Reveal Announcement from Vi Keeland

The #1 New York Times Bestselling author Vi Keeland is back with a brand new standalone, Beautiful Mistake releasing on July 17th and we have the amazing cover for you today!

 

Model: Lucas Barbosa Gil

Photographer: Chuando & Frey

Cover designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative

      

About the Book

The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.

He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.

When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.

You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married. 

He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done.

Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.

Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy. 

Oops.  My mistake. 

Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology. 

I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?

That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.

Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant.  

I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.

Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.

This was going to be interesting…

 ADD TO GOODREADS     

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About the Author

   

 Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times Bestselling author. With more than 1.5 million books sold, her titles have appeared in over eighty Bestseller lists and are currently translated in sixteen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six. 

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Waiting on Wednesday (182)

 

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Impossible Vastness of Us

By Samantha Young 

Release Date: June 27, 2017

Goodreads

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…

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A NEW SAMANTHA YOUNG BOOK. How did this book pass me by? While I haven't read a YA from Samantha before (has she written YA before!?), this one sounds so good. I love how it sounds like the main character really clashes with her love interest before they start to grow closer…and the fact that he's her soon-to-be stepsister's boyfriend…so juicy! I can't wait to read this one! 

Book Review: Royal Bastards by Andrew Shvarts

Royal Bastards

By Andrew Shvarts

Release Date: May 30, 2017

Source: Publisher
Goodreads

Being a bastard blows. Tilla would know. Her father, Lord Kent of the Western Province, loved her as a child, but cast her aside as soon as he had trueborn children.

At sixteen, Tilla spends her days exploring long-forgotten tunnels beneath the castle with her stablehand half brother, Jax, and her nights drinking with the servants, passing out on Jax’s floor while her castle bedroom collects dust. Tilla secretly longs to sit by her father’s side, resplendent in a sparkling gown, enjoying feasts with the rest of the family. Instead, she sits with the other bastards, like Miles of House Hampstedt, an awkward scholar who’s been in love with Tilla since they were children.

Then, at a feast honoring the visiting princess Lyriana, the royal shocks everyone by choosing to sit at the Bastards’ Table. Before she knows it, Tilla is leading the sheltered princess on a late-night escapade. Along with Jax, Miles, and fellow bastard Zell, a Zitochi warrior from the north, they stumble upon a crime they were never meant to witness.

Rebellion is brewing in the west, and a brutal coup leaves Lyriana’s uncle, the Royal Archmagus, dead—with Lyriana next on the list. The group flees for their lives, relentlessly pursued by murderous mercenaries; their own parents have put a price on their heads to prevent the king and his powerful Royal Mages from discovering their treachery.

The bastards band together, realizing they alone have the power to prevent a civil war that will tear their kingdom apart—if they can warn the king in time. And if they can survive the journey . . 

While I love the TV show Game of Thrones, I am not one to pick up a fantasy book when it's time to pick something new to read. Yes, I'm obsessed with the ACOTAR series, but other than that, I haven't found a fantasy book I love and can immerse myself in. I was excited to try out Royal Bastards, though, and see if it really was a YA GoT. 

Born a bastard, Tilla has always wanted her father, Lord Kent, to love her. She's grown up exploring the secret tunnels under the castle with her best friend and her half-brother, both of whom are also bastards of the upper class. Tilla has accepted her place, but when princess Lyriana visits and a rebellion threatens everything Tilla has ever known, Tilla finds herself, the princess, and three other bastards running for their lives to stop a war that will be too deadly to allow. As the five run and try to survive long enough to stop the war, they realize blood does not define a person and they could have the power to change history. 

Starting this book, I appreciated how easy it was to read. Tilla and her friends tend to talk like modern day teenagers, even though they're in a fantasy world that appears to be from a long time ago. It was very easy to follow along and enjoy the antics of regular teenagers who just so happen to live in a castle and are trying to protect a princess and prevent a war from starting. I enjoyed how many of the main characters could bond over being bastards and how they explored familial relationships and what exactly it meant to be family with someone else. There were also some romantic relationships that developed throughout this book that I really enjoyed. 

Since this is a fantasy, you can bet there is going to be some action. I really enjoyed how our characters were on the run from some pretty nasty people and they were looking over their shoulders every second. There was a sense of urgency and I was worried for our characters with every page. I wanted them to make it to their destination safely and I wanted them to stop the war that was brewing. I enjoyed the fight scenes, though I did think some pacing was off as they were traveling since large chunks of time had to pass. I'm not sure if I believed how the characters grew and evolved over the book since the time jumped a month here and there to progress the plot.

Overall, I actually really enjoyed this fantasy. It was a very easy read and I enjoyed the suspenseful moments, as well as the relationships between family and the more romantic relationships.

Cover Reveal: Bad Penny by Staci Hart

Today we have the gorgeous cover reveal for Bad Penny by Staci Hart! I love this fantastic new contemporary romance! Check it out and grab your copy when it releases, June 15^th! 

Title: Bad Penny

Author: Staci Hart

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Day: June 15^th

Nothing good comes after the third date.

Date three is the crucial point when things get real, which is exactly why I bounce out the door, twiddling my fingers at whatever poor boy I’ve left behind. Because if I stick around, one of three things will happen: he’ll profess his undying love, he’ll get weird and stalky, or I’ll go crazy. Like, Sid and Nancy crazy. Like, chase-him-through-the-streets-begging-him-to-love-me crazy.

Seriously, it’s better for everyone this way.

So when I meet Bodie, I figure it’ll be the same as it ever was. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t put a single string on me. Doesn’t matter that he’s funny and smart and jacked or that he can play my body like a grand piano. Because even though I’m built for love, love has only carved me up like a Christmas ham.

Resistance is something I can only hang on to for so long, and he has persistence in spades. But my heart isn’t as safe as I want to believe, and neither is his. And the second I ignore my cardinal rule is the second I stand to lose him forever. 

Add to Your TBR!

About the Author

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, even though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. Her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.   From roots in Houston, to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's sleeping, cleaning, or designing graphics.

Connect with Staci:

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Book Review: When It's Real by Erin Watt

When It's Real 

By Erin Watt

Release Date: May 30, 2017

Source: Publisher

Goodreads

Meet Oakley Ford-teen celebrity, renowned pop star, child of famous movie stars, hottie with millions of fangirls… and restless troublemaker. On the surface he has it all, but with his home life disintegrating, his music well suddenly running dry, and the tabloids having a field day over his outrageous exploits, Oakley's team decides it's time for an intervention. The result: an image overhaul, complete with a fake girlfriend meant to show the world he's settled down.

Enter seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett-devoted sister, part-time waitress, the definition of "normal." Under ordinary circumstances she'd never have taken this gig, but with her family strapped for cash, she doesn't have much of a choice. And for the money Oakley's team is paying her, she figures she can put up with outlandish Hollywood parties and a team of publicists watching her every move. So what if she thinks Oakley's a shallow, self-centered jerk? It's not like they're going to fall for each other in real life…right? 

I absolutely love the Paper Princess series by Erin Watt, so I was excited when I heard about When It's Real. While I have been reading more NA and Adult romances lately, I couldn't wait to see how Erin Watt took on the world of YA. 

Oakley Ford has it all, but what he doesn't have is inspiration to make an album that feels real and not the same teen pop he's already come out with. Oakley also finds himself in need of an image makeover if he has any chance of working with one of the best producers in the industry. Seventeen-year-old Vaughn Bennett has put off college for a year to help support her family after their parents died when she was fifteen. When Vaughn is offered the job to pose as Oakley Ford's wholesome girlfriend, she wants no part of it. But the money could help put her little brothers through college, so Vaughn says yes. Even though she knows Oakley is a self-centered, teenage popstar, Vaughn will always put her family first. 

From the beginning of this book, it definitely felt much more YA than Paper Princess was. It was a little hard to get into because of how cliche Oakley's character was, but as we got further into the story and Vaughn was able to see more beneath Oakley's facade, I really started liking the characters. I do wish we got even more of Vaughn and her family since they were so important to her, but I did enjoy watching Vaughn and Oakley learn more about each other and rethink their preconceptions of one another. 

As this story went on, I started liking it more and more. I loved the whole cast of characters and how Vaughn was so real and relatable. She was hired because she was so normal and she was. I liked the social media aspect that was used and how Vaughn was affected by what others were saying about her online. I also enjoyed how realistic the romance was between Vaughn and Oakley and how Oakley's character really did start to change because of Vaughn. 

In the end, When It's Real surprised me. It was a fun romance that makes the cliched girlfriend-for-hire story unique. I enjoyed the main characters and appreciated how relatable our main character was. While it wasn't as angsty and addicting as Paper Princess, it was definitely a fun read!

Summer TBR

I am one day away from summer and it's so close I can taste it! While I do have the long Memorial Day weekend, we still have a full day of school on Tuesday until I am free for summer. As always, I have a ton of books I want to read! I've picked out some romances from my shelves that I want to read and I am so excited for these books. Some are newer, but there are also some books that have been on my TBR for awhile. Most of them, though, have high ratings on Goodreads or have been recommended to me by numerous people. Hopefully I can get to all of them this summer!

 

Stacking the Shelves (245)

 

Stacking the Shelves is a meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews where bloggers share what books they got throughout the week!

From Author/Publisher

I got two books this week that I am beyond excited for. I've read some books from AL Jackson before, but none in the series of the book she sent me. I have heard great things about that series, though, and the cover is gorgeous, so I cannot wait to read it! I also received an e-arc of Stay, book two in the WAGs series, which made me so happy! I loved the first book and am loving the beginning of this one! 

That's it for me! What did you all add to your shelves this week? 

Book Review: The Next Flame by Penelope Douglas

The Next Flame (Fall Away #4 and #4.5)

By Penelope Douglas 

Release Date: May 2, 2017

Source: Publisher

Goodreads

Next to Never 
Under the close watch of the men in her family, Quinn Caruthers has found it nearly impossible to spread her wings—or even date—without her three older brothers, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, jumping in to hover. And when a family friend—several years older—from her childhood still holds her heart, she knows they’re going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man, and knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden.

But years ago, Lucas left town and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn’t wait for him anymore. 

Until a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn her world upside down. She’s never asked about the path of her parents’ romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start. 

As she starts to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she’ll keep waiting…or finally go after what she really wants.

Aflame 
Tatum Brandt finally has everything she wants. Acceptance to medical school, a circle of friends she would never replace, and contentment that every day is now hers.

All through high school, Jared Trent called the shots. He decided if she would be happy or sad, fearful or free. He owned her heart, and he played with it like one of his cars. 

Never again.

Two years ago, Jared left town, and Tate’s life is exactly where she wants it to be. Or that’s what she tells herself…

Because two years ago, her heart also stopped beating, and no matter the success in school or the support of her friends, there’s only one time every week she can feel that same rush in her blood. Friday nights on the track. 

That’s hers, not his, and to hell with anyone that gets in her way again.

Especially him.

*Please note: The Next Flame is not a new story. It is Aflame and Next to Never together in one book. For those readers who desired paperbacks of Aflame to complete their collections, this is it. 

**Also Note: Next to Never is not Quinn's story. That will be a full length novel eventually. This is simply a novella to catch up with all the characters and give a lead-in to the coming spin-off series.

MY BABIES. Tate and Jared are definitely my favorite couple of the Fall Away series and they hold a special place in my heart. The fact that Jared LEAVES and comes back after TWO YEARS to win Tate back had me freaking out. Why couldn't my babies have just been happy? 

This book holds two novellas in the Fall Away series, but since I have read Next to Never separately and already reviewed that story, I am only going to be talking about Aflame, the first story in this book. Aflame is over 260 pages, so we basically get another novel about Jared and Tate. While the two have been happy and madly in love, Jared feels like he still doesn't know who he is or who he can be in this world. He decides to leave Tate to go figure that out, but that leaves Tate heartbroken. Four years after the end of Bully, Tate has to decide if she'll let her bully win her heart-- the very heart he's broken time and again. 

SO MANY EMOTIONS. I was so shocked when I picked this up and realized that Tate and Jared broke up. WHYYYYYYY. But, OMG, this is like Bully all over again and I gobbled up every second of it. Tate is such a strong character, so of course she doesn't just open her arms to Jared when he returns two years after breaking her heart. I loved how Tate held her own and tried to not show how much Jared was affecting her; Jared had to work to earn her back. 

As always, I loved the banter and play between Jared and Tate. There is undeniable, hot chemistry between the two and I loved how it got harder and harder for Tate to resist Jared. Nothing can compare to the heat between them. We also got to see the other couples from the series and how their relationships had progressed in two years. This book only reinforced my love of the Fall Away series and has me dying for even more from them. Does it have to be over??!!? 

If you love the Fall Away series, then this is a must read for you. If you haven't read this series, YOU HAVE TO. This series is one of my favorite series of all time and Penelope Douglas is definitely one of my favorite authors. These books are full of angst and force you to love these broken characters and hold them close to your heart through the thick and thin.

Waiting on Wednesday (181)

 

This is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine where every Wednesday bloggers highlight a book that they are eagerly anticipating the release of!

The Foxe and the Hound

By RS Grey

Release Date: June 1, 2017

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is, until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more. 

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.

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I am the biggest RS Grey fan, so I always freak out when she has a new release. AND THIS IS ABOUT A VET. I have two dogs, so I love books that have to do with people who have pets or work with pets. And Dr. Adam Foxe sounds so yummy! This book seems like a fun play on the whole pretend BF/GF trope and I am so excited. RS Grey writes such good romantic comedies and this one sounds like it won't disappoint! 

Release Day Blitz: Real Sexy by Meghan March

   

In Nashville, country stars are a dime a dozen.

I swore I’d never get caught up with one, but Boone Thrasher made a liar out of me.

I said I’d never put my heart on the line, but he didn’t ask before he stole it.

Now we’re facing my worst fears, and we'll see if this country boy is tough enough to see it through.

Girls like me don’t get happily ever afters… but maybe he’ll prove that wrong too.

Amazon | iBooks | BN | Kobo | Google Play

   



    

I have everything a guy could want—a new single burning up the charts, more money than a simple country boy could spend, and a woman I’m planning to marry. Until she doesn’t show up for my proposal. The life I thought was so perfect, isn’t. The guy who thought he had everything, doesn’t. I’ve got my heart on lockdown, but life sends me straight into the path of a mouthy bartender who puts me in my place. Now the only place I want to put her is under me. I thought I was done with love, but maybe I’m just getting started. 

  Amazon | iBooks | BN | Kobo | Google Play

About the Author

Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She's also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she's ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com.

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