REVIEW: Like You Mean It by Jillian Liota

 

Like You Mean It by Jillian Liota
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

“I want to make you smile like you mean it.”

The day Cole Lannington says those words to me, I already know I’m falling. Hard. For a man I can never have. Because there’s no way in hell I’ll ever deserve a man like him.

Annie
All I need to do is keep my head above water. Push a little harder. Keep that smile plastered on my face for my son as we try to wade through the new life that’s threatening to drown us both.

But on the first day I can’t seem to hold it all together, I meet him. And for some reason, he comes to my aid. Before I know it, Cole steps in and becomes an important part of my life. Our lives. Fills a void left vacant by a man who never wanted to fill it in the first place.

Too bad he can never be more than a friend.

Cole
All I need to do is be a nice guy to my new neighbor. Make her smile a little bit. Find space in my tidy, structured life to ease the burden she carries so she and her son can enjoy life without the bastard who treated them like they were insignificant.

I don’t expect to talk and laugh and feel a warmth in my chest I didn’t know was missing until she showed up at my door. Somehow I end up caring about her more deeply than I should. But my friendship with Annie opens my eyes to what it could be like to have something deeper. To feel something stronger.

To fall in love like I mean it.

Like You Mean It is the first book in the Like You series and is a standalone novel.

Review: Betrayed Love by Brynne Asher

 

Betrayed Love by Brynne Asher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An age-gap, billionaire romance where secrets and revenge are embraced in a dangerous tango…

It began with lies. So many lies.

I was born unwanted. In pain. Addicted. A crack baby.

I was given a second chance, but I want a third. A fresh start—out from under my parents’ control. I was on my way to building my new life when my neighbor crashed into it, wrecking all my plans.

Heir to his family fortune, Henry Ward III, returned to Texas with a plan of his own. With burdens as heavy as my own secrets, he needed a distraction.

And with a man like him—who could own the boardroom and my body with one gruff gaze from his intense dark eyes—I was down for a distraction too.

Little did we know, his burdens and my secrets are so heavily entwined, there’s no way to untangle them.

I’m a Montgomery.

He’s a Ward.

We might as well be the Capulets and Montagues. Our connection is that rife with drama. That forbidden.

That dangerous.

When the past repeats itself, a distraction is the last thing we need. We need a lifeline as much as we need each other. The vicious cycle has to stop.

It’s life and death.

REVIEW: Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger

 

Crazy Cupid Love by Amanda Heger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

Eliza Herman has spent years avoiding her calling as a Descendant of Eros. After all, happily-ever-afters are a myth. But when a family crisis requires her to fill in at her family's Cupid-for-hire shop, Eliza finds herself enchanting couples under the watchful eye of her mentor, Jake Sanders.

After Eliza accidentally enchants Jake instead, they set rules to keep his arrow-struck desire at bay. But some rules are meant to be broken, and before long Eliza is rethinking her stance on true love...until they discover a conspiracy that could destroy thousands of relationships--including their own.

Review: Where Our Turn Begins by A.M. Wilson

Where Our Turn Begins by A.M. Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Caiti Harris thought her story ended the night her husband died.

She packed their history away like trinkets in an old box and held steadfast to the ache. Life granted her one love, and after he was cruelly ripped away, she knew there wouldn’t be anyone else.

When a tempting bartender invites her to stay for a drink after closing, she agrees to one night, not a lifetime commitment. His sinful smile promises to chase away the pain of the past while his chiseled body guarantees to ward off the unrelenting chill.

Her love life ended, but that doesn’t mean she’s sentenced to an existence of total solitude.

Dane’s world is exactly the way he wants. Tidy. He keeps a watchful eye over his bar, and remains a pillar for the people he cares for most. So when the woman he’s dreamt about for three years shows up at his door with a toddler in tow, he’s ready for the challenge. The two come as a package deal.

Caiti only wants to establish a connection with him in the event something happens to her. A backup plan to keep their daughter safe. She didn’t expect to be whisked away in an ambulance before she could explain her sudden return to Arrow Creek.

Dane’s vision soars beyond an eighteen year commitment. He sees a lifetime of settling down. And he’s not ready to give up his turn without a fight for their daughter.

Or her.

REVIEW: Friends With Benedicts by Staci Hart

Friends With Benedicts by Staci Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

Timing is everything.

Presley Hale and Sebastian Vargas are no strangers to goodbye. Their high school summers were spent wrapped up in each other until she would inevitably go home to California. One season after college, Sebastian finally escaped the little Texas town to travel the world, and they said goodbye for what they thought might be the last time.
Sebastian went one way. Presley went the other.

For the first time in five years, they’re both in town, but the timing is no better than ever. So the only thing to do is what they do best. Keep it casual.

Friends with benefits.

They’ve done it before—doing it again will be easy.

But their hearts don’t get the memo.

When the lines of their arrangement blur, Presley and Sebastian are faced with decisions they’ve avoided for years. And that’s not even their biggest problem.
A small town in danger of failing.

A secret that could tear them apart.

And two hearts that can’t hide anymore.

They’ve shared so many summers, but none compare to what they’ll face.

Timing is everything.
And their time is almost up.

REVIEW: Hooked by Emily McIntire

Hooked by Emily McIntire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

He wants revenge, but he wants her more.

Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy.
His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy.
Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away.

The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play.

His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast.

An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass.

He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue.

Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done.
Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go.
For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.

*Hooked is a full-length, complete standalone and the first in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. This is a DARK Contemporary romance (not fantasy) featuring mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.*

REVIEW: Damaged: The Dillon Sisters by Layla Frost

Damaged: The Dillon Sisters by Layla Frost
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

I’m effed up. A hot mess. Haunted.

Damaged.

But he doesn’t think so.

He thinks my imperfectness is what makes me perfect. He loves my flaws. My quirks.

My scars.

He wants to protect me. See me happy. Make me alive. He wants to give me everything I need, no matter how twisted and wrong and depraved.

He needs me to need him.

Which makes me wonder…

Is he damaged, too?



Warning: Recommended for readers 18+. This beautifully damaged romance deals with seriously heavy topics, such as depression, anxiety, violence, and self-harm. Be advised. And be mindful and kind to your own mental health.

REVIEW: Deathly: The Dillon Sisters by Brynne Asher

Deathly: The Dillon Sisters by Brynne Asher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

I’m a fraud. Or an imposter. I’m certainly a hypocrite.

I offer advice for a living. Encourage my patients to make wise decisions—help them help themselves to walk through life stronger, healthier, happier.

Isn’t that the goal? To live our best lives?

If only I practiced what I preach.

I wasn’t always like this. Every move I make lately is the opposite of smart. These questionable life choices are a new development.

They started the day a certain Vitale barged into my life.

Brand Vitale might look like a hero to the rest of the world, but looks can be deceiving.

I’m driven by obsession for a man who’s turning out to be dark, dangerous, and downright depraved.

And I don’t care.

Because, sometimes, depraved, debauched—hell, or even deathly—is the only option. 

REVIEW: The Plan Commences by Kristen Ashley

The Plan Commences by Kristen Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

From the unparalleled imagination of New York Times best-selling author Kristen Ashley comes book two in The Rising, an enchanting new fantasy romance series that will sweep you away!

Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land.

This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake....

REVIEW: Say It Ain't So by Lani Lynn Vale

Say It Ain't So by Lani Lynn Vale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

He should’ve never left his house. He should’ve stayed at home. He has a legitimate excuse—he’s running a fever and he’s fairly sure he’s developing pneumonia. He should have called in sick…but he doesn’t.

He goes to work, because his team is relying on him.

First, he has to sign about eight thousand calendars—all from women who purchased said calendars to benefit the Fallen Officer fundraiser. And when he’s done with that, he has to endure a television interview along with the rest of the SWAT team seeing as they made national news with their ‘Hot SWAT’ calendar that’s sold a million copies to women all over the world.

Needless to say, when Samuel Adams walks into the pharmacy hours later, he only has one thing on his mind. Ibuprofen.
Sadly, he never gets to the Ibuprofen. Mostly because before he gets there, he finds a junkie waving a gun around threatening to kill anybody that moves.

He’s running a fever. That has to be the reason that the girl in the corner begins cursing up a storm and drawing the junkie’s attention. Has to be. 

Review: Hooked by Emily McIntire

Hooked by Emily McIntire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

He wants revenge, but he wants her more.

Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy.
His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy.
Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away.
The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play.
His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast.
An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass.
He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue.
Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done.
Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go.
For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.

*Hooked is a full-length, complete standalone and the first in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. This is a DARK Contemporary romance (not fantasy) featuring mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.*

REVIEW: The Man Who Has No Soul by Victoria Quinn

 

The Man Who Has No Soul by Victoria Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

As the Director of Concierge of the Liberty Building in Tribeca, it’s my job to take care of the rich and famous, the billionaire suits, their trophy wives, all the VIPs.

It’s like running a hotel—but for billionaires.

When a penthouse opens up, it’s like the floor of the Stock Exchange. The highest bidder wins.

And this time, the winner is Deacon Hamilton.

He’s young and gorgeous...but a tool. He hardly says two words to me, won’t even look at me when he speaks and treats me like an imbecile.

But the longer I pick up his dry cleaning, deliver his groceries, take care of all the details of his life, the more I realize he’s not what he seems.

He’s just brilliant.

Extremely brilliant.

A noble prize-winning doctor and researcher, Deacon Hamilton is one of the most gifted men on the planet.

But he doesn’t know how to talk to people, doesn’t know how to communicate, doesn’t know how to connect with anyone.

Except me.

REVIEW: Dear Love, I Hate You by Eliah Greenwood

 

Dear Love, I Hate You by Eliah Greenwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book Description: 

It all started with an anonymous letter. 
 
He wasn’t supposed to find it—no one was. And he definitely wasn’t supposed to answer it.
 
We end up talking through letters and sticky notes in a book. One sticky note. Two sticky notes. Ten sticky notes. All baring our darkest, deepest secrets.
 
It’s all fun and games until I find out who my pen pal is...
 
Xavier Emery. King of my basketball-obsessed town, my childhood bully, and the guy I am in grave danger of falling in love with.
 
But the rules were clear: we can never know who we’re talking to, and the confessions can never, ever get out. Seriously. It would destroy lives. 
 
Fine by me. Even if Mr. Popular does find out his confidant is little old me, it’s not like he’d ever love me back…

Right?

VEILS by Brynne Asher

“Give me a memory, Noah.”

That’s what she said … the woman who rendered me stupid in the shadows at a wedding reception. I did everything I could to figure her out. She wore more veils of armor than I’ve seen in a lifetime. On the outside, she was strong and self-assured. But within those beautiful, guarded blues? She was laced with vulnerability and grief.

We had one night. The best night. She got the memory she wanted, but in the process, I was left branded.

Then she thought she could strut out my front door and my life, right after announcing she was my boss’s baby sister.

I had no choice but to follow. Not only did I go after her, I chased her halfway around the world. Because when it comes to her, one memory isn’t enough. It doesn’t matter that there couldn’t be a more opposite pair than us.

Gracie Cain is a healer. I’m Noah Jarvis, a cold-hearted killer.

But when my job came back to bite me in the ass, I wasn’t the only one caught in the crossfire. It bought us memories no one was counting on.

That’s when all the veils were ripped off

You slay me Brynn Asher. I just finished Veils and I have actual tears in my eyes. I've loved all the books in this series but I have to say, Jarvis is the best yet. You absolutely killed it! ❤

I have to say, when I first met Jarvis years ago in Vines, I had no idea the depth he was hiding. While he was only a secondary character in the first 3 books, he seemed to have a chip on his shoulder that I wasn't sure would ever go away. We didn't get much of him so it was hard to really get a good read on his personality. I can now say I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and see how far he's come in his own story. 

I liked Jarvis in the previous books. I even liked him in the beginning of Veils. But I fell in love with him at the airport when he brought Gracie breakfast burritos and replaced her coffee. I loved how he was intrigued by Gracie, how he knew she has secrets and he wanted her to tell them to him. He doesn't want to just learn all about her from her 'file', but have her open up to him of her own free will. He followed her across the world to get just a little more time with her. He pushes, but not in an obtrusive way. 

"Go Chase your dreams, baby. Every single one of them. You deserve it."

If that doesn't scream perfect book boyfriend material, I don't know what does! ❤😍 The biggest thing I liked about Jarvis, he doesn't like people. I don't either. That makes him A-Ok in my book! He's so sweet in a secret, only for Gracie kind of way. I loved how he was falling in love with her and was totally ok with it. He's making plans. Plans for a future with her where he never did anything like that before. I also love the added humor amidst the drama. Harry strikes again with her cute cow self. 🐮

This book was so amazing! Jarvis and Gracie's story was just beautiful. Her history and the things she's endured.... For Gracie to be as strong as she is, it's just pure beauty. And how Jarvis was with her, how he fell for her and was determined to give her nothing but a beautiful life is what true love is. Yes, I know this is a fictional romance book, but so what. As a die-hard reader, THIS is what book boyfriends and book hangovers are made of. 

I was hooked from the beginning. I tried to stay awake to read all in one sitting but that didn't happen. Luckily for me, I had a free morning with no plans but to get back to Veils and see it through to the beautiful end. And the ending was, indeed, beautiful. So sweet and perfect. Brynne Asher is such a great author. She really knows how to tell a story that hooks you in and just won't let go. The writing was awesome and the characters were great. I loved seeing the guys from the previous books and where they are now. I don't think too much time has passed in the story since the last book so it felt like I was picking up where Gifts left off. Either way, I really loved and enjoyed Veils!

The Killers series is one I go back to often and I'm glad I now have this gem to add to the pile. 

Brynne Asher lives in the Midwest with her husband, three children and her perfect dog. When she isn’t creating pretend people and relationships in her head, she's running her kids around and doing laundry. She enjoys decorating and shopping, and is always seeking the best deal. A perfect day in “Brynne World" ends in front of an outdoor fire with family, friends, s’mores, and a delicious cocktail.

Killer Series Buy Links:

Vines, Book 1 - hyperurl.co/mxdgp0

Paths, Book 2 - hyperurl.co/9nx2cr

Gifts, Book 3 - hyperurl.co/haa0el

Until the Tequila, Crossover Novella - hyperurl.co/lxnauf 

Killer Series Buy Links:

Veils Goodreads Link -  https://bit.ly/2DVv0w5

NEW RELEASE (and Review): MAKE ME By Lani Lynn Vale

MAKE ME

By Lani Lynn Vale

KPD Motorcycle Patrol, Book 4

Release Day: Sept 10

Royal St. James got her name when she was born. Not because her mother loved her royally, but because Royal was a giant pain in the ass. She’s spent her entire life fighting to live, and the last thing she needs is to deal with some pretty-boy police officer who wouldn’t know a hardship if it came up and bit him in the…you know.

Justice Rector wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was raised to work hard and always fight for what he believed in. His father was a cop, and ever since he could remember, he wanted to be one, too.

It was a complete coincidence that he ends up going undercover and meeting Royal St. James. It was just one day, a single moment in time. All routine.

Just do the buy, make the bust, and get out.

But Royal St. James, aptly named, screws everything up. 

Royally.

All of a sudden, he has a decision to make: blow his cover and save the girl, or save himself.

Of course, he does the most stupid thing possible.

By saving the girl who most assuredly did not want to be saved.