EXCEPTION TO THE RULE by Charlotte Symonds is a contemporary
romance by a new to me author. This is a well written romance with fun and
witty dialogue, a hero that every girl dreams of and a wounded heroine who
avoids dealing with her emotional past by avoiding relationships.
Delilah Bennet can write a sex scene so well, she has been
hired to be a ghost writer by a well-known romance author. She loves her job
because she gets to freely manipulate all of the heroes. She is in total
control. In her personal dating life she has rules and keeps the control,
always. She must be the one to approach and she uses the men for sex. No
relationships.
Delilah lives with her best-friend, Rhen and has always been
the shield that Rhen uses to hide his true sexuality from his
ultra-conservative family. Rhen is the only person who knows the real Delilah
and why she is the way she is with men. When she tells Rhen about the fantastic
mystery man she spies on while he exercises through the window of their
apartment, he believes this may be the one to get Delilah to give real dating a
shot, but she never sees his face.
Jake Hastings is the plus-one to Rhen’s cousin at a family
wedding. When he sees Delilah dancing, something seems familiar about her, but
he does not know from where. With his blue eyes, hard-body and sultry voice,
Delilah cannot resist, even though he came up to her. Jake has trouble keeping
Delilah from running away each time they get close, but he also cannot stop
thinking about her and wanting more.
Is Jake truly sincere and an honorable man? Will Delilah
make an exception to her rules and end up possibly having her heart broken for
the first time or believe in Jake?
I am in love with Jake! Here is a romance hero who did not
do anything, but be a nice guy. (OK. He is gorgeous and rich, too, which never
hurts.) Delilah is the wounded heroine, instead of the wounded hero as in most
romances. She proves she is capable of love and friendship with Rhen, but Rhen
is safe. Her reasons for her rules are believable and give her a reason for
always doing a runner when things get personal with Jake. Ms. Symonds has
written realistic, funny and witty dialogue throughout the story. The sex
scenes are fun, hot and explicit. The characters in this romance are
interesting, entertaining and I feel could walk right off the page.
I am sharing CATCHING HIM (How to Catch an Alpha Book 1) by Aurora Rose Reynolds in this Feature Post and Book Review. I love this romance because it has fun dialogue, made me laugh and has hot sex scenes all without relationship angst and drama.
Below you will find a guest post from the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I hope you love Tyler and Leah as much as I did and as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Guest
Post: Aurora Rose Reynolds’ Guide to Catching Him
In my
newest book, Catching Him, Leah Emmerson is over men who can’t
commit and she is determined to find a man who is willing to chase her for
once. When she meets Tyler Duncan she’s not sure she likes him, however, once
she gets his attention he makes it clear that he wants her. Tyler goes out
of his way to make Leah his and prove that he’s the kind of guy she should be
with. The task isn’t easy; Leah has built up walls because of her past relationships,
but after getting to know Tyler as a friend she realizes that he’s the perfect
catch.
I’m
here to give you some advice on how to catch an alpha male, this method is
tried and true.
Step
one.
Ignore
the hot guy. I know this might seem a little crazy when you’re trying to
actually catch a hot guy, but I’m telling you now that for whatever reason the
more you ignore him the more he will come around.
Step
two.
Avoid
danger, however, if you do get into trouble be open and honest with the
hot guy. If he’s worth your time then he will step up to protect you.
Step
three.
Don’t
be afraid if things go fast.
Step
four.
This step is the simplest of them all: Believe him when he says he loves you and go on to live happily ever after.
***
Excerpt
“Is
that any good?”
I look
at him with my mouth full and raise a brow as I chew and swallow. “Did you just
ask if Fruity Pebbles is any good? Have you ever had it?”
“I
haven’t eaten cereal since I was a kid. The only kind my ma ever bought for us
was Cheerios, and not the real kind—the kind that comes in the family-size bag.”
“Here.”
I lift a full spoon up toward him, and he looks down at it. “Don’t be a
chicken; just try it.”
He
leans forward, and his lips wrap around the spoon I’m holding, the sight way
more erotic than it should be. He chews and swallows, shaking his head. “It’s .
. .”
“Delicious,”
I finish for him. “Do you want some more?”
“I’m
good.” He laughs. “I am worried that you’re eating that for dinner.”
“Why?
It’s fruit and dairy,” I deadpan, and he laughs again.
“Whatever
you say, gorgeous. Tomorrow I’ll make you breakfast so your body has the fuel
it needs before we get to work.”
I
haven’t forgotten I’m spending the day with him tomorrow, pretending to help
him paint his kitchen. I’ve been thinking about it all day today. I’ve been
thinking about him all day today, actually. I really am
starting to like him, even if he has the ability to annoy me like no one else I
have ever met in my life.
“Will
there be bacon?” I set my bowl on the coffee table, then lean back against the
couch, looking at him.
“Is
that your roundabout way of saying you want bacon?”
“Yep.”
“Then I
guess there will be bacon.”
“Now I
can’t wait for breakfast.” I smile at him when he grins. “I do have to leave around
four, or maybe a little earlier, so I can shower and change to get to my
parents’ place for Sunday dinner.”
“Sunday
dinner?”
“Yeah,
do you want to come?” Crap, why the heck did I just ask him that? I
didn’t mean to. It just came out before I could stop it. “I mean . . .”
“Sure,”
he agrees.
“Oh . .
. okay. Awesome.” I bite the inside of my cheek. My mom is going to flip her
lid—not in a bad way. She’s going to be so happy I’m bringing a man with me
that she will probably start knitting baby booties. Not that she knits. She’ll
probably just order some off Amazon for free two-day delivery.
“You
don’t want me to go?” He tugs that piece of hair he hasn’t stopped playing
with, and I turn my head.
“It’s
not that. I just . . . well, I’ve never invited someone to Sunday dinner. I
mean, I have, but not a guy. My parents and brothers might assume . . .” I look
away at his smirk, and my face gets warm. “It’s just . . .” I blow out a
breath. “You know how parents and siblings are.”
“We’re
friends. I’m new in town, and we’re neighbors.”
“Right,”
I agree, even though it’s a little disappointing to think he’s not interested
in me and that the comments he’s made haven’t been a lead-up to something
more—that something more being him fricking kissing me. But maybe that’s just
him . . . maybe he flirts with everyone.
“I
don’t have to come if you’re going to be uncomfortable.”
I turn
to look at him once more. “You’re right. We’re just friends and neighbors; it
won’t be a big deal.”
“Hmm.”
Okay,
what does that mean? Never mind. I don’t want to know. I focus on the TV and
not so much on him playing with my hair or sitting so close that the weight of
him on my couch forces us even closer together.
“You
should go to bed. You’ve yawned three times in as many minutes,” he tells me.
“I need
to know if Bethenny is going to tell Luann about her husband being with another
woman,” I say, keeping my eyes glued to the TV.
“I’m
sure you can google it if you really need to know.”
“True.”
I yawn again, and my eyes water.
“Come
on.” He stands, then pulls me up with him off the couch. “Walk me to the door,
then go on to bed.” He walks to the door and stops with his hand on the handle,
then looks at Bruce, who hasn’t gotten up. “Bud, come on. Time to go home.”
“Come
on, big guy.” I pat my thighs, and he comes instantly, and I laugh as Tyler
grumbles under his breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell Bruce, hugging him
around his furry neck, and then I stand and look at his dad. “When do you want
me?”
His
eyes change ever so slightly, and I swear he’s going to say something dirty,
but he doesn’t. “Nine thirty or ten.”
“Okay,”
I agree.
He
touches his fingers to my cheek, then opens the door and steps out onto the
porch. “Bruce, come,” he calls when Bruce doesn’t follow him. I giggle, and he
shakes his head as I push Bruce outside with my hands on his rump. “See you in
the morning, babe.”
“Mmm-hmm.” I watch him walk down the stairs and roll my eyes when he orders me into my house and to lock the door. I do what he asks, only because I want to, but I still watch him through the window as he and Bruce walk across the grass between his yard and mine and up to his front door. When he’s inside, I go back to the TV and turn it off, then get in bed, where eventually I fall asleep thinking about the guy next door.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
CATCHING HIM (How to Catch an Alpha Book 1) by Aurora
Rose Reynolds is a new contemporary romance by a new to me author and I will be
looking for more books in her series. This book left me with a smile and the
happy feeling that there are still romances being written with no over-the-top relationship
angst or drama; just a feel-good relationship with a likable alpha hero and smart
heroine and just a touch of suspense.
Leah Emerson is sweet, upbeat and beautiful inside and out. She
works with her grandma and mother every day as a stylist in their hair salon. Her
two brothers are married with kids and her mother wants the same for her, but she
has decided that she is done with relationships where she is the person chasing
and settling. She is willing to wait for the “right” man.
Tyler Duncan recently moved into town for a new job as a
construction foreman for his friend’s company. He is focused on his new job and
not looking for a relationship, but when his beautiful next-door neighbor falls
through his window chasing her wayward kitten, he knows he wants her.
Tyler is sexy, confident and protective and Leah is very
attracted, but is he the right man for Leah?
I love this hero and heroine! Tyler is the type of alpha male
every girl should have. Leah is smart, upbeat and compassionate, but protective
of her heart after being disappointed by men in the past. The relationship
comes together in a realistic way with fun dialogue, funny situations and hot
sex scenes that are explicit, but not gratuitous. All the secondary characters
add depth to the story, including the pets. The story focuses on the romance,
but there is a small bit of suspense added for the drama you do not get from
the relationship.
This romance put a smile on my face, had laugh-out-loud situations
and dialogue and left a warm and fuzzy feeling in my heart. I am anxiously awaiting
the next book by this author.
***
About
the Book
Title: Catching
Him
Author:
Aurora Rose Reynolds
Release
Date: August 27, 2019
Series:
How To Catch an Alpha, #1
Publisher:
Montlake Romance
Summary
Leah Emerson isn’t looking
for a man—she’s looking for the right man. But her mother’s idea of a great
catch leaves her cold, and she’s pretty sure her cocky, arrogant, and way too
good-looking new neighbor isn’t the one either. If only her wayward cat would
stop jumping through his window, she could get on with her life.
Tyler Duncan moved into town
for a new job, not to fall in love. But he always goes after the things he
wants in life with steadfast determination . . . and he wants Leah
Emerson. He wants her smiles, he wants her touch, and he definitely wants her
in bed.
Unfortunately, someone else wants Leah—in the worst way. Now Tyler’s on a mission to protect the woman he’s falling in love with while proving he’s worth falling for, and Leah must decide whether Tyler is a catch worth catching . . .
***
Author Biography
Aurora Rose Reynolds is
a New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author whose wildly popular series include Fluke My Life, Until, Until Him,
Until Her, and Underground Kings. Her writing career started as an attempt to
get the outrageous alpha men in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed
into an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world.
To stay up to date on what’s
happening, join the Alpha Mailing List: https://bit.ly/2GXYsVS.
To order signed books, go to https://AuroraRoseReynolds.com.
You can reach Reynolds via email at Auroraroser@gmail.com and
follow her on Instagram (@Auroraroser), Facebook (AuthorAuroraRoseReynolds),
and Twitter (@Auroraroser).
I am happy to share this Feature Post and Book Review for my turn on the blog tour for COWBOY UP (Tangled Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle Beattie.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, buy links, author bio, author social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This is a good start to a new contemporary cowboy series. And as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Book Description:
When Dallas Granger left his family’s Last Stand, Texas, ranch, he hadn’t planned on returning. But when a medical emergency calls him home and a legal matter affects his business, suddenly his family isn’t the only thing in need of a re-build. Unfortunately his new project involves building a house for a woman who not only awakens his desires, but also his fears. But if he wants to claim her as his own, he’ll have to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart.
Single mom Ashley Anderson knows all about juggling. Between an assortment of part-time jobs and raising her sixteen-year old daughter, she doesn’t need a hunky construction worker with an attitude as a distraction. Even one who steps in to help her when she needs it most. Life has taught Ashley that when the going gets tough, she’s on her own. It’s going to take a man with a Texas-sized heart to show her that this cowboy isn’t going anywhere.
COWBOY UP (Tangles Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle
Beattie is a contemporary cowboy romance that is the start of a new series by a
new-to-me author. This first book focuses on the oldest of five brothers and
the single mom he meets working on a Houses of Hope (similar to Habitat for
Humanity) project.
Dallas Granger loves building beautiful things. From
cabinets to houses, he started his own construction company when he left the family
ranch. As he is trying to take care of a problem one of his employees caused,
he gets tangled up with the law. Then his brother calls to tell him his father
is in the hospital and he is going to need help with the ranch. He does not
know how he will find the time to deal with everything.
When Dallas is assigned to volunteer for Houses of Hope, he
is not happy. He believes the people who receive the homes get them for free (not
true), but he feels he worked to build his company from scratch and everyone
else should work for what they have, too. When he gets to the work-site he is
instantly attracted to the blonde helping with construction. When he finds out the
home is for her, he is surprised and not very gracious.
Ashley Anderson juggles a number of part-time jobs to
support herself and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She pinches every penny and
the last thing she needs to deal with is a cowboy with an attitude problem. She
has worked her whole life to stand on her own since she was a teen mom and does
not need the judgement.
But as Dallas and Ashley get to know each other, they find
they cannot stop their attraction. Dallas has a lot of family baggage to deal
with and a broken engagement has left his heart closed off. Will he break
Ashley’s heart or will he prove he can open his own?
This is a good start to the series, but there is a lot going on which somewhat detracts from adding more depth to the hero and heroine. I could relate to Ashley and her life, but Dallas really had trust issues that I thought were over blown. That said, they were a good couple and I loved when they talked out their issues and Dallas was a romantic. The sex scenes were realistic and romantic. I also, enjoyed Ashley and her daughter, Brittany’s relationship. It was nice to not have to read about a stereotypical problem teen.
I will be looking forward to reading the other brothers’
stories and having the family secret revealed.
International Bestselling Author Michelle Beattie first found her love of romance in romantic comedies such as Romancing the Stone and Valley Girl (yes, she realizes that dates her). It wasn’t until after high school when she worked for a car rental company and had too much time on her hands that she started reading romances. Historicals were her go-to and she raided many bookstores looking for historical western romances.
Eventually she started thinking “what if” and “I’d have done that differently” and quietly started writing her own. More than a dozen books later, Michelle has published in both digital and print platforms and her works have been translated in more than 4 languages.
Michelle is a mother of two very strong, independent daughters. She is a certified member of the Master Bowler’s of Alberta and loves coaching and passing on her love for 5 pin bowling. Besides bowling herself in a weekly league, she also likes to golf in the summer, play games, and read.
Michelle lives in a solar-powered house in Central Alberta with her husband of almost 25 years, youngest daughter, and the cutest dog ever.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Melissa Foster’s new release CALL HER MINE (Harmony Pointe Book One). This friends-to-lovers contemporary romance has a surprise baby, too. If you love Ms. Foster’s writing as much as I do, you know you are in for an emotional read full of laughter, angst, family, and a wonderful hero and heroine all tied together with LOVE.
Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a summary of the book, the author’s bio and social media links, a link to a FREE preview and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
Curl up in your favorite reading spot and enjoy Ben and Aurelia’s story. As always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway, too!
***
Melissa Foster Author Interview:
1) ”If a woman can’t find love in the quaint
town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them…” —this is the tagline for your
newest series Harmony Pointe. Tell us a bit about the town and these women who
are finding love.
I love writing about close-knit small towns, where gossip is ripe, and
embarrassing tales of youthful rascals abound. Harmony Pointe is nestled
between Sweetwater and Port Hudson, New York, not far from the city. It offers
grand views of mountains as far as the eye could see. Cobblestone streets,
brick-front eclectic shops, and old-fashioned street lights add to the small
town’s charm. Readers who are familiar with my Sugar Lake series will recognize
Harmony Pointe as Derek Grant’s hometown.
2) What was the idea that sparked the beginning of the series?
I have been itching to write Ben Dalton and Aurelia Stark’s story since I first
read about them in WILD BOYS AFTER DARK: LOGAN and BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK
(Billionaires After Dark series) and THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake series).
Harmony Pointe is a Sugar Lake spin-off, and in the Sugar Lake series several
of Ben’s siblings find love. It was finally Ben’s turn.
3) For longtime fans, can you tell us what this series has in common with your
previous books? How is the series different from what you have written before?
Avid readers of my Love in Bloom series will have met Ben and Aurelia in
several previous books and series. Their story is filled with humor and sexy
times, and this one wallops the reader with an ugly-cry worthy punch. This
family is very female centric, which is different than most of my other series.
The exception is the Montgomerys, cousins to the Daltons, in which the males
are also outnumbered. #GirlPower (Bradens & Mongtomerys series).
4) Why was it important that Ben and Aurelia launched this series in Call
Her Mine?
Ben and Aurelia were too loud for me to ignore! They were finally ready to
share.
5) There are friends-to-lovers romances and then there is Ben and Aurelia
who are closer-than-close. Seriously, these two just about live in each other’s
heads. What takes them so long to realize that they belong together?
Have you ever had a friend who you love so much that you can’t imagine life
without them? I have. It instills a certain level of fear—what if you risk that
friendship, lay your feelings on the line, and the other person doesn’t feel
the same? True friends, the ones who “get” you, who accept you at your worst,
bitchiest states, and at your best, are hard to come by. Risking the friendship
is terrifying. I think this was the case for Ben and Aurelia—Plus there’s Ben
and his damn planning…
That man made me crazy.
I love him so hard!
6) When romance finally (finally!) is in the cards for these two, they have
one very tiny situation that turns up—Ben’s previously unknown infant daughter.
What was it like to create an insta-family for this pair?
It was so frigging fun I wish I could do it again! I loved every second of
writing this book. I was able to strip Ben and Aurelia down to their most raw
selves and emotions, and then watch as they found their new footings together.
It was glorious.
7) While it is unfair to ask if you have a favorite hero, we’d love to know
what makes Ben so special to you.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes—arrogant, funny, introverted, brilliant,
average, overly serious, etc. Ben is like the guy you see sitting at the end of
a bar in a fine suit and think he’s probably taken, or at the least too refined
to be fun. And then he opens his mouth and melts you, or makes you laugh, at
every turn. He’s protective, but not in a bullying way. Don’t even get me
started with that man holding a tiny baby, falling in love with her page after
page. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.
***
Excerpt:
“I’ve
got to go.” She tried to pull away, but he dug his fingers into her knotted
muscles, releasing tension and drawing a moan from her traitorous lungs.
“Don’t
run off,” he coaxed. “I wasn’t kidding. You are my best friend. I trust you
with my secrets, and I love who you are.”
Hope
bubbled up inside her, and she closed her eyes, glad he couldn’t see her face.
Had their time finally come? “Really?”
“Of
course,” he said, and she heard the smile in his voice.
That
made her feel all sorts of good, and the truth came easily. “I love who you
are, too.”
He
leaned his chin on her shoulder, his hard chest pressing against her back as he
said, “I especially love who you are when you’re making me breakfast.”
“Ugh!”
She pushed to her feet, but he snagged her wrist, giving her the puppy-dog eyes
she’d never been able to resist. The ones that said, Please don’t leave
me. “Ben,” she warned.
“Relsy,”
he pleaded.
“I
am not making you breakfast. I have to go.” She yanked her hand away and said,
“And I’m busy for the next few weeks. Actually, for a lifetime, so
. . .” She shoved her feet into her red Converse sneakers and grabbed her
purse.
“I
seriously have to make my own breakfast?” Ben pushed to his feet and stretched,
six-plus feet of hotness towering over her five-two frame. “But you make
waffles better than I do.”
“I
do a lot of things better than you. Don’t forget to call Aiden back.” Aiden was
his business partner. He’d called Ben last night while they were watching a
movie and Ben had made her laugh, causing tequila to come out of her nose,
which had sent him into hysterics and rendered him unable to answer the call.
“That’s
right.” He grabbed his phone from the table. “He was supposed to set up a meeting
with our legal team.”
“For
the hotel chain you’re buying?”
“Yeah.
Hey, take my sweatshirt. It’s early. You’ll be cold.”
He
pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tossed it to her, revealing a dusting
of chest hair over muscular pecs and a treasure trail that disappeared beneath
the waist of his low-slung jeans. His sweatshirt hit her in the chest and
landed at her feet, reminding her she was staring.
Ben
laughed. “Nice catch, Rels. Remind me not to pick you for my baseball team.”
“I
don’t want to be on your team. You run the bases too slow,” she mumbled as she
picked up his sweatshirt and tugged it over her head, inhaling his masculine
scent. “I’m out of here.”
“How
about cereal?” he asked with a wink. “I’ll make it.”
“Since
when did you become so needy?”
A
coy grin slid across his face. “I know that once you’re in my kitchen, there’s
no holding back. You won’t let me eat crap when you can make something
delicious.”
“Yeah,
you should see me in the bedroom.” She felt her eyes bug out. She slammed her
mouth closed, unable to believe what she’d said. She stormed through the
hallway and out the door, followed by Ben’s laughter—and almost tripped over a
basket. She leaned back, holding the door open, and hollered, “I think Willow
left you muffins. There’s a basket on your porch.”
“Way
to go, Willow,” he said as he strode down the hall. “Let’s see the goods.”
She
realized she was staring at his bare chest again and snapped, “I’m taking the
biggest muffin,” as if it was his fault he had great pecs and abs she wanted to
lick, and bite, and—
Down,
girl.
He
cocked a grin and said, “Take as many as you’d like, but you’ll pay for them
later.”
In
my dreams.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
CALL HER MINE (Harmony Pointe Book One) by Melissa Foster is
a new friends-to-lovers contemporary romance with a secret baby, too. I have
never been disappointed in a romance written by this author and this book was
no exception.
Ben Dalton is an extremely successful businessman, but when it
comes to his love life, he just never seems to get the timing right to get the
girl he loves. It seems he has loved his sisters’ friend, Aurelia forever, but
the planner in him has never found just the right time to tell her. Just as Ben
decides to make the big move, Aurelia beats him to the punch by literally
moving to the next town.
Aurelia Stark has decided to turn the page and start a new
chapter in her life. She has moved to Harmony Pointe to open her new bookstore “Once
Upon a Time”. She has a great apartment above the store and she is hopefully
just far enough away to avoid constantly running into her commitment-phobic,
unrequited love and best-friend, Ben.
Aurelia cannot believe she gave in and spent the night, as “friends”,
at Ben’s once again. As she goes to leave, she opens the door and finds a baby
on the porch. The attached note says it is Ben’s baby. Aurelia is there for
Ben, though neither knows the first thing about the care of babies. What
follows is a journey into nighttime feedings, lack of sleep, learning, laughter
and love.
I am once again in love with a Melissa Foster romance. Ben,
Aurelia and baby Bea feel like more than just characters in a book. I feel as
if I should be able to meet them in Harmony Pointe. The laughter, tears, fears
and love are all realistically portrayed in the dialogue and each characters
actions. Ben is uber sexy and lovable. The perfect mix of take charge business
man and lover mixed with the vulnerable best-friend and new dad. Aurelia works
to open her dream bookstore even as she helps Ben. She deals with everything
thrown at her and learns that it is not a bad thing to ask for help when she
needs it. The love between Ben, Aurelia and Bea is beautiful to read. As in all
of Ms. Foster’s romances the sex scenes are sexy, hot and explicit. Keep some
tissues handy for the ending; it is emotional.
I absolutely loved this romance and highly recommend it.
***
About The Book:
Title: Call Her Mine
Author: Melissa Foster
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Series: Harmony Pointe, #1
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary:
Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.
Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.
But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.
***
Author Biography
Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA
Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than eighty books,
including The Real Thing and Only for You (from
her Sugar Lake series). Melissa and her books have been featured in USA
Today, Hagerstown magazine, The Patriot, and more. Her
novel River of Love has been optioned for film by Passionflix.
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the name Addison Cole. When Melissa
isn’t writing up a storm, she’s living her own happily ever after with her
husband and a gaggle of grown children. For more news, information about her
books, and to chat with her, visit Melissa at www.MelissaFoster.com.
I am posting a Feature Blog and Book Review for Book One of a wonderful new romance series featuring sexy professional Savannah Heat hockey players and their HEA heroines.
JUDE’S SWEET FIRE (A Savannah Heat Hockey Romance Book One) by Jessica McBrayer brings the heat. This book features the gorgeous Norwegian team captain and star, Jude Christensen. He is sweet and smokin’ hot.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, author info and social media. After reading Jude’s Sweet Fire there is a BONUS free novella download offer. Enjoy!
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Book Blurb:
What starts as a routine run becomes anything but ordinary for sexy NHL player, Jude Christensen, when he stops to rescue a yowling kitten in distress. He rushes the mauled kitten to Dr. Megan James, the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen. Even though she seems reluctant to respond to their instant chemistry, Jude is used to working for what he wants.
A new town, a new beginning, and a new life put Megan at a safe distance from the man that nearly killed her. But when her past returns to threaten her once again, the Savannah Heat captain walks a fine line; Megan is suspicious. She is hyper-alert to the dangerous difference between a man’s natural desire to protect his loved ones, and the need to own and dominate. Once fooled is more than enough for Megan. Will Jude be able to make her safe without interfering with Megan’s need to fight her own battles?
Jude’s Sweet Fire is the first book in the Savannah Heat series. Boasting a real hero, a spunky heroine, fun and sassy friends, Southern charm and danger. The passion in this suspenseful romance will leave you breathless with satisfaction.
JUDE’S SWEET FIRE (A Savannah Heat Hockey Romance Book One)
by Jessica McBrayer is the first book in a new series of contemporary romances
by a new to me author featuring Savannah Heat NHL hockey players.
Jude Christensen is the captain of the Savannah Heat NHL
hockey team. On a morning run, he rescues a kitten being attacked by a feral
dog. He runs all the way to the veterinary clinic he passes on his route to see
if the kitten can be saved. He meets Dr. Megan James and asks her to save the
kitten at any cost.
Dr. Megan James is intrigued by the gorgeous man who is willing
to pay for the surgery of a kitten that does not even belong to him. She is
able to save the Maine coon kitten which Jude names “Gordie Howe”. Even though
Megan is not looking for a relationship, fate continues to bring them together.
As the press tries to identify the mystery woman with Jude,
someone else is watching their growing relationship, also. Megan thought she
was done with an abusive ex-boyfriend, but he is not happy that she has found
someone new.
As the danger escalates, Megan refuses to be intimidated and
hide from the life she has built for herself. Jude will do anything to find a
way to protect and save her, but will it be enough?
I loved Jude and Megan together! Jude is so sweet with
Gordie Howe and how can you not love a man who loves animals while also being
considerate, hot and sexy. Megan is a combination of grit, determination and a
loving heart so her father’s nickname of “Sweet Fire” is very appropriate. The
sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but I never felt they were gratuitous.
Their relationship does move quickly, but that is due to the danger posed by
Megan’s ex.
Ms. McBrayer writes realistic dialogue that had me laughing
out loud and blushing with the characters. The plot escalates in pace along
with the increased suspense. I also, enjoyed that the suspense climax was
resolved before the very end of the book, so the HEA is not quickly written
into the ending.
This is an enjoyable romance read that left me satisfied,
but also interested in reading the next book in the series.
***
Author Bio:
Jessica McBrayer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. She enjoys reading voraciously as well as writing and is often daydreaming about her next book. A die-hard San Jose Sharks fan, you can find her during hockey season wearing her favorite player’s name on the back of her jersey and yelling at the TV. She never wants to find out what the world would be like without hockey in it.
Social Media:
Facebook: @JessicaMcBrayerAuthor
Jessica’s Bookinistas Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/568621823624240/
Instagram: @jessica.mcbrayer
Be sure to visit www.jessicamcbrayer.com for info on new releases, bonus material and inside information on characters from Jessica’s books.
I am happy to bring you this Feature Post and Book Review for Only a GoodMan Will Do (The Good Man Series Book 1) by Dee S. Knight which is the first book in a new contemporary romance series by a new to me author.
Curl up in your favorite reading spot and fall in love with Daniel and Eve just as I did. (And make sure a fan is handy.) You are going to want to start this series right now with book 1. Below you will find a book blurb, buy links, an excerpt from the book, my book review and the author’s bio and information.
Enjoy!
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Blurb:
Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to
encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover
Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!
Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. He aims to become headmaster of Westover Academy. For that he needs a particular, special woman to help him set high standards. Into his cut and dried life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Daniel is drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.
Daniel
walked into the parlor of the headmaster’s house Saturday afternoon seeking
first the food table and second, his friend, Stan Baxter. He spotted them both
near the front window.
“You’re
late,” Stan said.
“Lots
of people wanted to chat.” Parents’ Weekend, when teachers sat in their
classrooms to meet their students’ mothers and fathers, meant mandatory tea
afterwards for all professionals at the Academy. Board members and parents
attended at their own discretion, and the boys—the reason the school existed
and they were all there—mostly stayed out of sight and hearing.
“Fortunately
for me, a good many parents now have grabbed their progeny and left campus, so
I have access to the snacks unimpeded,” Daniel said, examining the finger food
on display before making his selections. The challenge was always how to load
his plate while appearing to take a socially acceptable portion. “Did I miss
anything?”
“Only
an angel.” Stan turned toward the window. “Holy Mother! Look at that,” he
muttered.
“What?”
Daniel asked, fitting a cucumber sandwich beside the smoked salmon-topped
cracker on his dessert plate. “Am I missing a table of fare? I swear, every
year the offerings at these teas are more meager than the last.”
Stan
chuckled and answered in the same low voice, “Is your stomach all you think
about? I was talking about another kind of dish. One you can have fun eating in
bed, if you catch my drift. And she just slipped out onto the lawn.”
“Is
your libido all you think about?” Daniel bit a carrot stick in two and
sighed. Only three more hours and he could order a pizza. With all of his
charges gone from the dormitory for Parents’ Weekend, he had a rare, private,
two-day holiday ahead of him. With the tiny plate full, he joined Stan at the
large windows. “Where is this goddess?”
“There.
In the red dress and hat.”
Daniel
saw nothing but the shapely form of a woman walking away. Slender ankles topped
three inch heels. A dress of some kind of lustrous material hit her mid-calf.
The style was soft and feminine, and berry red. Not many women showed up at
Westover in a color sure to make them the focus of attention. Not that most of
them didn’t expect to be the focus—didn’t demand it, in fact—but they
usually weren’t so obvious. The breeze at her back molded the material to the
curves of her hips and ass, and fluttered the dress’s full sleeves. A
wide-brimmed hat hid her hair, but based on what was visible, Daniel easily
imagined a long column of neck designed for kissing.
“If
the rest of her matches the back view, you’ve got reason to be drooling down
the front of your gown.”
Frowning,
Stan glanced down as though to make sure the drool comment was only facetious.
“Can’t afford to drool on this. I had to use my tax refund to pay for the thing
and show off my Master’s chevrons. I don’t know how you afforded to pay for
your Ph.D. paraphernalia.”
“The
new degree looks sharp on you. Now, why are you mooning over a woman you see at
the headmaster’s tea, when you know she’s some student’s mother and off
limits?”
“She
looks young enough to be a sister, so it’s not a given she’s out of bounds.”
At
that moment, a young boy wearing the school uniform and a big grin ran up to
the woman. She bent to catch him in her arms. When she straightened, she
ruffled the boy’s hair. His expression and his wagging finger showed that he
chastised her, but then he laughed and finger-combed the mussed hair back into
place. She took his hand and they walked toward the circle where most of the
parents parked. Looking up at the woman, the boy’s lips moved the whole while,
carrying on a steady monologue.
Something
in her actions captured Daniel’s attention. They were artless, performed
naturally and with unabashed love. The child fairly skipped beside her and the
frequent turns of her head showed she looked at him as though hanging on every
word he spoke.
“How
wonderful,” Daniel murmured, impressed with her total attention to the boy.
“Did you see that?”
“Oh,
yeah. I didn’t think her hips would ever stop swaying, and it’s a crime they
make hemlines so long.”
Daniel
laughed. “You’re such a hedonist.”
“And
proud of it. But you were right. Looks like she’s a student’s mother after all.
Damn the luck.”
For
once, Daniel agreed with his friend. But not just because of the woman’s
obvious good figure. More because she seemed to love her son and didn’t care
who knew it. He normally kept his distance from flashy women, as this one
appeared to be, based on her dress color, but her easy manner with the boy
would be enough to make him ignore his own inclination toward the conservative.
If she weren’t also a patron of the school. Assuming the gods smiled on
him and he became headmaster, he and the woman would be on business terms, and
nothing good ever came from mixing business with pleasure. Pleasure is
what every male instinct in him screamed she would be.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
ONLY A GOOD MAN WILL DO (The Good Man Series Book 1) by Dee S. Knight is a contemporary romance by a new to me author that had me falling for the hero and heroine, fanning myself during the well written sex scenes and looking forward to the other brothers’ stories.
Daniel, Jonah and Mark Goodman are a set of natural born identical
triplets. Growing up in North Carolina to loving, but eccentric parents, each
brother may look alike, they have gone in very different directions in their
adult lives.
Daniel Goodman loves being an educator. He has worked for
years to achieve his goal to become the Headmaster of Westover Academy.
Westover Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the country and only
accepts boys. There are stringent rules for both the students and those who
teach them. Daniel wants to become Headmaster to carry on some of the school’s
traditions, but also to make changes that would better serve the students.
Jonah visits Daniel, who has not been home for several years
to ask him to come home for Thanksgiving. Daniel loves his parents and
brothers, but the reason for his visit home could derail his path to the
Headmaster’s office which requires a life of moral and upright behavior.
Enter Eve Star and her son Timmy. Eve is formerly one of
Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. She will do anything to provide her son with
an education at Westover Academy. This includes making up a false background. All
it takes is one night of helping a young man from Westover for the possibility of
her secrets being revealed and her son removed from the school.
Daniel decides to help keep everything he has learned about
Eve to himself, but is it to help his students or is it because he cannot control
his attraction to this beautiful mother? And are Daniel’s years of sacrifice to
achieve his goal more important than one woman?
I sat down and just got lost in this romance. Daniel was a
great hero to follow through his journey in this book. At first, everything was
black-and-white and goal oriented and then… Eve upends his world. I knew from
the glimpses of his childhood remembrances that there had to be a hero under
all of that pomp and circumstance. Eve was a wonderful single mother doing her
best for her son and not letting others define her or her past. Daniel and Eve
challenge each other and their beliefs. The sex scenes in this book are
explicit and smokin’ hot, but not gratuitous. I also fell in love with all the
boys who were secondary characters. I completely agree with Daniel who believed
in rules, but there are also times, as he discussed when you have to let kids
be kids.
I highly recommend this romance and I am looking forward to reading Jonah and Mark’s stories!
