Review: Weights of Wrath

Weights of Wrath by M.E. Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Joey is the ridiculously funny trainer at Weight Expectations, if you have read Weight Expectations or Cutie and the Beast you will remember him. He is always bantering with Abel, the other trainer, and the older ladies from the exercise classes at the gym. Joey is a pretty happy go lucky, live life to it's fullest, take things as they come kind of guy, so when Cherise the stripper he had a one night stand with tells him she's pregnant he's thrilled about it. Cherise aka Rosalind isn't so thrilled. She's worked hard to gain independence from her family and everyone else. She makes good money and has a pretty fabulous body. Having a baby was not in her plans right now. Since life has decided to change her plans for her she has to work together with Joey to figure out a co-parenting situation that works for both of them.

This is filled with banter and humor, and some pretty ridiculous situations. Joey and Rosalind's relationship was not traditional in any way but they made it work. Their personalities are so opposite that you'd never think that they would work together but this is one case where their opposing personalities really do compliment each other. Their relationship as a couple is fairly slow burn, and they have some communication issues, but once they figure each other out it is hard not to cheer for them. I think this was a great realistic portrayal of a couple trying to figure out real things. They had to talk about money, child birth, family, and their feelings. I really appreciate when that ends up on the page.

I think M.E. Carter did a great job putting the fears and insecurities that we all have as first time parents, and even now with soon to be teenagers on the page. These kids really should come with a manual or something. I still remember finding out I was pregnant, unexpectedly, being in denial and telling my husband I wasn't ready yet. Fortunately you have lots of time to come to grips, get prepared, and figure it out. I think Elliot gave some great advice about babies and kids in the book. We are all just winging it and hoping not to screw up.

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Blog Tour: Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter

Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.

Cutie and the Beast, an all-new roommates-to-lovers romantic comedy from M.E. Carter, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

Living with her mother seemed like a good idea at the time. But Elliott Donovan’s living arrangements are not working for her anymore. Desperate to get back on her financial feet after a divorce and out from under her mother’s thumb, Elliott takes a job in the child care center at Weight Expectations, a local gym.

It has everything she needs – family friendly hours, more pay than she expected, and a super cute trainer who just happens to have part of his house for rent.

Abel DiSoto was living the good life until his wife walked out taking half of the family income with her. The blow to his ego was bad enough, but after a fire at the gym scattered Abel’s clients, and consequently his commissions, he’s stuck figuring out how to make ends meet, too. Renting out the master suite of his house to his new co-worker seems like an easy solution. They’re both mature adults, they both have eight-year-old daughters, and their work schedules coordinate so they can lend each other a helping hand to ease the burden of single parenthood.

The only downside? Living like a blended family when you’re not actually a family can present some challenges.

Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.

‘Cutie and the Beast’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy TODAY or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2RnGgqQ

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2tt0Az5

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/38oFcda

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2NI0xqc

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2NLdj76

Excerpt

In my haste to not be late, I barrel right into a woman coming through the front door.

Grabbing her arms to steady her from falling, I apologize profusely. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you. Are you all right?”

Smiling tightly, the blonde isn’t thrilled a random stranger practically ran her over. But she’s polite anyway. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? You aren’t hurt?” I don’t think she is, but sometimes I don’t know my own strength.

This time her smile is a little more genuine. “I’m sure. You sure are in a rush.”

Letting go of her arms, I feel like she needs an explanation other than me racing around like an idiot. “I’m the one parent who has a tendency to be late for school pickup. The lady at the front desk gives me a nasty evil glare if she has to call me.”

This woman, whose name I still haven’t bothered to ask, laughs and I’m struck by how cute she is. She’s definitely a few years older than I am, but not by much. There’s nothing about her that necessarily stands out in a crowd, but her smile is genuine. This is a woman who likes to laugh and have fun. I always gravitate toward those people, which gives me a fleeting thought: I should have noticed my ex-wife hardly ever smiled for real. Laughing was even rarer unless it was at someone else’s expense. Those should have been easy indicators she wasn’t the one for me.

“Parker Elementary?” the blonde asks.

“Yeah.” I give her a quizzical look. “How did you know?”

“Do not mess with Ms. Alexander’s routine. She will cut a bitch.”

My laugh comes easily, and I find myself hoping this woman is a new member. She’s funny. I love it when clients have a sense of humor. Offering her my hand, I introduce myself. “I’m Abel. Trainer here at Weight Expectations and father of Mabel in second grade.”

She places her cold hand in mine. “Elliott. Interviewee for the childcare position and mother of Ainsley, also in second grade.”

“Ah! Well it’s nice to meet you. Fingers crossed I’ll see you here later as a fellow employee. And if not here, at Parker Elementary as a fellow parent. Hopefully not in Ms. Alexander’s line of sight.”

Elliott holds up her gloved hands and crosses her fingers around each other. “Wish me luck. Now run fast.”

About M.E. Carter

My name is M.E. Carter and I have no idea how I ended up writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.

Find M.E. Carter online

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ly7Fu3

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzBqdQ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SZCf

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k1O4Sx

Website: https://www.authormecarter.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

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Release Blitz: Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter

Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.

Cutie and the Beast, an all-new hilarious romantic standalone from M.E. Carter, is LIVE!

Living with her mother seemed like a good idea at the time. But Elliott Donovan’s living arrangements are not working for her anymore. Desperate to get back on her financial feet after a divorce and out from under her mother’s thumb, Elliott takes a job in the child care center at Weight Expectations, a local gym.

It has everything she needs – family friendly hours, more pay than she expected, and a super cute trainer who just happens to have part of his house for rent.

Abel DiSoto was living the good life until his wife walked out taking half of the family income with her. The blow to his ego was bad enough, but after a fire at the gym scattered Abel’s clients, and consequently his commissions, he’s stuck figuring out how to make ends meet, too. Renting out the master suite of his house to his new co-worker seems like an easy solution. They’re both mature adults, they both have eight-year-old daughters, and their work schedules coordinate so they can lend each other a helping hand to ease the burden of single parenthood.

The only downside? Living like a blended family when you’re not actually a family can present some challenges.

Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.

‘Cutie and the Beast’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy TODAY!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2RnGgqQ

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2tt0Az5

Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/38oFcda

Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2NI0xqc

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/30wb7FP

Nook: http://bit.ly/2GaYLcY

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2TInuNN

Google Play: http://bit.ly/378Hmxa

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2NLdj76

Coming to Kindle Unlimited April 20th!

About M.E. Carter

My name is M.E. Carter and I have no idea how I ended up writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.

Find M.E. Carter online

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ly7Fu3

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzBqdQ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SZCf

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k1O4Sx

Website: https://www.authormecarter.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

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Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Newsletter: https://smartypantsromance.com/newsletter/

Review: Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter

Cutie and the Beast by M.E. Carter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 3rd installment of the Cipher Office series, but it reads as a standalone.  We meet the main character in [book:Weight Expectations|51558050] and [book:Sticking to the Script|52973190] is unrelated to this story completely.  You don't have to have read either of the previous books in the series in order to jump right in to Abel's story.  Abel is a single dad and personal trainer at a local gym.  He is still trying to pick up the pieces after  a run of back luck.  His wife left him and their daughter a bit abruptly, a fire took out the original gym he worked at and he's slowly building back his clientele, his 8 year old is a handful, and like most parents he's just trying to keep it all together.  Elliott is a similar situation, she's a single mom, also recently divorced, trying to find a job and a new place to live before she ruins her relationship with her mother.  When she lands a job as the new child care manager at Abel's gym, someone recommends she check out Abel's room for rent.  It seems like a great opportunity for both of them.  They can help each other out with their daughters, rent, housework.  Abel and Elliott have very different parenting styles, and raising two daughters is hard enough when you are on the same page.  When they realize they have feelings for each other things get even more complicated when the girls and the co-parents get involved.

This was really cute.  I loved Abel in Weight Expectations and I'm glad he got to play a starring role in this book.  I really liked that we had two older characters with kids as main characters.  I'm happily married with two kids of my own, and my husband and I don't always see eye to eye on what to do with the kids.  We have to talk it out until we come to some sort of common ground about things.  This brings up good discussion on what a real relationship looks like.  It takes work, especially when kids are involved.  It also portrays children in a very realistic light, they don't always do what you tell them and they have thoughts, opinions, and emotions just like adults.  You have to remember to ask them about what they think and what they feel in difficult situations.

I were a few opportunities for social issues to be discussed, but I felt they were kind of just glossed over.  I wanted them to be discussed or handled in more depth.  That's just my opinion though.  There were other issues that were handled really well and the discussions were really great!  I won't give examples as they might be spoilers.  Overall, I really enjoyed the characters.  I thought their romance, while it developed slowly from a friendship to something more was really sweet.  This isn't the steamiest of steamy romances if that is what you are looking for.  The characters have good banter and a great friendship, but if you are looking for some great bedroom scenes this doesn't actually have that many.


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Blog Tour: Sticking to the Script by Stella Weaver

Sticking to the Script, an all-new standalone in the romantic comedy Cipher Office series, from Stella Weaver is available now!

Steven Thompson had a bad year. A string of mean, kinky (the alarming kind, not the good kind), and crazy dating debacles combined with a boss who appears to be experiencing male-prenatal-psychosis means Steven’s stress levels are high. They’re so high, he’s decided to quit dating and focus instead solely on his job.

Until he meets Dr. Ken Miles.

Doctor Ken Miles is having a fantastic year. His hard work is paying off in a big way . . . professionally. But his social life? Not so much.

Until he meets Steven Thompson.

Steven isn’t so sure about Dr. Miles, but Ken is one hundred percent certain about Mr. Thompson. And even though both men know full well that the key to getting what you want out of life is hard work, they can’t seem to make them—together—work.

Will they ever get on the same page? Or just keep sticking to the same old script?

'Sticking to the Script' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#2 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35BGZLv

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/StickingtotheScript

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2lAVqg6

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2k11L3Z

Check out my review here.

Excerpt

“He asked you to a movie?” She blinked, nonplussed.

“Who are we talking about?” Nico asked, leaning around Elizabeth to look at me. His green eyes held a mischievous twinkle, no doubt eager to hear a new chapter of farce and lunacy in Steven’s Big Book of Dating Disasters.

“Ken Miles,” I replied.


Nico’s twinkle and dimple disappeared. Whether Elizabeth disliked Ken or not, I was sure Nico loathed the man. I couldn’t blame him; it was his prerogative to hate men who used to lust after his wife. He arched one raven eyebrow and asked, “How’d that come about?”

“Yeah,” Elizabeth said. “How, Steven?” Her tone was curious, but I thought I detected a little tinge of disapproval that I didn’t like.

Not wanting to make an issue of anything, I replied with an easy nonchalance. “I ran into him at Buzzy’s. We started talking about Mystery Science Theater 3000—”


“That show’s a riot,” Nico asserted, reaching for his fritter. “The reboot is pretty good, too.”


“That’s what I told DKM.” I took Nico’s lead and grabbed my own heavenly pastry.

“Then, when he found out the movie was playing at the Music Box,” he asked me if I wanted to see it. So, we went.” I shrugged.

“There’s a movie?” Nico asked. “How did I not know this?”


I mumbled around my fritter bite, “You’re not missing much.”


“Stinker, eh?”


“Little bit.” I shrugged again. That had been two, overly casual shrugs in just a few seconds and I worried I was playing it too cool. Elizabeth’s powers of observation surpassed my own. If I wasn’t careful, she’d have me giving her every last detail of the evening.

“So,” she broke in. “Are you thinking this might have been like, you know, a date?” Her brows were drawn together in concern, her words tentative.


I tilted my head in stern exasperation. “Puh-leeze. The man didn’t know who McSteamy was. I got the memo that he’s straight.”

“Who’s McSteamy?” Nico asked.


I pursed my lips together, raised my eyebrows and gestured to Nico. “I rest my case.”

Elizabeth laughed. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want you getting the wrong idea or anything. He’s”—she looked at her husband in apology—“he’s very good-looking, and I could see how asking you to a movie could get your hopes up.”


“Nah,” I waved dismissively. “I know what’s up. But I think we could hang out,” I volunteered without thinking. I instantly regretted my slip.

“Good luck with that,” Nico said with a laugh.

“We had a good time. He’s kind of funny,” I defended.

“Not possible,” he declared. Nico was a comedian, and a very successful one at that. He knew what was funny and wasn’t about to give the odious Dr. Miles any benefit of the doubt where humor was concerned.

Inexplicable annoyance spurred me to continue. “I think I might make hanging out with him a regular thing.”

“I don’t think a stiff like that knows how to have fun.”


Elizabeth grimaced at her husband’s uncharacteristic snark, then issued me a sympathetic smile. “Well, it will be good for Dr. Ken Miles. He’s not the most colorful person in the city, that’s for sure. Maybe you’ll broaden his horizons.”

About Stella Weaver

Stella Weaver is a reader, writer, sloppy crafter and family-woman. She’s a native of coastal northern California who now lives on the Texas Gulf coast. She’s won the much coveted #1 Mom of the Year Award and has the coffee mug to prove it.

Connect with Stella Weaver

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kkyQs5

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2k1QK2p

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lAVRXM

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2khVP73

Website: https://stellarweavings.blogspot.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

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Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Blog Tour: Weight Expectations by M.E. Carter

“Hilarious, engaging and relatable, I started laughing out loud from the first page” -- Kristin Vayden, bestselling author

Weight Expectations, the first in the romantic comedy Cipher Office series of standalones, from M.E. Carter is available now!

Rian Thompson thought she joined the gym to get healthy. Little did she know she was about to add hundred and ninety pounds of swoonworthy abdominal muscles and arrogance to her life.

Every day in Rians’s life follows a predictable pattern, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s got a nice job, a nice place to live, and a nice family—even if they are a little wedding-zilla-ish at the moment.

She doesn’t need anything spectacular to be happy. She just needs to get healthy—mentally, physically. . . and maybe spiritually if that happens. But she’ll settle for two out of three until her sister finally gets hitched.

Carlos Davies thought his life was perfect. Little did he know it was about to be turned upside down by a woman who is not his type.

In Carlos’s mind, his life is damn near perfect. He’s got a great job, a great place to live, and a great stash of pick up lines that always work. It has occurred to him that maybe no one actually takes him all that seriously. But with these bulging biceps and thick, dark hair, does that even matter since he’s never sleeping alone?

Welcome to Weight Expectations, where great—and unexpected—things happen.

'Weight Expectations' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Check out my review here

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2nQ4Rtx

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WeightExpectations

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2lZkGwJ

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2k6uftk

About M.E. Carter

My name is ME Carter and I have no idea how I ended writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.

Connect with M.E. Carter

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ly7Fu3

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzBqdQ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SZCf

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k1O4Sx

Website: https://www.authormecarter.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Release Blitz: Sticking to the Script by Stella Weaver

Sticking to the Script, an all-new standalone in the romantic comedy Cipher Office series, from Stella Weaver is available now!

Steven Thompson had a bad year. A string of mean, kinky (the alarming kind, not the good kind), and crazy dating debacles combined with a boss who appears to be experiencing male-prenatal-psychosis means Steven’s stress levels are high. They’re so high, he’s decided to quit dating and focus instead solely on his job.

Until he meets Dr. Ken Miles.

Doctor Ken Miles is having a fantastic year. His hard work is paying off in a big way . . . professionally. But his social life? Not so much.

Until he meets Steven Thompson.

Steven isn’t so sure about Dr. Miles, but Ken is one hundred percent certain about Mr. Thompson. And even though both men know full well that the key to getting what you want out of life is hard work, they can’t seem to make them—together—work.

Will they ever get on the same page? Or just keep sticking to the same old script?

'Sticking to the Script' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#2 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35BGZLv

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/StickingtotheScript

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2lAVqg6

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2k11L3Z

About Stella Weaver

Stella Weaver is a reader, writer, sloppy crafter and family-woman. She’s a native of coastal northern California who now lives on the Texas Gulf coast. She’s won the much coveted #1 Mom of the Year Award and has the coffee mug to prove it.

Connect with Stella Weaver

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kkyQs5

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2k1QK2p

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lAVRXM

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2khVP73

Website: https://stellarweavings.blogspot.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Release Blitz: Weight Expectations by M.E. Carter

“Hilarious, engaging and relatable, I started laughing out loud from the first page” -- Kristin Vayden, bestselling author

Weight Expectations, the first in the romantic comedy Cipher Office series of standalones, from M.E. Carter is available now!

Rian Thompson thought she joined the gym to get healthy. Little did she know she was about to add hundred and ninety pounds of swoonworthy abdominal muscles and arrogance to her life.

Every day in Rians’s life follows a predictable pattern, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s got a nice job, a nice place to live, and a nice family—even if they are a little wedding-zilla-ish at the moment.

She doesn’t need anything spectacular to be happy. She just needs to get healthy—mentally, physically. . . and maybe spiritually if that happens. But she’ll settle for two out of three until her sister finally gets hitched.

Carlos Davies thought his life was perfect. Little did he know it was about to be turned upside down by a woman who is not his type.

In Carlos’s mind, his life is damn near perfect. He’s got a great job, a great place to live, and a great stash of pick up lines that always work. It has occurred to him that maybe no one actually takes him all that seriously. But with these bulging biceps and thick, dark hair, does that even matter since he’s never sleeping alone?

Welcome to Weight Expectations, where great—and unexpected—things happen.

'Weight Expectations' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2nQ4Rtx

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WeightExpectations

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2lZkGwJ

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2k6uftk

About M.E. Carter

My name is ME Carter and I have no idea how I ended writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.

Connect with M.E. Carter

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ly7Fu3

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzBqdQ

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2k4SZCf

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2k1O4Sx

Website: https://www.authormecarter.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2kvDnb4

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2lzyduO

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lGdIMQ

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kwKsYK

Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/