This Weeks New Releases

I look forward to this weekly post and at the same time I almost dread it. Why you ask? Because it reminds me of how much I want to hideaway for hours and simply read!

It's all contemporaries this week. In comments, please add any releases you are anticipating.

Sarina Bowen is a favorite author of mine. Thanks to Nath for first recommending Ms. Bowen's wonderful Ivy Years series. I have yet to start this new series but have read some glowing reviews.

Steadfast
Sarina Bowen
Contemporary Romance
True North Series/Book 2

She’s the only one who ever loved him—and the only one he can never have.

Jude lost everything one spring day when he crashed his car into an apple tree on the side of the road. A man is dead, and there's no way he can ever right that wrong. He’d steer clear of Colebury, Vermont forever if he could. But an ex-con in recovery for his drug addiction can’t find a job just anywhere.

For Sophie Haines, coming face to face with the man who broke her heart is gut-wrenching. Suddenly, he’s everywhere she turns. It’s hard not to stare at how much he’s changed. The bad boy who used to love her didn’t have big biceps and sun-kissed hair. And he’d never turn up volunteer in the church kitchen.

She knows it’s foolish to yearn for the man who returned all the heartsick letters she wrote him in prison. But the looks he sends her now speak volumes.

No one wants to see Sophie and Jude back together, least of all Sophie's police chief father. But it's a small town. And forbidden love is a law unto itself.

And... another series I haven't started yet but I have enjoyed Alice Clayton's writing in the past. She writes witty, sexy, fun contemporary romances. If you haven't ready her, give her a try.

Cream of the Crop
Alice Clayton
Contemporary Romance
Hudson Valley Series/Book 2

Manhattan’s It Girl, Natalie Grayson, has it all: she’s a hot exec at a leading advertising firm, known industry-wide for her challenging and edgy campaigns. She’s got a large circle of friends, a family that loves her dearly, and her dance card is always full with handsome eligible bachelors. What else could a modern gal-about-town wish for? The answer, of course, is...cheese.

Natalie’s favorite part of each week is spending Saturday morning at the Union Square Farmer’s Market, where she indulges her love of all things triple cream. Her favorite booth also indulges her love of all things handsome. Oscar Mendoza, owner of the Bailey Falls Creamery and purveyor of the finest artisanal cheeses the Hudson Valley has to offer, is tall, dark, mysterious, and a bit oblivious. Or so she thinks. 

But that doesn’t stop Natalie from fantasizing about the size of his, ahem, milk can.Romance is churning, passion is burning, and something incredible is rising to the top.Could it be...love?

I've read Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold series and liked the small town setting with a diverse character group and some amusing secondary characters. Daughters of the Bride sounds like a sweet romantic story.

Daughters of the Bride
Susan Mallery
Contemporary Romance

With Joy, Love and a Little Trepidation, Courtney, Sienna and Rachel Invite You to the Most Emotional Wedding of the Year… Their Mother's

Courtney ~ The Misfit ~ 

As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing—keeping secrets, including her white-hot affair with a sexy music producer. Planning Mom's wedding exposes her startling hidden life, changing her family's view of her—and how she views herself—forever.

Sienna ~ The Free Spirit ~ 

When Sienna's boyfriend proposes—in front of her mom and sisters, for crying out loud—he takes her by surprise. She already has two broken engagements under her belt. Should she say "I do" even if she's not sure she does?

Rachel ~ The Cynic ~ 

Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. As Mom's wedding day draws near and her ex begs for a second chance, she's forced to acknowledge some uncomfortable truths about why her marriage failed, and decide if she'll let pride stand in the way of her own happily-ever-after.

This sounds like a fun, tropical romantic suspense. A little on the short side, 222 pages per Amazon. Which is actually a good length for a beach/vacation read. I've read some of Lauren Blakely's novels and she writes steamy romances. Not too dark but with plenty of action.

The Sapphire Affair
Lauren Blakely
Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Jewel Series/Book 1

Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hires him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.

Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.

Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.

But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs…

This Week's New Releases

So much goodness this week! Some from favorite authors as well as new to me authors. Also one with a type of heroine we rarely read about.

I find my curiosity quite high for this story. A heroine who can not hear and a hero who speaks her language. I'm intrigued and can't wait to see how different, if any, the romance is as they communicate without the spoken word.

Signs of Attraction
Laura Brown
Contemporary Romance

Do you know what hearing loss sounds like? I do.

All my life I've tried to be like you. I've failed.

So I keep it hidden.

But on the day my world crashed down around me, Reed was there.

He showed me just how loud and vibrant silence can be, even when I struggled to understand.

He's unlike anyone I've ever known. His soulful eyes and strong hands pulled me in before I knew what was happening.

And as I saw those hands sign, felt them sparking on me, I knew: imperfect could be perfect.

Reed makes me feel things I've never felt. It's exciting...and terrifying.

Because he sees me like no one else has, and I'm afraid of what he'll find if he looks too closely.

The only thing that scares me more than being with him? Letting him go.

I'm almost always in the mood for romantic suspense. Karen Rose is my go-to author but I'm always on the look out for new RS authors and thought I'd give Ms. Fenech a try.

Breath of Malice
Karen Fenech
Romantic Suspense

FBI special agent Paige Carson hoped she'd be able to start a new life in small-town South Carolina. But when a senator's sister is murdered and a blank postcard is left next to the body, Paige realizes that a killer from her past has found her - and is sending her a very personal message.

From the moment he hired her, FBI special agent in charge Sam McKade knew Paige was hiding something. Prompted by this recent threat, she finally opens up: one year ago, she caught the eye of suspected serial killer Todd Thames. Now he's come back to pull her into his game, whether she wants to play or not.

As the danger increases, Paige and Sam give in to their growing attraction, and he vows to protect her no matter the cost. But he murderer will stop at nothing to get to his intended prey, and the strong arm of the law - and the shelter of her new love - may not be enough to save her.

I love a good road trip story! Add in a heroine with an unusual career and a man she can drive crazy. Sounds like the makings for an exciting trip!

Driven to Temptation
Melia Alexander
Contemporary Romance

Aidan Ross might be an engineering genius, but people skills? Not this soldier's forte. Thankfully, a trusted friend is accompanying him to a make-or-break tradeshow...but then a bubbly redhead hops into his truck, claiming to be his new road trip buddy. She's a gorgeous distraction he can't afford. Or ignore.

Delaney Harper comes from a family of engineers - male engineers. With several impressive projects under her belt, she's on a mission to prove she can hang with the big boys, too. but cracking the sexy, closed-off CEO is tougher than she expects...and hotter than she could have imagined.

With the tempting woman disrupting his carefully planned schedule, Aidan can't focus on the road, much less their upcoming presentation. The future of his company is riding on this trip, and if they're to land a huge account, he has to keep his head - and his heart - in the game...

It's Sarina Bowen writing a lubersexual farmer. How can I resist? : ')

Bittersweet
Sarina Bowen
Contemporary Romance
True North/Book 1

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the orchard. The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some.

So, so far behind on this series. But I will catch up. I don't know when. I don't know how, probably by audio book, but I will catch up. (Show of hands - how many of us have made this vow before?) *raises hand*

Allegiance of Honor
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
Psy-Changeling Series/Book 15

The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

I'm usually not drawn to romances with wealthy businessmen as the hero. But this is Megan Hart, a favorite author, and it sounds like she's turned the table on the usual set up of dominate male, submissive female.

Beg for It
Megan Hart
Contemporary Romance

He’s gonna have to beg for it…

Corinne was young once. She did everything—girls, boys, drugs, toys—and did it in high funky fashion. Reese wasn’t her first lover, but he was the first to submit to her. For a while they had something special, but it ended badly.

She’s a little older now. And the wealthy businessman who just bought the company she works for bears little resemblance to that boy. He’s commanding, domineering, and seems hell-bent on pushing her past her limits.

In a flash of anger, she falls back into their old pattern—and Reese falls right in with her. Before she knows it, she’s testing him. Then tasting him. But she can’t afford to get involved again. Her life is complicated enough without throwing in a slew of kink.

Now if only Reese would stop making her feel like the goddess she used to be…and showing her who’s been the boss all along. Then…and now.

Warning: Contains thousand-dollar, custom-tailored business suits, fuzzy green boots, goth eyeliner, and fishnet sleeves. We’ll let you discover who wears what.

Review: The Fifteenth Minute ~ Sarina Bowen

The Fifteenth Minute
Sarina Bowen
New Adult/Contemporary
The Ivy Series/Book 5
Rennie Roads Books/October 13, 2015

Freshman Lianne Challice is known to millions of fans as Princess Vindi. But sometimes a silver screen sorceress just wants to hang up her wand, tell her manager to shove it, and become a normal college student. Too bad that’s harder than it looks.

She’s never lived a normal life. She hasn’t been to school since kindergarten. And getting close to anyone is just too risky — the last boy she kissed sold the story to a British tabloid.

But she can’t resist trying to get close to Daniel "DJ" Trevi, the hot, broody guy who spins tunes for hockey games in the arena. Something's haunting his dark eyes, and she needs to know more.

DJ's genius is for expressing the mood of the crowd with a ten second song snippet. With just a click and a fade, he can spread hope, pathos or elation among six thousand screaming fans.

Too bad his college career is about to experience the same quick fade-out as one of his songs. He can't get close to Lianne, and he can't tell her why. And the fact that she seems to like him at all? Incredible.

The final book in the Ivy Series was an excellent installment and the best news - there will be a spin-off series! I've enjoyed this series from the start and look forward to seeing some of these characters in the future.

The character of Lianne Challice made me think of what it would be like for Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, to go to college. To drop the celebrity and try to be a student like everyone else. As Lianne proved, it's not easy. She tries to be as inconspicuous as possible but she is recognized and whispered about. I felt sorry for her when she would hide away in her dorm room, not wanting to deal with the whispers and teasing. She is desperate to shed her Princess Vindi reputation and take more mature roles. Meanwhile, she must deal with a serious attraction to a guy who doesn't seem too phased by her fame.

DJ has had some serious trouble in recent months and while he's attracted to Lianne, he doesn't feel like he's in the right place to start a relationship. Still, it doesn't stop him from spending time with her and getting to know the real Lianne. DJ was such a good guy! He was considerate, funny and tries to do the right thing, especially when it comes to Lianne. They made a superb couple.

Between DJ's troubles with the school and Lianne's trouble with her career, these two have plenty to keep them stressed over. They do, at times, come across as far more mature than their ages. (Lianne-19/DJ-20). One of the best ways they de-stress is sharing their love of music. DJ aka Daniel, provides the music for the college hockey games. Prior to reading The Fifteenth Minute, I had no idea how detailed and critical the selection and playing of music was to a game.  I appreciated the details Ms. Bowen applied to the story and found myself looking up quite a few songs to listen to as I read.

The resolution of both DJ and Lianne's difficulties was almost too perfect. Still, the ending was appropriate for them both with the combination of both of their passions. I'll miss spending time at Harkness College but look forward to reading the spin-off series.

Rating: B+

The Ivy Series ~

The Year We Fell Down
The Year We Ran Away
Blonde Date (novella)
The Understatement of the Year
The Shameless Hour
The Fifteenth Minute

Review: The Shameless Hour

The Shameless Hour
Sarina Bowen
New Adult/Contemporary Romance
The Ivy Years/Book 4
Rennie Roads Books/April 12, 2015

The girl who’s had everyone meets the boy who has no one.

For Bella, the sweet-talking, free-loving, hip-checking student manager of the Harkness men’s hockey team, sex is a second language. She’s used to being fluent where others stutter, and the things people say behind her back don’t (often) bother her. So she can’t understand why her smoking hot downstairs neighbor has so much trouble staying friends after their spontaneous night together. She knows better than to worry about it, but there’s something in those espresso eyes that makes her second guess herself. 

Rafe is appalled with himself for losing his virginity in a drunken hookup. His strict Catholic upbringing always emphasized loving thy neighbor—but not with a bottle of wine and a box of condoms. The result is an Ivy League bout of awkwardness. But when Bella is leveled by a little bad luck and a downright sinister fraternity stunt, it’s Rafe who is there to pick up the pieces.

Bella doesn’t want Rafe's help, and she’s through with men. Too bad the undeniable spark that crackles between the two of them just can't be extinguished.

*Apologies. I planned to post this review before posting the review for book 5, The Fifteenth Minute, which I posted yesterday. This is what happens when you have numerous reviews partially written. You don't always finish them in the right order. :)

When you think of a hero, you don't usually think of a virgin. When you think of a heroine, you don't usually think of a promiscuous woman. But that is what the reader is given in The Shameless Hour. In some cases, this set-up might not work. Sarina Bowen not only writes believable characters but creates a plausible relationship.

Bella is the team manager of the Harkness hockey team which means she spend a lot of time around guys. Bella is comfortable being around the guys and it shows. It's safe to say she has far more male friends than female, in fact, she doesn't really have any true female friends, just some acquaintances. Most of the females tend to be either intimidated by Bella's confidence or jealous of her access to the hockey players. Whichever it is, Bella seems to have accepted her position in a world dominated by males.

I was surprised at how much I liked Bella. Admittedly, I thought I might have difficulty seeing past her promiscuity. She honestly doesn't see anything wrong with having sex simply for the sake of having sex. No lasting attachment necessary, just physical gratification for a short period of time - like an hour or two. The truth is, Bella is lonely. She seems to have all of these friends but in reality, there isn't anyone whom she can confide in. At one point, there was someone she felt close to, not only physically but emotionally, but she was terribly hurt and now trust is something she doesn't give out. I felt genuine empathy for Bella, which surprised me.

Rafe is perfect! This guy has it all going for him. A loving mom, a wonderful extended family, great soccer player, handsome and an all around nice guy. He also still has his V card when the story begins but Rafe has a plan to change that status. There's a saying that goes something like, "The Fates laugh when we make plans." Poor Rafe because the Fates must have really had it in for him. All his plans come crashing down in the most terrible way possible. Except no one died so it could have been worse. You can't help but feel sorry for this guy. He's tried to do the right thing and in doing so, gets screwed but not in a good way. But a little time, a bottle of wine and a desirable woman can make all the difference in the world. And in the end, Rafe really did ended up with the finest outcome.

The secondary characters are some familiar faces if you've been reading the series as well as some new faces. Rafe's roommates are the ideal foil for his perfection. And while Bella doesn't have a roommate, she does share a bathroom with an intriguing character. Harkness College creates its own presence with the dorms, dining halls, frat houses, library and hockey rink producing emotional reactions from the characters. It has all the aspects of a small town, both the good and bad.

The Shameless Hour was another welcomed addition to what has become a favorite series.

Rating: B+

The Ivy Series ~

The Year We Fell Down
The Year We Ran Away
Blonde Date (novella)
The Understatement of the Year
The Shameless Hour
The Fifteenth Minute