Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Kingdom Come by Aleatha Romig {a review}

Today is the day that Kingdom Come by Aleatha Romig is available! Kingdom Come is Aleatha's addition to the, multi-author, Underworld Kings series. A multi-author series of standalone books filled with mafia families waging war, danger and violence, arranged and forced marriages, angst, love, and everything in-between.

In Kingdom Come we meet Greyson and Cecilia. Greyson is currently looking for a new place to land as his life in Louisiana has disintegrated. For his safety he cannot return, and he had to change his name. Kyle is gone, and he is now Greyson. Upon arriving in New York, Greyson met with the Dellinger family to let them know why he was in town, and seeing if there was anything he could help the family with. It was at this meeting that Greyson first "met" Cecilia. Fast forward a bit, and Greyson is now on the west coast. It is there that another mafia family taps Greyson for a job. Turns out Cecilia has been abducted, and is being auctioned off. This family wants Greyson to do some research, and report back. Yet when Greyson watches that video, he immediately knows he has to rescue her. Everything that happens next will have you wondering who is behind the abduction, what their motive was, and you may also be intrigued by the slow burn romance that is beginning to form. Can these two be together or are they destined to fall apart?

So, I can't lie. Kingdom Come took me a bit to get into. I wasn't familiar with Greyson (I've since learned we learn more about him in the Devil Duet where he is a side character), so I didn't understand what he was running from. That being said, once things began escalating, I couldn't put the book down. There was so much that happened with the characters. From Cecilia's abduction, to her subsequent rescue, to the chase that ensued, to how that entire storyline played out, I was enthralled. In the back of my mind I was trying to figure out who was behind it all, and right when I thought I had it figured out, I was proven wrong. I am glad I was wrong though. And that ending? So good. It gave me everything I wanted.

Now if you're looking for a quick read, this isn't it. This book takes time to build and develop. It does pick up, so don't worry about that. Just expect to take your time diving into this world, and take it all in. It's one heck of a story, and it has me wanting to read more from Aleatha.

If you're a fan of mafia romances, then go grab Kingdom Come (as well as the other books in the Underworld Kings collection). Go see what happens between Greyson and Cecilia, and find out who is behind it all.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura




They say the price of freedom is learning that you have nothing left to lose.

There was a time when I had it all. Money. Power. Love. And in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

Along the road to my new life, I have a chance meeting with Cecilia Abernathy. Born to greatness, this American princess is out of my league. That doesn’t mean I don’t see her for the woman she is behind the headlines. In a rare glimpse I see not only her outward beauty but her inner determination. I’m moved by her in ways I don’t allow myself to ponder.

Time passes and I’m moving forward, persevering beyond my loss, and making a new name for myself. And then I’m given an assignment.

One job.
One quest.

If I succeed, my kingdom will be at hand.
If I fail, there will be no more chances.

Men like me aren’t saviors, and that isn’t my assignment. My mission is to find the daughter of one of the most powerful men in New York, in the country, and maybe the world. Find her and deliver her to her family’s rival.

Cecilia Abernathy has been kidnapped. All I have to do is exchange her current hell for another. And then I can walk away and claim my reward.

Has my taste of freedom made me willing to sell my soul for a kingdom?

Find out the answer in KINGDOM COME, a dangerous forced-proximity stand-alone romance by New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig. 


Grab Your Copy Here!
Add to your Goodreads TBR!



Meet Aleatha Romig
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she's not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams and bring your imagination to life!
Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha's twisted style with an increase in heat.
In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.
In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by the sweet stand-alone, ONE NIGHT.
Aleatha is a "Published Author's Network" member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Get Aleatha'd Here:


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Thank you Aleatha Romig, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced copy of Kingdom Come.

Monday, November 15, 2021

All the Feels by Olivia Dade {a review}

source

Olivia Dade is back with All the Feels! This is the second book in the Spoiler Alert series, and this time Alex Woodroe is having his story told. Fans of Spoiler Alert will remember Alex, as toward the end of that book he was in a bit of hot water.

All the Feels features the following tropes:
              • opposites attract
              • hate to love
              • forced proximity
              • single bed
              • slow burn
The media has tapped Alex as a "bad boy". He's been acting out, and he was recently in jail after a bar fight where he was presumed to be drunk. All of this after other altercations have occurred in the past. Lauren just arrived in Spain for a little R&R after leaving her job in the ER. Her mother insisted that she meet up with her cousin Ron since his show was filming in the area. Ron figures his cousin, who recently left a stressful job, doesn't have anything to do, and (with family pressure) Lauren accepts the job as Alex's handler. Right away Alex is against this, but he'd also do just about anything to keep his job. Even if that means he has to deal with new rules and a babysitter. But once they arrive back in California, can their relationship remain business-like, or will lines start to blur? Could Alex fall for Lauren? Could Lauren believe that Alex would want her?

The premise of this book was good. The execution was a miss for me. I enjoy all of the tropes that were in this book, and it had the potential to be wonderful. Maybe it was Alex, maybe it was Lauren, maybe it was the storyline, but something fell flat. Now I will say, Alex rubbed me wrong from the get go. How he described Lauren from the first introduction, to the words that he continued to use, it was a big no for me. Yes, Lauren is a petite plus size woman, but she is so much more than that. She is also incredibly smart, excels in her profession, and knows her limitations. (Which is why she has taken a leave of absence from her job.) Did she really want to babysit a well known actor? NO! But she was trying to not start a fight in her family, so she felt she had no other option. I feel like mid-way through the book we began to see snippets of the man that Alex truly is. Yet it was a little too late for me. Honestly though Lauren wasn't much better. She was kind of a doormat. More so with her family, but I saw bits and pieces of it with Alex as well. Again, not something I was a fan of.

Now I will say that big dramatic moment for Alex and Lauren was quite dramatic, courtesy of Zach. How all of that played out was intriguing. Yet at the same time I feel that it could have been explained a bit better. I was happy that Alex had some resolution from his earlier guilt in regards to his mom's former situation. The reunion for Alex and Lauren was just okay. I'm glad that feelings were shared, and future discussed. But I wanted more. I wanted the high emotional discussions where they fight for each other. Then the passion fueled embrace/kiss.

Like I said, I had high expectations for All the Feels. Sadly it fell short. I still think it was a decent story, but I didn't feel the romantic connection between our characters. It was more of a friendship connection than anything else.

If you choose to read All the Feels, please let me know your thoughts on the book. As you know I always say that reviews and ratings are subjective to the reader. That depending on the mood, life events, or other situations, that can affect how the reader relates with the story. Now for me, I will say that none of those apply. So take that as you will.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on the book. I should also mention that there is a content warning for implied domestic violence. It isn't in regards to our main characters but a side character.

Laura


Alexander Woodroe has it all. Charm. Sex appeal. Wealth. Fame. A starring role as Cupid on TV’s biggest show, Gods of the Gates. But the showrunners have wrecked his character, he's dogged by old demons, and his post-show future remains uncertain. When all that reckless emotion explodes into a bar fight, the tabloids and public agree: his star is falling.


Enter Lauren Clegg, the former ER therapist hired to keep him in line. Compared to her previous work, watching over handsome but impulsive Alex shouldn’t be especially difficult. But the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to keep her professional remove and her heart intact, especially when she discovers the reasons behind his recklessness…not to mention his Cupid fanfiction habit.


When another scandal lands Alex in major hot water and costs Lauren her job, she’ll have to choose between protecting him and offering him what he really wants—her. But he’s determined to keep his improbably short, impossibly stubborn, and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can. And on a road trip up the California coast together, he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves: anything at all. 



All the Feels is available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, and Google Play, as well as The Ripped Bodice and Love’s Sweet Arrow!


Add to your Goodreads TBR!




Meet


Olivia Dade grew up an undeniable nerd, prone to ignoring the world around her as she read any book she could find. Her favorites, though, were always, always romances. As an adult, she earned an M.A. in American history and worked in a variety of jobs that required the donning of actual pants: Colonial Williamsburg interpreter, high school teacher, academic tutor, and (of course) librarian. Now, however, she has finally achieved her lifelong goal of wearing pajamas all day as a hermit-like writer and enthusiastic hag. She currently lives outside Stockholm with her patient Swedish husband, their whip-smart daughter, and the family’s ever-burgeoning collection of books.

Connect with Olivia





Thank you to Olivia Dade, and Avon Books, for providing me with a review copy of All the Feels.


DID YOU SEE THIS?!?

 


Are you in Helena Hunting's group on Facebook?

Did you SEE what she just posted?




MAVERICK WATERS IS GETTING A BOOK IN SEPTEMBER 2022!!!!

Oh my word. Excuse me while I go freak out about this! It's the next generation of the Pucked characters! AHHHH!

First we had Lavender and Kody's story, and now we are finding out what the hell is going on with Maverick.

Is it September yet?

Pompous Player by Brenda Rothert {a review}

Did you see that Brenda Rothert has a new book available? Pompous Player is the latest addition to the Cocky Hero Club! This just released today, November 14, and it was so good!

This contemporary romance features the hate to love trope, along with forced proximity, and of course opposites attract. Oh, and there's a secret baby. You see in this book, we have Winter. Winter was best friends with Mal. Mal was pregnant, discovered she had a terminal illness, and after delivering her daughter, she died. It was her wish that Winter would raise her baby, and already had things set up for the dad to terminate his parental rights. But you see, the dad, well he's a former NHL hockey player (as well as a veteran), and Harry had no real clue that he was a dad. Yes Mal told him she might be pregnant, but he never heard any more after that night. So imagine his surprise at that meeting with his lawyer. There's more though. You see Winter had sacrificed everything to help Mal through her pregnancy, and then taking care of the baby. So she was strapped for cash, and her landlord wasn't too thrilled about the missing rent. Never in a million years did Winter see herself falling for the evil Harry Stone. How can she be falling for the man who broke her friends heart? How can she even explore a relationship with him without feeling guilty?

Full disclosure: I cried. 99% of the time it was in regards to Mal and the grief that Winter was dealing with. Ugh, why do I have to be such an emotional reader? WHY????

Anyways. 

I fully enjoyed every moment of this book. I loved the tropes. I loved the storyline. I loved the characters. All of it was so good. Now naturally there are bits and pieces that didn't sit well with me, but that didn't diminish my overall feeling for the book. What I saw was two strangers who had a similar goal (raising the baby) and one who had preconceived notions about the other. Winter thought she knew who Harry was, but she was reacting to the info her friend shared with her, and the persona that Harry wanted others to see. Who he really was though? No where near the man who she believed him to be.

I just adored this story, and it was a perfect addition to the Cocky Hero Club series that Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward have created. Oh, and Pompous Player was inspired by Cocky Bastard. (if you're familiar with that book, I am not.)

If secret baby, hate to love, forced proximity, opposites attract, or former hockey players are your preferred reads, then go download Pompous Player. I think you'll enjoy it.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,
Laura




BLURB

I hate Harry Stone.

Before I’d even met the selfish former pro hockey player turned CEO, he was at the top of my shit list.

The entire city of Chicago thinks he’s God’s gift to humanity, but I know the truth.

He knocked up my best friend and then ditched her when she needed him most.

She got sick after that, and before she passed away, she chose me to raise her newborn daughter.

I just need Harry to sign away his rights to the little girl who means everything to me.

Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple.

To stay in his daughter’s life, I end up moving in with the man I detest. Loathe. Despise.

Hating Harry Stone is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

But slowly discovering a way to not hate him?

Now that, I didn’t see coming.

Pompous Player is a secret baby/enemies to lovers/sports romance inspired by Cocky Bastard.



Only Available on Amazon

US / UK / CA / AU
Read for free with Kindle Unlimited




November Cocky Hero Club Releases



Meet the Author

Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.


Cocky Hero Club







Thank you to Brenda Rothert, and Give Me Books PR, for providing me with an advanced copy of Pompous Player.



Brittany Taylor has a new book coming! {cover reveal}

 

Release Date: December 2

I never used to live my life by rules.

At least not until my fiancé betrayed me, turning my entire world upside down.

Unsure of how to move on, my luck seemed to suddenly change. My estranged mother's last gift to me before she died landed on my doorstep, giving me the opportunity to start my life over.

I snatched up the chance to leave my life behind in Minnesota, opening my arms up to the hot, sunny weather of Texas.

It was easy to start over in unfamiliar territory, my unofficial rules of heartbreak worn on my chest like a badge of honor.

But along with the house my mother left came a new neighbor. An obnoxious neighbor with dangerous glaring eyes and a set of abs that should be considered illegal. He was mysterious and full of secrets, a story hidden behind his hard exterior.

Before I knew it, Dallas Beckett was about to break all my rules.

I just didn't realize he had his own set, and I was about to put every one of them to the test.


Pre-Order Your Copy Here:

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU


Add to Your Goodreads TBR List!




Meet Brittany Taylor


Brittany Taylor grew up all over the world including places such as California, England and Texas. Today she resides in Connecticut with her husband, son and two cats. She loves reading, but loves writing even more. 

Her favorite things in life are her family, binge watching Netflix, and tacos. 


Brittany Taylor has been obsessed with reading since kindergarten. She followed her lifelong dream in 2017 when she published her first novel, Without You. Ever since, she's been hooked and can't write the stories in her head fast enough. 


Connect with Brittany Taylor

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Instagram | BookBub


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