Book Review: Paperback Writers Anthology

You can read my Goodreads review below to get an overall feel for the book. I very much enjoyed all of the stories, but, I’m just going to quickly go over a few of my favorites.

The book really started off right. “Don’t Want to Leave Her Now” by Effie Kammenou was touching and heartfelt. The way the author wove the emotion of the song (“Something”) into the story was seamless. The concept of soul mates has always been fascinating to me, and it was explored beautifully in this story.

“Fidelity” by Morgan & Jennifer Locklear was another good one. I am a history buff, so the setting of the establishment of the Berlin Wall was especially interesting (I knew it would be so when I saw the date of the prologue). The dual meaning of the word fidelity, both as it relates to records and sound and faithfulness were intertwined to create the story of loss and hope.

Melanie Moreland is one of my favorite authors, and I was very excited to see that she was included in this anthology. Her “The Taste of You” read like one of her novels, and that made me very happy. I loved how she used the sensuousness of food to introduce the two main characters and special kudos to the hero’s name. Food is poetry and love for Chef Byron Lord; that’s just genius.

The other stories were just as good, but these three stood out to me. There is something for just about every taste in Paperback Writers. Even better, proceeds from the sales will benefit the World Literacy Foundation.

The Beatles, great authors, and contributing to a worthy cause. Go get your copy now!

Paperback Writers by Jennifer Locklear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful anthology that will make you feel “Glad All Over.” Each of the stories is based on a Beatles song. Some of the authors work lyrics and/or song titles into their stories and some use the lyrics of a song as a theme or the plot. When put “All Together Now,” the result is an extremely diverse and highly entertaining anthology. “Don’t Let Me Down,” please go to my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews to find out which stories I liked the most, then “Run For Your Life” to pick up your own copy! This review was written based on a complimentary pre-release digital ARC. “The End.”

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May 30, 2019May 30, 2019

Blog Tour: Million Dollar Devil

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour. I have to say that this book looks pretty interesting, and I can’t wait to jump in!

Million Dollar Devil by Katy Evans

Release Date: May 28, 2019

Million Dollar Devil, a devilish contemporary romance where big-city sophistication meets carnal hunger from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Evans.

Heir apparent to her father’s company, Lizzy Banks needs a man. The perfect man. But when the rich “fundbabies” she usually rubs shoulders with prove impossible to hire, she takes a chance on a raw beast of a man salvaged from the wreckage of a bar brawl.

James Rowan earns a modest income as a YouTube daredevil, but he can’t refuse Lizzy’s million dollar deal. As she polishes his rough edges, creating a sophisticated gentleman fit for the highest circles of society, not only does she bring out the perfect man—it’s like she’s making the man of her dreams. How can she resist?

Though Lizzy loves seeing James in his clothes—and out of them—he isn’t the kind of man you bring home to Daddy. Her father’s disapproval and the pressure of the campaign have her eyeing the straight and narrow, but Lizzy’s finding it awfully hard to resist the devil on her shoulder…

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WFkkby

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/MillionDollarDevilKE

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2UkaXSg

Excerpt:

He has a face that—until now—only existed in my dreams. Hard jaw, chiseled to perfection. Firm, plush, kissable lips. Sharp, pristine blue eyes that feel like lasers zeroing in on me. He catches my gaze, and the devil’s smile suddenly playing on his lips is worth a million bucks. That’s exactly how much it cost me. What this guy cost me. I would’ve paid so much more. It’s like he’s the only man in the room. Like he belongs here. Confidence oozes out of his every pore. Masculinity envelops him as perfectly as his custom black suit. He walks like he owns the place. My heart beats harder and harder for him. I can’t believe I got him to agree to this. Women are vying for his attention. His moves are smooth. Sophisticated. Elegant. “An autograph?” a young woman asks shyly. He takes the notepad and pen she extends and scribbles his name, his voice low and rough. “There you go.” Beneath all that polish is his raw masculine energy. The determination that brought him here. “James . . .” I halt him before we go any farther. “Whatever happens . . .” He looks at me. A thousand words lingering in his look. “I know.” But does he? I’ve fallen in love with my own creation. I polished a diamond, and now it’s flawless. Perfect. But it’s not mine to keep. He is not mine to keep. This elite world he’s about to join isn’t one he was born into. These fans only know him because of me. His place at the top? That’s not where I found him.

About Katy:

Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.

Connect with Katy:

Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkatyevans

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6997072.Katy_Evans

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkatyevans/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katy-evans

Amazon Author: https://amzn.to/2rdox8A

May 28, 2019May 28, 2019

Book Review: Smitten by the Brit

I wrote about the first book in Melonie Johnson’s “Sometimes in Love” series (Getting Hot with the Scot) not too long ago, and I was head over heels with the series then. Nothing has changed, and I actually love it a little more with the second installment, Smitten by the Brit.

You can read the blurbs and other synopses elsewhere. I’m going to tell you why I love this book on a personal level. Simply put, I could be Bonnie. Well, minus the fiancé issue, but everything else is very familiar.

I am the biggest Shakespeare nerd, and always have been. I can find Shakespeare quotes for various situations. I loved how Bonnie was a smart heroine, and made no apologies for it. That’s an unfortunately rare find in romance novels sometimes. But it’s one of the things that makes this series stand out.

The romance between Bonnie and Theo is as swoon-worthy as all of the previews and blurbs say. There’s a slow-burn that makes the reader ache right along with the “meant to be” couple. And when they finally get together…holy combustibility!

But the real reason that I love this book so much is simple and personal. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is my favorite Shakespeare play. When I taught high school drama at a predominately Hispanic high school, we mounted a version of it that is still remembered nearly 20 years later (crap, was it really that long ago?!?)

I’d always loved Shakespeare, but watching those kids learn his language and bring it to the stage was a life-changing moment for those students and for me. In other words, the author had me at Bonnie’s adaptation of the play to include bootleggers, speakeasies and 1930s gangsters.

Just for good measure, she also has me at the opening party where everyone is in costume, and then went ahead and mentioned my OTHER favorite play (The Importance of Being Earnest).

Honestly, I think Bonnie is my book doppleganger.

Anyway, go for the Shakespeare, stay for the romance. It’s another winning entry, and once again, I can’t wait for the next one!

Smitten by the Brit (Sometimes in Love, #2)

Smitten by the Brit by Melonie Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I didn’t think it was possible to beat the first book in this series, but the author did it. I absolutely loved book two in the “Sometimes in Love” series. I identified with Bonnie in the first book, and even more so in this one. I am a fellow Shakespeare nerd, and could totally relate to her quoting him and finding parts of her life that were similar to his plays. And I am jealous of the job she took in England; I would kill for that! Oh yeah, the romance is great too, but you knew it would be because Theo is the perfect Austen hero. This is one of my favorite series, and I can’t wait for the next one. To find out more about how I relate to Bonnie, visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. A HUGE thank you to St. Martin’s Press (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read a complimentary digital ARC of this book.

View all my reviews

May 28, 2019May 27, 2019

Release Blitz: Million Dollar Devil

Million Dollar Devil, a devilish contemporary romance where big-city sophistication meets carnal hunger from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Evans is LIVE!

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Download your copy today!

Netgalley Widget: http://bit.ly/2ZAnoIz

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WFkkby

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Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2UkaXSg

About Katy:

Connect with Katy:

Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorkatyevans

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6997072.Katy_Evans

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Amazon Author: https://amzn.to/2rdox8A

May 20, 2019May 20, 2019

New Release: Undeniable

You are going to love this one. Check back on the 23rd for my review!

“Whoa. Undeniable is one of my top reads! Sizzling chemistry, off the charts sexual tension and all the feels I’ve come to expect with a Melanie Harlow romance!”- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Undeniable, an all-new sexy standalone second chance romance from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is available now!

When we were eleven, Oliver Ford Pemberton dared me to jump off a barn roof. He said you couldn’t break a leg from a 12-foot-jump.

He lied.

(You can also break a collarbone, which served him right as far as I was concerned.)

I wish I could say it was the last dare I ever took from him, the last bet I ever made with him, the last time I ever trusted Oliver Ford Pemberton.

But it wasn’t.

Because he had the nerve to grow up gorgeous, charming, and sexy. And as we got older, the dares only got dirtier—and the betting stakes higher—until finally, he left me in pieces. I swore I’d never talk to him again.

But twenty years after I took that flying leap, he’s back in my life, daring me to risk everything for him: my job, my self-worth, and my heart.

How many chances does true love deserve?

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2EjE51C

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/UndeniableMH

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2VKluH2

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2DEajVf

About Melanie

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, Succession, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak. Melanie is the author of the ONE & ONLY series, the AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMelanieHarlow/?fref=ts

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1NPkYKs

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melanie-harlow

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Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Stay up to date! Sign up for Melanie’s mailing list: http://www.melanieharlow.com/subscribe/

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

New Release: Crafting Love

Crafting Love

by A.E. Gamrat

AMAZON

Series: Wine & Furniture; Book 1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

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I, Kelly, am a small-town girl and love my small-town world. I get to work with two amazing, entrepreneur women. One makes wine, the other makes furniture, and I help to sell it it. On a sad, lonely night I bought myself a Cricut machine and I haven’t looked back. Now people call me the Cricut Queen. I even have a YouTube channel with a few thousand followers. Some friends and family can’t grasp my need to stay busy. Nights can be very lonely and quiet.

A night of Karaoke changes everything.

Kirk draws me in at hello and I don’t want to look away. He’s everything a girl could want. Nice, funny, could dance alongside the boys in Magic Mike. Yes, that hot. He is also very good with his hands and offers to help fix my leaking basement with his cousin. A friendship is born.

Love is a touchy subject, but a relationship can’t be ignored.

Between my crazy girlfriends, a budding relationship, and a jealous woman, this decade is starting off on a wild ride. The real question is: who will make it to the end?

Follow the Author

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About the Author

Growing up writing was second nature that soon become a distant memory. Turning 30 (not saying when) that memory was going to be brought back to life. Lover of all books I try to grab my audience in and never let go. Hoping to get all these thoughts and ideas down for everyone to enjoy, even if it’s a moment or a life time.

This is the new chapter of my life story. Hope everyone enjoys!

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May 9, 2019May 9, 2019

Blog Tour/Book Review: Better Than Me

As y’all know, I read a lot of romances, so I am pretty well-versed in the usual romance tropes. I love it when I find a book that tackles a romance from a different angle and doesn’t fall into the usual patterns. Better Than Me by Kimberly Kincaid falls into this category.

I appreciated the depth that the author put into the characters’ backstories. It made their actions much more believable and real. There was just enough quirkiness and humor to make it real without being over the top; sometimes subtlety is the key to building a relationship. The writing style perfectly mirrored how the characters related to each other.

I also liked that the characters were equals – both doctors. While the “female in a lesser job meets guy who gives her better chances” has its place in romance novels, it’s refreshing to find a book where the characters can spar with each other on a level playing field. This added to Nat and Jonah’s connection; they worked with each other very well.

As I mentioned in my Goodreads review (see below), this book gave me all of the feels. I snorted with laughter at some of the scenes, especially involving the staff at the hospital, and I got choked up with tears a few times as well (I’m not going to spoil it for you, you’ll know the parts when you read them). I also got that neat butterfly feeling in my stomach when the characters came to their senses and made important decisions. The emotion of the characters practically spilled off the pages for me.

I especially liked how the author set up the next book in the series. Instead of “Hey, here’s the end of this story, on to the next couple,” it was more of a “stay tuned to find out what happens.” I don’t feel like Nat and Jonah’s story is over yet. And I will be reading the next books in the series (as well as going back and finding the first one). These are characters I’m not ready to let go of just yet.

Oh, and one final word. Natalie’s view on adoption made me love her even more. It’s personal for me and I appreciate when an author gets it right.

Better Than Me by Kimberly Kincaid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You gotta love a book that starts with a bathtub in a living room. With that setup, Better Than Me takes what could have been a standard friends-to-lovers story and gives it an edge. Nat and Jonah have always been close, but each has baggage that prevents them from thinking of each other as anything but best friends. Of course, as the plot progresses, they start to realize that there may be more there for each of them. This book gave me all of the feels: I laughed out loud and shed tears. I even liked that the book didn’t exactly end with a conventional HEA and I look forward to reading more of Nat and Jonah’s stories in future books. Visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews for more on thoughts on this book. My review was written based on a pre-release digital ARC.

View all my reviews

May 7, 2019May 7, 2019

NEW RELEASE: Sweet Home Louisiana

NOW AVAILABLE! Here’s a reminder of why you need to go grab this book today!

Sweet Home Louisiana, an all-new sexy, small town, second chance rom com from New York Times bestselling author Erin Nicholas, is available now!

Thanks to a drawn-up-while-drinking-moonshine partnership agreement, Madison Allain has to spend thirty days back on the bayou before she can sell her part of the family business.

And if the heat and humidity and freaking alligators of Louisiana aren’t enough to agitate the cool and in-control California girl, then Owen Landry, the equally hot guy who stole her heart twelve years ago, will sure do the trick.

Owen just has to remember three simple-ish rules: Do not fight with her. Do not fight *over* her. Do *not* kiss her. He can do this. He’s charming and friendly for a living after all. But this is Maddie. The only woman to ever shake up this laid-back bayou boy.

Besides, she’s not staying. No way. These people and this town make her crazy. She doesn’t want to be crazy. She definitely does *not* want to own a swamp boat tour company. She just wants to paint. In her quiet, beautiful, alligators-not-allowed, *air-conditioned* art studio.

As for that hot bayou boy? Well, he’s…amazing. But he belongs here in the South. And she definitely doesn’t. Even if her heart stays behind when she leaves.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2IeBN7M

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2FZZE7q

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Start the series of standalones with My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding

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About Erin Nicholas

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters. Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

Connect with Erin

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2Ghek4N

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Website: https://erinnicholas.com

Stay up to date with Erin by joining her mailing list: http://bit.ly/2Gj56oC

May 7, 2019May 9, 2019

Release Blitz: Better Than Me

Make sure you check out my review, because this is one you’ll want to pick up!

“I couldn’t put the book down! I’m claiming Jonah as my own. He’s exactly what I want in a hero. You’ll swoon. You’ll grin. You’ll fall in love…”

— Kristen Proby, New York Times bestselling author

Better Than Me, an all-new steamy friends to lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Kimberly Kincaid, is available now!

Remington’s most notoriously single,

notoriously sexy surgeon

is about to fall for the one woman

he can’t have…

Did I mention that she’s

A) his best friend

B) immune to his panty-melting charm, and

C) sleeping on his couch for the next six weeks?

But Jonah’s not made for commitment,

and a good man is the one thing Natalie deserves.

Not someone who can only offer up

a couple of sizzling hot, no-strings-attached nights

of pure pleasure.

Unless that’s what she wants.

Because Jonah wants her. And with each

moment they spend working together—

living together—

the harder it is to resist temptation.

And even harder to resist the fall that

might break them both…

A steamy medical contemporary romance from USA Today best-selling author Kimberly Kincaid. Watch this cocky hero fall head over scalpel for his sweet and sexy BFF. Full-length standalone story with action in the emergency room and the bedroom, and a sweet-and-sexy happily ever after.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HiMB3n

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2Tn5MAj

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BetterThanMe

Nook: http://bit.ly/2H7lsBj

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About Kimberly

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet and hot and edgy romantic suspense. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2016 and 2015 RWA RITA® finalist and 2014 Bookseller’s Best nominee who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.