Review ~ Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely

Book Description:

There is no rule in the Man Code as unbreakable as this: no matter how beautiful, smart, clever, and witty she is, do not—under any circumstances—fall in love with your best friend’s woman. 

Yeah. So there’s that. Look, it’s not like I didn’t know I screwed up by falling for her. 

Also, for the record, unrequited love sucks big time.

And, I might have cut myself some slack by now, given everything that went down in the last few years, but Lulu just walked back into my life in a big way.

***

There are three things I've never been able to resist—my friends, my family, and chocolate.

Leo Hennessy? He was nowhere on that list. He's been a true friend—a friend who walked through hell and back with me.

Now, I'm stepping into my new future. I didn't expect it to include a riddle-filled, race-against-the-clock scavenger hunt across New York City.

With Leo.

Suddenly, I'm looking at this man with new eyes...

But my life spun out because of a man once before, and I can’t risk my fresh start, no matter what the temptation. And Leo is most definitely a temptation of the sexiest, sweetest, and most dangerous variety. 

More irresistibly delicious than chocolate...

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2RCIEgw

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2VSbbgi

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4 stars

“…there is no organ more susceptible to trickery, subterfuge, or sabotage than the heart. Embrace it, treat it as something precious, and be very wary of it.”

Lauren Blakely never fails to deliver and Birthday Suit is no exception. This was a great friends to lovers read with a touch of the forbidden romance thrown in. Lauren Blakely’s characters are always relatable, and these two will capture your heart from the very beginning. Mancode is always written in stone, and our hero took a step back when he realised the woman that he was falling for was more interested in his best friend. Over a decade of unrequited love seriously hurts, but when circumstances and fate throw these two together once again, can they think of their future rather than their past?

Sometimes timing sucks, and it never sucked harder for Leo. The girl that he had been crushing on and chatting to on the regular meets his best friend for the first time, and the sparks fly. The trio become the three amigos and standing on the sidelines while your best friend gets the girl of your dreams was no mean feat. It hurt, and hurt bad. Being both their best friend for over a decade only ingrains that hurt and makes it fester. Leo was such a great friend to both of them, always there, reliable and only had their best interests at heart even if that meant his own fell by the wayside.

“I took my own vow that day. No matter what, I had to get over her. There were no runners-up in love.”

LuLu has had it tough and now leaving NYC and moving to California she gets the job of her dreams. A master chocolatier, a flair for recipes that tingle every taste bud, LuLu is in her element and being reunited with her best friend, Leo was the icing on the proverbial cake. Having been single for a while, LuLu isn’t blind, and when she sees Leo for the first time, thoughts she had never had come to the forefront, when had she become so blind?

Lauren Blakely touches on all your emotions in this book as Leo and LuLu carefully navigate their feelings and try to shake off their past. A past that keeps pulling Leo back. When the woman of your dreams is presented before you, you feel like all your Christmases have come at once, but there is always that niggling doubt with Leo. Leo faces the biggest battle of his life… heart vs. conscience.

“You’re a dream chaser. A go-getter. Have you found your dreams?”

“Most of them. Some slipped away though.”

Leo was swoon-worthy with a capital S, and I dare anyone not to fall for his heart of gold and his effortless charm. LuLu was a character that had learned from her mistakes and to see her take her life back by the horns was fantastic. With some great secondary characters there was nothing I didn’t love, and by the end, I didn’t want to leave these two. Such a cute read.

Release Day Blitz & Review ~ We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland

A Standalone Contemporary Romance 

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Vi Keeland

Book Description:

Bennett Fox walked into my life on one hell of a crappy Monday morning.

I was late for the first day at my new job—a job I’d now have to compete for even though I’d already worked eight years to earn it, because of an unexpected merger. 
While I lugged my belongings up to my new office, a meter maid wrote me a parking summons.

She’d ticketed a long line of cars—except for the Audi parked in front of me, which happened to be the same make and model as mine.

Annoyed, I decided to regift my ticket to the car that had evaded a fine. Chances were, the owner would pay it and be none the wiser.
Except, I accidentally broke the windshield wiper while slipping the ticket onto the car’s window.

Seriously, my day couldn’t get any worse.

Things started to perk up when I ran into a gorgeous man in the elevator. We had one of those brief moments that only happened in movies.

You know the deal…your body lights up, fireworks go off, and the air around you crackles with electricity.

His heated stare left me flush when I stepped off the elevator.

Maybe things here wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Or so I thought.

Until I walked into my new boss’s office and met my competition.

The gorgeous man from the elevator was now my nemesis. His heated stare wasn’t because of any mutual attraction. It was because he’d seen me vandalize his car. And now he couldn’t wait to annihilate his rival.

There’s a fine line between love and hate—and we shouldn’t cross it.

We shouldn’t—but straddling that line could be so much fun.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon UK:  https://amzn.to/2HlPpOJ

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2RGbtsn

iBooks ➜ http://smarturl.it/hmp0xb 

Amazon paperback ➜ http://amzn.to/2sgA0oP 

B&N ➜ http://smarturl.it/5zqpdu 

Google Play ➜ http://smarturl.it/f6prjg 

Audio ➜ http://smarturl.it/e2gv12 

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Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 4.5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“I didn’t see you coming, Texas. Didn’t see you coming.”

Vi Keeland merges two of my favourite tropes with a delicious office romance inter-laced with a hilarious at times enemies to lovers. The banter between these two was fantastic and a great catalyst to a slow burn from hate to like to love. This book though has a good dose of the feels, and it is this emotion together with the character connection that really cemented this book as another winner. Vi Keeland has this knack of delivering relatable, swoon-worthy characters that embed themselves into your heart and soul and Annalise and Bennett are no different. My heart definitely melted into a puddle of goo with these two.

“By day we fight like enemies, by night we fuck like warriors.”

Annalise has just come out of an eight-year relationship and is rather jaded with love, the complete opposite to her usual hopeless romantic. Add to the fact that the ad company that she has worked so hard for is merging with another and her job is on the line, her life is nothing but crises. Going head to head with Bennett is not what she anticipated and with the loser being transferred to Texas, she is not going to go down without a fight.

“You know that old saying…keep your friends close and fuck the shit out of your enemies.”

Bennett was incredibly handsome, smart and successful in his job, a job he had done for a long time. Finding out that this is now on the line, Bennett prepares himself for the biggest fight of his career and it doesn’t help that his nemesis is a little spit-fire and drop dead gorgeous. Bennett has to dig deep in more ways than one, but nothing could have prepared him for the hellion that shows us a totally different side to him.

“Beast syndrome is when a man constantly roars at you to scare you away. Perhaps he was less than magnanimous in his early days, which he thinks defines who he’s forever banished to be. So he tries to keep people from getting too close. But he’s not really the villain he thinks he is, and every once in a while, a peek of the prince underneath shines through.”

At times I was laughing, others sighing, the rest swooning—the perfect recipe for a contemporary romance. As I said above, the banter was perfect, the move from hate to love intoxicating, the chemistry was hot, hot, hot, the character connection on point and add a dose of emotion and it is perfect. Vi Keeland drew me into this story hook, line and sinker and the characters didn’t let me go until the end. Seeing the other side of Bennett and really understanding his back story was the biggest highlight and only endeared him to me even more. There is something for everyone in this book, and I can see this being another winner. Bring on the next one Vi Keeland.

About the Author:

Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in two dozen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. Sign up for Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when books go live! ➜ https://www.subscribepage.com/i6h3o5 

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Excerpt Reveal ~ We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland

 

Excerpt Reveal ~ We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland

Read a short sneak peek from chapter two below or grab the full, first two chapters here: 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qi0wfckd79

Excerpt:

Figures.

It was the gorgeous guy I’d seen in the elevator. And here I thought we’d had a little spark.

Bennett Fox grinned like he’d already been named my boss and extended his hand. “Welcome to Foster Burnett.”

Ugh. He wasn’t just good looking; he knew it, too.

“That would be Foster, Burnett and Wren, as of a few weeks ago, right?” I iced my subtle reminder that this was now our place of employment with a smile, suddenly thankful my parents had made me wear braces until I was nearly sixteen.

“Of course.” My new nemesis smiled just as brightly. Apparently his parents had sprung for orthodontic care, too.

Bennett Fox was also tall. I once read an article that said the average height of a man in the US was five-foot-nine-and-a-half inches; less than fifteen percent of men stood taller than six feet. Yet the average height of more than sixty-eight percent of Fortune 500 CEOs was over six feet. Subconsciously, we related size to power in more ways than just brawn.

Andrew was six foot two. I’d guess this guy was about the same.

Bennett pulled out the guest chair next to him. “Please, have a seat.”

Tall and with gentlemanly manners. I disliked him already.

During the ensuing twenty-minute pep talk given by Jonas Stern—in which he attempted to convince us we weren’t vying for the same position, but instead forging the way as leaders of the now-largest ad agency in the United States—I stole glances at Bennett Fox.

Shoes: definitely expensive. Conservative, oxford in style, but with a modern edge of topstitching. Ferragamo would be my guess. Big feet, too.

Suit: dark navy, tailored to fit his tall, broad frame. The kind of understated luxury that said he had money, but didn’t need to flaunt it to impress you.

He had one long leg casually crossed over the other knee, as if we were discussing the weather rather than being told everything we’d worked twelve hours a day, six days a week for was suddenly at risk of being in vain.

At one point, Jonas had said something we both agreed with, and we looked at each other, nodding. Given the opportunity for a closer inspection, my eyes roamed his handsome face. Strong jaw, daringly straight, perfect nose—the type of bone structure passed down from generation to generation that was better and more useful than any monetary inheritance. But his eyes were the showstopper: a deep, penetrating green that popped from his smooth, tanned skin. Those were currently staring right at me.

I looked away, returning my attention to Jonas. “So what happens at the end of the ninety-day integration period? Will there be two Creative Directors of West Coast Marketing?”

Jonas looked back and forth between us and sighed. “No. But no one is going to lose his or her job. I was just about to tell Bennett the news. Rob Gatts announced he’ll be retiring in a few months. So there will be a position opening up for a creative director to replace him.”

I had no idea what that meant. But apparently Bennett did.

“So one of us gets shipped off to Dallas to replace Rob in the southwest region?” he asked.

Jonas’s face told me Bennett wouldn’t be happy about the prospect of heading to Texas. “Yes.”

All three of us let that sink in for a moment. The possibility of having to relocate to Texas shifted my mind back into gear, though.

“Who will make the decision?” I asked. “Because obviously you’ve been working with Bennett…”

Jonas shook his head and waved off what I was beginning to question. “Decisions like this—where two senior management positions are being merged into one office—the board will oversee and make the final determination of who gets first pick.”

Bennett was just as confused as me. “The board members don’t work with us on a daily basis.”

“No, they don’t. So they’ve come up with a method of making their decision.”

“Which is?”

“It’ll be based on three major client pitches. You’ll both come up with campaigns on your own and present them. The clients will pick which they like best.”

Bennett looked rattled for the first time. His perfect composure and self-assuredness took a hit as he leaned forward and raked long fingers through his hair.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. More than ten years, and my job here comes down to a few pitches? I’ve landed half-a-billion dollars of ad accounts for this company.”

“I’m sorry, Bennett. I really am. But one of the conditions of the Wren merger was that due consideration be given to the Wren employees in positions that might be eliminated because of duplicity. The deal almost didn’t go through because Mrs. Wren was so insistent that she not sell her husband’s company, only to have the new organization strip away all of Wren’s hard-working employees.”

That made me smile. Mr. Wren was taking care of his employees even after he was gone.

“I’m up for the challenge.” I looked at Bennett, who was clearly pissed off. “May the best woman win.”

He scowled. “You mean man.”

★★★★★

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of We Shouldn’t!

WANT MORE? You can grab the full first two chapters here:

  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/qi0wfckd79 

Book Description:

Bennett Fox walked into my life on one hell of a crappy Monday morning.

I was late for the first day at my new job—a job I’d now have to compete for even though I’d already worked eight years to earn it, because of an unexpected merger.
While I lugged my belongings up to my new office, a meter maid wrote me a parking summons.

She’d ticketed a long line of cars—except for the Audi parked in front of me, which happened to be the same make and model as mine.

Annoyed, I decided to regift my ticket to the car that had evaded a fine. Chances were, the owner would pay it and be none the wiser.
Except, I accidentally broke the windshield wiper while slipping the ticket onto the car’s window.

Seriously, my day couldn’t get any worse.

Things started to perk up when I ran into a gorgeous man in the elevator. We had one of those brief moments that only happened in movies.

You know the deal…your body lights up, fireworks go off, and the air around you crackles with electricity.

His heated stare left me flush when I stepped off the elevator.

Maybe things here wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Or so I thought.

Until I walked into my new boss’s office and met my competition.

The gorgeous man from the elevator was now my nemesis. His heated stare wasn’t because of any mutual attraction. It was because he’d seen me vandalize his car. And now he couldn’t wait to annihilate his rival.

There’s a fine line between love and hate—and we shouldn’t cross it.

We shouldn’t—but straddling that line could be so much fun.

 

Pre-orders available now: 

Audio pre-order ➜  https://amzn.to/2ssC2Ca

iBooks Pre-order ➜ http://smarturl.it/hmp0xb 

Amazon paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/2SZ5gEf

B&N ➜ http://smarturl.it/5zqpdu 

Google Play ➜ http://smarturl.it/f6prjg 

Add to Goodreads ➜ http://smarturl.it/f0wur9 

Please note: There will not be an Amazon ebook pre-order, but it will be available on Amazon on release day. 

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Do you like texts better than email? Receive text notices of Vi’s new releases by texting the word BOOKS to 77948 You will ONLY receive a text when a new book goes live - no other messages at all!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Vi Keeland

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in two dozen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live! ➜ https://www.subscribepage.com/Vi&Penelope Do you like texts better than email? Receive text notices of Vi’s new releases by texting the word BOOKS to 77948. You will ONLY receive a text when a new book goes live - no other messages at all!

Find Vi here:

Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup/
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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/vi-keeland Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6887119.Vi_Keeland

Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt ~ When Ashes Fall by Marni Mann

“When Ashes Fall is a tautly written, complex, and emotionally-charged love story that takes the reader on an unforgettable, unexpected, and deeply moving journey.” —USA Today

When Ashes Fall, an all-new standalone contemporary romance from best-selling author Marni Mann is live!

Book Description:

It’s been said that you can’t love two men at the same time.

You can’t split your heart, soul, and body in half.

But I’m here to tell you, you can.

Dylan Cole is like ice, sharp and unpredictable, the thunder inside a tumultuous storm.

Smith Reid is warmth, soft and gentle, perfect like a sunny day.

Both are mine.

But I can have only one.

There are two sides to this tale. 

I'm here to tell you mine. 

If you think this story is about a cheater, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Buy Links:

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Azqkdp

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WhenAshesFallMM

Apple Books: https://goo.gl/Bq4rkX

Nook: https://goo.gl/h6VMj8

Kobo: https://goo.gl/aXMkJW

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2E1u6zG

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“When ashes fall… That was the end.”

I first read this book about four months ago and having now read it again those first impressions, emotions, thoughts, and feelings just came flooding back…tenfold. I have been a huge fan of Marni Mann from more or less the beginning of her career when I stumbled across her book on Amazon, and I haven’t looked back since. Having read every book she has published I have to say that this is my new favourite book of hers, the raw, intense emotions and honesty that she has conveyed through her words will tug at every heartstring, will bring lumps to your throat and cause plentiful tears. But, despite the emotional wringer that this book puts you through, you cannot help but be affected, impacted and emotionally stirred by the profound story that this author delivers. You can tell that this book was written from the heart, you feel and experience EVERYTHING. Love is such a powerful emotion, one that you are lucky to experience once in a lifetime, some maybe twice, none are ever the same, but each leaves their mark. This is not a cheating book, far from it, but read this as the author intended, blind. Let her take you on this ride, it is one that you will never, ever forget.

“You’re asking to see my storm.”

We all want sunny days, the days where the sun on your face warms your soul and your heart, however, there are always storms too, and it is on those days that you keep your nearest and dearest with you. Life is full of moments, to learn by, to cherish, to love, they may be insignificant, they may be monumental, but they make up your map, your map is your own, and you never know when life is going to make you change direction. This is all about those directions, those left, and rights, some you anticipate and others you don’t, but they are there for a reason. It is how you cope and deal with them that determines your end destination.

“No, I don’t want to run… Unless it’s towards you, and then my answer is yes.”

Marni Mann delivers an extremely poignant, heartfelt, heart-destroying, heart-warming, raw, honest, extremely moving love story that will have you captivated from start to finish. The story grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let you go even after the very last words. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a very long time and one that I will definitely be re-reading. This is one of those stories that makes you think long and hard, both at what you have just read and about the characters. The journey that Alix, Dylan, and Smith embark on will have your heart in your mouth one minute, your heart fit to burst the next, tears aplenty and the cheesiest grins. This was a rollercoaster, and as your brain frantically tries to read between the lines, you can only sit back and admire how well the author has layered this story. This book was like an onion, every chapter was a layer and as each layer was devoured the possibilities got smaller and smaller. The author delivers the crux of this story with brutal honesty, and I dare anyone not to bawl their eyes out. Intense, yet beautiful for its innocence, no unnecessary drama, no angst for angst sake, just one incredibly unforgettable story.

“Alix and I weren’t perfect. We had cracks. And, as the months passed, I learned some deepened while others got filled in. I also learned that wasn’t the last night I’d sleep alone.”

Every character had their purpose, nothing superfluous, nothing artificial. Every character well defined and the character connection was on point. You will take these characters into your heart and soul as love takes centre stage. Alix is cut open for the world to see and her love, emotions, and pain were agonizingly honest. It is this honesty that embraces Alix into your heart and soul as she undertakes the hardest journey of her life. We all need a best friend like Rose, Rose was Alix’s rock, she centered Alix, was her confidante and always had her back. She had been through the rough and the smooth, and she always had Alix’s best interests at heart. Both the men in this book were extremely lovable, total opposites and yet congruous in their love for Alix. I will reiterate that there is NO cheating in this book, just two loves in one lifetime. I cannot say any more, I want to keep this review spoiler free, but all I will say is read this book. You won’t regret it, and you definitely won’t forget it. Marni Mann, take a bow. I sincerely hope that this book gets the recognition it deserves. You deserve it, these characters deserve it, and the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into it deserve it. This will definitely be one of my top reads of the year.

“I wish I knew now what I hadn’t known then.”

Excerpt:

Alix and I were standing outside Quincy Market, holding our to-go boxes of chocolate cake, opened, with several forkfuls missing from each piece. I’d asked about her shift, which had started at midnight, and she was telling me about one of the calls she had been on. It involved an elderly couple, married for sixty-seven years. The husband had fallen down a short flight of stairs. Alix believed he had fractured his hip.

She stared at the cake as she spoke. And I gazed at her, checking out the way she speared off another bite. How she stuck the fork between her lips.

How the utensil came out of her mouth clean.

It was incredibly sexy.

So was she.

She didn’t even have to try. It came natural to her.

As natural as her looks.

A beauty that went so deep, she didn’t need makeup to enhance it.

She didn’t wear much of it anyway. There wasn’t anything on her lips, no color on her lids, just thick lashes and some pink on her cheeks.

She had no idea how gorgeous she was.

If I told her, I was sure she wouldn’t believe me.

Alix’s confidence came when she talked about her job.

I could tell how much she loved it by the passion in her voice, by the way she described how she’d helped the old man.

What she did was something I hadn’t been able to visualize at first. Now that I’d spent more time with her, it was all I could see.

Damn it, I wanted to touch her.

I’d kept my hands off of her while she was eating the gyro and fries.

But I didn’t want to wait any longer.

Once she swallowed the mouthful, I said, “Alix …”

I needed her eyes on me to see the way she would look at me, how she would respond to the sound of my voice.

That would determine if I could reach for her right now or if I’d have to wait.

Her stare slowly lifted and landed on mine.

Shyness was peeking through her expression.

Still, every sign was there—the desire in her glare, the increased breathing, the way her tongue was swiping across her lips. It wasn’t frosting she was licking off because there wasn’t any there.

I dropped the small box of cake on the ground. She didn’t watch it fall, but when she heard the sound, I saw the hunger in her grow.

I took a step.

He did, too, in the opposite direction at the same time she dropped her cake.

She said nothing as I continued to move toward her, backing her up to the side of the building until her body was pressed against it.

As I stood inches away, I lifted my hands to the top of her head where they pushed into the brick. “You can stop me.”

Her voice was soft, not weak, as she looked up at me and said, “I’m not sure I can.”

About the Author: 

Best-selling Author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Mann was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotion. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and their two dogs who subsequently have been characters in her books. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling to new locations, and devouring fabulous books.

Connect with Marni:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarniMannAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarniMann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnimann/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marnimann/

Stay up to Date with Marni by signing up for her mailing list here: http://marnismann.com/about/

http://marnismann.com

Release Day Blitz & Review ~ When Ashes Fall by Marni Mann

“When Ashes Fall is a tautly written, complex, and emotionally-charged love story that takes the reader on an unforgettable, unexpected, and deeply moving journey.” —USA Today

When Ashes Fall, an all-new standalone contemporary romance from best-selling author Marni Mann is live!

Book Description:

It’s been said that you can’t love two men at the same time.

You can’t split your heart, soul, and body in half.

But I’m here to tell you, you can.

Dylan Cole is like ice, sharp and unpredictable, the thunder inside a tumultuous storm.

Smith Reid is warmth, soft and gentle, perfect like a sunny day.

Both are mine.

But I can have only one.

There are two sides to this tale. 

I'm here to tell you mine. 

If you think this story is about a cheater, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Buy Links:

Download your copy today!

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2C7oVuu

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Azqkdp

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WhenAshesFallMM

Apple Books: https://goo.gl/Bq4rkX

Nook: https://goo.gl/h6VMj8

Kobo: https://goo.gl/aXMkJW

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2E1u6zG

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“When ashes fall… That was the end.”

I first read this book about four months ago and having now read it again those first impressions, emotions, thoughts, and feelings just came flooding back…tenfold. I have been a huge fan of Marni Mann from more or less the beginning of her career when I stumbled across her book on Amazon, and I haven’t looked back since. Having read every book she has published I have to say that this is my new favourite book of hers, the raw, intense emotions and honesty that she has conveyed through her words will tug at every heartstring, will bring lumps to your throat and cause plentiful tears. But, despite the emotional wringer that this book puts you through, you cannot help but be affected, impacted and emotionally stirred by the profound story that this author delivers. You can tell that this book was written from the heart, you feel and experience EVERYTHING. Love is such a powerful emotion, one that you are lucky to experience once in a lifetime, some maybe twice, none are ever the same, but each leaves their mark. This is not a cheating book, far from it, but read this as the author intended, blind. Let her take you on this ride, it is one that you will never, ever forget.

“You’re asking to see my storm.”

We all want sunny days, the days where the sun on your face warms your soul and your heart, however, there are always storms too, and it is on those days that you keep your nearest and dearest with you. Life is full of moments, to learn by, to cherish, to love, they may be insignificant, they may be monumental, but they make up your map, your map is your own, and you never know when life is going to make you change direction. This is all about those directions, those left, and rights, some you anticipate and others you don’t, but they are there for a reason. It is how you cope and deal with them that determines your end destination.

“No, I don’t want to run… Unless it’s towards you, and then my answer is yes.”

Marni Mann delivers an extremely poignant, heartfelt, heart-destroying, heart-warming, raw, honest, extremely moving love story that will have you captivated from start to finish. The story grabs you from the very beginning and doesn’t let you go even after the very last words. This is a book that I will be thinking about for a very long time and one that I will definitely be re-reading. This is one of those stories that makes you think long and hard, both at what you have just read and about the characters. The journey that Alix, Dylan, and Smith embark on will have your heart in your mouth one minute, your heart fit to burst the next, tears aplenty and the cheesiest grins. This was a rollercoaster, and as your brain frantically tries to read between the lines, you can only sit back and admire how well the author has layered this story. This book was like an onion, every chapter was a layer and as each layer was devoured the possibilities got smaller and smaller. The author delivers the crux of this story with brutal honesty, and I dare anyone not to bawl their eyes out. Intense, yet beautiful for its innocence, no unnecessary drama, no angst for angst sake, just one incredibly unforgettable story.

“Alix and I weren’t perfect. We had cracks. And, as the months passed, I learned some deepened while others got filled in. I also learned that wasn’t the last night I’d sleep alone.”

Every character had their purpose, nothing superfluous, nothing artificial. Every character well defined and the character connection was on point. You will take these characters into your heart and soul as love takes centre stage. Alix is cut open for the world to see and her love, emotions, and pain were agonizingly honest. It is this honesty that embraces Alix into your heart and soul as she undertakes the hardest journey of her life. We all need a best friend like Rose, Rose was Alix’s rock, she centered Alix, was her confidante and always had her back. She had been through the rough and the smooth, and she always had Alix’s best interests at heart. Both the men in this book were extremely lovable, total opposites and yet congruous in their love for Alix. I will reiterate that there is NO cheating in this book, just two loves in one lifetime. I cannot say any more, I want to keep this review spoiler free, but all I will say is read this book. You won’t regret it, and you definitely won’t forget it. Marni Mann, take a bow. I sincerely hope that this book gets the recognition it deserves. You deserve it, these characters deserve it, and the blood, sweat, and tears you poured into it deserve it. This will definitely be one of my top reads of the year.

“I wish I knew now what I hadn’t known then.”

About the Author:

Best-selling Author Marni Mann knew she was going to be a writer since middle school. While other girls her age were daydreaming about teenage pop stars, Mann was fantasizing about penning her first novel. She crafts sexy, titillating stories that weave together her love of darkness, mystery, passion, and human emotion. A New Englander at heart, she now lives in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and their two dogs who subsequently have been characters in her books. When she’s not nose deep in her laptop working on her next novel, she’s scouring for chocolate, sipping wine, traveling to new locations, and devouring fabulous books.

Connect with Marni:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarniMannAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarniMann

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marnimann/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marnimann/

Stay up to Date with Marni by signing up for her mailing list here: http://marnismann.com/about/

http://marnismann.com

Review: Third Strike (Chances #3) by BJ Harvey

RELEASING TOMORROW!!!!

Book Description:

Falling for your best friend's sister has never felt so bad yet so damn right. 

From USA Today Bestselling author BJ Harvey comes the third and final standalone in the Chance series, this time it's the much anticipated story of Drew and Ashley.

***

I have a long history of acting first and thinking it through later. In fact, I'm the definition of a screw up. 

Case in point - I’m having a baby with a woman I can’t stand, my ex is now my best friend’s wife, and I’m in love with a woman I can never have.

My biggest secret is falling for my best friend’s sister twelve years ago.

My biggest mistake is thinking I could live without her.

And now my biggest regret is the look on her face the moment I tell everyone I’m already married to the woman they hate most.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2RB74WD

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Qwh1Qt

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“The day I stop believing will be the day I know I’ve lost you, and that’s not something I’m willing to think about.”

BJ Harvey waited 4 years for a five-star review from me, and now she has had two on the trot. I absolutely adored Second Chance, but she blew it out the water for me with Third Strike, my new favourite of this series. This is testament to how her writing has grown in leaps and bounds and as she adds layers, depth, builds the angst, her character connection and a huge dose of emotion she has crafted a winning series.

“Do it right and make it count.”

“I’ll make it right, then I’ll make her mine. I promise.”

Third Strike is almost all written through the male POV with our hero, Drew. Drew has been a side character throughout this series, and now BJ Harvey has given us his story, and what a doozy it was. There is something for everyone in this book, with second chance romance, best friends’ sister and a forbidden love trope that was executed to perfection. Spanning more than a decade, BJ Harvey ramps up the angst as Drew fights his love for someone he knows is totally off-limits and no matter which way he swings, he knows he will lose someone…the love of his life, or his best friend.

“I’d never want to hurt you. This is the only time I’ll ever do it willingly.”

Throughout this series we have had glimmers of Drew as a character and if you thought you knew him…scrub the slate clean, because Drew is something else altogether. Drew wears his heart on his sleeve in this book and BJ Harvey cuts him open for the reader to see, there was no hiding for Drew in this book. The angst, the heartbreak and the pure devastation is testament to the deep-rooted feelings that both these characters have for one and other and knowing on the other hand that it would never, ever work.

“I’m a hot mess, wrapped up in a cloud of fuck-ups, with no light at the end of the tunnel to show me the way to future happiness.”

My heart was put through the wringer in this book, every ounce of compassion, love and anger were expertly extracted as the tears fell, the frustration built and the anger bubbled to uncontrollable levels. If you have read this series you are well aware of she who shall not be named, and she is back to her vile best in Third Strike. This book was pure torture at times, but those are often the best kinds of books, infuriating, heart-breaking, heart-warming, stunningly beautiful, emotional and down-right tragic at times.

“You’re either all the way in or you let me go. One of us has to draw a line in the sand.”

Drew will capture your hearts as easily as he did Ashley’s, Millen’s sister and our flawed hero’s heart is pulled in all directions. Despite being confident, assured and sexy as hell, Drew still has his issues and being the “adopted” son of Millen’s family only pulls his moral compass even further from his hearts. Drew had so much to lose and always tries to do the best he can to juggle all the balls and keep everyone happy, even if that meant he was the loser in the end. Drew is the king of mistakes as he fumbles through his conscience and what his heart is telling him, but his heart was always in the right place. There is so much I want to spill, but I cannot ruin it for you, but wrap your Kindle in bubble wrap, as it is in for one hell of a bumpy ride. I cannot wait to see what comes next from BJ Harvey as we sadly say goodbye to this motley crew.

“Forever and always.”

Review ~ The Kiss Thief by LJ Shen

What a start to 2019 and this stunning book releases on January 9th. You are not going to want to miss this one.

You can add it to your TBR here: http://bit.ly/2F8O1wd

Book Description:

They say your first kiss should be earned. 

Mine was stolen by a devil in a masquerade mask under the black Chicago sky.

They say the vows you take on your wedding day are sacred.

Mine were broken before we left church.

They say your heart only beats for one man.

Mine split and bled for two rivals who fought for it until the bitter end.

I was promised to Angelo Bandini, the heir to one of the most powerful families in the Chicago Outfit.

Then taken by Senator Wolfe Keaton, who held my father’s sins over his head to force me into marriage. 

They say that all great love stories have a happy ending.

I, Francesca Rossi, found myself erasing and rewriting mine until the very last chapter.

One kiss.

Two men.

Three lives.

Entwined together. 

And somewhere between these two men, I had to find my forever.

Our Review:

Reviewed by Donna ~ 5 stars

***ARC received for an honest review***

“You said I taste like a villain, but you taste like the victim.”

So, my first book of 2019 was a winner, winner chicken dinner and after a three-month romance book funk was just the book the doctor, in this case, LJ Shen ordered. No one writes an alphahole like LJ Shen, and the author pulls out all the stops with Senator Wolfe Keaton. There is something for everyone in this book, from the mob to arranged marriages, to younger woman/older man and one of the best virginal brides I have ever read. Everything about this book was delicious, so much so I pulled my first all-nighter in a very long time. Starting this book in bed was definitely a bad idea because once I started, I devoured it, couldn’t put it down and saw a little light peak through the curtains before I’d even had an ounce of sleep.

“Try not to fall in love with me.”

Francesca Rossi is the only child of a mobster, heir apparent and a woman that has wanted for nothing. Francesca has been groomed by her parents, and the only thing on her parent's mind is a kept woman and trophy wife. Sent to boarding school for the best education she is now back, and her appearance on the social scene has got men's heads turning. However, Francesca’s head has only been turned by one man and one man only, Angelo Bandini, her childhood best friend. Francesca is not your typical heroine, although she is young, she is independent, fierce, protective, loyal, brave, fearless and a romantic at heart. I absolutely adored her. The life she had dreamt of her whole life was taken away in a heartbeat, and she took it on the chin and made the best of a bad situation while keeping her integrity and her backbone.

“My heart has room for him, he just needs to claim it.”

Senator Wolfe Keaton will melt your hearts although in the first instance you’ll want to rip his out. Wolfe is a force to be reckoned with, hell-bent on revenge and yet the proverbial white knight. Wolfe uses his political career and connections to rid the state of those that have caused him the most harm and continue to do so to others. The way he goes about it isn’t necessarily legal and morally unethical but it gets the job the done and that is always his end goal, but his heart is in the right place, you just have to dig deep to find it. Wolfe keeps his emotions to himself, his heart is nowhere near his sleeve, but you see little glimpses. The more and more Francesca batters his emotional fortress, you can see the moat he has built around himself slowly begin to dry up.

“I had a control issue. I lacked it. She had all of it.”

When these two first meet at a social gathering, the tension is palpable. Each have made their minds up about the other based on first impressions, assumptions and generalisations and neither of them are correct. Hate would be a tad strong, but not far from it. Leigh Shen though nails that character building, the character connection is on point and that gradual change from hate, to lust to love was an incredibly delectable journey. I shed quite a few tears, my heart was in my mouth many times, I screamed at my kindle, came close to throwing it a few times, but the more I read, the more I fell down the rabbit hole and didn’t want to leave these characters alone. I lived and breathed their story, and when that final page was turned, I was exhausted but had the biggest smile from ear to ear. Emotionally spent, but totally in love with two characters that stole my heart.

“No love is fully requited. No love is equal. No love is fair. There is always one side that loves more. And you better not be that side—because it suffers.”

Another fantastic read from LJ Shen. I cannot wait to see what comes next and what a fantastic start to the year.