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Audrey Carlan – Calendar Girl Series Reading Order

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I’ve been seeing this series over and over again on Amazon over the last few weeks (rising in the book-charts!), and now I just found out a bunch of books in the series just made the NYT and USA Today Best Sellers list!! I’m thinking we need to check these out. 😉

I LOL’d when I saw the author’s Facebook post. And guess what? She’s a fellow Kristen Ashley reader!! So we KNOW she has great taste. 😉 She said:

“Turns out…I’m officially a #1 New York Times Best Selling Author. Little me. Audrey Carlan from Oakdale, California. January Calendar Girl is #1 this week, and February, March, and April made the list of 15 as well. I took six spots on the New York Times Best Sellers List, and 12 spots on the USA Today. Holy mother of God I don’t even know how to process all this.

I think I’m going to go do what I do best. Crawl into my bed and curl up with a Kristen Ashley novel while I attempt to process this. Prospective freak out coming to a social feed near you…just sayin’.

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!”

Congratulations, Audrey!! 😀

Plus there’s a USA Today article that just came out entitled “Is ‘Calendar Girl’ the next ‘Fifty Shades’?” Consider me intrigued, ’cause it’s about high-priced escorts! You just know there’s gonna be drama and turmoil and angst!!

I haven’t heard much about this author until now, but a couple of fellow readers here told me about her other series that they loved:

Chrissy: Maryse, please, please read Angel Falling (The Falling Series) by Audrey Carlan! Just from following you all these years, I know you will fall in love with this one. I think Hank is as yummy as our “Travis”! It’s definitely my favorite read for this year…

Lori: Audrey Carlan’s 3rd in her falling series, Justice Falling (The Falling Series), came out a few days ago. I really like both series, and these were great additions.

About book #1:

It’s really simple. I needed money. A lot of money. One million dollars to be exact. The amount didn’t matter. All that mattered is that at the end of that price tag held my father’s life.

No money. No life.

The time limit was one year. On January 1st I had to pay up or my Father was going to be killed.

When you’re faced with an ultimatum like this, you do whatever you have to do.

And that’s exactly what I did.

The job…Exquisite Escorts. My role, serve as high priced arm candy to anyone that can afford the $100,000 price tag for a month of my company. Sex is optional (for me) and a 20% increase on the price.

***
Mia Saunders just barely escaped a paltry life back home in Las Vegas until she gets the call that her Father has been beaten to within an inch of his life for not paying his gambling debt. Problem is, the lone shark is her lousy, ruthless ex-boyfriend. Another guy in a long line of men she’d fallen head over heels for. Not anymore. Mia’s mission is simple. Serve as a high-priced escort for her Aunt’s company and pay monthly against her Father’s bad debt. A month with a rich man who she doesn’t have to sleep with if she doesn’t want to? Easy money. At least that’s the way it was supposed to go.

Each installment in the Calendar Girl Serial will release every month throughout 2015. The stories will feature Mia, told from her perspective as she continues her journey as an escort to twelve clients in twelve different locations.

             

Reader Favorites – Kelly’s Top 30 Reads for 2015

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I absolutely LOVE how Kelly (from our Facebook crew) sent me her favorites… in CATEGORIES!!! Very fun and clever and she touches on all sorts of genres and book-moods. I bet you’ll find your next favorite right here! How do I know? Quite a few of Kelly’s favs are MINE too, but there are so many on here that I haven’t read yet, and I am SO excited!!!

From forbidden, to rock stars, to bad-ass (bad-guy) bikers to angsty tear -jerkers to laugh-out-loud reads… Kelly has ’em all!!! 😀

She says:

“I love to read and have always loved to read.  Reading can be quite a singular thing and sometimes a lonely thing when you don’t have people to share your book crazies with.  But when I stumbled across your blog a few years ago I found a community and am so grateful for that.  I have been exposed to SO many books, authors and genres that I might never have been exposed to otherwise.  My imagination thanks you, my sanity thanks you, my libido thanks you and most of all my husband thanks you, and I mean he really, really thanks you.

I tried my best but I have 36 books in my 2015 Fave Books folder.  Obviously I couldn’t submit all of them (right?) so I had to narrow that down and it is much harder to do than I thought it would be.  So I admit to cheating and creating categories to get as many of them into my list as possible.

So here you go:”

Authors with multiple books on my list:

Meghan Quinn:

Alessandra Torre

Rachel Higginson:

The Angst/The Feels/The Heart:

MC

Waited FOREVER for these:

  • Corrupt by Penelope Douglas – I was hooked at one little teaser of this book.  I felt like the wait took years and it was just as dirty, dark, hot and sexy as I expected.  LOVED it!
  • Radiance (The Barter System Book 6) by Shayne McClendon – I ADORE this author.  She is so good at writing erotica – so HOT – but there is a a pureness to her writing that I haven’t read anywhere else.

M/M:

  • Out of the Blues by Mercy Celeste – I am a BIG fan of this genre and read it quite a bit.  This was my fave because there was a good character story along with the heat factor.

New to me Authors:

Audiobook:

  • King: King Series #1/Tyrant: King Series #2 by T.M. Frazier, Narrated by Robert Shapiro – I recently started listening to audiobooks and haven’t found many narrators that I like.  I had read this duo and was a BIG fan so thought I would try this one.  From the moment I heard Robert Shapiro narrating as King I started fanning myself.  This man’s voice just about made me drop my panties.

Honorable mentions:

                             

Calia Read – Fairfax Series Reading Order

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Twisty psych-thrillers (of patients in mental wards!!) that are full-on our kind of read!! A second book in the series has just been released and a third is on the way, but I believe each one can be read as a standalone! 😀

Amy:  I LOVED Unravel!! Perfect mindf&@k but it *will not* leave you frustrated. I just know you would love it! You know which one I am looking forward to though is Unhinge by Calia Read. Remember the GREAT mindscrew of Unravel? Well, Unhinge is about the lady we saw briefly in the psych hospital who was holding the baby doll.

Marit: Ooooh, I’ve just finished Unravel by Calia Read! Beautiful and twisted story with surprises! I couldn’t put it down ;) A must read! :-D

Jean: I just finished Unravel and my head is spinning! Wow what just happened? I was left guessing through the whole book! Feel like I need to reread it NOW or at least skim back through it! And I think I will be needing one of those funny reads that you’ve recommended…wow, just wow!

About book #1:

One kiss can change everything.
 
One month ago I was admitted to a psych ward. Yesterday, Lachlan told me I’m losing my mind. But I know what I saw. Will you believe me?
 
Behind the walls of a mental hospital, Naomi Carradine feels her world breaking to pieces. She’s starting to believe all the voices questioning her sanity. Only visitors from the outside world keep her tethered to reality. But deep in her thoughts, Naomi is haunted by memories of a golden summer that twisted into a waking nightmare of obsessive love and fractured truths.

Just home from college, Naomi moves in with her best friend, Lana, the daughter of a Virginia senator. At a lavish party thrown by Lana’s father, Naomi meets a sexy stockbroker named Max and finds herself unable to resist his charms. One fiery kiss and she’s going back for more, beginning a terrifying descent. Having witnessed the unspeakable, Naomi has only one hope of escape: unraveling the devastating secrets of her past.

 

Latest Paranormal & Contemporary Romance Book Releases – January 12th 2016

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WHAT A FREAKING AMAZING WEEK for new book releases. From yesterday to today I can barely catch my breath in trying to settle on which one I want to start next. There are at least 6 that I want to read NOW. Or maybe I should read 3 of ’em at once?? I HAVE started on Laura Kaye’s sequel (Love in the Light) ’cause I’ve been waiting YEARS for it, so curious as to… where it went 😉 and I’m thrilled that it starts just two months from the “elevator” meet-cute. 😉 YAY ME!!!! I get to live with them all over again!! 😀

The other ones that are standing out BIG TIME, to me ➜ For the First Time (the whole anthology sounds great, but I especially want the Hollywood Dirt novella by Alessandra Torre), Sebring (because Kristen Ashley, that’s why. And also… ’cause everyone seems to hate Nick, and I love the sound of that!), The Score (’cause I LOVED book #1 & #2 and this one is rocking worlds right now!!! 😀 MINE MINE ALL MINE!!), Complete Corruption (MAFIA romance from THE C.D. Reiss, and it’s the whole series bundled so no more waiting!), Unhinge (especially this one, ’cause I LOVE psych-thrillers, especially about people in mental wards believing in something very strongly that others… do not – AND!!! Amy went crazy over another book by this author, which was also a psych-thriller), and… The Dirt on Ninth Grave (’cause this whole series comes SO HIGHLY recommended and I can’t wait to start it, so this new release is a reminder to me!!),

P.S. Let me know if I’m missing any or if you loved any (from this list or elsewhere).

P.P.S. Don’t have a Kindle? No problem! Amazon offers various free Kindle apps and a free Kindle Cloud reader for any and ALL of us to use. You can either use the free Kindle App for your smartphone, tablet, AND your desktop computer (just like you’re using a Kindle, but right through your web browser <— No need to download anything! :D )

AUDIOBOOK LOVERS

For those going on a road trip soon, or maybe you’ve got some projects that require both hands this weekend but still allows you to “listen”… check out the free audible trial + 2 free ebooks deal —>

  • AND! Here’s the fun-tool again! —> Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! <— This thing is so cool (Amazon calls it “Matchmaker“)! It’s an Amazon feature, that scans your Kindle books and will list all of the ones you have that are also available as an audiobook at a discounted price (not normal audiobook prices). This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
  1. Aced: Driven Series # 8 by K. Bromberg <— THE HEA is in jeopardy!!
  2. The Dirt on Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones
  3. Make Me Sin: Bad Habit, Book 2 by J. T. Geissinger
  4. What You Need: Need You, Book 1 by Lorelei James
  5. Where He Ends & I Begin: Home Collection, Book 3 by Cardeno C. <— M/M ROMANCE
  6. Hollywood Dirt by Alessandra Torre <— One of my TOP 2015 picks!!
  7. The Consummation: Josh and Kat, Part III: The Club, Book 7 by Lauren Rowe
  8. Arrow’s Hell by Chantal Fernando
       

 

BARGAINS & READER RECOMMENDATIONS (NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order).

  1. Crash by Nicole Williams <— BAD BOY ALERT! Look what Lauren found us!! “OMG! Crash by Nicole Williams is on sale… I read this series around the same time I read the Thoughtless series & honestly loved the Crash series more. Gasp!” YES!! I loved this one too! (my Book Review)
  2. Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story (Billionaires and Brides Book 1) by Krista Lakes <— RUH ROH ALERT! “if she can outwit her wicked stepmother, she just might be able to dance with him at the wedding reception ball. There’s only one problem… What if Jace is actually the groom?”
  3. Hearts in Darkness (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 1) by Laura Kaye <— I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS ONE and the sequel was just released today and this one is bargain priced right now!!! 😀 (my Book Review)
  4. The Deal (Off-Campus Book 1) by Elle Kennedy <— ELLE KENNEDY ALERT!!! STILL ON SALE TODAY…The latest release is below!! 😀 (my Book Review)
  5. The Mistake (Off-Campus Book 2) by Elle Kennedy <— STILL ON SALE TODAY!! The latest release is below!! 😀 (my Book Review)
  6. Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski <— J.A. REDMERSKI ALERT! Nancy found us this one on super-sale today!! “Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski… I really liked the Edge of Never but have not read this one yet.” I LOVED Edge of Never so I’m def. curious about this one!
  7. Elite (Eagle Elite Book 1) by Rachel Van Dyken <— Lauren also found us this one! “Rachel Van Dyken’s Elite (Eagle Elite Book 1)… Huge sale! Her books don’t go on sale very often….I’ve actually been waiting on this one to go down for well over a year.”
  8. Lead Me From Solitude by Lainy Bradshaw <— RECLUSE ALERT! Nancy liked this one, and loves that book #2 is out now, too! She says: “…about a young recluse man to end all recluse young man stories and the woman who saves him, but it does end in cliffhanger. Good News! Book 2 is out: GHOSTS OF THE PAST… Hope you take this chance on new author…“
  9. Ghosts of the Past (Solitude Book 2) by Lainy Bradshaw <— And here’s #2…
        

 

PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN

  1. The Dirt on Ninth Grave (Charley Davidson Book 9) by Darynda Jones
  2. Better Off Undead (Blood and Moonlight Book 2) by Cynthia Eden
  3. Wolf on the Hunt (Salvation Pack) by N.J. Walters
  4. Hope With Stickers by Crum M.L.
  5. Assassin’s Kiss (Watcher’s Kiss Book 2) by Sharon Kay
  6. Tiny Glitches: A Magical Contemporary Romance by Rebecca Chastain
  7. Prophecy (Book One in the Prophecy Series) by Lea Kirk
  8. War Chest (Even Gods Fall in Love) by Lynne Connolly
  9. Of Flame and Promise: A Weird Girls Novel by Cecy Robson
  10. Destiny’s Child (Immortal Obsession Book 3) by J.D. Selmser
  11. The Fever Series 7-Book Bundle: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever, Iced, Burned by Karen Marie Moning
  12. The Pariah by Lindy P. Lawrence
  13. The Suicidal God by Ylisa Ebert
            

 

CONTEMPORARY

  1. Love in the Light (Hearts in Darkness Duet Book 2) by Laura Kaye <-– SEQUEL TO ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS ALERT!!! 😀 😀 😀 check out my giveaway!! ➜ Exclusive Excerpt of Laura Kaye’s “Love in the Light” plus a signed book-set giveaway!
  2. Sebring (Unfinished Heroes) (Volume 5) by Kristen Ashley <— KRISTEN ASHLEY ALERT! READERS ONCE HATED THIS ANTI-HERO! Leeann is curious: “I’m curious to see where she goes with Nick since I hate him so much” and Bethany is enjoying this one! “Only 18% in to Sebring and already getting teary-eyed! Never thought I’d like Nick, but he’s making me a convert. 😉 … She’s really good at foreshadowing too. Letting me know something bad is coming so my worry builds. I’m at 40% and am getting annoyed because life is getting in the way of my reading, lol! I hate when that happens. smile emoticon
  3. Aced (The Driven Series) (Volume 5) by K. Bromberg <— K. BROMBERG DRIVEN ALERT!!!! RUH RUH!!! Trouble lurks for their HEA!!! “Rylee and Colton’s ride continues…“
  4. The Score (Off-Campus Book 3) by Elle Kennedy <— ELLE KENNEDY AWESOME HILARIOUS 5-STAR BOOK ALERT!! Celeste LOVED it!! “I loved The Score! I practically inhaled it! What I love about this series is that her characters don’t need to be doing anything huge or over the top for things to be interesting – they can have fun just sitting there watching TV. The dialogue is the best. Also… after the last few pages? I’m dying for Tucker’s story now.” and Anne agrees! “Yes! I knew I was going to love this book and I was right! My first 5 star book of 2016 is The Score! God I love Dean! So cocky but sweet at the same time! And that ending! I am just saying I cant wait for The Goal to come out later this year :D This is one of the best NA series out there. I am on a happy cloud right now.”
  5. The Mother Road by Meghan Quinn
  6. Inked on Paper by Nicole Edwards
  7. Angel’s Halo: Reclaimed (Angel’s Halo MC Book 4) by Terri Anne Browning
  8. Salacious (Secret Hungers Presents) by Michele Bardsley, Cynthia Sax, Renee George, Renea Mason, Erzabet Bishop, Blakely Bennett, Emma Nichols, Anne Lange
  9. Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 1 by Rachel Kramer Bussel
  10. Dirty Together (The Dirty Billionaire Trilogy Book 3) by Meghan March <— TRILOGY FINALE ALERT!! But should not be read as a standalone…
  11. For the First Time: Twenty-One Brand New Stories of First Love <— OMG THIS ANTHOLOGY SOUNDS PERFECT FOR US!!! “never-before-read stories from Alessandra Torre, Alexa Riley, Lynda Chance, and more of the hottest authors of 2016. From young heartbreak to a virginity auction, from the chance meeting to the happily ever after, these exclusive stories explore first love in all its forms.” by Alessandre Torre, Kim Karr, Jen Frederick, Alexa Riley, Lynda Chance, Sarah Castille, Nina Lane, CJ Roberts, Anna Zaires, Nikki Sloane, Cynthia Sax, Avery Aster, Pam Godwin, Skye Warren, Julia Sykes, Cynthia Rayne, Jenika Snow, Debra Presley, Shoshanna Evers, Tamsen Parker, and Nina Levine
  12. Full Domain (A Nice Guys Novel Book 3) by Kindle Alexander <— M/M ROMANCE
  13. Cherry Bomb (Mercury Rising) by Samantha Kane <— M/M ROMANCE
  14. Love So Perfect (The Lawson Brothers Book 5) by Marquita Valentine <— FAMOUS FOOTBALL PLAYER TRYING TO CORRECT HIS BAD-BOY IMAGE & USES HER TO DO IT ALERT! And he starts dating a school-teacher to “fix” it: “Sweet as anything, she’s star struck by him and agrees to date-after-date, never suspecting the real reason he wants to be with her…” <— THE JERK!
  15. On the Rocks (A Turtle Island Novel) by Kim Law
  16. The Revelation: Josh and Kat Part II (The Club Book 6) by Lauren Rowe
  17. Complete Corruption: (The Complete Mafia Romance) by C.D. Reiss <— MAFIA ROMANCE & HE’S FORBIDDEN & THIS CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE! “Theresa Drazen can have plenty of guys, but the one she can’t keep away from….the one she’s just about addicted to, is more than forbidden…“
  18. Sanctuary (Family Justice Book 3) by Suzanne Halliday
  19. Protecting the Future (SEAL of Protection) (Volume 8) by Susan Stoker
  20. Tempted by a SEAL (Hot SEALs) (Volume 7) by Cat Johnson
  21. Russian Tattoos Obsession by Kat Shehata
  22. Intoxicating (Secret Hungers Presents) by Rochelle Paige and Lexi Ostrow
  23. Love Or Money by Elizabeth Roderick
  24. Wayward Trouble (Wayward Saints MC Book 5) by K. Renee
  25. Unhinge: A Novel by Calia Reed <— PSYCH THRILLER! SHE’S IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL ALERT! “At first Fairfax Mental Health Institute seems like a safe place for Victoria to heal with her baby, Evelyn, and to hide from Wes, presumed dead by everyone except Victoria. Her husband is still alive, she has no doubt: He slips into her room at night to torment and tempt her…“
  26. American Law (Law Series Book 2) by Camille Taylor
  27. The Love Square by Jessica Calla
  28. Shades Of Sydney (A Sydney West Novel Book 1) by Brittney Coon
  29. Entwined Destiny (Destiny African Romance series) by Nana Prah
  30. Bam-Bam’s Inked Hart (Bad Boys of Beta Squad, Book 3) by <— I’m not “feeling” the title… or the cover, but the blurb sounds like it could be good… “When a wounded petty officer washes up in her tattoo shop, she can’t help but offer him a place to stay for the weekend. She’s been where he is and doesn’t mind paying the help forward, especially when the friendship comes with some intimate benefits. It’s only temporary. When Zamora’s ex shows up, frightening her with talk of starting over, Greg offers to stay at her place longer to give backup and repay her generosity…“
  31. Giving It Up (Pushing the Boundaries) by Audra North
  32. Tough Luck: A Stepbrother Romance by Christa Simpson
  33. My Best Friend’s Stepfather by Opal Carew <— FORBIDDEN DOM ALERT! “When Ash is assigned her first feature as a reporter, it should have been simple: interview a real life Dominant for an article about BDSM. But her subject is none other than Darien Gallagher, her best friend’s stepfather…and it’ll be an interview she never forgets…“
  34. Speaking Greek (Foreign Exchange Series Book 1) by Selena Laurence
  35. Love Notes (Rocked by Love Book 1) by Susan Scott Shelley <— FAMOUS ROCK STARS ALERT! “When she’s asked to help out her friend’s band as tour manager, it seems to be a perfect solution, until she meets the band. She hadn’t planned on the sizzling chemistry and instant connection with Zander…“
  36. You Only (Cameron Farms Book 1) by Melanie Jayne
  37. Keeping Secrets: A Novel by Suzanne Morris
  38. Once Upon a Wedding: Book One of the One Day at a Wedding Series by Kelly Rae
  39. Sunset at Lake Crane (A Livingston Valley Novel Book 1) by Casey Hagen
  40. Something Real (More than Something Book 1) by Abigail Grey
  41. Anything But a Wedding: Book Two in the One Day at a Wedding Series by Kelly Rae
  42. Shapely & Stunning (Big & Beautiful Book 3) by Mary E Thompson
  43. Chasing Crazy by Kelly Siskind <— THEY MEET ON A FLIGHT ALERT! “They’re falling fast, hard, and deep. More than anything, Sam wants Nina to forget her fears. But to help her do that he must reveal his own painful secret-and risk Nina never seeing him the same way again…“
  44. Deception: The Kink, P.I. Series by Shakir Rashaan
  45. Mermaid Moon (A Sunset Cove Novel Book 2) by Colleen Coble
  46. The Turning Point by Marie Meyer
  47. All The Darkness (All The Colours Book 2) by Lo-arna Green
  48. Chasing Memories (The Forevermore Series) by Anna James
  49. Forbidden: Her British Stepbrother by Lauren Smith <— “Then she sees him walk in. He’s tall, dark, handsome, and straight out of her deepest fantasies. His voice makes her knees feel weak…”
  50. The Madam: Power, Pleasure and Pain by Victoria Butler <— SHE’S A MADAME!! “She holds great power with her little black book that high profile actors, TV Anchors, Judges, etc both highly respect and fear her…”
  51. My Little Brother’s Best Friend by A.A. Gibson <— THAT TITLE SAYS IT ALL!
  52. Moondancing by Celia J. Anderson
  53. The Secrets and Shadows Story Collection (Secrets & Shadows) by Shiloh Walker
  54. The Truth about the Liar (Shadow Play Book 4) by Helena Maeve
                                                  

 

PRE-ORDERS (next week’s)

  1. Slave to Love by Julie A. Richman  – January 14th 2016
  2. The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld) by Gena Showalter – January 18th 2016
  3. Time and Space by Rachel Robinson – January 18th 2016
  4. Hard Ever After (Hard Ink) by Laura Kaye – January 19th 2016
  5. Happily Ever Ninja (Knitting in the City Book 5) by Penny Reid – January 19th 2016
  6. Feverborn: A Fever Novel by Karen Marie Moning <— January 19th 2015
  7. Cunning (Infidelity Book 2) by Aleatha Romig – January 19th 2015
  8. Rapturous (Quantum Series Book 4) by M.S. Force – January 19th 2015
  9. Tempted, Twisted, Tamed: The Dark Protectors Novellas by Rebecca Zanetti – January 19th 2015
  10. Blue: A Novel by Danielle Steele – January 19th 2015
  11. Appealed by Emma Chase – January 19th 2015
  12. Naughty Wishes Part I: Body by Joey W. Hill – January 19th 2015
  13. Forgotten Promises by Jessica Lemmon – January 19th 2015
  14. Xavier Cold (Hard Knocks Book Two) (Hard Knocks Book Series 2) by Michelle A. Valentine <— January 20th 2016
  15. Sketch by Laramie Briscoe  – January 21st 2016
              

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Reader Favorites – Sofia’s Top 11 Reads for 2015

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Author Sofia Grey sent over her top 2015!! I love finding out that authors are readers too!! 😀 And guess what? She enjoyed the same kind of books we do!! And guess what else? See that book to the right? That’s one of hers, and I remember that one being recommended when I first started reading indie!! Here’s one!

Allison: “Another one I don’t see up there, but was dark and incredible and compelling and a very guilty pleasure, is Obsession by Sofia Grey. Dark, but sooo good.” —>

VERY COOL to see her with us!!

Sofia says:

“These were my top reads from 2015. It took me a while to narrow them down.

I’ve been following you since around 2011, when I read Twilight, and then BDB. You’ve introduced me to so many incredible, unforgettable reads: 50SoG, Thoughtless, Beautiful Disaster, Olivia Cunning’s rockers, Hearts in Darkness and The Bronze Horseman. Thank you!!

It was supposed to be top 5, then top 10, but somehow ended up at 11… In no particular order:”

1.) Lucky Man (Heated Beat) – Garrett Leigh (M/M) <— I re-read this again over the holiday, and loved it even more. Garrett Leigh makes her characters feel real, and she doesn’t shy away from people with issues. In Lucky Man, we have a rock star with a mental illness, and a Chinese-Welsh detective that’s trying to stay in the closet. I love all the musical references, and the way it’s set in Northern England.

2.) Falling (Fall Or Break Book 1) – Barbara Elsborg (M/M) <— This book doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, it rips them right out and leaves them in a bloody mess on the floor. Her M/M romances are usually intense, but this one is raw. Harper has just been released from prison, after serving 10 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Everyone treats him like scum, apart from Malachi.

I read – and LOVED – two books with the same name this year, and both set in Occupied France during WW2.

3.) Nightingale – Aleksandr Voinov (M/M) <— Not sure if this is more of a coming of age or a romance, but it’s an amazing read that stays with you. Yves is a nightclub singer who somehow falls in love with a German soldier. You know it can’t possibly end well, and it keeps you glued to the very last page.

4.) The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah <— Another tear-jerking, edge-of-the-seat story, showing the unbreakable bond between two very different sisters, and how they cope with wartime France.

5.) Frenched (Mia and Lucas) – Melanie Harlow <— The book equivalent of warm chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of caramel sauce. And some grated dark chocolate to melt into the gooey, sinfully delicious bowl of yumminess. And wow, a gorgeous French hero to swoon over J

6.) The Shameless Hour (The Ivy Years Book 4) – Sarina Bowen <— I adored the Gravity series, but it was this one that reduced me to tears. Slut-shaming at its most cruel, but with a hero who rises above it.

7.) The Deal (Off-Campus Book 1) – Elle Kennedy <— I adore Elle Kennedy’s Out of Uniform series (hot Navy SEALs), but as soon as I read this change of direction I was smitten. I messaged Maryse and said, you MUST read this one J

8.) Castles Ever After Series – Tessa Dare <— Nobody writes Regency romance quite like Tessa Dare. Quick-witted, feisty heroines meet their match with to-swoon-for heroes, and laugh aloud dialogue. Sexy too. They are my automatic Go-To when I need to escape reality for a while.

9.) Karina Halle <— OMG – I fell for Love, in English, and cried over Love, in Spanish: (A Love, in English sequel), but it was Where Sea Meets Sky: A Novel that brought me to my knees. This romance set in a VW Camper Van on a tour of New Zealand was divine. More tears fell and I never wanted this book to end. Loved the music that they played in the van, too.

10.) Dream Lake (Friday Harbor Book 3) – Lisa Kleypas <— My reading buddy told me I needed to read this, but I hesitated. The hero was an alcoholic construction worker. Not very sexy, huh? He was a broken hero of the very best kind, and I loved every page of this. Add in a lonely ghost and a slew of caring friends and family, and this story had me hooked.  Beautiful writing

11.) Worth the Fall (The McKinney Brothers, Book 1) – Claudia Connor <— I saw this recced on Maryse’s page, and it was fabulous! The perfect summer beach read.

            

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