TROUBLE (Dogwood Lane Book #3) by Adriana Locke is another
great contemporary romance in the Dogwood Lane series. This romance has another
of the lifelong friends meeting their match with all of the fun, sex and emotional
angst I have come to expect in Ms. Locke’s romances. This book can be read as a
standalone romance, but being set in a small-town all of the main characters crossover.
Penn Etling had a rough start growing up, but he is now the
laid-back, fun loving friend who is always willing to help. He is a player, but
everyone knows and understands what they will get from him. No harm and no
foul.
Avery Perry has moved to Dogwood Lane to live and work with
her aunt. She can no longer take the type of life she was expected to live in
L.A. as the daughter of a movie star. She is excited to make real friends who
want to know her without expectations. As she is attempting to hang a speaker,
she falls right into Penn’s arms. Avery knows guys like Penn and she is not
willing to go there. She wants a real relationship, not a one-night stand.
When these two come together the sparks fly, but is Penn
willing to give more of himself than ever before and stop his playboy ways? And
will Avery tell Penn the secret she is keeping and give him a chance to prove
he can change?
I absolutely love Penn. His hard body, bad boy persona, but
his soft heart are why all the girls want him and he is the perfect opposite
for Avery. And yet, they were not opposite in their emotional scars from their
upbringings. Avery is the type of heroine I like because even though she falls,
she is still willing to pull away and stick up for what she truly wants in her
life. All the secondary characters are fully fleshed out and many carry over
from the previous two books.
In this series, Ms. Locke has written realistic and fun
dialogue, sex scenes that sizzle and burn up the pages and characters in this
small-town setting that make you want to be friends with them all.
I recommend this contemporary romance and all the books in the series!
***
Author Biography
USA Today bestselling
author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly
obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys dreamed up by other authors,
she decided to create her own. She is the author of Tumble, the
first novel in her Dogwood Lane series; the Exception series; the Gibson
Brothers series; and the Landry Family series.
She resides in
the Midwest with her husband, her sons, two dogs, two cats, and a bird. She
spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and
cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice, and there’s always a
piece of candy in her pocket. Besides cinnamon gummy bears, boxing, and random
quotes, her next favorite thing is chatting with readers. She’d love to hear
from you! Look for her at www.adrianalocke.com.
Today I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for Christi Caldwell’s new book IN BED WITH THE EARL (Lost Lords of London Book #1).
Below you will find an author guest post, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, an author bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
***
Author Guest Post: Flaws Make the Man
My newest release, In Bed with the Earl, features an unlikely Regency hero. He was born to nobility, was kidnapped, and grew up in the roughest streets of London, as a ‘tosher’…a sewer scavenger. Nothing about Malcom or his past is in any way conventional, but he also represents how our pasts shape who we are. And there is no doubting, his past molded him into who he is… a man who doesn’t let people close…and who protects what he does have. Which is why…when he does meet Verity, someone who wants to be close for him (first, for reasons related to her work…and then, the more she knows him, simply because she’s falling for him) he resists.
People are impacted by life, in different ways. We all have many layers; and for Malcom, those layers are protective ones; a shield to protect himself from being hurt…because he’s already known so much. Yes, he’s coarse and ragged, and rough, but beneath that, readers (I hope) will see what Verity sees…that he has a good heart, and is deserving of a happily-ever-after, not only for who he is to others, but because, with the life he’s lived, he deserves it for himself.
***
Summary
To solve a mystery that’s become the talk of the ton, no clues run too deep for willful reporter Verity Lovelace. Not even in the sewers of London. That’s precisely where she finds happily self-sufficient scavenger Malcom North, lost heir to the Earl of Maxwell. Now that Verity’s made him front-page news, what will he make of her?
Kidnapped as a child, with no memories of his well-heeled past, Malcom prefers the grimy spoils of the culverts to the gilded riches of society. Damn the feisty beauty who exposed the contented tosher to a parade of fortune-hunting matchmakers. How to keep them at bay? Verity must pretend to be his wife. She owes him.
The intimacy of this necessary arrangement—Verity and Malcom thrust together in close quarters—soon sparks an irresistible heat. But when the charade ends, the danger begins. Will love be enough to protect them from a treacherous plot devised to ruin them?
About the Book
Title: In Bed with the Earl
Author: Christi Caldwell
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Publisher: Montlake
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
IN BED WITH THE EARL (Lost Lords of London Book #1)
by Christi Caldwell is the first book in a new historical romance series that
had me engrossed from page one!
While sick in bed and his parents dead, Percival Northrop is
kidnapped and his life becomes a day to day struggle to survive in the St.
Giles area of Victorian London. He blocks his memory of his younger life and learns
the life of a tosher. He is now known as Malcolm North and is ruthless as he
fights to survive and thrive in the sewers of London.
Malcolm does not quite fit with his fellow toshers. He can read, calculate and speaks as if he is upper class. He is located by a private detective and told that he is the actual true heir to an Earldom. Malcom wants nothing to do with that life.
Verity Lovelace has worked for The Londoner since she was
twelve years old. She worked her way from inkwell girl to reporter, but because
she is a woman she is only given the opportunity to write the gossip column. She
is the bastard daughter of an Earl and has been the sole support for her sister
and nursemaid for years since her mother died. After having one of her stories
stolen, her job is on the line and she must find the missing Earl and interview
him or be out of a work.
Verity is rescued in the sewers by Malcolm. The two butt
heads as Verity refuses to be give up her chase of the story. Malcolm has never
let anyone get close, but there is something about this female that he cannot
forget. Verity is determined to get her story, but is she ready to pay the price?
I loved Malcom and Verity so much! I could not put this book
down. Malcolm’s fight for survival and life as a tosher was interesting and a
life that was new to me. Even as he refused his memories and emotions, he took
care of others. Verity was a survivor as much as Malcolm and that is what made
them so perfect for each other. The author’s writing is emotionally charged banter
that made me laugh out loud as well as tear up. The sexual tension between
these two was well written and there is only one sex scene towards the very end
of the story. It is explicit, but not gratuitous. All the secondary characters
were fully fleshed and wonderful additions to the story.
I highly recommend this historical romance and I am waiting
anxiously for the next book in this series!
***
Excerpt: In Bed with the Earl by
Christi Caldwell
“May
I help you, Miss Lovelace?”
That lethal purr sounded from the front of the
room, a silky taunt.
With a gasp, the page slipped from her fingers
and fluttered to a damning place at her feet.
Mr. Bram yanked the cloths from his eyes, and
he took in Verity beside Mr. North’s open desk. And all the color left his
face. “Oh, bloody hell.”
Oh, bloody hell, indeed. And all thoughts of
having been rescued by a savior, and even the importance of this story, fled in
the face of the danger staring back at her in his ruthless gaze.
He is going to kill me…
Verity swallowed hard. “If you’ll excuse us?”
Mr. North murmured.
Verity took a step toward the door.
“Not you, Miss Lovelace.”
Mr. Bram climbed awkwardly to his feet. “Oi’m
so sorry,” he said hoarsely, an apology that went ignored by Mr. North.
Her heart lurched. Every muscle in her body
lurched. This was bad. Which would have been the understated statement of the
century. She curled her toes into the soles of her borrowed slippers and
followed the stranger’s—nay, he was no longer a stranger in name—the Earl of
Maxwell’s gaze. As dread slowly wound its way through her, Verity curled those
digits all the tighter.
And as it was all the easier to focus on
matters within her control, she looked to her older patient as he limped across
the room. “Be sure and try out those remedies, Mr. Bram.” She felt Mr. North
sharpen his gaze on her person. “And I’ve something that might help with that
limp, too,” she promised.
The older man stopped. “Do ya, now?”
She may as well have promised him the sun,
moon, and stars for the way he looked at her. “Oh, yes. You’ll require—”
“Bram,” Mr. North snapped, and the older man
instantly scuttled off, but not before flashing her an apologetic look.
“It is really not Mr. Bram’s fault. He’s not
done anything wrong. You really shouldn’t take your…”
Not taking his eyes from her person, he reached
behind him with an agonizing slowness and drew the door shut. Click. That soft but decisive snap that served as a seal of
her fate.
Just like that, Verity’s bravado flagged. She
clutched at the fabric of her skirts. Wanting to be the composed reporter
gathering her research, and undaunted in the face of peril.
And she came up … pathetically empty.
That cold smile affixed to hard lips remained
in place, a grin that no person would dare mistake for anything but the feral
threat it was. He pushed away from the door and started a languid stroll toward
her.
Had she truly been relieved about determining
the identity of her savior and captor?
It was now all muddled.
“Now, Miss Lovelace? If that is your name?”
“M-my name?” Wasn’t it? Even her name eluded her
in that moment. “Of course it is.” Her voice ended on a croak as he drew ever
closer; the ice that frosted his gaze sprang her to the reality now facing her,
the menace that spilled from his broad frame. Mayhap she’d been wrong. Because
she’d experience with earls—was, in fact, the daughter of one. They were
nothing like the predatory devil that stalked her now. “I am Miss Verity Lovelace. What grounds would I have to lie?”
She hurried to place the chair of his desk between them as another barrier.
He stopped his pursuit. “And how may I help
you?”
Ironically, the stranger—the gentleman—could
have uttered no truer words than those.
They fortified her, and sent resolve creeping
back into her spine as she brought her shoulders back. Verity met his gaze
squarely. “Are you the Earl of Maxwell?”
Except, she already knew as much … she simply
sought the confirmation from the gentleman’s mouth.
His eyes grew shuttered, but not before she
caught the flash of horror in their blue-black depths.
He was a man unaccustomed to being challenged.
And his unsettledness eased away further frissons of fear. Verity slid out from
behind his desk chair and glided slowly across the room. She stopped when only
a handful of steps separated her from the very stranger who’d put a knife to
her earlier that night.
“Do I look like an earl?” he countered, belated
with that reply—that deliberately evasive one.
Taking that as an invitation to study him,
Verity peered at Mr. North. That slightly hooked nose, which had been broken
one or more times, did little to conceal the aquiline appendage that served as
a signal of his birthright. The small white nicks and scars merely marred a
canvas of otherwise flawless high, chiseled cheeks and a hard, square jawline.
Glorious. Her pulse throbbed a beat harder. His
features, melded with those flaws, only served to mark him beautiful in his masculinity.
His mouth crept up in a tight, one-sided smile that didn’t meet pitiless eyes. “Did you have a good look, Miss Lovelace?” He’d noted her appreciation. Verity’s cheeks burnt, and she curled her toes into the soles of her borrowed slippers. He merely sought to disconcert her. It was a familiar state she’d found herself many times before, with many men before him. Feigning nonchalance, Verity gave her head a little toss. “You have the look and the tones of an earl,” she pointed out. “And more…” She gestured to those private missives she’d availed herself to. “You have letters written regarding the Baron Bolingbroke.” Verity stretched up on her tiptoes so she could at least hold his gaze and not be peered down at. “Therefore, Mr. North, I would say you are, in fact, the Earl of Maxwell, after all.”
***
Author Biography
USA Today Bestselling, RITA-nominated author
Christi Caldwell blames Julie Garwood and Judith McNaught for luring her into
the world of historical romance. While sitting in her graduate school apartment
at the University of Connecticut, Christi decided to set aside her notes and
pick up her laptop to try her hand at romance. She believes the most perfect
heroes and heroines have imperfections, and she rather enjoys torturing them
before crafting them a well deserved happily ever after!
Christi makes her home in southern Connecticut where she spends her time
writing her own enchanting historical romances and caring for her three
spirited children!
Today is my turn on the Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tour and I am excited to share my Feature Post and Book Review for the new Jacob Stearne Thriller – DEATH AND BETRAYAL by Seeley James.
Below you will find a book synopsis, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck and enjoy!
***
Book Synopsis
Have you ever been betrayed by your government, your best friend, and your fiancé—all at the same time?
Jacob is about to propose to his girl when he discovers the next generation of weapons are being shipped to our enemies. Factions in the government ask him to find the perpetrators while others work to make sure he fails. His intended fiancé does not understand his disappearance and he can’t give an explanation. Can he lose the woman he loves to save the nation?
When Jacob sets out to expose the billionaire intending to auction off national secrets, he is fired, expelled, and hunted by the government that once awarded him medals. If he ever wants to return to his homeland, he must insert himself into the dangerous world of technology smugglers. It’s a place where only the aggressive and ruthless survive. In the cutthroat world of modern-day pirates, every breath he takes may be his last.
As the bad guys close in and those who could deny him aid, he confronts a terrible choice: to complete his mission or take millions in cash and run. The former is a death sentence and the latter is a lonely future. He must ask himself, can he outsmart the most corrupt billionaires in history before democracy is destroyed?
Book Details:
Genre: Thriller Published by: Machined Media Publication Date: February 18th 2020 Number of Pages: 300 ISBN: 978-1-7333467-2-6 Series: Sabel Security Thriller #8 Purchase Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
DEATH AND BETRAYAL (A Jacob Stearne Thriller; Sabel
Security Book #8) by Seeley James is another great addition to this thriller
series. I always find these books to be so entertaining. I start a book in the
series and get immersed in Pia and Jacob’s world immediately.
Jacob and the winged god Mercury are once again at the
center of a fast-paced, action packed plot full of bad billionaires, arms
dealers and a weapon that could destroy the balance of power in a country.
This time though, Jacob is without Pia and Sabel Securities.
He is fired without knowledge of just what he did wrong and thrown into a
dangerous world of a billionaire auctioning off a new technological weapon. To
survive, he becomes a modern-day pirate and becomes as ruthless as the bad
guys.
Jacob has decisions to make that will change his entire life
and future.
I love all of these characters, especially Jacob. Jacob has
so much to deal with physically, mentally and emotionally in this addition to
the series and I could not stop reading until the end. The plots of all the
books in this series are fast-paced and entertaining and this one was no
exception. Mr. James writes plot twists and turns that keep me riveted
throughout.
I highly recommend this thriller and all of the books in
this series!
***
Book Excerpt
Chapter 1
The man they called Ra stood on the Savannah’s main deck, staring hatred into the eyes of the general’s emissary. The smug bastard needed to learn a hard lesson about respect. Ra took several deep breaths, tamping down his growing agitation without betraying his emotions. The general had a good deal of money to spend. Ra held the emissary’s gaze as he cooled off. He said, “We’re talking about an auction for the most advanced weapon system the world has ever seen. An auction the general could easily win. What concerns could he possibly have?”
Ra resisted the urge to glance over the sea toward Monaco’s harbor. He was dying to see if his darling’s tender was on its way back from town, but he wouldn’t allow himself to be distracted.
“The general does not believe you have what you claim.” The emissary said in his heavily accented English. He gestured with his arms wide, encompassing Ra’s superyacht. “I do not see it here on your little skiff.”
Behind his left shoulder, the emissary’s sycophantic lieutenant made an insolent face to match his boss.
The dig was childish. Ra had the biggest yacht in Monaco, a present to himself after making billions in commodities. Too big to dock in the harbor. Sure, it was post-season, and the Numina would drop anchor due east of him in a few weeks. Until then, the Savannah reigned supreme. He felt like gutting the slimy emissary for his rudeness. Instead, he smoothed his Kiton sport coat and puffed up his thin frame.
“Don’t be a fool,” Ra sneered. “If I kept Alvaria onboard, sleezy generals from around the world would send commandos to take it from me. In case that’s what you’re thinking, rest assured, I have security. We call them ‘the dogs.’ You’ve met two of them.” He gestured to two bulky men in black suits standing close by. “Fido and Rover. Spot keeps watch with a rifle in case someone approaches uninvited. There are more. I have a whole kennel.”
Ra turned his back on his guests and checked the harbor. He couldn’t wait for his darling to return but he needed to conclude this delicate business before then. He didn’t want her to see the kind of men he dealt with. The emissary wore a ludicrous uniform without insignia yet festooned with medals. His black hair was greased straight back with what might’ve been motor oil. The lieutenant dressed and groomed himself to match. The very definition of a toady.
“The general does not believe the system can do what you claim,” the emissary said.
“Oh, my misguided friend. Alvaria is the stuff of autocrats’ dreams.” Ra laid his hands on the railing, keeping his focus out to sea. “Imagine what it can do. At the push of a button, a hundred drones leap into the air, locate their target, and annihilate whoever you choose. Each drone on a single-purpose mission, never stopping until one of them achieves the objective.” He straightened up and turned to face the emissary. “No more political rivals. No more annoying reporters asking inconvenient questions. No more adversaries across your western border. Everyone doing as they’re told, all under the general’s control. As it should be. It’s science fiction—and it’s here today. If your general doesn’t want to bid on it, he won’t get to see the show we have scheduled.”
“The general is skeptical you can obtain this system.” The emissary crossed his arms and widened his stance. “The Americans have impenetrable security.”
“I stand on my reputation. Many times your poor general has failed to pay me in a timely manner, yet I have never failed to deliver what he needs. From rocket launchers to automatic rifles, they arrived on time and under budget. He would still be a lieutenant were it not for me making good on my promises. He knows damn well my word is gold. My plan has been in the works for years. I have all the right people in all the right places. Alvaria will fall into my hands at exactly the right moment. If he does not believe me, he won’t see the demonstration.” Ra paused before making a sympathetic face. “Until his rival uses it to target him.”
To his credit, the emissary didn’t flinch.
“Think about this,” Ra said. “If Iran acquires Alvaria, they could destroy the ruling classes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in an afternoon. The next morning, they could annihilate Iraq’s parliament. Then, they invade. The price of oil skyrockets because they would control 24% of the world’s production. Sanctions are lifted under threat of an oil embargo. And just like that, the Persian Empire is reborn.”
The emissary thought while he took a long, deep breath. He pressed a finger to his lips and looked at the deck. After a long moment, he lifted his finger and shook it at Ra. “The general does not like the glimpses of the future you have illuminated. He does not want to participate in your auction. Instead of bidding for it, he will report you to the Americans. That way, no one will have this system.” He paused and smiled. “There will be no resurgent Persian Empire.”
Ra flicked a quick glance at Fido, who sprang into action. To the emissary, Ra said, “I am most disappointed to hear you say that. On a different subject, do you recall meeting my man Bonham in a café last month? Bonham is my second-in-command. He offered you money to turn against the general. Ah, I see from your surprise that you do recall the encounter vividly. Well, sport, the problem for you is that when you turned him down, your lieutenant did not.”
As the emissary’s surprise turned to shock, his gaze swiveled to his lieutenant. At that moment, Fido knelt at the emissary’s feet and clamped leg irons on his ankles. In disbelief, the emissary looked down at his shackles, then followed the attached chain to find Rover standing at the railing, holding a very large, very heavy stone. “Do you think you can scare—”
“You’ve been paid,” Ra said to the emissary’s lieutenant. He held out an old, razor-sharp dagger. “Slit his throat.”
The lieutenant stared at Ra in disbelief. “Now?”
“Yes, now. Or die with him. Your choice. Ah. You’ve seen the light. Good man. Right here, above the collar. Stand behind him so you don’t get blood on yourself.”
As the young man weighed the knife in his hand and moved behind his former boss, Ra took out his phone, set it to video, and pressed record. The knife slashed through the stunned and wordless emissary’s neck. Blood sprayed forward. Rover dropped the rock overboard. The chain’s slack disappeared and yanked the emissary’s body with it, over the railing and into the deep.
The young man looked up at Ra, who kept the video rolling. The psychological weight of his first murder began to contort the young lieutenant’s expression. As he pondered his rapidly changing allegiances, he looked down to find Rover placing leg irons on his ankles. Behind him, Fido stood at the railing with another rock. He looked back at Ra and squeaked, “Why? I did what—”
“I think it’s obvious, isn’t it?” Ra asked. “You can’t be trusted.”
Over his shoulder he saw the tender bearing his darling returning from shore. She would be onboard in five minutes. No time for long goodbyes.
He turned back to face the lieutenant as Rover slit the young man’s throat. “There are four more of your kind in the general’s private guard. He’ll be dead by morning, so you’ll be in good company.”
The stone dropped. The chain tightened. The lieutenant’s body flew over the railing into the deep.
Ra looked at the pool of blood covering the deck. He snapped his fingers. A steward appeared. “You see this ugly mess? Scrub it clean.”
***
Author Bioand Social Media Links
Seeley James’ near-death experiences range from talking a jealous husband into putting the gun down to spinning out on an icy freeway in heavy traffic without touching anything. His resume ranges from washing dishes to global technology management. His personal life ranges from homeless at 17, adopting a 3-year-old at 19, getting married at 37, fathering his last child at 43, hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim at 59, and taking the occasional nap.
Seeley’s writing career began with humble beginnings including publishing short stories in The Battered Suitcase leading to being awarded a Medallion from the Book Readers Appreciation Group. Seeley is best known for his Sabel Security series of thrillers featuring athlete and heiress Pia Sabel and her bodyguard and operative, veteran Jacob Stearne. One of them kicks ass and the other talks to the wrong god.
Seeley’s love of creativity began at an early age, growing up at Frank Lloyd Wright’s School of Architecture in Arizona and Wisconsin. He carried his imagination first into a successful career in computer technology sales and marketing, and then to his real love: fiction.
Today I am happy to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for YOURS IN SCANDAL (Man of the Year Book #1) by Lauren Layne. This is an entertaining start to a new series by a new-to-me author.
Below you will find an author interview, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Enjoy!
***
Author Interview
Tell us
about your new series.
The series
features three men who are named “Man of the Year” (think: People’s
Sexiest Man Alive) and the unexpected ramifications that come with that! Yours
in Scandal kicks off the series with a young, wealthy mayor of NYC who
falls for his political rival’s daughter.
Why was it
important for you to start your series with Addie and Robert?
The real
answer? There’s is the book listed first in the contract 😉 In truth I’m
equally excited about all three books in the series, and could have happily
jumped in anywhere! That said, writing a politician was a unique and fun
challenge for me (I tend to write a lot of businessmen!) so a new take on my
“hot guy in a suit” was a fun creative challenge!
Even though
she is still young, your heroine Addie has lived quite a life. Where did her
teenage rebellious streak come from?
The first
thing I always do when I get a new story idea is to figure out where the
conflict is—I have to make sure these two people, however attracted, can’t get
together (easily) by chapter three. When I decided to take on a hero who’s a
mayor, I took a step back to think which woman would be most off-limits to him.
One with a bit of scandal was the obvious answer, since the spouses of
politicians are usually held to the same exacting standards (if not more so)
than the politician him/herself! From there, I dug into Addie’s character and
her scandal-laden past.
Do you have
anything in common with your heroine?
Honestly? No
🙂 Other than being a little mouthy during puberty, I was a pretty easy kid
and teenager, and skipped the rebellious phase, at least according to my
parents! I sort of skipped the whole rebellious phase growing up no underage
drinking, no missed curfews, I’ve never even gotten a ticket. Though, I think
perhaps I was saving up all my rebellious urges for my mid-twenties, where I
seemed to chafe really hard at being managed in the corporate world, and quit
my practical, well-paying job rather spontaneously and irresponsibly with
almost no safety net, and dove headfirst into being a full-time writer. And I
suppose, for that matter, I’ve made some rebellious choices as an author
(quitting Facebook, not doing ARCs on my self-pub title, etc). So, I guess I
change my answer! Yeah, I have a little in common with Addie after all!
Your hero
Robert is fantastic! He is smart, successful and just earned the title ‘Man of the Year’.
What made you fall in love with him?
He really is
great, isn’t he? 🙂 I actually knew from the start that Robert was going
to be a pretty stand-up guy. I wanted to steer as away from the cliche, corrupt
politician as possible, and show that it’s absolutely possible for people to be
in public office simply because they want to do good, not because they’re power
hungry. I think what I love most about him is how he never wavers in wanting
best for Addie and the people around him, even if it hurts him personally. He’s
a really unselfish guy, and that is so, so appealing to me!
Would you
say that there are similarities that all of your heroes share?
I’d say
they’re all pretty quick with a comeback. Whether they’re the charming playboys
or the more reserved, Mr. Darcy types they’ve got a bit of a sharp, clever
tongue! Also, the vast majority tend to be wealthy and suit-wearing. I’ve got a
few exceptions, but I think there’s something so sexy about a buttoned-up guy
in a suit coming undone over a woman, so I tend to come back to that again and
again!
Some of the
best moments in Yours In Scandal happen when your heroine and hero are
around their trusted friends. Are any of the secondary characters we meet
destined to get their own happily-ever-afters?
No plans for any spinoffs with those characters! Not because I don’t love them, but because the writing schedule’s pretty jam-packed!
***
Summary
Fresh off being named Citizen magazine’s
Man of the Year, New York City’s youngest mayor, Robert Davenport, decides it’s
time to strategize. Next move: a bid for the governor’s seat. In his way: an
incumbent with a flawless reputation. He also has an Achilles’ heel: an
estranged wild-child daughter with a past so scandalous it could be Robert’s
ticket to victory. And a charm so irresistible it could be Robert’s downfall.
Rebellion is a thing of the past for Adeline Blake. As New York’s premier event
planner, she’s all about reform and respectability. Then she’s approached by
Robert to organize the party of the season. Curious, considering he’s her
father’s most formidable opponent. And alarming, too. Because Addie can’t help
but fall for the righteously popular candidate with the movie-star smile.
Now it’s Robert’s choice. Does he pursue a future that holds his legacy? Or the woman who holds his heart?
About the Book
Title: Yours In Scandal
Author: Lauren Layne
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Publisher: Montlake
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
YOURS IN SCANDAL (Man of the Year Book #1) by Lauren
Layne is the first book of a new contemporary romance series by a new to me
author. This is a fun and sexy, feel-good romantic comedy.
Robert Davenport is almost at the end of his two terms as
the youngest man ever elected as the mayor of New York City. Just named Citizen
magazine’s Man of the Year, Robert’s campaign manager decides it is time for
him to use the publicity and work towards his next goal as governor. His main
competition is an incumbent with a flawless reputation who also happens to have
an estranged wild-child daughter.
Adeline Blake has a scandalous past, but she is now working
hard to reform. She is New York City’s premier event planner. She is curious why
she is approached by her father’s most formidable opponent to organize the party
of the season.
Robert feels a strong, immediate attraction to Adeline that
is not part of the plan and Adeline has many reasons she should not get
involved with Robert. Can Robert follow his heart over his head?
I really enjoyed this story. It was predictable, but so well
written with funny banter and witty dialogue that it did not matter that I could
predict the HEA. I loved Robert and Adeline’s chemistry. I felt they handled
the obstacles placed in their way as mature adults which made the characters
seem more realistic to me. The secondary characters are all entertaining and
fully fleshed to support both main characters.
This is a very entertaining and heartfelt start to this new
series and I am looking forward to reading more.
***
Excerpt
“I just need
to be sure . . . am I going crazy? I am, right? Our girl’s not seriously
telling us she had dinner with the mayor,” Rosalie said, turning to Jane.
“You’re not the crazy one—she is,” Jane said, emphatically pointing at Adeline.
Adeline nibbled on the corner of a chip. “It’s
really not the big deal you two are making it out to be. It was just dinner.
Pizza.”
“That’s even worse!” Jane said shrilly. “It’s
so intimate.”
Adeline glanced over at her calmer friend.
“Please tell her there’s nothing intimate about Italian sausage.” She winced as
she caught herself. “Yeah, I heard it.”
“It is a little out of character,” Rosalie said
slowly. “You haven’t exactly made it a secret how you feel about men these
days. To say nothing of your thoughts on elected officials.”
“I didn’t sleep with the guy, we just had
pizza.”
“I’d actually be less concerned if you’d slept
with him,” Rosalie admitted.
“Agreed,” Jane said, smacking the table. “A sexy fling with the Man of the
Year is one thing. A cozy dinner at his place is just . . .” She threw her
hands up. “I can’t. I literally can’t process it.”
“You don’t have to process anything,” Adeline
said, dunking the chip into the salsa and stuffing the whole thing in her
mouth. “It was a one-time thing. The party’s next weekend, and then I’ll
probably never see him again.”
“What if he wants you to be his forever event
planner?”
“He won’t. His regular planner’s one of the
best in the city, and I’m sure she’ll be back from maternity leave by the time
he needs to hire someone again.”
“Is his regular event planner hot and single?”
Jane pointed out.
“She’s married.”
“Exactly. Much less susceptible to his sexy
face than single you.”
Adeline sighed and looked again to the
perpetually calm Rosalie. “Make it stop.”
“Just promise you’ll warn us if you start to
fall for the guy,” her friend said, fiddling with her chip. “Much as I love the
idea of you landing the hottest guy in the city, I also know just how tricky
that would be for you.”
“Tricky is an understatement given he’s likely
running against The Bastard in the next election,” she said, knowing that both
of her lifelong friends knew she was referring to the father she’d all but
disowned.
Adeline hadn’t known Rosalie as long as she’d
known Jane, but they still went all the way back to high school. Adeline had been
the loose cannon, Jane the genius, and Rosalie had been, well . . . perfect.
“You know,” Adeline said, looking thoughtfully
at Rosalie over the top of her margarita. “I actually thought about setting you
and the mayor up.”
“Wait, what?” Rosalie’s eyes went wide.
“You said yourself he was hot,” Adeline pointed
out. “You’re also beautiful, well spoken, polished. You never look bad in a
photograph, and you never say the wrong thing. I literally can’t think of a
more perfect future First Lady of New York.”
“Oooh, I see that!” Jane said, pivoting in her
chair to stare at Rosalie.
Adeline gave Jane an exasperated expression.
“You were just warning me off of the
guy.”
“Warning you off, yes. But Rosalie . . .”
Adeline tried to ignore the sting. It wasn’t as
if Jane were saying anything Adeline herself hadn’t thought. Even if she were
inclined to pursue the mayor, and she wasn’t, she knew that she was the last
thing someone like him needed. Her past alone made her an inconceivable choice
for him, and even if she could keep her past mistakes under wraps, she would
never be the right woman for him. She may have mastered the bun and the
blazers, but she was still the woman who collected adventurous lingerie and
loved tequila.
“The guy’s definitely attractive,” Rosalie
said. “But I don’t know that I want one of Adeline’s rejects,” she said with a
smile intended to annoy Adeline.
“I wouldn’t let that stop me,” Jane said,
fanning herself. “If it weren’t for Dan . . . . Too bad I love that man so damn
much. Seriously, Rosalie, let Adeline fix you up, so I can live vicariously.”
“Hello,” Rosalie said, staring at the
admittedly, occasionally tone-deaf Jane. “Are you not seeing what I’m seeing?”
She pointed at Adeline.
Jane glanced over and narrowed her eyes.
“Ever since she came back from New Mexico with
her hair brown, she’s been like this buttoned-up ice woman. But when she talks
about him . . .” Rosalie made an
unrecognizable hissing, clicking noise.
“What was that?” Jane asked.
“Fire igniting,” Rosalie explained. “Whatever,
so sound effects and act-outs aren’t my strong suit. The point is—”
“If I sound fiery when I talk about the mayor,
it’s only because he’s a control freak and pain in the ass,” Adeline interjected.
“The man doesn’t know how to delegate, is hell-bent on carrying on his father’s
legacy without ever checking in with himself, and . . .”
Adeline’s thoughts scattered a little as she
realized she wasn’t being entirety fair to the mayor. Yes, he was obsessed with
his image, as a man in his position had to be. But he could also be funny and
irreverent. He could also be spontaneous and casual.
He’d proven that yesterday, first with the tour
of his home, then the invitation of dinner. Even the way he ate pizza was
appealing, somehow both buttoned-up precise and outright relishing, all at the
same time.
“We need more margaritas.”
***
Author Biography
Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA
Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels,
including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in
her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books
have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been
featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall
Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New
York City. For the latest updates, be sure to check out her website at www.laurenlayne.com.
ANYONE BUT NICK (Anyone But… Book #3) by Penelope
Bloom is the third book in the King Brothers contemporary romance trilogy. This
one is an enemies-to-lovers romance that can be read as a standalone, but I
preferred to read them in order to see each of the brothers fall and keep all
of the connections and timelines straight between characters.
In high school. Miranda always felt a special connection to
Nick King. When she finally built up the courage to slip a poem into his locker
to let him know, she does not sign it and it is the cause of a seven-year misunderstanding
and her hatred of Nick King.
Miranda has her life all planned out in steps to get her to
the top of the corporate ladder with the perfect mate. But it has all fallen
apart. She broke up with her perfect boyfriend and was fired from her perfect
job. When she goes to apply for a new VP position, she can not believe Nick
King just bought the business.
Nick is impressed by Miranda’s resume, but he wants more. He
never understood what happened to their friendship in high school and he has
never been truly satisfied with any other woman. Nick gives Miranda the job.
Will he be able to work with Miranda on a strictly professional level or will
they be able to give their friendship a second chance and turn it into more?
I enjoyed Nick trying to find the right way to deal with
Miranda, while not treading all over her feelings, but I had a difficult time warming
up to Miranda. I did not understand why she was so set on her professional
persona when her best friends and family were all fine with the real Miranda.
It took her too long to figure that out. Once Cade got involved, I enjoyed the
story more and Miranda started to loosen up. The sex scenes are explicit, but
not gratuitous.
This is a good close to the trilogy, but not my favorite of the three books. I loved reading the epilogue that showed the families all happy in the near future. This is a fun and entertaining trilogy to read.
***
Author
Biography
Penelope
Bloom is a USA Today, Amazon, and Washington Post bestselling
author whose books have been translated into seven languages. Her popular
romances include His Banana, Her Cherry, Savage, and Punished.
Her writing
career started when she left her job as a high school teacher to pursue her
dream. She loves taking her imagination for a spin and writing romances she’d
want to live. She likes a man with a mind as dirty as sin and a heart of gold
he keeps hidden away. Her favorite things include getting to wear socks all
day—pants optional—and being a positive example for her girls. Showing her
daughters that no dream is too big, no matter what anyone tells them, is worth
all the late nights, doubts, and fears that come with being a writer.
ANYONE BUT CADE (Anyone But… Book #2) by Penelope Bloom is
the second contemporary romance in the King Brothers trilogy. These books are an
enjoyable mix of romance, laughter and smokin’ hot sex.
Cade King is the other twin, who is never serious unless it
comes to negotiations for work. Seven years ago, he cost his girlfriend her
soccer scholarship with a stupid prank that went wrong. Since then he has never
been in a serious relationship and hides behind his money and success. He can’t
be hurt, if no one really knows him, right?
Iris swore seven years ago with her two best friends to
never again date a King brother. But they are back in town and already one of
her friends has fallen. Iris values the success she worked hard for to become a
law enforcement officer, but something is missing. Cade is still a temptation
hard to resist.
Cade receives the news that he is the father of a five-year-old
son that he never knew was out there. He asks Iris for her help and even though
she knows she shouldn’t, she cannot resist Bear. Can Iris forgive Cade and can
the two work together for Bear?
I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue was laugh out loud
funny at times and ridiculously funny at others. As much as Cade and Iris were
great for each other, Bear made them even better. I loved when Bear would be a
mini-Cade and the action between the two throughout shows the difference, I
felt realistically between how a man or a woman play with a child. Even when it
seemed as though all the secondary characters were against them, Iris and Cade
stayed positive and worked things out. The sex scenes were explicit, but not
gratuitous. I love when I finish a romance and have a smile on my face.
I love all the brothers and I am looking forward to Nick and
Miranda’s story!
***
Author
Biography
Penelope
Bloom is a USA Today, Amazon, and Washington Post bestselling
author whose books have been translated into seven languages. Her popular
romances include His Banana, Her Cherry, Savage, and Punished.
Her writing
career started when she left her job as a high school teacher to pursue her
dream. She loves taking her imagination for a spin and writing romances she’d
want to live. She likes a man with a mind as dirty as sin and a heart of gold
he keeps hidden away. Her favorite things include getting to wear socks all
day—pants optional—and being a positive example for her girls. Showing her
daughters that no dream is too big, no matter what anyone tells them, is worth
all the late nights, doubts, and fears that come with being a writer.
