Book Review: Lost and Found by Lexi Blake

Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten #2
Audience: Adult (+18)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date:February 26th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This odes not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As such my review will contain references to material intended for mature readers.

Lexi Blake has done it again, ladies and gentlemen! She has written the perfect story, as I've come to expect from her, even more so actually than what I initially suspected.

Book Review: Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

Author: Carrie Ann Ryan

Series: Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs #3, Montgomery Ink #11
Audience:  Adult (+18)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: 19th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs series continues with a couple fighting to keep what they thought they had and gain what they didn’t know they needed.

Roxie Montgomery met her soul mate when she least expected it. When he asked her to marry her, she thought her happily ever after was only just beginning. Then, she found that walking into the sunset was much harder than her favorite books made it out to be. After a crushing loss, she feels as though she doesn’t know her husband anymore, or rather…she doesn’t know herself.

Carter Marshall has loved Roxie since the first time he saw her. But as the days pass between them, so does the distance. He doesn’t know how to show her that he’s all in, and honestly doesn’t know if she’s in at all. When an accident changes everything, they’ll have to decide if what they have can be salvaged, or if starting over is the answer. Or even possible.

Without fighting, without a true new beginning, sometimes, the remnants of what was lost can leave anyone jagged, shells of what they were before. It will take more than the idea of forever for Roxie and Carter to find themselves again, but as the Montgomerys know, nothing worth fighting for is easy.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As such my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

My love of Carrie Ann Ryan's books is well known by now, and I'm happy to say the newest installment in the world of the big Montgomery clan did not disappoint.

Release Day Promo: Lost and Found by Lexi Blake

  

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

 

AVAILABLE  NOW

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GooglePlay | iBooks | Kobo

    

“Becca.” Owen’s voice was low. “Concentrate on me, on our conversation. You’ve done incredibly well. You’ve been able to hold it off, but this has gone on far longer than you ever should have been expected to handle it. This elevator is tight. I feel it, too, but we can hold off the anxiety together.”
She doubted very much the man in front of her was anxious. He looked solid, like the kind of man who took whatever came his way and simply dealt with it. He wouldn’t have needed two freaking years to figure out what he wanted. He would have signed his divorce papers and moved on, not hiding in his work.
It struck her forcibly that she might never have met a man like Owen Shaw. Her childhood had been fairly sheltered. She’d constantly been surrounded by intellectuals, men and women who were far more concerned with their work than anything else.
The ground beneath her shifted and the elevator dropped what felt like ten feet, but she knew in her head it was mere inches. Her heart rate tripled, and she grabbed on to the closest thing she could—him.
His arms went around her, holding her up, and she heard it. He was so tall that her head naturally rested on his chest, and she could hear his heart beating in rapid time.
He was nervous.
The phone rang and Owen cursed, reaching out to grab it. The shaft was so small, he didn’t have to let her go to grasp it.
“What the bloody hell is happening, Colin?”
She could hear his voice over the line. “Sorry. So sorry. We had to lower the shaft the tiniest bit. I should have warned you. It’s not going to fall. Just needed to reposition to get to the problem. Not long now. Another half an hour or so and I’ll have you right out of there.”
“If you do that again, do you know what I’m going to do to you, Colin?”
There was a pause over the line and she could practically hear Colin’s gulp. “Write my father a tersely worded letter of complaint?”
“No, I’m going to pull your heart out through your throat and then I’ll shove it back up your arse.”
“You sound very much like Liam Neeson in that movie.”
“Liam Neeson is Irish. I’m a Scot. I assure you what I’ll do to you will make you run into Liam Neeson’s arms and beg him to save you.” He reached back and hung up the phone with a resounding clang.
His arm went back around her. “It’s going to be all right. They’ll move faster now. So you’ve taken a sabbatical from men.”
She breathed him in, loving how he smelled. Were men supposed to smell so good?
She could feel herself relax as he held her. She’d known him for three hours. She shouldn’t let him hold her like this.
And why the fuck not? Because it wasn’t smart? Because he might think she wanted something she shouldn’t?
She was human. Why shouldn’t she want him? Because society told her that good girls didn’t make out with guys they’d just met in an elevator?
Society sucked, and she wasn’t a good girl. When her husband had tried to put his name on her work, she’d told him to fuck off and write his own paper. When he’d cheated on her, she’d walked away.
She was single.
God, was he single?
She stepped back.
“What’s wrong?” Owen asked.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
His lips curled up in the sweetest grin, as though he knew exactly why she was asking that question. “No, love. I don’t have a girlfriend and I don’t have a wife.”
He was single. She was single.
The moment lengthened between them.
He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I’m coming on way too strong.”
He wasn’t. He’d been gentlemanly, friendly. Up until the last couple of moments, he hadn’t put a hand on her or leered. She could feel his attraction. It was there in the warm way he looked at her, in the set of his shoulders, relaxed earlier and tense now that he’d touched her. He was thinking about the same thing she was.
“I’m very nervous, Owen. My logical mind knows that it’s far more likely for me to die getting hit by lightning than in an elevator, even one that’s stuck.” Unfortunately, her logical mind was slowly losing control of her dumbass lizard brain.
“Will talking help?” Owen asked. “Because I’m willing to do that. Or whatever you need to take your mind off things.”
There was a wealth of promise in those words. Dirty and sweet at the same time. They’d shared her wine, passing it back and forth between them, her lips touching the same place his had been moments before. When she’d drank after him, she’d thought about kissing him.
It had been too long. Two years was way too long to go without sex.
They had a half an hour or so. At least that’s what Colin—who might be murdered soon by Owen Shaw—said. She even thought his name was sexy.
What exactly would it hurt if she did kiss him? If she touched him and let him touch her? Hell, what would it hurt if she fucked him? They were both single, both a little needy. They had some time to kill. They’d done everything else.
“I would like to kiss you.” If he didn’t want her to, he could say no and they could find something else to do. She wasn’t going to be embarrassed because some guy didn’t want her. Some stunningly gorgeous guy. Some really funny, sexy guy. After all, she wouldn’t see him after this. She’d never seen him before. He’d told her he was moving in, but she went into work early and came home late. He was a bodyguard, so he likely worked odd hours and traveled a lot.
He was safe. She could open that door, enjoy herself, and then close it again. Owen Shaw could be her first really good memory in a long time, the start of many because it was time to get serious about finding some joy and balance in her life.
But only if he wanted some joy, too.
He moved back, placing his back against the elevator wall, the sweetest smile lighting up his face. “You have no idea how much I want you to kiss me. I’m right here, love. Do your worst.”
He was letting her make the first move. And probably the second. And the third. He was obviously a careful man. It would be easier if he took over, but he was right. This needed to be her choice, and she had to make the move.
She’d been the girl who’d told her parents at the age of five that kindergarten was boring and she wanted to move through the grades until she found something challenging. When they’d told her they wanted her to slow down and enjoy her childhood, she’d gone on strike until the teachers at her school begged her parents to let them move her up.
She was the girl who’d put it all on hold to take care of her mother, too.
She wasn’t the girl who didn’t take what she wanted, and she wanted Owen Shaw.
“It’s been a long time since I did this.” But her body was already heating up. Her body remembered. Her marriage might have sucked, but the sex had been fairly good. It had been the reason she’d married him. She’d gotten used to regular, good sex.
She’d get used to it again, just on her terms this time.
“Somehow, I think you’ll remember,” he said. “You play all you like. Stop when you want to.”
She’d been right about him. He was a careful man. “And if I don’t want to stop?”
“Then you should be happy I’m a man who believes in being prepared.”

        

  NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

FACEBOOK / TWITTER / WEBSITE / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Book Review: Lady Smoke by Laura Sebastian

Author: Laura Sebastian

Series: Ash Princess Trilogy #2
Audience:  Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: February 5th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller that was "made for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Sabaa Tahir" ( Bustle ), Lady Smoke is an epic new fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.

The Kaiser murdered Theodosia's mother, the Fire Queen, when Theo was only six. He took Theo's country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess--a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn't realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.

Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage--Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser's rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.

To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.

Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.

"A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down." --Bustle on Ash Princess, Book 1 in the Ash Princess series

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains graphic scenes of violence and death.

I read this book during January's edition of 24in48 readathon. This has sort of become a tradition for me, since I also read Ash Princess during last year's 24in48 readathon. I was very surprised by this book, if I'm honest. I don't know what I was expecting, but I definitely wasn't expecting what went down in this book.

Nonfiction Sunday: Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

Author: Sara Tasker
Series: N/A
Audience: +16
Genre: Nonfiction, Photography
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform, with 400 million monthly active users worldwide, half of them under 25. While some of these people use the app as a personal tool, many also use it to build their creative business endeavours, from food and drink to fashion and lifestyle.

Sara Tasker has tapped into this as an Instagram coach, an iPhoneographer and social media influencer. Her chronicle of authentic everyday life and her mindful Me and Orla blog has developed into a business in which she allows access to free insta-tips, alongside some hugely popular paid for e-courses for independent creatives.

One of her followers, Emma Mitchell a jewellery designer and artist, took her Instagram following (silverpebble2) from several hundred to 87k and gained a book commission within a year.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and White Lion Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

This book was recommended to me by Renee from The Caffeinated Reader and although I didn't know what to expect, I went into it with an open mind. I am happy to say that this book was fantastic and it exceeded my expectations.

Blog Tour Book Review: Stroke of Luck by B.J. Daniels

 

From New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels, comes STROKE OF LUCK—the stunning first novel in her brand new Western-set romantic suspense Sterling’s Montana Series!

STROKE OF LUCK is now available! Grab your copy today!

Author: B.J. Daniels
Series: Sterling's Montana #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

He’s hoping to bury the past. She’s ready to settle the score.

The Sterling Ranch’s season opening isn’t going so smoothly. With the ranch’s lodge full of guests and a Montana blizzard threatening, Will Sterling needs help—and he needs it fast. So when his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael agrees to lend a hand, he’s grateful for a second chance…and more enticed by the woman she’s become than he cares to admit.

For Poppy, it was supposed to be a retreat full of horse rides and hoedowns—with a side of showing Will what he’s been missing all these years. But as the snow deepens outside, the guests’ suspicion and mistrust turn sinister inside, catching Will and Poppy in the crosshairs.

Weathering the storm in each other’s arms is all too easy for Will and Poppy, but will a confrontation with a killer mean their reunion is short-lived?

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author B.J. Daniels starts her Sterling’s Ranch series off with a bang in this suspenseful story of romance and revenge.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

This was my first B.J. Daniels book and let me tell you, I quite enjoyed it.

Blog Tour Book Review: Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

Author: Lisa Kleypas
Series: The Ravenels #5
Audience: +18
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 19th 2019
My Rating: 5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn't...

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he's a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband's life a misery, and she'll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself...as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire...not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn't bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She's the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil's daughter knows...

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

If there's one author I've been told to try out more times than I can count over the years is Lisa Kleypas. Which is probably why I was so scared of picking up one of her books, because my expectations are so high. When the opportunity came to read one of her books I decided to take advantage of it, and let me tell you friends, it was the best decision ever. I now understand why readers kept recommending me her books.

Release Day Launch & Book Review : Ensnared by Elisabeth Naughton

 

From New York Times Bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton, comes ENSNARED, a new novella in her Eternal Guardians Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!

Author: Elisabeth Naughton
Series: Eternal Guardians
Audience:  +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated
Release Date: February 12th 2019
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elisabeth Naughton comes a new story in her Eternal Guardians series…

RYDER–Mysterious, powerful, every woman’s fantasy come true.

For thousands of years, Ryder has reveled in his role as an immortal messenger—a dream weaver sent to seduce and manipulate. Until he’s ordered to deceive a fantasy of his own.

Zakara, the daughter of one of the mightiest Eternal Guardians, is his perfect woman. But she’s impervious to Ryder’s advances. Each attempt to sway her to his will pushes him deeper into a dreamscape she seems to be controlling. To survive, Ryder will need to find a way to master his sexy new prey. Because if he can’t, he risks forever condemning himself and the woman he’s grown to love to a never-ending nightmare drawn straight from the twisted depths of hell. 

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

The more stories I read in this world, the more I fall in love with it. This time Naughton explores the world of dreams, and I loved it.

Down The TBR Hole #12

Down The TBR Hole is hosted by Lia @ Lost In A Story

Hello dear book lovers and welcome to another post in the Down The TBR Hole feature hosted by the awesome Lia.

Today we're starting this post with 2843 books. It's a wonder that I only added 1 book in the two weeks that have passed since I last did a TBR clean-up, but I will not jinx it! I'll be good and I won't even hope to get under 2835 books today. (Okay I will try it, but shhhhh! Don't let my TBR hear you!!!)

I decided to look at 22 books today. My Goodreads shelves are set to show 20 books per page, so I wanted to be able to do a page a day from my TBR starting next week, and I had 2 books left from the previous page to be able to do just that. I like my order, guys! Okay, let's not sit here chit-chatting, and let's get to why we're here today.

Sunday Post #6

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 

Hi everyone! Happy Sunday! I am finally able to write, guys. So for almost two weeks my right arm has been cramping like crazy for no reason whatsoever. Actually there is a reason, I'm blaming the cold and changing weather. It's annoying. But other than that, I did nothing to deserve the level of pain my arm has been giving me, so I guess my arm was just being a bitch for two weeks for not good reason. But I wasn't able to write all that much, because of the pain and every time I moved my fingers it was like being poked with thousands of fiery needles. Luckily it seems to be going away, so today I'm able to write which I kinda missed, if I'm being honest with you.

#ContemporaryAThon TBR

Hi everyone! I was thinking lately how I kind of fell behind on reading, and I was watching some videos from my favorite booktubers, when I stumbled upon Chelsea's ContemporaryAThon video and I thought this was such a cool readathon that I had to sign up for it.

The rules are pretty simple: you have to read as many contemporaries as possible for one week, starting Monday 11th and ends Sunday 17th, that fit into 7 challenges. For more information on each challenge, as well as general rules, check out Chelsea's video that is linked above. I like the fact that if we can, we can fit a book for more than one challenge, and that really saves me from having to struggle to find the perfect books for each individual challenge. I'm excited to read for this readathon because honestly I've felt a little... I feel like my reading slump is here to stay and I can't have that honestly.

Because we know that I have a slight sale and freebie addiction, most of these books are books I got on sale, they're also mostly ebooks. I'm also pretty sure a lot of them are going to be straight up romance novels that could also fit a potential Smutathon challenge, but I'm not 100% sure of that. Here are the books I've chosen to read:

Excerpt Reveal: Stroke of Luck by B.J. Daniels

 

From New York Times bestselling author B.J. Daniels, comes STROKE OF LUCK—the stunning first novel in her brand new Western-set romantic suspense Sterling’s Montana Series!

STROKE OF LUCK releases on February 19, 2019. Pre-order your copy today!

 

STROKE OF LUCK Synopsis:

He’s hoping to bury the past. She’s ready to settle the score.

The Sterling Ranch’s season opening isn’t going so smoothly. With the ranch’s lodge full of guests and a Montana blizzard threatening, Will Sterling needs help—and he needs it fast. So when his childhood friend Poppy Carmichael agrees to lend a hand, he’s grateful for a second chance…and more enticed by the woman she’s become than he cares to admit.

For Poppy, it was supposed to be a retreat full of horse rides and hoedowns—with a side of showing Will what he’s been missing all these years. But as the snow deepens outside, the guests’ suspicion and mistrust turn sinister inside, catching Will and Poppy in the crosshairs.

Weathering the storm in each other’s arms is all too easy for Will and Poppy, but will a confrontation with a killer mean their reunion is short-lived?

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author B.J. Daniels starts her Sterling’s Ranch series off with a bang in this suspenseful story of romance and revenge.

 

Preorder STROKE OF LUCK here!

Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Nook 

Apple Books | Kobo | IndieBound | Google Play

   

Add it to your Goodreads now!

  Excerpt:  “Bad luck always comes in threes.”
Standing in the large kitchen of the Sterling Mon­tana Guest Ranch, Will Sterling shot the woman an impatient look. “I don’t have time for this right now, Dorothea.”
“Just sayin’,” Dorothea Brand muttered under her breath. The fifty-year-old housekeeper was short and stout with a helmet of dark hair and piercing dark eyes. She’d been part of the fixtures on the ranch since Will and his brothers were kids, which made her invaluable, but also as bossy as an old mother hen.
After the Sterling boys had lost their mother, Dor­othea had stepped in. Their father, Wyatt, had con­tinued to run the guest ranch alone and then with the help of his sons until his death last year. For the first time, Will would finally be running the guest ranch without his father calling all the shots. He’d been looking forward to the challenge and to carry on the family business.
But now his cook was laid up with a broken leg? He definitely didn’t like the way the season was starting, Will thought as the housekeeper leaned against the counter, giving him one of her you’re-going-to-regret-this looks as he considered who he could call.
As his brother Garrett brought in a box of sup­plies from town, Will asked, “Do you know anyone who can cook?”
“What about Poppy Carmichael?” Garrett sug­gested as he pulled a bottle of water from the re­frigerator, opened it and took a long drink. “She’s a caterer now.”
Will frowned. “Poppy?” An image appeared of a girl with freckles, braces, skinned knees and reddish brown hair in pigtails. “I haven’t thought of Poppy in years. I thought she moved away.”
“She did, but she came back about six months ago and started a catering business in Whitefish,” Garrett said. “I only know because I ran into her at a party recently. The food was really good, if that helps.”
“Wait, I remember her. Cute kid. Didn’t her father work for the forest service?” their younger brother, Shade, asked as he also came into the kitchen with a box of supplies. He deposited the box inside the large pantry just off the kitchen. “Last box,” he an­nounced, dusting off his hands.
“You remember, Will. Poppy and her dad lived in the old forest service cabin a mile or so from here,” Garrett said, grinning at him. “She used to ride her bike over here and help us with our chores. At least, that was her excuse.”
Will avoided his brother’s gaze. It wasn’t like he’d ever forgotten.
“I just remember the day she decided to ride Lightning,” Shade said. “She climbed up on the cor­ral, and as the horse ran by, she jumped on it!” He shook his head, clearly filled with admiration. “I can’t imagine what she thought she was going to do, riding him bareback.” He laughed. “She stayed on a lot longer than I thought she would. But it’s a won­der she didn’t kill herself. The girl had grit. But I al­ways wondered what had possessed her to do that.”
Garrett laughed and shot another look at Will. “She was trying to impress our brother.”
“That poor little girl was smitten,” Dorothea agreed as she narrowed her dark gaze at Will. “And you, being fifteen and full of yourself, often didn’t give her the time of day. So what could possibly go wrong hiring her to cook for you?”

 

  About B.J. Daniels: NYT and USA Today Bestselling author B.J. Daniels was born in Texas but moved with her family to Montana at the age of five. Her first home was a cabin in the Gallatin Canyon and later a lake house on Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone. Most of her books are set in Montana, a place she loves. She lives now in a unique part of the state with her husband and three Springer Spaniels. When she isn't writing, she loves to play tennis, boat, camp, quilt and snowboard. There is nothing she enjoys more than curling up with a good book.        

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Cover Reveal: Shouldn't Have You by Carrie Ann Ryan

We're so excited to reveal the gorgeous cover of SHOULDN'T HAVE YOU by Carrie Ann Ryan! See the cover below and preorder your copy now!

 

About SHOULDN'T HAVE YOU

Available May 21st, 2019

I've been many things in my life: daughter, friend, student, lover, wife…and now, widow. Getting past those labels and finding who I could be without them was the hardest thing I've ever done. Then I became friends with Brendon Connolly. Every time I look at him, I see a past, I see a present, and I’m afraid if I look too hard, I’ll see a future.

~~~

I've known Harmony Wynham since before she got married. Before she lost everything. I didn’t know that one day she wouldn’t be just my friend but the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Only I don't think that can happen. Not when every time she looks at me, she sees what she lost, and I can only see what I can't overcome. I love her, even though I shouldn't. Somehow, we need to find a balance. Because if we don't, walking away will be the hardest thing I've ever done—even if it's the only thing I should do.

 

Preorder your copy of SHOULDN'T HAVE YOU!

✦Amazon https://amzn.to/2UtPIKb ✦Apple Books https://apple.co/2MPQ1v3 
✦B&N http://bit.ly/2IE3LpS ✦Kobo http://bit.ly/2rZ7Qhd
✦Amazon Paperback https://amzn.to/2UoW8dj

Add SHOULDN'T HAVE YOU to your Goodreads shelves!

 

The first book in the Fractured Connections series releases April 16th - preorder your copy now!

About BREAKING WITHOUT YOU

Available April 16, 2019

From NYT bestselling author Carrie Ann Ryan, comes a brand new series where second chances don’t come often, and overcoming an unexpected loss means breaking everything you knew.

I fell for Cameron Connolly at the wrong time. And when he left, I thought my life was over. But then, after the worst happened, I truly understood what that phrase meant. Now, he’s not ready for a second chance, and I’m not offering one. Though given that our families have been forced together after losing one of our own, I know there’s no turning back. Not this time. Not again. Not when it comes to Cameron.

~~

I never wanted to hurt Violet Knight, but there were reasons I had to leave all those years ago—not that she'd believe me if I told her what they were. I not only left her, I also left my foster brothers. Honestly, I didn’t want to come back to Denver to help run my father’s failing brewery. But when it comes to my brothers, I know I’ll find a way to make it work. Perhaps I’ll even earn Violet’s forgiveness and face the connection we both thought long forgotten in the process. Because I wanted her then, but now I know I need her. I just hope she needs me.

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h2 style="text-align: center;"> Preorder your copy of BREAKING WITHOUT YOU now!

✦Amazon https://amzn.to/2H9Gxra ✦iBooks https://apple.co/2HwiXIi 
✦B&N http://bit.ly/2HgY1WB ✦Kobo http://bit.ly/2ERgyCO
✦Amazon Paperback https://amzn.to/2LiVv44

Add BREAKING WITHOUT YOU to your Goodreads shelves!

 

About Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 3.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.

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Book Review: Playing For Keeps by Jill Shalvis

Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #7
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: January 22nd 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Cups
Source: Publisher
Blurb (from Goodreads):

If you’re planning on falling in love…

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As a result, my review may contain references to content intended for mature audiences only.

Trigger Warning: This book includes mentions of self-harm.

It's not secret that I adore the Heartbreaker Bay series, so when I found out there was a new book coming out in the series I may have released a few happy, pterodactyl-like screeches. I am so happy to say that this book was just as good as I had hoped.

Audiobook Blog Tour: Between The Sea And Stars by Chantal Gadoury

Author: Chantal Gadoury
Narrator: Dollcie Webb
Length: 6 hours 53 minutes
Series: The Lena Series, Book 1
Audience: YA
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: The Parliament House
Release Date: Dec. 20, 2018
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Audiobookworm Promotions
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A legend

A magical shell

A girl who dreamed of something more...

Lena, a Merrow girl, lives in the Skagerrak sea with her father, Carrick and her brother, Javelin, who tells her of the legend of the Merrow Queen murdered by her human lover when greed takes over. But what’s worth spilling the queen’s blood? Gifted from Poseidon, himself, a magic shell gives any human the ability to control both land and sea.

When Javelin is called to join a clan of Merrow soldiers bent on protecting their waters from human invasion, Lena resists Merrow law and ventures to the shore with no choice but to swim to land.

With newfound legs, Lena is whisked away on a new adventure with new friends and new trouble. Everyone seems to want something from her as intrigue lurks around every corner.

Trying her best to hide who she is and remain safe from the dangers of the human world, will Lena finally find where she belongs, or will she be swept into a strong and stormy current by lust, greed, and jealousy?

*Disclaimer: I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Chantal Gadoury. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it, nor did it influence my rating or the content of my review.

I am always interested in seeing how authors rewrite old stories, old fairy tales, and when I heard there was another Little Mermaid story out there, I knew I had to snatch it up and read it ASAP. And let me tell you, I adored it.

Monthly Wrap-Up: January 2019

This month was pretty interesting. I can't believe January is already over, to be very honest. I managed to read a few books, although not as many as I wanted. I did however have a very productive month here on the blog, and I wrote pretty much every day. Here's to hoping this writing mood is here to stay. Let's see how this month went!