enemies to friends to lovers – Currant7 Recommends

April 12, 2023April 8, 2023

Book Review | Needing You Always (The Always Series 2) by Lizzie Morton

Disclosure: I received this complimentary copy from the author and/or publisher and voluntarily left an honest review. A positive review is not required.

Published on: 12 April 2022
Type: series, standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Lizzie Morton
Book Length: 463 pages
Read: 04 April 2023
Shelved: 06 April 2023
Rating: 5/ 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Retailers: Amazon US | UK | Universal Link

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

Synopsis

From international bestselling author Lizzie Morton, an edgy, emotional, enemies-to-lovers, stand-alone romance.

Ryan Alvarez is unreliable, unapproachable, and has an attitude as foul as his mouth.
His masculine beauty is more infuriating than his blasé attitude to life.
He’s everything I hate and everything I avoid.
And then his past indiscretions force our paths to align.
Where proximity is forced, feelings aren’t.
Our chemistry is palpable, undeniable.
The two of us together are perfectly imperfect.

Until the sparks, we create catch light, the fire that is us burns through the foundations of everything I thought I wanted to be.

My wants. Hopes. Beliefs.

The worst kind of enemy is the one that makes you believe they’re not, and the problem with falling for them …

When they decide to strike, you have no choice but to crumble.

** Needing You Always is Book 2 in a series of interconnected standalones. It is not required to read the Always Trilogy. Each book is a complete story and contains a HEA.**

Review

RATING BREAKDOWN:-
Character: ★★★★★
Atmosphere: ★★★★★
Writing: ★★★★★
Plot: ★★★★★
Intrigue: ★★★★★
Logic: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★★
<><><><>
OVERALL: 4.9 or 5 stars ★★★★★

TW: alcohol, drugs, blood, past trauma, death of a loved one, abandonment issues

POV: first person, Susanne Van Rensburg

Some stories are easy to read/breeze through, sure-HEA, but this is NOT one of them. Readers can expect angst-driven proximity, slow-burning attraction, and cold-hot enemies-to-lovers/in-denial. Expect a lot of push-and-pull, misunderstandings, and hurtful words. Readers should come prepared to be emotionally invested in the characters and the slow-burning romance.

Cunningly, the author used a first-person, central POV (Susanne “Sooz” Van Rensburg), a different writing approach from the previous books in the series, which made the story more credible, expressive, intriguing, and impactful. Susanne’s journey, which has many unexpected twists and turns, takes the reader on a rollercoaster of emotions. In the end, readers can relate to the universal themes of courage, strength, and resilience that Susanne embodies.

Sooz, co-owner of Next Level PR agency, works above and beyond what is expected. She may be on top of her professional career, but her relationships (family, friends, and others) are next to none. She is cold and shut off from many meaningful relationships. Constantly on guard because of “life disappointments and hurts,” Sooz became a workaholic, focusing on goal-centered results rather than fulfilling and lasting relationships.

The fact that she endured a “rocky start” with Ryan Alvarez, drummer for S.C.A.R.A.B., made it even more believable that opposites attract. Through many heated arguments and bitter lessons, Sooz slowly realizes the importance of family. She later succumbs to the inevitable – reconnecting lost familial relationships and becoming open to the possibility of finding a previously imperceivable future for herself. Over time, Sooz learns to trust her family and finds solace in their love and support. As the story continues, Sooz begins to appreciate life and learns to really “see” Ryan instead of believing the image he projects in public.

Ryan is one confusing character. He was hot-cold for many moments in the book, giving me (and Sooz) constant whiplash. He makes many cryptic statements and expects others to understand what he means. Heck, I was in a daze about what he wanted, then did something that threw things off. I suppose the “secrets” affect his actions and how he “handles” them, but come on! Give readers like me (and Sooz) a break and do not just disappear and expect us to be okay about it, especially after some significant development in the storyline. Considering that Ryan and Sooz already have abandonment issues from their pasts, Ryan shouldn’t have done what he did. Ryan should have stated things from the beginning because instead of finding a solution to his “issue” early on, Sooz felt confused, hurt, and betrayed (it was stated that “those who matter” were in on “the secret” – ouch!). It’s not fair to drag readers along and second-guess their emotions. Ryan needs to take responsibility and explain his actions to Sooz.

In summary, Needing You Always is a deep dive into complex emotions, new perspectives, and nuances about family politics/misunderstandings, commitment/disconnection, self-depreciation, abandonment, and misconceptions – public vs. private image. This book brought me distress and anxiety! It kept me on edge from start to finish. I was shattered by “Ryan’s issues,” and even if I might disagree with how the characters handled the “issue,” I respected their reasons…and it did end up with a HEA that is “on the upside.” Many new insights opened my eyes to possible positive outcomes with mutual respect and taking risks within a “safe space.” I realized now that the path to redemption and healing is not as straightforward or “clear-cut” as expected. Sometimes there are no easy answers. It’s a process that takes time, patience, and understanding. It’s a journey of self-discovery and growth. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a thought-provoking and engaging read.

About the Author

Lizzie Morton is an author of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense.

Her first novel, Always You, was written in her spare time while looking after her first child. Since then Lizzie has become a full-time author, and her first novel has become an international bestseller as part of The Always Trilogy.

Lizzie Morton’s ongoing future projects will include The Always Series, a series spin-off from the trilogy with interconnecting standalones.

When Lizzie isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, binging on Batman, and dancing to Spotify in her kitchen with her three children and Daddy Morton.

September 21, 2021October 13, 2021

For Love Or Honey by Staci Hart

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. A positive review is not required.

Published on: 21 September 2021
Type: HEA, series, standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Author: Staci Hart
Read: 12 Sept 2021
Shelved: 14 September
Rating: 4 / 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis

When the devil comes to town, you have to meet him head-on.
Which is exactly what I did when Grant Stone rolled into our small Texas town, driving a sports car I could fit in the bed of my truck, wearing a suit as black as his soul. He’s here to acquire mineral rights to half a dozen farms in town.
And there’s no way he’s getting mine.
I don’t make deals with the devil.
So when he challenges me to show him the small town ropes, my motivation is the prospect of seeing him make a fool of himself. He might have an angle, but if he thinks he can finagle me into endangering my bee farm, he’s got another thing coming.
Until the line in the sand is washed away.
My farm in danger. A town in upheaval. A man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
And me in the middle.
When the devil comes to town, you have to meet him head-on.
And when he sneaks into your heart, he’ll only break it.

Review

Jo Blum lives in Lindenbach and works at their family bee farm. The farmland has shale deposits that Flexion wants to buy the rights to mine the c coming into their small town. She is determined to stop Flexion from taking advantage of the townspeople and spreading inaccurate information about fracking.

Given this, Flexion hires Grant Stone, who goes from farm to farm and convinces them to sell our rights to the shale under their properties. Yes, he is the handsome guy with a hidden agenda that will complicate the story. Things get a lot more tricky with a proposed “challenge” between Jo and Grant.

Without giving away too much, here are a few things I like about For Love or Honey:-

1.) Writing gets better and better with each series!

This book is not my first time reading the author. Since her Austin series, I knew I was a goner! The book is a standalone and part of the Small Town Romance series. Readers can jump into this book or any of the books series. I love how each book she writes evolves into something even better than the last books in the series. The author has polished and strengthened her storytelling abilities in a way that is way polished than her writing from last year. The conflict has more at stake than the rest of the books I have encountered for this author. It’s a whole town!!!

2.) Character transformation for the better.

Both main characters change in this book, and that’s what I love most about books – growing, organic characters – one that comes out better with each other versus alone.

I love the honesty and vulnerability of Jo and Grant. Ironically, the most vulnerable character between the two is Grant, who seems to be the most “put-together,” but not! As I got to know Grant, he became a relevant character that I was rooting for at the end.

Coming in, Grant is a “loaded character.” He carries a considerable amount of baggage (hung-ups) that becomes more evident when Jo starts showing him her side of the world – away from his khaki pants, big city glitz, and flashy cars. She shows him the intrinsic value of family, contentment, and happiness. With this, Grant started to look introspectively and realized everything he held necessary before wasn’t anymore. The final’s draw finally crumbled down when an unexpected visitor would later invalidate Grant’s purpose, identity for that character.

Jo is a strong and memorable character. She is impressionable and embodies family love and duty. I love how her mind works, trying to see if she can “break” or “convert” Grant through the “challenges” she imposes on him. It was sneaky, sly, and ingenious! She didn’t expect her plan to backfire and later exposed her vulnerability by learning to trust Grant. The end product was hilarious yet transformative for everyone.

3.) Well researched background and information.

So many details dived into the bee business, the fracking operations, and family dynamics will make readers keep going. Many of the scenes went into the fracking and bee farm business. The details were overwhelming but enough to help me understand and appreciate the business.

Note: As I read through the author’s acknowledgment, I found out that the book’s sentiments have some basis on her family heritage and background. It’s cute and adds more to the book’s beauty, like an ode to her family.

4.) Off the charts chemistry!

When Jo and Grant do “hook up,” it was explosive! The joking banters later translate into heated passion and intimacy – HOT HOT HOT! There were many scenes that Jo and Grant took advantage of because they foresaw everything between them as temporary.

5.) Revisiting interrelated/past characters.

It is nice how the author brought in past characters from the books in the series – in this case, it was from Friends with Benedicts’ Presley and Sebastian. These characters came with a purpose to the story. They either helped Jo and Grant focus on their feelings or reinforced how wonderful they are as individuals.

I have a short rant. I felt there were a few missing elements at the end. Yes, readers will get the angst and conflict sorted, main characters finding their HEA, and the book never loses the love story of Jo and Grant, BUT I still had more questions! Unanswered questions that were mentioned in the book but had no resolution in the end. Maybe the author felt that things got sorted out in the ending, but I didn’t get it. There were still others in the town that had to give up a lot, so I want to know: (1) what came about with the fundraising effort of Main Street? (2) What will happen to Flexion’s fracking efforts in the town? There were no hints of what will be next on this, but I wish the town well, and Flexion will disappear.

Overall, For Love or Honey is a fun and feel-good read! It is definitely for the “enemies-to-lovers” tropes and the steamy, forced proximity genre readers. The writing is clear and easy to follow. Readers will love the strong, determined, and independent women at the forefront of the book – the Blum women. I liked how all characters grow and evolve to be their best versions, aside from the main characters. I love the book’s message of finding happiness with the right person. This book have you look at honey and bees in a whole new way!

About the Author

Staci Hart has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom to three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, even though she’s certainly not the cleanest, nor is she the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party–especially if she’s been drinking whiskey–and her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north in Denver, where snow is magic and the mountains have become home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, gaming, or designing graphics.

August 11, 2021March 29, 2022

Fool Me Twice (Fool Me Book 1) by Lizzie Morton

Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. A positive review is not required.

Published on: 11 August 2021
Type: series, HEA, duet
Genre: New Adult Romance, Romantic Suspense, Sports Romance
Author: Lizzie Morton
Read: 23 July 2021
Shelved: 24 July 2021
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Get it here: Amazon US | UK
Add Fool Me Twice to your Goodreads TBR list today!

Synopsis

Becket:
If you hated me and if you hated my story… good.
Becket is my mask.
One I’ve kept firmly in place and with good reason. Only one person saw a glimmer of the real me, and she reminded me why we build walls: to keep things out.
The night we met was a farce, a real-life version of The Hangover and all thanks to her. But now, I’m determined to bulldoze my way into her life like she did mine.
It’s time she learnt a lesson; you should never judge a book by its cover. And my story is more complicated than she could ever imagine.

Britney:
Our romance was a plane crash. A disaster. It ended as quickly as it began.
I thought I’d meet my dream guy one day. The one that would sweep me off my feet, whispering sweet nothings in my ear while I ran my hands over his beautiful, chiselled body.
Instead, Michael Becket, the biggest douchebag in the NFL, is the one who’s firmly imprinted himself in my mind.
I’m learning not everyone we fall for is Prince Charming. People have flaws, people have secrets, and I shouted his out for the world to hear. And now … he’s determined to find out mine.

Start the Fool Me Series by checking how it all started: Fool Me Once (prequel). Check out my book review for the prequel here.

Review

Fool Me Twice is Book one of the Fool Me series. I would recommend readers read the prequel first, Fool Me Once, to get better details on where everything started. Readers will better understand how things escalated from bad to worst between Britney and Becket.

Like the prequel, Fool Me Twice is told from Britney and Becket’s POVs. The writing is witty, clever, and sometimes raw. The nice thing about the book is that readers will feel everything – angst, despair, urgency, and the grit that both main characters exude. The pace is good, wherein there is a balance between fast for danger and slow for “ah-ha” moments.

I love love love Britney. She is a character that has gone through a long road to find herself worth and rose to many occasions in the book. Her growth (from the prequel to now) and “wrong decisions” make her believable and relatable. Granted that she was initially “placed” in a compromising situation, she held on as much dignity for herself as she could and even “reinvented” herself, found a good friend, and a job that will help her “move on.” She is stronger than people think she is and surprises readers later in the book.

Becket’s a jerk through and through, but readers will feel the “storm” conflicting within him. There were too many “over-the-top” moments that made my jaw drop. Given what happened to his past, I can see where all of Becket’s anger and frustration come from, but he needs to get into “anger management” or talk to someone about his “out-of-control” moments. He comes in as a vengeful character but will later show readers that all that is for the show is an underlying issue that he will need to address.

Both Brit and Becket have “flaws” and “secrets” that lead to more significant issues. I appreciate the other supporting characters provide the support and forgiveness needed to the main characters since Britney and Becket are too stubborn to do it themselves.

The suspense and drama are epic! It will answer the numerous questions from what Becket is running from, the mysterious players behind the scenes, etc. Note that the story may sound simple at first, but there is a lot more going on that meets the eye. The cover photo should be a dead giveaway of how scary things are going. The urgency and danger come leaping out of the pages to have readers mesmerized to finish the book. Becket needed to “sort out” himself immediately to save the people he cares about, not only Britney.

In summary, Fool Me Twice is a book that will appeal to romance-suspense, sports romance, enemies-to-lovers, a bit of bully romance going on, and second chance tropes. This theme is different from the author’s past works that might be a treat for readers. Compared to the author’s past books, there is also a maturing in writing, plot formulation, and approach that is thought-provoking and unseen in past works, so the main characters are growing and the author with them. All the characters have a lot more depth in history and development in this book, and there were many “ground-breaking” moments. The book got me so worked up that I have never felt so strongly about two main characters like I have for Britney and Beckett. The book made me feel frustrated with the characters because they are authentic and “real.”

The book will have readers in a trance as they dive into uncovering secrets and revelations of Britney and Becket. Expect the unexpected from two flawed characters because they have more “skeletons in the closet” than I expected based on the prequel. A real exciting and page-turner read!

About the Author

Author Lizzie Morton is an author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in the U.K with her partner and three children.
Previously she has worked as a Personal Trainer and Back Pain Specialist and trained as a Chef at Leeds City College.
Her first novel was originally just a note on her phone but became a full manuscript – released in August 2020.
When she isn’t reading or writing, her favourite things include running, sniffling, and changing nappies.

February 15, 2021February 14, 2021

Blog Tour: Tempting Heat by Sara Whitney

Tempting Heat by Sarah Whitney features a dirty talking hero, a schedule-obsessed heroine, and only one bed. While this book is a novella, the rest of the books in the feisty, funny 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 are full-length novels.

Get it here:
Amazon : Kindle | Paperback
Google Play | Bookbub | Goodreads

Synopsis

𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞.

I spent years in love with his best friend’s girl. Not that uncommon, really. They even write songs about it.

Then she blamed me for their ugly breakup, and we parted as enemies.

So it’s suuuper awkward years later when a blizzard traps me with the woman I never expected to see again.

The woman who’s more beautiful than ever.

The woman who’s still too angry to look me in the eyes.

About the Author

Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, heat, and heart. A 2019 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. She’s a good pinball player, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver.

In a funny twist of fate, Sara’s married to a divorce attorney, and she likes to think that her happily-ever-afters help keep their household in balance. She and her husband live in the Midwest surrounded by books, cats, and half-empty coffee cups.

September 24, 2020January 25, 2021

Shaken (Twisted Fox 2) by Charity Farrell

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Published on: 22 September 2020
Type: standalone, series, HEA
Description: enemies-to-lovers, workplace romance
Author: Charity Ferrell
Read: 14 September 2020
Shelved: 15 September 2020
Get Shaken here: Amazon | Amazon WW | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

A see yourself out note isn’t how you want to celebrate the morning after your first one-night stand.
The first time I meet Archer Callahan is when I block him in a parking spot.
The second is a fender bender.
The third is at a bar, drinking away our problems, and finding our way to his bed.
I never expected to see him again.
That changes when a month later, he’s introduced as my brother’s new business partner.
In need of a job, I’m hired at their bar, much to Archer’s dismay.
We hate each other.
We’re off-limits.
But every time we’re together, flashbacks of that night shake through us.
We push, we pull, until one of us breaks.

Add Shaken to your Goodreads to-read list!

Also available in THE TWISTED FOX SERIES:

Book 5 – Last Round (Silas and Lola’s story) *PREORDER*
Amazon | Amazon WW | Apple Books | B&N | Kobo

Review

Georgia Fox is a good heart, optimist, and fun-loving gal but has an uncanny way of attracting herself into embarrassing situations like a fly to honey. She is the epitome of clumsiness and “Murphy’s Law” scenarios that I’ve currently encountered. No matter how much she tries, she somehow gets entangled with Archer Callahan too many times and in the oddest of situations that one would think Fate was playing a good joke on them. Georgia somehow ended up with Archer/Chase later realizes that Archer and her would be connected more than just one night.

Archer Callahan (aka “Chase Smith”) is a disappointed man. He’s been let-down by his family too many times. He wanted nothing to do with the family business, let alone with his disappointing father but had to work there…until one day, he decided that he had enough. He traded-in being kind to being career-driven. He just learned to be the worst person and show it to the world. He wanted a simple and quiet life. He discovers later that it’s not mean to be and his partner and good friend, Cohen, is the brother of Georgia who he had slept with!

Throughout the years, I’ve learned the easiest approach for convincing people to leave you alone is for them to dread your presence. No one wants to hang out with the brooding bastard.
— Archer, Shaken

The chemistry is very intense and passionate – love/hate going on as early as the very first chapter! I love the banter that goes on between them! There were a lot of “coincidental meetings” for Archer and Georgia in the book. These meet-ups are the ones I look forward to since these are the absolute funniest part of the book. I snicked, chuckled, and laughed my way through their volleying remarks. Both of them seems to be keeping score each time!

Georgia doesn’t take anything that Archer throws at her “sitting/lying-down”. She stood up and defended herself, even as she gets distracted with all is stature (very tall, I might add). On the other side, Archer, as he gets riled up, also gets distracted in his mind on what was going on between his brain and Grace.

All joking around aside, both characters do have their own “issues”. During those low points, they ironically also bumped into each other. Their own histories are sad – definitely family issues. It is rare but they did try their best to be resilient and “move-on” with their issues and from their attraction. There is a lot of “pushing-pulling” going on …most on Archer’s part. It’s a lot of gut-wrenching confessions and more fights. I agree with Georgia’s friends that she needs to think of putting herself first at the end of all this.

The story spans weeks or sometimes months, which is nice and realistic to make the characters grow and realize how they are denying themselves the happiness that they both deserve. The story takes readers into Archer’s world with his new business and later his strained interactions with his family and the legacy that he has to face.

Georgia is a brave, and a very forgiving person – a saint! She is a big fan of second chances and is always on the positive side of life. She takes on the same attitude with Archer by giving so many chances to fess up but each time, he goes off and throws it to her face due to his fear and insecurities. She is also responsible for having Cohen and their mother work things out in the end..she’s a pure joy to read up about!

The thing with me is, my heart survives a beating. It can get fractured in every way possible, nearly destroyed, and I’ll still pick up every piece. I”ll gather them one by one and then hand them over to someone even more reckless.
— Georgia, Shaken

Archer’s story and background were not fully realized till far closer to the end – with why he’s been putting himself “down” with being with anyone. There was no way to have Archer “leap” into a relationship due to his “heavy past” and it all goes really full-on gut-wrenching each time. His ‘defeatist attitude’ is a downer and there are so many times that I wanted to “shake” him out of that slump of “doom and gloom” attitude. Ironically, his story unfolds later on before Georgia, and what she discovers about him that she realizes how best to help Archer in the end. Thank goodness!

She is the calm to my storm.
— Archer, Shaken

The ending is beautiful. It took some time but that’s the reality with people who needs to get over things by themselves with their support system in place. For Archer, Georgia was the support system that he needed. She is a great woman to keep “fighting” for them, even if she feels that Archer has given up countless times. (Those are the times I just get so angry with him!) Without giving anything away, I am sure the readers will agree that the Charity did a great job of ‘weaving’ their story beautifully in the end.

Love is when you want to wake up every single day and prove to the other person that you’ll work on being a better person than you were the day before — a better love, a better friend.
— Archer, Shaken

I recommend this book for readers who love enemies becoming lovers, second chance romances, and hot steamy chemistry! I really appreciate the length and build-up that will ensure the characters really dig deep to mature and grow for each other – to be better versions of themselves to their loved ones in the end.

About Charity

Charity Ferrell resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with her boyfriend and two fur babies. She loves writing about broken people finding love with a dash of humor and heartbreak, and angst is her happy place.

When she’s not writing, she’s making a Starbucks run, shopping online, or spending time with her family.

Connect with Charity
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads | Bookbub
Join Charity’s reader group here
Subscribe to Charity’s newsletter for latest release and updates.
Text Club: Text CHARITYBOOKS to 31996 or visit here.

September 2, 2020November 21, 2020

Author Feature: Kennedy Fox for Keep My Heart (Top Shelf Romance Collection Book 7)

Top Shelf Romance is bringing you the best modern classics of romance in Collection #7, KEEP MY HEART, featuring FOUR bestselling books from authors: Lex Martin, Kennedy Ryan, Kennedy Fox, W Winters!!

Keep My Heart will be releasing on September 8th!

Add to your Goodreads list: Keep My Heart

Every mood has its book.⁣

When you crave something exceptional, exciting and enchanting, Top Shelf Romance promises this and more.⁣

Checkmate: This is War

Travis King is the worst kind of a**hole.
He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards.
He’s cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes.
And I hate him.
It wouldn’t matter so much if he were avoidable.
But considering he’s my older brother’s best friend and roommate, I see him more than I’d ever want to.
His sculpted abs and gorgeous eyes are wasted on such an arrogant man, which makes me hate him even more.
Even though I’ve had a crush on him since I was ten, the feelings weren’t mutual and he’s made that very clear.
He’s always loved getting under my skin and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed.
I’ve succumbed to his manw**re ways, but that doesn’t change a thing.
Because the King is about to get played at his own game–and lose.

Checkmate.

**Recommend for ages 18+ due to sexual content and adult language.**

Checkmate: This is Love

Viola Fisher is the epitome of perfection.
She despises my one-night stands and mocks my less-than-classy habits.
She’s smart, beautiful, and too good to be true.
And I want her.
If she were anyone else, I’d have made my move years ago, but considering she’s my best friend’s little sister, she’s always been off-limits. Not to mention how much she loathes my very existence.
Hating me is her religion, but needing her is mine. Her sexy curves and filthy smart mouth make me want her even more, and I’m more determined than ever to change her mind.
I’ll prove I’m done playing games.
But until then, we’ll continue to play by her rules.
Viola Fisher may have won the battle, but the war isn’t over yet.

Checkmate, princess.

About the Author Duo:

Brooke Cumberland & Lyra Parish are a duo of romance authors who teamed up to write under the USA Today Bestselling pseudonym, Kennedy Fox. They share a love of Hallmark movies & overpriced coffee. When they aren’t bonding over romantic comedies, they like to brainstorm new book ideas. One day, they decided to collaborate and have some fun creating new characters that’ll make you blush and your heart melt. If you enjoy romance stories with sexy, tattooed alpha males and smart, independent women, then a Kennedy Fox book is for you!

Connect with Kennedy Fox:

Connect with Top Shelf Romance

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August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

Author Feature: Lex Martin for Keep My Heart (Top Shelf Romance Collection Book 7)

Top Shelf Romance is bringing you the best modern classics of romance in Collection #7, KEEP MY HEART, featuring FOUR bestselling books from authors: Lex Martin, Kennedy Ryan, Kennedy Fox, W Winters!!

Keep My Heart will be releasing on September 8th !

Add to Goodreads: Keeping My Heart

Every mood has its book.⁣

When you crave something exceptional, exciting and enchanting, Top Shelf Romance promises this and more.⁣

Blurb:

Tori…
For the record, I’m not going to hook up with my boss.
I’m a lot of things—a screwup, a basket case, a flunky. But when I take a nanny job to be near my pregnant sister, I swear to myself I’ll walk the straight and narrow, which means I cannot fall for my insanely hot boss.
I don’t want to be tempted by that rugged rancher. By his chiseled muscles or southern charm or the way he snuggles his kids at bedtime. Ethan Carter won’t get the key to my heart, no matter how much I want him.

Ethan…
Between us, she’s the last thing I need as I finalize my hellish divorce.
What sane man trying to rebuild his life wants a hot nanny with long, sexy hair, curves for miles, and a smart mouth? A perfectly kissable, pouty mouth that I shouldn’t notice.
My focus is on my kids and my ranch, not the insufferable siren who sleeps in the room next to mine. It doesn’t matter that she wins over my kids in a heartbeat or runs my life better than I do. Tori Duran is the one woman I can’t have and shouldn’t want, no matter how much I crave her. RECKLESS is a standalone companion novel in the Texas Nights series.

About the Author:

Lex Martin is the USA Today bestselling author of the Texas Nights series (Reckless/Shameless) and the Dearest series. She writes contemporary romances, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters. A former high school English teacher and freelance journalist, she’s lived all over the country but currently resides in her hometown of San Antonio with her husband and twin daughters.

Find out more about her upcoming projects, visit Lex Martin Writes for more details.
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August 6, 2020August 11, 2020

The Billionaire’s Secret by Ravina Hilliard

I received a complimentary copy of this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

Published on: 23 June 2020
Published by: Dawn Hill Publications
Type: standalone, HEA
Author: Ravina Hilliard
Read: 05 August 2020
Shelved: 06 August 2020
Get here: Amazon USA
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Serena Aisling has made it to the top as a high-powered executive all on her own merit. No thanks to her millionaire father who’d abandoned her at birth to be raised single-handedly by her mother. She has come a long way, so she’ll be damned if she allows him to have a hand in her career by dangling the CEO position of the Mäkelä Group in her face.

When Serena’s company coincidentally assigns her to spearhead a revolutionizing project run by the same corporation, she ends up working alongside the innovator himself—tech guru, Matias Mäkelä. The savvy, self-made millionaire is moody, ill-tempered, arrogant, and a giant thorn in her side, yet she can’t deny that he’s irresistibly handsome and stunningly
delicious.

A malicious traitor very close to Matias is divulging company secrets, and they must work together to uncover and shut them down before it’s too late.

When Serena uncovers the culprit, fearing Matias will not believe her, she keeps the discovery to herself and acts on her own, landing herself in hot waters with Matias. Waters so hot and flaming that she ends up tangled in his sheets, intoxicated with a desire that threatens to engulf her in an uncontrollable fireball of ecstatic delights.

As untold discoveries, secrets, and schemes unravel, Serena and Matias find themselves on a wild and unending tide of colliding together before being ripped apart again.
Will their feelings for each other be enough to survive the diabolical intrigue that threatens their very lives? Or will they crash and burn?

Matias Mäkelä is the owner of a Finnish technology firm, Mäkelä Group, in Helsinki. He is a hard, controlling, egotistical and domineering geek/nerd but goes out-of-control crazy when it comes to Serene.
He is the big brother to two twin sisters, Aina and Ansa who he spoils rotten. He is in the process of launching a new product for home security and is being backed up jointly by Layton Leverage, Serena’s father’s company. He was advised to look inside his company for a possible leak in his new product’s secrets.

I can’t promise that we won’t argue again, sweet Serena. You bring out the worst in me, I suppose. I don’t believe that I’ve ever behaved with anyone like I have with you. I don’t completely understand it, but you’re in my blood now and I can’t seem to get you out. I don’t even want to. I can tell that you feel something for me too, otherwise you wouldn’t react to me the way you have done. Don’t we owe it t ourselves to find out if this is real?
— Matias, The Billionaire’s Secret

Serena Aisling is a strong, independent and career-driven woman. She has a black belt in aikido and is experienced enough to be teaches classes. She is married to her job and excels in it.
She works in the R&D department of a London based technology firm. Her boss, Richard Hope, brokered a deal with Matias’ tech firm to design a production process for his products. She was raised by her Italian mother, which she takes on her mother’s last name. She is estranged with her father, Byron Layton, till more recently when her mother passed away.

Unknowing to Serena, the tech firm that she will be working on is also what her father, Byron Layton, wants her to find out the ‘thief‘ stealing corporate secrets within the company. At first, upon the proposal of her father of the task with a CEO position as a reward, she immediately turned the offer down. She stated that she is happy where she is working but you can see her interest in trying to solve the case in her mind. Coincidentally, readers get to see her father’s endeavor on how he played ‘matchmaker’ between Matias and Serene.

Meeting each other for the first time at Matias’ office, both main characters, Serena and Matias, felt a “pull” – insta-love/lust/infatuation but both had walls to avoid anything that would result to “having feelings”. Both characters are serious about their work and do not do commitments. With Serena’s determination to have “emotions” clouding her to feel anything for Matias, she goes into a defensive mode in the form of arguing with him or taking what Matias’ words into another context. For Matias, it is the overwhelming feeling that he was experiencing the first time that makes him go into an emotional turmoil inside himself then turns outwardly cold, snappy towards Serena. It’s with these moments of frictions that you see their passion (love-hate) – one moment, they are cold, threatening then later, after cooling down, apologize or re-clarify what they mean.

Though Matias was not like her father. He wasn’t manipulative. He has been honest with her right from the beginning, ready to tell her exactly what he was thinking, even if it meant angering or hurting her. She didn’t feel any anger or pain, just a longing for the man sitting next to her…She knew in that moment that she loved him and panicked, worried that he might see through her, closing her eyes to hid the truth that was burning to be let out. He must never know!
— Serena, The Billionaire’s Secret

Solving the mystery took a little time as the relationship of Matias and Serena had to happen. There had to be a few details that needed to be ironed out for an ending to happen. Readers had to see how things had to be laid out in Serena’s mind and slowly she had to learn about the product – from the marketing side, technical side, security side, etc. She was the best candidate for the job especially since she’s a technologist expert. She was able to understand things quickly while helping Matias on some possible security issues. All this build-up to how the ending happened and I like how Serene had a lot of foresight on a lot of details to help Lt. Nico’s operation. How they caught the ‘mole‘ at the end was really good since all the possible outcomes were considered and ‘rehearsed‘ so it all works so smoothly, even if I was as lost on why they did that, etc. I appreciate the reasoning during the recap by Serene.

I like how the author stayed true to each of the character’s unique backgrounds – British/Italian heritage for Serena and Finish/Italian/Spanish/German/French experiences for Matias. Their personalities showed through to help protect the other. Serena’s self-sacrifices and integrity were quite admirable. She was pushed into finding out what is going in Matias’ company and wasn’t going to do anything till she started to get deeper into his company’s dealings and connections. She was able to focus on protecting Matias many times in the book, even when Matias accused her of taking advantage of his heart. She even saved his life to ensure that the sting operation that she stumbled into would be a success.

I enjoyed the supportive individuals around the heroes – Reeta, Lt. Nico, Aina and Asna, Byron and Matias’ parents, Henri and Jemima.
Matias’ family members were hilarious and very sly in getting to know Serena. Although I had concerns of them knowing how serious Matias is with Serene with inviting her to the family home just a day or two after knowing her, I did appreciate that he was open to his family members about his feelings and how serious he wants to try to start something with Serena.
Reeta was a welcome reprieved of past assistants who protect and be hostile to women who they work with and might grow ‘feelings’ with their bosses. She was kind, witty and a good friend to Serena. She can really see through people and warned Serena of Matias’ talk with her on inter-office relationships. I believe Reeta saw the look between Matias and Serena when she brought Serena into his office. It was pretty funny as I remember reading through that section thinking how Reeta was just standing there as Matias’ demeanor changed from his usual self, proven also with his brain instructing him how to act at that moment.
The whole Mäkelä clan – Henri, Jemima, Aina and Asna were wonderful supporting characters who were excited to meet Serena, especially the twins. They were mischievous and at the same time, endearing as they to stand up for Serena from Matias.
Lt. Nico was memorable for me since he acted like a father to Serena in listening patiently to her statement, gave her advice and even set-up Matias and Serena at the end to help them sort out their relationship. It was really cute and I can still remember it fondly.
They were important in ‘pushing’ and rooting for Matias and Serena together even when things between them seem bleak especially Lt. Nico. They also play their part in helping apprehend the culprit involved in the mystery.

I recently discovered my pleasure in reading suspense, mystery with steamy romance stories woven into it. This book has all that plus steamy scenes. There is a lot of corporate secrets, covert operations and back-door dealings combined with steamy love-hate passionate arguments between the two heroes. Both character’s actions were in pursuit of the other’s ultimate benefit – Serena’s self-sacrifices to find the culprit and Matias’ honesty to Serena that makes this book a success. The supporting characters were spot-on how stories should be – complex but not overwhelming. I liked the fact that the author thought of answering my burning question in my head in one of the shower scenes that thankfully was answered in the epilogue section. Perfectly done, if you ask me.
*Please note that the book has quite a few British/European words that may stump and slow-down some readers but it was well-written that will surely grab you to read on further. I encourage you to give this book a try!

Ravina Hilliard is a new romance novel author for Dawn Hill Publishing that dives into the world of suspense and steamy romance all rolled together. Her first book, The Billionaire Needs a Bodyguard was published early 2020. Billionaire’s Secret is Ravina’s sophomore book and is gaining a following among readers.

February 5, 2020October 17, 2020

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Published by: Simon & Schuster/Gallery
Publish on: May 14, 2019
Category: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Series: Standalone, no cliffhanger
Author: Christina Lauren
Read: 5 February 2020
Shelved: 5 February 2020
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Get it at Christina Lauren’s website | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of… lucky.

With Christina Lauren’s “uniquely hilarious and touching voice” (Entertainment Weekly), The Unhoneymooners is a romance for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.

Review

“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”
― Olive in The Unhoneymooners

With quotes like that, you know that it’s going to be a hot, sizzling and snickering story on the way. It is a really hilarious book, especially just from the title. It is very cute and witty. Quotes like the below got me smirking left and right since I get it…when love-hate happens.

“Rumor has it your dad brought her flowers and she pulled off every petal and used them to spell PUTA in the snow.”
― Olive in The Unhoneymooners

The Plot.
I find the story creatively done and well put together. The setting and description were spot-on and I can feel the sights and sounds of each of the places Olive and Ethan visited. It was good honest writing that I wondered if the authors have been to the resort themselves at one point.

The Characters & Chemistry.
I like the humor invoked by Olive and Ethan. It was easy enough to relate with the enemies become friends sort of plot. My approach to the book is a lighthearted one so I didn’t expect much and just wanted humor.

“I can appreciate my body in a bikini and still want to set fire to the patriarchy.”
― Olive in The Unhoneymooners

The one thing that got to me was how Ethan didn’t really side with Olive when all the cards shows otherwise (i.e. Olive seeing how Ethan’s brother, Dane, was treating the people around him as like “push-overs”). I appreciate the realization and rationalization of Olive to her sister’s predicament but at the end of it all, being Olive (the honest and truthful one, even if unlucky at times) Torres, she spills out every truth in her – to her boss, sister and even Ethan.

“I knew he was a book lover, but to be the same kind of book lover I am? It makes my insides melt.”
― Olive in The Unhoneymooners

My Verdict.
I love the concept of family standing beside you and rallying for you when things get grim so that is very good. It was fun seeing the dynamics of each family member during times of need and at the end, family love rules all of them…even between sisters. The humor is superb and gets me each time I read through it. It is a good stand-alone lovely story with a fun and touching ending.

Meet Christina Lauren

Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced fourteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)