REVIEW: Dream Spinner by Kristen Ashley

 

OUR REVIEW:

I'm enjoying the Dream Team Series by Kristen Ashley; it feels like home. We have new characters who are connected to all of our favorites and so not only are we getting new stories, but we get little peeks at how our old faves are doing too.

In the case of Dream Spinner, Hattie and Axl's story is one I've been curious about. She's been rejecting him and you just know that he's only going to take so much of that before he walks away, or in the case of a Kristen Ashley novel, get in there and never look back. It was touch and go for a quick second but obviously, these two were meant to be. 

Hattie and Axl, for as different as their lives and upbringing were, were interestingly symmetrical. They both had sucky childhoods that left them with lingering hurts and continuing drama--though a nice twist as to how some of the family drama was resolved. And even though the impacts were different, both Hattie and Axl had really full lives. And though, initially, Hattie didn't seem exactly content or happy, within chapters she is and it was nice to read a KA novel where the characters aren't really the problem to overcome, it's external factors that they work together to overcome. 

Speaking of external factors, Dream Spinner continues the ongoing mystery of who is behind the murder of the "bad cops", which is one of the ways our old favorites come into this novel. They're all working together to root out the problem and as the threats are amping up, the guys are getting pissed...and I can't help but hope their women somehow get to the bottom of it before they do. LOL. Who is behind all of this? To be determined and I hope that that particular plot point becomes more significant as the series continues.

Fun, romantic, sweet read. I'm eager to see what happens with Pepper's story (hopefully that's next).

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3yT6VRr

SYNOPSIS:

Hattie Yates has finally met the man of her dreams. Yet years of abuse from her demanding father have left her petrified of disappointment. She’s already failed to reach her goal of becoming a professional ballerina - she can’t handle the terrible consequences of another dream becoming a nightmare. But when a stalker sets their sights on Hattie, there’s only one man she dares to hope can help....
Axl Pantera knows Hattie is the only woman for him. Yet despite the attraction burning between them, Hattie refuses to let him in. The former soldier is determined to woo her into letting down her walls. And when danger comes calling, he’s up against more than her wary and bruised heart. Axl will do anything to prove to Hattie that they’re meant to be, but first, he’ll need to keep her safe.

REVIEW: Shift by Ginger Scott

 

★NOW AVAILABLE★

𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭, the first book in 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 by Ginger Scott is LIVE! Buckle your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

OUR REVIEW:

Shift is the adult YA that we all need right now. It has that touch of forbidden romance, that touch of friends to lovers, and that all consuming first love feeling. 

Dustin and Hannah start out as friends and it's that friendship that their romance is built on--there's a lot of history and trust there and them being together makes total sense...except apparently it doesn't. Because of course. Of course them having an HEA would be wayyyyyy too easy in the land of romance. So bring on books 2 and 3--I'm DYING for these; I've been thinking about these characters since I got to the last page of Shift and there wasn't anything else to read. *sobs*

Shift is my new favorite of Ginger Scott's. Not only does it have the drama and romance that I wanted, she's also exploring the world of racing; I had no idea how intrigued I was with that world until I just so happened to watch the Formula 1 series on Netflix (highly recommend it, by the way). This novel series feeds that hunger for more racing and a romance that will really explore these characters as they evolve from teen love to adult love and I'm so eager to see what happens next. 

Purchase 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097TTSBN8

Pre-order Wreck: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SBSX3J

Pre-order Burn: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097SCCH12

“An adrenaline rush of a romance that made my heart race and my soul shake. So HEADY. So HEART-POUNDING. So HEARTFELT. So YES!!!” – Karen, Bookalicious Babes Blog

Shift

Dustin Bridges has always had two things he could count on—his fearless instincts behind the wheel and the support of his two best friends, Tommy and Hannah Judge. 

Dustin brought the speed. 

Tommy, the brains. 

And Hannah . . . she was the glue that held everyone together. 

Together, they were unstoppable. 

From the dirt tracks of their youth to the late-night drag races under a desert moon as teens, the Judge siblings pushed and watched in awe as their friend edged closer to his dream. Always racing, always running. That was Dustin’s gift and curse. And while his life at home was unbearable, his world with the Judges always seemed perfect. 

Growing up with people makes for a special bond. But sometimes life has a way of testing just how strong a relationship is. And falling in love with one of your best friends, not to mention your other best friend’s sister? Well, that can be the toughest test of all. 

Heartbreak doesn’t know what it’s up against, though, because when there is a prize to be won, nobody bets against Dustin Bridges. 

Wreck and Burn

(Books 2 and 3)

Wreck continues Dustin and Hannah’s story four years later, and book 3, Burn, completes their love story in their mid 20s. 

𝗔𝗥𝗖 + 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗨𝗽𝘀: https://forms.gle/c25bCrziSQuPC2dPA

Add them to your TBR!

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗞: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077746-wreck

𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077766-burn

REVIEW: Fortunate Son by Jay Crownover

 

We are so excited to help celebrate the release of FORTUNATE SON by Jay Crownover with you today! FORTUNATE SON is part of Forever Marked: The Second Generation of the Marked Men.

Join Jay's Group for details about all of her titles.

OUR REVIEW:

It's been way too long since we've read a Jay Crownover novel, as verified by reading her most recent release, Fortunate Son. This novel had all the things we love about her writing and I'm already thinking about all the possibilities that could develop as she writes more in this series. 

In Fortunate Son we read about Ry Archer and Bowe Keller. For fans of the Marked Men Series and the Saints of Denver Series, these names may be familiar--they're children of characters in those series, as are many of their friends and family. SIDE NOTE: if you haven't read either of these series, never fear--Crownover gives enough (succinct) detail to explain all of the various connections without spoiling anything (and if you have read but may have forgotten, the details are helpful). The story of Ry and Bowe starts with heartbreak and then shows us their difficult history. It's obvious that they're meant to be together, despite how seemingly opposite they are and the hurts they've given each other, and with very little drama, they manage to get things back on track to see if there's any possible way that a real relationship is something that can happen. As we learn more and more about them and their friends and family, there are moments of fun banter and raw vulnerability...just when I thought I'd make it through without any gut punches, whew boy, I got choked up...and of course, romance and some sexy times.

Fortunate Son is a really good first novel for this series. It introduces new fans to this group of characters, reminds the O.G. fans of how much we love all of these characters, and opens the door for many more novels in this world and I am here for it.

FORTUNATE SON by Jay Crownover

Forever Marked: The Second Generation of the Marked Men

------------

Purchase your copy of FORTUNATE SON today!

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About FORTUNATE SON:

Ry Archer and Bowe Keller are as different as night and day. But that doesn't stop the childhood frenemies from reconnecting whenever one of them needs some help tackling any of life's major puzzles, like figuring out why getting what you always thought you wanted isn't living up to all the hype. They might constantly rub each other the wrong way (except for the times when they rub each other the really-really right way), but there is no denying they've always made one hell of a great team. They manage to balance each other out… when they aren't driving each other crazy. For Ry, he thought he had the perfect girl, the one who was going to run headfirst into a methodically planned future. He was going to marry young and have the same kind of legendary, life-long romance his parents did… or so he believed. His girl was going to stand by his side as he chased his dream of being a professional football player all the way to the NFL. He was wrong. Now, Ry's gotta figure out the difference between a bruised heart and a broken one, and the only person who can teach him the difference is Bowe. Bowe always felt like she had to run before she learned to walk to keep up with her father's musical legacy. He's her hero, and she wants nothing more than to make him proud. Bowe's about to figure out that maybe she wasn't meant to be in a rock and roll band and that it is possible she let her father's success cloud her idea of what making music should be. Bowe needs to find her own path to fame, and there's a good chance she wouldn't be brave enough or bold enough to start over if Ry Archer hadn't charmed his way back into her life when she least expected it. Some days they're enemies. Other days they're lovers. For a while, they were strangers. But now, it feels more like they might have always been soulmates. Eventually, Ry and Bowe realize that letting go of an old dream and creating a new one is much easier to do with the right person by your side.

Add FORTUNATE SON to your Goodreads TBR here!

Purchase your copy of FORTUNATE SON today!

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Purchase in Paperback

---------------------

About JAY CROWNOVER:

  Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men Series, The Saints of Denver Series, The Point Series, Breaking Point Series, and the Getaway Series. Her books can be found translated in many different languages all around the world. She is a tattooed, crazy haired Colorado native who lives at the base of the Rockies with her awesome dogs. This is where she can frequently be found enjoying a cold beer and Taco Tuesdays. Jay is a self-declared music snob and outspoken book lover who is always looking for her next adventure, between the pages and on the road. Connect with her: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Reader Group

REVIEW: Mafia King by C.D. Reiss

REVIEW:

This series is going to be the death of me, I swear. 

First of all, THAT ENDING. WHAT?!!!! WHAT.IN.THE.HELL. The ending alone is enough to kill me and then to know I'm waiting until October to get to see what C.D. Reiss's twisted mind comes up with next? DEAD. I'm DYING. Barely on life support. But watch this basic bitch click on MAFIA QUEEN the second it releases, grading papers and teaching be damned. 

Also, let's just take a second to ponder the title of book 3. MAFIA QUEEN. *dies* Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned so all those fuckers better watch out because I have a feeling Violetta is going to take no prisoners. I'm so here for it. HERE FOR IT.

Mafia King was one of those novels that I could not stop reading until the last two chapters. I inhaled page after page like a woman possessed. I had to know how in the world Santino and Violetta were going to make it through the scandalous information we learned about at the end of book 1. It was pretty terrible stuff and while I knew there was more to the story than we initially found out about, I still had no clue how they would move forward. Welp, they did and then the crisis that gets us to the ending of book 2 just takes over. Both Santino and Violetta had very strong (and shocking to no one) opposing positions and most of the novel is an exploration of their stances. Without spoiling, I'll say that I wholeheartedly am on Team Violetta but I also came to understand the tenuous position Santino was in and I actually felt for him too. 

So, as I wrote earlier, I inhaled the novel until the last two chapters when it was obvious that things were going to go wrong and then I had to stop and brace myself for whatever craziness C.D. Reiss created for her characters and JFC, it was... wow. And now here we are, trying not to die because we have to wait a few months to get the final book. I should add that the plot and dialogue were, as usual when it come to Reiss, tight--plot moved and dialogue was perfect; the sex was off the charts hot, and the crazy was on par for what I expected in a mafia romance. 

In conclusion, WTF with that ending and hurry up and get here October and Mafia Queen.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3zHAW70

SYNOPSIS: Santino is my king. My lover. My husband.

He’s the head of the Cavallo crime family and the moment he choked my vows from me, my life was bound to his.

I’m done fighting my fate, until I hear two rumors, and I’m shaken to the core.

One rumor about the past—that I wasn’t the first bride Santino took.

Another about the future—a new bride is about to be taken.

Changing the old ways is like dousing the flames of hell with tears.

But I married the devil himself, and when I vowed to obey, I lied.

Book two of three in the The Dilustro Arrangement.

REVIEW: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

OUR REVIEW:

I tend to think of Helena Hunting as a romcom writer and while When Sparks Fly definitely has romcom moments, I enjoyed that this novel packed a more emotional punch. Both Declan and Avery had some baggage that was begging to be unpacked and in Helena Hunting's hands, it definitely was. To get to that point, though, there were all sorts of events--some funny and some horrific--that kept me turning pages. 

The novel started with a completely ridiculous and funny scene, leads us through the backstory of Avery and her family and introduces us to her friendship with Declan via a college relationship gone bad. All of this gets us to the car accident that gives us the meat of the story. There's forced proximity, guilt, frustration, and many opportunities for this best friendship to turn into something else, which obviously it does only to blow up before we get to their HEA ...all well worth the journey to get there. 

In addition to the main story of Avery and Declan, the secondary characters also provided a lot of comedy and interesting diversions and I'm definitely seeing the potential for several of these characters to get stories of their own. 

When Sparks Fly is a fun read that definitely brings the emotion--a good way to spend your weekend. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3cdLvo8

SYNOPSIS:

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all. 

REVIEW: The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod

OUR REVIEW:

I inhaled this novel; I was reading it every second I could--on my planning periods, as my students were studying for exams (shhhhh), and every spare second I could. I was completely sucked in to the story of Toni and Sebastian. 

Toni was such a unique character in that she was a working musician that didn't necessarily crave the limelight. She loved playing and loved the craft but didn't want to necessarily be on stage ...and all the stuff that comes with being on stage.. and getting to know her and understand her made for a lot of interesting reading. 'Seeing' her evolve and open up to different experiences that put her out of her comfort zone and yet in the driver's seat for her future was inspiring. And then add to that her past with Sebastian and all of the hurt feelings that came with that and I was completely hooked. 

Not only did I enjoy all of the backstory of Toni and Sebastian and the story of the present, I also enjoyed the secondary characters and all that they added to their story. I'm excited that we'll get to see more of these characters and I'm eager to get to know them all a little bit better.

Buy this rock star romance--you will not regret it!

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3ikBZ6q

SYNOPSIS:

A Star is Born meets Daisy Jones and the Six by way of Colleen Hoover in this unique story following an all-female band on the brink of breaking out. This diverse cast of characters play hard and love harder...no matter the ultimate price.
"Sharp, propulsive, and sexy. Once I started, I couldn't put it down. Antonia and Seb are imprinted in my book-loving heart. I genuinely, truly, relished this book."—CHRISTINA LAUREN, NYT and #1 International Bestselling Author

Growing up in dive bars up and down the East Coast, Toni Bennette's guitar was her only companion...until she met Sebastian Quick. Seb was a little older, a lot wiser, and before long he was Toni's way out, promising they'd escape their stifling small town together. Then Seb turned eighteen and split without looking back.

Now, Toni's all grown up and making a name for herself in Philadelphia's indie scene. When a friend suggests she try out for a hot new up-and-coming band, Toni decides to take a chance. Strong, feminist, and fierce as fire, Toni B. and the Lillys are the perfect match...except Seb's now moonlighting as their manager. Whatever. Toni can handle it. No problem. Or it wouldn't be if Seb didn't still hold a piece of her heart...not to mention the key to her future.

 

COVER REVEAL: Ginger Scott's FUEL SERIES

 

★COVER REVEAL★

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 by Ginger Scott is releasing this summer! 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 is the first book in the trilogy releasing on June 25th! Buckle your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

 

𝗔𝗥𝗖 + 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗨𝗽𝘀: https://forms.gle/c25bCrziSQuPC2dPA

 

Shift

Dustin Bridges has always had two things he could count on—his fearless instincts behind the wheel and the support of his two best friends, Tommy and Hannah Judge. 

Dustin brought the speed. 

Tommy, the brains. 

And Hannah . . . she was the glue that held everyone together. 

Together, they were unstoppable. 

From the dirt tracks of their youth to the late-night drag races under a desert moon as teens, the Judge siblings pushed and watched in awe as their friend edged closer to his dream. Always racing, always running. That was Dustin’s gift and curse. And while his life at home was unbearable, his world with the Judges always seemed perfect. 

Growing up with people makes for a special bond. But sometimes life has a way of testing just how strong a relationship is. And falling in love with one of your best friends, not to mention your other best friend’s sister? Well, that can be the toughest test of all. 

Heartbreak doesn’t know what it’s up against, though, because when there is a prize to be won, nobody bets against Dustin Bridges. 

 

Wreck and Burn

(Books 2 and 3) July Releases

Wreck continues Dustin and Hannah’s story four years later, and book 3, Burn, completes their love story in their mid 20s. 

 

Add them to your TBR!

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗞: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077746-wreck

𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077766-burn

Twitter:

★ COVER REVEAL★

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 by @TheGingerScott is releasing this summer! 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 is the first book in the trilogy releasing on June 25th! Buckle your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a wild ride!

ARC + Promo: https://forms.gle/c25bCrziSQuPC2dPA

𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗙𝗧: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58077726-shift

REVIEW: Kings of Kearny by Navessa Allen

OUR REVIEW

The Kings of Kearny is the second novel I've read of Navessa Allen and it just solidifies what a huge fan I am of her work. I just stalked her website for other things of her I can read and I'm always looking for what she's reading on Goodreads because she's always got interesting things to say in her reviews; I appreciate her honesty and criticisms, and when she really likes something, I know I'm probably going to like it too. 

The Kings of Kearny popped up on NetGalley and it was an automatic request (beg) for me because I knew I couldn't wait to see what new world she created. I wasn't disappointed. In this novel we get plunged into the MC world of the Kings, featuring Jakob as our scowling, smoldering alpha male and Krista, our smart and smoldering and equally alpha female. These two are fire. A smoke show. Chemistry. You picking up what I'm throwing down? So obviously, it's a really sexy novel. But it wasn't just that for me. I enjoyed the intrigue of what was happening between the various clubs and who was behind what was happening at the nursing home facility. I also enjoyed the military connections to the club and how all of that worked. But I think I really just enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them fall for each other. The sex positivity, the way Krista handles a potentially ugly situation with two women she meets, the family interactions, and how smoothly this was all integrated has me eager for more of Navessa Allen's novels. My only quibble was how much Krista would talk herself into circles trying to figure out who was behind who--making herself crazy and me a little too. But if anything, her being so suspicious and paranoid made her even more real. 

If you're looking for a MC read that is sexy and romantic and intriguing, with a very satisfactory ending and completely stands alone, The Kings of Kearny is the book for you. I'm hoping that there may be more to come with these characters because I loved reading about these characters but even if there's not, I'm all for whatever Navessa Allen writes next. 

BUY IT here.

Synopsis:

Jakob Larson is going to be the death of me.

That’s what I think every time he strides into my bar.

The Kings of Kearny run this small Texas town, and Jakob is their chief enforcer.

The Viking, they call him. He’s a criminal. As dangerous as he is sexy. The kind of man who makes my inner cavewoman sit up and take notice.

Him big. Make strong babies. Bring home mammoth for dinner.

I’m ready to indulge her desires, but just for one night. Unfortunately, Jakob has other plans.

Someone in town is breaking one of the cardinal rules set by the leader of The Kings. And Jakob thinks they’re using my grandmother’s nursing home as a front for their illicit activities.

Now I’m neck-deep in trouble with him, and every time I think I’ve figured out what’s really going on, Jakob reveals another piece of the puzzle.

I need to figure out how far I’m willing to go to protect this town. How far I’m willing to go with Jakob.

Because if I fall for him, there’s no going back. No hope for a peaceful ending.

But Jakob is the kind of man who makes me think that peaceful is overrated, and that descending into darkness with him could lead to something even better than a Happily Ever After.

REVIEW: Tempting Fate by Kerrigan Byrne

OUR REVIEW:

 I LOVED the story of Felicity and Gabriel. LOVED it. I love that Kerrigan Byrne showed us a character whose strength comes through in her self-awareness--that she's so strong but not in the traditional headstrong way. Felicity--bookworm, botanist, introverted hummingbird of a woman is just so easy to be enamored with. She knows her limits, tries very hard to do what she can within her limits, and is just so kind. I was rooting for her and was so glad to see her and Gabriel end up together. 

Equally lovely is Gabriel. Shy, gruff, quiet Gabriel. A hero used to living in hiding or in the shadows--only feeling the love of a sibling and never feeling understood or that he could really trust many. This hulk of a man is also easy to be enamored with --his adoration and protectiveness of Felicity makes it impossible to do anything but adore him.

While these two are not the usual, in many ways, I loved them separately and together. The things that they felt limited them, is what I think made them that much more interesting and stronger than the normal headstrong alpha characters. I also really enjoyed Felicities ongoing defense and meditation on why romance novels are not only worthwhile but superior in many ways. 

Fantastic read and if I had any complaint it was that I read it too quickly and am sad that it's over.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3z6S7Ph

SYNOPSIS:

Disfigured in fighting pits as a lad, Gabriel Sauvageau has lived his entire life without the touch of a woman. As the brains and brawn behind London’s most ferocious smuggling syndicate, he knows he doesn’t deserve shy, bespectacled Felicity Goode. But that doesn’t stop him from watching her. Guarding her. 

Wondering if her gentle touch would soothe his savage soul.

Though she wiles away hours immersed in the pages of romance novels, shy and anxious Felicity Goode has vowed never to become a bride. How can she share a life—not to mention a bed—with a man if she can’t bring herself to share a simple conversation without trembling and stuttering? Once news of her obscene inheritance circulates through the ton, she is barraged not only by a slew of suitors, but also several distressing threats against her life. 

What she needs is a bodyguard. 

The large, scarred ruffian she finds on her stoop is exactly what she has been looking for.

So why does his presence make her tremble in ways that have nothing to do with fear? 

REVIEW: Reel by Kennedy Ryan

"Reel is alive and pulsing like a beating heart.
This romance is a triumph of art and emotion."
--Talia Hibbert, New York Times bestselling author

Reel, an all new epic CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE love story from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kennedy Ryan, is available now!

OUR REVIEW:

Kennedy Ryan always wows me.

Her research is absolutely impeccable, as is her writing. She captures friendships with nuance--the banter and raw honesty that we only share with our true besties she writes in such a way that you never feel like you're reading words on a page but seeing it happen in your mind's eye. The romance parts, well they just build and build and build until you want to combust. The courtship parts? They make you want to have those for yourself. And the parts where she shares truths about the world--the ugliness and beauty that we have witnessed and still witness--are done so deftly and with such a light hand that you never feel that she's shoving anything down your throat, rather that she's giving us reminders, mirrors, and hope--reminders of our past, a mirror to where we are now, and a hope for all the things we can be.

In Reel, the love story of Neevah (an up and coming actress) and Canon (the hottest director in town) just seems inevitable, despite them both putting up a good fight. They try so hard to deny their attraction, to keep it professional, and to avoid any trouble that could come with an entanglement but as we all know, no character is safe from the magic of Kennedy Ryan and Neevah and Canon did not stand a chance. And I loved it. I loved the progression of their working relationship, their undeniable chemistry, and their friendship--something I found to be just as important as everything else--all against the backdrop of Dessi Blue and her story.

I also loved the behind the scenes feel we got, the secondary characters and the hope for their stories, and the inclusion of Neevah and Canon's families and their stories. All of these things added the depth and detail that make it hurt when you get to the final page because you're just not ready for it to be over. 

There are a kazillion things I could add about why I loved reading Reel twice and there will be really great book bloggers who will capture the magic of this novel and succinct and powerful ways, thankfully, so I'll just end with this: When I 'read' Reel I never felt like I was reading because the writing was so perfect that I was visualizing the entire thing in my mind's eye. 

Grab Reel and then pray to the movie gods that we get to not only read it but see it on the big screen one day. 

One moment in the spotlight.

For months I stood by, an understudy waiting in the wings, preparing for my time to shine.
I never imagined he would watch in the audience that night.
Canon Holt.
Famous film director.
Fascinating. Talented. Fine.
Before I could catch my breath, everything changed.
I went from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood.
From being unknown, to my name, Neevah Saint, on everyone’s lips.
Canon casts me in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic, catapulting me into another stratosphere.

But stars shine brightest in the dead of night.
Forbidden attraction, scandal and circumstances beyond my control jeopardize my dream.
Could this one shot—the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime—cost me everything?

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xwekW8
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Reel
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3dWwUyG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2QCKcHS
Nook: https://bit.ly/3nsKKfr
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gHMDUc
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2RpXgAe
Order your Signed copy of REEL today>> http://bit.ly/EagleEyePB

ALSO AVAILABLE IN AUDIO NOW!

"Bravo . . .A true literary audio experience!"
-- Alexandria House, Amazon & Audible bestselling author

Narrated by Eboni Flowers and Jakobi Diem
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About Kennedy Ryan
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Kennedy Ryan and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Cosmo, TIME, O Mag and many others. A RITA® Award winner, Kennedy writes empowered women from all walks of life and centers those who have found themselves perennially on the margins of traditional storytelling.

Her Hoops Series (Long Shot, Block Shot and Hook Shot) and All the King's Men Series (The Kingmaker, The Rebel King and Queen Move) have been optioned for television.

An autism mom, Kennedy co-founded LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable initiative, and has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for autism families. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

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REVIEW: Friends With Benedicts by Staci Hart

 

OUR REVIEW:

In this second stand alone novel of interconnected characters in small towns, we get the story of Presley and Sebastian-- a story that I absolutely INHALED. I don't think I blinked. My eyes are still dry from how fast I read Friends With Benedicts. Seriously. One second I was at 11%, then next I was at 43%, and all of the sudden I was at the end and while completely satisfied, also completely sad that it was over. 

I remember adoring Presley and Cilla when I met them before, but getting to know them even better left me so very charmed by their story. Sebastian too--I mean what's not to love about a hunky, altruistic, all around good guy? Exactly. The story of Presley and Sebastian was one of summers and fun and small town gossip and jealousy and heart eyes as teens and of responsibility and adulting and facing fears now. 

I love a good secret love child story and Friends With Benedicts has a really good take on it--one that didn't leave me with a sour taste in my mouth. I loved how Staci Hart handled all of the aspects of single parenthood as it transitioned into a true family; she didn't sugarcoat things but she also didn't make her characters unduly suffer. I also enjoyed the whole small town takes on a big box attempt to take over and all of the things that came along with that subplot. 

I'm hopeful that we see more of the Blum sisters and more of this small town as this series continues. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3wSy1Gu

SYNOPSIS:

Timing is everything.

Presley Hale and Sebastian Vargas are no strangers to goodbye. Their high school summers were spent wrapped up in each other until she would inevitably go home to California. One season after college, Sebastian finally escaped the little Texas town to travel the world, and they said goodbye for what they thought might be the last time.

Sebastian went one way. Presley went the other.

For the first time in five years, they’re both in town, but the timing is no better than ever. So the only thing to do is what they do best. Keep it casual. Friends with benefits. They’ve done it before—doing it again will be easy.

But their hearts don’t get the memo.

When the lines of their arrangement blur, Presley and Sebastian are faced with decisions they’ve avoided for years. And that’s not even their biggest problem.

A small town in danger of failing.
A secret that could tear them apart.
And two hearts that can’t hide anymore.

They’ve shared so many summers, but none compare to what they’ll face.

Timing is everything. And their time is almost up.