Book Review: Superfan by Sarina Bowen

Superfan (Brooklyn #3)

by Sarina Bowen

Release Date: June 15, 2019

Source: Author

Goodreads

Sometimes lady luck shakes your hand, and sometimes she smacks your face. Sometimes she does both on the same day.

Three years ago I met the most amazing girl in the world. We were both down on our luck. Then I got that call—the one that tells you to get your buns on a plane to go meet your destiny.

But the girl was left behind. I didn’t have her phone number, and she didn’t know my real name.

While I became a professional hockey player, she became a superstar, with platinum records and legions of fans. And a slick, music producer boyfriend who treated her badly.

But fate wasn’t done with us yet. When Delilah turns up at a hockey game, I can’t resist making contact. The internet swoons when I ask her out on a date.

She might not remember me. But her jerkface ex does. He’ll do anything to keep us apart. 

Good thing athletes never give up. This time I’m playing for keeps.

I have been a huge fan the Brooklyn Bruisers series ever since book one came out. I'm so happy that Sarina Bowen has continued the series after the original three and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the newest installment. 

Silas has been Delilah's superfan ever since they met in a bar he was working at three years ago. Now, she's a famous musician and he's an NHL goalie. They both finally achieved their lifelong dreams, and Silas finally has the chance to catch the girl of his dreams. 

From the beginning, Silas was such a sweetheart and I was swooning over his character. Both in the flashbacks to when they met and in the present, Silas really showed Delilah how much she meant to him and how serious he took their relationship. I will say, I wasn't a huge fan of how physical their relationship became so quickly when they reconnected and I wish there was a bit more substance built over their reunion, but that's just my own personal taste. 

My only other disappointment in this book was the lack of hockey. This book takes place during the off season, so we don't even get Silas playing any hockey. I prefer more sports in my sports romances, but other than that, I really loved Silas's relationships with all of his teammates and their significant others and how present they all were in this book. They were rooting for Silas the whole time he was dating Delilah and it was too cute!

Overall, this was another great addition to the Brooklyn series with a super swoony hockey player. The music aspect of Delilah's career was a great plot line and I loved watching Silas and Delilah trying to make it work!

Blog Tour + Review: Nine by TM Frazier

"Nine was just as hilarious as it was dark and violent. Just as deep and emotional as it was smoking hot. NINE stars!!!"- BB Easton, bestselling author

Nine: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater, the highly anticipated new standalone from USA Today bestselling author T.M. Frazier is available now!

Nine lives.

Nine inches.

One chance to make her his.

Preppy's brother is about to live up to the family legacy in more ways than one.

This is the story of Nine, The Tale of Kevin Clearwater.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2CWvzF7

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2HZ2zka

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I've been reading TM Frazier for about two years now, and whenever she has a new book coming out, I am always itching to get my hands on it. I was super excited to see she was coming back to the King series with a new character!

Nine has had a rough life. He finally decides to leave and try to find the only family he has left. He finds a home and a family with Preppy, but a ghost from his past is back and he needs to protect her at all costs. 

From the prologue of this book, I was seriously hooked. I loved how Nine and Lenny met and how we got some of their backgrounds before we skipped to years ahead when they finally meet again. This book took on much more of a romantic suspense and I loved it for that. Lenny had no idea what she had gotten herself into and Nine was there to try and help keep her out of danger. Of course, they had insane chemistry and Lenny didn't know what to feel sine she's never been involved in that kind of life before. 

I will say, for a dark romantic suspense, this one wasn't as dark or suspenseful as I wanted it to be. There were some slower parts and I wanted so much more action that the first books in this series have. Of course, there was a dramatic twist near the end, which is typical of TM Frazier in her books. I'm not so sure it had the impact I wanted it to have, but overall this story was definitely entertaining and I really loved the romance between Lenny and Nine. 

While this one isn't my favorite of the series, it was a great addition to the King world. This can be read as a standalone, but I loved seeing all of the characters from the previous books in this series that we know and love. Fans of the King series should definitely pick up Nine!

About the Author

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world. T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy‘wrongside of the tracks romance’ with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines. Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay. She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she's not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.

Connect with T.M. Frazier

Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS

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Book Review: On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

On the Rocks 

by Kandi Steiner

Release Date: June 13, 2019

Source: Author

Goodreads

Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.

That’s what Mama told me when I was a kid, kicking his pew in church and giggling at the games we’d play. It’s what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild. 

And it’s on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.

He’s trouble. 
Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble. 

No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.

He sees me—the real me. 

The me I’m not sure I’m allowed to be.

I’m Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor’s daughter. Soon to be a politician’s wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted.  Soon to fulfill my family’s legacy, just like I always knew I would.

Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I’m planning is one I even want. 

Everyone says Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.

If only I had listened.

Anytime I hear Kandi is coming out with a new book, I mark my calendar and count the days until that book is in my hands. The minute a copy of On the Rocks landed on my kindle, I devoured that book!

Ruby Grace Barnett is back home in Stratford, Tennessee and ready to marry the perfect man in six weeks. The perfect man who she can be the perfect politician's wife for. The day she encounters Noah Becker is the day her life turns upside down. Noah is nothing but trouble, and he's not afraid to ask Ruby Grace the hard questions. Does she want to be married so young? What about her own future? Ruby Grace is scared to answer those questions, but the more time she spends with Noah, the more she realizes the truth she's been trying to ignore, as well as some feelings she knows she should not be feeling... 

Starting this book, I was very wary it was a romance between a 19-year-old and a 28-year-old. I don't typically like the girl being super young, but Ruby Grace was presented very mature for her age. She was such an altruistic person and I loved how selfless she was. When it came to her relationship with Noah, they really because friends first, which made me such a fan of their romance. Neither one jumped in head first, but instead got to know each other and really understand each other before more feelings came about. 

I love small town romances, and this had all of the small town romance vibes and more. The town was very important to the plot of the story and how Ruby Grace made her decisions. I also enjoyed how important their families were to the story. We don't really get anything from Ruby Grace's sister, but I loved Noah's family and how important they were to him, especially his mom. The characters were built up very well so that I already can't wait for book two in this series!

Overall, this was a super sweet romance that hit the spot for me. I loved the slow burn of Ruby Grace and Noah's relationship and the drama that unfolded by the end of the book. As usual, I was sucked into this book and became obsessed with this romance! All romance fans need to read On the Rocks!

Book Review: Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Fix Her Up (Hot & Hammered #1)

by Tessa Bailey 

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Source: Publisher

Goodreads

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her...

I am a huge sports romance fan, especially baseball, so when I saw Tessa Bailey's upcoming romance was with an injured baseball player, I wanted to get my hands on it as soon as possible. And, considering the cover is just too darn cute, I had a good feeling about this book. 

As the youngest in her family, Georgie has never been taken seriously. Throw in the fact that she's a professional clown for a living and nobody sees her as the grownup she wants to be viewed as. When baseball player Travis Ford returns to town after a career-ending injury, Georgie doesn't know what to do. She's been in love with Travis, her older brother's best friend, for years and she just can't seem to stay away from him. Travis doesn't know what to do without baseball and takes a job working for his best friend's construction company. When Georgie is the only one in town to give him a reality check and help him cope with his lost life, Travis starts to see her in a whole new light. 

When I first started this book, it did start off kind of slow. We had Georgie trying to first be a friend to Travis after he was so broken up over losing his career. Travis had a hard time trusting people because of his past and Georgie was the last person he wanted helping him. Once Travis saw Georgie as a possible something more, which was about 45% into this book, I really enjoyed this story. Georgie and Travis were just so cute together and I loved their different reactions to this newfound chemistry between them. Their time together was fun and I loved watching Travis start to see Georgie as a real woman. 

Georgie was definitely a quirky character and I don't think I've ever read a book about someone whose job was to be a professional clown. I did love how she was ambitious and bonded with the other women in this novel who had their own ambitions as well. This book had a lot to do with characters who were at a lost point in their lives who were aspiring for, or needed the push to aspire for, a better life. The whole cast of characters were fun and I already can't wait for book two!

Overall, this was a fun romance with a lovable main character. You want nothing less than the best for Georgie, and Travis ends up being so sweet and swoonworthy. I loved where this romance went and I couldn't recommend this enough!

Book Review: The Savior by JR Ward

The Savior (Black Dagger Brotherhood #17)

by JR Ward

Release Date: April 2, 2019

Source: Publisher

Goodreads

In the venerable history of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, only one male has ever been expelled—but Murhder’s insanity gave the Brothers no choice. Haunted by visions of a female he could not save, he nonetheless returns to Caldwell on a mission to right the wrong that ruined him. However, he is not prepared for what he must face in his quest for redemption.

Dr. Sarah Watkins, researcher at a biomedical firm, is struggling with the loss of her fellow scientist fiancé. When the FBI starts asking about his death, she questions what really happened and soon learns the terrible truth: Her firm is conducting inhumane experiments in secret and the man she thought she knew and loved was involved in the torture.

As Murhder and Sarah’s destinies become irrevocably entwined, desire ignites between them. But can they forge a future that spans the divide separating the two species? And as a new foe emerges in the war against the vampires, will Murhder return to his Brothers... or resume his lonely existence forevermore?

I have devoured this entire series over the past year and have become obsessed with this world. I wasn't sure how I felt about Murhder getting his own book since we only briefly met him, but I was excited for another book! 

Murhder has been an outcast from the brotherhood ever since his insanity drove him away. Now, though, he's back and entranced by the woman from his dreams. Dr. Sarah Watkins is still recovering from her fiancé's death and doesn't know how to deal with the secrets she uncovers about his work. In her attempt to fix a wrong at the company, she's thrown headfirst into the vampire world and a brooding vampire she can't stop thinking of. 

As this series has continued on, I've noticed that the later books don't necessary focus solely on the romance and I felt it really lacking in this book. Sarah and Murhder didn't even meet each other until over 100 pages in and I didn't really care for them together. I did enjoy how Sarah was a doctor and how she was helping the Brotherhood uncover some biological answers they needed to help a brother in need. It was also nice seeing so much of John Matthew and Xhex, but aside from them, I was pretty bored with most of this book. 

Since the lessers have been backing off, the new enemy has been growing the last few books in this series. Unfortunately, we still don't really get answers about that enemy in this book. I felt like this book was just a bridge to the culmination of action that is hinted will actually happen in the next book. There wasn't a whole of action here and I found this book just dragged. 

Overall, this was a pretty disappointing BDB book. I still enjoyed seeing the brothers, but we didn't really get a whole lot of them aside from Murhder, John Matthew, and Tohr. The rest were just in the background and I wanted to see much more of the BDB world and characters. The plot was slow moving and I was just left wanting more.

Book Review: Medicine Man by Saffron A Kent

Medicine Man 

by Saffron A Kent

Release Date: September 27,  2018

Source: Author

Goodreads

Willow Taylor lives in a castle with large walls and iron fences. But this is no ordinary castle. It’s called Heartstone Psychiatric hospital and it houses forty other patients. It has nurses with mean faces and techs with permanent frowns.

It has a man, as well. A man who is cold and distant. Whose voice drips with authority. And whose piercing gray eyes hide secrets, and maybe linger on her face a second too long.

Willow isn’t supposed to look deep into those eyes. She isn’t supposed to try to read his tightly leashed emotions. And neither is she supposed to touch herself at night, imagining his powerful voice and that cold but beautiful face.

No, Willow Taylor shouldn’t be attracted to Simon Blackwood, at all.

Because she’s a patient and he’s her doctor. Her psychiatrist.

The medicine man.

WARNING: This book discusses sensitive issues including but not limited to, depression and suicide. 

I have read two Saffron A. Kent novels before this and I have loved how complex and unusual her characters are. Seeing that this is a romance between a patient and a doctor at a mental institution, I was definitely intrigued to see what Saffron could do! 

After Willow tries to throw herself out a window, she finds herself as a patient in Heartstone Psychiatric hospital. Willow is trying to make it through each day until she finally gets to go home to her mom. The day Dr. Simon Blackwood walks through the doors, Willow is changed forever. There is something intriguing about this man with obvious secrets and he seems just as intrigued by Willow...

In the beginning, I found Willow such an intriguing character and, as we learned more about her, I was more and more confused between what was real and what wasn't about her. Since she is dealing with depression, she is definitely an unreliable character because she's trying to ignore her depression and create stories to make her seem happy and fine with life. Now I am not someone who has ever been diagnosed with depression, so I can't say with 100% accuracy that this was a good depiction of depression, but I really enjoyed the look inside of Willow's mind and life as she battled with the illness. 

When the romance started happening, I was a bit taken out of the story when, after they gave into their romance, they literally were only physical with each other for a good 20% of the story. There wasn't more substance or anything. I also wish we saw more of Simon falling for Willow and what pushed him to give into that desire after adamantly saying he wasn't going to cross those boundaries. Other than that part of the romance, I really loved this story and the intensity between Willow and Simon. 

Overall, this was a great forbidden romance with some really complex characters. Willow may have been the psych patient, but Simon had some demons of his own that he had to face. The romance was angsty and I couldn't put this book down!

Cover Reveal: On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

On the Rocks by Kandi Steiner

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publishing date: June 13, 2019

Cover Designer: Kandi Steiner

Photographer: Lauren Perry of Perrywinkle

Noah Becker is nothing but trouble.

That’s what Mama told me when I was a kid, kicking his pew in church and giggling at the games we’d play. It’s what the town said when his father died and the Becker brothers went wild.

And it’s on repeat in my mind the day I walk into the whiskey distillery where he works to buy a wedding gift for my fiancé.

He’s trouble.

Dirty, sweaty, rude trouble.

No matter how many times I repeat it, I can’t escape Noah in our small Tennessee town. And the more I run into him, the more he infuriates me. Because he sees what no one else does.

He sees me—the real me.

The me I’m not sure I’m allowed to be.

I’m Ruby Grace Barnett, the mayor’s daughter. Soon to be a politician’s wife, just like Mama and Daddy always wanted. Soon to fulfill my family’s legacy, just like I always knew I would.

Until the boy everyone warned me about makes me question everything, like whether the wedding I’m planning is one I even want.

Everyone said Noah Becker was nothing but trouble.

If only I had listened.

A stand-alone, contemporary romance.

Coming June 13, 2019 to Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Keav1w

About Kandi:

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer, and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:

Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS

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Website: www.kandisteiner.com

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

www.kandisteiner.com/events