It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey-a review

It Happened One Summer (It Happened One Summer 1) by Tessa Bailey-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 13, 2021

Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

••••••••

REVIEW:IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER is the first instalment Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER erotic, romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, Hollywood ‘It Girl’ Piper Bellinger, and fisherman Captain Brendan Taggart’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Brendan and Piper) IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER follows in the aftermath of Piper’s arrest for breaking and entering, and throwing a wild party where she didn’t belong. Piper is a ‘social media influencer’ whose life has been spiralling out of control. As punishment and to teach our heroine a lesson, her step-father Daniel reveals that her late father Henry Cross left her sister Hannah and Piper a bar in Westport, Washington, a small sea side town where Piper and Hannah, for the next three months, will learn to call home. Enter fisherman and widower Captain Brendan Taggart, and the man with whom Piper will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Piper and Brendan, and the potential fall-out as Piper’s time in Westport comes to an end.

Piper Bellinger is nothing but a social media influencer; a party girl with no education or plans for the future, and in this, she struggles with the minimal daily tasks such as laundry and cooking. Sent to Westport, Washington, Piper and Hannah have three months to turn their lives around, three months wherein Piper will fall in love, and Hannah begins to reconsider her own future back in LA. Piper had never considered calling Westport her home, and had plans to return to LA when her ‘sentence’ was over but fixing up her late father’s bar, and falling in love with our story line hero, gave Piper pause for the future, a future she had never stopped to considered. Brendan Taggart is a Westport townie, having grown up living and working on the sea. Widowed seven years earlier, Brendan had yet to move on but meeting Piper Bellinger gave Brendan hopes for a new future, a future involving our story line heroine.

The relationship between Piper Brendan begins acrimoniously as Brendan is unable to see beyond the trash and flash of our story line heroine but something about Piper stirs our story line hero, and Brendan is the first to fall for the woman who is beginning to make herself at home. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

We are introduced to a number of the local Westport citizens including Brendan’s friend Fox; his former father in law Mick Forrester; Piper and Hannah’s grandmother Opal Cross; Abe; Piper and Hannah’s step-father Daniel; Piper’s ex Adrian, and her LA friend Kirby.

IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER is inspired by the antics of Alexa on ‘Schitt’s Creek’, another social media influencer whose life experiences had never prepared her for the real world. The premise is entertaining and lively; the characters are spirited and sassy; the romance is provocative and energetic. Hannah’s story is next.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Tools of Engagement (Hot and Hammered #3) by Tessa Bailey-review

Tools of Engagement (Hot and Hammered #3) by Tessa Bailey-review

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 22, 2020

Hair, makeup, clothing, decor… everything in Bethany Castle’s world is organized, planned, and styled to perfection. Which is why the homes she designs for her family’s real estate business are the most coveted in town. The only thing not perfect? Her track record with men. She’s on a dating hiatus and after helping her friends achieve their dreams, Bethany finally has time to focus on her own: flip a house, from framework to furnishings, all by herself. Except her older brother runs the company and refuses to take her seriously.

When a television producer gets wind of the Castle sibling rivalry, they’re invited on Flip Off, a competition to see who can do the best renovation. Bethany wants bragging rights, but she needs a crew and the only member of her brother’s construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethany’s skin on day one, but the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way.

As the race to renovate heats up, Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters, trading barbs and biting banter as they remodel the ugliest house on the block. It’s a labor of love, hate, and everything in between, and soon sparks are flying. But Bethany’s perfectly structured life is one kiss away from going up in smoke and she knows falling for a guy like Wes would be a flipping disaster.

••••••

REVIEW:TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT is the third instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult HOT AND HAMMERED erotic, romance series focusing on a group of friends in Port Jefferson, Long Island. This is twenty three year old construction worker Wes Daniels, and thirty year old, interior designer / house stager Bethany Castle’s story line. TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Wes and Bethany) TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT follows twenty three year old construction worker Wes Daniels, and thirty year old, interior designer / house stager Bethany Castle. Wes Daniels is currently raising his half-sister’s five year old daughter Laura and doesn’t have time for a personal relationship but his back and forth, tempestuous relationship with his best friend’s sister Bethany finds Wes hoping for something more. Bethany is an interior designer, a home stager who works for her brother’s house flipping business but a business she is hoping to step out on her own. Hiring Wes Daniels as her construction foreman may be good for business but it also pushes our couple closer together. When a television producer offers to film a reality show series featuring Bethany and her brother Stephen pitting each other against one another, all bets are off. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Bethany and Wes, and the potential fall-out as Wes’ time in Port Jefferson comes with an expiry date; and his relationship with Bethany is threatened by our heroine’s need to sabotage all of her dating relationships.

Bethany Castle is a successful home stager with issues of low self-esteem . Struggling to venture out on her own, a chance to prove she is able is threatened by her insecurities heightened by her brother’s need to push all of her buttons. Wes Daniels is currently raising his five year old niece, and the opportunity to work with Bethany Castle means a chance at his own happily ever after but Bethany continues to struggle with their age difference and the possibility of Wes’s time in Port Jefferson coming to a close.

The relationship between Wes and Bethany is an older woman/ younger man, frenemies to lovers that quickly develops into something more. As Wes and Bethany work together on the show, Bethany falls for Wes’ niece Laura, a young girl whose future with Wes is not a permanent arrangement until Wes files for temporary custody, and a home visit threatens everything and more. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top , sexually graphic language and text.

All of the previous story line couples plays secondary and supporting characters.

TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT is a story of family and friendships; rivalry and acceptance; romance and love. The premise is engaging and entertaining; the romance is captivating and sensual; the characters are animated, colorful and energetic.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Fix Her Up
Love Her and Lose Her

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

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This Time Tomorrow by Tessa Bailey-Review & Excerpt tour

This Time Tomorrow (Phenomenal Fate #2) by Tessa Bailey-Review & Excerpt tour

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 22, 2020

Roksana, heiress to the vampire slayer throne, has performance anxiety.

She’s supposed to kill Elias, but so far she’s only succeeded in maxing out his credit card. Now her failure to stake the brooding vampire has sent her back to Moscow in disgrace to face her mother’s wrath. Expecting punishment by death, she’s given a rare reprieve. She now has three tasks to complete, the last of which is to finally kill Elias. She will not fail this time.

If only the memories of one magical evening—back when Elias was human, would stop holding her back. He claims to have forgotten that night. Why can’t she? Three years ago, Elias was a SWAT team member on a guy’s weekend in Vegas. Playing poker and minding his own business, his life changed forever when a captivating blonde strolled past his table in a light-up bra. He followed Roksana as if compelled, his very bones demanding he do so, his soul resonating with the belief she would be important to him. Always. That turned out to be a vast understatement—and nothing has changed.

Roksana embarks on her mission, determined to win back her mother’s approval, but when an astonishing truth emerges in the eleventh hour, will her stake pierce the very heart that beats in her honor? Or will love triumph over duty?

••••••••

REVIEW:THIS TIME TOMORROW is the second instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult PHENOMENAL FATE erotic, paranormal romance series. This is former SWAT team member Elias, and Russian, vampire slayer Roksana. THIS TIME TOMORROW can be read as a stand alone with limited difficulty. Any important information is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory and cohesion. Elias and Roksana were first introduced in Jonas and Ginny’s book -Reborn Yesterday.

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

Told from dual third person perspectives (Roksana and Elias) using present day and memories from the past THIS TIME TOMORROW focuses on the enemies to lovers relationship between former SWAT team member Elias, and Russian, vampire slayer Roksana. Three years earlier, Roksana and her friends arrived in Las Vegas to celebrate the impending nuptials between her BFF Ginny Lynn, and vampire Jonas Cantrell but what no one knew was that our heroine Roksana came from a long line of vampire slayers, and Roksana refused to act on her family heritage. Meeting US SWAT team member and human Elias meant the possibility of one-night of freedom but to Roksana’s horror, Elias would turn on her friends, destroying them all. Fast forward to present day wherein, Elias, now a vampire working for King Jonas Cantrell, has been targeted for termination by Inessa, the Queen of Shadows vampire slayer using our heroine as the means to exact her revenge. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and forbidden relationship between Roksana and Elias, and the fall-out as Roksana learns the truth, and refuses to obey her mother’s commands.

Roksana knows she is the bane of her mother’s existence; a failure as a slayer whose heart is too soft when it comes to destroying the bloodsucking undead but to Roksana’s horror, our heroine is the ultimate target of her mother’s hatred, and in doing so destroys everything and everyone Roksana has loved. Three years earlier, Elias and his best friend Tucker, awoke to a new life of darkness, drinking blood and a desire to kill. Believing himself a cold-blooded killer, Elias is willing to offer up his life to protect the woman with whom he would fall in love.

The relationship between Elias and Roksana is fated by blood. What began as a case of infatuation and lust would soon turn into a case of fated mates wherein Elias’ need to claim Roksana supersedes his need to protect himself. Knowing his secrets could destroy the woman he loves, Elias is willing to risk it all including sacrificing himself to protect Roksana from the one person who should be protecting our heroine, herself. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are reintroduced to Ginny Lynn and her husband, king of the vampire Jonas Cantrell; Elias’ former SWAT teammate Tucker; Roksana’s mother, Iness, the Queen of Shadows, as well as the introduction of another supernatural power-the Fae-and the potential for Tucker to have found his mate.

THIS TIME TOMORROW is a story of betrayal and revenge, secrets and lies; family, friendships, power and love. The premise is heart breaking and emotional; the romance is seductive and captivating; the characters are colorful, energetic and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“Beers on me later,” Elias muttered, keeping his attention on the cards. “You can ask me whatever you want…”

He trailed off, that scrape between his shoulder blades growing more pronounced, until he couldn’t concentrate enough to decipher the suits of his cards. What the hell was going on? Throat dry, he laid down his hand and turned in his chair—

Silence fell around him when he saw her.

She was golden. Radiant.

Miserable.

The long-legged blonde limped through the casino with a beautiful pout on her face, a pair of high heels shoved under one arm. There was a fine sheen of dew on her incredible face, telling Elias she’d just escaped the stifling Vegas heat. Simply by existing, she commanded fealty and the casino seemed to part around her like the Red Sea, creating a path for her to complete a wobbly strut toward Elias’s poker table—and the closer she came, the more his lungs compressed, as if he was running out of fucking oxygen.

Who is she?

No idea. But the discomfort between his shoulder blades was gone.

Like a balm had been applied.

The girl was beyond gorgeous. He’d never noticed cheekbones on anyone in his life, but he noticed her high ones. The indigo blue of her eyes. And Jesus, he definitely noticed the way her soft mutterings made his heart flop over. Who are you?

Vaguely, he heard Latte ribbing him. “Bet you’d call her back, huh, Silent E?”

“Forget what I said about him being mysterious,” Kenny quipped. “Everything he’s thinking is right there on his face.”

More laughter. But the buzzing in his skull was already drowning them out.

Elias watched the blonde’s high heel fall out of her arms and flop sideways on the casino floor. He was on his feet before it stopped moving, abandoning his hand at the table without a thought so he could scoop up the shoe and follow. He didn’t have a choice in the matter. Going after her was a requirement, searing him, compelling him.

And a moment later, when she looked up at him from her seat at a slot machine, his world righted itself with a grinding snap. He hadn’t even known it was off kilter.

The blonde crossed her impossibly sexy legs and his body reacted swiftly, hardening.

“Well?” she said in a husky Russian accent. “Make it good. I only have five minutes before I wreak the havoc.”

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website /Facebook /Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

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Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey-a review

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 14, 2020

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippy. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret… and it could demolish everything.

••••••••••

REVIEW: LOVE HER OR LOSE HER is the second instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult HOT AND HAMMERED erotic, romance series. This is Dominic and Rosie Vega’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Rosie and Dominic) LOVE HER OR LOSE HER follows the crumbling relationship between married couple Rosie and Dominic Vega. Rosie has had enough and finally decides that she no longer loves the man her husband has become since his return from active duty, but Dominic isn’t going down without a fight. When his wife suggests ‘extreme’ couple’s counselling, Dominic jumps at the chance to make everything right, a jump that finds him relearning to seduce the woman he already loves. What ensues is rebuilding romance and relationship between Dominic and Rosie, and the potential fall-out when Dominic finally reveals a secret he has kept for close to a year.

Rosie Vega has always wanted to open her own restaurant, and with the help of her friends and a GoFundMe page, Rosie sets out to make her dream come true. Dominic will do anything to put his marriage back together including following the instructions set out by their eccentric counsellor but when Dominic discovers that Rosie is going ahead with her plans for a restaurant, Dominic takes matters into his own hands thereby revealing a secret he has kept from the woman he loves. Herein lies a bit of a conundrum for me: yes, Dominic has a secret; he should have included his wife in his decision but to I did not believe that his actions warranted Rosie’s response.

The relationship between Rosie and Dominic has become stagnant and static. Dominic is over-protective of Rosie, but our heroine is oblivious to the extent to which her husband will go. The only thing our couple have in common is their fantastic sex life but there is more to marriage and relationships than amazing sex. The fact that Dominic was willing to give therapy a chance meant our hero was willing to step up to make things better. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Travis and Georgie; Stephen and Kristin, Bethany, and newcomer Wes Daniels. There may be something developing between Bethany and Wes.

LOVE HER OR LOSE HER is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love. The premise is engaging and entertaining; the relationship struggles in the face of their deteriorating marriage; the characters are dynamic and captivating but I want to address the blurb that states Love Her or Lose Her is a romantic comedy because, IMO, there was very little humor or comedic text. I guess one person’s comedy is another person’s tragedy.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one FIX HER UP

Copy supplied by the publisher through Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website /Facebook /Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

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FIX HER UP (Hot and Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey-a review

FIX HER UP (Hot and Hammered #1) by Tessa Bailey-a review

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

About the book: Release Date June 11, 2019

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her

••••••••••••

REVIEW: FIX HER UP is the first instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult HOT AND HAMMERED erotic, romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, former professional baseball player Travis Ford, and twenty-three year old, birthday clown Georgette ‘Georgie’ Castle’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Georgie and Travis) FIX HER UP follows the fake relationship trope between twenty-eight year old, former professional baseball player Travis Ford, and twenty-three year old, birthday clown Georgette ‘Georgie’ Castle. Travis Ford’s life has spiralled out of controlled since the career ending injury left him without a direction in life. Heading home with his tail between his legs Travis will come face to face with his best friend’s younger sister, a little girl who is now all grown up. When the second opportunity of a life-time is offered to our story line hero, Travis knows he has to clean up his act including his reputation as a man-wh*re, and a hit it and quit it serial dater. Enter Georgette ‘Georgie’ Castle, the woman who has offered to go along with a ‘fake relationship’ deal, in an effort to help Travis become the next big thing in baseball commentating. What ensues is the fake but building relationship between Georgia and Travis, and the potential fall-out as sins of the past destroy the fragile truce between Travis and the people back home.

Travis Ford’s reputation as a womanizer precedes his return to his hometown of Fort Jefferson but the one-time baseball phenom is no longer riding the glory train but the train to embarrassment festered by his previous reputation. In an effort to clean up his image Travis agrees to a ‘fake relationship’ with his best friend’s sister, a relationship that is about to turn into something more. Georgie Castle has never been taken seriously by anyone in her family and her career choice as a birthday clown seems to solidify her family’s observations of their youngest child. Never taken seriously Georgie ventures off on her own only to realize that her relationship with Travis may have been a bigger ruse than she could have ever imagined.

The relationship between Travis and Georgie is a best friend’s little sister / fake relationship that finds our couple considering that what ifs and whys of something more but Travis’ past refuses to die including the reputation that is constantly dragging him down. The $ex scenes are erotic, passionate and intense. Travis likes to talk dirty to the woman with whom he will fall in love.

We are introduced to Georgie’s family: brother Stephen and his wife Kristin; their sister Bethany, and their parents Morty and Vivian Castle; friends Rosie and her husband Dominic; and several small minded townies with long memories.

FIX HER UP is a story of family, friendship, reputation and love. The premise is wondrous and spicy; the characters are sassy, eclectic and energetic; the romance is steamy and hot. FIX HER UP is a flirty, fun and playful story you will not soon forget.

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy 

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Disturbing His Peace (The Academy #3) by Tessa Bailey-Review Tour and Giveaway

DISTURBING HIS PEACE (The Academy #3) by Tessa Bailey-Review and Giveaway Tour

DISTURBING HIS PEACE
The Academy #3
by Tessa Bailey
Release Date: April 24, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 24, 2018

She’s got probable cause to make her move . . .

Danika Silva can’t stand Lt. Greer Burns. Her roommate’s older brother may be sexy as hell, but he’s also a cold, unfeeling robot. She just wants to graduate and forget about her scowling superior. But when a dangerous mistake lands Danika on probation—under Greer’s watch—she’s forced to interact with the big, hulking jerk. Call him daily to check in? Done. Ride shotgun in his cruiser every night? Done. Try not to climb into his giant, muscular lap and kiss him? Umm…

Greer doesn’t let anything—or anyone—distract him from the job. Except lately, all he can think about is Danika. He’s wanted the beautiful, cocky recruit since the moment he saw her. But she’s reckless and unpredictable, and Greer is painfully aware of what can happen when an officer doesn’t follow the rules. Probation seemed like a good idea, but now Danika’s scent is in his car and he’s replayed her voicemails twenty times. Christ, he’s a goner.

Danika’s melting Greer’s stone-cold exterior one ride-along at a time. Being together could have serious consequences… but breaking a few rules never hurt anybody, right?

•••••••••••

REVIEW: DISTURBING HIS PEACE is the third and final instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult THE ACADEMY erotic, romance series focusing on three police academy cadets: Charlie Burns, Jack Garrett and Danika Silva. This is police Lieutenant Greer Burns, and Danika Silva’s story line. DISTURBING HIS PEACE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told fro dual first person perspectives (Danika and Greer) DISTURBING HIS PEACE follows the building relationship between police academy cadet Danika Silva, and Lieutenant Greer Burn. As one of the academy trainers Greer knows Danika is off limits but his attraction to our story line heroine is visceral; building as the weeks of training progress until an accidental meeting in the shower finds Greer revealing the extent of his physical attraction. Hoping to keep their relationship on the down low, all bets are off as Charlie and Jack, and their significant others watch from the sidelines as Greer and Danika battle between attraction, love and the ultimate fear of letting go.

Greer doesn’t do relationships, and isn’t willing to risk a relationship fearing rejection, or death on the job. Danika battles between her head and her heart believing Greer’s inevitable rejection will come at a cost.

The relationship between Greer and Danika is one of immediate attraction but Greer is Danika’s supervisor, and thusly our heroine is off-limits. The palpable sexual attraction is deep-seated; almost instinctive as our couple dance around one another throughout the series. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense. There is some light spanking; Lieutenant Burns likes to talk dirty both in and out of the bedroom.

All of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters including Greer’s brother Charlie and his girlfriend Ever (Disorderly Conduct #1), as well as Jack Garrett and Katie McCoy (Indecent Exposure #2). We are introduced to Danika’s parents, as well as her cousin Robbie.

DISTURBING HIS PEACE is a decadent, sexy and spicy story line. The premise is energetic; the romance is captivating and provocative; the characters are sassy, spirited and real. DISTURBING HIS PEACE and The Academy series will captivate your attention, leaving you wanting more.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Disorderly Conduct
Indecent Exposure
Disturbing His Peace

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

“It’s cold in here,” she rasps.

It’s sweltering—at least in our heated bubble— and the flicker in her gaze tells me she’s aware of her lie. “Would you like to be warmed up?”

“What do you mean by . . . warmed up?” She whispers, her tone suggesting she can’t believe she’s asking.

That makes two of us. But her encouragement to keep going, to keep talking like this to her, has my hunger surging to an eleven. There’s something keeping me from touching her, like some mental fail-safe put in place for self-preservation.

I allow my mouth to brush those curls at her ears.

With a rough intake of air, she dips, legs losing power, and I surge forward on auto-pilot, my body and mind conditioned to save her from falling. The no touching rule is no longer a possibility.

 

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website /Facebook /Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

LINK: https://www.subscribepage.com/TessaBailey

GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. One winners will receive a paperback set of The Academy series by Tessa Bailey. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  Giveaway ends 5/4/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.

 

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Indecent Exposure (The Academy #2) by Tessa Bailey-a review

Indecent Exposure (The Academy #2) by Tessa Bailey-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 30, 2018

Is there a problem, Officer?

Jack Garrett isn’t a police officer yet, but there’s already an emergency. His new firearms instructor—the one who just dropped every jaw in the academy gym—is the same sexy Irish stranger Jack locked lips with last night. The Olympic gold medalist and expert markswoman is now officially off-limits, but Jack’s never cared much for rules . . .

Katie McCoy’s been cooped up in a shooting range for too long. A wild love affair is just what she needs to let loose, though she never imagined it would be with her smokin’ hot trainee. She cannot get involved with Jack—but a quick fling? Perfect. Falling hard for a charismatic recruit with an equal amount of sex appeal and secrets? Bloody stupid.

Jack’s charmed the pants off plenty of women (literally), yet few have ever looked beyond his perfect surface. Until Katie. He’ll do anything to keep her in his life . . . except tell her about his past. But a tiny lie of omission never hurt anyone, right?

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REVIEW: INDECENT EXPOSURE is the second instalment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult THE ACADEMY erotic, romance series focusing on three police academy cadets: Charlie Burns, Jack Garrett and Danika Silva. This is cadet Jack Garrett, and Olympic Gold Medallist from Ireland and expert markswoman Katie McCoy’s story line. INDECENT EXPOSURE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person points of view (Jack and Katie) INDECENT EXPOSURE follows police academy Jack Garrett as he battles demons from his past. Meeting the sexy Irish Katie McCoy had Jack dreaming of bigger plans for the evening only to come face to face with the Academy’s new firearms instructor-the same woman starring in his fantasies and dreams. Enter Katie McCoy, Olympic Gold Medallist from Ireland and expert markswoman, and the woman with whom Jack will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Katie and Jack, and the potential fall out when Jack’s past begins to slowly take over his life, and Katie’s time in New York, comes to a close.

Throughout the story line the reader is up close and personal with a man whose demons ride him hard; a past mired in dark secrets that manifest themselves with too much drinking and low self-esteem. Jack is the epitome of sexy, handsome, model-worthy eye candy but a man whose struggles are painful and sad. Katie McCoy is a woman struggling with her place in the world; pulled in different directions wanting to please the family she has left behind.

The relationship between Jack and Katie is one of immediate attraction who met ‘unofficially’ the night before their formal introductions. Never expecting to see one another again, the sparks begin to fly even though Katie begins to question Jack’s involvement in the police academy training program. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense, but once again, I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word that has no place in a romance story line.Jack likes to talk dirty in the bedroom

We are re-introduced to Jack’s best friends, roommates and fellow police academy cadets: Charlie Burns and his girlfriend Ever (Disorderly Conduct #1), and Danika Silva, a woman who has caught the eye of the police academy instructor Lieutenant Greer Burns (Charlie’s brother). Greer and Danika’s story line is next in Disturbing His Peace.

INDECENT EXPOSURE is a story of family and friendship; acceptance and letting go of the past; of romance, love, and forgiveness. The character driven premise is captivating and revealing; the characters are driven, broken and colorful; the romance is energetic, provocative and passionate.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Copy supplied by Edelweiss

Reviewed by Sandy

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Follow by Tessa Bailey-Review & Excerpt Tour

FOLLOW by Tessa Bailey-Review & Excerpt Tour

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FOLLOW
by Tessa Bailey
Release Date: October 30, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

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Amazon.com (Kindle) / Amazon.com (paper) / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iTunes /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 30, 2017

He wants her soul. Too bad she already sold it.

Family is everything to gambling den darling, Teresa Valentini. Blood comes first, especially before men. So when her brother lands himself in hot water, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to save him. And showing up topless in her unwitting savior’s motel room is turning out to be the furthest thing from a hardship…

Will Caruso is the bad boy of New York’s financial scene…and he just found out the very thing that drives his success is a damn lie. Now, he’s exchanged his high-stress life for the open road, no one but his Great Dane…and half a million Instagram followers to keep him company. When a mysterious beauty arrives, her secrecy prods his suspicions, even while she tempts his lust to the breaking point.

Teresa met Will under false pretenses, but the bond consuming them is real. They’re strong enough to overcome a little betrayal…aren’t they?

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REVIEW:  FOLLOW by Tessa Bailey is a contemporary, adult, stand alone, erotic, romance story line focusing on film student Teresa Valentini, and financial investor Will Caruso.

Told from dual first person points of view (Teresa and Will) FOLLOW follows Teresa Valentini as she struggles to free her brother from criminal servitude to the man who destroyed their parent’s lives. When her younger brother Nicky gets caught up in the criminal element working for Silas Case, Teresa offers herself up in order to free her brother from potential harm. Enter Will Caruso, Teresa’s target, and the man with whom Teresa will fall in love. What ensues is the growing relationship between Teresa and Will, predicated upon lies and deception, and the fall out when the truth is revealed.

Teresa is desperate to save her brother from a similar fate that befell her parents but our heroine never expected to fall in love. Meeting Will Caruso found Teresa struggling between head and heart knowing that to complete the task she will lose the love of the man that calls to her heart. Will Caruso suspects that Teresa is keeping secret the real reason for her cross-country trek as she heads back to New York-a city with too many painful memories for our story line hero.

The relationship between Will and Teresa begins as a lie –a lie that Will suspects much sooner than our heroine expected. Teresa’s guilt does not outweigh her younger brother’s safety but remains a permanent part of her continuing deception with the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are numerous-almost gratuitous- erotic, aggressive and intense but I struggled with the perceived lack of emotional chemistry. Will is a means to an end, and our heroine intends to push our hero towards a path he does not want to follow. Will likes to talk dirty both in and out of the bedroom; our couple play fantasy games throughout the story.

FOLLOW is a slow building, erotic tale of one woman’s struggle between right and wrong, and the potential heartbreak when the truth is revealed. Our heroine’s deception and ruse figures prominently throughout the story-the deception continues to build as the couple falls in love. The premise is interesting; the characters are colourful; the romance is a case of insta-lust between two virtual strangers whose introduction leads to inevitable heartbreak.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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NOTE: The excerpt is intended for mature readers 18+ due to graphic language and text

The cheers are deafening. Will hoots and rises from his chair, moving into a spot behind mine. Paula takes his place across from me. Everyone crowds in on all sides. And suddenly my world has been narrowed down to an arm wrestling arena.
“All right, baby.” Will’s voice smokes into my ear. “Here’s how we get to five seconds. You’re going to top-roll.”
“We? And what is that?”
I sound like a hysterical cartoon character, but Will continues undaunted, his breath on my neck, his thumb massaging me between the shoulder blades. “If we make this a bicep game, she’s got you beat, so we’re going to make it about hands, fingers and wrists, to ease the disadvantage. You’re going to work your palm upwards, along hers, like you’re trying to wrap your hand around the top part of hers. Just hold firm and focus on coming over the top of her.”
Paula is mean mugging me across the table, gum being mutilated between her teeth. “I thought you ran a hedge fund,” I mutter to Will.
“I didn’t always,” he mutters, laying a kiss on my cheek. “Five seconds. You got this.”
“I was wondering why you aren’t already married. Mystery solved. You get a lap dance from your date. Then she gets her arm torn off.”
Another kiss and this time his lips linger on my temple. “You could look at it that way. Or you could look at it mine. Thank fuck I’m not married or I’d have missed the girl who gave me a lap dance, then took on the local gator-wrestling champ. All before lunchtime.” His fingers slide up into my hair and tug, firm and gentle all at once. “Thank fuck, right?”

 

About the Author Black and Green

Tessa BaileyTessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans, and laptop, and drove cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend, and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

Website /Facebook /Twitter / Instagram / Goodreads

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