The last thing any professional hockey player wants is to be the old man in the game. The guy who doesn't know when it's time to retire. Still, I can't bear the thought of leaving the game.
This past year I've reflected on all my regrets, and I told myself that once I retire it'll be the time to settle down and start a family. But this is where it gets tricky.
I think I've found her—my Mrs. Although she'll deny our connection to anyone who asks. We've been sleeping together casually and since I'm still playing hockey, I've let her get what she wants—me—whenever she wants.
After being told my career as a player is over, the owner of Florida Fury grants me a shot to stay in the game. A coaching position I didn't know I wanted until it was offered. The catch? He's also passing the family business down to his daughter.
Who's his daughter?
The woman who's been in and out of my bed for the past year. Which means the woman I intend to make my wife is now my new boss.
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Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write "heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle" about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they're married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they're both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
Offsides with #55 is a great way to wrap up the Hockey Hotties series!
Kane and Jana are secondary characters that we’ve met previously, so it was great to get to know them better here! The evolution of both characters was touching and emotional. Jana is a character that I didn’t love in her secondary roles. The duet behind Piper Rayne did a great job of showing us the girl behind the executive.
The previous main characters in the Hockey Hotties series make appearances here. Loyal series readers will be glad to see where these couples are now. If you aren’t caught up on the series, please be prepared for spoilers. There are also a few teasers for what the author pair is up to next and I can’t wait!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
In Shifting Gears, Ms Moreland brings us back to Reynolds’s Restoration this time with Brett and Kelly taking center stage. Both are characters that we’ve met previously, so it was especially entertaining to see their story unfold.
I enjoyed getting to know Brett and Kelly better. Ms Moreland did an excellent job of catching us up on the back story for these two while keeping the action current. We see a gentleness with this story that was heartwarming and left a super feel good feeling that is needed with what’s going in in the world right now. The overridding message here is family. Both the impotance of the family you are born into and the family you choose.
Well written, this is a fun story that is sequential in time to the previous two books. The previous main characters are key in secondary roles here, so it is a great opportunity to catch up with them too. Reading the series in order will definitely add to the experience here. I am curious to see what happens with Chase!
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double check before one clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
Tia Louise has revealed the covers and blurb for FILTHY!
Releasing June 9, 2022
FILTHY
By Tia Louise
Good girls are saved by princes, but my savior is a monster.
After my father died and my family splintered, I became a target, a pawn in a game I didn't know I was playing.
Then he appeared—dark, dangerous, tormented, and always just within reach.
He makes me feel something I lost years ago: Safe.
And he thinks he can keep me at arm's length.
Once upon a time I was a hero, until the sins of my father caught up with me, and I was forced into darkness.
I should've died in that fire. Instead, I served evil men, until I risked it all by walking away.
Now I'm a wanted man. At any time, I could be taken down for what I owe.
What I don't expect to find in my hiding place is her—broken, beautiful, so damn tempting.
I shouldn't touch her with my filthy hands. I was hired to keep her safe.
But every day it gets harder, then she starts sneaking into my bed.
Together, we're filthy, but together, we can find our way through the flames.
(FILTHY is a stand-alone, bodyguard, romantic suspense novel. It contains a fierce, wounded alpha-protector and the filthy girl he's hired to protect... No cheating. No cliffhangers.)
Tia Louise is the USA TODAY best-selling, award-winning author of super-hot and sexy romances. All her heroes are alphas with hearts of gold, and all her heroines are the smart, sassy ladies who love them.
Admittedly, it was a moment of weakness on my part. But even the strong-willed have been known to fall for a hard body underneath a tailored suit and a five o’clock shadow coating a sharp jawline.
It didn’t matter that Jackson St. James was nothing but trouble. Trouble was just my type.
Been there.
Done him.
Not making that mistake again.
We were friends, a low-key affair we designed ourselves—over before we began. After all, together we made no sense.
Jackson is into sports. I prefer the arts.
He gulps beer. I sip champagne.
While I might not be described as humble, his arrogance is through the roof.
But when he asks if we can talk, my traitorous Louboutins come to a full stop. Although I’ve seen enough movies to know how these conversations go, maybe, just maybe, he’ll surprise me.
He has before . . .
We may have started with a kiss, but how will we end?
New York Times and USA Bestselling Author, S. L. Scott, was always interested in the arts. She grew up painting, writing poetry and short stories, and wiling her days away lost in a good book and the movies.
With a degree in Journalism, she continued her love of the written word by reading American authors like Salinger and Fitzgerald.
She was intrigued by their flawed characters living in picture perfect worlds, but could still debate that the worlds those characters lived in were actually the flawed ones.
This dynamic of leaving the reader invested in the words, inspired Scott to start writing with emotion while interjecting an underlying passion into her own stories.
Living in the capital of Texas with her family, Scott loves traveling and avocados, beaches, and cooking with her kids. She's obsessed with epic romances and loves a good plot twist. She dreams of seeing one of her own books made into a movie one day as well as returning to Europe. Her favorite color is blue, but she likens it more toward the sky than the emotion. Her home is filled with the welcoming symbol of the pineapple and finds surfing a challenge though she likes to think she's a pro.
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double check before one clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
This is the conclusion to the Dunn brothers stories. This time the focus is Issac, the brother who appeared in a secondary role in the first book. He is paired with Meghan, sister to his agent, Kendall.
This is a cute story were a “fake” relationship has real consequences. I liked Meghan and Issac, even if I didn’t connect with them super well. The character development for both was interesting, but a bit surface level.
Issac had a decent development arc, but again, I felt like the easiest route was taken. Early in the story there was a big deal made about producers expectations, but those issues were not really addressed as the conflict resolved itself.
Overall, this was an entertaining book that did its job, but I wanted a little bit more of just about everything.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley
In A Daring Pursuit, we rejoin the Montgomery and Davies families as they navigate the world in the resolving feud. This time we get to spend time with the fiery Carys and controlled Tristan.
I loved these two together! They were interesting characters on their own and even better together. The history between these two created excellent chemistry and it was truly fun to see it explored.
Not only were the characters here interesting, but the plot around them was truly fun too. We see glimpses of Napoleonic era English society and the double standard women dealt with. Seeing how Carys (and Tristan) flaunted and functioned with these challenges made me like them more.
A smallish secondary cast added elements and entertainment as well. Now that two of the Davies siblings have found their Montgomery match, I am curious to see what may happen next for these two families.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley
This is a sweet introduction to the town of Cemetery,IN. The principal character for this introduction is Yardley, but she has a fantastic secondary cast surrounding her.
The Honeymoon Cottage is more of a women’s fiction read vs a pure romance, so there is definitely a more gentle feel than some of Ms Foster’s other works.
I genuinely liked Yardley and most of the cast around her. There were great friendships, both new and established, a new love, and a puppy!! Both Yardley and her friend Mimi captured the essence of the way many women (and I’m sure some men) feel in their daily lives. Seeing them through their own eyes, but as well as the people around them, gave me a deeper appreciation for their journeys.
Well written and touching, the Honeymoon Cottage is a must read and has me curious about where this series will go next.
Make A Wish, a second chance, single dad romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is coming January 24th, 2023 and we have the stunning cover!
With her signature charm and sense of humor, bestselling author Helena Hunting creates a novel about love, family, and second chances in Make a Wish…
Ever have a defining life moment you wish you could do over? Harley Spark has one. The time she almost kissed the widowed father of the toddler she nannied for. It was so bad they moved across the state and she never saw them again.
Fast forward seven years and she’s totally over it. At least she thinks she is. Until Gavin Rhodes and his adorable now nine-year-old daughter, Peyton, reappear at a princess-themed birthday party hosted by Spark House, Harley’s family’s event hotel. Despite trying to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, she can’t help but notice how unbearably sexy he looks in a tutu. Add to that a spontaneous hives breakout, and it’s clear she’s not even remotely over the mortification of her egregious error all those years ago.
Except Gavin seems oblivious to her inner turmoil. So much so that he suggests they get together for lunch. For Peyton’s sake, of course. It’s the perfect opportunity to heal old wounds. Or it could just reopen them. This is one of those times Harley wishes she could see the future…
Ever meant to text your ex, but accidentally messaged a stranger instead? I did, and that mistake started a friendship that became important to me as I navigated a move and a new job with the St. Louis Mavericks. I’m crushing life as a strong, single woman until I discover the truth. That stranger I’m crushing on? He’s actually not a stranger at all.
Nash
Giving a fake name to the woman who accidentally texted me seemed like a good idea at the time. As a pro hockey player, my real name tends to draw out puck bunnies and fame seekers. But when the woman who thinks I’m “Rob” starts working for the Mavericks, I find myself in a jam. How do I tell her the man she thinks she’s falling for is actually the somewhat arrogant (though charming) hockey player she can’t stand?
About the Authors:
Brenda Rothert was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From hot hockey romance to steamy romantic suspense, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She's a lover of Diet Coke, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.
For all the latest on Brenda and her books, join her Facebook reader group, Rothert's Readers.
USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Kat Mizera is a South Florida native. Born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of wanderlust, she's called Los Angeles, Long Island, upstate New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Atlanta home. She's never been able to pick which locale is her favorite, but if pressed, she'd probably choose the west coast.
A typical PTA mom with a wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max), Kat can usually be found scrapbooking or indulging in her second love (after writing) - traveling. Greece is one of her favorite places in the world. She loves that Athens is a big city with a small-town feel. The food, beaches and culture keep her going back as often as possible.
Kat's been a working freelance writer for nearly 30 years. She sold her first article--a review of a rock concert--for $10 in 1985. Since then she's been an entertainment journalist, waitress, bartender, legal assistant, food critic, magazine editor, substitute teacher, and sports writer. She also spent some time working at A & M Records in Los Angeles.
As you can guess from her Las Vegas Sidewinders series, Kat loves hockey and occasionally writes articles about her favorite team, the Florida Panthers. The rest of the time, she writes novels: sexy, romantic fiction that she hopes makes you as happy as it makes her. There's something enticing about hockey players and romance...
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Authors
With Hard Pass, authors Mizera and Rothert continue our journey with the St Louis Mavericks Hockey Team. In this installment we spend time with veteran, Nash and his unexpected lady love Sariah.
I loved the meet cute here! It was different, unexpected and refreshing to see a slow build. I found myself liking Sariah and Nash both individually and together as they continued to get to know each other.
The secondary cast is outstanding. Teammates, coworkers, friends, and puppies all helped steer Nash and Sariah to each other and then back in the right direction when things went off the rails.
This is technically a stand alone read, but it is very much part of a series. That said, there are threads that connect the books that will definitely make more sense if you have been reading in order. Authors Mizera and Rothert drop enough bread crumbs that someone new to the series can start here, but be prepared for spoilers of previous books.
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double check before one clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
This entry by Palmer is definitely a solid suspense read. We meet the Hart family on the day every thing changes and journey with them as the tale unravels.
My Wife is Missing is a plot driven story, so the character development more or less skims the surface (it works here) and with the set up of the story there is always a question element. Did we really see what we thought we saw….
Told in dual point of view, getting to see inside both Michael and Natalie as the story unfolds adds to the complexity. Mr Palmer also uses flashbacks and memories very well so that the why’s start to make more sense as the real time action takes place.
I was kept guessing as this story happened. Each time I thought I knew something is was wrong (at least partially). The thing that kept this from being a 5 star read for me was the secondary character, Kennet, his back story and involvement just never fully gelled for me. He’s a great vehicle for the story, but he was also a bit of a thorn in my paw.
Overall, this is a unique read that would keep a reader engrossed and entertained.
Tia Louise is a go to author for me and from teasers, etc I had seen, I was very curious about Fearless. The fact that I love a good bodyguard/forced proximity story didn’t hurt the odds of me grabbing this story either!
Unfortunately, Fearless didn’t get off to a good start for me. Why you ask - the ages of the characters. I know this sounds like a silly thing to be bothered by, but it’s a detail that kept pulling me from the story. The other issue - I had a hard time relating to and connecting with Blake, our female lead.
Setting aside the age issue, I enjoyed the connection between Blake & Hutch. They had an interesting dynamic and I enjoyed seeing their relationship evolve from antagonistic to something else. Fearless is fast paced and in between romance, suspense, and secondary stories there are times when the balance is a bit off. It works well, but I definitely left wondering where we were going.
While this is a stand alone read, I feel like we need Hana’s story (the upcoming release Filthy) to really get the full picture of what is happing with the van Hamilton sisters.
OOPS..... I did a random "grab a book from the TBR" and didn't pay attention that I was grabbing a series prequel. Does that impact how much I enjoyed the book? Well, a little bit because darn it - I want to know what happens next!
In Protecting You, we meet the Bailey siblings and their neighbor Grace. We get bits of all the Bailey brothers, but the focus is on the oldest Asher. While entertaining, this read really is set up for future books and covers Asher's youth and then jumps to his young adult hood with Grace. We see their friendship blossom into something more and then we see everything fall apart.
I enjoyed this book, but I really do wish I had paid more attention to what I was doing when I picked this up so that I could go right into the second book that dives into the second chance story of Asher and Grace.
"Hunting puts her own sexy spin on the classic fairy-tale" - Booklist
Starry-Eyed Love, an all-new laugh out loud romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and all the feels from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!
Charming, hilarious, and emotional, Starry-Eyed Love is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. Especially not when she’s out celebrating her single status with her sisters. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.
As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.
As they begin to spend more time together, their working relationship blossoms into something more. It isn’t until their professional entanglements are finally over, that London and Jackson are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship. But between Jackson’s secretive past and London’s struggle with her sisters, London must question where she really stands - not just with Jackson, but with the Spark House, too.
Fall in love today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zZKhGQ Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Starry-Eye Apple Books: https://apple.co/38PiJLO Nook: https://bit.ly/3yPhWln Kobo: https://bit.ly/3E0cnEC Google Play: https://bit.ly/2WTQBkA Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3tk9cCt Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://bit.ly/3yh3upD Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3MSLAOc
Read on for a look inside Starry-Eyed Love!
My stomach does a flip-flop as our server moves on to another table and the hot guy slides across the bench seat and rises. He’s tall, must be over six feet, and lean. Broad shoulders that taper down to a narrow waist. I glance at his feet and notice his scuffed running shoes. He rolls his shoulders back and crosses over to our table. He nods to my sisters, but doesn’t really look at them, his eyes on me. Now that he’s right in front of me, I notice they’re a deep mossy-green color, reminding me of a Colorado forest. “Hi.” A slow smile forms as his gaze moves over my face. I feel it like a gentle caress and heat travels through my veins. It’s an unexpected reaction, so my own “hi” comes out rather breathily. “Thank you for the drinks and the food. You really didn’t need to do that.” His grin widens, showing off perfectly straight, white teeth. “Well, I wanted to make a good impression, and have an excuse to come over and talk to you.” Harley squeezes my leg under the table. I don’t risk looking at her because I’m sure she’s smiling like a loon. “You certainly did that. Make a good impression, I mean.” Why am I so awkward right now? And why does it feel like this man is sucking all the oxygen out of the room and turning my brain cells into mush? That gets me another smile. “I wanted to apologize if it seemed like I was staring. I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable.” I touch my fingers to my lips and resist the urge to play with my hair, but just barely. Why does this man make me feel like a starry-eyed high school girl? “You haven’t made me uncomfortable.” “Good. That’s very good.” His tongue drags across his bottom lip. “I just needed to tell you that from across the room, you were beyond stunning, but up close.” He lets out a low whistle. “You are an absolute work of art.” I fight with my eyebrows not to rise. This guy has all the lines. “Oh, really?” I lace my fingers together and set my chin on them. “The kind of art you might hang in your living room?” “Bedroom, actually.” I laugh. I can’t decide if this guy is too smooth for his own good. Or mine. I have to wonder how many times he’s dropped these lines on other women and they’ve ended up in his bed as a result. “That sound is music to my ears,” he says, his white-toothed smile still in place. “I knew I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t come over here and at least say hello.” He slides a small piece of paper across the table, roughly the size of a business card. “I’m going to leave my number, and maybe if you’re interested, I can take you out for a drink, or dinner, or a hot air balloon ride.” I can see exactly where this will go if I take that card from him. And while getting into bed with a random, attractive man might be fun, I know it’s not the right thing for me. Before I can really consider what I’m doing, or fully absorb the last part, I put a hand out to stop him. “I’m very flattered, but I have to be honest with you. I won’t call you. I have a boyfriend.” The lie tastes sour on my tongue. Although, had it been three days earlier, it would have been the truth. Avery does some kind of cough-choke thing, and I kick her under the table and get Harley on the back swing. His smile falters for a moment, but he doesn’t break eye contact. “That’s disappointing, but unsurprising. I didn’t see a ring, so I’d hoped maybe luck was on my side.” He tips his head to the side. “Is it serious?” “Pardon me?” “You and this boyfriend, are you two serious?” This guy is unbelievable. “And if we are?” “Hmm.” He withdraws his hand and slips the paper in his pocket. “I’d hate for karma to pass judgment on me and get in the way of our future together, so I’m just going to hope I run into you again when you’re single. Have a lovely night, ladies.” He nods to my sisters and gives me one final lingering glance before he winks. “Thank you for existing.” And then he walks away.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
In Starry Eyed Love Ms Hunting brings us back to Spark House, focusing on middle sister, London. After meeting all three sisters in the first Spark House book, I was excited to see more of them here.
I enjoyed seeing London and Jackson get to know each other and see how the friendship evolved to be more. One of the things I appreciated about this book was that the romantic conflict avoided the most obvious path. The struggles between them were more authentic for the fact that it was rooted in history and prior experiences.
As much as Starry Eyed Love is a romance, it’s also a relationship story. The relationship between London and her sisters is key to the development of the story too. Now that we have seen Avery and London find their potential happy endings, I am curious to see what may be in store for youngest sister, Harley.
Charming, hilarious, and emotional, Starry-Eyed Love is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Starry-Eyed Love, an all-new hilarious and heartwarming workplace romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is now available!
Having just broken up with her boyfriend, London Spark is not in the mood to be hit on. Especially not when she’s out celebrating her single status with her sisters. So when a very attractive man pays for their drinks and then slips her his number, she passes it right back to him with a ‘thanks, but no thanks’. As the business administrator for their family’s event hotel, the Spark House, London has more important things to worry about, like bringing in new clientele.
As luck would have it, a multi-million-dollar company calls a few months later asking for a meeting to discuss a potential partnership, and London is eager to prove to her sisters, and herself, that she can land this deal. Just when she thinks she has nailed her presentation, the company’s CEO, Jackson Holt, walks in and inserts himself into the meeting. Not only that, but he also happens to be the same guy she turned down at the bar a few months ago.
As they begin to spend more time together, their working relationship blossoms into something more. It isn’t until their professional entanglements are finally over, that London and Jackson are finally ready to take the next step in their relationship. But between Jackson’s secretive past and London’s struggle with her sisters, London must question where she really stands - not just with Jackson, but with the Spark House, too.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Elizabeth's Review
