RELEASE BLITZ: TOUGH COOKIE by Talia Hunter & Smartypants Romance

 

Tough Cookie, an all-new heartfelt fake dating small-town romance from Talia Hunter, is LIVE in Kindle Unlimited!

Noah Malone is back in his hometown for a short break from his stunt work, but his mother’s set on convincing him to settle down in Green Valley so he can give her grandbabies like the good Lord intended. Not only is she pushing him to help out at the Donner Bakery decorating cookies, but her matchmaking is relentless.

To end his mother’s awkward set-ups, Noah needs a no-strings-attached pretend girlfriend. And who better than Carla, a mysterious recluse who seems to have taken an instant dislike to him? When she reveals she’s been isolated by illness, he proposes a fake relationship that’ll stop his momma’s shenanigans and help Carla ease back into the world.

Tech-geek Carla creates a spreadsheet of fake-date challenges. She’s serious and focused on her goal of slowly becoming more social… until daredevil Noah starts messing with her spreadsheet. He’s ridiculously charming, and his sexy additions may be even more appealing than the cookies he brings her, but Carla won’t let her resistance crumble.

Opposites may attract, but can such different people find a recipe for love?

‘Tough Cookie’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Grab your copy TODAY!

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About Talia Hunter

Talia Hunter likes to include her three favorite things in her novels: toe-curling romance, snort-laughs, and heart-warming friendships. She recently moved to Australia’s beautiful Gold Coast, where she's constantly amazed and not at all freaked out by the weird and wonderful critters. When she's not writing, you can usually find her with a glass of wine, a good book, at least one of her three cats, and a jumbo-sized can of bug spray.

Find Talia online

Website: www.taliahunter.com

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RELEASE BLITZ: DOUGH YOU LOVE ME? by Stacy Travis & Smartypants Romance

 

Dough You Love Me?, an all-new second chance small-town romance from Stacy Travis, is LIVE in Kindle Unlimited! 

First rule when returning to your hometown after storming out of sight: don’t fall for the guy who broke your heart.

Julia Browne should know better than to kiss where she bakes. She’s built a bread empire in California, and only plans to stay in Green Valley long enough to sell the family house.

She certainly won’t spend any more time with Shane Meadows than she has to…and she will not let him draw her in with his soft blue eyes or level her with his handsome smirk of a grin. 

The last thing she wants is a temporary gig at Donner Bakery, baking sourdough side-by-side with Shane and clashing with his ego. And he thinks the sassy baker should take her fancy bread and go back where she came from.

But that’s before they take a series of wrong turns on a road trip to look at wheat, leaving them stranded for the night. Out on the open road, neither of them can escape the sizzling attraction and old feelings that feel a lot more real this time around.

But life is complicated, and Julia’s life in California might derail their second chance at love. Will they wake up and smell the sourdough?

They say you should leave the past in the past, but what if it’s the winning recipe for love?

‘Dough You Love Me?’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #2 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Grab your copy TODAY!

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About Stacy Travis

Stacy Travis writes charming, spicy romance about bookish, sassy women and the hot alphas who fall for them. 

Writing makes her infinitely happy, but that might be the coffee talking.  

She's worked as a journalist, camp counselor, TV writer, SAT tutor, corporate finance researcher, education technology editor, and non-fiction author. When she's not on a deadline, she's in running shoes complaining that all roads seem to go uphill. Or on the couch with a margarita. Or fangirling at a soccer game. 

She's never met a dog she didn't want to hug. And if you have no plans for Thanksgiving, she'll probably invite you to dinner. 

Stacy lives in Los Angeles with her very tall sons and a poorly-trained rescue dog who hoards socks. And she's serious about the Thanksgiving thing.

Find Stacy online

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Review: Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did opt to listen to the final production audiobook via my library.  This is a bit on the longer side, the print book is just under 500 pages and the audiobook comes in just under 18 hours.  Sophie Amoss did a great job with the narration.  She tried to give each character a unique voice so you can tell who is who when there is dialogue and she also did a good job conveying emotion throughout the book.

This is the first book in a new YA fantasy focusing on Aurthurian legend and lore.  I'm a sucker for anything related to King Arthur and Avalon and the many people and places often mentioned in the stories so this was a fun read.  This follows Tamsin as she quests to find a lost ring that will hopefully cure her brother from a curse he's be plagued with all his life.  She is also searching for her guardian who abandoned them years ago searching for the very same ring.  There is a catch though, Tamsin unlike the other members of her order doesn't have magic and she isn't the only one searching for the ring.  To have the best chance at finding the ring Tamsin will have to team up with unlikely allies to save her beloved brother and herself.  In doing so she finds herself breaking down her carefully crafted walls in order to save her new team and a dying world.

This is a solid first book.  It does leave off on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I kept expecting that so I can't say I'm too surprised by the ending.  The book ends with alot of unanswered questions, but it does set us up nicely for book two.  I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and I'm anxious to find out what happens next.  I really loved all of the lore and legend that Bracken wove into the story.  There are alot of characters to keep track of and quite a few different plotlines to keep straight.  This is complex and is action packed; the fight scenes do get a little dark and gory.  There is some character development happening, but we are still missing alot of the backstory on many of the characters.  I suspect we will get to know more about Tamsin's origins as well as the other characters in the next book.  We see the most growth from Tamsin, which makese sense as she is the main character and she really makes alot of growth trusting the people around her and beginning to care about others.  The world building was really well done.  Bracken did a great job crafting a fantasy world that I don't want to spoil.

I found parts of this to be fairly predictable but it didn't make it any less enjoyable.  Part of the reason I enjoy YA fantasy is because it is fun and I know what to expect.  The tropes are familiar and I keep coming back for more.  I think they really work well here and I can't wait to find out what happens next.  This is a fun new take on the legend of Avalon and King Arthur and I'm looking forward to getting  my hands on book 2.

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Review: Dough You Love Me? by Stacy Travis

Dough You Love Me? by Stacy Travis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio arc of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.   I really enjoyed the narrators, they did a wonderful job brining both Julia and Shane to life and giving emotion and passion to their story.  I switched back and forth between the audio and the print book and you can't really go wrong with either format.  The author did a wonderful job with this book and it translates well in whatever format you prefer.  I loved both equally!

First off, I need a recipe book with all of the yummy things Julia and Shane bake up in this book.  I really enjoyed living vicariously through them as they baked.  When I grow up I want to learn how to make homemade bread, it is the one thing I can't seem to master.

As you can tell this follows Julia and Shane as our main characters.  They knew each other in high school, but a lack of self confidence kept Shane from taking his shot back in the day, which in turn cause Julia a great hit to her own self-esteem.  With a broken heart and a desire to further her education love of baking, Julia attended culinary school and opened a very succesfful bread business and restaurant.  Now she's returned home to attend to family business and she's run into Shane again and it has brought up feelings she doesn't want to deal with.  Things aren't much different for Shane, he's not the same person Julia knew in high school and they both have to spend some time getting to know one another again.

I absolutely loved this small town, second chance romance.  This had great banter and a wonderful story about finding purpose in life and doing what makes you happy.  Sometimes that is a big fancy, fast paced job. that makes you lots of money, sometimes it is slower, smaller work surrounded by good people that fills your bucket.   This was the "comfort food" book that I needed.  

As with all of the Smartypants Romance offerings this book is a standalone and can be read without having read any of the previous books in the series.  You should read them though, they are awesome!  

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Review: Fluke (audiobook) by Adriana Locke

Fluke by Adriana Locke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own. I read this in print and it was amazing, but the audiobook is even better in my opinion. The narrators do a wonderful job brining all of the emotions into play that make Jess and Pippa's story so wonderful. The dual narration was really well done, as it are all of Locke's audio books. I really loved this series and highly recommend the audiobooks!

This book is part of the Carmichael series, however you can read it as a standalone. Each of the books in the series are companion novels with each book reading as a standalone with interconnected characters. This one focuses on Jess one of many Carmichael brothers, and Pippa an old family friend who has moved back to town for work.

I'm a big fan of Adriana's family series. I love that we get glimpses into the other characters lives and we always get hijinks from Banks. His antics are laugh out loud funny. I can't wait for his book. This has all of my favorite things: friends to lovers, great banter, great conversations, humor, and great characters. Jess and Pippa have known each other for many years, but their attraction never worked out when they were younger. Now that they are adults, they have an opportunity to see if there is more to it than just attraction. Pippa has created a situation for herself at work where she needs an ex-husband to go on a couples retreat with to see if she can rekindle a spark with. This is where Jess, her long time crush come in to save the day. Fortunately for Pippa, he's been asking her out for years and jumps at the chance to actually have a chance with her.

Jess and Pippa's romance seems to develop a big quickly, but they have known each other for along time. It is a bit on the insta-love side of the romance spectrum, even with them knowing each other previously. I usually dislike insta-love storylines, but I didn't mind this one. Jess is patient and kind and was the kind of cheerleader Pippa needed to show her that not all relationships end in doom and gloom and disappointment. Pippa has had some pretty bad experiences when it comes to love in her life romantic and otherwise, so when Jess sweeps her off her feet she keeps waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop because that's all she knows.

Overall this is another home run romance in the series. It is one of the spicier books Adriana has written, but I didn't feel it was over the top or too much. The characters are fun and playful and this is a fun twist on the fake relationship trope. I love this series and can't wait for the next book in the series!

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Review: Tough Cookie by Talia Hunter

Tough Cookie by Talia Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions expressed are my own.  I bounced between the audio and the print version while reading and either choice is a good one.  Kay and Dunlap are great narrators and brought the story to life.  They had me laughing out loud at the funny bits, and feeling all of the other emotions where appropriate.

I really enjoyed this book.  I don't think I've ever read about a protagonist with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  As someone who suffered from chronic fatigue after contracting mono in high school, I can relate to some of Carla's symptoms.  I was constantly sick and always tired, the stress of completing high school and entering college didn't help.  My experience was temporary and eventually went away for the most part.  It is certainly hell on your immune system and life, I can only imagine what severe and permanent cases are like.

This follows software developer Carla and stuntman Noah who are both taking a breaks from the fast-paced lifestyle that their chosen careers are known for.  Carla has been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, so she has relocated to Green Valley to work on her own software project in the hopes that the slower paced life will help her symptoms and the anxiety she has developed along with her diagnosis.  Noah is recovering from an injury on set, so he has come home to spend time with his mom and help out around the house.  Noah's mom is renting her farm house to Carla, and when the roof unexpectedly caves in, Noah is the perfect man for the job.  It also helps that his mother has an ulterior motive to set Noah up with a woman, any woman, as soon as possible.  Noah and Carla get off to a rough start, mainly because she has a bit of social anxiety, but soon they are settling into laugh out loud banter.  Noah is extremely charming, and while his is her opposite he is the perfect fit for Carla.  In a brilliant attempt to get his mother off his back about dating and Carla back into interacting with people, they begin to "fake date", but they quickly realize that they have actual feelings for each other.  

I didn't love that Carla didn't feel she was worthy of love or anyone's time.  I did love that Noah was kind and patient and willing to show her differently.   I'm not a fan of the trope where one half of the relationship decides what is better for the other half and takes that choice away from the other partner.  I can understand why Carla with her diagnosis doesn't want to be a burden, and through her past experience has made be been feel unwanted and unlovable because of if.  I'm glad that Noah stayed strong and fought for both of them.  It was worth waiting for Carla to come around and figure out her own feelings.

Overall this was a really fun and cute romance.  It has some sad and heavy moments that are well balanced by great banter and antics between our two main characters.  I really appreciate that the author put such a personal topic in to the book and learned alot about chronic fatigue.  This is a great addition to the Donner Bakery series and the Smartypants Universe.

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Cover Reveal: One & Only by Karla Sorensen

ONE AND ONLY

Karla Sorensen

Release Date: May 16

    

 You are cordially invited to my fake wedding. 

 Marrying Beckett Coleman is the best idea I've had in years. I can grant my sick dad’s wish to walk one of his daughters down the aisle, and Beckett has my help solving a custody situation with his daughter. Our plan is to spend a year together, then part ways. Easy, especially since I'm not his type, and he's not mine either. He’s too quiet and too serious. And while he’s distractingly gorgeous, he’s also my brother’s teammate. Beckett is fake husband material, not the real deal. I just have to remember that. Until I move in with him. Get to know him. Share a bed with him. Turns out, the line between fake and real isn't just blurry, it's almost impossible to uphold when he looks at me the way he does. This marriage is a whole lot more complicated than we bargained for. We’re threatening to destroy everything we’ve built, something neither of us can risk. Marrying Beckett might’ve been the best idea in years. But falling in love with him would be the worst.   

  Pre-Order Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW6HW3M6

    

  Meet Karla Sorensen:

Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 20 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she's not devouring historical romance or avoiding the laundry, you can find her watching football (British AND American), HGTV or listening to Enneagram podcasts so she can psychoanalyze everyone in her life, in no particular order of importance. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear. 

 For more information on  Karla Sorensen and her books visit: http://www.karlasorensen.com/ 

  Connect with Karla Sorensen: http://www.karlasorensen.com/message         

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Review: The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a finished copy of this book via Bookish First, however I opted to listen to the audiobook  As always all opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

This is in interesting dark YA fantasy.  I thought the world building was well done and the storyline is fraught with secrets that are slowly revealed as the book progresses.  The magic system is interesting and not overly complicated.  The inhabitants of Endla possess a certain kind of magic that have a somewhat symbiotic relationship with the magical forest that they live within.  The forest is located on an island and is protected by a poisoned lake.  Those who do not develop magic in Endla are cast out, and the people that live across the poisonous lake are seen as dangerous and a threat to the Endlan way of life.  There are some complex family relationships that develop slowly, and they add a nice tension to the plot

Leelo our main character is coming of age and learning harness her magic and protect the land as all adults are expected to.  At the end of her training year she will be trusted with all of the secrets of her people and the ways in which they protect the island and the forest.  She is a bit too kind hearted for her cousin and Aunt who will do anything to protect their home, and often shy's away from the bloodier tasks that she is expected to perform as part of the rituals their people perform.  It is her kind heart that puts her in danger when she saves an outsider boy who doesn't seem to be impacted by the magic of the island.  She loves her home but begins to questions everything she has been taught about the outsiders as she gets to know him.  She also begins to question all of the secrets that are being kept within her own family and is determined to get to the bottom of it not only to save the boy she has come to care about but to save herself and her home. 

Overall I enjoyed this.  It was an entertaining YA read with familiar tropes that I enjoy.  It is a bit on the dark side and not everyone is going to enjoy the way the magic system works.  There are some fade to black romance scenes, but the overall romance subplot doesn't overpower the main storyline.  

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Review: Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin

Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netfalley, all opinions are my own.

This follows Dylan after waking up in a strange place and not being able to remember the last few days.  She has lost time before, but never days at a time.  Dylan has always struggled with her mental health, but she thought she had it under control.  She stopped drinking and the people she was with over the weekend assure her she wasn't drunk, so what happened that made her forget and why does she hear voices inside her head?   Fortunately for Dylan she has the support of her mom and best friend to help her navigate things as they try to get a diagnosis from a neurologist and therapist.  Eventually they pursue DID or Dissociative Identity Disorder, which Dylan has many of the markers for and it seems to fit all of the strange behaviors she has exhibited throughout her life.  Dylan has to embark on a journey to not only uncover  the trauma that caused her to dissociate but get to know each of her alters and learn how each of them functions within the larger system,

I enjoyed this.   I know DID is still a questionable diagnosis in the mental health community and it is hard to get diagnosed with it.  This has some tough moments as Dylan has to face her trauma and there are some content warnings that the reader should be aware of before undertaking this read (attempted suicide, sexual abuse of a child, mental illness).  Learning about her different alters and how all of them work together was insightful.

I did think that it came together in a nice neat package, but that comes with being YA I find.  Dylan suffered a terrible trauma as a child, but her diagnosis came fairly easily and everyone around her accepted it.  Her relationship with Connor fell into place pretty easily as well, and he is a little too perfect sometimes.   

Overall, this was an enjoyable and quick read.  I read this in a few hours and found it hard to put down.  

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Review: Girl In Ice

Girl In Ice by Erica Ferencik
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was send a physical ARC of this book by the publisher, however I opted to listen to the final publication version of the audiobook.

The premise of this book was really quite interesting. This is a bit of a sci-fi thriller. This follows Val, a successful linguist who is grieving the loss of her twin brother. She gets a call from the team lead, Wyatt, from the Artic expedition her brother was on when he unexpectedly comitted suicide. Wyatt has a job for Val that she can't turn down. A girl was found frozen in the ice, and she has thawed, alive, and no one can understand what she is saying. Val happens be be an expert in the esoteric dialects of the region and Wyatt hopes she can help understand where the girl came from and how she survived being frozen alive. Val suffers from anxiety and doesn't wholly trust Wyatt and the circumstances around her brother's death, but she is curious about the girl and takes on the task of trying to unravel the mystery of who she is and where she came from.

This thriller has a bit of a sense of an unreliable narrator to it. You aren't really sure if Val is letting her personal fears and anxiety get to her as the story progresses or if there is something more sinister going on and she has cause to be paranoid of her surroundings. As she works on connecting with the little girl from the ice, she knows that she has to protect her and that she wants to learn about her origins. You also get a bit of a madness feeling from the research team, as if they've been left alone in the cold too long and have gone a bit mad from being isolated, you aren't sure if there is something to that or not for much of the story. As for the girl, she tries to communicate, but the grown ups can't fathom her survival in the ice. It is too far fetched and the science doesn't back it up. I thought the conclusion and reveals were clever and unique.

I thought the world building was well done. I felt like was with Val in the ice an the cold of the island. I thought the author did a good job describing the landscape and the harrowing conditions. I felt the fear and the madness that the characters were experiencing come through on the page.

Overall this was an interesting story with a unique plot.

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Review: Wings Once Cursed & Bound by Piper J. Drake

Wings Once Cursed & Bound by Piper J. Drake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley.  

I really enjoyed this!  It has a huge cast of fantastical and mythical beings that work together to find magical artifacts.  This follows Peeraphan aka Punch on a magical adventure after she steps into the famous cursed "red shoes" from the Andersen fairy tale at dance practice.  Punch is able to resist the curse of the shoes for a time, but they begin to take a toll on her and no one is sure when she will break.  Enter the Dark Consortium and their representative Bennet, who not only wants to collect the shoes but is also interested in protecting Punch and help her explore her not quite human side.  Bennet agrees to help Punch break the curse of the shoes and in doing so he introduces her to a world filled with magic, supernatural artifacts, and beings she never knew existed.

I thought this was a fun take on a retelling mixing the Red Shoe fairy tale with a bit of urban fantasy. mythology/folklore, and some paranormal romance.  This sets up a solid foundation for the series and I'm excited to see where the author takes Punch and Bennet next.  There are quite a few side characters to keep track of, but the main focus is on Punch and Bennet.  I look forward to getting to know all of the characters more as the series develops as we only get to know them on a surface level.

This has some mild steamy scenes toward the end.  They aren't super graphic and detailed but they aren't closed door/fade to black either.  You certainly know what is going on.  I actually thought this book was fine for a YA audience until we got to those parts then it was definitely suited for the more mature/adult reader.  The romance between Punch and Bennet does develop kind of quickly, but that isn't uncommon in urban fantasy type of books.

I love anything with a mythology and folklore background and I hope to see more of Punch's kinnaree heritage explored and explained in the next book.  I haven't come across Thai myths previously and I'd really like to learn more about the kinnaree and the bird princess lore.  We get a bit of it in this book, but I hope the author delves more into it as Punch learns more about herself and her abilities as the series progresses.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to more books in the series!

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Review: Einstein in the Attic

Einstein in the Attic by Dana Dargos
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

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

I thought this book was going to be a sci-fi adventure story based on the synopsis, which I was very excited to read. This compares itself to Ted Chiang's Stories of Your Life and Others which is one of my favorite short story collections. I was expecting a fast paced adventure, but the synopsis is a bit misleading. This is a philosophical story that I found neither fast paced or adventurous. I appreciated the conversation about evolution vs an intelligent designer (aka God or a religious deity), but I found that the book took too long to get to the actual debate.

This follow Adam Reemi, a professor who has struggles with the questions of "Is there a God?" or "as a man of science can I only believe in evolution?" Adam has seen and lived through things that would make the most devout question their faith and beliefs in a higher power and Adam's own questions have caused a rift between himself and his father who never waivered in his beliefs despite living through some very tough situations. Adam finds himself in a sticky situation in a professional debate debating the existence of an intelligent designer vs evolution to save his job and reputation. I feel like the debate portion of the book which happens at the very end and the parts where Adam and his entourage are researching the debate points were well done and interesting, however that doesn't occur until about the 50% mark through the end of the book. I wanted more of the science and religion debate, but much of this book was spent leading up to that.

I found it really hard to connect to this book. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and the writing style was not my taste. I think that there is definitely an audience for this book, but this is a case of I was expecting a sci-fi adventure story and this is more of a philosophical, self-discovery journey with some sci-fi. This book would be a great conversation starter and makes you think. The concept is certainly unique.

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Blog Tour: Fluke by Adriana Locke

 

    

  FLUKE BY ADRIANA LOCKE 

  Release Date: April 10th 

  Genre/Tropes: Fake ex-husband / Small Town Romance / Friends to Lovers / One Bed / He Falls First

Fluke, an all-new small-town romance, by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke is NOW LIVE!

Grab this fake ex-husband, small-town romance TODAY! https://geni.us/FlukeLocke

Add to Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61946841-fluke

        

  Blurb:  

SEEKING AN EX-HUSBAND   I need a fake ex-husband. Let me explain … I may have let it slip to my new co-workers that I have an ex-husband. Now they’re fascinated with the details, specifically with him. Why wouldn’t they be? He’s gorgeous, has exceptional skills in the bedroom, and is determined to win me back. But there’s a problem. He doesn’t exist. The bigger problem? I have to produce him to save my job. This is where you come in. I’m seeking someone to play a smitten ex-husband for two weeks. You’ll need to remember our love story—details matter when it comes to romance! Please be prepared to travel in-state at a moment’s notice. We may be in close proximity and sharing a bed may be required. One more thing—kisses are required for optics as necessary. If this sounds interesting or, at the very least, entertaining, let me know. Signed, Your Future Ex-Wife   

Buckle up for a steamy adventure between friends-turned-lovers in this new “fresh twist on a favorite trope!” take on fake dating, close proximity, and romance in the workplace from USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke.    

      

  About the Author: 

USA Today Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.   She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.   Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty-five years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.   Learn more at adrianalocke.com.

 

Connect w/Adriana: 

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Review: Fluke by Adriana Locke

Fluke by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This book is part of the Carmichael series, however you can read it as a standalone.  Each of the books in the series are companion novels with each book reading as a standalone with interconnected characters.  This one focuses on Jess one of many Carmichael brothers, and Pippa an old family friend who has moved back to town for work.

I'm a big fan of Adriana's family series.   I love that we get glimpses into the other characters lives and we always get hijinks from Banks.  His antics are laugh out loud funny.  I can't wait for his book.  This has all of my favorite things: friends to lovers, great banter, great conversations, humor, and great characters.  Jess and Pippa have known each other for many years, but their attraction never worked out when they were younger.  Now that they are adults, they have an opportunity to see if there is more to it than just attraction.  Pippa has created a situation for herself at work where she needs an ex-husband to go on a couples retreat with to see if she can rekindle a spark with.  This is where Jess, her long time crush come in to save the day.  Fortunately for Pippa, he's been asking her out for years and jumps at the chance to actually have a chance with her.  

Jess and Pippa's romance seems to develop a big quickly, but they have known each other for along time.  It is a bit on the insta-love side of the romance spectrum, even with them knowing each other previously.  I usually dislike insta-love storylines, but I didn't mind this one.  Jess is patient and kind and was the kind of cheerleader Pippa needed to show her that not all relationships end in doom and gloom and disappointment.  Pippa has had some pretty bad experiences when it comes to love in her life romantic and otherwise, so when Jess sweeps her off her feet she keeps waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop because that's all she knows.

Overall this is another home run romance in the series.  It is one of the spicier books Adriana has written, but I didn't feel it was over the top or too much.  The characters are fun and playful and this is a fun twist on the fake relationship trope.  I love this series and can't wait for the next book in the series!

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Review: Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did end up listening to the final publication version of the audiobook. As always all opinions expressed are my own.

This was excellent. It is a tough one though, full of trigger warnings. I wouldn't particularly say it was scary, but it is terrifying and gives you that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach you are looking for in a horror book. This isn't exactly what I consider traditional horror as it doesn't have the jump scares and gruesome bits that you might expect thought there are some, it is more in the social horror realm with a paranormal twist. It does have the atmosphere and tension you need and as the story progresses you are more than horrified by what the characters go through.

This is told from the perspectives of Daisy and Brittney. Brittney is a film student, and her latest project is attempting to find out what happened to Daisy 10 years ago at the mansion that Brittney's own mother had a life altering experience at. We mainly get Daisy's story, with brief interjects of Brittney's research and glimpses into how both girls are connected and why telling Daisy's story is so important to her.

Daisy has the ability to see the dead. Her mother is aware of her ability and has been "helping: her since she was a child to control it. When Grace, Daisy's mother, inherits a mansion aka "The House" from her late uncle, they jump on a chance to have financial stability by turning the property into a rental. Grace is adamant that Daisy never enter the mansion and only go into the greenhouse and guest house where they live. Grace has always kept secrets from Daisy, but now that they have "The House" she is determined to find out what is going on inside and find out what her mom is keeping from her. Daisy uncovers truths she never expected to find and learns more about the house than she ever anticipated. She also learns more about her ability and why her mother has kept so many secrets.

I don't want to spoil anything but there are so many different social commentary topics discussed, many of which lead to a content warning. I've listed them at the end of the review. The characters start out a bit unlikable, but mainly that is a protection tactic as they are all suffering. As the story unfolds we find that Grace, Daisy, Brittney, and several of the other characters have had traumatic experiences and they are all doing the best they can. They are all dealing with their personal trauma in different ways, some better than others. I really liked the way that Sambury used supernatural elements to talk about the real life horrors the characters experienced. I thought it was a great way to get people thinking about how this stuff happens in real life. The author did a great job weaving this horrible topics into a creepy paranormal backdrop that made for a very compelling read. The characters go on a journey, and I think it was well done. I also thought the world building was well done. I felt like I was in the forest or the bush as they refer to it in the book with Daisy.

This was a tad bit on the long side and there were some respective parts. I think this was an important story to tell, and I loved the setting the author chose. I feel the story could have had the same impact without taking quite so long to get to the reveals. I also could have done with out the maggot scenes, but this is a horror book so they were appropriately placed and fit well with the storyline. They were kind of gross though.

Overall, I loved this! I couldn't put it down once I started listening to it.

This is not an easy book to get through. There are many content warnings and social commentary topics discussed. It is a wonderful book, however I would not recommend it for everyone, it was heartbreaking and upsetting. These are the content warnings that the author lists prior to chapter 1, so I'll put them here: childhood sexual assault (off page, some details discussed), childhood physical abuse (corporal punishment, off page, described), childhood physical abuse (confinement punishment), childhood neglect, gaslighting, grooming, suicide (off page, mention), killing of a goat (off page, described), discussions of fatphobia, body horror/gore, violence, death

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Review: Condemn Me Not: Accused of Witchcraft

Condemn Me Not: Accused of Witchcraft by Heather B. Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an Audible Code for this book via the author, all opinions expressed in my review are my own.  I want to also mention that I have previously read and reviewed the kindle version back in 2018 and I purchased a copy because I enjoyed it so much.

As with my first read through of this book, I very much enjoyed this.  The narrator does a wonderful job of portraying Susannah at 25 and at 71, she does a good job changing her voice so you are aware of the time change so you know which part of the story you are listening to.  I always appreciate great voice acting in my books.

I loved learning about the Salem Witch Trials in my youth and the cast of familiar characters and excerpts from the actual trials was a very nice touch.  I always find Moore’s books to be very well researched and because this has a tie to one of her own ancestors you can tell a lot of personal care went into the crafting of this book.  She provides her resources at the end a brief note as to what she fictionalized for the sake of the story.  I always appreciate that in my historical fiction.

The story follows Susannah North Martin at various times in her life, we see her during her time in jail as a 71 year old woman after being accused of witchcraft and as a 25 year old unmarried woman living with her family. Susannah's time in jail shows us her strength and devotion to her family and her faith. Her time as a young woman, though she was almost a spinster for the times, tells us the story of a woman devoted to her family but who had a mind of her own and often said what she thought. This was not generally accepted in 1646, and those who did not conform did not often do well in the community.   As the Salem trials proved, those who dare cross those in power ended up at the Gallows. Susannah's story takes us through her romance with her new neighbor George and develops their relationship nicely.  Their brief courtship is a little awkward and really showcases Susannah's personality.  I really appreciated revisiting the subject of the witch trials and the author's ability to stay true to the events that took place during the time.

I’m so glad I got to revisit this story in audio format.  If you enjoy historical fiction especially tales that deal with the witch trials, this is a great one in whatever format you prefer.  I highly recommend the both the print and the audio versions.

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