New Release: American Love Story, by @ladrianaherrera

No one should have to choose between love and justice.

Haitian-born professor and activist Patrice Denis is not here for anything that will veer him off the path he’s worked so hard for. One particularly dangerous distraction: Easton Archer, the assistant district attorney who last summer gave Patrice some of the most intense nights of his life, and still makes him all but forget they’re from two completely different worlds.

All-around golden boy Easton forged his own path to success, choosing public service over the comforts of his family’s wealth. With local law enforcement unfairly targeting young men of color, and his career—and conscience—on the line, now is hardly the time to be thirsting after Patrice again. Even if their nights together have turned into so much more.

For the first time, Patrice is tempted to open up and embrace the happiness he’s always denied himself. But as tensions between the community and the sheriff’s office grow by the day, Easton’s personal and professional lives collide. And when the issue at hand hits closer to home than either could imagine, they’ll have to work to forge a path forward…together.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

This book is approximately 95,000 words

You can find this book on:

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About the Author:

Adriana was born and raised in the Caribbean, but for the last 15 years has let her job (and her spouse) take her all over the world. She loves writing stories about people who look and sound like her people, getting unapologetic happy endings.

When she’s not dreaming up love stories, planning logistically complex vacations with her family or hunting for discount Broadway tickets, she’s a social worker in New York City, working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

She’s one of the co-creators of the Queer Romance PoC Collective and serves as the VP of Programs for the Romance Writers of America New York City Chapter.

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New Release: Royal Holiday, by @thebestjasmine

This seems to be a trend with me when Guillory’s books are released. It takes me a little while to actually put together a post for the blog to tell you all about it. It was the case earlier this year, and again this month. This book was released on the 1st of October. Two weeks later, here’s my announcement!

In my defense, I was traveling to New York for a wedding the day it released. I finally tracked down a copy before flying back to Colorado and it was hard to put it down on the plane. I’m not finished yet. But it’s going very well. I’m hoping to finish it up soon and get a review out. But if you don’t want to wait for that, go out and grab a copy. You’ll find links below.

Vivian Forest has been out of the country a grand total of one time, so when she gets the chance to tag along on her daughter Maddie’s work trip to England to style a royal family member, she can’t refuse. She’s excited to spend the holidays taking in the magnificent British sights, but what she doesn’t expect is to become instantly attracted to a certain private secretary, his charming accent, and unyielding formality.

Malcolm Hudson has worked for the Queen for years and has never given a personal, private tour—until now. He is intrigued by Vivian the moment he meets her and finds himself making excuses just to spend time with her. When flirtatious banter turns into a kiss under the mistletoe, things snowball into a full-on fling.

Despite a ticking timer on their holiday romance, they are completely fine with ending their short, steamy affair come New Year’s Day. . .or are they?

If you’d like to buy a copy of this book, you can find it on:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author:

Jasmine Guillory is the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Date, The Proposal, and the forthcoming The Wedding Party. Her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Real Simple, Oprah Magazine.com, and Shondaland.com. She lives in Oakland, California.

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Review: The Friend Zone, by @AuthorAbbyJim

Title: The Friend Zone
Author: Abby Jimenez
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Fall in love with this “deliciously hot, sweet” (L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author) romantic comedy perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Helen Hoang.

Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen — especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.

The Friend Zone will have you laughing one moment and grabbing for tissues the next as it tackles the realities of infertility and loss with wit, heart, and a lot of sass.” (description from Goodreads)

I was able to read a few chapter preview of this book earlier in the year. It annoyed me at the time because I only had a few chapters in my hands…and I wanted to read the rest of the book right away. It grabbed me from the beginning. It was a little like torture to wait for the release date. But in the end, it was worth the wait!

I’m sure that’s not enough to go by alone, but if it is, no need to read the rest of this review. Just go read the book. If you need more, here it is.

What caught my attention right away was the characters. Both Josh and Kristen were such real, fully-fleshed out people. I’ve read realistic characters before. And well developed ones. But with these two, I felt that I got even more inside their heads, motivations, and knew how they ticked early on. They did what they did throughout the book because of who they are and no one action stood out as out-of-place to help the plot move.

Another thing I couldn’t get enough of was the overall story. You’ll see in other reviews and interviews with the author why this story stands out from many other romances. Kristen’s condition isn’t often one found in books, etc. I won’t get into that here since others have covered it better than I can. To put it simply, I feel that the author’s choice to right this story the way she did, with her characters dealing with relationship and personal struggles and writing the ending that she did must not have been easy to do. This book packs a real punch, especially in the later half. It doesn’t shy away from bringing on some tears for unexpected reasons. I thank the author for that.

I’m so glad I had the chance to read The Friend Zone. I’m going to read Jimenez’s next book when it comes out next year. I know it will be a great book, even if it may be a challenge for those who’ve read The Friend Zone already. Jimenez is a great author and it’ll be hard to not pick up anything she writes as soon as it’s available.

If you’d like to buy a copy of this book, you can find it on:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author:

Abby Jimenez is a Food Network champion, motivational speaker, and contemporary romance novelist living in Minnesota. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and has amassed an international cult following. Abby’s wry literary wit was spotlighted as the admin behind the hilarious viral comments on the now famous Nadia Cakes Vageode™ cake.

Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house. Her debut novel, The Friend Zone, is scheduled for release July 2019.

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Review: Old Bones, by Preston and Child

Title: Old Bones (Nora Kelly #1)
Authors: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Rating: 5/5 stars

“The first in the groundbreaking Nora Kelly series from #1 bestselling authors Preston & Child blends the legend of the Donner party with a riveting suspense tale, taking the dynamic duo’s work to new heights.

Nora Kelly, a young but successful curator with a series of important excavations already under her belt, is approached by the handsome Historian, Guy Porter, to lead an expedition unlike any other. Guy tells his story–one involving the ill-fated Donner Party, who became permanently lodged in the American consciousness in the winter of 1847, when the first skeletonized survivors of the party stumbled out of the California mountains, replete with tales of courage, resourcefulness, bad luck, murder, barbarism–and, finally, starvation and cannibalism.

Captivated by the Donner Party, Nora agrees and they venture into the Sierra Nevada in search of the camp. Quickly, they learn that the discovery of the missing starvation camp is just the tip of the iceberg–and that the real truth behind those long-dead pioneers is not only far more complex and surprising than they could have imagined…but it is one that puts them both in mortal danger from a very real, present-day threat in which the search for the lost party, and its fabled fortune in gold, are merely means to a horrifying end.” (description from Goodreads)

I’ve been a fan of Preston and Child’s work for years now. I first found out about the Pendergast series at around book nine, picked them up from the beginning and always look forward for the latest release. While we’re still waiting on the 19th book in that series, the authors decided to start a new series with Old Bones. I’m glad they did.

This new series takes a side character from the Pendergast novels and follows her on an expedition to find and excavate the “lost camp” from the infamous Donnor Party tragedy. Nora Kelly, an archaeologist, is a welcomed character to explore on her own. But what’s better is the other Pendergast series veteran who plays a big role in the book: Corrie Swanson, now an FBI Special Agent. She’s come a long way since being introduced in Still Life with Crows. I’ve been intrigued by her story more and more in recent novels that I’m glad she’s finally getting her time to shine. And she does in Old Bones.

This was a book I couldn’t put down. Like all of Preston and Child’s previous work, this was engaging, descriptive, and a straight up fun adventure. It’s also not just another Pendergast novel with other characters. This could be another great series that has it’s own strengths and memorable storylines. I know there’s a new Pendergast novel set to release early next year, but now I’m eager to get Nora Kelly’s next book!

You can buy a copy of this book from:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Authors:

Douglas Preston, who worked for several years in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, is the author of the acclaimed nonfiction works Dinosaurs in the Attic and Cities of Gold, and the novel, Jennie. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Lincoln Child is the co-author, with Douglas Preston, of a number of bestselling thrillers including Relic, Riptide and The Ice Limit. Utopia is Lincoln Child’s first solo novel: he is currently at work on his second. He lives with his wife and daughter in Morristown, New Jersey.

Find out more:

• PrestonChild.com
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  • Preston’s
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Review: Nothing But Trouble, by @AmyAndrewsbooks

Title: Nothing But Trouble (Credence, Colorado #1)
Author: Amy Andrews
Rating: 5/5 stars

“For five years, Cecilia Morgan’s entire existence has revolved around playing personal assistant to self-centered former NFL quarterback Wade Carter. But just when she finally gives her notice, his father’s health fails, and Wade whisks her back to his hometown. CC will stay for his dad—for now—even if that means ignoring how sexy her boss is starting to look in his Wranglers.

To say CC’s notice is a bombshell is an insult to bombs. Wade can’t imagine his life without his “left tackle.” She’s the only person who can tell him “no” and strangely, it’s his favorite quality. He’ll do anything to keep her from leaving, even if it means playing dirty and dragging her back to Credence, Colorado, with him.

But now they’re living under the same roof, getting involved in small-town politics, and bickering like an old married couple. Suddenly, five years of fighting is starting to feel a whole lot like foreplay. What’s a quarterback to do when he realizes he might be falling for his “left tackle”? Throw a Hail Mary she’ll never see coming, of course.” (description from Goodreads)

I picked this one up at random in the store. I’m not really into football, but have been surprised to enjoy a few football romances lately (namely Alexa Martin’s Playbook series). And this one takes place in my state of Colorado. A bonus. I’m glad to have come across this one and look forward to the next release later this month, The Trouble With Christmas.

This book had a lot going for it, for me. There was such a slow burn with a great story of family and community, that I didn’t mind waiting for the romance to pick up. There was a lot of growth for the characters to make that the gradual build and realizations were even more rewarding.

I ending up liking Wade more than expected by the end. And Credence grew on me like most small-towns in books do. I’m excited to see more of the town in the next book. And who knows, maybe CC and Wade will make an appearance too.

You can buy this book from:

Amazon | Kobo | B&N | iBooks

About the Author:

Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling Aussie author who has written seventy contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. Her books bring all the feels from sass and quirk and laughter to emotional grit to panty-melting heat. She loves frequent travel, good books and great booze although she’ll take mediocre booze if there’s nothing else. For many, many years she was a registered nurse. Which means she knows things. Anatomical things. And she’s not afraid to use them! She’s just moved back to her central Queensland roots taking a sea change in the pretty little coastal town of Yeppoon where she gets to stare at the ocean all day.

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New Release: Cowboy to the Rescue, by @aj_pine

From “a fabulous storyteller” (Carolyn Brown, New York Timesbestselling author) comes a western romance about a cowboy who isn’t afraid to break the rules.

All designer Ivy Serrano wants is a fresh start. But instead, her Meadow Valley homecoming includes an electrical fire, a trashed custom dress, and a very handsome fireman who knows how to push all her buttons. Lieutenant Carter Bowen may set off sparks of his own, but the last thing Ivy needs now is town gossip . . . or to risk loving another firefighter.

New to small-town living, Carter is determined to prove himself, both at the station and at the fledgling dude ranch where he volunteers. That means no mistakes, no distractions, and definitely no Ivy. Yet there’s something about the sassy shop owner that he just can’t resist. As things heat up between them, Carter’s more certain than ever that she’s the one. But can he convince her they have a future worth fighting for?

Look for the first novel in the all-new Meadow Valley series, MY ONE AND ONLY COWBOY, on sale December 2019!

Grab a copy of this novella from:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author:

A teen librarian by day and a romance writer by night, A.J. Pine can’t seem to escape the world of fiction, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s the author of the If Only series (Entangled Embrace), the Only You series (Berkley/Intermix), the Kingston Ale House series (Entangled Select), and the upcoming Crossroads Ranch series (Forever Romance). When she finds that 25th hour in the day, she might indulge in a tiny bit of TV where she nourishes her undying love of vampires, superheroes, and a certain high-functioning sociopath detective. She hails from the far off galaxy of the Chicago suburbs.

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Review: It Started One Christmas, by @SusanMallery

Title: It Started One Christmas
Author: Susan Mallery
Rating: 4/5 stars

“One crisp December night, Keira Carlesso takes in yet another stray—this time, a man. Dalton is a brilliant scientist with no home for the holidays. As Christmas works its magic, two strangers become friends, then best friends, then something much, much more…

Susan Mallery’s heartwarming charmer proves that true love is the greatest Christmas gift of all!” (description from Goodreads)

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It’s coming up on that time of year when I slip in some holiday novellas into my reading. Having finally gotten my hands on a copy of this Susan Mallery novella, it seemed appropriate to start the “season” with it.

I first read of the main character Keira Carlesso in Mallery’s novel When We Found Home earlier this year. This novella continues her story a few years later in her freshman year of college. She was a bit too young in the novel to have her happily ever after like her siblings did. This is novella is her chance.

It’s a quick read. But it’s an enjoyable and light read. Just what I look for with a holiday story. I especially like that the novella jumped time as it went along, but it didn’t feel like it was rushing things. Time went by for good reasons, while not making it feel like the author avoiding writing more. It was natural to the way the two characters’ lives here going and how they were to get to their HEA.

I don’t know if readers who haven’t read the novel will appreciate this novella as much as I have. But it make spark their interest to pick up the novel if they read this first. It’s definitely a nice addition/continuation if you’re feeling like you need more of the Carlesso family.

You can buy this book from:

Amazon | Kobo | B&N | iBooks

About the Author:

With more than 25 million books sold worldwide, #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery is known for creating characters who feel as real as the folks next door, and for putting them into emotional, often funny situations readers recognize from their own lives. Susan’s books have made Booklist’s Top 10 Romances list in four out of five consecutive years. RT Book Reviews says, “When it comes to heartfelt contemporary romance, Mallery is in a class by herself.” With her popular, ongoing Fool’s Gold series, Susan has reached new heights on the bestsellers lists and has won the hearts of countless new fans.

Susan grew up in southern California, moved so many times that her friends stopped writing her address in pen, and now has settled in Seattle with her husband and the most delightfully spoiled little dog who ever lived.

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