I was provided a ARC of this book via Edelweiss+, however I ended up listening to the final published version of the audiobook. As always all opinions are my own.
This was an interesting take on a domestic thriller. It wasn't your typical husband and wife trope, but instead this focuses on Molly and Katie/KT who are identical twins. The fact that they are identical twins is brought up multiple times throughout the book so you don't forget. KT has received a generous scholarship to Columbia University, her parents have come to visit her when she is found murdered in her apartment. Molly quickly flies to NYC to support her parents and support the authorities in any way she can. I believe Molly was supposed to be neurodivergent, she needs the need to be safe and have very specific routines in place. Her parents accept her and support her needs, while others things she is difficult and weird. Katie is or was outgoing and adventurous and while they looked identical their personalities were opposite. Molly launches her own investigation into her sister's death and uncovers more than she bargained. She quickly finds that Katie had been involved with some questionable people that may have betrayed her. Did their betrayal include her murder? I won't spoil it for you.
The major reveal occurs early in the book, which was an interesting spot for it and I found it quite surprising. After that I quickly figured out the next big twist and found the rest of the plot to be a bit implausible and hard to believe. I thought the premise was good, but the execution was a bit lacking. I found this predictable and repetitive. The author repeats some of the same information and phrases throughout the book.
I do think there is an audience for this book, and alot of people are going to love it. This one just wasn't for me.
She wants forever. He plays it day by day. They’re both wishing for the best in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s charming and sexy hopefully-ever-after romance.Single mom Palmer Clark will not be sidelined by the new man in town. Sure, the honey-tongued baseball legend is gorgeous, loves puppies, and has charmed his way into the community’s heart, but Palmer craves stability. Nothing about Cole says forever. So why is he so hard to resist?Cole is swinging through town to visit his parents when he meets the kind of down-to-earth distraction he’s been looking for since retiring from the majors. True, his long-term relationship score is zero. But even though raising his average with Palmer seems impossible, it’s worth a shot.As promising as the summer nights are, fate turns small-town dreams upside down, and some lessons are learned the hard way. But having faith in love and choosing hope over fear might get Palmer and Cole to the sweet spot they’re looking for.
About the Author:
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.
I was provided an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. all opinions are my own. Thank you to Montlake and Candi Kane PR for providing me with an ARC for review. This comes out tomorrow November 29, 2022
Palmer is a hardworking single mom, who will do anything to protect her 12 year old son and provide him the stable home she never had growing up. She has an awesome best friend to help her out, but she doesn't have a big support network. Enter Cole, a retired baseball player who is staying with his parents in small town Ohio while he does some soul searching. He is immediately drawn to the small town life and when he meets Palmer he can't deny that there is something about her that screams for him to stay and start something a little more permanent. Not one for long term relationships, Cole doesn't want to mislead Palmer but he wants what she is willing to give him while he sticks around town.
This got pretty emotional at times. Palmer had a pretty rough childhood. Trigger warnings for an alcoholic and abusive parent. She also had some pretty questionable relationships with men who let her down. Despite all that she came out the other side a great person and a wonderful mom who raised an awesome kid. I liked that we got to see many sides of Palmer from the vulnerable mom and woman to the strong employee and boss that was trying to hold everything together for everyone else. We also get to see her speak up for herself and do what is best for her and her son. Cole has some stuff he is dealing with, and while it takes him quite a while for the reveal and for him to come to terms with it. I'm happy with the way the conflict was resolved. This was relatively low angst, there is some but it is short lived. There are some steamy parts, but not over the top.
I was provided an ARC of this book from the publisher Gallery Books/Saga Press via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
I loved this novella. It has a bit of a steampunk vibe while also being a SFF mystery. This could have been a full length novel and I would have loved every minute of it. For only being about 200 pages it packs a full story. I thought the world building was great as was the character development. Normally something suffers due to the shorter nature of novellas but I feel like Roanhorse did a wonderful job with the descriptions and the characters in the short time we spend with them I had a hard time putting this down once I got started.
This follows Celeste who is trying to prove her sister's innocence after a brutal murder takes place at their place of employment. Celeste and her sister Mariel live in a world where Heaven and Hell are very real places and Angels and Demons walk the Earth. As she searches for proof that her sister is innocent, Celeste uncovers secrets that may endanger them both. She must call in favors that may damn her soul and damage relationships of those she loves.
This was full of secrets and lies. At every turn Celeste was trying to outmaneuver someone who was attempting to manipulate her. I highly recommend this dark fantasy. It is a page turner that you wont' want to put down.
I’m lifting my glass to take another sip of sugar when a shoulder brushes against mine. I’m two seconds from turning and giving someone a warning . . . but stop.My body stills as a set of large, calloused hands presses against the laminate countertop next to me.Thick, muscled wrists attach to forearms the size of my biceps. The space around me is impregnated with a very heady, very masculine vibe.A bubble of curiosity blooms in my stomach. The intrigue grows as a rich, balmy scent licks at my senses. It’s the kind of cologne I love—the type that makes the person smelling it feel better, more confident, more attractive by proxy.That is not a harbinger of good things, though. I know from experience.I ignore the warning bells dinging in my head like the seasoned expert I am and twist to the side . . . and nearly fall off my stool.Holy. Man. Candy.His hair—thick and wild, lying to the side in an errant wave—is the color of tobacco. It’s a stark juxtaposition to the chips of sapphire sparkling in his eyes. A sharp jaw is dusted with more than a day’s worth of stubble, finishing the glorious package with a sinful edge.“Hey,” he says, his voice smooth and inviting.“I’m sorry,” I say, finding my voice. “Do I know you?”He grins. “Not yet.”
Blurb:
She wants forever. He plays it day by day. They’re both wishing for the best in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s charming and sexy hopefully-ever-after romance.Single mom Palmer Clark will not be sidelined by the new man in town. Sure, the honey-tongued baseball legend is gorgeous, loves puppies, and has charmed his way into the community’s heart, but Palmer craves stability. Nothing about Cole says forever. So why is he so hard to resist?Cole is swinging through town to visit his parents when he meets the kind of down-to-earth distraction he’s been looking for since retiring from the majors. True, his long-term relationship score is zero. But even though raising his average with Palmer seems impossible, it’s worth a shot.As promising as the summer nights are, fate turns small-town dreams upside down, and some lessons are learned the hard way. But having faith in love and choosing hope over fear might get Palmer and Cole to the sweet spot they’re looking for.About the Author:USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.
This is the first book in a duet, following Jade and Prescott. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, with the next book due out in only a few weeks so readers don't have to wait very long to find out what happens. My review of book two will be posted in early December so look for the that in the next few weeks if you are interested. We've met Jade and Prescott in previous books in the Blairwood series, however I don't feel you need to read any of the prior novels if you started with this one. If you want to get to know the other characters that play large roles in Jade and Prescott's lives then I recommend reading those as well, but each couple has their own story.
Jade and Prescott fight like cats and dogs. She is Nixon's little sister and he's Nix's best friend. They both have demons they are fighting, and neither is good with talking to their support network about what is going on. In an attempt to ignore their problems, they decide to forget their problems and find comfort in each other for a little while. What starts out as lust, turns into something more as Jade and Prescott find that they have more in common than they thought possible. They both realize that it is OK to need a shoulder to lean on and someone to talk to when you are upset.
Both Jade and Prescott have some very realistic situations, however the way they are presented in the book are a bit unrealistic. Without spoiling anything, I can understand Jade not wanting to deal with a potential medical diagnosis, especially after what she went through with her mom, but I can't come to terms with the fact that she never once considered going to the doctor. I'm hoping that we see that in the next book. The same goes for Prescott. College athletes have an army of dedicated staff to ensure they stay healthy and uninjured. His injury and recovery would have been monitored closely by team doctors and trainers in the real world and I'm having a hard time with my knowledge of the real world meshing with the plot of the book. That being said both of the characters need the particular paths they are on for their character development and the development of their relationship as a couple. I think I'm being a stickler for details, I've been really particular about the details in my books lately.
I would definitely check trigger warnings for this one. You can find them on the author's page here.
Overall I like Jade and Prescott together and I'm looking forward to reading their conclusion. I have alot of questions after this first installment. This has good banter, a good amount of steam, and is fueled by alot of emotion.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.
Do you like mafia romance and are you a fan of thrillers? Then this is the book for you. Be aware of the author's warning that this book does have some pretty graphic crime scenes when it comes to the crime aspect and it has mature content when it comes to the romance.
This follows Autumn, who is a consultant for the police as a crime scene analyst, I was never actually clear if she was an FBI agent or not. There are a few statements in the book that lead you to believe that she is an agent while there are others that lead me to believe that she is not associated with the FBI at all. This being an ARC, this is a minor discrepancy that may have been corrected in the final edits and really doesn't impact the plotline at all. Autumn was kidnapped and traumatized several years ago, and now working with police herself her trauma has resurfaced in an active case that appears to be targeting her personally. The killer is also targeting the three major crime families in the city by taking out their daughters. At each crime scene there is some reference to Autumn's kidnapping and involvement in the original case. Autumn has to unravel the mystery as to who is behind these new crimes as she personally knows that her kidnapper cannot possibly be attacking these women.
Enter Nico Scala, a big shot lawer, who is known for his prowess with the ladies and being the nephew of one of the crime bosses. While Nico is not part of the family business, he is still part of the family and wants to avenge his cousin's death. He also happens to be ridiculously attracted to Autumn. As he inserts himself in to the case, he and Autumn find each other leaning on one another for support as the killer escalates. As the case heats up so do things in the bedroom between Nico and Autumn.
Overall I enjoyed this. It has some good twists and turns to keep you guessing. As the author mentions it is not a book for the faint of heart. The crime scenes are brutal and the there is quite a bit of adult content in the book.
I was provided an ARC of this collection via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this collection. I've read and enjoyed a few of Tudor's novels previously and I love horror/thriller short stories. There are some really great stories in here, while I didn't love all of them there isn't a bad one in the bunch. The Block, Runaway Blues, The Completion, I'm Not Ted, Gloria, and Final Course were favorites in the collection. These are perfect for when you only have a few minutes before bed or in between responsibilities but you still want to get some reading in. I loved that the author gave an introduction to each short. I always wonder what inspires an author to write a twisted tale and Tudor gives us some insight into what inspired her to write each of these.
If you are a fan of horror or thrillers or a fan or Tudor's work in genera I'd highly recommend this collection. Nothing was overly gruesome or graphic in my opinion. Each of the stories was interesting and held my interest. I really enjoyed the collection as a whole and look forward to reading more by the author in the future!
The last thing they need is the undeniable passion between them.
A Light in the Flame, the addictive and unputdownable fantasy romance and book two in the bestselling Flesh and Fire series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is now available!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book two in her Flesh and Fire series…
The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.
The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.
Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.
And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.
Keep reading for a look inside A Light in the Flame!
Chapter One
“You are the heir to the lands and seas, skies and realms. A Queen instead of a King. You are the Primal of Life,” Nyktos—the Asher, the One who is Blessed, the Guardian of Souls and the Primal God of Common Men and Endings—rasped. Those lips of his that had whispered heated words against my skin and had also spoken cold, brutal truths were now parted. Wide, silver eyes churning with streams of luminous eather—the essence of the gods—fixed on mine. A sort of awe and wonder softened the cold lines of his high, broad cheekbones, his blade-straight nose, and cut jaw.
Wavy, reddish-brown hair fell against golden-bronze cheeks as he lowered himself to one knee, placing his left hand flat on the throne room floor and his right palm over his chest.
Nyktos was bowing to me.
I recoiled from him. “What are you doing?”
“The Primal of Life is the most powerful being in all the realms, usurping all other Primals and gods,” Sir Holland said. Except he was no longer the man I once knew as a knight of the Royal Guard of Lasania, or a mere mortal. He was one of the Arae—an actual, godsforsaken Fate, neither god nor mortal. Able to see the past, present, and future of all, the Arae weren’t beholden to any Primal Court.
Fates were as terrifying as any Primal, and I couldn’t even begin to count how many times I’d kicked him.
“He is showing you the respect you are owed, Sera,” Holland added as I continued staring at Nyktos.
“But I’m not the Primal of Life.” I stated the obvious.
“You carry the only true embers of life inside you,” Nyktos said, and that deep, softly spoken voice sent a myriad of shivers over my skin. “For all intents and purposes, you are the Primal of Life.”
“He speaks the truth.” The goddess Penellaphe drew closer, coming to stand beneath the open ceiling. The star-strewn sky cast a soft glow over her warm, light brown skin. “Denying it isn’t a luxury which can be afforded.”
“But I’m just a mortal—” My lungs felt as if they’d been filled with tiny holes, and Nyktos was still bowing to me. “Can you please stand or sit? Anything other than kneel? It’s really weirding me out.”
Nyktos’s head tilted, sending several strands of hair against his cheek. “You are the true Primal of Life, just as my father was. As Holland said, it’s a show of respect.”
“But I don’t des—” I cut myself off, my heart thumping and chest squeezing. The eather in his eyes stilled. “Can you just not do that? Please.”
The Primal rose quickly, the wisps of essence in his eyes brightening so vividly they were almost painful to look upon. He towered over me, his stare seeming to peel away the layers of my very being, seeing…sensing what I felt.
I stiffened, my skin becoming hot and prickly. “You’d better not be reading my emotions.”
Nyktos arched a dark brow. “Your accusatory tone is unnecessary.”
“And your response wasn’t a declaration of innocence,” I retorted. Penellaphe’s eyes flared wide.
“No.” His voice had dropped, but it still somehow thundered through me. “It was not.” “Then don’t do it,” I snapped. “It’s rude.”
Nyktos’s mouth opened, likely to point out that I was the last person who should speak on rude behavior.
“You have never been just a mortal, Seraphena.” Holland stepped in smoothly, just as he’d done dozens of times in the past whenever I’d descended into a rant spiral. “You are the possibility of a future for all.”
He’d said a version of that before during training, but it took on a whole different meaning now. “But I haven’t completed any Culling, and you just said that I would…” Closing my eyes, I didn’t finish the sentence.
Everyone here knew what had been said.
Breathe in. My mortal body and mind wouldn’t be able to handle the power of the embers once I began the Ascension. The only chance I had of surviving wasn’t even a hope. Hold. Because it required the blood of the Primal that one of the embers of life belonged to—that and sheer will powered by love.
The love of the Primal I’d spent the entirety of my life planning to kill. It didn’t matter that I’d believed it was the only way to save my kingdom.
The irony of it all made me want to laugh, except I was going to die. Likely in less than five months and before I turned twenty-one, taking the last true embers of life with me. The mortal realm would be hit first and the hardest. Eventually, the Rot would spread beyond the Shadowlands to all of Iliseeum.
I exhaled long and slow, just like Holland had taught me many years ago, when everything became too heavy, too much, and the weight of it all choked the air from me. My impending death wasn’t something new. I’d always known. Whether I failed or succeeded when it came to fulfilling my destiny, I knew I would die in the process.
But it felt different now.
I’d finally had a taste of being something other than a means to an end, a weapon to be used and then discarded. I’d had a taste of realness. I’d finally felt like a fully formed person, not a specter soaked in blood. Not a liar and a monster who could kill without all that much remorse.
But that was who I was underneath it all, and Nyktos now knew that, too. There was no more hiding that truth—or any truths.
My lungs started to burn as tiny bursts of light danced across my vision. The breathing exercises weren’t working. A tremor hit my hands, and panic unfurled in my chest. There was no air—
Fingertips touched my cheek. Warm fingertips. My eyes flew open, locking on features so finely pieced together I should’ve known the first time I saw him that he was more than a god. His touch startled me, not only because it was warm instead of shockingly cold as it had been before he took my blood into him, but because I still wasn’t used to touching. I wasn’t sure I ever would be when it had always been so rare that anyone allowed their skin to contact mine.
But he touched me. After everything, Nyktos touched me.
#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was an Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
The only one who can save Sera now is the one she spent her life planning to kill.
A Light in the Flame, the much-anticipated second installment of the captivating Flesh and Fire series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, is now available!
The truth about Sera’s plan is out, shattering the fragile trust forged between her and Nyktos. Surrounded by those distrustful of her, all Sera has is her duty. She will do anything to end Kolis, the false King of Gods, and his tyrannical rule of Iliseeum, thus stopping the threat he poses to the mortal realm.
Nyktos has a plan, though, and as they work together, the last thing they need is the undeniable, scorching passion that continues to ignite between them. Sera cannot afford to fall for the tortured Primal, not when a life no longer bound to a destiny she never wanted is more attainable than ever. But memories of their shared pleasure and unrivaled desire are a siren’s call impossible to resist.
And as Sera begins to realize that she wants to be more than a Consort in name only, the danger surrounding them intensifies. The attacks on the Shadowlands are increasing, and when Kolis summons them to Court, a whole new risk becomes apparent. The Primal power of Life is growing inside her, pushing her closer to the end of her Culling. And without Nyktos’s love—an emotion he’s incapable of feeling—she won’t survive her Ascension. That is if she even makes it to her Ascension and Kolis doesn’t get to her first. Because time is running out. For both her and the realms.
#1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Border Jack Apollo. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was an Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over a hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.
This was was a really fun cozy mystery. It certainly kept me guessing until the end and that is impressive given this is only about 100 pages. The author throws in a ton of red herrings to keep you wondering but does a great job wrapping things up at the end. I enjoyed the more whimsical nature of this mystery, it is cozy after all. I also liked all of the characters and how they are all tied together.
This follows Jane and her best friend Maggie in the wake of Maggie's sister-in-law's untimely death. Jane is at the salon when Vivian, the sister in law, enters the salon but never leaves. Jane and Maggie find themselves unofficially looking into Vivian's death as they learn more and more suspicious information.
If you are looking for shorter mystery read this fall, check this out. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. I hope there are more Jane and Maggie investigations in our future as well.
Well Acquainted, an all-new swoony second chance historical romance from Laney Hatcher, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!
There are three things you need to know about Lady Eliza Morgan:
1. In addition to being a busy physician, she’s an accomplished seamstress.
2. She’s the victim of a broken heart.
3. The man who shattered it is the one man she can never have.
Some things are better left in the past, but Eliza has spent years running from hers. When the man who upended her life re-enters it in the most unexpected way, Eliza must decide if reacquainting herself with Nicolas is worth the heartache. He’s charming and irritating and makes her realize there is so much more than the life she’s been living. But first she must confront her painful past if she and Nicolas have any hope for a future.
‘Well Acquainted’, a Penny Reid Universe Reimagining, is a full-length historical romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #2 in the London Ladies Embroidery series, Smartypants Romance Out of this World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Awareness came slowly. I didn’t open my eyes just yet. I could feel the sunlight brightly warming my face though. Our limbs were tangled beneath the covers. Nicolas’s body heated my skin where we were anchored to one another. He was awake. I could just tell.
“I can feel you staring at me,” I accused, lids still shut against the morning.
“It’s called gazing. And it’s romantic.”
I smiled before opening my eyes and bringing him into focus. Nicolas was facing me on his side, elbow bent, head propped on his hand. His jade green eyes sparkled with amusement, a brilliant grin gracing his full lips.
“Is it romantic to stare at an unconscious woman? Is it really?” I teased.
And in a rare moment, he abandoned the easy banter he typically favored for honest solemnity. “I just can’t believe you’re really here. I fear that if I take my eyes off of you for even a moment that you’ll disappear like a dream upon waking.”
I swallowed. His admission made guilt rise uncomfortably. I hadn’t stayed the night in his bed after the first time we’d made love. I’d been nervous and worried, so I’d returned home despite Nicolas’s obvious disappointment. Waking up together now and spending the remainder of our busy night in each other’s arms was a revelation. I wanted to sleep with Nicolas every night.
Nicolas leaned forward and dropped a lazy kiss on my shoulder. “Can I kiss you?”
“You already have,” I said, both relishing the sensation of his warm lips and the rough scrape of his morning stubble.
After another sensual kiss to my collarbone, he replied, “Can I kiss you more?”
I nodded my agreement.
Nicolas brought his free arm to my waist and rubbed his thumb against the soft skin there. His mouth descended once more to my neck, my shoulder, my chest. He murmured words of praise between kisses, telling me how soft I was, how sweet. He breathed the compliments into my skin where they heated and ached. I squirmed beneath the bedlinens before bringing my hand to his back, nails scoring and encouraging his attentions.
About Laney Hatcher
Laney Hatcher is a firm believer that there is a spreadsheet for every occasion and pie is always the answer. She is an author of stories that have a past, in a language of love that’s universal. Often too practical for her own good, Laney enjoys her life in the southern United States with her husband, children, and incredibly entitled cat.
I was provided an ARC of this book by the author via Smartypants romance, all opinions are my own.
This is the second book in the series, however it reads as a standalone. This series is really fun as it is a reimagining of the Knitting in the City series set in Regency England. This book is a reimagining of Friends Without Benefits and follows Eliza and Nicolas. I love how the author took the original material and made it her own. I think Penny Reid fans will love this reimagining as much as they love Elizabeth and Nico's story. I know I did!
Eliza has a broken heart and is plagued with years of guilt from decisions she made in the past. When she is reunited with her childhood friend and first love Nicolas, she must face the pain and guilt she came to London to hide from. There is quite alot of pain between them but when Nicolas asks Eliza to provide medical care to his colleagues at the local theater where he works they can't help but rekindle the friendship they once had. Eliza is a doctor, like her father, which makes her an oddity for the time (read the author's note) but she loves tending to her patients and helping people. Eliza can't help herself when it comes to tending to those in need, and she can't stay away from Nicolas either. As they figure out how to be friends again, they also have to let go of the past and determine if they can have a future together and what that might look like.
I really enjoyed this version of Elizabeth aka Eliza. I felt her character was well supported by her friends despite her trying to hide her problems and deal with her turmoil internally. I loved seeing the Knitting Ladies reimagined as Regency Aristocrats who Embroider. I hope we get the other ladies books as well. Nicolas and Eliza's relationship is a bit of a slow burn, second chance romance as they work through their issues but once they figure things out it is well worth the wait.
I was provided an arc of this book from the author via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.
This may be the second book in the series but it reads as a complete standalone. While Ronan (from Beauty and the Baller and Tuck may have met their lady love's in a similar fashion, their stories are completely independent of one another.
This follows Tuck, a NFL wide reciever who is at a crossroads in his life and career. At thirty-five he is aging out of the game he loves and is facing retirement or a trade to another team. He is also dealing with some family stuff that may or may not be impacting his game. Enter Francesca, an artist who has been let down far too many times by the people who were supposed to care about her. She meets Tuck at an exclusive members only club on the night that was supposed to be her wedding, which also happens to be his birthday. Emotions are running high for both of them, especially their attraction to one another so they agree to one night, no strings, no identities to help them both get through the night. Fast forward a couple of weeks and they run into each other and recognize one another and realize they live in the same building. Francesca wants nothing to do with Tuck and his athlete player lifestyle, but he can't do anything but think about her. They both want different things in life, but life has different plans for them.
I really loved Tuck and Francesca together. They had good banter and great chemistry. While this does focus on their relationship together, there is also a good amount of time spent with them working on their issues apart. They enter their relationship with things they both need to come to terms with and things they need to communicate about together. I feel like there could possibly be some triggering topics for some as this discusses abandonment, physical abuse, foster care, mental health, and mentions addiction. I do love that they both had a great support system on both sides as they worked through things. Francesca has a wonderful found family that she can lean on with or without Tuck. Tuck has Jasper whether he wants him or not and he also seeks out professional help from a therapist to deal with some of his issues. While pregnancy tropes tend not to be my favorite, this one was done really well and it created the right amount of angst and turmoil in the story.
“The couple has chemistry to spare and Madden-Mills packs in the feels. Returning readers will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly
Princess and the Player, an all-new sexy, surprise pregnancy sports romance featuring a meet cute at a masquerade ball from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills, is out now!
A masquerade ball brings together an NFL player and a penniless princess in this smart and sexy romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills. Levelheaded Francesca Lane never thought she’d miss her own wedding. But when her fiancé betrays her, she puts on her wedding dress and ditches the altar for a masquerade ball—at an exclusive lifestyle club. There, she meets unknown-to-her NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask—he’s there to celebrate his birthday. For one night, Francesca and Tuck indulge in a wickedly incognito affair. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off. Unfortunately, Francesca realizes quickly that her masked prince is the wealthy jock who lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. His hobbies include parties and supermodels—or so the tabloids say. Getting tangled up with a shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs right now, so she vows to keep Tuck from recognizing her (not that she’s his type anyway). But fate has a teeny-tiny trick up her sleeve…a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?
Princess and the Player, an all-new neighbors-to-lovers romance featuring an NFL football player and a masquerade ball from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills, is now available!
A masquerade ball brings together an NFL player and a penniless princess in this smart and sexy romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills. Levelheaded Francesca Lane never thought she’d miss her own wedding. But when her fiancé betrays her, she puts on her wedding dress and ditches the altar for a masquerade ball—at an exclusive lifestyle club. There, she meets unknown-to-her NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask—he’s there to celebrate his birthday. For one night, Francesca and Tuck indulge in a wickedly incognito affair. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off. Unfortunately, Francesca realizes quickly that her masked prince is the wealthy jock who lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. His hobbies include parties and supermodels—or so the tabloids say. Getting tangled up with a shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs right now, so she vows to keep Tuck from recognizing her (not that she’s his type anyway). But fate has a teeny-tiny trick up her sleeve…a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
She’s about to teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget.
Folk Around and Find out, an opposites attract, single parent contemporary romance set in a small town from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is out now!
He needs to get her out of his system. Just once...
Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony. Sure, he can’t help noticing the dips and curves of her, how shrewd, smart, and funny she is, the fire in her hazel eyes. He's always noticed. She’d probably draw a crowd and entice the regulars. But after Charlotte's messy, public divorce made Hank’s club out to be the culprit—and made her the single mother of four kids—he doesn’t need or want any additional bad press courtesy of Charlotte Mitchell. Or the distraction. Unfortunately for him, the town’s prettiest charity case doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words nope, no, and never.
Charlotte Mitchell doesn’t much like Hank Weller. Once upon a time, she used to. Years ago, she liked him a whole heckofalot despite other folks in town labeling him as “eccentric” and “nonconformist,” which were polite southern alternatives to "filthy rich" and "self-centered douchebag." Her opinion of him changed dramatically after he volunteered to be her date to junior prom and then promptly stood her up. They haven't so much as acknowledged each other in over a decade. But a sudden family emergency means Charlotte needs access to Hank’s club ASAP. Unfortunately for her, the narcissistic fancy-pants doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words help, generosity, and compassion.
But he’s about to find himself schooled. Charlotte is going to teach Hank a lesson once and for all about basic human decency, whether he likes it or not.
Keep reading for a look inside Folk Around and Find Out!
My day hadn’t been great even before she walked in.
I’d just returned from the funeral of my longtime bookkeeper. He’d died from old age in his sleep surrounded by his five kids, loving wife, and eighteen grandchildren while leaving me with a reconciliation mess and this month’s payroll to finish.
My newly trained bartender had sent a manifesto via text message, blaming his decision to quit on my unwillingness to build a dedicated meditation room and give him four paid half-hour breaks per shift to use it.
Three Diamond Whiskey bottles out of the six that had shipped from the distributor were broken in the crate. If you’re keeping score, that’s seven hundred dollars in Tennessee Whiskey and a crime against humanity.
On the plus side, the suit I’d worn to my parents’ funerals fit and I still looked damn good in it.
Of course, I didn’t know the newcomer was her at first. The door opened and closed, same sound as normal no matter who was coming or going. It was a Sunday mid-morning, still early yet for any of the dancers or bouncers and way too early for any customers.
But the moment she turned the corner and came into view, I gritted my teeth. Here we go. What could she want? She better not be selling Bibles.
“Charlotte.” Standing behind the bar, I crossed my arms and sounded unfriendly. She’d caught me restocking paper products and the three surviving bottles of Diamond Whiskey. I was only half finished with my current task, but nowhere near half finished with my task list for the day. I did not have time for pious Charlotte Mitchell.
As a rule, I had time for two types of folks: people I paid, and people who paid me. A small number of exceptions to this rule existed: a few friends from college and in town, like Beau Winston or Patty Lee, and any woman I’d set my mind on seducing, but even then, I made sure the scales remained balanced—give and take, tit for tat, even-steven. Point is, Charlotte was obviously not the former exception, and there was no way she’d ever be interested in becoming the latter.
“Hank.” She didn’t look at me, but she did paste on an obligatory-looking smile that pulled her full lips tight and came nowhere close to her green eyes. Tracking Charlotte Mitchell’s slow approach, I didn’t miss how she took her time and peered around.
I wanted to snark, “Lost? I believe the wallpaper and sanctimony store is closer to downtown.”
Instead, I ground out, “What do you want?”
Meet 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.
First Born by Will Dean
