Fairest Of All Book Reviews

Strong Enough, an all-new sexy standalone from USA Today Bestselling author Melanie Harlow and David Romanov is LIVE!

Strong Enough

by Melanie Harlow & David Romanov

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

Publication Date: June 19, 2017

I wasn’t looking for Derek Wolfe.

I wasn’t looking for anybody. All I wanted was to start a new life in America. But when I found myself stranded here with no place to go, he came to my rescue, offering me a place to stay.

He’s smart, successful, and sexy as hell—I can barely sleep knowing he’s right down the hall. And when the chemistry between us explodes one night with fierce, fiery passion, it’s hard to deny there’s something real between us.

But he does.

He says he was drunk. He says it was a one-time thing. He says he’s not into guys and what we did meant nothing.

He’s lying. Because it happened again, and again, and again. And it’s better every time.

I know we could be good together, and I want the chance to try, but I’m done hiding. If he’s not strong enough to admit the truth, I’ll have to be strong enough to walk away.

Read  Today!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sfN27l

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/YwYlrO

iBooks: Strong Enough

Nook: https://goo.gl/nCsAec

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/eU1rwv

Review

Strong Enough…

For Derek Wolfe and Maxim Matveev, those two words have multiple meanings, some contrary to one another and others that demonstrate the effort it takes to get through difficult ordeals in order to reap deserved rewards.

At the beginning of the story, for Derek, being strong enough means to keep his dark sexual urges repressed, fighting them and ultimately controlling them so that no one truly knows just how abnormal he is because Derek’s upbringing has programmed him to believe that anything that is not socially acceptable is disgusting…wrong…even sinful.

These two men seem as opposite as they can be, especially because Derek uses all of his strength to suppress who he really is, fighting to be the man his parents and society wants him to be, not the one he truly is down to his core. And, even with the attraction that Derek feels for Maxim, Derek still torments himself with a code of conduct and traditional values that will lead him to become the perfect family man – one with a wife and kids, not a man who is 12 years younger than him and represents everything he’s worked his entire life to ignore and adamantly deny.

Maxim illustrates his strength and courage when he leaves his home in Russia for a life in the States, not knowing if he can make it here but driven to try because what he wants out of life he cannot acquire in his homeland. Maxim’s optimism and fortitude guide his life and his choices and even though everything seems to go wrong for Maxim as soon as he steps off the plane from Russia, perhaps it’s fate that guides his journey and allows him to help a man understand that despite his upbringing love doesn’t have to be a perfect, quintessential image – it just has to be perfect for the two people who feel it.

The fact that this story is semi-autobiographical adds intrigue and depth to the story line. Both men are fully characterized, which means that readers can truly understand what their words and actions illustrate about them and why they’ve grown to be the men that they currently are.

Derek is portrayed in such a way that readers can’t help but feel heartbroken for him; he’s lived his entire life programmed to believe that there’s only one way for him to live his life, so it makes sense that he fights his true nature and has a difficult time dealing with his feelings for Maxim. It’s clearly not Derek’s fault and while it was a bit frustrating to hear his misguided thoughts, the fact that, that is what he felt and must contend with is devastating not only for him but for those individuals like him who can’t be who they’re meant to be from the very beginning.

Maxim is a breath of fresh air in Derek’s otherwise controlled and tortured world and Maxim allows Derek to understand that there’s not simply one path or one way to live, and even though it’s difficult for Derek to face his reality, he’s strong enough to do so with Maxim by his side.

Strength is defined in varying ways throughout the story, and when Maxim becomes a part of Derek’s life, Derek ultimately needs to decide if he’s strong enough to go against everything he’s been told to believe and experience the kind of love that he could only dream of or if he cares too much about what other people will think and ruins any chance he may have to live the life that he deserves.

“You were given this life because you’re strong enough to live it.”

As long as Derek and Maxim can remember this idea throughout the highs and lows they’ll face in the lives they chosen to live, then they’ll always be strong enough to get exactly what they want and need!

4.5 Poison Apples

About Melanie

Melanie Harlow writes sexy, emotional romance about strong, stubborn characters who can’t help falling in love. She’s addicted to bacon, gin martinis, and summer reading on the screened-in porch. If she’s not buried in a book or binging on Netflix, you might find her running, putting a bun in someone’s hair, or driving to and from the dance studio. She lives outside Detroit with her husband and two daughters.

Melanie is the USA Today bestselling author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, MAN CANDY, AFTER WE FALL, IF YOU WERE MINE, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s.

Connect with Melanie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow/?fref=ts

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs

Twitter: @MelanieHarlow2

Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Sign up for Melanie’s Newsletter: http://www.melanieharlow.com/subscribe/

About David

For David Romanov, STRONG ENOUGH is to a great extent autobiographical. Born in Russia and raised in Europe, he landed in the United States at the age of 24, where he learned a lot about cultural differences between East and West. David firmly believes in ‘The One’ and learning through love. When he isn’t traveling or educating Melanie in Russian culture, he enjoys books and the company of his husband and dog in Los Angeles.

Connect with David

GoodReads: https://goo.gl/2Bekxz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/David-Romanov-Author-1487479804635708/

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

Talk British to Me, an all-new sexy STANDALONE romance from Robin Bielman is now LIVE!

Talk British to Me by Robin Bielman

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

As the Dating Guy on L.A.’s top morning show, I give the single guy’s perspective on dating, love, and sex—and I give great advice. Everyone’s hooking up…well, except for me. Sure, I can get any woman I want, but I’ve got a “no relationship” clause in my contract and the only woman I want has “relationship” written all over her. Probably stamped on her ass, too. And wouldn’t I like to confirm that.

Unfortunately, she wants nothing to do with me. At all. Something about the next Ice Age might have even come up in her rebuttal. Adorable. Because she’s determined to ignore what one simple kiss proved: she wants me as badly as I want her.

Everything in me is screaming to go after her, but I’ve got a secret that I’m fairly certain will end up with her roasting my nuts over an open fire. So, job on the line? Check. Nuts on the line? Check. Can’t get her out of my head? Nail…meet coffin. But what a way to go…

Excerpt  

My cell pings with an incoming text as I approach the garage elevator, so I’m not exactly paying attention when I hear the elevator arrive and sense someone step out. I think I walk around the person, but my shoulder bumps hers.

The delicate feel of her has me jerking my head up.

“Sorry,” we say at the same time.

She’s holding a box piled high with envelopes that partially block her face. I don’t know if it’s from our slight collision or a natural misstep, but the box wobbles in her hands. She sucks in a breath. I slip my arm under the box to help keep it from tipping over, but that seems to make it worse, because the next thing I know, the envelopes are spilling out onto the ground.

“Son of a biscuit!” she says, unable to stop the box from crashing down but keeping herself on both feet.

I burst out laughing.

Hear me out. The “son of a biscuit” is damn adorable. I’ve never heard anyone actually use it before. But better still, the beautiful creature spewing such foul language is none other than the girl who dumped chicken wings on me. Teague.

“I’m glad you find this so—”

She stalls, finally meeting my eyes. Recognition crosses her face as she scrunches up her cute little nose in annoyance.

“Amusing?” I finish for her.

She opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. The two of us running into each other again is pretty unbelievable. She huffs out a breath that’s a mixture of contempt and surprise.

“I’m just as surprised as you, baby.”

This time the sound she makes from the back of her throat is pure disgust. She drops to all fours to gather the envelopes back into the box.

I bend down to help, reaching for envelopes while never taking my eyes off her. She’s pissed about more than the dropped cargo. “Bad day?” I say.

She glares at me.

“I’m sorry about bumping you. I was looking down at my phone and thought I had plenty of room.”

Picture a hot girl with blue eyes so kind she couldn’t look daggers no matter how hard she tried. That’s what I’m privileged enough to be staring at now. The corners of my mouth pull up involuntarily. Her mouth, while set in a tight line, is sexy as fuck, those generous lips of hers distracting. “Seriously, Teague, I’m sorry.”

Her expression goes from hard to soft instantly. She sits back on her haunches, puts her hands on her thighs. “You remember my name?”

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2q3J6VJ

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/SfgSY0

iBooks: https://goo.gl/bYqyps

Nook: https://goo.gl/3xqNwg

Kobo: https://goo.gl/4MUqri

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/3YBx7l

About Robin

When not attached to her laptop, USA Today Bestselling Author and RITA Finalist, Robin Bielman can almost always be found with her nose in a book. A California girl, the beach is her favorite place for fun and inspiration. Her fondness for swoon-worthy heroes who flirt and stumble upon the girl they can’t live without jumpstarts most of her story ideas.

She loves to go on adventures, and has skydived, scuba dived, parasailed, gotten lost in the wilderness (and only suffered a gazillion bug bites for it) hiked to waterfalls, and swam with dolphins. In her spare time she also likes to put her treadmill to good use while watching her favorite TV shows, take hikes with her hubby, indulge her sweet tooth, and play sock tug of war with her cute, but sometimes naughty dog, Harry.

She dreams of traveling to faraway places and loves to connect with readers. Keep in touch at all of her social media spots!

Connect With Robin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: @RobinBielman

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/robin-bielman

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5825070.Robin_Bielman

Stay up to date with Robin by signing up for her newsletter:

https://goo.gl/HTtAzl

http://robinbielman.com

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Title: The Long Way Home

Series: The One Series

Author: Jasinda Wilder

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 30, 2017

Cover Artist: Okay Creations

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I need you, Ava.

I am desperate. For you. For touch. For a kiss. For the scrape of your hand down my stomach. For the slide of your lips across my hipbone. The sweep of your thigh against mine in the dulcet, drowning darkness. For the warm huff of your breath on my skin and the wet suck of your mouth around me and the building pressure of need reaching release…I am mad with need.

Wild with it.

I cannot have you. I have lost you, as I have lost myself.

And so I go in search. Of myself, and thus the man who might return to you, and take you in his arms.

I loathe each of the thousands of miles between us, but I cannot wish them away, for I hope at the end of my journey I shall find you. Or rather, find myself, and thus…you. Myself, and thus us.

I am taking the long way home, Ava.

***

Christian,

I’m losing my mind, and I don’t know how to stop it. I shouldn’t be writing to you, but I am. I’m friendless, loveless, and lifeless. You’re out there somewhere, and still you’re all I really have. I hate my reliance and dependence on you, emotionally and otherwise, and that reliance is something I’m coming to recognize. I hate that I can’t hate you as much as I want to. I hate that I still love you so much.

I hate that there’s no clear solution to our conundrum. Even if we could forgive each other, what then?

I hate you, Christian. I really do.

But most of all, I don’t.

It’s complicated.

Complicatedly (still) yours,

Ava

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New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and internationally bestselling author Jasinda Wilder is a Michigan native with a penchant for titillating tales about sexy men and strong women. Her bestselling titles include Alpha, Stripped, Wounded, and the #1 Amazon.com and international bestseller Falling into You. You can find her on her farm in northern Michigan with her husband, author Jack Wilder, her six children, and a menagerie of animals.

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Sign up HERE to participate in the Release Day Promotion!

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DANGEROUS RUSH, the second book in S.C. Stephens’s exciting RUSH series, is now available and we couldn’t be more excited!

Be sure to grab your copy today!

About DANGEROUS RUSH

Feeling the rush comes with a price…

Mackenzie Cox has lost everything—except Hayden Hayes. With Kenzie’s racing career over, and her family no longer speaking to her, Hayden has been her rock, as she tries to pick up the pieces of what was once her life.

But when Hayden’s racing team hires his beautiful ex-girlfriend, Felicia, to be their new hotshot rider, Kenzie and Hayden’s seemingly solid relationship begins to crack. Kenzie can only watch from the sidelines, as Felicia lives the life she was forced to leave behind, and as tension begins to build between Hayden and Kenzie, she wonders if Hayden isn’t the man she once knew.

Get your copy today!

Amazon / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords

Review

At the end of Furious Rush when Hayden’s past collided with his present, I knew S.C. Stephens was preparing to take readers on a complicated angst-filled journey in Dangerous Rush, and boy was I right! I NEVER felt settled or even that hopeful about Hayden and Kenzie making it through this rough patch because there was always someone or something attempting to tear them apart, and it also seemed that they too easily allowed a divide to be built between them, forgetting how dishonesty and feelings of abandonment can easily destroy the tightest of bonds.

Family and Racing – these are the two things that have grown to mean everything to Hayden and Kenzie, and when book 2 begins, Kenzie’s relationship with Hayden and her stubbornness to remain by his side despite her father’s dictates has forced her to lose both her family’s love and her career as a motorcycle racer, leaving her to watch someone from Hayden’s past take her spot not only as Hayden’s teammate but also as the elite female racer in the racing world that Kenzie’s has worked so hard to claim as her own.

Family also seems to be another reason that Kenzie feels like an outsider. Hayden, Felicia, Izzy, and Hookup have history together…they stood by each other’s side when there was no one else, and that means everything to Hayden. He’s loyal to a fault, meaning that once Hayden lets someone into his life, regardless of what s/he does, he always lets him/her back in, which means that even though four years have passed without one word from her, Felicia’s still a part of him…a part of his family, so their connection, regardless of the strain on it, is still there, especially when the reason she left is still unknown.

I understand why some readers would feel frustrated by Kenzie’s actions and attitude in Dangerous Rush because the feisty, independent girl she was in Furious Rush seems to have been replaced by someone who allows others to walk all over her and use her to prove a point. But I also get why S.C. Stephens portrays Kenzie this way for much of the story. By choosing Hayden over her father’s wishes, she lost everything that defined her and now the very person she gave up everything for isn’t there for her like he said he would be and his past threatens to destroy not only their happiness as a couple but also her love of a sport that she may never participate in again. Due to the strain on Kenzie’s relationship with Hayden and Keith’s meddling, Kenzie feels alone and is left wondering if her decisions will bring her happiness or more heartache.

While I was annoyed and sometimes angry with Hayden’s actions throughout the story, I also got why he was so conflicted. In the Prologue, readers are privy to his past with Felicia and the incredibly close bond they had, so it makes sense that there would be residual feelings on Hayden’s part when Felicia comes back into his life four years after she left with only a note as a goodbye. Stephens does a good job of demonstrating Hayden’s confusing feelings and the fact that despite how he outwardly reacts, inwardly, Felicia is still his first love and it’s difficult to shut those emotions off.

The second book in Stephens’ Furious Rush series is definitely complicated; readers will run the gamut of emotions and will find themselves questioning whether or not Hayden and Kenzie should have made the decisions they do, especially the ones that are dishonest and secretive.

The secondary story lines definitely add to the enjoyment of Dangerous Rush, and I’ll be interested to see if S.C. Stephens expands on them in the future; I’d love to see what happens with Nikki and if Hookup can be the man he vows to be at the end of the story. 

Characters’ passions and how they handle them as well as fight for them is what this series is all about and because what people love comes with their own challenges, people’s emotions will always run high, causing both victories and losses in all areas of their lives.

4 Poison Apples

Don’t miss the first book in the RUSH series!

Mackenzie Cox has a lot to prove. Daughter of a racing legend, she is eager to show the world that she has inherited her father’s talent in the male-dominated sport of professional motorcycle racing. The last thing Kenzie needs is to be antagonized by her rival team’s newest rider, Hayden Hayes. Plucked from the world of illegal street racing, Hayden immediately gets under Kenzie’s skin. His insinuations that Kenzie is a spoiled princess who was handed her career fuels her desire to win, and much to her surprise, Kenzie soon learns she performs better when she’s racing against Hayden.

As Kenzie and Hayden push each other on the track, the electric energy between them off the track shifts into and intense—and strictly forbidden—attraction. The only rule between their two ultra-competitive teams is zero contact. Kenzie always does her best to play by the rules, but when her team slips into a financial crisis, she has no choice but to turn to Hayden for help. The tension simmers during their secret, late-night rendezvous, but Kenzie has too much to lose to give in to her desires. Especially when she begins to doubt that Hayden has completely left his street life behind…

Get your copy now!

Amazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo

About S.C. STEPHENS

S.C. Stephens is a bestselling author who enjoys spending every free moment she has creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance.

Her debut novel, Thoughtless, an angst-filled loved triangle charged with insurmountable passion and the unforgettable Kellan Kyle, took the literary world by storm. Amazed and surprised by the response to the release of Thoughtless in 2009, more stories were quick to follow. Stephens has been writing nonstop ever since.

In addition to writing, Stephens enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading fabulous novels, loading up her iPod with writer’s block reducing music, heading out to the movies and spending quality time with her friends and family. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her two equally beautiful children.

CONNECT WITH S.C. STEPHENS

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

All I Am (This Man #3.5)
by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Publication Date: June 18th, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance

All I Am, an all-new story in the This Man Series from Jodi Ellen Malpas is now LIVE!!

A new novella featuring Drew from the #1 New York Times bestselling This Man trilogy!

Jodi:

I’ve been revisiting a few old friends. You remember Drew? The dark, mysterious pal of Jesse’s? The cool guy, who kept himself to himself? Yes, him! It’s time for Drew to shine in a brand-spanking-new THIS MAN Novella coming June 18th! I can’t tell you how much fun I’ve had going back to my roots, and I just know you’re gonna LOVE Mr Davies. I hope a little something while you’re waiting for THE FORBIDDEN (Aug 8th) will put a smile on your face as wide as mine ☺

I thought I had control. I was so, so wrong . . .

I don’t need a relationship.

I have Hux, a decadent club where I quench whatever raw desire I choose. I take pleasure and I give it—no strings attached. So when Raya Rivers comes in asking for someone cold, emotionless, and filthy . . . well, no man ever takes his wicked pleasure quite the way I do.

Only Raya is different. Vulnerable. And carrying some deep sorrow that gets past all my carefully constructed walls and inexplicably makes me care. Now craving controls me. Ice has given way to red-hot need.

But Raya has no idea about my other life—my real life. That I’m a daddy to an adorable little girl.

My two worlds are about to collide with the force of a supernova. And once Raya knows the truth, will she be able to accept all I am?

Read Today!

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/2oibIXG

BN: http://bit.ly/2pv54Bk

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2o00bjM

Google: http://bit.ly/2peh4aH

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/1k1ZYX

Review

Drew is a father…a friend…a businessman…a man who loves to chain women up and fuck the ever loving hell out of them.

That is not all that he is…it’s just all that he’s willing to be for a variety of reasons.

Cold and controlled Drew soon finds himself wrapped up in chains and struggling to keep his wits about him when he meets a woman who wants him to get her off without emotions and without warmth, and even though it’s exactly the kind of kinky sex that gets Drew off, he finds himself redefining who he is and what he wants because just like Jesse and Sam, he’s going mad and can’t seem to stop it from happening.

I loved being back in Jesse and Ava’s world and the fact that Jesse and Sam are settled but still as wicked as ever is a testament to loving the right women. Drew has always been the mystery of the trio and I loved how all of the changes he goes through in the story are shown through his perspective, illustrating exactly who he is and why he keeps the two sides of his life completely separate.

Because Drew’s story is a novella, readers only get the start of his transformation, but because we were privy to all the ins and outs of Jesse and Ava’s tumultuous beginning as well as how they weathered the storm and became the power couple that they are, it’s clear that anyone who is as close to the Lord of the Manor as Drew is will find his way with who he’s become and all that he can be.

About Jodi

Jodi Ellen Malpas wrote her debut series, The This Man Trilogy, in secret, worried about what people might think if they knew what her imagination was capable of. She was shocked herself. But she finally found the courage to unleash her creative streak and self-published THIS MAN – the first book of the This Man Trilogy – in October 2012. She took a chance on the story with a hero who soon became one of modern day fictions most prolific alpha male characters. Jesse Ward – also affectionately known as The Lord of The Manor, sparked incredible reactions from women across the globe and catapulted Jodi into the world of women’s fiction.

Jodi went on to self-publish the second book in the trilogy, Beneath This Man in Jan 2013, just before Grand Central Publishing, part of the Hachette Book Group, picked up the popular trilogy and the unknown Jodi. The third book of the trilogy, This Man Confessed, took Jodi to the top of the bestsellers lists, earning her the proud title of #1 New York Times Bestselling Author. This Man has since been voted one of the top romance novels of all time.

With so much love, enthusiasm and a thirst for her words from her readers, Jodi suddenly wasn’t afraid of her imagination anymore. She went on to write The One Night Trilogy with the delectable and mysterious Miller Hart, and stole the hearts of her readers once again. Her first stand-alone novel, THE PROTECTOR,  released in September 2016 and has since been nominated for a Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. Jodi’s next stand-alone novel. THE FORBIDDEN, is set for release in August 2017.

All seven of her published novels have hit the New York Times best sellers list – as well as the Sunday Times list and various international best seller lists. Her work is now published in over 24 languages across the world.

Jodi was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys and a beagle. She is a self-professed daydreamer, a mojito addict, is famous for her obsession with Converse, and has a terrible weak spot for Alpha Males. Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters has become her passion – a passion she now shares with her devoted readers.

Connect with Jodi

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JodiEllenMalpas/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JodiEllenMalpas

YouTube: https://goo.gl/2kGLbt

Instagram: http://www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk/instagram/

http://www.jodiellenmalpas.co.uk/home/

“Filthy, fun, and filled with heart. Hot Cop is going on my re-read shelf.”

–Audrey Carlan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Hot Cop, an all-new sexy, standalone from New York Times Bestseller Laurelin Paige and USA Today Bestseller Sierra Simone is now LIVE!!!

Hot Cop by Laurelin Paige & Sierra Simone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

From NYT Bestselling Author, Laurelin Paige and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sierra Simone comes a steamy contemporary romantic follow-up to last year’s bestseller P*rn Star.

You have the right to remain sexy.

Anything you say can and will be used to get you in my bed.

You have the right to use my body to give yourself a delirious, life-changing orgasm.

If you have trouble…don’t worry, I’m a bit of an expert in that department.

There’s nothing ‘thin’ about my blue line, if you catch my drift, and trust me, I know how to put those handcuffs to good use.

***

Livia Ward wants a baby before she’s thirty.  And even though Officer Chase Kelly is exactly the kind of cocky jerk this librarian has sworn off, he is undeniably hot.  Both of them think they can give each other what they want–a few nights of fun for Officer Kelly, a no-strings baby for Livia–but this hot cop is about to learn that sex, babies, and love don’t always play by the rules.

Read Today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2qWZKHQ

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/ZDoq3a

iBooks: https://goo.gl/qO4Bjv

Nook: https://goo.gl/Rsb9w4

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2sa4s2q

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/3LqvE1

Review

The whole concept and process of co-authoring is fascinating to me because there are so many variables to contend with due to different perspectives, writing styles, etc. When co-written stories work, the authors have combined their individual qualities into a cohesive unit, bringing a new element to the written word and showcasing their combined writing prowess.

The team of Laurelin Paige and Sierra Simone are quite the dynamic duo and in their latest release, Hot Cop, they deliver a phenomenal read that has readers laughing out loud, sighing with heartfelt emotions, and cheering for a couple who outwardly portray themselves as individuals who do not want attachments or complications, even though the very nature of their relationship and what they seem to want from each other is as complicated as it comes.

Livia Ward is quite the complex heroine. Her decision to live in the “comfort zone of safety” after being let down by a number of men may help her to stay away from further heartache, but it also leaves her life empty and unsatisfied. As a 29 year old woman, she’s a bit lost as well as overwhelmed by the idea of turning 30 and not having much in her life that illustrates a happy and well-lived life. She’s an independent woman who doesn’t need a man to feel complete but does need one for how she plans to make her life whole and a little less lonely.

Enter Chase Kelly – “Officer Panty-Thief”/“Officer Blue Eyes”

Officer Kelly has quite the reputation and even if it is an earned one, there’s more to him than his extracurricular activities with the Badge bunnies. Behind his Officer Good Times moniker is a man who’s all about order, law, and following rules…an intelligent and compassionate guy who finds himself willing to adjust his viewpoint when it comes to relationships because as soon as the “brown-eyed spitfire” entered his life, he couldn’t picture her not in it, especially when he begins to feel that their supposedly “clinical transaction” is way more intimate and emotional than he or Livia would have anticipated.

Livia and Chase have insane chemistry from their very first encounter, making it difficult for either of them to follow through with their initial requests and proving that when it comes to one another, rules don’t seem to apply.

Hot Cop is funny, sexy, and sweet, which makes it a fantastic read, but the biggest reason readers need to read it is because of its message…Life is meant to be lived…to be experienced fully, which includes heartache and risk-taking because that’s how people truly know they’re alive.

In the words of Dylan Thomas,

“Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

Live! Have Fun! Let Down Walls! Don’t Just Exist!

4.5 Poison Apples

Excerpt

I’m at the steakhouse fifteen minutes early, which is on time in Chase Kelly’s book.  I’ve never been late for work or a date a single time in my life; in fact, I’ve always been early, which is a point of pride for me.  And Livia walks in at seven on the dot, something that endears me to her immensely, although the moment I register that I, Officer Kelly, am charmed, my mind goes blank.

Just blank.

There is nothing but her.

She walks in on heels that make her legs a mile long, her long hair down in a tumult of soft waves.  The maître d’ helps her take off her checkered wool coat, and then I.

Am.

Speechless.

My heart hammers up in my throat as the blood pools deep in my groin.  She’s wearing a bright red dress—so fucking short that I’d be able to finger her easily if we were in a booth, which we tragically aren’t.  The red sets off the warm undertones of her bronze skin, highlights the deep brown of her eyes.  The lines of it hug the delectable curves of her tits, which are just small enough that she can get away without wearing a bra.

My cock thickens as she begins walking toward me, and I can verify that she is definitely not wearing a bra.  Oh God, what if she’s not wearing panties either?

I bite back a groan and push back my chair to greet her as she comes to our table, tugging the hem of my sweater down in one smooth move as I unfold myself to help disguise the effect her presence has on me.

As I step forward to greet her, I notice the color high in her cheeks and the way her teeth dig into the soft coral of her bottom lip.

She looks nervous.

That gives me pause.  I don’t mind a woman meeting me cold or shy or overly eager, I don’t even mind a case of the first date jitters—since first dates are pretty much all I go on, I see a lot of those.

But nervous—truly nervous—that bothers me a little.  Do I make her feel unsafe?  Is it my size?  My job?

In a split second, I change gears.  I can be patient when it comes to the Kelly Trio, and I find that the idea of wooing my nervous little librarian on date after date doesn’t sound tiresome at all…it sounds delightful, actually.  A challenge.  A test to see if I’m worthy enough to remove all traces of trepidation from her face and fill her expression with eagerness and surrender instead.

And get more time with this fierce, sweet bookworm all to myself.

I lean in to kiss her cheek, careful to angle our bodies so that I don’t press against her with six feet, two hundred pounds of hungry cop.  Instead, I anchor her with a firm hand at her elbow, pleased to feel the goose bumps that spread underneath my touch.  And then I brush my lips against her cheek, making sure she can feel them, making sure she gets just the tiniest brush of my scruff as I accidentally-on-purpose slide my jaw against hers as I pull away.

She shivers.

I look down into her eyes as I straighten up, and I’m suddenly aware that I’m supporting a lot of weight in my hand, as if her knees are weak from my kiss.

Well done, Officer Good Times!

Her eyes are wide, the pupils so blown and her irises so dark that her eyes are just huge liquid wells of want, and I feel a familiar tug in my groin knowing that I put that look there.

“I forget how big you are,” she murmurs, her head tilted up to look into my face.

I give her my biggest grin and open my mouth, but she cuts me off before I can say it, shaking her head.  “I know, I know.  I walked right into that one.”

But the ghost of a smile flits across her lips as I help her into her seat and push in her chair.

When I sit across from her and we start looking at our menus, I notice the smile has vanished and the nervous look is back, along with a determined set to her shoulders.  The combination of uneasiness and backbone intrigues and worries me at the same time.

“I don’t know what Megan told you,” I say, “but I don’t bite.”

She looks up from the menu, her teeth back to digging into the plump flesh of her bottom lip.

“Well,” I amend, staring at her mouth, “sometimes I do bite.  But only when I really, really want to.”

About Laurelin

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling Author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio. She is represented by Rebecca Friedman.

Connect with Laurelin Paige

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About Sierra Simone

Sierra Simone is a former librarian who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk. She lives with her husband and family in Kansas City.

Connect with Sierra

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSierraSimone/

Twitter: @TheSierraSimone

Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SierraSimonesLambs/

Website: http://www.authorsierrasimone.com

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Strong Enough, an all-new sexy standalone from USA Today Bestselling author Melanie Harlow and David Romanov is coming June 19th!

Strong Enough

by Melanie Harlow & David Romanov

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

Publication Date: June 19, 2017

I wasn’t looking for Derek Wolfe.

I wasn’t looking for anybody. All I wanted was to start a new life in America. But when I found myself stranded here with no place to go, he came to my rescue, offering me a place to stay.

He’s smart, successful, and sexy as hell—I can barely sleep knowing he’s right down the hall. And when the chemistry between us explodes one night with fierce, fiery passion, it’s hard to deny there’s something real between us.

But he does.

He says he was drunk. He says it was a one-time thing. He says he’s not into guys and what we did meant nothing.

He’s lying. Because it happened again, and again, and again. And it’s better every time.

I know we could be good together, and I want the chance to try, but I’m done hiding. If he’s not strong enough to admit the truth, I’ll have to be strong enough to walk away.

Excerpt

Figuring I’d had enough booze to blunt his effect on me, I rolled up the sleeves of my black button-down shirt and moved next to him. “I’ll help you.”

“Okay.”

I caught him trying to not to look at my wrists and forearms, and it made me smile. How does it feel to want someone and have to hide it? “You wash, I’ll dry?”

“Sounds good.”

We worked in silence, shoulder to shoulder, and I found myself increasingly—and disturbingly—pleased at the thought of him being attracted to me and being forced to conceal it. It was fucking horrible of me to take pleasure in his discomfort, but I liked being secretly wanted. Being illicitly desired. Being the object of his covert glances and maybe even his darkest, dirtiest thoughts. I let our arms touch more than necessary, as thrilled by the physical contact as I was by the thought of what it might be doing to him.

For there is no man who does not sin.

My dick started to get hard, clearly unbothered by the whiskey that was breaking down my inhibitions, pushing past all my defenses, and letting my imagination run wild.

What’s in that gorgeous head of yours, Maxim? What’s behind those cobalt eyes? What would you do to me, if I let you? What would you let me do to you?

“Carolyn is so nice,” he said, handing me the last serving dish left to be dried.

What? He was thinking about Carolyn right now? He wasn’t supposed to be thinking about Carolyn—I was, goddammit!

But I wasn’t. “Yeah.”

He turned off the water. Rested his wet hands on the edge of the sink. “I didn’t realize you had a girlfriend.”

And I heard it in his voice—the slightest edge of jealousy, so faint I might never have noticed it had I not been so hyperaware of everything about him right now. I fucking loved it.

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Oh.” Now there was confusion. “I guess I misunderstood.”

“She wants to be my girlfriend.”

Silence.

Of course there was silence. Maxim would never ask what the problem was. But I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to know. I wanted to share the impossible longing I felt with one person who might understand it.

“The problem is me.”

He was completely still. Before I could stop myself, I covered his right hand with my left. “Sometimes I don’t know what I want.”

He yanked his hand from beneath mine and we faced each other.

For the first time tonight, I looked him right in the eye. Nothing around us existed for me anymore. I heard only his breath. Smelled only his skin. Saw only his guarded expression.

I had to have him.

Check Out the First THREE Chapters of Strong Enough HERE

http://www.melanieharlow.com/strong-enough/

Preorder Now

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2sfN27l

Amazon UK: https://goo.gl/YwYlrO

iBooks: Strong Enough

Nook: https://goo.gl/nCsAec

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/eU1rwv

About Melanie

Melanie Harlow writes sexy, emotional romance about strong, stubborn characters who can’t help falling in love. She’s addicted to bacon, gin martinis, and summer reading on the screened-in porch. If she’s not buried in a book or binging on Netflix, you might find her running, putting a bun in someone’s hair, or driving to and from the dance studio. She lives outside Detroit with her husband and two daughters.

Melanie is the USA Today bestselling author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, MAN CANDY, AFTER WE FALL, IF YOU WERE MINE, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s.

Connect with Melanie

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Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Sign up for Melanie’s Newsletter: http://www.melanieharlow.com/subscribe/

About David

For David Romanov, STRONG ENOUGH is to a great extent autobiographical. Born in Russia and raised in Europe, he landed in the United States at the age of 24, where he learned a lot about cultural differences between East and West. David firmly believes in ‘The One’ and learning through love. When he isn’t traveling or educating Melanie in Russian culture, he enjoys books and the company of his husband and dog in Los Angeles.

Connect with David

GoodReads: https://goo.gl/2Bekxz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/David-Romanov-Author-1487479804635708/

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

From New York Times Bestseller Kendall Ryan comes a sexy new stand-alone novel in her Roommates series.

The smoking-hot one-night stand I was never supposed to see again?

Yeah, well, I might be pregnant, and he’s my OB-GYN.

Goodreads: goo.gl/vtN29n

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2prMKrM

iBooks: goo.gl/gdBF27

Nook: https://goo.gl/WO2aco

Kobo: https://goo.gl/mj7JCX

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries 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. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

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

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From New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young comes a story of friendship, identity, and acceptance that will break your heart—and make it whole again. 

Don’t miss THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US releasing June 27, 2017, and get a sneak peek of the book below!

About THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US:

“I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.”

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever… 

Amazon US Hardcover | Amazon US eBook | Barnes & Noble | iBooks US

Amazon UK | Kobo UK | GooglePlay | iBooks UK | Kobo US

Add to your Goodreads

Excerpt

When Hayley arrived I got into the car without a word and we drove home to the apartment in silence. Once inside, Hayley finally spoke.

“I thought we could do takeout tonight.”

We couldn’t afford to do take-out nights all the time. Take-out nights were reserved for birthdays and the last night of school summer vacation. Sometimes even Thanksgiving.

Something was up. “Aren’t you supposed to be on a flight somewhere right about now?”

She shrugged, avoiding my gaze as she wandered into the kitchen.

I followed her, watching as she pulled take-out menus out of our kitchen drawer.

“What do you want? Chinese, Indian, Thai, Lebanese?”

“I want to get this ‘talk’ over with.”

Hayley regarded me, taking in my tension and the hard look in my eyes. Finally she sighed. “This is good news, India. Truly it is.”

“Just say it.”

“Theo proposed. I said yes. And we don’t want to wait. We’re getting married this December.”

My mouth dropped open. “I haven’t even met him.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose at my shout. “And that would be a concern if you were younger. But you’re starting junior year. You’re sixteen. Before we know it, you’ll be going off to college.” She stepped toward me and grabbed my hand. I let her squeeze it. “And, sweetheart, you can go to any college you want now.”

“How?”

“Theo is…well, he’s wealthy. And he’s already made it perfectly clear that he wants the very best for me, and that means the very best for you.”

“Are you trying to buy my acceptance of this whole ridiculous thing? You are aware that this isn’t normal, right?”

Hayley dropped my hand. “Don’t be melodramatic. I just want you to know that yes, or course it will be difficult to leave behind school and your friends here and move to Massachusetts, but the upside is that we’ll never have another financial worry in our lives. Ever.”

Jesus, how wealthy was this guy?

As if she read the question on my face, Hayley smiled dreamily. “He’s an incredibly well-respected attorney from a wealthy family. Boston’s elite.”

“And he’s marrying you?”

“Nice,” she snapped. “Very nice.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.” I shrugged. “I just…I thought those people stuck to their own.”

“Usually. But Theo doesn’t care about that stuff. He just wants to marry the woman he loves.” She waved away my negativity with a shake of her hair over her shoulders. “He married a well-to-do woman, and they had a daughter, Eloise, before she died of cancer a few years ago. He hasn’t been serious about another woman since, until me.”

“Oh my God.” I shook my head in disgust. “You think you’re living in a fairy tale.”

“Don’t talk to me like that.”

“You’re hauling me across the country to move in with some guy I’ve never met!” I heard the hysteria creep into my voice, but couldn’t seem to stop it. “Let’s remember the last guy you chose that I had to live with. Or have you already forgotten?”

Understanding dawned on Hayley’s face. It was shocking that I even had to say it out loud. A good mother would have known exactly why I was taking this so hard. “Oh, sweetheart.” She moved toward me but stopped when I flinched back. “Theo is not like him. Not anything like him. I’m not a stupid kid anymore. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.”

I stared at the floor, trying to will my heart rate to slow. I could barely hear anything over the whooshing of blood in my ears.

I started at Hayley’s touch and looked up. She’d decided to ignore my body language and cross the room to take hold of my arms. She ducked her face to stare into my eyes.

“No one,” she whispered fiercely, “no one will hurt you. I promise.”

Liar.

LIAR.

LIAR!

The scream rang out inside of me but somehow I swallowed it.

This was happening.

About Samantha Young

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

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