Unzipped by Lauren Blakely

Everything he knows about women is about to get turned upside down…

Wanted: Dating coach to help hot nerd win back the woman of his dreams…

Picture this - I’m ready to win back the love of my life, and I’m going big this time. We’re talking boom box, sing her name in the rain, let the whole damn neighborhood know I'm good and ready this time around. After all, if you're going to grand gesture the ever-loving hell out of a second chance, you need to pull out all the stops. 

There’s only one little problem.

My college girlfriend isn't the one who shows up when I play my "I'll do anything to win you back" tune.

The woman who flings open the second-floor window tells me my ex doesn’t live here anymore. But she'll help me win her back. Anything for romance, anything for a guy so willing to go big for love. And that's what I want at first. Until I get to know my new “romance coach” and discover she’s funny, clever, and keeps me on my toes. And boy, do I ever need that. 

Now I don't want to win anyone else’s heart. I want the woman who's been helping me all along. 

Trouble is - she thinks I'm in love with someone else, and when we take off on a road trip, everything I think I know about women is about to be unzipped and turned inside out.

***

He's the last person I ever expected to pop into my life, but he might be exactly what I need to save the thing that matters most to me. All I have to do is not fall for him. 

 

Unzipped by Lauren Blakely, can officially be added to my LB favs list.  So. Much. Angst. This funny, slow burn, friends to lovers, second chances, to hot to handle contemporary romantic comedy will have you at "hello."  ~Fans of the best quotes movie romance have to offer will adore!

"...finding humor in the confusion between men and women about what the other says and what the other truly means."

This story takes hot nerd/muse & practical romantic/writer on a road trip to finding a connection that is more than physical "...flirting? Yes. Romantic tension? For sure."  A lesson in uncertainty & of being careless with ones heart.  Learning to embrace change & take a risk.  "A little dirty, a lot sexy." The humor & love of family shine through "...the power of nachos, a good cry, and a great father to lean on."

Wise advice - learn to listen, don't give up

"Sometimes we think something is one way, and it's entirely another. And that stops us in our tracks."

Can't wait for Gabe & Arden's love story... Best Laid Plans...

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

Permission (Perversion Trilogy #3) by T.M. Frazier

BLURB

War breaks out in Lacking. The streets aren't safe.

When an unexpected person from my past arrives in town, I'm forced to make a choice between the life I've always wanted, and a life I never knew I could have.

I didn't know how strong I was until I met Grim.

But am I strong enough to live without him?

 PERMISSION, the conclusion of T.M. Frazier's Perversion Trilogy ties every plot line up in a tight bow - while adding gasp worthy moments.  Be prepared to find yourself hand over mouth, whispering "No." one moment, only to pull it away in the next saying "What!?!?" "...one shock after another." 

A true nail biting & heart string pulling conclusion to what has been a whirlwind gangster Romeo & Juliet tale.  "Capable of both life and death. Hate and love."  This book hits the ground running right where Possession finished off.  Survival of the fittest, where villains & allies are revealed, and a million questions are asked.  Boundless love & sacrifice for family shines through "A mother's love knows no boundaries. No laws. Neither does a fathers." Beyond sexy, raw & romantic. 

"Give ourselves to one another completely. With love, passion, and permission."

A perfect ending to a trilogy that I didn't want to end.  I loved the continued suspense & ever increasing deeps of love between all these characters.  A fantastic read & great trilogy binge read!

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity likely didn't intend for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night their family was forever altered. 

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

 I'm a big fan of Colleens - but honestly, how could anyone not be?  I wasn't sure what to expect with Verity, a true psychological thriller of a romance - but I can tell you I sure as hell didn't expect what I got.  "Disturbing is putting it mildly."  So well written the panic & terror are palpable.  Oh. My. God. this book is right up there with Steven King & M Night Shyamalan, yet with a love story that sucks you in & will have you so conflicted.  Shocking, sexy & mysterious, with Colleens classic wit & sarcasm.  Tragedies that bring you through a full range of emotions, from shock & heartbreak to disgust, love & heart stopping fear. 


I couldn't put this one down, even when I wanted to.  The ending, wholly crap - I can't even... Cringe-worthy at the start "Ugly and honest..."  By the end, you won't know what to believe - or if you are like me, how to feel.  A story that will make you rethink what people might be capable of in pursuit of love & success, then have you questioning assumptions you yourself make everyday...what you should believe "...to separate our reality from fiction..."


READ THIS BOOK, you just may not want to do it when you are alone.


Well done Colleen - you've truly "...pushed the envelope..." with this remarkable tale.


ARC received in exchange for an honest review.


Amazon US/UK

Bad Reputation by S.L. Scott

 

SYNOPSIS

Being bad never felt so good.

I fell for Ally the moment I saw her. Who doesn’t like a confident, intelligent woman with curves I could spend days exploring?

Who am I kidding?

I have.

Many times.

Our story ended abruptly when she left like we weren’t meant to be. We are. So I’m calling her bluff. That’s how I ended up thousands of miles from home, standing next to a man who claims to be her fiancé.

Being good has never felt so bad.

When it comes to a successful man with an incredible body and biteable jaw aka Hutton . . . let’s just say willpower is not my strong suit.

Need more?

Try bad-boy American.

You’re welcome.

Embracing my newfound good girl status, I do the right thing and start my reign. My desires no longer matter. The monarchy, the people, and my country do. There is no place for love in this new life.

But I never expected to see him again, much less standing next to my royally appointed soon-to-be fiancé. 

As if that didn’t complicate things, the man I once told I love you to is wearing a perfectly tailored tuxedo and my favorite smirk. I straighten my crown and adjust my dress, realizing this good girl never stood a chance. I’ll take the bad reputation if I get him.

Being bad never felt so good.

Bad Reputation by S.L. Scott is a brilliant take on second chance royal romance.  A story that is standalone, don't miss out on the pseudo-prequel romantic suspense Everest & The Crow Brothers books - full of crossover characters you'll meet during this fantastic read.

Told in first person, from dual perspectives, Bad Reputation is loaded with "Want. Lust. Need." that will have you completely captivated from the start.  What begins as a hot romantic tryst turns into wanting more.  So much angst before true feelings are revealed.  So many questions with "A hurricane of truths..." you won't see coming.  Heartstrings pulling, emotionally raw & real "You're the fairy-tale ending I wish I could have."  Close family ties between siblings, friends who may be foe.  A story of two worlds colliding, of being torn between duty & heart, of finding the person you were meant to be "...it's up to us to create our destiny..." & of what family can be.

I love the strong female role model elements & message to never be less than extraordinary.  Just couldn't get enough of the soul deep attraction & connections that every girl dreams of.  But what got me most is the hardy love & support that shines through. "Camaraderie. Friendship. Family."  Can we have more S.L.?  A little somethin' somethin' for Bennett... 

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

My Bad (Bear Bottom Guardians MC Book 4) by Lani Lynn Vale

BLURB

Hoax knows two things very well. 

One, he’s not relationship material. Two, the nurse that treats him for erectile dysfunction is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, and practically has ‘the marrying type’ stamped on her forehead.

Does that stop him from wanting her? No. 

Unfortunately, he learned a long time ago that Army Delta Force and long-lasting relationships don’t go hand in hand. But beautiful hazel eyes, curly blonde hair, and the prettiest lips he’s ever seen play havoc with his resolve, making him forget his earlier convictions. 

All it takes is one teeny, tiny kiss for every shred of control he has to disappear, along with the problem in his pants. Soon he finds himself doing things that he knows that he shouldn’t. He doesn’t know that he’s found the woman that’s meant to be his. Nor does he realize that her father is the man he’s idolized from the moment he joined the army at the age of eighteen. Because, maybe if he had, he would’ve tried a little harder to ignore the pull he felt between them instead of making her his the night before he deployed for six months. 

He also might’ve tried a little harder not to knock her up.

REVIEW 

My Bad by Lani Lynn Vale, the fourth in her new Motor Cycle Club contemporary romance series, The Bear Bottom Guardians MC.  Set in small town Bear Bottom, Texas, USA, this is another white hot sexy contemporary romance that is full of funny banter, possessive & protective love, with a full range of emotion, sexy & sweet - with a side of suspensefulness.  Be prepared to go from laugh out loud, to heart wrenching before it's all said & done - another book that will keep you coming back for more of the Bear Bottom Guardians MC series.

"Hook, line and sinker. Head over heels. Shamelessly and irrevocably."

Told in first person, from dual perspectives, this romance is full of witty sarcastic banter & romance of the undeniably sexy kind "...from chaste to erotic in about two seconds flat." while also heart wrenching.  Between Hoax with his ability to protect & care from a far & Pru with her free spirit & strong will.  Together with the support of friends who are family & family who love strong,  these characters will be tested by time, distance, friends & foes.  

Looking forward One Chance, Fancy - book 5 coming in January!

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

AMAZON | AMAZON AU | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA

Playing by Heart by JB Salsbury

BLURB: 

Jesse Lee is the worst!

He’s a multi-millionaire, triple-platinum-selling, Grammy-Award-winning man-slut—a worldly, self-indulgent heathen. I wouldn’t sleep with him if he were our last chance to ensure survival of the human race. The only reason I put up with him is because he’s my boss’s brother.

Whatsherface is one of those holier-than-thou types.

She’s bossy, has a horrific singing voice, and she’s so ordinary, she practically blends in with the eggshell-colored walls—the complete opposite of anyone I’d bang. The only reason I put up with her is because my career is on the line.

Playing by Heart is an enemies-to-lovers romance where opposites not only attract, they ignite.

My Review

I love everything JB Salsbury – but will say I wasn’t sure what to expect from this hot rock star contemporary romance.  Turns out, the only thing I didn’t like about Playing by Heart, was it was over to soon!   An absolutely wonderful rock star romance that will own you from strung out start to inspiring finish. 

Told in first person, from dual perspectives, this story of heartbreak & closure, sacrifice & fresh starts, is funnier than you’ll expect “I’m a bonnet away from looking like an Amish grandmother.” sexy & romantic   "…what it feels like to be thoroughly loved in a slow, deliberate way…" & get you in the gut - will they, won't they angst.  Bethany - a supporter of “Fake it ‘til you make it!” kind, caring & searching for the good.  Jesse – on the road back to the musician he once was.  Wonderful strong, loving & fun supporting characters in family & friends add to the depth of this romance. 

 I loved the heart & emotion, the verbal sparring – couldn’t get enough of.  Another wonderful novel from JB! 

 “You might want to consider redefining your definition of love.”

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

Possession (Perversion Trilogy #2) by T.M. Frazier

The story of Grim and Emma Jean continues.

War is on the horizon.

We've come so far.

We'll have to fight for what we have.

Or die trying.

REVIEW

Possession, book 2 of T.M. Frazier's Perversion Trilogy.  Better than the first, you'll find yourself instantly captivated once more by this intriguing story of love, loyalty & betrayal, war & survival "It's a fight to the death. Winner takes all."  

With the introduction of new characters, comes the added mystery of who can be trusted & who will live.  As their love deepens - Grim & EJ are willing to go to shocking lengths just to survive.  "The broken don't need to be put back together, they need to be loved for all their pieces."  There is no shortage of scheming, of bravery, of fight & intense "Lust. Pure. Unbridled. Animalistic."  It keeps giving, & taking away, until it's time to pull the rug out from underneath you, to is cringeworthy cliff hanger end.

Another addictive page turner "It's all too much and yet not nearly fucking enough." that will have you ready for the conclusion of Grim & Emma Jean's story in Permission - coming December 11th.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

Hate Notes by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

SYNOPSIS:

It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress.
Something blue.
I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.”
Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true.
The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed.
He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after.
But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined.
Something new.
But I have no idea how this one is going to end . . .
  

So, I have to be honest & say that I didn't think anything could top my love of the Rebel Heir duet which these fantastic authors collaborated on recently. Well - man was I wrong. Hate Notes by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward is a wonderful contemporary romance that will have you fully captivated from start to finish.  "God. So dirty, yet at the same time, so beautiful."

Told in first person, from dual perspectives, this story of heartbreak, unexpected closeness, forgiveness, & fresh starts, won't disappoint. Sexy, funny "The dress was my spirit animal..." & get you in the gut - will they, won't they angst.  Charlotte is wise beyond her crazy "Deep down, buried underneath all that crazy, was a woman who believed in fairy tales." She'll make you want to too...  Reed is bent on keeping his distance to protect his heart & the secret behind the decisions he makes.  A few surprising emotional & gasp worthy turns add depth to this romance.  Loving & fun supporting characters bring this story full circle.

"...love the life you have, while you work on the life you want."

I love the internal dialogue, no holds barred bickering & cat-and-mouse chase.  Sexy as hell  -  So many great wise words to live by 

"Just keep swimming."  

"...focus on things that make me happy instead of dwelling on the past, which I can't change."

"...strong - perfectly imperfect."

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK

Muffin Top (The Hartigans #2) by Avery Flynn

The only thing about me that’s a size zero is the filter on my mouth. I’ve got a big personality, a big rack, and a big number on the scale. And I’m perfectly fine with that.

But when some random guy suggests I might not be eating alone if I’d ordered a salad instead of a hamburger I’m shocked silent, which is a feat, trust me.

That brings us to one sexy fireman named Frankie Hartigan. He’s hot. He’s funny… And he’s just apologized for being late for our “date” then glared at the fat-shaming jerk. Next thing I know, he’s sitting down and ordering himself dinner.

I have no problem telling him I don’t need a pity date . . . unless of course it’s to my high school reunion next week. Oops where did that last bit come from? And what do I do now that he’s said yes?!

Because this is no make-over story, and I think Frankie is using me for something. I just have to figure out what…

Muffin Top by Avery Flynn - book two of her The Hartigan's series, A story of defining love in your own eyes ~ don't miss reading the dedication- completely sets the tone for this fast paced funny, sexy & sweet read. 

Second in the series, this hot contemporary romance, like the book before, is the perfect mix of hilarious wit, heartfelt romance & sultry hot sexiness "This wasn't foreplay. This was a religious experience."  I love Lucy (not the show) & not only her fierce confidence, but the way she can give "...a look that managed to say "oh shit" and "keep your mouth shut" at the same time. Now that was skill."  Franky is a fire fighting workaholic who loves the ladies as much as they love him "His eyes did that thing again that made her ovaries volunteer as tribute."  While he's taking time off from one, he's decided to put himself in a time-out from the other.  These characters face insecurities, self-doubt & self imposed survival mechanisms together, to find a new perspective on life & to learn to "Stop being so cautions and live a little"  Supporting family & friends you'll love.  With a twist or two that will give insight to how these characters became who they are.   

I just love all of the mental sarcasm & snarky humor -  Adore the natural instinct to protect those you love & enjoyed the intrigue & angst to see what would be revealed of the past & the future. 

Can't wait for Tomboy coming January 2019!

 ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon US/UK