RAINY DAY FRIENDS (WILDSTONE #2)

Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife.

Rocked by the infidelity, Lanie is left to grapple with searing questions. How could she be so wrong about a man she thought she knew better than anyone? Will she ever be able to trust another person?  Can she even trust herself?

Desperate to make a fresh start, Lanie impulsively takes a job at the family-run Capriotti Winery. At first, she feels like an outsider among the boisterous Capriottis. With no real family of her own, she’s bewildered by how quickly they all take her under their wing and make her feel like she belongs. Especially Mark Capriotti, a gruffly handsome Air Force veteran turned deputy sheriff who manages to wind his way into Lanie’s cold, broken heart—along with the rest of the clan.

Everything is finally going well for her, but the arrival of River Brown changes all that. The fresh-faced twenty-one-year old seems as sweet as they come…until her dark secrets come to light—secrets that could destroy the new life Lanie’s only just begun to build. 

Release Date: June 19, 2018

Avon Harper Collins

Contemporary Romance

Wildstone #2

Review copy provided by publihser

Liza's review:

Seriously Rainy Day Friends was like book crack to me. Once I started reading this story, I didn't want to put the book down. This book made me laugh out loud in public while reading, gave me happy signs and even a few tears.

 Lanie Jacobs needs a break from her life in after discovering her husband not only married her, but several other women. I loved how Lanie was a bit of a fish out of water around the Capriotti clan in the beginning. As she never had a close knit family, suddenly being drawn into a boisterous and all up in your business family really was a shock to her. I loved the Capriottis accepted Lanie into their family pretty much from the moment she walked on their property. I honestly think if this had just been a story about Lanie finding a family with the Capriottis, it would have been great. However Ms. Shalvis took it so much further.

I loved seeing Lanie and Mark both find their way back to love. As they both had been burned pretty badly in the love department in the past, I loved watching them navigate their way through their relationship. I have to say I also adored Mark’s twin girls. I really think it can sometimes be a distraction to have kids in a romance, but felt the balance and humor with the girls was absolutely perfect in Rainy Day Friends. I think I fell in love with those two precocious little girls every bit as much as I fell in love with Lanie and Mark as a couple.

I figured out immediately that River has something to do with Lanie’s husband. Her story along with everything Lanie had discovered pretty much broke my heart for them both in the very beginning. However as the story progressed and Lanie and River spent more time together, I started to feel like they had become sisters of the heart. While I hated what they each had to go through to get to this point in their lives, I loved seeing them make such a strong and lasting connection to each other, as neither had a family like the Capriottis. I felt like they each finally had found a home among the Capriottis and finally had a sister in each other.

I’ve always adored books from Jill Shalvis, but have to say there is something about Rainy Day Friends that makes it one of my favorite books ever from Ms. Shalvis. It gave me all the emotional feels and I honestly didn’t want to put it down. I loved the story so much, I’ve already listened to the audiobook just so I could read it again, and it was like having the story brought to life all over again. I highly recommend Rainy Day Friends to everyone who loves and emotion filled romance with lots of humor. I really hope we get to spend more time with all these characters on our next visit to Wildstone.

Rating: 5 Stars (A)

ACE OF HEARTS (THE CURSED RAVENS MC #1)

Erin Dawson had the perfect life growing up in a perfect home with a perfect family. Her parents gave her and her sister everything a child could want. But after learning that the man she’s called “dad” her whole life isn’t actually her biological father, Erin is determined to find the man who is.

Armed with her original birth certificate, she finds her father, but begins questioning if her mom had been right all along to keep this information buried. It turns out he is the president of a motorcycle club, which could not be further from the life Erin leads. But, she’s determined to get to know the man who she gets her striking blue eyes from. Despite getting what she wants and finding her biological father, it’s the slightly older, much rougher but incredibly sexy biker Ace that catches Erin’s eye.

As the new “princess” of the Cursed Ravens, Erin is learning a whole new world, but her father has made it clear she is off limits. Will Ace follow his President’s orders or will he put his heart ahead of his duty? A sizzling tale of family and passion, Ace of Hearts features Fernando’s signature “snark and sass” (Booklist) and is perfect for fans of Kristin Ashley.

Release Date: June 11, 2018

Pocket Star

The Cursed Ravens MC series book #1

MC Romance/Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s review:

This is my first book by Chantal Fernando. I wasn't sure about trying a new to me author, but the cover of this book was what initially grabbed me, so I took a chance.

21-year-old Erin has just found out that the father she grew up with isn't her biological father. To her further amazement, she discovers her birth father is the president of The Cursed Ravens MC. Upon her arrival at the clubhouse she is immediately taken with the club man whore, Ace. 

Ace is kinda delicious sounding. And he has that bad boy alpha thing going for him. I can see why she wanted him. I liked Ace from the get go. He's tough and gritty, but he's also a good guy. He doesn't play games, and he makes it very clear that he's into Erin. 

I'm going to be honest here, I didn't care for Erin much. I know she's only 21, but her maturity level seemed more appropriate for a bratty 17 year old. She constantly rubbed me the wrong way. I kept wondering why Ace liked her so much...aside from her boobs and ass. Erin was a real distraction for me, and not in a good way. Her whining was constant and irritating. But I liked the rest of the characters, so I pushed on.

The secondary characters in this book were a hoot! They were the reason I didn't DNF this book. The plot was great. The writing was good, but again, Erin drove me batty. I liked the other MC members enough that I'll definitely read the next book in the series. Though I struggled to connect with the immature heroine, this is a good start to a new series. I'm glad I gave this book a chance. 

Rating: 3 Stars (B)

LIGHT MY FIRE RELEASE BLITZ

Light My Fire, an all-new sexy standalone by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, is LIVE!

I don’t do relationships.

I’ve lived my life hiding my scars, revealing myself only the in the scripts I write and the characters I voice.

Few people know the real me. I’m too careful. Too afraid of getting burned all over again.

Enter Beverly Martin. A movie star. A woman so beautiful and caring she makes my heart ache. She says she wants me—and her touch almost makes me believe that a girl like her could love a man like me.

But being with her would mean letting the spotlight of fame shine on me, too. And I’m not sure I can do that—even if walking away means losing the woman I love.

**Light My Fire is part of a binge read series by New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and #1 International bestselling author of the million copy Stark series, J. Kenner.

Each book in the series is a STANDALONE novel with NO cliffhanger and a guaranteed HEA!

Read Today!

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Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/LightMyFire

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Start the Series of Standalones Today!

Down On Me

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About J. Kenner

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy,  and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development with AwesomenessTV/Awestruck.

Her books have sold over three million  copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

Connect with Julie:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliekenner

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

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+JulieKenner-author

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

Tumblr: http://juliekenner.tumblr.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/juliekenner

Newsletter: http://juliekenner.com/contact/subscribe-to-the-julie-kenner-newsletter/

Website: www.jkenner.com

THE ONE YOU CAN'T FORGET

Most days Rebecca Lindt feels like an imposter...

The world admires her as a survivor. But that impression would crumble if people knew her secret. She didn't deserve to be the one who got away. But nothing can change the past, so she's thrown herself into her work. She can't dwell if she never slows down.

Wes Garrett is trying to get back on his feet after losing his dream restaurant, his money, and half his damn mind in a vicious divorce. But when he intervenes in a mugging and saves Rebecca―the attorney who helped his ex ruin him―his simple life gets complicated.

Their attraction is inconvenient and neither wants more than a fling. But when Rebecca's secret is put at risk, both discover they could lose everything, including what they never realized they needed: each other

She laughed and kissed him. This morning she'd melted down. But somehow this man had her laughing and turned on only a few hours later. Everything inside her felt buoyed.

She felt...light. 

She'd forgotten what that felt like.

Release Date: June 5, 2018

Sourcebook Casablanca

The Ones Who Got Away #2

Contemporary Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

I love me some Roni Loren! Every book has been pretty damn incredible. The back story to this series is heart shredding  tragic. It's the story of a group of friends who are survivors of a school shooting 10 years earlier. I went into this series wondering how Ms. Loren was going to handle the subject. I didn't need to be concerned; she handled it with complete sensitivity.

If I'm being completely honest, I disliked Rebecca in the first book. She was a bit snobbish and just rubbed me the wrong way. I have a different opinion of her now. I just didn't "know" her well enough before her story. She's struggling with lingering PTSD from the school shooting, but she puts on a good front. 

Wes is putting his life back together after being taken to the cleaners by his ex wife. The crazy part in this romance is that Rebecca was the divorce lawyer that made it possible for his ex to break him. Again, I was left thinking, how in the world will the author make this work? I mean, how could love blossom from this situation! Well, she did it...again. Roni Loren made it work like magic.

Rebecca and Wes were just amazing together. They gave each other things that they didn't realize they needed. The chemistry was hot and the bedroom shenanigans were nothing short of delicious. 

You get to witness a ton of growth for both of the characters. They're both strong people; They're just stronger together.

As always, Roni Loren's writing kept me enraptured from beginning to end. I read this book in just two sittings. I wanted to devour it. 

This series is both tragic and beautiful. Something wonderful comes from the horrific tragedy that the characters had to face. They find their strength to move on, and most importantly, they find someone to love and be loved in return.

I am anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series. 

Rating: 4 Stars (A)

VAMPIRE'S FAITH (DARK PROTECTORS #8)

The Dark Protectors are Back!
Vampire King Ronan Kayrs wasn’t supposed to survive the savage sacrifice he willingly endured to rid the world of the ultimate evil. He wasn’t supposed to emerge in this time and place, and he sure as hell wasn’t supposed to finally touch the woman who’s haunted his dreams for centuries. Yet here he is, in an era where vampires are hidden, the enemy has grown stronger, and his mate has no idea of the power she holds.

Dr. Faith Cooper is flummoxed by irrefutable proof that not only do vampires exist . . . they’re hot blooded, able to walk in sunlight, and shockingly sexy. Faith has always depended on science, but the restlessness she feels around this predatory male defies reason. Especially when it grows into a hunger only he can satisfy—that is if they can survive the evil hunting them both. 

Release Date: June 19, 2018

Lyrical Press

Dark Protectors #8

Paranormal romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Nikki’s Review:

This is the first book I've read by Rebecca Zanetti. I was told that this book is a good place to jump into this established series. I suppose that's true, but I did sometimes feel like I was missing out on something.

The beginning of the book packs a bit of a punch. The excitement starts straight away and drew me in. I immediately knew that I was going to like the heroine, Faith. And well, the hero, Ronan seemed pretty damn delicious.

I enjoyed the parts where Ronan was trying to figure all the modern advances in technology. It was both awkward and funny. 

The chemistry between the hero and heroine was fiery and exciting. The live scenes were drool worthy!

Like I said, this is my first book by this author, and I'm happy that I decided to read it. I think I may have to go back and start the series from the beginning. The writing is exciting and very detailed The plot was fast paced and kept me engaged. 

This book had all the ingredients that I look for in a good paranormal novel. I don't often step into the PN world of romance novels, but Ms. Zanetti has made me want to visit more often!

Rating: 3.5 Stars (B+)

THAT GUY RELEASE BLITZ

That Guy by Kim Jones

Releasing June 18, 2018

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Synopsis: He’s That Guy.

You know, the hero in almost every romance novel.

The super-rich, powerful CEO who is beyond sexy. Lives in a penthouse. Is wicked in bed. Has massive…feet. Is kind of a jerk, but really he’s not because he harbors some major secret that, once revealed, explains why he is the way he is—therefore completely redeeming himself and making all the readers who hated to love him swoon….

Yeah. That one.

Well, I found him.

I’m a writer who has spent years searching for the perfect muse.

Now that I know he exists, I have a mission.

To make him fall in love with me.

This should be easy. I mean, I have issues, but above all, I’m a great catch.

Problem is, I did a stupid thing.

And now he hates me.

Unfortunately for him, he’s my That Guy.

And he’s going to love me….

Whether he wants to or not.

Read Today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2LWIusX

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iBooks: Coming Soon

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Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ld2NH5

Excerpt:

His lips are smooth, but not soft. They’re too powerful. Too demanding. Too dominant to be considered soft. His tongue? It’s soft. He drags it across my bottom lip. Then my top. Bypassing my teeth because unlike me, he’s not an enamel licker. And unlike him, I’m not an asshole. So I take the hint and open my mouth wider so he can devour me. And taste me. And I can taste him. And guess what…

He tastes like whiskey and mint.

I don’t know where the mint came from, but trust me the cool hint of spearmint is there. I make a mental note to see how much a bottle of that twenty-four-hour mouthwash he uses runs on Ebay.

I whimper when his hand slides into my hair. He growls at the noise. Tightens his hold. Curls his other hand around my waist and pulls me closer to him. This time when I stumble, he catches me. Or should I say his chest catches me. Either way, I’m pressed against that unyielding, concrete slab he wears beneath his shirt.

Slow.

He kisses me so slow. How can something so languid, so tantalizing, so consuming be so damn passionate? Hell if I know. But this guy? He can do it.

I never want it to stop. God please don’t let it stop. His hand slides to the side of my neck. Cups my cheek. Thumb rubs along my jaw. He pulls his tongue back but keeps his lips on mine. Pressing soft, sweet kisses across the swell of my bottom lip. I fight the urge to jab my tongue back into his mouth because I know the kiss is coming to an end.

I’m boneless when he pulls his mouth from mine. But he keeps me pinned to him. So close I can still feel his warm breath on my bruised lips. My eyes flutter open and I gaze up to meet his. Those whirlwinds of color darken by the second with some unspoken promise that I pray is something dirty and erotic.

“That, Penelope, was a kiss.”

Meet the Author:

Kim Jones is a writer with big dreams. Inspired by her personal experience inside the MC life, she’s chosen to write biker romances that are authentic—expressing the true meaning of brotherhood and the lifestyle of motorcycle clubs. She resides in south Mississippi with her husband, Reggie, two dogs, a cat and a donkey.

Website: http://kimjonesbooks.com/

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2JI50cc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkimjones

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2LZt7jn

PRISONER OF THE CROWN (THE CHRONICLES OF DASNARIA #1)

She was raised to be beautiful, nothing more. And then the rules changed . . . 
 
In icy Dasnaria, rival realm to the Twelve Kingdoms, a woman’s role is to give pleasure, produce heirs, and question nothing. But a plot to overthrow the emperor depends on the fate of his eldest daughter. And the treachery at its heart will change more than one carefully limited life . . .
 
THE GILDED CAGE
Princess Jenna has been raised in supreme luxury—and ignorance. Within the sweet-scented, golden confines of the palace seraglio, she’s never seen the sun, or a man, or even learned her numbers. But she’s been schooled enough in the paths to a woman’s power. When her betrothal is announced, she’s ready to begin the machinations that her mother promises will take Jenna from ornament to queen.

But the man named as Jenna’s husband is no innocent to be cozened or prince to charm. He’s a monster in human form, and the horrors of life under his thumb are clear within moments of her wedding vows. If Jenna is to live, she must somehow break free—and for one born to a soft prison, the way to cold, hard freedom will be a dangerous path indeed…

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Rebel Base Books

The Chronicles of Dasnaria #1

Fantasy

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Prisoner of the Crown is the first book in a new fantasy series by Jeffe Kennedy. While it is a spin-off of her Twelve Kingdom series, I had no trouble with the dynamics in this new series. 

I really had to take a bit of time to put my thoughts together after reading Prisoner of the Crown. Ms. Kennedy completely and totally pulled me into this story, even though it did start off a bit slow. I found myself enchanted by Jenna and her sisters and yet horrified by the way they really were kept in a gilded cage as they grew up. Yes they had all the luxuries of royals, but no freedom what so ever. 

Each of the Imperial Princesses is being raised to marry to someone who will help her father's reign continue. Jenna is the oldest of the three sisters we meet in Prisoner of the Crown, and I think her mother did her best to prepare Jenna for what was coming. Not that her mother really had anything resembling maternal instincts. I swear the only reason Jenna was even marginally prepared for the man her father picked was because her mother had been so very horrible to her much of her childhood. Yes she taught her the power of a woman, but the way she did it was barbaric at times.

I honestly wasn't prepared for the brutality from Jenna's husband. I knew he wasn't a nice person, but I honestly didn't expect him to as much of a beast as he ended up being. I honestly couldn't believe her father would allow her to be given to such a man even for political gain. While I wasn't a fan of Jenna's mother, her training did give Jenna the knowledge she needed about power to help get her make the best decisions when it came to protecting herself and removing herself from her horrible situation.

Prisoner of the Crown was a good start to the new fantasy series. While incredibly hard to read at times, I found myself completely drawn into the story and couldn't stop reading. I can't wait to see where Ms. Kennedy takes us with this series of books.

Rating: 4 Stars (B)

DIRTY SEXY INKED FREEBIE ALERT!!!

✮ ✮ ✮  FREEBIE ALERT! ✮ ✮ ✮

Are you ready to get INKED? 

Dirty Sexy Inked from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Carly Phillips & Erika Wilde is FREE for a limited time only! 

Download your copy today!

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Breaking hearts is what wild and rebellious Mason Kincaid does best. Hit it and quit it is his motto, and with his bad boy reputation and tattoos, he doesn't lack for female companionship. Until one hot night with the one woman he swore he'd never touch becomes an all consuming addiction he can't kick. Katrina Sands has been his best friend for years, but now that he knows what she feels like, and tastes like, there is no going back to being just friends. Hot, dirty sex has never felt so good...or so right.

OCEAN LIGHT (PSY-CHANGELING #17)

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh dives beneath the surface of her Psy-Changeling world into a story of passionate devotion and selfless love...

Security specialist Bowen Knight has come back from the dead. But there's a ticking time bomb in his head: a chip implanted to block telepathic interference that could fail at any moment--taking his brain along with it. With no time to waste, he should be back on land helping the Human Alliance. Instead, he's at the bottom of the ocean, consumed with an enigmatic changeling...

Kaia Luna may have traded in science for being a chef, but she won't hide the facts of Bo's condition from him or herself. She's suffered too much loss in her life to fall prey to the dangerous charm of a human who is a dead man walking. And she carries a devastating secret Bo could never imagine...

But when Kaia is taken by those who mean her deadly harm, all bets are off. Bo will do anything to get her back--even if it means striking a devil's bargain and giving up his mind to the enemy... 

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Berkley Romance

Psy-Changeling #17, Psy-Changeling Trinity #2

Paranormal Romance

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

Ocean Light is the newest release in the Psy-Changeling series from Nalini Singh and picks up about 8 weeks after Silver Silence ends. With Ocean Light we finally get a book with major focus on BlackSea changelings, and I couldn't be happier.

Ocean Light is Bowen and Kaia's story and they form a bond pretty much from the first moment they see one another. While Bo is the head of the Human Alliance and lives on land, Kaia is a BlackSea changeling who lives in the deepest part of the ocean. I loved these two such different individuals hated to be apart from one another so quickly. Of course the fact that Kaia is the one to inform Bo he might have a trader in the midst of the Alliance was a bit of a strain for a time. All evidence available to Black Sea is pointing to someone in the Alliance being responsible for the missing members of the BlackSea clan. I loved that while Bo trusted his people, he didn't brush off the evidence and immediately wanted to investigate, even while waiting to see if the procedure to stabilize the chip in head will work.

I was completely charmed by Ocean Light. I can't say that I wanted Bowen to get his book right now, but as soon as I met Kaia, I knew there was no other individual that was more perfect for him. Watching them fall for one another gave me all the happy feels, even as I knew they had so many challenges ahead of them. They were very open with communication and really did seem to be real friends before moving on and becoming lovers. 

The mystery of the Consortium and who is running it remains as strong as ever. Yes we are learning a bit about those individuals who would sell out their people to help them, yet I didn't feel like we saw any solid leads to the group. I do feel like we made strides with the Alliance, Psy, and Changelings being true allies for the future.  I also loved that we finally learned more about the water changelings. While they are still a bit of a mystery, I have to say spending so much time with BlackSea did answer some questions I've had about the group since we first met them. 

I really enjoyed Ocean Light and thought it was a wonderful addition to the series. It was filled with romance, action, and intrigue. 

Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)

USA/Canada

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