WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, by Julie Kriss

Road Kings #5

Will & Luna

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aaaahhhhh, this book is truly marvelous!  I loved Will and Luna! And I loved seeing the Road Kings again, all paired up with their lady loves! What a magnificent and entertaining book!

Will cut all his ties to his previous live in Manhattan and came to manage the Road Kings.  He wasn’t making millions anymore, but when he met Stone and the band, something clicked in him, made him move to Portland and for the first time in a decade, he’s happy and content.  

“But when I learned who Stone was, when I listened to the Road Kings, I’d felt a shift deep in my chest, and the words had surfaced, unbidden: So this is what’s been wrong with my life all this time.”

Luna came to work for him and found that this is a great job and she’s decided to stay hired at all costs.  Which at the moment means not giving in to the attraction she feels for her boss.

As we read Luna and Will tiptoeing around each other, we get regaled with instances with each Road King member, with their partners, and with Luna’s family which is very particular.  Her parents and aunts are very invasive.  Luna’s brothers are a tad annoying, very protective of their little sister, and quite ridiculous in their attitudes to Will and in their challenges.  The hiking/fishing trip was a hoot!  I loved how Will rose to the occasion and how Stone conspired to help his little brother conquer and persevere.

Loved the Toto Torture idea!

Will is a quiet man, accustomed to feeling inadequate.  He’s a genius but doesn’t have people skills, so he’s a bit clumsy around Luna.  And yet, they click together, understand each other perfectly, complete each other.  I loved them as a couple, found them perfect.  The whole book is riveting and entertaining, a wonderful experience.   Brilliant! 

Purchase link

https://amzn.to/3OOx8KO

About the author

Julie Kriss loves reading and writing hot, sexy romances with awesome heroes. Her favorite things are books, coffee, her perfect cat, and her husband, not necessarily in that order. She's a writing addict who is always hard at work on her next steamy romance. You can find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/juliekrissauthor at her website at www.juliekriss.com.

HONEYED, by Carrie Aarons

Ashton Family #2

Alana & Warren

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 This is a new to me author and I am loving this small town series!  The series portrays the Ashton family, who are like royals in this town, Hope Crest, located on the side of the Delaware River. They own a worldwide famous Italian restaurant called Hope Pizza.  The first book portrayed the second oldest son Patrick with former actress Cassandra; this one is a best friends to lovers portraying the only daughter of the Ashton family, Alana, with Warren Teal.  

Warren and Alana have been best friends since sixth grade and the family embraced him.  He comes from a tragic past, where his father murdered his mother and want away to prison for a life sentence.  He was adopted by an older, wealthy couple but they didn’t know how to deal with a traumatized young child, so enter the Ashton loud and loving family, who gave him all the love and acceptance he craved.  

When his adoptive father died, he left all his belongings to Warren with the caveat he marry Alana.  Read the book to understand why!  They agree to marry but in name only.  Warren is respecting a deal he made with Alana’s father and is keeping away from a marital relation.  

These two certainly had a stormy relationship once they married!  Full of regret, guilt, yearning, and simple horniness.  They are so full of feelings that it’s hard to communicate; add in all the family dynamics and you have a hot kettle.  There’s a menacing presence in town in the form of a videographer who wants to portray Warren’s family tragedy, awakening all of Warren’s buried trauma and bad memories.  

I love that the family surrounds the couple like the circling of wagons in cowboy stories.  The only negative in this is the patriarch, Thomas Ashton.  He’s a pigheaded, stubborn man who adheres to old-fashioned values and he’s extra hard with Alana, making her jump through more hoops than he demands from her brothers.  I found him frankly horrible, same as he was in the first book.  His attitude with Cass was despicable, and in this case, he was just as reprehensible in his actions, both to Warren and to Alana.  

I loved Alana’s and Warren’s road to fulfillment, to the culmination of their love story and Warren’s realization that he wasn’t alone, he had a woman who loved him above everything and was there for him for the good times and the bad times.  I also noticed that this author writes strong female characters and not-so-strong male characters.  Alana was a passionate life force, and Warren was more laid back and accepting.  They were a perfect combination, like he was yin to her yan.  It was passionate, stormy, suspenseful, super entertaining, with very nice and yummy sexy scenes.  I loved Warren and Alana and all their family, even cranky Liam, except for Thomas.  Now on to the next, hoping it’s cranky Liam!

Purchase links

https://mybook.to/Honeyed

About the author 

Author of romance novels such as Fool Me Twice and Love at First Fight, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the love stories of her imagination, and the athleisure dress code, much better.

When she isn't writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband, two children and ninety-pound rescue pup.

 

Connect with Carrie

Website | www.authorcarrieaarons.com

Goodreads | https://goodreads.com/carrieaarons

Amazon | https://amzn.to/3do0EDf

Facebook | https://facebook.com/carrieaarons

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/2DDt1xX

Instagram | https://instagram.com/authorcarriea

Bookbub | https://bookbub.com/profile/carrie-aarons

TikTok | https://bit.ly/3fzcrkI

Newsletter | https://bit.ly/authorCAnewsletter

BEFORE THE SUNSET, by Laura Pavlov

Cottonwood Cove #4

Finn & Reese

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 Friends to lovers done right!  Finn and Reese have been best friends all their lives, have great memories of their adventures together since childhood.  They have always been together, sharing holidays, sharing family time.  When Reese got cancer, Finn was the one present for all her chemo treatments.  He was always there for her.  They actually made a decision early on, never to cross the line to romance so they wouldn’t ruin their friendship.

Reese was just finishing a year in London, working under a famous designer, improving her craft, when she learned that her ex-fiancee, who dumped her when she moved to London, has a new girlfriend.  Finn is being targeted by his co-star in the TV series that shot him to fame.  His co-star is spreading false rumors that they are a couple.  So when Reese arrives back home, they devise a fake relation to help each other.  And of course, make-believe starts to turn into reality!

What I loved about this story is the devotion Reese and Finn have for each other.  It really felt like love from the start.  The fact that they wanted different things, Reese wanted marriage and kids, Finn wanted fame and have a good time playing the field, it kept them apart from acting on their feelings.  I sensed that Finn was more ready than Reese to be a couple, but Reese turned to be stubborn on her denials.  She got quite tiresome in defending her douche ex.  I really couldn’t understand why she wanted to save her relation when she had a much better man on her side.  

Family time is very strong in this author’s stories, so we get a lot of sibling interaction, mostly through their group chat, which is hilarious.  There is a closet scene with all the siblings and a very pregnant Dylan ( cousin from Honey Mountain series), which is laugh out loud funny.  The author did a great job of mixing small town vibes, family love, tender and sexy, a wonderful man and a stubborn woman and made a great love story that delights and swoons.

Purchase links

FREE with #kindleunlimited 

https://geni.us/beforethesunset

Available in both paperback & hardcover!

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3OlGVHW

About the author 

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6569734.Laura_Pavlov

Amazon: http://amzn.to/3c1xKZX

Facebook: http://bit.ly/3eSvEdp

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/2OKU6T5

Instagram: https://bit.ly/2TKf5Zs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurapavlov2

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3ii8Vdp

UNFORGETTABLE, by Michelle Heard & Tayla Louise

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Deliciously melodramatic, heartbreakingly emotional, this book is as the title says, unforgettable.  A beautiful introvert meets a billionaire who hides trauma under his sophisticated façade, and together they form a perfect couple.  They give the other what they need, she needs to feel prioritized and he needs to hover.

Lillian is an artist, she knows her worth but hasn’t been able to get recognized.  And what is worse, her own family treat her as an afterthought.  Her father, sister and brother are lawyers and they seem to think it’s all that is important.  Lillian’s art is a whim.  She feels neglected and invisible, same with her socialite friends, who only care for being seen and shopping.  I loved that Lillian, notwithstanding her loneliness, is inherently strong and stubborn.  She suffers but she continues to toil on her art, endlessly hoping that she will make it.

Callan is a different type of CEO, he owns an escort service but they only act as escorts.  No sex, just companionship.  His company is extremely successful and he only takes dates when there is an emergency.  He takes Lillian’s engagement because he recognized her from a week before buying coffee and because her case is sensitive.  She ranted about feeling invisible and wanting an escort to feel seen.  So Callan goes and he does more than see her, he falls for her.

I loved this love story and loved both characters!  I hurt for Lillian, so kind, so good, but shy and introverted, so it was hard for her to stake her place in relations.  It took the attentions of a good man to raise her self-esteem and dare to ask for recognition.  

I loved the high drama that these two authors took the plot to, and loved the plot twists that caused so much uncertainty, in both the characters and myself!  I only didn’t like that they didn’t punish enough the horrible ones in the story, I wanted more doom in hell for them all.  

Lovely, fun, adorable, angsty and ultimately super sweet and happy!

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/3rkSJl5

About the authors

 

About the Michelle:

Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she's always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.

 

Connect w/Michelle:

Website: https://michelleheardauthor.wordpress.com

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

FB Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/118971435201074

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleAHorst

Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/michellehorst                                                

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18108320.Michelle_Heard

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/michelle-heard

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@michelleheard_author

Newsletter Signup: https://preview.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/p6m4o4

 

  

About Tayla

 

Tayla Louise is writing her debut contemporary romance with her MIL Michelle Heard. She lives in South Africa with her fiancé, Sheldon, and their furbabies.

 

Connect with Tayla

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/168693758-tayla-louise

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/taylalouiseauthor/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095189110572

TikTok- https://www.tiktok.com/@taylalouiseauthor

 

UNDERTOW, by Alessandra Torre

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
 I read the short story Riptide by this author in the Aloha Anthology for Maui and was intrigued because it was so delicious and naughty.  The short story was like an introduction to this book, so of course, I went on to read it.  And it was just as delicious and naughty!

Madison has two loves, Stewart and Paul.  They are complete opposites, one is an intense businessman, the other is a relaxed surfer.  Both fill different needs in Madison’s psyche and there’s no way she can part with any.  Both men are equally enamored with Madison and they share her heart and her body and her time because they have no choice.  Stewart because he can’t give her all the time and attention she deserves, Paul because he loves her too much to lose her. 

But of course, chaos won’t stay still and eventually a riptide will come that will throw everything apart in the most unexpected way.

This was one electric page-turner, I kept devouring the pages as I read.  It’s the best triangle story I’ve ever read! I liked both men, I had a hard time if she should choose one.  Then I thought, why not keep both?  The writing was brilliant, as I always expect from this author, and the resolution no less than expected.  Throughly enjoyed and recommend!

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/48g3xSa

About the author 

Alessandra Torre is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty novels. Torre has been featured in such publications as Elle and Elle UK, as well as guest-blogged for the Huffington Post and RT Book Reviews. She is also the Bedroom Blogger for Cosmopolitan.com.

In addition to writing, Alessandra is the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink, a website, community, and online school for aspiring authors. Her annual conference is INKERS CON, and is available online or in-person. 

Learn more about Alessandra on her website at www.alessandratorre.com