Monthly Archives: October 2018

Sentinel of Darkness (Darkness #8) by Katie Reus-a review

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SENTINEL OF DARKNESS (Darkness #8) by Katie Reus-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo 

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date 16, 2018

She thought she’d put her past behind her…

Local artist Keva might be human, but she knows about the things that go bump in the night. Years ago, a dragon shifter saved her from certain death. Ever since, she’s lived in his clan’s territory and put her life back together. But the feeling of security is only an illusion, because her past has come back to haunt her. A past with claws and fangs, demanding blood.

He’ll do whatever it takes to defend his mate…

Dagen has finally met his mate—except he insults her the first time they meet. He’s not too proud to grovel to get back into her good graces. But when a threat from her past emerges, he realizes that he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Even if it means dying—or losing her forever.

•••••••••

REVIEW:  SENTINEL OF DARKNESS is the eighth novella in Katie Reus’s contemporary, adult DARKNESS paranormal romance series. This is dragon shifter / businessman Dagen, and human / artist Keva Sheehan’s story line. SENTINEL OF DARKNESS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory as this particular series arc focuses on the dragons.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Keva and Dagen) SENTINEL OF DARKNESS follows the building relationship between dragon shifter / businessman Dagen, and human / jewellery artist Keva Sheehan. Four years earlier Keva Sheehan, on the run from her abusive, wolf shifter ex, found solace and safety with the local dragon clan. Fast forward to present day wherein Keva’s past is desperate to uncover the truth about the whereabouts of her missing ex, believing Keva knows what happened and why. Enter dragon shifter Dagen, and the man with whom Keva will fall in love. As the threats against Keva become more personal and physical, Dagen names himself Keva’s person protector with the knowledge that our heroine is Dagen’s fated mate. What ensues is the building romance between Dagen and Keva, and the potential fall-out as Keva is unable to let go of the past, or open her heart to another supernatural lover.

SENTINEL OF DARKNESS brings together several members of the Petronilla Clan of dragon shifters s they pull together to protect one of their own. Dagen knows that Keva is his mate, and offers up his home and protection for the foreseeable future. Keva Sheehan battles memories of the past, and fears her ex-lovers pack are seeking vengeance for their missing brother. Unable to open her heart to the possibility of love, Keva keeps Dagen at a distance, a distance that continues to close as her past quickly closing in .

SENTINEL OF DARKNESS is a quick read; an entertaining and heated story of fated mates, betrayals, retribution and love. The premise is engaging, inviting and spirited; the romance is passionate and spicy; the characters are damaged, colorful and dynamic. Katie Reus adds another wonderful couple to her Darkness Series of shifters, vampires and dragon mates

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Darkness Awakened
Taste of Darkness
Beyond the Darkness
Hunted by Darkness
Into The Darkness
Saved by Darkness
Guardian of Darkness

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Chasing My Forever (The Beaumonts: Next Generation #3) by Heidi McLaughlin-Review & Giveaway Tour

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CHASING MY FOREVER (The Beaumonts: Next Generation #3) by Heidi McLaughlin-Review tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /ibooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 9, 2018

Music is his passion. It’s in his blood. Yet, Quinn James isn’t sure if stardom is right for him. His family wants him to join a band, and follow in his father’s footsteps but fear holds him back. He can’t explain it, and when he tries, no one understands what he’s afraid of or why he’s content playing coffee shop gigs where no one knows him.

Eleanora Boone wants to live her life, not the one her very southern parents planned for her, which is why she chose a college thousands of miles away. Now she’s faced with returning home or doing something that would defy her family. When an opportunity to visit Los Angeles falls in her lap, she uses it to become someone different.

California is everything Eleanora thought it would be, and even more so when she meets Quinn, the shy, reserved and brooding musician who’s the complete opposite of the guys she’s used to back home.

For the first time, Quinn’s smitten. The new, mysterious waitress has him wrapped around her finger, and he finds that he is finally able to open up and trust someone outside of his family circle.

But living a different life comes with its risks, and for Eleanora, that risk is a secret that has the power to destroy both of them.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: CHASING MY FOREVER is the third instalment in Heidi McLaughlin’s contemporary, new adult THE BEAUMONTS: NEXT GENERATION romance series-a spin-off from the author’s Beaumont Series. This is musician Quinn James, and twenty-two year old, university graduate/waitress Eleanora Boone’s (aka Nola) story line. CHASING MY FOREVER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: If you have not read the original series, there may be some spoilers in my review.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Eleanora and Quinn) CHASING MY FOREVER follows the ‘quiet and reserved’ Quinn James’ whose past is haunted by rejection and issues of trust. Abandoned as a newborn by his mother, Quinn was raised by his father Harrison, and adopted by Katelyn James but Quinn continues to struggles for a direction in life. A gifted musician whose talent is on the rise, what Quinn fears the most is what keeps our hero hiding in the shadows, playing coffee shops for tip money without moving forward. Enter waitress and recent college graduate Eleanora ‘Nola’ Boone, and the woman with whom Quinn will fall in love. What ensues is the slow building romance between Quinn and Eleanora, and the fall-out as Quinn is blindsided when he discovers Eleanora has been lying, keeping secrets of her own.

Eleanora Boone’s entire future has been planned but our heroine refuses to settle down until she experiences life and everything it has to offer. A cross –country journey with her college roommate Kellie finds Eleanora in California where she will meet the man with whom she will fall in love. Raised by a strict South Carolina family, Eleanora isn’t willing to sacrifice her own happiness for a business deal but Eleanora had no idea the dirt she is about to disturb when she meets the shy and reclusive Quinn James, a man whose deepest secrets and past are about to be revealed. Quinn James remains in the shadows unable to pursue the music he loves –only his mother Katelyn is aware of the fear holding him back. Pressure from his sister Elle, to take a chance on his career, backfires when fame and notoriety bring forth the monsters he has been trying to avoid.

The relationship between Quinn and Eleanora is one of immediate attraction but Quinn struggles to overcome his awkward shyness and issues of trust. Eleanora’s previous relationship is spiralling out of control but a spiral that is slowly taking our heroine along for the ride. The $ex scenes are mostly implied and fade to black.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including Quinn’s best friend Noah Westbury, and his sister Peyton Powell-James; sister Elle and her boyfriend Ben; Harrison and Katelyn James, as well as several members of the Powell-James- Westbury families and the rock band 4225 West. We are introduced to Eleanora’s brother Rhett, her parents Annamae and Willard Boone, and college friends and roommates: Sofia and Kellie. There may be a story developing between Rhett and Kellie.

CHASING MY FOREVER is a story of family, friendship, betrayal and trust. The premise is engaging and heart breaking; the characters are charismatic and stubborn; the romance is passionate and sweet. The tight knit Powell-James- Westbury families are sassy and supportive, and are the backbone and spirit of Heidi McLaughlin’s amazing series.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Holding Onto Forever
My Unexpected Forever
Chasing My Forever

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Heidi McLaughlin: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter /Instagram /Pinterest

Heidi McLaughlinHeidi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author.

Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband and two daughters. Also renting space in their home is an over-hyper Beagle/Jack Russell, Buttercup and a Highland West/Mini Schnauzer, JiLL and her brother, Racicot.

When she’s isn’t writing one of the many stories planned for release, you’ll find her sitting court-side during either daughter’s basketball games.

Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, will be in theaters on October 27, 2017, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe.

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour provider.

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Dirty Rich Cinderella Story: Ever After (Lori and Cole #2) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review & Excerpt Tour

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Dirty Rich Cinderella Story: Ever After (Lori and Cole #2) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review & Excerpt Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /iBooks

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 10,2018

Continuing where Dirty Rich Cinderella Story left off…

Get ready for a steamy honeymoon, and a heart-stopping welcome home for Cole and Lori!

The unexpected is about to happen and while Lori has faced the demons of her past, she and Cole will face those of his past now.

This is the follow-up to DIRTY RICH CINDERELLA STORY.

•••••••••

REVIEW:DIRTY RICH CINDERELLA STORY: EVER AFTER by Lisa Renee Jones is the continuing story of attorneys Lori Havens and Cole Brooks first introduced in Dirty Rich Cinderella Story, book two in the author’s Dirty Rich series.

NOTE: There are some scenes of light scenes of bondage and discipline (including spanking) that may not be suitable for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person points of view (Lori and Cole) DIRTY RICH CINDERELLA STORY: EVER AFTER follows the now married attorneys and partners Lori Havens and Cole Brooks as they embark on their lives together in the aftermath of a trial that saw an innocent man charged with a crime he did not commit. Ever vigilant and over –protective Cole Brooks knows all too-well the horrors of vengeance and betrayal, and has no desire to place the woman he loves in the direct line of fire when the fall-out hits home.. As the story line builds secrets are revealed, threats come to fruition, and a beloved friend and PA goes missing.

DIRTY RICH CINDERELLA STORY: EVER AFTER is a sexy, sassy and spicy story line; a spirited and seductive tale about two people caught up in the storm; torn between trying to help, and losing all control. Lisa Renee Jones brings together several members of Walker Security as they place themselves in harm’s way to protect and investigate the who, how and why of the people in Lori and Cole’s life. The premise is intriguing and inviting; the romance is passionate, erotic and intense; the characters are colorful, dynamic and alive.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Dirty Rich One Night Stand
Dirty Rich Cinderella
Dirty Rich Betrayal
Dirty Rich Betrayal
Dirty Rich Cinderella Ever After

NOTE:  Want to start at the beginning of Lori and Cole’s story?  DIRTY RICH CINDERELLA (Dirty Rich #2) is ONLY 99¢ for a limited time:

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / iBooks

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

“You have me now. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can,” he says, his voice deep, rich, his tone absolute. “I will.”
“People die.”
“Yes, but if I die, you’ll know how much I loved you. You’ll know I’m still with you.” He cups my face. “But you don’t get to get rid of me that easily. Whatever waits for us here, there, or anywhere, we’ll get through it together. That’s what husbands and wives do.”
Warmth and calm wash over me. “Husband,” I whisper.
“Wife,” he replies, his gaze raking over my lips, and lifting. “About that zipper.”
“Take me to our hotel and I’ll show you how it works.”
“I can’t wait that long,” he counters, reaching for said zipper.
I catch his hand. “Cole,” I warn urgently. “You have to wait.”
I’ve barely finished that reprimand before his mouth is crashing down on mine and he’s kissing me, his tongue stroking my tongue. One of his hands settles at the base of my spine, molding me close, all those hard, sinewy parts of him pressed to all the soft parts of me and I moan. Another second later, and my zipper is open, and he’s pressed my hands over my head, his fingers dragging over the thin lace of my barely-there bra, teasing my nipples.
“We can’t do this here,” I whisper, and I mean it, despite the moan that rolls from my throat, as his fingers slide between my legs, heat pooling low in my belly and spreading to the touch of his fingers.
“And yet we are,” he says.
Voices sound just outside the door, and I panic. “Cole,” I hiss.
He reacts, and in an instant, his arm is around my waist and he’s pulling me into a long, narrow stall, shutting the heavy door and locking it. Women, two I think, enter the bathroom, and Cole steps back in front of me, his cheek pressing to mine as he whispers. “I’m going to make you come with them standing right there.”
My fingers curl on his chest. “No,” I silently whisper, but he swallows the protest with a deep lick of his tongue, and just like that, he’s grabbed my panties and yanked them away.
And then he’s kneeling on one knee, his lips pressing to my belly, and the effect is an adrenaline rush up and down my body. My fingers tangle in his hair and I tell myself it’s to pull him away, but his tongue flicks my belly button and I bite my lip to silence my pleasure. I know where that tongue is headed and it’s almost too much. 


 

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Lisa Renee JonesNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series.

In addition to the success of Lisa’s INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is also the author of the bestselling the bestselling DIRTY MONEY and WHITE LIES series. And will be publishing the first book in her Lilah Love suspense series with Amazon Publishing in March 2018.

Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women’s Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

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Close (Ryder Brothers #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour

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CLOSE (Ryder Brothers #1) by Laurelin Paige-Review Tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 10 , 2018

Everyone wants to get close to a rock star.

The bright lights.
The music.
Those talented fingers strumming… a guitar.
Everyone wants to bang a rock star.

So why do I keep running from the one who wants me?

I’m America’s Sweetheart.
I have a reputation.
He’s a boy-band icon turned rock god.
I’m vanilla.
He’s every flavor of bad.
And he’s much, much too young for me.

If I end up in Nick Ryder’s bed, my career and I will both be screwed.

…but that’s only if I’m caught.

••••••••

REVIEW: CLOSE by Laurelin Paige is the first instalment in the multi-authored contemporary, adult RYDER BROTHERS erotic, romance trilogy focusing on the members of the former boy band the Ryder Brothers. This is twenty-three year old, singer Nick Ryder, and thirty-six year old, actress Natalia Lowen’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Nick and Natalia) CLOSE follows the building relationship between twenty-three year old, singer Nick Ryder, and thirty-six year old, actress Natalia Lowen. Natalie Lowen is a successful Hollywood actress who has struggled to keep her good-girl image but meeting bad boy, rock star Nick Ryder forces Natalia to reconsider what it is she wants in life, including a potential disaster in the making, if her reputation takes a hit while dating a man thirteen years her junior. What ensues is the building love and romance between Nick and Natalia, and the fall-out as Natalia is unable to open her heart to a future with the man that she loves.

Natalia Lowen doesn’t do relationships, and is all about protecting her good-girl reputation. Reputation and impressions are everything in Hollywood, and Natalia refuses to allow anyone to destroy her hard-fought battle with perfection and the persona she has developed for public consumption. Nick Ryder’s reputation precedes his introduction to our story line heroine but Nick has fantasized about Natalia since a young boy, a fantasy that is about to come true as Nick embarks on a seduction of Hollywood’s ‘princess’.

The relationship between Nick and Natalia is one of immediate attraction but Natalia struggles with paparazzi, public perception, and maintaining her good-girl image. Falling in love with Nick Ryder was never on the horizon but the knowledge of potential disaster forces Nat to walk away in spite of their love. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

We are introduced to Natalia’s best friends: her life coach Hadley, and fellow actress Rowan. Nick’s brothers are but a blip of the radar, and we have yet to be introduced to the Ryder siblings.

The world building follows Nick and Natalia as they struggle to maintain a relationship while Nick heads out on tour. From texting to phone calls, last minute flights and clandestine dinners, we are up front and center with our story line couple.

CLOSE is a story of trust and relationships; perception and love. Natalia’s inability to allow herself the freedom to love is complicated by their difference in age, a difference that she believes will destroy her good girl image. The character driven premise is entertaining and enchanting ; the characters are animated and colorful; the romance is seductive and provocative. CLOSE is a great introduction to the Ryder Brother’s but there are definite similarities to a real-life boy band and their significant others, including the names.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

 

“Hi,” he says, doing a double-take when he realizes it’s me. He looks fabulous, of course, because why wouldn’t he when I look so scrubby? He’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt and a hoodie, and his face doesn’t look like he’s tired, or like he stayed up late to drink too much and tear up the dance floor.

Or like he spent last night making out with somebody more than a decade older than him.

“It’s crazy seeing you here,” I say. I giggle again at the sheer ridiculousness of this. “Do you come here often?” What am I doing? What am I saying? It’s like I just learned how to talk to people of the opposite sex. How have I ever gotten a date?

Not that I’m trying to date Nick.

“Occasionally. You?” He sticks his hands in his pockets and he’s so relaxed, so sexy, and I just can’t stand all that swagger on such a handsome guy that I am not allowed to touch. It’s unfair for anyone to look so effortlessly edible before nine a.m.

“It’s my favorite shop. Come here all the time.” I take a couple steps backwards, trying to shift toward my car. “I probably should—”

“Don’t you think it’s probably more than a coincidence?” He takes a step towards me, and I take one back, willing myself not to respond to the rumble of his deep voice and the magnetism of his body. “That we’d see each other again so soon. Kind of like fate, almost.”

Oh my god, Oh my god, he’s flirting with me. What do I do? He’s so hot, I can’t even look at him. But then I do, and I have total church-giggles over this, and I have to escape before I make an even bigger fool out of myself. Someone is bound to notice that I am losing my cool, and they’ll draw conclusions that aren’t even true.

It was just kissing!

“It’s really weird, I have to admit.” I dance back some more, then glance behind me to make sure I’m not going to back into the street and get run over and make this even worse. “And really awkward.” I brush some hair back that’s come loose from the messy bun at the base of my neck.

He shrugs, seeming to disagree. And it’s true that I’m the only one who seems to be awkward right now. “I don’t know about that. Doesn’t have to be awkward. Could just be convenient. Since I never got your phone number.”

If I didn’t think he was flirting before, I know he definitely is now. I don’t want to say no to him, but I have to say no to him. He cannot have my number. Can’t have anything more than a memory of a scorching-hot make-out in the back of a club. What we did was not for a sunlit day. It was for a dark corner. And yet, I still can’t seem to actually say the word no. So instead I say, “Why do you need my phone number?”

Oh my god, this is mortifying. It really is like I’m in high school again and I’ve forgotten not only how to talk to boys but how to stand in their presence.

He takes another step toward me, laughing. “Well, for one thing, I thought it might be nice if we had dinner sometime.”

He has the most ridiculous smile, I realize. It lights up his entire face. You can see it in his eyes, and there’s no pretension. It’s all genuine. Pure sunshine. I’m rendered speechless by it for half a second and I have to ask, “What was that?”

“Dinner,” he says, that huge-ass grin in full force, taking another step toward me, and now there’s only three feet between us, and I can feel the body heat from him, can remember what it felt like the last time he walked me backwards into a wall and then his body was pressing into me, and his mouth was on me. When his chest was against me, when his cock was pressing into me and my hips—

I suddenly jump backwards. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.” I look around suddenly to see if anyone’s noticed this exchange yet.

It’s fine, it’s still fine.

We’re just two people who work in the same industry who bumped into each other on a Saturday morning and are chatting like people do on Saturday mornings when they bump into each other. While giggling. Totally fine.

“What are you worried about, Natalia?” He doesn’t chase after me, just stands there looking confident and laid-back. Like a man trying to tempt a scared animal out from hiding. “I mean—I do bite, but most women like it.”

I smile at that, because I can’t help it, but I duck so he doesn’t see.

He’s probably so much more experienced than me.

He’s probably so dirty in the bedroom.

God, I shouldn’t be thinking about that. “I shouldn’t even be talking to you,” I say, shaking my head. I turn toward my car.

“No, you shouldn’t be,” he calls from behind me, and I have to actually close my eyes to collect myself because it’s obvious he’s thinking about doing not-talking things. Things like last night. Things like biting.

Things good girls have no business being so turned on by.

I tell myself he probably says stuff like that to all the girls who walk away from him.

But who am I kidding? Who has ever walked away from Nick Ryder? Besides me, I mean. Twice now. I deserve an Oscar for my willpower. That should be a new category.

“Bye, Nick,” I call as I flee with my coffee.

Then I step into my car, put my keys in the ignition and drive away before I lose my senses and change my mind.


 

In 2013, Laurelin Paige self-published her first novel. Her husband was just laid off, she had three kids, one with special needs, and they had just filed for bankruptcy so she needed this novel to work. Less than 1 year later, her debut novel, Fixed on You, was at the top of the bestseller lists and was named one of the top ten selling books of 2014 by Publishers Weekly (the only self-published book to do so) and a Top Ten Favorite Read of 2014 by People Magazine. Her successive self-published novels have been smash hits with readers.

Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She’s a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters.

Follow: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

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The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory – a Review

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The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory – a Review

 

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Description:
Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria of Drieden of the Royal House Laurent is so over this princess thing.

After her fiancé jilted her on their wedding day, she’s finally back home after spending four months in exile—aka it’s back to press conferences, public appearances, and putting on a show for the Driedish nation as the perfect princess they expect her to be. But Thea’s sick of duty. After all, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place.

So when she sneaks out of the palace and meets a sexy Scot named Nick in a local bar, she relishes the chance to be a normal woman for a change. But just as she thinks she’s found her Prince Charming for the night, he reveals his intentions are less than honorable: he’s the brother of her former fiancé, a British spy, and he’s not above blackmail. As Thea reluctantly joins forces with Nick to find out what happened the day her fiancé disappeared, together they discover a secret that could destroy a centuries-old monarchy and change life as they know it.

Funny, fast-paced, and full of more twists and turns than the castle Thea lives in, The Royal Runaway is a fresh romantic comedy that will leave you cheering for the modern-day royal who chucks the rulebook aside to create her own happily-ever-after.

 

 

Review:

The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory is a standalone fun royal romance mystery.  Princess Theodora Isabella Victoria of Drieden of the Royal House Laurent, our heroine, is back from 4 months in seclusion getting over being jilted on her wedding day.  Mainly she was sent there to allow time to let the publicity die down.  Thea is the heir apparent to the throne, and must once again do what is expected of her; press conferences, appearances, galas, etc.  But she also has a reputation among the family and staff, of slipping out at night in disguise to have fun.

In a short time after arriving home, she sneaks out and goes to a bar in town, and meets handsome stranger, Nick, our hero, who sees through Thea’s disguise.  Turns out that Nick, who she learns is a spy for the British, is her ex fiancee’s brother, who has not been seen in 4 months since he jilted Thea.  Nick is trying to find his brother, but he has ulterior motives, which he will blackmail Thea to help him. 

What follows is an engaging adventure with Nick and Thea investigating the truth about her ex’s disappearance, and the political ramifications involved.  The mystery unravels, revealing betrayals, intrigue and treason that threatens the monarchy and Thea’s future.  In the midst of this mystery, a slow burn romance develops between Nick and Thea, but remains in the background for the most part, until nearer to the end.  As they get closer to the truth, with some surprise twists, the danger escalates and Thea will find herself in a life threatening situation.  Will Nick be there to save her?

I really like Thea, as she was fun, witty and as the truths begin to unveil, she rises up to prove her worth as a future Queen.  I liked Nick, but he was more annoying early, but that changed later on.  The banter between them was great.  The Royal Runaway was a sweet fun entertaining story line, with some great characters, and well written by Emory.   If you enjoy a royal themed background, a bit of mystery, and a budding romance, then I suggest you read The Royal Runaway.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Cooper’s Charm (Summer Resort #1) by Lori Foster-a review

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COOPER’S CHARM (Summer Resort #1) by Lori Foster-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 24, 2018

One summer, two sisters and a chance to start over…

Before the burglary that shattered her confidence, Phoenix Rose had a fiancé, a successful store and a busy, happy existence. After months spent adrift, she takes a job at the lakeside resort of Cooper’s Charm. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, friendly colleagues and a charismatic, widowed boss, Phoenix is slowly inching her way back into the world.

Visiting Cooper’s Charm to check up on her little sister, Ridley Rose impulsively agrees to fill in as housekeeper. Still reeling from an ego-bruising divorce, she finds satisfaction in a job well done—and in the attention of the resort’s handsome scuba instructor.

For Phoenix and Ridley, Cooper’s Charm is supposed to be merely temporary. But this detour may lead to the place they most need to be, where the future is as satisfying as it is surprising…

••••••

REVIEW: COOPER’S CHARM is the first instalment in Lori Foster’s contemporary, adult SUMMER RESORT romance series. This is thirty-four year old, resort owner Cooper Cochran, and twenty-five year old, landscaper Phoenix Rose, as well as scuba instructor Baxter McNab and twenty eight year old Ridley Rose’s story lines.

Told from several third person perspectives COOPER’S CHARM follows the building relationships between is thirty-four year old, resort owner Cooper Cochran, and twenty-five year old, landscaper Phoenix Rose, as well as scuba instructor Baxter McNab and Phoenix’s twenty eight year old sister Ridley Rose. Phoenix Rose is trying to escape her brutal past, a past that has left our heroine a shell of her former self. A landscaper by trade, Phoenix is about to embark on a new career as the groundskeeper for Cooper’s Charm RV Park and Resort. Meeting her new boss Cooper Cochran stirred something in Phoenix, long thought denied, an immediate attraction to a man whose own past is mired in grief and loss. What ensues is the building relationship between Phoenix and Cooper, and the potential fall-out as someone is targeting Phoenix and the people at Cooper’s Charm.

Meanwhile, Phoenix’s sister Ridley Rose is struggling through issues of her own. Recently divorced, Ridley battles loneliness and loss but a decision to join her sister at Cooper’s Charm places Ridley on a path towards her future including a new job and a second chance for a happily ever after.

COOPER’S CHARM is a sweet and sexy story about two sassy sisters who will turn Cooper’s Charm upside down. Lori Foster pulls the reader into an engaging and delightful tale focusing on second chances, friendships, heartbreak and love. The premise is entertaining; the romances are passionate and steamy; the characters are colorful and fun. My only complaint is the identity of the person threatening Phoenix Rose-a questionable identity in the grand scheme of villains and dastardly schemes.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton-a review

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THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER by Kate Morton-a review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 9, 2018

A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House—the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadow across generations, set in England from the 1860’s until the present day.

My real name, no one remembers.
The truth about that summer, no one else knows.

In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor on the banks of the Upper Thames. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins.

Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.

Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?

Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter.

•••••••••

REVIEW: THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER by Kate Morton is a story of love, romance, murder and mystery spanning one-hundred and fifty years, numerous timelines, several generations and various perspectives all connected to Birchwood Manor on the Upper Thames.

One-hundred and fifty years earlier artist and painter Edward Radcliffe fell in love with his muse, a woman everyone came to know as Lily Millington, a woman who wasn’t whom she purported to be. The purchase of a country estate known as Birchwood Manor would bring together Edward and his fellow artists –the Magenta Brotherhood- wherein their lives would about to change forever. A murder, the presumed departure and guilt of Lily Millington, and the disappearance of the Radcliffe Blue Diamond would kick-off a century and a half of rumors, innuendo, heartbreak and loss that followed one family from 1862 to 2017.

In 2017, Archivist Elodie Winslow went in search of her past, a past mired in secrets and death, but a past that Elodie was desperate to discover. With only a damaged photo, an old leather satchel, and stories of a time long ago, Elodie heads to Birchwood Manor to unearth the true about her mother’s life but Elodie isn’t the only one in search of the past as Birchwood Manor’s secrets are about to be exposed.

THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a slow building story line that follows several paths, and numerous timelines; of one family’s history of secrets and lies; and the spirit who is witness to everything and all. THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a story of ghosts, fairies and queens; of betrayal, loss, heartbreak and love as one family meanders a path between the present and the past.

Kate Morton weaves an intricate and detailed story that at times is difficult to navigate as the perspectives and timelines invariably overlap between the present and several pasts. An intriguing story, THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER is a beautiful tale that will captivate and entertain; challenge and inflame.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Once Upon a Wild Fling (Heartbreakers #3) by Lauren Blakely-Review & Excerpt Tour

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ONCE UPON A WILD FLING (Heartbreakers #3) by Lauren Blakely-Review & Excerpt Tour

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ADD IT TO YOUR GOODREADS TODAY!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 8, 2018

My brother’s best friend has a proposition for me. Have I mentioned he’s a sexy single dad? Tell me more…

There are a million reasons why Miles Hart isn’t the man I should date but allow me to enumerate the top three. He’s friends with my brother, he’s a single dad, and he’s a sexy, in-demand rock star. He might as well wear an off-limits, totally unavailable, and don’t-even-attempt-to-ride-this-ride sign.

Then he asks me to be his plus-one when his band plays at his high school reunion, and the night unfolds in ways I never expect.

***
I have three good reasons to keep my hands off Roxy Sterling–her brother’s my business manager and good buddy, my kid is the center of my world, and the last time I fell hard for a woman I was burned so badly that my interest in relationships has gone up in flames. But once I bring Roxy’s body next to mine on the dance floor, I want all the not-safe-for-work things I can’t have with her. So I make a proposition.
Then I learn exactly how risky we might be.

••••••••••

REVIEW: ONCE UPON A WILD FLING is the third instalment in Lauren Blakely’s contemporary, adult HEARTBREAKERS erotic, romance series focusing on the Hart Brothers. This is musician and single father Miles Hart, and thirty-one year old, dog groomer Roxy Sterling’s story line. ONCE UPON A WILD FLING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Roxy Sterling is Mackenzie Markson’s best friend (Once Upon a Real Good Time-Book one).

Told from dual first person perspectives (Roxy and Miles) follows the friends with benefits relationship between musician and single father Miles Hart, and thirty-one year old, dog groomer Roxy Sterling. Miles Hart needs a plus-one for his fifteen year, high school reunion, and who better to take than Roxy Sterling, his friend and business manager William Sterling’s sister, and a woman off-limits in more ways than one. Having been burned once before Miles is in no hurry for relationships, romance or love, but something about Roxy calls to Miles’ heart. What ensues is the friends with benefits relationship between Roxy and Miles, and the potential fall-out as Roxy is hoping for something more.

Roxy Sterling is tired of the single’s scene and is determined to move forward alone. Meeting Miles Hart finds our heroine reconsidering the future with the man with whom she will fall in love. Roxy has plans for her immediate future, and she is hoping Miles is willing to go along for the ride. Miles Hart is a single father, burned in the past, by a previous relationship, leaving him a single father to his newborn son. As the youngest Hart brother in the one-time boy band the Heartbreakers, Miles is about to bring fame and fortune back to his front door, and starting a new relationship was never in the plans.

The relationship between Roxy and Miles is one of immediate attraction; a friends with benefits, each other’s plus one that turns into something more but Roxy has a secret that is about to be revealed very soon. A strong-willed and independent heroine, Roxy never expected to fall in love after years of failing in the world of dating. Miles Hart is the perfect father, and a sexy rock star, both equally attractive in the eyes of his adoring female fans. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Miles’ son Ben Hart, as well as Mile’s brothers Campbell ‘Mason’ (and Mackenzie), and Miller (and Ally); and Roxy’s brother William Sterling.

ONCE UPON A WILD FLING is a story of romance and love, family and friendship with sexy and sassy characters, and a ‘chicken magnet’ for a dad. The premise is entertaining, engaging and endearing; the romance is passionate and seductive; the characters are courageous, fun and lively. ONCE UPON A WILD FLING is a fantastic addition to Lauren’s HEARTBREAKERS series.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Once Upon a Real Good Time
Once Upon a Sure Thing
Once Upon a Wild Fling

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

~ROXY~

I find Miles behind a stage that has probably witnessed high school graduations, speeches, and musicals. His eyes take a leisurely stroll up and down my body. The way he stares, every zone in my body feels erogenous. Especially the boob zone, where he spends more time than usual.

When he slides his gaze up to my face, he looks hypnotized, then he shakes it off and brings me in for a hug. “So glad you’re here, Rox. Now go enjoy the show, and I’ll find you the second we’re done.”

Once it starts, I do enjoy the show. I never saw the Heartbreakers in concert when they were in their heyday. I’ve never been a concert person. Not that I’m opposed to music, but my mother set a precedent when I was in the eighth grade and my friends had a chance to see P!nk perform. I asked her if I could go, but the next day I had to take the prep school entrance exam, so the answer was no.

“It’s a better use of your time to stay in and study,” she’d said.

That’s what I mostly did in high school, listening to music on the radio as I worked through math problems and wrote essays on the Vietnam War. The Heartbreakers kept me company that way. Later, when Miles became a solo artist, I’d find myself humming his tunes when I heard them play in Starbucks, or while riding the escalator at Bed Bath & Beyond.

I became a fan, but I’m not a fangirl like some of the others here tonight. I don’t just mean the women. The Heartbreakers have fanboys and fangirls, singing along, belting out tunes. They’re crowding the stage, and the security guards hired when the Heartbreakers were confirmed for the event are standing on alert, arms crossed. Fortunately, there are no bras or panties thrown at the stage, nor briefs or belts either. I’m glad Miles’s high school class is full of fans but not crazy groupies.

The music reverberates in the gymnasium as the trio of gorgeous brothers sings love songs and fun songs and sexy songs while disco balls twirl from the ceiling and strobe lights flash.

When the set nears the end and they dive into one of Miles’s most popular solo tunes, a love song called “Today,” I swear his eyes find mine in the crowd as he sings about yesterdays and tomorrows. The way he sings turns the tingles into sparks, and I’m feeling it now for sure—that click, click, click of my heart, or maybe it’s my hormones.

Whatever it is, my breath comes faster as I dance.

When the show ends and the band thanks the crowd, that’s my cue to find him backstage. He’s sweaty, and I’ve never found sweat so sexy before. He drapes an arm around me, drops a kiss to my cheek, and says, “Hey, sexy bodyguard.”

My voice is a little breathier than I expect as I reply, “Reporting for duty.”

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 eighty times, and she’s sold more than 2 million books. In October she’ll release HARD WOOD, a sexy, standalone romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter!  laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

NOTE : The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour promoter or the author

✮✮✮ A giveaway that will bring music to your ears.✮✮✮

Let’s celebrate the release of ONCE UPON A WILD FLING! One lucky person will receive a gorgeous Kate spade tote bag for fun on the go, an Amazon echo dot to play all your favorite music and audiobooks, and an Amazon gift card to help you add to your music and audiobook library.

https://laurenblakely.com/once-upon-a-wild-fling-giveaway/

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