Thursday, July 1, 2021

His Secret Love {a review}


His Secret Love is the final installment of the Manhattan Billionaires series by Ava Ryan. If you're looking for billionaire romance, single dad romance, and/or forbidden/workplace romance, then give His Secret Love a read.

Jake is a single parent to two adorable kids, and he shares custody of them with his ex-wife. Jake has little to no interest in a relationship, but he is always looking for one night with a willing partner. Enter the dating app he uses. After scrolling through he is captivated by this gorgeous red head with amazing green eyes. He can't get her off his mind, and he contacts her to set up a date. The date is planned, and they meet up at a local bookstore. Skye recently left law school, and is trying to find a job to pay the bills especially since her student loans are going to need to be paid. She checks out Jake on the dating app, and after a conversation she agrees to meet up with him at her family's bookstore. When the two meet, the attraction is instantaneous. After conversation, they agree to go grab dinner together. After dinner at Jake's condo, steamy moments happen out on the balcony, and Jake tells Skye that he will call her. He doesn't call her. A little while later, Skye lands the job of a life time. She is now a live in nanny, taking care of two adorable kids. The woman who hired her is even giving her free room and board! So now she can focus on paying down those loans and saving for an apartment. That is until she meets her employer's ex-husband. Now she's questioning everything. Because that ex-husband, aka also her new sort of boss, is Jake; the man she had a one night stand with. The man who never called her after he said she would. Now she is going to be living with him whenever he has the kids. Can they keep that one night in the past, or will lingering attraction cause issues?

His Secret Love was so good. This quick read held my attention, and I had to keep reading to see what would happen between Jake and Skye. Would Marlene find out? If so, what kind of drama would she bring? From the initial meeting at the bookstore, to the steamy night together, to the sudden forced proximity, it was all so good. Now I could have done without the secrecy, but honestly 1) it's right there in the title, and 2) it's what makes the story the story. Ya know? Loved it all. Loved that the kids were paying enough attention that they caught on. Love that Skye found a family to love her and accept her. Loved that these two got their HEA. I was worried for a bit, but it happened.

So if forced proximity, secret relationships, one night stands turned lovers is your thing, then read the book. Or if you like billionaire romances, read His Secret Love. 

Thanks for reading my thoughts,
Laura


His Secret Love by Ava Ryan is now live!


Best one-night-stand of my life. Plot twist: she’s our new nanny…

Commitments? No thanks.

And after my painful divorce I’m also done with secrets and lies.

The occasional hookup is more my speed as a new billionaire, busy doctor and single dad.

But there’s something about Skye. That’s why I swiped right on her profile.

That’s why we enjoyed sizzling chemistry and an unforgettable one-night stand.

I meant it to be a one-time thing.

I never anticipated this growing obsession with her.

I certainly never expected my ex to hire her as our new nanny.

Now my life is full of messy secrets.

And the relentless desire to get feisty Skye back in my bed…

Don’t miss the final standalone in Ava Ryan’s sexy
contemporary romance series, Manhattan Billionaires!



Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US | WW


Add His Secret Love to your Goodreads!



Meet Ava Ryan


Ava Ryan is an author of sexy contemporary romance. Her favorite things, in no special order, are animals, her family, cookies, people with great senses of humor and love stories. Currently in her writer's cave (ostensibly working hard on her next book while also checking Netflix every few hours to make sure she hasn't missed a new true crime documentary show), she loves hearing from readers via her website or social media. If you love billionaire alpha males, the feisty women who snag their hearts and books that end with a happily ever after, you've come to the right place.

Please make sure to subscribe to Ava's newsletter to stay in the loop about her latest releases and upcoming books!

Connect with Ava




Thank you to Ava Ryan and Grey's Promotions for providing me with an advanced copy of His Secret Love.

Open Lanes {a review}



Are you looking for a new hockey romance book to read? How about the first book in a new series? Is second chance romance one of your favorite tropes? What about a bit of forced proximity? Friends to enemies to lovers? Do you enjoy New Adult romances that are set at college? Well look no further because Open Lanes by Mary Morano is the answer! Open Lanes is the first book in the Moosehead Hockey series, and it just released on July 1, 2021!

Why yes, this is the third hockey romance book that I've reviewed this week! And no, I'm not complaining one bit. It is my weakness. My obsession. And I rarely turn down the opportunity to read this area of the romance genre. I will say that college hockey isn't my usual read, but that isn't going to deter me from Open Lanes one bit.

In this book we meet up with Nicole and Brayden. These two have been best friends since birth, and honestly their parents have always believed these two were meant to be together. Around middle school though, everything changed. Brayden started being a jerk, and was just relentless when it came to picking on Nicole. Of course more often than not, this lead to tears for her. As for Brayden, he was dealing with these feelings that he didn't understand. Brayden's behavior turned these two friends into enemies. Nicole thought she would be free of him when she went away to college in Maine. But then Brayden announced he was going to the same school on a hockey scholarship. Flash forward to the end of their sophomore year, and it's time to head home for the summer. Nicole's boyfriend is driving her to the airport. After they have a much needed discussion in the car, he ditches her on the side of the road. She has no cell service, and there are basically no cars driving this stretch of road. As she continues walking, she finally hears a car coming up. That is when her mind goes into overdrive, and starts thinking all the thoughts. When a male gets out of his car, and is trying to talk to her, she does her best to ignore him. That is until he starts laughing. Turning around she is surprised to see Brayden. He convinces her that he'll drive her to the airport. On the way, she falls asleep, and he skips right passed the airport. (this is after talking to both of their parents, and getting the okay) What happens next is 5 days of sight seeing, conversation, a change in feelings, an overdue apology and explanation, and the beginning of what is meant to be.

I know I'm far past the age of these two characters (I could be their mom), but that didn't stop me from loving every second of the book. Also when Nicole first got into Brayden's car, and got a whiff of his hockey gear, I understood the overwhelming smell that she was assaulted with. That poor woman. I loved how everything played out in this story. From the friends to enemies aspect, to Brayden trying to stay in touch while at college, to how the car ride happened, and everything Brayden had planned for the trip. It was all so good, and I love that he incorporated activities/stops that we right up Nicole's alley. He knows her, and what she enjoys. Then there were a couple much needed conversations that happened, and I love how Brayden just laid it all out there. It shows that he has matured. Other than Nicole's ex, there wasn't a thing that I didn't enjoy. This book was a quick read. It kept me fully engaged. There was one point where Nicole read her book out loud for Brayden to hear that had me laughing hysterically. Which I then had to explain to my husband why I was laughing so hard.

Open Lanes was absolutely fantastic. It was Mary Morano's debut, and let me tell you, I have a sneaking suspicion she is going to become a favorite. I am looking forward to October when Snipe releases. From the little tease we had at the end of Open Lanes, it is also going to be a good book.

I highly suggest you check out Open Lanes. If you do, please let me know your thoughts on the book, characters, setting, etc.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura



Brayden
My dream has always been to go pro, but in that dream, she’s standing beside me. I messed up my chance once before but now I have a second chance. Just like on the ice, I will do anything I can to win. This time I’m playing for keeps.

Nicole
He tortured me through High School, followed me across the country to college, and now I am stuck in a car with him for five long days. All I want to do is get home and go back to pretending he doesn’t exist. If only my stupid hormones would get on board with the plan.




Now Available from these retailers:

$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
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Also available in Paperback!

Add Open Lanes to your Goodreads TBR!




EXCERPT

For the first time, the precarious situation that I found myself in really hit home. I was a 20-year-old female, walking down the side of an empty highway with no help in sight—talk about the beginning of every serial killer movie ever made. I couldn’t even alert anyone to where I was, or the fact I wasn’t on my flight back home as planned. It would be hours before anyone even knew I was missing. Whoever was in this car heading toward me could rape, kill, and chop me up into little pieces to feed to the bears in the woods before anyone even knew something was amiss. I started walking a little faster, knowing there was no way I was going to outrun this car, and there was nowhere to run to anyway. There wasn’t even anywhere to hide. I was in the middle of nowhere on a highway surrounded by nothing but flat open land for miles in either direction. I felt my anxiety starting to ramp back up. Taking slow deliberate breaths, I counted down backwards from twenty, allowing my body to calm itself down enough that I was able to find some semblance of control. I couldn’t panic right now because that would leave me no chance for survival.

In an effort to distract myself, I focused on the fact that if I did disappear, they will blame Señor Prick, since he was the last person anyone saw me with. Then he would have to spend the rest of his life in jail thinking about how he could have saved my life. That was the least he deserved if I died right now. I’d be dead and eaten, what did I care if he was wrongly accused? I’m not bitter or anything.

The sounds of the car grew closer, and I heard the beat of the music playing from inside. I started walking faster, not paying attention to the fact that my suitcase was like a big yellow flag screaming ‘look at me.’ I heard the car tires hit the gravel behind me, as it pulled to the side and slowed down. It was close—too close for comfort if I had to be honest. This wasn’t looking good. I hope they at least put a good picture of me on the missing person posters, not my god-awful high school graduation picture like they tended to use on those things. The profile picture on my Instagram would be my first choice, I hope someone suggests that to them. I heard the car stop, and the window squeak as it rolled down, before a deep voice called out.
“Hey, do you need some help?”

I kept walking, not wanting to make it easier than it would already be for him to kill me. I really hoped he wasn’t a sadist, choosing to prolong my death by torturing me and hope he just kills me quickly. I really didn’t think I could survive torture, even papercuts made me cry. I kept walking, picking up the pace once more so I was practically running away. Behind me I heard the dinging sound a car makes when the door is opened, and the car is still running. Great, he was getting out. Now he was going to chase me. Yes, I kept myself in shape, but to be honest, the only running I ever did was when I was late for class, and that usually ended with me being bent over wheezing. My situation was quickly going from bad to worse.

“Hey, I know you can hear me. I won’t hurt you; I just don’t feel comfortable leaving a female on the side of the road. Can I give you a ride somewhere?” The voice behind me asked. I snorted at his statement before yelling back over my shoulder.

“I’m pretty sure all serial killers want you to believe they won’t hurt you. Then they chop you up and leave you in the mountains for bears to eat. No, thank you, I don’t plan on being bear food today!”

Suddenly, a deep laugh rang out behind me. I stopped, was he laughing at me? What kind of serial killer did that? Isn’t he supposed to be chasing me? Maybe he doesn’t want to exert the energy yet to chase me? Or maybe this is all part of his sick twisted game. His laughter continued behind me as my annoyance ticked up a notch. What. The. Hell. Hands on my hips, I spun around to tell him off, only to stare into a very familiar, and very unwelcome face.

Casually standing in front of me, with his thumbs hooked in his jean pockets as he relaxed back against the hood of his black SUV was none other than Brayden Montgomery. Fucking Brayden.






~ Coming Soon ~


Releasing October 1

$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
GOOGLE PLAY






About Mary Morano


Mary is a single mom who decided to take her own advice and follow her dreams of being an author. She’s a New York Islanders Fan and can be often found driving her kids to one of their many sports activities. She enjoys reading, and watching Harry Potter, Avengers Movies, and SVU. You can find her on social media, and she would love to hear from you!


Author Links
Website | Facebook | Reader Group | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon







Thank you to Mary Morano and Give Me Books PR for providing me with an advanced copy of Open Lanes.

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Mid Year Freakout {book tag}

 


It's time for the 2021 mid year freakout book tag!

That's right my fellow readers, it is that time of year where book bloggers, booktubers, bookstagrammers, and booktok-ers all reflect back on the first half of the year. This tag was originally created by Megan Olivier over on youtube, and 2020 was my first year participating in the tag. If you'd like, you can read my 2020 Mid Year Freakout here.

From the few videos I've watch on youtube (booktube), it looks like people are leaving out the quantity of books read. Which is fine because everyone reads different amounts, but I like to look back and see my mid-way point. So you'll see me include that here in my freakout.

I'd love to know your favorite book of the year, most anticipated for the second half, what book you has a beautiful cover, and anything else book related that you'd like to share! So please comment below.

Thank you for taking time to read my mid year freakout. I greatly appreciate it.
Laura


Now let's get to the Q&A part of the mid year freakout!

1) How many books have you read so far?

As of today (June 30), I have read 154 books! And so many of them have been new releases. It's been wonderful. Can I keep up this pace? I don't know. I guess only time will tell.

Also my 2021 number is right on par with 2020, so that's kind of neat.

Yes, I know 154 books is a lot. I read a lot. It's my only hobby, and my nose is frequently in my kindle. Plus I think I tend to read quickly. Especially if the book captures my attention.

If you'd like to see all of the books that I have read in 2021, head over to my Goodreads!

2) Favorite books of 2021

In no particular order...

Driven by K. Bromberg
Fragile Things by Samantha Lovelock
The Edge of Happiness by Kristin Turnage
Balls to the Wall by April Canavan
Dirt Queen by Nora Blake

3) Favorite Sequels of 2021

Boots on the Ground by April Canavan



Fractured Things by Samantha Lovelock



Southern Heart by Natasha Madison




4) New Releases I haven't read, but want to


   

   


5) Most anticipated releases for the second half of 2021

This list could be extremely long, so I'll just go with these few:

Love Next Door by Helena Hunting (7/27)
When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting (9/21)
Pitch to Palace by Aven Ellis (8/25)
Making Spirits Bright by Aven Ellis (December)
Wild Mistake by Kim Loraine (7/26)
Ruthless Noble by Alley Ciz (7/10)
The Defender by Gina Azzi (8/5)

6) Biggest Surprise

Paper Hearts by Brittani Taylor
Saving Us by Wendy Million

7) Biggest Disappointment

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
I had such high hopes for this one, and it just didn't work out.
I'm convinced it was me that was the problem, as so many others have raved about the book.

8) Favorite New Authors

Samantha Lovelock {website | facebook | instagram}
Gina Azzi {website | facebook | instagram}
Lisa Suzanne {website | facebook | instagram}
April Canavan {website | facebook | instagram}


9) New Fictional Crushes

I blame Samantha Lovelock! 🤣

Poe Halliday, Stella Bradford
Sunday Easton, Payne Emerson


10) New Favorite Characters

Poe Halliday, Stella Bradford, Sunday Easton, Payne Emerson from Folkestone Sins

Remy, Parker, Kennedy, Lincoln, Emma, Dominic from the Birch Police Department

11) Book that made you cry

Dirt Queen by Nora Blake.



This book wrecked me, and I was UGLY crying. It's based on a true story, and my heart still has not recovered.


12) Book that made you happy

Decidedly with Wishes by Stina Lindenblatt

It's all because of Nala, and the passions she has for the dresses she is creating for these amazing young ladies, all while taking into account the special care that is needed.



13) Favorite Book to Film adaptation

I haven't read any book to film/tv adaptations yet.

Well I did read Driven by K Bromberg, but I haven't watch the show on Passion Flix yet. So I guess I could technically count that?


14) Beautiful Cover

Being someone who reads romance, this is hard. So many of the book covers feature men who are missing their shirts. And while, yes, they can be nice to look at, I wouldn't necessarily call them beautiful. They don't truly stand out. (just my opinion)

The three books that did stand out though are Reel by Kennedy Ryan, Make It Sweet by Kristen Callihan, and Unsteady by Ashley Christin. Kennedy Ryan's cover is just elegant, classy, and gorgeous. It gives off the old Hollywood vibe, which fits with the book. Kristen Callihan and Ashley Christin's covers are easy on the eyes, unique, and also beautiful.






15) What book do you need to read before the end of 2021?

Well technically I don't NEED to read any, but are there a lot that I would like to read? Oh absolutely! I would love to clear out my ARCs by the end of the year. Is that 100% possible? I have no clue. But it's going to be my goal.

Decidedly With Wishes {a review}


Decidedly with Wishes is the latest addition to the By the Bay series written by Stina Lindenblatt. Let me just say if you enjoy hockey romances, fake relationships, friends to lovers, and/or forced proximity, then you're going to love this book! Oh wait, maybe that's just me.

In Decidedly with Wishes we meet Nala Johnson. She is a designer for her Grandmother's fashion house, and is slated to eventually take over the company. Nala is preparing to tell her Grandmother that she wants to create a special line for girls who have special needs. After all Nala has been designing and sewing these dresses for a while for a variety of young ladies, and she can see that there is a need in the market. Convincing her Grandmother will be a bit difficult though. When the time for the meeting arrives, Nala delivers her pitch. Her Grandmother says she can move forward BUT she has to complete the bucket list that Nala had written back in college, and she had three months to do so. There's only six items on the list, so it couldn't be too difficult, right? Nala tells her friends about everything, and they are determined to help. In order to cross off "date a hot hockey player" from the list, the girls attend a fundraiser where a date with a player is being auctioned off.  Nala's friends do everything they can to help her win the date. And that is where she meets Eli Lawson for the second time. Eli is a professional hockey player for the San Fransisco Rocks, and he is in need of a date to a wedding back in his hometown. His Mom is determined to set him up, but the woman she's chosen is a bit obsessed with Eli. So in order to effectively shut that down, he tells his Mom he has a girlfriend, and her name is Edith. Now Eli just needs to see if Nala will 1) be in a fake relationship with him, 2) attend the wedding, and 3) pretend her name is Edith. What happens next in the story is their journey from being friends to a fake relationship to lovers, and of course helping Nala complete her bucket list.

When I initially read the teaser for Decidedly with Wishes, I was drawn in by Nala and her passion for creating beautiful clothing for young girls with disabilities. My mama heart just swooned at that alone. Add in the fact her potential romantic partner is a hockey player, and I was just done for.  From their initial meeting (literally bumping into each other), to the auction, to the trip to Montana (and everything that happened there), to the big dramatic moment, to the HEA, I truly loved it all. During the scene in Montana where Nala was helping Abby with her dress, my heart just melted further. Seeing how Nala threw herself into the project, and involved Abby (picking fabric), to the final outcome, I just loved it. It honestly made me fall for the characters all the more. Oh, and how can I not mention Robert and Tony's tv show re-enactment! That had me laughing, and falling for those two. They are amazing. As for the big dramatic moment, that had me wanting to knock some sense into Eli. Yes he was in denial, but COME ON ELI! When his friends called him on his BS, I had to laugh. Eli continued to deny, but everyone knew. Eli just needed to come to the realization on his own. All in all, this book just made my heart happy. I was smiling constantly. I swooned a few times. And at the office scene toward the end, some tears may have fallen.

Decidedly with Wishes was such a fantastic book. It has some fun tropes involved, and it was a book that I could not put down. This may have been my first Stina Lindenblatt book, but it will not be my last. This book was simply amazing, and I loved the entire story.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura


Bucket List Rule #1: Be careful who finds your list.

 

Oops.

 

 As the future CEO of my grandmother’s fashion empire, I’m not supposed to want to design a line of fancy dresses for girls with special needs. But when I pull out all the stops and present my vision to my grandmother, she agrees to let me try on one very questionable condition.

 

The condition?

 

I have to complete every item on the bucket list I wrote in college.

 

Challenge accepted.

 

Only, this is the same bucket list that includes going on a date with a hot hockey player, riding a horse, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower…oh, and finding a husband.

 

The first one is where NHL player Eli Lawson comes in.

 

***

When my matchmaking mother sets me up with a date for my cousin’s wedding, I tell her the only thing I can…that I’m bringing my girlfriend.

 

Except, I don’t have one.

 

And I certainly don’t have someone who will spend a week with me in Copper Creek, Montana for the wedding festivities. 

 

When workaholic Nala Johnson wins a date with me at a charity auction, I think I’ve found the perfect solution to my problem. Even better when she tells me about her bucket list. Because I’m just the man to help her with it.

 

I mean, how difficult can it be to find her a husband?



Grab Your Copy Here!
Add to your Goodreads TBR!


Meet Stina Lindenblatt

Born in Brighton England, USA Today bestselling author Stina Lindenblatt has lived in a number of countries, including England, the US, Finland, and Canada. 

This would explain her mixed up accent. 


She has a kinesiology degree and a MSc in sports biological sciences. 


In addition to writing fiction, she loves photography, and currently lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband and three kids. 


Connect with Stina Lindenblatt


Hosted By:

Thank you to Stina Lindenblatt and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for providing me with an advanced copy of Decidedly With Wishes.

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Touchstone {a review}


Touchstone by Karen Stivali is one of the new releases in the Speakeasy Taproom series, and it was so good! If you like small town romances, then this is one to read.

Phoebe, our heroine, recently went through a VERY public breakup with her boyfriend. How public was this breakup? Well someone in the restaurant was live tweeting the entire thing, took pictures, and videos, and it went viral. So now, not only was Phoebe single, she was also with out a job. You see her and her ex were co-owners of a restaurant in New York, and he ousted her from the business as well. Phoebe had worked so hard on everything, and now it was for nothing. She's devastated, and understandably so. The next day, Phoebe finds out from her friend that she's everywhere on social media. Phoebe doesn't know what to do. She has no place to live (lease was in her boyfriend's name), and no job. That is until her friend tells her about an opportunity up in Vermont. A local brewery is looking to launch a gastropub, and Phoebe would be the perfect fit. Not only that, but her friend was able to line up a rental for her as well. When Phoebe arrives at the house in Vermont, she's met by Sam. Sam is staying in the main house, and will be her landlord slash neighbor, her landneighbor. Sam has recently returned to the area and he is still healing from a breakup that happened years ago. He's put up walls, and is determined not to let anyone in. Sam is a jack of all trades, but currently is working at his family's store. Sam is also into crystals, tarot, and pretty much all things new age. Every morning Sam starts his day by drawing two tarot cards, and well this morning he drew two cards that would indicate he's about to meet his soulmate. Sam's not buying it though, the cards must mean something else. But what if they are correct?

Touchstone had such a cute story. I know. I just used cute to describe a romance novel. But really it was. It was very Hallmark Movie-esque. From the small town, to the meet-cute, to just how everything fell into place, to the dramatic moment, to the HEA. Just add in a good bit of steamy moments. Also Sam's grandma and his aunt are awesome. I loved the addition of those two characters. Rose and Iris are just wonderful. I will say reading Touchstone made me hungry. Every time Phoebe would be describing the food she was making, all I could think was "that sounds good". Both Sam and Phoebe are extremely likable characters, and I can picture myself wandering the town with them. As for the big dramatic moment for our couple, I love how that played out. No I didn't like to see either of them hurting, but just how all of it played out. All in all I just adored Touchstone. I want more of the world. More of the characters. More of it all. Thankfully this is part of a multi-author series, so I can revisit the Speakeasy Taproom any time.

If a book that reads like a steamy Hallmark movie is something you'd enjoy, then I recommend you go download Touchstone. If you just like small town romances, then go download Touchstone. Or if you like romance novels that feature a chef, then you know what to do. 

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura



Cover Design by
Elle Maxwell Designs


Sam doesn't think love is in the cards. The cards disagree.

When Phoebe Stevens' life implodes in a spectacularly public fashion, she's desperate to escape Manhattan. So the offer of a job setting up a new Vermont gastropub couldn’t come at a better time. Driving a U-Haul on winding mountain roads is Phoebe's personal version of hell. But when the caretaker of her guesthouse answers the door tousled, shirtless, and baking cinnamon rolls, her first impression of Vermont dramatically improves.

Sam Trembley believes everyone gets one true love, but he’s already blown his chance. He's spent five years avoiding relationships. Now he’s back in Colebury where sunrise tarot draws and moonlit hikes soothe his soul. But why do the tarot cards keep showing him this nonsense about soulmates? Could it have anything to do with the jaded city girl on his doorstep?

Playing tour guide is fun, but taste-testing her culinary creations as she shimmies her luscious hips around his kitchen is downright irresistible. Soon their chemistry burns hotter than the pub's wood-fired oven.

Has fate brought them together for a summer of love...or a lifetime of happiness?

Touchstone contains craving-inducing menu planning, a sassy white witch grandma, seismic sexy times, and tarot cards on a mission to prove soulmates are real.

.

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Check out the Speakeasy Taproom Series HERE!

Excerpt
I’d changed into a black tunic swing dress and capri leggings, and a gust of air flared the skirt Marilyn Monroe-style the second I stepped outside.
“Hey.” Sam’s grin was like a beacon luring me toward him. “Did you get a chance to rest from your drive?”
“Nah, but I did get in a shower. Those rainforest showerheads were amazing.”
“Glad you enjoyed them.”
Was it bad that I was hoping I’d just made him picture me naked? What was wrong with me? I was never this flirty, and not just because I’d been in a relationship the past half-decade. I just…wasn’t. “So whatcha cookin’?”
“We’ve got some jerk pork, some cilantro-lime chicken breasts, and some asparagus. There’s potato salad inside and some fiddleheads.”
“Ooh, fiddleheads. I’ve actually never had them. I thought they were only around in early spring.”
Sam shook his head, deftly turning over pork chops with his tongs. “Not up here. All depends on the winter and when the snow melts. This is a little later than usual for them to be around, but we had snow until May this year so…”
“May? Is that typical?”
He laughed. “The only thing typical about New England weather is that you can never tell what to expect.”
“I can’t imagine having snow until mid-spring. I’m used to Manhattan where a few inches slows everything to a crawl. But I do love when it snows at night. Empty New York City snow-covered streets are a thing of beauty.”
“That does sound nice. Did you grow up in the city?” Sam flipped the asparagus and lowered the lid on the grill.
“Yep. Lived there pretty much my whole life. I spent most summers at the beach, with a good friend. And I did an internship one summer during culinary school, in Boston. That’s where I met Audrey.”
“Right. Audrey. Is that how you wound up with the Speakeasy gig?”
“Yup. I needed a job and her family needed someone willing to get the gastropub up and running.”
“Sounds like divine timing.”
I shrugged and stared at my feet. Flashes of the scene that had led to me needing a job bombarded my brain. “Something like that.”
“You want a beer? Or I have soda, juice, wine…”
“Beer sounds great. Thanks.”
Sam jogged back to the house, hair bouncing. I tried to decide if he looked better coming or going. Which made me wonder what he looked like coming.
Phoebe, stop it. You’re here to do a job and make a plan for your fucked-up life, not to fuck it up more with…complications.
I forced myself to take a deep breath and focus on my surroundings. I hadn’t really looked around when we were moving all my shit into the cottage. The space between the main house and the guesthouse was no ordinary, run-of-the-mill back yard. It was surrounded on all sides by hundred-foot trees—a mix of evergreens and probably oaks, based on the acorn remnants I’d seen on the driveway. There were elaborate flower beds all around the house and a rock garden with enormous sparkling rocks—pink, gray, some sort of marble, maybe? I assumed that was a perk of owning a rock shop. And frog statues. Were they…doing yoga?
Sam appeared and handed me a chilled, bright-yellow can. The cheerful label said Sip of Sunshine IPA. “Your official welcome to Vermont.” He clinked my can with his, and we both drank.
It tasted bright and hoppy and instantly refreshed me. “I take it your aunt likes frogs?”
Sam opened the grill and plated the asparagus. “Actually, I’m to blame for the yoga frogs.” He gave the asparagus a quick squeeze of lemon and then set the plate on the wooden picnic table alongside the grill.
“Oh really?” I sipped some more, hoping to quell the fire or whatever it was that tingled through me every time Sam spoke.
“Legend has it that when I was three or four my grandmother took me to the Christmas bazaar at the all-season market, and I saw one of those frogs…” He scanned the yard. “That one, there, in the lotus pose. And decided I had to get Aunt Iris that frog for Christmas.”
“That’s adorable.”
“I was a cute kid. There’s photographic proof in some of the old photos in the house. But apparently Iris made such a huge fuss about how much she loved the frog, I got it in my head she needed another one every year. And now it’s just tradition. Every Christmas I get her some sort of frog. She took most of them with her when she moved into my grandmother’s house. There are salt and pepper shakers, creamers and sugar bowls, a teapot, bookends, a nightlight…”
“Wow. That’s dedication.”
He chuckled. “I’ve been traveling the last few years, and no matter where I was, I bought frogs wherever I saw them. I’m stocked up for a few Christmases now.”
I ran my hand over my beer can, tracing the logo. “It’s great how close you are to them. I’ve never had anything like that. Not with family at least. I’m closer to my best friend’s family than my own, but I don’t even see them much anymore.”
“I get it. Growing up, my best friend spent most of his time at my house. His parents were getting a divorce and my grandmother all but adopted him for a few years while that played out.”
“Does he still live in town?”
“Nope. He moved to Maine a few years ago. You’d probably like him—he runs a small bakery and makes crazy-good desserts.”
“Nice. Too bad he’s not closer. I’d hire him.”
Sam stuck an instant-read thermometer into one of the pork chops. “I’ll let him know in case the bakery doesn’t work out.”
“Can I help you with anything?”
He threw me that heart-stopping smile, and my insides flip-flopped. “Nope. You’re gonna be cooking for half the town soon. Tonight, let me do the cooking. Just don’t get too used to it, because I have a very small repertoire.”
“I can teach you a trick or two.”
He muffled another giggle and let his hair swing forward, but not before I caught the hint of a blush on his cheeks. For someone who rarely flirted I sure was managing to make everything I said sound sexual.





AUTHOR BIO



Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She's also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary straight and LGBTQ romances. She writes novels about love...like real life, only hotter.



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Thank you to Karen Stivali, Sarina Bowen, Heart Eyes Press, and Give Me Books PR for providing me with an advanced copy of Touchstone.


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