Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Infamous Love {a review}




Infamous Love by Lea Coll is now live! This is the first book in Lea's new Mountain Haven series, and it is such a good read. If you're looking for a romance book set in Telluride, then look no further than Infamous Love. Also, if the grumpy/sunshine trope is a preferred read for you, then again, go read Infamous Love.

Elle is a former reality tv show personality and she is trying to start over. She doesn't want to do the show any longer, and she definitely isn't interested in any spin-offs. Elle just wants to open her barber shop, and live her life away from the cameras, the gossip, and the fans. So why not escape to Telluride? She's been there before, it makes her happy, and she's found the perfect spot for her shop. Upon arriving in Telluride, Elle adopts an adorable little puppy. When she takes the dog to the vet, she meets Gray. Or rather she meets him for the second time. They had a little run in a few months ago, but she's sure he doesn't remember her. Gray moved to town for college, and after graduating he decided to stay put. Or at least for now. That all depends on if people find out about his past. If that ever gets revealed, then he's leaving town. Or so he believes. That is until he meets Elle. There is a spark between the two that cannot be denied. Gray's boss is talking about selling the business to him, but he wants Gray to prove that he's willing to stick around. What does that mean? Better communication with the human clients, participating in the community, and setting down roots. Gray isn't too sure about that, but again, Elle might just convince him to do all of it.

I haven't read a lot of the grumpy/sunshine trope, but oh my word how I enjoyed it! From the setting, to the characters, to the story, it was all so good. Both of them were hiding things, and I was just waiting for the moment of the big reveal. I figured that Elle's reveal would happen about the way that it did. I honestly expected it to be a bit more grand in the reveal, so that surprised me a bit. Same for Gray's though. In my head I had his reveal built up in a way, and I was expecting it to go a certain route. But again it didn't. Which is fine. The big dramatic moment doesn't need to be over the top, it just needs to be, well, dramatic. That tension needs to be there, and it definitely was. Our couple had to work through it, and see if they could come out the other side. Now if you know me at all, you know I tend to stick to the stories with HEAs, and you'll get that with Infamous Love. So that's no spoiler. Our couple was able to find their way back to each other, with a little help.  I found myself not wanting to put Infamous Love down, and I cannot wait to find out who the next book in the series will be about. 

Loved the book. I recommend the book. And I want to check out more books by Lea Coll. Oh, and there is a prequel for Infamous Love! Escape to Love is the title of the prequel, and I know that on Amazon it is currently* a free download. I'm assuming it is on the other retailers (listed below) as well. 

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura

*Escape to Love is a freebie as of July 13, 2021. I don't know if/when that will change.


Elle
Move away. Dye my hair. Change my name. Fly under the radar.

That's my plan to keep the public from recognizing me. I just want to be the new business owner of an old-fashioned barber shop, the ultimate man cave. But all anyone seems to remember is that I'm the bad girl on a popular reality show.

And when I meet the new sexy veterinarian, his gruff voice and grumpy manner get my blood pumping. His sweet way with animals makes me want to know everything about him.

For the first time in my life, cameras aren't broadcasting my every move. No producer is telling me what to say or do. No one's pushing me toward him.

This natural gravitation toward him is the realest thing I've ever felt.

But when my past collides with my present, everything comes crashing down around me.

I wish I could just hide, but I can't.

Gray
Escape my past. Keep my secrets buried. And secure the dream job.

That's my plan to change my life.
I'm living like I could pack up and leave at a moment's notice.
Now, my new boss won't sell me his practice unless I convince him I'm here to stay.

Fresh from LA, Elle Carmichael walks into my vet office with her puppy and plans for her business. With her sunny disposition and wide-eyed hope, she thinks she's a good fit for this town. As soon as her crazy business plan fails, she'll be gone.

Getting involved with her is the worst kind of trouble. It will only attract attention to my past, ruining my future.

I wish I could resist her, but I can't.



Download today from one of these retailers!


Also, add Infamous Love to your Goodreads!



Meet Lea Coll


Lea Coll worked as a trial attorney for over ten years. Now she stays home with her three children, plotting stories while fetching snacks and running them back and forth to activities. She enjoys the freedom of writing romance after years of legal writing.

She currently resides in Maryland with her family. 
 
Connect with Lea


Thank you to Lea Coll and Grey's Promotions for providing me with an advanced copy of Infamous Love.

Broken Hearts {a review}


Broken Hearts by Rebecca Jenshak is now live!
This is the third book in the Campus Nights series, and you don't want to miss this one. If college sports romance is what you enjoy, then go grab Broken Hearts now! And don't worry if you haven't read Secret Puck or Bad Crush, that's okay as these books can be read as standalones.

In this latest installment of the Campus Nights series, we meet up with Rhett. Rhett, as you may or may not know, recently ended his 6 year relationship with Carrie. It was time, plus the distance wasn't helping matters at all. The hockey team was out celebrating a recent win, and Rhett was about to hook up with someone. That is until he fell asleep. Oops. After a brief nap, Rhett decides to head to the rink to get some skating in. Upon arriving he notices that the figure skaters are still going, so he snoozes. That is until Sienna wakes him up. Sienna thought she was going to have the ice to herself, but it's looking like she's going to have to share. She's not exactly thrilled about it. But the duo agree to stick to their sides of the rink. A while later, Rhett ends up crashing into Sienna, and she goes down. After helping her back to the trainers office, Rhett apologizes constantly. These two are not starting off on the right foot, and it is irritating Rhett. Rhett eventually asks Sienna out, and she turns him down. What happens next is a friendship forming, morphing into a relationship, then comes heartache and the big dramatic moment. 

Broken Hearts had me crying. Okay it was more so when a certain big moment happened, but still, I was crying. I am such an emotional person, and I can't help but cry at times. I loved getting to return to the group at Valley. I loved getting to see the characters I've come to enjoy. Loved how Rhett had to work to get Sienna to go on a date with him, and how he had to clear some things up. I was curious about Carrie's storyline, and the reasoning behind the constant phone calls. But that was never discussed fully. She was just being clingy, and was basically trying to rebuild the friendship they once had. Sienna is a sweetheart who is extremely talented at figure skating. She also has a heart condition, and that tends to make people not want a relationship with her. Yet here she couldn't keep Rhett away. There was so much to the story that I enjoyed. From the meet-cute for Rhett and Sienna, to the awkward moments between them, to the hockey storyline, to Sienna trying to figure out life after college, to the big dramatic moment, to the grief and heartache, to the grand gesture, all of it had me devouring the book. Also, the fact that Rhett is from Minnesota, and Sienna is from Wisconsin had me grinning like a fool. Gotta love that the main characters are in my area of the US. But can we talk about the name for Rhett's home town? If he's from Rochester, just say so, no need to rename it Rochestertown. Like what is that?  Ignoring that little bit, I fully enjoyed the story, and am loving the series.

If you like new adult romances that are set at college, and feature sports romance, then please go read Broken Hearts. Then, if you enjoy it, go back and read the first two books in the series. Oh, and it sounds like Maverick is getting his story next! So stay tuned for Wild Love coming December 2021! 

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura


She's a figure skater. He's a hockey player. Things are about to heat up on the ice.

Rhett Rauthruss is single for the first time in six years. He's fresh off a long-term, long-distance relationship and ready to make the most of what's left of college.

Party with his boys, get to the Frozen Four with his team, and maybe play the field for a change.

Sienna Hale knows a thing or two about heartbreak. She's a college athlete about to skate for the last time, and nothing is going to throw her off course. Not her worries about finding a job after college, not the whispers of last year's accident on the ice, and not the cute hockey player who keeps asking her out.

They think they want different things, but when it heats up between them, there's no denying they have something in common--even if it's just for a night.

 

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!


Add to Broken Hearts to your Goodreads!

 

 

Meet Rebecca


Rebecca is a new adult romance author, caffeine-addict, and lover of all sports. She's a Midwest girl at heart, but currently resides in Arizona.


Connect with Rebecca

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub



Thank you to Rebecca Jenshak and Valentine PR for providing me with an e-copy of Broken Hearts.

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Ruthless Noble {a review}

It's here! It's finally here! Ruthless Noble is available, and friends it was so worth the wait.

You may recall that back in April, I had read Savage Queen. I was completely taken with that book, and fell hard for Savvy and Jasper. You may also recall that I had some questions that I needed answers to. Well, I'm here to tell you, all my questions were answered in Ruthless Noble.

        1. Why did Savvy have to change schools? ANSWERED!
        2. What is her mother's angle? ANSWERED (and then some)!
        3. What is she holding over Savvy? ANSWERED!
        4. WHAT IS GOING ON? ANSWERED!
So yeah, like I said, all my questions were answered. There was also a part of the story that had my jaw drop. And oofta, I was not expecting that. But part of me thinks I should have. It just fits ya know?

Okay recap time. Although it will be brief because hello story continuation. We pick up right where we left off, and things start to happen quickly. Not only was Savvy just set up with Duke, she's also in the midst of an asthma attack. And this attack is a doozy. Thankfully Chuck was at this dinner, and he quickly gets Carter on the phone. Carter then arranges for Tessa to come up to the penthouse, where she then assists Savvy through the process until transport arrives. Flash forward just a bit, and everyone is at the hospital. Jasper arrives, has words with Carter (and therefore the Royals since they were by his side), and then sneaks off to find Savvy. And then a bunch more happens that I can't say anything about because SPOILERS! 

Let's just get this out of the way now, I gave Ruthless Noble 5 stars. It was such a fantastic story. The storyline with Natalie had me anticipating the drop that would happen. The engagement storyline just had me laughing especially when Duke told Savvy what he did. The revelation in chapter 34, yeah that happened. Loved everything with Jasper and Savvy. These two are amazing together. Savvy had me tearing up when the one scene with Carter happened. I was proud of Savvy for telling everything. That took incredible strength, but she had the support to do it. Everything about this book I just loved. From the characters to the setting to the storylines to the final page, I was all in. Oh, and the steam in this book. OOOOHHHHH DAMN. Now excuse me while I head to Amazon to buy physical copies.

Highly recommend the Royalty Crew duet. Like I said last time, if you enjoyed the Folkestone Sins series by Samantha Lovelock, then you will enjoy the Royalty Crew. Just trust me on that. And if you haven't read either series, what are you waiting for? Go to Amazon NOW!

Thank you for reading my thoughts, 
Laura


𝗥𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝘂𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗯𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗶𝘇 𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘! 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝘃𝘆'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆!

𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!


𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒕𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍.
Cocky.
Powerful.
𝘙𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴.

Until the day Savvy King swaggered into our world.

She defied me at every turn, refusing to yield to my command.

Her insolence infuriated me as much as it captivated me, until the battle 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘥 us.

She’s the perfect counterpart to my reign.

Except...the ring on her finger belongs to another.

People want to play politics with my life—with 𝘰𝘶𝘳 lives.

That is a mistake.

𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏.



𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝘃𝘆'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆!

𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!


Ruthless Noble on Amazon!

Start the duet with 𝙎𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣 which is currently FREE in KU!

Add Ruthless Noble to your Goodreads TBR!

 

~Giveaway~

To celebrate the release of Ruthless Noble, Alley Ciz has a signed paperback up for grabs!

Enter HERE!


Meet Alley
 

Alley Ciz is an internationally bestselling indie author of sassy heroines and the alpha men that fall on their knees for them. She is a romance junkie whose love for books turned into her telling the stories of the crazies who live in her head…even if they don’t know how to stay in their lane.

This Potterhead can typically be found in the wild wearing a funny T-shirt, connected to an IV drip of coffee, stuffing her face with pizza and tacos, chasing behind her 3 minis, all while her 95lb yellow lab—the best behaved child—watches on in amusement.



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Thank you to Alley Ciz and Wildfire Marketing for providing me with an advanced copy of Savage Queen.


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!
US | UK | INT

Or listen to the audiobook on Audible!
Narrated by Teddy Hamilton & Rose Dioro, featuring Jacob Morgan!

Add Black Thorns to your Goodreads HERE!


Read Red Thorns, Book One in the Thorns Duet today!
AMAZON US | UK | INT
Listen on Audible!

Add to your GOODREADS!

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.

Don’t forget to Sign up to Rina Kent’s Newsletter for news about future releases and an exclusive gift.

AUTHOR LINKS


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

Friday, July 9, 2021

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. 



Grab Your Copy Here:
Free in KU

Add Rent-A Husband to your Goodreads!


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. ;)

Connect with Everly Ashton 


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