Thursday, March 17, 2022

Nero DeLuca by Xavier Neal and Amarie Avant {a review}

 

Are you looking for another anthology to read? How about one that features mafia romance? Well then you need to go grab Savage Bloodline immediately! Here's what it is about:

Darkness lurks behind their gazes.
There’s something sinister about their smiles.
Their name incites fear in their enemies.
Their touch arouses passion in the women they love.
They are the DeLucas. In the streets and in the sheets, there’s one word that describes them best.
SAVAGE.

The men of the DeLuca family are proof that the bigger the alpha, the harder they fall… in love. Download this exclusive anthology featuring 20+ BRAND NEW mafia romances to find out which DeLuca you will fall in love with. But first, you must ask yourself one question: Are you ready to give your heart and body to a savage?

I haven't read the entire collection yet, but did read an advanced copy of Nero DeLuca's story. Oh what a story it was! Nero's story alone has me wanting to binge the entire anthology immediately. Which it is on my kindle waiting for me, but I'm going to pace myself. (or so I think!)

Nero DeLuca's story is a Cinderella retelling. Except there are no wicked stepsisters, this time they are stepbrothers. Elle and her brothers have found themselves in an undesirable situation. The only real option for Elle to get out of it is to agree to marry Nero. It would be a short marriage, but it would take care of everything.

Once again, Xavier Neal and Amarie Avant hit it out of the park with this mafia romance. From the very first page, to the end of the story, I was all in. From their fake marriage, to the beach scene, to Nero and Elle falling for each other, to the suspenseful scenes. I was curious about what was going to happen with our characters, and how things would play out. So good, highly recommend.

Now that suspenseful scene I wasn't fully expecting. I mean I should have since it is a mafia romance novella, but in the back of my mind I was just expecting conflict between our couple. But what played out, and how all of that came to a conclusion was so perfectly played. Love every moment of it.

Was there anything from the novella I wasn't fond of? Of course there was. But I wasn't expecting to love all aspects. The foot play wasn't for me. That was a bit over done. That's just my opinion, so please don't think I'm being negative about it. One scene of it would have been plenty for me.

After having read Nero DeLuca's story, I look forward to reading the rest within the collection. If you enjoy mafia romances, I hope you'll pick this one up too.

Thank you for taking time to read my brief thoughts.
Laura







Once upon a time, she was asked to put on a slipper.

Little did this princess know, the arrangement she agreed to was going to become much bloodier than the original fairy tale...

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

About the Author


Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can't resist.

In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy's t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible). 

She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband "Lumberjack" and their two fur babies.


Connect with Xavier



Thank you to Xavier Neal, Amarie Avant, and DS Promotions, for providing me with an advanced copy of Nero DeLuca.



Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Love on the Lake by Helena Hunting

 

Can Aaron love her, even when she can’t love herself?

Love on the Lake, an emotional small town, standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is live now!



Teagan Firestone has always been the dutiful daughter, especially since her mom died. But as her father finally begins to move on, it’s her turn to do the same. Her destination: Pearl Lake, a close-knit community with an entrepreneurial spirit and secrets of its own.

One of them is Aaron Saunders, who dropped out of college to work construction for Pearl Lake’s upper class. He’s a mystery and has a playboy reputation—that is, until he meets Teagan. Neither of them is looking for love, but in a town this small, it’s hard not to let your heart get involved.

As their romance heats up, Aaron’s elusive past comes to light and Teagan is there for him, bringing them even closer together. But when Teagan is forced to face her own demons, her inability to accept the support of friends and family threatens the life she’s worked so hard to build.

Can Aaron love her, even when she can’t love herself?

Fall in love today exclusively on Amazon or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Add Love on the Lake to your Goodreads TBR!


Meet Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

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Twisted Debt by Xavier Neal and Amarie Avant {a review}


Happy Tuesday my friends! Today the Once Upon A Broken Crown anthology is available for purchase. I had been hearing about this anthology for a while now, and have been following their updates on Facebook. If you are looking for fairytale retellings then you need to go grab this! It's extremely affordable, and I think you'll enjoy it. I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of ONE of the stories, and I am hooked.

Here's what the blurb for the anthology has to say:
Your favorite fairytales, reimagined. What if Captain Hook was Snow White's Savior? And Belle was the Beast she feared. Maybe Red Riding Hood isn't so sweet. What if the villain got the girl? Or the Princesses we know and love had secrets so dark, their tales were better left distorted. 20+ classic tales retold from the minds of best-selling and award-winning authors. Romance like you've never imagined, spice that’ll set you ablaze, and adventure that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Everyone deserves a happily ever after—even if it's twisted.

While I have not read the full anthology yet, I definitely will be. It's sitting on my kindle just waiting for me to pick it up.

So which book did I read an advanced copy of? That would be Twisted Debt by Xavier Neal and Amarie Avant. Twisted Debt is a Rapunzel retelling, and this story captured my attention from the beginning.  

At the beginning of the story, we catch up with Mr Pierson and Elias Whittington. Mr Pierson had taken a loan from Elias, and was to be repaying that. Well he defaulted, and now Elias is here to collect the collateral. What is that collateral?  Mr Pierson's daughter, Zel.

What started as a contractual agreement without Zel's consent, quickly evolved into more.

"For the next three months, you are here to entertain me. You are to be my date when I do not wish to dine alone. Companion for the events I do not wish to attend with the accompaniment of a beautiful woman on my arm. And most importantly, mine to use for pleasure--morning, noon, or night."

Witnessing the relationship between Elias and Zel grow, and evolve was an interesting ride. It was full of steam, questioning, and falling. Every single moment of the story had me wondering what was going to happen next. Then when the moment of conflict occurred, I was starting to doubt that Elias and Zel would get a happily ever after. But I should learn to never question myself, or rather the authors, as they'll give me what I want. The journey to their reunion was not an easy one, but there was definitely someone in Zel's corner helping her out.

Loved this retelling of Rapunzel, and have high hopes for the rest of the anthology.

Thank you for taking time to read my abbreviated thoughts (Twisted Debt is a novella after all). I do hope you'll pick up the anthology, especially if you are someone who loves steamy fairytale retellings.

Laura






Once upon a time, she was asked to let down her hair.

Little did this princess know, the arrangement she agreed to was going to be much more twisted than the original fairy tale...



Add Once Upon A Broken Crown to your Goodreads TBR!


Participating Authors in this anthology:
Amarie Avant & Xavier Neal, Erin O'Kane, Susana Mohel, Sade Rena, Annie James, Lark Anderson & LJ Anderson, DC Renee, Catharina Maura, Mikki Noble, Kelly N. Jane, Amanda Kimberley & P. Mattern, Alexandra Silva, Olivia Peters, Katherine L. Evans, Sarah Bale, Taya Rune, Devyn Sinclair, Emma Luna, C. Hallman and Monica Corwin, Sierra Rowan.


About the Authors


Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can't resist.

In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy's t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible). 

She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband "Lumberjack" and their two fur babies.

Connect with Xavier

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Thank you to Xavier Neal, Amarie Avant, and DS Promotions, for providing me with an advanced copy of Twisted Debt.

Monday, March 14, 2022

Big Deck Energy by Kim Loraine {a review}


Big Deck Energy, the second book in the Anything For Love series from Kim Loraine, is now available! If you are someone who enjoys hockey romances, then run and grab this book! Big Deck Energy features a strong heroine, a hero with a hot AF British accent, and lots of flirty banter.

If you read The Baby Proposition, then you may recall the teaser for Big Deck Energy. How Becca downloaded a new dating app for Elyse to use, and upon seeing a picture of a guys abs, as well as taking note of his username, Elyse sent off a fiery message. She essentially took all of her frustrations with the male population out on @BigDeckEnergy. This lead to frequent conversations, and was the start of a friendship. These two had gotten under each other's skin, and there was an attraction building. Even though they had yet to meet in person.

Ethan and Elyse's story was so dang good! From their initial online meeting, to the phone conversations, to finally meeting up in person, and to a relationship forming. I loved it all. There was not one moment in this book that had me saying "no thanks". From cover to cover, I could not put this book down. The banter between Elyse and Ethan had me literally laughing out loud. The one liners were flying, and it just made my heart swell.

Then there was the fact that we were able to reconnect with Maverick and Clara Wilde. That had me giddy. I love those characters! I knew they would be making an appearance in the series, but I wasn't certain to what extent. Now I know, and it was perfection. While I would have preferred to have more of Maverick in the story, I do love Clara. So her taking those scenes was just as good.

Let's talk about the moment of conflict between Elyse and Ethan. I saw it coming. I did. But that didn't diminish my love of the story one bit. It was interesting to walk through that moment with the characters, and then see how they made their way through that rough patch.

Also, I just need to mention the scene where Elyse mentions Harry Styles. That had me rolling. I do love me some Harry Styles so I always appreciate when he is brought into my stories.

I cannot wait to see how the Anything For Love series continues to play out. The next book, The Marriage Arrangement, has sparked my curiosity, and I am anticipating the release of that book. (whenever it may be released.) Fake relationships tend to draw me in.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on Big Deck Energy. I hope you will go read this hockey romance, and fall for the characters just like I did. 
Laura

PS: Yes, every time I wrote out Big Deck Energy, I wanted to replace the vowel on Deck. I can't help it.

Cover Design: TE Black Designs
Photography: Wander Aguiar
Model: Andrew Biernat


A sexy, mistaken-identity, forbidden sports romance!

After my last romance turned into a dumpster fire, I did the only reasonable thing–I swore off men for all of eternity. So my bestie said she did the only reasonable thing–she signed me up for a freaking dating app. I thought it was a joke. But after too many martinis, I committed a cardinal sin. I slid into the DMs of the first eye-roll inducing profile I found – @BigDeckEnergy.

With a name like that, how could I resist giving him a piece of my mind?

I never expected him to write back. I also never expected to like him.

His body? Sexy as hell.
Handle? Cocky.
Accent? Did I mention he’s British?
Personality? Funny, sweet, and witty.

Everything was falling into place until it all came crashing down and I remembered why I’d written off dating in the first place. Because Ethan Byrne wasn’t just @BigDeckEnergy. He was a pro hockey player. #41, the center for the Seattle Cyclones, to be exact. He also happened to be my brand new client, and completely off-limits.

Too bad I already knew exactly how big his deck really was.


Order NOW!
Amazon | Kobo | Nook | Google Play | Apple

Listen to Shane East and Stella Hunter narrate the story on Audible!

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

Meet Kim Loraine



Kim Loraine was raised a Navy brat but spent most of her life growing up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. A proper Washingtonian, she's addicted to coffee, doesn't let a little rain ruin her day, and thinks the sun is a gift from God. When not chasing her three little minions around, Kim spends her time writing, reading, and binge watching Doctor Who.

Connect with Kim


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Thank you to Kim Loraine, and Candi Kane PR, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Big Deck Energy.
 

Thursday, March 10, 2022

Bright Like Midnight by Julia Wolf {cover reveal}

🖤🖤 ℍ𝕆𝕋 ℂ𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝔼𝔸𝕃 🖤🖤

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, (𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐔 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐) 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐖𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟕𝐭𝐡. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞!

𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲!


Author's note: Bright Like Midnight is a dark college romance that explores mature themes and dubious situations. If you're looking for a nice guy hero, this story isn't for you! This time the villain gets the girl.


Make no mistake, Zadie Night, I am the bad guy here.

The first time I laid eyes on Amir Vasquez, he held me hostage in my dorm.

You made me a promise.

I swore to myself my second year at Savage U would be different from the last. No more hiding from things that go bump in the night. I’m dating now. Making friends. Living my life.

But then someone starts leaving me notes and whispering my name in the dark, scaring me right back into my shell.

Are you my pet?

I’m shy and soft. Amir is dominant and hard. He stole a kiss once, and then he left me.

I should stay far away from him. But you know what they say about the devil you know…

Do I own you?

Amir will protect me, but not without cost.

I’m his, to do with as he pleases.

He thinks it’s a punishment.

But what he doesn’t know is I haven’t stopped thinking about him since he was my captor.

No one’s going to hurt you.

I’m safe from harm if I’m with him, because he’s the biggest bad on campus.

Show me your whole universe.

And somewhere along the way, he became my haven, too.

You should be scared of me.

I can’t believe I’ve fallen for the villain.





Add to your Goodreads TBR!



Meet Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf is a lover of all things romance. From steamy, to sweet, to funny, to so dirty you’ll be blushing for days, she loves it all.

Formerly a hair stylist, she spent years collecting stories her clients couldn’t wait to spill. And now that she’s writing full time, she’s putting those stories to use, although all identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent!

Julia lives in Maryland with her three crazy, beautiful kids and her patient husband who she’s slowly converting to a romance reader, one book at a time.

Connect with Julia


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