I had absolutely no idea that this book was due to be released until it landed on my kindle, and it was the best new years present. The only issue is that I currently have a houseful of kids and finding time to sneak off and read this was hard. But once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down.

 

Lilah Raine is one of those authors I'm sure has a direct line to my very private reading kinks. And I read this whole book while squirming. But I had no idea that this one is the brother of a previous FMC. So, as I was reading it, I suddenly had an ah ha moment. That said I feel like I've read so many Mafia, arranged marriage books recently they have all kind of merged and I can't really remember the exact details.

 

But Lorna and Nic were so freaking hot. And surprisingly they were also really sweet, and I loved that Nic was a complete marshmallow for Lorna while also being incredibly protective and possessive. And an absolute morally grey hero.

 

The story had the perfect amount of twists and turns. And although it was 90% breeding smut the story kept me turning the pages to see how things were going to play out. And despite the fact that this has characters from a previous book, and they are reasonably present in this book it is a complete standalone. I don't think you miss anything if you read this one first.

 

Now I'm off to stalk the author to see what else I've missed while being caught up in the Christmas fog.

 

https://amzn.to/40sQlay

Steal My Heart by Laura Pavlov is now live!

A Small Town, Enemies to Lovers, Workplace, Standalone Romance from USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, Laura Pavlov.

 

Henley Holloway is my boss’s daughter and I’ve been assigned to mentor her.

The problem is, I’m not looking to babysit anyone.

But I’m determined to make partner at the firm, and this is the final obstacle in my way.

So, I agree to take the little princess under my wing.

I’ll work her so hard, she’ll beg me to leave her alone.

But from the first day she walks into the office and spills scalding hot coffee on my chest—I’m intrigued.

She’s a Harvard grad.

Her work ethic rivals mine.

She’s witty and funny and beautiful all at the same time.

I don’t want to like her.

I have a hard and fast rule about relationships, and I will not break it with my boss’s daughter.

That’s a hard no.

But she’s everywhere I turn, and I can’t seem to get enough.

Weren’t rules meant to be broken anyway?

From the moment we cross the line—I’m done for.

Henley Holloway has seeped her way into my heart, one that I didn’t even know still worked.

But sometimes loving someone isn’t enough.

I’m living proof of that.

 

My Review

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Audible: https://bit.ly/3Dz4U3n

Narrated by: Andi Arndt & Connor Crais

 

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Meet Laura

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

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I need to preface this by saying that I signed up for this book at least a month ago and I didn't check the blurb before I jumped in. So as I started reading it I had no clue that this is a semi (not really) spin off from the series I binged by this author not that long ago. But little things kept tickling my memory and then bam beefcake entered the page, and I had a massive omg moment.

 

Now there's literally no reason that you can't read this as a standalone. I just love seeing characters I love in other books like a little Easter egg. I knew that this series was going to be based on Emmy's brothers and it really started off strong. 

 

I am not a huge fan of workplace romance so for the first few chapters I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. Then I was too busy falling for Henley and Easton together. Because they were super cute and just as steamy. They both had their own things happening and I was absorbed in seeing it all play out.

 

I am so excited to see the other brothers fall. I just hate that I have to wait. Luckily for me there's a whole back catalogue just waiting for me to dive in.

 

https://amzn.to/4gKrbtX

 

 

FORBIDDEN DREAMS

Natasha Madison

Release Date: January 3

 

 

Blurb:

When the single mom moves in next door, it's your enemy's soon-to-be ex-wife.

Lines are drawn, and I have to remember not to cross them.

Brady

For once, my life was calm.

Behind us was the threat our distillery was going to be shut down.

Now we could focus on growing our brand exactly the way I dreamed of doing it when I took it over.

Nothing was going to stop me. 

Until she moved in next door. 

My enemy’s wife with her seven-year-old son. 

I don’t need this right now. 

But everything inside me pulled me toward her.

Even offering her a job. Little did I know, again, I was starting a war. 

However, I’m ready for it this time.

 

Harmony

It was no secret my husband had a wandering eye.

Leaving him shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone.

For Winston, it was more about failing at something that got under his skin.

Besides, he had to make his parents happy. 

Which means he’s going to make my life unhappy.

When the pounding starts at my door one night, I’m ready to ignore it.

Until the stranger next door comes to our aid. 

He’s everything you want in a man.

I know I shouldn’t involve anyone else in my life. 

But maybe it’s time for me to see what dreams are made of.

My Review

Pre-Order Link:

https://books2read.com/KUForbiddenDreamsNM

 

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Meet Natasha Madison:

When her nose isn’t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she’s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It’s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn’t listen to her…

 

Connect with Natasha Madison:

https://linktr.ee/natashamauthor

 

 

Well Natasha Madison has done it again. I'll just read a few chapters before I go to sleep. Oh hello 3am. I really should know better, that once I pick up one of these books there is no way I will willingly put it down until the last page. And even then it's reluctantly as I obsess over how badly I need the next book that was just introduced. 

 

And seriously, this book had everything, including a visit or two from Casey and M&M. The angst was just the perfect side of keeping me completely hooked but not making me worry. And the chemistry couldn't have been any hotter. Because despite Harmony being an awesome character this book for me was all about Brady.

 

He had every reason to want nothing to do with Harmony, but once he laid eyes on her he fell so hard I think I heard the thud. And he went full protective alpha. But he did it with such kindness and sensitivity, while also looking like a massive, cranky jerk.

 

Then we've got the adorable Wyatt and I could completely understand how Brady just looked at him and wanted to claim him right along with his mum.

 

The only downside to the whole thing was that Harmony’s ex didn't get hit by a slow moving very heavy vehicle. But never mind, maybe it will happen in the next one. 🤞 

 

https://amzn.to/4fLzmF5

 

THE BIG SKATE

Elise Faber

Release Date: December 26

I’ve sworn off love…until her.
The only problem? She can’t stand me.

Gorgeous, single mom Ivy wants absolutely nothing to do with me.

She thinks I’m a player—and maybe I am.

She thinks I don’t take anything seriously—and maybe I don’t.

She thinks I can never make her happy—but I’ve never been more focused on anything else. Not ever. Not even on hockey, and I live and breathe the sport.

She doesn’t understand that she’s become my reason for existing—

That if there’s any game in my life I’m willing to do anything to win…

It’s claiming her heart as mine.

My Review

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Meet Elise Faber:

 

USA TODAY bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California. 

 

To find out about Elise Faber’s  upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here

For more information on Elise Faber and her books visit: https://www.elisefaber.com/

 

I read the blurb for this book, and it was entirely what I was in the mood for. I couldn't wait to get my grabby hands on it. Then I read the first page and realised it was part of a series, and I haven't read the first two books 🤦‍♀️ Ordinarily I would just grab them and read them first but it's Christmas and my reading time has shrunk to the bare minimum. So, I pushed through my fomo and I'm glad I did.

 

This is the first book I've read from this author; despite having several on my TBR and now I'm going to have to add the rest of this series. Because honestly the secondary characters were awesome, and I can't wait to get to know them better. I love when there's a series around a friend group that I wish were real and I was apart of.

 

Knox and Ivy had off the chart’s chemistry from the first page. And we were given just enough background on Ivy to understand her reluctance but also to keep us guessing. Knox was the perfect hockey playing hero. And I loved that he loved Evie just as much. He was stepdad goals along with being book boyfriend goals.

 

I really enjoyed the story and even though I read it in sporadic bursts over several days it was interesting enough that every time I picked it back up, I could just jump right in. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series.

 

https://amzn.to/4fCagbo

 

 

This book has given me a very upsetting realisation of just how lacking my stalker skills are. I was looking for something to read last weekend when I thought I'd see what was recommended to read after The Pucking Wrong number and to see when the next book in that series was coming out. Then I thought I'd see what else the author might have for me to read, when I saw this was releasing at the end of the week. Cue the longest week of waiting. Luckily for me Jase's book is next in this series, and I think he's going to have some good ideas I can steal to up my stalking game. 🤞 

 

Anyway, while I was not so patiently waiting for this to release, I checked out the blurb and realised that Parker is Disney's baby brother. And I was really hoping that he was going to turn to big brother for some hint on how to win over Casey. And maybe we would get some cameos and some pearls of wisdom from the circle. 

 

Parker and Casey were both awesome characters with their share of grief weighing them down. They had awesome chemistry, and I couldn't get enough of them. But for the first half of the book Parker wasn't quite psycho enough for my expectations. He had moments and I was expecting a few different twists and turns to the dark side that didn't come. But he started to get a little more dubious in the second half so I ended on a high.

 

Although that said I had withdrawals every time I had to put the book down.  And now that we have to wait so long for the next books in both of these series that I'm currently obsessed with I really am going to have to dive into the back catalogue and see if I can find some new psychos to add to my book boyfriend list.

 

https://amzn.to/3ZfsOs4

 

 

I stumbled across Lilah Raine by complete fluke. Her novel bad duke kept popping up on my feeds and I thought it sounded good. But then it completely took over my head until I picked it up and I was obsessed. So naturally I stalked the author and unfortunately for me she's a fairly new author, so I've read everything she's published so far and promptly went to beg to read this.

 

I need to say that it's very high on the breeding kink. I want to say it's pure smut, but it actually had a fairly decent storyline between all the dirty talking. It was completely insta lust turned happily ever after. But Lilah did a great job of twisting a fair bit of intrigue in there. Without it being too over the top, just the right amount.

 

Jace and Maddison were immediately all about each other. Jace was an uber possessive and protective, morally grey, tattooed cowboy. And Maddison was a completely spoilt, useless, pampered princess. The secondary characters are all interesting and since this ended with so many loose threads, I'm assuming that we are going to be getting much more of them in the future.  Hopefully the very near future.

 

https://amzn.to/4g2msTO

 

 

This series is complete catnip for me. I don't know how to even explain how it hits every one of my reading kinks before I even realise I have them. And each book is so different, but all of these guys are so completely the same slightly unhinged perfection.

 

Camden was a little less full on in the psycho department, but then it worked for a guy with nick names of hero and grandpappy. He still had the instant lightning bolt obsession and the completely over the top jealousy and possessiveness I would expect from a circle of trust member. 

 

Anastasia made me so glad that she had Camden to slay all her dragons. Because if ever there was a character who needed a hero, she was it. Everything about her story broke my heart. And seeing her fight and struggle and work so hard I couldn't help but admire her. But I admired her even more when she finally realised she wasn't fighting alone and let Camden help her shoulder the weight.

 

Now the only downside to having read this is the fact we have to wait to get Logan's book. 

 

https://amzn.to/46opjCC

 

 

Forever Wild by Rebecca Jenshak is now live!

 

The annoyingly handsome hockey captain glaring at me needs my help.

He won’t admit that, of course. But with his teammate’s gone for the summer and him fresh off a season-ending injury, someone has to keep him in check and it’s not the nurses he keeps running off.

I’m having one last summer of fun before I move away to start my first grown-up job, and I seem to be the only woman on the planet immune to his charm. Sure, I’ve noticed his chiseled jaw and sculpted muscles (Did I mention he’s annoyingly handsome?), but I have too much self-preservation to fall for a grumpy hockey star who can have any woman he wants and doesn’t do serious relationships.

Except once he lets me help him, I see past his broody exterior and jerk comments and I realize something terrible. I want him.

Now I just need to convince him to throw out all his rules for a fling with his teammate’s little sister.

 

My Review

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Meet Rebecca

Rebecca Jenshak is a USA Today bestselling author of new adult and sports romance. She writes sexy, feel-good stories with lots of swoon-worthy moments.

Rebecca lives in Arizona. When she isn't writing, you can find her cheering on local sports teams, hanging out with friends and family, or curled up with a good book.

Sign up for her newsletter to be notified of new releases: https://rebeccajenshak.com/newsletter/

 

Connect with Rebecca

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I'm going to be honest, my little goldfish brain read this book almost entirely as a standalone. I know I've loved this series, but it's been almost a year since I read the last one and I could not really remember a lot of them. And honestly it sucked because my fomo kicked in and I wanted to remember them all, but it read beautifully as a standalone. 

 

Jack and Everly were complicated. They both had very strong personalities and had butted heads for years. Everything about their relationship felt so organic and I really enjoyed watching them both get pushed a little outside their comfort zones.

 

Jack has always taken care of everyone and been their hype guy. But after getting injured he's forced to sit back and accept help from Everly of all people. And for Everly, she's just graduated college and is trying to figure out how to adult. 

 

The chemistry was hot to watch. Especially while they were both fighting their sudden and inconvenient attraction to each other. But seriously the book read as if I was watching it play out with friends, and I didn't want to put it down. I'm sad there isn't a next one, but I can't wait to see where this author plans to go next because I know I'll be one clicking it.

 

https://amzn.to/3YyOqPM

 

 

My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills is now live!

 

 

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with a sexy he-falls-first sports romance about a quarterback and his frenemy-matchmaker.

 

On an ordinary day, Jane Darling wouldn't be caught dead in a sports bar wearing a toga with angel wings. But she's desperate to launch her matchmaking business to secure her young daughter's future. Her mission: to attract new clients at any cost.

Her Cupid outfit catches the eye of New York's beloved star quarterback, Jasper Jannich. She and Jasper have always clashed, but when a pushy admirer goes too far, he steps in as an unexpected knight in shining armor.

He offers a tantalizing proposal: to be Cupid's Arrow's premier client. Reluctantly, Jane agrees, aware of the business potential despite her reservations about Jasper and his playboy reputation.

As she sets him up on date after date, it grows clear that Jane's the only woman he wants.
She is his goal, his endgame.

She's not not interested...but her heart has been burned before. To get anywhere, they'll need courage and faith. 

My Review

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Meet Ilsa Madden-Mills

 

#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.

A former high school English teacher and librarian, 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

Website | www.ilsamaddenmills.com

Goodreads | http://bit.ly/2EESfM9

Amazon | http://amzn.to/2nY2pxT

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/authorilsamaddenmills

Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/728703210580726

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Newsletter |  https://www.ilsamaddenmills.com/contact

Text Updates |  text romance to (877) 207-0713 to receive updates

 

 

Ilsa Madden-Mills is an instant one click author for me and is one of those authors I picked up from her debut novel and then anxiously await each new release. And although her writing style hasn't changed, her novels are all unique and different. So I pick up her books not knowing what to expect but knowing I'm not going to be able to put it down. 

 

I picked this up not realising that it was part of a series and the characters are known to us from an earlier book. And despite my goldfish memory I was so excited to be back in the bookstore and laughing at Jasper. Although I was surprised that we didn't get more Emmy and Graham. 

 

Jane had so much going on, both privately and professionally and I found it really easy to understand her. And on the surface, it was hard to see what Jane and Jasper had in common. But the more we got to know Jasper I realised that he had almost as much going on he just kept it hidden. 

 

The story was easy to get caught up in, even if my kids did their best to keep me preoccupied. There was so much sweetness with just the right blend of drama. And the epilogue was super cute. I can't wait to see what Ilsa is going to give us next.

 

https://amzn.to/4hDc7iH

 

THE BREAK OUT

Madi Danielle

Release Date: October 4

  

Blurb:

I don’t date hockey players.

 

I never have and never will.

 

Which is why I’ve brushed off this specific player that has continued to try to get my attention. The thing with this specific player is that he can’t stand my brother. His teammate. And I can’t stand him.

 

Colton Wheeler is persistent, and even if it’s just using me to get under my brother’s skin, he’s determined to wear me down. The chemistry between us is tangible, no matter how much I want to deny it. 

 

But the more I learn about him, the more I feel there may be a pull that is more than just physical. I want to continue to hate him, but it’s getting harder to remember the reasons I should.

 

My Review

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/bbo9P12

Available in KU

 

Meet Madi Danielle:

Madi is 20 something trying to figure out what “adulting” is. Madi has been writing stories since she was a teenager she continues to express all her emotions in her writing. She’s also an avid reader. Madi lives in the PNW where she attended college after moving from the unforgiving heat of Arizona. Madi spends her free time with her husband, daughter and family of pets (3 dogs and 2 cats). 

 

Connect with Madi Danielle:

https://linktr.ee/madidaniellewrites

 

 

 

Honestly, I am not even sure why I was so desperate to get my grabby hands on this. I've not read anything else from this author and I had no idea it was part of a series. I just saw some teasers, got all hot and bothered and had to read it. Then it landed on my kindle, and I realised it was the third book in the series. So, I went off to GoodReads to see if it could be read as a standalone and couldn't find anything to help my dilemma. So, I'll start with yes it can be read as a standalone, but I think it potentially has spoilers for the previous books. Plus, all of those characters are all through this along with parts of their stories so if you plan to read the others maybe do it in order.

 

Now as mentioned I started this one semi convinced, I shouldn't be reading it so it took me a bit to get over myself and enjoy this. But by about the 30% mark I was invested. Brynn had started to settle into her new life and Colton was a massive, self-centred jerk.

 

I could completely sympathise with Brynn, and I felt her loneliness despite being surrounded by friends who were all busy with their own things. Colton was a whole other story. I loved to hate him. He was such a self-fulfilling prophecy I just wanted to slap him and scream at him to get over himself. 

 

Then the chemistry kicked in between these two and damn did it get hot fast. And I need to admit that at least 50% of this book was pure smut and I was so here for it. With that said there was also a pretty good story spread through this and we got some great character growth from both of them. And once Colton did pull his head out, he was pretty swoony.

 

I don't think I'll be adding the first two books onto my TBR but this was a solid read and I'll be keeping an eye out for the author in the future.

 

https://amzn.to/3ZS1Etk

 

 

FOREVER STARTS TONIGHT

Karla Sorensen

Release Date: September 27

 

 

Blurb:

It’s no secret that I’ve been in love with Jax Cartwright for half my life. A terrible decision, really, and not just because he’s my brother’s best friend or he’s ten years older than me.

 

Thanks to an overprotective family, he’s ignored me for years, but still, I can’t get his grumpy a** out of my head. And in a wine-fueled, post-bad date funk, I make another terrible decision: show up at his cabin to ask why he’s never given me a chance.

 

The storm that got me stuck there overnight was a total fluke, but I’m no fool. While Jax is perfectly clear about not wanting a family or love or any of the happily-ever-afters I’ve dreamed of, what’s the harm in asking for just one night? The worst thing he can say is no.

 

He doesn’t though, and I was saying yes, yes, yes a whole lot after that.

 

Best. Decision. Ever.

 

One night is enough to feel like I can move on, and we agree to let it be a secret kept safe between us.

But you know what makes it hard to keep a one-night secret about my not-so-secret crush?

 

A positive pregnancy test.

 

Oh baby, things are about to get interesting.

 

My Review

Buy Link:

https://a.co/d/646T1rR

Available in KU

 

Meet Karla Sorensen:

Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 10 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she's not devouring Dramione fan fiction or avoiding the laundry, you can find her binding books, and watching football (British & American) or HGTV. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear.

 

Connect with Karla Sorensen:

https://www.instagram.com/karla_sorensen/