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Monday Early Bird Book Releases – 10-14-2019

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Good morning everyone and happy Monday!!! 😀 I’m still working on the early birds list, but we’re already over 20 news ones, but if I’ve missed any, let me know. Now… let’s play three things, while I drink my coffee and try to wake up:

1.) It’s Thanksgiving in Canada today, so happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian family and friends! I think I’ll “celebrate” tonight with a rotisserie chicken from Publix (and some traditional – though Keto friendly – sides). 😀

2.)  Speaking of Keto, *ahem* I cheated on my Keto on Saturday and ate some Publix fried chicken (soooo yummy!! But just a leg and the wings) AND I ate a serving of Jalapeño Wavy Pringles dipped in Publix buffalo chicken dip. Saturdays, I’m always so bad. P.S. My favorite buffalo chicken dip comes from Glory Days (so cheesy and delicious) and I love their traditional buffalo sauce. So spicy and vinegary and my favorite. I wonder what they use?

3.) I learned how to use a Keurig this weekend. How convenient are those??!!! OMG I LOVED IT! Holy moly. I’m tempted… ’cause then I could try those various K-cups and their flavors. My only issue is the plastic pods the coffee comes in (if it’s bad when they get heated with the hot water like that? I dunno). But WOWOWOW!! Genius. You can even kind of choose the strength of your coffee, by choosing from various water levels to come out through it. I’d go for the more intense strength. LOL!! I love my brew coffee maker (have had this same model – though two separate ones when my first one died after about 6 or 7 years of use – for at least 10 years now?) and I can make just one cup for myself too, and I have the strength of my coffee just right, AND because it’s programmable, I wake up to the smell of coffee every morning, so that’s a perk. But yah… that Keurig temps me big time!!

LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE :D !!!

  1. Awk-Weird (Ice Knights Book 2) by Avery Flynn <— THE HOCKEY STAR & THE AWKWARD GIRL ALERT!! “…when a Thor-lookalike who happens to be a professional hockey player hits on me at my bestie’s wedding rehearsal party… You better believe I climbed that tree like a cat. And the fact that it happened not once, not twice, but three times? Yeah, that’s pretty much a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a woman like me. There’s zero chance I’ll end up ever seeing him again…right? Until the pregnancy test comes up positive…”
  2. Mated to the Prince (Portal City Protectors Book 3) by Georgette St. Clair & LeTeisha Newton
  3. For Witch or For Poorer (Paranormal Wedding Planners Book 5) by AE Jones
  4. Don’t Get Me Wrong (Love in Brazen Bay Book 4) by Brill Harper
  5. Are You There, Karma? It’s Me, Jane.: A Laugh Out Loud Romantic Comedy (The Awkward Adventures of Jane Nash Book 1) by Christine Zolendz <— CHRISTINE ZOLENDZ ALERT!!! OMG WE LOVE HER!! “…when her eyes–and lips–land on a complete stranger at a baseball game, Jane feels like she’s hit a grand slam as the crowd roars its approval.  However, in the chaos of the stadium, she loses Mr. Perfect in a throng of fans and foam fingers. Determined to find him again, Jane sets off on a mission for that baseball fan of her dreams.  Suddenly, she gets a crash course in Karma…”
  6. His to Defend (NOLA Knights Book 1) by Rhenna Morgan <— MAFIA ROMANCE ALERT!! “…Don’t think Evie hasn’t noticed the powerful Russian mafia boss who makes her favorite diner a regular stop. How can she not? He’s as hot as his reputation is dangerous. But everyone in her struggling New Orleans neighborhood knows he’s the man to turn to. And right now she needs money to get her son out of trouble…”
  7. Trouble in Paradise (Course for Adventure Book 3) by Cassandra Logan
  8. My Forever Plus-One (Daring Divorcees Book 3) by Shannyn Schroeder 
  9. One Look by Harlow James <— SHE LOCKS EYES WITH A PRO BASEBALL PLAYER… “...I could kill my best friend. After locking eyes with the hotshot rookie of the OC Rays, Lochlin decides to play wing-man and gives my number to the infamous Jake Calhoun. Never in a million years did I think he’d actually contact me, but I guess he must have felt that same magnetic pull that I did when we locked eyes during his first game. As I get to know him more, I fall hard, and the reality of dating a professional baseball player smacks me in the face...”
  10. The Secret (Arranged Book 2) by Stella Gray <— SHE OBEYS HER HUSBAND… “...On the day I was married, I promised to love, honor, and obey my husband Stefan. Little did I know how literally I would mean obeying. Stefan tells me what to do, and I do it. There are questions asked, but I always submit in the end...”
  11. I’ll Be Home for Christmas: A heartwarming feel good romantic comedy by Karen Clarke
  12. A Sacred Magic (Wild Hunt Book 9) by Yasmine Galenorn
  13. Amber (Jewels Cafe Book 1) by Mia Harlan
  14. Possessed: A reverse harem bully romance (Kings of Miskatonic Prep Book 3) by Steffanie Holmes <— BULLY REVERSE HAREM ALERT!! “...HP Lovecraft meets Cruel Intentions in book 3 of this dark paranormal reverse harem bully romance. Warning: Not for the faint of heart – this story of three broken bad boys and the girl who stood her ground contains dark themes...”
  15. The Battle of Blackbriar Academy: an academy fantasy romance adventure series by Olivia Ash
  16. Sunny Springs Sins: A High School Bully Romance (Sunny Springs High Book 3) by Arlo Arrow and Elizabeth A. Lance
  17. Keep Calm and Perfect Your Smolder (Flame Series Book 2) by Daniella Brodsky
  18. Decked (The Invincibles Book 1) by Heather Slade
  19. The Mr. Wrong Series by A.M. Madden & Joanne Schwehm<— SERIES BUNDLE ALERT!! “...The Mr. Wrong Series takes you on an amusing journey with four friends who find their matches in uniquely hilarious situations. Get ready to laugh, swoon, and maybe even wipe a tear when you meet four sexy troublemakers in these stand-alone novels...”
  20. How to Capture a Duke by Tina Gabrielle
  21. Her Alpha Nerd (One Sultry Summer Book 2) by Lori Wilde
  22. Unbreakable Bear (Cave & Claw Emporium Book 2) by Kendal Davis
  23. The Undercover Plan: Crushing Series Book 2 by Riley Long <—M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!
  24. RULE OF LAW (Chimera Book 1) by Karin Tabke <— KARIN TABKE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS ALERT!!! He wants revenge and she was sold to the highest bidder… “...Sold to the highest bidder, Alana Conti must fight for her life–and for her soul–when she comes face to face with Law, the mysterious underworld boss who obeys no laws but his own. His touch is commandingly sensual and Alana yields, taking the first steps into his intriguing life of crime and web of carnal promise. Law’s heart burns white hot but not for Lana–for revenge...”

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

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Book Review – Single in Sitka by Katy Regnery

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Single in Sitka (An Odds-Are-Good Standalone Romance Book 1)

*claps* I had so much fun (and feels) reading this one!! It wasn’t anything crazy or over-the-top tense or anything like that, just pure sweet (yet super-steamy!!! HOLY MOLY) contemporary romance, with just the right amount of angst to keep me concerned about how it would resolve. And a cop-romance which I’ve obviously got a thing for. YAY ME!! I one-clicked this on release day SO HARD. 😉

It hit all my romance-buttons:

  • A sweet and loving (and grieving) single father – check
  • An interesting (and very plausible) date potential? – check!
  • A not so pleasant (but also plausible) “meet cute” – CHECK!!

“What? What do you want?” I finally yell, stopping to face him. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”

He brakes beside me. “You’re clearly in distress. I can’t leave you out here alone.”

“Why not?” I demand. “Are you the distress police?”

“Nope. Regular police.”

  • YAY!!! A man in uniform – YES PLEASE!! I mean… check. 😉
  • An issue that is keeping them apart (and making me ache?) YEP!!!! CHECK and CHECK!

And actually, there are a few issues keeping them apart, but the main one is a BIG one.

So what’s it about?

He’s a State Trooper in Alaska, raising his young children alone (after the death of his wife) in a safe and quaint town (he’s a little jaded on city life…) but curious about the crying girl on the side of the road…

A skinny, moody city girl crying on the side of the road for no good reason? A wily reporter with girl-next-door freckles on her nose who pretty much tricked me into talking to her?

and she’s a reporter in Seattle, trying to get over a recent breakup with the one she thought was “the one”…

“…The right one’s still out there waiting. You’re not giving up, are you?”

“Giving up? Hmm.” I tap my chin. “Well, my boyfriend of five years dumped me because he wasn’t ‘into us’ anymore, which we all know means he wasn’t into me…”

She LOVES her city life and her job (well to an extent 😉 ) and when she’s sent on assignment to Alaska (how she gets sent there made me chuckle) ;),  she responds to a personals ad hoping to temporarily dip her feet in the dating pool again. After all, since it’s far from home, with no possibility of getting serious, there’s no danger in a little fun, right?

“You just look so famili—wait a second! You’re the cop! The one who gave me a ride yesterday!” Her head straightens and she raises her eyebrows. “Still mad at me?”

That is, unless you meet someone that you have that undeniable “spark” with. Oh yes… an amazing connection, but hard to do from so far away.

And at first, this wasn’t even a consideration, since both agreed to be each other’s temporary rebounds. Just to get back into the swing of things.

Dare I tell him that my original interest in Sitka had nothing to do with bears? That it was a last-minute story idea I’d pitched after ogling his personal ad? That my true interest in Sitka was actually…him?

He’s not ready for anything serious, and is careful not to disrupt his children’s lives, and she’s got her perfect life (and apartment) set in the city that she adores (of course, minus a love life)…

“Like you said, we’re both looking for a rebound. I’ll be that for you, if you’ll be that for me.”

“No strings attached?”

“None.”

but the heart wants what the heart wants…

CUE THE DELICIOUS ANGST!!!

I’m leaving it there for you to discover (and devour). It’s an easy read and one to swoon over, and I really appreciated that it explored real life situations that many “long distance couples” (or even “already-made” family) couples likely face.

My only true hiccup? I wish the cover had the hero looking a bit more his age (both main characters are well into their 30s) vs this super-young version. Cute… of course! My version of Luke? Nope.

4 stars! <— A sweet and steamy read that kept me connected. This was just what I was in the mood for, and exactly what I needed. Did it all tie up a little too perfectly in a beautiful bow? Sure. But that’s the fantasy right? Well… at least mine. 😉

➔➔➔  Looking for more of my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 star reviews. 😀

Lani Lynn Vale – KPD Motorcycle Patrol Series Reading Order

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Ohhhh I’m a sucker for police romance books, and these guys are all bad-asses!!!! SQUEEEE!! And yet again, Lani Lynn Vale can TOTALLY write an exciting book synopsis. She’s the queen of giving me blurb jolts ’cause they always make me gasp and bounce in my seat, and I always want to read them!!!

Vicki: I love Lani Lynn Vale. I have read all her books. She is one of my auto buy authors.

About book #1:

I’m kind of a lady, but definitely more of a weirdo.

Hearing the woman at the table behind him say that to her friend should’ve turned Logan Gibbs off. It doesn’t. In all honesty, it only makes him listen harder.

He’s had enough weird in his life to last a lifetime. The last thing his complicated life needs is a woman in it who has no clue what color you get when you mix yellow and blue together. Yet, her obvious blonde moments aren’t enough to deter him. Nor is her lack of finger-painting skills.

I’m a cop, not a miracle worker.

Hearing the man in the group behind her say that should’ve had Katy Roberts running away as fast as her feet would carry her. Katy’s father’s a cop, and it’s hard enough to live her life with Daddy trying to dictate her every move. She needs another cop in her life like she needs yet another thing to go wrong.

To add onto that, she can’t find a job, has no love life to speak of, and has to be the oldest known virgin in Kilgore, Texas. Yet, when she sees his painting—a painting that resembles a piece of the male anatomy more than the lighthouse they were supposed to be painting—she knows that she has to give him a chance.

The very last thing the two of them expect is for her father and his boss to force them to marry after an eensy-weensy accident. An accident that, surprisingly, both of them want.

SERIES READING ORDER (although they can all be read as standalones as they are each about a different couple).

Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – 10-11-19

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Happy Friday everyone!!! Books have been keeping me company this week and changing my headspace from the horrible mess-up I did on my cute new table I just bought… Wanna hear what I did? I posted about it on Facebook… (and got lots of moral support, clever ideas, and of course, laughs – because I mean… who DOES that? ME. That’s who). 😛 Okay, so…

SO CUTE RIGHT?? I bought the “Happy Sunflowers” oil painting and bought the table especially FOR that painting (plus it’s useful too!) and then one of my dear friends had sent me this hand-blown glass tea-light candle glow ball that was the exact shades of purples in the painting. I was in feng shui heaven!!! And then… my OCD kicked in and well… the story to the left says it all. 🙄

That one time, when you get a cute wood side table from Amazon and you build it. And you’re so proud!!! And it looks so good and matches everything. And you stand there and beam at it.

Then… a couple of days later, you (mistake #1) drop something on it, and it messes the finish just a little bit. GASP!!! It’s BARELY noticeable but not perfect, and you like perfect, and can fix it, right? RIGHT! 

So you try and fix it, and (mistake #2) you make it SO much worse, and now… a part of the finish is missing. GONE. 😫 It’s still not the end of the world, but noticeable and you’re sure if you had the right products, you can bring it back… to original.

And then you buy “finish markers” and try (mistake #3) and fix it, and try and try and OMG it’s too dark and there’s a ring where the original finish SUCKS IT RIGHT IN, and you take it all off and try again and it just got bigger… and now, it looks like a toxic waste zone. <— click it to see what it looks like now (and yes, I am currently covering it with a place mat) 🤭😮🤬

Yeah. Don’t do that. Leave mistake #1 as is, and walk away. WALK. AWAY.

*sigh* *shakes head*

And now without further ado…

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

  • Twisted Marriage by Alessandra Torre <— LIVE!! ALESSANDRA TORRE DUET CONCLUSION ALERT!! Must read book #1 first (Filthy Vows). Married couple and she has a fantasy…

Daffy: The first one was HOT!!!!

Junis: OMG it’s soooo HOT!

  • Dreams of 18 by Saffron A. Kent <— GASP!! HER BEST FRIEND’S DAD & HE HATES HER!!! Nancy found it for us!! 😀 “...On her eighteenth birthday, she got drunk and threw herself at him, causing a huge scandal in their sleepy suburban town. Now everyone thinks she’s a slut and he has disappeared. Rumor has it that he’s been living up in the mountains of Colorado, all alone and in isolation. But Violet is going to make it right. She’s going to find him and bring him back. No matter how cruel and mean he is, how much he hurts her with his cold-hearted and abrasive ways, she won’t give up...”
  • The Good in Goodbye (The Lisa Millar Series Book 2) by Lasairiona McMaster
  • Just a King: A Secret Romance by Tabatha Kiss
  • The Troop: A Novel by Nick Cutter <— SUPER-BARGAIN HORROR ALERT!! Kat is my fellow creepy-book lover and she found us this deal! P.S. Stephen King said it scared the hell out of him!!! THE SCOUT’S AND THEIR USUAL COMFORTING CAMPING TRIP… “...when an unexpected intruder stumbles upon their campsite—shockingly thin, disturbingly pale, and voraciously hungry—Tim and the boys are exposed to something far more frightening than any tale of terror. The human carrier of a bioengineered nightmare…“

Kat: Sounds perfect for October on sale…

  • Perfect Strangers by J.T Geissinger <— RECENT RELEASE & WE HAVE FEEDBACK!!!

R. Renee: My readers group is going ballistic over Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger. Thinking of reading it next (whenever I start reading again).

Robyn: This was an amazing book.

Reno: I just have to tell you that I have read literally thousands of books and while I enjoyed this series, your Temptations series is hands down the best books I have ever read. So well written, entertaining and endearing. Those characters have stayed with me for years and I just wanted you to know that. People can always stand to hear some good. Have a great day! 😊

  • Mine by Courtney Cole <— STILL SUPER-BARGAIN PRICED and we have even more feedback ’cause Melinda’s BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR!

Melinda: I have just read the best book. It’s called “Mine” by Courtney Cole. Best book I have read all year. Loved every minute of it.

Maryse: GASP!!! I just one-clicked that one last week. YAY!!! Thank you Melinda. This one sounds right up my alley.

Melinda: Maryse, you have to read it. I will give you a teaser. Imagine going through your husbands iPad and finding nude photos of another woman!!! Then pretending to be Ethan the husband, messaging Lindsay the other woman, saying the house is empty, come over. She gets there, a note saying meet me In the bedroom. Only the husband Ethan isn’t home. So who is? It’s sooo good.

  • Necromancer Academy: Book 1 by Lindsey R. Loucks <— HER BROTHER WAS KILLED & SHE WANTS REVENGE… “...This fall, Dawn will scrap her admission to the prestigious White Magic Academy. She’ll trade sparkly healing charms and bright dresses for death charms and black cloaks. She’ll melt into the shadowy halls of Necromancer Academy. And she will have her revenge…”
  • Notting Hill in the Snow by Jules Wake <— LIVE!!! I LOVE this gorgeous cover…
  • One Last Time? (Bad Boy Bachelors of Orange County Book 1) by Khardine Gray <— LIVE!!!
  • Sweet Retribution: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rydeville High Elite Book 3) by Siobhan Davis
  • The Minx Who Met Her Match (The Brethren Book 4) by Christi Caldwell
  • Becoming His Mistress by A.E. Murphy <— LIVE!!! THE OTHER WOMAN ALERT!! And she has OCD… “…Everything has a place and Rose likes it that way. It must be that way. But even her quirks aren’t enough to keep her in her lane and away from temptation. No matter how hard she tries to fight a detour in her life’s perfect navigation system. She doesn’t like-like her boss. Not one bit. He belongs with his wife…”
  • Game Over (On the Wild Side Book 1) by Cheryl Douglas <— LIVE!!! SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE ALERT!! “…Harper had been used, abused and tattooed. Literally. Her first love, Deke, dumped her. Her ex-fiancée cheated on her, and she’d been reduced to sharing a shoebox apartment with her bestie. Not that she was complaining. A shoebox beat a park bench any day. But she needed a job. Money. Hell, she needed a new life. What she didn’t need was her ex-boyfriend to ride in on his white horse, make that Harley, with the answers to her prayers. But it was hard to kick a gift horse in the teeth, especially when he was ripped, inked, and rich. Oh, and claiming to be in love with her…“
  • Finally Yours (Love & Wine Book 1) by Claire Raye <— LIVE!!! SHE THINKS HE’S A NIGHTMARE!! “...As much as Lauren isn’t thrilled to see him, Jack is ready to prove that Tim Tams aren’t the only good thing to come from the Land Down Under. He may have been an arrogant kid when they met, but time has been good to him, because now he has the looks to back it up…“
  • Unexpected Fall (Unexpected Arrivals Book 3) by Kaylee Ryan <— LIVE!!! HOW DO YOU PICK UP THE PIECES? “...How do you pick up the pieces and keep moving forward? One breath. One second. One minute. One hour. One day at a time, you learn to live with your unexpected fall...”
  • Christmas Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection
  • The Mogul and the Muscle: A Bluewater Billionaires Romantic Comedy by Claire Kingsley <— LIVE!!
  • Robyn loves these, AND is looking for more Assassin books!! So if you have a recommendation for her, let us know, and I’ll start a new list. 😀

Robyn: I’m rereading JA Redmerski’s In the Company of Killers series. I am so in love with these books even though I’ve read them so many times. There is just something about assassins and their mates that hook me. I love this trope! We should make a list Maryse!

My other favorite assassin books are Lea Griffiths, No Mercy series. Annnnd….it just happens I messaged LG and the next book Kiss of the Blade is hopefully coming out in December if not January. I am beyond excited! SQUEEEEE! Annnnnd….I learned there will be a fifth book in the series! OMG! You guys have to read both these series, they are that good! I need more assassin books stat!

  • Maple Sugar Crush (An Autumnboro Sweet Romance Book 2) by Beth Labonte <— SHE WON THE LOTTERY & DATING IS DIFFICULT (and her family tries to fix her up)… “…When Josie’s family turns up in Autumnboro, faking a relationship with funeral planner Riley Parker seems like the only way to make it through the holiday. Like every other man on Earth, Riley’s only interested in her money. So what if she has a teeny, tiny crush? If he agrees to help her out, she’ll gladly write him a check. But as Thanksgiving draws closer, turkey and stuffing aren’t the only things heating up, and maybe money isn’t the only thing on Riley’s mind...”
  • Pour Judgment by Heather Orgeron <— THE LATEST BY Heather Orgeron IS LIVE!!! She wants nothing to do with the rock star lifestyle… “…Until a weekend of booze and bad decisions at camp Pour Judgment finds her fake-engaged to country music’s most notorious bad boy, Rhett Taylor, and completely at his mercy. You see, Korie Potter’s also got a dream, and her new “fiancé” just may have the connections to make it come true…”
  • Saving Meghan: A Novel by D.J. Palmer <— PSYCH-THRILLER WITH GREAT REVIEWS & I JUST ONE-CLICKED IT ’cause it’s on sale (US & CA)!!! YAY ME!!! “Some would say Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and would do anything for her only child. Others, including her husband Carl, claim she’s obsessed and can’t stop the vicious circle of finding a cure at her daughter’s expense...”

 

AUDIOBOOK L:DVERS!

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 audiobooks deal

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

 

➔➔➔  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).

Reader Question – The book about the heroine that reluctantly comes home to care for her siblings…

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Amy needs our book help! Oh wow I’m dying to find out about it due to the mental health aspects… it sounds like it could be sad (but poignant too).

She asks:

As far as I can remember it’s about a woman who left home or was kicked out by her parents.

Her parents were at best indifferent when it came to raising her and she only came back because they have been imprisoned(?) and she needs to care for younger sibling(s).

I believe her parents were also hoarders and she is embarrassed about this and is trying to clear out the house when an old romantic interest shows up and tries to help her.

Anyone have a guess?

➔➔➔  Browse more reader questions (solved & unsolved) here. 😀 Maybe you’ll find a solved one to read or have a guess for us for one that’s still unsolved.

Have a reader question for us to solve? Send it to me here.

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