeline turned to the man next to her. A quick glance at the giant rock on her left hand confirmed he was probably her finance. What happened to the curse Lacey had cast at graduation? Adeline was supposed to be hairless and withered by now, or at least well on her way. Instead she looked like she’d just stepped out of a salon. Every highlighted hair was in place. Her eyebrows were plucked to perfection and there was no sign of premature aging.
“Lacey, I’d like you to meet my finance, Roman.” Adeline put her hand on Roman’s arm, obviously staking her claim. As if Lacey were going to try to hump the man right there at table twelve.
“Congratulations. Nice to meet you, Roman.” She managed to correct her awkward expression and forced a smile. “Are you ready to order?”
Adeline’s smirk faded. She ran a manicured nail down the side of the menu. “We’ll take two Burger Bonanza baskets with fries. Diet for me.”
“Do you have iced tea?” Roman asked.
Lacey nodded. She’d been afraid the man couldn’t speak. She wouldn’t have put it past Adeline to marry a man incapable of talking back to her. He probably didn’t get a word in edgewise most of the time. “I’ll be back in a minute with your drinks.”
She tucked her order pad into the front of her apron. First the news of the Phillips business closing, now an unexpected visit from Adeline. Bad news usually came in threes. What would happen next?
It took less than a minute to find out. As she approached the soda station to grab two cups, someone grabbed her arm.
Bodie.
“Mayor Cherish, you’ll need to come with me.” His voice was all business. The commanding tone sent a shiver straight through her. But his lips twitched. A hint of humor shone in those deep gray eyes. She’d spent way too much of her life thinking about what it would feel like to lose herself in those depths.
“What are you doing here? I’ve got a shift.”
“I’m aware of that.” His fingers closed around her elbow, eliminating any argument, propelling her toward the door. “But we’ve got a problem that needs your attention. Now.”
two
Bodie gripped Lacey’s elbow a little tighter as he led her outside. He wouldn’t admit it, but he kind of enjoyed spending time with Idont’s new mayor-much more than he expected, and a lot more than he should.
“Stop, Bodie. I’m not taking another step until you tell me what’s going on.” Lacey planted her feet as she wrapped her arms around her middle. It was chilly, even for Texas. He should have grabbed her coat, but now he didn’t want to take the time to go back inside.
“Here.” He slid his jacket off then draped it over her shoulders.
“I don’t want your jacket.” She shrugged it off and tossed it back at him. “I want to know why you dragged me out here during my shift. Helmut’s going to pop a blood vessel over this. What’s so important?”
“There’s a protest down at the warehouse. Seems Jonah Wylder has chained himself to the front doors. Says he’s not leaving until someone gives him his job back.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” She tilted her head back, giving him a full-on glimpse of the smooth ivory column of her neck.
When did the little girl who used to bug the hell out of him turn into such a beauty? Seemed like she’d always been underfoot as a kid. He and her big brother, Luke, couldn’t go anywhere without her tagging along. Since she’d been back he hadn’t paid much attention to her-he’d been too focused on trying to figure out a way to get out of Idont himself. But now with her taking on the doomed role of mayor, he started to wish he hadn’t ignored her for so long.
I received a complimentary audiobook from the publisher and Libor.fm
Luc is in need of a fake boyfriend. He’s just a tiny bit famous – being that his mom and dad are famous rockstars and he can’t really go out without getting recognized.
After a recent paparazzi picture paints him in an unfavorable light, Luc’s work has recently informed him that he needs to get his act together or risk getting fired. Luc isn’t quite sure what to do, but his friends have a brilliant idea! Luc needs a fake boyfriend and they have a mutual friend in common who is also in a predicament and could use a fake boyfriend too.
This is where Luc meets Oliver. Where Luc is a bit spontaneous, Oliver is the exact opposite. But both are in need of a fake boyfriend and so their fake relationship begins.
I love a great fake relationship trope and Oliver and Luc were so damn cute together! I loved that Oliver immediately calls Luc by his full name (Lucian) whenever they are together. These two clearly have feelings for one another and yet they are also vulnerable and their relationship felt real. They had some miscommunication, moments when they weren’t their best and also times when they were there to support one another no matter what.
I really enjoyed the writing by Alexis Hall in this M/M romantic comedy. I listened to the audiobook and it reminded me a lot of Gilmore Girls with the fast dialogue and pop culture references thrown in. This was my first book by Alexis Hall, but I’m looking forward to reading more by this talented author!
Audiobook
Story: 4 Narration: 5 Overall: 4
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Boyfriend Material. The narration by Joe Jameson was so good! I loved the various characters that he narrated. Anytime Luc’s mom was being narrated I was just cracking up because the voices were narrated so well!! I wouldn’t hesitate to listen to another audiobook narrated by Joe Jameson.
Readaholic Book Reviews 