Review: Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke

Nothing But It All by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both the print and audio ARCs of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.


The narrators were fantastic, they really captured the emotion of Lauren and Jack. This is a fairly emotional storyline and good narration is key. Both narrators really brought through the pain, uncertainty, and love the couple is feeling!

If you have been married for a significant amount of time this will really resonate with you. It isn't easy to make a marriage work, especially if one of you is the default parent like Lauren. When communication between you fails, it makes this really hard to keep going especially when the role of primary care giver falls on the shoulders of one partner. That is the situation between Lauren and Jack. After 20 years of being the primary caregiver for their two kids, while Jack spends all of his time at his auto shop Lauren has had enough. She's given up trying to communicate with him because he gets defensive and shuts down. They aren't making time for each other or themselves, so their teenagers decide it is time to intervene because they know their parents still love each other. The kids concoct a plan to get their parents together for one last family vacation, and Lauren and Jack have to decide if their love is worth fighting for or are they willing to throw 20 years away?

I really loved Lauren and Jack. As someone who has also been married for 20 years I've had similar conversations with my husband about work, kids, and balancing the load around the house. You don't get to your 20 year anniversary without having some hard discussions over the years some really good and some really unpleasant. There were so many situations that I found relatable. I liked that their relationship was already established so we didn't have an insta-love situation, we had a realistic married couple that loves each other but has let life get in their way. They have to make the conscious decision and effort to spend time with each other, have the conversations and listen to one another (which isn't always easy in reality). They have to take interest in each others passions while still finding balance with their family and business commitments and their commitment to each other.

I loved this, it is relatable whether you are married, in a relationship, or not. I love the author's standalones just as much as I love her series. This standalone is perfect if you love second chance romances, family dynamics, and all the emotions. This also has great side characters to support the main characters as they rediscover each other and what is truly important.

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Review: Only You by Samantha Young

Only You by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This is the final installment of the Adair Family series, but it is not the final book set in the world of Ardnoch.  There are going to be more books in the world coming later this year.  While this is the 5th book in the series, I do feel you can read it as a standalone.  If you want to get to know the rest of the Adair family, I highly recommend reading the rest of the books in the series.  Each of the books follows a different member of the Adair family, this one is the much awaited story of Brodan and his former best friend Monroe.  We've met them both in previous books and the tension between them was very high, and now we know why.

I love a good second chance romance and this delivers.  As with all of the Adair books this does have a slight bit of suspense to it but the main story arc focuses on the breakdown and rebuilding of Brodan and Monroe's relationship.  They have been best friends since they were around 5 years old, but a big misunderstanding and miscommunication in college drove them apart.  They both felt betrayed and abandoned when they needed each other the most and didn't speak again for 18 years when they both moved home to Ardnoch.  Brodan has spent the last 18 years following in his older brother's footsteps and has become a very successful actor, but he has worked himself into a state of exhaustion and is home for an extended vacation.  Monroe is a school teacher, and she has come home to take care of her mother who has recently broken her hip.  Living in a small town they can't help but run into each other, especially when Monroe teaches Brodan's nephew and his siblings are determined to rekindle their own friendships with her.

I really loved getting to know Brodan and Monroe.  There was so much backstory to these characters.   She has not had an easy go of it, but she is determined to make the most of what she's go on her own terms.  Monroe has quite a bit of trauma in her past and has a hard time trusting people after what she has been through.  Despite the horrible things she has been through she is a wonderful teacher and person, she puts those she cares about first and I really enjoyed getting to know her.  Brodan is hurting, he feels betrayed but he doesn't have the full story he doesn't want it either.  In the beginning I really didn't like him, he doesn't treat Monroe very well and I didn't want her to forgive him at all.   He grew on me after a while and while I think she forgave him far more quickly than I would have, and watching their relationship bloom was a pleasure.  I appreciate that Young brought in real life vulnerabilities that couples face and that Brodan and Monroe actually called each other out when they were being unreasonable about it.  They had a conversation and worked through their insecurities so they could work on their relationship instead of calling it quits at the first sign of trouble.  

I loved the second epilogue showcasing each of the couples and "where they are now".  I really appreciate when authors do this in a long running series featuring multiple couples.  It is a nice feature to bring closure to the series.  I loved this series and this installment wrapped things up perfectly.    

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BLOG TOUR: Worth the Wait by Karla Sorensen

 

Worth the Wait, an all-new second chance small town romance from Karla Sorensen, is available now in Kindle Unlimited! 

You know what I don’t have time for? The brooding, dark-eyed former love of my life showing up when my life is finally settling down. 

I don’t have time for Hunter Buchanan and that intense look in his eyes. The way he loved me so perfectly all those years ago. 

I’m the one who asked him to leave back then, my attempt at saving him from the chaos of my screwed up family. 

I didn’t expect him back in Green Valley, looking better than before and with an empty ring finger. And I definitely didn’t expect him to still be in love with me. 

I don’t have time for the things I feel around him, or how amazing it is when he touches me. 

Most of all, for the broken heart I’ll have if I have to say goodbye again. I survived him leaving once before, but I don’t think I can do it again. 

So there’s only one thing I can make time for… staying away from Hunter Buchanan.

‘Worth the Wait’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #4 in the Love At First Sight series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

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Excerpt from Worth the Wait

"I'm not your teacher," I said. "Right now, I'm just the guy who's supposed to make sure you don't have to go back to fourth grade. And that means honesty from both of us. And trust." I stood from the bench and held out my hand again. "You can trust me, Theo. But only make a deal with me right now if I can trust you the same way."

It never occurred to me, as a teacher and then later as an administrator, to talk to kids like they didn't have the same struggles as adults. They understood stress and fear and anxiety, albeit on a different scale, with different language behind it.

That scale changed as you grew up. Your responsibilities took on a different face, and you knew how to label those struggles. But to them—at their age—the responsibilities still felt like the whole world was pressing down on their shoulders. It didn't help if the adults in their life pretended otherwise.

So I knew I'd won something big when Theo Rossman stuck his skinny arm out toward me.

He gave me a firm handshake, his cheeks turning pink when I returned it.

"You sound like Iris," he said quietly.

My heart skipped unsteadily in my chest at his use of that name.

"Who's Iris?" I asked calmly. So very, very calmly. I'd only met one person in Green Valley with that name. And as far as I knew, she'd never come back. Not that anyone had told me, at least.

"My sister. I live with her." He tucked his hand back in his pocket, his face softening as he answered. His love for her, even if it wasn't my Iris, was immediately clear.

Behind my ribs, I felt a hot squeeze of pressure while my mind absolutely fucking raced.

"I knew an Iris once." I watched his face as I said it. "She'd probably be about thirty-two now."

His eyes narrowed, mental calculations evident in his face. "I think that's how old my sister is."

My breathing was choppy, my lungs struggling to pull in enough oxygen. "The Iris I knew ... her last name wasn't Rossman."

He kicked at a stick, so blissfully unaware that all my insides were jolting with unchecked pulses of electricity at the mere thought of it being her.

"Yeah, she's my half-sister. She had a different dad, so she has a different last name."

"What's your sister's last name?" I asked, fighting the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake the truth from his mouth.

At the sound of a car, Theo's attention was pulled to the parking lot. In an instant, he transformed. Wide smile and happy, bright eyes as he waved at the driver of a beat-up-looking SUV. "That's her. Iris Black."

I swiped a hand over my face and tried to check my breathing.

Check my pulse.

My ability to stay fucking conscious.

This was it. All the sleepless nights I'd wondered if I'd ever see her again. Wondered how I'd ever walked away from her, why I believed her when she said she didn't have room for us in her life. If respecting her choice would damn me to a life that would always feel a little empty. Where every day held a slight edge of grief, something that might have worn down over the years but could still damage me if I caught it in the right way.

The last time I saw Iris Black, she wept as she told me to leave. That she couldn't—wouldn't—make room in her life for some great big destined romance. That she couldn't—wouldn't—believe that it was true.

The last time I saw her, I told her I'd love her for the rest of my life, whether she was in it or not. And I walked away all the same.

And there it was.

A gentle snap, a whisper-soft snick of something sliding back into place underneath my ribs. The shift of something that had been out of place since the last time I saw her. The realization came as quick as a thunderbolt and just as powerful. As I slowly turned toward the parking lot and she stepped out of the car, I knew this was the reason I'd come back to Green Valley.

It was her.

The one I'd loved since the moment I saw her.

Who I hadn't seen in twelve years.

The one staring at me like she'd just seen a ghost.

About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.

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Review: Worth the Wait by Karla Sorensen

Worth the Wait by Karla Sorensen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

While this is listed as the 4th book in the Love at First Sight series, you can read it as a standalone. Each of the books in the series follows a different member of the Buchanan family as they navigate love and the family "curse" of falling in love with their soul mate the first time they meet. This particular story follows Hunter, who has been mentioned in the previous installments, and fans of the series have been long awaiting his story. If you are just starting with this book, I highly recommend reading the previous books, but you don't need to read them to get to know Hunter and Iris.

Hunter and Iris fell hard for each other in high school, but Iris' rough home situation caused her to push him away. Now after years of being apart and growing into capable adults, Hunter and Iris find themselves back in Green Valley at the same time and reunited by Iris' younger brother and ward Theo. Hunter never stopped loving Iris, but he's trying to respect her wishes to be friends and not push her boundaries. He knows that his big feelings for her scare her and she didn't grow up in a kind, loving, accepting family environment until moving in with her Grandmother. Iris still has feelings for Hunter, but she is 100% committed to taking care of her brother. That means getting her business off the ground and protecting him from their mess of a mother.

I loved Hunter and Iris together. Iris slowly comes out of her shell and into her own as she lets Hunter back into her life. I love how fiercely protective of her brother she is. I feel like the author did a great job describing Iris as a person who suffered at the hand of a manipulative and abusive parent, and still shoulders the burden of that. It is easy to criticize Iris and say she needed to let people in and help carry the weight of her burdens. That is part of her journey and I think it was portrayed very well. I felt like there was the right amount of slow burn and angst to this story.

I really enjoyed the side characters. Theo and Maxine were great additions to add some comic relief. I also enjoyed getting to see the characters from the previous books to let readers know what they are up to.

If you are looking for a bit of an angsty second chance romance, I highly recommend this one!

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Review: Give Love a Chai by Nanxi Wen

Give Love a Chai by Nanxi Wen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

If you are a fan of second chance romances, this is a must read. I loved getting to know Tia and Andrew and watching them rekindle their spark. They split up 10 years ago because they didn't communicate well. What 18 year old does? Now Tia is engaged, but she has discovered that her divorce to Andrew wasn't official. She goes to see Andrew and asks him to sign the divorce papers again, but instead of easily signing this time he wants to try again. They are older, wiser, and he still has feelings for her. Tia isn't sure what to do with this information as she has a fiancé, a wedding to plan, and Andrew still won't communicate with her. When Tia's fiancé breaks up with her so she can sort out the situation with Andrew, she decides to give Andrew 2 weeks to see if their marriage is really worth saving. During this two weeks they rediscover what it is that they loved about each other, and what they needed to work on. Tia demands that Andrew tell her his secrets and in turn she tells him the secrets she's been holding on to.

I loved the letters that Tia and Andrew send and didn't send to each other as chapter openings. It gives the reader insight into the past without flashbacks or tons of backstory. The storyline can progress in the present while we get to know the characters both present and past from the notes they wrote to each other. They also give deep emotional insight into each character, as many of them weren't sent so they were able to write down their true feelings knowing the other person would never read the letter. Speaking of emotions, there is a content warning at the beginning of the book. If you find topics of pregnancy and miscarriage triggering, I'd maybe skip this one as it is a major plot point in Tia and Andrew's relationship. I feel the topic was handled with care and respect. I will say that the grief that the characters feel comes through on the page and it is raw and heartbreaking.

This story had great character and relationship development. Now that they are a bit more mature, Tia and Andrew know what they want, each other. Tia knows that communication and insecurity is what broke them up the first time and they have to work on that if they want to be together this time. Tia is willing to put in the work, but first she has to convince Andrew to stop running away and lean on each other when things get hard.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Blog Tour: GIVE LOVE A CHAI by Nanxi Wen

Give Love a Chai, an all-new charming second-chance romance from Nanxi Wen, is now available in Kindle Unlimited! 

Tia Wang’s Wedding Planning To-Do List:

1. Find the perfect dress

2. Win her future mother-in-law's approval

3. Divorce her not-so-ex husband, Andrew Parker

When she fell in love and married her childhood best friend on a whim in Vegas, Tia innocently thought love conquered all. Turns out, that was a crushing lie. Her world shattered as she and Andrew were torn apart by secrets and mistakes.

Ten years later, Tia has left the pain behind and carved out a new life with Mr. Perfect. The only thing standing between her and happily ever after? A divorce from Andrew.

It should have been easy for Andrew to sign his name on the dotted line. Independent, prickly, and always in control, Andrew has done everything to escape his past. But seeing Tia on his doorstep after all these years? He can’t help wondering what might have been. Andrew has never forgotten Tia and vows to fight for their relationship this time around. If he has to hold those divorce papers hostage to get his second chance, he will.

Feelings resurface, stronger and more complex than ever. But Tia and Andrew have more than Mr. Perfect between them. Can they overcome past mistakes to forge a future together, or will new threats ruin their second chance at forever?

'Give Love a Chai' is a full-length contemporary romance, and can be read as a standalone. Book #2 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe. 

You can see what I thought in my review here.

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Excerpt

I didn’t care what Andrew Parker thought.

Not anymore.

Still, I put on some lip balm before I could think too much about why and opened the door. Andrew sat by the little island in his kitchen, hands gripping a beer.

Huh.

I had never seen him drink alcohol before. Unlike pretty much everyone that I knew, he had been very intentional about not engaging in underage drinking. It made me sad to think about all of the changes that I missed, moments that I had expected to be part of if he hadn’t pushed me away.

Now, I was getting angry. I held on to that anger. Anger was easy. Anger had carried me through the first few months after he had betrayed me, especially when I was railing against the world in those awful days in the hospital.

Oblivious to my anger, he looked up. “You still smell like those fruity Lip Smackers you used to love, Ting.” His gray eyes roamed over me. A single dimple flashed at me, as his lips tugged to one side.

I couldn’t believe he still remembered my fondness for Lip Smackers. I had been using them since I first immigrated to the United States from China and discovered them in the aisle of some supermarket. I was the only person over the age of ten that still used them, but I was loyal to what I liked. Unlike Mr. Cool in front of me. “I don’t go by Ting anymore. It’s Tia now.”

“When did you decide that?” Andrew asked, unfurling himself to standing. His six feet two inches of muscles towered over me. The large kitchen suddenly felt small. Andrew the man had a presence that overwhelmed me in a way that Andrew the boy had never.

“Almost ten years ago when I needed a fresh start. I wanted a name that helped me to fit in,” I said, daring him to say anything.

His only response was the tightening of his shoulders. I couldn’t tell if he was reacting to my dig about a fresh start, or to me changing my name after years of him encouraging me to keep my given name. When we first met twenty years ago, we had bonded over not fitting in. As much as he told me “screw them” when our classmates made fun of my foreign-sounding name, my faint accent, or squinted their eyes while saying “konnichiwa” despite my protests that I was from China, I had cared too much. My name was the part of me that was the easiest to change.

“Okay, Tia,” he started, letting my name roll over his tongue, as if testing how it felt. “Why are you here?”

I looked into his face, so achingly familiar that I could have drawn his features from memory. I let myself feel the full weight of sadness, bitterness, and regret wash over me. Andrew Parker was my past, an anchor that I hadn’t even realized was holding me back. I needed to move forward now.

In a voice that sounded stronger than I felt, I said, “I want a divorce.”

About Nanxi Wen

Nanxi Wen thought she was going to write the greatest historical novel. Turns out, her characters decided that they want to be in the 21st century with modern plumbing, online shopping, and reality TV shows. Her first book comes out in February 2021 – Give Love a Chai.

She lives in New England with her husband and two clingy monkeys (aka toddlers). When she is not despairing over word count, she enjoys reading, snacking, drinking coffee, sitting by the fireplace, hanging out with friends (far apart and with masks) and daydreaming.

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Blog Tour: MAD ABOUT EWE by Susannah Nix

Mad About Ewe, an all-new heartwarming second-chance romance from Susannah Nix, is now available in Kindle Unlimited! 

Dawn Botstein is doing just fine after her divorce, thank you very much.

She’s got her yarn store to run, her house to herself for the first time in her life, and no use for men anymore. That is until the hottie silver fox who walks into her store turns out to be her old high school crush—the guy who rejected her 30 years ago.

No way is she going to lose her head over him this time, no matter how well he wears that salt-and-pepper lumberjack beard. Okay, so he’s the opposite of her ex in every way, and his attention gives her a thrill she thought she’d never feel again. She’s not risking her heart again.

Mike Pilota is having a mid-life crisis.

Only instead of buying a red sports car he can’t afford and dressing like a 25-year-old who’s time-traveled from the 1990s, he quit his job after his second divorce to move closer to his recently widowed mother.

He didn’t expect to run into Dawn again, but as soon as he lays eyes on her he’s utterly smitten. So he sets out to make up for past mistakes and prove he can be the kind of man she deserves.

But is it too late for second chances? Or will these two lonely hearts find a way back to each other?

'Mad About Ewe' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #1 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.  

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Excerpt

Mike Pilota sent you a friend request.

I’d received the notification a week ago but still hadn’t responded. I’d just left it hanging there, unanswered. Ignored.

Out of spite? Perhaps a little. After he’d rejected me yet again, I had to admit I enjoyed the thought of Mike getting a taste of that same rejection for once. I liked to picture him sitting at home, futilely checking his notifications day after day, waiting for a reply that would never come.

I wanted him to know that I wasn’t desperate for his attention and would not be begging for treats like a pet Labrador. I couldn’t care less whether I ever spoke to Mike again.

Of course, it was just as likely he’d forgotten he even sent the request by now. There was no reason to assume he was in any way invested in my response.

I couldn’t imagine why he’d sent it in the first place. Why now? Why would you send a friend request to someone you’d brushed off?

I hadn’t even realized Mike was active on Facebook, which was probably just as well. It had saved me from years of pathetic cyberstalking. And it would be pathetic to be hung up on a man you’d had a childish crush on thirty years ago.

Good thing I wasn’t.

I’d meant what I’d said about being done with Mike Pilota. Finito. Over and out. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

So it was annoying in the extreme when I walked into The Old House Pub and saw him sitting next to Angie. My steps, which had been confident and quick as I entered the bar, faltered as I recognized him.

How? Why? What the blazing hell was Mike doing here?

My eyes narrowed as they homed in on my best friend, the obvious answer to all my questions. She must have recruited Mike for her reunion committee. And I could guess why.

It was clearly some misguided attempt to force another reunion between me and Mike in the hopes that, against all odds, this time sparks would finally fly, and he’d realize his secret attraction to me which he’d been repressing all these years.

Did I mention Angie was a bit of a fantasist?

Obviously, there was no way any of that would happen. The far more likely scenario was that Mike and I would try our level best to ignore each other’s existence while pretending there was no lingering awkwardness between us.

That was my game plan anyway. Mike could do what he liked.

Gathering a deep breath, I forced my feet to carry me to the table where Mike and Angie were seated. There were six chairs, and I set my sights on the one farthest from Mike.

Angie spotted my approach immediately and called out a greeting. Mike looked up, and our eyes caught and held for a charged second before I forcibly tore my gaze away to pin my best friend with an accusatory glare. Angie grinned back at me and shrugged, as if she knew exactly what she’d done wrong and didn’t care one bit.

Before I could claim the chair diagonally across from Mike, he leapt to his feet. “Here, you probably want to sit next to Angie,” he said, and held his own chair out for me.

I had no choice but to accept his offer at that point without looking like an ill-mannered ingrate. Mumbling my thanks, I draped my purse over the back of the chair and sat down.

To my consternation, Mike took the seat right next to me at the head of the table. He was so close our knees brushed as he scooted his chair forward, and I jerked my legs away from him as if I’d been zapped with electricity.

“It’s good to see you again,” he said in that warm, gravelly voice that used to make my limbs quiver like a gelatin mold on a mechanical bull. Fortunately, I was completely over my childish infatuation with him, and therefore impervious to his sexy man voice.

I looked up to find him smiling at me, his lips curved invitingly and framed by his neatly trimmed beard, and my heart gave a little involuntary jump in my chest.

Well, crud.

Perhaps I wasn’t quite as over Mike as I’d hoped. 

About Susannah Nix

Susannah Nix is an award-winning author of contemporary romances featuring smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms about women who work in STEM fields and the Starstruck series of movie star romances. 

Susannah resides in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.

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Review: Mad About Ewe by Susannah Nix

Mad About Ewe by Susannah Nix
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

Dawn and Mike are adorable together. This is such a sweet feel good second chance romance. If you like stories with older characters, in this case they are in their late 40's this is one to check out. Both Dawn and Mike are divorced and not necessarily looking for love, but when they run into each other after not having seen each other since senior year of high school they reconnect. They were always friendly, but they ran in different circles 30 years ago, now after having grown as people their priorities have changed, but their feelings for each other haven't changed. There are a few tense moments in the book, but it isn't angsty heavy. The subject matter is more mature, and may be triggering for some as it discusses women's health, cancer, and grief.

I felt that Dawn and Mike both were very realistic characters. I relate to Mike alot when it comes to being in a job that is OK but you don't love. It doesn't challenge you, and your boss always thinks they know how to do it better when they have no idea what they are talking about. I've been in that situation before and it stinks. I also know women like Dawn that never ask for help and don't want to be a burden. They will bend over backwards to help you, but would rather die a painful death than ask you for help of any kind. I thought they complemented each other nicely as a couple. One negative about their relationship was their lack of communication, which I dislike between couples in books. They would have inner monologues about what they should say and how they felt but would never discuss it with each other. Part of that was a plot point for their character development, but it still bothers me when adults don't have adult conversations and self-sabotage. If I've learned anything from my 18 year marriage is that it takes alot of work and unpleasant conversations.

This does cover some very heavy topics. I actually didn't mind the seriousness of the content. It was actually nice to see a book where women's health is discussed. I loved how much Angie supported Dawn in various aspects of the book. I love a good best friend character. Overall I really enjoyed this and will be checking out more from this author. It also inspired me to dig out my yarn and knitting needles that are buried in my craft bin and try my hand at knitting again.

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RELEASE BLITZ: GIVE LOVE A CHAI by Nanxi Wen

Give Love a Chai, an all-new charming second-chance romance from Nanxi Wen, is LIVE EARLY on AppleBooks, Nook, Kobo, and GooglePlay! 

Tia Wang’s Wedding Planning To-Do List:
1. Find the perfect dress
2. Win her future mother-in-law's approval
3. Divorce her not-so-ex husband, Andrew Parker

When she fell in love and married her childhood best friend on a whim in Vegas, Tia innocently thought love conquered all. Turns out, that was a crushing lie. Her world shattered as she and Andrew were torn apart by secrets and mistakes.

Ten years later, Tia has left the pain behind and carved out a new life with Mr. Perfect. The only thing standing between her and happily ever after? A divorce from Andrew.

It should have been easy for Andrew to sign his name on the dotted line. Independent, prickly, and always in control, Andrew has done everything to escape his past. But seeing Tia on his doorstep after all these years? He can’t help wondering what might have been. Andrew has never forgotten Tia and vows to fight for their relationship this time around. If he has to hold those divorce papers hostage to get his second chance, he will.

Feelings resurface, stronger and more complex than ever. But Tia and Andrew have more than Mr. Perfect between them. Can they overcome past mistakes to forge a future together, or will new threats ruin their second chance at forever?

'Give Love a Chai' is a full-length contemporary romance, and can be read as a standalone. Book #2 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe. 

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About Nanxi Wen

Nanxi Wen thought she was going to write the greatest historical novel. Turns out, her characters decided that they want to be in the 21st century with modern plumbing, online shopping, and reality TV shows. Her first book comes out in February 2021 – Give Love a Chai.

She lives in New England with her husband and two clingy monkeys (aka toddlers). When she is not despairing over word count, she enjoys reading, snacking, drinking coffee, sitting by the fireplace, hanging out with friends (far apart and with masks) and daydreaming.

Find Nanxi Wen online

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RELEASE BLITZ: MAD ABOUT EWE by Susannah Nix

Mad About Ewe, an all-new heartwarming second-chance romance from Susannah Nix, is LIVE EARLY on AppleBooks, Nook, Kobo, and GooglePlay! 

Dawn Botstein is doing just fine after her divorce, thank you very much.

She’s got her yarn store to run, her house to herself for the first time in her life, and no use for men anymore. That is until the hottie silver fox who walks into her store turns out to be her old high school crush—the guy who rejected her 30 years ago.

No way is she going to lose her head over him this time, no matter how well he wears that salt-and-pepper lumberjack beard. Okay, so he’s the opposite of her ex in every way, and his attention gives her a thrill she thought she’d never feel again. She’s not risking her heart again.

Mike Pilota is having a mid-life crisis.

Only instead of buying a red sports car he can’t afford and dressing like a 25-year-old who’s time-traveled from the 1990s, he quit his job after his second divorce to move closer to his recently widowed mother.

He didn’t expect to run into Dawn again, but as soon as he lays eyes on her he’s utterly smitten. So he sets out to make up for past mistakes and prove he can be the kind of man she deserves.

But is it too late for second chances? Or will these two lonely hearts find a way back to each other?

'Mad About Ewe' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #1 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.  

Download your copy today!

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About Susannah Nix

Susannah Nix is an award-winning author of contemporary romances featuring smart women and swoony men, including the Chemistry Lessons series of romcoms about women who work in STEM fields and the Starstruck series of movie star romances. 

Susannah resides in Texas with her husband, two ornery cats, and a flatulent pit bull. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, cooking, knitting, watching stupid amounts of television, and getting distracted by Tumblr. She is also a powerlifter who can deadlift as much as Captain America weighs.

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Review: Reputation by Adriana Locke

Reputation by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.  This book was published yesterday and is available on Amazon.  I'll put the links at the bottom of the post.

I first met Coy and Bellamy in The Relationship Pact, and while their interaction in that book was short, it was enough to pull you into their story and want to know what happened between.  The snark was on another level.  This book starts out that way with the snark level through the roof, and the banter between Coy and Bellamy is great!  Coy, a famous country western singer, is home hiding out after a PR disaster and is trying to figure out what he wants to do next with his life and career.  Bellamy is the girl next door and used to be one of his best friends.  At some point they were more, but something happened and now she hates him and he isn't quite sure why.  When Bellamy's charge Bree literally throws a curveball into Coy's face, the two are forced to spend some time together when Coy offers to teach the little girl how to pitch and play piano.  Bellamy is not happy about the situation but when forced to choose between her nanny job and allowing Bree to spend a few hours with Coy she caves.

This is a story about misunderstandings, grief, emotion, love and so much more.  Bellamy and Coy used to be best friends and more, but neither of them is very good about communicating what they want or how they feel, especially when it comes to each other.  They have some unresolved baggage from their past that has caused quite the rift in their relationship.  Unfortunately, they both have a lot going on in their lives at the moment and despite the fact that they love each other, they aren't quite sure how to make it work when they need to be in two different places.  Fortunately for both of them, they have a strong support system and get some pretty great advice from their friends and family.   This just proves that good communication and understanding what your partner needs is so important in a relationship.

I loved the characters in this.  Because they had been friends for so long before hand we bypass the instalove and settle in to an easy going banter session full of memories and feelings.  The Mason family is awesome and I can't wait to get to know all of them.

Purchase links:

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Blog Tour: Been There Done That by Hope Ellis

Theirs was a forever kind of love, until it was stolen.

Been There Done That, an all-new second-chance romantic standalone by debut author Hope Ellis, is available now!

ZORA LEFFERSBEE’S once perfect life is no longer perfect. Her tenure at the University is in question, funding for her employees uncertain, and her faux-fiancé, Jackson James’s unpredictability is wearing on her last nerve. Just when Zora is convinced things can’t get more complicated, life proves her wrong.

What the heck is he doing here?

NICK ROSSI’s complicated life is still extremely complicated. He’s used to fighting for everything he has, but he’s also used to winning. Now a man of power and influence, his return to Green Valley after so many years hasn’t gone according to plan, especially with the woman he’s always wanted.

She can’t know why I left, or why I’m back.

A powerful woman intent on righting the wrongs of the world, Zora doesn’t have time or energy to deal with the man who broke her young heart.

A powerful man intent on righting the wrongs of the past, Nick can’t help wanting to protect Zora, even if his devotion is unrequited.

‘Been There Done That’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Leffersbee series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

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Excerpt

My Grandmother Leffersbee used to say, “Life isn’t perfect, but that’s what makes it so interesting.” Then she’d wink before adding, “Do you want interesting? Or do you want boring?”

Right now? I could use some boring perfection. Just a little. Just a smidge. Please.

“Zora.” A vaguely familiar-sounding voice said my name from someplace in the vicinity of my office doorway. I ignored it, hoping they’d take my silence as an invitation to go away.

You’re almost out of time.

My eyes stung, but I wasn’t going to cry. There is no crying in clinic communication research; there is only more research, more grant applications, more trying, more doing. But, damn, I really thought we had this one in the bag. Folks’ livelihoods depended on it. My tenure, my job, depended on it. Not to mention the research itself was important—so incredibly important.

“Zora,” that voice said again, firmer this time. Closer.

Given my present state of mind and eau de sweat fantastique, I can’t help barking out, “Now isn’t a good time.”

The man didn’t respond for a beat, but then once more said, “Zora,” this time with a hint of grit and impatience.

My glare cut away from the offending rejection email and I opened my mouth to volley something scathingly polite and dismissive, but then every nerve and muscle in my body seized. The clouds outside my office window parted at that very moment, emitting a biblical shaft of light that illuminated my overstuffed bookcases—and the breathtaking specimen of man standing in my office doorway on the fifth floor of the medical research building.

What the . . .?

Shock choked me. I couldn’t breathe. The cracked vinyl of the office chair’s armrests bit into the tender flesh of my palms.

I recognized him immediately even though he looked very, very different. All the awkward lankiness and unformed promise of his youth had been ruthlessly fulfilled in the intervening years. But after twelve years of empty, aching absence, of wondering and worrying, of resignation and sadness . . . he was here.

Was he real?

“I thought . . . I thought you were dead.” The whispered words left my mouth at the same time they formed in my brain.

Nick Armstrong stood silent and unmoving, a stolid sentry, looking at me. Just . . . looking.

The width of his shoulders filled the doorway, leaving scant space between his head and the door frame. I couldn’t help devouring the sight of him, half-wondering if he were a mirage. Despite being as fashion challenged as I was, I easily identified the perfect fit of a bespoke suit, noting how the high-quality fabric closely followed the muscled bulk of his shoulders and arms. The unassuming dark jacket, white dress shirt, and trousers did little to hide his tapered waist and well-developed thighs.

His hulking presence alone ensnared my attention, but his face arrested it. He was striking. Thick, ink-black hair just starting to curl over his collar matched the dark stubble shadowing his square jaw. His slightly off-center nose, likely the result of a break, ruined the pure symmetry of his features. But his eyes were a startling shade of green, the same showy, verdant hue of summer leaves under an ominously gunmetal sky.

So unsettlingly familiar. And yet . . . No, it couldn’t be him. There was no way it was Nick. Not after all these years.

This isn’t possible.

I lurched up and made a spectacle of myself as I struggled to stand. Panic weighted my feet. Disbelief severed any connection with my brain’s higher processing, leaving me stuck to my chair with my mouth hanging ajar. “Letting in flies,” as my Grandma Leffersbee would have said.

I blinked back confusion as I stared at him, captured by a whisper, an echo of a memory. “Who . . . ?”

His mouth moved, like maybe he was going to introduce himself. But instead, he repeated my name for a fourth time, “Zora . . .”

This voice was different from the Nick I had loved. Deeper. But the way he said my name, slowly, as if savoring the taste of something rich? I could never forget that.

It is him.

About Hope Ellis

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

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Review: Been There Done That by Hope Ellis

Been There Done That by Hope Ellis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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

This was a cute second chance romance.  I liked Nick and Zora's story.  Zora is a strong, smart woman who is always looking out for everyone else.  Because she is always taking care of her staff, her family, and everyone else, she often doesn't take the time to take care of herself.  Working at the local university and hospital to fix communication issues between doctors and patients, you would think she would be a perfect fit, but she's lost her passion for her job being stuck filling out grant applications and sorting through mountains of data.  Nick has turned his life around from the lost boy of Green Valley to a successful business man who wants to partner with Zora's team for his company's latest healthcare app.  Nick and Zora had the perfect romance, but she never knew why he left her with little explanation and never came back for her.  They are both striving for some imaginary bar that they just can't seem to reach so they will be worth of one another so they can be together.  After 12 years apart, they finally face why they were separated and the truth of why Nick left her comes out.  Zora is understandably hurt, but neither of them can deny that they never stopped loving each other and there will never be anyone else.

I really enjoyed the character development of this story.  All of the characters seemed real and relatable.  When they were doing something destructive someone call them on it.  When they were making bad decisions, someone said something and told them there would be consequences.  This had great side characters.  I hope to see some of them in future books.  The pacing of the story was a bit slow for me, but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story. 

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