Saturday, September 28, 2019

Steals and Deals ~ September 27 - 29


Steals:





Deals:


Exposed Boxed Set: Hollywood Romances by Sarah Robinson $.99

The Executive by K I Lynn $.99



Crossing Hearts (Cross Creek Book 1) by Kimberly Kincaid $1.99

Kindle Monthly Deals

Not Quite Over You (Happily Inc Book 4) by Susan Mallery $1.99

Piece of Work (Red Lipstick Coalition Book 1) by Staci Hart $4.99 (or Prime Reading)

The Curve (Swift Series Book 1) by Leslie Pike $.99

Accidentally All Of Me by Ali Parker $.99

Take Me Down (Riggs Brothers Book 2) by Julie Kriss $.99

All prices were 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. 

Friday, September 27, 2019

Review Round Up ~ September 27


ARC/New Release



Team Player 2: A Sports AnthologyTeam Player 2: A Sports Anthology by Charleigh Rose

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arena Lights by Mandi Beck
This is a stand alone novella set in the Fulton University "world." Maeve and her twin are softball players for the university. Hockey Player (and their brother's roommate), Benny, ends up traveling with the team to a tournament/clinic in Arizona.

It was fun watching these two get to know each other outside of their normal environment. I genuinely liked them together and would love to see how this couple try to make things work in their native environment. THe potential stressors of competing travel schedules, classes, siblings, etc would make this an awesome full length novel.

Amazon


 Christmas with a Cowboy (Longhorn Canyon, #5)Christmas with a Cowboy by Carolyn Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars - Average Read

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

This was a sweet story, but..... I had a really hard time connecting with it.

Maverick and Bridget have an interesting meet cute that goes no where because of travel plans. Fast forward a year and fate (or matchmaking grannies) bring them back together.

While I liked both characters (and the supporting cast) it didn’t feel like there was a ton of character development. We know a little about each of their histories, but more about who they are now.

One of the things I struggled with was the pacing of the story. There were several places where everyone seemed to be inert. Yes, they were doing things and going places, but nothing else really changed.

This was a book I enjoyed reading, but I had no problems putting it down to do other things. If you are looking for sweet Christmas read, this would be a good one. If you need something more fast paced, I would save this for another day.

Amazon


 Say It Again (First Wives, #5)Say It Again by Catherine Bybee

3.5 Stars - Worth a Reader's Time

Review Copy provided by Publisher via NetGalley

This 5th installment of the First Wives Club focuses on the elusive Sasha - a frequent secondary character in the first 4 books. We learn a lot more about Sasha’s past and see her connect with a potential romantic interest.

This installment of the series is well written and entertaining, the intrigue and mystery portion of the story line is definitely the strongest. Sasha’s potential romantic entanglement, AJ, is an interesting character on his own, but this is very much her story.

This could be read as a stand-alone, but I would advise against it. The secondary cast pulls strongly from the previous 1st Wives Club Books and some of Sasha’s relationships/back story is very much in those books. I would suggest reading the series in order. This book also introduces us to a few new characters, I am hoping we will see some of those stories soon.

Amazon


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Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Hitching the Cowboy ~ Kennedy Fox ~ Cover Reveal











Wedding bells are the last thing on twenty-two year old Riley Bishop’s mind, but that’s exactly what he hears after waking up in Vegas next to a woman he just met—his new wife.
He never saw her coming, but she might be worth the risk.

Zoey Mitchell is high on life, free spirited, and adventurous. However, learning she married a rowdy cowboy after a night of partying is not what she expected—even for her.
She’s risking it all, gambling with her heart.

Deciding to give their instant marriage a chance, Zoey moves from her big city life to a small town Texas ranch. She has to know if their connection is based on more than just a wild one-night stand before announcing to her family that she got hitched.

One moment changes everything—for better or worse—and a secret could destroy them both.


**This is a full-length stand-alone novel in the Circle B Ranch series and a spin-off from the Bishop Brothers series. You don’t need to read any of the other books beforehand to enjoy this one!**













Brooke Cumberland and Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up under the USA Today pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of Hallmark movies & overpriced coffee. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate under a pseudonym and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, quirky, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you! They’re looking forward to bringing you many more stories to fall in love with!
Keep up with all their social media platforms for updates & info!

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Say It Again ~ Catherine Bybee ~ New Release




Title: Say it Again
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: September 24, 2019
Publisher: Montlake

Summary

Protector-for-hire Sasha Budanov is accustomed to life as a loner. Always on the move, she’s now reached a crossroad. Looking for answers about her shadowy youth, she’s returned to the strict boarding school in Germany where she was raised. It’s also where she was trained in the stealthy, militarized art of survival. But behind its gleaming gates, Richter is a fortress of secrets, including those buried in Sasha’s mysterious past. To uncover them, she’s clinging to her first rule of defense: stay guarded.

If anyone can challenge Sasha’s rules, it’s devilishly sexy stranger AJ Hofmann. He wants answers, too. And he needs Sasha’s help. The recent deaths of several of Richter’s former students—including AJ’s own sister—have aroused his suspicions. He’s arousing something more in Sasha. Never one to surrender to her emotions, she senses something tempting in AJ. She trusts him. He’s fearless. And he kisses like a demon. Sasha’s found her match.

But treading Richter’s dark halls—and following their hearts—has its risks. As the decades-old secrets of the past are mined, Sasha and AJ are falling deeper in love . . . and into danger.

Say it Again Excerpt



AJ was being stood up.

It was half past noon and Sasha wasn’t there.

The Brandenburg Gate was one of the busiest tourist attractions in Berlin. The square was filled with families and walking tours led by someone holding a colored flag on a stick and talking into a microphone while a line of dazed, zombie-like visitors followed behind. Aside from those in the square learning about the history of the place, there were a dozen police officers and security guards moving around. Considering the American, British, and French embassies were all within a stone’s throw of each other, AJ was surprised there wasn’t a stronger military presence. 

AJ kept scanning the crowd in search of Sex on a Stick in black leather pants and a bad attitude. 

Nothing. 

Left without options, AJ dialed his phone number on her phone and waited. It rang twice. 

Behind him, the riff of “Bad to the Bone,” his ringtone, shot through him. He dropped his hand from his ear and saw a blonde standing three feet away, her back to him. 

Slowly she turned. 

“Whoa.” 

Sasha stared back at him, wearing white capri pants and a bright floral top. The blonde wig overdid it but completely camouflaged her in broad daylight. She took a step closer, reached out her hand holding his cell. “Hello, AJ.” 

They switched phones. “How long have you been standing there?” 

“Half an hour, give or take.” 

He looked her up and down. She looked like a typical American housewife, minus the kid in the stroller. “Impressive.” 

“I wanted to make sure you were alone.” 

AJ glanced around at the passing tourists. “Is there a reason behind the cloak-and-dagger?” 

She moved closer, lowered her voice. “You’ve come here to look for your sister’s killer. You think there is some connection to Richter. Went so far as to go there asking questions. You’re stalking the local pub and hitting on, not to mention stealing from, the patrons . . .” Sasha waved her phone in the air before tucking it into her back pocket. 

“I’m calling pot to kettle on that last accusation.” Although all the rest she pointed out was spot-on. 

“I like to go unnoticed. If someone followed me here, they lost me the second I made the city limits and went clothes shopping.” 

“What if someone followed me?” 

“Then I would have seen them watching in the thirty minutes you’ve been standing around looking like a lost child without a parent.” She turned and started walking toward the gate. 

AJ had no choice but to follow. 

“What makes you think anyone is following either of us?” 

She smiled, didn’t answer his question. “I used to help your sister on her agility training,” she told him. 

The mention of his sister brought his attention back to what he should be focused on. “She wasn’t the most athletic woman.” Amelia took after their mother, who didn’t grow more than five feet five inches tall and had a sweet tooth that always kept her rounder than she’d liked. At least that’s what she’d blame when she went on one of her many diets. 

“No. But she held her own most of the time. Everyone at Richter was pushed to do at least that.” 

“Her coworkers said she had recently started taking morning walks before work,” AJ said. 

“Which explains the police report about her being murdered in the park and tossed in the river.” 

AJ stopped walking. “You looked her up.” 

“Only because I knew her.” 

He jumped in front of her, stopped her from moving. “Then you’ll help me.” 

“There is nothing to suggest that Amelia’s death is at all linked to Richter.” 

AJ looked over Sasha’s shoulder and noticed a man eating an ice cream cone and staring at Sasha. The middle-aged guy turned his attention away and took a few steps in the opposite direction. 

“Maybe she . . .” 

AJ felt eyes, turned to his left. 

No one. 

“What is it?” Sasha asked. 

“The guy with the ice cream, over your left shoulder.” 

She grinned, cocked her head to the side. “We did this last night.” 

“Yeah, only I’m not asking you to lay a lip lock on me. Tempting as that might be.” Truth was, he’d thought about that kiss more times than he wanted to admit. “If how you’re dressed is any indication, you’re the expert on all things undercover. You tell me if you feel the weight of someone’s stare.” 

Sasha paused, then looked over her shoulder. “That him?” she asked, thumbing toward the guy with the ice cream. 

“Yeah.” 

She grabbed AJ’s hand and walked directly toward the guy he thought for sure was watching them. 

“What are you doing?” 

She didn’t answer. “Excuse me?” Her voice rose a full octave, her smile was sickeningly sweet. Any accent he’d detected from her voice was gone . . . or changed. 

The man with the cone turned toward them. “Yes?” 

“Are you American? You look American.” 

“I’m, ah . . . yeah.” The guy looked directly at AJ.

Sasha kept going. “Good. Would you mind taking our picture? I can’t get the gate behind us with a selfie.” 

Again the guy offered AJ unblinking eyes. “Ah, sure.” He reached for the phone Sasha was handing him. 

Next thing AJ realized, he was standing beside Sasha, her arm slipped around his waist, and he was smiling like all of the other tourists surrounding them while the man he thought was spying on them took their picture. 

The stranger holding Sasha’s phone, while trying to balance his ice cream cone, looked completely out of place. 

“Take a second one, just in case.” Sasha giggled. 

The sound of her voice didn’t suit her. The hand on his waist, however, suited him just fine. The feel of her there, the warmth, the softness he knew she would hate if he pointed it out, felt a little too right. 

“Thank you so much.” 

The stranger handed her phone back with a nod. “Have fun.” 

She waved. “We will . . . thanks.” 

And he was gone. 

AJ watched the man slip away as Sasha removed herself from AJ’s side. 

He missed her warmth, instantly. 

“Any self-preserving spy wouldn’t have made contact,” Sasha told him. 

The two of them walked toward the center of the square. “Okay,” AJ started. “Maybe I’m a little paranoid.”

“You’re a lot paranoid.” 

AJ paused in the middle of the plaza and stared at the massive horses that sat atop the gate. The image of his sister at Christmas the previous year surfaced. It was the last time he’d seen her alive. “I know Amelia’s death wasn’t random, Sasha. I feel it with every breath I take.” 

She sighed. “I know you do.” 

He looked at her. “You don’t believe me.” 

“I believe you believe.” 

He lowered his head, studied the salt-and-pepper colored stones beneath his feet. “You’re not going to help.” Damn it . . . he was back to ground zero. 

Another heavy sigh from the woman at his side. “I will help you.” 

AJ snapped his head up. “What?” 

She placed a hand in the air as in warning. “Not because I think you have anything other than grief inside you. The not knowing, or never accepting the facts, can eat you alive.” 

Not ground zero. He wanted to kiss her. Not that she would be receptive to that kind of thing. “Why are you doing this?” There wasn’t anything in it for her. Sasha turned away from him and focused her attention on the Brandenburg Gate. 

“Because I’m not bored.” 

***

Author Interview: Catherine Bybee



1) Sasha, from your newest novel Say it Again, is unlike any character that most readers will have encountered. Can you give us a rundown of your heroine?

Sasha is a female James Bond with all the skills that kick ass and the sexy that opens doors. She’s a master of disguises, speaks more languages than anyone should…and has a razor-sharp mind that doesn’t sleep. In all her badassery, (pretty sure I just made up that word) Sasha has a soft spot—a vulnerability that makes her want to protect the innocent. She’s a true to life superhero who walks the fence between right and wrong. She really doesn’t have any issues breaking laws to get what she wants. And that’s what makes her so fun to read, and for me to write.

2) Fans have been following Sasha throughout your First Wives series. Did you always know you wanted to write her story?
No! Not at all. The first four books in the series were going to be it. However, Sasha commanded attention the first moment she walked on the page and I couldn’t get enough of her once I dreamed her up. I was almost finished writing the first book when I decided that Sasha was not going to be a bad guy. Yes, I’m a pantser, and have no real outline before I sit down to write. I think the fact that I didn’t know she was one of the good guys made her all that more believable. I don’t even think she knew she was going to be on the side of right and justice until the end of Fool Me Once.

3) While many of your novels have a mystery or suspense element, you dive head first into action and spy-games in this book. How easy was this transition for you?

It was super easy and tons of fun. In fact… I think I may have a spin off of a spin off rolling in my head with all the fun characters I played with while writing this book. Neil was one of my very first book boyfriends from the Weekday Brides. And having him come back in this book just reminded me how much fun it is to write all the action and intrigue. I hope my fans love it enough for me to continue the theme with new books.

4) When AJ is first introduced he seems pretty average—just a guy looking for answers about his sister’s death. But in reality, there is nothing average about AJ. How would you describe him? 

The best picture in my mine that I can describe with all clarity is Brian O’Connor, Paul Walker (RIP), from Fast and Furious. Innocent until he isn’t.

I would say that AJ is exactly what Sasha needed to open up and accept that she too can be loved. I wanted AJ to come off as average until he wasn’t. Sasha is such a strong character that she needed someone who wasn’t going to try and overpower or overshadow her badassery (love that word). AJ does that. Yet he has some badass moments himself and that is what makes her fall for him even more. He is in no way perfect and neither is she.

5) AJ and Sasha have something in common—they are both characters with lots and lots of secrets. What makes them open up to each other? What else do they have in common? 

Trust through time. That’s the best way for me to describe how they evolved in my head. There is a common respect the moment they “acquire” the other’s phone. A moment where they take notice and begin to respect the other. Honor among thieves as they say. I think the common ground that isn’t apparent until the story evolves is how they want the love of a family. AJ is much more open to it than Sasha, but they both have to fight for it in the end.

6) While you have written books with scenes in foreign countries, this story takes place internationally. Have you visited the same places as your characters? Where do you hope to take readers around the world in the future?
Yes, I have been to all the places I have written about. I was in Berlin a couple of years ago at a book signing and managed to get their by taking the train from London, through Amsterdam etc. So yes, I’m blessed to have visited these places which makes the story that much richer in my opinion. Richter, the school in the story, is from my imagination. I did some fact checking and learned that post Hitler’s Germany, military boarding schools were not welcome in the country. So I made one up and made it as great and awful as I could while still making it believable.

I have placed most of my travels, or experiences from them, in my books. And as I travel the world, I will bring my readers along…eventually.

7) Say it Again wraps up your First Wives series. What have you learned while writing these books? Will these lessons affect your writing in the future? 
On a personal level, I will say that I’ve leaned to write with a great deal of personal turmoil. There have been times I’ve doubted my process and this final book in the series has told me to never do that again. I would like to always keep the door open for more books because of characters like Sasha. I love writing fast moving romantic suspense and intrigue and can see Claire, Cooper and the whole of Neil’s team as a great setting for future books. Yeah… I’m liking that idea more and more. I hope my readers do, too. 

***


Author Biography

New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written thirty books that collectively have sold more than five million copies and been translated into more than eighteen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First Wives Series. For more information, visit www.catherinebybee.com.

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Wrapped Up In You ~ Jill Shalvis ~ New Release and Review



Wrapped Up in You
Heartbreaker Bay – Book 8
By: Jill Shalvis
Avon Books – September 24, 2019

Blurb
It’s love. Trust me.

After a lifetime on the move, Ivy Snow is an expert in all things temporary—schools, friends, and way too many Mr. Wrongs. Now that she owns a successful taco truck in San Francisco and an apartment to call home, Ivy’s reinvented life is on solid ground. And she’s guarded against anything that can rock it. Like the realities of a past she’s worked hard to cover up. And especially Kel O’Donnell. Too hot not to set off alarms, he screams temporary. If only his whispers weren’t so delightfully naughty and irresistible.

Kel, an Idaho sheriff and ranch owner, is on vacay, but Ivy’s a spicy reason to give his short-terms plans a second thought. Best of all, she’s a tonic for his untrusting heart, burned once and still in repair. But when Ivy’s past intrudes on a perfect romance, Kel fears that everything she’s told him has been a perfect lie. Now, if only Ivy’s willing to share, Kel will fight for a true love story.



Buy Links
KOBO: http://bit.ly/2RoKigG




Author Info

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.


Giveaway
Feel free to offer up TWO digital copies of SWEET LITTLE LIES (Heartbreaker Bay) by Jill Shalvis. You can host on social or on your blog and pick winners from comments and they can claim using this form: https://forms.gle/KmccnNNFqmfJTgNm7

Excerpt:



Wrapped Up in You by Jill Shalvis


My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a friend


Review Copy provided by Author


Wrapped Up in You is a solid entry into the Heartbreak bay series, focusing on relative new comer Ivy and Kel (a secondary character from a previous series).

Both Ivy and Kel are interesting characters, both carrying a lot of baggage from their journey through life so far. It was fun getting to know them and see them peel back layers as they got to know each other.

As much as this is a romance for Ivy and Kel, it’s also a relationship story. In this well written book, we get to see Ivy and Kel both grow in their various relationships. It means they both get to stretch the boundaries they had set for themselves.

Wrapped Up in You reads well as a stand alone work. It ties in well with the rest of the series, as the secondary cast features several couples from previous books. This would be an excellent read for both new and existing Shalvis fans.


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Monday, September 23, 2019

A Favor for A Favor ~ Helena Hunting ~ Cover Reveal

AFFAF - CR banner

A new stand-alone romance about trading favors, battling wills, and winning love.

A Favor for a Favor from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is coming January 28th, and we have the red-hot cover!

A Favor for a Favor, cover
When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?
Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.
So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

AFFAF - PO
Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AFFAF
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2msA1pY
Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2m17XK2
About Helena Hunting
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's writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Connect with Helena
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2mloUim Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5 Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/2kN5yCD Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/ Never miss an update! Subscribe to Helena's mailing list: http://bit.ly/2MlRKq6

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Friday, September 20, 2019

Review Round Up ~ September 20


Arc's and Recent Releases


Captivating in LoveCaptivating in Love by Bella Andre

3.5 Stars - Worth a Reader's Time

Review Copy Provided by Author

This is an entertaining entry into a long running series featuring a set of foster siblings as they find true love. The authors have moved through the original cast and are now telling the stories of key secondary cast members.

Gideon and Rosie are part of the Maverick group by relation to Ari, one of the previous leading ladies. Both are characters that are easy to like and want good things for. I appreciated the emotional evolution Gideon experienced, almost like once he really spent time with Rosie, she was the balm to release some of his pain and fears.

There is an interesting plot twist to bring these two even closer together while also cementing their places in the Maverick universe. Add in too little boy scene stealers and this is definitely a fun read.

My one “complaint” is that while this is technically a stand alone, it is so firmly entrenched in the series that it might be hard for someone starting here to not feel lost. I would strongly recommend reading at least one of two of the other Maverick books first.

Amazon


The CannonThe Cannon by Leslie Pike

3.5 Stars - Worth a Reader's Time

Review Copy Provided by Author

The Cannon is part of the Swift Series and focuses on Bristol (the sister of the family at the center of the series) and Sawyer, a baseball phenomenon playing for the team her family owns.

I enjoyed Sawyer and Bristol’s story. They are both interesting characters with back stories that have potential for creating issues/baggage. Seeing them interact and deal with those things was sweet.

As with all things from Ms Pike, the Cannon was well written and engaging. So why then is this only a 3.5 star read?

My first (and probably biggest) issue comes from the the fact that is the third book in the series. I somehow (and need to fix this) have missed the first two book in the series. Certain secondary characters are written as if we know the backstory and while it doesn’t detract from Bristol and Sawyer’s story, it was still there poking at me while I read.

The second piece for me was this didn’t seem to have the seamless flow to it that I expect from Ms Pike’s writing. The only thing I can put my finger on for why I feel this way was the introduction of a secondary character who seemed prominent to the story, but then seemed to fade away with no additional mentions. I don't want to be a spoiler, so I won't share more - you will have to read the book to find out!

Overall, this is an entertaining and fun/sweet read. I am curious about the other books in the series and can't want to see what Ms Pike has for us next!

Amazon


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