Fairest Of All Book Reviews

Title: Consent (The Loan Shark Duet, #2)

Author: Charmaine Pauls

Genre: Dark Romance

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Synopsis

When Gabriel broke down my door, he took over my body and life. Never with force, but always with clever manipulation. He stripped me of my independence, my defenses, and my clothes and turned me into an addict. My addiction is him.

Once, I had dreams and a future. Now, I have fears, scars, and insatiable needs. I’m damaged beyond repair, but if I’m to survive the most dangerous man in Johannesburg, I can’t allow him to break me, because broken toys are destined for the garbage dump.

(CONSENT is the second and final full-length novel in a two-part duet. The first book, DUBIOUS, must be read in order to follow the story. This is a dark romance with a criminal anti-hero and forced seduction. Reader discretion is advised.)

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About The Author

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Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchestroom, and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions.

After relocating to Chile with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published ten novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles. Two of her short stories were selected for publication in an African anthology from across the continent by the International Society of Literary Fellows in conjunction with the International Research Council on African Literature and Culture.

When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and rescue cats. Charmaine currently lives in Montpellier with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.

Available exclusively in audio for the first six weeks – and through the Audible Romance Package – from #1 New York Times best-selling author Lauren Blakely comes a breathtaking new romance that will sweep you away!

Cover Photography by Rafa Catala with model Christian Balic.

Cover Design by Helen Williams.

About WANDERLUST (Coming 2/6/2018)

They say Paris is always a good idea…

You know what I say? Paris would be a much better idea if I spoke the dang language. I can’t even board the metro to visit the Louvre without ending up at the Moulin Rouge, and let’s not even mention how I’ll ever make it through a day at my new office.

Fortunately my company hooks me up with my own personal translator. Ooh la la. Or should I say bloody hell? Because he’s charming, witty, and British, and he brings the city to life for me. Soon, I can order a croque monsieur hold the ham, discuss perfume with my co-workers, and barter at the outdoor market. I can also tell the sexy Brit by my side how much I want him to kiss me under the streetlamps.

Except there’s a catch – Paris might be all we have.

***

One more assignment before I can take off on my big adventure…

And it’s a good farewell gig too since my newest client is a fetching American who loves to explore the cafes and cobbled streets while I teach her the language of love. We fall into a fast and flirty friendship, but Paris has a way of making lovers out of friends, and soon we’re spending our nights together too – très risqué. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and soon I’ll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing…unless one of you is leaving.

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About Lauren Blakely

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 85 times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In December she’ll release THE V CARD, a sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy co-written with Lili Valente. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

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The Mount Trilogy continues with

Defiant Queen…

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.

I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?

They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.

But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.

I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.

I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.

But he has other plans . . .

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira’s story concludes in Sinful Empire.

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Review

From the start, Lachlan Mount and Keira Kilgore’s interactions have been all about the long game for Mount, focusing on anything that will give them the advantage…anything that will bring her to her knees…anything that will make her head admit what her body seems to already know. Mount has been cold, precise, and calculated in his moves to claim Keira…to make her indebted to him for more than just saving her business. But his self-imposed patience is running out where Keira’s concerned because she’s slipping out of the box Mount put her in, becoming more than he can handle…more than one of his shiny new toys to play with and manipulate. Every time she pushes back…every time she challenges him…every time she defies him, Keira becomes someone Mount respects…someone he thinks might be able to stand by his side and help rule his empire, but that’s only if he doesn’t break her because he’s certainly bent her in life changing ways…ways that may illustrate just how much her body craves submission, but it also forces her to give away small pieces of her identity and she’s afraid before Mount’s game is over, she’ll lose herself completely, making this Defiant Queen into just another subject that Mount controls.

But it seems like the rules and moves are in transition when book two of the Mount Trilogy begins; the strategies that have been used thus far don’t seem to be working and patience is also running thin on both sides. Every time Mount pushes Keira, she pushes back, which makes it a repetitive cycle of taunt, rebel, and tame, turning this game-like relationship into something that perhaps Mount’s competitors and enemies can exploit.

What’s also clear, though, is that what’s between Mount and Keira is no longer what Mount intended it to be; everything with Keira is different – his reactions, his intentions, his focus. She’s the exception to every one of his rules, but she’s also breaking her own rules because her control over her body is nonexistent because he has the ability to get her off in a multitude of ways even when her mind works to shut it down.

Survive then thrive…that’s how Lachlan Mount has lived his life since he was cast aside in his own filth, and up until this point, he’s managed to use everything at his disposal to maintain his status as the ruler of New Orleans, but it’s slowly becoming clear that what’s happening between him and Keira is something that he can’t manipulate as easily as everything else, so either he has to make it known that Keira’s his equal in every sense of the word or give her up because what’s also clear is that she can become a pawn in this power struggle, resulting in a shitstorm of epic proportions.

Mount’s little Irish hellion has definitely come into her own in Defiant Queen. Yes, she still feels like a prisoner and the amount of debt she needs to ‘work off’ never wanes from her mind, but she has occasionally gained the upper hand in their push/pull relationship, and Mount has gone out of his way to connect more emotionally with Keira instead of just taking what he wants physically from her, which has definitely made headway into changing her opinion of him and seeing him as Lachlan as opposed to the manipulative bastard that she’s always casted him to be.

I have no clue what readers are in store for when the final book in the trilogy is released, but I can say I’m super pumped to find out how Meghan March resolves all the story lines that are still being manipulated after Defiant Queen and what the King will do to claim his Queen forever.

5 Poison Apples

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*

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Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

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Bodyguard, the highly anticipated new standalone from New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss is LIVE!

Bodyguard by CD Reiss

Release Date: November 14th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Protecting a celebrity in Hollywood isn’t easy, but protecting Emily could break his heart.

As a world-class dancer at the height of her career, Emily enjoys all the perks of fame—the parties, the glamour, the tours—but they’ve also attracted the attention of a dangerous ex-boyfriend hell-bent on getting her back.

Enter Carter Kincaid, a bodyguard so crushingly sexy he takes her breath away.

Carter’s the best in the business, and Emily is—professionally speaking—off-limits. But when it comes to stirring his desires, she’s making all the right moves. What’s happening between them is so hot it could get both of them burned. As Emily’s past gets closer, Carter is willing to break every rule of the job to save her. But letting Emily into his life also means letting her in on the secrets of his own past. For these two, falling in love could be the greatest risk of all.

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Bombshell

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About the Author

CD Reiss is a New York Times bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up she’s at the well hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

She’s frequently referred to as the Shakespeare of Smut which is flattering but hasn’t ever gotten her out of chopping that cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine.

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Title: Till Forever (Our Forever, #2)

Author: Elena Matthews

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Synopsis

When you marry your soul mate, it’s supposed to last forever.

Tyler and Mia Bailey are blissfully married, living out their dreams…until a soul-shattering devastation breaks them apart, forcing Mia to walk away from their happily ever after.

After months of separation and silence, Tyler is finally ready to fight for the love of his life, but Mia is trying to move on, and her resistance to her husband’s charms will prove to be the biggest battle he’s ever had to face.

It was supposed to be till forever…but forever might be just out of their reach.

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Excerpt

© 2017 by Elena Matthews

I turn and head over to Alex on the dance floor to say good-bye. When she finds my eyes wandering the space around me, she tells me that Mia went inside to grab a drink. However, when I go in search of her, I come up empty. Reluctantly, I order an Uber before heading to the bathroom since the four beers I consumed are making me feel as if I could piss a river.

Thankfully, there isn’t a line when I get to the bathroom, so I open the door. As I swing the door open, I startle when I realize a chick is in here, doing her business.

“Shit, I’m so sorry,” is my automatic response.

After taking a quick second glance, I see that it’s Mia.

So, this is where she disappeared to.

Her face is one of alarm as she scrambles to cover herself, but I don’t miss the redness around her eyes and the tear streaks along her rosy cheeks. Ignoring the scowl I see aimed my way, I step inside and close the door behind me, locking it.

“Jesus, Tyler,” she grumbles with annoyance as she quickly wipes herself before standing, pulling her panties up and allowing the dress to fall back into place, smoothing it down with her hands. “You ever heard of knocking?”

You ever heard of locking the door? I don’t say this. I simply ignore her quip and focus on her raw red eyes that make my heart clench.

“Have you been crying?” I ask attentively, taking a step toward her.

She sighs irritably as she flushes the toilet and closes the seat before walking over to the sink where she begins the process of washing her hands. “No, I’m fine,” she says with a tone that sounds anything but fine.

“Mia?” I step over to her until I’m standing behind her, staring at her reflection in the mirror where she purposely tries to avoid my eyes.

She sniffs, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth, a sign that tells me she’s upset but trying to hold the emotion back.

“I know when my wife’s been crying,” I state confidently, taking in her sad eyes. When seconds pass and only silence greets my ears, I gently whisper, “Baby, what is it?”

She visibly flinches at my words, and as she turns the faucet off, she looks up to the ceiling, breathing heavily. Her eyes flutter closed, her wet hands fiercely gripping hold of the sink.

“You.” There’s a hard edge to her voice, one that chips away at my heart.

“Me?”

“Yes, you,” she grits out, fuming.

Instead of stepping away from her obvious ire, I instinctively step closer.

She gives out a shuddery breath before laying into me good, glaring at me through the mirror. “I’ve waited two months for you to put your money where your mouth is, and as the days passed without a single word from you, I started to think that maybe your drunken vow to fight for me was just bullshit. When that realization sank in, I tried anything not to think of you and just focus on me. And you want to know something? It was working. I was pushing through the depression, finally feeling like me again, finally feeling like, maybe, I could get through the next days without having the constant reminder of what I’d lost. That was when I realized I didn’t need you. That my life didn’t revolve around you, that I could survive without you. I felt like I was slowly moving on with my life.

“Then, tonight, you unexpectedly turned up, and everything I’d felt went straight out of the goddamn window the instant I set eyes on your stupid, beautiful, perfect face.

“Two months, Tyler. Where the fuck have you been?”

She’s breathing heavily, and her eyes are filled with angry tears, but she doesn’t give me a chance to explain. “I want to hate you, slap you, hit you, anything that involves hurting you, but instead, all I want to do is…” She pauses, dragging her teeth over her bottom lip, her eyes filled with obvious turmoil before she lets them fall shut.

I move stealthily closer until my chest is pressed up against her back, both hands on her hips, unable to resist touching her in some way. Just feeling her between my fingertips is everything. She remains silent, her facial expression tormented.

“What do you want to do?” I breathe in her ear.

I don’t miss the way she shivers against me. Her eyes flutter back open, and her stare meets mine in the reflection of the mirror. As well as seeing anger, I see passion. Pure, hot, unadulterated passion.

“I want to slam my lips onto yours. I want to lose myself in your touch. I want you so much.” The words come out on a husky whisper.

My fingers grasp her hips, my cock turning rock fucking hard within an instant.

“You can do both—hate me and kiss me,” I urge, pushing my hips into her ass. “Take your anger out on me, on my lips, on my cock…”

A moan escapes her lips, and my fingers drift lower until they meet her bare thigh just below her dress.

“You can be as rough as you want.” I forcibly dig my fingers against her thigh, showing exactly how rough with my touch alone. “I want your wrath, baby. Give it to me.”

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About The Author

Author Receptionist by day, author by night, Elena Matthews is from Manchester, United Kingdom, the home of Manchester United, MediaCity, and of course, Coronation Street. When Elena isn’t writing, she can be found with her nose in a book or watching guilty pleasures, such as Grey’s Anatomy. And, when she isn’t doing those things, you can often find her on Facebook, or obsessing over Kellan Kyle, book-boyfriend extraordinaire.

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Outwardly, Noah Carter is riding high as the tech world’s hottest new genius. Inside, he’s still reeling from the abduction of his wife and baby daughter eight years ago, and then the devastating discovery of his child’s body. For years, he kept up hope that his wife was alive, but now that she’s been declared legally dead, he’s thrown himself even more deeply into his work, cutting himself off from emotional ties because they just hurt too damn much.

Then he meets Kiki Porter, an eternal optimist with a killer work ethic and dreams of fronting a band. And everything changes. Even though he tries his damnedest to fight it…

Sexually, they are combustible together. But their true fire is emotional, though it is a slow to burn. But once it lights, it is all consuming. The relationship grows emotionally, the sex is hot, things are good.

But just when it’s looking like they might have a real future together, the past comes back to haunt them. And Noah’s going to have to decide what he’s willing to give up for love …

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Review

I was so not anticipating the emotional torture that the latest book in the Stark World series would bring into my reading experience, but I should have known that J. Kenner’s heroes are about as tortured as they come and her heroines find a way to bring their men as well as readers to their knees, so even if I was ill-prepared, I was able to roll with the punches and embrace this second chance love story for the incredible journey that it is.

The Stark World is one of high risks, which is why each hero in this setting knows what it means to lose big but also what it means to win it all, and while Noah is fairly new to all that Stark Enterprises offers, he knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom, losing his heart and his mind in the process, and he also knows what it means to soar without fear, holding onto the other half of your soul, unafraid of losing yourself in someone else, and it’s those feelings that he wants and quite frankly needs in his life again because for far too long, he’s merely been existing, which only leaves him empty and thinking about what might have been. But the only way he is going to get another shot at happiness is if he proves to Kiki as well as himself that he will not allow anything or anyone to stand in his way of reclaiming the one woman who has always been his, even after he broke her heart…even after everything fell apart.

Readers can’t help but support Noah’s efforts to salvage what’s left of Kiki’s feelings for him and repair the damage that he caused, and while he does go about things in less than desirable ways, at times, every action and reaction is because of the stronghold that Kiki has on him, and he refuses to go without Kiki’s smiles, her laughter, her heart, and her body any longer.

But I have to admit that Noah’s character did feel a little flat…a little static when it came to learning from his mistakes. His decision all those years ago categorically changed not only his life but Kiki’s life as well and that doesn’t seem to be taken into consideration when he, once again, has to be make a monumental choice…that left me feeling a little put off and a whole lot frustrated because one would think that clarity would be gained the second time around, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for Noah.

I loved Kiki, but she frustrated me at times as well. Her actions and reactions to Noah made perfect sense given their history and the fact that she’s been left behind by other people than just him, but I wanted to experience more of her quick temper and I needed her to make Noah work for every step he took back into her life after breaking her heart.

Despite my frustrations, though, Wicked Torture is a fabulous addition to J. Kenner’s Stark World series and the pop-ins she allows her previous characters to make in her new characters’ stories make for fantastic catch-ups with old friends.

I don’t know how J. keeps track of all her alpha males in this dynamic setting she’s created, but I, for one, can’t get enough of them or their leading ladies and I hope that she allows readers to remain in this world forever because it’s definitely one delectably hot and sweet escape from reality;)

4.5 Poison Apples

Excerpt

Time to heal.

Somehow, though, he never found the enthusiasm. Or maybe that was just an excuse. Another way of punishing himself for walking away from the woman he loved in favor of the woman he’d owed.

And since he’d never have either of them again, he needed to kick his own ass, pick up the pieces of his life, and start building something real. After all, there wasn’t a tech gadget he couldn’t design, build, or repair. So why was he so clueless when it came to his own damn life?

It was time, and it would be easy. Painless even, because God knew Evie embodied everything he admired in a woman. Strength. Intelligence. Ambition. Humor. Beauty. She was as desirable as Lyle had promised and obviously enthusiastic.

In other words, he was all out of excuses.

He stood up, intending to tell her to lead the way. But the words that came out of his mouth shocked them both. “I’m sorry, Evie,” he said. “You’ve been wonderful, but I have an early meeting, and I should probably get home.”

“Oh.” He’d surprised her as she was rising, and now she teetered awkwardly on her heels, as if his unexpected words would physically topple her.

He reached out a hand to steady her, and for the briefest moment, he considered pulling her close and fighting his way past his hesitation. She was everything he should want in a woman—with the unfortunately insurmountable problem that she wasn’t what he wanted at all. Or, rather, she wasn’t who he wanted.

Goddamn him.

Goddamn his stupid, unrealistic fantasies.

And while he was at it, goddamn Kiki, too.

He was being an idiot and unfair, and he knew it. An idiot, because he’d made his choice to walk away from Kiki long ago, and he knew damn well that he’d shattered her in the process. Even if he could have seen his way clear to look her up after all these years, he’d forfeited his right to come crawling back.

Unfair, because not ten minutes ago he’d been ready to take the plunge with Evie, and yet here he was, dodging and shifting like a damn coward, trying to swim up out of the deep black ocean of loss and pain. A familiar pain that wrapped him like a blanket, so cloying it was almost comfortable. And he knew damn well that there was only one way to fight it—he needed to take the girl to her room and try to fuck the darkness out of him.

The way he’d done with countless other women.

The way that never worked like it should. That only dulled the sharp edges of his pain, but added no light to the darkness.

That wasn’t what he wanted. Not anymore. One of the reasons he’d moved to Austin was to heal, after all. To heal, and to break bad habits.

Still, it was tempting, and it took more strength than he expected to shake his head again and say very gently, “I really am sorry. I’m not … ready.” She’d been polite enough not to mention the tragedy in his past, but he was certain that Lyle must have at least told her that he’d lost his wife and daughter. Hopefully, that softened the blow of rejection.

She’d regained her footing, and now she stepped back, her forehead creased as her eyes flicked over him, expertly assessing him as she would a witness. “It’s been almost nine years, I’m told.” The sharp edge of her voice sliced his heart. So much for softening the blow. “If you don’t get ready soon, I can’t help but think you’re going to end up sad and alone.”

With a thin, sympathetic smile, she turned and walked away, leaving him to watch her go and wonder at her perceptiveness. Because she was right.

He was going to end up sad and alone.

Hell, he already was.

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been praised by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A five time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy). Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kendall Ryan comes a new story in her Room Mate series…

I might be a typical guy, but these last few years, my love life’s been anything but. From crazy ex-girlfriends to one night stands who are stage-five clingers, my relationships go bad faster than the milk in your fridge. The only constant has been my best friend Maggie.

Fresh off a bad breakup of her own, I invite Maggie to my guy’s skiing weekend knowing she needs an escape from reality. But then something funny starts to happen. I start noticing things about her that I never noticed before.

She’s beautiful and doesn’t know it, she’s funny without even trying, and now she’s suddenly single for the first time in forever.

Sharing a hotel room with her proves to be the tipping point in our very platonic friendship. Suddenly I want to put my hands, my mouth, and my … other parts … all over her gorgeous body. I want to claim her, make sure no man touches her ever again. But then her groveling ex shows up, and Maggie’s torn.

Am I ready to screw up the best relationship I’ve ever had for a shot at something more?

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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Review

Every time I read a friends-to-lovers’ story, I always wonder how they keep their true feelings for one another under wraps…how they stand beside their ‘person’ and witness them date other people, never truly knowing if this one could be the one who worms his/her way between the friendship that means everything.

This is exactly the situation that Kendall Ryan writes about in her newest release, The Bed Mate, and while it’s more than obvious to readers and even to some of Maggie and Sam’s friends that their feelings go beyond ‘friendship,’ Maggie and Sam’s fear of losing the most important relationship that they have makes Maggie oblivious to Sam’s feelings and Sam too afraid to cross a line that they’ll never be able to come back from if wanting ‘more’ doesn’t work out.

Maggie and Sam’s novella is a quick read, and while that sometimes doesn’t work well in developing the characters or the story line, because Maggie and Sam’s relationship is already established and it’s clear that they share an incredibly important connection, that backstory is unnecessary and the focus can remain on slowly moving them beyond friends to something they’ve both desperately wanted and maybe even needed for some time.

The Bed Mate is all about taking risks…it’s about seeing clearly for the first time exactly what is in front of you and knowing how amazing it could be. Sam is the daredevil out of the two of them, so it’s up to him to prove himself to Maggie and show her exactly what being each other’s person could mean by giving one another their hearts, their bodies and their souls.

4 Poison Apples

Excerpt

I said a silent prayer of thanks to Ben, Jerry, and Jose Cuervo as I blearily made my way to Sam’s bedroom. He hadn’t bothered to make his bed before he left this morning, but I didn’t mind.

Instead, I snuggled into the space where I knew he slept, breathing in deep so I could smell his shampoo on the pillow, and closed my eyes. Sam would never do what Trevor had done to me.

Never.

I drifted off to sleep for what felt like roughly three seconds before I woke up to find my thigh vibrating and the late morning sun streaming through the window.

“What the…” I sat up, rubbing my eye with one hand as I grappled down into the sheets where my cell phone rested. I found ten missed calls—seven from Trevor, three from Sam.

Sliding my thumb over Sam’s name, I called him back and pressed the phone to my ear.

“Hello?” I asked, my voice cracked and groggy.

“It’s eleven there,” he said.

“Yeah, yep. I knew that,” I said, trying to make my voice sound less like it had just gone through a wood chipper.

“So why are you still asleep?” he asked.

“I’m not allowed to sleep in?” I asked lightly, the pounding in my head making me a little nauseous with its intensity.

“No. You never do. What’s going on?”

He sounded suspicious and for a moment I fought with myself over whether to tell him the truth. One way or another, he was going to get it out of me; he knew me too well for me to lie to him for long.

“Look, could I stay at your place while you’re away?” I asked.

“What? Why? Did something happen to your apartment?” he demanded, the worry clear in his voice.

“No, nothing like that. I just… I need a break for a couple of days.”

“That’s not cryptic or anything,” Sam scoffed.

I sucked in my cheeks. Okay, here we go. Like a Band-Aid.

“I need to be someplace where Trevor can’t find me.”

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras

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Two-Man Advantage by Toni Aleo is NOW AVAILABLE!
“Sexy. Emotional. Funny. Aleo’s first MM is a spectacular debut into a new genre for her.” -NYT Bestselling Author, Melissa Collins

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Wells Lemiere knew the moment he saw Matty Haverbrooke, he had to have him. Matty was quiet, he was talented, he was beautiful, and Wells couldn’t stay away.

As the youngest and most talented son of the NHL Commissioner, Matty had found the burden of family expectations almost too heavy to carry on even his broad shoulders. He had no intention of getting involved in a relationship with Wells. But the heart he’d given up for dead had other ideas.

Their affair was intense and overwhelming, but when Matty couldn’t bring himself to come out and admit he wanted a public future with the man he loved, Wells had no choice but to honor his vow to live openly…and leave Matty behind.

But then he learns Wells is marrying another, and Matty knows he can’t let that happen. Can he throw down his gloves and embrace his future with both hands? Or will he pull the door to his closet shut once more?

Two-Man Advantage was one of my most anticipated books for the month of November, and boy did Toni Aleo deliver one fantastic story! It’s hard to believe that Wells and Matty’s story was her first venture into the M/M genre because EVERY part of Wells and Matty’s relationship illustrates the love felt between these men, including the way they yearn for each other’s bodies and demonstrate their desire and affection in every intimate embrace, stolen glance, and dirty remark.

At the end of Wren and Jensen’s story, Wells’ sister and best friend, readers caught a glimpse of just how much Wells Lemiere and Matty Haverbrooke loved one another, but the circumstances that surrounded their reunion also illustrated why they were no longer together and what it had cost both men. At the start of Two-Man Advantage, Aleo gives readers Wells and Matty’s backstory and sets up the reasons for their long-term relationship dissolving what seems like overnight, but it also depicts just how deep their feelings still run, even after 9 months apart while also showing just how close they were to losing each other forever with Wells’ illogical attempt to move on with someone who doesn’t own him body and soul.

It’s definitely an uphill battle for Wells and Matty when they reunite and Wells gives Matty a second chance. The same issues still exist; namely, Matty’s inability to tell his family that he’s gay and come out as a man who has found the love of his life and is willing to show his commitment to Wells for everyone to see. There’s not a doubt in readers’ minds that Wells and Matty belong together, but what’s also clear is that Matty’s fear of not being accepted by his family, particularly his commissioner father, continues to haunt him and prevents him from going all in with Wells, which is the only way Wells chooses to live.

There’s so much love and devotion between these two men, even though Matty is more than 10 years younger than Wells. But that age gap definitely comes into play when it comes to caring what other people think about the choices that Wells and Matty make, and while Wells could care less how society views his homosexuality, it matters to Matty probably more than it should and it’s the reason that it might cost him the love of his life, yet again, if he can’t work through his issues and put his love/desire for Wells ahead of any fallout that may occur due to his sexual orientation.

“No one matters more than the person who knows everything about you and still loves you”

That’s the lesson that readers should take away from Wells and Matty’s story. Life is too short and too important to be in a constant state of fear and loneliness and what Matty built with Wells is worth every risk because Wells has done nothing but fight for their forever and now Matty needs to prove to Wells and to himself that being out…being his completely can never be wrong regardless of other people’s thoughts on the contrary.

I adored EVERYTHING about Two-Man Advantage. Toni Aleo does a great job of contrasting Wells and Matty’s families as well as the ways they have dealt/continue to deal with people’s perceptions of their sexual orientation. Wells is an incredibly strong character who has learned some hard lessons in life and has made decisions that broke his heart, but he did so because he refuses to go backwards when he has worked so hard to be proud of himself and who he is. I never doubted that Matty would come through for Wells; it may not have been on Wells’ timeframe or in the path that Wells would have chosen, but I didn’t fear Matty would let Wells down because the promise Matty made when they got back together was not made hastily.

The way that several characters from Toni Aleo’s other books play pivotal roles in Wells and Matty’s story was amazing and necessary. Wren, Jensen, and Vaughn are extremely important to Wells and their guidance as well as love keeps him going even when he wants to give up. And, I always wanted Avery to be able to make up with her twin brother and understand exactly why he did those reprehensible things to her and Aleo ties that story line together for me, which was everything I needed!

I can’t say enough about Two-Man Advantage. It gave me ALL THE FEELS and I was definitely swooning HARD for Wells Lemiere!

5 Poison Apples

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Juliana O’Neil’s promising future was burned away in the heat of battle. She had been an officer with a bright future in the military, but now she is struggling to survive. Her husband gone and her career in shambles, she finds a job at Top as a hostess and tries to put together the pieces of her life. The last thing she needs is any kind of male attention, but she can’t help but be amused at her neighbor and coworker’s lothario antics. Not that she would have anything to do with him, at least not for more than one night.

Javier Leones doesn’t understand monogamy. No woman could ever be enough for his endless libido, but he has to admit Juliana has his attention. For reasons he doesn’t fully understand, he can’t seem to get the gorgeous redhead with the sad eyes out of his head. After one scorching night together, he realizes he’ll never be able to get her out of his system. But with his reputation, he fears she’ll never see him as more than a one-night stand.

When their passions collide, these new lovers will be forced to confront Juliana’s past and come to terms with Javier’s present. Will they find their way or will this reservation be canceled at the last minute?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2v6IH5m

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Smashwords and Kobo: Coming Soon!

Review

At face value, Javier Leones and Juliana O’Neil couldn’t be more different in almost every aspect of their lives but one – their passion for cooking, but even that similarity comes with its own road blocks because while Javier is the sous chef at Top, Jules is only a hostess because her faith in her abilities as a chef deteriorated when she lost her dominant hand in combat saving the lives of five people but seemingly losing herself in the process.

I’m always amazed how writers take a hero and a heroine who seem unequivocally opposite at the beginning of the story but then slowly assimilates the contrasting qualities in a way that allows both characters to grow, not in spite of, but because of their differences…this is exactly what Lexi Blake accomplishes in At Your Service, and while Javier has a bit of a harder road than Jules due to his past manwhorish ways, what they achieve together is absolutely beautiful even amidst the frustration and miscommunication that threatens to upend any forward progress they make.

Javier and Jules’ story has to be one of my favorite Lexi Blake books of all time…partly because of the supporting characters who push them to their full potential as individuals and as a couple, but more so because there is a depth to both Javier and Jules that is explored throughout the story line – one that has many layers and one that illustrates exactly who they are, what they fear, and why they’ve made the choices that they have.

Javier appears to be single-minded when it comes to his past hookups with women and for that reason, his reputation precedes him and makes Jules not take him seriously when he wants to know her on much more than a carnal level. It’s definitely difficult for Javier to rebrand himself when his prior manwhorish ways were played out in front of everyone, including Jules, so his perceived staying power is non-existent, which doesn’t mesh at all with what Jules needs and causes a multitude of misperceptions and hurt feelings because Javier has never had to work to get a woman he’s wanted, so the missteps he makes as well as Jules’ hot and cold demeanor don’t bode well for making anything between them permanent.

Jules is definitely a prickly heroine. She appears to be coping well with everything that life has thrown at her, but if people looked below the surface, they would find a woman who’s merely existing…one who’s afraid to accept this new version of herself and see past her limitations because the risk of failure is too great. Since her discharge from service and her divorce, Jules has hid behind her disability instead of finding ways to adapt and prove that she can still achieve her dreams if she’d only have the courage and the self-worth to do so.

There is quite the push and pull dynamic when it comes to Jules and Javier building anything substantial and both characters are responsible for one another’s feelings of inadequacy and heartache. Nothing is simple in the lives that Jules and Javier are living because there are extenuating circumstances and outside forces to contend with, but at the heart of their issues is Jules’ lack of self-worth and Javier’s past sexual proclivities, which are not insurmountable as long as they have faith in themselves and one another and willingly look beyond past practices and attitudes.

I absolutely adored At Your Service; the title alone illustrates a multitude of ways that Jules and Javier can serve each other and once they get themselves on the same page, boy do they give each other what they want, what they need, and what they deserve!

4.5 Poison Apples

Excerpt 

All alone with the storm. Maybe she should call Kai. And ask him to get out in the middle of this? That seemed pretty selfish especially since she knew exactly how poorly driving in storms could go.

A hard flash of white light made her jump back.

Nope. She wasn’t going there. She was going to stay in the here and now, and that meant finding a flashlight and trying to get some candles lit. Someone was out there working on getting the power back on, and then she would ride out the storm watching rom coms and falling asleep on the couch. It was going to be okay. Deep breath. It was going to be okay.

A few moments later she’d found her one flashlight and had a nice set of candles out, and she was faced with the problem of lighting the suckers. Oh, she had a big box of matches, but she’d never struck a match without her left hand.

A lighter would be easier. She could figure out a lighter maybe. Jules tried holding the box against the table with her stump while she struck the match with her right hand. She fumbled, the action so unnatural it made her slip up and break the match.

And the second one.

And the third one.

Tears pierced her eyes, but she wasn’t going to shed them. She was going to figure this out or she would make due with the flashlight. It was all about adapting. That was what she had to do. Adapt.

She wasn’t going to let this beat her. Normally she was tough. It had happened and she dealt with it, but between the storm and the conversation with Suzanne the day before about her mother and the sweetness of flirting with a handsome man she couldn’t have, she was feeling awfully vulnerable. She wasn’t going to sit here in the dark and cry.

A knock on the door made her gasp and jump.

Fuck. She wasn’t like this. She hated this…this anxiety she got when it rained. It was weakness and she couldn’t abide it.

If you walk away from this you’ll ruin your life, Juliana. Don’t think I’ll watch you do it. You go through with this and you do it on your own. Am I understood?

Sometimes she felt like she was still seven years old, and if she could just get her mom’s attention everything would be okay.

Jules gripped the flashlight and walked across her apartment to the door. It was likely one of the neighbors coming to check on her. Actually, that was an excellent idea. She could go down and see if Mrs. Gleeson needed some company. There were some elderly residents she could check on and a single mom she’d met at the end of the hall. She could see if she could be of any assistance and that would get her through the night.

She opened the door expecting to see anyone but the man she saw standing there.

Javier Leones. He had a flashlight in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He was wearing jeans and a button down that he’d left undone enough she could see a nice swath of golden brown skin. His hair was deliciously mussed, as though he’d taken a shower and simply rubbed a towel over it to get it dry.

He was big and male and so sexy it hurt to look at him, and Jules realized she could do something else to take her mind off things.

Those plump, sensual lips of his broke into a bright smile. “I thought you might like some company. I know I would. I actually don’t have any candles, so I was sitting in my living room with this sad one flashlight. You look like a woman who likes some candles.”

But she couldn’t light them. She hadn’t figured that part out.

His face fell and he walked into her place, closing and locking the door behind him. “Hey, what’s wrong? It’s okay if you don’t have any candles. It’s cool. Two flashlights are better than one.”

He set the flashlight and wine bottle down and moved into her space, his hands coming up to cup her shoulders. “Jules, what’s wrong?”

She had to be stronger than this. She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m fine.”

His jaw tightened. “Don’t. Please don’t. I live with a stubborn asshole who won’t let me help him in any way. I get that we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but I thought we were friends. You help me out all the time. You’re kind to me. Fucking let me be kind to you. I spend every day trying to help someone who won’t let me. Please let me feel like I’m worth something.”

If he’d said anything else, joked about the weather or told her to suck it up, she could have, but he’d opened a door. He’d been vulnerable and honest, and she found she couldn’t pay that back with stubbornness.

“I have candles and I can’t figure out how to light them.” Tears rolled down her face. She was vulnerable. All the time. Even when she pretended like she wasn’t.

“You can’t…” he began and then he looked down. Instead of stepping back and giving her space, he drew his hand down her arm, warming her skin where he touched her. It was dark but the moon was full and gave enough light to see the outline of his face. There was no look of horror there. He caressed her arm until he got to the place where she’d been split apart and sewn back together unwhole. He brought it up and wrapped it against his palm, his fingers closing around it until the whole thing was surrounded with his warmth. “You haven’t figured out how to do it yet. Probably hasn’t come up or you would know what to do. How long since you lost your hand?”

“A year and a half,” she said. He was touching her there. No one had touched her there except her doctors and therapists.

Come to think of it, no one had touched her at all since before the accident. Had it really been so long since she’d felt warm flesh against her own? He was so close, close enough that all she would have to do was go up on her toes to brush her lips against his.

Would that be wrong? As long as she remembered who she was dealing with, why couldn’t she take a few moments of respite for herself? If he wanted her.

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

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