Friday, April 22, 2022

The Scorecard by Maren Moore {a review}


The Scorecard by Maren Moore is officially available! Friends, this book is quite possibly my favorite in the Totally Pucked series. Or really I should say of all the hockey romances that I've read from Maren Moore. Graham and Emery have captured my attention. I cannot wait for you to all pick up this book and give it a read. Just know that it does end in a cliffhanger, so you're not going to get your HEA right away. Rumor has it that The Final Score will be out at the end of May, but that's not concrete right now.

The Scorecard started off with Emery having a girls night at her brother's house. As the girls were talking, the conversation naturally turned toward hockey players. This had the girls creating a list, a scorecard if you will, of a few players. That list was supposed to be thrown away, after all it was just made in fun. Yet when Graham showed up to the house, he happened to find it. He saw his name in 5th place, and that didn't sit right with him. Graham also doesn't understand why Emery seems to hate him so much. It's been bugging him for a while now. Especially as his attraction to her grows. Not that he can do anything about that though, it's his best friend's little sister after all. Things quickly take a turn after a night out. This hate to love relationship has just entered a new phase. Lives are about to change. Feelings are about to shift. A future together is a definite possibility. But it could be all thrown out the window with the news that is about to drop. 

Let's dive into my thoughts...

4.5 stars my friends. That is what I rated The Scorecard over on Goodreads. Freaking obsessed with this couple!

The Scorecard grabbed my attention immediately partly because it's Graham's story, but also because it's the brother's best friend trope. Which if you know me at all, you know I absolutely love that trope. This is also a hate to love story (some could consider it enemies to lovers, but I don't), a forced proximity romance, a fake relationship relationship, and it also has a surprise pregnancy! Oof that's a lot.

We find out early on why Emery has issues with Graham, and it makes complete sense. I don't blame her one bit, I would be irritated with him as well. But all it takes is that one night to change it all. Yes the "hate" is still there, but it's starting to lessen. As Emery gets to know Graham though, that hate is definitely turning toward love. 

Loved getting to meet Graham's mom and sister. The Tennessee scenes were some of my favorites. Being in Tennessee allowed us to get to know Graham a lot more, and see him be a bit vulnerable. This also affected Emery's way of viewing Graham. She was able to see this side of him that he doesn't show to others. It shows what a family man he is, and where his passions off the ice lay. He's sharing what he sees as a piece of his future with the woman he loves.

For those who are not familiar with Emery, she's a new lawyer. It's taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get where she is. At her job, her boss tapped her to work on an extremely important case. I found myself a bit confused about all of this as we had no information about it. We knew the client name, and we were able to briefly meet them, but that was it. I have questions regarding that. I'm not sure how that is going to tie into the storyline between Emery and Graham. I'm guessing that will be revealed in part 2.

Then there is the fact that the "scorecard" from the beginning was not really referenced much throughout the book. To be honest, this is part of what held me back from giving the full 5 stars. I thought we would see Graham working his magic to move up the list, and him showing Emery why he deserves that top spot vs one of his teammates. So that was a bit of a let down.

Oh, and I want to mention the pregnancy because this is the second thing that affected my rating. Now it's not the fact that Emery is pregnant. That doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's the timeline of her pregnancy. We know that Graham is the dad. We know that. I trust that. But knowing what else we know about OTHER characters who are also pregnant, Emery had to deliver prematurely. Yet that was not mentioned. That pregnancy timeline for Emery, Graham, and the other characters just wasn't flushed out properly. There was info that didn't line up. Am I looking too deeply into this? Quite possibly. But as someone who has given birth four times, I know a few things. So that just irritated me. Sorry.

I'm able to look past those couple of "issues", and I still feel 100% confident in my 4.5 star rating. I loved the book. I loved the characters. I am now counting down the days to The Final Score so that I can find out what happens next in their story. Because the tidbit at the end had my jaw dropping.

Cannot wait to see how Maren wraps up Emery and Graham's story, and to see what happens next for our characters from the Totally Pucked world.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on The Scorecard. I hope you'll pick this one up, and fall for the characters the way I have. Truly this is my favorite of the series.

Happy Reading,
Laura


Pretending to be married to my brother’s best friend and my biggest enemy is the last thing I imagined I’d be doing.

But there was a thin line between lust and hate, and when I fell into bed with the NHL’s rookie playboy, I found out just how easy that line got blurred.

We were enemies with benefits, but then two pink lines changed it all.

Now he was bringing me back home to his family’s farm and faking it became real… in more ways than one.

He was meant to be the enemy but falling for him meant letting him win.

The Scorecard
Graham: 1
Me: 0

**The Scorecard is book 1 of the duet and is approximately 60,000 words. This book does end on a cliffhanger.


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Where to find Maren Moore

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Thank you to Maren Moore, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of  The Scorecard.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Tight End by Lisa Suzanne {a review}


Today is the day that Vegas Aces season 3 is wrapping up. Vegas Aces: The Tight End by Lisa Suzanne was a wonderful journey from fake relationship to one that will last a lifetime. Ben and Kaylee both evolved so much throughout this series, it was absolutely wonderful.

My rating on Goodreads for Tight End was 4.5 stars. I loved it so. This entire series has secured a spot in my favorites list. (which no, there is no physical list at this point, it's all just in my brain.)

If you've  been following along, then you know that Vegas Aces: The Tight End is a continuous series, and books 1-4 each end with a cliffhanger. Therefore I simply cannot recap the book as there is too high of a risk for spoilers. Trust me when I say, the description that Lisa Suzanne has written provides you all the information you need. So let's jump into my thoughts...

Oh my goodness did Tight End have me loving Kaylee and Ben even more! Yes I've been obsessed with their story from the beginning. This fifth, and final, book though just wonderful. The storylines were mostly wrapped up (I do have a couple questions still up in the air), the secret I called back in Tight Laced was 100% confirmed, the reunion was everything I wanted, and I just fell even harder for these characters. Oh, and I was also right about a character being sketchy.

Can I tell you where I still have questions? Erm, probably not since it would be spoiler-ish. Ugh. I need to talk to someone about it! Guess I'll go to the spoiler room and discuss it there.

Lisa Suzanne knows how to write a story that grabs your attention, and has you on the edge of your seat for the entirety. These characters that she has created in the Vegas Aces world are phenomenal. They are memorable. I cannot wait to see them reappear in season 4. And yes, there is going to be a season 4! The set up is perfect, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

If you haven't started the series yet, then now would be the perfect time. All the books are out, so you don't really need to worry about the cliffhangers. Find your favorite reading spot, grab your kindle (or the paperbacks!), and fall for Ben & Kaylee.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on Vegas Aces: The Tight End. All five books were fantastic, and I highly recommend that you read them.

Happy Reading,
Laura



I knew playing with my feelings was a huge gamble with someone like him, but I did it anyway. And now I’ve learned the hard lesson that gambling and life in Vegas just aren’t for me.

I have a lot of decisions I need to make on my own, so I take a job that will allow me to relocate, regroup, and make new friends as I try to figure out what comes next for me.

One of those new friends is a hot former baseball player who is also my temporary new roommate. Even though I find myself attracted to him, I’m carrying too much weight from my past to move forward.

I need to find a way to move on from my tight end, and the only way to do that is to tell him the truth that will change both of our futures forever.


TIGHT END is the final book in the VEGAS ACES: THE TIGHT END series. This series must be read in order.



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Meet Lisa Suzanne


Lisa Suzanne is a romance author who resides in Arizona with her husband and two kids. 

She’s a former high school English teacher and college composition instructor. 

When she's not chasing her kids, she can be found working on her latest book or watching reruns of Friends.  




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Thank you to Lisa Suzanne, and Wordsmith Publicity, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Tight End.





Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Sinful Bodyguard by Emily Bowie {a review}



Sinful Bodyguard is the fourth book in the Dark Mafia Sins series from Emily Bowie. This new release is a friends to enemies to lovers story featuring forced proximityarranged marriage, slow burn romance, and a whole lot of hate to love. Luna and Fin are both holding secrets, and when they are exposed, it could lead to a war, as well as heartbreak.

Having read Sinful Daughter, and Sinful Kisses, I thought I knew what to expect in Sinful Bodyguard. I knew the Rossi family would be involved. I knew we might find out a bit more about Katrina. I knew we would get to see the other characters periodically. I knew that I was returning to this mafia world. But that was it. I wasn't fully familiar with Luna. She was quiet in the other books, and so I didn't get a main character vibe from her. I do remember seeing Fin at the end of Sinful Kisses, and it honestly took me a bit to place him. 

I really enjoyed how this book began, and the fact that we were in the past. It gave insight into what happened to drive Luna and Fin apart. Not only that but it also showed what influenced Fin to live his life the way he has.


Luna is a strong, independent woman who can handle pretty much anything that is thrown at her. With the exception of Fin. The history between the two is less than ideal, and there is still a lot of feelings pent up regarding what happened in the past. Luna is also a protector. She will do what needs to be done to take care of her family.

Fin is amazing at what he does, and he has earned quite the reputation because of it. Taking over the family business isn't exactly high on his priority list, but it is what he is destined for. First though he needs to fix things with Luna. Not only that, but he's going to convince her family that an arranged marriage between the two is the perfect plan.

I really enjoyed the characters. Separately they are fantastic. Together, I'm just not feeling it. Never once while reading did I see these two being anything other than enemies. Maybe one day I could see a truce being called, but that's about it. So to see the relationship building, and Luna being so resistant toward it, I struggled. Did this Rossi sister deserve her own story? Absolutely. But this enemies to lovers romance was just missing something for me. Honestly it kind of felt like a filler story to get to Katrina's story. And believe me I think Katrina's story is going to be INTENSE! Especially with the build up.

All in all the story was decent. I gave it 3.5 stars on Goodreads. It was just not what I was expecting, or what I was used to based on the others in the series. But these are just my feelings, and we all process books in different ways.

Bring on Sinful Queen!

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on Sinful Bodyguard. I do have a review of Sinful Vow coming soon, I'm just ironing out my thoughts on that. 

Happy reading!
Laura



Cover Design: Jersey Girl Design

Long before Fin was my bodyguard, he was my best friend. It didn’t matter that he belonged to the Irish mafia and I the Italian.


One day changed everything. His family was murdered, and I helped set everything in motion.

I’ll carry the weight of that burden forever.

Six years later he’s back in my life as my bodyguard. He refuses to let me out of his sight, and I’m reminded of my betrayal every single day. Our connection is so much more than friends now. It’s hard not to appreciate his chiseled chest, strong arms, and his need to protect me.

When the tension wraps too tight around us it explodes. Igniting chemistry that neither one of us can say no to.

But Fin could never love me if he learned the truth. I should be more frightened of him than the monsters he’s protecting me from.

When secrets surface, we’re both forced to reckon with what the truth will do to our relationship.
Now I’m standing at the altar with a choice: stand with Fin and risk everything, or protect my family--and my heart.



Add Fin & Luna's story to your Goodreads TBR!


New to the world of Dark Mafia Sins?
Start from the beginning!





Author Bio

Emily Bowie is from a small town in Western Canada. She has been making characters come to life through her writing since she was old enough to put her thoughts on paper. She loves her white wine cold, her heels red, and her books spicy. 

She married her high school sweetheart and they have two amazing children. 

She is the author to the Bennett Brothers Series. 

Recklessly Mine, Recklessly Forbidden, & Recklessly Devoted. 

When she is not writing she can be found reading a good book, making digital scrapbooks and being physically active—whether it is at the gym, going for a walk, or playing /keep up with her children.


Connect with Emily






Thank you to Emily Bowie, and Give Me Books PR, for providing me with a copy of Sinful Bodyguard.

Baby Got Pack by Xavier Neal {cover reveal}


Xavier Neal has a brand new book releasing on April 28, 2022!

BABY GOT PACK
is a small town, opposites attract romantic comedy. I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy!

If it sounds interesting to you, be sure to add it to your Goodreads TBR, and definitely go preorder it!

Cover Designer: Dana L, Designs by Dana

Torrance
I like backpacks, and I cannot lie...
Now, people?
I can deny.
But whenever the consultant walks in with a smile on his face, encouraging me to find my place, I damn near lose a lung.
Ugh.
Asthma.
I swear, if I was an average lady, or if Mother Nature didn't hate me...then I might fit in, in the role I'm in, and the consultant would want more with me.

Fynn
One of my best mates tried to warn me...
That falling in love might be on my journey.
But with the business I'm in and the way I live, falling for a client just isn't my way.
Except I find myself wanting to hold her.
Make her bolder.
Let her lean on my shoulder.
See, she's not the average lady, plus her beautiful soul just drives me crazy.
This should've been a fling, yet now I'm looking at rings.
Because I'm ready to make this a forever thing.


Baby Got Pack is a standalone, opposites-attract, laugh-out-loud rom com from the same author who brought Hike, Hike, Baby and The Hockey Gods Series.


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.


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Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Take Me There by JH Croix {a review}



Take Me There is a swoon-worthy romance from USA Today Bestselling Author J.H. Croix! This is the fifth book in the Dare With Me series, and if you love small town romances, you need to read this one!

Skylar's plan was to move to Alaska with her best friend, find a job she enjoys, and just live her best life. Her plan didn't as she wished. Instead she's in Alaska without her best friend, and she's working on healing her broken heart. Thankfully she has a job she loves, and is working with fabulous people. She's found her routine here, and slowly but surely she's finding community. Enter Tucker. Tucker is a pilot, and the company he works with is based on the same lot as the company Skylar works for.  So they see each other frequently. All it takes is him offering a helping hand to open the lines of communication, and to start forming a friendship. That friendship though is about to change. Well that is if they can both open up their hearts. Both of them are grieving a loss, and working through their pain. Tucker has no interest in a relationship, not after he lost his first love. What will it take for these two to jump head first into a relationship? Can they get out of their own way so a future can be built?

I adored this book. From the characters to the small town setting, I absolutely adored it. Returning to this remote Alaskan town felt like coming home and reconnecting with friends. I love the way JH Croix brought this area to life, and her characters truly give off that friend vibe. (as in they'd be you're friends)

Tucker has been through a lot, and so I could understand his reservations a bit. Yet at the same time, he was so young when everything happened that it felt like he was cheating himself out of a possibility of something great. He shut himself off for so long, and it was great to see Skylar affect him. 

As for Skylar...Oh my heart went out to her. Skylar did not have an easy life growing up, and then to lose her only friend shortly before moving to Alaska? UGH! Watching her build friendships in this new environment was so good. Yes she was cautious. Yes she was on edge. But she pushed through. She persevered.

Together these two were pretty amazing. I loved the chemistry. I could feel the attraction. Sometimes that is missing, but not this time. The passion was there. The love was there. It just all built so wonderfully.

I cannot wait to see what comes next for these characters. Friendships have been formed, and a found family has been built. 

You need to read this latest installment in the Dare With Me series from JH Croix. I think you'll fall for the characters, and the setting. Still not sure if it's for you? Take a look at this little tidbit from the author:

Tucker & Skylar’s story is perfect for readers who love: broody military heroes, friends to lovers, slow burn, small town gossip, emotional romance with a dash of angst, tons of swoon, and one smokin’ hot protective hero.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts. Happy reading!
Laura




I’m not planning to fall for the hot, broody military hero, thank you very much.

Skylar’s all but wearing a Stay Away sign. She might be tempting, but I can take a hint. Until a single moment leads to one kiss and then another. Before I know it, I’m in deep.

After tragically losing my first love, I never planned to fall in love again. But Skylar gets to me. She doesn’t even believe in love. I want her to believe. I want to slay her dragons. All of them.

I can handle it. My heart won’t get involved. Until Skylar walks away.



Grab Your Copy Here:
Apple | Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

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Meet J.H. Croix


USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. 


Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with sassy women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. 


Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels!


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Thank you to JH Croix, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Take Me There.