Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Release Blitz: Not My Match by Ilsa Madden-Mills

“Rife with uproarious moments and banter that sings, this scorching contemporary will captivate Madden-Mills’s fans.” —Publishers Weekly

Not My Match, an all-new slow burn friends-to-lovers sports romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is available now!

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a smart and sexy romance about a professional football hottie and the girl he’s sworn to never touch.


Homeless and heartbreakingly innocent, Giselle Riley walks into my penthouse and chaos follows.
I shouldn’t have invited the girl genius to live with me, but it’s clear she needs my help—not only for a place to lay her pretty blonde head but in finding real love, which she’s not going to get with the crazy men she picks up online.
Too bad she’s a twenty-four-year-old virgin and I’m a bad boy wide receiver. She’s off limits for a hardcore player like me—and we’re just friends.
Instead, I’m her matchmaking service, no matter how jealous it makes me when I tag along on her dates.
I can keep my self-control. Right? No way will I give in to everything inside me that dreams of a girl like her in my world.
I may be the best wide receiver in the country, but how could I hold on to a girl like her?

Download your copy or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kZF7mm
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/notmymatch
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Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/3mXjbu9

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About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa
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Website: https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com
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Saturday, January 16, 2021

Review: Much Ado About You by Samantha Young

Much Ado About You Much Ado About You by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.   This is out February 2,  2020

This was exactly the book I've been looking for!  I would love to step into Evie's shoes and not only travel to a place I've never been but try running a bookstore for a few weeks to see if I could make something of it.  She gets to set her own hours, becomes a member of the small town community almost immediately, and finds the home she didn't know she was looking for.  Now I've already got my partner for life, but finding a town full of friendly people, beautiful views, and a quaint bookshop sounds perfect to me.  

This is a very slow burn romance as Evie moves to England to run Much Ado About Books for a month, and she has decided she is not going to fall for anyone during her stay, let alone handsome local farmer Roane Robson.  Her decision to not date doesn't deter him one bit.  Evie has had it with dating and men in general, after another failed attempt at dating and after getting passed over for another promotion in favor of a younger man.  She is tired of being undervalued, under appreciated, and unloved so when she sees an ad for a vacation rental that also lets you run the bookstore below it, she books a flight to England.  Upon arrival at the shop, Evie finds herself immediately drawn to the people in the town and is swept up in the daily gossip and drama of their lives.  She didn't expect to find happiness and contentment in England but this might just be the fresh start she's been looking for especially when ridiculously good looking farmer Roane finds a way to spend time with her every day and slowly breaks down her defenses.  

I really loved the characters in this.  Not only is Evie wonderful, but she is surrounded by the lovely townsfolk of Alnster.  Evie was immediately part of the town and meddling in their lives, or "just planting a seed" as she says in the book to get those around her to take the first step.  I am a bit jealous of her lovely vacation.   I loved Roane as well.  He was patient and kind to everyone, supportive of Evie and a wonderful cousin to Caro in her less than ideal situation, and just a great male lead.  I hope you love all the characters as much as I do when you read this!

There is some mild angst, but this is the feel good love story I've been looking for.  It has great banter, some great comedic moments, and at its heart a wonderful couple.   I expect nothing less from Samantha Young!  

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Review: Not My Match by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Not My Match Not My Match by Ilsa Madden-Mills
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

This is the second book in the Game Changer's series, but it can be read as a standalone.  There are some mentions of events that take place in Not My Romeo, which will make more sense if you read that first, however the author gives you enough background for it all to make sense.  I loved Not My Romeo and highly recommend you read as well, and it is on sale for 99 cents for a limited time.  Not My Match comes out on Tuesday January 19, 2021.  Go grab book 1 while it is on sale and get caught up on Jack and Elena's story before Devon and Giselle's story releases.  You can thank me later.

 

This follows brainy and inexperienced Giselle on her quest to finish her masters degree and PHD in Physics as well as find a suitable partner in life.  So far she has be unlucky in love and as her next birthday approaches, she is sure that the "birthday curse" is going to strike yet again.  Every year around her birthday something terrible happens and this year is no different, the only exception is that extremely hot football player Devon is there to rescue her and help her put the pieces of her life back together as it is falling apart.  Devon is Jack's best friend.  If you have read Not My Romeo, you will remember Jack as the leading man from that book, and you will know that Jack is married to Giselle's sister Elena.  This takes place directly after Jack and Elena's wedding, while they are on their honeymoon.  Jack, as the quarterback of the local football team, looks at Giselle as his own sister and has told the team to stay away from her, so when Devon finds himself undeniably attracted to her he tries to push her away.   Unfortunately, Giselle is having a crappy week and Devon offers to help her out with a place to stay after her house burns down. 

 

This is a fairly slow burn as Devon tries to stay away from Giselle, but after listening to her sci-fi romance that she's writing and getting to know her, eventually they can't deny what is between them.  I actually appreciated the slower burn between them as it forced them to get to know each other.  Both of the characters have some baggage to deal with, and they both had to lay their feelings on the table for this to work in the end.  I also really loved that the author addressed the  male chauvinism in STEM, there aren't enough brilliant women in STEM and the old fashioned "boys club" mentality has to go. 

 

I also love the Daisy Lady Gang.  This book has wonderful side characters and I hope to see more of them in the next book.  I expect Aiden, the up and coming quarterback and Jack's frenemy to get a book in the near future.  If you like a good slow, burn romance, with great characters, a little bit of humor, and some mild angst make sure to pick this up when it comes out.


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Sunday, January 10, 2021

Review: The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly

The Frozen Crown The Frozen Crown by Greta Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this.  It is filled with political intrigue, magic, and a strong female lead who will do anything to save her people.  I really liked the magic system in this, it is fairly straightforward and uncomplicated.  Much of it seems to be up to the user to explore their limits and see what they can do.  I hope we learn more about the magic in book 2.  There is a ton of political posturing that takes place and our leading lady Askia has to learn to play the game fairly quickly if she wants to win over the court of the Vishiri to gain enough allies to get them to go to war with her.  You see Askia's crown was taken from her and she has traveled south to the Empire of Vishir to ask for aid to win it back from the false king and his puppet master the mad yet powerful emperor of Roven.  Askia wants to fight for her people and finds the politics a waste of time, but she receives council that if she wants help she will need to win over those who control the troops and have the ear of the Emperor of Vishir.  The longer she remains at court, she learns who she can trust and who she cannot.  She also begins training to use her own magic, which she has hidden for a long time for her own safety.  

Unlike most books with lots of characters I was able to keep them all straight and never lose track of who was who.   This isn't told in alternating perspectives which helps.  This is a bit slower paced than I prefer in my fantasy novels however it is so politically heavy that the pace fits the plot.  I expect that the next book is going to have a lot more action and we'll see a quicker pace as things being to happen based on how this book ended.  It does end on a tiny cliffhanger, but I think we all saw it coming and it wasn't that big of a surprise.  The world building was excellent.  The visuals were well described without being overly verbose.  There are hints of romance in this but it doesn't take center stage.  I suspect we will see more of the romance in book 2 as Askia's true feeling are revealed and the players and their motivations change.

Overall I really enjoyed this and I cannot wait for the next book.  I am dying to know what happens to Askia and the rest of the characters in the book.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Review: Reputation by Adriana Locke

Reputation 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:

AVAILABLE NOW!! FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 


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Tuesday, January 5, 2021

BLOG TOUR: Reputation by Adriana Locke

     
 
  REPUTATION (Mason Family #2) by Adriana Locke Release Date: January 5th  

 

  AVAILABLE NOW!! FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/3pJPDk2 
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/3863OKi    

    

  Add to Goodreads: https://geni.us/Ccy4  

     

  Blurb: 
Coy Mason is a jerk. If there is one truth that Bellamy Davenport knows, it’s that. Hands-down. (Well, that and the fact that she didn’t mean to hurt him. Physically. Coy can’t be hurt emotionally because he doesn’t have a heart.) Coy is not just the small-town, literal boy-next-door. He’s a heartbreaking, womanizing, mischief-making (and delicious) man and was all of those things well before he became a hot-shot country music sensation. He’s a dream standing in her doorway with no shirt, messy hair, and a ‘Do you wanna?’ grin. But he’s also a nightmare for her heart and she knows it. Their enemies-to-lovers relationship always ends the same way—heavy on the enemies, light on the lovers. So why is she still standing there?  

   

About the Author: 
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.


 

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Friday, January 1, 2021

Review: Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Lore Lore by Alexandra Bracken
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This comes out on January 5th, 2021.  If you like Greek Mythology you need to check this out. Also if you liked The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner this is a good one to check out as it is action packed!

I loved this!  Despite being a touch on the side of too long, it kept my interest the entire time.  Everytime my attention started to stray, Bracken threw in some morsel of information or a twist to peak my interest and get me re-energized and back into the story.  If you are a lover of Greek Mythology, you are going to really enjoy this YA standalone.   

This follows Melora aka Lore who has renounced her part in the Agon as the last surving member of her bloodline.  As the Agon begins again she is reunited with her best friend whom she believed to be dead in the last Agon and she finds herself pulled back into a life she wanted nothing to do with.  As fragile alliances are formed and Lore struggles to keep those she cares about safe until the end of the Agon she can't help but remember the heinous crimes done to her in the past and the person she used to be.

This book has it all, a complex plot, non-stop action, great references to Greek Mythology (which I love), and great characters.  Each time I thought I had the plot figured out the author threw us another twist to keep things interesting.  I really enjoyed the take on the original mythology and gods she choose to use and the creation of the Agon as punishment for their meddling and destruction in the human world.  I also appreciated seeing a strong female lead who called out some of the misogynistic tendencies we've seen in these stories of old.  It was nice to see the old ways challenged and the God of War bested by the same "little girl".  I also loved the other characters.  Castor, Van and Miles all kept Lore grounded and they never compromised themselves for the Agon.  I really appreciated the inner turmoil Lore faced throughout the book regarding revenge, killing other, returning to the Agon, and ending the Agon completely.  She constantly struggled with her feelings and we actually got to see it on the page.  I really enjoyed her growth throughout the book.

I believe this is intended for a YA audience, but much like the Greek myths it is pretty violent and dark at times.  There is alot of violence and death in this book, which is inline with the subject matter.  It is no worse than The Hunger Games or the actual Greek myths so if you are OK with reading those I would say you'll be OK with this.  

I loved this and if you have loved Bracken's other books or like mythology I really think you'll love this too!  So why not 5 stars?  I'd give it 4.5 if I could.  It is a touch on the long side, but it is worth it.  The ending is a bit open ended.  I won't spoil it but I would have liked a bit more of a conclusion about what happened.  An epilogue would have been nice to wrap things up completely, and perhaps there is one in final version.  I'll have to check when it comes out in a few days.  I'll be buying a copy of this for myself for sure!

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