Blog Tour Review: Fortunate Son (Forever Marked: The Second Generation #1) 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.

FORTUNATE SON by Jay Crownover

Forever Marked: The Second Generation of the Marked Men

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

Purchase your copy of FORTUNATE SON to-day!

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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.

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What I thought about Fortunate Son

I'm going to get this right out in the open -- I adored the Marked Men series from Jay Crownover and her return to that special world is certainly a cause for celebration for this reader.  I fell in love with all the boys and it was great to have this second generation thing going on. Kudos to Jay Crownover for giving fans of the original series more of this world.

In Fortunate Son, Ry Archer, Rule and Shaw's son gets dumped by his girl without warning. Or so it seems to him at first.  Anyway, he's devastated and finds himself heading to Austin Texas for comfort in the arms of Bowe Keller, Jet and Ayden's daughter. 

There's some history between Ry and Bowe, but it's also clear that there's a strong connection between them.  Much of the first part of this book rehashes the relationships between the two generations and reminds the reader just how tight this group of friends remained over the years.  I was intrigued to find out if the second generation shared that strong sense of family. 

Things really take a nice turn when Bowe asks Ry for feedback on her new band and he gives it to her.  I really liked these scenes, and the one between Jet and Bowe where they discuss just what it means to get up on stage and what it takes to put yourself out there. And when it turns out Ry is correct in his assessment of the situation, Bowe can only turn to him to provide a balm to her bruised soul.

Meanwhile Ry is also coming to revelations about his time with Aston,  his ex, and how to amend his past relationship with Bowe.  And then there's the everlasting comparisons to his uncle Remy, who Ry never knew, but everyone says he is just like him. That's a lot of Ry to live up to, and he has to learn to deal with that. 

I really loved the second half of this book, especially where Ry and Bowe end up at the conclusion of the story.  There's some big drama at the end that I won't spoil , except to say I loved it even with its schmaltzy moments.  There's also plenty of hints for future stories and relationships among this generation of Marked Men offspring.  It was terrific to spend time in this world again.  

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About JAY CROWNOVER:

Jay Crownover is the international and multiple New York Times and USA Today bestselling au-thor 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

 

 

Release Week Review: Songs in Ursa Major by Emma Brodie

 

Raised on an island off Massachusetts by a mother who wrote songs for famous musicians, Jane Quinn is singing in her own band before she’s old enough to even read music. When folk legend Jesse Reid hears about Jane’s performance at the island’s music festival, a star is born—and so is a passionate love affair: they become inseparable when her band joins his on tour. Wary of being cast as his girlfriend—and haunted by her mother’s shattered ambitions—Jane shields her relationship from the public eye, but Jesse’s star power pulls her into his orbit of fame. Caught up in the thrill of the road and the profound and lustful connection she has with Jesse, Jane is blind-sided by the discovery she makes about the dark secret beneath his music. Heartbroken and blackballed by the industry, Jane is now truly on her own: to make the music she loves, and to make peace with her family.

Shot through with the lyrics, the icons, the lore, the adrenaline of the early 70s music scene, Songs in Ursa Major pulses with romantic longing and asks the question so many female artists must face: What are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?

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What I thought about Songs in Ursa Major

Songs in Ursa Major is the debut effort of Emma Brodie and this women's fiction tale centers around Janie Q' and The Breakers rise in the music industry.  

I was drawn to this book because of the time period -- the story opens in 1969 at a small folk festival.  A local band called The Breakers is taxed to perform in the place of the headliner, Jesse Reid who cancels at the last minute. Lead singer Janie Q has to tame an audience impatient for the pop magic they expected.  Janie wows them all, including Pegasus A&R man, Willy Lambert.  I loved Willy and his relationship with Jane.

Jane's relationship with her band was quite lovely, there was a close bond there that gave me a good feeling throughout. Family is another important theme here, with Jane's immediate family consisting of her grandmother, her aunt and cousin, along with her band members.The family dynamics here were also very relevant to the outcome of the story.

While Janie is preparing for her first recording sessions and The Breakers first album, she meets Jesse Reid, the headliner she replaced at the festival. As he recovers from his motorcycle accident, they connect over their music, starting a romance that develops further when they go on tour together.  

The story focuses on Janie's interactions in the industry and her romance with Jesse. I found this to be very interesting. I loved Janie's rebellious, feisty attitude when it came to her music and how she grew into her songwriting with the help of others. The romance was also a strong element of this story that I enjoyed.

So why not five stars?  The book ends with an update from the current day that just blew my mind, especially after the content of the previous chapter. I found myself going back, re-reading a few times, scratching my head, wondering what I missed along the way.  I don't really want to spoil it for anyone so I won't say much more, because I really did enjoy this book, I just thought the story was heading in a direction that it wasn't and it ended up surprising me in a way that took something away from this story for this reader. 

Overall, I really liked this. No one is perfect -- these characters have flaws and I loved them for it. There was one point where I thought this might be one of my top reads for the year (and it still might be).  I liked the characters and story. It had me engaged. Growing up in the time period, I thought it captured the atmosphere of that sex, drugs and rock and roll time.

Favorite line: "There's good medicine in sticking it to the man."

About the Author

Emma Brodie, is currently an Executive Editor at Little Brown’s Voracious imprint. Over her ten years in book publishing, she’s worked at Trident Media Group, William Morrow, and Clarkson Potter, where she authored over twenty gift books and games, including the bestselling Punderdome, Deal or Duel, Come As You Aren’t, and Dear Jane, and published authors including Awkwafina, Anna Drezen, Nathan W. Pyle, Marlee Grace, Leah Rachel, Conn Igguldon, Ash + Chess, Deborah Hanekamp, Ginny Hogan, Rebecca Fishbein, and Emma Gray. 

Emma is along time contributor to HuffPost and a faculty member at Catapult, Co. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their dog, Freddie Mercury. 

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Available Now! Fortunate Son (The Forever Marked #1) 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.

FORTUNATE SON by Jay Crownover

Forever Marked:
The Second Generation of the Marked Men

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

Purchase your copy of FORTUNATE SON today!

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Kobo

Purchase in Paperback

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!

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Kobo

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

 

ARC Review & Excerpt:The Summer of No Attachments by Lori Foster

The Summer of No Attachments : A Novel

Lori Foster

On Sale Date: June 22, 2021

9781335459893
Trade Paperback
$16.99 USD
336 pages

ABOUT THE BOOK:

From New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lori Foster comes the heartwarming story of two best friends who cross paths with a pair of new-in-town brothers with one angry little boy in tow. A standalone story of second chances at life and love, with found family and rescued animals, perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis, Sarah Morgan, and Lori Wilde.

Summer flings with no strings mean nobody gets hurt.

At least, that was the plan…

After putting the brakes on her dead-end relationship, local veterinarian Ivey Anders is ready to soak up this summer on her own terms. The way she sees it, no dating means no disappointment. Why complicate life with anything long-term? But when she meets Corbin Meyer—and his troubled young son, Justin—Ivey’s no-strings strategy threatens to unravel before she can put it into practice.

Trust doesn’t come easy for Ivey’s best friend, Hope Mage, a veterinary-clinic assistant who’s affected by an incident that’s colored every relationship she’s had. Though Hope’s happy for Ivey, she can’t quite open her own heart to the possibility of love. Not just yet… Maybe not ever. Soon, however, she’s faced with a dilemma—Corbin’s older brother, Lang. He’s charming, he’s kind…and he may just be the reason Hope needs to finally tear down her walls.

And as the sweet summer months unspool, the two friends discover love won’t give up on them so easily.

 

Buy Links

Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

 

Excerpt

 Chapter One

Ivey Anders shoved back a wayward curl and gently secured the dog against her body so it couldn’t move while her tech, Hope Mage, carefully clipped away the twisted wire. The poor thing, a stray by the looks of it, had gotten itself tangled pretty tightly and one hind leg was in bad shape. Ivey wanted to get it to the clinic where she could properly assess the damage.

Mud caked the fur, making it difficult to find any other injuries just yet, but there was one astounding fact Ivey couldn’t ignore.

Behind her, the homeowner groused that the dog had likely been stealing eggs from his chicken coop.

Voice calm, temper mostly in check, Ivey said, “You didn’t hesitate to call me, did you, Marty?” It was well-known that Marty was not a fan of dogs, or cats for that matter, and mostly considered them a nuisance. However, they’d come to an agreement some time ago. Marty, who owned a fair amount of wooded acreage, was supposed to call her if a stray showed up, and she, as the local vet, would take care of the “problem” for him.

Laura, his wife, was quick to say, “I called.” Defiant to Marty, she added, “Soon as I heard the poor thing, in fact.”

Which didn’t mean much. The animal might have been there for hours. Possibly more than a day, though Ivey couldn’t bear the thought of that.

“She’s pregnant, you know.” Refusing to take her eyes off the dog and unwilling to raise her voice since it might frighten the animal more, Ivey said, “If she took an egg, it would have been from starvation—and you already know I would have compensated you for it.”

Affronted, Marty grumbled, “I wasn’t worried about one egg, just don’t want to lose my chickens.” He cleared his throat. “If it helps any, I was out here this morning and she wasn’t caught then. Afternoon I watered my garden, and that’s why there’s so much mud. So I doubt she was hung up there more than a few hours.”

The fist around Ivey’s heart loosened just a little. “That helps tremendously, Marty. Thank you.”

More times than she could count, Ivey had taken on problems with stray animals who needed special love and care. It didn’t matter that she’d been working as a veterinarian for years now, seeing all manner of hurt, neglected or just plain ill animals. She still loved them all, and when one hurt, she hurt with it.

“No thanks necessary,” Marty complained, his tone gruff with insult. “Not like I’d let an animal suffer.”

Ivey had a feeling their definitions of suffer varied a bit, but she realized this mattered to him, and she was too grateful to quibble so she just nodded.

Almost got it,” Hope murmured, and with one last clip, the wire loosened. “There.” Fingers gentle, she disentangled the dog’s leg, exposing a painful wound.

Ivey murmured to the small animal all the while, cooing softly, petting and holding her secure. The second she was able to sit back on the muddy ground, she pulled the dog into her lap. With her face close to the top of the dog’s head, she whispered, “There now, that’s better, isn’t it? We’ll get you all fixed up, I promise.”

“Here.” Slipping off her zip-up hoodie, Hope offered it to Ivey to wrap around the dog. “Do you want me to get the carrier?”

Busy swaddling the dog, careful not to jar her, Ivey shook her head. “She doesn’t weigh more than ten or eleven pounds. I’ll carry her to the truck and we’ll see how it goes.” Feeling mud seep into the seat of her pants, she realized she couldn’t get up without letting go of the dog. Lifting a brow at Hope, she said, “A little help?”

“Oh sure.” Hope caught her under one elbow, and Laura hurried forward to take the other, giving her the leverage she needed.

Marty stepped back to avoid getting muddy.

Carefully, the two women got Ivey on her feet. The thick mud was heavy on the seat of her pants, dragging on her stretch jeans that had loosened throughout the day. At least her rubber boots wouldn’t be ruined. Since they treated all sorts of animals, including those on farms, she and Hope each kept a pair at the clinic.

“Let’s go.” Plodding forward, Ivey led the way to the truck. Halfway there, the dog started panting. Concerned, she hastened her step, not at all worried about getting mud on the truck seats. “No need for the crate. Just get us back to the clinic.”

Picking up on her angst, Hope ran around to the driver’s side and got the truck on the road in record time. “Everything okay?”

“Not really, no. Something’s wrong.”

“What should I do?”

Poor Hope. A sick cat had kept them an hour past closing, and then Marty had called… “I’m sorry.” Ivey barely took her gaze off the stressed dog. “Do you think you could assist me at the clinic?”

“Of course I will! You don’t even have to ask.” Frowning, Hope muttered, “Did you think I’d drop you off with a dog in distress? Tell you good luck?” She snorted. “Have I ever done that?”

She and Hope were close enough that Ivey knew she’d inadvertently insulted her. “No, you haven’t. But it’s Friday night after a very long day.”

“It’s Friday night for you, too, you know.”

“What a sad situation for us both.” Despite her worries, Ivey chuckled. “Most women would have plans, and yet we never do.”

“You have Geoff.”

Ivey made a face. “Lot of good that does me.” Likely Geoff was settled on the couch already, watching sports or playing a video game. The excitement had left their relationship a long time ago, so she doubted he’d even notice her absence.

For her part, Hope never dated. That bothered Ivey a lot, but she loved Hope enough that she would never pry.

Smiling at her friend, Ivey said, “I’m glad I won’t have to do this alone.”

“Not ever,” Hope vowed. “Even if by some miracle I ever do have something worthwhile lined up for the weekend, I’d still be here for you, okay?”

Her friendship with Hope meant so much more than any other relationship Ivey had, including her lackluster romance with Geoff. “Smartest thing I ever did was hire you.”

“I’m so glad you did,” Hope whispered. “Otherwise we might not have become friends, then where would I be?”

“Let’s just agree that we’re better off together.” Though Ivey was ten years older than Hope, they’d still hit it off from the start, meshing together as if they’d been lifelong friends. Where Ivey was take-charge and sometimes a little too outspoken, Hope was an intent listener with an enormous heart.

Ivey often wanted to challenge the world, and Hope, sadly, wanted to hide from it.

Or more accurate, she wanted to hide from any interested men.

Hope had an affinity with animals, plus a gentle but sure touch. She was never squeamish, but she exuded sympathy. Ivey valued her. The clients loved her. And the animals trusted her.

Unfortunately, they were still five minutes away from the clinic when the dog went into labor. “This is definitely happening,” Ivey said, doing what she could to make the animal comfortable.

Leaning closer to the steering wheel, Hope drove a little faster. “Be there soon.”

They’d barely gotten in the door when her water broke. Hope ran ahead to prepare an area, moving with practiced ease as she opened an already cleaned kennel and set up a whelping box, then filled it with bedding material. The box had three tall sides to contain the coming puppies, and one low side for the mother to step out for food and water.

Knowing Hope had it in hand, Ivey began cleaning the dog as quickly and efficiently as possible. She managed a cursory job, removing the worst of the mud, when Hope rejoined her. “We’re all set.”

“With luck we’ll have enough time to clean and wrap her leg before she gives birth.” Usually that happened within two hours after the animal’s water breaking, so they didn’t have a minute to spare.

A day that had already been long just turned entirely endless.

Excerpted from The Summer of No Attachments by Lori Foster, Copyright © 2021 by Lori Foster. Published by HQN Books. 

 What I thought about The Summer of No Attachments 

 

When veterinarian Ivey Anders realizes that her current relationship is going nowhere she resolves to keep her future relationships casual and avoid any long term attachments.  That works until she meets Corbin Meyer. There's some attraction there, especially when his young son shows a special bond with Ivey's rescued puppies. 

 

Corbin Meyer has just moved to town to rear his young son, having just learned of his existence. It was really hard not to fall for Corbin (all of the characters, tbh) -- he's mature, sensitive and attracted to Ivey.  It's just all so perfect here between them

 

Then here's Hope, Ivey's best friend and work colleague who has a past trauma that few people know about.  She's timid around men for good reason, but when she rents a place from Corbin and meets his brother Lang, she must put her past behind her if she wants to explore a relationship with him.

 

Instead of summer flings and "no attachments,"  both Ivey and Hope find themselves with two unicorn brothers.  Really, these guys are perfect.  (A little flaw here or there would not have changed my appreciation of these guys!) 

 

There is hardly any conflict in this story, so if you are looking for a very sweet almost-fairy-tale story,  this romance from Lori Foster could be for you.  There are some tense moments with the exes that really don't go much of anywhere and all is resolved by the end of the story.

 

I really liked these characters and even though this was a bit tame for my tastes, I did find myself engaged in this story. It was quite refreshing to read characters who can communicate well with each other with a level of maturity that's needed for the very sensitive situation with Justin, who is absolutely adorable, especially with the animals.

 

Overall, The Summer of No Attachments is a low conflict romance that just left me feeling good. And there's puppies too.... 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. She lives in Central Ohio where coffee helps her keep up with her cats and grandkids between writing books. For more about Lori, visit her website at www.lorifoster.com, like her on Facebook or find her on Twitter, @lorilfoster.

 

Social Links:

Author website: https://lorifoster.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorifoster

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lorilfoster

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgeOARHmjBYWcmReym_N39A