I Knew You Were Trouble ~ Lauren Lane ~ New Release and Review

 

A feisty beauty must choose between winning back Mr. Right 

or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

 

I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE

Oxford Series #4

Lauren Layne

Releasing June 13, 2017

Loveswept

New York City’s hottest bachelors are stirring up trouble in this fun, flirty Oxford Novel, as a love triangle forces a feisty beauty to choose between winning back Mr. Right or giving in to Mr. Wrong.

Taylor Carr has it all—a sleek job in advertising, a stunning Manhattan apartment, and the perfect man to share it with: Bradley Calloway. Even after Bradley dumps her for a co-worker on move-in day, Taylor isn’t worried. She’ll get her man eventually. In the meantime, she needs a new roommate. Enter Nick Ballantine, career bartender, freelance writer—and longtime pain in Taylor’s ass. Sexy in a permanent five-o’clock-shadow kind of way, Nick knows how to push Taylor’s buttons, as if he could see right through to the real her.

Nick’s always trying to fix people, and nobody could use a good fixing more than Taylor. Sure, she’s gorgeous, with mesmerizing silver eyes, but it’s her vulnerability that kills him. Now that they’re shacking up together, the chemistry is out of control. Soon they’re putting every part of their two-bedroom apartment to good use. Then Taylor’s ex comes crawling back to her, and Nick figures she’ll jump at the chance to go back to her old life—unless he fights for the best thing that ever happened to him.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books. 

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Elizabeth's Review

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

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

I definitely enjoyed this slightly different entry in the Oxford series. Taylor and Nick are one of those couples that you just know should be together from their first meeting, but life keeps them apart.
Taylor is a heroine that honestly made me a little uncomfortable even while I wanted to cuddle her. Her upbringing stunted her emotional growth and it shows in how she looks at love.
Nick isn't the classic hero, but is perfect for Taylor. Their banter and barbs are fun to watch - as is their evolution from fren-enemies, to roommates, to coupledom.
My only complaint is that the tenacity in which Taylor held on to a failed relationship. It didn't seem to fit with the strong persona she portrayed in other places.

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Hard Stick - L.P Dover - New Release and Review

He carries a big stick. And he’s not afraid to use it. 

On the ice, I’m Kellan Carter, powerhouse enforcer for the Charlotte Strikers. Off the ice, I’m just a regular guy. The last thing I want is to get mobbed by a bunch of groupies who are only after me for my fame and money. My ideal woman knows how to enjoy a little good, clean fun—and maybe some not-so-clean fun too. That’s the kind of girl I’d never let go.

When Kristen Robinson, the gorgeous, down-to-earth bartender I’ve been crushing on, agrees to let me take her out, I’m thrilled. We have an amazing night together, culminating in the most electrifying kiss of my life—and that’s it. Kristen tells me we can’t see each other again, but I know that kiss meant as much to her as it did to me. What I don’t know is that Kristen has a dangerous secret. . . . 

I’ve proved to Kristen that she can trust me with her body and her heart. But when her past comes back to haunt her, I need to prove that she can trust me with her life. And I might have to get my hands dirty after all.

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

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

Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley

If you are looking for a hockey book - stop, this isn't it. Yes, the hero of the book is a hockey player and we see him in his work element, but this is not a sports romance. This is similar to the books of Ms. Dover's Second Chance series, where the common thread is the professional athlete male lead, but the true story lies elsewhere.
In this case, I would say this is a well written romantic suspense.
Kristen got involved with the wrong man and ended up paying a heavy price for it. A year later, we find her back in North Carolina - in Belmont (if you've read the Second Chance series, this should ring a bell) and fending off the advances of several hockey players while she tends bar.
Team Captain, Kellan, eventually gets a date and....... You don't need me to tell you the rest.
I liked this book and the characters. Kristen and Kellan are both good people that you can't help but root for and like. The secondary cast is awesome and if you are paying attention, you can see hints regarding the stars of future books. There is also a good balance between the suspense and romance elements of the story - and within the romance, there is a balance between the sexy times and actual relationship building.
Overall, this is a solid start to a new series and an enjoyable book. I see similarities between this and the Second Chance series, but it doesn't feel like a repeat of those books. I am looking forward to seeing where the Breakaway series goes.


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The Last Guy ~ Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise ~ New Release and Review

The first rule of office romance is don’t do it—especially if your dream is to hold the anchor spot on the nightly news and your boss is trying to get you fired.

But one look at Cade Hill, the sexy new sports director, and uptight reporter Rebecca Fieldstone is daydreaming about other things.

Sex in his office… 
Sex in the on-set kitchen… 
Sex in the supply closet… 

 She can’t stop thinking about the former NFL quarterback and how perfect he’d look between her sheets—except he’s an arrogant jerk with a huge...ego.

 He’s the last guy she’d ever have a one-night stand with.

Cade Hill draws a professional line on office romance—until it comes to the hyper-focused Rebecca. He wants her, and he gets his wish when a chance encounter has them having the hottest sex of their lives.

It’s just a hook-up, she says. 
When can we do it again? he says. 

 With Rebecca determined to keep Cade in the friend zone, it’s going to be an uphill battle for Cade to convince her that he’s the last guy for her…

 THE LAST GUY is the first white-hot CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC COMEDY from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills and Tia Louise, coming June 12, 2017! 

It features Fireball-fueled hookups, Doritos Locos Tacos, attack monkeys, toddlers in tiaras, and one fabulous drag queen. Prepare for frantic clicking and smoking-hot sexytimes all the way to the out-of-this-world happily-ever-after.

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Elizabeth's Review

My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Worth a Reader's Time

Review Copy Provided by Author's

This was a fun read from start to finish!
Rebecca and Cade are a Houston (I loved that this was set in the Bayou City!) reporter and sports director for a local TV network.
Sparks fly when they run into each other outside of the office and start to get to know each other as people and not just coworkers.
I really liked these two together and the supporting cast was fantastic, not to mention colorful!
This is a fast paced and well written story that encompasses a wide range of relationships and emotions. We get to know everyone well and become invested in their successes and failures.
Separately Ms. Madden-Mills and Ms. Louise are authors that I enjoy and I loved their debut work as co-authors. Had I not know going in that this was a dual writing effort, I would not have figured it out, because the final product is a seamless blending of their two voices.

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Update - Lurie Walk for Kids 5K Raffle

Usually I come here and talk about books, but today I am going to talk about a cause near and dear to my heart. Back in 2014 our middle child had a really bad bout with RSV in the spring. We got that beat, but then a couple of weeks later, something wasn't right. 2 visits to the pediatrician later - along with massive amounts of edema - everyone agreed something wasn't right and we were sent off the Lurie Children's Hospital in Downtown Chicago. Within 30 minutes of arriving, the Lurie ER had us with an attending physician and with another 30 to 45 minutes we were with the kidney team and on our way to a treatment plan.

T man the morning we went to the hospital

Our stay at Lurie ended up stretching out to 10 days. Thankfully, once we had a diagnosis and treatment plan our little guy didn't require a lot of medical intervention. Hubby and I were with him and able to take care of most of his needs. We saw our nurses a lot, but most of it was very routine. The hospital's Family Life Center saved our sanity - especially when we reached a point that Hubby needed to go back to work and I was at the hospital around the clock.

Fast forward to the spring of 2015 and instead of a hospital bound 3 year old, we had a strong healthy 4 year old who'd been firmly in remission for over 6 months. That's when our journey to pay it forward and pay it back began and we walked in our first Lurie Walk for Kids 5K. We are about to walk in our third walk this June and we are trying something different to raise a little money.

We are going to be hosting a raffle with several different prizes, but only a limited number of tickets will be sold for each prize. Because we want our donors to know that the money they are spending is going to the cause - we are asking that tickets be purchased via direct donations to T man's fundraising page (if enough is raised, he would be recognized in the hero garden) then email us to let us know how many tickets you'd like and which prizes you would like to be entered for - make sense?

So far, our team has raised $200! For this last week - every $10 donation will get you 3 tickets for the basket of your choice! Please consider helping!

Here is the link to T's donation page.....

Tyler's Page

Once your donation is made - email me at ereadpa@gmail.com with entry details:
Please include your name, e-mail address AND

What are you trying to win?

Basket 1 -10 tickets are available at $5/each

Julep beauty box (approximately $25 value)
with a Stella and Dot bracelet

Basket 2 - All Tickets have been sold and winner notified! 

Paperback from Ryleigh Andrews (Losing You - signed)
Paperback from Stephanie Rose (Only You)
Reuseable E-Reading After Midnight shopping tote
Fun book related swag
(approx $50 value)

Basket 3 - 10 tickets available at $10/each

2 Paperbacks from Lili Mahoney - including her BRAND new book being released May 15!

E-Reading After Midnight coasters

E-Reading After Midnight coffee mug

Fun Book related swag

(approx $50 value)

Basket 4 - 10 tickets available at $10/each

2 Signed Paperbacks from Gia Riley (Rock the Boat and Rock the City)
1 Mystery Paperback

Reusable E-Reading After Midnight shopping tote

Fun Book Related Swag

(approx $50 value)

Basket 5 - CLOSED - Winner has been notified

2 Paperbacks from Mandi Beck (Love Hurts and Love Burns - SIGNED)
1 Paperback from Mandi Beck (Stoned - unsigned)

Cute Tote bag from Mandi 

A Surprise Gift from E-Reading After Midnight

Fun Book related Swag

(approx $60 value)

Basket 6 - 10 tickets available at $10/each

2 Paperbacks from Sloane Howell (Panty Whisperer and Tommy Boy - Signed)

1 Paperback of How to Date a Douchebag from Sara Ney - Signed

1 Tote bag from Sloane Howell - Signed

a Surprise from E-Reading After Midnight

(approx $50 value)

I will post updates as basket raffles are closed and once a basket has 10 entries, a winner will be selected and contacted regarding shipping. 

Thank you so much for reading this far - and please remember, you are not sending money to us or to our family. All donations made via the Tyler's Page link above are tax deductible and go straight to the Lurie Children's Walk for Kids 5K and benefit the patients and families in the hospital.

T Man in April 2017! 

Lover ~ Marni Mann & Gia Riley ~ New Release and Review

Title: Lover

Author: Marni Mann & Gia Riley

Publication Date: June 8th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Lover, a sexy all-new STANDALONE from Marni Mann & Gia Riley is available now!

The attraction was undeniable.

I couldn’t escape him.

I didn’t want to.

I was his.

He was mine.

But he wasn’t my husband.

My once treasured marriage was now flawed and imperfect.

By the time the guilt set in, it was too late.

Reality was trying to keep me away from my obsession.

My husband was that reality.

My obsession was West.

But West was forbidden. Taken. Married.

We were swingers.

It was the perfect arrangement.

Until I fell in love…

With West.

Excerpt:

After tonight, she’ll know how gorgeous she is, and she’ll know how incredible a man can make her feel. And, when she looks at her husband, she’ll expect more from him. I know shit between them isn’t as hot as what Tilly and I have. Cannon doesn’t look at Piper like he wants to take her clothes off with his teeth and have his mouth live between her legs. He gazes at her like he wants to ask where they’re going to dinner and what movie they’ll see after. There’s a difference between fucking your best friend and someone who actually worships your body. Piper will soon know the latter. And that’s why she’s here. To know what it feels like to be with a man who lusts for her cunt. She picked the right couple to swing with.

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2sFvwHi

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/c6PSrd

Add to GR https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33282532-lover

Elizabeth's Review

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

Review Copy provided by Author

Holy Smokes!
To be honest, I was a little bit afraid of this book. Based on the blurb, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to embrace the main characters. I just wasn't sure about the potential for them getting together via infidelity.
And I have to admit - there were parts of the story that made me uncomfortable, but there were also parts of Piper's story that I could relate to.
Piper is a heroine that, while I didn't always agree with her choices, I could understand them and could relate to her feeling of not being enough. I liked her and West together and appreciated how he was there for her emotionally when she needed him most.
There were a couple of issues that I felt were not fully resolved in the story, and that's what kept it from being a 5 star read for me. The fact that I was nervous about the book made me enjoy it that much more, but I was left with a few questions that left me wondering. They were mainly subplot issues that in one case could have been left out or should have been addressed and brought to conclusion.
If you are looking for an angsty, sexy, unconventional romance then this would be one for you!

View all my reviews

About Marni:

Best-selling Author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Mann was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotion. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and their two dogs who subsequently have been characters in her books. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling to new locations, and devouring fabulous books.

Connect with Marni:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarniMannAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarniMann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnimann/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marnimann/

Stay up to Date with Marni by signing up for her newsletter here: http://marnismann.com/about/

http://marnismann.com

About Gia:

Author Gia Riley has been in love with writing romance since high school when she took her very first creative writing class. From the small but mighty state of Delaware, she’s a country girl at heart, traveling back to her roots in Pennsylvania as often as she can. While New Adult and Contemporary romance have been her passion, she’s dabbled with more erotic plotlines lately, enjoying discovering the sexier side of love with each story she pens. After all, she’s a lover of all things romance – a firm believer that everyone deserves their happily ever after no matter what it takes to get there. When she’s not writing, you can find her roaming the aisles of Kirkland’s, up to her elbows in Play-doh, or trying to hunt down spoilers for her favorite reality television show.

Connect with Gia:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorgiariley/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorGiaRiley

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2q9Ap8M

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/giarileybooks/

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8182514.Gia_Riley

Stay up to date with Gia by signing up for her newsletter here:

http://authorgiariley.com/newsletter/

http://authorgiariley.com

Chance at Redemption ! Samatha Harris

 Gwen Stevens had a privileged life until her father spoke three little words that turned her world upside down. “You’re cut off.”

Broke and desperate, Gwen is forced to accept a waitressing job, but this glimmer of hope has a price. As if being a cocktail waitress isn’t bad enough, she has to do it in a dive bar called The Den, and her bad luck doesn’t stop there. She also needs to deal with the new owner, a blue-eyed, self-righteous ass determined to make her life miserable.

Liam Sinclair walked away from the entitlement and obligation his family planned for him, vowing to make his own way in the world…

Adjusting to life as a new business owner, Liam has experienced more than his fair share of setbacks. When his only waitress breaks her leg, his sister takes it upon herself to hire a replacement—a spoiled, self-indulgent hothead with too much makeup and more than enough attitude. Gwen represents the world he’s trying to escape, a world of excess and greed that he was never cut out for.

Appearances can be deceiving, and first impressions aren’t always right…

Despite their apparent differences, the tension between them turns to a fiery passion that neither of them can resist. Together they find balance and learn to appreciate the simpler things in life. But Gwen soon discovers that old habits die hard, and one mistake is all it takes to ruin everything.

Forgiveness must be earned, but even a villain deserves a chance at redemption…

Amazon ~ FREE on Kindle Unlimited

One: 

“Anything you want to tell me, little brother?” she asked as she folded her arms across her chest and watched me closely to gauge my reaction.

I frowned. “Um, No.”

“Really? Nothing new at all in your life?” She was baiting me into something I was sure was not going to be good.

“I bought a new toaster the other day.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“You should see it, it’s pretty sweet. Its toasts Darth Vader’s face into the bread.”

Madison growled in frustration and tossed a breadstick at me.

“Whoa chill cougar,” I laughed.

“Don’t start that.” She pointed her finger at me. “I get enough of that crap from Margot.”

“Okay,” I said as my laughter died down.

“So you really have nothing to share?”

“Like what?”

“Like what’s going on with you and Gwen.” She smiled, her eyebrows disappeared beneath her bangs.

“Oh that.” I ducked my head to hide my smile.

“Yes that.”

“Who told you?”

“Sean.”

“What? Who told him?”

“I don’t know, someone at the bar I guess,” she said with a dismissive wave.

“The bar?” Madison shrugged. Then it hit me. “Sam,” I sighed. “Great now everybody knows.”

“Were you hiding it?”  

“No. Not really. We just didn’t want things to be weird at work.”

“Well, here’s a tip, if you don’t want the people you work with to know. Don’t have sex in your office.”

I cringed. Hearing my older sister discuss my sex life was disturbing on a lot of levels.

“So?” she asked.

“So what?”

Madison let out a frustrated groan and rolled her eyes. “So what’s going on between you and Gwen?”

I wasn’t sure how to answer her. Hell I wasn’t even one hundred percent sure I even knew how. I sat back in my chair and played with the edge of my napkin. I was stalling and the look on my sister’s face said she knew it too.

“I’m not exactly sure,” I said.

She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. “Aren’t you living together?” she asked.

“Kind of,” I said.

“Kind of?” she scoffed. “Her clothes are there, she sleeps in your bed, eats your food, uses your shower.” I nodded and she sat back in her chair, folded her arms across her chest. “Sounds like living together to me.”  

“It’s not like we’d been dating for a while and I asked her to move in. She needed a place to crash. Everything else came later.”

“Everything else?”

I shrugged. “You know what I mean we were spending a lot of time together and it just happened.”

“What happened?”

“Sex Madison. We had sex.” I leaned back in my seat and relived some of our more creative positions in my head as a grin crept across my face. “Lots and lots of sex.”

Samatha “Sam” Harris lives near Baltimore, Maryland with her husband David and daughter Ava. Born in Florida, she migrated north which most people agree was a little backwards. She has been an artist all of her life, a Tattoo Artist for more than ten years, and a storyteller since she was a kid.

Sam has a slightly unhealthy love for Frank Sinatra, classic movies, and Jazz and Blues music, but her first love will always be reading. From Romance, to Thrillers, to Historical Fiction and everything in between, she loves to become a part of the story. As a writer she tells the stories that she would want to read.

Twitter: @samathaharris08 ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Somewhere In Between

Amazon

Choosing Happy

Amazon

Chance At Redemption Blog Tour Giveaway

Imperfect Love Kindle World Reviews

I was able to read a couple of the novella from The Imperfect Love Kindle World.... Here are my reviews - I hope you go check them out!

  Battle of the Sexes by Adriana Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am always a little leery when I pick up a novella, you just never know how they are going to go! Ms. Locke does an excellent job with Battle of the Sexes and I was impressed.
Carver and Amity and both entertaining characters and the world around them is well crafted so that it is easy to get into their story. This is a fun childhood friend re-connection/romance. We get to see them deal with animosity, both old and new, conflicting goals, and a growing attraction.
Well written and fun, this is definitely a novella worth reading.

Amazon

 Cheeky by Natasha Madison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun, fun novella!
Lexi and Bradley were both a little wild and a little crazy, but that's what a Vegas vacation is meant to be! I loved how their history as friends allowed them to turn a series of mishaps into a fun week and then more.
Ms. Madison did a fantastic job of creating characters and a really great story in a short little book!

Amazon


TWISTED by Mandi Beck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
Of the Imperfect World novellas I've read, I think this might be my favorite!
This is a little different than a typical book by Ms. Beck, it definitely has more humor than I am used to seeing from her, but she nailed it!
Jasper is definitely a sexy Alpha type hero and he made me swoon as he took care of Fannin and provided the emotional support she wasn't seeing elsewhere. They are an awesome couple and the story in Twisted is just long enough that I felt I knew them and could root for them to get things figured out.

Amazon

Tied by Kim Karr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great addition to the Imperfect Love world! Ms. Karr creates a situation where instant lust turned love feels real and you want to see the couple succeed.
This is a story where I would have actually liked to have seen more of James and Lindsay. This novella covers over a month and we know their are places where I would have loved more details for what was really going on.
A fun quick read - a great book if you already a fan of Ms Karr or just discovering her.

Amazon

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