Five years ago, Astrid O’Malley experienced the ultimate in public humiliation. Being dumped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart was horrifying enough. That fact that he was a professional hockey goalie and her dad was his coach? It was all anyone in sports could talk about.
Eff hockey. Eff goalies.
These days, Astrid lives a life (mostly) free of hockey and free to pursue whoever she wants with exactly zero shame in her game. Like tonight’s hook-up. This guy’s nailed the lumberjack aesthetic perfectly. Especially when he has the stamina and creativity to back it up.
Because the rule is: it’s one night only. Which is gonna be a problem because she’s just discovered he lives in the apartment upstairs.
And he’s joined her dad’s team. As the goalie coach. To train her ex.
Now Astrid is in some kind of hockey hell–filled with her ex, her family, and the best sex of her life. And somehow she’s been roped back onto the team.
Puck my life.
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USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She lives outside of Washington DC with her family, Dwight the cat, and a pack of five dogs all named after food. If she’s not reading romance or binging reality TV, she’s most definitely plotting to take over the world so she can banish Crocs from existence. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.
When celebrity Laina Kelley bolted from her small hometown church on her wedding day, she ran to the first place that came to mind—to the home of the local farrier, a gorgeous playboy who just so happens to be her first love … and biggest frenemy.
This Much Is True by Adriana Lockeis now live!
USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke delivers a new “sweet and spicy!” standalone romance about a runaway bride who finds herself in the arms, and horse barn, of her deliciously handsome frenemy — who just so happens to be her first love.
This isn’t your average romance. It begins with me in a wedding dress, just not at an altar …
I never expected to be a runaway bride. I also never thought I’d end up on my ex’s doorstep to flee from said wedding. Now that I’m here, it’s easy to find the key in an old boot by the door and let myself inside. It’s not breaking and entering if I have a key, right?
It’s safe to say that Luke Marshall didn’t expect to find me on his couch in my wedding dress, my veil over my face in tears. He has no choice but to listen to my panic-induced plea for salvation. It’s only a matter of time before the tabloids get wind of my disappearing act, and my life is over.
Luke takes pity on me and says I can stay… on one condition.
I can’t sing for my supper—I have to earn it. I have to work in the barn alongside him, up to my elbows in horse manure. Oh—and because there’s only one bed, I get the couch.
This works … in theory. However, when sparks start flying, and the small-town farrier asks me to stay, I’ll have to decide between my life as a pop star or a second chance with my first love.
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What to expect ❤️ Grumpy / Sunshine ❤️ Blue-Collar Single Dad ❤️ Nanny ❤️ Small-Town Romance ❤️ He’s in his 40’s ✨
Meet Adriana
USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.
She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.
Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.
Abducted and taken to a remote cabin in Alaska, Frankie finds herself at the mercy of four feral men, each with his own dark secrets and twisted desires.
With nowhere to run, she must rely on her wits to survive the harsh winter, trapped with them.
As she delves into their mysterious pasts, she uncovers an insidious evil that feeds on loyalty and uses love as a weapon.
Nothing is as it seems.
In this desolate world where the monsters are as beautiful as they are cruel, trust is elusive. They torment her, protect her, and keep her in the dark.
But to have any chance of escape, they must stand together.
Or fall prey to the evil in the hills of shivers and shadows.
In the author note at the beginning of this book Ms Godwin says her aim is to make you uncomfortable, conflicted and morbidly consumed. Well, as I sit here rocking in a corner, trying to find words to convey my emotions on finishing, I am all of the above so Bravo Ms Godwin, Bravo, job well done. Beyond fucking done.
Hills of Shivers and Shadows is a brutally raw, passionate, tragic and destructive story, beauty in all of its scars and broken pieces that fascinated and disturbed me. Disturbed me because I feel wrong that I’ve enjoyed this content, sympathised with characters I feel I shouldn’t have and become completely immersed and invested in a story I would have previously run from screaming “Fuck No” on repeat in my head.
I’d been making choices outside of my normal genre/authors recently, due to finding myself bored and for the first time in 50 years of reading DNF’ing (is that even a word?) multiple books, when Ms Godwin came onto my radar as I was frantically hoping for my reading mojo to return.
In so many ways this book and subject matter should not have worked for me however, it’s incredibly well written, full of twists, turns and unexpected shocking moments, it’s thought provoking, powerful, horrifying yet yes, morbidly consuming. The shocks keep on coming throughout, the feelings I started to develop for a character turn on a dime and the flick of a page, nothing is as it seems, the entire book is in so many ways beyond fucked up yet I find myself desperate for the next one, thinking about what will happen, where will the characters end up, what strands will continue to intersect and change this train wreck of a story that I cannot turn away from?
Reading Mojo back? ☑️
Morbidly Consumed ☑️
Conflicted ☑️
Uncomfortable ☑️
Total Head Fuck ☑️
So to wrap this up…….
Am I going to mention the blurb? No, read it! If it grabs you, buy it, if you think maybe, buy it, if it’s not normally your thing, buy it. That’s how powerful a read this is…..buy it, risk it, you won’t regret it!!
Am I going to mention characters? Hell no. Go in blind!! Enjoy, be disturbed, fucked up and conflicted by a roller coaster of a ride with no clue of what you’re in for.
Am I desperately waiting for the next one?Fuck yeah. And I’m totally nonplussed that that’s how I feel.
Maybe I’m darker than I thought I was. Maybe I’m now going to go in a different direction with my choice of reading material, but 100% I’ll be reading the next 2 in this trilogy (and investigating this authors back catalogue) because a story that makes you think and stays with you after you’ve finished, well that’s one worth the time and money to read.
Bravo Ms Godwin, Bravo
Job Fucking Done ☑️
Author Bio
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, cats, retired greyhounds, and an old, foul-mouthed parrot. She traveled the world for seven years, attended three universities, married the vocalist of her favorite rock band, and retired from her quantitative analyst career in 2014 to write full-time.
Her interests veer toward the unconventional: bourbon, full-body tattoos, and tragic villains. Equally peculiar are her aversions to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
I’ve eaten more tacos the past year than I have my entire life. It’s not because I love those little handfuls of goodness (although I do). It’s because of the woman who runs the local food truck Let’s Taco Bout It. Seeing her makes my day, and while I can’t admit my feelings, I can at least see her smile.
Until Halloween. When a man gives her attention she doesn’t want, she pretends we’re together, and lays a kiss on me that I’ll never forget.
Kara
I’ve spent the last year watching the hottie in the constantly torn and dirty jeans shyly walking up to my food truck and ordering the same thing each time. I’ve done my best to drag him out of his shell, but nothing works until a night of unwanted attention forces me to make a move.
Now? He’s hanging around even more, and when his husky voice calls me his girlfriend? I melt into a puddle, and he’s the only one who can pick me up and put me back together again.
I’m slightly nervous as I follow him into his kitchen. I gasp when I get a good look. His kitchen is my dream. Stainless steel appliances, cabinets painted a dark gray that almost pulls blue in the darkness coming through the back windows. White marble countertops are spotless and inviting. Contemporary lighting provides enough where it’s needed, and softens where it isn’t. “You have a pot filler,” I gasp with jealousy.
He laughs. “I do. When Dad and I were designing this place, he said I’d appreciate it if I were ever going to make dinner often. Since I do, I use it all the time.”
“You make dinner a lot?” I’m learning so much about him tonight.
“When I decided to buy this place and gut it, I didn’t have a ton of money. Still repaying college loans too,” he shrugs. “So while I do go out with my friends to the bar, I don’t spend a ton as I’m paying down stuff. Dad helped me more than he should’ve, but he wasn’t able to take care of everything. The amount of free labor and construction work he gave me for this place was well into the hundreds of thousands. My friends helped too, which is why they hang out here all the time when we aren’t working or at Monroe’s.”
The scent of whatever we’re going to eat permeates the room. “What else are you going to surprise me with tonight?” I tilt my head to the side.
“Hopefully everything you never imagined I would be.”
Our eyes meet, and I get lost in the green depths of his. I’ve seen them in many different situations and they tend to change colors depending on what’s happening. It runs the gamut from very light to dark, like the luscious floor of the rainforest. “I don’t really know you at all do I?” My voice is quiet as I observe him. “Does anyone really know you?”
He scratches the back of his neck, ducking his head down. “There are very few people who do, and I prefer it that way.”
“Why? You always seem so open with everyone.” I’m beginning to realize many of us have secrets.
“It’s complicated.”
I walk over to him, and grab his hand in mine. “We’re all complicated, but can I put it out there I would love to get to know your complications.” I’m never this forward, but there’s something about him standing in this amazing kitchen, telling me little snippets that make him the person he is. I’m taking them all and putting them in my pocket – pieces to the puzzle that make up this man.
He runs a palm over his stubble. “You’re probably just about the only person I’d let do that.”
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
I LOVED Abel & Kara…. The Broken Falls series is fast becoming one of my favourites from Laramie!
Admittedly, there were a couple of times I wanted to give Abel a damned shake…. His self doubt and need to think about things to the nth degree before taking a chance and starting something with Kara did drive me a tad crazy! As a kid growing up with pretty much kids for parents mustn’t have been easy and I got that he worried about making mistakes and doing the wrong thing BUT his dad was a good example of growing up and changing for the better – Boone in all honesty did an awesome job with Abel who turned out to be a really great young man, ensuring that Abel had a great role model and a helluva supporter in his corner.
I really liked Kara. She was determined to bring her dream to life – even without the support that should have come automatically from her folks. She worked hard, believed in herself and was starting to see success. I think what I liked most about her was HER belief in Abel. She cared about him, could see the kind of person he was and knew that they were perfect for each other (spoiler… she was right!!)
I would have liked to see the interaction and kiss that kick-started their potential relationship but it didn’t kill the read for me that the story started a little later…. or that Abel took so long to get his head on straight and ask the gal in a date!!
Once Abel and Kara got together their relationship flourished. It was great seeing them grow, leaning on each other when things got tough and bringing out the best in the other – they were friends and confidantes as well as lovers.. Abel was one of Kara’s biggest supporters when it came to her working towards her dream and she was there for Abel when things with family were difficult.
As ever, I love catching up with other characters from previous books and it was fab seeing how Boone & Alexis were doing.
I cannot wait to read Jasper’s book – that little tease we got in Abel has me intrigued!!!!
* * *
** I received an advance copy of the book from Buoni Amici Press and the author, thank you. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I pre-ordered a kindle copy prior to release **
Laramie Briscoe is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of over 30 books, with sales of over half a million copies.
Since self-publishing her first book in May of 2013, Laramie has appeared on the Top 100 Bestselling E-books Lists on Apple Books, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. Her books have been known to make readers laugh and cry. They are guaranteed to be emotional, steamy reads.
When she’s not writing alpha males who seriously love their women, she loves spending time with friends, reading, and marathoning shows on Netflix.
Married to her high school sweetheart, Laramie lives in Bowling Green, KY with her husband (the Travel Coordinator) and an adorable dog named Gus.
Text LARAMIE to 88202 to join the new release list!
Title: Retaking the Shot Duet: Off the Bench #2 Authors: Kimberly Knight & Rachel Lyn Adams
Genre: MM Sports Romance Tropes: Hockey Romance/Virgin Hero/Secrets Release Date: March 15, 2024
BLURB
“Ford, stay with me.”
Those were the last four words Ford Mahoney heard Emmett Cooper utter before everything went dark.
When Ford wakes up in the hospital, it doesn’t take long for him to realize he needs to confront the demons of his past. Meanwhile, the events of that night leaves Coop envisioning a better future for himself.
As they both try to find their way, they can’t deny the bond they share. Yet, they struggle to fully embrace the love and acceptance they both deserve and crave.
Tired of the back-and-forth, they decide to retake their shot at love, but continued obstacles with Coop’s best friend, Ford’s ex, and the person who once shattered Ford’s world threatens their newfound happiness.
As they skate through life’s challenges together, Ford and Coop learn that sometimes you have to drop the gloves and fight for what truly matters.
Retaking the Shot is book 2 in the Off the Bench duet. It is not a standalone novel.
Kimberly Knight is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in the Central Valley of California with her loving husband, who is a great research assistant, and young daughter, who keeps Kimberly on her toes. Kimberly writes in a variety of genres, including romantic suspense, contemporary romance, erotic romance, and paranormal romance. Her books will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and fall in love before she throws you curve balls you never see coming.
When Kimberly isn’t writing, you can find her watching her favorite reality TV shows, including cooking competitions, binge-watching true crime documentaries, and going to San Francisco Giants games. She’s also a two-time desmoid tumor/cancer fighter, which has made her stronger and an inspiration to her fans.
Rachel Lyn Adams
Rachel Lyn Adams is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, five children, and a crazy number of fur babies. She writes contemporary and MC romance.
She loves to travel and spend time with her family. Whenever she has some free time, which is rare, you’ll find her with a book in her hands or watching reruns of Friends.
Title: Reluctantly Royal Series: Royals Gone Rogue #1 Author: Erin Nicholas writing as Erin Nicolle
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Royal/Commoner, Marriage of Convenience Age Gap, Woman in STEM, Opposites Attract Release Date: March 14, 2024
BLURB
A marriage proposal from a deliciously handsome and wickedly charming prince sounds like a fairytale.
But for a nerdy scientist with severe social anxiety, it’s a horror story.
Prince Torin O’Grady, with his mischievous blue eyes and cocky grin, is always in the spotlight. And he needs to marry me to inherit the crown.
But we have nothing in common. He’s a future king. And I’m perfectly happy slogging through mud in my work boots.
So why can’t I stop thinking about him?
Maybe because he won’t stop texting me. And sending me gifts. And making me feel like everything I find awkward and weird about myself is special and amazing.
And there’s also that little detail of him offering me my dream job and telling me that together we can change the world.
Well, I could probably 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 for him.
And if I have to marry him temporarilyto get what we both want, then fine. It’s for the greater good.
It has nothing to do with the way he kisses me. Or that dirty mouth. Or the royal treatment he gives me in the bedroom.
Fine. Maybe it does. Still, it’s only a year. Then I can turn in my tiara and come back to my normal, boring, behind-the-scenes life.
But Torin is determined to turn me from reluctantly royal to royally his.
Erin Nicolle is the new pen name for NYT and USA Today Bestselling romance author Erin Nicholas. While Erin Nicholas is known for her blue-collar book boyfriends and big, boisterous found families in small towns, Erin Nicolle writes rich and royal rogues. But they both love a dirty talking cinnamon roll, a grump who is reluctantly wrapped around a feisty finger, and a gruff, protective guy who falls first and hard.
Title: Dr. Single Dad Series: Doctors #5 Author: Louise Bay
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Single Dad/Nanny, Grumpy/Sunshine Forbidden Romance, Forced Proximity Release Date: April 11, 2024
BLURB Unexpected fatherhood, a newborn daughter and a nanny in the next bedroom he can’t stop fantasizing about.
When a one-night stand announces I just became a father to a baby girl, my world is thrown into turmoil.
My choice: single fatherhood or sign adoption papers.
The decision is easy.
Within hours, I’m on a plane to collect my daughter.
I’m in over my head. I barely know one end of a baby from the other. Luckily, I have the perfect plan. I’ll hire live-in help, have limited involvement with the kid, and keep my life just the same as it’s always been.
I finally find a nanny who lives up to my exacting standards. But the only problem is, every time I look at her, the future I thought I wanted starts to crumble.
Nothing in my life is going according to plan… and the wriggling poo machine in my arms is unexpectedly worming her way into my heart.
Life was ordered and logical until I got myself two roommates and started falling in love with both of them.
International, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes contemporary romance novels that make you laugh – the kind she likes to read.
Ruined by the bonk-busters of the eighties, Louise was inspired by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, but wants to be Emily Henry when she grows up.
Louise loves the rain, RHOBH, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, hanging out with her kid, elephants and champagne (not necessarily in that order).
Genre: Contemporary Romance Standalone Trope: Frenemies to lovers, pregnancy scare, small town
Synopsis
There’s a thin line between love and hate. Good thing I have excellent balance.
If only that was enough.
Willa Hayes and I have a long history. We went from friends to enemies to frenemies…with benefits. The benefits part is our secret though.
Not how I’d prefer it, but after what I did, I’m lucky she still talks to me at all.
Our chemistry is undeniable. An addictive push and pull that has taken on a life of its own. One that fuels the long burning flame deep within me.
None of our friends have any idea that she and I have been sneaking around for the better part of a decade. Neither does anyone else in our small Georgia town. And if word were to get out, that would be the end of us.
That is, until Willa drops a bomb I never saw coming. It’s the last thing I expected – but also the perfect chance to show her who I really am. To be the man I wasn’t ten years ago. The man she deserves.
This is our chance for a happy ending. It’s now or never. As long as I don’t screw it up again.
I may hate him with the fire of Shakespeare’s thousand suns, but man, can Nash Keller kiss.
All my fury and annoyance, the flood of negative emotions that were flowing a second ago, are now taking a backseat. They’re still there, but suddenly pushed aside by something else.
Desire.
My insides light up like the sky on New Year’s Eve, each beat of my pulse a new firework exploding. And all he’s done is kiss me.
My knees wobble as Nash’s hand slides to my ass, his massive palm the perfect size to cup a cheek. As he gives it a squeeze, I moan into our kiss, unable to control myself. I give in, letting him control the pace, still desperate for more. He squeezes again, this time a little harder, and I come alive.
As if he can read my mind, he deepens the kiss, his other hand finding my backside, hoisting me up. Instinctively I wrap my legs around his waist, my core making contact with the bulge already forming in his pants, and that’s all it takes.
I’m ready to go.
I grind my hips against him, seeking the high that only he can give me. Nash Keller is a drug. One that I’ve been addicted to since I was a teenager, unable to give up, even though I know how bad it is for me. I’ve tried to convince myself there are worse vices out there than him—real drugs, for instance—because deep down I know this man will be my undoing.
In fact, we might already be there.
His touch feels too good for that to be a worry right now. In this moment, the only thing I care about is getting him naked.
I claw at his shirt, our mouths still fused together in forceful, messy kisses, the thin, soft fabric malleable in my hands. Each time I try to pull back from his claim on my lips so I can focus on taking his shirt off, Nash stops me. His tongue dances with mine, sending lightning straight to my core, my clit already throbbing with anticipation.
I need him naked. Now.
Digging my nails into the cotton, I yank at it, the threads giving way easily, like a hot knife through butter. The ripping sound cuts through the air, finally getting Nash’s attention.
Looking down in between us then up again, I watch as his eyes darken, brow furrowing. “This shirt was a gift, Princess.”
“From me,” I remind him pointedly. I glide my finger down his chest, in between his pecs, licking my lips.
A wicked smile takes over from his scowl, sending another shot of lightning through me. It’s the exact same smile he gave me when he opened the gift that Christmas a few years back—Kenzie, Sylvie, the twins, and I all gathered in the small living room of his and Noel’s house—before Dustin’s return and the rest of our friends coupling off. The dark gray shirt, complete with a cartoon cow and the words “Man-ure hot” had gotten a good laugh out of everyone. But only Nash had understood the secret message behind it.
One he properly thanked me for later.
“Still, you’re gonna pay for that.”
I shiver, my body continuing to betray me. Because I want every bit of whatever he’s about to dole out. My head tells me it’s a bad idea, but it’s getting vetoed. The physical connection between us is too strong.
Without another word, Nash twists, depositing me on the bed. My eyes are glued to him as he rips the shirt the rest of the way off, showing off his impressively chiseled chest. His gaze holds me in place, my breath slowing as he undoes his belt, then flicks the button of his jeans open, the whole thing a choreographed dance designed to turn me on.
Letting his jeans drop to the floor, Nash steps out of them, leaving him in nothing. Absolutely nothing. My eyes dance up and down his long, lean body, mouth watering at the sight of him like this.
USA Today Best Selling Claire Hastings is a walking, talking awkward moment. She loves Diet Coke, gummi bears, the beach, and books (obvs). When not reading she can usually be found hanging with friends at a soccer match or grabbing food (although she probably still has a book in her purse). She and her husband live in Atlanta.
Title: Mr. Important Series: Honeybridge #2 Authors: Lucy Lennox & May Archer
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance Tropes: Age Gap/Father’s Best Friend Enemies to Lovers/Boss-Employee Release Date: March 14, 2024
BLURB
One New Year’s masquerade. One anonymous hookup. One billionaire-sized mistake.
Once upon a time, someone looked at my scrawny, quiet eight-year-old self and nicknamed me Mr. Important… and I believed them.
That was my first mistake.
Two decades, a dozen failed careers, and a thousand meaningless hookups later, I’ve made more mistakes than I can count. My parents have decided I’m purely decorative, my brother thinks I need pep talks, and the gorgeous billionaire who hired me as a favor to my dad? He’s forgotten I exist.
So I’m done with mistakes.
Call it my New Year’s resolution. From now on, I’m going after what I want… starting with the mysterious silver fox in the Roman warrior mask who approached me at the charity gala and offered me a scorching, anonymous one-night-stand.
Unfortunately, when our masks come off I realize mistakes are not done with me.
Because the bossy guy who blew my mind? He’d thought I was someone else. Worse than that, he’s my father’s friend. A supposedly-straight workaholic. The person I’m stuck on a road trip with for the next two weeks. And, oh yeah, my actual boss.
The farther we get from New York, the closer we become, and the harder it is to pretend I’m not falling for him. But I can’t see how someone as brilliant, controlled, and successful as Thatcher Pennington would risk everything to be with someone like me… even if he makes me feel like I’m finally Mr. Important.
Lucy Lennox is a USA Today bestselling author and winner of the A.C. Katt Gay Debut Novel Award.
After enjoying creative writing as a child, Lucy didn’t write her first novel until she was over 40 years old. Her debut novel, Borrowing Blue, was published in the autumn of 2016. Lucy has an English Literature degree from Vanderbilt University, but that doesn’t hold a candle to the years and years of staying up all night reading tantalizing novels on her own. She has three children, plays tennis, and hates folding laundry. While her husband is no shmoopy romance hero, he is very good at math, cooks a mean lasagne, has gorgeous eyes, looks hot in his business clothes, and makes her laugh every single day. She writes gay romance with heart, humor, and heat!
May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, alternating eating Jax and Tostitos, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it.
A marriage proposal from a deliciously handsome and wickedly charming prince sounds like a fairytale.
But for a nerdy scientist with severe social anxiety, it’s a horror story.
Prince Torin O’Grady, with his mischievous blue eyes and cocky grin, is always in the spotlight. And he needs to marry me to inherit the crown.
But we have nothing in common. He’s a future king. And I’m perfectly happy slogging through mud in my work boots.
So why can’t I stop thinking about him?
Maybe because he won’t stop texting me. And sending me gifts. And making me feel like everything I find awkward and weird about myself is special and amazing.
And there’s also that little detail of him offering me my dream job and telling me that together we can change the world.
Well, I could probably 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 for him.
And if I have to marry him 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 to get what we both want, then fine. It’s for the greater good.
It has nothing to do with the way he kisses me. Or that dirty mouth. Or the 𝘳𝘰𝘺𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 he gives me in the bedroom.
Fine. Maybe it does. Still, it’s only a year. Then I can turn in my tiara and come back to my normal, boring, behind-the-scenes life.
But Torin is determined to turn me from reluctantly royal to royally 𝘩𝘪𝘴.
She presses her lips together, takes a breath, then asks, “What else do you want?”
I decide to be honest. “I want to whisk you away on my private plane to an actual palace and give you everything and anything you could ever want or need.”
Her eyes widen. “You don’t even know me.”
I tuck my hands into my back pockets. To try to look casual. But also to keep from reaching for her.
“I’ve read all about your work,” I tell her. “I started by just wanting to know about that job you said you hated so much. But then I kept reading. I know all about you.”
She’s staring at me. She’s sitting up straighter now and even in the pale light, I can see her shock.
“You…read about me?”
“Not just about you. I read all of your papers. Your work in college. Your dissertation. The articles you’ve published. I even stumbled upon some social media posts.”
“I…Oh…” She shakes her head. “I thought you wanted to sleep with me.”
I chuckle softly. “Oh, Abigail, I most definitely want to sleep with you.”
She swallows hard.
“I wanted that before I knew you are a damned genius who could come to my country and revolutionize agriculture and completely overhaul our economy.”
I can see that she’s breathing faster now.
“So you want to hire me?” she asks. “Which means we can’t sleep together because you’ll be my boss.”
I step up on the first step.
“I don’t want to hire you. But I do want to bring you to Cara to do your work.”
“I don’t understand.”
I step up onto the next step, but she doesn’t back up. There’s only a step between us now. “I want you to marry me.”
Her eyes widen. But she says nothing.
“Be my princess,” I go on. “You’ll have influence and resources. You can do anything and everything you’ve ever wanted to do.”
She’s staring at me. Then when she realizes I’m done talking, she laughs.
“Marry you? Is that how things work for you? You just smile that smile, waltz a couple of waltzes, and women just say yes to anything? Even marriage?”
Well…
“I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before, so I don’t really know,” I answer.
She’s still smiling. “Thank you for the offer. But I’m not going to marry you.”
“As princess of Cara you can see your plans in action. Right now, they’re all just on paper. You’re not actually doing any of it. Don’t you want to see it come to life?”
Now she’s not smiling. She’s just watching me. She takes a deep breath. “Of course I do.”
“This is the perfect way. There’s no red tape. Nothing between your amazing brain and making it all happen for real.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch. My country needs a prince and princess in place before my grandfather steps aside. The country deserves to know who will be there to step up and take care of them. My grandfather needs a successor in place before his heart gives out.”
“He has a bad heart?” she asks.
“He’s already had three heart attacks. I really need to get married to give him and the country peace of mind.”
“So you’re serious about finding a wife?”
“I am.”
She steps down a step.
“Abigail.”
“Yes?”
“If you step down one more step, I’m going to kiss you.”
She wets her lips.
“So if you want to just keep talking, you need to keep your sweet ass right there on that step.”
She looks down at the step that would start the kissing.
“And if you don’t want to keep talking…or anything else… you need to go back inside.”
She’s staring at me. But she seems more fascinated than anything. “Okay. I understand.”
“Good.”
Two heartbeats pass.
Then she steps down onto the step right above mine.
I groan and cup her face, bringing her mouth in against mine.
BLP REVIEW – Tracy
While Erin Nicholas is better known for The Landry Family and the small town of Autre – some of my favourite books and series – I’m so looking forward to what’s to come from her alter-ego, Erin Nicolle.
I adored Torin & Abigail. We’d met Torin previously on his trips to visit Fiona and Saoirse in Autre, while Ani had been introduced via her sisters’ stories.
We knew a bit about Cara. That they needed a new king ti take over from Torin’s grandfather as he’s getting older and his health hasn’t been good but the level of expectation on Torin from the old boy was a little more than anyone expected I think!!
I liked how Torin knew Abi was the one for him and even though she seemed set on the end date of their he never listened to sight of the future he wanted with her. Torin grew up quite a bit throughout the read and for me, he was gonna be a really great leader…. if he has the right partner (hint, hint… Abi) by his side.
Then there’s Abi. For someone with social anxiety she definitely bloomed in this book….. her confidence, self belief and understanding of what she could do if she set her mind to it all developed during her first few months with Torin as he was so supportive and proud of her, which he never failed to convey.
This pair were made for each other. They were sweet, funny, engaging and smoking hot in equal measures and I’m hoping we see more of them in future ‘Royals Gone Rogue’ books.
A really fab start to a new series and I can’t wait to see what Erin has in store for Torin’s brothers (and hopefully their best friends/bodyguards!!! 😉)
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** My thanks to Erin for an advance ecopy of Reluctantly Royal. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I’ve also got my kindle copy on pre-order. **
Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over sixty sexy contemporary romances and rom coms. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy, and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).
While Erin Nicholas is known for her blue-collar book boyfriends and big, boisterous found families in small towns, her alternate pen name, Erin Nicolle writes rich and royal rogues. But they both love a dirty talking cinnamon roll, a damn grump who is reluctantly wrapped around a feisty little finger, and a gruff, protective guy who falls first and hard.
And Erin also writes spicy, why choose rom coms as Emma Foxx with her author bestie, Erin McCarthy (yes, another Erin)!
You can find all three pen names on Amazon, Goodreads, Instagram and Tik Tok!
Book Loving Pixies 