Release Day Review: Don't Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole

 

Don’t Kiss the Bride by Carian Cole
is now live!

I guess you could say I was a damsel in distress, and he was my knight in shining armor.

But more accurately, I was a girl with a lot of bad luck, and he was a guy with a lot of muscles and tattoos.

Jude “Lucky” Lucketti wasn’t just a sexy, brooding construction worker. He was my own personal hero who seemed to be in all the right places at the right times. Like when my car broke down and I needed a ride home, and when I face planted on the sidewalk right in front of him and had to be taken to the emergency room.

Those weren’t exactly my best moments, but they were his.

We became friends, and it didn’t matter that he was sixteen years older than me. We had a lot in common—like our love of old rock music and vintage fast cars, and our aversion to relationships.

When he approached me with a crazy idea to help me out, I couldn’t say no.

The arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A marriage on paper and nothing else.

It should’ve been easy, but it wasn’t.

Because here I am, eighteen years-old, still in high school, and married to a man I was never supposed to fall in love with.

We had just one rule—no kissing the bride.

But we broke that rule, and it sealed our fate forever.

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What I thought about Don't Kiss the Bride

Things get very angsty in this age-gap romance from Carian Cole.  

Eighteen year-old Skylar is down on her luck when she meets Jude (aka Lucky) in the high school parking lot.  He helps her out of a jam and in the process ends up spending time with Sparkles as he calls her.  

When things get even more seriously wrong, Jude offers to marry Skylar to help her until she can get on her feet.  It's a marriage of convenience that puts them both in close proximity with the one rule being no kissing. There's plenty of affection between them that serves as a spark to much more as the relationship progresses. Not everyone thinks them being together is a good idea and they aren't afraid to say anything about it.

This was an easy to read, tear-inducing romance that has plenty of slow-burn yearning if that is what you are looking for.  Jude is good-hearted, easy to like and concerned about the age difference between them, but just can't stay away. Skylar does work with Jude in spite of their ages and I did like the way their relationship built from a friendship. They both have a lot of baggage but they do help carry it all together and that's what makes them work.

 

 

Meet Carian

Carian Cole has a passion for the bad boys, those covered in tattoos, sexy smirks, ripped jeans, fast cars, motorcycles, and of course, the sweet girls who try to tame them and win their hearts.

Born and raised a Jersey girl, Carian now resides in beautiful New Hampshire with her husband and their multitude of furry pets. She spends most of her time writing, reading, and vacuuming.

Connect with Carian

Website | www.cariancole.com

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Text COLE to 31996

Release Day Review: Decidedly with Luck (By The Bay #6)

 

Release Date: January 28

Masquerade ball rule #1: what happens at the ball doesn’t always stay at the ball.

Oops.

A chance encounter with a masked stranger at a charity ball led to an incredible kiss and a night of hot sex. The kiss was my goal for that night, a baby step forward after my husband’s death a year ago. The hot sex? Not so much.

You know what else hadn’t been my goal?

To be knocked up by a man whose identity is a mystery to me.

So now I’m preparing for my impending motherhood and planning a fundraiser to provide books for foster kids.

The latter is where hot hockey player Logan Mathews comes in...

****

The last time I saw Kiera Ashdown was the night of the Jingle Balls masquerade ball. She’d wanted her first time with a man after her husband’s death to be with a stranger.

After my NHL team trades me to San Francisco, where my daughter and ex-wife live, I’m determined to be a better father and not repeat past mistakes. My hockey career and my daughter come first.

The last thing I expect to discover is that Kiera is my seven-year-old daughter’s teacher. The last thing I expect to learn is that she’s pregnant with my dead best friend’s child.

And the last thing I want to admit is that I was the one who made love to Kiera—several times—the night of the ball.

Because if she ever found out that I’d lied to her, I could lose her friendship. I could lose so much more...

Decidedly with Luck is a standalone romance.
All the books in the series can be read in any order.

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What I thought about Decidedly with Luck

It's been a year since Kiera Ashdown's husband died, and she's finally ready to look at other men. Maybe even kiss one.  Seems like a formal ball where there's mistletoe might help her on her next step in the recovery process.  When she's introduced to Grayson Mathews, she might have her sights set on who she'd like to kiss.

Turns out he wants to kiss her too -- and more.  They decide to keep their masquerade ball masks on, and they share much more than a kiss.  Kiera has no idea who the man was in the mask which proves to be a bit of problem when she discovers she's pregnant.  Major oopsY -- she doesn't know who the father is.  Second problem is that she lies to a lot of people about who the father is to hide the fact her baby was conceived on a one night stand.  It just keeps getting more complicated for her as things go along.

Especially when her husband's friend Logan, recently traded to San Francisco returns to her life.  They were friends before she was married and now his daughter is one of Kiera's students.  He's going to help her with her sex drive in the second trimester.  Only it's a lot more complicated than that.

So many complications, misunderstandings, and outright lies in this story providing the conflict, and there's plenty of it. I did like the growing tension here as Kiera deals (or not as the case may be) with the delicate details of her pregnancy.  I really liked this part of the story and kept turning the pages to see how it would turn out.

It takes a bit of time for Kiera to come clean to everyone about the Love Bug (so cute) and I have to be honest and say that she should have been a whole lot more upset when she discovers who Grayson is, but then again, she made a lot of mistakes too.

Overall, I liked this story. It kept me reading and I loved how Kiera finally got her HEA on her terms.  I did think the ending fell just a touch flat for me -- I was expecting a bit more fireworks when the truth finally came out, so that's why I'm rating this four stars instead of five.  

Decidedly with Luck is a great addition to this series of interconnected but standalone stories.

Meet Stina Lindenblatt

Born in Brighton England, USA Today bestselling author Stina Lindenblatt has lived in a number of countries, including England, the US, Finland, and Canada. 

This would explain her mixed up accent. 

She has a kinesiology degree and a MSc in sports biological sciences. 

In addition to writing fiction, she loves photography, and currently lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband and three kids. 

Connect with Stina Lindenblatt

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Cover Reveals: Vino and Veritas series in the World of True North

 Look at these absolutely gorgeous covers!

Coming March / April in the
Vino and Veritas in the World of True North

 https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/vino-and-veritas/

 

UNDERCOVER BY ELIOT GRAYSON

Release Date: March 29, 2021
Pre-Order here: COMING SOON
Cover Design: Christine Coffey 

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Blurb:

Gabe wants Alec between the sheets…too bad Alec’s undercover already…

Rich kid. Party boy. Gabe is tired of the labels. He’s a smart guy, but ever since he got kicked out of grad school, people are only interested in his no-limit credit card and his pierced ears…and other places.

Tall, dark, and scowling Alec hates Vermont, with its artisanal-freaking-everything and its irritating people. To be fair, most people irritate Alec, including the FBI director who sent him here to investigate a smuggling scheme involving yoga mats. 

When one of the cutest twinks Alec’s ever seen takes an interest, Alec knows there’s an ulterior motive. No one with multi-colored hair, piercings, and an ass like that would want boring, serious Alec. The kid must be up to no good. Either way, Alec can’t blow his cover. If only he could keep his hands off of Gabe long enough to find out what he’s up to…

Can they ignore their explosive chemistry long enough to foil a smuggling ring? Or will their budding relationship sink faster than a yacht full of contraband?

 

 

 AFTERMATH BY L.A. WITT

Release Date: March 29, 2021
Pre-Order here: https://geni.us/AmazonAftermath
Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/2LZajWM
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

Brent Weyland was the life of the party until an injury ended his hockey career. Now he’s retreated alone to a lakefront house, trying to make sense of a life and body that don’t feel like his anymore. 

Jon Norquist was happily married right up until he wasn’t. Now a single father in his forties, he’s trying to figure out what comes next. In the meantime, he pours his heartache and regret into the lyrics he sings for the wine bar crowd a couple of nights a week.

When a friend coaxes Brent out for a night of wine and music, he puts Brent and Jon on a collision course. Their chemistry is instantaneous. Jon gives Brent’s battered body a much-needed remedial lesson in pleasure. And Brent gives Jon a reason to smile again. 

Multiple reasons, actually. Neither man wants anything serious, but love has a habit of showing up whether it’s welcome or not. No matter how hard they try, the two can’t help having feelings for each other, even as life continues to throw them curveballs.

But they’ve both got baggage to unpack and hurt to move past, and if they can’t leave their pasts in the past, they might just miss out on an amazing future.

 

 BOOKLOVER BY J.E. BIRK

Release Date: March 29, 2021
Pre-Order here: COMING SOON
Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/2M0GgOE
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

Jamie Morin’s college GPA drops every time a cow breaks through a fence, but he’s determined to get his degree and keep his parents’ Vermont dairy farm afloat. He’d rather be reading than milking, but he can’t let his family down…not the way his brother did. So the last thing he needs is distraction in the form of an irresistible bookseller with a mysterious backstory.

Briar Nord has a lifetime of experience proving that happily-ever-afters only happen in his favorite books. But his luck might be changing. He’s got a great job at a bookstore, and he lives in a city that puts maple syrup on everything. But Briar knows not to trust anything--or anyone--too closely, and that includes a gorgeous farm boy with soulful eyes and too many obligations. 

When Jamie joins Briar’s romance novel book club, they both feel an instant connection and soon they’re turning pages long into the night. But Briar’s past was bound to catch up with him. Sometimes, though, it takes two heroes to write a new ending . . .

FLIPCUP BY KIM HARTFIELD

Release Date: April 5, 2021
Pre-Order here: COMING SOON
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Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

After being rejected one too many times, Chelsea makes a bold vow: No more men. Her friends doubt a boy-crazy party girl can handle not dating for a year, but that only makes Chelsea more determined.

Tara has made a vow, too. After growing up in foster care and suppressing herself to please others, she's going to live her truth. When she sees a beautiful woman, she'll make her attraction known.

Chelsea appreciates Tara's flirtatious compliments, not to mention her androgynous beauty. There's a loophole in Chelsea's vow, and it's more tempting every day. Could swearing off men lead Chelsea to the perfect woman?

 

Hideaway by Rachel Lacey

Release Date: April 5, 2021
Pre-Order here: COMING SOON
Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/2XOsNMt
Cover Design: Christine Coffey

Blurb:

One woman’s hiding place is another woman’s home.

After becoming an inadvertent viral sensation—and losing her job and her girlfriend as a result— Phoebe Shaw retreats to Vermont. Renovating her late grandmother’s cabin into a vacation rental seems like the perfect way to lie low for a while. But the last person she expects to encounter on the property is the woman whose kiss was her teenage sexual awakening . . . and whom she’s never quite forgotten.

Taylor Donovan has been hiking on the trails behind the Shaw family’s cabin her whole life. As children, Taylor and Phoebe were best friends before sharing a secret summer romance when they were sixteen, which left Taylor brokenhearted when Phoebe fled at the end of the summer. Now the property has become Taylor’s home away from home, and she wants nothing more than to convince the Shaws to sell it to her. But Phoebe’s return puts a crimp in those plans--and brings back old feelings she thought she’d overcome. 

Of all the things Phoebe regrets, leaving Taylor is at the top of the list, but Taylor is determined to protect her heart. Yet the pull between them is stronger than ever. This time around, will love stay hidden . . . or finally see the light of day?

Cover Reveal: They Kingdom Come (Deliver Us From Evil #1) by Monica James

THY KINGDOM COME

(Book I: DELIVER US FROM EVIL TRILOGY)

Monica James

Thy Kingdom Come

Series: Book I: Deliver Us From Evil Trilogy

Genre: Dark Romance

Cover Model: Lochie Carey @lochie_carey

Photographer: Michelle Lancaster @lanefotograf

Cover Designer: Sommer Stein—Perfect Pear Creative Covers 

Release date: February 24^th

 

Monsters are real.

When I was five years old, I watched my mother take her last breath—a breath three monsters stole from her.

I never chose this life. My father says it’s my birthright, but all I see is a curse. It’s because of the Kelly name my mum was slain by the Doyles—our enemies in Dublin, the fellas livin’ on borrowed time.

All of Belfast fears my family, especially me. I’m Puck Kelly, otherwise known as Punky; the lad ye don’t want to double cross.

I don’t do feelings or emotions. I never have…until she walks into my world.

Babydoll is a liar and a thief, but I can’t stay away. We both thrive in the darkness because that’s where our demons can play.

No word af a lie, sixteen years later, those monsters still haunt my dreams. But every monster is scared of somethin’…and that somethin’ is me.

No more hiding in the shadows because I’m huntin’ youse.

Run, wee monsters, run.

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Bio

Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S.A., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.

Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

 

Stalk Me

Website: authormonicajames.com

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Teaser Reveal: The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros

THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED by Rebecca Yarros
Release Date: February 23rd

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Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AUNook | Apple Books | Kobo 

 

Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can’t bring ourselves to see coming.

Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel…even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.

      

About the Author

 

  

 

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things coffee, chocolate, and Paleo. She is the author of the Flight & Glory series, including Full Measures, the award-winning Eyes Turned Skyward, Beyond What is Given, and Hallowed Ground. Her new Renegade Series features Wilder and the upcoming Nova, and is sure to keep your heart pounding. She loves military heroes, and has been blissfully married to hers for fourteen years. 

 

When she’s not writing, she’s tying hockey skates for her four sons, sneaking in some guitar time, or watching brat-pack movies with her two daughters. She lives in Colorado with the hottest Apache pilot ever, their rambunctious gaggle of kids, an English bulldog who is more stubborn than sweet, and a bunny named General Fluffy Pants who torments the aforementioned bulldog. They recently adopted their youngest daughter from the foster system, and Rebecca is passionate about helping others do the same. 

 

Connect w/Rebecca:

Website: http://www.rebeccayarros.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/rebeccaelizabethyarros

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