Walking in a Witchy Wonderland by Juliette Cross is now available!
Mischief and mayhem dominate the holiday season for the Savoie sisters of New Orleans. Five sexy stories set in the STAY A SPELL world you don’t want to miss.
Bewitch You A Merry Christmas: Always the peacemaker, Evie conjures Christmas magic between a hexed hottie and his witchy neighbor, while Mateo and Alpha plan to do whatever it takes to get some alone time with their girl.
Rockin’ Around The Hexmas Tree: A Dirty Santa gift with a very special hex boosts Devraj and Isadora’s sex life from sizzling hot to scorching.
Jingle Bell Jock:On New Year’s Eve, a new man puts the moves on Charlie. Tired of pining for his best friend, he’s ready to move on. Fortunately, JJ’s jealousy is just the right ingredient to move them well out of the friend zone.
You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grim:Her first glimpse of grim reaper Gareth Blackwater evokes a major case of insta-hate in Lavinia. In that same moment, Gareth is hit with insta-lust. Fate is playing with them both, and neither one is happy about it.
Jingle Spells:Nico and Violet laugh their way through their first babysitting adventure. But laughter turns to lust when Nico’s “dad” vibes tug on Violet’s maternal heartstrings.
What to expect:
A sexy hex
An angsty werewolf
A randy vampire
A jealous best friend
A lusty grim reaper
A babysitting gig gone awry
Lots of laughs and hot holiday nights for the Savoie family and friends!
Walking in a Witchy Wonderland is a fun holiday novella set in the Stay a Spell series. This was a really cute catch up with the three couples from the first three books, plus a preview of the couple from book number four which is coming soon. I enjoyed catching up with the Savoie sisters. These stories were sexy, sweet and entertaining, focusing on their lives together and living their HEA. I am really looking forward to Livvy and Gareth's book too. I definitely recommend reading the books in this series in order before reading this novella. This is such a fun, witchy romance series and I really am enjoying it. I look forward to more from Ms. Cross in the future!
When Sparks Fly, an all-new sweet and sexy best friend standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!
Charming, hilarious, and emotional...When Sparks Fly is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.
Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.
Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.
Add When Sparks Fly to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fHNhQ7
Excerpt
Commotion from across the field catches my eye. Two of the riders seem to be at odds with each other. The hand on hip, head tip, nose-to-nose business gives me reason to believe there’s some kind of disagreement happening. “That doesn’t look very friendly.” I nod in their direction. “Maybe the horses need a time-out,” Harley mutters. I give her the side-eye, and she fights a smirk. “Uh-oh, we have hand and hobbyhorse flailing,” London says, pulling my attention back to the field. The argument seems to be heating up, not cooling down. “You need to deal with that.” London gives my shoulder a shove. She’s amazing with finances and she’s great at connecting me with the right vendors, but dealing with conflict is not her strong suit. “Not in the mood to mediate stuffed horses?” I drop my bag on the ground beside Harley’s feet and briskly cross the field as the argument escalates to yelling. I’m about twenty feet away when one of the men hauls off and whacks the other one with his hobbyhorse. “Whoa! Whoa! Gentlemen! Time-out. That’s not very sportsmanlike conduct!” I call. My admonishment goes unheeded, and the two men begin dueling with their hobbyhorses. The bigger of the two jabs the other man in the stomach and snatches his
hobbyhorse when he loses his grip on it. “Gentlemen! Please!” I shout, but it’s hard to be heard over their yelling and the newly formed crowd of hobbyhorse enthusiasts who have gathered and are now heckling the fighters. Two other men toss their hobbyhorses to the hobbyhorse-less man with shouts of “Kick his ass!” And here I thought this was a chill sport. Apparently I’m very, very wrong. The hobbyhorsers face off again, each one holding a broom horse between their legs and another like . . . a sword, maybe? It reminds me of medieval jousting. Especially when they start stomping their feet, pawing at the ground, and prancing in place. I know things are about to escalate when they shake their heads back and forth, braying loudly and breathing out through their noses in a hardy snort. Then they run toward each other, while yelling. Even if they’re beating on each other with stuffed horse heads, I’m not interested in anyone ending up with a concussion. I jump in between them before they collide, which I realize a second too late puts me in a very perilous position. However, the man on my right swerves at the last second and ends up crashing into the trough, toppling it and at least half a dozen of the “feeding” hobbyhorses. The other man skids to a stop mere inches from me, loses his balance, and falls backwards onto the ground. It rained yesterday, so while it’s sunny and dry now, the ground is still soft and mucky. And he happens to land in a seriously squishy pile of muddy grass. He also manages to hit himself in the family jewels with the hobbyhorse. He rolls onto his side, clutching the muddy horsehead and his junk. It’s quite the spectacle. Before it turns into absolute mayhem, I grab the megaphone from the group MC and shout, “Whoa, Nelly!” like an idiot. However, it does the trick. Every single one of them freezes. “Rider number seventeen and twenty-three, you are disqualified from this round for roughhousing and inappropriate use of your hobbyhorse!” I’m totally making this up on the fly, but someone needs to get these guys under control, and they don’t seem to be able to manage it on their own. The guy who nut slapped himself—number twenty-three—picks himself up off the ground and hobbles gingerly over to the bench, which is now assigned to disqualified hobbyhorsers. Number seventeen throws himself down on the other end with a huff. I lower the megaphone and cross my arms. “This is supposed to be about team building and sharing something you’re passionate about. If you want to joust, I suggest you either join a club or interview for a position at Medieval Times.”
Review:
3.25-3.5 stars
***
This was an okay read for me. When Sparks Fly is a friends to lovers stand alone book and is Avery and Declan's book. Avery and Declan have been best friends for years. Avery met Declan in college when she was dating his best friend. When that relationship broke up, Declan chose Avery's side and they remained the best of friends and are now even roommates. There has neer been any inkling of romance, attraction or anything between them. But circumstances change when Avery is in a very bad car accident, with multiple injuries and broken bones, requiring Declan's around the clock care. Things get kind of weird between them as they cross lines they never have before and feelings develop in new ways.
This story was interesting, but the pacing was a little off for me and meandered along. Avery and Declan were okay characters to me that I neither loved nor hated. There is also a seperation near the end, which I never like and feel stops all relationship momentum. But, ultimately, what kept this book from being really good was the lack of chemistry. The couple was so comfortable and brother-sister like, before their relationship took a sharp turn that came out of nowhere. The way they first become physical with each other comes off as Declan doing Avery a favor and not because of any attraction. In fact, I didn't feel any sort of attraction between them at all, no chemistry or anything beyond friendship vibes. I did believe that they really loved each other as best friends, but maybe that was too convincing because I never thought they fit romantically. I didn't feel any strong emotions about their story. Still, I liked the set up in this book. Avery's two sisters seemed fun characters, with all of them working together at a family event venue. I hope to see them both get books of their own at some point.
Overall, this was an okay read. It was entertaining in general, even if it wasn't my favorite Helena Hunting book. Friends to lovers is a tricky trope for me to love and I wasn't quite convinced here. Still, I enjoyed the story in general and look forward to more from Ms. Hunting in the future!
About Helena Hunting
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
“Helena Hunting is quickly making her way as one of the top voices in romance”
--RT Reviews
When Sparks Fly, an all-new emotional and hilarious friends-to-lovers standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!
Charming, hilarious, and emotional...When Sparks Fly is Helena Hunting at her very best!
Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.
Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.
Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.
Add When Sparks Fly to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fHNhQ7
Review:3.25-3.5 stars*** This was an okay read for me. When Sparks Fly is a friends to lovers stand alone book and is Avery and Declan's book. Avery and Declan have been best friends for years. Avery met Declan in college when she was dating his best friend. When that relationship broke up, Declan chose Avery's side and they remained the best of friends and are now even roommates. There has neer been any inkling of romance, attraction or anything between them. But circumstances change when Avery is in a very bad car accident, with multiple injuries and broken bones, requiring Declan's around the clock care. Things get kind of weird between them as they cross lines they never have before and feelings develop in new ways. This story was interesting, but the pacing was a little off for me and meandered along. Avery and Declan were okay characters to me that I neither loved nor hated. There is also a seperation near the end, which I never like and feel stops all relationship momentum. But, ultimately, what kept this book from being really good was the lack of chemistry. The couple was so comfortable and brother-sister like, before their relationship took a sharp turn that came out of nowhere. The way they first become physical with each other comes off as Declan doing Avery a favor and not because of any attraction. In fact, I didn't feel any sort of attraction between them at all, no chemistry or anything beyond friendship vibes. I did believe that they really loved each other as best friends, but maybe that was too convincing because I never thought they fit romantically. I didn't feel any strong emotions about their story. Still, I liked the set up in this book. Avery's two sisters seemed fun characters, with all of them working together at a family event venue. I hope to see them both get books of their own at some point.
Overall, this was an okay read. It was entertaining in general, even if it wasn't my favorite Helena Hunting book. Friends to lovers is a tricky trope for me to love and I wasn't quite convinced here. Still, I enjoyed the story in general and look forward to more from Ms. Hunting in the future!
About Helena Hunting
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
The Dom Identity, the all new must read standalone in the Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake is available now!
A man with everything
Michael Malone seems to have it all. A wealthy, loving family. A job that fulfills him. Friends he can count on. But something is missing. He’s spent years watching his brother and close friends get married and start families, but it hasn’t happened for him. When an assignment comes up to investigate fallen Hollywood star Vanessa Hale, he
jumps at the chance. She’s gorgeous and potentially deadly. Playing the spy game with her might be just the thing to take his mind off his troubles.
A woman with nothing left to lose
Vanessa Hale had big dreams that ended in scandal. She returned home with nothing but heartache and the desire to find her sister’s killer. The trail points to someone at Lodge Corp, so taking a job with Julian Lodge’s mysterious company is her best option for finding the truth. While she hunts for a killer during the day, she hopes to find some solace at night in The Club. Meeting the gorgeous, sexy and seemingly kind Michael Malone, their chemistry sparks in a way she’s never felt before, and Vanessa thinks maybe her luck has finally changed.
A love that might save them both
When Michael’s true motives are revealed, she will have to find a way to forgive his betrayal. The killer has made Vanessa their next target. Working together and stopping this monster is the only chance for them to have the real love they both deserve.
This was a really good book! The Dom Identity is Michael Malone and Vanessa Jones's book. Michael works for McKay-Taggart. They are hired by Julian Lodge to investigate Vanessa. Vanessa is his wife, Dani's assistant, a job she took over from her sister after she died. Vanessa also is a former actress and movie star, who married a much older man before he died. She got a bad reputation in the press as being hard to deal with and a gold digger, but none of it is true. Now, she is leading a quiet life working for Dani, when some money goes missing from her company account. Julian doesn't trust her, so he hires McKay-Taggart to investigate Vanessa. Michael is tasked with going undercover as Vanessa's training dom at The Cub. Meanwhile, Vanessa is actually trying to look into the club members by pretending to be interested in BDSM, when she actually is investigating her sister's mysterious death. Michael doesn't like Vanessa, or trust her, upon hearing her story. But he soon meets her and realizes he has her all wrong. Vanessa and Micheal have an instant connection and both fulfill a lonely place inside each other. Michael continues trying to figure out what actually happened to the missing money, while keeping it a secret from Vanessa. The two develop a deep bond, but what will happen when they each find out their relationship began on lies and they are both keeping secrets from each other? Their love develops despite this and wins in the end.
This was a great story. I really liked Vanessa and Michael together; they made a great match. I especially liked Vanessa and her determination and strength. There was a really good mystery and suspense. I did want one last love scene after the big climax and the couple made up to really secure their HEA in my mind. Still, I very much enjoyed this book.
Overall, this was a good read. I just love this series. Ms. Blake never disappoints. I thought this book might be Kyle and Maebe's book, but it seems we have a few more books before we get to their book. I am very much anticipating it, but they next book (Deke's story) sounds really good too. I can't wait to see what Ms. Blake comes up with next.
About Lexi Blake
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. 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 and believes in happy endings.
The Dom Identity, the all new incredibly sexy standalone in the Masters and Mercenaries: Reloaded from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake is available now!
A man with everything
Michael Malone seems to have it all. A wealthy, loving family. A job that fulfills him. Friends he can count on. But something is missing. He’s spent years watching his brother and close friends get married and start families, but it hasn’t happened for
him. When an assignment comes up to investigate fallen Hollywood star Vanessa Hale, he jumps at the chance. She’s gorgeous and potentially deadly. Playing the spy game with her might be just the thing to take his mind off his troubles.
A woman with nothing left to lose
Vanessa Hale had big dreams that ended in scandal. She returned home with nothing but heartache and the desire to find her sister’s killer. The trail points to someone at Lodge Corp, so taking a job with Julian Lodge’s mysterious company is her best option for finding the truth. While she hunts for a killer during the day, she hopes to find some solace at night in The Club. Meeting the gorgeous, sexy and seemingly kind Michael Malone, their chemistry sparks in a way she’s never felt before, and Vanessa thinks maybe her luck has finally changed.
A love that might save them both
When Michael’s true motives are revealed, she will have to find a way to forgive his betrayal. The killer has made Vanessa their next target. Working together and stopping this monster is the only chance for them to have the real love they both deserve.
Review:4 stars****This was a really good book! The Dom Identity is Michael Malone and Vanessa Jones's book. Michael works for McKay-Taggart. They are hired by Julian Lodge to investigate Vanessa. Vanessa is his wife, Dani's assistant, a job she took over from her sister after she died. Vanessa also is a former actress and movie star, who married a much older man before he died. She got a bad reputation in the press as being hard to deal with and a gold digger, but none of it is true. Now, she is leading a quiet life working for Dani, when some money goes missing from her company account. Julian doesn't trust her, so he hires McKay-Taggart to investigate Vanessa. Michael is tasked with going undercover as Vanessa's training dom at The Cub. Meanwhile, Vanessa is actually trying to look into the club members by pretending to be interested in BDSM, when she actually is investigating her sister's mysterious death. Michael doesn't like Vanessa, or trust her, upon hearing her story. But he soon meets her and realizes he has her all wrong. Vanessa and Micheal have an instant connection and both fulfill a lonely place inside each other. Michael continues trying to figure out what actually happened to the missing money, while keeping it a secret from Vanessa. The two develop a deep bond, but what will happen when they each find out their relationship began on lies and they are both keeping secrets from each other? Their love develops despite this and wins in the end.
This was a great story. I really liked Vanessa and Michael together; they made a great match. I especially liked Vanessa and her determination and strength. There was a really good mystery and suspense. I did want one last love scene after the big climax and the couple made up to really secure their HEA in my mind. Still, I very much enjoyed this book.
Overall, this was a good read. I just love this series. Ms. Blake never disappoints. I thought this book might be Kyle and Maebe's book, but it seems we have a few more books before we get to their book. I am very much anticipating it, but they next book (Deke's story) sounds really good too. I can't wait to see what Ms. Blake comes up with next.
About Lexi Blake
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold
over three million copies of her books. 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 and believes in happy endings.
Or at least I thought I was, until my formula fell apart. Back home in Vermont, with my dream on hiatus, I’m working at the Busy Bean and taking online classes. As long as I keep my focus, I’ll be back in New York City next semester. Hopefully.
The Busy Bean reminds me of my father’s pub in Galway, where I had my first drink and started my love affair with Irish whiskey. I’ve traded booze for hot cider, but I crave the inviting pub vibe of this bakery. There are plenty of bars in town—like the place right across the car park—but I don’t dare set foot in one. This is the closest I’ll allow myself.
“Hi, what can I get started for you?”
I spin toward the lilting female voice and frown. I come here just about every day and I’ve never seen this woman. She’s a pretty little thing who barely comes up to my shoulder. A black T-shirt peeks from beneath the bright yellow apron that covers her breasts. She’s cinched the tie around her waist, showcasing her hourglass figure.
“Hello?” She props both hands on her hips. “Would you like to order something?”
My gaze snaps to her face and locks on to a set of eyes the exact shade of golden amber as whiskey. With her tanned skin, and thick, honey-blonde hair, I’d swear I walked into a distillery. My throat tightens, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I try to find the words to answer.
Her mouth starts to move again, drawing my focus to her lips. Full and pink, like a wild Irish rose. “I brewed a fresh pot of coffee and the drink of the day is a dirty apple chai.” She licks those plush lips and adds, “With apples from the Shipley orchards, of course.”
My stomach twists into a knot as I glance at the section of countertop that looks like a bar. I’d give my left arm for a pint of Guinness. And I’d give both arms for some whiskey. Desperate to derail that train of thought, I force my gaze to the display of artisanal honey from some of the local apiaries. Funny how the warm amber color also reminds me of whiskey, making my mouth water.
Then again, maybe it’s blondie who’s got me salivating. Whiskey be damned, I’d sell my soul to the Devil for a taste of her.
Review:
3 stars
***
This was an okay read for me. Afterglow is book ten in the Busy Bean series, a standalone book in a series set in Sarina Bowen's True North world. This is Solana and Declan's book. Solana recently took a break from college and moved back to her hometown to work on some issues she's dealing with. She is working at the Busy Bean. Declan is a single dad. Both of them are dealing with some pretty heavy trauma from their pasts and neither think they are in the right place for a relationship. But their connection is too hard to deny and they give in and start a relationship, knowing that it might just be temporary. Can the two of them work through their own problems, help each other heal and move on to a bright future together?
This was not a bad book. It just wasn't to my personal taste as far as angst. There were many big dramatic moments. I just found it to be unrealistic and melodramatic. It seemed a bit too long and I didn't feel any of the depth or emotion. There is a lot of crying by the characters, there was a little too much kid-time, and was a little too cheesy at times. The story was okay and kept my attention, but I didn't feel a connection to the book or the characters. Still, I was happy that Solana and Declan were able to work through their problems and come out together happy in the end.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It was pretty heavy and dramatic. Still, I enjoyed it in general and found it entertaining for the most part. I am really enjoying the Busy Bean series though and look forward to more from it in the future.
A sexy hex
