Blog Tour: Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen + Review & Excerpt!

"Friends to lovers at its best-- a sweet indulgence I couldn’t put down!” - R.S. Grey, USA Today Bestselling Author

Baking Me Crazy, the first in the romantic comedy Donner Bakery Series of standalones, from Karla Sorensen is available now!

I'm Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family's curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense.

No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.

Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.

The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She's the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I've ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can't.

Because when we met, she didn't need true love. She needed a best friend. And that's what I've been to her... for five years.

But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend.

If I can't get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.

'Baking Me Crazy' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2kwvT7z

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2ku8Pq7

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/2lEMEh0

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lU7066

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2klKiUj

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Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2ku91Wg

REVIEW:

3.5-4 stars

****

Baking Me Crazy is the first book in the Donner Bakery series, which is set in Penny Reid's Green Valley/Winston Brothers world, and is written by Karla Sorensen. This was the first book I've read by Ms. Sorensen. I wasn't sure what to expect but I did enjoy this book. It does not have quite the same exact feel as the Winston brothers series, but it is an enjoyable small town romance.

This is Levi and Joss's story. Joss's family moves to town when she is in high school. She is in a wheelchair due to a disease that has affected her ability to walk. She is participating in wheelchair basketball, when she meets Levi, who is one of the coaches and recently graduated from high school himself. He is immediately attracted to Joss and asks her out, but she turns him down as she is still dealing with being differently abled and not in a good place to date. Instead they become the best of friends. For five years, they are inseparable. Levi dates, but Joss is never ready to date. Until she finally meets a guy she is interested in, who turns out to be her new physical therapist. Then Levi realizes he doesn't want to be in the friend zone anymore and wants her to give him a second chance for love.

I enjoyed this story and the writing. I liked Levi. Joss was a little prickly but I liked her more as the book went on, too. I did feeling like the unrequited love aspect went on too long. There was too much of a slow burn. Even at well over 50%, Joss was still crushing on her PT. So there was a good bit of OM drama in that respect. But this was still an enjoyable book. It was cute and an easy read with a little angst added in. The fact that Joss was differently abled and how she dealt with it was eye-opening and interesting. I liked seeing Green Valley and Penny's characters from another perspective.

Overall, Baking Me Crazy was an enjoyable read. I liked Joss and Levi as a couple. They really fit together and I was happy that they were able to move from friends to lovers and find happiness together. They were fun and sweet. I enjoyed my first foray into the Smarty Pants romance world and look forward to more!

Excerpt:

"Besides, this is my best friend perk. Shouldn't I get perks in baked goods?"

She cut me a look. "You've been getting those perks for two years, Buchanan. Don't even pretend you didn't put on a solid ten pounds that first year I started baking." Quite pointedly, she looked at my stomach, which we both knew was covered in muscle.

“That's rude," I mumbled under my breath. I flexed my bicep. Nero licked my elbow since it was right in front of him. "Yeah, ten pounds in my left arm maybe."

The noise she made roughly translated to you are ridiculous. She made that sound at me a lot. Of course, the sad truth of the matter was that I was ridiculous.

Not once in the past five years had my feelings lessened for her. I had just learned to live with them. In my junior year of undergrad, I was taking a class on brain pathology in injuries, and a man came to talk to us about how he learned to live without his right arm after it was amputated.

He told us about how, even years after he lost his arm, his brain still triggered sensations to the limb that was no longer there. The adult brain, in particular, struggled to reorganize after the loss of a limb, and given that four out of five amputees suffer from phantom pain symptoms, some of which were incredibly debilitating, it was a lesson that stuck with me.

I wasn't fool enough to think that me loving Jocelyn was on par with a man who’d lost his arm, but something about the way he talked plucked at a chord inside me. Sometimes my brain struggled to remember that we were just friends.

She'd never dated, never even hinted that she wanted to. She'd never given me a longing glance. Never stared at my mouth like she wondered what it tasted like.

But my hands never, not once, stopped wanting to reach for hers. My fingers always, always itched to dig into her crazy hair and see what the curve of her scalp felt like.

My brain knew what this relationship was, but sometimes, the signals it sent to the rest of my body didn't always match up with the truth of our situation. We worked out together a lot, Joss and I, and when she got frustrated with the limitations of her body, I always wanted to wrap my arms around her.

I wanted to pull her into the curve of my body, absorb her dissatisfaction into my skin, and carry it for her. That was the irony when she made noises like that.

She had absolutely no clue how ridiculous I really was.

About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.

Connect with Karla

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2lU6xAS

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2khRSPL

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Instagram: http://bit.ly/2lBNuez

Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/

Connect with Smartypants Romance

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Website: https://smartypantsromance.com/

Blog tour: Getting Played by Emma Chase + Review & Excerpt!

Getting Played by Emma Chase

Release Date: October 8, 2019

Getting Played, a magnificent new romance by New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase.

Dean Walker is all about keeping life simple. He’s effortlessly talented and intelligent—spending his summers playing drums in the local band and the rest of the year teaching high school in the same Jersey town where he grew up. He likes his love-life simple too, enjoying the commitment-free hook-ups his good looks and sexy charm have always made oh-so easy.

Then he meets Lainey Burrows. And his simple, easy life gets turned upside down.

***

One wild one-night stand was all it was ever supposed to be, so Lainey is shocked when she discovers that her sizzling summer fling is also her son’s new math teacher. But that’s nothing compared to the most unexpected twist of all—their hot hook-up left Lainey knocked-up, and now they’re about to become parents. Together.

What ensues is an addictive, insatiable, sweet and tender romance that won’t be simple, but it will be more than worth the fight.

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Download your copy today!

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

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

Audible Audiobook: http://bit.ly/gettingplayed

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2uV5cv7

Nook: http://bit.ly/2VzvVZT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2X1JdhM

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2IqcPkU

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

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2InZUA5

REVIEW:

4.25 stars

****

 Aww, this was a super sweet read. I really enjoyed this book. Getting Played is Dean and Lainey's story. Lainey is a single mom to a teenage son. She is a lifestyle vlogger and doesn't have a wild life, but a happy, simple one. One night, she is out at a bar with live music when she meets a member of the traveling band, Dean. They have amazing chemistry and have a hot one night stand, which is not Lainey's norm. Neither expect to see each other again and they do not exchange information, instead Lainey expects to look back on the night with fond memories. But life has other plans for them. Lainey finds out she is pregnant, but has no way to contact Dean. She follows through with her plans to move to a new town with her son and renovate an old house for a online show. Her exceptional son is in the super smart track at school and adores his new math teacher. Imagine Lainey's surprise when she meets the teacher and finds out he is Dean, the father of her unborn baby. Dean is shocked, but soon decides he is all-in for his child. Lainey and Dean must figure out how to make their situation work and they fall for each other along the way.

I loved this whole book. I really liked both Dean and Lainey. Dean is part cool, laid back musician who never plans on getting married, has casual hookup buddies and travels with his band every summer, and part very smart, caring, dedicated high school teacher who loves his students. He is willing to take his responsibilities seriously when he finds himself a future father and wants to explore being in a relationship with Lainey, for the first time in years. Lainey is the type person who makes the best of every situation. She has no expectations of Dean and has been a single mom for years so is willing to do it again. But she is willing to give Dean a chance when he tells her he wants one. Also, she is creative, sweet and a good mom. I really liked both of their characters and felt like they were a great match. They had a fun, sexy, mature, and sweet relationship. The two of them had great chemistry, good depth of character and their thoughts and emotions felt very real. If I have one complaint, it was how often Dean's past hookup buddies showed up all over town and caused a little drama. That is not my fave to read about. But it did not hamper my enjoyment of the book. I love a good surprise pregnancy and this was a great one. Also, I really liked the end of the book a lot. It made me cry.


Overall, this was just a great book. Dean and Lainey were sweet and awesome. Their love story was entertaining and fun, sexy and sweet. So far, this series has been great- two for two winners. I look forward to what Ms. Chase comes up with next!

Excerpt:

Dean

I find Lainey in the living room—standing on a ladder, with those long, toned legs peeking out from itty bitty cotton black shorts and a power drill in her hand, while Bruce Springsteen sings “I’m Goin’ Down” from a speaker in the corner. And, dear God—the things I could do to her on that ladder. Wonderful, filthy things that instantly make my heart pound and my cock throb. She’s the perfect height for me to just walk over there and put my mouth between her legs. I picture it, see it in my mind—the way she’d grip my hair and pant my name, arch her back and writhe against my face . . . But then I catch sight of the small bump of her stomach, and reality smacks me in the head. I think about the baby—and how making Lainey lose her mind three feet off the ground wouldn’t be the safest option. My protective instinct overrides the desire to get freaky on the ladder. “Hey, Dean.” She sets the drill on the ledge and picks up a beeping light green rectangle, running it along the wall. “What are you doing up there?” I ask. I don’t have a decorative bone in my body, but the room looks good—with light gray walls and navy corduroy covered couches, reclaimed wood tables and a dozen different-sized candles filling the white-washed brick fireplace. It’s clean and simple but warm, the kind of place you’d look forward to coming back to every day. “I’m going to hang up those boards.” Lainey gestures to three square planks, with ornamental arrows burned black into the wood. “I just want to make sure this stud-finder works.” “If you’re looking for a stud,” I wink, “I’m standing right in front of you.” “Ha-ha. I’ll keep that in mind.” She turns back to the wall, reaching up over her head and stretching onto her tippy toes on the narrow step. I move under the ladder to catch her if she goes ass over end, and a stab of terror slices through me at the thought that Lainey would still be doing this if I wasn’t here. Alone. Without Jason even in the room in case something went terribly wrong. What the hell is up with that? “I read that you’re not supposed to reach above your head when you’re pregnant.” “That’s just an old wives’ tale.” I wrap my hands around her hips, holding her steady. “Maybe the old wives knew what they were talking about. Come on, come down.” Slowly, Lainey lowers her arms and turns in my hands. I lift her off the ladder by her hips, tilting my head back and holding her above me for a moment, before sliding her slowly down. And the feel of her softness rubbing against me, the friction—it’s fantastic. When her feet are on the ground, I dip my head and our faces are just millimeters apart. Close enough to count the sprinkle of cute, light freckles that dust the bridge of her nose. “That’s better,” I say softly, taking the stud-finder out of her hands. “I’ll do it.” “Okay.” Lainey’s tongue peeks out, wetting her bottom lip. “Thanks.” Like I said . . . fucking killing me.

***

About Emma:

New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase writes contemporary romance novels known for their clever banter, emotional, and sexy, swoonworthy moments. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages around the world.

Emma lives in New Jersey with her amazing husband, two spirited children, and two adorable, but badly behaved, dogs. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Connect with Emma:

You can find Emma at https://authoremmachase.com

Facebook: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseFB

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseGR

Instagram: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseTw

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseAmz

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseBB

Blog Tour: Beard with Me by Penny Reid + Review & Excerpt!

“This is Penny Reid at her finest.” -- L.B. Dunbar, author

Beard With Me, an epic and breathtaking story from New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Penny Reid, is available now!

No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching.

Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart . . . except when it comes to Billy Winston.

No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances—because nothing is beyond his control—is Billy’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, he’d be the first person on earth to lead others to safety, overcome catastrophe, or die trying.

Billy is fearless, Billy is disciplined, and Billy is honorable . . . except when it comes to Scarlet St. Claire.

‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story.

.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2lAQAj8

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2kwugqz

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

Nook: http://bit.ly/2kz1KV8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2k8J1zM

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2kwnscx

Amazon Print: https://amzn.to/2koehLl

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2lzgOCt

REVIEW:

4.25 stars

****

Ahh! So Good! This will be super tricky to review because I can't say much about the plot. Just know that this book is Claire's story and is the origin story of the Winston family. We know from the other Winston brothers books where Claire and Billy are at their lives in the present, estranged from each other because of something that happened between them. Now, we get to find out what happened when they were very young that made them that way. We see Claire as a young teen and how her life is at that point. Things are pretty bleak for her for many reasons. This story was really good and there is romance, but there is also a sense of foreboding because we know that something is coming that is the catalyst for Claire and Billy's estrangement as adults. This book has the bittersweet feelings of young, new love and the awkward, teenage angst. There is a star crossed lovers feel. The story is, at times, sad, emotional and bittersweet, with moments of sweetness, love and a dash of humor. I really loved Billy and Claire in this book. I felt so sorry for everything they went through. I also very much enjoyed seeing the other Winston characters as kids, especially young Cletus.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. But I wanted more! I can. not. wait for Billy and Claire's book and, hopefully, their HEA! I bow down to Penny Reid's writing skills, imagination and evil geniosity.

Enter the giveaway for a signed paperback set of The Winston Brothers Series!

http://bit.ly/2mGr64Q

Excerpt

*Scarlet*

“Do you want me to leave?” Yes. That would be best, a wise voice said between my ears. So of course I inhaled deeply and said as calmly as I could manage, “I thought we were going to go get firewood.” “Okay. Good.” “But then,” I blurted, flustered and irritated with myself for not speaking wisdom, “You should go. You can’t tell me carting firewood back and forth between your house and here is how you want to spend the last of your Thanksgiving weekend.” “I didn’t say it was.” He began making his way up the incline. “But you just said—” “How about we make a deal.” Billy dropped the kindling next to my little woodpile, dusting his hands off on his pants. “I’ll cart the firewood, and you sing.” “You want me to serenade you while we carry firewood?” He smiled, slow and easy as he walked to me and reached out his hand. On autopilot, I accepted it and allowed him to help me up. As soon as I was standing, his gaze moved from my hairline down to my nose, lips, and then chin, saying quietly, “I’ll take a serenade from you anytime.” Thunk ka-thunk. That was my heart. It had been doing the thunk ka-thunk quite a lot around him. I ignored it, because what else could I do? “And you’re not carrying the wood.” He tugged on my hand, pulling me out of my daze and past my tent. “I will too carry wood.” Struggling to find my bearings, I stumbled after him. “I can carry logs just fine.” “You’ll carry a log.” Billy fit his fingers between mine, pressing our palms together and grinning at me like he was waiting for me to argue and he couldn’t wait. Snapping my mouth shut, I glared at him. “Nothing to say?” Maintaining my glare, I walked next to him. I wasn’t being led anywhere I didn’t wish to go. Not anymore. He wasn’t talking me into anything else. “That’s an awfully mean look, Scarlet.” His grin grew, his brutally attractive eyes glowing happily as he peered down at me. “Well, you deserve it. Always trying to tell me what I can and can’t do. I’m not arguing with you about this. I’m carrying as much wood as I want and you can take your stupid, chauvinistic opinions and shove them up your pretty-boy ass.” Goodness. Where had that come from? Billy’s steps faltered and his mouth fell open, his eyebrows rising high on his forehead. He stared at me, looking shocked as hell. And then in the next moment, he threw his head back and laughed. But he did not let go of me, instead bringing my knuckles to his chest as his deep, rumbly laughter filled the empty spaces between the trees, surrounding us. Crushing me. Yes. I was well and truly crushed as I could only watch Billy Winston laugh, desperately basking in the image of him so delighted and relaxed. I had the odd sense that his laughter also filled the empty spaces inside of me, the neglected, vacant rooms, and even a few places that felt brand-new, like he’d created them. All that noble honesty he carried around like a boulder abruptly lifted, revealing him. Just him. Carefree and young and happy. Someone he might’ve been if his burdens hadn’t been so heavy, his responsibilities so broad. It lasted only a minute, maybe two, maybe less, but I had the sense of being caught afterward. Billy’s laughter had receded, but he’d spun a web while I’d been staring at him, holding his hand. His grin became smaller and he bit his bottom lip, his gaze dropped to my mouth. “You think I’m pretty?” “You know you’re pretty,” I said, bizarrely out of breath, rattled, needing to anchor my focus to a tree beyond him and waging war against the heat climbing up my neck to my cheeks. Oddly, my eyes stung. I blinked. His attention was still on me. I felt it, but I didn’t dare look at him. I couldn’t handle one of Billy Winston’s intense stares right now. He’d probably use my scattered wits to his advantage, talk me into something I shouldn’t want to do, and then I’d be kicking myself later. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice deep with concern, all trace of his earlier humor gone. I huffed, trying half-heartedly to steal my hand back from him. He didn’t let it go, instead taking my tugging as a signal to step closer, filling my vision. “Scarlet—” “Are you ever going to teach me how to play the guitar?” I closed my eyes. He didn’t answer right away, and I felt him hesitate, his mind work before he muttered, “It’s only been a week.” A quality to his voice made me think he wasn’t answering the question I’d asked, but rather he was reminding himself that it had only been a week since we’d struck the deal. Was that only last week? Why does it feel like so much has changed? Then he said, “Don’t be angry.” “I’m not angry.” I was muddled, my head and heart hurt, I was incredibly confused, but I wasn’t angry. The air shifted and I felt him move closer. A second later, the fingers of his free hand were at my ear, tucking my hair behind it, his fingertips lingering at my neck, sending wave after wave of goose bumps every which way. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t think. Every nerve in my body strained toward him and I didn’t understand it. What is happening? “Have you ever been kissed, Scarlet?”

Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD

Twitter: @ReidRomance

Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

www.pennyreid.ninja

New Release: Getting Played by Emma Chase + Review!

Getting Played, a magnificent new romance by New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase is LIVE!

Dean Walker is all about keeping life simple. He’s effortlessly talented and intelligent—spending his summers playing drums in the local band and the rest of the year teaching high school in the same Jersey town where he grew up. He likes his love-life simple too, enjoying the commitment-free hook-ups his good looks and sexy charm have always made oh-so easy.

Then he meets Lainey Burrows. And his simple, easy life gets turned upside down.

***

One wild one-night stand was all it was ever supposed to be, so Lainey is shocked when she discovers that her sizzling summer fling is also her son’s new math teacher. But that’s nothing compared to the most unexpected twist of all—their hot hook-up left Lainey knocked-up, and now they’re about to become parents. Together.

What ensues is an addictive, insatiable, sweet and tender romance that won’t be simple, but it will be more than worth the fight.

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Review:

4.25 stars

Aww, this was a super sweet read. I really enjoyed this book. Getting Played is Dean and Lainey's story. Lainey is a single mom to a teenage son. She is a lifestyle vlogger and doesn't have a wild life, but a happy, simple one. One night, she is out at a bar with live music when she meets a member of the traveling band, Dean. They have amazing chemistry and have a hot one night stand, which is not Lainey's norm. Neither expect to see each other again and they do not exchange information, instead Lainey expects to look back on the night with fond memories. But life has other plans for them. Lainey finds out she is pregnant, but has no way to contact Dean. She follows through with her plans to move to a new town with her son and renovate an old house for a online show. Her exceptional son is in the super smart track at school and adores his new math teacher. Imagine Lainey's surprise when she meets the teacher and finds out he is Dean, the father of her unborn baby. Dean is shocked, but soon decides he is all-in for his child. Lainey and Dean must figure out how to make their situation work and they fall for each other along the way.


I loved this whole book. I really liked both Dean and Lainey. Dean is part cool, laid back musician who never plans on getting married, has casual hookup buddies and travels with his band every summer, and part very smart, caring, dedicated high school teacher who loves his students. He is willing to take his responsibilities seriously when he finds himself a future father and wants to explore being in a relationship with Lainey, for the first time in years. Lainey is the type person who makes the best of every situation. She has no expectations of Dean and has been a single mom for years so is willing to do it again. But she is willing to give Dean a chance when he tells her he wants one. Also, she is creative, sweet and a good mom. I really liked both of their characters and felt like they were a great match. They had a fun, sexy, mature, and sweet relationship. The two of them had great chemistry, good depth of character and their thoughts and emotions felt very real. If I have one complaint, it was how often Dean's past hookup buddies showed up all over town and caused a little drama. That is not my fave to read about. But it did not hamper my enjoyment of the book. I love a good surprise pregnancy and this was a great one. Also, I really liked the end of the book a lot. It made me cry.

Overall, this was just a great book. Dean and Lainey were sweet and awesome. Their love story was entertaining and fun, sexy and sweet. So far, this series has been great- two for two winners. I look forward to what Ms. Chase comes up with next!

Download your copy today!

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

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

Audible Audiobook: http://bit.ly/gettingplayed

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2uV5cv7

Nook: http://bit.ly/2VzvVZT

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2X1JdhM

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2IqcPkU

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

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2InZUA5

About Emma:

New York Times bestselling author Emma Chase writes contemporary romance novels known for their clever banter, emotional, and sexy, swoonworthy moments. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages around the world.

Emma lives in New Jersey with her amazing husband, two spirited children, and two adorable, but badly behaved, dogs. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Connect with Emma:

You can find Emma at https://authoremmachase.com

Facebook: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseFB

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseGR

Instagram: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseIG

Twitter: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseTw

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseAmz

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/AuthorEmmaChaseBB

New Release: Baking Me Crazy by Karla Sorensen + Review!

"Friends to lovers at its best-- a sweet indulgence I couldn’t put down!” - R.S. Grey, USA Today Bestselling Author

Baking Me Crazy, the first in the romantic comedy Donner Bakery Series of standalones, from Karla Sorensen is available now!

I'm Levi Buchanan, and until five years ago, I thought the legend of my family's curse was a load of crazy, Southern nonsense.

No curse can make you fall in love at first sight. No curse can force a true, deep, passionate, all-consuming love that will haunt you all the days of your life.

Then I met Jocelyn Abernathy and I realized how completely wrong I was.

The problem is, Jocelyn guards her feelings like well-armed soldier. She's the most beautiful, stubborn, infuriating woman I've ever met. Every time she talks, I want to kiss the living daylights out of her. But I can't.

Because when we met, she didn't need true love. She needed a best friend. And that's what I've been to her... for five years.

But when Jocelyn meets a handsome stranger her first day working at Donner Bakery and she lets him buy her a dill pickle cupcake, I realize with ominous regret that I may have missed my window with my best friend.

If I can't get her to see past our friendship, my new curse may be to watch the love of my life move on with someone else.

'Baking Me Crazy' is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Review:

3.5-4 stars

Baking Me Crazy is the first book in the Donner Bakery series, which is set in Penny Reid's Green Valley/Winston Brothers world, and is written by Karla Sorensen. This was the first book I've read by Ms. Sorensen. I wasn't sure what to expect but I did enjoy this book. It does not have quite the same exact feel as the Winston brothers series, but it is an enjoyable small town romance.

This is Levi and Joss's story. Joss's family moves to town when she is in high school. She is in a wheelchair due to a disease that has affected her ability to walk. She is participating in wheelchair basketball, when she meets Levi, who is one of the coaches and recently graduated from high school himself. He is immediately attracted to Joss and asks her out, but she turns him down as she is still dealing with being differently abled and not in a good place to date. Instead they become the best of friends. For five years, they are inseparable. Levi dates, but Joss is never ready to date. Until she finally meets a guy she is interested in, who turns out to be her new physical therapist. Then Levi realizes he doesn't want to be in the friend zone anymore and wants her to give him a second chance for love.

I enjoyed this story and the writing. I liked Levi. Joss was a little prickly but I liked her more as the book went on, too. I did feeling like the unrequited love aspect went on too long. There was too much of a slow burn. Even at well over 50%, Joss was still crushing on her PT. So there was a good bit of OM drama in that respect. But this was still an enjoyable book. It was cute and an easy read with a little angst added in. The fact that Joss was differently abled and how she dealt with it was eye-opening and interesting. I liked seeing Green Valley and Penny's characters from another perspective.

Overall, Baking Me Crazy was an enjoyable read. I liked Joss and Levi as a couple. They really fit together and I was happy that they were able to move from friends to lovers and find happiness together. They were fun and sweet. I enjoyed my first foray into the Smarty Pants romance world and look forward to more!

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About Karla Sorensen

Karla Sorensen has been an avid reader her entire life, preferring stories with a happily-ever-after over just about any other kind. And considering she has an entire line item in her budget for books, she realized it might just be cheaper to write her own stories. It doesn’t take much to keep her happy…a book, a really big glass of wine, and at least thirty minutes of complete silence every day. She still keeps her toes in the world of health care marketing, where she made her living pre-babies. Now she stays home, writing and mommy-ing full time (this translates to almost every day being a ‘pajama day’ at the Sorensen household…don’t judge). She lives in West Michigan with her husband, two exceptionally adorable sons and big, shaggy rescue dog.

Connect with Karla

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Website: http://www.karlasorensen.com/

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New Release: Bound by Lexi Blake

Bound, the first sexy paranormal romance in A Faery Story Series from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake writing as Sophie Oak is available now!

Megan Starke has given up believing in knights in shining armor. With an unrewarding job and a failed marriage, no one would confuse her life with a fairy tale. No one is coming to save the day or carry her off to a romantic fantasy. So when she wakes up in a magical world and discovers she is to be the grand prize in a fierce and bloody tournament, she isn’t sure if she’s having a sexy dream or a horrible nightmare.

Two kings without a kingdom

Beckett and Cian were raised to be the saviors of their people. Prepared all their lives to lead the Seelie Fae, prophecy proclaimed they would find a bondmate whose love would complete them and unleash their magical powers. But the thrust of a traitor’s blade stole that future and now it threatens to take their lives. Struggling in exile, their glorious destiny has become a curse. Unless they can find the perfect woman to save them, they will descend into madness and ruin. When all hope seems lost, Beck sees Meg and knows she’s the key to their salvation.

An epic battle begins

In a world filled with dethroned kings, upwardly mobile vampires, and dangerous, feline-loving hags, Meg will need all her strength to survive. Finding herself caught between Beck and Cian, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to claim her happily ever after.

Re-released in a second edition. Re-edited but no substantial changes.

Download your copy today!

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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

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Blog Tour: War of Hearts by S. Young + Excerpt & Review!

War of Hearts by S. Young

Release Date: October 1, 2019

War of Hearts, an all-new adult paranormal romance by New York Times bestselling author S. Young.

Thea Quinn has no idea what she is. All she knows is that her abilities have been a plague upon her life since she was a child. After years of suffering at the hands of a megalomaniac, Thea escaped and has been on the run ever since.

The leadership and protection of his pack are of the utmost importance to Conall MacLennan, Alpha and Chief of Clan MacLennan, the last werewolf pack in Scotland. Which is why watching his sister slowly die of a lycanthropic disease is emotional torture. When Conall is approached by a businessman who offers a cure for his sister in exchange for the use of Conall’s rare tracking ability, Conall forges an unbreakable contract with him. He has to find and retrieve the key to the cure: dangerous murderer, Thea Quinn.

Thea’s attempts to evade the ruthless werewolf are not only thwarted by the Alpha, but by outside dangers. With no choice but to rely on one another for survival, truths are revealed, intensifying a passionate connection they both fight to resist. At war with themselves and each other, Conall and Thea’s journey to Scotland forces them to face a heartrending choice between love and betrayal.

REVIEW:

4.5 stars

****

Wow. This book was really good! I have been a fan of Samantha Young's contemporary romance, so I was looking forward to this foray into the paranormal genre. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book just as much, if not more than her contemporaries! This book is one of the best paranormal romances I have ever read.

War of Hearts is Thea and Conall's book. Thea is on the run from a bad past, constantly hiding and unsure of who or what she really is. She has powers that she can not explain or fully control and an evil man is out to get her. Conall is a Scottish werewolf chief. His younger sister is dying of a lycanthropic disease. He is approached by a mysterious businessman who offers him a cure for his sister in exchange for tracking Thea and bringing her to him. He is told that Thea is a dangerous killer, but once he finds her, Conall soon sees that is not true. As they spend time together, while Conall is traveling to bring her back, they find they have a strong connection and attraction. Nothing is how it seemed. They soon find themselves fighting an evil force together, and falling in love.

I loved Conall and Thea. They were both strong, interesting characters and made a great match. The world building is very good and has great potential for more stories in the future. I loved the story, the characters and the romance. There is suspenseful, action filled moments, some sexy ones and some moments of humor. I was engrossed in War of Hearts and could not put it down. Just writing this review makes me want to do a reread.

Overall, I loved this book and I really hope it is continued into a series!

*****************

Download your copy today!

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  Excerpt:

Stepping back inside the motel room, Thea halted as Conall came out of the bathroom. His height caused a logistical problem for her next move. Although his color hadn’t fully returned to normal, the wolf was looking much stronger. She didn’t know if she could take him in a fight when he was at full strength, which was more than a little concerning. As if he’d read her mind, he cut her an expressionless look. “You should have left me to die, lass.” “Probably. I guess I’m just going to have to take the chance you were bluffing.” He frowned and opened his mouth to question her, but Thea had already made her move. Before he could comprehend it, she was on the bed behind him and reaching for his head before his weakened reflexes could catch up. The crack of his neck echoed around the room, causing a sick lurch in Thea’s stomach. For some reason, stupid tears stung her eyes as she watched his body hit the ground with an almighty thud. Why should she care? It wasn’t like he was dead. She’d knocked him out. For … however long he took to heal. And he had stuck her with that goddamn injection. Speaking of … Thea jumped off the mattress, avoiding Conall’s body. Earlier when she’d been treating his wounds, she’d spied the syringes in the first aid kit. Grabbing them, Thea hurried out of the motel room and toward the fields beyond. Quickly she dug a hole with her bare hands and buried the syringes. Hurrying back, she avoided staring at Conall because he looked very much dead. She grabbed his wallet and as she took his money, leaving him his credit cards, a folded-up photograph caught her attention. Curiosity got the better of her and she pulled it out. Smoothing her fingers across the picture, she spotted who she thought was Conall only to realize it wasn’t. The man who looked like him was standing next to a much younger Conall, and Thea deduced it was his father. The younger Conall had his arm around the waist of a small, redheaded girl buried into his side. And beside the man she’d mistaken for Conall was a beautiful redheaded woman. Was this Conall and his family? They were standing on a rocky beach, a beautiful lake and mountains behind them. Thea wondered which one of them was sick. Which of these people was he willing to sacrifice her for? Memories of her own parents swelled in her throat, burning and screaming to get out. But Thea shoved them back down as she shoved the photograph into his wallet. There were times she pulled those memories out and let herself swim in the pain because it was worth it to remember the happy moments. But now was not the time. With a ruthless supernatural sure to wake up from a broken neck wanting to kill her, and some unknown entity out there hunting her too, now was very much the time to go.

About S. Young: 

Samantha Young is a New York Times and #1 International bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. On Dublin Street was Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in thirty countries. She has since published over thirteen romance titles including the New York Times Bestsellers Into the Deep, Hero, and her most recent contemporary romance Fight or Flight. When writing Adult Paranormal romance she writes under the pen name S. Young.

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Email – authorsamanthayoung@gmail.com

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