New Release: Cruel Paradise by J. T. Geissinger + Review!

Cruel Paradise, the second addictive and sexy standalone in the Beautifully Cruel series from J.T. Geissinger, is available now!

Anti-hero (noun):
1) A powerful and charismatic man lacking moral character
2) A magnificent bastard
3) Killian Black

You don’t know me. You think you do, but you don’t. The only thing you know is my name, and even that’s a lie.

I’m king of Boston, lord of criminals, ruler of an underworld empire.
Or am I?

Only one thing’s for sure: I operate alone.

Until I cross paths with a brazen little thief who sets my whole kingdom on fire.

Just as two wrongs don’t make a right, two villains don’t belong together. Especially since she’s the daughter of my most deadly enemy.

Taking her would start a war.
Keeping her would be suicide.
Making her mine would break every code of honor and defy all common sense.

Then again, where’s the fun in following the rules?

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QIqLtw
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/cruelparadise

Add CRUEL PARADISE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3hFNkuR

Start the series of standalones BEAUTIFULLY CRUEL with here!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2w5gbq4
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/beautifulcruel

Review:

3.75 stars

***

 This was a pretty good book. Cruel Paradise is the second book in the Beautifully Cruel series. This is Killian and Juliet's story. Killian is Liam Black's twin brother, from the first book in the series, and we first met Killian in the Dangerous Beauty series. In Beautifully Cruel, Killian steps into Liam's life and assumes his identity so that Liam can leave and be safe (It's a long story. Read it.). So everyone thinks he is Liam Black now and that he is running the Irish mafia. But he has lots of secrets. He meets Juliet, when she and her friends break into one of his businesses and steal a truckload of diapers to donate to the poor. Juliet is the estranged daughter of an Italian mob boss. She hates her father, and the mafia, and deals out vigilante justice to give to the needy. Killian is fascinated and attracted to Juliet right away, but she wants nothing to do with him because she thinks he's a mobster himself. The two have a lot to work out between them, but Killian is very convincing. They fall in love and get the HEA they both deserve.

I enjoyed this story. Killian and Juliet had great chemistry and were very sexy together. I liked them both. Killian, especially, adored Juliet so much right away. I didn't love that Juliet pushed him away until nearly the end of the book. I wanted a bit more resolution and to see them together and happy. I also felt like the pacing was off. The beginning felt too slow moving, while the rest wrapped up a bit too quickly. ( (view spoiler) ) Still, the chemistry between Juliet and Killian was so good that it made up for it.

Overall, this was a good read and a good addition to this fun, romantic suspense series. I look forward to more from this series and Ms. Geissinger in the future.

About J.T. Geissinger

J.T. Geissinger is a #1 internationally bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into several languages, including German, Hebrew, French, Czech, and Japanese. The film & TV rights to her Night Prowler series have been optioned by the BAFTA-winning studio that created VFX for movies such as Avatar, X-Men, and The Avengers.

She is a three-time finalist in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book and the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.

She’s a Southern California native currently living in Nevada with her husband and rescue kitty, Zoe.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

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Website: http://www.jtgeissinger.com

Blog tour: No Love Lost by Lexi Blake + Excerpt & Review!

"Lexi Blake is a master!"

-- "Jennifer Probst, New York Times bestselling author"

No Love Lost, an all-new sexy and suspenseful, standalone in the Master and Mercenaries: The Forgotten series by New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake is available now!

When Ezra Fain joined the ranks of the CIA, the last thing on his mind was romance. After meeting Kim Soloman, it was difficult to think of anything else. A tragic mistake drove them apart, leaving him shattered and unable to forgive the woman he loved. But when his greatest enemy threatens her life, Ezra leaps into action, prepared to do anything to try to save her.

Solo accepted long ago that she won’t get over Ezra. She’s worked for years to get back into his life, looking for any way to reignite the love they once shared. Unfortunately, nothing seems to penetrate the wall he has built between them. When she’s arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, she believes she’s on her own.

Racing across the globe, Ezra and Solo find themselves together again, caught in the crosshairs of the agency they sacrificed so much to serve. Days on the run soon turn to steamy nights, but Levi Green isn’t about to let them find their happily ever after. And when the smoke clears, the men and women of McKay-Taggart will never be the same again.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QXUO1o
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/30wKmRx
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/NoLoveLost
Nook: http://bit.ly/374qPdC
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Google Play: http://bit.ly/38eU79Q
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3agoiiH

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2G2hS8J

Excerpt:

“Kim, stop.” Beck sighed, an exhausted sound. “Please.”
It was the please that did it. He was so rarely polite to her. She took a deep breath and turned to him. They needed to ratchet down the emotion. It was what always tripped them up. “I don’t think we can work together.”
“We certainly can’t if I continue to be a massive asshole.” He moved toward her, putting his hands on her shoulders. “I’m sorry. You’re still a touchy subject for me.”
She nodded, unable to say a word for fear of unleashing a tidal wave. Not seconds before she’d told herself to tamp down the emotion, but here it was, threatening to overwhelm her and all he’d had to do was touch her.
“How about we agree that Levi Green is a problem for both of us and we work together to solve it,” he offered. “Kim, we’ve been going in circles for years. Maybe it’s time we find a way to move on. I know I’m tired of hating you.”
She stepped back. She couldn’t have his hands on her when he used that word. It was wrong when all she’d ever done was love him. “Ariel pointed out that it would be easier on both of us if I stopped showing up in your life.”
His gaze softened. “Would it? I didn’t see you for a couple of years and it didn’t feel any easier.”
She let a moment pass. How was it she felt even more vulnerable than she had when she was with Levi? “I know. I’ve tried to move on. I don’t seem to be able to.”
His hands moved as if he wanted to touch her, but he seemed to rethink the idea. “So maybe we should go about this another way. Maybe we should take this time and do what we didn’t do before. Talk. Try to find a way to get through this. I’m sorry I said what I did about you and Levi. It still hurts and I’m lashing out. All I know is when I thought you were in danger, I knew I couldn’t sit on my hands and let it happen. I can’t do it now either. Let me come with you. Let me help fix this.”
No. It was the only word she should say to him, and then she should turn and walk out and never look back. If she let him in, he would hurt her no matter how good his intentions were. Beck had always had a well of rage inside him that he wouldn’t deal with, wouldn’t acknowledge even existed. He hadn’t changed.
“Okay.” She hadn’t changed either. She was still helpless when it came to this man. She was still in love with him and likely always would be.
He let go of a heavy breath. “Good.” He was silent for a moment, looking her over. “Did he hurt you? Are your wrists okay?”
She’d managed to get what was left of the zip ties off in the car. She had some red marks on her wrists. “They’re sore, but all right. He didn’t slap me around this time.”
She watched as Beck’s hands formed fists and wished she hadn’t said that. His rage was always simmering under the surface when she was around.
He seemed to let it go. “All right. We should get on the road. Can you grab some water and protein bars? I don’t know what we’ll find when we get to Paris.”
She kind of thought she did know. She’d done a lot of homework on Big Tag, and if Rene was who she thought he was, then Beck would feel right at home.
Still, she grabbed the water bottles and bars and stuffed them in the duffel Steph had provided for her. There were a couple of T-shirts and a pair of sweatpants that would likely be too short, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
This was all she had in the world. It was odd. She would have said possessions were meaningless, but now that she had no access to any of the things that brought her comfort, she missed them with all her heart.
She had one thing. She reached up and found some peace knowing her ring was still there. All these years and she still had her wedding ring. It hung low around her neck, and she always hid it under her shirt when Beck was around.
It was all she had left of her marriage.
“You ready?” Beck fitted a cap to his head and passed her another. “You might want to put your hair up. I know if I was looking for you, all that hair would be the first thing to catch my eye.”
How many nights had he tangled his fingers in her hair and gently tugged, had he told her how beautiful it was and that he never wanted her to cut it? “Yeah. I’m ready.”
He stepped in front of her and placed the cap on her head, his gorgeous eyes staring down at her. “I really am sorry I said what I did. Can you forgive me?”
Her whole soul threatened to melt. She nodded.
“Can I hug you? I want to. I want to reassure myself that you’re really okay.”
She nodded again and then she was in his arms for the first time in years.
“Promise me he didn’t get a chance to hurt you,” Beck whispered.
He sounded like he actually cared. His arms around her made her feel safer than she had in forever. “He threatened me with a bunch of stuff, but I don’t want to talk about it. I will, but not now.”
“Okay.”
They stood there for the longest time, the sound of his heartbeat the only thing she could hear.

Review:

3.75 stars

***

 This is a good book! No Love Lost is the highly anticipated story of Ezra/Beck and Kim/ "Solo" and is the final story in the Forgotten series. Ezra and Kim are a divorced couple that we have seen throughout this series. I was so glad to finally find out what happened between them in the past to make them so volatile when together in the glimpses we got of them. Beck and Kim's story is an emotional one and they went through a lot of pain. They had hurt each other so much that I sometimes doubted that they could heal from all the heartache and move on together, but I'm so glad they were able to. I really liked Beck and Kim. They deserved to finally have some happiness and a hopeful future, after having been bitter and lonely for years. I can't say too much about this story as it will spoil the series and the future of the Masters and Mercenaries world. But I'm so happy with where all of the McKay-Taggart gang ended up at the end of the book. I can't wait to see where Ms. Blake takes the series in the future!

About Lexi Blake

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Connect with Lexi

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2uUiScN
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Website: http://www.lexiblake.net/

New Release: All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne + Review!

All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne is now available!

They are a dangerous duke, a fierce lord, and an infamous earl—dark, bold, brave men who know exactly what they want. And there is only one woman who can bring them to their knees...

He is first and foremost—at everything. A man who's made his own way in the world through ruthless cunning and sheer force of will. A strong and imposing Scot who can turn on the charm but does not suffer fools. His title: Lord Chief Justice of the High Court. His name: Cassius Gerard Ramsay. His mission: To investigate the goings-on at London's most notorious gaming hell, owned and operated by one of the most intriguing and desirable women he's ever met.

IN THIS GAME OF LOVE, THE RULES DO NOT APPLY

Cecelia Teague was an orphan facing a rather dire future—until a secret benefactor from her mother's scandalous past swept into her life. Sent to prestigious boarding school and later to university, Cecelia believed high society was at her fingertips...Then, from out of nowhere, she became the inheritor of a gambling establishment. Now Cecelia must live two lives: one as a proper lady who finds herself undeniably drawn to Lord Ramsay and the other as a savvy gaming hell owner trying to save her business from the very same man. He has no idea she is both women...and Cecelia would like to keep it that way. But what happens when consuming passion and escalating danger threaten to reveal the truth? 

BUY LINKS:

Apple: https://apple.co/3cFWSn6

Amazon: https://amzn.to/306huiR

B&N: https://bit.ly/2LvJmGJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/all-scot-and-bothered-1

Indiebound:

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250318862?aff=macmillan

Review:

3.5-3.75 stars

***

This was a pretty good book. All Scot and Bothered is the second book in the Devil You Know series. This is Cecilia and Ramsey's story. Cecilia is best friends with Alexandra and Francesca, from the first book in the series. Ramsey is the brother of Alexandra's husband, Piers. Cecilia is sweet, soft and kind, an orphan with a bad upbringing. When her aunt passes away, she is left some huge surprises to deal with- a gambling hall and a little girl named Phoebe. Ramsey is the high chief justice of court and a stern, bitter, serious man. He has felt an attraction to Cecilia when he has met her, but would never act on it as he is celibate and doesn't allow himself any pleasures. But Cecilia being the heir of her aunt, and her now running such a business, puts the couple at odds. The attraction between them, and the situations they now find themselves in, bring about the perfect storm for an enemies to lovers romance.

I enjoyed this story a lot. I liked Ramsey and Cecilia too. I did think the story was a bit too slow in parts and the couple was a bit lacking in chemistry. I also wanted a little more resolution and an epilogue. Still, this was an enjoyable read, in general, even if it was not quite as good as my favorites by Ms. Byrne. I do still enjoy this series and I look forward to more from it in the future!

New Release: No Love Lost by Lexi Blake + Review!

"Lexi Blake has set up shop on the intersection of suspenseful and sexy, and I never want to leave."

-- "Laurelin Paige, New York Times bestselling author

No Love Lost, an all-new, sizzling and action packed standalone romance in the Master and Mercenaries: The Forgotten series by New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake is available now!

When Ezra Fain joined the ranks of the CIA, the last thing on his mind was romance. After meeting Kim Soloman, it was difficult to think of anything else. A tragic mistake drove them apart, leaving him shattered and unable to forgive the woman he loved. But when his greatest enemy threatens her life, Ezra leaps into action, prepared to do anything to try to save her.

Solo accepted long ago that she won’t get over Ezra. She’s worked for years to get back into his life, looking for any way to reignite the love they once shared. Unfortunately, nothing seems to penetrate the wall he has built between them. When she’s arrested for a crime she didn’t commit, she believes she’s on her own.

Racing across the globe, Ezra and Solo find themselves together again, caught in the crosshairs of the agency they sacrificed so much to serve. Days on the run soon turn to steamy nights, but Levi Green isn’t about to let them find their happily ever after. And when the smoke clears, the men and women of McKay-Taggart will never be the same again.

Review:

3.75 stars

***

 No Love Lost is the highly anticipated story of Ezra/Beck and Kim/ "Solo" and is the final story in the Forgotten series. Ezra and Kim are a divorced couple that we have seen throughout this series. I was so glad to finally find out what happened between them in the past to make them so volatile when together in the glimpses we got of them. Beck and Kim's story is an emotional one and they went through a lot of pain. They had hurt each other so much that I sometimes doubted that they could heal from all the heartache and move on together, but I'm so glad they were able to. I really liked Beck and Kim. They deserved to finally have some happiness and a hopeful future, after having been bitter and lonely for years. I can't say too much about this story as it will spoil the series and the future of the Masters and Mercenaries world. But I'm so happy with where all of the McKay-Taggart gang ended up at the end of the book. I can't wait to see where Ms. Blake takes the series in the future!

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QXUO1o
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/30wKmRx
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/NoLoveLost
Nook: http://bit.ly/374qPdC
Kobo: http://bit.ly/389tseg
Google Play: http://bit.ly/38eU79Q
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3agoiiH

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2G2hS8J

About Lexi Blake

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Connect with Lexi

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2uUiScN
BookBub: http://bit.ly/2Gdjy03
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2u5wX75
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2X1oASS
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Gg1ktZ
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Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2R2wKKB
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Stay up to date with Lexi by joining her mailing list:
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Website: http://www.lexiblake.net/

Blog Tour: Wild Fire by Kristen Ashley + Excerpt & Review!

She didn’t like bikers, until she met him.

Wild Fire, the all-new consuming and must read 1,001 Dark Nights and CHAOS, Black Brothers novella from New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley and is available now!

“You know you can’t keep a good brother down.”

The Chaos Motorcycle Club has won its war. But not every brother rode into the sunset with his woman on the back of his bike.

Chaos returns with the story of Dutch Black, a man whose father was the moral compass of the Club, until he was murdered. And the man who raised Dutch protected the Club at all costs. That combination is the man Dutch is intent on becoming.

It’s also the man that Dutch is going to go all out to give to his woman.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WSfHOp

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/wildfireka

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2LQMmxt

Add WILD FIRE to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2zYPdlm

Excerpt

“Invisible Man, this for you, or someone else?” Duke asked, taking Dutch’s attention, and Dutch realized he was so lost to his thoughts, he was working on autopilot and hadn’t noticed he’d approached the register and laid down his books.
“Someone else,” Dutch answered.
“You read it?” Duke asked.
“Yeah,” Dutch told him.
“Whole world should read it,” Duke muttered, jabbing a thick finger against the screen of the tablet that stood in for a till.
“Yeah,” Dutch agreed. “Listen, you wouldn’t have any copies of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas that haven’t been shelved yet, would you?”
Duke shook his head. “Not many givin’ up that book. We get one, you want me to call you?”
He could go to Barnes and Noble, easy.
With Tex as her barista, not to mention Indy and her crew all being the subject of those books that had been published, so folks came in all the time, Indy wasn’t hurting for customers, or cash.
Still, Dutch bought his books exclusively from Fortnum’s.
And he had a lot of books.
He had no idea why Fortnum’s was his go-to. It wasn’t about buying local or any of that other millennial shit.
Thinking on it, it was the fact he liked the vibe.
It was the fact that walking in there was like walking into someone’s house.
Like coming home.
To family.
Shaking off his thoughts, he agreed, “That’d be cool.”
“You wanna stay for a cup o’ joe and a talk?” Duke asked, and Dutch hid his surprise.
The man hadn’t approached. Not in word or deed.
There were the looks he gave Dutch, the ones he exchanged with Tex.
But he never said dick.
“No, got shit to do this afternoon,” he lied.
He had no shit to do that afternoon.
Or at all.
Ever.
“Boy—” Duke started.
“I’m not a boy,” Dutch bit.
His temper wasn’t usually short, but these days, it could be.
This was why Duke blinked.
He then said, “Son—”
“I’m not your son either,” Dutch returned.
“Right then.” Duke’s voice was no longer a friendly rumble. It was tight. “First, my age can’t have escaped you, considerin’ all this gray hair and wrinkles, so you are a boy to me, and you will be until you’re sixty and I’m dead. And second, any man’s a man at all, a man that’s younger than him and obviously struggling is his son. A son he looks after.”
Christ, was he not hiding it?
“I’m not struggling,” he lied again.
“Dutch—”
“Brother, just ring me up so I can get on with my day,” Dutch demanded.
Duke was silent a beat.
He then finished ringing him up, and Dutch paid.
“No bag,” he grunted.
Duke slid the books over the counter toward Dutch.
Dutch had turned, avoiding Tex’s eyes as he did, and started heading toward the door when Duke called, “You know that door is always open, but the one to my cabin in Evergreen is too, man.”

Review:

3.75 stars

***

 This was a pretty good book. Wild Fire is a novella set in Kristen Ashley's Chaos series world. This book is Dutch's story. He is the son of the late Chaos brother, Black, and Keely from Wild like the Wind. Dutch is at loose ends in his life. He doesn't feel like he has a purpose in Chaos or really fits in with the group. He also is trying to help Carlyle, a young man who has recently lost his father in a senseless murder. Georgie is journalist whose sister is dating Dutch's brother, Jaggar. She arrives in from out of town and Jaggar convinces Dutch to go pick her up at the airport as a favor to her sister. Georgie is not a fan of bikers and treats Dutch rudely at first, but they do have an attraction. Soon they find, they have misjudged each other and that they really do like each other. Dutch and Georgie help discover who murdered Carlyle's father and help him get closure to move on with his life in a positive way. As the couple works together and spends more time together, they fall in love.

I was pleased to find this book was not another copycat of this author's previous books and characters. Nor was it crass like some of her other recent books. Wild Fire had different sort of characters and story. Dutch was a little less of a bossy alpha, while Georgie was a smart, headstrong, feminist heroine with a temper. I liked them both and enjoyed that they felt like fresh characters. Also, there is no instalove between them, as they butt heads when they first met and took a minute to warm up to each other. I liked that the story had a bit of a mystery going on. I also really liked the Chaos history and Dutch's dealing with his father's death and legacy, as well as his own purpose in life.

Overall, this was a good book. I have no real complaints, except that the couple was not among my very favorite of KA's couples. Still, I did like them and enjoyed the book. I look forward to Dutch's brother, Jaggar's book, as the preview for his story sounds really good.

About Kristen


Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.
Kristen’s novel, Law Man, won the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for best Romantic Suspense. Her independently published title Hold On was nominated for RT Book Reviews best Independent Contemporary Romance and her traditionally published title Breathe was nominated for best Contemporary Romance. Kristen’s titles Motorcycle Man, The Will, Ride Steady (which won the Reader’s Choice award from Romance Reviews) and The Hookup all made the final rounds for Goodreads Choice Awards in the Romance category.

Connect with Kristen

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Cover Reveal: Reclaim by Aly Martinez

Reclaim, an all-new emotional and gripping second chance romance from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez is coming November 12th and we have the beautiful cover!

Choices. Everyone makes them. From mundane to unimaginable, one choice can change the trajectory of your entire life.

My mother’s choice was to abandon us with our abusive father.
My brother’s choice was to go to prison for killing the boy who assaulted his soulmate.
Camden Cole’s choice was to fall in love with a shattered girl who had absolutely nothing to offer him but heartbreak.

It was one summer beneath the trees, but with Camden, I had a place where I belonged.
A friend who was always waiting for me.
A boy who I caught staring at me more often than not.

He was mine, but when the world closed in and secrets exploded all around us, it was my choice to let him go.

Choices. Everyone makes them.
But mine would ruin us all.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35VOdw8

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ReclaimAlyM

Add Reclaim to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3mysHDA

Cover Designer: Hang Le

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

About Aly

Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and olives. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.

Connect with Aly

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2RvbjCA
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New Release: Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen + Review and Excerpt!

Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen is now available!

Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen is book one of the Hush Note series by Sarina Bowen, Devney Perry and Rebecca Yarros. 

Blurb

Summer nights and star-crossed lovers!

From USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen.

Once upon a time, he gave me a summer of friendship,

followed by one perfect night. We shared a lot during

our short time together. But he skipped a few crucial details. 

I didn’t know he was a rock star.

I didn’t know his real name.

Neither of us knew I’d get pregnant.

And I sure never expected to see him again.

Five years later, his tour bus pulls up in Nest Lake, Maine.

My little world is about to be shattered by loud music and the

pounding of my own foolish heart.

All Purchase Links

SERIES PAGE https://www.subscribepage.com/hushnote

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Excerpt

I watched Kira ride off, wondering what the hell had just happened. Sure, she probably guessed that I wrote that song about her. But she’d only heard the first few bars before sprinting away like I was the devil himself.

Spinning around, I located the lodge’s bike shed. I rolled a bike out and hopped on. The seat was too low for me, so I had to stand up on the pedals. 

But no matter. I rode off after Kira, my first time on a real bike in years. 

The road curved around to the left, and Kira’s house soon came into view. She was sitting on the front steps. She didn’t look all that surprised to see me biking toward her, but the look of pain on her face was so vivid that I could feel it in my gut. Something was wrong, and I still didn’t know what.

“Feel any better?”

She shook her head, and I thought I saw fear in her eyes.

“Kira,” I said softly. “I know you want me to leave you alone right now, but I can’t—our conversation isn’t over. In twenty-four hours I’ll be back on that bus. Honestly, you’re scaring me. When I last saw you, things seemed like they were on the upswing for you. When I said I think about you all the time, I didn’t mean to be a creeper. I meant that I was picturing a happy ever after for you.”

“Mama!” a little voice called from beyond the screen door.

At the sound of it, Kira’s whole body went rigid. And then tears spilled down her cheeks.

I heard little footsteps pounding onto the screened porch. And then a small set of hands became visible against the door just behind Kira. Quick as a flash, Kira leapt to her feet and spun around, darting through the door. It closed with a bang behind her.

“Whoa,” a man’s voice said. “Deep breaths, Kiki. What did he say?”

The hair stood up on my neck. I dropped the bicycle and covered the distance to the stoop in three paces. Leaping up, I opened the screen door. A little girl stood there, with fair, curly hair and blue-green eyes. I was no good with kids’ ages. She wasn’t an infant, but she wasn’t school-aged either. There was a babyish fullness to her face. She was three? Four? Five? I looked up at Kira.

“I’m so sorry,” she squeaked.

That’s when I finally understood. And I almost couldn’t draw breath to speak again. “I… She… What the fuck, Kira?” 

“That’s a very bad word,” the little girl said, accusation in her voice.

“Sorry,” I said automatically. I raised my eyes to Kira’s. “You… She…” 

I couldn’t think. There was pressure in my ears, and my pulse was ragged. Dizzy, I thought, absently, putting one hand on the door jamb for support.

“Breathe, man,” the guy behind Kira said. He wore a bright pink polo shirt and an expression of concern. “Sit down. Seriously, before you crash.”

I bent over and grabbed my knees. “Oh my God.” The only thing I could hear was my own ragged breathing and Kira’s choked sobs.

“Mama!” a little voice said, full of alarm. “Don’t cry!”

The scary moment stretched on, until I heard yet another bicycle approaching outside. A moment later, another male voice called out, “Knock-knock!”

The pink-polo-shirt guy answered him, his voice full of false cheer. “Hi, Luke!” Under his breath he added, “Wow. It’s raining men.” Then he scooped the little girl up in his arms, stepped around me, and walked out the screen door. It closed behind him with a bang.

I just stood there, staring at my shoes, trying to catch my breath. Kira’s shoes moved into my visual field, but I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. Not until my head could clear. Which would probably be sometime next week. 

We stood here, awkward and quiet for a couple of long minutes. There was some low-key chatter outside, and then I heard the sound of the bicycle departing. 

The guy in the polo shirt came back inside, alone. 

“You’re her brother.” I coughed, trying to reconstruct the world into a rational place.

“Yup,” the guy said. “Uncle Adam.”

“Where is Vivi?” Kira asked, her voice raw.

“Luke is taking her for a little bike ride. There may be ice cream involved.”

“Really, Adam?” Kira moved quickly to peer through the screen. “But that’s awkward.”

“Oh, honey. We have first class tickets on the HMS Awkward today. And the ship has sailed. Luke even had a pink helmet for her, Kiki. Just go with it, okay? I told him you were having a moment.”

I straightened up. “She’s having a moment,” I spat out. “Is that what this is?” My pulse was still pounding in my ears, but now from anger instead of shock.

Kira was as pale as a sheet. “I was going to tell you today.” She pulled a photo out of her pocket. “Here. I was trying to find a way.”

I snatched the picture from her hand. “She’s, what, four?” The photo shook as I tried to look at it. The little girl smiled up at the camera, a stuffed animal in her hands. It was purple. Somehow this detail made it all the more real. The little girl in the photo was clutching the purple cat I’d won at the fair all those years ago.

Review:

3.5-3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars

****

Lies and Lullabies by Sarina Bowen is book one of the Hush Note series by Sarina Bowen, Devney Perry and Rebecca Yarros. This book is Jonas and Kira's story. The two met in Kira's small home town in Maine and spent the summer becoming close friends. On the night before Jonas leaves at the end of the summer, he and Kira take things to a romantic level. When Jonas leaves, he remembers that summer fondly. Kira, however, is left alone and pregnant, with no idea of Jonas' real name, no way to contact him, and no idea that he's really a famous rock star. Five years later, Jonas comes back to Maine, one of the only places he's been happy and at peace. He's happy to see Kira again, but is in for the shock of his life when he finds out about his daughter, Vivi.

Lies and Lullabies is a cute, sweet, sexy read with a good bit of angst. I had a little bit of a hard time fully connecting with the story for some reason. Still, this was not a bad book. I love the secret baby trope and Vivi was adorable. I liked Kira and Jonas and felt like they made a good match and truly loved each other.

Overall, this was a good read. I am excited to read the rest of the books in this series about Jonas's bandmates and I look forward to whatever Ms. Bowen comes up with next!