BOOK REVIEW: Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige

~Synopsis~

Alexa is just your average college junior, attending classes and piloting Mile High Club charter flights. Boys haven't been on her radar for a couple years after a disastrous breakup with her high school sweetheart. Her plans to focus on school hit a bit of a snag when she meets bad-boy Drake Bennett and he sets his sights on making her his own. 

Drake transferred to Blythe College for the rugby team, not for a new assortment of college girls. He's sexy and cocky, and he attracts women like moths to a flame. When he meets Alexa, Drake knows he's met his match. She tries to resist him, but Drake isn't used to taking no for an answer.

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.25 Stars

Alexa Hewett, 20, attends Blythe College while logging extra flight hours for her father’s business. Drake Bennett, 21, has recently transferred to Blythe to play for their rugby team.  Their paths cross a few times before they truly meet and then things really take off.

Having had a bad experience in her last relationship, Alexa is a little reluctant to get involved in something serious. Drake sees what he wants and goes after it.  And he’s determined to make her his girl even if they have to take it slow.

While Drake has a few over the top possessive alpha moments along with insta love, for the most part he was a great catch.  I loved how his eyes never strayed and how devoted he was to her. Alexa had a few hot/cold moments that I couldn’t get on board with but otherwise she was a likable character.  

The best part of this book is watching the romance develop between the two main characters—their dates, their growing attraction, their private moments. Too often “romance” books skimp on these parts but that doesn’t happen here. And when the duo take things to the next level, it’s definitely hot.

“‘I need to watch you fly apart for me again.’”

The story is largely told via Alexa’s first person point of view with just the epilogue told by Drake. It would have been nice to have had more sections also told by him.

There’s some mild OW/OM drama but both characters handled it well and stayed true to their feelings. That was so refreshing. All in all, an enjoyable steamy new adult romance.

AMAZON    B&N

COVER REVEAL: Dex by Stephanie Witter

Series: Kinky Shine #1

Genre: Rockstar Romance/Contemporary

Cover Design: Stephanie Witter

Release Date: May 3, 2016

~Blurb~

She succeeded in making him feel like a man. A normal functioning man when he hadn’t felt that way in years.

"Who're you f*cking?"

When my father, manager of the worldwide phenomenon Kinky Shine, asked me to come and help the band members appear more approachable I never thought my first meeting with Dex Bowers would start with such a question.

Immediately, I wanted to strangle him, wipe the smirk off his face and force him to mutter more than three words.

But there's something mysterious about him that was electrifying and the more he pushed me away and angered me, the more I wanted to know him and push through his hangups. 

"Trust. That f*cking trust thing didn't come easily to me." 

In the five years since my band became famous, not once had I been photographed with a woman. I knew it fed the supposed mystery surrounding me, but the real truth was far more humiliating than I was comfortable with.

That was until Harley Floyd walked in and I was left with a mind numbing lust for her that scared me shitless. It should be easy to let go and trust her just enough to have fun, to be happy I could finally come up with new material for our next album. But nothing was easy and with a life made of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll I wasn't sure if anything could last. Not even my band.

"What twenty-five year old was f*cking lost when his cock was rock hard when close to a gorgeous woman? One answer to that; a man who hadn’t had sex in a really long time."  

GOODREADS

Stephanie Witter is a dreamer. She started learning English at three, and fell in love with the language. Always with a
book or two close by, she can't spend a day without reading (or writing).

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~Giveaway~

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BOOK REVIEW: Things Liars Fake by Sara Ney

~Synopsis~

Series: #ThreeLittleLies #3

What if…

Someone you barely knew asked you for a favor.

What if…

They needed you to be something you weren’t, in exchange for nothing. Unless you count a mouth full of lies and a half-broken heart. Faker. Pretender. Liar. There are worse things to be called.

So would you do it? Would you?

Daphne Winthrop did.

And you’re about to find out what happens in the end.

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.5 Stars

Book 3 in the #threelittlelies novella series features Tabitha’s friend, Daphne Winthrop, and Collin’s friend, Dexter Ryan.

Daphne is outgoing; Dexter is the quiet, nerdy type. Adorkable is how Daphne describes him and it’s a perfect new adjective.

Like the previous books, the story is sweet, low angst, and told via dual first person point of view. I love how these books are all about the romance between two people who find the right one and avoid all the unnecessary drama with OW/OM that only pollutes a good love story. The characters have integrity and there’s always some real swoon worthy moments.

“I hesitate, pulling back; wanting to remember this moment forever, certain that this will be my last first kiss.”

There’s always a touch of humor to these stories and this time around it’s served up in the form of Dexter’s twin sisters. They were a great addition and played an adorable role.

“‘Okay tiny Godfathers, bring it down a notch. This isn’t the mob.’”

I’m a little bummed that this is the last book in the series. Three little lies doesn’t seem like nearly enough. I’d love to see a story between Grey and Cal’s college roommates as well as more from Grey and Cal who remain my favorite. Here’s hoping there’s more lies to tell in the future.  

AMAZON

~Also in the Series~

#2

 Book Review

#1

Book Review

COVER REVEAL: Jersey Girl by Rhonda James

~Blurb~

Brantley Cage is a standout D-man on Great Lakes University hockey team. Now that his dream of signing with the Detroit Red Wings has come true, his goals for senior year are simple: Work hard. Score big. Stay away from love.

And then he meets her. There’s just one problem. She’s the sister of his best friend, and he’s been warned that she’s off-limits…

Cassie Rivers is a musician desperately in need of a do-over. Leaving the past behind, she transfers to GLU in search of something, or someone, that inspires her.

And then she meets him. Her brother’s best friend and teammate. But according to the Bro Code he’s supposed to be off limits…

You’ve heard what they say about forbidden fruit… One taste is more addictive than one of them is ready to admit. Will he keep skating away from love? Or has this player finally found his Jersey Girl?

 Goodreads

Cover Artist: Taylor James

Rhonda James is an Amazon best-selling romance author who strives to create a book boyfriend for all her readers. Rhonda is married and lives in Michigan with her family. In her spare time you can find her talking to readers, cooking some new creation in her kitchen, or just spending time with her family.

Some of her guilty pleasures are mastering such things as Twitter and indulging in chocolate, she may do one more than the other.
Come find her on her social networks and don’t be afraid to say Hi!

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RELEASE BLITZ: Right by Jana Aston

Genre: Romantic Comedy

 Release Date: April 6, 2016

~Blurb~

My childhood was perfect.

I’ve led a charmed life, and I’m not going to blow it now by picking the wrong guy.

I’ve got my sights set on my brother’s best friend.

He’s known my family for years. He’s reliable and kind and handsome.

Sure, he’s been avoiding me since I was six.

I’m a bit aggressive for him, maybe.

But he’s the one… right?
 

RIGHT is a full-length standalone novel. This novel features Everly, Sophie’s best friend from the novel Wrong.
Both books were written as standalones and can be read without the other.

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AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO

~Excerpt~

“Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Just deciding what I'm going to do with you first."

"Do with me?" I'm nervous now. I'm not sure I like the sound of that.

He nods, then runs a hand across his jaw, thinking. "Breeding role-play okay?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're cool with video?"

"Look, I have no idea what you're talking about," I say, waving a hand dismissively. "But I'm open to trying whatever your thing is. Unless it's anal. I'm saving anal for marriage."

"Saving anal for marriage," he repeats back to me. "Is that an actual thing?" He's incredulous.

"It's a thing."

"I don't think that's a thing."

"Well, I think it's a thing and it's my ass."

"Fair." He nods. "Just out of curiosity, how do you see that playing out? Wedding night anal? Honeymoon anal? Or are you talking first anniversary anal?"

I twist my lips while I think. "Wedding night anal doesn't seem right, does it?" I scrunch my nose and tap my lip while I give this genuine reflection. "Post-honeymoon, pre-first anniversary seems like the anal sweet spot."

"Good to know. I'll make a note of it."

"You do that."

~Also Available~

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

Jana Aston is the New York Times bestselling author of WRONG. She quit her super boring day job to whip up another book & is hoping that was not a stupid idea. In her defense, it was a really boring job. RIGHT releases on April 6th.

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~Giveaway~

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BOOK REVIEW: Things Liars Hide by Sara Ney

Series: #ThreeLittleLies #2

~Synopsis~

Secrets, secrets, everybody has them...
Tabitha Thompson is many things, but a liar isn't one of them. Unless you count the sexy secret she's spent a year hiding from everyone: her friends, her family. The secret she never counted on anyone discovering...

One chance encounter.

One clumsy mistake.

One sexy discovery.

Now, only Collin Keller stands in the way of her secret--and everyone else. And he just may be the one who ruins it all...

Tabitha Thompson, you secretive little sneak...

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.25 Stars

This is book 2 in the #threelittlelies novella series. It can be read as a standalone. But if you’ve read book 1 then this is Grey’s older brother and Cal’s older sister and told from their dual first person POV.

“…it feels like fishing for a boyfriend in the family pond.”

This story is cute, funny, and lighthearted.  I’m always weary of blurbs that talk about “secrets” because rarely are they original and often they are either overblown drama or something unromantic. But that’s not the case here. Tabitha’s secret is really cute and one I think romance readers will get a smile out of. I definitely got a chuckle out of her “book-bosomed” scene:

 “Yeah, you heard me—she’s smelling the book.  Who does that? Then, as if that wasn’t weird enough, Tabitha grasps the book tightly, clutches it to her chest, and…hugs it?”

The entire coffee shop scene had me giggling and the “hostage situation”…well there’s some adorable humor in this story. Collin, 26, gets credit for a lot of it. He’s a great down-to-earth guy who’s also an attractive mix of confident and mischievous.

“I’ve seen what I’ve seen and I can’t un-see it.”

I love the way he toyed with spunky but high strung Tabitha, 24, over the situation.

It was an enjoyable read although it didn’t quite have the depth between the couple like the first book. Grey and Cal make appearances though and I loved seeing them again, even if only for brief glimpses. It actually made me want to read their book again!

AMAZON


~Also in the Series~

Book Review

BLOG TOUR: In Your Dreams by Ginger Scott

 Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Series: Falling #4

Release Date: March 29, 2016

~Synopsis~

Casey Coffield has a growing list of personal flaws he keeps locked away in his head:

He’s never on time.

His list of IOUs to his best friend is endless.

Money is always short.

Goals are never in reach.

Oh, and he’s decided to add college drop-out to that list, too. He doesn’t really think that last one’s such a bad thing, but his family insists it is, so it stays on the list.

On paper, he’s a zero. But in person, when he’s mixing tracks for a sea of bodies at the hottest clubs and parties, he’s downright irresistible. Just-right stubble on his chin, body of a boxer and a smirk that stimulates all the right nerves—women have never been a problem. They flock to his swagger and fall for his charm…fast.

All except for this one. 

Purple hair, gray eyes, a raspy voice and sass, Murphy Sullivan is a little bit country and a little bit rock-n-roll. And her and Casey? They have history. He can’t remember it, but she wrote a song about him—and it’s not exactly a love song. But it is good. Damn good. And uncovering her inspiration just might be the key to solving a few of his shortcomings—not to mention open doors to his own big break in the music industry.

But sometimes dreams get messy when they collide. Sometimes life changes patterns. A past paints the wrong picture and futures get cloudy. The only question that remains is who will you choose when the dust settles—you? Or the girl of your dreams? 

GOODREADS

~Book Review~

4.75 Stars

It started back in high school. Casey Coffield has been Murphy Sullivan’s musical muse, more than either of them realize. Casey didn’t even notice that Murphy exists, and Murphy isn’t too sure she really wants him too. But at 22, their paths cross again when Murphy’s recording hits YouTube. Suddenly Casey can’t stop thinking about the girl he can’t even remember, the girl who’s becoming his muse to being a better person. 

“My mental list of defects is so long that I forget the old ones to make room for the recent ones.”

The first thing I noticed about this story is that the characters are developed well. They are perfectly flawed—as in they come across as realistic young adults who are still maturing, still emotionally growing without being broken or damaged. Murphy has to gain her confidence; Casey has to abandon his selfishness. Both need to find their way in the adult world but it’s a journey they begin to take together. I love that in a romance novel because I think that’s what being a successful couple is really about—growing together, challenging each other, making each other a better person. And that’s mainly what we see transpire between Casey and Murphy.

"Yeah, Murphy...this is about more than music. You aren't just neat."

This is a slow burn romance so there is a lot of story development before things get physical. I’ll admit, I started to worry it wasn’t even going to be depicted, though I enjoyed their little interactions—the seemingly innocent touches that were packed with so much power. When a pore cleaning session emits budding romance, it shows that the author understands the finer details of the romance genre. Attraction can be conveyed without blatant inta-lust monologues, and it’s done well in this story. And in the end I wasn’t disappointed when Casey and Murphy finally took it to the bedroom.

“‘I could watch you take me all night, Murphy. I love the way you look with me inside, so hot, so wet.’”

What I loved (like with a capital L) is how this story stays focused on Casey and Murphy—as in there is no OW/OM drama to drive it off the rails. Nadda, none, and that’s very refreshing. The drama/angst is low, and the story is very character driven. The supporting characters make a nice addition as well. 

Told via Casey and Murphy’s alternating first person point of view, this is such an engaging story. I was totally drawn into their lives and struggles while rooting for their success. I was, however, a little disappointed with how a few things played out towards the end, and the final chapter felt a little rushed or perhaps simply not long enough. (I wanted more!) I would definitely like to see a novella that would give readers more of Casey and Murphy in the next stage of their lives….and some more of dirty talking Casey between the sheets ;-)

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~THE FALLING SERIES~

 

This is Falling (Falling #1)

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You and Everything After (Falling #2)

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The Girl I Was Before (Falling #3)

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Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling author of eight young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, Wild Reckless and The Girl I Was Before.

A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.

When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).

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~GIVEAWAY~

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COVER REVEAL: Magnificent Bastard by Lili Valente

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Cover Design: Helen Williams 

Release Date: April 25, 2016

~Blurb~

F*&k Prince Charming. Sometimes, you need a Magnificent Bastard.

Face it, ladies: love sucks and then you cry…while your ex rides off into the sunset banging your best friend.

But why let a break-up end in tears when it can end with sweet revenge? Enter Magnificent Bastard Consulting and me, chief executive bastard. I’ve got it all—looks, brains, a heart of gold, and the killer instinct guaran-damn-teed to make your ex regret the day he said goodbye.

With the help of my virtual assistant, I’ve built an empire giving broken-hearted women the vengeance they deserve, while keeping myself far from the front lines of the heart. Life is a bowl of f*&king cherries, until my virtual assistant shows up on my real doorstep for the first time, begging for a Magnificent Bastard intervention of her own.

F*&king hell. She’s a bona fide sex kitten.

I pride myself on being a true pro, but pretending to be her lover soon leads to giving it to her good, hard, fast, and up against the wall. And somewhere between getting balls deep in my sweet and sexy assistant and watching her ex beg for a second chance, I break every last one of my damn rules—professional and personal.

So what’s my next move? Fight for the girl who makes me want to get up on a white horse and ride to her rescue, or stay a Magnificent Bastard to the end?

Warning: MAGNIFICENT BASTARD is a stand-alone erotic romance told from the hero’s point of view. No cliffhanger. Lots of dirty talk.

GOODREADS

Pre-order Link

iBOOKS EXCLUSIVE

~Excerpt~

Picture this: it’s a rainy spring day in the city. The streets are covered in a fine layer of mud and soggy garbage, the sun is a distant memory from another, brighter time, when you were still stupid enough to believe in happy endings, and you’ve just been dumped so hard your heart looks like it’s gone three rounds with Mike Tyson. You’re ugly crying in a corner with a box of wine and a chocolate bar the size of your forearm, wishing Prince Charming would come scoop you up on his white horse and carry you far away from all those nasty memories of Mr. Wrong, but I’m here to tell you, ladies—

You need to stop that shit.

Stop it. Right now.

Why? Because Prince Charming is a crock of shit. He doesn’t exist and even if he did, he’s a fucking wimp.

When you’re down and out and your heart has been ripped to shreds by an asshole with a dickish-side a mile wide, you don’t need Prince Charming. You need a man who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty, a man who can teach Mr. Wrong a thing or two about what it feels like to be deceived, betrayed, and laid low by the one person in the world you thought you could trust. What you need is a Magnificent Bastard, your very own one-man vengeance machine.

Love isn’t a fairy tale, sweetheart; it’s war, and now you’ve got a soldier with an anti-asshole missile on your side.

Want to ruin your ex’s reputation? No problem. Every true asshole has a few skeletons in his closet and I specialize in making skeletons dance out of the darkness and into the light. Want to send that fucker to jail? A little harder, but often still possible. I only accept cases involving the very worst examples of mankind, the most miserable liars and cheats and scoundrels. Those types tend to be good at covering their tracks, but I’ve delivered exes locked in police cuffs before.

Want to make your former lover green with envy? Make him wish he’d never kicked you off the love wagon, spat in your face, and walked away? Well, that, cupcake…that’s what I’m best at.

I’ve been blessed with a face that turns heads, worked hard for a body that inspires shudders of lust at twenty paces, and honed my envy-inspiring skills into a razor sharp weapon I wield with ruthless efficiency. I will make you feel like a queen and ensure your ex doesn’t miss a minute of it. You’ll be treated like an irreplaceable treasure, pampered like a princess, and kissed like a slut who can’t get enough of my magnificent dick.

In reality, of course, things between us will never go further than a kiss, but your ex won’t know that. He’ll see your flushed cheeks, lust-glazed eyes, and wobbly legs and think I’m giving it to you hard every night.

He’ll imagine my hands on your ass, my fingers slipping between your legs, and your pussy slick and dripping just for me. He’ll imagine you screaming my name while you ride my cock and remember all the times he was lucky enough to be balls deep in your incomparable snatch. Before long, he’ll have a jealousy hard-on so bad he’ll come crawling back to you on his belly, begging for a second chance.

But you won’t give it to him.

Did you hear that? Even so, it bears repeating—

You. Will not. Give that fucking loser a second chance.

By the time I’m through with you, you will know deep down in the marrow of your bones that you’re better than that. You’ll understand that you deserve a man whose eyes won’t wander, whose hands won’t hurt, and whose heart belongs to you and only you. By the end of our time together, you will be able to look down at the sniveling, pathetic, limp-dicked excuse for a man you used to love and tell him that he has no power over you.

Not anymore. You will be free to move on with your life without any of the ugly, bad breakup, psychic baggage.

And that, gorgeous, is the most important of the services I deliver. I give you back to you, the only person who can be trusted to steer your course as you ride off into the sunset.

But if for some reason, you break this all-important rule. If you sour the gift you’ve been given by going back to Major Dickweed, don’t bother contacting me again. No amount of money will convince me to pick up the phone.

A Magnificent Bastard intervention is a once in a lifetime opportunity. One and done, no exceptions.

None.

Not even for her, the woman who made me break all my other rules, the woman who made me think—for one amazing week—that even magnificent bastards can live happily ever after.

~Author Bio~

U.S.A. Today Bestselling author Lili Valente has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.

These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.

Lili loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her via email at lili.valente.romance@gmail.com or at the following:

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