THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake #1) by Melissa Foster-Review Tour and Giveaway

THE REAL THING
Sugar Lake #1
by Melissa Foster
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: September 5, 2017

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 5, 2017

This sassy, spirited baker is fine with heat—but is her fake fiancé too hot to handle?

Bakery owner Willow Dalton’s friendship with Zane Walker has always been a bit complicated. Now a scrumptiously hot A-list actor, Zane’s always had a reputation as player. He’s arrogant, and he’s definitely not boyfriend material. Sure, he did Willow a favor by agreeing to take her virginity before college, but is that reason enough to go along with a fake engagement a decade later—even if it comes with a real diamond ring?

Zane should have known better. Nothing involving Willow has ever been easy. Still, he knows her better than anyone, and becoming America’s hottest new leading man means cleaning up his reputation. An “engagement” to curvy, sass-mouthed Willow is the perfect PR move . . . provided no one gets hurt.

Now Zane and Willow’s little white lie has turned into an irresistible recipe for sweet temptation. And soon no one will be able to tell the difference between their fake engagement or the real thing—including them.

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REVIEW: THE REAL THING is the first installment in Melissa Foster’s contemporary, adult SUGAR LAKE romance series focusing on the men and women of Sweetwater, New York. This is Hollywood actor and former Sweetwater resident Zane Walker, and bakery owner Willow Dalton’s story line,

Told from dual third person perspectives (Willow and Zane) THE REAL THING is the ‘quadfecta or four-pack’ of romance tropes: friends to lovers, second chances, best friend’s younger sister, and fake fiancé. Zane Walker’s reputation as a ‘manwhore’ precedes our hero’s return to his childhood home of Sweetwater (Sugar Lake), New York. When his latest big budget movie is scheduled to begin filming in and around Sweetwater, our hero devises a plan to clean up his celebrity image using his best friend’s younger sister as the foil to his reputation- offer a two week, no-strings attached ‘fake fiance’ proposal to his best friend’s younger sister Willow Dalton, in return for an exclusive catering contract with the movie production company. What ensues is the building romance between Willow and Zane, and the potential fall out if the truth were revealed.

Willow has loved Zane Walker for as long as she can remember. Zane was Willow’s first ‘everything’ but Willow and Zane walked away from one another, towards their own independent futures, without looking back. Zane headed to Hollywood and broke Willow’s heart, and it is the ensuing, tempestuous, fake fiancé relationship that struggles with Willow’s inability to trust or to let go of the bad memories from the past.

The relationship between Zane and Willow is one of second chances but a relationship damaged by Zane’s Hollywood reputation, as well as his lack of contact with our story line heroine. Willow ‘gave’ Zane her virginity before escaping to college but Zane’s life as an actor took control, and everyone and everything in Sweetwater became a distant memory for our story line hero when fame and notoriety took hold. Yet, like many things in life, misunderstanding and a lack of communication prove that Zane never forgot about the only woman he would ever love but Sweetwater held too many bad memories about his own dysfunctional family. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a very large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Willow’s extended family: her sisters Piper, Talia and Bridgette, nephew Louie, brother Ben, and their parents Roxie and Dan. We are introduced to Zane’s co-star Remi Divine and her brother Aiden as well as Zane’s personal assistant Patch Carver, and Aurelia Stark-a woman who runs the local book store. There are some heated glances between many of the secondary characters. Bridgette and Bodhi Booker’s story line is next in ONLY FOR YOU (December 2017).

The world building focuses on the people and town of Sweetwater, New York: their lives, their families, their business, and their loves.

THE REAL THING is a sweet and sexy story of second chances but I struggled with Willow’s early and misdirected emotions as it pertained to the ‘fake fiancé ‘ scenario. Our heroine knew going in that playing Zane‘s fiancé required a little bit of acting and physical contact yet she continued to push all of Zane’s buttons in regards to the entire fake fiancé trope. The premise is entertaining and fun; the romance is fun, sexy and provocative; the characters are numerous, colorful and very opinionated 😉 . THE REAL THING is an enjoyable but familiar story with a heartwarming couple and an energetic cast.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

ONLY FOR YOU
(Sugar Lake #2)
by Melissa Foster
Release Date: December 5, 2017

Pre Order -> Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon. uk / Amazon.au /

Love only works when your heart is in the right place. Hers could be right next door…

Single mom Bridgette Dalton doesn’t have time to stop and smell the roses—not even in her own flower shop. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t noticed Bodhi Booker. Her ruggedly handsome next-door neighbor would be the perfect candidate for a no-strings fling. Having loved and lost, Bridgette’s not ready to hand over her heart…but she could use a distraction.

Bodhi has one rule: never leave anyone behind. As a special operative, he knows that each new mission is more dangerous than the last. He’s never made a promise of forever to a woman, not even to the beautiful widow who has him tied in knots. And if there were anyone who could tempt him into putting down roots, it would be Bridgette and her adorable son.

But as his next deployment nears, they make a startling discovery. Their passion, meant only for the here and now, might already be blossoming into something more.

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance (M/F, M/M, F/F), romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on Facebook or her personal website.

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