I had everything I ever wanted—a wife, a kid, with two more on the way. I was living the American dream.After the babies were born, we hit a rough patch. I did everything to prove my love, to show Suzy that nothing was more important than her. After some work and a lot of time, we found our groove again.Just when life had evened out, a familiar enemy came back to haunt us. It wasn’t my past that followed us, but my brother’s.When the danger gets too close, I’ll do anything to defend my family. There’s nothing more important than the people I love, and I’ll protect what’s mine—even if it costs me my life.
HAVEN’T READ THE MEN OF INKED? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO START FOR ONLY 99 CENTS!
Chelle Bliss, USA Today Bestselling author, currently lives in a small town near the Gulf of Mexico. She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, and coffee fiend. Currently she’s written a dozen books in three different series. She loves spending her free time with her boyfriend, 2 cats, and hamster.
Before becoming a writer, Chelle taught high school history for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and a bachelor’s in history. Although history is her first love, writing has become her dream job and she can’t imagine doing anything else.
From International Best Selling Romance Novelist, Hope Hughes, comes a gripping, heartfelt tale of two lovers, fighting for the freedom to…
No. Scratch that. Too cheesy.
…two people, torn apart by the tumultuous tides of life, only to discover refuge in…
WTF? What does that even mean? DELETE.
…two people, confused as shit as to where they should be and who they should love and none of this means a damn thing because it’s all lies!
Lies.
I’m not Hope Hughes. I’m not some fierce woman romance machine. Hell, I’m not even a woman.
I’m a liar.
And while I refuse to believe my own BS, deceit masked in heartfelt phrases of love and devotion, I want to make her believe them. Because maybe—just maybe—if she can find the soul within my words, she’ll also be able to find the truth scribbled on my heart.
You see, I once lived for the perfect plot twist.
I just never expected to actually live it.
This is my story. Well, maybe her story. I just wish I could make it our story.
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*
“I guess the most epic romances are still tucked away within the pages of her favorite novels, safely swathed in inked lies and faded paper promises. Forever fictional. Just like love.”
This book is a work of magic. I absolutely loved it and now that I’ve read it, I am so jealous for everyone that gets to read it for the first time. EPIC. I fell in love hard with this story, the characters and the clever way S.L. Jennings penned their story. I spent a good portion of this read highlighting text because I was so enamored with her writing. August Rhys Calloway is a struggling author…Hope Hughes, not so much…but as the liar extraordinaire struggles to navigate his fictional persona and real life he never imagines the two will intertwine. Book boyfriends like these are hard to come by — he is guarded, pretends to be devoid of emotion, but as we all know, there’s always an exception to the rule. One can only pretend for so long before all those lies come crashing down and August is about to get the rudest awakening of his life.
I was pleasantly surprised with the storyline and although I had no idea what to expect, this book has easily made it’s way to my favorite reads. I’m sure I’ll be revisiting and recommending this book to everyone for weeks. It’s clever, witty, unique and poetic. The emotion penned on these pages only helped solidify my love for reading. I really love as a reader when authors can transport you and make you feel every emotion through their writing. S.L. Jennings repeatedly does this by not only giving you an inside glimpse into the mind of an author, but by displaying how heartbreakingly beautiful the process of baring oneself can be for self and others. August’s story will make you feel a range of emotions from heartbreak to anger to love and hope, but the entire story is a journey and only makes you appreciate the bumps in the road that lead to the end result.
I won’t spend time discussing the rest of the characters because the beauty of this story for me was the uncertainty. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The concept seemed pretty interesting, but it wasn’t until I started that I knew I’d be hooked. I’ll just say this is a friends to lovers angst-filled contemporary romance that will leave you swooning, tearing, and book stung as the story unfolds. I loved every minute of this read and I hope you will too!
Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of calorie-free wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods.
From International Best Selling Romance Novelist, Hope Hughes, comes a gripping, heartfelt tale of two lovers, fighting for the freedom to…
No. Scratch that. Too cheesy.
…two people, torn apart by the tumultuous tides of life, only to discover refuge in…
WTF? What does that even mean? DELETE.
…two people, confused as shit as to where they should be and who they should love and none of this means a damn thing because it’s all lies!
Lies.
I’m not Hope Hughes. I’m not some fierce woman romance machine. Hell, I’m not even a woman.
I’m a liar.
And while I refuse to believe my own BS, deceit masked in heartfelt phrases of love and devotion, I want to make her believe them. Because maybe—just maybe—if she can find the soul within my words, she’ll also be able to find the truth scribbled on my heart.
You see, I once lived for the perfect plot twist.
I just never expected to actually live it.
This is my story. Well, maybe her story. I just wish I could make it our story.
Most known for her starring role in a popular sitcom as a child, S.L. Jennings went on to earn her law degree from Harvard at the young age of 16. While studying for the bar exam and recording her debut hit album, she also won the Nobel Prize for her groundbreaking invention of calorie-free wine. When she isn’t conquering the seas in her yacht or flying her Gulfstream, she likes to spin elaborate webs of lies and has even documented a few of these said falsehoods.
I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’
And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.
The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.
The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.
Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.
No. That will never be me.
Because I’m completely imperfect.
And … I hate myself.
I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.
Book Review
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and comments are my own.*
Perfectly Imperfect is absolute perfection. It is a deeply personal account of struggles with body image and self-worth. It is bold, raw and entirely unapologetic. I loved it, I devoured it and I could not get enough. The story follows Willow, a woman who’s self-loathing, upbringing and experiences have only sunk her deeper into the rabbit hole. As she fights to claw her way out and make peace with who she’s becoming, she struggles, continuously struggles to find and own the person she truly wants to be. It is a bumpy, painful sometimes heartbreaking ride, but every step she takes towards healing and growing is entirely worth it. Willow’s endurance, strength and the love and support she receives from those closest to her help transform her into someone who is fiercely beautiful in every way. She overcomes many adversities, learns to love the woman she is becoming and begins to realize just how perfect imperfect can be.
Kane — oh goodness what can I say about Kane other than I AM IN LOVE! Can I get a Kane? Please??? Just send him my way and all will be right in the my world hehe. From the moment we meet Kane he is a man on a mission. His intentions are clear, but he takes his time and is exactly what Willow needs at a time where her world seems to be crumbling apart. He takes a piece of your heart and begins to weave his way around it making you fall in love just a bit deeper with every encounter. He is the embodiment of what a loving support system should be and although Willow has her reservations every moment between these two is electric. He is kind, loving and patient. Their connection, their trust, their attraction and their ability to support each other in all the simplest ways is absolutely incredible. Willow begins to learn what it feels like to receive unconditional love and support, something she lacked for many years that only contributed to her self-contempt. What Kane offers Willow isn’t a cure or a patch to fix her, no, he offers her so much more. Although Willow is as big of a Kane supporter as he is to her, what I loved the most about these two is the trust between these two is one of the things that allowed them to grow together.
Through it all Willow’s journey to self discovery is one that will inspire you. Perfectly Imperfect will walk you through the good, the bad and the awful, but in the end you will see just how far she’s come. This is a wonderful book that is clearly written through the eyes of someone who has experienced what it feels like to struggle with loving the person you are and accepting all those imperfections that make you…YOU. Harper Sloan has written another wonderful story, a bit more personal, albeit phenomenal and very necessary. Books like this inspire and give hope to people, like Willow, who may not realize just how much their so called flaws might be the exact thing that makes them perfect in not only their eyes, but the eyes of someone who can truly offer selfless, unconditional love.
This is a must read! It is a multi-layered story told from dual POV. I hope you love it as much as I did.
~ Happy Reading Lovelies ~
Excerpt
“Are you nervous right now?”
I nod.
“Tell me why.” His demand, steady and calm, gives me the courage I need to tell him. To open a vein and bleed my insecurities.
“I’m not perfect,” I whisper.
“And neither am I, Willow. I don’t want perfect. What so many see as perfect, to me, is fake. Perfect isn’t achievable naturally. No one, and I mean no one, is perfect.”
I’m shaking my head before he’s even done speaking, but one long finger comes up and presses against my lips before I can speak.
“No, let me finish. There isn’t beauty in perfection. It’s as fake as the image the word projects. Beauty is found in imperfection, Willow, because to admit you’re not perfect means you’re admitting you’re not whole and absolute. When I think of myself, I see someone willing to admit he’s as far from complete as it gets because, in order to get to that perfection, I need to find the other part of me who will make my life better. To take all the faults I have and fill them, and only then will I be there. You see, the way I see it, the only way to become perfect is to find that perfectly imperfect person who brings it out of you.”
When he stops, I swear I might have stopped breathing. How am I supposed to respond to that?
“Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice strong and sure.
“Yes, Kane. Nerves or not, I do.”
“Then let me show you what I see when I look at you.”
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn’t grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all ‘mean girls.’
And those mean girls were right – it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world – and I knew the answer would never be me.
The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.
The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.
Well, that’s definitely not Willow Tate.
No. That will never be me.
Because I’m completely imperfect.
And … I hate myself.
I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.
About the Author
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
“November 9 is yet another breathtaking novel by Colleen Hoover that’s full of blushing, gushing, and heartache. I loved every page and breathed in every beautiful word.” —Anna Todd, Author of the After series
Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day of her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.
Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Slammed, This Girl, Point of Retreat,Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella,Maybe Someday, Ugly Love, Maybe Not, and Confess. She lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys.
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and comments are my own.*
To rate this book 5 stars would be an understatement. It is by far the best book I’ve read this entire year and may very well be the best book Colleen Hoover has ever written. She outdid herself and with every book release she continues to remind me why I love her writing so much. She’s brilliant. She makes you feel, makes you cry, makes you angry, makes your heart break – practically guts you before there can even be a HEA. For some, the end of a book is usually the most dreaded part, because you’ve become a part of this world you can’t describe yet you connect with these characters so well, you hurt with them, you love with them, you feel with them and when it comes to an end you just want more. When I read a Colleen Hoover book that expectation goes out the door. For me, the endings have become my favorite part because the journey her characters take to get there are some of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful I’ve ever experienced. You learn some valuable life lessons and by the end it’s a bittersweet goodbye that leaves you completely satiated. A Colleen Hoover book is an experience you will truly never ever forget.
There’s this process I go through on an annual basis where I try to pick the best book I’ve read all year. I read, love and repeat this process over and over again often citing how this one is a favorite or that one is absolute poetry, but with every Colleen Hoover release this process becomes a battle because it’s like her books continuously try to outshine the previous release. They often do, but my thoughts range from OMG I love it, I have a new book boyfriend to what the heck does Colleen have in store for us next? In the past I’ve said it’s too difficult to rank her books in order of my favorite to my least favorite because they’ve all been favorites. Her books are truly gems, but November 9 just changed the game for me. I know without a doubt (and I mean no disrespect to any authors I’ve read or will read from here on out, but) this will be the best book I’ve read for all of 2015. The wait was grueling, but it was definitely worth it. Secondly, this is likely the best book I’ve EVER read and I have only said that about a handful of books (which I’ll sort through and list at a later date). Colleen Hoover deserves awards for this release. It is brilliant, chilling and poignant. I fell in love and was devastated with equal measure. I was in tears and on edge for about 30-40% of this book. She threw unexpected curves and shattered my heart and I swore she’d never render it whole again.
I’m not going to summarize the plot, the synopsis is wicked enough for that. Instead I’ll tell you that November 9 is easily the best book you will ever read. It is a book that you will want to own and read over and over again. It will draw you in and make you wish you could find a love as epic as Fallon and Ben’s. This is a must read, must own, must be made into a film…. fingers crossed on the last one there. It was the most beautiful story I’ve ever read. Colleen Hoover never disappoints and with all the release dates and published books that alone speaks volumes. She’s opened a book store, started a monthly book subscription service with all proceeds going to charity, has a family and makes time to deliver us masterpiece after masterpiece. She is truly amazing and when you read a work like this, her brilliance and creativity shine through. I hope she continues to bring more great releases like this one. It is outstanding.
Enter the Rafflecopter to win a prize bundle of one signed copy of NOVEMBER 9 and a pair of #November9 sunglasses! (5 prize bundles in total) Contest is open until November 30th.
No matter how hard I tried to push her away, fate thrust us together again.
Screw relationships. My motto: Hit it and quit it. Simple worked. Feelings weren’t on the line, hearts weren’t able to be broken,
and I could keep my life simple. My friends told me to move on and find the “one,” but I wasn’t ready to love again. Until I met her. A dirty-mouthed temptress with a killer body that had me questioning everything. I knew I could ruin her forever, but not without losing myself. I wouldn’t do it. But Georgia Phillips was innocent, pure, and total perfection. I wouldn’t be the one to strip her bare and break her heart. I swore I’d never call another woman mine, but that was before I almost lost her.
Warning: If you can’t handle a cocky bad boy or a badass chick with a dirty mouth,
this might not be the book for you.
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and comments are my own.*
Holy F&#%, Unlawful Desire is hands down my favorite Chelle Bliss book to date! Ok, I seriously love all her books, but this one lived up to every imaginable expectation and then some. I was impatiently awaiting the release for this one and I loooooooved it! I could not put it down. It was definitely a one sitting read. I sat in a café and lost hours not even realizing I had been there so long until it was nearly closing time (hangs head in shame). Sigh, I knew I would fall hard for Frisco and I 1000000% did. He is the epitome of the dream alpha male book boyfriend.
Frisco swore off relationship, but the day he meets Georgia he knows he’s in for trouble. He does everything in his power to fight his feelings, but Georgia isn’t like the rest. She’s smart, sassy and pretty freaking bada$$. There’s something about her that Frisco can’t escape and try as they may, fate keeps intervening pushing these two closer together. I loved the banter between Georgia and Frisco. They were playful and snarky in a way that only Chelle could perfect. I fell hard for Frisco and Georgia, unsure of their fate, I devoured every page and rooted for them along the way. I hoped these two would find a way to open up and trust one another. Georgia and Frisco’s lives intersect at a time when they both need to drown out past hurt. What they never imagined is that they’d find solace in one another. Will they take a leap together or will Frisco’s reservations and Georgia’s innocence be the thing that tears them apart?
As with all Chelle Bliss books this one felt familiar, as though they could be your own friends, it was witty, and I laughed a lot at certain points (when you get there you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about). Let’s just say that extended family and friends are always an important factor in Chelle’s books and they certainly make the stories interesting and utterly hilarious. As always, the steam factor was off the charts, but I do believe Unlawful Desire may have had some of the steamiest, blush worthy moments I’ve ever read. This book is everything! 5 stars hands down for Unlawful Desire. It is erotic and steamy, but the second chance romance aspect will sucker punch you at times leaving you breathless and longing for more. I am a huge fan of this book and the ALFA PI series. This is a must read for all Erotic (Adult) Romance/Second-Chance Romance/Contemporary Romance fans! You will not be disappointed.
Happy Reading Lovelies xo
Unlawful Desire Excerpt
She leaned back against the bar with her tits jutting out and her arms crossed underneath. “What’s your problem with me? Did I do something to you, Frisco?”
Caught off guard by her question, my body jerked backward. “N-no,” I stuttered.
She tapped her foot. “You ditched me, marched off when you heard my age, and tonight, you seem less than happy that I’m here. What the fuck gives?”
I cleared my throat, trying to find my voice and a reasonable explanation. “I don’t have anything against you.” I was in so much trouble.
“Let’s cut the shit, Frisco. I’m a big girl. What’s the problem? Would you rather I leave?” Her body oozed attitude.
I cringed. I never wanted to hurt anyone, but I knew that I had hurt her feelings. “No. Don’t go. I’m sorry. It’s just that Sunshine…” My chest tightened. “She’s trying to fix us up.”
Georgia filled her cheeks with air before slowly exhaling. “Is that so bad?” She narrowed her eyes. “If I’m not your type, it’s cool. But otherwise, what’s the issue? I thought we had a nice time up until you left the party. I’m a big girl. Just be honest with me. I’m not into playing games.”
I wanted to play games. Naked games that ended with us against a wall, tangled together like we’d played the sexiest game of Twister.
Chelle Bliss, USA Today Bestselling author, currently lives in a small town near the Gulf of Mexico in Florida. She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, and coffee fiend. She’s written over thirteen books and has three series available. She loves spending her free time with her boyfriend, 2 cats, and her hamster.
Before becoming a writer, Chelle taught high school history for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and a bachelor’s in history. Although history is her first love, writing has become her dream job and she can’t imagine doing anything else.
THE MOMENT OF LETTING GO by J.A. Redmerski (August 11, 2015; Forever Trade Paperback)
You can follow the rules or you can follow your heart…
Sienna Murphy never does anything without a plan. And so far her plans have been working. Right after college, she got a prestigious job and gained the stability she’d always craved-until work takes her to the sun-drenched shores of Oahu and places her in the path of sexy surfer Luke Everett. For the first time, she lets her heart take control. Drawn to his carefree charm, she makes a spontaneous and very un-Sienna-like decision to drop everything and stay in Hawaii for two more weeks.
Luke lives fast and wild. When he meets Sienna, he’s convinced that some no-strings-attached fun is just what she needs. As their nights quickly turn from playful to passionate, Luke can’t deny the deep connection he feels. But there’s a reason Luke doesn’t do long-term. He can’t promise Sienna forever, when the enormity of his past has shown him just how fragile the future can be . . .
Book Review
This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.
Poignant, insightful, and utterly beautiful. I fell deeply in love with this book as is usually the case when I read anything by J.A. Redmerski. This book strikes a chord as it opens the readers eyes to how sometimes we allow ourselves to live completing mundane task after mundane task only to look back and wonder have I actually lived? I love J.A. Redmerski’s writing style and somehow you always walk away with a lesson. This story is heart wrenching and inspiring. It makes you want to live a life filled with all the things that make you happy and free. Would you rather a happy and fulfilling somewhat minimalist lifestyle or would you rather have full pockets and things?
Sienna Murphy has lived without really understanding what it means to live. After securing a high paying job after college she is assigned work in Hawaii. She is only meant to spend a couple of days there, but when things go awry Sienna runs off with seemingly reckless abandon desperately seeking a place to clear her mind. As Sienna carefully considers her life and the direction it’s taken, her moment of solitude is interrupted by Luke Everett. Luke knows what it means to live life on the edge. He knows how fragile life is yet when he meets Sienna he can’t help but feel a glimmer of hope. He takes a chance and talks to her. When Sienna and Luke meet their connection is almost instantaneous and though their interaction is brief it leaves a lasting impression. Luke words resonate loudly causing her to consider meeting him again.
From the moment she meets Luke Everett she’s curious to see life the way he does. She wants nothing more than to get to know him, but she knows trusting him is a risk, one that she is afraid will leave her with a broken heart. Luke, equally afraid, takes a chance on her and she willing steps out of her comfort zone plunging headfirst into his world. Although she knows their time together is limited, Sienna takes a leap. She extends her vacation and decides spending a full two weeks exploring Hawaii as his guest and learning more about him is exactly what she needs. As much as Sienna and Luke would like to forget the world around them and just enjoy their time together they both know their realities and that the clock is ticking. Will they find a way or will they walk away simply learning some very valuable lessons from one another?
Written with passion and candor, The Moment of Letting Go displays vulnerability, love and life in an exquisite way. It will leave you absolutely spellbound. Highly recommended for New Adult and Contemporary Romance fans alike. This is the perfect summer read!
Then he gets up and grabs my hands from the tops of my bare knees, pulling me to my feet.
“We’re going swimming,” he says. “And we’ll talk more about this later…like on the day your vacation is over and you’re standing at the gate in the airport about to kiss me goodbye.”
“Wow, you really think highly of yourself, don’t you?” I can’t keep the laughter from my voice.
“Damn straight!” he says and pulls me along beside him. “Before these two weeks are over, I can guarantee you three things.” He holds up three fingers as we continue onward toward the water. “One”—he holds up one finger—“you’ll never want to go back to San Diego once Hawaii is done with you.” He holds up two fingers. “Two—that photography love of yours will start to take the place of everything else in your life. And three”—he wiggles three fingers and we stop on the beach where the water can pool around our feet—“you’ll kiss me at least once before you go home.”
I blush hard and it feels like my eyes are bugging out of my head. “I might peck you on the cheek or something, but—”
“No,” he says, smiling and quite serious, “it’ll be a full-on, tongue-dancing kind of kiss.”
I smack him playfully on the arm—something is fluttering around inside my belly.
“Geez!”
Luke grabs my hand and pulls me out to the water with him, where we swim and hang out on the cliffs until late in the afternoon. People come and go throughout the hours, sometimes leaving us with Alicia, Braedon, and a few of their close friends to have the area to ourselves for a while before more people show up in intervals.
“Backflip!” someone says just before Luke jumps into the water for probably the twentieth time.
And every time he does it, it ties my stomach up in knots. But there’s something about him that I can’t quite figure out when I watch him leap off the edge of that cliff; it’s not overconfidence or showing off or recklessness, but something deeper, more profound. Maybe it’s a sense of freedom, or a natural high that consumes him while he’s in the air, as if he had been born with a pair of wings that only he can see. But the more time I spend with him, the more intrigued I become. Sure, he’s gorgeous and funny and polite and all the kinds of things—so far—that would make my mom love him to death. But what intrigues and excites me more is how he kind of makes me want to jump off that stupid cliff regardless of how scared I am of it.
About the author:
J.A. Redmerski, New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journalbestselling author, lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children, two cats and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries.
I met my true love when I was twenty-seven. He was handsome, charming, witty, and irresistible. Jayden Monroe came along when I was struggling withindecision and made things simple, turned monochrome into vivid color, and forever altered my perspective on life.
I was not naive enough to believe in happily ever after, but with Jayden, it seemed possible . . . until I realized something wasn’t quite right.
You see, I met a man who would be anyone I needed him to be, and after I found out that fact, I knew it would be impossible to walk away. His disorder,however, would change everything I ever thought about love and what it truly meant to accept someone for who they are.
This is not my sob story; this is his success story.
Talk about an emotional roller coaster ride! Loving the White Liar is a raw, emotionally intense account of what it truly means to love someone unconditionally. There were times where it even brought me to tears. Jayden and Hilary’s story is one that will touch you. It will etch its way into your heart forever branding you. Its message is profound, their story is unforgettable, the book is unputdownable! You will love every moment – even the heartbreaking ones. I fell in love with Jayden as I have no doubt you will too, but the struggles Hilary dealt with and the love she had for him was truly inspiring. Reading a story like this makes you wonder how deep your love for another could run and if you’d have the strength to walk a day in their shoes. Masterfully written, Loving the White Liar is a brave and heartfelt story that will tug at your heartstrings and although the author makes no claims to be a professional she does create an experience that makes this story realistic enough that you become emotionally connected to the characters and their struggles. This story is so realistic it touches close to home by making you consider the way you’ve treated those in your life especially those suffering from disorders/disabilities. It makes you seriously question if you could take a walk in their shoes and even consider the way you’ve treated a loved one. It shows all the real struggles one endures while in a relationship and magnifies those issues making you ask yourself could I handle this? Could I love someone this deeply and be this forgiving? Don’t get me wrong this story definitely shows the ups and downs of Jayden and Hilary’s love, but it makes you love them even more for the way they fight to keep it all together when everything seems to be falling apart. I absolutely LOVED this book. It exceeded my expectations and I look forward to reading more of Kate Stewart’s work in the future. This is a perfect read for Romance/New Adult/Contemporary Romance fans.
Happy Reading Lovelies xo
EXCERPT
“Jayden,” I said in warning.
“Okay.” He let out a long breath. “It’s like a tidal wave that’s impossible to stop. I just get sad and a little scared. It’s not clinical, but it’s rough. I feel like everything’s wrong. Nothing will get better. You know, hopeless.” I nodded as I felt the discomfort he was feeling from telling me. “It doesn’t happen a lot, once or twice a year, and it doesn’t last long. It’s not even really a symptom of ADHD. I don’t know. I guess my racing brain just gets tired and I shut down. It’s all about the chemicals in my brain. You know what ADHD is, right?”
“I’m beginning to think I don’t,” I said honestly. “I started to look it up the other night and then your mom called.”
“My mom called?”
“Yes, we are going to a barbeque Saturday.”
“No shit,” he said, smiling.
Jayden picked up a sponge from the side of the tub and poured some liquid soap on it to suds it up then began rubbing my leg with it. “She’s going to love you, Hilary.”
“Oh yeah, how do you know that?”
“I know her.” He grinned.
Jayden’s sponge drifted over my stomach as he crept closer to me. Still working his sponge, he managed to lift me by my arms, pulling me into his seated lap. I felt his growing hardness as I wrapped my legs around him. His muscled arms firmly around me, he used the sponge on my back as he stared into my eyes. “I missed you.”
“You didn’t have to,” I protested, looking away. I didn’t want to cry again. I didn’t want him to think of me as weak. I wanted him to be able to trust that I could handle it.
“Look at me,” he ordered gently, gripping me tighter as he continued to bathe me. “I wasn’t there.”
I nodded. “I’ll live. I . . . You didn’t tell me about that part.”
“Do you have any idea how hard it is to explain to the person you are falling for that they might not want to reciprocate your affection because you may on occasion have an uncontrollable, explosive temper tantrum? Or that you may pop off with inappropriate comments at any point in time that could alienate them? Oh, and don’t forget the controlling, OCD tendencies with a small, short-lived side of anxiety and depression. Or better yet, how to explain you weren’t listening to something important they were trying to convey because you were too busy figuring out the difference between jelly and jam.”
“Just like that,” I answered, knowing it wasn’t that simple.
AUTHOR BIO
Kate Stewart, a native of Dallas, now resides in Charleston, S.C. She moved to the city three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years,declaring the city her creative muse. Since her move in 2010, she has published two novels, the third Loving the White Liar set to publish July 2015. Shelives with her husband of 8 years, Nick who is featured on the cover of the novel, TITAN. (Set to re-release some time in 2015.)
Her other novels include Room 212 and Never Me which are both available now.
From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky comes a new adult novel about a young woman who becomes a nanny in Capri and falls for her charges’ bad-boy brother.
When I’m traveling, I feel like the secret to my life, to myself, to really becoming, is one step ahead. It’s in thenext destination, the next town I get lost in, the next stranger I talk to. It’s always next but never here . . .
After six months of backpacking and soul-searching across the world, Amber MacLean is flat broke. There are worse places for a twentysomething to be stuck than the Amalfi Coast, but the only way she can earn enough money for a plane ticket home to California is to teach English to two of the brattiest children she has ever met.
It doesn’t help that the children are under the care of their brooding older brother, ex-motorcycle racer Desiderio Larosa. Darkly handsome and oh-so-mysterious, the young master of the crumbling villa tests Amber’s patience and will at every turn—not to mention her hormones.
When her position turns into a full-time nanny gig, Amber grows dangerously closer to the enigmatic recluse. But can she give up the certainty of home for someone whose closely guarded heart feels a world apart from her own?
Book Review
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.*
Wow, Racing the Sun is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. I fell in love and I fell hard. I was hooked from the very first page and I didn’t even realize how quickly I went through the book until I glanced at my kindle and realized I was 91% in. I still have no idea how that happened. I mean I dove in hard and nothing else around me existed, but a part of me still grew sad knowing the story was so close to the end. I loved every complicated bit of this story. The romance is that once in a lifetime love that leaves you swooning and hoping for a HEA. I felt every heartbreak and every joy. The accomplishments each character experience make you connect with them in a unique way and you begin to feel as though you are experiencing their growth with them. Karina Halle’s expressive writing draws you in and brings this story to life in a way that made it so real, it was heartbreaking at times, alluring and it will definitely leave you with a bit of wanderlust.
The story is beautiful and there are so many different layers. It is a love story where you begin to fall in love with not only the romantic aspect of the story, but also with each characters growth, the travelers discoveries, their woes, but every complication creates a perfect story that leaves you in awe. I felt every word and the descriptive elements made me feel as though I was in a foreign city experiencing every new revelation with them. I sat and read and could feel and see clearly even the tiniest of details.
Racing the Sun tells the story of Amber MacLean who finds herself broke after months of travel. She secures a job as an English tutor for two children, but the families complicated story leaves her wondering if she’s cut out for the job. Amber buckles down and rises to the challenge, but when she begins to take on more responsibility and finds herself growing fonder of the brooding older brother Derio, things get beyond complicated. She’s falling, but Amber’s heart is not the only one that remains guarded. Their time together draws them closer allowing each of them to slowly open up, but will the past haunt them or will this be nothing more than another stop on Amber’s world tour?
Beautifully romantic, exotic and complex Racing the Sun will leave your heart racing and keep you utterly mesmerized. You’ll fall hard for Derio, Amber will amaze you and you’ll love every minute of it. I’m already counting down the days until Karina Halle’s next release! 5+ exceptional stars for an extraordinary book! This is a must read!
Happy Reading Lovelies xo
RACING THE SUN by Karina Halle
Atria Books | July 28, 2015 | Paperback ISBN 9781476796444, $15 | eBook ISBN 9781476796482, $7.99 | 384 pages
Karina Halle is the New York Times bestselling author of Where Sea Meets Sky, The Pact, Love in English, and other wild and romantic reads. A former travel writer and music journalist, she lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails, and devours a lot of books.
Atria Indie Authors and Karina Halle are giving away:
(1) grand prize of a $50 AMEX Gift Card + 1 signed copy of RACING THE SUN and 1 copy of WHERE SEA MEETS SKY….PLUS: (6) Runner Up Prizes of 1 signed copy of RACING THE SUN.
I’ve loved once. I gave everything that I had to that love. Blindly believing that nothing could ever take that feeling away from me. Away from us. And when my little world of happiness was ripped from my fingers, I felt a loss that still haunts me to this day.
Now I use that lingering grief as a shield to keep my heart from loving again. It’s that fear that keeps me from letting anyone, except my daughter, get close enough to make it hurt. To make my heart bleed when I inevitably lose again.
Until the day I met Liam Beckett and everything I thought I had protected myself from was shoved back in my face.
He’s on a mission to prove to me that a love worth having is a love worth fighting for.
Book Review
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and comments are my own.*
“When you grow up with parents like mine, you know without a shadow of a doubt that a love worth fighting for is a love worth keeping. The fight—that drive—the desire to have the person you love, love you back just as fiercely? That’s all it’s about. They showed me that when you want something, you don’t stop until it’s yours.”
Harper Sloan never ceases to amaze me. Bleeding Love the second book in the hope town standalone series is a beautiful story that at times gutted me. The raw intensity and passion you feel as you read Megan and Liam’s story will leave it’s mark forever branding a place in your heart. As far as I’m concerned, Harper Sloan has never disappointed me with any of her books and this is just another example of how she brings her characters to life making you love them all.
Megan was dealt a rough hand in life, but when she meets Liam she sees how getting close to him can possibly disrupt the order she’s created for herself. She’s basically living in a bubble made to protect herself and keep away any pain. All the things that scare her, all her uncertainties come rushing to the surface when Liam is around. She can’t handle his desire to let him in, but his persistence is wearing her down. Will she allow him in or will she push him to his limit?
Megan and Liam’s story is reminiscent of Beck and Dee’s. I loved every second of getting to know these two. As usual with Harper Sloan’s books, this one was hot and my kindle sizzled from the very first page…no seriously holy shit this book was hot. I thought Unexpected Fate had its moments, but Bleeding Love O-M-G. Liam I didn’t know you had it in you…majorly crushing on him now. Never a dull moment, Harper.
I fell in love with not only Liam, but also Megan. She had been through more than her share of pain and I understood her. I even found myself tearing up at times. This book makes you feel and if you’re not laughing, you might cry, if you’re not swooning, you might want to yell, either way you’ll feel something. The culmination of emotions will leave you hopeful and completely sated. Although these series are standalone books, I do recommend reading both the Corps Security and Hope Town series in the order they were published. Reading Unexpected Fate got me acquainted with Megan and Liam,but reading Bleeding Love brought their stories to life in a way that made me appreciate all the hurdles they met along their journey. The story is beautiful and as with all of the authors stories this one brings to life “realistic” characters that make you feel as though they could be your own friends or family. The struggles they face are not only in love, but all areas of life and how they look to one another for love and support only makes me love her books and characters more with each release.
The blurb holds back so much of the story that I’m afraid to reveal too much so I’ll just leave it at this, Harper Sloan is amazing, this book rocks, this series rocks, I need more….no seriously I need more and I recommend this book to all New Adult, Contemporary Romance and Erotic Romance fans. You won’t regret it.
Happy Reading lovelies xo
“A love worth having is worth fighting for.”
Excerpt
His mouth leaves mine and with his hand still on my leg, he demands, “Dig your heels in deep, baby.”
I give him what he wants, but not because he told me to. I give him what he wants because when his hand leaves my leg and pushes into the mattress, bringing his body up he goes even deeper into my body and those heels push hard.
Just as he demanded earlier, my hands go to his shoulders on my own accord and as he takes my body hard, my nails dig in with my heels still pushing hard against the small of his back. Our eyes never leave each other’s probing gaze. Never once do I take my eyes away from his, so full of lust that I know there isn’t an ounce of control left in his body.
He drops his head and I lift up to meet him in a kiss so sweet it doesn’t match the powerful way that he’s taking my body. A kiss that gives me more than words ever could at this moment. His hips slow and as his tongue rolls against mine, his hips start to take me in slow, deep rolls. He doesn’t pull back, just rocks his hips against mine.
I push up and cry out when he slips even deeper.
His lips come from mine and his hooded eyes open a sliver. “Feels like heaven,” he says softly. “Everything, darlin’. Feels like everything.”
About the Author
Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed ‘Estrogen Ocean’, much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero–the super alpha kind!
Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn’t take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.
New York Times bestselling author Kim Karr turns up the heat in a smoking hot, emotionally compelling romance that takes you into the world of Manhattan’s elite. Meet Jeremy McQueen, a sexy, intense, brooding entrepreneur who goes after what he wants, and Phoebe St. Claire, a socialite-turned-CEO who’s been drifting through life searching for something she thought she’d never find again–the right man to share her future.
Phoebe St. Claire has devoted herself to saving her family’s hotel empire–but her best efforts have not been good enough. With her whole world in turmoil, the tenacious go-getter turns to the once love of her life. Far from innocent, Jeremy McQueen was the guy from the wrong side of the tracks who her parents would never have approved of. Their years apart have only made the sexy bad boy more irresistible than ever–and their reunion is explosive.
When she asks Jeremy to help her salvage her family business, he agrees immediately, with only one condition–he wants her in his bed.
But soon surprising circumstances leave Phoebe reeling. Was this fairy tale romance just too good to be true? Will Jeremy’s secrets pull them apart all over again?
THIS IS A STANDALONE SECOND-CHANCE ROMANCE WITH NO CLIFFHANGER ENDING.
Toxic Book Review
*This was an ARC provided to me for free in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and comments are my own.*
This second-chance romance will have you swooning. I fell in love with Jeremy and Phoebe’s chemistry, but I had moments of frustration and doubt. Phoebe and Jeremy met one summer and quickly became hot and heavy. Things were intense and the fire that once burned never seemed to fully extinguish. Years later Jeremy and Phoebe have a run in and although there is an uncertainty between the two, their attraction to one another is undeniable, but the mistakes of their past have a way of coming back to haunt them. Can they trust one another and find a way to rebuild what was once lost or will they allow outside forces to create a wedge between them?
Toxic is my first Kim Karr read (I know, I’m ashamed!) I don’t really know what I was thinking putting off her books until now, I’ve always been interested, but I hadn’t gotten around to reading any of them yet. Let me just say, I should’ve been reading every Kim Karr book ever published and stalking her for any unpublished work. This book is hot, steamy, mucho caliente and completely addictive. The story is engaging. You will get sucked in from the very first page. I felt as though I were watching a film where flashbacks were featured to weave the pieces of the story together. I loved every minute of it. It was incredible how easily I visualized everything. (It might also be because I’m a native New Yorker that I was able to picture everything.) Either way the story grabbed my attention and held it until the very last page. I was ashamed of myself for having thrown Kim Karr books onto my TBR list without having read one. I’m sorry Kim from here on out I’m reading every release the minute I can one-click them.
I can honestly and unequivocally say Jeremy is my newest book boyfriend and shall forever remain on my list of favorite swoon worthy men. Phoebe at times frustrated me, but so did Jeremy. Although these two drove me nuts at times and I wondered which direction this story would take, I absolutely loved them together. I wasn’t certain these two would ever find a way, but I hoped they would. I could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. I laughed, I cried, I even shouted at my new fictional friends, but in the end these two taught me some very valuable lessons and made me take a look at how easy it is to allow not only your internal doubts to affect your decisions, but the voices of all those around you. Sometimes you just have to believe in not only the love you have for one another, but in yourself. Excellent book, excellent author. I cannot wait for more books by Kim Karr. This book is definitely steamy with substance and is an absolute MUST read. It is a perfect summer read for Contemporary Romance & Erotic Romance fans.
Happy Reading my lovelies.
Excerpt
Phoebe St. Claire
Feeling a bit drunk and overwhelmed with so many and so few choices at the same time, I needed some time alone and snuck off toward the beach path.
I ran toward the ocean and twirled in the sand as the wind blew around me. Once I started to feel dizzy from twirling, I still wasn’t ready to head back to the party, so I took the path that would lead me to the large Olympic-sized pool. I tugged my sandals off with thoughts of putting my feet in the water to rinse the mud and sand away. As I approached the pool, I noticed how it glowed like it was lit by small pale fires. Lost in the enchantment of it, the sudden movement beneath the surface startled me.
A fair-haired boy emerged from the water. He pulled himself up and out so quickly that I was momentarily stunned. And then when he drank me in with his eyes, I shuddered.
I couldn’t help it, the way he looked at me just made me shiver. No one had ever looked at me like that before and I found myself gazing back into his intense eyes.
He was utterly beautiful. His bare chest was sculpted but not overly bulky like Danny or Jamie. They worked out every day pumping obnoxious amounts of iron to look the way they did. In contrast, the boy standing before me had a swimmer’s build.
He stood stoic and a cautious look crossed his face. He was long and lean in a pair of bright green neon swim trunks.
Right away I could tell he didn’t care what anyone thought about him.
I loved the idea of that.
So I smiled at him.
He shook his head and his hair fell into his eyes.
I wanted to reach out and push it away. It wasn’t long, but it wasn’t short. It was perfect.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing a towel off the ground.
It didn’t belong to the club. It was small, beige, and a bit worn—not the large hunter-green fluffy ones monogrammed in white I’d always gotten when I used to come here to swim as a kid.
“Hey,” I said back, swinging my sandals nervously.
He grabbed a pair of jeans that lay next to where the towel had been and walked right by me.
I turned to watch him as he strode into one of the cabanas and dropped his trunks. I froze and squeezed my eyes shut, thinking I shouldn’t be watching him but then opened them quickly when I couldn’t resist maybe catching a glimpse.
“Didn’t your parents ever tell you it isn’t polite to stare?” His voice was low and sexy, and it tugged me out of my own head.
I put my hands on my hips. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you not to undress in mixed company?”
He pulled his jeans on and laughed. “My mother might have mentioned that once or twice but I’ve never been good at following the rules.”
And it didn’t escape my notice that he didn’t put any underwear on first.
Hot. Totally and completely hot.
I didn’t see anything I shouldn’t have seen, it was too dark, but something inside me electrified at the thought of seeing him naked and I stepped closer. That’s when I noticed the scuffed-up black work boots on one of the lounges with a T-shirt thrown next to them.
I raised a brow. “Is this your changing room?”
He laughed again but this time added a smile and put his hands up. “Okay you caught me. I better get out of here before anyone else does.”
He was adorable and charming and my heart skipped a beat or two.
Then I stepped even closer and entered the cabana entrance, effectively blocking his way. “Why? You’re not doing anything wrong.”
He shrugged but he didn’t try to move around me. “I usually swim in the ocean but when the water is too rough, like tonight, I come here.”
I bit my lip in contemplation before speaking. “Does it really matter if you get caught?”
He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Let’s just say it’s not just the swimming. It’s more that I’ve been caught doing a few too many things that I shouldn’t have been doing in the past.”
A bad boy.
The thought made my pulse thunder. “So you’re not a member at this club?”
He cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. “No,” he laughed but his laugh was anything but genuine. “Are you?”
I hesitated as I considered my answer. “No, I was just walking the beach and wanted to rinse my feet. I’m Phoebe,” I said extending my hand. Technically, I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t a member, my parents were. I hadn’t even been here in years. And I was out for a walk.
Amusement danced in his blue eyes. “Jeremy,” he said back.
When I chewed on my lower lip, I noticed how his eyes focused on it.
Mine focused on the entirety of his mouth—his strong, firm jaw, his sensuous lips, and his tongue that had snuck out to lick his lips.
That mouth.
It was almost too much.
Almost.
About the Author
I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.
HAVEN’T READ THE MEN OF INKED? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO START FOR ONLY 99 CENTS!
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