Thursday, January 24, 2019

His Uptown Guy by Felice Stevens

When Jesse Grace-Martin loses his father on 9/11, his charmed life is gone forever. People look menacing, and the streets no longer seem safe. After experiencing a brutal mugging, Jesse retreats to his apartment in the landmark Dakota building. Five years later, his first attempt to walk outside those famous gates again is a disaster—except for meeting the gorgeous maintenance worker who helps him through his crushing panic attack. Jesse can’t stop thinking about the guy but hesitates to reach out, knowing he has little to offer.

Dashamir Sadiko has big dreams. Money in the bank tops his list, and his peek into the life of the uber-wealthy at his job at the Dakota is all the incentive he needs. Struggling to work full-time and go to college, Dash desperately wants to break the cycle of poverty his parents had hoped to leave behind in Albania. When the two men become friends, Dash isn’t sure what to expect but can’t help his growing attraction to sweet and sexy Jesse. It’s nice to see how the other side lives, but his affections can’t be bought; Dash wants to be his own man.

Defying the Dakota’s co-op rules, the two share lunches, their hopes and dreams, and ultimately their hearts. Jesse slowly regains his courage, but he’s worried he’ll never be the person he once was and that he’s not good enough for Dash. And Dash isn’t convinced the son of poor immigrants’ has a place at the table with a blue-blood, trust-fund man. Jesse needs to realize that money can’t buy happiness and love, while Dash must learn to trust that what they have is real, that he’s more than Jesse’s walk on the wild side with an uptown guy.--

When I first saw the blurb for this book, I was instantly interested. I adore Felice Stevens and have really enjoyed her writing in the past. Unfortunately for me, it did not live up to the hype in my head. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it, but it did not have the pizzazz that I was expecting.

The storyline was relate able. I have read plenty of books and seen many stories about 9/11. The part I had an issue with was the main character. I had a hard time being able to get into Jesse's head. His father died in the World Trade Center and Jesse has had an issue with being outside of the home ever since. For the last 5 years he has lived in his apartment in fear of life outside his front door. I am sure that there are plenty of people out there that live that type of life, but I just wasn't able to connect with Jesse as a character. I found him to be a little demanding and whiny. I will say that by the end of the book he was a little better, but I just found him lacking in the character department.

I really liked Dash and wondered at times why he would put up with Jesse and not just walk away. He is an immigrant and is going to school to become a CPA to help support his immigrant mother. He is the type of character that would just take the sweater off of his body to warm up someone he cares about. He is passionate and does not want anyone to think he is looking to take the easy way out and take a handout. He is very proud and hard working. He has issues that Jesse doesn't seem to agree with (money mainly).

It was interesting to see how things worked out at the end. It is a great stand-alone book that is a sexy read on a cold winter night.

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, Her characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

Felice has written over twenty books in the gay romance genre. Her books been translated into German, French and Italian. Her novel. One Call Away, part of her Soulmates series, was mentioned in Buzzfeed as one of the best “Out for You” gay romances of 2017.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. She recently retired from the practice law and now daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there are bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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Take Me Again by Carly Phillips

Take Me Again, an all-new, sexy contemporary standalone from Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips, is available now!

He’s alpha, he’s sexy, and he’s sure he’s got life in his hands … Until Ashley Easton returns, wanting nothing to do with the playboy who broke her heart.

Sebastian Knight is a closer. Be it a business deal or the woman of his choice, everything he wants is his for the taking. Sexy and irresistible, a wink, a smile, or a handshake always seals the deal. Until Ashley returns at the worst possible time, and everything unravels around him.

The Ashley who returns is sassy and sexy--everything Sebastian craves and he wants a second chance. Despite her reluctance, his sex appeal makes it harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.

Sebastian might have a talent for sealing the deal, but Ashley is no longer easily charmed. This time he’s going to have to work to win.

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Excerpt:

Though she and Sebastian had been sharing a suite in California, the fact was, they lived in separate apartments in New York. No matter what she felt for him, London, her job, and her life awaited her. The sooner they got used to being apart the better.

“I’m tired,” she said. “I didn’t rest much on the flight, and we have to be up early tomorrow to meet with Ethan.”

His grin turned into a frown. “Why do I get the feeling you’re pulling away?”

She rubbed her hands over her arms and turned away, not wanting to face him. It was one thing to pull back, another to look him in the eye while doing it. Not when all she really wanted to do was throw herself into his arms. But she lived in reality. So here they were.

“Hey.” He grasped her and turned her around. “I have a question for you.”

“Okay…” she said warily.

“Why are you still here?”

“What?” She hadn’t anticipated that question.

“Why are you still here, in New York? You said you came for Ethan, but when he sent you away, you came with me. And now we’ve wrapped things up. We’re talking to Ethan in the morning. Is your flight home booked?” As he spoke, his hands on her forearms felt like a brand, a reminder that she belonged here, with him.

And she couldn’t let that sway her. Although she’d put work out of her mind, she had checked in with her bosses while she was away, assured them she was returning. She’d bought herself another week, that was it. They understood her leave of absence but wanted her back as soon as possible.

“I’ll take your silence to be a no,” Sebastian said, releasing her arms. “Which brings me back to why? Do you still want to be here? Or are you avoiding Mr. Perfectly Nice?”

She didn’t want to talk about any of this. She still had a week left, and in that time, Ethan would need her once he found out about Mandy’s cheating. Or was that just an excuse? Because she wasn’t ready to leave Sebastian, her conscience asked her.

She glared at him. “Why are you pushing me so hard just because I said I was tired?” she asked, more annoyed with herself but taking it out on him.

“Because of what we shared in California. Because of what we feel for each other, even if you’re not ready to admit it. And because I want to know.”

Meet Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

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Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Cruel Money by K.A. Linde

Lose yourself to the dark and glamorous underbelly of the Upper East Side in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde's new billionaire romance Cruel Trilogy.
She was supposed to be a one night stand.
A way to sate my sexual appetite.
I let her glimpse the man I am.
The face that I hide behind my carefully cultivated life.
But she ripped open that divide--and there's no going back.
Now, she's here.
In my city.
I don't care that I'm Manhattan royalty and she's the help.
Only that she's living in my summer home. With me. And I want more.

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This book was everything. I can't stop thinking about it. Cruel Money is book one in the Cruel series. There is a prequel (One Cruel Night) and I highly recommend reading it, though it is not required. It gives you context of what happened six years ago before Cruel Money starts.

Natalie has her dream job. She gets to travel the world and house sit for the rich and famous all while getting to do her true passion, write. Natalie didn't come from a wealthy background. She's just your normal every day woman with goals and dreams. I adore Natalie. She's strong and witty and down to earth. Penn grew up with extreme wealth. Not everything that glitters is gold though. I actually really liked Penn. He's smart and super sexy. He has a rough exterior but on the inside he's soft and sweet.

Cruel Money is a unique plot that has everything. Backstabbing, lies, laughs, and steaminess that's off the charts. From the very beginning you know there are many secrets between all the characters and I couldn't read fast enough to see what was going to be revealed. Linde as always do a great job of making you feel so many emotions when it comes to the story and the characters. Some you will love, some you will hate. K.A. Linde makes me crave the angst and then breaks my heart all at the same time. I can't wait for the rest of this series to be released because I have to know how it all plays outs!

K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of more than fifteen novels including the Avoiding series and the Record series. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia, was the head campaign worker for the 2012 presidential campaign at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served as the head coach of the Duke University dance team. She loves reading fantasy novels, geeking out over Star Wars, binge-watching Supernatural, and dancing in her spare time. She currently lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her husband and two super adorable puppies. WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / BOOKBUB

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Would you dare to defy destiny? Are our destinies written in stone? Do we become nothing more than the self-fulfilling prophesies of other people's opinions? Or can we dare to become who we believe we were born to be?

ONLY A BREATH APART is a young adult contemporary novel from critically acclaimed Katie McGarry. Order your copy of ONLY A BREATH APART now!

They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.

The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.

A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

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~SCARLETT~
“I thought you said you were meeting Camila.”
I jump at the sound of Dad’s voice and spin in his direction. “I am.”
Dad studies me, and I hide my hands behind my back to conceal the slight quiver that could announce my guilt. When I left him, he was in good spirits, but his moods can quickly shift. There are two patched up holes in my bedroom that can testify to this. Dad replaced the drywall, covered it with fresh paint, but the perfection can’t take away the memory of the way my heart pounded through my chest as he drove his fist through the wall.
He inclines his head toward the booth of balloon animals. “Camila appears to be working.”
“She’s getting off soon,” I say too fast as I bite back the need to ask why he didn’t go home like he said he was.
“Why did you leave us if she’s still working? You said Camila would be done by five-thirty.”
My mouth dries out, and the tremble in my hands travels to the rest of my body, but I force out a cleansing breath. Show no fear. Don’t give him any reason to doubt a thing I say. “She was supposed to be off by now, but her parents asked her to work a few more minutes.”
“If Camila isn’t getting off until later, you should have told me,” There’s a subtle sharpness to his tone that causes hurricane warnings in my brain. “I was showing you a great deal of trust by letting you find Camila on your own.”
“She’s only running a few minutes late. Her parents are watching me so I’m okay.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I glance over and my heart lifts when I notice Camila’s mom watching us. Her stare gives credibility to every falsehood rolling off my tongue. She’s not watching because she thinks I need a babysitter, but probably because she’s mentioned to Camila that she’s perplexed by my father’s strict rules.
I touch the crystals on the table as if I’m interested in them. It’s difficult to act normal as Dad looks at Camila’s mom then studies me. Please believe me, please believe me. Please.
I’m so stupid. I should have never left Dad early. I should have never lied. But I did. Dad was having fun at the fair, Mom was having fun and my sister, Isabelle, was having fun. They were all laughing and smiling. They’ve forgiven him, and I haven’t. I can’t, not again, and this is one of the many ways life is no longer simple.
I want to peek at him in an attempt to understand my fate, but I don’t. Eye contact doesn’t help when he’s angry. It only makes it worse.
Being in public won’t soothe his temper. He’ll just be more discreet. Like last year when Dad had arrived early to pick me up at a football game and saw me heading to the bathroom by myself. After I had returned to my friends, he called me away with a smile on his face. He had placed a seemingly loving arm around my shoulder, but his fingers dug into my arm as he severely whispered in my ear how I was irresponsible and that it was time to go home.
Dad didn’t cause a scene at the game. The yelling started the moment we were alone in his car and continued until he left me in my room. I stayed on my bed for hours, curled up in a ball and sobbing.
My throat swells as I think of how this will play out. Will it be like Christmas? Will he throw a lamp and force Mom to clean it up as I watch? Or will it be like this past spring and he’ll flip the kitchen table, breaking all the dishes that had been placed there for dinner?
Dad steps closer to me, and I’m filled with dread. “Next time, in a situation like this, you return to me and have Camila text you when she’s done working. I don’t like the idea of you being alone.”
All I want is to be alone, for my thoughts and actions to belong only to me. But he’s not angry, he’s believing me, and I release a breath I had unknowingly held and take the small win.

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January 21^st

@booksniffer7 – Review

Bickering Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Book Ballistic – Excerpt

Book Hoarder Mom – Review

Brittany and Elizabeth’s Book Boutique – Review & Excerpt

Celindareyesblog – Excerpt

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Crystal's Book World – Excerpt

Do You Dog-ear? – Review & Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Excerpt

Novel Addiction – Excerpt

Resch Reads & Reviews – Review

Sister Sister Book Blog – Excerpt

This Jabberwocky Eats Books – Excerpt

Writing My Own Fairy Tale – Review

January 22^nd

A Book Lovers Playlist – Excerpt

Beware Of The Reader – Excerpt

Beyourselfbebhaltair – Review & Excerpt

Booknerd1107 – Review

CeliaMoontown – Review & Excerpt

Crazy Chaotic Book Babes – Review & Excerpt

Echoing Books – Excerpt

GataLeitora – Excerpt

Its a mun thing – Excerpt

Mean Girls Luv Books – Excerpt

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Monday, January 21, 2019

We Shouldn't by Vi Keeland

A Standalone Contemporary Romance

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Vi Keeland

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 flushed 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.

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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 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!