Review: Lonely for You Only by Monica Murphy
Lonely for You Only
Monica Murphy
A Lancaster Prep Novel
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 6, 2024
From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Monica Murphy comes a swoon-worthy new adult romance full of love songs. Young heiress Scarlett Lancaster is delighted when her father tells her he hired a famous pop star and former boy band member to play at her eighteenth birthday. But delight becomes utter disappointment when it turns out he wasn’t talking about Harry Styles. No, Scarlett’s dad hired Tate Ramsey, former lead singer of the band Five Car Pileup, who hasn’t been popular for years. Tate, after years of alcohol- and drug-fueled partying, is sober and ready for a comeback. He is in top form at Scarlett’s party and blows the audience away with his performance—though Scarlett herself still isn’t impressed. But when they talk after he leaves the stage, their encounter ends in a kiss that surprises them both—and immediately goes viral. The viral kiss and the video of Tate singing at the party do wonders for both of their burgeoning careers. So after some careful negotiation, the two of them agree to start a fake relationship. But before long they discover their feelings might not be fake after all …
3 Stars
Scarlet Lancaster is beyond excited for her 18th birthday. Her father is surprising her by hiring a famous popstar to perform at her birthday. Having just finished high school and about to take a fantastic European vacation for her gap year things couldn’t be much better. Until the surprise musical entertainment is not quite who Scarlet thought it would be. Scarlet is thrown for a bit of a loop. When the guys she wants the attention of doesn’t seem to want her attention and someone that she thought was a husband gets her attention in more ways than one.
Tate Ramsey has lived a life. He’s performed for thousands and thousands of people, and gave himself a bit of a reputation as a Bad Boy. Falling into the Rockstar life of partying, his days in Five Car Pileup came to an end. Tate has spent some time getting his life back together, getting healthy and he’s trying to make a comeback. He is approached with an opportunity of a lifetime to play the birthday party of an 18-year-old girl. Hesitant at first, he’s decided that the payday is definitely worth it. However, what he didn’t expect was to have an heiress hit him hard in the heart.
Lonely For You Only is a coming of age, find yourself, light hearted, fake romance romance. I have to be honest I found myself putting this book down quite a bit through the first 2/3 of the story. I have to say it’s not that it was a bad story. It just didn’t have anything that kept me turning most pages. I am a big believer in giving every page a chance. Once I hit the last third of the book, I found that I was able to get into it a little bit more. I absolutely love the ending and I loved that Scarlet and Tate found a way to make them work.
Review: Happily Ever Maybe by Carrie Ann Ryan
Happily Ever Maybe
Carrie Ann Ryan
Montgomery Ink Legacy #4.5
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 13, 2024 by 1001 Dark Nights Press
NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink Legacy continues with a workplace romance that started with a fling and ends with something more.
It was only supposed to be one job.
I know the rules.
Get in. Get out.
Protect the girl, then move on.
Only it never works out the way it should.
Now Jennifer and I work with each other and there’s no going back to normal.
Then it turned into something more.
Gus isn’t for me. I know that.
Only the chemistry that burns between us won’t fade away.
We promise it will only be one night.
Then another.
But when our actions have consequences that could mean the end of our future, we’ll have to figure out exactly what we want.
Even if it means walking away broken before it begins.
* *Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.* *
4 Stars
Hang on my reading friends, this one is fast and full throttle. Carrie Ann Ryan gives us a quick and hot read to warm us up on a winter day with Happily Ever Maybe.
Gus and Jennifer work for Montgomery security and have been partners for about a year. There’s no denying that they both are attracted to one another but with a job like theirs you have to put your feelings to the side. Or can they? Finally, they decide to put it all on the line for one night. But life steps in and handy them something else. We see a lot of things happen very quickly, but most of all we see two people stop, denying something that they will truly want and seeing how much their friends back them up in the process. This may be a quick read, but it packs the punch of a full novel and gives everything we love from a romance read.
Cover Reveal: RISING SUN by Donna Grant
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant introduces a wickedly seductive new series with a ruthless, jaded elf and a bewitching human hiding a powerful secret—unlikely soulmates whose passion will test the boundaries of life and death.
Nothing could make Yasmin return to Shaldorn, the place of nightmares. But when she’s caught stealing, she’s given an ultimatum: take Ravi over the Dangerous Peaks to the stronghold or face imprisonment.
She has no choice but to agree, though she intends to escape the elf as soon as she reaches the mountains. Yet, as they battle nature itself, the two enemies find common ground—and an all-consuming passion.
Can they prevail in their dangerous heist, or be torn apart by a betrayl?
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✦Kindle→ https://amzn.to/3EZH2Uj
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Review: Irresistible Love by Samantha Chase
Irresistible Love
Samantha Chase
Wylder Love Series, Book 1
301 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 30, 2024
Chasing Romance, Inc.
A Sexy, Close Proximity, Secret, Office standalone Romance by New York Times bestselling author, Samantha Chase.
She’s the darling ballerina of the renowned Montgomery’s.
He’s the sexy numbers nerd who works for her family.
Three years ago at a New Year’s Eve party they had a moment and kissed at the stroke of midnight.
Now she’s back and everything is…irresistibly complicated.
Lily Montgomery has danced her way through life, getting opportunities that few get, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t earned every single one. But with a career-ending injury, she returns home to nurse her wounds and figure out what comes next. What she didn’t expect was seeing the ruggedly handsome man she impulsively kissed three years ago and the simmering attraction that still burns between them.
Noah Wylder is committed to his five-year-plan – climbing the corporate ladder at Montgomerys. Three years ago, that plan almost got derailed thanks to an unexpected kiss with Lily. He’s since put in the work to redeem himself and stay under the radar. When she suddenly reappears, he can’t seem to escape her or the memory of their kiss. He knows in order to keep his job, he has to make sure he stays away from the alluring woman that’s never left his mind.
When Lily comes to him needing his help in figuring out what is happening within the Montgomery family, sneaking around leads to heated glances and harmless kisses. Will they realize that the connection they share is real, lasting, and irresistible for either of them to resist?
4 Stars
Lily Montgomery has had the amazing fortune of being able to live her dream of being a dancer. Getting opportunities that few people do Lily loves her life. She suffers what could be a career ending injury and decides to return home to heal with her family. When she returns home, she has come to find that all of her family is away. Her plan is to hang out with her grandfather until the rest of the family returns. As Lily begins to decide the next steps, she should take a blast from the past returns, throwing her for a loop, and some strange actions from her grandfather have her on her toes.
Noah is a man with a plan. He’s committed to climbing the corporate ladder at Montgomery’s. To make sure he secures his financial safety is a number one priority. Three years ago he was almost thrown from his track with an unexpected kiss, and now the giver of that kiss is back in his life. Noah has made it his mission to stay under the radar while moving up the ladder and gaining trust within the Montgomery company. Noah has held onto that memory for three years. In the moment he sees her those memories are resurrected right before his eyes. Now he feels like he must choose between everything he’s worked for and having the girl.
Irresistible Love starts off the new Wylder Love Series. Noah and Lily have a little bit of history that neither one of them has shaken from their minds. As Lily is trying to figure out her life, she can’t help but to keep running into Noah. Whether it be at her grandfather’s house or at the office, somehow they just keep ending up in the same space together. I love that they are both completely smitten with each other, but yet have things that hold them each back. When Lily sees something that throws her for a loop she quickly enlists Noah’s help to get to the bottom. As the days go by, they seem to be spending more and more time together. Soon that chemistry can no longer contain itself and just explodes. Noah and Lily have a very unique dynamic with one another that complements them beautifully. Noah and Lily are both very much connected with their families but yet their families have been through very different situations, but yet has made them both feel they are. I very much enjoyed watching him, explore the relationship and find their way to being a couple. Although this is the first book in a new series, we do get to see some of our favorite Montgomery‘s for Mrs. Chase’ pass books. I am very much looking forward to see what else comes from the Wylder Series.
Release Blitz: Legacy of Temptation by Larissa Ione
The legacy continues…
Legacy of Temptation, the must-read first book in the Demonica Birthright series from New York Times bestselling author Larissa Ione & Blue Box Press is now live!
Eva Tennant, like everyone at The Aegis, hates demons. But she loves her job as Deputy Spokesperson for the global demon-slaying organization, and she’s excited to be in the running for Chief Spokesperson. All she has to do is not screw up the two-week exchange program with The Aegis’s rival agency, the Demon Activity Response Team. But things go horribly wrong when a murder turns her into a fugitive from justice and puts a demonic target on her back.
Logan, son of the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Death, has dedicated his life to fighting demons alongside his colleagues at DART. He loves fighting, females, and his pet hellhound, Cujo. What he doesn’t love is The Aegis, whose leadership attempted to slaughter him at birth. Understandably, he balks when he’s ordered to protect an Aegis Guardian responsible for the deaths of his friends. Really, he’d rather feed her to Cujo.
But when an old enemy rises from the ashes, Eva and Logan find themselves giving into temptation even as they sacrifice the things…and people…they love the most.
Grab your copy today! Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JlgTBZ Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/legacyoftemptation B&N: https://bit.ly/3Qe1sz2 Apple Books: https://apple.co/3Qedk4h Kobo: https://bit.ly/3S1X3AR Google Play: https://bit.ly/46QBNSN
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/48PS3VK
Keep reading for a look inside Legacy of Temptation!
Eva wasn’t sure what she’d expected the inside of DART’s main office building to look like, but a modern, brightly lit headquarters with a jungle-themed fountain in the lobby wasn’t it. Although the demon and angel statues eyeing each other with suspicion in the center of the spray weren’t all that unexpected. Keeley had thrown a coin into the crystal pool out of some sort of superstition as they walked toward the auditorium where they now sat, waiting impatiently for someone to show up and give them the scheduled orientation. “Of course, they’re late,” Carlos growled. “Go figure that a bunch of Aegis traitors can’t be trusted to handle shit efficiently.” “Idiots,” Sig said, kicking the stage in front of him, leaving a dusty boot print. Eva wasn’t so sure they were idiots, but this was definitely not a professional start to the cooperative mission. The door near the back of the stage whispered open, and everyone went silent as a figure emerged from the shadows. “Holy shit.” Keeley sounded a little breathless as she jabbed Eva in the ribs. “No way that guy is a demon. Angel for sure.” Keeley wasn’t serious…probably…but Eva understood where she’d gotten the angel thing. The man who’d just entered the chamber was stunning. Really stunning. His wavy blond hair gleamed like a halo under the harsh stage lights, and ropy, thick muscles in his forearms flexed under tan skin as he strode across the stage. The strike of his combat boots echoed through the chamber, making her heart pound with every step. His black DART T-shirt was tucked into midnight tactical pants that cut a shadowy figure against the dark curtain behind him. He gave them all a bored glance as he walked toward the mic. Seriously, he was going to use the mic to talk to a whopping six people? She felt a little foolish when he strolled past the mic and plopped down on the edge of the stage, his long legs dangling over the side. “My name is Logan,” he said in a deep, rumbling voice that made heat curl in her belly. “Apparently, I drew the short stick, and now I have to give you the DART 101 lecture. You probably don’t want to be here any more than I do, so here are the basics. DART stands for Demonic Activity Response Team. We formed thirty-five years ago when we broke off from The Aegis because, I dunno, let’s go with philosophical differences. Now, we’re doing this prisoner exchange thing, where people from DART hang out at Aegis headquarters, and you guys hang out here—”
For More Information about Larissa Ione, visit her website: https://www.larissaione.com/
For More Information about Blue Box Press, visit: Website: https://theblueboxpress.com/ Facebook: https://bit.ly/3ONzTtZ Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rTZdo3 TikTok: https://bit.ly/3G98oYh
Review: Wild for You by Kristen Proby
Wild for You
Kristen Proby
The Wilds of Montana Series, Book 1
299 pages, Kindle Edition
January 30, 2024 by Ampersand Publishing, Inc.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes an all-new small-town series set in Montana, starting with WILD FOR YOU, an Age-Gap, Single Dad, Nanny, Grumpy/Sunshine romance!
Remington Wild is a single dad of two adorable kids, and as the oldest son of the Wild family, has recently taken over the Wild River Ranch from his father. Life is crazy, and he’s finally willing to admit that he needs help, and the sooner the better. He has no idea that the beautiful woman he sees every day at Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co. is the woman who would show up for the job.
Erin Montgomery couldn’t get out of Seattle fast enough. It’s not that she doesn’t love her big, loud family, but living in the big city just wasn’t for her. The minute she stepped foot in Bitterroot Valley, she knew she was home. She loves the slower pace, the friendly people, and her job at the coffee shop. Even the smoking hot grumpy guy who stops in every afternoon can’t put a damper on how much she loves small town life!
Thanks to car trouble, and her stubbornness when it comes to using her trust fund, Erin needs a second job and applies for the position of a part-time nanny. She’s surprised to find that it’s Grumpy himself who answers the door at the ranch, but Erin quickly learns that she loves his kids and the ranch, and it’s a no-brainer to take the job. She just has to remind herself to resist the sexy rancher and keep it strictly professional.
Remington is attracted to his younger nanny, and finds himself falling headfirst in love with her. He and his kids have never been happier, and he knows she is the perfect addition to their family for as long as she’s willing to stay. Hopefully forever.
But when secrets are exposed, one of which endangers his children, will their love survive? Or will it tear them apart?
4.5 Stars
Erin Montgomery has the best family that anybody could ask for. Loving, caring, but yet large and loud. You couldn’t ask for a more loyal group of people. Erin has found that city life is just not for her. The moment she stepped foot into Bitterroot Valley she knew it was the place she needed, and wanted to be. Small town living has become the perfect blend for Erin. She even gets herself a job at the local coffee shop. It doesn’t take her long to feel like she is truly at home. Coming from a family of famous people. It is hard to be out of the spotlight and she has had her fair share of runnings that she would rather leave in the past. Aaron could have anything she wants but yet she wants to work and earn for the things she has.
Remington Wild is a grumpy, brooding, and man of few words. Life dealt Remington a tough hand. He lost his wife during the birth of his second child, and has been raising both of them on his own. And with the help of his loving family. As the ranch has become more successful it has become overwhelming for him to handle everything on his own. Through encouragement and pushing of his family members, Remington takes on a nanny to help him with the kids, but little did he know, admitting he needed help, was going to bring something unexpected and amazing into his and the rest of his family’s lives.
Wild for You is a sweet small town romance with some heat. The town of Bitterroot Valley is cozy and charming. The Wilds of Montana is starting off right. Remi and Erin’s relationship develops naturally, and I absolutely adore that. From the daily trips to the coffee shop to getting to know each other it just seems so natural. Yes there’s a bit of an age gap but I didn’t see any issues with it as their relationship progressed beautifully. Wild for You is a wonderful romance that you can find yourself getting lost in love.
The narration of Wild for You was beautiful and flawless. Sebastian York and Emma Wilder add another layer of dimension to the story. Giving it some thing a little extra with their voice talent.
Review: A Bean to Die For by Tara Lush
A Bean to Die For
Tara Lush
A Coffee Lover’s Mystery Series, Book 4
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2024
Perfect for fans of Cleo Coyle and Lucy Burdette, reporter-turned-barista Lana Lewis is back on the case when a body is found in the community garden.
Lana Lewis is brewing up new concoctions at Perkatory, a popular café in Devil’s Beach, when she decides she wants to try her hand at growing her own coffee. She secures a gardening plot in the community garden, thanks to her father and the garden’s owner, Darla. Darla’s list of rules is long, but that doesn’t stop someone from leaving Jack Daggett’s body amongst the gardening plots.
4 Stars
Tara Lush delivers another caffeinated entertaining mystery.
Welcome back to the southwest Florida island town of Devil’s Beach. Lana finds herself right in the middle of a whole lot of stuff going on. Deciding to grow her own coffee, she has secured a spot in the community garden to be able to grow her plants. She has an offer to test out a cool new machine at the coffee shop, Perkatiey. Not to mention she’s about to meet Noah’s family for the very first time.
And last, but not least, there’s the Local funnel cake festival going on. Just as everything’s getting started, lana finds a body among the garden plots. With the long list of rules for the community garden, a body is one thing that should definitely not be there. Laura’s mind starts brewing to try to figure out the pieces to be able to crack this case.
I absolutely love this series. Not only because the only thing that I love more or equally as much as reading is coffee. Lana, her best friend Erica, and her hippie. Father, Peter are all on the case. I love the interaction between not only these three, but all of the characters that we have grown to know through the course of the series. What makes this story interesting and a little different from the others is that someone is coming to Lana to help get this mystery solved. We see growth within all of the characters within the story. Along with the twisted mystery that kept me guessing for most of the book.
Tara Lush includes humor with her mysteries, like a well-blended brew. The characters she has created are complex, but yet grow with each book, have their quirks that make us love them and provide something to each and every story. A Bean to Die For is a well-crafted and entertaining read.
Review: The Friendship Club by Robin Carr
The Friendship Club
Robin Carr
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 23, 2024
Four women come together at a tumultuous time in their lives, forging an unbreakable bond that will leave them all forever changed.
Celebrity cooking show host Marni McGuire has seen it all. She’s been married—twice—and widowed and divorced. Now in her midfifties, she’s single. Happily so. She just needs to convince her pregnant daughter, Bella, of this fact. And maybe convince herself, too. Especially after Marni’s efforts to humor her determined daughter result in a series of disastrous dates that somehow prompt Marni to wonder if maybe the right man for her is still out there after all.
Similarly single, Marni’s best friend and colleague is confident she’s content without a man, but both older women soon find themselves leading by example as the young intern on their show appears caught in a toxic relationship—and Bella reveals her own marriage maybe isn’t built to withstand the stresses of the baby on the way.
Suddenly, all four women find themselves at a crossroads, each navigating the challenges of dating, marriage, loneliness and love. Thankfully, they have each other to lean on. The realities of modern love are far from easy, but there’s no better group to have in your corner than friends who will lift you up, no matter what, and hold fast in the face of any storm.
4 Stars
Four women from four different walks of life come together in a unique friendship that has the bonds of a lifetime.
Marni is a Famous cooking show host who has been married twice, lost a husband to death and one to divorce. Now in her 50s, she is happily single and living her best life. And excited to become a grandma. Ellen, who is Marni’s friend, and production person on her show. She spent years taking care of her husband, who is now no longer with her. Ellen two is happy to be living the single life. Bella is about to embark on a new phase of womanhood by becoming a mother. And Sophia, an intern, at the cooking show who quickly becomes a friend. It’s just learning the ways of life and love.
Robyn Carr beautifully blended some romance, some suspense, and some women’s fiction into a fantastic story. It shows the bonds and strength of friendship. Coming together when needed. Finding strength through someone that you care about. Building each other up in the best possible way. And being there just being there. Robin touches on subjects that can be strenuous and triggering for some people. She does it with class and style. She is able to take these harsh subjects and show what friendship is really like amongst women who care about each other. This story was more than I expected it to be.
Review: Death by Irish Whiskey by Catie Murphy
Death by Irish Whiskey
Catie Murphy
The Dublin Driver Series, Book 5
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Expected publication January 23, 2024
Kensington Cozies
Dublin limo driver Megan Malone finds her relationship on the rocks when a double murder at the whiskey festival draws her in – despite promising her girlfriend she’d quit sleuthing for good…
Perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor, Sheila Connolly, and Rob Osler alike, Catie Murphy’s acclaimed Dublin Driver Mystery series is a charming blend of Irish humor, compelling whodunnits, and the allure of the Emerald Isle.
“There is so much to like about the cozy perfection that is Catie Murphy’s [Dublin Driver series] from the lush Irish travelogue to the precise balance between comic relief and crime.” —Bookpage STARRED REVIEW for Death on the Green
The competition for best whiskey in Ireland will be a publicity bonanza for the winner, and that means there are celebrities involved—like boxer Angus McConal and Megan’s friend Niamh, an up-and-coming actress who’s teamed up with Megan’s uncle, the retired Sligo harbormaster. But rivalries and revelries turn out to be a bad blend when McConal dies at a whiskey tasting. Megan promised her girlfriend she’d quit her amateur sleuthing, but with Niamh and her uncle as suspects, she’s over a barrel . . .
With her relationship on the rocks, Megan gets in even deeper when a second entrant in the competition is killed—and her investigation starts zeroing in on a suspect. Now she just needs proof . . .
3 Stars
It’s a Dublin’s whiskey festival and they’re on the search for the best local/amateur brew. When contestants start turning out dead there’s gonna be more than sorrows, drowning in your whiskey glass.
Limo Driver Megan Malone, locally known Murder Driver. She has a habit of stumbling over dead bodies. When one of the contestants of the whiskey making contest is found dead in the punch bowl, Megan does everything she possibly can to avoid getting involved. But then, when her uncle’s recipe whines up in a dead man’s pocket, it’s all she can do to stay away.
This was my first forte into the series, and while I did find the story entertaining it was not the best book as an introduction. Death by Irish Whiskey is a twisty mystery, but yet I find it to be more of a character building novel as Megan is faced with some tough choices about her relationship in the story. I did like the cast of characters. Megan’s pals are quite funny and entertaining. Although Megan did not get fully involved in the solving of the murder, I can see how she would have loved to be more involved. I really love the diversity that we saw it within the story. Kudos to the author.
Review: Good Time Boyfriend by Carrie Ann Ryan
Good Time Boyfriend
Carrie Ann Ryan
First Time Series, Book 1
Expected publication January 22, 2024
A new town. A new bar. A new life.
At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.
I moved to Denver to try to piece my family back together, but I have no idea how to do that.
Then the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen walks into my bar, and I think things are looking up.
She needs a fake boyfriend for the night and I’m all too eager to play along.
But when the sun rises, reality settles in and I know I want more. Only I don’t think she’s ready for what I have to give.
I want to be more than a good time, but I know what I’m good for. I need control. And she’s far too innocent.
Only when something happens that changes the rules, we’ll have to make a choice quickly, or we could lose everything before it even starts.
3.5 Stars
Heath Cassity, along with his siblings, moved to Denver to try to put back his family after their not so great upbringing. He has begun to make routes in this new place. Hico owns a bar with a good friend and has wonderful support around him. One day a beautiful woman who takes his breath away, walks in and out of his life, as quick as it is to take a breath. Until another day she comes storming into his life while having us stare down with a table full of strangers.
Devney Womack is the absolute middle child of a large blended family. She has five older step siblings, and five younger, half siblings, but yet to her they are all equally her siblings. She knows they love and care for her; however their meddling has become a bit too much. With the older group of her siblings, finding happiness and a new chapter in their lives. They want nothing but the same for her. Tired of the constant nagging and meddling, she creates herself a fake boyfriend, but yet he’s based on a real person. It all becomes too much when her family conference, a man that she never even had a relationship with. But yet that man surprises her in ways she never imagined.
Heath and Devney start their relationship in a very unique way, and I love how it unfolds. For something that should have been fake, turned into something extremely real. It’s a sweet and endearing story of finding love in the most unexpected ways. Carrie Ann Ryan starts off this new series beautifully.
Coffee Books Life 