book blog · books · reading · romance · update · WWW Wednesday

WWW Wednesday [10.25.17]

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking On A World Of Words, where you have to answer these questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?


What are you currently reading?   

I just got into Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy and I am liking it so far.
I also finally got One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis after being on hold for it for what seemed like forever. So excited to delve back into Heartbreaker Bay! 😁

What did you recently finish reading?

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I just finished Roomies by Christina Lauren and ABSOLUTELY loved it!
Look out for a review soon!

What do you think you’ll read next?

I have SO MANY BOOKS that I want to read next so these are my top three.
I also have the book I need to read for my romance book club next week so I will probably squeeze that in too with whichever one of these I decide on.

 

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book blog · book haul · books · reading · romance · stackingtheshelves

Stacking the Shelves [1]

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews where book lovers share what books they got throughout the week!

I am so excited to do my first ever Stacking the Shelves so let’s get started because I got a lot of books this week!

E-ARC’s

I still can’t believe that I got approved for both of these books on Netgalley. I have already started Roomies and I am loving it so far and can’t wait to get to The Wedding Date.

E-Books


I couldn’t pass up some of these e-books up this week. They were either 99 cents or completely free! I can’t wait to read Maverick but I’m glad to add each of these to my collection.

Physical Books

These are the books that I got when I went to a book swap with my friends at Trident Booksellers & Cafe, which is one of my favorite independent bookstores in Boston. My most exciting find from the swap is an ARC of Krysten Ritter’s new book.

This is what happens when I spend my Saturday night in the used book section of another one of my favorite independent bookstores in Boston, Brookline Booksmith, with a good friend. I still CANNOT BELIEVE that I found Dating You/Hating You and all the other books I bought.

Those are all the books I got this week. Probably the last big haul of the year but don’t quote me on that lol.

What books did you guys get this week?

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blog tour · book blog · book review · books · excerpt · promo · reading · release blast · romance

Blog Tour + Review: Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

ChasingChristmasEve mm cCHASING CHRISTMAS EVE
Heartbreaker Bay #4
Jill Shalvis

Meet cute…

Run for the hills—temporarily. That’s Colbie Albright’s plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie’s so over it that she’s under it. She’s also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she’s pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won’t be a stranger for long.

Make merry…

Spence’s commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn’t have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot—chemistry he’s got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself… just because she’s gorgeous and a great listener…just because she “gets” Spence immediately doesn’t mean he won’t be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

…and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock’s ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

Add to Goodreads


BUY LINKS for CHASING CHRISTMAS EVE:
Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | iBooks | GooglePlay


ABOUT JILL SHALVIS

Shalvis_author photo

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website,www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Connect with Jill
Website: http://jillshalvis.com/
Facebook: @JillShalvis
Twitter: @JillShalvis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillshalvis/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/
Tumblr: http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22370.Jill_Shalvis?from_search=true



Excerpt

At the unexpected sight of Spence, Colbie startled hard. How was it that he was the one who needed glasses and yet she’d not seen him standing against the window? “No, I don’t kill a lot of people,” she said cautiously because she was wearing only a towel in front of a strange man. “But I’m happy to make an exception.”

He laughed, a rough rumble that was more than a little contagious but she controlled herself because, hello, she was once again dripping wet before the man who seemed to make her knees forget to hold her up.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said and pushed off the wall to come close.

She froze, but he held up his hands like, I come in peace, and crouched at her feet to scoop up the clothes she hadn’t realized she’d dropped.

Leggings, a long forgiving tee, and the peach silk bra-and-panty set that hadn’t gotten so much as a blink from the TSA guy.

But it got one out of Spence. He also swallowed hard as she snatched them back from him.

“Hold on,” he said and caught her arm, pulling it toward him to look at her bleeding elbow.

“Sit,” he said and gently pushed her down to a weight bench. He vanished into the bathroom and came back out with a first aid kit.

It took him less than two minutes to clean and bandage the scrape. Then, easily balanced at her side on the balls of his feet, he did the same for both her knees, which she hadn’t noticed were also scraped up.

“You must’ve hit the brick coping as you fell in the fountain,” he said and let his thumb slide over the skin just above one bandaged knee.

She shivered, and not from the cold either. “Not going to kiss it better?” she heard herself ask before biting her tongue for running away with her good sense.

She’d raised her younger twin brothers. Scrappy, roughhouse wild animals, the both of them, so there’d been plenty of injuries she’d kissed over the years.

But no one had ever kissed hers. Not surprising, since most of her injuries tended to be on the inside, where they didn’t show. Still, she was horrified she’d said anything at all. “I didn’t mean—”

She broke off, frozen like a deer in the headlights as Spence slowly lowered his head, brushing his lips over the Band-Aid on her elbow, then her knees. When he lifted his head, he pushed his glasses higher on his nose, those whiskey eyes warm and amused behind his lenses. “Better?”

Shockingly better. Since she didn’t quite trust her voice at the moment, she gave a jerky nod and took her clothes back into the bathroom. She shut the door and then leaned against it, letting out a slow, deliberate breath. Holy cow, she was out of her league. He was somehow both cute and hot, and those glasses . . .


percy-klein

After reading this, I can safely say that hot, geeky, glasses-wearing heroes are my jam and will forever be my jam. I don’t know what it is about the geeky cute guy or, in Spencer Baldwin’s case the sexy nerdy guy, but they just make me both squeal and swoon. If you haven’t guessed it yet, I very much enjoyed Chasing Christmas Eve and it is mainly to do with the fact that Spencer Baldwin is my new favorite hero.

Colbie Albright’s first time in San Francisco after running away for a well-deserved vacation from her life did not start off like she thought it would. I don’t think getting knocked into a fountain by a dog was on her list of things to do while visiting but it did have its benefits seeing as the man who helped her out of the fountain is Spencer Baldwin, the resident sexy tech geek. Her three-week vacation starts looking up as she and Spencer go from just strangers to oh so much more.

I have already made it abundantly clear how much I loved Spencer in this book, but overall, I thought this book was ADORABLE. It was so great to step back into the world of Heartbreaker Bay after falling head over heels for it in Elle and Asher’s book, Accidentally on Purpose. While I did swoon over Spencer, I also enjoyed Colbie, especially with the fact that she was a best-selling YA fantasy author because it is not a profession I have come across for a heroine to have and I was beyond excited about it. Even though I wasn’t able to connect with Colbie as a character as much as I thought I would, I loved when she held her ground against Jackson and spoke her mind about what she needed to her family. Oh, and her alternative swear words were just so freaking cute. It was a quirky element to the book that I enjoyed and also brought an air of realness to Spencer and Colbie’s relationship.

Chasing Christmas Eve is adorably cute but also has its sexy moments hence the reason why I love Spencer Baldwin so much. The only part that didn’t vibe with me was the epilogue but only because it felt rushed. Ending aside, this book was a wonderful addition to the series and I can’t wait to read more!

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blog tour · book blog · book review · bookblast · books · excerpt · promo · reading · release blast · romance · teaser

Release Week Blitz + Review: Too Beautiful to Break by Tessa Bailey

Bailey_TooBeautifulToBreak_MMTOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK
Romancing The Clarksons, #4
Tessa Bailey
On Sale: September 26, 2017
Publisher: Forever

A love of a lifetime . . .

Leaving Belmont Clarkson is the hardest thing Sage Alexander has ever done. From the moment they met, she knew Belmont was the one, and getting up close and personal with him on his family’s epic road trip has taken her desire to a new, even hotter level. But there’s no way she can go there—not without revealing secrets that could devastate them both.

Losing Sage is not an option. Belmont’s heart is hers, has always been hers. He knows she’s hiding something from him, but nothing will stand in his way of telling her just how much she means to him. Finding her is easy—saving her from her past could cost him everything.

Add to Goodreads


BUY THE BOOK HERE
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Google Play | iBooks |
Indiebound | Kobo

THE ROMANCING THE CLARKSONS SERIES
Series Page on Goodreads

TOO HOT TO HANDLE, #1
TOO WILD TO TAME, #2
TOO HARD TO FORGET, #3
TOO CLOSE TO CALL, #3.5
TOO BEAUTIFUL TO BREAK, #4

Romancing the Clarksons Series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

highres-MJB_5140.jpg

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove 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 and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.


Website | 
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads


FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest


GIVEAWAY
https://app.viralsweep.com/view_widget/a7fc51-24705

TooBeautiful-Quote-Graphic-2

 

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Strap yourself in because this book is one emotional rollercoaster. I am not exaggerating when I say that because I actually started this book a few weeks ago and had to put it down after reading just the first 10% of it because of how much emotion and heaviness was being foreshadowed. This is just a friendly warning that this book will make your heartache or even goes as far as ripping it straight out of your chest, so have tissues ready.

Belmont Clarkson is the oldest of the Clarkson siblings and after meeting him in Too Hard to Forget, I could just sense that this man has been through A LOT in his life. He is elusive yet has such a remarkable presence. At the same time though, I could feel the sadness and darkness surrounding him as he tries to maintain control of his life which has been a little difficult given the cross country road trip he has been on with his siblings. But, there has been one person who has brought some light and stability to this trip and that is Sage Alexander, Peggy’s best friend. Sage and Belmont have this connection that is so palpable, I sensed it even from their small moments together in the previous book. That palpability skyrocketed within the first three chapters of this book as Sage leaves Belmont, to make the journey to New York on his own, while she faces her past back home in Sibley, Louisiana.

“His heart had made the decision, mind and body had approved, and her happiness had become a necessity. There was nothing simple about what Sage made him feel. But the importance of her took no effect to describe. And it never wavered. She was the most important.”

That is what Belmont felt for Sage after they met for the first time. It is the perfect example for me to give in order to show that Belmont is nothing like any hero I have ever read before. The feelings and thoughts that this man has are enthralling and also completely unexpected.  His mind, though weathered by what he has gone through in the past, still has the capacity to feel so profoundly especially after Sage came into his world. It is his connection and unquestionable love for Sage that drives him to follow her to Sibley and finish what began many moments ago.

I have purposely not talked about the plot that much because it is the emotions felt by Belmont and Sage, both individually and towards each other, that drive this book. This is not an easy read, I repeat, THIS IS NOT AN EASY READ. It is intense and heavy and may drain you emotionally until you are a crying mess curled up in your bed but it is also so very beautiful and well worth the pain it might put you through (Remember, I did warn you in the beginning). This is by far the most emotional book I have read in a while but I would like to thank Tessa Bailey for giving us Belmont and Sage’s story even if I am still recovering.

books · life update · reading · update

Where I’ve Been….

It’s been a while since I have given this lovely blog some attention. This hiatus was never intentional and yet I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect it to happen. The truth is a lot has happened in the last 4 months: left my bookseller job, got my first library job since starting grad school, summer classes, the start of my last year of grad school, and so much more. But I know with the utmost clarity that all of these things were made to happen because I have had this gut feeling for a while that good things are on the horizon.

Now, you might be wondering what this has to do with The Hopeless Romantic Bookworm. Well, one of those good things is this blog, which I am kind of getting reacquainted with. It is going to sound so strange but I was writing up a review for Rock Me by Carly Phillips earlier this week and it felt like the most natural and right thing to be doing. It was then that I knew it was time to get back into my love for blogging even though at times I am hesitant to post my thoughts and feelings out for everyone to see.

I am not going to be coming back guns blazing posting everyday because let’s be real. I am still a grad student and my degree is very important to me because it will allow me to achieve my dream of becoming a librarian. But recent opportunities have presented itself (stay tuned!) to show me that I can start to make this blog a part of my life again and slowly work up towards a more consistent pace.

So, I hope you stay along for the ride because my love for this blog and blogging has never died, its just been pushed aside for a while. One thing to look forward is that I have decided to try and read the entire Chicagoland Vampire series by Chloe Neill for the month of October. While I am not the biggest Halloween fan, it is my favorite paranormal series and seemed the closest I would get to a “spooky October read”.

That’s all for now. May your TBR piles continue to grow because there is nothing better than discovering a new book you want to read.

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book blog · book review · books · reading · romance

Review: Rock Me by Carly Phillips

Rock Me CoverCarly Phillips
Rock Me
Bad Boy Bodyguards Book 1
Release Date Sept. 19, 2017

ROCK ME, an all-new sexy STANDALONE, is coming this fall from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Carly Phillips!

Bodyguard Bad Boys… Sexy, Hot, and oh so protective!

A pop star in danger.

Her reluctant bodyguard.

A past they can’t deny.

Summer Michelle is on the verge of ultimate fame.

Ben Hollander has sworn off mixing business with pleasure.

But keeping his hands off of the sexy songstress is easier said than done and once the threat is neutralized, will she choose fame over love?

She was a client.

Off-limits and out of his reach.

But some rules are meant to be broken…

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Buy links:
Amazon Kindle B&N Nook | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play



About the Author:

carly-phillipsAfter a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at http://www.carlyphillips.com.

Website | Mailing List Goodreads Amazon | Facebook | Twitter


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I am a faithful reader of anything that Carly Phillips writes. I mean, not to get all sappy and nostalgic, but it was her book, Sealed With A Kiss, that sealed (yes, pun intended) my fate in loving romance novels for the rest of my life. Everything I have picked up of hers I have enjoyed greatly but sadly, the day has come where I did not like one of her books as much I thought I would.

In her newest series, Carly Phillips is introducing us to the Bodyguard Bad Boys, which sounds ridiculously hot as I assume it is intended to be. The first to make our acquaintance is Ben Hollander, who has such a sexy name I warmed up to him from the very beginning ;). Ben has been a bodyguard for quite some time and has always performed his job with the utmost professionalism, until he crossed paths with Summer Michelle. Unfortunately, their time together did not end on a good note but that’s ok because fate dealt them a second chance. That, and Summer, an upcoming popstar looking to make her big break, is being threatened. You can probably guess who is assigned to be her bodyguard

It was so great getting a look into the world of this series and also see what is to come, but I think the reason why I didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would is because I just couldn’t connect to the main couple. Don’t get me wrong there was definite chemistry between the two despite their rather strained reunion. But, the further I got into the story, the more interested I was in the secondary characters than Summer and Ben. As crazy as this may sound and it does coming from me, the physical aspect of Summer and Ben’s reconnection became too much for me. And, I get that since this is their second chance there really isn’t much get to know each other moments but I liked the Summer and Ben’s moments together when they weren’t ripping each other’s clothes off. Add in the fact that the book was shorter than I was expecting and it seemed that a good amount of the book was about how Summer and Ben were “reconnecting” with one another. Overall, I would have liked the pace and storyline to be stretched out a little more because it all wrapped up way too quickly for me.

Despite my feelings towards Rock Me, it in no way dissuades me from continuing with this series because like I said before, this girl is a faithful reader to all things Carly Phillips. This book wasn’t my cup of tea but I still enjoyed it enough to be eagerly waiting for the next book in the series.

Now, if you are in the mood for bodyguards and love yourself a second chance romance with a good helping of bedroom action, then I recommend you pick up Rock Me.

3-out-of-5-stars

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blog tour · book blog · book review · books · promo · reading · romance

Blog Tour + Review: Betting the Bad Boy by Stefanie London

BettingTheBadBoy500Betting the Bad Boy
Behind the Bar #3
By: Stefanie London
Releasing May 8, 2017
Entangled Lovestruck

Self-confessed perfectionist Paige Thomas isn’t used to failing. But when a critical error in romantic judgment sends all her big city career dreams crashing down, she scrambles to find a job—any job—to make ends meet.

Noah Reid may as well have “trust issues” tattooed on his forehead. Being raised in the foster system didn’t give him a positive outlook on relationships, but now he’s looking after his best friend’s bar for one month, and he can’t do it alone.

Things get steamy when Noah hires Paige, but she’s determined not to repeat her mistakes and she bets Noah that she can keep her hands to herself while they’re working together. Too bad for her, Noah is an expert at breaking the rules…

Link to Follow Tour:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2017/4/3/betting-bad-boy-stefanie-london

Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34738007-betting-the-bad-boy

Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/160771-behind-the-bar

Buy Links:
AMAZON | B & N | ITUNES | KOBO

Author Info

Stefanie LondonStefanie London is the USA Today bestselling author of over ten contemporary romances with humour, heat and heart. Growing up, Stefanie came from a family of women who loved to read. Thus, it was no surprise Stefanie was the sort of student who would read her English books before the semester started. After sneaking several literature subjects into her ‘very practical’ Business degree, she got a job in Communications. When writing emails and newsletters didn’t fulfil her creative urges, she turned to fiction and was finally able to write the stories that kept her mind busy at night.

Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is currently in the process of doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels and zombie movies.

Author Links:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

 

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Winners choice of a Stephanie London Backlist)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

TastyToursExcerpt

She held the blindfold while trying to ignore the flutter of excitement in her stomach. Her fingers toyed with the elasticated band meant to hold the mask in place.

“Both partners are going to get a turn at being blindfolded,” Libby said from the front of the room. “Between yourselves, pick who’s going to go first.”

Noah looked down at her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He ran a hand along his jaw, catching the reddish-gold bristles of his burgeoning beard. For a moment, Paige was totally captured with the idea of how the bristles might feel on her skin. Would they be smooth or rough? Would she shriek if he brushed them along her inner thigh?

“What do you say, new girl?” He cocked his head. “Would you rather do the blindfolding or be blindfolded?”

At that point she would have been happy to go all in— blindfolded, tied up, and held down.

Holy crap, would you listen to yourself? This is a work function, not a goddamn re-creation of Fifty Shades

“Blindfolded,” she squeaked, thrusting the mask into his hands and spinning so quickly that she almost lost her footing.

“You know, I’ve never done this before.” His hand steadied her, the reassuring warmth of his touch seeping into her skin. Her bones felt like jelly.

“Blindfolded someone?” she asked, cringing at how shaky her voice sounded.

“Ah, no. I meant the taste test.” He chuckled as he slipped the mask over her eyes.

Heat rushed up to Paige’s cheeks. Of course he meant the taste test. What an idiot she was. Just because her brain was earning an R-rating tonight didn’t mean his was, too. She fought back a tremor as he brushed some loose hairs from her neck so he could adjust the strap on the mask.

Everything went dark, and Paige gripped the edge of the table for support.

Warm breath whispered over her ear, and she could tell he’d leaned in a little closer. The scent of coffee and faded cologne tempted her to turn her head toward the source.

“I’ve definitely blindfolded someone before, but it wasn’t for a taste test.”
Her breath hitched, and she was grateful that she’d had the presence of mind to hold on to something.

 

tastytoursreview

Self-professed perfectionist meets bad boy, who wouldn’t want to read that love story. When the bad boy is described as the fourth Hemsworth brother and the story takes place in Melbourne, Australia. Well then I was sold. This is the first romance that I have ever read that has taken place down under and it honestly made the story so much better.

Paige Thomas’s life is not going the way she planned. In her mind, she would have the perfect accounting job at this point in her life not unemployed and living off her best friend’s couch having daily matches with her cat Damon. And she did have this perfect accounting job until her decision to go on a date with a co-worker resulted in her termination. Now she had less than a month to find a job or it was back to her small country town, solidifying the fact that she, in her mind, had failed. Who knew that one visit to First, a bar-slash-restaurant for a simply cup of coffee to clear her head and get her refocused after another unsuccessful job interview would change her life forever.

Noah Reid was just trying to hire a new barista at First, which he was temporarily managing while his friend Des was away, but so far the applicants were less than stellar. That is until Paige breezes into First. Paige is more distracted by how freakin’ gorgeous Noah is that it takes her a minute to realize that Noah has mistaken her as his next applicant. What does Paige do? Well she hijacks someone else’s interview of course. The thing is, working in a place like First is not so far fetched seeing as Paige’s family owns a cafe back home which she worked in for many years. When Noah finds out that Paige is not who she say she is well things go a little south from there. Except Noah does not know Paige’s determination because she bets him that if she can make him the best coffee he has ever tasted then he has to hire her.

Paige and Noah’s first meeting was so fun much and absolutely hilarious. It was what drew me into the book in the first place. Their banter was so cute and natural during the interview but you could clearly tell that there was some underlying sexual tension happening. I think the best part was when Paige was trying to win the bet. You could clearly see the romantic comedy elements of the book coming out. Paige seemed so comfortable around Noah even though they had just met but she was still kind of shy and a little bit embarrassed especially after the incident that happened during her interview. Let’s just say Paige exposed a little bit more of her self than she wanted to Noah while dazzling him with her coffee making skills.

While I really enjoyed the beginning of Paige and Noah’s relationship and the bets they made to one another, I think my expectations in terms of where the story was going and the overall pacing did not match up with the story. I finished the book wanting more. More of Noah’s relationship with his family. More intimate moments between Paige and Noah. Just MORE. I will say though that the ending really tied things together for me even if the middle was in the end a bit underwhelming.

If you are looking for a cute romantic comedy that takes place down under, then definitely check out Betting the Bad Boy!

blog tour · book blog · book review · books · promo · reading · romance

Blog Tour + Review: Good Lies by Charlotte West

Good LiesGood_Lies_(A_Wild_Mind_Novel_Book_1)_Charlotte_West_Cover
Charlotte West
A Wild Minds Novel
May 08, 2017

If Warren Price was gasoline, I’d be a lit match.

Addison Wanks, rock ’n’ roll’s favorite daughter, is good at keeping secrets.

Secret One

She’s responsible for the long-standing feud between her father’s band, Wanks and Janks, and younger band Wild Minds. She may or may not have let Wild Minds’ sexy bad-boy lead singer
Warren defile her backstage at a concert. Okay, she totally did.
Secret Two

She’s supposed to be attending college but instead skips town to follow Wild Minds on their European tour. Addy adores Warren Price.

Secret Three

Europe doesn’t go so well. Her sexy lead singer turned out to be king of a**holes. He’s arrogant, demanding and controlling. Addy loathes Warren Price. Oh, well.

Secret Four

Fast forward a few years and Addy is planning to attend her father’s farewell tour when she hears the news—Wild Minds is back in the good graces of Wanks and Janks. The two bands will be headlining together. This is going to make avoiding Warren difficult. Especially since it seems Warren doesn’t want to be ignored. He also doesn’t want a divorce. That’s right, Addy is married to the Wild Minds front man. Shh. Don’t tell.

What will happen when all Addy’s secrets are revealed?

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34527117-good-lies?from_search=true

Buy Links:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CAN | Kobo | iBooks

 



About the Author:

charlotte personal
Charlotte West writes romance about strong heroines and the sexy alpha males who love them. She lives in Washington state with her husband and very large dog (think miniature pony size). She spends way too much money on books, and way too much time reading. When she’s not reading, she’s feeding her reality television addiction, eating chocolate, or traveling. She’s been known to consume her weight in Girl Scout cookies.

She has a degree in Science and a Master’s in Education, neither of which she is currently using but is still paying for. Occasionally, she moonlights as a YA author.

Author Links:
Website:  https://www.charlottewestbooks.com/
Newsletter: https://www.charlottewestbooks.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16551940.Charlotte_West
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Charlotte-West-1297992550266292/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWestBooks



percy-klein

The minute I read the blurb for this book I wanted to read it. I mean how can you not read through all of Addison’s secrets especially the last one and not want to starting reading Good Lies immediately. And the cover, which um hi is absolutely GORGEOUS, only made me want to get my hands on this book even more. I should also preface this review by saying this is the first rockstar romance that I have ever read but if there are others that are just as amazing as this one I’m pretty sure rockstar romances will become my new favorite kind of romance to read.

I loved how this book started because it was not how I was expecting it too. In the prologue, you are introduced to Addison when she is a child after she is found by the police because her mother, who left her alone for four days, unfortunately died of an overdose. Addison admits in the prologue that her father, at least she was told, is Billy Wanks, a world famous rockstar. While one of the officers is very skeptical, another officer, Officer Pete, who will become an important person in Addison’s life is more open to the possibility. Within the next few chapters, it is confirmed that Addison is Billy’s kid. Even though he has no idea how to raise a child at the age of 22, Billy takes Addison home and raises her in his rockstar lifestyle until she is about sixteen. That is when Addison first meets Warren Price, her future husband, and things get a little crazy from there.

Switching to present day we find Addison in college, trying to make it on her own in NYC without her father’s money and the attention that comes with it. Everything is going well until her father calls and asks if she could come on the last leg of his tour. Addison is very reluctant to go because her husband and his band are the opening act. Addison and Warren’s relationship is a bit strained, considering Addison left him in Europe with no explanation and then has sent divorce papers for him to sign over the last few years each time getting them back blank. But Addison’s love for her father wins out overall and she decides that this is the perfect way to get Warren to sign the divorce papers once and for all. As if it was going to be that easy lol.

This book was so much more than just a rockstar romance with its quintessential arrogant, I-think-I’m-a-rock-god rockstar. Don’t get me wrong Warren Price fits that bill perfectly, but there was also a lot of angst and emotion. Addison has not lived the most normal life with being abandoned and then swept up into this world of fame and traveling on the road with Billy. Add in Warren and their love story, with Billy disapproving of Warren from day one, and the huge secret of their marriage and you really feel for her throughout the book. Secrets and lies pile up and you know things are going to hit the fan at some point but you also hold out hope for Addison and Warren because through everything they still love each other.

There is a lot going on in this book and because I was hooked from the first page, I think I read this just a tad too fast because I don’t think I was able to connect with what was happening at some points in the book and that through off my paced feeling for the book towards the end. All I know is that I plan on reading this again very soon and that I CAN’T WAIT for Ash and Lily’s story (Warren’s brother and Addison’s best friend).

All I can say is that if you are a fan of rockstar romances, you have to pick this up soon. And if you aren’t that much of a fan, still pick it up because there is some much more to it that just the rockstar aspect.

4.5 stars

blog tour · book blog · bookblast · books · promo · reading · romance · teaser

Blog Tour + Promo: Good Lies by Charlotte West

 

Good LiesGood_Lies_(A_Wild_Mind_Novel_Book_1)_Charlotte_West_Cover
Charlotte West
A Wild Minds Novel
May 08, 2017

If Warren Price was gasoline, I’d be a lit match.

Addison Wanks, rock ’n’ roll’s favorite daughter, is good at keeping secrets.

Secret One

She’s responsible for the long-standing feud between her father’s band, Wanks and Janks, and younger band Wild Minds. She may or may not have let Wild Minds’ sexy bad-boy lead singer
Warren defile her backstage at a concert. Okay, she totally did.
Secret Two

She’s supposed to be attending college but instead skips town to follow Wild Minds on their European tour. Addy adores Warren Price.

Secret Three

Europe doesn’t go so well. Her sexy lead singer turned out to be king of a**holes. He’s arrogant, demanding and controlling. Addy loathes Warren Price. Oh, well.

Secret Four

Fast forward a few years and Addy is planning to attend her father’s farewell tour when she hears the news—Wild Minds is back in the good graces of Wanks and Janks. The two bands will be headlining together. This is going to make avoiding Warren difficult. Especially since it seems Warren doesn’t want to be ignored. He also doesn’t want a divorce. That’s right, Addy is married to the Wild Minds front man. Shh. Don’t tell.

What will happen when all Addy’s secrets are revealed?

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34527117-good-lies?from_search=true

Buy Links:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CAN | Kobo | iBooks

 



About the Author:

charlotte personal
Charlotte West writes romance about strong heroines and the sexy alpha males who love them. She lives in Washington state with her husband and very large dog (think miniature pony size). She spends way too much money on books, and way too much time reading. When she’s not reading, she’s feeding her reality television addiction, eating chocolate, or traveling. She’s been known to consume her weight in Girl Scout cookies.

She has a degree in Science and a Master’s in Education, neither of which she is currently using but is still paying for. Occasionally, she moonlights as a YA author.

Author Links:
Website:  https://www.charlottewestbooks.com/
Newsletter: https://www.charlottewestbooks.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16551940.Charlotte_West
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Charlotte-West-1297992550266292/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CWestBooks


Excerpt #1:

Putting my head down, I decided to follow Ash. After all, Warren had said, “Get out,” to everybody. I was only respecting his wishes. That was nice of me. Considerate. I’d even collect my bags at a later time. Scratch that. I’d just buy all-new stuff. I’d use Billy’s card. He’d like that. Daisy could go shopping with me.

My arm grazed Warren’s. Heat pricked along my side at the contact. He stayed as still as a statue, his body taut and tense. He was going to let me pass. Thank you very much. I was almost home free. Until his hand shot out and wrapped around my upper arm, his grip tight enough to halt me but not tight enough to hurt me. I could feel the warmth from his palm through my damp sweatshirt, burning me, branding me.

“Not you,” he said, his voice hardening.

I shuffled back into the bunks, forcing him to let go. His stare went to my heaving chest. It felt as if the temperature had skyrocketed a thousand degrees.

Warren advanced. His nostrils flared and his septum piercing, a thin silver band, flashed in the low light.

I stepped back until I was pressed against a sliver of wall. Dammit, why’d they have to make these spaces so tight? Warren kept coming until he was flush against my front. I fisted his shirt. To push him away or bring him closer, I didn’t know. Then his fingers were in my belt loops, pressing me into him. I could feel his desire for me, his hardness against my stomach.

“Warren…” I started.

He closed his eyes. “Fuck, I’ve dreamt about you saying my name. Say it again,” he demanded. Always so bossy.

“Warren,” I said again, this time more firmly.

He didn’t understand my tone or he chose to ignore it. Probably the latter. His head lowered and then his lips crashed against mine. He cupped the nape of my neck and begged entrance into my mouth with his tongue.

Something inside of me broke free. A need so fierce it bulldozed all my common sense, all my reasons against this, everything I’d kept tightly reined in for the last few years. I yielded to him. His mouth tasted like whiskey and chocolate, two of my favorite things. Warren groaned and it was like a tiny earthquake inside of me, the vibration snaking down to my belly and igniting desire between my legs. As if he sensed it, his kiss became hotter, wetter, more demanding.

Somehow, my hands found their way under his thin t-shirt, caressing his abs. Cool air hit my stomach and then the tops of my breasts. Warren was stripping me. He broke the kiss for one second to whip my sweatshirt and t-shirt over my head. Then he was back on me, his tongue in my mouth, his body shifting down and up, forcing my legs to wrap around his waist to keep balance.

He rubbed against my core. I made a guttural sound. His lips withdrew and then plastered to my neck. Oh, God, he still knew my sweet spot, right behind my ear he licked and whispered, “I knew you’d come back to me. I knew it.”

What? A cold sensation crept along my spine. Warren didn’t notice. He sucked the thin skin on my collarbone. I almost forgot what he’d just said but then he opened his big fat mouth again. “Are you sorry for what you did? Leaving me in Rome?” He kissed a wet trail down to the top of my breast. “You want me back, don’t you? Jesus, I should make you beg but I don’t think I’m going to last.”

 

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blog tour · book blog · book review · books · promo · reading · romance

Blog Tour + Review: Going in Deep by Carly Phillips

Going in DeepCarly Phillips
Going in Deep
Billionaire Bad Boys, Book 4
May 9, 2017

He isn’t Mr. Nice Guy…

Julian Dane thought he’d hit rock bottom — until he met a woman (isn’t that what they all say?). He used her and broke her heart. Now he wants to turn things around but the damage he dealt stands in his way.

Kendall Parker’s unique issues have made it hard to live a normal life. Very few people understand her and she trusts even less … but she believed in Julian once, and he only betrayed her.

Now Julian is back — a new man — and determined to win Kendall’s heart. But this reformed bad boy just might find that Going in Deep is harder than it looks.

Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and Sexy as hell.
All Billionaire Bad Boys Novels stand alone!

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34216074-going-in-deep

Buy links:
Amazon Kindle B&N Nook | Kobo | iBooks | Google Play | Amazon Paperback

About the Author:

carly-phillipsAfter a successful fifteen-year career with various New York publishing houses, and over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels published, N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips is now an Indie author who writes to her own expectations and that of her readers. She continues the tradition of hot men and strong women and plans to publish many more sizzling stories. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find out more about Carly at http://www.carlyphillips.com.

Author Links:
Website: http://www.carlyphillips.com/
Newsletter: http://www.carlyphillips.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10000.Carly_Phillips
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carly-Phillips/e/B001I9W0MS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlyPhillipsFanPage
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlyphillips



Previous books in the Billionaire Bad Boys Series


easy_amazonGoing Down Easy
Billionaire Bad Boys
Book 1

Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.

Billionaire Kaden Barnes has a reputation for being difficult and always getting his way.

Enigmatic and exacting, he’s unable to keep an assistant for long. Enter his newest hire, Lexie Parker. She’s no-nonsense, efficient and all business… She’s also hot as sin and soon starring in Kaden’s dirtiest fantasies.

As their passion for each other reaches a boiling point, neither can control the explosive outcome when they finally give in to their desires. He may think he’s calling the shots, but for this bad boy, going down easy has never felt so good.

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30064124-going-down-easy

Buy links:
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/29CXgH0
B&N Nook: http://bit.ly/29qYYaS
Kobo: http://bit.ly/29wlJL1
iBooks: http://apple.co/29lk0G4
Google Play: http://bit.ly/29qcKMj

going-down-fastGoing Down Fast
Billionaire Bad Boys
Book 2

Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell. 

Lucas Monroe dropped out of college only to become a multi-billionaire and tech world God. He can have any woman he desires in his bed, but the only woman he’s ever wanted is off limits and always has been. When Maxie Sullivan finds herself in dire straits, the only man she can turn to is the one she’s always secretly loved: her childhood best friend.  Can they trust their hearts and make a future, or will their complicated pasts stand in the way?

This bad boy is going down fast …

And going down fast has never felt so right.

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30297093-going-down-fast

Buy links:
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2acSVXh
B&N Nook: http://bit.ly/2acUdSf
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2aiVlWT
iBooks: http://apple.co/2awzmvS
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2asyBmA

unknown-14Going Down Hard
Billionaire Bad Boys
Book 3

Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.

Derek West rose from poverty to take the tech world by storm. He’s sexy, confident and gets any woman he wants. And who he wants is Cassie Storm, the rich girl he’s never been good enough for.

She’s desperate to save her family company and there’s only one man who can help. But Derek isn’t interested in helping. He wants to possess both the company and the woman he’s never been able to forget.

His plan? To screw her out of his head. Except once he’s had a taste of Cassie, he doesn’t want to let her go. Her family remembers where he came from, and they won’t allow it. When the truth about their pasts comes to light, though, it may be Cassie who’s going down hard.

Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30289585-going-down-hard

Buy links:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2eHavVe
B&N Nook: http://bit.ly/2e8Rq1T
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2f1RvU9
iBooks: http://apple.co/2elBggW
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2hgRZIE


percy-klein

After reading the other three books in this series and really getting invested in these characters and the world of the Billionaire Bad Boys, I will be honest I was a bit apprehensive to read this fourth and final book. My apprehensiveness swirled around the fact that this couple, Julian and Kendall, and the issues they each have and are working on overcoming were probably going to make this book an emotional rollercoaster. And I was not wrong, this book was an emotional rollercoaster.

Let me start out by saying that this book is by far my favorite in the series. I enjoyed the other three books quite a bit but Going in Deep was different from them. I think it was because, if you have read the other books in this series, you are introduced to  Julian and Kendall in the first book. You see their beginning and then unfortunately you see the betrayal when Kendall finds out that Julian used her the entire time to get back at Kade since Kendall is the twin sister of Lexie who falls in love with Kade in Going Down Easy. What Julian didn’t know is that Kendall is bipolar and at the time was not entirely in control of her disorder. But, it is the realization that he hurt someone who was not mentally stable that caused Julian to re-examine his life and become a better man.

My opinion of Julian in the first book was less than stellar especially after my suspicions were confirmed that he was using Kendall to get what he wanted: to get back at Kade. But this book completely threw those opinions out the freakin’ window because not only do you see just how much Julian has done in his life to change and become a better person but you also learn about his background and why he turned to drugs. The character development of both Julian and Kendall are amazing but it was Julian’s actions and his want to make things work with Kendall a second time around that made me not only root for him but also fall in love with him a little bit.

I feel like I haven’t rooted for a couple to get together this much in a while. Both Julian and Kendall have had their issues to work on but it is those experiences of working on getting better that makes them perfect for one another. Even if they have obstacles such as the approval of Lexie and Kade. It frustrated me to no end that Lexie and Kade were so resistant even after Kendall explained that Julian had changed. I understand their hesitations but it got to the point where I wanted to shake them. It made me love Kendall even more when she finally stood up for her feelings towards Julian because it was about damn time.

I could honestly gush about this book for a few more paragraphs but this review is already long enough. If you like second chance romances that will pull at your heartstrings and have you furiously rooting for the couple, then PICK. UP. THIS. BOOK. You will not be disappointed. (While you don’t have to read the other books in the series, I do recommend it because you will get a better sense of this couple’s journey.)

VERDICT: Carly Phillips hits yet another romance out of the park.

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