Books

J.L. Leslie – Let the Waves Come In

lizellyn Books

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REVIEW

This is the epitome of a feel good novel.  It’s an exploration in all different types of love.  It’s got friendship that is as strong as unconditional love.  There’re loves of the past and loves of the present.

The constant comparison in the types of love is seamlessly woven into the story.

The author keeps the reader on their toes (and turning the pages quickly) by not knowing what the eventual outcome will be.  The ending left me feeling completely blissful and happy for the couple.

BLURB

I’m Aubrey Somers. I’ve landed my dream job. I have a great apartment and I still keep in touch with my best friend…even though he lives hundreds of miles away. I’ve even started dating again. I have a lot going for me.

It doesn’t matter that I have to take an anti-depressant everyday or see a therapist every other week. It doesn’t matter that I refuse to drive anywhere. The wreck that ruined everything I had is almost a distant memory. Almost.

But now I have two men in my life. Two men who want to be with me. Two men I never thought I’d have the chance to be with. And I feel like I’m drowning…

“His hungry mouth consumes everything from me. All of my emotions. When he pulls away, I don’t know what to feel. What to want. Who to want.” – Let The Waves Come In

**This book contains explicit language and sexual scenes. It is meant for adult readers only.**

Thank You Arc to J.L. Leslie!

 

 

Rachel Strong – That Girl

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BLURB

After serving half of a three-year prison sentence, James is out and ready to try and get his life back on track, which means forgetting about the girl who sent him to prison in the first place – despite the fact he’s still in love with her!
Katie knows that she can’t see James, but that doesn’t make it any easier. If she does it could send him straight back to prison, but, she still loves him and is desperate to make things right and tell him how sorry she is for ruining his life.
After accidently bumping into each other, James and Katie can’t stay away from one another and so begin to see each other in secret. After a slight wobble on James’s part, when he decides he can’t take the risk of going back to prison, Katie decides enough is enough and it really is time to move on and put James behind her.
Heartbroken, James decides to try and get his life in order. But due to his conviction it’s not as straightforward as he would like, leaving him miserable and despairing at what his life has become.
When a job opportunity comes up hundreds of miles away he doesn’t hesitate to head south and put his troubles behind him.
Can James and Katie forget each other and move on with their lives without one another?

REVIEW

First off, I got hooked into this story immediately.  I was simply dying to know what had happened to land him in jail.  Things aren’t always as they seem and I couldn’t stop reading until I knew.

What an emotional ride! It was amazing how my feelings about the James changed throughout the book. The surrounding characters add their own perspectives that are quite compelling.  There were times I felt so bad for James and other times where I hated him.  The love-hate relationship continues throughout the entire novel.

There is no doubt in my head that this is a five star book. The range and strength of feelings the author was able to provoke makes this an amazing impassioned roller coaster.  I wouldn’t dare go on a real roller coaster, but I couldn’t put down this book.

Thank You Arc to Rachel Strong!

AUTHOR

Rachel Strong is a romance author and lives in Lancashire, England, with her husband, three children and little dog Daisy. Rachel works part time as a Health Care Assistant at her local hospital, but her real passion is writing.
  Ever since she can remember Rachel has been writing stories but never really took it seriously, until summer 2012 when her husband discovered one of her stories, read it and convinced her that it was good. She loves writing and creating characters, sometimes a whole day can pass her by, just sat at her lap top, typing away.
When she’s not writing, Rachel loves to read slushy romance novels and chick-lit and when she finds a spare moment she will be found curled up on the sofa with her nose in a book.

 

Elodie Nowodazkij – Love in B Minor

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REVIEW

I love this rock star romance because of the love interest twist.  I truly appreciate the originality in the story line.  It’s not your typical rock star story.

Each character has more than their fair share of sadness in their pasts.  The author uses their pasts to create both a connection between them as well as a conflict.  The way that the author incorporates the past into the present was outstanding and made this a really good romance.

The romance part of this book was worthy of 5 stars.  Unfortunately, I didn’t care for a significant twist at the end.  Nonetheless, I would highly recommend the book.  I won’t say anything more on that subject for fear of spoiling the ending.  And hey, if you read this book you may feel completely differently about the ending.

Love in B Minor

BLURB

No promises. No fake tomorrows. That was the plan. 

New city. New life. At least, that’s what nineteen-year-old Jen Harrison believes. On the surface, she’s living her dream: dancing in a prestigious dance company in Paris. But her sister’s death and the mistakes she’s tried to bury haunt her. She’s become a pro at hiding who she truly is, and she definitely doesn’t want a guy to derail her, but a one night-stand she can do. Nothing more. She definitely doesn’t plan to see the sexy stranger who made her laugh for the first time in years ever again.

Girls don’t walk away from Lucas Wills. Bad boy turned rock star, he’s got his share of groupies. Always upfront, he doesn’t promise fake tomorrows because love can destroy everything. Been there, done that. His ex not only lied to him, she stomped on his heart, used him to become famous, and almost ruined him. So, waking up alone after a night beyond his wildest imagination with a girl he just met shouldn’t upset him, shouldn’t inspire one of the saddest songs he’s ever written, shouldn’t make him want to chase after her.

When Jen, the one-night stand who got away, auditions to be a dancer in Lucas’ next music video, they can’t stop their growing attraction. But Jen’s secrets and his ex could shatter the careers they tried so hard to build and their hearts…they will have to decide what’s more important and if love is worth the fight.

Thank You Arc to Elodie Nowodazkij!

Colleen Hoover – November 9

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Review

WHY? Why? Why? Why did I read the book so quickly?  I wish I had savored it.  I literally couldn’t put it down.  I’m trying to calculate how long I need to wait to read the book again.  I need to have enough time that when I read it again it will feel like a fresh story in my head.  Unfortunately, a good story tends to stay stuck in my head for a long time.

Yes, I cried.  Tears were streaming down my cheeks – a true sign of a 5 star book.  I haven’t read a Colleen Hoover book where I haven’t ended up crying at some point (or many).  At least I didn’t get caught reading/crying in public this time.  I’ve learned that I need to read Colleen Hoover’s books in private.

Seriously, I loved how the story unfolded!  It’s a wonderful book about being beautiful both inside and out, no matter what type of scars one holds.

Blurb

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Can Ben’s relationship with Fallon—and simultaneously his novel—be considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

November 9.png

See Related:

Colleen Hoover – Confess

Colleen Hoover – Losing Hope

Screen Shot 2014-10-22 at 8.55.28 AM to Colleen Hoover!

Samantha A. Cole – Take the Money and Run

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This is a great little romantic suspense book.  Don’t be turned off by the less than stimulating cover.

This is a perfect summer read: hot romance at a cool oceanside cottage.  The author writes in such a way that the words flow and you can’t put down the book.  The pace is perfect, the suspense is captivating, and the romantic elements are loving in a hot kind of way.

In this book, the author departs from her original series, Trident Security, where a group of men own a sex club.  There’s still a criminal suspense element in this story and one SEAL, but the sex is much more vanilla.  That’s not to say that’s it is boring.  The steamy scenes are delicious as you can feel the desire that the characters hold for each other.

See Related Posts:

Samantha Cole – His Angel

Samantha Cole – Leather and Lace

Samantha Cole – Not Negotiable

Samantha Cole – Topping the Alpha

Samantha Cole – Waiting For Him

Samantha Cole – Watching from the Shadows

Samantha A. Cole – Whiskey Tribute

Thank You Arc to Samantha A. Cole!

 

Katy Evans – Legend

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Great book and a fabulous end to the series.  While I’m sad that this series finally came to an end, there’s some consolation in the fact the ending was spectacular.

I have to give the author credit for this book because both characters are quiet people that don’t talk a lot.  That presents quite a challenge for putting together a story.  Nonetheless, I felt like I knew a lot about the characters.  I love how the author slowly reveals all the facets of the characters.

The anticipation for when Maverick and Miles meet kept me on pins and needles throughout the book.  (No, this isn’t a spoiler but it was inevitable that they would collide).  Sorry, I won’t tell you what happened, but I promise you’ll love it.

I’m a huge fan of this series that started with Real.  For fans of the series, both Remy and Racer have a place in this book.  YAY!  If you haven’t read this series, it’s a great time to start.

See Related Posts:

How to end a book series?

Katy Evans – “Ripped”

Katy Evans – Manwhore

Katy Evans – Manwhore +1

Screen Shot 2014-10-22 at 8.55.28 AM to Katy Evans!

Legend

 

Rebecca Moon – Stripped and Bound

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Blurb

Nick Escrow is the most eligible bachelor in the Warnum-Bailiff district. The handsome vet is suave, sexy and intelligent, and considered the ultimate gentleman. But Nick has a dark, sexual side to him that he discovers after his brother is incarcerated for supposed sex crimes. In an attempt to understand his brother and the girls Jamie had been found with, Nick discovers a depravity of his own.
Guilt over Jamie’s conviction and subsequent jail term plagues Nick and creates an inner beast that demands attention. The type that can be found at the hands of a dominatrix. Very aware that his two worlds need to be kept separate, Nick plays the role of the complete gentleman in public, maintaining a flawless persona, whilst his activity behind closed doors gives him the outlet he requires to hold all the pieces together.
Creating and ideal that he tries to live by, Nick starts dating Kiera, a quiet admin assistant, who’s breeding and upbringing make her the perfect partner to raise him higher in aristocratic circles. Kiera is sweet and pretty but when Nick meets Sue, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. Nick is driven to distraction with his own feelings for Sue and finds that he needs to rethink his whole life plan. Does he want the “perfect” life, or does he want to be truly happy?

Review

This is a great story with a remarkable blend of romance, heat, regret, jealousy, inner turmoil, and a touch of love of animals.

There are plenty of overlapping story lines to keep the pace moving.  The unexpected twists kept it interesting, too.

The steamy scenes were hot enough to ignite a barn fire.

If you like spicy romance, this is a must read book.

Screen Shot 2015-12-05 at 10.18.58 AM to Rebecca Moon!

 

Zoe York – Love in a Small Town

lizellyn Books

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Synopsis

Six years. Two break-ups. One divorce. They should be over each other.
Rafe Minelli knows better than to tell his wife no, particularly since they aren’t married anymore. She can’t hightail it out of town, though, not when they’ve finally broken through the post-divorce cold war status quo.
Olivia Minelli needs to leave Pine Harbour. It’s just too hard to see Rafe moving on without her – even if he says he doesn’t want to. But when a new and exciting job falls into her lap, she needs to choose: protect her heart, or take the new job and risk getting emotionally entangled with her ex-husband. Again.

Review

This story may take place in a small town, but there’s nothing small about the love affair between Rafe and Liv.

Rafe is determined to win back the affections of his ex-wife.  He starts off by making a colossal mistake but more than makes up for it.  His romantic acts are the reason why romance books are written.

I really like feel of the small town in this book.  It doesn’t offer unfathomable opportunities but instead makes each act between Rafe and Liv more about love than unrealistic adventures.  Both Rafe and Liv need to find a way to be better within the construct of their professional lives.  There isn’t any throwing down the gauntlet and completely uprooting and making drastic life changes.  It is beautifully real.

Simply, this is a real, lovely romance novel.

Purchase Links

Audible: http://adbl.co/27NV83Z
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1s2Z1S2
iTunes: http://apple.co/1Tofexa

Giveaway

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a354767/

Thank You Arc to Zoe York!

About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York is a busy mom of two young boys and the creator of modern, sexy, small town contemporary romances. Her debut novel, What Once Was Perfect, started the popular Wardham series, and her first military romance, Fall Out, was released as part of the international bestselling SEALs of Summer super bundle.
 
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
 

Julie Ann Levin – Worth The Wait

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This is an enjoyable romantic story.  Nobody forgets that first crush.  Even when life takes you in different directions, that first love (even if unrequited) always remains embedded in your heart.

Natalie is recently divorced, which isn’t the ideal time to sink into a deep meaningful relationship.  Can a stubborn and independent woman allow herself to let someone in, to stand by her side, and love her?

After being apart for eight years, it is difficult to change the pattern and turn a friendship into something more.  Chase is patient, caring, thoughtful, and very good looking.  Can Chase be brave enough to claim what he really wants?

Worth The Wait

Thank You Arc to Julie Ann Levin!

www.julieannlevin.com

Divine Island Series:

Book 1 – Worth the Wait (Chase & Natalie) – coming May 17, 2016

Book 2- Crazy for You (Dylan & Sarah) – coming June 14, 2016

Book 3 – Ready for Love (Levi & Jessica) – coming August 30, 2016

Book 4 – The One I Want (Ellie & Max) – coming September 27, 2016

Penelope Ward – Roomhate

lizellyn Books

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This book is so amazing it may have ruined all other books for me.  Okay, maybe not forever, but I really can’t image picking up another book today.  I want to sit and relish in this amazing bliss that the most perfect happily ever after has brought to me.

This book made me reconsider how I actually rate books.  I considered changing the scale based on how irritated I get when someone or something interrupts me reading.  If the scale was from 1-10 and a 10 indicated that I would be driven to yell at someone or physically slam a door in their face to keep them from interrupting me – ROOMHATE is a 10!

The tension between Justin and Amelia is perfect and makes you ache.  Justin is sexy, endearing, kind, hotly jealous, and all around amazing.  Amelia is strong and a wonderful combination of independent and insecure.  They make a great couple.

I don’t want to give too much away, because I plan on gifting this book to many of my friends.

THIS IS A MUST READ BOOK!

Roomhate

Screen Shot 2014-10-22 at 8.55.28 AM to Penelope Ward!