ALLEGRO COURT (Bendixon Sisters Series Book 1) by Brenda Margriet is a second chance contemporary romance set in British Columbia by a new to me author. The heroine is one of three sisters and I believe this will be the first book of a trilogy. This romance does stand on its own.
Matilda “Mattie” Bendixon has strong family ties and she
grew up knowing she would work with her grandfather in the family construction
company in Prince George. She loves her job and could not imagine doing
anything else. Mattie lost the boy she always loved to his classical musical
career, so the business is her life. Lately business has been very slow and
Mattie is worried about the company, but her grandfather refuses to admit it is
anything other than a slump that will change.
Marcus Temple is a world-class classical cellist living in
Vancouver. He has always despised his home town and left as soon as possible.
His beloved father, who taught him his love of music, died when he was 15 and
his mother barely realized he was there. The only bright spot in his summers’
home was being with Mattie, but even that changed after high school. Now, he
has been notified that his mother has had a stroke and he must return home to
deal with his mother’s health and face once again the girl whose heart he
broke.
Mattie believes she can save Bendixon and Sons. She makes a
wager with Marcus to let her company do a rehab of his mother’s house over one
month and in that month Marcus must stay in Prince George. While there is a
financial incentive, it is really Mattie’s heart that is at risk. Marcus could
leave again or he can face the fears and misconceptions of the young boy who
lost his father.
Mattie and Marcus are both such wonderful characters. I
really did not know how they could come together, but Ms. Margriet does a
beautiful job writing realistic feelings and motivations that end with a HEA
with both sides changing and growing. The secondary characters are fully
fleshed out and the secondary plotline of Mattie’s grandfather and Marcus’
mother coming together is heartwarming. I got just enough information about
Mattie’s two sisters to look forward to their stories, too. The sex scenes are
explicit, but not overdrawn and I loved that the first one was included in the
story (not everyone is always perfect). I can highly recommend this emotional
second chance romance and I am looking forward to reading the sisters’ stories.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
Below you will find the Feature Post for Rachel Van Dyken’s new release RISKY PLAY (Red Card Book 1). It is book one of a contemporary romance series featuring professional soccer players. This post includes a guest post from the author, an excerpt, my book review, the author’s social media information and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This is a great start to a new series. I hope you enjoy all of the information in this post and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway.
Why Sports Heroes Make the Best Book Boyfriends by Rachel Van Dyken
Hey everyone! I’m Rachel Van Dyken,
author of over eighty (holy crap) books in multiple genres, one of my favorites
being, sports romance! My latest book, Risky Play, is about two broken
main characters who find themselves on a last minute holiday to Puerto
Vallarta.
Pro Soccer player Slade Rodriguez is trying to lay low after finding out his girlfriend and his ex teammate hooked up behind his back, for over a year. Licking his wounds he changes teams and moves to Seattle, but isn’t ready to settle down yet. Needing time to himself, he gets on the first jet out. He sits next to Mackenzie Dupont on a plane and is immediately intrigued, especially since a few hours into the plane ride, they have single engine failure. She asks him what one thing he would do different. And they kiss. Once the plane safely lands, to protect his own identity, he gives her a fake name, Hugo. What he doesn’t realize is she’s famous in her own right, so she does the same thing. After all, she’s running away from a broken engagement.
What follows is a whole lot of steaminess and taking chances with a complete stranger assuming that it’s just that, a one night stand, a two night stand. Whatever it is, Mackenzie’s obsessed with “Hugo’s” intense golden gaze, the eight pack helps, and the fact that he seems genuinely interested in everything she says. He promises the universe he’s going to keep her, but sometimes the universe is against us. Tragedy strikes and they go their separate ways only to meet again in Seattle, this time, sparks fly and not the good kind The “I want to kiss you, then strangle you, then kiss you again” kind.
I love writing sports romances because I think it adds this extra layer of pressure from the press to act a certain way. Not only does Slade have to deal with paparazzi but he has pressure to perform, to lead his team to the championships after training with another team. I think it brings in so many details from behind the scenes that we never think about when watching sports on TV. I’m fully dedicated to interviewing real athletes (and my last sports romance I interviewed NFL players). This time I wanted to focus on a sport that isn’t as huge here as it is internationally and really do it justice. These athletes eat, sleep, and breathe their sport, there isn’t a lot of time for a personal life and if you do have one, the balance is always going to be a struggle (not to mention the fact that Slade is still mourning). In this book, I wanted to introduce a really strong female character that wouldn’t let Slade project all those feelings and basically Mackenzie is the type of girl that doesn’t put up with his crap. I think it’s important to have strong female characters that women can look up to. I love that during the entire journey my heroine doesn’t give up. She knows her worth and demands that Slade recognize it too.
All in all it was such a fun book to
write, I can’t wait for everyone to read it!
***
Excerpt: Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken
I was kissing her again.
Maybe it was because it had been months since
I’d had a decent kiss, since I’d jumped into the arms of anyone who didn’t know
me by name.
I could be Hugo for a few days.
Hugo seemed spontaneous.
Hugo seemed relaxed.
Hugo seemed fun.
I sure as hell needed some fun.
I broke away from her kiss and trailed my
fingertips down her chin. “So, now that we’ve established the plane didn’t
crash and we’re here side by side, what did you have in mind?”
Ashley grinned up at me, her eyes a bit
hesitant as she looked from me to the ocean. “Well, I’ve never gone cliff
diving, I heard there’s a great place close by.”
My eyebrows shot up. “No offense, but you don’t
seem like a thrill seeker.”
She laughed. I decided I liked the way her
laugh relaxed me, made me respond with a smile and a need to kiss her again.
“I’m not, trust me.” She sobered a bit. Her lips turned down.
I wanted nothing more than to press a soft kiss
to the corner of her mouth just to see if it would it make it decide to smile
in my direction again.
“But it would be fun, I need fun.”
I sighed heavily and looked at my feet. When
the hell had I ever looked away like that? “That makes both of us.”
“Great!” She walked ahead of me into her
penthouse suite, which matched mine even in color. I suddenly wondered what she
did for a living. I mean I could afford it because I had been the highest paid
soccer star in Europe for the last ten years.
The place was around three grand a day.
I eyed the large master suite as she ran around
and then held up her hand. “One sec, I’m going to change into a suit, alright?”
“Great.” I smiled reassuringly. It would give
me time to look around, not that I was stalking her, but I could never be too
careful. I was still surprised she didn’t recognize me. And I knew when she
did, this little facade, this freedom I felt in my chest, the easy way she let
me breathe around her? It would go to hell, and I’d need another escape.
I thumbed through a few of the magazines on the
table, and dropped the last one down just in time to hear the sliding bathroom
door open and see a goddess emerge.
A one-piece swimsuit covered her body. It had a
plunging neckline that showed off two generously sized breasts, and I
immediately regretted not telling her who I was.
Because clothing tended to get pulled off, not
put on, when I was in the room.
I eyed the scrap of material she called a
swimsuit, my eyes raking over her muscular legs, her curvy body.
“Unless you’re jumping naked, you should change
too,” she pointed out, then cleared her throat and looked away like she was
insecure. Damn, the woman could make a man cut his own heart out for a taste of
her special brand of sin.
I peeled my shirt off over my body and
shrugged. “Ready.”
Her eyes went so wide I had to fight not to
laugh.
I knew what she saw.
I had Instagram pages dedicated to my eyes
alone, don’t even get me started on my abs.
Eight.
Tight, packed abs, all tanned and golden like I
was the sun god himself.
“Uh, right.” Her cheeks brightened as she
clasped her hands together. “Let’s go!”
I checked her out the entire time she walked
ahead of me, and when she caught me staring I just shrugged and said, “Next
time wear more clothes if you don’t want me to look.”
“You should talk,” she fired back.
“Misunderstanding.” I grinned. “I wanted you to
look.”
She slapped a hand against my bare chest.
I laughed, and then grabbed her hand and kissed
her fingertips. “You ready to jump off a cliff with a stranger you’ve kissed
twice?”
“Once,” she corrected with a whisper. “I kissed
you, you kissed me, we’re even.”
The doors to the elevator opened as I whispered
under my breath. “Not for long.”
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
RISKY PLAY (Red Card Book 1) by Rachel Van Dyken is the
first contemporary romance in a new series featuring pro soccer players.
Mackenzie “Mack” Dupont had her fiancée walk away from her at the altar. Splashed across all of the society pages, Mack’s humiliation leads her to taking her already scheduled honeymoon trip to Mexico alone to get away. She is ready to lose her virginity and live life on her terms.
Slade Rodriguez is now the highest paid striker in the
American soccer league. After finding out his fiancee was pregnant with a
teammate’s baby he knew he had to change his life and location. Before the new
season begins, he is off to Mexico to hide out and get away from the paparazzi.
When Mack and Slade come together, what they hope can be
more turns into a one-night-stand with Mack waking up alone and wondering why
everyone leaves her.
Slade has tragic personal reasons for vanishing from Mexico
without a goodbye. Grieving and blaming the stranger for his loss, Slade is
shocked when Mack shows up at his door as his new personal assistant. Mack
cannot believe who opens the door for her new temporary job. They both have a
lot to learn about each other after all the lies. Slade needs to let his grief
and anger go and Mack refuses to be walked all over anymore. What they do not
know is that they have a common enemy who wants to ruin them both.
Mack is such a great heroine. She had a lot of emotional
growing up to do. She starts out just rolling along filling everyone else’s
expectations and doing all the right things. After having two major emotional
upsets, she learns to stand up for herself and make herself first and she does
this without becoming bitter or hard. I love sports, but I do not necessarily
like the players, young men with too much money, too many women and bad
attitudes. I had a hard time liking Slade and his treatment of Mack at first
when she ends up working for him, but he did redeem himself and had me cheering
for him in the end. The author’s writing has made me interested in finding out
more about the other players in future books.
I loved the dialogue in this book. It feels realistic and
had me laughing out loud and near tears at times. Ms. Van Dyken brings her
characters to life on the page. The sex scenes are hot and explicit and at
times funny, but they never felt gratuitous. The secondary characters were
fully fleshed out and realistic. This is a new to me author that I am looking
forward to following in the future.
***
About the Book
Title:
Risky Play
Author: Rachel
Van
Dyken
Release Date: March 19, 2019
Publisher: Skyscape
Series: Red Card, Book 1
Summary
What else can a
virgin do when she’s ditched at the altar? Seattle heiress Mackenzie Dupont is
treating herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico and a desire to
relinquish her innocence to a gorgeous one-night stand. Fake names. True
pleasure. But when she wakes up alone, Mackenzie realizes just how much anger
is left in her broken heart.
Suffering a tragic
personal loss, pro soccer player Slade Rodriguez has his reasons for vanishing
without a goodbye. Right or wrong, he’s blaming the beautiful and infuriating
stranger he never wants to see again. They’re both in for a shock when
Mackenzie shows up as his new personal assistant. And they both have a lot to
learn about each other. Because they share more than they could possibly know,
including a common enemy who’s playing his own games. And he’s not afraid to
get dirty.
Now there’s only one way Mackenzie and Slade can win: to trust in each other and to stop hiding from the lies they’ve told, the secrets they’ve kept, the mistakes they’ve made, and the attraction that still burns between them.
***
About the Author
Rachel Van
Dyken
is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and #1 New York Times bestselling author known for regency romances, contemporary
romances, and her love of coffee and Swedish fish. Rachel’s
also recently inked a deal for her Wingmen Inc. series—The Matchmaker’s Playbook and The Matchmaker’s Replacement—to be made into movies.
A fan of The Bachelor and the Seattle Seahawks (not necessarily in that order), Rachel
lives in Idaho with her husband, a super cute toddler son who keeps her on her
toes, and two boxers. Make sure you check out her site, www.RachelVanDykenauthor.com,
and follow her on Twitter (@RachVD).
NEVER SAY I LOVE YOU (Never Say #1) by Amy Pennza is the
first contemporary romance in a new series by a new to me author.
Ashley Ann Scobel is an out of work actress. For two years,
she has made ends meet by refurbishing antiques, but she decides she needs to
return to her small Texas hometown of Prattsville and try to pull herself and
her finances together. But Prattsville has no fond memories for Ashley. She
hopes to use her grandmother’s old furniture in her family home attic to
finance a return to California. When she gets home, she finds her mother gone
and the house sold to the next door neighbor named Smith. Hopefully he won’t
mind if she stays for just a few weeks.
Chief of Police Smith Salvatierra likes everything orderly
and predictable. He and his canine partner, Deuce appreciate the boring and
quiet small town over the crowds and frantic pace of the larger San Antonio. He
likes his privacy and his partner never asks about his past. When Smith finds
Ashley in the house he bought next door, they come to an arrangement. Ashley
can stay for eight weeks.
Smith’s new tenant is messy, unpredictable and beautiful.
Ashley finds Smith to be by-the-book tall, dark and handsome and is not sure
what to make of her landlord’s hot and cold attitude. Can the two of them find
what they need in each other?
I was very happy I tried this new to me author. This
contemporary romance had an interesting twist with Smith dealing with a tragedy
in his past that colors all of his decisions in the present. His rigid
adherence to predictability is challenged by Ashley and he begins to see an
opportunity for change. I love dogs in books and I loved Deuce. He is a great
example of an emotional support dog. The sex scenes in this book are explicit but
not gratuitous. My only problem with this story was I felt the ending was too
abrupt. I would have preferred that some of the secondary issues had been
locked down instead of still up in the air. Hopefully this H/h will be
revisited in future books in the series and I will find some of the answers I
am looking for in a complete HEA. Overall, a good start to this new series.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
This Feature Post is for Catherine Bybee’s new release FAKING FOREVER (First Wives Book 4). Below you will find an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, info about the author, her social media links, and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I have been waiting for Shannon’s story and it did NOT disappoint. If you have been reading and following my posts on the other books in this series then you have been waiting for this book, too.
Enjoy this post, read this series and as always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Excerpt: FAKING FOREVER by Catherine Bybee
Victor
noticed Shannon sitting in the open dining area of the hotel the next morning,
drinking coffee and reading on her e-reader. He’d spent most of the previous
day licking his metaphorical wounds and nursing a headache.
Dressed in cotton pants that went midcalf and a
light shirt, she looked like she was dressed for a long plane ride home. As
much a pain in the ass as the woman had been, he felt compelled to say goodbye.
After all, he was the reason she was there.
He walked up quietly behind her. “If it isn’t
woman who fed me mezcal.”
The sound of his voice made her jump.
Too bad she wasn’t holding her coffee.
“You have got to stop doing that.”
Without an invitation, he sat and smiled. She
took a deep breath and looked away, came painfully close to rolling her eyes.
For some reason, he appreciated the fact she held back and wondered just how
much it would take for her to disregard him with such a gesture.
“Please, sit down,” she said.
He glanced at his chair. “Thank you.”
She set her e-reader aside and regarded him. “I
thought for sure you’d be back at the office by now.”
So did he. “I couldn’t fly yesterday even if
I’d found a flight.”
“Oh?”
He didn’t miss the tiny shine in the corner of
her eye.
“No. I had one too many the other night.
Inflicting that on whoever had the misfortune of sitting next to me on the
flight home was more than I could take after my flight here.”
She smiled, briefly, and lifted her chin. “I’m
glad to hear you’ve evolved since Friday.”
Unable to help himself, he laughed.
Her smile returned.
Victor felt a twist in his gut, a pull to
something he didn’t want to name. “I guess you’re leaving today,” he said.
She shrugged. “I am.”
He nodded. “Justin informed me you made sure I
didn’t decide to go for a late night swim.”
“It was tempting. But then I realized you
wouldn’t be able to pay me if you swallowed too much water.”
“Self-preserving. Very smart of you.”
“It’s a gift.”
When the woman wasn’t tossing barbs at him, she
was beautiful. Perfect lines in her face, high cheekbones … he couldn’t tell if
her olive skin was from an ancestor or the byproduct of living in Southern
California. Not anything like anyone he’d been attracted to before.
What was he thinking? He wasn’t attracted.
Victor shook his head and stood. “Well, I saw
you sitting here and thought I’d at least say goodbye.”
She stood with him and extended her hand. “For
what it’s worth, I’m sorry things didn’t go as planned this weekend.”
Her fingers were long, elegant. Just like the
woman. Disappointment saying goodbye was an emotion he had no business feeling.
Yet there it was, like a lump in his chest.
“Are you?”
Her smile cracked. “No. But it seemed the right
thing to say. I am sorry for the heartache. That’s never easy, even if it’s for
the right reason.”
Victor realized he was still shaking her hand
and let go.
“Goodbye, Victor. Good luck to you.”
“Goodbye, Shannon.” And because it was the
appropriate thing to do once you said goodbye, Victor walked away. When he
turned to take a last look, Shannon sharply moved her gaze to her coffee.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
FAKING FOREVER (First Wives Book 4) by Catherine Bybee is a
contemporary romance and the fourth book in this series. I have been anxiously
waiting for Shannon’s story. It was not what I was expecting or hoping for and
yet it was the perfect story for Shannon’s HEA and I loved it.
Shannon Wentworth is in Mexico as the photographer for a destination
wedding. She has decided that while she is in Mexico, she will also find
willing man to give her what she desires – a baby. Her biological clock is
ticking and she is not going to let being single stop her.
Victor Brooks is a workaholic in Mexico to marry his much
younger finance. She walks out and he is suddenly alone on a honeymoon for one.
Victor blames Shannon of sabotaging his wedding.
Even though Victor blames Shannon, the sparks are flying between the two. Shannon thought she knew Victor’s type, but between the beautiful Mexican setting, tequila and sun she discovers a very different side to the man. They go from enemies to wanting more. Worried that it is just the surroundings, they both decide to return home and wait three months to see if they can be just as attracted to each other at home.
But the past comes calling and all of their plans are at
risk.
Shannon surprised me in this book. She was always the quiet
and steady First Wife. I was expecting a different romance for Shannon and yet
Ms. Bybee took me to a completely new place and made it perfect. The emotional changes
in both Shannon and Victor make this work. It was also great to catch up with
the other First Wives. Their bond is what made these stories special for me.
Ms. Bybee always gives me an emotionally realistic romance read that is hard to
put down and this one had some unique twists. I am sorry to see the First Wives
all paired up now, but hopefully Sasha will get a story even though she is not
technically a First Wife.
Thank you so much to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for
allowing me to read this eARC. It has been a wonderfully entertaining romantic
series.
***
About the Title
Title: Faking Forever
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Shannon Wentworth’s biological clock is ticking, and she
isn’t going to let her single status keep her from having a baby. When her
wedding-photography business takes her to Mexico, she has every intention of
finding a willing baby daddy to help her out. Until the bride goes AWOL,
leaving Shannon to coddle the arrogant fiancé who has accused her of sabotaging
his wedding.
Victor Brooks never could have imagined that he’d be on a
honeymoon for one. Only here he is, taking a hard look at his life after the
younger women he thought he loved walked out. The woman who volunteers to help
him reflect is the last person he expects to be attracted to. Between the
tequila, the sun, and one earth-shattering kiss, Victor finds Shannon a
distraction too sexy to ignore.
They strike a deal: wait three months, cool off, and see if their tropical beach attraction is worth taking up when they go back home. Unfortunately, that’s just enough time for the past to come calling. All their best-laid plans are at risk. So is the last thing Shannon expected to matter the most: her heart.
***
About the Author
New York
Times, Wall
Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author
Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight books that have collectively sold more
than five million copies and have been translated into more than eighteen
languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in
the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she
returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career
in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite
Series, the Weekday Brides Series, the Most Likely To Series, and the First
Wives Series.
NOTORIOUS IN A KILT (Hot Scots #5) by Anna Durand is a
smokin’ hot contemporary second chance romance. This entire series of sexy
Scottish brothers and cousins is easy to read and entertaining. Each book can
be read as a standalone although it was fun to read them in order and watch how
each meets their perfect American mate.
Rae Everhart fell in love with her college professor. With
only one month to go before graduation, they could not wait. They were both
adults and only had one night of passion before the jealousy of others tore
them apart. Her lover disappeared leaving Rae with so many unanswered questions
and a daughter to raise alone.
Iain MacTaggart thought he was saving Rae by leaving her. He
knows nothing about his daughter and has quite the reputation since returning
to his home in Scotland. Since he can’t have the one woman he loves, he sleeps
with many others. He never promises them anything except a good time.
Thirteen years later on Rae’s sheep ranch in Texas, Iain
comes marching back into Rae’s life. He
is willing to do anything to win her trust back, but he still has secrets that
could break them apart once again. Can Rae trust Iain with not only her heart,
but her daughter’s heart also?
This is the book I have been waiting for! Iain was a
secondary character in other books in this series and I always wanted to know why
at fifty he was still not settled. You knew there were secrets and this book
tells all. Both Rae and Iain suffered and yet rebuilt their lives as best they
could. They had to be together though in the end for this HEA to satisfy. Iain
is extremely hot and Rae is the perfect strong and resilient heroine. Beside
the reignited romance, you also get blackmail, misunderstandings and a bumpy
road to happiness. The sex in this book is explicit and hot as in this whole
series.
I really enjoyed this story and was very happy to finally
find out more about Iain. This is a great second chance romance and one of my
favorite in this series to date.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
This second book in the Sweetwater Springs contemporary
romance series is an absolute joy to read from beginning to HEA. I cried and laughed
and just could not put it down. SPRINGTIME AT HOPE COTTAGE (Sweetwater Springs
#2) by Annie Rains was a pleasure to read.
Josie Kellum is a writer on a major magazine in NYC. It was
her dream job until the arrival of the new owner. She decides she needs a trip
to visit her BFF, Kaitlyn in Sweetwater Springs for article ideas and time to
consider her future at the magazine. As Josie is walking behind Kaitlyn’s
B&B, she goes off the trail and ends up with a severely twisted knee.
Kaitlyn knows the perfect physical therapist to help get her up and about as
soon as possible. She is supposed to return to NYC soon.
Tucker “Tuck” Locklear grew up in Sweetwater Springs and
returned after college to run his physical therapy practice using the outdoors
and nature at Hope Cottage to heal instead of an exercise room in a facility.
He has been a widower for two years now and is just starting to move on. His
first impression of Josie is of a high maintenance city girl, but as the two
get closer he finds she is so much more. Tuck knows Josie will be returning to
NYC soon and it would be stupid to risk his heart on someone who will be
leaving, but there is so much he likes about Josie.
Tuck and Josie get an extra month together when there is a
fire in the apartment next to Josie’s in NYC. They each have reasons that
should keep them apart, but the attraction is too strong. Can Josie slow down
and quit running? Can Tuck take the chance at a second love?
This is story that will stay with me for a while. Josie’s
reasons for hiding in her work and Tuck’s reasons for not getting involved were
all handled realistically by this author. Ms. Rains writing had me completely
engrossed in Sweetwater Springs and its inhabitants. So many little things can
add up in our lives and change a person. These characters showed that sometimes
you have to forgive yourself as much as others. All of the secondary characters
are as realistic and entertaining as the H/h. This is a sweet romance and none
of the sex scenes are explicit.
This is an emotional romance read with a very satisfying HEA.
I can highly recommend this book and I am looking forward to reading more books
in this series.
Thanks very much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and
Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC.
