Review: Love Stories: A Novella Collection by Samantha Young

Love Stories: A Novella Collection by Samantha Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is a collection of novellas that were previously available in Samantha's newsletter. If you are a subscriber, you may be familiar with these stories. This has a little bit of everything for every romance reader. I really enjoyed all of them, each one of them has a familiar romance trope or two, but they were all very enjoyable and have a good level of heat.

Every reader should be able to find a story they enjoy. I liked every single one of them. I love collections like this. You can read them one story at a time or read them straight through. Each of the stories gives you the sense of completion where some novellas leave you wanting more and wondering what happened with the characters. These don't feel like a prequel to a longer story. I felt like each one of the stories was well developed and had the feel of a novel even if it wasn't quite as long.

If you are a fan of Samantha's work, I highly recommend this collection. It is a great way to get to know her work as well.

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BLOG TOUR: BEARD IN HIDING by Penny Reid

 

Beard in Hiding, the USA Today bestselling companion novel to the Winston Brothers and Solving for Pies series is LIVE! Penny Reid delivers a heartfelt romantic comedy about two lost souls who find love in the most unexpected way.  

Propositioning the Iron Wraiths’ money man seemed like a good idea at the time…

Diane Donner—recently divorced pillar of polite society—is craving danger. She’s tired of playing it safe and she knows just the sexy criminal motorcycle man to proposition for a good time. Problem is, she doesn’t actually know his name.

Jason “Repo” Doe never takes risks. So when the queen of local commerce walks into his club, looking to get risky and frisky, Jason knows the smartest thing to do is save himself a headache while saving the new divorcee from her worst impulses.

But then one thing leads to another, and the memory of just-one-night doesn’t feel like enough.

Theirs is a story with no future, because how can a dangerous criminal win (and keep) a queen?

‘Beard In Hiding’ is book #4.5 in the Winston Brothers series, is a full length contemporary romantic comedy about two lost souls in their 40s, and is a companion novel to the Winston Brothers and Solving for Pie series.

If you want to get the full immersive Green Valley world experience, I recommend reading ‘Truth or Beard,’ ‘Beard Science,’ ‘Engagement and Espionage,’ and ‘Marriage and Murder’ beforehand. ‘Beard In Hiding’ contains spoilers for these four books (in specific).

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Excerpt

“Just say it, Diane.”

“Fine.” She lifted her chin. “I want someone to court me.”

And there it was. I continued staring at her, counting the seconds as they ticked by. Why she couldn’t just say, I don’t want you, you’re not good enough for me, I had no idea. Did she think I needed to be let down gently? 

Well, now. That would be a first.

“I want dinners and flowers,” she went on. “And picnics and romantic gestures. I don’t want to constantly be making excuses for someone, for their lack of ability or skill or generosity.”

I deadened the needlingly ache behind my ribcage, suffocated thoughts and desires long abandoned. “Diane. You don’t need to say anything else.”

“I don’t?” Her features brightened and she approached the arm of the couch. “You understand what I mean?”

“Yes. You mean you don’t want me.” And that was fine, and it made sense, and I wasn’t going to dwell on it, and now I needed to go.

“What?” she snapped, her head tilting to the side like she needed to inspect me from a different angle. “No! No, you irritating man. Did I say that? That’s not at all what I’m saying.”

“Then what do you mean?” I glanced over her head toward the room’s exit, impatient to leave. I didn’t belong here, and I’d rather be stranded outside in a snowstorm than accept any more of her charity. 

“I mean, I want you.” 

My eyes cut back to hers and as I waited for the but—because there was always a but—I ignored the tightness seizing my lungs, the hope.  

When she kept on looking at me, as though expecting a reaction, I prompted, “But?”

“But nothing.” She placed her hands on her hips, her tone salty, impatient.

What? “There’s always a ‘but.’”

“Fine. Yes. Okay. There is a ‘but.’” Her eyes moved like she might roll them, but stopped when they reached the ceiling. “I want you. But . . . only if you want me the same way.”

I stared at her and that’s all I could do because I was so damn confused. 

Meanwhile, she peaked at me, nibbling her bottom lip, looking so goddamn gorgeous in her little nighty.

“Do you . . . want me?” The uncertainty in her voice, the vulnerability, hit low in my stomach.

“Pardon?” I choked out because, was hers a real question? How could she not know how much I wanted her? Hadn’t I just kissed the hell out of her? Hadn’t her breast just filled my palm? Hadn’t I just literally said the words, I want you? 

Her tongue flicked out to lick her lips and she stepped fully around the couch, her eyes huge. “I’ve been in a lonely, one-sided romance before. I don’t want that. I want something deep, something meaningful for both people involved. I’m not saying we have to get married. Lord knows, I’ve had enough of marriage to last a lifetime. I don’t think I’ll ever get married again. What I’m talking about is something real, authentic, passionate, but also—above all else—loving. Because what I’ve never had, what I’ve never known, is that.”

“I . . . don’t understand.”

Diane took a deep breath and then said loudly, “I want a relationship,” like the words were a painful confession and the only way she could speak it out loud was by shouting them.

I stared at her for a moment longer before finally asking, “With who?”

Her lips twitched. “With you.”

What? “With me.”

“Yes. But a real one, not just—and I can’t believe I’m saying this—not just sex.”

I barely heard a word she’d said, instead repeating, “With me,” again because the idea was absurd. A relationship with me? Is she crazy?

“Yes. With you. As I’ve said.”

“But . . . Why?”

“What do you mean why?” She frowned. It was severe. “Have you met you?”

About Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

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Review: Rebel Without A Claus by Emma Hart

Rebel Without A Claus by Emma Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.

This was hilarious and the perfect read to get you ready for the holidays.  If you are a fan of romcoms and need a little Christmas spirit to brighten your mood, this is a great book to do just that.  I know I've been really stressed out over the last few weeks for several reasons, and this was the perfect read to relax with.  There was great banter between the characters, and some really funny moments.  I really loved the concept of the family that runs the single most Christmassy booth in the Holiday Village in their winter wonderland destination town is a total Grinch!

Quinn hates Christmas, but her family runs the Christmas Grotto in town every year where her dad plays the part of Santa.  This year he's got the flu, and Quinn is left to run things by herself while the rest of her family is busy with other parts of the family business or taking care of other family members.  Left to find a fill in Santa at the last minute, Quinn is faced with the last person she ever expected to see again, Nicholas White.  Nicholas offers to fill in as Santa while he's in town for the holidays visiting family, but Quinn isn't so sure it's a good idea.  They have some unfinished business from the past that she isn't quite over.  Left with no other choice and no other options, they agree to work together and clear the air.  Nicholas is determined to get back in Quinn's good graces and figure out if there is anything she actually does like about the Christmas season.

The characters in this were really great.  As always there is a hilarious grandparent character that Emma Hart does so well!  I loved the grandpa, his antics added comic relief throughout the book.  Quinn's family was a riot, I'm glad she finally told her sister she was being completely ridiculous.  I really enjoyed Nick and Quinn together as well.  It was kind of an enemies to lovers romance, but they weren't really enemies, Quinn was being cautious and it played along nicely with her Scrooge attitude toward the holiday season.  It was fun to watch her grouchy persona melt as Christmas grew closer and she became more festive each day.  I'm kind of with her when it comes to Christmas, I hate crowds and all of the consumerism that surrounds the holiday.  I love the lights and the family time and the holiday traditions we have.  

If you are in need of a fun read to get your holiday spirit going, give this a read.  It is funny, has great banter, moderate spice, and a good story.  It was exactly what I needed after a couple of weeks of craziness and I'm feeling a bit more ready to embrace the holidays.

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COVER REVEAL: Always You by Samantha Young

Samantha Young has revealed the cover for Always You !

Releasing: April 28, 2022

Cover Designer: Hang Le

Photographer: Regina Wamba

Arrochar Adair has loved her brother's ex-bodyguard and best friend, Mac Galbraith, for years. Once upon a time, she was too young for him, but now that she's a mature woman in her thirties, Arro can see no issue with their difference in age. Yet something deeper, a problem much more difficult to surmount, is keeping them apart.

Mac Galbraith remembers clearly the night Arro became everything to him, no longer just his best friend and boss's younger sister. However, having made many mistakes over the years, there is one mistake Mac is determined not to make: to believe that he is worthy of Arrochar Adair. Allowing them to grow closer during his daughter, Robyn's, return has proven his undoing. And when Arro forces the subject of their relationship, his response pushes her away. He just never meant for it to destroy them completely.

Devastated by Mac's final rejection, Arro is determined to move on without him in her life, though he seems intent on staying put. And when the Adair family face a new threat, one that may have ties to Mac's past, Arro can't seem to be rid of the man. In fact, Mac will do anything to protect her.

But with so much hurt between them, will Arro let Mac close enough to guard her from their enemy... before it's too late?

 

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.

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Review: Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards

Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a relatively fast paced YA thriller, check this out.  It takes place over the course of about 24 hours, and just about everything goes wrong for these 5 strangers.  I do feel like younger readers will really enjoy this and that I am not the target demographic for this type of thriller.  I do enjoy the occasional YA thriller, but the characters here were a bit too immature for my taste.  I think some of the things that bother me about the characters (immaturity, poor decision making, panic in certain situations) would really appeal to a younger reader.   I don't identify with that demographic, so those character elements don't appeal to me.  That being said, this did keep me interested and engaged.

This follows Mira, a high schooler on her way home for Christmas.  She makes it from California to New Jersey when her next flight gets grounded due to a winter storm.  Her seatmate from the plane offers to let her catch a ride across Pennsylvania so she can get home for Christmas.  Mira, opts to go along with her despite being slightly put off by riding with 4 strangers.  What is the worst thing that could happen, right?  Not only is the weather taking a turn for the worse, but at ever step of the journey things go wrong on the drive.  This puts the passengers on edge and starts to make everyone suspicious of one another of sabotaging their drive to get home for the holiday.  The thriller aspect wasn't too bad, the author keeps giving us different breadcrumbs to mislead us as to who the culprit could be.  Mira and her four new friends are all really stressed out and that really comes through.   Each of the characters has a good narrative of why they aren't at fault for the things that are going wrong on their journey.  I don't want to spoil it, but if you are looking for a decent YA thriller that doesn't have sex or gore, and is relatively non-violent, give this a go.  

I did appreciate that there were mentions of places that I knew in this book.  I grew up in Pittsburgh, very close to Beltzhoover, this is where our main character Mira is from.  This location plays no part in the story other than it is Mira's destination, but it was kind of cool to see a place I know mentioned in a book.  

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire to providing me a paperback copy of this book.  I did end up listening to the audio version during the The Big Library Read in November 2021.  Whether you read the print book or listen to the audio, the execution of the creepy letters from Mira's "admirer" is done really well.

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Review: Kiss To Remember by Anna B. Doe

Kiss To Remember by Anna B. Doe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided and ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.

I highly recommend you read Kiss Before Midnight, the prequel novella before you read this. While not required it certainly sets up the events of this book and explains where we meet Grace at the beginning of this book. Grace Shelton has started her freshman year at Blairwood, she is hoping that this is the fresh start she needs after having her heartbroken at 16. Her first love went missing and she's never really recovered from it, she is determined to put Mason and her feelings behind her and start fresh now that she is in college. She is all set to move forward when she literally runs into Mason's doppleganger Trent Remington. Trent looks exactly like Mason, but he doesn't recognize Grace at all. Needless to say, this brings up all of the emotional turmoil Grace wanted to put behind her. When Trent and his girlfriend seem to pop up everywhere Grace and her friends are, she can't seem to move on and put Mason to rest. The more she gets to know Trent, she sees similarities to Mason but he's not Mason.

Trent has no idea who Grace is, however he is drawn to her despite the fact that he has a girlfriend. There is just something familiar about her, plus they are always running into each other. He enlists Grace to help him pass his French class so he can stay on the basketball team. This of course leads to drama with the girlfriend. It is also unfair to Grace as she sees so much of Mason in him, but he's not the boy she used to know. Their relationship is filled with angst as they try to figure out what they want from each other and who they want to be moving forward. They also have to deal with Trent's constant migraine headaches as he navigates the stress of school, his relationships, and basketball.

I really enjoyed this, and had a hard time putting it down. I was really invested in the story. This has some good twists and turns as well. I do have a few pieces of feedback. I did think that Grace's obsession with Mason was a bit over the top. I did appreciate that she started to stand up for herself at some point, she gets her heart broken a lot in this book. I did feel that the reveal and the ending were a bit rushed. I kind of expected some of the events in the reveal, and I thought the way it was executed was good. The ending wrapped up in about the last 100 pages and given the lead up to the ending I felt it could have had a bit more time to resolve.

I do really enjoy this series and I highly recommend it. All of the books are standalones with interconnected characters. You can read the books in any order, but I do recommend reading any connected prequels associated with the full novel and any bonus epilogues to get the full story.
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Review: Beard in Hiding by Penny Reid

Beard in Hiding by Penny Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own. This book was published November 16, 2021 and is available for purchase now.

We were first introduced to the concept of Diane Donner and Mr. Repo in a short story during the holidays of 2016. Penny wrote a short story that was posted on Nocturnal Book Reviews. It can also be found in A Beardy Bonus: Bonus and deleted scenes from the Winston Brothers Series, which is a collection of all of the short stories and bonus content from the Pennyverse. As the synopsis states, this is not really a standalone, you will want to have read Truth or Beard, Beard Science, Engagement and Espionage, and Marriage and Murder prior to reading this to really get an understanding of the events that are taking place and not be spoiled. I think you could still read this on its own, but it will spoil things in the other books, and you might be confused about certain things, but Penny does a good job giving you enough info to follow along.

I was pleasantly surprised that this was a full length novel. I'm not sure why I thought this was a novella, but it is in fact a fully developed novel about Dianne and Jason (aka Repo) from beginning to end. If you have been keeping up with the Winston Brothers and Solving for Pie series as I have, you probably don't like Diane Donner very much. If you've read the books up to this point as I mentioned above, you will know why and there is a reason. She is just starting to redeem herself and in this book we get to know her a bit better as she begins to discover life post divorce. Her ex was a bit of a tyrant, who Diane was eager to please and wanted his approval to the detriment of her relationships with both of her children and those around her. Now that she is recovering from her divorce she wants to have a little fun, so she takes a trip to the local motorcycle bar in search of a little fun and maybe some danger. She finds Repo, who's real name is Jason, who happens to be part of the notorious Iron Wraiths motorcycle club, he's a criminal and she knows it. Repo doesn't want Diane to get hurt, but when she propositions him one thing leads to another and they have a connection atleast for one night. A year passes and they meet again, but this time they decide to take things slow and get to know one another. This is where this book really shines, we get to know them both as people, which we didn't in the previous books. While they may seem like an unusual couple, romance readers know that opposites attract and this is the case here. Jason has a soft side despite his gruff exterior, and Diane is tough as nails when she needs to be. They both complement each other nicely and I really enjoyed getting to know them and watch their relationship develop. We get a ton of backstory that leads up to the events that take place in the other books. I think Penny did a masterful job making sure the storylines matched up without rewriting scenes from the other books verbatim.

This was amazing as are all of Penny's books! I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next! I hope we get an Isaac book soon! He and Hank Weller are the two characters I am most anxious to read about. I know Hank is getting a book in the Good Folk series, but I'm not sure about Isaac. I do highly recommend this book and all of the other books in the Winston Brother series and the Solving for Pie books!

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Review: Restraint by Adriana Locke

Restraint by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first of many wonderful books in the Mason family series. I've read all of the other books in the series to date, but I hadn't read Blaire and Holt's story.

The narration was awesome! Wen Ross plays the male parts in many of Adriana Locke's audiobooks, and he has a great voice for narration. He did a great job with Holt and the Mason brothers. Kelsey Navarro was an excellent Blaire, she had sass where she needed to and was vulnerable and emotional when the time called.

Hold and Blaire literally run into each other at the airport. Blaire is in Savannah for a few days on vacation. She is a bit of a workaholic, so her brothers sent her away to rest and recuperate from her busy life as a lawyer. Holt is a workaholic as well, he's co-CEO of Mason Limited with his brother Oliver, and running the company and making business deals takes all of his time and attention. Both Blaire and Holt have baggage from previous relationships, and want nothing to do with anything more serious than a single night. They are both career focused, however they are insanely attracted to each other, so when an opportunity presents itself for a one night stand to extend itself, they take the opportunity to enjoy each others company. I really enjoyed that while they had great chemistry and there were plenty of scenes that were NSFW, that all of their time together was not spent between the sheets. After their first night together, Holt and Blaire spend time getting to know each other with tons of great banter. This leads them both to open up to each other about tough emotional situations. As their week of romantic bliss draws to an end, it has them both thinking about their future together. Can they make it work long distance? Do they want to try a long distance relationship? Do they even want to be in a relationship? Are they moving too fast?

As with the rest of the Mason books, this had me hooked right away. I was invested in Blaire and Holt and if they would put aside their work commitments to give love a chance. This had a little bit of angst, but not too much. They both had to deal with their own baggage before they could come to terms with their feelings for each other despite only knowing each other for a few days. While this did have a bit of an insta-love feel, they did spend quite a bit of the book getting to know each other and sometimes when you know, you know. I felt this was really well executed and I had a hard time putting it down.

While this has character ties to the Gibson and Landry series, it can be read as a complete standalone. I've read all of the Mason series out of order, and I'm so happy to have finally read Blaire and Holt's story. I love the whole series and highly recommend them on audio or in print. The whole family is a riot and I have been completely invested in each of the brothers and their stories. This was no exception

I received an audible code from the author, all opinions are my own.

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RELEASE BLITZ: BEARD IN HIDING by Penny Reid

 

Beard in Hiding, an all-new companion novel to the bestselling Winston Brothers and Solving for Pies series is LIVE! Penny Reid delivers a heartfelt romantic comedy about two lost souls who find love in the most unexpected way.  

Propositioning the Iron Wraiths’ money man seemed like a good idea at the time…

Diane Donner—recently divorced pillar of polite society—is craving danger. She’s tired of playing it safe and she knows just the sexy criminal motorcycle man to proposition for a good time. Problem is, she doesn’t actually know his name.

Jason “Repo” Doe never takes risks. So when the queen of local commerce walks into his club, looking to get risky and frisky, Jason knows the smartest thing to do is save himself a headache while saving the new divorcee from her worst impulses.

But then one thing leads to another, and the memory of just-one-night doesn’t feel like enough.

Theirs is a story with no future, because how can a dangerous criminal win (and keep) a queen?

‘Beard In Hiding’ is book #4.5 in the Winston Brothers series, is a full length contemporary romantic comedy about two lost souls in their 40s, and is a companion novel to the Winston Brothers and Solving for Pie series.

If you want to get the full immersive Green Valley world experience, I recommend reading ‘Truth or Beard,’ ‘Beard Science,’ ‘Engagement and Espionage,’ and ‘Marriage and Murder’ beforehand. ‘Beard In Hiding’ contains spoilers for these four books (in specific).

Grab your copy TODAY!

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Start the Winston Brothers series TODAY!

Now in Kindle Unlimited!

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About Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

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Release Blitz: Jonah Bennett by Tijan

 

Jonah Bennett, an all new emotional and thrilling novella from New York Times bestselling author Tijan and 1,001 Dark Nights, is available now!

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tijan comes a new story in her Bennett Mafia universe…

Jonah Bennett wasn’t like his family. The mafia business was firmly what his brothers did, not him.

That changed the day a rival family killed his fiancée.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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About Tijan
Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new series from north Minnesota where she lives with an English Cocker she adores.

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Review: Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.  

First off can we talk about how absolutely stunning the cover is?  I had no idea what this was about and I wanted to read it based on the cover alone, then I read the synopsis and I was even more excited to read it!

I really enjoyed this, especially the folklore/mythology aspects of this book.  I love learning about different cultures through their lore and myths and this was an excellent journey through West African tales at during a time of great strife.  Gods and Goddesses in many cultures or Orisas in Africa are often seen as great and powerful beings whose wrath is mighty, but who also protect those who pray to them and pay them homage.  This tale is no different, we have Yemoja, who is an Orisa of the sea and she has created the Mami Wata or mermaids that captures the souls of the fallen slaves.  The Mami Wata bless the souls and help them on their journey to the Creator.  Slave trade has become rampant and when our main character comes across a man in the water who is not dead, she decides to save him instead of guide is sole to the creator.  Her actions go against the task she was given as a Mami Wata and may put her kind at risk.  Simidele begs Yemoja for forgiveness, however it is not hers to grant and Simi must go on a journey to seek absolution from the Creator directly.  She is aided by the boy she saved, Kola, as he knows where the high priest who can help them.  As Kola and Simi race to Kola's village, they encounter friend and foe along the way.  The also discover that the Creator's messenger has grown power hungry  and  is not doing what is best for humans and orisas.  Not only must they save the Mami Wata, but now there is much more at stake.  

I really thought the author did a great job with the world building.  The descriptions of the mythical creatures and the Orisas was done really well.  This is not the first book I've read about Yemoja and her Mami Wata, and I've done some research on the subject because it is quite fascinating.  I think she did a wonderful job blending the historical points with the lore and the more fantastical aspects of the story.  I also really enjoyed learning about Simidele through her flashbacks before she became a Mami Wata,   I thought her struggle with who she is today and her letting go of her humanity was done very well and the emotions came through on the page.  There was also a good bit of action in this to keep the pace going.  I could have done without the budding romance, but it wasn't so overpowering it took away from anything.  This does end a bit abruptly.  It isn't quite a cliffhanger, but it leaves  you with that cliffhanger feeling.  I believe there are going to be more books and I hope there is more to Simi's story because there are some unanswered questions about what happens next to Simi, Kola and their friends.   I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

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Review: Jonah Bennett by Tijan

Jonah Bennett by Tijan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.

I really love the 1001 Dark Nights novellas, they give you a glimpse into a series or a world and author has created. In this case we get Jonah Bennett's story. This novella is a standalone, but if you want really understand who Kai is or how the Bennett Mafia operates, give Bennett Mafia a read. I would say you could read this before or after. This also has ties to The Not-Outcast, but you don't need to read that to really understand what is going on in this book. If you want to know more about Cutler Ryder, check that out.

Jonah isn't like his brothers. He isn't part of the family business. He's a doctor, he saves lives instead of taking them, but he's also a Bennett. When a hitman kills his fiancé for no reason other than his name being Jonah Bennett, he wants revenge. When the forensic technician who ran the tests on his beloved happens to end up at the same club as Jonah, his hackles rise and the family goes into mafia mode. Carson, the forensic tech, was basically at the wrong place at the wrong time. The first time when she met the Bennetts she was just doing her job, the second time they thought she was up to no good. She wasn't but someone else was unbeknownst to her.

Jonah and Carson despite their circumstances, were instantly attracted to each other. She is a balm to his broken heart and soul, but he doesn't want anyone else to get hurt because of who he is and who his family is. Jonah quickly comes to realize that he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep Carson safe and he isn't willing to let her go.

I really enjoyed this novella. It had a fast pace and an engaging storyline.

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Review: The Hidden by Melanie Golding

The Hidden by Melanie Golding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an arc of the audiobook via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

The narrator was fantastic! She did a wonderful job with the different voices for the characters. She also has a lovely singing voice. I love those little touches when a narrator can add to the story by singing parts of the story, which in this book music and song was an important part of the story. She also did an amazing job with Leonie's voice, it is hard to do a realistic 2 year old voice without sounding fake and ridiculous, but she did a great job with it.

This mystery/thriller takes a while to come together. It is told from several different perspectives, the main being Ruby a struggling musician and Joanna a detective. Joanna is Ruby's mother, so naturally when she finds that Ruby may be involved with a case she is investigating, she wants to protect her daughter. Their relationship is a bit unconventional and has been strained as of late, but as the story unfolds we find out why. We also learn of Ruby's involvement in her neighbor Gregor's life and his own unconventional family. As the story unfolds she sees parallels between her upbringing and that of her new friend Constance and her daughter Leonie.

The timeline for this switches back and forth between then and now, I believe they are about 1 year apart from each other from when Ruby befriends Gregor and is introduced to Constance and their daughter Leonie. In the present we follow Joanna as she is investigating Gregor's attempted murder and a missing child case that may be related. As the story slowly develops, Gregor paints a picture where Constance is mentally unstable. The more Ruby gets to know the strange family, the more she realizes something is off with their story and she is determined to find out the truth if only to help the innocent little girl she has come to love.

I don't want to spoil too much because as things started to come together, this was actually pretty twisty and turny. I loved the mix of mythology and almost magical realism mixed in with the mystery and thriller elements. This took some unexpected turns and I really appreciated how the different perspectives added to the storytelling. This also takes a good look at family and the dynamic between the mother-daughter relationship. This was layered with so many different elements that keep the reader engaged and wanting to know what is going to happen next. It starts off slow, but the pace builds nicely and then takes off and holds steady until the end. I really enjoyed this and will be looking into more of the author's work.

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Review: Noor by Nnedi Okorafor

Noor by Nnedi Okorafor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an arc via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This story was a bit confusing at times . The plot jumped around quite a bit. Nnedi Okorafor's books previously, her writing is complex and full of meaning. I've gone back and re-read several of her works and gained a much deeper and richer experience on the second read. I feel like Noor will be the same way. I just finished it and I feel like I need to read it again to gain the full appreciation for the work itself. I also feel that on the second read I'll already have a handle on certain situations and characters.

Our main character AO, as she prefers to be called, was disabled at birth. She was fitted with with prosthetics, but a car accident at 14 injured her arms and legs even further. She was then outfitted with cybernetics much to her parents horror. AO accepts that she is human and part machine and rejoices in her dual nature. Society on the other hand does not really accept her with her robotic arms and legs. This causes people to lash out at her for no reason other than she is different. She is often asked "What kind of woman are you?" When this question leads to a physical altercation in a market, AO flees the scene and runs to the desert where she meets DNA. They are drawn to each others and are able to find comfort in their differences and the struggles they both face. DNA is a cattle herder, and when his herd is attacked, he and AO end up on the run from the authorities. As they run, AO begins to develop abilities that she finds are linked to her prosthetics and the corporation that is after her and DNA.

This is a little more violent and mature than Okorafor's other works. I think that plays along nicely with the social commentary regarding self acceptance, body shaming, and the anti-capitalist theme to the story. The big corporation, Ultimate Corp, has rooted themselves in everyday life and has influence over everything. It brings up a good social commentary discussion about big corporations and the power they wield and the impact they have on society and culture. We've seen this before where a big corporation has overstepped and played with the lives of people in books and movies before and I think that plotline was really interesting. It took a while to get to that part of the story and the truth behind what was really going on.

I thought the world building was really excellent. The descriptions of the Red Eye, The Hour Glass, and other places and events in the book were really well done. This was a really interesting African-futurism book that blended futuristic sci-fi with cultural aspects. I actually really look forward to reading it again to experience the full effect of the author's message and story.

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Sneak Peek: Jonah Bennett by Tijan

 

Jonah Bennett, an all-new sexy and fast paced novella in the Bennett Mafia Universe from New York Times bestselling author Tijan and 1,001 Dark Nights is coming November 16th, and we have a sneak peek!

A screech of brakes. 

A horn blaring. 

That was the only warning we got. 

Melissa and I were traveling. We’d taken time off from our residencies, mine in surgery and hers in family practice. We were in different locations. The driving distance wasn’t that far, but this time together was special to me. 

I had decided. I didn’t want to wait anymore.

That was my last thought as we came to a quick stop in our rental car. The traffic had frozen, bumper to bumper. 

“What the hell is going on?” Melissa asked.

I looked over at her and smiled. She was beautiful, like always. Big doe eyes. Long brown hair that had a slight curl. We’d been together for the last year. When I switched to go to medical school in the States, she was in the same year as me. We dated on and off for that year and the year after, but it was on and off for a reason. 

Then school happened. 

We graduated. 

We went into our specialties, but we decided to try again. 

I was happy that we had. I was happy with her. 

I was just happy. 

She was gorgeous. She was kind. Smart. She liked to tease me with this little sparkle in her eyes. She was also competitive, always pushing to get the best marks on each test and exam. She pushed me to do better, and that was a novel experience for me. I was used to pushing myself. No one in my family was in the medical field. It wasn’t what they did, but me… That was not me. I was the first to venture outside our family business. 

It wasn’t that I didn’t have their support. I did. They wanted me to go, to do better, to be better, but that’s all they had to offer. So I was left in the role of pushing forward, forging a new path. Though not with Melissa. She motivated me, and that was one of the many reasons I’d fallen in love with her. 

Right now, however, I was mostly focused on the fact that we had six days left to celebrate before going back to our normal, hectic lives. I reached over and threaded my fingers with hers, staring at the sparkling ring on her finger. 

“We should call our families tonight,” I suggested. “Tell them about the engagement.” 

She’d been glaring out the window at the traffic, but when I dropped a kiss on our fingers, she relaxed. 

She turned to me, that sparkle in her eyes. “Oh, you mean I’ll actually get to meet your family? Your very reclusive family that you’ve always said isn’t in the States and out of phone reach?” She was teasing, but sort of not. 

She hadn’t met my family for a reason, but they knew about her. 

Kai had her investigated. And if Kai had any files on her, then I knew Tanner got them as well. He probably had done a couple passes, too. Meaning, that he saw her in physical proximity, he knew her, but she wouldn’t have known who he was. Brooke wasn’t one to be left out. She insisted to overhear a phone call I had with Melissa one time. It was her way of “meeting” her. 

That was my family. 

But it was time. If she was going to marry me, she needed to know what she was marrying into. It was only fair, but once she knew, I’d have to be prepared that she might decide not to be with me—or worse, that she’d say something to someone else. 

I leaned back and shot her a grin. “When you meet them, you’ll know why.” 

The traffic still wasn’t moving forward, and more horns had started to blare. 

I frowned. “You think it’s an accident up there? That’s why we’re stalled?” 

“Oh.” Her smile melted away. 

If someone was hurt, we were supposed to go help. 

Melissa reached for her seatbelt at the same time I did. 

“Open the trunk,” I called as we rounded to the rear of the car. 

She found the button to pop it open, and I saw a first aid kit pushed back in the corner. I grabbed it, shutting the trunk. 

As I did, a guy came walking toward us, past the truck in front of us. Tall. Broad shoulders. White. He was in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, decked out like a stereotypical cowboy—probably Wrangler jeans and a shirt stolen from the set of an old Clint Eastwood movie. I catalogued all that out of habit. 

He saw me and stopped. 

He looked at Melissa. 

He turned back to me. “You’re Jonah Bennett?” 

I frowned. “Who’s asking?” 

“Do we know you?” Melissa stepped toward him, looking him over. The doctor in her came first, always. “Are you hurt? Is there a car accident back there where you came from—” 

She was concerned about him, concerned about others. 

That’s what she did, who she was, and why I loved her. 

He pulled a gun out and pointed it at her. 

She didn’t seem to register that. She was looking for blood on him when he pulled the trigger.

Synopsis

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Tijan comes a new story in her Bennett Mafia universe…

Jonah Bennett wasn’t like his family. The mafia business was firmly what his brothers did, not him.

That changed the day a rival family killed his fiancée.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Reserve your copy today!
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About Tijan
Tijan is a New York Times Bestselling author that writes suspenseful and unpredictable novels. Her characters are strong, intense, and gut-wrenchingly real with a little bit of sass on the side. Tijan began writing later in life and once she started, she was hooked. She’s written multi-bestsellers including the Carter Reed Series, the Fallen Crest Series, and the Broken and Screwed Series among others. She is currently writing a new series from north Minnesota where she lives with an English Cocker she adores.

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Review: Kiss Before Midnight by Anna B. Doe

Kiss Before Midnight by Anna B. Doe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really cute novella that serves as a prequel to [book:Kiss To Remember|53420993].  This crosses over between both the Blairwood University Series and the New York Knights Series.  It has been a few months since I've read books in either series so this was a nice reminder of who everyone was and to reintroduce the setting.

This follows Grace and Mason on their first date.  They both have watched each other from afar at the local community center while she is there for dance class and he is there playing basketball.  When they finally meet and exchange numbers they end up going on the sweetest first date.  It is clear that they have a connection, and we only get a small glimpse of it in this novella.  I expect we will get the full story in a Kiss to Remember.  I am hooked and can't wait to see what happens between the baller and the ballerina.

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Review: The Seventh Queen by Greta Kelly

The Seventh Queen by Greta Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

If you loved The Frozen Crown like I did, you are going to love the ending to this duology. This picks up where that leaves off. The Frozen Crown left us with quite the cliffhanger, and we pick up where that left us. You really will need to read book 1 to understand what is going on in this book or I feel you will be completely lost. This series is filled with political intrigue and the movements of the players start in the first book. If you picked up with with this book, you will have missed the build up and be confused as to who the players are and what their motivations are. Like book 1 this is a bit on the slower paced side, and I don't mean that as a negative. The pace fits the book and the plot, While there are some action scenes, this fantasy is not filled with magical battles and fight scenes. This is more of a chess match and a battle of wits as Askia not only has to figure out how to save herself but the entire empire before Radovan steals her magic and takes her life. While she is a warrior queen, she is also well equipped in court politics ang the games that nobles play to gain information and use it to gain the upper hand.

We don't get a ton of explanation of the magic system in this book. The magic is pretty straightforward, but the magic system is mostly explained in book 1. We don't get much of a recap of what happened in the first book, which if you are like me you read it almost a year ago. The more I read of this the more I remembered what was happening, but the events and locations of the first book only play a small part in this book. They are connected but most of this book takes place in Radovan's stronghold, where he is keeping Askia captive while he takes her magic. While she can't wield her magic in her captivity, she is still able to use a bit of magic and is aided not only by those who have sworn to serve her in death but the queen who came before her. With the six queens on her side, she is able to gain valuable information not only about Radovan, but his court and the castle. She is able to strategize and maneuver around him while planning her escape and a way to save everyone she cares about. I really enjoyed how this all came together. This has magic, politics, a little romance, some action, and some good discussions about guilt, sacrifice, and doing what is right for the greater good. This is a solid duology and I highly recommend it!

While I enjoyed the ending and felt it was fitting, I do feel that some readers will take issue with the lack of closure. The ending is a bit open ended and doesn't give concrete answers to certain plot lines. This is one case that I feel like an epilogue maybe 5 years later would have been a nice touch. Then again it leaves things open for more books or for the reader to imagine what could be.

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BLOG TOUR: BEFORE AND AFTER YOU by Hope Ellis

Before and After You, an all-new heartfelt small town romance from Hope Ellis, is LIVE in Kindle Unlimited! 

Leigh D’Alessandro is a fighter. She fought to escape her dysfunctional family, to end a soul-killing marriage, and to build a new life in a small Tennessee town.  When the fate of the community hospital she works for is threatened, she’s primed and ready for battle. What she can’t fight any longer is her unshakable attraction to her best friend’s brother, who has a notorious reputation and triggers all her worst fears about trust and betrayal.

Walker Leffersbee is a lover. At least that’s the reputation he’s built in his hometown. Scion of a prosperous Tennessee banking family, he’s a known ladies’ man and a confirmed bachelor. His hands are full as he juggles competing demands from his family’s bank and his growing property renovation business. The last thing he needs is to give in to his long-standing craving for his sister’s headstrong and hot-tempered best friend. Especially because she’s the only one who knows the secret that threatens to upend his life.

When a home renovation project brings them too close for comfort, they both struggle to withstand the growing heat. As they grow closer helping each other navigate family minefields, Walker learns that love is not a four-letter word, and Leigh realizes that some battles are meant to be lost. 

But Walker’s secret is the one thing that could keep them apart, unless they both decide to fight for the love they never looked for but now can’t live without.

‘Before and After You’ is a contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #2 in the Leffersbee series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Grab your copy TODAY!

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Start the Leffersbee series of standalones TODAY!

Been There Done That is now available in KU!

https://bit.ly/3my7gVv

Excerpt

I stopped in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat.

Walker Leffersbee.

Damn it.

Indecision glued my feet to the floor, halting my progress as I stared at his frozen profile. I briefly considered turning the opposite way and retracing the same route I’d used coming down.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see him.

That wasn’t the case.

Well, not exactly.

But there were several reasons why his sudden appearance was damned inconvenient.

First, Walker was the older brother of my best friend in the world, Zora Leffersbee. But I didn’t consider Walker to be my brother, not by any stretch of the imagination. Through all the years we’d known each other, our relationship had continually evolved. He was as supportive of me as he was of Zora. But we both knew he didn’t think of me as a sister.

 Which led to the second problem.

Walker Leffersbee was sexy. Sexy as hell. The kind of sexy that always took my brain captive with the grimy bass line of a 90s R&B song and thickened my blood for the heat of inevitable battle. We were always locked in some kind of mental combat, our traded barbs and jabs never quite masking the powerful current of attraction between us. He would have been easy to ignore if my attraction to him were based solely on his physicality. I’d bounced on more than one pretty man in my day and managed to keep my brain cells unscrambled. But he was hot as hell with all those intriguing layers. Damn it. I didn’t have brain space to deal with Walker right now.

“Leigh?”

I stiffened, surfacing from my thoughts. Walker straightened and ambled closer. He moved with the lumbering grace exclusive to big men, a very slight bowleggedness lending his walk a kind of deliberate, sexy swagger. Advancing, he squinted slightly as if trying to make me out in the muted lighting of the hospital’s basement floor. He stopped only three feet away from me.

I disciplined my eyes, sternly instructed them away from the just-right fit of Walker’s huge shoulders in his white broadcloth shirt. I did not allow my eyes to notice how the tip of his conservative navy tie arrowed the path to his tapered waist and the slightest imprint of powerful thighs just visible in his dark slacks. I refused to dwell on how beautifully his perfectly sculpted dark goatee contrasted with the deep mahogany of his skin.

My fingers clenched against the empty wish for a cigarette.

He wasn’t nearly as circumspect, making no effort to disguise the frank assessment in the gaze that slowly crawled upwards from my clogs in slow degrees. I didn’t miss the banked heat in his eyes when his stare finally met mine.

“Golden Boy,” I said, feeling a perverse pleasure at having launched the opening salvo and earning the answering curl at the corner of his lip. He hated that name, I knew. Hated it whenever I reminded of him of who he was. Son of the richest man in the county, heir apparent to a growing banking empire in Tennessee. Why this bothered him, I’d never know. It was hardly a secret, not with him and his father on billboards advertising his family’s bank around Knoxville and Nashville. But that didn’t make it any less fun to pick at him.

“Umbridge.”

I feigned surprise. “What, have you exhausted all the Disney villains? We’re into the Harry Potter lexicon now?”

His answering smile was sharp and wicked. “You know, there are just so many names for the devil. I don’t think I’ll ever come up empty-handed when it comes to you.”

“Good to know. What are you doing here?” I flicked a pointed glance at the doorway to Radiology he’d evidently just come through, and I noticed the orange paper had somehow disappeared into his pocket by the time he greeted me.

And … cue the third complication.

Walker Leffersbee and I shared a secret, and seeing him here had just made it much more, well, complicated.

About Hope Ellis

USA Today bestselling author Hope Ellis is a health outcomes researcher by day and writes romances featuring sexy nerds by night.  She hopes to one day conquer her habit of compulsively binge-watching The Office.

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