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Latest Paranormal & Contemporary Romance Book Releases – November 21st 2017

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Happy new release day!!! A smaller one today, but I’ve highlighted plenty that sound darn good! 😀

Like ➔ (blurb-jolt time!!) That one up there to the left. Little Broken Things: A Novel (her sister sends her a cryptic note, and then leaves a terrified little girl with her… “Nora hands her over to Quinn with instructions to keep her safe, and not to utter a word about the child to anyone,” and then disappears!!! GASP!!!!), First (this is actually in the reader recommendations section, a recent release, and I’m hearing it IS AWESOME – and had one of our fellow readers in a panic!!), Crank (also a recent release that is making it right to the top of the Amazon charts, so I one-clicked it! The beginning of the blurb had me grinning 😉 She crashes into a mechanic’s truck… *whoooops*), Sweet Tea and Sympathy (she’s a new-in-town, scorned event planner, and he’s the coveted middle school principal – and I LOVE this author. She’s so good, and often hilarious!), Like Broken China (totally ominous sounding blurb… she loses her heart to a reckless boy, and eventually marries him… “Now saddled with two children, a sky-high mortgage, and a marriage crippled by addiction, Courtney finds herself desperately trying to hold on to the life she knew.“), and Maestro’s Muse (he’s a reclusive artist that wants a baby, and she just wants the money…)

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

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 —>

  • 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 all of 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. Sure Thing by Jana Aston
  2. Lure of Oblivion: Mercury Pack, Book 3 by Suzanne Wright
  3. Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper
  4. The Sacrifice by Evangeline Anderson
  5. Damaged!: A Walker Brothers Novel, Book 3 by J.S. Scott
  6. Tempted & Taken: Men of Haven by Rhenna Morgan
  7. Little Broken Things by Nicole Baart
  8. Dirty Scoundrel: Roughneck Billionaires, Book 2 by Jessica Clare
  9. The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Stories by Charlaine Harris
  11. Darker: Fifty Shades Darker as Told by Christian by E.L. James <— E.L. JAMES NEXT WEEK!!!
         

 

BARGAINS & READER RECOMMENDATIONS (P.S. TODAY is the LAST SALE DAY for many of these!! NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order.)

  • First by Kimberly Adams <— THIS. SOUNDS. AWEEEESOMMME!!! So, this was the answer to a reader question last week. And one of our fellow readers was so intrigued by it, that she read it. And now she’s freaking out. LOL!!!

Diana: This post intrigued me so I read this book. Now I need to discuss it with someone. WHHYYYYYYYYY
Maryse: Oh I think I LOVE the sounds of that reaction, Diana!! Now I wanna read it badly!! 😀
Johanna: This is an awesome book! Omg!!! Must read!!
Clare: It’s fantastic!

Tessa: I finished Breath of Fire and OMG. It was better than the first by a whole bunch, and I adored the first. A must read!
Robyn: I have also just finished Breath of Fire and it was just as good as the first book!

  • In 27 Days (Blink) by Alison Gervais <— BARGAIN PRICED & SOUNDS SO UNIQUE & AWESOME!!! A schoolmate commits suicide, and she’s offered a chance to go back in time to help him... “...Hadley attends Archer’s funeral. There, Hadley is approached by a man who calls himself Death and offers her a deal. If Hadley accepts, she will be sent back 27 days in time to prevent Archer from killing himself. But when Hadley agrees to Death’s terms and goes back to right the past, she quickly learns her mission is harder than she ever could have known. Hadley soon discovers Archer’s reasons for being alone…“
  • One Plus One: A Novel by JoJo Moyes <— JOJO MOYES SUPER-BARGAIN!!!

Annie: Currently I’m listening to One Plus One by Jojo Moyes. The narration is spot on. One of the easiest to get into right off the bat. Sometimes my ear has to get used to voices and then connect to the character. Not with this book.
Tasha: It hits the spot for now.

  • Crank (The Gibson Boys Book 1) by Adriana Locke <— Okay so I’m putting this right here ’cause it’s #3 in ALL of AMAZON!! HOLY MOLY what am I missing?? Well I’ll know soon, ’cause I one-clicked it hard!!! Plus that blurb is up my alley anyway, so I gotta read what all the fuss is about!! 😀 YAY ME!!!! YAY US!!!!
Linda: My latest 5***** read is Crank by Adriana Locke. Looved the writing!! Loooved the cast of characters!! Looved the dual pov!! Highly recommend!! ** cross my heart** you will love it too!! One click already!!!
Maryse: Linda I AM SO ON IT!!!! YAYYYYYYY!!!!
  • Singe (Guardian Protection Book 1) by Aly Martinez <— ALY MARTINEZ SUPER-BARGAIN & I LOVE this author and I’ve been DYING thread this. ONE-CLICKED!!! 😀 Melinda found us this one!! It was the answer to THIS reader question and when I realized what book it was, I knew it had to be MINE!!!

     

 

PARANORMAL/FANTASY/SCI-FI/DYSTOPIAN

  1. The Complete Sookie Stackhouse Stories by Charlaine Harris
  2. The Ice Bride by Ripley Proserpina
  3. Jeffrey’s Only Wish – A Novella (A Sweet, Scottish Time-Travel Romance): Book 4.5 by Bethany Claire
  4. Fire’s Kiss by Brittany Pate
  5. Save The Last Dance by Madison Granger
  6. Endless (Dragon Wars Book 5) by Rebecca Royce
  7. Huntress of the Night (Gods of Olympus Book 6) by Rita Stradling
  8. Maid of Ice (Blood & Silver) by Shona Husk
  9. Lure of Oblivion (Mercury Pack Book 3) by Suzanne Wright
  10. Pricked by Thorns: A Redeeming Cupid Novel #3 by Jenn Windrow
  11. When Gargoyles Choose (Shades and Shadows) by Ashley C. Harris
          

 

CONTEMPORARY

  1. Little Broken Things: A Novel by Nicole Baart <— HER OLDER SISTER SENDS HER A CRYPTIC MESSAGE… and gives her something to hide… “…Nora’s “something” is more shocking than Quinn could have ever imagined: a little girl, cowering, wide-eyed, and tight-lipped. Nora hands her over to Quinn with instructions to keep her safe, and not to utter a word about the child to anyone, especially not their buttoned-up mother who seems determined to pretend everything is perfect. But before Quinn can ask even one of the million questions swirling around her head, Nora disappears, and Quinn finds herself the unlikely caretaker of a girl introduced simply as Lucy...”
  2. Hardcore Twenty-Four (Stephanie Plum) by Janet Evanovich
  3. One Enchanted Noël: A Novella (Enchanted Christmas Collection Book 3) by Melissa Tagg
  4. Dirty Scoundrel (Roughneck Billionaires) by Jessica Clare <— JESSICA CLARE ALERT!! HE’S A ROUGHNECK OIL BILLIONAIRE & HE WANTS HER… “...Natalie gave up on true love years ago when the realities of the world destroyed her fairy-tale hopes. Giving up Clay is her biggest regret in life, and she’s excited to see him return…until she finds out why. Clay’s got one hell of a proposal for her: he’ll save her father’s business and bail Natalie out of debt if she’ll agree to become his very personal assistant. It’s clear that he wants more from her than just typing.  It’s also clear that Natalie has no choice. This scoundrel’s bet could destroy any hope they had of reconciliation—or it could bring them together once and for all…“
  5. Enchanted: A Christmas Collection by Melissa Tagg
  6. A Silver Cove Christmas by Jill Sanders
  7. Tamed by Christmas by Sidney Valentine
  8. Dirty Filthy Fix: A Fixed Trilogy Novella by Laurelin Paige <— NATHAN’S BOOK! “**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.*
  9. Night Games: A Games Novella by C.D. Weiss
  10. In Sir’s Arms (Brie’s Submission Book 16) by Red Phoenix
  11. Catalyst (Flashpoint Book 2) by Rachel Grant <— SHE’S UP FOR AUCTION… “When a food storage depot in famine-struck South Sudan is torched, American aid worker Brie Stewart flees, only to land in a market where she’s the next item up for auction. Is the attack on the aid facility another assault upon the war-torn fledgling democracy, or has her family set her up as a pawn in their quest for oil rights?“
  12. Hugh’s Chase (Saddles & Second Chances Book 5) by Rhonda Lee Carver
  13. Finding Love with the Billionaire (A Clean Billionaire Romance Book 3) by Anne-Marie Meyer
  14. A Good Man (Handymen Series Book 1) by Rosanna Leo <— A HOME IMPROVEMENT STAR WITH PERSONAL DEMONS… “Not only is Michael a star on a successful home improvement show, he’s also seen as a local hero. But no one knows about the demons he carries inside him ever since the day he risked his life to save others...”
  15. A Twisted Little Christmas by Annalise Delaney
  16. Head Coach: Hellions Angels by Lia Riley
  17. Hard Cover by Jamie K. Schmidt
  18. Only One Woman by Christina Jones and Jane Risdon
  19. SOMETHING’s GOTTA GIVE by Claude Dancourt
  20. I’ll be Home for Christmas: An Out of Line Novella by Jen McLaughlin <— JEN MCLAUGHLIN ALERT!! “…Some promises can’t be kept, and sometimes things just don’t work out. Finn is my world, my life. But when my worst nightmares come true, I’m faced with the impossible truth. Without him… I’m lost...”
  21. Vicious Vixen by Shiloh Walker
  22. Recklessly Forbidden (Bennett Brothers Book 2) by Emily Bowie
  23. Heal Me (Magnolia Series) by Alexandra Page
  24. Left to Chance: A Novel by Amy Sue Nathan
  25. Undeniable (Latin Men Book 7) by Delaney Diamond
  26. Keys to Your Closet (Blurred Lines Series Book 3) by Peyton Landry
  27. The Cabin by Alice Ward <— RECLUSE ALERT!! AND SHE NEEDS HIS HELP… “...Of all the mountains in the world, her sexy ass has to show up on mine. Now, she can’t escape. Not from the blizzard. My cabin. Or the attraction neither of us can fight. This mountain is mine alone, my escape from the wonderful life that imploded two years ago. But she’s here now, and the defenses I’ve erected are falling at her feet. She needs my protection. I need my hands on her perfect skin...”
  28. Love: A Hollywood Romance (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 12) by Jillian Dodd
  29. Hope (Romance on the Go Book 0) by C. Tyler
  30. Leave Me (No Matter What Book 2) by B.L. Mooney
  31. Sweet Tea and Sympathy (Southern Eclectic Book 1) by Molly Harper <— SCORNED FAMOUS EVENT PLANNER & ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ALERT!! “...As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town’s most eligible gentleman…“
  32. Jade (The Kings of Guardian Book 9) by Kris Michaels
  33. The Rivalry by Nikki Sloane <— HE’S HER ARCH-RIVAL!! “...He might be everything I want, all rolled into a glorious package of gridiron god, but there’s one teeny-tiny problem. The vile, loathsome team I’ve spent my entire life hating—my beloved school’s arch-rival? This guy is their star player...”
  34. Beginning of the Reckoning (Feral Steel MC Book 3) by Vera Quinn
  35. The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright
  36. Her Beast, His Beauty by Jenika Snow <— RECLUSIVE AND SHE’S HIS HOUSEKEEPER… “…I should have been afraid when he said I was his. His heart had grown hard and cold, his isolation making him hate the world. He thought people should fear him because of the scars he bore, but I found beauty in them. I was just the housekeeper, but I couldn’t help how I felt for him. Maybe he was a beast, a vicious animal hidden under a hard, powerful body. Maybe I should have run, but I knew he’d come for me, find me. Deep down, where I couldn’t lie, I wanted him to be mine. And that frightened me most of all…”
  37. The Mafia And His Angel Part 3 (Tainted Hearts) by Lylah James
  38. Silent Knight: Deep Six Security Series Book 7 by Becky McGraw
  39. Shine On Oklahoma (The McIntyre Men Book 4) by Maggie Shayne
  40. Personal Disaster (Billionaire Secrets Book 3) by Ainsley Booth
  41. Thankful For Her by Alexa Riley <— ALEXA RILEY’S “THANKSGIVING-TREAT BOOK! And it’s super-bargain priced!! “Autumn has always felt a soul-shattering pull to her stepbrother, Hunter. The only problem is that they’ve never met. But this Thanksgiving they’re finally going to meet and when they do, all her desires will be confirmed. Hunter Danvers has lost a lot, and seeing his father marry a nightmare of a stepmother, he thinks he’s lost him, too. He reluctantly comes home for Thanksgiving. And then everything he knows to be true changes…”
  42. Vengeance Aside (Wanted Men) by Nancy Haviland
  43. Bound by Light (Cauld Ane Series Book 7) by Piper Davenport
  44. A Hero’s Honor: Resolution Ranch (Flint Hills Military Heroes Book 1) by Tessa Layne
  45. Best Gay Erotica of the Year, Volume 3 <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!!
  46. Bleeding Like Me by Riley Parks <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!!
  47. Ice, Snow, & Mistletoe by Jocelynn Drake <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT!!!
  48. Once Upon a Texas Christmas (Whiskey River Christmas Book 4) by Katherine Garbera
  49. The Financier (Hudson Kings Book 2) by Liz Maverick
  50. The Big, Bad Billionaire: A Billionaire Romance (The De Santis Brothers) by Jackie Ashenden
  51. Bring Your Heart (Golden Falls Fire Book 2) by Scarlett Andrews
  52. Like Broken China by J.D. Thompson <— MARRIED TO A BOY WITHOUT LIMITS... “…One night of uninhibited abandon was all it took for her to be completely enthralled by the boy without limits. Now saddled with two children, a sky-high mortgage, and a marriage crippled by addiction, Courtney finds herself desperately trying to hold on to the life she knew. But as she struggles between letting go of what could have been and accepting what is, one question simmers at the surface of Courtney’s mind: is love ever enough?“
  53. Maestro’s Muse by Scarlett Finn <— RECLUSIVE ARTIST WANTS A BABY & SHE NEEDS THE MONEY... “...Beckett Trent is damn sure he doesn’t want a wife. The reclusive artist has to maintain his anonymity, but that makes it tough for him to have the one thing he wants more than anything else: a child. Jaycee can give him what he needs without complications, because the last thing she wants to be is a mother. But the money, she can’t refuse that…”
                                                   

 

PREORDERS (Next few days, and a few of next week’s!!! :D )

              

13 Monday Earlybird Book Releases + some that are going live at midnight…

By 16 Comments

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK!!! I LOVE THIS WEEEEEEEEK!!! :D!!!! The whole week is going to be awesome, and special, and loaded in holiday preparation, from cooking, to seeing friends and family, to days off, to shopping, to reading our hearts out.
In fact, I already know my next read. I can’t get enough of Mariana Zapata, and someone just reminded me of one of her latest 5-star books (Dear Aaron), and I one-clicked that sucker so HARD!!!

D.G.: Maryse, Dear Aaron was a five star for me also! Heck, I love all her books. It is definitely a slow burn…
Melinda: Just finished Dear Aaron. I just absolutely loved it. Couldn’t put it down. We had a fire scare in the hotel at 6am this morning we all got dressed went downstairs took my book with me. False alarm went back to room and read even though I went to bed at 4am. Don’t you love a good one. I live for these.

I’m going in. *squeeeee meeeeee!!!!*
LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE!!

  1. Dr Stantons The Epilogue by T.L. Swan <— T.L. SWAN’S LATEST IS LIVE!!!! DR. STANTON EPILOGUE!! And it’s bargain priced! I know so many in our crew had serious book-hangovers after this series. 😀 Here’s the reading order, although I hear “Dr. Stanton” (the one right before this one, CAN be read as a standalone.
  2. Lips Close to Mine (Wherever You Go) by Robin Bielman <— SHE STARTS SEEING HER ONE-NIGHT STAND EVERYWHERE... “...Pretty soon everywhere I turn, I see him. Our best friends are dating. My mother mistakenly—and happily—thinks he’s my plus-one to my cousin’s wedding. And he’s the guy I have to work with on the most important job opportunity of my life. Here’s my problem: I like Levi...”
  3. The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania Book 3) by T.J. Klune <— T.J. KLUNE M/M ROMANCE ALERT!! “Sequel to A Destiny of Dragons”
  4. Love in Real Life by Seth King <— M/M ROMANCE ALERT! “Bookworm and book blogger Theodore Martin knows he could never love anything like he loves books – until George Charles walks into his family-owned bookstore one day and starts rewriting Theodore’s story, page by page.”
  5. Unexpected Arrivals by Stephie Walls <— HE’S MARRIED & HE GETS A PATERNITY TEST LETTER FROM ANOTHER WOMAN!!! Kooloo found us this one saying: “I mean this has Big Drama and Heart Ripping all over it! Your Welcome” Eeeeep, Kooloooooo this sounds like a great find for sure! “…The words on the page jumbled into a toxic mess my brain refused to comprehend, much less accept. Please consider this letter as a formal request to arrange a paternity test (DNA). I barely remembered Chelsea Airy. That wasn’t true—we’d gone out once, and we’d been friends for a while after. But I hadn’t heard so much as a peep from her since I’d gotten married. I’d reached out a handful of times, but she’d quit responding and fell off the face of the earth. There hadn’t been a text, an email, a phone call, not even a Facebook message, much less a stork in the last five years. My wife could forgive a lot, but she’d never wanted children—much less another woman’s.“
  6. Las Vegas Sidewinders: Brock by Kat Mizera <— HOLLYWOOD STARLET & HOCKEY STAR ARE ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED!! “...Hollywood starlet Ashleigh Hunter is living the dream with a role on one of the hottest shows on television. Her life would be complete if only she could adopt the sweet orphan girl she’s fallen in love with, but a single 25-year-old woman who spends the majority of her time in the spotlight may not be able to get custody. When Brock and Ashleigh find themselves accidentally married, they balk…“
  7. ETERNAL BEAUTY (Mark of the Vampire) by Laura Wright
  8. The Risks We Take by Barbara C. Doyle <— ROCK STAR & TRAIN WRECK USED TO BE BEST FRIENDS... “…All he wanted was to get to know the girl he used to love spending every waking moment with, but all she wanted was to be left alone by the boy she blamed for all the pain. He was an up-and-coming rock star, and she was an up-and-coming train wreck…“
  9. Money Can’t Buy Love #3: (A Sexy Billionaire Bad Boy Novel) by Ali Parker <— SINGLE MOM & HER NEW JOB & THE BOSS THAT’S GRIEVING HIS WIFE… “...Rainey Foster has finally graduated college, and as a struggling single mom, she just needs someone to give her a chance. She’s willing to go all in with the right employer, as long as the buck stops there. He can have her time, her commitment and her attention, but no one will ever have her heart again. She thinks she has things figured out until she comes face to face with the illustrious Michael Carrington...”
  10. Eversong (The Kindred Book 1) by Donna Grant <— DONNA GRANT ALERT!! “Unparalleled in beauty and daring, Leoma has been raised with a single-minded focus—to wipe out corrupt witches. But when her new target leads her to a discovery that unveils a graver plan from the Coven, she doesn’t hesitate to follow. Yet, she’s not the only one on the hunt. And the sexy, infuriating man who crosses her path could prove to be a distraction—something she’s never encountered before…“
  11. Wicked Seduction (Wicked Brand) by Tina Donahue <— SHE’S TRYING TO ESCAPE HER ABUSIVE EX… “...As part of her new life, she arrives at Wicked Brand in search of tattoos to cover scars from a long-ago trauma, hoping it will allow her to finally feel pretty. What she gets is a hot Latin tattoo artist who sets every part of her afire...”
  12. Dirty It Up by Elizabeth Kelly,‎ Amelia Bond,‎ Elizabeth Brown,‎ Aubrey Bondurant,‎ Ramona Gray
  13. Mason James (Heartbreakers & Heroes Book 2) by Ciana Stone
  14. Madame Moll (Gun Moll Book 3) by Bethany-Kris & Erin Ashley Tanner
             

 

PREORDERS (just a few highlights of those going live at midnight!!! :D )

        

Book Review – Dirty Filthy Rich Men by Laurelin Paige

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Dirty Filthy Rich Men (Dirty Duet Book 1)
Some of my book buds raved about this one, so I had it circulating on my TBR list for awhile now. The whole “jerk-faced bully” aspect intrigued me, and after a few starts and stops with other books this weekend, this one stuck. That intro (prologue) had me.

Janet: I really recommend Laurelin Paige’s’ duet, Dirty Filthy Rich Men and Dirty Filthy Rich Love – the story of Donovan and Sabrina! A good roller coaster ride through hot obsession, with some angst, some heart wrench and a buffet of good characters to love and loathe. Can’t wait for the follow ups!
Grey:   I finished in the wee small hours. – “He won’t remember me,” I insisted. ~ Dirty Filthy Rich Boys by Laurelin Paige. I have to type up my review, but yes!!!! I really enjoyed it, other than than the cliffy that I should have expected, and that isn’t a deal breaker for me… I can throw myself over a cliff when I know the end is in sight, and she already has a release date for the next book posted, (it is just a duet). It was hella hot, had a jerkface bully, witty banter, in short…it checked a lot of my boxes! …really enjoyed them. A mean ol’ bully and dark (not quite black, but greyish) undertones … Certainly was creeping up on my book catnip!!
Tessa: BULLY JERK!  :D …Seriously, this twisted stuff is what I adore the most. Just pure twisted jerks. Dirty, Filthy, Rich Men did not disappoint. Anyone who loves the darker, bully type hero, READ THIS! Seriously, I can’t believe how much I loved it. Thank you Grey for recommending it! …Seriously, CATNIP!! This is not for everyone but I’m so glad Grey brought it to my attention. *huggles Grey* My bully buddy.  :D

Not just for the uncompromising, dominating bully feel (I always love to see how the bully breaks and falls in love… with his victim, no less), but the love triangle angle titillated me. Two super rich boys, one nice but flighty playboy (Weston), and one… not so nice, and so uncompromising when it came to his affections and attentions, that, while he could easily BE a playboy… he was too angry for that. And it fulfilled my angry, push-pull need.

I should never have engaged, wouldn’t have engaged in a hundred other similar situations, yet I’d been drawn to him. He’d drawn me to him. That’s the thing about Donovan Kincaid, the thing he was famous for— he was a known puppet master. He was a man who pulled the strings, and he’d pulled me to him.

So what’s it about?
Sabrina has a full scholarship to Harvard (a perfect student, from a good but middle-class family), and has a HUGE crush on a certain rich boy that is known for his playboy ways. One night, at a frat-party, while she’s spying on him with yet another girl, his best friend (Donovan) is spying on her, and calls her out on what she’s up to. He’s the other brooding rich boy in their group, and while he unabashedly and constantly intimidates her,

“You’re an a$$hole.”
“Am I? You’re the one who came up here trying to get something from me.”

…he also saves her from a terrifying situation later on in the night. And they are forever linked. But she doesn’t know that yet.

Emotion overwhelmed me.
But it wasn’t just terror and humiliation that I felt. There was something even worse underneath it all. Something ugly but undeniable.
As soon as I recognized it, I flushed with panic.

And so their story begins.
Er, well… it does so, a few years later, when all of them have since graduated and moved on in their careers, and she lands a job with their famous advertising agency.

It was essentially the same job that I currently had, but Reach was so much bigger of a firm that it was a huge promotion. There was absolutely no reason to say no.

And now the real story begins. And is revealed. And will hook you AND yet drive you crazy.
Crazy? GAH! YES!!! *sigh* I found it went overboard for the most part in the mind-games of it all. It explored a difficult subject matter (albeit a real one, I’m sure), certain needs that required relief. Triggers, and coping mechanisms, and it just so happened two of the main characters were able to fulfill these very need for each other.
And yet… at times, I felt I was watching an episode of Gossip Girls, or some other rich-kid bullies turned rich-adult bullies that played games to keep those they were obsessed with, within their power. I dunno. It was good enough for me to read right through (and I did), and the end certainly had me intrigued enough to feel like moving onto the conclusion (a few reveals that loosened my annoyance with all the push-pull toying), and had me understanding on a different level.
But you guys… I was SO EXASPERATED. I eyerolled a TON. I was all… “OH COME ON!!!!!!! Really??” I’ll be honest. I can and DO love a vulnerable, insecure, even circumstantially-traumatized heroine. Every one of us has insecurities, life situations that have broken us, or can trigger us… and every single human in the world is vulnerable on some level. That is real to me.
However, when it came to this heroine, no matter how absolutely sure she was that she was DONE with the potential “love” interest’s mind games (and trust me…. he was OBVIOUS in his intent), she let it happen. Again and again. She’d be determined to stand up for herself, assert herself, or completely stand him up, and yet there she would be, following him into his version of her own customized “love-doll” hell. GRRRR!!!!!!
I can understand a heroine loving someone so much that they’re blind to certain imbalance and unfairness and disrespect (grrrrrrr!!!), but when it comes to degradation and flat-out admission by the “hero” (in this case… anti-hero) that they are NOTHING, and will never be ANYTHING?!! Well. I get TICKED OFF.

I felt the blood drain from my face, humiliated. Hurt. “There is no us” already stuck on a repeat loop in my brain.

GAH!!!! I was FURIOUS, and yet that HOOKED ME. I’m a mess.
Oh, no. I believe that kind of thing happens over and over again in real life… but I wanna shake someone! Don’t get me wrong. I was hooked, and yet I was extremely annoyed. How could I be into a story, and yet, so annoyed by it too?
This was one of those for me. Do I want to know how it ends with the conclusion book? I do. Am I ready to jump in right away after this emotional mind mess? Heck NO. I need a break 😉
3.75 stars
P.S. Here’s the Laurelin Paige – Dirty Duet Reading Order

 

Mariana Zapata – The Kulti Series

By 9 Comments

THIS IS A FIVE STAR SERIES MY FRIENDS!!! :D!!!!!!!!! THE. WHOLE. THING!
Okay, to be fair, this isn’t actually called “The Kulti” series (in fact, each book can be read as a standalone, but they all tie in together so cleverly – and I’d personally recommend reading them in order), and the author has confirmed with me that she hasn’t actually named it anything really… as of yet.

Mariana: I don’t actually have a name for that group of books. If anything, I might have referred to them as my Texas books once or twice. Feel free to call then whatever you want though.

Perfect and done! Since Kulti was the first in this lineup (and started my own HUGE love for this author), I’m referring to this series in that way, for now. I’ll change the post if a different series name becomes official. 😉 UPDATE!!! Apparently Under Locke was the first in this series, so I’m adding it to this list. Maybe I should have just called it the “Wait For It” series, since each book has such a slooooowwwww burn. ;) That would be the PERFECT name for this series. LOL!!!! But I’m right, right?
Anyway… OMG EVERY BOOK in this series is a must read. Fully loaded in EXACTLY what I love to read in romance, w/plenty of relevant life detail that has us truly sinking into the story, pure and realistic in every way, but best of all? That delicious slow burn, insecurities, and incredible pining and love-stress that gives us all the butterflies, and OH NOOOO moments we crave. And I loved each one better than the last.
WE ARE CRAZY FOR IT (and this author)!!

Bardee: Mariana Zapata is an automatic one-click for me and Kulti is one of my all-time faves…can’t wait to read this one…yay!
Tessa: Kulti would be one of those subtle drinks that sneak up on you. Maybe a cinnamon that slowly burns you from the inside out.
Byanne (about Under Locke):  It’s so good! Dex is my favorite book boyfriend. He has that great mix of bossy and broody that I love!!!
Tasha: I loved Kulti and The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and Me, two of my favorites ever!
Jillian: I finished The Wall of Winnipeg and Me today and it was friggin’ fantastic. I can’t even take it with her books. THEY BURN SO GOOD! I hope Zac gets a story. I’m so lost now that it’s over. Curse you, Ms. Zapata, curse you for writing such wonderfully tortuous books *shakes fist*
Pansy: Mariana Zapata is one of my favorites also. She is very “slow burn” which is good but can at times, be a turn off (for me) but i love the romance of her books. The guys are not throwing “alpha vibes” all over the place. The Wall of Winnipeg was my favorite and Wait for It my second fav. I liked Kulti but a little too much inner dialogue for me. Glad you liked Wait for It.
Niki (about book #3: “Wait for It“): This is my most favorite book ever!! It rudely pushed Kulti out of it’s way to my number one spot!! Just thinking about Dallas and Diana make me happy!! So glad you loved it!!
bev (about book #3: “Wait for It“): This was good. It and Kulti are tied. I think this may have a better pay off for the slow build though. I love her slow burn but sometimes almost too reticent.
Jan: I love the way MZ writes. Her characters are the best. Yes, I’m in love with Kulti, Aiden and Dallas too.
D.G. (about book #3: “Wait for It“): As always…her slow burns make me HAPPY! This is the first book that we get to visit with previous characters from her other her books…LOVED getting to know Trip better (and briefly visiting Iris and Dex) from Under Locke, best friend Vanessa and Aiden from WoW, and cousin Sal and Rey from Kulti. MZ wove them all in the story so effortlessly. LOVED Dallas and the way he loved her! *sighs*. What to read now???
Janne: The Wall of Winnipeg and Me is one of the best books I’ve read/listened to in a LONG time. I LOVED it from the get-go. If you haven’t listened to it, treat yourself. It’s a great audio book.
Ashley: This is one of my favorite go-to listens in all of my audiobooks. I’ve listened to Wait for It, Kulti and The Wall of Winnipeg and Me at least 7 times each. There is something so perfect about each one, such feel good stories with characters that are so completely real and relatable. And you’re right about it being all about these small moments. They’re longer books but do not feel long at all and you don’t want them to be over! I’ve highly recommend Mariana Zapata books to several people.
Bryanne: You also have to read Under Locke. Many of the characters from Wait For It are in that book. I LOVE this author!!!!!

About book #1:

When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to.
It didn’t take a week for twenty-seven-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she’d seen in the international soccer icon—why she’d ever had his posters on her wall, or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.
Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man that hadn’t known she’d existed. So she isn’t prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team’s season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he’d once been.
Nothing could have prepared her for the man she got to know.
Or the murderous urges he brought out in her.
This was going to be the longest season of her life.

   

Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – November 17th 2017

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Just a mini “Friday Finds” list today (’cause I think yesterday’s surprise release list stole today’s show) but we still have some goodies (and I will be adding more throughout the day as we find them 🙂
P.S. Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s list: ➔ Surprise! A Thursday “New Release” list!

  • Constant (The Confidence Game Book 1) by Rachel Higginson <— RACHEL HIGGINSON’S LATEST IS LIVE!!!! I LOOOOOVVVVE THIS AUTHOR!! BLURB JOLT ALERT!! Eeeeeeep!!! This sounds crazy scary and adrenalizing!!! “Fifteen years ago I met Sayer Wesley. I fell in love with him. I promised I would never leave him. I swore nothing could break us apart. Five years ago I broke my promise. I ran away. I took the one secret that could destroy us both and disappeared. Five days ago I thought I saw him. I knew it was impossible. Sayer was locked away, serving a deserved sentence in federal prison. He couldn’t find me. He wouldn’t find me. I was too good at hiding. Too good at surviving. Because if Sayer ever found me, there would be hell to pay for a plethora of sins. The worst of which, he didn’t even know about. Five hours ago, I told myself I was crazy. Five minutes ago, I saw him again. Five seconds ago, I was too late.
Kathy: Maryse, one more book for you to add. Rachel Higginson’s new book Constant is out today. Free on KU. She has been a must read for me just like Mariana Zapata!
  • #Delete by Sandi Lynn <— SHE’S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT MAKES MEN TICK... “...Did the guy you like suddenly “Ghost” you? #Delete.vDid it take him two weeks to reply to your text message which involved you asking him a question? #Delete. Did he promise to call you in a day or two and then went MIA?” #Delete. Did the two of you have a scheduled date and he cancelled thirty minutes before it was about to happen? Or worse yet, not show up at all? #Delete. My name is Eloise Moore and this my story of how #Delete and one nasty text message sent to the wrong number changed my life forever…”
  • Playing to Win: Risking It Book 2 by Autumn Reed
  • Lawless by Sam Crescent <— ANTHOLOGY ALERT!! “Our twelve hand-picked novellas are dark, dirty, and will make you see bad boys in a whole new light. From bikers to hitmen, these dangerous men won’t be satisfied until they have everything they came for—until they have her.“
  • Love on the Edge of Time by Julie Richman <— RECENT RELEASE & ANA GAVE IT 5 STARS!
Ana: Just finished love in the edge of time, 5 heartfelt stars like nothing I read before and I read a book a day.
  • Savage: The Awakening of Lizzie Danton by L.A. Fiore <— THEY CALL HIM A MONSTER… “…He lives in a castle fit for a fairy tale, but he’s no prince. He’s savage. He’s brutal. He’s a killer. By an act of fate, our worlds collide. They call him a monster, but he is my salvation…“
  • (Sur)real (Judgement of the Six Book 6) by Melissa Haag <— RECENT RELEASE & Robyn LOVES this series!
Robyn: Melissa Haag’s last book in The Judgement series came out today called (Sur)real. This is a fantastic Wolf PNR. Everyone gets together with their soulmate throughout the books, form their own pack and fulfill a prophecy. The writing is fantastic and I fell in love with all the characters.
  • 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 —>

  • 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 all of 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!

      

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