Tag Archives: Freebie

Digital or Paperback Freebie – Received at RT Convention, Newsletter Subscriptions, Giveaways, etc.

The Real Deal

By Lauren Blakely

Synopsis

April Hamilton wants you to know she hasn’t been on Craigslist since that time she sold her futon after college. She doesn’t even spend that much time online. And even if she did, she would not be looking up personal ads. But going home alone for her family’s summer reunion is an invitation for every single relative to butt into her personal life. She simply can’t handle another blind date with the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker from her hometown. So when she finds the Craigslist ad for a boyfriend-for-hire, she’s ready to pay to play.

Heading Home and Need a Buffer? I’m the REAL DEAL.

Theo Banks has been running from the past for years. He’s this close to finally settling all his debts, and one more job as a boyfriend-for-hire will do the trick. He’s no gigolo. Please. He’s something of an actor, and he knows how to slip into any role, including pretending to be April’s new beau — the bad boy with the heart of gold.

Even if it means sleeping in close quarters in that tiny little bed in her parents’ inn. Even if it means spinning tales of a romance that starts to feel all too true. What neither one of them counts on is that amid the egg toss, the arm wrestling, and a fierce game of Lawn Twister that has them tangled up together, they might be feeling the real deal.

But can a masterful game of pretend result in true love?

Review

I’ll be blunt, I debated for quite a while about whether to read THE REAL DEAL or not. I’ve read a few books from Lauren Blakely before and my most recent reads did not win me over. But THE REAL DEAL sounded different from those books—it sounded light and fun—so I decided to give it a go. Boy, am I sooooo glad I did.

I really liked Theo and April. Despite the crappy hand life had dealt him, Theo was a nice guy. He was very down-to-earth and he had a wonderful sense of humor. April came from a more blessed background, but she never acted like a spoiled princess. She never judged Theo for his past and she worked hard to carve out her own life and successful career path. I really liked April’s family as well, especially her mother and father.

As the bulk of this story takes place over five days, THE REAL DEAL is most definitely an insta-love romance. But what I found interesting is that it didn’t feel like one. The chemistry between Theo and April was exciting from the moment they met, and watching that chemistry build as the story progressed made their time together feel a lot longer than just five days.

THE REAL DEAL is told in dual POVs and is currently listed as a stand-alone. If you’re looking for a read that flows well and includes a fake boyfriend, meddling but well meaning family members, competitive games, and some laughs, then THE REAL DEAL is for you.

The Real Deal

My Rating:

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Playing With Fire (Hot In Chicago # 2)

By Kate Meader

Synopsis

As the only female firefighter at Engine Co. 6, Alexandra Dempsey gets it from all sides: the male coworkers who think she can’t do the job, the wives and girlfriends who see her as a threat to their firefighter men, and her overprotective foster brothers who want to shelter their baby sister at all costs. So when she single-handedly saves the life of Eli Cooper, Chicago’s devastatingly handsome mayor, she assumes the respect she’s longed for will finally come her way. But it seems Mr. Mayor has other ideas…

Eli Cooper’s mayoral ratings are plummeting, his chances at reelection dead in the water. When a sexy, curvaceous firefighter gives him the kiss of life, she does more than bring him back to the land of the living–she also breathes vitality into his campaign. Riding the wave of their feel-good story might prop up Eli’s flagging political fortunes, but the sizzling attraction between them can go nowhere; he’s her boss, and there are rules that must be obeyed. But you know what they say about rules: they’re made to be broken…

Review

PLAYING WITH FIRE is the first book I’ve read from Kate Meader and I found it quite enjoyable. It did take me a few days to finish, but I think that had more to do with the fact it was a paperback instead of a Kindle version.

The banter and sexual tension between Eli and Alex was the best part of this story. And there was a lot of banter and sexual tension. While he has experienced great tragedy throughout his life, Eli still had a privileged upbringing, which shows in the way he speaks and in how he thinks a woman should behave. While he likes Alex’s spunk, he thinks she’s unrefined and wants to tame her. Some of the things he would say to—and about—Alex rubbed me up the wrong way, but overall I liked him.

“You crossed a line in there, Dempsey. Ran your mouth off when all I required was that you wear your dress uniform and a sweet-as-sugar smile.”
“Like the good little woman. God, you’re such a throwback I bet all your selfies are sepia toned.”

Alex is a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind, so much so that it turns a lot of people off. She’s not had much luck in the dating scene because men are intimidated by her strength, which I liked, but I also liked the vulnerability she showed when the situation called for it.

PLAYING WITH FIRE is told in dual POVs, and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. That being said, I did have trouble understanding the Dempsey family tree for a while, so I would have spent less time confused if I’d read the previous books in this series.

Playing With Fire (Hot In Chicago # 2)

My Rating:

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Hot In Chicago Series

Wasted Words

By Staci Hart

Synopsis

Some universal truths refuse to be ignored.

Peanut butter and jelly are a match made in heaven. Spaghetti and meatballs are best friends forever. And guys like Tyler Knight don’t go for girls like Cam Emerson.

She knew from the second she met him that he didn’t belong on her bookshelf, the six-foot-six ex-tight end with a face so all-American, it could have sold apple pie. So she shelved him next to the supermodels and rock stars and took her place on her own shelf — the one with the flannel-clad, pasty-faced comic book nerds. Most of her boyfriends have existed between the pages of books, but rather than worrying over her own lacking love life, she puts all her energy into playing Cupid, using her job at the book bar, Wasted Words, as her stomping ground.

Tyler Knight always looks on the bright side. His career-ending injury turned into a job as a sports agent. A horrible breakup led him to Cam, his quirky, smart roommate who is far more beautiful than she realizes. She’s made it perfectly clear she’s not interested in him — not like that at least — but if she ever changes her mind, he won’t hesitate. Because he doesn’t see the lines she’s drawn between them, as much as she insists that they’re there. Deep down he knows that despite their differences, they’re a match well made.

Review

WASTED WORDS is the first book I’ve read from Staci Hart, and I’m sad to say that I didn’t enjoy it like I hoped I would. Which is a shame, because the blurb sounded like something I’d really be into: Hot Jock (Tyler) falls in love with Geeky Girl (Cam) who doesn’t know how beautiful she really is.

While I liked Tyler a lot, I found Cam completely unlikeable and it was her behaviour that proved too much to overcome. She was supposed to be smart and funny, but I found her to be childish, too insecure and downright bitchy when something didn’t go her way. She thought she knew what was best for everyone, so when they threw a wrench in her plans, she threw a tantrum. Literally.

Unfortunately, my issues with WASTED WORDS didn’t end with Cam. It was a slow moving book that became a struggle for me to finish, so much so that I ended up skipping sections without feeling like I missed anything important. I noticed some thoughts and comments were repeated, as well as several spelling mistakes and missing words throughout.

WASTED WORDS is told in dual POVs and comes with a HFN ending for Tyler and Cam. It does appear to be a stand-alone, but I know at least one other couple have had a book written about them.

Wasted Words

My Rating:

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Hope Flames (Hope # 1)

By Jaci Burton

Synopsis

When it comes to love, they already know the rules…by heart.

Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she’s not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.

That’s fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he’s devoted to the only faithful companion in his life—his police dog. Still, there’s something about Emma he can’t shake.

When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they’re giving each other something they thought they’d lost forever…hope.

Review

Both Emma and Luke haven’t had successful relationships, so neither of them is looking for a partner when they meet for the first time. It’s not long until Luke is suggesting a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Their dogs get on really well together, so why can’t they?

I found it extremely difficult to like Emma, who seems to spend most of the book thinking about Vaughn⎯her dangerous ex-boyfriend⎯and then comparing him to Luke, trying to find reasons to keep him at arms length. She thinks about Vaughn several times just in the first 25% of the story, before we finally hear exactly what he did to her at the 54% mark. Given that Vaughn was mentioned so many times, I predicted that he would make an appearance at some point, even though it wouldn’t fit with the story. When Luke comes in to save the day, Emma gets upset because she wanted to save herself…so she dumps him. Apart from her love of animals, I can’t think of anything else I liked about her. To be honest, I can’t say a lot about Luke because I didn’t find him memorable. Unfortunately, my dislike of Emma overshadowed his character.

HOPE FLAMES is told in dual POVs, but sometimes the POV would change in the middle of a chapter without any notice, so I’d suddenly find myself confused before I realised the POV had changed. There is no epilogue, and the HEA comes in the form of a two-page conflict resolution, which was a let down. When I started reading HOPE FLAMES, I was really into it, but at some point the story slowed down and really started to drag. For a book that stated out so well, I was left so disappointed by the end that I don’t think I’ll continue on with the series.

Hope Flames (Hope # 1)

My Rating:

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Hope Series

Bind Me Before You Go (Serve # 8)

By Harper Kincaid

Synopsis

His heart is bound tighter than the bondage he craves…

Determined to put her past behind her, Cassidy Peyton moves to the Big Apple. But New York has a few dark secrets of its own, including Serve, an exclusive BDSM club. It’s a place she isn’t sure she’s ready for, until she sees him watching her. Hot. Intent. Knowing. With eyes that leave her stomach tied in knots, because the loneliness he’s trying to hide matches her own.

Security expert David Cavill has more secrets than any man should. Secrets that forever shut down any possibility of love, marriage, or family. Yet Cassidy draws him in, an intoxicating combination of strength, candor, and sensuality that David can’t resist. But as their bond deepens, Cassidy must decide if she can love a man whose heart is bound tighter than the form of bondage he craves…

Review

BIND ME BEFORE YOU GO is a quick little BDSM-ish read. I say BDSM-ish because while there are a couple of scenes in a BDSM club, there’s not a whole lot of BDSM going on, apart from the Shibari rope bondage. I’m not familiar with Shibari, but it sounded like the author did her homework and she explained it fairly well. When David was explaining the purpose behind it, about how it binds you to your partner which in turn binds them to you, I found it interesting and sweet.

Because of how quickly the story moves and the gaps in time, I didn’t really feel a connection between David and Cassidy. Both of them have their issues, but where Cassidy is open to the possibility of love, David has closed himself off. He insisted she trust him and open up about her past, but he never offered her the same courtesy. Because of all his past relationships, when Cassidy declared her love for him, he rejected it and hurt her in the process.

BIND ME BEFORE YOU GO is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of the Serve series, it can be read as a stand-alone. It comes with a nice HEA for David and Cassidy, and I’d classify it as an insta-love given the story’s short time frame.

Bind Me Before You Go (Serve # 8)

My Rating:

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Serve Series

Forgotten Promises

By Jessica Lemmon

Synopsis

Morgan Young had a perfect upbringing, and now she’s got a perfect boyfriend and a perfect future—until her twenty-first birthday changes everything. First Morgan finds out, in the most painful way possible, that her relationship is a sham. But that’s nothing compared to the nightmare about to unfold.

It’s too late for Tucker Noscalo. A brutal childhood left him with a bad reputation and a criminal record. Fresh out of jail, Tucker has a score to settle with Baybrook’s crooked chief of police—his own father. Nobody will believe Tucker’s explosive accusations without proof and a good lawyer, neither of which he has on his side. Until he sees someone he used to know, someone who just so happens to be the daughter of the best lawyer in the county.

He needs Morgan to convince her father of the ugly truth. But first he has to convince her, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get her to listen. Confronted by the story of Tucker’s dark past, Morgan feels utterly compelled to help him. And as their connection grows into a fierce bond fueled by raw passion, Morgan finds herself falling for the wrong guy—but never has the promise of love felt so right.

Review

Tucker is on the run after beating his father⎯again⎯as soon as he’s released from prison. He has evidence proving his father is the real criminal at his family’s home, but he got caught trying to retrieve it. He sees another opportunity for help when he spots the county’s best defense attorney’s daughter at a convenience store. Morgan’s 21st birthday goes from bad to worse thanks to Tucker. As if being told by her boyfriend that he’s been seeing her best friend on the side isn’t bad enough, she gets kidnapped and thrown into the trunk of Tucker’s car. Worst. Birthday. Ever! Tucker needs to gain Morgan’s trust so that she’ll convince her father to defend him and put his father in jail. But he also needs to trust her with the details of his past and trust that she’ll do the right thing when the time comes.

FORGOTTEN PROMISES is told in dual POVs and is a stand-alone. It’s also a novella, so it’s a fairly quick read. That being said, I thought the story flowed very well, not too fast or too slow, with the exception of the final chapter or two; once Tucker has his proof, the story moves very quickly. I thought this was a great read and I thought the author did a good job with how she handled the difficult topics mentioned in this story. Do I think the book could have been longer to address these topics better? Yes, I do, but it was still an enjoyable read and I was happy with the level of closure we got.

Please note: This book discusses topics which may be triggers for some readers.

Forgotten Promises

My Rating:

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Cold Comfort (Hot Winter Nights # 2)

By Audra North

Synopsis

They’re practically strangers until a cross-country road trip turns into a journey toward love…

Josh Neubaum can’t wait to get home for Thanksgiving. He’s even looking forward to the solo drive from California to Connecticut. A little time off of work, the freedom of the road, and family waiting for him at the other end. It couldn’t get any better than that.

But the day before he’s supposed to leave, Josh gets a request he isn’t in a position to refuse: he’ll have to bring the boss’s daughter along on his cross-country drive, since she happens to be moving to the East Coast at the same time.

Transporting the stuck up Monica Patel thousands of miles is already torture enough because she stands between Josh and a promotion. But it doesn’t help that he thinks she’s gorgeous despite her haughty, holier-than-thou attitude. A lot can happen during a week on the road, though…will Josh’s attraction to her grow into something much hotter, or will it end up being nothing more than cold comfort?

Review

What would you say if your impossible-to-please boss asks you to take his daughter on your cross-country road trip back home? When your job is your life and your answer could affect your promotion or even your job, you have no choice but to say yes. What would you say if your impossible-to-please father tells you that you’ll be driving across the country with his favourite employee because he thinks you can’t do it by yourself? When all you want to do is please your father, you have no choice but to say yes. This is how Josh and Monica ended up on the road trip from hell. Both were looking forward to their solo drives across the county until they’re forced together by a man they so desperately want to please.

I really enjoyed reading COLD COMFORT; I liked both Monica and Josh and thought they made a nice couple. Monica is a genius but she has issues with her father that have her making choices for his benefit rather than for hers. All she wants is his praise, but no matter what she does, she never seems to get it, and after thirty years of trying, it’s taken it’s toll. Josh is a workaholic but he’s also an absolute sweetheart. Work has been his life for the past several years, and although he’s had relationships with women, he’s not dated them, so when things with Monica start to get romantic, he’s not sure how to handle it.

As embarrassing as it is to admit, I got flustered and nervous, and by the time I realised what I wanted, it was too late.

COLD COMFORT really brings home that sometimes first impressions aren’t accurate. Both Josh and Monica have been quick to judge the other, but when that’s stripped away, all that’s left is attraction. Over the course of the trip, Monica stops being just a job and becomes a person he genuinely likes the more he learns about her, while Monica learns that it’s not right to blame Josh because her father seems to like him more than he does his own daughter. Through honest conversations and hot hotel sex, they realise there’s more to life than a job and that your own dreams and happiness should never come second. COLD COMFORT is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. It’s a nice, sweet and quick read that left me with a smile on my face.

Cold Comfort (Hot Winter Nights # 2)

My Rating:

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Hot Winter Nights Series

Fix You (Second Chances # 1)

By Mari Carr

Synopsis

What if love can’t heal all wounds?

After too many years of secretly loving her best friend, Zoey realizes she’s been shortchanging herself. It’s time to take action. This New Year’s Eve heralds the year she’s going to tell Rob the truth. Even if he is on the road, reaching for musical stardom with his band.

Her plan is derailed when she discovers a lump in her breast—and it’s not “nothing to worry about”. How can she ask Rob to take a chance on love when her future is so uncertain?

Rob has spent his entire life chasing his dream, but the moment he hears Zoey’s voice on the phone, he realizes he’s been running the wrong race. Zoey never sounds like she’s been crying. Ever. Without a second thought, he books a flight for home, determined to give her everything she needs. A shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold…and nights of intensely emotional, passionate sex.

His biggest challenge, though, is convincing his best friend that he’s in it for the long haul. Because he finally knows what he wants, and it’s not fame and fortune. It’s her—and her love.

Review

Rob and Zoey have been best friends for 25 years, since they were 10 years old. While Rob’s on tour with his band, Zoey gets some heartbreaking news; she has breast cancer. The first person she calls is Rob, who senses something’s not right with the call and jumps on the first flight back home. When he returns home and learns of Zoey’s diagnosis, he doesn’t leave her side. He’s there for every doctor’s visit and every chemo session. Simply put, he was amazing. Zoey was a nice, strong character, but other than her dealing with her cancer, I don’t remember much about her at all. Maybe because Rob shined so bright, it left Zoey harder to see.

I liked this story and I liked both Zoey and Rob. Do I believe that a man and a woman can be friends for 25 years, both secretly love the other for almost all that time but not once make a move? No I don’t, but it was a nice story regardless. FIX YOU is told in dual POVs and includes flashbacks dating back to the beginning of their friendship. This is a novella, so it’s a fairly quick read, but despite that, there’s a lot of sex in the story, with the first sex scene occurring in the second chapter. FIX YOU is book one in the Second Chances series and all the books in the series will revolve around Zoey’s “wine girl” friends and a new year’s resolution they all made.

Fix You (Second Chances # 1)

My Rating:

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Whatever You Do (Try Again # 2)

By Stephanie Smith

Synopsis

How do you trust someone who is everything you’re trying to avoid?

Harper Lindell is having a bad day. You know, if a bad day consists of getting fired from your cushy job and then catching your boyfriend red handed playing hide the salami. Sick of meeting the same guys over and over, Harper decides to try her luck at Internet dating. How bad could it be? Right?

Tate Washington wasn’t looking to meet anyone. Still dealing with the consequences of his one serious relationship, all he’s interested in is revamping his family’s behind-the-times café. He didn’t plan on seeing the beautiful receptionist from Argo again, walking into his life to use his café as a dating hub, and using him as a BFF.

Can Harper really trust Tate, who is everything she thinks she needs to steer clear of?

Can Tate wait while Harper works through her insecurities and fears?

Review

WHATEVER YOU DO starts with Harper having what is probably the worst day of her life. After getting fired as soon as she arrived into work, she heads to her boyfriend’s place seeking comfort, only to catch him in the act of cheating on her. Obviously she’s angry and hurt, but even more so because he’s just the latest man in a long line of men who have cheated on her. She’s determined to find a man that’s different from her usual choice and thinks turning to online dating is the way to go. Each date is a disaster and is witnessed by Tate, the owner of the cafe where her dates take place, who’s had a thing for her since he first laid eyes on her. It takes him a while but he’s finally able to convince her to give him a chance and sets out to show her he’s unlike all the rest.

I quite liked WHATEVER YOU DO and the disastrous dates were hilarious to read. I loved Tate and thought he was amazing and so patient, but sadly Harper didn’t really win me over as her trust issues annoyed me. Apart from those issues, she’s a good person, one who’s kind, caring and loyal to those she loves. The story is told in dual POVs and also includes little snippets about Brooke and Saxon from WHEREVER YOU WILL GO. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Whatever You Do (Try Again # 2)

My Rating:

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Try Again Series

Wherever You Will Go (Try Again # 1)

By Stephanie Smith

Synopsis

Brooke Willis had everything she ever wanted: a happy marriage, volunteer placement at the art gallery, and the promise of starting a family with the man of her dreams.

Saxon Reed had everything he ever thought he needed: a successful career, nice cars, expensive apartment, and more money than he knew what to do with.

After losing her husband Brooke insists on taking over his company to keep his dreams alive. Struggling in an industry she knows nothing about, Brooke turns to Saxon, her husband’s best friend and business partner, for guidance and support. Their mutual grief, and Saxon’s need to look after his best friend’s wife, creates a connection beyond just business.

Can Brooke take over the company and find a new life without saying goodbye to the past? Can Saxon protect and care for Brooke without scaring her away?

What happens when your heart doesn’t listen to your head? When lines are crossed and boundaries are pushed?

Review

After losing her husband, Nate, in a car accident, Brooke is overwhelmed by her emotions. Shutting herself away from family and friends, she struggles to deal with the grief and anger that swallow her whole on a daily basis. After a surprise visit from Nate’s best friend and business partner, Saxon, she knows it’s time to face the world again and decides she’s ready to take over Nate’s business. Argo Investments was his dream and with Saxon’s help she’s determined to keep his dream alive.

Despite her grief, I never thought of Brooke as weak. In fact, when she was ready to return to the land of the living, despite her fears and desires to run back home to hide away again, she never did. But when her relationship with Saxon grew and evolved, I was disappointed with how she treated him.

I liked Saxon and thought he was a wonderful man for Brooke, but he did come with a little baggage. He’s handsome, wealthy and successful, but he believes he doesn’t have anything of substance to offer a woman, nor does he envision ever getting married. His issues stem from the lack of love he received as a child and witnessing the toxic marriage his parents had. But he also spent a great deal of time with Nate’s family, whose parents were happily married and treated him like their own, so I don’t really understand his issues if he experienced both sides of the coin. Despite the feelings he had for Brooke for years, it’s these issues that cause him to shut down his emotions when he’s around her, which of course has her believing their relationship is nothing more than sex and comfort.

WHEREVER YOU WILL GO was an amazing debut novel that’ll have you crying from Chapter One. I just love a book that can get me so emotional right from the start. The story is told in dual POVs, moves at a nice pace and comes with a nice HEA. There are gaps in time, but they’re pointed out so you’re not left wondering where all the time went. It’s written by an Australian author and there is some Aussie slang in there that non-Aussies probably won’t understand. I loved this book and I am looking forward to reading WHATEVER YOU DO, book 2 in the Try Again series.

Wherever You Will Go (Try Again # 1)

My Rating:

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