June 11, 2018

UNEXPECTED LOVE STORY BY NATASHA MADISON-BOOK TOUR


 


When one man’s death exposes a complex web of lies, three couples discover the true meaning of love, loss and redemption.

Crystal

I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees.

It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love.

I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams.

Until the unthinkable happened.

Gabe

I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams.

I wore a smile on my face every single day.

I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did.

My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.

What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true?

This is the story of unexpected love. 


Natasha Madison has become a one click author for me. When I read her books I know I'm going to go on one heck of a journey. Unexepected Love Story is the second in the Love Story series but can be read as a standalone.

I have to admit that enemies to lovers isn't my favorite trope but it works in this book. I do love a good office romance and that plays a part in this book as well-and it worked perfectly. Crystal and Gabe have this chemistry between them that snaps and sizzles. I couldn't help but chuckle over the way the two of them behaved around one another sometimes. They melted the sheets in bed for sure and like I said, watching them outside of the bedroom had me shaking my head and laughing.

I loved Gabe. I truly did. I thought he was sexy, smart, strong and had such a kind heart. I loved seeing his character realize what love truly was. He was a great book boyfriend.

Crystal was a bit tougher for me. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but I felt like I just wanted a tiny bit more from her. I liked her, but I didn't fully connect all the time.

I thought the pacing of this book was spot on. The writing was sharp and witty. There were some very touching moments in here (read the book, I won't spoil them) that made me tear up a bit. I loved how these two people fit together, and how they fit into this Love Story world. I can't wait for the next story in this series. I recommend this book.



Natasha Madison writes stories that are interconnected, and by the second one in the series, you know you are going to be reading a story that is interconnected, and that you will have seen some of in a previous book.

This usually works for me, but in this title, I did not love it as much. Usually, I feel like the characters have a story to tell, and that the backstory is one that is filled out in the next books. In this one though, I didn't really feel that Crystal had a lot of the backstory. She was involved, she was a part of it...but she was not an integral part of that story, other than as someone who offered support. So, for this one, it felt a little like the backstory was too in depth and took away from the events of Gabe and Crystal's story in this book.

That said, I enjoyed this title. I liked their chemistry, I liked that they had a history, and an attraction, that was before the discovery that he was her boss. I liked that she was a competent nurse in her own right, and that she was respected for the things she was able to contribute and not ignored because she was "just a nurse".

I enjoyed the view of the characters of the previous story, but from a distance. I also liked the way the relationship with Crystal and Gabe developed...the attraction, the discovery that they were coworkers, the respect...albeit grudgingly, and the attraction that they were not able to fight...although they definitely tried.

I enjoyed this story, and I am looking forward to the next in the series.











When her nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...



HOSTED BY: 

CAPTIVATED BY TESSA BAILEY AND EVE DANGERFIELD-RELEASE BLITZ



Blurb

Secret aspiring comedian Autumn Reynolds is a girl gone...not wild exactly. More like lazy. Since her boyfriend abandoned her in New York City for a bunch of improv groupies she’s had two priorities; sucking the nitrous out of whipped cream cans and making sex comics about her mysterious landlord.

Blake hates people—and sunlight—with good reason. Imagine his surprise when he finds himself lusting after his upstairs tenant, a sunny, Australian people pleaser down on her luck. Turns out his ability to terrify with a single scowl comes with an advantage. Autumn seems to like it. A lot. As evidenced by the prisoner-captive comic Blake was never meant to see.

As they embark on a three-date arrangement the rules are clear; filthy, ground breaking sex, no feelings or commitment required. When chemistry is this strong, though, attachment follows. As Blake and Autumn attempt to negotiate their New York romance, their prior histories and secret dreams come to the foreground. How long can these polar opposites remain Captivated, when all signs point to disaster?



Yet again, Tessa Bailey owes me a Kindle after mine spontaneously combusted while reading Autumn and Blake's story. Because, wow. Yeah, so that was hot. The sex, the chemistry, the dirty talk, the bondage and the kidnapping fantasy of Autumn's...yeah, I can hold here while you go one click this one.

I loved the chemistry, the relationship and the characters of Autumn and Blake. I loved that they each were willing to accept the other, for who they were, for the things that mattered to them, and for the decisions they already had made in their own lives. I also really liked that each character was allowed to stay true to themselves, while making the changes and seeing the things that allowed their life to move forward, together, in NYC.

I did think there was a little too much time spent with Ian. I get that this was a recent break up, but I thought decisions made around him, or because he was no longer in her life, were a little too prevalent in parts of the story and I would have liked there to have been a little more time, or distance, from when they were together to the events in the book.

Eve Dangerfield is a new author to me, and I enjoyed meeting her writing in this title. I thought it was smooth and that it was seamless. It was not obvious that each author was writing a certain part or parts, although as one author is in New York and one is in Melbourne, it seems likely each was responsible for those details.

I enjoyed this overall, and I recommend it.




Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU



Tessa Bailey

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of ten years and six-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.


Eve Dangerfield

Eve Dangerfield has loved romance novels since she first started swiping her grandmother’s paperbacks. Now she writes her own sexy tales about complex women and gorgeous-but-slightly-tortured men. Her work has been described as ‘the defibrillator contemporary romance needs right now,’ and not by herself, or even her mum, but by OTHER PEOPLE.

Eve lives in Melbourne with her boy, a bunch of semi-dead plants and a rabbit named Billy. When she's not writing she can be found making a mess.

June 10, 2018

EXPLICIT BY AVA HARRISON - ARC REVIEW

Pierce Lancaster is bad news.
Spoiled.
Entitled.
Sexy as —
He’s exactly what I don’t want in my life. What I don't need.
I’m not the girl he knew before.
I’ve changed.
But he hasn’t.
He’s trouble filled with empty promises.
I’ve come too far to fall back.
Yet I can’t seem to stay away.
I can’t say no.
I am addicted to Pierce Lancaster.

Ava Harrison takes risks.  She writes about heroines who are flawed, who might not be likeable all the time, and about heroes who are not exactly perfect.  She tells stories about real people, and they are not like the usual heroes and heroines, and sometimes this makes it harder to like them.  This is definitely the case with Pierce, although you do quickly learn there is more to him than you think, after hearing about him from Grant and Spencer, his brothers.

Pierce and Lindsay have demons, and neither of them are perfect, by a long shot.  Getting to know them, and watching them figure out that they dislike one another, but only as a cover for the way they really feel and the fear of rejection.

I loved that they both ended up having things in their lives that brought them together, things that made them each understand the other.  That connection created a relationship I believed in, and a story I was invested in.

I thought the resolution of the issues with the Lancaster family was a little quick...but at the same time, it worked as things like that do cause events to move more quickly than they would if the changes to the relationship came about over a few telephone conversations and some holiday dinners.

I enjoyed this title and I recommend it.




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ALL NIGHT WITH THE COWBOY BY SORAYA LANE - ARC REVIEW

BACK IN THE SADDLE. STRAIGHT TO THE HEART. . .

At the Ford family ranch, getting thrown from a horse is a part of growing up. But one cowboy is still learning the ropes when it comes to falling in love.

Tanner Ford has been riding bulls and busting broncos his entire life. So when he takes a hard spill—and sustains serious injuries—he refuses to believe his rodeo days are behind him. He’s determined to restore his body and revive his career. There’s just one problem: the finest physical therapist in town just happens to be the only woman he’s ever loved.

Lauren Lewis knows she made a huge mistake when she walked away from Tanner. But she was young, ambitious, and focused on her medical career. Now, after all these years, Tanner’s back—and, in spite of his injuries, looking better than she allows herself to admit. She agrees to work on Tanner’s big bruised muscles until he’s back in bull-riding shape again. But how can Lauren resist the smoldering attraction between her and her old flame. . .and find a way to live without him?



Cowboy romances are fun, as long as the characters stay relateable...and in this case, the story of Tanner and Lauren worked well, as Lauren is not fully a part of the daily life on the ranch, she has a career that has nothing to do with the ranch.

I enjoyed this overall, and once I got over the idea that the only possible person able to help Tanner was Lauren, and that they had to go on a swanky vacation in order to do it.  Once I let go of this and just decided to go with it, I enjoyed this title overall.  I liked that they had a history, and I enjoyed the tension this added to their story.

The book was well written, and the characters felt authentic and realistic.  There is some overlap from characters in the first story, but it is not necessary to have read the first title in the series to enjoy this one.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.



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June 7, 2018

ONLY HIM BY MELANIE HARLOW - ARC REVIEW AND BLOG TOUR

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Sometimes your first love deserves a second chance…

He was my first crush, my first kiss, my first everything.

But I’m not a lovesick teenager anymore, and I’d never let that cocky troublemaker break my heart again.

So when he shows up out of the blue asking me to have dinner with him “for old time’s sake,” I say I will. After all, it’s been twelve years, and I’m stronger and smarter than I was back then.

Except…he still does something to me. He’s got those eyes that make me weak, those hands that drive me wild, and a body I can’t resist—especially once I see the tattoos. It doesn’t take long for our trip down memory lane to go from sweet to sizzling.

We’re just as good together as we were back then—better, even—and I’m willing to give the only man I’ve ever loved another chance.

But he’s got to tell me the truth.

* * *

All I wanted was to see her again. Tell her I’m sorry. Make her smile.

Okay, that’s a lie. I wanted to do more than that—a lot more. But I know she’s better off without me, and I promised myself I’d behave.

Except I’ve never been much good at keeping promises…or my hands to myself when I’m around her.

I can make her laugh, I can make her cry, I can make her body surrender to mine in ways that neither of us could have imagined back then. I can—and I do—love her more than she’ll ever know.

But I can’t tell her the real reason why I’m here.

And I can’t stay.

Maren and Dallas were high school sweethearts, until Dallas disappeared without saying anything, breaking Maren's heart and leaving her in a place where she was not totally able to move past the relationship, and the heartbreak, of losing the only person she ever loved.

17 years later, life has been kind, sort of, to Maren and Dallas, and both of them have moved on and found success.  And, then Dallas gets news that he is not expecting and it makes him reevaluate his life, the things he has done, and the people he might have wronged.

A need to make amends, a little lack of certainty about what the future holds, and romantic and sexual chemistry that hasn't gone away in the years since they have seen one another, and you have the story that Melanie Harlow tells in this title.

I enjoyed it.  I know, for some, they probably wanted more angst, more time not knowing what was going on...but I liked this one the way it was written.  I liked the chance to see how they handled the revelation, and to see the way the information changed the narrative and the relationships of the characters.

I enjoyed this title and I recommend it.




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Maren glanced back at me, more puzzled than ever, but she started up the cement stairs. I couldn’t take my eyes off her legs in front of me. Her calf muscles were insane from all the ballet training. I remembered how flexible she’d been and felt my dick start perking up. “In addition to all the history I just gave you,” Aiden said, his voice echoing off the walls, “this hotel was also the site of a certain prom a few years back.” All of a sudden, Maren stopped moving and looked down over her shoulder at me. “No way.” The stunned, joyful expression on her face was worth every penny I had to pay to make this happen. Goose bumps rippled down my arms inside my jacket. I smiled at her. Her jaw dropped, and she continued up the stairs. At the top, Aiden moved ahead and opened the door to the rooftop. “Ballrooms were not available tonight, but when Dallas asked if you could have the roof to yourselves, I had to admit no one had booked it. In fact, no one has ever even asked to book it.” He laughed. Maren stepped over the threshold onto the rooftop. “Dallas is definitely one of a kind.” The three of us moved away from the door, and I saw the table that had been set for us, complete with white linens, flower centerpiece, and candlelight. Luckily, the air was warm, and the wind was soft. The sun was still setting beyond the skyline to the west, and to the east the Detroit River was visible; a little to the south was the Ambassador Bridge, and beyond the river, Canada. The view was breathtaking on all sides. After turning around in a full circle, Maren looked at me with shining eyes. “Dallas. This is incredible.” “You’ll have your own server for the night, and he should be up shortly,” Aiden said, checking his watch. “I should get back downstairs. Dallas, you have my cell if you need anything. Maren, good seeing you again, and I hope you enjoy your evening.” He gave us a smile before heading back to the stairwell door. As soon as he was gone, Maren turned to me. “I cannot believe you did this.” I shrugged. “I felt pretty bad when you said you’d missed the prom because of me. I figured I owed it to you.” She laughed and rolled her eyes, which were filled with tears. “You didn’t, but whatever. I’ll take it.” Opening her purse, she hunted around in it for something. “God, I don’t even have tissues. I didn’t know you were going to make me cry.” “No crying allowed at the prom. And I hope it’s okay I’m wearing jeans.” “It’s fine.” She sniffed and closed her purse. “I’m not that dressed up either.” “You’re perfect.” Our eyes met, and the air between us suddenly felt full of hope and possibility. In any other circumstance, I’d have kissed her. But I couldn’t do that tonight. “Oh, I almost forgot.” Reaching into the inside pocket of my jacket, I pulled out a wrist corsage. “Sorry if it’s a little smashed. I had to get rid of the plastic container to hide it from you.” She giggled and held out her arm. “That’s okay. It’s beautiful.” “Good.” I slid the elastic band with three deep red roses attached to it along with some other green stuff onto her wrist. “I told the lady at the florist to make it a prom corsage. Pretty sure she thought I was crazy. Or creepy.” “You might be crazy. But I love it. Thank you for this.” Then she rose up on tiptoe and pecked my cheek. When she lowered her heels, she stood there for a moment, her hand on my arm, her mouth so close I could have simply tipped my head down and my lips would be resting on hers. My heart stumbled over its next few beats. I wanted to do it so badly, but I’d promised her I’d behave. I’d promised myself I’d behave. There were so many reasons why I shouldn’t be here tonight, standing so close to the only girl I’d ever loved, tempted beyond reason by her legs and her lips and her laugh and her eyes and her ability to make me feel like I fucking mattered in the universe. What was the right thing to do? If only— The door from the stairwell opened, and we moved apart.

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About Melanie

Melanie HarlowMelanie 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 AFTER WE FALL series, 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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