Saturday, August 31, 2019

Out of My League (Hope Valley #1) by Jessica Prince ~ Review

Out of My League (Hope Valley #1)Source: KindleUnlimited.

Out of My League (Hope Valley #1) by Jessica Prince


After years of war, Lincoln Sheppard thought he’d left the violence and ugliness behind. He was content with the life he built for himself. Then the woman down the street came in and shook everything up.

All Eden Brenner ever wanted was to have a place to call home. She finally found that in Hope Valley. Then she went and fell in love with the man a few houses down the first time she laid eyes on him. There was just one problem. Women like her didn’t catch the attention of men like him. He was totally and completely out of her league. And to make matters worse, when her past comes knocking, the beautiful world she’s built for herself is at risk of crumbling to the ground.

When danger forces Eden into his arms, Lincoln begins to see her in a whole new light, and he suddenly finds himself wanting things he never expected. And he wants them all with the shy, clumsy woman from down the street. But when the truth comes out, that proves nearly impossible. Now he’s fighting the hardest battle of his life, and the stakes are higher than ever. Protect the woman he’s falling for while trying to win her heart at the same time.





Since I am both a mood reader and a huge fan of Kristen Ashley, I always perk up when I see someone talking about a book or a series that reads like KA. So of course when I saw Hope Valley mentioned as one of those, I was quick to download the sample from Amazon. Then when that sample was so good, I downloaded the rest of the book through KU. And I'm glad I did!

First of all, Out of My League does somewhat read like KA. Or I'd rather say it has slight Kristen Ashley vibes. It's not clearly like any one book in particular, but more a mashup of KA books (namely Reid and the Burg series--At Peace, kind of...it's hard to pinpoint!) Most importantly, though, the writing wasn't done in a way that was clearly trying to imitate KA. It's more like I found KA ties because I was looking (and hoping) for them. So this is a solidly good thing about the book.

I was really, really, really a huge fan of the main characters. Eden is a sweetheart and I enjoyed her and her POV so much. And Lincoln, man. Lincoln. He was a nice, oblivious guy who turned into a sweet, devoted guy. Kind of at the drop of a hat, so it was a little bit of a fast change, but I'll get more into that in a moment.

The plot was good and solid and I flew through this book with no problem. I actually flew through the first four books of this series, but that's not the point right now--the point is book 1. And it was entertaining and it hooked me enough to not only have me read straight through but also pick up book 2 right away (even though book 2 didn't quite sound like it'd be a fav--and it turns out it wasn't but I digress).

My only real criticism for Out of My League is that I wish the romance was paced differently. Mostly because of what I mentioned--Lincoln flips from being not actually interested in anything tooooo serious to being all in and devoted at the drop of a hat. And then everything is fine and okay with them, and I guess I just would have preferred a little more building of the couple gradually instead of the slightly stilted way it was done on the page.

Overall, Out of My League is a fun and sweet small town romance! There were slight KA vibes, which I enjoyed, but the novel was very much its own thing. I'm glad I picked this one up, and if anything I've said strikes your fancy I definitely think you should too!


4 stars - A sweet small town romance!


Friday, August 30, 2019

How To Love A Duke In Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne ~ Excerpt & Giveaway



How to Love a Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne
Now Available from St. Martin's Paperback
Historical Romance



Synopsis:

These men are dark, bold, and brave. And there is only one woman who can bring them to their knees...

Famed and brilliant, Lady Alexandra Lane has always known how to look out for to herself. But nobody would ever expect that she has darkness in her past—one that she pays a blackmailer to keep buried. Now, with her family nearing bankruptcy, Alexandra strikes upon a solution: Get married to one of the empire’s most wealthy eligible bachelors. Even if he does have the reputation of a devil.

LOVE TAKES NO PRISONERS


Piers Gedrick Atherton, the Duke of Redmayne, is seeking revenge and the first step is securing a bride. Winning a lady’s hand is not so easy, however, for a man known as the Terror of Torcliff. Then, Alexandra enters his life like a bolt of lightning. When she proposes marriage, Piers knows that, like him, trouble haunts her footsteps. But her gentleness, sharp wit, independent nature, and incredible beauty awakens every fierce desire within him. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe in his arms.




Chapter One
  
Maynemouth, Devonshire, 1890 Ten years later


Alexander,
Accept the invitation to Castle Redmayne. I’m in danger. I need you.


  
—Frank


Alexandra Lane had spent the entire train ride from Lon- don to Devonshire meticulously pondering those fourteen words for two separate reasons.
The first, she had been unable to stop fretting for Fran- cesca, who tended to give more than the appropriate amount of context. The terse, vague note Alexandra now held was more of a warning than the message contained therein.
The second, she could no longer afford a first-class, pri- vate railcar, and had, for the last several tense hours, been forced to share her vestibule face-to-face with a rough- featured, stocky man with shoulders made for labor.
Alone.

He’d attempted polite conversation at first, which she’d rebuffed with equal civility by feigning interest in her cor- respondence. By now, however, they were both painfully aware she needn’t take four stops to read two letters.
It was terribly rude, she knew. Her carpetbag remained clutched in her fist the entire time, except when her hand would wander into its depths to palm the tiny pistol she always carried. The sounds of the other passengers in ad- joining vestibules didn’t make her feel safer, per se.
But she knew they would hear her scream, and that pro- vided some relief.
For a woman who’d spent a great deal of the last ten years in the company of men, she’d thought these painful moments would have relented by now.

Alas, she’d become a mistress of manipulating a situa- tion so, even if she had to endure the company of men without a female companion, there would be more than one man. In the circles she tended to frequent, people be- haved when in company.

It had worked thus far.

Alexandra braced herself against the slowing of the train, breathing a silent prayer of relief that they’d finally arrived. She’d been terrified that if she’d glanced up once, she’d be forced into conversation with her unwanted com- panion.

Rain wept against the coach window, and the shadows of the tears painted macabre little serpents on the conflict- ing documents in her hands. One, a wedding invitation. The other, Francesca’s alarming note.

A month past, she’d have wagered her entire inheritance against Francesca Cavendish’s being the first of the Red Rogues to capitulate to the bonds of matrimony.

A month past, she’d assumed she’d had an inheritance to wager.

Their little society had seemed destined to live up to the promise they’d once made as young, disenchanted girls to never marry.

Until the invitation to an engagement masquerade— given by the Duke of Redmayne—had arrived the same day of her friend’s cryptic and startling note.

The invitation had been equally as ambiguous, stating that the future duchess of Redmayne would be unveiled, as it were, at the ball. Included in Alexandra’s particular envelope was a request for her to attend as a bridesmaid.

The subsequent plea for help from Francesca—Frank— had arrived in a tiny envelope with the Red Rogue seal they’d commissioned some years prior.

Alexandra hadn’t even known Francesca had returned from her romps about the Continent. Last she’d heard, the countess had been in Morocco, doing reconnaissance of some sort. Nothing in her letters had mentioned a suitor. Not a serious one, in any case. Certainly not a duke.

Francesca had a talent for mischief and a tendency to interpret danger as mere adventure.

So, what could possibly frighten her fearless friend?

Marriage, obviously, Alexandra thought with a smirk.

A risky venture, to be sure.



From How to Love a Duke in Ten Days. Copyright © 2019 by Kerrigan Byrne and reprinted with permission from St. Martin’s Paperbacks.



Author Bio:
Whether she’s writing about Celtic Druids, Victorian bad boys, or brash Irish FBI Agents, USA Today bestseller Kerrigan Byrne uses her borderline-obsessive passion for history, her extensive Celtic ancestry, and her love of Shakespeare in every book. She lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with her handsome husband and three lovely teenage girls, but dreams of settling on the Pacific Coast. Her Victorian Rebels novels include The Highwayman and The Highlander.





US addresses only


The publisher is giving away a print copy!





Thursday, August 29, 2019

A Stuck In Books Giveaway ~ Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass by Mariko Tamaki



Harleen is a tough, outspoken, rebellious kid who lives in a ramshackle apartment above a karaoke cabaret owned by a drag queen named MAMA. Ever since Harleen's parents split, MAMA has been her only family. When the cabaret becomes the next victim in the wave of gentrification that's taking over the neighborhood, Harleen gets mad.

When Harleen decides to turn her anger into action, she is faced with two choices: join Ivy, who's campaigning to make the neighborhood a better place to live, or join The Joker, who plans to take down Gotham one corporation at a time.

Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass is at once a tale of the classic Harley readers know and love, and a heartfelt story about the choices teenagers make and how they can define--or destroy--their lives. This is the first title in DC's new line of original graphic novels for middle grade and young adult readers.


#GraphicNovel #Comics #YoungAdult #Superheroes #DCcomics 



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Swoon Thursday ~ 8/29/29


Who doesn't LOVE a good swoon?! We love them for sure! Check out our swoon below and then add to the fun.

Post anything that made you swoon, past or present read. Include the cover, blurb and links. Please no spoilers.


Quiet Man (Dream Man, #4.5)From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Dream Man series…

Charlotte “Lottie” McAlister is in the zone. She’s ready to take on the next chapter of her life, and since she doesn’t have a man, she’ll do what she’s done all along. She’ll take care of business on her own. Even if that business means starting a family.

The problem is, Lottie has a stalker. The really bad kind. The kind that means she needs a bodyguard.

Enter Mo Morrison.

Enormous. Scary.

Quiet.

Mo doesn’t say much, and Lottie’s used to getting attention. And she wants Mo’s attention. Badly.

But Mo has a strict rule. If he’s guarding your body, that’s all he’s doing with it.

However, the longer Mo has to keep Lottie safe, the faster he falls for the beautiful blonde who has it so together, she might even be able to tackle the demons he’s got in his head that just won’t die.

But in the end, Lottie and Mo don’t only have to find some way to keep hands off until the threat is over, they have to negotiate the overprotective Hot Bunch, Lottie’s crazy stepdad, Tex, Mo’s crew of frat-boy commandos, not to mention his nutty sisters.

All before Lottie finally gets her Dream Man.

And Mo can lay claim to his Dream Girl.


Swoon...


"Mo?" she called again, even though he was looking right at her. 
The smile he gave her wasn't small. "I haven't gone anywhere, baby." 
"I know. And that was what I was gonna say. Thank you." 
It might make him fucked in the head, but in that moment he really didn't care. 
Because Mo knew the most precious thing he'd ever heard in his life was Lottie shrieking, I need Mo!

Man, I adore Mo. One of my favorite KA heroes (though the list of favorite KA heroes is quite long...) Looking forward to seeing more of him in future KA books! 


That's our swoon this week! What about you? Leave us a comment & a link.


Wednesday, August 28, 2019

A Stuck In Books Giveaway ~ Three books

Books only




US addresses only




a Rafflecopter giveaway




Waiting On Wednesday ~ 8/28/19


This is our version of Waiting on Wednesday but with more cuddles, books we can't wait to cuddle for various reasons.

What are we waiting on this week?  THIS!


Following a year in the life of a twenty-something British woman who falls hard for her London flat mate, this clever, fun, and unforgettable romantic comedy is the perfect feel-good holiday read.

Two people. One house. A year that changes everything.

Twenty-nine-year-old Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling, but grand, Notting Hill house-share with four virtual strangers. On her first night, Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor, at a Christmas dinner hosted by her landlord. They don’t kiss, but as far as Jess is concerned the connection is clear. She starts planning how they will knock down the wall between them to spend more time together.

But when Jess returns from a two-week Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else—beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams…and the woman of his.

Amazon | B&N

Available 11/5 from William Morrow Books

Why am I waiting? Okay, I love the idea of them sharing a living space while battling attraction.  Yeah, I'm not happy about him dating someone else but I'm hoping there's more to that part of the story.  What about you? 




The Bromance Book Club (Bromance Book Club, #1)The first rule of book club:
You don't talk about book club.

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Welcome to the Bromance Book Club.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.


*Releases November 5th, 2019!*

Why am I waiting? A few reasons. First of all, one of my good friends read this already and had nothing but positive things to say about it. Second of all, that description has me so upset that I can't read the book right now. And thirdly, the straw that broke this camel's back, on Twitter this thread exists pairing Berkley fall releases with songs from Taylor Swifts new album, Lover. (Which, btw, I am currently so obsessed with my heart may explode.) The Bromance Book Club was paired with the song Lover which gives me many feelings--one of which is a STRONG desire to get this book in my hands and devour it.


That's what we're waiting on this week! What do you think? What are you waiting on? Leave us a comment and link us up!


Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Stuck In Books Featured Releases & Giveaway


From Tor Teen...


Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan.

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent.

This feels like more than rage.



It feels like war.



From St. Martin's Press...


HE WANTS TO LOSE CONTROL.
Between his parents’ messed up marriage and his narcissistic younger brother, Lincoln Moorehead has spent the majority of his life avoiding his family. After the death of his father, Lincoln finds himself in the middle of the drama. To top it all off, he’s been named CEO of Moorehead Media, much to his brother’s chagrin. But Lincoln’s bad attitude softens when he meets the no-nonsense, gorgeous woman who has been given the task of transforming him from the gruff, wilderness guy to a suave businessman

SHE’S TRYING TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.
Wren Sterling has been working double time to keep the indiscretions at Moorehead Media at bay, so when she’s presented with a new contract, with new responsibilities and additional incentives, she agrees. Working with the reclusive oldest son of a ridiculously entitled family is worth the hassle if it means she’s that much closer to pursuing her own dreams. What Wren doesn’t expect is to find herself attracted to him, or for it to be mutual. And she certainly doesn’t expect to fall for Lincoln. But when a shocking new Moorehead scandal comes to light, she’s forced to choose between her own family and the broody, cynical CEO.


From Avon...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.





From Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers...



From the creator of Not Quite Narwhal comes a classic tale of a boy and his dog—except in this unique story, one of them is a balloon!

When Spencer gets a new pet, he’s excited to do all the things that pets do—taking walks in the park, going to the vet, and attending parties together.

There’s just one hitch: Spencer’s new pet is a balloon.

And that means No. Sharp. Objects.

No drooling dogs at the park. No prickly porcupines at the vet. And absolutely no pinning tails on any donkeys!

Spencer’s New Pet is a story of pure fun about a boy, his dog, and a friendship that endures life’s sharpest...and most unexpected twists.


 

INT as long as you can accept an Amazon gift card.




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