** Book Review** THE RANCHER’S EXPECTANT CHRISTMAS by Karen Templeton

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4 STARS!

A fun take on a reunion/friends to lovers story!  I had a little bit of a hard time liking Dee because she was a bit too wishy washy and didn’t appreciate him the way she should have, but I enjoyed Josh a lot!

Back in New Mexico inheriting half of her estranged father’s ranch is the last place Deanna Blake thought she’d be at this point in her life but here she is.  She always hated the loneliness of country living, and is anxious to sell so she can get on with her life in the big city … which will soon include a baby!

Josh Talbot has always considered the ranch his home, and he would love to stay there running it, but he can’t afford to buy out Dee’s half.  He reluctantly agrees that he and his young son will start over elsewhere with their proceeds from the sale, but as they all join together to get things ready to go on the market, will the happiness they come to share show them that selling and going their separate ways might not be what they really want to do anymore?

ARC received via the Author

** Book Review ** MARRIED FOR THE ITALIAN’S HEIR by Rachael Thomas

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4 1/2 STARS!

An attention grabbing surprise baby story!  I enjoyed characters and the draw they had to each other from the very beginning.

After seeing a shocking expose about a group of ruthless businessmen who are notorious playboys, Piper Riley finally has the name of the man she had an impetuous one night stand with a couple of months ago.  Not only did she lose her innocence to a playboy, but she gained a little surprise as well!

When Piper shows up at his office, Dante Mancini assumes she is there to climb onto the media circus with her own story and wonders how much money it will take to silence her.  Instead, she announces they are going to be parents!  He jumps on the opportunity to land the business deal of the century with the added bonus of a wife and child on the way to make him appeared settled. Piper agrees to the charade, but only because she wants her baby to know it’s father.

As they play the game, they both feel more than they expected … but when all is said and done, will it be enough to overcome the subterfuge and make it all real??

ARC received via the Author/VA

** Release Blitz ** GOING DOWN FAST by Carly Phillips

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Going Down Fast by Carly Phillips
Series: Billionaire Bad Boys #2
Release Date: October 11th, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis:

Billionaire Bad Boys: Rich, Powerful and sexy as hell.

Lucas Monroe dropped out of college only to become a multi-billionaire and tech world God. He can have any woman he desires in his bed, but the only woman he’s ever wanted is off limits and always has been.

When Maxie Sullivan finds herself in dire straights, the only man she can turn to is the one she’s always secretly loved: her childhood best friend.

Can they trust their hearts and make a future, or will their complicated pasts stand in the way?

This bad boy is going down fast …
And going down fast has never felt so right.

The second stand-alone novel in the Billionaire Bad Boys series by New York Times Bestseller Carly Phillips.

Add to Goodreads

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Buy Now:

Kindle -http://amzn.to/2dDaEOd
iBooks – http://smarturl.it/FastiBooks
Kobo – http://smarturl.it/FastKobo
GooglePlay – http://smarturl.it/FastGooglePlay
Nook – http://smarturl.it/FastNook
Print Amazon – http://amzn.to/2e1BIT3

Other books in the series:

Going Down Easy, Book 1 – Out Now!
Kindle – http://amzn.to/2e1CDmq
iBooks – http://smarturl.it/EasyiBooks
Kobo – http://smarturl.it/EasyKobo
GooglePlay – http://smarturl.it/EasyGooglePlay
Nook – http://smarturl.it/EasyNook
Print Amazon – http://amzn.to/2egiv2P

Going Down Hard, Book 3 – Feb. 21, 2017 – Preorder!
Kindle – http://amzn.to/2dBOg5b
iBooks – http://smarturl.it/HardiBooks
Kobo – http://smarturl.it/HardKobo
GooglePlay – http://smarturl.it/HardGooglePlay
Nook – http://smarturl.it/HardNook
Print Amazon – http://amzn.to/2dBOgSJ

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Meet Carly Phillips:

Carly Phillips is the N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of over 50 sexy contemporary romance novels, including the Indie published, Dare to Love Series. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, the mother of two nearly adult daughters and three crazy dogs. Carly loves social media and is always around to interact with her readers.

Connect with Carly Phillips:

Sign up for Carly’s Newsletter at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Sign up for Blog and Website updates at: http://www.carlyphillips.com/blog
Sign up for Text Updates of New Releases: http://tinyurl.com/p3upm5s
Friend Carly on Facebook: www.facebook.com/carlyphillipsfanpage
Hang out at Carly’s Corner! (Hot guys & giveaways!) http://smarturl.it/CarlysCornerFB
Instagram: https://instagram.com/carlyphillips
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carlyphillips
Website: www.carlyphillips.com

** Book Review ** THE NIGHTSHIFT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Annie O’Neil

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4 STARS!

A heart-wrenching reunion story!

Doctor Katie McGann is doing her best to keep her head down and forget that it’s Christmas time again.  Working in the ER of a busy ski town is helping with that, but when the relief doctor she’s been expecting shows up, the little bit of peace that she’s melded out for herself is coming to an end.

Doctor Josh West is Katie’s estranged husband.  They were as happy as could be until tragedy wiped it all away and now it’s been 2 years since they’ve seen each other.  He’s always said he wasn’t going to give up on his wife, so he’s making one last effort to see if he can win her back before he accepts the job of a lifetime and starts his life over.

ARC received via the Author/VA

** Book Review ** FROM A PARIS BALCONY by Ella Carey

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4 STARS!

An intriguing story!  We come across a bit of familiarity from her last novel THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE in this story as answers from the past are sought once again.

Boston art curator Sarah West is newly divorced and trying to find her place in the world alone after also recently losing both parents.  While sorting through her father’s belongings, she stumbles across a letter that mentions the 1895 death of her great-great-aunt Louisa in Paris.  Family legend had always stated that she committed suicide, but some things stated in this letter lead Sarah to wonder if that is actually the case.  She sets out on the adventure of a lifetime to see if she can find out the true story.

Sharing an apartment with artist Laurent Chartier in Paris, she visits various locations looking for info.  Laurent encourages her not to give up when she hits road blocks, and she eventually finds a source that will be invaluable to finding the answer she seeks.

ARC received via NetGalley

** Book Review ** GOING HARD by Kelsey Browning

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4 1/2 STARS!

We previously met the Steele family in the prequel STEELE RIDGE: THE BEGINNING.  With this first full-length novel in the new series, Kelsey Browning brings us Griffin Steele’s story which is filled with happenings around town, family drama, lots of intrigue, and a generous dose of steamy romance!  Great characters make for a fun, attention grabbing book!

Grif enjoys living the high life out in LA as a high end sports agent.  He’s making a quick dash home to North Carolina to help his brother Jonah with a project for their hometown, but finds out that the plan is to snooker him into helping him on a longer term basis.

While in town, he runs into Carlie Beth Parrish who he had one night of passion with just before he headed to Los Angeles all those years ago.  He wouldn’t mind picking up where they left off, but she’s a bit stand-offish.  He soon realizes it has to do with a little secret she failed to let him in on … namely a 14 year old daughter!

When it becomes evident that a stalker is targeting Carlie Beth, Grif steps in to keep her and their daughter safe.  Will he decide he’s found the place he belongs or will he soon be hightailing it back to California?

ARC received via NetGalley

** Book Review ** SEEKING FOREVER by Samantha Chase

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5 STARS!

With a dip into Roxanne St. Claire’s Barefoot Bay Kindle World, Samantha Chase takes us on sweet journey into finding love again after heartbreak!

Ellie Shaw moved back home to Mimosa Key after a break-up with ex.  She’s busy settling into a new job with the Barefoot Brides at Casa Blanca Resort & Spa when her ex and his new fiance have the nerve to show up to have them plan their wedding!  Are you kidding me??

Max Santos thinks it might be his lucky day when a gorgeous woman dashes into his equipment shed cursing like a sailor.  He’s the Manager of the grounds, so he knows the ins and outs of all the places for her to duck into and hide as she tries to steer clear of her ex.  Soon it becomes a sexy game that they are enjoying.  Will a chance meeting turn out being the best thing that ever happened to her?

ARC received via the Author

** Book Review ** WINNER TAKES ALL by Cheryl Harper

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4 STARS!

An inspirational story about finding your place in the world!  Very eye opening of how different the amenities are and what’s needed in other countries.  I enjoyed the characters and loved seeing them connect and grow as the story evolved.

When Stephanie Yates and her two best friends win the lottery, they push her out the door for the trip to some place exotic that she’s always talked about … only she was thinking something more along the lines of Paris, not Peru where “the one she compares all other men to” is setting up medical clinics!

Daniel Lincoln is the brother of one of her best friends, and is the man she’s had a crush on for like forever.  She sets out thinking she’ll be fine to just pass through and get in and get out without showing her feelings for him, but once she’s there and spending time working with him, she realizes how much he’s changed.  He’s an even better guy that he ever was before, and she falls even deeper for him.  And worse … she finds she’s more fulfilled in this foreign country than she is at home!

ARC received via Lola’s Blog Tours

 

 

Winner Takes All coverWinner Takes All (Lucky Numbers #1)
By Cheryl Harper
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: June 1, 2015

BLURB:
Winning the lottery means finally living her dreams…

Stephanie Yates isn’t really sure she’s ready to leave her hometown and see the world, but there’s not much she can do about it now: her friends have sent her on her way! And her first stop is a village in the breathtaking mountains of Peru, where Daniel Lincoln, her lifelong crush, is setting up medical clinics.

Stephanie thought she could hide her feelings for the hotshot doctor no problem, but Daniel has changed. And spending time with this strong, caring man helps her imagine a new life for herself, and for Daniel. That is, if he can start seeing her as more than just a friend…

You can find Winner Takes All on Goodreads

BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Harlequin

 

EXCERPT:

“Give me the blindfold. I’m ready to hop on a plane to anywhere, you wait and see.” She tied the dish towel over her eyes and held out her hand. Jen pressed the dart into her palm and said, “See the map. Be the map.” They all chuckled, remembering countless slumber parties where Daniel had tried to show them how to hit the dart board instead of the innocent closet door.

Rebecca put her hands on Stephanie’s shoulders and spun her around once. “Do your best!”

“Come on, Paris!” Her heart racing with excitement and fear, Stephanie tossed the dart and hoped to hit land. She could see herself stepping off a plane. Floating on a boat, not so much.

She tried to yank off the dish towel but Jen shoved her glass of wine in her hand. “Before you see where you’re landing, let’s make another toast. To new beginnings and lottery winnings.”

Thinking they were spending a whole lot of time making plans for something that would never happen, Stephanie held her glass out, waited for the clink, and took a sip. Then Jen yanked off her makeshift blindfold and said in her best game show host voice, “Let’s see where you’re headed.”

The three of them lined up in front of the map. Somehow she’d completely missed France, not to mention the tiny dot of Paris. In fact, she’d overshot Europe as well. The dart was planted squarely in the middle of nowhere Peru.

“That’s impossible. There’s no way I missed the entire continent of Europe.” The images of Peru that came to mind were of llamas and Machu Picchu, which she might enjoy seeing, but that’s not where the dart landed. No, she was apparently going to…Alto, a place she’d heard of once in her life, thanks to a posting on Daniel Lincoln’s Facebook page. She narrowed her eyes at Rebecca. “What did you do?”

 

Cheryl HarperABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Whether she’s writing, reading, or checking the items off of her daily to-do list, small-town girl Cheryl Harper loves her romance mixed with a little laughter. When she’s not working, you will find her ignoring housework, cursing yard work, and spending way too much time with a television remote in her hand.

You can find and contact Cheryl here:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest


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** Book Review ** SUGAR FREE by Sawyer Bennett

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5 STARS!

In the stunning conclusion of Sawyer Bennett’s “Sugar Bowl” series, Sela Halstead once again finds herself at the mercy of Jonathan Townsend as her life hangs in his hands.  She manages to escape, but at what cost?

Beckett North is consumed by the connection he has with her, and he will stop at nothing to protect what is his.  With all of JT’s secrets exposed, the fallout is huge, but Beck is willing to lose everything for Sela … his family, his fortune, even his freedom!

Riveting wrap-up!  Loved this series!

ARC received via NetGalley

 

 

 

** Book Review ** STEELE RIDGE: THE BEGINNING by Kelsey Browning / Tracey Devlyn / Adrienne Giordano

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5 STARS!

A prequel novella to introduce us to a new series by authors Kelsey Browning, Tracey Devlyn, and Adrienne Giordano centering around The Steele Brothers from Canyon Ridge, North Carolina.

We meet the 4 brothers, Grif, Reid, Britt and Jonah who are all together discussing the problems in their hometown.  We briefly see some of them catching the eye of a women … Grif with Carlie Beth, Reid with Brynne and Britt with Miranda.

The series promises to bring more of these studly brothers, the women who have caught their eye, and the secrets they are hiding!

Great teaser to what’s to come!