Category Archives: Recommended
RELEASE BLITZ ~ Worth the Wait (McKinney/Walker #1) by Claudia Connor
Title: Worth the Wait
Series: McKinney/Walker #1
Author: Claudia Connor
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 10, 2017
Blurb
The first in a spin off series of the New York Times Bestselling McKinney Brothers, WORTH THE WAIT takes readers on a journey through young love into adulthood in a heartwrenching, second chance love story.
Nick Walker thought nothing could destroy what he had with Mia. He certainly never thought he would be the one to destroy it. Now ten years later, Mia James is in Special Agent Nick Walker’s path once again and this time he’s determined to shed the weight of regret and finally claim the future that was always meant to be theirs.
It won’t be easy. Mia’s heart was shattered by Nick and now, just when she’d pieced it back together, it’s been broken again, bringing their past to the surface, including her own secret about that day everything went wrong.
***Every title by Claudia Connor is a Contemporary Romance and a full stand alone novel. No cheating, no love triangle, no cliff hanger.
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Excerpt
~twenty-four years ago
Nick pressed two fingers into the sleep deprived headache pounding in his temple and tried to concentrate on professor Jenkins’s explanation of ideal gas law. He circled a line of notes, ignored the knock on the auditorium door until he heard the familiar cry. Hannah, who he’d left in the university daycare two hours ago.
The high pitched wail wasn’t his two year old sister’s hurt cry. It was her scared cry with a touch of pissed off. In the six months since their parents’ death, he’d learned to tell the difference. He’d learned a lot of things. Like if he didn’t take her to the bathroom, she’d likely wait too long and have an accident. Like green beans made her throw up, but she’d eat them if he told her to. And she would never, ever go to sleep without Mr. Bunny.
He was up, out of his seat, and halfway down the auditorium stairs before his professor laid his pen down.
Nick’s eyes narrowed on the young blonde in an oversized sweatshirt with silk greek letters sewn on the front. She held a sobbing Hannah dressed in the sunny yellow sundress he’d picked out that morning. She hadn’t been crying when he left her. Now her eyes were red and snot mixed with tears dripped into her mouth. Hannah lunged for him. His arms engulfed her small body and his heart squeezed like it always did when she held onto him.
“I stay you,” Hannah said. Each word tumbled out of her with a jerk of her tiny shoulders.
“What happened to her?”
“Nothing happened to her. She hasn’t stopped screaming for the past hour and she bit three people. We can’t keep her like that.”
Several responses came to mind.
She’s just a baby.
She missed her nap.
And the loudest of all, it was my fault for leaving her.
Hannah raised her head to look at him, giant tears hanging from golden lashes. “I bite.”
“Well. At least she’s honest.” Professor Jenkins turned his questioning eyes to Nick. “She yours?”
He hesitated, but only a second. “My sister. But yes, she’s mine.” And at that moment she became even more his, which seemed to be the case every day. Every day, a little more his.
BLP REVIEW ~ Rebecca
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Author Bio
Claudia Connor is the author of the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling series, The McKinney Brothers. Her debut novel, WORTH THE FALL, hit the New York Times Bestsellers list in 2014 and received numerous Best Contemporary Romance of 2014 accolades.
Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in early childhood education. After teaching kindergarten and first grade for ten years, she retired to be a full-time mom to her three daughters. Always a lover of books, and always one to have stories playing in her mind, she decided to try her hand at writing. It took seven years to finish her first novel and a new love was born.
Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee with her husband, three daughters, two cats, and a singer-songwriter Siberian Husky. She continues to write warm, heartfelt, and emotional romances with a bit of steam, a lot of family and always a happily ever after.
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2016 Highlight for Lani Lynn Vale – I Like Dragons and I Cannot Lie Series
Publishing 14 novels and attending numerous Book Signings around the US and meeting hundreds of readers, bloggers and fellow authors. She has had a memorable 2016 and we want to revisit all the novels she has published this year.Day 2 we are taking a look back to The I Like Big Dragon Series!!
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Series: The Dragon Series #1
Author: Lani Lynn Vale
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release: August 17, 2016
Keifer Vassago, The Prince of Dragons, has enough on his plate without adding a brunette with a bad attitude to the mix
Fate has a way of screwing all his plans, though, whether he wants them screwed or not. One second he’s fetching his brother from yet another situation that could possibly compromise the Vassago name, and the next that brunette is grabbing his assets.
Blythe isn’t after anyone’s assets, though. She’s a good girl. All she wants is to graduate from nursing school, get a job, and move out of her hell hole apartment. What she does not have time to deal with is a sexy bearded man that accuses her of grabbing his junk.
She tries to forget about the encounter, but fate’s a cruel bitch.
One second she’s a normal college student barely living paycheck to paycheck, and the next she’s setting her panties on fire with powers from an ancient immortal dragon.
To add insult to injury, she’s hearing voices, and none of them are figments of her imagination. Blythe’s life is turned upside down, and Keifer forces her to adapt even though she doesn’t want to. She likes her life just the way it is.
Not to mention she wants nothing to do with that arrogant asshole. She doesn’t care that he rides a dragon. She also could care less about his stupid beard, and his sexy eyes.
Yeah, who was she kidding? She wasn’t convincing anybody.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Nikolai Vassago has a plan.
Nikolai, however, has different ideas, and he’s not above using his masculine will to prove to her that she’s exactly where she needs to be.
“I Like Dragons and I Cannot Lie’ is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best PNR I have EVER read!!!”
– Gi’s Spot Reviews (I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie)
“Holy freaking crap!!! This book is absolutely nothing like I expected and everything I could ever want in a paranormal. This is Lani Lynn Vale’s first foray into paranormal and let me tell you she knocked it out of the park.”
– Devious Book Blog (I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie)
“This is an all action paranormal romance with lots of dangerous family drama. One family is over protective the other is full of dangerous killers. Add in dragon magic and hot sex , you get a book you can’t put down.”
– Warrior Woman Winmill (Dragons Need Love, Too)
“This book was witty, entertaining, serious, and funny all at the same time.”
– Swoon Worthy Books (Dragons Need Love, Too)
I LIKE BIG DRAGONS AND I CANNOT LIE
I woke up to my lower half on fire.At first, I thought it was just an aftereffect of my dreams, but when I finally peeled my eyes open, I could smell smoke.When I opened my lids and looked down, it was to literally find my panties on fire.I screamed and rolled; rolling so far in the bed that I hit the floor and kept going.By the time the fire was finally out, my panties were burned to ash. However, my skin was perfectly fine. In fact, the hairs that I’d planned on having waxed later in the week were gone.It’d given me a fire waxing…minus the wax.“What the fuck?” I yelled, staring down at my now hair-free mound.Blasphemy.My eyes widened and I looked around. Was someone in the room with me?I started reaching for the lamp but couldn’t find it. There was a pile of things beside the bed that I’d knocked over in my haste to get up. I could only assume that the lamp was one of those things.“Light, light, light,” I chanted, shifting through the things on the floor.My candles that I had interspersed around the room all lit at once, and I screamed.“What the hell is going on?” I shrieked.Macy started hammering on the wall, or her boyfriend. Whatever. Fuck her.I narrowed my eyes at the wall.That stupid heifer! I’m allowed to scream if I want to. She fucks day and night, and she’s going to bang on my wall to get meto quiet down?Master Farrow has always had excellent stamina with the ladies.I froze, turning around and scanning the room.“Who’s there?” I asked nervously.A deep, rumbly laugh filled my head and my eyes widened.“Holy mother of God, get out of my head!” I yelled.The voice in my head continued to chuckle. Oh, this is almost as good as when Prince Keifer came into his powers. He didn’t shriek like you do, though.
DRAGONS NEED LOVE, TOO
I don’t know why I never expected Nikolai to be able to fight.He had the muscles.He worked out.He was aware.But he never struck me as fierce.I wasn’t thinking that anymore, though, as I watched him beat the ever loving shit out of his opponent.He never used a single one of his powers to accomplish it, either.
He did it all with sheer strength, force of will, and knowledge.
He was divine.
All we were supposed to be doing was buying some supplies for the house.
It’d been over two months since I’d woken from my coma, six weeks since he’d told me I was his mate and even longer since the housekeeper had stocked the kitchens.
I’d never been so happy to leave the confines of a house.
I would’ve been happy with going in a plain old car; but, today, Nikolai had taken me on a motorcycle, of all things.
I’d always wanted to ride on one but had never had the courage to ask for a ride.
Today, though, I’d practically begged Nikolai for us to take it.
He’d argued that a truck would hold more groceries, but I’d been adamant.
I didn’t even know why, either.
Just the thought of being in the open air, outside the confines of the sanctuary, turned me into a giggling mass of excitement.
And I was sure that nothing would ruin this day…but I’d been wrong.
Since I was now watching my man get ganged up on by five men.
My uncle’s cronies could ruin my day, as evidenced by the stupid goon trying to slash Nikolai’s face off with a fuckin’ saber sword.
I’d at first tried to help Nikolai, but his insistence that I back up and stay the hell out of it had been loud and clear, even when he hadn’t actually said any of those words out loud.
But he’d been awesome at screaming them inside my head like I was a disobeying three-year-old, rather than a twenty-six-year-old grown ass adult who knew how to wipe her own butt.
I watched with the brick wall of a convenience store at my back.
Nikolai’s bike was on its side where he’d dumped it.
My arm was scratched, and a strange throbbing sensation was going on with my ribs.
Funny enough, I hadn’t remembered ever hitting my ribs. Nikolai had been extremely careful about laying his bike down as we slid.
He’d also made me wear protective clothing, such as a brand new pair of motorcycle boots. A leather jacket with padding in the elbows and back, as well as a pair of pants that were supposedly flame proof.
I was glad he’d forced me to wear them now; but a scant hour before, as I’d been getting dressed, I’d been reluctant.
“Duck!” Nikolai screamed.
Then, I was seeing nothing but black. Everything around me was black.
“Nikolai!” I whispered frantically. “I can’t see!”
Strong arms, the arms that I was coming to care for in the short few days that we’d officially started to ‘date,’ wrapped around me.
“Shh,” he breathed, so low that I couldn’t be sure that he said anything at all.
Grab the bike, he whispered through my brain.
I moved my arms forward and grabbed on to the bike, feeling him shift as he got on. Then he pulled me on behind him and a loud roar sounded as he turned over the engine.
“Hold on,” he rushed.
I held on.
BLP REVIEWS ~ Tracy
I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie
FANFECKINTASTIC, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!
I’m a fan of Lani Lynn Vale’s contemporary series, especially Kilgore Fire, Uncertain Saint’s and KPD SWAT so when I heard she was releasing a #PNR/Urban Fantasy series I was intrigued and more than a little interested in reading it!!
I adore Dragons (and anything related!!) so The I Like Big Dragon series was right up my street!!
I loved that Keifer, our main man was the Prince of Dragons but not a shifter. Instead, he’s very in tune with his dragon and while a good guy is totally badass!!! He really pissed me off only once in the book – and then I could have happily swung for him, but apart from that he was fab!!
Blythe was excellent. Totally suited to Keifer, she was determined, feisty and didn’t take any crap from him!! She didn’t let him ride roughshod over her plans to finish her nursing course and stuck to her guns even though her mate would have had her tucked her up someplace safe and never let her out!!
The read was hot as hell (this pair together are smokin’), the plot was action packed, peppered with banter and humour and the story kept up a good pace. We were introduced to Keifer’s brothers who will feature in the other books in the series!
A truly great start to this new series from Lani. Well written, interesting and kept me engaged. I cannot wait for the next book to be released! This, for me, is a 5* read!!
Dragons Need Love, Too
Dragon’s Need Love, Too picks up just as the first books ends with Nikolai rescuing Brooklyn from a living hell that began during I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie.
Nik is the brother of Keifer, the new Dragon King, and Brooklyn is the best friend of Blythe (who is Keifer’s mate).
The relationship between our leading couple started very differently than expected and made for some interesting and emotional reading. Nik is quite a different character from his brother but when it comes to his mate he’s just as passionate and protective about her. Brooklyn has had a very untraditional upbringing and to find herself mated with a Dragon Rider comes as a bit of a surprise to her to say the least, especially when she finds herself nigh on confined to their compound and unable to go back to her ‘normal’ life.
Brooklyn and Nikolai were a great couple. They had a real connection (even though neither of them fully understood it all to start with), they had some fab banter that had me laughing often and they were hot AF when they got together.
This book was action packed. It was primarily about Nik and Brook but it also covered the continuing battle with the Purists that Brooklyn’s uncle Joseph was a huge part of in book one – this one still has a ways to go – it also focused on the new Dragon King and his mate and everything going on with them at the moment (no spoilers from me, in case you haven’t read book 1 – but why wouldn’t you have??). We find out more about the Vassago boys ‘Dragon Rider brothers’, especially Ian, who I can’t wait to read more about, we met up again with some of the Sanctuary dragons and are introduced to a few new characters. I’m really looking forward to finding out more about Sklyar, Keifre & Nikolai’s sister but I’m not yet feeling the love for Farrow who is their younger brother – but I’m hoping that LLV can change my mind when it comes to his story.
Well written, engaging, entertaining and a definite recommended read, Dragons Need Love, Too is another great installment in the I Like Big Dragons series and a sure fire hit from Lani Lynn…
I’m a married mother of three. My kids are all under 5, so I can assure you that they are a handful. I’ve been with my paramedic husband now for ten years, and we’ve produced three offspring that are nothing like us.
I live in the greatest state in the world, Texas.
DAY 3: THE UNCERTAIN SAINTS MC
SEE YOU TOMORROW
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SPOTLIGHT TOUR ~ Wolf Unleashed (SWAT, #5) by Paige Tyler
SPOTLIGHT TOUR
Title: Wolf Unleashed
Series: SWAT, #5
Author: Paige Tyler
ISBN: 9781492625988
Pubdate: December 6, 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance
SHE BRINGS OUT THE WOLF IN HIM
Lacey Barton can’t deny her crazy attraction to Alex Trevino, but that doesn’t mean she has time for the gorgeous SWAT officer. She’s hell-bent on discovering who’s behind the brutal dogfights sending countless mauled animals to her veterinarian office. The trail leads Lacey to a ring of vicious drug dealers and suddenly she’s in way over her head—right smack in the middle of a SWAT stakeout.
With Lacey in danger, Alex’s wolf side is unleashed. But when she witnesses Alex shift, she’s even more terrified… Now it’s up to Alex to crack the case—and earn back Lacey’s trust and, ultimately, her heart.
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Excerpt from Wolf Unleashed
Dr. Barton was bent over rummaging through a bottom drawer of the built-ins on the far wall. Even though Alex did his best not to stare, it was impossible not to notice that she had an incredibly spectacular ass. He’d always been a leg man, but one look at her derrière and he suddenly decided he’d been missing out.
Then she stood up, turned around, and flipped her long, wavy blond hair over her shoulder, and he realized that the rest of her was equally stunning. While her baggy white lab coat hid a lot, he could still tell that she had an athletic build and some really nice curves. It was her face that made his heart beat faster, though. She had the most captivating pair of blue eyes he’d ever seen and full red lips just begging to be kissed. From this moment forward, whenever he pictured an angel, he would think of the beautiful Dr. Barton.
Alex smiled, and when she smiled back, he heard her heart thudding a little quicker. But then she looked down at Tuffie, and her entire expression changed. Hurrying over, she dropped down to one knee beside Tuffie, gently examining her ears and face.
She gave Alex an angry glare. “Please tell me you arrested the people who put this beautiful girl in a dogfighting ring. Even better—tell me you shot them.”
If Alex had thought her heart was beating fast before, it was nothing compared to the way it was thumping now. Clearly, Dr. Barton was very passionate about protecting dogs. In his book, that made her even more beautiful than she already was.
“I wish I could, but unfortunately, we never found the people who did it,” Alex said. “We rescued Tuffie when her owner was killed. He died trying to protect her from a psychopath armed with a rifle.”
Dr. Barton’s gaze went back to Tuffie, her expression turning from anger to sadness as she ran her fingers down the fresh scars along the dog’s chest and side. “Looks like she got shot anyway.”
“Yeah. It’s a miracle she lived long enough for my teammate and me to get her here in time for Doc Jones to save her. Thank God for sirens. I think we ran every red light in town.”
The veterinarian straightened, gracing him with another dazzling grin, and Alex felt his knees go a little loose. Damn, what a smile.
“I knew there was something I liked about you the second you walked in.”
Alex felt his face flush. “It wasn’t a big deal. I’m a cop. Saving people—and dogs—comes with the job description.” He cringed the moment the words left his mouth. Had he really just said something that lame?
Thankfully, the beautiful Dr. Barton didn’t seem to notice the cheesy line. Or if she had, she was too polite to laugh at him.
“And is bringing Tuffie to her appointments also in your job description?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.
Was her heart beating even faster than before? Unless it was his own heart pounding in his ears. That was a definite possibility. Because it seemed like he had a real thing for Dr. Barton.
He smiled. “It is if the rest of the SWAT team and I adopted her and gave her a new home.”
Alex knew it was a shameless grab to get further into the doctor’s good graces, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
“Not only did you save her life, but you adopted her too? I think Tuffie hit the lottery with you, Officer…?”
“Trevino,” he said, filling in the blank and offering his hand. “But please, call me Alex.”
She took his hand and gave it a shake. “Nice to meet you, Alex. I’m Lacey Barton.”
Her hand was small in comparison to his, her skin soft and warm, and Alex found himself holding on a bit longer than was customary. Lacey didn’t seem to mind. In fact, she appeared just as reluctant to let go as he did.
She pushed her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat. “I guess we ought to get on with Tuffie’s checkup. So you can get back to saving the world and everything.”
“Yeah, of course.”
Reaching down, Alex gently picked up Tuffie and set her on the stainless steel exam table.
“Nice muscle tone,” Lacey murmured.
Alex felt the compliment go right to his head. “Thanks.”
“Actually, I was talking about Tuffie,” Lacey said as she tenderly ran her hands over the dog’s shoulders.
“Oh.”
She looked up at him from beneath her lashes. “But yours is pretty good too.”
Alex chuckled. Damn, this woman was good. He had her by a foot in height and more than a hundred pounds in weight, yet she was playing him like a fiddle, and he didn’t mind one bit. He couldn’t remember ever having such an immediate and intense reaction to any woman he’d ever met. Suddenly, he wanted to know everything there was to know about her—and then some.
Lacey was more than accommodating, telling him about how she’d recently gotten a job here after working several years at a place on the west side of Dallas closer to Arlington.
“I loved it there, but this place is closer to my apartment,” she told him as she continued to examine Tuffie. “I’ve cut my commute time by about an hour and a half each way, so it’s like getting a whole extra day off to do stuff I want to do instead of sitting in traffic.”
“And what do you like to do with all this extra time?” he asked.
Lacey leaned over to read something in Tuffie’s medical records. Alex tensed, worried she’d found something wrong, but after a moment, she merely nodded to herself, then went back to checking Tuffie. “I do a lot of volunteer work at one of the nearby animal shelters,” she said. “I’m also on call to help out both Animal Services and the DPD Animal Cruelty Squad when they run into injured dogs.”
Whoa. A woman who spent her days taking care of dogs for a living, then did it during her spare time for free? That was definitely a woman Alex could appreciate.
“It’s pretty amazing that you give so much of your time to animal causes,” he said. “Getting called out at all hours of the day and night must be tough on your boyfriend, though.”
Lacey urged Tuffie over on her back, pressing carefully along one of the long scars that ran all the way from the base of her rib cage to the middle of her cute pink tummy.
“I don’t have a boyfriend right now,” she said, the corners of her mouth turning up. “My life is a little too busy for that at the moment.”
Bingo! Alex had already noticed she wasn’t wearing a ring. Now he knew she wasn’t seeing anyone. Could this get any better?
A question to Paige:
In Wolf Unleashed, the fifth installment in Paige Tyler’s sexy and suspenseful SWAT series, Lacey, the heroine, sees a side of the hero, Alex, that she really did not expect. Namely, his wolf side!
We asked Paige Tyler about other fantastic stories that portray a character seeing another in a new light. What are her favorites?
Belle from Beauty and the Beast. There may be something there that wasn’t there before. How many people just said “aww, I love that scene” the moment they read those words? I know I did! This movie is the ultimate example of seeing someone in a new light.
Beast was mean and he was coarse and unrefined, but once Belle got past that, she discovered he was dear and so unsure. Tell the truth. You just sang that part out loud, didn’t you? I know I did!
Belle discovered that even a big shaggy creature with fangs and claws could be more than that, if you give him a chance. It’s one of the reason that I love that movie so much (Plus there’s that amazing yellow ball gown. Are you kidding me?).
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
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About the Author
Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction.
Paige writes books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines they fall in love with. She lives with her very own military hero (a.k.a. her husband) and their adorable dog on the beautiful Florida coast.
Some Fun Facts about Paige…
She loves anything and everything Disney related, and has pictures with every Disney character to prove it.
Her favorite Disney characters are Tigger, Pooh, Goofy and Tinkerbell.
She’s addicted to dark chocolate, Pinterest and Sephora.
She’ll tell you she’s not exactly the outdoor type, but yet she loves the beach.
She studied ballet for twelve years.
She went to art school, and yes, figure drawing was her favorite class (probably because all the nude models were male!)
She collects Barbie Dolls, plush animals and Jim Shore Disney.
She’s just as likely to have Rhianna, Lady Gaga, Pitbull, Ke$ha, Black Eyed Peas and LMFAO on her iPod as she is Billy Idol,
Foreigner and Golden Earring (if you can dance to it, it’s probably on there!)
Must-See TV :
Current Shows –
Supernatural (she has a huge thing for Sam and Dean!)
Bones (she has a thing for Booth, too!)
The Walking Dead
Teen Wolf
Psych
Shows That Should Still Be On –
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel (no other vamp comes close!)
Charmed
Stargate Atlantis (one word – Ronan!)
Kim Possible
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Enter to win one of five copies of Hungry Like the Wolf, the first book in Paige Tyler’s SWAT series!
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BLOG TOUR ~ Trophy Wife by Noelle Adams
Celebrate the release of Trophy Wife by Noelle Adams!
Giveaway:
1 grand prize winners will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card!
5 runner-ups will receive an eBook of choice from Noelle’s backlist!
Title: Trophy Wife
Author: Noelle Adams
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 6, 2016
Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of Fooling Around comes a steamy novel about a pampered princess who’s starting over—and the hot guy next door who knows exactly how to melt that tiara right off.
Alison Davies used to just be a trophy wife. Now she’s just flat broke. Thanks to an ironclad prenup, she’s worse off than she was before the day she rushed down the aisle with a wealthy jerk eight years ago. After her steep fall from riches to rags, Alison refuses to shackle herself to any man who treats her like a possession—no matter how good he looks in a pair of well-worn jeans, or how his muscles ripple while he’s carrying her couch.
Underneath his rugged exterior, Rob West is a gentleman. So when he sees his beautiful new neighbor moving in, he’s going to help her out no matter how loudly she protests. In fact, Alison’s determination to go it alone just strengthens his resolve—and his desire to find out what makes her tick. But after one spur-of-the-moment tumble in the sheets, it’s clear that their connection goes way deeper. And that Rob won’t be happy until Alison surrenders to the passion they share.
Find out more at: Amazon / B&N / iBooks / Kobo
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
A nice enough read but it really didn’t do it for me….. I couldn’t connect to either of the characters and didn’t really feel any kind of real interest as to how things should work out for them.
Rob’s character felt a little weak to me. He had been divorced twice and following that had so many issues and had built up his walls that I think he had forgotten who he was. Allison had led her life being someone else to her ex-husband that she wasn’t sure how to be herself and was so determined not to be another ‘trophy wife’ that she ended up being someone else again when it came to how she interacted with Rob.
Sadly, Trophy Wife didn’t work for me but if you’re a fan of Noelle Adams other books I’m sure you’ll enjoy this one too!
Excerpt from Trophy Wife:
She was leaning over into the trunk to gather up as many bags as she could carry when a voice behind her surprised her. “You need some help?”
She straightened up with a jerk, turning to see a man beside her wearing faded jeans and a white T-shirt. He looked to be in his thirties. He needed to shave and his brown hair was too long, and he had the rough look of a man who worked with his hands. He’d startled her so much she just stared at him. “What?”
“Do you need some help?” he asked again, gesturing toward her trunk. “Carrying all that in?”
She frowned. Who the hell was this guy? And did she really look so helpless that she couldn’t unload her own trunk by herself. “Oh. No. I’ll be okay. Thank you.” Several bags were already hooked over her arms, so she gave him an absent smile and turned to walk up the steps to the front door.
She had some trouble getting her key into the door with the bags on her hand, but she’d almost gotten the door unlocked when she suddenly felt someone behind her, swinging open the storm door that had been propped against her back.
She gave a little squeal of surprise as she turned to see the man she’d thought she’d dismissed. He had twice as many bags hooked over his arms as she was able to carry.
“I’m Rob West,” he said with a slight mountain drawl in his deep voice. “I’m your neighbor across the street.”
She felt flustered now and annoyed that a strange man was walking into her house as if she’d invited him. “Okay, but I said I could get the bags by myself.”
“I was already over here. Why shouldn’t I help?”
Because she’d said she didn’t need his help. Any basically civil person would have respected her wishes. She really hoped everyone wasn’t as rude and pushy as this man was.
“Where’s all your furniture?” Rob asked, looking around the empty house after he’d dumped his load of bags on her kitchen counter.
“It’s in the basement. I just got here today.”
He focused his gaze on her, looking her up and down. His eyes were actually quite nice—a really deep, melting brown. “Are you Chris and Sharon’s girl?”
She was startled by the question, but then realized that, if he lived across the street, he’d probably known her parents. “Yes.”
“I thought you lived in the city.” He glanced down at her left hand, and she realized he was looking for a wedding ring.
She’d taken off her rings six months ago. “I’m moving here now.”
He nodded slowly, as if trying to piece together her situation, something he had no business knowing. “Well, welcome to town. I’ll get the rest of your stuff.”
“I don’t need any—” she began.
He just ignored her, striding back outside as if she hadn’t spoken. Arthur had done that all the time—completely disregard what she was trying to say. She hated it.
Rob might be a small-town, blue-collared guy, but he obviously wasn’t all that different from Arthur at heart.
He came back into the house a minute later with another huge load of bags. She couldn’t help but notice he had really good shoulders, and his biceps were very impressive, clearly visible beneath his shirt sleeves as he held the bags. He set them on the opposite counter and then turned to look at her. “That’s it from the car. Do you want me to haul some stuff up from the basement for you? You at least need a chair or two and a bed.”
“I’m fine,” she said, managing to smile although she really wanted to scowl at him. “Thank you.”
He frowned. “You can’t get it all up yourself. Do you have some guys who are coming to help?”
Now she frowned too. “I said I was fine. Thank you.”
“What are you all snippy about?” he asked, looking at her curiously.
She gave a gasp of indignation at his clueless rudeness. “I’m snippy,” she bit out, “because I’ve said several times that I’m fine, and yet you refuse to listen to me.”
His expression relaxed into almost a smile, as if he’d finally figured out her mood. “Oh, I get it. I’m not some creepy asshole, so no need to worry about that. I live across the street. I knew your folks. I just figured you could use some help, especially since you’re all dressed up and everything.”
She looked down at herself in surprise. “I’m not dressed up!” She wore a sleeveless pale blue top, black capris, and sandals. The sandals had heels on them, but almost all of her shoes had heels. In terms of her wardrobe, the clothes were very casual.
He chuckled—a surprisingly pleasant sound. “Okay. If you say so.”
Allison heard a familiar sound just then—that damned toilet was running again, after she’d spent five minutes jiggling the handle before she left.
Rob must have heard the sound and seen her expression. “Sounds like it just needs a new flapper. I can look at it for you.” He actually turned around and took a step toward the bathroom.
“That’s okay,” Allison said quickly, relieved when he stopped at her words. “I’m sure I can take care of it.”
He turned to face her again, not looking like he believed her, but fortunately he didn’t argue. “There’s a hardware store in town—just a block down from Dora’s. You can get a new flapper, and they can talk you through replacing the old one.”
There was he was, assuming she’d need help again, based on nothing but her appearance. He could have no idea whether she was capable of fixing a toilet, and he shouldn’t make assumptions.
She didn’t like this guy at all. She really wanted him to leave.
She took a deep breath, making sure her voice was polite as she said, “I appreciate your help, and it was nice to meet you.”
“You really don’t mean that, do you?” he drawled, an irresistible half-smile on his face.
She narrowed her eyes. “I’d like to unpack my bags now.”
“Got it,” he said, still smiling as if privately amused. “I’ll see you around.”
Finally, he turned to leave. Allison was very glad to see him go, and it wasn’t because her eyes drifted down to his very nice ass as he walked away.
About Noelle Adams:
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she reads any book she can get her hands on and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.
If you’d like to contact Noelle, please contact her at noelle.s.adams@gmail.com. Or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
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BLOG TOUR ~ After We Fall by Melanie Harlow
After We Fall
by Melanie Harlow
Publication Date: November 28th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Jack Valentini isn’t my type.
Sexy, brooding cowboys are fine in the movies, but in real life, I prefer a suit and tie. Proper manners. A close shave.
Jack might be gorgeous, but he’s also scruffy, rugged, and rude. He wants nothing to do with a “rich city girl” like me, and he isn’t afraid to say so.
But I’ve got a PR job to do for his family’s farm, so he’s stuck with me for ten days, and I’m stuck with him. His glares. His moods. His tight jeans. His muscles.
His huge, hard muscles.
Pretty soon there’s a whole different kind of tension between us, the kind that has me misbehaving in barns, trees, and pickup trucks. I’ve never done anything so out of character—but it feels too good to stop.
And the more I learn about the grieving ex-Army sergeant, the better I understand him. Losing his wife three years ago left him broken and bitter and blaming himself. He doesn’t think he deserves a second chance at happiness.
But he’s wrong.
I don’t need to be his first love. If only he’d let me be his last.
“Second chances are not given to make things right, but are given to prove that we could be even better after we fall.” — Unknown
Excerpt:
“Wow,” she said, shutting the screen door behind her. “That was close. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” I crossed my arms, wishing I’d thought to grab a shirt. “Want to tell me what you were doing out there?”
Her cheeks colored. “Um, I was taking a run.”
“Up a tree?”
She laughed nervously. “No. Well, I didn’t start out in a tree. That happened later.”
I cocked my head, unable to resist giving her a hard time. Not so sure of yourself now, are you, Barbie? “Oh yeah?”
“Yes. See, I left the cottage I’m renting without using the bathroom by mistake,” she began, twisting her fingers together, “and I was planning on running a loop around the farm, but it’s bigger than I thought.”
“Ah. So you were looking for a bathroom in the woods?”
“Well, yes.” She swallowed. “Sort of. But then I heard a splash and saw you…” Her cheeks were practically purple now.
I played dumb. “Saw me what?”
“Saw you naked, OK?” she blurted, throwing her hands up. “I admit it—I saw you naked.”
I had no hangups about nudity, but I was damn serious about my privacy, and about people sneaking up on me. But her embarrassment was funny. The two times I’d seen her before, she’d been so polished and poised. It felt good to put her in her place a little. “So you climbed a tree for a better view, is that it?”
Bowing her head, she dragged the toe of one shoe across the wood planks of the porch floor. “Something like that.” Then she looked up at me. Took a breath. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I was—I mean, I got—I couldn’t—” She sighed, briefly closing her eyes. “I have no excuse. Will you accept my apology?”
She was prettier without makeup, I decided. And the way she wore her hair off her face emphasized the wideness of her eyes, the angle of her cheekbones, the arch of her brows. Her lips didn’t need all that glossy crap, either. They were a perfect rosy pink, and I wondered if they’d feel as soft as they looked.
Fuck. I hadn’t kissed anyone in three years.
Clearing my throat, I took a step back. “Yeah. It’s fine.” Now get out of here.
She didn’t move. “So you’re not going to fire me?”
“I never hired you.”
“I know. But I really want this job. I think I can help, Jack. I know I can.”
“Suit yourself. I want nothing to do with it.” My name on her lips was trouble. Needing some distance from her, I started walking toward the dock to get my shoes and socks, but she followed me. God, she was a pest. It reminded me of the way Steph used to tag along after the boys when we were kids, wanting to get in our games.
“Are you going to be like this the entire time I’m here?” she asked.
“Like what?”
“Moody and uncooperative?”
“Probably.”
“Why? Do you hate me that much?”
“I don’t hate anybody. I just don’t see why we should pay some city girl who’s never set foot on a farm to advise us.” We reached the dock, and I leaned down to get my stuff.
“I’m not even asking to be paid, so piss off!” she shouted, her voice carrying on the water.
I straightened. “Oh, you’re working for free?”
“Yes!”
“Then you’re an idiot. Or so rich you don’t need the money.”
“I’m not an idiot,” she said through clenched teeth.
“So you’re rich, then.” I don’t know why I was being such an asshole. But for some reason, I did not want to let her see another side of me, or see another side to her. “I should have guessed.”
She crossed her arms. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means you look like you’ve led a charmed life. Like you’ve had everything you’ve ever wanted handed to you. Like you’ve never gotten your hands dirty.”
“So get them dirty.”
I almost fell off the dock. “What?”
“Get them dirty. Teach me about working this farm. I want to learn.”
Was she serious? The last thing I needed was to drag her ass around all day, explaining things. Or stare at her ass all day, imagining things. But one look at her defiant face and I shook my head. “Why do I feel like if I say no, you’ll just keep bothering me?”
She smiled and clasped her hands behind her back, rocking forward on her toes. “Because I will. I don’t like being told no.”
“Of course you don’t.” Jesus, she was trouble. A bad apple—smooth and shiny on the outside, spoiled rotten on the inside. But for no good reason, I found myself giving in. “Fine. Go change your clothes.”
BLP REVIEW ~ Tracy
I love a good second chance story, whether the leading characters have known each other in the past or it’s just two people being given another chance at love and happiness.
I really liked both Margot and Jack from the off, even though to begin with he was a bit of a jerk towards her and at times he needed a bit of a kick up the backside! They were so very different but as the old saying goes, opposites attract.
Margot with her high heels, pearls, her lack of knowledge about anything to do with farming and her scone throwing abilities had me laughing, feeling all sorts of emotions and hoping like hell she got the happy ever after she so desperately wanted. She was feisty, strong and had such a big heart. She came to care deeply about Jack, knowing that she would never be his first love just wanting to be able to love him regardless.
Jack was such a deep character. He was broken, both in heart and spirit and had so many issues that he struggled to deal with that even though I wanted to yell at him at times, I felt so sad and sorry for him. He wanted to be loved and cared for but didn’t think or see that he was or could be worth it. He was so convinced that he had lost the one person meant to truly love him that he was unable to open his heart to the possibility of a second chance. Seeing him battle his heart and head and start to realise what he truly wanted had me on a bit of an emotional roller-coaster, desperately hoping that he could fight through his darkness and get to a brighter, happier place with someone to love!
The banter, verbal sparring, attraction, sexual tension and passion between the pair all made for superb reading. Seeing just how Jack interacted with his nephew was so cute – who knew a big, gruff farmer could be such a sweetheart.
I really enjoyed catching up with Margot’s besties Jaime and Claire and meeting Jack’s brothers and his sister-in-law.
After We Fall was well written, Melanie Harlow has a knack of pulling you into the story, bringing out the best (and if required, the worst) of her characters, making you feel so deeply for them, that she so easily manages to coax all of your emotions into play as you read.
It is a standalone but if you read Man Candy first you’ll understand Jaime and some of the phone conversations between her an Margot will make more sense. I can’t wait for Claire’s book to see how things work out for her….
I honestly CANNOT give After We Fall enough stars! This was, for me, a fantastic read. Melanie’s books are an auto-buy for me and I’d definitely recommend giving them a shot!
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About the Author:
Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.
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