Black Thorns {a review}

OH MY WORD! I just finished reading Black Thorns by Rina Kent, and my mind is still reeling. This is the second half of the Thorns Duet, so if you choose to read it make sure to start with Red Thorns. Of you can even go download the prequel, Yellow Thorns. I haven't read that one yet, but it is on my kindle.

If you read Red Thorns, then you know how that ended! We picked up not too long after, and oh my word. Everything that Sebastian and Naomi had to endure, it was a lot. There was pain, there was a bit of fear, there was heartbreak, and there was a rescue so to speak. Flash forward SEVEN YEARS! Sebastian is now a lawyer, and Naomi is the head of her Mom's fashion house. Naomi has reconnected with her Dad, and let's just say she better understands her Mom's reasonings now. I want to tell you more about the premise of the story, but this is a continuation, and there would be far too many spoilers. Here's what I can tell you though, any questions you had from Red Thorns will be answered. Your jaw might drop when you learn about Akira. Sebastian and Naomi will get their HEA.

I had been preparing myself for this book since I finished Red Thorns. After all I had to know what happened next for Naomi and Sebastian. I needed to know how they escaped from where they were being held captive. I was not expecting what happened after they were "freed". I was not prepared for the time jump that we experienced. Also, that text that Naomi had sent Sebastian after they were "freed", I fully didn't think it was her sending it willingly. And now I understand why she did what she did. There was so much revealed in this conclusion, and I don't think my mind has fully comprehended it all. I fully enjoyed every moment of Black Thorns. This duet had my full attention, and I cannot wait to read more from Rina Kent.

If you like dark romances, then you need to grab the Thorns Duet. Be prepared to go on quite the journey with Naomi and Sebastian.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura

A lie turned into a nightmare.

She broke my heart.

Broke me.

Broke us.

Only one thing could mend the gaping wound she left behind.

Her.

Naomi.

All mine for the taking.

All mine for owning.

All mine.

Don't miss this EPIC conclusion to the Thorns Duet. One Click on Amazon NOW!

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Narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Rose Dioro, featuring Jacob Morgan!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rina Kent is an international bestselling author of everything enemies to lovers romance. Darkness is her playground, suspense is her best friend, and twists are her brain’s food. However, she likes to think she’s a romantic at heart in some way, so don’t kill her hopes just yet. Her heroes are anti-heroes and villains because she was always the weirdo who fell in love with the guys no one roots for. Her books are sprinkled with a touch of mystery, a healthy dose of angst, a pinch of violence, and lots of intense passion.

Rina spends her private days in a peaceful town in North Africa daydreaming about the next plot idea or laughing like an evil mastermind when those ideas come together.

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Thank you to Rina Kent and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for providing me with an advanced copy of Black Thorns.

Rent-A Husband {a review}

Rent-A Husband by Everly Ashton is now available! If fake relationships are your preferred trope, then you're going to want to read this one.

Lucas Abbott owns Rent-A Husband with his brothers Josh and Travis. They often receive after hours emergency calls, and they definitely are not a highlight of the evening for the guys. One night though, as they are sitting at their favorite bar, a call comes in. It is Lucas's turn to make the run, and so off he goes. When he arrives at Camila's house, he's thinking this is just like so many other calls he gets where the person just wants him for non-handyman reasons. After all Camila opened the door in a soaked t-shirt. That immediately puts him in a grumpy mood. But what did he expect, her shower was spraying water and she HAD been trying to stop it. Once Lucas gets the water shut off, he tells her he has to get parts and will be back in the morning to fix it. BUT before that can even happen he notices a bigger problem, and it's looking like her entire bathroom is going to need to be renovated, and that isn't something his company handles. Camila asks if he knows any contractors that would take on the work, and Lucas tells her that he could do it after hours. He has the experience and the know-how, plus he could use the money for the present he and his brothers are saving for. Lucas and Camila agree on a price, and Lucas tells her he will be back in the morning to take measurements. From there, the two hit it off despite Lucas's grumpy attitude. One day when Lucas arrives at Cami's house, he notices that she has been crying. Once he gets the story out of her, he agrees to her plan. That plan? To become her fake boyfriend for an upcoming wedding. And from this point on, we see how that all plays out.

Full disclosure, I was about to write off the book because I just wasn't in the mood. I don't know if a slump is coming, or it was just a mental block. I'm glad I didn't because I ended up really enjoying the story, and the characters. Cami is a woman who has been hurt, and she just wants someone to choose her. After her recent break up, she is determined to get back into the things she loves, and has no plans for a relationship. She's smart, she owns her house, and she has friends. A relationship isn't needed. But all of the sudden everyone around her is getting engaged, and her heart is breaking all over again. Lucas isn't the grump that he originally came across as. He loves his family, loves his job, and would do anything he can to help someone in need. The attraction was there right away for both of them, they just tried to fight it. You could see how their friendship (and fake dating) was affecting each of them, and it was changing them for the better. That is until the big dramatic moment happened. At that point, you could really feel the hurt radiating off of Cami. She was devastated. Not that it was much easier on Lucas. Rent-A Husband was such a good story. Very Hallmark-esque, but with steamy scenes. And honestly, I cannot wait for the next two books in the series. 

Do I recommend the book? Absolutely!  Rating wise I am giving it 4 stars. Loved the fake dating and how that all came into play. If you're a fan of Hallmark movies, then you'll really like this one.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura 

When Camila Wright hired me to fix a few things around her house I didn’t expect to find myself swindled into a fake relationship with her.

 

Sure, my company is called Rent-A Husband but that’s not what people actually hire me for.

 

But when I find her elbow deep in a tub of ice cream with tears running down her face how can I turn down her proposition?

 

Suddenly a fake relationship becomes a fake marriage that we have to keep up all summer. Which is all fine and good except for the part where we both agreed not to let anything ‘real’ creep into our arrangement.

 

But then certain parts of me start to crave certain parts of her and things become even more complicated because we both have our own reasons for wanting what we have to remain make-believe only. 

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Meet Everly Ashton

Everly Ashton is a USA Today Bestselling Author who wanted to try something a little different under a new name. She loves brooding heroes, spunky heroines, and happily ever afters. You can usually find her with a Kindle in one hand and a cup of caffeine in the other. And because she’s using a pseudonym she can’t tell you much more than that. ;)

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Thank you to Everly Ashton and Wildfire Marketing Solutions for providing me with an advanced copy of Rent-A Husband.

Watch Me Breathe {a review}

Watch Me Breathe is the third book in CE Johnson's Elements of the Heart series, and this time we get to learn Whack's (Lucas) story. Of course we'll also witness him fall for someone and have his HEA. We also get to see Owen, Everest, Natalie, and Dani! So yay for that.

Are you new to the Elements of the Hearts series? If so, don't worry, you don't need to read them in order. Technically they are all standalones. So while you won't know their story, you will know who they are in a committed relationship with. Also, these are romantic suspense books. So be prepared for that! Personally that is something I love, so I'm all for the suspense. 

In Watch Me Breathe we catch up with Lucas. He owns a roofing company, and is doing quite well for himself. He has also taken Mason under his wing, and is giving him the opportunity to learn the profession. One day these two are at a job, and they hear a car making a noise. They turn right in time to see it crash. They immediately rush over to the scene to see how they can help, all while Mason calls in the crash. Upon arriving, Mason sees that there is a child in the back seat. Quick inspection says that she's alright, and he takes her out. Meanwhile Lucas stays with the driver. She is having a panic attack and just wants out of that dang car. Lucas manages to calm her down, and learns her name is Montana, but she goes by Tana. Tana lets us know that her husband died in a car accident, and so this crash is triggering her panic attack. Plus the fact that her daughter is in the car just makes it that much worse. Lucas and Mason are there though, and are doing what they can to keep these two safe. Mason finds a stuffed animal in the truck, and Iris is attached to this toy now, and will not give it back. Lucas initially struggles with it, but accepts it for what it is. Now, days after the crash happens, Tana cannot get this man off her mind. So imagine her surprise when he appears at the diner she works at. And what happens in the rest of this book leads up to the HEA we all know we'll get.

I loved getting to read Lucas's story and finally finding out his history. This man has been through so much in his life, and it was nice to see him get his HEA. I also understand his love of suckers/lollipops now. Montana (Tana) is the perfect fit for him. She too has been through a lot, she is doing what needs to be done for her and her daughter, and she is one strong woman. My heart was in my throat at the accident scene, and again later on in the book when the suspenseful element kicked in. During that suspenseful part of the book I was definitely going through my mind trying to think of who it was, and I wasn't even close. But I guess I should have guessed had I been paying closer attention. I was also ever so happy when Lucas and Tana went to visit Owen and Natalie. Seeing the group back together just made me smile, and it just solidified the fact that Lucas and Tana are meant to be.

I really enjoyed the book. My heart broke when Lucas shared his past, and again when Tana shared hers. Seeing how Lucas was doing everything he could to protect Tana and Iris healed that broken heart though, and made me love the book all the more. Also I cannot wait for Mason to have his story told.

Highly recommend Watch Me Breathe, and really I recommend all of the Elements of the Heart series. The characters are wonderful. The setting is fantastic. And the storylines are so dang good. If you love books that feature romantic suspense, then read the book/series!

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Laura

She’s a widow. And I’m not what I would consider a good role model for her young child.

It’s been a long road for me. I’ve been plagued with bad decisions and grief. You could say life sucker punched the wind right out of me.

Just like it did to the woman in the car that spun into the ditch right before my eyes. I helped calm her down until the ambulance came, and assumed I’d never see her again.

Judging by her wide eyes and the soda that poured into my lap when Montana Hutchinson delivered the drinks to my table at the town diner, I would guess she believed the same thing.

I thought we could be friends. After all, we have more in common than even she realizes.

But it seems Tana happens to be a magnet for trouble.
And I happen to be the kind of guy that can’t sit back and watch the danger unfold around her.

I’ll do anything to protect her and her daughter.

But every day I spend with her gets harder to push down the feelings growing inside of me.

Being with Tana not only proves I’m capable of love again.

I can breathe again.

Happiness isn’t something that everyone gets the privilege to have.

And there’s no way I’m about to let anyone take it away from me again.

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#1 Dani & Everest's story

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Meet C.E. Johnson

C.E. Johnson writes contemporary romance with a side of suspense. Her stories are full of emotion, heartbreak, collapsing walls, and redeeming love.

When not writing until all hours of the night, she loves to read books that feature a strong male with a soft spot for his feisty heroine. She prefers stories that rip your heart out completely, then kindly place it back into your chest with a HEA.

She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two kids, and some spoiled rotten animals.
 

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The Fine Print {a review}

Happy Thursday my fellow readers!

Today is the day that The Fine Print by Lauren Asher is available, and let me tell you, if you enjoy theme parks, a work place romance, and/or billionaire romance, then you're going to want to read this one. Or if Grumpy/Sunshine is your go to trope, then again, The Fine Print would be a good book for you to pick up.

Brady Kane, the founder of Dreamland, has recently died. Before he died he wrote a few letters to various people. Three of those letters went to his grandsons. Within those letters were tasks each person needed to accomplish, and there was a deadline. Don't follow through, there goes your stake in the company. Harsh? A bit yes. Needed? Yes. Rowan is the first to tackle the mission. He figures he can return to Dreamland, put in his six months, and be done. He does not care for the theme park, and it brings back memories he'd rather not face. Shortly after his arrival he is attending a morning staff meeting. It is there where he meets Zahra for the first time. She's late to the meeting, loud, and not paying attention. It's irritating Rowan. He's already trying to think of ways to get rid of her. Zahra pays this mysterious man no mind, and goes on with her usual routine. It isn't until a little bit later, when Rowan's name is announced, that she realizes she's sitting right next to the new park Director. A bit later, Rowan is talking with the "Creators" about what needs to be done with the park, and the deadline that he has for them. One of the leads asks about opening up the employee suggestions a bit earlier than normal. While hesitant, Rowan agrees. That night, Zahra has a bit to drink, fills out the form with her true feelings/suggestions, thinks she hits save, and calls it a night. The next morning she realizes that she didn't hit save, she hit submit. But you see, Zahra has a history with the park, and with Brady Kane. Brady knew that Zahra wanted to be a Creator, and she had been working on a plan for a while. That is until her ex took her idea and ran with it. What happens next in the story is the journey toward Zahra and Rowan's HEA. It's quite the trip, and at times you may find yourself wanting to yell at Rowan. Or maybe that was just me.

In the beginning of the book, I was all in. I loved that Grandpa had given these men certain tasks. I wanted to watch how that all played out. I can't lie, in the beginning Rowan ticked me off. He was such a jerk, and it just irritated me. It seemed as though there wasn't one caring bone in his body. Rowan was all work, and anything else didn't matter. Whatever made the company the most money was all that mattered. A decent wage for employees? Nah. Good health insurance? Absolutely not. No one was complaining, so all was fine. I really liked how as the story unfolded, Rowan was starting to question things. As for Zahra, I loved her from the beginning. She is a strong female who knows what she wants. She wants to be a Creator at Dreamland. She wants to be near her family. She wants the best for her sister Ani. I also loved how she challenged Rowan left and right. She could see behind his mask. She knew there was a better man struggling to break free. He just needed a little push. This story was just so good. Yes, there were times where I wanted the pace to pick up just a little bit, but at the end of the story I see why it had to play out the way it did. I understand. When the big dramatic moment happened, my heart crashed. I was worried that Zahra and Rowan weren't going to get their HEA. Obviously they did. (I only read HEAs, with the exception of one book that broke me.) And how their HEA played out, just warmed my heart.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Dreamland Billionaires book, Terms and Conditions. Which brother is getting their story told? No clue, but I'm hoping it's Declan. And so help me Iris had better be his end game. If not, my kindle will be thrown.

Absolutely recommend the book. Take a trip to Dreamland for yourself, and fall for the setting! I think you'll fall for the characters along the way too.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Laura

Rowan

I'm in the business of creating fairy tales.

Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.

Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.

My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.

Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.

By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.

People like me don't get happy endings.

Not when we're destined to ruin them.

Zahra

After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland's most expensive ride, I should have been fired.

Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.

The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I'd ever met.

Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn't care.

At least not until I discovered his secret.

It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn't fix everything.

Especially not us.

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Meet Lauren Asher

Plagued with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can't help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.

Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.
 

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Thank you to Lauren Asher and Grey's Promotions for providing me with an advanced copy of The Fine Print.

Twisted Games {cover reveal}

Ana Huang has just revealed the cover for Twisted Games!

This is the second book in the Twisted series, but can be read as a standalone. If you enjoy forbidden romances, bodyguard romances, or royal romances, then be sure to grab this book when it releases on July 29, 2021!

She can never be his…but he’s taking her anyway. 

 

Stoic, broody, and arrogant, elite bodyguard Rhys Larsen has two rules:

1) Protect his clients at all costs

2) Do not become emotionally involved. Ever.

 

He has never once been tempted to break those rules…until her. 

 

Bridget von Ascheberg. A princess with a stubborn streak that matches his own and a hidden fire that reduces his rules to ash. She’s nothing he expected and everything he never knew he needed.

 

Day by day, inch by inch, she breaks down his defenses until he’s faced with a truth he can no longer deny: he swore an oath to protect her, but all he wants is to ruin her. Take her. 

 

Because she’s his. 

 

His princess. 

 

His forbidden fruit. 

 

His every depraved fantasy. 

***

Regal, strong-willed, and bound by the chains of duty, Princess Bridget dreams of the freedom to live and love as she chooses.

 

But when her brother abdicates, she’s suddenly faced with the prospect of a loveless, politically expedient marriage and a throne she never wanted.

 

And as she navigates the intricacies—and treacheries—of her new role, she must also hide her desire for a man she can’t have. 

 

Her bodyguard.

 

Her protector. 

 

Her ultimate ruin. 

Unexpected and forbidden, theirs is a love that could destroy a kingdom…and doom them both. 

 

Twisted Games is a contemporary royal bodyguard romance. It’s book two of the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

Warning: This book contains a possessive alpha hero, explicit sexual content, and profanity.

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Meet Ana Huang

Ana Huang is an author of primarily steamy New Adult and contemporary romance. 

Her stories range from lighthearted to dark, but they all have HEAs with plenty of banter and swoon sprinkled in. 

Besides reading and writing, Ana loves traveling, is obsessed with hot chocolate, and has multiple relationships with fictional boyfriends.

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