My best friend is settled. He met the love of his life and was granted guardianship of his younger siblings. Iโve had the goal to help him for what seems like forever, and now that things are good for him, I should feel complete, right?
But thereโs always been a piece missing for me. Has been for a long time.
Something I donโt think I can ever fix.
And then suddenly, that part of my past shows back up in my life. He should hate me. I hate me. But thatโs the thing about Remy . . .
Heโs far too good for this world, and Iโm once again terrified Iโll break him.
Because thatโs what I do.
Remy
I want to forget about my past. Itโs my lifeโs goal.
Iโm not that weak little boy trapped in foster care anymore. Iโm stronger now. Iโm the principal at a major school in the Kansas City area. Iโve grown into the man I knew I could be.
I donโt talk about the past. I refuse to.
But then itโs shoved into my face, and I canโt look away. I canโt walk away like he did all those years ago.
Sometimes I despise this stubborn streak inside me. I should stay away. He has.
But thereโs this pull thereโeven after all these years.
I can put on a show for everyone else, but when heโs around, I start to crack.
He’s sworn off love after dealing with heartbreak, but something about the new girl in town makes him want more.
Jameson
After my world came crashing down years ago, I promised myself I would never risk my heart again. I started a new life in a new town, surrounded by old friends, and I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time. But when a certain curvy bombshell blows into town like a whirlwind, making me imagine a life I thought was gone, I start to wonder why I’m fighting so hard to stay alone.
Naomi
Jameson Clarke is everything I have ever wanted in a man. He’s rough, tough, handsome, and gruff, and all I want to do is get my hands on him. Even my dog, Fred, who doesn’t like men, won’t leave Jameson’s side. One night, he’s working late, and I offer him a massage. It’s an innocent enough request. I just want to help work out all those grumpy, muscly kinks… and if that leads to a happy ending for both of us, all the better.
Check out the final book of the blue-collar, small-town, extra steamy romance novella that completes the DP Construction series!
Due to his past Jameson isnโt looking for love or a relationship but he canโt deny how attracted he is to Naomi. With Naomi staying at the location that he is renovating circumstances conspire to bring them together and when she offers to give him a massage to sooth his muscles all bets are off.
Naomi has relocated to Duhring Park to work with her best friend as an event planner. She has had feelings for Jameson for a while, and the time has come for her to find out if he feels the same or accept that all they can be is friends.
Both Naomi and Jameson have been hesitant to pursue the feelings between them however once they finally give in they are both all in and are about to make up for lost time.
When high school senior Joe Jameson lands a spot in the elite Missouri State Jazz Band, he thinks it’s his big break-a chance to perform at a luxury resort alongside the state’s top young musicians.
Then a goat-headed demon shows up.
Calling itself the Accuser, the creature taunts Joe with cryptic clues about his missing parents. At the resort, things get worse: some of the musicians are secretly in league with the demon…and Joe’s stuck rooming with one of them.
Between rehearsals, unraveling a deadly occult conspiracy, and trying not to fall for the lead alto saxophonist (whose ex wants him dead), Joe has to piece together the truth before the Accuser regains its full power-and devours every soul on Earth.
When sheโs fake dating the hockey star, but he was never faking itโฆ
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely, comes the next standalone hockey rom com in her brand new Hockey Ever After series, JUST PLAYING FOR KEEPS! This spicy, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, only one bed in a room, opposites attract hockey romance releases June 3rd in all formats, and will be free to read in Kindle Unlimited. Want to know more about Remy and Lake? Get all the details below, and one-click your copy today!
A grumpy/sunshine fake dating hockey romance from #1 NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely!
Ever hear the story about the dating coach who got dumped on the hockey arenaโs jumbotron?
Everyone did. But I lived it. Including the moment when the teamโs broody, tattooed winger, Lake Axelrod, swooped in on skates to rescue me from public humiliation.
Even more surprising? When the famously grumpy (and ridiculously sexy) hockey star insists on being my fake boyfriend for my sisterโs high-profile wedding.
Itโs the perfect sweet revenge plan since my ex is the best man. Bonus โ I might even salvage my professional reputation.
We need rules though.
To pull this off, everyone from his teammates to my boss has to believe weโre a real couple.
That means swoony touches and knee-weakening kisses are required.
When it ends, we walk away.
But the intensity in Lakeโs eyes after every post-game kiss makes me wonder if heโs pretending. With each whispered secret, the line between fake and real bends. Until it shatters one night in a hotel room.
Soon, he isnโt just playing the protective boyfriendโheโs the only one who truly sees me.
If Iโm not careful, Iโm going to break the most important rule of all: donโt fall for your fake date.
This is Lake and Remy’s romance. Tropes include: grumpy/sunshine hockey romance, fake dating, workplace romance, best friend’s brother, obsessed hero
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style thatโs sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
I survived a deployment because of her letters, so there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her now…
I was fully prepared to come home in a box. In the dust of Afghanistan, Iโd accepted that my life was worth exactly as much as the brothers standing beside me. But then the packages started arriving. My buddy’s little sister quickly became my only tether to a world that made sense. And her letters kept me from losing my mind when the world went dark.
Somehow I managed to trade the battlefield for the Knightdale Charter, and since I’ve been home I’ve used the clubโs business to drown out the echoes of war. I’ve never stopped thinking about her, but I’ve kept my distance from her world of soft edges and quiet dreams. We are opposites in every way. The only thing we have in common is her brother.
Then one phone call changes everything. She’s drowning in grief and caught in the chaos that follows every soldier home from war. The moment she whispers my name, I’m done for. Now I can’t stay away, but I can be the stoic shoulder she can cry on. Yet the moment she collapses into my arms, every instinct I have starts screaming a single truth: she’s mine. And I don’t just want to comfort her, I want to make her forget the pain.
She thinks she has to face this darkness on her own, but this woman’s love carried me through a war. I leave no man behind, so she’s not shouldering this burden alone. We’ll get through this together, no matter what it takes.
Thereโs an unknown male at my back. Tall, if the way his chest connects with my shoulders is any indication. My skin prickles with the feeling of being touched. His hands are large and warm. Itโs been seven months since I’ve had a man’s hands on my body, and even then, it wasnโt memorable. The small human growing inside of me is the only link.
The man turns on the faucet, pulling my hand under it, and I breathe out in relief as the cool water hits my burnt hand and the sting subsides. As does any lingering fear at being manhandled by a stranger right here in my kitchen. He led me to safety; it would be odd for him to now hurt me. Though I remain wary.
โThank youโฆ Iโโ I turn to see whoโs helping me, wanting to offer my thanks, but I still. At a loss for words all over again.
Brown eyes, hidden by dark eyebrows, look at me from under a deep frown. He hasnโt moved, his body, strong and hard, leaning against my back as he ensures my hand remains under the cool water. My eyes widen and heart pounds harder as I realize exactly how close we are.
Heโs like Heaven answered all my questions. I’ve never seen a man like him before.
Sabbath Creed had an intensity that always enthralled me, yet I never would have fathomed his love could warp my own sanity into madness, setting ablaze everything I loved until nothing was left but ashes and agony.
Iโve always been drawn to fire, the way it consumes, transforms, and purifies. But I never expected it to devour my world, leaving nothing behind but ashes and heartbreak.
From that moment on, I chose to escape my fate, to escape him.
I could always feel his presence, lingering like smoke in the air. It was only a matter of time before he would find me. His love, twisted and charred by the flames of his obsession, burned endlessly for me. He would never let me go, not after what happened.
I thought working at Camp Redwood would hide me from his gaze, but it only pushed me into the spotlight with its own dark secrets. He was here, and I needed to make the ultimate decision: allow his love to consume me or extinguish its flames. Forever.
SABBATH
She thinks she can escape me, but she’ll never understand. Iโm not just a part of her past; Iโm a part of her. She might try to extinguish the flames, but I’ll never let her. I will make her mine againโno matter the cost. My little spitfire.
Accidentally Pregnant… Accidentally Charmed by the Grumpy Cowboy… Accidentally in Love
When I inherit the dilapidated Loveland Ranch on my birthday, I do what any self-respecting L.A. career woman would do โhave one unforgettable night with a hot, broody cowboy and skedaddle before sunrise.
But when I hear that a crabby neighbor is suing my beloved grandmotherโs estate, I decide her legacy is worth the dirt under my manicure and start renovating.
Cue the hot, broody cowboy, who rides up on a horse and informs me heโs the crab. And just when I think things canโt get worse, the universe hands me another surprise.
A little pink plus sign.
Fitz and I have nothing in common except being fiercely independent. We come from different worlds. We have different visions for the future. We donโt share the same dreams, backgrounds, or even the same zip code.
But it doesnโt take long before I find myself wishing for all the things Iโd given up onโa real partnership with a protective, kind, hot-as-sin man who reassures me Iโm not fighting my battles alone. Except heโs fighting his own battles, and they may be too big for us to overcome.
Will this accidental family we created lead to heartbreak? Or could it be the life Iโve always wanted?
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
๐ค Review๐ค Tessa is a successful lawyer who is striving to becoming a partner at the firm where she works. When she and her sisters decide to take a trip to see the ranch that they have been given by their grandparents the surprises keep coming. Not only is the ranch a work in progress but a night out at the local pub leads to an unforgettable experience with a swoony cowboy and a pregnancy she never saw coming.
Fitz is dealing with an uphill battle when it comes to the success of his ranch so a fun night with a sassy stranger seems like the break he needs. What he didnโt know he needed was to find out that he was about to become a father and now they must try a path forward when neither is looking for love and the different paths their lives are on.
The chemistry between Tessa and Fitz was never in question but neither were the complication of their situation. As they spend time together the heartwarming romance between them begins to unfold and has them reconsidering what and who they want in their lives.
Wanting him could destroy me, but it could also save me.
Carson
I dreamed of being a Navy SEAL, but to achieve my goal, I had to choose. I could be gay or be a SEAL. Being a SEAL won out. You couldnโt miss what you had never experienced. I hoped being a team guy would fill the void left by denying who I was.
And it did, until terrorists took my teammate captive, and I watched two of my best friends find love. Now repressed thoughts and feelings plagued me, and I didnโt know if Iโd be able to resist.
Especially not when my first and only crush showed up.
Roman
Growing up in the bible belt was hard enough, especially when my dad, the town doctor, committed suicide. I hid in the closet until I left for college. There twosomes turned into moresomes, which somehow led to a drunken hook-up with a sorority girl. When she turned up pregnant, I married her, but she disappeared as soon as the baby was born, leaving me a single dad.
Statistics professor Amelia Hawthorne never expected to find herself in a rundown Atlantic City casino. But here she was, counting cards to help pay off her brotherโs debt under the watchful eye of the mysterious Judah Greear.
The last thing Jude wanted to do was kidnap the hot brainiac, but orders were orders. Especially when they came from legendary mob boss John Valentine.
Now, Jude must choose between duty and desire. Will he protect the girl who sees past the tattoos and mugshots or save himself?
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ (Clifford Brothers #1) by USA Today bestselling author Layla Hagen releases on June 5th! Check out this teaser!
I built my global security empire from nothing. Control and discipline are the only rules I live by. Some might call me โintenseโ. I prefer โmeticulously prepared for every disaster imaginable.โ
Growing up in a group home with my two brothers taught me the only lesson that mattered: never let anyone close enough to hurt you. As a CEO, I donโt improvise. I plan. I command.
When Iโm hired to provide security for an engagement party, I expect an easy job.
Instead, I meet a woman who treats my rules like optional suggestions. Iโm used to being obeyed. Ruby clearly doesnโt plan on doing that. Not even a little.
She tempts me like no one else ever has. Whenever weโre together, my thoughts drift in dangerous directions. Wanting her becomes an obsession. I want to give her everything. But surrendering control means breaking my own rules. And Iโve never done that before.
Ruby
I love my restaurant, my life, and finding the bright side of just about everything. Hosting my best friendโs engagement party? Easy. Fun. Right up my alley.
What Iโm not prepared for is Grant Cliffordโand his many, many rules.
Heโs a fine specimen of a man. Unfortunately, he also comes with a massive stick lodged firmly up his gorgeous behind. Under that perfectly tailored suit is a man who desperately needs to loosen up. Preferably with me.
The closer I get, the more clearly I see the scars beneath his rigid exterior. And I want to heal them all. But how do I reach a man who refuses to let anyone in?
This is a second generation series coinciding with the Oakwood Legacy Series. One light and one dark, set in a brand new world that is a part of Serenaโs beloved Five Points Mob Universe.
Catch up with Victoria, Zach, Denny, Shay, Wynter, Pecan, Sofia and so many more.
โจTEASER: JUST MY LUCK by @authorlenahendrix is releasing in a new Deluxe Limited Edition Paperback on May 26 at a store near you! Don’t miss the DELUXE LIMITED EDITION paperback featuring stenciled edges, holographic foil, designed interior covers, chapter headers, and full color special character art!!
Unexpected sparks ignite a slow burn in this grumpy/sunshine workplace romance when a single mom proposes a marriage of convenience to save her bossโs brewery.
Fans of Lucy Score, Elsie Silver, Carley Fortune, and B.K. Borrison will find their next obsession with this second standalone in bestselling author Lena Hendrixโs spicy, emotional, deeply romantic Kings Series set in small town Michigan.
You might think itโs reckless for a single mom to enter into a marriage of convenience with her boss.
You would be correct.
To make matters worse, Abel King is a grumpy local brewer with a criminal past. He also happens to be my boss and a total stick-in-the-mud. Every time I come to work with a smile and wave, Iโm lucky if I can get a grunt in response.
When I accidentally-on-purpose overhear that heโs having trouble securing a business loan due to his criminal record, I hatch a plan to help the both of us.
The arrangement is perfectโa business transaction and nothing more. Like having a roommate without the hassle of other people bugging you for dates.
I will definitely not be falling in love with himโno matter how many times he says โmy wifeโ and tingles dance in all the right places.
Trouble is, as time goes on, things stop feeling like business and start feeling a whole lot like pleasure . . . and really, thatโs just my luck . . .
Why you will love this book: ๐Friends to Strangers to Lovers๐Hockey Romance ๐Single Dad ๐She Plays Hockey/Women in Sports ๐Forbidden Romance ๐Next Gen Langfield, but can be read as a standalone
There are only two things Iโve ever truly wanted in my life. To be a goalie in the NHL and JJ Hanson.
In a twisted way, both dreams have come true. Rather than a spot on the roster though, Iโm now the first female goalie coach in the NHL. JJ Hansonโs coach, specifically.
Not only is he one of my playersโmaking him totally off limitsโheโs also a single dad and still technically married. Oh, and thanks to my fatherโs meddling, heโs now my roommate, along with his cousin and her three kids, my sister and her four-year-old twins, my cousin, and JJโs daughter, who I unfortunately adore.
Yup, Iโm living with six kids under the age of five, and the only man Iโve ever loved.
There was a time when JJ was my closest friend, and for one perfect moment, he was mine. Now we donโt even talk. JJ is determined to change that, though, and when opportunity strikes and suddenly both of my dreams are within reach, I have to make a decision. Can I step out onto that ice as the first female goalie in the NHL and trust JJ with my heart?
Iโve never been one to walk away from a challenge. Maybe the only way JJ and I can move forward is to go back to the start.
Paper Rings is a friends-to-lovers, single-dad, second-chance hockey romance with dual POV and a dual timeline featuring a Brownstone like Mother Faker and many of your favorite characters from the Langfield Brothersโ family. It is the first book in the New Romantics Series and a complete standalone
Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations 