I like a little steam between characters in my books – but the heat between Lark and Cerulean could melt the pages! š„ Not to mention, I loved the slow burn romance in this book – the teasing and taunting of Lark and Cerulean as enemies, and the heat and passion of them as lovers.
Kiss the Fae definitely left me breathless – not just the romance, but the lush description of Faerie and of Reverie Hollow, the characters the smells, the sights, everything.
I absolutely loved Lark. She is incredibly sassy – one of my favorite traits of a leading lady. She’s strong willed and willing to take on the unknown to protect those she loves.
I also really enjoyed the growth of Larkās relationship with Moth. This relationship grows and changes, as Larkās time in Faerie grows and changes. I hope to see Moth in future Vicious Faeries books!
I definitely did not expect to laugh, to cry, and to have my heart broken by an NA Romantic Fantasy. But Kiss of the Fae did all of that, and in left me with one wicked book hangover.
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and Natalia Jaster for the gifted copy!ā
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Rule #1. Never cross into Faerie.
When Iām chased across the enchanted border and caught by its sinister ruler of the sky, the pretty trickster with a clever tongue offers me a deal.
Rule #2: Never bargain with a Fae.
But I donāt have a choice. For thirteen days, I have to survive in his mountainous maze of crooked bridges, deceptive stairways, and devious inhabitants. Refuse, and my sisters will suffer as punishment.
Rule #3: Never fall for the enemy.
I should have known my sexy captor wouldnāt play fair. The deeper I plunge into this dangerous world of Solitary Fae, the more Iām entangled in their rulerās seductive web of desireāand the forbidden temptations he offers.
The price of losing this wicked game is everything I love. But winning might just cost me my heart.
Step into the Dark Fables World, where defiant mortals and deceitful faeries clash. Kiss the Fae is the first book in Natalia Jasterās fantasy romance series, Vicious Faeries. If you like slow burns, enemies-to-lovers, angst with heart, and magical plot twists, get ready for a book hangover.
Huntress special edition hardback includes a brand new dust jacket and hardback cover, a completely redesigned interior, and exclusive series character art throughout. As a bonus, the ebooks now include character art as well!
Iāve been listening to audiobooks on my daily commute. It beats the alternative – listening to the news on NPR talk about coronavirus and the election. The tagline for Adventurous Me: āBoring? Tiresome? Predictable? We’ll see about that,ā made me think of my commute immediately: boring, tiresome and predictable.
This book, on the other hand, was none of those things. When Trishās husband decides heās had enough of their marriage and leaves, Trish sets out for an adventure. Her adventure takes her to Bliss – a fetish club for the BDSM lifestyle.
Trish jumps into the lifestyle feet first, training as a sub with the ādungeon masterā Dave, before she signs up for an annual event that assigns her to a Dom for two weeks. Trish is assigned to Clint – a brooding, quiet dominate.
I found that once I realized this story was about Clint and not about Trish, I was much more interested in the story. While Trish was a fine character, I couldnāt connect with her. However, I found Clintās growth as a character much more enjoyable.
Not that there was a lot of āstoryā here – but this was the perfect escapism listen. This was very hot, steamy and smutty chapter after chapter. And it definitely made my commute less boring.
I do think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it. I think the narrator might have ruined this one a little bit for me. She tended to end sentences in a lilt that felt like a question, when it wasnāt a question. And, her actual questions always sounded too much like begging.
Thank you to Spectrum Audio and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Oh my goodness, The Switch was such a super cute listen!
Leena is in her 20s, her grandmother Eileen is 79. Both of them are tired of being stuck in their rut. When Leena learns sheās being forced to take a 2 month sabbatical from work, she escapes to her grandmotherās to unwind.
Thatās when they match a plan – a two-month swap. Leena will live in her grandmotherās home and take care of her projects in rural Yorkshire; and Eileen will move into Leenaās flat in London.
I loved Eileen – every meddling moment and romantic encounter of Eileenās time in London. While Leena is much closer to my age and personality, I connected more with Eileen.
The narrators, Alison Steadman and Daisy Edgar-Jones really brought this book to life! This was the perfect audiobook to listen to while commuting – some love and romance, definitely times when I found myself laughing out loud.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Iāve been reading more YA Fantasy recently – I think itās because I want some escape from 2020 and thereās nothing like escaping into a completely fantastical world and carried along on a magical journey.
They description of Songs of Autumn caught my attention immediately:
āWhat if your entire life you knew the exact day you were going to die? āLiz does.ā
First – wow. So many bucket list items Iād want to check off the list. Second, tell me more!
Liz is the āRed Princessā who the prophecies told would save her kingdom from endless winter by being a blood sacrifice. However, on the day of the ceremony, Liz and her friend Tia escape the palace and run into the forest, heading for the mountains and hopefully far enough away from Lizās husband/murderer as possible before winter hits.
I came into this book expecting my heart broken, but not as much as this book hurt my heart.
I loved Liz and Tia – their relationship so sweet. In fact, I fell in love with the entire journeying party Liz and Tia fall in with while traveling over the mountain passes.
The growing romantic relationship between with Matioch Steele and Liz is also incredibly romantic – with plenty of heat and tension. (But still very PG-13 for YA readers!)
I absolutely couldnāt put this book down and loved every minute of it. But the cliffhanger at the end. Ugh! I cannot wait until book two is released – because I need to know what happens NOW!
Thank you to Turn the Page tours for including me on this and to Lauren Sevier for providing me with this free copy in exchanging for my honest opinion.ā
Book Description:
What if your entire life you knew the exact day you were going to die?
āLiz does.
āMagick in the Kingdom of Aegis has almost run out. When that happens, the seasons will stop changing, the tides will cease to turn, and the sun will no longer be able to rise and set. The only way to save the lives of her people is if Liz agrees to be a blood sacrifice in a brutal ceremony that will take her life.
āThe problem is, Liz isn’t ready to go.
āWith the help of a mischievous wanna-be soldier, Matioch Steele, Liz dares to take her fate into her own hands. Defying a blood-thirsty sorcerer, her desperate flight teaches her how to truly live while Mat finds out what’s worth dying for. Each other.
āLove, Death, Magick, and Mystery come together to weave one girl’s epic tale of self-discovery.
āHer song will echo within us all.
Author Bio:
Lauren Sevier lives a simple life in small town Walker, Louisiana with her family and two mischievous dogs. Sheās a proud firefighter wife and mother to her miracle son, born through IVF after an eight-year battle with infertility. She works full-time for a non-profit hospital in Cardiology caring for the elderly and low-income families all over the state of Louisiana in satellite and outreach clinics. Writing and being in the service of helping others are her two passions in life.
She started writing song lyrics and poems on the front porch swing of her family home nestled amidst a 200-year-old pecan tree orchard that was once part of a Civil War plantation. Sheās inspired the most by Shakespeare, the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and JK Rowling. Her background in Theatre introduced her to classic British literature, playwrights, and poets from a very young age. This helped her to understand story concepts, dramatization, and character development the way Shakespeare once did, as an actor.
Now her biggest inspiration for writing is her son who, like all children, learns by example. Lauren is determined to set a specific example for him; to live simply, work hard, and to never stop chasing her dreams. Because, one day, you just might catch them.
Accidental Sugar Daddy Author: Kaci Rose Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Comedy Release Date: November 19, 2020
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AN ACCIDENTAL MEETING. AN UNCONVENTIONAL OFFER. AN UNDENIABLE ATTRACTION…
Ellie wasnāt looking for a Sugar Daddy. The second she realized she had accidentally stumbled into a mixer of Sugar Babies looking for daddies, she started for the door. Then the sizzling hot guy at the bar caught her eye. What started as a simple dinner date turned into an offer too tempting to resist. Join him at work events and social gatherings for one monthāno sex involvedāand make enough money to ease the burdens she faced as a single mom. Surely she can resist her attraction to him for one month…
As far as Owen was concerned, Ellie was a complete mystery. She agreed to his offer, yet hated for him to spend any money on her. It didnāt add up… until he discovered she was a mother. He wasnāt looking for an insta-family, yet the more time he spends with Ellie and her kids, the more he wants them in his life. Can what started as a business arrangement shift into more? Or will their unconventional start ruin a chance for a beautiful forever?
This is a VERY Steamy, Billionaire, Sugar Daddy Romance. No Cliffhangers. As always there is a satisfying Happy Ever After. If you love steamy romances with insta love, hot love scenes, and billionaires, then this one is for you. This is steamier then any book I have written to date. You have been warned
We all have that one friend; you know the one you would call to help you bury the body at three am. Well, who do you call when it’s their body you plan to bury? See she is the reason I’m in a mixer full of older men, and one of which just told me the real reason everyone is here, details said friend left out. But let’s start at the beginning. “Ellie just go. It’s a night out and some free booze.” My best friend Mia says. “I have the girls, they have homework and need dinner,” I say. Iām a single mom to two amazing girls. Allie who is seven and Becca, who is five. Their dad, my ex-husband, was my high school sweetheart. Then one day he walked out when Becca was almost two. He disappeared for a year and then I received divorce papers. Still, he gave me no reason and he saw the girls just once right before the divorce was final. He has every other weekend visitation, spring break, and two weeks in the summer but hasn’t used a day of it. Child support comes on time every month though, thank God for small favors. Mia knows all this. She knows I’m working to cover all our bills and while we are paying everything on time, one mess up and we would be in trouble. I have three-hundred dollars in savings and survive on my job at the coffee shop bakery and child support. I don’t go out, there is no money to do so. This is why Mia suggested the mixer so I could get out of the house. Apparently, this is where guys who aren’t looking for commitment are finding someone to have dates with and they pay for it all. It sounds too good to be true or like there is a catch, but Mia swears there isnāt, and Mia is my person, so I trust her. To be honest, I’m not sure how she convinced me to go, itās all still a blur but I’m here. Mia is with the girls and I’m nursing a glass of wine standing off to the side taking it all in. There are guys sixty and older, there are some guys my age in their mid-twenties and everything between. But the girls are what catch my eye. They are all the same. Super skinny, tan, perfectly done blond hair, manis and pedis. Most look younger than me and they are flirty, basically the version of a trophy wife. The word gold digger crosses my mind. They are the opposite of me. I have a little weight to me, I’m a mom of two after all, that flat stomach disappeared seven years ago. I’m not pale white, but I’m not super tan either. I’m five feet five inches and while these girls are wearing dresses that leave little to the imagination, I’m in dressy dark jeans, my favorite dress top, and heels. The girls here all have the blond hair from a bottle while my hair is my natural chestnut brown. They have makeup on and perfect contouring,; I have mascara and lip gloss. I don’t fit in here. I decide I’m going to finish my drink because it was free and then bail. This is not my thing and not one person has even tried to talk to me. I finish off my wine and set it down. I gather my purse, but before I can turn to leave, a husky deep voice fills the air. “You look like you are about to leave,” he says. I turn to see a man over six-foot-tall and he looks to be in his mid-thirties judging by the laugh lines. He has dark hair and sparkling blue eyes. Heās huge, like muscles for days huge. He has money,I can tell with his perfectly tailored suit and the Rolex on his wrist. I smile, “That’s because I am. A friend suggested I come here tonight, but I don’t know, this isn’t my kind of dating,ā I say looking around. “Dating…” he says, “Did your friend say what kind of group this was?” “Just that the guys would be older, and I needed to get out of the house.” I roll my eyes and he laughs. A husky laugh that has my stomach clenching and shivers running across my skin. “Can I get you a drink? I would love to talk to you, and I think your friend left out some details,” he says and extends his arm toward a table off to the side. I hesitate. At the very least he does have my interest and he isn’t bad looking. Okay, that is an understatement, this man is sexy as hell when he laughs and smiles. Plus, I need to know if Mia’s death will be quick or slow. He must see my hesitation. “Just one drink and let me explain. Then you can leave, I won’t stop you.” I take a deep breath and nod. We then sit at a table off to the side and out of the way, but still have a full view of the room. I study him and see him looking at me too. “I’m Owen,” he says. “Ellie,” I nod. He takes a sip of his drink and then leans toward me resting his arms on the table. He points across the room. “All these men have money and lots of it. What they don’t want, is a relationship. The commitment, the feelings, the sticky stuff. Many want company, dates to events, someone to enjoy a meal out with, maybe a movie. Some just want a beautiful woman on their arm,” he says. “Like a trophy wife.” He laughs. “Yeah kind of, but without the marriage and with no strings. If there is a connection, theyāre willing to pay the girls for their time.” Well, that catches my attention and I sit up straight. “Like a hooker? Sorry, that is not me.” I can’t help the disgust in my voice. He touches my hand gently. And sparks shoot up my arm and my hand feels like itās on fire. I wonder if he feels it too. “No sex is involved unless both parties agree. If a relationship is agreed upon these girls get paid for each date the guy takes them on, they get a monthly spending allowance, gifts, vacations it all varies from person to person.” “So, like a Sugar Daddy?” “Pretty much,” he grins. I look at him thinking that this is why he is here. I don’t get it. He is attractive and damn sexy so why would he need to pay for a date? What do I have to lose? “Well, why are you here?” I ask him. “Ahhh,” he says with a sparkle in his eye. He looks away over the crowd and takes another sip of his drink. “Relationships are messy, feelings, breakups. I run a very successful company and need dates to events, charity functions, and also, I like to go out, try new places to eat, see movies, and it kind of sucks doing that alone. I found many women were just after my money when I was looking for something real.” He takes another sip of his drink. “After being emotionally drained, having both my work performance and my company suffer just for someone who only wanted money, I figured why not call a spade a spade. I have people who have families who depend on the success of the company, on me and I take that very seriously. So, I figured I can get the dates and company I want while being open about my motives and giving the women what they want. It’s been a pretty good deal before.” “So how many ‘relationships’ have you had like this?” I ask. “Three that lasted more than a month and one that went over a year.” “Why end it if it was going so well?” “Everyone including her expected an engagement. While I have no problem with the arrangement, when or if I do get married, I plan for it to be for love, not to someone who is in it for what it can do for her. Call me old- fashioned, but marriage is a sacred thing for me.” I nod and sip my drink in silence looking at the crowd with new eyes. “Youāre different than the other girls here,” he says. I laugh, “Why because I don’t dye my hair and my tits are real?” He laughs so hard it causes people nearby to actually stop and stare, which causes my face to warm slightly. “I wasn’t thinking along those lines, but that’s a good point. You are very real and blunt, and I can tell you aren’t into all this.” “Yeah well, I don’t have time to sugar coat things and if I had known what this was, I never would have shown up. As it is, my friend will need a SWAT team to protect her when I get home.” “Would an arrangement like this be so bad for you?” I pause and then point to an older gentleman at another table well past his seventies with a walker next to him. “What like him? He’s looking for a sexy nurse for sponge baths. So not interested.” He gives me a soft smile never taking his eyes off me. Then his face goes serious. “Well, what if it was me asking?” I look him over and shake my head and start to stand up. “You don’t want me, but I bet the blond at the bar would be more than willing though.” I know I need to leave before he goes and tries to pick her up cause watching that would suck. I grab my purse to leave. “Will you please just hear me out?” he asks. “What harm can come from hearing what I have to say?” I look at him wondering if I really want to hear it. I guess if nothing else this can be a funny story on the next horrible date I go on. I don’t answer right away, so he continues. “What if I sweeten the deal and buy you dinner? No strings attached. We talk and worst case you get a nice meal out of it and head home to slaughter your friend with my lawyersā card in your hand for when she goes missing.” He raises his eyebrow and I laugh. When was the last time I found someone who can keep up with me? “Okay dinner, but I’m driving my own car.” “Okay,” he says. “There is a bistro less than five minutes from here that just opened a few weeks ago I’ve been wanting to try.” I nod, “I’ll follow you there.” We end up at a little bistro that has modern touches and is done up in creams with lime green accents. Iām actually surprised I like the decor. Owen gets us a seat in the back while I’m looking around. The place is pretty packed, so I’m surprised when we get right in. He places his hand on my lower back and guides me to the table. Normally this would make me uncomfortable on a date, but for some reason, it has the opposite effect with Owen. Owen pulls out my chair for me and is the picture of a perfect gentleman which is very refreshing. We pick up our menus and he says, “Order anything you like, drinks, appetizers, desserts, and don’t hold back” Well, okay then. I order a glass of wine. I look around at the people at tables near us and at their plates of food. I try to match up what they are eating with what’s on the menu and my eyes go wide. Seventy-five dollars for three skimpy slices of steak on a small scoop of mashed photos and some fancy sauce. This place is out of its mind. I sigh, and he hears it. “What?” “Nothing.” I keep looking at the menu. “No come on, don’t hold your opinions back now.” I lean in so I can lower my voice. “You really think a place like this is worth your money?” “I haven’t eaten here yet, but everyone is saying good things and the chef is from Washington D.C. and has cooked for the president.” “Yeah, I bet he didn’t rip him off,” I say “What do you mean?” He asks. I point to the plate of the woman next to us. āSeventy-five dollars for three slices of steak? You can get a twenty-ounce steak cooked perfectly and melts in your mouth for less than that elsewhere.” He shakes his head and smiles, “Let’s give it a fair shake, yeah? Don’t look at prices, letās try the food and see if it measures up.” “Okay,” I hesitantly agree. We order an appetizer of crab cakes that aren’t actually too bad, but I have had better ones. “So, let’s not beat around the bush,” I say. “Get to talking.” “Upfront, are we?” he says. “Yes, remember I speak my mind.” There is a twinkle in his eye at that. “I like you because you are different, you hold your own in a conversation, you can make me laugh, and you have opinions. I guess I like that this isn’t your thing, and you aren’t being what you think I want, you are just you.” “Yes, well I’m not a bullshitter, never have been. I tend to be too blunt sometimes and put my foot in my mouth more than I’d like to admit. But I’m real, what you see is what you get. I don’t like games. Games hurt too much,” I say. He looks at me seriously. “Yes, I agree, I don’t do games either.” He pauses and his tone softens, “Look, I’d like to do a trial run with you. One month.” I laugh, “Youāll run screaming after a week, trust me.” He just smiles. “One month, either of us can walk away, no questions asked. If after a month we agree it works, then we do a contract.” I look at him and study him as he talks. “What does this all entail?” “Well, I’d like dinner once a week with you just like this, maybe a better restaurant,” he pauses and smiles. “As I said, I like trying new places. That means drinks, dinner, maybe a movie, or an event downtown. Several hours of your time. I pay you three-hundred dollars a date and cover all expenses on said date. Say every Friday night. You are free to say no to any others during the week, but Friday night would be a must.” I stare at him, thinking. Three-hundred dollars more than pays for a babysitter if Mia or my mom aren’t available and that’s an extra $1200 a month. The money could build up my savings account and give me some breathing room. He continues, “Over the next month I have three functions on my schedule. These are longer nights and require socializing, proper etiquette, dress, hair, makeup, etc. I pay five-hundred dollars a night for these. I cover your dress, hair, makeup, and anything else needed for the event. At the moment everything is in town, but I have had out-of-town events mostly for a weekend where I’d need you to come along. Weāll negotiate that beforehand. You will also be given a one-thousand-dollar line of credit for clothes and a two- monthly allowance to be on call for last minutes dates.” When he said that I almost choked on my wine. Did I just hear him right? āTwo-thousand dollars a month allowance?” I ask. “Yes, to pay your bills, buy things you need. It’s an incentive to drop plans when I ask for last minute dates.” “And what do you expect on the physical end from this?” He smirks. “When we are out, it will be just like tonight. Iāll open the doors, pull out your chair, guide you with my hand on your back, or place your arm in mine and even hold your hand.” He pauses, letting me take it in. “At the big social events there might be some kisses on the cheek and dancing, but you are not required to kiss me or sleep with me and if youāre ever uncomfortable, you say so. But you do have to make it look like you enjoy my company, and we are on a real date and have a real relationship,” he says. I take another sip of my drink and think. Twelve-hundred dollars for one date a week to get out of the house, no kids. Fifteen-hundred dollars for three events and a two-thousand-dollar allowance is four-thousand dollars in one month. That’s more than I make in a month with child support. Plus, there is an option to make more with other dates. I could take fewer hours at work this month, spend some time with the kids, chaperone Allie’s field trip, and write my book. Then when this is all over, sell the clothes and make a little more to put in the bank. “And at any time, I can be done if this doesn’t work. Even mid-date?” I ask. “Yes, and you can keep the full allowance amount and any money and clothing allowance for the month. If the month works and you agree to a contract, then things are a bit stricter, but we can negotiate all that when the time comes.” It doesn’t sound like a bad deal, almost too good to be true. “I don’t even know your full name,” I say. “Owen Garrett.” I pull out my phone and type it in. “Are you Googling me?” he asks and smiles, clearly amused. “Umm yeah, I need to know my chances of this ending with me being butchered in your backyard.” He grins again as our dinner shows up. He ordered scallops and I ordered the sliced steak. “You aren’t on any of these trendy diets, are you?” I ask, eying his plate. “No why?” “Because I like burgers, fries, and steak, all things meat and carbs.” “Good to know,” he says over his drink glass with a hint of amusement in his voice. We talk a bit about the food, how small the portions are, and we even swap a bite off each otherās plate. “So, chances of you being slaughtered and buried in my back yard?” he asks.
AUTHOR BIO
Kaci Rose runs on coffee, chocolate, and Oreos. She writes the type of romance books she wants to read.
Kaci loves her book boyfriends with tattoos, muscles, beards, and a little dirty.
Mail-Order Brides for Christmas Authors: Fiona Davenport, Frankie Love, Hope Ford, Kelli Callahan, S.E. Law & Tracy Lorraine Genre: Steamy Mail Order Bride Romance Release Date: November 17, 2020
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The Mistletoe Brothers are ready to save Snow Valley ā¦ even if it means marrying complete strangers.
The six women who arrive in this mountainside town all have very different reasons for agreeing to an arranged marriage. And none of them quite know what to make of the six ruggedly handsome brothers who greet them.
But they do know this: thereās no turning back.
Itās Christmas, the season for miracles ā¦ but is it also the season for falling in love?
Join six of your favorite romance authors this holiday as they show you around the most romantic town youāve ever visited. Itās got an ice-skating rink where you can hold hands, hot cocoa to sip by the fire, and plenty of mistletoe that you can kiss under. This collection of all new stories are filled with high heat…because with six brothers, there are plenty of packages to unwrap.
Iām still reeling from finishing this book. Thank you to @bookofmatchesmedia for including me on this tour!
While I loved Estelle – sheās an incredibly strong female protagonist who grows into being a badass and into her magic, – the story took a weird, hard turn for me in the middle. At one point, I had to close the book and make sure I was still reading the same book.
That said, the twist at the end had me š, and I flew through the last handful of chapters.
TRIGGER WARNINGS – Graphic violence, abuse, adult language, mention (not graphic) of rape and assault.
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When fate tears Estelle Verndari from an ordinary world, dreams become a sinister new reality. In Kiliac, different is dangerous. Different means magic, and magic is punishable by death.
Lost and alone in a forest of nightmares, Estelle is saved by Rose, a man with fire in his eyes and blood on his hands. But she must learn to survive this brutal new world if she ever hopes to make it home. As the forest becomes a sanctuary, Rose captures her heart, and Estelle discovers a secret magic in her soulāthe ability to heal in a world full of ruin.
But an ancient power is calling her name. A tyrant king is drowning the forest in death, and taking up arms to defend it means giving up on finding her path home. If Estelleās secret is uncovered, everything sheās grown to love will be destroyed.
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and Clare Kae for the advanced copy in exchanged for my hosting this tour and for the advanced reading copy.
Iāve never been great at remembering anything. I carry a journal with me just about everywhere to write down important information so I donāt immediately forget it. And when Iām meeting new people, Iām great with faces, terrible with names.
So a book on How to Remember Everything, yes, please!
I didnāt go into this book with a whole lot of hope for me. Because, again, nothing much sticks in the okā memory trap. But, let me tell you, Weinsteinās methods actually work! Even for someone like me!
Jacob Sager Weinstein breaks his memory tips and tricks down into 11 easy to understand chapters with examples and memory tests. And I actually found myself remembering the lists and memory tests he set out in the chapters using the tricks and tips presented in the book.
Hopefully I can remember these tricks going forward, though, to be able to use them. š
Thank you to Turn the Page Tours and author Jacob Sager Weinstein for the review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Up for grabs is one (1) physical copy of How to Remember Everything. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run from November 2nd to November 9th at 11:59 PM CST. To enter, head to the rafflecopter giveaway below!
AUTHOR BIO: Jacob Sager Weinsteinās work has appeared in The New Yorker and The Onion, and he has written for HBO and the BBC as well. He lives in London with his wife and children.
His latest book is HOW TO REMEMBER EVERYTHING: TIPS AND TRICKS OF THE MEMORY MASTERS.
ILLUSTRATOR BIO: BARBARA MALLEY is an illustrator from Southern California. She earned a BFA from the Laguna College of Art + Design and an MFA from California State University Fullerton. Barbara has worked professionally as an animation character designer, a product designer, and as a cartoonist. Her artwork has been published in books and magazines, exhibited in several group and solo gallery shows, and was sported on the mask of a professional hockey goalie. Currently, she is working as an adjunct instructor at CSUF and LCAD and is freelancing as an illustrator and character designer.
When sheās not obsessively drawing in her sketchbook, Barbara loves to watch ice hockey, collect rocks, memorize star catalogs, read comic books, and travel by train. She lives with her cat, Gremlin, and parakeets, Pea and Poop.
This was the such a fun romance read right now – as the days are getting shorter and the the weather is getting cooler. Melina works in guest services at Holiday Springs Resort in a mountain town in Pennsylvania.
(Living in PA all of my life, I could picture that small, mountain town, the ski resort at the heart of it so clearly. The foliage turning beautiful colors this time of year and the cold biting winters that bring lots and lots of snow.)
After Melinaās mother passes away, she becomes the breadwinner for her family – two younger sisters and her father who has had a stroke and can no longer work. With bills piling up for the house, her car, medical bills, Melina doesnāt have time for a relationship. Especially since sheās gunning for a promotion at the resort.
Which is why, when Zane Wilder asks her out, she flat out tells him no.
Itās not a romance novel without a little tension, right?
Zane does convince Melina into a date – one single date. And he absolutely woos her, in a way that, seriously, every boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other out there needs to read about because, seriously, I donāt know how anyone could resist that sort of wooing.
I was definitely cheering on Melina throughout this book. While the romance was fun and the steamy scenes were fun, Melina working hard despite her challenges, supporting herself and her family, and wanting to make it on her own, without meddling from Zane, I completely understood that feeling. I wanted to give her a big olā hug and I wanted to be her friend – because someone who cares that much about their family and their job would be a welcomed addition to my network and support system.
Love on the Rocks is a standalone in the Holiday Springs Resort series by Kim Bailey.
Thank you to Give Me Books PR and author Kim Bailey for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Melina Morales is a good girl.
A hardworking, ambitious, follows-all-the-rules girl. Maybe thatās why her coworkers call her the ice queen. She might care if it werenāt for the looming pile of debt and her family depending on her. But with her dream job on the line, sheās determined to succeed, no matter the sacrifice.
Thereās just one tiny, six-foot-something problem…
Zane Wilder is a bad boy.
The Holiday Springs bartender is the guy everyone turns to for a good timeāespecially the women. Except, lately heās been unsatisfied. Maybe itās got something to do with the drunken kiss he shared with Melina, but since heās not interested in commitment, he figures thereāll never be a chance to find out.
When Melina agrees to one date in return for a favor, they both quickly realize thereās something between them. But itās going to take Zane a lot more than his fun-loving ways and easy charm to convince the good girl to give him a serious shot.
Kim Bailey is a born procrastinator and sarcasm junkie who gets her motivation from coffee and good books. She enjoys lively conversations, usually with imaginary people, and can often be found daydreaming at work.
Most of all, she loves writing about love.
Her romance stories range from small-town contemporaries to action-packed suspense but always have a high heat level. She writes strong-willed women, broody alpha males, deep family bonds, and fiercely passionate lovers.
Kim proudly became a USA Today Best-Selling Author with her contribution to Wanted: An Outlaw Anthology. This charity anthology raised over $5000.00 for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital.
āCasia hated thunderstorms, because they reminded her of the night she had watched her mother kill her father.ā
Holy freaking opening. S.M. Gaither might win best first sentence for a new release for 2020.
Song of the Marked felt like a very timely read for 2020. A realm where a mysterious disease is ravaging the people, draining the life from them in a matter of weeks, sometimes days. And a king-emperor who is searching for some cure to the disease.
As I learned more about The Fading Sickness, the more I associated it the coronavirus pandemic our world is currently grappling with.
And, just like we all need more information about COVID-19, I NEED more information about King-Emperor Varen and the Solasen family.Ā
I appreciated Gaitherās ability to weave information into the story without overloading the reader with information. For instance, I had some questions about how the magic system works in the beginning, but by the time I finished the book my questions had been answered.
That said, I still finished this book with so many questions ā especially about Casia: Where is she from? Who is she? How did she not realize she had magic before? And, where does her magic come from? And what is the song of the marked?
The slow burn romance between Casia and Elander is steamy. Thereās such tension between the two of them. The romance and the steaminess feels very natural between the two characters, and I was definitely shipping them.
The writing in Song of the Marked was faced paced and I found myself flipping pages quickly and zooming through chapters. However, I never found myself fully invested in any of the characters. That said, with that cliffhanger ending ā I need the book two!
Ā Thank you to author S.M. Gaither and Book of Matches Media for the review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
