Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – 09-11-2020

Today’s Friday Finds is loaded in recommendations. 🙂 Plus, Nancy sent us her own “September Blast from the Past” (she’s the final section in today’s list of finds below).

And here are some of mine:

Today’s “Blast From Our Book Past” highlights:

• 4 years ago today, this thriller took me on a 4.5 star roller-coaster of craziness! I devoured this thriller! My Book Review – Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
• 4 years ago yesterday, we came up with 21 books of awesomeness: Reader Favorites – 21 books that have moved us to share with others… 
• 5 years ago yesterday, I 5-star LOVED this one and even made a reaction video! This book was SO FUN! Book Review – Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre
• 8 years ago yesterday, I was still in love with Dex! Book Review – The Dex-Files by Karina Halle 

Make sure to check out today’s newsletter sponsor ➔ Five Fun Facts about Melanie Moreland’s “Revved to the Maxx” + a signed book giveaway!

Brand new romantic comedy from NYT Bestselling author Melanie Moreland. This small-town is about to see fireworks when feisty Charly starts to organize more than Maxx’s life.

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE FOUND FOR THE WEEKEND  !!

• EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER ☃️🎄🎄🎄☃️!!! ➔➔➔ TWO MONTHS FREE KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <— If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance. WE ARE LOVING IT! 
• OUR LATEST FAVORITES LIST ➔➔ Reader Recommendations – Our absolute favorite books that you might not have read yet…

And…

• Until the Last Breath by Shanora Williams <— LIVE AND OMG BLURB JOLT EXTRAORDINAIRE!!!! She’s happily married, and the one that broke her heart comes back… but there’s a twist! “…with my health hanging in the balance, I often wonder what his future entails, because I know there is a possibility that he’ll have to live without me. John, my husband, is the love of my life, and I have never questioned our love…that is until my past comes knocking at the door. Every girl has that one guy–the one whom she can’t seem to forget or completely let go of, no matter how toxic the relationship was, or how bad it ended. Well, this story is a little different. This is the story of how Maximilian Grant went from being my toxic first love, to the man who ultimately saves my life… and, trust me, this will not play out the way you think it will…”

Rachel: Just downloaded! Can’t wait

Maryse: It sounds incredible, doesn’t it?

Olivia: It is an amazing read that will put you through the ringer and make you think.

• Looking To Score: #UofJ Book 1- An Enemis-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy Sports Romance (U of J) by Alley Ciz <— ENEMIES TO LOVERS SPORTS ROMANCE ALERT! “…LOOKING TO SCORE is book 1 in the U of J Series and is an enemies-to-lovers, new adult, college sports romance. If you like pint-sized sass queens for heroines, and too-charming-for-their-own-good playboy heroes you’ll love these two. There’s banter for days…so much so that these two characters are the stars of books 1, 2, and 3…”
• Sweet Salvation: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance (Ruthless Games Book 3) by Callie Rose
• Her Alien Prince: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Voxeran Fated Mates Book 1) by Presley Hall
• Verania series by T.J. Klune <— TJ KLUNE M/M ROMANCE ALERT!! JOY LOVED IT!

Joy: Just finished TJ Klune’s Tales From Verania series! OMG, I LOVED EVERY BIT OF THIS SERIES! It’s M/M and the cast of characters are BFF’s and were absolutely hilarious.

There’s Sam, the wizard apprentice with a destiny of uniting the Dragons of Verania to help him defeat a dark villain. Knight Delicious Face, the commander of the royal army and Sam’s cornerstone/soulmate. Kevin the Dragon is the Beast from the East, whose favorite statement is, “Once you go Dragon, all the rest is laggin”! Kevin’s soulmate is a narcissistic Unicorn, named Gary (they refer to sex as a visit to Gary’s bakery, lol) and the adorable, loving, half-giant, named Tiggy!

There’s so much familial love and adoration between Sam and his loved ones that I laughed & smiled through all four books!

• Tempted by Love: Jack “Jock” Steele (The Steeles at Silver Island Book 1) by Melissa Foster <— SINGLE MOM ALERT!! “… an emotionally riveting story about a man who has lost it all and carries a torturous secret, a divorced single mother who has everything to lose, and the little girl who helps them heal. Fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles. ..”
• The Biker and the Loner (Oil and Water Series Book 3) by S. Ann Cole <—S. ANN COLE ALERT!! “…five years later, he’s back. Mangled, but alive. And it’s all my fault. He has my secret. He has my card. And he’s determined to finish what we started…”
• The Italian Marriage by N.J. Adel <— ARRANGED MAFIA MARRIAGE ALERT! DALIA went crazy for book #1, and loves this new one, too!

Dalia: please please please add The Italian Marriage to your list 🙂 It’s so GOOD!

Rebecca: Just bought the first book!

Susan: Yes, it’s very good!!

Traci: I just ran to buy it. Added it to my thousands of books I already have 🤦🏻‍♀️🤣

Mony: Gah, Italian! 🔥 Love those…

• MONY HAS MORE ITALIAN HERO RECOMMENDATIONS:

Mony: May see a theme here…all things Italian…😉

• One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle &
• The Italian by T.L. Swan also fantastic

Mary Ann: The Italian by TL Swan and I have to tell you about it because it’s in my head and taking too much space. I believe you call it book funk! What do I read now? I know it will take at least 5 books of beginning and end before my funk will go away. This book was awesome!!! A 5 stars!!! It had twist and turns I didn’t expect.

Maryse: It’s going to be an Italian-focused Friday Finds. LOL!!

• MONY HAS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TOO!

The Takeover by T L Swan was kinda magical…love the title…you’ll see why if you read the book. Best characters I’ve read in a while. 5 big ⭐!

Finished the Spotless series (Island Chaptal and The Ancient Aliens’ Treasure #5)…love that couple…adventures of a South African spy/assassin & nerdy/brave techie…quirky/banter. My favourite series of 2020. 👍💕💕

Last book was Wild Sweet Love by Beverly Jenkins…a BW/BM HR about a sassy Black Seminole woman and a hot wealthy banker…set in Philadelphia in 1860s…exceptional story telling about black history, a bit on indigenous history, in that era. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

• The Setup by Meghan Quinn <— Meghan Quinn’s LATEST IS LIVE!!! His meddling mom has found him a girl to “love” “…Of course, my mom, the evil matriarch in the devil’s leggings, made her final stab at finding a girl for me days before I went back to college. And I hate to admit it, but she saved a doozy for last. A titan in black skinny jeans…”
• Scarred Hero by Hope Ford
• Accidentally in Love: An utterly uplifting laugh out loud romantic comedy by Belinda Missen
• The Man I Thought I Knew (Two-Faced Book 1) by E. L. Todd
• Eye for an Eye (Take a Chance Book 2) by Lisa Helen Gray <— “Take a Chance series is a spin off series from the Next Generation Carter Brothers.”
• Stone Cold Kiwi by Rosalind James <— MONY LOVED IT!

Mony: Stone Cold Kiwi by Rosalind James was absolutely fantastic…lovely doctor book boyfriend story. 5 Big ⭐!

Jan: Stone Cold Kiwi by Rosalind James… I liked book 1, Kiwi Rules, which was about a vet who’d lost part of a leg in Afghanistan. I preordered this new one 😀 She has three little red-haired kids. Her marriage has imploded. The H is a hot doctor. Looks good. I’ve holidayed in New Zealand and it’s beautiful! I enjoy books in that setting.

• The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald <— AMY & LINDA RECOMMEND IT!

Amy: I just finished reading The Night Olivia Fell. It reminded me of Everything You Want Me to Be in that there was the POV of Olivia and that of her mother. It was difficult getting to know Olivia knowing what her ending was going to be. And her poor mother…oh, my heart. It’s definitely worth reading!

Linda: Happy Friday everyone!! Another recommendation The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald. Kept me riveted to the very end!! LOVED IT.

• Do Me (Irresistible Husband) by Sheryl Lister <— SHE DOESN’T WANT A RELATIONSHIP “...Londyn knows heartbreak. By day, the psychologist counsels others, but she has yet to find a way to heal her own heart. The last thing she wants is another relationship. However, sensual and sensitive Braxton tempts her to open up and, for the first time in her life, she’s letting passion rule. But it’s going to take a little therapeutic intervention—in and out of the bedroom—to get Londyn to see that this time she’s found the real thing… “
• Love Me (Irresistible Husband) by Sheryl Lister
• Show Me (Irresistible Husband) by Sheryl Lister
• A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Elite of Eden Falls Prep Book 4) by Isabella Starling
• Miss Understood by Miranda Elaine and Amie Knight <— NANCY 5-STARRED THIS ONE!

Nancy: Tillie is really misunderstood. There is one straight shooter cop named Nathan Trent, that has wanted to be a police officer since age three. Nathan Trent has always followed the rules and fought for what is right. Too bad his heart was given to Tillie Coletrain years ago. Unfortunately she makes it her daily task to break every rule written…

…One Coletrain twin is trouble, but get the two of them together and a disaster is sure to follow. Add their best-friend Hannah, and triple the danger. Read this book and enjoy the shenanigans.

• MISS APPREHENDED by Miranda Elaine and Amie Knight <— NANCY ALSO 5-STARRED Book #1:

Nancy: MISS APPREHENDED is an ideal book to read if you are ready to escape the present worrisome and turbulent world we now live in.

It is a Novella filled with fun, humor, & instant-love, which also leads to a very hot love affair.

• His Apple Sauce (The Secret Sauce Series) by Frankie Love <— LIVE!! “…She’s Amish … with plenty of curves hiding behind her apron. But I want to taste more than the apple sauce she’s cooking. I want all of her. But even out here in the country, nothing’s quite as simple as it seems...”
• The Falling of Stars: A Psychological Thriller by Traci Finlay <— PSYCH-THRILLER SUPER-BARGAIN ALERT!! “...Her son, Malik Hunter, is a sophomore at Liberty whose perfect life is a perfect lie. Behind his good looks, straight A’s, and the facemask of his football helmet, Malik battles a crippling depression. But someone sees through it all. Someone who reaches out to him on LibertyNet, the school’s online intranet. Someone who seems to know Malik better than he knows himself. Someone evil. Eve believes a cyberbully may be lurking in the dark realms of LibertyNet. Malik knows there is…”
• NANCY’S OWN BLAST FROM THE PAST SELECTIONS:

Nancy: I have been enjoying books that were a Blast from the Past! Enjoying it with Maryse’s Book Blog, too! Decided to make a list of books I read during the first week of September through the years from 2011 through present day.

All books listed that I read had September 4, in common.

Whether I started reading, finished, or just was reading on that day. More than half these books were Maryse Recommendations!!

1) 2011: DARK FEVER by Karen Marie Moning
2) 2012: ON DUBLIN STREET by Samantha Young
3) 2013: ARSEN: A Broken Love Story by Mia Asher
4) 2014: PERFECTLY DAMAGED by E.L. Montes
5) 2015: MADE FOR BREAKING (The Russells Book 1) by Lauren Gilley
6) 2016: LOVERBOY (Dartmoor Book 5)  by Lauren Gilley
7) 2017: GHOSTED by J.M. Darhower
8) 2018: AUSTIN: A Sexton Brothers Novel by Jeannine Colette & Lauren Runow
9) 2019: OUR SONG by Lauren Runow
10) 2020: AFTER THE FALL (The Fallen Men Book 2) by Giana Darling

AUDIOBOOK LVERS!

• ➔➔ Not a member of Audible yet? Get a free 30 day audible trial (which includes one title from their premium selection of best sellers and listen all you want to thousands of titles in their growing Audible Plus Catalog.)
• ➔➔ AND! Audiobook Matchmaker!! <— Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! This is how it works. Click on that link & Amazon will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
• ➔➔ Audible now has an “Escape” package membership (30 day free trial) – used to be called the “Romance” package <— this one is SO cool, and worth it (unlimited listening for all of the audiobooks in the program, and there are tons – kind of like Kindle Unlimited)!!

and…

• Tempted by Love: Jack “Jock” Steele (The Steeles at Silver Island Book 1) by Melissa Foster <— LIVE!!
• Mr. Masters by T L Swan <— LIVE!!!
• Bet Against Me by Fiona Riley <— LIVE!!!
• The Dare: Briar U, Book 4 by Elle Kennedy <— LIVE!!!
• Lie: Betrothed Series, Book Eight by Penelope Sky <— LIVE!!!
• Hexing with a Chance of Tornadoes: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Romance Novel: Grimm Cove, Book 2 by Mandy M. Roth <— LIVE!!!
• Andorra Sector: X-Clan Series, Book 1 by Lexi C. Foss <— LIVE!!!

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

• Found in Flame and Moonlight (Highland Legends Book 4) by Kat Bastion – September 14th 2020
• Transcendent Kingdom: A novel by Yaa Gyasi – September 15th 2020
• Kane: An Arizona Vengeance Novel by Sawyer Bennett – September 15th 2020
• My Fallen Saint (Fallen Saint Series Book 1) by J. Kenner – September 15th 2020
• Flirting with 40 by K. Bromberg – September 15th 2020
• Thanks For Last Night (The Guys Who Got Away Book 3) Lauren Blakely – September 18th 2020
• The One That Got Away by Karina Halle – September 20th 2020
• When the Night is Over (Blackbird Series Book 1) by Lily Foster – September 20th 2020
• The Guardian (Sons of Texas Book 5) by Donna Grant – September 21st 2020
• Wild Fire: A Chaos Novella by Kristen Ashley – September 22nd 2020
• Stories of September by Fiona Cole – September 22nd 2020
• The Book of Two Ways: A Novel by Jodi Piccoult – September 22nd 2020
• And Now She’s Gone: A Novel by Rachel Howzell Hall – September 22nd 2020
• Lies and Lullabies (Hush Note Book 1) by Sarina Bowen – September 22nd 2020
• Birthright by Shay Savage – September 22nd 2020
• Tools of Engagement: A Novel (Hot & Hammered Book 3) by Tessa Bailey – September 22nd 2020
• A Sinful Encore by Lisa Renee Jones – September 22nd 2020
• Scandalous Prince (Mafia Royals Book 2) Rachel Van Dyken – September 22nd 2020
• The Right Player: A Sports Romance by Kandi Steiner – September 24th 2020
• Ryder (A Merrick Brothers Novel) by Prescott Lane – September 24th 2020
• Subversive: A wizard. An unwilling assistant. An explosive secret. (Clandestine Magic Book 1) by Colleen Cowle – September 27th 2020
• Headlines (Prime Time Series Book 3) by Ella Frank – September 28th 2020
• Lilac: A Reverse Harem Romance by B.B. Reid – September 28th 2020
• Imagine With Me (With Me In Seattle Book 15) by Kristen Proby – September 29th 2020
• Well Played by Jen Deluca – September 29th 2020
• The Return by Nicholas Sparks – September 29th 2020
• Seduced in Ink (Montgomery Ink: Boulder Book 4) by Carrie Ann Ryan – September 29th 2020
• Rifts and Refrains (Hush Note Book 2) by Devney Perry – September 29th 2020
• Crowne Rules by CD Reiss
• Happily This Christmas: A Novel (Happily Inc Book 6) by Susan Mallery – September 29th 2020
• Follow Me Darkly by Helen Hardt – September 29th 2020
• Toward That Which is Beautiful: A Novel by Marian O’Shea Wernicke – September 29th 2020
• Burn You Twice by Mary Burton – September 29th 2020

➔➔➔  Get Maryse’s Book Blog updates delivered by email (you’ll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it).