I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This is the second book in the Wolf Brothers series and is a reimagining of the Winston Brother's series by Penny Reid with a paranormal twist. This is a reimagining of Grin and Beard It, and if you have read the original series you will notice similarities between the characters and settings. Marsh has done a good job making Moonlight Valley and the characters uniquely her own while keeping true to the source material that we all know and love from Penny. This can be read as a standalone.
This follows Sonnet, a successful actress and writer who also happens to be part Fae and part witch. She is in Moonlight Valley to shoot her latest TV series when she runs into the charming, bearded professor Maverick Boone. Maverick has a shady past, but he has cleaned up his act and has spent the last 5 years atoning for his past mistakes. Did I mention he's a werewolf? He and Sonnet immediately hit it off and quickly learn about each other's paranormal secret. Neither wants to upset each other's life, but they can't deny their feelings for one another. I enjoyed watching how that played out as they navigate small town life and Hollywood's expectations.
My biggest issue with this book is that it is far too long. It is over 550 pages, I prefer my romances to be under 400. I had the same issue with book one, it was too long. There are long periods where the plot isn't moving forward or the focus isn't on Sonnet and Maverick and I found myself losing interest. I did enjoying getting to know the other Boone siblings and I expect that the author will continue moving forward with retelling each of their stories in the future. I thought Sonnet and Maverick had great banter back and forth, which I love in a book. I look forward to seeing how she reimagines each of the Winston's as Boone's and their lady loves.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This was a super fun opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance. As with all of the books in the series this can be read as a complete standalone. There are some characters present from other books in the series, however you don't need to read those before diving into this one.
This follows Hunter and Madeline as they train to be volunteer firefighters. They both have their reasons for signing up, and they both face challenges with the training. Madeline is book smart, while Hunter excels with the physical challenges. They went to high school together, and because his family is part of the local biker gang she always thought he was up to no good as well. Hunter does what he can to stay on the straight and narrow, but Madeline gets under his skin so he decides to knock her down a peg and a prank war ensues. The fire chief gets wind of their shenanigans and pairs them up for the remainder of the training with the stipulation that both of them pass or they both fail when it comes to test taking time. Naturally this frustrates both of them, but it forces them to face each other and air their greivances. In order to pass the exams at the end of training, they both have to help each other with what they are best at. Because they are spending so much time together, it gives them time to get to know one another and act on the attraction that has been building between them.
I thought Hunter and Madeline had great chemistry and banter. Hunter had an undiagnosed learning disability, which made him feel inferior and unworthy. Given his family situation that is understandable, and really unfortunate. Madeline on the other hand is very stubborn, she has a hard time accepting help and telling people when she needs something. She learns through training that she can't do everything on her own, and she has to be part of a team to be successful. It isn't failing if she asks for help or confronts someone. Both characters show great growth in this story. This has some great moments of levity mixed with humor from the pranks balanced with the romance.
This is another great addition to the Smartypants catalogue!
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This is a slow burn paranormal reimagining of Penny Reid’s Winston Brother’s series, fans of the original series will see the similarities between Green Valley and Moonlight Valley. Instead of Winston’s we have Boone’s a family of werewolf shifting brothers who run an animal rescue business and each resemble one of the Winston. Ford Boone is a partner in the family business and he has been in love with Alice Aymes since they were teenagers. She on the other hand thinks she is in love with his identical twin. Ford and Alice have always fought when she came to visit her Aunt Sally. Now that they are both adults and she has returned to town to deal with her Aunt’s estate their enemies to lovers dynamic picks up where they left off as teens. Alice realizes that she has always been attracted to Ford, and he admits his feelings for her.
As Ford and Alice agree to pursue a relationship of sorts with each other, they both have to deal with some unexpected emotions about relationships. They are both planners, and they both have some hang-ups when it comes to commitments. Alice has big plans for her life and they don't have her staying in Moonlight Valley forever. Ford knows that Alices is his one and only, but he knows that she is going to leave and break his heart one day, so he doesn't go all in on the relationship. He also has some dealings with some unsavory characters that he is trying to protect her and his brothers from. I loved the interactions and conversations they had. They had good banter and this was really funny at times.
Overall I think this was a fun reimagining and I enjoyed the paranormal twist. I do think it was a tad on the long side in my opinion.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
I can't tell you how much I appreciated having a veteran female main character! As a veteran myself, you don't often see women in the military unless it is a sci-fi book. I really appreciated seeing a disabled veteran as a main character in a romance novel. Robin was awesome, I loved her so much. I also really loved Arthur. He is a grumpy, bear of a mailman who is really a big old softy once you get to know him. Arthur is a man of few words, but the ones he does say have meaning. When Robin catches her boyfriend who happens to be Arthur's cousin cheating on her, Arthur is there to comfort her and help her pick up the pieces. They form a pact to make Robin's now ex jealous by fake dating, but that has its own complications when their fake feelings take a turn into reality.
Robin and Arthur have a bit of a complicated situation-ship as they both navigate feelings, work, and family stuff. The both have a hard time communicating what they want in general, so when it comes to love, they both fumble a bit. They have some really cute moments together which are also met with some great spicy scenes and some really great pearls of wisdom. I really enjoyed getting to know them.
As with all of the books in the series this reads as a complete standalone. It does feature characters from other books in the series, however you can read them in any order.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This is a cute age gap romance following tenacious Loretta, a part time crime scene investigator by day with the local sheriff's department and a personal investigator by night. Her PI business specializes in scorned women and she keeps their identities and personal well being safe. Loretta knows what it is like to be hurt by an unfaithful husband, so protecting these women and their dignity is very important to her. Enter Green Valley Fire Department's newest Lieutenant, Buck Rodgers and Loretta's new neighbor. Their first meeting is a comedy of errors, but Buck and Loretta have instant chemistry. Loretta isn't interested in a relationship, let alone with a hot fireman 10 years younger than her. Buck is determined to wear her down with his flirting and firehouse cooking skills.
Just as Buck and Loretta begin to grow closer, he finds he needs her PI skills to investigate something strange going on with his own mother. As the two of them look into what she is up to, Buck uncovers a messy family situation that he isn't sure how to handle. As he's processing his own dark family secrets he manages to spoil things with Loretta in the process. She isn't willing to let what appears to be Buck's immaturity ruin her life plans that she has worked so hard to obtain. Will Buck be able to protect Loretta from his family drama and win her back before it is too late?
I enjoyed Buck and Loretta as well as the supporting cast of characters. They both had good character development, and I thought they had good chemistry. This is a bit on the slower burn side as all of the threads of the story come together, but every thing does come together nicely in the end. This tackled some really great topics as well. As with all of the Smartypants Universe books this reads as a complete standalone.
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I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This as with all of the other books in the Smartypants universe reads as a complete standalone. It features other characters from the Pennyverse and other books in the Donner Bakery world, but you don't have to read them to follow along with Mags and Cy's story.
It pains me to say this, because I love what Smartypants puts out, but I didn't love this one. I had a hard time connecting with Mags. She was pretty insulting to the town and the people, yet Cy pretty instantly falls in love with her because she is pretty and all is forgiven. Mags does eventually get brownie points for helping rescue Cy's reputation with the townsfolk. This is pretty insta-love heavy, which is not my favorite trope. I don't feel that the two main characters ever really developed the love and trust they really needed to sell their relationship as believable. On the other hand, Cy was a wonderful character! The way he tried to earn the trust of his niece and make his house a home for her while she stayed with him was amazing! I think that is why I was so disappointed in Cy and Mags' relationship. The relationship between Gemma (the niece) and Cy was so well developed and flushed out. The author did a great job being respectful of the horrors Cy and his sister Ruth faced as children, and the depression they both suffered as adults because of it. Cy openly but respectfully discusses his struggles with mental health with Mags and Gemma, and only wants to protect those he cares about from being harmed physically and verbally by others.
Overall, this was just an OK romance for me. It was lacking some of relationship building elements that I personally like to see in an opposites attract romance.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
As with all of the books in the Smartypants universe, this reads as a complete standalone. We first meet Mari and Leo in Passing Notes, which I highly recommend, but that follows a completely different couple.
I love a good found family story and this really delves deeply into that. Sometimes the family you choose is better for you than the family your were born with, and Mari discovers that in this book. While her family isn't necessarily terrible to her, they don't respect her and often treat her as if she is an afterthought. I really loved that she had a support system in her cousin Clara and found one in Leo. No one wanted to change her, they only wanted to help her and be there for her. On the flip side Leo had some internal struggles as well, he had to deal with returning home home after being on tour with a successful rock band. Green Valley is the last place he wanted to come back to, but he has some healing and soul searching to do. When Mari asks Leo to tutor one of his students, it forces him to face alot of his feelings about his band, his music, and himself in general. There are quite a few emotional moments in the book, but they are well balanced with humorous and tender moments as well.
I hope we get more from this series. I loved so many of the side characters and I hope we get to see more of them in the future This has great banter and chemistry between the characters. When the communication between our main love interests starts to slip, they either talk about it or one of their support people is there to give them a nudge to talk to their partner about what is going on instead of jumping to conclusions and letting things fester. I loved the resolution that Mari's student Cath came to about her future, it was perfect! I thought I knew how that was going to end but I was pleasantly surprised, I also loved Leo's grand gesture at the end.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
If you have been following along with the Smartypants Universe from the beginning, the name Clara Hill has come up before, and you will be familiar with the other Hill sisters. If not, this reads as a complete standalone, so don't worry you start here.
Clara and Nick had a thing in high school. They parted ways when Nick went away to college on a full scholarship, and Clara was left to pick up the pieces of her shattered heart and find her own way. They didn't part on the best of terms, so when grown up Nick moves in next to Clara with his two kids in tow, she is somewhat of a mess. She just wants to be left alone to water her plants, people watch her neighbors, and avoid dealing with her problems and tell other people how to fix theirs. Nick is doing the best he can to deal with being a single dad, be cordial to his ex, be a good teacher and coach, but when Clara re-enters his life she is all he can think about. All of those memories from the past come racing back and he is determined to fix things with Clara once and for all.
If you love second chance romances, this is a great one. Nick and Clara have alot of chemistry and alot of explaining to do. Once they finally get to the bottom of what happened in high school and what their fears and expectations are, things really take off for them. Nick knows Clara is the one who got away, and now she is back in his life, he isn't letting her go again. I appreciated that we get some appearances by other characters that we've seen in past books. I also liked the way that the situation with Nick's kids and his ex-wife were handled. They had a good co-parenting situation and were respectful of bringing new partners around their children. Clara was also wonderful with the kids, the kids were great too.
I love Nora Everly's writing and this is another great addition to the Smartypants Universe!
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This was a bit of a slow start for me, but things really started to pick up around the 50% mark. I felt this was a tad on the long side, especially in the beginning as we are meeting all of the characters and establishing the plot. The second half of the book picks up the pace as our former nun Helen teams up with bounty hunter Thad to find her brother. They get pulled into a much more complicated situation, and things heat up both on the mission and in the romance department.
This book had a really unique concept, and I'm anxious to see where the rest of the series is headed as the other two characters are intriguing. Former nuns form a support group as they enter the life outside the convent. Helen's friends Nina and Matilda are awesome and I look forward to getting to know them more in the future. Helen, has settled in as a librarian and she is working on a romance novel. She is seeing a therapist, to work through her feelings and how to navigate new experiences. Enter Thad, former reality TV start and real life bounty hunter. He poses as a library patron for a case he is working on, but there is real tension and attraction between them when he finally reveals his intentions. Helen's brother Dean has always gotten into mischief, but this time he has gotten in way over his head. They go on quite the adventure to find Dean, and their attraction grows Helen agrees to help Thad find him, and they set out on a road trip. Helen really starts to come into her own and experience things that were forbidden and deemed sinful when she was a nun. Thad also has some stuff he needs to work through based on past relationships. Their character development was done very well, and I really appreciated how the author approached sensitive situations and the topic of personal choice.
Overall, I thought this was really fun. I enjoyed getting to know Thad and Helen and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This was hilarious, while also being sweet and heartbreaking at times! This reads as a standalone but it has interconnected characters, and if you want the full comedic impact of Chad and to understand some of the stuff he's talking about, I'd start at the beginning. There are a lot of references to things from the previous books, but they aren't really necessary to follow along with Val and Larinda's story. If you find yourself saying "what in the world?" I'd start back at the beginning and you will understand what is going on. Despite this being Val and Larinda's book, I feel like this was Chad's book too.
This follows Larinda, a successful country music start who wants to take control of her music. She's found a young, new producer who sees her vision and doesn't try to walk all over her or shut her down when she has a suggestion like the rest of her team. Val is an unknown in the music industry, but he's got talent and Larinda wants him around. As Larinda's tour progresses, it becomes clear that there is chemistry between the starlet and the producer, however her team has clearly stated that she can't date her producer. Larinda has been "dating" her co-headliner Jarvis for years but she's had enough of his nonsense, but their record labels have other plans in mind.
Val quickly finds himself stuck between his own desires and protecting Larinda from some plot he can't figure out. Aided by none other than Chad from Sandeke Telecom, who becomes his new bestie and spy mentor, Val learns that her career is in danger and he will do anything for her. She is his ray of sunshine in a crappy existence, and she has been put in a terrible situation. Larinda is a people pleaser and has a hard time telling people no, she often gets taken advantage of. She gets some great advice from Val's sister about being the confident woman she is both on an off the stage which I really loved. I think we all walk a fine line between our professional self and our personal self, Larinda needed a little reminder that her two selves needed to be a little more alike.
Overall, I loved this! This has a great romance between two great characters, some great comedic moments, and some good emotional moments that will pull on your heartstrings.
Love Matched, an all-new charming opposites attract historical romance from Laney Hatcher, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!
There are three things you need to know about Lady Cassandra Fields:
1. Despite being beloved, this diamond of the first water has yet to land a husband.
2. Her bold personality and giving heart help fuel her charitable endeavors.
3. She’s looking for adventure--something beyond ballgowns, drawing rooms, and her ladylike skill with needle and thread.
Thus far, Cassandra’s abysmal luck has kept her from reaching her goals. With no husband and no household, she’s beginning to wonder if she has a future at all. A surprising encounter with a cunning thief brings more to light than Cassandra is prepared to handle. But the lady has never backed down from a challenge, and it seems this mystery man might have finally met his match.
When circumstances, once again, threaten Lady Cassandra’s dreams, she must decide if she’s willing to risk her careful plans for the thief who has stolen her heart.
‘Love Matched’, a Penny Reid Universe Reimagining, is a full-length historical romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the London Ladies Embroidery series, Smartypants Romance Out of this World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
The fire was banked but my bedchamber was warm. I wandered in the relative darkness over to my dressing table and deposited my elaborate mask. Folding my shawl, I placed it on the cushioned seat before hearing a quiet tap on my balcony doors.
Something instinctual within told me who I would find. My heart accelerated with expectation rather than fear.
Moving cautiously, I went to the closed window overlooking the garden and down into the mews. I peered sidelong at the dark form standing just outside my exterior doors, on the second floor of my home.
Anticipation bloomed eager and hopeful, and I threw open the latch. Alexander stood sentry on the small balcony, his hair slightly tousled, expression guarded. His eyes dipped once again to my bodice, but returned admirably after just a moment.
“I was not ready to say good night,” he admitted, finally acknowledging his presence here in my home.
“Somehow I don’t imagine the lock would have posed a challenge for you.”
“I thought it better to ask permission rather than forgiveness.”
“That doesn’t sound like you at all,” I quipped.
He smiled, a weak and wounded thing. “Perhaps I am trying to be more respectable.”
I reached forward and tugged the lapels of his jacket. “I wish you wouldn’t.”
As we moved within, I felt him smile against my lips before he reached low around my thighs and hoisted me up. His boot lifted and he pushed the balcony door gently shut. Then we were shuffling, in the dark, toward my bed. Alexander didn’t bother turning down the coverlet. My back landed softly and he followed, lips still caressing mine.
His weight was a delicious press in the darkness. I felt both bound and safely ensconced. My legs were wide but the bunch of my skirts inhibited full contact between us. I felt his tongue ease forward and lick into my mouth, the heat and movements slow and seductive. One large hand still clutched my outer thigh while the other supported his upper body where he hovered above me.
I broke away from his mouth and squirmed in his arms, reaching for a candle and a match on my bedside table.
“Leave it,” he begged, voice rough and strained. “If I clearly see your face, your body, I’ll come to my senses and climb down your trellis, calling myself every kind of fool for forgetting my place.”
“Your place,” I said, “is right here. With me.”
About Laney Hatcher
Laney Hatcher is a firm believer that there is a spreadsheet for every occasion and pie is always the answer. She is an author of stories that have a past, in a language of love that’s universal. Often too practical for her own good, Laney enjoys her life in the southern United States with her husband, children, and incredibly entitled cat.
All Mixed Up, an all-new swoony second chance romance from Heidi Hutchinson, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!
Nikki has a lot going on at the moment.
She’s the best sound engineer and mixer at XY Records, she’s working on a super-secret project with a pop megastar, and holding the busier-than-usual studio together.
Andre has it all figured out. Two and half years ago he had no idea what he was doing when he walked away from the love of his life. But time has given him perspective, and he’s grown up. Which is why the paleontology professor is working part-time at his ex’s recording studio. Because he wants to make amends. And maybe win her back.
Will Nikki give him the chance he thinks he’s ready for? Or will it be her turn to walk away from him?
'All Mixed Up' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #8 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Just a small one, but it was there, and he wasn’t going to run away from it.
Not this time.
Never again.
He turned the car into the parking lot, excitement buzzing in his veins.
Every decision in his life had brought him to this moment and he felt good about it.
He was finally ready to embrace life and stop being afraid to be happy.
It was going to be good from here on out—great even.
He hit the brakes as a flash of color and limbs hit his windshield with a loud thud. The car came to a hard stop and the colors rolled off the hood of the car and hit the ground.
“Oh God.” He slammed the car into park and undid his seat belt.
How had that happened?
“Please don’t be a person. Please don’t be a person.” His stomach turned and his hands shook as he shoved the door open.
The hot, sticky July heat engulfed him immediately as he ran around the front of his car.
It was a person.
He dropped to his knees, hands trembling.
He’d hit a person!
With his car!
“Are you okay?” he asked, not sure where to put his hands.
It was a woman in a bright dress. The fabric tangled around her legs, both of her shoes had come off, her arms were tucked under her body at an odd angle.
And the hair…her hair was blonde.
And she was utterly still.
He reached for her, knowing it was Nicole and still hoping it wasn’t.
Footsteps came racing toward him, but he didn’t glance up.
“Call an ambulance,” he said to whoever had joined them and he felt her neck for a pulse.
A flutter under his fingertips let him know she was alive.
Of course, she was alive. The car had barely been moving. It couldn’t possibly be that bad.
Please don’t be that bad.
He pressed his face to the ground to get level with hers and brushed her hair out of her eyes. She was unconscious. Or at least, she appeared to be unconscious. He didn’t want to move her, but he also wanted to be sure she could breathe.
He looked up to see that they were surrounded by some people he knew and some he didn’t.
A dark-haired man in a light blue Henley was on the phone with emergency services.
Sabine joined him on the ground.
Sabine?
He did a double take on his younger sister. Why was she there?
Nicole ignored his instruction to not move and rolled onto her back. She cradled her right elbow with her left hand, face contorted in pain. Water started leaking from her eyes.
Her blue eyes flashed as they raked over his face. Like she was just now realizing who he was.
“What…?” she started to ask and struggled to sit up.
He sucked in a breath and held his hands out, palms facing her. “Stay there.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and all those fantasies that he’d had about seeing her again crumbled into dust like the guy from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade who chose the grail that wasn’t so holy.
Sirens grew closer and relief began to prickle in the back of his mind. “It’s okay,” he said, trying to reassure her (and himself). “The paramedics are almost here.”
He couldn’t stop looking at her.
It had been years since he’d seen her, and somehow, she was even more beautiful than he remembered.
About Heidi Hutchinson
Heidi Hutchinson creates funny, clever, slow burn romance for readers looking for a guaranteed happily ever after.
She hopes the stories she writes inspire her readers to take their hearts on one more adventure.
She lives in the Black Hills with her alarmingly handsome husband, their fearless child, and a rather large and spoiled dog.
She is fueled by her unwavering and perfectly normal devotion to Dave Grohl and coffee.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
As with the other books in the series this reads as a standalone. There are characters mentioned from the previous books by the same author, but they aren't necessary to the storyline of this book. I do highly recommend them as the previous books were excellent. If you want to get to know Johnny and Hannah check out Key Change, if you want to get to know Sabine and Dave (aka Sunshine Capone) check out Lost Track.
Nikki dreams of being a music producer. She works at a small recording studio as an engineer and she is amazingly talented. She has been working with an award winning popstar in secret who she connected with during another recording session. Nikki has what it takes to make this idea a smash hit, but she is letting doubt cloud her judgement. Enter Andre, Nikki's ex and love of her life. Andre is an archeology professor who moonlights as a carpenter on the side. He is also a disaster when it comes to feelings and relationships due to his jerk of a father. Andre sabotaged his relationship with Nikki because he was scared, but he never explained why. He also never stopped loving her. When Nikki's boss hires him to renovate part of the recording studio, the two of them are forced to spend some time together and they are forced to face the past and their feelings for one another.
I really loved getting to know Andre and Nikki. Imposter syndrome is real and dealing with self-doubt about your abilities is so relatable. Even if you are the most qualified person in the world, you can still doubt yourself and I think the author did a great job making both of the characters vulnerable in different ways and brought that forward. I loved that the side characters offered support and advice where needed. I loved Sabine and Dave from Key Change, and it was nice to see them as part of this story as well. I really enjoyed Asa and his no nonsense approach to dealing with Andre and Nikki, just a like a good best friend should act.
I love a good second chance romance and this delivers. The characters had good chemistry, but they don't dive right back into old patterns. They take their time getting to know each other and have the conversations they should have had previously while still maintaining the spark they always had. This has a moderate amount of spice but it isn't over the top and doesn't overwhelm the storyline. Overall, I loved this and highly recommend it as well as the other books in the series!
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.
This is the 7th book in the Common Threads series, however it reads as a complete standalone. There are some familiar characters from other books in the series mentioned, but you don't have to read those first. If you want to read more about Pippa's best friend Tia and her story, you will want to read Give Love a Chai by the same author. I highly recommend it, but it isn't necessary to get to know Pippa and August.
What do you get when you put a wholesome small-town history teacher and a successful worldly lawyer together on a reality TV show? A really lovely opposites attract romance filled with self-acceptance and learning to find the people who love you as you are. Pippa is a successful attorney, but she doesn't find fulfillment in the wealth and success she has achieved. She is very aware of her privilege, but she is also aware that she isn't happy and something is missing in her life. In an attempt to locate what is missing she takes a six month sabbatical from her job, travels the world, and signs up for a reality dating show where the contestants have the opportunity to find true love. August teaches history at the local high school and coaches soccer. He is the biggest cinnamon roll ever. He is happy living in his small town where everyone is in everyone else's business and he never wanted more than he has. August's sister nominated him for the show while he is on summer break as a chance for him to take a chance on love. He is fun and kind and honest, something Pippa is not used to, so when they meet and have instant chemistry she immediately pushes him away for the jerks she is familiar with.
It quickly becomes clear that August and Pippa have something special and as the show progresses they spend more an more time together getting to know each other. August is patient and willing to wait for Pippa to be ready for the big feelings that scare her about their relationship. She doesn't have many real connections in her life and being vulnerable is not something she is good at. They agree to see each other after the show ends and try to build something real instead of something fake for social media views, but neither of them is sure that they can survive the very real pressures the outside will throw at them.
I really loved getting to know August and Pippa. They were both very realistic characters. While their attraction was instant they took time getting to know each other before they jumped into anything physical, which I really appreciated. I'm not a fan of insta-love, and the author did a good job giving their relationship substance even though their relationship did progress quickly. This does have some angst, but it resolves itself quickly.
Overall this is another great installment to the Smartypants Universe, and I highly recommend it!
I was provided both a print and audio arc of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own. The audiobook is narrated by Lillian Rachel and she does a wonderful job with the narration.
This is the best book in the series by far. Hatcher's retellings of the Knitting in the City series keep getting better with each installment! This is Sandra and Alex's story retold as Lady Cassandra, daughter of a duke who attends all of the premier events in the hopes of making a match and finding a husband. She has terrible luck and each of her suitors ends up having some awful and hilarious event occur during their courtship. Enter Alexander, a footman well below her station, but she is drawn to him nonetheless.
I loved how the author got creative with the characters to put them in 19th Century London vs present day Chicago where the original source material was set. I also love revisiting with the original characters as part of the embroidery circle of aristocratic ladies and how she maintained their friendship and kept true to the nature of each of the characters while still telling a unique and new story of her own.
I loved watching Cassandra and Alexander's relationship unfold. She is blunt and bold, always seeking adventure, which is something a lady of her status is not typically known for. He works odd jobs to make ends meet and has a past he isn't proud of, but finds it hard to resist her charms. He does his best to remind her that they are not a good match despite their chemistry and attraction, but Lady Cassandra does what she wants and throws caution to the wind when she finally finds love. Fortunately she has a family and group of friends that will support her no matter what.
If you are a fan of the Knitting in the City series, you have to read this Regency reimagining. It is executed so well. It stays true to the original, while being something completely new. This series is so fun to revisit favorite characters in a new setting and new adventures.
I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, al opinions are my own.
This is the 6th book in the series, however it reads completely as a standalone. There are other characters mentioned in the book that have had their own books written by the same author so if you want to read Dawn and Mike's story read Mad About Ewe, and Donal and Tess' story is Not Since Ewe. You can find some of the other characters in Penny Reid's Knitting in the City series, which is what spawned the whole Smartypants Romance Universe.
This follows Brandon, Dawn's son, as he tries his hand at online dating. He is socially awkward and his ADHD makes him come off as kind of a jerk when he really doesn't mean to. Chloe on the other hand is his complete opposite and happens to work for his mother. When they match on the dating app and have an epically terrible first date, things don't look like they will pan out, but when Bran and Chloe are forced to spend several hours together driving to Dawn's wedding because neither of them want to disappoint Dawn they find that the app might not have been wrong after all. Chloe is an aspiring textile artist and feels emotions deeply. Her parents were kind of crappy and while she is very talented she has lacked the support network she needed to feel confident about her abilities. Bran other the other hand has had a wonderfully supportive mother and a father who values drive and performance above all. He is confused about what he wants for his future, but he knows he is really good at it and will be a successful lawyer if he wants to be.
I really liked that Chloe and Bran offset each other so nicely. The both valued each other's feelings and needs. She made him ditch the perfect plans and be a little spontaneous while he built her up and step out of her comfort zone and take chances with her art and career that she was putting off. They both had to face fears and were supportive of each other while coming to conclusions about their own needs on their own. I loved the supportive cast of characters as well. While we see alot of growth from the main characters on their own, it wouldn't have been possible without the side characters to provide support and advice for them to get them to where they needed to be.
Overall, I really enjoyed getting to know these two characters and watch as their relationship develop.
Ewe Complete Me, an all-new forced proximity romance from USA Today bestselling author Susannah Nix, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!
Love defies logic when two polar opposites attract.
Chloe and Brandon have nothing in common. She’s a spontaneous, people-loving fiber artist; he’s an uptight, introverted law student. The only thing they agree on during their blind date is that they hope to never see each other again.
Except they do have something in common—Brandon’s mother Dawn, who happens to be Chloe’s boss and dear friend. Which is how they end up stuck with each other for a six-hour road trip to Dawn’s destination wedding.
But as they get to know each other better, their mutual irritation morphs into an inescapable connection. Maybe these two opposites aren't so mismatched after all. Could Brandon be the yin to Chloe’s yang? The peanut butter to her jelly? The rock to her roll?
Or will their differences tear them apart when they return to their normal lives at the end of the wedding weekend?
'Ewe Complete Me' is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #6 in the Common Threads series, Seduction in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
I didn’t know why I kept bothering with online dating. I could be at home in my favorite sloth pajamas right now crocheting in front of the TV instead of sitting on this uncomfortable faux-industrial stool sipping a watered-down margarita.
Why did I keep setting myself up for disappointment? I’d even curled my hair and taken extra time with my makeup this morning. Not that you could tell after eight hours of hauling inventory around at work. I’d also worn my cutest bra today, which happened to be my least comfortable. The underwire had practically fused with my ribs. I’d probably need to have it surgically removed.
And for what? To be stood up by a stranger named Bran.
So much for my perfect match.
To be honest, I’d had my doubts about his perfection from the moment the notification from FindUrPartner hit my inbox. For starters, his name was Bran. Not only did it bring to mind high-fiber laxatives and regular bowel movements, it sounded like the kind of one-syllable name favored by too many of the douchebags I’d known in high school. What was it about guys with names like Brock and Bryce and Beck that they seemed to grow up into entitled jerks?
On top of that, Bran was a law student, and every law student I’d ever met was a competitive, self-absorbed overachiever. Which was the exact opposite of what I wanted in a boyfriend. Not to mention, my father was a lawyer, so…yeah. I had some not-good feelings about men who wanted to be lawyers.
I should have swiped left based on the law student thing alone, but I’d been lured in by Bran’s profile photo. He’d had a nice smile and kind-looking eyes, so I’d given him a shot. That would teach me to judge a book by its cover. Actual kind eyes never would have stood me up. That probably wasn’t even him in the picture. Those were likely some stock photo model’s kind eyes that I’d been suckered into meeting for a drink.
Deciding I’d waited long enough, I clambered off my stool and turned to make my escape…only to find myself face-to-face with the very pair of eyes I’d been ruminating over, along with the dark hair, chiseled cheekbones, and square chin I recognized from Bran’s profile photo.
Wowza. Definitely not a stock photo.
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.
Peaches and Dreams, an all new single dad small-town romance from Juliette Cross, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!
Marly Rivers is not crazy. No matter what everyone says. They may think her dream is foolish, but she plans to prove them all wrong—one jar of moonshine at a time.
Single dad Wade Kelley is just fine. No matter what his best friend Jed says. He doesn’t need a woman in his life. But when his son Jake breaks a jar of moonshine, he sets something in motion that neither Wade nor Marly are prepared for.
A friendly favor turns into late nights, long dinners, and a romp in the woods. And in a deer stand too. By the time Wade realizes he’s fallen hard and deep for Mad Marly, it may be too late to tell her. When she falls into real and sudden danger with poachers, he may not even be able to save her.
‘Peaches and Dreams’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
He cleared his throat and glanced back toward the door. “No. This is it. I’d better go. Jake’s in the truck.”
“Yeah. I was standing right here when you told him to go wait in it two minutes ago.”
He gave me that confused expression again, but I don’t know why. He was the one stating the obvious.
“Right.” He turned and marched for the door.
I followed him toward the exit. “Did you want to pay for that? Or were you planning on stealing it?”
“Huh?” he turned near the door.
I was used to flustering people, particularly men, so this didn’t surprise me.
“You already paid Kayla?” I pointed to the jar in his hand.
“Oh, hell.” He shook his head and met me at the register.
I glanced out the window to check on Jake. He was sitting in the passenger seat of a big Chevy next to my Ford-150. After ringing Wade up, I gave him his change then bagged his jar of moonshine.
“You sure you don’t want me to pay for that broken jar?” he asked. “I don’t know why, but I feel like you’re covering for Jake. Kids gotta learn to pay when they make mistakes.”
“I’m sure you’re absolutely correct and know much more about parenting than I do, seeing as I am not a parent. But don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. It’s all good.”
Again, he gave me that blank-faced, puzzled expression as I handed over his moonshine in a paper bag and beamed brightly up at him.
“You’re a funny kind of woman, Marly.”
“You better believe it. I put the fun in funny.” I winked.
He shook his head and took the bag, but I swear I saw him actually crack a smile before he ducked his chin and strolled out to his truck.
Kayla joined me behind the counter while we both watched him walk across the parking lot. Though I was not a fan of Wade Kelley—the grouchy man hated country music, for Pete’s sake—I had to admit he looked awfully good walking away.
“Why’d you make up a story for the kid?”
I shrugged. “Just wanted to. He’s a cute kid who looked like he was about to cry. I wanted him to smile.”
“His daddy is more than cute. Good gracious alive.”
I watched Wade slide into the driver’s seat and say something to his son. He didn’t seem angry as he started the truck, braced his arm across the backseat and looked back as he reversed.
“You think so?”
“Hell, girl. Are you kidding me? That man is a full-on smoke-show.”
“I don’t see it.” Not entirely.
As Wade’s truck reversed, I could make out that deep frown of his through the window. His dark eyes caught mine for a split second. Or two. Then he turned around and drove out of the parking lot.
“Fine by me,” added Kayla, heading toward the breakroom. “You let me tend to his every need next time he comes in.”
Frowning, I headed back to the boxes of Peppermint Patty and the display I needed to finish, wondering why Kayla was annoying me so much today
About Juliette Cross
JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance & the co-host of the podcast, Smart Women Read Romance. As a native of Louisiana, she lives in the heart of Cajun land with her husband, four kids, her labs, Kona and Jeaux, and kitty, Betty. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine.
Wolf and Bare It by Anne Marsh
