Saturday, September 28, 2024

Marie's Review: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay

 Happy Release Week!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is LIVE!

Get your copy today!

Marie reviews the book and really enjoyed the story.



About the Book

Trading places and vacations might just be the Christmas miracle these two best friends need

“The Holiday meets The Unhoneymooners in this friends-swapping-places romance that has it all: mistletoe and make-outs, plus sun, sand, and swoon!”—Chantel Guertin, author of It Happened One Christmas

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. When Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bed-less, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.





Excerpt

 

1

Ivy

December 16, 2024 New York City

And that's when I knew we were going to be friends forever," Holly says, holding up a glass of Sancerre to toast Ivy, her maid of honor. Ivy thinks her friend looks so happy and gorgeous, standing there at the head of the table in the holly-leaf-green dress they found on sale at Saks. The same shopping trip Ivy had discovered the perfect cranberry-hued jumpsuit on a clearance rack. They had laughed at the absurdity of it: two people who were ambivalent about Christmas dressing in coordinating holiday outfits.

Ivy feels emotion gathering like a glowing ball of stardust in her sternum. Holly looks so hopeful and expectant, standing there with her glass raised. Ivy feels the urge to make the biggest wish possible with all that stardust inside her, a wish that her friend will have the charmed life she deserves, the one she's always wanted, the one she's been planning for the past decade.

"I already had my soulmate in Matt," Holly continues-and now Ivy has to fight to keep the supportive, well-wishing smile on her face. To her, Holly has no flaws-at least none that are deal-breaking and friendship-ending; Ivy knows no one is actually perfect-but she has never been able to grasp what Holly sees in Matt. This is the one secret she has kept from her best friend since deciding the first night they met that radical honesty was going to be their policy. It's kind of a big one, though. Considering the ways in which disliking your best friend's partner might cause more and more complications over the years makes the ball of starry joy in Ivy's chest morph and twist as it slinks its way down to the pit of her stomach. "And after the night I met you," Holly is saying, "I had a soulmate best friend, too. How lucky can one person be? Thank you for always being there for me, Ivy, through the planning of this wedding, and literally everything else for the past eight years. I can't imagine my life withou-"

"To Matt and Holly!" Holly's mother, Barbara, cries, jumping from her seat and cutting her daughter short. "Cheers, cheers, santé-or should I say San-ta! To the happy couple and their Christmas wedding!" There's a shocked beat of silence as the guests process the fact that the mother of the bride has interrupted her daughter's rehearsal dinner speech like she's orchestra music and Holly is Matthew McConaughey at the 2014 Oscars. Ivy keeps a big smile pasted on her face, but the nerves in her stomach start doing a wild dance. She has always felt protective of Holly, but at moments like this she feels helpless to protect her. Then Holly's brother, Ted, seated to Ivy's left, nudges her gently. "Typical Barbara power move," he says out of the corner of his mouth. "You know she's just jealous that you've always been there for Holly in a way she's never allowed herself to." Ted's wife, Mingzhu, shoots Ivy a sympathetic, knowing smile, and Ivy is reminded that Holly does, in fact, have some excellent people in her corner. She manages to lift her glass and toast along with everyone else at the table, while forcing herself to believe that a happy ending for Holly really is possible.

Except Holly is now banging a knife on her wineglass and looking a little mad. The dissonant sound quiets the guests around the large harvest table at Cote. "No, no, wait," she says determinedly. "I'm not finished. I'm the bride, everyone has to do what I say for the next twenty-four hours, at least."

"Cheers to that!" Ivy calls out.

"Ivy," Holly says firmly, "planning the most festive, most Christmassy wedding possible with you at my side has been a dream come true and so much fun." She holds her friend's gaze for a moment, her eyes dancing. Ivy knows what she's really saying. It should have been torture, but eventually the shock wore off that Holly had agreed to get married at Christmas. Her reasoning had been that if she went along with the December date Matt and her mother were pushing, she'd be able to have a holiday season honeymoon and spend Christmas in Hawaii with her new husband, thus managing to forgo all the Beech family Christmas parties and events she always finds so disappointing. Plus, she would get home from the honeymoon in time for New Year's Eve with her bestie, meaning this wedding date offered the best of all worlds. After that, Ivy threw herself into helping to plan a festive wedding with joyful, somewhat ironic abandon. A mini mince pie and mulled wine cocktail hour while a gospel choir sang Christmas carols? Check. Secret Santa wedding favors that guests could fight over? Yes. Hiring an actor to make a surprise Santa visit at midnight? Happening. Filling the venue-Lotte New York Palace-with bauble-strung Christmas trees? You know it. Hiring two acrobats to perform in a giant thirteen-foot snow globe, glitter falling constantly over the pair as they put on a showstopping routine? Okay, so Holly and Ivy couldn't make that one happen, but all Holly had to do was whisper the words "giant snow globe" and they'd both start laughing uncontrollably.

"I'm so grateful for you, Ivy," Holly says. "And I know that you, like Matt, are going to be in my life forever." Now her eyes shine with tears. "I couldn't imagine my life without you, Ivy. Thanks for everything." Once this round of glass clinking is over, Holly turns to Matt, who is sitting to her right. But he's fidgeting with his dessert fork and there's a sheen of sweat on his forehead. Ivy wonders if he's still hungover from his bachelor party a few nights earlier, when, she happens to know, he ended up naked at the top of the Empire State Building. He's such a schmuck, Ivy can't help but think. Except Holly is staring down at her sweaty, uncomfortable-looking fiancé like he's the Mona Lisa and she's just arrived in Paris for the first time and rushed straight to the Louvre. "Matt, tomorrow is the day we've dreamed about practically since the moment we met-when we just . . ." She places a hand on her heart, and her berry-red nails shine in the candlelight. "We knew. We gazed at each other over that mud pit and we knew. I'm so excited to become Mrs. Carter. Well, I'm not going to take your name, but I'll be Mrs. Carter in my heart, okay? I'm so excited to spend the rest of our lives together, starting tomorrow. I love you." She looks down at him expectantly, clearly waiting for him to stand and join her, lift his own glass, make his own speech-but Matt just keeps flipping his fork over on top of the tablecloth like it's a competitive sport. As the awkward silence stretches, he finally looks up at Holly. He looks startled, as if he just noticed her there.

"Oh. Thanks. That was really nice. Um, I . . ." He clears his throat, loosens his tie as if it's suddenly choking him. "Right. Yeah. Shit. I'm supposed to make a speech tonight, too." He stands and grips the back of his seat. Ivy can't help but notice his knuckles have gone white. Across the table, D'Arcy, still his best friend, looks sweaty and uncomfortable, too. But when he sees Ivy looking at him, he shoots her a suggestive eyebrow waggle. Although they only dated for a few weeks eight years ago, and the best thing about their relationship was that it led Ivy to Holly, D'Arcy still goes around telling anyone who will listen that Ivy is his ex. After a few drinks, he also says she's "the one who got away"-and "an absolute minx in the sack." Ivy looks away from him, fights hard to get back that sense of happy hopefulness for her friend. Meanwhile, Matt is still clearing his throat and fiddling with his tie.

"Mom, Dad, thank you for planning this dinner." His parents beam at him proudly. "It was great. Eight courses, all meat or meat-adjacent. My dream meal." Ivy, meanwhile, being the only vegetarian in attendance, got six courses of green salad and one very sad stuffed pepper. Even the dessert contained gelatin, and she'd had to leave it untouched. "And Ed and Barb, thank you for . . . well, you know, everything. You've been so great." His voice wobbles, and Ivy is surprised by the sudden show of emotion. He's acting weird, even for Matt. He dashes at a tear with a clenched fist, holds up his glass, says "Cheers, I love you all!" in a wobbling voice. The table clinks glasses again, and no one seems to notice that Matt's glass is empty-and that he didn't even address his bride-to-be. No one except Ivy. She sees it all and feels sick to her stomach.

“Uh-oh, I’m a bit tipsy,” Holly says as they get in the back of the town car that will take them to Ivy’s apartment. “My face will be all puffy tomorrow for my wedding.”

"Please-you could drink all night and walk down the aisle in flannel pajamas, and you'd still be the most beautiful bride in the world."

"Aw, Ivy." Holly leans her head against her friend's shoulder and Ivy pats her hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Back at ya," Ivy says.

"We're going to be friends for life."

"I know we are." And Ivy does. She knows married life is going to change things, but also that they can survive it. When Holly went to Yale for law school and Ivy stayed in New York City to start a grueling internship at the ad firm where she's now a senior graphic designer, they sometimes went weeks without seeing each other-but never let it go longer than a month before one of them would take the train either into the city or to New Haven for a girls' weekend.

Holly leans forward and looks at the clock on the dash of the town car. "Forty-five more minutes until midnight, and then the day will be here. My wedding day."

"The countdown is on. Less than sixteen more single-girl hours for you."

"What's the plan for the rest of the evening?"

"Sheet masks and a movie."

"Perfect. Which movie?"

"It's a surprise. And I agonized. I mean, just one movie and not an entire marathon? Tough to pick just one. But I did it. I found the most romantic, but also the weirdest, but also one of our most favorite movies of all time-"

"Meet Joe Black!"

Ivy laughs. "You guessed it. For movie snacks, I have collagen water, this Aztec chocolate that's supposed to make your skin look like a newborn baby's, and maybe the smallest, tiniest bit of top-shelf tequila-because everyone knows you don't get a hangover with the good stuff. And a bubble bath for you, and then . . . one last sleep before you're officially a married lady!"

"Married lady," Holly repeats. Then she sighs. "I'm not going to turn into my mother, am I?"

"Holly, I promise, there is zero chance of that."

"I'm sorry she was so rude tonight. It's not that she doesn't like you . . ."

"It's just that she hates me," Ivy finishes. "And that's fine. Really, Hol. You know I'm not sensitive about it. She wishes you two had the relationship we do-"

"And we can't because she's such an asshole all the time."

Ivy snort-laughs. "That is exactly why."

"One day, it will be you getting married," Holly says. "And I can only hope I'm half the maid of honor you are."

"Maybe," Ivy says.

"Maybe I'll be half the maid of honor you are?"

"Oh, God, no, you'll totally nail it the way you nail everything. You'll leave me in your dust. Just, you might never get the chance."

"It's going to happen. One day, you'll find love that makes you levitate . . . dance like a dervish . . ."

"Screw like a horny titmouse?"

"The full package. Horny titmice and everything."

The car arrives at Ivy's Greenwich Village apartment building. "I'm so glad I can be myself with you," Holly says as they tumble out of the car and link arms.

"I'm glad I can, too, and that you love me for it." Ivy is generally herself with everyone, and sometimes not everyone's cup of tea. But with Holly, she doesn't have to worry about being considered abrupt, or offbeat, or too honest, or too frank about sex. Holly likes her just the way she is. And, Ivy can't help but think, shouldn't that be the case in Holly's life, too? Weren't you supposed to be yourself with the person you were marrying?

"Hey, you okay?" Holly asks as they stand, waiting for the elevator.

"I'm great."

"It'll happen," Holly says, misinterpreting her friend's morose expression. "He's out there somewhere right now, just waiting to meet you. I wonder where he is."

Ivy unlocks the door to her apartment, and they step inside as Holly keeps talking, her voice dreamy. "He could be anywhere. In this city or . . . maybe a dude ranch in Montana . . ."

"Now there's an idea. I've never slept with a cowboy, maybe I need to?"

"Not sleep with, marry," Holly corrects, following Ivy into her tiny galley kitchen, where Ivy pours pints of water from the tap, and tequila from a blue-and-white ceramic bottle. They head into the living room, where she's set up the coffee table with makeup remover, cotton pads, sheet masks, and snacks. She cues up the movie as Holly starts removing her eye makeup.

Once she's done, she sips her tequila. "So good," she says.

"Only the best for the bride-to-be."

"I love that we both drink good booze. I've never seen the point of drinking just to get drunk."

"Al-though, every once in a while, getting lightly buttered-"

"Gently toasted."

"One and a half sheets to the wind."

"-is really a lot of fun. And as you said, this chocolate is going to reverse-age me-"

"Plus, you're already perfect-"

"These sheet masks are going to restore and rejuvenate me, and despite the drinking, I'll look fine tomorrow."

"Better than fine, Holly. You're going to be the most beautiful bride in the world. With the best heart. Also, the smartest."

"Thanks, friend. Movie time?"

Ivy hits play, and the moment Brad Pitt gets randomly walloped by a car while crossing the street, Holly dissolves into laughter and they rewind and replay it, the way they always do. "I'm so sorry," she says, trying to catch her breath. "I know it's not supposed to be funny, but . . ." Pitt flies through the air again, and she buries her face in a throw pillow that comes away damp from her tears of mirth.

Excerpted from The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay. Copyright © 2024 by Julia McKay. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.


Marie's Review

Every year I look forward to the holiday romance novels. They’re always so cute, fun, light-hearted, and festive. This one was no different. It follows two best friends who decide to swap vacations after one of the friends wound up heartbroken by her fiancé with a honeymoon she couldn’t have refunded. While on their new adventures, naturally, they both meet men that fit the bill of perfect man for them. 

This book is the movie The Holiday meets a Hallmark Christmas movie. It’s charming, made me laugh, and at the end, made my heart happy. The men are dreamy, and the friendship is supportive and awesome. Julia McKay does a fantastic job of building a storyline that keeps you invested and the third person writing style, in my opinion, made it even better. 

If you’re looking for a fun, quick, and enjoyable holiday read, pick this one up. You won’t regret it! 

FTC Disclaimer: Marie voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences her thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of her review.


Purchase Links

Penguin Random House


About the Author

Photo: © Dahlia Katz

Julia McKay is the pen name of Marissa Stapley, a former magazine editor and New York Times bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club Pick Lucky, as well as international bestsellers Mating for Life, Things to Do When It’s Raining, and The Last Resort. She is also one half of the writing duo behind The Holiday Swap and All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox, and co-author of Three Holidays and a Wedding. Many of her novels have been optioned for television and her journalism has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Elle, Today’s Parent, and Reader’s Digest. She lives in Toronto with her family and a pre­cocious black cat named Oscar. 


Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Release Blitz & Review: In The Air Tonight by Marie Force

 Happy Release Day!


The truth can set you free. And get you killed.

In the Air Tonight, an all-new thrilling small town, romantic suspense standalone from New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Marie Force & Blue Box Press is now live!



I was there. I saw what you did.

Blaise

I wasn’t supposed to be there that night, but my friend Sienna talked me into going to the party in Land’s End so she could spy on her boyfriend. While hiding out in the woods, we witnessed an unspeakable crime. And we did everything wrong afterward.

Connections run deep in our small town.

I was pressured into keeping my mouth shut, even though every part of me objected. I assumed I’d always do the right thing in any situation. I was wrong about that and a lot of other things.

I was wrecked by what I saw and how the victim was treated by kids I’d known all my life. I’ve been sick over it ever since, even as I moved on, far away from the town where I was raised.

Fourteen years later, I learn that the guy who committed that unspeakable crime is running for Congress, and something in me snaps.

I can’t bear the weight of that knowledge for another second.

Finally, I report what I saw, and all hell breaks loose for me and others who were at that long-ago party. Some of them will do whatever it takes to keep the truth from coming to light…even if they have to kill me.

In the midst of an epic battle, a new love gives me the strength to stay strong, to fight for my life and to right a terrible wrong.

Content warning: A sexual assault storyline may be upsetting to some readers.


Start reading today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xmT0Xg

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3VLM68l

B&N: https://bit.ly/3THQJgM

Kobo: https://bit.ly/43McWPH

Google Play: https://bit.ly/3xsSYNF

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/4aLQ0Cd

B&N Paperback: https://bit.ly/4aL8XFf


Add In The Air Tonight to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3QmmSd7


Keep reading for a look inside In the Air Tonight!

 

I shower and change into jeans and a sweater before heading out to return to my childhood home for the first time since my dad died of a heart attack seven years ago. That’s the only time I’ve been home since I left for college, a stance that’s caused significant friction in my family. They’ve asked for years why I stayed away until they quit asking and stopped reaching out. I still talk to all of them, but we’re not close. That’s how I wanted it, for reasons only I know, but now… If everything comes out, will it drive us further apart or bring us closer together?

I don’t know how that’ll go, and the not knowing only adds to my anxiety as I drive across the bridge into Hope.

Every nerve in my body is on full alert as I take the familiar roads to home, traversing the same route I did on that long-ago night after witnessing the crime that changed everything.

I park behind my mother’s silver Toyota Camry and take a long moment to look at the two-story Colonial home where I was raised. It’s been painted a darker shade of grey, and the shutters are now black. They were red when I lived there.

Mom comes out of the house, smiling with excitement that’s been sorely lacking in her since Dad died. She’s visited me often in the city, but I know she’s yearned for me to come home.

I hug her on the sidewalk.

“It’s so good to have you here, my sweet girl.”

“It’s good to be home.”


My Review

Riveting!

Marie Force weaves an intricate tale where one horrific decision creates a disturbing ripple effect wreaking havoc in its wake. Nobody gets out unscathed. 

In the Air Tonight is a powerful read with multiple narratives that help shape the novel into a vivid three-dimensional reading experience. The storyline is engaging, dynamic, purposeful, and meticulously detailed.

The character development is excellent and many of the characters are multifaceted, complex, and morally complicated. In some instances, there is no clear line between “good” guys or “bad” guys. It was fascinating watching the characters struggle (or not struggle) with the difficult situations they find themselves in. Weighing their beliefs, values, morals, and norms against the influence of their environments, and the unfortunate outcomes that follow.

Checking your trigger warnings are strongly suggested. SA, and the trauma that accompanies it is the theme of the book and may be difficult for some readers

In The Air Tonight immediately grabbed my attention and held me captive until the very end. The suspense is thrilling, the romance is delicate, and the plot is explosive! Highly recommend it!

**I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by Blue Box Press in exchange for an honest review**








For more information about Marie Force, visit:

For more information about Blue Box Press, visit:

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Release Day Review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

Happy Release Day!

OMG! You guys! 

This is a MUST READ! 

Hands down one of my very favorite books of 2024!

I absolutely encourage everyone to pick this one up! 



About the Book

Knives Out gets a holiday rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter.

The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room two days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:

She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.

He’s Mr. Big-time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.





My Review

A fucking brilliant read!

Not everything is what it seems …

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this Ally Carter read, but the synopsis drew me in and I had to know more! 

I could not put the book down! The storyline is complex, suspenseful, and teases just enough to keep you up late at night, turning pages to find out what happens next!

The characters are intricately crafted, the mystery is dynamic and thrilling, and the storyline is executed flawlessly!

Maggie and Ethan are amazing together! Their rivalry is complicated which makes the crazy chemistry generated between the two that much more intense and palpable. I absolutely LOVE them! 

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year is an exciting thriller that will leave your jaw-dropping!

Hands down one of the very best books I’ve read all year!

Highly recommend it!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.


Purchase Links

Harper Collins


About the Author

Photo by Liz Ligon

Ally Carter writes books about people who fall in love (while trying to stay alive.) After more than a decade of writing beloved YA titles like I’d Tell You I Love You, but Then I’d Have to Kill You and Heist Society, she launched onto the adult scene with The Blonde Identity. A long-time lover of the holiday rom-com, Ally is also the writer of the Netflix original movie, A Castle for Christmas. Learn more at allycarter.com.


Release Day Review: A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

Happy Release Day!

A Fire in the Sky is the latest release from Sophie Jordan and it's really good!!!

The book is set in the same world as Ms. Jordan’s YA Firelight series. Everyone’s definitely all grown up in this adult romantasy😉 

You don’t have to read the previous series to know what’s going on in the book. Ms. Jordan does an excellent job fleshing out this magical world of intrigue.




About the Book

New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan returns to the high-stakes, sweeping world of dragons, romance, and drama first evoked in her bestselling young adult Firelight series, in a brand-new epic adult romantasy series.

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it's her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard...though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride...but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone. 

Magic is not dead...it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.






Excerpt

 

I stood on the other side of the painting, shrouded in darkness, only the thin spread of canvas between us, stretched taut like skin. Hidden in the secret passageway, invisible to those inside my father’s chancery, I held my breath.

I was invisible to them, but they were not invisible to me. I saw and heard everything and the fury pumped hard and fast inside me, battering inside my veins like a storm. My father intended to give one of his precious daughters to the Beast of the Borderlands in marriage.

One of my sisters.

I had never felt such rage, such helplessness. All my life it had been my duty to protect the princesses of Penterra. To be flogged in their place was a privilege ... At least that was what I had been taught.

Outraged breaths fogged from my lips as I glared directly into the ice-pale eyes of the man who thought to claim one of them.

Scant inches separated us, the air hot and crackling between us. His dark hair reached his shoulders, the sides braided close to his scalp. I could practically feel his breath through the flimsy barrier. I studied his hazy face through the fibers of the canvas, taking comfort that he could not see me in the darkness of the damp corridor, and yet…

Why had he stopped directly in front of the painting?

Why was he staring at me like he could see me? As though he was on the verge of reaching through the canvas and touching me? A fever rippled over my skin as I imagined those big hands closing around me.

It was impossible, of course. He could not know I was there.

The men began to disperse, the regent reminding them that a grand feast awaited. Several minutes passed before I felt composed enough to exit. With a push, the painting swung out like a door and I stepped down into the room, my slippers sinking into the rug covering the stone floor.

Turning, I made certain the painting was back in place with no hint that it had been disturbed. Satisfied, I turned around and walked directly into a wall. A hard wall with arms and hands that came up around me. A wall that possessed a deep, rasping voice. “I see this palace comes equipped with spies.”

The Beast.

Instantly I was assailed by the scent of him that I had noted earlier in the Great Hall. I was awash with it—with him. My nostrils flared. Wind and earth and horseflesh. And that indefinable something else.

Heat rippled over me, igniting my skin. I arched against the great slab of him, against pulsing, immovable muscle. I pushed my palms into his solid chest, desperate to break free.

I was fire. My entire body warmed at the contact, and fear clawed up my throat.

His eyes weren’t narrow slits any longer. They blasted me, wide and alert, battle-ready. This close, without a hazy barrier between us, I could see they were the color of frost, pale gray with a ring of darker blue. Gratification gleamed there. He’d sensed I was behind that painting and now he’d caught me.

“I am not a spy,” I said in a raspy voice I did not even recognize as my own.

“No? Who are you then?” Those eyes roamed my face and flame-red hair. His gaze lingered there, on my hair. The unusual color featured largely into the torments of my childhood when children of the court would call attention to it as a visible reminder that I was truly not one of them—that I was not a real princess, just a stray taken in by a generous king and a queen with a soft heart. “What are you?”

What was I? What was he?

His eyes absorbed me in a way no one ever had before. I was largely overlooked in the palace. Except when a whipping was required or when someone felt like ridiculing me for my ungainly height or my unfortunate hair or my dubious parentage.

Then, unbelievably, the brute lifted a hand.

I flinched.

He paused, his eyes communicating something to me. I could not say what, but I eased slightly. He waited a moment longer and then brought his big hand closer, touching a lock of my hair, rubbing it between his fingers gently, experimentally.

I felt a rumble then, and realized it was coming from me inexplicably, from my chest.

He released my hair. It fell back against my neck in a whisper and the iron bands of his arms came back around me, circling tighter, bringing me closer. My fingers flexed against his leather tunic like a kitten kneading its paws, unable to resist, unable not to move and explore.

“The question is … do you spy for yourself or someone else?”

Moments passed before I could speak. “I am … no one.”

He made a sound: part laugh, part growl. “Oh, sweetheart, you’re someone … something.”

I shivered despite the heat engulfing me.

“Unhand me,” I ordered.

Adapted from A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan. Copyright © 2024 by Sophie Jordan. Reprinted courtesy of Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers via People Magazine - March 29, 2024 issue.


My Review

This is my first Sophie Jordan read and I am quite impressed.

Tamsyn is a whipping girl in a luxurious palace court. Raised alongside the King and Queen’s three daughters, Tamsyn is punished for the princesses' misbehaviors and has since she was a small child. It’s supposed to be a position of honor in the palace, but she’s basically a glorified slave. 

When warriors from the north come to visit the palace in a celebration of appreciation, the leader–The Beast of the Borderlands–has plans of his own. In recompense for the protection his clan of warriors provide the kingdom, Fell demands one of the King’s daughters to wed. He desires a position close to the king to effect change in Penterra for the better. 

The King doesn’t want to give away one of his precious daughters to this barbarian so he and his advisor devise a plan to bait-and-switch with Tamsyn. I mean, she was raised up with the girls, so she’s technically a princess, right? Oh what a tangled web we weave… 

What an exciting ride of mystery and masterpiece. 

The book includes an interesting storyline, colorful worldbuilding, a strong heroine with unknown origins and unbreakable will, and a fierce hero with a quiet tenderness, steel core of loyalty, and unwavering sense of duty.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative, the characters, and the lore. The story leaves readers with just enough juicy tidbits to keep us salivating for more! 

A Fire in the Sky is a delightful read and I can’t wait for the next book!

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.


Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books

Kobo | Google Play | Harper Collins


About the Author


Country Park Portraits

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of more than fifty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and streaming anything that has a happily ever after. Learn more about Sophie and her books at www.sophiejordan.net


Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Happy 11th Anniversary to Louder Than Love by Jessica Topper


Happy 11 Year book birthday Louder Than Love!

Louder Than Love was first published through Berkley Romance's Intermix line on September 17, 2013 and is brilliantly written by Jessica Topper

I remember first reading this book and falling head over heels for Adrian and Kat and this beautiful story of love, loss, forgiveness, redemption, and Rock 'n' Roll!

Jessica Topper broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly's Best Books of 2015.



Jessica also has a Hanukkah romance series published in December 2023 with author Amanda Usen!

Louder Than Love was originally written as a standalone but I was over the moon when Jessica expanded this world, creating the Love & Steel series and penning three more novels!

I am just as in love today as I was when I first read Louder Than Love, even more so! 

I invite you all to give Adrian and Kat a chance!



About the Book

In this powerful debut novel, a young librarian grieves the loss of her husband…and discovers a love that defies classification.

It’s been over three years since a train accident made a widow of Katrina Lewis, sending her and her young daughter Abbey back to the suburban town of her youth…the only place that still makes sense. Lauder Lake is the perfect place to hide and heal.

Recluse rocker Adrian “Digger” Graves survived the implosion of his music career, but his muse has long lain dormant. Until Kat hires him to play at her library—not on the basis of his hard rock credentials but rather, because of the obscure kids’ TV jingle he wrote years ago. In a case of mistaken identity, Adrian stumbles into the lives of Kat and her comically lovable daughter.

Using tattoos as a timeline, Adrian unfurls his life for Kat. But as the courtship intensifies, it’s unclear whose past looms larger: the widow’s or the rocker’s. Will their demons ever rest, or will they break these soul mates apart?





Excerpt

 

Kat meeting Adrian for the first time

I stopped midsentence, noticing a man had breezed in moments ahead of the Rainbow kids. He had a softshell guitar case slung over his shoulder and was inquiring at the circulation desk.

I bet he thinks one of those old biddies at the desk is you! Leanna giggled. I took a moment to size him up. Not particularly tall, but of slim stature. His dark blondish hair, at least from my view, was somewhat raggedy, but perfectly respectable for a musician. He was wearing a black button down styled after an old-school tux shirt, with thin ruffles running down the front. His jeans were dark wash and looked expensive. I suddenly felt small-town and shoddy. I wished I had thought to pluck my eyebrows and give my chipped toenails a fresh coat of polish.

The clerks were gesturing and pointing toward the programming room. "oh, but wait, here she comes now," Amelda announced as I hastily approached. He turned, displaying a face much more weathered than I had initially noticed from afar. Tiny wrinkles fanned from the outer corners of his eyes, and his hair had quite a bit of gray streaking through the blond, especially at his sideburns. For some reason, I had anticipated him being younger than me. I recovered quickly, sticking out my hand.

"I'm Katrina Lewis, thanks for coming."

"Lew?"

"No, Lewis."

"No, I mean... do you 'ave a loo?" His watery blue eyes widened to stress the urgency of the situation. "I'm afraid I'll burst if I don't go for a slash."

"Oh. . . yeah, down that hall." It took me a moment to register his accent and his slang, yet my embarrassment over the situation was fairly immediate. I stood rooted to the spot after he thrust his guitar into my hands and rushed off. Leanna was still standing there, a witness to the whole encounter. "He's . . . um . . ." I searched for the right words.

"Old? British? Drunk? or D) all of the above?"

"He's older . . . but he's kinda cute," I admitted, surprising myself. "Come on, drunk? It's four in the afternoon at the public library! Please. Go get a seat. I'll be in there in a minute."

I waited at the end of the hall for my charge. After a moment, he came out of the bathroom, swaying slightly into the wall as he pulled a tin of mints out of his pocket. "Altoid?" he offered. The smell of Jack Daniel's and his peppery cologne, which was somehow subtle and intense all at once, were noticeably foreign to the hallowed halls of my local library. I got the feeling this was not the sort of creature who normally frequented places with drop ceilings and fluorescent lighting; perhaps not even the sort who functioned much before sundown.

"You are drunk."

"And you"--he popped two of the curiously strong mints into his mouth--"are beautiful."

"Jesus Christ."

"I'll sober up soon . . . and hopefully, you will still be beautiful." He grabbed back his guitar with a smile.

Excerpt copyrighted by Jessica Topper


My Review

First published in 2013, Louder Than Love is given new life with a new cover and is finally available in print in 2020! I have championed this story from my first reading and it remains still to this day, one of the best love stories I've ever read! I encourage everyone to take a chance on this amazing story. It's an emotional journey of heart, loss, love, strength and absolution.

I cannot tell you how much I love this book. A widow and her very young daughter, Abbey, are trying to move on after the tragic death of her beloved husband. The flashbacks to the times Katrina’s husband was still alive just about killed me. So much life and love cut short so fast, a reminder that we should cherish and appreciate what we have because it may not be there tomorrow.

Three years after being widowed, Katrina meets a half-drunk Adrian Graves whom she’s hired to play children’s songs he wrote 10 years before at her local library's children's event. As the two batter their way through a relationship, conquering their demons becomes more complicated than they both realized; especially when Katrina, or Kat as she’s affectionately called by Adrian, refuses to face hers. Can love blossom when past hurts resurface?

I completely fell in love with this book. My heartstrings have been tugged and abused and kept hanging on until the very end. I loved the complexity of each character. The plot was intricately designed and beautifully done. I also love the music references the author used including The Beatles’ songs and how Katrina’s daughter was named Abbey after Abbey Road.

I grieved with Kat’s struggles as she tried to pick up the pieces and learn to live again after the terrible accident that changed her and Abbey’s lives forever. I loved how vulnerable Adrian was as he revealed his past to Kat. It crushed my heart to hear his shame and his self-hatred, but rejoiced as he found something to live for and saved himself from the destructive path he was on courtesy of his Rock ‘n Roll lifestyle.

The story is written in first person from Kat’s point of view and I really wished there were some scenes with Adrian’s viewpoint. I would have loved to know what was going on in his head. The plus side though is that Adrian is so very passionate and forthright with his feelings that I can understand why the author didn’t feel the need to write his point of view.

I absolutely LOVE this book! I was completely floored. The story is emotionally charged, heart-wrenchingly precise and brilliantly executed. Keep an eye out for this author! Louder Than Love is a must read for anyone who believes that not only love, but patience, strength, perseverance, courage and faith conquers all.


Purchase Links

Jessica Topper Website



























About the Author


Jessica Topper has been in love with the beauty of the written word ever since she memorized Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup with Rice at the age of three.

After earning a B.A. in English Literature and her Master’s Degree in Library Science, Jessica went on to work as a librarian in New York City before trading in the books for bookkeeping. For seventeen years, she worked in the production office of an international touring rock band.

Jessica broke the rock romance mold with her 2013 debut novel LOUDER THAN LOVE. Her follow-up romantic comedy, DICTATORSHIP OF THE DRESS, was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2015.



She lives in Western New York with her family – including two cats that love to walk across her keyboard. Learn more at jesstopper.com.


Release Day Review: My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

Happy Release Day!

Jenna Levine gives us a unique twist on vampires in this quirky sequel to My Roommate is a Vampire. 

Get your copy today!




About the Book

Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

 Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date. 

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.





Excerpt

 

One

SHOULD ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS:

CRIMINALEVIL VAMPIRE MASTERMIND

TERRIBLE GUY

COME TO LIGHT

PLEASE EMAIL THE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AT THECOLLECTIVE_1876@HOTMAIL.COM

Amelia

My friends and family HAD enjoyed teasing me with the adage the only sure things in life are death and taxes ever since I became an accountant.

After hearing it for the hundredth time, though, it stopped being funny. For me-a single, thirty-four-year-old CPA a year away from making partner at a big accounting firm-the only real sure things in life were an intractable caffeine addiction every tax season, and my mostly well-intentioned family giving me grief over my life choices.

Most people didn't understand that I loved my job. I loved the way the Internal Revenue Code made careful sense, and how it always gave you the right answer as long as you knew what questions to ask. Tax work was complex, but it was also neat, orderly, and consistent in a way the rest of life seldom was.

Most of all, though, I loved that I was good at what I did. It was hard to beat the high that came with knowing that very few people could do my job as well as I could.

But the night my world turned upside down, I was questioning my life choices for the first time in recent memory. It was the middle of tax season, which was always my most brutal time of year, but this year it was worse than usual. Mostly because of one absolute nightmare of a client.

The Wyatt Foundation had the biggest budget of any organization I'd ever worked with. In a show of confidence from Evelyn Anderson, the Butyl & Dowidge partner I reported to most frequently, I was handling this file solo. That was the good news. The bad news was within hours of getting the file it was obvious Wyatt was the least organized client I'd ever had.

The Wyatt Foundation was, to use a word you wouldn't find anywhere in the Internal Revenue Code, a shitshow. Its board seemed to have no idea how to run a nonprofit, and its chief financial officer seemed incapable of following simple directions. He'd been sending me new documents daily, some of which were from years I'd already told him the IRS didn't care about, and many of which were impossible to reconcile with other statements they'd sent.

I had less than three weeks to wrap everything up and get Wyatt's filing to the IRS. To say nothing of all my other files that were languishing from inattention.

I was good at working hard. But even though I was an accountant, I was still human. And I was nearing the breaking point.

I missed dancing around my Lakeview apartment to Taylor Swift. I missed spending time with Gracie, my temperamental cat. Above all, I missed my bed. Especially the way I used to spend at least seven hours in it every night.

I'd left my apartment at the crack of dawn that morning so I'd have a chance of getting on top of my other work before Wyatt's daily missives arrived. I had been focusing for so long on my Excel spreadsheet that when my phone buzzed with a series of texts, I nearly jumped out of my chair.

I fumbled through my briefcase until I found my phone, then reached for my glasses and slid them on. I'd taken them off hours ago; staring at my computer for too long made my vision blur. I needed to visit an optometrist, but that would have to wait until after tax season. Just like all the other forms of self-care I'd been putting off.

I smiled when I saw the texts were from my best friend, Sophie. She'd been dropping by my apartment every night the past two weeks to feed Gracie and take in my mail while I was working inhuman hours.

Sophie: Queen Gracie is fed and your mail is in its usual spot on the counter

Sophie: Also, Gracie asked me to ask you if you are coming home soon

Sophie: In cat language of course

Sophie: She's worried you're working too hard

I smiled. Sophie was so good to me. I glanced at the time and saw it was already six-thirty.

Shit.

If I didn't want to be late for my monthly dinner with my family, I needed to leave the office in the next ten minutes. And I was nowhere near finished with what I'd hoped to get done that day.

Amelia: I'm actually meeting my family for dinner tonight

Amelia: Could you apologize to Gracie for me?

Sophie: I mean I'm sure she'll forgive you

Sophie: She's a cat

Sophie: But I'm not a cat and I'm worried about how late you've been working

Sophie: You okay?

Not really, I thought. But I wasn't going to dump how stressed I was on Sophie. In addition to being a mom to twin toddlers, her attorney husband had been in San Francisco the past three weeks for depositions. She was no stranger to ridiculous demands on her time; she didn't need to hear me complain about mine.

Amelia: I'm fine. Just busy.

Amelia: Tell Gracie I hope to be home by 9:30.

Amelia: Please give her scritches for me and tell her I'm sorry

Sophie: Will you be having dinner someplace where you actually can eat something this time?

Amelia: It's an Italian restaurant this time so hopefully.

I'd been a pescatarian since college, and a lactose intolerance that cropped up when I was in grad school meant I was off dairy. Ever since my brother Adam's twins were born eight years ago, though, my dietary needs were usually an afterthought at best when it came to family get-togethers. Because Adam's kids were young, only casual restaurants with a children's menu and a high level of background noise were options. And Dad liked red meat too much to take us anywhere that didn't offer it.

It was fine, though. I was the only one in our family who was single. And I didn't have kids. In the interest of being accommodating, I usually just went along with whatever the group wanted when we got together. Maybe it was the middle child in me, but making as few waves as possible had been my modus operandi for as long as I could remember. Sometimes I'd get lucky and my parents would pick an Italian restaurant with at least a few cheese-and-meat-free pasta options-like tonight. If I wasn't lucky, I'd have to wait until I got home to eat dinner.

As if on cue, my stomach chose that moment to do a comically loud rumble.

Sophie: Well I picked up some Chinese for the kids. They're getting fussy so I'm about to take them home, but I'll leave the leftover veggie lo mein for you in your fridge.

Amelia: You're the literal best, Soph.

Amelia: When does Marcus get back from San Francisco?

Sophie: His last deposition is Thursday

Sophie: So he'll be back Friday

Sophie: In THEORY

Amelia: You should have him on diaper duty for at least a week straight when he gets back.

Sophie: Oh, I'm demanding a full month

I smiled at my phone, feeling grateful. Hopefully Sophie would be able to take time for herself again once Marcus was finally back home. She was so giving to others, me included. She deserved to receive occasionally, too.

Amelia: Thanks Soph.

Amelia: You're the best.

Amelia: When tax season is over, I'm treating you to a fancy dinner and I'm not taking no for an answer.

Dinner would likely go until nine, and I didn't think I'd have the energy to go back to the office afterwards. I stuffed Wyatt's latest paperwork into my briefcase, promising myself I'd finish reviewing it at home.

The thirty-second floor was still a hive of activity as I made my way to the elevator. I tried not to let the guilt over leaving at an hour some of the partners might consider early wash over me.

Because if I stayed late tonight, I'd be bailing on my family. And a guilt of an entirely different kind would ruin my evening.


My building’s HVAC system ran nonstop, but it was always chilly in the lobby during the winter on account of the giant floor-to-ceiling windows. That night was no exception. Even still, it looked much colder outside. On the other side of my building’s revolving glass doors, pedestrians were hunched slightly forward in the distinctive way of people trying to get to where they were going in unpleasant weather. The kind of early spring cold snap that always made me wonder why the hell my great-great-grandparents hadn’t settled in California instead of Chicago when they came to the United States had rolled through two days earlier. A couple inches of snow had been packed down by foot traffic over the past few days into an icy crust on the sidewalks.

I pulled my black puffer jacket a little more tightly around my body and fished out the thin leather gloves I kept permanently stashed in its pockets. The El stop was only a few blocks away; even if it was as cold outside as it looked, I could handle it for a few blocks.

Bracing myself, I walked into the only revolving door still unlocked at that hour, and hurried outside into the brisk night air-

And was so preoccupied with guilty thoughts of the work I wasn't finishing, and of how I'd probably be late for family dinner, again, and of how I'd have to make it up to Sophie for bringing me lo mein despite my being a totally absent friend the past few weeks, that I didn't see the guy in the black fedora and bright blue trench coat literally sprinting down the sidewalk until he plowed into me.

"What-!"

The impact when we collided made me drop everything I'd been carrying. My briefcase, the gloves I'd been about to put on, the stress I'd been carrying all day like a lead ball in the pit of my stomach-it all fell to the icy sidewalk. The paperwork I'd stuffed into my briefcase just minutes ago spilled out of it on impact, landing in a puddle of icy slush.

I glared at the guy who'd just run into me.

"What the hell!" I snapped.

"Sorry." The guy's fedora was pulled down so low over his face, it covered most of it, and despite what he'd just said, he didn't sound sorry. He sounded distracted, and his body looked coiled for action, like he was milliseconds away from running off in the direction he'd been heading when he slammed into me.

"I doubt you're sorry," I muttered.

The guy glanced down at my feet where my things lay, and seemed to realize, for the first time, that he'd made me drop everything. The slush puddle had made quick work of the Wyatt financial reports; everything was wet now and would be impossible to read. I'd have to go back to the office and print it all out again, which I really did not have time for.

And-oh god, what if my laptop had cracked when it hit the ground? I quickly scooped up my bag and shuffled through it to make sure my MacBook was okay. Fortunately, it seemed fine.

"I am sorry," the guy said again. "But-look. Since you've kept me from where I was heading for nearly an entire minute now, can you do me a favor?"

The gall of this guy. He could have broken my computer! "You're asking me for a favor?" I was about to tell him exactly where he could stick his favors-

But then he tilted his head to the right at the same time he pushed his fedora a little farther back on his head, and I got my first real look at him.

The words died in my throat.

Maybe the stress of too many consecutive late nights in the office was finally getting to me. That must have been it. Or maybe it was just because I hadn't dated anyone casually in over a year, or anyone seriously in more than five. Whatever the reason for it, in that moment, he looked more attractive than he had any right to look, given the circumstances. He was fairly tall, probably about six foot two, but I was no slouch in the height department myself, and because of that-and because of the angle at which he'd been wearing his hat until this moment-it had initially been difficult to see much of his face. But now that I could see it . . .

He had high, angular cheekbones. A strong chin that sported at least three days' worth of dark blond stubble. Light-colored eyes that looked, given his fair complexion, as though they might be blue. Though most of his face was still bathed in shadow from his hat, even with its slight repositioning, so it was hard to tell.

I'd always had a thing for blond-haired, blue-eyed guys. A thing that sometimes ended up with me making decisions I'd regret later. Especially when said blond hair and blue eyes came in broad-shouldered, slim-waisted packages.

Like Mr. Fedora Asshole over here.

The fact that I could now see he was wearing a black T-shirt beneath his trench coat that said Blame Bezos in bright red letters, as well as a pink gingham skirt that totally clashed with his coat and his hat, didn't do anything to dampen my attraction. If anything, it just enhanced the dirtbag Chris Pine look he had going for him.

I closed my eyes and shook my head a little as I tried to get a grip. God, I needed a vacation. The minute tax season was over, I was booking a flight to somewhere warm and sunny.

I tore my eyes from his face. This was ridiculous. I was ridiculous. "I am not doing you a favor," I somehow managed.

"Please," he implored. The distraction in his voice was gone; in its place was a raw urgency that stunned me. "It won't take long. Please-can you start laughing? As though we are in regular conversation and I am in the process of telling you something very funny?"

I stared at him, reeling from the randomness of the request from this stranger. "I'm sorry, but . . . what?"

"I am trying to avoid some people." His tone was pitched low, his words coming very quickly. As though he had limited time to get them out. "I was trying to avoid them when I . . . when we . . ." He gestured expansively between us, and then to the ruined papers at my feet.

Excerpted from My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine. Copyright © 2024 by Jenna Levine. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.


My Review

My Vampire Plus-One is a delightful story that begins with fake dating and takes readers on a wild ride of intrigue, secrets, and loads of fun!

Reggie is a prankster vampire with a wicked sense of humor. He’s absolutely perfect for straight-laced workaholic Amelia. Amelia is a logical accountant, but after a chance meeting with Reggie, she can’t get the handsome blond out of her mind. When the line between fake dating and passion is crossed… ooo fire! 

The storyline is interesting, the characters are entertaining, and the romance is sizzling!

I’m looking forward to more books from Jenna’s fascinating story world.

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.


Purchase Links

Penguin Random House


About the Author

Photo: © Gabriel Prusak

By day, Jenna Levine works to increase access to affordable housing in the American South. By night, she writes romance novels where ridiculous things happen to beautiful people. When Jenna isn’t writing she can usually be found crying over k-dramas, starting knitting projects she won’t finish, or spending time with her family and small army of cats. Learn more at jennalevine.com.


Review: Love Story by Lindsey Kelk

 Happy Release Day!

Love Story is now available!

Get your copy today.


About the Book

She’s a small-town schoolteacher, he’s a hotshot creative director. Together, it’s hate at first sight.

Sophie Taylor has a secret and Joe Walsh is the last person she'd tell. He’s devilishly handsome, incredibly hot – and far too sure of himself.

But Sophie desperately needs his help.

Because she's not just hiding something small. She is Este Cox, the mysterious romance author the entire world is desperate to unmask.

When a trip to the countryside means sharing a cottage with only one bed, it’s a short step to sharing a whole lot more besides… Can Sophie trust Joe with the truth – and be herself?




My Review

Sophie is a brilliantly funny FMC that wants to keep her success quiet, mainly because she doesn’t think her work is good enough for her parents. You see, they are giants in the literary world and Sophie knows that if they ever found out that she wrote an internationally best-selling “smut" book, they’ll be terribly disappointed.

What Sophie doesn’t count on is a pain-in-the-arse marketing director who’s hot–literally–on her trail! Joe knows that something is up with Sophie and he’s up for the challenge in discovering what it is. When the pair are thrust together for a family weekend event, it’ll take all Sophie’s willpower to keep her secret under wraps, and… to keep her thoughts to herself while sharing close quarters with Smokeshow Joe. Cue the hijinks, and the blazing chemistry!

Love Story is a fun read that had me laughing, swooning, and tearing up right alongside the characters. The storyline is brilliantly written, the characters are quirky and relatable, and the journey Sophie takes is an endearing and heartfelt one. 

Love Story is also a great defender of the romance genre as a whole. Why we constantly have to defend why we love romance is ridiculous. It’s a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want to get lost in a book where a character (that’s easily relatable) finds their confidence and the courage to become their authentic self and accept that they are worthy of the gifts they’ve been given, that they are worthy of love, and of being treated with respect. That their thoughts and opinions matter. The romance genre gives strength, encouragement, and inspiration. It gives us permission to dream our impossible dreams and to love freely and without apology. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Love Story and highly recommend it. This is my first read by Lindsey Kelk and she’s definitely made a new fan.

FTC Disclaimer: I voluntarily read a copy of the book generously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influences my thoughts or feelings about the book or the content of my review.


Purchase Links

Harper Collins


About the Author


Lindsey Kelk is the internationally bestselling author of books including the I Heart series, The Christmas Wish, Love Me Do and the forthcoming YA romantasy series, The Bell Witches.

As well as writing, Lindsey co-hosts Tights and Fights, a pro-wrestling podcast on the Maximum Fun network. She also hosts and produces the award-winning beauty podcast, Full Coverage.

Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Lindsey lived in Nottingham, London and New York before settling in Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and two cats. Learn more lindseykelk.com.