[Review Tour] The Invitation by Vi Keeland

[Blog Tour] Little Lies by H. Hunting

“H. Hunting pens a heartbreaking tale that leave readers absolutely breathless from beginning to end. One of her best books yet!”

- Stacey Lynn, author

Little Lies, an all-new, angsty and emotional new adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting is out now!

Blog Tour: My Favorite Souvenir by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

MY FAVOURITE SOUVENIR IS LIVE!

A Contemporary Romance Novel

New York Times Bestselling Authors Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

Blog Tour: Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

Publishing Date: December 10, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance - Amazon Publishing
Pages: 366
Contemporary Romance / Women's Fiction

The Premise from the Publisher: "Morgan Grant and her sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara, would like nothing more than to be nothing alike. Morgan is determined to prevent her daughter from making the same mistakes she did. By getting pregnant and married way too young, Morgan put her own dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her predictable mother doesn’t have a spontaneous bone in her body. With warring personalities and conflicting goals, Morgan and Clara find it increasingly difficult to coexist. The only person who can bring peace to the household is Chris—Morgan’s husband, Clara’s father, and the family anchor. But that peace is shattered when Chris is involved in a tragic and questionable accident. The heartbreaking and long-lasting consequences will reach far beyond just Morgan and Clara.While struggling to rebuild everything that crashed around them, Morgan finds comfort in the last person she expects to, and Clara turns to the one boy she’s been forbidden to see. With each passing day, new secrets, resentment, and misunderstandings make mother and daughter fall further apart. So far apart, it might be impossible for them to ever fall back together" (Montlake).

My overall thoughts and review: Before I begin my rambling review, I want to preface that I have not read a Colleen Hoover book before. I know many of my friends love her work, but I'll be honest, I've always been a bit reluctant because I was worried about how "heavy" some of the books are - emotionally. I can firmly say that after reading this book, Colleen Hoover, has a fan for life in me - why did I wait so long to read a book by her?! That being said, I'm so excited now to go back and read her backlist because I love her writing so much. Hoover immediately draws the reader in with her stories, and just the wait she writes from first person perspective is incredibly captivating.

This story follows a mother and daughter and both of their love stories, and how everything kind of intertwines at the center of it all. We have a mother who doesn't want her daughter to repeat her mistakes by getting pregnant too young, but we also have a daughter that wants to break free of some of her parents over-protectiveness. The story moves back and forth from Morgan's perspective (in the past and now in the present), to her daughter, Clara. We learn about Morgan's relationship with Clara's father, Chris, and how that was inextricably linked with her sister, Jenny, and Chris' friend, Jonah.  A tragic accident happens, and many things are revealed which really shook up the household, and Morgan is left to deal with it all, along with Clara and Jonah. While all of this is going on, Clara finds herself drawn to a boy who is known for the mistakes of his father, rather than who he really is. It's an interesting dynamics because during this time of grief, when Clara and Morgan should turn to one another, they find themselves pushing the other even further apart. So you can see how they find their way back to one another during the course of the book. I loved all the characters a lot, even when they frustrated me. I could see why they acted a certain way, and while I didn't always agree, I think it says a lot for someone to step back and be able to understand why certain actions happened. Clara drove me a bit insane towards the end, but I understood that her anger was coming from grief and frustration due to what she was dealing with. I don't want to say too much to spoil any of the plot points, but there's three stories going on here, Clara and Morgan's mother-daughter story, and then their respective romantic relationship stories. It seems like a lot, but Colleen Hoover pieced it all together so well!

This book poses so many intriguing questions that really make you stop and wonder. Would certain relationships have flourished if there wasn't a particular circumstance? Do you sometimes get it wrong with who you are supposed to end up with? And in terms of grief and death, how do you know when it is appropriate to move on or rather, how long do you mourn for? There's so much tangled up here from family dynamics, relationships (romantic and friendships), to grief and trauma. But also finding yourself, and chasing after your dreams.

This book will definitely break your heart a few times, but by the end of it, I promise Colleen Hoover does mend it all, and kind of makes it all right again. It felt incredibly authentic, and even though in a way, there's definitely a HEA, the book emphasizes how relationships can change with certain factors affecting it, but it can definitely grow from it. It reminds us that certain things in life are incredibly big challenges, and ultimately, it's the stuff that is most challenging that is most worth it in the end. If you want a book that will basically make you feel ALL the emotions, this is definitely the read for you!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars)

Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Amazon, Kindle, and Book Depository

About Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the bestselling women’s fiction novel It Ends with Us and the bestselling psychological thriller Verity. She has won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance three years in a row—for Confess (2015), It Ends with Us (2016), and Without Merit (2017). Confess was adapted into a seven-episode online series. In 2015, Hoover and her family founded the Bookworm Box, a bookstore and monthly subscription service that offers signed novels donated by authors. All profits go to various charities each month to help those in need. Hoover lives in Texas with her husband and their three boys. 

Follow Colleen:

Website - https://www.colleenhoover.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/colleenhoover

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorColleenHoover/

Facebook Readers’ Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/colleenhooverscohorts

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/colleenhoover/

Goodreads - https://bit.ly/36GI0Cz

Tour Wide Giveaway

The winner will receive 1 copy of Regretting You by Colleen Hoover!

Giveaway Details: 

Canada Only (excl. Quebec—full rules found in the T&C on Rafflecopter)

Giveaway begins on December 9th and ends on January 5th, 2020 at 11:59 pm EST

Winner will be drawn randomly through Rafflecopter, contacted via email & will have 48 hours 

to claim their prize

PUT RAFFLECOPTER LINK HERE

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Dec. 9 – Erin @ Sleep Less, Read More

Dec. 10 – Allyssa @ Between the Spine

Dec. 11 – Christine @ Padfoot’s Library

Dec. 12 – Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books

Dec. 13 – Guylaine @ Two Dogs & a Book

Dec. 16 – Krystal @ Stellar Book Blog

Dec. 17 – Milana @ A Couple Reads

Dec. 18 – Lisa @ RemarkablyLisa

Dec. 19 – Xandria @ Beautiful Bitch Book Reviews

Dec. 20 – Beth @ Fuelled by Fiction

Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review and participation in this blog tour. All opinions are my own.

Blog Tour: Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

Publishing Date: November 5, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance - Amazon Publishing
Pages: 300
Contemporary Romance

The Premise from the Publisher: "I’d never forgotten him—a man I’d yet to meet. Griffin Quinn was my childhood pen pal, the British boy who couldn’t have been more different from me. Over the years, through hundreds of letters, we became best friends, sharing our deepest, darkest secrets and forming a connection I never thought could break. Until one day it did. Then, out of the blue, a new letter arrived. A scathing one—one with eight years of pent-up anger. I had no choice but to finally come clean as to why I stopped writing. Griffin forgave me, and somehow we were able to rekindle our childhood connection. Only now we were adults, and that connection had grown to a spark. Our letters quickly went from fun to flirty to downright dirty, revealing our wildest fantasies. So it only made sense that we would take our relationship to the next level and see each other in person. Only Griff didn’t want to meet. He asked that I trust him and said it was for the best. But I wanted more—more Griff, in the flesh—so I took a big chance and went looking for him. People have done crazier things for love. But what I found could change everything" (Montlake Romance).

My overall thoughts and review: Vi and Penelope are some of my favorite writing duos and when I read the premise of this book, I was so excited because their last book with Montlake also had a writing component in it: Hate Notes - and I LOVED it, so I just knew I would love this one as well (you can read my full review here)! I was so intrigued with the idea of pen pals from childhood to adulthood, and the relationship growing and becoming more. As someone who had many pen-pals over the years, there is just something so special about sitting down and writing a letter to someone, and then receiving the letter after.. This part really struck a chord with me because even though my fiance and I live together, we still occasionally write notes and letters to each other ♡♡

I really liked both of them right off the bat. I loved Griffin's POV because he was someone in a position of power and fame but he also showed a really vulnerable side which I loved. He teases a bit, but he also just is kind of a dork and makes jokes a lot. I also found Luca's character to be extremely realistic with all the anxieties she was dealing with. I loved that despite the beautiful relationship, Vi and Penelope handled grief, trauma, and anxiety in a really tasteful way that felt authentic, but also worked to contribute to the story in a larger way. Griff and Luca communicated for many years, but when a tragedy happens, Luca steps away and stops writing him. Years later, he sends her an angry letter one night after a few too many drinks, and it starts up again when she writes back to tell him what really happened about why she stopped writing him. They pick back up again, and I just LOVED their letters so much. They still had the same rapport from years past, since they were writing to one another since they were 7/8 years old, but now as adults a lot has changed. You also get to see snippets of their older letters during their teen years and just seeing how much they relied on one another and how they were really good friends through the letters. They shared their hopes, desires, and fears, and just seeing how the letters were very important to both of them at particular moments in their life tug at my heartstrings.

When they do finally meet in real life, both open up about their careers and circumstances. It seems on paper that there's no way their relationship work. Everything Griffin has to go through as a singer is Luca's living nightmare, but despite that, Griffin works so hard to show that he wants to make it work. He goes above and beyond and I just loved seeing how hard he worked to show her how much he loved her and was patient and understanding with her agoraphobia and anxiety. I loved seeing them fall in love and just who they were when they were with one another. Their relationship was so swoony, and Vi and Penelope delivered on some very sexy moments ;) There are some mentions of a weird furry sex toy, but I mean, everyone has their own kinks, so each to their own!

I also loved Luca's therapist, Doc, who played a big role in the story, helping Luca, but also being a sort of middle person with Luca and Griffin, to make sure Luca was feeling supported and safe at all times. He was quite quirky, but he really was a father figure for Luca when she needed one.

If you remember my review of Hate Notes, you know that I absolutely loved that, but I think this is my favorite Vi and Penelope book yet. I loved the characters so much and I just loved how there was such a great balance of strength and vulnerability in them. The characters also really resonated a lot with me and I think that's why this book means so much to me. I saw a lot of myself in Luca, and I saw a lot of my fiance in Griffin, and in many ways, I felt like I was reading a bit of my life (without the careers of a rock star and a NYT bestselling author of course). But it just reminded me of what Doc says to Luca in the book: "We're a lot like the lovebirds. You don't need to pair up in order to live. But when the lovebirds pair up into a monogamous relationship, they become calmer and more stable" (193), and I think that just perfectly sums up a good relationship. You don't need to be together, but when you are, it just works out and feels right, and it works not out of need, but just because.

I LOOOOVED this book a lot. I'm already dying to reread it and swoon over Griffin and Luca more. If you are looking for a sweet, romantic, and sexy romance that handles themes of grief, mental health, and overcoming your fears, this is definitely the read for you! Please pick it up, you won't regret it!!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars)

Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Amazon, Kindle, and Book Depository

About Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward:

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared on more than one hundred bestseller lists and are currently translated into twenty-six languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children, where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than twenty novels. A former television news anchor, Penelope has sold more than two million books and has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list twenty-one times. She resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

Together, Vi and Penelope are the authors of Dirty Letters, Hate Notes, and the Rush Series. For more information about them, visit www.vikeeland.com and www.penelopewardauthor.com.

Follow Vi:

Website 🡪 http://www.vikeeland.com/

Twitter 🡪 https://twitter.com/ViKeeland

Facebook 🡪 https://www.facebook.com/AuthorViKeeland/

Facebook Readers’ Group 🡪 https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup/ 

Instagram 🡪 https://www.instagram.com/vi_keeland/ 

Goodreads 🡪 https://bit.ly/1BqOVww 

Follow Penelope:

Website 🡪 http://penelopewardauthor.com/ 

Twitter 🡪 https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor

Facebook 🡪 https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor 

Facebook Readers’ Group 🡪 https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps/ 

Instagram 🡪 https://www.instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor/

Goodreads 🡪 https://bit.ly/1WOnzrz

Tour Wide Giveaway

The winner will receive 1 copy of Dirty Letters by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward!

Giveaway Details: 

Canada Only (excl. Quebec—full rules found in the T&C on Rafflecopter)

Giveaway begins on November 11th and ends on November 28th at 11:59 pm EST

Winner will be drawn randomly through Rafflecopter, contacted via email & will have 48 hours to claim their prize

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the blog tour: 

Nov. 11 – Xandria @ Beautiful Bitch Book Reviews
Nov. 12 – Erin @ Sleep Less, Read More
Nov. 13 – Milana @ A Couple Reads
Nov. 14 – Joy @ Joyous Reads
Nov. 15 – Allyssa @ Between the Spine
Nov. 18 – Wendy @ Cupcake and a Latte
Nov. 19 – Lisa @ RemarkablyLisa
Nov. 20 – Jacyln @ Literary Treats
Nov. 21 – Amanda @ Stuck in YA Books
Nov. 22 – Christine @ Padfoot’s Library

Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from Thomas Allen & Son in exchange for an honest review and participation in this blog tour. All opinions are my own.

[Blog Tour] In The Unlikely Event by L.J. Shen - Review

"Romance masterpiece" - Kylie Scott, New York Times bestselling author

From USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author L.J. Shen comes a new, contemporary romance with heart-wrenching twists and laugh-out-loud moments.

In The Unlikely Event is available now!

Blog Tour: I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi - Review

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi

Publishing Date: October 22, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 432
Young Adult Sci-Fi

The Premise of the Book: "Seven days. Seven days. The Earth might end in seven days. When news stations start reporting that Earth has been contacted by a planet named Alma, the world
is abuzz with rumors that the alien entity is giving mankind only few days to live before they hit the kill switch on civilization.
For high school truant Jesse Hewitt, though, nothing has ever felt permanent. Not the guys he hooks up with. Not the jobs his underpaid mom works so hard to hold down. Life has dealt him one bad blow after another — so what does it matter if it all ends now? Cate Collins, on the other hand, is desperate to use this time to find the father she’s never met, the man she grew up hearing wild stories about, most of which she didn’t believe. And then there’s Adeem Khan. While coding and computer programming have always come easily to him, forgiveness doesn’t. He can’t seem to forgive his sister for leaving, even though it’s his last chance. With only seven days to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide even as their worlds are pulled apart" (HarperCollins).

My overall thoughts and review: When I first read the premise of this book a while back, I was intrigued because I mean, if a higher power, or aliens deemed that humans were treating the planet badly and that they would come and wipe out humanity, I wouldn't say "you're wrong" - I can definitely see it, and this book right off the bat reminds us that maybe how we treat the earth is not so particularly great. The story follows 3 main characters and how they all deal with the news that the world is ending soon. You are first introduced to Jesse who hasn't really known some permanence, and it's always been easiest for him to just not get close to someone, and the book began with him having to come to terms with another hook up ending. He attempts to stay strong, but it's clear that it does hurt him. Financially, Jesse and his mother are struggling, so when news comes of the world ending, he simply says that they are too broke to worry about it anyways. On the other hand, we have Cate, who is struggling with her mom who is a schizophrenic. With the impending news of the world ending, she decides to venture out and look for her father. And lastly, we have Adeem, who is great at computer science and programming, and despite the anger he feels towards his sister, he decides to go look for her. I will say the representation in this book was handled really well (there's a lot here in terms of race, sexuality, class, mental health, etc), and I genuinely was pleased that they were all able to cross paths in some way. I will say, out of all the characters, I definitely cared most about Jesse and I kept reading quickly to get to his chapters. He's a character that I just really empathized with, especially his relationship with his mom. Overall, I enjoyed Rishi's writing. I liked that despite the impending fate our characters faced, there was some lightheartedness thrown in the mix, and of course, a sort of hopefulness, that it could work out in the end, but even if it didn't, we'd all be ok anyways. If I could accurately comp this, it definitely had some Scythe vibes with the aliens being a sort of higher power, and the some aspects that tug at your heart strings were reminiscent of Adam Silvera's books. I look forward to seeing what Rishi tackles next in her writing!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮½ - 3.5/5 stars

Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository

About the Author

Farah Naz Rishi is a Pakistani-American Muslim writer and voice actor, but in another life, she’s worked stints as a lawyer, a video game journalist, and an editorial assistant. She received her B.A. in English from Bryn Mawr College, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and her love of weaving stories from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing, she’s probably hanging out with video game characters. You can find her at home in Philadelphia, or on Twitter at @far_ah_way.

Disclaimer: An advanced e-reader's copy of the book was provided by Glasstown Entertainment for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own. 

Blog Tour: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo - Review

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Publishing Date: October 8, 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 480
New Adult / Adult Fantasy / Supernatural / Occult Fiction

The Premise from the Publisher: "Galaxy "Alex" Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale''s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug-dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. In fact, by age twenty, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she''s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world''s most prestigious universities on a full ride. What''s the catch, and why her? Still searching for answers, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale''s secret societies. Their eight windowless "tombs" are the well-known haunts of the rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street''s biggest players. But their occult activities are more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive. They tamper with forbidden magic. They raise the dead. And, sometimes, they prey on the living" (Flatiron).

*Warning: there are instances of rape, sexual assault, abuse, self-harm, suicide, murder, violence, and drug related content.* 

My overall thoughts and review: I'm not as familiar with her writing as a fan would be (I've only read one book by her and it was the Wonder Woman book), and honestly, after I read this, I wonder if perhaps this book wasn't simply for me. This book has made all the splash in the book community because it is Bardugo's departure from YA, and this book lives in New Adult / Adult Fantasy and Sci-Fi. It was described as really dark, but as more reviews came out for it, more alluded to various trigger warnings of dark content. Basically, whatever you can think of that might be a trigger, is probably in this book. Still, that did not deter me since I was insanely curious. More on that later.

The story follows Galaxy/Alex, who gets a sort of "second chance" at life after something traumatic happens to her, and she's sent to Yale University (yes, THE Yale) as a student. While she had to drop out of highschool, this new role for her at Yale includes her pretending to be a freshman student, but by 'night' she is to follow up on any illicit activities that may happen at the university with some secret societies. You are thrown right into it in the beginning of the book when she has to witness a prognostication. You see her balance this student life and also get entangled with Bonesmen, ghosts, and more. It felt like the first 100 pages was a bit slow, even though I understand that it was needed to lay the foundation of the text. I really liked Darlington from the moment we got his chapter with his POV. You get to hear about him from Alex's perspective, but I just knew he was my kind of character. It definitely ramps up after that as we start to learn more and more about this world, and also what really happened with Alex prior to these Yale adventures.

I mentioned above the warnings/triggers associated with the text. While Bardugo's writing is truly captivating and she actually makes the reader feel like they are right there while all of this is unraveling, I had to put the book down a few times and just walk away. I knew it was dark, but it was easy to just say it was dark, rather than experience those particular scenes on the page. I do think being in the right headspace is needed for a book like this, and knowing that yes, you can go into it knowing that it's "dark" but be prepared for a lot more. I believe there will be more in this series to come, so that's exciting because it does end in a way that doesn't feel satisfying. I am more intrigued now to pick up Bardugo's other books, especially Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom. I really love her writing and how she's able to build the eerie atmosphere. While I really loved getting to know the characters, and learning more about this world, for me as a reader today, I found this to be too dark for me, hence my rating. I think fans of Bardugo will enjoy seeing the writer demonstrate her flexibility and brevity, and just seeing this new side to her writing. If you feel you can handle the dark content, then I do think this would be the perfect time of year to read this with the month of Halloween.

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮½ - 3.5/5 stars

Available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository

Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by Raincoast Books for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own. 

Review: Park Avenue Player by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

PARK AVENUE PLAYER IS LIVE!

 A Standalone Contemporary Romance

New York Times Bestselling Authors Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland

[Blog Tour] Handle with Care by Helena Hunting - Review and Q&A

Handle with Care by Helena Hunting

Publishing Date: August 27, 2019
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 320
Contemporary Romance

The Premise from the Publisher: "HE WANTS TO LOSE CONTROL. Between his parents' messed up marriage and his narcissistic younger brother, Lincoln Moorehead has spent the majority of his life avoiding his family. After the death of his father, Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the drama. To top it all off, he's been named CEO of Moorehead Media, much to his brother's chagrin. But Lincoln's bad attitude softens when he meets the no-nonsense, gorgeous woman who has been given the task of transforming him from the gruff, wilderness guy to a suave businessman. SHE'S TRYING TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. Wren Sterling has been working double time to keep the indiscretions at Moorehead Media at bay, so when she's presented with a new contract, with new responsibilities and additional incentives, she agrees. Working with the reclusive oldest son of a ridiculously entitled family is worth the hassle if it means she's that much closer to pursuing her own dreams. What Wren doesn't expect is to find herself attracted to him, or for it to be mutual. And she certainly doesn't expect to fall for Lincoln. But when a shocking new Moorehead scandal comes to light, she's forced to choose between her own family and the broody, cynical CEO" (SMP).

My overall thoughts and review: We have been so lucky with summer with two releases from Helena Hunting from the Shacking Up series! I was so excited when this book was announced earlier in the year because it follows Lincoln Moorehead; I was curious to learn abut the older brother of the annoying Armstrong from Hooking Up. We also learned in Making Up, that Lincoln and Griffin are quite close and are basically more brothers than cousins. Add in the fact that I love a good office romance, I was sold. I really, really, really loved this book. I found myself with a permanent smile on while reading this book. Because Lincoln is returning to NY after being away for so long, he has more to adjust to than simply his new role as the CEO of Moorehead Media. There he meets Wren, who has been named as his handler of sorts. She has helped smooth over Armstrong's indiscretions in the media before, and she has new responsibilities now to help do the same for Lincoln. Except Lincoln is nothing like his younger brother at all. We both learn that they both adjust to these new roles thinking it's only temporary because Lincoln thinks that as soon as he finds a replacement, he's out of NY, and Wren thinks that she'll only have to handle the Moorehead brothers until she gets her reference. I loved their banter and their arguing in the beginning of the book, and just seeing themselves soften around each other. With how much time they spent together, it's a no brainer that they have this undeniable chemistry. Interwoven in the love story is of course some family drama from the Moorehead side. I'm glad we got to see a bit of their upbringing, and see maybe why Armstrong is the way he is (doesn't mean I like him any more, but good to understand the circumstances). As always, I love when other characters in previous books are mentioned as well (Lex and Amalie!!). It's an fun and incredibly sweet read about falling in love and family. In the typical Helena charm, it is also quite sexy as well. I loved this book A LOT. Lex is still my #1 but Lincoln is a very close 2nd now. If you haven't read any of the Shacking Up series books, what are you waiting for? Please go out and pick up Handle with Care TODAY! Once you read the book, you'll be able to appreciate how adorable the cover really is! ;) I'm not fully sure if this is the last book in the series, but I'm happy to say that this series will forever be one of my favorite romance series ever. Every book has been consistently top-notch!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ - 5/5 stars

Available for purchase at:
US Macmillan, Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, Kindle, and Book Depository

Author Q&A 

Q: What project(s) are you currently working on?
A: I just finished the third book in the All In Series, which the first book will be releasing this fall. Next I’m starting a standalone, but I also have a new series I’ll be starting soon, and I have a book idea or two for secondary characters in the last two books of The Shacking Up series, as well. It’s safe to say that my writing schedule is planned for the next two years!

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
A: I like hanging out with my daughter and craft. Recently we went camping, which was a fun experience, although I grew up with a family cottage so we would spend a lot of the summer there.

Q: Name three things on your desk right now.
A: Broken Knight by LJ Shen, Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey, Resist by K. Bromberg, Undeniable by Melanie Harlow, The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros (still gives me the chills when I think about it), Verity by Colleen Hoover.

Q: What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
A: The banter between Wren and Linc and writing a grumpy, jerk hero who really isn’t a jerk but sure acts like one!

Q: What would you like us (the readers) to take away from your story?
A: That families aren’t perfect and people can make mistakes, yet still grow from them.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own. 

[Blog Tour] Broken Knight by L.J. Shen - Excerpt

"Everyone needs to read this book. "

- Harloe Rae, USA Today bestselling author.

Broken Knight, an all new standalone about first loves, betrayal, and loss from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen, is available now!

[Release Blitz] Truly Mine by Kennedy Fox - Review

This is a friends-to-lovers roommate 
romance filled with drama, suspense, and, of course, plenty of angsty slow burn goodness you've come to expect in a Kennedy Fox book!

Truly Mine, Book 1

The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. 

As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn't an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, and I was no saint.

Once we caught our breaths, and it became obvious that meeting her wasn't a coincidence, everything changed. Now I must deny her at all costs. 

Friends. It's all we can ever be.

After years of lying to myself and keeping her at a distance, I want to pull her close. Sophie's on my mind more than ever as my instincts to protect her take over. Regardless of my attempts to help, she pushes me away and makes it clear she doesn't need me. 

I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, to show her I'm the good guy, but one night takes a tragic turn for the worse when her boyfriend and I start throwing punches. 

And ends when I'm arrested for his murder.

Buy Now: Amazon | Amazon Worldwide | Apple | Kobo | B & N

Truly Yours, Book 2

Releasing: September 10th

I knew within moments of meeting Mason Holt that he would change my life forever. I just didn't realize how much. As my world spirals out of control, he continues to stay by my side, protecting and taking care of me. Being just friends is all he's been able to offer, that is until both of our lives are threatened. Now that our relationship is blossoming into something more, I can't be what he needs even if I wished I could. Bad timing strikes again. When I think we can finally be together, someone threatens to tear us apart. I'm not the same girl Mason met three years ago, but I'm determined to fight for what I've always wanted...him.

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My Review:

It's always a good time when KF releases a new series/duet! I loved their last one that was Baby Mine/Baby Yours, and after meeting the leads in that series, I was so excited to see Sophie and Mason's story unravel. If you read BM/BY, you'll know that the book ends on a crazy cliffhanger that leads into this one. All books can be read as standalones, but honestly, it really builds the world a lot more having all the backstory. 

The story goes back further than the last duet because Sophie and Mason end up meeting at a bar beforehand, both waiting for people that obviously know one another (Brandon and Lennon). There, they hit it off instantly and have an incredibly steamy moment. However, once the steamy moment ends, they learn that Sophie is actually the younger sister of Lennon, who was Brandon's girlfriend at that time. Not wanting to rock the boat by dating your friend's girlfriend's younger sister, he tells her that they should just be friends. The story follows them as they both try to move on and fight their feelings. Unfortunately, Sophie ends up with someone that ends up abusing her. A bit of a trigger warning here because those passages can be to read, and the book handles the aftermath and trauma that abuse victims have. On a night that was meant to be happy celebrations, there's a fight that happens between Mason and Sophie's abusive boyfriend which ends in the abusive boyfriend's death. That's how the previous duet closes, and this book follows shortly after that and the events that come after. 

Luckily for Mason, because of his DA father, the charges against him for murder don't stick. But he is forced to lay low for a while because of the media frenzy. During this time, we learn more about Mason's past and we see him actually bonding with Sophie more. She moves in with him and Liam (I do love me the roommate trope) and it just reminded me of KF's previous Checkmate series again which I really enjoyed! I loved seeing them just grow with one another and realize what they had all along and not try and fight it. As mentioned before, I'm glad to see that KF highlights the day to day trauma and aftermath of situations like domestic abuse and they don't sugarcoat it. We see Sophie struggle, but we also see Sophie's strength in working through everything. I usually swoon over the male leads that KF writes, but I really love Sophie! I see a lot of myself in her and I just love her honesty, resilience, and strength. She felt like an incredibly authentic character for me. Mason and Sophie's story is only just getting started with this book and I'm so excited to see how it will all wrap up in the next book. 

Luckily we don't have to wait too long for the next one! If you are a fan of KF books, you'll love this one, and if you haven't been introduced to KF yet, I recommend starting with a series starter! As I said in the beginning of my post, it's always so much more fun meeting all the characters beforehand and that way you can appreciate when they pop up in sequential books! ;) 

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ - 5/5 stars

Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy of this book from Kennedy Fox in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.  

Meet Kennedy Fox: 

Brooke Cumberland & Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up to write under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of You've Got Mail and The Holiday. When they aren't bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that'll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

Keep up with all their social media platforms for updates & info!

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[Blog Tour] A Highlander Walks into a Bar by Laura Trentham

A Highlander Walks Into a Bar (Highland, Georgia #1) by Laura Trentham 

Publishing Date: July 30, 2019
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 320
Contemporary Romance

The Premise from the Publisher: "The timeless romance, soaring passion—and gorgeous men—of Scotland comes to modern-day America. And the rules of love will never be the same… Isabel Buchanan is fiery, funny, and never at a loss for words. But she is struck speechless when her mother returns from a trip to Scotland with a six-foot-tall, very handsome souvenir. Izzy’s mother is so infatuated by the fellow that Izzy has to plan their annual Highland Games all by herself. Well, not completely by herself. The Highlander’s strapping young nephew has come looking for his uncle… Alasdair Blackmoor has never seen a place as friendly as this small Georgia town—or a girl as brilliant and beguiling as Izzy. Instead of saving his uncle, who seems to be having a lovely time, Alasdair decides he’d rather help Izzy with the Highland Games. Show her how to dance like a Highlander. Drink like a Highlander. And maybe, just maybe, fall in love with a Highlander. But when the games are over, where do they go from here?" (SMP).

My overall thoughts and review: When I first read the premise of this book, I instantly thought of Melonie Johnson's Getting Hot with the Scot (which you can find my full review for here). I love a good book with a swoony Scottish lead and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this book actually takes place in Highland, Georgia instead. Because of the name of the location, every year in this small southern town, they hold the Highland Games, which the female lead of the story, Izzy, and her mother, Rosie, plan together. However, plans get complicated when her mother Rosie returns home from a trip with a souvenir of sorts - a new Scottish boyfriend. Along with him comes his nephew, Alasdair, who has been sent to this small town to fetch his uncle back home. They start to bond over the course of the time they spend together and I just really loved all the discussions they had with one another in terms of life and career. Doing what you should, what is expected of you, or risking it all, and simply doing what you love. I love when the couples in romance novels bond and discuss actual real life issues and I love when they are supportive with one another too. There are so many laugh out loud funny moments in this book, so brace yourself. Izzy's personality is awesome and she definitely has no filter. I loved seeing her come to terms with the fact that her mother is in fact a human and can have feelings, but also I loved seeing her realize her own feelings as well. This was a fun summer romance read that gives you that wanderlust feeling and reminds you that it can happen right at home. There's great family dynamics and I loved the secondary characters that popped up as well, like Izzy's friend. Overall, it was a really great contemporary romance read and I can't wait to check out the next book in this series by Trentham! I also totally want to visit both Highland and Scotland now. If you loved Johnson's Getting Hot with the Scot, you'll definitely want to add this one to your TBR!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ - 4/5 stars

Available for purchase at:
US Macmillan, Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Kindle, Amazon, and Book Depository

To read the first chapter in the book, click here! 

About the Author

Laura Trentham is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance, including Then He Kissed Me and The Military Wife. She is a member of RWA, and has been a finalist multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.

Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own.

[Blog Tour] Making Up by Helena Hunting - Review

Making Up by Helena Hunting
Publishing Date: July 16, 2019
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pages: 448
Contemporary Romance

The Premise from the Publisher: "Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list. Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him. As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world" (SMP).

My Review: If you know me, then you'll know that one of my favorite male heroes ever in romance is Helena Hunting's Lex from Hooking Up. It was the first book I ever read from Helena and from there began my love affair with her writing! She writes such down-to-earth, hilarious, and relateable characters. I was so excited that she decided to write more in the Shacking Up series because Griffin is the last Mills brother for us readers to meet, and that also means I get to see snippets of the other couples that I've met and loved (ok, let's be serious, I wanted more Lex any way I could get him). This follows Griffin who has recently been broken up with by his fiancee who travels to Vegas for work (he's a hotel mogul). While there he is sent to a sex-shop to get some gag gifts for a bachelor party. There he meets Cosy, the sales person, and he's immediately drawn to her. They had a really adorable meet cute, and I knew I liked her from the very beginning. She's very sassy, but also very vulnerable. From there, they decide on a no-strings attached relationship, but that never goes as planned does it? While I love Helena's writing and I did love both characters a lot, there were moments when I felt the drama was too much to handle in the book. I felt like this couple could not catch a break at all. I will say it does remind me again too that age is just a number, and it's more about how you feel that is important. However, despite the drama, you also really see the importance of family come through with the Mills family, and I loved seeing them all together again. You also get to meet Lincoln, who is Armstrong's brother, and the male lead of the next book in the series, Handle with Care (which comes out next month!!). If you are a Helena Hunting fan, you'll def enjoy this read. It's fun, laugh-out-loud funny, and sexy!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ - 4/5 stars

Available for purchase at:
US Macmillan, Chapters/Indigo, Kobo Books, Amazon, and Book Depository

Special Excerpt of the Book!

We’re a couple of minutes away from my apartment, which also means we’re almost at the end of our date. End-of-date protocol often means a goodnight kiss. 

And I’ve eaten onions. Lots of them. What the hell was I thinking? I feel around in my shorts pocket, hoping I have a random stick of gum. I find a tiny square packet and pull it out, along with an old tissue. I shove that back in my pocket and sigh with relief as I carefully open the Listerine Pocketpak. There’s one strip left. I pop it in my mouth, wishing I had water since my mouth is dry and I’m suddenly super nervous. 

Griffin pulls up in front of my apartment building. I swallow a bunch of times, trying to get the strip to dissolve on my tongue and glance out the tinted window, seeing it from his perspective. I don’t live in a bad part of town, but I sure as hell wouldn’t leave this car sitting out here for any length of time unless I wanted it keyed or stripped down. 

Griffin shifts into park and turns to me, one hand resting on the back of my seat near the headrest. “I had a great time, Cosy.” 

“Me too, thanks for dinner.” I tried to fork over my share, but he was quick on the credit card draw. 

“It was my pleasure.” He leans in the tiniest bit, a nonverbal cue that he’s going in for a kiss. 

I mirror the movement, giving him the go ahead. My stomach flutters in anticipation. I exhale slowly through my nose. Even though the Listerine strip should be doing its job to mask the onions, I don’t want to ruin the moment by breathing that in his face. 

His fingertips skim my jaw, and I close my eyes. And then his lips brush my cheek. I wait for them to move a couple of inches to the right, but after what feels like a lot of seconds—and is probably only a few—I crack a lid. 

Griffin is still close, a wry smile on his lips and a smolder in his eyes. 

“Seriously, that’s it? A kiss on the cheek?” 

His smile widens, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. He’s nothing like the guys I usually end up on dates with. College boys don’t take things slow. If I were out with one of the guys from school, I’d be sitting in a beat-up Civic with some stupid music playing, and he’d be all over me with his tongue halfway down my throat, copping a feel. 

“I thought all the onions you ate were the equivalent to garlic for vampires.” Griffin fingers my hair near my shoulder. I’d really like him to finger something else. Wait. I mean I’d like to feel his hands on me. Not in my pants. Okay, maybe I’d like them in my pants, but not after date number one. 

“I wasn’t thinking, and I really like onions. A lot. In hindsight, it’s not a great date food. I feel kinda dumb. And I guess at first I wasn’t so sure about you. How was I supposed to know you’d actually be kind of normalish?” 

“Normalish?” 

“Well, you drink club soda on purpose, so you can’t be all there.” I tap his temple.
Griffin circles my wrist with his fingers and drops his head, lips brushing over my knuckle. “We can’t all be perfect, now, can we?” 

“I suppose not, and perfect is boring.” 

“That it is.” He hums against my skin, and I feel it through my entire body. “I would like to try that kiss again, if you’re still interested.”

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Disclaimer: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided by St. Martin's Press for participation in the book tour. All opinions of the book are my own. 

[Blog Tour] All Grown Up by Vi Keeland - Review

ALL GROWN UP IS LIVE!

A Standalone Contemporary Romance

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Vi Keeland