New Release: Written with Regret by Aly Martinez + Review!

Written With Regret, the first in an all-new emotional duet from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez, is available now!

Every little girl dreams of the fairytale. The one where the white knight rushes in to save her from the clutches of evil. They fall in love, have babies, and live happily ever after.

By that definition, my life should have been a fairytale too.

When I was eight years old, Caven Hunt saved me from the worst kind of evil to walk the Earth. It didn’t matter that I was a kid. I fell in love with him all the same.

But that was where my fairytale ended.

Years later, a one-night stand during the darkest time imaginable gave us a little girl. It was nothing compared to the pitch black that consumed me when I was forced to leave her with Caven for good.

At the end of every fairytale, the happily-ever-after is the one thing that remains consistent. It wasn’t going to be mine, but there hadn’t been a night that passed where I hadn’t prayed that it would be hers.

I owed Caven my life.

However, I owed that innocent child more.

And that included ripping the heart from my chest and facing her father again.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Qbg6qg

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

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2IOYdg5

Pre-order the stunning conclusion, Written With You, today!

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

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

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

REVIEW:

4.25-4.5 stars

****

Ahh, this book was sooo good! I could not put it down and I ending up reading it in one sitting. Written with Regret is book one in the Regret duet. This is the first book in Caven and Hadley's story. It is a twisty, turny, angsty read so I can't describe the story very much without giving too much away. I will say this- Caven is a tech millionaire whose life is turned upside down when a newborn baby is left on his doorstep with a note that she is his daughter, Rosalee. Now, five years later, Hadley has returned with hopes of being in Rosalee's life. But there is so much more to the story than that.

This book is fast paced and keeps you guessing. It is emotional, angsty, sexy and it even made me cry. Caven and Hadley had gone through a lot of heartache in their lives from a young age. Their relationship starts off very rocky and is slow burn, enemies to lovers. I really liked both of their characters and felt bad for both of them. I loved them together and I am rooting for them to finally get the HEA they deserve. Rosalee was adorable and written age appropriately.

Now, this book does have a doozie of a cliffhanger. So many questions! It really leaves you wondering what is going on and if anything is what it seemed to be. I can. not. wait. to read book 2, Written with You. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to more from Aly Martinez!

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: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAlyMartinez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlyMartinezAuth

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2We92eT

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2V32S4B

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2UKGUOM

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2DEpPAh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authoralymartinez/

Website: https://alymartinez.com/

Stay up to date with Aly by signing up for her mailing list today:

https://alymartinez.com/subscribe-to-my-newsletter/

Blog Tour: The Billionaire Boss Next Door by Max Monroe + Review & Excerpt!

The Billionaire Boss Next Door, an all-new hilarious romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe, is available now!

My new boss has it all. In spades.

Gorgeous green eyes? Check.

Hard-and-sexy body? Check.

Intelligence? Check.

Success? A big fat billionaire… Check.

Too bad I haven’t started out on the best foot.

My big mouth has already turned him against me, and tempting good looks and success aside, Trent Turner is no peach either. He’s stubborn and thick-headed, and son of a fruitcake, he thinks he knows everything there is to know about the hotel business.

With him running the development of the new Vanderturn New Orleans Hotel and me doing the design, our work relationship is far too intimate for two people who absolutely despise one another.

But that’s not all.

See, he isn’t just my billionaire boss from hell. He’s my new neighbor, too.

Same city.

Same building.

Same floor.

Trent Turner is my billionaire boss next door.

Holy moly, let’s hope my career—and hormones—can survive.

Disclaimer: If you generally love to suffer, hate fun of any kind, and are allergic to laughter, this book is not for you.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Vy4KOk

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

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2uEva5S

REVIEW:

3.5 stars

***

This ended up being a pretty good book, although I felt it started off a little rough. The Billionaire Boss Next Door is the first book in a new billionaires series with a new group of friends (Move over Billionaire Bad Boys gang). This book is Greer and Trent's book. Greer lives in New Orleans and has a struggling interior design company. After a few bad years, her business is on the verge of bankruptcy and she is close to losing her home. Her last ditch effort to save her business is that she has been hired to decorate a new hotel in town. The only problem is that she got off on the wrong foot with her new boss, Trent, the hotel owner's son, before she even knew who he was. Now Greer and Trent hate each other. They are stuck dealing with each other, working very closely and living next door to each other. As they spend time together, though, they can see they have misjudged each other. Enemies turn to friends and then to lovers.

Since this book is a rom-com, humor is expected, however, much of the humor in the book is cheesy, corny, and trying too hard to be funny. But I got used to the slapstickness of it after awhile, and even if I didn't love that aspect, I tolerated it. The first half of the book was slow moving and took me a long time to get into. I wasn't sure how I felt about either Trent or Greer when they were so hateful towards each other. I didn't see why I should like them until they started liking each other and I could see the good in them. Once they got together, the book become much more enjoyable.

I like Trent for the most part. It took me quite a while to get to like Greer's character. She comes off as abrasive, grumpy, overly sarcastic, and rude, when I think she is supposed to be quirky, honest and funny. She is rude to everyone, including her best friend. I didn't like her for the first half of the book, but she does soften towards the middle of the book once she and Trent become a couple. I didn't really understand why they hated each other so much after they met. They exchanged a few words of prickly banter, but it was blown out of proportion into this huge reason to hate each other that I did not get. and it made the conflict kind of pointless.

Once Trent and Greer realize they like each other, I really enjoyed the book. I felt the love between the couple. Trent, especially, really adored Greer for her "quirky" personality. I was hoping there was not going to be more angst thrown in. But there is one last conflict, due to eavesdropping and a misunderstanding that leads to a plot device I am not a fan of. The ending also felt very rushed.

Still, this series will probably be pretty good. It may just take awhile to get used to after we've been used to the OG Billionaire Bad Boys gang. The new friend group from this series was interesting. I liked Emory and Quincey. Caplin/Cap is the new Thatch copycat character. Not as funny and cute as the original. He's very much a manwhore who can't remember his conquests names from day to day and probably has STDs. So I'm not terribly excited about his future book. But I am still looking forward to more from the series.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. If you start reading this book and you are unsure, hang in there and try to finish it because it gets better as you go along. The story was fun, entertaining and interesting. I enjoyed Trent and Greer's relationship development. I look forward to more from Max Monroe in the future!

Excerpt:

It only takes five minutes inside the hotel gym to realize why my original plan was to eat a hamburger in bed. I do not got this. I’m not good at working out, I’ve never been good at working out, and I’ll never be good at working out. I don’t know what to do with the equipment, and it doesn’t know what to do with me. Clearly, it’s been designed for people with half a foot more height and fifty percent more muscle, and even on the lowest of settings, I fumble my way through biceps curls like an uncoordinated inchworm. I can barely reach the handles, so I have to kind of stoop to get in position, but the newly formed curve of my spine makes me have to arch and wiggle to complete the curl. If it weren’t for my kick-ass Metallica T-shirt, I might start to worry that I look foolish. The ten-pound weight clanks as I drop it the inch and a half I managed to lift it in the first place, and I stand up to find a different machine. Surely there’s something in here I can operate without having a special license. I find some kind of seated thing with weights on one end and a padded face rest on the other. I sit, lay my face down, and attempt to slide my legs underneath the weighted bar. But, it’s completely awkward and uncomfortable, and I start questioning what in the fuck this thing is even supposed to do. Just before I give up completely, a throat clears deeply beside me, and I look up to see a far too muscular man staring down at me in confusion. “Uh…wow…I didn’t realize you could use it that way…” Huh? I nearly ask him what he’s talking about, but his actions answer any and all questions I might have. He sits down on the machine beside mine—an identical machine to mine—and it’s then I realize the face rest is not a face rest. It’s a seat. For asses. A seat for sweaty, workout asses. Jesus Christ. I shudder and disentangle myself from the machine. “You okay?” Arnold Schwarzenegger’s long-lost brother asks, but I just nod off his question and put some much-needed distance between us. Also, I scrub my face with the hand towel I brought down from my room like it’s a fucking Brillo pad capable of removing the ball sweat that’s probably found itself a home in my pores. Note to self: take one thousand scalding-hot showers tonight. With a deep inhale, I try to regain some of the pride I lost back there by Mr. Muscles and peruse the room until I find a machine that’s labeled with instructional pictures to boot. Hip. Abduction. Do I need aliens to use this thing? Against my better judgment, I study the pictures and peptalk myself into sitting down on the seat and swing my legs over to the inside of the knee pads. No face-to-butt-sweat mistakes happening here, folks! The weight is set on one hundred and fifty pounds from the person before me, and it makes me wonder if Thor is staying at this hideous hotel too. I pull out the pin and put it on forty instead. After a quick test push with my legs, the setting seems doable, so I take out my phone and start scrolling through it to set up some music to accompany me. Yes. Yes. That’s exactly what I need. Some workout jams. Of course, once I’m on it, I get distracted by Instagram, and five minutes go by before I realize I’m sitting on a machine, not a couch, and the purpose here is to do something other than lounge. I glance up from my phone and scan the room, wondering slightly if anyone knows how long I’ve been sitting here. Mr. Muscles has moved on to a new machine, but a different guy across the room makes eye contact and smirks. Busted. Normal human decency dictates he should let me off the hook and go about his day, but this fit, Adonis-looking, sweat-covered, brown-haired, green-eyed—good God, he’s attractive—man apparently has no manners. Shit. His sleeveless white T-shirt clings to his tanned body as he strides my way, and his athletic shorts conform to a muscular set of thighs and ass. I look everywhere but at him, fiddling with the machine as though I’m doing something productive, but he still doesn’t get the hint. Raspy and firm, the clearing of his throat sounds right next to me. I look up as innocently as I can manage and pull out my earbuds as though I had music playing. “Um, hi,” I say with a cute little manufactured laugh. “I’ll be done in just a second.” He laughs too, but his seems genuine and undeniably directed at me. “If you keep up your current pace, I think it’s going to be a little longer.” “Excuse me?” “Come on,” he says good-naturedly—the prick. “You’re just pretending to work out.” Oh no, he did not just say that…. “I’m not pretending to work out,” I deny. “I’m just getting warmed up.” He nods knowingly. “And setting up my music,” I continue. He hums. “I’m just about to catch my stride.” “Sure you are.” He calls bullshit with his smug, green as fuck eyes, and for the briefest of moments, they glance down at my chest and my legs before meeting my gaze again. “But there are people who would like to really use it, so if you’re done…” What. The. Fuck. Who does this guy think he is? “Are you always this rude?” I question, and his green eyes lighten a bit. “All right, you’re right. I’m really not trying to be a dick,” he says and runs a hand through his hair. Should it really take that much effort not to be a dick? “Let’s start over…” He pauses and pushes a small smile to his full, kissable lips. “How are you enjoying the hotel?” Start over? How about let’s never have started at all? Still annoyed, I don’t censor my answer. “It’s…swell.” He laughs at first, but when I raise an eyebrow in contention, he frowns. “You don’t like it?” “Maybe ugly décor and a whole buttload of pretention are good for some people, but not for me.” “Ugly décor? Really?” How can he be shocked by this? Anyone with eyes could see the design flaws here. “Are you kidding? I feel like I’m in my ninety-year-old grandmother’s living room, except it’s a waking nightmare and I’m about to be eaten alive by the curtains.” “I don’t think it’s that bad. It’s timeless.” Normally, I’m not such a snob about design, nor do I make a point to make other people feel bad for their likes and dislikes, but for some reason, this handsome prick and his dickish attitude just bring it out in me. Before I know it, I’m channeling Regina George. “Well…” I pause and scrunch up my nose dramatically. “I’m sorry to break the news to you, but the design of this place looks like it was done by a blind rat. Gilded sailboat pictures and tapestries with oxen on them aren’t timeless. They’re old.” His eyebrows pinch together, highlighting the otherwise perfect features of his face. Goddamn this ugly hotel for housing such perfect-looking humans. “What did you say your name was again?” Shit. Emory will absolutely murder me if she finds out I got into some kind of confrontational tête-à-tête with a random Romeo in the hotel gym. Let’s also not forget this hotel gym is located inside a hotel that is owned by the company you’re about to interview with… Shit. Yeah. I’d better cut and run while I can. “I didn’t.” I jump up from the machine with the exact agility I’ve lacked during the rest of my workout and offer a saccharine smile. “But, hey, good news. Machine’s all yours.” “Aren’t you going to wipe it down?” he asks as I walk toward the door, and I can’t help but turn around for my parting shot. “Why?” I smirk at the pouty-lipped asshole. “After all, I was just pretending to work out.” Because you know what dicks can do? They can go fuck themselves and wipe down their own workout equipment, tight asses and chiseled jaws be damned. Suck on that, workout Romeo.

About Max Monroe:

A secret duo of romance authors team up under the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Max Monroe to bring you sexy, laugh-out-loud reads. Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.

Connect with Max Monroe:

Website: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/max-monroe

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

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaxmonroe/

Stay up to date with Max Monroe by joining their mailing list today: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/newsletter

New Release: The Billionaire Boss Next Door by Max Monroe

The Billionaire Boss Next Door, an all-new hilarious romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe, is available now!

My new boss has it all. In spades.

Gorgeous green eyes? Check.

Hard-and-sexy body? Check.

Intelligence? Check.

Success? A big fat billionaire… Check.

Too bad I haven’t started out on the best foot.

My big mouth has already turned him against me, and tempting good looks and success aside, Trent Turner is no peach either. He’s stubborn and thick-headed, and son of a fruitcake, he thinks he knows everything there is to know about the hotel business.

With him running the development of the new Vanderturn New Orleans Hotel and me doing the design, our work relationship is far too intimate for two people who absolutely despise one another.

But that’s not all.

See, he isn’t just my billionaire boss from hell. He’s my new neighbor, too.

Same city.

Same building.

Same floor.

Trent Turner is my billionaire boss next door.

Holy moly, let’s hope my career—and hormones—can survive.

Disclaimer: If you generally love to suffer, hate fun of any kind, and are allergic to laughter, this book is not for you.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Vy4KOk

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

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2uEva5S

REVIEW:

3.5 stars

***

This ended up being a pretty good book, although I felt it started off a little rough. The Billionaire Boss Next Door is the first book in a new billionaires series with a new group of friends (Move over Billionaire Bad Boys gang). This book is Greer and Trent's book. Greer lives in New Orleans and has a struggling interior design company. After a few bad years, her business is on the verge of bankruptcy and she is close to losing her home. Her last ditch effort to save her business is that she has been hired to decorate a new hotel in town. The only problem is that she got off on the wrong foot with her new boss, Trent, the hotel owner's son,  before she even knew who he was. Now Greer and Trent hate each other. They are stuck dealing with each other, working very closely and living next door to each other. As they spend time together, though, they can see they have misjudged each other. Enemies turn to friends and then to lovers.

Since this book is a rom-com, humor is expected, however, much of the humor in the book is cheesy, corny,  and trying too hard to be funny. But I got used to the slapstickness of it after awhile, and even if I didn't love that aspect, I tolerated it. The first half of the book was slow moving and took me a long time to get into. I wasn't sure how I felt about either Trent or Greer when they were so hateful towards each other. I didn't see why I should like them until they started liking each other and I could see the good in them. Once they got together, the book become much more enjoyable.

I like Trent for the most part. It took me quite a while to get to like Greer's character. She comes off as abrasive, grumpy, overly sarcastic, and rude, when I think she is supposed to be quirky, honest and funny. She is rude to everyone, including her best friend. I didn't like her for the first half of the book, but she does soften towards the middle of the book once she and Trent become a couple. I didn't really understand why they hated each other so much after they met. They exchanged a few words of prickly banter, but it was blown out of proportion into this huge reason to hate each other that I did not get. and it made the conflict kind of pointless.

Once Trent and Greer realize they like each other, I really enjoyed the book. I felt the love between the couple. Trent, especially, really adored Greer for her "quirky" personality.  I was hoping there was not going to be more angst thrown in. But there is one last conflict, due to eavesdropping and a misunderstanding that leads to a plot device  I am not a fan of. The ending also felt very rushed.

Still, this series will probably be pretty good. It may just take awhile to get used to after we've been used to the OG Billionaire Bad Boys gang. The new friend group from this series was interesting. I liked Emory and Quincey. Caplin/Cap is the new Thatch copycat character. Not as funny and cute as the original. He's very much a manwhore who can't remember his conquests names from day to day and probably has STDs. So I'm not terribly excited about his future book. But I am still looking forward to more from the series.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. If you start reading this book and you are unsure, hang in there and try to finish it because it gets better as you go along. The story was fun, entertaining  and interesting. I enjoyed Trent and Greer's relationship development. I look forward to more from Max Monroe in the future!

About Max Monroe:

A secret duo of romance authors team up under the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Max Monroe to bring you sexy, laugh-out-loud reads. Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far. 

Connect with Max Monroe:

Website: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/max-monroe

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

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaxmonroe/

Stay up to date with Max Monroe by joining their mailing list today: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/newsletter

New Release: Rescue Me by Heather R. Blair + Review!

Rescue Me

by Heather R. Blair

Rett Davis doesn’t rescue people. Not anymore. The former Special Forces operative has made a quiet home in the mountains of Idaho, surrounded by solitude and the horses that need him. He prefers four-legged creatures to the two-legged kind anyway. 

Until he lays eyes on her.   

Izzy Kozlov doesn’t lean on anyone. It isn’t safe. But when the young dancer’s past catches up to her in the most violent of ways, she doesn’t have a choice. 

The big man with the dark eyes and the perpetual scowl won’t give her one. 

Rett is determined to keep Izzy safe, but she’s just as determined to keep her secrets. When a storm sweeps down off the mountain and those secrets come calling at last, Rett must perform one more rescue…  

And hope it doesn’t go like the last one. 

Come read about the men and women of Purgatory, Idaho, perpetually caught somewhere between heaven and hell. *Rescue Me features Dane “Fish’ Munroe from Susan Stoker’s Rescuing Bryn. 

Buy Links:

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RH7V7L8/

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07RH7V7L8/

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07RH7V7L8/

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07RH7V7L8

Review:

4 stars

****

 This was a great romantic suspense read! Rescue Me includes cameos from Dane from Susan Stoker's book, Rescuing Bryn, but it is primarily Rett and Izzy's story. Rett is a former Special Forces military man who has a sad past and survivor's guilt. Since he retired, he has been a recluse, living in a cabin in the Idaho mountains. He only comes down the mountain to the closest town, Purgatory, for supplies. But one day when he is visiting town something happens and he steps in to save Izzy from danger. Izzy is a former ballet dancer with a poor family life and a past that has her on the run. She is hiding out in the Purgatory, working as a stripper, when her past comes back to haunt her. Rett saves Izzy and takes her to hide out in his cabin in order to keep her safe. As the two spend time together, these two begin to fall for each other. They must face demons from both of their pasts in order to face a future together. 

I really enjoyed this book. Rett and Izzy were complete opposites who attracted. He was a gruff cowboy and, despite currently being a stripper, Izzy was innocent and full of sunshine. She stole his heart and melted his gruff exterior. They made an unlikely pair and a perfect match. Their chemistry was amazing and I definitely felt the love between them. I enjoyed the story and found it was a great balance of suspense and romance. I have not read the Susan Stoker series this book spins off of, but that did not affect my enjoyment at all. Also, this book is a novella, but it feels like a full length book. 

Overall, Rescue Me is a sweet, sexy and suspenseful book! I enjoyed seeing Rett and Izzy's relationship develop. I look forward to more from Ms. Blair in the future! 

New Release: The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren + Review!

The Unhoneymooners

by Christina Lauren

For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—even love—in this witty and swoonworthy romance from the New York Times bestselling duo who “hilariously depict modern dating” (Us Weekly) and authors of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and Roomies.


Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, 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. 



What the media is saying...

“Heartfelt and funny, this enemies-to-lovers romance shows that the best things in life are all-inclusive and nontransferable as well as free.” ~Kirkus Starred Review

“Lauren brilliantly wields familiar rom-com tropes—enemies to lovers, fake marriage, even height differences—to craft a delightful romance that will have readers hanging on every word.” ~Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Sassy and appealing, writing duo Lauren’s ( My Latest Half-Night Stand) latest endeavor is sure to please. A perfect read for beach or poolside, this is one hot summer story not to miss!”~Library Journal Starred Review

Review:

4 stars

****

 This was a good book! In the past I really enjoyed CLo books, but over the last few years their books just haven't been the same to me. The Unhoneymooners broke that streak for me and brought me back to the joy I felt when I first started reading their books. This book is a true romance with some funny moments, sweet and emotional ones (as opposed to their last few books which felt like women's fiction to me). I was skeptical that I would love this book, but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it and how hard it was to put down. 

The Unhoneymooners is Olive and Ethan's story. Olive has always been unlucky. Her luck has recently gotten worse when she lost her job and her roomate around the same time. But her luck may be turning around when she finally gets a job and then she gets a chance to take the trip of a lifetime. The only problem is that she has to go with a guy who she thinks hates her. 

Olive's twin sister is marrying Ethan's brother. Olive liked Ethan on first meeting him several years ago, but they got off to a poor start and have avoided each other since. On the day of their siblings wedding, due to their personal food issues, they are the only wedding guests to not eat off of the seafood buffet at the wedding. The entire wedding party and all the guests get terrible food poisoning. It is impossible for the newlyweds to go on their honeymoon. So Olive's sister insists she take the trip to Hawaii, which can't be rescheduled because it was won in a contest, and bring Ethan with her. 

Olive is skeptical that she could enjoy any trip she takes with Ethan. He treats her with disdain and they fight constantly. But she is willing to try and just avoid Ethan as much as she can while they share a honeymoon suite. But as Ethan and Olive are forced to spend time together in paradise, they find their impressions about each other, and what they think the other person is thinking about them, is wrong. They truly get to the bottom of their differences, get to know each other and fall for each other over their two week vacation. There is some complications because they have to pose as a married couple to keep their free vacation going and they run into people they actually know, which makes it hard to keep the ruse going. Once they get home, they also have to face their siblings and families, who may not be happy about their new relationship. Can they make it through the vacation and carry their new found love into the real world?

I really enjoyed this story. It was original and interesting. I loved both Olive and Ethan. They were opposites and they did bicker a lot, but they were very honest with each other as well, which made their relationship refreshing. They were really fun and deep characters, who were all about each other. The two of them got off on the wrong foot when they met and had bad impressions of each other, but it all worked out in the end. I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop. It felt like a slow burn, even though they fell in love over a two week trip. Both Olive and Ethan grew as people together as the book went on. I enjoyed all of the side characters of Olive's large Mexican American family too. The only thing I didn't totally love was the low heat level and somewhat fade to black sex scenes. Still, it didn't bother me too much. 

Overall, The Unhoneymooners was an entertaining, easy and cute read. There were some sweet, emotional, and funny moments. This was a book about finding yourself, growing as a person and falling in love along the way. I enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to more in this vein from Christina Lauren in the future!

New Release: Unbroken by Jay Crownover + Excerpt & Review!

   

From New York Times bestselling author Jay Crownover comes UNBROKEN, the prequel novella in her brand new Loveless, Texas series! Check out the amazing excerpt below, and grab your copy today!

 

About UNBROKEN:

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes a captivating novella about a rugged rodeo star who will do anything to protect the people he loves.

When rodeo star Crew Lawton loses everything in a bad bet, he has no choice but to take a new job to pay off his debts – even if it means becoming the face of an expensive male skincare line. Crew is used to getting sweaty and rustling in the dirt, not posing for photo shoots. And he’s certainly not used to being bossed around by a woman who doesn’t even know the difference between bulls and broncs. But Crew owes money to dangerous criminals, and he’ll do anything Della says in order to pay them back and keep them far away from his family in Loveless, Texas…

The launch of her new men’s line for her family’s company means everything to Della Deveaux, and she’s not willing to let some rugged, arrogant cowboy ruin her campaign. Crew Lawton is the last man she would have chosen to represent her chic, sophisticated brand. Unfortunately, her father already invested millions in Crew’s stupidly handsome face. Yet the more time they spend together, Della and Crew realize that opposites do attract. But when the time comes for Crew to face his past mistakes, will he be able to protect his family…and the woman he’s come to love?

 

GRAB YOUR COPY OF UNBROKEN TODAY!

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REVIEW:

3.5 stars

***

 Unbroken is the first book in the new Loveless, Texas series from Ms. Crownover. This is Della and Crew's book. Della's father runs the family skin care company she works for and has hired a new face for her advertising campaign for their men's line without consulting her. Crew is that face. He is a rodeo champion who has gotten himself into trouble with gambling. He owes a huge amount of money to some pretty bad guys who are willing to go after his family if he doesn't pay up fast. They have him throwing his rodeo matches, ruining his career, so that they can bet on his opponent and make money off him. He is miserable and desperate. So when he finds out his agent signed him up to model for Della's company, he decides to go through with it for the money. When Della and Crew meet, both are skeptical of each other as they are polar opposites. Della is an uptight city girl to him and Crew is a country bumpkin ladies man to her. But as they spend time working together for Della's campaign, the two of them find opposites attract. Crew has to face his demons, see if his luck can turn around and if he can get the girl.

I liked this book, but I do think it was a bit of a slow start. I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half. It definitely took me awhile to feel the chemistry between Della and Crew. At first, there seemed to be too much telling and not showing, which made it hard to connect to the story. But I liked them both after I got to know their characters. They were total opposites but were just what each other needed. I just found the book a little slow. For a novella, it felt long and a little tedious at times. Still, I liked the story and the setup for the new series. I really am looking forward to Crew's brother and sister's stories. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this new series and Ms. Crownover!

  EXCERPT: 

 “This the one, Ms. Priss?” I turned in a circle, hating how restrictive and stiff the refined suit felt. There would be no staying on the horse for eight seconds in something like this. I doubted I could even bend over and pull my boots on in this getup. I failed to see how being dressed like I was going to high tea with the queen was going to convince normal men with a little extra cash to buy the junk in my hair. It felt like overkill, but I would chew my tongue off before telling Della that. I knew how much this campaign meant to her, and I needed her to keep me around so I could get paid. .. and get to kiss her again. Della circled around me, eyes scanning from head to toe. A small frown tugged her perfectly arched brows down into a V, and her lush, soft mouth pulled into a pout I was becoming achingly familiar with. She lifted a hand and touched the knot of the silk tie where it rested at the base of my throat. She fingered the delicate material and heaved a sigh. “You look perfect, but something is still off.” She met my gaze with a scowl. “Can you try and look a little less like you’re being tortured? That might help the overall image.” Her snippy tone and the upturn of her nose made me grin. I rolled my head around, causing my neck to pop and my shoulders to relax. Della’s expression softened when I was no longer standing at attention, but she still let out a dejected-sounding sigh and reached for my tie, releasing me from the expensive noose. “You have a body made for designer clothes, but something is lost when you put them on. I feel like we’re trying to wrap the Mona Lisa in silk or something. Frankly, it’s annoying that you make denim and flannel look just as good as Versace and Prada.” Once she had the tie off, she told me to go ahead and get back into my own clothes. I asked her what the plan was for the shoot and a brief flare of panic and doubt lit up her catlike eyes. She forced a smile and told me she would figure it out. Since I was totally a fish out of water in this scenario, all I could do was follow orders like a good soldier. I stripped out of the fitted vest and worked on the tiny buttons of the shirt. I was handing them both off to the flirty wardrobe girl who was enjoying the impromptu striptease when Della’s “Wait a second!” had both of us freezing on the spot. She was looking at me in the mirror, eyes roving over my half-dressed form. She wandered over to where my jeans and boots were tossed in a haphazard pile on the floor. After a second of rooting around, she came toward me, my black wifebeater in one hand and my boots in the other. “Put these on with the pants.” She looked at the wardrobe girl with a lifted brow and had to snap her fingers in the woman’s face to get her attention. “Go find me a pair of suspenders, leather if you have them.” The other woman scurried off to do as she was told and I dropped to the seat to pull on my boots. “I keep trying to turn you into something better.” I looked up at Della as she snorted out a laugh. “But from the start, you were perfect the way you are.”

Be sure to pre-order JUSTIFIED, the first novel in this brand new, sexy series!

About JUSTIFIED:

The New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series delivers a romance about a rugged Texas sheriff who must protect the woman who was once his sworn enemy...

Case Lawton comes from a family of criminals. So as the sheriff of Loveless, Texas, he's determined to do everything by the book--until he's called to Aspen Barlow's office after a so-called break-in. The last thing he wants to do is help the woman who cost him custody of his son. But Aspen isn't the heartless lawyer Case remembers, and he starts to question his long-held grudge...

Aspen is scared for her life, and Case is her last hope for protection. But to get him on her side, she'll have to reveal the painful truth from all those years ago. Now, as they work together to track down a dangerous criminal, Case and Aspen learn to trust each other. And as the threats escalate, it becomes clear there's a thin line between love and hate... because there's nothing Case wouldn't do to keep her safe.

 

Pre-order your copy of JUSTIFIED today!

  About Jay Crownover: 

  Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series, the Saints of Denver series, the Point series, the Breaking Point series, the Getaway series, and the Loveless, Texas series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road.    

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